the aforesaid Book is charged with and its dis-regard to Truths praise and the glory thereof is plainly manifested by the Work William Rogers hath made to defame with all possible reproachful Speeches slanderous and lying accusations such as have kept their first love to Truth unchristian-like yea unhumanly and contrary to all Gospel-order and Rule of common Societies Printing and publishing the same against the Antient and Elder Brethren without hearing or convicting after any human or Gospel way such as have been made more particularly Instrumental in the matter of setling thereof in the Power and Spirit of Jesus in the Churches justified owned and practised amongst the upright-hearted to God to their unspeakable comfort for the Glory and blessings 〈◊〉 that attends the concerned therein particularly George Fox is the Man that his venomous Darts are shot at which his corrupt heart hath been filled with which through his Printed Book he hath let fly with all the eagerness and extravagancy of Spirit that he can work himself into to bring a reproach upon and make him contemptible to all to the undoing of him if it were in his power both as a Man and a Christian and supposing in his 〈◊〉 and fall to throw down the Discipline and the Order of Truth amongst the faithful to the letting go from the Bond of the Power such as would be from under the yoke thereof which the pure God blesseth the faithful with as Instruments in his hand for discouraging of Sin and Wickedness and incouragement of Christian Vertue Purity and Holliness The tendency of this our Adversaries Spirit to liberty in the Flesh and to gratifie the Backsliding 〈◊〉 that 's going thitherward Reader thou mayest be more fully satisfied thereof if thou do but take notice with what vigour and the might he hath he appears to stand by to applaud and to proclaim John Wilkinson and John Story for two Antient and honourable Labourers in the Gospel whose Conversation and Doctrin I have not known or understood saith he to be exceeded by any mortal man whatsoever Which by several passages relating to them in William Rogers's Printed Book inserted and explained in the Answer to it called The Accuser of our Brethren cast down thou mayest detect and plainly see it s but a meer flattering boast of his unbridled Tongue and that they are no such ones as he would render them to be And when through Gods help we shall have laid open the exercises and griefs we have met withal in the Church of God in Westmoreland through the opposition that these two Men have made to Friends tender Care amongst Gods People for the promoting the honour of his Truth in Righteousness and Holiness of Life and against our care that all might keep faithful in their Testimony for the Truth as received of God and the obstructions in our work and concerns relating thereunto wrought by them and others of a wrong and loose Spirit encouraged thereby to stand by them which by sad experience we have found and are able to demonstrate as in plainness and according to the naked Truth through Gods help we intend to do of this Spirit and of its work we shall then leave thee as more capable to judge and doubt not but to give thee also cause to say and conclude that the Author of the aforesaid Book hath been Malicious Partial and Fallacious in the work he hath had in hand and that it is no matter whom he Blesseth and whom he Curseth whom he Justifieth or whom he Condemneth Now as to 〈◊〉 off the Fig-leave covering of this Apostate Spirit which its fallen to be our Lot to be concerned with amongst the many perils we have been carried through by the Arm of Israels God and to manifest to all its nakedness and shame to be the more detestable because of the impudency it appears in the cause whereof William Rogers hath presumed principally to espouse and appear in the defence of to the utmost of the Breath and Force that he hath and that he is a man departed from the Faith and the good 〈◊〉 standing by a Rebellious loose sort despising the dignity of Gods Power and though talking of the Light and antient Truth yet out of the Life of it an Opposer of Gospel-Order and wholsom Discipline in the Church of God a discourager of the weak in their antient Living Testimonies for the Truth an encourager of the Backsliders from the Life of God and a separate faction from the Fellowship of Truth in the visible concerns of Gods People relating to the honour of Truth and that he is a false Accuser of the Brethren a malicious Slanderer of the Innocent and one that hath set himself to do the mischief he can to the defamation of our holy Principle and Profession and to bring an Odium upon all those that will not adhere to his Spirit and abet him in his contentious Work but 〈◊〉 against the same in their Testimony that stands sure and shall never be shaken by him and that he is a man rejected of the Lord for his works sake and shut out from the fellowship of the Saints in Light and his Works cast out as the unsavoury Salt good for nothing but to be troden under foot of men And for a further proof thereof several things are materially necessary to be made good reduced into these following heads First That under a Gospel dispensation visible Order Discipline and Government in the exercise of the Spirit is necessary justifiable and ought to be found in Subjection to Gods Power amongst Gods People according to Christs Doctrine Apostolical care and the practice of the Primitive Churches of Christ proved by Scripture Record Secondly That the care of the Churches of God in this our day amongst the Children of the Light with respect to Discipline according to the order and rule of Truth and their practice accordingly stands justified as consistant with the Apostles Doctrine with the command of Christ Scripture Example and the primitive practice touching this matter Thirdly That William Rogers in his Book though after a broken contradictory manner and very much inconsistant with himself hath denied the care discipline and order used amongst us in the Church of God and hath Judged the same And that John Wilkinson and John Story with them of the Separation in the North and of Party with him in an opposite Spirit thereunto have sleighted despised and laboured to put a dis-esteem thereupon and have laid Stumbling-blocks in the way of the weak in relation thereunto and have laboured to obstruct the care and exercise of Gods People in relation thereunto Fourthly That George Fox and others of the Antient Brethren their care and exercise as Instruments in the Lords hand to see the Churches of Christ every where in this our age setled in the aforesaid Order and Discipline as the Apostles care was in his day hath been Justified Embraced and freely closed with as that which has
much Confusion he seems to prosecute his opposite work One while against all outward Rule Order and Discipline c. another while as bringing in Prescriptions Innovations or Dictates of Fallible men Another while as being Imposed with too much Severity or imposed on Fellow-members without Conviction see the Treatise subscribed by Ellis Hookes c. Therein are even a Catalogue of the Confusions Contradictions and Mistakes he hath run himself into which we do impute to have happened 〈◊〉 him as said before under the Discomposure he is plunged in and 〈◊〉 Distractedness as to the weighty things of the Spirit of God that he is taken with otherwise with respect to his antient Love to Truth and Regard to the Unity of Brethren and the Qualifications in that day that accompanied him he would have trembled as before the Lord and have been ashamed as a Member of Christ to have appeared on such a Subject as this to wit Opposition to Truths Life and the Churches Care and the manner of his proceeding in the matter of it would have been unto him as a man an Horrid and Detestable Thing This then we may gather from the matter and manner of his discourse in relation to the good Order and Discipline in the Church and visible Family of God That it 's being established amongst us although in the Power of the Spirit which is the Torment of a Loose and Corrupt Mind is that which he is grieved with and having put the Odium upon it which by all means he can devise to marr the face and beauty thereof as if we were run into Forms without the Power and so gone from the inward teacher we were first directed to Then on the score thereof render us Apostates Innovators and what not And this leads us to the matter that the first part of our treatise relates to formerly made mention of as upon us a little to speak to Viz. That under the Gospel-Dispensation 〈◊〉 Order Discipline and Government in the exercise of the Spirit is necessary Justifiable and ought to be found in Subjection to Gods Power amongst Gods people that we may be Truths Praise in the Tabernacle God has given us as that which Answers the Doctrine of Christ the Apostles Care and the Practice of the Primitive Churches according to Scripture-record This is the plain and a positive Truth consistent with the pure Religion to visit the Widow and the Fatherless and to keep unspotted of the world and hath been the Constant practice of the Churches of Christ since there was a people that believed in him and gathered into a Society in the Profession of Truth which the primitive Churches were zealous in the matter of And the very 〈◊〉 Christians have been ashamed as men not to be found in the form thereof And the Reformers of Latter days according to more modern Records have been as incumbent upon them exercised therein in the several visible Societies they have been gathered into And until the Lord was pleased to establish this people W. Rogers inveighs against through the elder Brethren as Instruments in his hand in the matter and practice thereof which could not be till we became a people considerable in relation to it We were under a 〈◊〉 thereof in order to our more compleat mutual 〈◊〉 Strength and Comfort each to other so far as the matter thereof relates thereunto As also with respect to the honour of God Truth our Repute and the Churches Comfort and Ease All which in the Record we have to bear for God we can truly say hath Attended us in our Exercise and Concern in Relation to this matter So that in the sweet and comfortable Order in which the Lord hath placed us in a tender Care for Truth 's Praise we have the sense of God's Love and Delight with us in Blessings upon us and the Work we are concerned in as a Reward into our Bosom manifold and our esteem and good report in many Consciences both amongst them that are saved and amongst them that perish hath greatly been enlarged hereby So that we say as to the proof of this certain Truth and Justified Practice in which we are found although our Adversary William Rogers doth despise the same and reviles our Practice and concern therein much needed not be said it 's so plain and obvious to all Yet in short the tender Reader may take notice not knowing into what hands this may come that Christ Jesus our Lord and Law-giver confirms the Truth of this 〈◊〉 in that saying Matthew 18. If thy Brother Trespass against thee go and tell him his Fault betwixt him and thee alone If he hear thee then thou hast gained thy Brother If he hear thee not take with thee one or two more c. And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it to the Church But if he neglect to hear the Church let him be 〈◊〉 thee as an heathen-man This Implyes positively Church order 〈◊〉 yea Church-power and Government in the Spirit which he promised to give and the Determination and sentence thereof requireable The Offender for not hearing him was not to be unto him as an heathen-man till he had refused to hear the Church and until the Sentence given by it William Rogers one while sayes and so also John Wilkinson hath preached That the Church-power on that wise 〈◊〉 only to matters Criminal and in Difference about outward things And yet contradicts himself again and sayes on the same subject giving Judgment in the case of not hearing That every Case of one Brother's Trespassing against another according to right reason may be comprehended Again it 's said in 1 Cor. 6. 15. The Spiritual man Judgeth all things and it 's said That the Saints shall Judge the world And Paul said Know ye not that we shall Judge Angels how much more the things that appertain to this life Is not here Order and Discipline to be used in Relation to the Judgment that the Church was to give Paul again writing to the Hebrews said obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch over your souls as they that must give an Account c. See what Care in the Church was used and what a 〈◊〉 conferred upon such whom the Lord in his Power made Overseers and what a Duty incumbent upon the younger of Submission in the Lord to the Brethren as those that watched over them and as for whom they must give an Account But William Rogers is of another Spirit then the Apostles and Overseers were in that day the Tendency of his Discourse is to undervalue to lessen and to make contemptible the Church's Power Paul said Obey them that have the Rule over you William Rogers sayes Nay this is an Imposing and resists on this account viz. We do not see it our duty nor a requiring upon us so to do we are not inwardly perswaded in our Conseiences concerning it This we say were indeed to set
Light with Respect to Discipline according to the Order and Rule of Truth and their Practice accordingly Stands Fustified as consistent with the Doctrine of Christ the Aposties Command Scripture-example and the Primitive Practice amongst the Believers touching this Matter By that Eternal Word that was man's Life and Glory in the beginning before Sin and the separation from God was a Remnant that have believed and have been gathered home again unto God In which Word our Fellowship stands with the Father and with the Son according to Antient experience and through the Holy Spirit are we brought into Unity one with another in that Invincible life which they that believe not are strangers to and in the Tabernacle the Lord hath given us in this World as the Family of God we are in that Society wherein in the Love that we bear one unto another and in that Godly care we have amongst us for God's Glory and Truth 's Praise our desires are to be one anothers help and advantage every way so as that in all things we may be as becomes the Heritage of God And for this cause is it that we are a people Setled through the Power and Spirit of Truth in that good Order and Discipline as becomes the Family of him who hath chosen us That Love and Care none other we have laboured to preserve amongst us according to Christ's Doctrine and the Primitive Example as that we may Glorifie God in Body Soul and Spirit and by reason whereof all men may know that we are Christ's disciples and that we are in that Faith which works by Love And in the same eternal Power by which we are a People and in which we are made HelpGovernments in the Church of God an eye is open and an Inspection given us in which what ever is decent comely and of good report is cherished and approved of and what ever is contrary is seen whether in things appertaining to Doctrine or Practice Conversation and Life And in the same Power which is the Terrour to the evil-doer is the exercise of God's People in relation thereunto according to the Blessed Order Christ 〈◊〉 directed unto in the Case of Trespass of one Brother against another where the Church might come to be concerned as to hearing the Matter and giving judgment in the case as the Lord might direct according to the Power and Authority given in which the Sentence might be passed for want of the Church being heard by the offending Brother let him be unto thee as an heathen-man This Order and Discipline was directed to to be in the Church and this Government and Judgment by Christ Jesus given unto them who had received of his good Spirit in which Spirit of Truth that leads into all Truth it is and in none other that in our tender care in the Church of God we are concerned and have a Witness in the Consciences of all the tender-hearted before the Lord. And whatever William Rogers sayes in his Malicious Slandering Mind God is our Witness we have no care upon us in Relation to the Church of God but in that Love in which we were beloved of him and in which we are knit together We have no concern but in the Power our Eye is unto that There is no Rule Discipline or Government amongst us but in the power in which our Souls are Subjected unto God and in which we are Servants one to another In which power we do 〈◊〉 as given us of God for his Glory's sake Authority to hear Determine and give Judgment not only in matters relating to the outward man in cases of Difference brought before the Churches and upon the case of any not hearing the Church to declare him as not worthy of the Fellowship of God's people but to be unto us as an Heathon-man But also in matters relating to Conscience or the Inner man As the Apostle said A man that is an Heretick after the First and second times 〈◊〉 reject And as we have a concern upon us to stand approved in Gods sight and in all Consciences in the matter of Doctrine and Principles of Truth so also with respect to Conversation and Life to live void of offence towards God and Man in that Pure Religion we are brought into to visit the Fatherless and the Widdow and keep our selves unspotted of the World whose Care and Order relating thereunto is no way Inconsistent with the Apostle's Counsel and the Churches Practice in his day The Apostle said to the Corinthians Dare any of you having a Matter against another go to Law before the 〈◊〉 c. And that the Care of the Churches of Christ in this matter amongst this people whom William Rogers presumes to render as Apostates and Innovators and their Order and Practice is consistent with the Apostles advice let the Records of our Meeting-Books Testifie and let our disconcern with any other People save them of our Principle and Profession in any matters relating to 〈◊〉 amongst us speak in all men amongst whom our residence is The Care and Order we have in relation to the Widdow and Fatherless and them that are in necessity let our Practice touching that matter declare thereof Unto whom are we Burthensom in that case Unto what Magistrate have we complained or 〈◊〉 relief from in the case of any Brothers Indigency or want save in the case of laying before them the Oppressions and sufferings that we have been exposed to for our Testimonies sake that the cry of the Poor the Widow and the Fatherless on that Account may not enter the Lord's ears to bring his wrath upon them because thereof Or which of the Widows that are Widows indeed or of the Poor amongst us that keep faithful to Truth have found fault with us and complained of Neglect amongst us concerning them Wherein are We Inconsistent with the 〈◊〉 Practice in Relation to dealing with such as become any way Scandalous to Truth let our Records in that case speak for us in bearing a Testimony against the same and publishing of it according to the Merits thereof and the Knowledge of it abroad for the clearing of Truth and declaring our disowning of such as are led aside on that wise till Repentance be wrought and the Lord's Forgiveness be felt concerning them Let the Care and the Order we have and the Practice we are found in in Relation to the Inspecting Marriages as to clearness every way consistent with Truth 's Life and the Churches allowing or disallowing as matters are found in relation thereunto being twice brought before our Men and Womens Meetings and our decent comey and orderly proceeding with 〈◊〉 of Parents c. in the Accomplishment thereof before many of the Lord's People in publick Assemblies for the most part gathered for that very occasion that they may be Witnesses thereof We say let our practice in these matters Testifie to our consistency with the Care that 's incumbent upon us as God's
Antichristian Treachery DISCOVERED AND Its Way Block'd up In a clear Distinction betwixt the Christian Apostolical Spirit and the Spirit of the Antichristian Apostate Being an Answer to a Book put forth by William Rogers falsly called The Christian Quaker Distinguished from the Apostate and Innovator Shewing the backsliding State of him the said William Rogers and them of party with him from the Gospel Spirit the Life of Truth and the first Love Wherein he tother with John Story and John Wilkinson as principally concerned in an Apostate Work have set themselves in opposition to Evangelical Church-care and have asperced and abusively slandered the Instruments which God hath made use of touching the same In Three Parts First shewing that under the Gospel despensation Church-Government Discipline and Visible Order is justifiable necessary and commendable in the Visible Family of God according to the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostolical practice Being brought forth by and practiced in the invisible power of God Secondly That John Story and John Wilkinson together with William Rogers who hath espoused their Quarrel and others of party with them have opposed the aforesaid Visible Discipline and Order used in the Church of God to the grief of Gods people and to the Breach of the Churches peace Shewing also what Godly care and brotherly Treating according to Gospel order hath been used to and concerning the aforesaid John Story and John Wilkinson and others of party with them before the Judgment of Truth according to the power of God in his people was given out against them Thirdly That William Rogers in a prejudiced malicious mind that watcheth for evil hath laboured to Asperce and abusively to Calumniate the Church of Christ with respect to the Government and Order setled therein and particularly George Fox by name and divers others whom by name he hath also with false Accusations treated on that wise Several whereof are herein Inserted and spoken to for the Satisfaction of the honest hearted to God where this may come Behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the Table Luke 22. 21. For if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us 1 John 2. 19. THE PREFACE Tender Reader THou mayest be satisfied that it hath been the Lot of Gods People the Birth of the Righteous Seed ever since Abel to this Day who have desired to live a Righteous and Godly Life void of Offence towards God and Man during their abode in this World and to leave a Memorial that might not rot to suffer Persecution of which the Scriptures of Truth doth largely make mention being also demonstrated by the Testimonies of Antient and Modern writers touching the Affairs of the Church of God from Age to Age even to this Generation of which we are And that we the People called by the Name of Quakers who have believed in the Light of Christ Jesus and testified thereof in Doctrine and Life have had a large Portion thereof let the many Reproaches Mockings Reviling 〈◊〉 the watchings for Evil the Hatred the Fury of malicious Men we have undergone the many Slanders and false Accusation that have been cast upon us being numbered amongst Plotters and Peace-breakers and the like though not any thing of that Nature was ever proved against us or we guilty of And for the Testimony of Jesus and Word in the heart have we been hated all the Day long by a wicked and perverse Generation Yea let the spoyling of our Goods and Imprisonments that we have sustained that we might keep our Consciences clear in the Lords sight testifie on this wise concerning us ever since we have been a People for the space of nigh Thirty Years And blessed be the Lord who hath been our Defence our Hiding-place our Refuge and the Rock of our Salvation unto this present time that notwithstanding the many perils and dangers we have met withall to the undoing of us as Men and to the causing of us to decline the Testimony God gave us to bear if that Spirit had prevailed we are a People at this Day saved by the Arm of the Lord who is God and changeth not let him have the Praise for ever The good Apostle and faithful Servant of Christ Jesus and one who laboured truly in the Gospel had his share in the tribulating Exercise that attends Gods Heritage and making mention of the Perils that he had met withal in his Travels and concerns for the Gospels sake speaks on this wise Often in Perils of Water Perils of Robbers Perils by my own Country-Men Perils in the City in the Wilderness Perils on the Sea and Perils amongst false Brethren It may be taken notice of that amongst the Exercises that had happened to him in his Day for the Gospels sake he closes up the matter of his Lamentation and Grief because thereof with this viz. And Perils amongst false Brethren God hath suffered the like Exercise to befal his People in this our Day and of all the Enemies that we have met withal according to Antient Experience the greatest with respect to every particular Exercise for God and his Kingdom have been them of our own House And with respect to the general concern of Truth the furtherance whereof is more in our eye then human Repute that which we have met withal from the Treachery of False Brethren led aside from the Simplicity of the Gospel to the wounding of their own Souls and tending to the breach of the Church's Peace hath been our Sorrow and Grief That God which brought Israel out of Egypts Land and was their Rock and sure Defence their Walls and Bulwarks against their Foes their Conduct Deliverance and Rest to the Joy of that People and his own eternal Praise hath been the God of our Salvation and none other whose eminent Hand hath so appeared for us that not a Tongue that hath in Judgment risen hath prevailed nor a Weapon formed against us prospered And this is the torment of the cursed Serpent the old Enemy to that innocent Life Man was placed in in the beginning and he hath once more attempted to set himself against the Lord and his People who in sincerity desires to be approved in his sight and hath a Witness in many Consciences accordingly and to break in upon the Heritage of God by his subtil Satanical Transformings when by no other means he can prevail is the design that of late he hath had in Hand and hath entered a few that came out with us and were Eye-Witnesses of that inestinable Glory through the bright shining whereof many were turned from Darkness to Light to behold the excellency of that Kingdom that never hath an end and yet through an evil Heart of Unbelief are departed from that eternal Power which once they knew and from the fear of his name that appear'd for them and only
other Nations and Countries beyond the Seas as by Christian correspondence through many Epistles from our Brethren is demonstrated By Joseph Bains John Pearson John Blayking Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction and to keep 〈◊〉 from the World James 1. 27. But if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son 〈◊〉 us from all Sin 1 John 1. 7. Antichristian Treachery DISCOVERED AND Its Way Block'd up c. MAny have been the Adversaries that the Children of Light have met withal and have had occasion to be concerned with in the Vindication of that pure Truth in which we have believed in the various Exercises which have fallen in our Lot since we have been a People and through all which the Lord hath been our Preservation and Deliverance for the Glory of his own Eternal Name and our lasting Peace Of all which William Rogers our present Adversary seems to be one that hath not had an equal to him apparent to all that weigh the concern which he hath appeared in with respect to the matter of it and the Circumstances that on many Accounts relate to it as shall be plainly manifested The matter he undertakes to be concerned in is to demonstrate as he pretends The Backfliding of them that are not of party with him from the Principle once Received and from the Life of Christianity alledging also what a concern of Conscience lay upon him to appear after the manner he doth least saith he The doctrine and life of Christianity should seem to be wholy extinct amongst the People called Quakers In his Title page he intimates under what Denomination he treats the body of the People of which we are to wit as Apostates and 〈◊〉 except of party with him which he Accounts his Title page and Book clearly shews Now let it be considered if this be the Characters of a true Christian or doth it demonstrate him to be in the Doctrine and life of Christianity or one under a Godly concern to promote the honour of Truth that Principle of Light and Life received and faithfully believed in amongst us in the vindication whereof the Lord hath engaged all that keep 's their Integrity to it unanimously to stand together and hath blessed them with dominion in the sight of their Foes or doth it appear that the Doctrine and Life of Christianity abides in him or that any regard to the Exaltation of Truth and the way of it remains with him Whilst he Publisheth in Print that the many Thousands that have believed in the Light and are not 〈◊〉 Party with him are become Apostates from God and the Life of their Profession setting up Forms instead thereof Mens Orders and Prescriptions and the like and as he renders them To have begun in the Spirit and seek to be made perfect 〈◊〉 the Flesh And yet in contradiction to himself and the Characters of Apostates that he gives us saith That a great part of the Contention amongst us seemes to 〈◊〉 about the Shell and not the Kernel that is to say about some outward Forms and not the Life of our Profession and John Wilkinson saith That the Concord we had 〈◊〉 seems much to be broken c. And the cause God hath manifested to 〈◊〉 saith he Is not in principle of Truth nor in Christ Doctrine nor in any practice which Truth in the members of the Heavenly Body leadeth into but about prescription c. Doth it then become the Christian Quaker As he calls himself or can it be the concern of a tender Conscience that hath regard to Truth and the Unity of Brethren to publish in Print and leave a Memorial of it to Posterity That the Body of Friends to Truth the Family which God hath chosen who still keeps their Integrity to it let William Rogers say what he can are 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 and as if the Life of Christianity were wholly extinct amongst them and them of his party the Christian Quakers only And yet himself saith That the difference is but about the Shell and not about the Kernel and according to John Wilkinson's affirming That its manifested to him to be not in Principles of Truth nor Christ Doctrine nor in any practice which the Truth in the members of the Heavenly Body leadeth into c. What confusion and silly work is this that William Rogers hath engaged himself in Or doth it not render him void of the pure Wisdom of God and Life of Christianity a Man departed from his first Love and regard to Truths Renown and the Unity therein Who can but say rather that he is a Man given to strife and one that sets himself to work Discord in the Church of God a Man also of a lofty Spirit in the work thereof that undertakes to set himself against the Heritage of God whom God hath stood by and been the defence of through all their Troubles and that thus renders many Thousands of God's dear People which he was once in unity with Apostates and Innovators and the like a state most contemptible in the Lords sight and odious amongst Men fearing God And that it is a malicious Spirit he is acted by that would under this Character of Apostates expose the Families of which we are to the Wrath and Indignation of all to our Exercise and Sufferings thereby For what is more dreadful to the Profession of Christianity under which the People of this Nation lives Then an Apostat estate from the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles Life Under which the great Persecution hath befallen many that sincerely sought the Lord and obeyed him according to what was made manifest to them but our considence is in the Lord and in the integrity of our hearts and we are over his worst and the Inchantment that this Spirit is working in shall never prevail For the Lord is God and changeth not therefore are we not consumed It may be asked William Rogers what is become of the principle of Light he so much pretends to that gives an understanding to all that truly love it and the Christianity that he would be rendered to be in the Life of with them of party with him that he doth not see what a reproach he hath made himself to all the sober minded People of every Profession Surely if Aplause to himself and 〈◊〉 was in his eye he hath mised his aim Who can say that Reads his Book that this is a fit man to stands up for the life of Christianity in the defence of the Principle that so many Thousands have testified to and has a Record in many Consciences for a Sober Conscientious and well meaning People who hath been one in profession with them and now is become such an Accuser of his Brethern rendring them to be Apostates and Innovators exclaiming against their Profession their
done in Order and that nothing may be lacking amongst his People that may shew forth his Praise that so a sweet Savour may be kept amongst all as the Ornament of the Gospel received and believed in Can it be a Repute to him thus to clamour against the Order and Discipline thereof under this Government and the good and wholsom Directions that appertain to it 〈◊〉 against a People once he was in Society with Zealous in the Matter thereof for a time whom he doth not charge with Apostacy though that 's the Character he is pleased to give us on the account of being departed from the Truth or on any other account but for the Discipline and Government we have amongst us And on that account also would he render us to have lost the 〈◊〉 of Christianity which all his works relates to For he gives not any Account what Principles of Truth we are gone from or wherein we have left the Doctrine 〈◊〉 Christ but retracting again or contradicting himself sayes We differ not about the Kernel but the Shell and John Wilkinson sayes God hath manifested to him that the Caufe is not in the principles of truth nor in the Doctrine of Christ nor any practice that the Truth in the Members of the Heavenly Body leadeth into If William Rogers would have convicted the family he hath set himself against in his 〈◊〉 work of being Apostates and Innovators c. he should not have steered this Course of Inveighing against the Discipline and Order of the Church of God being Justified therein as a commendable and comely thing which hath a sweet Savour in many Consciences even of those that are not of Proffession with us who cannot but see what 〈◊〉 work he hath made about it which declares him to be a man of a loose spirit and that likes not the Inspection nor Judgment of the naked truth Surely it had been more honourable for him to have let alone this clamo ring against us as Apostates c. till he had first convicted us of being gone 〈◊〉 the Power and life of our Principle or from the Doctrine of Christ for there the Apostacy enters But John Wilkinson and he has 〈◊〉 us of that in express words And the Testimony we have in many consciences that the Antient 〈◊〉 Power attends us in our Assemblies to the breaking of many Hearts and the gathering unto him in whom Salvation is known 〈◊〉 as shall be saved confirms this matter on our behalf And if they were not blind they might see 〈◊〉 Barrenness and Deadness attends the Testimonies and Concerns of them of this Spirit and how many scatter and fall away from them several wayes and the most of them that keep to them are but such as are a Reproach to Truth mark the end of them I say could William Rogers have convinced the world where he publisheth the Characterizing of us Apostaces and the like that we had lost our first Love and 〈◊〉 to our Antient Testimony for God and were departed from the Faith and our Zeal for God to satisfie the Flesh and that they were the entire and Faithful to him and the Life of Righteonsness Then had he done something in relation to that which he hath undertaken to do But the Lord will stop him therein and he shall not perfect that which he hath Attempted when he hath done his worst but Truth shall Florish over all when his Name shall be Reproachful every-where But let us go on and consider farther on what occasion we may suppose William Rogers Adventures to lay that infamous charge of Apostates at our doors seeing it 's granted that wee keep to the Principles of Truth and are in the 〈◊〉 of Christ and are in the practice of things that the 〈◊〉 leads 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 that Discipline and Order of Truth in the Church of God the Government thereof and Judgement therein which we maintain and are in the practice 〈◊〉 and in 〈◊〉 thereunto is Justified and commendable in the sigh of God and amongst them that believe according to Christ's Command and the 〈◊〉 Care and Practice in the Church of God and on that account it 's in vain for 〈◊〉 to Charge us with Apostacy if he think that any that fears God will stand by him therein And we take notice also William Rogers seems Doubtful in his own mind what Repute he shall gain to himself on the account of making so much ado against Church-Government lest he should be palpably thereby discovered to all to be a man of too loose a Spirit and pleading for the Liberty of the flesh and thereby throw dirt in his own face which he would cast at others to his reproach And therefore in the very height of his exclaiming against Order and Government wherein he is very abusive and wicked he Retracts again as a Smitten man and grants the Matter that he makes all this stirr in Opposition to See his 1 st Part page 43. and page 52 see also his 3 d Part page 19. And for a more clear manifesting of his Confusion and Contradictions about this Matter of Church-Government we refer the Reader we say again to the Anfwer to William Rogers Subscribed by Ellis Hookes c. He seems doubtful also what the Matter of his exclaiming against Church-Government we stand to maintain as consistent with the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles practice will make for him on the account of proving us Apostates and Innovators c. And therefore to another shift he betakes himself that is to say to exclaim against the Discipline used amongst us and calling it George Fox's Form of Government 〈◊〉 making also an outragious Clamour against the Directions the Rules the Advice and Counsel given relating to Discipline and Order amongst us calling them Dictates of fallible men Mens Prescriptions Laws and Edicts other mens Lines made ready to our hands Innovations George Fox's Orders c. He is very extravagant also in his Reflections upon our Mens Meetings our Quarterly and our Yearly Meetings manifested at large and spoke to in the aforesaid Answer Subscribed by Ellis Hookes c. In Answer also whereunto we are led to the first particular head formerly made mention of a little to be spoken to that the honest unprejudiced and impartial Reader may consider and Judge whether with respect to what the Church of God directeth to in this our day amongst us and we are in the Practice of in the Discipline thereof William Rogers our and the Church's Adversary hath any cause to render us in Print Apostates from our first Principle and so from God and to leave the Infamous Badg thereof upon us to Posterity as much as in him lies The First Particular thing made Mention of to be spoken to and plainly proved in the First Part of the Antichristian Treachery Discovered and It 's Way Blockt up Viz. That the Care of the Church of God in this our Day amongst the Children of the
have presumed to place a belief upon our Spirits with respect to a Testimony bearing by you on G. Fox his account whom the Apostates that have risen at any time since we have been a People have ever ran upon with all the bitter Revilings that through malitious Accusations they could devise more impudently then many that never knew the Lord and his Power durst have adventured lest the hand of the Lord should have smitten them to their 〈◊〉 and Wo for evermore We are bold to put the matter to the test concerning him on this wise we have a concern upon us you must bear with us the honourable Truth Gospel Order and the repute of our elder Brethren whom God regards seems to many that are not settled in the power of Truth to lie at Sake through the Impeachment W. Rogers hath appeared in for whose sake we ask you Are you not sensible that as the Lord made him an Instrument in his hand early of the day to gather many to God out of Darkness and from under the power of Death and that since we have been a People in the Truth and gathered into a Society in this earthly Tabernacle that the care of the Churches have been upon him Hath not a Record dwelt upon your Hearts in in the Spirit of Life that the Lord hath been with him in this matter Have you not had an answer in your Consciences unto which he hath ever appealed for a Witness there that the Instructions and Directions with respect to Church order and the Discipline thereof hath been commended to you in the Spirit of Truth as the Lord might direct to be put in practice amongst you Have you not 〈◊〉 the Spirit of Truth in your selves sealing to that eternal power that hath been upon him and other dear Brethren in the matter thereof Have you felt any straitness upon your Spirits or want of freedom in the Lord when you kept to the power to be concerned in the Church of God according to the order growth and place in the Truth whereinto the Lord hath brought you Have you not felt the Blessings of the Eternal God with you in answering the Care the Advice the Counsel and Directions of the Brethren in the matters thereof Are you not comforted with respect to your own inward Advantage the furtherance of the Gospel amongst you and the Truths honourable esteem amongst men through your Exercise Labours and Travels therein so that you can say to Gods praise your Labour of Love hath not been in vain We are bold to appeal on this wise unto you in Truths behalf Have we not a Record in all your Hearts of you that are saithful to God and have received of his Spirit as a cloud of Witnesses in this matter for us who have set our Signets thereunto Deal ingeniously with us as in the Lords sight in this matter its integrity to God our Souls delights in and an evidence in that we crave of all whether with us or against us touching the same however W. Rogers renders us we abhor Flattery or having mens persons in Admiration any further then the honourable Image of God appears in them as their Habitation abides in that to which the honour is due We leave this matter with you and before all whom it may concern where-ever any exercise may fall in relation thereunto and as you Hear and Learn of the Eternal God so Judge and Speak We might in this place very fitly fall in hand with the many Accusations Reproaches and Slanders that William Rogers hath malitiously the matter of his Work gives it this Character devised and raised up against G. Fox through his perversions and inferences that he hath put on his innocent clear sence and Christian Exercise about matters he was concerned in from which he deduceth very wicked and horrid charges against him in that old Cainish Spirit in which he would utterly destroy his Repute if it were in his power before all the fallacy whereof we doubt not but detect in the considerable matters thereof to the satisfaction we hope of all the innocent where this may come Yet we chuse first to give a true and sincere Relation of the many grievous demonstrable Exercises that the Church of God in Mestmoreland hath met withall more or less for the space of six or seven Years or upwards through this Spirit which secretly hath wrought in too many to draw them from the first Love and ancient regard to God his Truth into a kind of libertine loose sort of Life animated and strengthened we dare boldly say though with grief by John Story and John Wilkinson who having declined their antient regard to that Eternal Power and Innocent Life in which once they were truly concerned for God amongst his People and leaning upon the Wisdom that is from below in the mans part and not rightly discerning the things of God became darkned in their Minds and in that state discouragers of the antient Zeal for Truth and the honorable Testimonies born therein amongst the Faithful to the gratifying a People backsliding from the Lord and the holy way of Truth whereupon we have livingly seen and some have warned them of it the Lord withdrawing of his good Spirit by little and little from them as he did from Israel of old whose Backslidings he would have healed but they regarded not but hardened their Hearts more and more to their Irrecoverable Ruin in which declining state they became the wounding of their own Souls and the piercing the sides of many of the weaker sort to the Churches grief We also together with the concern on this wise shall manifest to all what care was used in the Church of God and with several in particular for the preservation of these two men the principal abettors of the dividing Spirit with tenderness towards them with desires and travels both in Soul and Spirit and in many bodily labours in relation to them with many cntreaties for and patient waitings over them that if possible they might be saved The Contest and Exercise in relation to it broke forth first in the North through them William Rogers that we know of was not at first so early concerned in the matter of the aforesaid contentious Work but became an espouser of it to himself on their behalfs being a man of an arragant Spirit and appeared to love being popular and in the height and restlesness of his mind undertook the work that the Lord blessed him not in but being drawn aside from the simplicity of the Gospel to abet a wrong Spirit in himself and others of the loose sort is become the Evil-man and Seducer that grows worse and worse heaping up Damnation to himself that slumbers not Antichristian Treachery Discovexed AND Its Way Block'd up IN A clear Distinction betwixt the Christian Apostolica Spirit and the Spirit of the Antichristian Apostate BEING Something in Answer to a Book put forth by William Rogers falsely
called The Christian Quaker distinguished from the Apostate and Innovator The Second Part VVherein it is plainly demonstrated First That John Story and John Wilkinson in a dividing Spirit together with the aforesaid William Rogers who hath espoused their Cause with those of party with them have opposed the visible Rule Discipline and Order used in the Church of God the true Christian Quakers Wherein they have been the Exercise and Grief of the Faithful through the offence they have caused in the Church of Christ to the breach of its Peace Secondly A sincere account is given therein of the care and brotherly treating according to Gospel Order that hath been used in a Christian Spirit as the Exercise and Travels of many dear Brethren sustained do demonstrate concerning the aforesaid John Story and John Wilkinson and others of party with them before the Judgment of Truth according to Church Power and Order was given forth against them By Thomas Pearson John Pearson Robert Tompson Robert Battow Brian Lancaster Joseph Baines and John Blaykling on behalf of themsels and many other Brethren of the Quarterly Meeting in Westmerland Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Dectrine which ye have learned and avoid them Rom. 16. 17. Blessed are the Peace-Makers for they shall be called the Children of God Matth. 5. 9. Antichristian Treachery Discovexed AND Its Way Block'd up IN A clear Distinction betwixt the Christian Apostolical Spirit and the Spirit of the Antichristian Apostate BEING Something in Answer to a Book put forth by William Rogers falsely called The Christian Quaker distinguished from the Apostate and Innovator The Second Part THAT Eternal God by whom the World was made the Alpha and Omega the First and the Last with the blessed Message of Glad-tidings to our Immortal Souls appeared amongst us here aways in the North and in the glory of that eternal Word by which all things are upheld broke in upon us to the opening our Hearts and giving us the knowledge of the heavenly Light and Life in Christ Jesus through which by believing in it we were brought back again unto God from whom the Alienation was in the Sin and Unbelief and we became a People and were through the Truth which we had received gathered into a visible Society and Profession thereof the visible Character of the Family of God during the Tabernacle in this World we were settled through the power of our Principle and Spirit of Truth in the comely Discipline and Order in the Church of God and that no neglect might be in the concerns thereof in the Spirit of Jesus accompanying us as in the Apostles care in his day that Elders every where might be appointed faithful men were chosen to attend and inspect the matters thereof and the principal weight of matters about the concerns of the Churches affaires for a time lay upon them till Truth grew up in the Hearts of many so that many became meet in the power to appear in the service of Truth in a Gospel care and then our Meetings became more free for any of the Faithful to be concerned amongst us to the strengthening and encouraging in the way of Truth to Gods praise and while all kept to the first love and regard to Gods glory according as the Lord was pleased to concern us all things were well and we were comforted together in the obedience to the spirit and Truth received our Testimonies sincerely born and the Sufferings attending the same patiently undergone and we were each others help and encouragement and strength and the Unity and Concord that we mutually enjoyed was our refreshment glorying and our rejoycing yet in succeeding days the Temptation that ever was from the old Adversary of the Lambs 〈◊〉 and the Churches Peace begun to creep in and prevail upon some of the antient Professors and Sufferers for the Truth and set to work according to his kind to draw back from the antient Integrity formerly kept to and some that were to have been as Watchmen in Israel and Valiants for God and were appointed at the first or early of the day for that very end let the Standard of Gods power fall and gave their glory to the second Beast that arose out of the Earth and instead of keeping to the antient power in it to be as 〈◊〉 on Mount Sion Instrumentally in Gods hand for the glory of his People some became Instruments to lead several back from Truth 's Integrity by an evil Example laid before the weak and unskilful the ancient Record against all Antichristian Bondages being discouraged they became wofully to be let fall the nobility of Gods power being much departed from even in them that should have been as Pillers in the House of God the weaker and younger sort whose hearts were enclined to Liberty and Ease again looked out and took example at them they had esteemed of and became subject to a timerous distrustful Spirit of the earthly One shrunk in the day of Tryal and started aside like broken Bows in the suffering times to the causing our Enemies to Triumph and make their boast of a Conquest got upon us to the spreading our disparagement abroad in many parts of the Nation and amongst this unfaithful and shrinking sort was John Story concerned and overcome and led aside with them from the Integrity of the Lambs Life and Dominion these things grieved the Church of God in many parts of the Nation where the noise of them was gone through the Magistrates means or others that had taken notice thereof to Truths dispraise and the Churches exercise and grief for some 〈◊〉 ready to take example thereat to let the like Temptation prevail over them in suffering times because John Story was conversant amongst them and justified the same so also John Wilkinson encouraged the like things and gave his advice to others accordingly proved by a Certificate under the hand of a faithful Friend These things were the Exercise and Grief of the upright-hearted to God amongst us and of our neighbouring faithful Brethren of other Counties and the Churches concern was great because thereof in a tender desire that such as had been overcome with the Temptation on that wise might see it and in a tender acknowledgment thereof clear the Truth and the Nobility of the Principle we had received and the Testimony we had born in Doctrine and Practice accordingly at this the Disobedient started and the Rebellious to Truths ancient Power such as likes not sound Judgment were grieved thereat Then John Story of party with them in that creeping work appeared with his old slavish shrinking Spirit which he was generally known to be a man of and demonstrated the same upon several eminent occasions that the very principally concerned now in this Spirits work knew well enough and took example by him Now we say he appeared with a more open Face to vindicate the said shrinking work to the 〈◊〉
was the backsliding sort with grief concerned seeing their Spirit Judged and the way of it like to be blocked up Now was the time of their looking about and to speak after the manner of men to their Arms they betook them John Story making his boast what he could do when he put on his Sword in opposition to Church Care the Inspection the Discipline and the Judgment thereof for that was it that alone was in their way and now John Story and John Wilkinson buckled them to it and as leading men assumed a contest against the Faithful on behalf of the withering backsliding sort which the Lord did not bless them in but withdrew by little and little till he left them as to the 〈◊〉 Power and their Hosues desolate It cannot be expressed what work they begun to make and appear in against the Exercises that the upright were concerned in in the Church of God what finding fault therewith its admirable to think what Obstructions they lay in our way and instead of being 〈◊〉 and Governments amongst us became our Burden and 〈◊〉 Our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings was that which was their Grief and the very name of them therefore dispised 〈◊〉 Story calling them Courts and 〈◊〉 and our General Meeting the higher Court of Judicature to make the 〈◊〉 as being grieved therewith as that which was 〈◊〉 ready in their way to inspect miscarriage in Doctrine and Life and upon an orderly proceeding to 〈◊〉 Judgment thereupon this could not be digested of their foul corrupted Stomach of which the Hony-Comb is loathed They rendred our Meetings on 〈◊〉 wise for Friends concerns Formal and not Gospel-like and moved that we should not keep them so constantly but as occasion offered and if this loose Spirit had prevailed there when should an occasion have been seen and made use of let the upright Judge they 〈◊〉 not allow that Marriages should be twice published or 〈◊〉 of in our Meetings unless there happened to be occasion before the accomplishment thereof which sor clearness sake the Church of God judgeth a 〈◊〉 thing They allowed the accomplishment of a Marriage upon 〈◊〉 first times proposing it which within 〈◊〉 days was efsected and yet they were signified to that the Man was not clear of another Woman to whom he had promised Marriage and they were desired by many Friends to put a stop to that till things were clear on the 〈◊〉 account but they took no notice thereof They disliked our Womens Meetings and spoke 〈◊〉 of them though contrary to many of their own Subscriptions once as afterwards may be spoken to and would never allow Marriages to come before them which we account a decent thing that every one Male and Female who have received of the good Spirit may keep in the exercise of it to a profiting 〈◊〉 in their place in Gods House They would not allow that the Church of God should be concerned with any of the weaker sort when Temptations had prevailed upon them to draw back the Testimony for Truth once born but would have those things left to the publick Preaching or any ones particular motion They would not have any made mention of in the Church though in subjection to Gods Power for any such affair contrary to the Churches antient practice who said It seemed good to the holy Ghost and us to send chosen men c In a word to slubber over things and indulge Deceit was their design as their practice and their degeneration from 〈◊〉 Life and Testimonies demonstrates They would not admit of the recording Scandalous and Reproachful Transgressions of any and the Judgment of Truth upon them though with the Repentance of such as had found a place for it John Wilkinson alledging That it tended to render 〈◊〉 maen an Apostate in his day and an Knave to Posterity contrary to the sence of the holy men of God who gave forth the Scriptures and have recorded Noah David 〈◊〉 and Peter their Weaknesses and others with their acknowledgment thereof with Grief and their Repentance also who stand not recorded as Knaves to Prosperity nor is the Record 〈◊〉 to Truths dispraise but tends to 〈◊〉 the Righteousness of God in his Judgments and Mercies for the furtherance of the Gospel and the work of God among all both in our Day and in Generations to come and John Wilkinson yet in Contradiction again and Confusion 〈◊〉 like up and down off and on expresseth himself thus after his denial allowing it again saying He would have the Condemnation to go no further then 〈◊〉 Knowledge of the Transgression nor the Record of it to remain any longer then the Memory of the Offence Thus he confutes his own assertion in his denial in saying It renders a man a Knave to Posterity But we looking over this as the product of his inconsiderate haste in venting such Confusion and granting the other which indeed we do and is that 〈◊〉 we aim at We ask How will John Wilkinson without a Record of the Transgression Condemnation Repentance c. keep the knowledge of the Judgment and Repentance to go as far as the knowledge of the Offence or the memory of the one out-live the memory of the other when as the Envious one on the one hand will not cease to keep in remembrance that which may 〈◊〉 the Truth but to have that alive which may clear the Truth and give God the Praise will be his Grief and his utmost endeavours will be to obstruct the same let the Wise Judge whose work this Spirit of theirs is concerned in A large Catalogue might be here inserted of the contentious Works by them of this seperate Spirit wrought amongst us animated and strengthened by John Story and John Wilkinson as our Quarterly Meeting from sad experience 〈◊〉 Testifie an account whereof we have in readiness at large to publish as occasion may be seen plainly demonstrating the Slight the Contempt and Dis-esteem of that Gospel care we were concerned in for Truths Praise which produced in them the great Opposition that was made to our tender justifiable practice therein which occasioned great Content and Satisfaction to the loose backsliding sort from the holy Way and 〈◊〉 of God and the great sadness of Heart to the Innocent amongst us on theirs and the Truths account Resolved they seemed to be not to 〈◊〉 to the wholsom practices we were concerned in according to the example of the most of the Churches of Christ throughout the whole Nation and if they could not with open Face and with the Instruments they made use of stop our way but that Truths care Inspectision and sound Judgment must be placed in the Order and Discipline thereof and that they could by no means obstruct the same because of that Eternal Power that accompanied Friends care and courage therein to the causing of them when they could not prevail on that wise with conquest over it to bethink them how to betake themselves to
another Course as hereafter shall appear And thus much at present in short as a little of the Flood that broke forth upon us to have been our ruin from that Spirit of Enmity that has been at work against the appearance of Truth ever since God gave us to believe therein and would not have had the Lord Jesus to Reign nor the Government to be established upon him whose right it is which we are sufficiently able to demonstrate to all in relation to the Exercises we met withal thereby and through the partakers with it against our godly concerns for Truth and the Family of God to the unutterable Grief of many Hearts before they broke off from us and we desire in the Love of God that from what we have said and of which proof hath been already made as the occasion offered demonstrable to the upright that have been concerned therein and indeed we say it is but a little of what we have to say and publish as occasion may fall out which we may expect and are ready for it because of the restless state that this Spirit is in under the torment that is upon it that 's sooner come for its destructions sake then it looked for and will not cease to fret and some till amongst the Swine it make its end and be no more seen we desire that all the upright hearted to God we say would but consider and give 〈◊〉 Judgment in the Light of Christ Jesus whether these things hinted at in relation to the Troubles that have been met withal in the Church of God in 〈◊〉 through the Spirit that hath wrought in John Story and John Wilkinson with those encouraged by them to appear in the Quarrel and dividing Work against the Family and Heritage of God in the matter of their Order Discipline and Government amongst them as a visible People gathered into an heavenly Society therein to be Truths Praise do not manifest them to be in a backsliding 〈◊〉 from Truths Life and Love to Righteousness and against the Government of Truth in the Kingdom of Jesus and apparently concerned to Indulge and Gratifie the Spirit of Death and the Grave of Sin that would come over again if the Lord and his People in his hand were not zealously concerned in the defence of Truth and the holy way and practice of it against every contrary thing And whether William Rogers is not a man given up to great Delusion that stands so much in the vindication of these two men thus charactered according to the naked Truth as if none did exceed them in Doctrine and Life And whether he has not set himself with open face against the antient Truth and Life of Religion in the practice thereof that has espoused to himself the management of such a Cause as they of the separation in the North have been concerned in And whether he hath not as obvious to every Eye Blasphemed the Lord and the honourable way of Truth abused Gods People against whom he together with them of party with him have set themselves as to render them Apostates from God such as in whom the Life of Christianity is extinct yet for no other cause then that we are established through the Spirit of Truth and in subjection to it in a Christian care for Gods Glory in the practice of that Religion which is Justified of all that loves Righteousress that is to say to visit the Fatherless and the Widow and to keep our selves unspotted of the World Now we come to speak something of what more particularly relates to them of the seperate Spirit on the account of their opposite dividing Work in seperating from us as to concerns relating to us as a Family and visible Society gathered into Church 〈◊〉 to be each others Help Comfort and Joy The Authority of Gods Power continuing with us blessed be his Name with an encrease thereof to our unspeakeable Comfort and Strength so that many were knit together in the vindication of our Cause and Concern to the great Grief of the other Party and a disappointment to their Expectation to have driven down before them and to have made us subject The course they now consulted to take as appeared was a seperation from us and that they might do it upon some seemingly justifiable account some of them drew up a Paper and got what hands they could to it of any sort that had any shew of profession of Truth in them in which several Proposals was offered to us and Conditions upon which assented too by us they alledged an 〈◊〉 to abide with us otherwise to with-draw and do their Business amongst themselves By their Proposals unto us we were to covenant with them That none of our own Country should be 〈◊〉 in Church affairs but our chosen men to whom we had given Power This was to debar the fresh and living Witnesses of the younger sort to be concerned with us such as were grieved with the disturbance they had made and that the old backslided ones at first chosen of the Rich and Wiser sort in the Wisdom that is from below might over-rule and carry matters as they would We were to covenant with them according to their terms That none should come out of other Countries nor of our own Country not chosen by the Churches and sit amongst our chosen men c. But if they had any thing to offer there they might declare their Messuage and with-draw and such as did otherwise come amongst us though in the Spirit of the Lord Jesus which is but one in all and is not to be limited by mens Laws and Prescriptions were to be looked upon as usurpers of Authority having no Power given them by the Churches as they alledged and several other things as in the said Paper at large is inserted tending to the limiting of the Spirit and Power of God and to bring in such Prescriptions indeed as the like has not been heard of among a People professing the 〈◊〉 and universal Spirit and to be in the Life of Christianity as is pretended too It s a shame to think what Tyes and Bondages they would have brought in contrary to the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 in the universal concern of the whole Family of God which is but one if ten Thousand and contrary to the Rules of Common Societies and the Liberty granted in places of Judicature What a Jurisdiction would this have been and a Lording it to purpose over the Exercise of the Spirit in the Conscience By this rule Paul might not have come although the care of the 〈◊〉 was upon him into any Church but his own to see the order that was among them and sit amongst them but have been accounted an usurper of Authority as one to whom the Churches had not given power so to do Was there ever the like of this Prescription and yet these are the men that crys down Church Government and Church Order under the name of usurping
they then stood charged with as they have plainly signified both by Word and Writing but since a dissatisfaction remaineth in the minds of several in some because of so proceeding against John Story and John Wilkinson and in others because of their going to offer their Gift abroad whilst unreconciled at home And forasmuch as the Friends formerly concerned against these men upon an Information given them of the said dislike of several Friends about these proceedings 〈◊〉 to a rehearing of the matters which being laid before the general Meeting at London for National Sufferings Assembled in the eighth Month 1675. a deep Concern and godly Care fell upon many Eminent Labourers in the Church of Christ then and there met together and they desired certain approved Brethren to go down and in the Wisdom and Counsel of God to assist the Churches and Brethren there in the rehearing and ending of the matter The Meeting for this purpose was at Lrawell in Sedbergh Parish in Yorkshire upon the 3d. of the 2d Month 1676. and continued until the 7th of the same whither resorted several antient and honourable Brethren not particularly nominated that had nevertheless a Concern in their Consciences a Travel in their Spirits and a Testimony to the antient Unity In which Assembly the Matters in Controversie were read and the Evidences of both Parties called and upon the whole Examination of their Allegations and Evidences we did find and therefore declare both from external Testimonies and our own inward Sence that John Story and John Wilkinson were really Faulty in the most material things exhibited in Charge against them to wit that they have been discouragers of and opposers to the present blessed Order and Practice of the Church of Christ with respect to monthly and quarterly Meetings Womens Meetings especially in the Country recording Condemnations weakening the Hands of Friends in their Testimonies about Tythes and justifying the manner of Friends Meeting about Preston in the time of the late Act And to us it plainly appeared that a wrong dividing Spirit hath entered and the Enemy of the Churches holy Union and Peace hath been at work in them by which they have grieved the Church of God especially in those Parts and encouraged the late Separation made in those Parts from the antient and faithful Friends and Brethren of the monthly and quarterly Meeting which Spirit wherever it appears or hath brancht forth it self in the Name and Power of Almighty God whose Councel was and is with us we do reprove condemn and judg But so it was that after four days deep Travel unwearied Patience tender Bowels of Mercy and a mighty and manifest Operation of the glorious Power of the Lord as in frequent Testimonies against that Spirit of Division and in the Visitation of true and tender Love to them so in many strong Cries and heart-breaking Supplications to the God of our bowed Spirits for a prosperous Issue It pleased the Lord to bow the said John Story and John Wilkinson into some degree of Submission So that at length they produced a Paper containing a Condemnation against themselves and that Spirit And as we do believe and therefore testify that the Door of Gods Mercy is not shut against them so we earnestly desire and are not without some Hope that they may give a more compleat Satisfaction in time as John Story said he would as the Lord should give him a further Understanding that Truth and Friends may be more effectually cleared and that it may be well with them for ever And for as much as the Friends and Brethren of Westmorland who have been concerned against John Story and John Wilkinson did formerly freely offer that if in any thing charged they had mistaken or exceeded they would endeavour to make them such Satisfaction as Truth required We finding two or three Particulars of lesser Moment wherein there appeared some Oversight and Shortness as to orderly Proceeding the two Friends concerned therein did freely acknowledg it according to Truth and more particularly as to that Passage alledged against John Story That Women had nothing to do with the Essential part of the Worship of God because it was charged but by one Witness and 〈◊〉 renounced and the Doctrine imported thereby plainly denyed and judged by John Story as contrary to his Judgment and Principle it 〈◊〉 Tenderness let fall and no further to be insisted upon And whereas it hath been suggested and reported that Margaret Fox was the cause of the Difference in Westmorland it was plainly disproved before us by many Witnesses who affirmed there were Differences about some of the aforementioned Practices of the Church of Christ long before she was concerned And further we hold our selves in Conscience obliged to commend the Care Travel and Zeal of the Friends of these Northern Parts in the Affairs of the Church for settlement of Godly Order We have a real Sence of their Good-will and labouring therein for the Lord his Truth and People And now Friends in Gods Love we desire you to suppress all Papers of Controversie relating to this Difference that the Minds of Friends be not farther troubled nor any defiled nor this Controversie kept any longer alive but that all may sink down into the simple Truth and in that feel the pure and sweet Union which being lived in preserves out of those Doubts Distrusts Jealousies carnal Reasonings and evil Watchings that harm the immortal Soul and in that pure Fellowship all are cheerful tender and open-hearted full of Love and Brotherly-kindness watching over one another for Good in which the Lord God Almighty establish us for ever And we do hereby warn all to have a care that they be not lifted up by reason of the Temptation and Hurt that 's come upon these Men nor yet insult over them for that Spirit is not of God but rather let all watch in the Fear and Dread of Almighty God against that Spirit that they enter not into Temptation Thus Friends have we given you a brief and faithful Narrative of what hath past in these four days of great Exercise in which the Lord gave us blessed Unity in the sensible Enjoyment of that Life which was before the World began pure Praises pure Honour and eternal Glory and Renown be to his own Right noble Arm that never failed his distressed bowed and travelling People through all Generations This we desire may be communicated so far only as the knowledg of this sad Difference hath been spread God Almighty keep us by his heavenly Power always near himself and in Unity one with another Amen says Your faithful loving Brethren Alexander Parker George Whitehead Iohn Whitehead William Gibson Robert Lodge Richard Robinson Peter Hardcastle Iohn Burnyeat Iohn Tiflin Iohn Bowren Richard Watson Thomas Taylor Iohn Banks Iohn Steel Hugh Tickell Thomas Laythes Iames Harrison William Whaley Leonard Fell. Iohn Moore Iohn Abrams Roger Haddock William Penn. And in this was the honest-hearted to God
〈◊〉 thereof For notwithstanding our Friends withdrawing from their Huses aforesaid yet they were so far from hindering or forbiding them to come to their Houses whose Dores are open to all that they had Word several times sent them of Meetings when some of our travelling Friends came amongst us And this is the Work of John Wilkinson and them of that Party with him and on this wise with Witchery have they gon about to further their Design which the Lord will break in pieces It 's already begun let them look about them that they may escape the Wrath and perpetual Reproach that 's coming upon them let the Patient wait but a little and they shall see the end thereof The Relation at large we have by us with many Hands at it ready for a surther Service as Occasion may require however from what hath been said touching this matter it may be easily seen whether John Wilkinson be not a principal Leader in this contending separate Work and what treacherous lying Reports is 〈◊〉 abroad by him and others of that Party to work in the Mindes of People a 〈◊〉 of Friend's Exercise in the Church of Christ according to the Discipline and Order thereof And whether William Rogers in his applauding such so 〈◊〉 and none to exceed them in Doctrine and Life that ever he hear'd of is not very much under a great Mistake let the Reader consider when such Work as this is acted by them However this we can truly say these things have greatly wrought the Churches Peace and Quietness and now we are become very Peaceable in our monthly and quarterly Meetings they of the dividing contentious opposit Spirit having left us and the Power and Glory of God overshadowing our Meetings and those Blessings 〈◊〉 on high we are daily made so to enjoy 〈◊〉 our Labours and Work that a true Delight in God and his pure Truth springs up amongst the Faithful and Amiable and Sweet Our Society is without the least appearance of any Jarr or Division amongst us and our Meetings on the account of the Worship of God Friends are truly comforted in in the sence of a daily Increase in the Power and Dominion of God So that Friends Testimonies for the antient Truth are sweet and easy to many notwithstanding what is suffered therefore and several are added to us from off the barren Mountains and gathered home to the true Sheeperd who leads his Flock into green Pastures by the Pooles of Water to our Hearts Comfort and the Glory of him who is worthy for evermore And this we have to say upon the whole matter in relation to the many grievous and sore Exercises that we meet withal for several Years through the occasion of this dividing separate Spirit which had 〈◊〉 the Churches Sorrow and the Breach of its Peace The Lord hath turned the same to our great advantage many ways as hath been demonstrated and livingly felt to the great Joy and Comfort of our Souls that into an holy retirement of the antient Power by which we were first a People all the Innocent to God are brought that thither all might be scattered that had any depending upon any other thing and the Salvation which God revealed in antient days is become precious indeed and which livingly springs to the establishing of all whose dependency wait on him in those antient Testimonies which the Lord hath called us to bear for his Name-Sake so that Peace is become our Portion and the Blessing of God our great Reward And with respect to any publick appearance of opposition by them of that sort as to concern themselves on that wife in our Exercises for Truth the Glory of God in the Order Discipline used amongst us Friends are become here-a ways in the North much what quit of it for they begun to see it was in vain for them to resist and strive with that which they say was too strong for them and their Spirits fainted through the dread of the Eternal God they were in war with and their Hearts failing them in the day of Battel and having much what now given up the management as was said before of the Work and the Design in hand to them of that party with them in the Southern parts with whom John Story much what did remain some cluttering work William Rogers and some of party with him made in those parts but principly he was the man took the matter into his concern and a deal of stir with writing and such like wrangling work he made in some of Friends Meetings and others sent Papers to London and into the North against the Testimony given at Ellis Hooks's Chamber made mention of before with many scornful Terms and malitious Smitings ready also to be produced and many more such-like with Answers and Rejoynders as occasion was which to speak of and insert at 〈◊〉 is not much upon us as not altogether necessary with respect to our concern for that which hath been already said about matters of that nature may be we judg sufficient in the Eye Heart of the Upright to God to leave William Rogers and them of party with him convicted of the matter alledged in charge against them with respect to manisest Opposition to Church Care amongst Gods People and the Order Government of Jesus Christ instrumentally in the Family he hath made choice of to be Glorified amongst during the Tabernacle which God hath given And this we can say and evidence according to Truth that grievous Work William Rogers and his Abettors made against God's innocent harmless People in the South with bawling cluttering Work such as we have met withal in the North The Relation whereof we shall mostly leave to our Brethren in those Parts as they see an Occasion for it In the mean time this may be noted that when they had done all they could both in North and South to beget a Dis-esteem of Friends Care under the Government of Jesus in the Church and Family of God and thereby thinking to obstruct the Order Rule and Judgment thereof and to leave themselves thereby at Liberty in the Flesh and at ease that the Stroak of Gods Truth should not come upon them which is seen to be that Spirits Design they have been acted by Yet all would not do for they were in War with that which was too strong for 〈◊〉 the Glory of God 〈◊〉 over the Darkness they were strugling in and the Church of Christ continued in its antient Glory and beautified she became in the Hearts of Thousands through the Care and Labour the Travel the many Exercises in all Diligence Meekness and Patience used and born in the Concerns and Work thereof and many became more and more established in the Sence thereof even the more that the wrong Spirit and them of it set themselves against it and Fear and Jealousy of the success of their Work no doubt surprized them because of the 〈◊〉 Glory that attended
him plainly to be an Enemy to his first Principle and the Lise of Truth and an accuser of the Brethren and given up to make Variance and Dissention in the Family of which he once was One that devises to do Evil and so properly may be termed as the wise Man said a mischievous Person and that to be blessed of God he cannot expect whilst such Works he hath in hands as his corrupt Minde hath led him to all which we having effected as we purpose to do we shall commit it to Christian Sence and righteous Judgment to determine what Cause William 〈◊〉 hath to publish in Print those he hath set himself against Apostates from the Life of God and the Christian Religion or that 〈◊〉 Sentance he hath given against others and committed the same to Record for Ages to come be not justly applicable to himself and them of that Party with him It may be noted that the foregoing Relation concerning the Ex rcises that the Church of Christ hath met withal through the Spirit that hath entered into and principally prevailed upon John Story and John Wilkinson in which they became the great Occasioners of the Opposition made these late Years against the Care and Exercise of the Church of Christ on the account of Church Government and the Order of the Gospel settled through the Spirit of Truth therein as also the tender Endeavours used towards them and the Dealings with them according to Church Power which we have given a short account of in all Sincerity according to the naked Truth was totally finished before John Story' s Death ready for the Press and had been abroad ere that time but for the additional Matter occasioned through William Roger's malicious Smitings and false Accusations cast out against the Servants of Christ Jesus inserted in his Book printed and published to Posterity which it was upon some of us to put an Answer to and hereunto annex it contained in the third part of this our Treatise Several Occasions of Disturbance he gave in the Assemblies and Meetings of Gods People through his preaching amongst them after that he had given up himself to work Mischief in the Church of God and after the Testimony of the Truth was given forth against him and besides several Exercises occasioned by him on that wise in the Southern and Western parts of the Nation which we have omitted to insert here yet the Reader may take notice of one material Exercise Friends had with him and others of party with him in a publick Meeting at Kendall a little before his Death which we think good to give a short Account of together with the manner of his Death to demonstrate That as he had spent the latter end of his Days and Years out of the Unity of Truth and the Fellowship of Brethren in the Spirit of Christ Jesus in the 〈◊〉 he had given himself up unto and had fomented amongst them he had drawn aside after him even so he ended his Days as hereafter may be seen Antichristian Treachery DISCOVERED AND Its Way Block'd up c In a clear Distinction betwixt the Christian Apostolical Spirit and the Spirit of the Antichristian Apostate Being something in Answer to a Book put forth by William Rogers falsly called The Christian Quaker Distinguished from the Apostate and Innovator The Third Part. Shewing that Willim Rogers in a prejudiced malicious Spirit that lusteth to Envy and watcheth for Evil not contented in the work he hath made to asperse and abusively to caluminate the Church of Christ in general with respect to the Government and Order settled therein hath most wickedly slandered George Fox particularly by Name and several others whom by Name he hath also with false Accusations treated on that wise several of which Accusations and high Charges are here inserted and spoken to for the satisfaction of the honest hearted to God where this may come Wherein also we have inserted part of an Answer given forth in Maniscript to William Rogers's Rejoyndere often in his Book made mention of to George Fox's Answer to William Rogers's Paper of smitting Queries and high malicious Charges against George Fox which said Rejoynder he hath put in Print in the 5 th part of his Christian Quaker c. On which occasion the Answer to it given forth two Years ago we have herein also exposed to publick view that the Innocent may take notice and judg as they see meet By John Pearson John Blayking Joseph Bains Robert 〈◊〉 Behold he travelleth with Iniquity and hath conceived Mischief and brought forth Falshood Psal. 7. 14. His Mischief shall return upon his own Head and his Violent Dealing shall come down upon his own Pate Psal. 7. 16. Antichristian Treachery DISCOVERED AND Its Way Block'd up c. VVIlliam Rogers in the Title Page of the Fourth part of his Christian Quaker c. saith wherein a Relation is given of several 〈◊〉 Since George Fox's Wife caused a Paper to be read against John Story in a quarterly Meeting in Westmerland And is chiefly to discover that George Fox hath erroniously concerned himself in the Division amongst the People called Quakers Now we desire that the Reader may take notice that William Rogers designes to give an historical Relation of several Proceedings amongst the People called Quakers relating to the Division 〈◊〉 we say through John Story and them of Party with him as in the Second Part of this Treatise is demonstrated and is chiefly saith he to discover that George Fox has been erroniously concerned therein c. Against whom he inveterately sets himself with all the Aspersions he can devise and in the eagerness of his Spirit therein And that George Fox may appear more 〈◊〉 in the Matter thereof brings a smiting 〈◊〉 also against George Fox's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 causing a Paper to be read against John Story c. In Answer to which we say If William Rogers had intended to have begun his historical Relation of Proceedings relating to Division c. as became a sincere upright and impartial Man void of Prejudice and watching for Evil he should not have begun the same with this Accusation against Margaret Fox as in his Con 〈◊〉 he knows he intends it and as many Passages in his Book doth declare 〈◊〉 he should like a just Man have fully examined the Occasion given by John Story for her so doing and when he had so done if that John Story had been 〈◊〉 so 〈◊〉 to Truth and Gods People that the Proceeding with him after the manner that she with other Friends were concerned were justifiable in the Truth then should he have begun with John Story first and have given a fair and impartial Account of Matters relating to him occasioning the aforesaid Paper to be read against him We take Notice William Rogers only makes mention that the said Paper signifies that John Story had judged the Power of God as it broke forth in Hyms and spiritual Songs as if that only
judged as a malicious perverter of George Fox's sincere Intent in the aforesaid Directions and his drawing his false 〈◊〉 there from tending to make People believe that George Fox's Directions were 〈◊〉 forth with Severity to be urged upon People as he hath often said and as William Rogers hath Suggested and Printed that George Fox's 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 are urged to be Practiced before Conviction and before they 〈◊〉 it their duty to observe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we say William Rogers his Inserting John Story' s Words on that wise as it tends to a malicious Charge against George Fox its false and abusive as we have often 〈◊〉 for George Fox's Testimony for Truth and his Directions in relation to Church 〈◊〉 and Government have ever been commended to the 〈◊〉 leaving the Issue to the Lord alone and to his Faithful Witness in all and the Faithful to God do receive the same with Gladness as that which answers their Consciences with Satisfaction in the performance whereof as they have felt it their Duty they have found the Presence and Blessings of God with them We say again it is the Fruit of a dark Spirit and imports great Confusion as the reply at large manifests to make this jumbling Work about a clear and plain Truth which would darken Knowledg How can George Fox in the Spirit of the Lord Jesus or any other Instrument in the Lords hand be moved to give forth any Directions or Advice to the Church to be observed and put in practice but there is a necessity thereof and so consequently to be practised amongst Gods People in his leading Grace And what is that Severity they are offended with and thus clamour against Is it any thing else but the laying things home upon the Consciences of them who make mention of Gods Name What other Severity have we used or ever appeared in When William Rogers Prints again let him tell us if ever George Fox or any of us were otherwise concerned in the matter of the Directions which John Wilkinson once confessed to but in commending them to the Conscience and to be led in the Practice thereof by Gods leading Grace as their Duty and if any in a wrong fleshly mind resist the same to declare Dis-union with such as not worthy of that Fellowship which the Faithful are in as William Rogers in his Christian Quaker hath confessed may be done Paul charged before God and the Elect Angels to observe the things he had directed to in the Spirit which he knew would attend them who were innocent in the Practice of those things which he was moved to lay before them But let us ask William Rogers or any of Party with him Do they think that George Fox was moved of God to give forth things to be practiced in the Churches in the Spirit of Truth that fleshly minds should be justified in Gods sight in putting a 〈◊〉 thereupon as John Story did as the Fruit of his dark Mind in any smooth ungodly pretence whatsoever And shall any be Blessed in saying That George Fox only recommended these things to our Consciences to be practiced as we saw need and that we see no need of Womens Meetings or of Monthly and Quarterly Meetings so constant as both John Story and John Wilkinson have said And we see no need of keeping our Meetings in our Houses when twenty Pound Fine is imposed on them that do so We see no need of such Inspection or such Strictness with respect to the bringing of Marriages twice to the Meetings unless there be 〈◊〉 apparent Cause Under these pretences hath Disobedience been sheltered and Loosness nursed up and Weakness prevailed in the time of Persecution and on the score of other antient Testimonies sor God And we testifie that the great ground of Dis-satisfaction about Church Care which John Story and others of Party with him wofully fell into and the great cause of all the Contention which hath been made by them spoken of and which William Rogers says George Fox hath been erroneously concerned in and whom he and John Wilkinson would charge to be the occasion of was the Churches practising in the Life of God those things that were commended to the honest Hearted according to the Directions given forth by George Fox and other Brethren on which occasion the Unfaithfulness of many came to be searched into and found out and judged in the power of the pure Truth which they liked not they could easily have born the reading of them and their being commended to Friends Consciences so that the Practice might have been suspended and not come into but room left for their loose Minds and backsliding Work for John Wilkinson said Thas those things which George Fox 〈◊〉 commended to the Churches were necessary and good things But when Friends desired that all might be found in the Practice thereof and accordingly were concerned and their flying in Suffering times and their backfliding from other Testimonies once born for the precious Truth coming to be spoken to that Judgment might be felt thereupon then John Wilkinson struck in with John Story and others of the same Spirit and of the loose sort and hath continued since in the Opposition and Strife which led into the Separation in which they are unto this Day Divers other smiting Reflections against George Fox William Rogers appears in in his tedious Observations on John Story and John Wilkinson their Answers with his deducted Inferences from George Fox's Words and sincere demeanure in the Church of Christ which he would draw his Accusations from which are not worth the Trouble that we might put our selves and the Reader unto if we should take notice of every circumstance thereof the which we intend not in this place seeing the most that he hath said or can say in his own defence and on the behalf of them of party with him is insufficient whereby to acquit him and them of the Charge that we are bold to stand to against them of Opposition and labouring to work strife amongst Gods People which all who have seen his Book and what hath been said in Answer to it and have a true sence of his Spirit and Work may easily see as insufficient also to detect George Fox of being erroneously 〈◊〉 in the aforesaid Difference as he very abusively hath accused him of and Condemns him and others of the Brethren for their appearing in Judgment against the Spirit that John Story and John Wilkinson have been led by William Rogers goes on and Inserts an Epistle of George Fox's occasioned through an Objection he frames up Object Thy whole Discourse seems to carry a kind of an Edge against the Spirit that of late Years had acted through George Fox 〈◊〉 whom its certainly known from his Writings yet extant that he hath thus Advised Take heed of Judging one another and Judge not one another I command 〈◊〉 in the Presence of the Lord neither lay open one anothers Weaknesses behind one 〈◊〉 Backs
Meetings their Society their Care therein over each other their Discipline their Order their Practice of Uisiting the Fatherless and Widows and their care that every ones Testimony may stand true and faithful and they steadfast in it and to keep themselves unspotted of the World This can never be will the Sober and Conscientious say the Spirit of Christ thus to Rend and Tear and Bespatter his Brethren and the Society of which he was crying out an Apostacy and bringing in mens Laws Prescriptions and Imposing and Lording it over mens Consciences and a forcing of a blind obedience and an Implicit Faith and 〈◊〉 like and yet confess they differ from him and he from them but about the Shell and not the Kernel and his Correspondent J. Wilkinson whom he applauds as none to 〈◊〉 him that he hear s of in Doctrine and Life sayes God hath revealed it to him that the difference is not about the principles of Truth nor in Christ's Doctrines nor in any practice which the Truth in the members of the Heavenly body leadeth into c. But only in some Forms and Methods relating to Discipline c. mark then What! are we the same in the Principles of Truth are we the same in Christ's Doctrine are we in the Practice of what Truth leads the Members of the Heavenly Body into Then wherein are we Apostates And why are we rendred such as in whom the Life of Christianity is wholy extinct Will not all the unprejudiced who understand things say that his spirit is Naughty and Wicked and he the Apostate he would charge others wirh and envies the Integrity of the Faithful that keep their first love and in it their Care for Gods Glory It 's meer Malice that is in his heart that hath blinded his Eye and led him into the confusion his Book is stuft with of which much we might manifest at large obvious to all the Sincere where the knowledge of things may come but to take up our time with that it is not upon us much at this time his Inconsistency with himself and his applauded Friends his Contradictions and the meer Confusion he hath run himself into under the darkness that he is Surprised with as a Judgement and his Just desert upon him amongst the wicked whose candle is to be put out being plainly demonstrated and brought to view in the Treatise being an answer to W. Rogers's Book called The Accuser of our Brethren cast down unto which we refer the Reader and to T. Elwoods Antidote c. W. Rogers hath not only as to us it appears missed his aim with respect to repute as a Christian or as one in whom the life of Christianity is not extinct being in his work reproachful in all Christian Societies as out of the Order and rule thereof in this his clamorous Work But in our Sense as a man he is become a Spectacle for reproach amongst all sober unprejudiced People let his Book with the Answer to it be soberly viewed and this Query will arise in the hearts of sober People What is this man that is of that Confidence as to assume an engagement against the Lord and his People to excommunicate to curse and to bring to Ruin if he could such as have stood the many Onsets they have met with many wayes through Professors and Prophane yea Principalities and Powers What doth he think to do with this his Babylonish confused broken Instrument he hath framed in his malitious outragious bespattering work of Printing publishing and spreading abroad the same pretending to have it brought forth on the behalf of his Brethren as well as himself who as he 〈◊〉 had a concern of Conscience upon them for his so doing And yet not one will appear in any Nobility as men to stand by it that can be heard of but what they do it 's done in a hidden creeping manner as the works of darkness are wrought And the darts that are shot thereby we say touch not our Life for the Armour of the Lord's sake we are furnished with But they turn back again upon their own heads And it will prove unto them although they have confidently leaned upon it as the broken Reed of Egypt the Splinters whereof will pierce their hands and be their Torment incurably if they repent not It may be further said What is become of W. Rogers's parts as a Man that his presumptuous confident undertaking on this wise promiseth or where was that considerate Weightiness of Spirit that necessarily should attend him and becomes a man of that reputation as his undervaluing others without respect to Parentage and Birth should have declared himself to be furnished with as also with respect to the Occupation or Calling he is of Viz. a Merchant as he calls himself and applauds himself thereby in his publishing the Meanest of the Occupation of others he would defame as hereafter shall be made appear Many may say Doth this kind of work tend to his Praise thus to heap up Confusion and publish the same to his own shame to accuse to slander and defame with all the malice and Venom that through his Pervertings and Inferences he can stretch matters to to make accusations thereof as much as possible under any colour he can devise and then place his own Judgment thereupon and makes a flutter therewith like children that play with their own shadows And as to many charges and Accusations he brings they are upon no better Evidence then If Reports be true poor William for so he is although he be full and rich in his own Esteem since he went from the Light and the peaceable meek Spirit he hath marred his repute in the eye of God and God's People and brought Disgrace and shame on himself amongst men yea common and civil Societies are ashamed of his Work as a Nauseous thing let him go on if nothing will be a warning to him and doe what he hath to do for his day is almost over it were well if Repentance he could yet find Now to proceed further in relation to the matter of this high and horrid charge against us we mean the Family and body of that people that have believed and are in Union in Christ amongst whom we are bold to appear whom W. R. hath presumed to impeach as Apostates from God for we dare presume to say according to our belief from good observation that there is but very few that ever was in any measure of us that are of party with him and seeing he hath granted that the difference is not about the 〈◊〉 but the Shell and John Wilkinson says God hath manifested to him that the Difference is not in principles of Truth nor in the Doctrine of Christ nor in any practice that the Truth in the Members of the Heavenly Body leadeth into as in a Letter from him to George Fox is plainly in those very words inserted And seeing the state of Apostaey is truly applicable to
such as goes from the Power of God and from the Life and Kernel of Truth and to none other as in the Scripture-Sense it is clear and as later experiences also have demonstrated and to apply that State to such as have the Kernel of Christianity and are in the Truth in the Doctrine of Christ and in the Practice of things that the Truth in the members of the Heavenly Body leadeth into is 〈◊〉 Confusion a false Application and a ridiculous thing amongst all sober Conscientious People and renders the asserters ' thereof in a state of Distraction as to the Knowledge of God ready to be cast aside not worth the taking notice of What further need were there may many say of any further Proof of the matter against him and them of party with him as to the trampling upon this false and malicious charge but hold him to his and John Wilkinson's grant concerning us and then see how he 'l prove the accusation against us Unless we are willing to give them leave to retract what they have confessed Which seeing we see not that he is willing to call back his charge for the further manifesting his confusion his folly his malice and his envy and for the Vindication of our Innocent Life and care in the Church of God which Grieves the Backsliding sort we are inclined to do And shall proceed to examine farther what is the matter on the Churches account or what hath he against us for which he thus renders us in Print and leaves it on record to posterity that we are Apostates Innovators and such as in whom the life of Christianity is extinct and Intruders into the Government that belongs to Christ Imposers bringer's in of mens Prescriptions with what Inveterateness he can in the height of Malice appear in In order to which we say thus it may be observed through his whole book what work he makes against the Order and Discipline used and practised amongst us in the Church of God under the exercise of the Spirit which God hath given us a knowledge of and a Portion in and we Testifie that none other Government but that of the Spirit of our Lord Jesus do we as the Children of God maintain and stand in the vindication of to which subjection we owe for Conscience sake and under which we desire and are concerned as Instruments in Gods hand to be helps in Government in the Church to the keeping down that which would not be subject to Truth That so in all things we may be decent lovely and of good report keeping ourselves unspotted of the World according to that holy Profession we have maintained and confessed to before all It 's admirable to take notice what ado he makes against Discipline and Order in the Church and what contemptible Terms he puts upon the Directions and Instructions Justifiable and commendable therein to be get a disesteem thereof in the minds of people let but his book be perused through it will manifest it together with what is observed out of it by the Authors of the Accuser of our Brethren 〈◊〉 down Subscribed by Ellis Hookes c. therein Inserted and fully spoken to Demonstrably so that much here on that wise need not be inserted reference being had unto the a foresaid Treatise because whereof we shall much what pass by the trouble of recollecting the same or much concerning our selves therewith It 's obvious to all what down-right slighting he is in and what Inveighing he makes against any concern on that wise in the Church of God under a Gospel-Dispensation in many parts of his Book there is scarcely one Page without reflections on that wise See Page the 4 th in the first part of his Book Whosoever should endeavour by Outward Ways and Means to establish an outward Government outward Laws Rules and Orders c. under the Notion or pretence of Christ's Government would be found Invaders of Christ's Prerogative And in page 43. of his first part he says And if we do but consider how fruitless in days and years past as well as in this present Age all mens outward endeavours have been under the notion of Church-Government to preserve in any true Real and Heavenly Society c. and from thence places upon all concerns on that wise the badge of Apostacy Thus he manifests his slight of the Care of Gods people in the Church with respect to the outward exercises we should appear in for God and our mutual help comfort edification and building up one another and to render the same the more contemptible and useless he brings in a false Instance from the Apostate State that the Churches in days past according to what John saw coming over them fell into who lost the Power and only kept the Form in which all their endeavours could not be successful to preserve in Love nor any Christian heavenly Society and as this is not only an unchristian Comparison and a Reflection also upon the Primitive Care and Endeavours on that wise before the Apostacy was which the Churches were zealous in and God blessed their Endeavours in that day but also it is inserted here by our Adversary and the Adversary to the Churches Life and Peace in a Contempt of that good Order Discipline and Care used amongst us in the Spirit of Truth for Gods Glory and one anothers comfort in the Fellowship of the Gospel in which is peace and thereby doth he plainly demonstrate that the Tendency of his Spirit is to Emmulation and 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 loose of a corrupt mind that is gratified therewith So that it may be concluded that Church-Government in the Spirit under which there is a godly care for one another in Righteousness and a tender Inspection in relation to it and sound 〈◊〉 to the limiting of the Flesh that likes not subje ction to Truth is that which is in his way and the great occasion of the Discontent of his Mind as the like also we have met withal from them of his Spirit and Party with him in the North which through sad experience we have had a certain Knowledge of and are able to demonstrate as in the sequel of our discourse God willing in Sincerity we purpose to do And on this score has the discomposure grown in the mind of William Rogers under which he hath vented the heat and rancour of his Spirit in opposition to Church-order and Discipline and his contempt of the good and wholsom Directions observed and used amongst us called by him Mens Prescriptions other mens Lines made ready to our hands Dictates of Fallible Men Dutward Rules Orders and the like under which discomposure of Spirit he hath run himself into grievous Mistakes and Contradictions in relation to Government and 〈◊〉 Directions and Rules observable and practicable therein and not like a man of his parts as he would be rendred nor like a man stedfast in the good understanding God gives but very brokenly and under
the Spirit of Truth in the younger against the same Spirit in them that watched over their Souls and so to set Conscience against Conscience and the Spirit of God against it self Is not this the way to let in Liberty in the 〈◊〉 Atheism and the like amongst God's People that again would creep in on this wise under pretence of Want of Inward Conviction and the like and so under colour of Conscience draw back again out of the first Love Care and regard to God and the Spirit of 〈◊〉 in his People and lead into Rantertism and what not It 's a meer Slander in William Rogers to say and gather from hence That we would force a Blind Obedience without conviction Nay There is his mistake being gone from the Spirit 's Life and Sense of it's Motions and Requirings Exhortations Councel and Advice which in the Spirit of Truth we commend to that in all Consciences with whom we have to do in relation to Church-Rule 〈◊〉 der and Subjection Discipline and Judgment We deal with a people in this Matter not as blind but as having a measure of the Spirit which discerns the things of God The Apostle said What have we to do to Judge them that are without speaking in Relation to Church-power Discipline and Subjection in the Lord. It is a shame for William Rogers to talk on this wise and renders him a man that has lost his sight in the Spiritual concern of the Lamb 's Innocent life in which the exercise of the Church of God consists according to the manifestation of the Spirit as every one hath received in which the Rule the Government the Order the Counsel and the Judgment in the Saints in light standeth and in which the mutual Edification is the Helps the Governments in the Church the Unity the sweet Society the subjection one unto another to be each others Joy where the Lord is known to be One and his People one But William Rogers and they of his Party say That the Setling of the Churches in the Order and Discipline that we have amongst us is the way to introduce the Apostacy again yea we are proclaimed already and recorded to posterity to be the Apostates and 〈◊〉 and we see not yet upon what other ground then because we are a People in the Spirit of God Zealous in the matter of Discipline and Order in the Church to Answer the pure Religion in Body Soul and Spirit God requires of us For he hath confessed 〈◊〉 have not lost the Kernel of Christianity neither do we differ in that from them he accounts have kept the Life of it but in the Shell John 〈◊〉 sayes We hold the Truth 's Principles and the Doctrine of Christ and are in the Practice of those things that the Truth in the members of the Heavenly body leadeth into neither do we differ in those things but in Methods and Forms c. So then it must needs be in their Sense that the Church of God being Setled with the respect to the concerns of it relating to us as the visible Family of God under an outward Discipline and Order although the exercise therein be in the Spirit for we own none other i st he Mark and Badge of an 〈◊〉 and that thither we are gone as he Asserts Let us consider and take notice what was the Apostle's sense in his day with respect to that Gospel-order that he laboured for and was 〈◊〉 concerned that in all places it might be setled among the Churches He was of another mind then William Rogers and them of Party with him manifest themselves to be of For although he saw as 't is left upon Record that after his dayes grievous Woives would enter and that there would be a great departing from the Faith and that there would an Apostacy come over many Yet it may be observed what Care he used in the Churches as the opportunity served him that the Order Discipline and Government of the Spirit might visibly Demonstrate it self amongst them in the Tabernacle God had given them in it to be his praise the Godly fear that was upon him in Relation to an 〈◊〉 State was a departing from the Faith to fall among them And as he was desirous that if it was possible they might be kept there from for the Gospels sake and Glory of God it was his desire that every one in the exercise and Service of Truth according to the manifestation of it under a Gospelcare might be concerned and in it fastened and knit together to be each others help and directed them accordingly and that which they had heard and received from him with respect to Order in the Church they were to observe and hold fast and Answer the same in practice and writing to them on that wise with a 〈◊〉 of on such as were wilful and not subject to the Truth but caused Divisions amongst them which they were to beware of he said The rest will I set in Order when I come Much might be said with respect to this matter from the Charge he laid upon Titus and for which cause he left him in Crete to appoint Elders every where and to see that nothing was wanting amongst them Paul never feared the Apostacy to enter through a Setling the Churches by Instruments in Gods hand in that Order he was concerned in the matter of neither did the Churches that kept their first Love ever Brand them with the Character of Apostates for their Labour and Travel on this wise Neither do we read that the Faithful whether Elder or Younger did ever 〈◊〉 at their so doing nor ever slandred those Instruments in Gods hand for any Directions or Orders in Relation to discipline with the bringing in of mens Prescriptions Pauls Orders Lines made ready to their hands Innovations or the like as William Rogers presumes to do which will be his Burthen and 〈◊〉 shame in the end But in the Uuiversal Spirit which is one in all that believe was the Unity preserved and the Comfortable Society held under the Rule and Government of Christ 〈◊〉 and if any would have 〈◊〉 Dissension among them they were to be 〈◊〉 and withdrawn from according to Gospel-Order Hath not William Rogers shamed himself amongst all sober and Judicious people both as a Christian and as a Man to make all this Fluttering 〈◊〉 work against the Government of Christ Jesus in the Church of God which we do affirm is both immediate and Instrumental and that he Rules and Governs in his people the Church of God Immediatly and Instrumentally by his Faithful Servants as well as he instructs both Immediately and Instrumentally And as for this Cause he hath Ministers Pastors and Teachers Instrumentally to turn many from darkness to Light and from Sathan's Power to God to edifie and to build up in the most holy Faith So he hath Overseers Elders Helps and Governments in the Church Instrumentally to see that all things may be kept and
People and with the primitive Care Order and Practice and in which we are of Good Report every where And for the more perfectly Answering the Care that 's upon us 〈◊〉 the aforesaid matters and things and the like and the effectually compleating the Work relating to it are our Men and Womens meetings our Monthly and Quarterly meetings setled in the Unity of the Life and observed that we may be in readiness to attend every Concern that may fall amongst us relating to the Tabernacle in which we are in it to be Truth 's Praise Our constant Opportunities of our Setled Meetings attends the exercise of inspecting Marriages of putting a stop to every appearance of any difference to arise amongst any professing Truth and putting a timely End to all such as through mistakes or otherwise may have risen Our 〈◊〉 Meetings in Relation to the Churches concerns attends the occasion of any 〈◊〉 that any way may happen to any through Sufferings and the like that Assistance may be readily Administred accordingly Our Constant meetings are ready to Answer the Order of Truth in the case of any publick Scandals thr ough any one's Misdeameanor that have been 〈◊〉 Profession with us In which we have felt the Presence of the Eternal God with us and his Blessings attend us to the comfort of the Family of God and to our Repute every way Now we appeal to that in all the Consciences to Judge and Testifie what cause William Rogers hath and they of 〈◊〉 with him on whose behalf he says the Printing of his Book was as that which was a great concern of Conscience upon them to publish us and leave a memorial of it to Posterity Apostates and Innovators on the account of the aforesaid Care Order and Discipline amongst us in Relation to the Concerns that as a Society necessarily attends us And whether in the practice of things relating thereunto we are not consistent with our first Principle our Antient Love to God and to the Brethren and our care for Gods Glory as also with the Churches-practice in the Primitive 〈◊〉 and that on these Accounts We can be no way detectable of having the life of Christianity extinct amongst us as William Rogers hath asserted us to have And whether the clamorous work he has made against Church-order and Government in the Ground as also against our Care Order and Practice touching the same be any thing else but the fruit of his wicked malicious opposite Spirit to the Life of Truth And that all his cluttering work on this wise signifies nothing with respect to his charge against us but that in the matter thereof he hath rendred himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all 〈◊〉 people and Christian Societies more especially because that he goes not about to detect us on the account of having lost the Kernel of Christianity nor to be gone from the principles of Truth or the Doctrine of Christ or the practice of what the Truth leads the members of the Heavenly Body into but by him and John Wilkinson under their own hands are we cleared thereof Now we come to touch a little of the Second particular Head by us made mention of before in this First part of our Treaatise to be spoken to That our present Adversary William Rogers in his aforesaid Book hath denied the Care the Order and Discipline used amongst us in the Church of God and hath Judged the same And that John Storv and John Wilkinson also with them of the Separation in the North and of Party with them have slighted despised and laboured to put a dis-esteem thereupon in an 〈◊〉 Spirit there-unto and hath laid Stumbling-blocks in the way of it and thereby obstructed the Care and Exercise of God's People in Relation thereunto To which we say that in Relation to William Rogers his Denial of the Order of Truth setled amongst us to be consistent with our principle and first love as also his Judging the same much need not to be said in this place That which is already herein Inserted out of his Book as also what may at large be observed in the Answer to his by Ellis Hookes c. Demonstrating that a great part of the Tendency of his whole work therein relates thereunto And to manifest the contempt thereof that hath been also on John Story and John Wilkinson their Spirits together with them of Party with them in the North and the opposition they have made thereunto to the Church's grief and the breach of its peace more may be said afterwards when we give a Relation of the exercise and concern we have had with them by reason thereof which in the Sequel God willing we Intend to do As to William Rogers we say his clamouring against us alter an abusive manner on this account in his Book is so frequently used by him that it 's obvious and clear to the view of every honest man who hath had a view thereof that Contempt scorn and derision is that which he is filled with on the Account thereof Whosoever saith he shall endeavour by outward ways to establish an outward Government and outward Rule c. they are Invaders of Christ's Prerogative And again saith he that Spirit that would remove u from our teacher c. to follow the Dictates of fallible men c. In the first place we deny his charge as applicable to us we have no such design God knows before whom we stand it 's a meer unjust reflection for we Commend all to the teachings of the Grace of God and the guidings of the Universal Spirit in which the Unity stands in the Order and Rule of Truth to be Helps and Governments in the Church Neither do we lay before one another in the Church of God any thing but what is answerable to Truth and is freely received of the Innocent to God we disown the Dictates of fallible men neither doth he give us a Catalogue of those Dictates he so much talks of and therefore we take the less notice of the cluttering work he makes on that wise Secondly It is clear that all those Reflections he useth he aims them at us and upon our Order and Discipline in God's House and the directions relating thereunto otherwise there had been no occasion of his so often reiterating thereof in this his undertaking to detect us as Apostates on the account thereof He further says see page 16. of his first part That our Meetings in a reproach thereof are made up of men uncertain as to Number and Qualifications and under the notion of the Church of God assumes power over Conscience and again he says He appeals to the Intelligent if those there assembled pretending to be Members thereof meaning the Church of God have not been false Accusers and men-pleasers and many of them a sort of Persons that have loved preheminence and time-servers Now we say this is a malicious Slander which we deny and we ask what greater contempt could he appear
John Wilkinson amongst our selves only to see if vve could yet so order the Business by information to such as vvere out of the vvay that if possible an end of all Differences whatsoever amongst us might be made without any further trouble to the Churches and if at that Meeting there was not a determination concluded amongst us we might afterwards appoint another Meeting for the same end and take to our assistance therein some faithful Brethren of other Countries that matters might be heard before them who had personally been uuconcerned with the Exercise amongst us and this they judged might be orderly and seasonable because that they of us who where not of party with John Story and John Wilkinson c. were rendred in many parts of the Nation by their means to be in the wrong and condemnable and not they A Meeting amongst our selves was first agreed upon to be at the Draw-Well in Sedbergh Yorkshire at the House of John Blaykling and Friends being come together and the Meeting set after a while John Story and some of party with him asked What we had in Writing against him and John Wilkinson it was replyed That it was not our desire or purpose to exhibite matters of charge one against another in Writing if it could be avoided for we desired no memorial of any thing of that tendency to remain we were there met amicably as became Gods People to discourse of matters in which we were not at one amongst our selves by reason of which grievous Exercises and Divisions had been amongst us to the grief of the Innocent and Upright to God and we desired that things might be fairly spoken of that so we might come through Gods help to have a right understanding of one another that if possible the occasion of Differences might be removed and the ancient Unity might arise again and remain with us to our Comfort and Truths Praise But notwithstanding they said That they would not concern themselves with any discourse of that nature with us unless every thing to be discoursed upon were put in Writing We shewed our dislike thereof at present and desired that we might speak of things to see what could be done on that wise first and then if nothing were done this way as to satisfaction to us against the next Meeting it might be considered upon vvhich method to take or Words to that purpose But the conclusion on their parts vvas no discourse to be unless vvhat vve had to say against them vvere put in Writing We instanced some things that vve vvere dissatisfied vvith vvhich they had spoken in opposition to the Churches Concerns in the order thereof vvhich had been a great block in our vvay in the Work of God such and such passages had happened concerning them and such things done by them as vvas the Churches Grief and occasioned the breach of its Peace but nothing vvould they concern themselves vvith because they vvere not put in Writing only in some casual discourse amongst us at that time such Words came from them as gave great dissatisfaction to many there to the breaking their Hearts into Tears through a Testimony from God against them they reflected upon our Meetings to be Formal and not Gospel-like being constantly kept in the freedom of Gods Truth to be ready to attend Friends Concerns vvhen or of vvhat sort soever they might be they called our Practices therein Ceremonies brought into the Churches as they have often called them Mens Prescriptions other mens Lines made ready to our Hands Dictates of fallible men and the like And when all was done nothing did appear to us and many more there present of tender inclination in them to Reconciliation and Peace in any Gospel-Way and so we seeing clearly that they were resolved in relation to hearing of Matters to have all written down that must be spoken to We let them know that according to our Brethrens desire another Meeting was intended by us to be had with them with the assistance of some other Brethren of other Countries with us and then although it should be our last expedient we intended God willing to write down several things with respect to the Opposition made by them in the Church of God to the Order and Practice used amongst us therein and this was the issue of that days Meeting and let the Upright and the Lovers of Peace amongst Gods People consider whether this Spirit of theirs which is acted on this wise be that which is pure peaceable and easie to be entreated which through the Exercise of our next Meeting in relation to them and their work will be more plainly discerned a faithful account whereof we intend through Gods help to give At our next Quarterly Meeting in Kendal Friends being met there and in the sence and weight of the Truth amongst other things in persuance of the aforesaid desire of our Brethren at London was another Meeting agreed upon to be had with John Story and John Wilkinson and some Friends of other adjacent Countries who were nominated by the agreement of the Meeting and some were ordered to send word to the said Friends desiring them as they felt freedom in the Lord to come to be assisting to us The Meeting was appointed to be at a place called Pow-Bank in Westmerland the 24th Day of the 5th Month 1675. of which Meeting John Story and John Wilkinson they not being with us by the order of the Quarterly Meeting were to have notice as in the aforesaid Epistle from Lo don was desired and during the time before the said Meeting it was given out by them after they had notice of it That they did not intend to come at any more Meetings on that Occasion The certainty of their resolve not being known or if they had in their haste said so seeing it had been better to have judged that rashness then to have stood in it John Blaykling wrote a particular Letter to them desiring them upon several Considerations and Accounts to be there John Blaykling's Letter is as followeth Friends and Brethren THe Meeting agreed upon at the last Quarterly Meeting upon the account of the unhappy Difference amongst us although I heard that you had sufficient notice thereof yet I perceiving you had little purpose to observe although agreed upon according to our Brethrens desire at London in manner and form according to our sence of their Letter in that case to us and according to the order of Truth and you having notice given thereof accordingly and the election made of undetected Men amongst us and several others of our unconcerned Brethren wherefore I could see no justifiable Plea you could have in the sight of God and Friends to absent your selves Wherefore it was upon me to get Joseph Baynes to come over to one of you to advise you to take into consideration in self-denial what you do in this case least you render your selves to all the Brethren more and more otherwise then I
heavenly Truth of God in which we have believed which Words and Passages doth also tend to the weakening Friends in keeping up their Testimony according to the nobility of the heavenly Truth of God which we have received in which our Faith stands in that honourable practice of our open and publick Meetings in times of Persecutions as at other times as also to the quenching and stopping of such holy Breathings Groanings and Living Sounds which may arise and pass through one while another is Praying Preaching or Prophecying which is not inconsistant with the Truth but in unity with those that act therein and therefore in the love of God we entreat and beseech all Friends to beware of that Spirit where-ever it is that doth bring forth such things either in Words or Actions as have this tendency in them so much to undervalue and overthrow our heavenly Testimony that we have to bear for him and for the appearance of his blessed Son in our Age by which the evil one labours to weaken the hands of Gods faithful Witnesses that so he might bring back again into an Apostacy from the nobility of that Life by which all the Faithful must be upheld in their living Testimony for God which he hath raised them up unto as also the obstructing of the Lords faithful Children in their holy Zeal for God in the performance of their duty in the Mens and Womens Meetings and to the discouragment of any to be concerned therein which are for no other end but for putting forward and propagating of Truth Righteousness Mercy and Justice amongst us that so as the Lord hath called us to shew forth his Praise in all things we may endeavour the promotion of that which rends unto the same and surely we can say with the rest of the Faithful That the holy God doth own us with his Presence to our great Refreshment and Confirmation in this our holy Practice and heavenly Order and therefore we cannot but in the Power of God place Judgement upon the Head of that Spirit where and however it doth appear that would put stumbling Blocks in the way of Gods People to cause any to stumble or to weaken their Faith in those things that tends both to their comfort and growth and the Unity and the edification of the true Body and so as such who have had experience of the evil tendency of this Spirit and the sad effects it hath brought forth in all its appearances to the overthrowing of the Faith of some and to the making of Rents and Divisions in the Body we desire that all may keep to the Power of the Lord God who will preserve in the Unity of the Spirit and Bond of Peace where the Body will edifie it self in Love that there may be always a building up in the most holy Faith which Faith will forever give us the Victory over the World in which our Testimony standing we shall not be overcome So with our Love to you all we remain Your Friends and Brethren in the holy fellowship of the Gospel Milnethorpe the 24th of the 5th Month 1675. John Burnyeat Richard Robinson Robert Lodge John Grove and the rest It may be observed also that besides some Letters tending to Peace that George Fox writ to them from Swarthmoore where he was about this time weak in Body he sent to them also to desire them to come over to him there for he had a desiro to speak with them about the matter of Difference amongst Friends in Westmerland he was neither of ability to come to them nor to the Meeting at Pow-Bank but they did not take any notice thereof nor went to him though we are fully satisfied that what he did was in his tender care for their Preservation and the Churches Peace but this William Rogers our present Adversary accounts in George Fox Ambition in his sending for them but where the Stoutness and Ambition was its easily seen for the time was when they would have gone much further when they were Poor and Low in their own Eyes but now being Full and Rich in their own Esteem thinking they want for nothing will not step out of their way nor turn aside for Truth nor the unity therein because of the Ambition they are filled with and therefore will the Lord scatter them with all the Imaginations of their corrupt Hearts And instead of giving the Friends a Meeting as aforesaid they put an evading slighty Answer to the Charges against them and sent it abroad amongst those they hoped to make of party with them which with a large Answer thereunto is ready to be seen when a further occasion by William Rogers or any of them is given And not withstanding all this care and tender respect used and reached out towards them they still heardened their Hearts against the Lord and the fellowship of Brethren in the Churches concerns stuck to the loose and unfaithful ones as was said before and grew more and more opposite to Friends in their Exercise for Truth and sit in the Confederacy that was hatched amongst themselves and the design laid to break off from Friends into an open Seperation they betook themselves and up and down the Nation was the cry amongst those of party with them from an unchristian mis-representing of things by them here in the North That a Judgment was out against them without hearing upon the evidence of Persons being both the Accusers and Witnesses of which as the matter is in short truly stated according to the Circumstances relating to it we desire the honest and impartial Reader to judge Whether the Persons before mentioned are justified in the sight of God the order of the Gospel and amongst Gods People according to the rule of Truth in the aforesaid matter and transactions relating to them Or whether they are manifested by their doings to have the pure peaceable Spirit that is easily entreated and that they have upon them any design for the Churches Peace Or whether they are not the Self-Willed the Heady and High-Minded who have the Form of Words only without the Power that unites and knits together and whether to work Distractions in the peaceable Family of God their design be not laid And whether their plea for their not receiving dear Brethrens Advice and Care over them and orderly proceedings to have done them right every way if they could have manifested the contrary and their obstinately absenting themselves from the Meeting aforesaid on any such account be not a very ridiculous thing amongst men and not worth taking notice of For it is according to our Judgment that the just Law of Nature and Nations that gives an 〈◊〉 priviledge to be heard before Judgment be given if he will accept of it upon notice given according to the rule of it is contemned by an obstinate wilful and on purpose absenting himself and the want of his privile 〈◊〉 thereby of being heard is his own default and not imputable to
hours a day as to the matter of the Articles in charge alledged and writ down against J. Story and John Wilkinson little was said of them the first day but some other Discourse the Friends of London had with them relating to the ground of the Controversie depending in relation whereunto there was two Queries proposed by J. Story and 〈◊〉 Wilkinson writ down desiring that the Friends there would give their Answer to them whereby it was supposed they expected to have an understanding given them of Friends 〈◊〉 and Aim with respect to Church Government and the Order and Practice of Friends in relation to it about which the Wrangling and 〈◊〉 by them had been made and against which the Opposition in them had stood to the Exercise and Grief of Gods Faithful People and upon the Brethrens-Resolve and Answer thereunto no Dissatisfaction from them appeared in any respect and John Story 〈◊〉 acknowledged his good Satisfaction therein After all this concerne Friends desired to come to the matters in charge John Story and John Wilkinson seemed unwilling on a jealousie that remained with them that the Friends concerned in the former Meetings intended with the six last nominated as 〈◊〉 c. to concern themselves in the present hearing of matters amongst us in order to a final determination and shewed the same by some words cast out by them now and then although the said Brethren did not at present appear to concern themselves in the matter of the tryal relating to them concerning which as the Friends in the North did not desire to put them thereinto neither did in their minds conclude it rational nor according to the order of 〈◊〉 to have them excepted against from any concern therein without their own desire or free consent thereunto being formerly chosen by the Quarterly Meeting for that affair and exercise therein and what had been done by them in that case not detectable in the Truth nor their Sence and Judgment impeached in the matter thereof or which to be cast out and our Brethren of London shewing also their desire that many weighty Friends being 〈◊〉 on that 〈◊〉 occasion which was the Churches 〈◊〉 ral concern they might in the exercise of the universal Spirit of Truth have a share with them So that as to that objection against any from being 〈◊〉 in measure with others in the case of hearing and giving Judgment 〈◊〉 matter was that Night letalone until the next Day On the Morrow Friends being assembled and the Lords Power with us to the breaking many Hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tender frame of Spirit and in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desires that a sweet composure might be wrought to Friends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Churches peace after a little time the hearing and Tryal of matters in 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 was fallen into and the 〈◊〉 concerned in the matter 〈◊〉 against John Story 〈◊〉 John Wilkinson and those of Party with them 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 of heart that if in any thing it could be made appear that they had 〈◊〉 just cause of 〈◊〉 to them from whom the opposition had arisen and 〈◊〉 on that occasion by them given they had appeared on that wise and that 〈◊〉 they also had been the cause of the Brethrens Trouble and the obstruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Churches Peace they should freely acknowledg the same and give the Church and the Children of God that saisfaction which the Truth should require of 〈◊〉 that so no occasion of discord by them or disunion with the 〈◊〉 should remain on their part The first and second matter as with down in charge against them was read and heard amongst all there and proof made thereof to the satisfaction of them concerned whereupon William Rogers having a sence and as we may reasonably conclude afear and jealousie upon him how things would go on John Story' s and John Wilkinsons account withdrew himself into the Garden and sent for a Friend to come to speak to him who when the Friend came to him told him He was sencible that John Story and John Wilkinson were under a mistake thinking that none but 〈◊〉 six last named Friends would be concerned in the 〈◊〉 and giving judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet said he it was by them appearing against them 〈◊〉 that the other that formerly had the matter in hand should be now also equally concerned with them which was a 〈◊〉 needless evading scruple that John Story and John Wilkinson during the time of the proof aforesaid seemed not to take any notice of 〈◊〉 had any of those 〈◊〉 Brethren as yet given any cause for it that we know of William Rogers desired the Friend to come in and clear that point but the Friend 〈◊〉 to do it 〈◊〉 Let things go on all is quiet and cool or words to that purpose and said If this would not satisfie him he might go and speak himself Whereupon William Rogers 〈◊〉 for John Story and John Willkinson or at least they wanting him drew forth to see what the matter was or to consult with him and 〈◊〉 a little while came in again and one of them or both signified That 〈◊〉 they might be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beforehand that those nine formerly concerned should not meddle in the 〈◊〉 of examining matters concerning them c. they would for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 to it and also would with-draw and did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into their places but they and their Company 〈◊〉 ready to go away and the most of Friends expected the same seeing what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 in their Minds they were 〈◊〉 into as appeared by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resolve about the matter for there was a secret Dread and Terror upon them which 〈◊〉 but sometimes surprize such more especially on such a 〈◊〉 as they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come unto The Lords Power arose amongst Friends under 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 way of 〈◊〉 and Peace for them should be blockt 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 if they 〈◊〉 not And it was 〈◊〉 of them in the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give up themselves to the Exercise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon them in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 Good in which they had a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God to lay before them for their Souls sake and if they did so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same as 〈◊〉 Words and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to import it should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lamb Slain at their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also that in the 〈◊〉 Love and 〈◊〉 of God the Brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on that concern 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 of Christ Jesus and in the Authority of 〈◊〉 Spirit they required and 〈◊〉 that things might go on as to hearing and examination on all sides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a 〈◊〉 thereof or Words 〈◊〉 to that 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of the Lord that subjects and none else was 〈◊〉 all Knees 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was given and that by 〈◊〉 Rogers to give all men their due 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his consent and free closure with that 〈◊〉 was proposed and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John Wilkinson acquiessing in it
them upon which proposal a Letter was sent from the Meeting which the Woman belonged to signifyng that he was not clear of her neither did the Woman give him up to marry another Friends also of the Meeting he belonged to gave notice thereof to some of them before whom the Marriage was proposed and desired them to put a stop to it till matters were cleared concerning the other VVoman and that Objection removed and that the VVoman might have right done her which made complaint They were so far from being answerable in Practice to what they presumed to say is their Order that there was no notice taken of it at all with respect to respite after Friends had sent them that notice but within a few days the Marriage was accomplished Let the sober Reader consider whether these doings be Gospel-like and whether such work as this doth bespeak a People faithful to God according to their first love and care for Truth and the sweet Savour of it and whether it bespeak solidity and weight in and about the things of God to make such a noise against Church order which is practised amongst the Faithful and for which cause William Rogers proclaims the Children of God Aposlates to Prosterity in a Printed Publick Record and John Wilkinson signifies no disowning of it and his Abettors in these Parts spreads them abroad and yet confesses to Order declares what Order they have among themselves least they should be rendred Loose and Careless with respect to Truth and yet when their Orders in the practick part of them comes to be search'd into what sorry VVork they make which indeed cannot but in the Eye of the Simple the Honest and VVise in God render them not only Obnoxious to the Order and Discipline in the Power used in the Church of God amongst us but also a sort of People that through their jumbling wrangling VVork they have had in hand have lost not only the Savour of Truth but even a great part of those parts as Men which the Lord endued some of them with and for the clearing up of these matters a little spoken to and several more relating to them and their Practice now a days we refer the Reader to our Answer in Manuscript to the aforesaid Book Subscribed by Edward Burrow Richard Stephenson John Wilkinson and several more The Title of our said Answer is called The Answer to the Remonstrance of them of the Seperation in the North. And further it may be observed That as a People resolved to stand by themselves they continued meeting together now and then as they had occasion and kept their Meeting at an House which Friends of the Quarterly Meeting had withdrawn from a long time before partly on the account of the disorderly walking of him that lived therein And that confidence they had in the matter thereof that they sent to our Quarterly Meeting claming an equal right with us to our Quarterly Meeting Books of account of the Transactings of the Affairs of the Church from time to time together with the Records of our Births Marriages and Burials and by vertue of their pretended Title claimed liberty to an equal use thereof as well as we from time to time as they might have occasion and for that end demanded that the aforesaid Books might be brought to and kept at the House where they kept their Meeting that Friends had withdrawn from long before they parted from us on the occasion of his disorderly walking Yet well enough still for their Fellowship in that Spirit they are gone into Friends gave them a plain and sober Answer in a measure of denial of their Proposal as stated desiring them to condemn the wrong Spirit that had led them away from the Brethren and break off from the Separation and their Meeting in it and in that which was good associate again with Friends from whom they were goue then would the joynt Right and Priviledge therein be enjoyed amongst us But this gave them no Satisfaction but a more peremptory demand they then made signified in a Letter to us Subscribed by John Wilkinson William Cartmell Richard Stephenson William Chambers Thomas Hodson and the rest to the number of Thirteen in which several reproachful Terms given to our Quarterly Meeting is inserted As if the Name of it must be bowed to and on that account seek Preheminence over the Brethren and 〈◊〉 their just right from them c. with much of that Nature and at last comes to an expedient as they call it to avoid greater Inconveniences as they say viz. If we will be pleased to re deliver the Books to John Airey from whence they 〈◊〉 taken c. Note that 's the Man whose House Friends left as to the Meeting and took away the Books also for he was a Man Scandalous to Truth in his Conversation That say they we may have the use of them as well as your selves and for which end they were purchased c. The Reader may take notice that upon the first demand of the Books when we denyed them an equal use of them being the Churches Records which they were gone from we told them if they would not be pleased to condemn their absenting in a tender mind and come again in the true Love if they would be pleased to send us a Bill of what they had laid out on the account of them or what Charge had been contracted on them by reason of any Record therein they should have it returned to them again and if they pleased to have a Copy of any or all the Records therein of Births Marriages and Burials that appertained to any of them they should have a Copy thereof given them but these things would not give them content but the asore-mentioned Paper they sent into our Quarterly Meeting without any Name or Hand to it which we returned again without taking any more notice of it then having such a knowledge thereof as that we perceived it was the same that afterwards they sent to us Subscribed as aforesaid An Answer whereunto we returned to them from our Quarterly Meeting the 〈◊〉 of the 7th Month 1676. and because of the grievous out-cry they made against us of Injustice after a very abusive clamorous manner who are not negligent in spreading abroad Papers of that tendency we think good here to insert some part of our said Answer to their demand about the Books that the Reader may be in a better Capacity to judge of this matter in relation to us We having answered several abusive Speeches and Reflections cast upon our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings in their aforesaid Paper of Demand in our Answer we insert their demand 〈◊〉 That Churches Books of Records should remain at the aforesaid John Airey ' s 〈◊〉 from which Friends had withdrawn because of the Scandal he had brought to Truth To which our Answer is thus Whether this be a just demand let the Witness for God and all Faithful
there reflecting upon Friends notwithstanding the Godly Care they had upon them at that Meeting for Unity and Peace As if John Story John Wilkinson and himself had cheated Friends in pretending to condemn when it seems in reallity they did not But William Rogers said they had given them a Rattle to please Children with and John Wilkinson if not he also calling the Brethrens Relation given at 〈◊〉 a lying Narrative trampling upon all the Godly Endeavours that had been used towards them of that rebellious backsliding Spirit God and many dear Friends are Witness and that in their Consciences also what true and tender Care George Fox and others have had and also extended towards them which William Rogers hath some times confessed to before he became thus hardened to do Mischief so that in very deed his Treachery had been such that many may say he was not worth such Treating with William Rogers had Opportunity enough to have met with George Fox face to face on the account of the Accusations that he cast upon him and published them up and down the Nation in Manuscript before ever he dealt with him according to the Command of Christ and the Apostolical Order in relation to most of them some of his abusive Papers or Book out against George Fox amongst his Abettors before ever George Fox heard of them to the Shame of Christianity and the Rule of all Christian Societies as will be hereafter made manifest which he hath published in Print to Posterity and a Meeting was given him and others of Party with him at Bristoll John Story being there in relation to Matters in Difference betwixt them and the Church of God George Fox being there also with William Penn George Whithead William Gibson and others of George Fox's Friends and Brethren as in Manuscript hath been made mention of and in the discoursing of Matters at that time amongst them William Rogers was so abusively clamorous and extravagant and loud in Words and in his Concern and Exercise so burthensom amongst them in the heat of his Spirit as that Friends were astonished thereat and some of his own Party so dissatisfied at his running out of Doors to and again that some of them were glad for Moderations sake to go out to qualify him and get him in again of this we shall speak more afterwards as to Proof thereof if any should question the same such Confusion there was principally occasioned through him as that little effectually could be done William Rogers bringing in Accusations against George Fox in that publick Meeting which George Fox was a Stranger to neither knew he of any such Designe that William Rogers had upon him as to impeach him on that wise and not have dealt with him before according to the Order of Truth which was shameful in the sight of good Men that was privy to it William Rogers had the Opportunity often to have done with George Fox as became a Brother and a Man if he had been of a right Spirit as Hundreds will testify which he took no notice of he hath published in Print and exposed the same to Posterity most of the Accusations against George Fox upon Reports saying If Reports be true after a disingenious sort which manifesteth what a Spirit he hath and whether or no he be worth much taking notice of with respect to much he hath had in hand he pretends want of the Opportunity of a meeting with him was one great Occasion of his publishing in Print his horrid Work and yet he had a Meeting proffered him freely with George Fox which George Fox signified to stop his Mouth withal and sent him word if he would come in any confiderable time before he left the City of London as may be seen by William Meads Relation of the matter relating to it and for all William Rogers his 〈◊〉 now in a wicked excusive way he would not give consent to meet with George Fox on Notice given to him unless George Fox would give it under his hand which 〈◊〉 Fox was not willing to do neither did the Truth require him so far to follow such a false Spirit as his he believing also that he would make an evil use of it in Print and although William Mead proffered to 〈◊〉 God Willing that George Fox would meet him c. Yet he denyed to do it unless he would give it under his Hand though George Fox never desired that of him What a shameful wicked thing is it for William Rogers to put this detestable wicked Book in print stuffed with such abusive horrid clamouring Accusations and Aspersions to the shame of his Principle and Profession and the Fellowship of Brethren pretending George Fox would not give him a Meeting and yet did evade it thus pitifully and unlike a Man or the Concern it related to this surely is treacherous dealing with much such like he hath in hand but the great God the Judge of all will reckon with him in the end for all whose Damnation slumbers not he hath shamefully abused and wronged the Exercise that William Mead and Nicholas Lucus an Agent for William Rogers had about the matter and manner of George Fox's being willing to meet William Rogers c. as may be seen in the Relation William Mead gives of it incerted in the Treatise called The Accuser of the Brethren cast down to which we refer the Reader for more satisfaction about this matter And William Rogers in his Conscience to which we also refer the matter knows that he might have had a Meeting with George Fox if he would but take the Opportunity proffered him Yet his 〈◊〉 hath been such to watch for Advantage that many antient honourable Brethren were not willingly inclined that George Fox should take much Notice of him and some private Discourse that George Fox and he had at London at William Roger's earnest Request he hath made an evil use thereof in print against him which doth not become a Man of his supposed Parts 〈◊〉 Reputation to have done that he might publish abroad his printing thereof William Rogers reflects upon George Fox also in his Postscript because when Daniel Smith of Malborrow told him that William Rogers had propounded to have a meeting with him c. George Fox should say He judged it would but be a jangle as it was at Bristol Let the sober minded but consider whether George Fox had not ground to expect no better from him whose Iniquity was hastening to an height who had been so abusive to Friends with respect to former Meetings at Drawel with his false abusive Narrative and at Bristol manifesting such bauling clamorous Work as many were ashamed of And whether George Fox had any ground to take notice of the uncertainty of this mans tosticated Spirit as he manifestly appeared in and more especially seeing he might have had the Opportunity of meeting George Fox at London who was ready to come into the City when William Rogers was
and what Dishonesty it manifests in him to require George Fox to procure him so many fair Copies of his Rejoynder to go abroad in which he saith he hath detected him of Lies and Forgery c. when he hath not for ought we know sent forth one of the Answers thereunto nor put it in his Book which in Conscience he ought to have done having the Opportunity for it that the Judgment given by the impartial Reader might not be upon the hearing of the one Party which otherwise must of necessity be if any concern himself therewith seeing William Rogers hath printed his Rejoynder and not the Answer to it and where also the Apostacy is entering and upon whom it prevails apace unavoidably A little time with what hath been said will declare a great Clamour hath been made and abominable Abuse put upon George Fox in relation to this Matter and many have taken hold thereof and upbraided him and Truth on that Score and hardens themselves thereby in their prejudiced and surmizing Minds which we should be glad were removed therefore have we been the longer on this Point which the Reader is desired to excuse The next thing we take notice of relating to William Rogers's smiting Accusations against George Fox is out of the 4 th part of his Book called the Christian Quaker c. which he saith in the Title Page thereof is chiefly to discover That George Fox hath been erroniously concerned in the Difference amongst the People called Quakers c. In his 〈◊〉 Part of the Christian Quaker c. pag. 7th I shall now proceed saith he to lay down a few of those things which are in some measure an Evidence to me that my aforesaid Sence is true c. First I take notice of Seven Questions propounded to John Wilkinson by Robert Barrow and others c. Who said they were desired by George Fox so to do In answer whereunto we say That we who were concerned to deliver a tender Paper to John Wilkinson which came from George Fox an antient in the Truth and one whom God according to John Wilkinson's Confession had made an Instrument to publish the Word of 〈◊〉 unto him and many thousands more to the turning of them to God from Sin and the Snares of Death do testify That we had an eternal 〈◊〉 of the Power of the Holy God with us therein in a Testimony also to the same Power which had moved in George Fox as an Elder in the Truth and one whose Care was over the Church concerning him And as a Father would have done to his Child overtaken with Weakness as John Wilkinson of a certain Truth was in relation to his inner Man who in the antient Bowels of Life that was reached unto him therein having heard as the Apostle said of the Divisions occasioned by him and John Story as also of several Words and Passages spoken and done by him relating thereunto desired to be informed whether it was so yea or nay as to those things concerning him that in the tender Care Advice and Councel of a Father he might have been dealt withal We say God was with us of a truth when we were with him on that account which broke many of our Hearts in which we desired that he would be coole and quiet in his Spirit that we might speak of things as became Brethren But instead thereof he obstinately resisted our tender Advice to him and brake forth into a perverse froward Frame of Spirit to our Grief and Sorrow and hardened himself against us and our tender Care concerning him God knows and in a pitious Passion went away from us in a sliting manner with contemptible Words in his Mouth saying He would stand upon his own Leggs and not be beholden to us for our Crutches We are bold to affirm that the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ was not with him in that Concern but a stubborn Self-Will which he hath given up himself to serve and which grew upon him after that Day to the marring the Image which in measure he once bore And we do testify in the unity of the Power if these were our last Words for which Account must be given That George Fox and we were justified before the Lord and in our own Consciences in the matter thereof and we have our Peace and Reward when John Wilkinson's Obstinacy and Ambition will be his Burthen and Torment in the Day of God And William Rogers's Perversion in a prejudiced Minde of George Fox's sincere Intent and Fatherly Exercise in the matter of those Questions put to him on that wise toucheth him not his Life is over it and William Rogers's Sence touching him and his Judgment upon him and us we tread upon for God never made that Spirit that William Rogers manifestly bears as his Book and Work demonstrates judge over the Heritage of God the Judgment shall return on himself again from the just God which he will one Day finde heavy upon him to bear And all John Wilkinson's shifting evading Answers and William Rogers his paraphrasing thereupon and drawing his 〈◊〉 upon Matters on both sides in that wicked Minde he hath will not 〈◊〉 them in that Day To this Testimony we set our Hands in the Power of that Life that was with us to our Reward and Peace Thomas Lowes Robert Widder John Blaykling Robert Barrow with several more The like clamorous Work William Rogers makes against George Fox for that he desired to be satisfied of several things from John Stories own Mouth that he had heard of him manifestly rendring him in Opposition to the Life of God breaking forth in his People according to the dispensation of his Grace suitable to the State of such as waits upon the Lord whose Care for Truth Gods Glory and the good of his People many Thousands have Experience of in Gods Power and are Witnesses thereunto And we do affirm in the Faith we have in God That if John Story had in a tender broken Frame in subjection to Gods Power in himself given a naked Account of these Matters and things proposed to him and had acknowledged his Weakness wherein he was overcome in the Concern he had appeared in relating thereunto it had been his Gain and his great Advantage in God the Days he had to live for the Visitation of God was upon him that day But instead thereof in a stubborne and perverse Spirit he despised the same and hardness of Heart the more prevailed over him to his great Disgrace as by the Evasions and mental Reserves in his Answers thereunto he hath appeared in he plainly demonstrates to such as were Eye and Ear Witnesses against him to the Truth of those Matters chargeable upon him which he hath made a slighty Denyal of And the more William Rogers appears in his Vindication in relation to those things that many are sufficiently able to detect him of the greater will his Burthen be and in the Account to be given
personal visible Estate to his Servant out of the 〈◊〉 reach in his Answer of Smiting Queries also made mention of in the beginning of our Reply said This Exhortation I say is in it self good but would much better have become the 〈◊〉 of George Fox if when the Persecutors came up one pair of Stairs into our Meeting-Rome in Broad-Mead whilst he was speaking he had not been of such a Spirit which some may call distrustful and disparing as on a sudden to step down and hasten out of the Meeting as he once did of which my Eyes with many more were Witnesses It may be noted that this smiting Accusation which George Fox utterly denieth as in his Answer may be seen William Rogers asserts upon the sight of his own Eyes with many more as he saith Now of what force this his own evidence touching this matter is let it be judged considering what a spirit all along he hath manifested himself to be of full of Envy and watching for Evil that he may caluminate and asperse the Innocent as the many Accusations upon this pittiful insufficient Evidence brought in do demonstrate but in as much as that he saith His Eyes with many more were Witnesses upon George Fox's denial thereof amongst all the other before mentioned he hath brought and published in Print several Certificates to prove the aforesaid matter which we shall hereafter insert with what Observations we have made thereupon The first Certificate WE do cerifie hereby that we were present at a certain Meeting in Broad-Mead within the City of Bristol on the account of the Worship of God and that it was at a time when Persecution attended Friends in their Meetings and that at that Meeting George Fox stood up and spoke in the Meeting and afterwards departed out of the Meeting at a back pair of Stairs a very considerable time before the Meeting broke up and was not taken Prisoner that Day and the ground of his departure at that time we have cause to believe was to avoid being taken Prisoner Mary Goldney Mary North Ann Day Upon this Certificate the Reader may observe that here is not one Word of 〈◊〉 coming up one pair of Stairs nor of his leaving speaking as by William Rogers is inserted in the Charge which if it had been proved had been material Evidence according to the Charge as the leading cause that might have produced such an effect and as to the back pair of Stairs made mention of Eight and Twenty Friends of the City of Bristol who have certified on this occasion the substance whereof we shall hereafter insert do affirm under their Hands That both pair of Stairs were common for Friends to go up and down at and George Fox was known to come up and down also one and the same pair of Stairs into the Meeting and whether these Certifiers have demeaned 〈◊〉 like Gods People of a tender Christian Spirit it may be noted in that we cannot hear that ever any of them dealt with George Fox according to Gospel Order touching the same till they put this Certificate into the Hands of a known Enemy to George Fox that 〈◊〉 after his precious Life although probably they had ten Years time to have taken the oppertunity for it and whether the Conclusion of the Certificate doth not demonstrate of what Spirit they are by these Words And the ground of his departure at that time we have cause to believe was to avoid being taken Prisoner Doth not this we say clearly demonstrate a Spirit to be in them that watcheth for Evil and is void of all Christian Charity which the Honest and Unprejudiced retains and do clearly discern them to be of party with William Rogers and that a malicious Smiting was in their Hearts and their Charge aggravated with giving their Sence and Judgment thereupon and that their Evidence is false and Belief erronious we have ground to believe from a Testimony in our selves confirmed by a certain knowledge of George Fox's Integrity to God in his Testimony and Practice far remote from such a Spirit although William Rogers hath himself confessed to his own creeping Work confirmed also we are belief concerning him against William Rogers's smiting Charge and this Certifieate also from the Testimony of the forementioned Twenty eight Persons touching this matter as hereafter we may speak of viz. That they never saw any just occasion given by him for such a Charge as VVilliam Rogers hath so wickedly aspersed him with If we should give a relation who these Certifiers are it would abundently abate the force of the the matter they have brought forth if there were any occasion for it but the observable Circumstances materially to be noted on the account of what they have said do testifie that there is Malice and Prejudice in the Ground as the Innocent cannot but see The next Certificate TO this Testimony we say meaning what the other have said I also can bear Witness with this further addition viz. That after he stept down from the place he stood upon and was departing some Friends were moving to go with him and he perceiving as I took it said holding out his Hand Keep your Meetings Keep your Meetings and the Meeting continued a considerable time longer after his departure William James Answer Upon this also it may be observed here is no Evidence given answerable to the Charge nor no Proof made touching any Persecutors coming up whilst George Fox was speaking neither that on a sudden he left speaking and stept down nor any Persecutors spoken of that came at that Meeting that these two Certificates relate to And this Mans unchristian like belief void of that Charity that thinks no Evil nor watcheth for it that George Fox went out to avoid being taken Prisoner manifesteth a prejudiced Spirit and an evil Mind that seeketh occasion against the Innocent whose Testimony and Sufferings all along fince the Lord gave him a Testimony to bear for Christ Jesus manifests the fallacy of William James's Testimony which is plain Accusation upon the slender evidence of his own belief neither doth he demonstrate which were material to a Charge how long it was betwixt the Crime which he chargeth George Fox with the time of his 〈◊〉 forth the Charge against him And did William James deal with George Fox duing the said time in relation to it before he put it into William Rogers's Hands to be published in Print against him And did ever William Rogers take the Accuser and the Accused Face to Face to examine the matter 〈◊〉 he ought to have done according to Truth and the Law of Nations before he had published such a Judgment against him to Posterity as he hath done And as for William James's saying that George Fox should say to Friends when he was going away Keep your Meetings Keep your Meetings this signifies nothing as to proof of the Charge that he went away to avoid being taking Prisoner or that he
intended that the said Meeting should have continued longer for being spoken in the plural Number it must not relate to that particular Meeting at that time but to Friends Meetings more generally and many Hnndreds we believe will testifie that George Fox hath said on that wise at the breaking up of many Meetings when no Persecution hath attended them in an Exhortation that many have been comforted in and much more occasion might he then have for such an Advise as is frequent with him to give because that Persecution in those days attended Friends Meetings and surely if this Man had been of a right Spirit and single to God and had had regard to Truth and the Repute of the Church of Christ he would not have aggravated the force of his Evidence against an Elder and an arraigned innocent Person through William Rogers's wicked murtherous Spirit with what Circumstances relating to Charge he could any way do it let him beware least the Lord lay that to his Charge that he will be much less able to acquit himself of then he whom William Rogers and he too have set themselves against Here follows another Certificate to prove William Rogers's malicious Charge against George Fox I Do remember on this occasion that George Fox did depart out of the Meeting aforesaid before the Meeting broke up or Friends departed and at that time Friends were attended with Persecution and as he was departing he said to Friends to this effect Keep your Meetings and I do believe his so departing was to save himself from being taken by the Persecutors 〈◊〉 Day To this we say It s observable that this Evidence is no proof answerable to William Rogers's Charge and doth bespeak abundantly more Prejudice and Malice then any Christian Love or Charity and doth produce no repute to the Author thereof amongst Gods faithful People or amongst sober Men and 〈◊〉 is no Evidence at all to the matter in Charge for he saith not a word of any Persecutors coming up the Stairs whilst George Fox was speaking or of George Fox's leaving of speaking on a sudden and hastening away c. But it is matter of Charge from himself grounded upon his own belief like William Rogers's Evidence viz. If Reports be ture or I firmly believe or It s probable so And as to George Fox's saying Friends keep your Meetings that 's Answered before in the Answer to the other Certificate satisfactorily to such as are of an honest Mind and William Rogers as to proof to his Charge against the Innocent is yet in the foyl and makes his Works and theirs also of Party with him ridiculous in the Eyes of the wise in Heart who cannot but be ashamed of him and his Work too Here is yet one more that appears to his shame in abetting William Rogers in his malicious detestable Work his Words are as followeth I Do on the occasion aforesaid declare that I remember that George Fox did depart out of the Meeting aforementioned a considerable time before the Meeting broke up and at that time Friends were attended with Persecution I do also remember that mine Vnele Dennis Hollister did acquaint me that George Fox did advise him to absent himself from Meetings in the time of Persecution Samuel Hollister Answer This Evidence also is short like the rest and is not answerable to the Charge no mention being made of any Persecutors coming up the Stairs whilst George Fox was speaking or that he left speaking on a sudden and hastened down c. and manifests William Rogers's Charges suspicious if not altogether false which however afterwards we doubt not but to do Who said That the Officers came up one paire of Stairs whilst George Fox was speaking and that George Fox on a sudden left off speaking and hastened down another pair of Stairs c. which manifests either dimness of sight in William Rogers or that his prejudice and jumbling restless Work he hath made in the Envy that lodgeth in him hath infatuated his Understanding and Memory that he forgets himself or otherwise we may conclude that his Wickedness is such that he often matters not what he saith to the running down of such as he sets himself against the Lord doth take notice of these things And it is not proper discreet nor evidential for Samuel Hollister to bring up the Words of his deceased Uncle to make an Accusation thereof against the Innocent who was a Man of that Gravity Wisdom and tenderness of Spirit as some of us can testifie that we believe that he would have abhorred to have appeared on this wise against an Elder but have given him more Gospel Order if true then either William Rogers or he hath done Did Samuel Holister ever acquaint George Fox with what he hard his Uncle say touching this matter that he has brought in Charge against him and put it into the Hands of an open Enemy to Truth and George Fox's Foe to be put in Print on Record to Posterity against him Where is the Christian Dealing and Gospel Order which William Rogers hath blamed others for being deficient in on John Stories and John Wilkinsons account Who in order to get a Judgment against them saith he 〈◊〉 forth Charges behind their Backs that Judgment might be brought forth against them unhard VVe can tell William Rogers that his and his Certificers Case is far remote from that in relation to us whom he hath placed a Judgment upon in Print to Posterity on the account of our dealings with John Story and John Wilkinson as hath been evidently manifested in 〈◊〉 Treatise already for we say John Wilkinson and John Story were acquainted with proceedings intended concerning them by the Advice and Order of the Quarterly Meeting in persuance also of Advice from Grave and Ancient Friends from London a Meeting was appointed that they might be heard and they had liberty granted to make their Defence and to make their Objections against the Witnesses if they pleased and that all things might be examined Face to Face betwixt them and those appearing on the Truth and on the Churches behalf against them which they were acquainted with yet they contemptuously refused to appear in the ambition of their Hearts and shut themselves from the priviledge of being heard and justly therefore exposed themselves to the sentence of Truth through Gods People against them Let these Certificers and Accusers also be asked whether ever they acquainted George Fox with what they intended to do in relation to Charge and Evidence touching this matter Did they give the priviledge of a Friend and Brother in Truth according to Gospel Order Did they give him liberty to be heard and make his Defence Face to Face according to judicial proceedings that he might have the liberty to have cleared himself or given that satisfaction which the Truth and the Gospel of Christ required before they published him in Print to Posterity If they have been deficient in this matter they have
remember and my Answer in Sincerity implies the same that in 〈◊〉 Brotherly Discourse which George Fox and I had in the time of such his Weakness when I was with him one time I speaking of the Exercise the Church of God had in 〈◊〉 with them of the opposite contending Spirit against Church Care and Gospel Order and telling him that some of them had given out reflecting seornful Words against him on the occasion of his not being constantly at the Meeting and had rendered him to have lost his condition as to Truth c. And that they had presented the same to some that were more Honest and Simple then the rest to the hurting of them and to make the Care in the Church of God more contemptible which George Fox had been an Instrument in Gods Hand on the account of and yet neither John Story nor John Wilkinson would come to see him in that State although he had been to their own acknowledgement as a Father to them and many more nor any of them that so wickedly represented him behind his Back would so much as come to see how the matter was but in a base mind that watcheth for Evil smote against him behind his Back which the Lord will avenge Whercupon for the sake of the Simple and for the bringing Shame and Confusion on the other sort and for the sake of the Church of God in general it was desired in secret Cries to God that the Lord might if it was his Will again enable him so with Bodily strength as that the Innocent tender Lambs of God might enjoy his Bodily presence with them as formerly they were wont to do to their Refreshment and Comfort and the Lord blessed be his name heard his Cries and the Groans of the Righteous in that matter to the enlargement of the Churches comfort and great advantage thereby whatever William Rogers and they of that Spirit say in contempt thereof and during his exercise of Bodily weakness at that time I was with him one day in his Chamber during the Meeting in a lower Room and I do affirm if these were my last Words that the Power and glorious Presence of the eternal God was with us to the breaking of my Heart and an Exercise of travel in Spirit was upon him on the account of the Church of God in general its Unity and Peace and with respect to the Backsliding sort of John Storys Spirit that the Lord might forgive them and restore them into the first love and living sence again and if this be the recompence that they render the Lord and him for the Labour of love in long suffering and patience on this wise used towards them I am satisfied that he is truly content and that their Reproaches are not grievous to him in the love of God who hath enabled him to endure all for his and his Peoples sake whose reward is with him and none can take it away And I do declare in the presence of the God of Heaven before whom I stand 〈◊〉 on this 〈◊〉 was the concern bet wixt him and me in Relation to this matter on the score whereof William Rogers thus wickedly appears with his siniting Charges against him which touch him not neither doth it hurt my Life nor my Peace with God whatever William Rogers doth suggest or bring forth against me touching this matter and I do appeal to that in all Consciences whether William Rogers's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against George Fox in which also he hath made me concerned 〈◊〉 the same be not false and maliciously alledged against him without any 〈◊〉 Ground seeing that George Fox's Weakness was such as many will evidence if occasion were as that he was as likely in a short time to be taken out of the Body as otherwise and so faint often in his Spirit by reason thereof that the 〈◊〉 Breath of People near him he could very 〈◊〉 endure or what 〈◊〉 William Rogers hath so basely to smite him in his Queries with his 〈◊〉 and And 's or 〈◊〉 John Blaykling hath contradicted himself on this occasion and 〈◊〉 his confusion or that John 〈◊〉 's 〈◊〉 is any way fulfilled hereby the wise to God may consider And as to the latter part of the Charge in William Rogers's two Queries on this occasion viz. Wouldst not thou have accounted this in another the Fruit of a Carless Negligent Libertine dark Spirit that was departed or departing from the Truth Implicitly charging him thereby to be of such a Spirit In the answer thereunto it is denied that this state is applicable to George Fox as Thousands can testifie it is required also that the Man may come forth that can 〈◊〉 charge him ever to have been of such a Spirit from his Childhood nay let his Dilligence in the service of Truth ever since the Lord made him a Minister of it and in all self-denial his exposing of himself in his Testimony therein to the Displeasure of the whole World great and small Professors and Profain testifie to his readiness to Work and Labour in the Gospel let the many Reproaches Buffettings Knockings-down for Dead Stripes and Imprisonments in Dungcons and nasty Places and yet never shrinking nor growing weary of his Exercise notwithstanding all that his Travellings on 〈◊〉 and lyings out of door in the Night-time whilest the Lord was pleased so to concern him let his Travels beyond the Seas in many Countries and Islands yea even of late Years since Bodily Exercise in Pain and Weakness took hold upon him make William Rogers or any that takes his part ashamed to lay a Slothful Negligent Libertine dark Spirit to his Charge Yea let that in the Consciences of all the honest Hearted to God that have known him and his Spirit testifie and give a Record for his care in the Church of God Instrumentally in Gods Hand with many other dear Brethren in the settling the Churches and Family of God under a wholsom Discipline and Order wherein the Faithful have been comforted and made each others Help and Blessing in the Lord who is worthy of the Praise yea blessed be the Lord many have good cause to say for the Instruments that he was pleased to raise up for the publishing the glad tidings of the Gospel-day and for their Faithfulness according to their places the Lord hath set them in as the Elders that rule well and are accounted worthy of Honour yea that Honour which is Eternal that God gives and covers his People withal as it was said in the Scriptures of Truth He that Honoureth me him will I Honour and again This Honour hath all his Saints to bind Kings in Chains and Nobles in Fetters of Iron but saith he I will not give my Glory to another I will not give it to Graven Images Surely if the Lord be pleased to Honour his on this wise and give them his Glory it is not displeasing in the Lords sight to restifie on Gods behalf accordingly but this Honour
Monthly and Quarterly Meetings with reflecting words against them calling them Courts and Sessions and of our Citing into them and the like Secondly That they had discouraged Friends Testimonies against Tyshes with reflecting opposite loose Words Thirdly That they had opposed reflected upon and greatly discouraged Womens Meetings Fourthly That they had opposed recording Condemnations upon scandalous loose Practices in such as professed the Truth Fifthly That they had discouraged and weakned Friends in their Stability in the time of Persecution and had justified leaving their Houses and going into private places in the time thereof to keep their Meetings Sixthly That they had disorderly and irreverently judged Friends tender Exercises in breaking forth in Mellodious Singings and Soundings to Gods praise in their Meetings under the exercise of the power which breaks and fills the Heart out of the abundance whereof breaks forth Sighs and Groans and Spiritual Songs as the Lord is pleased to exercise them that waits upon him The Reader may observe that in the former part of the aforesaid Paper it is expressed That John Story and John Wilkinson not being there viz. at the said Meeting at Pow-Bank the Friends were enclined as also desired to hear what was writ in relation to charge against them which being 〈◊〉 and though good proof was made thereof accordingly yet they were 〈◊〉 to see John Story and John Wilkinson Face to Face before they gave their Judgment thereupon wherefore they took the pains that Night to go to find out John Story at Kendal six Miles off and perswaded him to go to John Wilkinson's House next Morning which accordingly he did where they meeting with them both together told them that they had heard read several matters alledged in charge against them relating to Friends disatisfaction desired them to go along with them to the Meeting at Milnethorpe which was that Day appointed again on purpose to hear what they had to say in their own Defence or to alledge against any proof made of things or against the Witnesses in order to any thing acted by them or any other Friends that might occasion their Discontent or Opposition as the charges seemed to import or words to that purpose but they refused to go on that score they proffered only to refer the hearing of the matter to two men chosen by each Party one and that in relation to that they might have a Coppy of the Charges but Friends seeing that it was not only a disorderly thing in them to absent themselves from the aforesaid Meeting appointed by the Quarterly Meeting but also to make such a motion as that in opposition to Friends care and endeavours amongst them for Peace as their travels and seeking of them did imply Friends refused as in all reason they ought to have done to take any notice thereof yet told them They should have a Coppy of the Charges at the Meeting if they would go if when they were read they desired the same to make their defence the better and they should have time also if there was need for it But go they would not as they had resolved and said That they would come at no more Meetings upon such matters But poor men they forgot that or else mattered not what they had said on that wise for they offered to refer the matter to two c. which is not Truth-like Orderly or Discreet in the case of Gods Truth many Brethrens Testimony and Concern and the Churches Peace The Friends proffered to read them the matters in charge against them if they pleased as in the aforesaid Paper is expressed but they refused to hear the same Now let all sober and discreet men that fear God consider what this Spirit is whether it be not the same as was said of it before not Pure not Peaceable nor easie to be Entreated but Wilful Stubborn and leading to Strife and to work Distractions in the Church of God it is evidently seen to have had a design But blessed be the Lord its way is blockt up it hath done its worst there it s turned out now too amongst the Gainsayers to get an entrance amongst them that are in the Unbelief and Rebellious to the Truth 's Life and there it makes a Clutter and Noise as the Wind which the Lord weighs as a little thing and its passing away that Truth may Reign and take the Dominion over all for evermore Here follows that part of the Paper given forth at Milnerhorp in relation to the opposite Spirit against Friends Practices in the Church of God which demonstrates the sence of the aforesaid Brethren viz. After all which Travel and Labour in the Love of God for no other end but that Differences might be ended Unity and Peace come into lived in we having used all endeavours that was in our power at this time to enform our selves of the truth of things relating to these Differences as before Written we judge it our Duty that in defence of our godly Order and holy Practices which by the Power of God we are led into owned and justified in to give our Judgment upon such Words and Passages as hath been charged upon the abovesaid John Story and John Wilkinson and evidenced before us by many Witnesses that whether from them or any other such have proceeded it is clear that they cannot come from any Spirit or Mind but such as is in real opposition to the Spirit of Truth and Power of God in his People in this Age manifested by which we have been led into the heavenly and holy Order of the blessed Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and to bear a faithful Testimony unto him and of his coming and appearance to end all Types and Shadows and also into such Practices as is according to the Example of those good Men that were before us for we find that it expressly strikes against us in the ground in our godly order and proceedings which is for no other end but for the putting forward and keeping up of Rightcousness and a holy and unspotted Life amongst us and the maintaining of our Testimony without Violation as we received it from God in the beginning and this may all understand that do but read the Charges as they were evidenced unto us how that they tend to the weakening of Friends Faith in their Testimony against Tythes which by the Faithful hath been born from the beginning for which many have suffered deeply even unto Death and also what opposition doth appear against recording of Confessions and 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and Transgressions which is no other but according to the former example of them that gave forth the Scriptures and how such Words and Passages doth shew forth opposition and a contrary mind to Gods Faithful Children in that profitable practice and godly order of Mens and Womens Meetings as now according to the Wisdom and in the Power of God is set up amongst us for the advancing of the honour of the
rendered themselves to be out of the Doctrine of Christ Obstructers yea Despisers of Gospel Order and the Rule of common Societies Accusers of the Innocent Parties with William Rogers in his malicious Work in criminating on this wise and their Evidence if any material had been therein not to be regarded by Men fearing God Lovers of the Christian Religion and the Society of Brethren in the Spirit of Truth and that their Works cannot but be despised and cast out as the unsavoury Salt good for nothing but to be trodden under Foot of Men. And to that in all Consciences we can appeal where these things may come to be taken notice of whether it be not clearly demonstrated as the Sun that shineth at noon Day that this Work of William Rogers's hath proceeded from meer Malice seeking occasion against the Faithful whose Testimony stands and lives against his and his Abettors backsliding State at which they freet and fume and tugs to and fro and fastens themselves the more thereby to their greater Shame and Reproach in the pit of Infamy and Disgrace which they would have had others cast into And for a further manifestation of the fallacious Work of William Rogers and those of party with him as their Words demonstrate which have bew rayed them in this concern relating to George Fox his leaving the Meeting at Broad-Mead in the City of Bristol after the manner that they would charge him with We think meet to Insert here the substance of a Certificate given forth on the aforesaid occasion by Twenty eight Persons and Friends to Truth in the City of Bristol several of whom some of us knows to be Persons of grave and solid Deportment Men of good report in Truth and of a good conversation and repute 〈◊〉 all sober Men whom although William Rogers in his Paraphrasing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their said Certificate doth most abusively below the Spirit of a Man render them we are satisfied it shall stand touching this matter of William Rogers's 〈◊〉 Charge by all we can any way observe an Evidence for George Fox's 〈◊〉 therein in the Consciences of all the Faithful to God every where who comes to have the knowledge thereof with the 〈◊〉 that relate to it The Charge was thus If when the Persecutors came up one pair of Stairs whilest George Fox's was speaking he had not been of such a Spirit which some may call 〈◊〉 and despairing as on a 〈◊〉 to step down and hasten out of the Meeting at a back pair of Stairs which he once did of which mine Eyes with many more were Witnesses The Substance of the Answer of the aforesaid Friends is to this effect viz. WE have this to say who were generally all of us at all or most of the Meetings which George Fox was at there That we never 〈◊〉 or can remember that any Persecutors did come up the Stairs whilest George Fox was speaking so as to occasion the ceasing of his Testimony on that aocount And for a further confirmation of George Fox's clearness against this malicious Charge they add viz. And this Testimony for him we have in our Hearts as a Man remote in Spirit and Example from any such Practice of flying in time of Persecution though now charged therewith by Apostates c. And this we though fit to insert as Persons concerned 〈◊〉 the vindication of our dear Friend G. F's Innocency in this Case according to the best of our knowledge and remembrance who neversaw any just occasion for such a Charge as W. R. hath aspersed him with c. Now we leave this matter before the honest Hearted where this may come to 〈◊〉 whether George Fox himself having denyed the Charge as false and malicious we havenot much more ground on George Fox his Account touching this matter to give credit to Charles Hartford Charles Jones and Richard Snead and the twenty five Persons more of known Credit and Repute and Men of 〈◊〉 Spirits and tender with respect to Truth and the fellowship therein amongst Brethren who understanding that William Rogers had given out a Charge on this wise amongst many others against George Fox and had in Manuscript sent it abroad up and down the Nation had a concern of Spirit in the Vindication of Truth on their own free accord to give forth the relation aforesaid then to give credit to these few Certifiers on William Rogers's account against an Elder in Truth unheard and behind his back Who also have given Judgement against him and thereby manifested themselves to be Parties in the Design Printed as a Record to Posterity from their own particulat belief in a Criminal matter of such a tendency as this appears to be And shall leave to the Righteous God to clear the Innocent in all Hearts and that the Guilty and Blood Suckers of the Lambs of Jesus may be manifested to all that the Lambs may be aware thereof And for a further manifestation of George Fox's Innocency touching the charge of flying in the time of Persecution we 〈◊〉 the reader to George Fox's tender and simple Relation there in his Answer to William Rogers smiting 〈◊〉 and should be glad that all the tender Hearted who are void of Prejudice had 〈◊〉 oppertunity to look over the same believing that the tenderness of the Mans 〈◊〉 in the Life of God is such that it might be able to convince all Gainsayers yet such hath been the wickedness of William Rogers's Spirit in his paraphrasing thereupon to help his Work thereby that he hath taken hold of pieces thereof here and there that he could any way bend to the Advantage of his so charging and the rest of the Words that might make out George Fox's Innoceney touching the matter them he for the most part quite leaves out all which to insert together with what might be said to his pervertions and ungoodly deductions therefore in his Rejoynder would trouble the Reader with more then in Conscience we are bound to do or then there is any occasion for either with respect to the clearing this reproached and approved faithful Servant of God and for Jesus sake to every little one George Fox from the wicked Accusations alledged against him touching this matter together with the rest spoken to or as any way needful to manifest William Rogers's evil Mind for they are dark who see him not having occasion to be concerned with him Yet we desire to be born a little in giving the Reader a short account of some Passages that George Fox met withal that Morning before he came to the Meeting that the Charge against him relateth to which William Rogers in his Rejoynder denieth not one Word of as to the substance thereof yet how therein by his perverting and drawing ungodly Inferences therefrom how he makes that plain and honest Relation to look it would make ones Heart to tremble only in a few Words by the way whereby to remove the dubiousness that seems to lie in the following