Thus But rather strengthen our selves in the Lord that we may according to our Membership be more capable to serve the Lord and his People as we had him and others for Examples it was a Portion of the Lord's Spirit that made him a Worthy in Israel that hath made me at this time thus Testifie of him so that I can say He being Dead yet speaketh God by his goodness grant to raise many such helps in Israel to the dignifying of his Name which this our dear deceased Friend sought Since I have known Truth above twenty Years and observed the Conversation of such as were in Christ before me I have beheld few if any more remote from self-Praise or Exaltation I believe while in this Tabernacle I shall not forget his Advice to me the first opportunity I had with him after I was convinced by him viz. Not to Attribute any thing to Man but give God the Glory and with what Reverence and Gravity these things were expressed his Humility at that time reached the better part in me and I hope will remain as a Nail fastned in a sure Place My Prayer to the Lord is that he may raise many such Ministers in his now Israel to the furtherance of his Name Truth and Holiness and that many may be willing as he was to spend and be spent to go to and fro that Knowledge may be increased What I have already testified of this my Father and Friend for in his Bonds he begat me hath eased my Spirit I loved him dearly in his Life and no less at his Death whose Savour reached to People of all sorts and his Death lamented I was several times with him in his Sickness and was concerned in Mind to go down a little before his Departure so that with many good Friends I was present and saw him put off this outward Tabernacle though to our Sorrow yet in a full perswasion that he died the Death of the Righteous prepared for that future felicity which a numberless Number is following after which neither Hell nor Death Beast or false Prophet shall be able to hinder Amen Amen Although I could further Amplify and Enlarge this my Testimony yet shall desist with Real and Ardent Desires to the Lord that he may order our Conversation aright and that all that names the Name of Jesus may depart from Iniquity and be sanctified to reign with the Righteous World without End Christopher Winn. Penkâ—th near Warrington in Lancashire the 3d of the 3d Month 1697. William Ellis's Testimony concerning dear Friend Roger Haydock I Have much in my Heart concerning our dear Friend Roger Haydock tho' I cannot express to the full what I know of him but however I shall say the less not questioning but that there are Testimonies in the Hearts of many Friends to his Worth and Faithfulness and Service in the Blessed and Holy Truth wherein we have believed and felt the Blessed Effects of our Faith to the great Comfort and Consolation of our Souls It was about twenty one Years the last 3d Month since I was Convinced of the Blessed Truth And though I have since that day had many Instructors in Christ yet I have not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus was I begotten by him through the Gospel and the Operation of the Holy Spirit which did Effectually open a door of Entrance in my Heart as it opened a door of Utterance unto him It was at a Meeting at Bradley near Skipton in Yorkshire where he declared the Day of God which was broken forth in this Age in great Splendor to Enlighten Mankind he spoke many things which reached the States of many in that day alluding from the State of Israel of old who passed through the Sea and saw the wondrous Works which the Lord wrought for their Deliverance yet some forgot him and made themselves Idols of their Jewels and Earings saying These be thy Gods O Israel who brought thee out of the Land of Egypt and then sat down to Eat and Drink and rose to Play With many more precious Words wherewith he did sound forth the glorious Gospel I was abundantly satisfied that day with what I had felt and heard So I took heed unto the Word in my Heart unto which I had been directed by him and it grew and Increased and my Faith Increased and I became according to my small Measure obedient thereunto and my Soul was in love with the Truth and the Followers thereof especially with him who had been the Instrument of publishing the same to me his Feet was indeed beautiful unto me and I could say in Truth Blessed be him that Cometh in the Name of the Lord I saw his Zeal and was sensible of the Sincerity of his Heart and Endeavours in his Life-time to promote to his utmost the great Name of God And when through Providence I came to be more Intimately Acquainted with him I was confirmed in my sense of him and his Love to God and Zeal for the Truth and have in many private Opportunities with him been abundantly satisfied in the sweet Society and Fellowship we have injoyed together and I am fully perswaded that his Root was in the Truth and that he was sensible that the Root bore him and he grew therein and laboured much to bring People to be established upon the Sure Rock Christ Jesus the Root of Life upon which the True Church is Built And I know his Labours in that Respect was great and the Lord saw his Faithfulness and poured out upon him the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding and of a sound Mind to promote Good Discipline and Comely Order in his Church that She might be like the True Church of Old which John spoke of under the Similitude of A Woman who was clothed with the Sun and had the Moon under her Feet Which Glory did far Excel the Glory that attended Solomon in his best State for the sake of which the Queen of the South came far and was overcome with the Sight thereof Thus did he Labour and Travel in his Day spending himself that the Church might be adorned with the Comely Attire and Ornaments of the Holy Spirit and that the Name of the Lord Jesus her Head might spread to the Ends of the Earth Blessed be the great God of Heaven and Earth that raised up him and many more who could hold the Sword and be Expert in the War like the Cant. 3.7 8. Threescore Valiant Men of Israel who kept the Bed of Solomon Or like the Judges 20.15 16. Men of Benjamin who could Sling to an Hairs Breadth and not miss The Lord Raise up more such Faithful Labourers in his Vineyard and give them Wisdom and Zeal to Train up those who shall believe in the Truth in sound Discipline as well as in Word and Doctrine that he may Restore unto the Churc◠〈◊〉 1.26 Judges as at the First and 〈◊〉 as at the Beginning that Men may call them The City of
Christian Husbands and Wives are to walk c In the same page That they quite Subvert all the Rules of Duty between Ministers and People c. In the same page That they pluck down Prayer Root and Branch In the same page That by the Quakers Doctrine we may all pray none or pray Curses and Blasphemies In page 22. again That the Quakers Religion doth pluck up by the Roots all the Doctrines and Rules of Knowledge Worship and Obedience touching God c. In page 13. That the Quakers say Every Man may make as good if not a better Bible than this we have In page 17. That the Quakers are guilty of affirming The Light in every Man to be a part of God as a drop of Water fetch'd from the Ocean is part of it In page 23. That there are no People do more Oppose and Subvert the Spirit than the Quakers In the same page That if the Quakers should practise their own Doctrine they would pass all that ever have been before them in Wickedness All these are gross Lyes and wicked Slanders whereof the Quakers and their Religion are clear And that no Lye may remain upon the Truth the Light and Children thereof I add That the Light of Christ within Man wherewith Christ the true Light lighteth every Man is the Life of the Word the Light of Men John 1.4 The Spirit of God given to instruct them Neh. 9.20 Ezek. 36.27 The Manifestation of which Spirit is given to every Man to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.7 The Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father John 15.26 Reproves the World of Sin John 15.8 And maketh manifest all things that are reproved Ephes 5.13 For that is the Spirit of Truth which reproveth and convinceth of Sin and the Spirit of Truth is the Spirit of Christ for Christ is the Truth John 14.6 And the Spirit of Christ is the Spirit of God for the Son and the Father are One John 10.30 5.18 to 27. One Lord one God and Father of all Ephes 4.5 6. Christ and God is Light John 1.4 9. 8.12 9.5 1 John 1.5 The Lord our God is one Lord Deut. 6.4 God is a Spirit John 4.24 The Lord is that Spirit which giveth Life 2 Cor. 3.6 17. The changing of Man from Death to Life is by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 I the Lord search the Heart and try the Reins even to give every Man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doing Jer. 17.10 The Spirit saith I am he which searcheth the Reins and Hearts and I will give unto every one of you according to your Works Rev. 2.23 The Spirit searcheth all things 1 Cor. 2.10 Hereby it is evident the Spirit of God is one with God and Christ and so God Infinite Omnipresent who is One Lord and his Name One Zach 14.9 who sees all things there is nothing hid or can be hid from God's Spirit all things being known and seen by the Spirit of God Man's Thoughts are shewed and told by it and whatsoever thing is reproved it sheweth and maketh manifest And that which makes manifest is Light Eph. 5.13 Well then the Spirit of Truth is the Light of Christ within Man which makes manifest and sheweth whatsoever thing is reproved by it which declareth to Man the Thoughts of his Heart and giveth to every Man according to his Works which reproveth and convinceth Man of Sin and leads into all Truth in which we called Quakers have believed and walk in even in the Light and Spirit of God and Christ and so witness the Blood of Jesus Christ cleansing us from all Sin and the Light and Spirit of Christ leading us on together into all Truth in which blessed Light we have Fellowship with God who is Light and one with another 1 John 1.5.7 And so are of that pure Religion which is undefiled before God and unspotted of the World James 1.27 This blessed Light or Spirit of Christ within leads us to do unto all Men that which is right in the sight of God and all of us that walk in in it walk according to the Precepts Doctrines and Commands of God contained in the Scriptures and witness in measure the fulfilling of what is therein written for our Learning that the Man of God may be Perfect c. And the keeping of the great Commandment which is Love So then this blessed Light or Spirit of Christ within born witness to and walked in by us called Quakers which indeed is both our Rule and Way doth lead and guide us not to oppose God's Spirit for then we should oppose our Rule and Way which is the Spirit of God nor to pluck up by the Roots all the Doctrines Precepts and Commands of Knowledge Worship and Obedience touching God contained in the Scriptures of Truth as J. C. hath slandered us but to live and walk therein and up thereunto and manifest both our Love and Honour to the Spirit of God and Esteem for the Scriptures of Truth in living that Holy Life the Scriptures declare of and the Spirit of God commands which Holy Life lived by us through the Spirit fulfils and justifies the Scriptures of Truth and exalts and glorifies the Spirit of God over all for God alone is worthy for ever and ever Neither doth the Light and Spirit of Christ wherein the Quakers walk and by which they are led and taught lead them to teach Treason and Rebellion which J. C. most wickedly hath charged the Quakers withal but the Light teacheth and leadeth them to live peaceably and quietly under the Government where they are placed and to seek the good of all Men to Pray for Kings and them which are in Authority that under their Government they might live in all Godliness and Honesty a Quiet and Peaceable Life to Exhort one another to Love and good Works and to teach Fidelity and Obedience to the Governments and Governours appointed by God that both Magistrates and their Governments may be submitted unto and obeyed by all People that there-under live by doing or suffering what cannot for Conscience sake God-ward be done and that whoever may answer the King and his Government in suffering for Conscience God-wards not to seek Revenge nor the Hurt of the King or his Government but to leave Judgment to God alone who disposeth of Kingdoms and Thrones Government and Kings at his pleasure and to Pray to God to perswade the Hearts of Kings to fear him to be Encouragers of Piety and Godliness but to Discourage all Wickedness and to Honour Christ the Lord the true Light over all who purgeth the Conscience from dead Works and fills it with the Mystery of the living Faith that over Conscience Christ may only Rule and Govern whose Right it is that in so doing their Government may be blessed to their Comfort and the Benefit of the People and the Honour and Glory of God who is King of Kings and
aright to my benefit satisfaction and comfort He was a Skilful Labourer in God's Vineyard knowing as well how to refresh water and gather in due season as to prune and keep up the Fence He was a Skilful and Valiant Soldier of the Lamb in Innocency shooting God's Arrows aright against Babylon and his Bow abode in its Strength He was not afraid of the Archers that shot at him having on the Shield of Faith which repelled their envious Darts His Fighting was not with Carnal but Spiritual Weapons under the Banner of Christ his Captain which is Universal Love in which Love he was rooted and grounded and flourished like a fresh and fruitful Tree more and more to the end of his time I was with him at a Meeting the day next before his Sickness began being but three days before his departure in which Meeting the Lord's Wisdom and Power in a great measure appeared with him opening many excellent things by him and his Service therein was great treating very fully and clearly of the sundry Dispensations of God towards Mankind in the several Ages of the World according to the several States and Conditions thereof in order that Mankind that had been in a lost and estranged Estate in Transgression might come again to be reconciled unto and acquainted with God their Creator and with him enjoy Everlasting Peace and Happiness Shewing also That God who at sundry times and in divers manners by his Angels and Prophets spoke unto Mankind formerly hath in these last days spoken to his People by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things by whom also he made the World who in the fulness of time came in the Body prepared for him Born of the Virgin Mary in which he spoke and did many excellent things and suffered many things yea even unto Death leaving to all that should believe in him an Example that they should follow his steps who laid down his Life for their Reconciliation to God and Redemption from all Iniquity And also according to the Scriptures he very clearly and largely declared and testified That the largest clearest and most general and excellent Dispensation of God's Love in his Son Christ Jesus is as it was in the Apostles time in this our Age and Generation in and by the Light and Spirit of Christ manifested in and unto his People who walk in Faithfulness and Obedience thereunto to which he Exhorted all and the Praise and Glory of all he ascribed to God whose Honour he sought and not his own The substance of which sound Declaration and living Testimony by the Lord's Power that attended it was so Imprinted in my Mind and Memory that day that I believe I shall never forget it So the Lord who had made him comely both outwardly and inwardly and adorned him with a meek low and quiet Spirit and with Wisdom clearly to discern the deep things of God in a great measure and to divide the Word of Truth aright in tender Love and sound Judgment was with him to the end of his time and when he had accomplished his great Service which the Lord called him unto and accompanied him in and blessed with success to the good of many he having fought the good Fight and kept the Faith and finished his Course laid down his Head in Peace and Died in the Lord the righteous Judge whose Cross in his time he having cheerfully born now enjoyeth the Crown of Everlasting Life and Righteousness and being at rest from his Labours his Works follow him and the Testimony of his Works Writings and Services may be of Benefit and Service in the Generations to come and his sweet Memorial will Live with the Just for ever He Departed the 11th Day of the 3d Month 1696. Henry Mollineux Given forth the 19th of the 8th Month 1697. Christopher Winn 's Testimony concerning Dear Roger Haydock Deceased AS touching this my dearly beloved Friend I cannot easily be silent but express something in Testimony concerning him for a three fold Reason First Because the Lord made him an Instrument to Preach the Word by which my hard and unbelieving Heart was reached and tender'd for although I had heard the Truth preached before by some Friends yet it was no more than a Wonder to me remaining still in gainsaying until it pleased God by his Ministry to open my Heart to receive the Word spoken by him by his explaination of that Prayer our Lord taught his Disciples and shewing who had right to call God Father was I convinced at which I often marvelled remembring my Zeal in my young Years for the repeating of it according to Tradition yet so it seemed good to the All wise God in whom I have believed and do reverently Bless his Name for sending his Messenger of Glad-tidings to Proclaim the acceptable Day and Preach the Gospel for which at that time he suffer'd Bonds and Imprisonment having only obtained Liberty for a little season which he bestowed in visiting the Churches I am through Mercy amongst others a Seal of his Ministry which he was careful as well as prudent to adorn in Conversation using sometimes in familiar Discourse to say He that Preaches abroad let him Preach at home He was self-denying for the Truth 's sake he was always in a Care and often in Admonition lest any should dishonour the Truth by out-going or disorderly walking whose Expression sometimes was To Walk in Truth was better than to Talk of it Secondly Because of my knowledge of him after my Convincement it falling to my lot of later time to be a Member of that particular Meeting he belonged to in which time he shewed that in him had God settled a Care as well to Build up in the Faith as to beget to it helpful to further and promote Vertue in us all and in no wise Censorious as to the Testimony of young Friends nor frowning whether they appeared before or after him Yea further without boasting I may say he was a Man greatly fearing the Lord apt to Teach prudent to Advise as well as able to do it I observed in difficult matters few too hard for him but by that Wisdom that was in him he had strength to go thâ—ow it So that his Death was a Surprisal as well as a felt and known Loss to the Churches amongst whom he frequently conversed and because thereof was their Hearts affected with Sorrow It may appear by his Journal he made use of his time leaving Wife and Children and Temporal Affairs to visit the Churches in these and other Nations My Third and Last Reason that hath been a motive to give this brief Relation is That near and true Respect I bore towards him in his Service amongst us in so much that with a tendered Mind I now remember him and a sence of his Spirit my Heart tenders And though to him to Dye is Gain yet to us Loss But who may say to God What dost Thou Or Why is it
it went out of the Room but he refused So I having a Journey before me could not well stay longer but came away the Paper still unsigned yet left with Friends that if he did sign it to send it to Alexander Lawrence who was the day before engaged with him in the Dispute because I had a Journey to go and was uncertain of my return home J. C. did afterwards sign the Paper and Friends sent it to me my return home being sooner than I expected I met with it writ to J. C. reduced the whole into seven Heads or Charges which I shall here insert First The Quakers Religion is New and so new that he says he can remember since first it came up 2dly That it is Worldly and Fleshly 3dly That it is Bred and Fed by Ignorance and Pride 4thly That it is Uncharitable 5thly Its Principles are contrary to Truth and Godliness 6thly It is against God's Spirit the Scriptures and Christ's Ministers 7thly That the Quakers are such as are described by Paul Rom. 16.17 18. who serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own Bellies and by good Words and fair Speeches deceive the Hearts of the Simple c. These seven Charges I put him upon the proof of and to give me his essayed Proofs under his hand He writ to me again evading Proof I replyed and several Letters past betwixt us I put him upon Proof by Writing his Charges being written he shuffled one while counting it great cost to buy the Quakers Books and great labour to study them fully and elaborately to confute our Cause by which I told him it appeared he could Charge deeply without buying our Books or studying them even at all Adventures but his Mouth was more open to Charge than Prove Another while urging a Disputation it being a short way to put an end to Religious Strife occasioned by his Paper I replyed He would have less than full Proof to serve us and slubber things over which is a common thing when People grow weary of what they have undertaken I would have kept him to the proof of his Charge by Writing but he absolutely refused and challenged a Dispute which was consented to and agreed upon to be at Arley as before When we came upon the Stage he would have excused himself saying He did not Challenge the Dispute which was a wicked Lye as I shall make appear All Lyes I know are wicked but his Wickedness in this exceeded that though he was guilty he would have rendered me to be the Challenger of the Dispute and himself clear Upon this I earnestly urged the reading of what Letters had passed betwixt us which would have decided that matter He refused I told him if he was not ashamed to stand by what he had written let the Letters be read for they would manifest who challenged the Dispure He still evaded alledging together with some of his Abettors It was but a Shuffle in me I reminded him of his Promise which was That the Letters should be read which would give People an Inspection into the Matter to which I engaged him in the embracing of his Offer of Disputation he regarded not his Promise but broke his Covenant still declining the reading of them and laboured to perswade the People it was Evasion in me to keep from the Charge Whereupon I replyed John Cheyney confess thou challengest the Dispute and I will pass by the reading of the Letters and come to the Paper or Charge to which he granted yet the Auditory being large many did not either hear him or so apprehend him as afterwards I was informed But though at the Dispute he absolutely denyed at the first that he challenged the Dispute yet in his Relation p. 3. he saith He provoked me to a publick Dispute and that the Reader may understand how he provoked me I shall give some Citations out of his Letters in which I will not wrong him one Tittle In his Letter of Date July 24. 1676. he begins thus Roger Haydock if thou be able to defend thy Religion John Cheyney calls thee forth to maintain it And in the same Letter I would have thee and me to Dispute it out Why art thou not as forward to Dispute with me as with John Barber Again in the same Letter I am constrained by the Unreasonableness of a declining shuffling Adversary who calls for Proofs in Writing and will neither say Yea nor No he will Dispute or no as distrusting himself or his Cause or both Once more in the same Letter even to a Tautology But what the matter is I cannot tell Roger Haydock will not yield me an Answer pro or con he will or he will not Likewise in his Letter of Date August 28 1676. I being under restraint for my Testimony he writes thus If thou canst not procure thy Liberty send to any one of thy Brethren Choose out any one or one for one day Mark and another one for another day and when thou art at Liberty send to me and I shall be ready for thee also These Reader are some of his daring Challenges I shall not trouble thee with my Answers thereunto my intent chiefly being to give thee to under stand that J. C. and not R. H. challenged the Dispute and who reads this that heard J. C. that day affirm he did not challenge the Dispute but R. H. if not byassed in judgment can do no less than conclude That one of the first things J. C. insisted upon was a Lye viz. That R. H. challenged the Dispute That J. C. is a Lyar his Mouth and Pen both bespeak him so to be Reader the words Lye and Lyar thou mayest bear being plain English words and used in Scripture For he hath spoken and written as many Lyes and Contradictions as ever any I have heard or read of who have assumed to themselves the Title of Gospel-Ministers if they were all collected which I have heard from his own Mouth and read in his Books and Papers the Catalogue thereof would fill up several Pages some of which Lyes and Contradictions may be seen in the Skirmisher Defeated by W. P. The Skirmisher Confounded by R. H. The Life of God which is the Light and Salvation of Men exalted by W. G. which Book of William Gibson's so intituled is an Answer to J. Cheyney's six Books and comprehends a great part of his seventh Book entituled A Warning to Souls c. especially concerning some of the Heads we disputed on which makes my Work the shorter otherwise I should fully have handled every particular Head but being laid down in his Sermons of Hypocrisie and other Books already answered by W. G. I shall briefly 〈◊〉 through them recommending 〈…〉 to the Reader for further Informâ— And though in the three forâ—mentioned Books many of his Lyes and Contradictions be publish'd yet in this Treatise also shall I add some more of his to the number thereof J. C. again before he comes to
A COLLECTION OF THE Christian Writings LABOURS Travels and Sufferings OF THAT Faithful and Approved Minister of Jesus Christ Roger Haydock To which is added An Account of his Death and Burial They that turn many to Righteousness shall shine as the Star's for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 London Printed and Sold by T. Sowle in White-Hart-Court in Gracious-street 1700. TO THE READER THis little Treatise of and concerning Roger Haydock is Recommended to thy Serious Perusal and Christian Consideration and whatever therein thou findest of Benefit Comfort and Instruction unto thee give the Praise and Glory to Him that made the Instrument what he was and Called him by his Grace Fitted him by his Power Commissionated him from on High to Preach the Everlasting Gospel of Life and Salvation and Endued him with his Wisdom and Guided him by his Counsel and I am satisfied in Mercy hath taken him to Himself who is worthy of all Praise Honour and Glory for ever His Christian Character Exemplary Conversation Sound Judgment Fervent Zeal Great Labours Many Travels Godly Care for Christian Discipline in the Churches of Christ Faithful Testimony to the Truth and Sufferings for the same with his Earnest and Pious Endeavours that in Faithfulness and Simplicity it might be kept to by all the Professors thereof in all its several Branches that there might not be a Swerving from the same in any thing but in WORDS HABIT CONVERSATION SPIRIT FAITH and TESTIMONY there might be a diligent keeping thereto is largely Testified by many Witnesses his great Love to the Brethren and Concern for the Preservation of Unity his Sympathizing with the Exercised and Afflicted his Tenderness over Them his Strengthening the Weak and Comforting the Mourners Admonishing and Reproving the Careless and Disorderly are also Testified unto by those that knew him and had intimate Conversation with him and opportunity to make their Remarks thereupon And therefore I shall not Enlarge but Recommend thee to the following Testimonies and Collection desiring as thou findest them Agreeable to Truth and Corresponding with the Testimony thereof Recorded in Holy Writ thou may'st receive them in Love and use thy utmost Endeavours through the Assistance of the Grace of God to follow the same and him as he followed Christ That so through Faith and Obedience unto God and a constant and sincere Continuance therein to the End thou may'st finish thy Course keep the Faith and receive a Crown of Righteousness from God the Righteous Judge So to Him I Recommend thee that is the blessed and only Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who only hath Immortality dwelling in the Light which no Man can approach unto whom no Man hath seen or can see To whom be Honour and Power Everlasting Amen Thy Sincere Friend and Hearty Well-wisher John Feild The 14th of the 10th Month 1699. THE CONTENTS AN Epistle to Friends of Blackrod-Meeting page 1 The Skirmisher confounded Being a Collection of several Passages taken out of some Books of John Cheyney's who stiles himself The Author of the Skirmish upon Quakerism c. p. 5 A Hypocrite unvailed and a Blasphemer made manifest Being an Examination of John Cheyney's false Relation of his Dispute with the Quakers at Arley-Hall in Cheshire the 23d of the 11th Month called January 1676. Published in his Book entituled A Warning to Souls c. p. 27 A Salutation to Friends of the Men and Womens Meetings p. 162 To Friends in Holland p. 166 Concerning Roger Haydock's two Imprisonments in Lancaster Goal p. 177 Roger Haydock and Heskin Fell's Letter to the Judge concerning their Sufferings p. 180 A Copy of his Answer tendered to the Chancellor in the Consistory Court at York the 23d of the 2d Month called April p. 183 Justice Bradshaw and Penington's Warrant of Commitment p. 185 Roger Haydock Heskin Fell and Alice Haydock's Letter to the Bishop of Chester p. 190 A Brief Account of the Life Travels Sufferings and Death of Roger Haydock p. 201 Advertisement THere is lately Published a Book entituled God's Protecting Providence Man's Surest Help and Defence in Times of the Greatest Difficulty and most Eminent Danger Evidenced in a most Affecting Narrative of the Surprizing Danger and Remarkable Deliverance of Robert Barrow with divers other Persons from the Devouring Waves of the Sea amongst which they suffered Shipwrack And also from the cruel Devouring Jaws of the Inhumane Canibals of Florida Sold by T. Sowle in White-Hart-Court in Gracious-street Eleanor Haydock's TESTIMONY Concerning her Husband Roger Haydock Dear Friends MY Spirit hath been and is bowed under a deep sence of my great Loss and Exercise in the Removal of my Dear Husband whom it hath pleased God in his Wisdom to take away from me who was Comfort to my Life and Joy to my Days in this World being given me of God in great Mercy and Loving Kindness and so hath been enjoyed by me in thankfulness of Heart to the Close of that time God had appointed and now is taken from the World with all its Troubles and Exercises as also from all his Labours and Travels which were great amongst the Churches of Christ which with me have no small Loss in his Removal But What shall I say Wise and Good is the Lord who doth what he will in Heaven and in Earth and amongst his Churches and his Chosen he can Break and Bind up Wound and Heal Kill and make Alive again that the Living may see his Wonders and magnifie his Power in all through all and over all who is God Eternal Blessed for ever Amen And now dear Friends I being sensible of the Wise Conduct and Vertuous Life of my dear Husband whom God hath seen meet to divest of this Earthly House and Tabernacle that he might possess a most sure House and Building with God Eternal in the Heavens that glorious Mansion which the blessed Lamb whom he faithfully followed in his Day hath prepared for him where he now rests from his Labours and his Works follow him And as one that had full Knowledge of him for many Years cannot but commemorate something of my Experience as a Mite amongst many faithful Brethren cast into the Treasury and left upon Record as a Testimony for him and can say He was a Man of Vertue from his Youth altho' of a Child I knew him not he being in Christ before me yet nigh from the Time of my Convincement which hath been for the space of Twenty Six Years and more he being at the first Meeting I was at when I received the Truth altho' I cannot say I was begotten into the Faith by him as a Father yet can say he was to me a faithful Instructor and a Furtherer of me in the Work of God as well by Conversation as Ministry His Love to me was great in those days for the Work 's sake which God had begun in me He with James Harrison had drawings to visit Meetings in Cheshire and I went with them which
a weighty Sense of his Service to spring among us Many were convinced by him We have not heard of any of his Travels but some became Seals of his Ministry in all this as he did so do we attribute the Glory to God whose chosen Vessel he was Thirdly As this our said Friend was called to Believe and to Receive a part of the Ministry so did he joyfully embrace Sufferings as a part of his Calling and on the account thereof we several of us having been his fellow-Prisoners can with much certainty Testifie that he never turned his back or gave ground to Truth 's Adversaries in his Testimony but chearfully suffered Bonds as well as Spoil of Goods as the Lord permitted him to be tryed therein We can further add that all his Sufferings he underwent with great Simplicity as well as Patience the Lord's hand alone without Carnal Contrivance being truly regarded eyed and depended on for his Enlargement so that he was made to Triumph in the Lord for his Deliverance Fourthly The next part in which he was evidently manifested to us to be a Workman who needed not to be ashamed was his singular Care and watchfulness over the Flock of God amongst whom he was not only a good Apostle a Minister of the Spirit but a careful Over-seer an Instrument to Prune Dress Fence in and keep Clean that the Church of God might be kept in its Beauty and wear its own Livery even even the White-Linnen without Spot or Wrinkle We are truly sensible his Care and Labour tended to this He was a very seasonable and constant Attender of these our Meetings as well as others oftentimes was he opened amongst us in a short Testimony in God's Wisdom suitable to the occasion Cautious that neither he nor any amongst us might obstruct the Days Service by enlarging therein Weighty and Clear he was in handling the Concerns of Truth yea studious to propagate its Interest with all his Strength very Zealous that nothing might remain in the Churches either to be a stumbling-Block or occasion our Posterity to enquire why these things were left All Superfluities of Meats Drinks Apparel and Furniture as well as Feastings at Births Marriages and Burials and other needless worldly Customs he lived to see put a stop to and which he in the Lord's hand was made an Instrument to effect He would with Gravity Clearness and Plainness go through weighty matters and in handling was very Righteous for though he was of an humble Condescention to hear the mind of the least Member yet would he not submit the justness of a Matter or lessen his Judgment or the Stroak of Truth upon it for the Interest of either Friend or Brother and as ready he was to submit himself where he either mis-apprehended or was mis-informed In this manner we cannot forbear to tell it was he conversant amongst us a good help in Government for which sake we truly honoured him and on behalf of the Concern the Lord had laid upon him relating to the Discipline of the Church we can say to the Praise of God that what he recommended to Friends Practice in places abroad as he fell in their Monthly and Quarterly-Meetings not taking effect to be complyed with in his Life-time hath since his departure from us been put in Practice by them and a Benefit found thereby so that being Dead he yet Spâ—aketh his Life and Spirit Bent and Inclination have still their Motion in the Minds of many Much more might be truly said to the Praise of that Vertue that dwelt richly in him but our design was Brevity in this Undertaking and our only Aim therein the Exaltation of that Grace by which he was what he was to God his Church and People Lastly As to his Death It was sudden and surprizing to us in that not above three Days before it he seemed in full Strength both of Body and Mind and bare amongst us a living Testimony to that Universal Grace and Sufficiency of it by which we were called and in which all have Life Salvation and Peace and exhorted Friends to avoid every thing that would gender to Bondage c. The Day following he fell Sick as was supposed of a malignant Fever which continued violent upon him for about two days and a half and then dyed in the Presence of many Friends His Body was accompanied by a great number to Friends Grave-Yard in Penketh after the interring of the Corps was a very large Meeting many more than the Meeting-House could contain several Testimonies were born and a solid Weight of Divine Goodness over-shadowed the Meeting so that we may say Precious in the Eyes of the Lord is the Death of his Saints And now tho' our loss of so faithful a Friend and Fellow labourer cannot but affect us very nearly yet in this we are satisfied that in the good Pleasure of God he is taken from us And tho' he might according to the Course of Nature have lived many more Years yet as to his Growth and Ripeness we can say of him He died in a good Old Age having lived to behold his Ministry and Services crowned with the Conversion of many to the Faith and Establishment therein And we are under a full satisfaction that his Rest is glorious amongst his Fathers even faithful Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the Followers of the Lamb there to Sing Praises to God on high who is Worthy for ever and ever Given forth from our Mens-Meeting at Hartshaw the 18th of the third Month 1697. Signed on behalf of the Meeting by Richard Cuttan William Barns George Burch Joshua Crosby John Bispham Robert Tompson Robert Haydock James Laithwait Henry Mollineux John Burch Joseph Coppock John Johnson Richard Tarbuck Gilbert Thompson A few Lines by way of Testimony from Friends in Cheshire concerning Dear Roger Haydock Deceased THough we believe that many Testimonies will be given from several Faithful Friends concerning that good Man yet we that have reaped so great a Benefit from his Labours in Testimonies and other ways cannot keep wholly Silent concerning him For soon after he had received a Gift for the Ministry he found himself concern'd to visit This County and where in his first appearance he was very gladly received for he proved very Serviceable to many that waited for the Redemption of Zion and greatly helpful in strengthening and incouraging those whose Faces were turned thither-ward Thus meeting with so pleasing a Reception in his early Visits found himself ingaged to come often amongst us and he greatly grew and was filled with the Life and Power of God and his Service was much inlarged and very many were awakened that had fallen asleep in a kind of Self-security who were ready to cry out What shall we do to be saved For they were prick'd to the very Heart So prevalent was his Testimony so powerful was Truth And indeed several were Convinced and with great gladness received the Testimony of the Word of
Righteousness The Faithful City William Ellis London the 20th of the 6th Month 1697. A Short Plain and True Testimony for and in the behalf of 〈◊〉 â—ceased Friend Roger Haydock ALthough I heard that some Friends had Intentions to Write something by way of Testimony as a Memorial of this Servant of Christ above named yet upon Consideration I did not find my self clear and easie though delayed for a time except I did cast in my Mite amongst the rest having had knowledge of him since he was convinced and received the Truth which was in the Year 1667 since which time I observed that he was still in a growing Condition in the Truth to his last End as a Tree planted near the River of Life in God's Garden which was always Green whose Branch withered not but spread over the Wall that they without might be induced to come in to be made partakers of the Fruit of the blessed Vine Christ in due season as faithfulness to the Call and Gift of God was lived in He was a Man that had good Will for all and true Love especially to the Household of Faith Poor or Rich was no Respecter of Persons in those Cases but had an Eye to the Inward State and Condition so that as Truth did encrease and prosper in any his Love encreased for it was his great delight to see Truth prosper and Friends in it for he loved Friends for Truth 's sake God endued him with Wisdom from above that he had a sense of Inward States so that he could divide the Word aright Bread and sweet Wine for Obedient Children and Judgment for the Rebellious But with such Wisdom and Moderation that gained upon many of them so as to consider what it was they rebelled against even the Light of Jesus Inwardly discovering that which is Evil. He certainly learn'd of Christ to be Meek and Low in Heart very clear from an exalted Spirit but ready to be a Servant to the least Child I believe it was pleasant to him to be doing Good he was a Man given to Hospitality himself and very Careful of the Poor I heard him once say in a Meeting upon occasion We have enough let not the Poor want He was a Man of good Utterance in his Declaration and the Gospel he preached he lived in and preached it Freely as he had Freely received it from God it was the Power of God that comes over the Power of Satan in Man His Doctrine dropped as the Dew and small Rain to the refreshing of the tender Buds and Branches in the Vine Christ and comforting the stronger that did abide therein he was an Help and Support to the Cast-down of which I have some Experience and although he was younger than I yet I had a great esteem of him for Truth 's sake and did honour him as an Elder yea with double honour for he was worthy who ruled his own House well and took care of the Church of Christ I have been often upon occasion in his Family and never law better Government in any Family wheresoever I came than there He hath left a good Example behind him to his dear Wife who observeth it diligently He was faithful in that Work God caled him unto which many are Witnesses of in his own Native Country besides his Services in other Nations as Scotland Ireland Holland and Germany He hath been several times a Sufferer for Truth but never daunted but reign'd in Authority in the Power of God as a King over the Power of Darkness and Persecution which was no more to him than a little Dust under his Feet I was with him in a Meeting where some in Office as was said assisted with a great Company of Rude Fellows with great Staves making a noise like Mad Men finding him at Prayer had like to have pulled him off his Knees but were something restrained of which he tooâ— no notice but when he did rise they laid hold on him and hurried him away out of the Meeting with an howling noise like a Company of Wolves that had made a Prey upon a Lamb for so he behaved himself all which did not so much touch nor hurt him as to alter his Countenance as I perceived But after the Rude People were gone Friends continued their Meeting and there being some from several Meetings we had a good Meeting for the Power of Darkness was driven away and the Enemies blinded And this was at Freckleton in the Fylde where there is now a settled Meeting and hath been for several Years He was also Prisoner for the Truth at Lancaster-Castle several times Now in as much as I am fully satisfied that his Spirit is Crowned with Life Eternal in Heaven where my Spirit in some Measure hath unity with him as he is brought to my Remembrance Why should not his Name which is precious be kept in a living Remembrance from one Generation to another for the stirring up others to follow him as he followed Christ That over all God may have all the Honour the Glory and the Praise who alone is worthy for this my Friend in his Life time never sought it to himself but sought the Honour of God only He was of excellent Service in these parts where he lived upon Truth 's Account but what he did it was by the Assistance of God's Holy Spirit and Grace given unto him so nothing to be attributed to Man tho' he was a good Man for out of the good Treasure of his Heart he brought forth good things He was of a Noble Spirit a Person Prudent in Matters and the Lord was with him his Company was Pleasant and his Discourse Profitable I may hope that none will be offended with me that I give so much Commendations to God's Workmanship both Inward and Outward that God may have the Honour and Praise of his own Work And when he according to the Will of God had finished his Course the Lord was pleased to favour him with but a short Sickness He had his Accounts ready he laid down his Head in Peace and dyed in the Faith the 11th day of the 3d Month 1696. Isaac Ashton Sen. Given forth the 21st of the 7th Month 1697. James Laithwait 's Testimony concerning Roger Haydock deceased OUR Faithful and Well-beloved Friend Roger Haydock was Born of honest Parents who were of good Repute in the World and concerning him I have this Testimony to bear from a certain Knowledge I had of him for I knew him soon after he was Convinced and received the Knowledge of the Truth and I then took great notice of him he appearing in great Humility and under a great Inward Exercise and Travel of Spirit before he appeared in a publick Testimony for the Truth which was about the Year 1669. At which time a great Power and clear Life was shewn forth in him in the beginning of his day it being a day of the Revelation of the great Power of God and of his Powerful
give his Relation in the third Page saith If R. H. could have been quiet and let him alone he had not said or done any thing after the said-Dispare at Croton ended Reply By this J. C. would perswade his Reader that R. H. and the Quakers have lost by medling with him and that they have brought this Stuff to their own Head But sure it is the Quakers have not lost but gained Truth prevailing but the poor Unskilful Skirmisher both Rude and Distracted and that by his own Confession hath lost by medling with the Quakers this is very evident to many sober Impartial People I may say to some that once looked upon J. C. to be what he was not viz. a Minister of Christ but having discovered him like a Serpent in the Grass have turned 〈…〉 whom the Quakers both 〈…〉 and Writing have pro◠〈…〉 and Deceiver and this is 〈…〉 him yet this proud Vain boast◠〈…〉 and hardned in Error drowned in 〈◊〉 â—â—ceit which is as a Consumption to him wasting his Reputation amongst many sober Men and spurred on with Envy and Malice against the Truth and the Friends of it he is crying Conquest and Victory like a Man besides himself as well as the Truth a distracted Man Why not distracted in this as well as in his Prayers Would any but either a Foâ— or a Man distracted after he had left the Stage being sufficiently proved before he went a Lyar and Deceiver be so â—dacious and desperately Wicked as to publish to the World that he had over thrown the Quakers But what if a Man should query Hath John Cheyney with running away overthrown the Quakers A Fool might quickly Answer Yes but sure a Wise Man would be more deliberate he would not believe that such a Victory could be obtained by him that fled but rather the contrary not a Conquest to him that perks up and cries Conquest before he begins nor yet he that runs away and cries Victory when he is gone but rather he who having 〈…〉 Encounter and defeated his 〈◊〉 â—nds his Ground when his Adâ—â— fled Now that the Quakers were not overthrown there are some Hundreds of People can witness who were at that Dispute and know it right well who likewise knew that R. H. however it was with J. C. did not forsake the Stage and leave his Opponent thereupon And if I should not have put Pen to Paper I am satisfied there are some Hundreds of People who were there that day would not believe the Relation J. C. hath published of that Dispute but judge him to be a Lyar You for the Truth 's sake and for the sake of many Simple-hearted People who were not there but may take things upon Trust and judge my Silence a Consenting that J. C's Relation is true therefore as briefly as I may without wrong to the Truth I shall examine his Relation being now come to it J. C. p. 3. saith He divided the matter of his Dispute and Charge against the Quakers into 1st Matters of Doctrine 2dly Matters of Practice I think it pertinent to the matter here to insert the Charge I â—…t J. C. upon to prove viz. That the Quakers Religion is against God's Spirit this was the first Branch of one of the seven Changes recited before To prove this Charge J. C. asserted That the Quakers Religion held forth Blasphemy viz. That the Soul of Man is God and to prove it quoted G. F's Great Mystery p. 90 92. Reply I denyed that the Quakers held Man's Soul to be God and renounced that Doctrine as Blasphemy whereof G. F. and the Quakers Religion are clear Now J. Cheyney in his Relation says Having nothing that they could object but only that Fox doth not expressly say that the Soul is God Reply In this J. C. is a Lyar G. F.'s words I owned and said they did admit of no such consequence as that Man's Soul is God But I told him he wrested and perverted G. F's words and meaning as he did the Scriptures G. F. queried of the Priests Is not the Soul coming from God Infinite I affirmed the Breath of Life which God breathed into Man the Life and Spirit which came forth from God the Life of Man's Soul or by which Man became a living Soul was infinite and G. F's words as intended were sound J. C. affirmed There was n othing come forth from God which is infinite and without beginning I replied The Son of God came forth from God yet the Son of God was infinite and without beginning to which J. C. was silent This my Answer was according to Scripture John 8.42 Jesus said I proceeded forth and came from God this was he who said John 17.5 O Father Glorifie thou me with thy own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was Verse 24. For thou lovedst me before the Foundation of the World John 16.27 28 30. For the Father himself loveth you because you have loved me and have believed that I came forth from the Fathar and am come into the World Again I leave the World and go to the Father by this we believe that thou camest forth from God Again J. C. asserted There was nothing in Man that is infinite I replied The Breath of Life breathed into Man the Spirit of God in Man is Infinite This was according to Scripture Gen. 2.7 And breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life 1 Cor. 3.16 Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and â—hat the Spirit of God dwelleth in you Mat. 10.20 The Spirit of the Father which speaketh in you Mark The Spirit of God was in Men dwelt in them spoke in them so according to the Scriptures God's Spirit which is infinite dwells in Man and speaks in Man even the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father John 15.26 So there is something in Man that is Infinite Now Reader is not J. C's assertion There is nothing come forth from God which is infinite and without beginning and that there is nothing in Man which is infinite plainly manifest to be contrary to Scripture Hath not J. C. denied the Son of God who came forth from God to be Infinite and without Beginning Hath he not also denied the Spirit of Trust which proceedeth from the Father to 〈…〉 Infinite and without Beginning 〈…〉 is not J. C. a Lyar against the â—criptures a Lyar against the Son 〈…〉 and a Lyar against the Spirit of Truth And is not this Blasphemy to deny Christ the Son of God who came forth front God and the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father to be Infinite and without Beginning For J. C. said expresly There was nothing came forth from God which 〈…〉 and without Beginning And is not J. C. a Blasphemer in denying the Son of God who came forth from God and the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father to be Infinite and without Beginning Let the Reader judge I have
believe and also that this Breath of Life cannot Transgress or be in Transgression though the Motions of it in the Soul may be quenched and it grieved for so it is when Man hearkens unto and takes Counsel at the Serpent who first drew Man from God's Counsel and thus as it is written God is grieved with the Wicked every day His displeasure or grief is because he would have Man to hearken to his Voice and be saved but Man will not as God complained of old They rejected all my Counsel and would none of my Reproof In this latter sense taking the Soul for that Life or Breath by which Man lived or became a living Soul this as G. F. saith p. 68. is infinite which he must needs intend as his own words do import being taken in their own proper and gennine sense It appears in G. F's Controversie with the Priests about the Soul that he takes up the word Soul and speaks of it under three Considerations 1st The Soul of Man in Transgression in Death 2dly The Soul of Man in the Restoration in Life and 3dly He speaks of the word Soul as being that Breath of Life which came forth from God by which Man Lived or Became a Living Soul which Breath and Life is of God's Being and Infinite as I said before Thus it appears that the Spirit of God the Light of Christ within the Breath of Life and the Quakers Religion and G. F. are all clear from J. C's wicked Charge and J. C. is a Lyar whose Work hath been both by Disputation and Writing to prove that the Quakers assert Man's Soul to be God and so charge God to be guilty of Sin because Man's Soul Sins therefore God Sins This Wicked Blasphemous Assertion and Consequence he would have fastened upon the Quakers which we do utterly deny But J. C. hath failed in his purpose and the Quakers are clear of holding Man's Soul to he God and J. C's false Charge That the Quakers Religion is against God's Spirit remains unproved and like to remain unproved What J. C. hath done is this He hath brought one wicked Charge to prove another by and both alike are utterly false And what J. C. intended Vnjustly to have fastened upon the Quakers is it not in a great measure justly fallen upon his own Head For whereas he says The Quakers do plainly hold Man's Soul to be God therefore when Man 's Soul Sins God Sins is it not clearly evident that J. C. plainly holds the Light within the Light of Christ in Man wherewith Christ lighteth every Man that cometh into the World John 1.9 something of God in Man Light and Spirit to be Man's Soul to have a hand in Sin to be guilty as being himself and in Hell to be a felf-tormenting Light I shall give some Quotations out of his Book entituled Quakerism Subverted and query a little thereupon and so leave it to the Impartial Reader to judge Pag. 21. of the said Book J. C. saith Every Man hath a Light within him and so we say that Jesus Christ is the true Light which enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World John 1.9 P. 28. Hath not every Man a Light within him Mark given him to be his Guide his Monitor P. 27 28. In every Man there is something of God and something of Satan Flesh and Spirit Light and Darkness Upon which I query If something of God in opposition to Satan Spirit and Light in opposition to the Flesh and Darkness is it not the Spirit of God who is a Spirit John 4.24 Is it not Light of God who is Light and in whom is no Darkness at all 1 John 1.5 J. C. says it is something of God Spirit and Light is it not then the Light and Spirit of God according to Scripture 1 Cor. 12.7 Pag. 34 35. he says If the Light within never did err nor can err it is the same to say the Soul of Man never did err nor can err P. 35. When we say The Light smiteth or convinceth excuseth or reproveth it 's but the same to say The Soul doth return upon it self Upon which I query Whether that which Convinceth and Reproveth the Soul for Sin be not the Spirit of Truth which reproves the World of Sin According to John 16.8 10. And if the Spirit of Truth which Convinceth and Reproveth the Soul for Sin then whether he doth not plainly hold the Spirit of Truth to be Man's Soul Pag. 34. he saith The Light hath a Hand in all Thought-sins inward Heart-Sins Tongue-sins and Life-sins Pag. 36. Every Sin I commit the Light within is guilty as being myself Pag. 34. The Light within in Hell is turned to a self tormenting Light Is it not clearly evident from these Quotations out of his Book that J. C. hath asserted the Light within the Light of Christ in Man wherewith according to John 1.7 Christ lighteth every Man that cometh into the World something of God in Man Light and Spirit to be Man's Soul To have a Hand in Sin to be himself guilty of Sin and in Hell to be a self-tormenting Light And is not this Blasphemy And is not J. C. a Blasphemer And if J. C's Religion hold forth and maintain this Doctrine Is not J. C's Religion guilty of Blasphemy And if J. C's Religion be guilty of Blasphemy Is not J. C's Religion against God's Spirit And hath not J. C made a Pit and digged it for the Quakers and their Religion and is not J. C. and his Religion fallen into the Ditch which he made Let the Reader judge The next thing in J. C's Relation that here I shall take notice of is in pag. 6. he saith The Quakers do utterly make void the Scriptures this saith he was prov'd at the Dispute Reply Was ever any pretended Gospel-Minister more void of shame than is this J. C. to publish such Lyes to the World What 's more false than to assert we make the Scriptures void And What 's less true than to say he proved it O wicked Man of slander in the one and shameless impudent Liar in the other I do believe I might have the Testimonies of some hundreds of People who were Auditors at the said Dispute that J. C's Relation is false if I needed thereunto But it may be he thinks the Title of a Minister of Christ will give him Credit where his Lyes are broached with People to believe what he says is true especially against R. H. by him stiled a Sect-Master R. H. expects to fare no better from him than the Disciples of Christ did from his Generation the Scribes Pharisees and Hypocrites who called them pestilent Fellows Seducers Enemies to the Law and Scriptures all which J. C. is guilty of against the Quakers as the Generation he is of was against the Disciples so it is evident he is in the foot-steps of that Generation J. C. might have remembred the Truth was by his fore-Fathers in whose steps he
comes to the Father but by him In the same Way and by the same Rule viz. the Spirit in and by which they walked who had not the Scriptures walked they who gave forth the Scriptures not only before they gave forth the Scriptures but afterwards in the same Way and by the same Rule have they walked do and shall they walk who have come do or shall come to live the Life the Scriptures declare of and not one of these who lives the Life the Scriptures testifie of make the Scriptures void as J. C. falsly suggesteth who thereby hath manifested his Ignorance both of the Scriptures and of the Power of God being one of those unlearned who wrests the Scriptures to their own Destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 And for his saying The Scriptures were proved the Rule it is false For the Spirit was proved the Rule and yet the Scriptures not made void J. C. in page 10 11. to prove W. P. and R. H. confute themselves and so saith he down goes the whole Body of Quakerism affirms That Saving and Historical Faith are not two Faiths but one entire saving Faith Historical and Saving Faith are not opposite where-ever there is Saving Faith there is Historical and the Rule is one and the same There is the same Law and Rule to wicked Men as to godly Men the same Scripture which breeds Historical Faith breedeth Saving Faith but neither one nor the other without the Spirit of God Reply Now if this Tale he true that Historical Faith and Saving Faith are not two Faiths nor opposite but one Faith and that upon this point Down must go the whole Body of Quakerism Then I argue thus He that hath Historical Faith hath Saving Faith if they be one as J. C. says they are and not opposite then there is no difference betwixt a Dead Faith and a Living Faith a Faith without Works and a Faith that hath Works J. C. saith They are not two nor opposite where-ever saith he there is Saving Faith there is Historical and the Rule is one and the same Is it not as broad as long where-ever then there is Historical Faith there is Saving Faith for saith J. C. They are not two Faiths nor opposite but one Faith and the Rule is one and the same But doth not this contradict the Scripture and give the Apostle James the Lye Who saith Thou believest that there is one God thou dost well the Devils also believe and tremble But wilt thou know O vain Man that Faith without Works is dead James 2.19 20. What saith J. C Historical Faith and Saving Faith are not two Faiths nor opposite but one Faith What is this but to say the Faith of vain and wicked Men and the Belief of Devils and the Faith of God's Elect are not opposite not two Faiths but one Faith J. C's assertion plainly holds forth this Doctrine That there is no difference nor opposition between Historical Faith and Saving Faith Faith without Works and Faith which hath Works Dead Faith and living Faith the Faith of Wicked Men and the Faith of God's Elect. I will not say J. C. is a Ranter in Practice But let the Reader judge whether J. C. be not a Ranter in Principle For J. C. cannot deny but that Devils and wicked Men believe there is a God and that the belief of Devils and wicked Men is not saving and that wicked Men whose Faith is not saving but vain believe the History of the Scriptures Now whether the historical Faith of vain and wicked Men and the saving Faith of God's Elect be not opposite be not two Faiths but one entire saving Faith let Truth in all People judge Likewise observe how grosly J. C. contradicts himself for he says Neither the one nor the other doth the Scriptures breed without the Spirit of God If they be one and another they are two if they be two J. C. gives himself the Lye who before said They were not two but one and he makes God's Spirit the Author of them both And again he saith The Spirit in both concurreth and maketh use of the Scriptures in this he concludes them to be two for J. C. saith In both that is in both Faiths Historical and Saving Again J. C. saith Saving and Historical Faith are not two Faiths are not opposite Now the Verb are is plural and speaks of more then one So all along though J. C. deny them to be two he concludes them to be two Faiths and wofully contradicts himself and instead of throwing down the whole Body of Quakerism is sadly confounded Historical Faith is one thing the Drunkard Lyar Whoremonger Deceiver may have it or he that hath made shipwrack of that Faith which is saving and of a good Conscience may yet have historical Faith that is he may acknowledge there is a God But Saving Faith is another thing this Faith all Men have not 2 Thess 3.2 but God visits all with his Spirit and Power in order to give saving Faith but many resist the Visitation of God and perish in their Gain saying the Destruction of all such is of themselves and the Lord God is Clear Of historical Faith the History may be a Rule but of saving Faith the Mystery is a Rule The Spirit gives saving Faith and the Spirit is the Rule of it and this will stand over the Head of J. C. and his Ranting Principle And in his bold attempt he hath neither hurt W. P. nor R. H. nor the Quakers but has manifested his Distraction and given himself the Down-fall and his Confusion is laid open that the Reader if unprejudiced may see what an Unskilful Confounded Babylonish Builder J. C. is J. C. saith pag. 15. The Quakers prefer their own Writings above the Scriptures and call their own Writings by this Title The Word of God This was another thing asserted by J. C. at the Dispute to prove the Quakers Religion against the Scriptures Reply I answered at the Dispute and again say The Charge is false the Quakers do not prefer their Writings above the Scriptures of Truth nor call them The Word of God neither did any place in their Books which he read and were owned nor Quotation which he hath given in his Relation prove any such thing I owned and we own and dearly esteem the Scriptures of Truth Friendly Reader This false and malicious Charge of John Cheyney's is lately clearly answered by William Gibson in his before-mentioned Book entituled The Life of God which is the Light and Salvation of Men Exalted which Answer take as followeth By which thou mayest see clearly that the People called Quakers do not prefer their own Writings above the Scriptures Concerning the Holy Scriptures or Bible and concerning the Quakers Books JOhn Cheney in thy 8th and 9th page of thy Premonition to thy Sermons of Hypocrisie thou chargest the People called Quakers That they esteem their Books and Writings to be of Equal Authority with the Scriptures or Bible
Peter alludes 2 Pet. 1.20 21. No Prophesie of the Scripture is of any private Interpretation Mark for the Prophesie came not in old time by the will of Man but holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost The Apostle here speaks of the Prophesies of the Scripture what was spoken in the Motion of the Holy Ghost Now that all that was spoken and is written in the Bible was spoken in the Motion of the Holy Ghost there being something spoken by wicked Men in the Bible which was my assertion J. C. doth not affirm But J. C. will have it That every word in the whole Bible was given by the Inspiration of God to the Holy Pen-Men who were inspired to write them Reply This alters the state of the Controversie betwixt us which was about speaking forth what afterwards was Recorded in Scripture viz. what the Serpent and wicked Men spoke who called Christ Beelzebub a Samaritan and said He had a Devil c. It was not the Historical Relation that we were about but of its being spoken before Recorded we were arguing I said The Serpent the Devil and wicked Men spoke words which are recorded in Scriptures and none of them spoke those words in the Motion of God's Spirit But though it be a little beside the matter I query How J. C. will prove yet I deny not that the holy Pen Men of Scriptures had God's Spirit and were assisted by it in the recording the words of wicked Men that every Pen-Man that writ of the Scriptures writ not a word but what was opened in him by the Inspiration of God which he neither heard of Man nor received from Man but in the Immediate Revelation of God received it and by Inspiration writ it Or whether some of the Pen-Men saw not with their outward Eyes several things which they writ of and heard not with their outward Ears several words which are written in the Scripture which they heard of Men According to Luke 1.1 2 3 4. Acts 1.1 23.16 to 23.1 Cor. 1.10 11. Gal. 2.11 c. Gen. 42.29 45.9 to 28. Judges 16.17 18. 2 Sam. 1.5 to 17. 18.10 c. Esther 4. J. C. in page 21. saith R. H. in the Dispute did openly affirm That God did no where command us to walk according to the Scriptures and the Laws and Doctrines of the Scriptures but all are to walk in the Spirit and after the Spirit and according to the Spirit wickedly opposing the Spirit and his Holy Laws He was quickly silenced c. Reply In this I may truly say John Cheyney hath far exceeded not only the bounds of Truth but Honesty in forging Lyes and publishing a false Accusation and Slander against me to render me odious in the sight of good Men But sure I am notwithstanding J. C's wicked Lyes false Accusation and Slander which I hope will find no more acceptance with good Men than his Hypocritical Praying Dissembling and Lying hath with God as in his Prayer-Book p. 141. that I never so said neither ever so intended For first it is against my Principle the Spirit of Truth leads into all Truth such who stand in the counsel of it and are freely given up to be led by it This Spirit is in the inward parts and that is some-where and God by it in our inward parts commands us to walk Holily Righteously and Godlily in this World to observe his Precepts and keep his Commandments love God above all things and our Neighbours as our selves and to do to all Men as we would they should do to us this is the Law and the Prophets and to own the Precepts Doctrines Laws and Commandments contained in the Scriptures and fully to believe That God who by his Spirit gave them forth through his Prophets commanded that People should keep them and walk in his fear and be Witnesses of the fulfilling of them and walk and live in that Holy Life the Scriptures declare of and this walking is according to the Scriptures Secondly It is contrary to my Practice But lest J. C. or any other if I should speak what I might speak in the Truth concerning it should judge me to boast concerning my Practice I shall say thus much It is such as in measure becomes the Gospel fearing God eschewing Evil and this is according to Scripture And for my Conversation in the World to them who know me and know it also I shall leave it for them to speak further thereof as they find cause whether it be not in measure according to the Conversation of those who in times past walked not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 I did and I do assert as before That the Spirit of God is the Rule of Saving Faith and that the Apostles did not direct People to the Scriptures to be the Rule of Saving Faith or say Walk in the Scriptures they are the Rule For although the Apostle commended the Noble Bereans for searching the Scriptures c. so did he for receiving the Word with diligence but he did not direct the Bereans to the Scriptures to be the Rule of Saving Faith But the Apostle and Apostles directed People to the sure Word of Prophesie which was nigh in the Heart 2 Pet. 1.19 Rom. 10.8 And turned them from Darkness to Light from Satan's Power to the Power of God Acts 26.18 To the Vnction of the Holy One the Anointing within which teacheth all things 1 John 2.27 To the Spirit thereby to mortifie the Deeds of the Body that they might live Rom. 8.13 To walk in the Spirit Gal. 4.16 Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the Lusts of the Flesh I say because I thus asserted and also proved the Spirit to be the Rule of Saving Faith and not the Scriptures and the Apostles directed to the Spirit for the Rule and not to the Scriptures to be the Rule and that they did not say Walk in the Scriptures they are the Rule but Walk in the Spirit I say because I did prefer the Spirit to be the Rule of Faith before the Scriptures yet owned the Scriptures in their place Therefore J. C. hath impiously charged me that I said God did no where command us to walk according to the Scriptures yet in Contradiction to himself he grants I affirmed All things are to walk in the Spirit after the Spirit and according to the Spirit all this is very good and if I said it I own it But here is his Contradiction in allowing I said All mast walk in the Spirit and after the Spirit and according to the Spirit which are Scriptural Expressions he grants I affirmed All must walk according to the Laws and Dctrines in the Scriptures for the Spirit which he grants I affirmed all must walk in after and according to viz. the Spirit of Truth commands and leads to keep those Doctrines and observe those Laws and Precepts in Scripture which concern a Holy Life
searcheth all things even the deep things of God by which spirit they judge him and that wicked spirit that acts him and the works of both J. C. in pag. 18. concludes There is no Prayer made but there is Contradiction between the Heart and the Tongue he queries Dost thou perceive none If not thou art a graceless proud unhumbled Soul and altogether a Stranger to God and to right Prayer if yea then there is something of Hypocrisie in thy Prayer Reply No manvel if J. C. be distracted in Prayer for he is distracted about it and indeed about the most of the things of God he meddles with which are too high for him Doth he not conclude him to be a Stranger to God and to right Prayer a graceless proud unhumbled Soul who prays without Hypocrisie and that not to be right Prayer which hath not something of Hypocrisie in it or that there is no Prayer made wherein the Heart and Tongue perfectly go together This is in order to justifie his hypocritical Praying Dissembling with God and uttering Untruths to him that searcheth the Heart for he saith Far be it from me to say There is nothing of corrupt Nature within me defiling my Prayers What J. C. both before and here hath said of himself I believe that his Prayers are defiled and that there is Hypocrisie in them in this J. C. and R. H both agree But that Right Prayer is not without Hypocrisie and that he is a Stranger to God and right Prayer who Prays without Hypocrisie or that he is a graceless proud Soul who feels no Contradiction between his Heart and his Tongue but his Heart perfectly goes along with his Tongue in Prayer I deny and assert that right Prayer is without Hypocrisie and that he that Prays right his Heart and Tongue perfectly go together and he is not a proud unhumbled Soul neither a Stranger to God and right Prayer who perceives no contradiction between his Heart and his Tongue This is so evident a Truth that none who pray with the Spirit and with Understanding can deny John Cheyney tho' in contradiction to himself hath largely confessed hereunto in his Book of Prayer pag. 76. he saith The Spirit of God commands and moves to Prayer Pag. 7. All right Prayer must be in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ which is not so to be understood as if the bare naming of Christ were enough Mark the bare naming of Christ is not enough for all right Prayer must be in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ Now if so that God commands and moves to Prayer by his Spirit and that all right Prayer is in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ as certain it is then all right Prayer is without Hypocrisie For God moveth not by his Spirit to Hypocrisie neither is there Hypocrisie in the Name of Christ Pag. 17. he saith Who knows how to pray to God farther than God shall teach and enable him Pag. 20. We could do nothing in Prayer without the special Help of God's Spirit Here again J. C. grants that none knows how to pray to God further than God teaches them and that nothing can be done in Prayer I suppose he means right Prayer without the special Help of God's Spirit Now it is plain that God doth not teach any to Pray Hypocritically and nothing being done in right Prayer without the special Help of God's Spirit there can be nothing of Hypocrisie in right Prayer for right Prayer is performed by the special Help of God's Spirit and the Spirit of of God is not the Author of Hypocrisie And since the Spirit of God cammands and moves to Prayer engaging both Man's Heart and Tongue therein it therefore follows that through the special Help of God's Spirit the Heart and Tongue of Man do perfectly go together â—n right Prayer otherwise the Prayer cannot be said to be right neither acceptable unto God But such as would pray without God's Spirit and would have others not to wait for the Motion of it like J. C. who tho' in his Book of Prayer he hath largely confessed to the Spirit of God in Prayer and affirmed That nothing can be done without the special help of God's Spirit in Prayer for the Spirit of God commands and moves to Prayer Yet in his Sermons of Hypocrisie pag. 218. he saith Do not tarry till the Spirit moves you to Prayer but when you have Time and Place convenient provoke your selves unto Prayer no doubt but such have Hypocrisie in their Prayers and are such as draw near to God with their Tongues but their Hearts are far from him Isa 29.13 Mat. 15.8 J. C. stiles himself a Gospel Minister and would by others be accounted a Minister of Christ yet he counsels People not to tarry till the Spirit moves them to Prayer c. But sure the like Counsel was never given by any faithful Minister of Christ for they knew they could not Pray as they ought but by the Spirit of God Rom. 8.26.27 And J. C. himself says pag. 20. of his Prayer Book Without the special help of God's Spirit we can do no Spiritual Work and right Prayer is sure a spiritual Work or Exercise and therefore not to be performed or done but with the Spirit of God Again p. 21. he saith When the Spirit of the Lord is from Man he can do nothing Prayer sticks in his Mouth like Choak-Cheese And yet this pretended Gospel-Minister would put People upon to Pray without the Spirit instead of tarrying as he saith till the Spirit moves them they must provoke themselves to Prayer This indeed is the Way to make them Hypocrites like himself and if I mistake him not he would not have People be sincere and throughout Christians Is it not then some Medium that he would bring them to Read him thy self and give judgment in his Sermons of Hypocrisie p. 225. he saith I had almost said Either be Sincere and Throughout Christians or keep where you are but by no means Do Neither Doth J. C. think it would hurt People to be sincere throughout Christians If not Why must they by no means do so Would he always keep them Learning and never have them come to the Knowledge of the Truth and be saved They who have Eyes to see with may see the end of this Ministry is to keep People in Sin though he may in words speak against it For tho' he hath not altogether said Either be sincere and throughout Christians or keep where you are yet he hath positively said By no means Do Neither And since to be sincere and throughout Christians is the one state hath he not said By no means be sincere and throughout Christians since he hath absolutely said By no means Do neither This I apprehend to be the drift of J. C's Advice that he would have Christians to have some corrupt Nature in them whilst they are here defiling their Prayers and not to be holy as God
Steward to his Brother Lane ss FOr as much as Roger Haydock Heskin Fell of Copply and Thomas Catterall Gent. within the Parish of Standish within the County aforesaid and Diocess of Chester have disobeyed and contemned the Process of the Ecclesiastical Court by not appearing at Days and Times appointed to answer in a Case depending in the said Court These are therefore in his Majesty's Name straitly to Charge and Command you and every of you forthwith upon receipt hereof to Apprehend and Take the Bodies of them the said Roger Haydock Heskin Fell and Thomas Catterall and bring them forthwith before us or the one of us or any other of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace within this County to find sufficient Sureties for their and every of their due Obedience to the Process Proceedings Decrees or Sentences of the Ecclesiastical Court And if they or any of them should resuse so to do That then you forthwith Convey him or them so refusing to the common Goal at Lancaster there to remain until him or them shall willingly do the same See you fail not herein at you Peril Given under our Hands and Seals at Eccleston the 21st day of March Anno Dom. 1674. Christopher Bannestre Henry Houghton In like manner was the Proceedings against Heskin Fell of Coppal Linnen-Weaver He was Apprehended the 7th of the 3d Month committed to the Goal remained Prisoner until the 12th of the 11th Month released as before The pretended Cause was about 1 s. 8 d. for Hen Hay House c. for about three Years This Thomas Catterall was no Friend It is supposed he paid what they demanded The said R. H. and H. F. belong to Blackrod-Meeting Coppul the 28th day of the 1st Month 1675. The Warrant was directed To all Mayors Bayliffs Constables Sub-constables but more especially To the Constables of Coppul Roger Haydock and Heskin Fell 's Letter to the Judge concerning their Sufferings Friend LEt not the plainness of our Stile in this our Address unto thee turn away thy Ear from hearing our just Complaint but be pleased at least to view and according to the perswasion of thy own Heart to do to us the Justice which the Law will afford us We hope as sitting in the place of Judicature thou hast not only Power but likewise a Mind to Right the Wronged and Relieve the Oppressed if Innocent which makes us having some experience of thy Clemency the more freely to lay the Nakedness of our Case before thee hoping thou wilt candidly interpret our words having an eye to the merit of our Cause We have been Prisoners at this Castle about twenty Months for refusing to take an Oath called Juramentum de maâ—itiâ— non Committando in the Consistory Court at York which Oath we are informed though tendered by an Ecclesiastical Judge is neither Matrimonial nor Testamentary but contrary to a Statute made in the 13th Year of the Reign of the King that now is which Statute doth prohibit Bishops Chancellors and all other Ecclesiastical Ministers and Officers to Administer the Oath Ex Officio or any other c. Be pleas'd therefore to consider that the dammage we have sustained in being hindred in the prosecution of our Appeal to York from the unjust proceedings in the Consistory Court of Chester hath not been small being as we are informed Illegally forestalled and prevented by the said Oath but we leave it to thy Judicious Censure as also our Imprisonment for twenty Months or upward instead of having Right done us for our nine Months Imprisonment before the admittance of our said Appeal which hath been no small Charge and Loss unto us and upon consideration thereof we hope thou wilt see we have just ground to lay our suffering Condition before thee and to make our Grievancs known unto thee not that we seek Revenge but that our future Liberty is desired having confidence in thee that if proceeding against us be as Illegal as we are informed and have here hinted by thee our Liberty will be granted Be pleased also to view over the inclosed being a Copy of our Answer tendered to the Chancellor at York whereby thou may'st further inspect into the cause of our Sufferings and how that thus far we have suffered Innocently So having simply and in short laid our Condition before thee we leave it with thee subscribing our Names hereunto Prisoners at Lancaster-Castle Roger Haydock Heskin Fell. A Copy of my Answer tendered to the Chancellor in the Consistory Court at York the 23 d of the 2 d Month called April WHereas I am required to take the Oath called Juramentum de malitio non Committando the Substance of which I understand is to Swear that in my Appealing to York I have done nothing out of Malice c. I Answer It is several Years since I could Swear at all Swearing being expresly contrary to Christ's Command who said Swear not at all But my Yea hath been Yea and Nay Nay according to Christ's Doctrine Let your Yea be Yea and Nay Nay But I can very freely speak the Truth and if I say Nay to or deny the Truth or Yea affirming that for Truth which is a Lye I desire the same Penalty may be laid upon me which is due to them that forswear themselves I therefore affirm I have done nothing out of Malice to Ralph Briddock in Appealing to you nor is there any Malice in my Heart against him The cause why I Appealed was That I who had suffered nine Months Imprisonment in Lancaster Goal for disobeying as saith the words of my Mittimus the Process of the Ecclesiastical Court of Chester might come to Trial that the Truth might appear I knowing my self to be clear for I never saw not had knowledge of any Process And that I might be quit of the Injury done me by Ralph Briddock who sued and imprisoned me because another Man would not pay Tithes can the like be parallell'd I having no Corn of my own nor any liable within his Precincts And also of the Injustice done me by the Illegal proceedings of the Bishop's Court at Chester who decreed me guilty of Contumacy wherein I had not offended as was clear by the Records of that Court whereupon my Appeal was admitted This was the very cause of my Appealing and therefore I do defire Justice at your hands which if you do refuse to do me I Appeal to the Righteous Judge the Lord of Heaven and Earth to plead my Innocent Cause And so I rest a Friend to Truth and a Well wisher to the Souls of all People Roger Haydock Justice Bradshaw and Penington 's Warrant of Commitment Lanc. ss WHereas we whose names are subscribed two of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace within the said County the one of us being of the Quorum having received a Certificate under the Seal of the Consistory Court of York bearing date the 23d of April 1675 declaring unto us that whereas by vertue of a certain Information
the said Apostle gave in Charge to Timothy concerning Rishops that they should be Blameless Vigilant Sober no Striker nor greedy of filthy Lucre Not a Brawler not Covetous that he be not lifted up with Pride lest he fall into the Condemnation of the Devil Also the same Apostle to Titus A Bishop must be Blameless as the Steward of God not self willed mark no Striker not given to filthy Lucre one that holds fast the Faithful Word that he may be able by sound Doctrine mark by sound Doctrine to Exhort and Convince gainsayers And whether or no if thou hast been in the footsteps of these Primitive Bishops to whom Paul writ supposing us to be without to wit Gainsayers instead of spending 30 l. to cast us into Prison and of threatning the Jaylor and stirring the Judge against us wouldst thou not rather have laboured by sound Doctrine mark by sound Doctrine and not by casting us into Prison whom thou hast not so much as given the least word of Exhortation unto to have convinced us But I query of thee Whether did any of the Apostles or Ministers of Christ Jesus cast any Man into Prison for denying to pay Tithes or of whom did they ask the Tenths of their increase If thou canst shew me such a President in the Scriptures of the New Testament Or whether they did freely receive and freely give Yea or Nay if Yea then whether Imprisoning People who cannot give their Money for that which is not Bread be not a very unchristian Practice and too much like the way of Cain who was a Persecutor resembling the Error of Balaam who loved Gifts and Rewards And whether such as are in the Practice thereof be not in the footsteps of those Prophets Micah spoke of that bite with their Teeth and he that puts not in their Mouths they prepare War even against him and of such as looked every one for his gain from his quarter Friend Christ said Every Tree is known by his Fruits And if thou be a Minister of Christ the words of Christ will not offend he said Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven Such as when he was Hungry gave him no Bread to Eat when he was Thirsty gave him no Water to Drink when he was Naked did give him no Clothing when Sick and in Prison did not visit him such were shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven For said Christ In as much as ye did it not unto them ye did it not unto me Now if such were shut out of the Kingdom who did not these things unto Christ in his Members mark if such as did not visit Christ in his Members in Prison were shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven What then will become of such who Imprison Christ's Members Now Friend consider thy Ways and thy Actions Hast thou done unto us as thou thy self would be done unto Or hast not thou rather broken the Righteous Law of Christ If by thy Works thou be not Justified shalt not thou by thy Works be Condemned since every Man must receive according unto his Deeds be they Good or be they Evil Now If a Bishop should bite with his Teeth and prepare War against an Innocent People because they cannot put into his Mouth and cast them into Prison some of which neither owes him any thing either according to the Law of God or any Law of Man as is known to some of his Agents The like of which I think cannot be parallell'd by all the Impropriators and Priests in England Besides yet done by or at least in the Name and at the Suit of the Bishop and threatens the Jaylor with severe Punishment if he suffer them to have any Liberty at all and likewise stir up the Judge to straiten their Bonds that if possible he might have the Lives of such for whom Christ dyed and bring the Guilt of their Blood upon his Head I say if a Bishop have thus done I Query Whether this be the way for such a Bishop to stand approved in the sight of God and to be manifest to the Conscience of all People and to have a good Report of them which are without or rather the way to fall into Reproach and the Snare of the Devil and bring the Wrath and Judgment of God upon his Head So let the Witness of God in thy Conscience Answer to these things And the Lord God of Heaven and Earth the Righteous Judge of all the Earth whose Judgment is Just Judge betwixt thee and us And unto him we Appeal with whom there is no respect of Persons who Judgeth the Cause of the Poor and the Cause of the Rich and to his faithful Witness in thy Conscience we also Appeal in this matter Whether it be not more Christian like more according to Truth the Example of Christ and his Apostles who gave Commandment unto the Church That they should walk as they had them for Examples in Christ which all true Christians ought to follow to ser us at Liberty than to keep us Prisoners until Death having contrary to the Law ensnared us and bring the Guilt of Innocent Blood upon his Head But now Friend if thou shalt say It is because you will not pay Tithes I Answer One of us being one of the three thou imprisoned and writ against in order to straiten our Bonds hath nothing according to the Law of the Nation Titheable therefore wrongfully imprisoned according to that Law and so detained and as to the other who for Conscience sake refused to pay them if thou canst make good by the Scriptures of the New Testament that Christ or his Apostles sued any Man for Tenths or Tithes and cast them into Prison if they would not pay them give us Chapter and Verse for this and let us see where it is so written that Christ Jesus who has all Power in Heaven and Earth given unto him made such a Law and gave it to his Disciples Apostles Ministers Ambassadors and Evangelists and if so let us see where it is written in the New Testament and where his Disciples and Apostles did practice any such Law shew this plain Scripture unto us and we to wit who have any thing Titheable will pay thee Tithe But if thou canst not art not thou a Transgressor of the Command of Christ that said to his Disciples Freely ye have received freely give So to be one that Transgresses and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ as thou may'st see in the se cond Epistle of John and the ninth Verse And did ever Christ or his Disciples force any to hear them and come to their Church and if they would not cast them into Prison And did ever Christ and his Apostles force any that were not of their Church to give them Maintenance or Tithes and if they would not cast them into Prison and threaten the Jaylor to
Counties to and again in the South visiting the Friends and returned into Lancashire In the 5th Month following he went for Notinghamshire after which he travelled visiting many Meetings in England till the 3d of the 3d Month 1680. at which time he took Shipping for Ireland and landed at Dublin visiting the Churches there and in the South part and Mid-land of that Nation and returned to Dublin the 13th of the 5th Month following at which place he was taken extreamly Sick and lay four days then recovered and travelled into the North and visited several Meetings there but at Lisnegarvy was taken Sick yet passed to Belfast and Knockfergus where his Sickness encreasing grew to a violent Fever so that he was nigh unto Death in the view of most that saw him yet the Lord restored him blessed be his Name After which he assayed to Travel to Lisnegarvy and Lurgan where being weak he rested till stronger and so came to Dublin where Friends gladly received him Staying some Weeks there having good Service he left the City took Shipping in the 7th Month following and landed at Leverpool in the North of England where he visited Meetings to and again till the middle of the first Month 1681. at which time he travelled the Country visiting the Friends to Bristol and so to London where he took Shipping at Gravesend and past to the Brill in Holland The 5th of the 4th Month following he visited the Churches in Holland Westfriezland Groningland Frederickstadt Hambrough Saxony Germany Palatinate An Order was sent from the High Court at Altry by which he was brought before the Chief Magistrate there who kept him Prisoner eleven days being twice brought to the Ant-house and there examined and at last released and so returned visiting the Churches came to the Bril the 17th of the 7th Month following by Packquet Boat came to Harwith and so along visiting Friends Meetings to London and through part of the South and so into the North where he travelled visiting the Meetings of Friends And according to the good Order of Truth practised in the Church he took to Wife Elianor Lowe the 6th of the 3d Month 1682. and after stayed in Lancashire and Cheshire till the latter end of that Month and then travelled for London afterwards through the South part to Exeter visiting the Churches to Bristol and so into the North where he settled his Wife at Warrington in the South of Lancashire in the 7th Month following The 20th of the 6th Month 1683. he was for being at a Religious Meeting committed to Lancaster Goal and kept Prisoner till the 26th of the 3d Month 1684. then set at Liberty The 24th of the 5th Month 1684. he was by the Lord's Assistance Serviceable to Friends in Staffordshire and returned to Warrington very Sick which proved a Fever which continued twenty Days and the weakness that followed forced him to keep home till the 28th of the 7th Month following Then he pass'd Northward and visited Friends Meetings to and again and returned back And the 10th of the 10th Month following was at the Burying of his Mother The 29th of the said 10th Month he was by the Constables of Warrington John Taylor and William Carter apprehended and brought to Lancaster Goal and at the Assizes brought twice before Judge Atkins and continued Prisoner until the 19th of the first Month 1686. at which time he and several other Friends were by the King's Pardon released So that from the 29th of the 10th Month 1684. to the 19th of the first Month 1686. he was a Prisoner In the 2d Month following he spoke to the Earl of Darby about Friends Sufferings in the Isle of Man who was moderate towards the said Friends and then took his Journey to visit the Meetings along the several Counties through Wales to Bristol and so along to Cornwal and so to London to the Yearly Meeting afterwards by Colchester to Harwich where he took Shipping on Board the Hope and landed at the Brill the 11th of the 4th Month 1686. and came to the Yearly Meeting at Amsterdam where by Friends he was gladly received and afterwards travelled those Countries to Hambrough to and again in Germany Groningland Friezland and Holland visiting the Churches And at the Brill took Shipping and landed the 26th of the 5th Month following at Harwich past to Colchester so to London and after visiting the Meetings past along the Counties for the North and came to Lancashire in the beginning of the Winter where he pass'd the Winter over and at the Spring following visited the Meetings further North and pass'd into Scotland by Douglass Glasco and to Edenburgh to a Yearly Meeting there then to Rosse Aberdeen Kinmuck and returned by Edenburgh and after having visited the Churches in Scotland returned to England and by New-Castle through Bishoprick Cleaveland East part of Yorkshire then to York at the Yearly Meeting there Thus having visited the Churches along pass'd for Lancashire to his Wife and Family which he removed from Warrington to Brick-hall in Penketh in the 5th Month 1687. and there settled them In the 6th Month following he was visited with Sickness which continued some time but after he recovered he visited Friends Northward and returned into Staffordshire and Cheshire where he was taken Sick again and in the 10th Month returned to his House not well and kept his Bed several days The 11th Month after recovered and past to Lancaster Quarterly Meeting from thence returned unwell again which continued sometime so that he travelled not much because thereof save only to Meetings in the South part of Lancashire and Cheshire till the 2â—th of the 3d Month 1688. at which time he travelled for London to the Yearly Meeting and returned to Lancashire the latter end of the 4th Month following and travelled to and again visiting the Meetings and about the Churches Affairs in the North the Winter and Spring following and till the beginning of the 6th Month 1689. A violent Fever then took him which brought him very weak yet blessed be God he recovered And in the 7th Month following the Tithe-takers broke open his Gates being lock'd and took his Corn against whose doings he appeared in Testimony and got Cold grew weak again and so continued all Winter till Summer following in which upon the 29th of the 4th Month 1690. he got to Franley Meeting it being the first after his Fever took him which was the 7th of the 6th Month 1689. so that his Weakness made him unfit for Travel near eleven Months afterwards he travelled at times to visit Meetings and about the Churches Affairs Northwards that Summer and Winter following and latter end of the 3d Month 1691. he travelled for London to the Yearly Meeting and so through several Counties visiting Friends Meetings in his return for Lancashire and to and again that Summer and till latter end of the 12th Month he travelled visiting the Friends in the North at which time he got a Surfeit and
Quotidian Ague which continu'd nine Weeks in which time he was assessed 20 s. for a Preacher and had Corn taken by Thomas Taylor and Thomas Clare worth 28 s. and the second time assessed the like Sum and had Wheat taken for it A Dispute agreed upon by him in the latter end of the 12th Month 1692. and had with John Hide a Priest in Cheshire the 16th of the first Month 1693. which alarmed the People of that County and was of Service to Truth Afterwards he took his Journey through many of the Southern Counties through Wales by Bristol Weymouth and so to London at the Yearly Meeting After returned to Lancashire and Lancaster Quarterly Meeting and to Penketh and so again into the South visiting several Meetings in several Counties and in the 8th Month following returned to Lancashire where he travelled to and again that Winter in the North in visiting the Meetings and about the Affairs of the Church At the Spring 1694. he was at London at the Yearly Meeting giving a full Visit through that City to the several Meetings there and then returned to Lancashire and to York Yearly Meeting and after visited some Meetings in Yorkshire then to Penketh and visited the Meetings in the South part of Lancashire then to Lancaster Quarterly Meeting and after that returned to his own House but staid but a while for he travelled to and again in Lancashire and Cheshire till the 11th Month and then went to Lancaster Quarterly Meeting so to Kendal at Quarterly Meeting then visited some of the Meetings in those parts and then came back for Penketh The 20th of the first Month 1695. took his Journey to the Yearly Meeting in Wales and then visited the Churches in several places therein so to Bristol visited the Meetings there and staid the Yearly Meeting then visiting the Meetings in several Counties Southward came to London at the Yearly Meeting from whence to Colchester and Harwich took â—hipping the 26th of the 3d Month â—anded in Holland the 29th lying Windâ—ound 36 Hours came to Amsterdam at Yearly Meeting then visited the Churches in Holland Westfrizeland Groningen Embden to Frederickstadt Hambrough and so along those Countries visiting Friends to Amsterdam and Roterdam afterwards took Shipping and landed at Harwich the 28th of the 5th Month 1695. and so by Colchester to London still visiting Meetings along as he travelled and then for the North where he travelled to and again at times until the 25th of the 12th Month 1695. and then took his Journey for Bristol and was at the Marriage of William Penn with Hannah Callowhill and back After his return he visited Meetings to and again in the North till the 29th of the 2d Month 1696. he with his Brother's John and Robert Haydock accompanied the two Wifes of Roger and Robert on their Journey to Talk-hill in Staffordshire John Haydock and two Women being on their Journey to visit the Meetings of Friends in the South of England and there they parted from John and the two Eleanor's and returned back to Penketh Fifty Three Years Old he was the first of the 3d Month 1696. and having been at Hartshaw Monthly Meeting for Worship the 8th Day day of the said Month returned back and the day following being the 7th day of the Week and 9th day of the said Month was taken with Sickness which was supposed to be a Malignant Fever and upon the 2d day next departed whose Body was buried at the Burying-place belonging to Friends at Grayston in Penketh in the South part of Lancashire many Friends and other People being present And thus have I abreviated the Journal of my Fellow-labourer in the Gospel and dear Brother according to the Spirit and Brother also according to the Flesh whose Unity and Fellowship in the Light was precious being of one Mind in things relating to Truth and the Discipline in the Church of Christ as also of the Doctrine and Precept of Christ being joyned in the Truth which is but one and bound up together in the Bond of Life and Love in our Souls to be one and in the one Eternal Spirit and Light of Life together sealed And although he be removed from the House of Clay or Dust which moved to and fro in the Counties Islands Countries and Kingdoms here below wherein he bore a faithful Testimony to the Light the Truth the Life manifest within in which he was supported and carried along in that weighty Work and Service in his Day yet the Fruits of his Labours and Travels shew forth the Praise of God and his Faithfulness Uprightness and Zeal to God and his Truth is sealed in many Hearts by the Spirit of Christ From the time of his Convincement to the time he was first moved by the Spirit of God to visit the Churches of Christ and Children of Light was four Years in which time Sufferings by Imprisonment he passed through being young Our Father's departure the 10th of the 7th Month 1670. and burial the 12th of the same and other hard Exercises which he past through I at that time being in Ireland in the labour of the Gospel had but small past thereof From the first of his going abroad in the Work of the Ministry to the time of his departure from hence was twenty four Years and a half in which time not with standing his Imprisonment Sickness and Weakness of Body and Family he travelled by Sea and by Land by Computation Thirty Two Thousand Seven Hundred Twenty Seven Miles and ministred in Two Thousand Six Hundred and Nine Meetings or Churches as his Journal plainly makes appear which he writ down with his own hand from Day to Day Weekly Monthly and Yearly to that very Day he was visited which was the 9th day of the 3d Month 1696. as aforesaid And now having finished the Account I give taken out of the Manuscript of his Sufferings Travels Services and Zeal as aforesaid add this furthur Account This my Friend departed was my younger Brother begot by one Father and brought forth by one Mother and Born in Coppul in the South part of Lancashire brought up whilst a Child at School and had some Learning who whilst a Schollar had an Exercise of Mind by the in-workings of the Light but at that time attained not to the Knowledge of that good Spirit of God in his Heart which was then at work in him so that after it pleased God the Father in the 7th Month 1667. to visit me by his Light in the inwards of my Heart by which he powerfully work'd in me until my Will was brought down and subjected to the Will of God and my Heart so fitted that in it I saw Christ the Light and Word of Eternal Life and believed After this my said Brother coming to my Father's House was by our Mother put on to Discourse with me she being a Professor and inclined to the Presbyterian Way but quickly he was put to Silence and confounded so that being gone from
Word of Eternal Life of which this our faithful Friend was a Minister to which work the Lord by his Grace had called him and he freely gave up and devoted himself to that Service for which the Lord had well fitted and qualified him and made him of great Ability through the Spirit giving him sound Knowledge and deep Discerning to find out the Mysterious Workings of the Enemy of Mankind so that he was very skillful to divide the Word of Truth aright And at that time there was great Service to be done for the Lord for then many had tender Desires after the Knowledge of God and were Seeking and Enquiring after the way of Truth which leadeth to Eternal Life and to such he was an Helper and faithful Instructor in the Lord Jesus and being zealously Careful that he might compleat the Work and Service that the Lord had called him unto and promote the Interest and Honour of God and be Instrumental for the good of many of the Children of Men He went under a great Concern and Exercise of Spirit through great Travels Sufferings and Labour of Body preaching the Gospel of Christ freely that many might be turned to God and gain the Knowledge of him and be gathered into the one Fold and Pasture of Eternal Life out of the By-Ways and Dark Paths and Vain Religions of the worldly-minded and so might know a coming out of Darkness and a walking in the true Light and way of Life and Righteousness that they might please their Creator and answer the end of his Love revealed in his Son and manifested in the Light And the Lord who imployed him in his Service blessed his endeavours therein for many received his Testimony and thereby were turned from Darkness to Light and out of the Paths of Error into the Way of Righteousness His Labours and Travels are in part declared by his Journal which sheweth his Travels in several Countries and Nations and sometimes amongst People of a strange Language A blessed work he went through in faithfulness unto the End He was a great Helper and of great Service in the Church of Christ and his Labours and Ministry therein were very successful he was often prevalent to end Differences and Discord where the Enemy had sown any amongst Brethren His Doctrine received of the Lord was sound and deep Matters were often opened by him and it was his delight to do Service for God and to help the good Work forward in any he being earnestly concerned that all that knew God might Glorifie him as God And the Lord blessed him whilst here with such Mercies as appertain to the making of a Man's Life Comfortable in this World which the Lord saw no doubt he was worthy of who richlâ— recompenseth all those that Love him and Seek his Honour and the Welfare of his Church as this our faithful Friend did and his Memorial will be long upon the Earth amongst the Generations of the Righteous I might write much concerning him and his Vertuous Life which was Comely and Honourable and of a loving and friendly Behaviour amongst Men His Company was Pleasant and Profitable and many were sorry to part with him But though his Removal hence be a loss to many yet I am well assured that he hath gained thereby and is in the enjoyment of Peace and of an endless Treasure in Heaven amongst the number of the Blessed with Christ in his Kingdom and being at rest from his Labours his Works follow him And it is my earnest desire that we who are left behind which is but for a little space may so improve our Time and Gifts that in the end we may have a Share of the same Reward that is laid up for all the Faithful James Laithwait A Brief Account c. An EPISTLE to FRIENDS of Blackrod Meeting IN Love unfained do I Salute you and in the Fear of God Exhort you to Faithfulness and in the Word of the Lord Counsel you To be Watchful in your Meetings that the weighty Work and Service of God which he hath concerned you in be not slighted by any of you through Unfaithfulness and want of Watchfulness Friends The Seed which God hath sown is good if you be watchful it will grow and prosper and cover the Ground and the Earth will be blessed But if you sleep the Enemy will sow Tares which will grow up with it and choke it so the Ground that affords them nourishment will be cursed This is the Word of Truth unto you so as in Love to the Seed which is good and in Bowels of Compassion to your Immortal Souls which are of great Price in the sight of God desiring the Seed's Prosperity and your Souls Good in the sense of its Suffering and of the Deprivation of God's Love unto you who in this Incumbent Duty of Watchfulness have been negligent it hath been upon me many times in the Motion of God's Spirit to Reprove your Negligence and likewise Exhort and Admonish you to Faithfulness in that Duty whilst conversant with you even so since remote from you outwardly separated and under Bonds restrained the sence of the Non-performance of that so weighty a Duty on your behalf who are herein concerned whereby God's Righteous Soul hath been vexed and the Spirit of the Upright and Sincere-hearted to God amongst you have been made sad hath sometimes come before me to my grief and yet remaineth in my view to the saddening of my Spirit who am truly a well-wisher of Zion and one though outwardly confined yet travels for the Prosperity of Jerusalem in Spirit which is at liberty which Man cannot confine Therefore it entered my Heart in the Word of Truth to signifie God's Counsel unto you That ye be watchful that the good Seed which God hath sown may grow deeply having depth of Earth even room in the honest Heart that it may bring forth in some Thirty in some Sixty in some an Hundred fold but in all of you some to his Praise lest the Enemy sow his Seed and it grow and the Ground be nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned And Friends another word hath often run thorough me when present with you That you Love one another and the same word is in me though I be from you whereby I know the Cause yet remains in you And truly I may take up a Lamentation for you who are concerned who will not be counselled How often hath the Lord striven with you How often hath his Word been spoken unto you And how often hath his Servants laboured amongst you And do you yet live in Strife and Contention Truly I am sorry for you and that the precious Truth is dishonoured by you it is a grief upon my Spirit and upon the Spirits of the Upright-hearted among you If therefore you have an Ear to hear hear put away Strife Envy and Contention and labour a Reconciliation in the Love if so be the Lord's Anger may be appealed