Liberty against all Duty is expresly term'd the seared Conscience in the Book place the Adversaries pretend to Answer The dark Conscience and the dead Conscience are not there charg'd with that with pleading Liberty against all Duty or denying all Duty How then know the Adversaries but the dark Conscience may find a place among the Latter among those that believe nothing a Duty but what they are perswaded of And how then will it hold that the Latter they that believe nothing a Duty but what they are perswaded of do indeed own all Duty that can be known Will the Adversaries upon second thoughts advisedly and consideratly assert that All they who believe nothing a Duty but what they are perswaded of do really own all Duty that can be known I don't think they will Nay I find they begin already to flag from it within two lines for they immediatly subjoyn thus The first denying all Duty is Evil but the Latter as they own all Duty that they know so c. Here it is not as above all Duty that can be known but all Duty that they know If they own all Duty that they know 't is well But there is some odds sure betwixt owning all Duty that they know and owning all Duty that can be known But so little constant to themselves so little consistent with thenselves are the Adversaries so loose and regardless of the terms they write in that Do know and Can know Are known and Can be known seems to be alike with them They add As the Latter own all Duty that they know so may they wait truly to know what God is pleased further to shew Rep. I grant they may so I wish they would so and it is that which All are exhorted to But if they do not so what then What may be may not be And I suppose the Adversaries will grant that as they may so it is not impossible but that they may not wait so truly as to know what God is pleased further to shew And then if by reason of their not waiting or not waiting so truly and rightly as to know what God is pleased further to shew they fall short of miss and deprive themselves of the knowledge of what God is pleased further to shew or what God requires as a Duty of them will their falling short through their own default and missing the knowledge thereof make it not to be a Duty to them There were indeed times of Ignorance the Apostle saith at which God winked But now he hath commanded All men every where to Repent Acts 17.30 Why now Because now the Gospel Light the discovering Light the universal Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world is arisen and broken forth by the inshinings whereof every one is put into a Capacity to know and understand what God requires of him After all this in pag. 14. They tell us They believe where the Gift of God is received to profit withal and truly adhered to nothing is a Duty incumbent upon such but what they are perswaded on Rep. Here now they have given it another stretch What was spoken with direct relation to a state of Carelesness Disobedience Prejudice c. or a seared dark or dead Conscience they apply to such as have received the Gift of God to profit withal and truly adhered thereto and make their Inference from that misapplication What they speak pag. 13. concerning Circumstantial things being called requisit things on the score that we could not as they say know dead dark and seared Consciences without them hath nothing in it but an unsavoury Scoff fit to discover what frothy Spirit it came from But when they ask in the same flouting manner if those Requisit things that keep out or make known those dead dark and seared Consciences c. can keep out Hypocrites I must tell them that is in one sense a difficult matter For truly I think there can hardly be a grosser sort of Hypocrites found than those that having publickly printed Friends to the world to be Apostates Innovators Introducers of Popery Idolaters setters up of Idols with much more of that kind and having upon that score as they pretend separated from us and set up separate Meetings of their own will and no yet come whether we will or no into our Meetings in shew and pretence of joyning with us in Worship and impose upon us to hear them Preach and Pray among us and require to be received and owned by us therein after they have so publickly disowned us and departed from us But though such Hypocrites will not keep out but will thrust in yet they cannot keep themselves from being discovered but are known to be what they are In their 15th page they carp at an Expression taken out of the 9th page of that Book which they pretend to Answer It is this A Saying may be true or false according to the Subject Matters it is spoken upon or applied to They say We believe he has missed the Truth there And repeating it pag. 44. they say That we believe is a mistake for we think Truth 's Testimonies are not false because some may misapply them Rep. The Author's words are not that Truth 's Testimonies may be true or false c. But that a Saying may be true or false c. Now we know every Saying is not Truth 's Testimony And yet even that which is a true Testimony when spoken of or applied to a right Subject may not be a true Testimony when spoken of or applied to a wrong Subject When the Apostle said I have fought a good Fight I have kept the Faith c. Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown c. 2. Tim. 4.7 8. This was a true Testimony as spoken of or applied to him But this same saying if applied to or spoken of Iudas Demas or any other Apostate or wicked Person would not have been true but false But though they Cavil at this saying from him yet they could be content the same fort of Expression should pass for Truth from them when they thought to serve their own turn by it For in their 4th pag. blaming his Answer to that Question which he said was true in a sense they say it is so far true that if it can be wrong at all 't is only in a sense and that is only when misapplied Misapplying then it seems can make a Right saying Wrong when they hope to get some advantage by it else not Doth not this shew both great Partiality and a captious mind So also they wrangle much about that Expression The Root of Ranterism Whereas they might easily have seen it to be a Metaphorical or Figurative Speech to shew that that Assertion was a Radical or Fundamental Principle or Doctrine of the Ranters from which as Fibres from a Root other erroneous Tenets did sprout forth and grow up But this shews their propensity to Contention and Quarrelling Now
Oneness of Iudgment with God's People in the things of God than have puzzled their brains about Identity of Opinion and made themselves ridiculous by Cracking of their Converse with School-men But leaving them to their thoughts and the School-men to themselves they might have learnt from the Author of the Book they are so angry with if it had pleased them to have taken notice of it that there is a difference between Sameness of mind and Contrariness of mind between Oneness of Judgment and Opposition of Judgments But if I may tell them so without offending them too much the word Opinion with respect to Religious matters is fitter for the School-men thâ—n for any that would be taken for a Quaker Nor is it aptly or properly expounded by the word Iudgment For Iudgment implies Certainty and should be Positive whereas Opinion is but Suppositive importing uncertain or doubtful Thought They complain pag. 16. that the Author of the Book they would Answer hath not made a difference between Circumstantial things and such as are truly Essential Yet they themselves have not yet told us what things they account truly Essential They said indeed once pag. 5 There are some Outward things so far Essential to true Religion as those that do contrary to them may be detected of Error But they have not particularlized what those outward things are nor whether they intend them for absolute Essentials But they are in the dark and in Confusion and no wonder having kickt against the Light and that wholsome Order which the Children of the Light have in the Light received They say Though all that fear God must and will agree in things truly Essential yet there is no necessity that they must agree in Circumstantial things Rep. This seems to me as if they should say All must agree in things Essential but they may differ disagree wrangle jangle contend and fall to pieces as much as they will about Circumstantial things There is no necessity that they must agree in them Strange But whence should this Liberty of disagreeing proceed Are not all to be led by the One Spirit of Truth into all Truth into Circumstantials as well as into Essentials Or will the Adversaries say that in Essentials indeed the Spirits Guidance is to be expected but for Circumstantials every one may choose for himself and please his own humour If they will grant which methinks they should scarce care to deny that into Circumstantial things all ought to expect and may receive the Spirits guidance and leading as well as into those things which they call Essential will they then find any room for the Disagreement they contend for Can any one of a sound mind think that the one holy Spirit of Truth will lead his Followers to contradict one another in Practice any more than to contradict one another in Words If all are led by the Holy Spirit he will undoubtedly lead them to agree not to disagree in whatsoever he leads into Of the Primitive Christians it is written The Multitude of them that believed were of one Heart and of one Soul Acts 4.32 Was it only in such things as are accounted Essential Or was it in all things then relating to Religion amongst them even in those things that were rather Circumstantial than Essential It may seem to be spoken more immediatly of those things for it follows in the Text Neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own but they had all things Common Yet none I suppose will affirm that the Community they had of Goods and outward Substance was Essential to Religion for then they that hold not that Community of Goods would want an Essential part of Religion In their 17th page having surmised before that some Circumstantial things have been over-valued they say On the other hand some seeing this as a certain wrong the Enemy hath aggravated the matter to make both wrong c. Here they seem willing to own themselves faulty provided they may fix some fault too upon those they design to asperss But they may be supposed to understand their own Guilt better than anothers If they are truly sensible that the Enemy hath made them wrong let them return to that which can make them Right They add It is our danger and will continue until the Spirit of the Son of God be more plentifully poured forth upon us that can say Father forgive them they know not what they do This say they is that which we want and should truly wait for that the great Deceiver the Occasion of all Strife and Trouble among such as fear God might be cast out c. Rep. That saying Father forgive them they know not what they do if it be spoken according to Truth and in the Spirit of the Son can be spoken only of such as know not what they do The Iews of whom the Son of God so spake Luke 23.34 knew not what they did in Crucifying him that came to save them Paul bears them that witness 1 Cor. 2.8 Now it is one thing not to be able to say of Opposers Father forgive them they know not what they do from a belief or perswasion that they do know what they do And another thing not to be able to say of Opposers Father forgive them they know not what they do from a want of the Spirit of the Son which alone can inable in Truth to say so though there be a perswasion that the Opposers do not know what they do Now this it seems is the state of the Adversaries the want of the Spirit of the Son of God plentifully poured forth upon them that can say of such as oppose them Father forgive them they know not what they do This say they is that which we want and should truly wait for that the great Deceiver might be cast out c. That this relates to themselves appears by the Advertisement which they give at the end of their Preface where they say the word We may be understood in respect to those of the same mind with the Author of their Book Their want of this shews their Condition to be bad their not truly waiting for it shews it to be worse And since they acknowledge the great Deceiver the Occasion of all Strife and Trouble among such as fear God is not yet cast out it is no wonder that he hath thus long deceived them and yet doth deceive them out of whom he is not yet cast and through them occasions so much strife and trouble to those that truly fear God But as if they had already forgot what they have here acknowledged they in the next page say As we can truly say Father forgive them they know not what they do we are not without hope But they deceive themselves if they think they can truly say that while they want the pouring forth of the Spirit of the Son of God upon them in and by which alone that
rejected as a Novelty in the same Spirit wherein the World rejects the whole way of Truth as a Novelty Common and Universal matters therefore relating to the Church of God are not to be restrained to such things as have been commonly and universally received For the envious Seeds-Man was not backward to sow his evil Seed betimes and Captious Spirits have risen up early as well as now of late excepting against some one some an other thing in Doctrine or Practice yet pretending to own the Fundamental principle of Truth So that the most approved practice amongst Friends may perhaps fall short of having been in a strict Sense Universally received For Universal admits no Exception But by Common and Universal matters relating to the Church of God are to be understood matters of Common and Universal Vse and Service in the Church of God things not peculiar to this that or to'ther Member only but of common use or benefit to all the Members of the Body And that the Author so meant it his own words plainly shew page 5. Where he says Degree or Measure in the same Life can never contradict or obstruct that which is from the same Life for the common benefit of the Family of God Did Iude call the Salvation he writ of verse 3. Common because it was commonly received or because it was offered intended and tendred as a Common Benifit to all that would receive it And whereas the Adversaries say This of Conviction and Perswasion preceding Conformity hath been a Common and Vniversal matter or thing because commonly and universally received among us as a great Truth I Reply It is indeed a great Truth and hath been and is a common and universal Matter but not for the cause or reason they assign For if it had not been commonly and universally received among us as a great Truth yet it would have been a common and universal Matter relating to the Church of God because it is a Matter of common and universal Service and Benefit to all and every Member in the Church of God But since they here acknowledge that this Doctrine of Conviction and Perswasion preceding Conformity hath been commonly and universally received among us as a great Truth they do ill to insinuate which too frequently they do that Friends would draw any to a Conformity to any thing before or without Conviction or Perswasion In their 23d page They pick another piece of a Sentence out of the Book they pretend to Answer which they set down thus What comes from the Light Life and Spirit in one is the same in Truth and Vnity to the rest as if it rise in themselves This is seen in our Assemblies every day c. Now because they dare not directly gainsay this and yet are disposed to wrangle they pretend to know the Design of the Argument and quarrel with that The Design they say of this Argument is to gain a dependance upon the Teachings of God by Instruments equal at least to the Teaching of God immediately by his Spirit in our own hearts and this they say how plausible soever is not according to the Truth as 't is in Iesus Rep. Their surmise in this Case is wrong and Evil and therefore not according to Truth That which they suggest to be the Design was not the Design of that Argument as they call it But the plain and true Design of it was to obviat an Objection and cut off a false Plea for Disunion and Discord grounded upon variety of Measures and diversity of Gifts and Offices in the Body For the Author having put the Question page 4. Are there not various Measures diversities of Gifts and several Offices in the Body And having granted that there are proves that that variety and diversity of Measures Gifts and Offices in the Body administers no ground for Disunion Discord or Contrariety amongst the members of the Body since it is a false way of Reasoning to conclude Discord from Diversity Contrariety from Variety which having illustrated by an Instance of the various Senses in a natural Body without any Contrariety flowing from that variety he shews page 5. That Diversity of Gifts doth not infer Disagreement in Sense nor variety of Offices contrariety in Judgment concerning those Offices Then having from the concurrent Testimonies of the holy Scriptures set forth the Unity of God he infers that the Light Life and Spirit of God is at unity with it self in all and what comes from the Light Life or Spirit in one it is the same in Truth and Vnity to the rest as if it rise in themselves For this he appealed to the daily experience of Friends in our Meetings where the Living and sensible ones know that what comes from the Light Life or Spirit of God in any Friend that Ministers is felt received closed with and united to as Truth by those that in the same Light Life and Spirit wait as well as if it had arose in themselves this was the Design of the Author's words in that place as is apparent to any that fairly reads them and the Design was good But the Design of the Adversaries was Evil in surmising another Design without ground that they might make an occasion for Cavilling For they are fain to confess that there is no contrariety in the Spirit of God no Contradiction in the Spirit 's Teaching being all for one and the same end the good of Man by the Salvation of his Soul Nay they acknowledge There is so much Truth in what the Author hath said that when fairly stated they are content it should be as a Rule to measure the whole difference by And yet they spend about a couple of Pages in Carping at it They say betwixt God's Teaching by Instruments and Teaching immediately by his Spirit in our own hearts there is this Distinction or Difference that the first is but to prepare the latter to perfect Whereas the Scripture saith expresly When Christ ascended up on high he gave gifts unto Men some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints c. Eph. 4.8 11 12. So that hence it appears that the Teaching of God through such Instruments as he gives his heavenly Gifts unto for the work of the Ministry hath a further tendency and Service than but or only to prepare for those Gifts were given for the Edifying that is building up or Establishing of the Body of Christ and for the Perfecting of the Saints This shews the Adversaries for all their high Notions and fluttering Pretences are short of a right understanding and to seek in the work of the Ministry being ignorant of the true and full end of Divine Ministerial Gifts So again they say page 23. When the things of God do come from God's holy Spirit immediately they are then as the Oracles of God this shews they do not reckon them as the Oracles of God if they come from
and certainly known as the Tares in the Parable at the first sight were to be Tares Ah how would this loose Spirit that is got up in some turn Spiritual Zion the inclosed Garden of God into a Plowed-Field However it is to be hoped Their applying the Parable of Tares to themselves may help to make some others understand them better than hither to they have done And their pleading for a Toleration for Tares to grow in the Church for of the Church and its Members they here treat not of the World may give some a further sight of their Design for sheltring Evil and what they aim at in this Plea than ever they had before After they have shewed the utmost of Immoderation in managing the Difference on their own part they now at length begin to preach Moderation to Others If say they this Difference cannot be ended manage it with more Moderation they might have added than themselves have done and in that love of God that it may be shewed the Lord is at hand to gather different apprehensions into a better Temper They might have added than Themselves have hitherto been in Rep. But why did they not think of this Moderation before they published their many scandalous and malicious Books to the defaming of Truth and Friends to the world as much as in them lay Why did they not preach this Moderation to their own Party at Reding and other Places to have gathered them into a better temper for a worse they could hardly have been in than to keep Friends out of their Meeting-Houses wherein they had a just and legal Property and expose them for divers Years together to those hardships that Heat and Cold Rain and Storms of Weather bring They who have done the greatest mischief by their Immoderation that they can begin now to recommend Moderation to others And they who have done their utmost to dishonour the God of Truth and Peace before the People by publishing their wicked Books and setting up their separate Meetings do now take upon them to exhort Others to Moderation Otherwise say they you will dishonour the God of Truth and Peace before the People Is not this Hyprocrisie in grain They add pag. 46. You must agree together quietly or part friendly or you are no Preachers of Righteousness whatever your Principles of Truth may be Rep. To what end do they propose this now so long after they have actually parted from us They have had their separate Meetings these many years And more than a year ago some of them gave us to understand in Print that they had chosen to meet apart and had withdrawn But since they did neither agree quietly with us while together nor did part Friendly when they withdrew does it not follow upon them according to their own words that They are no Preachers of Righteousness whatever Principles of Truth they may hold They urge the Example of Abraham and Lot for parting by agreement But they do not take notice that that was only a parting of outward Habitations and that through Necessity because the place was not large enough to hold them So that this was not a Religious parting muchless a parting through Opposition of their Spirits Yet this was in the Vncircumcised state too for Circumcision was not instituted till after this But they would do well to consider that Lot who took his Choice and parted from Abraham the Friend of God came to great Loss and suffered deeply thereby For though at first remove he pitched his Tent but towards Sodom Gen. 13.12 yet quickly after we find him settled in Sodom chap. 14.12 And he had not long been there before he was made a Captive and was glad to be rescued by him he had parted from O that all that are in danger of being beguiled betrayed and led away by this Dividing Spirit and its Agents would consider these things in a Spiritual Application and beware of Separating from God's Friends lest by the pleasantness of the Plains where liberty freedom room and scope may be had to walk at will they be allured to pitch their Tents towards mystical Sodom and by degrees drawn into it It follows in their Book But why cannot you agree together whilst you own one and the same righteous Principle Rep. By this it seems as if owning a Principle were Terms of their Communion To own the Principle of Truth is one thing to hold it keep to it and obey it is another Many do the one that do not the other Many own the Principle of Truth in words that never came into Obedience to it and some that have departed from obedience to the Principle have yet retained a verbal Acknowledgement of it And of them that have made Profession of the Truth and afterwards turned their Backs upon it how few are there that do not own the Principle They find fault with something or other in the Society to make themselves an Out-let that they may thereby slip out and shake off the Yoke of Christ which is as uneasie to the Wrong as easie to the Right But they commonly cry up the Principle still Do not Pennyman Crisp and Bugg own in words the same righteous Principle still Let me turn the Question then upon the Adversaries and ask them Why cannot you and those men agree together whilst you and they own one and the same righteous Principle Nay why cannot you and they agree in other things as well as in contending against Truth and writing Books against Friends They add You came out together have you not done the greater and cannot you do the less That 's strange Rep. That 's not so strange as they would make it Israel of old came out of Egypt together and with them a mixt multitude Exod. 12.38 or as in the Margin a great Mixture But all they that came out together did not agree to travel on together No some grumbled and murmured at the Hardships in the way Some emulated and repined at the superior Gifts and Graces of their Brethren Some let in and cherished Evil Surmises and false Iealousies concerning their Brethren as if some of their Brethren took too much upon them and lifted themselves up above the Congregation and sought a Principality or Lordly Dominion over the rest Numb 16. Thus wrought the subtil Enemy after divers manners to divide scatter and turn aside some after one manner some after another Some were swallowed up of the Earth and perished in their Gain-saying Some were for making themselves a Captain in opposition to the Captain God had made and for returning again into Egypt the Land of Darkness out of which they came up together Others were consumed by the Fire of the Lord which in hot Indignation brake forth against them And all the Murmurers fell in the Wilderness Now all these things as the Apostle says hapned unto them for Examples and they are written for our Admonition 1 Cor. 10.11 Therefore Murmur not ye as some of them also Murmured and were destroyed of the Destroyer ver 10. That which remains of the Adversaries Book is mostly a Recapitulation or contracted Repetition of their foregoing Reasonings grounded upon a false Hypothesis or Supposition that Friends would impose new things as matters of Faith and terms of Communion and would bring in blind Obedience by pressing Conformity before Conviction and the like which I hope the Reader will find to his Satisfaction refuted before That therefore I may not swell this Book with unnecessary Repetitions I will only recommend to the Reader 's Observation what after all their Outcry against bringing in new things as they call them the Adversaries themselves grant in page 48. in these words Any Particular or any Assembly of the Community may offer what is new if they sincerely believe it good and Serviceable without breach of Vnity or at least of Communion but say they we cannot find to the bringing of new things in as matters of Faith or terms of Communion that any Assembly have any more power than a particular Person Rep What Power an Assembly may have more than a particular Person I list not here to dispute because I would not like them pick occasion of Debate and Quarrelling But since Friends have not offered any of the things the Adversaries except against under the Notion of new things as matters of Faith to others or as terms of Communion but have only offered such things as they sincerely believe are good and Serviceable let it suffice that Friends have herein done no more than the Adversaries here grant may be done by any Particular or any Assembly of the Community without breach of Unity or Communion The Breach therefore of Unity and Communion that now is betwixt them and Friends must lie and doth at the Adversaries Door who by the heady willful violent and turbulent Opposition they made to obstruct and hinder Friends from proceeding on in the use and practice of those things which the Friends sincerely believed and do yet believe to be good and Serviceable have run themselves into open War and that in Print against Friends and into open Division and Separation from Friends So that it is They have broken themselves off from the Unity Communion and Society of Friends both inwardly in Spirit and outwardly also in Religious Exercises The Lord if it be his good pleasure give them yet a clear sight and true sense of the great Evil and Mischief they have done against God his Truth and People that in the sense thereof they may be truly humbled and bowed down before him and brought to such an honest and sensible Acknowledgment thereof as may evidence their sincere Repentance that through Judgment they may find Mercy and obtain Remission from him THE END Of the Mistakes committed in Printing the most material that have been yet observed are here noted to be Corrected Others of less moment as mis-spellings mis-placing of Letters or Stops the Reader is desired to amend in reading PAge 10. line 21. read is in pag. 20. line 8. r. reprove l. 13. for immoral r. Evil p. 22. l. 33. for not yet r. nor yet p. 23. l. 25. after dispensation make Commâ— p. 40. l. 13. f. present r. recent p. 44. l. 1. r. Iohn 6.56 p. 50. l. 27. r. Peter p. 52. l. 9. f. of Evil r. for Evil. p. 63. l. 12. f. prevent r. pervert
little Observation that need to be informed How many that have walked for a while some for some years with Friends in the Profession of Truth have turned their backs thereon and gone off some into the Sea again some into Nets What has been the general pretence of these but want of Liberty the way of Truth was too strait for them they wanted a broader way How many even of them that retained the Profession of Truth have slept aside some into one odd thing some into another under pretence that they had Freedom so to do Did not they that ran out in I. Perot's business plead being left to their Freedom to their Liberty They did so and by that Plea were some to my knowledge betrayed into that snare Now since it is evident by the Instances given that in the true Church in all times there have been as to outward Profession Bad as well as Good wrong as well as right what can be more reasonable than that there should be in the true Church such a Power as may enable those that are right to acquit themselves their Principle and Profession from the Disorders of whatsoever kind committed by them that are wrong which they can never do if those that are wrong may exempt themselves from being called to account and reproved for their Disorders by alleadging that what they have done they had Liberty and Freedom in themselves to do Now this hath happened in a great part through a misunderstanding and misapplication of true Spiritual Liberty For though all that have received and are indeed guided by the Grace of God and Spirit of Truth are to be left to it to act for God in the Liberty and Freedom that it gives Yet for any to infer from thence that every one that pretends to the Grace of God and Spirit of Truth though it be too apparent that they are not subject thereunto must be left to that Freedom which they call and in one sense rightly enough their own to that Liberty which they have set up in and for themselves though it leads such to thwart oppose gain-say and disturb the rest of the same Society this is not right but whatever else may be pretended is both wrong it self and an Inlet for that which is wrong For the meaning of that Plea that every one ought to be left to his Freedom c. Is this that none should be accountable or answerable to the Church or Congregation they are reputed to be of for what they do that is not simply Evil or Evil in it self as the Adversaries in their Book distinguish so that although what they do be disorderly and that which either directly or by Consequence tends to bring scandal and trouble upon the whole Society it is enough to stop the Churches Mouth for such an one to say I have Liberty and Freedom in my self to do so or so And thereupon the Church may not judge may not reprove may not blame such an One but must be obliged to own and receive such an one as a Friend a Brother in the Truth though walking out of Truth as a member of the Body though acting against the Body This were to set up a false Liberty to overthrow the true Liberty to give Liberty to Particulars and take it from the General which to do were contrary to Truth and to true Reason For surely how much Liberty soever a Part may claim the whole may claim as much And therefore if each Particular hath Liberty to choose or refuse things according as they are perswaded the things are right or wrong which it is fit they should Why should not the whole have like Liberty to receive or refuse such Persons with respect to Membership according as they are perswaded that such Persons so acting are in or out of that Spirit in which the true Membership stands But this Liberty the Church should be deprived and debarred of if she were bound as the Adversaries would bind her to own and receive for members all such as make any Profession of Truth though walking and acting contrary to Her and as she believes to Truth under pretence that they walk and act according to their own Liberty and Freedom He that would shun the Cross of Christ in any Testimony that Truth leads to hath scope enough under this Plea to do it He that for advantage or fear will break Christ's Command and Swear can say he hath freedom so to do and is not perswaded in his own mind of the unlawfulness thereof He that to shun Sufferings will pay Tythes to the Hireling-Priest He that will Marry by the Priest or take in Marriage one that is not in the Profession of Truth hath the same Plea for his Shelter and so in other Cases of Evil. This the Adversaries saw but saw not how to Answer And therefore in their 5th page having said There 's but one Objection and that is that this leaving all to act according as they are free c. is to give Liberty to Evil they add Which we may speak to in another place And so they shift it off in this place And having thus given it the Go-by here never give any direct Answer to it that I observe throughout their whole Book In their 19th page they touch it but presently start back and slide off of it again There they say What can hinder the putting this in practice but the Devil in the likeness of Truth perswading this was to give Liberty to Evil Then add 'T is a mistake to think this is to give Liberty to Evil while our End we are sure bears witness to the contrary Rep. They are sure What Assurance doth their saying they are sure give to others Their witness-bearing as it is of themselves and for themselves may perhaps reach no further than to themselves But suppose Charity should extend it further and on that foot it should be granted that their End or Intention is not to give Liberty to Evil. Doth it therefore follow that that unlimitted Plea for leaving every one so to act according as they are free and perswaded in their own minds as not to be accountable for their actings may not give Liberty to Evil May not People have a wrong freedom a freedom to do Evil and a false Perswasion in their own minds that that wrong freedom is a right one notwithstanding that God hath given them a manifestation of his Spirit to profit withal if they do not and it is too plain that too many do not obey and follow the leadings of that good Spirit that they may profit thereby But what Answer do the Adversaries now give to that One Objection which they took notice of in their 5th page and then made a shew as if they would speak of it in another place Truly none at all But instead of answering it which was reasonably to be expected from them they excuse themselves but very poorly from Answering for after they
have told us They are sure their End is not to give Liberty to Evil they add But to Answer All the Objections that may be made as it would take up too much time so perhaps we may not know all that may be advanced so we shall Omit that till we are better informed of them as also till more fitting Opportunity do occur Rep. A dull Come-off Who that were shameless might not at this rate avoid Answering any Objection that lies hard upon them by pretending it would take up too much time to answer all Objections and that perhaps they may not know all that may be advanced They told us in their 5th page There is but one Objection and that is That this is to give Liberty to Evil and they made a kind of Promise to speak to that in another place Why did they not answer this One Objection which themselves had advanced Now because they know not what to say to it nor how to Answer that One Objection they pretend it would take up too much time to Answer all the Objections that may be made and that perhaps they may not know all that may be advanced Is not this pittiful Shuffling Is not this mean Trifling for men for such men for men so cryed up as some of them are Perhaps say they we may not know all that may be advanced What then should that hinder them from taking notice of what they did or might know of what was advanced Did not the Book they pretend to Answer enumerate several Particular Evils which the Enemy by that Plea of leaving every one to act as he is free c. is introducing a Liberty to as Paying Tythes to Hireling-Priests Marrying by the Priest Declining a publick Testimony in suffering times or hiding in times of Persecution Worshipping and respecting the Persons of men and Observing the World's Holy-days and Mass-days as they call them Why did they not Answer these that were advanced as there phrase is Did they want to be better inform'd whether These are Evils or no They could not but know that most of these Evils have been closely charged as the Fruits of that Spirit they are now joyned to And their so slightly slipping over them now is no good sign that they are wholly clear and free from them They boast indeed of Life and Conversation but distinguish not that I observe betwixt Conversation Civil and Religious betwixt that which relates to the World and that which more especially respects the Church of God 'T is true they say in general words p. 43. with respect to Lives and Conversations Place your Iudgment upon what is Evil and spare not for there it will stand for we plead not for Evil in any And again We grant that any may reporve Evil and what is Immoral c. p. 46. But their explaining Evil by the terms Immoral and simply Evil as in pag. 39. where they say If Nothing that is simply Evil or Immoral can be charged upon your Brethren c. And in p. 44. Though nothing that is Immoral or Evil in it self can be proved against them shews they mean by Immoral such open Prophaneness and Debaucheries as Human Laws correct And so notwithstanding their pretending Not to plead for Evil in any their Plea may indulge and countenance those Evils before mentioned of paying Tythes to the hireling Priest of being married by the Priest c. and of marrying such as are out of Truth yea out of the Profession of it yea and of all the Disorders that heady and unruly Persons are capable of committing against Church-Society by raising and fomenting Strife and Contention amongst Brethren by drawing and gathering into Parties Sides and Factions by making Schisms Rents and Breaches by running into down-right Division and open Separation All which are Evils and such Evils as the Judgment of Truth always was is and ought to be placed upon But seeing the Adversaries hide themselves under the Terms Simply Evil or Immoral let me ask them more particularly Whether it be not an Immoral Act for any one to deprive Another by force or fraud of his just Right and Property They know what of this kind has been done by some of their own Party at Reading and other Places where they have forcibly kept Friends out of their publick Meeting-Houses and deprived Friends of their just and lawful Right and Property in those Meeting-Houses contrary to all Right and Justice Now though Truth 's Judgment hath been placed and doth stand and abide upon this Evil and upon the Authors and Abettors thereof And though being so undeniable in fact and so gross in nature some of the Adversaries are ashamed or afraid to plead for it Yet which of them all has joyned with Friends in placing the Judgment of Truth upon it and upon them that are more immediatly guilty of it Nay do they not rather own and joyn with such as have been and are most guilty in this case and receive such of them as are Preachers to preach and pray amongst them In their 5th page they take a slight notice of the latter part of the Author's Answer where he said But if thou pleadest thy Freedom against such things yea Obstructest and Slightest such Good Wholsom and Requisit Things namely such things as are Holy Just Lovely Honest Comely and of good Report as he had mentioned just before thy freedom is naught dark perverse out of the Truth and against the perfect Law of Love and Liberty In the reciting of which I observe they slip over these words obstructest and slightest as being Conscious perhaps that they have done so and have no colourable defence to make for their so doing Their Answer to the rest is this This is still to the same Tune here is a Iudge implied but not set forth 't is not say they the Spirit of Truth but some outward thing whatever it is and they add We know not where he will fix c. Rep. To the same Tune They were in a jolly Humour sure when they borrowed this Phrase from the Ballad-mongers So pag. 17. they say Shall we Pipe to the same Tune for Company Truth would have taught them more Gravity and it is to be hoped their beguiled Proselites will observe and take notice what a frothy Spirit they are guided by But though they say The Judge is not set forth but only implied and by theâ—â— saying Whatever it is they imply they know not what it is nay they confess in plain Terms they know not where he will fix yet in this tuning strain they as boldly as blindly that is confessedly not seeing or knowing what it is adventure to affirm 'T is not the Spirit of Truth By which the Children of Truth know that the Adversaries in this Judgment are out of Truth In the same airy Vein they go on thus But since we know not where he will fix to say no more 't is dark to be sure Then as if on
differ about them But as that were wicked to imagin So I wish the discovery of so many absurd and false Notions as have here in a few Lines dropt from them may awaken them and others to consider what Spirit it is they are guided by When they say they believe nay are sure God hath left such things as they except against unmeasured on purpose that Men might agree that Christians might never differ about them I take their meaning to be that God hath therefore left such things free that some may practice them others not practice them according as either sort like or dislike them without taking offence at each other therefore Now if this be their meaning this is of force against themselves to clear the things they except against from having Evil or harm in them for if there were any Evil or harm in them God would not leave any of his People at liberty to use them And then all the Clamour and Out-cry Division and Mischief the Adversaries have made is against things which they cannot in Truth say have any Evil or harm in them In their 10th page the Adversaries take up another Question out of the forementioned Book which in that was thus laid down But must I conform to things whether I can receive them or no Ought I not to be left to the Grace and Spirit of God in my own Heart The Answer was to the first part of the Question Nay to the last Yea. This Answer they seem to like for they say of it This is fairly said we must confess But as fairly as it was said they unfairly alter it in taking upon them to explain it for reciting the Author's Answer viz. to the first part of the Question Nay that is say they Thou ought not to receive things against Truth Whereas the first part nor any part of the Question was not Ought I to receive things against Truth But it was Must I conform to things whether I can receive them or no Betwixt which Answer and their explanatory Gloss there is no small difference both in words and matter For it is one thing Not to conform to things because I cannot receive them which may be and yet the things be agreeable to Truth and the fault in me only that I am not in that which would lead me to receive them And it is another thing Not to receive things against Truth which none ought to receive and which it would be Evil in me to receive and conform to if I could But though in this they deal not fairly by the Author yet by his Answer it is evident that none is put upon Conforming to any thing that they cannot receive But all are left to the Grace and Spirit of God in their own hearts which is that that leads into the true Spiritual Liberty before defined though not to the freedom of their own unruly Wills to oppose obstruct revile and vilifie those things which they say They cannot receive and them that have received and do practice them muchless to rend divide separate from them and yet break in upon them and force upon them their Preaching and Praying as if they were still of them though apparent Enemies to them But though they seem to approve his Answer at the first yet they soon find fault with it again because they think there is not sufficient Provision made by him for withstanding the things if the fault be in them Repl. How may we suppose he could admit the fault to be in the things which he prae-suppos'd to be good wholsom and requisit Or how can the fault be in the things if God has left them as the Adversaries say unmeasured that is if I reach their meaning free for his People to practice or not practice He would not leave any thing for some of his People to practice which others of his People could not practice from a fault in the thing it self And although from the Author 's asking Is the fault in the thing themselves They would gladly catch an advantage to infer that It is fairly implied if not granted that the fault may lie on the side of the things brought in yet they fall short in that also for Interrogatvies have sometimes the force of Negatives The Apostle when he said Is there Vnrighteousness with God Rom. 9.14 did not imply muchless grant that there might be Unrighteousness with God But they add that The fault doth lie in the things for any thing he hath said to prove the contrary Repl. It seems they expected a proof of Negatives That were needless 'T is enough that they have not proved a Fault in the things they reject and despise When they attempt that a disproof thereof I believe will not be wanting They say We may conclude such as bring them in viz. the things they say are suggested as the ground of Difference are reputed Leaders Repl. I say such as raised the Opposition at first and made the Division thereby and led into the Separation thereupon were reputed and were Leaders among them They add p. 11. The Leaders may do more harm in bringing in things that are wrong than others can do in Opposing some things that may in some sort be right Repl. If this be true to any purpose yet it is nothing to this purpose The things they complain of for being brought in they have never proved to be wrong nor ever can therefore there has been no harm done by bringing those things in as their Phrase is But the harm has been done by the heady and unruly Opposition they have made against those things that are right They say The Leaders have caused the People to err and the effect was that the People led by them was devoured Repl. This is rightly applicable to themselves The Children of Light in the Light see it and lament over them Their Leaders have caused them to err and by following them they have been led into that Separation which unless by Repentance they quickly return from will certainly destroy them Again they say The way to prevent the danger is by allowing freely Conviction and Perswasion to precede Conformity Repl. This is an evil Suggestion by which they would insinuate that Friends did press Conformity before Conviction and Perswasion which is utterly false contrary to our Principle and contrary to our Practice That it is contrary to our Principle the Book and place they here pretend to Answer evinces For there the Author having put the Question Must I conform to things whether I can receive them or no Answers directly and positively Nay And even so they cite his words In the same place also he says Thou art not to conform to a thing ignorantly yet thou art to consider why thou art ignorant and what the cause of such Ignorance may be What can be plainer That it is contrary to our Practice also is matter of Fact Let the Adversaries therefore prove if they can that Friends
Grace and Spirit of God in my own Heart had answered Yea That is of all things most desirable since they are well left that are there left for there is no fear of want of Vnity where all are left with the one Spirit of Truth They must be of one mind they cannot be otherwise To this the Adversaries say That those that are truly left with the one Spirit of Truth must and will agree we grant and therefore where difference is carried on to the breach of Charity one side at least must be wrong but which ought in God's fear to be inquired the greater Number cannot determin it Rep. Here they grant that those that are truly left with the one Spirit must and will agree and yet at the same time suppose they will differ and which is more that they may differ and yet neither side be wrong if the difference be not carried on to the breach of Charity How they will reconcile these their different Notions I know not But since they yield that one side at least must be wrong where difference is carried on to the breath of Charity Let the Difference between them and Friends be looked into and inquiry made in God's fear on which side the Breach of Charity began that it may thence appear according to their own Proposition which side is wrong And in this Disquisition we will not expect any advantage from being the greater Number though they may give us leave to put them in mind that when and where an Argument from the greatest Number with respect to particular Places seemed to lie on their side they have not failed to urge it Now in order to a right understanding how Charity came to be broken in the carrying on of this Difference it should be remembred that when some things were recommended to the Churches relating to Christian Discipline in order to prevent such disorderly and scandalous Practices as under an abuse of our Principle of true Christian Liberty a Spirit of Looseness and Libertinism was introducing some shewed themselves dissatisfied therewith and unwilling to admit the use thereof pretending that they did not see the service of the things recommended Though this Plea was seen to proceed from weakness in some and want of a true watchfulness unto and waiting upon the heavenly Gift in themselves which would have given them a true sight and sense as it did their Brethren both of the want and of the usefulness of the things recommended yet while they kept quiet out of Contention and open Opposition Friends tenderly bore with them and carried themselves Brotherly towards them endeavouring in the love of God as occasion offered to open and inform their Minds in the things concerning which they profest to doubt But long it was not ere they abusing the tenderness of Friends towards them grew high and heady contentions and quarrelsome endeavouring publickly and labouring much in private to gather into a Faction and make a Party Which when they had in some measure effected having by evil Surmises and false Reports betrayed and misled many young Convinced Ones and some that were but weak in Judgment as well as picked up others that went discontented whose 〈◊〉 Spirits and disorderly Conversations had â—â—â—â—â—red them of the esteem they coveted amongst Friends they then appeared more openly to oppose revile and vilifie those things which before they pretended to the doubtful of and not to see a need of or service for calling them in Contempt and Derision Men's Orders human Edict Canons Constitutions Prescriptions Papists Impositions Innovations Bulls c. not sparing any reproachful Term which they thought might beget or increase in their Proselited Party a dislike of the things recommended and a dis-esteem of Friends This their unruly and turbulent behaviour gave occasion to Friends to reprove them and exhort them to study to be quiet and have regard to the Churches peace And surely had they indeed had any regard to the love of their Brethren to the peace of the Churches of Christ to the Reputation of Truth in the world or to the honour of that holy Name of the Lord by which we are called they would never have begun much less have carried on a Difference 〈◊〉 so high a Breach of Charity as they have done and that about such things as some of themselves have declared to be in their esteem but trifles small things of little or no 〈◊〉 But notwithstanding the Endeavours the Labours and Travels that were used by Friends to have reduced them to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they grew still higher and higher in their Opposition and 〈◊〉 Carriage till at length they made not only a Breach of Charity but of Meetings also â—ending off from Friends and setting up separate Meetings of their own for themselves and their Party to meet apart in in separation from and opposition to the constant settled Meetings of Friends not only with respect to the outward Affairs and Business of the Church but even with respect to publick Worship too And in several printed Books and Papers written by some and industriously spread by others of them published the difference to the world exposing Friends as much as in them lay to the Contempt and scorn of the Prophane as Apostates Innovators Idolaters setters up of Images Idol-Prophets possessed with the Spirit of Belial and the like and not only to the Government but even to the Rabble also as a treacherous Company Introducers of Popery and but one step from it c. and that in a juncture of time when the then present discovery of the Popish Plot had exasperated the Nation against all that were but suspected to favour that Communion That this is the true state of the Case though but briefly set forth I appeal to all Friends that understand it and hereupon leave it to all such to judge in the fear of God whether the Adversaries be not they that have made this Difference and carried it on to the Breach of Charity and are therefore according to their own Conclusion WRONG The Adversaries having granted in their 16th page that those that are truly left with the one Spirit of Truth must and will agree they in the same page add But that there must be an Identity of Opinion as say they we think the School-men call it that is a Sameness of Mind and Oneness of Iudgment to Circumstantial Ceremonial or Shadowy things is sooner said than proved and savours more of Curiosity than any real Necessity Rep. It may perhaps be thought to savour more of Curiosity or something else as Vain-glory Self-conceit or a fond Affectation of being thought to have converst with School-men than of any real necessity or common Discretion for them to tell us what the School-men call Sameness of mind especially unless they could have done it upon better assurance than an as we think They had better have kept in the School of Christ where they might have learnt Sameness of mind and
rest to gaine a presumptive dependance upon men c. without true regard to Conviction or Perswasion Rep. If the drift of this Argument as they call it be like the rest then it cannot be to gain any dependence upon men on any consideration whatsoever without true regard to Conviction or Perswasion For that has not been the drift of any of the rest of the Arguments or matter in that Book But the drift of that Passage and of the rest also was to draw from a feigned pretence of being left to the Grace of God as a Cloak of Evil of any kind to a real acquaintance with subjection to and dependance on the Grace of God indeed This appears not only from several other Passages in that Book as Thou art not to conform to a thing ignorantly page 3. And It is thy Duty to wait upon God in silence aâ—d patience out of all fleshly Consultations page 10. The People of God ought to be left to the Guidings of the Spirit of God in themselves page 9. It is a great Truth that all are to be left thereunto Ibid but very plainly from the words immediately foregoing those which the Adversaries Cavil at For the Question being there put Ought I not to be left to the Grace of God in my own Heart The Answer there is That is of all things most desireable since they are well left that are there left for there is no fear of want of Vnity where all are left with the one Spirit of Truth page 4. This was far sure from a drift to gain a presumptive Dependence upon Men without true regard to Conviction or Perswasion And therefore it is evident that the drift of the Adversaries in suggesting this slander is to prejudice unwary Readers against Friends by misleading them into a wrong apprehension that Friends endeavour to draw them from the Divine Grace and holy Spirit in themselves to a dependence on men to act according as men shall direct them without true regard to Conviction or Perswasion in themselves But this is a foul slander upon Friends and a gross abuse to the Readers for indeed the contrary hereof is most true Friends as they have always done so now as much as ever do direct all to the heavenly Gift the saving-Grace that hath appeared the manifestation of the Spirit in themselves of it to learn and on it to depend for both Conviction and Conduct in their Religious Performances But as on the one hand they labour to bring every one to an acquaintance with this heavenly Gift in themselves and a true dependence on it for Guidence by it So on the other hand they caution all to beware that they be not beguiled by the Enemy in themselves who forms Likenesses of heavenly things on purpose to deceive and mislead thereby and for the same end transforms himself into an Angel of Light and take him for their Guide and Leader as too many have done instead of the Spirit of Truth and then demand to be left to the Grace of God in themselves when indeed they are gone from the Grace of God in themselves and oppose the manifestations operations and productions thereof in others So that the Controversy rightly stated and truly considered is not about being left or not left to the Grace of God for that all should be left to that was never doubted much less denyed by Friends but about being left or not left to that which is pretended to be the Grace of God but indeed and in truth is not it and by the fruits it brings forth sufficiently manifests that it is not it They say 't is true to plead this against our understanding is an abuse of the Plea and is little better than Heresie but none can be an Heretick that truly fears God therefore to plead this against this or that thing brought in by this or that Man or by this or that Assembly that we believe is wrong is so far from abusing the Plea that it may be a true using of it Rep. This is a very loose and trifling way of arguing having nothing cogent or conclusive in it The Passage they oppose is this To plead being left to the Grace of God against Vnity is to abuse the very Plea This was grounded upon and drawn from an undenyed Proposition that where all are left with the one Spirit of Truth they must be of one mind they can't be otherwise Now from this Proposition that All who are left with that is led by the one Spirit of Truth must be of one mind it fairly and naturally follows that for any to plead a being left to the Grace of God and led by the Spirit of God in themselves in order to countenance or defend a being of a contrary opposite mind from the rest that are led by the Spirit of God is to abuse the Plea and to commit as the Author of the Examination there says the greatest Contradiction to that very Doctrine of Scripture viz. that all should be guided by the Grace and Spirit of God in themselves for the End of that Doctrine is Certainty which the Author there confirms by several Scripture-Evidences as Ier. 32.39 Ezek. 11.19 Acts 4.32 c. This the Adversaries do not attempt to answer but turn the matter from pleading this against Unity to pleading it against Understanding which they say is little beâ—ter than Heresie and grant that to do thus is an abuse of the Plea But can nothing be an abuse of the Plea but using it against Understanding What if any have so little understanding in the things of God as to believe that God's People may be led by the one Spirit of Truth to disagree act contrary to and oppose one another in the things of God as the Adversaries say in their 16th page There is no necessity that they must agree in things Circumstantial is not this to abuse the Plea though it should not be done against Understanding but for want of Vnderstanding For the Plea of being left to the Grace of God in ones self is therefore said to be abused because used to an End and purpose directly contrary to that for which it was given For the end for which it was given is to bring men into Unity both with God from whom the Devil by Transgression divided them and with one another in the things of God in whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning And therefore to plead being led by it out of Unity and against Unity is to abuse the very Plea And surely if they go not against their Understandings they go much without Vnderstanding in concluding that because it is an abuse of the Plea to plead this against Understanding therefore for so they infer to plead this against this or that thing brought in by this or that man or by this or that Assembly that we believe is wrong is so far from abusing the Plea that it may be a true using of
it For here is not only no Coherence between their Premises and Conclusion but a plain departing from the terms of the Proposition which was a Pleading this of being left to the Grace of God in themselves against Vnity Which word they wholly leave out and instead thereof put in to plead this against this or that thing bâ—ought in by this or that man c. This shews their shuffling and idle way of arguing However we deny that any thing believed or practised as a Religious Duty among us was brought in by any man oâ— men as men but by the Spirit of the Lord opening Counsel in the hearts of his Servants and throuâ—h them recommending the use of such things to the Church of Christ and opening the hearts of such as waited singly in the same Spirit of Truth to receive close and joyn with the same from an inward sense Conviction and Perswasion that the things so recommended were of God In which we have been and are abundantly confirmed by the sweet and powerful presence of the Lord with and amongst us in the use thereof evidencing to our Spirits his accepting us therein And if the Adversaries believe those things to be wrong that doth not prove they are wrong though it may prove their belief and themselves wrong In their 21th page They quote another passage out of the said Book in these words I must say unto thee Friend what if thou wilt not be left unto the Grace and Spirit of God in thy self Here they break off with an c. omitting the rest of the Sentence which in the said Book follows thus nor wait for its mind nor be watchful to its Revelations nor humble and quiet till thou hast received such necessary manifestations but pleadest against the Counsel of the Spirit of the Lord in other faithful Persons under the pretence of being left to his Spirit in thy self by which means thou opposest the Spirit to the Spirit and pleadest for disunity under the name of Liberty Their Answer is Then such do the thing that is extreamly Evil. Rep. No doubt of that But when they do so what is to be done in the case Are they to be left to their Liberty and Freedom in doing the thing that is extreamly Evil Is the Church bound to own them receive them acknowledge and admit them not only for Members but Ministers and Preachers while they are doing the thing that is so extreamly Evil Or in case they disturb her godly Care and Practice and grow Contentious and exalt their Judgment against her as the Adversaries have done hath she power from God to exhort admonish and reprove them and if they persevere therein in his Name to refuse any further fellowship with them till they repent of their Evil as in the 10. pag. of the Book they pretend to Answer is laid down but not taken up answered or taken notice of by them that I find Having nimbly answered to the former Quotation Then such do the thing that is extreamly evil they immediately add but on the other hand what if they are left with the Grace and Spirit of God which they may or at least some for any thing that he hath said Rep. May they so That 's strange They that will not wait for the mind of God's Spirit not be watchful to its Revelations nor humble and quiet till they have received such necessary Manifestations but plead against the Counsel of the Spirit of the Lord in other faithful Persons under the pretence of being left to his Spirit in themselves and so oppose the Spirit to the Spirit and plead for Disunity under the name of Liberty may they for any thing that he hath said who hath said all this here and more elsewhere be left with that is led by the Grace and Spirit of God in this But say they What care has he taken What remedy has he provided that true Liberty and Freedom of Speech may be maintained Rep. Let them shew if they can when or where true Liberty and Freedom of Speech hath been denied by Friends That it hath been indeed by the Adversaries may be proved if need require But it may well be supposed what sort of Liberty and Freedom of Speech they would maintain by the Licencious Liberty they have taken and used in speaking of and against such Persons and things as they dislike a Liberty to rail at and revile those whom they call their Brethren under the Names of Apostates Innovators Introducers of Popery Setters up of Imâ—ges Idolaters Idol Prophets a treacherous Company c. a Liberty to mock at scoff jear and deride the order and discipline of the Church of Christ under the contemptuous names of Canons Constitutions human-Prescriptions Mens-Inventions Edicts Bulls c. This is the Liberty and Freedom they have hitherto used both in speaking and writing how true and fit to be maintained let all that live in Truth judge To the Author's Question whether he may not exhort to the practice of what he is moved to press to the practice of they Answer We graunt he may c. Adding It 's not our Duty to obey him because he says it but because we know or at least are perswaded that what he says is true page 22. Rep. Neither that Author nor any Friend besides ever exhorted or desired much less pressed as a Duty on any to obey him or to do any thing of a Religious concern because he said it but have alwayes directed to that which would give every one a certain knowledge and Perswasion of the thing so exhorted to There was therefore no need for the Adversaries to fence themselves against that which was never offered them But they delight by such suggestions to insinuate evil surmises into the minds of their beguiled Proselites In their 22. pag. They quibble upon the words Common and Universal for citing these words out of the Book they pretend to Answer viz. But therefore are not the Members of one mind and Iudgement in common and universal matters relating to the Church of God They answer There is not much doubt in this when truly understood but we are to mind say they that we be not deceived and imposed upon as to what is or ought to be accounted common and universal matters Hereupon they give us their notion thereof both affirmatively and negatively thus By common and universal matters we understand and we hope say they according to Truth what has been commonly and universally received and not new and novel things that have not been so received Rep. This is not according to Truth which is free and illimitable whereas this would lay a Limit and Restraint upon God from opening the way of Truth and Righteousness further and further and from adding such helps and means for the Propagation thereof and preservation of his People therein as he in his unsearchable Wisdom shall see need of For every fresh Discovery may on this pretence be slighted
the World's Holy-days and Mass-days as they call them c. All this and more they omitted When as these are instances of the looseness of the Plea and which the Adver saries knew to be too true to be denied and therefore chose rather to conceal than revive by bringing them forth Nay the Author there shewed the Consequence of this Plea extended further that he who should plead it in the Cases before instanced might go on to say to Friends Since your Testimony is against Imposition and for leaving every one to the measure of the Grace which God hath given him not only no Man hath power to reprove or judge me but I may be as good a Friend as any of you according to my measure This also they left out And then having pieced up the rest of the Quotation as they pleased they give no direct Answer to it They neither grant that the things there instanced are Evil as paying Ththes Marrying by the Priest hiding in times of Persecution c. Lest perhaps they should stumble those of their Party who expect that Liberty Nor do they deny that those and such like things have been or may be defended by some under that Plea What hast thou to do with me Leave me to my Freedom c. But instead of this they begin their long Answer thus The ground of this great Noise and Clamour was not agoing from antient Principles or Practices but your bringing in new things c. Rep. They say not right The ground of this great Noise and Clamour was their going from the antient Fundamental Principle of all true Principles and Practices the Light They went from the Light of Christ in themselves and so became Darkned Then complained they wanted sight they could not see the Service proposed in the things recommended But as little sight as they had they could see to oppose and obstruct their Brethren and not suffer them quietly to proceed in that which they saw and were satisfied was their Duty They could see to wrangle jangle cavil contend and disturb their Brethren with ungodly Speeches and very unruly and turbulent Behaviour whereby they raised a great Noise and Clamour They say they ought to be left to the Grace of God in this matter Rep. To the Grace of God they were left in this and every matter But their ungodly Speeches and unchristian Carriage shewed though they were left to the Grace of God they were not led by it They say in page 39. If nothing that is simply Evil or immoral can be charged upon your Brethren will you to make way for Lordship and Dominion over your Brethren joyn with the Prophane and Professors against them and Truth Rep. No But the Adversaries by their own practice confirming the charge of Professors and Profane against the Light have thereby joyned with both against Friends and Truth And their saying here If nothing that is simply Evil or Immorral can be charged upon your Brethren c. Shews how easy and willing they are to admit this Plea of being left to their Freedom c. For a defence or Cover for those or the like Evils before instanced as paying the Priest Tithes Marrying by a Priest c. Which though not such things as in the Eye of the World are accounted simply Evil or Immoral are in the Eye of Truth certainly Evil and inconsistent with our principle Again they say If you deny that you impose why are not you quiet Rep. Friends are quiet But the Adversaries are not will not be quiet but in a restless tossed turbulent mind and Spirit are continually devising deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the Land They could not be quiet till they were separated they will not be quiet now they are separated but ever and anon some or other of them come to Friends Meetings to disquiet Friends there And not satisfied with that neither they scatter abroad their dirty Books stuft with evil Surmises sly Insinuations envious Reflections and foul Falsehoods like those of Old whom the Prophet compared to the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose Waters cast up Mire and Dirt Isa. 27.20 to whom there is no peace ver 21. Therefore 't is no wonder they are not quiet but as raging Waves of the Sea are ever and anon foaming out their own shame like those whom Iude complained of vers 13. Nay so averse are they to Quietness that rather than want pretence for Strife they have pickt up a Book that was written some Nine or Ten years ago to make an occasion for a new Qarrel or to revive the Old They say page 4 You must bring those things in about which the Difference is either as Terms of Communion or not It seems as often as they have charged us with bringing those things in as Terms of Communion they do not yet know whether we have done so or not If say they you did not bring them in as Terms of Communion then why do you criminate your Brethren as evil Doers whilst you have nothing against them but refusing Compliance with your Opinions Rep. Not to enumerate all we have against them who in a subdolous way still call themselves our Brethren though they are gone from the true Brotherhood that under that Name they might do us the greater mischief we have more against them than their refusing Compliance with what they scornfully call our Opinions namely the Troubles and Disturbances they have raised in the Church by their unruly violent and turbulent Oppositions the Dissention and Divisions they have caused thereby the Rent and Breach they have made the open War they have begun and carried on the Separation they have run into the wicked envious Books they have Printed to expose them they hipocritically call their Brethren and together with them the Truth they profess to the Scorn Contempt and Rage of the wicked in all which they are Evil-Doers And so they also are in suggesting that Friends brought in those things about which they say the Difference is as Terms of Communion For that is false We brought not in any things as Terms of Communion The holy God who is the Author of our Communion with himself and with one another hath appointed and fixed the Terms of this Communion viz. Walking in the Light as he is in the Light 1 Iohn 1.7 But I would gladly see what the Adversaries will assign for the Terms of their Communion for where I have had any opportunity of observing them or understanding their ways I could never yet find or learn that they excluded any from Communion with them who would go to their separate Meetings and rail against Friends Sure I am whoever shall observe with an indifferent Eye what they lick up and whom they give the hand of Fellowship to will find no cause to suppose the Terms of their Communion to be walking in the Light They say We are sure it is more according to Truth for you to
omit the doing of what you may believe is good in this Sense than for others to receive what they believe is wrong And this they speak in order as they pretend to discontinue the Difference Rep. They state not the Case fairly on either hand for what they would have us omit they call only what we may believe is good whereas they are not ignorant that we have declared we believe those things to be not only good but required by God of us as our Duty On the other hand when they speak of others not receiving them they call it what they believe is wrong whereas they have not adventured to charge those things with being positively wrong but have alleadged they did not see the Service of them or as some of their Party have elsewhere stated it they had great cause to be jealous several things proposed were not from Heaven but of Man for in their Birth into the Church they seemed not to bear the heavenly Image There is some ods surely between Belief and Iealousy between Believing a thing to be wrong and having a jealousy that it was not from Heaven but of Man especially when that Jealousy hath no greater ground than a seeming not to bear the havenly Image Thus they craftily extenuate on the one hand and aggravate on the other But when each comes to be rightly stated and set on its true bottom it will appear to be no more according to Truth for Friends to omit the doing of that which they believe to be not only good but their required Duty than for the Adversaries to receive what they did not see the Service of but were jealous was of Man because it seemed not to bear the heavenly Image However sure I am it had been more according to Truth for the Adversaries to have been Quiet and not run headily against what through want of sight and true Sense they were jealous of than either for them to have made the Opposition Disturbance Division and Separation they have made Or for Friends to have omitted the doing that good which they believed the Lord required of them and felt him by his Spirit leading them into and by his good presence owning them in And indeed a readier way could hardly be proposed for obstructing all Duty in any Society than to injoyn those who believe it to be their Duty to omit the doing of it because others are jealous of it However their here proposing that Friends should omit the doing of what they believe is good c. as a way or means to discontinue the Difference shews that notwithstanding their loud Clamours and reiterated Outcries against Friends for Imposition Imposition Imposition it was not Friends imposing upon them that gave the occasion of the Difference but it was Friends refusing to be imposed upon by them to omit the doing of their believed Duty and to be driven by their impetuous Opposition out of the practice of those things which they believed were required of them It was not enough to the Adversaries not to be imposed on themselves but they must have us omit the doing of what we believed to be good and our Duty to do Was not this Imposition on their parts who so often cry out of being imposed upon What they say in their 41 page with Allusion to the building of Babel of Old and Confusion of Tongues that ensued therupon needs no more in this place than their own Application there of to themselves for they deliver it in the first Person Plural WE Was not We of one Language say they whilst We truly travelled c. But when We found Shinar a Plain and took up Our dwelling there in the likeness of Truth then did not We as others before Us begin to build c. Now this they appropriate to themselves by the Advertisement they have given at the end of their Preface to the Reader where after they have said Where the Term You is found in the following Discourse we intend the Author and those of his mind they add And as the Term We is also used it may be understood in respect to those of the same mind with the Author of this that is their Book Let them take it therefore to themselves to whom if to any it of right belongs For they have been long hunting for a Plain a place of more Room Scope and Liberty finding Truth 's way too strait and narrow for them and at length have found one where they have taken up their Dwelling in but the likeness of Truth if in that They have built up a Separation which they designed for a lofty Tower to preserve them from what they were in no danger of In position from those they call their Brethren How they have sped in their undertaking may in some measure be gathered by this that some of their Fellow-Builders in that work have since submitted to the Ministry of the Parish-Priests to go no further So that as those Babel Builders of old met with that they shunn'd viz. to be scattered abroad c. Gen. 11.4 8. So these to avoid an imagined Danger of Imposition from their Brethren have betook themselves to the Parish Priests where Imposition is avowed How far they are divided in Language while some are mumbling their Mattins in the old Mass-Houses I leave themselves to consider But that they do agree and are one in Spirit as well such of them as are already gone off to the Priest as such as are not yet to write against the Innocent to Reproach Revile Raile at Slander and wickedly bely Friends a late scurrilous Book of Francis Bugg's and another of Iohn Pennyman's compared with others written by other of the Adversaries plainly shew Which Books came out so near in time with that I am now Replying to as if there had been an Intelligence held and Correspondence carried on between the respective Authors They say page 41 For you to call such Pleas as those Leave me to the Grace of God and to the Spirit of Truth loose Pleas c. We look upon it as of dangerous Consequence what though some may abuse them will you take them away and with them freedom of Speech Rep. We do not call those Pleas looâ—e with respect to the Pleas themselves which we acknowledge are sound and good but with respect to the Spirit by which and the end to which those Pleas have been pleaded by the Adversaries which was by a loose Spirit in order to let up Looseness without controul Therefore we take not away the Pleas but the abuse of them Nor do we take away freedom of Speech but in Truth 's Authority reprove that exorbitant Liberty of Rayling at Reviling and Reproaching Friends and exposing Truth to the Worlds contempt and scorn under pretence of freedom of Speech In page 42 they ask Why may not you be cautioned to beware of Formality Rep. We are often cautioned so as they that frequent our Meetings know And