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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	father_n	life_n	way_n	6,604	5	5.4332	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50608	The Memory of that servant of God, John Story, revived shewing what manner of man he was from his youth to his grave, by the testimonies of several friends, to whom he was well known, and by whom, for his work sake in the truth, he was greatly beloved : to which is adjoyned something written by him, &c., in his latter years, wherein his judgment is shewn concerning some particular things, and his great desires for love, unity, concord, and peace in the church of Christ.	Wilkinson, John, d. ca. 1683. Brief relation concerning the life and death of John Story.	1688 (1688)	Wing M1702; ESTC R19789	42,298	47

hide his Glory and keep hid the Things of his Kingdom But depending upon God fits People and prepares for his Service and gives the true Knowledge of what he requires to Practice His Saying hath been That even to him in that Estate was the Son of God Revealed the Great and Wonderful Power of the Almighty the Everlasting Day of Life the Highest Power the Commander and Giver of his Word he that appeared in the Clouds of Heaven opening glorious Things hath Revealed himself in Power and great Glory Though he was a Man in his Life that would not willingly miss the greatest Attainments in Truth yet he was not ashamed of being silent when in the Presence of an Assembly for the Day was wherein he saw the King the Lord of Hosts whose Majesty made him astonished at whose Presence and Sight he was struck silent for the space of a whole Year because he then saw that the Openings of God was Preached by him judging his inward Estate and Knowledge far short of the wonderful Knowledge and excellent Glory when he appeared in Fulness and so he waited in silence many a Meeting and thought himself unfit to Preach his Excellency and Greatness suffering Famine and sitting under the Sword which the Word by which all Things were made is compared unto in a sense of the true Cross and right Humility that goes before true Honour waiting for the Movings of the Almighty and his Spirit to demonstrate the Way of Life and said He was not Condemned of God in falling short of answering the Knowledge given unto him but far short in declaring the greatness of his Power and Fullness It is not you that speak using the words of Christ but the Spirit of my Father that speaketh in you This was the manner of his Life till God gave him the Word and called him forth for he said If I had sate in Silence all my Life I durst not go before God spake by his Spirit in me And truly Gods Power and Presence was with him and his Word and Motion plentifully given unto him and Wisdom from above to divide the Word aright and God made his way to prosper that the People prepared of God with his invisible Spirit answered the Word as Face answereth Face in a Glass and many that had mist their way to God by seeking him without he turned to the Light and Appearance of Christ within and he was confirmed in the Word through the Power and Effect thereof and Sealed to God in his Service who gave him great Ability to fulfil his Ministry He had but a very weak Body and travelled on foot North and South in this Nation about the space of three years I being his Companion do well know it and great Colds after much heat in Meetings empaired his Health besides his Concern with many Opposers in the breaking forth of Truth causing many long and tedious Disputes in which his Moderation in Gods Wisdom greatly appeared labouring in Truth to convince the Gainsayers he had great Skill and Ability given of God Viz. in Disputes that his Bow still abode in Strength and the Contenders for their Imaginations and against the Truth fell before him he was so strengthened with the Arm of the Almighty God of Jacob who honoured his Truth with him in the Sight of many Assemblies the Contenders often confessing to his Moderation and Meekness notwithstanding if he got hold of Deceit and false Affirmations from wilful Opposers he held such very hard to the Point not letting them go to another thing unless they confest their Errour but any Objection or Doubt through Ignorance was meekly in Truth resolved and he had no delight to dispute with Opposers or high Contenders unless they themselves were the Cause neither to spread in Writing or Print any Disputes though often desired And at that time many longed to hear the Word of God and cryed Come and have a Meeting with us and sometimes went to help but even as Paul to Macedonia by Vision and Revelation to Preach the Gospel to them and visiting over and over them to whom God sent him to Preach the Gospel He was faithful in Doing or in Suffering as required of the Almighty witness his Sufferings in Salisbury Goal under Sentence of Premunire almost a whole year but delivered at the Kings Coronation for before Prescriptions Outward Orders and Forms among some Friends were so Imposed and carried a stress of Religion John Story was not judged a Flyer in Persecution but esteemed honourable among the Brethren and it is plain that because he could not receive some Prescriptions of Men's with all its Formalities therefore was he Proceeded against by some as one of a wrong Spirit and out of the Vnity though he opposed not others therein if they were so perswaded of God but they would not be satisfied with that but opposed him in Publick Meetings as one that hated to be Reformed Alas Alas his Religion was not formed with Orders and Precepts of Men he could not so far dishonour his God nor judge any Friends so weak in Understanding to make a Breach of Unity with them under pretence of Motion Government and Dignity John said He was often ashamed of such a Degeneration and said if it did continue the evil Effects would scarcely cease He rendred not evil for evil by opposing his Opposers in Meetings for Publick Worship but exhorted to Righteousness and Peace and if that could not be born it be speaketh saith he a Famine of the Word Oh he was sound in Judgment and not afraid that his Doctrine should come to publick view his Candle was lighted not to put under a Bushel let them that have opposed him and endeavoured to darken the light and shining thereof through him look to it Repent and turn to God before it be too late least God suffers the same measure to be meted again for his Ways are Equal and Just and Righteous altogether and as he endeavoured his Doctrine should be tryed commending it to every mans Conscience in the Sight of God so also his proceeding and good Works saying How should Men glorifie our Heavenly Father if our Proceedings and good Works be hid from them and if People wait not in the Spirit but oppose it with Forms of Mans making such cannot relish the Word of Life nor suffer Truth 's Testimony in Quiet but causeth jangling with Forms in the break of the Day against Truth and see not the Glory that excelleth nor the Testimonies that exalts the Light which God commanded to shine forth in the Face of Jesus whom the Righteous loveth and is their Life in which my dear Companion J. S. had great Delight He was a loving and plain Man and greatly abhorred Feignedness warning People that they should not worship the Works of their own hands nor feign Humility and cautioned to beware of a Spirit of Pride and seeking Honour and Greatness which he saw in his day was too much

didst Preach the Glad-tyding of Salvation unto many that were far from the Almighty bearing a Faithful Testimony unto Christ Jesus the true Light that inwardly enlightens every Man and to the Word nigh in the Heart and in the Mouth to the Anointing within and unto the universality of that Grace which brings Salvation of its Appearing to all Mankind and to the Manifestation of the Spirit of Truth that is is given unto all to profit with labouring to undeceive all and to bring from the Outside Forms Beggerly Elements Traditions Rudiments and Inventions of Men wherein many had been kept in Bondage to Christ Jesus the Living Way the Truth and Life the true Shepherd and Bishop of the Soul in his Light to wait for Counsel and Directions in all things to be Led Guided and Governed by him alone who was and is the Lawgiver and unto whom all Power in Heaven and Earth is committed whose Kingdom is not of this World who alone hath power over the Conscience and over the Inward Man this is his Glory which he never did nor never will give unto another and in this thou wast a Faithful Messenger and Minister turning many from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God and so taught many the way through Judgment unto Life that their Hearts did burn within them whil'st in their Hearts they did learn Righteousness which made many to confess to the Glory of God That thou wast sent of God to shew the way unto the Rest that God had prepared for the Vpright Hearted And truly such a Power went with thee that not I alone but many of the Land came to hear the joyful Sound and were turned to the true Light and the God of Heaven was with thee and a true Ambassadour of Christ Jesus wast thou beseeching Men to be reconciled unto the Lord assuring of us That God had sent his Son to Redeem our Souls by changing of our Natures and to bless us by turning every one of us from our Evil Doings And having a Convincing Ministry committed to thee of God thou became an Instrument in his hand to the opening of our Understandings and to the building us up in the Living Faith which made us bless the Lord for thy coming in his Name and for the Change that in due time was wrought in us and God gave us a Witness in our own Bosomes That thou wast an Apostle of the True and Heavenly Profession and that thou by the assistance of the Power of God accompanying thee directed our Feet into the Way of Peace For which my Soul Praise thou the Lord and all that is within me shall bless his Name with many more who can set to their Seals that thou wast an Instrument in the hand of God of their Conversion and a Man through whom the Way of Life was demonstrated amongst us and many became Witnesses That the Earth was rent asunder and the Stout-hearted bowed and the Strong did fall before thee Thou valluedst neither Riches nor Glory neither did any of those Things overtake thee but as an Armed Man and a Champion indeed thy Warefare was against Spiritual Wickedness and thy Travel was That the Ax of God might be laid to the Root of the Corrupt Three that no untimely Fruit might grow amongst us and thou sought not the Treasures of the Earth nor to be great amongst thy Brethren but to do the Will of thy Master was thy delight thou wast a true Traveller in thy Day and thy Journying was much on foot several years the Rain abstructed thee not in the Morning neither could the Scorching Sun at Noon-day hinder thy Progress for thy Feet were shod with the Preparation of the Gospel and a true Traveller wast thou in the Work of the Lord for thy Bow did abide in its full Strength and the Opposers were made to fall and the Wicked fled before thee thou didst not turn thy Back but often encounteredst Gainsayers on many Occasions and never wast worsted as ever I could hear in any of thy Assaults for thou was not only experienced in the Work thou undertook'st but very well read in that excellent Book the Holy Scriptures and an aptness was in thee to perceive the Weakness of thy Opposers and having gotten hold of thy Adversaries no Flattery could prevail nor Inchantment pervert thee until thou made him confess unto the Truth for the God of the whole Earth was with thee and the Slain of the Lord were many and such Divine Counsel did attend thy Habitation that no Profession was able in Truth to withstand thy Testimony and thou wast plentifully endued with the Spirit of the Lord whereby thou appearedst as his Battle Ax and the Stroak thereof made the Rocks give way and the Mountains cleft in funder insomuch as the Wisdom of the Wise-men failed them and the Counsel of the Prudent was not found amongst them for their Learning could not hide them nor the Logician's Subtilty could not preserve them but over all their Baits thou trampled'st and many times caught them in their own Snare and all this Conquest was not gotten by Outward Bow or Spear but by the Spirit of the Living God and to speak the truth of thee It was thy Meat and thy Drink to do the Will of thy Master thy Care was great in visiting the Mountains where many the Sheep of Gods Pasture were scattered and what wrestling with the Power of Darkness thou hadst to recover the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel the North can tell the deep Exercises of that Day and the continual Burthen that was then with thee to visit the Dark Corners that were full of Cruelty and what haste thou made then then to visit the Steeple-house forgetting thy ordinary Food until thy Master Christ Jesus his Work was accomplished But O the hardship that sometimes thou met with Were not the Cudgels sometimes laid on about thy Head by Ungodly Men And did not they in great fury dash thee in the face with their Clouted Shoes until the Blood hath gushed out of thy Mouth in a large measure Doubtless such like Treatment thou hast imbraced that the Oppressed might be recovered and the Prisoner brought out of the horrible Pit in which there was no Water and thy Legs did not fail thee in this Travel because the Lord was with thee neither did thy Strength depart from thee because the Bread from Heaven was thy Delight and often Honey out of the Rock did the Lord bestow on thee Springs can tell the Joy they often administred and the Comfort that they often bestowed on thee in that Day when the Bowels of the Earth feemed to be shut up and all other Outward Comforts departed from thee and this from one Week to another was thy Travel so that the North sounds out thy Praise and the West do tell of thee many in the South besides my self cannot but rejoyce in the Lord and be glad that God prepared

the Neighbourhood And as he in his Life time was of a grave and reverent Deportment even so was he accompanyed to his Grave People generally bemoning his death but the Hearts of Friends was generally filled with sorrow and their Eyes with Teares by reason of that inward affection they bare unto him as also the great sense of the great Loss they sustained in his Death who hath been a living example of Righteousness amongst us both in Life and Doctrine even in a manner from his Child-hood as if he had been Chosen from the Womb and Sanctified for a Vessel of honour and as he often exhorted others to continue walking in the way of Truth that in the latter end they might attain and come more fully to possess the Joyes of the everlasting Kingdom where all the Troubles and Sorrows of this present Life shall be wiped away and come to an end So Doubtless he is now entred into the full fruition of those never-fading Joyes wherein all the sorrow and sighing and Troubles of this present Life is come to an end and is Ascended out of the reach of wicked Tongues and Pens But what can be said Doubtless God endued him with Divine Wisdom to a large degree and accompanyed him with his Devine Power and Presence in Declaring the way of Life and opening the Misteries of the Kingdom to the comfort and Consolation of many who now mourn in Secret for his absence and I fear that time to come may know the want of such and I also fear that many in this present time have also rendred themselves unworthy of such but I desire we may make a good use of these things and that we look to our own standing and that we may walk according to the exhortations and counsel delivered unto us both by him and other his faithful Companions which have answered the Truth in our own hearts There was a very good opportunity for J. W. and others to bear a Testimony to Truth and the People gave very Diligent attention while he exhorted and Counseled to follow those things that make for peace and brings to rest in the latter end clearly Demonstrating the way thereunto with such things further as opened in him suitable upon that occasion G. D. The Testimony of John Jennings by way of Preface to the following Testimonies of several Friends in Wiltshire Courteous and Friendly Readers BE It known unto you that what is here written by way of Lamentation Testimony of our Deceased Friend John Story is not to draw forth the Minds of any for to admire him or any other Instrument that the Lord may make use of for the good of any Person or People but that which is here written is truly to certify all friendly People unto whom it may come what manner of Life Doctrine and Conversation this our deceased Friend did Live and Declare whilst he was amongst us and if any through envy or prejudice either against him or any of us doth or shall endeavour to gainsay oppose or invalidate this our Testimony concerning him we doubt not but that by Gods assistance we shall be throughly enabled for to Vindicate the same against any Opposers hereof for we know that what is here written of him is what is true and according to the best of our knowledge and indeed we had rather come short of commending any Person rather than to praise or commend any beyond their due deserts But forasmuch as it hath so happened that this worthy Man and Servant of God hath been by some too much abused in his Christian Reputation and mis-represented as an Apostate or Dark and Creeping Spirit it was so much the more on some of our Spirits for to give forth this following Testmony that as friends might truly know what he was amongst us and what Just Cause we had truly to love and esteem him as a servant of Christ even unto the last and truly as the power and presence of God was with him in his Ministry in former years when he was generally well spoken of by most or all that did love the Truth in these parts So we can truly say that at the last Meeting which he had in this Country the Lord did appear by him and through him as in former times unto the Edifieing and Comforting of his People and we had a very good and comfortable Meeting and therefore if any have let in any Prejudice or hard thoughts against him because they may have heard an evil report of him we do advise such to be more carful how they do receive Reports and let in prejudice against any of Gods servants least they do there by hurt themselves and break their own Inward Peace and as concerning others who have villified this servant of God either by their hard speeches or Writings against him it is with us to advise such for to Repent of what they have already done and to learn to do so no more least they are found fighters against God and his faithful servants and in thus doing we have thus far cleared our Consciences towards all such and shall leave the effect thereof unto God and desire all those that Read the following Testimony for to Read it without Prejudice or Carping at what is written but to read it as in Gods fear and with a serious and considerate mind that so they may the better understand what they read and consider of it If any sober and moderate Inquirer that is yet Ignorant of the matter should ask or inquire of us what was the ground or cause wherefore the said J. S. have been so misrepresented as an Apoastate and a dark and creeping spirit if he was such an honest man as you seem to signifie To this we shall give in short this Answer That as far as we could yet ever understand the Real ground and cause of it was because he did not so far conform and submit unto the seting up and establishing of some outward Orders and Ceremonys amongst Friends and as some that did or yet doth profess the Truth would have had him to have done and if any should yet inquire why he did not submit unto others for Unities sake To this we Answer that this Question might more properly have been proposed unto him in his Life time and if it had been so Proposed doubtless he would have given a sound and proper Answer thereunto yet forasmuch as he is gone and cannot now Answer for himself we do believe that we may truly give this Answer on his behalf viz. That it was for conscience sake that he could not or did not Conforme and submit unto the setting up such Orders and Ceremonies as others would have had him to have don and douptless he thought them to be superfluous and more then was Really needful for to be so strictly practiced amongst Gods People and that this was the Real ground and Cause wherefore he hath been so Callumniated and mis-represented we have case to

him to be and through that gift and wisdom that was bestowed upon him he knew how to behave himself aright in the Assemblies of Gods People and amongst his fellow servants and could give very good counsel and advice unto such as were but young in the work and se●vice of the Ministry but indeed in this respect he had not that opportunity to manifest very much of that gift of Wisdom that God had endued him with because too many of late years did to much Disesteem Slight and Reject his Counsel and good Advise for he was a true honest-man and so was his Conversation among men even from his young years unto his latter end nor ever was as we could understand addicted to any Vice from his Child-hood unto his dying day neither was he subject to Flatter or Dessemble with any for his own ends But we believe that he abhored deceit and flattery from the bottom of his heart and Doubtless he did not any way deserve those vilyfying terms of a Dark or Creeping Spirit for we never knew him to creep after or dissemble with any for his own self-Intrest neither did he ever that we know off by flattery seek after the favour of any Great or Rich Men that so he might gain thereby but as a true Minister of Christ and an able Preacher of the Gospel that sought not after his own profit or applause Coveting no mans Silver nor Gold but the real Good Benefit and Wellfare of Souls And as he had freely received a Dispensation of the Gospel from the Lord so did he freely Minister of it unto others as the Lord did order him being as we said before an able and sound Preacher dividing the Word aright and was very Intelligible and plain unto mean Capacities Demonstrating the way of Life and exhorting all to walk therein and we believe that he did not in the least preach for filthy Lucres sake but of a ready and willing mind according to the requirings of Gods holy and blessed Spirit yea doubtless in this respect he might surley have said as Samuel did whose Ox or Ass did he take or whose Gold or Silver or Riches or Land did he seek or covet after He was a good Pastor who had a tender regard and care of the Flock of God where the Lord did order his service and especially among such where he had laboured much in gathering and confirming of them his care was great that they might be truly Instructed in the way of Life and gathered unto the gift and grace of God in themselves and that in it all might waite upon God to recevie a Divine and Heavenly understanding and come to be truly Centered and Established upon the Rock of Ages and in the Truth and way of God And it was his Care and Labour that none might walk disorderly unto the dishonour of God but that such might be Reproved Advised and Admonished as Friends did either feel Drawings in themselves so to do or as there was a seasonable Opportunity wherein Friends might do it in love and tenderness in a more general way as they saw it their places that if possible none might go astray Likewise on the other hand it was his care that Friends might not be Imposed on or over much driven into the Ceremonial part of Religion having an Understanding given him to discern how apt People have been to be led and to run into Imitations and the practice of Outward Things which some others have practised and so by that means have not taken that regard unto their own measures of the Spirit of God in themselves as they ought to have done But have through a kind of Zealous Mistake sometimes cryed up and esteemed the Traditions and Inventions of Men as Ordinances of God and such have been very forward in Judging and Condemning of others who were of a better Understanding and did see further than themselves And forasmuch as our dear Friend J. S. was by some who profess the Truth misrepresented unto many Friends that did not know him as a Person that was against good Order in the Church and as if he was a Man of a Loose and Libertine Spirit or that he did countenance others in their Failings c. It is with us to testifie that as it was our Lot to be well acquainted with him as any in these parts to our Knowledge were for many years yet we did never know him to oppose any good Order which any of Gods People did believe was their Duty to perform either Male or Female because Gods People are and ought to be a free and willing People and what they do as unto God it ought to be from a willing Mind and not by Man's Constraint Mark it was against the Imposing of it and so not against any good Order in it self which Friends might be in the practice of for we do know that he did love to see good Order among Friends and that things might be done decently but he was not for laying the Stress of Salvation upon any Outward Things or Methods that were or might be practiced among Gods People for that would be an Idolizing of it and Hippocrites may come into an Outward Conformity or Uniformity with Outward Orders or Methods when they are neither Heirs of Salvation nor Members of that Church which is in God of which Jesus Christ is Head for he would say That it was an incumbant Duty on Christians to be Charitable to the Poor and to relieve their Necessities But after what Manner or Method they did extend their Charity so that the end was answered he thought it indifferent For we read in History the Church at Jerusalem did Collect every First Day or once a Week but the Church of the Gentiles once a Month and doubtless they did not fall out or differ about their Method while they stood in Gods Counsel And as to Liberty that as he did abhor taking any Liberty in Unrighteousness so on the other hand he was one that did stand much for that Christian Liberty which is in Christ Jesus and he did both spend and was spent for the Gospel of the Kingdom which doth not consist in the strict Observance of any Outward Observations or Traditions or Inventions of Men but to wait upon God and serve him according to the Manifestation of his own Spirit that he hath given to Man to profit withal and then If the Truth doth make us free are we free indeed we say it was this Christian-Liberty that stands in Truth and Righteousness that J. S. did stand for and so do we and that all may know the Spirit of Truth to be their Leader in the Things that they do and perform as unto God that so none may act in those things from anothers Measure but from the measure of Gods Grace in themselves without being Judged one of or by another about their Christian Liberty and Freedom in the Truth And further we have to say

Man Nought but thy Lord give Satisfaction can Some things both Old and New they are but vain Truth ' gainst Tradition well thou didst maintain Of Innovation thou Prophetick saw Rules made by Men last turned into Law Yet Truth resist's hence Church Divisions grow Hence Persecutions flow Hence Gospel Teachings put a stop unto J. C. Charles Harris his Testimony AS for John Story he bore the Countenance of a Man of God and was a Preacher of Righteousness in his Day both in Doctrine and Conversation and as such was esteemed by thousands for many years yet he went not to his Grave under that Sentence Viz. Wo to you when all Men speak well of you For he met with such Exercise as Holy Paul did from some that could once have pull'd out their Eyes to Serve him afterwards became his Enemies saying his Speech was Centemptible seeking a Proof of Christ speaking in him and he had some share with that Beloved Disciple that saith in his Epistle to Gaius on this wise Viz. I wrote unto the Church but Diotrephes who loveth to have the Preheminence among them Receiveth us not prating against us with malitious Words and not content therewith neither doth he himself Receive the Brethren and forbiddeth them that would and casteth them out of the Church or declared out of Unity or thrust out of the Congregation I have known him for many years and never found but that he was a Man of Peace it hath been frequently reported he was a Tyth-Payer Let the Reader observe he never stood in such a Capacity all his Days never Keeping House or Occupying any Land being a Single Man and as to his Judgment concerning Tythes it may be seen in what follows under his own hand So whether it be better to Judge of a Man by his own Words and Deeds or by ones own Imaginations called Sense let the Charitable Reader Judge He has also been termed Of a Dividing Spirit Let his Epistle speak for himself some say his Ministry was dead which I say if they had lived in that time that the Disciple John was led to the Church and said not much more but Little Children love one another it may be they would have said he was Dead and Formal It is to be observed J. S. was much spent before his Departure having been a Preacher from his Youth so had not strength of Voice to utter himself as formerly but still what he said was of this tendency Viz. That if Friends did believe in and wait upon God in the Manifestation of our Lord Christ he would in due time answer all the Immortal Longings of their Souls and preserve them to his Glory and Kingdom And indeed to them that loved him he was in their Eye the same Man to his death that he had been all along still growing in the same Truth And as for the Divisions that sprang up both North and South it is well known that it was not he that caused them I well remember how it was Westward till some Persons went that way and stirred up the People into Parties one Day they will feel the Burthen of it In what follows there are two Queries proposed to Friends at Drawell with their Answers If all would but keep to it accordingly there would be no Strife and as for that way that is taken by some to defame every man by endeavouring to take away his Good Name both as a Man and Christian that is not Conformable to some new sort of Church-Government and Discipline so called Though for a time they may seem to Reign as Kings upon Earth they shall dye like Men and it shall be known in the end that the Peace of the Church and Love to Brethren is of more value than all Sounding Brass or Tincling Cymbals So blessed are all such true Preachers that look upwards for their Reward in that World that is to come Amen C. H. As to what follows if thou canst believe that Men mean as they speak Read on if not stay till thou hast Charity Two Questions proposed by J. W. and J. S. to Friends of the Meeting at Drawell and their Answers Viz. Question I. WHether or no we and all Gods People ought not to be left in all Matters of Faith and Discipline so far as Discipline may become Matter of Faith to the Manifestation of Gods Spirit and Truth in our own Hearts and to speak and act therein as we are thereby Instructed and Perswaded and not otherwise Question II. 2dly Since there are Diversities of Talents and Gifts given by the Spirit of God and received by Men Whether the Judgment of Truth it self given forth through a Part of the Members of Christ's Body can become a Bond upon any other Part of the said Body further than their Vnderstandings are illuminated thereby Answer To the first Question we say Yea and Nay to the second Question with that true and simple Sense that the Words import and Friends have been used to understand them but not to strengthen Prejudiced Spirits who have made that their Plea for their Separation and against Truths Authority in our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings nor yet to Justifie any that are Ignorant through their own Sloth and Unfaithfulness or to excuse them that would not be accounted Weak but Strong Wise and as Pillars The Judgment of J. W. and J. S. concerning the Five Heads on which the 44 Articles exhibited against them were grounded which was publickly read in the Meeting at Drawell as followeth ON the whole Matter in the Fear and Presence of the Almighty God we declare That we do approve of Monthly and Quarterly Meetings for the necessary Service of the Truth so we farther say that as those or any other Meetings of Friends in Truth shall be continued to answer those Services we believe that as it now is it also will become our Duty to be at Unity with our Brethren in the Services thereof and that though one of us Viz. J. W. did condescend to Subscribe to a Paper for the Erecting a Womans-Meeting in the Country to answer the ends the Paper proposed which he testifies he then did in singleness of Heart for Unity-Sake yet according to that inward sense we now have there appears to us no absolute necessity to continue Womens-Meetings in the Country distinct and separate from the Men and therefore do Conscientiously forbear to assent or Incourage any to lay the Intents of Marriages before them yet that Inward Sense and Heavenly Understanding we have received from God hath and yet doth confirm us in this Judgment that 't is not agreeable with the Line of Truth to oppose others in the Exercise and appointed Service of the said Meetings as heretofore and now are settled and agreed upon who being Conscientious therein are otherwise Minded than we are and if any of our Words or Actions have had any tendency to oppose c. which we are not Conscious of but if we were