this in the inwards of my Spirit I smote upon my Thigh and said What have I done and was willing to take Shame upon my self and to give Glory to the Lord. How hard it went with me inwardly none knows And he that knows how easie it is to let in a Snare and Temptation and to have the inward Eye blinded thereby will not wonder nor think too hardly of me but his Bowels will rather rowl in the Sense of the Misery I underwent God knows I did not mistake willingly Nay truly The Power was upon me when I wrote those Queries but I did not understand the Signification thereof which would rather have led me then as it hath since against that Spirit which brought up that new Vnprofitable and Vnseemly Practice of keeping on the Hat in time of Publick Prayer in the Assemblies of God's People Now the making use of this against the Infallible Teachings of God's Spirit and the Infallible Way in which he leads his People is not Just True and Equal What! Was I never Infallibly led because the Enemy once blinded my Eâ—e and deceived me Did not the Apostle Peter receive the Infallible Spirit and was not he led thereby And did he not walk in the infallible Way because once he did that which was justly to be blamed and doubtless erred in Judgment concerning the Practice Gal. 2.11 I do not desire that Men should judge me Infallible or hearken to me as to one Infallible but this I desire that I may alwayes understand and follow the Voice and Guidings of God's Holy Spirit and then I am sure I shall alwayes walk in the Certain Vnerring Infallible Way besides which indeed there is no safe Way And I desire also that others with Ears and Eyes opened by the Lord may hear that Living Sound and Testimony which cometh from the Spirit of the Lord in those whom he sends that the Gathering may be to him and the Walking with him in the Spirit of his Son in the Light which is Eternal which ever was and ever will be Infallible which is the Path of the Living in this Day of the Breaking forth of God's Pure Power and Love in the Heats of many Oh Glory Oh fresh living Praises to his Name forever Isaac Penington John Crook's Testimony Having seen a Pamphlet intituled Tyranny and Hypocrisie Detected in which is printed a Paper of mine writ by me about Eleaven or Twelve Years since about Gestures and Postures c. it is thus in my Heart to write MY Desires and Breathings from my tender years have been after the Living God and since I have tasted of his Goodness and Mercy I have had a Love for and Longing after the Eternal Welfare of all that in any Measure sought after him in Truth and Righteousness knowing the Enemy's Devices to be many and various seeking by all Means to devour them And from a deep Sense of the same I writ the Paper about Gestures and Postures c. many years since knowing how busie the great Enemy of Man's Soul was at that juncture of time to draw out the Minds of some into the Observation and Innovation of Keeping their Hats upon their Heads in the time of Prayer in the publick Assemblies of God's People hoping that those Lines at that time might have been Successful to stop that Practice in some of them at least and also have allayed any thing in any others which might be of tendency to hinder their Information and Recovery But it was never in the least in my Heart or Intention to Encourage or Strengthen that Spirit and Practice which my own Judgment and Practice was against Neither did I intend any other Liberty then what was in the Lord and the Maintaining Love and Vnity amongst Brethren And truly in these various or contrary Practices of some keeping on their Hats and others putting off their Hats my Heart was affected desiring that the Lord would put a Stop to whatever tended to Discord which since hath appeared manifestly to arise from that Spirit which first brought in that Innovation Therefore in Good Conscience I cannot but bear my Testimony against the Author of this scurrilous Pamphlet for endeavouring not only to fasten such a Sense and Imputation upon me but also for his Attempt and Industry what in him lies to render God's People Odious and his ever-blessed Truth Contemptible to the World and thereby himself becomes a Murderer of Souls in perverting the Right Way of the Lord for which the God of Heaven will undoubtedly rebuke both him and all his Confederates in this wicked Vndertaking and in his time bring them to open Shame if they Repent not of this their Wickedness and Sin For the Epistle subscribed by Edw. Burroughs John Perrot and My Self it was writ when we were Prisoners together in New-Gate where John Perrot forbore the Wearing his Hat on purpose as we supposed to avoid Offence and also at that time be writ a Paper which was Satisfactory concerning the Matter of the Hat and had he made it publick at that time it might have prevented what afterwards befel him At this very juncture when there was such a Compliance and Hopes of his Recovery was the fore-mentioned Epistle writ Now let the Impatrtial Reader judge whether the Author of this Envious Libel hath shewed either Ingenuity or Humanity in his recital of the fore-mentioned Papers to the End for which he hath made them publick John Crook Solomon Eccle's Testimony FRIENDS I Give my Testimony for the Lord and for this blessed Truth this Day The Lord is amongst us and through the Riches of his Love towards us hath he made himself known unto us by his Eternal Light which shines in our Hearts And this Light is exceeding pretious to all that receive it in the Love of it for it is Pure and Divine and to be admired in all that do believe The Life is the Light of Men Jo. 1.4 and to know this is the excelent Knowledge And by believivg in this Light and walking in the same We have Fellowship one with an other 1 Jo. 1.7 and Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ But some are gone out from us and gone from their own Mercies and are turned against the Truth yet pretend to follow the Lamb They would Exclude us that the World might Affect them Of this sort is John Pennyman who hath sought Occasion against me and G. F. and hath printed and caused to be printed three times against me that never did him hurt first in his own Pamphlet next the Baptists called the Spirit of the Hat 3lY the Tyranny and Hypocrisy detected But in this he hath not done any wayes like a Servant of the Lord as he stiles himself nor a Follower of the Lamb for he never came to me in a Brotherly Way according to Gospel Order Mat. 18.15 first in secret by my self to shew me wherein I had done amiss if I had done amiss Nor was he so
in a former Book and it might have been sufficient to Reasonable Men For as I then said I did not Deny what I had spoke at the former Meeting but being Mis-understood I Explained it which gave Satisfaction We pretend not to be above Mis-hearings and Mis-apprehensions though above Wilful Evils It s well they have no greater Crime to accuse me of who are so Envious as to make use of such Trifling Inconsiderable Matters as this to Discredit us Well this I have further to say concerning the siad book That Hell hath opened her Mouth and the Dragon hath cast out Floods against the Church that is coming out of the Wilderness which the Lord our God is building upon the Rock Christ Jesus and the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it And many hath the Lord established upon this Rock who are Inhabitants thereof and can sing for Joy in the midst of all Tryals and Excersises Storms and Tempests knowing that our Foundation stands sure and as there we abide we can never be moved having Salvation for Walls and Bulworks and being kept as in the Munition of Rocks where our Bread is sure and our Waters never fall Praises to the Lord forever James Claypoole John Osgood's Testimony I Having seen a Pamphlet called Tyranny and Hypocrisie Detected in which my Name is inferred in pag. 17. saying That whilst I in general terms deny all I do in particular deny nothing at all I say My Answer stated the Matter truly as it was and many are the yet Witnesses that know it to be so and to J. P. at his House it was so proved to be since the said Answer was printed And as to his Query in pag. 28. What is become of the Integrity of J. O. that he should put his Name among such Men as these I answer As for these Men I believe they would not affirm a thing with Pen or Toungue that they knew to be Untrue as this Pamphlet basely insinuates nor did I so much as in the least know of their Answer till I saw it printed And as for my Integrity it is known unto the Lord and to him have I approv'd my self in faithfulness even in Reproving the Extravagancies of him that I believe was the Grand Informer to him or them that made this Pamphlet and Sorrows many the Lord knows I have and had for him and oh that he had not been above Counsel then had he not been found Running the Race of Core nor Furnishing with Spears the Goliahs of Gath that this day Defie the Host of the Living God How have they made the Haerts of the Uncircumcised Glad How doth Askalon Rejoyce and Atheism say Ah! ha thus would we have it How is this Pamphlet furnished with Scoffs as Foxonians King Fox and Ironically Oh Innocent Holy Harmless People Well the Righteous Terrible Dreadful God will Avenge for these things What thought the Apostle said There where those things amongst the Corinthians that were not so much as to be named among the Heathens what must be their Portion that unto the Heathens made known this and thereby the God of the Christians Blaspheamed and the Way of Truth Reproached as it is at this day But with this sad Difference some of them that now are Agents in this Work have Tasted of and Witnessed unto theat Immortal and heavenly Power that was and is manifest amongst us and have gone from it and given heed to Fables Being Heady and High-minded they have stumbled and caused others to stumble they have Offended and treasured up the Offences of others unto their own Hurt John Osgood William Gosnell 's Testimony This is my Faithful Testimony for God his Truth and People and the Clearing of mine own Conscience As also given forth for Information of the Sober Enquirer and for'Condemnation of J. P. and his Confederates against whose Works I am and hope shall terminate my dayes in Judgment against that Spirit they serve Warning all to take heed of them who tender the Good of their Souls knowing their Ways and Works lead unto Death by Means whereof the Way of Truth is Evil-spoken to the Dishonour of God and Strengthening of the Wicked in their Doings FOr that my Soul loves the Truth and such who are the Faithful Servants thereof I do therefore reckon my self concerned with my Brethren as also for their sakes who have any Desires in their Hearts after the Way of Truth as it is by a Remnant Despised of Men in this our Day made known and testified unto to write something in Answer to what is charged against me in a Libel called TYRANNY AND HYPOCRISIE DETECTED which to the truly Sober and Unprejudiced Reader can be accounted nothing less then impious Railing and from an Ishmaelitish Spirit and from the Enemy of all Good in his Instruments manifested against such who are Resisters of Tyrrany and in the Uprightness of their Hearts Denyers of Hypocrise and in that give my Testimony against the said Pamphlet believing that whosoever is the Author thereof or Contributory thereto shall receive of the Lord our God the Just Judge of all who hath pleaded and will plead the Cause of his Truth and People the just Recompence of Reward according as their Work hath been which unto them who walk in the Light are seen to be Evil and They the Workers thereof bound in Chains of Darkness reserved to the Judgment of the Great Day nevertheless my Soul's Desire is if possible the may find a place for Repentance In Pag. 45. called Tyranny and Hypocrisie Detected are these words When I first saw Gosnell ' s Name in the Spirit of Alexander I expected nothing less then a Denyal of what is related to have been said by G. F. viz. Friends Although I have not told it you I do now declare That I have Power to Bind and to Loose whom I please In that thou didst nothing less then expect a Denyal c. doth manifest what Spirit thou art of viz. That which watcheth and waiteth for Evil and expecteth nothing less Why didst thou not set thy Name to that which thou hast heaped up that so we might have known ther and made some Enquiry after thee It s written That Fear surprizeth the Hypocrite Were thy Works such as would bring Honour to thee it may be we might have had thy Name at large but thy Works are manifest to be Evil and of the Flesh as are Railings Envious and Scoffing Speeches Slanders and Evil Suggestions So though thou concealest thy Name yet by thy Fruits thou art manifested to be an Evil Tree For an Evil Tree bringeth forth Evil Fruit. And why thou shouldst Expect a Denyal whilst sayest thou it seems is true let the Sober judge And so thou goest on as one of Ishmael's Brood with a Scoff saying How can it be otherwise that so Great a King and Prophet as G. F. should not have Power to Bind and Loose That there is a Power to Bind and
to Loose now as was in dayes past is evident from that Saying of Christ Him whose Sins ye Bind on Earth are Bound also in Heaven And did not the Disciples of Christ pray for Forgiveness from their Father which was in Heaven as they FORGAVE them who trespassed against them And were not they exhorted To FORGIVE one another as God for Christ's sake forgave them So that hadst thou not been with J. P. filled with the Gall of Bitterness and in the Bond of Iniquity thou wouldest not surely have writ as on that wise nor made such loud Cavilings at that which the wise in Heart know to have a Consistency with Truth and is agreeable to the Testimony of Holy Men who spoak as they were moved by the Holy Ghost out of whose Practice thou art and thy Contributories whose Tongues are your own and therewith speak to the Vilifying of such whose Habitation is in Heaven But they who served the Lord in their Generation said Our Bodies are not our own so not our Tongues And said one Lord open thou my Mouth and my Tongue shall speak of thy Praise Hast thou or thy Confederates who have joyned hand in hand together spoak or writ or printed ought in either of your Libels that hath redounded to the Praise of God Hath not their Tendency been otherwise even to speak Evil of Dignities and to write of things which for no Good but Hurt to Mankind are produced In Vain in vain are you found Fighters against the Lord his Truth and Pepple for it Prospers it Encreases it Grows in the Hearts of many Glory to God for evermore And that John Pennyman should as he hath done creep into the Bosoms of some who have been more open to him then he hath made good use of and that in a time when he himself both in Word and Deed shewed himself a Friend to Truth and us also attending our Meetings both Publick and Private not as a Disturber but Member of us and now thus basely to Betray and Bespatter is Unworthy with a Witness His Works of late have manifested the Contrary else how durst he do as he hath done seek all Occasion against them who have and still do tender his Good and the Redemption of his Soul which some have as I may say laid down and yet could their Lives for his Restauration Oh that he truly saw how he hath caused the Heathen to Blaspheam and some to say in their Hearts Sure there is no God no True Religion nor Worship and how unto others who it may be had some Inclinations in their Hearts towards God and Godliness hath he given Occasion of Stumbling and unto Professors who have and do Watch for our Haulting that so they may Impare the Honour of Truth not only to their own but to others Hurt also whose Blood he stands guilty of before the Lord. I write not these things but to the End that he may be Wise for Offences have come through him and Wo from the Lord is unto him unless he Repent John Pennyman being at a Meeting appointed for Service to our Suffering Friends which we were then to inspect and some particular Matters were then in Debate how such of our Friends might be Relieved who were â—â—concerned in the Case of Tythes and somewhat was proposed and an Instance given of one Country Friend who had observed some Directions from R. C. in which afterward there was not in the Friend through Satisfaction pretty much time was spent about it and words spoak by S. N. which G. F. and some others did reckon of Disservice to the Meeting as also of Hurtful Consequence to our Friends Suffering in some Cases upon which G. F. was very much Grieved and fervently stirred up to lay the Charge of that Service upon S. N. also to blame his Reflections upon R. C. which he doing with Fervency of Spirit a Fear or Apprehension entred me lest as J. P. hath carried it to the World G. F. should have struck him and going home I spake to S. N. of some Passages which past at that Meeting J. P. being with us and uttered my Thoughts or Fears in that Respect adding at the same time that the Weight of Friends Sufferings was much upon G. F. some whereof pretty Eminent being then before us and therefore did impute it to his Zeal for their Relief and so much the more by how much any thing was offered by S. N. to the Hurt of the Meeting and Prejudice as was thought to the Sufferers some time after G. F. hearing of it told me between himself and me that I should not have said so and hath often declared he never had any such Thought I then told him I was sorry I had said so or feared so and indeed so I was others also being there present I mean at the Meeting about Sufferings signifying they had no such Apprehension neither did they believe had I any Cause to apprehend or fear any such thing But to proceed to the other Charge of Binding Loosing whom he pleased More then once or twice as I remember J. P. had been with me to know if the Words were whom I pleased I told him at all times I could not say nor remember those words whom I pleased yet to bring Reproach to G. F. as also to sow Discord among Brethren as much as in him lieth hath suggested it to the World and that after 't was buried and at a Meeting with some Friends together with G. F. before he went beyond Sea for it was all our Desires that what was amiss might be cast out declaring then as before I was sorry I should apprehend or fear any such thing of G. F. Now that J. Pennyman should so unworthily and in Enmity and Prejudice to G. F. whom he hath ill requited in that he hath rendered Evil for Good and to emit carryed into the World not only by Word but also by Print things privately and amicably mentioned upon Occasion when he was not as now he is an open Opposers of Truth and Friends so Disingennous nay Treacherous that Heathens would blush at it he should have let this have dyed with his Sincerity to us and not have made use of that against us in his Apostasy which nothing but my Regard to his Sincerity could have drawn from me Is this one of thy higher Attainments O John these Doings will seize upon thee in God's Time How is John Pennyman changed from what he was With what great Readiness of Mind and Ardency of Spirit did he himself judge with Sowers of Division and that Spirit by which he was captivated which led him to the keeping on his Head his Hat in the times of Friends Prayer to God and with what Show of Satisfaction and Joy of Soul in the Hearing of many Fiends in which they also were refreshed did he once and again express for that he blessed the Lord he was broke off from that Spirit which
Heart Henry Stout Rebecca Travese's Testimony A Testimony in the Spirit of Love against that Malitious Spirit that in certain Apostates and their Abettors exercises Tyranny and Hypocrisie every where TO you Friends is my Love who are in the Enquirings after the Lord and his Truth that you may come to be Partakers of the same Inheritance of Life and Glory that many are made Witnesses of through Believing And the Power thereof we cannot but testifie of as by the Effectual Working and Operation in our Hearts we feel not only to set us free from that which imbondaged us in times past as well as others but hath brought us to the Liberty of the Seed of God which above and before all seeks the Glory of God and this hath enriched us with Grace and enduring Mercy whereby we feel all our Iniquities taken away and Transgressions blotted out in and for the Name and Power of Christ which in us is become the sure Hope of endless Glory and this hath made us Us That hold the Faith willing to proclaim the good Will of God unto all that others with us might come to set down in the Heavenly Places with Christ our alone Head and Life and be delivered from those Runnings Strivings and Inventions Tossings Tumblings and Turmilings that all Image-Makers are in not being possible to find Rest but in and by the Light which from the Rest comes and to the Rest gathers into which many are entred and cannot be disturbed or made afraid and it is Everlasting And the Satisfaction and Peace of this true abiding Love rests upon us and constreins us to call and invite them afar off as those near to come freely to the Fountain of Living Water without Money and without Price For a Remnant are come to know that there is and shall be a daily adding of them to us that shall be saved for the Work of the Lord must prosper notwithstanding all the Force and Subtility of them that contrive against it The Building must be finished all things are prepared and preparing thereunto and the House of the Lord shall be established upon the Top of that that resisteth it and the Foundation is already laid sure and steddy and every Stone hewen and fitted thereto is pretious and the Command of our King none can reverse for he is Almighty and works according to the Counsel of his own Will 't is Counsel indeed close hid from all Sorts of Workers in the dark So they fret and are angry the Heathen rage but theirs is a Fury that consumes it self and soon goes out if not added to by new Fewil And these of all Sorts have manned their Weapons to the utmost and done what ever they can to hinder the Increase of this Work yet these are not the worst Enemies for it is the People that imagine vainly that ever withstood the Appearance of God in the World search the Scriptures Christ came unto his own them that profest a Waiting for him and they rejected him they crucified him yea he that walkt with Christ and sometimes cryed Hail Master he and these Pretenders are the Betrayers in all Generations and Hinderers of the Work of the Lord here the Power of Darkness in all Generations wrought mind Scriptures through all that desire to be kept from resisting the Just and Holy One. Though many Enemies Nations and People Withstood the Servant of the Lord Moses in his great Work whereunto God had called him yet none did like Mischief as that gain-saying Spirit in Korah Dathan and Abiram and Balaam that was for and against Israel who had been a Prophet and loving the Wages of Unrighteousness becomes a Tempter and layes the Snare that they might Sin against God and be divided from The Blessing And so mind who hindred the Building of the Temple of the Lord in the time that Deliverance drew nigh when the great and noble Travil of the Holy Servants of the Lord that were Zealous for the Restoring of the Captivated to their former Liberties and Rights in the Place that then was owned and appointed of the Lord and ever to be remembred was and is the Courage Boldness and Constant Watchfulness of those Worthies Ezra Nehemiah and Zerubabel that discerned the Falseness and Treachery of those pretending Friends that did not only seem to approve their Works and offer to build the House of the Lord but to assist them saying Let us build with you for we seek your God as you do and that they had done it for a long time but they being discerned and refused by Zerubabel and the other Worthies of Israel then they manifested themselves to be Hinderers of the Work of God and hired Counsellors against them to frustrate their Purpose whose Work a little before they pretended to be assistent to and after write against them with great Accusasations Ezra the 4th and the 14th and Nehemiah the 4th and the 1st Sambalet and Tobiah they mocked taunted and scoffed to make ridiculous and little Worth the then Endeavours and good Orders that these Noble Men put in Practice for the Restoring of the House of God And so to you Friends to whom my mind is directed that are weak in the Faith I writ that you may be warned that you may be strengthened against this Treacherous Spirit Do not these Scriptures run parallel with them that have brought forth such Accusations whether false or true Is not their End one who have joyned with and taken Counsel of such whom they know were and are contrary to the People and Truth that they formerly seemed to be of and for to make Odious and Ridiculous in the Sight of all Men with their Orders And though some of them under Pretence did act with them and would have Lorded it as much as any until discerned and dealt with for their Unorderly Practice and Unsubjectedness to them that in the Spirit serve the Lord continually So Friends This is it I would have you observe in all things and at all times that that Spirit that professeth Truth and talkes of Truth and seems for it and yet is against it is not of God though it seems so for here first sprang and is continued that monstrous Anti-Christian Brood that hath filled the Earth with Darkness Blood and Cruelty and with these shall those be judged that in this our Day have given and taken Offences to lay Stumblings in the Way of the Simple But Glorified be the Power that hath broke forth before which they must all fly yet here and there a few crawle up to use their Strength against the Increase of his Power the Word of whose Mouth shall destroy them and the Brightness of his Coming shall utterly consume them for they are such of whom the Apostle complained had done him much Wrong for they hindred as much as in them lay the Purpose of the Lord in the Earth And this hath been the Work of many in this our Day of
each other and the Presence and Power of the Lord sealed to it and she was a Blessing to him to whom the Lord gave her all her days And I was so far from the Exercise of Authority in that Matter that I know not that I Invited one to the Marriage much less Commanded and J. O. used no Interest in that Matter that I know then what he gained by Love and had these Accusers come to and kept in this Love they had been kept out of that Spirit of the Accuser that now from time to time acts them to seek Occasion against the Brethren and the Truth and then whether False or True as those that Rejoyce in Iniquity they publish it that they may Murder in the Way And if any Righteous Soul grieved and burdened with their Bringings forth in Mischief Write or Answer them sharply they imagine they get Strength by it and shew it to Adversaries of Truth as if the People of the Lord did Amiss in Clearing the Truth and throwing back the Dirt on them from whence it comes but let all take notice that the Prophet Elijah was Justified in his Reproaching of Baal's Priests in their Blind Worships and Mad Fury for the True God appeared to him for his Justification as be doth unto us that abide in his Power unto this day But for the Taunts and Mockings of Samballat Tobiah they are recorded for their Infamy forever For what is the Chaff to the Wheat saith the Lord And I did not nor do not intend to Controvert or Answer the Writings of these Enemies of Truth having not so much as read them through only a few Lines which being False Truth required to come over and upon the Head of the False Worker is it set and I did not then cry out as they say in my own Concern nor do I now write to serve my selfe but the Truth and the End hath and shall declare the Ground of all Actions And as the Fighters against God have and do scatter from him and gather into the World with the Vain Customs thereof so those that have and do contend earnestly for the Truth have no other End or Aim but to preserve in and gather to the Grace of God which Teacheth to Deny all Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts and many Thousands they are that to this day are preserved thereby out of the Net that these Subtil and Deceitful Ones have laid and are laying But Sufficient is the Grace in which we have believed and thereby we receive Power over all Spirits which are gone out and hatch Mischief and bring forth Lyes But Praises be to the Power that hath brought many into the One Mind that above and before all they seek the Encrease and Enlargement of Truth and these have the Mind of God and know he is on their side and laughs to Scorn all his Enemies And our Communion and Fellowship is Holy and within the Holy Place where the Unclean and Inventers of Evil could never come for the Unfeigned Brotherly Love gives an Enterance thereunto but they out of it not seeking after this grow in Envy by lusting thereto and offering Despight to the Spirit of Grace in themselves they bring forth the same against all us that are guided thereby And I am bold in that Spirit that cannot Lye to say to all in this Gainsaying Spirit as I did many Years since to some in the same Spirit and some of these Evil-Workers did hear it and are Witnesses it is fulfilled on them of whom it was then testified J. P. and C. B. and others if they return not they are and shall assuredly be swallowed up of the Earth and link into it cast again into the Sea from whence they were taken as bad Fish indeed out of the Net But Holy is the Lord and his Name shall be Magnified of all the Upright Ones for their Redemption is sure and these are daily coming forth with Songs of Thanksgiving and the High Praises of the Lord are in their Hearts and Mouths forever and for evermore Amen Friends that are plain-hearted and love Righteousness and though but turned Sion-ward and you that for the Truth have sold All you are all very dear unto me as I know I am and must be to you for as we are all of one Begetting and are come to the one Hope and are nourished at the one Breast where the Milk of the Word causeth to grow into the Oneness of that Spirit which sets free from Sin and Death here we have Unity and bear one another's Burdens and in the Life of the Head are affected with the Suffering of every Member that hath Life therein and with his Compâ—ssions come to be filled and having Fellowship in his Suffering are grieved and oppressed with the Works of the Adversaries every where and at all times that ever since the Entrance of the Night of Apostasy to this time are as truly Persecuting Christ Jesus in his Members and Slaying him in the Streets of the great City spiritually called Sodom and Aegypt as Paul persecuted â—â—m when he got Letters from the high Priests to take Men or Women that were of that Way and bring them bound to Jerusalem And as sure as the Apostle John saw his Crucifying in the Spirit of Prophecy so certainly with all the Contenders and Gain-sayers and Resisters of the Testimony of Jesus which Testimony is the Spirit of Prophecy be found Fighters against God who mischievously have taken up all Miscarriages and Mistakes and with their Misunderstandings and own dark Imaginations adding Lyes of their own making whereby some have been weakened and others turned out of the Way and the Truth come to be questioned by the Ignorant whereby the End of these Revolters is made manifest And though I have not so much as said in my Heart I would they were cut off from the Lord yet sure I am they have gone about as much as in them lies to pervert the good Way of the Lord by making the People believe the Quakers allow Vcleanness or Vnrighteousness in that some professing it have gone out as they and practised those things that the Light testifieth against and yet when in good Order by Men loving Holiness there is a Meeting to reform or divide such far from us in the outward this offends them also So may not all see the Restlesness of this Spirit that would throw the Guilt of those that have offended on those Innocent ones that are travelling for the Removal of all Evils But there are many Thousands to the Praise of the Power of God be it spoken that are kept not only out of Uncleanness and all Unrighteousnes but are in the true Religion which keeps from the Spots of the World and their Communion stands where the Blind could never see Another Stumbling-Block that these that are making the Offences lay in the Way of the Simple is as if we honour and set up Man in the Place of God or
describe good and bad Fruits and from such Actions Men may by a Writing describe the Right from the Wrong But what gives to relish tast or savour a Wrong Spirit in Sheeps Cloathing beside the Heavenly Instinct of the Divine Nature As People are turned to that they can discern as saith the Apostle The Spiritual Man judgeth all things that is of right he may and is judged of no Man that is not discerningly of the meer Natural Men And as the Spiritual Man's Discerning is from the Spirit that searcheth out the deep things of God so is God the Judge and Law giver to his People under this Dispensation If the Gospel-Fellowship be in Spirit True Christians must have an Inward Tast and Sense of one anothers Spirits and what gives to savour aright at the same time gives to relish a Wrong Spirit The same Objection he makes against the Light may be made against the Spirit which is but another Name for the same Principle and I hope he will not dare to say that any Confusion can follow upon holding that Men under the Gospel ought to be led by it Yet this granted suppose Men pretending to be led by the Spirit to be gone from the Spirit or that two equally pretending to be guided by it differ as Paul and Barnabas and Peter what should determine No Writings of the Old Testament could at least without Meanings and the same Difficulty lyes about the Meanings of Scripture as about being led by the Spirit In this Case what shall be done Surely the Spirit must not be upbraided nor branded Neither will it follow That there is no Judge for Christ is the great Judge appointed of God the Spiritual great Prophet that speaks from Heaven and in his own time will give Judgment to the View of all Men. In the mean while he satisfies the Minds of those who are truly led by his Spirit and Withering Decay Murmuring Complaining and finally Apostasy will follow upon the Pretenders as is fulfilled in the present Judasses This hath been largely argued elsewhere yet I was not willing to let this Passage of our Enemies pass unconsidered which indeed is the Strength of his Book and what the ablest of our Adversaries can say against us an this account I have proceeded thus far more particularly in Defence of the Church against the Apostate Adversaries and their Apologist about the Argument by them made about the Hat and those Discords that issued In which I hope I have not exceeded the Bounds of Truth and Moderation For the latter Objection which is directed not so much against the Body of our Friends as a select Number of Ministers and Elders devoted as he falsly and scoffingly suggests to the Promotion of G. F's Authority and Interest I can with all Clearness and Sincerity and that in the Name of many Brethren give this following Testimony G. F. I would have all to know seeks not Himself but Christ and as becomes a true Apostle and Servant of his Lord and Master Jesus Christ Early and Late in Season and out of Season with incessant Pains and Care not being Burthensom unto any endeavours to promote the Work of God in the Earth and is so far from Lording it over any that he daily serves all for the Truth 's sake thinking no Labour too great nor Condescension too mean whereby he may be Serviceable to any in what concerns their Eternal Well-fare and this some of these Apostates must needs know He has approved himself and still doth among us to be a Man of God and a True Prophet of the Lord and as such we do Value him and the Rage of Men shall not Dis-settle us from our Sense and Regard of him who seeks not himself nor his own things but the Things of God that Christ and his Power alone may be exalted in the Hearts of all People and all Flesh humbled and for this alone are all publick Labourers of Value with our Friends and no otherwise Respected or Regarded then in the Lord which is not Tyranny but Duty Wherefore those Terms of Foxonian King George Fox Foxonian Leaven G. Fox and his Party or Adherents are with many more Words of Scorn and Abuse he has no such intended Lordship nor are we of his Party buâ— God's Free-Men and True Christians being with him Baptized by One Spirit into One Body the Unity of which these smiting Apostates and their abusive Libeller can never break I shall touch upon their Aggravations about not Marrying Burying c. before I come to those other Reflections made against G.F. our Ministry and My self and all before I end my Share in this Re-joynder First He is pleased to say That we deny them Trading Marrying Burying and all Ecclesiastical Civil Priviledges to those that dissent from us p. 7. These were the Aggravations I before promised to observe But alas What shall we say to a Man thus Hardy and resolved to be Wicked that he may render us so Did we even forbid Men Trading or endeavour to take People off from Trading with them J. Pennyman can say no such thing without Lying for several have lovingly frequented his Shop since he Enviously visited and disturbed our Meetings And how many do we daily trade with that are not of us in Love and full Assurance of their Honesty For Marrying I referred the Author of the Spirit of the Hat to the Apostle's Dehortation Be ye not Vnequally Yoaked together It seems if we cannot own Persons to be of us that are not of us we must be abused This made the present Apologizer if I am not out of my Guess Angry and Enraged with us at first 'T is not meer Talking of Christ and hammering out a few Notions in the meer Strength of Man's Will and Wisdom that makes a True Christian therefore we could not receive him for our Sect-Master that angers him And for Marriage we cannot have Unity with any in that solemn Performance of Marrying who are acted by a Wrong Spirit and so gone out of the Union of the Body of Friends We do not deny them that are so Married to be Married at all as this Enemy would conclude though to be Married in the Unity we can never own them As to our denying of Burial unto such Apostates my words in the Book called The Spirit of Alexander the Copper-Smith Rebuked carry no such unnatural Sense Two things I denyed 1. That we therefore denyed them a Burial because we should alwayes refuse it as of us whilst they continued in that Dissenting Spirit from us 2. That we Vsurped their Property To the first sayes our Adversary The Quakers would not suffer such to stink above Ground but he should be buried not among the Catholicks but as Hereticks in Spaine or Italy p. 19. Behold the Candor of this Interpreter What a strange Improvement has he made of my Saying much more resembling the Carriage of that sort of Catholicks he likens us to against
in the Holy Ghost Is not it established in Peace in the Heart and are not the Saints Heirs of the Kingdom and of the Life that hath no End and is not the Power of God Spiritual and Divine And because it is said G. F. has reached through his Children afar off to the begetting of many to a lively Hope And what then doth not the Apostle say many Members yet one Body they were baptized by one Spirit into one Body and though they were absent in the Body yet present in the Spirit and that it did reach one unto another mark reach which was the Spirit and Power of Christ in which was their Fellowship and Union Do you not manifest your dark Hat-Spirit here And the Life of Christ that has begotten G. F. the same it is that doth reach and beget others to God and that Spirit is blest which begets and brings out of the Curse he was blest and is blest in all Generations and who are of Faith are of Abraham who was the Father of many Nations And a great deal of malitious Stuff is in your Book which all that are sober can savour it from what a Blood-thirsty Spirit it is come who would fain stir up the People against us and the Powers but your Envy is seen And if any have gone out into any Uncleanness or Looseness it hath been a Grief to our Souls and a Wounding to our Spirits to see Goâ— his Truth and his People dishonoured and they have not been received amongst us again but by Repentance which is according to the Mind of the Lord and Practice of Christ his Apostles And why are these Apostates so mad that G. F. should inherit the Kingdom of God that is Everlasting Are not Christ's Words Seek the Kingdom of God first and all things shall follow and because he and thousands more have found the Kingdom of God this torments you that are in the Kingdom of Darkness and whosoever will receive the Kingdom must receive it as a little Child but you are too big for it and you that trust your own Riches Inward and Outward cannot enter the Kingdom Luke 18. and was not the Kingdom of God to be preached but you do not love to hear talk of it but you that once set your Hand to the Plough and look back are not fit for the Kingdom of God And is it not said the Kingdom of God is come to you Luke 10. and was it not said to the Backsliding Pharisees like you that the Kingdom was taken from them Is nâ—t this your Condition has not the little Flock a Kingdom but you shall weep and gnash your Teeth when you see Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom and your selves shut out for the Kingdom stands not in Word but in Power and are not the good Seed the Children of the Kingdom and will not God establish his Seed for ever And now John Pennyman and William Mucklow I have a few words to you who like Brethren in Iniquity have joyned together to betray the Innocent It had been better for you that A Milstone had been hanged about your Necks and you cast into the Sea then that you should have done what you have done And as for thee J. Pennyman Thou hast long been full of Envy and though Friends sought to preserve thee if it might be and to keep thee out of the Evil yet I feared this would come upon thee knowing that there was a Murderous Spirit in thee and now thou hast fully manifested it against G. F. and others of the Saints but Wo and Misery will be thy Portion if thou dost not Repent for thou hast set thy self against the Truth and art joyned with the Enemies of Christ to Persecute his Followers And thou hast been a long time a Persecutor of me as thou knowest and now thou vents thy Malice against my Brethren but I can say God forgive thee if it be his Will but I fear thou are wholely shut up in Darkness and so for Destruction And this was upon my Heart to write unto thee who am and alwayes desire to be a Servant to the Truth which thou despisest called Ellis Hooks THus Reader hast thou the Testimonies of several Persons named in that Libel some of whom are more obscure others more known their Truth and Honesty shall speak for them I will not But most of them are too Noted for Worth and Integrity to be doubted upon a Libel stuffed with that Rage Treachery Slander and Scoff We might also produce the Condemnations of three Persons against themselves the first Letters of whose Names are unworthily mentioned by the Libeller but the Truth is sufficiently cleared and their Addition would give the Book too great a Bulk we rather wish It had been many Sheets less knowing that great Books are seldom read in this Careless and Impatient Age only Reader be pleased to Consider the Deceit of this Adversary and how ready he is to stretch any thing to slander and defame both Particulars and a Society The Spirit of the Hat charg'd our Ministry with Whoredoms and Strumpets in the present tense This Apologizer tells the World our Answer was Evasion because we took it so for sayes he the Book meant it of time past that the Book meant no such thing unless a thing means quite otherwise then it sayes read the Passage Next what is that to us if a Judas or Demas that received part of the Ministry fall into the Evil of this World again can we do any more then Condemn it and we did nothing less Is that to prove our Ministry Vitious to tell a Story perhaps seven or ten Years since of any one or two that have at times opened their Mouth in our Assemblies Oh! God the Righteous and Terrible Judge will reckon with this Ungodly Libeller and those Base Murdering Judasses that have furnisht him with this dirty Trash God will clear our Innocency and detect their Envy and Hypocrisie more convincingly to all the World and that dreadful black and Stormy Day that hastens to try and win now the Nations will scatter them and their Mischievous Designs when God will preserve us in his Fear and Counsel by his Power to his Eternal Praise and our Consolation World without End W. P. A Postscript To the READER Concerning the Vnity of our Adversaries against us amidst the great Discord they are at amongst themselves HOw hearty these Men are in their Envy against us and Hatred to the Way we profess is very discernable from their close Confederacy and strict Union who are as remote and differing from and absolutely contradictory to one another in their Faith Worship and Discipline as to the Quakers themselves against whom they have combined They are made up of some Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists Socinians and Apostates from us A strange Medley of Adversaries and stranger that there should be such Union to Mischief But let us view some of their Principles