was wonderfully with them in this Dispensation that very many came off from the barren Mountains and out of the sandy Deserts and were here refreshed without Money without Price and the Bread was broken freely to the Hungry and Water given freely to the Thirsty And not only so but likewise our Vessels were filled with the same whereby our Hearts were made glad and caused the Springs of Life to break forth out of our Bellies and the Bread of Life to dwell within us that we needed not to go forth out of our own Houses having an Holy Anointing within us to supply the wants of our Souls and lead us into aâ—â— Truth And the Lord did daily add unto the Church and raised up many to go forth in the Power to Preach the Everlasting Gospel whereby the Church multiply'd and encreased to the astonishment of the Nations How low and humble were they in their Spiritâ— how few were they in Words Their yea was yea and their nay nay Ah! let me take up a Lamentation How are the Mighty fallen How have the Stars ceased to give their Light How are the Poor distressed and the Young Ones bruised by the High Mountains and Lofty Cedars whose Habitations were once in Heaven but now upon the High Places of the Earth to impose upon the Conscience and to Establish an Arbitrary Power by a Law these are the armed Beasts and the many Antichrists which break the Unity in Spirit and the Bond of Peace This brings in Divisions causeth Differences contentions and Emulations It roots up the good and eats as doth a Canker whereby the Unity is divided and the Peace broken But the Unity that the Lord approves of is for every one to act acâ—ording to his measure and growth in the Truth All are not strong therefore all cannot be in the â—â—me Exercise no more than a Child can be found 〈◊〉 the Exercise of a Man So that the disuniting-Spiâ—it doth not barely lie in being of another Mind â—nd Judgment but in the imposing of its Judgâ—ent and Practice which appears plainly by Paul â—â—o clearly judged that the ground of the Diffeâ—â—nces in the Church lay very much in the judging â—â—e another in Meats and Drinks c. It 's the great Promise of the Father in these latter â—ays That he will write his Laws in our Hearts â—â—d put his Spirit into our inward Parts to lead us â—â—to all Truth and out of all appearances which â—â—s Spirit manifests in us to be in the Imitation â—nd after the Traditions of Men. Is it then reasonable for the Spiritual Man to be â—ound in the practice of doing before a Law writâ—en but rather wait at the Feet of Jesus till God â—eveals And he that walks according to this Rule 〈◊〉 all know his Doctrine and be led to behold his â—lory and Witness an Unity in Spirit with his â—rother though in a different Exercise How doth this differ from the World's and the â—â—xoman-Unity which is to yield subjection to 〈◊〉 Order of the Body so called though no â—anifestation within And this Unity they glory 〈◊〉 by this is their Kingdom upheld from this they â—â—e able to boast Who is able to make War with 〈◊〉 Who can stand before us Do not all fall that â—â—ve risen up against us Are not these the high â—elling Words of proud Babel whose towring thoughts must be abased Whose practice hath been to Crush the Tender Ones in their Bodies Souls and Spirits This Language hath minâ— Ears heard this practice hath mine Eyes seen to the grief and wounding of my Soul This combined Unity I have no pleasure in its Nature is known by its Image its Birth by the exercise of its Power My Friend Observe What difference is there in these things between George Fox and the Papists The one saith No Liberty out of the Church The other No Liberty out of the Power Saith the Papist What Liberty to the Sectary No What Liberty to the Heretick No. And George Fox saith What Liberty to the Presbyter No What Liberty to the Independant No What Liberty to the Baptist No. Liberty saith he is in the Truth The difference lies only here The one hath greater Power to compel than the other The Papists say Believe as the Church Believes So likewise saith G. Fox But I say Nay I am not to believe a thing barely because the Church believes it but because it 's manifested in me else 〈◊〉 am to wait till God Reveals it I was told the abovesaid by two there present The Church of Rome claims a Power of Excommunication of them that will not submit to their decent and comely Order though in it self the thing be meerly Circumstantial Ceremonial or as they term it indifferent and their reason is It Judgeth the Power and smites at the Authority and say they it 's an Inlet to Division and thereby is Unity violated Behold a resemblance thereof it hath been often said unto me The Hat is nothing but it is out of the comely Order it judgeth Friends who are in the Power who testifie against it and it breaks the Unity and therefore we cannot suffer such to Marry or Bury nor to partake of any Priviledge as a Member of the Body and this is in the substance Excommunication For Excommunication chiefly lies in a Man's being deprived of the Benefits and put out of the Protection of the Law as also from being a Member of the Church The Severity is the same with us for where â—ould I Marry or Bury if we were an intire Nation Or how can I take a Wife without a Witness Or how can I have a Witness if to be one is lyable to the same Misery Selected Bodies ought to be found in the Exercise of Moderation Tenderness and Mercy as if they were a Nation I always find when once such put forth their Hands to afflict for Conscience sake as their Power groweth strong so doth their Oppression But perhaps they would say We do not eject for Conscience sake but because of an obstinate Will which opposeth Friends The Papists justifie themselves by saying of the same I remember a Judge likewise made the same reply when a Friend mentioned Conscience Certainly it cannot be an Evil in one and Right in the other no more than it is Cruelty in the Papists Persecutions and Just in the Protestants It will be a noble Example in those that stand upon the Advantage-ground to Act in Moderation Tenderness and Mercy And although it is the Policy of the World's Churches c. under a pretence for Unity not to hear the tender Conscience yet the Church of Truth will and where they are found will account them as Brethren and not to think it a sufficient ground to refuse them after Admonition if they persist but to wait till God perswades them And this is the Royal Law of Liberty the other is the Yoke of Bondage from which we are not to be entangled after the
good Friends â—â—t others though exemplary in their Conversations who cannot yield and comply against 〈◊〉 light in their Consciences to some of their proâ—ings are subject to their Jealousie Censure 〈…〉 an Ejection In days past the Lord raised up a Moses to 〈◊〉 Ruler and Leader to his People Israel who 〈◊〉 then under Types Figures and Shadows and 〈◊〉 Lord spake to his People by his Servant Moses But another Administration more glorious is eâ—â—blished to wit The Dispensation of the Soâ—â—â— God whom Moses prophesied of who speakâ— from Heaven who is the end of all Figure Types and Shadows he who is the substance of 〈◊〉 Types c. is now the Great Captain and Leaâ—â— of his People makes use of and lays by what â—â—struments he pleaseth reveals his Mind sometime to one sometimes to another without respect 〈◊〉 Persons or Bodies as he pleaseth That there may 〈◊〉 no glorying but in the Lord He abaseth the proâ—â— and exalteth the humble hides his mind from 〈◊〉 High and Mighty from the Wise and Prudent 〈◊〉 reveals himself unto Babes and therefore he neâ—eth not a Fox nor a Body to conveigh his 〈◊〉 unto his People he being himself their Teach 〈◊〉 and hath planted his Laws in their Hearts and â—â—ven them an holy Anointing to know the Spirit of Truth from the Spirit of Error And albeit the Kings of the Earth exercise Lordship and Authority over their People yet it oughâ— not to be so among the Disciples of Christ being 〈◊〉 Brethren But for the greatest to be well contented to serve in the meanest employment if the Loâ—â— requires it as to be served to hearken and suâ—â—â—â— to the Voice of his Spirit in the least Babe 〈◊〉 in the greatest or as in the Body And I affirm the Lord did not raise them up to â—ring us off from the barren Mountains to feed â—pon them who are now become a Deâ—art nor â—â—om under our Oppressors to turn Oppressors themselves Let them remember the Army it is â—â—eir Figure and if the Lord's anger waxed hot against them for their Unfaithfulness what will be â—â—e Portion of these who have so deeply Apostaâ—zed fram clearer Manifestations Many of the most Eminent have had potent Imâ—â—â—ses to give forth solid and sound Arguments or Liberty of Conscience and have pleaded â—â—ongly for the same yet George Fox was heard to 〈◊〉 in a selected great Assembly thus Though many friends have writ for Liberty of Conscience I never â—â—â—d the Word it is not a good Word no Liberty to the Presbyterians no Liberty to the Papists no Liberty to the Independants no Liberty to the Baptists 〈◊〉 Liberty is tâ—â—e only in the Truth and saith 〈◊〉 no Liberty out of the Power In Answer unâ—â— this Truth gives Liberty unto the weak yet 〈◊〉 weakness in the Truth Since the Spirit is withdrawn they do greatly â—oast the Power is as much and as fresh as ever it so they would be more refreshed with it and 〈◊〉 with Sleep in their Assemblies and their Unity as entire as ever Yet verily sharper Contentions 〈◊〉 seldom found amongst any People To prove his I will set down two notable Examples it is between four famous and eminent Elders First Tho. Salthouse and John Balton T. S. bâ—â—â—g a man of some Moderation and Tenderness used his endeavours to beget a Reconcilement between the Practicers and Forbearers of the Hat in Prayer and to receive each other as Brethren though they differ in that particular thing but that high and hot-spirited Elder J. B. called him false Prophet reputed him worse than the Forbearers and opposed his Ministry untill with much ado a Reconcilement was made by a condescention on both parts The other is between G. Fox and Sam. Newton who being a man of some Honesty and Cleanness in his Spirit was against having of a Person to Act in their behalf as in relation to Sufferings whose Conversation Preached not Righteousness but G. F. opposed him with so much wrath and violence that some there present thought he would have strucken him he being a person so rightâ— qualified and accomplished for George's Interest Such is the swelling Pride of this Luciferian that he gave forth a Paper That his Marrirge with Margaret Fell was a Figure of the Marriage between Christ and the Church I may more justly believe it to be a Figure of the great Apostacy from the Truth and barrenness in the Truth He likewise declared That his Marriage was above the state of Adam in his Innocency in the state of the second Adam who never fell This Paper was so ill Resented and so much dislik'd that it was called in again and a rare thing it was to get a sight there of albeit through an accident I had a View of it The abovesaid Samuel Newton and John Bolton to give them their due have not taken a little Pains Labour and Travel to bring to Light and to Judgement such unheard of Practises of beastly wantonness and filthy uncleanness that it is hard to believe the excess thereof But John Bolton hath or had a Confession in Writing from one or two of the Female Persons concern'd of the Debauched Actions to declare the truth thereof yet notwithstanding they met with such great Obstructions and Opposition that they cannot accomplish a thorow Examination of it because it toucheth many Eminent Ones in the Ministry who from day to day resorted unto them and giving them these Appellations Innocent Lasses and Daughters of Sion Sometimes it comes to pass that two approved of in the Ministry will oppose and Judge each other in publick Assemblies in the Name of the Lord but to prevent the evil effects therof the next day Persons shall be appointed to declare the Greatness of their Unity and the Oneness in their Spirits But least there should be a misapplication of what I have Written when I express the Body I do declare my meaning is The Second Days Meeting at Devonshire-house with some other Principals in other Countries who are their Abettors and not the whole Body of the People called Quakers for I am assured and well know that very many have not bowed to this Golden Image with whom my Soul hath Unity and with whom I am Refreshed And moreover I meet with many who will freely open their Hearts to me with grieved and sorrowful Spirits to behold what Domineering and what partial Judgment is practised what Severity and Tyrany is Exercised at this Meeting but especially against Dissenters But say they it is out of our Power to Redress it until God doth Change their Hearts or give 〈◊〉 more Power reckoning themselves at present toâ— weak to grapple with these Goliah's unless thâ—â— little Stone be given them to smite them on their Foreheads or Words to this purpose Let us trust in the Lord and wait upon him with patience in Faith which overcomes the World that he will thresh the Mountains and rebuke the High and Mighty who are Exalted above their Measures and exalt his Truth over all that Justice and Righteousness may flow as a River to the rejoycing of his Oppressed People and to the Praise and Glory of his Name for ever From a deep Mourner in Israel to behold how the Earth is filled with Violence and the Righteous Seed Oppressed Dear Friend It hath pleased the Lord to raise thee up to bear a Testimony against an Adulterous Tyrannical and an Hypocritical Generation let the Word of the Lord therefore have a free passage in and through thee and Consult not with Flesh and Blood Watch against the Enemy lest he darken thy Understanding that thou canst not distinguish between the Precious and the Vile Mix not thy own Thoughts with the Motions of the Spirit keep in the Fear and in the Humility that an exalted Spirit may be kept out Build thy House upon the Rock of Ages and stand in the unchangeable without wavering that thy Conversation may be without Blemish thy Judgment withot Error and thy Love unto the Truth without Dissimulation Be Faithful unto the Lord's Requirings that Disobedience may not enter Rember the Root bears the Tree and the Tree the Branches if the natural Branches were cut off through unbelief and thou with thousands grafted in be not high minded but fear From a Little hidden One of the Flock of Jesus
thing and the Body shall not have unity with it it is safer for me to reâ—â—â— upon the judgment of the Body I remember aboâ—â— a dozen of the great ones subscribed a Paper to the effect and sent it to Hartford but it was theâ—â— much disliked There was this also in it That 〈◊〉 any person had as he thought a command from God to do a thing or to put forth a thing in Print 〈◊〉 must first come and lay it before the Body and they judge he must submit Is not this an Arbâ—trary Government bounded by no Law but what G. F. and a few more please Herein the ground of our Liberties is taken from us to wit Tâ— live act and judge according to the Law withiâ— In this is the distribution of Justice and he that is overawed by a power without stifles and strangles true Judgment which ariseth in himself by this is Justice and true Judgment obstructed and violated It 's the highest usurpation of our just Liberties For when such Principles are established they are not easily laid down they have encroached Jurisdiction where none was taking upon them a Power to judge and domineer over the Innocent over the Consciencious over the tender in Spirit by â—ew Laws which the Spirit never gave forth nor hath unity withal nor many of the Body which â—â—rough fear oppose not these things They go â—igher they say Their Judgment is God's and their Acts are as binding as God's it procceding from the Spirit of the Lord in the Body Their â—udgments are so positive from God and for God â—nd their Censure so severe which causeth a â—â—aint-heartedness in the weaker to speak according to their measure lest they should displease the Body and be brought to Judgment â—t is a dangerous evil for any Man Men or Councel to make him or them Lords or Lawgivers in the Church Christ himself being the immediate Lawgiver and Judge in this the Day of his Power Men have commonly thought that to preserve the Church in Peace is to suppress Error whereas to preserve them in Faith and Love with the Father Word and Spirit this is rather to preserve the Church How many persons under pretence of healing the Body wound it still deeper and under pretence of preserving its Peace hurry it into endless Dissentions or reduce People to a Formal Faith Doth not the abovesaid Body practise the same â—ea Ah! How do they build up that which they once pulled down and do that themselves which they have condemned in others Ah! That they would suffer the Word only to be the Rule in the Kingdom and the Light thereof alone to shine there and not to walk in the light of their own Fire and in the Sparks which they themselves have kindled whereby they may lie down in sorrow whilst they neglect the true Light which lightetâ— every man that comes into the World In the true Church Unity stands in diversities But in the false Unity will not stand without Unity formity And it is greatly to be lamented how that very many will do nothing without the Authority of the Body tho' it be never so clear in theâ—â— and this sets up the Body above Christ And because a further dispensation is not relished by the Elders the which they hide from the Inferiours lest their glory should be Eclipsed and draw the rest from a dependence upon them They content themselves with this limited Ministration and set up Tabernacles here for their Residence which is above and beside the Spirit of the Lord 's teaching which leads us on to know and follow the Lord. These are they that stop Israel travel out of all appearances which his Spirit leads not to These are they that lay stumbling-blocks in the way in their Journey These are they that will not have the Lord's People Prophets that their Persons may be still had in Admiration for advantage sake else what meaneth it that certain Persons are appointed to spend the whole time in speaking in every Meeting and all the rest to come as Hearers neglecting the Gift in themselves only waiting upon their Lips When as often times fresh Springs arise in particulars to make glad and comfort the Hearts of others But through the long Declarations and Discouragement withal the Springs are stopt and the tender nipt Ah! God will visit you for these things And certainly if this Babylonish practice had not been exercised â—is precious Truths had been publish'd in the mouths of thousands more and 10000 more to the knowledge thereof would have been brought a greater growth in the Truth witnessed and the Mind and Will of the Lord more revealed a greater discovery of the Man of Sin within and without us by the â—ranscendent brightness of the Everlasting Day which will again break forth and recover the â—round which hath been lost open the Mysteries which are yet hidden break the Serpent's head and â—ound the Leviathan Amen Halelujah Moreover as others before them set up the Scriptures above the Spirit in having that to be the Tryal Touch-stone Standard of Doctrine Worship and of all Spirits so do they greatly err in setting up the Body above the Spirit in having the Spirit tried by the Body the one saith The Scripture is the Rule but in truth the Meanings they make the Rule The other saith The Spirit and not the Scripture is the Rule but the Dictates of the Body they make the Rule For if I walk according to my Measure and my Measure is my Rule and it differs from the judgment of the Body by their Rule I am to deny my Motion because it answers not the Mind of the Body for they lay down this as an infallible Rule That the Body will have a true sense feeling and understanding of Motions Visions Revelations Doctrines c. and therefore safest to make Her my Touch-stone in all things relating to God Ah! that she would return from whence she is fallen and repent that the Crown may again be set upon Her head The same Arguments which the Pope c. makes use of to support himself the Body useth and severe judgment is denounced against him that shall speak a word against the Authority of the Body 〈◊〉 it is against him that shall speak against the Power and Authority of Rome And as it was and is a common practice for the Pope to esteem Drunkards Whoremongers c. far better than Non-conformists even so it is with the Body at Devonshiâ— House If a Non-conformist endeavours to bring to ligâ—â— the vicionsness of the Priests they will have way to prevent him either to raise some Accusations or some other cunning Evasion The Body practiseâ— the same as I could instance and may when occasion offers I have heard from a credible hand what a solemn Meeting there was appointed by G. F. and others of the Elders to Judge and Condemn several Men and Women of good report and shelter cover and hide the wanton