Truth Innocency TRIUMPHING OVER Falshood Envy OR Jasper Batts's Vindication against William Roger's Un-christian and False Insinuations in his Book Mis-called The Christian Quaker c. I Could the better have sate down in silence under the Unchristian and Slanderous Insinuations in that Book cast out against me especially when I consider so many of the Lords antient and faithful Servants by this Adversary are made my Companions herein And also the Darkness Envy and Confusion in the said Book manifested having also the evidence of the Lords spirit for my own Innocency But some necessity is upon me to Write and give forth a few Lines in Answer thereunto and confutation thereof and so much the rather because it s not so much My Reputation as Truth it self that this Adversary strikes at and therefore also willing to be a companion with my Brethren in a Testimony against this wicked undertaking And this is my Testimony in general That it is in its self a Work of Darkness and from the Accuser of the Brethren which must be cast down for ever And such is the Blackness and Foulness thereof That as yet though doubtless several were concerned in their purses to assist the bringing forth thereof I have not heard of one particular person that owns the same And am not without hope that several of those so concerned may in time see their folly and Repent thereof as many others have done who were beguiled by the same spirit And now as to my own particular wherein Truth is concerned with me for this is that which is chiefly in my eye to answer to in this Book part 2. pages 82 89. he thus expresses himselfe Doubtless should any man accuse Jasper Batt one of those that judged John Story and John Wilkinson without hearing them speak for themselves That he went about Preaching thereby occasioning somtimes Twenty Pound Fines somtimes Forty Pound Fines to be imposed on the Hearers and incourage them to be valiant for Truth and to offer up all whilst his Estate was well secured out of the Persecutors reach or at least nothing to be found of his own to pay such his Fines he would think John Story very ill imployed to have a hand in giving forth a publick Testimony against him to be read in all the monethly and quarterly Meetings in England before he had either spoken or written to him to know what he could say for himself that he might have opportunity to hush it up by writing a Paper of Condemnation if so be he were guilty He farther saith We cannot believe that Jasper Batt hath not done as bad as this in signing with the Sixty Six at E. Hooks ' s Chamber and if the case stated in his Name be not groundless 't is then notorously wicked Thus plainly insinuating as if I had designed First to secure my own Estate and then Exhort others to give up All for Truth and occasioned such to be fined as abovesaid To which I Answer this Insinuation is Un-Christian being against the Rule that Christ gives in case a Brother Offends which is Tell him his Fault between thee and him c. Now this I affirm that W. R. nor any other on his behalf never did in the least question me or express to me any dissatisfaction concerning me touching what he thus insinuates which according to Christs Rule he ought to have done And therefore his thus proceeding is Un-christian And this I farther testify in the Lords Presence who knows that I lye not that I never disposed of or secured any part of my Estate to avoyd the loss thereof for Truths Testimony but have managed the same according to the Vnderstanding the Lord hath given me for its service For when I was first convinc'd of Truth I soon received it in the love thereof and gave up my self and all I had to be serviceable therein and being called by the Lord to spend near my whole time in its Service the Lord in time so disposed of my Condition that I was necessitated either to put off the management of the Estate which the Lord had given me or give up my Testimony as then required of me that part of my Family being removed that were any way capable to manage the same in my absence and intently waiting on the Lord for his Council and advise with faithful Friends I was fully satisfied and so am to this Day that my place was to keep my publick Testimony and let my Estate which I did accordingly disposing of part thereof to my Children as becomes a Father to provide for his Family and this was done the Lord knows that I might be the more at liberty in the Lords Service and as Paul advised Timothy 2 Tim 2.4 He that goes a warfare intangles not himself with the things of this Life that he may please him who hath Chosen him to be his Souldier And farther that this ordering of my Affairs was not to avoyd Sufferings on the Act against Conventicles is the more Evident because it was done a considerable time before that Act was made And this also I farther testify that it hath been my care and diligence since the Lord called me into his service as on the one Hand not to run when he sent me not so also not to neglect the Duty he required of me And this is my great Comfort to this day whatever this Adversary or any other judges of me I have walk't in the Simplicity of my Heart before the Lord and have and do enjoy the Testimony of his Love and assistance of his Presence which is a large reward unto me Glory to his Name for ever And so this his Insinuation is very False and Envious W. R. speaks of giving out a Paper of Condemnation for occasioning others to be fined for my Preaching and my Estate secured and not to be found as he insinuates c. I Answer what would he have me Condemn Is it the securing my Estate from suffering I never did it I am not guilty herein therefore no Condemnation belongs to me for that Or would he have me Condemn my Appearance publickly with a Testimony for God when the Lord requires and moves And draw into Holes Corners and under Hedges as some of our Opposers have done his plainly appears to be of that Spirit that would lay waste all our Meetings and Extinguish the Doctrine and Life of Christanity that would justify the fearful and wicked and condemn the Righteous which is an Abomination to the Lord what Darkness and Confusion doth this Spirit run into And whereas W. R. insinuates my Fine to be laid upon others If I am Fined or any other for speaking in the Name of the Lord and others suffer on that Account it s well for me to answer the Lords requirings in speaking and for others also to frequent our Meetings and so that Suffering being for well doing shall not be without a Reward from the Lord For happy
are ye when ye suffer for Righteousness sake and that were evil to disobey the Lords Requirings either in frequenting or speaking in Meetings and is for Condemnation by the Truth what ever W. R's judgment is of it That J. Story and J. W. were judged without a Hearing is utterly false they having been heard with Witnesses face to face at a Meeting where were present several of the Sixty Six mentioned of which Meeting and Proceedings W. R. hath given a large Testimony of the Lords Peace amongst them and their great travel of Love and Life for J. S. and J. W. an Account whereof may be seen in Bristol-Friends Answer to W. R's Book at which Meeting after hearing of all Parties they were judged to have entertained a wrong Spirit and for several other Offences against the Church of Christ as by a Narrative thereof may appear And from a Meeting in London 1676. they were by many antient and faithful Brethren advised and warned in the Lords Name as he then required not to offer their Gift nor meddle in the publick Affairs of the Church until satisfaction was given to the Church so offended which Advice and Warning was wholly rejected by them And then at the Meeting at London 1677. in Unity with the former Judgment given after Hearing of Witnesses face to face and their rejecting the Advice and Warning aforesaid given them the year before a Testimony was given against them by more than Sixty Six so as to the things for which they were judged and a Testimony given against them they were fully heard before judgment and so the Charge is False And now all this truly weighed the Case stated in my Name is groundless and so Not notoriously wicked in Me But then whether it be not Notorious Wickedness in W. R. thus to Insinuate and publish in Print against me while Innocent let Gods Witness in all judge for I never secured my Estate from suffering for Truths Testimony nor out of the Persecutors Reach for I have and still had an Estate Real and Personal held in my own Name and not made in trust to any other And if it be wickedness so to secure an Estate in Trust when no Consideration but to save from Suffering for Truths Testimony W. R. then ought to look nearer Home before he thus range abroad but some will be medling while they count themselves Wise And so the Wickedness Falshood Envy and Confusion rests on W. R's own Head for which in due time the Lord will Reckon with him And whereas W. R. speaks of me and my three Companions that speak of some in a Paper of ours that despise Government and speak evil of Dignities and he Accounts not us to be such To which I Answer that many of the Lords little Ones and faithful Servants have been despised and spoken evil of by several that are joyned to that Spirit in which this our Adversary appears to be but as far as I have heard or understood he have out-stript them all as this his work of Darkness doth manifest Now Christ Jesus saith of his Disciples and little Ones He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me And this is a Dignity rightly claimed by the Lords faithful Servants to be his Disciples and little Ones then if they that Reproach and Despise them despiseth God and Christ such despiseth Dignities and speaks Evil of them Many other Contemptible Scornfull Deriding and Reproachful Expressions against me and many others of the Lords servants he hath uttered in his said Book All which I Trample under foot knowing my own innocency and leave him to the Judgement of God for the same but cannot yet well let pass without some notice taken how much he pretends a Conscentious concern for truth to print this his Book And I well remember how Rabshaketh that blasphemous General could pretend as high for his War against the Lords people who saith And am I now come up without the Lord against this Land the Lord said unto me Go up against this Land and destroy it Isa 36.10 And this also I cannot well omit without notice what he saith Part 2. Pag. 92. viz. A hoping that for the future Jasper Batt will learn more modesty than to account himself a Governour c. And I may say it would be well if W. R. would learn so much modesty as to forbear to insinuate such falsehood for when or where did I ever account my self a Governour But as the Lord hath given me a Testimony against deceipt and wickedness and for his everlasting truth I hope he will preserve me faithful therein to the end Herein I may be scorned and reproach't for the same by W. R. or any other of Truths Adversaries And in the sence of the Lords power and presence with me shall rejoyce and Triumph over it all well knowing that the Truth in it's simplicity must Reign over all at last And this is that which is before me at present to write in vindication of Truth and my own Reputation well knowing other of the Lords servants are concerned more largely to answer and testifie against W. R's work of darkness and confusion in that Book manifested being well satisfied that I am counted worthy to be a companion with them And so commit my self and cause to the Lord and his witness in all to judge In whose Peace and Love I rest A servant of Jesus Christ J. B. Some of William Rogers his scornful bitter Words against Iasper Batt and his Three Companions c. With some Observations upon them William Rogers in his Book falsly Entituled the Christian Quaker c. part 2. p. 92. hath these Words All these viz J. Batt and his Three Companions and the rest of the Sixty Six Subscribers are by their Paper Manifest to have Run in the very way of Cain by Persecuting the Brethren and have appeared as Raging Waves of the sea foaming out their own shame by their hard Speeches which are the very Marks and Fruits of those who despise Government according to the Scriptures which J. Batt and his Brethren hath directed us to peruse Observe William Rogers Complains much against Judging but who amongst us equalls him therein Let his Words above Cited as also what follows with abundance more of like Nature in his great Confused Book speak for him or against him in the Understandings and Consciences of all Judicious and impartial Readers Can he prove that J. Batt or his Three Companions and the rest he here mentions have ever Charged J. S. and J. W. and the Wiltshire Friends or the Bristol Friends who write and speak severely against them to have run in the very way of Cain How doth this his bitter false Judgment agree with the Scriptures Cited by him against judging part 2 and p. 90. Mat. 7.1 Rom. 14.10 Let the Reader Examine and seriously Consider the same He hath rendred us in the very way of Cain
Observe the Emphasis The very way of Cain is not only Envy but also Actual Murder The living God knows that this is a very uncharitable false and wicked Judgement for which the Lord will Rebuke him Gods faithful witness in our own Souls justifies us from his false and malicious Charge First What was written concerning J. S. and J. W. of which W. R. complaineth was not written in any degree of Envy against the said persons Secondly God doth know that we never endeavoured to murder the said J. S. and J. W. nor any other person concerned in this Controversy against us But Cain did not only endeavour to murder but did actually murder his innocent Brother We being wholly clear not only of the Act but the very intention of murder are therefore Not in the very way of Cain For we could be very glad to see J. S. and J. W. and the rest concerned with them condemn that which is Evil and return into Unity with Friends who are in the Love of God towards them and in peaceable Unity one with another in his Spirit W. R. in his Book scoffingly writes against Friends concerning Excommunication See part 2. p. 84. But hath not he to the utmost of his power endeavoured to excommunicate not only J.B. and his Three Companions but all the Sixty Six mentioned before without giving them Gospel-order or at least many of them he hath not dealt with according as Christ commands Amongst which the faithful Ministers struck at by W. R. are sound in Doctrine as well as in Life and Conversation and his Apostles direct Therefore his uncharitable dealing towards us Christ and his Apostles testimony witnesseth against If W. R. could make the Church of Christ believe that We are in the very way of Cain then no doubt they would declare against us as persons with whom they could have no Unity in their Christian-Faith and Religion and so he would get us denyed by the Church of God the Pillar and ground of Truth But they have a true Sense and Knowledge of us to be Men fearing God and lovers and practisers of Christian Vertue in Life and Conversation led thereinto and preserved therein by the pure Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ who is Captain of our Salvation and Bishop of our Souls and true Head of the living Body his Church who Reigns in and over every Member who leads us into Love one to another and to live in Peace and Unity one with another and preserves therein and teaches to love Enemies to do good to them that despightfully Use and Persecute These that are thus taught are far from the very way of Cain which is Envy and Murther These envy no man But hate Pride Arrogancy and every evil way such Christ doth own W. R's Envy and bitter Words cannot get them Excommunicated out of Christ's Church though they may be denyed by him and such as he is But his words or denyal is of no Value with us and many others that fear God Again W. R. saith in page 89. part 2. We now are sensible that the said J. Batt and his Three Companions having assumed the place of Judges will not think our Arguments deducible from the Light within sufficient to Evidence their Ignorance and Weakness no more than if they were four blind Priests who neglecting the Heavenly Gift in themselves may seek a justification of their Priestly Jurisdiction from the Scriptures without Observ His comparing us with four blind Priests as aforesaid is both Scornful Malicious and greatly Unjust Herein he renders us 1st As blind as the blind Priests 2 dly As much neglecting the Heavenly Gift in our selves as they 3dly As great Slighters and Contemners of the Light of Christ within as they Oh Unrighteous Judgment I do deny W. R's aforesaid pretended Sense 'T is grosly False and Slanderous For we are of the Apostles Faith concerning the Light of Christ within who saith Whatsoever is reproved is made manifest by the Light and that which doth make Manifest is Light But neither the Light of Christ within us nor the Scriptures of Truth without nor yet W. R's Observations thereupon hath manifested to us that to be our Ignorance and VVeakness which he in his Uncharitable Lofty Mind calleth so But suppose we were Ignorant and Weak will no softer Words serve W. R. against us for this than to Judge us to be in the very way of Cain for Weakness and Ignorance if he could prove both against us will not prove his Charge against us true For they who are in the very way of Cain are more than Weak and Ignorant they are grosly Wicked and Prophane in Envy Murder c. O William Thou want'st Charity in this Judgment which is the bond of perfectness as the Apostle said He also said If I want Charity I am nothing but he had it and therein was accepted of God But thou without it wilt be rejected W. R. It appears in part 2. p. 91. that thou art offended at J. Batt and his Three Companions for citing the Epistles of Peter and Jude in their Reply to the Bristol-Paper and desiring them to be read and rightly apply'd c. It appears as if thy offence were because they did not inform those to whom they wrote how to apply the aforesaid Scriptures And it appears because the said Epistles are cited to be read and rightly applyed Thou takest occasion to compare I. B. and his Three Companions to Four Blind Priests who neglecting the Heavenly gift in themselves may seek a Iustification of their Priestly Iurisdiction from the Scriptures without The unjustness of this comparison is shewed before But William thou hast brought Scriptures in defence of what thou writest in thy Book against Friends and thou hast not informed them how to apply them Right Of which I conclude thou hast heard something already and maist hear more hereafter Some other of thy Companions who write against Friends have brought Scriptures to prove what they Write but have not rightly applyed them nor informed Friends so to do Art thou willing to be Judged for not Teaching them as aforesaid as thou hast Judged U◠Namely to be As Blind as Priests c. Why shouldest thou be Offended at our citing those wholesome Epistles dost thou herein shew a right esteem for those Holy Scriptures cannot we cite Scriptures and leave People rightly to apply them as Guided by that Holy Spirit that Guided the Holy Men in giving them forth But for so doing be by thee Judged To neglect the Heavenly Gift in our selves and to be as Blind as Four Blind Priests It seems to appear in thy Book that thou hast an Opinion That the Tree of Knowledge is good for Food But it were better for thee to wait upon God in the Light of his Son and therein to be Obedient to Him that so thou mayst Eat of the Fruit of the Tree of Life which Food would fill thee with Charity without which thou canst not be Accepted of God who is Love or Charity as the Holy Apostle Testified The word Dignity expressed in Peter and Judes Epistles cited by J. Batt and his Thrre Companions W. R. doth Paraphrase upon in a scornful manner against the said Friends and others as may be seen in part 2. pag. 92. Observe The word Dignity signifies Honour as the Dictionaries render it How often doth W. R. in his Book call J. S. and J. W. Honourable And in his Preface to the Reader p. 3. he calls J. S. and J. W. Two antient and honourable Labourers in the Gospel of Christ whose Conversations and Doctrines I have not known or understood to be exceeded in Godliness by any Mortal Man whatsoever saith he Doth he not herein highly Honour or Dignify them Why may not God Honour or Dignify his Servants who seek not the Honour that comes from the Earthly Mind but that which comes from God only God hath said by the Mouth of the Prophet Them that Honour Me I will Honour And before True Honour goeth Humility The word Government is also Paraphrased on by W. R. in the two aforesaid pages in a bitter and scornful manner against J. Batt and many of the Lord's Servants To which I say on the behalf of Christ and his Church That we own no other Government in his Church but that which is upon his Shoulders as God hath promised He is one in the Male and in the Female as the Holy Apostle said who is Prince of Peace and keeps his Subjects in Peace and Unity one with another J. B. London Printed for John Bringhurst Printer and Stationer at the Sign of the Book in Grace-Church-Street 1681. Part 2. page 91. 1 Cor. 13. Col. 3.14 2 Tim. 2.22 Tit. 2.2 †But W. R. thus high applauding J. S. and J. W. as Not exceeded by any Mortal Man whatsoever hath not answered the Witness of God in our Consciences and his Narrative and their Paper of Condemnation prove the contrary And hath not W. R. herein applauded J. S. and J. W. somewhat like as the Samaritans did Sim. Magus * Much more might be said to this and that from the Scriptures of Truth as well as inward Experience But this in short at present * Much more might be said to this and that from the Scriptures of Truth as well as inward Experience But this in short at present