of the Eternal God who was with the Father before the Foundation of the World was laid is become the Horn of their Salvation and hath brought Immortality to Light in them and revealed that Teacher that can never be moved into a corner and therefore these cannot depend any longer on the teachings of man nor yet on outward Canonical Articles Creeds Directories or Church-Faiths prescribed by man but on the teachings of Christ alone by his Light and Spiritual appearance in themselves to lead and guide unto the Father of life The sound of this Alarm as many can yet witness became a joyful sound to that soul which was hungring after the Lord though piercing as a Dart through the liver to the man of sin so that astonishment and amazement seemed to take hold on many whereby they became a By-word a Mock and a Taunt unto such whose dependencies were on their outward Teachers c. as aforesaid I say again Oh Friends let the Remembrance of this Day come before you and consider further what was the voice of the Eternal Power unto such who were struck with amazement after they believed the appearance of that power whereby they were so struck to be the appearance of the Power of God I well remember the voice was on this wise To your own To your own To your own Meaning thereby that they should turn in their minds to the Light of Christ in their consciences which was declared to be that teacher which could never be removed into a corner that so they might witness the fulfilling of that loud voice uttered by the Angel flying through the midst of Heaven Having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the Earth c. Fear God and give glory to him for the Hour of his judgment is come and worship him that made Heaven and Earth c. For no doubt but the Spirit of the Lord revealed unto those first labourers in the Gospel that there was a pronenesse in the Sons and Daughters of Men to admire to depend upon and sometimes through an affectionate part or blind Zeal to worship such are were instruments to give forth outward Directories or Church-Faiths For we find that the Apostle tells us of worshipping Angels which are Messengers whom God hath sent by him that intrudes into things which he hath not seen therefore I am perswaded that the voice of Truth through them was not only thus viz. To your own which being observed leads into an independency upon others but also frequently on this wise We preach not our selves look not unto us In the Consideration of these things I cannot but cry aloud in the aforesaid words of the Angel that had the everlasting Gospel to Preach Fear God and give Glory to him And then no doubt but every such one that hath concerned himself to condemn his Brother on no better ground than from the example and prescription of another will come to see that therein he hath not kept to his own and so hath been led into a By and Erring Path. Oh Friends let therefore this cry pass through every heart To our Own To our Own To our Own That is to say to every one 's own measure of Christ's Light or Grace of God Received which the Apostle saith is sufficient with this secret breathing of Spirit unto the God of our lives that all may be thereto retired For if that Counsel might but take place it seems to me that there could then be no room for any to impose or press the observation of other mens Lines upon any which no doubt is one great occasion of the religious differences treated on and not only so but it would mould all who retain the name of Christianity into the very nature thereof and so consequently a reconciliation in the everlasting Truth might quickly ensue For if that Door be but once shut through which variance and disunion entred there may then arise a hope of cessation to such contention and strife as is out of the Truth but if not I may then say how can the effect cease whilst the cause remains I well Remember and many with me that whil'st friends kept to their Own and concerned not themselves to promote a zealous observation of other mens Lines made ready to their hands we then heard not of so much contention strife and debate both publick and private as of late years hath been but since the promotion thereof Confusion Disorder Emulation Malice and Envy hath been its Offspring which hath been manifested by publick unjust revilings against some when zealously contending for the Faith of Gods Elect and though these are of that number that prefer obedience to their own measures of Grace received before obedience to the measures of others yet other some there are who have endeavoured to bring Friends into conformity to the pretended Dictates of the Spirit through others or at best through that one man G. F. before spoken of and that under the penalty of being accounted guilty of Corah's sin for scrupling to conform and thus the variance is like to continue unless the God of Heaven for his Names sake by the Arm of his own Power shall put a stop thereto And forasmuch as I could not but say in all seriousness of Spirit for the clearing of my conscience Let the remembrance of the dayes that are past come before you wherein the Servants of the living God sounded by his trumpet an Alarm to the Nations and that the Servant of the Lord Edward Burrough many years deceased is honourably spoken of by some if not by all of both parties of the People called Quakers at variance one that had the Trumpet of the Lord to sound and hath therewith sounded as a Son of thunder as well as of consolation many Alarm unto the Nations I shall conclude with the citation of a part of an Epistle written by him in the Year 1658. to the Friends of the City of London and so leave the consideration thereof to the Impartial Reader to savour whether according to the sense of his counsel we ought not to know the Spirit of God in our selves to be the ground of all our actions and if so then to practise from other mens Lines without an inward conviction by the Spirit in our selves can be no more accepted as indeed it is not than the offering of the halt and the blind for a Sacrifice under the first Covenant was Here follows the citation out of Edward Burrough's aforesaid Epistle YEa it is peace to the Soul and gladness to the Heart and refreshment to the Life to feel and witness the teaching of the Spirit of the Father leading into all Truth and preserving out of all transgressions wherefore I beseech you all let this be your whole desire and the full practice in your life and then shall the Countenance of the Lord shine upon you and his face shall make you glad if in all things you look unto
Spiritual Guide and Teacher which is infailible and cannot be removed into a Corner with confidence then may we conclude that none such will ever more boast of the possession which they have taken as Heirs of the Gospel with respect to things that are without Secondly As to this part of the aforesaid Objection viz. that nothing but Dryness Deadness and Barrenness appears in those who are opposed by such with whom thou art at Unity we say This seems not strange unto us for the Apostle thus Testifies We are unto God a sweet Savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish to the one we are the Savour of Death unto Death and to the other the Savour of Life unto Life This give us occasion to put every one that has or may Judge the sound form of words to be Deadness Dryness Barrenness especially when Springing from such whom thou hast known to be in the Life upon this search is not the reason thereof because I am watching for evil and have let in a Spirit of Prejudice believing an evil Report when perhaps it may not be Truth If this be thy State we must plainly tell thee they are the very Tokens of a Perishing Condition and then though it be the Word of Life that is Preached yet it can be no other according to the Testimony of the Apostle but the Savour of Death unto thee Besides we have this further Observation to make that some at least of those thus Testified against as Dead Dry and Barren are chiefly such unto whom God hath given a Portion of Understanding above many of their Brethren and have and yet do as far as ever we know appear Sound in Doctrine and as blameless in Life and Conversation as any friends we have ever known and so cannot run with the Current of the Times we desire therefore that every one of the Opposers of or Judges over such will yet more thoroughly search their own Consciences and in a Godly Jealousy over themselves put these queries unto their own hearts and try things in the equal ballance Have not I many times heard Unsound Doctrines and beheld Disorder and Confusion brought forth even in Publick Meetings for worship by those who cry against Dark Seperate Spirits and yet not been a Reproof thereto Concluding notwithstanding that there did a Freshness and Life appear Have not I been often affected with an Outward Tone and strength of Lungs when there hath been little to the Information and Building up one another in the most Holy Faith Have not I been better Contented to hear a Thundering kind of Voice Crying out against a Seperate Spirit though without Distinction when not a word was spoken to shew the Way to the Kingdom than to hear the Way of Eternal Life Plainly Demonstrated by a soft and moderate Voice We know there is great cause for many to put these questions to their Consciences and to be cool in Spirit that so they may have an Answer from the Lord whose appearance is not in the strong winds but in the still Voice SECT IV. An Answer to the Third Position deducible from an Objection raised toward the Conclusion of the first Section viz. That 't is Folly and Hipocrisy to profess our selves Members of the True Church and yet not Believe thus as the True Church Believes TO this we say we are altogether dissatisfied especially when we consider what a Body of darkness hath entered under the Belief of this Position we must believe as the Church believes amongst the Professors of Christianity in Ages past as well as at this present Day that such Language can become the mouth or pen of any one that professeth not only Faith in Christ but also that such his Faith is grounded upon the Inward Manifestation and Revelation of Gods Spirit in himself mark we say in himself Those who are accounted Apostate Christians have from such Assemblies which they call their Church set forth their Creeds by which it may be known what the Members of their Church do and ought to Believe and since 't is so that no Person is able to make out that ever any Assembly under the Notion of the true Church amongst the People called Quakers have published their Creed by which we mean a certain number of Articles of Faith recommending them as those things which every Member of the true Church ought to believe or else not be accounted a Member of the true Church we cannot account it unreasonable if any one that liketh not the Language touching Believing as the true Church Believes should ask the Publisher thereof this Question Hast thou not spoken this with respect to the People called Quakers as those whom thou accountest the True Church And if so is it not folly to talk of believing as this Church believes when no assembly under the notion of this Church have to this day declared and published their Creed for the ends aforesaid Nay may it not further be said we know how Papists and Protestants describe their Church but at the day wherein that which occasions this present discourse was given forth it was not discovered by any reputed Quakers publickly in Print that we know of who or were the true Church is with respect to visible persons more than what is to this effect given forth by the Author occasioning this present discourse viz. That the People called Quakers are the Church Wherein we do not take his meaning to be that all called Quakers were the Church of God but the Elect amongst them for he also saith The Church signifies the Elect and so the Reader is left without any certain Description who or where this Church is with respect to visible Persons since the Elect amongst them are not outwardly described For the clearing of the Truth and the opening of the Understandings of such as may be muddled about this matter 't is with us thus to Testifie 'T is well known that it pleased the Lord to reach unto many of our Consciences at the beginning of this latter Day that hath dawned amongst us whereby we came to Believe in the Everlasting Light of the Lord and as others held forth the Visible Orders and Written Faiths of a Visible Church to be as a Lanthorn to their Paths and as a Ground of their Faith so this Light of Christ was preach't up as a Lanthorn to our Paths and as the Ground of our Faith and then as our Understandings came to be more and more opened we clearly saw that as other Churches had outward Marks and Tokens whereby a man might manifest himself to be a Member of their Church when received into Society with their Church so we who had Believed in the Light of our Lord Jesus Christ and had the Evidence in our selves that we were of the true Brotherhood and Members of Christ's Body were at a loss infallibly to manifest unto others by any Outward Marks or Tokens that we were in
which the enemy of the Soul of Man hath spread before him since his first coming forth to Preach the Light c. to concern himself so much as he hath against some that cannot own an urging with severity his Directions or Prescriptions on Gods Faithfull People and in Particular to appear a Persecutor of such which can certainly be proved against him if endeavouring unjustly to take away a mans Good Name and Reputation can be termed such To this the Answer is As the Serpent beguiled Eve so Eve beguiled Adam in prevailing upon him to eat of the Forbidden Fruit which she had eaten and the Argument used by the Serpent to tempt Eve was this Ye shall be as Gods Even so are we persuaded that there hath not been wanting unto him to speak comparitively a tempting Eve which hath been too aspiring after such a State which with respect to humble self-denying Persecuted Members of Christs Church is neither fit nor presidented and yet 't is to be doubted that this aspiring Mind hath had so much place with him as that he hath taken too much upon him which hath occasioned Rents and Divisions amongst the flock and sometimes to pretend that he hath seen things in the Vision of the Almighty which hath been no other than the Imagination of his own Heart and having given way thereto and finding a fear upon Friends thorough a tender respect unto him to Judge or dislike what he might bring forth under pretence of the Motion of the Spirit it in Probability encreast his Confidence especially when he considered what had been written unto him by some Friends in the Day of their Infancy which being in such Language as was suitable to an aspiring mind might tend to his hurt At length his fame grew so great as that amongst some Weak Friends it became even as a Proverb that none would prosper who should oppose him This by others hath clearly been seen to be a subtil way to obliege all such as should so believe to be Servants to his Will and for ought we know this Perswasion hath the more easily obtained him the repute with some of being set by the Lord in the like place amongst the Children of Light at this Dayas Moses had amongst the Children of Israel in his Day and this we doubt is the Occasion that the Rebellion of Corah Dathan and Abiram is much treated on to affrighten Simple People in our Publick Meetings for Worship of God since the Divisions amongst Friends especially in those Places where G. F's Papers relating to Church-Government have little place But alas those who are sound in the Faith cannot be affrighted with such things no more than they can be convinced with the sight of such False Certificates * Note The Reader may peruse the Fifth Part of the Christian Quaker and therein the said Certificates are more largely treated on recorded in the 21st Section of the Manuscript first mentioned in the Preface and ready for perusal of any Friend desiring the sight thereof as of late have been spread abroad in his Favour to render him an Innocent Man and to acquit him from the Guilt of some Matters of Fact laid to his charge when the Certifiers knew nothing at all thereof and of this he himself could not be Ignorant though the Occasion of spreading such Certificates abroad if he knew what was contained therein which would have been proved to his Face had he been but so Just to the cause of Truth as to have submitted to a hearing according as was desired and in the Preface signified before Friends of things Reproachful to the Truth whereof he is guilty But notwithstanding all this we dare not say that his Preaching the Light in the beginning of his Travels abroad as well as the Preaching the Light by others his Fellow-Servants in the Beginning with him was not the Ministration given them of God for at the sound thereof many Faces gathered Paleness Horror and Amazement seized many who then became sensible of their Lost State and Condition whilest they were admiring their Teachers and busied in Outward Ordinances more than in the Cross of Christ And that Day wherein many were not only so strucken with Amazement but through Faith received the Testimony given touching the Light of Christ might truly be termed The Day of their Infancy in the Truth and so the more likely to be prevailed upon by the Enemy who in that Day as in Ages past sought how he might destroy that Tenderness to the Truth which was so begotten for 't is certainly known that many whose Eyes ought to have been unto the Creator Admiring and giving Glory unto him for his Gifts of Grace and Ministration of Light then revealed did on a sudden admire the Creature in such an abundant manner as if not only the planting and watering were by him but the Encrease also and in that Day some whom the Lord hath made as Watchmen in the House of Israel were concerned thereat and Jealous with a Godly Jealousie and though at present 't is not with us to declare what that Jealousie was yet if the Tree may be known by its Fruit we may with Boldness affirm that the then admiring the Creature might be truely paraleld with that State out of which the Lord through the Ministration of Light or Spirit of Life had led many at that Day who had so learned the Truth as according to the Testimony thereof to have their Eye to the Light within viz. the Light of Christ and not instead thereof to any Outward Person through whom amongst other Brethren the Ministration of Light was revealed But yet notwithstanding some there were as before is signified that admired the Creature which not only became unto them a snare but 't is much to be doubted unto the Creature also that was admired for the Acceptation of more respect than was meet stands in the same ground with the Offering thereof and 't is too much to be feared that the imprudent Acceptation of what was unduely offered hath begot a Spirit of Pride and Exaltation in G. F. which the Lord is determined for his Name-Sake to bring into the Dust and if he did but seriously mind his State and Condition and was but more ready to appear little in his own eyes than to be accounted Great in the Eyes of others and not give way to such a false Imagination that true Judgment was committed to him in all things which can now be Testified was spoken by him and that at that time wherein his Judgement was known to be false and that he may take a Liberty knowingly to put Stumbling Blocks in the way of Gods People and yet be justified therein * Note When William Rogers discoursed with him touching this particular Passage in his Book of Womens Meetings And was not Micahs Mother a virtuous Woman Read Judges 17 and then a few Lines after though she was an Idolotrous Woman sayeth these and such
birth from running into Duties catching of Openings and laying hold of Promises and to feel the Heir born of the Immortal Seed to whom all belongs and the other Birth never afterwards get up above him but be subdued and brought into Subjection Again sayeth the Apostle Take heed of doing any thing doubtingly be not forward be not hasty wait for the leading wait for the Manifestation of the Spirit Be sure thou receive what thou receives in the Faith and Practise what thou practisest in the Faith For whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin being an Errour from the Principle of Life which is to guide and thereby thou losest ground and dishonourest Christ and comest under Condemnation And so the Apostle warns Believers To take heed of drawing one another on too fast or of Judging one another in such things as some of them might have Light in others not He that eateth not to Judge him that did not eat and he that did not eat not to Judge him that did eat yea in Matters of Worship he that observed a Day and kept a Sabbath not to Judge him that observed not a Day or kept not a Sabbath For the Jews which were truly converted yet were hard to be drawn off from the Observation of their Sabbath and could hardly bear with the Believing Gentiles who were never taught to keep their Sabbath with them but were taught to esteem every day and sanctifie it to the Lord Rom. 14.5 And those who esteemed every day and dedicated it to the Lord ceasing from Sin and resting to him for under the Gospel we are not to set up a new Type but to enter by Faith into the true Rest which is the Substance of what the other signified could hardly bear with them who observed a Day Even in the Apostles Days Christians were too apt to strive after a wrong Vnity and Vniformity in Outward Practices and Observations and to Judge one another Vnrighteously in those things And mark it is not the different Practice from one another that breaks the Peace and the Unity but the Judging of one another because of different Practices he that keeps not a Day may unite in the same Spirit in the same Life in the same Love with him that keeps a Day and he who keeps a Day may unite in Heart and Soul with the same Spirit and Life in him who keeps not a Day but he that Judgeth the other because of either of these Errs from the Spirit from the Love from the Life and so breaks the Bond of Unity And he that draws another to any Practice before the Life in his own Particular lead him does as much as in him lies to destroy the Soul of that Person Vers 15. This was the Apostles Rule for every one to perform singly to the Lord what he did and not for one to meddle with the Light or Conscience of another undervaluing his Brother or Judging him because his Light and Practices differed from his Vers 10. of that 14th Chap. but every one to keep close to their own Measure of Light even to that proportion of Faith and Knowledge which God of his Mercy hath bestowed on them and here is the true Unity in the Spirit in the Inward Life and not in an Outward Vniformity that was not necessary in the Apostles Days nor is it necessary now and that Eye which so dotes upon it overlooks the one Thing which is necessary Men keeping close to God the Lord will lead them on fast enough and give them Light fast enough for he taketh care of such and knoweth what Light and what Practices are most proper for them but for Men to walk on faster than the Lord holds forth Light to them this overturns them raising up a wrong thing in them and the true Birth hereby comes to suffer to shrink and be driven back And Oh! how sweet and pleasant is it to the truly Spiritual Eye to see several sorts of Believers several Forms of Christians in the School of Christ every one learning their own Lesson performing their own peculiar Service and knowing owning and loving one another in their several Places and different Performances to their Master to whom they are to give an Account and not to quarrel with one another about their different Practices Rom. 14.4 For this is the true ground of Love and Unity not that such a man walks and does just as I do but because I feel the same Spirit of Life in him and in that he walks in his Rank in his own order in his proper way and Place of Subjection to that and this is far more pleasing to me than if he walked just in that track wherein I walk nay so far as I am Spiritual I cannot so much as desire that he should do so until he be particularly led thereto by the same Spirit which led me And he that knows what it is to receive any Truths from the Spirit and to be led into Practices by the Spirit and how prone the Fleshly Man is to make haste and how dangerous that haste is will not be forward to press his Knowledge or Practices upon others but rather wait patiently till the Lord fit them for the receiving thereof and fear lest they should receive and practise too soon even in that part which cannot serve the Lord. And this I can truly say concerning my self I never found my Spirit forward to draw any either to any thing I believed to be true or to any Practice or Way of Worship I observed or walked in but desired that the Power and leadings of Life might go before them and was afraid lest men should receive things from my hand and not from the Lords Yea and this I very well remember that when I walked in the way of Independency as it hath been commonly called I had more Unity with more Love towards such as were single-Hearted in other Ways and Practices of Worship whose Spirits I had some feeling of in the true Simplicity and in the Life than with divers of such who were very Knowing and Zealous in that way of Independency in whom a wrong thing in the mean time had got up which had caused them to swerve from the Life and from the Simplicity So that the true Church Government being in the Spirit and over the Conscience as in the Sight of God the great Care must be to keep it within its Bounds that nothing else govern but the Spirit and that the Government be extended only unto that which is to be Governed First Care must be had that nothing Govern in the Church of Christ but the Spirit of Christ that nothing else teach nothing else exhort nothing else admonish and reprove nothing else cut off and cast out Every Minister in the Church is to watch over his own Spirit that it intrude not into the work of God that it take not upon it to be the Teacher the Exhorter the Reprover c. And
you went from before you separated Outwardly And this Spirit was afraid of being limited but it would limit the Universal Spirit both in Males and Females as your Fruit has manifested concerning the Practice of Womens-Meetings and Recording Condemnations and Admonishing Payers of Tythes and other Evils as your Books and Papers and Neighbours can testify But thou who hast said They must be left to themselves to Condemn this Year or the other c. this gives Liberty to the Flesh For whil'st it is to Day they must hear his Voice But John I savour thy Spirit and know that thy Words come from an Angry Disquieted Fretful Peevish Spirit And poor Men and People for my part I pitty you as knowing and seeing that you are out of the Life and are not in the Spirit that did first Convince you and so not in the First Love And if ever thou comest to the tender Spirit and Light of Christ in thy Heart thou wilt see all those your Books and Papers of Strife and your Separation is all for Condemnation with the Light of Christ and they are the Works of that Spirit that led thee into Death and Strife And now thou cryest What and Wherein and This and the Other But come in and look into thy self And I say again It is the same Spirit that led James Naylor and John Perrot and others and John Perrot cryed against Imposition as you do and against the Mens-Meetings as you do against the Womens Though I know James Naylor did for himself Condemn that Spirit that led into a Separation which had been well if you had done so too And his Resurrection is Recorded as well as his Condemnation But many of his People remain to this Day out and have been and are as much against Men and Womens-Meetings as you And so it is but the same Spirit still And James Naylor's Opposition did not consist only in Not Reproving his Company for the Titles they gave him but his Opposition stood several Years about other Matters and his People cryed against our Meetings and sought with all their Might to destroy them But the Lord's Power blasted them all that did not come in by Repentance and Judgment And thou further sayest Let James Naylor's not Reproving his Company be a Warning to me and bid'st me Reprove my Company when they give me Titles and Honour due to the Highest c. Poor Man Is here thy Envy broken out But What are the Titles and Who are them that have given them And When and Where And whereas thou sayest Lest they that love Preheminence and Rule out-live my Time and render my VVeakness to others John Who are those that love Preheminence And What is my VVeakness that they may render it Why didst thee not mention it in thy Paper But this is from a prejudiced malicious Spirit and not from the Light of Christ to render my Weakness c. when I am Dead and in my Grave turned to Dust Nay John that which thee strikes at and thy Company and all the Evil Spirits in the World have struck at and all the Apostates before thee shall never turn it to Dust neither shall you ever get it into the Dust Glory to the Everlasting God for ever For He that Over-comes shall go no more forth and shall never Perish and he that Believeth on the Son of God hath Everlasting Life But if this be the Way of thy Preaching that the Members of the Heavenly Body turn to Dust I fear thou hast begotten none to God but into a Profession that will turn to Dust like thy self and Dust is the Meat of this Spirit that I know For I am in a Life that is over that Spirit which neither Thee nor the World cannot touch And if thou comes to be as Judas and Betray the Truth to the Priests I know what thee and they can kill if God will suffer you But I do not fear it And I must tell thee it is the Spirit of Judas the Betrayer that is gone from Truth and now would betray others from the Heavenly Body in the Eternal Fellowship in the Eternal Head For That which is Earthly is Earthly and that which is Heavenly is Heavenly And thou bidst me Be Humble as a Member of the Heavenly Body under Christ the Head c. So thou tell'st me I am a Member of Christ the Heavenly Body yet thou sayest When I am turned to Dust and Dead Is this thy Doctrine Are the Members of the Heavenly Body turned to Dust and Dead This Doctrine surely proceeds from Darkness and not from the Light of Christ And Is it to this thou wouldst have me bow and be humbled to Nay John I need none of thy Ministry and it will do no good in the State thou stands in to any For it is an Angry Malicious Froward Spirit that has possest thee And further thou bid'st me Remember the Word to Moses with the Time and Place of his Death who Sanctified not God in the Sight of Israel his People What dost thou infer from thence John That I have not Sanctified God before his People So thou hast set me above a Common Member and put me into an Office then but Must that which Sanctifies God be turned to Dust I thought John thou hadst owned Christ to be the Sanctifyer of all who is Greater than Moses and the End of Moses But John Wherein have not I Sanctified the Lord What Liberty have I given to Sin or any that are Faithful that have not followed you in your Separation Have you not taken Offence against some of them that came to Admonish such as were not Faithful amongst you and called it Over-driving them yea such as have been moved by the Spirit of God And Was it not called Popery when some went to Admonish Preston Meeting when they did not stand stedfast to the Lord And How was the Lord sanctifyed amongst you then And How was the Lord sanctifyed amongst you concerning your Paying of Tythes or your Conniving at your Wives or others Paying for you Much of which I could write concerning such like Things but I shall forbear But when you were in Strife I would have had you come over to me that you might have been brought into Unity before your Separation but you refused Nevertheless if Thee and John Story bring your Eighty Subscribers and come to me I will shew you wherein you Writings and Actions are contrary to the Light of Christ Jesus and Spirit of God by which you were Covinced in the Beginning Which had you loved the Gospel of Peace you would have come to me before you had made such a Jumble with your strife up and down the Nation For I have heard by several Faithful Friends where you have sent your Papers to prejudiced Persons against Men and Womens-Meetings and Recording Commendations and other Friends Practices which has begotten a great Dislike in Friends concerning you For what hath this been
who indeed must be very Simple Foolish and Blockish if what G. F. hath written be taken by them either for a Pertinent Friendly or Christian Answer to so Seasonable Tender and Christian a Letter because the most Pertinent Matter offered by him as Answer thereto is this As to thy Fear of making Force in Religion there is nothing but what is Pure can come into it Alack for thee If thou wast in the Universal Spirit c. thou wouldst not make such a Noise about Imposition for indeed it is the very Spirit of Imposition in Thee and You that does not know what it would be at it self nor to what to bring others And much I could say as to that We now appeal to God's Witness in all Whether Men endued with that Wisdom which is from Above can be at Unity with such a Scossing Shaffling Impertinent Answer wherein doubtless there is not less than Three or Four Falshoods and Untruths in Two or Three Lines The First we take to be contained in these Words For indeed it 's the very Spirit of Imposition in thee The Second in these words That does not know what it would be at it self The Third in these words Nor to what to bring others And if what he hath written by way of Reflection in his Letter is written as grounded on John Wilkinson's Letter to him as it seems to be being Answer thereto then there seems a Fourth Untruth contained in these words Thou wouldst not make such a Noise about Imposition when as there is not one word about Imposition in all John Wilkinson's Letter Now as to John Wilkinson with respect to these Slanders we have this to say Our Experience tells us he is not of an Imposing Spirit unless Preaching the Word of Life and Commending it to the Conscience may be termed such which cannot be and hath approved himself wise in that Wisdom that is from Above and so knows what he would be at and unto what to bring others as his Doctrine and Conversation hath largely manifested amongst us 'T is to be observed that John Wilkinson in his aforesaid Letter on the Occasion of G. F's reflecting upon him John Story and others That they will become as bad as James Naylor and Muggleton c. If they give not over their Separation thus writes to G. F. If James Naylor's Opposition consisted in not Reproving his Company when they bowed to him and cryed Hosanna Let it be a Warning to thee and reprove thy Company when they give thee the Titles and Honour due to the Highest lest they that love Preheminence and Rule out-live thy time and render thy weakness to others as thou hast done his when thou art Dead and in thy Grave and turned to Dust therefore be humble as a Member of the Heavenly Body under Christ the Head On this occasion G. F. writes these following Sentences But this is from a prejudiced malicious Spirit and not from the Light of Christ to Render my Weakness when I am in my Grave turned to Dust c. Nay John that which thou strikest at and thy Company and all the evil Spirits in the VVorld have struck at and all the Apostates before thee shall never turn it to Dust But if this be the way of thy Preaching that the Members of the Heavenly Body turn to Dust I fear thou hast begotten none to God So thou tells me I am a Member of the Heavenly Body yet thou say'st when I am turned to Dust and Dead surely this Doctrine proceeds from Darkness and not from the Light of Christ And is it to this thou wouldst have me to bow and be humbled Nay John I need none of thy Ministry it is an Angry Malicious Froward Spirit that hath possest thee On these Sentences we thus Observe that they shew Malice Envy Perversion and Ignorance or Darkness By his own Rule his Prejudice and Malice appears in rendring James Naylors weakness and not only therein but in joyning John Wilkinson with All the Evil Spirits in the VVorld whose Doctrine Life and Conversation so far as ever we knew in all manner of Godliness and Honesty hath since his Convincement of Truth rendred him worthy of double Honour amongst many of his Brethren and his name G. F's Envy can never as we are perswaded blot out but rather gives an occasion to add to the Number of G. F's Transgressions and Errours which are so numerous on Record in ‖ Meaning the afore said Monuscript this Treatise as that could it be made appear that John Wilkinson was but Guilty of the one Half thereof we should be ashamed to own him until he had repented before the Lord But much more should we disown him if instead of Repenting in such a Case he should run at those as Evil Spirits that should for the Clearing of their Consciences spread his Errours before him which hath been G. F.'s common Practice and is now worthily Recorded as a Testimony against his Errours and Transgressions that the Simple-hearted may no longer be betrayed either by his Fair Speeches Threats or Frowns As to his treating on the word Dust by way of Reffection on John Wilkinsons Ministry and that from John Wilkinsons sound words the impartial Reader may easily discern his Perversion in concluding that John Wilkinson tells him he is a Member of the heavenly Body which doth not follow from John Wilkinson's Words Be humble as a Member of the heavenly Body no more than it follows that a Disciple of Christ is Christ because Luke tells us Whosoever will be a perfect Disciple shall be as his Master As to his Ignorance or Darkness 't is thus Manifested G. F's aforesaid Sentences cannot be a sound Answer to any thing writ by John Wilkinson which it ought to have been unless G. F. concludes that that Visible Body called George Fox shall not turn to Dust because John willinson writ not his Letter to G. F. with an intent that that outward Body called George Fox which must turn to Dust was not to be concerned therewith Moreover 't is to be observed what ever G. F's Judgment in that case be when he writ to John VVilkinson he was willing to keep it to himself because he doth not plainly acknowledge that his Body shall ever turn to Dust but positively saith That which John Wilkinson strikes at shall never turn it to Dust his meaning he best knows but yet this we know 't was needful enough to have explained his meaning because the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 6.13 15 19. The body is not for Fornication Know ye not that your Bodies are the Members of Christ shall I then take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an Harlot God forbid know you not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you whom you have of God and you are not your own And 2 Cor. 4.11 That the Life of Jesus might be made Manifest in your mortal Bodies We
though the Apostle thus exhorted Little Children keep your selves from Idols yet thy Book touching Womens-Meetings c. very Scandalous to the Truth and worthy in several Particulars to be Judged and Condemned informs us as if Micah's Mother spoken of Judges 17. when she gave Money to make a Graven Image to be Worshipped was a Virtuous Woman for touching her thou hast thus written And Was not Micah's Mother a Virtuous Woman Read Judges 17. and see what she said to her Son And in a few Lines after thou thus testifyes These and such like Women are Recorded to Posterity for their Wisdom and Virtue See thy Book Pag. 43 44. Thirdly Though there are Endeavours to send Papers to and fro to bespatter John Story for going out of a Meeting when the Persecutors came yet I know that thou thy self hast been found in the like Action and if Reports be true the frequentest of any Man that ever I heard called by the Name of a Quaker And 't is to me a broad Signe that this would not have been omitted as a grand Article against him amongst others at Drawel hadst not thou been Guilty in the like Case Fourthly That though John Wilkinson and John Story are persecuted by such unto whom thy Papers seem a Strength because they will not Condemn themselves Yet I never heard that thou as yet hast ever given forth any Paper of Condemnation for the Errors thou hast Committed in writing the Book about Womens Meeeting c. or any thing else Though I cannot believe but that thou art Conscious to thy self that Truth is scandalized thereby unless so great Imagination hath entred thee as to conclude That all thy Words Writings and Actions are Right because they are brought forth through thy Earthly Vessel And to speak plain I must tell thee Thou art not free from giving Occasion to be Jealous that thou dost so conclude Else when I treated thee about the Business of Micha's Mother Why didst thou tell me as thou then didst viz. That thou knewest what thou didst and that Thou sawest 't would be a Stumbling-Block But rather on the Sight of thy Mistake have ingeniously confest the same for 't is an Abominable thing in thee or any Man knowingly to put Stumbling-Blocks in the Way of God's People And know this from me thou wilt never be able to wipe away the Reproach that lyes upon thee for writing that Book until thou Condemn and Judge thy self for many things therein contained And to be yet more plain When I do consider that the Reputation and Respect that hath been given unto thee by many if not most of those who in the Parts here-a-way were first convinced of Truth did first spring from the Testimony we had concerning thee from the Mouths of those whom we believed the Lord and not Thou sent forth to gather us it seems a very strange Thing and the Badge of a grand Apostacy That any of the surviving Remnant of those Antient Labourers being as sound in Doctrine and Principle and as blameless in their outward Lives and Conversation as in the Beginning and thereby manifesting themselves Stayed in the Unchangeable Truth should be Persecuted and rendred Offenders for that which Truth declares to be no Offence and yet thou so far from being a Reproof thereto that 't is evident to me from my Discourse had with thee at Swarthmore and other things that thou art become a Strength to them Hast thou forgotten that Truth was Preach't in the Beginning under the Name of the Vnchangeable Truth And Is the Day now come that a Remnant of the Antient Stock who bore the Brunt and Heat of the Day must now be Persecuted whenas I am satisfyed if they could but now run with others to Change their Way they might yet be esteemed Good Friends Hast thou forgotten how often the Testimony of the Ancient Brethren were on this wise We Preach not our selves look not unto us but unto the Appearance of Christ in your selves And yet one Cause Assigned by thee that John VVilkinson and John Story are wrong is their not Coming to thee and by the sixty six Subscribers at Ellis Hook's Chamber in London their not Coming to Them Truly those who have received their Ministry from God are not to run hither and thither at thy Call or any man's Call whatsoever though I do know thou hast in a Letter written to me Assigned their not coming to Thee when thou send'st for them to be as a Proof that they were not Right nor in the Light and Power of God But by what Authority or according to what Principle of Truth Men called of God into the Work of the Ministry must be declared to be not right nor in the Light and Power of God because they come not to Thee when thou sendest for them I understand not for thou in thy best Estate wast but a Member of the Christ of God unto whom we are all to come when he calls And if any shall Affirm that thou hast and dost retain thy place yet in that Case Thou canst be but a fellow-servant accountable unto the Christ of God as every Member of the Body whereof Christ is Head is Hast thou forgotten how Thou hast Testified against James Naylor's Spirit whose great fall was his owning or at least not Reproving the Women when they Cryed with a Carnal Tongue Hosanna to him And hast Thou no Sense that its gross Ignorance and thick Darkness for any to look upon Thee as that Prophet whom the Lord by his Servant Moses Prophesied he would raise up like unto him whom the People are to hear in all things I cannot believe thou art Ignorant that such there are who so Look on thee and I never understood thou becamest a Reproof to this Spirit Hast thou no Sense that the same Spirit of Ignorance hath and can look upon that abominable Quotation touching Micahs Mother as well enough which where-ever it is doth undoubtedly Spring from this that 't is George's giving forth and so there must be something in it And hast Thou not been desired to Clear things of this Nature and to be a Reproof to such Ignorance and Darkness which tends to lead us into Egypt again I am the man who have Cause to be Jealous that there are some who look upon others either Apostatizing from the Truth or standing in slippery Places when they find not a more than ordinary Respect for thee I will not say an Hosanna in their Breasts as the Women had in their Mouths for James Naylor and therefore I cannot but say it might well become thee by a plain Testimony to Clear things of this Nature Many for Truth 's sake and out of an indeared Respect for thee in particular and a Hope that these little Differences amongst Friends might pass over and that thou wouldest use the Interest thou hast in the Hearts of the Professors of Truth to quell those many little Commotions which seemed some
his Mother The 1100 Shekels of Silver that were taken from thee about which thou cursedst and spakest also in mine Ears behold the silver is with me I took it and his mother said Blessed be thou of the Lord my Son and when he had restored the 1100 Shekels of Silver to his Mother his Mother said I had wholly dedicated the Silver unto the Lord from my Hand for my Son to make a Graven-Image and a Molten-Image now therefore I will restore it thee yet he restored the money to his Mother and his Mother took 200 Shekels of Silver and gave them to the Founder who made thereof a Graven-Image and a Molten Image and they were in the house of Micah and the man Micah had an house of God's The Quotation is enough to shew that she was an Idolatrous Woman and though it may be said it is but a question askt yet in answer it may be said that if G. F's real judgment be so that she was not a virtuous woman he hath manifested thereby a scoffing Spirit but to manifest that such an Answer appears but a meer shift the reader may observe that about thirteen lines following he thus saith So these and such women are recorded to Posterity for their Wisdom and their Virtue The second Quotation Page 43. And the woman of Tekoah see what a Sermon she preacht to King David 2 Sam. 13.14 The Scripture quoted informs us that the woman was a subtile woman whom Joab caused to feign her self as a Mourner and go to King David with a lying story in her mouth which accordingly she did For when King David asked her is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this she answered Joab put all these words in her mouth so that if it were really so that she had been the Occasion of pacifying King David's wrath yet it might more truly be said that she deceived King David by her Lyes than convinced him besides though the story was framed by Joab for the sake of Absalom who slew his Brother Amnon and therefore fled yet it appears that King David was appeased as to his Son Absalom as in 2 Sam. 13.39 before the woman came to him with Lyes in her mouth We now commend it to the Consciences of all to consider how this Lying story can be called a Good and Convincing Sermon and be an evidence of a Virtuous Woman for in a very few lines after it 's said as before These and such women are recorded to posterity for their Wisdom and their Virtue The Third Quotation Page 23. And the Women had their assemblies in the daies of the Iudges and the Kings Now old Ely was not against the Assemblies of the Women who assembled by Troops as you may see in the 1st Sam. 2.21 22. though some men now adayes may be against Womens Meetings or Assemblies in the Gospel Times and against womens speaking and prophecying c. The Scripture quoted tells us thus So Ely was old and heard all that his Sons did unto Israel and how they lay with the Women who assembled at the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation which only proves that there was an Assembly of Men and women at the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation who committed evil together At the first view this seemed so abominable a Quotation to prove the Assemblies of purified women under the Gospel distinct form purified men to be necessary which is the end wherefore 't was as we take it quoted that we were concerned to inform our selves from the Scriptures to what end women assembled before the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and we find by a Marginal Note in the Scriptures that it was as the Hebrews write after their Travel when they came to be purified as in Leviticus the 12th and 6th where it 's thus said Now when the dayes of her purifying are fulfilled she shall bring to the Priest a Lamb of one year old for a Burnt-Offering and a young Pigeon or Turtle Dove for a Sin-Offering unto the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation which gives us occasion thus to query How can Women coming in order to their Purification with a Sin-Offering c. to the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation when defiled by the Men that there accompanyed them be a Proof for purified Women under the Gospel to assemble together distinct from purified men The Fourth Quotation Page 32. And likewise you may see Rachel and Leah their Counsel to Jacob who answered Jacob and said unto him is there yet any Portion or Inheritance for us in our Father's house are we not counted of him as strangers for he hath sold us and he hath quite devoured also our money for all the riches that God hath taken from our Father that is ours and our Childrens and now therefore whatsoever God hath said unto thee do this was Rachels and Leahs counsel unto Iacob and were not these three a Church then and did he forbid them from speaking in the Church See Genses 31.14 15 16. This we take to be a Quotation to evidence Womens speaking in the Church to be according to truth but yet we cannot own it to be much if any thing at all better Argument for VVomens speaking in the Church of God when the Church is met to worship the Lord in his Spirit than Womens Discourses with their Husbands about their outward estates doth almost every day produce amongst us and were it so that no better Argument could be produced for the justification of Womens speaking in the Church of God in the sense we have understood speaking in the Church we might be ashamed of our Principle and their Practice The Fifth Quotation Page 42. And the Daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the Daughter of Jeptha Iudges 11th So here they had a Yearly Meeting on this Occasion Our observation now is Jeptha made a vow unto the Lord and thus said If thou shalt deliver the Children of Ammon into my Hand then that thing that cometh out of the Doors of my house to meet me when I come home in peace from the Children of Ammon shall be the Lords and I will offer it for a Burnt-Offering And so it happened that his only Child being a Daughter came out to meet him with Timbrels and Dances and when he saw her he rent his Cloaths and said alas my Daughter but yet at the end of two months did unto her according to his Vow having given her two months time to go to the Mountains with other Virgins to bewail her Virginity which afterwards became a custom in Israel to go Yearly to the Mountains to bewail the Daughter of Jeptha This occasions us to query whether such a meeting occasioned on the Untimely Death of a Virgin for Jeptha's Vow was a Rash Vow can be any Evidence of the Matter which is taken by us to be intended viz. either for Womens speaking in the Church or Womens
on the behalf of the Truth for that therein is plainly demonstrated the Qualifications of such as Sathan hath made use of to rend and divide the Church of Christ SECT IX An Epistle evidencing the Qualications of such whom Sathan makes vse of to Rend and Divide the Church of Christ A Paper given forth by Edward Burroughs Anno 1661. Touching the Scattered in Israel wherein by a Parable is lively described a part of what hath happened amongst the Flock of God in these latter dayes The Conclusion manifesting Several Passages very material and worthy observation as a further discovery of the Fruit and Cause of Division An Epistle prefixed to the Historical Manuscript mentioned in the Preface to this Treatise Evidencing the Qualifications of such whom Satan hath made use of to rend and divide the Church of Christ THe great Evidence of pure and undefiled Religion is a Conscience void of Offence towards God but the contrary is attended with Anxiety and Trouble He that in the Light of Christ Jesus inclines to preserve such a Conscience must not so value his Repute and Name amongst men as thereby to loose his Peace with the Lord. The consideration whereof hath abundantly satisfied us to encourage the preparing of this Treatise knowing that the Long-suffering Patience and Warnings of many Faithful Friends have had little place with many such persecuting Opposers of the Friends of Truth as are under the Profession thereof And therefore it may be Just with the Lord to suffer their long-suffering to have an End We also know that the Unsavoury Testimonies and Unchristian-like Discourses of many such in our Meetings for the Worship of God have been so frequently as well as publickly manifested as that 't is thereby known both to Professors and Prophane that the People called Quakers are now Divided by which 't is to be doubted that some may really conclude that though their Name is not extinguish't yet that the Nature Doctrine and Life which accompanied them at their first coming forth hath of late suffered Shipwrack This having been seriously pondered by us hath encreased the concern of our Consciences thus to appear that so as the Door hath thereby been so far shut in some parts of this Nation as that there hath been of late but few gathered into a Belief of the Everlasting Light so it may again in the Lords time be more opened by a clear Discovery that there is yet remaining a Remnant of that Ancient Stock who have been and our Faith in God is that they will be preserved in his Fear to persevere in his unchangable Way Light and Life of Truth unto the End That now the Reader may have some short Account of what the Lord hath manifested unto us on this Occasion we further thus Declare The Original Cause of Division and Seperation between the Members of any Society once at Unity in the Truth touching Religious Matters hath sprung from Satan The Persons in whom he hath chiefly appeared to accomplish the same have been such as usually appear more publick than other their Brethren and that under various Qualifications some have had Zeal without Knowledge and some have had Knowledge without Zeal and others have abounded in Confidence without either Knowledge or Zeal and none of these whilst exercised under these Qualifications have found Acceptance with the Lord And as Satan hath made use of Persons thus variously Qualified for the Preservation of his Kingdom so Christ Jesus whose Appearance hath been and is to destroy the Works of the Devil hath and doth make use of such Instruments in his Hand whom he hath furnished with true Zeal and that according to Knowledge for though all have not the like Degree of Knowledge yet that Zeal which is exercised according to the Measure of Knowledge given by God and received by Man finds Acceptance with the Lord of Life Now forasmuch as in this Treatise variety of Matters is Discourst wherein Divers Persons have been concerned many of whom were once at Unity which we are perswaded consisted in the Everlasting Truth and that every one of them might reasonably have been taken to be under one of the aforesaid Qualifications 't is with us at this time considering that the Tree is to be known by its Fruit to note a few things attending such respective Qualifications and that Chiefly for the sakes of such as have Zeal without Knowledge and so if the Lord make us Instruments in his Hand to open the understanding of any whereby they may come to have a true Savour of and Unity with those who have so received the Spirit as to be exercising themselves in true Zeal and that according to Knowledge we then shall have our End We now begin to speak of those who have Zeal without Knowledge Charity obliegeth us not to conclude that they design any thing more than to Live well that so they may dye well or any thing less than to appear what they know they are not but yet this we certainly know that albeit these have professed Christ Jesus to be their Foundation yet many of them for want of Knowledge have been building thereon the Wood the Hay and the Stubble of other Mens Inventions whereby they have suffered loss having exalted their own Righteousness thorough a Zealous Submission to other Mens Lines made ready to their Hands as if therein the Righteousness of Faith consisted or that it were lawful contrary to the Counsel of the Apostle to Glory in Men The Apostle Paul Rom 10.2 thus saith I bear them record they have a Zeal of God but not according to Knowledge and from the next Verse we learn that they were such as being ignorant of Gods Righteousness and going about to Establish their Own Righteousness have not Submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God This was spoken of Israel for their Information that they might not have a dependency on the Righteousness of the Law as if thorough the Strict Performance and Observations of Outward Things Establisht under the Law they should come to know the Salvation of God thorough Christ but rather that their Dependency should be upon the Righteousness which is of Faith which according to the Apostles Doctrine Vers the 8th of the same Chapter informs us thus The word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy Heart that is the Word of Faith which we Preach So that by this Doctrine and what Elsewhere is written in other of his Epistles it appears that the Apostles care for Israel was that they might be brought off those Outward and carnal Ordinances which were Established for a season untill the time of reformation unto the Word nigh in the Heart which undoubtedly was and is no other than that Law which according to the word of the Lord by the mouth of the Prophet Jeremiah Jer. 31.33 Was to be put in their Inward Parts and written in their Hearts All which leads us to make this Observation that whosoever
hath opened that there is not any other way by which all things relating unto the Kingdom of God and Salvation of mankind comes to be revealed and this appears agrecable to the Scriptures of truth John 14.26 2 Cor. 4.2 3 4 5 6 7. 2 Tim. 3.15 16. We are now sensible that some who may peruse the foregoing Scriptures may be ready thus to say You seem to propound two ways by which the things appertaining to the Kingdom of God and Salvation of Mankind have been and are revealed viz. the Spirit of Truth or Appearance of Christ by his Light as One Way and the Scriptures of Truth as Another Way To this we answer The Way we propose is but One though the Manifestation thereof may seem various to Man viz. sometimes through Instruments and sometimes through Himself For though Paul wrote unto Timothy unto whom he was made an Instrument and therefore called him his Son telling him 2 Tim. 3.15 16. That the holy Scriptures were able to make him wise unto Salvation and that they were profitable for Doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness yet 't is spoken with respect to those Scriptures that are given forth by inspiration of God and with this limitation viz. thorow the saith that is in Christ Jesus Whereon we observe that the Scriptures given forth by inspiration are but as an Instrument made serviceable to the Reader through the Spirit whereby faith in Christ comes to be raised even as a Man indued with the Spirit of God may in the hand of the Lord be an Instrument through sound Doctrine and wholsom exhortation to open the inward Eye of the Mind which hath been darkned and to awaken the Conscience which hath been defiled that so man may come to be renewed in the spirit of his Mind unto God through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and the Conscience purified from Dead Works through the blood of the Covenant to serve the Lord in Truth and Righteousness and therefore we reasonably conclude That there is but One way though various in Operation and Manifestation through which the Things appertaining to the Kingdom of God and Salvation of Mankind comes to be revealed which is by the powerful appearance of Christ by his spirit and light convicting the Conscience converting and renewing the Mind unto God sometimes through Scriptures given forth by inspiration sometimes through Man as an Instrument and sometimes by the appearance of the Spirit and Light in Man without the Assistance of such Instruments but yet the end of all is that faith in Christ may be raised wherein as the Evidence of things not seen by the Carnal Eye the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ is beheld which is that Treasure whereof the Apostle spoke that is hid in our Earthen Vessels that the excellency of that Power might be of God and not of man These things being duly considered this Testimony doth naturally arise that neither the Scriptures of Truth nor any other writings whatsoever though given forth by the Spirit of God itself can properly be termed so profitable a Rule unto us as the Light and Spirit from which they were given forth and therefore the Eye of our Mind ought chiefly to be unto the Spiritual Appearance of Christ by his Light and Spirit in us as that Unerring Guide which never can be removed into a corner Besides we find the Scripture itself testifying That no Prophecy of the Scripture is of any Private interpretation 2 Pet. 1.20 that is it ought not to be interpreted but by the Holy Ghost through whose Motions 't was given forth for all other Interpretations may truly be termed Private From whence we observe that if the Prophecies in the Scriptures of Truth should be read unto us from Morning to Evening and from Evening to Morning again we might receive little Benefit or Profit thereby unless the Eye of our Mind come to be stayed in the Unchangeable Light and Spirit of God whereby the meaning of the spirit through them out of all Private Interpretations hath been and is signified unto Man CHAP. II. Touching the Light of Christ within and Exhortation to Obedience thereof THose Faithful Messengers of the Gospel of Christ whom the Lord in these latter daies sent forth for the gathering of the Nations unto the Faith and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Way the Truth and the Life that their souls might be saved in the Day of the Lord frequently sounded in our ears on this wise Turn in your minds unto the Light within meaning thereby the Light of Christ within which shews you that a Tye is not of the Truth and as through Faith you come to be Obedient unto the Light Within and that measure of Grace given by God and received by you so will you come to be made Partalters of that great Salvation This Doctrine was acceptable to many who in the Love of Truth received the joyful Sound thereof but unto others mean and despised who notwithstanding that Testimony accounted the Scriptures of Truth a More Sure Rule and Guide unto the Father The consideration whereof at this time hath been as an obligation to examine whether the aforesaid Doctrine so acceptable to some and despised by others be consonant to the Scriptures of Truth which task is the more freely undertaken because the aforesaid Doctrine hath become so great a stumbling block unto many as that they have thought it a sufficient evidence that the professors thereof have been out of the path of truth readily objecting on this wise Objection Do you not think that those Jews who crucified Christ acted not from the Light Within Since some of them at least verily thought they did God good service therein Having thus premised 't is now needful to examine what may be spoken from the Scriptures of Truth for the Light within and to turn in the Mind unto the same to obey it c. In order thereunto we find John the Evangelist thus testifying Joh. 1.4.9 In him meaning the Word which was God was Life and the Life was the Light of men That was the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world I am the Light of the World John 8.12 he that followeth me shall not walk in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life Joh. 12.46 I am come a Light into the World that whosoever believeth in me should not abide in Darkness These Scriptures plainly shew that we are to believe in and follow Christ who is that Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world Objection However some objecting may say What 's this to a Light Within 't is very plain that John the Evangelist meant nothing of a Light Within in your sense but of the Personal Appearance of Christ Without as that Word which was made Flesh and as Evidence produce what the same Evangelist saith Chap.
away from the Truth as the setting up of a graven image through the want of Knowledge was under the Law and that at this day the words of the Prophet are again fulfilling Hos 4.6 My People are destroyed for lack of Knowledge because thou hast rejected Knowledge I will also reject thee 'T is now needful to signifie the occasion on which the Apostle Paul saith that Knowledge puffeth up 1 Cor. 8.1 Now as touching things offered unto Idols we know that we have all Knowledge Knowledge puffeth up but Charity edifieth And further in the same chap. ver 10 11. If any man see thee which hast Knowledge sit at meat in the Idols Temple shall not the Conscience of him which is weak be emboldned to eat those things which are offered unto Idols and through thy knowledge shall the weak Brother perish In this Chapter the Apostle Paul was a Reproof to such as abounding in Knowledge and clearly seeing that to put a difference between Meat offered unto Idols and that which was not was but the fruit of weakness had not a regard unto the weak Consciences of their Brethren and so he tells such Knowledge puffeth up but Charity edifieth From whence we cannot conclude that Paul meant strictly according as his words may be construed no more than he intended by his saying Let your Women keep silence in the Church that none of them though Members of the Church should prophesie when moved of God whenas in a few verses before he tells the Church which consisted of Women as well as Men They might all prophesie one by one and the reason seems evident because the Knowledge which the Apostle seems to hint at was a Knowledge sprung from a growth in the Truth that the weak had not attained unto which may be taken to be signified in these words of the said Chapter VVe know that we all have knowledge howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge for some with Conscience of the Idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an Idol and their conscience being weak is defiled All which being considered the Mind of the Apostle writing those words viz. Knowledge puffeth up but Charity edifieth may be taken to be this that though they had Knowledge yet they should not have their Eye so much to that as to exercise their Liberty to the offence of any that were weak lest the Enemy to true Knowledge should interpose and puff them up so as not to condescend through Charity for the sake of a weak Brother 'T is the work of the Enemy of man's Soul to puff up but the Word of Knowledge is one of the Gifts 1 Cor. 12.7 8. which through the manifestation of the Spirit are given unto every man to profit withal and therefore I conclude that the Apostle writing unto the Philippians thus exprest himself Phil. 1.9 10. I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in Knowledge and in all Judgment that ye may approve things that are excellent that ye may be sincere and without offence From whence it may reasonably be concluded that the contrary Fruits viz. things that are contemptible and vile insincere and offensive spring through the Want of that Love which abounds in Knowledge Obj. By this discourse you seem to exalt Knowledge as an excellent thing * See an Epistle evidencing the Qualifications of such whom Satan makes use of to rend and divide the Church of Christ being contained in the first Part of the Christian-Quaker How comes it then to pass that divers amongst you called Quakers have preached reflectingly on such as are indued with knowledge above many of their Brethren as if their Religion were in their Heads and not in their hearts telling us That the Tree of Knowledge was not good for Food and not only so but have appeared in such an invective Spirit against Reason also without distinction that in your publick Meeting this imperative Expression hath been uttered Away with all Reasoning Ans 'T is very true However that doth not prove that all such Expressions are according to the Truth Peoples tongues are their own and we cannot use Violence to prevent any from delivering that which they may pretend they have to say and therefore for the clearing of the Truth in relation to the aforesaid objection we further add Pure Religion and undefiled is to visit the Fatherless and the Widows and to keep unspotted of the World wherein if our heads be not exercised our hearts will not bring forth the Fruit thereof As to to the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil though the Scriptures do not positively declare whether it was good for Food or no as in itself yet it doth clearly import that Adam's Sin in eating of the Tree of Knowledge was the Sin of Rebellion for that he was commanded not to eat thereof A Father may command his Child not to eat an Apple and yet give him leave to eat of other food fitter at that season for him if the Child should therein disobey his Father his rebellious eating would be no Argument to prove the Apple in itself not good for food These things being considered it may reasonably be concluded that there is no Ground to assert that the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was not good for Food as in itself Besides it hath been much observed that when the aforesaid doctrine hath been by some declared it hath been by way of Reflection on the Wisdom and Knowledge which some of the Publishers thereof account sensual and devilish though others have not thereby so intended but therein they have manifested their own Weakness because that which is a Discoverer of Good and Evil being in it self good as the Tree of Knowledge is cannot be a proper Comparison or Allusion to represent the thing that is devilish John the Evangelist testifies This is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God John 17.3 and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent And yet many of those who cry up Life are apt to cry down Knowledge without distinction though 't is evident that Knowledge is the way to life These things being duly considered we know not on what foot of Truth any one can assert that the Tree of Knowledge is not good for food as in itself and that it can be a proper similitude to represent any thing that is in opposition to that Knowledge which is from above But yet I would not be understood to reflect on all that have used that expression viz. The Tree of Knowledge is not good for Food because I question not but many have so exprest themselves not thereby to represent that Wisdom which is accounted Sensual and Devilish but rather to shew forth that if we should feed upon or admire any excellent Qualification or Endowment whatsoever and not have the Eye of our Mind chiefly unto the Giver we might then come to a loss even as
4th Month 1677. which now follows We whose Names are here unto Subscribed do Testify that on the Sixteenth day of the Fifth Month 1677. we were present in a Meeting usually held in the City of Bristol for the taking Care of the Poor and promoting of other Christian Duties when a Paper Subscribed by Sixty Six Persons and Dated from a Metting held at Ellis Hookes his Chamber in London the Twelfth of the Fourth Moneth 1677. was there Read and therein John Story and John Wilkinson are Reproved and Judged in these Words viz. We do hereby Reprove and Judge that Jealous Rending and Separating Spirit and them meaning John Story and John Wilkinson and their Separate Company as being in that Spirit of Separation and that by the Power and Spirit of our God and we warn all to whom this Comes to beware of the said John Story and John Wilkinson whose way at present is not the way of Peace c. The aforesaid Judgment we do now Declare that we do not own to be Righteous nor yet dare we deny the said John Story and John Wilkinson lest we sin against God and despise those unto whom a Dispensation of the Gospel of Christ is committed especially since that the aforementioned Paper doth sufficiently manifest to our Consciences That the Spirit of God did not move in the hearts of the sixty six Subscribers to give forth the same though the Name of the Lord his Power and Spirit is frequently made mention of in the said Paper and that this is so we thus manifest First The great Crime against John Story and John Wilkinson is for that as report saith They have been instruments to set up or at least incourage a Separate Mens-Meeting in the North wherein the outward affairs of the Church are managed and so consequently is esteemed besides that Form of Government which is contended for Now it doth not appear to us from the said Paper that the Meeting from which the aforesaid Paper was given forth was a Meeting held according to the Form of Government contended for and so we are dissatisfied that the Actions of that Meeting are Justifiable by the Rule of those who oppose John Story and John Wilkinson on the foot of the Separate-Meeting so called For it doth not appear that the aforementioned Meeting was the General Meeting by any thing therein contained not being so much as Dated from thence nor yet within the time wherein it was appointed to be held besides if the Paper did not prove that yet by a Post-script thereto it appears that there were several Brethren that had left the City before the said Meeting wherein the said Paper was Subscribed and so had it been within the appointed time of the General-Meeting it could in the best sense be but from a part of the said Meeting The aforementioned Meeting by the said Paper Appears not to be the second day's weekly Meeting for its Date is on the Third Day and when any thing is given forth from that Meeting 't is usually Dated from the said Meeting Besides we find that the Hands of many Antient Labourers in the Gospel and the greatest part by many of the Body of the Elders and Ministring Friends dwelling in and about the City of London are not thereto Subscribed and not only so but we are Credibly Informed that though 't was discoursed in the Second Days Weekly Meeting yet 't was not unanimously Assented to therein And if so it follows by natural Consequence that it could not be the action of the said Meeting had it been Dated on that Day and that this Expression in the aforesaid Paper viz. And blessed and sweet and very pretious to our Souls is the Heavenly Unity of Life amongst us wherein at this Meeting the Lord our God hath Crowned us with Glory Dominion and Peace cannot in Truth be spoken with respect to the aforesaid Second Days Weekly Meetings Unity as to the matter contained in the aforesaid Paper The afore-mentioned Meeting cannot be reasonably supposed to be from the Mens-Meeting of the City of London for that the generality of the Members thereof have not their Hands thereto neither is it said Signed on behalf of that Meeting or any other setled Meeting in England nor yet from it or any other such Meeting All which Considerations confirm us in this Perswasion that the aforesaid Paper was given forth from a Meeting held out of the Form of Government contended for and so by their own Rule ought to be disowned by the Meetings to whom it is directed Secondly It appears that the Sixty Six Subscribers in their Paper have given forth these Sentences viz. At this Meeting the Lord our God hath Crowned us with Glory Dominion and Peace at this time as on the like Occasions hath been frequent with us the Care of the Peace and Welfare of the Churches of Christ came upon us And are your Servants for his meaning Christs sake By that Salt that we have in our selves from the Lord are we enabled to savour between the Transformation of the Enemy and the Scruples of the Innocent And as to be tender of one so to give Judgment against the other And truly that which hath encouraged us in this Epistle is that good success God hath blest our like endeavors in his power with We are Unanimously your Dear and Faithful Brethren in the labour travel tribulation patience hope and rejoycing in the Kingdom of Jesus our Lord. On these last Six Sentences we thus Observe that where they have Credit it 's but too probable that it may gain a Perswasion or Belief that the Sixty Six Subscribers are Apostles and so may become a means to obtain the better Credit to their Paper Should any thus be Perswaded they therein would be Mistaken for three or four from the City of Bristol who are well known to us are not Exercised in the work of the Ministry besides others from other Countries and Places Thirdly We find in the said Paper these two following Sentences And forasmuch as it appears to us that they will not come to us nor near us in the peaceable Truth which we have frequently truly desired for their good but that they will go on in their Opposition refusing to dissolve their Separate-Company in the North c. And because we are sensible that they have made an ill use of our Forbearance even to strengthen themselves in their Separation c. On which we thus Observe That these two Sentences are assigned as a part of those considerations wherefore the Sixty Six Subscribers were as they say constrained after continued Waiting and Exhortation slighted by them meaning John Wilkinson and John Story more publickly to Reprove and Judge them in these things as by their Paper doth plainly appear which being duly considered it naturally follows that if every one of the Sixty Six Subscribers have not frequently desired John Story and John Wilkinson to come to them they are
designed to be treated upon is the Government of Christ which we do not believe to be represented by visible persons certainly known by outward Names distinguish'd by outward marks and tokens and invested with Power from him to execute Outward Laws in an Outward Form of Government visible by our Carnal Eyes as aforesaid That the Government of Christ is an Inward Government is evident from the words of the Prophet Jeremiah Jer. 31.31 32 33. I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel c. not according to the Covenant that I made with your Fathers but this shall be the Covenant that I will make c. After those days I will put my Law in their Inward Parts and write it in their Hearts and will be their God and they shall be my People and they shall teach no more every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord. This we believe was spoken with respect to the Reign of Christ by his Spirit in the Hearts of the Sons and Daughters of Men and clearly shews that the Laws of Christ's Government under the new Covenant are written in the Hearts of his People and therefore an Inward Government Objection But if any shall object That the words of the Prophet relate not to those who are of the Gentile Stock of which Stock according to the Flesh it may be said that we are We thereto say That the words of Paul do effectually answer that Objection Rom. 10.12 There is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him Col. 3.9 10 11. Lie not one to another seeing that you have put off the Old Man with his deeds and have put on the New Man which is renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that created him where there is neither Gentile nor Jew Circumcision nor Uncircumcision Barbarian Scythian Bond nor Free but Christ is all and in all Many other Scriptures both out of the Prophets and Apostles Writings might be quoted to evidence the matter intended We are yet sensible that this further Objection may be raised Viz. Objection That neither the words of the Prophet nor of the Apostle cited by us make mention of Government over Jew or Gentile but doth shew as from the scope of the Scripture appears that the Apostle so writ to convince the Jews of the difference between the Righteousness of the Law and that of Faith and to shew unto Believers whether Jews or Gentiles that though some might appear in a Voluntary Humility Worship Angels intrude into those things they had not seen and be vainly puffed up in their fleshly minds and not give all Obedience unto the Head Christ through whom alone there is an increase in the increases of God yet they were therein reproveable as not being risen with Christ and further also to shew that those who were dead with Christ from the Rudiments of the world ought not to be subject to nor yet to touch taste or handle such Ordinances as were after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men. To this Objection we answer That though the word Government is not expressly mentioned yet there are words in what is cited out of the Prophet Jeremiah importing the three material Objects of Government viz. A Lawgiver the Place where the Law is to be found written and the People for whom it is given Besides from these words of Paul viz. The same Lord over all a Governour is implied viz. Christ Jesus our Lord and so consequently a Government over that All. And from what hereafter follows it will appear that the End of this Government is to lead into all Truth Moreover it leades us to observe That there are divers true Marks whereby the Opposers of Christ's Government may be distinguisht First They are such as are in a Voluntary Humility Secondly Such as Worship Angels which may reasonably be taken to be a Worshipping of some Messengers whom God hath sent because the signification of the word Angel is a Messenger Thirdly Such as intrude into those things they have not seen Fourthly Such as are puft up in their fleshly minds Fifthly Such as give not all obedience unto the head Christ And lastly Such as are Subject to Ordinances after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men. And to be very plain for the clearing the Truth we must give this our Testimony that we are really perswaded from what our Eyes Ears have been witnesses that many of those amongst the People called Quakers who have Zealously contended for the Observation of Outward Rules and Orders given forth by One Man bear all the aforesaid Marks for whosoever they are that pretend Zeal to promote submit unto and exercise themselves in other mens lines made ready to their hands and that on a pretended religious score when thorow the word of true Faith they see it not their duty or if they shall pretend they do and thereupon strive to enforce others to submit thereto there being no ground from the Scripture of Truth or Light of Christ so to strive it naturaly follows that the aforesaid Marks accompany such and this we confidently aver that thorough the whole Scriptures of Truth there is not one word from whence we may rationally expect and that according to the meaning of the Spirit that Christ hath or will Commissionate any One Man or Men to prescribe Outward Rules and Orders relating to Faith or Discipline in the Church to be binding on the Consciences of the Subjects of his Kingdom whether they should see it to be their duty from the Law written in their hearts or no. Besides if we consider the nature of Christ's Kingdom and Government it will appear to be such unto which outward written Laws visible by our carnal eyes and to be executed by perishing objects according to an outward Magistratical or Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction are wholly unsutable becaus Christs Kingdom is not of this world but is an Everlasting Kingdom and therefore 't is said That of the encrease of his Government there shall be no end and though John in the Revelations Chap. 11. V. 15. gives this Testimony That there were great voices in heaven saying the Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ And he shall Reign forever and ever Isa 61.11 yet there is nothing said to signify that the manner of his Reign was or should be otherwise then as before is described Moreover if any Man or Men have or may pretend him or themselves to be such on Earth on whom the weight of Christs Government which is Spiritual is laid it is not like to have any Evidence in our Consciences First Not only because we find no such Prophecy or Promise in the Scriptures of Truth but also for that we rather find the contrary for
declare the Intent of his Mind and are not the slip of his Tongue or Pen But how unreasonable it is that Matters of Worldly Property and things relating to Conscience should be decided by such Assemblies without an Election for that Service by the Parties differing I shall leave it to the Judicious Impartial Reader to savour having elsewhere in this following Treatise plainly evidenced that there may be such Assemblies and yet not owned by the Lord for the Church of Christ and so may be remote from giving Righteous Judgment though R. B. saith Gods Spirit will never bewanting in such Assemblies And whereas some may be so charitable as to conclude R. B. intends not by his words that any should assume Authority to decide Differences relating to Outward Things without consent of the Parties concerned to such I say He hath left no room for a reasonable Man so to think because he hath written several Pages to prove his Assertion which in that case is all unnecessary for who can be so Ignorant as not to know that Persons chosen by the differing Parties have of Right Power to decide but if any should I know that R. B. is none of them my Acquaintance with him tells me not only so but also that he is a man of better reason than to have written so many Lines on this Subject without telling the Reader so if that had been his meaning Besides if the Assent of Parties was intended and that the Order of this Government reach'd not to this Case without such assent it naturally follows that the Power and Authority pretended to in this Case is none at all And now that the Reader may not have a misunderstanding of my Sense in relation to Differences touching Outward Things I have this Testimony on the behalf of Truth to give on this Occasion viz. That as on the one hand I do conclude 't is contrary to the Truth for any number of Men under the Notion of the Church of Christ to assume a Jurisdiction over their Brethrens Properties and Worldly Concerns when not chosen by consent of such over whose outward Concerns they assume Power to Judge so on the other hand if Differences arise between Brother and Brother I do conclude that going to Law before Unbelievers is an Indication that one or both are departed from the Truth and that it is the Duty of Such who are at Variance to request such Brethren as are Skil'd in the Matters touching which they differ to hear and determine the Cause and then of a willing and ready Mind and not as by Constraint to submit unto such Determination and that it ought to be as an Incombent Duty on the Members of Christs Church to be watching over one another so as that by wholsom Counsel Admonition and Sound Doctrine all Variance Strife Emulation Rents and Divisions both in relation to Temporal as well as Spiritual Matters may as much as in them lies be kept out from amongst the Members of Christs Body R. B. asserts Page the 11. That the Ground of Schismes Divisions or Rents in the Body is when any Member assumes another Places than is allotted it or being gone from the Life le ts in the Eye that watches for Evil. This Position is Truth and rightly Stated but yet notwithstanding I cannot but Testify that if any Member of Christs Body doth recommend that Administration or Operation wherein by Gods Spirit he is Exercised unto his Brethren and shall Judge all such Dark Spirits and out of the Unity of the Body who on such a Recommendation become not Exercised as he is or doth not immediately close with his Experience and Operation though otherwise Faithful to the Measure of Grace received such an one so Judging may justly be Judged of the Lord as a Person not only assuming another Place in the Body than is allotted him but also as endeavouring to draw others into the like Snare for that it is as probable that a true Member of Christs Body may be as remote from having Experience of his Brothers Operation as the Ear of the natural Body may be from discerning what the natural Eye doth see and yet the Ear according to that of Paul 1 Cor. 12.16 may as truly be accounted a Member of the Body as the Eye 'T was an Exhortation in the Beginning of the Day which in these latter Years hath Dawned amongst us Though thou grow but slow yet grow sure This sure growing was Obedience after Convincement or Obedience to the Measure of Grace received All Performances before with respect to Worship or Services for God were accounted but Will-worships or Will-services and therefore many whose Faces were Sion-ward did rightly testify on this wise I must stay until I be Convinced and since I see not this to be wrong I dare not be in the Practice of another thing contrary thereto lest I become a Will-worshipper And yet this kind of Language is according to my Understanding too reflectingly spoken of by the afore-said Author witness his 13th Page This puts me in mind to signify what the Apostle Paul said 1 Cor. 12.3 No man can say Jesus is Lord but by the Holy Ghost 'T is the Fame of Truth that Jesus as in himself is Lord and so we know a wicked man not acted by the Spirit may say these words Jesus is the Lord Yet none can in Truth say Jesus is Lord in them but by the Holy Ghost from whence I observe That no Testimony though ever so true in it self can become the Testimony of Truth in any further than through certain Conviction it s known to be so even as Jesus cannot in Truth be called Lord by us until by his Spirit we are convinced and experimentally know that he is Lord in us And therefore I cannot but say 'T is savoury Language to say I MVST STAY VNTIL CONVINCED though R. B. as his lines to me import accounts such Language to be a Reasoning Truth from ones self through the deceitfulness of the Serpent querying How did they meaning the primitive Labourers amongst the People of the Lord called Quakers knock down this manner of Reasoning But doubtless herein he hath abused both himself and the Truth not so much for that he knowes no other than by report whereof he treats as to this matter if his meaning be That the primitive Labourers in the Gospel at the beginning of that Day which in these latter Ages hath dawn'd amongst us did condemn such kind of Language but for that many of those who yet remain witnesses of the first gathering remember no such thing Those who at this day say We were taught to follow the Light in our Consciences and not the Orders of Men and that we will not have Man to rule over us utter Language becoming Christians notwithstanding R. B's Reflection on such kind of Language as this also in his seventeenth Page For Christ in this day as well as in that day wherein Truth was
your Faith is Increased that we shall be enlarged by you according to our Rule abundantly not to boast in another mans Lines of things made ready to our Hands Hence t is evident those who keep to their own Measures follow Paul as they have him for an ensample and that those who hope and desire their Brethrens Conformity to their Lines before they have faith therein are of another Hope than Paul was who as is above recited thus said Having Hope when your faith is encreased that we shall be enlarg'd by your according to our Rule abundantly And so it plainly appears that Paul did not desire the Corinthians to walk by his Line until their faith was encreased otherwise they might become Proud Boasters of other mens Lines made ready to their Hands as many yea too to many at this day are I now come to consider of his 6th Section the Title whereof Page 47. is this viz. How far this Government doth extend in matters Spiritual and purely Conscientious in which the great question saith the afore-said Author is How far in such Cases the Church may give positive Orders or Rules How far her Authority reacheth or may be supposed to be binding and ought to be submitted to For the better clearing and examination of which he thus further saith It will be fit to consider First whether the Church of Christ have Power in any Cases that are Matters of Conscience to give a positive Sentence or Decision which may be Obligatory upon believers Secondly If so in what Cases and respect she may so do Thirdly Wherein consisteth the Freedom and Liberty of Conscience which may be exercised by the Members of the true Church diversly without Judging one another And lastly In whom the Power Decisive is in Case of Controversy and Contention in such Matters As to the first Whether the Church of Christ have Power in any Cases that are Matters of Conscience to give Positive Sentence or Decision which may be obligatory upon believers I answer affirmatively she hath And shall prove it from divers instances both from Scripture and Reason Thus far the aforesaid Author The force of R B's Reason I apprehend to be chiefly comprehended in or drawn from these his following words as by his writing Page 48 49. more at Large appears viz. That we being gathered together into the Belief of certain Principles and Doctrines through the force of Truth on our Understandings and Practices necessarily depending upon them these are as it were the Terms that have drawn us together and Bond by which we become center'd into one Body and Fellowship Yet saith he by a Marginal Note Not so the Bond but that we have also a more inward viz. the Life of Righteousness The Scripture proofs that he quotes are these Gal. 1.8 1 Tim. 1.19 20. 2 John 10. thus further adding These Scriptures are so plain and clear in themselves that they need no greater Exposition to the unbyased Reader My place now is to detect the impertinency of R. B's reason and to shew that he hath quoted Scriptures which are not to the purpose yet I cannot but first observe that since the main scop of his Treatise relating to this Matter both from Scripture and Reason tends as it were cheifly if not wholly to evidence that such Principles Doctrines and Practices necessarily depending thereon are the Bond by which we became centered into one Body and Fellowship is it not to be doubted that these kind of Termes have the greatest room on his Heart and the Marginal Description of a more inward Bond viz the life of Righteousness is but like the entertainment of Christ in the Manger But to proceed I do affirm the Belief of certain Principles and Doctrines though believed thorough the force of Truth on the Understanding and Practices necessarily depending upon them are not the very terms and Bond by which the Church of Christ at this day is become center'd into one Body though I do confess that Certain Principles Doctrines and Practices held and Practised in a pure Mind are the Fruit and Off-spring of that which is the Bond but the Very Bond they are not If they were how comes it to passe that to this day the Members of Christs Body which is his Church have not declared and agreed what and how many are those Principles and Doctrines and what are those Practices necessarily depending thereon that ought to be believed received and Practised by every member of the Church of Christ as that by which they are center'd into the Heavenly Fellowship of Christ's Body With confidence I may say that I never heard or understood of any such thing yet extant amongst the Church of Christ neither do I believe there is and doubtless if there was the aforesaid Author being a man to speak after the manner of men that is well read and not of a Mean capacity would have quoted it to free himself from the censure of such who may Justly say He hath left us in the dark how to know these Members who to use his own Language Page 49. cut themselves off from being Members by dissolving the very Bond by which they were linked to the Body Nay I may truly say That in the primitive dayes there were many believers who were found in Opposite Faiths and Practices witness those who Circumcised kept a Day abstain'd from flesh and others there were who believed and practised quite otherwise and yet we do not find that the Bond which Center'd them into the heavenly Fellowship of Christ's Body was broken for doubtless many of them under those Differing Faiths and Practices were of the number of such who were sanctifyed in Christ Jesus or at least in some measure sanctifying which is the description of a Member of Christ's Body according as the aforesaid Author himself doth in his Treatise signify and this is answerable to the Truth it self Read Rom. 14. 1 Cor. 8. For further Discovery of the Truth of what I have asserted 't is necessary to query What are the very Terms and Bond by which the Church of Christ is become centered into one Body The Answer is plain 'T is the Spirit according to Pauls Testimony 1 Cor. 12.13 For by one Spirit are we all Baptized into one Body Now the Baptism of the Spirit may be witnessed by such whose Integrity might lead them to Die for Truth but should they be Questioned by any one What are those Principles Doctrines and Practices you hold which were the very Terms by which you came to be Centered into Christs Body and which were the Cause that gathered you for so are his words Page 47. relating to Principles and Doctrines they would be ready thus to say What blind Questions dost thou bring forth in thy Carnal Sensual reasoning 'T was Gods Power and Spirit gathered us from amongst such as being out of the Life gloried in their owtward Fellowships Principles and Doctrines and by his Power Circumcised our Hearts
and by his Spirit we came to be baptized into one Body and so are center'd into the heavenly Fellowship of Christ's Body And as for thy saying A Belief in Certain Principles Doctrines and Practices necessarily depending thereon are the Termes and very Bond by which we became center'd into one Body and the Cause that gathered us this is not only wrong in it self though as is said before they may be the Fruit of the Bond but exactly like the False Churches in the World Papists and Protestants of all sorts in the Apostacy have Outward Marks and Tokens as being either of such an Order or having such a Commission or as believing in such Principles and submitting to such Practices and the like by which the Members of their Churches are described and therefore is it that amongst those there are outward Societies of Men certainly known as aforesaid according to the various Manners and Wayes which their Principles admit and allow of which are termed the Church of Christ and these have many Outward Orders Rules Prescriptions Ordinances Decrees or Laws for the Establishment and Preservation of their outward Society which being agreeable to the nature of their Constitutions may become fit means for the Conservation thereof but inasmuch as the Belief of certain Principles Doctrines and Practices necessarily depending thereon are not the very Terms or Bond to unite any in outward Assemblies whereby to assume unto themselves the Title of the Church of Christ for that if held in a pure Mind which is in the best Sense they are but the Fruit of that Bond and when held in an Impure Mind are no Indication that such are Members of Christs Church I cannot but say it is against right Reason for any to Prescribe and Establish Outward Indispensable Rules and Orders relating to the Conscience and in order to be a Bond thereon for the Conservation of Christs Body since 't is evident that the most certain and infallible Marks of Membership in the said Body are Invisible to the Outward Man though felt and known to the Inward Man of the Heart for though Actions outwardly just are many times the Fruit of the Spirit yet are not always certain Tokens that those through whom they appear are Members of Christs Body but those who are Circumcised in Heart and have the Answer of a Good Conscience towards God are the very Members of Christs Church and therefore the most proper Means for the preservation of such Members in the Unity of the Spirit and as Members of one Body is that whereby they came to be Circumcised in Heart and gathered unto the Truth which is no other but the Spirit and Arm of Gods Power which surrounds all those that wait upon him and have a daily Dependence upon the Lord with the Mind inwardly staid in the Measure of that Grace which the Apostle saith is sufficient for them and thus the Baptism of the Spirit will be witnessed continually in which every Member of Christs Body comes to be centered into an Heavenly Fellowship and Communion each with other in the Life of Righteousness The next thing I shall examine is whether R. B's Affirmative Answer to this Question viz. Whether the Church of Christ hath Power in any Cases that are Matters of Conscience to give postive Sentence and Decision which may be Obligatory upon Believers be agreeable to Truth and Sound Doctrine My Observation hereon is this That he hath not here adjoyned Inward Conviction whereby they might find Clearness in themselves to the Sentence of the Church as necessary to the Obligation he Intends and inasmuch as nothing without an Inward Clearness and Conviction can become a real and acceptable Bond upon a Believer to be at Unity with his Brethren in the Belief and Practice of Things relating to Conscience and that those who are found in the Practice of other Mens Lines before they have Faith therein may oft times run into the Sin of Hypocrisy even as others may into the Sin of Negligence who through Unwatchfulness to their own Measures want Clearness of Sight and Understanding to practise and joyn with those things which others waiting in their Own Measures may by the Spirit be led into Therefore I cannot but say that the Scope and Bent of his Spirit so far as from his words I can Savour in relation to this Matter are not agreeable to the Truth and Sound Doctrine And since it is so as R. B. observes Page 35. That God hath not given us our Reasons to no purpose I shall according to the Line of right Reason a little further Observe First I find R. B. treating in his 7th Section concerning the Power of Decision thus to say Page 66. The only proper Judge of Controversy in the Church is the Spirit of God and the Power of Deciding solely lies in it as having the only infallible Judgment belonging to it which Infallibility is not necessarily annexed to any Persons Person or Places whatsoever by Vertue of any Office Place or Station any one may have or have had in the Body of Christ that is to say that any have Ground to reason thus Because I am or have been such an Eminent Member therefore my Judgment is Infallible or because we are the greatest Number or that we live in such a noted or famous Place or the like though some of these Reasons may and ought to have their true weight in Case of Contradictory Assertions Thus the aforesaid Author From all which two things are Observable First That the afore-said Author accounts the Spirit the only Judge Secondly That though he affirms that the Church of Christ hath Power in Cases that are Matters of Conscience to give positive Sentences and Decision which may be Obligatory upon Believers yet through his whole Treatise I find not that he hath described who are the Persons that are the Church and where those Persons do usually Assemble as the Church of Christ and therefore though my very soul abhors lightly to esteem of the Elect of God or to undervalue the Power the Church of God either stands in or are indued with yet since I do know how dangerous a thing it is for any to burthen the Consciences of Gods People though under ever so specious Pretences and that when we speak of the Church of Christ we mean Visible Persons distinguisht as outward Persons by Names that may be known to the Outward Man though as Members of Christ's Body distinguisht not by such Names but by that Name which is written in Heaven and known to the Inward Man I cannot but query To what end doth the aforesaid Author assign the Decision of Cases of Conscience which are Matters certainly to be known so as to be binding on Believers to Judges so describ'd as that a greater Controversy may immediately arise upon the asking of this question Who or where those men are This instead of removing one Difference or clearing one Doubt may beget more
copy of a Letter pretended to be given forth by W. R. Friends IT was upon me for several weeks past if any occasion would in any wise permit to come up to the City of London to be present among Friends from divers parts of the Nation at this time that so I might have Opportunity to confer with Friends who were dissatisfied with me touching what I had written in Answer to Robert Barclays Book of Government And a few dayes before my coming up Robert Barclay being in London writ unto me to come up that we might have a Conference at large touching the same This his Request had the greater Obligation upon me to be present in London at this Time On Conference had with him we agreed that a Free-Meeting might be had with Friends in whose Presence Robert Barclay and my self might in all Coolness and Moderation conferr together that so all Mis-understandings might be removed and the Truth be evidenced to the Consciences of the Brethren then present The Meeting for this End was this day had and a very Christian and fair Debate was had to the Satisfaction of both of us as far as I can understand and the matters chiefly objected by me were fairly and Brother-like and in much Love discoursed and upon the whole Matter I am satisfied that Robert Barclay is not Principled so as I and others have taken his Book to import In particular he doth declare That his Book teacheth not that the Church of Christ hath Jurisdiction over the Outward Concerns of Friends in case of Difference without the Assent of the Differing Parties and that it was far from his Intention For his Intention as he declares was only to manifest that Friends ought to submit their Cases of Difference to the Decision of the Church and in Case of Refractoriness that Such Persons Ought to be Disowned That though Robert Barclay in one Place affirms to this purpose That there never will or can be wanting in case of Controversy the Spirit of God to give Judgement through some or other in the Church of Christ so long as any Assembly can properly or in any tolerable Supposition be so term'd He declares that the words were Sound and further sayeth that thereby he intends no other but such Assemblies as in reality and Truth may be termed the Church of Christ And whereas he sayeth to this purpose That 't is Disobedience to God not to submit to the Sentence of such Assemblies though the Persons refusing to submit pretend they see it not yet he declares that his meaning thereby is not that if they submit before Conviction of Conscience they therein find Acceptance with the Lord but rather to shew that their want of Sight is through Disobedience or unwatchfulness to the Grace of God in themselves which if they did take heed thereunto would shew it their Duty to obey We also had Discourse touching his Assertion that Principles and Doctrines c. believed through the Force of Truth on the Understanding are as it were the Terms and in another Place the Book produced it appeared that he asserted there was a more Inward Bond viz. the Life of Righteousness and that the Book declareth that we are gathered into the Belief of the Principles and Doctrines by the Truth and its Power and Influence upon our Hearts and the very Bond by which we became Centered into one Body and Fellowship c. and on a Debate thereof he acknowledged that his meaning was not they were the Original Bond but rather as Fruits and Branches of that Bond and so in that respect might be as an Outward Bond whereby we are United in an Heavenly Society We had also some Discourse touching his Title Page wherein he asserts that the Ancient Apostolick Order of the Church of Christ is Re-establish't on its right Basis and Foundation touching which he declareth That his meaning is not only with respect to all the Outward Orders and Forms of Discipline in Government amongst us but also with respect to the Power of God which in the Primitive Dayes was and now is the great Order of the Gospel And though Robert Barclay hath given these Explications of his meaning yet the very Explication as he sayeth are to be found in his Book if duely weighed Having given you an account in short of what was discoursed this day amongst Friends this further lies upon me to signifie unto you on the behalf of R. Barclay I am satisfyed that he is not Principled as I and many by some Passages in his Book took him to be and since it is so that many have taken an offence against him for that Cause as may be doubted even so far as to Reject his Testimony and Service for the Truth it lyeth upon me as my Duty even for his and the Truths sake to warn all that they take heed not to entertain Prejudice against his Testimony or Jealousyes that may enter on the score of any apprehensions or mistakes of his Book and that Answer that I have given thereto but rather in an unprejudiced Spirit to wait on the Lord to feel and Savour his Testimony even as if the occasion taken had never been And I do Freely confess that inasmuch as I Publisht my Book before I gave Robert Barclay notice of my Objections and Intentions therein I acted in that Respect not according to Gospel Order but am Justly worthy of blame therein It is with me also to signifie to you that I am abundantly satisfied that Robert Barclays Book of Government was Written at or before the time of its Date for that he Solemnly Affirms it was so William Rogers The Coppy of a Paper given forth by Charles Marshal and Thirty six Persons more Forasmuch as William Rogers of Bristol hath lately written a Manuscript against a Book of Robert Barclays Entituled The Anarchy of the Ranters and approved at the Second days Meeting at London and hath dispersed his Manuscript in Several Parts of this Nation without so much as first giving either to the said Robert Barclay in Particular or the Second Days Meeting in General any account of his Scruples or Dissatisfaction concerning the said Book of Robert Barclay contrary to all Rules of Brotherly Love Christian-Fellowship Gospel-Order and the Exemplary Practice of the Church of Christ to the Defamation of the said Robert Barclay the great Derogation from the Christian Authority of the said Meeting and the general Dis-service to Truth especially being sent unto Persons who at present are Disaffected to the present Unity of the Body of Friends And whereas on the Seventh Day of the Fourth Moneth 77. We whose Names are Under Written were met together in the City of London in the pure Fear and Holy Dread of the Lord God Almihty to hear what the said William Rogers had Objected against the said Book of Robert Barclay it appeared to us upon a Deliberate Serious and Impartial Hearing of the Matter in controversy that the
a Greater thing to give up the Life and Soul and to dye for the Lord Jesus than to give up the Goods and Estates and suffering the Spoil of the Goods for Christ's sake and Worshiping of God and whether or no they that cannot suffer the Spoiling of their Goods for God and Christ's sake Worship's sake can give up their Lives and suffer for Christ who hath dyed and suffered for you And whether or no they that make away their Estates to the VVorld lest they should lose them for the Worship of God do not they distrust God of keeping them whose they are indeed and have more belief and trust in the World than they have in God And whether this Spirit that doth so is not the Spirit of the World that doth lust to Envy and not the Spirit of God and his VVisdom but that which is Earthly Sensual and Devilish that would have its Liberty and not the wisdom that is above that is Pure Peaceable and easie to be entreated And whether he that will save his Life and not lose it for Christ's sake doth not he think to be his own Saviour and not Christ And whether he that will save his Estate and not lose it for Christ's sake and the Worship of God by making it away to the VVorld in time of sufferings shall not lose it And so whether it 's safer in this case to make away your Estates to the World that cannot save its own or to make or commend it into the hands of God Creator of all and Jesus Christ by whom all things were made who upholds all things by his VVord and Power and the Great Lord of Heaven and Earth and all things therein and which out of his hand a Sparrow shall not fall without the VVill of him that made them George Fox Read this amongst Friends and send a Copy of it to Naylsworth The aforesaid Paper being read in the Mens-Meeting of Friends in the City of Bristol VVilliam Rogers bore testimony against it in the meeting at the same time as that which reached not his Conscience coming from G. F. and had therefore a Concern upon him to write an Answer thereto which follows GEorge Fox having by his Paper dated London the 4th Month 1678. proposed many Queryes and caused them to be read in our Mens-Meeting of Friends in the City of Bristol it is now with me being present in the said Meeting at the reading thereof to write something in Answer thereto to be read in the said Mens-Meeting and as his was ordered to be sent to Naylsworth I desir that this also may be sent thither to be read amongst Friends and also sent to G. F. that so he may Answer the Queryes I now propose The above-recited Paper I take to be wholly made up of Queryes to all those who do make away their Estates for fear of the Spoilers in time of Persecution excepting this one sentence of Exhortation viz. Do not distrust and despair of God Almighty his protecting and delivering you with his Almighty Power The queries being contracted amounts to thus much Are you sensible the Earth is the Lords and that he giveth the Encrease and that how he may try you whether your Minds are in the Creatures or with the Creator and whether it is not a greater thing to give up the Life and to dye for the Lord Iesus than to give up Goods and Estates whether those that cannot suffer Spoiling of Goods for Christ's sake can give up their Lives whether those that make away their Estates lest they should lose them for the worship of God do not distrust God of keeping them and haue moâ—â— Belief and Trust in the World than God and whether this Spirit that doth so is not the Spirit of the World that doth lust to Envy and not the Spirit of God and his Wisdom but that which is below which is Earthly Sensual and Devilish that would have its Liberty Ans To the Exhortation I say 't is in itself good but would have much better become the Mouth of G. F. if when the Persecutors came up one pair of Stairs in our Meeting-Room in Broadmead whilst he was speaking he had not been of such a Spirit which some may term Distrustful and Despairing as on a sudden to step down and hasten out of the Meeting at a Back pair of Stairs which he once did and of which my Eyes with many more were witnesses Besides I query of G. F. whether he doth not remember that when the Souldiers or some other Persecutors came to a Meeting in or near London at a certain time when he was there he did not go out of the Meeting and betook himself to an upper Room or Cock-loft For so have I been informed he did and that by a person of known Credit and Repute then present at the Meeting who as he said had discoursed with him at that time and place near half an hour and if Report be true this is but very little of what might at large be manifested to prove him one of the greatest Fleers and Shifters in time of Persecution that ever I knew professing the Truth and esteemed by others a faithful Friend As to the queries I have this to say that the Earth is the Lord's that he giveth the Encrease that 't is a nearer thing to part with Life than Estate that 't is the Duty of a Christian to offer up both Life and Estate rather than to depart from his Testimony for the Truth when the Lord calls for it I am also sensible there is a Spirit that lusteth to Envy dwelling in such that would lay heavy Burthens on others but not touch them with their little Fingers themselves and that this is not the Spirit of God nor his Wisdom but that which is Earthly Sensual and that would have its Liberty I am also sensible that this very Spirit hath lately and yet doth dwell in G. F. if God hath not given him Repentance And therefore if any of you unto whom these Lines may come may think that this my sense of G. F. be not true I desire such for the Truths sake to use their Endeavour that G. F. may Answer these following Queries viz. Queries to GEORGE FOX I. Art not thou the man that hast taken Liberty to stay almost a Quarter of a year from Meetings or at least a considerable time though held in the very House of thy stesidence or if thou didst at any time come within the aforesaid space whether it was not so seldom that it became matter of Exercise to other Friends for thy sake and did not John Blaykling by Name manifest his Burthen and Exercise of Spirit on thine and the Truths behalf for thy so doing and didst thou not after he had so done a little amend in that Case II. Wouldst thou not have accounted this in another to be the Fruit of a Careless Slothful Negligent Libertine or Dark Spirit that was either departed
or departing from the Truth III. Hast thou not a sense that thy aforesaid Paper of Queries may cast a Line of Reflection on every one that may secure from the Devourer any part of that outward Substance which God hath given them to maintain their Families and yet art not thou sensible that thou art the Man that hast advised the Rich to secure Worldly Estate that so the Persecutors might not become Spoilers thereof And if so IV. Will it not evidently appear that these thy Reflecting Queries are the Fruit of that Spirit that lusteth to Envy and appears with two Faces V. Dost thou not remember that at a Quarterly-Meeting in Glocester-shire suddenly after thy last departure from Bristol there was a Person that judged me not sit to judge in that Meeting because I had secured part of my goods without Doors though I had left * Note My Fines have been above ninety pounds Sterling and I have more than double that value unsecured and subject to the Spoilers at the place of my Residence besides what hath been distrained from me already Enough subject to the Spoilers besides and dost thou not remember that none of the said meeting declared any Approbation of his so doing and that thou thy self then present manifested a dislike thereof as well as several others after thy usual manner thus Whisht Whisht Dost thou not also remember that I then signified to this effect If what I had done was a crime those who were accounted as the chiefest amongst us were guilty of Crimes of the like nature Dost thou not remember that nothing was then said in Answer thereto either by thee or any other and if 't was then a Crime why didst thou not then inform the Meeting and to speaking thine own Language become a reproof to that Spirit and to me in particular If it be not a crime why hast thou sent forth thy Paper of Queries which plainly carries a Line of Reflexion on such as have or may secure from the Spoiler when I cannot but believe that thou dost know those who have not accounted their Lives too dear to offer up for the Testimony of Truth Witness many faithful Friends in Reading or near it and would not have departed a foot from the Meeting where their testimony for truth hath been concerned though thou hast proved a Shrinker have notwithstanding secured their Estates for their Families and never have been exhorted to the contrary or reproved by thee so far as ever I could hear VI. Whether thou hast not contrary to thy own Conscience and thy former Counsel written thy Paper of Queries to gratifie that envious Spirit which exclaims against me for securing Part of my Estate And whether thou therein hast hot acted that behind my Back by directing it to be read at the Meetings which I have and usually do frequent that thou wast either afraid or ashamed to have spoken to my Face in the hearing of others lest openly in the view of the Country thou shouldst have been detected for appearing with two Faces for so do I now believe thou hast manifested thy self and that one of these Appearances is but the Fruit of that Spirit in thee which lusteth to Envy because I remember not that ever I heard before the time of my late securing something from the Persecutors that any Friends judged one another in that respect or that any from a Principle of Conscience refused to do the thing that I then did which was no more than what I often have done when there was occasion for the Preservation of my Outward Estate in that day wherein thy respect was most unto me though now this must be made use of as the only Matter of fact to stain my Reputation and to render me one that 's out of Truth VII Whether it be not better to secure a man's outward Substance to pay his Debts and maintain his Family when he is capable so to do and keep stedfast in his Testimony at Meetings than when Persecutors come to shift out of Meeting whereby both Body and Estate too may be saved as thou hast done VIII Whether it be better so to do as aforesaid than to let all lie open to the Persecutors and depend upon thee and to solicite at Council board Thy Language to Thomas Pierce of this City occasions this last Query which as he hath said was on this wise or to this effect What would you do were it not for Me and a few more to appear for you at Council-Table or before King and Counsel IX Whether thy writing so much of trusting God being compared with thy aforesaid Boasting Language to Thomas Pierce which hath proved but like a Reed of Egypt shews not confusion X. Whether it be fit for one that feeds of the fat of the Land and lives in fullness of Plenty attended in many respects like an earthly Prince and that hath twelve or thirteen hundred-pounds with the increase thereof for many years if any be well secured out of the reach of the Spoilers and Persecutors to admonish a company of Poor Innocent Harmless Friends that may have three or four Cows a piece to feed themselves and Children not to secure them from the Spoilers and if it be not fit for such an one so to admonish I then query Whether thou art not the man that art so qualified and who in effect hast so admonished XI Whether a man under the aforesaid Qualifications and Circumstances can by such an admonition as aforesaid answer God's Witness in the Consciences of such to whom he is so known especially when no better Care is taken by the Admonisher for the Relief of such when their all is gone than this viz. Never heed the Fleece will grow again don't despair trust the Lord spread your sufferings before the Judges be careful to send your sufferings to the quarterly Meeting that so they may be brought up once a year to London to be recorded XII Whether or no a suffering for the Testimony of such False Prophets as Solomon Eccles hath proved himself to be as is manifest by his prophesying John Story 's death within one year and since expired can be called a suffering for the Gospel of Christ and if not whether it be not better to secure ones outward Substance from the Spoilers than to let it lie open to be taken away for Fines imposed for the preaching of such False Prophets and since 't is said Solomon Eccles manifested the same first to thee I query whether thou wast not an Encourager of the said False Prophet because 't is said he cryes thee up as one that 's greater than Moses or whether thou didst become a Reproof to him XIII Whether or no it be not the fruit of an Englighmed Understanding in those who are called dark Spirits to secure what they have from being taken away for Fines imposed for the babling of such whose great business at Meeting is to rail against
he spoke to a People who were redeemed out of those begganly Elements and were come past those Rudiments which is evident by those his words How turn ye again and soâ—e might well exhort such neither to Circumcise nor yet be in the Observation of Dayes for that God hath not usually led into those things which he hath led out of and this might well consist with the truth even at such a time and season when others through a consciencious scruple might in a Plea for both with respect to themselves respectively according to their differing Faith be Uncondemned I shall now leave it to the Consciences of unprejudised Readers whether what G. F. hath said touching Circumcision and Observation of Dayes Meats and Drinks is sufficient to justifie his advising Mary Penington to secure her Estate from the Spoilers when she durst not remove her moveable goods nor made it as her principle and condemn others that are principled so to do querying of such Whether 't is not from the Spirit of the World that lusteth to Envy With this Testimony I shall conclude this my reply to G. F. that I certainly know him to be a Man guilty of many things which he hath condemned in others and forasmuch as he under the form of Government hath prescribed the giving forth of Papers of Condemnation as a proper means whereby such as in his sense are departed from the Truth may be received into Fellowship with some others again so he must expect that some at least of his known Errors and Failings must lie on Record unless he repent and manifest such his Repentance by an Acknowledgment so publickly spread as his Errors and Failings have been not but that an Acknowledgment unto and Repentance before the Lord in some Cases may be sufficient but because as he hath been an Instrument to lay Stumbling-Blocks in the Way of many so he may even as James Naylor did before him by a candid Acknowledgment unto the Lord's People be an Instrument as much as in him lyes to remove such Stumbling-Blocks and so come into Unity again with the Lord and his People in the Truth from which he hath departed William Rogers I now come to take Notice of a Postscript to G. F's Answer written by John Blaykling who lives at Sedbergh in Yorkshire which by the Way puts me in remembrance thus to premise That though G. F. in his Answer to some part of my Paper which he accounted a False Charge hath thus said And I do believe that are there many in Bristol that have not let in Prejudice and Enmity against me that will witness against this False Chrrge Yet I doubt not but he might on as goodground have said the same with respect to John Blaykling and many in other Places though they may know nothing of the Matters whereof they may pretend to vindicate him because I have lately had over and besides what John Blaykling adds in his Postscript no less than six Letters in Vindication of George Fox and condemnation of me right or wrong some whereof are subscribed with Two Letters whose Names thereby I cannot understand and dated from no Place other some with a Name not known to me nor yet dated from any Place this I may justly term a sort of mean and underly work that is so far from adding Credit to G. F's cause as that 't is to me plain enough that he can get a Iohn Blaykling a T. B. or an S. H. to write or sign any thing when written right or wrong that may in his sense tend to his Vindication and my Condemnation And now to proceed As to John Blaykling's Postscript I find it contains about a Sheet of Paper which thus begins Here followeth the Testimony and Certificate from John Blaykling to the clearing of the Aspersions that William Rogers and others would cast upon George Fox as afore-mentioned Therein he gives a large Testimony for George Fox as a man that renders not Evil for Evil that 's blessed with Honour above many Brethren and that thousands will stand by him in an Heavenly Record unto the Integrity of his Soul to Truth that still lives with him that his Life reigns and is Spotless Innocent and still retains his Integrity whose Eternal Honour and Blessed Renown shall remain yea his Presence and the Droping of his Tender VVords in the Lord's Love was my Souls Nourishment On which I observe that if those thousands are such as John Blaykling John Ware and the twenty seven other persons that signed the aforementioned False Certificate they will never add by that Spirit that led them so to testifie as aforesaid unto his nor their own Credit and though in a Dark Spirit they may term it an Heavenly Record yet I testifie such a Record can never bear date from Heaven because nothing that maketh a Lye can therein enter Moreover as John Blaykling hath given so large a Testimony to George Fox's life as Spotless and as one still keeping his integrity to God and his Truth though he is hereby detected of many Lyes which Method of general Applause at so high a rate used by John Blaykling when undeserved is more like a Parasite to an Earthly Prince than a Serious Well meaning Consciencious Christian to a Servant of Christ that seeks not the Praise of Man so on the other hand hath he vilified me at so large a rate as better became the tongue of a Scold than a Sober Man for therein amongst many other prophane and Scandalous unjust Reproaches in general terms without assigning particular Matters of Fact to prove his general Accusations he hath rendred me one that hath cast lying Slanders upon George Fox though no Lye is proved either by him or George Fox to lie at my Door and that also from a Spirit that through its Envy and Rage against the Government of Christ in the hearts of them that believe ceases not with all its devices with Lying Aspersions to defame the Instruments in God's own Hand calling my Paper a Lying Paper to defame the Brethrens Care in the Church of God whenas there is not a word in all my Paper that can bear any such Construction neither doth he quote any of my words that in Truth do manifest what he so asserts and 't is well known that I have been so far from being in Envy and Rage against the Government of Christ in the hearts of them that believe as that it hath been a great Concern of Conscience to me for several years past both by Word and Writing to contend earnestly for the Exaltation of Christ's Government in the hearts of Believers which is clearly manifested by the import of what I have written in Answer to a part of Robert Barclay's Book of Government my Postscript to my Narrative of Passages at Drawel my Answer to the Brethrens so termed Narrative after the Meeting at Drawel several of my Letters to George Fox the Dissatisfactions subscribed by several as well as
him for counsel and wait upon the teachings of his Spirit which dwelleth in you which the Father hath given unto you because you are his Children and this he requireth from you that his own Spirit in you which hath begotten you may be the root and moving cause of all your works and words and herein will you receive Acceptance with him and Peace from him and Righteousness in him and everlasting Joy by him continually and this is the inheritance unto which you were begotten heirs to possess for ever Bristol the first day of the eight Month. 1680. William Rogers 'T is thought meet to inform the Reader that though the five parts of this Treatise are now bound up together yet 't was once designed that they should also be published in single parts which hath occasioned the inserting of some things oftner than would have been and the wording of other things not so proper and concise as it might had it at first been so concluded Post-script UNderstanding that some among the People called Quakers within the City of London either from Knowledge or Jealousy that of late I have been concerned to publish in Print something against George For have already concerned themselves to Dislike and give pretended Reasons against my so doing which if past over in Silence and the Truth not cleared may have a Tendency to defile the Minds of some of the Friends of Truth and to establish the Opposers thereof in their present Evil and wrong Sentiments of those who encourage the bringing forth of this Treatise I am now in Conscience concerned to add this Postscript for this End First That all Friends may have a further Caution to hear see and savour for themselves and not too hastily censure any unheard in their own Defence Secondly That they may not be ensnared by the evil Insinuations false Suggestions or unreasonable Constructions whether of the Blind Zealot principled to Eye the Brethren in stead of the Light in himself or the Luke-warm Partial appearing Note I would not be hereby understood that all who appear Newters are either Luke-warm or Partial because I am satisfyed many honest-hearted Friends that know the Truth have not a Knowledge of all the Differencies and so may be accounted with Respect to some parts of the Controversy as Newters and others not being concerned in the Controversy may be termed Newters and set such as walk in the Antient Path of Truth in all Sincerity Newter that is sensible of the great falling away and yet either for Ease and Interest Sake or a slavish Fear stifles his own Knowledge For the time is come wherein a Discovery must be made of the Ignorance of the one the Hypocrisy of the other and the irreligious unchristian-like Deportments and Constructions of both To the Matter in hand on this Occasion I now proceed First The Vatter as I understand disliked is my proceeding to print against George Fox Secondly The Reasons pretended to be given behind my back without so much as First signifying any thing by Word or Writing to me so far as I know against my so doing are these First That though I pretended I had often sent to George Fox about giving me a Meeting and that I also came up to London to read a Charge against him behind his back at which time as 't is said I was then told by some that they understood Grorge Fox would be at the General Meeting yet when he did come to it although I had advice from James Claypoole of his being come I neither took any notice thereof nor yet sent to him and yet further also as I now am informed some do raise as a great Argument in their Esteem against me this also viz. That when I was last in the City of London since the General Meeting I was also informed by the said James Claypoole that George Fox was but a few Miles off and yet did neither go to him nor stay until he came to the City but instead thereof hasted out of Town with great Diligence which as some say shewed that whatever I had pretended to meet George Fox yet I had no desire thereto My Concern now is for the Sakes of such simple ones who may be apt to take Shadows for Substance and impertinent irrational as well as irreligious and unchristian-like Discourses for Oracles when dropping either from the Mouth or Pen of one unto whom according to their Principle they may think themselves oblieged to have an Eye to discover the Impertinency and Fallaciousness of the Reasons urged against my proceeding to print against George Fox In order thereto I first observe that from the aforesaid pretended Reasons this pretended Argument may be urged Iames Claypoole being at London informs William Rogers then at Lristol that George Fox was come to the City and afterwards informs William Rogers when at London that George Fox was but a few Miles from the City but William Rogers takes no notice thereof nor yet sent to him nor waited for George Fox's coming to the City therefore William Rogers had no desire to meet G. F. when he formerly so pretended Were this to come only to the View of Men of Understanding and impartial I might well stop my Pen from any further attempt to discover the weakness and fallacy of such idle sort of Discourses because such would first be apt to enquire For what End I desired a Meeting with G. F and when they should be Informed That 't was to prove him guilty of things reproachfull to the Truth and that he would by no means assent to such a Meeting they would be ready to conclude that 't was his best defence to cover his Guilt from the Knowledge of such whose Faith might be in him and so conclude that no Obligation in Truth might be upon me to take any further notice of him as to a Meeting had it so happened as that I had accidently meet him in the very Street much less ride 94 Miles upon bare report from the said J. C. that he was in London as if my Business were the Business of such a poor Pensioner that had nothing to do but to attend G. F's Motion but rather to endeavour to clear my Conscience otherwise as now I am about to do However for the Sakes of others I shall proceed to clear the matter objected somewhat more First Then I must tell those evil Insinuators who say That I had no desire to meet G. F. when I writ to him of my readiness so to do that therein they belye me Secondly The Argument pretended to be deducible from the aforesaid Reasons cannot be good unless this following Assertion ought to be owned by every one that hath desire to meet with George Fox on the like occasion as I had viz. First That on the said J. C's notice that George Fox is or will be at London then 't is the Duty of any Friend that hath a desire to meet G. F. to come