to entertain a prejudice against his Testimony on Jelousies that may enter on the score of any apprhensions 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 This Caution plainly appears to be written on this Charitable foot that would be unjust to measure his present Testimony in publick by his Errours in his Book or from Jealousyes or mistakes of any kind whatsoever And as to these words any apprehensions or mistakes of his Book and that Answer I have given thereto it doth not follow that I mistook or Misapprehended his Book for had I so done I would plainly have confest the same The said Paper as I am Informed is termed my Paper of Condemnation this I suppose is taken from these words that I find written therein viz. 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 as to this I have this to say that though I confess my self Blame worthy not acting so civil as became me to my acquaintance for that I writ not to him that I Intended to Answer his Book yet I in no respect took Blame to my self more than so and to speak the Naked Truth I rather took more Blame to my self than the Case did require being no way inclined to Extinuate that which I thought was not so Civil as became me I dare not say evil for I really thought that he was in Holland and so knew not where to write to him when I intended to Answer some Passages in his Book but yet alwaies did and still do Justific the spreading abroad of my Answer and that I had no Obligations to send him a Copy thereof since all the Copyes I had Leisure to write were little enough to clear my Conscience by endeavouring to undeceive those who either were or might be deceived by his Book And if by that eminent Preacher's aforesaid earnest Pressing to alterations at a time when I gave not my self up to discourse with any there be any such Word as not according to Gospel Order I must say that Word is rather the Word of that other Persons than any thing freely coming from me For I must say again I am not conscious of any Blame unless my not writing a few Lines to Robert Barclay to signify my Intentions may be termed blame worthy for his Indeavours if he should have been so minded to call in his Book would not have Obstructed my writing that Answer I did because his Book was so spread that 't was out of his Power to call them in and inasmuch as this Book could not be so Properly called a Particular Trespass against me as a Reproach to the Truth in General and the Profession thereof I cannot account my spreading an Answer to detect the Errours a breach of Gospel Orders though not sent to him first Besides t is Observable that the aforesaid account given by Charles Marshall and Thirty six Persons more on this occasion signifies nothing of my acknowledgment to have acted contrary to Gospel-Order And as to the Paper given forth by Charles Marshall and Thirty Six other Persons I have this to say that 't is hereby manifest that the Second Days Meeting in London approved Robert Barclay's Book of Government and so consequently are Approvers of the Errour and False Doctrine therein contained That his Book is Erroneous and doth contain False Doctrine I sufficiently manifested and is more largely treated on in my Answer and if it appeared not to the Meeting as they say it did not I am sorry it should be so but I know it did appear to several of the Meeting and yet I must confess I wonder not at such a Testimony since I certainly know some of the Subscribers of the said Paper have been exercised so much to preach False Doctrine for Sound as that I account such improper Judges of what is False Doctrine and what Sound and as to the rest not so accostomed I hope 't is no worse than the Fruit of their dull hearing or want of Memory However my great Satisfaction is that every unprejudiced Person hath Opportunity to inform himself by a serious Perusal of Robert Barclay's Book without either giving Credit to them or me barely because we so affirm And whereas they thus say And hath dispersed his Manuscript in several parts of this Nation without so much as first giving either to the said Robert Barclay or the Second Days Meeting any Account of his Scruples 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 Disservice of Truth If by this they mean that my sending abroad my Manuscript was contrary to the Rules of Brotherly-Love c. I utterly disown that Testimony as Erroneous for I have sufficiently proved both by Word and my Manuscript that Robert Barclay's Book is Erroneous containing false Doctrine and inasmuch as 't was Publickly spread abroad to the Dishonour of God and Truth a Concern for the Truth came upon me to discover that Errour that the Souls of the Simple might not be deceived and Inasmuch as I knew that had he been willing to call in his Book yet it could not take off the Obligation on me for 't was out of his Power to call them all in being so publickly dispersed I thought it not my Duty to give him or the Second-Dayes Meeting Copy thereof first yet as soon as my leisure permitted I sent Copy to London directed to Steven Crisp and another publick Person that so when I came to London as afterwards I did they might if I had comitted any Errour therein have treated me according to the merit thereof but when I came to London no one accused my Answer as erroneous in any Respect and if there was any neglect to peruse it 't was their Fault and not mine since there was Opportunity for the said Subscribers to view it for I manifested that I had it with me at the Meeting held as aforesaid and though I desired the Priviledge to make use of it before the Meeting to help my Memory even as Robert Barclay made use of his yet being then desired to forbear I made no use thereof at the Meeting However if they have this to say it was their Duty to have perused it before they had given a Judgement that my dispersing the said Manuscript c. is to the Defamation of the said Robert Barclay the great Derogation of the Christian Authority of the said Meeting and General Disservice of Truth c. but I certainly know all that
the contrary of what is intended for the PRESS I reasonably conclude that whatever is written in the above cited Sheets was there approved I should now proceed to cite a few Sentences out of it which amounts to a Publication of Divisions Page 4. The Lord hath suffered Blindness in part to happen to some through declining their First Love who came out amongst us and had a Part in the Belief and Discovery of the Way of Truth but now some only have the Sheeps-Cloathing and others have lost that too who through a prejudiced Mind are alienated from that Unity of Spirit and Bond of Peace in which we keep our wholsome Practices which we have received in the Unity and Order of the Gospel of Peace and Truth of Christ Jesus in the Fellowship of the Spirit in Bowels of Mercy being like-minded and of one accord in whatsoever things are True Just Honest and of good Report not that we should think of them only but be in the Practice of them as we are In the same Page it is further thus written But to our Burthen and Grief we find amongst some a Contrary Spirit that will not subject to Unity in wholsome Practices amongst us and that will needs Interpose to destroy Unity in some Places and obtrude it self to Confound our wholsome Order and Practices received amongst us as a Church and People and through this contrary Spirit and Prejudiced Mind the Accuser of the Brethren is broken out under a specious Pretence crying Liberty of Conscience Liberty of Conscience in Opposition to those needful convenient and wholsome Practices exercised amongst us in outward Things Also Page 5th thus This Note An accusing Spirit is now accounted a Confounder of Order by this Rule may not the Accusers of I. W. and I. S. be accounted Confounders of Order Accusing Opposing Dividing Spirit that is at work in this our Day to confound Order against the Peaceable Government of Christ amongst his People This Dividing Accusing Prejudicial Worker would introduce a Belief that an Apostacy is Entring and we are gone from the Beginning and First Principle and the Power lost and now Forms are setting up and Imposition on Consciences and the like and amongst whom is all this say they but amongst us who are in Unity of Spirit both in Faith and Practices and 't is amongst such that they imagine this Fearful Imposture and Arbitrary Rule Imposing Prescriptions and Laws on the tender Consciences of the Weak is now gotten up to exercise and so the Liberty of the tender Conscience is lost and you say they are intangled with the Yoak of Bondage to this Day And Page 10th thus Inasmuch as the envious Worker is suffered to proceed that would even race out the Foundation of Christ's Kingdom and Government under which his Subjects do only own their Christian-Freedom and true Liberty of Conscience c. In the 12th Page it is thus written And he meaning G. F. as by his Name before cited in the same Page appears was moved of the Lord to advise to a Womens Meeting c. and when Dear G. F. declared unto us what the Lord had made known unto him by his Power that there should be a Womens Meeting that so all the Sick the Weak the Widdow and the Fatherless should be Note here is no mention made of bringing Marriages before them minded and looked after in their Distresses And Page the 13th thus I have a word in my Heart to say unto you all Back-Sliders Obstructors Opposers and such as Countenance them secretly of this our heavenly Order of Men and Womens Meetings which the Lord by his Power hath set up and further thus You that have despised Dignities to speak Evil of the Servants of the Lord such that faithfully have laboured amongst us from the Beginning which the Lord hath found worthy of double Honour for I do know and the Lord hath sealed it in my Heart that that Spirit which hath opposed the Blessed Unity and Order of Truth in those our Mens and Womens Meetings shall never prosper nor they who are in it inwardly to God without Repentance And in the 15th Page 't is thus written And a true Sense hath been upon me of our Dear Friends up and down the Nation of their great Tryal and Exercise that hath been upon them because of this Wicked Dividing Spirit and especially in my Native Country viz. Willshire Thus much out of the aforesaid Sheets to manifest that this Treatise containes not the first printed and published Papers evidencing Divisions amongst the People called Quakers I am now sensible some may be apt thus to Object If the Meeting held on every Second Day whereof thou makes mention may be Justifyed in approving the aforesaid sheels to be printed yet it can be Plea to Justify thy Printing because thou hast descended more particularly to describe wherein the Difference doth consist and hast mentioned some Names of both Parties concerned in the Difference But in the aforecited Sheets we find but some Names of one Party only viz. G F. and the two Subscribers of the said two Sheets Answ I confess the latter Part of the Objection to be true but yet not sufficient for any to condemn my printing who may Justify the printing of the aforesaid Sheets For if the mentioning of one particular Matter wherein the Difference is reputed to consist even as in the said Sheets it is be according to Truth in one Party I know not why the mentioning of more may not be justifiable in the other Party and if it be justifyable to mention a Part of the Names of one Party concerned in the Difference why not also of the other And though in the aforesaid Sheets there is not so particular a Description wherein the Differences do consist as in this Treatise is mentioned Yet the understanding Reader may collect many things of importance from it and in particular that in the Sense of the Subscribers thereof and such as are at Unity with them who may reasonably be taken to be of one Party they are such as are for True Love Unity Order of the Gospel of Peace Fellowship of the Spirit Bowels of Mercy and things that are True Honest Just and a good Report c. And that the other Party whom they oppose are such as are for Disorder Confusion unto whom Blindness hath happened and that they are declined from their First Love having only the Sheeps-Cloathing of Prejudiced Minds Opposing Dividing Confounding Order against the Peaceable Government of Christ Envious Workers that would raze at the very Foundation of Christs Government Despisers of Dignity c. All which leads me to this Observation that since no matter of Fact is signifyed to evidence any under the Profession of Truth worthy of those General Reflections nor yet any thing referred to for Evidence I may reasonably conclude that the Intended Opposition to Christ's Government is in their Sense no other than a supposed Dislike
neglect of their own Gifts And so such may become but little honour to the Brother who Ministred in his own Gift as the Oracle of God and not only so but little credit to the Truth if such by medling in things without their Line bring forth Confusion and Disorder For what can be the Off-spring of such who labour and travel in the things they understand not but the Brats of Babylon Besides those who are of such forwardly spirits as to pin their Faiths on other Mens Sleeves and say Amen to what other Men say before they have an Understanding opened to see the same may oft times approve notwithstanding this usual saying Can the Brethren Err of such things which are not ministred as the Oracles of God though pretended so to be And if any whose Understandings God hath opened to discern this kind of weakness in such who boasting in other Mens Lines of things made ready to their Hands in very deed take too much upon them do out of true Love endeavour to convince them that so they might wait on their own Gifts There are some ready to bring forth what befel Corah Dathan and Abiram because they said to Moses and Aaron Ye take too much upon you and what befel Miriam because she said Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses hath he not spoken also by us and make such a use of these Scriptures as that they give occasion of Jealousy to some to conclude That there are some do believe that God hath raised up some Outward Person to be amongst the Children of Light at this Day like unto Moses and as he was in that Day amongst the Children of Israel Amongst the Children of Light in these our latter Dayes I never understood of any deserving an higher Title than an Elder or Ministring Friend But if such mean That God hath raised up any Outward Man or Men from whose Lips Gods People must at this day receive the Law of Christ and Record it in Books for Generations to come as his Law I know there are many of the Children of Light who retain their First Love and Integrity for the Truth to this day and Honour enough in their hearts for every Brother both Younger and Elder that keep faithful in their Place and in very deed take not too much upon them can receive no such Testimony not only because they know it to be against the Nature of the Second Covenant to expect such an appearance but also because they believe that Christ is that Prophet whom the Lord promised He would raise up like unto Moses whom we are to hear in all things and that his appearance is and will be in the heart where his Voice as a Law-giver is to be heard and accordingly to be obeyed Thirdly Though I pretend not to know the Occasions whereon the Apostles writ further than the Scripture manifests yet I do know how Truth was Preacht in the begining amongst those who through the Power thereof being gathered were called Quakers and that many would have undoubtedly fallen both on the right hand and on the left should the antient Labourers after they had been Instruments in the Lords hands to gather Thousands unto the Truth have thus said We are your Fathers who in Christ Jesus have begotten you through the Gospel and we have on that foot a certain Authority in the Power over you and to command such things as are needful for Order and Vnities sake and that there lyes an Obligation on you to Reverence Honour and Obey us And though you are our Witnesses that we have often Declared that our Commission from God was to turn People from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to God that so they might all come to be Ordered and Governed by the Appearance of that Power in themselves Yet we did not mean but that when we had gathered any unto the Truth we should be those who ought to have the Rule over them and that such should observe our Traditions or follow us without giving them a Reason why And though they might in truth be submitting themselves one unto another in the Lord according to the Apostles Counsel yet all of them must submit to us and Reverence Honour and Obey us and not think it any Contradiction to the being led by the Measure of Gods Grace in themselves Should our antient Brethren Labourers in the Gospel have thus said I do not see that therein they would render themselves of another mind than R.B. is of if his Lines may be lookt upon as the product of his Mind but should they have so done doubtless as I have said before many would have fallen and Jealousies have enter'd the breasts of Thousands That though these our travelling Brethren exalted the Spirit of God in man as the only sufficient Rule for man and declared that the Scriptures were not a sufficient Rule to man yet in stead of leaving us to that Rule which they have declared to be sufficient they strain that which they have declared not sufficient to make it as much as in them lyes a Rule for them to Rule over their Brethren R. B. in his first Section which treats of the Ground and Cause of the Controversy speakes Page 15. of a sort of Persons that would needs be Innovators and given to change and introducting New Doctrines and Practices not only differing but contrary to what was delivered in the Beginning and Page 17. speaks of such who with swelling words talkt of and Preach'd up a higher Dispensation To which I say This Language leaves the Reader still Ignorant of what sort of Persons they are he hints at for that he tells not his Reader what was delivered in the Beginning and what is introduced contrary thereunto neither do I know how he well could unless by report from others since his Age would not admit him as a sufficient and sensible Witness thereof I shall therefore take the pains to do it for him The Doctrines delivered in the Beginning were chiefly these and such like viz. That a Measure of Christ's Light and Grace of God was given to every Man to profit withal that this Grace was sufficient that that which may be known of God was manifested in us that the Scriptures were not the Rule but the Spirit that that which was not of Faith was Sin that we should draw Water out of our own Wells let it be your own and not anothers that we should not boast in other Mens Lines of things made ready to our hands but that since every one must give account for himself we should see for our selves believe for our selves and savour for our selves and not pin our Faiths on the Sleeves of any lest we should become Will-worshippers But now there are a sort of Innovators given to change who introduce such Sayings and Doctrines as these are First That this Light will undo all or at least a Pretence to the Light which I
in have their minds much Exercised to consider whether this Report of such an one be True or that Report concerning another False though neither of them True and so through their Affection or weakness of Understanding being too Credulous of other Mens Words and too much affected with other mens Lines made ready to their Hands joyn to one party and despise another and all this while believing a false Report are led by another Leader than that whereby Gods people in the beginning were led viz. Christ's Light in the Conscience Such are in a ready way Eternally to Perish and the Blood of such if by reason thereof they Perish will be required at some Hand May the Righteous God in his Mercy turn the Hearts of such Watchmen as have been guilty of this sin saith my Soul that so they may therein sin no more for such things are stumbling Blocks in the way If that Body which is called George For which must return to Earth from whence it came remains but a few Years upon the Earth I have this firm Perswasion that Experience will inform Thee that my plain Lines are not only the Fruit of a plain hearted Friend but also a seasonable Caution more worthy thy Notice than the Words of a flattering Tongue with my Love to thee c. I Remain A Friend to thee and the Vnchangeable Truth William Rogers 'T is now to be observed That suddenly after I had sent the above-said Letter to G. F. which I solemnly affirm I did for the Clearing of my Conscience and could not with Peace of Conscience pass by the same I had some occasion calling me to the City of London where being come the afore-said private Letter was very publickly spoken of amongst Friends for which I was compared to Pennyman and Muggleton Whereupon being startled that such a Report should go forth against me on the writing of a private Letter before I had been written to or treated withal about it I did desire to have an Hours private Discourse with G. F. which he granted though some Persons interrupted us that we staid not so long together At that time and at some other time after G. F. urged me to Take my Letter back and Tear it and he would Pass it by but never spoke a word nor yet ever writ any Answer thereto whereby I might be satisfied in the Matters whereof it treated Aud therefore since I have been compared to Muggleton and Pennyman for writing that private Letter 't is thought meet it may be now Publish't and Recommended to the Consciences of every Reader Here now follows the other of the Two Letters whereof I make mention as before written unto G. F. by me for the further Clearing of my Conscience Bristol the 3 d. of the 10 th Moneth 1677. George Fox I Have once more a Constraint on my Spirit to write unto thee and in Singleness of Heart thus to say On the the 25 th of the last Moneth a Separate Meeting was held in our City unto which my Self and divers other Friends went on these Two Considerations First To bear a Testimony against the Appointment of that Meeting because it was held in our Publick Meeting-House though divers Friends of the Monethly Men and Womens-Meeting did Oppose the same when ‖ ‖ Note The said Proposition was made after several Friends were departed and the Meeting broken Proposed And Secondly To prevent such Designs which was believed might have a Tendency to Deceive the Simple by bringing forth Scandalous Papers against John Story and John Wilkinson towards whom many Friends dare not demean themselves as if they were Apostatized from the Antient Truth Being thither come a Testimony was born Against the Appointment and Holding the said Meeting and some I believe were made Instrumental to preserve others out of the Snare which was laid to Betray the Simple But that which greatly grieved my Heart and which at this time is a Concern upon me to signify to thee was The Reading a Letter which was said to be from thee If that Letter was really given forth by Thee and made use of in the Meeting according to thy Intent and End and so will stand by the Person or Persons introducing the same to be read as to their End and Intent therein then 't is plainly evident That thou art at least the Espouser if not the Head of the Cause of Men that have appeared Partial Vnrighteous in Iudgment and Persecutors in a high Degree And blessed be the Lord for in Zeal to the Cause of Truth I speak it that he hath not only given me a Sight hereof but also Boldness in which I have Peace to testify against that Partial Unjust Persecuting Spirit in whomsoever it appears that under a Pharasaical Pretence of Love and Bowels of Compassion or such like would destroy and murther the Name and Reputation of the Lord's Servants whenas I am fully fatisfyed if they would but Bow to Men they might avoid the Stroke of their Passion Alas Friend little did I in Dayes past think that thou wouldst appear either as a Head or Espouser of the Cause of such nor yet of any who should cast Stumbling-Blocks in the Way of God's People But now 't is evident that thou art the Man under whose Name Papers are spread which seems as a Strenghening to such as well as one that puts Stumbling-Blocks before the Lord's People thy self And therefore if thou hast any Regard to the Flock of God it becomes thee to cease sending abroad such Papers or putting Stumbling-Blocks in the Way of the Simple Perhaps thou may'st think the Language unbecoming me yet I must tell thee That though Darkness hath over-shadowed the Hearts of many so that they seem like Men Void of all Wisdom and all Reason whereby it seems to me as if they were Proselytes of such amongst the Sixty-Six Subscribers at Ellis Hook's Chamber who coming with another Gospel than that which stands in the Wisdom of God have Preach't against All Wisdom and All Reasoning yet the Eyes of many of the Antient Flock of God continue yet open and have beheld the Whimsies and Imaginations that have entred some whereby the Name of God hath been but too frequently Blasphemed and the Word and Power of God abominably Abused by such whom the Papers seems to be a Strength to which hath long since created Jealousies that the dread of that Antient Power which many Brethren testifyed Was with thee in the Beginning is departed The Consideration whereof puts me in remembrance First That though thou and many have judged John Perrot as an Apostatized Person from the Truth for introducing a New Practice in the Church yet those who as far as I know stand in and for the same Faith and Practice they were in from the Beginning are now judged Apostatized because they cannot imbrace for Conscience sake some New Prescription which thou art accounted either the Author or Countenancer of Secondly That
amongst any Prejudiced against me as thou didst my last Letter whereby I became Judged before Treated withal either by Thee or any touching the same However this gives me Satisfaction that I have Counted the Cost and if I must be Reproach't as once I have been already for clearing my Conscience to thee yet as I now have so my Faith is I shall have Peace of Conscience when the Neglect thereof would have become my Burthen And if any for this Cause should give forth such Papers against me as are undeservedly given forth against other Friends in Truth and that also by such who have not heard them speak for themselves 't will redound to their Shame as in the End will undoubtedly be more publickly manifested For several Weeks past it hath been under my serious Consideration whether I might pass these Things over in Silence but with Peace of Conscience I cannot so do And therefore do conclude They are more worthy thy Notice than the Words of Flattering Tongues I am Thy Plain-Hearted Friend William Rogers To the Two afore-said Letters I never received any Answer in Writing nor yet by Word of Mouth as ever I remember more than to this Effect William If thou wilt take thy Letter back again 't is well enough or such like Words But yet on G. F's proposing to have a Meeting with me concerning them we agreed on a Meeting to consist of Twelve Friends on a Side and after the Reading of the last Letter I by Writing under my Hand desired That if George Fox had ought against it he would deliver me his Charge therein in Writing and then I would make Answer thereto But my Proposition therein G. F. refused to Answer and so the Meeting parted I now come to take Notice that there was a Paper given forth from Ellis Hooks his Chamber by Charles Marshall and Sixty-Five Persons more as a Testimony against John Wilkinson and John Story to which Two Answers were written and not only so but a Testimony from John Jonnings and about Seventy Friends more in the County of Wilts and Thomas Gouldeny William Ford and My Self together with Sixteen Friends besides in Bristol against it This I make mention of because that Paper from Ellis Hooks his Chamber signed by Charles Marshal c. hath proved but Fuel added to the Fire of Contention that was Burning before Now forasmuch as I am well sensible that G. F. esteems himself One having the Care of all the Churches upon him and that John Story positively affirms that when he was at Worcester with George Fox He viz. G. F. did then tell him which he took as Threatning Friends would Write against them and that the Power of God would cast them out meaning John Wilkinson and John Story It may be needful for G. F. to give an Account how he came to be so careless of the Churches as not so to sift into that Matter as that the Unrighteous Proceeding thereof might have been Judged especially fince he was then in London The Neglect whereof in him so Circumstantiated as he accounts himself to be occasions this Jealousy That he was an Approver of the Manner and Method of their Proceedings and so may account it a Fulfilling of the Words cited as spoken to John Story at Worcester viz. That Friends would write against them and the Power of God would cast them out The Fire of Contention thus increasing and it being rumour'd that there was a Separate Meeting in the North John Story writes unto the Two Meetings in the North viz. that called Separate and that called Quarterly therein proposing Expedients for a Re-uniting which was Recommended by Thomas Gouldeny and My Self together with Sixty Friends besides and was Accepted by those called Separate as by their Testimony signed by VVilliam Cartmell and Fifty-Seven Persons more appears But Robert Barrow and Fifteen others of the Quarterly-Meeting so termed Condemned John Story 's Proposition before heard as by their Answer appears This also is thus hinted because I doubt not but that it may come to the View of Robert Barrow who if he please may thereupon take Occasion to signify to me That George Fox was not concerned in that Council if in Truth he can so signify This I propose because 't is jealoused That Matters of no less Moment are not very commonly Resolved upon by Robert Barrow and others of Party with G. F. without Advising with him when they have Opportunities so to do which doubtless are frequent enough since their Dwellings are but few Miles distant each from other William Rogers The FIFTH PART OF THE Christian-Quaker Distinguish'd From the Apostate Innovator BEING AN ADDITIONAL Discovery to the First and Fourth Parts of the Christian-Quaker c. THAT George Fox hath been acted by an Erroneous Spirit and become a Reproach and Scandal to the Truth which the Children of Light profess and walk in By William Rogers Malachi 2.8 9. But ye are departed out of the Way ye have caused many to stumble at the Law ye have corrupted the Covenant of Levi saith the Lord of Hosts Therefore have I made you Contemptible and base before all the People according as ye have not kept my Ways but have been Partial in the Law LONDON Printed in the Year 1680. The FIFTH PART OF THE Christian Quaker Distinguish'd From the APOSTATE and INNOVATOR c. ON the 11 Month 1677. George Fox came to the City of Bristol and after he had been there some little time I was challenged by one professing the Truth to bring forth what I had against G. F. This with some other passages between Friends at that time occasioned my self and others to be concerned in drawing up a few things wherein we were dissatisfied not only relating to G. F. but others also a Part whereof chiefly relating unto George Fox does now follow The first Dissatisfaction We are not satisfied that G. F. hath of late been guided by the Spirit of Truth in all such Matters relating to truth wherein of late he hath concerned himself neither are we satisfied that those who have of late looked upon him as a man worthy of double honour and owned him in all such Matters have had therein a spiritual Discerning neither are we satisfied that the bare esteeming of him as one that hath not of late in all things kept his Place and Habitation in the Truth can be the fruit of a Dark Spirit The Reasons of the above Dissatisfactions as to G. F. are in part as followeth That divers passages in his book intitled This is an Encouragement to all Womens-Meetings in the World c. are either unsound or impertinently quoted The first Quotation Page 43. of the said Book 't is thus said And was not Micah 's Mother a Virtuous Woman read Judges the 17th and see what she said to her Son The very words of the Scripture are these And there was a Man of Mount Ephraim whose name was Micah and he said unto
distrustful and despairing So the Reader may consider whether this adds to the Account of his Lyes or no. I shall now proceed to cite G. F's Paper WHereas William Rogers hath falsly charged me that I should Flee in time of Persecution and it is spread up and down City and Country and brought to ballance John Story and his Company 's Fleeing in time of Persecution who had a Boy set on a Hill to wave his hat to Friends when they met in Holes and Gills in Westmoreland which brought a Dishonour to God's Truth and People over a great Part of the Nation and several went to admonish him and the others of it but never did any of these these fourteen Years come to me and admonish me concerning Ringwood Meeting or Bristol Meeting where I am reported to Flee as they say in Persecution which are all horrid Lyes As for Ringwood Meeting there is a Certificate to the contrary that clears the thing As for the Meeting at Bristol there came no Souldiers nor Officers while I was in the Meeting neither before nor after Now at that time I lay at Edward Pyotts and several Friends came from Bristol to me and desired me not to come to the Meeting and said What were they and thou art more than a thousand of us if they were taken they said it was no great matter but they would not have me to come unless I was Eternally Moved I reserved my Mind to my self and bid them Go their way and did not say I would or I would not and afterwards I said to Edward Pyott I shall go to the Meeting and one may stay to guide me through the Fields and Edward Pyott said his Son Edward might go with me so walking through the Fields I met Dennis Hollister and Thomas Gouldney and Dennis Hollister said What! would I go in the mouth of the Beast and Thomas Gouldney smil'd at me and I bid them Walk by because many People were walking there and I met George Bishop after and he said what would I go into the mouth of the Dragon and I bad him Walk by Now they did all that ever they could to stop me so I past up into the Meeting and Margaret Thomas was speaking but had quickly done and the Fear was upon the People concerning me but after the Power of God struck the Fear out of them and Life sprang and a precious glorious Meeting we had and when I was cleared I was moved to Pray and when I had stept down about three or four Steps I was moved to turn back again and stood up and told them Now they might see there was a God in Israel that could deliver and so I stept down and went away and Friends began to busle out and I said Why do they busle and make such a throng and George Bishop said 't was time to break up the Meeting so I came down the Stairs and there was neither Officer nor Souldier nor nothing like any such thing and many Friends and People were in the Street Now if I had been persuaded and had hearkned to them that would not have had me come to the Meeting what work would these evil Spirits have made above fourteen Years afterward and for any to say I went up the Back-Stairs I did not know which was Fore-Stairs and which was Back-Stairs but went as I was guided and Friends say since The one was as common as the other This is a Malicious Charge above fourteen Years afterwards and never come to my Face till now to justifie John Story they accuse me Now something I shall say concerning Ringwood Meeting or about a Mile and an Half thence I came there over-night and in the Morning about the sixth hour there came about ten or twelve Women from Pool and I was sitting within in the house till towards the eight hour and it being summer time and hor I walked out with a Young Man into the Orchard and after I had walked a while with him and asked him of the Affairs of Truth for they had been many of them convinced by me before I was Prisoner in Cornwal and there came another Young Man to us and told us The trained bands were rising and he heard they would come and break up the Meeting so one desired me to walk over the Stile it being as I judged about the eight hour so I walked over into the corn fields on the out side of the hedge and one of the Young Men went from me and of the Women some walked in the Orchard and some went to refresh themselves and I asked the Young Man VVhat time of the day it was and he said Betwixt Eight and Nine and I asked him VVhat time the Meeting would come in and he said about Eleven or Twelve of the Clock and I said If the Souldiers should come before that time we might happen to get a good Meeting afterward and the Man said They are Neighbours and Civil People if they should come they would hardly meddle But after the Young Man went from me a matter of two Bow shots he stood under the Hedge waving his Hat to me so I bid the other Young Man see what ailed him so I kept my walking and they did not come at me again and as I turned back to go round about the Orchard there was a place I could see over the Hedge the Souldiers were all over the Orchard I heard say some of the Souldiers did see me but they were loth to meddle so I being out in the open Fields where they might easily see me truly I did not go in among them for it was between nine or ten a Clock and they swept the Barn and got in Stools and Blocks and we had a very large and blessed Meeting till about Three of the Clock and broke up our Meeting in the Power of God and in Peace and afterwards the Woman of the House being Dead some desired me to walk up to a Friends house about two Bowshots off in our way and Friends went along with us and I bad them bring up my Horse thither for I was to ride twenty Miles to one Fries house that Night and so I went up to that house and Friends went generally with me and after we had refreshed our selves we past away in Peace and Quietness and no Souldiers at all came And how can this be called a Fleeing in time of Persecution and that was a horrid Lye that I hid my self in a Ditch there was as I saw but a Bank cast up from a Lane and I think it was a Market High-Way and at this Fries House I had a Meeting and there the Constables came to the Meeting but News was brought That their house was broke up so they let us alone and also I heard that the Souldiers came after from Ringwood to the House when our Meeting was broke up but we knew nothing of them being gone before and they never spake to me