could He through weakness could not eat They through weakness of sight could not see what their Brethren saw could not Act as their Brethren did at least pretended so Now as the Apostle gave a cautionary Let not to him that was strong Let not him that eateth dispise him that eateth not Rom. 14.3 which Friends observed towards the Adversaries not despising nor rejecting them for their apparent weakness but bearing with them and carrying themselves tenderly towards them So he gave another cautionary Let not to him that was weak by whom as I noted the Adversaries are here represented Let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth Had the Adversaries observed this Caution 〈◊〉 the Apostle and not judged their Brethren in and for those things which their Brethren saw to be their Duty and were satisfied and conscientiously concerned in and which themselves acknowledged they had not a clear sight of the Difference in probability had not come to what it now is But the Adversaries forgeting the Apostles Counsel fell to judge their Brethren and that in the most provoking and reflecting manner under the names of Apostates Innovators Idolaters Setters up of lordly Dominion Vsurpers of Authority over Conscience Introducers of Popery c. and that in Print And never gave over till they run themselves by open war into that open Separation in which they now stand In their 35th page they fall again upon their old odd Notion of making Circumstantial and Shadowy to signifie the same thing Rep. Herein they err for want of considering the proper nature of each Every Shadow is a Representation of some particular Substance which it is a shadow of But every Circumstance is not Representative There are Circumstances of Time Place Gesture c. belonging to every Action yet is not every such Circumstance a Representation of some particular Substance Therefore every Circumstance is not a Shadow In meeting together to worship God there must be a time to meet at a Place to meet in These are Circumstantial to the worship for which the Meeting is but they are not Shadows If the Adversaries think they are pray let them assign the particular Substances of which they are Shadows and which as Shadows they represent But for ought I see they make all things to be Shadows but the Spirit of God For they say they must be Substance or Shadow and they admit nothing to be Substance but that which leads into all Truth and they add The Substance is God's holy Spirit that only and alone guides into all Truth So that after their Shadowy way of Reasoning the Gospel Dispensation should be as Shadowy as the Legal was or else there must be no external Appearance of Worship under the Gospel And yet they acknowledge There should be no Shadows in Christ's Government But if there should be no Shadows in Christ's Government and all External Acts of Worship according to their notion are but Shadowy then there must be no external Appearance or Acts of Worship under Christ's Government And what then would this shadowy shady dark Reasoning of theirs bring things to I wish the more single-hearted of their beguiled Proselites would well observe this and consider what Shadows of Christians they have made or would make them In like manner they blunder about the Circumstantial and Essential puzzling themselves and their Reader to no purpose for want of applying the words Circumstantial and Essential to their respective and proper Relatives for they must relate to something that which is but Circumstantial to one thing may be Essential to another Outward Motion or motion of the outward Members is Circumstantial to man not Essential to his being for a man may be a man without outward motion But this outward motion though it be not Essential to man's Being yet it is Essential to his Walking Talking Eating c. For walking talking eating cannot be without some outward motion of the outward Members As it is thus in Natural so in Religious Matters Outward Performances are but Circumstantial not Essential to Religion simply considered as in it self and strictly taken in the abstract But those very Performances which are not Essential to Religion it self in that strict fense may be Essential to the Outward Profession and external Exercise of Religion And indeed no outward Profession of Religion can be made no external Exercise of Religion performed without the Circumstance of some outward Act or Medium Which shews that outward Performances outward Acts or Mediums are Essential to the Being of outward Profession or Exercise of Relion though not to Religion it self in that strict and abstractive sense before mentioned I write this not with respect to any particular Medium Act or Performance but in a general way with respect to every Outward Performance that relates to the right Exercise of true Religion And to check the too confident Conclusion which the Adversaries over hastily draw thâ—â— whatsoever is not Essential to Religion according to their undistinguished sense of Essentials is without more ado a meer-Shadow The Author of the Book they pretend to Answer in his 9th page thereof having shew'd that the Plea which the Adversaries make viz. I must mind the Spirit of God in my self though true in it self yet ought not to be so applied as to disregard the Preaching or Writings of Christ's enlightned Servants because by them applied properly to the Preaching or Writing of false Prophets and Seducers concluded thus I say the Doctrine is true but not exclusively of all external Counsel or direction therefore false in application where men are allowed to have had the fear of God and the mind of his Spirit and are not proved to have acted in their own Wills and Wisdom or without the Guidance of the Spirit of God about the things of his Church and Kingdom Here the Adversaries open wide and a grevious Out cry they make p. â—7 c. Two main Exceptions they take against this One at the words have had the fear of God and the other at the words are not proved to have acted c. Against the first they alledge that such as may have had the fear of God may now be without it And to give a flurt at the Author they add As well as himself who used to have good Arguments but now wants them Against the second they urge that since every fact must be committed before proved they may have acted in their own will and not yet fully proved Now that this is a meer empty Cavil and carping at words only will appear by the Author 's own words in the place fore-cited where he expresly calls the Persons he spake of Faithful Brethren and Christ's enlightned Servants So that it is evident he used that other way of Speech afterwards upon the Adversaries Concession and to bind them the faster who how meanly soever they thought of Friends then allowed them to have had the fear of God and the mind of his
in things too high for them They utter what they understand not yet they bring the matter to the same Issue and result that the Author 's own Answer left it in For they that are thus come through the Travel beyond the fitting and preparing beyond the whole Mystery of Iniquity into Christ and out of the Enemy's reach being entred where he cannot come These are sure in as high an Estate as those can be who the Author said may safely be left to their freedom in the things of God The difference then lies not between such as are in different growths in Christ but between Those that are really in him and Those that are not in him though they may profess to believe in him The danger is not of the Babe muchless of the strong Man in Christ But of the strong Man out of Christ him that is strong in his own Will in his own Conceit being heady high-minded Contentious Quarrelsom Impatient who if he cannot in all things be humoured and have his own way flies out into open Opposition to work Division and Separation as these Adversaries have done For however They now palliate and in words smooth over the Liberty and freedom They pretend to as if it were only a Liberty to chuse or refuse things according as they are perswaded yet their Practice which in this case is the best Discoverer of Intentions hath sufficiently manifested what freedom what Liberty They seek A Liberty to Oppose Friends in such Things as Friends are satisfied in A Liberty to reproach revile despise scoff and Jeer at those Things that are conscientiously received and practised by Friends and which Themselves neither have shewed nor can shew any Evil to be in but only pretend They are not Convinced of the Needfulness or Usefulness of them A Liberty to revile and vilifie Friends in Print under the names of Apostates Innovators Introducers of Popery and but one step from it Idolaters Setters up of Images Idol-Prophets a treacherous Company possest with the Spirit of Belial Mercinary Judges Self-seeking slavish Drudges led by Satan c. A Liberty to rend off divide and separate from Friends and set up separate-Meetings in divers parts and places out of the Unity of Friends and in direct Opposition to them And yet after all this and in the midst of all this and maintaining all this to come when and where They please to Friends Meetings as pretending to joyn with Friends in Worship and impose upon Friends their Preaching and Praying and expect that They who have given the highest Demonstrations of Their being our greatest Enemies and persist therein should notwithstanding be owned and received as Friends as Brethren as Preachers as Ministers of Christ amongst us This is the Liberty They have taken this the freedom they plead and press for And this is such a piece of Hypocrisie and gross Deceit as I verily believe cannot be paralleled among all the Pretenders to Christian Religion This to be sure is a Mystery of Iniquity And therefore seeing They pretend not to extend the Liberty of chusing and refusing things according as They are perswaded to any but such as are in Christ p. 4. And that They must travel through the whole Mystery of Iniquity before they can come into Christ p. 7. They must needs travel out of these things before mentioned before they can pretend to be within the compass of their own Plea In their 4th page They say Forasmuch as he neither hath nor we believe can give us any certain undoubted Rule how to know who these are that are so to be left all that he hath said by way of affirming this great Question is worth nothing for as it is altogether unintelligible 't is every way impracticable Again If any certain Rule can be given to know who may be left to their Liberty as above let us have it say they and by the contrary Rule we shall know who may not be so left Reply By this They shew themselves to be out of the Truth in the Uncertainty If they were in the Truth they would not be to seek of a certain Rule in this case the Spirit of Truth giving Certainty and Assurance to them that are guided by it though not to them that resist it Now though they have not explain'd what they mean by Who these are or how they expect a Description of them whether by Qualifications or by Personal Marks yet each way they are wrong For if they would have a Rule to know them by Qualifications they themselves with sufficient Contradiction to themselves while they make as if they believed no such Rule can be given have adventured to give it assigning them to be such as are in Christ even from the Babe in Christ to the strong Man and so to all states but still in Christ. Now that this cannot take in even in their own sense the whole promiscuous Number of those that go to Friends Meetings that hear Truth preached or that by Tongue or outward Profession only confess to the Truth of the Principle their own Description or Explanation of what it is to be in Christ pag. 7. will manifest For there they tell us that Man must be made a new Creature before he can come into Christ he must travel through the whole Mystery of Iniquity that the Rest is only by being in Christ the Travel is while he appears in us to fit us for himself for 't is say they the New Creature that only finds room in him So then the Travel must be over before they come to be in Christ For say they the Enemy that fallen Angel can go with Man into every Remove whilst man is fitting and preparing but into Christ he cannot come These are some of the Qualifications by which they describe who should be left to their freedom c. But if this may pass for a Rule with them why may not that as well which the Author of that Book they pretend to answer laid down therein viz. that they may safely be left to their freedom in the things of God who are such as can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth such whose freedom stands in the perfect Law of Liberty If they ask But by what certain or undoubted Rule shall we know who are such I Reply When they have told me by what certain or undoubted Rule they know who are in Christ according to the Explanation they have given of being in Christ that is who they are that are certainly and undoubtedly made New Creatures who they are that have certainly and undoubtedly travelled through the whole Mystery of Iniquity who they are that have certainly and undoubtedly gone beyond where the Enemy can go into Christ where he cannat come I will then tell them who they are whose freedom stands in the perfect Law of Liberty c. They add But if no such Rule that is no certain or undoubted Rule can be given it
have told us They are sure their End is not to give Liberty to Evil they add But to Answer All the Objections that may be made as it would take up too much time so perhaps we may not know all that may be advanced so we shall Omit that till we are better informed of them as also till more fitting Opportunity do occur Rep. A dull Come-off Who that were shameless might not at this rate avoid Answering any Objection that lies hard upon them by pretending it would take up too much time to answer all Objections and that perhaps they may not know all that may be advanced They told us in their 5th page There is but one Objection and that is That this is to give Liberty to Evil and they made a kind of Promise to speak to that in another place Why did they not answer this One Objection which themselves had advanced Now because they know not what to say to it nor how to Answer that One Objection they pretend it would take up too much time to Answer all the Objections that may be made and that perhaps they may not know all that may be advanced Is not this pittiful Shuffling Is not this mean Trifling for men for such men for men so cryed up as some of them are Perhaps say they we may not know all that may be advanced What then should that hinder them from taking notice of what they did or might know of what was advanced Did not the Book they pretend to Answer enumerate several Particular Evils which the Enemy by that Plea of leaving every one to act as he is free c. is introducing a Liberty to as Paying Tythes to Hireling-Priests Marrying by the Priest Declining a publick Testimony in suffering times or hiding in times of Persecution Worshipping and respecting the Persons of men and Observing the World's Holy-days and Mass-days as they call them Why did they not Answer these that were advanced as there phrase is Did they want to be better inform'd whether These are Evils or no They could not but know that most of these Evils have been closely charged as the Fruits of that Spirit they are now joyned to And their so slightly slipping over them now is no good sign that they are wholly clear and free from them They boast indeed of Life and Conversation but distinguish not that I observe betwixt Conversation Civil and Religious betwixt that which relates to the World and that which more especially respects the Church of God 'T is true they say in general words p. 43. with respect to Lives and Conversations Place your Iudgment upon what is Evil and spare not for there it will stand for we plead not for Evil in any And again We grant that any may reporve Evil and what is Immoral c. p. 46. But their explaining Evil by the terms Immoral and simply Evil as in pag. 39. where they say If Nothing that is simply Evil or Immoral can be charged upon your Brethren c. And in p. 44. Though nothing that is Immoral or Evil in it self can be proved against them shews they mean by Immoral such open Prophaneness and Debaucheries as Human Laws correct And so notwithstanding their pretending Not to plead for Evil in any their Plea may indulge and countenance those Evils before mentioned of paying Tythes to the hireling Priest of being married by the Priest c. and of marrying such as are out of Truth yea out of the Profession of it yea and of all the Disorders that heady and unruly Persons are capable of committing against Church-Society by raising and fomenting Strife and Contention amongst Brethren by drawing and gathering into Parties Sides and Factions by making Schisms Rents and Breaches by running into down-right Division and open Separation All which are Evils and such Evils as the Judgment of Truth always was is and ought to be placed upon But seeing the Adversaries hide themselves under the Terms Simply Evil or Immoral let me ask them more particularly Whether it be not an Immoral Act for any one to deprive Another by force or fraud of his just Right and Property They know what of this kind has been done by some of their own Party at Reading and other Places where they have forcibly kept Friends out of their publick Meeting-Houses and deprived Friends of their just and lawful Right and Property in those Meeting-Houses contrary to all Right and Justice Now though Truth 's Judgment hath been placed and doth stand and abide upon this Evil and upon the Authors and Abettors thereof And though being so undeniable in fact and so gross in nature some of the Adversaries are ashamed or afraid to plead for it Yet which of them all has joyned with Friends in placing the Judgment of Truth upon it and upon them that are more immediatly guilty of it Nay do they not rather own and joyn with such as have been and are most guilty in this case and receive such of them as are Preachers to preach and pray amongst them In their 5th page they take a slight notice of the latter part of the Author's Answer where he said But if thou pleadest thy Freedom against such things yea Obstructest and Slightest such Good Wholsom and Requisit Things namely such things as are Holy Just Lovely Honest Comely and of good Report as he had mentioned just before thy freedom is naught dark perverse out of the Truth and against the perfect Law of Love and Liberty In the reciting of which I observe they slip over these words obstructest and slightest as being Conscious perhaps that they have done so and have no colourable defence to make for their so doing Their Answer to the rest is this This is still to the same Tune here is a Iudge implied but not set forth 't is not say they the Spirit of Truth but some outward thing whatever it is and they add We know not where he will fix c. Rep. To the same Tune They were in a jolly Humour sure when they borrowed this Phrase from the Ballad-mongers So pag. 17. they say Shall we Pipe to the same Tune for Company Truth would have taught them more Gravity and it is to be hoped their beguiled Proselites will observe and take notice what a frothy Spirit they are guided by But though they say The Judge is not set forth but only implied and by theâ—â— saying Whatever it is they imply they know not what it is nay they confess in plain Terms they know not where he will fix yet in this tuning strain they as boldly as blindly that is confessedly not seeing or knowing what it is adventure to affirm 'T is not the Spirit of Truth By which the Children of Truth know that the Adversaries in this Judgment are out of Truth In the same airy Vein they go on thus But since we know not where he will fix to say no more 't is dark to be sure Then as if on
the Spirit of Christ led into the practice of and finds acceptance with God in is a certain discovering sign and token that such Opposers are departed from under the leadings and Government of that holy Spirit in which the Communion and true Christian Fellowship stands In their 18th page to suggest that Friends would use Violence as others have done if they had more power they say Do not object that was only as carried on to Violence for they that omit nothing of that Power they have who can believe if such had more they would imploy it better Rep. This shews their Envy but doth no more affect us than it would the Church of Christ in all times The Apostles we read and Primitive Christians did not omit to exercise that Power they had in reproving rebuking denying and testifying against such in their times as by loose and disorderly walking or unruly contentious turbulent Behaviour disturbed the Peace of the Churches and brought scandal upon the Profession Such persisting in their disorders they declared not to be of them Such so persisting we declare not to be of us They desired no greater Power Neither do we They if they had had more Power could not have used it to outward Violence neither could we if it were in our power But what might be expected from the Adversaries if they had Power equal to their Wills who have already given so plain a poof of their propensity to Acts of Violence that having no lawful Power they have usurped a Power to keep Friends by Violence out of their publick Meeting-Houses wherein the Friends so kept out have a plain undoubted rightful legal Property Was it not a great piece of Folly as well as Injustice in them to suggest such a thing against Friends which they knew they had no ground for when they could not but know with what an unavoidable force and stroke it would recoil upon themselves In their 19th page they say Do we think we have been the most true that have been since the Apostacy which say they perhaps we have as to Notion and Profession of the things of God Rep. They did well to say We that it may be known they speak this only of and for themselves having at the end of their Preface directed us to understand the term We in respect to themselves Friends have no need of such Advocates The People of God in scorn called Quakers they who have received the Truth in the love of it they who have obeyed the Truth in the manifestation of it they who have kept their habitation in the Truth through the Power of it can say beyond thinking much more beyond thinking with a perhaps that they have been and through the preserving Power of God are the most true that have been since the Apostacy and that not only as to Profession of the things of God but as to the true living experimental knowledge injoyment and possession of the things of God And before these Adversaries had turned their backs on Truth and wandred from their Habitation in God they too perhaps would without a perhaps have adventured to have asserted this beyond thinking and further than Notion and Profession only But now we see how low they are sunk that they can content themselves to say perhaps we have been the most true that have been since the Apostacy as to Notion and Profession of the things of God Notion is a term they often use in their Book but not very properly with respect to the things of God for Notion imports rather an uncertain Speculation than a solid certain scientifical Knowledge such as is fit to be had of Religious matters And therefore Persons of speculative Fancies are often called Notionists or men of high Notions But these men it seems dare pretend at highest but to Notion and Profession of the things of God to think they have perhaps been the most true that have been since the Apostacy It seems then they do not think they have been the most true that have been since the Apostacy as to Life Power Virtue Sincerity divine Injoyments experimental Knowledge in the things of God Possession of the living Substance c. Nay with them 't is but a perhaps that as to Notion and Profession they have been the most true that have been since the Apostacy But undoubtedly were they not now Apostatized from what some of them once have known and been they would not have written in such a loose and unsensible manner In the same 19th page they confound themselves again with another of their own Notions they say We know 't is writ they shall come from the West North East and South to sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom I know there 's something written to this purpose but where this is thus written I know not Upon this they thus descant Those certainly was not of one external Form or Order as to Ceremonial and Shadowy things yet we find they agree That say I is more than we can find from these for rather than these will agree they 'l Oppose Rail Revile Print against Rend Divide Separate and Tear if they could all in pieces But say they perhaps some will say this agreement of all these from the four Quarters is in Heaven Well add they what then Must they not agree on Earth that must agree in Heaven Rep. 'T is fit no doubt they should and 't were well they would that expect to come there But if they must agree on Earth that must agree in Heaven then pray consider whether such an Agreement as the Adversaries propose p. 16 viz. that they must agree in some things such as they account Essential but there is no necessity that they must agree in all things will serve the purpose Must the Agreement in Heaven be in some things only and not in all What shattered work would these Men make with their idle Notions Besides is it not too ridiculous in these men speaking of them that shall come from the West for they may be allowed to begin where the Sun goes down upon whom the Sun is already gone down North East and South to sit down with Abraham c. to say those was not of one external form and order as to Ceremonial and Shadowy things and yet we find they agree and apply this agreement to Heaven Do they think then that there are Ceremonial and Shadowy things in Heaven too where many perhaps if not most of the things which they account Essential will find no place However if as they here by a kind of affirmative Interrogatives deliver they must agree on Earth that must agree in Heaven If God's will must be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven then surely they must retract their Notion of a necessity of agreeing in some things Essentials but no necessity of agreeing in other things Circumstantials Is the will of God think they done in Heaven by some one way by
the Light Life or Spirit of God through Instruments But the Apostle Peter who knew as much as they and is fitter to be believed than they saith If any Man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God c. 1 Pet. 4.11 So that the Apostle it seems understood no other but that the things of God when Ministred as of the ability which God giveth were as the Oracles of God though spoken by or through Man To make way yet for more wrangling they reason after this manner either say they all that do speak in our Assemblies or Meetings speak from the Light Life and Spirit or all do not if all do so speak prove it if all do not so speak then you must give us a certain Rule to know who do so speak and who do not Rep. At the end of their Preface they give an Advertisement that where the Term You is found in the following Discourse namely in their Book they intend the Author viz. of the Book they pretend to Answer and those of his mind And where the term We is also used in their Book it may be understood in respect to those of the same mind with the Author of that Book of theirs So that You and We are there set for Characteristical Notes or distinguishing Terms between Friends and them Friends being intended and denoted by the word You and themselves by the word We. Now since Your and Our are but Derivatives from You and We each ought to follow its own Primitive And since by the term We they would have themselves to be understood it is but reason that by the term Our Assemblies or Meetings their own Assemblies or Meetings should be understood not the Assemblies or Meetings of Friends especially seeing they have Meetings of their own properly their own set up themselves in their own wills and choice in a Spirit of separation from the Meetings of Friends and in opposition to them Now if we take them in this Sense when they say as before Either all that do speak in Our Assemblies or Meetings speak from the Light Life and Spirit or all do not I shall easily grant what they say they take for granted that all that speak in their Assemblies or Meetings do not speak from the Light Life and Spirit of God if any do But if they mistook themselves here and by Our Assemblies or Meetings intended the Assemblies or Meetings of Friends and so put the Question whether all that speak in the Meetings of Friends do speak from the Light Life and Spirit of God or not I Reply No For many of the Adversaries themselves who are gone into a wicked separation from Friends and instead of abideing in the Light Life and Spirit of God are got into an ungodly Spirit of Wrangling and Quarrelling Rayling and Reviling Envy Bitterness and Restless Contention do notwithstanding thrust into Friends Meetings and there take upon them to speak though they or their Party have openly denyed Friends in Print This is such a work of darkness and horrible Hypocrysie as manifests that such speak not from the Light Life or Spirit of God But whereas they say You must give us a certain Rule to know who do so speak and who do not or otherwise you must leave us to receive or refuse according to the best of our understanding which they repeat over and over biding us Observe either you must give us a Rule as above or you must leave us free c. I Reply Friends have always directed and left them and all others to that which makes free indeed the Truth Iohn 8.32 And their insinuating the contrary is a foul Slander and a wicked Design I would to God they who are run into Enmity to and separation from Friends would leave us free and not impose upon us their Preaching and Praying which they have been often told Friends cannot receive or own And whereas they say both here in page 24. and elsewhere We take it for granted that you can give no such Rule I Reply They mistake taking that for granted which they ought not That Light Life Spirit Grace or Truth which Friends have always directed them and all unto is a Rule a certain Rule to know who speak from it and who do not And they that abide in it and are attentive to it do know who speak from it and who do not who are acted by it and who are not and know accordingly what and whom to receive and what and whom to refuse For the true Sheep know the true Shepherd's Voice Iohn 10.4 and 27. which is more than words But there is a difference between being left to this Light Grace or Spirit of God in our selves to receive or refuse according to that and being left to our own understanding to receive or refuse according to the best of that as the Adversaries would be left For Man's understanding as it is a natural Faculty must be illuminated by this heavenly Light and Spirit of God before it can receive or know the things of God because they are Spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 Well therefore did the Wise-man advise Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine own understanding Prov. 3.5 In the close of their 24 page They say We may safely conclude where Conviction and Perswasion are disallowed that Government ceaseth to be true Rep. But where is that not amongst Friends I am sure This they have suggested over and over but without proof without colour The contrary has been asserted and proved over and over again and again and that by undenyable Evidences from that very Book they pretend to Answer As thou art not to conform to a thing ignorantly page 3. The People of God ought to be left to the Guidings of the Spirit of God in themselves page 9. It is a great Truth that all are to be left thereunto ibid. And again If thou dost not presently see that Service in a thing that the rest of thy Brethren agree in it is thy Duty what to do not to Conform without or against Conviction or Perswasion but to wait upon God in silence and patience out of all fleshly Consultations c. page 10. These plain Testimonies one would think were enough to stop the clamorous mouth of slanderous Envy They begin their 25th page with a Passage which they single out of the 6th page of the Book they pretend to Answer And they word it thus They that walk in the Light have Fellowship one with another 1 Iohn 1. Whence he saith 't is easy to conclude that those that go out of Fellowship go out of the Light c. Upon this they spend about four pages in meer Cavilling And to make the more way for their Cavilling they miscite the Passage leaving out a word of small sound but of great force in the present Case because a strong Emphasis lies upon it For whereas the Author's words were they that go out
Spirit of God in themselves page 9. And indeed so far are Friends from having or referring any to a dependence on any Instrument through which God at any time spake that they have always recommended all to the Grace and Spirit of God in themselves which says Amen to the Testimony that proceeds from the same Grace and Spirit in another that their dependence might be upon God in that And had the Adversaries look'd with an indifferent Eye they might have observed what the Author of the Book they are so angry at hath written in the 8th and 9th pages thereof viz. That the same lowly frame of mind that receives and answers the mind of the Spirit of the Lord in a Man's self will receive and have Unity with the mind of the same Spirit through another and the reason is plain because the same self evidencing Power and virtue that ariseth from the measure of the Spirit of Truth in one self and that convinceth a Man in his own heart doth also attend the discovery of the mind of the same Spirit when delivered by another They speak of the Church that is perfectly redeemed c. But this say they is that Church that is hid from the World Rep. By this they would make as if Christ had two Churches one hid from the World and another known to the World But is the Church or was it ever known to the World Was not his Church always hid from the World Can the Church of Christ be seen but by a Spiritual Eye And hath the World that Eye to see her with In their 32 page they say Why do you impose upon your Brethren Rep. The Insinuation is false and malicious Friends impose not upon any But what God hath manifested as his mind unto us for the Service and good of his Church that in his Fear we practice our selves and that we have recommended to others When some have said they saw not the Service of it such have been exhorted and desired to wait upon God in the measure of his Light Grace and Spirit manifested in themselves that thereby they might come to a Sight and â—ense thereof and have Unity with their Brethren therein and in the mean time to be quiet and not oppose those things which their Brethren were conscientiously concerned in and which they themselves confessed that they had not a sight whether the things so recommended were of God or not But instead of taking this good Counsel some Factious Spirits amongst them set themselves to obstruct and hinder Friends from proceeding in the way which the Lord had led them into working against Friends at first in a more hidden manner by sly Insinuations and evil Surmises secretly conveyed from House to House among such as were weak of Vnderstanding or but young in the Convincement and knowledge of Truth or under some discontent of mind or such as wanted a broader way than Truth allows These they smoothly and craftily insinuated themselves into entertained them with Stories and false Reports against this that and the other Friend labouring to perswade them that such sought to set up a Lordly Dominion over them to make themselves Rulers of the Church and bring others in subjection under them Than which nothing could be more false But after that those wicked Agents had by these and such like ungodly Courses beguiled many and formed to themselves as they thought a sufficient party in divers parts of the Nation they then brake forth into open Opposition gain-saying withstanding and disturbing Friends in the practice of those things which friends were convinced of and satisfied the Lord had led them into and owned them in calling them in scorn and derision by the reproachful and despightful Terms of Canons Constitutions Decrees Mens-Inventions Human Traditions Popish-Prescriptions Edicts Orders Bulls c. And when Friends seeing them thus run out from Truth and bandying together against Truth could no longer receive their Testimonies in our publick Meetings as Preachers amongst us but were necessitated to shew some open dislike thereof then did the Adversaries impose their Preaching and Praying upon Friends requiring Friends to bow in Conformity to their Prayers and that not only before and without but even against and contrary to Conviction and Perswasion for Friends gave them to understand that they were convinced and satisfied in their Judgments and Consciences that they being gone from the Spirit of Truth and Gospel of Peace ought not to be owned as Ministers thereof Nay to that height did the Adversaries proceed in obtruding their Ministry upon Friends that in some places where they had gotten strength by Numbers sufficient to carry on their evil Designs they imposed Conformity to their own Ministry under an outward Penalty and that no less than a being excluded from debarred and deprived of the use of their publick Meeting-places in which the Friends so deprived had and have a true Right and legal Property Nor did they only threaten this but were as bad as their words and did actually shut and keep the Friends out and refuse them entrance into their own Meeting-places unless they would first promise to conform This was Imposition with a witness And Reding is a witness of this The Cavils they make in their 34. and 35. pages on occasion of the Differences mentioned Rom. 14. about Observation of Meats and Days are very trivial They do not prove that the Instances of abstaining from Meats and observing Days are Parallels to those parts of Church-Discipline which they fight so much against They confess indeed that the instance of Meats Rom. 14. is an Instance of Weakness but they urge that the Apostle's Advice was that those weak ones notwithstanding their weakness should be received Rep. We agree with the Apostle's Advice and have testified our Consent thereto by our Practice For so long as the Adversaries kept within the bounds of weakness only alleadging want of sight their weakness was born with and they were received by Friends in hopes that if they waited humbly and honestly upon the Lord he would open their understandings and give them a sight and satisfaction concerning the things they then doubted about But when not content with this bearing and forbearing they grew heady and quarrelsome and sought by running into jangling disputations to stagger others and spread the Leaven of their own doubts that by making others as doubtful as themselves they might raise a party to carry on strife and contention by they then put themselves out of the Protection of the Apostle's Advise For as he advised to receive him that is weak in the Faith so he also cautioned not to receive him to doubtful Disputations He was to be received if he would be quiet and his weakness to be born with but not if he would be alwayes wrangling and raising Dissentions in the Church So far as the cases will admit Comparison the Adversaries Representative was that weak one who could not eat what his Brethren