lyable to err than a treating on this Scripture Take eat this is my Body and apply it to outward bread would And though none amongst the People of the Lord called Quakers as ever I yet heard treated on the later Scripture in Approbation of the sense and application before recited yet I find the aforesaid Author treating on the former Scriptures and that as to me appears with respect to settled Assemblies who if they watch not may err which is easily to be savour'd if the whole scope of his Treatise be but duely weighed The service for God and his Truth in his so doing at this day is hard to be understood by many who have an Honourable esteem for Truth as preach't in the beginning especially since it may occasion many to stumble and fall through a Jealousy that those Scriptures in process of time may be used to enforce Obedience to Outward Sentences and Decrees relating to Conscience whether the Understanding be so illuminated as to see the service of such Obedience for God and his Truth yea or nay And since it is so that of late much is spoken touching the Authority of the Church and that the Church is not lyable to err and that the Apostacy shall never enter the Generality more it is at this time with me to treat a little further touching things of this nature And though I would not be understood to say that the Church of Christ is not invested with Power from on high for every Member thereof according to measure stands in the Power or that the Apostacy shall enter the Generallity again yet I have this certain sense that in Asserting the Authority of the Church and her infallibity c. time hath not been so well imployed as might have been in an inward exercise to be comprehended in the Power thereby to be preserved out of all Apostacies and error but to proceed We read that the Author to the Hebrews tells them They were come to the * Heb. 12.13 General Assembly and Church of the First-Born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all we do not find that the Scripture speaks of the Authority of this General Assembly so that their Sentences and Decisive Judgments should be a Bond on Believers to obey though they see it not but saith God is Judge of all Neither do I find that the Scriptures make mention of any General Assembly of the Church of Christ other than in this place And since the word Church is mostly used in Scriptures with respect to particular Congregations or Assemblies what ground is there to exalt the Power of a General Assembly above any Particular one especially since no such Assemblies whether General or Particular as Assemblies of men have Power one above another further than the Power of God appears more eminent in Degree in one than another for God by his Spirit alone is Sole Judge which appearing though but through an Handmaid or meanest of the Flock in the least of Assemblies ought to be submitted to when God's Witness in the Conscience Answers whether an Assembly esteemed a General Assembly approve thereof or no. Where two or three are gathered together in Christs Name there is the Church of Christ * Matth. 18.19 20. Christ saith If two of such agree on Earth as touching any thing they shall ask the Father it shall be done for them of my Father which is in Heaven Can the Agreement of a General Assembly do more than this viz. than Prevail with the Father and therefore I may well query Why the agreement of Two in any Case who in Christ's Name agree ought not to have as great a Prevalency amongst their Brethren as the Agreement of an Assembly esteemed a General one ought And why the People of God at this day may not have an Eye as well to two Brethren who in Christ's Name agree and are at Unity in the Truth as unto an Assembly esteem'd a General One Though particular Societies of Men may constitute some Persons or Person to represent them and so may conferr a Power on them to negotiate Outward Worldly Affairs and by reason of such Constitutions there may be Assemblies which in that respect may be called General Assemblies yet I query Whether any Assembly of the People of the Lord can in a proper Sense be called a General Assembly of the Church of Christ unless such a one where every Member of Christ's Body is convinced because as they pretend to the Exercise of no Power in their Assemblies when negotiating the Affairs of Truth as Members of the Church of Christ and not barely as men but Gods Power so they do not profess that as such they have Power to confer Gods Power and Spirit on any for they account that only proper to Christ the Lord and therefore if any particular Congregation should attempt to send Persons as their Representatives to any particular Place in order to meet together as a General Assembly of the Church of Christ or that any part of the Church without such particular Election or Mission should Assemble together and call themselvs the General Assembly of the Church of Christ I Query Whether those so affirming would not therein manifestly erre Yet I would not hereby be understood to Judge it as an Evil for any whether Apostles or Elders or any else to meet together when where and as often as they in the Spirit shall find Freedom from the Lord so to do nor yet being met together to judge them for giving forth any thing by way of Recommendation to the Consciences of their Brethren when they find freedom from the Lord so to do Yet in this Case every one had need to wait in their Own Gift that so they may not exercise themselves in things beside their Gifts and then what such bring forth may have an Answer in the Consciences of their Fellow-Brethren But should such Assemblies take upon them to give forth Positive Sentences Decrees or Decisive Judgments in Matters of Conscience in order to become a Bond upon Believers to Obey though they see it not and in defect of Obedience to such their Sentences pronounce all such their brethren who may refuse to obey the same Rebellious against the Lord they would therein manifest themselves to be laying another Foundation than that which hath been already laid and so it might be Just with the Lord to withdraw his comforting Presence from them R. B. Page 63. treating of the Liberty of Conscience which may be exercised by the Members of the True Church diversly without Judging one another thus saith There is a certain Liberty and forbearance also that is more perticular and has a relation to the Circumstance of Times and Places which will not hold universally the first was in suffering Circumcision to the Jews the second was in Observation of certain dayes the third Abstaining from meats To which I say The aforesaid Author as in other things
to and fro having little other Business or Matter than to cry against some Friends under the term of Dark Seperate Spirits though such as are Faithful we should not have so many False Accusers as we have troubling the Countries raising publick Contentions in Meetings for worship amongst us to the open Scandal of Truth and Observation of our common Enemies whereby they rejoyce and cry ha Several instances of this nature are recorded in the Second part of the said first Manuscript mentioned in the Preface ready for the View of Friends as aforesaid And though they give the first onset by Publick Testimonies against particular Persons Ancient and Honourable in the Truth yet a sober Request from any of us desiring to know the Matter that 's Evil whereof such are guilty is with them sufficient ground to lay the Contention at our Doors saying Why cannot you bear all things would have been well if you could have born But alas we are not of those who can so suffer Truth to fall in our Streets and so they go on where they have Credit proseliting simple People against honest Friends by their Lies and Slanders But to return let us consider Whether the last recited Quotation speaks any thing to encourage one Brother to claim Authorty over the Conscience of another or that some Members of the Church of Christ may meet together and give forth Sentences and Decrees in Matters relating to Conscience against others oblieging all to submit thereto Nay verily that Construction cannot stand in Truth and Righteousness though it should come from an Assembly called a General Assembly For albeit the Author to the Hebrews tells them They were come to the General Assembly and Church of the First-Born which are written in Heaven Yet he speaks nothing of their Authority as Judges much less that their Sentences or Judgements should obliege the Consciences of others without relation to a Conviction from the Appearance of the Spirit of Truth or Grace of God in themselves but tells them that God is the Judge of all The next thing we are to manifest is that some there are amongst the People called Quakers who may be accounted Chieftains too that approve of a Plea for Government amongst themselves which in its natural consequence hath as we take it no less tendency than to claim a Power over our Properties as well as Consciences For Proof whereof we say the Second Days Meeting of Ministring Friends in London took upon them the Approbation of the aforesaid Book relating to Government whereby they are Entituled to the Matter therein contained The Reader may peruse the Fifth Section of the aforesaid Book of Government beginning Page 37. the Title of which Section is In what Cases and how far this Government extends and first as to Outwards and Temporals the Author treating thereon Page 39 sayeth thus In the second place this Order reacheth the Taking-up and Composing of Differences as to Outward Things and so proceeding on that Subject the Author comes thus to affirm We do boldly Averre that as a People gathered together by the Lord unto the same Faith and distinguished from all others by our Joynt Testimony and Sufferings that we have Power and Authority to decide and remove these things This we Testifie is repugnant to the Light of Christ Jesus within us and Testimony of the Scriptures of Truth without us for as Christ's Kingdom is not of this World so 't is not likely that his Members should by his Authority claim a Jurisdiction in the Matters relating to this World and if Christ himself when he was desired by a certain man * Luke 12.13 14. to bid his Brother divide the Inheritance with him refused to be a Judge in that Matter relating to Property when desired by one Party saying Who made me a Judge over you how much more unreasonable is it for his Members to assume a Jurisdiction when desired by neither Party we leave it to the Consciences of impartial and understanding Readers to weigh and consider and in the Light of Christ to Judge saying in our Hearts Blessed be the Lord that neither the Second Dayes Meeting nor those who are at Unity with them as Approvers of the said Book have any Jurisdiction over our Properties for if they had and should appear so unjust in their Sentences towards us as some have been Scandalous in their Tongues the Prophesies of our Outwardly Withering in Basket and Store might quickly come to pass but Blessed be God the Lord hath hitherto been a Blessing to us so that at this time in a Sense of his Mercy and of that Charity which obliegeth us to love our Enemies we do heartily desire that the False Prophesies and Plagues against others whom the Lord hath and doth Bless may not be fulfilled on the Heads of such Prophesiers Object But perhaps some may query of us What ought to be done in Cases of Difference between Brother and Brother Answ To this we say The Parties differing ought to choose Honest Men skilled in the matters wherein they differ to end the same and not go to Law and if any shall refuse so to do the Church of Christ have only Power to Admonish them to their Duty and if they refuse to take their wholsome Counsel may then declare such unworthy of their Society but for any Members under the notion of the Church to say We have Power to decide and remove these things without the assent of the Parties differing is an Usurpation and that the assent of Parties was not intended by the Approvers of the said Book of Government it is evident to us for that there is not in any part of the said Book one Tittle to that purpose neither could such Assent be so exprest and yet the Case whereunto unto it related be pertinent to the matter of Power treated on in that Section which was In what Cases and how far this Government extends whenas any Heathen Man might claim the like Power when given by assent of Parties And to us 't is evident that the Purport of Paul's Counsel to the Corinths 1 Cor. 6. at variance was That they who were at Variance should choose some of the least in the Church and not the rest of the Church choose or set apart any for them to decide their Differences For that when he said I speak to your shame is it so that there is not a Wise Man amongst you He could not in Truth intend shame to those in the Church who were not at Variance but in Peace Love and Unity in the Truth each towards other for no question but they were ready to choose Wise Men to judge the matter if they had had Power or the differing Parties would have assented but doubtless the shame intended by the Apostle related to the Parties differing who had Power to choose Persons to decide their Differences and yet would not but go to Law On the whole matter we have this further
retain that Tenderness to God and regard to the hurt of their own Souls as to make Conscience unjustly to accuse the Innocent that since it was asserted by some and entertained as a Truth by divers that that Book was writ upon design and with a particular respect of prejudice to some Persons whom I did not so much as once think on in writing of it with somewhat worse which I am not willing to remember far less to mention whether those that propagated and entertained so false and groundless a Jealousie to the Prejudice of the Innocent have not reason narrowly to examine what Spirit they were influenced by in so doing which certainly could not be of God and whether they ought not thence to take Occasion justly to suspect the Effect and Fruits of the same Spirit in them even when it hath appeared in things for which they may have somewhat more to say surely with men of Inward Tenderness this cannot but have great weight And albeit that my Intentions were so clear in this Matter yet I will not say but the Lord whose Ways are unsearchable and past finding out may have purposed by those Papers seasonably to reprove and smite at a wrong Spirit And therefore all concerned had need in true Tenderness and godly Fear to beware how they shut out and turn by the warnings and Admonitions of the Lord seeking to carp at and find fault with the Innocent Instruments lest they be found Foolishly like those Dogs that run after and seek to bite the Stone because they cannot reach the Hand that threw it I have known this by manifold Experience to have been a Snare to many and therefore without the least Prejudice or Reflection upon any God knows out of true Tenderness and Love do desire it may be seriously weighed in the true Light by all that may feel themselves concerned in this Matter [f] [f] Since R. B. as before is signified in his Lines touching which I made my first Observation on his Explanatory Postscript affirms that he hath never found Occasion to repent or retract any thing from the Matters or Principles asserted by him and that he laboured with all the Care and Circumspection he could so to express himself as not to offend in a word I may now with Confidence affirm that his words therein since he well understands the Propriety of Words and Sentences may be justly taken to be the meaning of his Mind That now his Fallatiousness may appear I shall in order thereto cite his very words relating to the Matter in hand touching Jurisdiction over Mens Property R. B. in his Sixth Section treating how far this Government extends Pag. 39. thus sayeth This Order reacheth and taketh up the Composing of Difference as to outward things and further sayeth We do boldly averr as a People gathered together by the Lord unto the same Faith c. that we have Power and Authority to decide and remove these things amongst our selves From which positive Sentence it naturally follows that the Church touching whose Authority in Government he treats hath Power to decide and remove in Cases of Differences touching outward things and since in the same Section he useth the words Meum and Tuum with respect to outward things touching which Differences may arise it naturally follows that the Power claimed is in that Case a Power over Property I now desire that the Reader may observe that in this his Explanatory Postscript he sayeth not one word of the Assent of the Parties Differing which clearly shews that though as in the Fifth Observation is signified he intended to give under his own hand that he is principled as the aforesaid pretended Letter sayeth he is yet he therein deales fallaciously But now as to the things scrupled at W. R's Sixth Observation whereas some did suppose that I did ascribe to Friends an absolute Jurisdiction over mens Property in outward things therein I have been greatly mistaken for I never intended any such thing but simply to hold forth that which by the Apostle to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6. is urged that whereas there would a manifest Scandal arise from Friends going to Law together that therefore such as will rather go to Law than seek to come to Agreement by the Interposing of Friends ought with a respect to their bringing such a Scandal be censured since it cannot be supposed that any such Difference as to outward things can fall out amongst Friends but some or other may be found who either by their own knowledge or by Advice Information of such as may be known in the Matter Controverted may bring it to an End Secondly that whereas I say there will not be wanting in case of Controversy the Spirit of God to give Judgment through one or other in the Church of Christ so long as any Assembly can properly or in any tolerable Sense be so called some have supposed that by these last words I did insinuate as if any Assembly assuming to themselves the Name of the Church of Christ and having some shew of it may of right claim the Power of such Decision and ought accordingly to be submitted unto such a thing never entred me but was far from my Intention for albeit that I Judge that an Assembly may sometimes deserve the Name of the Church of Christ or not to have lost that claim albeit not altogether so fresh and lively at least in the Generality of its Members and so under some languishing and hazard to decay if Life do not again come up more abundantly as may be seen in the Example of the seven Churches of Asia whom notwithstanding of the several weaknesses divers of them were under yet the Apostle or rather the Spirit of Christ by the Apostle Dignifies with the name of the Churches of Christ Neither did I intend to make this Judgement necessarily to attend every particular Church or Assembly but by the Church there I understood it in a more universal Sense that is some or other among all the Churches of Christ who being spoken of in the Complex may be rightly termed the Church of Christ And this is manifest in the same Example of the Churches of Asia for albeit we might suppose there might have been wanting in each of them some to give forth this true Judgement concerning them yet in respect they were such as in some tolerable Supposition might be termed the Churches of Christ * * Rev 2.4 5 14 15 20. Chap. 3.16 albeit some of them had lost their first Love and were neer to have their Candlestick removed and some had the Doctrine of Balaam and of the Nicholaitans and some suffered the Woman Jezabel and some were Luke-warm and ready to be spued out we see God would not suffer them to be without a certain Judgment but gave forth one through the Apostle John who was a Member of the Church but to esteem that any Assembly may be tolerably
committed to prove Womens Meetings as G. F. hath done that would be accounted Watch-men watching for Good Healers of Breaches Removers of Stumbling-blocks and yet appear Watchers for Evil and not for Good Increasers of Differences by adding Fewel to the Fire and casting Stumbling-blocks in the way of the Simple that appear Reprovers of such to Tythe-Payers who ever bore a Faithful Testimony against it and yet advise others to buy their Tythes that say God hath given them Infallible judgment in all things and yet appear notoriously Fallible How far thou G.F. art concerned in such things as these will appear in the day of the Lord when every mans Words and Works must be brought to judgment for I sirmly believe thou art the man that hast been guilty in all these things From these last words George Fox Page the second thus saith And thou hast many queries upon my Epistle and on thy conclusion sayest Thou believest that I am the Man that is guilty of them all So by this it appears they are charges against me This Construction of G. F. is utterly wrong for my words from whence he draws that conclusion cannot in common sense and according to the Connexion of words so import they being only relative to the preceding matter contained in a distinct Paragraph after I had done with the Queries but yet I would not have any to think that I asked one Question as having no ground so to query Moreover 't is observable my aforesaid words will not amount unto a Charge because to believe and to charge are two distinct things for a man may believe a Charge and yet have no hand in giving the Charge but a man cannot honestly charge another and yet pretend he doth not believe the Charge G. F's manifested Weakness doth not end here for suppose his Construction had been my Meaning he might then have justly accused me of Folly but not justly have rendred me one charging him with False Accusations as on this occasion he hath done since the Queries were not answered by me without which no certain Accusation could be really manifested because questions may be answered in Truth sometimes by Yea and sometimes by Nay On this false Assertion G. F. is become guilty of as many Lyes as my Queries before proposed are in number viz. thirteen Besides if G. F's Judgment manifest in his reply touching me viz. That I have manifested Madness and Folly were true yet my Folly hath not been so great as to write one Lye eight times over and thirteen particular Lyes and all on the foot of two False Assertions besides many more as hereafter in this my reply will appear and that also dotectable from the view of my Paper and G. F's Answer thereto as he hath done I will not adventure to say this in him was the Fruit of Madness and Folly though 't is evident he doth not heed what he writes and in the most charitable Construction that I can put thereon the Reason he so doth as I take it springs from an Imagination possessing his heart that he concludes whatever first arises in his mind on the sight or hearing of any thing is fit to be brought forth and stood by And truly 't is to be doubted the like Imagination hath possessed many amongst whom I take John Blaykling to be one by giving forth a False Certificate to cover G. F. in his Defence of a Lye against the Truth of which more anon I now come to signifie that G. F's sending those Queries was more like the Action of a Friend to a company of Hireling Priests than the Action of one Friend to a Meeting of Friends accounted by some the Church and that what I writ by way of Answer to him by name was more plain than his smiting in general terms so far as Queries may be called Smiting Neither was my reading my Answer in the Mens Meeting against my former declared sense and Judgment though G. F. doth so insinuate instancing the case of Thomas Cam which is remote from his purpose 1. Because Thomas Cam was never opposed by me or any that I know of to read any Paper in the Mens Meeting And 2. when an Agreement was appointed between Thomas Cam and John Wilkinson in order to prove John Wilkinson an Encourager of Wickedness Friends were not willing to hear Thomas Cam read Papers to prove other men wicked not present because the business of the Meeting was to prove John Wilkinson Wicked and though 't is not proper for one Friend to bring forth Accusations against another Friend in order to obtain a Judgment against the Accused behind his back which was the case of John Blaykling and twenty five more Accusers and Informers against John Story and John VVilkinson in order to have nine persons chosen by those Informers to sit in Judgment on John Story and John Wilkinson when they refused to own their Authority over them yet if one that hath professed the truth hath sent abroad his Papers having a tendency to put one Friend against another about securing Outward Estate when he hath advised the like and not only so but hath made Lyes his Refuge thereby abusing honest men that cannot submit to his will 't is proper enough for me or any that may have a Concern of Conscience as I have to discover the fruits of such a Deceiving Betraying Spirit though behind the back of him in whom it appears But should I choose nine persons and summon G. F. before them as Judges over him without his Assent and if he would not own their Authority proceed to accuse and obtain such Judges to judge the matter and spread that Judgment over a Nation to his Defamation right or wrong it would not add to my Credit though I might quote nine who have been taken to be of the party with G. F. for a President in the very like Case and not only so but might also quote several others judging me with respect to my Answer to G. F. without either hearing what I could say to manifest the Reasonableness of my so writing or G. F. to plead his Innocency to all the matters written by way of Reflection on him And whereas G. F. saith that I said to Bray Dayly that I sent it meaning my Answer to G. F. three weeks before it was read in the Meeting I say that 's utterly false 't is probable I might acquaint him 't was written so long before or left some time before with Charles Jones senior of Bristol to be sent to G. F. for so I did but he desired more time to consider whether he would send it or no than I was willing to grant Page 32th of George Fox's Manuscript he thus saith Here it is evident thou hast fulfilled my former words that these thy pretended Queries were all of them real Charges seeing here thou saist thou firmly believest that I am the Man that hath been guilty of all these things before-mentioned and
us an Answer by the bearer hereof who comes on purpose to bring this and to receive an Answer from thee We are Thy Friends Thomas Gouldney William Ford. William Rogers As before is hinted no Answer is yet come which is ground of Jealousie that G. F. is Author of the said abusive Letter To conclude My Desire now is That every thing herein Treated of may be weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary and then I doubt not but that it will appear unto every Understanding Impartial Reader that George For hath been acted by an Erroneous Spirit and been Guilty of many Things reproachful to the Truth for which he ought to Humble himself if peradventure he may be made Partaker of the Mercies of the Lord and then no question but God's peculiar People will have a Sense thereof But until he appear Humbled through That Repentance that 's never to be Repented of his State and Condition is to be lamented of And though 't is not in the Power of any Mortal Man or any Assembly of Men on Earth whatsoever to Excommunicate from amongst the true Members of Christ's Body a Servant of the Living God unto whom through the Obedience of Faith in Christ is given an Earnest of the Great Salvation Yet if any one so outwardly pretending hath acted Erroneously and hath concerned himself Against his Brother at so large a rate as cannot be vindicated unless that Rule which Almighty God as by a Finger from Heaven through his Son Christ Jesus hath laid down viz. By their Fruits ye shall know them be to be esteemed as voyd 't is most just and reasonable to declare That such an one hath cutt him off from being a Member of the Body of Christ by departing from the Rock Christ on which Preservation and Help is laid On this Score I am now concerned in my Conscience thus to declare and conclude That for sometimes past G. F. hath stood in a state of Separation from many of the Lord's People May the God of Heaven give him a true Sight and Sense thereof unto Repentance that so before his Body be turned to Dust from whence it came he may be restored into Fellowship with them again saith my Soul Bristol 1 st Day of the 8 th Moneth 1680. William Rogers THE END AN INDEX Of some of the Chief Matters Treated on A APostacy A Discovery of several things which may be justly termed the Fruits of Apostacy and Innovation and in particular that Iohn Wilkinson and Iohn Story have been Judged and Condemned by Persons that have not heard them speak for themselves as doth appear in an Answer given by Thomas Gouldeny William Forde and William Rogers to a Paper subscribed by Charles Marshall and Sixty-Five more dated at Ellis Hooks his Chamber London the 12 th of the 4 th Month 1677. 2 d. Part p. 72 to 84. Apostolick-Order of the Church of Christ Robert Barclay asserts is Establish't amongst the People called Quakers and by the Scope of his Book of Government his Meaning is with respect to Outward Orders his Sense therein disproved 3 d. Part p. 23 to 33. Authority of the Church in Robert Barclay's Sense 3 d. Part p. 54. The Apostles assumed not Authority to give a Decisive Judgment in a Religious Conscientious Case without being chosen by the Parties differing and then they gave their Judgment according to the Faith both of Jew and Gentile unto whom it did relate 3 d. Part p. 65 66. See Church-Government B BAptisme of Water was the Ministration of Iohn not to continue to the End of the World 2 d. Part p. 45 to 50. The One Baptisme spoken of by Paul was the Baptisme of the Spirit 2 d. Part p. 50. Believers in Robert Barclay's Sense are bound by the positive Sentence and Decision of the Church in Matters of Conscience 3 d. Part p. 54. His Sense and Reasons examined and refuted 3 d. Part p. 54 to 61. Believers in opposite Practices and yet the Christian-Bond of their Fellowship not broken 3 d. Part p. 56. See Isaac Penington's Testimony touching that Authority which Christ excluded out of his Church 3 d. Part p. 89 to 98. This Sentence viz. We must believe as the Church believes Published by one called a Quaker examined and the Truth cleared from such Constructions as may be erroneously imported from thence 3 d. Part p. 73 74. See 1 st Part p. 23 to 27. C CHarity An Objection grounded thereon in favour of our Opposers Answered shewing Fruits of Weakness Presumption Danger of going beyond ones Gift excluding Reason eyeing Man and Things without instead of our inward Teacher The Reason why the Word of Life becomes to some the Savour of Death 1 st Part p. 17 to 22. Charles Marshall a Subscriber with Thirty-Six more of an Unrighteous Paper on the hearing of a Debate between Robert Barclay and William Rogers 3 d. Part p. 128 129. Observations thereon manifesting their Error and Partiality 3 d. Part p. 137 to 140. Christ by his Spirit a Law-giver like unto Moses 3 d. Part p. 9 10. Church-Government Our Sense of our Opposers Meaning touching Church-Government our Denyal of that Meaning and that no just Pretence be under the Notion of Church-Government to claim a Power over Property and Conscience The Doctrine of Robert Barclay importing Power over Property and Conscience refuted and our Sense touching the Method of deciding Controversies laid down An Objection Answered whereby 't is plain that Acceptable Obedience carryes with it Conviction of Conscience and that Christ encouraged not his Disciples to be Rulers over each other 1 st Part p. 44 to 61. See the 3 d. Part p. 35 to 41. Divers Sentences cited out of Robert Barclay's Book of Government importing an Approbation of such a Form of Outward Church-Government by some of the People called Quakers over others so termed wherein they undertake to Teach Traditions Exercise an Authority to Ordain Appoint Command and Rule over others whose Duty in Robert Barclay's Sense 't is to submit and that there lyes an Obligation on such as are gathered to Reverence Honour and Obey such as are set over them 3 d. Part p. 44 45. The said Sentences examined and that which is taken to be his Sense on the Scriptures quoted demonstrated to be a Perversion and that the words Order Rule Command Govern Government Traditions c. will not in the Apostles Sense import an Obligation on any Christian Believer to act any thing relating to Faith or Discipline on a Religious Score whereof by the Grace of God or Light in the Conscience he is not perswaded to be his Duty 3 d. Part p. 46 to 52. Christian-Quaker What he standeth for 1 st Part p. 27 to 30. Command Who are deemed by our Opposers to have Power to Command Ordain and Appoint 1 st Part p. 6 7 8. See Church-Government Confidence The Qualifications of such as abound in Confidence without either Knowledge or Zeal 1 st Part p. 76.
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
then found in a manifest Untruth but we are satisfied in our Consciences on good grounds that several persons who have Subscribed the said Paper have not so done But were it so that the Sixty Six Subscribers had desired them to come to them and that those Sixty Six were such qualified Members in the Church of Christ as that none on the score of Apostleship or Eldership might have a greater pretence of Power to call John Wilkinson and John Story before them yet we Affirm that neither the Sixty Six Subscribers nor any other Assembly on Earth have Power to give Judgment in such a case other then for Contempt of Authority if they had any over them and not a Judgment on the merit of the Cause though it were on the hearing of one part and so much Justice doth the common practice both of Temporal and Spiritual Courts so called in England shew forth But that which to us seems to Aggravate the Offence of the Sixty Six Subscribers is this John Story being now with us doth positively Affirm That a great part of the Subscribers never spoke or sent to him about the matter for which he is now Judged nor yet to John Wilkinson as John Story saith so far as he knows And so when we consider all Circumstances we have great cause to doubt that not a few but many of the Subscribers if not all have given Judgment without a hearing of either Party for that their Paper doth not Import that the Judgment given is on the Hearing either of one or both Parties convened before them And as to the Meeting at Drawell the Fame whereof hath come to our Ears several accounts have been given of that already and a Judgment already past by some of the Sixty Six Subscribers with a Caution in the said Judgment in these words And now Friends in Gods Love We desire you to Suppress all Papers of Controversy relating to this Difference that the Minds of Friends be not further Troubled and Defiled nor this Controversy kept any longer Alive And we do warn all to have a care that they be not lifted up by reason of the hurt that 's come upon these men nor yet Insult over them for that spirit is not of God And therefore we cannot reasonably suppose that the Cause of the present Judgment springs from any thing acted by them before the said Meeting but rather from something since And whereas it may be said That John Wilkinson and John Story gave forth a Paper at Drawell which since they Disown This as John Story saith is Wrong and as Evidence thereto saith to this purpose That he owns the Paper as given forth Yet that where any Sentence may admit of more Constructions than one the Giver Forth thereof ought to Interpret for himself and so saith That he still owns the same with that Interpretation He and John Wilkinson Give And if the Paper will not bear that Interpretation given by them then let them be Judged Secondly That 't is not in the Power of any two or more Friends in England to Dissolve a meeting of other Friends and therefore great Weakness to Assign John Story 's and John Wilkinson's refusing to Dissolve a Meeting as a Consideration for so severe a Reproof and Judgment Thirdly As to the word Forbearance it seems unbecoming such Young Men in Truth if peradventure they are now in the Truth as well as in Years as some of the sixty six Subscribers are known to be to Write at the rate they have done touching such Antient Brethren Labourers in the Gospel especially when we consider how credibly it hath been reported to us That Iohn Story and Iohn Wilkinson as to their Doctrine and Conversation have been even by some of their Opposers Accounted both Sound and Blameless We find that the said Paper is Directed to Mens Meetings whom the Subscribers Exhort that if notwithstanding their Christian Dealing such Persons persevere and go on in their separate Spirits let Gods Truth be clear of them and Truth set over their Heads according to that Blessed Order of the Gospel of Christ settled among you To this we say that we have not yet been Informed by any that either John Story or John Wilkinson have been or are found in Opposition to any Order that is settled amongst us in our Mens Meeting We have Discoursed John Story in our last Mens-Meeting about the Separate-Meeting so called in the North and have had the view of that Paper which is accounted the Foundation of the said Meeting The words as to us Appears that their Opposers may most take notice of in the said Paper to justify their Sense of John Story and John Wilkinson therein are these viz. And if this be not amended for time to come we do Resolve That neither they so Chosen by Vs nor we do trouble our selves no further with such that strive and contend in taking upon them our Work whom we do not Imploy about our Affairs and Concerns and if this must continue we hope to do our own Business in our several Respective Meetings in quietness and in the Order of Truth according to the Gospel of Lise On this we Observe that there is a Resolve not to Meet with them that Strive and Contend and are not employed c. and in other parts of the Paper there are Proposals for a Reuniting which were not as we are Informed accepted but this doth not amount to set up a Separate Meeting We also Observe that Their Hope was to do their own business in their several and respective Meetings this was not a Resolve so to do or a setting up Another Meeting but a Hope c. yet so it is that to this Day there is no such Meeting as was then in their Eye or Hope that we are Informed of For as we understand they meet not in their several respective Meetings to do business but Friends from their several and respective Meetings do meet as we have been informed at their Antient Monethly Meeting-Place in Kendal and so the aforesaid Paper cannot in our Apprehension be construed according to Reason to be the Foundation of the Meeting called a Separate Meeting and so consequently John Story being askt in our last Mens-Meeting whether he would disown it Answered to this Effect That 't would be unjust for him to Disown it until he heard Both Parties For that would be no less than a Giving Judgment on the hearing of one part only which is Unrighteous And further said That he never intended by the Subscription of his Name to the said Paper to lay a Foundation for a Separate Meeting but rather lookt upon the Paper as a fit Means to Re-unite them And that if any can offer more Christian Proposals for their Re-uniting he doubts not but he shall close therewith And further said that he remembers not That he ever was at any or either of those Meetings accounted a Separate Meeting but positively saith
Brethren their Sin will Cry aloud in the Ears of the Lord of Hosts Dated this 20th of the 3d. Month 1677. Thomas Gouldney William Ford William Rogers POST-SCRIPT WE whose Names are hereunto Subscribed do thus Testify that though all things are not so within the compass of our Knowledge or Remembrance as to Subscribe all that is in the above-written Paper yet being also present in our Mens-Meeting where the first above Recited Paper against John Story and John Wilkinson was Read it is with us to give this Testimony that we do not own the Judgment against John Story and John Wilkinson contained in the said Recited Paper neither are we in our Consciences convinced that the said John Story and John Wilkinson have so behaved themselves in the Church of God or elsewhere as in the aforesaid Recited Paper as Consideration for the Judgment against them is Rehearsed To Friends Assembled at Ellis Hookes his Chamber the 12th of the 4th Month 1677. London Cornelius Serjant William Dawson Thomas Watkins And diverse other Friends According to the aforesaid Direction the Answer of the Friends of Bristol was sent to London to be Communicated to the sixty six Subscribers that met at Ellis Hooks his Chamber whereof Charles Marshal was one and though several General Meetings have since been yet no general Reply thereto is come to any of their Hands concerned in the aforesaid Answer nor yet any Excommunication for their so doing But yet we must confess that the Four Subscribers thereof living in Bristol took upon them to say something to one part thereof to which a Reply was made manifesting at least their notorious Weakness if so be Charity may excuse them from willful Wickedness for their replying in the manner they did and occasioning others to affirm whereof they knew not And forasmuch as no Rejoinder is come from them to the said Reply we hope that the Reason thereof is from a Convincement of their Errour in concerning themselves as they have done We also must confess that Jasper Batt of Somersetshire and three other Subscribers to the said Paper from Ellis Hooks his Chamber did concern themselves to give Answer unto some other part thereof and by their Answer it Appears that they cannot own the sence of Bristol Friends in Denying that it came from the general Meeting But were it so that in reality it came from them no Doubt but the said Jasper Batt and his three Companions would have obtained from the next General Meeting a Testimony to that purpose but no such Testimony or Approbation of the said Paper from Ellis Hookes his Chamber Subscribed by Charles Marshal aad sixty five more hath to this Day been given forth as ever we could understand We also Confess that one other Subscriber of the said Paper writ something in Vindication thereof by way of Reply to divers Friends in Wiltshire who had given their Testimony against it likewise But further Testimony in Writing in Vindication thereof against such as have opposed it we understand not But yet ye must further Confess that Charles Marshal by his late keeping on his Hat when John Story hath been in Prayer is no Token of his Repentance The Consideration of what is thus Observed is some ground of reasonable Hope that Fifty six of the said sixty six Subscribers are come to a Sense of their Weakness and that their Understandings are opened to behold their Errour That now the Reader may have a little taste of that Spirit in which Jasper Batt and his three Companions Writ their Reply we think meet to Note a part thereof The said Jasper and his three Companions take notice of this Position contained in the Answer of Bristol Friends to the said Paper Subscribed by Charles Marshal and Sixty Five more Position of Bristol Friends viz. Were it so that these Sixty Six were such qualified Members in the Church of Christ as that none on the Score of Apostleship or Eldership might have a greater pretence of Power to call John Story and John Wilkinson before them yet we Affirm that neither the said Sixty Six nor any other Assembly on Earth have Power to give Judgment in such a Case other than for Contempt of Authority and not a judgment on the Merit of the Cause though it were on the Hearing of One Party Answered by Jasper Batt and his three Companions viz. Do you not shew your selves ignorant of the Scriptures and of the Power judgment given to the Saints of the most High and of the Anointing by which the Saints did know and were to try the Spirits And was this Tryal to be without Judgment Or were not the Saints to Judge or was that Judgment which they were to give only in Contempt or whether did not they judge the Merits of the Cause as well as Contempt of Authority Though we grant they did Judge Contempt of Authority which also is for Judgment as you may Read both in Peter and Jude for we see there were such in those Days as is now Who did despise Government Presumptuous Self-willed they are not afraid to speak Evil of Dignities which have forsaken the right way and gone astray and so Wells without Water and Clouds that are carried with a Tempest c. Jude saith These be they who separate themselves Read Peter and Jude through and let those Scriptures be rightly applied and see to whom they belong And further did not Paul judge the Merits of the Cause when he Wrote to them at Galatia and told them of being removed to another Gospel and to be bewitched for not obeying the Truth Did not he judge them for a Perswasion that did not come from him that called them And was not this a Judgment on the Merits of the Cause Did not he say He that troubleth you shall bear his Judgment whosoever he be Did not he Judge Dissimulation and some for not walking according to the Truth of the Gospel Gal. 2.13 14. Did not Paul Judge Hymeneus and Alexander for putting away Faith and good Conscience and Delivered them unto Satan Was not here a Judgment on the Merit of the Cause And we further Query Have not they put away Faith and good Conscience who Flee in time of Persecution Pay Tythes and Countenance them that do Which through Faith and for a good Conscience Friends in the beginning were led to bear Testimony against Our Observation on the aforesaid Position written by the Friends of Bristol and the Reply thereto is this First 'T is impossible that Queries can be a Positive Answer to a Positive Position Secondly That whosoever peruses the Answer of Bristol-Friends shall find that the words Iudgment in such a Case relates to a Judgment given without a Hearing for that 't was impossible John Story and John Wilkinson could be heard in their Case by those before whom they appeared not to state their Case And therefore if Queries might be a proper Answer yet those proposed as Answer are
Nations are not to be blamed for all their Idolatry Wickedness and Superstition for that they are not sensible of the Evil of it whereas Truth teaches us to believe that had they been Faithfull to the small measure of Light in things more obvious it would have further opened and manifested other things Then should not the Jews have been condemned for crucifying Christ since Peter says they did it ignorantly and Paul testifies that if they had known they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory Yea then all those that persecuted and burned the Protestant-Martyrs were not to be Judged for it because they supposed they did well in it even according to Christ's Testimony who says that in killing you they shall think they do God good Service shall men then never be condemned for doing evil or omitting their Duty because they see it not what absurdity would folthereupon may easily appear and yet it is strange that W. R. in his Papers should labour so much against this affirming very positively that nothing ought to be given forth in the Church of Christ but by way of recommendation not of command wherein he doth either greatly mistake the matter as affirmed by me or otherways run into a far greater inconveniency than he is aware for if he mean that no man of or from himself only or by vertue of any office or place he either hath or hath born in the Church of Christ ought to Command any things to be performed in the Church I freely agree to it and have asserted the same in very full and ample termes But if he will say that no man albeit really moved by the Spirit of God ought to go further than a meer reomendation it is a most insolent limiting of God under a false pretence of Liberty will necessarily conclude that God hath not Power to command any thing unless men be content to agree to it For the Controversy is here drawn to a narrow Compass for he that will allow that God hath Power to command things to be practised in the Church and that those Commands must be conveyed by immediate Revelation through some of the Members of the Church and that it may fall out that some of the Members of the Church may thorough weakness or unwatchfulness not be sensible they must either acknowledge that such are to be condemned or say that God hath not Power to Command or that there is no such Revelations now a Days as do the Priests and Truths Enemies or that Man is not Condemnable for Disobeying God if he believe it not to be his Duty which is as much as to say that Unbelief is no Sin Now let these things be seriously considered how this is or can be avoided without granting the things affirmed by me for what way the Truth can be asserted the Honour and just Authority of God acknowledged the necessity and continuance of immediate Revelation affirmed and the Iniquity of Unbelief not justified and the just Judgement of God upon the Rebellious and Disobedient vindicated without affirming what I have done And if any can do this in words more wary than I have done I shall very readily agree to it For that things may be proposed to the Church by way of Command and further than a meer Recommendation the whole Current of the Scriptures shews not only to the Church among the Jews where Moses and the Prophets do propose the Will of God to be performed very positively and peremtorily but even under the New-Covenant as appears in the 15th of the Acts and in many places of Pauls Epistles particularly that on 2 Thes 3.14 If any Man obey not our Word by this Epistle note that Man and have no Company with him that he may be ashamed This then being manifested with respect to those times I would know of W. R. whether Christ has now lost any of his Authority or has left off to rule his church immediately by his Spirit whether so to affirm be not grossely to contradict the Ancient and Primitive Doctrine of Friends W. R 's Tenth Observation [k] [k] This is not my Concern having given no Occasion in my Answer for this his Defence and therefore do make no reply thereto Fifthly Whereas some did suppose that I did make the Difference in the End but very small betwixt Decissive Judgement among Friends and among Papists and other Persons because I say they place the Decisive Judgement in the Plurality of an Assembly made up of their chief Teachers and Ministers and albeit I limit it not to that yet I seem to affirm That it most usually is so conveyed and so the difference only is that they make it always so and I most usually To this I answer that if in Charity I may suppose this insinuation comes not from malice at least it proceeds from great Ignorance of the Popish Principles and it were better for such to be silent than to Judge of things they do not understand for the Difference here is very Great and Fundamental in respect both Papists and others do affirm that men by vertue of an Outward succession or vocation may have true Right to sit and give Judgment in such Assemblies albeit they be void of true Holiness and have not the Grace of God which they say is no necessary qualification to the being of a Minister so that they Place the Power of Judgment not onely in the plurality of Votes absolutely in which we differ from them but also in the Judgment of such as may without any absurdity by their own Principles be supposed to be all and each of them void of the true Grace of God and whom even supposing them to be Gracious they Affirm not at all to be led by the immediate Spirit of Christ which they say is now ceased now can there be a greater difference than is betwixt these two to wit to affirm that the Power of decision is in an Assembly of men to being Members of which assembly the Grace of God is no necessary qualification and who deny any such thing as to be immediately led by the Spirit of Christ as a thing not attainable in these Dayes and yet that all Christians must be Subject to what the Plurality of such an Assembly so Constitute do determin And to Affirm that the Power of Decision is onely and alone in the Spirit not necessarily tied to a general assembly but if it please God to make use of such an assembly yet neither to the Plurality of them but in and thorough such of his Servants as he sees meet and that none are capable or can be supposed to be Members of such an assembly or esteemed such from whom such a Judgment can be expected or ought to be received unless they be men in whom the Grace of God not onely is but has truly wrought to mortify and regenerate them in a good Measure in whom the Judgment of Truth really
proceeding from the Spirit will be manifest to all who are Truly Faithful who will accordingly submit thereunto not with respect to the Men but the Authority of God manifested in and thorough them so that such as see not this Judgment aright will be Justly Condemnable of God for their not submitting Not as if they should be accepted of God if they did obey before conviction but because they brought this Blindness upon themselves thorough the unfaithfullness and unwatchfullness which renders them both guilty of the Blindness and of the Disobedience occasioned by it Now the vastness of the Difference that is here manifest cannot but be obvious to any that will read and consider this Impartially without prejudice Thus I have passed thorough all the things that I have understood any to scruple at there being nothing else that I remember which is not either Relative to some of the Particulars before mentioned or included in them but if any Wonder why I have closed this method and not rather made a formal Reply to W. R's Papers I hope these following reasons will satisfy all sober and truly Peaceable-minded Friends who Love Truth 's Prosperity more than Jangling as a sufficient reason for my so doing First forasmuch as the greater part of what W. R. has writ is wholly built upon the Particulars heretofore mentioned W. R's Eleventh Obsevation which Particulars being cleared and * his Mistakes therein removed [l] [l] To signify that I wrest his Words or put a Disadvantageous meaning contrary to the signification of his words is a false insinuation neither did I mistake nor yet so signifie by letter as anon from the Observations on that letter termed mine will be made appear for I put no meaning on his lines but what the very Express Grammatical sense thereof Compared one with the other would bear as will sufficiently appear to such as will be at the Paines to compare my answer to his Booke of Government with the Matters I pretend to answer and though he pretends to leave his case herein to the Readers Judgement yet he Impatiently records his own unjust Judgment first on this wise surely it is not Answerable to that candor and Justice that W. R. lays claim to meaning as his Express Words import because I doubted that from the words of the Apostle Rule Command Ordain c. R. B ' s. meaning was that some things others ought to obey whether they see it their Duty yea or nay Alas had R. B. but considered that in this his very Postscript he Renders it absurd to conclude that men should not be Condemned for ommiting their Duty because they see it not and that in his Book of Government he saith neither will the pretences of any contradicting them or refusing to submit on the account they see it not excuse them of being guilty of disobeying God Me thinks then he would have forborn to Judge me as aforesaid and though he signifies that I make a Digression concerning the Second Daies Meetings in London I say it cannot Properly be called a Digression since 't is Matter of Observation on such as were concerned in the Approbation of R. B 's Book of Government besides Robert Barclays Disingenuity is apparent in signifying that I Judge the Apostle Paul and yet sayeth not wherein I shall therefore cite the Matter occasioned him falsly to affirm that I Judge the Apostle my words are these The Scripture R. B. quotes is 1 Tim. 1.19 20. which thus sayeth Holding Faith and a good Conscience which some having put away concerning Faith have made Shipwrack of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander whom I have delivered to Satan that they may learn not to Blaspheme Having thus repeated Pauls words I then proceeded in these words What 's this to the Purpose to prove that the Positive Sentence and Decision of the Church in Matters of Conscience may bind Believers 't is so remote from it that it needs no Explanation to shew it so nay I may reasonably query whether this Scripture be to ordinary Capacities plaine to the purpose that Paul himself intends for if we counsult the Light it doth not tell us that a Delivery to Satan may be an Expedient whereby to learn not to Blasphem if by the Word Satan is meant the Devil as is usually understood I now query of R. B. whether the Delivery of a Transgressour to the Devil be according to his Light the way to learn not to Blasphame if not his Reflection on me that I Judge the Apostle is unjust and absurd as his own Letter signifies the Superstructure falls of it self as not touching my Intention nor yet reaching me but onely that Apprehension he supposed to be my meaning and to follow from my words for which end he oftentimes is so wary of as to affirm in his Papers that to his Understanding my words seemed to import and my meaning seems to be so in which things since himself saw and I have manifested his Mistake I am not so great a Lover of Centention as to busy either my self or mind of others with the Men of Straw of his Making but yet he was not so modest nor kind to his Old Friend but that sometimes he does seek to render my words Odious albeit the Mistake be his own by reiterate repetition repeating that of the tolerable Supposition of a Church at every turn above twenty times but also he very obviously wrests my Words and seeks to impose upon me a Disadvantagious Meaning that he may furnish himself on Occasion there-after the more liberally to smite at me as where from the Apostles Words saying And we have Confidence ye will do the things we Command you c. And in another place where he desires those to whom he writes to submit themselves to such as Rule over them did inferr that some did appoint and ordain some things and that there lay an Obligation in point of Duty on others to obey upon which W.R. very unfairly observes It is to be doubted his meaning is others ought to obey whether they see it their Duty yea or nay I leave such Dealing to the Readers Judgment surely it is not answerable to that Candor and Justice that W. R. lays claim to Secondly Because W. R. in these Papers hath taken Occasion to extend himself in long Digressions upon other Matters not treated upon in that Book and takes oft occasion to insinuate his Jealousies of Persons and Things that I meddled not with as where he makes a large Digression which takes up several Pages concerning the Constitution of the Second-Days Meeting at London endeavouring what he can to represent the hurt and abuse of it and where he divers times insinuates that some are usurping or seeking to usurp a Jurisdiction over the Consciences of the Brethren and that some do believe that God hath raised up some outward Person to be amongst the Children of Light at this day as Moses was of old among the
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
gave that Judgment had not then perused it And as to their saying 'T was to the great Derogation of the Christian Authority of the said Meeting meaning the Second Daies Meeting I have this to say That I never understood that Friends owned any Authority in any of our Meetings as a Christian Authority but the Power of God which is Invisible and cannot be diminished and therefore I may well query whether 't is not Great Weakness in any to conclude that I am capable to do any Action which can either lessen diminish or take from that Authority and I hope none of the said Subscribers are so remote from Truth and a good Understanding as to conclude that the Second Dayes Meeting hath any Authority given them by Man but if any should be so Weak I must tell such that as I never gave it any so am wholly uncapable by writing to lessen it if they have any And whereas 't is said that the Objections of the said William Rogers lay not so much against the Matter and Substance of the said Robert Barcly's Book as against the way of Expressing some Passages therein This I say is untrue my Objections were against the very Matter and Substance of some things contained in his Book On the whole matter I have this to say I could not obtain a Meeting of Friends to be chosen by Robert Barclay and my self though the Person immediately concerned which agrees not with the Examples of the Scriptures of Truth Read Acts 15.1 2. And that the aforesaid Eminent Preacher as the Mouth of others under the Notion of the Church Obstructed and though in the Meeting held Friends Deportment was grave orderly and inoffensive as to me ward whilst the debate on my Objections held yet I am greatly satisfied that by the Publication of the said two Papers every Impartial Reader that will be at the paines seriously to weigh the said Papers this Answer and Robert Barcaly's Book and Postscript may easily discern the Errour of Robert Barclay and Charles Marshal with the Thirty Six subscribers but those who will have an Eye to Papers and Bookes for the Writers Sakes more then for the matters Contained therein may in time come to have their Understanding so Vailed as to be brought to worship Images and to esteem * See George Fox his Book of Womens Meeetings wherein he queries and was not Micah's Mother a virtuous Woman Read Judges 17th and then a few Lines of these and such like Women were recorded for their Wisdom and their Virtue Michah's Mother a vertuous Women in Israel though she caused a Molten Image and a Graven Image to be made and put in the House of her Son Judges 17. If any should be offended at these Lines let such Exhort Charles Marshall and the other Thirty Six Subscribers concerned to make better Use for time to come of so much Condescention as appeared in me for the sake of Robert Barclay whom I once accounted my Brother when I perceived from the Words of Robert Barclay's Mouth that he appeared a better Principled Man than his Lines imported William Rogers The FOURTH PART OF THE Christian-Quaker Distinguished from the Apostate Innovator WHEREIN A RELATION is given of several Proceedings since George Fox's Wife caused a Paper dated the 21 th of the 11 th M on 1672. to be Read against Iohn Story in a Quarterly-Meeting in Westmoreland Therein signifying that he judged the Power of God as it broke forth in Hymns or Spiritual Songs And is chiefly to discover That George For hath Erroneously concerned himself in the Divisions amongst the People called Quakers Which therefore may serve for A WARNING TO THE Children of Light that their Dependency may not be on G. F. a mis-led fallible Man nor yet on any Mortal Man Men or Name whatsoever save the Name of JESUS who is given of the Father to be Salvation unto the Ends of the Earth By William Rogers Hosea 9.7 The Dayes of Visitation are come the Dayes of Recompence are come Israel shall know it the Prophet is a Fool the Spiritual Man is Mad for the Abundance of thine Iniquity and great Hatred Printed in the YEAR 1680. The FOURTH PART OF THE Christian-Quaker Distinguished from the Apostate and Innovator c. THis small Treatise is chiefly designed to be Communicated unto those who profess the Appearance of Christ Jesus the Son of the Eternal God by his Light in the Consciences of the Sons and Daughters of Men to be a sufficient Guide unto the Father of Life The Faith of such is That those who receive this Appearance or Gift of God so as to Live and Walk according to the Divine Motions and Dictates thereof shall come to know the Salvation of God through Christ Jesus their Law-giver Lord and Saviour 'T is publickly known that this Principle of Truth hath been held forth and owned by those who in Derision have been called QUAKERS of whom it may be now said to the great Grief and Exercise of the Spirit of the Faithful Followers of Christ amongst them That though the Principle in which such of them who have received from God a Divine and Spiritual Knowledge have believed is Unchangeable yet the Enemy hath so prevailed as that the Seeds of Dissention and Discord sown amongst them have taken so deep Root as that their Publick Meetings for Worship in several Parts of this Nation have become the Stages of Contention to the Dishonour of God his Truth and People And in divers Parts of this Nation 't is reputed that George Fox is at least one of the Chief Abettors of one Party and Iohn Story of another But how far that Report may with respect to G. F. have Credit with others besides my self I shall leave to the Sense and Savour of the understanding impartial Reader when he hath throughly perused this Treatise And though from their Names mentioned in the Title-Page some may be in Expectation that the Difference between the People called QUAKERS with respect to the present Seperation in some Parts of this Nation may be Treated on at large yet that 's not my present Design or Purpose Though I must confess that Matter is at large Collected and impartially Stated and lies ready by me for the Press and in Probability may come forth or at least a Part thereof more than what is in this Fourth Part contained in its proper Time and Season unless the Lord shall be pleased to change the Hearts of the Persecuting Opposers of John Wilkinson and John Story and other Servants of the Lord unto whom the Truth is as dear as ever and that the Door may be opened again in our Publick Assemblies for Worship of God whereby those who have the Word of the Lord to Publish in the Demonstration of his Power and Spirit may not be so frequently obstructed by the airy imaginary and empty Discourses of such as have pretended to have the Word of the Lord to declare when