Iudgment fixed UPON THE Accuser of our Brethren AND THE Real Christian-Quaker VINDICATED From the Persecuting OUTRAGE of Apostate Informers Chiefly from W. Rogers F. Bugg T. Crisp John Pennyman and Jeffery Bullock their Malicious Confused and Unjust Opposition and Imputation of Apostacy Imposition Popery c. in their abusive Books and Pamphlets herein specified Beginning with W. R's Seventh Part. By that Contemned Servant of Christ George Whitehead Psal. 109.3 They compassed me about with words of Hatred c. vers 4. For my Love they are my Adversaries but I give my self unto Prayer Jude v. 13 Raging Waves of the Sea foaming out their own Shame c. London Printed and Sold by Andrew Sowle at the Crooked-Billet in Holloway-Lane near Shoreditch 1682. An Introductory Epistle To my beloved and tender-hearted Friends called Quakers who are lovers of Peace and Unity in our Lord Jesus Christ Greeting in the holy Spirit of Life IF I did not feel the Lord my God laying a real necessity upon me to be publickly concerned in this Controversie and that for the sake of simple Hearts and poor Lambs to warn them against such grievous Wolves as seek to prey upon them rend and tear them and that the weak of the Flock may not be hurt scattered or perverted by those that speak perverse things to draw Disciples after them I would chuse rather to sit down mute and silently bear the Revilings Outrage and fierce Despisings of crooked Spirits than spend time in Controversie with them or against them But the Lord has laied the necessity and knows best my Conscientious concern and for what end and to what effect and for whose sakes And in discharging my Duty I neither consult Events nor fear Effects but leave all to God for I feel his divine Power and Counsel In whose Name and in the Patience Forbearance Long-suffering and Bowels of our Lord Jesus Christ my Soul hath had a share in deep Travail and Exercise with many more of his faithful Servants my Brethren for a quiet Composure of this Breach 1st With Respect to Truth 's Reputation 2dly With respect to that Compassion that 's to be had on some where a difference ought to be made for the regaining and delivering them who have been at unawares taken captive by the Enemy I have no self-Interest nor end but the Churches Peace and the Salvation of Souls and Prosperity of the Lord's Work in the Earth God doth bear me Record I have not been awanting in Christian Endeavours private and friendly with divers principally concerned in this Opposite Rending Self-Separating Spirit Christian Patience and Forbearance have not been awanting in the Exercise of my Spirit and Testimony But when all our Christian Endeavours on these accounts have been rejected by some Conceited Exalted Pufft up Luciferian Spirits Despisers and Mockers that have of late time lusted to be Contentious and at open War and Defiance against many of the faithful Ministers and Servants of our Lord Jesus Christ who have kept their Garments and Stations in Truth and Uprightness and whom they have most grosly abused in Print in their Books and Pamphlets On this extream Occasion and Offence given against the Truth and Gods Heritage I find my Spirit stirred and moved within me by and in the same Long-suffering tender Spirit and Power of Christ Jesus my Lord saying Why should God's Heritage lie under their publick Lyes and Defamations without open Rebuke and to withstand oppose weaken and repel these their Wicked Attempts and Insolent Abuses and to vindicate the peaceable Christian People called Quakers in their blessed Society Order and Church-Discipline c. from the cruel Envy Scorn Outrage Madness and Confusions of certain Persons turned Apostate Informers Treacherous Hypocrites False Brethren and Deceitful Workers Betraying Judases Devils Incarnate for Christ called Judas a Devil who having lost their First Love to Truth and gone out from us are become Degenerate without Natural Affection Dogs that are without Wolves and Raging Waves of the Sea that foam out their own Shame whom the strength of Truth is turned against in Judgment and God in ten Thousand of his Saints is coming to execute Judgment upon them as the Patience of Christ in his Saints comes to be fulfilled towards them and their Iniquity ripened for open Discovery and Condemnation as they have not spared publickly to defame the Innocent But they that are at unawares betrayed deceived or only mistaken and not willful contentious are to be had Compassion of and distinguished from the other And in Righteous Judgment will the great Judge of all decide the Controversie with all them who would be counted true Jews and are not Christian-Quakers and are not but of the Synagogue of Satan and Antichrist whose Works the Day of Christ our Lord will yet more clearly declare and fully manifest and the Day and Time hastens blessed are they that watch and keep their Garments that their Nakedness appear not Amen Ingenuous Reader Note that the Contents of the ensuing Treatise are mostly placed before each Chapter respectively in several Sections directing to the Passages therein And also please to take notice That William Rogers who is first concerned in this Treatise is not ignorant what great Labour and Pains I have taken with him more privately to inform his Vnderstanding and allay his Heat by divers large Answers in Manuscript unto his Gain-saying Accusing and Reviling Letters and Papers amounting to much more than what 's herein contained in Answer to his seventh Part of his Christian-Quaker but instead of any fair ingenuous Reply or acknowledgment of the Truth from him he hath slighted me and my Christian-Labours and Endeavours sometimes casting Dirt upon me yet giving the GO-BY to the greater part of my Writings seeming rather desirous to be some-body in Print against us as one affecting Popularity though in a perverse Work the more publickly to manifest his Revengeful Spirit in Abusing Scandalizing and casting undeserved ODIUMS upon those whom his Spight and Malice is most bent against and I expect no better Treatment from him and such exalted Spirits I expect the Hatred of Scorners for rebuking them and for this my Christian Conscientious Labour Howbeit I doubt not but this shall have its Effect for the clear Information and Advantage of many simple honest Hearts And I can say Surely my Judgment is with the Lord and my Reward is with my God Isa. 49.4 Several Testimonies and Answers are already extant in Print against William Rogers's wicked Books as by Thomas Ellwood his ANTIDOTE and divers others Surely it would be more reputable for him to desist and lay aside his daring Confidence and evil Attempts against the Servants of Christ and ingenuously and humbly submit to the Truth for our God nâ— doubt will finally and signally rebuke that Rebellious Exalted Spirit of Strife and Contention To him who is the Righteous Judge of all I freely commit my Cause with my Friends in
stand for another Name as Richard Richardson but we are sure he is better principled than to write such Airy Loose Ranting stuff One reason that makes me take it to be R. Rich's Paper that thou hast espoused 't is so much in his floating reflecting accusing lavish and conceited Stile and also that thy Brother Francis Bugg makes use of his Authority in his Book De Christ. Lib. p. 170. in these words viz. I begin to see the truth of Robert Rich 's words in a Letter from Barbadoes to his Friends Abstracts c. pag. 20. viz. I can assure you that who meddle with the Quakers had need to be fenced within and without with the whole Armour of God Truth and love to Righteousness David 's Sling and Stone c. These Passages are mentioned that it may the more obviously appear how plainly you resemble one another and tread the same Track in the Stile and Terms of your Opposition and that 't is no new Controversie in the Substance 't is but only John Perrot's Spirit of Division risen with some other Circumstances and Pretences in a more Rough Lofty Contemning Hectoring and Huffing Party daring and scornful who have not that seeming show of Humility Lamb-likeness and Outside Demureness that John Perrot had the tendency and end of whose work time will manifest more directly to center in RANTERISM as it now tends to FLESHLY LIBERTY casting off the Yoke of Christ and causing the offence of his Cross to cease § 5. And now Thomas I am not willing at present to spend much farther time with thee thou having been so much answered by R. Richardson and J. F. only I would show thee a little further how unfairly and disingenuously thou dealest with John Field in thy 5th part of thy Babels c. First I take notice of the account J. Field gives in the 3d page of his Book entituled Thomas Crisp's Envy detected about thy Doctrine and then of what thou sayst in relation to the same and that which thou scornfully callest J. F's Bull of Excommunication against thee his account is this viz. John Field signifieth That Friends have no Vnity with Tho. Crisp nor his Doctrine which is as followeth The 8th day of the 9th Month 1681. Thomas Crisp said That he had lately paid Tythes and that the Spirit of God did or might allow him to pay Tythes or Marry by a Priest And that by the same Spirit of God another might be required not to pay Tythes or not do the same Things This Thomas Crisp spake the day and year abovesaid and consented to have it writ and printed and took a copy of the aforesaid words Witness John Field jun. Oh Thomas How hast thou lost true tenderness and the sence of Truth How art thou backsliden and gone from that which first convinced thee of the way of the Lord and his holy Truth which is but one And how variable dost thou render his Spirit and contradictory to it self in these great concerns of Tythes and Marriage Is this like the Testimony of the Christian-Quaker as thou and thy Brother W. R. and his party would be rendred Is it not more like exact Ranterism Let all tender Hearts and sincere Souls in the Light judge But what sayest thou to J. F's Question Why did thy Wife condemn it meaning your marrying by a Priest To this thou most unrighteously and scornfully answerest in these Words viz. But may not those that pretend to sell Pardons and pray Souls out of Purgatory your Brethren say that if their Prayers and Pardons be not effectual why have and do so many give so much Money for them If a Woman gives all she hath to have her Husband out of Purgatory an effectual Proof of the worth of the Pope's Pardon Thomas Thy Answer herein is dirty and scurrilous thy comparison with the Pope and those that falsly pretend to pray Souls out of Purgatory most unjust and slanderous Be ashamed of such scribling and abusive dirty Work and falsly calling such our Brethren Be ashamed also of thus unnaturally exposing thy own Wife to an unjust censure in this comparison viz. As to a Woman that gives all she hath to have her Husband out of Purgatory Oh sordid and bruitish As also in thy following Words and foul Reflection upon thy Wife viz. It is like SHEE as too many more have gave too much credit to what some of G. F's CHEATS said And she is not the first that hath been deceived by you and perhaps some among you that have prated others out of their Money might prate her unto the writing and giving you that Paper you pretend to Thus far thou in the 9th page of thy 5th part of thy Babel O Thomas be ashamed of thus abusing thy Wife and others our Friends with thy Railery in Print as if she were cheated or deceived into the giving forth the said Paper in judgment against your marrying with the Priest I am satisfied thou hast most foully wronged her as well as abused her Friends herein for I am perswaded that the Lord made her sensible you had done amiss in so marrying that she was convinced in her Conscience of the Evil of it and of your wrong proceeding therein by the Light of Truth before she gave out the said Paper and that therefore thou hast not only abused and unjustly exposed thy Wife thy near relation in Print but also that thou hast abused the Truth and the real Conviction thereof in her I dare appeal to the witness of God in her Conscience against thy sordid abuse of her and Friends in this matter I find thou art a shallow impertinent Scribler and Railer and uncharitably Censorious and Reviling in much of thy Work thou hast an absurd and dirty stile of writing if it be thy own however it is patronized by thee Remember from whence thou art fallen and Repent of thy hard Speeches Prejudice and Uncharitableness against Gods People his Heritage Thou hast abused the Servants of Christ have a care thy dayes be not shortned in Darkness and Sorrow I am sorry for thee Thou canst advise and instruct others to Love and Gentleness and pretendest to shew the necessity of bearing with and not judging one another about such things wherein they differ in Opinion or Practice in some things viz. outward and circumstantial matters of Religion for that thou sayest We may belong to one Shepherd although not all in one Fold and confessest That Love is part of the Seal in the Forehead of the Lamb's followers and so also Hatred Strife c. the mark of the Beast as in thy Introduction to thy third Edition As also page 13. thou givest Friends this warning To forbear judging any man any more upon any pretence whatsoever as in the Paper thou hast cited and falsly callest E. B's Vision Yet contrariwise thou art severely judging and contemning us on some Pretence thou appearest in Hatred and Strife in the most of thy
being present in his Church This thy Libertine plea tends to divide the Church of Christ and to leave Believers who are Members thereof in a liberty both of denying submission and in an ignorance or blindness concerning what the spirit of Christ in his Church may require of them which I cannot grant thee that any sincere Believer is either so to be left in such a liberty of REFVSAL nor yet remains in such Ignorance for he that will not hear the Church where Christ is in the midst is to be accounted as an Heathen man Therefore thy Plea tending to divide and make Believers Heathen is contrary to our Principle and Testimony received from the beginning which is That Life answers Life The Spirit of Truth receives its own in men every living true Member in some degree feels what proceeds from its Life in other Members though all Christ's Members are not come to the same measure and degree of growth strength and understanding yet there 's so much inward sence and nearness in his Life and Faith as preserves them from Confusion Rebellion and Opposition to one another or to any thing the Spirit of Christ saith unto the Churches by any of them Thy putting and supposing Cases against us that are not thy arguing from Generals to Particulars from Principles to Persons from a Plea for the Church of Christ and its obliging Judgment proceeding from his Spirit to reflect upon particular Persons as the Pen-man and his Brethren John and George and Stephen c. p 45. are empty trifling and impertinent and as vain and silly is the Laughter and Scorn which thereupon thou supposest and wouldst stir up against the Pen-man and his Brethren all grounded upon a false bottom namely thy uncharitable and false sence and censure against the Pen-man viz. That he is thirsting after such a sort of Subjects that may be willing to follow his Track though they know not whether it be right or wrong Which is so utterly false if thou intendest me that such a desire never entred into my Heart my Soul abominates such a Principle as to lead People on in such blindness Again I do not make the reason of my Discourse depend on a meer supposition nor yet on a bear affirmation that I and my Brethren are the Church thou and thine not we are now on the defensive part and thou art not able to unchurch us we may give testimony of our Faith and to our sence of the presence of Christ with us and among us of our continuance in Love Unity in him and against thine and others Apostacy and thou not able to confute us The reason of our Discourse in the present Controversie depends not on Persons but on undeniable Principles and Practices agreeable both to divine Testimony Revelation undeniable Evidence amongst men And wherein any of us have been moved of the Lord in his holy zeal to give positive Judgment either concerning Spirits Persons or Practices that appear not yet so evident to some as to us the day will make further discovery and declare it and the Lord will appear witness and evidence in the case And thou shalt then find that thy Scorn and the Laughter and Scorn thou hast supposed and sought to stir up against us will be turn'd into sorrow on thy part and thou mayst be ashamed of thy scorn and laughter and of comparing our Treatment with the Papistical Parties towards the Protestants and telling of following the Pen-mans Papistical Track p. 46. All grounded on thy false sence before-cited though to me all thy Scorn Laughter false Comparisons and Rattles thou knowest what I mean are all but like the Crackling of Thorns under a Pot. It 's observable that in thy Epistle to the Reader c. thou art for taking up a Lamentation for the Apostacy of your Brethren as thy pretence is Now thou art for Scorn and Laughter against them thou so censurest yea to the Presbyterians Laughter and Scorn thou art exposing R. R. and for those Instances he gives for Deconesses in the Gospel-times p. 33. though this be a Truth which many Protestant Authors have confirmed besides Paul's own commendation of their Sister Phebe whom he called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministra A Servant of the Church at Cenchrea Rom. 16.1 2. There were Women-Deacons who in their places did service in the Churches with respect to the Sick and Impotent c. But to return one while thou pretendest to pray for the Pen-man That the Lord would mollifie his hard heart p. 42. another while art for causing Scorn and Laughter against him Thus but in pag. 46. Thus thy hypocritical Lamenting Praying and thy Scorning do much resemble thy confused Work And what such things are they thou insinuatest against the Pen-man and his Brethren Of which thou sayst Thou couldst soon lay a new Foundation to prove him and his Brethren guilty of such things as by his Rule would tend to Confusion Rebellion and Ranterism and what not p. 46. What things are those We expect no mercy nor favour from thee thou hast rendred us as obnoxious I think as of thy self thou canst And this thy general and dark way of smiting with what things thou couldst prove the Pen-man and his Brethren guilty of as tending to Rebellion and Ranterism without mentioning what things is very unfairly to raise great suspicion against us and to render us highly Criminal Odious and Obnoxious some-what like the Treatment we had in those Abusive Scurrillous Atheistical and Slanderous Pamphlets stil'd The Quakers Quâ—bbles How now William Is this thy Conscience thy Charity thy Christianity thy Love pretended and the end of thy feigned Lamentation and Praying for us thus to abuse us and cast dirt upon us after this general implicit and suspicious manner Is not such deceitful injurious and contradictory Dealing rather contrary to common Morality and Civility amongst men Thy Prayer conclusive of thy second Chapter pag. 46. is mixt with as much Falshood and Envy as the other stuff is with Scorn in these words viz. The Lord preserve us all from following the Pen-man's uncharitable Papistical Track lest thereby we should not only merit the Indignation of God but justly be accused by men of understanding of so much Delusion Weakness or Wickedness as considering our antient professed Principles and Practices might render us unworthy the favour of a true Protestant a derision to the Heathen and a scorn to Fools themselves I am sure this Prayer appears not without Wrath and doubting 't is not offered in Charity nor with Holy Hands 't is more like a Cain's Sacrifice 't is to slay the Christian and Protestant Reputation of him and those thou writest against to render him not only one that has merited the Indignation of God but one in a Papistical Track unworthy the favour of a true Protestant and so obnoxious to the outward Penal Laws seeing by thy Words If you should follow his Track
Comparisons against him and thy rendring him a Persecutor of his Brethren agree with his being Dear W. P. This Noble man c as thy Brother F. Bugg and consequently thy self have rendred him being in thy Book pag. 73.74 As for their not mentioning any particular Doctrine or Vitious Life that others might know the matters alledged against them what wouldst infer that therefore the Pope's Bull against M. Luther was more reasonable or just That 's a mistake for thou confessest a Judgment to be given against that jealous rending and separate Spirit from which thou hast not cleared them but rendred them the more Guilty if thou beest their Representatives as impowered by them to write in their Vindication according to thy own reflection on us And was that no Reason then to give others notice and warning against such a Spirit Is Schism no Sin or not reproveable But how Unjust is thy Comparison I ask thee if thou darest say that Pope Leo that Atheist was in the same Sense Religion Gravity and tender Exercise toward M. Luther that in thy own Narrative thou hast rendred these Friends in that were concern'd in dealing with J. S. and J. W. at Drawell And I ask thee further If ever thou readst any such Acknowledgment Submission or Condemnation made by Martin Luther to the Church of Rome as the said J. S. and J. W. with thy own assistance made as satisfaction to their Brethren and the Church of God in general Though afterward thou comparedst it to a Rattle to please Children And hath a Christian Society no Power to reprove and judge a dividing self-separating Spirit in whomsoever it be that makes Rents and Schisms as well as Heretical Doctrine and Vitious or Scandalous living Mark them that cause Divisions and Offences and avoid them c. If thou grantest the Principle and such power in a Christian Society or Church what will thy attempts to Unchristian and Unchurch us avail unless thou canst prove us guilty of Vitious Lives and Heretical Doctrine Which if thou canst not then hast thou and thy party assumed a Power to judge of Spirits wherein you fairly give away your Cause and overthrow much of your own opposition to the Churches Power and Determination in such cases And your Judgment to Unchristian us or our Spirits being but your Imposition we shall as little value and the day will yet farther discover whose Spirits are Unchristian and whose Spirits are Christian. And 't is not thy boasting either of the Numerousness or Scores of thy party p. 23. that will decide the Controversie nor wouldst thou accept of such a Plea on our parts but doubtless esteem it no Christian Proof or Argument but an Imposition and begging the Question But seeing thou layest so much stress on thy Numbers and Scores I must tell thee that if they amounted to as many as the third part of the Stars which yet they are far short of that followed thee or owned thy Work of opposition strife they would be but wandring Stars and have lost their Habitations and Glory and are darkned whom the Dragon's Tayl has drawn and cast down to the Earth But blessed be the Lord our God the greater part of the Stars among us his People called Quakers have kept their Station and Splendor in the Firmament of his Power and in living Union Concord and Love wherein they live above that Spirit of Enmity and Discord which thou and thy party are in and which the Lord will yet farther discover and deliver those who are at unawares betrayed thereby yet have some secret Breathings unto him and that they may come into clearness of Judgment so as on the Restoration and increase of the number of the Faithful and Upright And by the spreading of the Gospel day thy Numbers shall decrease and many will come to see thee more and more in thy dark and mischievous attempts and how insuccesful and disappointed thou wilt be therein And those that come to be recovered and many Thousands that shall be gathered to the Lord and us his People shall be found better and more worthy than thy self and those that go out and separate from us § 3. W. R. is pleased to make a Charge and draw severe and seditious Inferences upon our Advertisement and conclusion of our Introduction especially against the Pen-man for vindicating the People called Quakers in their Church-Order and Discipline and writing in the Name of the People called Quakers when vindicated from his Scandals But he has very unfairly and dis-ingenuously left out the distinguishing expressions in the first as Peaceable Christian Conscientiously Christian Society p. 23. in the passage of ours viz. We the peaceable Christian People called Quakers are Conscientiously vindicated and cleared in our Christian Society Where 's then his exception against our vindication and writing in the Plural in the Name of the peaceable People called Quakers But that 1. We could not write in the Name of such as encouraged the publication of his Treatise entituled The Christian-Quaker in five parts who yet are a part of the People called Quakers saith he 2. Nor in the Names of such as are disaffected with laying Marriages before Womens Meetings And these are numerous and called Quakers quoth he To the first Answer No How should we write in their Names who encouraged the Publication of his said Treatise against us if any such were for they keep very obscure as not willing to be known in such encouragement It is a Book of Envy Strife and Discord and they no Peaceable Quakers who encouraged it 'T was the Peaceable People called Quakers that were concerned in our Vindication And therefore W. R. saith true as 't happens The Pen-man could not write in the Name of such as encouraged the Publication of his Book Whence it follows they were not of that Peaceable sort which he vindicated nor W. R's Book a work of Peace or in the least tending thereto but a great Abuse and Scandal to and against the very peaceable People called Quakers Secondly Nor are they who oppose our Godly Women's Meetings and laying Marriages before them so peaceable and clear in their minds in that point as we could wish they were and they should be better informed and hear Instruction However they also are concluded by W. R.'s words not to be of that Peaceable People called Quakers intended in our Vindication in that he saith The Pen-man cannot be understood to write in their Names when 't is most evident he did write in the Name of The Peaceable Christian People called Quakers Though W. R. as one in some wise Conscious leaves out the word Peaceable that he might with the greater colour draw his Charge and severe Inferences upon the Pen-man c. But such kind of slighty mean shifts will stand him in no stead when we strictly look into his Fallacious dealing And granting him that we cannot represent nor be understood to write in the Name of such
him and his Spirit as Impious Wicked c But in humility and fear of the Lord he is at Unity and daily converseth with the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ which is a Spirit of true Understanding and Judgment whereby he clearly discerns and hath Power to judge thy dark confused Spirit of Enmity and its unfruitful Works of Darkness and Division against Christ and his true followers § 7. Concerning Tythes thou pretendest to except against the Payment of them That they are as at this day paid under pretence of being Due JVRE DIVINO Antichristian and also against the Humane Institution and constraint to pay them And thus far we do not oppose thee nor have shewn disaffection But thou hast found out another and more easie way to pay them Thus viz. Yet if any Person will FREELY of himself give a Tenth part of his Estate or of the Increase thereof TO ANY VSE WHATSOEVER having no regard to any Humane Institution or Claim by vertue of any pretended Divine Law it can no more be called Antichristian then c. p. 52. No! not as given to any use whatsoever That 's large and loose and as strange Suppose some do freely pay Tythes to maintain an Antichristian Ministry without regard to the plea of Jure Divino or humane Institution or Constraint but voluntarily and freely which needs no constraint nor coertion Were not this Antichristian And did not the Christian-Quaker bear Testimony from the beginning against the Antichristian Ministry and Tythes paid to maintain them whether by some paid freely or not the labour was to bring People from them to Christ the great Shepherd and end of the first Priesthood Tythes and the Law that upheld them Art not thou now evading and shifting from our first Testimony that was absolute against the payment of Tythes in these Gospel dayes And doth not these thy evasive Apostatizing shifts tend to draw others into Looseness and Apostacy to decline the Cross and cast off the Yoke of our Lord Jesus Christ Again thou givest a recital of thy Answer to the Objection or Question of thy own framing in the case of Tythes but now craftily leavest out thy Objection which concern'd Tythes as given to the National Ministry thus viz. But what if it please the Supream Power to bestow on the National Ministry Tythes How prove you from Scripture that those who freely pay it do ill or that 't is not lawful for them to receive it from such These are thy own Words William to which thou madest the following Answer mentioned in our 40 th Disaffection and recited in these words viz. We are so far from condemning those who freely pay them i. e. Tythes and not as by Constraint that we look upon it to be the Duty of all professing Christianity to contribute towards the outward Maintenance of such whom they usually hear and account to be the true Ministers of Christ though not obliged thereto by Law in case they have need p. 52. We remain still Disaffected with thy Doctrine it this point William so far as it relates to the paying of Tythes Thy granting an uncondemned Liberty therein for them who can freely pay them to those they account the true Ministers of Christ though they be the National Ministry I am sure is contrary to the antient Testimony of the true Christian-Quaker and all faithful travelling Brethren in the Gospel and Work of Christ To contribute towards the outward Maintenance c. is not the matter under debate But the Question immediately relating to the Payment of Tythes as 't is included in thy own Objection in the case which thou hast craftily forborn to recite and only recitest the Words of thy Answer both being compared together do more clearly evince thy Unchristian Liberty and Apostacy in justifying Mens freely paying Tythes to those they count Ministers of Christ c. yea though it be to the National Ministry by thy Objection and Answer before Thy varying the Terms from FREELY PAYING them i. e. Tythes TO a CONTRIBVTING towards their outward Maintenance appears but a Prevaricating shift and evading the terms of thy own Objection and Question Review the Point in thy own 2d Part Christian-Quaker in granting a Liberty of freely paying Tythes to the National Ministry without condemnation as before Thou hast contradicted J. W. and J. Story 's Testimony viz. As to Tythes we can in truth say 't was never so much as in our Hearts to strengthen any in the Payment thereof nor yet to weaken the Faith of any having a Testimony in our Hearts that Tythes as at this day paid are Antichristian Mark as at this day paid is to the National Ministry by some freely and by others by constraint As also thou shewest thy fallacious Insinuation and Prevarication from the terms under debate in concluding That the Pen-man would exclude such sort of Charity to any ministring Professor of Christianity besides such as he may account of his own Brotherhood whereby their outward Man might receive Sustenance else if they accounted it not Christian-like to give on a Charitable score TYTHES without Compulsion yet he might have shewn his assent that their Conscientious Hearers might without Condemnation have administred in another Method p. 53. How falsly hast thou insinuated against the Pen-man and daubed with the Professors as if now thou wouldst ingratiate thy self to come into favour with the Professors who are against the Quakers and as if thou wouldst please them by telling of giving on a Charitable score Tythes But William I am sorry thou shouldst thus wrong thy own Conscience by such false Insinuations for therein thou knowest the matter in question and our Observation was not about nor for excluding such sort of Charity as that of freely relieving or contributing towards the Sustenance of the outward Man of any of them in case of need for that Humanity allows much more Christianity But the matter in question was singly about the freely paying of Tythes and that to the National Ministry as thy Words were against which our 40 th Disaffection was directed And thy insinuating expressions about giving on a Charitable score Tythes will not excuse thee nor clear thee in this matter as also on this occasion thou fallaciously insinuatest in thy Prayer viz. The Lord preserve me and all true Christians from that Censorious Spirit as may conclude that there are no other Sheep than of the Pen-man's Fold p. 53. Whom dost thou herein accuse We deny any such Censorious Spirit with thy terms Pen-man's Fold for 't is Christ's Fold we own Thou art an uncharitable censorious Spirit We know there are other Sheep as Christ declared which he will fetch home into his Fold But thou appearest none of Christ's Sheep either in his Fold or out of his Fold whilst in such an Envious Wolfish and Scornful Spirit § 8. Whereas to our 44 th Disaffection about Circumcision being a Christian-Liberty according to thy own Words thou
thy Judgment in calling the Light in men which thus dictates their duty Their natural Light derived to them from their first Creation Herein thou hast wrongfully informed H. N. and the Magistrates about the Principle the Light in men contrary to the Quakers Testimony born from the beginning concerning the Light in men which is according to the holy Apostle's Testimony John 1.4 9. that In the Word or Son of God was Life and that Life was the Light of men And that this is not a natural or created Light but a Supernatural and Divine Light of the Christ Jesus the Son of God 3 dly And now Francis having thus misrepresented our Principle to the Magistrates and so mis-informed them about the Light in men Thou proceedest upon an unjust charge of Impositions against certain Persons chiefly concerned owned and approved among the People called Quakers whom thou scornfully callest G. Fox and those of Party with him and hast exposed the Names of some of them in Print whom thou meanest by that Party as William Penn George Whitehead Stephen Crisp Alexander Parker Thomas Salthouse John Burnyeat p. 51. And what hast thou to charge all these with that thou hast printed a Book and informed the Magistracy against them It is The mischief of Impositions The inconsistency betwixt the Church-Discipline or Order and Government erected by those and THAT in the Primitive times as in the Title of thy second part It is also That there is Violence done to our first Principles of Vnion Consequently Tyranny introduced and our Society turned Antichristian p. 32 33. According to W P's Proposition in his Address thus falsly applyed by thee against himself and the rest of us before-named Now Francis I must plainly tell thee this Inconsistency and Violence charged by thee against us we utterly deny and the Instances thou givest do not at all prove it As first G. F's Paper for Women's Meeting distinct that they might be in the practice of pure Religion to visit the Fatherless and the Widows and to see that all be kept from the spots of the World c. As 't is cited at large by thee p. 33 34 35 36 37. Now Francis where 's the Inconsistency charged Can there be an Inconsistency where there 's no Contradiction nor the least opposition Thy judging such Women's Meetings as are for the Practice or Promotion of pure Religion in the practical parts of it inconsistent with the Christian-Discipline Order and Government in the Primitive times doth bespeak not only that thou dost not well understand what Inconsistent means but also that thou hast undertaken a Charge thou art never able to make good And thy charge of Violence done to our first Principles of Union is worse than Inconsistent And thy scornfully telling of the Women's Charter and New Order is no Proof man of thy Charge Where 's the Inconsistency and Violence that 's charged done by the faithful Womens Meetings among us or by any of us by encouraging them to meet for those Religious and Charitable ends and services mentioned How hast thou acted the part of an ignorant conceited Scoffer instead of proving thy Charge before cited Besides the very self-same Paper writ by G. F. which thou hast cited as an instance of our Inconsistency and Violence was received owned and approved at a Quarterly Meeting at Kendal in Westmorland in the Year 1671. And another written in approbation thereof and subscribed by some of thy own party as John Wilkinson Richard Stephanson Henry Garnet and Twenty one more Friends for encouraging of the Women's assembling and Religious Charitable Services before proposed both which are cited at large in our Book Entituled The Accuser of our Brethren from pag. 98 to p. 102. Thus contradictory art thou to some of thy own Brethren in thy condemning the same Paper as an Imposition Inconsistency and Violence to our first Principles which they so plainly approved of 4 thly Again in pursuance of thy unrighteous Charge before cited thou recitest four passages out of a Paper of ours dated London the 27th of the 3d Moneth 1675. which was given as our Judgment and Advice in certain things needful for good Order among us as we believed The first Passage thou hast cited is that for Marriages to be at least twice propounded to the Meetings that are to take care therein c. before they are accomplished c. Now where 's the Inconsistency here with the Discipline in the Primitive Christian Church or the Violence done to our first Principles of Union Instead of proving thy charge by this instance we have in thy Observation a piece of Scorn and Mockery viz. This notable if not universal Council Their new stamped Government p. 42. Oh! be ashamed of such Scorn and Folly Is this thy proof of thy charge Is it a violation to our first Principles of Union to have Marriages proposed at least twice to the Meetings concerned both Mens and Womens where both are established However to be twice proposed to such Meetings as are established and to take care therein to understand that the Persons be clear and Friends satisfied before the Marriage be accomplished And this has been these many Years practised among us and I know no true Union broken thereby nor any violation done to our first Principles thereof Be ashamed therefore of thy fruitless attempts in giving such an high charge against us when thou canst make no proof it 5 thly Concerning our Testimony on behalf of Mens and Womens Meetings in the Church of Christ as for their Rise and Establishment being in the counsel of God and for the encouraging Faithful and Grave Women therein and to admonish them that discountenance or weaken their Hands in the Work and Service of the Lord c. Thou callest this A Decree a decretal Order This New fashioned Edict p. 45 46. And sayst It has no relation to Scripture-Authority Precept or President no relation to the Example of the Holy men of God recorded in Scripture nor any command of God or Jesus Christ. Why no Relation to them How provest thou that what because we have not every particular circumstance of Persons and things exprest Whence it follows not that this has no relation to Scripture or President c. Holy Women and Sisters in the Faith Elder Widdows that were honourable and Deaconesses did many Religious and Charitable Services in the Primitive Christian Churches What then might they not meet and confer together for one anothers help and encouragement in those Services they had and were frequently imployed in Can it either be a violence to their Principles of Union for such to meet together or have their Assemblies no relation to Scripture What contrariety thereto have they Surely we alwayes accounted our Religious Meetings to serve one another in Love consistent with our Union and the Principles thereof And so for Godly Women to meet for those Religious and Charitable ends and Services for which their
controvertial Pamphlets May we belong to one Shepherd although not all in the Fold as yet Why then art thou and W. R. and F. Bugg and John Pennyman so severe in Judging Censuring Reviling and Reproaching many among us whom we know to be the Servants of Christ And thou telling of G. F's Cheats rendring thy Wife as one cheated and deceived by our Friends Oh sordid and base Confusion and Babylonish stuff Seriously recollect thy self and give over thy false and fruitless Attempts Impertinencies and confused Scribling for the Day is dawned and broken forth that has made a discovery of the miserable Apostacy and Darkness which you contentious quarrelsom Opposers are fallen into Oh! come down come down and seek Repentance and be humbled under the mighty Hand of God May the Lord in Mercy give thee an Heart thereto my Soul charitably wisheth it for thee c. § 6. In thy Fourth Part page 19. thou art endeavouring to extenuate the offence on thy part on thy Principle that one may marry by the Priest and pay Tythes and yet be a Christian Thou shouldst have added One of the darker sort of Christians But to excuse the matter on thy part Thy Wife was not then one called a Quaker And thou couldst not satisfie her so that thou CONDESCENDED to take thy Wife in the presence of a Priest and acquainted him that thou didst it not on any account of Religion but to answer the LAW and sayest who i. e. the Priest very Christian-like condescended to thee so as not to say or do or require thee to do or say any thing thou shouldst be dissatisfied with c. And you did before him declare you took each other c. nor was there half the Ceremony or Formality that is now practised according to G. F 's Form c. Oh Thomas These slight Covers and Linsey-Woolsey Garments will not hide thy Disobedience nor excuse thee from acting contrary to thy Conviction and Conscience It appears thou wast marryed by a Priest but to mince it 't was in the presence of a Priest though not in all Formalities and this was thy CONDESCENTION Was it so Then thou wast come to a higher sight and state than to be marryed by a Priest May it not be said further how could it be consistent with thy Principle and Profession as a real Christian-Quaker or Conscientious Dissenter to be so Marryed Mince it as much as thou canst 't will not hold together But thou didst it not on any account of Religion c. No! how couldst thou exclude that weighty concern of Marriage out of Religion How Irreligious wast thou then in it Is there not as much need to keep unspotted of the Word in the great concern of Marriage as in any other concern in this Life How couldst thou then lay Religion aside in this weighty concern Is it not manifest Ranterism for a person to make so slight of Religion as at his will and pleasure to lay it aside and that under pretence of condescending in matters of greatest Moment here wherein all truly enlightned and clear sighted Christians have most need to be Religiously exemplary and faithful in their Testimony according to their Consciences But to thy Question May not one Marry by the Priest or pay Tythes and yet be a Christian For thy Principle That he may in thy 5th part p. 14. thou givest us this Instance viz. I find George Keith very Christian like say I do not doubt but the Lord had and I believe he now hath many that are precious to him and that belong to the Catholick-Church even as I believe the Lord hath many such among Episcopalians Papists c. Also I do acknowledge the Lord hath among the Presbyterians some who belong to the true Church Surely then sayst thou these must be Christians and did and do Marry by or with a Priest and pay Tythes Now Thomas this Instance and thy Inference upon it are the most cunningly alledged of any thing I find in thy writings and yet they will not do they will not serve thy turn for granting some among all these to whom the Lord hath regard and who in some sence may belong to his Church it is with respect to their Sincerity towards God and their fear of him Conscientiousness springing from his own Seed in them and not with respect to their Formalities cloud of humane Traditions and Inventions which thy are led into by their Priests as Marrying by Priests paying Tythes c. Therefore however the Lord in Mercy hath a regard to them for the sake of the good in them yet they are but dim-sighted and of the darker sort of Christians who see not beyond those humane Impositions and Traditions as paying Tythes and Marrying by a Priest c. And for thee to excuse thy self therein who professest a higher state and degree of Illumination no doubt as no less than that of a Christian-Quaker thou mightst as well argue that there are some of the better and more sincere sort of Papists that bow to Images and use many Superstitions which their Priests have misled them into and to whom God shews Mercy in saving their Souls at length therefore thou or any Christian-Quaker may bow to Images observe Popish Ceremonies c. Or thus There are many of the sincerer sort of Episcopal People that have their Children sprinkled by a Priest and signed with the Sign of the Cross that hear Common-Prayer conform and do all Conscientiously and are sincere to God in their Way so that in Charity we may conclude that their Souls find Mercy with God at length And what follows Therefore Thomas Crisp as a Christian-Quaker and all other Conscientious Dissenters both Anabaptists and others may carry their Children to be Sprinkled by a Priest have them signed with the Sign of the Cross hear Common-Prayer conform c. and yet be good Christians precious to God while thus inconsistent with their own Consciences dissenting Principles and Profession Thus inconsistently thou mightst as well argue for the Christian-Quakers paying Tythes and Marrying by a Priest c. But I must deny the consequence Thou as a Quaker doubtless hast known better things and that as to the knowledge of Truth and degree of divine Illumination There is no just Comparison between a real Christian Quaker and the best sort of Papists and Episcopalians Therefore thy pleading in thy 5th part of Babels p. 19 20. for charity and forbearance to be allowed them who think it as much their duty to pay Tythes as we do think it a sin and to those who do Marry by a Priest and pay Tythes being of different Perswasion from us Granting such there are who see no further and are to be pitied 't is no argument for any that are of our contrary Perswasion to take liberty to pay Tythes and Marry by a Priest for their sin is greater than the other Oh Friend thy Disobedience Declension and Apostacy from
Light within You Preachers do say in your Declaration that the Son of God is come and hath given you an understanding the which Doctrine I do deny ONE BLOW p. 20. Answ. Thou that canst not reconcile or see the consistency of Salvation by the Man Christ Jesus AND by his Light within art gone from his Light into Imaginations Why hast thou not better observed the Gospel preached by the Angel of the Lord to the Shepherds concerning Jesus Christ the Son of God Luke 2.11 For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord see also Mat. 1.21 Read also good Old Simeon's Testimony which he gave of the Lord 's Christ Luke 2.26 27 28. And also read Verse 30 31 32. For mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation which thou hast prepared before the Face of all People a Light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of thy People Israel The true Christ of God is but one though he hath appeared in divers manners both in the Flesh and in the Spirit he is the Light he is the Way to the Father he is the Saviour he is the one Mediator betwixt God and Man even the Man Christ Jesus the heavenly glorious Man the Man that was promised to be for a hiding place who in the dayes of his Flesh said I am the Light of the World And He that is with you shall be in you As he was the eternal Word the Son of God the Life that was in him was the Light of men John 1. both before his coming in the Flesh and ever since and therefore he was that true Light that enlightens every man that cometh into the World he was given for Life and Salvation This our one Lord Jesus Christ is our Light Life and Salvation he is also Judge of quick and dead that MAN by whom God will judge the World in Righteousness he that believeth not in his Name is condemned already and This is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World i. e. the Light of the Son of God and Men love Darkness rather then Light John 3. see also 2 Thes. 1.7 8. When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming Fire taking Vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel c. Then such shall know him their Judge and Condemner unto their deserved punishment see Verse 9. J. B. You Teachers do hold forth to us Gentiles Christ the Son of God to be our Way to the Father The which Doctrine I would have you to prove One Blow p. 20. Answ. What defidence and unbelief hath entred thee Christ the Son of God testied John 14.6 I am the Way the Truth and the Life No man cometh unto the Father but by me and no man cometh unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Wherefore in that no man cometh unto the Father but by the Son the Son is the way to the Father and the Father's drawing or teaching reacheth unto man before he come to the Son or Father that he may be drawn and come to both No mans knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Therefore Christ the Son of God is the way to the Father out of Adam in the fall if thou l't believe him and 'T is by one Spirit through Jesus Christ the Mediator that we have access to the Father § 8. J. B. In his gross Errors detected or many of the Doctrines of the leading Quakers disowned as coming from an Antichristian Spirit p. 1. he saith John Webb's Doctrine was That God's appearance in the Sons and Daughters of men is to beget and bring forth that innocent Birth and Babe immortal c. This Doctrine doth signifie that God's appearance is to his Son Christ Jesus and for the begetting and bringing of him forth in the Sons and Daughters of men the which Doctrine I do deny Answ. First God's appearance in the Sons and Daughters of men is not to bring forth a nocent Birth nor a Babe that 's mortal but an innocent Birth and a Babe immortal Except a man be Born of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remaineth in him Secondly This innocent Birth which God by his Spirit brings forth in the Sons and Daughters of men who truly believe relates to them and their souls as begotten and born of the immortal seed by the living word so that this Birth is not Christ Jesus for he is that incorruptible Seed and Word of Life which begets forms and brings forth the Soul of man into his own Nature and Image and so he renews his own Image in man that believes in his Power and so Christ may be said to be formed in us as in a mysterious and elegant way of speaking the property and effect being put for the cause for Christ in himself hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him and it hath pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell in him J. B. That God's appearance is in and by his Son Christ Jesus to us and that all are to hear the Son in them by whom the Father speaketh to them and that the Son in us is our way to the Father The which Doctrine I do deny His gross Error p. 1. Answ. Here thou hast denyed sound Doctrine which is according to Christs own Doctrine i. e. He that seeth me seeth the Father also who hath shined in our Hearts to give us the Light of the Knowledge of his Glory in the face of Christ Jesus And my Sheep hear my Voice saith Christ And God hath spoken to us by his Son Thy denying God's appearing and speaking by his Son and his Son to be our way to the Father Herein thou hast not only denyed Christ's own Testimony but the blessed advantage we have by him as MEDIATOR J. B. Another of their Doctrines is That the Quakers ought so to wait upon God as that they may feel the Life in them to flow from Vessel to Vessel whenas they are met together to wait upon God This was Charles Marshalls Wife's Doctrine p. 2 ibid. Answ. This is neither false Doctrine nor gross Error as thou imaginest but sound Doctrine Hannah Marshall knew better than thy self herein for they that truly wait upon God both receive an encrease of Life from him who is the Fountain and feel Life to flow from Vessel to Vessel He that believes as the Scripture saith out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living Waters This spake he of the Spirit which they that believe should receive And the true Believers all drink into One Spirit And there is among such a spiritual and effectual Communication of Faith and Virtue in the living Communion of the holy Spirit all which thy dark Imaginations have deprived thee of J. B. These Doctrines
of the Quakers are false Doctrines and Antichristian because that God's Appearance is not by his Son Christ Jesus to us p. 3. Answ. Thou art guilty of Antichristian Doctrine and Anti-scriptural also in denying God's Appearance to be by his Son Christ Jesus The Mediator for what God is to us for our Salvation and what good we receive from him for our Souls and what we are unto him in our Obedience as acceptable to him 't is all IN and Through our Lord Jesus Christ the Mediator J. B. That God who is a Spirit should be held in Bondage and Captivity by his Creation or by the Power of Darkness is contrary to Right Reason So that it must needs follow by plain Argument that not only the Creature but the Power of Darkness too hath had Dominion over God contrary to sound Doctrine and is Blasphemy pag. 5 6. GROSS ERRORS Answ. This thou hast often unjustly and slanderously repeated upon the Quakers and herein I testifie against thy Abuse and dare Challenge thee to prove out of any of our Writings that 't is the Quakers Doctrine That either God is held in Bondage or Captivity by his Creation or that the Power of Darkness hath Dominion over him We utterly deny the Assertion and Expressions as Blasphemous but do say the holy Spirit is grieved and the Seed of God burdened by the Iniquities of the World which suffering is in Condescention on Christ's part and not for want of Power or Dominion over the Devil or Wicked men for he bruiseth his Head hath Power to subdue condemn and punish them and his own Arm to bring Salvation to him J. B. Another of their Doctrines That all are to come to the Son of God Christ Jesus whom they say is in them and that he is the only Way to the Father which Doctrine I do deny because it is God who both was and is a Spirit which hath first appeared in and to the Sons and Daughters of men after sin c. Therefore every one is to be first turned to God in their own particulars and NOT to the Son of God p 8. Gross Errors Answ. This Erronious Denyal and Doctrine of thine against coming to the Son of God as the only Way to the Father is but the same reiterated over and over The Father and the Son are not divided in the work of Regeneration I and my Father are one saith Christ No man cometh to the Father but by me But 't is no marvel that thou hast denyed Christ the Mediator to be the way to the Father and so opposed his Mediatorship for thy Denyals and Oppositions appear more Gross Erronious and Antichristian against Christ himself and the holy Scriptures in thy Antichrist's Transformations 1st In thy not owning Justification or Condemnation by Christ that dyed without the Gates of Jerusalem which thou confessest to be the ground and main Difference that arose between some of the Quakers and thee p. 10. 2dly In thy asserting That Christ's Soul dyed p. 19. And so thy holding the the Mortality of the Soul in general 3dly Thy asserting That the Book of the Scriptures both was and is the fruit which the Tree of Knowledge bears p. 22. 4thly Thy affirming That there is Two Christs p. 23. Thus thou arguest § 9. J. B. It is no where written in the Scriptures that we shall either be justified or condemned by that Christ which dyed without the Gates of Jerusalem but it is written By Grace ye are saved and by Grace ye are justified and 't is also written By the Light of the World ye are condemned and not by Christ that dyed without the Gates of Jerusalem Antichr Transf p. 17. Answ. Here again thy erronious Blindness is apparent who seest not how consistent being saved and justified by that Christ who is the very Christ of God to whom all the Prophets gave witness AND being saved and justified by his Grace both which the holy Scripture testifie Isa. 53.11 By his Knowledge shall my Righteous Servant justifie many for he shall bear their Iniquities This was a Prophecy of the same Christ that suffered and Mat. 1.21 She shall bring forth a Son and thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his People from their Sins and verse 23. Behold a Virgin shall be with Child and shall bring forth a Son and his Name shall be called Emanuel which being interpreted is God with us And Luke 2.11 For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And that Grace by which we are saved is that Grace of God which comes by Christ see also Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. Where the saving Grace of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity c. are testified of and therefore Salvation by that Christ through his Grace are not Inconsistent J. B. Now if Salvation be by that Christ that dyed without the Gates at Jerusalem then are all the Gentiles perished that were in the World before that Body came into the World Antich Trans p. 18. Answ. Thy consequence is erronious for that very Christ the Son of God was and is Mediator and Saviour from the beginning his outgoings were from of Old he was spiritually in being by his Life Light Spirit and Grace before he took upon him that Body prepared of the Father to do his Will John bore witness of that Man Christ saying He that cometh after me is preferred before me for he was before me John 1.15 And again vers 30. After me cometh a man which is preferred before me for he was before me Therefore the Man Christ Jesus was before he came in the Body or Flesh He was that spiritual Rock which all Israel drank of his Life was the Light of men from the beginning and all the generations of the Righteous did spiritually pâ—rtake of the benefit of Christ as Mediator both before and after his Coming in the flesh they vertually pertook of the Sacrifice of the Lamb of the vertue of the Blood of the Covenant for Remission and were saved by the Life of this Mediator by Faith they pertook of the spiritual Advantage of his suffering and sacrifice who was as a Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World and as in the fullness of time his coming and suffering in the flesh and his tasting Death for every man and his giving himself a Ransom for all were for a Testimony in due time of God's great kindness to Mankind So Christ's coming in the flesh an eminent Dispensation from God ordained and decreed in great love to Mankind So that thereby a greater and more eminent discovery and breaking forth of his Light and Glory in the Gospel Day and Dispensation was manifest in due time which Glory the holy spirit of Christ in the holy Prophets testified of as that which should follow his sufferings and in him are all
Appeal and Supplication I do Conclude OH Thou Heart-searching God and righteous Iudge of all unto thee I make my Appeal and Supplication against this Jealous Dividing Rending Spirit that hath appeared in Strife and open Contention against thy Servants and faithful Witnesses and against that good order and society that thou hast been pleased to gatber us into Thou knowest the integrity of my soul before thee and that I have waited for thy Counsel how to act and behave my self in these matters and that I have not sought to exalt my self nor any Popularity Party or Interest to my self but only thy Glory and the good of Souls Thou knowest that in the first place my soul hath sought for Peace in the way of Peace and for a quiet Composure of Differences occasioned by some Self-willed and Luke-warm Professors of thy Truth whilst there was any hope or probability thereof before the opposite Party became open Adversaries And O Lord thou knowest I am not alone in this concern many others of thy faithful servants have traveled in the same Christian Spirit with me for peace and quietness and for a quiet end of Differences in Truth and Righteousness But thine and our Adversaries have rewarded us evil for good and to me hatred for my love And now O Lord behold how true love and tenderness is rejected by thy Adversaries and how thy holy spirit is offended Behold and judge the bitterness of their spirits Their Rancor and Fury their Words of Hatred Reviling and Slander against thy faithful Servants and Witnesses Their Disregard to the Honour and Reputation of thy Truth thy Name and People Their working against the Glory and Honour of thy excellent Name among us Their crucifying thy Son afresh to themselves and putting him to open shame and reproach in the Eyes of thy open Enemies and Persecutors of thy People Oh! Lord Lord look down behold and judge for these things show thy Power in putting an end as openly to these Controversies as they are openly forced out into the World by Apostates and Adversaries of thy Truth and People Thou knowest O Lord that though thou hast endued me with a Christian Spirit and with Faith Patience and Rejoycing under all my Sufferings and Tribulations for thy Name sake and enabled me patiently to undergo the open Revilings and Infamies cast upon me both by open profest and secret Enemies in all which I daily praise thy Name for thy Goodness Yet thou hast also endued me with the Spirit of Righteous Judgment Understanding and Zeal for the Glory of thy holy Name and Truth and hast raised me up in defence of thy Gospel to vindicate thy Truth and innocent People who are Lovers of Peace and Union in thy Son Christ Iesus And now O Lord I humbly pray thee preserve thy Lambs and tender Babes and open the Eyes and unvail the Understandings of all whom the Enemy has deceived and prejudiced who are mistaken in their Iudgments and not guilty of willful Opposition and Hatred That they that have not sinned out their day nor become judicially hardened may yet find a place of Repentance and Mercy in returning to thee with Humility true Contrition and Brokenness of Heart that thou maiest heal their Backslidings and love them freely O my God! in these my Labours and Endeavours as I have eyed thee and thy Counsel and thou hast been with me for which I praise thy Name So I recommend all to thee to manifest the real intent and end of all and to plead and justifie my Cause it being thy own Cause and the Cause of thy whole Heritage Amen Amen saith my Soul ADVERTISEMENT FIrst Note That where in pag. 158. of this Treatise mention is made That G. F 's intention and sence is by another hand spoken to That and much more is yet reserved in Manuscript against W. R's abusive Books Secondly That whereas in pag. 205. it is said It being now above six Weeks since the Letter was left at Ely c. and yet no Answer It is now above three Moneths since and yet no Answer received from F. B. being now at the Printing hereof towards the latter end of the 11th Moneth 1682. Thirdly That this Treatise has been long in the Printer's hands and not hastened in the Press because of these Additions in the three last Chapters to Francis Bugg Thomas Crisp John Pennyman and Jeffery Bullock for the Answer to William Rogers's 7 th part of his Christian-Quaker was writ in a short time after it was out Fourthly It is some question whether two or three of the Names in pag. 250. be right i. e. Averset Snazdale and Tysoeth by reason of their Names being badly writ in the Certificate sent up Fifthly Note That where in the Postscript after the Letter to Francis Bugg pag. 253 4. and in his Book also p. 52. he gives account of a Minister thus viz. That in the Quarterly-Meeting Book at Hadenham they shall find a Record wherein he is recorded out of the Vnity for not taking his Wife according to the Order of Friends i. e. not publishing his Intention before the Womens Meetings Which Account is excepted against upon Friends positively giving a contrary one to me Let it be farther remarked that Francis Bugg's pretended Proof appears not from Evidence of the Fact but is his consequence drawn from the Records But first his Consequence appears not only fallacious but false in Fact in his restraining the Order of Friends only to the Womens Meetings which is not consequent to the Record of the Quarterly Meeting dated the first of the 10th Moneth 1675. and cited by F. B. p. 61. for Proof for the extent of that Record is For the consent of Friends at two Mens Meetings and two Womens Meetings c. 2 dly Neither can his Account be true if there was not then a Womans Meeting established in that part of the County but that the complaint of the Monethly Meeting was That the Person concerned did not publish his Intention above once to the Mens Meeting and refused to bring the Woman to any Meeting at all before the time of their Marriage 3 dly Since the said Exception was writ I have met with a Certificate under the Hands of several Persons of Credit i. e. Phillip Taylor William Brasier John Prime and Jacob Baker who do confirm the matter excepted against Francis Fugg's said Account whereby they declare it to be his false Insinuation and a manifest misrepresenting of Friends in those parts and a malicious Falshood For they affirm That there was no Womens Meetings established in that part of the County where it fell in course for the said Person to publish his Intention of Marriage and that because he refused to bring the Woman to any Meeting at all to manifest her consent and intention of Marriage with him And his proposing it but once to the Mens Meeting and that in her absence before he took her to Wife This they looked