often express it and truly so was he to me every Day every Way and in every Respect no Tongue nor Pen can relate the full of that Comfort and Joy we had in God and one in another Yet we find such hath been the Pleasure of God concerning them he hath loved to try them in the most near and dear Enjoyments that it might be manifest he was loved above all that no Gift or Gifts may be preferred above the Giver but that he may be all in all and over all who is and is to come God blessed for ever and ever And truly there hath been great Care and Watchfulness one over another and over our own Spirits to see that our Love though great was bounded and kept within its Compass the Truth being its Original the Alpha and Omega also Although it hath been the Pleasure of God to try me in the removal of so great a Blessing from me sure it is that I may be the more inward to him and have his Love always in my Remembrance who gives and takes away and in all Bless his Name My Soul travels that I may always follow his footsteps of Self-denial in all things that I may finish my Course in this World to the Glory of God as he did and have my part in that Mansion of Glory with him eternal in the Heavens though it be my Lot to stay for a time in this World of Troubles yet I have hope in Immortality and Eternal Blessedness when time in this World shall be no more My dear Husband was a Man very Laborious in his time though he had several long weak Fits of Feavers and Agues yet when a little well regarded the Lord's Business above all Besides his Travels about home and here in England he travelled through Scotland and twice in Holland and Germany since we were Married and had great Services for the Lord in many Places as I doubt not but Accounts may be given and through Mercy for two Years last had his Health well and is gathered to his place like a Shock of Corn in its due Season and rests with the Lord for ever I have sometimes considered the suddenness and manner of his Removal although it was ordered by Providence that I was far remote at that Time in in the Service of Truth which was with his free Consent and Approbation being brought on my Way by him so far as Talk-Hill in Staffordshire where we parted in great Love and Sweetness the Glory of the Lord resting upon our Spirits in which Breathings ascended up to the Lord for each other And though I saw not his going away yet have seen in what he went that it was full of Zeal and Fervency in the Love of God and Life of Righteousness So in pure Submission to the Will of God I conclude this short but true Relation of my Worthy Dear Husband whose Name and Memorial is blessed and will live and be of a sweet Savour in the Hearts of the Righteous through Ages I am Truths Friend and a well-wisher to the Souls of all People Eleanor Haydock Penketh the 15th of the 3d Month 1697. Ashort Testimony to the Lord's Kindness and to the Life Ministry Sufferings Services and Death of our Worthy Friend Roger Haydock who departed this Life the 11th Day of the 3d Month 1696. WE are deeply affected and bowed in Soul in a sense of the Lord 's free Love and Goodness unto us in looking upon and visiting us in the time of our Uncleanness when we were unworthy of the least of his Mercies Oh! then was his Arm revealed for our Help Redemption and Salvation a Work of so great Kindness as ought ever to be had in Remembrance in that neither we noâ— any of the Children of Men can sufficiently set forth so great a Favour the Concern is of great Moment the only begotten Son of God laid down his Life to effect it We Travel in our several Measures that we and all the Lord 's gathered People may ever dwell in a Worthiness that we may be in the Lords hand Instruments to work the appointed work of our Day And under this tender sense we found our Hearts open to give the Salutation of unseigned Love to all our dear Friends where these may come with this brotherly Exhortation That you may all stir up one another to the Duty you owe unto the Lord that as a Church and People of our God's peculiar gathering you and we may be presented to him without Spot or Wrinkle And dear Brethren the dealings of the Lord with his Instruments and faithful Servants and the removing of them from us hath considerable Weight upon our Spirits and raiseth a holy Desire in us that we and you may not abate but encrease our Zeal Diligence and Labour that the Lords good Work begun may not stop but go on and prosper and that the great Lord of the Harvest may never want faithful Workmen Next hereunto O Reader We recommend to thy perusal this following Account of our said Friend Roger Haydock First As touching the manner of his Life we having several of us known and conversed with him from the time of his Convincement can say of it His Conversation was without Covetousness of Self-denial he was a good Pattern in Habit Plain in Meats and Drinks very Temperate and in his Actions and Concerns Careful that what he did might answer the better Part in all and justly offend none Walking he would often say he preferred before Talking and laboured that others might walk as they had Christ for an Example Secondly As to his Ministry though we need say little because it was known in most places where these may come We have from good Experience this Account to give That he preached the Gospel freely both in this and other Nations always possessed with a Care that Life and Vertue might put him forth and manifest him to his Auditors very weighty and deep things did often drop from his Mouth and although he had sometimes sharp Arrows to shoot at Babylon and against all Hypocrites and Double-Minded yet many times a Living Sweet Consolating Stream was conveyed through him to water the tender Plants and very often a Morsel to the Poor and Needy Very tender and kind to his Fellow-Labourers yea to the least Child that from a right Concern opened a Mouth for the Lord and for the sakes of such did many times sit whole Meetings through in Silence very kind in that Respect to Strangers yea such was the Care of this good Man that Friends might truly reap benefit in their Meetings that in many of our Week-day Meetings he used to wait amongst us in Silence that none might too much depend upon Words or be surfeited through the multitude thereof And when at any time he had upon him a Concern to visit Churches in remote Parts his manner was to lay before and wait for the Concurrence of this our Meeting which many times occasioned
as it was said Neither Circumcision nor Vncircumcision availeth but a New Creature Now where this New Creature is known the Old Man with his Deeds is put off the Old Man and Old Creature put off and changed the New Man is put on and the New Creature which bears the Image of the Heavenly comes up Now where any have a foolish pity to the First Birth being bent to save its Life there is in them an averseness to the cutting off of the fore-skin of the Heart for the sake of your Blood these are like him that pitied Agag whose Life God had required they spare that which God would have cut off Therefore let no ones Eye pity not Hand spare but let the fore skin of all Hearts be cut off that all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit may be done away and that not only in the Fathers Elders young Men Brethren but in them of younger Years and less growth And concerning this let the Elders Fathers and Brethren be careful that all the fore-skins of the Hearts of Abraham's House-hold of his Children who are of the House-hold of Faith be cut off that they may all know the Circumcision And in Heart and Ear being circumcised may all keep the Law of God in keeping of which Law there is a great Reward And the more set them be careful that all be Circumcised and that the Circumcision be kept lest it becoming Uncircumcision in any and being winked at it becomes like a spreading Leprosie upon them that have been Circumcised drawing a fore-skin over their Hearts again as a covering to their Filthiness whereby their Circumcision is made Uncircumcision and their latter end worse than the beginning For it had been better saith the Apostle they had never known the way of Truth than after they had known to turn from it And Dear Friends provoke you one another and be provoked one by another to Love and to good Works Be all stedfast in the Faith speak all by one Spirit and you will speak one thing be Encouragers in what is Good a Praise to them that do Well but a Terror to Evil Doers If there be Tatlers Busy-bodies amongst you Mark such and reprove them Let none strengthen Evil Doers but appear in Judgment against their Evil Deeds for that is the way to do them Good If any hath done Evil let such Repent and do so no more but come and do their first Work lest God smite them with a Curse If any Friend be overtaken with Weakness restore such an one in the Spirit of Meekness and Love and let such a one be easie to be entreated for why should any Man despise his own Mercies It 's a Mercy from God to Offenders that Men fearing God come to them in the Love of God to tell them their Sin This Mercy David though a King rejected not when Nathan said Thou hast slain Uriah the Hittite and taken his Wife but acknowledged saying I have Sinned Nathan replied God hath taken away thy Sin thou shalt not Dye But Alas how few are of David's Mind when for their Offences they are spoken to Let all Dear Friends be Watchful and let your Light shine put not your Candle under either Bed or Bushel let not your Sleep be over it nor your Merchandizing be above it but let your Candle stand in the Candlestick and Shine giving Light over all You are Light in that part of the World so Shine that Men seeing your good Works may be occasioned to bless God on your behalf You are a City upon that Continent you cannot be hid you are the Salt of that Earth therefore season you that part of the Creation They have Eyes upon you looking for good from you their Ears are sometimes attentive to you to reap of the Good proceeding from you Good is with you for God is with you and for the Good proceeding from you they shall glorifie God Preach you Righteousness to them in a holy Life and be before them Patterns of Piety in a Godly Conversation Christ your Life your Light shining in you and through you being both your Righteousness and exceeding great Reward so do that you may convince them of their Righteousness which is a Righteousness of their own which they are going about to establish which is but as filthy Rags and as a menstruous Cloth in Comparison of Christ's Righteousness which they have rejected that so they may see and be ashamed Repent and find Mercy with the Lord that they may be healed Finally my Brethren and all Dear Friends live in Love that God who is Love may dwell in you that Grace Peace and all spiritual Blessings in heavenly things may be multiplied upon you from God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen As opportunity offers give the Salutation of my Dear Love to all Dear Friends in Frizeland at Frederickstadt Hambrough and other places upon your Continent where I have travelled and the God of my Life who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve the Gathered every where in Faithfulness and of his Infinite Love build them all up in the most holy Faith which gives Victory over the World that they may be a People to his Praise And I pray God encrease his chosen amongst you and add to your small number every where even daily such as shall be saved My love flows to the Seed in those parts my life tenderly greets God's Off-spring the Blessing of Jacob of Jesus of God the Father of Christ be upon you all and upon God's Heritage every where Amen I am your Brother Roger Haydock Warrington the 25th of the 11th Month 1686. Concerning Roger Haydock's two Imprisonments in Lancaster Goal ROgen Haydock of Coppal three Miles from Wigan in the County of Lancaster Yeoman was sued in the Bishop's Court at Chester by Ralph Briddock Priest of Standish and Bishop of Chichester He was cited as they say in the Steeple-House at Standish to appear at Chester because he appeared not having not certain knowledge of it he was judged a Contemner of the Law was apprehended the 3d day of the 3d Month 1674. committed to the Goal at Lancaster remained Prisoner until the 12th of the 11th Month following then released through an Appeal to York grounded upon the unlawfulness of their Proceedings but for want of appearing in the said Court personally when he had appealed thither was again committed to the common Goal at Lancaster and was apprehended the 2d of the 8th Month 1675. by James Worthington Constable of Coppal where he remains a Prisoner still The name of the Judge for the Bishop's Court was John Wainwright The pretended Cause was for 10 Thrave of Oates not of his own but of his Brother's John Haydock worth about 30 s. by them valued to 3 l. and something for smoak-Penny and Tithe of Hen and Geese which they pretend to be due for his Brother's Estate The said Roger Haydock is an unmarried Man and as a
Journey was of great Service to me in my young Days and indeed a Time of Service to many in that County many were Convinced that Journey and many young ones strengthned and refreshed many drawings about that time had he had into that County of Chester and of great Service it was the Lord wonderfully blessed his Labours and there remains many Seals of his Ministry amongst which was my dear Brother John Low who was Convinced of the Truth and lived and dyed in It a faithful Man also his dear Wife Children and Servants besides many that way at which the Priests began to Rage and prepare War because many refused to put into their Mouths and could Buy their Merchandize no more receiving the Invitation that was free Come buy Wine and Milk without Money and without Price It was a glorious Time indeed and by the plenteous Preaching of the Gospel the Lord opened many Hearts to receive it as he did the Heart of Lydia of old and the Word of God grew in our Hearts that had received it in Love and the Lord opened my Mouth and touched my Tongue as with a Live Coal from his Altar that I might testifie to that Word of Life that Converts the Heart and gives Understanding to the Simple In this Time was he very Helpful and of great Service to me being always ready to lend an Hand of Help to weak ones to promote every good Word and Work About that time I with my Cousin Elizabeth Hodson went to visit Friends in some parts of Yorkshire and he brought us on our way as far as Bradley where we had a good Meeting where William Ellis and some others were Convinced there he left us and we travelled some Weeks in that County and had good Service for Truth and returned Truth prospering and Zeal and Fervency for it in our Hearts encreased About this time the Lord raised a Concern of Love in our Hearts each to other relating to Marriage In which Concern we felt the Lord's special Hand to order us It continued betwixt us for the space of five Years we never Created Opportunities to discourse it nor any Journey on purpose was made about it during that Time yet in the Way of Providence we met together sometimes in which we had some Discourse the Lord still evidencing to us his good Pleasure therein in which time we laboured in our respective Gifts in the Work of the Ministry being truly united in Spirit and daily sensible of one another's Exercises though much absent one from another outwardly he being concerned in Travels in the Labour of the Gospel though much a Prisoner yet the Lord made way for the Work 's sake that he travelled in many Parts of this Nation both North and South as also through the Nation of Ireland where he took Sickness which was then some Exercise to me being at such a distance but the Lord shewed me that at that time he should not Dye and blessed be the Lord he returned well with the Reward of his Labours Peace and Satisfaction After that he stayed a while and visited the Churches up and down in England where the Lord wonderfully blessed his Labours many were convinced and turned to Christ Jesus their Teacher and the Convinced were strengthned and built up together in that most holy Faith which gives Victory over the World and when clear of these Services here he went up to London to the Yearly-Meeting and found drawings for Holland and Germany which after the Yearly-Meeting was over he faithfully answered together with Roger Longworth his Companion at that time the Lord greatly blessed his Labours and made them effectual to many the same time I was at London with him at the Yearly-Meeting where we were refreshed together being devoted to the Work and Service of God which the Lord blessed and us in it I with dear Mary Warrel travelled from London west-ward through several Counties as Hampshire Dorsetshire Devonshire as far as Plymouth so back to Bristol and homeward The Lord was with us and blessed our Labours and we return'd in Peace After our return Home my dear Friend returned back from Holland that Winter and about this time the Lord gave us to understand our Concern of Marriage was near to be accomplished betwixt us in which we had regard to the Lord's Hand and Counsel It was compleated the Spring following the 6th Day of the 3d Month 1682. before many faithful Friends and others the Lord 's glorious Presence and Power was with us as a Crown upon his Ordinance And as we had evidence in our selves of the Lord's hand with us guiding us in that Affair so the Lord raised up his Testimony in the Word of Life in others And I may further say The Lord who joyned us together blessed Us when together so that we lived in great Love and Peace 14 Years and five Days in which time we were never straitned one towards another always of one Heart and of one Mind purely knit together in the Covenant of Life so that the Grave hath not broken our Fellowship it goes beyond the Grave where we can enjoy the Spirits of the Just the Separation that is made is only of Bodies not of Spirits Praises to God therefore My dear Husband as he was a faithful Man so was he a growing Man doubled his Talents and encreased his Gifts both as a Minister and as a Help in Government in the Church who being very Skilful and Wise therein settled many Affairs comfortably in the Church not only in our own County but Neighbouring Counties I may say of him He was wholly redeemed from the World altogether the Lord's in all Respects given up to him I saw his Growth daily and sometime rejoyced in it yet in my Joy there was some Heaviness looking he was nigh the Perfection of his Gifts and in a little time must go to his Rewards The sence of this came upon me with Sorrow when he was last in Holland which occasioned me to turn over all Affairs to see whether I had given the Lord occasion to withdraw so great a Blessing from me but blessed be the Lord I found all Accounts straight and no Rebuke upon my Spirit any way having always given him to the Lord according to that Promise I made before I took him by the Hand before so many Witnesses which was To give him to the Lord as long as he lived which the great Lord before whom only I promised helped me to the performance of so that my Heart was never strait there through our time and I may further say as freely as I gave so freely was I given to the Lord my dear Husband often expressing his great Love to me above all Visibles as the best of enjoyment he had in this World yet would say I was not too dear to give up to serve the Truth because in it I was made a Blessing to him more comfortable every Day than other he would
Life who with those many more that were greatly supported and strengthened by his Labours as Living Epistles can set to their Seals to the Truth of his Apostleship Now our County being thus alarmed and stirred up and the beauty of many pleasant Pictures fading and Truth prospering and inlarging it self in many places The Men of the Long Robe begun to be angry for now some Member or Members withdrew from their Assemblies and joyned themselves to the poor despised Quakers This so inraged them that they made their Pulpits ring with the Noise of the Danger of the Growth and Infection of Quakerism and Exhibited their Black Charges against us and our Principles at random to frighten poor People from receiving the Truth of God Some of which being taken notice of occasioned several Publick Disputes in this County And in Vindicating of our Holy Profession against these our Opposers this our Friend of whom we are writing did more particularly appear And truly the Lord's Presence and Power appeared with and so enabled him that he not only clear'd up those Truths clouded through their Envy but so manifestly returned their Charges upon themselves that some were Convinced by those opportunities and several Confirmed In all which he behaved himself as a Man for God The Remembrance whereof is very sweet to many of us to this moment And indeed all along to his end he forgot not his Fatherly Care over us so that above many others we are really indebted to his Memory who hath been greatly Serviceable to us and hath done Valiantly His Travels have been considerable in this and foreign Nations of which we might inlarge but shall leave it to other Pens as also to speak of his Parts and Accomplishments which were very considerable And not to be tedious shall only add He Lived well and so he Died and his Work being finished was taken from us in the strength of his Age of whom the World was not worthy And was attended to his Grave by some Hundreds and many good and publick Testimonies were born to the Praise of that Power that had raised him up to be so serviceable to the Churches of Christ to the great Comfort of those many Mourners present at his Interment and he being Dead yet Speaketh Sign'd at our Quarterly-Meeting at Nulon-juxta Middlewich the 14th of September 1697 on the behalf of the Friends of this County By us Thomas Welch Sen. John Crosbey Thomas Rowland Richard Yarwood William Janney John Kennerly John Bradley John Bancroft Ralph Brock Thomas Buckley John Hobson Henry Murrey Joseph Maddock John Finnerley John Lamb Thomas Hyld Thomas Pott John Walker John Hough Shadrach Welch William Harrison John Merrick William Crames John Jarvis Thomas Butter Samuel Traford Thomas Welch Jun. Joseph Towers Peter Pricksley John Lorrance William Hancock Richard Davis Jacob Lawrance Hugh Buttler Esther Hall Mary Gandy Mary Hall Mary Bangs Eliz. Maddock Elinor Hyde Hannah Ashton Eliz. Williamson Elin Fornelly Ann Welch Mary Merrick Esther Crosbey Rachel Butter Rebekah Traford Ann Davis Katharine Lamb Martha Lamb Samuel Rilence Joseph Endon Hugh Burgis Tho. Williamson Roger Roe John Dutton William Hyde Richard Parkey Henry Maddock Benjamin Bangs Mary Peacock Maible Hancock Rebekah Pritchley Tabitha Ardern Rebekah Backley Ann Eaton Eliz. Ashbrook Eliz. Lawrance Martha Broadhurst Eleanor Cooke Esther Merrick Nehemy Bradley Hann. Littlemore Mary Worthington Margaret Garsell Elizabeth Welch Alice Rowland The Testimony of Thomas Camm concerning our dear Deceased Brother and Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ Roger Haydock IT is such as Die in the Lord who are Blessed being gathered to their Eternal Rest with the Spirits of Just Men made perfect and freed from Tears and Sorrows and manifold Sufferings Travels and Labours and whose Works follow them whose Names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life amongst the Living and is a sweet Savour and blessed Memorial to after-Ages And though we that are yet left behind may have loss in that they are outwardly removed from us yet ought therein to be content since it 's the good pleasure of the Almighty and the great Gain of them who are swallowed up in the Joy of the Lord unspeakable of which number it 's my present Sense and Testimony our dear Friend and Brother R. H. is one and has finished his Course here with Joy who in his day was a Man of God a faithful Man for the promoting the Interest of God his Truth and Righteousness given up to spend and be spent in the Service of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in all Faithfulness and Sincerity as well as plentifully Furnished thereto by him that hath the Infinite Treasures of Wisdom and Divine Knowledge and gives freely thereof to the Humble and Sincere in Heart and richly was this dear Man of God furnished for the Work of the Ministry which he was called to and found Faithful in for many Years to the finishing of his Course here and a Blessed Effect his Living and Powerful Ministry had upon the Hearts of many not only in turning them to the Lord's Way and Truth but also in Confirming Building up and Establishing many therein Being one of those Scribes commended by our Lord who are well instructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven and bringeth forth out of his Treasure things New and Old for the Instruction and Building up others many in this Nation and many others where he Travelled can Testifie and bear Witness unto Who are the Living Seals of his Ministry having good cause with thankful Hearts to bless the Lord on the behalf thereof It 's not with me to inlarge into the particular Travels and Labours of this Faithful Servant of the Lord in this and several other Nations supposing that may be the Work of others But as I well knew him and had an intimate and inward Acquaintance with him from the time that it pleased the great God of Eternal Glory to call sanctifie fit and furnish him to the Work of the Ministry which is most of Thirty Years by our often and frequent Travels together in that Work and Service in most parts of this Nation So that which I have in short to say and testifie herein with respect to God's Glory Service of his Truth and People and Discharge of Duty to and on the account of so Dear so Faithful and so greatly Beloved a Friend Brother and Companion is from Tried and long Experience and certain Knowledge as I felt it to spring and live upon my Mind in that Love and Life in which my Heart was firmly United to him as was Jonathan's to David Very shortly after I had the Heavy Tidings and Sorrowful Account of his being taken out of the Body and so removed from us as to outward Appearance under which Exercise I could not but mourn and say Ah my Brother I have a Loss of thee the Flock and Family of God has a Loss of thee and other Worthies at this time removed The Lord be intreated to
am compelled to pray Hypocritically and Dissemble with God and utter Untruths unto him I shall not be able to cover or conceal my Wickedness from the World if I get to Heaven it must be by this Trade of Begging Here observe Dissembling with God and uttering Untruths unto him praying Hypocritically Luke-warm Prayers Distraction in Prayer Compelling himself to Pray that he might conceal his Wickedness from the World hath been J. C's Practice whereby it is apparent J. C. was not partaker of the Spirit of Holiness nor acted by it in such services but is of another spirit than the Spirit of God That the Quakers mortally hate J. C. is a false slander for the Light in which the Quakers have believed and walk hath taught them to have true Love to God and good Will to all Men but to oppose wicked spirits and deny all Wickedness Now that spirit whereby J. C. hath been acted in Dissembling with God and uttering Untruths unto him in Dissembling with God and uttering Untruths unto him in belying the Light and the Children of it together with their pure and undefiled Religion in Blaspheming the Light of Christ the Spirit of God calling it Diana Dagon a Dumb Idol comparing it to a Drunken Coash-man c. is a wicked spirit which together with J. C's Wickedness viz. his Lyes Slanders Hpocrisie Confusion Blasphemy c. The Fruits thereof the Light which shineth in Man hath shined in and through the Quakers the Children of Light plentifully to discover and â—lay them open to the Readers view which wicked Spirit together with its Fruits the Quakers are Enemies to and perfected ly hate And that many of J. C's own Way who agree with him in Opinion Hate him is no new thing for formerly the Lord set the Enemies of his People one against another and one helped to destroy another 2 Chron. 20.22 23. And the Lord is the same who for his Israel's sake is dashing the Potsherds of the Earth one against another and hath appeared and is appearing against this J. C. who hath hardened his Heart as Pharaoh and the Egyptians hardened their Hearts and set himself against the Light and Children of Light to close again the Flood which hath been divided by the mighty Power of God for the Children of Light to pass through and overwhelm J. C. that as he doth appear to many to be a Minister of Death he may likewise so appear to all People For the Truth 's sake that no Lye may rest upon it and for the sakes of the simple-hearted where this may come is this written that such who can see may see that John Cheyney's Tongue hath risen up in Judgment against Israel and God hath confounded him And what I have written I do do commend to every Man's Conscience in the sight of God And concerning this J. C. do thus conclude That in him these Scriptures are fulfilled Psal 7.15.16 He made a Pit and digged it and is fallen into the Ditch which he made his Mischief shall return upon his own Head And to God who is on our side who hath taken the Wicked in his own Craftiness and fettered him in his own Net my Soul ascribes all the Praise to whom be Glory for ever and ever A Salutation to Friends of the Men and Womens Meetings DEarly beloved Friends Brethren and Sisters with whom my Soul hath precious Unity in the Seed of God and pure Fellowship in the Life of Righteousness unto you all beloved of God and right well beloved of my Soul In the abiding Love of God am I your dear Brother in the Tribulation and Patience of the Lamb in Life drawn forth to write unto you and express something of that Life and Love that is upon my Heart in a living as well as fresh remembrance of you to whom I give the endeared and truly cordial Salutation of right brotherly Love My very Heart is knit to you and in Spirit I am present with you beholding your comely Order I am verily refreshed in your Life and abundantly comforted in abiding Love my Soul honours you in the Lord you Elders of Israel and for your Humility my spirit saith That you are worthy of Praise Your Condescention one unto another in the Truth and to the Truth in whomsoever it appeared your giving way hath been and is clear demonstration to me you have sought Truth 's Honour and not your own and therefore my Soul praises God let it be so for ever the greatest amongst you serving the least the younger submitting to the elder submitting also one unto another Indeed your remembrance hath lived much upon me since I parted with you and Breathings to the God of my Life have run thorough me for your preservation and increase in Unity with the Lord God and one another And my dearly beloved a consideration of your preferring one another in the Truth whereby the Truth hath gained the Preheminence hath even melted my Heart into tenderness of Spirit I have said Let it be so for ever Of a truth I can say to the Praise of God who hath honoured you The good Order of the Gospel is amongst you and where ever yet I have Travelled and what Methods soever I have veiwed in the midst of all I on your behalf have blessed God for his Wisdom wherewith he hath endowed you I hope finding you praise worthy without offence I may speak thus much of you I can bear my Reccord you having Wisdom have done justly and having Mercy obtained have Mercy shewed and that which is a Pearl indeed you have walked humbly with your God If I may live again to see you and in a measure of the fulness of the Gospel come unto you in the full performance of the same Duty let my Soul find you In the mean while dearly beloved in humility dwell and the Grace and Peace of God be daily multiplied upon you and let your fervent breathings and earning desires be for one another and in a tender healing Spirit be you always found and evermore live together in Love and for me your younger Brother who am outwardly separated from you and bound in Spirit for Travel in the labour of the Gospel Let your breathings in Life to the God of Life be That God will be pleased to give me a door of Utterance and prosper the work in his hand He hath called and yet is calling into to the Praise of his own Glory Dear Friends a long Epistle I intend not you are Elders ruling well to whom double honour for the Works sake I can freely give Having eased my Heart a little not questioning but to be rightly understood by you and in Life's Record more fully so be read by you My Life greets you all together and my Soul salutes you one by one with a Kiss of Love the God of Israel overshadow you with his Glory for ever My dear Companion salutes you all And by this you may know that in a few
pour out a double Portion of his Spirit upon us lest behind and raise up many more that so his Work may become Prosperous in the Earth Amen Oh how Comfortable is the Remembrance of that perfect Love Nearness and Unity that we enjoyed together without the least Jarr which made our Service and Labour together very easie and pleasant and our Conversation together very sweet And know that he was Open-hearted Free and Faithful to his Friend a great Lover as well as Promoter of Love Peace and Concord amongst Brethren able in Advice sound in Judgment tender and kind to the Weak every way ready to serve and help the Needful in every respect of a truly Humble and Lowly Spirit giving Preference to others especially Elders although a Man that had a kind of Greatness or Presence in a Manly Carriage or Deportment from which some might mistake him that knew him not in the Root of Life and Truth Fervent in Spirit Zealous for the Promotion of the Interest of Truth in a Godly-Discipline and Gospel-Order amongst all Friends and his Care and Labour that all might be found in the Practice of the pure Religion professed That so Zion might become Glorious the Praise of the whole Earth and the Church and Family of God be kept Pure and Chaste to shine forth in her Splendor the Eclipsing whereof in any respect I know was ever his Exercise and under the Exercise thereof have simpathized with him in Sorrow and Mourning whom I knew esteemed of and preferred the Peace Prosperity Wellfare and Increase of the Glory of Zion God's People far above his own His Natural Parts were great and augmented by a good and liberal Education All which being Sanctified as well as Inlarged by the Power of Truth made him both Honourable and Serviceable in the Church of Christ in many respects And tho' he be Dead yet Lives and Speaks amongst us and is Enjoyed in that Life which never Ends. And as he has turned many to Righteousness he now shines as a bright Star in the Firmament of God's Power and his Name will be of Lasting Remembrance amongst the Living T. Camm H. M's Testimony concerning our dear and faithful Friend Roger Haydock Deceased AMongst many of the Lord's Worthies whom in this our Day Age and Generation he hath endued with Wisdom Courage Valour and Prevalency in Innocency and Righteousness to make War without Carnal Weapons against the Spiritual Enemies of God and of his Son Christ Jesus the Lamb without Blemish that taketh away the Sin of the World this our dear Friend Roger Haydock was not one of the least who before I knew him was at the Challenges of Priests that opposed the Truth to which he bore Testimony several times engaged in Disputations as Defendant for the Truth professed and lived in by him and the People called Quakers against the false Charges of the Priests One Passage whereof being related to me by one of the party adverse to him when I was a Stranger to the Truth and to Roger Haydock tended to my Convincement and in hopes it may likewise be of good effect to others I shall here insert it viz. My Neighbour told me he had been at a Dispute between Mr. Cheyney as he called him and a Quaker whom I have since known to be Roger Haydock and and that Cheyney among other things charged the Quakers for not using Baptism of Infants Then I asked him how the Quaker answered to that He said Indeed the Quaker behaved himself very moderately and civilly in his way and answered That there was no Proof in the Scriptures of Truth for it and that it was only Men's Invention and by Man's Tradition that they held it and considering how they used it who professed the Scriptures to be their Rule which did not warrant them therein it appeared in them to be ridiculous both before God and Man Then I asked him What Proof Cheyney brought for it He answered to this effect That he did not understand that Cheyney brought any Proof for it This Relation induced me to seek for what Proof could be found for it because I had been taught that my Infant-Baptism was the Foundation of my Christianity thereupon diligently searching the Scriptures and after that reasoning with my Teachers I plainly saw there was no Proof from the Scriptures nor Authority from Christ to be found for it and that therefore my Foundation was unsound and the Building upon it dangerous and ruinous Therefore in a deep Sense of my want of a Foundation that could not be moved I left the Builders upon Infant-Baptism and earnestly sought unto the Lord who in his own time Revealed in me that Foundation which standeth sure even the Rock of Ages the Foundation of all the Generations of the Righteous that great Mystery hid from many Professors which is Christ in Believers the Hope of their Glory who Baptizeth them with Spiritual Water and Fire a Manifestation of whose Spirit is given to every Man to profit withal which inwardly Reproveth the Disobedient but Comforteth the Faithful who in it have true Unity and Fellowship one with another And in this I was in the Lord's time acquainted with this my aforesaid dear Friend and faithful Servant of Christ whose Service the Lord made of good effect to me by the aforesaid Relation of one that was as an Adversary to him and that a considerable time before I knew him for about the time that I left the aforesaid Builders my Teachers he was concerned in the Lord's Service in Ireland in the Year 1680. He was Laborious in the Service to which the Lord by his Grace had called him and for which he had fitted him in giving him largely to know and understand the deep Mysteries of his Kingdom and filling his Treasure with the durable Riches and Righteousness thereof And as he plenteously and freely received of the Lord so it was his delight and great Concern in the Counsel of God freely to give and impart Spiritual Gifts to others that many might be enriched with the same And therefore through great Travels Sufferings and Exercises he cheerfully went in the Lord's Service who blessed his Labours so that he was Instrumental in the Lord's Hand for the turning of many from Darkness to Light and from Satan's Power to God He was neither sparing of Himself nor his Substance to serve the Lord the Giver who blessed him as well with Temporal as Spiritual Blessings of both which he was very free in the Love of God to communicate having an especial Care over the Poor that none might want and a tender respect to the least appearance of Good in any that it might be incouraged He was concerned for the general Good of all but especially Serviceable in the Church of Christ being as a Pillar in the House of God firm and stable supporting the Weak and edifying the Houshold in Love His Ministry attended by the Lord's Power hath often hit my Condition
aright to my benefit satisfaction and comfort He was a Skilful Labourer in God's Vineyard knowing as well how to refresh water and gather in due season as to prune and keep up the Fence He was a Skilful and Valiant Soldier of the Lamb in Innocency shooting God's Arrows aright against Babylon and his Bow abode in its Strength He was not afraid of the Archers that shot at him having on the Shield of Faith which repelled their envious Darts His Fighting was not with Carnal but Spiritual Weapons under the Banner of Christ his Captain which is Universal Love in which Love he was rooted and grounded and flourished like a fresh and fruitful Tree more and more to the end of his time I was with him at a Meeting the day next before his Sickness began being but three days before his departure in which Meeting the Lord's Wisdom and Power in a great measure appeared with him opening many excellent things by him and his Service therein was great treating very fully and clearly of the sundry Dispensations of God towards Mankind in the several Ages of the World according to the several States and Conditions thereof in order that Mankind that had been in a lost and estranged Estate in Transgression might come again to be reconciled unto and acquainted with God their Creator and with him enjoy Everlasting Peace and Happiness Shewing also That God who at sundry times and in divers manners by his Angels and Prophets spoke unto Mankind formerly hath in these last days spoken to his People by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things by whom also he made the World who in the fulness of time came in the Body prepared for him Born of the Virgin Mary in which he spoke and did many excellent things and suffered many things yea even unto Death leaving to all that should believe in him an Example that they should follow his steps who laid down his Life for their Reconciliation to God and Redemption from all Iniquity And also according to the Scriptures he very clearly and largely declared and testified That the largest clearest and most general and excellent Dispensation of God's Love in his Son Christ Jesus is as it was in the Apostles time in this our Age and Generation in and by the Light and Spirit of Christ manifested in and unto his People who walk in Faithfulness and Obedience thereunto to which he Exhorted all and the Praise and Glory of all he ascribed to God whose Honour he sought and not his own The substance of which sound Declaration and living Testimony by the Lord's Power that attended it was so Imprinted in my Mind and Memory that day that I believe I shall never forget it So the Lord who had made him comely both outwardly and inwardly and adorned him with a meek low and quiet Spirit and with Wisdom clearly to discern the deep things of God in a great measure and to divide the Word of Truth aright in tender Love and sound Judgment was with him to the end of his time and when he had accomplished his great Service which the Lord called him unto and accompanied him in and blessed with success to the good of many he having fought the good Fight and kept the Faith and finished his Course laid down his Head in Peace and Died in the Lord the righteous Judge whose Cross in his time he having cheerfully born now enjoyeth the Crown of Everlasting Life and Righteousness and being at rest from his Labours his Works follow him and the Testimony of his Works Writings and Services may be of Benefit and Service in the Generations to come and his sweet Memorial will Live with the Just for ever He Departed the 11th Day of the 3d Month 1696. Henry Mollineux Given forth the 19th of the 8th Month 1697. Christopher Winn 's Testimony concerning Dear Roger Haydock Deceased AS touching this my dearly beloved Friend I cannot easily be silent but express something in Testimony concerning him for a three fold Reason First Because the Lord made him an Instrument to Preach the Word by which my hard and unbelieving Heart was reached and tender'd for although I had heard the Truth preached before by some Friends yet it was no more than a Wonder to me remaining still in gainsaying until it pleased God by his Ministry to open my Heart to receive the Word spoken by him by his explaination of that Prayer our Lord taught his Disciples and shewing who had right to call God Father was I convinced at which I often marvelled remembring my Zeal in my young Years for the repeating of it according to Tradition yet so it seemed good to the All wise God in whom I have believed and do reverently Bless his Name for sending his Messenger of Glad-tidings to Proclaim the acceptable Day and Preach the Gospel for which at that time he suffer'd Bonds and Imprisonment having only obtained Liberty for a little season which he bestowed in visiting the Churches I am through Mercy amongst others a Seal of his Ministry which he was careful as well as prudent to adorn in Conversation using sometimes in familiar Discourse to say He that Preaches abroad let him Preach at home He was self-denying for the Truth 's sake he was always in a Care and often in Admonition lest any should dishonour the Truth by out-going or disorderly walking whose Expression sometimes was To Walk in Truth was better than to Talk of it Secondly Because of my knowledge of him after my Convincement it falling to my lot of later time to be a Member of that particular Meeting he belonged to in which time he shewed that in him had God settled a Care as well to Build up in the Faith as to beget to it helpful to further and promote Vertue in us all and in no wise Censorious as to the Testimony of young Friends nor frowning whether they appeared before or after him Yea further without boasting I may say he was a Man greatly fearing the Lord apt to Teach prudent to Advise as well as able to do it I observed in difficult matters few too hard for him but by that Wisdom that was in him he had strength to go thâ—ow it So that his Death was a Surprisal as well as a felt and known Loss to the Churches amongst whom he frequently conversed and because thereof was their Hearts affected with Sorrow It may appear by his Journal he made use of his time leaving Wife and Children and Temporal Affairs to visit the Churches in these and other Nations My Third and Last Reason that hath been a motive to give this brief Relation is That near and true Respect I bore towards him in his Service amongst us in so much that with a tendered Mind I now remember him and a sence of his Spirit my Heart tenders And though to him to Dye is Gain yet to us Loss But who may say to God What dost Thou Or Why is it
Thus But rather strengthen our selves in the Lord that we may according to our Membership be more capable to serve the Lord and his People as we had him and others for Examples it was a Portion of the Lord's Spirit that made him a Worthy in Israel that hath made me at this time thus Testifie of him so that I can say He being Dead yet speaketh God by his goodness grant to raise many such helps in Israel to the dignifying of his Name which this our dear deceased Friend sought Since I have known Truth above twenty Years and observed the Conversation of such as were in Christ before me I have beheld few if any more remote from self-Praise or Exaltation I believe while in this Tabernacle I shall not forget his Advice to me the first opportunity I had with him after I was convinced by him viz. Not to Attribute any thing to Man but give God the Glory and with what Reverence and Gravity these things were expressed his Humility at that time reached the better part in me and I hope will remain as a Nail fastned in a sure Place My Prayer to the Lord is that he may raise many such Ministers in his now Israel to the furtherance of his Name Truth and Holiness and that many may be willing as he was to spend and be spent to go to and fro that Knowledge may be increased What I have already testified of this my Father and Friend for in his Bonds he begat me hath eased my Spirit I loved him dearly in his Life and no less at his Death whose Savour reached to People of all sorts and his Death lamented I was several times with him in his Sickness and was concerned in Mind to go down a little before his Departure so that with many good Friends I was present and saw him put off this outward Tabernacle though to our Sorrow yet in a full perswasion that he died the Death of the Righteous prepared for that future felicity which a numberless Number is following after which neither Hell nor Death Beast or false Prophet shall be able to hinder Amen Amen Although I could further Amplify and Enlarge this my Testimony yet shall desist with Real and Ardent Desires to the Lord that he may order our Conversation aright and that all that names the Name of Jesus may depart from Iniquity and be sanctified to reign with the Righteous World without End Christopher Winn. Penkâ—th near Warrington in Lancashire the 3d of the 3d Month 1697. William Ellis's Testimony concerning dear Friend Roger Haydock I Have much in my Heart concerning our dear Friend Roger Haydock tho' I cannot express to the full what I know of him but however I shall say the less not questioning but that there are Testimonies in the Hearts of many Friends to his Worth and Faithfulness and Service in the Blessed and Holy Truth wherein we have believed and felt the Blessed Effects of our Faith to the great Comfort and Consolation of our Souls It was about twenty one Years the last 3d Month since I was Convinced of the Blessed Truth And though I have since that day had many Instructors in Christ yet I have not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus was I begotten by him through the Gospel and the Operation of the Holy Spirit which did Effectually open a door of Entrance in my Heart as it opened a door of Utterance unto him It was at a Meeting at Bradley near Skipton in Yorkshire where he declared the Day of God which was broken forth in this Age in great Splendor to Enlighten Mankind he spoke many things which reached the States of many in that day alluding from the State of Israel of old who passed through the Sea and saw the wondrous Works which the Lord wrought for their Deliverance yet some forgot him and made themselves Idols of their Jewels and Earings saying These be thy Gods O Israel who brought thee out of the Land of Egypt and then sat down to Eat and Drink and rose to Play With many more precious Words wherewith he did sound forth the glorious Gospel I was abundantly satisfied that day with what I had felt and heard So I took heed unto the Word in my Heart unto which I had been directed by him and it grew and Increased and my Faith Increased and I became according to my small Measure obedient thereunto and my Soul was in love with the Truth and the Followers thereof especially with him who had been the Instrument of publishing the same to me his Feet was indeed beautiful unto me and I could say in Truth Blessed be him that Cometh in the Name of the Lord I saw his Zeal and was sensible of the Sincerity of his Heart and Endeavours in his Life-time to promote to his utmost the great Name of God And when through Providence I came to be more Intimately Acquainted with him I was confirmed in my sense of him and his Love to God and Zeal for the Truth and have in many private Opportunities with him been abundantly satisfied in the sweet Society and Fellowship we have injoyed together and I am fully perswaded that his Root was in the Truth and that he was sensible that the Root bore him and he grew therein and laboured much to bring People to be established upon the Sure Rock Christ Jesus the Root of Life upon which the True Church is Built And I know his Labours in that Respect was great and the Lord saw his Faithfulness and poured out upon him the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding and of a sound Mind to promote Good Discipline and Comely Order in his Church that She might be like the True Church of Old which John spoke of under the Similitude of A Woman who was clothed with the Sun and had the Moon under her Feet Which Glory did far Excel the Glory that attended Solomon in his best State for the sake of which the Queen of the South came far and was overcome with the Sight thereof Thus did he Labour and Travel in his Day spending himself that the Church might be adorned with the Comely Attire and Ornaments of the Holy Spirit and that the Name of the Lord Jesus her Head might spread to the Ends of the Earth Blessed be the great God of Heaven and Earth that raised up him and many more who could hold the Sword and be Expert in the War like the Cant. 3.7 8. Threescore Valiant Men of Israel who kept the Bed of Solomon Or like the Judges 20.15 16. Men of Benjamin who could Sling to an Hairs Breadth and not miss The Lord Raise up more such Faithful Labourers in his Vineyard and give them Wisdom and Zeal to Train up those who shall believe in the Truth in sound Discipline as well as in Word and Doctrine that he may Restore unto the Churc◠〈◊〉 1.26 Judges as at the First and 〈◊〉 as at the Beginning that Men may call them The City of
Word of Eternal Life of which this our faithful Friend was a Minister to which work the Lord by his Grace had called him and he freely gave up and devoted himself to that Service for which the Lord had well fitted and qualified him and made him of great Ability through the Spirit giving him sound Knowledge and deep Discerning to find out the Mysterious Workings of the Enemy of Mankind so that he was very skillful to divide the Word of Truth aright And at that time there was great Service to be done for the Lord for then many had tender Desires after the Knowledge of God and were Seeking and Enquiring after the way of Truth which leadeth to Eternal Life and to such he was an Helper and faithful Instructor in the Lord Jesus and being zealously Careful that he might compleat the Work and Service that the Lord had called him unto and promote the Interest and Honour of God and be Instrumental for the good of many of the Children of Men He went under a great Concern and Exercise of Spirit through great Travels Sufferings and Labour of Body preaching the Gospel of Christ freely that many might be turned to God and gain the Knowledge of him and be gathered into the one Fold and Pasture of Eternal Life out of the By-Ways and Dark Paths and Vain Religions of the worldly-minded and so might know a coming out of Darkness and a walking in the true Light and way of Life and Righteousness that they might please their Creator and answer the end of his Love revealed in his Son and manifested in the Light And the Lord who imployed him in his Service blessed his endeavours therein for many received his Testimony and thereby were turned from Darkness to Light and out of the Paths of Error into the Way of Righteousness His Labours and Travels are in part declared by his Journal which sheweth his Travels in several Countries and Nations and sometimes amongst People of a strange Language A blessed work he went through in faithfulness unto the End He was a great Helper and of great Service in the Church of Christ and his Labours and Ministry therein were very successful he was often prevalent to end Differences and Discord where the Enemy had sown any amongst Brethren His Doctrine received of the Lord was sound and deep Matters were often opened by him and it was his delight to do Service for God and to help the good Work forward in any he being earnestly concerned that all that knew God might Glorifie him as God And the Lord blessed him whilst here with such Mercies as appertain to the making of a Man's Life Comfortable in this World which the Lord saw no doubt he was worthy of who richlâ— recompenseth all those that Love him and Seek his Honour and the Welfare of his Church as this our faithful Friend did and his Memorial will be long upon the Earth amongst the Generations of the Righteous I might write much concerning him and his Vertuous Life which was Comely and Honourable and of a loving and friendly Behaviour amongst Men His Company was Pleasant and Profitable and many were sorry to part with him But though his Removal hence be a loss to many yet I am well assured that he hath gained thereby and is in the enjoyment of Peace and of an endless Treasure in Heaven amongst the number of the Blessed with Christ in his Kingdom and being at rest from his Labours his Works follow him And it is my earnest desire that we who are left behind which is but for a little space may so improve our Time and Gifts that in the end we may have a Share of the same Reward that is laid up for all the Faithful James Laithwait A Brief Account c. An EPISTLE to FRIENDS of Blackrod Meeting IN Love unfained do I Salute you and in the Fear of God Exhort you to Faithfulness and in the Word of the Lord Counsel you To be Watchful in your Meetings that the weighty Work and Service of God which he hath concerned you in be not slighted by any of you through Unfaithfulness and want of Watchfulness Friends The Seed which God hath sown is good if you be watchful it will grow and prosper and cover the Ground and the Earth will be blessed But if you sleep the Enemy will sow Tares which will grow up with it and choke it so the Ground that affords them nourishment will be cursed This is the Word of Truth unto you so as in Love to the Seed which is good and in Bowels of Compassion to your Immortal Souls which are of great Price in the sight of God desiring the Seed's Prosperity and your Souls Good in the sense of its Suffering and of the Deprivation of God's Love unto you who in this Incumbent Duty of Watchfulness have been negligent it hath been upon me many times in the Motion of God's Spirit to Reprove your Negligence and likewise Exhort and Admonish you to Faithfulness in that Duty whilst conversant with you even so since remote from you outwardly separated and under Bonds restrained the sence of the Non-performance of that so weighty a Duty on your behalf who are herein concerned whereby God's Righteous Soul hath been vexed and the Spirit of the Upright and Sincere-hearted to God amongst you have been made sad hath sometimes come before me to my grief and yet remaineth in my view to the saddening of my Spirit who am truly a well-wisher of Zion and one though outwardly confined yet travels for the Prosperity of Jerusalem in Spirit which is at liberty which Man cannot confine Therefore it entered my Heart in the Word of Truth to signifie God's Counsel unto you That ye be watchful that the good Seed which God hath sown may grow deeply having depth of Earth even room in the honest Heart that it may bring forth in some Thirty in some Sixty in some an Hundred fold but in all of you some to his Praise lest the Enemy sow his Seed and it grow and the Ground be nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned And Friends another word hath often run thorough me when present with you That you Love one another and the same word is in me though I be from you whereby I know the Cause yet remains in you And truly I may take up a Lamentation for you who are concerned who will not be counselled How often hath the Lord striven with you How often hath his Word been spoken unto you And how often hath his Servants laboured amongst you And do you yet live in Strife and Contention Truly I am sorry for you and that the precious Truth is dishonoured by you it is a grief upon my Spirit and upon the Spirits of the Upright-hearted among you If therefore you have an Ear to hear hear put away Strife Envy and Contention and labour a Reconciliation in the Love if so be the Lord's Anger may be appealed
This is so evident a Truth that whosoever hath an Eye to see with may run and read And for his saying We wickedly oppose the Spirit and his Holy Laws I say He wickedly Belyes and Slanders us for we own the Spirit in its place and the Scriptures in their place not opposing them And whereas he saith He quickly silenced me It is a Lye like the rest and he that published it is a Lyar whom having rebuked for it I leave it J. C. page 18. saith As to Matters of Practice he did before all the Assembly charge and prove them to be such as Paul describes Rom. 16.17 18. Men that serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own Belly and by good Words and fair Speeches deceive the Hearts of the Simple Reply That J. C. did charge the Quakers to be such as Paul describes c. I grant it being the second of the seven Charges in his fore-cited Paper of Charge that was disputed upon that day but that J. C. proved the Quakers to be such I deny and at the Dispute did sufficiently clear the People called Quakers from that wicked Slander and impious Change wherewith J. C. most impudently Charged them But J. C. relates the Argument whereby he proved as he vainly imagines the Charge against us in that we are Apostates and Turn-coats from the true Faith This is his Argument Reply That we are Apostates and Turn-coats from the true Faith is a Charge as false as the other which he intended this to have been an Argument to prove and this hath been J. C's accustomed way in essaying to prove his Charges against the Quakers viz. One false Charge by another Charge no more true than the former The true Faith is the Gift of God this we are not turned from it is delivered unto us as it was delivered unto the Saints it was their Victory and is our Victory even our Faith our Faith stands in God's Power we live by it The Just shall live by Faith Hab. 2.4 This is the true Faith by which the Just lives we are turned from such as have not the One Faith Ephes 4.5 For all Men have not Faith 2 Thess 3.2 And from such who having in some things the Form of Godliness but deny the Power thereof according as the Apostle exhorted some in his day 2 Tim. 3.5 And we are justified by the Lord in so doing So that J. C's Argument is a false wicked Charge we are not turned from the true Faith but from such as have it not But J. C. says He did with sober compassionate Zeal and a warm affected Heart make Challenge to R. H. to give any one Reason for their Apostacy Reply Sober Compassionate Zeal c. J. C. might well have omitted to mention who rather appeared sometimes that day like a Stage-Player than a sober Disputant I might say like one acting the Fool 's part in a Play at times he rather behaved himself than like a moderate Man such words as these in an airy spirit he vented forth I 'll be with thee anon Thou hadst better have kept that word in Thou hast now put a Weapon into my Hand I never thought of with these and the like Expressions stirring up some People to Laughter and putting them into an Expectation he would do some great Matter But alas Their foolish vain Hopes with his fond Conceit were both frustrated for when he had room to speak he acted but like a Fool with his wooden Sword made a Vapour but effected nothing save Shame to himself Now as to his Challenging me to give any one Reason for our Apostacy I answer No wise Man can expect that I should give any one Reason for our Apostacy who are not Apostatized but have the Evidence of God's Spirit that we have the Faith delivered unto us that was delivered unto the Saints for that were to give a Reason for what we are not Nay I am perswaded none but a Novice or a Fool would require it But this is not the first Distraction besides his being Distracted in Prayer J. C. hath run into J. C. saith R. H could give no Reason at all nor had any mind to argue it but shifted it off That the Quakers Religion Ministry Worship and Churches were opposite to theirs And if his Reader will take his word for it he saith He hath given R. H. and his Fellows an Argument at Croton which could not be answered or gainsaid by any of them then nor can they ever answer it Reply That the Quakers Religion Ministry Worship and Church are opposite to J. C's Religion Ministry Worship and Church J. C. hath asserted and if he do believe it what needs further Proof But would not J. C. have been shifting from the Charge and broaching new Matter He would sometimes have been begging the Question to have wrested me from the Charge but keeping him to the Point not giving him leave to Catechise me having put him upon the Proof of his Charge I kept him to it not suffering him to start new Arguments to lead from it he failed in Proof and came off with Infamy As to the Argument at Croton it was there gain-said and answered therefore J. C. is a Lyar who said It could not be answered or gain-said the Invalidity of which Argument may be seen in the former part of this Treatise where I have run it through J. C. saith He repeated the same Argument at Arley Dispute but that I declined the Arguing of it and was utterly unable to maintain my own Religion and to take off the Charge That the Quakers are Belly-gods and Flesh-servers Reply I declined not the Argument for the Validity of it but because it led from the Charge J. C. had undertaken to prove viz. That the Quakers were Belly-gods c. And it being gain said and answered already I shall pass it by only note to the Reader that J. C. said at Croton You own'd the Doctrine which was according to the Ten Commandments Lord's Prayer and Creed To which I replied The Doctrine of the Commandments which is To love God with all the Heart with all the Soul Might and Strength is owned by us and the Doctrine of the Lord's Prayer which is That the Will of God may be done in Earth as it is in Heaven we also own But that you who preach this for Doctrine live up to it we deny and therefore are turned from you And as to the Creed we believe in God and in Christ To this J. C. replied not I suppose that in all his Notes he had nothing writ in Defence of his Cause in this point and perhaps being accustomed to lean upon his Crutch he would not venture to go without it But however it was whether he would not or could not I shall leave it with the Impartial Reader to judge Yet sure I am his Silence was so far a Consent to my Assertion that all unbiassed Hearers could do no less
Lord of Lords the Almighty God blessed over all for ever and for evermore So then the Quakers ever were and are clear from teaching Rebellion or Treason against the King or his Government And is it not plain their Principle and Practice is to do good unto all Men whether Rulers or Ruled as much as in them lieth And is it not plain that J. C. who thus wickedly slanders and belyes the Quakers is a Man of that spirit who would drink up the Quakers Blood and remove them out of the King's Government if it were but in his Power But Limits are set for the proud Waves and the high Thoughts of the Hypocrites shall perish and they that walk in the Light shall be saved and all their Goings established The Light and Spirit of Christ wherein the Quakers walk by which they are taught and led leads and teaches them to fulfil the fifth Commandment by giving Honour to Parents in the Lord and obeying them in all things that is well-pleasing to the Lord in which they feel the Promise of God Eternal Life and so they make not void the fifth Commandment as J. C. wickedly saith Neither doth the Light and Spirit of Christ wherein the Quakers walk by which they are taught and led teach them to abolish the Scriptures nor subvert the Rule of Duty between Masters and Servants between Husbands and Wives between Parents and Children between Ministers and People as J. C. hath slandered the Quakers But the Light leads and teaches the Quakers to live the Life the Scriptures declare of to the fulfilling of them and to inform Masters and Servants Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Ministers and People of the Rule of their Duty to God and one another by turning their Minds from Darkness to Light that God placing his Fear in their Hearts and ordering them all by his Light and Spirit in their inward Parts they might all know the Rule of their Duty and walk in it one towards another and so exalt it by walking in it and living the Life of it before one another and to exhort them that are turned to the Light to walk in it and do their Duty to God and one another fully that the Life of Love and Purity may shine through them all over all to the Glory of God And therein to wit the Light and Spirit of Christ Masters walking will forbear threatning their Servants and do unto them that which is just and equal knowing their Master is Christ with whom there is no Injustice nor Oppression Servants therein walking will be obedient to their Masters in all things not with Eye-service as Men-pleasers but as the Servants of Christ doing the Will of God in singleness of Heart knowing that of the Lord they shall receive the Reward of the Inheritance Peace with God Husbands therein walking will love their Wives as their own Body for he that loveth his Wife loveth himself Wives therein walking will submit themselves unto their Husbands and to them be subject as it is comely in the Lord And both Husbands and Wives will then live together in Love as they are Heixs together of the Grace of Life 1 Pet. 3.7 Parents therein walking will not provoke their Children to Wrath but bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. Children therein walking will obey their Parents in all things that is well-pleasing to the Lord. Ministers therein walking every one as they have received the Gift from God will minister and speak as the Oracle of God that God in all things may be glorified and be blameless and pure holy Ministers of Christ without Rebuke shining as Lights in the World People therein walking will be at Peace among themselves and patient towards all Men and have the Ministers of Christ in Esteem and Love for their Work 's sake who admonish and labour in the Power of God amongst them and declare the Word of Truth to them over whom they have a Care and Oversight in the Lord being of that Faith which gives Victory over the World the end of whose Conversation is Eternal Life So then in the Light and Spirit of Christ all that believe and walk perform their Duty to God to one another and to all People and honour and exalt the Everlasting Rule in living a Life unspotted of the World and so of God are abundantly blessed Neither doth the Light and Spirit of Christ wherein the Quakers walk and by which they are taught and led lead and teach them to pluck down Prayer Root and Branch or pray none at all or to pray Curses and Blasphemies as J. C. wickedly slanders them But it viz. the Light leads and teaches the Quakers to pray to God aright to pray in the Holy Ghost for of themselves they know not how to pray as they ought to pray but the Spirit it self maketh request for them according to the Will of God and they do pray to God in Spirit and with an Understanding and God who is Light who is a Spirit hears them and answers their Prayers and is a Father unto them and daily gives them that thing which is convenient and feeds them with the Bread of Life which is their Meat indeed whereby they are strengthned to perform in all things the Will of God and renews their Love and Obedience to God the earnest of whose Spirit is in their Hearts assuring them of an Inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ for the full enjoyment and possession of which they daily pray to God in his Spirit to preserve them and keep them worthy to the end that they may fully inherit that Crown of Glory which God in his appointed time will put upon all them that sincerely and fully love him And so Prayer by the Quakers Doctrine and also by their Practice is to God to be put up and offered in the Spirit of God by all that truly fear God and the Rule of that Prayer which God hears and answers is God's Spirit and in the Spirit of God the Rule all that pray to God bless God and speak well of his Name and exalt God the Light the true Light Lord of all over all and finds with God Acceptance and are of God blessed with Eternal Life Neither doth the Light and Spirit of Christ wherein the Quakers walk and by which they are led and taught lead and teach the Quakers to say Every Man may make as good if not a better Bible than this we have or affirm The Light in every Man to be a part of God as a Drop of Water fetcht from the Ocean is part of it as J. C. falsly accuseth them but the Light leads and teaches Quakers to say The Light in every Man wherewith Christ hath enlightned all Men is the Life of the Word the Spirit of God and Christ proceeding from God of God's Essence not divided from God as a Drop of Water may be from the Ocean For the Essence and God-head cannot be
which is kindled against you because of these things and you perish not in his hot Displeasure And Friends You who are Called and Chosen and Faithful for a Remnant of such I know there is amongst you who keep your Garments unspotted of the World answering the Pure in all Dwell you in the Feeling of the weighty Life which hath seasoned you that in it you may Read me Feel me and Embrace me in the Arm of my Father's Love even as you are Read Felt and Embraced that tho' outwardly separated yet in that Inseparable Bond of Unity in which we are One and our place One even with the Son to behold his Glory we may lie down together and Solace our selves together in the Overcoming of our Father's Love whose Care is over us and whose Love flows towards us To whom be Glory for Ever and Ever Your Brother in true Love R. Haydock Lancaster-Castle the 2d of the 8th Month 1674. THE SKIRMISHER CONFOUNDED Being a Collection of several Passages taken out of some Books of John Cheyney's who stiles himself The Author of the Skirmish upon Quakerism In which is the Baseness Wickedness Contradictions Lyes Hypocrisie Unbelief Confusion and Blasphemy of that Skirmishing Priest Discovered and He Laid Open to the View of every one who shall read with a Single Eye Collected by a Friend to the Truth and a Well-wisher to the Souls of all People ROGER HAYDOCK Isa 54.17 No Weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper and every Tongue that shall rise up in judgment against thee thou shalt condemn This is the Heritage of the Servants of the Lord and their Righteousness is of me saith the Lord. Psalm 7.15 He made a Pit and digged it and is fallen into the Ditch which he made London Printed and Sold by T. Sowle 1699. THE SKIRMISHER Confounded c. JOhn Cheyney in his Book entituled A Call to Prayer c. in the Preface to the Reader saith thus I would be loth to fasten any Error upon any Person which I can perceive him not to hold and I would Candidly Interpret all Words so far as I can with Conscience and Justice to the Truth The next Page of the same Preface to the Reader thus I do not know 〈◊〉 by their Opinion of the Light within Devils and Damned Souls may be saved In his Book entituled The Skirmish c. p. 4. Penn 's Position doth justifie the Irish Rebellion the French Massacre the Marian Persecution the Ten Persecutions of the Primitive Churches the Gun-Powder Treason P. 13. of the same Book I would be glad to make the best I can of your Position Auimadversion Can there be greater Baseness than under pretence of Candor to be thus Absurd Is it not great wickedness in this Skirmisher to make such Ungodly Consequences of so Harmless a Position and yet afterwards say He would be glad to make the best he can of it Here followeth the PRIEST's Contradictions John Cheyney The Skirmisher against OR fighting John Cheyney Himself Assertion 1. CAll to Prayer p. 117. I dar◠say let the Light within alone and say nothing to it and it shall never move any Quaker or ungodly Soul to pray till Death or the Flames of Hell shall awake them 2. P. 119. A Quaker or any other may live a secure Flesh-pleasing Life all his Days and never have one effectual Motion to Prayer if he be ruled by the Light within 3. P. 119. The Quakers could hardly devise a more sin-pleasing Doctrine than never to pray without a Motion from the Light within 4. P. 109. Their grand Principle of the Light within is not consistent with Right Prayer 5. P. 76. The Spirit of God is a Spirit of Supplication he commands and moves to Prayer p. 20. The Spirit doth intercede in us we could do nothing without the special Help of God's Spirit without the special Help of God's Spirit we can do no Spiritual Work 6. Quakerism Subverted p. 18. The Light within tells me there is a God 7. Skirmish p. 13. The Light within which should be Man's Guide takes part with the Flesh and Satan against God 8. Call to Pray p. 111. They are no People of Prayer and make no use of Prayer P. 101. A Prayerless People of a Prayerless Religion Prayerless Pretenders to Holiness 9. Skirmish p. 13. If the Scriptures go farewell God and Christ and Heaven and all Law and Rule 10. O Lord thou know'st that I am what I profess my self to be Thy Servant sincere and upright John Cheyney Contradiction 1. CAll to Prayer p. 119. For though the Light may move yet it will be but a weak Motion and the Motion of the Darkness or Fleshly Part will overcome 2. P. 119. That which should Move them to Prayer the Light within is over-powered by the Darkness 3. P. 118. I 'll tell thee what keeps me from Prayer when my Conscience and the Light within moves me to Prayer my Sloth and Laziness my Deadness want of Life and Hunger and Spirit in my Soul 4. P. 3 4. Right Prayer is not meer Words nor a meer Work of Nature nor bare Humane Industry and Striving without the special Grace and Concurrence of God 5. P. 115. Their great Assertion that Prayer is not to be done without the Motion of the Light within some have confessed they never Prayed without the Motion from the Spirit of God P. 98. You need no Motion of the Spirit to tell you when to feed and cloath your Bodies but you need a Motion from the Spirit to put you upon to dress and feed your Souls 6. P. 101. Trust not that blind deceitful Guide within you the Light within you left it lead you into Everlasting Darkness 7. P. 61. When God and Conscience have called to this Duty a lazy carcarnal self 〈…〉 Mind has kept us away 8. P. 114. If Report be true when they do Pray for I have heard and believe that sometimes they Pray 9. P. 62. Must a hungry Man need a Scripture to tell him how often he must Eat No more doth a hungry Soul need a Scripture to tell him how often he must Pray Besides these Contradictions out of his Books I shall add one more out of two Manuscripts written with his own Hand which I think he will not deny and I am certain in this he hath no cause to blame the Printer as sometime he did but if he denies it I can both produce and prove it 10. Given forth by a weak Believing Christian and Disobedient Servant of Christ John Cheyney I shall here set down some of his Confessions to the Light Grace and Spirit of God and then discover his Lyes c. Pag. 120. THE Light then prevails Habitually and there is a kind of continual Exercise of the Soul by Internal Prayer Pag. 122. The Soul and Heart of Prayer is within seen to God Pag. 4. There is a great deal of Praying outwardly which is not right and sincere Praying outwardly Balling