Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	grace_n	great_a	soul_n	4,875	5	4.7291	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50259	A novelty: or, a government of vvomen distinct from men, erected amoungst some of the people, call'd Quakers. Detected in an epistle, occasionally written to a man-judge, upon a young man's refusing (for good conscience sake) to submit to their authority in marriage, seeing that relations and friends were already satisfied. To which is added, a lamentation for the fall of so many of that people. Published for no other end, but to deter all honest hearts of the said people, from erecting the like unscriptural government. Tho' this may not so far prevail with such women as has a secret command of their husbands purses; together with those preachers that reap profit by such a female government, as to consent to the disanulling the same. Written by William Mather, a dear lover of the said people, who has for several years been much troubled, that some of them should fall from there primitive institution, as to set up women's and men's meetings, as guides in government, ... .	Mather, W. (William), fl. 1695.	1694 (1694)	Wing M1284C; ESTC R221850	22,580	23

a Man's amendment is to desire his good Answ True But had the young Man any fault besides his non submission to a Female Government T. H. A Scoff not solid enough for one professing Truth Answ What because I desired thee to let me know how the Women Judges did to bear it that a young Man could not own their Authority T. H. It s well they do some good meaning the Women Judges Answ That is their Gists to the Poor yea its good in rich Widows and also in married Women when their Husbands are uncapable to do it themselves and if that 's all the good they do they had better lay down their Authority and not leave their business Monthly and Quarterly to no purpose T. H. It s well thou hast so much Charity cherish it and it may grow Answ Thou praises me for my Charity in not desiring to ●●ir up Wrath or Choler in thee but my Charity extends further for I have all along been very free to entertain any of your formal Preachers rejoyeing at the exaltation of Christ's Grace in each Soul when they declare the power and virtue thereof in this dark Town of Bedford but if they build up with one hand and throw down with the other hand by setting up other Guides besides Christ's Grace they are returned into Babylon But to the great grief of my Soul I find that most of such Teachers are for Preaching chiefly to such People as do already witness their true Teacher in themselves when our dear Saviour respected neither Time or Places who did instruct the People where they were most Congregated together And those he now sends forth would certainly be of the same mind if his good Spirit was their Guide If you are not for the Exaltation of Men Judges why was there about 10 Preachers at one Meeting in Huntington lately to the grief of some because Geo. Whitehead was there that day T. H. I know not any such imposers amongst us but submission to the Coun●●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is good Answ I admire thy Confidence to say Thou knowest no such Imposers amongst you Can you inflict greater punishment upon a Non-Conformist to Women Counsel than to tell their Friends such are Libertines Atheists and not of God Could ever any Imposers go further Except they had power to cast into Prison What is more dear to a Man than a good Name as to this World And I further ask thee Whether there be any other Truth besides the Grace of God in our own Hearts which we are to submit to T. H. Opinions are too numerous Truth is one in all Answ If my Opinion in advising thee and thy Brethren in the Letter above to come to that good Order or Practice of Friends as in the beginning was not according to the Truth or Grace of God why didst thou not disprove it in this thy pretended Answer And as Truth is one in all as thou sayest Why do you Judge it in others But rather leave every one to stand or fall as they obey it and if any disobey the Truth or Grace in themselves you that are Spiritual should tell them of it but force by scandalizing the Disobedient is not the way to win them to Obedience to the Truth in themselves T. H. Look into Bedfordshire Paper of Prescription for Order and there thou may find good Advice many Years since Answ I know nothing of what 's in it But if any Persons has taken upon themselves to draw Prescriptions or Orders contrary to the Holy Scriptures as a Bond upon all others to obey the same that 's nothing to me I am not to follow a Multitude into Innovations Our Preachers has already told us That God's Grace in each Soul is to be the only Leader into all Truth which through God's great Love is witnessed to be so So that if they are gone from that and design to exalt themselves as Guides we know better things therefore it is more safer to follow our true and inward Teacher than weak Man who is so apt to degenerate from their Primitive Institution T. H. Friend William Mather my Advice to thee for Truth sake is be still and quiet Answ Who can hold their peace while Women and Men-Judges exalt themselves in Authority above all that is called good in the Innocent and while you have your Formal Preachers or 〈◊〉 to travel through the Nation whispering into the Ears of poor people that such and such Persons are fallen from the Truth when in reality you can find no fault in them but their Non-conformity to a Female Government c. T. H. And what it is in thee that Judgeth others Answ As I hear I Judge Now every Man ought to compare the Doctrine of that Age wherein he lives with no other Doctrine than that which was out of all question spotless which is the Doctrine of the Apostles W. S. Ad. to Protestants p. 162. T. H. I love not Controversie but Peace and Truth and desire therein to grow Answ Neither do I love Controversie my labour only is that all may lay down their honour at the Foot-stool of Christ's Grace T. H. Our Labour and Travail in attending our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings is to preserve and keep and bring into Order Christ's Spiritual Government Answ Who was it first that put poor Innocent VVomen upon Travail several Miles Monthly and Quarterly was it not Ambitious Men If thou wast not ashamed of their Authority sure thou wouldest have given me one Scripture proof for it if thou could Dost thou think that the VVisdom of VVomen or Men can bring in Order Christ's Spiritual Government No no It 's his Spirit that can only do it T. H. That all may be preserved out of Miscarriages you set up this Government and the precious Truth set over all Answ That Christ the precious Truth may be set over all is all that I labour for If over all then over all your Meetings of Government Can any thing preserve out of Miscarriages besides God's Grace the precious Truth VVhat is there never a Spiritual-minded Man or VVoman in a Reli●●ous Meeting that sees a Fault in another that cannot tell the party thereof privately at the end of the Meeting or go to their 〈◊〉 to tell them 〈◊〉 Matt. 18. but must Summon him or her to 〈◊〉 little private Meeting Monthly I know not how many Miles off their Dwe●●ings T. H. Wait in God's Fear to know thy self Answ I praise God he has kept me in his Fear from my Childhood and have so far denyed self that I could not enter into Self-Exaltation by joyning with your Authority in Government though I have been often invited so to do So that many of you that have Reigned so long scorn to be told of your Arbitrary proceedings yea he that shall but tell you how you err you will account him an Imposer though the Name most properly belong to you as I have before proved it Good God! Can we put no Trust in Man Hast not thou raised up one Religious Society after another who begun well whilest they took Counsel only of thy good Spirit in their Hearts kept their first Love But it s greatly to be lamented to behold most Societies choose other Governours besides Thy Spirit and so come to divide in about Thirty Years after thou hast raised them O Lord I pray Thee look upon this People with an Eye of pity to whom thou hast given large gifts turn their hearts to Thy Grace more and more that they may no longer take Glory to themselves and pride themselves with thy Jewels that another People take not their Crowns for thy dear Son's sake To whom be all Honour c. FINIS

unto all the Works of His Hand Had not our dear Saviour Love and Mercy for one that had Seven Devils And shall not those that profess to be his Disciples have the same Love to all Because no Man dwell in God no longer than he dwells in Love to all overcoming Evil by the good Grace of Christ Jesu● But to come somewhat 〈…〉 not God 〈…〉 your 〈…〉 Then why do you set Self-Exaltation before it For the Love you have to Rule by your means over Innocent Hearts But I still hope that the young Convinced will 〈◊〉 by 〈…〉 God 's Grace he has given them to the beginning 〈…〉 a harmless and Innocent People and was not for 〈…〉 Oh! ye arbitrary Judges what think you Was not 〈…〉 Man W. P. ashamed to mention this 〈…〉 in Page 31. of his Key Wherein he 〈◊〉 not your 〈…〉 Government to please you that Love Dominion 〈…〉 wise in that fearing I suppose the World 〈…〉 ●●deed well they might having never heard before 〈…〉 Women must be advised with before Marriage 〈…〉 of Men and Women together and the Resui●●… to be 〈…〉 Devil And the greatest wonder of all is That such a Government should be practised amongst a People that profess Do not you yet see your Apostane that every Individual Man and Woman should have no other Guide besides Christ's Inward and Spiritual Grace But if you now say to me as G. F. said to me and T. H. in a Discourse with him till near Mid-night about the said Arbitrary Government You do not deserve to have Wives saith he * The best Argument that ever they could give for Womens Meetings you speak so much against Women To say the Truth this was the best Argument he could give us for his unscriptural Female Government Though it s well known we love our Wives as true Christians ought to do Nor are we against a Woman's Declaring in a Religious Meeting what God has done for her Soul by silently waiting at the Feet of Jesus as Mary did that is in his Inward and Spiritual Grace Nor are we against Women meeting by themselves upon a particular occasion but not monthly for Government Nor are we against Men's Meetings upon urgent Occasion between themselves so as they Judge no other Person or Persons who has not chosen them Judges or Arbitrators Seeing God has placed the Civil Magistrates over us The Civil Magistrates are not to be reiected who indeavour to preserve us in Peace to whom we are to submit in all things that 's not contrary to the Conscience which is Rectified by God's Grace Rom. 13. Oh! Call to mind the Severity of that Spirit that has and still doth act in too many of you How many Souls have you as it were slain by Judging and thereby driven into the troubled Sea of Man's Wrath You create Opposers by your unfaithfullness and being so driven by you thither you laying aside Christ's Love can do no other than oppose you then you do truly call them Apostates when you were the Cause for want of Love Though the Truth is None can no longer stand faithful than their Ever to God's Grace Your A●●●gs have barr'd many Souls from owning the Truth and has given strength to the Atheists The present Civil Magistrates have out done you in Love to all The 〈…〉 imposing Spirit they were to blame also themselves because they let go the Strength they had in God's Grace and so suffered Man's Wrath and Envy to separate them from the Love of God in Christ Jesus through your Censors Likewise how many Souls by your Imperious Government have you barr'd from Inquiring after the Truth is too well known to some Oh! unnatural not to give that Liberty to some called with you Quakers in things not sinful as the present Civil Magistrates gives us all This is not doing as you would be delt by Think you that God will not Judge you for these things Let Self-Interest no longer blind your Eyes Oh! the Cruelty of this imposing Spirit when God does not chain it down how many Thousands of Souls and Bodies has it destroyed which no Man can number being yet lodged in the hearts of Ambitious Women and Ambitious Men the same Spirit it is that now judges 〈◊〉 of the Devil that conforms not to their Wills Orders Ceremonies 〈◊〉 Will you not yet say that such Priests are more to be commended than you who do not impose upon a Couple that are about to marry any Ceremonies against their Consciences some Priests out-do you in Love How often have you troubled a Couple for refusing to submit to a Female Government in Marriage and enjoyning some scarce of Ability to travel many Miles and often at their own charge to your private Women's Meetings and Men's Meetings which have been so wearied with Journeys and needless Delays tho' Relations were satisfied who to rid themselves of the trouble of waiting upon you any longer Judging all not of God as conform not to Women's Meetings in Marriage when the Scriptures enjoyns not your Ceremony have gone to a Priest upon the account of Marriage Then have you not presently judged them gone from the Truth having recorded some as I am inform'd Apostates to Generations to come for so doing that obeyed not your Wills in Men's Meetings when you were the cause for their so doing and will not own them of the Truth until such time as they condemn themselves for so doing Oh! what a mighty Stress you lay upon the Ceremony of Women's Meetings in Marriage as to account all that oppose or approve not of it fallen from God When some of you will sometimes say why do you scruple such an indifferent thing as to propose your Intention of Marriage to a Woman's Meeting and a Man's Meeting Jesus did not hate his Brethren that did not believe in him Joh. 7.5 without Women And some again do say That the Scriptures leaves all People free as to the manner of their Marriage so as they enter into that Estate in the fear of God before sufficient Witnesses I do remember that a Person one of the greatest Sticklers for the promoting of your Government of Women and Men's Meetings once said to me It was the everlasting Government of which there would be no end Were you not blind to say your Government would stand for ever but since thro' God's Mercy his Eyes are opened and now plainly sees it has been the Root from whence so many Divisions has sprung among you the said Person has not yet lost being call'd a Quaker I have asked some Couples newly married why they did propose their Intention of Marriage to a Meeting of Women and then to a Meeting of Men knowing the trouble that others have gone through by so doing seeing you knew you were clear from all Engagements to any other in this Kind and that your Relations and Friends had been long satisfied The weakness

in Heart What an Elder is and how to be qualified Lowly in Spirit Chaste in Life Virtuous in all Conversation full of Self denial Long-Suffering and Patient not only forgiving but loving their very Enemies one that rules his Children and his own House well his Wife if any grave not proud nor slanderous sober and faithful in all things 1 Tim. 3.4 2 Tim. 2.24 Now I appeal to every Conscience that is cleansed by God's Grace whither if any Man take upon himself to be an Elder or Teacher in a Meeting Good Morality is more acceptable to God than Formalists See P. 58. in the fourth Edition of my Young Man's Companion Also see a Character of a True Christian P. 74. and is not qualified as aforesaid be not a Usurper God in Mercy to the Innocent has often curb'd the said Imposing Spirit and will more and more I doubt not chain it down for ever which he has already in Mercy done out of many Souls praised be his Name for it God is a zealous God he will not give his Honour to a Meeting of VVomen or Men Judges having committed all Judgment in things relating to a good Conscience unto his Son Christ Jesus and so fas has begun to open the Eyes of his faithful People People will not much longer be blinded by Man for a great Assembly may err as well as a little one that they shall not be so blind to believe that a very large Meeting of VVomen or Men can give an Infallible Judgment in things that others shall be bound to believe and obey as to a Ceremony or the Judging of a Man Not to be of God when they have not proved he has sinned against God For if the greatness of the Assembly must carry it as one of your Preachers said to me how could such a number be mistaken Then the Turks or Papists cannot number you in Assemblies But have you not a way beyond all others to exercise your Authority most hiddenly A hidden Power to blow up a Man's Reputation or in the Dark by sending abroad your Formal Preachers † Who you ignorantly think all is Gospel they utter though it is true in public they declare good Words that do whisper where they think they can be credited into the Ears of poor innocent People that such a Man or Men is not right he doth not own our VVomen's Meetings c. then Prejudice enters So that Man or Men however Just cannot have their Testimonies for God enter into those prejudiced Spirits or scarce entertained friendly in some places upon their travel for poor Soul's sake Oh! the Ignorance of those People that has not chosen Christ Grace in them for their Guide but Man So that by this Secret way of whispering how soon can you blow up an honest Man's Reputation † Report and we will report it Good God! How long I pray thee will it be before the Professors of the Grace that came by thy Son Jesus Christ be obeyed by them which teaches true Love to all thy Creation A Prayer for the Innocent that we love one an other as God loves us all And as thy Love is to all People tho' Sinners so are thy Followers Lord give them to see that they dwell not in the Light when they envy any People and also that they may see that Man is no more to be rely'd on for a Guide but only thy Inward and Spiritual Grace this I beg of thee for thy dear Son's 〈◊〉 is to whom be given all Honour Rule and Dominion now and for ever Amen If God withdraws from such as cloath themselves with his Gifts to serve Self Interest how much more doth he withdraw his Love from such Ministers as sordidly conform against their Consciences to a Female Government * Such a Test to try Ministers by as was never heard of before that you the Judges might not inscence their Hearers against them when they travel to win Souls to Righteousness that the Scriptures might be fulfilled in this Age in this The Leaders of the People cause them to err I say Such Conforming Ministers † Conforming Ministers that is such a one that designs to take up the whole time of a Meeting in Speaking and is offended it another Person takes up some of the time in Speaking by which the first manifests himself to be out of the Apostle's Practice 1 Cor. 14 3● If any thing be revealed c. G. Whi●●s saw much of an Imposing Spirit in 〈…〉 against good Conscience may possibly win some Souls by their Preachings to the Form but not to the Power of Godliness which Power all do deny that believe that Christ's Inward and Spiritual Grace is not a sufficient Guide to all without VVomen's Meetings and Men's Meetings to guide the People by except the Civil Magisirates Oh! what do you advise People to this Grace for if it must not be their only Teacher then if the Grace of Christ in them teaches them not conform to your VVomens Meetings c. Can you blame them then To draw towards a Conclusion being it is in vain to spend too much Time and Paper to discover the Vanity of a Female Government and the Imposing Spirit that now Rules and Reigns in such os you as set up your selves Judges over Innocent People which thing you condemned in Professors before you What was the Reason think you that caused our English Poetical Prophet J. Wither from joyning to any Religious Society being asked by a Friend of mine he said Why 〈…〉 Minds and Consciences of their Brethren Then it seems 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 several sorts of Professors before since the Reformation were 〈◊〉 Imposing upon their Brethren's Conscience yet it 〈…〉 Therefore All ye that ●ove Righteousness Christ has given you and all men Talent of his Grace to lead you into all Truth so need not give Gifts to Men to teach you Tit. 2.11 O ye honest and upright Hearts where-ever dispersed upon the Face of the Earth who hunger and thirst after Righteousness that ye might be filled therewith and that it might fill the Earth I say let it be your Cry as of Old To thy Tents O Israel Trust no more in Women or Men as Guides trust only to that Talent of Christ's Grace in you that will never deceive you it s always stirring up the mind to good That will truly teach you your Duty both to God and Man and to love those that hate you It brings Salvation Tit. 2.11 unto all that obey its Reproofs Oh! trust not Man whatever he whispers into your Ears to prejudice your Minds against any Person upon the Earth The Mind going abroad from watching in this Inward an● Spiritual Grace Let no Man beget Prejudice in thee against another is the cause that the Devil gets into the Heart to raise hatred one against another But he that keeps his Mind upon the Watch in this Tent or strong

Tower the Name of the Lord * Wherein thy strength lies O Man 2 Cor. 12. 9. As it was for Paul when buffeted by Satan neither Men nor Devils can deceive him and he will truly Love all People though they are of a different Persuasion to him in points of Religion And will the truly Faithful to the Grace of God in themselves be advising People to obey the same Grace in their own Souls and will not seek by any means to draw their Minds from the Obedience thereof fearing they may fall as the young Prophet did which obeyed the old Prophet contrary to his own Gift from God or Message 1 K. 13.18 These honest Souls that has chosen the good part God's Grace for their Guide Oh! the Love of an honest Heart to all People is to be praised above Rubies c. will envy no couple that do from a free and willing Mind propound their Intention of Marriage twice to a Woman's Meeting and twice at least to a Man's Meeting Nor will envy a Couple that does and thinks is more agreeable to Truth to propose their Intentions at the end of several Religious Meetings where Men and Women are met together seeing the more publick the better satisfaction to all People that a Judge did once acknowledge that such publick Marriages was lawful Oh! Oh! that all Imposers might obey God's Grace and no longer preach from Head-knowledge making People believe it is as God's Spirit gives utterance that you Imposers would obey as well as preach up God's Grace for Peoples Guide then would you come into the Lamb's patience into that Love that overcomes Anger and forgive your Brethren's Trespasses as you hope God will forgive yours Preach no more of such Love until you witness it I am your Friend and God knows my heart I write in love to you Though some of you no doubt will account me your Enemy for thus telling in part how you are fallen from your first Institution If I am to blame pray blame no body else If the Au●●●● deserves Blame he 〈◊〉 take all to ●●●self for 〈◊〉 Eyes are 〈◊〉 come Di● 〈◊〉 weeping f●● you with true broken Heart and contrite Sp●rit God o●●● knows no 〈◊〉 else at this time for no person dictated any thing to me or put me upon this Work I do not see that I Err therein Yet have I long seen and known that many honest Hearts have been much grieved to see such an alteration in the Professors of the Truth to what they were in the beginning when Innocence and true Love to each other had dominion in the Souls of God's People that is beaore Women and Men set themselves up as Judges in the Meetings ●foresaid That you maysee your Error and return to the Truth as in the beginning is the desire of your Loving Friend William Mather I do not take you to be mine Enemies because I am no Man's Enemy praised be God for it and that I continue as I have hither been a Friend to all a Foe to none To conclude If you say I have been some-what too sharp upon you I write n●● these things because I think you ha●● me but because I love you so do no● hate you If 〈◊〉 want love then let me lose life if i● be the Will of God I say I have not been so sharp as the Matter of Fact requires Have you not trampled under your Feet many Epistles of Love sent to you scorning to bait an inch of your Authority where you can over-rule Therefore If you are designed to Answer me then I desire you to let some Ancient Honest Friend do it from the Gift of God in himself and go not down to AEgypt for help That is go not to the Logicians whose cunning Sophistry can make a good Cause seem bad and a bad Cause seem good I mean such an one as T. E. † one skilled in the Art of Reasoning or Disputing who can by Sophistry so multiply Words as to darken his innocent Readers who is too often made to believe his Cause must needs be good his Matter is so long Alas How are men deceived in that The fewer Words the more Truth And if he or such as say I have Tautologies * a repeating the same thing in other words herein a thing most of the Formal Preachers are guilty of if it be a fault The Author desires that a Friend in the Truth may Answer his Writing but no Sophister blame me not for that For I do not profess my self a Schollar in the Languages and therefore most fit that such a Schollar as I should answer me But if it s come to that with you that Scholarship Man's Wisdom and Reason must be Judge over such Consciences as are rectified by God's Spirit never more blame those cunning Men that drown'd the Text in the Comment Likewise Have you not often declared to the People and do daily Man must lay down their Crowns at the feet of Jesus that this is the day that The loftiness of Man shall be bowed down and the Haughtiness of Man shall be made low and the Lord alone shall be exalted Isa 2.17 What Eyes thou read'st with Reader know I not Mine were not dry when I these Failings wrote Take ye heed every one of his Neighbour and trust ye not in any Brother for every Brother will utterly supplant and every Neighbour will walk with Slanders Jer. 9.4 Was this Jeremiah's Complaint in his day the same may be taken up this day Read his 9th Chapter Oh! that all may fear before the Lord by obeying his Grace or Gifts in themselves that we may all say with Holy David Mercy and Truth are met together Righteousness and Peac● have kissed each other Truth shall spring out of the Earth and Righteousness shall look down from Heaven Psal 85.10 11. Amen Postscript ABOUT the 9th of this Month of September came to my hand from Tobias Hardmeat the Letter I sent him above Printed with several little Sentences he wrote on the Margent thereof in Answer to which take as follows T. H. It 's not Imposition but Advice to good Order Answer Is it not Imposition to brand all as Libertines Apostates and not of God that conform not to your Unscriptural Orders If you did not compel none would oppose you Though I may ask you From whence you had your Authority without Offence I hope as you have asked other Religious Societies before you Why they enjoyn'd unscriptural Orders T. H. That Spirit that opposeth Truth is curst Answ Dost thou curse me for opposing a Female Government If that Authority be thy Truth thou so often speaks of then am I an Opposer and thou an Imposer T. H. Having learned Therefore I speak and testifie Answ What Spirit has learned thee to call Women 〈…〉 Truth and to Curse and testifie That all those that oppose a Female Government is not of God T. H. To desire

shall force me to confess that I err in what I write before I see it my self are the Imposers My Opinion is this by way of Advice † † From a weak one yea one of the most despised in Israel being not a Conformist When a Couple shall come to your private Monthly Meeting in Huntington to acquaint you of their Intentions of Marriage say to them as to the antient Christian Quakers Friend Who made us Judges over you Go if you find freedom of Spirit and publish your Intentions at the end of the Publick Religious Meeting for Worship to which you belong or nearest to your Dwelling * * The ancient Practice of Friends for they best know whither or no you are clear from all other Engagements in this kind where you may have a sufficient number of Witnesses at your Certificate And that we now let you know this was the Innocent Practice of our dear deceased Friends in the beginning when God sent among us to turn our Minds to Christ's Inward and Spiritual Grace † † Mention'd in the Church of England's Catechism to be the Substance Baptism and the Supper of the Lord being but signs thereof in each Soul to be our Guides not Man Likewise on the other Hand say unto this Couple in the fear of God Friends If you have freedom and find it 's not contrary to the Teachings of Christ's Inward and Spiritual Grace † † Mention'd in the Church of England's Catechism to be the Substance Baptism and the Supper of the Lord being but signs thereof in your own Souls Publish your Intentions of Marriage twice in our Women's Meetings and when all the VVomen-Judges think you a fit Match then you must mention it also twice to us of the Men's Meeting which we think necessary * * This Decree was made at the Yearly Meeting 1657 and also in a Quarterly Meeting in the Isle of Ely And that when we who are most commonly Strangers to your Proceedings tho' we are well informed by a Friend all things are clear on both sides yet you are to come and wait on us Monthly or Quarterly until such time as all the VVomen and Men of both Meetings say you may joyn in Marriage for fear you should bring a Scandal upon the Truth tho' your Dwelling be Twenty Miles off or more from hence † † Not caring how it hinders their Business Horse-hire These two manner of ways of Marriage we lay before you chuse which of the two that answers best to the witness of God in your own Souls for we are not to be Judges of that So we freely leave you to your Choice * * The want of this has brought much Confusion so as you come together in the fear of God and we shall think never the worse of you † † How have you hated those that conform'd not For we seek God's Glory not our own which is according to our first Institution when first we became a People For our Labour is to perswade People to submit to Christ's Spiritual Government in their own Souls So that as we are not to answer for your Miscarriges neither are you for ours If thou believest I write this to thee in Enmity to any Person or Persons whatsoever thy diserning is but weak so not fit to sit as a Judge in Israel But hope better things of thee to whom my true Love is and to all that do faithfully return to the Truth as it was amongst Friends when first the Mockers called us Quakers Bedford 11d 5m 94. I am thy Friend William Mather To which Letter no Answer hath yet been given A Lamentation for the Fall of so many once Worthies in Spiritual Israel OH The Author's Sorrow what shall I say or write unto you that once run to and fro on Foot from place to place spending your Time and Strength to turn Peoples Minds into the Centre of their Souls to Christ's Inward and Spiritual Grace to be their Teacher and Leader into all Truth But now that you should contradict your former Advice by setting up VVomen and Men Guides over an Innocent People is greatly to be lamented How are you fallen what Lamentation shall I take up for you Oh! that mine Eyes were as a Fountain of Water that I might weep Day and Night for the Fall of so many once Worthies in Spiritual Israel who were once in that Spirit and Love of Jesus that they could lay down their Lives to win Souls to God loved their very Enemies yea could forgive the Trespasses of a Brother Matth. 18.22 seventy times seven But alas this true Love or Lamb's Patience is not now to be found on Earth O Truth art thou fled to Heaven again Is Man's Souls too straight to contain thee except amongst a few upright Hearts that has chosen Christ's Inward and Spiritual Grace for their Guide such can wash the Feet of their Enemies Deceive not your selves for you cannot save your selves by saying you are in the Light when you envy any Man for whoever doth is in Darkness even until now 1 Joh. 1.9 Now let me a little reason with you Was there not true Love and Charity in general amongst the Professors of the Truth when all thought themselves Poor and Low in their own Eyes * Have you not forgotten that good Day before Ambitious Women and Ambitious Men crept in among you such I mean that thirsted for Honour and Rule over an Innocent People Absolon like saying in Heart O that I was a Judge in Israel when alas most of such Judges The Heart of Man is deceitful none can know it but by the Grace of God What is not of Faith is Sin have and do busie themselves in judging others for the Moats in their Eyes when the Beam is still in their own Eyes These Lordly Spirits in Women's-Meetings and Men's Meetings would have an Innocent People submit to their Rules Orders and Ceremonies whither the Parties see it their Duty to obey or not Holding those Meetings Monthly and Quarterly in private Rooms where sometimes there are not above four Persons that take upon themselves to Rule † And alas most of them Ignorant ones not knowing who gave them their usurped Power yet will be as angry as a Woman if you obey not their Wills when you come before them and there dispose of such Monies as they collect at the end of Religious Meetings where the most Givers are where they ought also to give a publick Account how they disposed of the Money unto the general Givers but this I never see them do except the Collection was for a Fire c. It 's true Monies for the Poor were at first that is when first God raised us to be a People who discovered more of his Love to us than too many before us in this latter Age. I say then Moneys were collected or freely given always

at the end of a Monthly Religious Meeting where also Marriages was proposed and there finished in time Then why do you in many places still hold up the one and leave the other to the Judgment of Women's Meetings c. Whence sprung all the Divisions Controversies and separate Meetings for Worship among you If not from the severity acted in the said Meetings for Government The Root from whence Contest rises among you whereby have you not attained to such an outward Power and Authority over Innocent People as to cast a good Man that confirms not out of the favour of your People and to slight his Testimony for God and can retain a bad Man a Conformist to your Womens Meetings in favour with your People yea and to preach too tho' a Cast-away To bring Presidents for this would spend too much Time and Paper I thank God he has hitherto kept me from bowing to any sort of Image of Man's making But did St. Paul's Enemies say † Would you not have him so by calling before you more than twelve times to answer at your Court in London See his Tryals in Pensilvania Sold by R. Baldwin The most hidden way to defame a Nonconformist as has been yet heard of that much Learning had made him mad Did not the Pope say so by John Parrot when you owned him in the Prison of mad Men at Rome and did not one of your Preachers say to me that much Learning has made Geo. Kieth mad Will you take up those envious Peoples Arguments to render whom you please odious in the Minds of the Innocent But his Works and Service for the Truth as it is in Jesus will out live your Malice against him Oh! That he and every one that truly fears God may so keep to the measure of Grace * In what may ●an be pre●●rved from ●nemies that 〈◊〉 shall not be ●●rt ●e that dwells 〈◊〉 Love to all ●wells in God given them of God that no Tryals of what nature soever may ever separate them from the Love of God if so then I am sure they will envy none tho' a great Enemy I say God has kept me in the Spirit of Love to all praised be his Name for it tho' I have been convinced about forty Years that the Quaker's Fundamental Principle of Christ's Light and Grace being the chief Leader and Guide into all Truth is a Truth which will abide for ever And no Man either by Conversation or Preaching made me joyn with them it was God alone that shewed me that they were in the right way then for I often prayed to God † Being young ●●…d then dwelt 〈◊〉 Holdenly in Northampton●hire knowing ●f none call'd Quaker to discover to me which was the right way to Heaven and he directed me to them when I knew nothing of them but the name Quaker whom I sought out * By enquiring ●f Labourers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at I set to work who ●old me there was none fol●owed them but poor Men ●s Weavers c. The Author could never ●oyn with their outward Government and found them and suffered many Buffittings and Stonings and Imprisonments with them which was Joy unspeakable unto me that I had found a People whose Trust was alone in God Oh! how my Soul was knit unto them I could have died at a Stake with them then if it had been the Will of God Oh! my Heart is broken as into Tears that this People should so soon let go their true Guide Christ's Inward and Spiritual Grace and set themselves up as Guides I must confess I have been at two of these Meetings of Government but it was accidentally the one was in Huntington shire the other in Bedfordshire in both which I saw so much of the Imperiousness òf those that made themselves Judges that I could never after find Freedom in Spirit to go to any more and did largely write a Testimony against it but never had an Answer and rested in the Will of God but now I am constrained to write in hopes the Innocent may see to the beginning and the danger of any People that swerves from their first Institution † See the Ep. of J. Crook and Tho. Green to the Young convinced and Truth 's Progress By J. Crook Again From whence arise all the publick Clashings of one Minister against another if not from those Lordly Spirits that will rule in such Meetings too publickly known both to Profess or Prophane that a Priest once writ to me That the Light was not new the Quaker's Guide it 's their Meeting at Devonshire House the Rise too of those Arbitrary Meetings in the Country Oh! Ye degenerate from your first Institution you I say that are resolved to govern Arbitrarily and not leave the honest Souls among you Arbitrary Government to be ruled by Christ's Inward and Spiritual Grace to which you have so often advised them to follow as a most sure Guide and will not suffer them by the Leadings of that to choose who shall be their Arbitrators for them in Marriage if you can hinder them If you resolve to carry it by a Ruling Hand over the Innocent contrary to your Principles Take no more upon you the Name of Children of the Light * For that leads to Peace on Earth and Good-will to all Men. as G. F. and E. H. calls you in their Primmer seeing you are fallen into the same Snare in Church-Government as others before you whom you did condemn for such things Oh! How dare you the positive Judgment against any person in things not sinful against God seeing that one of the greatest Writers He that is without sin let him cast the first Stone to promote your Authority otherwise was a very worthy Man had not yet attained to infallibility or Perfection saying Others may perhaps speak more certainly of this State Perfection as have arrived to it for me I shall speak modestly as acknowledging my self not to have arrived to it See R. B.'s Works p. 389. Perfection is attainable in this Life thro●… Obedience to God's Grace Oh! Will you continue to be so Censorious to Judge all People not to be of God that take not Counsel of Women's Meetings before Marriage My Soul has often mourned for you and often desired of God That he would be pleased to discover to me Whether or no ☞ I am to blame in thus writing to you and have found nothing but peace therein and good Will to all Men and can through God's Mercy give my Bread freely to mine Enemy and serve all mine Enemies The Author is constrained to write having borne long if I have any in what I can GOD knows I ●ye not for I truly Love all the Works of his Hand and am very sensible that those that do envy any Man let his Transgressions be never so great is not of God profess what they will in Religion Gods Love is