the aforesaid Book is charged with and its dis-regard to Truths praise and the glory thereof is plainly manifested by the Work William Rogers hath made to defame with all possible reproachful Speeches slanderous and lying accusations such as have kept their first love to Truth unchristian-like yea unhumanly and contrary to all Gospel-order and Rule of common Societies Printing and publishing the same against the Antient and Elder Brethren without hearing or convicting after any human or Gospel way such as have been made more particularly Instrumental in the matter of setling thereof in the Power and Spirit of Jesus in the Churches justified owned and practised amongst the upright-hearted to God to their unspeakable comfort for the Glory and blessings 〈◊〉 that attends the concerned therein particularly George Fox is the Man that his venomous Darts are shot at which his corrupt heart hath been filled with which through his Printed Book he hath let fly with all the eagerness and extravagancy of Spirit that he can work himself into to bring a reproach upon and make him contemptible to all to the undoing of him if it were in his power both as a Man and a Christian and supposing in his 〈◊〉 and fall to throw down the Discipline and the Order of Truth amongst the faithful to the letting go from the Bond of the Power such as would be from under the yoke thereof which the pure God blesseth the faithful with as Instruments in his hand for discouraging of Sin and Wickedness and incouragement of Christian Vertue Purity and Holliness The tendency of this our Adversaries Spirit to liberty in the Flesh and to gratifie the Backsliding 〈◊〉 that 's going thitherward Reader thou mayest be more fully satisfied thereof if thou do but take notice with what vigour and the might he hath he appears to stand by to applaud and to proclaim John Wilkinson and John Story for two Antient and honourable Labourers in the Gospel whose Conversation and Doctrin I have not known or understood saith he to be exceeded by any mortal man whatsoever Which by several passages relating to them in William Rogers's Printed Book inserted and explained in the Answer to it called The Accuser of our Brethren cast down thou mayest detect and plainly see it s but a meer flattering boast of his unbridled Tongue and that they are no such ones as he would render them to be And when through Gods help we shall have laid open the exercises and griefs we have met withal in the Church of God in Westmoreland through the opposition that these two Men have made to Friends tender Care amongst Gods People for the promoting the honour of his Truth in Righteousness and Holiness of Life and against our care that all might keep faithful in their Testimony for the Truth as received of God and the obstructions in our work and concerns relating thereunto wrought by them and others of a wrong and loose Spirit encouraged thereby to stand by them which by sad experience we have found and are able to demonstrate as in plainness and according to the naked Truth through Gods help we intend to do of this Spirit and of its work we shall then leave thee as more capable to judge and doubt not but to give thee also cause to say and conclude that the Author of the aforesaid Book hath been Malicious Partial and Fallacious in the work he hath had in hand and that it is no matter whom he Blesseth and whom he Curseth whom he Justifieth or whom he Condemneth Now as to 〈◊〉 off the Fig-leave covering of this Apostate Spirit which its fallen to be our Lot to be concerned with amongst the many perils we have been carried through by the Arm of Israels God and to manifest to all its nakedness and shame to be the more detestable because of the impudency it appears in the cause whereof William Rogers hath presumed principally to espouse and appear in the defence of to the utmost of the Breath and Force that he hath and that he is a man departed from the Faith and the good 〈◊〉 standing by a Rebellious loose sort despising the dignity of Gods Power and though talking of the Light and antient Truth yet out of the Life of it an Opposer of gospel-Gospel-Order and wholsom Discipline in the Church of God a discourager of the weak in their antient Living Testimonies for the Truth an encourager of the Backsliders from the Life of God and a separate faction from the Fellowship of Truth in the visible concerns of Gods People relating to the honour of Truth and that he is a false Accuser of the Brethren a malicious Slanderer of the Innocent and one that hath set himself to do the mischief he can to the defamation of our holy Principle and Profession and to bring an Odium upon all those that will not adhere to his Spirit and abet him in his contentious Work but 〈◊〉 against the same in their Testimony that stands sure and shall never be shaken by him and that he is a man rejected of the Lord for his works sake and shut out from the fellowship of the Saints in Light and his Works cast out as the unsavoury Salt good for nothing but to be troden under foot of men And for a further proof thereof several things are materially necessary to be made good reduced into these following heads First That under a Gospel dispensation visible Order Discipline and Government in the exercise of the Spirit is necessary justifiable and ought to be found in Subjection to Gods Power amongst Gods People according to Christs Doctrine Apostolical care and the practice of the Primitive Churches of Christ proved by Scripture Record Secondly That the care of the Churches of God in this our day amongst the Children of the Light with respect to Discipline according to the order and rule of Truth and their practice accordingly stands justified as consistant with the Apostles Doctrine with the command of Christ Scripture Example and the primitive practice touching this matter Thirdly That William Rogers in his Book though after a broken contradictory manner and very much inconsistant with himself hath denied the care discipline and order used amongst us in the Church of God and hath Judged the same And that John Wilkinson and John Story with them of the Separation in the North and of Party with him in an opposite Spirit thereunto have sleighted despised and laboured to put a dis-esteem thereupon and have laid Stumbling-blocks in the way of the weak in relation thereunto and have laboured to obstruct the care and exercise of Gods People in relation thereunto Fourthly That George Fox and others of the Antient Brethren their care and exercise as Instruments in the Lords hand to see the Churches of Christ every where in this our age setled in the aforesaid Order and Discipline as the Apostles care was in his day hath been Justified Embraced and freely closed with as that which has
gnashing of Teeth for grief they are far beyond expression To a gainsaying Rebellious Spirit the Testimony of Light that condemns for Sin is an hateful thing and the Ministers of Antichrist have bent themselves against it and against them the Testimony is born by And seeing that Early of this our day it was first and principally born by him how could he escape the wrath of Man that produceth evil things and avoid the fury of it Nay this was his Lot with others of Gods faithful Servants whom God hath upheld and delivered through all and he hath seen the travel of his Soul and the fruit of his labour into his bosome manifold in recompence for all to his hearts Joy whatever the worst of Men imagine against him The same enmity lodgeth still and venteth it self again and again through any new occasion given to it or that it can get hold of in the wilful resisters of our principle and lifes appearance and in all them that Backslides therefrom and enters again into the old Cainisn Murthering Spirit that crucifies the Lord of Life again and would put him to open shame Never a publick opposing Apostate from the life of Truth that hath risen up in Judgment against it since we have been a People but in the old Enmity of the cursed Serpents Image he hath run against George Fox Oh it s admirable to us and renders William Rogers in this cursed work of his to be a Man running on to Ruin that he does not take notice and that with Terror of the breakings forth of the eminent hand of the Lord against such to their misery and shame that thus tempts the Lord to deal with him as hath been dealt with his predecessors gone before whose footsteps he follows with all the haste and fury he can appear in let him take heed though his presumption be great in defying the Work of God in his Servants let him vapour with the Bulk of the Weapon his ungodly Book he hath formed in his stout and ambitious mind the Lord is risen to dash in peices and is upon the Throne who with the Antient though dispised Instrument of simplicity and the naked truth which he hath in his Hand will wound the head and glory of this uncircumcised One to its utter Ruin and the perpetual reproach of all them that lean upon it the Mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it and it shall surely come to pass And as to the particular matters of Accusations by William Rogers cast upon George Fox we do testifie and in the Truth affirm and can commit the same to the tryal of the righteous principle of God and equal Law of doing as one would be done by that if many of the matters in charge against him were true which we believe are malicious and false the malice the rancour of his Spirit that appears in his perverting George Fox his words his misconstruing and putting his own corrupt sence upon them disingeniously and unlike a Man and then placing a Judgment thereupon his disorderly bringing them forth having not first examined the truth of matters and dealt with him face to face as in the sequel of our matter may be manifested he hath not done His publishing in Print and exposing the same to publick view by sale or allowing thereof in Shops so that it is come to the view of the great enemies of Truth and us and the applications he puts upon our tender care in the Church of God as Antichristian and Rome-like with the invectives and malicious Smitings he can invent renders him plainly to be an Apostate from Truth an enemy to God and the Principle we have believed in an accuser of the Brethren not fit for Christian Society but to be rejected as reproachful thereto and left to the righteous God of Heaven and Earth to reward him according to his works Friendly Reader our Testimony is for the sake of that principle of Light and Life in Christ Jesus our Lord and Law-giver in which we have believed and are bold to Testifie to and stand in the vindication of against all the opposers thereof as that which is our life and the comfort of our days through the Salvation that we have known thereby wherein we have peace and for the sake whereof reproaches are not hard for us to bear and for the removing of the Stumbling-blocks out of the way thereof that if it were possible all Men might walk therein and find mercy We say in a godly concern that lies upon us we intend through Gods assistance a little to discover the Face and Image of a Ungodly Backsliding Separate dividing Spirit by rending off the covering it hath got upon its head to hide its nakedness and shame withal in the departing of those it hath prevailed upon from the living God from the way of Truth and from the unity of the Brethren to the casting off the Subjection to Gods power which they once knew and unto which also Obedience should be given and giving way to a corrupt mind in themselves and to a false Liberty that Truth leads not to have set themselves being of that sort that loves not found Judgment against the rule and government of Christ Jesus whose right it is in the Spirits of their own minds and against the Discipline of the Church of God according to Gospel-order and the practice of the Church in the Apostles dayes and thereby encouraging a loose and licentious Spirit in others that would draw back into the liberty of the flesh again to satisfie the Lusts thereof and thereby bring a reproach upon that eternal name in which we have believed and testified Salvation to be thereby as if it were not Sufficient to compleat the work thereof by us expected and waited for which we Testifie against whoever otherwise say Reader If thou dost but duely consider as before the Lord of William Rogers's Book thou mayest easily see whatever he pretends to its liberty for the Flesh that the design of him and others in this their work tends to and for that cause is it that the Churches care is undervalued by them despised and maliciously reproached under the denomination of over-driving imposing lording over Mens Consciences setting up in the Church another Government then that of the Spirit which we testifie to be false and a malicious smiting accounting the wholsome directions according to gospel-Gospel-Order taken notice of and practized amongst us that in all things we may be of good report the bringing in of Ceremonies Mens Prescriptions and the like thereby to put a dis-esteem upon them in the minds of such as are unto liberty in the flesh inclined whence the opposition hath sprung and the dividing Spirit has sought to prevail to the exercise of rhe true and upright to God and the Churches grief the looseness also of this Spirit and its design to gratifie the Flesh which produceth contempt and opposition to the Churches care that the Author to
tended to Friends Advantage in the Truth and the honour thereof by the Churches of Christ in this Nation and in other Nations which the practice of our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings demonstrate Fifthly That notwithstanding William Rogers's and others of Party with him their abusing George Fox and slandering him with lying accusations as one that would Introduce his own Prescriptions and Orders and invade Christs Prerogative c. And would exalt himself in a wrong Spirit in Rule and Government Lording it over the heritage of God His advice and directions in relation to the duty of Gods People in the Tabernacle God hath given us visibly to appear in hath been acceptably closed with and testified to by Word and Writings as shall be made appear in the Sequel of our concerns and as the Churches Records in our Quarterly Meetings doth declare Sixthly To prove that William Rogers's Charges and malicious Accusations exhibited in Print against George Fox and others of the Brethren are idle frivolus and fallacious and his exercise in that matter a Scandal to Christianity and ridiculous amongst Men and sober Societies which the said William Rogers hath framed and made up and brought to publick view through his perverting George Fox's Honest and Christian words and discourse and by his uncharitable deductions in a jealous prejudiced mind and putting his own perverted Constructions and Inferrences upon George Fox's sincere and Christian sence of matters his words related to otherwise then ever was intended by him as the plain and charitable construction thereof naturally deducible therefrom demonstrates and then places his own judgment upon him which is an horrid and abominable thing in the Lords 〈◊〉 and detestable amongst Men And through Gods help this is before us to manifest which we Question not to effect to the Satisfaction of all the unprejudiced and upright minded where this Book may come We have also a desire in sincerity of heart to demonstrate to all where the knowledge of any difference amongst this People hath come as the relation thereof may most properly fall in our way the Christian care that hath been amongst the truly established in God who have kept their first love and care for Gods glory and 〈◊〉 habitation upon the Rock abides sure to have preserved this scattered divided People within the Fold of the true Shepherd unto whom the gathering is whilst they were in any measure near unto us before they turned away from Gods Power and broke away as the Israel of old did unto whom the Lord had given of his good Spirit and yet they rebelled against him and therefore the Lord after many visitations and willingness to heal their backslidings which they regarded not withdrew from them and gave them up to a reprobate mind to harden themselves to their utter Ruin We would declare also as that which is material to our present concern and yet as briefly as we well can what exercises particularly and more generally after a more publick manner many dear Brethren have met withal through this Spirit what brotherly treating them that the Temptations of it was prevailed upon with Advice and Councel to remove that groundless ungodly jealousie that entred them in which the vail came over and there the temptation to Strife and Contention got place What care what tenderness and gospel-Gospel-Order hath been over them used towards them letting the honest hearted see some part of the honest labours and travels in Soul and Spirit and bodily endeavours that have been indured and used towards them for the Lord and his Truths sake and their Eternal good and how unwilling the Church of God was to have had them rent off from us What patience long-sufferings brotherly 〈◊〉 have been used towards them if possible they might live and find rest in God for their Souls how clear the Lord and his People are of their blood if they perish for evermore what pitty was it hath it been often said that a jealous prejudiced Spirit should prevail upon any who have known God to work them into such a wilful froward perverse state as to let nothing enter that might do them good having rejected that in themselves which God had made manifest in them not liking to retain the same in their knowledge as it was of old concerning such whom God gave up to a reprobate mind and unto great hardness of heart to the filling up the measures of their Iniquities for the Damnation that slumber'd not God Suffers these things to be that they who are approved may be made manifest Considerate Reader If these before recited particulars be made good which necessarily relates to our present work which we doubt not but to be able to do we hope that clearness of understanding concerning the matter in hand will be opened in thee as desires abides with thee to God on that wise as that thou wilt easily judge of the ground of the Controversie betwixt us and our present Adversary whom we treat not with now as a Brother or one of us but as a publick Enemy to the Life of our Principle and holy Profession a caster of Stumbling-Blocks in the way of many to fall upon which will prove a burden too heavy for him to bear And thou wilt plainly see what manner of man he is what Spirit he is of what his design and all his fluttering Work tends to and that upon this occasion if thou hast a Sence of Gods Truth thou wilt be the more confirmed in it and be the more concerned to keep thy Habitation in it for thy Salvation and peace sake or if thou beest one who has not hitherto given up thy self to serve the Truth though convinced by it nor our Lord Jesus Christ We hope as that which we truly 〈◊〉 thou wilt not find by this occasion any ground to continue in hardness of Heart against it but in subjection to Gods Light and Life in thy self thou wilt be given up in self-denial to close with that Principle thou hast the sence of and which we have believed in and testifie of and is our Life and Portion in God and cause of our rejoycing and that thou mayst come to have a share with us in the Inheritance of God amongst Gods sanctified ones which in the universal love God hath appeared in in these latter Days and in which we travel for the good of all we truly breath for as that which will be our Joy and a Recompence into our Bosoms for our Labours Sorrows and Travels manifold We further advise the Reader when this our ensuing Tratise shall happen to fall in the Hands of such as have not received the Principle of Light which we have testified to so as to believe therein or when it comes amongst such as have hurt themselves by too much adhering to a wrong Spirit which very probably it may somtimes do by reason of the endeavours that are used by the promoters of William Rogers's Book to hand it out to
such as goes from the Power of God and from the Life and Kernel of Truth and to none other as in the Scripture-Sense it is clear and as later experiences also have demonstrated and to apply that State to such as have the Kernel of Christianity and are in the Truth in the Doctrine of Christ and in the Practice of things that the Truth in the members of the Heavenly Body leadeth into is 〈◊〉 Confusion a false Application and a ridiculous thing amongst all sober Conscientious People and renders the asserters ' thereof in a state of Distraction as to the Knowledge of God ready to be cast aside not worth the taking notice of What further need were there may many say of any further Proof of the matter against him and them of party with him as to the trampling upon this false and malicious charge but hold him to his and John Wilkinson's grant concerning us and then see how he 'l prove the accusation against us Unless we are willing to give them leave to retract what they have confessed Which seeing we see not that he is willing to call back his charge for the further manifesting his confusion his folly his malice and his envy and for the Vindication of our Innocent Life and care in the Church of God which Grieves the Backsliding sort we are inclined to do And shall proceed to examine farther what is the matter on the Churches account or what hath he against us for which he thus renders us in Print and leaves it on record to posterity that we are Apostates Innovators and such as in whom the life of Christianity is extinct and Intruders into the Government that belongs to Christ Imposers bringer's in of mens Prescriptions with what Inveterateness he can in the height of Malice appear in In order to which we say thus it may be observed through his whole book what work he makes against the Order and Discipline used and practised amongst us in the Church of God under the exercise of the Spirit which God hath given us a knowledge of and a Portion in and we Testifie that none other Government but that of the Spirit of our Lord Jesus do we as the Children of God maintain and stand in the vindication of to which subjection we owe for Conscience sake and under which we desire and are concerned as Instruments in Gods hand to be helps in Government in the Church to the keeping down that which would not be subject to Truth That so in all things we may be decent lovely and of good report keeping ourselves unspotted of the World according to that holy Profession we have maintained and confessed to before all It 's admirable to take notice what ado he makes against Discipline and Order in the Church and what contemptible Terms he puts upon the Directions and Instructions Justifiable and commendable therein to be get a disesteem thereof in the minds of people let but his book be perused through it will manifest it together with what is observed out of it by the Authors of the Accuser of our Brethren 〈◊〉 down Subscribed by Ellis Hookes c. therein Inserted and fully spoken to Demonstrably so that much here on that wise need not be inserted reference being had unto the a foresaid Treatise because whereof we shall much what pass by the trouble of recollecting the same or much concerning our selves therewith It 's obvious to all what down-right slighting he is in and what Inveighing he makes against any concern on that wise in the Church of God under a Gospel-Dispensation in many parts of his Book there is scarcely one Page without reflections on that wise See Page the 4 th in the first part of his Book Whosoever should endeavour by Outward Ways and Means to establish an outward Government outward Laws Rules and Orders c. under the Notion or pretence of Christ's Government would be found Invaders of Christ's Prerogative And in page 43. of his first part he says And if we do but consider how fruitless in days and years past as well as in this present Age all mens outward endeavours have been under the notion of Church-Government to preserve in any true Real and Heavenly Society c. and from thence places upon all concerns on that wise the badge of Apostacy Thus he manifests his slight of the Care of Gods people in the Church with respect to the outward exercises we should appear in for God and our mutual help comfort edification and building up one another and to render the same the more contemptible and useless he brings in a false Instance from the Apostate State that the Churches in days past according to what John saw coming over them fell into who lost the Power and only kept the Form in which all their endeavours could not be successful to preserve in Love nor any Christian heavenly Society and as this is not only an unchristian Comparison and a Reflection also upon the Primitive Care and Endeavours on that wise before the Apostacy was which the Churches were zealous in and God blessed their Endeavours in that day but also it is inserted here by our Adversary and the Adversary to the Churches Life and Peace in a Contempt of that good Order Discipline and Care used amongst us in the Spirit of Truth for Gods Glory and one anothers comfort in the Fellowship of the Gospel in which is peace and thereby doth he plainly demonstrate that the Tendency of his Spirit is to Emmulation and 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 loose of a corrupt mind that is gratified therewith So that it may be concluded that Church-Government in the Spirit under which there is a godly care for one another in Righteousness and a tender Inspection in relation to it and sound 〈◊〉 to the limiting of the Flesh that likes not subje ction to Truth is that which is in his way and the great occasion of the Discontent of his Mind as the like also we have met withal from them of his Spirit and Party with him in the North which through sad experience we have had a certain Knowledge of and are able to demonstrate as in the sequel of our discourse God willing in Sincerity we purpose to do And on this score has the discomposure grown in the mind of William Rogers under which he hath vented the heat and rancour of his Spirit in opposition to church-Church-order and Discipline and his contempt of the good and wholsom Directions observed and used amongst us called by him Mens Prescriptions other mens Lines made ready to our hands Dictates of Fallible Men Dutward Rules Orders and the like under which discomposure of Spirit he hath run himself into grievous Mistakes and Contradictions in relation to Government and 〈◊〉 Directions and Rules observable and practicable therein and not like a man of his parts as he would be rendred nor like a man stedfast in the good understanding God gives but very brokenly and under
much Confusion he seems to prosecute his opposite work One while against all outward Rule Order and Discipline c. another while as bringing in Prescriptions Innovations or Dictates of Fallible men Another while as being Imposed with too much Severity or imposed on Fellow-members without Conviction see the Treatise subscribed by Ellis Hookes c. Therein are even a Catalogue of the Confusions Contradictions and Mistakes he hath run himself into which we do impute to have happened 〈◊〉 him as said before under the Discomposure he is plunged in and 〈◊〉 Distractedness as to the weighty things of the Spirit of God that he is taken with otherwise with respect to his antient Love to Truth and Regard to the Unity of Brethren and the Qualifications in that day that accompanied him he would have trembled as before the Lord and have been ashamed as a Member of Christ to have appeared on such a Subject as this to wit Opposition to Truths Life and the Churches Care and the manner of his proceeding in the matter of it would have been unto him as a man an Horrid and Detestable Thing This then we may gather from the matter and manner of his discourse in relation to the good Order and Discipline in the Church and visible Family of God That it 's being established amongst us although in the Power of the Spirit which is the Torment of a Loose and Corrupt Mind is that which he is grieved with and having put the Odium upon it which by all means he can devise to marr the face and beauty thereof as if we were run into Forms without the Power and so gone from the inward teacher we were first directed to Then on the score thereof render us Apostates Innovators and what not And this leads us to the matter that the first part of our treatise relates to formerly made mention of as upon us a little to speak to Viz. That under the Gospel-Dispensation 〈◊〉 Order Discipline and Government in the exercise of the Spirit is necessary Justifiable and ought to be found in Subjection to Gods Power amongst Gods people that we may be Truths Praise in the Tabernacle God has given us as that which Answers the Doctrine of Christ the Apostles Care and the Practice of the Primitive Churches according to Scripture-record This is the plain and a positive Truth consistent with the pure Religion to visit the Widow and the Fatherless and to keep unspotted of the world and hath been the Constant practice of the Churches of Christ since there was a people that believed in him and gathered into a Society in the Profession of Truth which the primitive Churches were zealous in the matter of And the very 〈◊〉 Christians have been ashamed as men not to be found in the form thereof And the Reformers of Latter days according to more modern Records have been as incumbent upon them exercised therein in the several visible Societies they have been gathered into And until the Lord was pleased to establish this people W. Rogers inveighs against through the elder Brethren as Instruments in his hand in the matter and practice thereof which could not be till we became a people considerable in relation to it We were under a 〈◊〉 thereof in order to our more compleat mutual 〈◊〉 Strength and Comfort each to other so far as the matter thereof relates thereunto As also with respect to the honour of God Truth our Repute and the Churches Comfort and Ease All which in the Record we have to bear for God we can truly say hath Attended us in our Exercise and Concern in Relation to this matter So that in the sweet and comfortable Order in which the Lord hath placed us in a tender Care for Truth 's Praise we have the sense of God's Love and Delight with us in Blessings upon us and the Work we are concerned in as a Reward into our Bosom manifold and our esteem and good report in many Consciences both amongst them that are saved and amongst them that perish hath greatly been enlarged hereby So that we say as to the proof of this certain Truth and Justified Practice in which we are found although our Adversary William Rogers doth despise the same and reviles our Practice and concern therein much needed not be said it 's so plain and obvious to all Yet in short the tender Reader may take notice not knowing into what hands this may come that Christ Jesus our Lord and Law-giver confirms the Truth of this 〈◊〉 in that saying Matthew 18. If thy Brother Trespass against thee go and tell him his Fault betwixt him and thee alone If he hear thee then thou hast gained thy Brother If he hear thee not take with thee one or two more c. And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it to the Church But if he neglect to hear the Church let him be 〈◊〉 thee as an heathen-man This Implyes positively Church order 〈◊〉 yea Church-power and Government in the Spirit which he promised to give and the Determination and sentence thereof requireable The Offender for not hearing him was not to be unto him as an heathen-man till he had refused to hear the Church and until the Sentence given by it William Rogers one while sayes and so also John Wilkinson hath preached That the Church-power on that wise 〈◊〉 only to matters Criminal and in Difference about outward things And yet contradicts himself again and sayes on the same subject giving Judgment in the case of not hearing That every Case of one Brother's Trespassing against another according to right reason may be comprehended Again it 's said in 1 Cor. 6. 15. The Spiritual man Judgeth all things and it 's said That the Saints shall Judge the world And Paul said Know ye not that we shall Judge Angels how much more the things that appertain to this life Is not here Order and Discipline to be used in Relation to the Judgment that the Church was to give Paul again writing to the Hebrews said obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch over your souls as they that must give an Account c. See what Care in the Church was used and what a 〈◊〉 conferred upon such whom the Lord in his Power made Overseers and what a Duty incumbent upon the younger of Submission in the Lord to the Brethren as those that watched over them and as for whom they must give an Account But William Rogers is of another Spirit then the Apostles and Overseers were in that day the Tendency of his Discourse is to undervalue to lessen and to make contemptible the Church's Power Paul said Obey them that have the Rule over you William Rogers sayes Nay this is an Imposing and resists on this account viz. We do not see it our duty nor a requiring upon us so to do we are not inwardly perswaded in our Conseiences concerning it This we say were indeed to set
done in Order and that nothing may be lacking amongst his People that may shew forth his Praise that so a sweet Savour may be kept amongst all as the Ornament of the Gospel received and believed in Can it be a Repute to him thus to clamour against the Order and Discipline thereof under this Government and the good and wholsom Directions that appertain to it 〈◊〉 against a People once he was in Society with Zealous in the Matter thereof for a time whom he doth not charge with Apostacy though that 's the Character he is pleased to give us on the account of being departed from the Truth or on any other account but for the Discipline and Government we have amongst us And on that account also would he render us to have lost the 〈◊〉 of Christianity which all his works relates to For he gives not any Account what Principles of Truth we are gone from or wherein we have left the Doctrine 〈◊〉 Christ but retracting again or contradicting himself sayes We differ not about the Kernel but the Shell and John Wilkinson sayes God hath manifested to him that the Caufe is not in the principles of truth nor in the Doctrine of Christ nor any practice that the Truth in the Members of the Heavenly Body leadeth into If William Rogers would have convicted the family he hath set himself against in his 〈◊〉 work of being Apostates and Innovators c. he should not have steered this Course of Inveighing against the Discipline and Order of the Church of God being Justified therein as a commendable and comely thing which hath a sweet Savour in many Consciences even of those that are not of Proffession with us who cannot but see what 〈◊〉 work he hath made about it which declares him to be a man of a loose spirit and that likes not the Inspection nor Judgment of the naked truth Surely it had been more honourable for him to have let alone this clamo ring against us as Apostates c. till he had first convicted us of being gone 〈◊〉 the Power and life of our Principle or from the Doctrine of Christ for there the Apostacy enters But John Wilkinson and he has 〈◊〉 us of that in express words And the Testimony we have in many consciences that the Antient 〈◊〉 Power attends us in our Assemblies to the breaking of many Hearts and the gathering unto him in whom Salvation is known 〈◊〉 as shall be saved confirms this matter on our behalf And if they were not blind they might see 〈◊〉 Barrenness and Deadness attends the Testimonies and Concerns of them of this Spirit and how many scatter and fall away from them several wayes and the most of them that keep to them are but such as are a Reproach to Truth mark the end of them I say could William Rogers have convinced the world where he publisheth the Characterizing of us Apostaces and the like that we had lost our first Love and 〈◊〉 to our Antient Testimony for God and were departed from the Faith and our Zeal for God to satisfie the Flesh and that they were the entire and Faithful to him and the Life of Righteonsness Then had he done something in relation to that which he hath undertaken to do But the Lord will stop him therein and he shall not perfect that which he hath Attempted when he hath done his worst but Truth shall Florish over all when his Name shall be Reproachful every-where But let us go on and consider farther on what occasion we may suppose William Rogers Adventures to lay that infamous charge of Apostates at our doors seeing it 's granted that wee keep to the Principles of Truth and are in the 〈◊〉 of Christ and are in the practice of things that the 〈◊〉 leads 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 that Discipline and Order of Truth in the Church of God the Government thereof and Judgement therein which we maintain and are in the practice 〈◊〉 and in 〈◊〉 thereunto is Justified and commendable in the sigh of God and amongst them that believe according to Christ's Command and the 〈◊〉 Care and Practice in the Church of God and on that account it 's in vain for 〈◊〉 to Charge us with Apostacy if he think that any that fears God will stand by him therein And we take notice also William Rogers seems Doubtful in his own mind what Repute he shall gain to himself on the account of making so much ado against Church-Government lest he should be palpably thereby discovered to all to be a man of too loose a Spirit and pleading for the Liberty of the flesh and thereby throw dirt in his own face which he would cast at others to his reproach And therefore in the very height of his exclaiming against Order and Government wherein he is very abusive and wicked he Retracts again as a Smitten man and grants the Matter that he makes all this stirr in Opposition to See his 1 st Part page 43. and page 52 see also his 3 d Part page 19. And for a more clear manifesting of his Confusion and Contradictions about this Matter of Church-Government we refer the Reader we say again to the Anfwer to William Rogers Subscribed by Ellis Hookes c. He seems doubtful also what the Matter of his exclaiming against Church-Government we stand to maintain as consistent with the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles practice will make for him on the account of proving us Apostates and Innovators c. And therefore to another shift he betakes himself that is to say to exclaim against the Discipline used amongst us and calling it George Fox's Form of Government 〈◊〉 making also an outragious Clamour against the Directions the Rules the Advice and Counsel given relating to Discipline and Order amongst us calling them Dictates of fallible men Mens Prescriptions Laws and Edicts other mens Lines made ready to our hands Innovations George Fox's Orders c. He is very extravagant also in his Reflections upon our Mens Meetings our Quarterly and our Yearly Meetings manifested at large and spoke to in the aforesaid Answer Subscribed by Ellis Hookes c. In Answer also whereunto we are led to the first particular head formerly made mention of a little to be spoken to that the honest unprejudiced and impartial Reader may consider and Judge whether with respect to what the Church of God directeth to in this our day amongst us and we are in the Practice of in the Discipline thereof William Rogers our and the Church's Adversary hath any cause to render us in Print Apostates from our first Principle and so from God and to leave the Infamous Badg thereof upon us to Posterity as much as in him lies The First Particular thing made Mention of to be spoken to and plainly proved in the First Part of the Antichristian Treachery Discovered and It 's Way Blockt up Viz. That the Care of the Church of God in this our Day amongst the Children of the
Light with Respect to Discipline according to the Order and Rule of Truth and their Practice accordingly Stands Fustified as consistent with the Doctrine of Christ the Aposties Command Scripture-example and the Primitive Practice amongst the Believers touching this Matter By that Eternal Word that was man's Life and Glory in the beginning before Sin and the separation from God was a Remnant that have believed and have been gathered home again unto God In which Word our Fellowship stands with the Father and with the Son according to Antient experience and through the Holy Spirit are we brought into Unity one with another in that Invincible life which they that believe not are strangers to and in the Tabernacle the Lord hath given us in this World as the Family of God we are in that Society wherein in the Love that we bear one unto another and in that Godly care we have amongst us for God's Glory and Truth 's Praise our desires are to be one anothers help and advantage every way so as that in all things we may be as becomes the Heritage of God And for this cause is it that we are a people Setled through the Power and Spirit of Truth in that good Order and Discipline as becomes the Family of him who hath chosen us That Love and Care none other we have laboured to preserve amongst us according to Christ's Doctrine and the Primitive Example as that we may Glorifie God in Body Soul and Spirit and by reason whereof all men may know that we are Christ's disciples and that we are in that Faith which works by Love And in the same eternal Power by which we are a People and in which we are made HelpGovernments in the Church of God an eye is open and an Inspection given us in which what ever is decent comely and of good report is cherished and approved of and what ever is contrary is seen whether in things appertaining to Doctrine or Practice Conversation and Life And in the same Power which is the Terrour to the evil-doer is the exercise of God's People in relation thereunto according to the Blessed Order Christ 〈◊〉 directed unto in the Case of Trespass of one Brother against another where the Church might come to be concerned as to hearing the Matter and giving judgment in the case as the Lord might direct according to the Power and Authority given in which the Sentence might be passed for want of the Church being heard by the offending Brother let him be unto thee as an heathen-man This Order and Discipline was directed to to be in the Church and this Government and Judgment by Christ Jesus given unto them who had received of his good Spirit in which Spirit of Truth that leads into all Truth it is and in none other that in our tender care in the Church of God we are concerned and have a Witness in the Consciences of all the tender-hearted before the Lord. And whatever William Rogers sayes in his Malicious Slandering Mind God is our Witness we have no care upon us in Relation to the Church of God but in that Love in which we were beloved of him and in which we are knit together We have no concern but in the Power our Eye is unto that There is no Rule Discipline or Government amongst us but in the power in which our Souls are Subjected unto God and in which we are Servants one to another In which power we do 〈◊〉 as given us of God for his Glory's sake Authority to hear Determine and give Judgment not only in matters relating to the outward man in cases of Difference brought before the Churches and upon the case of any not hearing the Church to declare him as not worthy of the Fellowship of God's people but to be unto us as an Heathon-man But also in matters relating to Conscience or the Inner man As the Apostle said A man that is an Heretick after the First and second times 〈◊〉 reject And as we have a concern upon us to stand approved in Gods sight and in all Consciences in the matter of Doctrine and Principles of Truth so also with respect to Conversation and Life to live void of offence towards God and Man in that Pure Religion we are brought into to visit the Fatherless and the Widdow and keep our selves unspotted of the World whose Care and Order relating thereunto is no way Inconsistent with the Apostle's Counsel and the Churches Practice in his day The Apostle said to the Corinthians Dare any of you having a Matter against another go to Law before the 〈◊〉 c. And that the Care of the Churches of Christ in this matter amongst this people whom William Rogers presumes to render as Apostates and Innovators and their Order and Practice is consistent with the Apostles advice let the Records of our Meeting-Books Testifie and let our disconcern with any other People save them of our Principle and Profession in any matters relating to 〈◊〉 amongst us speak in all men amongst whom our residence is The Care and Order we have in relation to the Widdow and Fatherless and them that are in necessity let our Practice touching that matter declare thereof Unto whom are we Burthensom in that case Unto what Magistrate have we complained or 〈◊〉 relief from in the case of any Brothers Indigency or want save in the case of laying before them the Oppressions and sufferings that we have been exposed to for our Testimonies sake that the cry of the Poor the Widow and the Fatherless on that Account may not enter the Lord's ears to bring his wrath upon them because thereof Or which of the Widows that are Widows indeed or of the Poor amongst us that keep faithful to Truth have found fault with us and complained of Neglect amongst us concerning them Wherein are We Inconsistent with the 〈◊〉 Practice in Relation to dealing with such as become any way Scandalous to Truth let our Records in that case speak for us in bearing a Testimony against the same and publishing of it according to the Merits thereof and the Knowledge of it abroad for the clearing of Truth and declaring our disowning of such as are led aside on that wise till Repentance be wrought and the Lord's Forgiveness be felt concerning them Let the Care and the Order we have and the Practice we are found in in Relation to the Inspecting Marriages as to clearness every way consistent with Truth 's Life and the Churches allowing or disallowing as matters are found in relation thereunto being twice brought before our Men and Womens Meetings and our decent comey and orderly proceeding with 〈◊〉 of Parents c. in the Accomplishment thereof before many of the Lord's People in publick Assemblies for the most part gathered for that very occasion that they may be Witnesses thereof We say let our practice in these matters Testifie to our consistency with the Care that 's incumbent upon us as God's
People and with the primitive Care Order and Practice and in which we are of Good Report every where And for the more perfectly Answering the Care that 's upon us 〈◊〉 the aforesaid matters and things and the like and the effectually compleating the Work relating to it are our Men and Womens meetings our Monthly and Quarterly meetings setled in the Unity of the Life and observed that we may be in readiness to attend every Concern that may fall amongst us relating to the Tabernacle in which we are in it to be Truth 's Praise Our constant Opportunities of our Setled Meetings attends the exercise of inspecting Marriages of putting a stop to every appearance of any difference to arise amongst any professing Truth and putting a timely End to all such as through mistakes or otherwise may have risen Our 〈◊〉 Meetings in Relation to the Churches concerns attends the occasion of any 〈◊〉 that any way may happen to any through Sufferings and the like that Assistance may be readily Administred accordingly Our Constant meetings are ready to Answer the Order of Truth in the case of any publick Scandals thr ough any one's Misdeameanor that have been 〈◊〉 Profession with us In which we have felt the Presence of the Eternal God with us and his Blessings attend us to the comfort of the Family of God and to our Repute every way Now we appeal to that in all the Consciences to Judge and Testifie what cause William Rogers hath and they of 〈◊〉 with him on whose behalf he says the Printing of his Book was as that which was a great concern of Conscience upon them to publish us and leave a memorial of it to Posterity Apostates and Innovators on the account of the aforesaid Care Order and Discipline amongst us in Relation to the Concerns that as a Society necessarily attends us And whether in the practice of things relating thereunto we are not consistent with our first Principle our Antient Love to God and to the Brethren and our care for Gods Glory as also with the Churches-practice in the Primitive 〈◊〉 and that on these Accounts We can be no way detectable of having the life of Christianity extinct amongst us as William Rogers hath asserted us to have And whether the clamorous work he has made against Church-order and Government in the Ground as also against our Care Order and Practice touching the same be any thing else but the fruit of his wicked malicious opposite Spirit to the Life of Truth And that all his cluttering work on this wise signifies nothing with respect to his charge against us but that in the matter thereof he hath rendred himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all 〈◊〉 people and Christian Societies more especially because that he goes not about to detect us on the account of having lost the Kernel of Christianity nor to be gone from the principles of Truth or the Doctrine of Christ or the practice of what the Truth leads the members of the Heavenly Body into but by him and John Wilkinson under their own hands are we cleared thereof Now we come to touch a little of the Second particular Head by us made mention of before in this First part of our Treaatise to be spoken to That our present Adversary William Rogers in his aforesaid Book hath denied the Care the Order and Discipline used amongst us in the Church of God and hath Judged the same And that John Storv and John Wilkinson also with them of the Separation in the North and of Party with them have slighted despised and laboured to put a dis-esteem thereupon in an 〈◊〉 Spirit there-unto and hath laid Stumbling-blocks in the way of it and thereby obstructed the Care and Exercise of God's People in Relation thereunto To which we say that in Relation to William Rogers his Denial of the Order of Truth setled amongst us to be consistent with our principle and first love as also his Judging the same much need not to be said in this place That which is already herein Inserted out of his Book as also what may at large be observed in the Answer to his by Ellis Hookes c. Demonstrating that a great part of the Tendency of his whole work therein relates thereunto And to manifest the contempt thereof that hath been also on John Story and John Wilkinson their Spirits together with them of Party with them in the North and the opposition they have made thereunto to the Church's grief and the breach of its peace more may be said afterwards when we give a Relation of the exercise and concern we have had with them by reason thereof which in the Sequel God willing we Intend to do As to William Rogers we say his clamouring against us alter an abusive manner on this account in his Book is so frequently used by him that it 's obvious and clear to the view of every honest man who hath had a view thereof that Contempt scorn and derision is that which he is filled with on the Account thereof Whosoever saith he shall endeavour by outward ways to establish an outward Government and outward Rule c. they are Invaders of Christ's Prerogative And again saith he that Spirit that would remove u from our teacher c. to follow the Dictates of fallible men c. In the first place we deny his charge as applicable to us we have no such design God knows before whom we stand it 's a meer unjust reflection for we Commend all to the teachings of the Grace of God and the guidings of the Universal Spirit in which the Unity stands in the Order and Rule of Truth to be Helps and Governments in the Church Neither do we lay before one another in the Church of God any thing but what is answerable to Truth and is freely received of the Innocent to God we disown the Dictates of fallible men neither doth he give us a Catalogue of those Dictates he so much talks of and therefore we take the less notice of the cluttering work he makes on that wise Secondly It is clear that all those Reflections he useth he aims them at us and upon our Order and Discipline in God's House and the directions relating thereunto otherwise there had been no occasion of his so often reiterating thereof in this his undertaking to detect us as Apostates on the account thereof He further says see page 16. of his first part That our Meetings in a reproach thereof are made up of men uncertain as to Number and Qualifications and under the notion of the Church of God assumes power over Conscience and again he says He appeals to the Intelligent if those there assembled pretending to be Members thereof meaning the Church of God have not been false Accusers and men-pleasers and many of them a sort of Persons that have loved preheminence and time-servers Now we say this is a malicious Slander which we deny and we ask what greater contempt could he appear
in against our Brethren in their Exercise what greater reproach could he any way bring upon our Meetings and our Order and Care therein more vilifie with Derision the exercise and concern thereof the Advice the Counsel that may arise amongst us the Exhortations and Reproofs that any may be concerned in as the Lord instructs and leads accordingly as any occasion may offer it self What can he do or say more in Contempt of all when he hath done his worst and what Spirit this is and what its work tends to the Lord be Judge in all Consciences and give the knowledg thereof that the Snares of this wicked envious one may never on this wise prevail any more upon any For to let loose the Licentious Unclean Libertine Ranting Spirit is that which in the Ground he aims at wherein the Apostacy is entering the letting go the Bond of Truth the Authority of it in himself and in such as adhere to him and are taken with his Bait where the departing also from the Life of Christianity prevails which William Rogers would charge others with himself is detected to have the mannagement of the design thereof which he bends himself to perfect to his own disgrace and wo world without end And what blasphemous work also he is clearly detected to be concerned in who pretends what a concern of Conscience he and others of his Brethren had upon them to appear in Print lest the Life of Christianity should seem to be extinct amongst the People called 〈◊〉 and yet such absurd notoriously wicked and ungodly matter brought forth as his Book is stuffed with he himself might see if he would but let that in his own Conscience speak One other Instance out of many we think good to insert out of W. Roger's Book plainly demonstrating his condemning all visible Order and Discipline in the Church of Christ and so his opposition thereunto In the Title page to the 3d part of his Book called The Christian 〈◊〉 c. it is delivered by him thus Manifesting saith he that there is but two sorts of Governments owned by the Children of Light or the Christian 〈◊〉 one is the outward Government under which we Live unto the Laws whereof we owe either Active or Passive Obedience c. The other is the inward Government of Christ who alone is Lord over the Conscience which is not represented by Persons visible by carnal Eyes invested with power from Heaven to execute outward Laws Prescriptions Orders Edicts in any outward Form of Government visible as aforesaid Our Brethren of the Second days morning Meeting in London well observing as in the Treatise called The Accuser of our Brethren cast down is inserted that this assertion of W. Rogers directly contradicts the Paper therein made mention of and in this Treatise also hereafter inserted signed at Ann Travers House 1673. subscribed by him while he kept his first Love and Care for God amongst many other of his Brethren It contradicts also a Paper given forth in the Year 1672. relating to Godly Care Order and Government in the Church wherein advice is given to Friends who have a care and oversight committed to them in their respective places for good Order and eomfort in the Church as the Words therein are Which Epistle is signed by James Parke Jasper Batt John Story Thomas Curtis John Crooke Stephen Crisp and Fourteen more Friends the 3d of the 3d Month 1672. so here John Story when in Unity with his Brethren is Uindicating and Encouraging Church care and visible order and his Party have since expressly set themselves against it In the aforesaid Book viz. The Accuser of our Brethren cast down c. it is also expressed thus page 117. observe First That W. Rogers and his Party are by him accounted the Christian Quakers and Children of Light and that all those that are not of his Party nor in Unity with him them are accounted Apostates Innovators and why so but because they are for some outward Laws Orders c. in an outward form of Order and Government in the Church of Christ that 's visible Secondly That this outward Order and visible Form is such as by his sence and state of the Case is rendered obnoxions both to the outward Government under which we Live and against the inward Government of Christ Insomuch that all the People called Quakers that are for outward and visible Form and Order amongst them are Charactered Apostates and Innovators c. This is Malicious and tends to expose that People to Persecution and is unjustly rendered for our peaceable deportment on the account of the outward Government under which we Live hath been and is well known to be such as our Opposer is not able to disprove neither need we vindicate our selves therein c. This also is not only Malitions but Absurd As if because Christ's immediate Government and Kingdom is inward and spiritual in the Conscience therefore he must have no visible Ministers in his Kingdom no visible Order or Form of Government under his Dominion no visible Persons exercised in any outward Rule Orders Laws or Decrees under his Government as if all Christ's Ministers Apostles Elders Overseers Helps Governments which were appointed by him in his Church with all the Instructions Decrees and Commands of the Apostle setting in order all things that were lacking doing all things decently and in order were all Invisible and nothing outward Visible or Formal because Christ's inward and spiritual Government from whence all these proceeds is Invisible We can argue no better then on this kind in our Adversaries distinction of his Christian Quaker from the Apostate and Innovator Nor deduce a more natural Inference from his opposition against visible Persons being concerned in an outward Form of Government and Order in the Church of Christ How doth this kind of arguing also of his consist with that Paper signed in the North by his two honorable Friends John Story and John Wilkinson and them of Party with them which he says is accounted the Foundation of the seperate Meeting In which Paper are these Words We who are chosen by the Churches and in their behalf to Act Some of other Countries and some amongst our selves not chosen by the Churches have usurped Authority over us The Meetings by whom we were Imployed Our men who have their Authority given them by the Churches choise c. Are hindered by others c. To whom we gave no Power But deny that they have had Authority from us and again Our chosen men They who are not chosen by the Churches You who are righly chosen by the Churches With many other Passages intimating Power Authority and Government together with Records and Orders surely W. Rogers will not say that those Churches chusing and giving Power to others and the Persons chosen to be imployed in their Affairs were all invisible and their Affairs and Businesses invisible and their respective Meetings with the
Methods they intended therein invisible and their Records and Orders invisible Surely the said Paper of theirs with the limitted prescriptions therein was not invisible any more then the Persons that formed them Will his Correspondents and Abettors in the North be pleased that he should in Print lay open their Contradictions Confusion and Inconsistencies with themselves as well as with himself and his Arguings in such distraction as this we commend these things 〈◊〉 the wise in heart to consider of and judge as they see cause Now are we come to the 3 d and 4 th things formerly inserted material to our present concern to be treated on in this First Part of the Antichristian Treachery Discovered and its Way Block up viz. That Gorge Fox whom William Rogers so inveterately inveighs against and others of the Antient Brethren their Care and Exercise in the Church of God as Instruments in Gods 〈◊〉 to see the Churches of Christ every where in this our Age settled in the aforesaid Order and Discipline as the Apostle's was in his Day hath been justified embraced and freely closed with as that which hath tended to Friends Advantage in the Truth and the Honour thereof by the Churches of Christ throughout this Nation and in many other Nations And that notwithstanding W. Rogers and others of Party with him their abusing G. F. with Malicious Slanders and Lying Accusations as one that would Introduce his own Prescriptions and Orders and invade Christ's Prerogative and in a wrong Spirit exalt himself over the Heritage of God with many other Aspersions that are cast upon him as hereafter we shall make appear G. Fox ' s Advise and Directions in Relation to the Duty of Gods People in the Tabernacle God hath given us visible to appear in hath been acceptably closed with and Testified to both in Word and Writing amongst the Faithful and upright hearted to God as in the sequal of our Concern shall be made appear To which we say in as much Brevity as the Evidence and Proof thereof will admit without damage to it and the satisfaction that we desire all may receive that in any measure desire to be informed thereof seeing we are daily the more satisfied how this envious Spirit for that is the mark it deserves to bear labours to asperce him every where where his Book can get reception for into the hands of the publick Enemies of Truth of many sorts it s already gone the reward of which work shall be surely repaid We say we need no better proof in relation to the matter on Gorge Fox's account then the publick Records of our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings throughout the Nation and other Nations and the Testimonies of many Thousands of Gods People every where where the Lord hath gathered them of which we having a Seal and Evidence in the Spirit of Truth in which the Saints were when absent in Body yet present in Spirit and as living Epistles in one anothers Hearts we do believe will evidence to the truth of the aforesaid assertion concerning him And as to the proof of the publick Records in our Meeting Books on this wise we do affirm that the Order and Practice of Friends every where accordingly which we have the knowledg of Testifies thereunto and we also dare in the sence of the Fellowship that we are in through the power of God give W. Rogers leave to disprove us in this matter and vve see not but that if this he could effect he vvould be as diligent in the matter of it as the eagerness of his Spirit could vvork him to be And until W. Rogers hath effected this let all the 〈◊〉 minded conclude that the undertakers of the design against Church Government and Discipline thereof and against the Instruments in Gods hand are only a fevv broken shattered and separate sort that 's dravvn from the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ and the povver of their first Principle and have set themselves against the Dignity thereof unto which every Soul should be Subject as that which comes from God and is of him and that their designs tend to gratifie Youth in a false Liberty and to indulge the backsliding sort from the Life of Truth and his pretences to be abetted by such as in whom the Life of Christianity is not extinct and that he has undertaken things on a Consciencious Account on behalf of many Brethren is but a deceitful flourish and a false thing arising from his viz. W. Roger' s own corrupt Heart and a lying Spirit which the Lord will not bless but will become his shame let the Patient wait and mark the end of it We have been comforted in our Souls to have an Account from the Faithful Brethren of most of the Countries throughout the Nation and other Nations of the prosperity of Truth and the amicable peaceable fellowship therein and the sweet society amongst the Brethren notwithstanding the worst of W. Rogers and his Spirits Work and to hear of the good Order of the Churches every where settled therein and concerned in the Spirit of Truth in the exercise thereof to shew forth the pure Religion to all of visiting the Fatherless and Widow and to keep our selves unspotted of the World this is our Comfort and the cause of our Joy as that which is laboured for and the Lord supplicated in the behalf of We tread upon W. Roger's aspersions and clamorous work which is but a blast of Wind that will over our Redeemer Lives The stability of the Faithful in the Life of Truth and in their Antient Testimonies for the same and in it their tender Care in an Innocent Life in the Church of God their Order and Discipliue therein and the Blessings of God that will and do attend the upright in the concerns thereof to the encrease of Love to God and regard amongst us of his Glory through us in Body 〈◊〉 and Spirit will work through this Babilonish Apostate Work to Truths honour and the renown of the Government of Christ Jesus amongst the ransomed Ones and to the Confounding of all his Foes who alone shall Reign whose right it is Hath W. Rogers in this corrupt and detestable Work against the Churches Care Power and Government and against the Instruments in Gods hand in the matter thereof and most especially against George Fox whom he hath set himself against as a mischievous Person to work the worst he can We say has he forgot when he was of a better mind before the evil thus prevailed over him what he himself with many other Brethren Subscribed at London the 26th of the 3d Month 1673. on G. Fox's behalf as an Instrument in Gods hand and on the behalf of the tender care that was on the Brethren at that time in the Church of God in relation to the Order Discipline and Government thereof W. Rogers with above Thirty more Friends Testified on this wise Dear Friends Let the Authority of Gods Power heavenly and
peaceable Wisdom be eyed in all your Assemblies that the Government of Truth and Righteousness may be exalted over all and true Judgment and Mercy may have their place and though a general care be not laid on every Member touching good Order and Government in the Churches Affairs nor have many travelled therein yet the Lord hath laid it more on some in whom he hath opened Counsel for that end and particularly in our dear Brother and Gods faithful Labourer George Fox for the help of many and hath in his Wisdom afforded those Helps and Governments which are not to be despised being in subjection to Christ the Head and Law-giver answering his Witness in all and so all necessary Connsel Admonitions or Testimonies that have been given forth and received in the universal Spirit of Life and Unity have their Service for God in subjection to his Light and Subserviency to and in order to answer the great Rule and Law of the Spirit of Life as proceeding from it and they that are spiritual will acknowledg those things spoken or written from the Spirit and for this end to be the requirings of the Lord c. Ellis Hookes and the rest on the Words quoted out of the said Epistle observes thus and that very materially to the confuting of our Adversaries great Work and substance of his whole Book out of his own Mouth as that which his Heart sealed to and made his own subscription unless he hath been an old dissembler before the Lord which God will bring to Light let him clear himself one way or other if he can That W. Rogers and the rest have plainly confessed First To that care the Lord hath laid on some with respect to good Order and Government in the Church Secondly To the Counsel which the Lord hath opened for that end particularly in G. Fox And thirdly That G. Fox is therein owned as a dear Brother and faithful Labourer Fourthly That God hath afforded these Helps and Governments in the Church which are not to be despised c. We say what need W. Rogers grant more then what he hath there subscribed to to the consuting of the greatest part of his whole Book against Church Government and the Instruments in Gods hand concerned therein and against the outward Methods and Rules that he calls G. Fox's Orders in the 86 Page of his First Part. And if W. Roger's object and say as he seems to do in his 4th part page 93. That there are some new Prescriptions which he cannot imbrace for Conscience sake which G. Fox is accounted either the Author of or the Countenancer thereof Yet however W. Rogers produceth none of these new Prescriptions or Methods set up and imposed by G. Fox as the aforesaid Authors of the Book subscribed by Ellis Hooks well observed with other contradictions between W. Rogers and his Friend J. Story relating to this matter to which Book we refer the Reader as worth his observing John Wilkinson also confessed to a Friend in Westmoreland which we hope he hath not forgot if he have we can help his memory therein by the circumstances relating to the time and place where That he had read over George Fox ' s Paper of Directions meaning that which tended to Order and Discipline in the Church of God and Testified that they were all very honest and good things and useful to be put in practice or words to that very purpose So then in short this is the sum of this matter that there was a time when W. Rogers according to the aforesaid subscribed Paper amongst his Brethren owned Church Care and Government in subjection to the Power and the necessary Counsel and Advice therein as Helps and Governments subservient to the Rule and Law of the Spirit and that G. Fox was one in whom most especially the Lord had opened Counsel for that concern and that he was a dear Brother and saithful Labourer c. And John Story confesseth that Instructions and Rules may be given orth commending them to the Church and to Gods leading Grace to be made use of as God shall Direct And John Wilkinson consessed that the Instructions and Directions for that end given forth by George Fox were all very good and useful What is the matter then of all this clutter that 's made by W. R. against care in the Church G. Fox his Directions given forth owned by Friends in their Meetings throughout the whole Nation and what is the meaning of J. Stories and J. Wilkinsons silence under all this ado from shewing as publickly their dislike thereof as William Rogers appears to applaud them and take them in his quarrelsom contentious Work that he thus with his Inconsistances and Confusion gravels himself in May not any that has an unprejudiced mind and considers things conclude George Fox to be the same that ever he was when these men owned him and his concern in the Church of God and his Directions in relation thereunto as all the Churches in the Nation that ever we hard of will Testifie in his behalf And seeing that W. Rogers cannot produce one of the Churches amongst them all that will stand by him nor one single man that we can hear of that doth appear to vindicate his Spirit and Work saving 〈◊〉 Thomas Crispe whose works of Darkness will also be brought to Light of late putting forth the Venome and Sting of the Dragons Tail and those that creepingly abets his work are a few shaken ones who have mostly been the Truths shame and the Churches grief and where the Apostacy stands that W. Rogers makes the Subject of his large Discourse is plainly seen as the Sun at Noon by the matter he is concerned in and the way and work in which he doth 〈◊〉 and whether the Apostacy from the first Principle from his antient regard to Truths praise from his vindication of Church Government and respect to such as were Instruments therein concerned be not justly chargeable upon himself and them of Party with him to be turned back on their own Heads as just from God let the Lord and that which is pure in all Consciences judg who instead of dwelling in the peaceable Spirit and holding fast the unity therein in the bond of Peace in a regard to God and his tender People with all the concerns that belongs to them is become the Champion of a confederate sort in an ungodly Work and one on whom their dependency hangs as ever the Uncircumcised of old did on their great Goliah to make War in Death that 's come over them against the Lord and his tender People to Blaspheme that Name we were Redeemed by The great God that changeth not will visit for these things in the day of Torment that hastens on in which who shall be able to deliver And as to this matter we have yet this further to say to most of the Quarterly Meetings of Friends in Truth throughout the World on whose account we
of the Innocent to discourage the Testimonies born for God and his Truth so that they of the Meeting he belonged to had many of them almost lost all relating to Truth but the form of Words and outside Profession and in that also a grief to the Faithful which many of the simple hearted amongst them came off from them since with Joy in true brokenness do tenderly confess And in this shrinking work John Wilkinson also publickly appeared to stand by them to the grief of many for his sake On these occasions as that which was needful least the Life of Christianity as William Rogers applies to the Faithful 〈◊〉 be quite let fall and extinct amongst us the Lord stirred up Zeal and Care in the Church of God amongst the Faithful and the Spirit of the Lord strove in that day with a gainsaying backsliding People who would not be subject to him in the spirit of their own minds and many Exhortations and good Advice they had in Love and Mercy mixed with sound Judgment upon the Spirit that had prevailed over them and upon the works thereof and the Hearts of many in other Countries were touched with sorrow for the Glory of Gods sake which this perfideous Spirit was striking at and in an holy Zeal for God many Brethren that came amongst us were moved in a Testimony for him to clear their Consciences in Gods sight to the comfort and heart breaking gladness of the upright amongst us but to the grief and vexation of the other sort whereupon they cryed ou against 〈◊〉 over-driving and urging things with Severity And Margaret Fox and some other Friends being come to visit Friends at our Quarterly Meeting very tenderly signified to us That she heard there was Divisions amongst us and that she partly believed it and was sorry therefore she desired also That if there was dissatisfaction in any on any account relating to Church Care and Gospel Order that they would speak that things might be openly Discoursed and none go privately under hand to work Discontents in any on the account thereof or words to that purpose John Story was not then amongst us but John 〈◊〉 on the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himself and them of party with him replied saying 〈◊〉 What 〈◊〉 have we to practice things imposed upon us by man or in the will of man that there is no Scripture Proof or Example for In reply whereunto M. Fox asked him If 〈◊〉 would say that our Meetings relating to Church Care was set up in the will of man or words directly to that purpose unto which he gave no direct Answer neither would plainly and openly declare what it was that he and they took occasion to stumble at yet that which principally was upon him to make an opposition to 〈◊〉 afterwards was observed was Womens Meetings on the account of Church concerns thinking thereby to undervalue lessen the esteem and authority of our whole concern in the Church of God which practice in the Church was vindicated by the honest hearted as a very proper concern for them according to the measure of the Spirit received in their Place Order and Sex It seemed strange also to many why John Wilkinson propounded such a Question in opposition to Women's Meetings seeing that he twenty three more at a former Quarterly Meeting in Kendal had subscribed a Paper signifying their consent to the Womans Meetings with several Expressions in it tending greatly to encourage the same And upon the occasion of a Paper from G. Fox read in the said Meeting to encourage Women Friends to meet together on the account aforesaid the Meeting with an unanimous consent as appears by the Subscriptions expresses themselves thus viz. It is further agreed upon that this Paper be read in every particular Meeting That the Women Friends who are faithful may be stirred up into a serious consideration in the Light of the Lord To answer the Lord with diligence c. And in the Womens assembling together to see and consider that all Women Young and Old who profess the Truth do walk therein in Order and in Modesty out of the Customs and Fashions of the World Herein Male and Female are serviceable in our Place and Calling in our Day and Generation c. So all Women Friends who feel secret desires in themselves to be Instruments of good unto others let them meet together as aforesaid and in this desire certainly the Lord will assist you in his Wisdom and Counsel c. And so all the faithful Women who are thus enclined and affected herewith may signifie their Minds and Intents to the Mens Meetings and so be encouraged by us whose Names are hereunto subscribed viz John Wilkinson 1st Henry Story John Clearkson R. Pinder and 20. more And yet notwithstanding the said Paper it did appear that it was Womens Meetings that they were dis-affected with and smote at in their minds in the same Spirit that disliked also our Mens Meetings but that they were afraid to appear so openly against them for afterwards they broke forth into more disdainful terms against the Womens Meetings calling them an Idol a 〈◊〉 Invention Imposition and the like yet contradictorily to their own approbation and well-liking thereof as the aforesaid Paper demonstrates That earthly loose 〈◊〉 Spirit that had been all along stirring in some of the Rich and wiser sort in the VVisdom that is from below against the Churches Care and Discipline thereof was offended with it because of the Inspection of it and limit thereby to their wrong Spirit yet durst not publickly appear in opposition to it but in a private 〈◊〉 manner was working Contempt and Dis-esteem thereof where it could prevail till on these occasions it was forced either submissively to bow and fall under which it was not willing to do or else to appear with its open Face to manifest it self and stand up in its own defence The Lord suffered these things to be that Esau's hidden Guile might be found out and the way thereof blocked up what ever it cost the Innocent to God to accomplish the same and blessed be God things have wrought well and will do to the Glory of that Name that is the Strength and Crown of the Righteous that shall never Rot For in the Exercise that the Faithful met withal through this Spirit which the Lord hath blessed to us Life sprung in the Hearts of the Righteous and many Souls was tenderly concerned 〈◊〉 God and his antient Truth which had been the Glory of the North where many living VVitnesses had been raised for God to the glading of many Thousands and from amongst whom faithful Labourers sprung for the publishing the everlasting Truth where the Lord hath called them And the Glory of the Eternal Truth appearing even to lie at stake the Lord put Courage into the Hearts of several younger Brethren that from Babes and 〈◊〉 the Lords Praise might be perfected And the more the Lord appeared amongst us the more
from the Inspection Reproof and Judgment of the Church of God which they were often minded of and yet would not regard verified was the saying upon them There are none so blind as those who will not see Thus were we concerned on their behalf in Long-suffering and Patience many Months and some Years some laboured to cover them until they became their shame our Exercises and Sufferings sustained by them and the wrong done to the Church of God and the offence to his People was so open and publick among us by their means that the Exhortations and tender Reproofs upon J. S. and J. W. and them of party with them were so publick also that with respect to orderly dealing with them Friends were clear on that score if any breach of order was it was on their parts that went privately insinuating into the minds of the weaker sort to work a dislike of and a disrespect to the Churches care the Discipline and Order established throughout the Nation and would not concern themselves with our Antient Honorable and Elder Brethren in the matter thereof who had been Instruments in Gods hands for settling the Churches therein and from our Brethren at London many good Exhortations and Encouragements we had received on account thereof we often desired them that is any discontent was in their minds upon the account of any Practice that we were desirous or concerned to promote that they would be pleased to let the hearing thereof be referred to our Friends and Brethren of our general Meetings in order to a determination thereof which they would not be perswaded too neither did they after their opposition begun come there or concern themselves therewith Now besides these publick concerns amongst us in the North occasioned through the means of these two men together with their adherents that joyned with them J. Wilkinson may remember the Exercise that a Friend and Brother had with him in the Town of Kirbylonsdale in a private Chamber about the time of the said Friends going to London it was towards the beginning of the opposition to Friends care in the Church and the division occasioned by him and them of party with him And he may remember what a tender frame of Spirit the Friend was in towards him we are bold to give a relation of it here having a tender account from the Friend concerned with him which John Wilkinson may have liberty to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he please Was he not told what a danger he was running himself into through the straitness that he had let in upon him against the practice of the Church in the Discipline thereof which through evil Surmisings and groundless Jealousies had prevailed upon him wherein he was not only a discourager of the tender hearted in relation to their concerns in the care and order of the Gospel but an encourager of a loose sort that were gratified thereby and emboldned to make Opposition and work Strife Was he not also told that there was upon that Friends Heart and many more a sence of the decay of Life and the fresh power of God in their publick Preaching and Testimony for Truth which formerly had accompanied John Story and him and that into the Letter and Wisdom of the Flesh their ministerial Exercise was of late Years much what turned to the trouble of many so that the pure Wisdom being withdrawn in a great measure they were darkned as to the knowledg of the sufficiency of that Grace which preserved pure to God in his Service and to his Praise all that keep to it in whatever Exercise they were concerned and on that account had the groundless Jealousies risen and wrought them into a fear of that to enter amongst us on the account of Order and Discipline in the Church of God which he was 〈◊〉 could never do on that occasion as Friends kept to the Power and Grace of God where no Apostacy could every prevail John Wilkinson may remember how his Heart was broken then into many Tears without a word of reply in opposition to what was said on that account And we do testifie that the Opposition that hath been in the Church hath not been from a real fear of a going back into the Apostacy again through the Churches being settled in Order and under a Government in the Family of God but a wrong loose backsliding Spirit from the Power and Life of Truth that would be at Liberty from under the Yoke thereof pretended a fear of settling of Forms and visible Order amongst Gods People to be the way to introduce the Apostacy again that on that account it may slight and reject the same to have its Liberty in that which the Truth and the pure Gospel doth condemn But to go on let John Wilkinson be asked whether he was not desired to go to London to discourse these matters amongst the Brethren there by reason whereof his and others Discontent and Straitness had risen which would work them under into Misery and Ruin as to Truth it was told him if they were not aware that if possibly amongst the many Brethren there satisfaction might be given him as to any matter which he scrupled Many ontreaties there were we have cause to believe on that wise yet none could prevail with him to make him willing to go Yet notwithstanding in a tender broken frame of Spirit at that time was he subjected through that eternal Power that was over all in which the Discourse ended and they parted asunder Little did our Friends and Brethren at London think that things were working thus in the North amongst the ancient Brethren where Gods Power and blessed Gospel had gloriously broken forth and been received and testified to and loath were the Innocent to divulge it there or else-where for the Unities sake which is a precious thing amongst Brethren and to have had matters composed amongst our selves in Westmerland was our desire and our hopes as yet failed not and the more because of that tenderness and bowed sence John Wilkinson was wrought into which for a time did continue with him to the glading of Friends on his and the Churches behalf and although the Brethren at London had had some little knowledge of these things amongst us yet they also under an hope that matters in time would be allayed amongst us were not enclined to make any publick concern thereof therefore nothing unless in private was said or done in relation to it which was then but as a Spark with respect to the Flame of the Exercise it wrought in the Church more generally afterwards through them betrayed into that Spirit that would work mischief if it could get entrance any way But to go on in short with the concerns in the North with these two men as them on whom here the dependency of those hung who to work Distraction and Trouble among Friends were set at work It fell out that John Story who had been in the South 〈◊〉 to his Faction secretly as
Monthly and Quarterly Meetings with reflecting words against them calling them Courts and Sessions and of our Citing into them and the like Secondly That they had discouraged Friends Testimonies against Tyshes with reflecting opposite loose Words Thirdly That they had opposed reflected upon and greatly discouraged Womens Meetings Fourthly That they had opposed recording Condemnations upon scandalous loose Practices in such as professed the Truth Fifthly That they had discouraged and weakned Friends in their Stability in the time of Persecution and had justified leaving their Houses and going into private places in the time thereof to keep their Meetings Sixthly That they had disorderly and irreverently judged Friends tender Exercises in breaking forth in Mellodious Singings and Soundings to Gods praise in their Meetings under the exercise of the power which breaks and fills the Heart out of the abundance whereof breaks forth Sighs and Groans and Spiritual Songs as the Lord is pleased to exercise them that waits upon him The Reader may observe that in the former part of the aforesaid Paper it is expressed That John Story and John Wilkinson not being there viz. at the said Meeting at Pow-Bank the Friends were enclined as also desired to hear what was writ in relation to charge against them which being 〈◊〉 and though good proof was made thereof accordingly yet they were 〈◊〉 to see John Story and John Wilkinson Face to Face before they gave their Judgment thereupon wherefore they took the pains that Night to go to find out John Story at Kendal six Miles off and perswaded him to go to John Wilkinson's House next Morning which accordingly he did where they meeting with them both together told them that they had heard read several matters alledged in charge against them relating to Friends disatisfaction desired them to go along with them to the Meeting at Milnethorpe which was that Day appointed again on purpose to hear what they had to say in their own Defence or to alledge against any proof made of things or against the Witnesses in order to any thing acted by them or any other Friends that might occasion their Discontent or Opposition as the charges seemed to import or words to that purpose but they refused to go on that score they proffered only to refer the hearing of the matter to two men chosen by each Party one and that in relation to that they might have a Coppy of the Charges but Friends seeing that it was not only a disorderly thing in them to absent themselves from the aforesaid Meeting appointed by the Quarterly Meeting but also to make such a motion as that in opposition to Friends care and endeavours amongst them for Peace as their travels and seeking of them did imply Friends refused as in all reason they ought to have done to take any notice thereof yet told them They should have a Coppy of the Charges at the Meeting if they would go if when they were read they desired the same to make their defence the better and they should have time also if there was need for it But go they would not as they had resolved and said That they would come at no more Meetings upon such matters But poor men they forgot that or else mattered not what they had said on that wise for they offered to refer the matter to two c. which is not Truth-like Orderly or Discreet in the case of Gods Truth many Brethrens Testimony and Concern and the Churches Peace The Friends proffered to read them the matters in charge against them if they pleased as in the aforesaid Paper is expressed but they refused to hear the same Now let all sober and discreet men that fear God consider what this Spirit is whether it be not the same as was said of it before not Pure not Peaceable nor easie to be Entreated but Wilful Stubborn and leading to Strife and to work Distractions in the Church of God it is evidently seen to have had a design But blessed be the Lord its way is blockt up it hath done its worst there it s turned out now too amongst the Gainsayers to get an entrance amongst them that are in the Unbelief and Rebellious to the Truth 's Life and there it makes a Clutter and Noise as the Wind which the Lord weighs as a little thing and its passing away that Truth may Reign and take the Dominion over all for evermore Here follows that part of the Paper given forth at Milnerhorp in relation to the opposite Spirit against Friends Practices in the Church of God which demonstrates the sence of the aforesaid Brethren viz. After all which Travel and Labour in the Love of God for no other end but that Differences might be ended Unity and Peace come into lived in we having used all endeavours that was in our power at this time to enform our selves of the truth of things relating to these Differences as before Written we judge it our Duty that in defence of our godly Order and holy Practices which by the Power of God we are led into owned and justified in to give our Judgment upon such Words and Passages as hath been charged upon the abovesaid John Story and John Wilkinson and evidenced before us by many Witnesses that whether from them or any other such have proceeded it is clear that they cannot come from any Spirit or Mind but such as is in real opposition to the Spirit of Truth and Power of God in his People in this Age manifested by which we have been led into the heavenly and holy Order of the blessed Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and to bear a faithful Testimony unto him and of his coming and appearance to end all Types and Shadows and also into such Practices as is according to the Example of those good Men that were before us for we find that it expressly strikes against us in the ground in our godly order and proceedings which is for no other end but for the putting forward and keeping up of Rightcousness and a holy and unspotted Life amongst us and the maintaining of our Testimony without Violation as we received it from God in the beginning and this may all understand that do but read the Charges as they were evidenced unto us how that they tend to the weakening of Friends Faith in their Testimony against Tythes which by the Faithful hath been born from the beginning for which many have suffered deeply even unto Death and also what opposition doth appear against recording of Confessions and 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and Transgressions which is no other but according to the former example of them that gave forth the Scriptures and how such Words and Passages doth shew forth opposition and a contrary mind to Gods Faithful Children in that profitable practice and godly order of Mens and Womens Meetings as now according to the Wisdom and in the Power of God is set up amongst us for the advancing of the honour of the
the Law nor the Executors thereof nor in the Kings Cause and the Nations Peace is the Witnesses Evidence although Complainers detectable nor the Sentence given accordingly to be Condemned and that this is the state of our Cause on the account of the God of Heaven and Earth the King of Saints his Peoples Peace and that our proceedings have been justifiable on the account thereof we do leave it before the Lord to be Judge and it s very clear that William Rogers has gained no credit to his Cause of Vilifying and Condemning the Discipline and Order used in the Church of God by his proclaiming these men in his Printed Book to be such as that he hath heard of none to exceed them in Doctrine and Life who are thus Stout and Ambitious Stuborn and Self-Willed And on what justifiable account before the Lord or amongst men he placeth the dreadful Judgment upon us of being Apostates from God and the Life of Christianity as he is pleased to do we yet see not let them appear boldly and 〈◊〉 themselves that do and give over this deceitful hidden Guile and creeping Work which the holy and just God abhors as an hateful thing and our first Principle condemns forever But to go on things running at this rate and they growing up to this height of Impudency in their opposit Work it now became the great concern of our Brethren at London and other parts of the Nation seeing what a Combination there was amongst John Story' s Adherents to rebel against the Lord and the ancient Truth that keeps in Unity such as abides in it and that it was the Practice of the Church of God throughout the whole Nation that with respect to our Monthly and Quarterly and General Meetings in order to the Discipline of the Church of God they were resolved to set themselves against with the might and force they could engage themselves into and that according to their former declared purpose they had set up a sign of defiance in a separate Meeting to be kept when they saw meet or as occasion offered as they themselves declared was intended by them to be done and they seeing that it was not the rafling loose sort that were readily drawn into their Snare that the Temptation only reached unto but that several also of the more Innocent to God that loved Righteousness were hurt thereby whose Names they had got into the List to subscribe amongst them to their Paper in their contentious Work many of whom blessed be the Lord to their Joy are comfortably come off again as hereafter may be more fully declared and they seeing also now how the design lay of gathering to them every where as the oppertunity served and knowing that their contentious Papers were sent abroad up and down the Nation where any reception could be obtained for them and that John Story principal in the whole design was very officious in the matter thereof in the Western parts where his Travels were wont to be and that in those parts he then was and had proselited into his factious Work several of the Earthly-wise and looser sort and that the Innocent also were in danger to be betrayed the Temptations being so guilefully laid whereupon at a Meeting on the account of suffering Friends held at the House of James Claypoole Merchant in London the 18th of the 8th Month 1675. It was agreed upon amongst the Brethren there and concluded as followeth Whereas there hath been depending an unhappy Difference between several Friends and Brethren in the North on the one Party and John Wilkinson and John Story on the other Part and that all the Endeavours hitherto have not prevailed to that healing composure desired and since the said Brethren in the North for the more effectual conclusion of the said matter have desired the Brethren of this Meeting to take it into their serious Consideration that if any thing can be further offered by them then what has been already done for the Service of the Truth and Peace of the Church of God It is from the deep sence of the thing and the sad consequences thereof unamimously desired by the 〈◊〉 Brethren that George Whitehead John Whitehead William Gibson and Alexander Parker or Gerard Roberts go from London and two from Bristol to be chosen by the Persons hereafter nominated either out of themselves or any other Friends of that City The Friends nominated to chuse two Friends as aforesaid are as followeth Dennis Hollister Thomas Gouldney Charles Hartford Richard Snead Richard Vickris 〈◊〉 Love William Ford Charles Jones William Rogers The said two Friends with the four before named to go into the North to give the Brethren a Meeting with John Wilkinson and John Story if they will be perswaded to return for the assisting the Church and Friends there to hear and determine the said Difference as in the Wisdom and Council of God they shall be directed for Peace and Unity in the Church Stephen Smith Stephen Crispe Thomas Green Ambrose Rigg and William Penn desired to meet together this Evening and draw up two Letters one to John Wilkinson and John Story and an other to Friends at Bristol aforesaid It may be taken notice of that Friends in the North although they were satisfied with the Labours and Travels of the Brethren concerned in the afore-mentioned Meetings from a true sence of the presence of Almighty God with them as also with the Testimony and Judgment aforesaid upon the afore-mentioned Spirit of Opposition and Strife and against all whomsoever that were found in the Works thereof being one and the same with that which had lived on their Hearts in relation to that Spirit as that which the pure God would never bless nor the Works thereof as also in a sence and knowledge of what a Noise was gone out through them of that Spirit against the aforesaid Proceedings of our Brethren and Judgment on the case to the leaving a jealousie upon the minds of some that probably things might not be so bad with respect to John Story and John Wilkinkinson as matters seemed to import and the Judgment given did imply We being also conscious to our selves of any deficiency on our parts whereby to invalidate the Judgment given or to have our selves detected in the matter of the occasion of the Difference amongst us having also a sincere desire that what dissatisfaction remained upon any with respect to the Judgment given without hearing c. although the default in that matter lay on John Story and John Wilkinson their part that our Innocence before the Lord which our Consciences bore record to might also the more appear and that whosoever had a mind might have the oppertunity of hearing matters relating to us on the score of being culpable as well as they as we had been rendred up and down the Nation by them of that Spirit and having also a sence of the continuation of the Exercise and Sorrow that we
truly comforted whatever the Issue of Matters would be with respect to those entangled in the Snare of a guileful Spirit that it was well with them in that they had a certain Knowledg of the Peace and Blessings of God into their Bosoms who had aceompanied them with his glorious Power and over-shaddowed their Exercise therewith to their Hearts Joy and to the causing of them to give God the Praise who is worthy for ever and in the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit upon the 5 th day of that Exercise Friends parted asunder being the 7 th day of the Week Several of our travelling Brethren stayed some days in the Country amongst Friends and had several blessed Meetings here-aways in a Travel upon their Spirits during their abode in the Country for the Churches Peace and the Return of the strayed ones and giving up the whole Concern to Almighty God and to the Word of his Power who alone gives the Encrease of all planting and watering and spiritual Exercises on every Account God over all in Heaven and Earth blessed for ever In many particular Exercises that the aforesaid Friends had with John Story and John Wilkinson and them of Party with them they were very desirous that they would break up again their separate Meeting as that which they testified against which also God would never bless There was that measure of Love and Tenderness raised up in John Story and John Wilkinson in the aforesaid Meeting that they took an Occasion to go to George Fox then at Swathmoore who we perceive by good Information was very loving to them and tender on their behalf letting them see the Danger they were in if they did not return to the antient Power in it to become one with Gods 〈◊〉 again in the Service and Labour of the Truth and for that end desired them to break up the separate Meeting c. But upon the matter thus it was that the separate Meeting they still continued and the Expectations of dear Brethren became frustrated on John Story' s and John Wilkinson's account for any thing that could be observed for they quickly trampled upon the whole Concern and Endeavours that had been had with them and used towards them John Wilkinson presently denyed that they had condemn'd any thing at Draw-well or that they knew of any thing of which they were guilty that was condemnable At the next yearly Meeting being about the 3 d. Month 1676. The Concerns of the Church of God throughout the whole Nation and of many Countries and Islands beyond the Seas being under Friends tender Care and great weight of Spirit the estate of the Church of God in Westmerland came before Friends as some of us were Ear-Witnesses and an Exercise of Mind was upon them in relation to the Grievances that Gods People in these Parts were still exposed to through the Spirit of Contention and Strife that had led into Separation from the antient Brethren in the Service of Truth and the deplorable State also of John Wilkinson and John Story with them of Party with them they were touched with In the Consideration of their trampling upon all the tender Endeavours used towards them at Draw-well in the 2 d. Month of the same Year and their obstinate and wilful rejecting the Admonition the Reproof the good Advice and Councel of their antient Brethren in order to a happy Return of them to God again and into the Unity of the Spirit with the Faithful in the practice of things relating to the Concerns of Truth and the Church of God amongst them And understanding that the separate Meeting continued still contrary to the general and particular Advice of the Friends when in the North more particularly on the account of their Souls Concern tenderly laid before them to the great danger of their utter undoing over and besides the Obstruction which that Spirit laboured to make in the way of Truth with respect to a gathering more unto God as also the Hurt its Design tended to produce amongst the young and tender not fully established upon the Rock the Habitation whereupon cannot be shaken The Brethren with respect to that secret Hope that sprung up in them at Draw-well when there concerning these two men in particular and on behalf of others greatly hurt by the same Spirit that the Lord might have wrought them into a further sight and sence of things as to their inward of late Years deplorable State and into a tender acknowledgment thereof under the hand and stroke of Gods Power to the working of them from the Bondage thereof that the liberty of the Power in the love 〈◊〉 God they might again come to partake of and so be brought into Fellowship with Gods People again to their Comfort and the Churches Ease and Peace On these Considerations it was yet upon their Spirits to visit them with a tender Epistle of Brotherly Advice from the yearly Meeting under the great Lamentation that the Souls of many were bowed in because thereof The Epistle from the yearly Meeting the 22d of the 3d. Month 1676. John Story and John Wilkinson FOR whom our Souls have travelled as for our own the God of Heaven is Record yea bitterness and anguish of Spirit hath overtaken us for your sakes that in the blessed Unity of the Life and Love of God with the Brethren you may come and dwell for ever And let us tell you in all plainess for we are bound yea we are bruised men for your sakes and deeply afflicted to hear by your Northern Brethren of the continuance of the Separation in those Parts for that Sp rit despiseth our Travels tramples upon our Labours sets our Life and Love at nought and with that Spirit hath God a Controversie and Will forever Ah! what do you mean to do Oh! our antient Friends Sorrow girds us to hear that you are got no nearer your antient Brethren nor receive our Councel while our Life strives with you least your Day go off and our Bowels be shut up against you Bow to that Power that visited you at Daw-well and let not up any Slights against it in your Minds For we are satisfied in our Souls 〈◊〉 it was the Day of your Visitation And in the Name of the Lord away with that Separation which to our great Grief we hear is not only continued but countenanced at least by one 〈◊〉 you for the Determination of the Lord is to blast it for ever Ah! you and they are sought in the Spirit of Meekness and in Love unseigned and in that Patience that was not provoked Oh! strive not against your own Mercies neither exclude your selves from the Fellowship of your Brethren but judge down all Strife Jealousies and Surmises in the name of the Living God that you may be made nigh and be Instruments to bring those nigh that are also with you at a manifest distance from us otherwise the Jealous God will stretch 〈◊〉 his Hand against you and you
and this Separation will apparently wither and come to nought And we must tell you that some of us hoped and expected that ere this you would in the Fear and Dread of the Lord have born a publick Testimony against that Spirit of Division and Meeting of Seperation in those Parts And we are livingly assured in the heavenly Counsel of God that is now with us that in all places where any hurt hath come and entered by this Spirit through you the Lord first requireth this at your Hands and in the Name Power and 〈◊〉 of the God of Truth and Peace we are constrained to press you to be first reconciled to your Brethren and in your Spirits and Practices be united to the Church of Christ before you offer your Gift or excercise your selves in publick Testimony among Gods People and so no more leave that Country in 〈◊〉 and Seperation for otherwise the Breach will become wider and you more discover your selves to be of that Spirit which would augment Contest and Division which we desire that God in Mercy may deliver you from for against that Spirit the sharp Sword of the Lord is drawn and thus far have we cleared our Consciences in his sight and presence whose ancient Power gloriously springs and reigns amongst us Eternal Praises to his his Name forever George Whitehead Iohn Burnyeate William Gibson Robert Lodge Alexander Parker Thomas Taylor Iohn Bowren Iohn Tiffen William Penn. We whose Names are here under Written being at London at this Yearly Meeting having heard the above written Letter twice read at a second days Meeting in the City being the 22d of the 3d Month 1676. do hereby declare that it contains the real sence of our Hearts as was expressed by several Testimonies there given to that purpose from Gods Truth in many of us and therefore are in unity with it Pattrick Livingstone George Hutchinson Richard Pinder Hector Allen William Fallowfield Samuel Cater Iasper Batt Samuel Thornton Thomas Cooke Iohn Lanstaffe Edward Edwards Iames Claypoole Brayan Doyley William Peacke Richard Webster Francis Moore Iames Parke Richard Samble William Mead Leonard Fell Stephen Smith Iames Sikes Charles Floyd Daniel Smith Thomas Salthouse Stephen Crisp Anthony Thompkins Iohn Haywood Ellis Hooks Authur Cotton Let God be witness this Day betwixt the Church of God and these two Men and them of Party with them whether in the tender Love of God and of dear Brethren they have not been delt withal in Compassionateness through great long Suffering and Patience beseeching them in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ and Gods manifold Mercies and Forbearances towards them that they would be reconciled to God that they might find acceptance with him as that which was a Soul Concern yea the concern of eternal Recompence World without end and that which hath been testified in many Labours and Travels Night and Day on their accounts and how unwilling Friends were that they should be rejected and cast aside and their Names blotted out from the remembrance of the Righteous and out of the Number of the Worthies of Israel whom the Lord Blesseth and makes as Saviours on Mount Sion to his Eternal Praise and the Comfort of the Church of Christ and the Peace of the Immortal Soul forever So that we have a Record from God upon our Spirits in true satisfaction that we have discharged a good Conscience in the Lords sight with respect to them and that if any of them Perish it shall lie at their Doors the Lord is clear and his People thus far clear let them look to it as they will answer at the dreadful Day Yet after all these Labours and Travels in the Love of God and Spirit of Grace and Supplication towards and in behalf of them they still continued in the Alienation from Truths Life in their separate contentious Work and the more the Lord and his People strove with them the more obstinate and hardned they grew and where the Apostacy which William Rogers is pleased to charge us with will be seen to center a little time will declare further So it was that as the evil Men and Seducers that grows worse and worse they put on resolution and Courage to stand it out John Story betook himself into the South-West to keep the Design on Foot there and to muster up all whom he could draw after him with the Pollicy and Might he had he set himself William Rogers ratled about with a dishonest Narrative that he himself had drawn up of the Transactions of the Meeting at Draw-well as his prejudiced jealous Mind acted him and sent it abroad up and down the Country where any would take notice of it took off the beliefe or hopes where any in kindness to John Story and John Wilkinson had been begot of any submission given by them or any real acknowledgement made by them there notwithstanding the paper they had given forth and at that time under an exercise if they had stood to it which William Rogers set at naught accounting it but a Rattle to please Children with John Wilkinson also as he had before denied that they had Condemned any thing writ to some of the Brethren at London very comtemptibly in a slight of all their Love Labours and Travels concerning them in the North inveighing against the Relation given and subscribed there of matters transacted amongst us and the product thereof calling it a lying Narrative c. And that Courage they took to themselves and cambined Resolution to stand to their Work that he together with about eleaven more subcribed a Book written by them and sent it abroad in Manuscript up down the Nation amongst those that had entertained Jealousies and let in Prejudice against the Antient Brethren who kept true to God and had let in Murmuring and Discontent against the Order and Discipline used in the Church of Christ. The said Book called or at least rendred to be their Remonstrance or Declaration pretending therein to stand to the antient Principle of Truth and Faith therein as also speaking of certain Practices used amongst them Directed to Monthly Quarterly Yearly and Second Days Meetings in a bold and open Contest with the whole Church of God throughout the whole Nation in which they possitively declare themselves and those of party with them to be that part of the whole Family of the Children of Light that keeps their antient Integrity and Stability in the Truth and for that cause say they are they called by the rest Separates meaning by the Monthly Quarterly Yearly and Second Days Meetings they are also bold to say that we that is to say all those that are in faithfulness to God careful with respect to Church Order and the Discipline thereof unto which the aforesaid Meetings relate and not of party with them are departed from our first Principle of Light and Life in Christ Jesus and setting up Forms and outward Methods in the Church and the like And for no
had been the Cause of its being read against him But we further say in relation to the Matter and that which we do undertake to make good that John Story had concerned himself through a Spirit of Prejudice for some Years before with whispering Reflections and smiting Accusations against her behinde her Back and could not be got to speak thereof to her Face although she had a desire greatly to see him as she often signified and John Blaykling some time desired him to go over to her House and would have gone with him thither desiring him also that he would incline his Minde to a Reconciliation with her and one other time also when he came from Bristol and an eminent Friend of that City with him he was desired tenderly by John Blaykling that they would both go over to see her for Unities sake that is pretious amongst Brethren but his Reply was That he would not go over the Street to meet her And the other Friend that was with him may remember what an Exercise he had upon him from what John Blaykling said to him then in order to their going but the obstinate prejudiced Minde in John Story would not give way thereunto which to our Knowledge Margaret Fox was sorry for having a tender desire of the Mans good and of his being preserved in the antient Love and Power in which he once was an Instrument of Good in the Church of God the Prejudice and groundless jealous Discontent that he gave up himself into wrought in him as a Canker to the eating out of his antient first Love and Respect to the Fellowship of his Brethren and he adhered to the dark and earthly sort and became obnoxious to the pure Life amongst Friends in the Exercises of the Gospel amongst the Children of the Lord as he gave demonstrable Toakens of to the Grief of the tender-Hearted to God And afterward at a Meeting in Westmerland where Margaret Fox was in the exercise of Prayer amongst Gods People and many Hearts being under the Power of God according to the divers Opperations thereof as God pleaseth to minister sutable to every ones Age and Growth some being concerned in breathing out mellodious Soundings in Spirit to Gods Praise John Story during the said Exercises spake some Words in a dislike thereof and in a Judgment thereupon and being spoken to after the Meeting concerning the same amongst many Friends as is made mention of in this else-where said That whosoever did sing sound or make a noise whilest another was praying c. It was Confusion and Disorder and the Spirit of Delusion that led them to it and that he had born his Testimony against it and would do it and bring it down or else leave Preaching It may be further proved and hath been that several Accusations he cast out against her afterwards to blemish her withal both publick and private to the Disparagement of Truth and our Fellowship therein and to the hurting of several Friends and to their Grief concerning her and a Paper was writ against her and at two preceeding monthly Meetings it was urged by him and them of Party with him to be sent from that Meeting to her but that it was stopt by some that shewed a Dislike thereof who had been and was honourable in the 〈◊〉 of Christ for her Love and Lifes sake in the Truth and whose Integrity to God was approved in the Consciences of the Upright to God and of whose Care Labour and Service therein from the Beginning many were Witnesses of and were comforted in having turned her 〈◊〉 of the Pleasures and Glory of the World in self-denial for Christs sake and taken her part amongst the dispised and hated of the World for the same Cause and we testify it was below the Image of God and the Spirit of a Man for him to treat her as he was resolved to do as the Calumnies the Slanders the Aspersions cast up and down in Westmerland by him against her did demonstrate the same wherefore in her own Defence and for the Vindication of her Innocency as publickly as John Story' s Aspersions had been against her he never also being inclined to give her a Meeting on the Score thereof that ever we heard of but as said before evading several Opportunities in order thereunto She the aforesaid Margaret Fox not knowing otherwise how to have her Cause heard drew up a Paper of the true State thereof as we believe between him and her for the Friends amongst whom by him she had been wronged to take notice of in order to their Satisfaction touching the same and on the occasion of several publick Accusations in a quarterly Meeting cast out against her by John Story behinde her Back a Friend signified that he had Margaret Fox her aforesaid Paper and if the quarterly Meeting pleased it should be read to which John Story gave his Consent yea urged the reading of it and the quarterly Meeting also condescended thereunto and if that in the said Paper John Story' s Doings concerning her and the Truth of God were made manifest he thereupon had the Opportunity to have made his Defence and have proved the Matters against her which he had accused her of and this was manifold more excuseable in her yea justifiable too than John Story' s Whispering backbiting Work that he would not bring to her Face from which Occasion the Friends of the Meeting had the Opportunity to have concerned themselves touching the same with them both as they saw meet We come now to take notice that William Rogers in his Postcript makes a great deal ado to detect George Fox of being unwilling to give him a Meeting in relation to Matters and Things he had to lay to his Charge and without the obtaining of that threatned to publish in Print c. And pretends how desirous he was thereof and as if George Fox should evade the same and from thence would infer that he was not able to clear himself c. As also thereby reckons himself justifiable in his exposing to publick view the Work he hath made against him This we have cast upon us by Unbelievers and the worst of our Foes into whose Hands through them of Party with William Rogers the aforesaid Book hath been given in answer whereunto we do desire it may be 〈◊〉 although this is a base Reflection and very abusive how justifiable George Fox stands in the sight of God and his dear People in the matter of his some time denyal to answer William Rogers's wicked and ungodly Spirit detected and judged by the Testimony of many Brethren for the shameful Work he hath made with his abusing Friends Exercise and inward Travel at Drawell standing by and vindicating Persons upon Examination and 〈◊〉 found out of Unity with Gods People for the Strife and Contention made by them in the Church of God against its Peace William Rogers giving out an abusive Narrative of the Transactions of Affairs
there reflecting upon Friends notwithstanding the Godly Care they had upon them at that Meeting for Unity and Peace As if John Story John Wilkinson and himself had cheated Friends in pretending to condemn when it seems in reallity they did not But William Rogers said they had given them a Rattle to please Children with and John Wilkinson if not he also calling the Brethrens Relation given at 〈◊〉 a lying Narrative trampling upon all the Godly Endeavours that had been used towards them of that rebellious backsliding Spirit God and many dear Friends are Witness and that in their Consciences also what true and tender Care George Fox and others have had and also extended towards them which William Rogers hath some times confessed to before he became thus hardened to do Mischief so that in very deed his Treachery had been such that many may say he was not worth such Treating with William Rogers had Opportunity enough to have met with George Fox face to face on the account of the Accusations that he cast upon him and published them up and down the Nation in Manuscript before ever he dealt with him according to the Command of Christ and the Apostolical Order in relation to most of them some of his abusive Papers or Book out against George Fox amongst his Abettors before ever George Fox heard of them to the Shame of Christianity and the Rule of all Christian Societies as will be hereafter made manifest which he hath published in Print to Posterity and a Meeting was given him and others of Party with him at Bristoll John Story being there in relation to Matters in Difference betwixt them and the Church of God George Fox being there also with William Penn George Whithead William Gibson and others of George Fox's Friends and Brethren as in Manuscript hath been made mention of and in the discoursing of Matters at that time amongst them William Rogers was so abusively clamorous and extravagant and loud in Words and in his Concern and Exercise so burthensom amongst them in the heat of his Spirit as that Friends were astonished thereat and some of his own Party so dissatisfied at his running out of Doors to and again that some of them were glad for Moderations sake to go out to qualify him and get him in again of this we shall speak more afterwards as to Proof thereof if any should question the same such Confusion there was principally occasioned through him as that little effectually could be done William Rogers bringing in Accusations against George Fox in that publick Meeting which George Fox was a Stranger to neither knew he of any such Designe that William Rogers had upon him as to impeach him on that wise and not have dealt with him before according to the Order of Truth which was shameful in the sight of good Men that was privy to it William Rogers had the Opportunity often to have done with George Fox as became a Brother and a Man if he had been of a right Spirit as Hundreds will testify which he took no notice of he hath published in Print and exposed the same to Posterity most of the Accusations against George Fox upon Reports saying If Reports be true after a disingenious sort which manifesteth what a Spirit he hath and whether or no he be worth much taking notice of with respect to much he hath had in hand he pretends want of the Opportunity of a meeting with him was one great Occasion of his publishing in Print his horrid Work and yet he had a Meeting proffered him freely with George Fox which George Fox signified to stop his Mouth withal and sent him word if he would come in any confiderable time before he left the City of London as may be seen by William Meads Relation of the matter relating to it and for all William Rogers his 〈◊〉 now in a wicked excusive way he would not give consent to meet with George Fox on Notice given to him unless George Fox would give it under his hand which 〈◊〉 Fox was not willing to do neither did the Truth require him so far to follow such a false Spirit as his he believing also that he would make an evil use of it in Print and although William Mead proffered to 〈◊〉 God Willing that George Fox would meet him c. Yet he denyed to do it unless he would give it under his Hand though George Fox never desired that of him What a shameful wicked thing is it for William Rogers to put this detestable wicked Book in print stuffed with such abusive horrid clamouring Accusations and Aspersions to the shame of his Principle and Profession and the Fellowship of Brethren pretending George Fox would not give him a Meeting and yet did evade it thus pitifully and unlike a Man or the Concern it related to this surely is treacherous dealing with much such like he hath in hand but the great God the Judge of all will reckon with him in the end for all whose Damnation slumbers not he hath shamefully abused and wronged the Exercise that William Mead and Nicholas Lucus an Agent for William Rogers had about the matter and manner of George Fox's being willing to meet William Rogers c. as may be seen in the Relation William Mead gives of it incerted in the Treatise called The Accuser of the Brethren cast down to which we refer the Reader for more satisfaction about this matter And William Rogers in his Conscience to which we also refer the matter knows that he might have had a Meeting with George Fox if he would but take the Opportunity proffered him Yet his 〈◊〉 hath been such to watch for Advantage that many antient honourable Brethren were not willingly inclined that George Fox should take much Notice of him and some private Discourse that George Fox and he had at London at William Roger's earnest Request he hath made an evil use thereof in print against him which doth not become a Man of his supposed Parts 〈◊〉 Reputation to have done that he might publish abroad his printing thereof William Rogers reflects upon George Fox also in his Postscript because when Daniel Smith of Malborrow told him that William Rogers had propounded to have a meeting with him c. George Fox should say He judged it would but be a jangle as it was at Bristol Let the sober minded but consider whether George Fox had not ground to expect no better from him whose Iniquity was hastening to an height who had been so abusive to Friends with respect to former Meetings at Drawel with his false abusive Narrative and at Bristol manifesting such bauling clamorous Work as many were ashamed of And whether George Fox had any ground to take notice of the uncertainty of this mans tosticated Spirit as he manifestly appeared in and more especially seeing he might have had the Opportunity of meeting George Fox at London who was ready to come into the City when William Rogers was
Observations on the Queries a false Assertion and thereby to make him a Lyer Thirteen times over he says He did not intend the Queries to be Charges The most of what we can reasonably say on his behalf touching this matter is that peradventure he did not think so plainly to have declared them Charges least he should fail in the proof thereof it being a desparate adventure but that the tendency thereof was high Charges and that after a very absurd and unbrotherly manner it s very plain and safe to assert and the Words themselves demonstrates the same so that he might see if he were not wilfully Blind that his Tongue and Pen bewrayes him William Rogers in his fourth Query implicitly chargeth George Fox That he appears in his Epistle which he calls reflecting Queries to be a Man with two Faces Now we desire that William Rogers and them of Party with him may examine whether he be not the Man that hath appeared with two Faces in so highly now applauding John Story as not one equal to him in Doctrine and Conversation excepting John Wilkinson that ever he heard of and in espousing his Quarrel in opposition to Church Care and leading a separate Party in that Design and let his Conscience speak whether or no he hath thus vehemently stood by him therein from any real sence of John Stories Uprightness to God in this his undertaking or from any liking of or unity with his Preaching and let him be asked whether he did not reckon it once to be an empty burdensome dead thing like the Priests Doctrine and whether he said not that he would Preach them all to Death or the like If he remember not this or would make a forget of it we can help his Memory therein and so with respect to his praising of John Story now and standing by him on this wise we would have him consider whether he hath not been a double minded Man and that his undertaking in this Contentious Design against the Churches Care and Peace thereof hath not really been to gratifie a fleshly declining Spirit in himself from Truths Life in which also he 〈◊〉 his Contempt and Dis-esteem of yea his Malice and Enmity against George Fox who hath kept his first Love and Care for Gods Glory whose Person William Rogers runs upon and his Repute too both as a Man and Christian with lying Charges and false Accusations as all or most of the Apostates from Truth have done ever since we have been a People and if William Rogers would but consider the woful end of the most of such he might have great cause thereby to Fear and Repent that he might find Mercy and not perish for evermore We further take notice that George Fox blaming William Rogers for causing so many Smiting Queries and false Accusations to be read against him in a publick Mens-Meeting behind his back when he was nigh Two Hundred Miles off as unbeseeming Truth George Fox knowing of no such thing intended against him seeing also they of Party with him would not allow Thomas Camm to read a Paper concerning John Wilkinson relating to prove him to his Face an encourager of Loose and Wicked Persons c. In a Meeting appointed for that end and John Wilkinson there present To which William Rogers saith This if far remote from his purpose c. The Reader may consider how foolish William Rogers renders himself besides very Partial and Dishonest in this matter Will he justifie his causing to be read such malicious Charges against George Fox behind his Back in the Mens-Meeting where not a Man present would say he owned the reading of it George Fox not being there to make his Defence neither knowing any thing of the matter intended against him for the space of three Weeks time after by any Account from him or from any other by his Order and yet will seem to stand by those that would not allow Thomas Camm to read a Paper relating to make good somthing against John Wilkinson in a Meeting appointed for that very end and John Wilkinson there present We say that the remoteness that is in these Cases which is not a little tendeth to William Rogers his great shame with respect to the matter he hath had in hand Again William Rogers being told by George Fox of his unchristian and disorderly dealing with him about the Matter of causing those smiting Queries to be read against him c. Bray Doiley also speaking with William Rogers about the same disorderly Work William Rogers told Bray Doyley That he had sent them to George Fox three Weeks before they were read in the aforesaid Meeting And yet William Rogers denies this and sayes It s probable he might say it was writ three Weeks before c. In Answer we say It may be noted First William Rogers denies not but that it was read in the Mens-Meeting after the manner aforesaid which is base and unchristian doings And Secondly That it was read long before it came to George Fox's Hands its clear William Rogers's Letter to George Fox being a cover to the aforesaid Paper of Queries bearing Date Bristol the very same day that the Smiting Reflections and Falsly accusing Paper were read against him in the Meeting at Bristol Thirdly It may be noted what an Abominable Lye William Rogers asserts in denying that he said that he had sent the Paper of Queries to George Fox three Weeks before for Bray 〈◊〉 as by his Letter appears doth not only assert the Truth of William Rogers's saying so to him but Richard Snead writing to George Fox about the reading of that Paper in their Meeting against him saith thus I forbear to send thee a Coppy of it for William Rogers told Bray Doyley the next day after it was read that he had seni thee a Coppy of it three Weeks before Charles 〈◊〉 Junior also in a Letter to George Fox signifies thus The Coppy of the Letter read in the Mens-Meetings I had sent thee but that William Rogers told me Yesterday that he had sent thee a Coppy of it three Week before Now if this be not treacherous dissmbleing Work the Just God and the Upright may judg and what will be the end of this Lying Spirits Work a little time will more manifest He saith It s a lye to say that he said he had sent it three Weeks before it was read c. When there are Two or Three antient Upright Men in Truth Men of known credit and repute to restifie the same against him the Letter that came with the Paper inclosed in it bears date the 21st of the 8th Month 1678. And Charles Jones's Letter beareth date the 23th of the 8th Month 1678. And the day before was the day when William Rogers said to him and also to Bray Doyley that he had sent the Paper three Weeks before Such a Spirit as this God cannot bless neither can it ever do any good for God his Truth or People
What ever it may pretend to More Witnesses might be brought against William Rogers to prove the Charges of Treachery if he should deny these plain things but this is sufficient to detect him of being a notorious Dissembler with his own Conscience and yet would be unworthily charging others with that which he himself is guilty of But William Rogers to excuse his Unchristian and Disorderly charging behind the Back a Brother and an Elder in the Truth saith That John 〈◊〉 and Twenty five Persons whom he calls Accusers and Informers against John Wilkinson and John Story in order to obtain a Judgment against them behind the Back brought false Accusations against them in order to have Nine Persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Judgment against them when they denyed their Jurisdiction saith he Answ. This is a soul Aspertion and an unchristian Stating of the case which he is not able to make good against us as hath already in Manuscript been manifested sufficiently which might have satisfied him ere now had he been a reasonable Man we have also in part spoken to it in this Treatise We say again in the first place It was not John Blaykling and the other Persons as distinct from the Church of Christ in Westmoreland that had this concern upon them neither was it their particular distinct case but the case of the Church Assembled in the Quarterly Meeting at Kendal in Westmoreland and the Churches case throughout the whole Nation in the cause whereof an Information had been brought and laid before the Brethren in the North and afterwards in the South of the sad Work that John Story and John Wilkinson had made in Opposition to Church-care and the Order thereof they having been often particularly dealt withal as also in many publick preceding Meetings in Westmoreland in order to their Reconciliation to Truth and the Brethren and yet they still continuing Obstinate at the motion and upon the Agreement of the Quarterly Meeting in Westmoreland as also in persuance of the desire of our Brethren at London was there a Meeting appointed in order to the hearing and examining matters relateing to John Story and John Wilkinson and at the aforesaid Meeting was several Brethren of other Counties made mention of with a desire to have them there having been unconcerned Persons which thing also was desired by our Friends at London and John Wilkinson and John Story had notice of the said Meeting as is before in this Treatise inserted knowing also that matters in charge would be alledged against them because of their contentious opposite Work which for the Truths sake and the Unity of Brethren which they contemned could no longer be forborn and their denial to come to the said Meeting so orderly appointed was their contempt of the Churches Power and the Jurisdiction thereof in the Spirit of Jesus Christ for which Contempt together with the ungodly Work which that Spirit of theirs had wrought amongst Gods People the Judgment went out against them in the Authority of the Power which God blesseth the Work of amongst his People John Blaykling whom he mentions by Name is justified amongst his Brethren in the concern that he and many more have had upon them touching this Spirit and them led by it God hath blessed them with success in the Work they have appeared in whilst it goes ill with them of this evil Spirit who stick to it for they become more and more the Evil Men and Seducers that grow worse and worse And as to his saying That we brought false Accusations against them we say We admire that he dare to Sin against God and Dissemble with his own Conscience for he may remember that the matters in charge against them were proved at the Meeting at Draw-well as the Brethrens Narrative of the transacting of matters there with the Judgment given doth plainly demonstrate Now we come to take notice of what proof William Rogers makes of the Accusations which he hath alledged in Charges against George Fox seeing that George Fox declares them to be False and Malicious now it stands William Rogers in Hand to prove the same or else to lay his Hand upon his Mouth and confess he hath done him and many more Brethren great wrong it will not serve his turn to fly 〈◊〉 in the matter of Proof with saying He only asked the Question for the tendency of his whole Work is to Smite and asperse yea if ever Man was Guilty in the matter of accusing our Brethren William Rogers hath by these smiting Queries declared himself to be such a one There is no plea in the case for the contrary therefore it is expected by the Reader that this he should have done but he is fallen short in this Proud and Presumptuous attempt he makes himself a Reproach The first Query or Smiting Accusation runs thus Art not thou the Man that staidst almost a quarter of a Year or at least a considerable time from Meetings though held in the very House of thy Residence or if thou 〈◊〉 at any time come within the aforesaid space whether it was not so seldom that it became matter of Exercise to other Friends for thy sake and did not John Blaykling by name manifest his Burthen and Exercise of Spirit on thine and the Truths behalf for thy so doing and didst thou not after he had so done a little amend in that case Answ. The matter of Charge or smiting Accusation against George Fox in this Query is contained in the latter part thereof viz. It s being a Burden and Exercise to John Blaykling and that John Blaykling should signifie the same to him and as if George Fox did a little mend afterward If William Rogers had made out these things by the evidence of two or three Witnesses as he ought to have been able to have done then had there been matter of Charge against him but this George Fox and John Blaykling both denies in their Answer Let us see what William Rogers saith as to proof The Reader may take notice that the substance of what he saith as to proof is That George Fox saith he doth not deny but that he did so but pretendeth that he was so weak in Body that he was not able to sit in the Meeting But not any thing relating to prove the matters of Charge against him doth he bring forth and therefore detected as a false Accuser but of this more may be said afterwards William Rogers's Second Query relating to George Fox is this viz. Wouldst not thou have accounted this in another the Fruit of a Careless Slothful Negligent Dark Spirit that was either departed or departing from the Truth Answ. This is a smiting Accusation indeed and is denied by George Fox and by John Blaykling charged upon William Rogers or any that takes his part to prove this Charge against him if he can and yet we find not in all his Rejoynder any thing said by him whereby to prove this smiting Accusation
these Words But did I say 〈◊〉 else but Whisht Whisht I 〈◊〉 desire the Reader saith William Rogers to compare this with his fore-recited 〈◊〉 viz I 〈◊〉 them all to be false and malicious Charges and then consider whether he hath not belyed his Conscience at a large rate Answer We say the Reader may take notice that it appears that that which is in the Mans Heart is not only to charge and 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 upon George Fox to the staining of his Esteem and Christian 〈◊〉 with what he hath raked up for the space of about Twenty Years but to make him a lyer in the sight of all which indeed is a disgraceful thing is that which any way to do he bends himself and touching this matter wherein he thinks he hath him fast to detect him therein he determines the matter 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 viz. Whether he hath not 〈◊〉 his Conscience at a large rate seeing he first said That they were all false and malicious Charges and yet saith William Rogers he in part confessed this in that he said Did I say nothing else and let it be noted also with respect to William Rogers's deceitful Work as also to demonstrate that George Fox stands 〈◊〉 in this matter of any Lye that William Rogers in the recital of the Query hath left out that part of it that relates to a positive charge and therefore George Fox no Lyer in Asserting the same viz. William Rogers speaking of some that had made over their Estates as he hath done c. Although saith he 〈◊〉 hast been a 〈◊〉 Now we say what a Face hath William Rogers to charge George Fox with a Lye for calling it a false malicious charge seeing he hath brought forth nothing in his Rejoynder whereby to prove the same but that George Fox should say Whisht Whisht And did I say nothing else Oh! its sad to think what Wickedness the Man is given up to and what scraffling he makes to his shame to make the Innocent guilty if any way he could But what can be gathered that William Rogers would infer from George Fox's Words Whisht Whisht upon the hearing of the matter which William Rogers grounds his smiting Query upon First Doth he think that George Fox's Words Whisht Whisht tended to justifie his making over his visible Estate to his Servants to avoid Sufferings thereby being a Man of a great Estate as he renders himself Secondly or doth he think that George Fox would judge him to be a fit Man to judge in the Meeting about the affairs of the Church with such a Spirit that had laid such an example before Friends to let in weakness amongst them destructive to Truths Life and the Glory of it We say surely neither of these things could be the tendency of the aforesaid Words But according to what William Rogers consesseth George Fox saith in his Reply Did I say nothing else George Fox asked the Man that gave that publick reproof to William Rogers whether he had given him Gospel order Had he dealt with him in private concerning it before the brought it so publickly against him and until that had been done George Fox was the less mindful to make a publick examination of it or debate about it Or Thirdly Dare William Rogers in his Conscience now say when he considers well as he seems to Suggest in his Rejoynder That George Fox was not mindful to or durst not discourse him about that matter because he then put a stop to any publick debate about it we hope William Rogers will not have that Impudence as to make that conclusion about George Fox's tenderness in that matter for William Rogers we suppose cannot forget that George Fox as we also are insormed discoursed him privately about it Much more tender discourse as we understand William Rogers may Remember passed in the said Meeting to keep all cool out of extreams with an Eye to Gospel Order that in all things we may be Decent Comely and of good Report one unto another in the Church of Christ as becomes the Gospel Day Which may be seen by George Fox's tender Answer by way of Reply to William Rogers's simiting Queries which William Rogers consutes not but it stands clear in Evidence against him to his shame as a palpable down-right Accusation and false malicious Charge and William Rogers's concern therein nauseous to Men of sober Spirits and the Lye also that he would charge George Fox with he himself evidently stands detected of The sixth Query the Substance whereof is this viz. Whether thou hast not contrary to thine own Conscience and thy former Counsel written thy Paper of 〈◊〉 meaning George Fox's Epistle before mentioned to gratifie that envious Spirit that exclaims against me for securing part of my Estate c And whether thou hast not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behind my Back c And was afraid or 〈◊〉 to speak it to my Face c to 〈◊〉 detected for appearing with two Faces c Answ. This is a smiting Charge and matter of evil Fact if it were proved against him and is denied by George Fox in his Reply and expected to be made 〈◊〉 against him but William Rogers seeing himself not able to effect that passeth by it without any more ado however it serves to leave him detected of shrinking in his Testimony in suffering times as also to demonstrate that George Fox's Epistle 〈◊〉 to Exhortation or Reproof in such cases reached his Conscience and he became touched with it It had been well if in Moderation and Coolness he had laid the same to Heart then would it have done him Good but instead thereof Grief hath risen and in the Anguish of his Mind he hath quenched the good and brought forth all this bad Stuff William Rogers's silence also in the matter of his proof demonstrateth the Bitterness and Venom of his Spirit to be such that in the malide thereof he hath engaged himself at such an extravigant rate as that he is not able to quit the concern in any Christian Repute have gone far beyond the bounds thereof to his shame amongst Men and to the endangering his total Ruin and the Destruction of his Soul forever if with speed he Repent not it were well if he could yet find any place for it The seventh Query Whether it be not better to secure a Mans outward Substance to pay his Debts and maintain his Family when he is capable so to do and keep steadfast in his Testimony in Meetings then when Persecutors come to shift out of the Meeting as thou hast done Answ. This open Charge published in Print to Posterity George Fox denies and no proof William Rogers yet makes thereof and so it lies at his own Door the Fruit of his malicious Spirit and if it could be made good against him which when William Rogers hath said all he can we believe he is not able to do it would not extenuate his own offence to Truth nor answer the wrong he hath done
to be read in their Quarterly Meetings in which there was written as I remember That such Friends as did pay Tythes should be Exhorted or Admonished which I took notice of and when I had a convenient opportunity when George Fox was in my Garden I told him That there were two or three Priests and two Impropriators did claim Tythes of me or of my Land but unto the Priest I had never paid any and as for the Impropriators I did not much contend with them but did suffer them to take the Tythes said George Fox to me Canst not thou buy it Buy it said he I answered that I did look upon it no odds or difference between paying of it and buying of it so that what George Fox did then say to me I took it was in tenderness to me and so I belive to this day Burton-hill the 18th of the 11th Month 1677. Robert Arch. Answer What credit this Certificate shall have in the Hearts of the Wise and Faithful to God we see not and we can commit the same to such to be weighed Robert Arch signifies That one time when George Fox was at his House and as he remembers it was at the same time when he was concerned in setting up Quarterly Meetings and some Papers or Epistles as Instructions in relation thereunto was read at the same time which George Fox had given forth In which their was Written saith he as I remember that such Friends as did pay Tythes should be Exhorted or Admonished and at the same time was it saith he that George Fox advised him to buy his Tythes We say this matter laid to his Charge as that which should be his Advise is so far remote from his known Testimony and Practice that not a Faithful Man in the Nation we believe will give any credit to it Besides can any think that George Fox should be so Indiscreet and Inconsistant with himself and his own Papers of Directions and Advise as to order such his Papers to be read and Friends to be advised to practice accordingly and he himself forth-with at the same time if this were true concerning him to throw down what he seemed to build up this were such Confusion as we never heard spoken of him from any faithful Man or could it be expected that any Work begun on this wise could ever cone to ought and that George Fox should advise him to buy off the Priests Tythes is a ridiculous thing to Charge him with there is no colour for it being the Priest hath them not to sell and if William Rogers or Nathaniel Cripps and Robert Arch his two Informers in two several Countries could prove it against George Fox that he had at any time declared it to be his Judgment That Impropriators Tythes in this Gospel Dispensation ought to be paid as it seems the two Informers have declared it to be theirs it were something to the matter but as to that we say His many Writings and Testimonies have been very publickly as well as privately against Tythes in the Ground and his said Paper of Direction touching that Case hath that general tendency in it without any exception Upon all which Considerations it can never be supposed that George Fox would give forth such Advise but that this Mans Darkness through his Unfaithfulness in the matter of Tythes as aforesaid being such in Charity we may suppose that he hath been under a great mistake in himself about this matter otherwise it must needs be either gross Wickedness or Forgetfulness at the least that caused him thus to insert in Charge against George Fox and not from real cause by him given them it being so far inconfistant with his Integrity and Nobility in the Truth and readiness to lay down for his Testimony in this case whatever might be otherwise dear to him therefore what reason George Fox should have to advise these two unfaithful Men thus or what occasion either seeing it was their Principle or Practice so to do contrary to his own professed Testimony and Life as Thousands in many parts of this Nation and other Nations will evidence for our own parts we say we are yet to Learn We are sorry that these two Men should do so unehristianly with themselves and their Friend that wished them well as not to let George Fox know before they iutended to give forth such Charges against him and put them into the Hands of such a professed and openly declared Enemy to George Fox and the Life of Truth and Gospel Order what they were about to do this manifested a wrong Spirit and great Weakness as to Truth that was less enclined to obey and serve the Truth and to keep their Testimony clear therein then to gratifie such a watching for Evil as William Rogers hath appeared in to get something any way to smite and accuse withal But as it was very pertinently Queried in the Treatise called The Accuser of our Brethren cast down c. We desire to know who it was that desire these two Certificates from these two Men in Charge against George Fox or whether they ever intended or expected that they should be put forth against him in Print or whether they were not subtilly drawn from them and that such as dealt with them in that matter have not betrayed them therein For as we understand two publick Friends asked Nathaniel Cripps Whether it was his Advise and Consent that his said Certificate concerning George Fox's advising him to buy his Tythes Twenty Years ago should be made use of against George Fox or whether he gave William Rogers any order to publish the same in Manufcript to the Nation as he endeavoured to do and whether he did not say in Answer No sure I gave no such advise I knew nothing of his so doing He had no order from me to spread it further then to produce it at Bristol if there was occasion when George Fox went down thither c. not expecting it should go any futher We further desire that Nathaniel Cripps and Robert Arch be minded whether they be not bound in Conscience to bear a Testimony against William Rogers for his treacherous unbrotherly dealing with them that have brought such an Accusation against an Elder and Antient in Truth on their score and not first let them know that they might have given George Fox in the first place the priviledge of an Elder or a Brother in relation to Gospel Order as the Truth and Christian Society necessarily requires William Rogers in his Rejoynder to George Fox's Reply saith Now it remains that I say somthing concerning George Fox's departure out of the Meeting in Broad-Mead in the City of Bristol in the time of Persecution The Reader may remember how that we made mention of George Fox's Epistle to Frlends relating to advise to Friends to be faithful in time of Persecution with which William Rogers being touched and grieved because he had made away a great part of his
when as he himself was in Westmer land about the beginning of the Separation and at the Meeting at Draw-well where things relating to Difference were debated as about the 〈◊〉 of them of the Separation in time of Persecution and their justifying it their Paying of their Tythes Marrying with Priests c. and of John Story ' s and John Wilkinson's Opposition to the Churches Care in Searching out such as had been faulty therein that they might be dealt withal in Advise and reproof as in 〈◊〉 might be seen meet which John Story and J. W. and others of the principally concerned in the Separation had obstructed and upon the discoursing of these things and the like for four Days together was William Rogers the principal Stickler and Contender for John Story and John Wilkinson and them of the Separation and he himself was sensible in Gods Power that somewhat then reached him how the Judgment of Truth through Friends stood over them all in that wrong Spirit and yet that he should have that Obdurateness upon his Spirit yea and Impudence to say and send up and down through the Nation That he cannot Judge the Merrits of the Cause that his Ears have not heard It s sad to think And now how can this Man be trusted or what he says be believed although he pretend to Conscience and would be accounted a Man of Honesty and a VVise Man but let him look over his Narrative again and let him judge whether these things savour of Honesty and 〈◊〉 or of Deceit and VVickedness that seems to make himself innorant of what in his Conscience he knows to be true Again it is inserted in the Narrative as that which was one to wit the sourth Proposition That Matters or Subjects to be discoursed upon 〈◊〉 to be written down and respectively delivered to each other And we understand that William Rogers and his Company did not according to Agreement deliver a Copy of those things he charged George Fox with to Friends before he brought them into the publick Meeting And did not George Fox tell him in the publick Meeting That in that he was worse then the World for in their Courts they will give a Copy of the Indictment to the Party charged This may be seen in George Fox's Answer to William Roger's Smiting Queries Likewise in the Narrative William Rogers and William Ford say That the 〈◊〉 Difference is about 〈◊〉 Order And yet see how William Rogers and those of his Spirit would impose their Orders as the order to John Batho the keeper of the Key of the Meeting House subscribed by William Rogers and several of them charging him not to suffer a Meeting to be in the said House as intended by George Fox George Whitehead and William Penn manifesteth the Order runs thus We do now order thee to suffer no such Meeting to be held therein meaning in the Meeting-House And also William Rogers saith that Richard Vickers had been in effect warned by Thomas Goldney not to suffer any such Meeting to be in our Meeting-House And yet Richard Vickers and many more were Proprietors therein as well as Thomas Goldney or any of those Thirteen Subscribers of the said Order or Warning as aforesaid Now all may see that though these Men despise and resist the order of the Gospel in the Power of God and say that the great Difference in the Nation amongst Friends is about outward Orders Yet would they excercise Lordship over the Brethren with their Orders and start away from the Unity if not condescended to instance them of the Separation in the North that proposed an Order whereby the Ministers of Christ Jesus should be limited from being concerned amongst the Brethren in the Meetings of any other Counties then those they belonged to and should not so much as sit or stay amongst them any longer then they had a Word to deliver and then to with-draw To which order if the honest Hearted to God would not Submit they signified a with-drawing to do their Business amongst themselves Who accordingly upon the rejecting of this Order and Imposition Indeed betook themselves into a Separation and some of them have continued so ever since What darkness this Spirit of theirs leads them into it s to be admired It s also said in the Narrative that William Rogers Proposed to the Meeting the reading of a Paper from two 〈◊〉 in Gloucester-shire Super written to William Rogers and William Penn only and not to the Meeting and that William Penn was against the reading of it Which seasonably we say and justifiably might be done The matters that the Meeting was meet about being principally in his eye And yet William Rogers would not 〈◊〉 a Paper to be read in the Meeting that appertained to the most material Matters that was upon many Friends in the said Meeting and was writ in the Meeting to be considered upon relating to the Separate Meeting and John Story in particular And 〈◊〉 immoderate work William Rogers made in opposition to the reading thereof may be spoken of afterwards as appertaining to the next Observation as 〈◊〉 It is said in the Narrative by some of William Rogers Party about the matter of William Rogers disorderly and rudely as is alledged against him opposing the reading the aforesaid Paper That he was so far from 〈◊〉 or making an ugly 〈◊〉 that he delivered himself in Coolness and Moderation and did not manifest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Passion And it appeareth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cornelius Serjant and Edward Erbury do certifie 〈◊〉 yet it is confessed in the Narative That William Rogers Spoke something loud which signifies that he might be in a 〈◊〉 And let them take heed for all their Certificate If they do not know in their own Consciences that it was really so For was he not in such a Rage that he went out of the Meeting and Thomas 〈◊〉 went after him and fetch him in again once or twice And for the manifesting the Truth of this matter concerning William Roger's carriage in the Meeting about the rude opposition he made against the reading of the Paper aforesaid as also to discover the untruth of the aforementioned Certificate let the Certificate from several Friends of the City of Bristol that were at the said Meeting be read and tenderly considered upon The Certificate is as followeth WHereas it is reported say they that William Rogers kept a Bauling and making an 〈◊〉 Noise c. We say its true that William Rogers did so for at our said Meeting a Friend tenderly proposed to the Meeting to sit still and wait upon the Lord to see whether something might not arise in their Hearts to write to John Story in order to Reconcile the said Difference William Rogers after a rude and unsavery manner Replyed Friends my Soul Abominates this Practice with more to the same purpose thereby prejudging and what in him lay diverting so good and necessary a Proposal and when by his continual Interruptions
remember and my Answer in Sincerity implies the same that in 〈◊〉 Brotherly Discourse which George Fox and I had in the time of such his Weakness when I was with him one time I speaking of the Exercise the Church of God had in 〈◊〉 with them of the opposite contending Spirit against Church Care and Gospel Order and telling him that some of them had given out reflecting seornful Words against him on the occasion of his not being constantly at the Meeting and had rendered him to have lost his condition as to Truth c. And that they had presented the same to some that were more Honest and Simple then the rest to the hurting of them and to make the Care in the Church of God more contemptible which George Fox had been an Instrument in Gods Hand on the account of and yet neither John Story nor John Wilkinson would come to see him in that State although he had been to their own acknowledgement as a Father to them and many more nor any of them that so wickedly represented him behind his Back would so much as come to see how the matter was but in a base mind that watcheth for Evil smote against him behind his Back which the Lord will avenge Whercupon for the sake of the Simple and for the bringing Shame and Confusion on the other sort and for the sake of the Church of God in general it was desired in secret Cries to God that the Lord might if it was his Will again enable him so with Bodily strength as that the Innocent tender Lambs of God might enjoy his Bodily presence with them as formerly they were wont to do to their Refreshment and Comfort and the Lord blessed be his name heard his Cries and the Groans of the Righteous in that matter to the enlargement of the Churches comfort and great advantage thereby whatever William Rogers and they of that Spirit say in contempt thereof and during his exercise of Bodily weakness at that time I was with him one day in his Chamber during the Meeting in a lower Room and I do affirm if these were my last Words that the Power and glorious Presence of the eternal God was with us to the breaking of my Heart and an Exercise of travel in Spirit was upon him on the account of the Church of God in general its Unity and Peace and with respect to the Backsliding sort of John Storys Spirit that the Lord might forgive them and restore them into the first love and living sence again and if this be the recompence that they render the Lord and him for the Labour of love in long suffering and patience on this wise used towards them I am satisfied that he is truly content and that their Reproaches are not grievous to him in the love of God who hath enabled him to endure all for his and his Peoples sake whose reward is with him and none can take it away And I do declare in the presence of the God of Heaven before whom I stand 〈◊〉 on this 〈◊〉 was the concern bet wixt him and me in Relation to this matter on the score whereof William Rogers thus wickedly appears with his siniting Charges against him which touch him not neither doth it hurt my Life nor my Peace with God whatever William Rogers doth suggest or bring forth against me touching this matter and I do appeal to that in all Consciences whether William Rogers's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against George Fox in which also he hath made me concerned 〈◊〉 the same be not false and maliciously alledged against him without any 〈◊〉 Ground seeing that George Fox's Weakness was such as many will evidence if occasion were as that he was as likely in a short time to be taken out of the Body as otherwise and so faint often in his Spirit by reason thereof that the 〈◊〉 Breath of People near him he could very 〈◊〉 endure or what 〈◊〉 William Rogers hath so basely to smite him in his Queries with his 〈◊〉 and And 's or 〈◊〉 John Blaykling hath contradicted himself on this occasion and 〈◊〉 his confusion or that John 〈◊〉 's 〈◊〉 is any way fulfilled hereby the wise to God may consider And as to the latter part of the Charge in William Rogers's two Queries on this occasion viz. Wouldst not thou have accounted this in another the Fruit of a Carless Negligent Libertine dark Spirit that was departed or departing from the Truth Implicitly charging him thereby to be of such a Spirit In the answer thereunto it is denied that this state is applicable to George Fox as Thousands can testifie it is required also that the Man may come forth that can 〈◊〉 charge him ever to have been of such a Spirit from his Childhood nay let his Dilligence in the service of Truth ever since the Lord made him a Minister of it and in all self-denial his exposing of himself in his Testimony therein to the Displeasure of the whole World great and small Professors and Profain testifie to his readiness to Work and Labour in the Gospel let the many Reproaches Buffettings Knockings-down for Dead Stripes and Imprisonments in Dungcons and nasty Places and yet never shrinking nor growing weary of his Exercise notwithstanding all that his Travellings on 〈◊〉 and lyings out of door in the Night-time whilest the Lord was pleased so to concern him let his Travels beyond the Seas in many Countries and Islands yea even of late Years since Bodily Exercise in Pain and Weakness took hold upon him make William Rogers or any that takes his part ashamed to lay a Slothful Negligent Libertine dark Spirit to his Charge Yea let that in the Consciences of all the honest Hearted to God that have known him and his Spirit testifie and give a Record for his care in the Church of God Instrumentally in Gods Hand with many other dear Brethren in the settling the Churches and Family of God under a wholsom Discipline and Order wherein the Faithful have been comforted and made each others Help and Blessing in the Lord who is worthy of the Praise yea blessed be the Lord many have good cause to say for the Instruments that he was pleased to raise up for the publishing the glad tidings of the Gospel-day and for their Faithfulness according to their places the Lord hath set them in as the Elders that rule well and are accounted worthy of Honour yea that Honour which is Eternal that God gives and covers his People withal as it was said in the Scriptures of Truth He that Honoureth me him will I Honour and again This Honour hath all his Saints to bind Kings in Chains and Nobles in Fetters of Iron but saith he I will not give my Glory to another I will not give it to Graven Images Surely if the Lord be pleased to Honour his on this wise and give them his Glory it is not displeasing in the Lords sight to restifie on Gods behalf accordingly but this Honour
me many Months before and then I ask him whether he can say that it was any thing but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirit in him that seeks occasion against the Innocent to render 〈◊〉 Paper a false Certificate on the score thereof with many other abusive 〈◊〉 upon me in Print to Posterity and whether he hath done in this case as he would have been done by For I know he is a Man of that understanding as to see and acknowledge that where a Word in a sentence happens accidentally to be on the account of 〈◊〉 or the like that causeth the sentence to carry another signification then the scope of the 〈◊〉 Discourse relates to or where the Speaker or Writer doth signifie that the 〈◊〉 or the intent of his mind therein was not according to the signification of the said Word but otherwise as he then expresseth himself Such an one on such an occasion according to Scripture Rule and the Charity that is to be extended to all is not to be made an Offender and a clear occasion William Rogers had given him by the scope I say of my whole Paper relating to that matter to know my mind therein as also I cannot but believe but that my Answer to this Charge he had received before he needed to have 〈◊〉 this matter in Charge against me in Print and yet for all this he hath made me and Published me to the whole World an Offender for a Word yea I may say for a Letter which is so far from the rule of Christianity Civil Society and Honesty amongst morral Men that its an absurd 〈◊〉 thing for a Man of his supposed Parts and very nausious in the sight of wise and 〈◊〉 Men. And further I may tell William Rogers that had he been a Charitable 〈◊〉 Man and not one that watched for an occasion for Evil or had he exercised the Parts which God gave him as a Man he might easily have gathered that seeing my Name was at the Conclusion of the said Certificate or Testimony then those Words from which he grounds the Charge were not properly like to be mine neither indeed were they any of them nor are they in the first Copy nor in any Copy that came from me but had been put in by the 〈◊〉 without my knowledge in that Copy which it seems came to him which I cannot but say was a little weakly placed there by whom I know not in 〈◊〉 much 〈◊〉 that the Letter 〈◊〉 is at the end of the word Aspertion which should not have been upon which occasion William Rogers very 〈◊〉 with respect to the material 〈◊〉 appertaining to the Case and unmanly hath done concerning me for as I had no Hand in that Word so 〈◊〉 had I any thoughts as my Paper demonstrateth to concern my self in any 〈◊〉 in relation to the clearing 〈◊〉 Fox from the Aspersions cast upon him any further then what the clearing of him from that charge and 〈◊〉 alledged against him might tend as to the invalidating of all 〈◊〉 rest which I must 〈◊〉 and as I believe many will conclude that it greatly tendeth unto And 〈◊〉 to speak as charitably of the Transcribet as in 〈◊〉 we ought to do I say that the little Prologue prefixed to my Paper by him might be very 〈◊〉 done and not worthy of any such occasion to be taken on the Score thereof for to 〈◊〉 at the beginning of the matter being annexed to another's Matter or Discourse was very properly to be done whereby more Intelligibly to distinguish between them for the Words expressed taken in the most charitable sence might not import that it was intended thereby to clear George Fox of all c. but that they tended to clear George Fox of the Aspersions cast against him that the following matter related to so all things every way considered in that Love that thinks no Evil it s clearly seen that for 〈◊〉 of matter William Rogers in the malice of his Mind catcheth at any thing to keep his restless turbulent discomposed smiting Spirit at Work with thereby manifesting that he runs himself into great mistakes touching the same not only perverting thereby the thing he aims at but gives occasion through that means to manifest his 〈◊〉 the more Several other abusive reflections William Rogers hath cast upon me in his Rejoynder or Answer to my Certificate about the matter in charge against George Fox spoken to in the Answer to his Rejoynder which touch me not nor do they hurt my Life and Peace with God viz. That I am puft up with Spiritual Pride my Zeal turned into Envy my Wisdom into Folly whereby I am now become as heretofore in another case relating to John Story so dexterous in giving forth a false Certificate Answer This is my Comfort in the midst of all God hath not made William Rogers Judge over me though he would intrude into the Prerogative of 〈◊〉 Jesus and take upon him that which the Lord hath not given him therefore never reacheth my Life and if for my Testimony for God and his Antient Truth and the Fellowship of Brethren and my Zeal for the propagating the Government of the Spirit and Gospel Order in Gods visible Family and for my tender concern in the holy Exercise thereof I am become 〈◊〉 I am resolved in the Strength of the Eternal God to keep fast my stedfastness therein to the end of my Days that I may lay down my Life in Peace although for my so doing I shall become more vile yet and I am livingly satisfied that all his and others Reproaches which the Lord suffers to be my lot tends to my Advantage in God and the knowledge of Truth and no way lessens my repute in the Hearts of Gods faithful People and let William Rogers and those of the 〈◊〉 Company do their worst the Burden in the end shall be their own And as for that smiting Charge of my giving forth false Certificates against John Story There is none I testifie that I have been concerned in in relation to him but the Substance thereof shall be stood to when William Rogers or any of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lets me see what they are and undertakes to convict me thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 William Rogers mentions none here I take no notice of it any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to manifest his unchristian Spirit that watcheth for Evil and smiteth 〈◊〉 the Back neither do I believe will it be of any credit with them that fear the 〈◊〉 and love Righteousness and desire to do unto all as they would be done 〈◊〉 And William Rogers hath no good cause to Impeach me thus with respect to John Story for many are Witnesses what Kindness and good-will I did bear with respect to his 〈◊〉 good and keeping his antient Repute in Truth amongst Gods People and that I stood by him in his Weakness so far as any way 〈◊〉 I could in excusing of him until he became my Shame through turning his Back of the Lords Kindness and the Brethrens too and became hardned in Evil till the Lord gave him up to a Reprobate Mind And I bless God that the good-will I bore to John Story and my care whilest his Day lasted and my Testimony born against a 〈◊〉 sort the reward thereof is returned into my Bosom having cleared my Conscience every way thus far concerning him and he rest of them let them consider of it in time as they will Answer the same 〈◊〉 the Lord in the great Day John Blaykling THE END Which wrong Spirit will never give them to see their duty nor lead them into it Printed by John Bring 〈◊〉 These Accusations are 〈◊〉 and his Eyes were evil John Story said He would have his Hand Cut off before he would take his Name from off the Paper for Separation This he said to R. B.