Christ to execute outward Laws Orders c. in an outward Form of Church-Government Or if it be Popery or like the Pope or inconsistent with the New Covenant so to do as he has insinuated what and where are those Helps and Governments which God in his Wisdom hath afforded in his Churches in subjection to Christ Are no visible Persons instrumental therein by the Power of Christ Or are they Helps and Governments or helpers in Government without visible Persons Were Apostles Prophets Teachers Elders Overseers c. in the Christian Churches no visible Persons or not so indued with Power from Christ to be helpers in the Government See 1 Cor. 12 28. I confess I know not how to reconcile our Opposer to himself in these matters no more than I can find Reason or Proof for his black Charges of Impious Prevaricating Pen-man Oh Impious Prevaricator perverse and hard Heart qualified like a proud Prelate The Pen-man's Iniquity angry Waspish Pen c. Thus he I must needs say he 's far more loud in his Censures than in 's Proofs If our Opposer did impartially consider and compare William Penn's Address to Protestants quoted by him he would see there 's no Lash to the Pen-man as he falsly affirms seeing W. P. grants that the one Shepherd may have many Servants p. 44. And on 2 Cor. 4.1 2. He further saith Here is the utmost Imposition the Apostle makes use of He requires not men to receive him without Evidence c. p. 44. No more do we whom Christ hath called forth in his Service and Ministry in this his day who by the manifestation of Truth commend our selves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God having renounced the hidden things of Dishonesty c. Here 's no cause to complain for want of Evidence or of Imposition without Evidence in plainly discovering or shewing the hidden things of dishonesty Truth in its manifestation both in the Ministry and in the Hearers Conscience is Evidence both against what 's Dishonest and for what 's Honest God would not have Men blind in their Duty their own Negligence and Prejudice is cause of blindness Nor hath this Person convicted us of pleading for or setting up Imposition without Evidence in the Conscience or of Imposing a blind Obedience or putting any Persons thereupon No my very Soul is against that And though W. P. also has writ against Imposition without Conviction the Pen-man seems to have no other sence nor doth it follow that he is either against Church Discipline outward Order or Form of Church-Government but for these in the Church of Christ and Christian Societies he being Principl'd for the true Church having Power from Christ to give Judgment spiritual Censures and Sentences against all dark Spirits that sow Discord and make Division and against all ungodly loose disorderly and scandalous walking and walkers under profession of Truth I 'le adventure to quote William Penn's Address to Protestants to shew his Principle and Sence in these matters In page 214. he saith No Scripture-Church-Discipline is hereby oppugned or weakned Let not the Sentence end in Violence upon the Conscience unconvinced Let whoso will expound or determine so it be according to true Church-Discipline which can be exercised on them only who have willingly joyn'd themselves in that Covenant of Union c. P. 215. Let us observe what sort of Church-Government the Apostle recommends Avoid foolish Questions and Contentions c. A man that is an Heretick after the first and second Admonition reject c. And on Phil. 3.15 He did not say You shall be Fined Pillaged Excommunicated and flung into Prison if ye be not of our mind P. 216. on 2 Tim. 2.22 23 24 25. Here is both Faith and Government Religion and Duty all that becomes us towards God our Brethren our Neighbours yea our Opposers and Enemies And W. P. in his Brief Examination and State of Liberty Spiritual he doth more particularly explain and clear the Point to Friends first in his Epistle saying Christ's Liberty is obtained through his Cross they that would be his Free-men must be his Bonds-men and wear his blessed Yoke His Liberty is from Sin not to Sin to do his will not our own And secondly he speaks farther to it in the said Examination Observe Here W. P. pleads not for a Liberty of Conscience in opposition to true Church-Government Discipline or Order but to those outward Penalties Persecutions and Punishments corporal and pecuniary mentioned and opposed by him and the rest of us which is no Liberty to make Division or Discord in the Church of Christ or Society of Believers § 5. To the Question Whether the Church of Christ hath Power in any cases that are matters of Conscience to give a positive Sentence and Decision which may be obligatory upon Believers To this R. B. answers affirmatively SHE HATH Anarch p. 48. And Whereas R. B. pleaded for the Church of Christ having Power in SOME CASES of Conscience to give a positive Sentence or Decision which may be obligatory upon Believers To this W. R. saith Which clearly shews to us R. B 's meaning to be That in some cases the Consciences of Believers ought to be bound by the positive Sentences of others To which he adds Without leaving any Liberty for a Believer to refuse to submit on the account of not seeing it his duty to submit This meaning and Government saith W. R. over Believers we take to be contrary to the Principle of Truth and Liberty we have in Christ Jesus c. p. 44. Herein he appears both unfair in his citation and mistaken in his construction For 1 st The some cases intended wherein a positive Judgment or Sentence from some Members or Believers is binding upon others are such Cases Wherein only the Truth the Spirit of God doth give the Judgment through some or other in the Church of Christ. The only proper Judge of Controversies in the Church is the Spirit of God and the power of deciding solely lies in it saith R. B. Anarch pag. 66. As also That God hath ordinarily in communicating his Will under his Gospel employed such whom he made use of in gathering his Church and in feeding watching over them though not excluding others Thus R. B's Anarchy of the Ranters p. 67 68. Observe here that he placeth the Judgment or Sentence as binding and to be submitted unto by others professing the same Faith on the Truth the Spirit of God the Will of God 2 dly And therefore the Judgment is not placed upon any Imposition of Government over Believers contrary to the Principle of Truth or Liberty that 's in Christ Jesus for the Judgment of Truth or of the holy Spirit which unites in one Mind and Judgment cannot be contrary to that Principle nor without evidence in the Conscience for conviction to oblige and the Conscience thus obliged is not without true sight sence or knowledge of duty therein because
sense to wit That he and some others of his party seem to be only for a select company of Elders and Deacons to order in Church Affairs about the Poor Marriages c. p. 11. What then means his exclaiming so much against our Meetings about Church Affairs as being an uncertain number of uncertain qualified Persons and his Brethrens Paper of Separation in Westmerland quoted by him plainly limiting to Chosen men Chosen Imployed and Authorized by the Churches see our said Treatise pag 119 120. Now if his sense was not for a select company then he and his Brethren Subscribers of the said Paper are of contrary senses But then how does he consist therein with himself in his charging us with Vsurpation and upbraiding us p. 19. with such a form of Church-Government as hath admitted of no rightful Succession or Constitution by Election c What Foundation or Certainty can we find in this mans writing One while he is comparing us with the Pope another while he charges us with Vsurpation for want of rightful Succession or Constitution of any Supream Person or Persons pag. 19. This is the man that would seem to oppose Popery so much whilst he is bringing a Popish plea of Succession against us But this is like much of his Work I wish he were better composed § 14. He pretends greatly to be for an Amicable Conference p. 12. whilst he is so far from Amity that he has appeared an open Enemy abusing and reviling us in Print And what if his Letter was not read publickly at our yearly Meeting at the time of its being delivered What reason had Friends to interrupt their publick and weighty concerns of Truth with the then reading of an Adversary's letter especially seeing divers of us took care to answer him therein so soon as the Meeting was over and were not wanting afterward to give him a Meeting thereupon His charging us with a piece of meer Hypocrisie and Deceit for pretending to Amicable Conference is a sordid Abuse to my knowledge For many of us have not been awanting in that case but have been ready to Amicable Conference before W. R. and some of Party with him turned open Adversaries Gain-sayers and Enemies to us whose Enmity has made them especially him uncapable of Amicable Conference And he may be ashamed of his pretended seasonable Hue and Cry after the Name of the Pen-man his Hue and Cry shews his own Complexion and Image not to be innocent And his Charge of the Fruits of manifest Injustice that his Letter was not read in our yearly Assembly being he says a Letter from a Friend especially when not Excommunicated This is unjust and untrue in the first place and shews an imperious Lordly Exalted Spirit thus to charge us with manifest Injustice And why so but because we did not serve his turn we did not observe his time and manner in reading his Letter when and where he would have had us We did not lay all the weighty Affairs of Friends and Truth aside presently to read William Rogers's Letter we did not gratifie his Irregular interposing and therefore we must now be censured in Print charg'd with Irregularity Answering without order of the Meeting Lordship and slavish Submission fruits of manifest Injustice c. He seems very hot on this occasion and a Person very strict and zealous for Regularity and Order of the Meeting when he thinks it may serve his own turn But at other times he hugely exclaims against Outward Vniformity Orders outward Rules Prescriptions Directions Imposition c. But now it seems it is against such as are not of his own setting up or imposing And yet he most highly justifies whatever he has written which we either pretend to answer or to shew dissatisfaction in as remaining undetected and in no respect unbecoming a Christian Pen p. 14. We have only his own Self-commendation for this wherein his Self-confidence and wilful Blindness is to be wondered at CHAP. II. § 1. W. R. questions Ellis Hookes's Credit and grosly abuseth our Meeting in London for writing in behalf of our publick Meetings and People called Quakers § 2. Of the inward Government and spiritual Kingdom of Christ in his Church How far his Ministers or Servants are concerned therein as Instruments in his hand Not strictly Representatives thereof Our Propositions therein unanswered by W. R. He evades and gives the GO-BY to them § 3. His late opposition to visible Persons being invested with Power from Christ to execute outward Laws Orders c. in an outward form of Government now Overthrown by himself and the point gain'd upon his own Variation and Concession and he farther questioned in the point § 4. His mistake in his Allusion against representing the Government of the King and concerning his Prerogative W. R. unskilful in the point § 5. Of the Cause espoused by us no other than the Cause of Christ his Church and People W. R. like a persecuting Informer his work tending to bring more severe Persecution upon us his representing us as in seeming Vnion with the Papistical party and comparing us with Popes the Church of Rome c. Devilish Malicious and Fallacious yet most silly and impertinent and his Resemblances full of Falshood and his Similitudes abusive and shallow bringing great Reflection upon himself acting the part of a silly Sophister yet proud and scornful § 6. W. R's Cry for Justice against G. F. and who must be the Judges and what Judicature qustioned His malicious dubious proofless Reflections upon the Pen-man Ministring Friends and yearly Meetings and comparing them to the Popes General Councils and his Instance of the Bishop of Bitonto's Commendation of Pope Paul the third with his Blasphemous Doctrine about the Light prov'd unjust and the Similitude impertinent and grosly false c. His accounts against Popes c. gathered out of the History of the Council of Trent he unjustly applies to our Friends § 7. His Similitude of Disumon with the Pope to render us worse than he And his Comparison between our Friends and the Popish Lords Inquisitors and his uncharitable Censure about punishing his Body and taking away his Estate all unjust Of our standing by our Treatise entituled The Accuser c. § 1. HIs questioning the Credit of Ellis Hookes A Clark for his yearly Salary as he calls him and insinuating against the Meeting for whom he was a witness as not meriting the Name of Sober Conscientious Quakers and as being infatuated c. cap. 2. p. 15. And why so but because they wrote in the Name of publick Meetings in the Name of the People call'd Quakers Does this prove them Infatuated or unworthy the Name of Sober Conscientious Quakers 'T is a wonder he is not ashamed thus manifestly to scandalize and abuse so many Conscientious Sober and Understanding Persons when he knew not who they were in particular Have we not often writ in the name and behalf of our Friends
People call'd Quakers in their Vindication from the opposition and abuses of Opposers and Gain-sayers of Truth in matters known to be universally own'd by them and this both with their tacit Consent and Approbation Must we seek for a Deputation from the People called Quakers throughout England c. in all Cases wherein there is a present necessity of their Vindication when generally abused in Print by Adversaries of divers sorts For I tell W. R. he merits not so much as the Name of a Quaker in abusing at least the major part of them in Print as he has done to render them Popish Odious and Infamous and rather justifying the Pope and Lords of the Spanish Inquisition p. 21. than many of them And his disaffected Party are not so numerous as he would have us think p. 23. far short to be sure of those he writes against and abuseth in Print for his smiting at the publick and faithful Ministers who are approved of most generally by the People called Quakers is a Reflection and Scandal upon that People § 2. Our observation on the 42d Disaffection shews that our Objection lies not against the outward Government under which we live nor yet against the inward Government of Christ for Christ's inward Government in his Church and his spiritual Kingdom and extent thereof as also our innocent Conversations towards the outward Government we have plainly asserted in our Treatise against the Accuser pag. 114 115 116 118. Though W. R's words are cited at large more fully to shew his sense and distinction upon the inward Government of Christ where he adds viz. Which is not represented by Persons visible by carnal Eyes invested with Power from him to execute outward Laws Prescriptions Orders Edicts or Decrees in an outward form of Government visible Wherein we reasonably took his Objection to lie as much against visible Persons being so invested with Power from Christ to execute outward Laws Prescriptions c. and against an outward Form of Government visible in his Church as against Christ's Government being Represented by Persons visible But now he pitches his Objection upon the word REPRESENTED questioning Whether it is not a Contradiction in common sense to conclude That Persons visible can be the Representatives of the inward Government of Christ Which was not our Assertion nor did we conclude that Persons visible are the Representatives of Christ's inward Government in a strict sence absolutely or solely as in Christ's stead And therefore his Objection supposes that to be our position which we never asserted Yet not to loose nor lessen any part of Christs Government we have plainly asserted That 't is exercised by him both Immediately and Instrumentally in his Church Immediately and principally by himself and Instrumentally in some measure by his Ministers and Servants as well as he teaches and instructs both Immediately and Instrumentally as in our first and second unanswered Propositions about Church Government And therefore as we prefer Christ's inward and immediate Government by himself as Principal and his governing Instrumentally by his Servants But in some Measure as our words are this shews that we do not render them the absolute Representatives of his inward Government and spiritual Kingdom though we may truly and tenderly assert They do by the inward Assistance of the Power and Spirit of Christ in some measure livingly represent or signifie declare and shew forth the inward and spiritual Government of Christ as being his faithful Servants and Ambassadours yea some are called Ambassadours in Christ's stead in and through whom Christ ministers instructs commands orders and rules And the holy Ghost made some Overseers and appointed Helps and Governments in the Church as we have laid down in our third Proposition Especially for the sake of the younger and weaker Members Children and such as are of under Age as to Truth and experience in the work of the Lord. Our Adversary answers not this Proposition which is so plain tender and submissive to Christ in his behalf and preference And therefore W. R's inferring and charging the fruit of a confused Anarchical Principle on us in reference to our said Disaffection follows not in Truth but rather shews it to be the fruit of his own Prejudice and Enmity From whence also his scornful Question proceeds viz. Whether the Pen-man hath known and hath in pivate a Catalogue of the Names of such visible Persons whom he may esteem the Representatives of Christ's inward Government pag. 16 17. He fallaciously obtrudes and imposes his word REPRESENTATIVES still in this case upon us extending it beyond our Intention and what our words will bear craftily evading and giving the GO-BY to our Propositions in the Case where we signifie That IN SOME MEASURE Christ governs Instrumentally c. see our five Propositions in our said Treatise against the Accuser of the Brethren p. 114 115 116. § 3. Whereas we took his opposition to be against visible Persons being concerned in an outward form of Government and order in the Church of Christ. Hereupon he shews himself very angry and exclaims against the weight of the Pen-man's Iniquity charges him with Prevarication insinuating as if according to my Principle says he there were not visible order and form of Government under Christs Dominion nor any visible Persons exercised in any outward Order under his Government p. 43. Whereby he has now plainly granted that according to his Principle there is both visible Order and a form of Government under Christs dominion and Visible Persons exercised in an outward order under his Government for in the two contraries his disowning the one owns the other his opposing the Negative grants the Affirmative herein But he then should have writ more distinctively consistently and plain in telling us What visible and outward form of Government and Order he would set up And what has he so much exclaim'd against and not to have appeared so general in his opposition to outward Orders Forms Rules Prescriptions Decrees c. as he has done in divers passages of his Book and particularly that in his first part of his Christian-Quaker p. 73. in his opposing the Establishment or giving forth of outward Orders Prescriptions Sentences or Decrees as a Bond on the Consciences of Believers rendring this more like the Old than the New Covenant And his opposing Visible Persons being invested with Power from Christ to execute outward Laws Prescriptions Orders Edicts or Decrees in an outward form of Government visible as 't is plain in the Title-page of his third part The frequent Reiteration of these and such like passages and Words shew his Objection was against Visible Persons being impowered by Christ to execute or minister outward Laws Orders c. in a visible and outward form of Government else what needed he write so slightily frequently against outward and visible form of Government outward Laws Edicts Prescriptions Orders Decrees c What 's all his Noise come to on
this account Now he would not be thought that his Principle is against visible Order and Form of Government under Christ's Dominion Nor against some visible Persons being exercised in some outward Order under his Government Thus far the point is granted and gain'd upon him and his Concession thereto the farther confirm'd in deeming our rendring his great Book to be against Church-Government outward Methods Orders and Rules c. A false Assertion Though we cannot reckon that Book of his to look with a better Face in the mian purport and Series of it especially considering his Third part from what 's mentioned in the Title and against R. Barclay's Book for Church-Government and in many other places and passages of that Book and in his Epistle in this his 7th part he is smiting at Establishing an outward Vniformity outward Things outward Directory c. But now we must take his meaning and principle to be not against visible Order and visible Form of Government under Christ's dominion nor against visible Persons being exercised therin How then shall we understand his meaning and principle Why did he not then more plainly distinguish it first and brought the Controversie into a more narrow compass and not have writ thus confusedly and shatteredly one while against another while for visible outward Order and Form of Government under Christs Dominion in his Church As in this Treatise the matter is further Evinced against him hereafter But wherein lies his Charge of Prevarication He gives us to know it is in twining the Word REPRESENTED into CONCERNED pag. 43. We are yet to seek and study how to find this Prevarication pretended considering the purport tenure and conexion of his Words For though now he owns visible Persons to be exercised or concerned in an outward Form of Government and Order under Christ's Dominion yet not that his inward Government is represented by them yet his Distinction before excluding visible Persons not only from representing Christ's inward Government but also from being invested with Power to execute i. e. to minister give forth or put in practice outward Laws Edicts c. in an outward Form of Government Visible appears to bespeak his sense than to exclude them from being concerned in an outward Form of Government and Order in the Church of Christ under his Dominion For if they do in no sense or degree represent Christ's Government how are they concern'd in it And if they have no power to execute minister or put in practice outward Order and Form of Government visible How are they either exercised or concerned in an outward form or order of Government under Christ's dominion But this is now granted us in the Affirmative So then wherein must we understand W. R's opposition to lie against outward Order outward Form of Church-Government outward Laws Edicts Rules Prescriptions c I presume not against any of his own making but against such as he calls G. Fox's c. as he has told us of a slighting G. F 's Rules Methods and Orders with respect to Church-Government see the Accuser c. pag. 83. But then I would know whether it is against all or some that G. F. has writ or given out If he says not against all but some then I intreat him to let 's know what SOME they are particularly What Instructions Rules or Methods they are he Condemns and that he deems condemnable as evil or unlawful in themselves We have divers times prest for a Catalogue of them that the Controversie might be more plainly distinguishable and brought into a narrow compass which now lies not only prolix and tedious in W. R's Books but also scattered confused and ambiguous in his Writings wanting in many places the supplement of his latter Thoughts and Meanings So that when he has write one Book it wants another to declare its meaning he has taken a great compass to write a very little matter in § 4. For his distinction between the words Represented and Concerned he says That many thousands are exercised in an outward Order under the Government of the King who if they should thence declare that they are the Representatives of his Government 't would be deem'd a Mood of Speech tending to the annihillating of the King's Prerogative And concludes the like in relation to Christ's Prerogative p. 43. But herein the man is under a Mistake in this Allusion his skill in the Law and the King's Prerogative and Government has fail'd him in this point For the King's Government is represented in all Courts of Judicature legally acting in his Name and by his Power whereby the King is look't upon to be present in all his Courts Yea every legal Minister and Conservator of the King's Peace even from the Justice to the Sheriff Constable or Peace-Officer does in his place and legal Office in some degree represent the Kings Government in the doing Justice and Conservation of his Peace And this no ways lessens but promotes the King 's legal Prerogative For the King in the Eye of the Law is Justitiarius Capitalis the Head or chief Justice and hath his subordinate Ministers and Justices under him legally impowered by him according to his just and legal Prerogative Now seeing W. R. is so much out and has lost his aim in his Comparison these things are mentioned to rectifie his Judgment And the Comparison as now stated may be better applied to Christ's Kingdom and Government who though he be the chief Overseer and Shepherd the great Apostle and Minister the great Ruler and Governour c. he has his Overseers his Apostles his Ministers and Servants and Helps in Government which is none other than Christ's Government in his Church and Kingdom and under his Dominion which I hope our Opposer dare not deny however he differ with us in the Application § 5. As concerning an Angry Waspish Pen wherewith thou twice over chargest the Pen-man adding That the more he stirs therewith the more will the Cause which he espouseth stink pag. 17 44. I must tell thee first I never met with a more Angry Waspish Pen than thy own though thy Malice and Wickedness hath been in divers parts of our Book deservedly reprehended thou hast in much thereof been mildly treated 2 dly I know no cause espoused by us therein than the Cause of Christ his Church and People which will live and remain sweet and pretious to all the upright in Heart when thy malicious Work and corrupt Cause will more and more appear naucious loathsom and stink above ground till swept into the Pit from whence it came and which thou art very near and without Repentance canst not escape it 3 dly What occasion have we or any of us given thee to rage and roar against us and like a persecuting Informer to go about to expose us in Print tending to disgust Authority and to bring more severe Persecution upon us as seeming to be at Vnion with the Papistical party
pretending to discover Principles and Practices relating to George Fox and hiâ— Party as thou callest them that run paraleâ— with the Church of Rome And then to excuse this thy persecuting Cain-like and Judas-like work against us thou falsly placest it on the Will of the Lord saying The Will of the Lord be done p. 17. whilsâ— thou art doing the Will of the Devil thy Master and Father of Lyes and Lyars adding That 't is but just that Deceit and Idolatry should be discovered in whomsoever c. p. 18. But come on That thou dost do quickly Let 's see what exact Similitudes and eminent Discoveries thou hast shewn and made of our seeming Vnion and Paralel with the Church of Rome Thus thou attempts it viz. 1st 'T is affirmed of the Pope that he is Christ's Vicar on Earth Accounts himself invested with Power to execute outward Laws Edicts and Decrees Herein sayst thou I place not much difference between the Pope on the one part and the Pen-man and some of his the Brethren on the other And why so The Pen-man and his Brethren sayst thou account themselves the Representatives of Christ's inward Government over the Conscience p. 18. That 's an Untruth by the way and none of our words but a scornful Pervertion Where did we so account our selves 'T is improper and unsound to say That visible Men or finite Creatures are the Representatives of Christs inward spiritual Government over the Conscience which is endless and where Christ himself reigns Where did we ever assume a Government in Christ's stead over the Conscience But only as his Servants and Witnesses by his Spirit do commend our selves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God and thereby only represent or shew forth by sound Doctrine and good Conversation That Christ must rule and be obey'd as the Head of his Church which vastly differs from the Pope's false sence of his being Christ's Vicar or Representative on Earth Thou addest viz. And that they are invested with Power to execute outward Laws Edicts and Decrees And what follows on thy discovery and similitude Therefore the Pope and G. F. and his Party seem to be in Vnion and run Paralel with the Church of Rome That 's false The true Apostles and primitive Christians had outward Laws Commands Decrees c. which they practised So hath the Pope and the Church of Rome though not the same What follows Did they therefore seem to be in Union Thy Similitude and Inference are fallacious We differ in the Power and Manner of Execution and our Laws and Decrees which Christ hath given us differ from the Popes The Popes Power is Carnal and Coercive Ours Spiritual and Perswasive The Popes Ecclesiastical Laws Edicts Canons and Decrees are to promote a false Church Idolatrous Worship and Superstition Our Laws and Decrees c. are first written in our Hearts and taught us by Christ Jesus enjoyning us to eye believe and follow him as our Rock our Way and Leader in Holiness and Purity of Life and Conversation Therefore thy Comparison is silly and abusive here as well as Malicious The Pope claims a succession from Peter and Peter's Primacy as their term is as the Rock and Foundation of the Church So do not we but deny that Doctrine as false believing and owning Christ to be the Rock and Foundation nor yet do we assume or pretend any Priviledge Power or Authority over Christ's Church from an outward succession but only being Christ's Witnesses Ministers Servants and Ambassadours are assisted by his immediate Presence Power and Wisdom with us to assist order and govern us in his service and the service of one another in love Again thou proceedest in thy Similitudes viz. 2dly The Pope likewise affirms that the Church of Rome is the true Church and in the true Faith The Romish Clergy teach that we must believe as the Church believes Herein I cannot justly place much difference between the Popish Clergy and Pen-man if he approved this Doctrine viz. The true Church is in the true Faith that is in God and we must either believe thus as the true Church believes or else it were but both a Folly and Hypocrisie to profess our selves Members thereof pag. 18. Thus thou wouldst make me whom I presume thou intendest to resemble the Pope and his Clergy and to seem to be in union with them But dost thou not own the Doctrine to be true in it self viz. 1 st That the true Church is in the true Faith that is in God And darest thou deny this What sayest thou to it Speak out man and be plain to the Point 2 dly That we must either believe THUS i. e in God as the true Church believes or else 't were Hypocrisie to profess our selves Members thereof If thou canst not deny the Doctrine in it self why hast thou made this an Instance of our seeming to be in union with the Popish party For thou knowest in thy Conscience first That it was not spoken of the Church of Rome but in general of the true Church whose Faith is IN GOD which we neither believe of the Church of Rome nor does the Church of Rome believe so of us Where 's then our seeming Union secondly To believe in God as the true Church doth herein the true Church is made an instance and example of Faith in God not to make the Church's believing this or that the sole Reason and Cause of my or our believing the same this were Implicit 't is as not because for Christ who is God is the original efficient cause both of the Church's and my Faith which is in him which is the one living substantial Faith wherein is Unity Whilst thou canst not confute the said Doctrine behold thy Similitude what an empty FALSE SHEW it is What real Protestants in Europe could escape thy Censure of Resembling the Pope and his party nay how canst thou escape thy self upon such Fallacious Similitudes as thou hast invented against us The Pope and his party believe there there is a God a Christ a Heaven a Hell Immortality future states So do all true Protestants What follows according to thy Similitude Ergo all true Protestants seem to be at union with the Pope and his party The Pope and his party believe there is one true â—â—iversal Church and one true Faith So do the Protestants but not so of each other they are not in Union no more are we with the Pope or his party but with the best Reformed Protestants wherein they differ'd from and oppos'd the Church of Rome The Pope believes he is a true Christian and no Apostate So dost thou W. R. believe thou art a true Christian c. What follows Ergo thou dost Resemble the Pope and seemest to be at Union with the Papistical party Is not this argumentum ad hominem like thy Similitudes and more resembling them than thou hast resembled G. F. and his party to the Pope and Church of
't is Conscience obliged not a blind affection So 't is not to impose a blind Submission though some's want of perswasion may probably proceed from their being hardened through Rebellion as R. B. intimates Anarch p. 67. And their contradiction in that case will not excuse them from being guilty of disobeying God because it is from his Spirit the sentence proceeds and 't is their duty both to see receive submit to what 's justly required The intent of the Spirit of God in giving forth Judgment or Sentences through his Servants to end Controversie c. doth not bespeak or intend any design of such Imposition as to enforce any upon a blind Submission or Obedience in such a hardened Condition for the Spirit of Christ strives with them to open their Eyes and enlighten their Understandings that they may see and know in their own Consciences first their Duty and then submit in what is according to the will of God being the judgment of his Spirit which makes its way with its own evidence to the Consciences and Hearts of Persons if not wholly harden'd through Rebellion against God's Spirit in themselves For the Testimony of the Lord is sure making Wise the Simple The Commandment of the Lord is pure ENLIGHTNING the Eyes Psal. 19. 3 dly Then what power or freedom can any Minister or Servant of Christ have to leave any liberty for a believer to refuse submission to the judgment of the Spirit of Christ in his servants or believers where Christ leaves none or to grant that he may not see it his duty to submit and thereupon to refuse when the spirit of Christ who knows the Creatures capacity gives the Judgment and requires Submission There 's no just ground nor pretence for such Indulgence which tends to Rebellion and Ranterism but rather for the Servants of Christ to be faithful and stedfast in their Testimony and Judgment which they know is both in it self Just and proceeding from his Spirit Whether it be by others received or rejected He that hath an Ear to hear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches which doth many times speak through Instruments as formerly And further 't is neither a false sence nor wicked construction to say That our Opposer being for a Liberty for Believers to refuse to submit on account of not seeing it their duty Therefore that Believers who are members of Christ's Church may refuse submission to their Brethren in things that are in themselves Just and Reasonable according to the Law of Truth in the Conscience on pretence of not seeing it their duty c. I do sincerely profess I do not find a more natural construction that our Opposers own Words being without distinction will bear all material and precedent Causes and Circumstances of this very point in Controversie considered For first The Submission pleaded for by R. B. among Believers and in the Church was to the Judgment and positive Sentence proceeding from the Spirit of God or Christ in his Church and Servants Secondly Our Advâ—rsary's opposing the Church of Christ's having Power in any cases of Conscience to give positive Sentence or Decision which may be obligatory on Believers rendring this a Government over Believers contrary to the Principle of Truth and Liberty in Christ Jesus See Accuser c. from p. 62 to 81. When no other Submission is pleaded for nor any other intended by us than to such Judgment or Sentence as originally proceeds from the Spirit of Truth which is agreeable to the will and mind of God Now doth not our Adversary's opposition tend to divide Believers and the Church of Christ as well as from a true sight and performance of their Duty in cases wherein the Spirit of Christ gives the Judgment which must needs be just and reasonable For to the Question Whether the Church of Christ hath Power in ANY CASES of Conscience to give positive sentence which may be obligatory upon Believers R. B. Answers affirmatively SHE HATH Anarch p. 48. To which W. R. replyes This Government over Believers is contrary to the Principle of Truth and Liberty in Christ Jesus Doth not this plainly imply that in NO CASES of Conscience a Believer is bound to submit to the positive sentence of the Church of Christ or other Members thereof but that a Believer may refuse Submission On the account of not seeing it his Duty to submit This is W. R's great pretence and supposition and this in ANY CASES of Conscience without distinction The terms of the Question and Opposition before cited being general Which supposed Blindness and Discord in Believers I cannot grant him against any true or sincere Believers who are faithful to Christ in their measures of Grace received such will neither want a sight of those Dutyes or things the Spirit of Christ teacheth and requireth of them nor submission one to another therein but in humbleness of mind submit themselves one to another in the fear of God Ephes. 5.1.21 Here the Younger submits to the Elder and all one to another being clothed with Humility for God resisteth the Proud but giveth Grace to the Humble 1 Pet. 5.5 This Humility and Submission was among the Primitive Christians and was very commendable among them and none but the Proud oppose it And farther the Sentence Judgment and Determination proceeding from the Spirit of Christ in the midst of his Church is Binding in Heaven and Earth and he that will not hear the Church where Christ is in the midst is to be accounted as an Heathen Man More-ever our Lord Jesus Christ knows how much or how little a burthen to proportion and lay upon his sincere and true Followers from the greatest to the least of them suitable to their Capacities He knows our Weaknesses and is touched with the feeling of our Infirmities and hath raised up a Spiritual fellow-feeling of one anothers states and conditions that we might bear each others Burthens the strong to bear with and help the weak and so fulfill the Law of Christ. But seeing our Opposer at length to acquit himself gives us this Concession pag. 45. viz. I do say a Believer in Christ ought to submit to any reasonable just Judgment answering the Truth in the Conscience when it relates to him let it spring from whom it will I shall say the less in this point But William hast thou been always of this mind If thou hast thou art very inconsistent in thy writing and greatly wrongest thy self by Self-contradictions and then what signifies all thy opposing R. B. for pleading a consciencious Submission in Believers to the positive judgment or sentence which as he saith proceeds from the Spirit of God in some or other of their Brethren in the Church of Christ What amounts all thy work of Opposition and Gain-saying unto Now a Believer in Christ ought to submit to any Reasonable just judgment let it spring from whom it will And sure all judgment proceeding
from the Spirit of God in any of his Servants is just and reasonable for whatsoever is unjust is not of God but to be rejected The Controversie is not there § 6. Again William upon our words viz. God preserve his people from this Libertine Spirit thou falsly notest That by the Pen-man's discourse a Believer's refual to submit to the Church on account of not seeing it his Duty to submit is the fruit of a Libertine Spirit c. p. 45. A Believer's refusal to submit to the Church is a begging the Question and fallacy for I do not own that any true Believer will REFVSE to submit to the Church of Christ in any thing that Christ commands or is in it self his just duty towards God or his Neighbour on the account of not seeing it his duty is again a begging the Question If it be his Duty and required of him by the Spirit of God in his servants the same spirit if he minds it quickly makes an immediate discovery of it to and impression on his Conscience it being his duty both to see and submit to what Truth and Justice require of him so as the sincere and tender-hearted though but weak in the Faith for a time are preserved on the one hand from Rebellion and from Refusing that submission which the Lord requires and on the other hand from running into a blind Obedience For put case there be a little space of time that one weak in the faith sees not presently every thing that may be required by the Lord in his People as duty he does not therefore REFVSE Submission but waits patiently on the Lord to clear up his way and reveal his duty therein and though whilst thus waiting for satisfaction and clearness he 's neither refusing nor opposing that which he has not a clearness of judgment in Want of sight or clearness in such cases of Conscience is no just ground for Refusal Rejection or Opposition no more than for any to act in a blind Obedience or ignorant Devotion without satisfaction in Faith or Conscience Let but blind Opposition and Refusal as well as blind Obedience be laid aside and we shall have quietness for though neither be good yet blind Opposition is the worst of the two For there 's yet a Medium between Refusal and Active Submission viz. A WAITING passively and patiently until God reveal his will in this or that particular thing required by him as duty Again thou dost both scornfully and fallaciously proceed against the Pen-man in these words viz. 'T is plain to me that he reputing himself a Church-Governour is thirsting after such a sort of Subjects that may be willing to follow his Track though they know not whether it be right or wrong p 45. I presume thou meanest my self as that Pen-man that so affects being a Governour or so reputeth as thou hast before twitted the Pen-man with having forgotten his low and mean Estate telling him how the very conceit of being a Governour in an outward Government is very apt to puff up Persons of some sort of Qualifications pag. 25. If thou intendest me herein thou hast taken wrong measures and hast given me Scurrillous and Abusive Characters and then thou art grosly mistaken in thy judgment That I thirst after such ignorant Subjects as thou importest The Lord hath raised me up to open peoples Eyes and to turn them from Darkness to Light and God the Righteous Judge who knows my heart and whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son he knows 't is my delight in Humility to serve him therein and to see People turned from Darkness to the true Light and from their Ignorance and Error to the knowledge of the Truth in the spirit and power of it in themselves that they may walk in the Path of Life and be saved and no otherwise to follow me than as they may see me walk therein So knowing my Integrity and Humility in the sight and presence of God who hath thorowly searched and tryed me that I affect neither Popularity nor Greatness I do the less value thy Reproaches and all the bitter Invectives that thou canst bring forth against me My innocent Life reigns over thy hatred and shall out-live thy envy and scorn And as thou hast laid a false foundation against the Pen-man as judging him a Person thirsting after such sort of ignorant Subjects as before related so thy Superstructure raised by supposition is impertinent trifling and fallacious For 1 st Where have any of us whom thou smitest at either from a Meeting yearly or else-where in giving forth as thou callest them certain Sentences Decrees and Orders directed to the rest of the People called Quakers therewith signified to them 'T is your Duty to submit whether you see it your Duty or no p. 45. I am sure this is forreign to my and my Brethrens Language and Intention If it intends an active Obedience before men see their real duty which none can acceptably perform nor is it my Principle to urge them upon practice until their Eyes be opened to see their duty therein yet peoples present Ignorance of their Duty when proposed or told them in the spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ is no warrant for them to oppose refuse resist or reject it but rather tenderly and quietly to weigh consider of it before the Lord and wait in his Light till he reveal it resolve the doubts and remove the scruples 2 dly Moreover that which hath a tendency to Confusion Rebellion and Ranterism was thy undervaluing the Authority of the Church of Christ in such a Judgment or Decision given thereby as proceeds from the Spirit of God for 't was no other that R. B. argued for in the case by thy pleading in opposition for leaving a liberty therein for a Believer to refuse to submit on the account of not seeing it his duty to submit with other circumstances of Looseness and Confusion proceeding from thy opposite loose confused Spirit of Prejudice and Division This has a tendency to Confusion Rebellion and Ranterism which we placed not meerly on a Non-submission or Forbearance of Practice for want of seeing it their duty to act therein For 't is possible some Members may want a present sight in some things required by the Church of Christ and his Spirit and yet they not thence allow themselves a liberty to Refuse submission but rather to wait in their measures till God reveal his mind therein in which cases there 's a tender sence and forbearance one to another and this does not tend to Confusion Rebellion or Ranterism but thy plea for the leaving a liberty for Believers to refuse to submit to the judgment and decision of the Church of Christ and for the same insisting on their not seeing it their Duty to submit when the judgment of the Church of Christ pleaded for on our parts is no other than what proceeds from his Spirit or Christ himself as
being present in his Church This thy Libertine plea tends to divide the Church of Christ and to leave Believers who are Members thereof in a liberty both of denying submission and in an ignorance or blindness concerning what the spirit of Christ in his Church may require of them which I cannot grant thee that any sincere Believer is either so to be left in such a liberty of REFVSAL nor yet remains in such Ignorance for he that will not hear the Church where Christ is in the midst is to be accounted as an Heathen man Therefore thy Plea tending to divide and make Believers Heathen is contrary to our Principle and Testimony received from the beginning which is That Life answers Life The Spirit of Truth receives its own in men every living true Member in some degree feels what proceeds from its Life in other Members though all Christ's Members are not come to the same measure and degree of growth strength and understanding yet there 's so much inward sence and nearness in his Life and Faith as preserves them from Confusion Rebellion and Opposition to one another or to any thing the Spirit of Christ saith unto the Churches by any of them Thy putting and supposing Cases against us that are not thy arguing from Generals to Particulars from Principles to Persons from a Plea for the Church of Christ and its obliging Judgment proceeding from his Spirit to reflect upon particular Persons as the Pen-man and his Brethren John and George and Stephen c. p 45. are empty trifling and impertinent and as vain and silly is the Laughter and Scorn which thereupon thou supposest and wouldst stir up against the Pen-man and his Brethren all grounded upon a false bottom namely thy uncharitable and false sence and censure against the Pen-man viz. That he is thirsting after such a sort of Subjects that may be willing to follow his Track though they know not whether it be right or wrong Which is so utterly false if thou intendest me that such a desire never entred into my Heart my Soul abominates such a Principle as to lead People on in such blindness Again I do not make the reason of my Discourse depend on a meer supposition nor yet on a bear affirmation that I and my Brethren are the Church thou and thine not we are now on the defensive part and thou art not able to unchurch us we may give testimony of our Faith and to our sence of the presence of Christ with us and among us of our continuance in Love Unity in him and against thine and others Apostacy and thou not able to confute us The reason of our Discourse in the present Controversie depends not on Persons but on undeniable Principles and Practices agreeable both to divine Testimony Revelation undeniable Evidence amongst men And wherein any of us have been moved of the Lord in his holy zeal to give positive Judgment either concerning Spirits Persons or Practices that appear not yet so evident to some as to us the day will make further discovery and declare it and the Lord will appear witness and evidence in the case And thou shalt then find that thy Scorn and the Laughter and Scorn thou hast supposed and sought to stir up against us will be turn'd into sorrow on thy part and thou mayst be ashamed of thy scorn and laughter and of comparing our Treatment with the Papistical Parties towards the Protestants and telling of following the Pen-mans Papistical Track p. 46. All grounded on thy false sence before-cited though to me all thy Scorn Laughter false Comparisons and Rattles thou knowest what I mean are all but like the Crackling of Thorns under a Pot. It 's observable that in thy Epistle to the Reader c. thou art for taking up a Lamentation for the Apostacy of your Brethren as thy pretence is Now thou art for Scorn and Laughter against them thou so censurest yea to the Presbyterians Laughter and Scorn thou art exposing R. R. and for those Instances he gives for Deconesses in the Gospel-times p. 33. though this be a Truth which many Protestant Authors have confirmed besides Paul's own commendation of their Sister Phebe whom he called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministra A Servant of the Church at Cenchrea Rom. 16.1 2. There were Women-Deacons who in their places did service in the Churches with respect to the Sick and Impotent c. But to return one while thou pretendest to pray for the Pen-man That the Lord would mollifie his hard heart p. 42. another while art for causing Scorn and Laughter against him Thus but in pag. 46. Thus thy hypocritical Lamenting Praying and thy Scorning do much resemble thy confused Work And what such things are they thou insinuatest against the Pen-man and his Brethren Of which thou sayst Thou couldst soon lay a new Foundation to prove him and his Brethren guilty of such things as by his Rule would tend to Confusion Rebellion and Ranterism and what not p. 46. What things are those We expect no mercy nor favour from thee thou hast rendred us as obnoxious I think as of thy self thou canst And this thy general and dark way of smiting with what things thou couldst prove the Pen-man and his Brethren guilty of as tending to Rebellion and Ranterism without mentioning what things is very unfairly to raise great suspicion against us and to render us highly Criminal Odious and Obnoxious some-what like the Treatment we had in those Abusive Scurrillous Atheistical and Slanderous Pamphlets stil'd The Quakers Quâ—bbles How now William Is this thy Conscience thy Charity thy Christianity thy Love pretended and the end of thy feigned Lamentation and Praying for us thus to abuse us and cast dirt upon us after this general implicit and suspicious manner Is not such deceitful injurious and contradictory Dealing rather contrary to common Morality and Civility amongst men Thy Prayer conclusive of thy second Chapter pag. 46. is mixt with as much Falshood and Envy as the other stuff is with Scorn in these words viz. The Lord preserve us all from following the Pen-man's uncharitable Papistical Track lest thereby we should not only merit the Indignation of God but justly be accused by men of understanding of so much Delusion Weakness or Wickedness as considering our antient professed Principles and Practices might render us unworthy the favour of a true Protestant a derision to the Heathen and a scorn to Fools themselves I am sure this Prayer appears not without Wrath and doubting 't is not offered in Charity nor with Holy Hands 't is more like a Cain's Sacrifice 't is to slay the Christian and Protestant Reputation of him and those thou writest against to render him not only one that has merited the Indignation of God but one in a Papistical Track unworthy the favour of a true Protestant and so obnoxious to the outward Penal Laws seeing by thy Words If you should follow his Track
Contradiction to many Friends about the Tree of Knowledge that God forbad Man to eat of The Question was put concerning thy self thus viz. What kind of Preacher would he make if he should tell People The Tree of Knowledge is good for Food the Tree of Knowledge is not good for Food This Question thou takest to be grounded on a down-right Falshood for sayest thou I never asserted that the Tree of Knowledge was good for Food and that it was not good for Food neither have I written any thing to shew my own sence either way p. 50. No! That 's strange and a gross and manifest Untruth and Shuffle I am sure And I may ask thee if thou hast not belyed thy own Conscience in these Words How darest thou now utter in Print that thou hast not written any thing to shew thy own sence either way i. e. Whether the Tree of Knowledge be good for Food or not good for Food Hast thou not in the first place written to shew thy own sence That it is good for Food by thy plainly opposing the contrary Doctrine as preached by divers among us viz. That the Tree of Knowledge was not good for Food Hast not thou plainly objected against this Doctrine Instancing That a Father may command his Child not to eat an Apple his Rebellious eating no Argument to prove the Apple in it self not good for Food And we know not on what Foot of Truth any one can assert that the Tree of Knowledge is not good for Food And to prove the Tree of Knowledge in it self good for Food thou also didst cite John 17. This is Life Eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Thence infering so that Knowledge is the way to Life But did God forbid the knowledge of himself and of his Son to Man in Innocency when he forbad him to eat of the Tree of Knowledge Didst thou not here plainly enough shew thy sence That the Tree of Knowledge was good for Food And doth not this imply that the Serpent was more kind to Man in moving to eat of it than his Maker was in forbidding him There 's no need of thy adding as in it self for the Tree is it self With what Conscience then durst thou adventure not only to say Thou never assertedst that the Tree of Knowledge was good for Food but also that thou hast not written any thing to shew thy own sence either way Oh wonderful I somewhat admire at such a manifest gross Untruth that thou shouldst undertake in several Pages with several Objections to oppose a Doctrine as thou didst that of the Tree of Knowledge not being good for Food And now to flam us off with telling us That thou hast not written any thing to shew thy own sence either way Hast thou not here play'd Legerdemain to write so plainly in opposition to another's Position and yet tell us Neither hast thou written any thing to shew thy own sence either way For shame leave off such Impertinent Scribling and spend thy time better in the Creation But yet what reason for the Question viz. What kind of Preacher wouldst thou make if thou shouldst tell People the Tree of Knowledge is good for Food the Tree of Knowledge is not good for Food For the first thou hast shewn thy sence plainly however thou wouldst now smother it The latter appears deducible from thy finding out a Salvo or Plea for some that may declare That the Tree of Knowledge is not good for Food for thou wouldst not be understood to reflect on all that have used that Expression because thou questionest not but many have so express'd themselves to shew that if we should feed upon or admire any excellent Qualification or Endowment and not have the Eye of our mind Chiefly unto the Giver we might then come to a loss See the Second Part of thy Christian-Quaker p. 28 29. Thus hast thou excused the Doctrine before opposed by thee viz. That the Tree of Knowledge is not good for Food § 4. As for G. F's Epistle against the envious Spirits and Persecutors of those who could not observe their outward Things Traditions c. thou dost much insist on these Words viz. They that do so viz. set up outward things gather People to themselves not unto God c. If these be truly cited G F. best knows his own Intention and in point of Justice ought rather to have been enquired of as to have been his own Interpreter than to have been brought forth in Print under the disguise of a prejudicial Interpretation and straining his Words and turning his sence besides whatever was intended in them or by him And what hast thou got by the said Citation thou hast so much insisted on If thou strainest the Litteral sense thus That no outward things are to be set up nor outward Order practised in the Church of Christ. Thou wilt therein farther interfer with thy self having already granted outward Form and Order c. to be in the Church of Christ yea even the case of Marriage as what care thou tookest about the marrying thy two Daughters c. But G. F's intention and sence in the words of his said Epistle is by another hand fully spoken to and therefore I forbear enlarging on them However thy construction That out of G. F 's Mouth he and his Brethren may justly be compared to Cain for persecuting their Brethren for no other cause than for not submitting to outward things c. p. 50. This Construction I look upon to be very gross and reproachful and that it proceeded from a persecuting spirit that is a false and unjust Judge And as false and malicious William is thy dark smiting in telling of such sort of Preachers i. e. among the People called Quakers whose Pride and Insolency might prompt them at this day to say Though you are our Witnesses that we have often declared that our Commission from God was to turn People from the Power of Satan to God that so they might all come to be ordered and governed by the appearance of the Power in themselves yet we did NOT mean but that when we had gathered any into the Truth we should be those who ought to have the RULE over them and that such should observe our Traditions or follow us Without giving a Reason why and though they might in Truth be submitting themselves one to another in the Lord according to the Apostles Counsel yet all of them must submit to us and reverence honour and obey us c. pag. 50 51. Thus far thou William But that any Preachers among the said People called Quakers have so said or preached after this exalted imperious and inconsistent manner I must take leave to deny till I have better proof from thee than thy quoting thy self or thy saying that in the 48 49 pages of the 3d part of thy Treatise entituled The Christian-Quaker 'T is so written which is
Abuses c. are collected and stated in his own words and terms but even all of them there collected are so far from varying his own sence that his words or terms are scarce varyed in two of them I find not his sence or meaning in them varied or altered at all so far as I can understand or gather Now W. R. in pursuance of thy charge before thou engagest in these words viz. I shall now proceed to cite only three Instances in one Leaf of their Catalogue next to the Title viz. One of their Forgery another of their cript Citations and a third of their cript and non-sensical Representations of my sound words c. p. 56. Observe by the way That seeing the Instances are so few as only Three and though he calls them only a taste c. p. 58 the Reader may presuppose them to be in his thoughts knocking ones or the most likely for his purpose and the most advantagious for his turn that he could find or pick out and such palpable Forgery c. as nothing to be said for it But see if it prove so see if he knocks us in the Head or down with it Now observe his great and chief Instance viz. They thus represent me to say in the Christian-Quaker Part 4. pag. 4. That they are persecuting Opposers who oppose John Wilkinson and John Story My own words are Vnless the Lord shall be pleased to change the hearts of the persecuting Opposers of John Wilkinson and John Story This Forgery to me appears to render me a Persecutor for saith he would William Rogers be counted a Persecutor for his opposing others more vehemently I abhor Persecution and in this Controversie do act the part of a Defendant against and in discovery of a Company of PERSECVTORS p. 56. Now let the Ingenious Reader observe what great difference is there in thus representing him what variation of his sence as between his saying The persecuting Opposers of J. S. and J. W. and saying That they are persecuting Opposers who oppose them I must confess I am not so critical as to understand a variation of his sence or much of his words in this small Transposition though he now makes his exception That there may be Opposition to each other from difference in Religion yet not attended with Persecution He should have told us that exception was included in his discourse before in this point viz. That only some of the Opposers of J. W. and J. S. were persecuting Opposers but not all of them Some of their Opposers are not Persecutors But we must commonly be troubled with his colateral Meanings to supply his precedent Defects But then what Company of Persecutors are those he now tells of against whom he acts the part of a Defendant Are they not all he has written against in this Controversie both named and unnamed And are not these the Opposers of J. W. and J. S Are they not those whom he calls G. F. and his Party G. F. and his Brethren And has he not counted them Persecutors yea a Company of Persecutors Who then are opposers of J. W. and J. S. that are not of party with G. F. in W. R's account and consequently no Persecutors For W. R. saith G. F. and his Brethren out of G. F 's mouth may be justy compared to Cain for persecuting their Brethren p. 50. And as plainly W. R. shews his meaning and the intent of his words before cited where in page 22. in his comparison between the Paper signed by Charles Marshall c. and Pope Leo the tenth his Bull against Martin Luther Anno 1520. W. R. saith But in the aforesaid Paper there is no mention of any particular Doctrine or Viciousness of Life for which they i. e. J.S. and J.W. are persecuted by their Brethren Now wherein I pray is his meaning or sence of his words about persecuting Opposers altered or the intent of his Mind clouded as he complains in what we have represented W. R represents himself in this Controversie as one acting the part of a Defendant only against a Company of Persecutors But I am sure he greatly acts the part of an Offendor and bitter Persecutor with his bitter words of hatred to scandalize many innocent Friends approved Servants and Ministers of Christ among the People called Quakers with Popery tending greatly to render that People obnoxious Whilst he is complaining of Persecution he 's acting the part of a most bitter Persecuting Informer and Incendiary Apostate Judas's are the worst of Informers As for his Complaint of cript Citation and nonsensical Representation of words I must say and that according to my understanding his words are so largely cited as that the drift and scope of his Intention and Sence may be understood though some of his long Parenthesis and super-abundant Expressions are left out I would not desire to be more largely cited by himself or any Adversary whatsoever than he is in his words And for my own part I sometime think that I am apt to cite my Adversary's words too largely but it is that both his sence may the more plainly appear and what occasion he gives either for a judgment or inference naturally to be deduced And I find not the Passage non-sensically represented which he recites pag. 57. But in that he calls the cript Citation in the 6th line of the same page I find his recital wrong viz. words for fruits But how can it be cript when the page is quoted where 't is to be found at large Upon the serious perusal of our Adversary's reiterated black Charges of Palpable Forgery and Prevarications pag. 57 58. together with his attempts to prove them I do solemnly profess in the sight of God I do not find my self conscious nor justly chargeable therein for I really am for giving the Devil his due and not to overcharge nor mischarge him in any case how bad soever he be in himself much less to overcharge my fellow-Creatures how much prejudiced soever any of them be against me Yet though I know my own Innocence both as to Intention and Principle I impose not my bare sence and credit upon the Readers judgment but leave him therein free to the light of Truth in himself to take impartial and just measures in what he reads in this Controversie relating either to Persons or Principles and let the Light of Truth in all judge for to that I appeal § 2. To what W. R. saith of the Pen-man's Method If it should become of Credit 't were then easie to undertake a Proof of any sort of Negative c. pag. 58. 'T is a Mistake for when I see a Person fearing God abused scandalized defamed and mis-represented contrary to his known Principle and Practice as I am really sensible and satisfied in my judgment thou W. R. hast frequently dealt by G. F. and others I may give my positive Testimony and Judgment against such abusive and malicious Treatment and yet
thy self for the different measures or degrees of Grace do not alter the Property of it and whatever it once manifests to be sin and forbids as such it always forbids and allows none in the practice thereof and whoever are truly convinced by the Grace of God and have their Minds turned to it if they keep in it and walk in its way and teaching they are principled by it and are a Law to themselves therein against those things ways and works which are corrupt or sinful and cannot place a slight Indifferency where the Truth hath made a real Difference for what communion hath Light with Darkness or Christ with Belial or Truth with Error or Sincerity with Hypocrisie or Sobriety and Watchfulness with Ranterism and Looseness Consider how and from whence thou art fallen and Repent To thy subsequent Allegation of John Crook's saying I must tell thee that I look upon thee to have dealt unjustly disingeniously and injuriously by him and very impertinently alledged his words in this case for thy unwarrantable confused loose Proposition for the Observation of Tythes as a civil Right or Rite I doubt not but he is better principled even from the time of his first receiving the Truth than to grant or allow any such liberty to any Christian Brother for the observation or payment of Tythes as thy words import and that thy Allegation of his words in this case is contrary to his very Intention I dare presume and appeal to his Conscience to give Judgment against thee in this case whether the different or contrary actions postures or gestures relating to time constancy or place c. mentioned by him were intended with respect to Tythes the Payment or Non-payment of them I dare say thou hast foully perverted his words and intention in this case for the different actions postures and gestures relating either to time or place may relate to divers things only circumstantial and indifferent as to God and not to things substantial wherein Truth 's Testimony has made a real Difference As I or any other in Truth may be in different postures and places praying to God or waiting upon him in Closet on our Beds in Field High-way either kneeling standing sitting or walking and yet truly led moved and exercised by the holy Spirit and accepted of God which I cannot say in relation to the Payment of Tythes in this Gospel day no more than in Sacrifice and burnt Offerings since Christ hath put an end thereto Those things offered by Cain and Abel as the fruit of the Ground and firstlings of the Flock were things in themselves lawful and allowed in their day and time and were also according to the Law of Moses being Types under the old covenant But this can be no pertinent Instance as alledged by thee Thomas in the case of Tythes to observe or pay them in this Gospel day and as now in Controversie since both Tythes and Offerings were ended by Christ in his Death nor is there any parrallel in the case unless thou couldst prove that the Spirit of Christ doth move Believers in this Gospel day both to the Payment of Tythes and the Non-payment or refusal of them which I dare say thou canst not prove 'T is not to be supposed that what Christ has abolish'd in the old Covenant he will enjoyn or command in the new the Spirit of Christ is not contradictory to it self nor are Gods substantial Commands contrary one to another especially under one and the same dispensation and state § 3. Besides thy abuse and injury against John Crook and Impertinency in this case I cannot but take notice how disâ—ingenuous cover'd and fallacious thou art in the management of thy loose design in reference to the Personal Authorities thou bringest particularly in thy citing part of John Wilkinson and John Story 's Paper concerning Womens Meetings c. in two of thy Pamphlets viz. thy second and third Edition in the 24th pag. of the last thou sayst These foregoing Testimonies are not transcribed at large but abridged for brevities sake but the SENSE AND SVBSTANCE OF THE WHOLE included But Thomas I must tell thee this is a down-right Untruth the Sense and Substance of the Whole of that very Paper of J. W. and J. S. is not included in thy citation although thou hast confessed their Testimony to be weighty Truths and hast cited more passages than that concerning Womens Meetings for thou hast left out these Words of their Testimony viz. As to Tythes we can in truth say 't was never so much as in our Hearts to strengthen any in the Payment thereof nor yet to weaken the Faith of any having a Testimony in our Hearts that Tythes as at this day paid are ANTICHRISTIAN Thus far they How now Thomas Why didst thou leave these Words out of thy Citation Was here nothing of the sense nor substance of their Testimony or wast thou not conscious to thy self that their Position here against the payment of Tythes and thy Proposition aforesaid for the observation of Tythes as a civil Right or Rite c. were inconsistent and contradictory their words are positive against them as Antichristian but thine are partly for them and but doubtfully against them that is If the Spirit of the Lord in the Heart forbid the payment of them or if the different measure of Grace require one Brother not to pay them and allow or be silent at another Brother's paying them Thus Thomas thou appearest in Confusion a BABEL-BUILDER And what is our Language thou reflects upon Is it the plain Language of Thee and Thou to a single Person And what are those Orders thou complainest of and those Customs Forms and Prescriptions Hast not thou appeared like thy Brother John Pennyman in thy empty and fruitless opposition only he is a little more plain in his furious Roaring Letter to G. F. dated the 27th of the 3d Moneth called May 1680. printed among his other Letters to divers Friends he furiously exclaims and roars out against us in these Expressions viz. Away with your long Prayers and long Preachings for they are an abomination away with your Pride and Arrogance sitting as Judges and Lords over your Brethrens Consciences Away with your set Form of Words of THEE and THOV calling it the pure Language O ye Blind and Ignorant how can you escape the Condemnation of the Just and Righteous One who have set up Shadows instead of Substance and Form instead of Power Builders of Babel or Babylonish Builders All your Buildings your Inventions Imaginations and Conceivings about your Forms your proud self-conceited Modes your Impositions your Prescriptions Laws and comely Orders as you in your fallen Wisdom call them must all be thrown down laid waste and become a By-word or Proverb of Reproach to the very Heathen c. Thus far John Pennyman These Words are cited to show how far you Backsliders and Opposers resemble one another in Stile and Language
stand for another Name as Richard Richardson but we are sure he is better principled than to write such Airy Loose Ranting stuff One reason that makes me take it to be R. Rich's Paper that thou hast espoused 't is so much in his floating reflecting accusing lavish and conceited Stile and also that thy Brother Francis Bugg makes use of his Authority in his Book De Christ. Lib. p. 170. in these words viz. I begin to see the truth of Robert Rich 's words in a Letter from Barbadoes to his Friends Abstracts c. pag. 20. viz. I can assure you that who meddle with the Quakers had need to be fenced within and without with the whole Armour of God Truth and love to Righteousness David 's Sling and Stone c. These Passages are mentioned that it may the more obviously appear how plainly you resemble one another and tread the same Track in the Stile and Terms of your Opposition and that 't is no new Controversie in the Substance 't is but only John Perrot's Spirit of Division risen with some other Circumstances and Pretences in a more Rough Lofty Contemning Hectoring and Huffing Party daring and scornful who have not that seeming show of Humility Lamb-likeness and Outside Demureness that John Perrot had the tendency and end of whose work time will manifest more directly to center in RANTERISM as it now tends to FLESHLY LIBERTY casting off the Yoke of Christ and causing the offence of his Cross to cease § 5. And now Thomas I am not willing at present to spend much farther time with thee thou having been so much answered by R. Richardson and J. F. only I would show thee a little further how unfairly and disingenuously thou dealest with John Field in thy 5th part of thy Babels c. First I take notice of the account J. Field gives in the 3d page of his Book entituled Thomas Crisp's Envy detected about thy Doctrine and then of what thou sayst in relation to the same and that which thou scornfully callest J. F's Bull of Excommunication against thee his account is this viz. John Field signifieth That Friends have no Vnity with Tho. Crisp nor his Doctrine which is as followeth The 8th day of the 9th Month 1681. Thomas Crisp said That he had lately paid Tythes and that the Spirit of God did or might allow him to pay Tythes or Marry by a Priest And that by the same Spirit of God another might be required not to pay Tythes or not do the same Things This Thomas Crisp spake the day and year abovesaid and consented to have it writ and printed and took a copy of the aforesaid words Witness John Field jun. Oh Thomas How hast thou lost true tenderness and the sence of Truth How art thou backsliden and gone from that which first convinced thee of the way of the Lord and his holy Truth which is but one And how variable dost thou render his Spirit and contradictory to it self in these great concerns of Tythes and Marriage Is this like the Testimony of the Christian-Quaker as thou and thy Brother W. R. and his party would be rendred Is it not more like exact Ranterism Let all tender Hearts and sincere Souls in the Light judge But what sayest thou to J. F's Question Why did thy Wife condemn it meaning your marrying by a Priest To this thou most unrighteously and scornfully answerest in these Words viz. But may not those that pretend to sell Pardons and pray Souls out of Purgatory your Brethren say that if their Prayers and Pardons be not effectual why have and do so many give so much Money for them If a Woman gives all she hath to have her Husband out of Purgatory an effectual Proof of the worth of the Pope's Pardon Thomas Thy Answer herein is dirty and scurrilous thy comparison with the Pope and those that falsly pretend to pray Souls out of Purgatory most unjust and slanderous Be ashamed of such scribling and abusive dirty Work and falsly calling such our Brethren Be ashamed also of thus unnaturally exposing thy own Wife to an unjust censure in this comparison viz. As to a Woman that gives all she hath to have her Husband out of Purgatory Oh sordid and bruitish As also in thy following Words and foul Reflection upon thy Wife viz. It is like SHEE as too many more have gave too much credit to what some of G. F's CHEATS said And she is not the first that hath been deceived by you and perhaps some among you that have prated others out of their Money might prate her unto the writing and giving you that Paper you pretend to Thus far thou in the 9th page of thy 5th part of thy Babel O Thomas be ashamed of thus abusing thy Wife and others our Friends with thy Railery in Print as if she were cheated or deceived into the giving forth the said Paper in judgment against your marrying with the Priest I am satisfied thou hast most foully wronged her as well as abused her Friends herein for I am perswaded that the Lord made her sensible you had done amiss in so marrying that she was convinced in her Conscience of the Evil of it and of your wrong proceeding therein by the Light of Truth before she gave out the said Paper and that therefore thou hast not only abused and unjustly exposed thy Wife thy near relation in Print but also that thou hast abused the Truth and the real Conviction thereof in her I dare appeal to the witness of God in her Conscience against thy sordid abuse of her and Friends in this matter I find thou art a shallow impertinent Scribler and Railer and uncharitably Censorious and Reviling in much of thy Work thou hast an absurd and dirty stile of writing if it be thy own however it is patronized by thee Remember from whence thou art fallen and Repent of thy hard Speeches Prejudice and Uncharitableness against Gods People his Heritage Thou hast abused the Servants of Christ have a care thy dayes be not shortned in Darkness and Sorrow I am sorry for thee Thou canst advise and instruct others to Love and Gentleness and pretendest to shew the necessity of bearing with and not judging one another about such things wherein they differ in Opinion or Practice in some things viz. outward and circumstantial matters of Religion for that thou sayest We may belong to one Shepherd although not all in one Fold and confessest That Love is part of the Seal in the Forehead of the Lamb's followers and so also Hatred Strife c. the mark of the Beast as in thy Introduction to thy third Edition As also page 13. thou givest Friends this warning To forbear judging any man any more upon any pretence whatsoever as in the Paper thou hast cited and falsly callest E. B's Vision Yet contrariwise thou art severely judging and contemning us on some Pretence thou appearest in Hatred and Strife in the most of thy
Quakers as Erronious Antichristian c. And To give a Testimony against the Quakers false Doctrine as thou falsly callest it even in the Titles of thy Pamphlets but now confessest our Testimony is in the Letter and Book of the Scriptures Thus hast thou denyed and opposed that Testimony which is in the Book of the Scriptures and not only So but most erroniously opposed the Light and Law written in the Heart thereunto when as they do agree and the Scripture cannot be broken Therefore Repent of thy vain and Antichristian opposition Another Contradiction is in thy following words viz. J. B. Your Paper to the Churches is not to be owned by the Churches inasmuch as it was written from a sight or a sence and not in and from the Spirit of Revelation Now whatsoever is written declared or given forth in the sight or in the sence is not to be owned Antichrist's Transformations p. 2. And p. 25. ibid. I disown that to be any true Ministry for God who in their Declarations do exhort both Friends and other People to come to a sence and to wait in a sence and continue in a sence for God is not a sence neither is his Spirit a sence But in plain contradiction â—ereto p. 9. Lazarus was raised and so must we be raised by the same Voice Spirit and Power must we come both to FEEL and Witness Christ the Light within to be our Resurrection and our Life by FEELING and Receiving his Power revealed from Heaven c. Observe Here thou hast confessed to the Truth of Feeling and witnessing Christ Feeling and receiving his Power c. contrary to thy opposing and denying what 's written in the sense and exhorting Friends c. To come to wait and continue in a sence whereas there is a spiritual sence and feeling of divine Life there are spiritual Sences to be exercised by the holy Spirit to discern between good and evil There is a spiritual seeing tasting and handling of the Word of Life but thou hast lost these Senses thou art out of they right Senses which makes thee so Sensless and Nonsensical in thy scribling and full of rambling confused Whimsies Delusions and dark Imaginations which are the effects of thy Disobedience to and Apostacy from the Light of Christ within which convinced thee long ago § 12. And now I would have thee observe thy manifest and practical Contradiction to a Passage in conclusion of thy Gross Errors Postscript The Passage is this viz. J. B. It is an Antichristian Spirit in all which leads People under what Profession soever to think of themselves above others or to be in a better state than others or to separate themselves from others although their Souls may have seen by the Light within them beyond others yet these ought not to separate themselves from others for they have been Children of Darkness as well as others for if they do separate themselves from others then this holds forth a certain Testimony that they do think of themselves above others and also to be in a better state than others are in so that this is all Antichrist's work Answ. Why dost thou then separate thy self from others that is from the Church of England for by this Proposition thou oughtst not so to separate nor to frequent the Quakers Meetings nor to preach in them whether thou thinkest thy self in a better state than those of the Church of England or not or that thy Soul hath seen by the Light within beyond them as doubtless thou thinkest thy self herein above them On this Proposition of thy own thou oughtst not to separate nor to preach in the Quakers Meetings And if thou didst not think thy self to see with the Light within beyond them of the Church of England there were no reason for thee then to separate from them Behold thy Practical Contradiction and Ranterism in thy Proposition or Doctrine against separating from others on the account of seeing with the Light beyond them which is to maintain a confused mixture and society in Worship between those that see with the Light and those that see not with it between the Seeing and the Blind the Children of the Light and the Children of Darkness for thy opposing a Separation from others is without distinction and yet thou art in a Separation from others Why separatest thou from the National Worship and makest thy self a Preacher at the Quakers Meetings in Sudbury when they disown thee thy Preaching and Corrupt Erronious and Antiscriptural Doctrine As Thy Denying Christ the Son of God to be our way to the Father Thy Denying Salvation or Condemnation by the same Christ that suffered Thy Denying the Immortality of the Soul of Christ Jesus or of any other Souls of Mankind and affirming That his Soul dyed and that he internally dyed as to his Soul c. And thy asserting The Book of the Scriptures to be the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge And thy Denying the Arising of the Seed of God and Christ in man And thy Denying to come to a Sense and to wait in a Sense in thy self and opposing preaching from a sight and sence as in thy Antichrists Transformations p. 2 25. Thy dark and erronious Doctrine and Preaching in these things the True Christian Quakers utterly deny with many other dark erronious Positions Whimsies Contradictions and blind Oppositions Falshoods and Abuses foolish and unlearned Questions in thy Pamphlets here omitted as also thy Hypocritical Preaching in pretence For the good of Souls For the quickning of Souls For the raising up of Souls For the converting of Souls That Peoples Souls may partake of the divine Nature and be lifted up into the Kingdom of God c. Which though this be the best sort of thy Preaching and in the best words thou hast yet while thou denyest the Immortality of the Soul and concludest They all dye with the earthly Tabernacles and so a total end of all This thy gross and Atheistical Error is enough to evince thy abominable Hypocrisie and Irreligiousness in the best sort of thy Preaching And therefore give over thy preaching in our Friends Meetings hold thy Tongue lay thy hand upon thy Mouth keep at home and seriously bethink thy self and remember from whence thou art fallen and then condemn retract and call in thy Erroneous and Antichristian Pamphlets Remember I have herein given thee the safest Counsel in Love and Friendship to thee and to thy Immortal Soul which shall remember me when thou art awakened under the hand of thy Righteous Judge who is the Judge of all to whom I can sincerely appeal and commit my Christian and faithful Endeavours concerning these Controversies and Differences with thee and the rest concerned in this Treatise you being all concerned in one Spirit of Opposition Prejudice Strife and Enmity though thou hast exceeded the rest in thy Doctrinal part in presumptuously attempting such an Antichristian Confutation of the Quakers Doctrines And with my solemn
thirst after Righteousness By Isabel Yeomans A Warning to London in particular By James Parks A Warning to England in general By J. P. A Testimony to the Lords Power and blessed appearance in and amongst Children A plain Path-way opened to the simple hearted for the answering all Doubts and Objections c. By S. Crisp. A Blast blown out of the North ecchoing up towards the South to meet the Cry of their oppressed Brethren The Lamentable Cry of the Oppressed H. Smith's Books collected into one Volumn The Spirit of the Martyrs revived ☞ A faithful Warning and Lamentation over England By William Bingley Jude 13 14. vers †A Pope reputed no better than an Atheist a Prophaner of the holy Scriptures a Person careless of Religion and Piety an Avaritious Corrupt Person who made great advantage of his impious Indulgencies Pardons c How unjust impious therefore is our Adversary W R. to rake so many Instancies as he hath done out of the History of the Council of Trent of Wicked Popes and their Agents to compare brand and scandalize Us or any of our Friends withal who abhor Popery and all the Popes Corruptions †By Execute I understand minister or put in Practice and not in the common Law sence of inflicting corporal or pecuniary Punishments for that 's not consistent with the Government of a Christian Church * See Rhâ— Annotat. fol. 572. * But I suppose he hath a reserved and other sence for his Distinction between Clergy and Laity here than the common sence â—nd distinction 'T is some reflecting reserve no doubt He may tell his mean-in his next Book * I tenderly forbear exposing the Person 's name at present believing that 't was not by his order or consent that W.R. F B. have made him such a subject of printed controversie as also hoping that he has more charity tenderness in him than to allow of their malicious Books Pag. 27. P. 72. P. 26. P. 27. * As our words are Accuser p. 136. * Who must so exercise and proceed in them if no visible man or men be invested with Power from Christ to execute them or put them in practice Pag. 41. pag. 42. Rom 2 8. 1 Cor. 16.16 1 Thes 5 12 13 14. Heb. 13 17. 2 Pet. 3.2 pag. 45. pag. 45. Accuser c. p. 26 27. P. 52. Page 52. This passage W. R. hath Printed divers times over in his Book against himself p. 55. P. 55. †Francis Bugg's Proposition implyes a Contradiction for if Samuel Cater subscribe the Instrument he ought not to have his Money by the tenure of it because he told not his Name If he do not subscribe it as his judgment then he also ought to have his Money again according to F. B's tenet of Christian Liberty As not seeing it his duty ergo he may not or at least ought not to be compelled to suffer for it Another contradiction is from the ground of his Law or Canon viz. the equality in suffering For by his Rule a poor Minister must suffer 20 l when a rich Hearer whom he ministers to but 5 s. And he on the apparent sight of the Informer must tell his Name when the other but when he is asked it Oh equal levelling Law Are not the children of the world wiser looking on us as Levellers to make the rich Hearers pay the poor Preachers penalties as well as they look on them obliged to maintain them on their own supposition * Marg. added Yet I do not limit Persons in this case there may be a special occasion to tell Names for the sake of others but not to make that a general Rule Friends are to be left free to Gods counsel * Q. added If it be not Dog-Latin Thy Charge collected * Query added I do seriously ask William Rogers if this Paper of ours thus Recommended be sufficient proof of Imposition and being turned Antichristian I desire plain Answer hereunto in relation to what he has granted for a Recommendation c. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mas. and Fem. * Yet I find it not So manifest afterward in thy Book at all * And whereunto we have a full Answer in being in Manuscript reserved about five Years in order to pursue and detect that of J. P.'s if divulged abroad in Print †As in his opposing Pastors Teachers Elders c. in our day and the Spirit to them and rendring us at inforceing Orders and setting our selves in the place of the HEIR c. And he was Answer'd in his Life time by several of the Servants of Christ wâ—â— withstood his opposition in this matter * For J. Crook hath given publick Testimony against the Payment of Tythes in this Gospel day witness his Treatise i. e. Tythes no Property c. †But I must confess that in our publick Assemblies for divine Worship such postures as bespeak the most Reverence to God and Union among our selves are most commendable edifying and exemplary c. * N. C 's Epistle †So the Work of Backsliders and Apostates tends to fit them to hear and sit under the Parish Priests contrary to the real Christian Quaker Witness F. Bugg's Proposition espoused by him as his own judgment viz. Things Moral under the Gospel men may be commanded by the Magistrate as HEARING is an act purely Moral A man may be commanded to hear the Gospel preacht without being forced to give his assent to it The Light of Nature guides the Magistrate to instruct his Subjects in whatsoever he thinks for their eternal Good And the Light of Nature obligeth every man to hearken c A man that is only commanded to hear and receive Instruction is dealt with as a rational Creature and forced to nothing The Judgment is still left in himself Thus F. Bugg's De Christiana Libertate or Liberty of Conscience pag 91 92. Whereby he has plainly given away and betray'd the cause of all conscientious Dissenters For what place is left for Liberty of Conscience to dissent if the Magistrate may thus enjoyn the Subjects to hear what he thinks is for their eternal Good and they be thus obliged to hear when he thinks 't is for their good to hear the Parish Priests By this Proposition when the Magistrate commands Fr. Bugg to his Parish Church and hear the Priest he is oblig'd so to do by his own Proposition and reserve his judgment in himself whether to accept or reject what he hears Thus he may be in a freedom fitted to act in ALL FORMS But then let him not esteem himself a Christian Quaker but another sort of a Latitude Christian whose Religion and Principle before cited will not oblige him to suffer any more as a Quaker †So the Work of Backsliders and Apostates tends to fit them to hear and sit under the Parish Priests contrary to the real Christian Quaker Witness F. Bugg's Proposition espoused by him as his own judgment viz. Things