Light with Respect to Discipline according to the Order and Rule of Truth and their Practice accordingly Stands Fustified as consistent with the Doctrine of Christ the Aposties Command Scripture-example and the Primitive Practice amongst the Believers touching this Matter By that Eternal Word that was man's Life and Glory in the beginning before Sin and the separation from God was a Remnant that have believed and have been gathered home again unto God In which Word our Fellowship stands with the Father and with the Son according to Antient experience and through the Holy Spirit are we brought into Unity one with another in that Invincible life which they that believe not are strangers to and in the Tabernacle the Lord hath given us in this World as the Family of God we are in that Society wherein in the Love that we bear one unto another and in that Godly care we have amongst us for God's Glory and Truth 's Praise our desires are to be one anothers help and advantage every way so as that in all things we may be as becomes the Heritage of God And for this cause is it that we are a people Setled through the Power and Spirit of Truth in that good Order and Discipline as becomes the Family of him who hath chosen us That Love and Care none other we have laboured to preserve amongst us according to Christ's Doctrine and the Primitive Example as that we may Glorifie God in Body Soul and Spirit and by reason whereof all men may know that we are Christ's disciples and that we are in that Faith which works by Love And in the same eternal Power by which we are a People and in which we are made HelpGovernments in the Church of God an eye is open and an Inspection given us in which what ever is decent comely and of good report is cherished and approved of and what ever is contrary is seen whether in things appertaining to Doctrine or Practice Conversation and Life And in the same Power which is the Terrour to the evil-doer is the exercise of God's People in relation thereunto according to the Blessed Order Christ 〈◊〉 directed unto in the Case of Trespass of one Brother against another where the Church might come to be concerned as to hearing the Matter and giving judgment in the case as the Lord might direct according to the Power and Authority given in which the Sentence might be passed for want of the Church being heard by the offending Brother let him be unto thee as an heathen-man This Order and Discipline was directed to to be in the Church and this Government and Judgment by Christ Jesus given unto them who had received of his good Spirit in which Spirit of Truth that leads into all Truth it is and in none other that in our tender care in the Church of God we are concerned and have a Witness in the Consciences of all the tender-hearted before the Lord. And whatever William Rogers sayes in his Malicious Slandering Mind God is our Witness we have no care upon us in Relation to the Church of God but in that Love in which we were beloved of him and in which we are knit together We have no concern but in the Power our Eye is unto that There is no Rule Discipline or Government amongst us but in the power in which our Souls are Subjected unto God and in which we are Servants one to another In which power we do 〈◊〉 as given us of God for his Glory's sake Authority to hear Determine and give Judgment not only in matters relating to the outward man in cases of Difference brought before the Churches and upon the case of any not hearing the Church to declare him as not worthy of the Fellowship of God's people but to be unto us as an Heathon-man But also in matters relating to Conscience or the Inner man As the Apostle said A man that is an Heretick after the First and second times 〈◊〉 reject And as we have a concern upon us to stand approved in Gods sight and in all Consciences in the matter of Doctrine and Principles of Truth so also with respect to Conversation and Life to live void of offence towards God and Man in that Pure Religion we are brought into to visit the Fatherless and the Widdow and keep our selves unspotted of the World whose Care and Order relating thereunto is no way Inconsistent with the Apostle's Counsel and the Churches Practice in his day The Apostle said to the Corinthians Dare any of you having a Matter against another go to Law before the 〈◊〉 c. And that the Care of the Churches of Christ in this matter amongst this people whom William Rogers presumes to render as Apostates and Innovators and their Order and Practice is consistent with the Apostles advice let the Records of our Meeting-Books Testifie and let our disconcern with any other People save them of our Principle and Profession in any matters relating to 〈◊〉 amongst us speak in all men amongst whom our residence is The Care and Order we have in relation to the Widdow and Fatherless and them that are in necessity let our Practice touching that matter declare thereof Unto whom are we Burthensom in that case Unto what Magistrate have we complained or 〈◊〉 relief from in the case of any Brothers Indigency or want save in the case of laying before them the Oppressions and sufferings that we have been exposed to for our Testimonies sake that the cry of the Poor the Widow and the Fatherless on that Account may not enter the Lord's ears to bring his wrath upon them because thereof Or which of the Widows that are Widows indeed or of the Poor amongst us that keep faithful to Truth have found fault with us and complained of Neglect amongst us concerning them Wherein are We Inconsistent with the 〈◊〉 Practice in Relation to dealing with such as become any way Scandalous to Truth let our Records in that case speak for us in bearing a Testimony against the same and publishing of it according to the Merits thereof and the Knowledge of it abroad for the clearing of Truth and declaring our disowning of such as are led aside on that wise till Repentance be wrought and the Lord's Forgiveness be felt concerning them Let the Care and the Order we have and the Practice we are found in in Relation to the Inspecting Marriages as to clearness every way consistent with Truth 's Life and the Churches allowing or disallowing as matters are found in relation thereunto being twice brought before our Men and Womens Meetings and our decent comey and orderly proceeding with 〈◊〉 of Parents c. in the Accomplishment thereof before many of the Lord's People in publick Assemblies for the most part gathered for that very occasion that they may be Witnesses thereof We say let our practice in these matters Testifie to our consistency with the Care that 's incumbent upon us as God's
tended to Friends Advantage in the Truth and the honour thereof by the Churches of Christ in this Nation and in other Nations which the practice of our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings demonstrate Fifthly That notwithstanding William Rogers's and others of Party with him their abusing George Fox and slandering him with lying accusations as one that would Introduce his own Prescriptions and Orders and invade Christs Prerogative c. And would exalt himself in a wrong Spirit in Rule and Government Lording it over the heritage of God His advice and directions in relation to the duty of Gods People in the Tabernacle God hath given us visibly to appear in hath been acceptably closed with and testified to by Word and Writings as shall be made appear in the Sequel of our concerns and as the Churches Records in our Quarterly Meetings doth declare Sixthly To prove that William Rogers's Charges and malicious Accusations exhibited in Print against George Fox and others of the Brethren are idle frivolus and fallacious and his exercise in that matter a Scandal to Christianity and ridiculous amongst Men and sober Societies which the said William Rogers hath framed and made up and brought to publick view through his perverting George Fox's Honest and Christian words and discourse and by his uncharitable deductions in a jealous prejudiced mind and putting his own perverted Constructions and Inferrences upon George Fox's sincere and Christian sence of matters his words related to otherwise then ever was intended by him as the plain and charitable construction thereof naturally deducible therefrom demonstrates and then places his own judgment upon him which is an horrid and abominable thing in the Lords 〈◊〉 and detestable amongst Men And through Gods help this is before us to manifest which we Question not to effect to the Satisfaction of all the unprejudiced and upright minded where this Book may come We have also a desire in sincerity of heart to demonstrate to all where the knowledge of any difference amongst this People hath come as the relation thereof may most properly fall in our way the Christian care that hath been amongst the truly established in God who have kept their first love and care for Gods glory and 〈◊〉 habitation upon the Rock abides sure to have preserved this scattered divided People within the Fold of the true Shepherd unto whom the gathering is whilst they were in any measure near unto us before they turned away from Gods Power and broke away as the Israel of old did unto whom the Lord had given of his good Spirit and yet they rebelled against him and therefore the Lord after many visitations and willingness to heal their backslidings which they regarded not withdrew from them and gave them up to a reprobate mind to harden themselves to their utter Ruin We would declare also as that which is material to our present concern and yet as briefly as we well can what exercises particularly and more generally after a more publick manner many dear Brethren have met withal through this Spirit what brotherly treating them that the Temptations of it was prevailed upon with Advice and Councel to remove that groundless ungodly jealousie that entred them in which the vail came over and there the temptation to Strife and Contention got place What care what tenderness and Gospel-Order hath been over them used towards them letting the honest hearted see some part of the honest labours and travels in Soul and Spirit and bodily endeavours that have been indured and used towards them for the Lord and his Truths sake and their Eternal good and how unwilling the Church of God was to have had them rent off from us What patience long-sufferings brotherly 〈◊〉 have been used towards them if possible they might live and find rest in God for their Souls how clear the Lord and his People are of their blood if they perish for evermore what pitty was it hath it been often said that a jealous prejudiced Spirit should prevail upon any who have known God to work them into such a wilful froward perverse state as to let nothing enter that might do them good having rejected that in themselves which God had made manifest in them not liking to retain the same in their knowledge as it was of old concerning such whom God gave up to a reprobate mind and unto great hardness of heart to the filling up the measures of their Iniquities for the Damnation that slumber'd not God Suffers these things to be that they who are approved may be made manifest Considerate Reader If these before recited particulars be made good which necessarily relates to our present work which we doubt not but to be able to do we hope that clearness of understanding concerning the matter in hand will be opened in thee as desires abides with thee to God on that wise as that thou wilt easily judge of the ground of the Controversie betwixt us and our present Adversary whom we treat not with now as a Brother or one of us but as a publick Enemy to the Life of our Principle and holy Profession a caster of Stumbling-Blocks in the way of many to fall upon which will prove a burden too heavy for him to bear And thou wilt plainly see what manner of man he is what Spirit he is of what his design and all his fluttering Work tends to and that upon this occasion if thou hast a Sence of Gods Truth thou wilt be the more confirmed in it and be the more concerned to keep thy Habitation in it for thy Salvation and peace sake or if thou beest one who has not hitherto given up thy self to serve the Truth though convinced by it nor our Lord Jesus Christ We hope as that which we truly 〈◊〉 thou wilt not find by this occasion any ground to continue in hardness of Heart against it but in subjection to Gods Light and Life in thy self thou wilt be given up in self-denial to close with that Principle thou hast the sence of and which we have believed in and testifie of and is our Life and Portion in God and cause of our rejoycing and that thou mayst come to have a share with us in the Inheritance of God amongst Gods sanctified ones which in the universal love God hath appeared in in these latter Days and in which we travel for the good of all we truly breath for as that which will be our Joy and a Recompence into our Bosoms for our Labours Sorrows and Travels manifold We further advise the Reader when this our ensuing Tratise shall happen to fall in the Hands of such as have not received the Principle of Light which we have testified to so as to believe therein or when it comes amongst such as have hurt themselves by too much adhering to a wrong Spirit which very probably it may somtimes do by reason of the endeavours that are used by the promoters of William Rogers's Book to hand it out to
the Spirit of Truth in the younger against the same Spirit in them that watched over their Souls and so to set Conscience against Conscience and the Spirit of God against it self Is not this the way to let in Liberty in the 〈◊〉 Atheism and the like amongst God's People that again would creep in on this wise under pretence of Want of Inward Conviction and the like and so under colour of Conscience draw back again out of the first Love Care and regard to God and the Spirit of 〈◊〉 in his People and lead into Rantertism and what not It 's a meer Slander in William Rogers to say and gather from hence That we would force a Blind Obedience without conviction Nay There is his mistake being gone from the Spirit 's Life and Sense of it's Motions and Requirings Exhortations Councel and Advice which in the Spirit of Truth we commend to that in all Consciences with whom we have to do in relation to Church-Rule 〈◊〉 der and Subjection Discipline and Judgment We deal with a people in this Matter not as blind but as having a measure of the Spirit which discerns the things of God The Apostle said What have we to do to Judge them that are without speaking in Relation to Church-power Discipline and Subjection in the Lord. It is a shame for William Rogers to talk on this wise and renders him a man that has lost his sight in the Spiritual concern of the Lamb 's Innocent life in which the exercise of the Church of God consists according to the manifestation of the Spirit as every one hath received in which the Rule the Government the Order the Counsel and the Judgment in the Saints in light standeth and in which the mutual Edification is the Helps the Governments in the Church the Unity the sweet Society the subjection one unto another to be each others Joy where the Lord is known to be One and his People one But William Rogers and they of his Party say That the Setling of the Churches in the Order and Discipline that we have amongst us is the way to introduce the Apostacy again yea we are proclaimed already and recorded to posterity to be the Apostates and 〈◊〉 and we see not yet upon what other ground then because we are a People in the Spirit of God Zealous in the matter of Discipline and Order in the Church to Answer the pure Religion in Body Soul and Spirit God requires of us For he hath confessed 〈◊〉 have not lost the Kernel of Christianity neither do we differ in that from them he accounts have kept the Life of it but in the Shell John 〈◊〉 sayes We hold the Truth 's Principles and the Doctrine of Christ and are in the Practice of those things that the Truth in the members of the Heavenly body leadeth into neither do we differ in those things but in Methods and Forms c. So then it must needs be in their Sense that the Church of God being Setled with the respect to the concerns of it relating to us as the visible Family of God under an outward Discipline and Order although the exercise therein be in the Spirit for we own none other i st he Mark and Badge of an 〈◊〉 and that thither we are gone as he Asserts Let us consider and take notice what was the Apostle's sense in his day with respect to that Gospel-order that he laboured for and was 〈◊〉 concerned that in all places it might be setled among the Churches He was of another mind then William Rogers and them of Party with him manifest themselves to be of For although he saw as 't is left upon Record that after his dayes grievous Woives would enter and that there would be a great departing from the Faith and that there would an Apostacy come over many Yet it may be observed what Care he used in the Churches as the opportunity served him that the Order Discipline and Government of the Spirit might visibly Demonstrate it self amongst them in the Tabernacle God had given them in it to be his praise the Godly fear that was upon him in Relation to an 〈◊〉 State was a departing from the Faith to fall among them And as he was desirous that if it was possible they might be kept there from for the Gospels sake and Glory of God it was his desire that every one in the exercise and Service of Truth according to the manifestation of it under a Gospelcare might be concerned and in it fastened and knit together to be each others help and directed them accordingly and that which they had heard and received from him with respect to Order in the Church they were to observe and hold fast and Answer the same in practice and writing to them on that wise with a 〈◊〉 of on such as were wilful and not subject to the Truth but caused Divisions amongst them which they were to beware of he said The rest will I set in Order when I come Much might be said with respect to this matter from the Charge he laid upon Titus and for which cause he left him in Crete to appoint Elders every where and to see that nothing was wanting amongst them Paul never feared the Apostacy to enter through a Setling the Churches by Instruments in Gods hand in that Order he was concerned in the matter of neither did the Churches that kept their first Love ever Brand them with the Character of Apostates for their Labour and Travel on this wise Neither do we read that the Faithful whether Elder or Younger did ever 〈◊〉 at their so doing nor ever slandred those Instruments in Gods hand for any Directions or Orders in Relation to discipline with the bringing in of mens Prescriptions Pauls Orders Lines made ready to their hands Innovations or the like as William Rogers presumes to do which will be his Burthen and 〈◊〉 shame in the end But in the Uuiversal Spirit which is one in all that believe was the Unity preserved and the Comfortable Society held under the Rule and Government of Christ 〈◊〉 and if any would have 〈◊〉 Dissension among them they were to be 〈◊〉 and withdrawn from according to Gospel-Order Hath not William Rogers shamed himself amongst all sober and Judicious people both as a Christian and as a Man to make all this Fluttering 〈◊〉 work against the Government of Christ Jesus in the Church of God which we do affirm is both immediate and Instrumental and that he Rules and Governs in his people the Church of God Immediatly and Instrumentally by his Faithful Servants as well as he instructs both Immediately and Instrumentally And as for this Cause he hath Ministers Pastors and Teachers Instrumentally to turn many from darkness to Light and from Sathan's Power to God to edifie and to build up in the most holy Faith So he hath Overseers Elders Helps and Governments in the Church Instrumentally to see that all things may be kept and
for the last Words he heard him speak were not sensible neither do we preceive during the time that his Understanding and his Speech continued with him that ever he demonsttated the least sence of Remorse or Repentance for the great Damage he had brought upon Truth Dishonour to our Holy Profession and Grief and Trouble to the Church of God but rather Dyed in the hardness of his Heart as appeared by his Presumption to say That he died in the Favour of God and Peace with all Men when it was manifest 〈◊〉 his own Words that it was false in part at least for when he gave order about his Burial he charged that Thomas Camm should not be invited to his Burial yea so far was he from being in Peace with the said Thomas Camm that when his Brother Charles Story desired him to put such things out of his 〈◊〉 praying him that he would suffer him the said Charles to invite Thomas Camm to his Burial he would by no means be perswaded so neither Thomas Camm his Wife nor any of his Family were Invited to the said Burial although Thomas Camm's near Neighbours that were Unbelievers and not of John Story' s Kindred were Invited to it Nay moreover scarce any one of Preston Meeting to which he formerly belonged and died within the compass thereof were Invited to his Burial except those of the Separation notwithstanding they invited the People of the World Friends Neighbours and left them out by all which it is evident that his pretending to die in peace with all Men was untrue and only a false pretence and his Heart being so hardened to assert such untruths how should he die in the Favour of the Lord let the understanding and wise in Heart judge But as he had in the time of his Life since he fell from Truth been the greatest Agent in the Hand of the Adversary in Sowing the evil Seeds of Strife Division and Separation and also the most Industrious to keep those in the Separation that he had led thereinto so was he not wanting as appears to confirm his Proselites at his Death by telling them That he died in the Favour of God and Peace with all Men yet notwithstanding all the subtil Sleights and cunning Craft of deceived Men the Lord hath confounded this Spirit of Strife and Separation and many of those who have been most eminently concerned in promoting its Interest and Work the Lord hath removed out of the way by Death therefore it were well if those that are yet left alive would fear and dread before him and none of them any longer be so hardy as to tempt the Lord lest his overflowing scourge sweep them away and they perish in his Wrath forever The 6th of the 3d Month 1682. William Walker Joseph Gregge Richard Sill Junior Here followeth a short Testimony for the Truth and against the envious Spirit of William Rogers given forth by an Antient Friend in Westmoreland whose name is Thomas Atkinson IN or about the Year 1652. It pleased the Lord God to raise up the seed of Life in some of his Servants in this Nation of England and called those and sent them abroad as Lambs amongst Wolves into this World by the same Spirit and Power by which he chose and sent the Apostles in the Primitive Times And the first that was so sent in our Age and Generation and appeared amongst us in the Demonstration of the Spirit with the joyfull Message of Life and Salvation in this Country of Westmoreland was George Fox who being raised from Death to Life I bear Record was anointed of God to Preach and publish glad tidings of Peace Life and Eternal Salvation in the name of Christ Jesus to lost Man and many in this County did gladly receive his Message and Testimony at that time and did joyn with it some of whom the Lord made Ministers of the Everlasting Truth early of the day as Gervis Benson John Camm John Audland Francis Howgil Edward Burrow with some others whose outward Bodies are laid in the Dust yet their Memorial lives and remains with us a sweet savour to God and will do to Ages and Generations to come for their Faithfulness and Works sake with many more who are yet alive in the Body to bear a faithful Testimony to Truths praise and the Comfort of the Flock of God And seeing that this true and faithful Servant of the Lord George Fox the first Publisher of Truth in our Age in this and many other Counties and places through this Nation yet remains in the Body and a Record living upon my my Soul and Spirit of his faithfulness to the Testimony born by him who in the hand of the Lord was made Instrumental to the turning me many Thousands more to the Lord as also of 〈◊〉 care over the Flock of God that they all might be established in the Truth and present Grace of God revealed in which he is a sweet favour to God and his Witness in all Hearts in which Work and service his Labours Watchings Travels and Sufferings have exceeded many if not all others both in this Nation and in many places beyond the Seas for the space of about Thirty Years and God hath blessed him in his Labours so that he hath seen the travel of his Soul in a great measure answered many Thousands being gathered to and established upon the Everlasting Foundation Christ Jesus that stands sure for ever I say this Record living upon my Soul and Spirit a concern of Conscience remained with me to bear a Testimony for the Lord his Truth and this dear Servant George Fox whom we count worthy of double Honour for his Work and Service sake as an Instrument and Servant in the Hand of Christ our Lord and also a Testimony lives with me in the behalf of Thousands of Faithful Friends and Brethren against that turbulent and wicked Spirit in William Rogers and others who came out with us and partaked of the Grace of God with us but have turned their Backs of it who have in their Printed Books and Papers gone about to calumniate him and bespatter his Innocent Life and Testimony for God that thereby they might make him a Sacrifice to the fury of the Wicked and we do in Gods presence testifie that its the same Spirit under another similitude or transformation that hath all along persecuted him for his Work and Testimonies sake by 〈◊〉 he hath often been cast into Prison cruelly used in nasty Holes grosly aspersed with being a Papist a Jesuit and Blasphemer and what not that 's bad and wicked Now peruse William Rogers's Book and compare his Work and Language with this of the common Enemies of Truth and they will bespeak themselves to be the children of one Father Satan the old Persecutor of the Saints and Accuser of Brethren which the Lord will cast out in his hot displeasure So let William Rogers and all other Opposers and Gainsayers be warned before
Pride and Spiritual Ambition prevailing instead of Humility in the Lords 〈◊〉 the safe Habitation the Lord became grieved to the greatly withdrawing of his good Spirit from them so that their 〈◊〉 to others came to be in the Wisdom which is from below and is Earthly Sensual and Devillish of which some of the principal of them were told and warned of the Evil thereof many Years ago So that the mystery of Gods mind which is revealed to Babes in Christ they became shut up from and the concerns of the Kingdom in the life thereof they became strangers to and as to the concerns relating to the visible Family of God being at a loss in relation to they became partakers with the loose sort in the opposition thereunto till strife entered and to work Discord in the Church of God their Design broke forth of which more may be said afterwards Secondly This opposite Spirit to Church Care entred amongst such as became unfaithful in their 〈◊〉 Testimonies for God and the honorable Truth once born and suffered for to their Comsort and Peace and to Indulge a wrong Spirit that began to draw back pleading for a false Liberty calling it Christian therein to gratifie the Flesh and that Sufferings might be avoided thereby which the care in the Church of God could not but inspect and Friends be concerned therein Thirdly The opposition prevailed upon such as became in departing from Truth 's Life and the pure fear vain in their Minds and inclined to liberty in the Flesh again in the Worlds Spirit becoming Enemies to the Cross and casting off he Yoke of Christ to which Subjection is to be given and entering into the Worlds loose Spirit again a reproach to Truth which the godly care for God's Honour and Truths 〈◊〉 in the Faithful could not let pass unreproved which became the Torment of all such Fourthly This Spirit of opposition to Church care that whatever things were decent might be cherished and the contrary Judged hath wrought in such and drawn them into a Separation as through the Imaginations of a corrupt Mind and in an airy Spirit would have entertained things to be put in practice in relation to the honourable State of Marriage inconsistant with Truths sweet Savour with respect to Man and Womans duty therein or were inclined to inconsiderate 〈◊〉 undertaking to accomplish the same without bringing them twice before the Mens and Womans Meetings which for Inspections sake as to clearness therein we account a very necessary decent and comely thing a froward loose and fleshly Spirit would not be thus limited and under pretence of seeing no need of these things or not seeing it a duty c. Crys for Liberty of Conscience and let me be 〈◊〉 to freedom although in a wrong Mind which Gods Truth gives no liberty to and the care of the Church of God would limit that in all things we may be kept of the praise of Truth We desire that in every Country or Place where a knowledge of this Separation from the fellowship of the Church of God happens to be or where the aforementioned Book of William Rogers's comes to be seen all would take notice if they that are fled off through a backsliding Spirit into a distance as to the Antient fellowship of Brethren and become disconcerned in Church affairs amongst Gods antient People and labour to promote the Publishing of William Rogers's ungodly Book be not clearly manifested to be some of the fore-going sorts of Professors of Truth which as any finds them to be let that which is pure peaceable and easie to be entreated judge what they are and what this Spirit and Work would lead unto Thou needest not Reader think it a strange thing with respect to this backsliding People whose Reproach to all hastens on For Righteousness doth Establish a People or Nation when Ignominy is the Portion of Fools for the like hath happened concerning the Rebellious to Gods Mind and Will made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst such as have known the Lord and the Work of his mighty Hand in Generations past and gone which holy Men of God have left upon Record to be a warning to such as may come after and may meet with like Temptations First Of them that came out of Egypt through the Arm of the eternal God under the conduct of Moses a Servant of the Lord and an Instrument in his Hands and of them that had seen the mighty Wonders God wrought for their Deliverance Two Hundred and fifty of the Princes of the People mighty Men Men of Renown Rebelled against the Lord and despised his Servant Moses confederated together to Work mischief in the Camp and stood in their opposition till the Righteous God caused the Earth to open and Swallow them up Amongst the Twelve of Christ's own choise one of them became an Enemy to him to the betraying him into the Hands of Sinners Some are made mention of to have tasted of the good Word of God and of the powers of the Life to come and yet afterwards might fall away and hard to be 〈◊〉 by Repentance It were well if these could yet find any place Paul made mention of the falling back of the Galatians from the Simplicity of the Gospel and lamented the case of their being Bewitched and he Travelled that the Seed Christ might be again formed in them He also made mention of false Brethren that had been his Exercise and Grief The Lord suffers these things to be and such to be over-taken on this wise whose Hearts do not abide upright to God who have known God in his Power and yet do not Honour him as God It is considerable and worth the notice taking to see what effects the Lord hath wrought and what he hath suffered to be through such Exercises as these are And First with respect to the Heretage of God the Family that does Believe through the exercise that is met withal from false Brethren whose backslidings and opposite Work and the tendency of it to Strife is the Churches Grief there is a tender concern in all such wrought upon the observation of it to have a more inward Eye to God by whose Grace all are saved that believe therein that they may be kept to him in the feeling of that Power which preserves every one upon the Rock for help and salvation So that the Lord being more eyed the more he comes to be feared and dependency comes to be laid on him and on this occasion all confidence in the 〈◊〉 comes to be laid down seeing the Mighty and the Wise amongst Men are overcome and a retirement to that antient Arm that brought Salvation in the beginning is wrought upon the Souls of them that believe that Spirit in Children of the Night that would divide being seen and in Gods Name resisted the Children of the Day are the more knit together in Soul and Spirit and the delight of the Lord comes to be with them and his Glory
Methods they intended therein invisible and their Records and Orders invisible Surely the said Paper of theirs with the limitted prescriptions therein was not invisible any more then the Persons that formed them Will his Correspondents and Abettors in the North be pleased that he should in Print lay open their Contradictions Confusion and Inconsistencies with themselves as well as with himself and his Arguings in such distraction as this we commend these things 〈◊〉 the wise in heart to consider of and judge as they see cause Now are we come to the 3 d and 4 th things formerly inserted material to our present concern to be treated on in this First Part of the Antichristian Treachery Discovered and its Way Block up viz. That Gorge Fox whom William Rogers so inveterately inveighs against and others of the Antient Brethren their Care and Exercise in the Church of God as Instruments in Gods 〈◊〉 to see the Churches of Christ every where in this our Age settled in the aforesaid Order and Discipline as the Apostle's was in his Day hath been justified embraced and freely closed with as that which hath tended to Friends Advantage in the Truth and the Honour thereof by the Churches of Christ throughout this Nation and in many other Nations And that notwithstanding W. Rogers and others of Party with him their abusing G. F. with Malicious Slanders and Lying Accusations as one that would Introduce his own Prescriptions and Orders and invade Christ's Prerogative and in a wrong Spirit exalt himself over the Heritage of God with many other Aspersions that are cast upon him as hereafter we shall make appear G. Fox ' s Advise and Directions in Relation to the Duty of Gods People in the Tabernacle God hath given us visible to appear in hath been acceptably closed with and Testified to both in Word and Writing amongst the Faithful and upright hearted to God as in the sequal of our Concern shall be made appear To which we say in as much Brevity as the Evidence and Proof thereof will admit without damage to it and the satisfaction that we desire all may receive that in any measure desire to be informed thereof seeing we are daily the more satisfied how this envious Spirit for that is the mark it deserves to bear labours to asperce him every where where his Book can get reception for into the hands of the publick Enemies of Truth of many sorts it s already gone the reward of which work shall be surely repaid We say we need no better proof in relation to the matter on Gorge Fox's account then the publick Records of our Monthly and Quarterly Meetings throughout the Nation and other Nations and the Testimonies of many Thousands of Gods People every where where the Lord hath gathered them of which we having a Seal and Evidence in the Spirit of Truth in which the Saints were when absent in Body yet present in Spirit and as living Epistles in one anothers Hearts we do believe will evidence to the truth of the aforesaid assertion concerning him And as to the proof of the publick Records in our Meeting Books on this wise we do affirm that the Order and Practice of Friends every where accordingly which we have the knowledg of Testifies thereunto and we also dare in the sence of the Fellowship that we are in through the power of God give W. Rogers leave to disprove us in this matter and vve see not but that if this he could effect he vvould be as diligent in the matter of it as the eagerness of his Spirit could vvork him to be And until W. Rogers hath effected this let all the 〈◊〉 minded conclude that the undertakers of the design against Church Government and Discipline thereof and against the Instruments in Gods hand are only a fevv broken shattered and separate sort that 's dravvn from the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ and the povver of their first Principle and have set themselves against the Dignity thereof unto which every Soul should be Subject as that which comes from God and is of him and that their designs tend to gratifie Youth in a false Liberty and to indulge the backsliding sort from the Life of Truth and his pretences to be abetted by such as in whom the Life of Christianity is not extinct and that he has undertaken things on a Consciencious Account on behalf of many Brethren is but a deceitful flourish and a false thing arising from his viz. W. Roger' s own corrupt Heart and a lying Spirit which the Lord will not bless but will become his shame let the Patient wait and mark the end of it We have been comforted in our Souls to have an Account from the Faithful Brethren of most of the Countries throughout the Nation and other Nations of the prosperity of Truth and the amicable peaceable fellowship therein and the sweet society amongst the Brethren notwithstanding the worst of W. Rogers and his Spirits Work and to hear of the good Order of the Churches every where settled therein and concerned in the Spirit of Truth in the exercise thereof to shew forth the pure Religion to all of visiting the Fatherless and Widow and to keep our selves unspotted of the World this is our Comfort and the cause of our Joy as that which is laboured for and the Lord supplicated in the behalf of We tread upon W. Roger's aspersions and clamorous work which is but a blast of Wind that will over our Redeemer Lives The stability of the Faithful in the Life of Truth and in their Antient Testimonies for the same and in it their tender Care in an Innocent Life in the Church of God their Order and Discipliue therein and the Blessings of God that will and do attend the upright in the concerns thereof to the encrease of Love to God and regard amongst us of his Glory through us in Body 〈◊〉 and Spirit will work through this Babilonish Apostate Work to Truths honour and the renown of the Government of Christ Jesus amongst the ransomed Ones and to the Confounding of all his Foes who alone shall Reign whose right it is Hath W. Rogers in this corrupt and detestable Work against the Churches Care Power and Government and against the Instruments in Gods hand in the matter thereof and most especially against George Fox whom he hath set himself against as a mischievous Person to work the worst he can We say has he forgot when he was of a better mind before the evil thus prevailed over him what he himself with many other Brethren Subscribed at London the 26th of the 3d Month 1673. on G. Fox's behalf as an Instrument in Gods hand and on the behalf of the tender care that was on the Brethren at that time in the Church of God in relation to the Order Discipline and Government thereof W. Rogers with above Thirty more Friends Testified on this wise Dear Friends Let the Authority of Gods Power heavenly and
have presumed to place a belief upon our Spirits with respect to a Testimony bearing by you on G. Fox his account whom the Apostates that have risen at any time since we have been a People have ever ran upon with all the bitter Revilings that through malitious Accusations they could devise more impudently then many that never knew the Lord and his Power durst have adventured lest the hand of the Lord should have smitten them to their 〈◊〉 and Wo for evermore We are bold to put the matter to the test concerning him on this wise we have a concern upon us you must bear with us the honourable Truth Gospel Order and the repute of our elder Brethren whom God regards seems to many that are not settled in the power of Truth to lie at Sake through the Impeachment W. Rogers hath appeared in for whose sake we ask you Are you not sensible that as the Lord made him an Instrument in his hand early of the day to gather many to God out of Darkness and from under the power of Death and that since we have been a People in the Truth and gathered into a Society in this earthly Tabernacle that the care of the Churches have been upon him Hath not a Record dwelt upon your Hearts in in the Spirit of Life that the Lord hath been with him in this matter Have you not had an answer in your Consciences unto which he hath ever appealed for a Witness there that the Instructions and Directions with respect to Church order and the Discipline thereof hath been commended to you in the Spirit of Truth as the Lord might direct to be put in practice amongst you Have you not 〈◊〉 the Spirit of Truth in your selves sealing to that eternal power that hath been upon him and other dear Brethren in the matter thereof Have you felt any straitness upon your Spirits or want of freedom in the Lord when you kept to the power to be concerned in the Church of God according to the order growth and place in the Truth whereinto the Lord hath brought you Have you not felt the Blessings of the Eternal God with you in answering the Care the Advice the Counsel and Directions of the Brethren in the matters thereof Are you not comforted with respect to your own inward Advantage the furtherance of the Gospel amongst you and the Truths honourable esteem amongst men through your Exercise Labours and Travels therein so that you can say to Gods praise your Labour of Love hath not been in vain We are bold to appeal on this wise unto you in Truths behalf Have we not a Record in all your Hearts of you that are saithful to God and have received of his Spirit as a cloud of Witnesses in this matter for us who have set our Signets thereunto Deal ingeniously with us as in the Lords sight in this matter its integrity to God our Souls delights in and an evidence in that we crave of all whether with us or against us touching the same however W. Rogers renders us we abhor Flattery or having mens persons in Admiration any further then the honourable Image of God appears in them as their Habitation abides in that to which the honour is due We leave this matter with you and before all whom it may concern where-ever any exercise may fall in relation thereunto and as you Hear and Learn of the Eternal God so Judge and Speak We might in this place very fitly fall in hand with the many Accusations Reproaches and Slanders that William Rogers hath malitiously the matter of his Work gives it this Character devised and raised up against G. Fox through his perversions and inferences that he hath put on his innocent clear sence and Christian Exercise about matters he was concerned in from which he deduceth very wicked and horrid charges against him in that old Cainish Spirit in which he would utterly destroy his Repute if it were in his power before all the fallacy whereof we doubt not but detect in the considerable matters thereof to the satisfaction we hope of all the innocent where this may come Yet we chuse first to give a true and sincere Relation of the many grievous demonstrable Exercises that the Church of God in Mestmoreland hath met withall more or less for the space of six or seven Years or upwards through this Spirit which secretly hath wrought in too many to draw them from the first Love and ancient regard to God his Truth into a kind of libertine loose sort of Life animated and strengthened we dare boldly say though with grief by John Story and John Wilkinson who having declined their antient regard to that Eternal Power and Innocent Life in which once they were truly concerned for God amongst his People and leaning upon the Wisdom that is from below in the mans part and not rightly discerning the things of God became darkned in their Minds and in that state discouragers of the antient Zeal for Truth and the honorable Testimonies born therein amongst the Faithful to the gratifying a People backsliding from the Lord and the holy way of Truth whereupon we have livingly seen and some have warned them of it the Lord withdrawing of his good Spirit by little and little from them as he did from Israel of old whose Backslidings he would have healed but they regarded not but hardened their Hearts more and more to their Irrecoverable Ruin in which declining state they became the wounding of their own Souls and the piercing the sides of many of the weaker sort to the Churches grief We also together with the concern on this wise shall manifest to all what care was used in the Church of God and with several in particular for the preservation of these two men the principal abettors of the dividing Spirit with tenderness towards them with desires and travels both in Soul and Spirit and in many bodily labours in relation to them with many cntreaties for and patient waitings over them that if possible they might be saved The Contest and Exercise in relation to it broke forth first in the North through them William Rogers that we know of was not at first so early concerned in the matter of the aforesaid contentious Work but became an espouser of it to himself on their behalfs being a man of an arragant Spirit and appeared to love being popular and in the height and restlesness of his mind undertook the work that the Lord blessed him not in but being drawn aside from the simplicity of the Gospel to abet a wrong Spirit in himself and others of the loose sort is become the Evil-man and Seducer that grows worse and worse heaping up Damnation to himself that slumbers not Antichristian Treachery Discovexed AND Its Way Block'd up IN A clear Distinction betwixt the Christian Apostolica Spirit and the Spirit of the Antichristian Apostate BEING Something in Answer to a Book put forth by William Rogers falsely
and came no more But for their occasional Meetings were designed and took one with all expedition wherein they made a disposal of Friends Monies in some of their hands without our Meetings privity or consent One other after a while we heard of in which they did admit the aforementioned Marriage to be accomplished within ten days after its being at all proposed and yet were told That the Man was under a promise of Marriage with another Woman which under several of our hands we did 〈◊〉 unto them That the Woman did so affirm desiring a respite in the case of their allowing the same till she had right done unto her but no notice was taken of that Peradventure they were afraid that Wickedness had been committed or might be in the mean time if any longer delay was made as one of the principal of them alledged and put the Query on the Meetings agreement according to an established order amongst Friends That Marriages should come twice to be examined and searched into in relation to clearness every way before they were allowed to be compleated saying in opposition to the order in that case What if Wickedness were committed in the mean time Mark the Spirit of which they are and when their occasional Meetings are and what concernes they have therein its best known to themselves we hear little of them This we have understood that what Books or Papers they have any way tending to Division and Strise in opposition to Church Order and Care they are diligent in handing them forth amongst the loose sort and William Rogers's Book in Print they busie themselves withal and most of them we perceive have each of them one and indeed they had need to do so to get them off the first Promoters hands for we hear not of a man in all these parts but them of party with John Story and John Wilkinson that will be at cost to buy one yet they are so kind open in this concern it were well if they had but an open mind to promote the pure Truth that they dispirce them either on Gift or Love to any of Truth 's open Enemies that will but hold out an hand for them as we understand and do in a great measure perfectly know it but if they think that best let them hold on we cannot kelp it neither are we troubled with respect to our own peace And what they intend to do let them do it quickly for their time grows short Vengeance is the Lords that takes notice of these things and he will repay it We have given a brief account with respect to what might be said touching the same of some of the Exercises that the Church of God in Westmerland met withal through the dividing Spirit that John Story and John Wilkinson were principally concerned in the work of in opposition to the Brethrens care therein by reason of which Spirit many Grievances were sustained by us to the grief of the Righteous Souls of all the sincere to God and to the breach of the Churches Peace And that which hath been said already concerning the same mostly relates to the time wherein the aforesaid Exercises and Troubles occasioned through the aforesaid Persons and them of party with them was most what the particular concern of Gods People of the Monthly and Quarterly Meeting in Westmerland aforesaid during the time of the aforesaid Persons continuing with us in those Meetings and upon the occasion of their breaking off from us into their separate Meeting amongst themselves upon out ward visible concerns with a touch of something done by them at such a Meeting after they had set it up And what the Churches of God any way in the South met withal where John Story' s and John Wilkinson's Travils have been we shall leave to what the Brethren in those parts have upon them to speak And from what hath been said we shall leave the Reader to Judge who they are that have been drawn back into the Apostate state and have declined their first Love to the ancient Truth and care for Gods Glory and who they are that may be justly called the true Christian Ouakers that retains the Life and Kernel of Christianity and keeps to the Exercise of the Power in the Churches concerns and who they are that have great swelling Words and fair Pretences of keeping to the ancient way of Truth and yet in Works deny it and as every one hath a sence thereof so let them speak VVe shall now also give a short Relation of the tender concern of the Church of God in these parts in true Love on the account of the aforesaid Persons in covering their Weaknesses for their reputes sake really desiring their deliverance therefrom 〈◊〉 any hopes remained with us Also we shall manifest the orderly and brotherly dealings with them all along since the Temptation was laid before them whilst it was only our concern with respect to dealings with them together with some Exercises and Travils that many dear Brethren of the Churches of God in other parts of the Nation sustained and were concerned in for the recovery of them if they had not hardened themselves against all as followeth It was not only our frqeuent course in the time of our Exercises with them after they began to set themselves against several Practices used amongst us to signifie our discontent for their so doing because of the obstruction they laid in our way in the service of Truth desiring their for bearance on that wise and compliance with us in the Churches concerns and God is our Witness it was in true respect in which we could have preferred them as such whom we once accounted our ancient Brethren their weaknesses we could have hid and looked over for their sakes and the Churches Peace and in that Exercise we have gone from our Meetings many of us very frequently with sorrowful bowed down Hearts considering what hurt to many simple Minds who had eyed them for their Gifts sake the prevailing of that Spirit over them would produce what dammage it would be to their own Souls to the loosing their Crown and perpetual Peace what a Feast it would be to our open Enemies and an occasion for them to clap their hands for Joy to hear of Divisions amongst us what a grateful thing it would be to the loose and earthly minded amongst us to the hardening of them against the Reproofs and Judgments of the Church of God in their Exercises in the affairs thereof and what a weakening of the feeble Knees of such as in a measure of true Love to God and his Truth were steping into the way thereof all these things and many more with sadness of heart entered our thoughts and consideration in many crys to God to block up the way of this dividing and soul devouring Spirit yea often we admired how Blindness entered them that they did not see how the Loose and Disobedient hung upon them for shelter
settled down again in their minds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things were to go on to be heard and examined in order to Judgment on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 matter and then to speak any more of 〈◊〉 and nine was at an end but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was to be the Brethrens the Church of God their assembled in the universal Spirit in which we are one through Christ Jesus who keeps their parts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where the good Understanding is received 〈◊〉 Judgment is given which 〈◊〉 sure the matters in charge alledged being 〈◊〉 through that day and 〈◊〉 two next days also and spoken to on all hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was seen and as 〈◊〉 required in order to proof on the one hand and liberty of desence on the other for the 〈◊〉 up of 〈◊〉 to the Impartial 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and let it be remembred the days we have to Live and let 〈◊〉 memorial thereof never Rot when this Generation is 〈◊〉 for the Praise of the 〈◊〉 God for ever and the 〈◊〉 of his precious Truth and the value of the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and the Comfort enjoyed therein for the cause whereof the Lord the God of the Spirits of all Flesh unto whom Reign and Dominion belongs forever did 〈◊〉 appear amongst us in those four days Exercise in relation to the work in hand and determined the matter depending amongst us in the Hearts and 〈◊〉 of the unright to him to their Comfort It cannot be forgot what 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and rowling Bowels broke forth in those days Travels with 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 the Wounded and the Scattered Ones who were once in Unity with the Lambs in the safe Fold for the healing recovering and gathering back again of them that they might find Pasture and feed therein and lie down with them the Power and Life that sprung up on this wise melted the Hearts of the Sincere with Joy in the sence of Gods preserving hand over them yet to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the pity of their Souls in relation to them that had been hurt by a wrong Spirit for there did not appear in them that bowedness of Soul nor heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as with respect to the offence to God and his People that they had given through the Distractions they had wrought in the Church of God was desired and expected from them yet such was the wonderful melting Glory of Israel's God amongst us that at last John Story and John Wilkinson were a little bowed down in their Spirits to the causing of them in some measure to see their Weakness and make some acknowledgment thereof as in a Paper given forth by them and here inserted doth appear viz. We are sencible that in the hour of Temptation that hath appeared through us which hath given occasion of offence to the Charches of God unto whom the knowledg of the Northern Differences are come and since the inward sence of our Brethren who we are sencible have a travel on their 〈◊〉 for the 〈◊〉 of Peace and Unity in the Church of God concerning 〈◊〉 is such that Jealousies have entered us and that we have been at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in things tending to oppose Friends in the practice of those things 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 are commendable in the Church of God We are sorry that any 〈◊〉 should appear in us to give occasion for any such Offence and as satisfaction to our travelling Brethren and the Church of God in general we do from the very 〈◊〉 of our Hearts condemn that very Spirit whether it hath appeared in us or any that hath given offence to the Church of God in general and that opposes the order of the Gospel or any faithful Brethren in the practice of those things they believe are their Duty John Story John Wilkinson This was publickly owned by the said John Story and John Wilkinson in the 〈◊〉 Meeting at Draw-well in Sedbergh After Friends unwearied Travels in the Love of God that 〈◊〉 all things and is not easily provoked but keeps in the Patience and 〈◊〉 not in which they were concerned the foregoing submission to Gods Power and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sence concerning them was all 〈◊〉 John Story and John Wilkinson were at 〈◊〉 inclined to demonstrate which said acknowledgment of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had 〈◊〉 surprised with and their Condemnation of themselves because thereof Friends for their 〈◊〉 were in some 〈◊〉 glad of hoping that afterwards they vvould 〈◊〉 see hovv a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had 〈◊〉 over them in which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Work had broken forth through them and that in time they would more manifest the same to Friends more full content and upon the product of all those four days concern on the morrow after Friends being again come together that they might demonstrate to all the honest hearted how things were in relation to the whole matter many of them that had heard of the aforesaid Divisions being under a concern and therefore desirous to hear what might be the Issue of this Meeting they unaminously agreed together William Rogers being gone and came no more to draw up this following Relation for Friends to make use of in the Wisdom of God as they saw meet viz. Dear Friends and Brethren In the universal Spirit of Life and Truth which from the God of Heaven is richly poured forth upon us and by which we have been quickned into a lively sence and hope and peaceable Fellowship is the endeared Greeting and Salutation of our pure and servent Love unto you all Whereas a long and lamentable Difference hath depended between several Antient Friends of the Quarterly Meeting of Westmerland on the one part and John Story and John Wilkinson of that County on the other part and that the said Division hath done great Mischief amongst the Friends of God in several parts of this Nation by filling their Minds with unprofitable Surmizings and dangerous Jelousies tending to absolute Rents and Divisions as too palpably appeareth in Westmerland to be the product thereof And after that the endeavours of the faithful Friends of the Quarterly Meeting of those parts both within themselves and by calling in to their assistance several faithful Men of adjacent Countries proved not so effectual as was desired by reason of the said John Story' s and John Welkinsons absenting themselves though in much tenderness sought to and entreated to appear by those chosen Brethren for the Churches Peace sake and their own real good in the Lord and though their refusal to meet those Brethren and denial of their Authority to examine the matter in difference and theirs that nominated and chose them to wit the faithful Friends of the Quarterly Meeting yet out of a deep sence of the Burden of honest Friends in those parts by reason of the Division and forefeeing the ill consequence to the Church of God of leaving such an example uncensured they passed a general Judgment upon that Spirit which led into Division and Separation leaving the said John Story and John Wilkinson to clear themselves if they could of such matters of fact as
truly comforted whatever the Issue of Matters would be with respect to those entangled in the Snare of a guileful Spirit that it was well with them in that they had a certain Knowledg of the Peace and Blessings of God into their Bosoms who had aceompanied them with his glorious Power and over-shaddowed their Exercise therewith to their Hearts Joy and to the causing of them to give God the Praise who is worthy for ever and in the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit upon the 5 th day of that Exercise Friends parted asunder being the 7 th day of the Week Several of our travelling Brethren stayed some days in the Country amongst Friends and had several blessed Meetings here-aways in a Travel upon their Spirits during their abode in the Country for the Churches Peace and the Return of the strayed ones and giving up the whole Concern to Almighty God and to the Word of his Power who alone gives the Encrease of all planting and watering and spiritual Exercises on every Account God over all in Heaven and Earth blessed for ever In many particular Exercises that the aforesaid Friends had with John Story and John Wilkinson and them of Party with them they were very desirous that they would break up again their separate Meeting as that which they testified against which also God would never bless There was that measure of Love and Tenderness raised up in John Story and John Wilkinson in the aforesaid Meeting that they took an Occasion to go to George Fox then at Swathmoore who we perceive by good Information was very loving to them and tender on their behalf letting them see the Danger they were in if they did not return to the antient Power in it to become one with Gods 〈◊〉 again in the Service and Labour of the Truth and for that end desired them to break up the separate Meeting c. But upon the matter thus it was that the separate Meeting they still continued and the Expectations of dear Brethren became frustrated on John Story' s and John Wilkinson's account for any thing that could be observed for they quickly trampled upon the whole Concern and Endeavours that had been had with them and used towards them John Wilkinson presently denyed that they had condemn'd any thing at Draw-well or that they knew of any thing of which they were guilty that was condemnable At the next yearly Meeting being about the 3 d. Month 1676. The Concerns of the Church of God throughout the whole Nation and of many Countries and Islands beyond the Seas being under Friends tender Care and great weight of Spirit the estate of the Church of God in Westmerland came before Friends as some of us were Ear-Witnesses and an Exercise of Mind was upon them in relation to the Grievances that Gods People in these Parts were still exposed to through the Spirit of Contention and Strife that had led into Separation from the antient Brethren in the Service of Truth and the deplorable State also of John Wilkinson and John Story with them of Party with them they were touched with In the Consideration of their trampling upon all the tender Endeavours used towards them at Draw-well in the 2 d. Month of the same Year and their obstinate and wilful rejecting the Admonition the Reproof the good Advice and Councel of their antient Brethren in order to a happy Return of them to God again and into the Unity of the Spirit with the Faithful in the practice of things relating to the Concerns of Truth and the Church of God amongst them And understanding that the separate Meeting continued still contrary to the general and particular Advice of the Friends when in the North more particularly on the account of their Souls Concern tenderly laid before them to the great danger of their utter undoing over and besides the Obstruction which that Spirit laboured to make in the way of Truth with respect to a gathering more unto God as also the Hurt its Design tended to produce amongst the young and tender not fully established upon the Rock the Habitation whereupon cannot be shaken The Brethren with respect to that secret Hope that sprung up in them at Draw-well when there concerning these two men in particular and on behalf of others greatly hurt by the same Spirit that the Lord might have wrought them into a further sight and sence of things as to their inward of late Years deplorable State and into a tender acknowledgment thereof under the hand and stroke of Gods Power to the working of them from the Bondage thereof that the liberty of the Power in the love 〈◊〉 God they might again come to partake of and so be brought into Fellowship with Gods People again to their Comfort and the Churches Ease and Peace On these Considerations it was yet upon their Spirits to visit them with a tender Epistle of Brotherly Advice from the yearly Meeting under the great Lamentation that the Souls of many were bowed in because thereof The Epistle from the yearly Meeting the 22d of the 3d. Month 1676. John Story and John Wilkinson FOR whom our Souls have travelled as for our own the God of Heaven is Record yea bitterness and anguish of Spirit hath overtaken us for your sakes that in the blessed Unity of the Life and Love of God with the Brethren you may come and dwell for ever And let us tell you in all plainess for we are bound yea we are bruised men for your sakes and deeply afflicted to hear by your Northern Brethren of the continuance of the Separation in those Parts for that Sp rit despiseth our Travels tramples upon our Labours sets our Life and Love at nought and with that Spirit hath God a Controversie and Will forever Ah! what do you mean to do Oh! our antient Friends Sorrow girds us to hear that you are got no nearer your antient Brethren nor receive our Councel while our Life strives with you least your Day go off and our Bowels be shut up against you Bow to that Power that visited you at Daw-well and let not up any Slights against it in your Minds For we are satisfied in our Souls 〈◊〉 it was the Day of your Visitation And in the Name of the Lord away with that Separation which to our great Grief we hear is not only continued but countenanced at least by one 〈◊〉 you for the Determination of the Lord is to blast it for ever Ah! you and they are sought in the Spirit of Meekness and in Love unseigned and in that Patience that was not provoked Oh! strive not against your own Mercies neither exclude your selves from the Fellowship of your Brethren but judge down all Strife Jealousies and Surmises in the name of the Living God that you may be made nigh and be Instruments to bring those nigh that are also with you at a manifest distance from us otherwise the Jealous God will stretch 〈◊〉 his Hand against you and you
and this Separation will apparently wither and come to nought And we must tell you that some of us hoped and expected that ere this you would in the Fear and Dread of the Lord have born a publick Testimony against that Spirit of Division and Meeting of Seperation in those Parts And we are livingly assured in the heavenly Counsel of God that is now with us that in all places where any hurt hath come and entered by this Spirit through you the Lord first requireth this at your Hands and in the Name Power and 〈◊〉 of the God of Truth and Peace we are constrained to press you to be first reconciled to your Brethren and in your Spirits and Practices be united to the Church of Christ before you offer your Gift or excercise your selves in publick Testimony among Gods People and so no more leave that Country in 〈◊〉 and Seperation for otherwise the Breach will become wider and you more discover your selves to be of that Spirit which would augment Contest and Division which we desire that God in Mercy may deliver you from for against that Spirit the sharp Sword of the Lord is drawn and thus far have we cleared our Consciences in his sight and presence whose ancient Power gloriously springs and reigns amongst us Eternal Praises to his his Name forever George Whitehead Iohn Burnyeate William Gibson Robert Lodge Alexander Parker Thomas Taylor Iohn Bowren Iohn Tiffen William Penn. We whose Names are here under Written being at London at this Yearly Meeting having heard the above written Letter twice read at a second days Meeting in the City being the 22d of the 3d Month 1676. do hereby declare that it contains the real sence of our Hearts as was expressed by several Testimonies there given to that purpose from Gods Truth in many of us and therefore are in unity with it Pattrick Livingstone George Hutchinson Richard Pinder Hector Allen William Fallowfield Samuel Cater Iasper Batt Samuel Thornton Thomas Cooke Iohn Lanstaffe Edward Edwards Iames Claypoole Brayan Doyley William Peacke Richard Webster Francis Moore Iames Parke Richard Samble William Mead Leonard Fell Stephen Smith Iames Sikes Charles Floyd Daniel Smith Thomas Salthouse Stephen Crisp Anthony Thompkins Iohn Haywood Ellis Hooks Authur Cotton Let God be witness this Day betwixt the Church of God and these two Men and them of Party with them whether in the tender Love of God and of dear Brethren they have not been delt withal in Compassionateness through great long Suffering and Patience beseeching them in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ and Gods manifold Mercies and Forbearances towards them that they would be reconciled to God that they might find acceptance with him as that which was a Soul Concern yea the concern of eternal Recompence World without end and that which hath been testified in many Labours and Travels Night and Day on their accounts and how unwilling Friends were that they should be rejected and cast aside and their Names blotted out from the remembrance of the Righteous and out of the Number of the Worthies of Israel whom the Lord Blesseth and makes as Saviours on Mount Sion to his Eternal Praise and the Comfort of the Church of Christ and the Peace of the Immortal Soul forever So that we have a Record from God upon our Spirits in true satisfaction that we have discharged a good Conscience in the Lords sight with respect to them and that if any of them Perish it shall lie at their Doors the Lord is clear and his People thus far clear let them look to it as they will answer at the dreadful Day Yet after all these Labours and Travels in the Love of God and Spirit of Grace and Supplication towards and in behalf of them they still continued in the Alienation from Truths Life in their separate contentious Work and the more the Lord and his People strove with them the more obstinate and hardned they grew and where the Apostacy which William Rogers is pleased to charge us with will be seen to center a little time will declare further So it was that as the evil Men and Seducers that grows worse and worse they put on resolution and Courage to stand it out John Story betook himself into the South-West to keep the Design on Foot there and to muster up all whom he could draw after him with the Pollicy and Might he had he set himself William Rogers ratled about with a dishonest Narrative that he himself had drawn up of the Transactions of the Meeting at Draw-well as his prejudiced jealous Mind acted him and sent it abroad up and down the Country where any would take notice of it took off the beliefe or hopes where any in kindness to John Story and John Wilkinson had been begot of any submission given by them or any real acknowledgement made by them there notwithstanding the paper they had given forth and at that time under an exercise if they had stood to it which William Rogers set at naught accounting it but a Rattle to please Children with John Wilkinson also as he had before denied that they had Condemned any thing writ to some of the Brethren at London very comtemptibly in a slight of all their Love Labours and Travels concerning them in the North inveighing against the Relation given and subscribed there of matters transacted amongst us and the product thereof calling it a lying Narrative c. And that Courage they took to themselves and cambined Resolution to stand to their Work that he together with about eleaven more subcribed a Book written by them and sent it abroad in Manuscript up down the Nation amongst those that had entertained Jealousies and let in Prejudice against the Antient Brethren who kept true to God and had let in Murmuring and Discontent against the Order and Discipline used in the Church of Christ. The said Book called or at least rendred to be their Remonstrance or Declaration pretending therein to stand to the antient Principle of Truth and Faith therein as also speaking of certain Practices used amongst them Directed to Monthly Quarterly Yearly and Second Days Meetings in a bold and open Contest with the whole Church of God throughout the whole Nation in which they possitively declare themselves and those of party with them to be that part of the whole Family of the Children of Light that keeps their antient Integrity and Stability in the Truth and for that cause say they are they called by the rest Separates meaning by the Monthly Quarterly Yearly and Second Days Meetings they are also bold to say that we that is to say all those that are in faithfulness to God careful with respect to Church Order and the Discipline thereof unto which the aforesaid Meetings relate and not of party with them are departed from our first Principle of Light and Life in Christ Jesus and setting up Forms and outward Methods in the Church and the like And for no
Jesus and many Papers and Epistles from several Brethren was the Assemblies 〈◊〉 Gods People 〈◊〉 with that all might fear and be 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 that was coming on upon the rebellious and self-willed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might 〈◊〉 clear of the Blood of them that would not take Councel in their 〈◊〉 And altho some of the honest-minded of them was bettered thereby and the Testimonies of the Power became a Savor of Life unto Life unto them to the working 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them yet with many of the old Subscribers against the Unity of 〈◊〉 in the concern of Church Affairs it was not so but they 〈◊〉 hard and seared as with an hot Iron and Incouragers still of the Separation John Wilkinson continued still in the Conspiracy with them manifested by his usually frequenting their occasioned separate Meetings as we have been credibly informed after their Meetings have been past And John Story being never willing that we could understand to shew any Dislike thereof and therefore a continuing 〈◊〉 of that Spirit and Work of it his Name and Spirit being in the 〈◊〉 Foundation thereof and Subscription to the agreement and resolve in relation to it But as to any publick or great matter of Work they of that Party in the North did or could do for the annimating or furthering the Design thereof in these Parts it was not much save what they did privately underhand with 〈◊〉 upon the Faithful to God and the Churches Care thereby to insinuate upon the Assections of the weak and loose sort whereby to keep their Confederacy on foot and their Design alive which with whisperings and watchings for Evil and making lies their Refuge they laboured to do and were as industrious in that matter and in spreading abroad any of their abusive 〈◊〉 Papers and Books where they would be received of them they could work themselves into But the Life of their Business and the ground of their Hopes in order to the carrying on and compleating the same now depended on the supposed Strength that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the West Parts of the Nation where John Story' s Time was mostly spent and of whose Cunning and Craft in the matter they in those parts were no 〈◊〉 to and the Aid that attended him through William Rogers Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the espoused Cause he had taken upon him and the politick furious and ambitious Minde he carried with him in the management of the Work they had in hand kept up their Heads here and their Eyes abroad to see what would become of the matter of it And now it became the Concern of them in those parts in a few Hands on whom the design hung and William Rogers buckled him to it with the pollicy and might he had he writ a Book in Answer to Robert Barkleys Book of Government which in this his Printed Book he often makes mention of and with clamorous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sets himself against the Testimony by him born therein inserted for the Government and Dissipline of Christ Jesus Instrumentally and Visibly amongst his People yet as said before clearly detected William Rogers stands in the Hearts of all sober Consciences and humble minded Men who have seen his Book and Work and the Answer to it called The Accuser of the Brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the satisfaction of them that love God and a Christian Life And he is plainly manifested to have had an evil Design in his Bosom against the Image of God and an unspotted Conversation and which Christ Jesus the head of the Church and the sirst born of many Brethren hath the concern of upon him as appointed of the Father for that end to bring a People into the enjoyment 〈◊〉 whom he hath ruled by his Grace and hath accounted worthy to be blest with the priviledg and unspeakable Gain that doth attend the same for evermore and that his said Book of Answer William Rogers hath sent abroad to and again to the great reflection on Robert Barklay very abusively and not according to any Gospel Order or the just Law of doing to all as one would be done unto nor as becomes Brethren and the true Christian Quaker on the account of this Spirit and its Work many Transactions in Words were had and Writings were sent to and fro in the South to the great Exercise of the Church of God there and the Grief of the Upright-hearted every where who hath the knowledge of it because of the Destractions that this William Rogers and John Story made there aways with Books and Papers labouring to Proselite into their Faction and make Parties against the Unity and Body of Friends where they could prevail and after this manner Passages were the latter end of the Year 1676. and the beginning of the Year following at the geneneral Meeting 1677. the Concerns of the blessed Truth and the Affairs of the Church of Christ every where through the hand of the Almighty an opportunity being given being under the Care and Exercise of Friends and amongst other things the State of the Church in general on the account of John Story and John Wilkinson was at several Meetings upon the Spirits of many dear Brethren with respect to the Grieveances and Pressure it lay under on the account of the disregard that had been upon them of all the bowed Exercises the Labours and Travels and unwearied Indeavours that had been used towards them and their obstinate resisting of Friends Advice and Counsel to them to do their Indeavours to break up the separate Meeting in the North greatly occasioned by them and themselves to be reconciled to the Brethren before they any more offer 〈◊〉 Gift as also under the sence of their obstinacy in refusing to take notice thereof but on the contrary did the utmost as it appeared to beget more and more into the minds of the Weak through their evil 〈◊〉 and ungodly Surmisings in relation to Order and Government in the Church of God comfortably settled amongst us with Whispering and open Reflections against the Instruments the Lord had made use of in the Work thereof whereby many dear Friends throughout the whole Nation as it was demonstrated by many living 〈◊〉 was griveously afflicted therewith for the sake of Gods People his Heritage which 〈◊〉 Soul destroying Spirit would have laid waste and in as much as that Friends Labours Exercises and Travels Counsel and Advice had been such in pure Love and Patience Long-suffering and Forbearance concerning them which they had trampled upon and took advantage thereby to prosecute the design of Evil and Mischief which they were filled with that Friends unanimiously signified their sence that the Lord and his People were clear of them and if that Indignation from Heaven as the just desert of a Stiffnecked and Rebellious People were reveiled from the hand of the just God upon them the Lord should be clear and his People clear and in as much as that it was fully declared by the Brethren that the Minds of the
Robertson 〈◊〉 Fell. William 〈◊〉 Samuel Genings Finias Bell. Cudbert Hayhurst James Fletcher Thomas Brasey John Tiffin Thomas Burr Gyles Barnardison William Fallowfield Jonathan Jonson James Claypoole Richard Snead John Wyford John Elson John Due Francis Finsher William Whatey Thomas Elwood Anthony Tomkins John Bure Charles Marshall William Penn. Francis Moore John Higgins Ezakiel Wolly Oliver Samson Christopher Taylor Benjamin Antrobuss With several others From a Meeting held at Elis Hookes Chamber in London the 12 th of the 4 th Month 1677. And there were several Brethren that had left the City before this Meeting wherein this Epistle was subscribed who at other Meetings had testified against this separate Spirit in the Power of the Lord and so are one with us herein and some there were who have already cleared their Consciences at the last Years Meeting and since at other Meetings both by Epistles and other Manuscripts in a full and saithful Testimony against this Spirit of Separation and Opposition of his heavenly Truth After all these Exercises of Soul and Spirit amongst the Lord's People even the afficted ones with respect to Sion's Troubles that attended them through the Spirit of Strife though the Upright to God were comforted in the midst of all in him in whom Salvation is The Separation in the North still continued amongst the backsliding sort and as the Mercies of the Lord and the former great Forbearances of God's People towards them was made ill use of and the Concern of Friends despised thereby taking Opportunity the more quietly to abet and strengthen their Work Even so was the pure and sound Judgment of Truth through God's People and the Sentance now given against them in the Spirit of Christ Jesus trampled upon by them hardening themselves against all as the evil Men and Seducers that grows worse and worse And all Hopes concerning them being much dispaired of Friends here in the North who had kept their Habitarions in God and in it their Fellowship one with another in their Quarterly 〈◊〉 when together and the Care for Truth upon them under the weight of this opposit Spirits Work and their Division with them therein In relation to the things of God did agree together to send some saithful Brethren to the Meetings which they of the Separation did frequent to let them know that unless they that were led aside into the Temptations and the Snares of that dividing Spirit whereby they were led from us into a Disconcern on that account of the Affairs of the Church of Chrict into a slight thereof would condemn their Weakness therein and break up the separate Meeting which was become the stumbling and the Hurt of many and tended to the Reproach of Truth Friends were inclined and resolved as agreed upon amongst us to withdraw Meetings from the Houses of such as were in the Strife and Separation and the Upholders thereof as that which was not consistent with Unity of Brethren nor the Repute of our uniting healing Spirit and principle of Life which we had 〈◊〉 to and made a good Confession of before all with whom we had to do 〈◊〉 that believed and kept Faithful to God had their Communion and 〈◊〉 in to the Comfort of our Souls and the honour of that one Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Life our Support and the Comsort of our Days and that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for them to expect our 〈◊〉 in that Joperdy with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meet at their Houses on the account of worshiping God which 〈◊〉 we did so granted greater Fellowship with them than in the Truth 〈◊〉 be allowed seeing they had withdrawn themselves from the Brethren of the monthly 〈◊〉 quarterly Meetings in the visible Exercises relating to the visible Concern in the Church of God and that the Order Desipline and Government used amongst us in subjection to God's Power and Rule they had despised and slandered and reproachfully abused us besides their Disconcern amongst us And as it was the Agreement of the Meeting aforesaid they who had that Service upon them went amongst them with the Testimony that they had upon their Spirits touching that matter many of the most tender-Hearted of them signified their Unwillingness to be parted from Friends on that wise but chused and moved in the Meeting accordingly the rather to go after the other and meet at their Houses than break off from them and meet among themselves At that Meeting that John Story belonged to John Wilkinson was that Day and he knows in his Conscience if he did not put a total stop to those Desires and the Motion on that wise which most of the Meeting closed with but himself and if he did not say That if Friends missed that Opportunity take heed when they meet with such another so that was it which prevailed upon that sort of them that were the Leaders and Sticklers in the contentious separate Work For from that time they drew to themselves into a distinct Meeting which they of that loose backsliding sort from their first Testimonies and from the Life of Truth keeps the Form of to this Day But upon that Occasion several of the honest and tender-Minded to God that loved Righteousness and them that kept true to the Life of it came away from them separated and condemned in a seasonable time their former adhering to them of the Subscription to their confederate Design the ground of the separate Meeting and in the Power of God were renewed into Love and Care for Truth and God s Glory and manifested their Sorrow and Grief of Heart for their former Weakness and were received again into Unity with the Faithful to their Comfort and Hearts-Joy as some of them under their own Hands have given a Testimony of to the glading of the Hearts of the Faithful every where who have the Knowledg thereof and poor Men are they that remains behinde with respect to the Riches of God's Kingdom and how they are scattered and divided and broken asunder they might see if they did not 〈◊〉 their Eyes and how many of them are taken away of the greatest of them by Death and others become loose and gon back so their Number decays apace and the Generation of them is passing away that their Memorial may rot and never rise again After this it was presently noised abroad up and down the Nation amongst this sort of Professors of Truth upon a Letter sent out of the North with no Name to it That we had excommunicated them of that Party in the North and that we had forbiden them to come to our Houses and such like Discourse they had amongst them to make our Care and Exercise for Truth God's Glory and the Honour of our holy Fellowship hateful if possibly they could The Relation of our Concern in this Matter from which they grounded these lying Reports we thought meet a little here to insert for the satisfaction of the honest unprejudiced People that in sincerity of Soul every one may
he had wrought Dissatisfaction and Strife in the Church of Christ heading and standing by a Contentious Party with him and leading them into a Separation from the ancient Fellowship in the Truth and Services relating to it and an acknowledgment of the wrong which he had done to the Truth and Gods People we expected and the Spirit that led him to it to be Condemned by him this the Lord and the Truth first looked for from him as we told them And also we say William Rogers hath dealt very Disingeniously with us in his Printing thus to our Defamation in that he hath not also Printed the Reasons we gave him and them why we could not take any notice of Advice or Councel from him or of his Expedients for Uniting c. in the Capacity he stood We asked him that brought the Paper into our Quarterly Meeting whether it was directed to the Meeting from John Story or whether it was a Testimony from John Story of Judgment against himself for the abusive Work he had made amongst us of neither of which any account could be given us which if it had we should readily have received and embraced the same but otherwise we could not do it for the order of Truths sake he being a man that had run himself out of the Unity of Brethren and disconcerned himself in the Church Affairs and the Judgment of Truth through the Brethren being gone out against him and he continuing in the Separation and Strife still we say and we appeal to Gods faithful Witness what notice could we take of any Papers from John Story unless it were to acknowledg his runnings out and condemning himself therefore that so he himself might come again into Unity with us which we truly desired and then we should be glad of his Advice and Proposals in the Spirit of Truth for the helping back again of such as he had helpt to lead 〈◊〉 and thus we proposed to him as most proper for his Concern with much more in the Love of God and Sincerity of Soul being desirous with all our Hearts to receive him and them in again at the right Door that so we might have been comforted in our Souls therein which we have at large to shew in the Copy of a Paper sent from our Meeting to him and them as 〈◊〉 in Manuscript for what further occasion may be seen for it After all this nothing could we hear of from John Story or any of that Party of any submission in him to the Order and Judgment of Truth but in obstinacy of 〈◊〉 in Contention and Separation growing worse and worse he continued for all his smooth deceitful Words and Work that we have had too much of to our Grief Notwithstanding a Meeting was appointed amongst us in relation to the tender hearted amongst them of the Separation in whom the Witness and Life of God was not yet Slain to be at the House of Thomas Camm desiring and word sent them accordingly that all those who had any sence of their Weakness on the account of the asoresaid Division and Separation and were willing to ackowledg the same might come unto it and giving the Brethren that satisfaction as the Truth did expect we should be glad thereof and receive them in amongst us with Joy and if they pleased to bring John Story' s Paper thither for their satisfaction probably we should be willing to have it read but none of the Stout or Stuborn of them came nor any such Paper heard we of however God was with us and our Labour was not in Vain in the Lord for several of the Upright amongst them who loved Righteousness in Heart and Soul came to see from whence they were fallen and returned to their first Love and have done their first Works and the Lord hath Healed them to their Hearts Comfort and the Churches Joy giving God the Praise who is worthy Here follows a Paper given forth by them that came off from them of the Separation To the faithful Flock of God the Children of Light every where the dear and tender Salutation of your Friends whose Names are here unto Subscribed your little Brethren through the Redeeming Hand of the Lord most dearly reacheth you SIgnifying that we are given to understand that there are Copies of a Paper formerly subscribed by many professing the Truth in this our County of Westmerland 〈◊〉 and spread up and down the South and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 England and what farther we know not directly opposire to the Exercise of the Church of God in its tender Care in these Parts upon which said Paper was grounded the unchristian and disorderly 〈◊〉 from the ancient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Exercise and Service of Truth faithfully continued amongst them to Truth 's great Blemish principally occasioned by John Story and John Wilkinson and some other chief Abetters thereof and Pertakers with them And whereas we also understand that all the Names which at the first were inserted in the said Paper of Subscription do continue thereat as if no Testimonies had been given against the same by any of the said Subscribers that thereby the Leaders in that said Work of Separation and Strife might hold their Interest in the Minds of such as are led away by the same Spirit to persecute the design and Work thereof And in as much as our Names were once put to the said Paper and thereby were Encouragers of them that were the Fomenters and Upholders of that Spirits Work which we now see would have laid waste the Heritage of God if it could have prevailed we are heartily sorry that ever we should be any encouragement thereof or that ever our Names should be put thereunto And as formerly several of us have given forth Papers to the same effect to follow the said subscribed Paper we do now from the bottom of our Hearts and with one Heart and Soul condemn that Spirit that led us thereunto which was the very same Spirit that led some of us to leave our Houses in the Worship of God in the time of Persecution and to meet together in private hidden Places to our shame which thing also we do really judge together with a Paper given 〈◊〉 in vindication thereof and the aforesaid Paper of Subscription against the Brethren of the Monthly and Quarterly Meeting and Exercise thereof we do bear our Testimony against as Inconsistant with the Honour of the Naked Truth and Order of the Gospel in the Power of God and the Unity of dear Brethren having a true sence of what evil report it hath been and what hurt we our selves incurred thereby together with many simple Ones who were offended and 〈◊〉 by it and what Exercise Gods faithful People have met withal by reason thereof and we desire that our Names may be rased out of the said Paper where-ever it may be met withal and that where this our Paper and Testimony may come Copies of it may be sent abroad where any occasion
may be seen for it amongst such as may feed themselves in the wrong Spirit by the said Subscription and we desire our good Friends to take occasion to read the same to such as opportunity serves as also amongst the more simple minded that have been any way hurt thereby that the ancient Truth and sweet Society in the Gospel of Peace all who have ever known the same may be restored into again and blessedly kept therein to the Honour of God's Name and the Delight of Him who hath Loved us which to the breaking of our Hearts in the sence of Gods free Love we can say in the humility of our Souls the Lord hath given us the enjoyment of beyond what we can declare and in the Testimony of the Spirit we do really say that next unto our sweet and comfortable Peace with God which is blessedly renewed in our happy return unto him and hath rested with us since that day that the holy Fellowship and Unity of Spirit with our dear Brethren in the Life and Service of Truth which God hath given us again to pertake of is that which we highly Prize and do desire to Live in whilst we have a Beeing Subscribed by sincerity of souls and in true fear by William Ellery Richard Tompson Thomas Moore Richard Cadeson Simon Tompsou Charles Story Myles Bateman Thomas Pearsou Richard Atkinson Thomas Scaeife ' Authur Barrow Edward Sutton John Prestson Henry Skyring Edward Cragge We desire also that it may be further taken notice of that many more who were not concerned in puting their Hands to the said Paper that did adhere to them of the same Spirit in the hour of Temptation are clearly come off from them in their Hearts and Souls to their own great Satisfaction and Friends Refreshment as several of our Families and others for which thing we our selves have cause to Magnifie the Lord while we have a Beeing And also some there are who have declared that though their Hands were put to the said Paper yet they knew nothing of it neither had they ever seen or heard of the said Paper till long afterwards Here follows divers particular Heads taken out of the aforesaid Paper of Subscription and Ground of Separation And whereas it is said in the aforesaid Paper of Subsciption thus we whose Names are hereunto Subscribed do declare our utter dislike of the Late Proceedings in the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings c. And for that reason we met together to consider what was to be done in that Case c. And for the time to come do resolve that neither they so appointed by us nor we do trouble our selves any further c. And if things must continue thus we hope to do our Business our selves in our Respective Meetings c. We desire that all may take notice that as upon this Resolve inserted in the said Paper the Separation begun it may be seen what Dissimulation and Guile was in the Foundation of this ungodly Design thus to belie their own Consciences in saying That they whose names were underwritten met together on that Occasion or resolved together on that Wise as is therein expressed For we who have hereafter put to our Names do declare that although our Names were in the said subscription yet we never were at any such Meeting nor knew any thing of it as is made mention of in the said Paper neither were any of us ever acquainted with any such Meeting nor had we the opportunity to consider or discourse of matters of that Nature with them but were unadvisedly Surprized with it as the principal Actors therein met with us here and there on the high way or when we were upon some outward Business or coming from a Meeting c. and by their Subtil Allegations and pretences perswaded us to put our Hands to it William Ellery Richard Candeson Myles Bateman Thomas Scaife Authur Barrow John Preston Simon Thompson Edward Cragge Thomas Preston Henry Skyring Richard Sleddale The particular account of the manner of the 〈◊〉 Friends Subscribings was annexed to this Paper when first given forth in Manuscript which for Brevity sake we have forborn to insert here William Rogers in his Book also makes mention of a Letter from John Wilkinson to George Fox with George Fox's Answer to it upon which 〈◊〉 he hath abusively 〈◊〉 which we take no notice of as not worth regarding not questioning but that George Fox's aforesaid sincere and tender Letter unto John Wilkinson will have an Influence upon the Consciences of all the upright and tender Hearted to God where it may come with a Judgment also upon William Rogers his wicked and surmizing Spirit as his pervertions false Inferences and hellish Jealousies therein plainly observable fully demonstrate unto which we can freely refer the honest Reader for his Satisfaction William Rogers also Inserts in his Book two Letters of his own to George Fox and sayes George Fox would not Answer them and a great clamour he and those of party with him makes about that Matter We hope the honest Hearted Reader will excuse this if he doth but consider what care had been used concerning W. Rogers John Wilkinson and John Story and them of party with them from time to time as in this Treatise is declared what abuse William Rogers put upon the Brethrens Care and bowed Exercise in the North concerning them What a Seorn he put upon the Labours and Travels of Friends at Draw-well rendring them though the Antient and grown in the 〈◊〉 Truth like Children pleased with a Rattle that John Story and John Wilkinson with his assistance had given them and an abusive Narrative of the Transacting of the Affairs there himself gave out John Wilkinson if not he also calling the Relation given by all the 〈◊〉 Friends there a Lying Narrative his abusing the Brethren at London and others for their Exercise there in Relation to them and their separate 〈◊〉 with Bowels of Love and Life extended towards them manifested in a tender Epistle of Caution and Advice to them Yea if the honest Hearted do but take notice as is inserted in this Treatise how the Life of God in all the Churches throughout the whole Nation had a Testimony in Life and Practice against their opposite contentious work of Strife and 〈◊〉 and never a Church to stand by them as they have been often required to bring forth one of all the Monthly or Quarterly Meetings throughout the World that would own them considering also how the Testimony and Judgment of the eternal Truth was gone out against them through many Brethren Subscribed at Ellis Hooks ' his Chamber in London which William Rogers clamours against and would tread upon And minding also that they were cast out of the Fellowship of Brethren for their Works sake We can appeal to that in the Consciences of all sober People what Cause had George Fox or what necessity was there for the Brethren to take notice any more of the
not ashamed to call it an Idle Vain Testimony in the Name of the Lord. And yet in another place of the Narrative and other of their Writings they of this Spirit said John Story and John Wilkinson must be left to Act as their Lord and Master shall lead them And yet would not allow Elizabeth Sturridge to clear her Conscience as her Lord and Master might require her Doth not this manifest a partial and byassed Spirit in judging thus partially as he hath done And yet contrary to their former Judgment as some of them of that Spirit have said to wit That we must not judge of Spiritual things And how answers this also that which they say That all must be left to the Witness of God in themselves And from what 〈◊〉 do we say doth that Jealousie and Fear arise of having the Meeting entertained with Testimonies being the same also with that which made all the Bawling in the Meeting at Bristol when Friends were waiting upon the Lord for the Testimony of Life to arise amongst them that William Rogers said His Soul abominated such 〈◊〉 which was to wait to see if any thing might arise in any to Write to John Story about the reconciling the sad Differences risen as the Certificate imports Is not this the Spirit that 's gone from the Truth and likes not sound Judgment being gone from the Command of God Cain after he had done evil concerning his Brothers Blood his countenance fell and he thought that every one that met him would slay him But it is not so with the Righteous for they are bold and makes no such provision for the Flesh And is not William Rogers's Testimony more Idle and Impertinent and John Story' s also and John Wilkinson then Hers was who saith God hath raised them up to stand in the Gap and yet are opening Gaps for the Loose and Fleshly to enter in at out of the Way of Truth and their Testimony for it to wit William Rogers's making away part of his Estate from the Spoylers and says It s his Principle and John Story creeping in suffering times and John Wilkinson standing to justifie it and what an idle Testimony was that in John Story that condemned Friends Soundings and making an noise in Heart-Melody to God in their Meetings whilst others were Preaching or Praying and said He had born his Testimony against it and he would do it and bring it down or leave Preaching And was not John Wilkinson's Testimony Idle and Prophane and charged it upon the Lord too that said God will break us when we were in the exercise of Truth according to Gospel Order and yet it fell on the neck of his own Spirit for many not long after broke off from them and came away with joy Again in the Narrative it is said by them That from henceforth there may be no occasion to say that they are Men of Strife c. We say Would they be look'd upon not to be Men of Strife we can confidently say that William Rogers's work of spreading abroad this Narrative and others his contentious Papers sufficiently gives himself the lye if he say so and the Fruits of John Story and John Wilkinson and their Company in their Subscriptions and Separation and Contentious Work sufficiently manifests that they are not Men of Peace We further observe that it is said in the Narrative That the consideration of the present Differences amongst Friends and the sence they have that the Name of the Lord is dishonoured amongst the Heathen who at this Day may clap their Hands for joy and cry Ha! Ha! They say They have cause to enter into the House of Mourning rather then Joy In Answer we say it may be seen what a deceitful Spirit this is thus to pretend and use a deal of smooth Words in Hypocrisie that have no Answer in the Consciences of the Faithful to God For hath not John Story and John Wilkinson and other Partakers with them in this contentious VVork been the only cause of dishonour to the peaceable Truth and the Name of God Doth not the Separation and such work of Strife and VVrangling as is brought forth amongst them and William Rogers's sending abroad his contentious Papers up and down the Nation contrary to Covenant and Agreement made and signed testifie of what Spirits they are Their Resistance to the tender Advise and Judgment of the most of Friends in the Nation sheweth them to have a stubborn Heart far from the House of Mourning VVhat Kindness and Care hath been extended and used towards this People VVhat tender Entreaties have been made to them to be reconciled to God and the Brethren and to come off from the Separation And John Story and John Wilkinson have been desired that they would be instrumental in breaking up the Separate Meeting or testifie against it and yet with an imperious Spirit do they despise and resist all and this Hyprocrisie atop of all causes the Lord the more to abominate their doings Hath William Rogers forgot the Crys and Tears to the Lord for them at the Draw-well when he and they stood in that heardness of Heart that many were made to admire Let them say what they will the House of Mourning they are Strangers too yet the Day of it will come from the Lord God who sees their VVorks and will judge accordingly for neither their Spirit nor their VVorks do answer the Light of Christ nor the Grace of God that hath followed them and the Strife that is begun and which they still maintain shall be laid at their Doors let them look to it as they will answer the Lord in the great Day VVe observe also that William Rogers in the Narrative recites two Questions that were put to the Brethren at Draw-well by John Wilkinson and John Story to be resolved although we shall not concern our selves here much to give any Answer to them then what was delivered amongst the Brethren then yet we desire that the said Queries may be compared with the Paper of Prescriptions subscribed by John Story and John Wilkinson and them of the Separation The first Question Whether or no we and all Gods People ought not to be left in all matters of Faith and Discipline c. to the manifestation of Gods Spirit and Truth in our Hearts to Speak and Act therein as we are thereby Instructed and Perswaded and not otherwise The Answer was given Affirmatively viz. They Ought And our Sence and Judgment in the Truth closed therewith as that which we stand for and have maintained against every contrary appearance And yet John Story and John Wilkinson in their Paper of Subscription the foundation of the Separation in the North say together with others of the Separation That none of their own Country or of other Countries must sit amongst them to concern themselves in the Business of their County although it be about matters relating to Discipline but their chosen Men to whom they give
of the upright in Heart and to the stopping confounding chaining down the Separate spirit and company so that my Mouth was opened and my Heart enlarged to bless the Lord for his present appearance and to Supplicate the Lord that he would be pleased to appear in that glorious manner amongst his Faithful Ones there in all their Exercises of the like nature occasioned by that spirit of Strife and Separation that had entered some amongst them to the confounding thereof and that for his Name Glory Truth and Peoples sake he would in a short time put an end to their Exercises on that account and dry up the Tongue of the Egyptian Sea and bruise Sathan shortly under their Feet with much more to the same effect as was then opened in me by the Power and Spirit of the Lord that then strongly appeared upon my Soul and Spirit so when I had cleared my Spirit before the Lord in Prayer we all sat down in silence for a considerable time and the power of the Lord was over all and thereby John Story and his Company were all bowed 〈◊〉 none of them could then open their Mouths After the time of silence I stood up being moved to declare the power of the Lord being upon me some time after several of the Separates and John Story his Companions begun to be filled with wrath so that they could not give place one to another but six or eight all at once clamoured against me with such confusion that but few of their reproachful Words and Terms could be exactly remembred yet over it all the Lord 〈◊〉 me by his power carrying me on in Testimony bearing till I was clear so that they all fell and their Mouths were stopped but seeing they could not effect what they designed viz. to stop my Testimony one of them viz. James Moor stood up not half of the time of the Meeting being expired and appointed them a Meeting on the fourth day following and then John Story and most of his Party went away yet after some time John Story and 〈◊〉 of them came in again but most of them was most-what silent after except somemuttering words so that I had a full time of clearing my Spirit to the resreshment of the Faithful whose Hearts were aboundently filled with the love of God and opened by his Power but a great part of the time after John Story came in again he turned himself aside upon the Bench he sat upon and in a Scorning Taunting manner muttered many Words as was observed and heard by some that sat near him some of which were in effect as followeth viz. Well said Tom Finely done Tom Thou dost notably Tom Thou binds up thy matter well Tom c. And when any thing hit close upon him he crycd Deceit Deceit Hypocrisy thy 〈◊〉 is no Slander or the like So when I had done Bryan Lancaster stood up to read an Epistle from a Friend whereat the Separates were again enraged having an expectation of John Story' s Declaring again whereupon the Wise of the said James Moor came Rushing over the Benches over a great 〈◊〉 of the Meeting House and tore the said Epistle the most part of it out of his Hands upon which John Story was softly spoken to to see the fruits of his Ministry and being ashamed with the out-rage of the Woman commanded her to give him it again so he took and read it as well as he could it being torn in pieces after which John Story stood up and spoke a little in a Railing Reflecting way and before he stood down from of the Bench kneeled down to offer his dead Sacrifice of Prayer of which none of the faithful took notice After he had done I had a few words more that sprung upon my Spirit to Friends to this effect but John Story and his Company rushed out viz. That the Lord permitted those things and exercises for tryal of Friends Faith Love and Patience for a little time and therefore desired Friends to center with the power where strength Sufficient is known to support and will be to the end of those exercises which I was moved to signifie would be in the Lords time yea shortly the Lord would crush and bruise down that dividing Separating spirit dry up the Tongue of the Egyptian Sea and bruise Sathan under their Feet and put an end to the Sufferings of the Lords People occasioned thereby c. So being again moved to go to 〈◊〉 yer we had a very sweet refreshing overcoming and heart-breaking time in the blessed springing and flowing of the Love and Life of God after they of the 〈◊〉 were gone so that there were few or none in the Meeting but were touched opened and melted by the power and their Hearts aboundantly hilled with the Love of God yea several were thereby enlarged and their Mouths opened to praise the Lord in the blessed Sence of which we parted our Meeting in the Love and Peace of God Glory Glory and Everlasting Praise be only to him for evermore Amen Camsgil the 26th of the 8th Month 1681. Thomas Camm WE whose Names are hereunto Subscribed being present at the aforesaid Meeting at Kendal Meeting House kept the said sixteenth Day of the eight Month 1681. and being Eye and Ear Witnesses of the Carriage and Behaviour of John Story and others 〈◊〉 the Separates his Companions there present and also the other Transactions of the said Meeting do bear Testimony to the Truth of the fore-going Relation relating thereto and do testific that what is before written is but a small part of the abusive Words and unchristian yea inhuman Carriage and Behaviour that was that Day brought forth and acted by the said John Story and his Company but the Lords Power was over it all blessed be his Name for 〈◊〉 Appearance and now it s the Travel of our Souls that those of them that yet remains alive may find Repentance to the obtaining of Mercy at the Hand of the Lord whom they have grievously offended by their backsliding Strife and Separation Kendal the 6th of the 3d Month 1682. Richard Sleddall Thomas Wilson Brian Lancaster Samuel Sands Israel Newby Richard Holme NOw about a Week after the said Meeting John Story began to be Sick or Ill growing worse and worse for about three Weeks time and about the Twenty fourth of the ninth Month next following he was taken out of the Body and being that there hath a great Noise and Talk of the End he made and how he Dyed in the Favour of God and in Peace with all Men and also of giving a Relation thereof in Print we therefore judge our selves engaged in the behalf of Truth and for the satisfaction of the simple minded to give a short account thereof as we received it from a Relation of his who was often with him in the time of his Sickness by whom we understand that several Days before he Dyed he was not very sensible or capable of Speaking
William Rogers is a Stranger to being gone from the Royal honourable Seed of Life and stumbles at the Testimony born on this wise these things with many more that might be said in relation to George Fox and others for which God hath the praise given together with the Testimony that lives upon the Spirits of many Thousands with respect to his continuing steadfast to God and his Truth as in the day of his first Love being given up to serve the Lord sufficiently evidenceth that William Rogers if he lay a careless libertine negligent dark Spirit to George Fox's Charge and as one that is either departed or departing from the Truth standeth detected as a malicious Slanderer of the Innocent and a false Accuser to receive the Reward that God sees meet to recompence such withal This is the Testimony I have not been 〈◊〉 to bear for this our Antient Friend with many Brethren more and it remains with me which in the Spirit of Truth in which we are known of God and one unto another at this day I stand by on his behalf though it be William Rogers torment and although for this cause and for the Testimony also that I have to bear against that Spirit in him that dispiseth the Government and Order of Truth in the Church of God and hath presumptuously exposed to public view his contempt thereof I be reproached amongst them my Life treads upon it as the Dung upon the Earth which toucheth me not Several unworthy Reflections and smiting Accusations he hath been pleased to treat me with in his Book Printed to Posterity but they touch me not I Bless God it s for mine Integrities sake which I pray God keep me to whilest I have a Day to Live and that my Testim 〈◊〉 may stand sure and steadfast to the End of my Days against his 〈◊〉 shrinking Spirit and them of party with him and his Reproaches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my 〈◊〉 and I Bless God that he accounts me worthy and amongst my Antient and more Worthy Brethren I tread upon his worst in the strength of Almighty God to whom I can commit my Cause and that Peace I enjoy over all that none can take away But to go on to his Paraphiasing Discourse upon mine Answer to his Smiring Charge I am Charactered by him for my Testimony which I was in Conscience 〈◊〉 to bear for an Antient and Worthy in the Truth of Christ Jesus in the Sincerity of my Soul to be one that flatters for the Belly and saith and doth in all things to please the humor of another to have a repast or small Dinner so I understand his meaning may be upon the Tearm he gives me Answer In the first place I take this to be a Smiting Reflection on George Fox on whose Account I having been thus concerned against whom he thus appears for whom I am bold to say he is a Man of no such Spirit it s an abhorence to him to Correspond with such or to be gratified with such Dissembling as this If William Rogers's Spirit by which he judgeth others be such let him take it to himself and get such treating and flattering where he can have it he shall have none of it from me and therefore is he grieved and George Fox is known to be a Servant of Christ Jesus and for Christs sake to the least of Gods little Ones and there the honour that is from above attends him which William Rogers with all that Death and Hell can do cannot eclips nor he have a share in whilest such Works are done by him let that stand over his Head And as to the Reflection yea the Gross and Infamous Charge that relates to me as I have a Record in my own Soul over this foul Abuse I do appeal to the Testimony of Truth that lives in the Hearts of my Brethern Familiers and Acquaintance in the Truth who knows my Spirit and are out of this prejudiced malicious Work to speak on my behalf as they have felt and known my Life and Demeanour amongst them in relation to my plain-dealing with all with whom I have had to do I have cleared my Conscience in God sight in faithful dealing with all without flattery or fear though I have Suffered thereby I was never accused on the account of flattering or self-seeking or speaking any way in favour for a Repast or small Dinner till I met with William Rogers's Spirit which is the same which accused Christ Jesus to be a Friend to Publicans and Sinners and as John Wilkinson Impudently said to me and others because of our care in the Church of God That we had got an Office and were puffed up in it and acted therein to get favour of Persons or a piece of Bread and said also that our Office would but cloath us with Rags and Worms would breed in our gatherings and our Bread conjume I bless God as a Mercy I prise I never stood in need of treating any for any such Reward nor my Ancestors before me neither were they of such Spirits as my Country-Men and Neighbours knows from the relation that hath been given of them who have been known in Hospitality open and free and that to the best of People for Religions sake some Generations past and if I have been of another Spirit it s not well for God hath been no less kind to me in giving me of his Truth and the best of things and 〈◊〉 enough as to the World and a Spirit also I bless the Lord in which I-detest the the State he applyes to me and loaths the occasion for such a scandal as he would leave me under I have done something for the Trnth out of that 〈◊〉 God hath given me and it s my Gladness that I have thereof and an Heart prepared even as the Lord shall direct and my Exercise and Travels in my Testimony on Truths account have been a Burthen to none that I know of for I challeng the whole World to lay it to my charge and prove it against me that I have ever received one Penny from any one on the account thereof though I have met with a charge from a corrupt Spirit on that score which I deny If I have been a But then to any on the Gospels account any way let it be made appear and it shall be repaid double I desire to be excused on this wise I am 〈◊〉 as relating to the charge against me of which also I make no Boast but in the Lord and on the riches of his Grace alone by Which I am what I am and the Lord never made William Rogers nor the Spirit he is of in any judge over me I stand to God whose peace I have which comforts my Soul over all In the Answer to William Rogers's 〈◊〉 to George Fox's Reply and my Postscript it is Inserted by some Brethren thus Let William Rogers be asked whether he had not another Testimony in his Spirit for John Blaykling when
in Hand and their Letter to Jeofrey Bullock the old Blashphemous Apostate from Christ of which a little was spoken before mars the beauty of his pretended Zeal for Christ and his Kingdom which he so much talks of the Work he made with his Narrative that himself drew up on the Meeting at Draw-well which was spoken of before and his judging the Narrative given sorth by the Brethren there before they parted and subscribed with an unanimous consent John Wilkinson if not he also calling it a Lying Narrative the Work he made about Robert Barclay's Book of Church Government which at London he confessed his Weakness in and the Narrative he gave forth contrary to Covenant amongst the Brethren at the Meeting about John Story and John Wilkinson c. between George Fox William Penn George Whitehead and others on the behalf of the antient Unity of Brethren and the Churches Peace and William Rogers Thomas Goldney and others on John Story' s account also the Work that he and some of his Associates of the same Spirit made in Wiltshire against the Testimony and Judgment given forth against John Story and John Wilkinson at Ellis Hooks's Chamber in London at the general Meeting asoresaid his contemptible vilifying the good and wholsome Directions given forth to be practised in order to the keeping down fleshly raw and unseasoned works in all professing the pure Truth calling them Mens Inventions other Mens Lines made ready to our Hands dictates of fallible Men Mens Edicts and Laws George Fox ' s Orders and the like rendering in his Printed Book the Lords People yea all that profess the Light to be the way to God except those of Party with himself to reckon the Government of Christ Jesus to stand in outward conformity to other Mens Lines made ready to our Hands to the Reproach of Gods People and the Blemish of the Gospel of Christ and the Order thereof which we testifie against as a Reflection upon the the Heritage of God for its the Spirit of Jesus we would have all in the Spirit of Life 〈◊〉 to in it all to be 〈◊〉 as they have received of God in their 〈◊〉 and place Male and Female as Helps and Governments such as the Apostle spoke of that our Lights may shine and our good Works appear to the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and the Renown of that Kingdom that never hath 〈◊〉 Let William Rogers be traced and the Footsteps he hath trod these several Years and the Work weighed which he hath been concerned in as his Writing and Printing demonstrates to all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and single to God and it may easily be concluded that it is the Kingdom of Sathan he hath been in the defence of for the upholding whereof he hath made all this blustering Work and hath been more dilligent in the concern of it then ever he was to promote the peaceable Truth and the Kingdom of Christ Jesus And this Testimony which I 〈◊〉 to bear in the name and on the behalf of the eternal God and his antient Truth and the Fellowship of the 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 against every 〈◊〉 Spirit I am bold to stand 〈◊〉 let William Rogers 〈◊〉 what he pleaseth and all who take his part and for the sake whereof William Rogers hath been pleased 〈◊〉 to render me as he hath done but I desire 〈◊〉 Lord may 〈◊〉 him 〈◊〉 under the vail of 〈◊〉 that he 〈◊〉 come over him the Meystry of Gods holy Spirit he hath made himself a Stranger to and often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 take 〈◊〉 of a 〈◊〉 Accusation that William Rogers alledgeth against me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirit which he grounds upon some Words in the beginning of my 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 for George Fox in relation to the Charge against him in which he concerns me the words inserted in the beginning of 〈◊〉 Postscript are these Here follows the Testimony and Certificate of John Blaykling to the 〈◊〉 of George Fox of the Aspersions that William Rogers would 〈◊〉 upon him From this William Rogers concludes and publisheth the same in Print 〈◊〉 Posterity that I have 〈◊〉 to clear George Fox by this Certificate of all the Charges alledged against him suggesting 〈◊〉 and saying in these very Words That 〈◊〉 Fox can get an J. B. or T. B. to write or sign any thing right or wrong that in his sence may tend to his vindication c. as he saith Now whether this be not most 〈◊〉 and uncivil dealing let the Lord Judge who will repay and is 〈◊〉 only a particular smiting Accusation against George Fox who abhors such a Spirit and is 〈◊〉 to be William Rogers's own Spirit that he judgeth others by else would he have been more Charitable and Christian-like 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 on this 〈◊〉 seeing that he hath nothing to ground it upon 〈◊〉 his own 〈◊〉 But also I say it is a general reflection upon the whole Heritage of God who are truely in Unity with George Fox's Spirit and are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it it is also an absurd Reflection upon me and is that which my Soul abhors as not daring to Sign any thing whatsoever in relation to Truth or 〈◊〉 Children of God but what in the Spirit of Truth my Heart and Soul closeth with Neither did George Fox know any part of the matter of what I Writ nor that I was concerned so to do till it was clearly finished and sent away to a Friend to be annexed to George Fox's Answer which I knew he was in hand with 〈◊〉 do I know 〈◊〉 George Fox see it or no till it was sent away 〈◊〉 be given to William Rogers as most particularly concerned therein such surmising as this God will never bless let him look to it as he will be served And in Answer to the 〈◊〉 in the first place let William Rogers be asked whether in his Conscience he can believe that ever I intended to undertake by my 〈◊〉 to clear George Fox of all the Charges he had alledged against him as he says I have and by his so saying grants that his Queries are Charges which he was 〈◊〉 to do because of his charging George Fox so many times with a Lye for saying his Queries were Charges And Secondly seeing that in his 〈◊〉 by the scope of my whole Discourse which relates to the matter of those two 〈◊〉 about George Fox's staying from Meetings as the fruit of a careless libertine Spirit as he called it c. He cannot but 〈◊〉 as a 〈◊〉 mean capacity may easily gather that I did not intend to concern my self on that wife whether hath he acted like a Man of a Christian Spirit in rendering me if the fault in that word 〈◊〉 had been mine an 〈◊〉 for a word And Thirdly I would have him speak whether he did not see the Answer to his 〈◊〉 in which that point is 〈◊〉 cleared to any honest well-meaning person long before his Book was in Print which his Wife 〈◊〉 the receit of to
over-shaddowing them to the encrease of Life and Faithfulness to God amongst them Love encreases and Life springs in the Assemblies of the Righteous a People saved by the Lord and all srinking creeping hidden Works of Darkness are judged down the snare 〈◊〉 laid therein being seen Deliverance is wrought to Gods praise and his Peoples joy and this is the effect God hath wrought to our Advantage glory to his Eternal name for evermore Secondly Through the workings of the Spirit that prevails on them whose Habitation is not in the Lord the Negligent the Careless the Rebellious that dwell in the dry Land and have wanted the vertuous Life of God through unbelief into whom Looseness is entered and the Works of the Flesh wrought antient Testimonies for God let fall by them to Truths dispraise and the wounding the Hearts of the Innocent whose Testimony abides sure and through whose unfaithfulness Afflictions are added to the Bonds of the Upright to God to the Churches Grief they having turned the many visitations of Gods Love behind the Back and grown worse and worse such as these comes to be shaken off and the Camp cleansed of them and they manifested to all and that they who are approved may be made manifest a Separation being wrought between them that truly serve the Lord and them that serve him not betwixt them that live in the Antient Power and in Life and Faithfulness glorifies the same and them that talk only of the Light and inward guidance of the Spirit of Jesus and yet in Works deny him Let but the Reader and the Innocent wait a little in the patience and you shall see the end of this Spirits Work to its utter Reproach its Memorial shall rot and never rise again Thirdly That although this appearing Difference amongst us may and hath caused a Flutter amongst the Gazers and Wonderers that would not believe and for the present might put a little discouragement for a time upon the unestablished in God and obstruct a little the gathering unto us such as the Lord will deliver and shall be saved and what an expectation hath there been through this occasion in our publick Enemies that have watched for it of our disadvantage thereby in the way of Truth if not our Ruin yet it were well if such would take notice that notwithstanding the worst of this Spirit 's Work how the Lord hath Blessed his People in every place even where the greatest Blunder hath been with the more Zeal and Integrity for him and that more is added to us since that day then for many Years before And lastly That which we observe and it were well if notice of it were truely taken this talk of Difference amongst us which we do affirm is not in the Camp of God but a Testimony is born by us against the Backslided and Apostate it doth tend to the hardning of a disobedient and gainsaying People that would not receive the Testimony of the Light and Life of Christ Jesus to believe in him for Salvation but have turned the visitations of Gods love behind their backs in their rebellion against the Lord and the Spirit of his Grace to their greater ruin and the more speedy execution thereof if in time they repent not and it were well if such yet would fear Almighty God and be subject to the Truth before it be too late to find Mercy In our Advice to the Reader and Introduction to the ensuing matter of what is before us to concern our selves with we cannot but first take notice that some may say If it were true that the Author af the aforesaid Book and those he seems so much to standby are in a backsliding state and seperated from you whom you seem to disown as out of fellowship with you What is the meaning of all this Writing against George Fox so vehemently and more principally then any others together with others also whom by name he makes mention of And what is the truth of the matters and things laid to his and others charge which if true bespeaks a backsliding in him and others he speaks of as well as in them you declare against Answer As for George Fox we say and Testifie that as he was an Instrument in Gods hand through the Demonstration of the Spirit being a Minister of the new Testament the everlasting Gospel through whom many were turned from Darkness to Light to behold the Glory of the everlasting Day and the Faces of many Thousands have been truely and livingly set Sion-wards and their Feet established in the way thither Let William Rogers say and do his worst he is one who hath kept his Integrity to the Lord and is honorable in Gods power amongst the Children of the Light that keep their habitation in it an Elder that hath ruled well and is worthy of honour for the gift of Gods sake that he hath been faithful in the concern of and is the same with an encrease of Life and pure Wisdom that ever he was notwithstanding the fury of wicked and lying Tongues And as it was in Christ and the Apostles days because of the testifying against the World by him and his Desciples that their deeds were evil the World hated them above all the Jews stumbled at him because of his Testimony against the Adulterous profession of the chiefest of them and their Righteousness which it was said must be exceeded or no coming into Gods Kingdom for which cause also they hated him and put him to Death The first and most Glorious appearance of the breaking forth of the more clearer Day after an Apostatized state was ever resisted with great Indignation by them upon whom the Apostacy from the Life and Power of God had prevailed and the publishers of the same Testimony from God the most hated and persecuted with the cry of Help Men and Brethren and withal the fury and might imaginable to obstruct the breakings forth thereof This Generation hath not forgot that in a resolved combined Covenant made with Death was the Testimony resisted that this Servant of the eternal God bore against the Sin self Righteousness and false Judgment that a wicked and a pervers Generation lived in and under the profession of to the total stopping and crushing of it by all means Imaginable if they could or that could be contrived and far contrary to the work of a professing Gospel Ministry and dispensation of a Gospel day to the shame of such as were the contrivers thereof and stirrers up of Persecution therefore It may be remembered what such an one he was rendered to be even as the worst of Men and yet nothing could be laid to his charge save for his crying against Sin c. and keeping a good Conscience to God recommending his Testimony to the Witness of God in all Consciences in the patience that possessed the Soul the Lyes the false Aspersions Calumnies and Reproaches raised against him and cast upon him with rage and fury and
gnashing of Teeth for grief they are far beyond expression To a gainsaying Rebellious Spirit the Testimony of Light that condemns for Sin is an hateful thing and the Ministers of Antichrist have bent themselves against it and against them the Testimony is born by And seeing that Early of this our day it was first and principally born by him how could he escape the wrath of Man that produceth evil things and avoid the fury of it Nay this was his Lot with others of Gods faithful Servants whom God hath upheld and delivered through all and he hath seen the travel of his Soul and the fruit of his labour into his bosome manifold in recompence for all to his hearts Joy whatever the worst of Men imagine against him The same enmity lodgeth still and venteth it self again and again through any new occasion given to it or that it can get hold of in the wilful resisters of our principle and lifes appearance and in all them that Backslides therefrom and enters again into the old Cainisn Murthering Spirit that crucifies the Lord of Life again and would put him to open shame Never a publick opposing Apostate from the life of Truth that hath risen up in Judgment against it since we have been a People but in the old Enmity of the cursed Serpents Image he hath run against George Fox Oh it s admirable to us and renders William Rogers in this cursed work of his to be a Man running on to Ruin that he does not take notice and that with Terror of the breakings forth of the eminent hand of the Lord against such to their misery and shame that thus tempts the Lord to deal with him as hath been dealt with his predecessors gone before whose footsteps he follows with all the haste and fury he can appear in let him take heed though his presumption be great in defying the Work of God in his Servants let him vapour with the Bulk of the Weapon his ungodly Book he hath formed in his stout and ambitious mind the Lord is risen to dash in peices and is upon the Throne who with the Antient though dispised Instrument of simplicity and the naked truth which he hath in his Hand will wound the head and glory of this uncircumcised One to its utter Ruin and the perpetual reproach of all them that lean upon it the Mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it and it shall surely come to pass And as to the particular matters of Accusations by William Rogers cast upon George Fox we do testifie and in the Truth affirm and can commit the same to the tryal of the righteous principle of God and equal Law of doing as one would be done by that if many of the matters in charge against him were true which we believe are malicious and false the malice the rancour of his Spirit that appears in his perverting George Fox his words his misconstruing and putting his own corrupt sence upon them disingeniously and unlike a Man and then placing a Judgment thereupon his disorderly bringing them forth having not first examined the truth of matters and dealt with him face to face as in the sequel of our matter may be manifested he hath not done His publishing in Print and exposing the same to publick view by sale or allowing thereof in Shops so that it is come to the view of the great enemies of Truth and us and the applications he puts upon our tender care in the Church of God as Antichristian and Rome-like with the invectives and malicious Smitings he can invent renders him plainly to be an Apostate from Truth an enemy to God and the Principle we have believed in an accuser of the Brethren not fit for Christian Society but to be rejected as reproachful thereto and left to the righteous God of Heaven and Earth to reward him according to his works Friendly Reader our Testimony is for the sake of that principle of Light and Life in Christ Jesus our Lord and Law-giver in which we have believed and are bold to Testifie to and stand in the vindication of against all the opposers thereof as that which is our life and the comfort of our days through the Salvation that we have known thereby wherein we have peace and for the sake whereof reproaches are not hard for us to bear and for the removing of the Stumbling-blocks out of the way thereof that if it were possible all Men might walk therein and find mercy We say in a godly concern that lies upon us we intend through Gods assistance a little to discover the Face and Image of a Ungodly Backsliding Separate dividing Spirit by rending off the covering it hath got upon its head to hide its nakedness and shame withal in the departing of those it hath prevailed upon from the living God from the way of Truth and from the unity of the Brethren to the casting off the Subjection to Gods power which they once knew and unto which also Obedience should be given and giving way to a corrupt mind in themselves and to a false Liberty that Truth leads not to have set themselves being of that sort that loves not found Judgment against the rule and government of Christ Jesus whose right it is in the Spirits of their own minds and against the Discipline of the Church of God according to Gospel-order and the practice of the Church in the Apostles dayes and thereby encouraging a loose and licentious Spirit in others that would draw back into the liberty of the flesh again to satisfie the Lusts thereof and thereby bring a reproach upon that eternal name in which we have believed and testified Salvation to be thereby as if it were not Sufficient to compleat the work thereof by us expected and waited for which we Testifie against whoever otherwise say Reader If thou dost but duely consider as before the Lord of William Rogers's Book thou mayest easily see whatever he pretends to its liberty for the Flesh that the design of him and others in this their work tends to and for that cause is it that the Churches care is undervalued by them despised and maliciously reproached under the denomination of over-driving imposing lording over Mens Consciences setting up in the Church another Government then that of the Spirit which we testifie to be false and a malicious smiting accounting the wholsome directions according to Gospel-Order taken notice of and practized amongst us that in all things we may be of good report the bringing in of Ceremonies Mens Prescriptions and the like thereby to put a dis-esteem upon them in the minds of such as are unto liberty in the flesh inclined whence the opposition hath sprung and the dividing Spirit has sought to prevail to the exercise of rhe true and upright to God and the Churches grief the looseness also of this Spirit and its design to gratifie the Flesh which produceth contempt and opposition to the Churches care that the Author to