Nations and Families of the Earth blessed and saved who believe and walk in his Light J. B. All the World was freed from their Offerings for sin by that one Offering reconciled to God by the death of his Son But we must be redeemed justified and also saved by a measure of the same Life that dwelt in the Son in which Life the Son of God offered up his Soul and Body to be crucified to the Death a Sacrifice once for all Then NO Salvation to the Souls of the Sons and Daughters of men by him that dyed without the Gates at Jerusalem p. 19. Anti. Transformations Answ. An erronious Inference still and most blindly reiterated for if we must be saved by that Life that was in the Son of God how darest thou deny Salvation to the souls of Mankind by him that so suffered and dyed seeing we are reconciled by his Death who dyed and rose again and Death has no more dominion over him And hast not thou confessed that we are reconciled by his Death so we shall be saved by his Life Well by whose Life by the Life of the very same Christ of God who as concerning the flesh was put to Death And was his Death then no ways conducing to our Salvation How are we then reconciled by it Is Reconciliation no degree of Salvation Surely thou art under great Contradiction and gross Mistakes in this matter To thy Objection That Mary saith her Soul did magnifie the Lord and her Spirit did rejoyce in God her Saviour p. 21. And that God said Look unto Me all ye Ends of the Earth and be saved p. 23. This is no proof that his Son Jesus Christ was No Saviour for God saves by his Son God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself God works by the Mediator and Jesus Christ who is the Saviour and the Redeemer is both truly God and Man Inseparable But how comest thou off in answer to the Objection made against thee viz. If no Salvation by that Christ that dyed without the Gates of Jerusalem then thy Doctrine implyeth two Christs which we do not profess nor preach nor own for in words thou over and over tellest us of that Christ that dyed without the Gates and that he was the Son of God the Christ of God c. What sayst thou to this Review thy following words J. B. viz. Now that there are two Christs it is plain according to the Scriptures for there is both the true Christ and Antichrist p. 23. Rep. Oh sad and lamentable How absurdly blindly and erroniously hast thou answered here The Objection or Question against thee was not about Antichrist but about the True Christ who is the very Christ of God who was crucified at Jerusalem and is in his Saints by his Light Life and Spirit whom thy Doctrine tends to render Two Christs and so to divide the True Christ but we testifie he is but One As to us there is but ONE GOD the Father of whom are all things and we in him and ONE Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him 1 Cor. 8.6 And of this ONE Lord Jesus Christ the true Apostles testified as One and the same Christ though he variously appeared according to what is written of him 1 Cor. 15. 3 4 5 6 7 verses of his Death and Resurrection and how he was seen of many And last of all he was seen of me also saith Paul as of one born out of due time v. 8. This was ONE and the SAME CHRIST still § 10. J. B. Now Christ he neither came of David nor yet of Israel according to the Flesh not as to his outward appearance as he was a visible Man but he came of David and Israel both according to the Spirit And this is the Spirit whom God hath exalted both as a Prince and a Saviour Anti. Trans p. 23. Answ. This is a gross Mistake and Contradictory to plain Scripture see Rom. 1.3 4 5. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord which was made of the seed of David according to the Flesh and declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection from the dead by whom we have received GRACE and Apostleship for obedience to the Faith among all Nations for his Name see also Rom. 9.5 But thou sayst He neither came of David nor yet of Israel according to the flesh quite contrary to the Apostle's testimony Which shall People believe thee or the Apostle Surely not such a blind muddled confused dark and dull Soul as thou art I wish thee with the Light of Christ within on the holy Scriptures to recollect thy self better that thou mayst repent and condemn and call in thy muddled confused distracted whimsical and mad Pamphlets that would be the safest way for thee upon all accounts for thou hast no matter of Religion to suffer for thy hope being in this Life only according to thy Principle of the Soul's Mortality J. B. He that dyed without the Gates at Jerusalem he was the Christ of God being one with the Spirit of God but it was the Womans part that dyed that was his Soul and Body Now Christ as he was a visible Man and made of a visible Woman made under the Law he INTERNALLY DYED as to his SOUL and BODY Antichrist's Transformations pag. 19. Answ. Oh poor Jeffery Whither art thou run in thy whimsical Conceits and distracted Imaginations one while to DENY Jesus Christ the Son of God to be the Way to the Father another while to DENY Salvation by him another while to DENY the Immortality of his Soul and here most erroniously to AFFIRM That his Soul dyed and that he internally dyed as to his Soul Oh! Antichristian and Antiscriptural Doctrine For though he was put to death only as to his Body his Soul dyed not with it for he said Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit Luke 23.46 see Acts 7.59 And to the penitent Thief To Day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luke 23.43 Therefore his Soul or Spirit dyed not with the Body he did not internally dye he dyed only as to the Body being put to death as concerning the Flesh and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures and Death has no more dominion over him And although it be said He hath poured out his Soul unto Death This concerned the travail of soul and sorrows of death which he was under the sence of when he said My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death Matth. 26.38 whilst yet his soul was living and immortal in its own being praying and making intercession unto the Father For pouring out the Soul or Heart sometimes in Scripture imports an earnest supplication to God and travail in Prayer Psal. 42.4 I pour out my Soul in me And Psal. 62.8 Pour out your Heart before him God is a Refuge for us The soul of Messiah was poured out
Rome How like a silly Sophister hast thou argued Mayest thou not blush and be ashamed of such silly Impertinent yet abusive Scriâ—ling vain Shews fallacious and abusive Similitudes But Truth has defaced thy Pictures and Images and discovered thy empty Shews and Legerdemain Tricks thy Pride and Scorn against the Innocent Thou proceedest in thy Similitudes viz. 3dly The Popish Clergy think it not fit that the Laity should undertake to treat on points of Divinity or concern their heads with that otherwise than to receive those things in the sence the Clergy teacheth This bespeaks little of any difference at all between the Pen-man and the Popish Clergy â—nd why so The Pen-man on the occasion of my writing some-what touching Doctine thus saith viz. This man who is thus discomposed in his work should not have medled so much with points of Divinity which he appears so little skilful in p. 18. What was thy design in this Instance but to render the Pen-man and our second days Meeting so far at unity with the Popish Clergy as not to allow the Laity to treat on points of Divinity Thou mightst as well have said that we think not fit that any Lay-men should preach among us which were notoriously false and against our selves and Practice and contrary to our constant Testimony who are no Clergy-men but Lay-men so called Besides our saying Thou shouldst not have medled so much with points of Divinity was not because thou art one of the Laity and not a Clergy-man but because of thy discomposedness in thy work and thy appearing so little skilful in some points of Divinity thou didst medle in See now how perverting and fallacious still thou art in thy similitudes But to proceed on thy Fallacies viz. 4thly Some have esteemed the Authority of the Pope above the Authority of an Oecumenical or General Council but some others the contrary yet both have agreed that the Authority accompanying the one of them hath been the highest in the Church from whence no appeal on Earth In this I cannot of knowledge place much difference between my Adversaries and the Romish Church because I know not but that G. F. may be by some declared to be invested with a greater Authority than the General Meeting neither can I deny but that the General Meeting may be by others esteemed to be invested with greater Authority than he p. 19. See now what amounts thy Similitude unto here Thou canst not of knowledge place much difference c. because thou knowest not but that G. F. MAY BE by some so declared c. Instead of shewing Resemblance or a Similitude and seeming Union between us and the Romish Church now thy proof is come to I KNOW NOT BVT c. and to a G. F. MAY BE c. And then again thou canst not deny but that the General Meeting may be by others esteemed c. as before So thy May-be's are thy Discoveries before pretended See thy impertinent trifling But thou knowest that the Authority and Power of our Meetings has been frequently declared to be the Power of God which is the same in all Meetings of his faithful People We place not the Authority upon any Meeting or Number of Persons meerly as a Meeting but upon the Presence and Power of Christ in that Meeting for he is our great and wonderful Counsellor § 6. 5thly What Cry for Justice is it thou complainest hath not been hearkned unto in London when relating to G. F Was it a Cry for thee to be heard against G. F. in his presence or absence or was it Justice for thee to be heard read the Papers or Indictments against him when he was many Miles distant It seems thou art for Judgment against G. F. but who must be the Judges and where the Judicature Not thy self and Party for ye are a party extream against him not those thou hast judged Apostates and of party with G. F. for they are incompetent in thy own account for thee to appeal to not the World for they are unmeet to judge of spiritual differences for the Saints shall judge the World If thou sayst 'T is the Church of Christ thou wouldst appeal to for Justice against G. F. this grants the Church a Power of Judgment and Determination in matters relating to Conscience contrary to thy own Principle and Doctrine And then where is that Church of Christ thou wouldst appeal unto that is neither of thy party nor of G. F's Now consider where thou art run And why dost thou go on with thy jealous Reflections upon the Pen-man when thou canst neither write positively nor hast proof against him saying It is well if the endeavours of the Pen-man who peradventure may expect advance by Vsurpation in the Government contended for be not as great to keep off the stroke of Justice when as relating to G. F. as Cardinal Scomberges were to keep off the Reformation from the Court of Rome c. p. 19. What proof is all this against the Pen-man but to expose thy Malice and dubious as well as proofless Reflections to open censure Instead of Proof thou presents us with thy If and with thy Peradventure Whereas the Pen-man can appeal to the righteous Judge of all and Heart-searcher against thy Defaming and false Insinuation of expecting advancement by Vsurpation in Government keeping off the stroke of Justice both which my Soul loaths As an humble Subject under Christ's Government I only oppose the stroke of the envious revengeful Spirit in thee and other Apostates c. as I really judge it my Duty 5 thly And what if it be reputed That G. F. originally called Ministring Friends to General Meetings Yearly or was Instrumental therein as thou sayest p. 20. Doth this seem to have union with the Popes calling General Councils consisting of the Clergy Did not the Primitive Apostles and Elders sometimes assemble and that long before there were Popes or their Councils Were they therefore to be compared to the Popes and their General Councils Our placing the Ground of the Controversie on an opposite dark Spirit on thy and thy Abettors part is true and so it is also that thy opposition to many Faithful Servants of Christ was the Fruit of Darkness and no just comparison with the Bishop of Bitonto's commendation of Pope Paul the third nor with his exhorting all to submit to that Council which if they do not it will be justly said the Popes Light is come into the World and men love Darkness better than Light as thou cites him in this blasphemous Doctrine and to add to this Unjust and Impertinent Instance or Similitude thou insinuatest by Query Whether that Expression may be a proper Looking-glass for the Pen-man and G. Fox to see their Faces in when they conclude it the Fruit of Darkness not to submit to their Councils and outward Directories I shall leave to the consideration of the unprejudiced understanding Reader Thus far thou p. 20. What
he interfers with himself in his plea for liberty of Conscience § 4. W. R's Confutation to himself apparent in confessing That God hath afforded those helps governments in the Church which are not to be despised in a Paper signed by him among Friends at London 1673. His instance of W. P against the Penman groundless We clear'd from imposing a bâ—ind Obedience and W. Penn's own words farther cited to clear his intention for liberty of Conscience and from what § 5. W. R's unfair dealing and mistaken opposition against R. Barclay's propositions concerning the Power positive Sentence and Judgment of the Church of Christ as being binding in SOME CASES of consequence upon Believers the Spirit of Christ being the only proper Judge c. The point at length granted by William Rogers himself § 6. Wherein W. Rogers's discourse tends to Libertism blind Opposition Confusion and Ranterism A blind Refusal of Submission to what the Lord in his Servants requires condemned as well as blind obedience A Medium between both proposed to prevent a blind Refusal and blind Obedience Of W R's wrong Measures false Judgment and Suppositions Envy and Scorn Laughter hypocritical Lamentation Praying Cain's Sacrifice his lofty conceited and contemning way of writing § 1. IT is true and I am still of the same mind that having the great ends of true Religion and Christian Society in our Eye viz. An unspotted Life Love and good Works c. as the very intent of our care and proceedings in the Church of Christ we can the more easily concur and accord as to Circumstances and outward Methods and in the Wisdom of God so condescend one to another and accomodate matters as not to divide about them c. And I do not find that our Opposer produceth any seeming Contradiction to this Citation out of our Book as he endeavours upon our following words viz. We would be understood that those things commended among us as necessary for good Order and Holiness of Conversation are not recommended doubtfully or upon meer Supposition nor as matters of indifferency to be practised or rejected but in faith full assurance as answering Gods Witness and Truth in the Consciences and that such will meet with a tender Reception and not Opposition in all tender and upright hearts Where 's now the seeming Contradiction in this to the precedent Passage See what observation our Opposer makes upon them He observes That the Penman seems thereby to look three ways at once p. 36. though his sight and observation has greatly fail'd him herein as first In commending things necessary for good Order and Holiness of Conversation NOT as matters of Indifferency To this W. R. thus saith viz. Wherein I take the truest sense of his mind to be and that the first citation importing his readiness to condescend was to cover himself and others from the guilt of Apostacy and Innovation He is mistaken in his observation here there was no such intent nor necessity for the Pen-man to cover himself or others from that guilt for to commend things necessary for good Order and Holiness of Conversation not as Indifferent but Essential to such Order c. and a Condescention in circumstances and accomodating matters so as not to divide c. may very well stand together especially where there 's unity of spirit and affection for if there be true love and unity in the greater matters essential to good Order c. 't is more easie for such as are tender and upright-hearted to find out accomodation and concurrence in lesser circumstances So that still 't is to be understood they must settle in an union and concurrence at last otherwise how should they joyntly do business or service for the Truth or each other There 's no concurrence nor joynt-service where there 's confusion and contradiction But W. R. proceeds in his observation against the Pen-men viz. 2dly By his readiness to condescend to his Brethren which doubtless in that place he intends such as are upright hearted and mean well for 't is not fit to condescend to others and therein the indifferency before excluded is implyed He 's mistaken again in 's observation for there may be a tender and Christian condescention of the upright hearted among themselves in two respects 1 st In the stronger bearing with and helping the weak bearing the burden of the weak and not laying more upon the weak than what they are able to bear 2 dly In the wisdom of God finding out such accomodation in some lesser matters circumstances not so essential and indispensible so that there may be a general concurrence ease and peace of spirit in such lesser circumstances implying or including that indifferency before which is excluded the greater more weighty and necessary things relating to good Order holiness of Life c. For there may be such an indifferency in some circumstances wherein we may condescend to weak Brethren so far as the spirit of Christ will admit they being such as may not alter the property from being good and lawful nor disturbing to our Christian-society Yet there are other material things and circumstances relating our Christian society good order and holy living that cannot be made Indifferent And we plead not at all for empty Ceremonies in Church order or discipline but such as have a real service and good end in them nor are we for a Church whose ornaments are superstitious but for a Church which is gravely and purely adorned with Righteousness the fruits and services of pure Religion I confess W. R. has writ one remarkable Truth i. e. That 't is not fit to condescend to others viz. That are not upright hearted that do not mean well Very true And we have cause to keep to that Doctrine in reference to such as are turbulent and contentious Troublers of and scandalous to our society and profession See his third Observation on the same subject before as shallow as the rest viz. 3dly By the Pen-man's last cited Lines 't is plain that in his sence things recommended for good Order will have a reception with all upright Hearts Which compared with his readiness to condescend c. as before shews as if his condescention was intended to Brethren that were not upright hearted Here his sight fails him and he 's greatly mistaken again perverting the Pen-mans sense for though I affirm that those things recommended among us by Divine Authority and Evidence either as duty to God or Man or as necessary for good Order and Holiness of Conversation will have reception with all upright Hearts Yet it follows not that the condescention was intended to Brethren that were Not upright hearted or false For first Here 's not a limitation of time when all things necessary as before will have reception with all upright hearts So that there is a time and cause for condescention to them of low degree in regard of their weakness not insincerity Secondly Many upright ones
Christ to execute outward Laws Orders c. in an outward Form of Church-Government Or if it be Popery or like the Pope or inconsistent with the New Covenant so to do as he has insinuated what and where are those Helps and Governments which God in his Wisdom hath afforded in his Churches in subjection to Christ Are no visible Persons instrumental therein by the Power of Christ Or are they Helps and Governments or helpers in Government without visible Persons Were Apostles Prophets Teachers Elders Overseers c. in the Christian Churches no visible Persons or not so indued with Power from Christ to be helpers in the Government See 1 Cor. 12 28. I confess I know not how to reconcile our Opposer to himself in these matters no more than I can find Reason or Proof for his black Charges of Impious Prevaricating Pen-man Oh Impious Prevaricator perverse and hard Heart qualified like a proud Prelate The Pen-man's Iniquity angry Waspish Pen c. Thus he I must needs say he 's far more loud in his Censures than in 's Proofs If our Opposer did impartially consider and compare William Penn's Address to Protestants quoted by him he would see there 's no Lash to the Pen-man as he falsly affirms seeing W. P. grants that the one Shepherd may have many Servants p. 44. And on 2 Cor. 4.1 2. He further saith Here is the utmost Imposition the Apostle makes use of He requires not men to receive him without Evidence c. p. 44. No more do we whom Christ hath called forth in his Service and Ministry in this his day who by the manifestation of Truth commend our selves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God having renounced the hidden things of Dishonesty c. Here 's no cause to complain for want of Evidence or of Imposition without Evidence in plainly discovering or shewing the hidden things of dishonesty Truth in its manifestation both in the Ministry and in the Hearers Conscience is Evidence both against what 's Dishonest and for what 's Honest God would not have Men blind in their Duty their own Negligence and Prejudice is cause of blindness Nor hath this Person convicted us of pleading for or setting up Imposition without Evidence in the Conscience or of Imposing a blind Obedience or putting any Persons thereupon No my very Soul is against that And though W. P. also has writ against Imposition without Conviction the Pen-man seems to have no other sence nor doth it follow that he is either against Church Discipline outward Order or Form of Church-Government but for these in the Church of Christ and Christian Societies he being Principl'd for the true Church having Power from Christ to give Judgment spiritual Censures and Sentences against all dark Spirits that sow Discord and make Division and against all ungodly loose disorderly and scandalous walking and walkers under profession of Truth I 'le adventure to quote William Penn's Address to Protestants to shew his Principle and Sence in these matters In page 214. he saith No Scripture-Church-Discipline is hereby oppugned or weakned Let not the Sentence end in Violence upon the Conscience unconvinced Let whoso will expound or determine so it be according to true Church-Discipline which can be exercised on them only who have willingly joyn'd themselves in that Covenant of Union c. P. 215. Let us observe what sort of Church-Government the Apostle recommends Avoid foolish Questions and Contentions c. A man that is an Heretick after the first and second Admonition reject c. And on Phil. 3.15 He did not say You shall be Fined Pillaged Excommunicated and flung into Prison if ye be not of our mind P. 216. on 2 Tim. 2.22 23 24 25. Here is both Faith and Government Religion and Duty all that becomes us towards God our Brethren our Neighbours yea our Opposers and Enemies And W. P. in his Brief Examination and State of Liberty Spiritual he doth more particularly explain and clear the Point to Friends first in his Epistle saying Christ's Liberty is obtained through his Cross they that would be his Free-men must be his Bonds-men and wear his blessed Yoke His Liberty is from Sin not to Sin to do his will not our own And secondly he speaks farther to it in the said Examination Observe Here W. P. pleads not for a Liberty of Conscience in opposition to true Church-Government Discipline or Order but to those outward Penalties Persecutions and Punishments corporal and pecuniary mentioned and opposed by him and the rest of us which is no Liberty to make Division or Discord in the Church of Christ or Society of Believers § 5. To the Question Whether the Church of Christ hath Power in any cases that are matters of Conscience to give a positive Sentence and Decision which may be obligatory upon Believers To this R. B. answers affirmatively SHE HATH Anarch p. 48. And Whereas R. B. pleaded for the Church of Christ having Power in SOME CASES of Conscience to give a positive Sentence or Decision which may be obligatory upon Believers To this W. R. saith Which clearly shews to us R. B 's meaning to be That in some cases the Consciences of Believers ought to be bound by the positive Sentences of others To which he adds Without leaving any Liberty for a Believer to refuse to submit on the account of not seeing it his duty to submit This meaning and Government saith W. R. over Believers we take to be contrary to the Principle of Truth and Liberty we have in Christ Jesus c. p. 44. Herein he appears both unfair in his citation and mistaken in his construction For 1 st The some cases intended wherein a positive Judgment or Sentence from some Members or Believers is binding upon others are such Cases Wherein only the Truth the Spirit of God doth give the Judgment through some or other in the Church of Christ. The only proper Judge of Controversies in the Church is the Spirit of God and the power of deciding solely lies in it saith R. B. Anarch pag. 66. As also That God hath ordinarily in communicating his Will under his Gospel employed such whom he made use of in gathering his Church and in feeding watching over them though not excluding others Thus R. B's Anarchy of the Ranters p. 67 68. Observe here that he placeth the Judgment or Sentence as binding and to be submitted unto by others professing the same Faith on the Truth the Spirit of God the Will of God 2 dly And therefore the Judgment is not placed upon any Imposition of Government over Believers contrary to the Principle of Truth or Liberty that 's in Christ Jesus for the Judgment of Truth or of the holy Spirit which unites in one Mind and Judgment cannot be contrary to that Principle nor without evidence in the Conscience for conviction to oblige and the Conscience thus obliged is not without true sight sence or knowledge of duty therein because
't is Conscience obliged not a blind affection So 't is not to impose a blind Submission though some's want of perswasion may probably proceed from their being hardened through Rebellion as R. B. intimates Anarch p. 67. And their contradiction in that case will not excuse them from being guilty of disobeying God because it is from his Spirit the sentence proceeds and 't is their duty both to see receive submit to what 's justly required The intent of the Spirit of God in giving forth Judgment or Sentences through his Servants to end Controversie c. doth not bespeak or intend any design of such Imposition as to enforce any upon a blind Submission or Obedience in such a hardened Condition for the Spirit of Christ strives with them to open their Eyes and enlighten their Understandings that they may see and know in their own Consciences first their Duty and then submit in what is according to the will of God being the judgment of his Spirit which makes its way with its own evidence to the Consciences and Hearts of Persons if not wholly harden'd through Rebellion against God's Spirit in themselves For the Testimony of the Lord is sure making Wise the Simple The Commandment of the Lord is pure ENLIGHTNING the Eyes Psal. 19. 3 dly Then what power or freedom can any Minister or Servant of Christ have to leave any liberty for a believer to refuse submission to the judgment of the Spirit of Christ in his servants or believers where Christ leaves none or to grant that he may not see it his duty to submit and thereupon to refuse when the spirit of Christ who knows the Creatures capacity gives the Judgment and requires Submission There 's no just ground nor pretence for such Indulgence which tends to Rebellion and Ranterism but rather for the Servants of Christ to be faithful and stedfast in their Testimony and Judgment which they know is both in it self Just and proceeding from his Spirit Whether it be by others received or rejected He that hath an Ear to hear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches which doth many times speak through Instruments as formerly And further 't is neither a false sence nor wicked construction to say That our Opposer being for a Liberty for Believers to refuse to submit on account of not seeing it their duty Therefore that Believers who are members of Christ's Church may refuse submission to their Brethren in things that are in themselves Just and Reasonable according to the Law of Truth in the Conscience on pretence of not seeing it their duty c. I do sincerely profess I do not find a more natural construction that our Opposers own Words being without distinction will bear all material and precedent Causes and Circumstances of this very point in Controversie considered For first The Submission pleaded for by R. B. among Believers and in the Church was to the Judgment and positive Sentence proceeding from the Spirit of God or Christ in his Church and Servants Secondly Our Advâ—rsary's opposing the Church of Christ's having Power in any cases of Conscience to give positive Sentence or Decision which may be obligatory on Believers rendring this a Government over Believers contrary to the Principle of Truth and Liberty in Christ Jesus See Accuser c. from p. 62 to 81. When no other Submission is pleaded for nor any other intended by us than to such Judgment or Sentence as originally proceeds from the Spirit of Truth which is agreeable to the will and mind of God Now doth not our Adversary's opposition tend to divide Believers and the Church of Christ as well as from a true sight and performance of their Duty in cases wherein the Spirit of Christ gives the Judgment which must needs be just and reasonable For to the Question Whether the Church of Christ hath Power in ANY CASES of Conscience to give positive sentence which may be obligatory upon Believers R. B. Answers affirmatively SHE HATH Anarch p. 48. To which W. R. replyes This Government over Believers is contrary to the Principle of Truth and Liberty in Christ Jesus Doth not this plainly imply that in NO CASES of Conscience a Believer is bound to submit to the positive sentence of the Church of Christ or other Members thereof but that a Believer may refuse Submission On the account of not seeing it his Duty to submit This is W. R's great pretence and supposition and this in ANY CASES of Conscience without distinction The terms of the Question and Opposition before cited being general Which supposed Blindness and Discord in Believers I cannot grant him against any true or sincere Believers who are faithful to Christ in their measures of Grace received such will neither want a sight of those Dutyes or things the Spirit of Christ teacheth and requireth of them nor submission one to another therein but in humbleness of mind submit themselves one to another in the fear of God Ephes. 5.1.21 Here the Younger submits to the Elder and all one to another being clothed with Humility for God resisteth the Proud but giveth Grace to the Humble 1 Pet. 5.5 This Humility and Submission was among the Primitive Christians and was very commendable among them and none but the Proud oppose it And farther the Sentence Judgment and Determination proceeding from the Spirit of Christ in the midst of his Church is Binding in Heaven and Earth and he that will not hear the Church where Christ is in the midst is to be accounted as an Heathen Man More-ever our Lord Jesus Christ knows how much or how little a burthen to proportion and lay upon his sincere and true Followers from the greatest to the least of them suitable to their Capacities He knows our Weaknesses and is touched with the feeling of our Infirmities and hath raised up a Spiritual fellow-feeling of one anothers states and conditions that we might bear each others Burthens the strong to bear with and help the weak and so fulfill the Law of Christ. But seeing our Opposer at length to acquit himself gives us this Concession pag. 45. viz. I do say a Believer in Christ ought to submit to any reasonable just Judgment answering the Truth in the Conscience when it relates to him let it spring from whom it will I shall say the less in this point But William hast thou been always of this mind If thou hast thou art very inconsistent in thy writing and greatly wrongest thy self by Self-contradictions and then what signifies all thy opposing R. B. for pleading a consciencious Submission in Believers to the positive judgment or sentence which as he saith proceeds from the Spirit of God in some or other of their Brethren in the Church of Christ What amounts all thy work of Opposition and Gain-saying unto Now a Believer in Christ ought to submit to any Reasonable just judgment let it spring from whom it will And sure all judgment proceeding
from the Spirit of God in any of his Servants is just and reasonable for whatsoever is unjust is not of God but to be rejected The Controversie is not there § 6. Again William upon our words viz. God preserve his people from this Libertine Spirit thou falsly notest That by the Pen-man's discourse a Believer's refual to submit to the Church on account of not seeing it his Duty to submit is the fruit of a Libertine Spirit c. p. 45. A Believer's refusal to submit to the Church is a begging the Question and fallacy for I do not own that any true Believer will REFVSE to submit to the Church of Christ in any thing that Christ commands or is in it self his just duty towards God or his Neighbour on the account of not seeing it his duty is again a begging the Question If it be his Duty and required of him by the Spirit of God in his servants the same spirit if he minds it quickly makes an immediate discovery of it to and impression on his Conscience it being his duty both to see and submit to what Truth and Justice require of him so as the sincere and tender-hearted though but weak in the Faith for a time are preserved on the one hand from Rebellion and from Refusing that submission which the Lord requires and on the other hand from running into a blind Obedience For put case there be a little space of time that one weak in the faith sees not presently every thing that may be required by the Lord in his People as duty he does not therefore REFVSE Submission but waits patiently on the Lord to clear up his way and reveal his duty therein and though whilst thus waiting for satisfaction and clearness he 's neither refusing nor opposing that which he has not a clearness of judgment in Want of sight or clearness in such cases of Conscience is no just ground for Refusal Rejection or Opposition no more than for any to act in a blind Obedience or ignorant Devotion without satisfaction in Faith or Conscience Let but blind Opposition and Refusal as well as blind Obedience be laid aside and we shall have quietness for though neither be good yet blind Opposition is the worst of the two For there 's yet a Medium between Refusal and Active Submission viz. A WAITING passively and patiently until God reveal his will in this or that particular thing required by him as duty Again thou dost both scornfully and fallaciously proceed against the Pen-man in these words viz. 'T is plain to me that he reputing himself a Church-Governour is thirsting after such a sort of Subjects that may be willing to follow his Track though they know not whether it be right or wrong p 45. I presume thou meanest my self as that Pen-man that so affects being a Governour or so reputeth as thou hast before twitted the Pen-man with having forgotten his low and mean Estate telling him how the very conceit of being a Governour in an outward Government is very apt to puff up Persons of some sort of Qualifications pag. 25. If thou intendest me herein thou hast taken wrong measures and hast given me Scurrillous and Abusive Characters and then thou art grosly mistaken in thy judgment That I thirst after such ignorant Subjects as thou importest The Lord hath raised me up to open peoples Eyes and to turn them from Darkness to Light and God the Righteous Judge who knows my heart and whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son he knows 't is my delight in Humility to serve him therein and to see People turned from Darkness to the true Light and from their Ignorance and Error to the knowledge of the Truth in the spirit and power of it in themselves that they may walk in the Path of Life and be saved and no otherwise to follow me than as they may see me walk therein So knowing my Integrity and Humility in the sight and presence of God who hath thorowly searched and tryed me that I affect neither Popularity nor Greatness I do the less value thy Reproaches and all the bitter Invectives that thou canst bring forth against me My innocent Life reigns over thy hatred and shall out-live thy envy and scorn And as thou hast laid a false foundation against the Pen-man as judging him a Person thirsting after such sort of ignorant Subjects as before related so thy Superstructure raised by supposition is impertinent trifling and fallacious For 1 st Where have any of us whom thou smitest at either from a Meeting yearly or else-where in giving forth as thou callest them certain Sentences Decrees and Orders directed to the rest of the People called Quakers therewith signified to them 'T is your Duty to submit whether you see it your Duty or no p. 45. I am sure this is forreign to my and my Brethrens Language and Intention If it intends an active Obedience before men see their real duty which none can acceptably perform nor is it my Principle to urge them upon practice until their Eyes be opened to see their duty therein yet peoples present Ignorance of their Duty when proposed or told them in the spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ is no warrant for them to oppose refuse resist or reject it but rather tenderly and quietly to weigh consider of it before the Lord and wait in his Light till he reveal it resolve the doubts and remove the scruples 2 dly Moreover that which hath a tendency to Confusion Rebellion and Ranterism was thy undervaluing the Authority of the Church of Christ in such a Judgment or Decision given thereby as proceeds from the Spirit of God for 't was no other that R. B. argued for in the case by thy pleading in opposition for leaving a liberty therein for a Believer to refuse to submit on the account of not seeing it his duty to submit with other circumstances of Looseness and Confusion proceeding from thy opposite loose confused Spirit of Prejudice and Division This has a tendency to Confusion Rebellion and Ranterism which we placed not meerly on a Non-submission or Forbearance of Practice for want of seeing it their duty to act therein For 't is possible some Members may want a present sight in some things required by the Church of Christ and his Spirit and yet they not thence allow themselves a liberty to Refuse submission but rather to wait in their measures till God reveal his mind therein in which cases there 's a tender sence and forbearance one to another and this does not tend to Confusion Rebellion or Ranterism but thy plea for the leaving a liberty for Believers to refuse to submit to the judgment and decision of the Church of Christ and for the same insisting on their not seeing it their Duty to submit when the judgment of the Church of Christ pleaded for on our parts is no other than what proceeds from his Spirit or Christ himself as
being present in his Church This thy Libertine plea tends to divide the Church of Christ and to leave Believers who are Members thereof in a liberty both of denying submission and in an ignorance or blindness concerning what the spirit of Christ in his Church may require of them which I cannot grant thee that any sincere Believer is either so to be left in such a liberty of REFVSAL nor yet remains in such Ignorance for he that will not hear the Church where Christ is in the midst is to be accounted as an Heathen man Therefore thy Plea tending to divide and make Believers Heathen is contrary to our Principle and Testimony received from the beginning which is That Life answers Life The Spirit of Truth receives its own in men every living true Member in some degree feels what proceeds from its Life in other Members though all Christ's Members are not come to the same measure and degree of growth strength and understanding yet there 's so much inward sence and nearness in his Life and Faith as preserves them from Confusion Rebellion and Opposition to one another or to any thing the Spirit of Christ saith unto the Churches by any of them Thy putting and supposing Cases against us that are not thy arguing from Generals to Particulars from Principles to Persons from a Plea for the Church of Christ and its obliging Judgment proceeding from his Spirit to reflect upon particular Persons as the Pen-man and his Brethren John and George and Stephen c. p 45. are empty trifling and impertinent and as vain and silly is the Laughter and Scorn which thereupon thou supposest and wouldst stir up against the Pen-man and his Brethren all grounded upon a false bottom namely thy uncharitable and false sence and censure against the Pen-man viz. That he is thirsting after such a sort of Subjects that may be willing to follow his Track though they know not whether it be right or wrong Which is so utterly false if thou intendest me that such a desire never entred into my Heart my Soul abominates such a Principle as to lead People on in such blindness Again I do not make the reason of my Discourse depend on a meer supposition nor yet on a bear affirmation that I and my Brethren are the Church thou and thine not we are now on the defensive part and thou art not able to unchurch us we may give testimony of our Faith and to our sence of the presence of Christ with us and among us of our continuance in Love Unity in him and against thine and others Apostacy and thou not able to confute us The reason of our Discourse in the present Controversie depends not on Persons but on undeniable Principles and Practices agreeable both to divine Testimony Revelation undeniable Evidence amongst men And wherein any of us have been moved of the Lord in his holy zeal to give positive Judgment either concerning Spirits Persons or Practices that appear not yet so evident to some as to us the day will make further discovery and declare it and the Lord will appear witness and evidence in the case And thou shalt then find that thy Scorn and the Laughter and Scorn thou hast supposed and sought to stir up against us will be turn'd into sorrow on thy part and thou mayst be ashamed of thy scorn and laughter and of comparing our Treatment with the Papistical Parties towards the Protestants and telling of following the Pen-mans Papistical Track p. 46. All grounded on thy false sence before-cited though to me all thy Scorn Laughter false Comparisons and Rattles thou knowest what I mean are all but like the Crackling of Thorns under a Pot. It 's observable that in thy Epistle to the Reader c. thou art for taking up a Lamentation for the Apostacy of your Brethren as thy pretence is Now thou art for Scorn and Laughter against them thou so censurest yea to the Presbyterians Laughter and Scorn thou art exposing R. R. and for those Instances he gives for Deconesses in the Gospel-times p. 33. though this be a Truth which many Protestant Authors have confirmed besides Paul's own commendation of their Sister Phebe whom he called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministra A Servant of the Church at Cenchrea Rom. 16.1 2. There were Women-Deacons who in their places did service in the Churches with respect to the Sick and Impotent c. But to return one while thou pretendest to pray for the Pen-man That the Lord would mollifie his hard heart p. 42. another while art for causing Scorn and Laughter against him Thus but in pag. 46. Thus thy hypocritical Lamenting Praying and thy Scorning do much resemble thy confused Work And what such things are they thou insinuatest against the Pen-man and his Brethren Of which thou sayst Thou couldst soon lay a new Foundation to prove him and his Brethren guilty of such things as by his Rule would tend to Confusion Rebellion and Ranterism and what not p. 46. What things are those We expect no mercy nor favour from thee thou hast rendred us as obnoxious I think as of thy self thou canst And this thy general and dark way of smiting with what things thou couldst prove the Pen-man and his Brethren guilty of as tending to Rebellion and Ranterism without mentioning what things is very unfairly to raise great suspicion against us and to render us highly Criminal Odious and Obnoxious some-what like the Treatment we had in those Abusive Scurrillous Atheistical and Slanderous Pamphlets stil'd The Quakers Quâ—bbles How now William Is this thy Conscience thy Charity thy Christianity thy Love pretended and the end of thy feigned Lamentation and Praying for us thus to abuse us and cast dirt upon us after this general implicit and suspicious manner Is not such deceitful injurious and contradictory Dealing rather contrary to common Morality and Civility amongst men Thy Prayer conclusive of thy second Chapter pag. 46. is mixt with as much Falshood and Envy as the other stuff is with Scorn in these words viz. The Lord preserve us all from following the Pen-man's uncharitable Papistical Track lest thereby we should not only merit the Indignation of God but justly be accused by men of understanding of so much Delusion Weakness or Wickedness as considering our antient professed Principles and Practices might render us unworthy the favour of a true Protestant a derision to the Heathen and a scorn to Fools themselves I am sure this Prayer appears not without Wrath and doubting 't is not offered in Charity nor with Holy Hands 't is more like a Cain's Sacrifice 't is to slay the Christian and Protestant Reputation of him and those thou writest against to render him not only one that has merited the Indignation of God but one in a Papistical Track unworthy the favour of a true Protestant and so obnoxious to the outward Penal Laws seeing by thy Words If you should follow his Track
him and his Spirit as Impious Wicked c But in humility and fear of the Lord he is at Unity and daily converseth with the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ which is a Spirit of true Understanding and Judgment whereby he clearly discerns and hath Power to judge thy dark confused Spirit of Enmity and its unfruitful Works of Darkness and Division against Christ and his true followers § 7. Concerning Tythes thou pretendest to except against the Payment of them That they are as at this day paid under pretence of being Due JVRE DIVINO Antichristian and also against the Humane Institution and constraint to pay them And thus far we do not oppose thee nor have shewn disaffection But thou hast found out another and more easie way to pay them Thus viz. Yet if any Person will FREELY of himself give a Tenth part of his Estate or of the Increase thereof TO ANY VSE WHATSOEVER having no regard to any Humane Institution or Claim by vertue of any pretended Divine Law it can no more be called Antichristian then c. p. 52. No! not as given to any use whatsoever That 's large and loose and as strange Suppose some do freely pay Tythes to maintain an Antichristian Ministry without regard to the plea of Jure Divino or humane Institution or Constraint but voluntarily and freely which needs no constraint nor coertion Were not this Antichristian And did not the Christian-Quaker bear Testimony from the beginning against the Antichristian Ministry and Tythes paid to maintain them whether by some paid freely or not the labour was to bring People from them to Christ the great Shepherd and end of the first Priesthood Tythes and the Law that upheld them Art not thou now evading and shifting from our first Testimony that was absolute against the payment of Tythes in these Gospel dayes And doth not these thy evasive Apostatizing shifts tend to draw others into Looseness and Apostacy to decline the Cross and cast off the Yoke of our Lord Jesus Christ Again thou givest a recital of thy Answer to the Objection or Question of thy own framing in the case of Tythes but now craftily leavest out thy Objection which concern'd Tythes as given to the National Ministry thus viz. But what if it please the Supream Power to bestow on the National Ministry Tythes How prove you from Scripture that those who freely pay it do ill or that 't is not lawful for them to receive it from such These are thy own Words William to which thou madest the following Answer mentioned in our 40 th Disaffection and recited in these words viz. We are so far from condemning those who freely pay them i. e. Tythes and not as by Constraint that we look upon it to be the Duty of all professing Christianity to contribute towards the outward Maintenance of such whom they usually hear and account to be the true Ministers of Christ though not obliged thereto by Law in case they have need p. 52. We remain still Disaffected with thy Doctrine it this point William so far as it relates to the paying of Tythes Thy granting an uncondemned Liberty therein for them who can freely pay them to those they account the true Ministers of Christ though they be the National Ministry I am sure is contrary to the antient Testimony of the true Christian-Quaker and all faithful travelling Brethren in the Gospel and Work of Christ To contribute towards the outward Maintenance c. is not the matter under debate But the Question immediately relating to the Payment of Tythes as 't is included in thy own Objection in the case which thou hast craftily forborn to recite and only recitest the Words of thy Answer both being compared together do more clearly evince thy Unchristian Liberty and Apostacy in justifying Mens freely paying Tythes to those they count Ministers of Christ c. yea though it be to the National Ministry by thy Objection and Answer before Thy varying the Terms from FREELY PAYING them i. e. Tythes TO a CONTRIBVTING towards their outward Maintenance appears but a Prevaricating shift and evading the terms of thy own Objection and Question Review the Point in thy own 2d Part Christian-Quaker in granting a Liberty of freely paying Tythes to the National Ministry without condemnation as before Thou hast contradicted J. W. and J. Story 's Testimony viz. As to Tythes we can in truth say 't was never so much as in our Hearts to strengthen any in the Payment thereof nor yet to weaken the Faith of any having a Testimony in our Hearts that Tythes as at this day paid are Antichristian Mark as at this day paid is to the National Ministry by some freely and by others by constraint As also thou shewest thy fallacious Insinuation and Prevarication from the terms under debate in concluding That the Pen-man would exclude such sort of Charity to any ministring Professor of Christianity besides such as he may account of his own Brotherhood whereby their outward Man might receive Sustenance else if they accounted it not Christian-like to give on a Charitable score TYTHES without Compulsion yet he might have shewn his assent that their Conscientious Hearers might without Condemnation have administred in another Method p. 53. How falsly hast thou insinuated against the Pen-man and daubed with the Professors as if now thou wouldst ingratiate thy self to come into favour with the Professors who are against the Quakers and as if thou wouldst please them by telling of giving on a Charitable score Tythes But William I am sorry thou shouldst thus wrong thy own Conscience by such false Insinuations for therein thou knowest the matter in question and our Observation was not about nor for excluding such sort of Charity as that of freely relieving or contributing towards the Sustenance of the outward Man of any of them in case of need for that Humanity allows much more Christianity But the matter in question was singly about the freely paying of Tythes and that to the National Ministry as thy Words were against which our 40 th Disaffection was directed And thy insinuating expressions about giving on a Charitable score Tythes will not excuse thee nor clear thee in this matter as also on this occasion thou fallaciously insinuatest in thy Prayer viz. The Lord preserve me and all true Christians from that Censorious Spirit as may conclude that there are no other Sheep than of the Pen-man's Fold p. 53. Whom dost thou herein accuse We deny any such Censorious Spirit with thy terms Pen-man's Fold for 't is Christ's Fold we own Thou art an uncharitable censorious Spirit We know there are other Sheep as Christ declared which he will fetch home into his Fold But thou appearest none of Christ's Sheep either in his Fold or out of his Fold whilst in such an Envious Wolfish and Scornful Spirit § 8. Whereas to our 44 th Disaffection about Circumcision being a Christian-Liberty according to thy own Words thou
sayest viz. Suppose I had in any part of my Writings laid down that the practice of Circumcision by one that was a Jew and a believer in Christ was in that day a Christian-Liberty I only Query not intending to quarrel with my Adversary about a Mode of Speech when our Meanings are the same How can this be termed an Erronious manner of expression Why might not the Practice of such a Christian be without offence termed Christian-Liberty p. 54. I Answer Because Circumcision in the Flesh was not only a Type under the Law but by Christians counted a Yoke of Bondage not to be born by the Disciples under the Gospel being also among other Types abolisht by Christ in his Sufferings and Death Though some weak Believers as those of the Jews did for a time practise it yet they did it in obedience to the Law of Moses and the Old Covenant and not in obedience to Christ and his Apostles in the New Covenant And there was a Christian-forbearance and patience towards them in suffering Circumcision for a time to those of the Jews when the Vail was not wholly done away nor they come clearly to see to the end of those things that were abolished by Christ. and yet no liberty nor way was given for them to draw others into it Whence it follows not that Circumcision it self was Christian-Liberty or practised in a Christian-Liberty in that day but with respect to Moses's Law but the forbearance towards them was Christian and tender I am not willing to make much ado about this thy Mode of Speech though I look on 't to be an unsound and unscriptural Mode To thy saying Thou dost not say that Circumcision practised as aforesaid is a Christian-Liberty 't is the Pen-man's consequence c. What hast thou said less Thou hast told us of these Differing Exercises IN A CHRISTIAN-LIBERTY When speaking of practising Circumcision keeping a day abstaining from eating Flesh amongst the Primitive Believers That Christian-Liberty c. See thy own Recitation p. 53. 7 th Part. Circumcision then was one of those differing Exercises which thou placest in a Christian Liberty and which in thy next page thou termest Christian-Liberty as before And thou sayest If the mode of Speech be not pertinent to express the matter in hand 'T is our own approved Language I think thou mistakest here William and the passage thou citest out of R. B's Book of Government p. 63 64. proves it not from these Words cited viz. There is a certain Liberty and Forbearance also c. whereof we have the Example of the Primitive Church viz. In suffering Circumcision to the Jews Did he here term Circumcision Christian-Liberty No sure 't was only permitted or suffered to them as was the Observation of certain Dayes and abstaining from Meats which were not holden universally but when laid upon others then preacht down and reproved by the Apostle Gal. 5. Is there not a plain difference between a certain Liberty in suffering Circumcision to the Jews and terming it Christian-Liberty Is this the very same Language approved by the Second day's Meeting as thou sayest p. 55. Sure thou art much out here William to our saying That this man who is thus discomposed in his Work should not have medled so much with Points of Divinity which he appears so little skilful in He dreams so much of Liberty that he is greatly bewildred in the management of it Thou answerest 'T is Language more like the proudest of Prelates adorned with a pair of Lawn Sleeves than an humble Quaker p. 53. To this adding also in p. 55. Will not the impartial Reader hence be apt to suppose that the Pen-man's design is to ingross discourses of Divinity to himself and his Brethren that so the Laity may believe nothing but what proceeds from their Mouthes and Pens If they shall complain that this renders them guilty of gross Popery my counsel is Let them for the future cease giving occasion p. 55. This Question contains both scorn and falshood suggested against us to render us guilty of Popery as before is discovered We have no such design of engrosement nor Popish distinction among us as between Clergy and Laity the Spirit of Christ and true knowledge of Divinity are not limitted nor engrossed in the will of man to Persons neither doth our reprehending a discomposed Person for medling in things beyond his skill prove us Guilty in these cases Again William thou proceedest abusively and falsly in these Words viz. For 't is well known that G. Fox his party have been so Contentious as that nothing would content them but the introducing new Practices under the Notion of Gospel-Discipline in a Spirit of Strife and Contention concluding all to be dark that saw not with their Eyes p. 55. I shall say little to these Reproachful Censures But the Lord rebuke this false malicious censorious judging exalted conceited Spirit And he will manifestly rebuke it I doubt not CHAP. VI. § 1. Of our Catalogue of some of W. R's manifest Falshoods notorious Slanders scandalous Abuses c. which are numerous to clear himself and prove the Pen-man to have play'd the Forger He gives only three Instances whereby W. R. cannot clear himself § 2. W. R. again opposing the Credit of the Pen-man's method about proving Negatives The supposed Absurdity and Immorality removed § 3. Concerning his Contradictions His attempts only to reconcile the first Instance proved invalid as between his placing the Disunion in Principles Doctrine and Life of Christianity and placing it not in Principles of Truth nor in Christ's Doctrine but in Ceremonies the Shell c. § 4. His own Affirmation to clear himself of Contradiction no valid Plea or Argument His own dishonesty and injustice in accusing the Pen-man for not informing the Reader what is right and what is wrong in the matter of Contradiction His notorious Falshood and Contradictions farther pursued in judgment against himself on his own Censure about the Apostacy entring the generality Christ's words Mat. 18.15 16 17. Circumcision The Tree of Knowledge Freely paying Tythes c. § 5. W. R's Postscript a slight and scornful Put-off to our Friends of Bristol their Book entituled An Exalted Diotrephes Reprehended his miserable Evasion manifest Fallacy Falshood Abuse and Scorn against them detected § 6. Of his Proposition to our Meeting in London His Insincerity unrighteous Judgment and Conclusion against our Meeting § 1. BUt let 's see how thou W. R. proceedest to prove the Pen-man to have play'd the Forger in giving a Catalogue term'd of some of W. R. his manifest Falshoods notorious Slanders scandalous Abuses Perversions Rayling Scoffing Flattering and Reviling in the 4 th and 5 th Parts of his Book against G. F. and others in his own words and terms which may be seen at large in our said Treatise Accuser c. from page 230 to pag. 255 c. how not only some of his manifest Falshoods Slanders scandalous
been content with half of the 15 l. which G. Smith proffered thee but it seems thy end was so WHOLLY for Money that thou wouldst have the WHOLE Fifteen Pound according to thy own account Thus Selfish Arbitrary and Avaricious wast thou What a mean shift is it therefore for thee to say Thy end was not ONLY for Money We see what sorry shifts and slighty Subterfuges a bad Cause must have And as a person conscious to thy self disquieted and uneasie for a pretence thou now makest this Proposition namely S. Cater 's signing a Paper like this which follows of thy own forming and then thou wilt return the whole 15 l. Thy Paper is this viz. Memorandum That I S. Cater do hereby testifie that is my judgment That all Friends in the Ministry where they are Strangers ought to tell the Name and Habitation upon the apparent sight of the Informers coming into a meeting taking friends names in writing or otherwise in order to convict the Meeting that so we may all stand in a like suffering capacity Or if any have not freedom thus to do that then they ought to make satisfaction to such who suffer for them through their concealing their Names and Habitations and that such as refuse to perform his or their part in either of these two Propositions ought from thenceforth to be reputed blame-worthy and noted as such Witness my hand the day above-written per me Thus far thy Prescription Further adding viz. I say signe this Paper or one like it and I will return the said 15 l. for the reason aforesaid And this thou esteem'st a Condescention sufficient Thus art thou become a Dictator and Prescriber and Imposer upon others Here thou hast made a general Rule and Prescription as condition of thy returning the 15 l. to S. C. such an improbable condition as thou couldst not reasonably suppose would be complied with Thus insincere thou appearest Here 's a Canon an Edict of thy framing who hast made a great part of thy Book against Canons Prescriptions Rules Edicts Orders Excommunications c. How consistent art thou in thy work yea and if the Ministers will not observe this thy Canon to perform it then to be reputed Blame-worthy and noted as such and this thou wouldst have S. Cater subscribe But thy Canon or Prescription is illegal lame and defective yea it exceeds the severity and extent of the Conventicle Act which no where compels all Friends in the Ministry where thy are strangers to tell their Names and Habitations upon their apparent sight of Informers coming into a Meeting and taking Friends Names in writing or otherwise nor are any of the Meeters compelled by Law to tell their Names to Informers Thus Arbitrary Illegal and Foolish too art thou in thy Canon and Constitution thou wouldst enforce upon Friends of the Ministry where they are strangers who sometimes may be silent in a Meeting and sometimes ministring when Informers come in to take Names by thy Canon the Ministers in silence must tell their Names and Habitations to Informers and those that are ministring must stop to tell the Informers their Names and Habitations This illegal Imposition of thine I further except against in that it tends to gratifie the Informers and forward them in their designs and prosecution for a more speedy and easie Conviction for if they get their Names thus readily told aforehand as thy Canon and Prescription requires they go presently to the Justices swear the Offence and cause the Conviction in the absence of the party concerned In consideration of which divers of us even of late time in the Meetings at Westminster have not had freedom presently to tell our Names to Informers and Officers to leave them to inform the Justices what they please upon Oath without controul in our absence but rather we have chosen to go to the Justices that there we may tell our Names to them and have opportunity to object to their faces against any Mis-informations Thus thou hast failed and shewed thy shortness and shallowness in thy imperious and illegal Prescription and Imposition As for thy pressing for the Preachers who are Strangers to tell their Names as aforesaid and so to be in an Equal capacity with the Hearers in suffering 1 st We cannot make a Law to enjoyn them to tell their Names to Informers which the Law requires not I know none that refuse to tell their Names to the civil Magistrate We know the Preachers generally are most struck at and most liable to suffer and the Penalties are most severe upon them as 20 l. for a first and 40 l. for a second Offence so called and if Strangers they are not wholly free from Sufferings as thou sayest But all Preachers more lyable in the first place to suffer Imprisonment c. than others being most envyed and aimed at by the Persecutors 2 dly We cannot in point of Christianity Truth or good Conscience deem the Preacher an Offender if we own his Ministry So as to lay an Obligation upon him not only to tell his Name to Informers but to be the greatest Sufferer Truth 's interest and cause is but one in Minister and Hearer and Christian love leads us therein to sympathize and suffer one with another in Spirit yea and outwardly too if there be necessity and not to make preaching the Gospel an offence any more than meeting or hearing it Preacht seeing the Labour and Pains and greatest Hazard commonly is the Preachers the advantage thereof is the Hearers And if we have true Unity with the Gospel Preachers we shall not complain against them because of the Fines nor think our selves to be bound under thy Prescription or Canon who art both in Dis-union with them and Enmity against them much less to follow thy Crafty method to pay our selves out of their Estates when fined for them or for their not telling their Names to Informers on sight c. 3 dly If thou makest the Preachers such Offendors as that for want of telling their Names to Informers they must be Responsible to the full or wholly for the Fines laid upon Hearers on their account and thereupon thy Eye is so severe upon them as if they were the greatest Offendors This is but the same Spirit that 's in the Persecutors and Informers that 's not in unity with but in Enmity against the Gospel-Ministers This would not lay down its Life for the Brethren that will not suffer 5 l. or 10 l. for them And then I presume there 's no danger of thy suffering much on that account who couldst so craftily repay thy self the whole 15 l. from Samuel Cater In this very Action and thy malicious Book thou appearest a Person more ready to turn Informer against the true Ministers and Servants of Christ than to lose 10 l. on any of their account by thy offensive Characters and Popish Comparisons thou hast put upon them particularly upon George Fox William Penn
And as for those Papers so long since given forth by me not discerning what spirit did then influence me for so it is that the actions of men are many times influenced both by good and evil Spirits though they perceive it not how much soever the Notion of Spirits ridiculed by the Atheistick Philosophasters and wild Wits of this age I did many years since recall them and make it my request that any that had them in their custody might make no further ill use of them and to have found the contrary since has been no small grief to me especially to see so often repeated these personal Reflections by me used against G.F. and G.W. whom I truly honour in the Lord for their works and labours of Love However I would not have any malicious Persons from hence take occasion to think much less to say or represent that I have hereby revoked or do in the least intend to inervate any of the words in that or any other Paper so far as they are assertive of a just and equal Liberty of Conscience For I do firmly believe That there is no Principle maintained amongst Mankind that stands upon fâ—â—â—er Foundations that is more becoming the Rulers of this World in their respective Dominions nor more agreeable to the Life and Spirit of Christianity than is that of Liberty of Conscience Neither let any man on the other hand think or say That I do hereby in the least hinder the Church of Christ from judging condemning and testifying against things and Persons by the Spirit of Christ for preaching things which those persons erring from the spirit of Christ may judge not only to be allowable as their Christian Liberty but even look upon to be their very duty For as the Principle of Liberty of Conscience is in it self most reasonable and christian so is this latter of denying All Iudging upon any account most unreasonable blind and foolish And they that cannot see that these two Principles of Liberty and Judgment are not only consistent but very harmonious with each other are to be pitied for their weakness and half-sightedness of which perhaps God giving life and ability I may at another time say more In the mean while I wish heartily that all that profess and name the Name of Jesus the Prince of Peace would seek peace and ensue it Benjamin Furly Now Tho. Crisp and the rest concerned see by these Lines how far B. F. hath distinguished the point in Controversie and cleared himself upon a better understanding concerning the said Letter and against the perverse use thou hast made of it in Print to reproach me withal § 2. And since thou hast causlesly aspersed me with it and so far censoriously exposed me in Print as thou hast done when I sought no occasion against thee nor designed Controversie with thee and seeing thou art grown so hardy and confident as to make thy self such a publick Agent and Advocate for W. R. and his Party in the Controversie I have not yet done with thee but am concerned further to take notice of a few Passages in thy Pamphlets which I look upon as very corrupt and perverse and contrary to our antient and constant Testimony born among us on behalf of Christ. The first is in thy Pamphlet stil'd Several Testimonies 3 d Edition which is also printed in others of thy Pamphlets in these words viz. pag. 26. I fear you take more care for the strict Observation of your own Orders and Traditions than the Truth in the Heart for if any use not your Language or observe not to do just as others in Tythes or other CIVIL RIGHTS which the Laws of our Land require and ought to be observed unless God by his Spirit in the Heart doth forbid or any do really for Conscience sake refuse But if one cannot do so must he therefore judge his Brother That may be required of one that may not be required of another for Growth or Measure may differ Rom. 14. AND J. Crook saith We read of Cain and Abel two men performing the same Action attended with the same Formalities c. and yet the one accepted and the other rejected In like manner may two Persons be found in contrary Actions Postures Gestures and yet both accepted of God for if I should lay a Bond upon my self therein I transgress the liberty of the spirit either as to time constancy or place or if another should lay a Bond upon me or put a Yoke about the Neck of the Disciples this is no more justifiable than the former To the first part being thy words I must tell thee thy Proposition is unsound and inconsistent with our antient Testimony as well as Contradictory in its self Vnsound in that it bespeaks thou art not principl'd against the Payment of Tythes in this Gospel day and hast not retain'd a true or certain Judgment against them in thy esteeming and accounting of them amongst Civil Right but Rites in thy other Pamphlet which ought to be observed and implying that a Brother is not to be judg'd for observing or paying them I am sure this is contrary to the Testimony born and received among us from the beginning And to thy granting that God by his Spirit in the Heart may forbid them or that for Conscience sake some refuse them as if the Spirit of the Lord did allow one Brother to pay Tythes as a civil Right and forbid another or that from a different Growth or Measure of Grace one Brother may be required to refuse the Payment of Tythes and another Brother not so required and therefore not to be judged for the Payment of them being both under the same Profession and Dispensation Is not this Inconsistent Babylonish yea and tending to apparent Ranterism to render the Spirit and different Measures thereof so contrary and opposite in its requirings in a matter so eminent weighty as that of Tythes wherein our manifest Testimony hath been so positive and the Sufferings of many so deep and heavy for not paying Tythes and whereof the very first breaking forth of the Light and dawning of the Gospel Day did convince many Thousands when their Eyes were first opened to see the Corruption of that Ministry which is upheld by Tythes and forced Maintenance therefore T. C. thou art gone from the Light that first convinced thee in thus confusedly arguing for Tythes and thy Proposition is loose and fallacious and there 's no such contradiction in the different Measures of Grace and Spirit received from God as thou absurdly implyest If ever thou knew'st or wast sensible either that Tythes were ended by Christ or that the Ministry upheld by them is none of Christ's Ministry thou couldst never suppose that any measure or degree of his Grace or Spirit would allow or lead any who have been really convinced of the Evil thereof in the payment of them if thou wert not gone from the true sence and measure thereof in
Bride the Lambs Wife and she hath no need of the Light of the Moon to shine in her because the Lord is the Light and the Lambs Spirit is the Light of the Church that is in him But your visible Churches make use of the Light of the Moon that is your Mens Meetings and also your Womens Meetings and the Orders which are set up by them they are to be Rules for your visible Churches to walk by For the Women have power to order the Affairs of your visible Church as well as your Men and this Practice of yours is altogether Antichristian and so also is your Church-Government because it is the Invisible man Christ who orders all things in his Church by his own Spirit Those who are Members of the Church in God among you in time will abhor your Government because it is Antichristian For you Elders do look upon your selves to be Judges and that you have Power to determine things in matter of Conscience c. p. 10 11. Answ. Christ's Government in his Church is both Invisible and Visible he governs by himself and by his Ministers all are not come to a ripe Age in him there are many Children and weak Ones who have need of helps in Government Our faithful Mens Meetings and Womens Meetings were set up by the Power of Christ Jesus and in his Light he governs and rules among them by his own Spirit And faithful grave and sober Women have power to be Teachers of good things and to teach the younger Women Christian-Church-Order and Spiritual Rule were exercised among the Primitive Christians both Men and Women who were Children of New Jerusalem the free Woman the Inhabitants of this City are not without Order or Ministers therein And therefore this Opposers Blow and Charge of altogether Antichristian against our Mens and Womens Meetings is both Silly Proofless Slanderous and altogether Antichristian against Christ's Work and appointment in Male and Female and as the Church-Government among us is Christ's Government both revealed set up and ordained by him none that are and continue true Members of his Church will ever abhor that Government nor reject slight or despise that promised Dominion and Judgment that he hath given to the Saints to determine matters of Difference but only Apostates false Brethren and deceitful Workers and loose Spirits these will be smiting and accusing the Brethren despising Dominion and speaking evil of Dignities yea speaking perverse things to draw Disciples after them crying against outward Rule and Government Forms and Order in the Church whilst they are seeking Mastery Dominion Rule and Government to themselves As for our visible Church and visible Church-Government or Order so much opposed by this Adversary he talks blindly and ignorantly for though the Church be Invisible as to the Spirits of Men who are Members of it and Christ's immediate Rule and Government in the Heart be Invisible yet there is a Visibility both of the true Christian Congregation and good Order and Rule therein proceeding from the Spirit of Christ within The People of God and their good Conversations and Order in Christ are not all shut up in an Invisibility being as Epistles to be read and seen of all and they as a City set upon a Hill c. J. B. You do prefer your selves and the Church in the first place before God who is Light And have set up themselves and their Church as Head instead of God and Christ p. 12. Their setting up themselves and their Government and are laying aside the Spirit 's Government and Authority p. 13. Those Elders who call themselves Ministers look upon themselves and their Image to be equal in Power and Glory both with the Father and the Son Testimony against the Quakers p. 3. Answ. These are notoriously false and slanderous We prefer the living God and his Son Christ Jesus before all and do not lay aside the Spirit 's Government or Authority but in humility reverence and desire ever to live under the same knowing Self abased and Images defaced and rejected by the Light of Christ Jesus § 4. J. B. If any of those called Teachers intend to speak a few words commonly called Prayer then the Women and the Men that are set in the Meeting shall rise up and the Men will uncover their Heads Their Teachers have judged those Quakers not to be real Members of their Church or Body that have not done it i. e. uncovered their Heads And herein the Quakers in general have given more Homage Reverence and Respect to the Words or Prayers of another wherein there was no Life at all than they have done to the Word of Life it self in their own Particulars And this is Anti-christ's work p. 14 15. Answ. His conclusion is false and slanderous herein We Reverence the Word of Life in our living Prayers and not Lifeless Words And why doth he thus judge any Reverent Posture among us in Prayer as that of Peoples Rising up and Mens Uncovering their Heads in our holy Duty of publick Prayer This is like John Perrot's prejudiced Party And how foully Contradictory to himself is he in thus uncharitably judging us for our Reverent Posture or serious Behaviour which is matter of Conscience to us when yet he 'l not allow any Members or Elders among us to judge or determine matters relating to Conscience And cautions us in Christ's words Judge not that ye be not judged p. 12. Oh blind harden'd Man how darest thou thus judge over our Consciences or falsly accuse us with leading People from the Power to worship and reverence the Form more than the Power And then most falsly to add That this is the work of Antichrist among the Quakers p. 17. Here thou hast slandered and shamefully belyed the People of God called Quakers and hast shewn thy self not worthy of so much as the Name of a Quaker Thou hast long been a Reproach unto them J. B. Postscript to his Antichrist's Transformations within viz. If any amongst you pretend to be moved by the Spirit to go to Prayer then both Men and Women they either stand up or else kneel down and the Men all pull off their Hats which own your Form of Prayer and herein you do both Worship Reverence and Adore the Form outwardly and the Words more than you do the Word of Life in your own Particulars Answ. An erronious Conclusion and no natural Consequence either of our standing up kneeling or putting off our Hats in Prayer for all these may be and are innocently and conscientiously performed with Respect and in a holy Reverence to Almighty God whom we breathe and pray unto by his own Spirit Besides both Kneeling and being Uncovered have been practised among God's People and true Christians in Prayer to him so that these Postures are not condemnable in themselves How blind and ignorant therefore is this Gain-sayer in his Opposition Read Psal. 95.6 O come let us Worship and Bow down Let us
Light within You Preachers do say in your Declaration that the Son of God is come and hath given you an understanding the which Doctrine I do deny ONE BLOW p. 20. Answ. Thou that canst not reconcile or see the consistency of Salvation by the Man Christ Jesus AND by his Light within art gone from his Light into Imaginations Why hast thou not better observed the Gospel preached by the Angel of the Lord to the Shepherds concerning Jesus Christ the Son of God Luke 2.11 For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord see also Mat. 1.21 Read also good Old Simeon's Testimony which he gave of the Lord 's Christ Luke 2.26 27 28. And also read Verse 30 31 32. For mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation which thou hast prepared before the Face of all People a Light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of thy People Israel The true Christ of God is but one though he hath appeared in divers manners both in the Flesh and in the Spirit he is the Light he is the Way to the Father he is the Saviour he is the one Mediator betwixt God and Man even the Man Christ Jesus the heavenly glorious Man the Man that was promised to be for a hiding place who in the dayes of his Flesh said I am the Light of the World And He that is with you shall be in you As he was the eternal Word the Son of God the Life that was in him was the Light of men John 1. both before his coming in the Flesh and ever since and therefore he was that true Light that enlightens every man that cometh into the World he was given for Life and Salvation This our one Lord Jesus Christ is our Light Life and Salvation he is also Judge of quick and dead that MAN by whom God will judge the World in Righteousness he that believeth not in his Name is condemned already and This is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World i. e. the Light of the Son of God and Men love Darkness rather then Light John 3. see also 2 Thes. 1.7 8. When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming Fire taking Vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel c. Then such shall know him their Judge and Condemner unto their deserved punishment see Verse 9. J. B. You Teachers do hold forth to us Gentiles Christ the Son of God to be our Way to the Father The which Doctrine I would have you to prove One Blow p. 20. Answ. What defidence and unbelief hath entred thee Christ the Son of God testied John 14.6 I am the Way the Truth and the Life No man cometh unto the Father but by me and no man cometh unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Wherefore in that no man cometh unto the Father but by the Son the Son is the way to the Father and the Father's drawing or teaching reacheth unto man before he come to the Son or Father that he may be drawn and come to both No mans knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Therefore Christ the Son of God is the way to the Father out of Adam in the fall if thou l't believe him and 'T is by one Spirit through Jesus Christ the Mediator that we have access to the Father § 8. J. B. In his gross Errors detected or many of the Doctrines of the leading Quakers disowned as coming from an Antichristian Spirit p. 1. he saith John Webb's Doctrine was That God's appearance in the Sons and Daughters of men is to beget and bring forth that innocent Birth and Babe immortal c. This Doctrine doth signifie that God's appearance is to his Son Christ Jesus and for the begetting and bringing of him forth in the Sons and Daughters of men the which Doctrine I do deny Answ. First God's appearance in the Sons and Daughters of men is not to bring forth a nocent Birth nor a Babe that 's mortal but an innocent Birth and a Babe immortal Except a man be Born of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remaineth in him Secondly This innocent Birth which God by his Spirit brings forth in the Sons and Daughters of men who truly believe relates to them and their souls as begotten and born of the immortal seed by the living word so that this Birth is not Christ Jesus for he is that incorruptible Seed and Word of Life which begets forms and brings forth the Soul of man into his own Nature and Image and so he renews his own Image in man that believes in his Power and so Christ may be said to be formed in us as in a mysterious and elegant way of speaking the property and effect being put for the cause for Christ in himself hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him and it hath pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell in him J. B. That God's appearance is in and by his Son Christ Jesus to us and that all are to hear the Son in them by whom the Father speaketh to them and that the Son in us is our way to the Father The which Doctrine I do deny His gross Error p. 1. Answ. Here thou hast denyed sound Doctrine which is according to Christs own Doctrine i. e. He that seeth me seeth the Father also who hath shined in our Hearts to give us the Light of the Knowledge of his Glory in the face of Christ Jesus And my Sheep hear my Voice saith Christ And God hath spoken to us by his Son Thy denying God's appearing and speaking by his Son and his Son to be our way to the Father Herein thou hast not only denyed Christ's own Testimony but the blessed advantage we have by him as MEDIATOR J. B. Another of their Doctrines is That the Quakers ought so to wait upon God as that they may feel the Life in them to flow from Vessel to Vessel whenas they are met together to wait upon God This was Charles Marshalls Wife's Doctrine p. 2 ibid. Answ. This is neither false Doctrine nor gross Error as thou imaginest but sound Doctrine Hannah Marshall knew better than thy self herein for they that truly wait upon God both receive an encrease of Life from him who is the Fountain and feel Life to flow from Vessel to Vessel He that believes as the Scripture saith out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living Waters This spake he of the Spirit which they that believe should receive And the true Believers all drink into One Spirit And there is among such a spiritual and effectual Communication of Faith and Virtue in the living Communion of the holy Spirit all which thy dark Imaginations have deprived thee of J. B. These Doctrines
of the Quakers are false Doctrines and Antichristian because that God's Appearance is not by his Son Christ Jesus to us p. 3. Answ. Thou art guilty of Antichristian Doctrine and Anti-scriptural also in denying God's Appearance to be by his Son Christ Jesus The Mediator for what God is to us for our Salvation and what good we receive from him for our Souls and what we are unto him in our Obedience as acceptable to him 't is all IN and Through our Lord Jesus Christ the Mediator J. B. That God who is a Spirit should be held in Bondage and Captivity by his Creation or by the Power of Darkness is contrary to Right Reason So that it must needs follow by plain Argument that not only the Creature but the Power of Darkness too hath had Dominion over God contrary to sound Doctrine and is Blasphemy pag. 5 6. GROSS ERRORS Answ. This thou hast often unjustly and slanderously repeated upon the Quakers and herein I testifie against thy Abuse and dare Challenge thee to prove out of any of our Writings that 't is the Quakers Doctrine That either God is held in Bondage or Captivity by his Creation or that the Power of Darkness hath Dominion over him We utterly deny the Assertion and Expressions as Blasphemous but do say the holy Spirit is grieved and the Seed of God burdened by the Iniquities of the World which suffering is in Condescention on Christ's part and not for want of Power or Dominion over the Devil or Wicked men for he bruiseth his Head hath Power to subdue condemn and punish them and his own Arm to bring Salvation to him J. B. Another of their Doctrines That all are to come to the Son of God Christ Jesus whom they say is in them and that he is the only Way to the Father which Doctrine I do deny because it is God who both was and is a Spirit which hath first appeared in and to the Sons and Daughters of men after sin c. Therefore every one is to be first turned to God in their own particulars and NOT to the Son of God p 8. Gross Errors Answ. This Erronious Denyal and Doctrine of thine against coming to the Son of God as the only Way to the Father is but the same reiterated over and over The Father and the Son are not divided in the work of Regeneration I and my Father are one saith Christ No man cometh to the Father but by me But 't is no marvel that thou hast denyed Christ the Mediator to be the way to the Father and so opposed his Mediatorship for thy Denyals and Oppositions appear more Gross Erronious and Antichristian against Christ himself and the holy Scriptures in thy Antichrist's Transformations 1st In thy not owning Justification or Condemnation by Christ that dyed without the Gates of Jerusalem which thou confessest to be the ground and main Difference that arose between some of the Quakers and thee p. 10. 2dly In thy asserting That Christ's Soul dyed p. 19. And so thy holding the the Mortality of the Soul in general 3dly Thy asserting That the Book of the Scriptures both was and is the fruit which the Tree of Knowledge bears p. 22. 4thly Thy affirming That there is Two Christs p. 23. Thus thou arguest § 9. J. B. It is no where written in the Scriptures that we shall either be justified or condemned by that Christ which dyed without the Gates of Jerusalem but it is written By Grace ye are saved and by Grace ye are justified and 't is also written By the Light of the World ye are condemned and not by Christ that dyed without the Gates of Jerusalem Antichr Transf p. 17. Answ. Here again thy erronious Blindness is apparent who seest not how consistent being saved and justified by that Christ who is the very Christ of God to whom all the Prophets gave witness AND being saved and justified by his Grace both which the holy Scripture testifie Isa. 53.11 By his Knowledge shall my Righteous Servant justifie many for he shall bear their Iniquities This was a Prophecy of the same Christ that suffered and Mat. 1.21 She shall bring forth a Son and thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his People from their Sins and verse 23. Behold a Virgin shall be with Child and shall bring forth a Son and his Name shall be called Emanuel which being interpreted is God with us And Luke 2.11 For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And that Grace by which we are saved is that Grace of God which comes by Christ see also Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. Where the saving Grace of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity c. are testified of and therefore Salvation by that Christ through his Grace are not Inconsistent J. B. Now if Salvation be by that Christ that dyed without the Gates at Jerusalem then are all the Gentiles perished that were in the World before that Body came into the World Antich Trans p. 18. Answ. Thy consequence is erronious for that very Christ the Son of God was and is Mediator and Saviour from the beginning his outgoings were from of Old he was spiritually in being by his Life Light Spirit and Grace before he took upon him that Body prepared of the Father to do his Will John bore witness of that Man Christ saying He that cometh after me is preferred before me for he was before me John 1.15 And again vers 30. After me cometh a man which is preferred before me for he was before me Therefore the Man Christ Jesus was before he came in the Body or Flesh He was that spiritual Rock which all Israel drank of his Life was the Light of men from the beginning and all the generations of the Righteous did spiritually pâ—rtake of the benefit of Christ as Mediator both before and after his Coming in the flesh they vertually pertook of the Sacrifice of the Lamb of the vertue of the Blood of the Covenant for Remission and were saved by the Life of this Mediator by Faith they pertook of the spiritual Advantage of his suffering and sacrifice who was as a Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World and as in the fullness of time his coming and suffering in the flesh and his tasting Death for every man and his giving himself a Ransom for all were for a Testimony in due time of God's great kindness to Mankind So Christ's coming in the flesh an eminent Dispensation from God ordained and decreed in great love to Mankind So that thereby a greater and more eminent discovery and breaking forth of his Light and Glory in the Gospel Day and Dispensation was manifest in due time which Glory the holy spirit of Christ in the holy Prophets testified of as that which should follow his sufferings and in him are all
Quakers as Erronious Antichristian c. And To give a Testimony against the Quakers false Doctrine as thou falsly callest it even in the Titles of thy Pamphlets but now confessest our Testimony is in the Letter and Book of the Scriptures Thus hast thou denyed and opposed that Testimony which is in the Book of the Scriptures and not only So but most erroniously opposed the Light and Law written in the Heart thereunto when as they do agree and the Scripture cannot be broken Therefore Repent of thy vain and Antichristian opposition Another Contradiction is in thy following words viz. J. B. Your Paper to the Churches is not to be owned by the Churches inasmuch as it was written from a sight or a sence and not in and from the Spirit of Revelation Now whatsoever is written declared or given forth in the sight or in the sence is not to be owned Antichrist's Transformations p. 2. And p. 25. ibid. I disown that to be any true Ministry for God who in their Declarations do exhort both Friends and other People to come to a sence and to wait in a sence and continue in a sence for God is not a sence neither is his Spirit a sence But in plain contradiction â—ereto p. 9. Lazarus was raised and so must we be raised by the same Voice Spirit and Power must we come both to FEEL and Witness Christ the Light within to be our Resurrection and our Life by FEELING and Receiving his Power revealed from Heaven c. Observe Here thou hast confessed to the Truth of Feeling and witnessing Christ Feeling and receiving his Power c. contrary to thy opposing and denying what 's written in the sense and exhorting Friends c. To come to wait and continue in a sence whereas there is a spiritual sence and feeling of divine Life there are spiritual Sences to be exercised by the holy Spirit to discern between good and evil There is a spiritual seeing tasting and handling of the Word of Life but thou hast lost these Senses thou art out of they right Senses which makes thee so Sensless and Nonsensical in thy scribling and full of rambling confused Whimsies Delusions and dark Imaginations which are the effects of thy Disobedience to and Apostacy from the Light of Christ within which convinced thee long ago § 12. And now I would have thee observe thy manifest and practical Contradiction to a Passage in conclusion of thy Gross Errors Postscript The Passage is this viz. J. B. It is an Antichristian Spirit in all which leads People under what Profession soever to think of themselves above others or to be in a better state than others or to separate themselves from others although their Souls may have seen by the Light within them beyond others yet these ought not to separate themselves from others for they have been Children of Darkness as well as others for if they do separate themselves from others then this holds forth a certain Testimony that they do think of themselves above others and also to be in a better state than others are in so that this is all Antichrist's work Answ. Why dost thou then separate thy self from others that is from the Church of England for by this Proposition thou oughtst not so to separate nor to frequent the Quakers Meetings nor to preach in them whether thou thinkest thy self in a better state than those of the Church of England or not or that thy Soul hath seen by the Light within beyond them as doubtless thou thinkest thy self herein above them On this Proposition of thy own thou oughtst not to separate nor to preach in the Quakers Meetings And if thou didst not think thy self to see with the Light within beyond them of the Church of England there were no reason for thee then to separate from them Behold thy Practical Contradiction and Ranterism in thy Proposition or Doctrine against separating from others on the account of seeing with the Light beyond them which is to maintain a confused mixture and society in Worship between those that see with the Light and those that see not with it between the Seeing and the Blind the Children of the Light and the Children of Darkness for thy opposing a Separation from others is without distinction and yet thou art in a Separation from others Why separatest thou from the National Worship and makest thy self a Preacher at the Quakers Meetings in Sudbury when they disown thee thy Preaching and Corrupt Erronious and Antiscriptural Doctrine As Thy Denying Christ the Son of God to be our way to the Father Thy Denying Salvation or Condemnation by the same Christ that suffered Thy Denying the Immortality of the Soul of Christ Jesus or of any other Souls of Mankind and affirming That his Soul dyed and that he internally dyed as to his Soul c. And thy asserting The Book of the Scriptures to be the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge And thy Denying the Arising of the Seed of God and Christ in man And thy Denying to come to a Sense and to wait in a Sense in thy self and opposing preaching from a sight and sence as in thy Antichrists Transformations p. 2 25. Thy dark and erronious Doctrine and Preaching in these things the True Christian Quakers utterly deny with many other dark erronious Positions Whimsies Contradictions and blind Oppositions Falshoods and Abuses foolish and unlearned Questions in thy Pamphlets here omitted as also thy Hypocritical Preaching in pretence For the good of Souls For the quickning of Souls For the raising up of Souls For the converting of Souls That Peoples Souls may partake of the divine Nature and be lifted up into the Kingdom of God c. Which though this be the best sort of thy Preaching and in the best words thou hast yet while thou denyest the Immortality of the Soul and concludest They all dye with the earthly Tabernacles and so a total end of all This thy gross and Atheistical Error is enough to evince thy abominable Hypocrisie and Irreligiousness in the best sort of thy Preaching And therefore give over thy preaching in our Friends Meetings hold thy Tongue lay thy hand upon thy Mouth keep at home and seriously bethink thy self and remember from whence thou art fallen and then condemn retract and call in thy Erroneous and Antichristian Pamphlets Remember I have herein given thee the safest Counsel in Love and Friendship to thee and to thy Immortal Soul which shall remember me when thou art awakened under the hand of thy Righteous Judge who is the Judge of all to whom I can sincerely appeal and commit my Christian and faithful Endeavours concerning these Controversies and Differences with thee and the rest concerned in this Treatise you being all concerned in one Spirit of Opposition Prejudice Strife and Enmity though thou hast exceeded the rest in thy Doctrinal part in presumptuously attempting such an Antichristian Confutation of the Quakers Doctrines And with my solemn
Appeal and Supplication I do Conclude OH Thou Heart-searching God and righteous Iudge of all unto thee I make my Appeal and Supplication against this Jealous Dividing Rending Spirit that hath appeared in Strife and open Contention against thy Servants and faithful Witnesses and against that good order and society that thou hast been pleased to gatber us into Thou knowest the integrity of my soul before thee and that I have waited for thy Counsel how to act and behave my self in these matters and that I have not sought to exalt my self nor any Popularity Party or Interest to my self but only thy Glory and the good of Souls Thou knowest that in the first place my soul hath sought for Peace in the way of Peace and for a quiet Composure of Differences occasioned by some Self-willed and Luke-warm Professors of thy Truth whilst there was any hope or probability thereof before the opposite Party became open Adversaries And O Lord thou knowest I am not alone in this concern many others of thy faithful servants have traveled in the same Christian Spirit with me for peace and quietness and for a quiet end of Differences in Truth and Righteousness But thine and our Adversaries have rewarded us evil for good and to me hatred for my love And now O Lord behold how true love and tenderness is rejected by thy Adversaries and how thy holy spirit is offended Behold and judge the bitterness of their spirits Their Rancor and Fury their Words of Hatred Reviling and Slander against thy faithful Servants and Witnesses Their Disregard to the Honour and Reputation of thy Truth thy Name and People Their working against the Glory and Honour of thy excellent Name among us Their crucifying thy Son afresh to themselves and putting him to open shame and reproach in the Eyes of thy open Enemies and Persecutors of thy People Oh! Lord Lord look down behold and judge for these things show thy Power in putting an end as openly to these Controversies as they are openly forced out into the World by Apostates and Adversaries of thy Truth and People Thou knowest O Lord that though thou hast endued me with a Christian Spirit and with Faith Patience and Rejoycing under all my Sufferings and Tribulations for thy Name sake and enabled me patiently to undergo the open Revilings and Infamies cast upon me both by open profest and secret Enemies in all which I daily praise thy Name for thy Goodness Yet thou hast also endued me with the Spirit of Righteous Judgment Understanding and Zeal for the Glory of thy holy Name and Truth and hast raised me up in defence of thy Gospel to vindicate thy Truth and innocent People who are Lovers of Peace and Union in thy Son Christ Iesus And now O Lord I humbly pray thee preserve thy Lambs and tender Babes and open the Eyes and unvail the Understandings of all whom the Enemy has deceived and prejudiced who are mistaken in their Iudgments and not guilty of willful Opposition and Hatred That they that have not sinned out their day nor become judicially hardened may yet find a place of Repentance and Mercy in returning to thee with Humility true Contrition and Brokenness of Heart that thou maiest heal their Backslidings and love them freely O my God! in these my Labours and Endeavours as I have eyed thee and thy Counsel and thou hast been with me for which I praise thy Name So I recommend all to thee to manifest the real intent and end of all and to plead and justifie my Cause it being thy own Cause and the Cause of thy whole Heritage Amen Amen saith my Soul ADVERTISEMENT FIrst Note That where in pag. 158. of this Treatise mention is made That G. F 's intention and sence is by another hand spoken to That and much more is yet reserved in Manuscript against W. R's abusive Books Secondly That whereas in pag. 205. it is said It being now above six Weeks since the Letter was left at Ely c. and yet no Answer It is now above three Moneths since and yet no Answer received from F. B. being now at the Printing hereof towards the latter end of the 11th Moneth 1682. Thirdly That this Treatise has been long in the Printer's hands and not hastened in the Press because of these Additions in the three last Chapters to Francis Bugg Thomas Crisp John Pennyman and Jeffery Bullock for the Answer to William Rogers's 7 th part of his Christian-Quaker was writ in a short time after it was out Fourthly It is some question whether two or three of the Names in pag. 250. be right i. e. Averset Snazdale and Tysoeth by reason of their Names being badly writ in the Certificate sent up Fifthly Note That where in the Postscript after the Letter to Francis Bugg pag. 253 4. and in his Book also p. 52. he gives account of a Minister thus viz. That in the Quarterly-Meeting Book at Hadenham they shall find a Record wherein he is recorded out of the Vnity for not taking his Wife according to the Order of Friends i. e. not publishing his Intention before the Womens Meetings Which Account is excepted against upon Friends positively giving a contrary one to me Let it be farther remarked that Francis Bugg's pretended Proof appears not from Evidence of the Fact but is his consequence drawn from the Records But first his Consequence appears not only fallacious but false in Fact in his restraining the Order of Friends only to the Womens Meetings which is not consequent to the Record of the Quarterly Meeting dated the first of the 10th Moneth 1675. and cited by F. B. p. 61. for Proof for the extent of that Record is For the consent of Friends at two Mens Meetings and two Womens Meetings c. 2 dly Neither can his Account be true if there was not then a Womans Meeting established in that part of the County but that the complaint of the Monethly Meeting was That the Person concerned did not publish his Intention above once to the Mens Meeting and refused to bring the Woman to any Meeting at all before the time of their Marriage 3 dly Since the said Exception was writ I have met with a Certificate under the Hands of several Persons of Credit i. e. Phillip Taylor William Brasier John Prime and Jacob Baker who do confirm the matter excepted against Francis Fugg's said Account whereby they declare it to be his false Insinuation and a manifest misrepresenting of Friends in those parts and a malicious Falshood For they affirm That there was no Womens Meetings established in that part of the County where it fell in course for the said Person to publish his Intention of Marriage and that because he refused to bring the Woman to any Meeting at all to manifest her consent and intention of Marriage with him And his proposing it but once to the Mens Meeting and that in her absence before he took her to Wife This they looked