The apostate incendiary rebuked, and the people called Quakers vindicated from Romish hirarchy and imposition in a serious examination of VVilliam Mucklows Liberty of conscience asserted against imposition, but proved a liberty which is in Christ Jesus, and against unity and order in his church / by one whose rejoycing is the testimony of a good conscience toward God and man, G. Whitehead. Whitehead, George, 1636?-1723. 1673 Approx. 60 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 14 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2005-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A65836 Wing W1890 ESTC R39076 18209862 ocm 18209862 107144 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . 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Dissenters, Religious -- England. 2004-11 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-12 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-01 John Latta Sampled and proofread 2005-01 John Latta Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-04 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE Apostate Incendiary REBUKED , And the People called Quakers vindicated from Romish Hirarchy and Imposition . IN A Serious Examination OF VVilliam Mucklows Liberty of Conscience asserted against Imposition ; But proved a Liberty of the Flesh , Self-Will , and Confusion , repugnant to the Liberty which is in Christ Jesus , and against Unity and Order in his CHURCH . By one whose Rejoycing is the Testimony of a good Conscience towards God and Man , G. Whitehead . Now I beseech you Brethren , mark them which cause Divisions and Offences , contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned , and avoid them , Rom. 16. 17. They crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh , and put him to open Shame , Heb. 6. 6. But if any Man seem to be contentious , we have no such CUSTOM , neither the Churches of God , 1 Cor. 11. 16. Printed in the Year , 1673. A SHORT EPISTLE To Friends who love the true Light , and desire Sion's Prosperity . Dear Friends , WHo have received and do retain the Love of the precious Truth ; it was for your Sakes and the Truth 's , that I was pressed in Spirit in a godly Zeal , thus to appear against this deceitful Worker and treacherous Spirit , which at length hath shewn it self in open Enmity against the Truth , and us the Church of Christ and elect People of God called Quakers ; otherwise we were unwilling these Controversies should have been brought into the World , being occasioned by some that have walked among us , who should have been reclaimed by the Strivings of God's holy Spirit with them , and the Churches Admonition therein to them , but they had kickt against the Lord , and spurned at his People , hating to be reformed , and therefore open Rebuke is just upon such treacherous Betrayers and deceitful Workers ; one of whom this W. M. hath shewn himself to be , even an Engine of Sathan and Member of Anti-christ , not only in his being an Informer of Truth 's Adversaries against us , but also in publishing and delivering ( near our Meeting Door to the People ) his malitious , lying and confused Papers , striking at Elders and ancient Friends among us in this City of London ; whereby he hath gratified Scorners , and afforded a Theam and Text to that insolent Scoffer , and irreligious Agent of Hypocrites Fra. Chadwel , that old disturber of our Assemblies , who frequently abuseth the Name of Christ , and whom the Truth , hath often confounded and discovered his Wickedness and Lyes : * This is the Fruit of W. M. his Work to animate Scornes and Blaphemers ; the Lord will reward him and all such perfidious Apostates who crucifie to themselves the Lord of Life afresh , and put him to open Shame ; who most unworthily have eaten and drunk among , and been convinced of the Power and Presence of the Lord being with us in our Assemblies , and that thereby he hath chosen us to be his People and Church ; but they went out from us , because they were not of us , and now are become open Enemies in their self-Separation , Conceit and whimsical Motions , opposing the Power of God in his People , rendring his Church fallible , subject to err , and under an Apostacy , and setting up themselves as the infallible Judges over the Church , even over the antient Friends and Elders , who have kept their Integrity to the Lord , and such as therein are grown in that divine Understanding , Wisdom and Power ( as many are among us ) wherein all the Apostates and Anti-christs in the World cannot come near nor touch them , blessed be the Lord for ever : And as for our confessing , that we are the Church of the first-born , let our Doctrine , Testimony , Lives and Sufferings bear witness ; and God's Power which is with us , and his Witness in Men's Consciences be our Proof beyond all that can be spoken , being therein manifest in men's Consciences ( that are tender ) in the Sight of God , having such a Place in the truly tender Consciences , that we need not impose upon them , as it was never our Principle to force , or drive them , or impose , or infringe upon their real Liberty , which is in the Gospel and Power of God , out of which there is no true Liberty ; but for the feared and hardned Consciences of Apostates , Judasses and deceitful Workers ( whose hypocritical Conformity is not at all desirable to us ) we leave them to the Judgments of God to awaken , who in his Day will further discover them , and kindle a Fire in them that will burn to the lowest Hell , and be to their incessant Torment and Anguish , if they seek not a place of Repentance before it be too late ; therefore dear Friends , be ye diligent , and watchful in the true Light to retain the Love of the Truth unto the End , and beware of deceitful Workers and Sowers of Discord ; for they are Abomination to the Lord : And mark them that make Division , and cause Offences contrary to the Gospel ; for they serve not the Lord Jesus Christ nor his People , but their own Bellies , the Flesh and Self-Will . Your Faithful Friend and Servant in the Lords Work , G. W. London 30th . 11th . Month , 1673 , A Serious Examination OF William Mucklow's Liberty , &c. To his Title [ Liberty of Conscience asserted against Imposition , proposed in several Queries . ] THe first part makes a great Shew , and proclaims him an eminent Asserter of a conscientious Liberty against some great Infringement and Bondage ; but he varies in his very next Words [ proposed in several Queries ] as if he could not write consistant Matter ; for this contadicts his great Pretence before , and discredits it to those that understand the Difference between asserting Liberty and proposing Queries , which are about the Imposition as well as Liberty : However we will take the Substance of them ( insinuating Aspersions upon us ) as positive as his Title ; but the ground of his Queries and Charge implyed throughout them against those of the People called Quakers , is as false as is his Work inconsistent ; and in order to make it so appear , Let us inquire , First , What this Imposition is in his Sence that he pretends to oppose ? 2ly , Who those of the Pople called Quakers that have assumed to impose , contratry to their former Testimonies , as he saith ? 3ly , What this Liberty of Conscience is in the Exercise of it that he pretends to assert First , To the first , This Imposition in his Sence , and an inforcing Uniformity and Unity in outward Ceremonies and Gestures , yea , and that upon Persons before they found Convictions in themselves , thereby retaining and letting in the complying Hypocrite that should be cast out . 2ly , Those of the People called Quakers thus charged , and some Persons counted famous and renowned in the Congregation at the City of London , Ancient Heads , Elders in God , &c. that have reduced the People under this Yoak of Bondage . 3ly , The Liberty of his Conscience is to keep on his Hat in the time of publick Prayer to God in our Assemblies , when owned by him ( an unreverent Posture and causless Sign , as among Beleivers * contrary to that Order and Custom in the Churches of Christ , w ch was at first brought forth and setled among us by his Power and in the Unity of the Spirit , and not by any Man's Imposition whatsoever ; and therefore the Foundation of this Man's Work against us is both groundless , and he hath stated the matter very falsly and disingenuously ; for in the same Spirit and Power of Christ we have endeavoured to remove Joh. Perrot's Imposition ( who was the great Examplar ) of disorderly keeping on the Hat in time of publick Payer among us , as they may remember , he first gave the Occasion and Offence to the Church of Christ , by severely imposing it , and judging our innocent Practice ( of putting of our Hat in publick Prayer ) to be Accursed , Idolatrous , a Romish Tradition , and to be repented of , as his Soul had done , &c. Whereby ( together with his Example ) some were seduced into a Party and Prejudice ; this in the Name and Power of our Lord Jesus Christ we witnessed against , and that imposing exalted Spirit , as repugnant to that Unity and good Order , which in the beginning the Lord led us freely into , upon which J. P. the Imposer , being frustrated of his singular Rule and Sect-Mastership , did grant a Relaxation , leaving all to the free Spirit of God in keeping on or putting off the Hat in Prayer , contrary to his judging the latrer Idolatry , Accursed , &c , But afterward his pretended Liberty of Conscience extended to this that he might do that to day in Truth and Righteousness , which to morrow he might be ashamed of , or be denyed in by the same Spirit [ Sordid Ranterism and Blasphemy ] and after he went into Jamaica he could get into worldy pomp and preferment , put of his Hat to Men , and ( in officiating the place of a Clark ) most strictly tender Men Oathes , &c. insomuch that some that had admired him , then were ashamed of him and his Ranterism ; and some of them who for a time were drawn aside and darkned , who were of the more honest and conscientious , after some Labour of Love used ( with them to convince them ) came to a Sence of the Power of God , which rent the Vail , and broke their Hearts , brought them to judge that dividing Spirit , and reduced them back to their first Love and primitive Order ; therefore his Charge of inforcing Uniformity and Unity in outward Gestures upon Men before Conviction , and so far retaining and letting in the complying Hypocrite ( which he flings upon those that are accounted renowned Elders among us in the City of London ) Is all of it utterly false , and also contains a slanderous Aspertion against those that are let in and owned among us , as being complying Hypocrites , which he cannot prove , nor instance any of them that hath thus hypocritically complyed before Conviction , nor that we have Unity with such ; I doubt not but many can with good Conscience testifie against him in this Matter ; and he might have given a more honest Account if his Conscience were rightly exercized ; for hath not he himself been sought in Love and Tenderness both by perswasive Means for his Conviction with Patience and long-Suffering ( by Friends that wished him well ) to reduce him out of that Spirit of Prejudice and Opposition ( which would cover it self with the Hat ) that he might have come into the Unity of the Spirit and Society of the Lord's People ? But he hath rejected Counsel , and persisted in Hardness and Wilfulness , crucified and slain the just one in himself , and become an open Enemy , having entred into Judas's Way , both to the Grief of God's Spirit and People , with whom we include his tender Wife or Mother , or those Relations , whose Respect to the Truth and People of God might have some Influence upon him , if he were not a surly , wilful and conceited Man ; yet his great Pretence is for Liberty of Conscience , but what a tender Conscience he hath we may casily judge from what follows . First , In his Query , viz. Whether it hath not been experienced how difficult it is to root out such , when once they have reduced a People to this Belief , and they in the Exercise of this Authority , because the Honour of being invested in such a Capacity , doth obliege Men to secure themselves in this superior Orbe , and stirs up Men of Parts and Ambition to support such an Hirarchy , in Expectation that it will at last fall unto themselves . 2dly , By his insinuating against us in Print , as supporting such an Hirarchy , as usurps the Place of the Head , breaks in sunder the Unity of the Body , sets up another Head besides Christ , with Romish Positions , such kind of Apellations , Principles and Pretences , as the Church of Rome did obtain her unlimitted Power by . How now William , Is this thy tender Conscience , Moderation , Love and Charity professed towards the People of God called Quakers ? O envious Man , and peevish Incendiary , who art thus reviling and slandering them in the Sight of the Sun ; do not these thy invective Insinuations savour of the Malice of Satan in the height ? Tending to stir up Persecution to destroy and root us out ( if the Lord were not a Wall about us ) and to beget that Jealousie in the Powers against us that 's more cruel then Death ; and even at this Juncture when the Stream appears against the Papists and Rome's Hirarchy ? Let the Lord and all that fear him , or are charitable , judge concerning thy Conscience and Charity towards us in these inveterate Suggestions ; who yet knowest in thy Conscience that we deny the Pope and Rome's Hirarchy . But though the Romish Hirarchy , usurping the Place of the Head , enforcing Men to an Uniformity before Conviction , making them Hypocrites , Arbritary Rule or Judicature , excommunicating Persons meerly for their tender Consciences , be all utterly denyed and detested by us : Yet in the true Church , which Christ was ( and still is ) the Foundation and Head of ▪ God was known to be the God of Order and not of Confusion , and he afforded Helps and Governments in the Church , which could be no such Usurpation or Arbritaries as this Man falsly insinuates against the ancient Friends and Elders amongst us : There were Elders that did rule well , Overseers made by the Holy Ghost , and they had Power from God therein , to set divers things in order , and not only to exhort , perswade and admonish Persons among them , but also to reprove , rebuke and ( in the Name and Authority of Christ ) to command , charge , enjoyn ( and in that Sence ) to impose among themselves matters or things telating to Society and good Order in the Church ( as we know no religious Society but hath a Care of its Preservation ) as in the Wisdom of God they saw Cause ; the Churches of Christ had also Power and Authority in his Name to reject , withdraw from , exclude out of their Communion obstinate and disordily Walkers among them , and all this before Rome's usurped Hirarchy : See Mat. 18. Ch. 17. ver . 18. 1 Cor. 12. 28. Ch. 11. ver . 34. Ch. 5. 4 , 5 , 2. 2 Thes. 2 ▪ 15. Ch. 3. 6. ver . 14. Tit. 1. 5. Rom. 16. 17. 1 Tim. 1. 19 , 20. Phil. 4. 8 , 9. 1 Cor. 14. 37. Ch. 4. 17 , 19. with many more . Now let us consider W. M's tender Conscience as to the Lord his further Manifestation , &c. for his wearing his Hat in time of publick Prayer , where he tells us , that we greatly err who say , the keeping on the Hat is a Practice introduced , unless we can prove it is done upon a religious Account , when as in Truth it is only a Custom left which they formerly practized ; this agrees with what they say in their Spirit of the Ha , p. 24. That they keep it neither off nor on upon a religious Account : Then this bespeaks their meer Indifferency in the Case , if not upon a religious Account ; there is no such tender Conscience nor farther Manifestation in the matter on their parts ; wherefore their Pretence of both is a meer Dissimulation and Cheat ; and if then this Man's Conscience were not asleep , or much hardned , he might see it is in his Wilfulness and Opposition , that he hath persisted in such a reproved and offensive Gesture , as he hath neither the Exercise of Conscience nor Religion in : See what his asserting Liberty of Conscience amounts to ; he should have rather entituled his Paper [ Liberty of self-Will and a perverse Spirit asserted against the Unity and Order of the Church of Christ and People of God called Quakers ] And how do we err in saying , their irreverend Posture is introduced , when it was both brought in and imposed long after they accustomed the contrary in the Church ? But his main Allegation is , He wants ( or finds not ) the Lord's Requiring for the Practice of him . How should he know his Requiring , for that which he is prejudicially engaged against ? And in such a hardned wilful State ( that feels not the living Union ) wherein he hath resisted the holy Spirit in his People , and quencht it in himself ? and how should such a one that despises the Church of Christ , and reviles the Lord's People ( in that State ) joyn with them either in the Unity or Order of Life ? This Man therefore playes the hardned Hypocrite and Dissembler , while he seems to complain of being excluded out of our Communion , when he desires it not with us , having excluded himself , and odified us as grosly as he can to the World. His Complaint of Excommunication , denying him , and others , the Benefit of Marriage and Burial , having a Propriety therein , only for the Omittance of keeping of the Hat in time of Prayer , is neither fully nor truly stated ; for first , we do not deny them Marriage in it self , but among us , and as being out of Unity and Charity with us ( which is more then only for the said Omission ) we may not in Conscience be their Witnesses . 2dly , Denyal of him Burial , He hath not Cause to cast that upon us without Distinction . 3dly , Yet our Friends have Reason to take Care whom they admit Burial among us , to prevent Reproach , as much as in them lies . His saying , They give that Meeting this Appellation , THE BODY , is not true , but also falsly & scornfully given in the Spirit of the Hat , to the Meeting in Devon-shire-House ; for the Lody is but one , and hath many Members ; so also is Christ , which is not made up of one particular Meeting , but of the universal Church of Christ , or general Assembly of the first-born ; and the Tryal of Motions and Unity is by that Life and Spirit which searches all things , and whereby the spiritual Man judgeth all things , and not by a few that seek Preheminence , nor do such sway over us or our Body , as he falsly insinuates , who himself is one of the same Spirit . Many are filled with Prayer and Praises to the Lord in silent Meettings , who notwithstanding sometimes requires some outward Expressions thereof , both in Words and Gestures , and that in deep Humility of Soul , with unvailed Spirits and Heads too , which for this Man to oppose and shew a publick Sign against , is no token of Humility , but of Hardness and self-Exaltation . As for what Gestures we may use in our private Devotion and Prayer , whether walking by the Way , or on our Beds ; it follows not that we must needs be in the same posture in publick Prayer in Meetings , any more then we are to follow our usual Labours or Vocations in our publick Meetings ; and we are not accountable to Apostates of the manner of our private Devotion : What we do is singly to the Lord without Respect to Spectators ( none being present ) but in our Assemblies , he who is the God of Order and not of Confusion , hath called us to express or shew forth Reverence and Order , for the Sake of others , and to do all things to Edification ; and God's Power & Presence we feel with us in what we do ; but one while this Man is heaping Questions against our Practice , another while his Complaint is only about imposing Postures upon our Fellow-Members , which is false ; for they give us no such Occasion , nor hath he approved himself as our Fellow-Member , who hath slighted our Testimony and Exhortation , and refused to hear the Church , being one of them that went out from us , for that they were not of us ; for had they been of us , they would have continued with us . To his Query , Whether the Head mentioned in Cor. 11. may not be covered with a Hat off , and uncovered with a Hat on ? Answ. The Head Christ ( whom he means ) may ; but this Man hath nor rightly considered the Apostle's Words in restraining them only to that Sence of the Head , when they also relate to an outward Order or different Postures of Men and Women ; see ver . 5 , 6 , 7 , 13. which argue that the Women would be uncovered then , which was not comely in them as in the Men ; and the men's being uncovered appears to be in Opposition to the Jews Vails and Coverings under the Law ; as for the Head Christ , he ought not to be covered in the Women any more then in the Men. Que. Have not some kneeled , sat , and stood in publick ▪ &c. Whether a Cap is not as real a Covering to the Head as a Hat ? Answ. No , that it is not ; but these Questions are to excuse himself , and recriminate our Friends ; he states not the Ground of the Difference , which lies chiefly in that Spirit of Division and Opposition in himself and some others , which should it seek to make Discord and Parties , either about kneeling , Cap on , or Cap off in Prayer ; the Life and Power of God in the Church would rise up in Judgment against it and the Discord-Makers ; he triffles touching wearing a Cap , standing or sitting ; for God allows a Conveniency , and what is expedient for the Necessity of the weak , and aged , and feeble in Body , who are not in Prejudice or Opposition in what they do ; yet however , where the substantial part of true Worship is known ▪ which is in Spirit and Truth , with a naked , bowed and broken Heart before the Lord ; there will be no Straitness nor Scruple to express it with uncovered Head and bended Knees as to the Lord , which was practiced among the Saints of old ; but the Liberty we have in Christ touching these lesser matters , we are not bound to give a particular Account of to an Apostate , who with an evil Eye hath sought to spy it out , and with a prejudiced Mind heaps a Multitude of Queries to us ; but for no serious or good End to be sure , having slandered and traduced us as Usurpers , Imposors , self-Seekers Romish , and what not ? However God and our own Consciences bear us Witnesses , that we would not use or strain our Liberty to give either Offence or Occasion of stumbling to our weak Brethren , as false Brethren give by their fleshly Liberty of Self-Will , wherein this Man cannot excuse himself by his pleading the Apostles for bidding to judge one another in Meats , or Drinks or Dayes ; so he was so tender of offending his weak Brother about Meat , thar he would rather forbear eating Flesh , which may condemn thit man's Hardness , who would not so much as forbear his Hat a littls space in Prayer to shun such an Occasion ; so little Regard hath hee either to his weak Brethren , or to the Church for their Sake ; howbeit , when abstaining from Meats came to be imposed , the Apostle opposed it as a Doctrine of Devils , which is to our Purpose of opposing John Perrot's Imposition about the Hat. Que. Why not in prophesying ( he meanes ) keep off the Hat. This Query is because men's praying or prophesying with the head covered is forbidden ; wherein he seems to tell us , we fail in the latter , which , if it were so , is no ground to oppose us in the former , or to gain-say that part of Obedience that appears : But he is mistaken in taking the whole Course of preaching to be that Prophecying intended , that is brought in with Praying ; for all preaching cannot be that intire or peculiar Prophecying , which where any one is immediately called to ; I grant , that its most comely to stand up with the Hat of ; besides there is a difference between praying to God and preaching to Men : I could say more to this Matter , but the Man is unworthy ; also I am informed W. Penn did privately answer him to the Substance of his Queries , which he takes no notice of as an Answer , which he might have published with his Queries ; but that he is willing to heap upon us , and reitterate a Multitude of triffling Questions , as if he would not regard any serious Answer ; and most unjustly and peevishly reflects , like some angry Anabaptist , in saying , When you can pretend Scriptures , prove your Practices , then they shall be your Rule and Touch-Stone ; but when you are out of their Practices and Commands , then the Spirit and not the Scriptures is your Rule : Whereas we have alwayes preferred the Spirit of Truth as our Rule and Touch-Stone , and to produce the Scripture to prove our Practice ( is not to make them our Rule and Touch-Stone instead of the Spirit ) which therefore shews our Belief and Esteem of the Scriptures in their place . Oh envious and confused Man ! How dishonestly and perversly hast thou stated the Controversie ; our citing that , 1 Cor. Ch. 11. was not the Ground , Touch-Stone and Rule of our Practice ; for the Spirit of Life which moves us to pray , singly brought us into it in the beginning without any such outward Consideration , but it was truely cited to prove that our reverent Order and Practice in Prayer was not a Romish Tradition , brought forth in the Apostacy and Curse , as J. P. and some of his Disciples falsly charged this our Order and Custom in the Church of Christ , after they themselves had been some time therein with us . His alledging , different Measures , Growths , Motions , further Manifestation , Addition , and how ab●ndantly different Gestures will contend the Unity of true faith ; for his contradictory and offensive Behaviour in time of publick Prayer these are but false Covers , and savor of meer Ranterism in the bottom , like the Ranters , VARIETY IN UNITY , AND UNITY IN VARIETY for their fleshly Liberty , wherein they contemptuously have stood staring at us with their Hats on in time of publick Prayer , whose Spirits we Judged in the beginning ; whereas different Measures , Growths or further Manifestations , in the true Church ( which must relate to one and the same Light and Truth ) do neither change the Property of the thing , nor make it another Dispensation ; nor can they cause Contradiction , Opposition or Division in one Member against another , as is between this Appostatized Ranting Spirit ( that Quarels about the Hat ) and the Spirit of the true Church , which acts in Unity , Peace and good Order . His pretence of a further Manifestation , Growth or Addition , for that his irreverent Custom which is not upheld by him upon a Religious Account , is a manifest and gross Contradiction ; and his further Manifestation , Growth and Addition , pretended , must be beyond us all , and above the whole Church ( if we will believe him ) for therein he assumes an Authority to judge and revile both Elders and Ancient Friends , and infamously to notifie particular persons to the World , as he pleaseth , and to set a Mark upon them : and all this without either dealing with them as Christ injoyned , Mat. 18. 16 , 17. or having the least Consent of the Church , which he hath owned among us ; and indeed contrary to all Gospel and Christian order in the Church . Thus while he is accusing ancient Friends , with Usurping a Head-Ship , setting up a Romish Hirarthy ; he himself is acting the part of an usurping Pope , proud Prelate , and exalted Diotrophes , that loved Preheminence , and yet would make the World believe , that he is a man of a very tender conscience , and great Humility ; but this is as real as his Brother John Penyman entituling himself , One of the least of thousands in Israel , or the Popes being a Servant of Servants . Howbeit his great Capital and Charge is , That we assert those Romish Positions , which having enslaved Nations , and destroyed thousands , and is of a most dangerous unutterable Consequence [ Mark , Reader , by the way how he acts the part of a most malitious Incendiary what more envious an Instigation to Persecution could he have brought forth at this Juncture against us ? Oh Treacherous Apostate , Judas the Lord Rebuke thee ] But what are those Romish positions ? They are namely , 1st , That we are to believe as the Church believes : 2dly , That the Church cannot err : 3dly , That she hath Power to bind and to loose : 4thly , That it is abominable Pride not to submit to her Judgment , she having alwayes the infallible Spirit , &c. However to his own Confutation , he seems herein to clear us from setting up an usurped Hirarchy of some that seek Preheminence over the Body , & limitting the Power to persons ( as he falsly suggests ) for here the Power is attributed to the Church in general , yet in these Positions he deals very unfairly ; for to believe as the Church believes , &c. May be taken , as if we use to preach those bare positions as our great Arguments to enforce People into our Faith ; which we never did ; but commend our selves to every man's Conscience in the Sight of God , and therein are we manifested ; yet that I may loose nothing of Truth 's Testimony . To the first I affirm , That the true Church is in the true Faith that is in God , and we must either believe thus as the true Church believes , or else it were but both a Folly and Hypocrisie to profess our selves Members thereof ; this man hath treacherously betrayed both his own Conscience and Testimony , who while he would seem to own the Church of Christ , as a Member of her ; yet tells the World , It is a most dangerous Position that we are to believe as the Church believes , Oh , Treacherous Enemy to the Church of Christ. 2dly , Is it so dangerous , that this Church ( or universal Body of Christ ) cannot err ? Whenas the Church signifies the Elect , and Christ implies an Impossibility that the very Elect should be deceived , Mat. 24. 24 Or that the Gates of Hell should prevail against his Church , and promiseth his Presence to the End of the World : Were it either reasonable or just to conclude , the whole Body or Church of Christ is liable to err , because some particular Members may ? Observe the Darkness and perverse Spirit of this Apostate and Accuser of ( not only the Brethren , but ) the whole Church ; for he states not this Charge against a false Application made of the said Positions by the Church of Rome , but against the Positions themselves , as being destructive and dangerous , and as asserted concerning the Church , not this nor that particular Church , Congregation or Assembly , but it s the Church his Quarrel lies against . 3dly , He is even also against the Church having Power to bind and to loose , though this was a certain Priviledge given of Christ Jesus unto the Church ( who in him received a living Sence of both Judgment and Mercy ) even to bind and to loose , by the Power of the holy Ghost given unto her , see Mat. 18. 18 Joh. 20 , 22 , 23. If it must needs be accounted dangerous to assert this ? then it s dangerous to confess the power of Christ that is in the true Church the man hath greatly wronged and out faced his own Conscience . 4thly , If he will not hear the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen man , &c. what is it but abominable Pride for any one ( especially that professeth himself a Member of the true Church ) to Refuse to hear her , or submit to her judgment ? when demonstrated ? for she must needs have both the infallible Spirit and true Judgment ; if every living Member pertake thereof , he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his ; and God is come in ten Thousand of his Saints to judge the Ungodly , and the Saints shall judge the World ; and doth not W. M. profess the Spirit of Christ , that he hath it ? Yet tells the Word , It is a Romish Position , destructive and dangerous to assert , that the Church hath alwayes the infallible Spirit ( that is the Spirit of Christ ) but did not Christ promise the holy Spirit the Comforter to his Church , saying , He shall abide with you forever ; and is not this infallible , and the Church's Judgment therefore of Value ? Oh how sadly hath this Opposer violated his own Conscience , perverted the right Wayes of God , and abused the pretious Testimony of Truth ? And seeing his Charge is so high against us for asserting those four Positions afore-said on the behalf of the Church ; and that they are both Romish , Destructive and of a most dangerous Consequence ; it naturally follows that he deems it not dangerous nor destructive for him to assert the contrary , namely , 1. That we are not to believe as the Church believes ( but rather as W. Mucklow and his Brother J. Pennyman believe ) seeing that they have assumed a Jurisdiction over the Church , and a Power to judge her . 2. That the Church can err , is fallible , or is liable to be deceived and apostatize ( as he questions us . ) 3. That she hath no such Power as to bind and to loose : [ Wherein he sets his Judgment above Christ's , in Opposition to his express Promise to his Church . ] 4. That the Church hath not alwayes the infallible Spirit ( which is Christ's ) and therefore it is no Pride , but great Humility in W. M. and J. P. ( as being the lowly Ones ) not to submit to the Church in matter of Judgment : So that at this Rate they will claim a Superiority and Preheminence above the Church ( which heretofore they have owned , and confessed to the Power of God in her ) as if this had the Infallible Spirit , when the Church wants it ; if this be not a Head-ship and Usurpation , a degree higher then the Pope himself pretends to , let all intelligent Readers judge ; is so be the Pope pretends to an Infallibility , not as in a Separation from the Church , but as professing Unity with her still , though he be really Anti-christian in his usurping the Headship , that he doth ; and so are these Men , who like evil Spies have brought Evil Reports upon the good Land , and despise the Church of God , even his People ( called Quakers ) contrary to their first Love , Testimony and Conviction . As for W. M. his Addition to his Queries it contains both apparent Untruths , Folly and Confusion against the Church of Christ , implying the Churches Apostacy , Declension or Fall from what was testifyed in the beginning among us , which is as good Doctrine as to tell us , that Christ's Spouse , Bride or the Lamb's Wife is become an Adulteress ; where then is the Church's Security or Care taken over her by the Head ? But this Man himself is fallen , and not the Church nor Ministry in it , though most grosly slandered in the Spirit of the Hat , which J. P. pretended in publick he would prove ; but instead thereof exhibited divers Articles against particular Persons , to prove , that our Preachers and Leaders are not so infallible as they pr●tend to be , which was much besides and short of the slanderous Charge given in the Spirit of the Hat , p. 43. But how infallible they ever pretended themselves to be , he told not , he was not so ingenuous ; did we ever preach up meerly our selves as Infallible , or pretend Infallibility any otherwise then as instructed by the Spirit of Christ , which is Infallible ? Or did we ever place it upon human Understanding , as meer Men , but upon that divine Understanding that God giveth ? But these Apostates judge others from their own Darkness , and evil Thoughts , and therein render the Body as divided from the Head , and rent to peices within it self , which is that the Devil ( the old Divider ) hath sought , and now sets his Agents on Work to make the World believe a Lye , viz. That he hath made such Division in the Church , as where W. M. saith , In the Beginning , Christ within us was then to be Head , but now the Body without us . A manifest Slander against the Body of Christ ; never such a Doctrine was preached or owned among us , That now the Body without us is to be the Head , and not Christ ( as implyed ) and yet he grants , Christ to be the Head of the Body ; and is not that Body the Church which he hath owned ? See what Contradiction Envy leads this Man into , who also saith , That the Chuch was then to be in Subjection to her Head , and every Member governed and exercized according to the Order of the Head ; but now the Body , the Church claims Authority over their Fellow-Members , as peculiarly having the infallible Spirit , &c. These latter Words from [ BUT ] contain two false and Unjust Reflections upon the Church ; for , First , the Body or Church claims no such Authority over their Fellow-Members ; it is gross Confusion in him for to affirm it ; for all Fellow-Members thereof are included in the same Body in Subjection to one and the same Head , which is Christ. 2. None of the Fellow-Members of the Body of Christ , are excluded from having the infallible Spirit in some degree , as if it were peculiar only to some few , whenas its universal throughout the whole Body ; though there be diversities of Gifts given , as the Lord sees meet , to every Man his proper and peculiar Gift , which all tends to Unity and Edification of the whole Body : But this Man seems to claim a Member-ship in the Church or Body ( as he calls us ) and yet judges and reviles the Church ; what then would he be a Member of ; Is it of such a Body that he represents , as torn to peices , and rent from the Head , or fallen under Apostacy ; for we cannot look upon the Church to be made up of himself and John Pennyman , or a few of their Spirit ; and that were also contrary to J. P's writing himself , One of the least of the Thousands in Israel ; but whether he had such low Thoughts of himself or not ; let God's Witness and his People ( who have beheld his Deportment and Luceferian Spirit ) judge . W. M. saith , Friends , That which was declared of , and testified unto in the beginning was , to direct our Minds unto the Heavenly Gift ( not to the Church ) but to the Manifestation of the Spirit in the particular waiting there to feel its Motions , and to hear its Voice , which would infallibly teach us our Duty towards God , our Neighbour and our selves ; and not to go forth into Reasonings to promote comely Orders after the Manner of men , nor to be found in the Exercise of any thing in his pure Worship , but what the Lord , not the Body required , else to stand still , &c. Herein he hath intermixt his perverse Parenthesis , falsly charging us in divers Respects , as if the Heavenly Gift and the Church were now separate ; and what the Lord and his People require in Oppositior ▪ or as if we were promoting a Body without the Spirit , or Subjection to what the Lord requires , as if our Testimony were now so much varied from what it was in the Beginning ; these are all most falsly suggested , his saying , It was to direct our minds to the Heavenly Gift , not to the Church , to what the Lord , not the Body required : See what Division this would make between the Lord , and his People ; but he mistakes [ Not to the Church ] for our Testimony was in the beginning and still is , to promote the Unity of the Spirit in our directing the Minds to the Spirit , and to them that love the Lord , to dwell in Love and Unity , which all come unto who come unto the Heavenly Gift , and to follow the Lord's Requirings therein , which is unerring ; and what is this but to preach up a true Church-State , which hath been the real Intent and Tendency of our Testimony from the Beginning ? And had this Man been faithful to what was testfied in the Beginning ( as he pretends a great Esteem thereof ) the Unity and Society of the Church and People of God called Quakers would have been of more value with him , then now so enviously and confusedly to quarrel with them , or any comely Order or reverent Custom in the Church , as he doth , which he did not in the Beginning ; for when his Mind was directed to the Manifestation of the Spirit , which would infallibly teach us our Duty towards God , our Neighbour and our selves ( as he saith ) then he ( and the rest concerned ) in the Beginning did not irreverently sit with their Hats on in publick Prayer among us , nor say that the contrary among us was a going forth into Reasonings to promote comely Orders after the manner of Men ; for what needed that , when the infallible Spirit , which was then owned to be their Teacher , freely led them into it ? Nor did the Apostle so go out into reasoning , when he exhorted the Saints to think on whatsoever things were true , honest , just , pure , lovely , of good Report , &c. But this Man is offended at our vindicating that Order which was made both lovely and comely ( by that Spirit that set it up ) since he is gone out from that infallible Spirit which he was directed to in the Beginning , which then moved and led them into both Reverence to God , Respect to his People , and how to behave themselves in the Church of Christ , both in Decency and in Order . Note that W. M. in so plainly professing , and ( in Words ) owning the Truth 's Testimony and Infallibility of the Spirits Teaching , as it was in the Beginning testified to among us , he hath therein said more for the comely Order that then was brought forth in our Assemblies , and for the Church having the infallible Spirit to know Truth from Error and the right from the wrong Spirit , then ever he can say or produce for the contrary , viz. for his keeping on his Hat in Prayer , for his accusing the Church with Fallibility , Apostacy , or the Antient Friends with Imposing , Usurping , &c. Out of his own Mouth he is condemned , as one apostatized from the Heavenly Gift , from his first Love , Convincement and Order , and hath wilfully excluded himself from the Union and Society of the Church of Christ. He still boggles and seems offended at the Body , the Church , having the infallible Spirit , the certain unerring Judgment reciding with them upon all Occasions to know Truth from Error and the right from the wrong Spirit ; will you limit the Lord ? saith he . Answ. Is it a limitting the Lord for the Body or Church of Christ to have his Spirit which is infallible ? and an unerring Judgment so far as we received from the same Spirit ? What gross Darkness is come over this Man ? Doth not the spiritual Man judge all Things ? And the Saints shall judge the World ; and dare he say that the Spirit of Christ hath not taught the Church Truth from Error , nor to know the right from the wrong Spirit ? Whenas the Principle we direct unto , and our Testimony concerning it , he dares not say is fallible ; but seems to justifie our Testimony as it was in the Beginning , and in Words to own Inward Motions , Voice and Teachings of the infallible Spirit , and the measure thereof within to try the Verity of our Doctrine : And why should it be rendred a limitting of the Lord for the Church to claim this Priviledge , as thus , having the unerring Spirit ? And that we have it to guide and give discovery in the weighty matters of Faith and Salvation , and to try Spirits , whether they be of God or no ? Surely then we need not want true Understanding and Judgment in things of lesser Concernment . And we are so far from limitting the Lord , his Power and Church to Persons , or such as would exercise Authority above their places , that we affirm ( as we experience ) that the Power is universally free and unlimitted , and the whole Church , even every living Member of the Body of Christ pertakes of it , though every Member is not an Eye ; and we further testifie that wheresoever two or three are gathered together in Christ's Name , there he is in the midst of them to aid and ass●st them , whether it be to make Agreement on Earth , end Differences , give a true Judgment in matters as there shall be need in the Church among the weak , or only to wait in Truth of Heart upon the Lord , to receive inward Advantage unto their Souls ; and God beareth us Record that our Eye is to his Power , and our Dependence is upon his Counsel upon all weighty Occasions in our Assemblies , and not upon our own Understandings meerly as Men. Now it were very gross and impious to deny that Priviledge to the whole Church , Body or general Assembly , which two or three met in the Name of Christ pertake of , namely , his Presence in the midst of them ; and if his Presence be in the midst of two or three met in his Name , surely he will not be absent from a greater number so met ; but saith W. M. Cannot he reveal to a particular , yea such things as the Church would he startled at , yea , and be ready to question the Verity thereof ? yet he confesseth , that it hath pleased the Lord to reveal himself unto the lowly Ones , that are little in their own Eyes to inform the Church and Elders thereof : And are not these lowly Ones Members or included in the Church then ? Or is the whole Church or Body which he confesseth Christ to be the Head of , in such an Exaltation over the lowly ones ? Oh what confused Work doth this man make ? yet we will grant him that , that may be revealed in some particular Cases to a Prophet or Apostle , which is not to all in the Church ; but then such Prophets or Apostles are no self-Separators , but included in the Church , as having one Head , and then the Church will not be startled thereat , nor question the Verity thereof , but be in Subjection to the Power or Head Christ , which reveals ; and the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets . John to the Angells of the seaven Churches in Asia ; Moses , Isaiah , Jeremiah , &c. to the Jews had particular Discoveries and Reproofs who thereby did not make Divisions nor Schisms in the true Evangelical Church , nor oppose any comely Order or Custom therein ; but then his Comparison is unequal between the Church ( or Body of Christ ) now , and the Carnall Jews , fallen Angells , Elders that sat in Moses Chair , who Resisted the Appearance of Christ both in Flesh and Spirit , or between the Spirituall Church , and Congregation of Israel whom Caleb and Joshuah withstood ; is there not a manifest disparity between the Carnal Jews Under the Law , and the Spiritual Church now Under the Gospel , from whom his Work still drives at a Separation in those he counts the lowly Ones that may have such things revealed as the Church may be startled at ? who then are those lowly Ones that are not of the Church ? And what are those peculiar Revelations or Motions ? Are they such as John Perrot , John Pennyman , W. Mucklow , &c. whose perverse Spirits and Works of Darkness are denyed by the true Church among us , as J. Perrot with his Motion , To be ashamed to morrow of that which he might do in Truth and Righteousness to day ? or J. Pennyman with his Motion to have the Bible and Testimonies of Martyrs , with other good Books to the Exchange in order to burn ? Or to invite both Jews and Gentiles to the Publication of his Wedding at Merchant-Taylors Hall ( and to his many Venson Pasties , voluptuous Extravigancy ) and there to act a Fool 's Tragedy , and to tell the People , I have taken M. B. but when and where he had before taken her he told not ( so how should they witness to his clandestine Proceedings ? they hoped they should have come to his Wedding , but were cheated and deceived of their Expectations ) And afterwards his Motion to cry against us in our publick Assemblies ; which whimsical Motions and mad Actions of his the Church hath utterly denyed and condemned ; and also W. M. with his Motion to deliver his envious confused Papers neer our Meeting-House Door to all sorts of People , to render the People of God called Quakers odious and obnoxious ; it seems , he values his own Reputation ( which he pleads for ) more then the Church's . He saith , Of what hath been said this is the Sum , A Church limitted to Persons may impose an Error , and cast out the most spiritual : Seeing his great Matter against the Church , is summed up in this narrow Compass ; let it be noted , that his Charge against the Church or Body , which he hath confest Christ to be the Head of , is varied into a Supposition against a Church limitted to Persons , that such a Church may err and cast out the most spiritual : And that is not true , as it s universally stated of a Church limitted to Persons , which is any Church or selected number of persons , whereas there are Persons in the true Church , that are grown in the Truth and VVisdom of God , who being chosen out by the Lord and his People for any Service of Truth , they are a Church , and fitted to do the Service they are called to ; and so are two or three gathered in the Name of Jesus , whom he is in the midst of : And to be sure , if this Man will own that there is any Members in the Church , of a sound Judgment ( or any Eyes in the Body ) there may be a Church or select Number chosen out , that will give a true Judgment , and make a right Distinction between the pretious and the vile ; and we know there are such Persons in the Church of Christ now , Men growa in the Light and Wisdom and Counsel of God ; and of old the Church had Power in some Cases to chuse out Men of honest Report , full of the holy Ghost and Wisdom ▪ and there were Elders and Overseers made by the holy Ghost ; however the Elders and ancient Frie●ds now , who have kept their Integrity be slited by Apostates , who are fruitless withered Branches ; as for this Man's Vindication of his Innocency from being one of the Cabal with the Author of Tyranny and Hypocrisie , in that he saith , He hath not the least A●● 〈…〉 with him that is said to b● the Author thereof . We do not look upon this to be sufficient to clear him from being one of the Cabal , or Correspondent with some of those that had a Hand in that slanderous Pamphlet , because some of the matter came from himself , he was an Informer at least , confessing himself to be concerned in page 50. and 52. and he hath appeared in the very same Language of the Spirit of the Hat and Tyranny , &c. against us ; however he seems to clear himself more from being directly the Author of the latter then of the former ; for that Spirit of the Hat shews forth W. M's perverse Spirit and Language ( against the Body , and our Ministry and Elders ) rei●terated in this late Paper : His Reflection upon J. W. and T. M. is answered before in our Book against Judas and the Jews . However he hath not dealt either like a Brother or Christian with them , in notifying them to the World in such an infamous manner ; if they had been culpable of all that 's reported against them ( which they are not ) he should have first admonished them in private , and not to have dealt with them as with Heathen , in this publick manner , unless they had refused ( not only ) to hear ( him and two or three more ) but the Church also : I appeal to his Conscience , hath he taken this Course to gain his Brother according to Christ's Precept ; and dare he say that T. M. hath not been dealt withall for his Miscarriage , though we never understood it was so gross as rendred in Tyranny and Hypocrisie [ wherein J. W. and many others are abused ] However is it equal to cast that upon us which we have condemned and are clear of ? Or to upbraid any with what is past , that have repented , received Mercy and Forgiveness from the Lord ? Would he be so dealt by ? Oh hard-Hearted perfidious Man. To his saying , It is denyed that he accused G. F. to be a Respecter of Persons in Judgment ; but he positively affirms , he did so accuse him . But I ask , how is it denyed that he did so accuse him , when it is confest , that some pronounced Woes upon W. M. Judas and the Jews , p. 22. which sure was on some Occasion given by him ; therefore his Accusation was condemned by the Meeting ( and so in the said Book ) as false ; and Wo belongs to that treacherous Spirit that was the Author of it , and since hath spread it to the World ; he saith , He is ready to make good his Charge , if they deny it , &c. It seems , it is not made good yet then ; but still he violates Christ's Precepts , for if he could have made it good , he should have done it before two or three Witnesses and the Church , if there had been need , and not have publisht it to the World , unless there had been a refusing to hear the Church ; but on the contrary , the Church hath given Judgment and Pronounced Woes against this ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN who hath refused to hear the Church . His accusing us with justifying the accused when guilty , and condemning the Accusers when Innocent , and saying , until you take Shame unto your 〈◊〉 & lie low before the Lord for these Abominations , &c. If he had apprehended any Injury done him of this kind by any among us , he should have told the party of it particularly , that the matter might have been heard and determined within the Church , and not have ( in this general Way of charging ) divulged it to the World , tending to beget a general Suspition against us , but its manifest , that his Accusations proceed from an envious Heart , which God will judge , and favour of an exalted Luciferian Spirit in him , that assumes such an Infallibility in Judgment , and Power to exclude and excommunicate others , which he will not allow the Church ( or Body that Christ is Head of ) among us , whilst all along he suggests that the Church may err in Judgment and Tryal of Spirit● , but he would have his Judgment against us believed as Infallible ( no doubt ) or else he would not be so positive in it , but rather have ●●●ted it as Queries proposed , which is not Liberty of Cons●ien●● 〈◊〉 . His admonishing us to let Judgment pass upon the Transgressors and ●●●are no Person whatsoever for Favour or Affection ; implies then that we ( as the Church ) must have infallible Judgment and Power to pass it : How well this agrees with much of his Work against the Church , I leave to them whose Eyes are open to judge . To his pretending , that he hath discharged his Conscience towards us in Faithfulness . VVe are sure that his reviling us openly to the VVorld , and infamously notifying Persons among us , without any faithful , friendly , or Gospel-Proceeding with them within the Church ; these do neither savour of any tender Conscience nor Christian Spirit . Oh gross Dissimulation and manifest Hypocrisie and Treachery , thus to place his own Malice and Shame ( he has fomed out against us ) upon Conscience and Faithfulness : And so his conclusive Title to himself savours of meer feigned Flattery and deceitful Insinuation , in calling himself , One who greatly desires to see Moderation , Love and Charity to be mutually extended unto all those whose Hearts are upright and Consciences tender towards the Lord , though in several Forms . Thus he would ingratiate himself into a popular Affection , whenas he hath shewn neither Moderation , Love nor Charity ( but the contrary ) towards the House-hold of Faith , among whom he sometime walked not long since ( namely , among the People of God called Quakers ) having represented them , as no better than a Church made up of 1. Imposing usurping Elders ; 2. Complying Hypocrites ; 3. Fearful , Enslaved and Ignorant Persons , who comply for Fear or Self-Interest , and not from a real Conviction in themselves : The very Tenour of his VVork doth at least implicitely thus charge us : And as we are a People professing the Name of God , and bearing witness to his pretious Truth ; we do commit our Cause to him to plead and vindicate our Innocency from these Aspertions and Slanders , not doubting , but he will rebuke that Treacherous Spirit , that hath so grosly abused and mis-represented us to the VVorld . AS concerning B. Furly's Paper long since writ , but lately part of it inserted in Tyranny and Hypocrisie , and which that Scoffer Fra ▪ Chadwel , and others of Truth 's Adversaries have boasted of against me ; this may signifie , that as it was writ when B. F. was clouded by this Spirit of Division ; since ( through the Lord's Mercy ) he hath been brought to a better Understanding , and to see and judge his former Prejudice and VVorks thereof ; being satisfied also that the Apostates and Baptists had not in the least B. F's Consent in the Publication of his Paper , which I did ( presently after I had it ) give a plain and full Answer * to in the Light of Truth ; and J. Pennyman was privy to those Controversies , being intrusted in conveying the Letters between us ; but he was not pleased to publish my Answer , but rather to abuse my Name in Print without Cause , accusing me with subtil and dark Imaginations , * But he should look at home , and see his own dark Imaginations : Judge serious Reader , what Respect these Men have to the Truth and People of God , in their reviling the Innocent , despising the Church of Christ in print , publishing Weaknesses and Failings of particulars , that have been judged by them long ago , raking up condemned Stuff to cast upon us , telling those things in Gath , and publishing them in Ashkelon , that cause the Uncircumcised to triumph : All which have necessitated us , thus publickly to appear in Truth 's Vindication against them . G. W. Some Defects and Faults escaped in the Press , thus to be corrected . EPistle page 3. Line 12. read have kickt . P. 4. The Margin-Note relates to Fra. Chadwell . L. 9. r. among us . P. 7. L. 1. for and r. is . L. 6. for and r. are . L. 8. for Heads r. Friends . P. 8. L. 2. for in r. him . L. 33. for or Mother r. and Mother . P. 9. L. 33. r. Arbitrariness . P. 12. L. 19. for nor r not . P. 15. L. 19. dele and. P. 17. L. 4. for Word r. World. L. 28. for this r. they P. 18. L. 10. for hat r. that . THE END Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A65836-e180 * Whose false Doctrines & Blasphemies against the true Light , we have also upon Record . Notes for div A65836-e380 * Howbeit it hath been a Mark of our disowning the Prayers of the wicked and Unbelievers , and the same Spirit that hath led us to deny doffing our Hats to Men , or to honour proud Flesh , hath led us to doff them in Prayer to God in our Assemblies . * Which I could yet produce if need were . * In his Paper , dated London , 3. Day of Aug. 1671.