Judas and the Jews combined against Christ and his followers being a re-joynder to the late nameless reply, called, Tyranny and hypocrisie detected, made against a book, entituled The spirit of Alexander the Coppersmith rebuked, &c. which was an answer to a pamphlet, called, The spirit of the hat, in which truth is cleared from scandals, and the Church of Christ, in her faith, doctrine, and just power and authority in discipline is clearly and fully vindicated against the malicious endeavours of a confederacy of some envious professors and vagabond, apostate Quakers / by ... William Penn ; to which are added several testimonies of persons concern'd. Penn, William, 1644-1718. 1673 Approx. 309 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 66 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2007-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A54155 Wing P1307 ESTC R23117 12752487 ocm 12752487 93328 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 . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A54155) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 93328) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 727:36) Judas and the Jews combined against Christ and his followers being a re-joynder to the late nameless reply, called, Tyranny and hypocrisie detected, made against a book, entituled The spirit of Alexander the Coppersmith rebuked, &c. which was an answer to a pamphlet, called, The spirit of the hat, in which truth is cleared from scandals, and the Church of Christ, in her faith, doctrine, and just power and authority in discipline is clearly and fully vindicated against the malicious endeavours of a confederacy of some envious professors and vagabond, apostate Quakers / by ... William Penn ; to which are added several testimonies of persons concern'd. Penn, William, 1644-1718. 130, [1] p. s.n.], [London : 1673. Errata: p. [1] at end. Joseph Smith (Catalogue of Friends' Book II, 190) attributes "The spirit of the hat" and "Tyranny and hypocrisie detected", to William Mucklow. Reproduction of original in Huntington Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO. 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Society of Friends -- Controversial literature. 2005-07 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2005-10 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2006-07 Ali Jakobson Sampled and proofread 2006-07 Ali Jakobson Text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion Judas and the Jews Combined against Christ and his Followers : BEING A Re-joynder to the late Nameless Reply , called , Tyranny and Hypocrisie Detected , made against a Book , entituled , The Spirit of Alexander the Copper-Smith Rebuked , &c. which was an Answer to a Pamphlet , called , The Spirit of the Hat. In which Truth is cleared from Scandals , and the Church of Christ , in her Faith , Doctrine , and just Power and Authority in Discipline is clearly and fully vindicated against the malicious Endeavours of a Confederacy of some Envious Professors and Vagabond , Apostate Quakers . By a Member and Servant of the Church of Christ , William Penn. To which are added several Testimonies of Persons concern'd He that Dippeth his Hand with me in the Dish , the same shall betray me , Mat. 26.23 . They went out from us , but were not of us , 1 Joh. 2.19 . In Perils among false Brethren , 2 Cor. 11.26 . Nevertheless , the Foundation of God stands sure , 2 Tim. 2.19 . Printed in the Year 1673. Judas and the Jews Combined against Christ and his Followers . The Introduction . THe Just Defence of our so much Reviled Principles and Persons is so ill resented by our Enemies , that instead of publickly Recanting their Injustice , They repute us more Criminal for so doing , then themselves in first Traducing us . It is become a sort of Petty Treason to Reprove them , they are grown almost incorrigible ; and to Controle them , though in a Lye , is hateful : so much more do they prefer our Destruction , then the Truth it self , or their own Reputation . Strange ! That it should be reputed Innocency to Accuse the Guiltless , and Guilt to Defend them . Are we of God , then shall we stand , maugre your Assaults ; if not , we shall fall without them . What need this Clubbing for Mischief , and Caballing to our Ruin ? The Jews , I believe , never studied the Crucifying of Christ more vehemently , then you vigorously combine and plot the Massacring of our Names , Credit and Principles , out of the World : yea , and we have Cause to suspect our Persons too ; or else this Socinian-Defender of the Hat-Spirit , would never have told the World in almost so many words , that Blasphemers were to dye by the Law of God , and the Quakers are Blasphemers ; every Man can make the Conclusion ; that understands what a Conclusion is , see pag. 23. It s a Work becomes Darkness ; for such I call your Nameless Pamphlet , in which you have abused Vertuous and Good People by Name , not daring to stand the Test of putting your Names to your Abuses ; against which can be no Fence but Innocency , and that remains Unshaken by all your Blustering Epithetes : That rests with God , who will quell your swelling Rage , and speedily Rebuke that great Herricane your Envy has raised to over-set us in our Voyage to Eternal Rest . But he that said to Moses in an Hour of Straight , Stand still , and thou shalt see my Salvation , has once and again Comforted us under all these Discouragements : Neither are your Combinations Terrible ; No , though Evil Spyes have been your Informers . Our greatest Trouble is your own Hardening , and we are sorry to see you make so much haste to old Jerusalem's Portion : For us , we know in whom we have believed ; And as he that feedeth the Fowls of the Air , and clotheth the Lillies of the Field , preserves us , so that your Buffettings may prove our Tryals , but in the End your own Judgments . For , however you buoy your selves up , by the Acceptance you find with some Airy or Prejudiced Spirits , God will certainly enter into Judgment with you for your Envious Proceeding , who not being able to carry on your own Controversies , now list your selves Combatants for a few stragling Apostates ; not out of Love to true Quakers , but Hatred to such as are so . What Sense is there in believing you only intend a False Quaker , who have writ and abetted those Writings that are against us as Quakers at all ? But what shall I say ? It is an Age grown to that Degree of Impiety , that there is no Friendship so Strait , no Relation so Near , no Truth so Evident , nor Life so Innocent , that some Men are not hardy , and wicked enough to Break , Violate and Slander , to Avenge some supposed Wrong , or gratifie an Emulous Spirit . Controversie End , upon Socinian Principles , &c. is risen now in one , about the Hat on in Prayer . What Variety of Shapes do our Adversaries put on to compass their Ends ? It has been their Practice , first to Abuse our Principles , and then Rail at our Defences ; and for Vindicating our Religion , to fall foul upon our Persons ; and those chiefly who are most active in that Service . There needs no other Demonstration of this , then the Scurrilous Libel now to be considered ; which with me carries so Mischievous an Aspect , that the Parties concerned in these Undertakings do by it proclaim , they only want as much Power , as Will , to send us and our Principles to New-England for a Venture . God deliver us from those Magistrates , that are as Angry in Government , as these Men are in Religion ; But this is our Joy , That these Enemies speak all manner of Evil against us falsly , for our Lord and Saviour's sake . We maintain our Principles , that angers them ; Miscarriages joy them , whatever they pretend ; And if they can bring some Writers and Preachers out of Request , they think they do their Business . But we cannot believe that Sober and Judicious Persons will think the worse of us or our Cause , for these Malicious Endeavours against it . We have only to do with some old Adversaries new Vampt , with the Slanderous Stories of some modern Apostates . Had not Judas helpt , the Jews had been to seek . A few Vagabond Quakers are their Intelligencers ; it s all but a piece of Treachery and Envy : And truly 't is fit we should be tryed as well by False Friends as Professed Enemies , that in all things we may approve our selves compleat Conquerors , through the Invincibe Power , and to the alone Honour of that Eternal Truth professed by us . And so we enter upon the Libel it self . VVE are told in the Title Page of the Libel , That it was writ in Defence of a Letter , entituled , The Spirit of the Hat , and against the Deceitful , Defective and Railing Answer , called , The Spirit of Alexander , &c. Indeed it is wonderful strange , that to Reprove an Apostate should be reputed Railing ; and that this Secretary to this New-founded Cabal , should Practi●e it in censuring it . He cannot forbear it in his Title Page . He begins with ●YRANNY AND HYPOCRISIE DETEC●ED ; which Four Words he explains to us thus , Or a furthe● Discovery of the Tyrannical Government , Popish Principles , and Vile Practices of the now Leading Quakers . In all which , if there be no Reviling , there is no such thing in the World ; for these Words reach to the End of all Villany . Meek Man , that he would be thought ! who seems to engross Railing into a Company , and seems not so Angry at it in us , as that we use it Unlicenced of his Cabal ; for he exerciseth it at such a rate in Checking it , as if he might do it cum Privilegio : But it right-well agrees with the Advocate of an Apostate Cause . I complain of nothing in this kind more , then that we must not Rebuke Ill-Language without being guilty of it ; Nay , such is the Peevishness of our Adversaries , that to mention theirs , is Criminal : But we shall run the hazard of their Frowns , rather then be false to the Truth , or wanting to our selves in its proper place . Let it suffice that the Title manifestly speaks what the Libel vainly condemns . This Secretary ( I suppose in the Name of the Cabal ) begins his Libel thus , How dangerous a thing it is , for a Man to engage himself publickly for any singular Party upon the Account of Religion is greatly manifest in the Leading Quakers , and especially in W. Penn , from whose Parts and Education one would expect more then ordinary Candor and Ingennity . By which I perceive he is from a Rageing Socinian become an Vniversalian . But why then so bitter against us ? Sure , he is a Party in that ; and how Dangerous a thing it is , Time will more fully shew . However , he declares himself of no Party , by which I suppose he excludes the Christian ; for the Prophane of that Time reputed him a Sectary , and all must acknowledge him to be of a Party . How I came to be of this Way , is best known to God ; But thus much I must say , that nothing short of the Divine Word of Life and Power has worked that Alteration upon me from what I once was , to what I now am . The Tryals , Travels , Tribulations and Exercises that from Fourteen Years of Age have attended me , but more especially since I was brought to own and abet this Holy Way I now profess , are too many to be related ; And from the Hour I was first convinced of this Eternal Truth , to this of Writing this Discourse , I can with Boldness declare to all the World , I have had no other Aim nor End then God's Honour , the Good of others , and my own Salvation in the Day of the Lord. In short , I have learned to turn my Back to the Smiter , and my Cheek to the Plucker off of the Hair : And it is not for any Adversary at this time a day , under any Pretence of Parts and Education , to Dis-ingage my Affection from this Right Way o● the Lord , Remembring , my Lord made himself of no Reputation , and that the Prophet was accounted Mad , and the Apostles Drunk . But he sayes , I having imbarked my self amongst those People , and having obtained a high Repute among them , I betook my self to such pittiful Shifts , Scurrilities and Bravings ( he is pincht ) to uphold their Detected Cause and Tottering Kingdom ( 't will stand forever ) as one would think could not proceed from any Man professing Christianity ; witness my late Controversal Writings , especially my Winding-Sheet , and Spirit of Alexander , &c. ibid. But I cannot expect to be Well-spoken of by mine Enemies , especially when they declare themselves to be such , because of that Way I so earnestly defend . But this Man is not so Ignorant surely , as to imagine I imbarkt my self among this People to obtain Repute or Grandeur , who lost all with Men when first I came amongst them . I would have my Implacable Enemies know , that had no more Durable and Eternal Things been in my Eye , I might have had my Share where more was to be got then amongst this Despised People ; but Envy is Blind , and Rage Foolish . For my Controversal Writings , they stand Unanswered , among the rest my Winding-Sheet , and Spirit of Alexander , &c. the former being Unmedled with , and the Strength of the latter fouly over-looked , as we shall anon have occasion to shew : perhaps it might have concerned him to clear himself of the Former , before he had so weakly engaged himself in the Latter ; still Controversie is not Ended , though Changed . He tells the World , That notwithstanding we call the Spirit of the Hat Lyes , Forgery , Defamation , with abundance of Terms of the like Foxonian Leaven ( a scornful Nick Namer ) yet when we come to Particulars we either first confess what we deny with an idle Distinction , except some few things ; or secondly , acknowledge them by Silence ; or thirdly , use some Deceitful Terms of Denyal , which the Reader cannot discover ; or fourthly ; take an Occasion from some Circumstances , perhaps not rightly set down , to deny the whole Matter ; which doubtless are very bad things , if true . He has hereby rendred us , not only no Christians , but the worst of Men. All I can say at present is this , It has never been my Practice to palliate that which cannot be justified , or to treat any Adversary so deceitfully : But 't is expected he should prove what he sayes , or else we must invert the Character upon himself . He tells us ( I suppose , in order to prove what he hath said ) That W. P. doth in the Name of the Quakers acknowledge , That the Complaint made in the Spirit of the Hat is true , namely , That we required him to yield [ to our Determination against his Conscience ] because the Body would have it so ; saying , that was yielding to the Power : And that I undertake in Opposition to the Author , That his not so yielding , but persisting , is Dissension ; but our Disowning [ Excommunicating and Depriving of a Liberty , of Marrying , Burying , &c. ] any Person for that Cause , is no Breach of the great Gospel-Charter ; This , he sayes , I Labour to do with the same Arguments Papists use against Protestants , who pretend to no such Power , and that they may be found every-where answered in Protestant - Writings . A mean Answer , bu● a notable Go-by , in case I had so exprest my self , but most forgedly does he deliver my words , and tendency of them . Was this Man chosen for your prime Tool of Controversie , who can only tell one big Lye , and then run away ? My Arguments ( forsooth ) are Popish , there 's Confutation enough ; but with whom ? Ignorance and Prejudice ? An easie way to brand Reason , and render the clearest Truth suspected in a Nation as abhorrent of Popery as this we live in ; a shameful Injustice , that Sectaries should traduce us with that , which was once their own suffering from others . But what if I had us 〈◊〉 any Argument for the True Church , which is employed by the Papist in Defence of a False one ; must Truth not be Truth in it self , because Misappled ? And suppose the Protestant has answered the Papist , Is that any Answer to me ? How great an Untruth has he told in his Title Page , when he calls his Pamphlet , A Defence of the Spirit of the Hat , against the Spirit of Alexander ; who in four Pages after tells us , he intends not to medle with the Arguments of it . But Perhaps he will fault me ( for these People are very full of finding Fault , though they mend none in themselves ) in that he has referred us to Protestant Writers ; A Defence boldly begged , but never to be accepted of by me . Does he think I must turn over Melanchton , Chemnitius , Oecolampadius , Jewell , Whitaker , Reinolds , and others , for an Answer to the Spirit of Alexander the Copper-Smith ? After this rate it were far easier to Answer then Accuse . I am of Opinion , that D. Stillingfleet's Adversaries would look upon their Cause as little injured by any bare reference to ancient Protestant-Writers , how excellently soever they acquitted themselves at that time of day ; Fresh Opposition requires fresh Vindication . If I had been Popish the man should have shewn me in what ; and when he had done , have soundly confuted it , and not in the midst of his Exclamations against Shifters , give such just occasion to say , thou art the man. I am willing to forgive him at this time ; But let him be better instructed of his Cabal against the next time , and see if he can learn more Truth , then to call his Libels Answers , whilst they prove themselves Evasions ; For Truth will work through all odious Names : And it is not pinning the Pope upon our Tail , and crying , Popery , Popery , that will confute our Principles ; However , till we are better known , it may disrepute our Persons . But let his base Constructions be considered . Our Reproving Men for going out of the decent Order and happy Unity of the Body , he calls Requiring Man to set down by our Determination against their Conscience ; And our Disowning that Breach upon persistance , Excommunication from Burying and Marrying . They ejected themselves by their Novelties , and we are not ashamed to repute such as Publicans and Heathens as will not head the Church of Chris ; t , Mat. 18. Had they Faith ? they might have kept it to themselves , and not have disturbed the Church's Peace with their new Practices , indeed Institutions ; for what was it l●●e then to require our not practising of the Hat off in 〈◊〉 , who called pulling it off a Popish Tradition , unless men 〈◊〉 not to leave off Popish Traditions : so that they , and not we were to blame , as the Sequel will further prove ; But I could not pass by this part of the Disingenuity of this Libeller . As the Libel , so our Discourse will consist , of matter of Argument , and matter of Fact. I shall begin with matter of Argument , which shall consist of a further Defence of what is asserted in my Book , entituled ; The Spirit of Alexander the Copper-Smith revived and rebuked . The grand Cause of that Dissension which was begun by Jo. Perrot , long since happily ended among our selves , though renewed , divulged and aggravated , for the Strengthening of the hands of our common Enemy , by certain Perverse Apostates , as delivered in the Spirit of the Hat , and Defence of the same , they must with me grant to be this . The Quakers reach that every , Man is enlightened with a sufficient Light to Salvation , And that all Faith in , and Worship to God , ought to stand upon the Convictions , and in the Leadings thereof ; yet we are oblieged by their Body unto that , which we have no Motion for , but rather against , and upon our Refusal of such Compliance as they expect , we are disowned as not of them : So that the Sufficiency , Convictions and Leadings of the Light must vail to the Body , and not the Body to the Light ; wherefore not the Light , but the Body is become the Quakers Rule . Thus Tho. Hiks's Con. Dial. p. 63 , 64 , 65. Spir. Hat , p. 11 , 12 , 13. Defence of it , p. 5 , 6 , 7. Their Common Aggravations , especially of the two latter are these , That they are denyed Marrying , Burying , Trading , that they are distracted , and so deprived of all both Ecclesiastical and Civil Priviledges . The Aggravations we shall consider in their place ; And first to their Objection or Argument , as I have fairly , fully and faithfully laid it down . 'T is a Truth , and as true , that we urge , both the Universality and Sufficiency of the Light to Salvation ; and that every Man ought to follow only the Teachings of it about Faith and Worship . This is granted on all hands , even by the Cabal to credit their present Work , and obtain their envious Ends upon us and our Principles ; Therefore no part of the Question to be controverted . The matter in difference strictly lies here , that is , by resolving these four following Questions , the Objection will be fully and plainly answered . 1. Whether Christ has given to his Church , consisting of faithful Believers , and obedient Walkers by the Light or Spirit within , such a Sense , Tast , Relish and Savour of the Nature of Spirits , as upon all Occasions the great Enemy of Christ and his People may take ( under never so seeming innocent Appearances and Transformations ) to condemn any thing by his Church practised , or innovate any thing by the Church never practised , but condemned , Yea or Nay ? 2. Whether such a Society , Body or Church , after due Admonition given to any dissenting or innovating Person , may not Lawfully and Christianly deny their Communion in Testimony against that wrong Spirit , such Person or Persons may be acted by ? 3. Whether such Person or Persons may not hold this granted fundamental Principle of the Light , &c. before recited , in the Vnderstanding , and yet be acted by a wrong Spirit to Divisions , and then plead against the Church , under the Pretence of acting by the Light within ; and consequently , whether he can , or ought to be judged by any for so doing , because every one ought to act according to the Light that is within them ? And lastly , 4. Whether the Body of the Quakers , or their present Opposers be that Church , Yea or Nay ? The first is so evident in the Affirmative , That to reject it , is nothing less then to deny Scripture it self . It was the express Promise of Christ , to send the Comforter , the Spirit of Truth to lead into all Truth ; which the Apostle John assures us , was made good , not only to the Disciples , but the then Churches of Christ , to whom he writ these unanswerable Passages , Ye have an Vunction from the Holy One , and YE SHALL KNOW ALL THINGS . Again , But the Anointing , which ye have received of him , abideth in you , and you need not that any Man teach you , but as the same Anointing teacheth you of ALL THINGS , and is Truth and is no Lye ; And even as it hath taught you , ye shall abide in him , By which it is evident , that the Church of Christ had an Infallible Spirit , by which to discern the Spirit of a Sheep , from the Spirit of a Wolf , though he came in Sheeps Cloathing . This Doctrine Christ himself taught us , when he said , Beware of False Prophets , which come to you in Sheeps Cloathing . Again , Take heed that no man deceive you ; For many shall come in my Name ; saying I am Christ , and shall deceive many . Whence it follows , that there should be False Prophets , yet in Sheeps Cloathing , which is a deceitful Spirit , acting under refined Appearances : and to compass its Deceit the better , shall palliate it , with the Pretence of being led by the Spirit or Light of Christ within : So that as Deceitful Spirits were foretold , the Way to know them was both promised and enjoyed ; My Sheep hear my Voice , said the great Shepherd , and a Stranger will they not hear . Who is this Stranger ? Not alwayes False Doctrine , but a False Spirit , covered with True Doctrine , They shall come in my Name , that is , pretending Authority from me , and speaking my Words , not having my Spirit : Christ's Spirit within , is his Voice within , and 't is that alone gives to discern the Strange Voice , let it come with never such True Words . Had Christ left his Churches destitute of this Touch-Stone , they had been imposed upon by every False Spirit , and his Flock devoured by every Wolf in Sheeps Cloathing . Sheep know Sheep , not only by Sight , but Instinct , and Wolves too ; For if Shepherds be of Authority , they tell us , that if a Wolf be near , though out of Sight , the Sheep will bleat their Antipathy : So do the Sheep of Christ know each other by the Instinct of that Divine Nature they are mutually Partakers of , and by it do they discern the Wolf within , notwithstanding the Sheep's Cloathing without . It was for this end they were to have Salt in themselves , the Anointing and Spirit in themselves , that they might see , relish and discern thereby , who were so Salted , Anointed and Spirited , which in the ground could never be visibly discerned . 2ly . The second Question I also take in the Affirmative , and for which there is both express Scripture , and Unanswerable Reason . This is seen in the very case of Alexander the Copper-Smith , who was denyed and rejected , notwithstanding that he made Profession of Christianity ; And there is cause to believe , that the Difference began from his emulous Spirit 's taking Occasion against the Apostles Authority , and the Power of the Elders in the Church . It was doubtless for something not unlike to this , that Paul complained of him to Timothy , Alexander the Copper-Smith did me much wrong , of whom be thou ware also ; for he hath greatly withstood our Words . Which is the very State and Character of the present Apostates , Who pretend with Alexander , not to withstand Truth or Christianity ; but a Lordly Paul , Timothy , or such like eminent Labourers : They pretend to own the Churches , but deny some of their Leading Ministers . That this was Alexander's Disease , the next Verse proves ; At my first Answer no Man stood with me , but all Men forsooke me . I pray God it may not be laid to their Charge . Who was this People but the Church ? for of the Heathen it could not be said . And what was Alexander's aim besides Ambition ? I mean , to discredit the Apostle , that he might gain the Repute , and being him down from that Authority God had given him in the Church , that he might usurp it to himself . What did the Apostle do in the like case ? shrink ? No ; Hear him : For though I should boast somewhat more of our Authority ( which the Lord hath given us for Edification , and not for your Destruction ) I should not be ashamed . 2 Cor. 10 8. But no more of this at present . That Christ as well gave his Church Power to reject as to try Spirits , is not hard to prove . That notable Passage , Go , tell the Church , does it to our hand : For if in case of private Offence betwixt Brethren , the Church is made absolute Judge , from whom there is no Appeal in this World ; how much more in any the least Case that concerns the Nature , Being , Faith and Worship of the Church her self ? The Judgment Christ passeth in the matter , is sufficient to the Resolution of our Question ; But if he neglect to hear the Church , let him be unto thee as a Heathen and a Publican . This I say on the Account of those Apostates , who pretend to be the Men they ever were ; For this Man that works with their Tooles , is upon his own Principle , as much an Heathen and a Publican as any thing else , and tells us to boot , that it is dangerous to be of any one Party ; Therefore not of the true Churche's Party . I omit any particular recital of the Apostle Paul's frequent & earnest Dehortations from so much as keeping company with perverse Disputers about needless Questions , or any that infested the Church , and disturbed her Peace and that Practice , in which she was at first setled , with unprofitable Novelties , under what Pretence soever : They that can read , may find in his Epistles enough to this purpose . 'T is true , They used no corporal Violence , or any civil Power to punish such obstinate Dissenters ; nor is that Unchristian Practice so much as any part of the Question : But first , to reprove and admonish , and in case of Persistance , then to disown and reject , which is a part of the Question , and a part of the Scripture too . And indeed it is most reasonable , that as a Civil , so a Christian Society should have this Power to preserve it self from the Taints & Infections of hurtful Spirits , for such tend not to further Knowledge , Increase in Holiness , or Peace , but Strifes and Divisions , Animosities and Rents , Backbitings and Revenge , to the laying waste of God's holy Heritage . 3ly , The third Question we also accept in the affirmative . That men may believe , confess and subscribe to the Truth of the Doctrine of the Vniversality , Sufficiency , and immediate Teachings of the Light , as to Faith and Worship , and yet be declined from the living Sense , Power and Ordering of it , so as to be acted by a wrong Spirit to Divisions , and notwithstanding plead his Following of the Light within against the Judgment of the Church , who reproves him for so doing . In short , that a man may follow a Wrong Spirit when he thinks he follows the Right ; and though he ought to follow the Light and Spirit , yet is to be judged when he does not act thereby ( though he may think he doth ) by such as walk thereby . In this , the Scriptures of Truth are very positive . The Jews owned the Law at what time they rebelled against it , and thought they acted according to Scripture , when by their Traditions they made it of none Effect . There was a certain Generation that were pure in their own Eyes , That is believed themselves to be of a Right Spirit , whom the holy Ghost reproved for being guided by a Wrong one . It was no other State then this that Christ spoke of , when he said , If therefore the Light that is in thee be Darkness , how great is that Darkness ? Some doubtless acted by Virtue of this Darkness , not as Darkness , but as Light ; Was it therefore Light because they thought so ? When it is manifest that they were against Christ , the true Light , as you are now . Or , would the Plea of such an one be so valid against the Body of a Church walking in the true Light , as to disengage any from her judgment ? Or , must we therefore conclude , that the Light is not a Rule for Men to walk by , because some mistake , or swarve from it ? Or , that he who calls his dark Imagination , a Motion of Light , is therefore not to be condemned , because it is every Man's Duty to follow the True Light ? Shall this Position , I say , that all Men ought to follow the Light in thems●lves , deprive the Church of the Power of Judging that for a dark Imagination , which from the Savour and Sense of God's Light and Truth , she feels to be so ; because some Person or Persons plead that they therein follow the Light ? This opens a Door to all Licentiousness , and furnisheth every Libertine with a Plea. What might have been said in this Case against the ancient Christians ? Every Man ought to walk in the Spirit , and to be led by the Spirit ; Shall therefore any Man's Pretence to be led by the Spirit that is not , secure him from the Judgment of those that are really led by the Spirit ? Or , shall the Judgment of those , who are led by the Spirit , against him that pretends to be so led , be reputed Tyranny , and a going from the Leadings and Judgment of the Spirit , to the Leadings and Judgment of Men ? Or , because of granting the Light to be obeyed in all its Leadings ? and its Leadings to be waited for in order to Faith and Worship ; that therefore there is no way left to judge which are in the Wrong of the Two that equally say , they are led by the same Light ? For if Men would come to the Salt , Grace , Truth , and faithful Witness in themselves , which only gives to discern and savour True Spirits from False ones , they would hereby arrive at certain Knowledge in the Matter ; but where People stand , they can never distinguish , because they are from under the Conduct of that Spirit , which alone reveals the deep things of God. In short , as no Man's saying he is in the Right , ought to conclude him to be in the Right ; so neither can that hinder that he should not be found out by such as are in the Right Spirit , to be in the Wrong , if in it . He that sayes he is ruled by the Scripture may err , as well as he that sayes he is led by the Light ; therefore is he not to be censured ? Or is there no certain Way of knowing him to be in the Wrong ? It is the Spirit of Truth that opens the Truth of Scripture ; much more can it only give to relish Spirits . Which leads to the last Question . Whether the People , called Quakers , or those few stragling Followers of John Perrot are this True Church , and acted by this Divine Light and Spirit , yea or nay ? To answer this Question I shall keep very close to the Concessions of these present Apostates ; For it is not so much my Business at this time to prove us a True Church to them that never had any Relation to us , as against those who acknowledge themselves once to have been of us , but now decline us . That God sent forth a Spiritual Ministry ; that many were gathered by it , and setled in the Way of Everlasting Peace , and called by the World Quakers , the Author of the Spirit of the Hat fully confesseth , pag. 9. That it was then the Church of God , four lines after undeniably prove . And the Lord did daily add ●nto the Church , and raised up many to go forth in the Power , to preach the Everlasting Gospel ; whereby the Church multiplyed and increased , to the Astonishment of the Nations . By this we see , it was then the Church in their Opinion without dispute ; I would fain know it comes now to be no Church ? Has Her Refusing to conform to John Perrot's Innovation of the Hat on in time of publick Prayer unchurched Her ? I have hitherto thought , that a Society's going from , or adding to , what it was when truly called a Church , was that which only did Unchurch it , and not its continuing as it was ; And if this be good Arguing , The People , called Quakers , remain still the same Chruch , but their Adversaries not the same Members . In short , where the first Occasion of Offence was given , there was the first Breach of Unity . Had the Church imposed upon them , there would be some reason for varying of her Character , and condemning her as Fallen ; But the Innovation being their own , she is not accountable unto them , but they to her , for such unwarrantable Novelties : so that the Question is not , Whether the Quakers impose , but Whether they did not innovate ? All was well till this Imagination was hatched ; The Spirit of Judgment and Burning had its course ; Their Vessells were filled with Refreshment , Springs of Life broke out in their Bellies , and Bread of Life dwelt within them ; They wanted no good thing , as that Letter of the Hat relates . If this may be credited , How comes so sudden a Revolution , that in a Years time , the Mighty should be fallen , the Stars ceased to give their Light , the Poor distressed , the Young Ones bruised , and Conscience imposed upon by a Law ? Which wretched Deciet , me-thinks , should be obvious to every impartial Reader . There is no Wisdom to believe Men so inconstant to their own Apprehensions , and who of all times in which to prove this great Alteration , should make Choice of that , in which was so great a Persecution , and so Noble a Testimony born for the Truth . viz. 1662. But the Truth of the matter is this . John Perrot ( who if he had been as faithful as his Companion , might with him have been hanged at Rome ( as we have been informed ) to his own Comfort , the Truth 's Honour , and the Churches Peace ) came home as filled with Conceit , as he pretended his Body had been oppressed with Sufferings , which kindling so great a Love in the Hearts of some Tender Friends , as they unwarily became Incouragers of his Ambition in their too high exilting and lamenting his Sufferings , Which having rendered him Master of their Affections , they most of them easily became Embracers of his Invention . We had reason to believe it had almost been impossible for him ever to have made one Proselyte , had not the noise of his Forreign Tryals disposed the Hearts of some affectionate People to receive his Impression ; He that will please to consider the improbable Account he vainly gave of his own Sufferings , saying , that since Adam's Day none had ever undergone the like his singular Style ; Proverbial Chapters in imitation of Solomon ; his Toyish conceited Rhymes ; his Title page of the Wren in the burning Bush waving her Wings of Contraction , &c. his peculiar Subscription , which was generally JOHN ( and could not be so because there was no more of that Name amongst us , but because he would be the JOHN of JOHNS ) and which is yet more ridiculous , in a Letter to several grave Women , your dear SISTER JOHN with his absurd new fangled bodily Greetings , his most Papal Salutations to G. Fox , E. Burroughs , & others ( by them rejected , & himself reproved ) as if he had spent his time in Learning all the Superlative Complements of Rome : I say , he that pleases to consider these things , must needs think , that the Man had lost his Guide , and was dangerously elevated above the holy Fear of God , and heavenly Life of the Truth ; and his Standing being soon discerned by several Weighty Friends , he was soberly , secretly and frequently dealt withall ; his Condition represented , his Danger shewn , and a Station of Safety pointed to him : It was the daily Travel of many , who sought his Wel-fare , and the Churche's Peace , to bring him to a Sence of his own Condition ; But no Argument or Entreaties could prevail , no Sighs or Tears could soften him , but resolved he was for a Sect-Master , and his Mark must be , the Hat on in time of Publick Prayer . That which yet whetted many simple Hearts to follow his Example , was with his Sufferings , his Pharisaical Pretences to a higher Dispensation , but instead of shewing them a readier Way to an higher State of Holiness , he diverted their Minds from the more weighty things of the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus , to contend for that rude and unprofitable Practice of the Hat on in time of publick Prayer ; an Invention to no Edification , but to the great Disturbance of the Church : Thus began what rent he sought to make amongst us . Before this , we were at Peace , our Sion prosperous ; and those Apostate Adversaries allowed us to be God's Church , his chosen People . I appeal now to the whole World of moderate and impartial People , whether we acted herein , unlike Christian , sober and prudent Men ? And if any of our publick Enemies , who pretend to own a Church-Authority ( some of them also being Members and Leaders ) would not have done the like ? Must we suffer for that which they justifie ? We rejected a Practice we had no Authority for , neither without , nor within : We saw Who brought it in , and What acted him , with the bent and tendency of it ; And it was as much our Duty to withstand the Entrance of that wich was Wrong , as to continue in the Practice of that which was Right , and setled in the Power of God long before among us : We might invert their Plea much more truly ; The Light within enjoyned us to disown them , had we not then sinned to have declined ? Or , is our Light Darkness , because they call their Darkness Light ? In short , the Church never knew it , when so much admired by her present Enemies ; And because when it came , she rejected it , therefore are they become her Enemies , which proves Them , and not the Church , to be changed . But supposing we had nothing of this to our Defence . What is become of the once acknowledged Blessed Church , and her Powerful Ministry ? If we have lost both , who has found them ? If due to any Body , in case our Adversaries be in the Right , it must be to them : But I know of no Church , nor do I hear of any Ministry they have , nor the Power of God manifest among them , either for the Building up of themselves , or the Gathering of others . What! Is the Church already returned into the Wilderness ? and is the Power lost , which they acknowledge , was once amongst us , and to God's Eternal Praise , we daily witness in the City and Country to attend our Travels ? But as they were not of God in their Dissensions ; so neither have they stood . We suffer as we did ; The World loves them more then it did ; They are Friends , but both Enemies to us . Their Sect Master returned with the Dog to the Vomit , to Swearing , Fighting , fine Cloathes , Cap and Knee to Men , who could sit on his B — with his Hat on his Head , when he prayed to the most high God. Some of his Followers run into Looseness and Rantism ; others into Enmity and Earthly-Mindedness ; but far the more considerable returned to their first Love and Workes , whom God hath since frequently blest with his heavenly Presence , and sealed to them the Comfort of the holy Communion of the Brethren . To sum up what we have been saying . First , The True Church of Christ , by the Gift of the holy Spirit , from Christ , the Head , is enabled to try , savour and relish Wrong Spirits under never such Right Appearances , as that , without which she could never be preserved from the Wolves that are in Sheep's Cloathing , nor the Deceivers that come with Christ's Words out of Christ's Power and Life . Secondly , That this Church hath as well Power to reject the false Spirit , as to try it . Thirdly , That men may be in the Words and not the Spirit of Truth ; that notwithstanding it is the Duty of all Men , to act by the Light and Spirit within , that hinders not , that such as walk not according to the Light within , though they may pretend to do it , should be known and judged of them that really do so . Fourthly , That we were this True Church of God by our Apostate Adversaries own Confession : And we have proved , that not we , but our Adversaries have altered ( since the time that large Confession mentions ) by giving the Offence , and making the first Breach of Vnity , notwithstanding the many Christian Courses that were taken to restore them , and preserve Concord among Brethren : Therefore our Judgment of them is not that of a Dark , Dead Body , but a Living , Spiritual Society , and in the Gift , Discerning and Authority of God's holy and unerring Spirit , which they acknowledge we once had , and cannot prove , when , and by what we lost it . And blessed be the Lord God of Heaven and Earth , his Living Power is with us , be owns our Ministry and Fellowship in the Hearts of Thousands , yea Ten Thousands have bowed to the Righteousness of his Scepter , since the , day that perverse Core first troubled our Israel . No Tryals have scattered us , nor Sufferings worn us out ; but , to the Honour of the blessed Name of the Lord , we have been by it kept to this day , whose Goodness renews with the Morning , and whose Mercies endures forever . Blessed are they that fear him , such will he alwayes keep in perfect Peace . But the Author of the Spirit of the Hat , and his Tyrannical and Hypocritical Defender in his Libel , called , Tyranny and Hypocrisie Detected , cry out , This is arrant Popery . But I will tell such Licentious Spirits , That it is plainly Scriptural ; What if a False Church assume the Priviledge of a True one , does that make the True Church a False one , for pleading that Priviledge ? The Papists say , God ought to be worshipped ; must we not therefore worship him , because they say so ? 'T is just as good as to say , That because one Man cheatingly calls himself by another Man's Name , therefore that other Man must renounce his own Name . Prove Discerning , and Judgment by the Holy Ghost in any Body , or Society , to be the Mark of a False Church , and ye do your Business , otherwise you must acknowledge it to be the Priviledge of a True Church ; but deny it to be ours , as we do , that it is the Church of Rome's . But we have proved out of your own Pamphlets , th●t you acknowledge us to have been the True Church , and in our own Discourse , that we have continued that , which we ever were : And that God's powerful convincin●●nd converting Ministry remains amongst us ; Therefore th●● Priviledge upon their own Principles , does belong to us . But perhaps they will both endeavour to avoid the Dint of these convincing Arguments , thus , We deny not the Body of the People , called Quakers , nor as they act in the Light , that they have true Judgment ; But we complain against your Foxonian Vnity , which consists of certain Ministers and Elders , which lift up G. Fox for a Bishop , a Pope , and a King , making his Papers Edicts , & then entitle them , the Judgment of the Body ; whereas indeed 't is but the Mind of a Cabal of Foxonians ; the Leaders are the Men we strike at . See Spirit of the Hat , pag. 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16. Tyran . Defend . But should we allow this to be True , as we reject it for a Slander , 't is granted to us , that the Body of the People , called Quakers , is not their Aim , but some few particulars that make not up the hundreth part of the Church ( and who will in the things objected sufficiently clear themselves ) so that the Judgment of the Body is not denyed , because of the Judgment of some few Elders that displease them . the Question then will be , whether the Body in all Places concerned has given its Judgment against that innovating Spirit of John Perrot , yea or nay ? The Determination of which Question gives a great In-sight into the present Controversie ; In order to which I offer two things to be considered . First , That in all Places where Jo. Perrot's Spirit and Practice made any Appearance through the Churches in this or other Nations , there has been a two-fold Judgment given . 1. That of the Church , in the Fear and Presence of the Eternal God she worships , according to his free Spirit , and that Discerning which was given her of him , concerning which , if there be any Scruple , in the publick canvas of this Matter , we can readily produce a multitude of Certificates to verifie it . 2. The Judgment of many considerable Persons against themselves and their own Practice , whose Simplicity was betrayed by that dissentious Spirit . But it so happens , that some of them , of how good Report soever , are now not to be credited , because it crosseth the Humor of these Envious Authors , and their prejudiced Adherents . What Name shall we call this Partiallity by ? who praised their Honesty when they espoused the Hat , and now question their Conscience in declaring their Mistake : And such is the Fool-Hardiness and Vanity of this Socinian Apologizer in the Defence of the Hat on in Prayer , That in a great Marginal Note , he cryes out , What 's become of John Osgood ' s Integrity , that he should put his Name among such Men as these ? As if we had committed all the Infamies prohibited in the first and second Table of God's Law , rather then seasonably given check to the boundless Novelties of an Imaginary Innovatour . This is your Vniversalian , that tells us how dangerous it is to be of a Party , who has bestowed a whole Pamphlet in Defence of one , built upon no better Foundation then the irreverent Practice of the Hat on in time of publick Prayer . But his own Revilings and injustifiable Officiousness have proved it dangerous to be of such a Party indeed . But why must not the rest be credited ? Are they deceived in Returning ? Shew it . Was it imposed upon them , as they suggest ? Prove it . John Pennyman , if he has not lost all Conscience and Memory , can tell them another Story ; For as became the People of God , for the Decision of this Controversie , a very great Meeting was desired and appointed , unto which both sorts willingly resorted ; So that it was not Imposition , but Choice : In which great and earnest were the Desires and Travels of those who had opposed the Spirit of John Perrot , that the Lord himself would please in some signal manner to break forth amongst them , that the Judgment which should pass among them , in order to a Reconciliation , might not be accounted the Judgment of Man , but the Judgment of God. These faithful Cryes entered the Ears of the God of Peace , whose Compassions fail not , That with an high Hand and an out-stretched Arm , he rent through the Meeting , that both Sorts were greatly broken , and humbled before the Lord. In which deep and tender Sense J. P. J. C. ( though never in the Practice of the Hat ) J. O. J. C. W. P. W. G. G. W. and John Pennyman himself , with very many more ( not now to be mentioned ) in Fear and Trembling , & great Brokenness of Spirit , to the Astonishment of all Beholders , plainly and fully , testified against the Spirit and Practice of J. Perrot , to be out of the Life of the Truth , & Vnity of the Body . And who w●● more Express , Earnest Frequent in the Judging that Spirit 〈◊〉 Envious Apostatized J. Pennyman ? Did he not say of those 〈◊〉 ●●●posed J. Perrot's Spirit ▪ You are more Righteous then we ? And if you had not stood we had perisht ? And did not he call that Spirit of J. Perrot that led to keep on the Hat in Publick Prayer , THE SPIRIT OF WITCHCRAFT AND OF THE DEVIL , and to that Purpose ? And is he not now in Defence of that Spirit ? What shall we say then upon his present Distance and Enmity ? Hath he not pronounced his own Character and Sentence hereby ? What heed is to be given to such a Changeable Self-Contradicting Person ? Now that the Government of our Christian Body should be called Tyranny , and the Confessions of these Men Hypocrisy , tell me , thou , that art my impartial Reader , what sort of Conscience our present Enemies have , thus to treat both the one and the other : How evident is it , that these great Enemies of Imposition would have been the Task-Masters themselves , who are Insolent and Uncharitable enough to censure these Men in pulling off their Hats again , to be guilty of Hypocrisie , who in Fear to God , and the Sense of his Spirit , condemned the keeping of it on . Deceit ! Oh , how unworthily have they dealt with us ? and how ill an Use have they made of all wholsom Counsel to reclaim them ? That little Yielding , that our Friends at first shewed to re-gain them , they made use of to confirm them ; and their Obstinacy leading us to more Severity , like Bastard Children , they run away with open mouth , bauling into the very Ears of some Envious and Busie-body Professors , Imposition , Popery , Tyranny , Arbitrary Government ; and these are become Theames for such prejudiced Persons as this Adversary , to declaim against the poor Quakers upon . Where it may not be unseasonably observed ; That if we should as ill bestow our time in gathering up all the Villanous and Impious Miscarriages of many professed Members of the several Religious Ways within this Kingdom , I doubt not but we might cut them out more Work then they would be willing to have . Had we thus begun with them , how Condemnable would they have thought it ? But it having been their Practice towards us , we must not chide them for Injustice , lest we be reputed Railers ; For so big is the Beam in their own Eyes , that the Vilest buses against us pass for Innocent and Justifiable things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . The second thing 〈◊〉 offer in order to a full Determination , is this ; That either the whole Church , or that part of it which never was concerned in these Debates , particularly the North of England , remot from us , yet consisting of a very great Part of the Body of our Friends , both in Number and Solidity , and who have never varyed from their first Station , upon any general Proposal the present Hat-Men shall make for the Demand of their Judgment , provided it may be conclusive with them , ( at least so far as to clear Particulars from that high Charge of Tyranny and Hypocrisie ) will , we do believe , freely declare themselves , according to that Sense and Vnderstanding they shall receive of the Mind of Christ therein , from him alone , who is the Leader and Shepherd of his People . IF none of all this will do , let them take their course , and furnish these Ishmaelites and Uncircumcised Philistians with all they can , to our Trouble , God will bring us through it all ; And for that Dishonour , they have hereby brought on the Way and People of the Lord in general , by putting their pretended Exceptions against some few Particulars into the hands of those Men ( who do not so much study the Disgrace of a few publick Labourers , as the Overthrow of the whole People and Way ( improving all they can scrape , how much soever interlined with Falshood , to that very end ) will God , the Righteous and Terrible Judge of Heaven and Earth , require an Account ; and Wo , Sorrow and Eternal Perplexity will be the swift Recompence of your Treacherous Doings , unless you find a place for Repentance , and can yet wipe away all these Scores by true Contrition . Some further Ground of our Satisfaction in Proceeding against keeping on the Hat in time of publick Prayer ; especially , as we are now concern'd with these sort of Apostate Adversaries : which is not to dispute , but further to declare our Belief , and the Reason of our Practice in the Matter , and so leave all with the Lord. I. AS Man consists of Soul and Body , and as the Body is a kind of Form to the Soul , so whilst Body and Soul remain unseparated , there will and must be some Form suited to the Body , whereby to express the publick , Spiritual Worship performed by the Soul : such are Places , Words and Gestures ; and in the Performance of such Worship the Body can no more be exempted from some Form or Expression , then can the Soul in its inward and spiritual Station . To deny this , is to denote a Man void of Sense and Reason ; so that though we grant the outward & inward Coming of Christ , to have abrogated such Types and Figures as foreshewed a further Glory , yet Tokens and Demonstrations of present inward Reverence a Divine Honour to God in publick Performance of Worship , not only we never denyed , but do affirm them to be as adequate or proper to the Body , as are the Reverence and Honour to the Soul. II. It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost , and to us , in the solemn and publick performance of Prayer unto the Lord , to pull off our Hats , to express the Unvailing of our Spirits , and that reverent Submission and Supplication , which becomes poor Petitioners to come in , and offer up their Desires with , to the great King of Glory , and God of the Spirits of all Flesh ; and God has made it a Token of inward Homage by the Requirings of his own Truth . And it is fit it should be observed , that these present Opposers not only acknowledg'd the People , call'd Quakers , to be a true Church whilst in this Practice ( which I deny any Church to be that continues in the World's Rudiments ) and that they have frequently suggested us on this Occasion to be Retainers of ; But that they have received heavenly Refreshment by those Prayers , that have been offered up by uncovered Heads : And that God should send forth such a Spiritual Ministry , so richly furnished , and rarely qualified , by the Divine Power and Wisdom of God a few years before , as the Author of the Hat confesseth , and that in , their Performance of Worship to God , they should be worldly , and vainly Ceremonious , can be no wayes consistent . And I do here appeal to all sober Persons , if after so large a Terstimony , given to the People , called Quakers , as a true Church , and her Ministry and Worship as powerful and pure , before ever this Imagination came forth , it could be any thing solid , seasonable or edifying to introduce or trouble the Church with that Practice , which they acknowledge She was Blest , and Prosperous without . III. But again , it denotes and signifies the Difference that is between Worship to God , and Ministry to Man ; there is not equal Homage , indeed none at all in declaring God's Will to Man , but the other is all matter of pure Homage , and to discover this Difference by some due and suitable Posture , is so far from being unlawful , that the contrary is very condemnable . IV. It is never to be thought reasonable by People not out of their Senses , at least upon our Adversaries Principles , that a Man should be moved to Pray , and yet in that Motion not moved to shew it . What! would they have a Man , when he is moved to pray , wait for another Motion to be led to discover it ? But above all the rest , how do they that stand with their Hats on , testifie their Unity with him , that prayes ( as they confess a Man may by the Spirit of the Lord ) with his Hat off ? I say , what greater Token do they give of their Joyning with such Prayers , then the Publican or Pharisee , who by that very Posture testifie their Dislike . But yet further , suppose a Hat-Man be moved to Pray with his Hat off , as they confess he may , what becomes of the rest of that Opinion in the Meeting ? If they pull it off meerly as having Unity with his Prayer , then they are gone ; for that is our Ground , who say , that Soul and Body , Prayer and Gesture must go together . If they say , it is upon them not to pull it off , Two things will follow ; First , The Spirit of the Lord moveth People in the same Meeting , at the same instant of time , and in one and the same Duty , unto two Contrary things . 2 dly , That they may have Unity with the Prayer , and not with the Gesture ; with one Motion , and not the other . That they have Unity with the Prayer , and give , and wrap up their Spirits in the present sense that 's stirring in the Assembly , with his that is the Mouth , without an extra-ordinary Impulse to pray with him in their own Spirits ; yet require such a Motion to Joyn with the Gesture : so that they can pray with the Man moved , but not pull off their Hat with the Man so moved . The Confusion , Contradiction and Absurdity of this Imagination ought forever to Justifie the Quakers Seasonable , Solid and Christian Proceedings against the Introducers and Abettors of it ; for a Contradiction in Gesture , when Gesture stands upon Motion , is ( proportionably ) as real a Resistance against the Spirit , and committing of Disorder in Christian Assemblies , as in Matter of Doctrine , or any other essential part of Worship . V. The generality of the Friends in the Nation renounced it ; where I cannot but take an Opportunity to defend a Passage in a private , Letter writ by me , upon the Entreaty of one of John Perrot's Disciples , in much Kindness , to satisfie and reclaim him , and cited by the envious Author of Tyranny and Hypocrisie Detected , pag. 25. W. P. saith that God hath given greater Judgment to his Church , then to the individual Members of it , is a true Position , and the Church of Rome errs not in that , but in accounting themselves a True Church : These are not my very words ; a Disingenuity , if I am not mistaken this Author wrote once almost a whole Book against ; however , I abide by the Passage : For if Christ bid individuals tell the Church , & yet the Church has no more Discerning or Judgements then they had themselves before such Appeal , & which can't be better'd by it away with Reason : If in the multitude of Counsellors there be safety , respecting Worldly Matters , why not respecting Spiritual Matters ? supposing , as we ever did , that Gods Power , Spirit & presence preside in any such Church , Body or Assembly . This is more then the Cavil deserves , but I was willing to express my mind more fully for the Readers Satisfaction . VI. This Innovation brought with it Division , instead of Unity ; Confusion , instead of Order ; Heart-burnings , instead of Love , and diverted the minds of some from the more weighty things of God's living and spiritual Law. VII . Had it been never so Innocent , it cost more then it was worth , and their insisting so much upon it to the Disturbance of the Church's Concord , was no small Evidence of the Wrongness of that Spirit , which introduced and maintained it . This shall sufficiently rebuke and judge , both it and them , that it added nothing to Life and Salvātion , nor to the Edification of the Body of Christ , which is the End of every true Motion ; for it carryed neither interiour nor exteriour Homage , Service or Benefit in the least , either to Persons in their own Particulars , or to the Church in general . And whereas they frequently have accused the Body of our Friends , which still remains , as they once confest , the Body of Christ , of being guilty of Popish Customs , in not being guilty of their Irreverence and that the Minds of People , were not yet inwardly and spiritually exercised in Worship , it is evident , that their new-fangled Practice , Dissent about it , and continual Defence of it , did more draw out the Minds of some people , and exercise and perplex them about Postures and Gestures , then ever they were before : so that what they falsly charge upon the Church is their own proper Character . Our Friends prudent Stop to this troublesome and endless sort of Innovation , deserves none of those Hard Names these scurrilous Libels give both them and their Proceedings . But they object something G. F. and my self have writ against Hat-Honour , as that we should repute it an Earthly , vain , and mean thing , minded only of Men in the Fall ; that if pulling off the Hat were true Honouring or Respecting , Vile Persons would be the most Civil ; Real Respect is a more substantial Thing , manifested by Obedience . This our Adversary quotes out of G. F's Book , called , True Honour among the Jews ; and mine , intituled , No Cross , no Crown ; But they forgot to be so ingenuous , or on purpose would not be so just , as to tell People , that we writ against the fallen Honour of the Hat to Men. Because we deny it to Men , must we therefore deny it to God ? No ; but we therefore deny it to Men , because we give it only to God , as one of those Gestures , which outwardly distinguishes Worship to God from Ministry to Man. But this is their Drift & Ground of their citing those Passages , that if it be so Mean and Earthly a thing , to pull off the Hat to Man , how , comes it so Eminent a Gesture in Worship , and why not esteemed as earthly and empty a thing in respect to Worship as Civil Honour ? I think I give the Force of their Objection , and shall as easily answer it . That which gives Weight to any Gesture , is the Reason inducing to it , and both the End and Frame of the Mind in using of it . God's Spirit has required this before ever J. Perrot was born into so much as the Profession of our Living Way , as a Testimony against the Ranting Spirit , that was then very rise in this * Nation , and hath continued it amongst us as a Gospel , Decent , and Reverent Expression , or Token of the Vnvailing of our Spirits to God in Prayer ; Now strip this Gesture , or rather empty it of this solid Reason inducing , and both take away that End , and remove that Frame of Spirit , in which that Gesture is used ; and truly we may then very well repute it a mean and beggarly thing for the Sons of Men to bluster about . To have it in the Sence it is given to God , they can not . To have it without that Sence , is to have an empty , insignificant Gesture ; And should we allow of it , what Distinction could be found to save us from performing that to Man which we do to God ? since the Gesture denotes none , neither can ( and our Adversary denyes a Way to judge the Meanings of an Inward Spirit by ) Besides Man's requiring it upon an earnest Thirst after Honour , that Posture which we only give to God in his own pure Worship , makes the Doing of it Sinful , if there were nothing else in it ; and therefore we deny it to Men , at what time in the Reverence and deep Humility of our Spirits , we give it to God ; out of which Sence it is nothing , but in it , acceptable and requisite . We also ●now that Men in the Fall can give but Fallen Honour ; an● 〈◊〉 Gestures are invented or practised by a Fallen and Earthly Spirit , the Respect they set upon them is not the true Honour and Respect , but Fallen and Earthly ; In this Sence it is we call it Fallen , Earthly and Vain . More Substantial things may be so reputed , as Prayer , &c. when not proceeding from a right Ground ▪ much more a Gesture relating to it . Our Adversaries do ill ▪ to conclude so general ; They should have weighed , that as we can give it to God only in the Restoration out of the fallen Wayes and Worships of Men , so the Use of it in that Estate , must needs render it a Fallen , Mean , Earthly and Empty Thing , as indeed are all their Worships , who stand not in the Power and Spirit of God ; much more , when any the like Practice is used to Mortal Man. But they further object a Passage in a Letter to Je Perrot from R. Hubberthorn . Then no such Reasonings had we had , if so be , the Free Spirit of the Lord had been minded . which is not to be limited , neither to the keeping on the Hat , nor off the Hat in time of Prayer . But what adds this to their Cause , in Defence of which they brought it ? Who go about to limit the Spirit , and not we , as R. H. also sayes ; for our Business is to be limited by the Spirit , and not to limit it , or , to out-run it . I hope , none will infer from thence , that Men ought to keep their Hats on ; Or , that the same Spirit would lead to those contrary Gestures , as say some of J. Perrot's Followers : For R. H. meant nothing less ; but he was sure , if they had kept to that free Spirit ( that had already limited to , and confirmed the pulling it off ) there would not have been such Reasonings about keeping of it on , or off ; and why ? because they would have felt a Pre-conclusion , which would have setled them out of the Reach of the Bondage that Spirit of Delusion had brought them into : For the Liberty of the Spirit stands not in being moved to contrary things , that is Ranterism ; but in being freed from every high Thought , and exalted Imagination , to abide in the Order of the Gospel . But our Adversary , who can at times , and for his own Ends engage for any Cause , tells us J. Perrot's Defence , that he did not enjoyn the Practice ; for he left all to the Free , Vniversal Spirit , pag. 24. But after this , our Adversary , if he would have defended J. P. to Purpose , he should not have told us , pag. 32 , 33. that J. Perrot had received Command against it from the Lord God of Heaven and Earth in his Captivity at Rome , to testify against the Custom and Tradition of Taking off the Hat by Men , when they go to pray to God : And the Truth is , he did at other times call it a Romish Tradition . But what follows from these two Passages that so greatly justle at one another ? Does not the first imply , that a Man may Lawfully pull off the Hat in Prayer ; and the latter expresly judge it as a Tradition of Men ? Either his Command was False , or he was Deceitful in his Answer to our Friends ; For that a Man may be left to his Liberty , whether he should practise the Traditions of Men in the Worship of God ( upon J. Perrot's Pretences to Divine Motions altogether in Worship ) is the height of all Contradiction ; yet this is the Doctrine of J. Perrot , as we have it delivered to us by his Apologizer : To give Liberty to pull it off , or put it on , as it was with People to do , and yet that he was commanded of God to testifie against it positively and generally , as a Tradition of Man ; As if People might use , nay , be moved of God , to perform in his Worship any of the Traditions of Men , which God himself had given express Sentence against . It is not short of Blasphemy it self . And for Our Friends , that is , G. F. G. W. and others , which this Man sayes , owned J. Perrot's Motion for Rome , and counted him a good Friend , p. 32. They do aver that they denyed that Motion , and never so reputed him . However it be , this Apologist , vowed to our Disgrace , bestirs him self not a little in Defence of J. Perrot and his Followers , as if first he loved the Hat on in Time of Prayer , which he denyes in it self ; Secondly , as if he believed and allowed of Motions , which he both denyes and scorns ; Thirdly , as if he liked a true Quaker , and was not so much displeased at the Light , as at Peoples Leaving or Confining it in its Leadings and Requirings ; Who by his great Envy to our Persons , shows his Hate to True Quakers ; and by his base Conclusion from the Pretences of both Parties to have been led to a Contrary thing by the Light within , That the Light is a kind of Miserable , Uncertain Thing ; and waiting to be ordered by it , a very Dubious piece of Business , to the Disgrace of Christ's Light ; Reviling then , as well the one Sort as the other , and bringing his Blow well nigh as hard upon the Hat-Men as upon us , see pag. 23 , 24 , 25 , 71 , and ult . In which the Drift of his Business is to drive People off from the Leadings of the Light , instead of Pleading on the behalf of these Apostates being led into that Practice by it , as he vainly doth , p. 32 , 33. Let Disingenuous W. Mucklow , and Furious J. Pennyman see to what pass they have brought their Affairs , who under the Pretence of proving the Quakers Apostacy from the Teachings of the Light , have furnisht a Man with Complaints against us , who could so little dissemble his Dis-like against the Principle it self , as to conclude Vncertainty , Confusion and Blasphemy to attend that very Assertion about the Light 's Teaching , which the People , called Quakers , in the beginning made , and is by this Adversary in other places , on these Apostates account seemingly pleaded for . Let them glory in this Man's Endeavours , if they will ; Their wicked Hypocrisy and great Trachery are herein manifest beyond what may at this time be said by us : They loved the Motions of the Principle at an odd rate that set a Man to defend them that is an Enemy to them . His Conclusions prove what I said in mine Introductoction , that it was against the True Quakers and their ancient confest Principle he chiefly levelled his Scoffs , Nick-Names , Reflections and gross Perversions , and not meerly against us as False Quakers , or Persons gone from our first Principle . To prove this , behold how , and why he triumphs ! That our Principle admits of no Means whereby to discern one immediate Teaching from another . Perrot sayes one thing , and Fox another ; Who is in the right ? or to that Purpose . It would have done well if W. M. and J. P. had answered this Objection , before they furnisht him to plead their Cause and defend them to be in the Right , from those Motions their own Apologist denyes any Certainty to ; and I may now take Occasion to ask him , why he is so peremptory in his Censures of us to be in the Wrong , who denyes any Certainty of Judgment of either side ? How comes he so Certain in Condemning and Justifying ? Partial Man ! But no greater Evidence can well be given of the Wrongness of J. Perrot's Spirit , then has been already related ; viz. The Disturbance of the Church ; The Vnprofitableness of the Thing ; The Scandalous Laps and Apostasy of himself and several of his Followers , and the Judgment others Zealously past against themselves whose Simplicity had been betrayed . The Fruits testifie what Spirit it was , though , upon our Adversary's saying That there is no inward Test or Tryal of Spirits , at least implying so much , he contradicts Scripture , and undervalues the Gift of God ; For he had as good to say , That a Wrong Spirit , covered with fair and undeniable Pretences , is not discernable by the Light and Spirit of God within ; A Man may be Wrong within , and Right without , have the exact Form , but not the Power of Godliness . What can try Spirits , but the Spirit ? No Writing can tell me a Wrong from a Right Spirit in the ground ▪ though it may describe good and bad Fruits , and from such Actions Men may by a Writing describe the Right from the Wrong ; But what gives to relish , tast or savour a Wrong Spirit in Sheeps Cloathing beside the Heavenly Instinct of the Divine Nature ? As People are turned to that they can discern , as saith the Apostle , The Spiritual Man judgeth all things , ( that is , of right he may ) and is judged of no Man ( that is , not discerningly of the meer Natural Men ) And as the Spiritual Man's Discerning is from the Spirit that searcheth out the deep things of God ; so is God the Judge and Law giver to his People under this Dispensation . If the Gospel-Fellowship be in Spirit , True Christians must have an Inward Tast and Sense of one anothers Spirits ; and what gives to savour aright at the same time gives to relish a Wrong Spirit . The same Objection he makes against the Light may be made against the Spirit , ( which is but another Name for the same Principle ) and I hope , he will not dare to say that any Confusion can follow upon holding that Men under the Gospel ought to be led by it : Yet , this granted , suppose Men pretending to be led by the Spirit , to be gone from the Spirit ; or that two equally pretending to be guided by it , differ , as Paul and Barnabas and Peter , what should determine ? No Writings of the Old Testament could , at least without Meanings ; and the same Difficulty lyes about the Meanings of Scripture as about being led by the Spirit . In this Case what shall be done ? Surely the Spirit must not be upbraided nor branded : Neither will it follow , That there is no Judge ; for Christ is the great Judge , appointed of God. the Spiritual great Prophet that speaks from Heaven , and in his own time will give Judgment to the View of all Men. In the mean while he satisfies the Minds of those who are truly led by his Spirit ; and Withering , Decay , Murmuring , Complaining , and finally Apostasy will follow upon the Pretenders as is fulfilled in the present Judasses . This hath been largely argued elsewhere , yet I was not willing to let this Passage of our Enemies pass unconsidered , which indeed is the Strength of his Book , and what the ablest of our Adversaries can say against us an this account . I have proceeded thus far more particularly in Defence of the Church , against the Apostate Adversaries and their Apologist , about the Argument by them made about the Hat , and those Discords that issued ; In which I hope , I have not exceeded the Bounds of Truth and Moderation . For the latter Objection , which is directed not so much against the Body of our Friends , as a select Number of Ministers and Elders devoted , as he falsly and scoffingly suggests , to the Promotion of G. F's Authority and Interest , I can with all Clearness and Sincerity , and that in the Name of many Brethren , give this following Testimony . G. F. I would have all to know , seeks not Himself , but Christ , and as becomes a true Apostle , and Servant of his Lord and Master , Jesus Christ , Early and Late , in Season and out of Season , with incessant Pains and Care ( not being Burthensom unto any ) endeavours to promote the Work of God in the Earth ; and is so far from Lording it over any , that he daily serves all for the Truth 's sake , thinking no Labour too great , nor Condescension too mean , whereby he may be Serviceable to any , in what concerns their Eternal Well-fare ; and this some of these Apostates must needs know . He has approved himself , and still doth among us , to be a Man of God , and a True Prophet of the Lord ; and as such , we do Value him , and the Rage of Men shall not Dis-settle us from our Sense and Regard of him , who seeks not himself , nor his own things , but the Things of God , that Christ , and his Power alone may be exalted in the Hearts of all People , and all Flesh humbled ; and for this alone are all publick Labourers of Value with , our Friends , and no otherwise Respected or Regarded then in the Lord , which is not Tyranny , but Duty : Wherefore those Terms , of Foxonian , King George Fox , Foxonian Leaven , G. Fox and his Party or Adherents , are with many more , Words of Scorn and Abuse ; he has no such intended Lordship , nor are we of his Party , bu● God's Free-Men , and True Christians , being with him Baptized by One Spirit into One Body ; the Unity of which these smiting Apostates and their abusive Libeller can never break . I shall touch upon their Aggravations about not Marrying , Burying , &c. before I come to those other Reflections made against G.F. our Ministry , and My self , and all before I end my Share in this Re-joynder . First , He is pleased to say , That we deny them Trading , Marrying , Burying , and all Ecclesiastical & Civil Priviledges to those that dissent from us . p. 7. These were the Aggravations I before promised to observe . But alas ! What shall we say to a Man thus Hardy , and resolved to be Wicked , that he may render us so ? Did we even forbid Men Trading , or endeavour to take People off from Trading with them ? J. Pennyman can say no such thing without Lying ; for several have lovingly frequented his Shop , since he Enviously visited and disturbed our Meetings : And how many do we daily trade with , that are not of us , in Love and full Assurance of their Honesty . For Marrying , I referred the Author of the Spirit of the Hat to the Apostle's Dehortation , Be ye not Vnequally Yoaked together . It seems , if we cannot own Persons to be of us , that are not of us , we must be abused . This made the present Apologizer ( if I am not out of my Guess ) Angry and Enraged with us at first . 'T is not meer Talking of Christ , and hammering out a few Notions in the meer Strength of Man's Will and Wisdom , that makes a True Christian ; therefore we could not receive him for our Sect-Master , that angers him . And for Marriage , we cannot have Unity with any in that solemn Performance of Marrying , who are acted by a Wrong Spirit , and so gone out of the Union of the Body of Friends : We do not deny them that are so Married , to be Married at all , as this Enemy would conclude , though to be Married in the Unity we can never own them . As to our denying of Burial unto such Apostates , my words in the Book , called , The Spirit of Alexander the Copper-Smith Rebuked , carry no such unnatural Sense . Two things I denyed ( 1. ) That we therefore denyed them a Burial , because we should alwayes refuse it as of us , whilst they continued in that Dissenting Spirit from us . ( 2. ) That we Vsurped their Property . To the first , sayes our Adversary , The ( Quakers ) would not suffer such to stink above Ground , but he should be buried , not among the Catholicks ; but as Hereticks in Spaine or Italy , p. 19. Behold the Candor of this Interpreter ! What a strange Improvement has he made of my Saying ? much more resembling the Carriage of that sort of Catholicks ( he likens us to ) against such pretended Hereticks , as the poor Waldenses then , we do in the Case of Burial . I say again , That as our Friends intended upon their first Purchase of a Burying Place , that their Dead Bodies should ●ie together from the People of distinct Wayes , which is warranted from Abraham's Practice in Genesis ; so do they not desire , that such as have been of them , and have afterwards run out , should lie among them , unless it be the Desire of the Deceasing Parties , or that they declare their Unity with Friends : yet we would not by any means be thought to deny any Person whatever a Buring-Place , though we could never allow it to them as one of us , since that were most unnatural . I would fain know , if this Adversary would observe no Distinction in this Case ? or what Injury there is done , in making that Difference , when Dead , which was observed by the deceast Party himself , when alive ? For the Property that he sayes some of them have , 't is true , and was never denyed ; but that we usurpt it , we did and do reject as a Slander : They never desired their part of the Collection that bought it , nor did we ever refuse to repay it , but are ready to be quit with them when they will ; a Perverse Apostatized Generation ! For Ecclesiastical Priviledges , I know not what he means ; and those Scoffs ill become a Man that pretends to Religion : Such Priviledges , as are the peculiar Right of every true Member of Christ's Church , it must be confest , that such Starters aside from the Primitive Fellowship of it , do deprive themselves of Church-Priviledges ; we don't . But this , sayes he , is more then any beside the Papist dare pretend to ; the Protestant , or Church of England challenges no such Power , p. 5. But he that has ventured to tell so many False Things of us , may dare to bestow one upon her , especially when it is considered , that he is a Concealed Person , and may be False and Base with Security . Does not the Church of England , both Excommunicate , and stir up the Civil Magistrate against such as dissent from her in meer Circumstances ? Does not the long Difference between her and the ancient Puritans , Presbyterians and Independents , Baptists , and Us more particularly , sufficiently Disprove that Bold , Assertion ? But we pretend not to Imitate any ; but really act according to that Understanding and Sense which God given us in these things , and in which we commend our selves to him , being herein willing to abide his Judgment . To the Rest of those Cruelties he makes us guilty of , he doth , with the Author of the Spirit of the Hat , charge us with Pulling down , Haling out of our Meetings and consequently wanted only Power to punish them ; adding , That my Appeal to God's Witness in all Consciences , for our Vindication , shows me greatly to be lamented , as either Blind or Impudent ; That we have also Pusht , Pincht , Kickt and Trod upon Feet and Toes , sending us to Francis Chadwell for Proof thereof . But , to say nothing of his Ill-Language , my Appeal stands as it did ; and as before , so now I will put it between Impartial and Moderate Men , if ever we so used any Conscientious Inquirer , or Opposer ? No , nor any else after that manner represented by our Adversary ; and God will plead our Innocency against him , in the Hour of his Rigteous Judgments , he shall not go Uncondemned down to his Grave . For Francis Chadwell , he is a Man of no Conscience , nor Credit , in what relates to us ; I my self have known him grosly guilty both of Lying and Tipling : No frothy Stager is less to be regarded in Religion , then this Man's Witness , a Light , Scoffing , Taunting , Tumultuous Person ; who after an Hundred Solid Confutations , One of which had been enough to strike an Ingenuous Man to the Heart , has continued to Bawl and Disquiet our Meetings , time after time : His Aim hath been to raise up an Envious and Scoffing Spirit in People against us , Jeering , Laughing , Houting , with such Unseemly Carriages , as wholely unbefit him for a Witness against us ; He had as good as confest , that he has been Hired by some Professors to Disturb us , and told me , If I would give him Five Hundred Pounds he would be a Quaker too ; yet , this is our Socinian Adversary's Serious , Conscientious Inquirer , or Opposer . He also brings in one William King , whom he sayes , We Haled out of our Gallery in Grace-Church Street , with such Violence , that he hath scarce felt the Stairs , but that he hath often felt our Cruel Hands , witness G. Whitehead 's Pinching him in the Arm , at Jer. Clark 's House ; and that We would not suffer him a Prisoner among us , though for the same Cause , and all this for some Disagreement in Judgment . I confess , I have no great Acquaintance with the Man ; but first , deny that ever he was Haled out of Grace-Church Street , or any where else ; but it may so happen , that he offering to keep the Meeting when ended by our Friends , the People pressing out , and he speaking , might bear him away with a Croud , which , hath fallen out to many that have been Speakers , and not Opposers : perhaps some disturbed and hindred of Hearing , may on their own Account have shoven him , or put him by ; what 's that to us ? For G. Whitehead's Pinching him , it is like the rest , full of Slander ; He is known to be a Man of more Temperance and Command of himself , if he had been provoked . 'T is true , He took him by the Sleeve to turn him to a Looking-Glass , that he might behold his Envious and Passionate Countenance , as G. W. avers , and others present : But had it been true , how one Pinch can prove that he had OFTEN felt our Cruel Hands , Unbyassed Readers may best judge . That he was a Prisoner is confessed ; that we Refused him to be among us , is denyed : But that we were not in Unity with him , we are not afraid to own . I know not that I ever spoak to him but once , and that was in New-Gate , being a Prisoner my self ; and if he will speak Truth , he can say nothing hard of me . For G. Whitehead's Charging Henry ●awson not to entertain him , is false ; For what is it but to suggest , that we would Refuse him common Hospitality ? 'T is true , that G. W. as in Conscience-bound , warned them of him , as one of the Ancient Creepers into Houses , Disaffected to the Brethren , and Prone to Discords ( as by his frequent Disturbances in our Meetings is evident ) therefore not to entertain him as one in Unity with us ; but if he , or any of them want ( supposing first their Lawful Endeavours to procure sufficient Maintenance ) I know not one among us , who would not readily Administer to their Nceessities . But we gave out a Paper against John Pennyman when he was in Prison , and would not spare that grave , ancient Gentle-Woman Ann Mud , who being MOVED to speak a few Words , T. Matthews pulled her away by Violence , and that we were the People in former Dayes that vexed , and disquieted all Sorts of Religious Assemblies , and clamoured against those as Persecutors , that obtained their Peace by Thrusting and Carrying us out . But I will tell him first , that our Paper against John Pennyman was as necessary to clear us from that Instigation of the Devil that led him to give up to burn the Scriptures of Truth , and the Writings of Friends ( which were some of those Papers ) this Apologizer ( fitted for all turns of Deceitful Evasion ) calleth Wast , pag. 37. under the Pretence of the Motion of God's Spirit , as for an Innocent Man , in Sight of a Murder , to clear himself from being guilty of so heinous a Fact , We delighted not at his Imprisonment , for we were wounded by the Cause of it ; and had great Reason to deny that Action , which brought a Reproach upon our Principle and Practice that never belonged to either . God's Spirit hath hitherto lead us to Read , Believe , Obey and Witness the Scriptures , and not to tare them , as did our Adversaryes Orthodox Elizabeth B●rens ( p. 52. ) in the height of Rage before mine Eyes ; and offer to burn them , as did his so much Commended and Defended John Pennynman . I perceive , this Socinian Author denyes our Testimony by his Dislike of it , and consequently owns that Wicked Position , that the Spirit of God may lead a Man to burn the Scriptures of God ; against which our Testimony was mainly directed . For his ancient , grave Gentle-Woman ( as he calls her ) she hath been so Unhappy as through her Excess of Affection to J. Pennyman , to be a Sharer with him in his perverse Out-Cryes against us ; yet I can scarcely think that she will attest any such thing : But if it were true , as I believe it to be false , it can be no Valid Argument against the Faith , Worship or Actions of the Body of the Quakers . But , why MOVED ? me-thinks , here and in J. P's Case , he hath learned to pronounce Moved , as if he believed the Spirit in these Dayes used any such thing . Is he angry with us for resisting Ann Mud's MOTION , who himself , p. 32 , 33 , 71. denyes the Certainty of any such thing ? but Envy blinds Men. We shall also grant that we are the Men whom the Eternal God from time to time raised to testifie against the Hireling Teachers that took Money for that which was not Bread , but were like Wolves in Sheeps Cloathing , devoured the Flock , and made a Prey of the People ; and God hath blessed us in that Service , for before a Gathering , there was to be a Scattering : And God made us Instrumental to turn People from Darkness to Light , from the Power of Satan unto God , by directing their Minds to the Gift of his Holy Light and Spirit , which discovers the Deeds of Darkness , convinceth the World of Sin , revealeth the Mind and Will of God , and gives Power to the Creature that believes in it , to obey and do it . For this Testimony in the ●irelings Synagogues , did the False Jew or Christian Hale , Tere , Beat , Bruise , Knock down , Stock , Whip , Imprison , with many such like Horrid and Inhuman Actions ▪ which became not our Adversaries Interest ( though an Impartial Historian ) to mention : But , have we been no otherwise disturbed ? or have we so used our Disturbers ? Our Faithful Chronicles of the Bloody Tragedies of that Professing Generation will tell future Ages other things . O the Partiality of this Socinian Apologizer for our Disturbers ! But to close this . Either our Adversary condemns our former Testimonies against the Priests in their Steeple-Houses , or he does not ; if he does , he cannot justifie the Senseless Bawlings of Proud and Envious J. Pennyman , Francis Chadwel and the like Disturbers of our Assemblies , upon his own Comparison . If he justifies their Disturbances of us , especially those given by his Prime and Singular Witness F. Chadwel , with what Face can he censure our Serious & Solemn Admonitions , or Reproofs in the National Synagogues . Let it be as it will with him , we expect an higher Judgment , and to that shall we gladly yield . And for those two or three Stories of the Wantonness & Uncleanness of some particutar Persons among us , though it is spoken to in some following Testimonies , yet I have thus much to say ; J. W's . Name is Basely and Falsly used by the Libeller , though he could not have mentioned it but upon Information from some of these Defaming Apostates , whom God will judge , for endeavouring to Murder the Reputation of an Ancient , Solid , Faithful Labourer in God's Work. Shall Ifs and may be 's conclude Men Guilty ? It is not the first Mistake W. M. if he be their Informer , hath committed , whose Jealous Surmising Soul can scarce do any thing else in Cases relating unto us , as I have experienced : His Worth is lighter to the Man , his Name is brought in t to slander , then the Chaff to the Wheat . For the Two Young Women , concerning whom M. Y's . Information is cited , they were examined ; Childish , Toyish , and Unseemly Carriages were with much Contrition confest : but for any such gross Wickedness , as was and is suggested by these Men , they said it was false , if there was a God in Heaven . For M. Y. we shall say no more till we have a more express Account of his Concernment in that Libel , or Information mentioned therein : We see no Name to it , and might as well suspect that with other things ; however , our Friends behaved themselves in that Matter as became God's People to do . For T. M One Story is cleared by the Woman's Testimony , and W. M's . Malice discovered . For his common Uncleanness under Pretence of Physick , &c. We know not how to allow it for several Years since dealt withal by our Friends , and in particular by a Physician about it ; and what there was any just Ground to Condemn him for , he was judged , his other Unwatchful Carriages denyed , and his Conversation turned form by our Friends . Lastly , Suppose these Enemies of God , and his Work , and People , could Say and Prove Ten Times as much ; shall those Miscarriages bring many Thousands of People out of Request , and go for an utter Blast upon their Faith , or Way ? Vain Men ! Should we tell the Stories of the Abominable Practices of both such Apostates , and some Envious Professors ; what of Sin could we not find several that have profest their Way guilty of ? But we will make no Musick for the Atheist . Has not every Miscarriage , as Known , been Reproved ? Yes ; Every Unfruitful Work of Darkness , as by the Light within , when known only to the Party Offending , so by the Light in our Friends , as a Church , when known to them . Is not this Gospel-Order ? Or must some raw Slips of Unwatchful Persons Antichrist our whole Society ? Reader , These Things and Persons objected , have been several Years since examined ; who were Innocent , Acquitted ; and who were Guilty , Condemned , according to the Righteous Law of God : And upon this old Condemned Stuff , it is our Enemies feed , with this they Arm themselves against us , and upon this Quagmire , as their best Foundation , they stand . In short , They have been False to God , Abusive to his People , Hurtful to the Moderate , and basely Treacherous to their Ancient Friends . If being Base to God and Men can render Men Christian , then they deserve to be so accounted of : But till Religion cometh to be read Backwards , let them go for Enemies to Christianity , and Murderers of Natural Affection , To conclude , OUr Ministry is of God ; it stands in the Power of the Living Spiritual Gift of God , to testifie against all Ungodliness : And if any Particular has ever slipt , and brought Dishonour to the Truth , such hath been Reproved in Righteousness , and only Received upon Unfeigned Repentance ; which is God's Way . But to Publish , Proclaim and Aggravate Miscarriages of Any to the World , who profess Religion , committed many years ago , Examin'd , Judg'd , and they Forgiven , upon Repentance , by the Lord , and therefore Received again by us ; and all this done with Design to Blast our Credit , Disgrace the Way we profess ( though they were no way concerned to meddle or interpose ) To do all this , I say , is not to be acted by the Spirit of God , but That , of an Accursed Ham , and Treacherous Judas ; and the Lord will avenge our Cause , we doubt not , in due time . But an Hainous Blasphemy is laid to the Memory of Josiah Coale , by this Angry Agent , in behalf of these Apostates ; and that is , a Passage in a Letter writ anciently by him , in his Life-time to G. Fox , viz. That G. F. was the Father of many Nations . But what Blasphemy is in this ? Is it any more then to say , That by him , as an Instrument in the Hand of God , People of many Nations have been by him begotten to God ? Was not Paul a Father of many Nations , who begot the Corinthians , that were Greeks , and the Romans , that were Latins ? But further . Whose Life hath reached through us thy Children , even to the Isles afar off , to the begetting of many again unto a lively Hope , for which Generations to come shall call thee Blessed . Very well ; And what Blasphemy lodges in these Words ! Is not that which is the Life of one Good Man the Life of another ? Were not the Christians of old by One Spirit baptized into One Body ? What Life G. F. had was from Christ Jesus , and it was no other Life J. Coale writ of : And I hope , The Life of Christ is one in All ; and who can limit it ? And Josiah Coals , with others , were Children in the Sense afore-mentioned ; and that Life through those Children , by him ( instrumentally begotten , did reach to those Isles afar off , unto which he and others went to preach the Everlasting Gospel . Paul reached to the Churches , though afar off , 2 Cor. 13 10. He was Present in Spirit , though Absent in Body ; for , I verily , as Absent in Body , BUT PRESENT IN SPIRIT , have judged already , as though I were present — In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ , when ye are gathered , and MY SPIRIT in the Power of the Lord Jesus Christ , cast forth ( and taken in too upon Repentance , without going to the Lord Major and Aldermen ) 1 Cor. 5.3 , 4. His Life and Hope was through Timothy , Titus , and others , extended unto many . And why shall not Generations to come call an Apostle Blessed ; and bless the Name of the Lord for him , respecting the Benefit any such one might be in God's Power to a People ? Is not the Memory of the Just Blessed ? Prov. 10.7 . And did not the Lord by his Prophet say of Israel his People , I will make thee an Eternal Excellency , and the Joy of many Generations ? Isa 60.57 . What if J. Coale had so spoak of G. F. and God's Israel now ? Would it have been Blasphemy ? But these Err , not knowing the Scriptures , nor the Power of God , like the Jews of old . But yet again , whose Being and Habitation is in the Power of the Highest . And so is the Being and Habitation of every Child of God , or else he is in the Power of the Lowest , the God of the World , whose Habitation is in Darkness . Are we not to turn away from such as stand not in the Power of Godliness ? And did not the Apostle go , to turn People from the Power of Satan unto the Power of God , which is the Power of the Highest ? And is it notwithstanding Blasphemy to stand in it , or testifie of one that doth stand in it , that he doth so stand ? Oh the Idle Opposition ! but great Envy of our Enemies ! They seek nothing less then the Blood of this Upright Man , as the next Words , and their Aggravation of them prove . In which Thou Rulest & Governest in Righteousness , and thy Kingdom is establisht in Peace , and the Increase thereof is without End. Upon this our Adversary takes frequent Occasion scoffingly to call him , King George ; suggesting him to be so vile an Impostor , as to assume unto himself the Compleat and Peculiar Dignity , Dominion and Authority due to Christ . See Pag. 53 54 , 55. Which Blasphemy , I am of the Mind , our Adversary thinks deservedly Punishable after the Severest Sort of Death . But he unworthily traduceth that Good Man , and layes the Harmless Scripture-Expressions of a departed Servant of the Lord , upon the Tenters or Rack , that he may stretch them to his own Vile and Bloody Purposes . Hath this Man forgot that there were ever such Passages writ , as these ? The Good Seed are the Children of the KINGDOM , Mat. 13.28 . The KINGDOM of God is within , Luke 17.20 . The Saints shall JUDGE the World , 1 Cor. 6.2 3. But ye are a ROYAL Priesthood , 1 Pet. 9.2 . And thou ( the Lamb ) hast made us unto our God KINGS and PRIESTS , and we shall RAIGN on the Earth , Rev. 5.10 . And I appoint unto you a KINGDOM , as my Father hath appointed unto me , that ye may Eat and Drink at my Table in the Kingdom , and JUDGE on Thrones the Twelve Tribes of Israel , Luke 22.29 , 30. It is the Father's good Pleasure to give you a KINGDOM , Luke 12.23 . who hath translated us into the KINGDOM of his dear Son , 1 Col. 13. [ the Untranslated therefore Rage ] Wherefore we have received a KINGDOM that cannot be shaken , Hebr. 12.28 . [ they then had it ] I beheld , and the same Horn made War with the Saints , and prevailed against them , untill the Ancient of Dayes came , and JUDGMENT was given to the SAINTS of the Most High ; and Time came that the SAINTS POSSESSED THE KINGDOM , WHOSE KINGDOM IS AN EVERLASTING KINGDOM , Dan. 7.21 , 22 , 27. By all which it is manifest , that it is the Priviledge of every Saint and Child of God to be a King , a Royal Priest , to bave a Kingdom , and to Rule , Govern and Raign in Righteousness and Peace without End. So that Josiah Coale , and every Heir and Co heir with Christ , Rom. 8.17 . doth as well Raign in an Everlasting Kingdom of Righteousness as G. F. doth , or shall do ; for we have One Faith , One Baptism , One Power , One Lord , One Kingdom . Where let it be noted , that by all these Titles and Priviledges , we only mean and understand , Dominion over , Not Bodies nor Souls , Not Flesh nor Blood ; but in the Sense of the Apostle , Ephes . 6.12 . Principalities and Powers , the Rulers of the Darkness of this World , and Spiritual Wickednesses in High Places , which center in the Invisible , Dark Power of the God of the World , that since the Beginning hath drawn and acted Man , out of God's Counsel and Power in which the Kingdom stands : For though we walk in the Flesh or Body , we do not War after the Flesh ; for the Weapons of our Warfare are not Carnal , but Mighty through God , to the pulling down Strong Holds , casting down Imaginations , and every high Thing , that exalts it self against the Knowledge of God , 1 Cor. 10.4 , 5. And as our War and Weapons , so our Kingdom is not Carnal , but Spiritual ; not of this World , but that which is without End ; and of this we are not ashamed . It may not be unseasonable to take Notice of that Passage in his Book so often mentioned , eagerly insisted upon , and aggravated to the height of Ananias's Belying the Holy Ghost , viz That G. Fox , this Great Prophet ( as he in Abuse calls him ) should break open and alter the Contents of John Whitehead 's Letter , which ( as he said ) was writ in the Name of the Lord , and that to a quite contrary Sense ; making the Letter to judge those that kept the Hat on , whereas J , W. therein justified both , those that kept it off , or on . Thus , saith our Adversary , doth G. Fox belye both John Whitehead and the Holy Spirit of God , and that knowingly . He proceeds , Oh Prodigious Impudence ! He that counterfeits any Man's Name in a Matter of any Concernment deserves to be exposed on the PILLARY , AND TO LOSE HIS EARS ; HOW MUCH GREATER * PUNISHMENT DOTH HE DESERVE that Counterfeits both the Name of God and Man , in a Matter of Religious Concern . This , sayes he , is the Course that G. F. took to make his Injunctions to be observed . But this is the Course more truly to make the Impiety of this Adversary more Notorious . For first , G. Fox never opened his Letter , nor made any Alteration in it at all , that I dare affirm in so many Words ; much less that he belyed the Holy Spirit ; and least of all , that he did it willingly . I perceive by his Conclusion , he acknowledges that the Holy Ghost as really moved in J. Whitehead as in Peter , contrary to his own Principle . Any thing will they All grant that they may Slander or Injure us in the Minds of the People . How knows he it was a True Motion ? Doth he not deny it may be known ? If so then , how dare he be so positive in the Censure of G. Fox ? Will he make the Motion Uncertain , and yet certainly judge G. F. for a Forger , who was yet Innocent ? I leave it to the Reader , what to call this part of his Tale. Secondly , J. Whitehead gave Power by Letter at that time to the Brethren of London , to supervise and alter it , as they should see convenient : and no otherwise was G. F. concerned in it , then as one assenting with other of our Friends , that according to Power given and their best Understanding , did alter it for the better , and herein did J. W. testifie his Unity and Fellowship ; for the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets : So that what was done , was no more then what J. Whitehead left Power to do , and which the Scripture justifies . Wherefore Prodigious Impudence belongs not to G. F. but this hardy Adversary ; and Prodigious Cruelty , Persecution , if not Murder too , is he guilty of that would have him not only Pillary'd , and lose his Ears , but his Life too , or something very near a kin to it . This is confirmed page 33. where he charges us to be Blasphemers , and that such ought to Dye by the Law of God in former times ; The Consequence is plainer then his Power to execute it . Oh the Mercies ! Oh the Forgiveness of these exceeding Meek , Suffering , Bruised Little Ones ! as they would have as think , But , Oh Deceitful and Blood thirsty Generation ! who have endeavoured what in you lies , to betray with your Treacherous Kiss of pretended Love to our Souls , our Faith , Reputations and Lives too , into the Hands of some Bloody-minded Jews , who are not of the Circumcision in Spirit , but lust against those that are , that they may be stirred up against us ; But God will reckon with you and them too , for these things . This Adversary takes an Occasion to fasten a Lye upon a Paper set forth in the Name of the Quakers ; but he sayes , writ chiefly by G. F. and G. W. in saying , That we have paid our Taxes and other Dues more then any People , according to our Abilities . When ( sayes our Adversary ) their Neighbours know all over England there are ( at least ) some Taxes or Assessments , which they have peremptorily refused . But why must we be branded for Lyars because of that Saying , or our Adversaries base Aggravation ? I do affirm , That we have been oversest more then any ; and Paying those Extream Assessments gives good Ground for Saying what we did . But indeed , some Hat-Spirits perhaps could not say so ; but why ? Because some of them are so leavened into another Spirit , that they almost question the Payment of any , as M. Boreman , now called M. Pennyman , did . I must not be plainer , least the Cabal further represent me one that exposes Person to the Lash of * Government . Wherein we can pay we do , what ever they come for , and in some Cases wherein we cannot , answer their Demands for Christ's Peaceable GOSPEL sake . They commonly Take three times the Value , seldom , if ever Returning any again ; But this our Adversary calls no Paying : Sure I am , it is Loosing more then our Adversary dare adventure ; for if I mistake not , he can send out all those things rather then suffer , though perhaps against his Conscience also . Well , but , if we will believe him , there is such an Arrogant , Imperious and Audacious Paper given forth by R. Farnsworth , A. Parker , G. Whitehead , J. Coale , J. Whitehead , T. Loe , S. Crisp , T. Green , T. Moon , T. Brigs , and J. Parks , as he thinks , was ever given forth by Mortals . A Charge too great , and a Reflection so sharp , that it had need be one of the worst Papers that was ever writ . Now let us hear what it is . 1. They allow not such to have Dominion in the Church , who exalt themselves above the Body of Good and Ancient Friends . Now , what hateful thing did they deliver in this wholesome Christian Saying ? It seems , this Enemy of God , and true Righteousness , would have liked us better , if Bad Friends had been suffered to exercise the Dominion over the Body of Good and Ancient Friends . But he starts out thus , That by the Body of Good and Ancient Friends is meant G. Fox and his Adherents ; which sort of Interpretation well becomes such a Caballistick Writer ; for after those Allowances , I will misrender the best Cause , Pretences or Actions in the World. It is an arrant Falshood : He was then far from them ; Neither had they him in their Eye in doing it , but God's Honour , and the Churches Peace . 2. That such as are not in Vnity with the Ministry and Body , have no Gospel-Authority to be Judges in the Church : And that it is abominable Pride , when any Particular will not yield TO THE WITNESS OF GOD IN FRIENDS . But what is the Matter with our Adversary ? Hath he lost his Wits that he makes this so Criminal ? Are any to be Judges in that Church they have no Unity with ? and amongst the Ministry they deny , or are at distance from ? Strange Contradiction . But why is it so Hainous , to call such Proud or Self-willed , who resist the Witness of God in Friends ? Certainly the Expressions are sound , unless Scripture be defective : He that can see any thing in them , that deserveth such hard Words , as this Billings-Gate Rhetorician bestoweth upon us , has better Eyes then I. 3ly , But they say , That the Church ( without Dissenters ) has Power to Determine Controversies . Very well ; and is it not true ? Are the Dissenters from the Church part of the Church they dissent from ? For Shame ! Thou Learned , and talk so Idly ? Scripture declares , That God has given the Power of Determination to his Church : All the World knows , That Dissenters are not of that Church they dissent from ; therefore the Church without Dissenters , has that Power of Determination . 4ly , and 5ly , But they add , That such disapproved Ministers , ought to leave off Ministring till they are Reconciled to the Church : And if approved Ministers degenerate to Division , the Church has Authority to deal with them in the same manner ; and that no such Persons Writings should be publisht with Consent , &c. What of all this ? He that can call this Imperious , Audaoious , &c. can call any thing . To allow , that Dissentious Preachers and Writers are by the Church they dissent from to be approved of in the Course of that Ministry and Writing , is such a Bedlam , Boundless Piece of Stuff , that none but one , who thinks it Dangerous to be of any Party , would be the Author of such a Wild Expression . 6ly , But they advise , That such whom the Holy Ghost had made Over-seers should not admit of the Weak to that Trust , nor such as seek not the Good of all : which All this Disingenuous Wrester interprets , The great Body of George Fox and his Party ; But Men of Wisdom and Moderation will not , I am confident , so spoil the Text with his Comment . This is the seventh time in two pages that G. Fox is brought in , as the Explanation of the Word Body , who was then close Prisoner at Scar-brough , where no Letter was suffered to come to him , and who never knew of any Paper till sometime after its being out . O the Implacable Envy of these Men ! I have hitherto waited for that Arrogant , Imperious and Audacious Passage , which might have raized up our Adversary's Choller , and whetted him to this Degree of Scolding ; but find no worse then what I have transcribed and justified , this last excepted , and I think it justifies it self : such as seek the Good of all are certainly Fittest . If he dare tell us his Name , and meet me by Day ( as he can post up his Scurrilous Title-Pages on the City Posts , with Flambeux or Links , and a Guard by Night ) I will any where , and in any sober Auditory maintain the Truth of all these Particulars , and their clear Consistency with Scripture and Reason , on whom he has bestowed so many hard Names . But 't is to be lamented of his Cabal , that he should with his Passion and Hate divulge so much Ignorance , as to cry out , That ( he thinks ) the Pope himself hath never taken such Power as to determine in Matters of this Nature and Manner , but in a general Council . Poor Man ! Brand us he would one way or other : Has he never read the Council of Trent , nor considered , among many others , the Life of Paul the 3d ? Is he to be informed of that Controversie long on foot between the Jesuits and the Doctors of Sorbon , and the Followers of Jansenius ? I thought Councils had sometimes been as meer Cyphers in - Italy , as Parliaments are in France . But this Man is as Kind to Elizabeth Barns , one of that Backsliding Spirit , as he represents me else where Unjust to M. Boreman that was ; For though she has Torn the Bible ( calling it in my hearing , the Pope's Idol , the Professors Idol , and the Quakers Idol ( an Incredible Thing with J. Faldo and T. Hicks ) and committed more then a small History of shameful Miscarriages since ; yet is he pleased to tell us , That she , seeing the Ministers exalted themselves , cryed out , while R. Farnsworth was preaching , You have whored from the Lord. Farnsworth ( sayes our Adversary ) replyed , Thou art a Whore ; but for fear of being too great a Forger , he brings it afterwards thus in a Parenthesis , or the Whore ; This Michael Stanclift called Unsavory : For which , sayes this Secretary , he was cast out , as calling the Spirit of Truth Vnsavory . Oh the Wretched Work these People make ! Will our Adversary justifie her Interruption of R. F. in Preaching , who condemned it in us , who did it after a more seasonable and justifiable manner a little before ? Yes , that he will. But does he think R. F's Reply Unsavory , and not E. Barns Out-cry , who only returned her own Word to herself ? Yes , that he will. Strange ! But does he take E. Barns word , Whore , in a spiritual Sense , as Degenerating ; and will he seem to understand R. F's word , Whore , only in a Common and Proper Acceptation , as a Dishonest Woman ? Yes , that he will. Well , but was it Vnsavory so to reply , and not in E. Barns , so to interrupt and speak ? Yes , that it was , implies this present Apologist , both of himself and M. S. O Monstrous ! O Partial ! But perhaps M. S. apprehended that R. F. meant by Whore , an Unclean or Dishonest Woman in the Sense before-mentioned , and then there might have been some Ground for his Answer ; but if M. S. took R. F. in the sense in which he spoak it , to wit , that she was gone out of her Habitation ( that is , the Truth ) turned Harlot in Spirit , and so was become Clamorous ( as speaks the Wise Man ) and should notwithstanding call that Vnsavory , it was a Sign , that he had more Unity with that Vnclean , Ranting , and Envious Spirit in E. B. then the Friends of Truth , that generally judged her : And truly in that Case it was time for them to tell that Angry Old Man their Mind of him ; In which , they did but that , which I dare answer for , before the great and terrible Judge of Heaven and Earth . Mine Own Defence from the most Considerable Reflections , made by this Libeller against Me. § . 1 HE is pleased both to Jeer and Prophane , upon this Passage in the Spirit of Alexander the Copper-Smith Rebuked , We require not Men to practise what they are not convinc'd of ; but we will be well satisfied with any Member's Dispractice of an Orderly Performance , once Chearfully owned . For this he calls me a Deep-studied Man , and the Passage , a Learned Distinction . Let the Learned ( sayes he ) vail to W. Penn ; but ( as one recalling himself ) probably he writ by Revelation . But what Answer do all these words give ? O , but 't is all one ; for two Negatives ( sayes he ) make an Affirmative in English . What , if there be but one , for two I can not find ? but he at last , like a Dim-sighted Man , has fumbled out the Matter , as he thinks , to wit , That we require not Men to leave off to practise what they have practised , Cujus Contrarium ve●um . For shame ! What! no more Understanding , and yet pretend to write Books ? Are not my words expresly otherwise ? But I say again , 'T is one thing to introduce a Practice not at first known , when our Adversaries spoak such Glorious Things of our Faith , Worship , Order and Ministry , and require the Conformity of any of the Church to it ; and quite another Business , for any of the Church to dispractise , as a Romish Tradition , and Tradition of Men , or leave off any orderly Custom God brought his Church first forth in , and which all once own'd and were in the Practice of . But I begin to dispair of making this Caballistick Libeller any honester towards the poor Quakers . § . 2 But the Author of this Libel hath so little Conscience , as yet to say , That the Quakers allow no Liberty to Presbyterians , Independents and Baptists , because they are not in the Power of Truth : but sayes he , W. P. never wants a Salvo for George , let him say what he will ; he means it , sayes W. P. not of Outward , but of Inward Liberty , and yet W. P. knew it was spoken to one who pleaded for Liberty of Conscience about his Hat. But thou Libeller , was he a Presbyterian , Independent or Baptist ? or does this prove that I would defend G. F. Let him say what he will ? Art thou a Man pretending to Truth or Honesty , that art so Untrue and Dishonest to thy Opposer ? But I know no such thing that it was spoken of a Hat-Man ; this I know from G. F's own Mouth , and what I have frequently heard him say on this Subject , That the Conscience were within , and nothing could give it Liberty from the Thraldom of Sin , but the Power of God within . He thus Distinguisht from the common Use of the Word , which is the publick Exercise of Conscience ; so that what he meant of the Inward State of the Conscience to God , they pervert to the outward Exercise of publick Worship . Now , because the Presbyterian , Independent and Baptist generally deny , that ever the Conscience can be Free or at Liberty from Sin , he queried , What! Liberty to the Presbyter , &c. answered thus , No Liberty out of the Power of God , Christ Jesus ● and such as have Liberty , but not in Christ Jesus , the Power of God , it is in old Adam , and are to be turned from . No Man that is not eaten up with Prejudice , and a Party with these Traducers , can think that G. F. ever intended any other Liberty then what was internal , as the Conscience is . I could desire that both sides in this very Instance , might be the Measure of the Truth , or Dishonesty of either ; for I am in no one thing of this kind better satisfied , then in the Wilful Abuse of our Adversaries , and our own Vnblemisht Innocence . God will Reward all according to their Works , Amen . § . 3 He tells us , There was a Complaint against me of divers Lyes , Calumnies and Abuses , committed by me , in my Book , intituled , The Spirit of Truth , &c. carried to the Bull and Mouth , to the Body of the Quakers , then sitting there , by half a Score of Citizens and others , but they were not admitted . Answ . 'T is true that I writ such a Book , and that they came with such a Complaint ; but a Lye , a Calumny and Abuse , that God will Revenge , if not Repented of , to call any part or parcel of it either Lyes , Calumnies or Abuses . H. Hedworth was nipt for his Nameless , Scurrilous Letter ; Dull and Angry Man ! he could never Answer it , therefore strove how he could Defame its Author . Notable Controvertists indeed ! first write Books against Persons , and instead of Answering , cry out for Justice , as if I had committed some Enormious Fact in Confuting his Libel : But what Non-sense is it for People to come to a Body for Justice , which they so manifestly disown , and these Nameless Authors constantly vilifie ? Indeed they are grown so Angry at our honest and quick Defences , that some are fallen to Personal Criminations , and others to downright Menacing us with Judges , Courts of Justices , and Corporal Punishments ; A Crew of Petulant Disputants and Bloody-minded Adversaries . Well , but what Reception found they ? G. Whitehead , sayes he , told them , He would shew it to W. Penn , if they would set their hands to it . And was not this Reasonable ? Should Men Complain and not Subscribe the Complaint ? Such Dark-Lanthorn Acts become not good Men. But it was shewn to Stephen Crisp also , and left signed in his Hands , who told them , that he had shown it to me , and that I had answered it in Print . And was not that the best Way , that what came by Print , should go by Print ? They know their Malice is ready , and they think their Wits are so too ; and all know , they have their Presses open : What! must we not defend our selves without being brought upon Tryals ? Before what Court did we endeavour to bring them for beginning with us ? The World may by this see , what a Way such Peevish Persons would take to be uncontroled in their Writings , had they so much Power as they have Pride and Passion . But this is not all ; For upon my Saying in my Winding Sheet that Anabaptists came to Bull and Mouth to demand Judgement against W. P. for ALL being in the Place of MANY , and asking , whether they were not well employed ; at which he cryes out in the Strain of some Great Don. What Penn , Is this the Custom of G. Fox's Court to Jeer the Poor Petitioners ? No , Libeller , 't is neither G. Fox's Court ( as thou scoffingly calls it ) nor did I Jeer ; nor were they that came , Petitioners : we neither Scorn nor Bely them , as is falsely charged upon us . And though there were more particulars ; yet that the Printers putting All instead of Many , was one of them , is granted ; and that I never said , They came with no more : what I did say will sufficiently clear ; therefore this Libeller hath both scorned and bely'd me , and Abus'd and Jeer'd G. Fox &c. which indeed is most times the Work of a concealed Author . Well , but 't is for this , he is pleased to confer upon me the Knighthood of the Post , which I thus far accept of , that I stood my Post when he ran away ; but be it as it will , his Reeling upon it hath broken his own Head against it , whether I would or no. But one Reason why he so entitules me , is my Swearing the Truth of what I either know to be False , or do not know to be True. This , I suppose , may startle every Reader that remembers I am called a Quaker , and have writ against Swearing : But the Man had a notable Way to come off , in which he is singular . 1. in case our Words go for Oaths . 2ly , in that our Appealing to God is an Oath , pag. 49. But before his Charge will reach us , he must first prove , That we ever broke our Words so solemnly given , as he pretends ; and secondly , That an Appeal to any thing is a Swearing by that unto which the Appeal is made : But the Man being of late Years turned Schollar , may be forgiven his Ignorance in Definitions , as I heartily do his Malice . § . 4 In page 44. he tells me , that since I love not to be called bare William , as the Quakers do , but do almost beg my due Title of J. Morse , he thinks it be equal that he calls me Mr. Penn. But I could wish he would let us know what to call him , who scarcely studies our Destruction more , then to conceal himself in compassing it ? I am contented to be called by my Name ; but this scornful Libeller , besides his Nick-Names , often robbs me of halfe of it , and that after this very Passage , which shews how little heed is to be given to his Words . But because he quotes us a book to prove my Ambition , I will give the Reader an Account of the matter . Some Letters past betwixt J. M. and J ; on his part he used Thou and Thee , conforming himself to that Language to me , which I knew he practised not to other People , I told him it ill became one as Angry with the Quakers as himself to imitate them in Vsing that Distinction in Language , which he otherwise denyed , saying . I loved Foxes should appear in their own Skins . This is the Substance of that Petition , this present Adversary represents me to have made for Titles of Honour against which he knows I have writ , and blamed me for so doing ; But what twigs will not such drowning Causes and Defenders catch at , to endeavour to save an irrevocable Life ? § . 5 I am now come to what our Adversary takes high Advantage at , as if he had enough to blow us all away at one Breath ; That I should exclaim for Proof of that Passage in the Spirit of the Hat , that our Ministry was Vitious and Wanton , and that Strumpets were amongst them . And that John Pennyman was willing , as he publickly declared in Gratious Street , to answer my Challenge , and that I should come with J. Osgood , J. Claypole and William Brand , to his House next day for a particular Charge , which ( sayes this Adversary ) he soon drew up and sent to W. Penn , to which ( he sayes ) according to my wonted Modesty , I replyed , That we wondred to see so empty an Account , after so great a Charge publickly exhibited , that before we met about it , we would know if this were all , he intended ; for we would not have our Charge by piece meal . Thus , saith this Libeller , These great Champions evaded , &c. To all which Reader , take this Faithfull Answer . A Challenge I made to prove that Infamous Charge ; and it is as true that J. Pennyman made us believe some such thing as is said ( to say nothing of his insolent Carriage ) But this I boldly affirm , for I have his Letter by me , there was scarce one of these 24 particulars that so much as related to that Infamous Charge , upon which my Challenge was grounded . To accept my Challenge upon one thing , and to offer to answer it with another , shows their own Shortness , and not our Cowardness . What he said to the Purpose , was no more then the Charge it self contained , and that in a Way of Postscript too ; He gave us this general Answer , he could say this , and he could say that , but he cared not to medle with such dirty Matters . Is this to Answer our Challenge ? Unjust Men ! that in your Nameless Pamphlets would Rape us of our Reputation , which you have never yet dared to our Faces to Question . God can best rejoyn to such Replies , and with him we leave both our Cause and Innocency . Oh , but , sayes our Adversary , We will come to a Tryal with you before 12. Judges , six of each side , equally disinterested , and in case we fail of such a Number of Persons , we are willing in case of Difference about them , to refer the Vmprage to the Lord Major of London , or any Aldermen , or Common-Council Men : But as great Knaves as ye would make us , I hope , ye do not think us such Fools , as to accept a Challenge from no Body ; for such I call an hidden Author : Let us see , Who he is , and What he would be at ? Can any wise Man think , that , if such Infirmities were , this scurrilous and blindfold Way of using us , ought to prevail with us ? No , as we deny far the greatest part of his Stories , especially as aggravated , so shall we not debase our Christian Authority so far , as to be accountable to every Fleering , Scoffing , Busy-Body Adversary ; We can Reprove , and Exhort , & Exercise Church Discipline in the Power of Christ Jesus , without running to twelve Judges . Let these Nameless and Shameless Adversaries first go with the Ungodly , Numerous Miscarriages of their own Parties , and make them Judges in that Respect : We need none to give us Discerning or Judgment ; Christ has furnisht us already , and doth in all Occasions . But had these things been all true , as represented , yet not being Injurious to any of our Adversaries , it no wayes concerneth them to be satisfied in our Proceedings ; nor are we accountable to them by any Law of God or Man , upon their Envious Requirings . Runnegades Informations are no Proofs . Hath any Wronged them , they shall be Righted so far as we are able ; But have any slipt , must we therefore divulge it ? Or are we therefore no Body of Christians ? Though the Principle be never so perfect , Men are no longer so then in Comformity to it . The Ancient Christian Churches had the Spirit of Truth ; yet some Failers attended some of her Members for Want of keeping that Watch they ought , must the whole Church of Christ therefore be defiled or condemned , and the Eminent , and Laborious Servants of God therefore discredited ? Or should the Apostles have gratified the inquisitive Jews , Heathens or Backsliders , about any Miscarriages within themselves , who were too apt to charge them with far more Vile Practice then any instanced in either of these two Malitious Pamphlets . There is no Church , or Religious Society whatever that thinks it self obliged to inform every Envious Busy-Body with the Infirmities of any accounted Members , which is , to publish it in Gath , and tell it in Askalem ; Or the Time , Manners , and Matter of any of her Censures , unless the Facts themselves have been notorious , or are Injuriuos to those without : Let any of them give me an Instance to the contrary if they can . It is Prejudice to Religion it self to divulge Censures beyond the Reach of Offences , since it is to divulge the Offence it self ; We shall therefore give no such Ill President , by gratifying the Minds of our Clamorours Adversaries , and some Vagabond Treacherous Quakers : The Church is neither accountable to her Publick Enemies , nor her Apostate and disowned Friends . J. Pennyman and W. Mucklow , with the rest of the Corish Company first cry out of Evils committed ; and next , against the Order establisht to prevent or judge them , The one must be called , The Camp defiled , and the next , Tyranny or Arbitrary Government . This hath been judged Years since , and they now feed upon . In short , The Libel is hereby answered ; What is Right is Defended , and what is Wrong , was long since , and in the Order of the Gospel Condemned : And if this will not satisfie , We recommend our Cause and Persons to God , who is hastening to bring forth that Fatal and Unanswerable Argument of Astonishing Judgment upon the Inhabitants of the Earth , which will prove us to be the People which God hath gathered by the Power of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead , who is become out Light and Life , the Head of our Body , in whom we stand , and for whom we now suffer upon the Earth , to whom be Glory and Dominion for ever . § . 6 But to render me yet further Odious , and as a great Testimony for G. Fox's being accounted King of the Quakers , and that Lordliness we exercise , he tells the World , That William Penn did not speak unadvisedly , when he writes of his Membership in the Quakers Body . That it is an Honour more desirable then to be a Companion of Kings . Reader , his Wrestling lies here ; Whereas I , in the Humility of my Soul preferred , that Living and Spiritual Membership , Almighty God in his Rich Mercy hath given me among this People ( whose Portion outwardly hath been Suffering of all sorts ) abundantly before the visible Pomp , Grandeur and Pleasure of being the Companion of Earthly Kings , he turns it to the being a Companion to King G. Fox , as he mockingly calls him ; besides the Absurdity which follows such a Construction : For what is it but to say , That I prefer my being a Companion of a King , before being the Companion of Kings , and that of such an one too ( if he must be one ) as hath not One to a Thousand , if to Ten Thousand , with other Kings ; This is to render me Foolish , and not Ambitious . But I never understood that Membership in any Body was to have a Principality before , especially as I placed the Comparison . I am perswaded , if he thought one so easily obtainable , he would not long decline being of some one Party or other , though now upon his present Principles , a very Stragler ; Every thing and Nothing . Well , Though what I am is far enough from being either Prince or Prince's Fellow , in our Adversary's Sense ; yet I have found such a Station , in which is that Peace , which I justly prefer before all Worldly Dominion . § . 7 But this Libeller angryly proceeds ; For ought I see W. P. calls all of us that are Married Rogues , our Wives Whores , and our Children Bastards . But the Drift of this Scurrilous Consequence is to bring me and my Relations under these hateful Epithetes . This is like a Man , that would tell a Lye of himself to fasten an ill thing upon another ; But he will not be thought to be without a Reason for this Unreasonable Consequence ; For he will not call her , sayes he , by his , but her Widdow's Name , consequently , she is a Whore , and her Child a Bastard . Such dirty Names become so dirty a Pamphlet . I administred no just Occasion for such Reflection : I called her not by that Name to fasten Dishonesty upon her ; for I never intended any thing so gross , but to denote who she was , being better known in her Singularities by her old , then by her new Name . But if this Man had travelled no further then Holland it self , he might have learned , that Women are seldom , if ever , called by their Husbands Name ; Are their Husbands therefore Rogues , their Wives Whores , and their Children Bastards ? But that he may stoutly vindicate him , and wrake his Displeasure upon me , he proceeds . Is it because they were not married by the Law of the Land ? that is as strong against himself ; therefore the true Reason of his Abusing them , must be their not being married in the Way of the Quakers . Answ . Suppose us neither to have been married by the Law of the Land , this Officious Apologist might have saved the Comparison till I and my Wife had proved our selves as great Bedlams as they shewed themselves at Merchant-Taylers Hall , to the great Scandal of Rel●gion , the Trouble of Wise and Sober Men , and the Derision of the Multitude . Is that which was once by you improv'd to the Disgrace of the Quakers , now vindicated against them ? It seems it had been ill done in the Quakers , but is very defensible in John Pennyman . We are contented with the Distinction , and the Apology for it . No Wonder their Books are printed for Francis Smith the Anabaptist , to vend , who ( as I am informed ) was one of the Orderers of the Disorderly Feast , being seen with several others of that Sect that day as busie among the many Pasties , as he hath been since in selling their Libels ; who by the way promised in my hearing , Never to get Printed , or Sell any Books that contained Personal Reflections : but Gain with such i● Godliness . All I can say , is , We are not deceived in him . There is a certain Harmony amongst them , that very well suits the Cause they promote . But he sayes , I am not singular in Judging so hardly concerning Persons not married after our Way ; For , sayes he , other Foxonians ( a Scoffer ) have done the like in their Writings . This Author will by no means pass for either Lyar or Reviler , who , as in other Passages , so in this , hath proved himself both : We deny not those to be Marriages , which are not according to our Way , but we should unjustifiably differ from the Common Way , if we did not believe our own to be most according to the Example of the Holy Men and Women of old . We countenance no Clandestine Marriages , as we have Reason to believe John Pennyman's was : for he came not to Merchant-Taylers Hall to be Married , but to declare he had taken Mary Boreman to be his Wife , whose Consent was only guessed at by her Silence ; but when , how , and before whom he did it , is known to few , if any : We could ask Questions , that would put them very hard to it , but we delight not in medling with such stuff . To conclude , We therefore call her his Wife , because he confesseth her to be such ; but not upon those plain , publick and orderly Proceedings towards God , Relations and Friends , as which are owned and practised by us the People of God , called Quakers . But he hath not done with me yet ; for he counts it special Malice , that I so described Mary Pennyman in her Apparel , as if , saith he , W. P. were as intimate with her , as he said to be with Gulielma Mar. But M. Pennyman is better known for an Honest Woman , then W. P. is for a Man. There is little Reason that I should believe , that this Man hath Courage enough to question my Honesty to my Face , who was afraid to put his Name to his Slander . I Envy not M. Pennyman her Honesty , and am very well contented with mine own ; however it may be represented by mine Enemies , who are too Partial to be Judges , and instead of Confuting , can only Revile me , which shows no great store of Honesty in this Slanderer . My Reflection upon M. Pennyman's Apparel was Just and Righteous ; I knockt her own Spirit with her own Weapon . Were our Ministers Degenerated because they wore better Cloathes ? and was M. Pennyman more Regenerated in leaving off her mean ones ? Yes , for she sayes , that having come through her Sorrow , the Out-side is little to her . Would not the same Excuse serve us ? It seems it is no hard Matter for her to endure Richer Apparel , that is , of her own Back , but not upon another's ; Ranterism is lodged under this Liberty , which leads to what she once judged as unbecoming Truth . But me thinks her higher Attainments might allow her Equals and Betters to wear Camelit , whilst she wears Silk ; they are all , I know , good in their Places ; but Hypocritical , Self-Righteous Pretences are not to pass without Rebuke . But I cannot imagine , what should induce this Libeller to reflect upon my Intimacy with Gulielma Mar. and that in such suspected Terms , as if she were another then the Party he represented me to be married to a little before ; for he presently reflects Dishonesty upon that said Intimacy , telling us at the Tale of it , That M. P. is better known for Honesty then I am ; as if that Intimacy rendered me as culpable , as if it had happened between M. Pennyman and my self . It were well , if he had been so cautious else-where in telling of Lyes , as he is here in speaking the Truth ; But do what we can , the Folks of this Man's Strain will make that a Ground of Reflection upon a Quaker , which is very allowable in themselves . He tells you above , I was married , and had a Child , and a little below that I WAS SAID to be INTIMATE with G. M. that is , with the Person that is my Wife , as if it were to render a Man suspect to be intimate with one's own Wife . Whether there be most of Folly exprest , or Slander intended in this way of Writing , let the Moderate Reader judge . But because the Reflection as well extends it self to her as to me , I will only say thus much in her Defence , She needs none : and to be questioned from so foul a Mouth , is a great Addition to her Credit , but his own Guilt . His Comparison of her with M. Pennyman , that formal Piece of Hypocrisie , giveth but such as know both , the better Mean to judge of either ; The well known Innocence , Meekness and Faithfulness of the one , more lively setting out the Deceitfulness , Pride and Treacherous Apostasy of the other . In short ; Who would be well spoken of by such that choose Vertuous Persons to speak Evil of , and Apostates to Commend ? But all this , and many more Rude & Defaming Speeches must I and mine expect from this Perverse Generation , who have rewarded us Evil for Good. What Scurrility , Railing , Nick-Names , Mocks and Jeers are vented against us , with other Servants of the Lord ? But in all these things our Eye is to him , for whose sake alone ( he is Record ) we are become Marks for Furious Men to shoot their Arrows at ; But the Lord is our Pavilion , and his Strength our Fortress : He covers our Heads in these and all other Battels ( at what time these Creeping Judasses and Envious Libellers lurk and hide ) so that we are not moved . We recommend our selves to his peculiar Care and Providence , that in his Holy Truth we may live , and rather then relaps , for it constantly dye , that , whether we Live , or whether we Dye , God may be Magnified in the E●●th , and that shall be our exceeding great Recompence of Reward . And for these Apostates , who once dipt with us into the same Dish , and fed at the same Table , who have tasted of the Word of God , and the Power of the World to come ; but have betrayed the Spirit of Truth to the Spirit of Delusion in themselves , and given him & his Motions into the Hands of the False Christian of this day , to Deride and Scorn , and who have had so little Regard to the Profession , as to bring it under Reproach , and to the Common Law of Friendship , as Treacherously to divulge the Secrets of some of their ancient Acqaintants ; and finally , who have endeavoured the Disgrace and Hazard of the Lives and Liberties of some of the Servants of God , because of their Faithful Testimony against their Apostasy ; I must tell tkem , and do in the Counsel of God , Their Bands shall be made strong , and that Eternal Power at which they strike , reigns over their Dark , Dividing Envious Spirit , in the Hearts of that Peopl● , they have called by so many Scoffing Names ; and more then a Mill-stone will it be about their Necks , and the Weight of all these Wicked and Treacherous Doings , will God bring upon them , in a Day , and an Hour , when they shall not be able to escape the Rod of his Fury . Ah! Poor Men ! What have ye been doing ? Verily , your Damnation slumbers not ; and the God , whose Name you have caused to be blaspheamed amongst the Heathen , will one Day require these things at your Hands , and Recompense Vengeance in Flames of Fire for all your Hard Speeches and Sinful Contradictions against the Holy Spirit of Truth , and those who are led by it . I am not in any Rage , God knows ; but I am grieved for you . I could wish a Place of Repentance might be found , if the Lord saw good , though I rather fear , your many and grievous Provocations have shut the Door against you : For as Core and his Associates were outwardly swallowed up of the Earth ; so hath the Earthly , Sensual and Devilish Spirit of the World received you into the Bowels of it , and you are become as really One against our Lord and his Anointed in this Generation , as ever Pilat , Herod , Judas and the Jews were combined against Him and His in the Dayes of his Flesh ; Who have strengthened the Hands of the Mocker and Scoffer ; greatened the Envy of Professors , and made the Atheist glad . But may this Lamentable Course your Disobedient , Watching-for-Evil , Slippery Backbiting and Exalted Spirit hath brought you into , with the sad Consequence of being hardened therein , be a perpetual Warning upon the Minds of all , who make Profession of God's Eternal Truth , that they be not high-minded , but fear ; minding their own Conditions , and their Growth and Increase in the Work of the Lord , that so Love and Unity may be preserved , and all Watchings for Evil , Distrusts , Surmisings , Emulations , and whatever makes for Discord or Dis-affection , may be judged out , and the Sowers of that Spirit that leads thereunto , turned from , and rebukt in the Power and Authority of God , who is able to keep us and preserve us unto his Heavenly Kingdom , to whom be Everlasting Glory and Dominion , Amen . Now , The Just shall live by Faith ; but if any Man draw back , my Soul shall have no Pleasure in him , Hebr. 10.38 . And because Iniquity shall abound , the Love of many shall wax cold . But he that shall endure unto the End , the same shall be saved , Matth. 24.12 , 13. And THIS GOSPEL of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the World , for a Witness unto all Nations , and then shall the End come . Verse 14. Several Testimonies Of Persons Reflected upon in the Pamphlet before answered ; added in Truth 's and their own Defence . Thomas Brigges 's Testimony . WHereas in page 22. thou or ye say , The poor Man was transported into such an Angry Zeal , that I told the Opposers , It was of the Lord , and they Opposed the Mind of the Lord : But the Man was so far ( say thou or ye ) from knowing the Mind of the Lord in that Matter , that he did not know who the Persons were of whom he spake . Ans . The Mind of the Lord I do know , who am in the Truth and walk in it ; and the Testimony that I had to bear for the Truth , and God's Power , which thou art out of , in which I did then bear testimony in the Blessed Power and Presence of God , that I felt in that Meeting , That that Marriage was to be permitted among Friends ; and it was permitted among Friends and accomplish'd . And whereas thou or ye say , The poor Man was transported into such an Angry Zeal , that he knew not who the Persons were of whom he spake . Ans . I was not Transported out of Truth , but in the Truth ; but thou art Transported out of Truth into a Lye , and into the Enmity , and into Cain's Way , and into Core's Way , and of thy Father the Devil , who is the Father of Lyes : For I have known Elizabeth Bayly this Nine or Ten Years , as she can witness , and the Man of lesser years ; and I have no Shame upon me of this Matter , but Shame will come upon thee or ye , whatever ye be , that are gone from the Truth , and turned from the Truth and Power of God ; and the Truth and Power of God , in which I live , is over all False-Accusers and Lyars , and will be your Condemnation who are found in a Lye and False Accusation , who hide your Names in the Dark . This Testimony I do bear against all Lyars . My Name is Thomas Brigges . John Whitehead 's Testimony . WHereas the Author of the aforesaid Pamphlet doth charge that Faithful Servant of God G. F. with the Opening and Altering a Letter written by me , against my Consent ; I declare , That both he and his Author have Malitiously Slandered G. F. in that Case ; for I ordered W. Kerby by a Letter , wherein that Letter was Inclosed and UNSEALED , to shew it to George Fox , and the rest of the Brethren in Town , that he or they might dispose of it as they saw a Service for Truth . And it was written as a Testimony against that Spirit , which would have brought in the Wearing of the Hat in Prayer , and not to Justifie that Unheard of Practice in the Church ; for I ever Condemned it in my Heart , and bore my Testimony against it , knowing the Spirit of the Lord did not lead into it , though I had a Tenderness to those who intended well , and had their Simplicity betrayed by the subtil Workings of that Spirit of Error , which I witnessed against , and Laboured not in Vain to pluck them as Brands out of the Fire of Contention , that with the Light of Christ they might see whither they were going ; and several did see the Error of their Way , and Returned . And if any have been so bad , as to Mis-apply my Words , and Harden their own Hearts through my Tenderness , the Hurt will be their own , and I shall be Clear in the Day of God , though now I am Evilly Requited by those , wh● to their own Hurt give and receive Information agaist me , ( as if I Acted or Lived Wantonly ) like those which said , Come , let us Smite him with the Tongue ; Report , and we will Report it : But my Innocency in that Case , without further Defence , is my sufficient Refuge from the Slanderous Tongues of these Ungodly Men ; And through the Grace of God , whereby I am taught Sobriety and Godliness in this World , I can and do say , The Lord forgive them . John Whitehead . Isaac Penington 's Testimony . A brief Account concerning the Queries relating to Keeping on the Hat in time of publick Prayer , mention'd in a Book , called , Tyranny and Hypocrisie Detected , pag. 61. AFter it pleased the Lord to give me a Sense of his pretious Truth in the Inward Parts , and to turn my Mind thereto , I met with great Opposition , both Inward and Outward ; and how hard and long my Travel was , God only fully knoweth . Every day the Lord visited me , and the Enemy was daily tempting me , and I felt the Bitterness of his Temptations , and was often sore wounded through my not understanding the Appearances of the Lord , and through Unbelief . God knoweth , I did earnestly desire to know the Motions of God's Spirit , from the contrary Movings and Stirrings of the Enemy of my Soul ( who moved in the Reasoning Wisdom , out of the True and pure Simplicity ) but was many times filled with Doubts and Fears , till the Season of the Service was over , and the Opportunity of keeping out the Enemy was lost . When the Business of the HAT fell out ; I being acquainted with several of them , and looking upon them as tender to the Lord , and that they did scruple it only in Conscience to him , was perswaded in my heart they were to be born with , and thought the positive Testimony against it in others too severe , and that a thing of that Nature was not to be contended about , but every one left to their Liberty ; yea , and somewhat farther did I go in the Sense of my Heart , as if possibly the Lord might require such a thing of them . In this Frame of Spirit did I give forth those Queries , not at all intending ( the Lord knows ) to strength●n that Practice thereby , but that no tender thing might be hurt , but the Unity of Life kept unviolabe , notwithstanding such an Outward Difference : But at that time I did not discern , that the thing came from the Enemy ; nor was I sensible , that the Ministers of the Truth , and such as stood in God's Light and Authority , and saw the thing coming from the Enemy , with the Evil , Hurt , and Dangerous Consequences of it to many , yea , and the Grieving the Church of God , I say , I did not then see and seriously consider , that they were Watchmen , appointed by God , and had Discerning given them for the Good of the Body , and that by those Queries I did weaken the Testimony of God's Spirit through them , as to others , and give Strength thereby to that Spirit , which had prepared and was drawing this Snare over many . So soon as ever the Lord shewed me this in the inwards of my Spirit , I smote upon my Thigh , and said , What have I done ? and was willing to take Shame upon my self , and to give Glory to the Lord. How hard it went with me inwardly , none knows : And he that knows how easie it is to let in a Snare and Temptation , and to have the inward Eye blinded thereby , will not wonder , nor think too hardly of me ; but his Bowels will rather rowl in the Sense of the Misery I underwent . God knows , I did not mistake willingly : Nay , truly , The Power was upon me when I wrote those Queries , but I did not understand the Signification thereof , which would rather have led me then ( as it hath since ) against that Spirit , which brought up that new , Vnprofitable and Vnseemly Practice of keeping on the Hat in time of Publick Prayer , in the Assemblies of God's People . Now , the making use of this , against the Infallible Teachings of God's Spirit , and the Infallible Way in which he leads his People , is not Just , True and Equal . What! Was I never Infallibly led , because the Enemy once blinded my E●e , and deceived me ? Did not the Apostle Peter receive the Infallible Spirit , and was not he led thereby ? And did he not walk in the infallible Way , because once he did that which was justly to be blamed , and doubtless erred in Judgment concerning the Practice ? ( Gal. 2.11 . ) I do not desire that Men should judge me Infallible , or hearken to me , as to one Infallible : but this I desire , that I may alwayes understand and follow the Voice and Guidings of God's Holy Spirit , and then I am sure I shall alwayes walk in the Certain , Vnerring , Infallible Way ( besides which , indeed , there is no safe Way ) And I desire also , that others , with Ears and Eyes opened by the Lord , may hear that Living Sound and Testimony , which cometh from the Spirit of the Lord , in those whom he sends ; that the Gathering may be to him , and the Walking with him in the Spirit of his Son , in the Light which is Eternal , which ever was , and ever will be Infallible , which is the Path of the Living , in this Day of the Breaking forth of God's Pure Power and Love , in the Heats of many ; Oh Glory , Oh fresh , living Praises to his Name forever ! Isaac Penington . John Crook's Testimony . Having seen a Pamphlet , intituled , Tyranny and Hypocrisie Detected , in which is printed a Paper of mine , writ by me about Eleaven or Twelve Years since , about Gestures and Postures , &c. it is thus in my Heart to write . MY Desires and Breathings , from my tender years ▪ have been after the Living God ; and since I have tasted of his Goodness and Mercy , I have had a Love for , and Longing after the Eternal Welfare of all , that in any Measure sought after him in Truth and Righteousness ; knowing the Enemy's Devices to be many and various , seeking by all Means to devour them ; And from a deep Sense of the same I writ the Paper about Gestures and Postures , &c. many years since ; knowing how busie the great Enemy of Man's Soul was at that juncture of time to draw out the Minds of some , into the Observation and Innovation of Keeping their Hats upon their Heads in the time of Prayer , in the publick Assemblies of God's People , hoping that those Lines at that time might have been Successful to stop that Practice , in some of them at least , and also have allayed any thing in any others , which might be of tendency to hinder their Information and Recovery . But it was never in the least in my Heart or Intention , to Encourage or Strengthen that Spirit and Practice , which my own Judgment and Practice was against ; Neither did I intend any other Liberty then what was in the Lord , and the Maintaining Love and Vnity amongst Brethren . And truly , in these various or contrary Practices , of some keeping on their Hats , and others putting off their Hats , my Heart was affected , desiring that the Lord would put a Stop to whatever tended to Discord , which since hath appeared manifestly to arise from that Spirit , which first brought in that Innovation . Therefore in Good Conscience I cannot but bear my Testimony against the Author of this scurrilous Pamphlet , for endeavouring , not only to fasten such a Sense and Imputation upon me , but also for his Attempt and Industry ( what in him lies ) to render God's People Odious , and his ever-blessed Truth Contemptible to the World , and thereby himself becomes a Murderer of Souls , in perverting the Right Way of the Lord ; for which the God of Heaven will undoubtedly rebuke , both him and all his Confederates in this wicked Vndertaking , and in his time bring them to open Shame , if they Repent not of this their Wickedness and Sin. For the Epistle subscribed by Edw. Burroughs , John Perrot , and My Self , it was writ when we were Prisoners together in New-Gate , where John Perrot forbore the Wearing his Hat , on purpose , as we supposed , to avoid Offence ; and also , at that time be writ a Paper , which was Satisfactory concerning the Matter of the Hat , and had he made it publick at that time , it might have prevented what afterwards befel him : At this very juncture , when there was such a Compliance , and Hopes of his Recovery , was the fore-mentioned Epistle writ . Now let the Impatrtial Reader judge , whether the Author of this Envious Libel hath shewed either Ingenuity or Humanity , in his recital of the fore-mentioned Papers , to the End for which he hath made them publick . John Crook . Solomon Eccle's Testimony . FRIENDS , I Give my Testimony for the Lord , and for this blessed Truth , this Day . The Lord is amongst us ; and through the Riches of his . Love towards us , hath he made himself known unto us by his Eternal Light , which shines in our Hearts ▪ And this Light is exceeding pretious to all that receive it in the Love of it ; for it is Pure and Divine , and to be admired in all that do believe . The Life is the Light of Men ( Jo. 1.4 : ) and to know this , is the excelent Knowledge : And by believivg in this Light and walking in the same , We have Fellowship one with an other ( 1 Jo. 1.7 ) and Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ . But some are gone out from us , and gone from their own Mercies , and are turned against the Truth , yet pretend to follow the Lamb ; They would Exclude us , that the World might Affect them . Of this sort is John Pennyman , who hath sought Occasion against me and G. F. and hath printed , and caused to be printed three times against me , that never did him hurt ; first in his own Pamphlet , next the Baptists , called , the Spirit of the Hat , 3lY , the Tyranny and Hypocrisy detected : But in this he hath not done any wayes like a Servant of the Lord , as he stiles himself ; nor a Follower of the Lamb ; for he never came to me in a Brotherly Way , according to Gospel Order , ( Mat. 18.15 . ) first , in secret by my self , to shew me wherein I had done amiss , if I had done amiss : Nor was he so Ingenuous to have sent Lodowick Muggleton's Principles with my Challenge to Barbadoes , that People might know the Occasion of mY so speaking to Muggleton , that wicked Blasphemer , who said That the Eternal God died , and lef● Moses and Elias to keep Cou●t in Heaven till he rose again ; and that the Holy Ghost and the Spirit died in the Grave : and that God sent him to Curse ; And that they whom he curse are curst to all Eternity and God cannot revoke it . But Christ siath , that with God all things are possible , Mat. 19.26 . And now whereas I am falsely accused by John Pennyman the Apostate , who is out of the Bounds of Christianity as aforesaid , or as a Man , a Neighbour , and publisht in Print , as a Blasphemer , behind my Back when I was gone beyond the Seas , and he sent his Books and Pamphlets to Barbadoes and to Jamaica and other places in America after me , to raise up Persecution against me ; yet this Pennyman did never so much as speak to me , before he had published the said Book : And thus he hunts after my Life , as the Pharisees did after my Lord ; and I know nothing of Reason why this J. P. would have Blood , but being gone from the Truth in himself , seeks the Life of me who keep in Truth which he is gone from . Also he hath set the Baptists at Work in Barbadoes , Blood-thirsty Men , who sought my Life there , who read his Pamphlet before hundreds of People , and One of these was Tho. Hatchman Baptist Preacher , who is a Protest Enemy to the Light of Christ Jesus within ; for there was one askt him , what that was in him which shewed him his Sin ? he said , he did not know ; She said , she must know and she would know ; he said , it is the Devil for ought he knew . And what are these Baptists here , which thou hast set at work or given Occasion for it ? And what is Muggleton but an Adversary of Jesus Christ ? who boasted that he had cursed G. F. and said , God nor Christ could not revoke it , in his Book , entituled , a Looking Glass for G. Fox ; which neither J. P nor the Spirit of the Hat , nor Tyranny and Hypocrisie detected , takes notice of : but they can swallow down Muggleton's Blasphemy , and will not call that Blasphemy ; therefore I challenged L. Muggleton , who curst G. F. whom God had blest : And in my Challenge I told him he was not worthy to take G. Fox's Name into his Mouth , who was a Prophet of the Lord indeed , and hath been faithful in the Lord's Business from the Beginning , which I and many other faithful Witnesses know to be true . And there were Prophets before the Law , in the Law , and after Christ , and now according to the Promise of God , which have been persecuted , and spoken Ill against , as thou dost now , and Muggleton , who curses them . And farther I said — it was said of Christ , he was in the World , and the World was made by him , and the World knew him not ( whom John said he was not ) and this I say , is true , and no Blasphemy ( as my words farther concerning G. F. were ) so it may be said of this True Prophet . But what is that I said of him , that may be called Blasphemy ? because I say , it may be said of G. F. a true Prophet , to Muggleton that curses hin , and the World knows him not , though he is in the World ? but the World knows J. P. the World will not hate him ; but Christ saith , marvel not if the World hate you ( Jo. 15 18. ) for it hated me . I am not of the World ? nor you are of the World. And is not this true Scripture ? Is this Blasphemy ? And doth not the Apostle say that ye are not of the World ? for if you were of the World , the World would hear you ( 1 Jo. 4.6 . ) but because ye are not of the World , therefore they hear you not ? but the World can hear J. Pennyman without any Hatred , but hate them that are of Christ . And must not all be made like unto the Son of God ? ( Heb. 7.3 . ) and made Conformable to his Image ? but if I had said as the Men of God said ( viz. ) as Christ is , so are we in this World ( Joh. 1.4 . 7. ) or if I had said , that He that sanctifieth and They who are sanctified they are one ( Heb. 2.11 . ) And if I had said , I live , yet not I , but Christ liveth in me ( Gall. 2.20 . ) Then would not J. P. and the Baptists and the Hat Spirit and Tyranny & Hypocrisie detected have cryed Blasphemy , Blasphemy , Blasphemous Titles ? for I did not say , nor did I ever believe that the World was made by G. F. but by Christ , who was in the World and the World knew him not . So I say , it may be said of G. F. the World knows him not though he be in the World , as was said of Christ , he was in the World , though not of the World , and the World knew him net . And he said of his Followers , ye are not of the World as I am not of the World ( Jo. 17.16 . ) And I have chosen you out of the World , ( Jo. 15.19 . ) And this is called Blasphemy by J. Pennyman and his Company , who are Haters of Christ and Persecutors of his Members ( witness the Baptist Preacher in Barbadoes , who said , That which convinced of Sin was the Devil for ought he knew , before a Man and his Wife , who were People of good Repute in Barbadoes . And so People may see what Manner of Men these are who persecute both in Barbadoes and here in England ) and call Christ's Words Blasphemy ; for I did not say that G. Fox , was Christ , not that the World was made by G. Fox : but this I do stand to , that he & many others are not of the World , but Christ hath chosen them out of the World ; and therefore it may be said of G. F. & hundreds more , the World knows him not , nor them ( Jo. 1.3 ) as it doth not know Christ ; and Christ sayes the same . And as for all your Evil Language , as Lucifer and Foxonia●●s &c. we know we must have all Manner of Evil spoken of us for Christ's sake ( Mat. 5.11 . ) but can say , the Lord forgive you if it be his Will. But it is much that J. Pennyman and his Confederates have not published against Christ and his Apostles , as his Fore-fathers , did , and cast them Blasphemous Titles , and call them Lucifers ; for Christ calls his Children the Light of the World ( Mat. 5.14 . ) and a City , and the Salt of the Earth , and Sons of God , and the Light in the Lord , and Elect before the World began ( 1 Pet. 1.2 ) and they did not live , but Christ lived in them . And he bath made us Kings and Priests to God his Father , and we shall reign upon the Earth ( Rom. 1.5 . ) And what , are all these Blasphemous Titles ? And these are higher Titles then I spake of G. F. I spake Christ's Words , as in John 17. I have given them thy Word , and the World hateth them ( Mark J. Pennyman and Baptists ) because they are not of this World , even as I am not of the World. Do you call this Blasphemy ? Then why do you thus seek after my Life , and publish Books to set the Magistrates and Ignorant upon me ? but I will stand to my Tesitmony of my Lord and Saviours Words , though you call his Words Blasphemy ; it is which I desire all People to read , and see whether the Spirit of Christ be the Guide of these Men's Actions , or the Spirit of Envy ; for they that have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his : but the Spirit of Christ Jesus and of the Lamb , which is in G. F. and the Holy Brethren ( the Heirs of Eternal Life ) will fall heavy upon these Men ( yea ) this Stone which they reject and set at naught will grind them to Powder , Mat. 21.44 . And farther Christ faith in the same Chapter , I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the World , but that thou wouldst keep them from the Evil ( Jo. 17. ) and mark J. P. and Baptists , and the Spirit of the Hat , & Hyproscrise & Tyranny detect . who would tyranize over Christ's Testimony concerning his Saints , and Followers then and now , as your Fore-Fathers did . In the 16th Verse Christ saith , They are not of the World , even as I am not of the World , &c. which I keep , the Testimony of Jesus , and know the Truth that he speaks , and do not give Titles to none of his Saints , to G. F. nor none , beyond what Christ hath spoken ; and therefore be ashamed who profess your selves Christians , & call Christ's Words Blasphemy . And farther Christ sayes , That they all may be one , as thou Father art in me , I in thee , that they may be all one in us . And the Glory which thou gavest me , I have given them , that they may be one as thou Father and I am one , I in them and thou in me , that they may be perfect in One. And moreover John saith in his 1. Epistle Chap. 4. Ye are of God , little Children , and have overcome ; because , Greater is he that is in you , then he that is in the World. They are of the World , therefore the World heareth them . We are of God , he that knoweth and heareth God , heareth us ; he that is not of God heareth not us : hereby know we the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error . Beloved , let us love one another , for Love is of God , and every one that loveth is born of God , and knoweth God , and he that loveth not , knoweth not God , for God is Love. And it is very like John the Divine , had such Spirits as L. Muggleton , J. Pennyman and the Baptists , and other to deal withal as I have now . And Christ , my Lord , saith to his Saints and Apostles , If the World hate you , you know it hated me before it hated you . If you were of the World , the World would love its own , but because ye are not of the World , but I have chosen you out of the World , therefore the World hates you , Jo. 15. Remember the Words that I said unto you , The Servant is not greater then his Lord , Mat. 40.24 . but Christ saith , Every one that is Perfect shall be as his Master , Luke 6.40 . If they persecute me , they will also persecute you ; if they kept not my sayings , they will not keep yours . Here you may see how that you are not the Keepers of Christ's Sayings , but the Persecutors of them that do : Ye are my Friends , saith Christ , if you do what I command , &c. and saith Christ , henceforth I call you not Servants , but my Friends ; for the Servant knoweth not what the Lord doth : but I have called you Friends , &c. ( Jo. 15.14 . ) You have chosen me , but I have chosen you , and have ordained you , &c. And again you say in your Tyranny and Hypocrisie detected , that I should say , Blessed be the Man that came out of the North ; Blessed be the Womb that bare him , & the Paps that gave him suck . As to the Former Words I might speak them ; but the Latter Words once applyed to Christ , I do not remember I spake them : But herein ye shew your Malice , for had a Cursing Man , like Muggleton , come out of the North , such a one would have fitted you , J. Pennyman & Baptists ; but Blessed be God , I can say He is Blest , for God hath Blest him : And I can say , He is Blest , though you do speak Evil ( with Muggleton ) against him , and others Curse them whom God hath blest ; and Christ doth bless his People , Mat. 5. Glory to the Lord ; and you cannot curse that which God hath blest : and Christ and the Apostles say , Bless & Curse not ; and you are offended for my Obeying Christ's and the Apostles Command , manifesting What Spirit you are of . And was it not Christ which Saul persecuted ? and thou & you Saul like persecute him now , yea , that true Christ by whom the World was made , in his Saints and Holy Ones , under a Pretence of following the Lord faithfully ; but it is manifest that it is the Worlds God you have followed , out of whose Mouth comes forth such Envy and Malice : But it had been better for thee John Pennyman , and thy Confederates , that a Milstone had been hanged about thine and their Neks , ( Luk. 17.2 . ) then to have lifted up Tongue or Pen against God's Truth & People , who art in Muggleton's Spirit , speaking against the Truth , who art like an old Apostate , twice dead , pluct up by the Roots ; if so then , how canst thou grow ? but art gone out amongst the Dogs , Vomiting , Biting and Devouring . And J. Pennyman , thou boasts in some of thy Papers , of speaking the Word of the Lord ; suppose it were so , Balaam had the Word of the Lord , and after was cut off . And was not Judas and Apostle & Partaker of the Ministry ? And art not thou turned a Judas , and now seekst to betray the Innocent , yea , to Death , if thou couldst , according to the Sayings of our Lord Jesus Christ , A Brother shall betray a Brother to Death ( Mat. 10.21 . ) as thou hast done , as much as in thee lies , like a False Brother , in sending thy Papers to Barbodoes , where the Baptists and Professors running up and down with them to the Justices of Peace , who would have tryed me for my Life , Blood-thirsty Men ! And one Justice of the Peace said , that if S Eccles were not hanged he would be hanged for him , their Rage was so high against me , by Reason of thy Pamphlets : but I stayed at the Bridg Town , where the Court sat , waiting & looking every day , to be called to my Tryal ; but the Court broke up , and I was not called nor medled withall in the least , & so the Blood-thirsty Baptists and others their Consederates ( J. Pennyman's Correspondents ) mist their Ends. Though the Baptists themselves did confess to the same things here , which thou and the Baptists call Blasphemy now ; yet it is no marvel , for Christ , our Lord , was called a Blasphemer , who said that which I testified to , in Jo. 17. And as for all J. Pennyman's unsavory Speeches in his Abusive Pamphlets , and all unsavory Words in the Spirit of the Hat and their Tyranny and the Hypocrisie detected , I can say , the Lord lay them not to their Charge , as knowing our Lord and Master's Words , They shall speak all manner of Evil of us falsely for his Names sake . And whereas you say in pag. 18. of your Tyran . and Hypocr . detect . That G. F. did approve of those Words , both before and after they were Printed by S. E. Which is utterly False , and a Lye of your own forging , for G. F. did not know what I writ before they came forth ; for I must clear the Innocent from this Forger of Lyes ; and they that have gotten these Lyes from him , daub him , and boulster him up as an Honest Man , that they might get Lyes to Print , and to make Money of them , and feed themselves with such Lyes , of which there are many in their books , which they have from the Father of them , who is out of the Truth , and the Saying of the Apostle is come to pass , The Wicked grow worse and worse , and love to make a Lye ; and others make Lyes their Refuge ; and others are given up to believe Lyes : And take heed that you be not all Damn'd together , and the Lord doth not render Vengeance from Heaven in Flames of Fire upon you ; for , be sure it will come , if you do not Repent . And do not boast your selves , you Hat-Men , of the Abilities and Endowments , who are inventing and forging Lyes , and publishing them , like a Ballet-Singer to get a Penny , against the Innocent , yea , to the taking away their Lives , for all that are sober may see , it is their Blood you seek after : For Men that have an Esteem of Christianity , and their own Reputation , would not be sound in such Works and Actions , and be a Companion among them , nor give Ear to them ; but all these things shall work together for good to them that love God , Rom. 8.38 . and the Secrets of all Hearts will God reveal and judge by the Man Christ Jesus , 1 Tim. 2.5 For did ever I or G. F. do any Hurt to J. Pennyman , or ever give him an ill Word , who thus hath abused us , and published these things behind our Backs ? But I leave him to the Great God , the Judge of all , who Jusifies and Clears the Innocent , and Condemns the Guilty : For the Lord knows , that I , and I believe G. F. had nothing but Good-will for his Eternal Good , and Prosperity inwardly and outwardlv , though he has thus ill requited us , who never spake a Syllable to me before he printed against me ; neither have I seen him , nor know not where to find him since I came to England : nor never spake he to G. F. as I understand , although I know , G. F. sent for him , and he would not come . But , as I said , before , I will leave all to the Righteous Judge who will render to every Man a Reward according to his Words and Works . And my Desire is , That all sober People might not feed upon Lyes , published by Apostates and Back-sliders , nor lend their Ear to them , but to Christ Jesus ; and feed upon him , the Heavenly Bread , that comes down from Heaven , by which they may have Life . But truly , as the Scripture saith , The Children of this World are Wiser in their Generation then the Children of the Kingdom , Luke 16.8 For I had challenged L. Muggleton , and the Papists , and the Baptists , to Fast with them Seven Dayes and Seven Nights , not to ●at nor to Drink , for a Tryal of their Faith , which was a Sober thing ; for Fasting and Watching are Ordinances of God : But L. Muggleton and the Baptists have agreed with J. Pennyman , to get something against S. E. to save their Bellies ; and so J. Pennyman , as a Captain of Cowards , endeavours to strenghthen the Enemies of God against me behind my Back ; but he should first have answered my Challenge in Muggleton's behalf ; but contrary-wise , he sends to Barbadoes , a piece of my Paper , writ to that Cursing Man , when he knew I was out of his reach . Ah poor Man ! the Lord forgive thee , for truly I do with all my Hart , & also all the Baptists here & beyond Sea : And I desire also with all my Soul , that if it were the Will of God , Poor J Pennyman might yet find a Place of Repentance , if his Day he not over . The 24th of the 7th Moneth , 1673 S. E. James Claypole 's Testimony . HAving perused a Pamphlet , called , Tyranny and Hypocrisie Detected , &c. I find it a very Envious , Reproachful Piece , and that the secret Design of the common Enemy in the Authors , and their Informers and Abettors , is to root out Truth and Righteousness from the Earth , and to bring People into Atheism , by endeavouring to render some of the People of God , called Quakers , guilty of the foulest Evils acted by the Sons of Men , and the rest of them ( mentioning those they account the Leaders and Chiefest amongst them ) to be Connivers at , and Coverers of such Evils , as if they did secretly allow thereof ; and that their preaching up a Good Life was but a Decoy to gain Proselytes : and not only so , but rendring the Righteous Principle of Christ Jesus , which is the True Guide , the Way and the Life , which God has revealed in the Hearts of Thousands , to be Fallible , Insufficient , Vncertain , or but a pretended Guide , because some that have professed it have walked contrary thereunto ; wherby it is evident that the God of this World has blinded the Eye of their Minds , and that through Envy , Malice and Desire of Revenge their Understandings are become darkened , that they cannot discern things that differ , but in Conclusion jumble all together , Just and Unjust , he that Loves and he that Hates a Lye ; the Motions of God and of the Devil being in Enmity against that in themselves , which makes the Separation , and gives the Discerning between the Pretious and the Vile ; And so these Judasses , some whereof have been almost accounted as Disciples , have endeavoured , as much as in them lies , to betray the Just into the Hands of Sinners , and to cause the Truth of God to be Evil-spoken of , by those that watch for Iniquity , and hate to be Reformed . And for our own Vindication from these Reproaches , we do appeal to God , who knows the Secrets of all Hearts , That we do not Own or Countenance any Iniquity in our selves , or others ; but according to our Dotrine and Principles , do desire and endeavour , in that Ability that God hath given us , To approve our selves in all-things in Sincerity and Vprightness both to God and Man ; and that we had rather Dye outwardly , then sin against God , wherein we have been tryed these many yeares , God's Witness in the Hearts of our Enemies will plead for us . And farther ; As to the part , which doth more immediately concern me , wherein I am brought in as an Hypocrite , and John Boulton as a Tyrant : He , for Reproving an Vncomely Fashion and Invention ; and my self , for Denying that in Publick which in Private I Owned , I answered it in a former Book , and it might have been sufficient to Reasonable Men ; For , as I then said , I did not Deny what I had spoke at the former Meeting , but being Mis-understood , I Explained it , which gave Satisfaction : We pretend not to be above Mis-hearings and Mis-apprehensions , though above Wilful Evils . It s well they have no greater Crime to accuse me of , who are so Envious as to make use of such Trifling , Inconsiderable Matters as this to Discredit us . Well , this I have further to say concerning the siad book , That Hell hath opened her Mouth , and the Dragon hath cast out Floods against the Church , that is coming out of the Wilderness , which the Lord our God is building upon the Rock Christ Jesus , and the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it : And many hath the Lord established upon this Rock , who are Inhabitants thereof , and can sing for Joy , in the midst of all Tryals and Excersises , Storms and Tempests , knowing that our Foundation stands sure ; and as there we abide , we can never be moved , having Salvation for Walls and Bulworks , and being kept as in the Munition of Rocks , where our Bread is sure , and our Waters never fall ; Praises to the Lord forever . James Claypoole . John Osgood's Testimony . I Having seen a Pamphlet , called , Tyranny and Hypocrisie Detected , in which my Name is inferred in pag. 17. saying , That whilst I in general terms deny all , I do in particular deny nothing at all : I say , My Answer stated the Matter truly as it was , and many are the yet Witnesses that know it to be so ; and to J. P. at his House , it was so proved to be , since the said Answer was printed . And as to his Query in pag. 28. What is become of the Integrity of J. O. that he should put his Name among such Men as these ? I answer ; As for these Men , I believe they would not affirm a thing with Pen or Toungue that they knew to be Untrue , as this Pamphlet basely insinuates ; nor did I so much as in the least know of their Answer , till I saw it printed . And as for my Integrity , it is known unto the Lord , and to him have I approv'd my self in faithfulness , even in Reproving the Extravagancies of him , that I believe was the Grand Informer to him or them that made this Pamphlet , and Sorrows many , the Lord knows , I have , and had for him , and , oh that he had not been above Counsel ! then had he not been found Running the Race of Core , nor Furnishing with Spears the Goliahs of Gath , that this day Defie the Host of the Living God. How have they made the Haerts of the Uncircumcised Glad ? How doth Askalon Rejoyce , and Atheism say , Ah! ha ! thus would we have it ? How is this Pamphlet furnished with Scoffs , as Foxonians , King Fox , and Ironically , Oh Innocent , Holy , Harmless People ! Well , the Righteous , Terrible , Dreadful God will Avenge for these things . What , thought the Apostle said , There where those things amongst the Corinthians , that were not so much as to be named among the Heathens ; what must be their Portion , that unto the Heathens made known this , and thereby the God of the Christians Blaspheamed , and the Way of Truth Reproached , as it is at this day ? But with this sad Difference , some of them , that now are Agents in this Work , have Tasted of , and Witnessed unto theat Immortal and heavenly Power , that was and is manifest amongst us , and have gone from it , and given heed to Fables ; Being Heady and High-minded , they have stumbled , and caused others to stumble ; they have Offended , and treasured up the Offences of others unto their own Hurt . John Osgood . William Gosnell 's Testimony . This is my Faithful Testimony for God , his Truth , and People , and the Clearing of mine own Conscience : As also , given forth for Information of the Sober Enquirer , and for'Condemnation of J. P. and his Confederates , against whose Works I am , and hope shall terminate my dayes in Judgment against that Spirit they serve ; Warning all to take heed of them , who tender the Good of their Souls , knowing their Ways and Works lead unto Death , by Means whereof the Way of Truth is Evil-spoken , to the Dishonour of God , and Strengthening of the Wicked in their Doings . FOr that my Soul loves the Truth , and such who are the Faithful Servants thereof , I do therefore reckon my self concerned ( with my Brethren ) as also for their sakes , who have any Desires in their Hearts after the Way of Truth ; as it is by a Remnant , Despised of Men , in this our Day made known and testified unto , to write something in Answer to what is charged against me in a Libel , called , TYRANNY AND HYPOCRISIE DETECTED ; which to the truly Sober and Unprejudiced Reader , can be accounted nothing less then impious Railing , and from an Ishmaelitish Spirit , and from the Enemy of all Good , in his Instruments , manifested against such who are Resisters of Tyrrany , and in the Uprightness of their Hearts Denyers of Hypocrise , and in that give my Testimony against the said Pamphlet ; believing that whosoever is the Author thereof ; or Contributory thereto , shall receive of the Lord our God , the Just Judge of all ( who hath pleaded , and will plead the Cause of his Truth and People ) the just Recompence of Reward , according as their Work hath been ; which unto them who walk in the Light , are seen to be Evil , and They , the Workers thereof , bound in Chains of Darkness , reserved to the Judgment of the Great Day : nevertheless , my Soul's Desire is ( if possible ) the may find a place for Repentance . In Pag. 45. called , Tyranny and Hypocrisie Detected , are these words , When I first saw Gosnell ' s Name in the Spirit of Alexander , I expected nothing less then a Denyal of what is related to have been said by G. F. viz. Friends , Although I have not told it you , I do now declare , That I have Power to Bind and to Loose whom I please . In that thou didst nothing less then expect a Denyal , &c. doth manifest what Spirit thou art of , viz. That which watcheth and waiteth for Evil , and expecteth nothing less : Why didst thou not set thy Name to that which thou hast heaped up , that so we might have known ther , and made some Enquiry after thee ? It s written , That Fear surprizeth the Hypocrite : Were thy Works such as would bring Honour to thee , it may be , we might have had thy Name at large ; but thy Works are manifest to be Evil , and of the Flesh , as are Railings , Envious and Scoffing Speeches , Slanders and Evil Suggestions : So , though thou concealest thy Name , yet by , thy Fruits thou art manifested to be an Evil Tree ; For an Evil Tree bringeth forth Evil Fruit. And why thou shouldst Expect a Denyal whilst , sayest thou , it seems is true , let the Sober judge . And so thou goest on , as one of Ishmael's Brood , with a Scoff , saying , How can it be otherwise , that so Great a King and Prophet as G. F. should not have Power to Bind and Loose ? That there is a Power to Bind and to Loose now ( as was in dayes past ) is evident from that Saying of Christ , Him whose Sins ye Bind on Earth , are Bound also in Heaven : And did not the Disciples of Christ pray for Forgiveness from their Father , which was in Heaven , as they FORGAVE them who trespassed against them ? And were not they exhorted , To FORGIVE one another , as God , for Christ's sake , forgave them ? So that hadst thou not been , with J. P. filled with the Gall of Bitterness , and in the Bond of Iniquity , thou wouldest not surely have writ as on that wise , nor made such loud Cavilings at that which the wise in Heart know to have a Consistency with Truth , and is agreeable to the Testimony of Holy Men , who spoak as they were moved by the Holy Ghost , out of whose Practice thou art , and thy Contributories , whose Tongues are your own , and therewith speak to the Vilifying of such whose Habitation is in Heaven : But they , who served the Lord in their Generation , said , Our Bodies are not our own ; so not our Tongues : And said one , Lord open thou my Mouth , and my Tongue shall speak of thy Praise . Hast thou , or thy Confederates , who have joyned hand in hand together , spoak , or writ , or printed ought in either of your Libels * that hath redounded to the Praise of God ? Hath not their Tendency been otherwise , even to speak Evil of Dignities ; and to write of things which for no Good , but Hurt to Mankind are produced ? In Vain , in vain are you found Fighters against the Lord , his Truth and Pepple ; for it Prospers , it Encreases , it Grows in the Hearts of many ; Glory to God for evermore . And that John Pennyman should , as he hath done , creep into the Bosoms of some , who have been more open to him , then he hath made good use of , and that in a time , when he himself both in Word and Deed shewed himself a Friend to Truth , and us also ( attending our Meetings , both Publick and Private , not as a Disturber , but Member of us ) and , now thus basely to Betray and Bespatter , is Unworthy with a Witness : His Works of late have manifested the Contrary ; else , how durst he do as he hath done , seek all Occasion against them , who have and still do tender his Good , and the Redemption of his Soul ; which some have , as I may say , laid down , and yet could , their Lives , for his Restauration . Oh , that he truly saw how he hath caused the Heathen to Blaspheam , and some to say in their Hearts , Sure there is no God no True Religion nor Worship ; and how unto others , who it may be , had some Inclinations in their Hearts towards God and Godliness , hath he given Occasion of Stumbling ; and unto Professors , who have and do Watch for our Haulting , that so they may Impare the Honour of Truth , not only to their own , but to others Hurt also , whose Blood he stands guilty of before the Lord. I write not these things , but to the End that he may be Wise ; for Offences have come through him , and Wo from the Lord is unto him , unless he Repent . John Pennyman being at a Meeting appointed for Service to our Suffering Friends , which we were then to inspect , and some particular Matters were then in Debate , how such of our Friends might be Relieved , who were ●●concerned in the Case of Tythes ; and somewhat was proposed , and an Instance given of one Country Friend , who had observed some Directions from R. C. in which afterward there was not ( in the Friend ) through Satisfaction ; pretty much time was spent about it , and words spoak by S. N. which G. F. and some others did reckon of Disservice to the Meeting , as also of Hurtful Consequence to our Friends Suffering in some Cases ; upon which G. F. was very much Grieved , and fervently stirred up to lay the Charge of that Service upon S. N. also to blame his Reflections upon R. C. which he doing with Fervency of Spirit , a Fear or Apprehension entred me , lest ( as J. P. hath carried it to the World ) G. F. should have struck him ; and going home , I spake to S. N. of some Passages which past at that Meeting ; J. P. being with us , and uttered my Thoughts or Fears in that Respect ; adding at the same time , that the Weight of Friends Sufferings was much upon G. F. some whereof pretty Eminent being then before us , and therefore did impute it to his Zeal for their Relief ; and so much the more , by how much any thing was offered by S. N. to the Hurt of the Meeting , and Prejudice , as was thought , to the Sufferers : some time after G. F. hearing of it , told me between himself and me , that I should not have said so , and hath often declared , he never had any such Thought ; I then told him , I was sorry I had said so , or feared so ( and indeed so I was ) others also being there present , I mean at the Meeting about Sufferings , signifying they had no such Apprehension , neither did they believe had I any Cause to apprehend or fear any such thing . But to proceed to the other Charge of Binding & Loosing whom he pleased . More then once or twice as ( I remember ) J. P. had been with me to know if the Words were whom I pleased : I told him at all times , I could not say nor remember those words , whom I pleased ; yet to bring Reproach to G. F. as also to sow Discord among Brethren , as much as in him lieth , hath suggested it to the World , and that after 't was buried , and at a Meeting with some Friends , together with G. F. before he went beyond Sea ; for it was all our Desires , that what was amiss might be cast out , declaring then , as before , I was sorry I should apprehend or fear any such thing of G. F. Now that J. Pennyman should so unworthily , and in Enmity and Prejudice to G. F. ( whom he hath ill requited , in that he hath rendered Evil for Good , and to emit , carryed into the World , not only by Word , but also by Print , things privately and amicably mentioned , upon Occasion , when he was not as now he is ( an open Opposers of Truth and Friends ) so Disingennous , nay Treacherous , that Heathens would blush at it ; he should have let this have dyed with his Sincerity to us , and not have made use of that against us in his Apostasy , which nothing but my Regard to his Sincerity could have drawn from me ; Is this one of thy higher Attainments ? O John ! these Doings will seize upon thee in God's Time. How is John Pennyman changed from what he was ? With what , great Readiness of Mind , and Ardency of Spirit did he himself judge with Sowers of Division , and that Spirit by which he was captivated , which led him to the keeping on his Head his Hat in the times of Friends Prayer to God ? and with what Show of Satisfaction and Joy of Soul in the Hearing of many Fiends , in which they also were refreshed did he once and again express , for that he blessed the Lord he was broke off from that Spirit which hindred the Growth of Truth in his own particular , which he signified caused the Love of Brethreng to wax cold , and a manifes Decay of that that was good , in which our Joy , Rest and Peace daily abound . In solemn Meetings , with Tears , I believe unfeigned , and true Contrition of Spirit , as many are Witnesses , gave Judgment against that Spirit which led into Separation , through means of which he as ; well as others had suffered loss , as with respect to the Good Presence of the Lord , in the daily Sence thereof , as ( before that Spirit entred ) was enjoyed ; and with what Openness of Heart did we even in the first Love , raised by the Power of the Lord , in which alone doth our Unity stand , did we embrace one another , and met oft with one another to our mutual Joy and Refreshment : But now is he not found beating of those , with whom he was a Fellow-Servant , and taking of them by the Throat , and ( as I may say ) speaking all manner of Evil against them , even them , who in a Sense have laid down , and can , their Lives to save him ? Surely , he who rewards Evil for Good , Evil will not , whilst in that Spirit , depart from his House . And how hath Enmity entred him in that , that which is a Strength , a Joy and a Comfort to us , Vexations to him , to wit , to see Brethren together in the pure Truth , in that which neither speaketh nor thinketh Evil , to dwell , and so seek one another's Good , are kindly affectioned one to the other , serving one another with Love. And so , though by Complying with G. F. as the Author of , or Assistent to that Wicked Heap of Stuff , which is for the Fire , scoffingly saith , He is now become a Preacher : To Comply with Truth , and such whose Labour and Service is for its Promotion , is my Joy , and true Satisfaction , and Quiet to my Soul , and therein , as the Lord shall open my Mouth , and minister Occasion , I shall preach down their Pernicious and Soul-hurting Practices ; desiring to be found , to the End of my Dayes , a Lover of that which is Good , and in it a Witness against that which is Evil , though found in those who have been my Familiars , for whose sake I have not suffered a little . William Gosnell . Henry Stout's Testimony . FIrst , They Excuse me with the other two Friends , and within few lines Contradict their own Excuse , in saying , H. S. being rebuked , he Acknowledged the Paper , but there was no such in it . Why could they not as well have said by whom he was rebuked ? But this is like some of the rest of their Matter , and would fain cover it , if any could : So that the Answer already is over their Heads , as to the Paper . To this I further answer . That to the best of my Remembrance , I never saw that Paper signed by the Ele●ven at Hartford , in my Life ; about two Moneths since I saw it at London and I do affirm , there is no such Tendency in it , as asserted in the Spirit of the Hat , That there is any Admission in it for any Men or Body , to oppose the Light ; but 't is possible ; to this purpose may be found in it , That if any have any thing upon them , or are moved to write , that they lay it before the Body , that so the Body may be satisfied , that they are indeed moved by the Light , or Spirit , which is one ; and then the Body cannot but have Unity , because all that are in the Light are in Unity , and One in All ; and this for the Prevention of all False Motions , and those that say they are Jews , and are not ; for Greater is the Wisdom of him who is amongst his People , then the Wisdom of Solomon , who give the true Bearer her Child , though the Harlot would have had it divided . But what is the Matter with you Professors , that you are working in such Muddle , so many years old , as confessed in the Pamphlet ? Is the Spirit of your Brethren , the Pharisees , so far entred you , that you are acting your part , as they of old did , who joyned with an Apostate , a Traytor , a Judas , endeavouring , if it had been possible , to have destroyed the Heir , Christ Jesus , Root and Branch , who did outwardly put him to Death ? Read your selves ; Are not you joyned with an Apostate or Apostates , in all manner of Lyes and Slanders ? as instance John Faldo and Thomas Hicks , which I fear have done it against their grow Knowledg ; especially Thou T. H. who sayest in thy first Dialogue , That our Sufferings may be to satisfie our Lust . Will any one , but who are filled with Enmity like thy self , thus conclude , that Lying in Nasty Holes and Prisons , and Losing our Estates and Lives , Limbs and Banishment , is to satisfie our Lust ? Well Thomas , my Judgment of these is , Thou wilt never satisfie thine in that manner ; but these are both answered already , who I desire may come to Repentance , and find Mercy . But what are you doing , Professors , if you should with your Assistents , the Apostates , accomplish your Brethren Cruelty from New-England ? Our Blood would be upon you , and your Children ; For your Works which you have lately done have the very Tendency , though I am perswaded there are some amongst you hate the very Thoughts of such a thing ; yet I question not but some of your Leaders , do very much desire it , or else they would never hazard the very Loss of their own Souls in Lyes and Slanders against us ; if they believe them to be Sins . Now consider what is the Cause of this Great Difference between us and the Professors : Certainly it is about Worshipping of God ; and the Occasion of the Enmity is the same as was in dayes past ; for the first Worshippers that we read of , the Enmity , arose in him whose Sacrifice was not accepted with God. Professors , read your selves , and the Cause of your Enmity : for those who are accepted with the Lord , there is no Cause of Enmity ; but Pitty arises in their Hearts towards those who are not accepted and so Christ when he came , it was not to destroy Men's Lives , but his Gospel was , Peace on Earth , and Good-will towards all Men ; but Enmity is from the Devil , and he the Father of it . So for your whole Work , let it return from whence it came , even the Bottomless Pit. And whether the Matter in it be True or False , I am a Stranger to it : The Intent is Wicked , and I do not much look what those have been , who are chiefly named in Your Pamphlets , by reason of Tender Age in the Truth , or otherwise ; but now I know them to be Men of Integrity , and Fearing God , which is Satisfation to me : and so it s a Sign , that when Men grow in Grace , and are better , they are the Beloved of God , to such Grace is not in Vain ; but when Men grow Worse and Worse , and lose their Tenderness once they had , and abound in Pride and Envy , this is an Evident Token of Perditon , notwithstanding their pretended Election ; for it is not Words only God looks for , but Fruit from a Clean Heart . Henry Stout . Rebecca Travese's Testimony . A Testimony in the Spirit of Love , against that Malitious Spirit that in certain Apostates and their Abettors exercises Tyranny and Hypocrisie , every where . TO you , Friends , is my Love , who are in the Enquirings after the Lord and his Truth , that you may come to be Partakers of the same Inheritance of Life and Glory that many are made Witnesses of through Believing : And the Power thereof we cannot but testifie of , as by the Effectual Working and Operation in our Hearts , we feel , not only to set us free from that which imbondaged us in times past as well as others , but hath brought us to the Liberty of the Seed of God , which above and before all , seeks the Glory of God ; and this hath enriched us with Grace and enduring Mercy , whereby we feel all our Iniquities taken away , and Transgressions blotted out , in and for the Name and Power of Christ , which in us is become the sure Hope of endless Glory ; and this hath made us , Us , That hold the Faith , willing to proclaim the good Will of God unto all , that others with us might come to set down in the Heavenly Places , with Christ , our alone Head and Life , and be delivered from those Runnings , Strivings , and Inventions , Tossings , Tumblings and Turmilings , that all Image-Makers are in , not being possible to find Rest , but in and by the Light , which from the Rest comes and to the Rest gathers , into which many are entred , and cannot be disturbed or made afraid , and it is Everlasting : And the Satisfaction and Peace of this true & abiding Love rests upon us , and constreins us , to call and invite them afar off , as those near , to come freely to the Fountain of Living Water , without Money and without Price ; For a Remnant are come to know , that there is , and shall be a daily adding of them to us that shall be saved ; for the Work of the Lord must prosper , notwithstanding all the Force and Subtility of them that contrive against it . The Building must be finished , all things are prepared and preparing thereunto , and the House of the Lord shall be established upon the Top of that that resisteth it ; and the Foundation is already laid sure and steddy , and every Stone hewen and fitted thereto , is pretious ; and the Command of our King , none can reverse , for he is Almighty , and works according to the Counsel of his own Will ; 't is Counsel indeed , close hid from all Sorts of Workers in the dark : So they fret and are angry , the Heathen rage ; but theirs is a Fury that consumes it self , and soon goes out , if not added to by new Fewil . And these of all Sorts , have manned their Weapons to the utmost , and done what ever they can to hinder the Increase of this Work ; yet these are not the worst Enemies , for it is the People that imagine vainly , that ever withstood the Appearance of God in the World ( search the Scriptures ) Christ came unto his own , them that profest a Waiting for him , and they rejected him , they crucified him ; yea , he that walkt with Christ , and sometimes cryed , Hail Master , he , and these Pretenders are the Betrayers in all Generations , and Hinderers of the Work of the Lord ; here the Power of Darkness in all Generations wrought , mind Scriptures through , all that desire to be kept from resisting the Just and Holy One. Though many Enemies , Nations and People ; Withstood the Servant of the Lord Moses , in his great Work whereunto God had called him ; yet none did like Mischief as that gain-saying Spirit in Korah , Dathan and Abiram ; and Balaam that was for and against Israel , who had been a Prophet , and loving the Wages of Unrighteousness , becomes a Tempter , and layes the Snare , that they might Sin against God , and be divided from The Blessing : And so mind who hindred the Building of the Temple of the Lord in the time that Deliverance drew nigh ; when the great and noble Travil of the Holy Servants of the Lord that were Zealous for the Restoring of the Captivated to their former Liberties and Rights in the Place that then was owned and appointed of the Lord , and ever to be remembred , was and is the Courage , Boldness and Constant Watchfulness of those Worthies , Ezra , Nehemiah and Zerubabel , that discerned the Falseness and Treachery of those pretending Friends , that did not only seem to approve their Works , and offer to build the House of the Lord , but to assist them , saying , Let us build with you , for we seek your God as you do , and that they had done it for a long time ; but they being discerned and refused by Zerubabel and the other Worthies of Israel , then they manifested themselves to be Hinderers of the Work of God , and hired Counsellors against them to frustrate their Purpose , whose Work a little before they pretended to be assistent to , and after write against them with great Accusasations , Ezra the 4th . and the 14th . and Nehemiah the 4th and the 1st . Sambalet and Tobiah they mocked , taunted and scoffed to make ridiculous and little Worth the then Endeavours and good Orders , that these Noble Men put in Practice for the Restoring of the House of God. And so to you , Friends , to whom my mind is directed that are weak in the Faith , I writ , that you may be warned , that you may be strengthened against this Treacherous Spirit : Do not these Scriptures run parallel with them that have brought forth such Accusations , whether false or true ? Is not their End one who have joyned with , and taken Counsel of such , whom they know were and are contrary to the People and Truth , that they formerly seemed to be of and for , to make Odious and Ridiculous in the Sight of all Men , with their Orders ? And though some of them under Pretence did act with them , and would have Lorded it as much as any , until discerned and dealt with for their Unorderly Practice , and Unsubjectedness to them that in the Spirit serve the Lord continually , So Friends , This is it I would have you observe in all things and at all times , that that Spirit that professeth Truth and talkes of Truth , and seems for it , and yet is against it , is not of God , though it seems so ; for here first sprang , and is continued that monstrous , Anti-Christian Brood , that hath filled the Earth with Darkness , Blood and Cruelty , and with these shall those be judged , that in this our Day have given and taken Offences , to lay Stumblings in the Way of the Simple ; But Glorified be the Power that hath broke forth , before which they must all fly ; yet here and there a few crawle up to use their Strength against the Increase of his Power , the Word of whose Mouth shall destroy them , and the Brightness of his Coming shall utterly consume them : for they are such of whom the Apostle complained , had done him much Wrong ; for they hindred as much as in them lay the Purpose of the Lord in the Earth . And this hath been the Work of many in this our Day of God's Appearance , from the beginning thereof , and by such as came to see the Glory of Truth , and heard gladly for a Season , as they that receive the Seed in the high way , where it was either lost , or carried away by the Fowls of the Air : and these could never fell All for the Kingdom , nor take up the daily Cross , so mist the Life , and came to be carried about with Winds , and missing of the Righteousness of God , have gone about to establish their own , and blindly Zealous , have watched others Vineyards , and neglected their own ; so Withering and Fruitlesness hath come upon them , until they are twice dead . These were and are known by their Murmurings and Complainings , yet listed up in their Minds , by their own Righteousness , which as sure as God's Righteousness layes low , and makes to grow in Love ; so Man's begets Envy and watcheth for Evil , and feeds upon it , and is filled with it : So as they living in Love can think no Evil ; so they out of it can imagine no good of them , from whom by Pride and Envy they are divided , and so exercising their Minds in the Evil. Never did hungry Beasts more earnestly seek their Prey to devour it , then these Back-sliders have and do watch , to catch the Miscarriages of any such as do profess the Faith ; and if they can find a little , they make it a great deal by Whisperings and Back-bitings , and large Intimations , more by much then the Substance , and in all pretending to be in an Hatred of Evil and to cry to others , Stand farther off , for we are Holyer then these : So after a doing some years Threatnings to make the Lord's People Odious in what they would publish and bring forth ; and having done what they can to the utmost that way , and that not accomplishing their End , now they lay their Stress on the severe Government of the Quakers , which some of these Revolters once knew was set up in the Wisdom of God , to hinder such Evils as they were used to speak against , and to reform , and gather nearer unto the Truth of God ; but this Order being like to smite some of them , they strike hard at those that are exercised therein , their End being in all to present the People of the Lord , and their Way , Worthless and Bad , that so they themselves might not be so manifest in the Forsaking and Withstanding the Good Way of the Lord , and that they might shut up that Kingdom to others , into which they themselves would not enter . And tha● to all they may be manifest , their Works declare them ; for every Lye is of the Devil : and how many they have publisht in their late Books of Darkness , to which they have been ashamed to joyn a Name , can I tell , nor am I covetous to know ; for , who in the Faith stands wars not with Flesh and Blood , but with Spiritual Wickedness in High Places ; and I have had , and have as sensible a Feeling of that Spirit from whence it comes , and whither it must go , that brought forth that called , the Spirit of the Hat , and that called , Tyranny and Hypocrisie Detected , or an Answer to Alexander the Copper-Smith ; and it is the same that the Prophet Micha had a Sight of , that Lying Spirit , which went into the Mouthes of the Seduced Prophets : and though I never read the last of these Pamphlets , in that my time not being like to be long on Earth , I was not willing to Mis-spend so much of it ; but one reading the Title to me , a Renewed Strength I found against that Spirit that brought it forth , and that it did with Re-doubled Strength strike at W. P. as one whose Pen had hit them ; and had he never writ a Word , he judgeth them in Denying the Glory of this World , the Vain Hope of which hath bewitched some of them to draw back : And another read to me that Lye made of me in the last of these two Books , which I must speak something to that little part that was read to me of my Son J. O. and I. I need not say much of my Son J. O. for he through Grace , is made able to display and resist them ; only this I would have all the Simple take notice of their Scornful Taunts , and Willingness to render him and I , as Speakers Falsly , or being like unto them ; and indeed , in this they much resemble God's Enemies in former Ages , as in other things , and to his Judgment are they left , I having not a Purpose at this time so much to answer them , for whom my Hope is near worn out , as to hold out my Hand , with many Brethren , that the Honest-hearted might be delivered from those Perdicious Wayes they walk in , and are alluring to , by their Subtility and False Speeches . And by Question they ask , How could this accute Man say , The Meeting would not hinder his Marriage ? To this , as a Witness , I answer , I heard , with many more , J. B. whom they most accused to hinder , say , That they had nothing against his Marriage ; and this some of their Confederates know . And for what they say of me , as being a Great Mother and Governess among these People , is but to set me on high , that the Dîrt they fling , may the more come upon me ; for some of them , that are so Miserable , as to contribute to this Work of Darkness , in Fighting against Truth , know , that I have Gladly and Long been a Servant to this People of the Lord , and no more Government have I coveted or gained , but by Love , and in Love possess . And for the Charge writ against me , it is utterly false in Matter and Words , as these Accusers have stated it ; for those words , they say , I cried out , no Man nor Woman , that was present in that great Congregation , will witness it , if they fear to Lye , and there are may many Witnesses of what I said ; and though I was permitted to speak a few words at that time , that one or more of their Informers heard me say , I had condemned , as not expedient , to have been spoken there ; but they being in the Dark , have altogether mist it , and placed a Lye of their own making in the stead of what I spoak : But I unfeignedly desire , that they may find a place of Repentance for this ; and all other their Evils . But it is followed with another Falsity ; for say they , By her Authority , and J. O 's Interest , they proceeded te Marry without's License . As to License from any Man or Woman to Marry , I have often publickly ( as called to it ) born my Witness against , and with the rest of the Lord's People declared , We make no Marriages , nor break no Marriages , nor Marry any , but every True Man and Wife should known their being joyned of the Lord , and so were these Couple ; yet did not , nor durst not go brutishly together , as some pretending more Holiness , then others have done ; but this prudent Couple , according to the Example of Holy Men and Women , had many Witnesses of the People of the Lord , and in an Orderly , Solemn Assembly took each other , and the Presence and Power of the Lord sealed to it ; and she was a Blessing to him to whom the Lord gave her all her days : And I was so far from the Exercise of Authority in that Matter , that I know not that I Invited one to the Marriage , much less Commanded ; and J. O. used no Interest in that Matter , that I know , then what he gained by Love ; and had these Accusers come to , and kept in this Love , they had been kept out of that Spirit of the Accuser , that now from time to time acts them to seek Occasion against the Brethren , and the Truth ; and then , whether False or True , as those that Rejoyce in Iniquity , they publish it , that they may Murder in the Way . And if any Righteous Soul , grieved and burdened with their Bringings forth in Mischief , Write or Answer them sharply , they imagine they get Strength by it , and shew it to Adversaries of Truth , as if the People of the Lord did Amiss in Clearing the Truth , and throwing back the Dirt on them , from whence it comes ( but let all take notice , that the Prophet Elijah was Justified in his Reproaching of Baal's Priests in their Blind Worships and Mad Fury ; for the True God appeared to him for his Justification , as be doth unto us , that abide in his Power unto this day ) But for the Taunts and Mockings of Samballat & Tobiah , they are recorded for their Infamy forever : For , what is the Chaff to the Wheat , saith the Lord ? And I did not , nor do not intend to Controvert , or Answer the Writings of these Enemies of Truth , having not so much as read them through ; only a few Lines , which being False , Truth required to come over , and upon the Head of the False Worker is it set : and I did not then cry out ( as they say ) in my own Concern , nor do I now write to serve my selfe , but the Truth ; and the End hath and shall declare the Ground of all Actions . And as the Fighters against God have and do scatter from him and gather into the World , with the Vain Customs thereof ; so those that have and do contend , earnestly for the Truth , have no other End or Aim , but to preserve in , and gather to the Grace of God , which Teacheth to Deny all Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts ; and many Thousands they are that to this day are preserved thereby out of the Net that these Subtil and Deceitful Ones have laid , and are laying : But Sufficient is the Grace in which we have believed , and thereby we receive Power over all Spirits which are gone out , and hatch Mischief , and bring forth Lyes . But Praises be to the Power , that hath brought many into the One Mind , that above and before all they seek the Encrease and Enlargement of Truth ; and these have the Mind of God , and know he is on their side , and laughs to Scorn all his Enemies : And our Communion and Fellowship is Holy , and within the Holy Place , where the Unclean and Inventers of Evil could never come ; for the Unfeigned Brotherly Love gives an Enterance thereunto ; but they out of it , not seeking after this , grow in Envy , by lusting thereto , and offering Despight to the Spirit of Grace in themselves , they bring forth the same against all us , that are guided thereby . And I am bold in that Spirit that cannot Lye , to say to all in this Gainsaying Spirit ( as I did many Years since to some in the same Spirit ; and some of these Evil-Workers did hear it , and are Witnesses it is fulfilled on them of whom it was then testified , J. P. and C. B. and others ) if they return not , they are and shall assuredly be swallowed up of the Earth , and link into it , cast again into the Sea , from whence they were taken , as bad Fish indeed out of the Net. But Holy is the Lord , and his Name shall be Magnified of all the Upright Ones ; for their Redemption is sure ; and these are daily coming forth with Songs of Thanksgiving , and the High Praises of the Lord are in their Hearts and Mouths forever and for evermore , Amen . Friends , that are plain-hearted , and love Righteousness , and though but turned Sion-ward ; and you , that for the Truth have sold All , you are all very dear unto me , as I know I am , and must be to you : for , as we are all of one Begetting , and are come to the one Hope , and are nourished at the one Breast , where the Milk of the Word causeth to grow , into the Oneness of that Spirit , which sets free from Sin and Death , here we have Unity , and bear one another's Burdens , and in the Life of the Head are affected with the Suffering of every Member , that hath Life therein , and with his Comp●ssions come to be filled , and having Fellowship in his Suffering , are grieved and oppressed with the Works of the Adversaries every where , and at all times , that ever since the Entrance of the Night of Apostasy to this time are as truly Persecuting Christ Jesus in his Members , and Slaying him in the Streets of the great City , spiritually called , Sodom and Aegypt , as Paul persecuted ●●m when he got Letters from the high Priests to take Men or Women that were of that Way , and bring them bound to Jerusalem : And as sure as the Apostle John saw his Crucifying in the Spirit of Prophecy , so certainly with all the Contenders , and Gain-sayers , and Resisters of the Testimony of Jesus ( which Testimony is the Spirit of Prophecy ) be found Fighters against God , who mischievously have taken up all Miscarriages and Mistakes , and with their Misunderstandings and own dark Imaginations , adding Lyes of their own making ; whereby some have been weakened , and others turned out of the Way and the Truth , come to be questioned by the Ignorant , whereby the End of these Revolters is made manifest : And though I have not so much as said in my Heart , I would they were cut off from the Lord ; yet sure I am , they have gone about as much as in them lies to pervert the good Way of the Lord , by making the People believe , the Quakers allow Vcleanness or Vnrighteousness , in that some professing it , have gone out as they , and practised those things that the Light testifieth against ( and yet when in good Order , by Men loving Holiness , there is a Meeting to reform or divide such far from us , in the outward ) this offends them also ) So , may not all see the Restlesness of this Spirit , that would throw the Guilt of those that have offended , on those Innocent ones that are travelling for the Removal of all Evils : But there are many Thousands , to the Praise of the Power of God be it spoken , that are kept not only out of Uncleanness and all Unrighteousnes , but are in the true Religion which keeps from the Spots of the World , and their Communion stands where the Blind could never see . Another Stumbling-Block that these that are making the Offences , lay in the Way of the Simple , is , as if we honour and set up Man in the Place of God , or we were Worshippers of Angels , which is indeed Idolatry ; To which I am called to say something , as being presented with others , whom I am bold to say , believe all Obedience , Honour and Thanks-giving belongeth unto him that sits upon the Throne , and to the Lamb for evermore , and are not guilty of what this malitious Spirit would present them to be : But being acted by the same Spirit that they were that said , this Man sayes , he is the Son of God and therefore ought to dye ; So they not being in the Spirit that revealeth the Son of God , thinks we worship Man for him ; but he that knew Christ revealed in him , bids follow him , as he followed Christ , and that if I forgave any , I forgave it ( saith he ) in the Person of Christ . This I speak to the Simple and Upright-hearted that they may be delivered out ot the Snare of the Cunning Hunter that seeks the pretious Life , and to such it will be given to know , what is hid from the Serpent , that is still blind , and on Dust feeds ; and the Children's Bread , I nor any in the Faith , dare give unto them . But that every honest Heart may see what Spirit acts in these Purposers of Evil , I take notice of another Passage where this Libeller names my Name , and indeed , I knew not of it when I writ the former Part , but an honest young Man in the Street told me of it , and then I looked on that which they accuse me with ; some times before that and after it , I read , and being by the Power of the Lord , whom I serve in my Spirit , made as willing to remove any Offences , as these , by whom the Offences come ( and on whom the Wo must come ) are , to lay Stumblings , and I shall freely confess to that which is true in their Charge , and deny the Falshood in this , as the former ; and I shall begin with that in the 19th . Line , pag. 44. It 's not unusual ( say they ) with the Quakers to give as much Credit to one another , as is the setting their Names to things they know not . Answ . Friends , take notice how Ignorant the Carnal Man is of the things of God , and not knowing that Nearness and Strength of Love , that is among the Disciples of Christ , he brings it among the rest of the Rabble of his Accusations , that , the Quakers credit one another in such matters , as indeed no Money-Lover nor Unbeliever could never do ; for every Deceiver is afraid to be deceived ; but who out of the Deceit is brought into the Faith and Love that is unfeigned , cannot fear that a Brother will deceive or hurt him , and had rather bear the harm of a False Brother ( if it should so be suffered to be ) then mistrust or think Evil of him that is the Faith : But the Accuser of the Brethren , with all his Adherents are out of this Faith , and are Strangers to this Love by which it works . And though I never knew such a Practice among the Quakers ( not in one President ) ever offered to me or any , to put their Hands to what they know not , but this here rehearsed , and is this only by what he himself and my Maid said , some of which I know to be true and some false ; but I had Joy that all should know in this Pack of Falshoods , this Truth , That the Quakers have , and do still credit one another . But whether it was so or no that G. F. sent to our House to have J. P. and my Husband put their Hands to such a Paper as they knew not ; all I know of it I may speak of : My Maid-Servant then living with me , many Years since told me in a Morning when I came down , that there was a Man with a Paper to have some Friends put their Hands to , and that J. P. was a wise Man because he refused it , and this I upon some Occasion , told J. P. of , for I do not believe he ever heard my Maid say so to him ; but he being affected with his own Commendations , hath repeated it before me more then once , that my Maid should say he was a Wise Man : What was said , was said to me , and from me he had it , and to my Knowledge , I never heard my Maid to say : Nor did I ever tell him , or hear him speak those words , That she believed her Master would have done it , until now I see it in Print , so I cannot but take notice of their adding that which is False , to make their Matters hold together : nor do I remember that Time , or Day or Week , that I said any thing of George Fox , these words , that he repeats , as though I spoak them at the same time ; but that I did at some time speak those words to J. Pennyman , and it may be to some others , I deny not ; for in the Love of the Lord I travelled for him , and some others of them , that were in Danger by their Imaginations to fall into the Pit of Perdition ; and so , as one that lived in the Love of God , I according to the best of my Understanding , endeavoured their Return and Safety , by imparting to them what I had found to be my Profit and Safety , and bowed to him and several of them , in telling them , that in the Light none errs ; yet that I was such a Child , as for many years I might not know my Right-Hand from my left : and if there were a Motion , or Revelation did arise in me , that I might think was true ( and we that are in Unity in the Spirit of God , may and do speak our Motions one to another ; for the Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets ; and the Order of the Church was , that they might Prophesie one by one , and the rest might Judge ) yet if G. F. should deny it to be of the Lord , I should be subject to his Judgment therein , as one in Christ before me : This , or to this purpose I spoke , and deny it not . But that this Despiser , of Dignities may attain his own End , to pervert the Good Way of God , by giving them to know what I was , he said , A Great Prophetess : Now if he did believe what he saith ( though it was then a young time with me , being nigh Ten Years ago ) he should have followed my Example , and have brought his Motions to some in Christ before him , to have tried his Motion , and so by Counsel have been delivered from those Wanderings and Runnings , and Mad Actions , that he ran into , when he brought that Truly-Valued Book , called the Bible ( that I and many are come to the Comfort of , and know , that it hath been the Mighty Power of God that hath preserved it from the Hands of those that would have utterly Extinguished or Destroyed it ) to be burned : But Praises be to the Lord , that hath preserved i● unto this Day , to give Testimony to the Light and Spirit which gave it forth ; though J. P. may be reckoned among the Intenders , that would Destroy the Bible , who brought it to the Exchange , with other serviceable Books in their Places , and setting some on Fire in order to burn them , was prevented in this his Work of Darkness ; and being by me and others dealt with for this and other Mad Actions , intreating him to come to Repentance , and no more follow the Imaginations of his own Brain ; but he being too high for Counsel or Intreaty , returns us Hatred for Love , and goes on in Impenitency and Malitious Practices unto this time , as all the High-minded and Despisers of Counsel ever did ; and therefore no marvel that he presents me , as one doing Amiss , in saying , I should subject to one in Christ before me in any Case : So all the Honest and Plain-hearted will come to see their End and Spirit , and beware thereof . And I have Justification with God in giving Honour to whom Honour is due , and have no Man's Person in Admiration , and know G. F. did never seek for Honour , nor hath been trusted in or bowed to , as a Man ; but who seeth him that is sent of God , must hear and obey him ; and if any have or do exalt , or worship any but the Seed , Christ , to whom all Honour , Worship and Obedience is due , they have another God , and practise another Doctrine then G. F. hath been the Messenger of ; for unto him , the only Begotten of the Father , he came to gather , and as he hath received , hath given unto us , that in the one Everlasting Covenant , testified of by him , and all sent of God , we may know the Father and the Son , whom he hath sent : And many through believing can say , He is ascended . and lives for evermore ; But such as are out of the Faith , Reprobate from God , could never see the Descendings not the Ascendings of the Son of God , who is to be Honoured as the Father : And they that are without Guile may see the Heavens open , and the Angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man ; But all out of the Spirit of Truth are Wonderers and Despisers , thinking and speaking Evil of those things they know not . We read of one that came to Christ in the outward , and said unto him , Good Master , What may I do to have Eternal Life ? Christ answered him with a Question , Why callest thou me Good ? None ( saith he ) is Good but God. This was a Parable to me , when out of the Faith , but in the Faith it is given to know the Deep Things of God : And I only mention this Scripture to throw back the many Accusations , that these Carping Spirits do cast on us , as if we Idolize Man , or Men , when all in the Faith know , all Power , all Good is of God , manifest and revealed in the Son by that Eternal Light and Spirit in which we worship ; And , none ever come unto the Father , but by the Son , nor , none ever come unto the Son , but whom the Father draweth : And all those that are in the Dark , prophane that Name whereby we are saved ; but our Peace they cannot Break , nor the Purpose of our God Hinder ; for it must be accomplished : The full Time is come and coming , in which all things shall be put under his Feet in whom we believe . And so I shall Conclude , with minding J. Pennyman ; and that though I have Cause to believe , He Tauntingly calleth me , A Great Prophetess , yet I would have him call to Mind what I writ to him when he was a Prisoner at Bishops-Gate : and as it hath in part been fulfilled , the full Truth thereof shall come upon him , and be made manifest to many ; and if not , the Lord hath not spoken by me Rebecca Traverse . Ellis Hooks's Testimony . OF late there have been two Scurrilous Books published against the People of God , called Quakers ; one entituled , The Spirit of the Hat ; and the other called , Tyranny and Hypocrisie Detected , or a further Discovery of the Tyrannical Government , Popish Principles , and the Vile Practices of the now Leading Quakers , Which Books are full of Taunts , Jeers , Lyes , Scoffs and Scorns , which indeed are scarce worth answering ; for God and all sober Men know us to be otherwise , and our Neighbours , that are not prejudiced : But some thing has been answered , and is answered for the sake of the Moderate and Simple , that they may not feed with them upon Lyes , Scoffs and Jeers , and their Condemned Stuff ; and such that have been amongst them , and have seen their Errors , and have Condemned and been heartily Sorry of , and for those things , while they were amongst them , that is Meat now for the Vagabond Quakers , like the Vagabond Jews , which they publish to the World , to help them that deny the Principle of Truth it self , and have made them a Feast with Lyes , and nevertheless they boast of the Parts of the Hat-Men ( as in page 71. ) and those that Consent with them , of the Abilities and Endowments , and then Scoff and Jeer at the People of God , and call them Foxonians . Will this be taking , think you , with People that love Peace and Quietness ? But truly their Endowments , and your Abilities , are manifest to all the Peaceable People , and Sober-minded . The Hat-Men have been Raking and Watching these many years for Evil and Failings , and give it you to publish , which manifesteth your two Parties opposite one against another ; for one pretends to stand for the Principle of Truth , but the other clearly denies it : But Pilate and Herod were agreed against Christ ; and so here is Pilate , Herod and Judas agreed against Christ's Members ; and so against him , the Head. And these Vagabond Quakers ( that have been Watching for Evil ) Corrupt Members these many years ; and you , that Consented with them , say , The People of God , called Quakers , are fallen in their Principles : But they are the Hat-Men that are fallen ; for the True Quakers ever stood against the Hat-Men , as they call them , in the time of them , and the Ranters ; and we say , They are fallen . And you that take their Part , and Consent with them , should publish your Names , and be ashamed of your Doings in the Dark : but bring forth your Names to the Light , and not work in the Dark , nor challenge in the Dark without Name , and great Boasts ; for we can appear before the King , and the King of Heaven , concerning our Actions . And as for the Hypocrisie and Tyranny of the Hat Spirit , which would thrust it self in among us , which never was of us from the beginning , we alwayes judged it by the Power of God to be of the Ranters , who would have thrust in amongst us , before it was born . And as for Popish Practices , we deny , and Tyrannical Government ; but own the Order of the Gospel , the Power of God. And there is none of all them , that are mentioned in these Books , that hath done any Uncivil thing , but hath been dealt withal , according to the Order of the Gospel ; and what has been Amiss they have acknowledg'd , and been heartily Sorry for , and have Turned from the Evil of their Doings : but these Hat-Men , or the Spirit of the Hat , that have not Repented , and Some did make Confessions , like Pharaoh , and in Words seem'd to Repent , are now turned against the True Israel , and are publishing the condemned Stuff in their Garth , that the Gartbites might boast ; for , mark the words ( in page 70. ) of those that Consent with the Hat-Men : It seems that they have got a Feast of that Condemned Stuff , of which some had done Wrong , and were heartily Sorry , and Condemned , and these Vagabond Quakers , the Hat-Men , have presented them a Dish of it , which they make Musick of ; but the sober Reader may see , there is no Concord in it , but Mischief and Envy . And as for Benj. Furley's Paper , which you Hat-Men and others feed upon , who formerly were in that Practice amongst you , Has not he Condemned it ? So , that which he hath Condemned is Meat for you Vagabond Quakers . And That which Isaac Penington , when he was with you Hat-Men , favouring you , gave forth concerning it , Hath not he Condemned it , and his Motion therein ? And That which G. F. gave forth in his Book to the Jews , which you , Elimas-like , bring , to pervert the Way of Truth , was it not given forth concerning the Hat to Magistrates , and not concerning the Wearing the Hat in Prayer to God , for which he was fined Forty Pound in Oliver's dayes ? Nay , are not some of those Men Offended at it now , that pervert G. F's words , which were only putting off the Hat to Magistrates , and not concerning putting off it to God at Prayer , as before said , as the Apostle c●mmands , who was in the True Light and the Holy Ghost , who said , That Men should Pray Vncovered : therefore sayes this Hat-Spirit , and those that Consent with them , That the Quakers are fallen from their Principles ; No , they are the Hat-Men that are fallen : And perhaps some of them are offended at our Hats , for not giving them the Hat-Honour ; for we know their Ambition in other P●wers dayes : And we have suffered more in other Powers dayes about not putting off our Hats to Magistrates , then we have in these Powers dayes ; and it may be some of them are ashamed of their Names , and dare not bring them forth to Light , that have been of that old Persecuting Party : But William Penn has answered sufficiently to the Rational concerning this . But it may be the Workers in the Dark will murmur , and therefore they put their Work upon a Baptist , a Stationer to Name it , and to get it Licensed , and in the mean time they lurk in the Dark : But if we should gather up all the Failings of particular Persons among the Baptists and Fifth Monarchy-Men , and others in this City and Country , and beyond the Seas , we might make a Book big enough ; and we might make a Book of the Hat-Mens Failings , which they know well enough ; but all those things we leave to God and all Good Men to judge , as knowing among us , the Members of Christ , who is the Head of our Body , that we do not admit of any Uncleanness amongst our selves , nor that which cometh publick to the World , but in the Power of Christ Jesus , and in his Light and Spirit , we do judge such things amongst our selves , let them be private or publick to clear the Truth , and that no Scandals may lye upon it , and the Name of God and Christ may not be Blasphemed ; God and all good Men know this , and according to Gospel-Order , they are and have been dealt withal , which admits of no Impurity : And it is much these Hat-Men and their Companions , and those that consented with them , did not Clamour against Moses and the Law of God , because that so many amongst the Israelites ran into Fornication ; but these are of Core's Spirit , and Dathan and Abiram's Spirit , that offered a Strange Fire , who will be consumed with it that gainsayes : And it was much they did not Rail against Peter and Paul , and tell that to the World , when Paul withstood Peter concerning Circumcision , and yet he circumcised Timothy : And it is much that these Clamourers did not clamour against Christ , concerning Peter , his Cursing and Swearing . But these Confederates with the Hat-Men , that are those that plead for Wearing the Hat in Prayer , Ranter-like , seem very much to Commend J. Pennyman and his Wife , as though we did not know them ; but they and their Spirit is known , witness his Action at the Exchange , and their Voluptuous Doings at Merchant-Tailers Hall , which we leave to the Law of God and all good Men to judge . And this Spirit of the Hat saith , how did the Lord raise many to go forth to preach the Everlasting Gospel in his Power , &c. pag. 10 , 70 , 71. and then these Hat-Men with their Confederates are angry , because G. F. speaks of no Liberty but in the Power , and pervert his Words , as though Conscience should not have Liberty in the Power : and now it s clearly manif●st to all People , what Spirit these Hat-Men are of with their Confederates , that they would have a Liberty out of the Power ; for were not G. F's Words , that People's Liberty should be in the Gospel , & Liberty in the Power of God : & because G. F stands for the Power of God which was first received , and their Liberty therein , and the ●iberty in Christ that made them free , wh●ch were his Words , and these Hat-Men and their Confederates , who are out of the Power of God , would have Liberty of their Consciences , out of Christ , the Power of God : therefore you may see from what these Peoples Motions are , and in what their Consciences have Liberty ; for them that plead for Liberty of Conscience , and plead for Sin as long as they live , and a Purgatory when they are dead ; and such , and these Hat-Men and them that consent to them , would have a Liberty out of the Power of God , and yet go under the Name of Christians , And is not this a plain Contradiction in these Hat-Men , and them that consent with them , who confess , that we , the People of God , called Quakers , went forth in the Power of God , in pag. 10. and in pag. the 12. he terms G. F. a Papist , because he saith There is no Liberty out of the Power of God : But you should have put it in your Book , true Liberty in the Gospel and the Liberty in Christ Jesus , according to G. F's . Words : But I must tell you , All your Liberty of Conscience , out of Christ Jesus , the Power of God , is Bondage , both to the Soul , Body , Spirit and Conscience . Where note , that by Liberty of Conscience , G. F. did not speak of Outward Exercise in Worship , for with such Libertines we have no Unity ; and all your Liberty out of Truth , out of the Power of God , the Gospel , and out of Christ Jesus , with all your Motions , is in the Power of Darkness : And your Hat-Liberty , keeping on your Hats in time of Prayer , which you much speak of , which was imposed upon us , as being Heathenish , Romish , and in the Curse , and ●ursed by J. P. as his printed Paper manifests , printed by one of your Company , who would have thrust it among us as a higher Glory , as some Vagabond Quakers stand for it to this Day , and not very many , which we , that have kept the Power of God , and our Habitations in the Truth of Christ , did judge it & the Ranters , that would have imposed the same thing upon us ; so we have been kept , as we were all along from the first : and because we could not own such , and J. P. carrying his Books to burn them at the Exchange , because we co●ld not be conformable to them , therefore come these Out-rages , Nick Names , Jeers and Mockeries against us , who have kept in the same Power of God , that we were first convinced by , which they malitiously call Tyrannical : so they are gone out from us , and it is manifest they were not of us ; for if they had been of us , they would have continued with us : But as it was it is ; Deceitful Workers and False Apostles there are , and the true Prophecy is come upon some of them , The Dog is turned to his Vomit , and the Sow to the Wallowing in the Mire , that they thus bite and cast their Vomit out against us , and who cannot tell how to worry us themselves , but have others that consent , and Confederates with them , and these are their Abilities and Endowments they boast of ; but to all the Godly and sober People , it savoureth that their Books are but as a Raging Wave of the Sea , wherein they foam out their own Shame . And as for the People of God , called Quakers , Conformity , It is to be made conformable to the Son of God ; and as for the Vniformity , it is in the Gospel , the Power of God. And whereas you say in pag. 12. the Papists say , They believe as the Church believes , so likewise sayes G. F. but the Spirit of the Hat sayes Nay . This is known to all the People of God , called Quakers , to be a Lye against G. F. for G. F. his Words are and have been to believe in the Light , as Christ commands , who is the Head of the Church ; and as for the Hat-Man's Nay , we dare not believe him who puts Darkness for Light , and Light for Darkness : But these Hat-Men are now turned into the Spirit of Wars , and Fightings against the Believers in the Light ; and our Vncovering our Heads when we pray to God , &c. is by the same Spirit and Power as the Apostles did , who commanded Men to pray Vncovered . And whereas the Spirit of the Hat enviously saith , The Spirit of Anti-Christ in G. F. would wrest from me what I am not willing to part withal , to wit , my Conscience . What , is not that concerning Wearing thy Hat in time of Pra●er , which I said before is contrary to the Apostles Order ? And yet this is the Hat-Man's Conscience , who going from the Apostles Order , and Excommunicates thy felf , and casts out thy felf and your selves , for Our Fellowship is in the Power of God , the Gospel , and we cast out none , for they cast out themselves when they go from the Power of God , and our Work was and is , to seek to bring in again from under the Power of Antichrist , by the Power & Spirit of Christ , as is sufficiently made manifest ; and not to wrest the Spirit of the Hats Conscience from him , but that his Conscience and all others , might have Liberty in the Gospel , the Power of God : and I leave it to the Lord , to Reward thee according to thy Words , which will be thy Burden , for terming G. F. as a Pope , and as the Spirit of Antichrist , with such like Malitious Words ; for we nor he , own no Head , but Christ Jesus , over our Church , who exerciseth his Office amongst us ; and the Law that G. F. and others , the People of God , called Quakers , own and are bounded with , in which they have Liberty in the Order of the Gospel , is the Law of the Spirit of Life , which is in Christ Jesus , in which we have been kept from the beginning ; though you have a Liberty to speak and write what you please , and complain and murmur against such that cannot bow , and have Fellowship with you , who will have a Liberty for your Conscience , but not in the Power of God. And the Hat Spirit sayes , He is informed of a Meeting , appointed by G. F. and other Elders , to Judge and Condemn several Men and Women of Good Report , and to Shelter and Cover the Wanton Practices of others , and to Discourage Persons from Discovering the Wanton and Vnclean Ministers . Answ . This is another Forgery of the Hat-Spirit ; for Uncleanness and Wantonness , blessed be the Lord , they are strange things among us : but if any Unseemly thing hath at any time been done , such were dealt with according to the Order of the Gospel , without Respect to Persons . And this we have further to say , That none have been more Notorious then some of the Hat-Spirit ; but we shall not run into such Trash , nor have we any such Ministers . And whereas the Spirit of the Hat speaks of giving Nick-Names ; and they put themselves , We were called Quakers . But do these of the Hat-Spirit now Tremble at the Word ? Nay ; if they did , they durst not utter forth or speak forth such Nick-Names against the People of God , called Quakers , nor father such Envious , Malitious Language against the Power of Christ and his Spirit in the Quakers , as they do . And another Filthy , Lying Scandal , the Spirit of the Hat and his Company casts upon G. F. and sayes , He was in such a Rage , that W. G. thought he would have struck S. N. Which thing is false ; there was no Appearance of any such thing , as the Meeting can testifie , and I am a Witness , who was at that Meeting : And thus with your Lyes and Slanders you think to feed the Airy Minds , and make them a Feast . And as for W. G. he hath been heartily Sorry for Unadvisedly Speaking such words . And G. F's Books to the Lawyers and Judges did not contradict what was then acted or spoken in the Meeting ; and therefore the 46th page of the Spirit of the Hat 's Tyranny and Hypocrisie is full of Lyes . And also the same Slander and Lye is mentioned in page 42. of the Spirit of the Hat , That some there present thought that G. F. would have struck S. N. and thus you add Lye unto Lye to stuff up your Paper , which , as is said before , there was no such thing ; but the Man that did report it is heartily Sorry for it . But it seems , you Hat-Spirits torment your selves , and are vext about G. F's Marriage ; but why did not the Hat-Spirit reprove J. P. for his Voluptuous Marriage , with his Venison Pasties , which were pulled about , to the spoiling of the Creature , and making a Scramble for the Multitude ? Oh Shameful Doings ! In pag. 19 , 20. of the Spirit of the Hat 's Tyranny and Hypecrisie , and in page 32. in all those pages is mentioned John Whitehead's Paper , and G. F. is charged with opening J. Whitehead's Letter , which was writ by him , which is a Lye , and a Forgery ; for G. F. did not open the Letter , but it was sent Open , only Enclosed to another , and left to G. F. and other Friends to dispose of , as J. W's Testimony under his own Hand ( before going ) doth testifie : And therefore here you may see what sort of Men these are , that forge such Lyes upon G. F. And that which he left to G. F. and others to alter , was the Matter concerning Wearing the Hat in Prayer ; for that was the Matter then in Controversie ( and not Other things ) which he wrote to you ; For the Spirit of the Prophets is to be subject to the Prophets . And as for George Bishop's Paper , mentioned in your Tyranny and Hypocrisie , about the time that you would have thrust your Spirit of the Hat in amongst us , he did give it a sufficient Blow in Bristol , which you might have done well to have printed with his Paper : but it is like that made against you , who feed upon Condemned Stuff , Actions which many have been sorry for , running into in the time of their Ignorance , wherein they beguiled the Simplicity , but now returned to Christ , their Shepherd , and feed amongst the Flocks of his Pasture ; but God's Words are true . The Serpent must feed on Dust , who is out of Truth , Dust is the Serpent's Meat ; Your Sting , Venum and Poison is felt and savoured . And as for John Bolton's Reproving the Slit in the Woman's Coat , which you stuff up your Book with , and G. F's Paper against Fashion and Images , &c. You may feed on such Stuff , who live in the Vain Fashions which therein are declared against , and which shall stand over you and your Images , And as for all your Aggravations and Nick - Names , which proceed from your bitter Gaul and Envy , Simon Magus like , we shall leave to God to judge of ; for there are few sober People , but see your Books are a piece of Envy , Malice , Hatred and Spight , and to be a Spirit that seeks Blood , and you would not have been so served your selves . And you make a great Clamour against our Law , Government or Order . I say , as before , Our Order is the Gospel Order , and our Law is the Spirit of Life , which we received , which is in Christ Jesus , the Heavenly Man , by which the Old Adam's Actions are judged . And further , The Spirit of the Hat saith , That G. F. and some others ; the Elders , had a Meeting to Judge and Condemn several Men and Women of Good Report . Answ . Why might not William Mucklow have said , That he was one of them , that had reported that Slander to a Lass , upon a Woman that was Innocent , who was judged for it ? And this is another Lye , in your saying , That G. F. and others endeavour to subvert the Royal Law of Liberty , pag. 38. For had you owned it , and kept in it , you would not have done that unto us , as you have done ; Neither did God or Christ ever teach you to utter forth those Scoffing Expressions against G. F. and the People of God , as may be seen in the 40th Page of the Hat-Spirit ; and it is the Hat-Spirit indeed , for it is not the Spirit of God. And in pag. 3 , & 4. of your Tyranny and Hypocrisie , there it is said , Our Principles are far different from what we profess openly , and that we act upon the same Principles as the Court of Rome . Oh Lyes , and Malitious Men ! All these are your invented Lyes ; for you and the Court of Rome we deny , your Spirit and Power , who are of the same Spirit that would murder us , as the Papists did formerly ; your Spirit is favoured : How we invite People to Christ , both in publick and private , the Lord knows , to whom we leave you , for him to deal with you according to your Works . And in the 7th page of your Hypocrisie and Tyranny , it is said , For if every Man upon pain of Sin , walk according to the Light in his own particular , then he cannot without Sin walk according to the Light in G. F. or others , when that is diverse or contrary from his own . As for your Light , as Christ said , It is Darkness , your Works and Words do manifest it , who are condemned with the Light , which G. F. and we , and others walk in , which is the Light of Christ Jesus , which makes you to Rage ; and then we know that you cannot bear our Judgment , nor G. F's : and therefore such as pretend the Light of Christ , and are Haters and Persecutors with your Tongues of them that walk in the Light , we have no Unity with you , as before . But you often with Aggravations and Malice quote G. F. and scoffingly say , your Elders , throwing Dirt at them , to make them Odious amongst such as your selves , putting your Bear-Skins upon them , that you may set the Dogs upon them , And we and G. F. do know the things of God , by the Spirit of God ; and the Scripture doth not reveal the Scripture , but the Spirit of God is it that leads into all Truth , and it is the same that is revealing the Father to us . And whereas you make a great Complaint ( in the 16th page ) of the Quakers , not letting some of you Bury in their Burying-Ground . Indeed , when some of you Hat-Men have come with Railing and Abusive Terms against us , with Abusive Language , and called us worse then the Priests ; and when his Child has dyed , then the Father of such a Child has come to us to have a Grave , not out of any Conscience , but to save his Money , we have bid him then go to the Priest , whom he counted better then we , with whom he had Fellowship . And such Loose Persons , that live not in the Truth , We cannot be Witnesses of their Marriages ; for we Marry none , but are Witnesses : and well might J. B. deny William Mucklow , who , Ranter-like , kept on his Hat in Prayer ; we have no Unity with such Uncomely Practices . And J. Osgood and others may praise God that they see your Folly , and have given a Sufficient Testimony concerning your Spirit . It seems you are tormented because G. F. sent for two Kings and the Emperor , which came to hear him in America , and were tender : you wanted something to stuff up your Book withal ; had they been Malitious , it would have pleased you . And whereas you Scoff at our Order of Marriage , page 21 , 22. and call it G. F's Order : We must tell you , It is the Order and Practice of the Holy Men of God , mentioned in Scriptures , who took one another before Witnesses . And whereas you Wickedly say , We Contradict one another in the Light and Spirit . This is all like the rest ; for such as you we can savour , You Hat-Men , who have pretended to lean upon the Lord , but have , and some have had a Bitter Cup for it . And G. F's words were true in time of J. P's Wearing his Hat in Prayer ; if all be left to the Free Spirit of God , there had been no such Reasoning about the Hat in Prayer , which you should have printed the rest of G. F's words , how that we denyed the Wearing the Hat in Prayer in the Ranters , in the time of J. N. and also in the time of J. P. and did also deny the Practice and Principle , and directed People to keep in the Power and Spirit that the Apostle was in , who said , Men should Pray Vncovered , as they did in the Apostles dayes . And whereas you liken us to the Church of Rome , pag. 25. scoffingly . It is no matter to us , if the Pope profess God and Christ , and put off his Hat when he prayes ; we shall not deny God nor Christ , nor keep on our Hats when we pray because of that . And in pag. 29. you make a great Out-Cry , because we said in our Declaration , We alwayes paid our Taxes ; and then you say , An Honest-hearted Woman paid none . We know she was a Whimsical Woman , and whither her Whimsies carried her , viz. Mary Boreman , now called , Mary Pennyman . And whereas you say , they are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities , G. F. and his Adherents , and such as exalt themselves . This is Spight and Malice , and much such Stuff is in the 30 th . page not worth taking notice of : for Dignity is the Power of God , which G. F. and we own ; and they are the Body of Christ that are in it . You cannot exalt your selves above it , nor the Doctrine of Truth that is in Ancient Friends ( which the Devil is out of ) who are made God's Free Men and Women by it ; and God has given us Power and Spirit to judge such Envious Spirits as this Book comes from : and so , we have no Unity with such that be out of the Truth , neither can we have any hand in publishing their Books , and we have a care of them that are printed on the Truth 's Account . And whereas you say , that none may be permitted to publick Business but these that seek the Good of all , that is , submit to the Body of G. F. and his Party . Here is Envy and Lyes again : Where were there ever such Words spoken , to submit to the Body of George Fox and his Party ? may not the least feel the Devilish Spirit in these Words ? for we would have all to submit to the Body , which Christ is the head of , and such , in Christ's Power and Spirit , are fit to do Business in the Church , that seek the Good of all ; and we limit not the Lord , but would have all obey him in his true Light , in which there is Fellowship . And whereas you say , some of our Hearers have been weary of our long Preaching . Answ . It is like they were such as John Pennyman and othe Apostatet , who come crying against us in a publick Meeting like the World. And as for John Perrot ( who is gone ) we do very well know what he was , and what Imaginations he went into , though he and you , lay it falsly upon the Lord : and we contradicting him and his Practice , in Wearing his Hat and Covering his Head in Prayer , was not only from G. F. but the Apostles ; and if J. Perrot and his Party , did speak against G. F. and us , because we could not own your keeping on your Hats when you prayed , upon his or your pretended Motion , but then and now make these Out-cryes against us who have kept our Habitation , and you are found in another Spirit then the Apostles were in , who said , Men should be Vncovered . &c. And you scoffingly say , if J. Perrot he condemned , Fox cannot stand . Why ? because Perrot pretended a Revelation to do that which the Apostle forbids : but , poor People ! you have manifested your selves , and thus you are angry because G. F. and others cannot change like you , to your Hat-Spirit . And whereas thou speaks to a Declaration and Scurrilous Paper , pag. 37. thou shouldst have printed the whole Declaration , that People might have seen what it was ; which Declaration was against Wickedness & Uncleanness , and Scandalous Books , and Papers against us . And for John Pennyman , I never heard any one say otherwise of him , but that it was a mad and wicked Action , to which the Devil lead him , when he followed his Motions , to the Exchange , to burn his Books : and what did he carry the Bible and the Book of Martyrs there for ? think you . And whereas you make a great Business of Tho. Ibbit of Huntingtonshire ; Friends were tender to him , and though he had a true Prophecy , and a Sight of the Fire , yet he afterwards confest the exceeded , and saw himself : And why do you mention G. F. who was above 100. Miles off at that time ? this doth shew the Venom of your Tongues . And you say , you have seen the Forgery of G. F. in the Name of the Lord , contradicted the Elders , but this is like the rest . And though J. Pennyman and his Company have been scraping up this many Years , these things which they have published in Print ; where did they ever go to admonish any one , or to speak by one , or two , or three to them , according to Christ's Doctine ? but this are the Doings of False Brethren and as for John Swinton , he saw his Errors when he leaned towards you , which his condemned Stuff is Meat for such Envious Spirits as you are . And in their 43. pag. they jeer and scoff , and call a Meeting at Bull and Mouth G. F's Court , or Murderously call it King Fox's Court , when G. F. never had been at Bull and Mouth Meeting since it was burned down ; and many Scoffing Words are in the said 43. page , scarce worth mentioning . And in page 44. you say that J. Pennyman complains and tells the World in his refusing , to sign a Certificate of Wm. Sparrorow's , he received a Check from G. F. and for advising that others should not subscribe to that which they were ignorant of : We never put any to subscribe that which they were not willing to , for that was but a civil thing concerning Wm. Sparrow's Certificate ; and this is many Years since , that J. Pennyman has kept this in store in his malicious Heart . And in Pag 46. the Paper which R. D. sent up of R. W●i●'s to advise Friends upon his Death-Bed , was not contrary to G. F's Doctrine and Practice , he was not advised to any thing beyond his Freedom , and therefore G. F. is clear of that Aspersion : For the Man was advised by me , and nothing was imposed upon him ; but the matter was declared unto him , and left to his Freedom to do as he would , and he was well satisfied till Mary Boreman , and such as she , put Doubts and Fears into his Mind , and made him question that he had done , and Judge himself to have done wrong , which indeed it was not so . And whereas you say in your Tyranny and Hypocrisie , He will not count himself Obliged to keep off his Hat by Vertue of G.F. his Law. Answ . Here is more of your Wickedness , for we do it from an Inward Principle of Truth , and from the Power & Spirit of God , as the Apostle laid down in Reverence to God , and thou mayest call it the Apostles Law : yet some of the Hat-Men have pretended Motion , and some in Opposition , in their Wills ; and there are many Lyes in that page , which are not worth mentioning . And as for Vitious Ministers or Strumpets , or Wantonness : We deny , the Lord knows our Hearts ; and have ever searcht and seekt out , and admonished , and reproved by the Power of Christ , who has given us Power amongst our selves , not to suffer such Actors and Actions amongst us , and therefore not to trouble the Major , nor the Aldermen , nor Common Council ; they see enough of that among your Church every day : and let the Baptist and Hat-Men bring out their own of their own Fellowship , with the rest of their Confederates , as many we might particularize , and let their Six , or their Dozen of the Aldermen or Common-Council judge them , if they cannot judge , themselves . And as for J. G. D. B. W. W. T. T. and T. M. all these have been dealt withal according to Gospel-Order years ago ; but it seems these Adversaries and Back-sliders are pleased to bring them up , to speak Evil of the Right Way . And if W. C. was accused long ago in London , and hath condemned his Evil , and cleared God's Truth , this clears us , and condemns your Wickedness . And as for T. M's committing Uncleanness when imployed by G. F. to judge Persons and Meetings , this is utterly false ; for G. F. did not imploy him : but when any thing was manifest of him , that was Uncivil , he was dealt withal according to Gospel-Order . But as for your Charging him in Commiting Uncleanness , we leave him to deal with you for it ; who , it may be , you may find like one of your selves , that wil soon go with you to an Alderman or Major , who formerly charged the Mistres , but now you say , it is your Mistake , it is the Maid ; and thus your Tongue is your own , who matter not what you say ; but I leave T. M. to deal with you . And whereas you say , A Minister that is guilty , is Judged and Disowned privately when Evidence appears . So our Adeversary would have us to Judge or Disown without Testimony ; this is like his Law , page 50. And as for your saying , Scandalous Familiarity of the Prophets and Prophetesses , or Mistresses before Mariage , must go for nothing ; for I and many more are Witnesses that these things are False . And whereas John Boulton is accused that he should say , He had the L●sses Papers by him . John Boulton sayes , he never said that they confest to those Charges charged against them : For , if those things had been true , it had been a Shame for Modesty to speak of them ; but upon their being Examined , they did deny that they were guilty of such things , but in some things they were Childish , which they were sorry for ; which Confession of theirs , and Answer to the Dirty Papers , which you feed upon , J. B. hath by him : But all these gross things , which they charged them with in their Paper , were as False , they said , as God was True ; and their Brother , who is one of the World and Relations , said , He would not see his Sisters so defamed , as may be seen in the Girles Answers , but they would Revenge their Cause , which they sent up to London about four years since ; which Answer John Boulton has to this day ; which , if many were but in Shame and Modesty , they would be ashamed to mention such things , which are abhorred by us , and all are judged that are guilty of such things . And whereas you say , William Mucklow offered to be at the hearing of J. W. upon Information of Wantonness committed by him , concerning which W. Mucklow could say something . We do believe W. Mucklow was such a prying Man about other Mens Matters , as he was about Hannah Salier's Business ; but J. W. was examined concerning the Matter , and the Party that accused him , and we have Power so to do by the Power and Spirit of God , and it was not found to be as was represented by those Evil Spirits , but clear of what they accused him . You say , John Harwood , formerly of their Ministers , and while such , found guilty of No●orious Vncleanness ; and the said J. H. accused G. F. but could have no hearing , and published his Charge in Print . G. F. answer'd those Lyes of J. H. long ago , which now may be food for such as you , he answered them in Print . As for J. H. being one of our Ministers , and whilst such , found guilty of notorious Uncleanness , these are Notorious Lyes ; for he was one of you Hat-Men then , and preacht it up like you ; and therefore for Shame stop your Mouthes , and lay not the Unclean Actions of your Hat-Ministers upon us , though we did deal with him , as we did deal with you , while he would hear , according to Gospel-Order . And whereas W. Mucklow saith , He accused G. F. to be a Respecter of Persons in Judgment . But this is false , like the rest ; and some pronounced Woes upon him , &c. it was thy Portion . And at a Meeting after the Plague , E. Barnes , as the Ministers were exalting themselves , cryed out while R. F. was preaching ; You have Whored from the Lord : R. F. said , Thou art Whored , or the Whore : This ( sayes Miles Stancliffe ) was an Vnsavory , Word in R. Farnsworth , but not an Vnsavory Word in E. Barnes : But these Men cannot speak without Envy and Lyes ; they were exalting Lyes . But was not this E. B. one of your Hat-mens Spirit ? and did not she manifest her self to be in the Whorish Spirit in Hampshire , and Rose Atkins , and the Man they kept Company with ? what 's become of them ? which is beyond the Bounds of Modesty or Christianity , as it is known to the World in Hampshire : Why do not you write down their Carriages ? M. S. and the rest should have declared it . And many Jeering Words there are in your Tyranny and Hypocrisie , who would Tyrannize over the Innocent with your Spirit of the Hat , who tell jeeringly of G. F's Kingdom , and a Peer of it , and Foxoniant over and over , and King of the Quakers ; and thus your Devilish Gain-saying Spirit , Core-like , and Judas like , seek● the Life of the Innocent . And why do you not answer Solomon in his Challenge , seeing you have taken part of his words out of his Challenge to Muggleton ? And you make a great Matter about G. F. Ruling in his Kingdom , and Governing in his own Kingdom : Must not every True Christian , that is born again in the Power , Rule in his Kingdom , that is begotten again to a lively Hope ? And doth not Christ say , The Kingdom of Heaven is Within you ? And are not all the true Saints Heirs of the Kingdom that stands in Power , and Righteousness , and Joy in the Holy Ghost ? It seems to this Kingdom within you are Strangers , like Pharisees and Jews , in your Lo here , and Lo there , and Observations , who crucified Christ ; and so now you would crucifie his Members , to whom his Father has given a Kingdom , that stands in Power and Joy in the Holy Ghost : and is not the Power and the Holy Ghost Everlasting ? Oh you Mockers and Scoffers ! Take heed , lest you be such as God will make your Bonds strong : And is not this Kingdom within , that is in Power and Joy in the Holy Ghost ? Is not it established in Peace in the Heart ? and are not the Saints Heirs of the Kingdom and of the Life that hath no End ? and is not the Power of God Spiritual and Divine . And because it is said , G. F. has reached through his Children afar off to the begetting of many to a lively Hope . And what then ? doth not the Apostle say , many Members , yet one Body ? they were baptized by one Spirit into one Body ; and though they were absent in the Body , yet present in the Spirit , and that it did reach one unto another ( mark reach ) which was the Spirit and Power of Christ , in which was their Fellowship and Union : Do you not manifest your dark Hat-Spirit here ? And the Life of Christ that has begotten G. F. the same it is that doth reach and beget others to God , and that Spirit is blest ( which begets and brings out of the Curse ) he was blest ( and is blest ) in all Generations ; and who are of Faith , are of Abraham , who was the Father of many Nations . And a great deal of malitious Stuff is in your Book , which all that are sober , can savour it from what a Blood-thirsty Spirit it is come , who would fain stir up the People against us , and the Powers ; but your Envy is seen . And if any have gone out into any Uncleanness or Looseness , it hath been a Grief to our Souls , and a Wounding to our Spirits , to see Go● , his Truth , and his People dishonoured , and they have not been received amongst us again , but by Repentance , which is according to the Mind of the Lord , and Practice of Christ & his Apostles . And why are these Apostates so mad that G. F. should inherit the Kingdom of God that is Everlasting ? Are not Christ's Words , Seek the Kingdom of God first , and all things shall follow ? and because he and thousands more have found the Kingdom of God , this torments you that are in the Kingdom of Darkness : and whosoever will receive the Kingdom , must receive it as a little Child ; but you are too big for it , and you that trust your own Riches Inward and Outward , cannot enter the Kingdom , Luke 18. and was not the Kingdom of God to be preached ? but you do not love to hear talk of it ; but you that once set your Hand to the Plough and look back , are not fit for the Kingdom of God. And is it not said , the Kingdom of God is come to you , Luke 10. and was it not said to the Backsliding Pharisees , like you , that the Kingdom was taken from them ? Is n●t this your Condition ? has not the little Flock a Kingdom ? but you shall weep and gnash your Teeth , when you see Abraham , Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom , and your selves shut out ; for the Kingdom stands not in Word , but in Power : and are not the good Seed the Children of the Kingdom ? and will not God establish his Seed for ever ? And now John Pennyman and William Mucklow , I have a few words to you , who , like Brethren in Iniquity , have joyned together to betray the Innocent ; It had been better for you , that A Milstone had been hanged about your Necks , and you cast into the Sea , then that you should have done what you have done . And as for thee , J. Pennyman , Thou hast long been full of Envy ; and though Friends sought to preserve thee , if it might be , and to keep thee out of the Evil , yet I feared this would come upon thee , knowing that there was a Murderous Spirit in thee , and now thou hast fully manifested it against G. F. and others of the Saints ; but Wo and Misery will be thy Portion , if thou dost not Repent , for thou hast set thy self against the Truth , and art joyned with the Enemies of Christ , to Persecute his Followers : And thou hast been a long time a Persecutor of me , as thou knowest , and now thou vents thy Malice against my Brethren ; but I can say , God forgive thee , if it be his Will ; but I fear thou are wholely shut up in Darkness , and so for Destruction . And this was upon my Heart to write unto thee , who am , and alwayes desire to be a Servant to the Truth , which thou despisest , called Ellis Hooks . THus Reader , hast thou the Testimonies of several Persons named in that Libel ; some of whom are more obscure , others more known : their Truth and Honesty shall speak for them , I will not ; But most of them are too Noted for Worth and Integrity to be doubted upon a Libel , stuffed with that Rage , Treachery , Slander and Scoff . We might also produce the Condemnations of three Persons against themselves , the first Letters of whose Names are unworthily mentioned by the Libeller ; but the Truth is sufficiently cleared , and their Addition would give the Book too great a Bulk ; we rather wish It had been many Sheets less , knowing that great Books are seldom read in this Careless and Impatient Age : only Reader be pleased to Consider the Deceit of this Adversary , and how ready he is to stretch any thing to slander and defame both Particulars and a Society . The Spirit of the Hat charg'd our Ministry with Whoredoms and Strumpets in the present tense : This Apologizer tells the World , our Answer was Evasion , because we took it so ; for sayes he , the Book meant it of time past : that the Book meant no such thing , unless a thing means quite otherwise then it sayes , read the Passage . Next , what is that to us if a Judas or Demas that received part of the Ministry , fall into the Evil of this World again ; can we do any more then Condemn it , and we did nothing less ? Is that to prove our Ministry Vitious to tell a Story , perhaps seven or ten Years since , of any one or two that have at times opened their Mouth in our Assemblies ? Oh! God , the Righteous and Terrible Judge , will reckon with this Ungodly Libeller , and those Base , Murdering Judasses that have furnisht him with this dirty Trash : God will clear our Innocency , and detect their Envy and Hypocrisie more convincingly to all the World : and that dreadful , black and Stormy Day that hastens to try and win now the Nations , will scatter them and their Mischievous Designs , when God will preserve us in his Fear and Counsel , by his Power , to his Eternal Praise , and our Consolation , World without End. W. P. A Postscript To the READER , Concerning the Vnity of our Adversaries against us , amidst the great Discord they are at amongst themselves . HOw hearty these Men are in their Envy against us , and Hatred to the Way we profess , is very discernable from their close Confederacy and strict Union , who are as remote , and differing from , and absolutely contradictory to one another in their Faith , Worship and Discipline , as to the Quakers themselves , against whom they have combined . They are made up of some Presbyterians , Independents , Anabaptists , Socinians and Apostates from us . A strange Medley of Adversaries , and stranger , that there should be such Union to Mischief ! But let us view some of their Principles . 1st , The Presb. Indep . And Anab. believe that the Father , the Son , and the Spirit ( though three Names , denoting three Personalities or Subsistences ) are One , Infinite , Eternal and Omnip●●●t God , At which the modern Socinian cryes , Blasphemy and Idolatry ; For , sayes he , Christ is but purely a Man , and the Spirit but a Creature . Now come in these Apostates against the Presb. Indep . Anabapt . We deny your Personalities and Subsistences ; And to the Socinians , We own Christ and the Spirit to be of one Nature and Being with God the Father ; And it is Blasphemy to say , that Christ and the Spirit are Creatures . Here 's the first Discord or Jumble between our Adversaries . Secondly , The Presbyter . Indep . Anab. and these Apostates , assert God to be a Spirit , At which these Socinianiz'd Followers of John Bidle say , There 's no such thing ; but , with J. Reeve and L. Muggleton , That he has a Body like to a Man , and inhabits a certain Place . Thirdly , The Presb. Indep . and Anab. concerned chiefly against us , hold , That God from all Eternity elected a certain Number to Salvation , and reprobated the residue to eternal Damnation , without respect to any Condition of Obedience or Disobedience , thereby to illustrate his own Soveraignity and Glory ; which Principle these Apostates have so much Understanding yet left , as to repute pernicious and damnable . The like do some of these Socinians we have to do with ; others of them having wheel'd off a few years since to the Geneva Predestinarian side . Fourthly , The Presb. Indep . and Anab. believe , That by Christ's Life and Sufferings wholely without , God's Justice was Satisfied for Sins , and Justification compleatly wrought for the Elect , not only by Forgiving Sins past , but reputing them really Just and Righteous whilst actually Sinful ; which kind of Doctrine these Apostates deny , as also doth the Socinian , affirming , That God needed no such rigid Satisfaction ; that this is not to make him Righteous , but Revengeful ; and that Christ cannot so properly be said to be the Cause as the Effect of the Father's Love ; For God so loved the World , that he gave his only begotten Son , &c. And though such are forgiven who truly Repent , and that Remission was sealed by Christ's Blood , as a Sacrifice ; yet Men are not made really Righteous within , by any Imputation from another's Righteousness without , while they are really Unrighteous within . This is the 4th . Contradiction . Fiftly , Presb. Indep . and Anab. believe Christ to have now in Heaven an Human Body , or one of Flesh , Blood and Bones . The Socinian and these Apostates say , he hath no such Body , but that which he hath is more Spiritual and glorified . 6ly , The Presb. Indep . Anabapt . and these Apostates affirm the Immortality of the Soul. The Socinians deny it . 7thly , The Presb. Indep . Anab. and Socinian deny the Light that shines within , to be Christ in his Spiritual Appearance . These Apostates , though erred from it , yet affirm it to be such . 8thly , The Presb. Indep . Anab. deny that it can lead Men that obey it unto Salvation . The Socinian with these Apostates , affirm , that it is able to lead such as follow it to Eternal Life . 9ly , The Presb. Indep . Anab. and Socinian deny the Spirit to be poured out in these , as former Ages ; or that Men ought to wait for the Motions of it to Preach , Pray , or Praise God , These Apostates in words confess to maintain the contrary . 10ly , The Presb. Indep . Anab. and Socinian affirm , That the Scriptures are the only standing Rule , to measure and try Doctrines , and Spirits by under the Gospel ; These Apostates believe no such thing . 11ly , The Presb. Indep . Anab. and Socinians disown the Practice of Keeping on the Hat in time of publick Prayer ; These Apostates call the Pulling of it off , a Tradition of Men , a Romish Tradition , &c. Yet , Reader , for our seasonable and due , proceeding against them , as Innovators upon the Church of Christ , and Disturbers of our Peace , by this new , unprofitable , and irreverent Practice , denying them in their persistence and rejecting their Motions , as not coming from the Spirit of God , are we furiously fallen upon by some of each of those fore-mentioned Parties ; who ( as Men forgetting their own Essential Differences , and that Persecution they have followed one another with for years ) like the ancient Scribes , Sadducees and Pharisees , unanimously endeavour our Disgrace & Overthrow in the World ; as if they were all of one Faith in Doctrine , who scarcely in any two most weighty Points hit : which shews , that Men under divers fundamental Differences , may be acted by one and the same Spirit of Envy and Bitterness against the Truth , and them that live therein . What else can I call that which has given these Apostates that place in their Hearts ( that while Faithful , hated them , as they still do us ) who Judas-like have run away from us , to inform our Enemies which way they may take us at an Advantage ? These Men they hug , commend and vindicate at so high a rate , as if they were the only great Pilgrims on Earth for Righteousness ( as much as they differ ) and we , a Crew of Tyrants and Hypocrites . Their Innovation must be called Gospel-Liberty ; but our Religious-Government , Tyranny : They justifie the Motions of these Apostates , and , condemn Us for refusing them , whom themselves , both deny Motions , and the Way to know them . They put me in mind of the Jews , of old , who were seldom wanting , in the Promotion of the Christians Sufferings by the Heathen ; nay , they were glad , and improved the least Occasion to set the Infidels upon their backs alwayes the Jew and Heathen said Amen to the Destruction of the Christians ; yea , that very thing for which the Jew in his time suffered from the Heathen , to wit , That they worshipped an Ass's Head , was after abusively made the Reproach of Christians , both by Jew and Heathen . What others have we received from the Separatists of this Age ? who make us to inherit that sort of Suffering which they once thought Ungodly in their Adversaries , How welcome was a Renegado Christian to the Heathen , or a Backslider to the Jew ? How cheery were they of such an one's Intelligence ? and how apt to aggravate it to the Wrong of Christianity ? But if that was nevertheless True , because of the Unfaithfulness and Treachery of its Professors ; neither is our Way to be concluded False , nor our Society Criminal , because a few stragling Renegadoes have in their Discontents , furnisht some common Enemies with a broken & imperfect Account of our Church-Proceedings : But as this will turn little to their Credit with Wise and Just Men , so have we Confidence in God , that having brought us through many Difficulties , he will continue to preserve us through the Peril of False Brethren , and all other Tribulations , which do , and will but work a far more exceeding Weight of Glory , yea of that Glory which was with the Father before the World began ; and in the Possession of which , the now despised Flock of God shall rest with him in that World which never had Beginning , and is without End. William Penn. THE END . ERRATA . READER , THou art still desired to continue thy Kindness in Correcting such Faults as have through Speed of Work escaped the Press ; whether they be Words , Letters , Points or Parenthesis : some of the most Considerable are here collected . Page , Line , Error — Corrected . 4 17 that blot out 9 15 shewn shown 19 time blot out 28 time blot out 33 head hear 18 24 those these 21 15 entitle entitling 25 20 a and 26 12 the Hat the Spirit of the Hat 33 8 Introductoction Introduction 37 Godliness Godliness undeservedly 34 37 an on 35 1 the these 36 21 of in 38 6 and Indep . Independents 9 God given God hath given 37 had hath 49 21 ever never 54 14 were was 29 that both that the Intent of both 57 36 Cowardness Cowardize 59 26 upon upon it . 62 17 as blot out 71 3 a Paper part of a Paper Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A54155-e230 pag. 4 , 5. 1 Joh 2.20.27 . Mat. 7.15 . and 24.4 . Joh. 10. 2 Tim. 4.14 , 15 , 16. Math. 18.17 . Prov. 30.12 . Mat. 6.22 . Spir. of the Hat. p. 10. Tyran . Detect . p. 5 , 23 , 24 , 25. Spir. of the Hat , pag. 13 , 14. How came this Letter into this Socinian's hand ? Doth not this prove a Cabal ? and that Quondam Quakers , now Apostates , are their Spies ? was this my Reward for a loving and curteous Letter , which kindly invited him to my House , for further Satisfaction ? Treacherous Person ! to give it up into proclaimed Enemies Hands ( such Baseness is like an Apostate ) and not to grapple with one part of its Strength , so disingenuous an Adversary . Tyr. & Hyp. Detect . p. 9 , 60 , 61 , 62. * as Dr. Gell. and a certain Person of worldly Quality , said , That had not the Quakers come , the Ranters had over-run the Nation . Ibid. p. 24 p. 14 , 15. pag. 16.17 . pag. 51. pag. 50. pag. 19. p. 19 , 20 , 21 , 29. * Blood ! Blood ! thou seekest . O Envious Man ! pag. 29. * But is not this to render us Obnoxious to the Government ? I abhor that Practice : But Base & Self-Ended Spirits are to be humbled , and not think themselves fit to cry down other Peoples Religion , that have by Treachery , Persecution and Falseness too much reproacht all Religion ; Let tehm leave Scribling & Snarling with their Writings & Repent . p. 29 , 30 , 31 , 32. p. 52 , 53. p. 11. p. 13. pag. 43. See Plain Dealing . pag. 7. pag. 48 , 58 , 59. pag. 55. pag. 56. Rev. 21.27 . 2 Thes . 2.12 . 2 Thes . 1.8 . * Spir. Hat. Tyran . Hyp. Detect .