JATJCA Section Three

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{Page 66} 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, {Page 67} 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.

XR5477 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, who {Page 68} 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 precious 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 strengthen 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, Unprofitable and Unseemly 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 {Page 70} 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 Eye, 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, Unerring, 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.

{Page 71} 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 Unity 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 {Page 72} 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 Ʋndertaking, 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 forementioned Papers, to the End for which he hath made them publick.

John Crook.

{Page 73} 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 precious 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 believing 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 left Moses and Elias to keep Court 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 saith, that with God all things are possible, Mat. 19.26.

And now whereas I am falsely accused by John Pennyman {Page 74} 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 Profest 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. {Page 75} 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 {Page 76} 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 Foxonians &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 woulds4t 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 {Page 77} 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 {Page 78} 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 {Page 79} 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 worse¹, 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 {Page80} 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 eat 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, Uncertain, 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 Precious 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; {Page 82} but according to our Doctrine and Principles, do desire and endeavour, in that Ability that God hath given us, To approve our selves in all- things in Sincerity and Uprightness 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 Uncomely 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. Its 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.

{Page 83} 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 {Page 84} 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 {Page 85} 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? Its 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 {Page 86} 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 Libels² 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 {Page 87} 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 {Page 88} 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 ‘twas 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 {Page 89} 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.

{Page 90} Henry Stout’s Testimony XR5674.

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 Eleven 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 ‘tis 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 {Page 91} 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 its a Sign, that when Men grow in Grace, and are better, they are the {Page 92} 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 {Page 93} 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; ‘tis 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, {Page 94} 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 {page 95} 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 {Page 96} 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 that 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 {Page 97} 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, {page 98} 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, {Page 99} 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 Ʋngodliness 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.

{Page 100} 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 him 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 Ucleanness or Unrighteousness, 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 {Page 101} 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 {Page 102} 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 {Page 103} 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 {page 104} [?] 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.

{Page 105} 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.

{Page 106} 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.

{Page 107} 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 heartly 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 {Page 108} 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 commands, who was in the True Light and the Holy Ghost, who said, That Men should Pray Uncovered: 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 Powers 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 {Page 109} 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 its clearly manifest 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 Liberty in Christ that made them free, which were his Words, and these Hat-Men and their Confederates, who are out of the Power of God, would have Liberty of their {Page 110} 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 cursed 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 could 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 {Page 111} 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 Uniformity, 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 Uncovering our Heads when we pray to God, &c. is by the same Spirit and Power as the Apostles did, who commanded Men to pray Uncovered.

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 Prayer, 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 {Page 112} 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 Unclean 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 {Page 113} 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!

XR4159 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 {Page 114} 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 {Page 115} 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 116} 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 {Page 117} Power and Spirit that the Apostle was in, who said, Men should Pray Uncovered, 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 30th. 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. {Page 118}

Answ. It is like they were such as John Pennyman and other Apostates, 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 Uncovered. &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.

{Page 119} 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 {Page 120} 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 Adversary 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; {Page 121} 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
Lasses 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 Notorious Uncleanness; 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 {Page 122} 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 Unsavory, Word in R. Farnsworth, but not an Unsavory 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 Foxonian 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 {Page 123} 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 God, 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 Page 124} 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 not 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.

{Page 125} 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.

William Penn.

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1. Rev. 21.27. 2 Thes. 2.12. 2 Thes. 1.8.↩

2. Spir. Hat. Tyran. Hyp. Detect.↩