Antichristian treachery discovered and its way block'd up in a clear distinction betwixt the Christian apostolical spirit, and the spirit of the antichristian apostate : being an answer to a book put forth by William Rogers, falsely called, The Christian Quaker distinguished from the apostate and innovator ... In three parts ...

Answer, This Evidence also is short, like the rest, and is not answerable to the Charge, no mention being made of any Persecutors coming up the Stairs whilst George Fox was speaking, or that he left speaking on a sudden, and hastened down, &c. and manifests William Rogers's Charges suspicious, if not altogether false: (which however afterwards we doubt not but to do) Who said, That the Officers came up one paire of Stairs whilst George Fox was speaking, and that George

Fox on a sudden left off speaking, and hastened down another pair of Stairs, &c. which manifests either dimness of sight in William Rogers, or that his prejudice and jum∣bling restless Work he hath made in the Envy that lodgeth in him, hath infatu∣ated his Understanding and Memory, that he forgets himself, or otherwise we may conclude, that his Wickedness is such, that he often matters not what he saith, to the running down of such as he sets himself against; the Lord doth take notice of these things.

And it is not proper, discreet nor evidential for Samuel Hollister to bring up the Words of his deceased Uncle (to make an Accusation thereof against the Innocent) who was a Man of that Gravity, Wisdom and tenderness of Spirit, as some of us can testifie, that we believe that he would have abhorred to have appeared on this wise against an Elder, but have given him more Gospel Order, if true, then either William Rogers or he hath done. Did Samuel Holister ever acquaint George Fox with what he hard his Uncle say, touching this matter that he has brought in Charge against him, and put it into the Hands of an open Enemy to Truth, and George Fox's Foe, to be put in Print on Record to Posterity against him? Where is the Christian Dealing and Gospel Order which William Rogers hath blamed o∣thers for being deficient in, on John Stories and John Wilkinsons account, Who in order to get a Judgment against them, saith he, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 forth Charges behind their Backs, that Judgment might be brought forth against them unhard? VVe can tell William Rogers, that his, and his Certificers Case is far remote from that in relation to us, whom he hath placed a Judgment upon in Print to Posterity, on the account of our dealings with John Story and John Wilkinson, as hath been evidently manifested in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Treatise already; for we say, John Wilkinson and John Story were acquain∣ted with proceedings intended concerning them, by the Advice and Order of the Quarterly Meeting, in persuance also of Advice from Grave and Ancient Friends from London, a Meeting was appointed that they might be heard, and they had liberty granted to make their Defence, and to make their Objections against the Witnesses if they pleased, and that all things might be examined Face to Face be∣twixt them and those appearing on the Truth, and on the Churches behalf against them, which they were acquainted with, yet they contemptuously refused to ap∣pear, in the ambition of their Hearts, and shut themselves from the priviledge of being heard, and justly therefore exposed themselves to the sentence of Truth through Gods People against them: Let these Certificers and Accusers also be asked, whether ever they acquainted George Fox with what they intended to do in relation to Charge and Evidence touching this matter? Did they give the pri∣viledge of a Friend and Brother in Truth, according to Gospel Order? Did they give him liberty to be heard and make his Defence Face to Face, according to judi∣cial proceedings, that he might have the liberty to have cleared himself, or given that satisfaction which the Truth, and the Gospel of Christ required, before they published him in Print to Posterity? If they have been deficient in this matter, they have rendered themselves to be out of the Doctrine of Christ, Obstructers (yea Despisers) of Gospel Order, and the Rule of common Societies; Accusers of the Innocent, Parties with William Rogers in his malicious Work in criminating on this wise, and their Evidence (if any material had been therein) not to be re∣garded by Men fearing God, Lovers of the Christian Religion, and the Society of Brethren in the Spirit of Truth; and that their Works cannot but be despised, and cast out as the unsavoury Salt, good for nothing, but to be trodden under Foot of

Men. And to that in all Consciences we can appeal, where these things may come to be taken notice of, whether it be not clearly demonstrated, as the Sun that shineth at noon Day, that this Work of William Rogers's hath proceeded from meer Malice, & seeking occasion against the Faithful, whose Testimony stands and lives against his and his Abettors backsliding State, at which they freet and fume, and tugs to and fro, and fastens themselves the more thereby, to their greater Shame and Reproach in the pit of Infamy and Disgrace, which they would have had others cast into.

And for a further manifestation of the fallacious Work of William Rogers, and those of party with him, (as their Words demonstrate, which have bew rayed them) in this concern relating to George Fox his leaving the Meeting at Broad-Mead, in the City of Bristol, after the manner that they would charge him with: We think meet to Insert here the substance of a Certificate given forth on the aforesaid occasion by Twenty eight Persons, and Friends to Truth, in the City of Bristol, several of whom some of us knows to be Persons of grave and solid Deportment, Men of good report in Truth, and of a good conversation and repute 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all sober Men; whom although William Rogers in his Paraphrasing 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 their said Certificate, doth most abusively (below the Spirit of a Man) render them, we are satisfied it shall stand touching this matter of William Rogers's 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Charge (by all we can any way observe) an Evidence for George Fox's 〈◊〉〈◊〉 therein, in the Consciences of all the Faithful to God every where, who comes to have the knowledge thereof, with the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that relate to it.

The Charge was thus. If when the Persecutors came up one pair of Stairs; whilest George Fox's was speaking, he had not been of such a Spirit (which some may call 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and despairing) as on a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to step down, and hasten out of the Meeting, at a back pair of Stairs, which he once did, of which mine Eyes (with many more) were Witnesses.