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, What credit this Certificate shall have in the Hearts of the Wise and Faithful to God we see not, and we can commit the same to such to be weighed.

Robert Arch signifies, That one time when George Fox was at his House, and as he remembers it was at the same time when he was concerned in setting up Quar∣terly Meetings, and some Papers or Epistles, as Instructions in relation thereunto, was read at the same time, which George Fox had given forth, In which their was Written, saith he, as I remember, that such Friends as did pay Tythes should be Exhorted or Admonished; and at the same time was it, saith he, that George Fox advised him to buy his Tythes.

We say, this matter laid to his Charge, as that which should be his Advise, is so far remote from his known Testimony and Practice, that not a Faithful Man in the Nation, we believe, will give any credit to it: Besides, can any think, that George Fox should be so Indiscreet and Inconsistant with himself, and his own Papers of Directions and Advise, as to order such his Papers to be read, and Friends to be advised to practice accordingly, and he himself forth-with, at the same time, (if this were true concerning him) to throw down what he seemed to build up; this were such Confusion as we never heard spoken of him from any faithful Man, or could it be expected, that any Work begun on this wise could ever cone to ought; and that George Fox should advise him to buy off the Priests Tythes, is a ridiculous thing to Charge him with, there is no colour for it, being the Priest hath them not to sell; and if William Rogers, or Nathaniel Cripps, and Robert Arch, (his two In∣formers) in two several Countries, could prove it against George Fox, that he had at any time declared it to be his Judgment, That Impropriators Tythes in this Gospel Dispensation ought to be paid, (as it seems the two Informers have declared it to be theirs) it were something to the matter; but as to that we say, His many Wri∣tings and Testimonies have been very publickly as well as privately against Tythes in the Ground, and his said Paper of Direction touching that Case hath that gene∣ral tendency in it, without any exception: Upon all which Considerations it can never be supposed that George Fox would give forth such Advise; but that this Mans Darkness, through his Unfaithfulness in the matter of Tythes as aforesaid, being such, in Charity we may suppose, that he hath been under a great mistake in himself about this matter, otherwise it must needs be either gross Wickedness or Forgetfulness at the least, that caused him thus to insert in Charge against George Fox, and not from real cause by him given them, it being so far inconfistant with his Integrity and Nobility in the Truth, and readiness to lay down for his Testimony in this case, whatever might be otherwise dear to him; therefore what reason George Fox should have to advise these two unfaithful Men thus, or what occasion either, (seeing it was their Principle or Practice so to do, contrary to his own professed Testimony and Life, as Thousands in many parts of this Na∣tion, and other Nations will evidence) for our own parts we say, we are yet to Learn.

We are sorry that these two Men should do so unehristianly with themselves and their Friend that wished them well, as not to let George Fox know (before they iutended to give forth such Charges against him, and put them into the Hands of such a professed and openly declared Enemy to George Fox and the Life of Truth, and Gospel Order) what they were about to do; this manifested a wrong Spirit, and great Weakness as to Truth, that was less enclined to obey and serve the Truth, and to keep their Testimony clear therein, then to gratifie such

a watching for Evil, as William Rogers hath appeared in, to get something any way to smite and accuse withal.

But as it was very pertinently Queried, in the Treatise called, The Accuser of our Brethren cast down, &c. We desire to know who it was that desire these two Cer∣tificates from these two Men in Charge against George Fox, or whether they ever intended or expected that they should be put forth against him in Print? or whe∣ther they were not subtilly drawn from them, and that such as dealt with them in that matter have not betrayed them therein? For as we understand two publick Friends asked Nathaniel Cripps, Whether it was his Advise and Consent, that his said Certificate, concerning George Fox's advising him to buy his Tythes Twenty Years ago, should be made use of against George Fox? or whether he gave William Rogers any order to publish the same in Manufcript to the Nation, as he endea∣voured to do? and whether he did not say in Answer, No sure, I gave no such advise, I knew nothing of his so doing; He had no order from me to spread it further then to pro∣duce it at Bristol, if there was occasion, when George Fox went down thither, &c. not expecting it should go any futher. We further desire that Nathaniel Cripps and Robert Arch be minded, whether they be not bound in Conscience to bear a Testimony against William Rogers for his treacherous unbrotherly dealing with them, that have brought such an Accusation against an Elder and Antient in Truth on their score, and not first let them know, that they might have given George Fox, in the first place, the priviledge of an Elder, or a Brother in relation to Gospel Order, as the Truth and Christian Society necessarily requires.

William Rogers in his Rejoynder to George Fox's Reply saith, Now it remains that I say somthing concerning George Fox's departure out of the Meeting in Broad∣Mead, in the City of Bristol, in the time of Persecution.

The Reader may remember how that we made mention of George Fox's Epistle to Frlends, relating to advise to Friends to be faithful in time of Persecution; with which William Rogers being touched and grieved, because he had made away a great part of his personal visible Estate to his Servant, out of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 reach, in his Answer of Smiting Queries (also made mention of in the beginning of our Reply) said — This Exhortation, I say, is in it self good; but would much better have become the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of George Fox, if when the Persecutors came up one pair of Stairs into our Meeting-Rome in Broad-Mead, whilst he was speaking, he had not been of such a Spirit (which some may call distrustful and disparing) as on a sudden to step down and hasten out of the Meeting, as he once did, of which my Eyes, with many more, were Witnesses.

It may be noted, that this smiting Accusation (which George Fox utterly de∣nieth, as in his Answer may be seen) William Rogers asserts upon the sight of his own Eyes, with many more as he saith.

Now of what force this his own evidence, touching this matter is, let it be judged, considering what a spirit all along he hath manifested himself to be of, full of Envy and watching for Evil, that he may caluminate and asperse the Innocent, as the many Accusations upon this pittiful insufficient Evidence brought in, do de∣monstrate; but in as much as that he saith, His Eyes, with many more, were Wit∣nesses; upon George Fox's denial thereof, (amongst all the other before mentioned) he hath brought and published in Print several Certificates to prove the aforesaid matter, which we shall hereafter insert; with what Observations we have made thereupon.