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 ...

Now we come to touch a little of the Second particular Head by us made mention of before in this First part of our Treaatise to be spoken to.

That our present Adversary William Rogers, in his aforesaid Book hath denied the Care, the Order and Discipline used amongst us in the Church of God, and hath Judged the same: And that John Storv and John Wilkinson, also with them of the Separation in the North, and of Party with them have slighted, despised, and laboured to put a dis-esteem thereupon, in an 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Spirit there-unto and hath laid Stumbling-blocks in the way of it; and thereby obstructed the Care and Exercise of God's People, in Relation thereunto.

To which we say, that in Relation to William Rogers his Denial of the Order of Truth setled amongst us, to be consistent with our principle and first love; as also his Judging the same, much need not to be said in this place: That which is already herein Inserted out of his Book, as also what may at large be observed in the An∣swer to his by Ellis Hookes, &c. Demonstrating, that a great part of the Tendency of his whole work therein relates thereunto; And to manifest the contempt thereof that hath been also on John Story and John Wilkinson their Spirits, together with them of Party with them in the North, and the opposition, they have made thereunto to the Church's grief and the breach of its peace, more may be said af∣terwards, when we give a Relation of the exercise and concern we have had with them by reason thereof, which in the Sequel (God willing) we Intend to do. As to William Rogers we say, his clamouring against us alter an abusive manner on this ac∣count in his Book is so frequently used by him, that it's obvious and clear to the view of every honest man, who hath had a view thereof, that Contempt, scorn and derision is that which he is filled with on the Account thereof:

Whosoever, saith he, shall endeavour by outward ways to establish an outward Government, and out∣ward Rule, &c. they are Invaders of Christ's Prerogative: And again, saith he, that Spirit that would remove u from our teacher &c. to follow the Dictates of fallible men &c.

In the first place, we deny his charge as applicable to us, we have no such design: God knows before whom we stand, it's a meer unjust reflection, for we Commend all to the teachings of the Grace of God, and the guidings of the Uni∣versal

Spirit, in which the Unity stands in the Order and Rule of Truth, to be Helps and Governments in the Church: Neither do we lay before one another in the Church of God any thing but what is answerable to Truth, and is freely received of the Innocent to God; we disown the Dictates of fallible men, nei∣ther doth he give us a Catalogue of those Dictates he so much talks of, and there∣fore we take the less notice of the cluttering work he makes on that wise.

Secondly, It is clear that all those Reflections he useth, he aims them at us, and upon our Order and Discipline in God's House, and the directions relating thereunto, otherwise there had been no occasion of his so often reiterating there∣of, in this his undertaking to detect us as Apostates on the account thereof.

He further says, see page 16. of his first part, That our Meetings (in a reproach thereof) are made up of men uncertain as to Number and Qualifications, and under the notion of the Church of God assumes power over Conscience; and again he says, He appeals to the Intelligent, if those there assembled, pretending to be Mem∣bers thereof (meaning the Church of God) have not been false Accusers, and men∣pleasers, and many of them a sort of Persons that have loved preheminence and time-servers.

Now we say, this is a malicious Slander which we deny; and we ask, what greater contempt could he appear in against our Brethren in their Exercise? what greater reproach could he any way bring upon our Meetings, and our Order and Care therein, & more vilifie with Derision the exercise and concern thereof, the Advice, the Counsel that may arise amongst us, the Exhortations and Reproofs that any may be concerned in, as the Lord instructs, and leads accordingly, as any occasion may offer it self? What can he do or say more in Contempt of all, when he hath done his worst? and what Spirit this is, and what its work tends to, the Lord be Judge in all Consciences, and give the knowledg thereof; that the Snares of this wicked envious one may never on this wise prevail any more upon any: For to let loose the Licentious, Unclean, Libertine, Ranting Spirit is that which in the Ground he aims at, wherein the Apostacy is entering, & the letting go the Bond of Truth, & the Authority of it in himself, and in such as adhere to him, and are taken with his Bait; where the departing also from the Life of Christianity prevails, which William Rogers would charge others with, himself is detected to have the mannagement of the design thereof, which he bends himself to perfect, to his own disgrace and wo world without end: And what blasphemous work also he is clearly de∣tected to be concerned in, who pretends what a concern of Conscience he and others of his Brethren had upon them to appear in Print, lest the Life of Christia∣nity should seem to be extinct amongst the People called 〈◊〉〈◊〉; and yet such absurd, notoriously wicked and ungodly matter brought forth, as his Book is stuffed with; he himself might see, if he would but let that in his own Con∣science speak.

One other Instance out of many we think good to insert out of W. Roger's Book, plainly demonstrating his condemning all visible Order and Discipline in the Church of Christ, and so his opposition thereunto: In the Title page to the 3d part of his Book, called The Christian 〈◊〉〈◊〉, &c. it is delivered by him thus — Manifesting (saith he) that there is but two sorts of Governments owned by the Children of Light, or the Christian 〈◊〉〈◊〉; one is the outward Government under which we Live, unto the Laws whereof we owe either Active or

Passive Obedience, &c. The other is the inward Government of Christ (who alone is Lord over the Conscience) which is not represented by Persons visible, by carnal Eyes, invested with power from Heaven to execute outward Laws, Prescriptions, Orders, Edicts in any outward Form of Government visible as aforesaid.

Our Brethren, of the Second days morning Meeting in London, well observing (as in the Treatise called, The Accuser of our Brethren cast down, is inserted, that this assertion of W. Rogers directly contradicts the Paper therein made mention of; and in this Treatise also hereafter inserted, signed at Ann Travers House 1673. subscribed by him (while he kept his first Love and Care for God) amongst many other of his Brethren,; It contradicts also a Paper given forth in the Year 1672. relating to Godly Care, Order and Government in the Church; wherein advice is given to Friends who have a care and oversight committed to them, in their respective places, for good Order and eomfort in the Church; as the Words therein are: Which Epistle is signed by James Parke, Jasper Batt, John Story, Thomas Curtis, John Crooke, Stephen Crisp, and Fourteen more Friends, the 3d of the 3d Month 1672. so here John Story, when in Unity with his Brethren, is Uindicating and Encouraging Church care and visible order; and his Party have since expressly set them∣selves against it. In the aforesaid Book, viz. The Accuser of our Brethren cast down, &c. it is also expressed thus, page 117. observe.

First, That W. Rogers and his Party are by him accounted the Christian Quakers and Children of Light; and that all those that are not of his Par∣ty, nor in Unity with him & them, are accounted Apostates & Innovators, and why so? but because they are for some outward Laws, Orders, &c. in an outward form of Order and Government in the Church of Christ that's visible.

Secondly,

That this outward Order and visible Form, is such, as by his sence and state of the Case is rendered obnoxions, both to the outward Government under which we Live, and against the inward Government of Christ: Insomuch that all the People called Quakers, that are for outward and visible Form and Order amongst them are Charactered Apostates and Innovators, &c. This is Malicious, and tends to expose that People to Persecution, and is unjustly ren∣dered; for our peaceable deportment on the account of the outward Govern∣ment (under which we Live) hath been, and is well known to be such, as our Opposer is not able to disprove; neither need we vindicate our selves therein, &c. This also is not only Malitions but Absurd: As if because Christ's im∣mediate Government and Kingdom is inward and spiritual in the Conscience, therefore he must have no visible Ministers in his Kingdom, no visible Order or Form of Government under his Dominion, no visible Persons exercised in any outward Rule, Orders, Laws, or Decrees under his Government; as if all Christ's Ministers, Apostles, Elders, Overseers, Helps, Govern∣ments which were appointed by him in his Church, with all the Instructions, Decrees and Commands of the Apostle, setting in order all things that were lacking, doing all things decently and in order, were all Invisible, and nothing outward, Visible or Formal, because Christ's inward and spiritual Government (from whence all these proceeds) is Invisible: We can argue no better then on this kind in our Adversaries distinction of his Christian Quaker from the Apostate and Innovator: Nor deduce a more natural Inference from his

opposition against visible Persons being concerned in an outward Form of Go∣vernment and Order in the Church of Christ: How doth this kind of ar∣guing also of his consist with that Paper signed in the North by his two hono∣rable Friends John Story and John Wilkinson, and them of Party with them; which he says is accounted the Foundation of the seperate Meeting? In which Paper are these Words — We who are chosen by the Churches, and in their behalf to Act — Some of other Countries, and some amongst our selves not chosen by the Churches, have usurped Authority over us — The Meetings by whom we were Imployed — Our men who have their Authority given them by the Churches choise, &c. — Are hindered by others, &c. — To whom we gave no Power — But deny that they have had Authority from us — and again, Our chosen men — They who are not chosen by the Churches — You who are righly chosen by the Churches — With many other Passages intimating Power, Authority and Government, together with Records and Orders;

surely W. Rogers will not say, that those Churches chusing, and giving Power to others, and the Persons chosen to be imployed in their Affairs were all invisible; and their Affairs and Businesses invisible; and their respective Meetings with the Methods they intended therein invisible; and their Records and Orders invisible: Surely the said Paper of theirs, with the limitted prescriptions therein, was not in∣visible any more then the Persons that formed them: Will his Correspondents and Abettors in the North be pleased that he should in Print lay open their Con∣tradictions, Confusion and Inconsistencies with themselves, as well as with him∣self and his Arguings in such distraction as this; we commend these things 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the wise in heart to consider of, and judge as they see cause.