TO ALL
PEOPLE
That profess the Eternal TRUTH
OF THE
Living God,
THIS IS
A true and real demonstration of the cause why I have denied, and do deny the Authority of George Fox: which is the original ground of difference betwixt us, whatsoever may be pretended or deceitfully alledged against me, which I do in simplicity desire Friends to peruse impartially, and weigh in the ballance of Equity, that they may clearly discern, and sensibly feel the depth of the ground of the matter in difference betwixt us that so none may be blinded through false pretences or vain reports, but that every particular in Israel may see and perfectly know the Truth before they judge of this matter.
This is only to go amongst Friends in all Countreys, Nations and Islands where George Fox’s Papers of Enmity against the innocent hath passed.
Printed in the Year 1663.
Keyboarded by Keith F. Saylor 2019
Dear Friends in Truth,
Before I proceed to signifie the several causes which I believe and know to be the chiefest substantial matter of the ground of George Fox’s disowning of me, and warning Friends of me, I shall in the living truth open my heart, and unfold my breast innocently and nakedly to you, concerning this particular: That the truth of God manifest amongst Friends, I never did, neither do I disown, God is my witness, but in the fear of the pure God I declare it. I confess and own that there is no other truth or way or salvation but what hath been, and is manifest amongst Friends that abide in their measures of living knowledge given of God; neither did I ever deny or forsake Friends Assemblies, though such things may be falsly charged against me XR3569; But this I do testifie unto you in the name and truth of God, that G.F. and some of his servants have endeavoured to shut me out from amongst you, both by their reviling words and writings, supposing thereby to take away the strength of the testimony of truth God in his mercy hath manifested in me, as also to keep him from owning publike judgement for these crimes and capital offenses hereafter mentioned and charged against him, which subtile evasions in the Light of truth and righteousness is seen and disowned, and as he hath caused others to confess and acknowledge their offences, and to own publike judgement for them, according to his own Law and Rule he ought to do the same, and this is no other but really according to the Law of Equity, to try a man by his own Law, or measure him by his own Rule; so that to call him to an account for his offences, as he hath called others, is just and righteous before God & just men, it is but the same measure he hath measured of others, (as may be proved which is measured to him again; and many, or the most part of these things which are now charged against him, hath been charged upon him two years ago, and several of his own bosom-friends nominated to have the hearing of them, as John Bolton, Gerard Roberts, Golbert Laytie, and several others whom I desired might have the examination and tryal of these things, and judge of them according as they found them, in, and by the Law of truth and righteousness, which he hath hitherto neglected and refused, which is a signal testimony that he acknowledgeth himself guilty of them; for he that is clear from guilt, need not fear the judgement of truth; but the guilty starts aside, and he hides himself from judgement; but I know that judgement will find him out, he cannot, nor shall not escape it. And now my dear friends, I shall clearly and innocently signifie unto you why I do publish these things; Not in enmity, God is my Witness, I have no prejudice in my heart against the man, but because the Lord hath laid it upon me, and I dare not disobey the Lord herein. I could have been willing to have born it all, and have buried all these things in the Land of everlating Oblivion, if the God of my life had not laid it upon me; for I take no pleasure in laying open of any mans nakedness or weakness, or discovering any mans offences, crimes or transgressions, not in the publication of such things; but I see that God is just in all his ways & works {Page 3} and will render to man a just recompence of reward according to his works; so that as G.F. hath been very active in searching after the knowledge of the failings and offences of others, and in publishing of them, and in using severity towards the offendors, now it is the will and pleasure of the just God to have his offences made manifest and published; & herein this Scripture comes to be fulfilled, There is nothing hid, that shall not be revealed; what is done in secret, shall be revealed on the house top, &c. So that dear Friends, stand single in the naked truth, and in the impartial judgement, and you will see that the manifesting and the publication of these things concerning this man, is just at the hand of righteous God, and mine, who hath no other end in it, but to answer the mind of the Lord, who wil make manifest the hidden things of darkness, and bring to light that which hath been veiled in obscurity, that nothing may stand before him but purity and naked simplicity in his chosen people: And whereas George Fox hath called himself the Son of God, and also said, I am the Seed, which he might as well have said, I am Christ; (for we know that the Seed is Christ) I do desire Friends to judge impartially of his fruits, whether or no the Son or Seed of God ever brought forth such things as these that follows? And whether or no such have not been, and are yet deceived, who have esteemed, and do esteem him infallible?
And though he hath been in this day and time serviceable in the work of the Lord, yet that will not save him from judgement in the day of his transgression. So long as he stood innocent and faithful, God honoured him with the glory of his presence, and prospered his work in his hand, and he was seen by many in the Light of righteousness, to be a glorious instrument, and had his esteem of me & many others in Israel, and he was exceeding honorable at that time, and so long as he did abide in the perfect zeal of Gods glory, & continue and keep in the innocency of the Lamb’s life, in the true discerning and judgement, he had (as he was worthy) double honor; but since he hath sought to exalt himself and throw down others to set up himself in the highest place in the seat of God, to rule as Lord over Gods Heritage, his glory hath faded, and he suffered to be ensnar’d, & to fall into divers temptations, as hereafter wil at large appear, that man’s weakness may appear, & his glory be stained, that God alone may have the glory of his own work, who is jealous of his honor, and will not give his glory to another.
And this is seen in the Light of Divine glory, that many eminent instruments in the work of Reformation, have brought shame & confusion upon themselves in seeking to exalt themselves over the people which have a high esteem of them, and looked upon them above their places, which hath kindled the wrath of God against them, who once employed them in his service: Therefore O Israel, give thou the honour and the glory unto thy God alone, and to his Government only do thou submit, lest thou be charged with the guilt of this sin in overvaluing or too high estimation of some such instruments as God hath employed in his service, through affection (and the undervaluing of others through dis-affection) that thou give not the glory, honor, & praise to the creature, that properly and wholly belongeth to the Creator who is over all, God blessed for ever; the desire of my soul is, that this sin may not be found in thee, nor laid to thy charge: The Lord hath said in the zeal of his own glory, That all the idols of the earth shall be abolished, and that the haughtiness of man shall be laid low; so that {Page 4} all men, though never so high in esteem, that seek after their own private interest (and not the good of others) & through subtlety and policy seek to usurp Authority over the Consciences of God’s people, & to enthrone themselves in his Judgement-seat, to give forth Legal Prescriptions, & and to enjoin the performance of any external form of practice, such the God of Heaven will abase & throw down, and make them as contemptible in the eyes of the most innocent in Israel, as ever they have been honorable. XR1444 Therefore, O Israel, beware of these things, lest the Lord of glory break forth in his fury, and turn his hand against thee, & scatter thee amongst the Heathen, as he did Israel of old, who through disobedience and ambition provoked him to wrath. This warning is in pure love, and in tender compassion to your immortal soul, and according to the command of God, and the true motion of his eternal Spirit. And now I shall proceed to lay to the line of true Judgement, the several crimes & offences of G.F. and do call to him to answer to his charge through judgement and publike confession, or otherwise according to righteous judgement and justice to come to a hearing & due examination before some sound Friends in a publike Meeting to clear himself if he can, of, or from any of the things charged against him.
Thou G.F. sent Papers with thy hand at them, throughout the several Churches in the several Counties, for friends to nominate and appoint such as they esteemed fit for the place of Magistracy, and to send their names to London to be presented to the then present Power to be commissionated by them, which was in direct opposition to the doctrine of William Dewsbury, who said publikely in many Assemblies, That he had a command from God to declare and publish among friends (as many are Witnesses) that there should not be a man in Israel to rule one over another, but that the rule and authority of man should be overturned, & Christ alone rule in the hearts and spirites of his people XR2119. Now I desire that Truth in all may judge whether that this would not have been great confusion in Israel, if the Lord had not crossed the purpose of G.F. and frustrated his end &intentions in this particular, as also have brought great sufferings upon friends, being foud in the place of Magistracy: As also this may truly signifie, that he had an end to himself, and a secret purpose in his heart as to exalt himself in the Government of the Nation; for if he had perfected his purpose in getting Friends up over them, & that they should have acted nothing but through or by him & his order; & this is clear, that if William Dewsbury had a command from God to cry down the Rule and Government of man, George Fox had none to set it up.
A Letter went forth in his Name with his hand at it, or the Letters of his Name, for all that had been Officers and Souldier in the Army, that were put forth upon the account of truth, should send up their names to London to be presented to the then present Power, that they might be returned into their respective places; which the Light of truth in many judged & condemned; & there were many amongst them & is at this day, that could not, nor cannot bear a carnal sword for conscience sake; therefore consider whither this man would have led people, if his purpose had not failed; & if he had accomplished this thing, & friends had been found in actual Arms at this Powers coming, it might have caused the ruine & destruction of many innocent people; but blesssed be the God of peace & love, who stopped the issue of that design: But this is also clearly evidenceth, that there was a secret intention of the usurpation of external Government.
{Page 5} He sent a paper to judge John Hall upon a lying report, as was proved, & positively charged that upon him which he was clear from; upon which publike false accusation and judgement, according to George Fox’s own Law, he ought to make confession, and to own publike judgement upon it, being a publike Fact: And this the truth requires of him, to satisfie his own Law in this particular; for he ought to do himself to others, as he hath done by them.
He judged an innocent woman Jane Stoaks, as a carnal Whore, sent Letters with false Accusations amongst friends, to reproach & render her contemptible, to stop the testimony of truth God had manifested in her; as also he would not suffer her to be assisted in her journey to Rome, where she was commanded of God to go, which shewed his envy and uncharitableness, and also the want of discerning, who could not see her service for the Lord there, which she faithfully performed, notwithstanding his envy against her: And for this notorious publike crime in defaming her, and not assisting or permitting her to be assisted out of the publike stock provided and ordered for that purpose, he ought also according to his own Law to acknowledge the same upon his knees, & own judgement publikely in all places where he hath defamed her, which his own Law requireth of him, and the truth cannot own his Authority until he hath satisified and fulfilled his own Law in this particular.
The said G.F. sent George Baily into France, who dyed in prison who confessed to me he had no command from God to go in his service, neither did he know any particular place to go to in France; whose blood is, & will be required at his hand.
The said G.F. contrary to the principles of truth professed by us, he vindicated and justified the practice of Water-baptism in Humphrey Wooldridge, who in water baptized a woman one of his disciples he sent forth to minister; which was a publike fact, and required publike acknowledgement and judgement according to his own Rule and Law.
The same G.F. when he is in London, takes upon him the place of God, and orders those he accounts Ministers in his will, and sends them to the several Meetings in and about London, saying to them particularly, (to my knowledge) Thou must go to such a place; and to another, Thou must go to such a place, or such a place ordered for thee; and thither they must go, whether they have any command or motion from God to go or no; and in his absence leaves one of his most eminent servants to order the rest esteemed Ministers in his place on the first days, who also orders them by word of mouth, or gives them a piece of paper; which thing the soul of righteous God lothes, and the seed of his life bears testimony against, for the which he must come to judgement.
He sent forth Milborough Smith into the Ministry, and bid go and be a Mother of Isreal, when she was with Bastard-Child, and was shortly after delivered of it; which shews his insufficiency and want of discerning to officiate such a place, as also his fallibility and usurpation, which is for publike judgement.
The said G.F. in envy writ a paper in pretence of an Answer to a Book of innocent John Perrots, called Unity and Amity, which he sent amongst friends in the time of his persecution, which was judged by the eternal Power and Life of God in several of his suffering servants; which was also a publike fact for publike judgement amongst friends. And here he hath turned his hand against the chosen and annointed of God, which will in the end prove to his own hurt.
George Fox in his {Page 6} Book tituled, The Honor amongst the Jews, calls the Hat an earthly thing, and a thing below the Worship of God, and the dignity of a man, and speaks much against the putting off the Hat; but now he goes to set it up as part of God’s Worship, and saith, He hath unity with none but such as put off their Hats in prayer: So makes it clearly manifest, that he is changeable and fallible, and that his unity stands in an earthly thing, and in that he confesseth is below the worship of God; and here he would set up a form, and tye the Lords free people to the performance of an external practice, contrary to the liberty of the free Spirit of Life, which ought in all things to order and exercise Gods chosen Remnant, who are only and alone to be ordered in the performance of all duties and practices, according to its leading and immediate motion, which is also to be denied and judged out, as the entrance or inlet of idolatry into the Church, which all impositions and penal injunctions lead unto XR7857.
He also reviled and reproached me, and judged and condemned me in several papers which he hath spread up and down the Countreys amongst Friends, for the very same thing which he acknowledged (in Gerard Rebertt Chamber) two yeers or more ago, that the power had remitted; which shews his envy and confusion: But this his end in so doing (as the clear-sighted in Israel may discern) he thought thereby to raise prejudice in Friends against me: that they might not receive me nor my testimony, that so I might be quite disabled, and the strength of truths testimony God hath manifested in me, might be taken away, that so I might have no power to call him to an account for these things God hath laid upon me to charge against him: But blessed be the Name of the pure God for ever, who hath given, and doth give me strength and courage in his truth to clear my Conscience in obeying his wil in this thing, which in the end wil come heavy upon him.
His cowardliness in shrinking in the time of persecution, his shifting from place to place both in City and Countrey, to shun a prison, or to avoid suffering, is for judgement, many in Israel took notice of it; where there was danger, he sent others, and would not go himself: He sent Thomas Richardson to Ely, but refused to go himself when friends desired him; and the man was put in prison, and would have given it under his hand, if friends would have suffered him, that he knew not whether the Light of salvation was in every man or no. And such dark ignorant men he sends forth to burden the Seed in Friends; yet they will cry up his Name, and receive Orders from him, and be his servants or slaves, which the Light of pure wisdom disowns and judges, and he must come to the bar of Justice, and receive the sentence of condemnation for such things; for the truth will not, nor such as live in it, justifie him in these or the like practices.
He sent papers of enmity, and set his servantr on work in Barbadoes and Virginia, to judge and reproach innocent John Perrot, Jane Stoakes and Elizabeth Harris, who were moved to go in the service of the Lord, which is contrary to truth, love and mercy; which practice is also for perpetual judgement.
The said George Fox did cause John Fretwell, Christopher Gilburn, and James Naylor, with several others, to go down upon their knees before him publikely amongst Friends (which is gross idolatry) and there and then upon their knees to make confession, and own judgement upon what he charged against them, before he would own them, or receive them in unity {Page 7} amongst Friends; which practice the Seed of God lothes and abominates, and it is but according to his own Rule and Law that he upon his knees should confess to, and own publike judgement upon what is charged against him; for if a man make a Law, he ought to observe and keep it.
His writing and speaking against Pulpits and high-places upheld by others, and allowing such like things in our own Meeting-places, which he hath been told of, it is for judgement; and his several forms concerning Marriage: First, He sent ont his Orders to the several Churches, to publish Marriages three times publikely in meetings, and now he sends forth another to contradict that, to lay it before Men-friends Meetings as also before Women-friends Meetings, and they must have their approbation before they take one another; and this shews his changeable spirit, and his fallibility; and all these his prescribed Laws and imposed forms are out of the truth, and with it judged; yet the Marriage in the Lord is owned to be lawful and honorable, and publication also according to the immediate motion of the Spirit of Love and Life, that joins in one, and makes of two one flesh.
The said G.F. hath allowed [after notice] of John Moon’s going abroad in the Ministry, and hath sent him abroad as a Minister since he hath prophesied lyes publikely amongst friends, saying and affirming, that there should not be a wicked Magistrate in England within two years time, which is near expired: And further said, That if that which he then spoke did not come to pass, the Lord never spoke by him: Which I lay to the line of righteous judgement in all friends, to judge of this matter, whether or no the lying spirit ought to minister in Israel, yea or nay. Surely, surely the just God wil plead with some for these and the like things suffered and countenanced in Israel.
His being shut up in a room in Newgate Market with Margaret Fell, several hours, and none suffered to come into them, though several endeavoured it, hath not the savour of honesty in it; but I shall leave that to the Lord to judge of, who will reward them according to their works. And it is also reported amongst friends, that the said George Fox & Margaret Fell did so carry themselves each to other, and walk so unseemly and undiscreetly at the House of Elizabeth Trott when they lay there, that she questioned their honesty, and was weary of their company; and what this doth signifie, let truth and innocency judge.
Lastly, The said George Fox contrary to the doctrine and practice of Christ and the Saints, hath gone himself amongst friends in and about this City, to revile, reproach and backbite the innocent, and also hath warned, and sent his servants to warn friends for entertaining such as he disaffects and envies, so would not leave them a place to rest in, but would even force them with violence from the truth, if the Lord by his mighty power did not preserve them: As likewise in other places he hath gone about in the same manner, which practice is for eternal judgement and condemnation: It was not, nor is not the work of the true Spirit in the Saints, to hate and envy their Enemies, nor to pursue them from place to place with false railing accusations, much lesse the people of who in a large measure have suffered in innocency for his Name and Truth, as G.F. hath done, and now doth, which is a true sign, or signal testimony that he is not in the true Spirit, the Spirit of Love, but in the contrary, which is not to bear rule, nor predominate in Israel: It is, and was {Page 8} the Doctrine of Christ and the Saints to love their enemies to gain souls to God with meekness and love, and also their practice to restore or regain such as were ensnared through temptation, in all tenderness and bowels of compassion, and likewise to seek after the lost sheep of the House of Israel, to fetch them back into the fold of rest: They did not as G.F. doth, drive by force away such as he looks upon as gone astray, which clearly proveth that he is out of the power of the healing, restoring, Spirit, in the devouring nature, which Forceth me (with many others) to deny his Authority, and to bear a living testimony for God his works, practices, usurpation and Lordly Dominion, who seeks in the strength of his subtilty to set up himself in the seat of Christ, to rule over the Consciences of God’s chosen Remnant, which is other but the Sun of the Morning, which hath not kept his first habitation, which the God of Israel will dethrone and cast down XR5452.
And this I testifie in the Name of the Lord, in a clear discerning, and perfect understanding, that G.F. hath turned his hand against, and struck at the most glorious appearance of the life of God these several years, in the dearest of God’s people; and it is not only the Hat, and the others things reported amongst friends, which causeth G.F. to turn against J.P. but because of that beautiful life God hath manifested in him, which to the simple and innocent-hearted in Israel, did appear more amiable and glorious then his Ministration; & because that the virtue and sweetness of the clear of life of God manifest in J.P. drew the Virgins in Israel after it, therefore G.F. hath sought, and doth seek with violence to destroy that which is most excellent and glorious, that he may have the honour and glory to himself, which many in Israel in the Light of truth have seen, and do see; and since the spirit of Saul entred G.F. behold how he hath lost his strength, and how his glory hath faded; He that hath an eye to see, let him see, and an ear to hear, let him hear, and also he that can receive it, let him, this is a true and faithful testimony. And mark furthermore, he doth not only pursue and seek to destroy the life of God in J.P. and to hinder the testimony thereof from going forth in Israel, but also in all such as own, love and affect his innocent life; which manifests clearly to the impartial understanding in Israel, That he seeks to destroy the Son and Heir, to make the inheritance his own: so seeks to exalt himself, and after his own glory: But the Lord of Life and glory is arising in his mighty power, in the zeal of his own honour and glory, and will stain the glory of all flesh, and throw down, and utterly overturn the rule and government of man in Israel and will set up his own government and heavenly authority over all, in the hearts and consciences of his chosen people, and they to his Scepter alone shall bow, and shall not be enslaved through the usurpation of ambitious man. XR3270
London the 8th. of the 6th. Mon. 1663.
By one of the despised Remnant, who sets up no man, but seeks only the exaltation of Gods alone glory, and honors all men in the Lord, and owns all men in their places, known by this Name,
JOHN HARWOOD.
THE END.
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