Church Government

‘Tis true, Friends in the Beginnings were turned to the Light in their own Consciences, as their Guide; but when it pleased the Lord to gather so great a Number into the Knowledge and Belief of the Truth, as were in few Years, gathered, that the Heavenly Motion came upon G.F. as the Lords Anointed, and Chosen; having the Care of the Churches, as being the great Apostle of Christ Jesus (and as one whom the Lord had ordained to be in that place amongst the Children of Light in this our Day, as Moses was amongst the Children of Israel in his Day) to set forth Methods, and Forms of Church Government, and to establish Monthly, and Quarterly Meetings of Men and Women distinct from Men; and these Meetings since are called the Church, whose Counsel, Advice, and Judgement (was Occasion should offer) is to be submitted unto by every one who professes himself as a Member of the Church of Christ; and that we ought to believe, as the Church believes; else why should an Eminent Friend in the sixteenth Page of his Book thus say, “I affirm, that the true Church is the true Faith that is in God, and we must either believe thus, as the true Church believes, or else it were but a Folly, and Hypocrisie to profess our selves Members thereof. [And so in the same Page proceeds to manifest] that he who seems to own the Church of Christ, as a Member of her, and yet tells the World, that it is a most dangerous position, that we are to believe as the Church believes, is a treacherous Enemy to the Church of Christ.”

Source: The Christian Quaker William Rogers, First Part pg. 9. 1680.