{Third Part 128} The Coppy of a Paper given forth by Charles Marshall and Thirty six Persons more.
Forasmuch as William Rogers of Bristol, hath lately written a Manuscript against a Book of Robert Barclays, Entituled, The Anarchy of the Ranters, and approved at the Second days Meeting at London, and hath dispersed his Manuscript in Several Parts of this Nation, without so much as first giving either to the said Robert Barclay in Particular, or the Second Days Meeting in General, and Account of his Scruples, or Dissatisfaction concerning the said Book of Robert Barclay, contrary to all Rules of Brotherly Love, Christian-Fellowship, Gospel-Order, and the Exemplary Practice of the Church of Christ, to the Defamation of the said Robert Barclay, the great Derogation from the Christian Authority, of the said Meeting, and the general Dis-service to Truth, especially, being sent unto Persons, who are at present Disaffected to the present Unity of the Body of Friends. And whereas on the Seventh Day of the Fourth Moneth 77. We whose Names are Under Written were met together in the City of London, in the pure Fear and Holy Dread of the Lord God Almighty, to hear what the said William Rogers had Objected against the said Book of Robert Barclay, it appears to us, upon a Deliberate, Serious and Impartial Hearing of the Matter in controversy, that the Objections of the said William Rogers, lay not so much against the Matter and Substance of the said Robert Barclays Book, as against his way of Expressing some Passages therein: and that upon Robert Barclays Defence and Explanation, the said William Rogers did Declare, that he was Satisfied with Robert Barclay as to his Principles; but that he thought some Passages in his Book might have been better worded, Confessing that he did not Brotherly in Publishing his Book, before he had communicated his Exception to the {Third Part 129} said Robert Barclay, and the Brethren of the Second Days Morning-Meeting in London; it is therefore the Inward sense, Advice and Judgement of the Meeting, that the said William Rogers forthwith do Deliver up into the hands of James Claypoole, the Copy of his said Book, which he hath here with him, and as speedily as may he Recal all such other Copies of his said Book, as he knows to be Dispersed in the Nation, or elsewhere, and that he also ought speedily to Write a Letter to Friends, in all those Places where he doth or shall know the said Book to be Dispersed, and therein to clear both the said Robert Barclay, and the Friends of the Second Days Meeting in London, form all such Aspersions as by means of his said Book may be cast upon him or them. And though it doth not appear to this Meeting, by any thing that the said William Rogers hath Objected, or Offered, that there is any Errour or Unsoundness of Doctrine in the said Robert Barclay’s Book, yet forasmuch as there are some Terms to Expressions therein, which some conceive might be yet more plain easie and familiar, it is the Desire of this Meeting, that the said Robert Barclay (as he fees in himself the Openings of Life thereunto) will in Christian condescension to the Capacities of the Weak, write an Explanatory Postscript to the said Book, for the Sake of all such, as may be supposed to have misapprehended any Expression therein.
Charles Marshall, and thirty-six more.
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