Sect. VIII.
A manifestation that the Variance hath originally risen from a Different Sense touching G.F. the General Meeting, or Womens-Meetings, &c. The End for which Womens-Meetings were assented to.
On the whole Matter, the great Variance amongst some, once at Unity, we have cause to know hath risen from a different sense touching one, some, or all of these three particulers following.
The first relates to George Fox, that hath taken upon him to give forth Directions and Instructions to others; and his Proceedings.
The Second to the General Meeting; and their Proceedings.
The Third, To Womens Meetings; and their Proceedings.
As to the First, we say, many there are amongst us, who Affirm, that they have more then ordinary cause to believe, that many Professing the Truth do look upon G.F. as one {First Part 62} whom the Lord in these latter dayes hath raised up, and set in the like Place amongst the Children of Light, as Moses was amongst the Children of Israel; and that whosoever shall Oppose him, shall never prosper; which (we are perswaded) hath so over-awed many, that they become Sacrificers of their own Sense and Understandings to the Will of Man; and doubtless on this Foot, many may think, those who told him his Book about Womens-Meetings is Notoriously Erronious, will never prosper, though they have evidenced it to be so to his Face, and that in the view of several Hundreds of Friends at a Meeting assented to by himself, and those of Party with him, when at Bristol, in the 12th. Moneth, 1677. As one instance of the Errours of the said Book take this, Pag. 43. he thus saith, And was not Micah’s Mother a Virtuous Woman? Read Judges 17. and see what she said to her Son; and a few Lines after he saith, So these and such Women are recorded for their Wisdom, and their Virtue, and their Faith. For our parts, we cannot understand, that any thing of Wisdom, Virtue or Faith is recorded touching Micah’s Mother, unless Blessing or Cursing out of the Mouth from an Idolatrous Woman may be accounted the Fruit thereof. Many other things might be quoted out of his said Book notoriously Erronious, and therefore will certainly remain on the Record to his shame, until he repent. And ‘tis not his proselited Parties saying, None shall prosper that Oppose him; nor yet his saying, That he knew what he did, and saw it would be a Stumbling-Block (for so William Rogers positively affirms he did say to him) will excuse him in the Day of the Lord: for we firmly believe that unless he repent, he will become Despised and Vile before the People, even as the Lord made those Priests in the time of the Law, who (as the Prophet said) Mal. 2. 8, 9. caused many to stumble, to be therefore despised, and vile before all the People, we know he hath been an Instrument to cause many to Condemn their Failings, we {First Part 63} desire that he may be so Ingenious as once to Confess his own.
Secondly, We are perswaded, some others have lookt upon General Meeting as that unto which they ought to have an Eye, being principled to receive, own and stand by whatsoever comes from thence, as the Oracles of God; without bringing the Matter they appear at Unity with, to the Test of Christ’s Light in their own Consciences: and no marvel if such as are principled to shut out Reason, Wisdom, and Jealousie without Distinction, thus do.
And when any Papers are given forth by that Meeting or G.F. such as are at Unity with them bring them to the Mens Meetings for Outward Business, which oft times occasions Strife and Contention; the one party accounting themselves oblieged (as we take it) to receive and stand by what comes from them; the other Party do the same also, when it reaches to the Witness of God in their Consciences, as Matter proper to be brought to such Meetings, but not if, they cannot receive it, though an Angel from Heaven bring it; then the other Party accounts this the Fruit of a Jealous, Dark, Leavened Spirit, and thus Contention and Debate hath arisen, even amongst those, who formerly (before the Outward Form of Government was so pleaded for) walked together in Peace and Concord.
Thirdly, There is amongst many Friends, a Difference touching the Meeting of Women separate from the Men, which though not hitherto treated on, yet it may not be improper to be spoken to on this Occasion.
But first, we think it necessary to answer this Question, which naturally seem to arise for the Information of the Reader, viz. How came those Meetings first to be held, and for what end?
To this we answer, that G.F. so far as we understood, exhorted thereto, and the end thereof, (in sum) was to {First Part 64} take care of the poor in some cases, the Meeters themselves according to their Freedom, 1 raising Mony, which caused the Charge to light much on some, who were most constant in Meeting, whilest others, for want of another Method to collect Monies, were very little concerned in the Charge of the Poor. But in the process of time, some Friends thought it necessary, that Marriages might be proposed to the Womens Meeting; but yet several Friends in diver Countryes would not assent, that the Distinct Meetings of Women should be concerned in Marriages; at length several of those, who had appeared for those Distinct Meetings to be concerned, said 2 this is that which G.F. Exhorted to in the Beginning, and Blessed be the Lord the Faithfull see a Necessity, and Cause to propose the Marriages to the Faithful Men and Womens Meetings; and whether their sight is not Dark, that see not the Necessity of proposing their Marriages to the Faithful Men and Women in their Distinct Meetings. This being uttered by those of party which G.F. (as we take them) was thought very strang, for that as divers Friends of Bristol have testified G.F. proposed not his Marriage to the Womens Distinct Meeting in Bristol (where his Marriage was accomplished) though such a Meeting was held there many years before. Besides, in a Paper of Direction given forth by Gorege Fox, he Directs, that mens Meeting may be acquainted with Marriages, and saith nothing of proposing them to the Womens Distinct Meetings; which clearly shows, that those who writ the aforesaid Answer and G.F. seem not at Unity therein.
But this (as we suppose) not being known to many, some were very urgent to impose that Practice on Friends, or else to render such as Opposed Dark Spirits, which occasioned many Friends to be Jealous that a Submission {First Part 65} was not only intended to Meetings of Men, but Womens Meetings, also, and therefore Friends, who in simplicity assented to the latter Meetings, as supposing Women insome Cases fitter to pry into the Necessities of the Poor, than Men (considering also what weak People have frequented Mens Meetings) did at length begin to be Jealous, that the words of the Prophet Isaiah 3. 12. were again fulfilled in our Age, As for my People, Children are their Oppressors, and Women rule over them. Oh my People! they which lead thee, cause thee to Err.
It hath been observed, that though Womens Meetings were assented to, to take care of the Poor in some Cases. as the chief, if not the only end thereof, yet there is so little said concerning that End in a book relating to Womens Meetings, given forth by G.F. that ‘tis now a Question with many, whether that be not one of the least Services intended at this day thereby; because we do not find, but that all spoken in Relation thereto in the whole Book, consisting of ninety six Pages in Octavo, might be comprehended in less than half a side of the said Book; and the drift and scope of the Book seems to be chiefly for Proof of Womens Offering Sacrifices, Preaching, Teaching, Instructing, Exhorting, Admonishing, Prophesying, Governing, Judging, Singing Dancing, Playing upon Musick, and that Micahs Mother, an Idolotrous Woman, spoken of Judges 17. was a virtuous one; and that the Assemblies of Women did continue among the Jews, til they went into {First Part 66} Transgression, but for Proof quotes only 2 Kings 23. where we find nothing spoken of any Assemblies of Women, save only those Women who in the Houses of the Sodomites (which good King Josiah broke down) wove Hangings for the Groves, which the same King caused to be burnt.
This Jealousie encreasing, many of those, who were contented, that Women should hold their Meetings apart from the Men, to take care of the Poor in some Cases, became less affected to such Meetings, lest instead of being Servants to the Poor for the Truths Sake, and taking the weight and Burthen of that Care from the Men, they should become Rulers over both Men and Women; and that which seemed to confirm the Reasonableness of the said Jealousy was this:
To conclude, as to this third Particular, we have this further to say; so it is, that many Jarrs and Jangles have arisen touching Meetings of Women, and the End and Service thereof: some think them useful in Cityes, where many Poor are, and the Womens Meeters near together; but yet divers Persons think them useless in the Countries, where few Poor are, and the Women live Far assunder: and for ought we know some observing the ill consequence, that hath attended them in divers Places, may think it had been better they had never been held amongst us. For our parts, on the whole matter, we say, ‘tis a Shame for a Man to become an Instrument that Womens Meetings should be held, (Chiefly if not only) under pretence of serving, and relieving the Poor in some cases, more effectual then before, and yet Publish a Book under pretence of incouraging the said Meetings, whence it is thereby apparent, that some other End is now at least, if not from the Beginning, aimed at, than was manifested plainly in the Beginning.
This, in short, seems not like plain dealing, and the Fruit thereof is manifest to be Evil: for many who have been as Pillars in those Meetings to this Day, have been reflected upon as Discouragers of the said Meetings, not because their Persons and Purses are wanting therein; but rather because they cannot be at Unity with such airy imaginations, which some (who (as they may take it) seem Affectors of Government and Lovers of Preheminence) do bring forth; concluding, they are entred into the Possession of the Power of God, because they take upon them to be Members of a Womens Meeting, distinct from the Men: those who on that foot so {First Part 67} conclude, we cannot but take to be Ignorant of the Power of God, notwithstanding they may quote G.F. for Proof of such their Reason, who writing to Thomas Goldney, signifies, that he was moved to set up Womens Meetings, that all might be in the Possession of the Power of the Lord.
That now which is upon our Spirits to recommend unto all in the Love of our God, as the only Expedient for the healing of the Breaches, in a few words, is this, Let every one lay down their Crowns at the Feet of Jesus our Lord, and those who have striven for Outward Rules, Government, and Preheminence over their Brethren, when the Lord hath not called them thereto, say in their Hearts, Let the time past be sufficient, and for time to come let us study Peace, as Servants to one Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, the Righteous one, who by his inshining Light is become our Lawgiver; that so the antient Love towards all our Brethren in the Truth, may be Witnessed, and renewed each towards other, to the Consolation of one anothers Souls in the Lord.
Having thus far proceeded, to manifest a part of those things touching which the Faithful were at Unity, and the ways and means whereby that Unity was Broken; we think meet now to cite an Epistle prefixt to the Historical Manuscript, made mention of in the Preface to this Treatise, being a Proper Testimony on this occasion, for and on the behalf of the Truth; for that therein is plainly demonstrated the Qualification of such, as Sathan hath made use of, to rend and divide the Church of Christ.
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* Note, This method of raising Monies for that Service, was though very unreasonable, because it reached not all, by whom the Charge of the outwardly poor Members of the Church of Christ, ought to be born.↩
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* Note, It appears in a reply Written against John Story’s and John Wilkinson’s Answers to the 44 Articles.↩
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