to the Rulers, and faid, It is our Defire, that • Countenance be not given unto, nor Trust reposed

in the Hand of Quakers, being Perfons of fuch • Principles that are deftructive to the Gospel, and inconfiftent with Peace and Civil Society. But this Requeft of the Independent Teachers, met with the following Animadverfion from one call'd a Quaker; As for your Defire that we fhould not have the Countenance of Men, we fay, the Light ⚫ of God's Countenance is much better, and we cannot look for both while Men take your Counsel; and our Truft is in God, in whofe Hand we are, and not in our own, and from Men we may not feek Repofe : Better it is (for the prefent) to fuffer with Chrift, than to reign in your Kingdom, or be honour'd with your Glory. So in Patience ftands our Peace with God, even whilft our Names are caft out as ⚫ evil with Men. But for your Accufation of our • Perfons and Principles, to be deftructive to the Gospel and Civil Society, take that back again to your felves; our Perfons we boaft not in, but our Principles are Truth, grounded upon the Light of Jefus, and Leadings of his holy Spirit, and whatever is contrary we condemn; ⚫ and this we certainly know will never be deftructive to Chrift's Gofpel, only your Gospel it will deftroy, whofe Foundation ftands not up• on the Power of the Spirit of Jefus, but upon • Tithes, or fome fettled Maintenance carnal, as full, as fecure by a carnal Law, elfe it is liable to Destruction, as your felves confefs. * And this

*Thefe Independent Teachers had faid, We judge that the taking away Tithes for the Maintenance of Minifters, until as full a Maintenance be equally fecured, and as legally fetled, tends much to the Destruction of the Miniftry, and Preaching of the Gofpel, in these Nations.

know, that your Gofpel, that must needs be destroyed if Tithes fall, is not that Gospel which the Apostles preached; for that Gospel begun moft of all to flourish when Tithes went down, the Priesthood that received them, and the Law that gave them; which you may read of in the Apostle's Epistle to the Hebrews (which Law never took Tithes by Force, as the Papist's Law did) And now you have often faid, That who foever preaches another Gospel, let him be accurfed; fo take heed that your own Words con⚫ demn you not, and your own Weapon pierce ' not your own Bowels; for the Lord hath heard your Words. And this we know, that the Gofpel of Chrift which the Apostles preached, was upheld by the Power of an endless Life, by. which they were also made able Minifters, and and did not fall when Tithes fell, but then so • much the more flourished into fuch Bounty, that the Publishers thereof, who had nothing, did in it enjoy all Things: Which Gofpel both your Words and your Actions declare daily you live not on; but like Men who have loft the • Counsel of God, you act both contrary to Law and Gospel. Was not this the Counsel of God • in the Time of the Law, when the Priests had only Tithes to live on, that then they should have no Magiftrate to force them, but freely they < were to bring their Offerings, that fo he might engage the Prieft to himself, who was his Portion; and then they never wanted, while they kept the Word, and their Lips preferved Knowledge to the People. But when the Priests forgot God, then, like Prieft, like People, and • then they justly wanted as God had faid. And 'would you now have the Magiftrate to make a

Law to take People's Goods, and give to fuch

as

as do not first beget People to God? Is this to live on the Gofpel, or to eat of your own Fruits, as Chrift's Ministers do and ever did? Thus may the Magiftrate do for a while against the Lord, and opprefs the Innocent, to feed the • Fat and Idle, but the Account is at Hand, in which it will be faid, Did I require it at your • Hands? Am not I of Power to maintain my own • Servants, who have the Hearts of all in my Hands? • Or, what Laws will you make for me, who never • made Ufe of any in this Cafe, but the Law of Love,

to be fulfill'd in a free Spirit, for in the Houshold of • Chrift is no Strife about Carnal Things? And that Principle is deftructive to the Gospel of Peace, which admits of Strife about their Bellies, or framing Mischief against another by a Law to fill themselves.

• WHEREFORE take heed, ye Rulers, (if it be not • too late) how you meddle with Chrift's Kingdom, but kifs the Son, and yield him his Kingdom in • tender Confciences; touch not the Apple of the Eye, which fees that to be Sin and Evil, which yet you do not, of which you have often been • warned. But if you will make Laws, let the Scriptures be your Rule without, and the Spirit of Chrift within, enlightning the pure Con* fcience, that fo you may become tender-hearted in the Fear of God, that the Edge of your • Sword may be turned against open Wickedness, being touched with a true Senfe of what grieves the Spirit of Chrift in your felves, being joined to the Lord in one Spirit and Life. And this will be your Wisdom, the Interest of Chrift and his People, and from thence you will re⚫ceive better Counsel, and truer Judgment than that which would stir you up to perfecute and

S force

force tender Confciences against their Faith and Knowledge receiv'd of the Lord Jefus, in Matters of his Worfhip, to ferve Men of ⚫ corrupt Minds, having Hearts exercised with covetous Practices, who cannot ceafe from Sin, and stirring up Nations to devour one another to accomplish their own Ends.

The End of the APPENDIX.

K