THE firſt cauſe of the Separation betwixt them and us, was this, That at a Monthly Meeting held at Philadelphia the 29th of the 11th Month laſt, T— having openly in the face of the Meeting, accuſed G. K. for denying the Sufficiency of the Light and promiſing to bring his Evidence the next Monthly Meeting, or then that he would acknowledge he had done amiſs. And at the next Monthly Meeting being required to give his Evidence, he brought W— who was known to be a prejudiced perſon againſt G. K. and ſo could be no ſufficient Evidence againſt him, beſides that, divers were preſent at the Place and Time, where and when W— alledged he heard G. K. deny the Sufficiency of the Light, &c. that cleared him, That they heard him both then and at all occaſions, that he delivered his Mind on that Subject always bear Teſtimony to the Sufficiency of the Light to Salvation. And at the ſaid Meeting, being the 26th of the 12th Month, T— having ſaid in the Meeting, (in Anſwer to a Queſtion put to him by G.K.) That he had not learned that Leſſon, whether the Body of Chriſt that was nailed to the Croſs, crucified, buried, roſe and aſcended, &c. was the Godhead, or ſomewhat that Chriſt took of the Virgin. At which man • were greatly oftended to find him ſo ignorant, having been ſo l •• g a Preacher. And after much diſcourſe about theſe Matte • s, the M • eting did adjourn with unanimous Conſent of them that ſtaid, which was the far greateſt part, and alſo with the conſent of T— himſelf, and theſe who went away before the adjourning of it, ſaid nothing againſt it, nor was the Meeting underſtood to be broke up before the adjournment, only ſome few did go away, it being cold Weather, and growing dark; the adjourning of the ſaid Monthly Meeting was to the next Day about the 8th Hour, at which time they met in the School-houſe, where the Meeting uſed to be kept at times in the Winter Seaſon. And after much diſcourſe concerning T— in the ſaid Meeting, he being required to prove his Charge, and to condemn his great Ignorance and Unbelief; but refuſing to do either, (though he ſaid publickly in the Meeting,) If he did not prove his Charge againſt the next Monthly Meeting, he would acknowledge his Errour, and yet did neither,) and going away from the Meeting, the Friends of the Meeting (ſome that were preſent that were not in the Profeſſion of Truth, removing at the deſire of Friends) did give a unanimous Judgment concerning T.— a true Copy whereof here after followeth. And the ſaid Judgment being deſired by Friends that gave it to be recorded in the Monthly Meeting Book, at the next Quarterly Meeting, that happened within a few days after, a Party in the Meeting did withſtand it, and denied them that gave Judgment to be a true Monthly Meeting, and conſequently their Judgment was void. And by this it plainly appeareth, the Breach was on their ſide; for there is no Equity or Reaſon why they having denied us to be a Meeting▪ that we ſhould own them, ſeeing we were really a Meeting, lawfully adjourned, conſiſting of at leaſt Sixty Perſons, moſt of which uſed to keep Monthly Meetings, and owned to be Friends in the ſame Profeſſion with them.

And at the ſame Monthly Meeting, on the Sixth Day, W.— an antient Preacher, having renewed his former Accuſation againſt G. K. charging him openly in the face of the Meeting, That he Preached Two Chriſts, becauſe he Preached Faith in Chriſt within, and in Chriſt without us, &c. and on the next day, at the Meeting adjourned, he being ſent for by the Meeting, to make his Charge good, or elſe condemn his Ignorance and Error; but he refuſing to come, the Meeting did alſo give a unanimous Judgment concerning him (not one Diſſenting in either of the Judgments, only one or two ſignifying their not throughly underſtanding the Caſe, declared their unclearneſs, but ſaid nothing againſt it) the true Copy whereof doth alſo hereafter follow. And this Judgment alſo given by the Meeting, being refuſed by a Party in the Quarterly Meeting, to let it be entred in the Monthly Meeting Book, gave us juſt Offence, becauſe in ſo doing, they refuſed us to be a Monthly Meeting, and denied our Judgments, which we are perſwaded in our Conſciences, by the Spirit of Truth, was a juſt Judgment concerning theſe Men, and we could do no leſs, both for the Peace of our Conſciences, and the honour of Chriſt Jeſus, and alſo for the Credit of our Profeſſion, in all parts of the World, where ſuch a Profeſſion is made, than to give ſuch a Judgment concerning theſe Men. [Note, That G. K. had no hand in giving Judgment concerning th • ſe Perſons and Matters, but was wholly paſſive, he being the Perſon accuſed. And alſo, No • e, That they which refuſed our Judgments, were preſent at the ſaid Monthly Meeting, but when they perceived things to go contrary to th • ir Mind, they with-drew.]

Another thing, wherein the ſaid Party, both in the Quarterly and Monthly M ••• ing, gave us Offence, was, That whereas great Oppoſition had been made by them againſt a late printed Book, entituled, The Chriſtian Faith of the People of God called Quakers in Rhode Iſland, vindicated, &c. ſeveral Friends preſented to this Meeting a Paper, deſiring the Meeting to be cautious, not to oppoſe the Rhode-Iſland Friends Teſtimony to the Truth; whereupon, after having read, and duely conſidered the ſaid Rhode-Iſland Sheet, Judgment was given by us, approving it, and VV. B. for Printing it; but this also was refuſed by them to be recorded in the Monthly Meeting Book, wherein they have given a Three-fold Inſtance that they have denied us to be a Meeting. A Practice that we never knew before among the People, called Quakers, that ever ſuch a thing was ſuffered, that one party of a Monthly Meeting ſhould deny their Brethren, and leave them, and yet afterwards lay claim to them, when they themſelves made the Separation.

The Names of ſome of the Friends that gave the aforeſaid Judgments at the ſaid Monthly Meeting the 27th of the 12 Mon. 1691.

But, that it may appear how weak and inſufficient the Reaſons are, that were given by the ſaid Party at the Quarterly Meeting, why we were no Meeting, we think ſit to give an Account of them, with our Anſwers to them. One Reaſon was, That a Monthly Meeting could not Adjourn, and there was no Preſident for it: But to this the Clerk of the Meeting anſwered, That he had Minu • es to ſh • w, a Monthly Meeting had formerly Adjourned; and why could not a Monthly Meeting, upon a weighty occaſion Adjourn, as well as any other Meeting? Another Reaſon was, That the Clerk and the Monthly Meeting Book was gone: But to this it was anſwered, The Monthly Meeting could make or conſlitute a Clerk as other Meetings have done; for it is the Meeting that makes the Clerk, and it is not the Clerk that makes the Meeting. A third Reaſon was, There are few of the Friends of the Miniſtry, or Elder Friends and Brethren that were preſent at the Adourning, or at the Meeting Adjourned. To this it was anſwered, That there were more, both Friends of the Miniſtry, and Elder Friends and Brethren at that Meeting that did Adjourn, and met when Adjourned, than hath been at many Monthly Meetings here, that have been approved. And a 4th Reaſon was, That the matter of Difference being a matter of Doctrine, and betwixt Friends of the Miniſtry, a Monthly Meeting could not be proper Judges of it. To this it was anſwered, That the Difference being a matter of Fact, (and not a matter of Doctrine that could be called in Queſtion by any Judicious Chriſtian;) and the Accuſation being made to the Monthly Meeting they were proper Judges of it; and if the Difference had been a matter of Doctrine, we did, and do aſſert, That the Monthly Meeting, to wit, conſiſting of a conſiderable Number of Friends of the Miniſtry; and other Judicious Friends were proper Jueges of it; but to lodge the Judgment wholly in Friends of the Miniſtry, and to deny all other Friends to have a ſhare in the Judgment, even when the Difference is in a Matter of Doctrine, we judge is an Encroachment upon our Chriſtian Liberty, and ſavours too much of the Church of Rome; as alſo that other caſe preſſed too indiſcreetly at the Quarterly Meeting, when ſome that were known to be Parties againſt G. K. did require of him his Submiſſion to the Judgment of the Meeting; he anſwered (as we judge ſoberly and Chriſtianly) That he would ſubmit to the Judgment of the Spirit of Truth in Friends; but to give an abſolute Submiſſion▪ he could not, to any Society of Men whatſoever: for abſolute Submiſſion implyeth abſolute Infallibility, that no Society of Men pretendeth unto but the Church of Rome, and therefore, to introduce it among us, would be Rank Popery; at which ſome prejudiced againſt G. K. were greatly diſſatisfied, and one took out his Pocket Book, and writ down ſome words of G. K. to that effect before he had finiſhed the full Sentence, which we judge was very unfair, as well as unuſual.

But whereas ſome from this would infer, as if G. K. denied any poſitive Power of Judgment to a true Church, or Meeting of true Chriſtians, met together in the Name of Chriſt, where he is preſent in the midſt of them. G. K. gave no Ground for any ſuch inference; for he doth readily grant, That a true Chriſtian Aſſembly hath a poſitive Power of Judgment, when met together in his Name, and that he is preſent in the midſt of them, and is felt and witneſſed to guide them in true Judgment. But we all know, that it is poſſible at times, that Partiality, ond Prejudice, and Annimoſities may prevail in Meetings, that may pretend to meet in the Name of Chriſt, and alſo to have him preſent in the midſt of them▪ and yet, where ſuch things prevail, Chriſt is not in the midſt known to give true Judgment, or to guide Men to give it, as Friends Letter to us from London expreſly declareth. And therefore we judge, That no abſolute Submiſſion ſhould be required of any Member, to the Judgment of that Society he belongeth unto in a matter of Truth, or Chriſtian Doctrine, or wherein the Conſcience is concerned; for it is time enough to ſubmit to the Judgment of Brethren, when a Man hath heard it, and has brought it to the Ballance and Teſt of that which giveth true Judgment in every Particular that is in a quallified Frame to underſtand it, even as Chriſt ſaid, As I hear, I judge, John 5.30. And if any be ſtiff and Refractory to the true Judgment of the Chriſtian Society he belongeth unto, they may freely proceed to put into Practice, Goſpel Diſcipline againſt him, without requiring his Submiſſion, as it is in Worldly Judicatories.

But if any ſay, At leaſt it was yielded in the Quarterly Meeting, that the Adjourned Meeting in the School-houſe was a true Meeting, but an Appeal was made from that Monthly Meeting to the Quarterly Meeting, and the Quarterly Meeting offering to give a new Judgment in the Caſe, and in order thereto, ordered G. K. to withdraw; he refuſing ſo to do, hindered that no Judgment could be given. But to this it was, and is anſwered, That there could be no Appeal from that Monthly Meeting, to the Quarterly Meeting, becauſe moſt of the Quarterly Meeting did conſiſt of the Friends that gave the Judgment at the Monthly Meeting; and ſuch as were over, were but a few in compariſon, except ſome Country Friends that did not care to meddle in that matter, and ſo to appeal from the Monthly Meeting to the Quarterly Meeting, was in effect but to appeal from the Monthly Meeting to a ſmall part or Number of Perſons in the Quarterly Meeting, the moſt of which, and the moſt leading Men, were known to be prejudiced againſt G. K. and Parties againſt him; and G. K. did offer very fairly in naming Seven or Eight Perſons, that we know were his oppoſite Parties (and had been mainly Inſtrumental at former Meetings about a Year ago, and at the time of the Year • y Meeting, to hinder Juſtice to be done, and true Judgment to be paſt concerning bringing W. S. to Conviction and Condemnation of his Error) That if they would go out, he would go out alſo; but they who were his manifeſt oppoſite Parties, and had manifeſtly appeared from time to time to excuſe and defend VV, S. and blame G. K. for his ſound Chriſtian Doctrin, that he hath Preached among us, refuſing to go ſorth; we are ſatisfied G. K. did well not to go forth, ſo as to ſubmit to the Judgment of theſe Men, who had ſufficiently ſhown their Partiality againſt him, and ſome of which had unjuſtly accuſed him, as can be well proved. Beſides, things being duly conſidered, there was no reaſon that G. K. ſhould have gone ſorth, either at that Meeting, or any other; for G. K. was no otherwiſe concerned in that Difference with W. S. and T. F. than all faithful Friends, and the whole Meeting ought to have been concerned, to wit, to defend one of the greateſt Principles of the Christian Faith, viz. That the Man Chriſt Jeſus, who was Crucified, did riſe from the Dead▪ and is now in being, And that Faith in him is neceſſary to make Men true Chriſtians ▪ And therefore not G. K. alone, nor principally, but Chriſt himſelf, and all his faithful Followers are concerned in the ſame; and in none of theſe Meetings was any Charge of any Treſpaſs proved againſt G. K. nor ſo much as brought under the Conſideration of the Body of the Meeting, only one or two particular Perſons falſly accuſed him, but the thing was never brought to any due Tryal. And here let it be noted, That both the Meeting of Friends of the Miniſtry at R. E.'s refuſing to anſwer G. K's Complaint againſt the diſhonour done to Chriſt Jeſus, that W. S. was guilty of, ſo as to bring him to any Conviction or Condemnation of his Error, and alſo the Meetings at the Houſe of S. C. and A. M. at the time of the Yearly Metting, wholly neglecting to bring the ſaid W. S. to Conviction and Condemnation of his Error, altho' at the laſt of ſix Meetings it was declared, That G. K.'s Doctrine concerning Chriſt within, and Chriſt without to be One Lord Jeſus Chriſt, was true, and that therefore W. S. was blame worthy; and yet after all this W. S. perſiſted in his falſe Charge againſt G. K. and hath been greatly excuſed and ſupported by many, that this hath given ſuch deep Ground of Offence, to all of us, with other things concurring, that becauſe to this day nothing hath been done (it being now above a Year ſince Complaint was made againſt W. S.) by theſe of the other ſide, who meet in a Separation from us, either to bring W. S. or T. F. to Condemnation, but ſuffer them to continue to Preach and Pray in their Meetings; therefore we do juſtly judge, That the whole Meeting that meet in a Separation from us, that owneth theſe Men, and tollerateth them in their great Error and Treſpaſſes, are guilty with them, and accountable for their Errors; and therefore according to Chriſts Command, recorded in the holy Scripture, we ought to be separate from them, altho' (as hath been ſufficiently proved) they began the Separation; and they having begun it, we cannot in Conſcience unite in Meetings with them here at Philadelphia, until they give ſatisfaction to Truth in theſe weighty things.

The Second Cauſe of the Separation (which alſo we lay at their Door) is, That whereas in the Monthly Meeting in the firſt Month laſt, a Propoſition being made to change the Meetings, both at the Centre, and in the Town; and ſome being for the ſaid Change, and others againſt it, and having good Reaſons why they were againſt the ſaid Change; yet a Party in the Meeting, contrary to our declared Mind and Aſſent, aſſumed a Power over them that diſſented, to change the ſaid Meetings; a thing we have not known formerly allowed by Friends any where in their Monthly Meetings, that one Party (ſuppoſe equal, or greater in Number than the reſt) ſhould aſſume a Power to appoint or change Places and Times of Meetings, without the Conſent of their Brethren; for things, of that Nature eſpecially, uſe always to be done with unanimous Conſent, and not by Plurality of Votes, which is not the way of Truth; and becauſe we were not free to ſtand to the Arbitrary, and raſh Determination, as to that Change, therefore we met at the ordinary Meeting-place as formerly practiſed, and they began the Separation, in keeping a publick Meeting in the Afternoon at the Bank, contrary to our declared Senſe and Mind, only ſome of us met at a private Family Meeting in the Evening, at the Houſe of G. K. that could be counted no ſeperate Meeting for that day. And afterwards, we finding they were reſolved to continue in their way of Separation, and that ſome had endeavoured to lock us out from Meeting at the Bank in the Forenoon, this put us upon ſeeking a new place to meet in, in caſe we had been diſappointed of the other; and tho' ſome of us did declare our ſincere Intention and Senſe, that it were good but to have one Publick Meeting on firſt Days, to end about the ſecond hour, and the remaining part to be uſed for private Meetings in Families, yet their keeping up their publick Afternoons Meeting, hath given us juſt occaſion at preſent to have a Publick Afternoons Meeting, as well as they; for we hope they ſhall not have any cauſe to ſay againſt us, that we are ſhort of them in our Zeal for good Meetings.

Things being thus far advanced, and the Separation being begun, and carried on ſo far by them, and juſtly chargeable upon them, ſome of them having deſired us to make ſome Propoſals, or Expedients for healing the Breach, and uniting again as formerly; after ſome time we ſent ſome Propoſals to them, that we were ſatisfied in our Conſciences were moſt equal and juſt, and ſuch as the Truth required of us; but they are ſo far from being ſatisfied with moſt of them, that they have the more blamed us: ſome inſinuating, as if we had tranſgreſſed the Law; but we are not afraid of any ſuch thing, provided true Liberty of Conſcience, according to the juſt and due bounds of it, be allowed to us; and for our part, we are ſo well ſatisfied, that all our Propoſals to them (in that Paper ſigned by Fifteen of us) are juſt and equal, that if they pleaſe, we ſhall freely conſent to their Printing of them, The ſum of which Propoſals doth principally conſiſt in theſe two things; firſt, That all ſuch of the Miniſtry among them, whom we can prove Guilty of the Preaching falſe Doctrine, or of falſly accuſing the Innocent, or excuſing and defending the Guilty, and contending againſt ſome ſound Principles of Truth, in Meetings appointed for hearing theſe Differences, may be brought to Cnviction and Acknowledgment of their Error and Treſpaſſes: And 2dly, Seeing (by a marvelous Providence that hath diſcovered it) that our Monthly Meetings bere-away have conſisted of a mixt Number of ſome Believers, and ſome Unbelievers, or of ſome Men , unſound in the Chriſtian Faith, that we agree together to put Robert Barclay's Doctrine (well approved of by the beſt of our Friends in England, and particularly by G. F. and G. W.) into Practice in his Book, called, The Anarchy of the Ranters, &c. see §. 4. p. 32, 33. and § 6. p. 48, 49▪ which is, To declare our Faith and Perſwaſion in certain Fundamental Doctrines of the Chriſtian Faith and Religion, that by the ſame, as well as by a good Life and Converſation, it may be known who are quallified to be Members of our Church; and that every one owned to be a Member of our Church, declare his Faith and Perſwaſion in every one of theſe Fundamentals, which is a ſecondary Bond of our Union, the Spirit being the principal, which may be eaſily done by anſwering to ſome plain Queſtions, with Yea or Nay.

And now a Third and main Reaſon that we give for this Separation, well warranted both by Scripture Teſtimony, and command of Chriſt, Recorded in Scripture, and the truth of it ſealed to us, by the Spirit of Truth in our Hearts, that whereas there are divers of them guilty of moſt groſs & Unchriſtian Errors, againſt the Fundamental Doctrines of the Chriſtian Faith, who are Publick Preachers among them, and whole Miniſtry they ſit under, and ſome encourage them, others tollerate and ſuffer them; and that others, even of their Preachers are guilty of other groſs Errors▪ and other Treſpaſſes, that render them altogether unqualified for the Miniſtry, and to uphold or tollerate them, is to bring Reproach to Truth, and our Holy Proſeſſion, and to the Body of our faithful Friends, with all whom we remain in dear Unity, in all parts of the World, hoping that Faithful Friends and Brethren, that have an impartial account and information of us, and do rightly and duely conſider and examin the Righteouſneſs of our Cauſe, will encourage us therein, to the Diſappointment of ſuch who affirm the contrary; but we being principally ſupported and encouraged by the Spirit of Truth in our Hearts, that as ſuch Men immediately guilty of theſe vile Errors, ſome of which, no Proteſtant Chriſtian Society would tolerate, neither Epiſcopal, Presbyterian nor Baptiſt, are to be turned away, and ſeperated from; ſo that Society is to be turned away from, whoever they be that doth uphold and tollerate them, and bring them not to due Conviction and Condemnation, after due and ſufficient notice is given unto them, as there hath been a long time, from one Meeting to another, as concerning ſome of them, now many Months ſince paſt, and nothing done effectually to bring them to any Conviction, but that it ſeemeth they are reſolved ſtill to ſupport or tollerate them. Now the Scriptures that warrant us in this Separation (altho' as is ſaid firſt made by them) are theſe following, 2 Cor. 6.14, 15, 16, 17. 1 Tim. 6, 3, 4, 5. 2 Tim. 6.2, 3, 4, 5. Tit. 3.10. Rev. 18.4. 2 Theſſ. 3.6. Rom. 16.17. Rev. 2, 14, 15, 20. and the ſame is expreſly confirmed by the Doctrine delivered by R. Barclay in his ſaid Book, well approved by good Friends, who expreſly ſaith, p. 52. We do ſafely conclude, that where a People are gathered into a Belief of the Principles and Doctrines of the Goſpel of Chriſt, if any of that People go from their Principles, and aſſert things falſe and contrary to what they have already received, ſuch as ſtand, and abide firm in the Faith, have Power, by the Spirit of God, after they have uſed Chriſtian endeavours to convince and reclaim them, upon their Obſtinacy to Seperate from ſuch, §. 6. p. 52. and §. 4. p. 33. he ſaith, The Eſcapes, Faults, and Errors of ſuch who own, believe and profeſs the ſame Doctrine and Principles of Faith with us, and go under the ſame Diſtinction and Denomination, may by our Adverſaries, juſtly be imputed unto us, if not ſeaſonably and Chriſtianly reproved, reclaimed or condemned. And therefore we judge, that we have equal Ground and Cauſe of Seperation, as well from that whole Society that doth not condemn theſe Men for their groſs Errors in Fundamental Doctrines, as we have to ſeperate from theſe particular Men, ſeeing they who tollerate them, both by Scripture and R. B's Book, are guilty with them, and the Errors of theſe Men may be juſtly imputed to them. Note, That whereas it hath been ſaid by ſome, That they would have dealt with theſe Men who have been guilty of thoſe Errors, but that G. K. would not go forth, being deſired to withdraw at the Meeting at R. E's, and at the Quarterly Meeting: To this it is anſwered, That G. K. had good reaſon not to withdraw at both theſe times, becauſe at both theſe times, theſe who did take upon them to be Judges, were his manifeſt Parties againſt him, and ſo could not be in Juſtice his Judges; but at the Yearly Meeting he did withdraw at the Meeting's Deſire, and yet they did nothing to bring W. S. to Conviction; beſides, it was not G. K. but the Truth it ſelf, that the Difference was concerning; and they have had ſufficient time ſince to have done it, but nothing that we can hear of is done.

But it is very ſtrange, what ſome have ſaid, That no Error in Doctrin or Treſpaſs whatſoever of particular Perſons, though tollerated by a Society, that we were joyned with in the Poſſeſſion of Truth, can be any juſt cauſe of Seperation, doth equally blame all our Friends in their Seperation from the reſpective Societies they were formerly joyned in Profeſſion with, as ſome in their Seperation from the Church of Rome, others from the Epiſcopal, others from the Presbyterian and Baptiſts, and doth equally blame the Separation of the faithful Martyrs in Q. Mary's days, from the Popiſh Worſhip in England, yet well approved generally by our Friends. And ſurely for People of contrary Principles and Spirits, and having a contrary Faith and Perſwaſion in Fundamental Doctrines, to be united together in one Worſhip, would make the greateſt Confuſion imaginable, and be incomparably more like Babylon, than the true Church of Chriſt; and ſo to affirm, is contrary to all common Senſe of any that hath the leaſt true Notion of a Church, that ought to be as a Field or Garden, as clean of Weeds as poſſible; for tho' the Tares are to be ſuffered to grow in the Field of the World, yet they are not to remain in the Church, according to Chriſt's Doctrine. But at this rate, the Weeds ſhall remain with the good Corn and Herbs in the ſame Garden, yea, and exceed them, that cannot but greatly hurt the good Corn and Herbs. Beſides, how can the Gardner delight in ſuch a Garden that is full of Weeds, and no care to ſeperate the good Herbs from the Weeds. And tho' it hath been ſaid by ſome, That as the Faithful ſtand in the Power of God, they ſhall have Dominion over the Unfaithful: But we find no warrant or promiſe, that God will give them Dominion, if they obey not his Command, which is To Seperate, and withdraw from ſuch, and not to remain in Fellowſhip with them; for what part hath a Believer with an Infidel? 2 Cor. 6.15.17.