A Testimony against JOHN, FENWICK, concerning his Proceeding about NEW-CESARIA or NEW-JERSEY in the Province of AMERICA.
WHoever thou art that read [...]st this following Paper of John Fenwick, mayst understand, that he hath unadvisedly, and without the true Fear of God, projected and undertaken great Worldly Matters and Designs (in Part of America, at a Place called New-Caesaria or New Jersey, without Clear, Just, Honest Ground or Foundation (especially, until that Tract of Land were amongst the Proprietors divided, and purchased of the Indians) either as a Man, or as a Christian: And by his printed Paper bearing date the 8th of the 1st Month, 1674. did draw forth the Minds of many, most of which, like himself, longed for outward Ease and Plenty, and grasped at outward Honour and Riches, and overlooked the True Honour which is of God and Godliness, through the deceivable Working of the Enemy in him and them, &c. whereby, as he himself saith, The Name of God hath been blasphemed, and his Spirit grieved. Now he being reputed or called a Quaker, we in Conscience to God, and to clear the Truth and our selves, and in Good-Will to others, that none might be carried away with Airy Conceptions, did in a Godly Jealousie bear Witness against his Undertakings and Proceedings, as inconsistent with the Truth and Christianity: And after he came to some Sight and Sense of the same, he wrote this following Paper with his own Hand, and sent it to us as a Testimony against himself and Proceedings, which we expected he would not only confess, but also forsake, and cease farther to prosecute those Things, which brought forth such bad Effects mentioned in the said Paper; But instead thereof he resolutely perseveres in the same, the Consequence whereof, we fear, will prove destructive to himself and Followers.
Now because it's bruited and famed abroad, that we as a People, have Advised, Councelled and Approved of the Manner of his Undertakings, we for the Information of all People, and Clearing of the Truth and our selves, do hereby signifie; we have no Part nor Lot in these his Proceedings; neither did we in particular, or as a People, ever Approve, Countenance or Encourage the same, but judged the Issue would prove Evil and Confused, like as the Beginning: So to manifest and approve our selves in Deed and in Truth what we profess in Words, and true Subjects to the Royal Law, Doing to others (though Heathen) as we would have others do to us; and Disowning, Judging, and Condemning Deceit, Hypocrisie and Evil-Doing among any pretending to be one with us, as among others: And to clear the Truth and our selves, we make this publick, and not to wrong any Man's particular Interest or Propriety; but that every Man's Building may stand upon his own Foundation, and every Project and Device be fathered upon its own Inventor.
London the 6th Day of the 5th Moneth comm [...]nly called July Anno Domini, 1675.From the People of God, called Quakers, in London.
JOHN FENWICK's Letter of Condemnation sent to FRIENDS, upon their Testifying Against his Proceedings.
OUr God is a Consuming Fire of all that is Contrary to him; and they, and every one that names his sacred Name, must depart from Iniquity, and give Honour, Glory, and Praise and Thanks unto him for evermore.
O! Wo is me; it is I that have Sinned Against Him: For, his sacred Name hath for a certain been Blasphemed through me, his Spirit grieved in me, and in you his People also through me; having not stood stedfast in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ; but have consented to, and gone along with the Thief and Robber, the Devil, that Enemy to God and Man, who never ceaseth labouring to rob God of his Honour, and steals away the Soul of Men from the Lord and his True Peace, as he hath done by my poor Soul: Finding it careless, and off from its Watch, and in the multitude of Worldly Business, hurrying it away from the precious Faith of God's chosen Seed, Christ Jesus our Lord, in which it should have been found fighting and laying hold of Eternal Life; So in his Subtilty he hath overtaken me, surprised me, and by hi [...] Evil Counsel made me to grasp at Outward Honours and Riches and therein to overlook the True Honour; which is of God and Godliness, which is Riches indeed, which indeed my Soul thirsts after: But the Enemy blinded my Eyes, and deceived me, by thinking, that a Desire only of Knowing the Lord, and of Serving the Lord, and of desiring Upright and Honest Things, and only in aiming to effect them, in the obetaining the Outward Honour and Riches, wherewith he then alured me, and drew me into his Snares, would be a sufficient Ground to engage not only all my outward Parts, Wisdom and Knowledge to bring about my Designs therein; but also in the Defence thereof, not only to Strive with Men therein, but Fight Against even God, his Truth and People, if they interposed therein. And thus, together with many other his Wiles, Subtilties and cunning Craftiness, wherewith he lies in wait to deceive the Simple in Heart, hath he deceived my Soul, in thrawled, wounded and robbed my Soul of its Peace and Rest; this has been, and still is the Grief, Sorrow and Burden of my Soul: And had not the Lord God of our Mercies beheld me in Pitty, and for his own Name's sake shewed me the Evil of my Wayes, and led me by the Hand of his Love, shed abroad in your Hearts, to seek how to bring me back to his Fold; and how to help and Comfort my Soul, and to lift my Feet out of the Mire and Clay, my Soul had certainly perished, and become as Sodom, and like unto Gomorrah: All Honour, Glory, Praises and Thanks be given unto our God for evermore; and let my-Soul forever Praise his holy Name. For, I can say, in the Sence of the tender Love and rich Mercies of the Lord our God, O the Deepness of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his Judgments, and his Wayes unsearchable, and past finding out! To him be Praises and Dominion forever and forever: To whom I look, and from whom I expect Sal [...]ation alone, and that for his own Name's sake. And my Soul thirsts after, and dearly longs to enjoy his Peace, with the Unity of you his People in all my future Undertakings.