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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35009	The first part of Babel's-builders unmasking themselves as appears by the following judgment from Barbadoes (promoted by George Fox his party, and subscribed by eighty two of them) : with a letter of G.F.'s, G.W's, &c. in answer thereunto, and observations thereupon : also a false prophesie of that lying prophet, Sol. Eccles : whereas the following discourse was formerly printed and privately disposed ... amongst those called Quakers, but finding some of G.F.'s party have since publickly exposed it with slanderous and false charges on the author, this second impression with some small addition, is now made publick ... / Thomas Crisp.; Babel's-builders unmask't. Part 1	Crisp, Thomas, 17th cent.; Fox, George, 1624-1691.; Eccles, Solomon, 1618-1683.; Whitehead, George, 1636?-1723.	1682 (1682)	Wing C6951; ESTC R10390	16,901	16

OF ONE MIND AND JVDGMENT For if you gain but that Point to have Power in any Case of Conscience to give positive Sentence WHO but YOV who say you are the CHVRCH must determine in what Cases so that it is in what Cases you please which is as good as if you had said YOV HAVE POWER IF YOV PLEASE IN ANY CASE OF CONSCIENCE TO GIVE POSITIVE SENTENCE AND JVDGMENT And I see not but if that you have such absolute Power in Cases of Conscience but that you may also claim it in Meum and Tuum and have Power to determine as R. B. saith To remove such Differences by your positive Sentence And let the wise in Heart Judge how little this is less than all Spirituals and Temporals according to the Barbadoes Judgment for if any difference be between the Lording Ruling Universal Party and some other Particular the Universal Party will not fail to say They be the true Church have Power if we must be all of one Mind and Judgment Whose Judgment ought we to be of but the Church's Viz. YOURS being in the true Faith c BEHOLD WHETHER THIS DRIVES And according to C. Taylors Doctrine it may be said as in his Book Something c. p. 35. FOR OVGHT I KNOW you will centre in ROME and say It is the positive just and righteous Sentence of the Church It is truly said in Addr. to Prot. p. 144. An Imposing Church will be both Judge and Party So that according to this Doctrine you have a Charter to give positive Sentence in any Cases of Conscience c. TO HAVE AND TO HOLD if you can until you please to give Setence against your selves And when the Second-days Meeting have resolved when that shall be and in what Cases and in what not you have Power to give positive Sentence then their needless Question before mentioned gendring to Strife and Bondage may be answered but until then them and their Question to be avoided according to the Advice of the Apostle Beware of the Concision beware of Evil Workers Pray consider what sentence had poor Micajah among the 400 Prophets the 1 Kings 22.24 When Zedekiah went near and smote him and said Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee Also Jeremiah other of the Prophets from the Church in their days who could speak high words saying The Lord lived that brought them out of the Land of AEgypt and out of the House of Bondage Also consider what positive Sentences Christ and his Apostles had from the Pharisees and Ruling Party of the Church who garnished the Sepulchres of the Prophets saying If they had lived in their days they would not have killed them And thought highly of themselves saying They were Abrahams Seed and never were in Bondage and reputed themselves Elders and Overseers and those to whom God hath given Counsel Authority and Power to and as the true Church gave positive Sentences and as they thought Just and Righteous against the Servants of Christ and demanded by whose Authority they did those things as some of you have done when one Speak or Pray in your Meeting and because not in exact Conformity to G. F's Laws therefore have asked Doth or did G. F. allow or approve of it Also consider when all Asia was turned aside and all men forsook Paul and none stood by him only some few Particulars What was their positive Sentences Doubtless they thought them just and righteous and obligatory as they were the Church being the Universal and Ruling Party Therefore without Evidence from Scripture or by the Spirit in our own Hearts of the Justice and Righteousness of your positive Sentences and Orders they are but the Traditions of Men altho taught for Doctrines And the Light or Spirit of Christ within is a surer Guide and Leader to every particular than the Unity or being of one Mind and Judgment with any of G. F's c. Mens and Womens Meetings For in the New Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven in which John saw no Temple neither had it need of Sun or Moon but the Glory of the LORD and the LAMB is the Light thereof WHat is here afore-wrote is not as a full Answer or Detection of the depths of Satan and Mystery of Iniquity that is couched under or lies hidden in this Judgment asserted in the Paper from Barbadoes and the seeming Answer of dislike thereto given by G. F. c. but only as a Mite from one and according to present Ability to manifest his detestation of all such Principles and Practices But I doubt not but there will be some of greater Ability who shall contribute much more to the uncovering Her who hath long sat as a Queen and deceived many yet says I shall not see Widdowhood nor Sorrow because her Children are many and mighty through the Power they have received from that Beast on which she rides and will suffer none to buy nor sell in their Market but who receive her Mark in their Forehead or Hand For notwithstanding their Judgment seems such bare-fac'd Popery and so contrary to their pretended Principles yet observe how G.F. c. treat the Authors Viz. We know your Care and tenderness for Truth and that you aim at the best Things and are manifestly declared the Epistle of Christ written with the Spirit of the Living God which will bring you to the City of the Living God c. And not one sharp Reproof in all only Caution for fear of its Publication and dislike that any particular measure should not be one with their Men and Womens-Meetings c. But when we consider the Names and Terms are given to others that profess the same Faith and agree in all Things except as aforesaid Viz. Something about Womens-Meetings and some Forms of Marriages c. they for this conscientious forbearing to practice such Things as they have no Faith in are termed Apostates departed from the Truth such as the Vniversal Spirit cannot receive c. By all which we may see how they would hedge up the way to God and leave no Door to come in by but G. F's Forms nay not only so but tie up or limit God that if he reveals any thing to any particular he must give up all to the general and if they have not Unity with it must cleave to the general against that particular Measure of Knowledge or Manifestation in himself but I think hereby is plainly manifested that there be such Innovators as W. Rogers hath mentioned in his Book Viz. The Chrictian-Quaker distinguished from the Apostate and Innovator Which Title C. Taylor saith is notorious Blasphemy But hereby it not only appears that the Title is proper and no Blasphemy but also that there was just Cause for W. R's writing that Book for the Cause why those they call Apostates separate from them is not out of any dislike or denyal of the Principles of Truth altho they

of any Apostates or Opposers they would make ill Work with it and say that we set up an Arbitrary Power over Mens Consciences and Properties and an Implicit Faith and Submission without Inward Conviction What more true And that we divided the Measure of God in a particular from the Universal Spirit of God in other Particulars in Mens and Womens-Meetings And as for Subscribing unto such an Order or Judgment they would say it was like the Scotch-Covenant and as tho the Measure of the Faith and Spirit of God in themselves was not agreeable to the Universal Spirit Faith in the Mens and Womens-Meetings and that if they should go from the Measure of Faith and Spirit of God in their own Particulars and to give up both their Spiritual and Temporal Concerns to the Universal Spirit in Mens and Womens-Meetings This would be the way to bring them all from the Measure of the Spirit in their own Particulars For how can the Men and Women in the Universal Spirit receive that which is not given up from the Universal Spirit therefore all must be left to the Universal Spirit in their own Measures thereof and as for the Stubborn and Wilful that are against Men and Womens-Meetings the Universal Spirit cannot receive that And all are to give up to the Universal Spirit in their own Particulars in which Spirit they have Unity and Fellowship without outward Subscription and to be led by the same Spirit to see their Names written in Heaven in this Gospel-day of Light and Life and this is and was the Saints Testimony in the New-Covenant of Light and Life and their Heavenly Subscription which is above all outward Subscriptions both among the Jews and Professors for the one ties them below and the other ties them above And for any to say They desire to give up their whole Concerns both Spiritual and Temporal unto the Judgment of the Spirit of God in Mens and Womens-Meetings as believing it to be more according to the Vniversal Wisdom of God than any particular Measure in my self or any Particulars Now this would make the Belief which is in the Light and the Spirit in their own Particulars not one with the Universal Spirit in the said Meettings And as for those that the Mens and Womens-Meetings in the Universal Spirit of God have not Unity with they are erred from their own Measures of the Spirit of God but the Universal Spirit of God has Unity with the the least Measure now as it was in the Apostles days who kept every one to their own Measures which was both the great Rule and Line of the new Creature in the Believers and Saints then and so with that the Universal Spirit in the Apostles and Elders then had and now have Unity And therefore dear Friends we know your Care and Tenderness of Truth and that you aim at the best Things Contrary to S. Crisp who said the Paper was not only ill worded but he believed 't was ill meant ' and have had much to do with some loose Spirits there and therfore our Desires are that you would stop this Paper from going any further lest some should get Copies of it and spread amongst bad Spirits and keep in the general tender Spirit of God that in Love you may answer the Measure of the Spirit of God in them that are Convinced by it and in them that err from it And the Man of God must not strive but be gentle towards all And so concluding with the Apostles tender Advice 1 Cor. 1.10 Now I beseech you Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you all speak the same thing and that there be no Divisions among you but that you be perfectly joyned together in the same Mind and in the same Judgment And Phil. 2.2 3. Fulfil you my Joy that you be like minded having the same Love being of one Accord of one Mind let nothing be done through Strife or vain Glory but in lowliliness of Mind let each esteem other better than themselves And 1 Pet. 5.8 Finally be all of one Mind having Compassion one of another love as Brethren Be pittiful be courteous Now as for your Subscription to an outward tie be above such things forasmuch as you are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the Living God which Spirit hath given you Life and will bring you to the City of the Living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to the General Assembly and Church of the First-born which are written in Heaven c. Your dear Friends and Brethren in our Lord Jesus Christ in whom you have Peace Life and Salvation GEORGE FOX c. As for the aforesaid Paper from Barbadoes wherein is exprest the Judgment of the Quarterly-Meeting I take it to be neither according to Scripture nor the Principles of Truth And first for Scripture By it you make void the New-Covenant or Law written in the Heart Of which it is said Heb. 8.11 They shall not need to teach every Man his Brother saying Know the Lord but all shall know me from the least to the greatest And John 2. The Anointing which you have received of Him abideth in you you need not any Man to teach you but as that teacheth c. But your Judgment contradicts these Viz. Give up your whole Concern Spiritual and Temporal if required unto the Spirit of God as you say in Men and Womens-Meetings believing it to be more according to the Vniversal Wisdom of God than any particular in your selves c. But the Scripture saith None know the Things of God but the Spirit of God And how shall any one know what the Meeting requires is according to the Spirit of God if not by a measure of it in themselves It is also said If our Heart Condemn us God is greater but if that Coodemn us not then have we Confidence towards God For if it please God to reveal any thing to any Particular and the general deny or disown it then that particular must deny Revelation and give up to the general According to this Doctrine I cannot see how the Church should ever be restored out of the Apostacy unless God first reveal Himself to the general which seems to be contrary to His way of Manifestation to this very day For what must John have done with his Revelations and Message to the Asian Churches Sardis and Laodicia who had a Name to Live and were Dead And said they were rich and encreased in Goods and wanted nothing They thought well of themselves as you do had but few Names left not the generality yet were mistaken and Apostatized and reproved by a Particular Now according to your Judgment John and the few Names ought to have given up to the general and not to his particular Revelation Also all the Reformations since the Apostacy have been begun by Particulars and opposed and persecuted by the general

therefore it is not as you say most agreeing to the Wisdom of God to cleave to the Judgment of the general but to the particular Manifestation altho the Judgment general hath not Unity therewith For if a Particular may reprove the general surely he ought to cleave to his particular Measure for his own Belief and Practice altho the general have not Unity therewith for what is not of Faith is Sin much more what is contrary thereto For if any Meeting requires one to do or believe contrary to their own Measure whoever obeys them therein becomes a Servant to those Persons Meetings for his Servants ye are whom you obey Hereby you call such Men or Meetings your Master or Father contrary to Christs Command Oh Friends strain not at Gnats and swallow such Camels which the 82 seemed to have done That it is against the Principles of Truth is plain enough and needs no proof for by that we are taught to be guided by the Manifestation of Gods Spirit in our own Hearts to speak and act as thereby instructed and that the Judgment of Truth through a part of Christ's Members cannot become a Bond on others further than their Understandings are illuminated thereby These two Positions the Judgment aforesaid seems to contradict Also read E. B. and Is P's Works or any antient Friends they all direct to the Light in our own Hearts or Consciences as the only and sufficient Guide and Leader But your Judgment not only contradicts Scripture and Friends Testimonies but you have given such an unlimited Power to Meetings and not contented to give that to Men which never before was given since Protestantism but to Women also in which the Scripture is silent or what it says is rather against their having any Power or Rule but to be subject Nay this unlimited Power was one of the heavy weights in the Pope's Yoke that made it so uneasy to England in times of Popery neither can I find that ever in England the Pope or any Church gained this point by all their Stratagems Wars c. as you have granted Viz. the giving up all Spirituals and Temporals The Christian-State is said to be a glorious Liberty but your Judgment makes them Slaves and Vassals and will cause any Understanding Men to avoid submitting to such a Church that hath so unlimited a Power 't is much safer submitting to a Church which makes the Scripture their Rule for thereby one may know what they may or can require of one but yours after one hath given up all Spirituals c. may still require more without measure if you pretend or stamp such Requirings with the Name of the Universal Spirit of God as Experience teacheth hath been too frequent What is become of all our Protesting Fore-fathers according to your Judgment For you seem to have acquitted Rome of all their Blood for they had not only the Judgment of the generality of the Church but of the Magistracy and Law of the Nation against them which was of greater Authority than your Womens Meetings for which there is no Precept Precedent nor Law but against viz. their Form and Power I am ashamed that after all this Light and Knowledge pretended any should make such a long stride towards Rome which now is very unseasonable for if but one more such I know not but you may both too soon meet and embrace each other If any say we mistake you you do not give up to the Meeting but to the Spirit of God c. W. Pen's Address c. and other Testimonies I think answer that Viz. A Man may falsly believe as the True Church believes and if I believe only because She believes and not because I am convinced in my own Vnderstanding and Conscience my Faith is false tho Hens be true p. 146. Also E. Burrough saith Every one is to mind the Teachings of the Spirit of Christ in himself for to that he is to stand or fall p. 152. Also if a bare saying it is the Spirit without evidence will serve then the Pope may say so to Now that which further aggravates and makes this Judgmen the worse is that it should come from such Persons as G. F. c. writes the 82 Subscribers to be Viz. Manifestly declared the Epistle of Christ written with the Spirit of the Living God which Spirit hath given you Life and will bring you to the City of the Living GOD c. Aim at the best Things Viz. Give up all c. HIGH GROWN CRISTIANS OR G. F. c. HIGHLY MISTAKEN Thus what you have done seems to be to the dishonour of Truth and contrary to what you once professed for the sufficiency of Light in your own hearts was that Gospel you received and they Preached at first for all to cleave to and abide by and give up to But now to give up to the Requirings of others altho con rary to that what more like another Gospel Therefore I beseech you mind the Exhortation If We or an Angel from Heaven bring any other Gospel than that you have received let Him be accursed And avoid all such Questions as these are and the Propounders thereof for they are but foolish Questions yea worse and will gender to S●rife and BONDAGE therefore let no Men nor WOMEN especially rule over you nei her receive their Traditions for Doctrines further than manifested by the Truth in your own hearts and in the Scriptu es Are you so foolish as to believe that the R quirings of Men and Women-Mee●ings without Scripture-Evidence or manifestation by the Light in your own Hearts can give you acceptance with God wh n as Christ said to them that said they had Prophesied and cast out Devi s and done many mighty Works in his Name Depart I know you not c. And think you such unwarrantable Requirings and Implicit giving up can stand you in stead Nay this Perswasion cometh not of God but it is fulfilled as was prophesied in Scripture Some shall arise from among your selves speaking perve●se things Remember from whence ye are fallen and return to the measure of Truth in your own selves and arise and depart from such Judgmen s for fear it be fulfilled on you as was said against some of old When they knew God they glorifi'd Him not as God they became vain in their Imaginations and their foolish hearts were darkened Therefore I pray be not so soon moved and tossed up and down by these windy Arbitrary and Implicit Judgm●nts of men who have mens Persons and Orders in Admiration because of Advantage for such serve not Christ but themselves but mind you the Truth in your own hearts and according as the Apostle said Let every one be fully perswaded in his own Mind You must answer for your selves to God when it shall be said Who required these things at your hands Will any Men or Women or outward written Orders have greater Force than Moses and the Prophets

not blind Conformity before Convincement but said If any be otherwise minded God shall reveal it c. As their Faith encreased so should their Obedience The Spirit the Apostle was in could receive those that differed in Judgment and Practice in some things and did not say they were erred from their measures and if against Womens-Meetings that the Universal Spirit could not receive them but were careful not to offend the weak would deny themselves that which was lawful for the benefit of the weak therefore not of G. F's pretended Universal Spirit Now G. F's c. Letter is so jumbled together seemingly disowning and yet owning the Paper too but take them either ways if they disown then that manifests a difference if they own it then they plainly manifest themselves to be what the Dissenting Party hath objected against them many Years only G. F. c. have imperiously and wrongfully born them down Viz. That they do in their Actings contradict their Principles and Doctrine that is they as the Pharisees say and do not for it is evident by the scope of their Letter that they are dissatisfied with the wording of it and that latter Clause which admits a particular measure may differ from the general also afraid of its Publication knowing they cannot justifie it and that it is that they have been charged for practising these many years and for this cause many have and do dissent from them whom they term gone from the Power of God and Opposers of the Order of the Gospel Setters up of Standards against Truth and many other Names and marks of Sons of Perdition when they have nothing else against them only not submitting to G. F's Orders without Conviction for G. F. c. do not at all contradict the Principle Of giving up all only the subscribing to it nor deny but their Meetings have such power or ought to be given up to only would insinuate that it is done from the Universal Spirit of God and all who do not so believe and act the Vniversal Spirit cannot receive c. But all that fear God beware of such who be thus given to change and believe and act so contrary to what they say and pretend and notwithstanding the good words of the Apostle in the latter end of G. F's Letter which be sound and had they kept themselves to their primitive Testimony and sound Doctrine as in Scripture there had not been this Seperation but having followed the Devices of their own Heads with fair words and speeches they beguile many simple ones but now their Folly is made manifest and that they have only a Form of Godliness but deny the Power thereof therefore from such turn away And it 's better to be by such accounted Separates than for their favour to deprive your selves of the benefit of your own measures of Light and Life according to which all shall be at last Judged As for the seeming dislike or blame of the Judgment from these following words in G. F's Letter Viz. This would make the Belief in the Light and the measure of the Spirit in their own particulars not one with the Vniversal Spirit in the said Meetings That this is a disowning of or a Reproof for the Judgment in general or the giving up of all c. is but a fallacious cover as appears by his high commending and extolling them in the latter part of his Letter in p. 5. Also his words to them he terms Stubborn and Wilful that cannot give up all c. of those he saith The Universal Spirit cannot receive that those that the Mens and Womens Meetings have not Vnity with in the Vniversal Spirit of God they are erred from their own measures c. What this Vniversal Spirit is that they so often mention is shewed in the Introduction and pag. 9. Also they say in W. F's Book Spiritual-Liberty c. pag. 4. Those that be left with the one Spirit of Truth must be of one Mind they cannot be otherwise These words be of one Mind and having Vnity with G. F's Womens-Meetings is all to the same effect as the Barbadoes Judgment only that is more naked and plain and not so subtilly worded as some here could have done it for we must believe and practice just as they do or would have us or else no Unity which implyes as much ●iving up as the Barbadoes Judgment doth as is further manifested by their severe Judgments against those that cannot so do and by rendring them Apostates c. And G. F's c. dislike or blameing them is not for their giving up all c. but for the latter Clause of the Judgment which admits that a particular measure may differ or not agree with the generally in the Mens and Womens-Meetings who be too much swayed and over-ruled by his Party and termed the Vniversal Spirit of God but this Judgment proves that their Vniversal Spirit and Ruling Party have erred therefore Particulars ought not to have Unity with them but testifie against them It 's evident from the Asian and all others Churches since down to this very Barbadoes Church that the Universal Ruling Part have erred and been testified against and reproved by particulars as G. F's Lording Spirit in himself and Party have been altho they seem to be so resolved as that they will have the Power Authority and Judgment c. and will Govern and rather than they will want a Place where and Subjects over whom to govern c. they will stretch their Power over the Consciences of their Brethren even in the Seat or Throne of Christ as is further manifest from R. B's Anarchy c. vindicated by the Second-days Meeting in their false Accuser c. page 57. Where they ask this Question If in no Case of Conscience the Church of Christ hath Power to give such positive Sentence as is just and righteous When they mention the Church of Christ in respect to this present Age that they mean only themselves seems evident from the said R. B's Anarchy c. p. 43. Also Judas or the Jews c. p. 28. Where they term themselves the Body of Christ And in other Writings they the People of God and none else Also when they mention the Government and good Ordinances of Christ or in his Church it is evident they mean some new invented Formalities and Ceremonies of their own and not fundamental Principles according to the Precepts and Examples of Christ and his Apostles mentioned in the holy Scripture Therefore their terms of the Church of Christ and pretentions to Just and Righteous Sentences and Judgment are but Covers and such Robes hath the Woman which sitteth on the Scarlot coloured Beast been arrayed with in all Ages since the Apostacy pretending themselves the True Church and their Sentences and Judgment Just and Righteous as you do and you have provided Weapons for them that may in time prove to your own hurt IF YOV BE NOT ALL