be Circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing now consider the high Dignities you have given G. F's Laws and what Sons of Perdition you render them that cannot so reverence them if it do not amount to what was by Paul termed Compelling or Constraining for you in effect say Vnless you will be Circumcised with G. F's Circumcision and keep his Law no Salvation for the Inquisition doth not force any but punish Person or Estate but you have not Power yet over either of them And I shall rather choose to be at the kindness of some now in power than some of you now the Ruling Party who I term G. F's Party who are exalting the greatest and highest Mystery of Iniquity that hath appeared some Ages which you are setting up above all that is called God viz. G. F 's Laws For what was commanded in Scripture must not be practised unless required by the same Spirit but if we have not Unity with your Womens Meetings c. Idolizing G. F. his Laws then the Vniversal Spirit cannot receive but are erred from our measures but you have Vnity with the least measure therefore they that cannot so do have not the least measure Whereby it seems that G. F. c. have put a Lock on Heaven and given the Key to the Womens Meeting Also in page 8. Hyp. Proudly saying away with calling your selves the People of God and judge others Here you again dishonestly pick out words for in p. 12. T. C. saith Away with calling your selves the People of God as a Body of People c. but them words as a Body of People you dishonestly leave out and skip several lines then take and Judge others where again you leave out all for my words are Judge all others and you wrong the sense and pervert my words by leaving out words and ye be guilty of that you blame me for viz. Harsh Judging for it is that proud Imagination that you are the People of God and none else as some have said and that You be the Body of Christ that I am against And in p. 9 saith Art not thou a Ranter who saith in thy Title-page You Quakers That word was for secresy not for reproach but your Term Ranter gives greater cause to suspect you be not Christian-Quakers and I wish for your own Sakes you were as free from the Spirit that lusteth to Envy and Lordship over your Brethren as T. C. is from indulging any fleshly ease or sinful Liberty and ill were it for T. C. if you had such Proofs of his Rantism and Looseness as he hath of your Impositions but I do believe Is P's Testimonies and if that he with you Rantisin I am content to be vile with such knowing it is the same Spirit as called Christ Devil and seeing you will be my Father-Confessors I fear you are of that Generation that Christ forbad to pull up the Tares for fear they should spoil the Wheat for you under pretence of fear of fleshly Liberty will destroy Liberty of Conference only ye exceed them for they staid until there was Tares but you for fear of Tares coming up will destroy the Wheat as p. 145. Accu We rather plead a fear they 'l be so confused that they are in danger to let up a Libertin Spirit What Impositions and Severities might not or may not be Justifiable that hath been or may be exercised towards Conscientious Dissenters if such Arguments my be admitted but for all this golden Head full of gilded good Names it stands but on Legs of Iron and Clay which are smitten and in the Lords time it will fall and in that day the God of Heaven will set up a Kingdom although you do what you can to hinder the Exaltation thereof c. As some in the Apostles days because he magnified the Grace of God saying As Sin hath abounded so hath Grace much more therefore they would infer that might do evil that good might come of it but he said God forbid so it may be said to you who say If People must excuse themselves by saying they must stay until they be convinced then any slothful or disobedient ones will pretend they be not convinced but it may be said God forbid the Liberty of the Gospel should be so abused but if any such should be their Conformity is not more acceptable than the Excuse therefore I cannot see what you get by your Imposing but Hypocrites but a great number of Conformists please G. F's Universal Spirit but if all Power be committed to the Son he is able to preserve in Truth as to bring to it and to keep out of fleshly Liberty but when I consider how easily Scriptures may be leaped over and G. F's Laws und undispensibly must be observed and bowed to it seems as you would have them the only Girdle of Truth and whole Armour of God thereby placing more Authority in them then in Moses or Johns or any Ministration for they must not be practised but as Garments the Gospel appeared in and since the Harlot hath dressed her self therewith therefore not worn by the true Spouse but some bad enough have and now are dressed in G. F's comly Order exactly and Maintainers thereof and yet accepted Also in p. 8. Hyp. Vniformity is good and to be desired and the Intent and Work of the Ministry is to bring into Vnity which being kept in will come into Vniformity at length Here you curtail by your own Rule for in p. 7. you take six words but leap over several lines and then take a few more words and then again skip several Lines and add a few more words but Is P. goes on and says To strive to bring to a fleshly Vniformity which insnares and overbears the tender Conscience that is not good And Is P. saith Ministers are to bring to Vnity as People are able to follow and not force into one Practice And much more that you skip that is against your compelling or placing Christian Unity in Forms but this Unity that Is P. here pleads for T. C. is not against Also in p. 10. Is P. says The Church was Clothed appearing in the beautiful and glorious dress the Lord himself put on her But Is P. also goes on and says Another while she stripped of her Outward Garments and the Harlot dressed therewith and more that you loave out as not being for your turn And in p. 10. Hyp. If you seek to take away Outward Order from the Church of Christ is not this to take away from her Glory Hereby you further manifest your compelling Spirit being that in Revelations that would compel all for it is only that T. C. is against and this you term the Churches Glory manifesting your selves to mind Earthly things whose glory is their Shame Christ sayed The Glory thou hast given me I have given them This Glory was not G. F's Laws yet the Church had Glory but your Glory can be but the Outward Court
THE THIRD PART OF Babel's-Builders Vnmask't In a REPLY to a piece of Hypocrisy c. Published in the Name of T. Laurence whose great Age may somewhat mittigate his Crime and therefore this is chiefly intended for the Approvers thereof IN your Hypocrasy c. you have acted contrary to Christs Command which was what soever you would have another do unto you do the same unto them but if Christs Command have not Influence on you I had thought G. F's great Champion G. W's Doctrine might because some of you so much boast That you be all of one Mind he saith To condemn that in another which one allows in themselves is not Christian like In pag. 11. of Hyp. you say If G. W. is guilty of a lording Spirit thou oughtest to have told him before published And in pag. 15. pretend kindness and confess that our Acquaintance and Vnity 20 years since was joyful and yet you so forget what you say was my Duty you never sent me one of your Books nor notice of them but publickly exposed me as Ranter Rotten-heart Painted Sepulchre Erronious Schismatical joyned to the Son of Perdition and treacherous dividing Spirit and other reproachful Names Pag. 1. What can'st not Preach without a Text Hereby you shew your selves more like Ishmaels Race than Christs Disciples by your vain scoffing and do the same you falsly charge and scoff T. C. for for you take your Text from J. P. viz. took thine out of W. R's but that Book you Answer is not that J. P. and T. C. discoursed on but published since as by the Title you may see it is the second Addition and compared with Is P's before published therefore your vain Scoff is a false Accusation also And for your reproaching G. B's Sound Testimony as in pag. 7. Erroneous and Schismatical it is not consistent with what you say of him in pag. 5. That you hope he is at rest and I believe so and he deserves not such evil Treatment from you nor dare you have done so in his life time also ye twice add to his words in pag. 6. without respect of Persons and in page 7. without Persons and then pervert them inferring that he excludes the Spirit from making use of Persons by the addition of those words but G. B. doth say p. 10. Tesâ— If the Spirit do move any to declare that is the Pastor c. That he opposes is fixing Offices on Persons or Persons in Offices that they must for their Lives or Pleasures Govern Order and see for their Brethren Remember Gehazai altho he was sometime a Servant to the Prophet and sent of Message by him but not after Naaman but he went in his own Name and falsly used his Masters Name and deceived him it may be so with G. F. and that may be your Figure and I fear is your Case In pag. 6. Hyp. Why dost thou write and many of your Side declare Thou hast cited some of my Reasons and may'st see more in the Preface and pag. 16. And in p. 7. Hyp. You cast away Christs Government Discipline and Doctrine and Ministers thou told'st me there was no need for any Discipline I remember not those words but we had more discourse than that I am sure and therefore by J. P s Rule you are in this Crafty Manglers and Curtailers c. but I intended them not against Order and Discipline but against imposing G. F's Forms on others which in Conscience cannot submit to them as Christs Government and great Ordinances c. And if you mean by Christs Government and Ordinances G. F 's Laws and Party as it seems to me you do then I confess as such I do cast them away as the Calf Aaron made to please the People for I cannot receive them as such Dignities as you in your Hyp. would have them be or as C. T. saith From the Oracle of Divine Breath for there appears to me as much cause to protest against you and them as for the Protestants against the Papists Sacrament of the Altar for they would have the Bread to be received as Christs Real Body and your high dignifying G. F's Laws do tend to the same Idolatry Hyp. in pag. 8. T. C 's Piece of stollen words which he doth not deny but saith he took them out of W. R's I wonder you are not ashamed to assert such Untruths were this against S. Crisp he would call you Lyer and Palpable Lyes c. ye would think it unrighteous Judgment to accuse you for Imposers and to be Lords over the Consciences of your Brethren and for proof thereof to say you do not deny it but T. C. doth deny it and never did so say therefore your Accusation is unrighteous and slanderous and in it three untruths 1. That T. C. stole or took them from W. R. 2. That he doth not deny it 3. But saith so For that discourse with J. P. was about his Fathers Testimonies and not any other part of that Book And in pag. 8. Hyp. Thou sayest some have promoted Government and Orders to the compelling others before convincement Here you mangle and abuse by picking out words to alter the sense for in p. 11. I say Some have endeavoured to promote c. But you as your usual manner is drop what is not for your purpose and leave out Endeavoured also many other words whereby the sense is altered for there is great difference between doing and endeavouring to do a thing for that may be endeavoured which is never done but I will shew you what I mean by Endeavouring to compel constrain or impose I take to impart much one Gal. 2.14 Paul to Peter Why compellest thou the Gentiles c. and they constrain you to be Circumcised now Peter had no power to compel them but by Preaching to them That except they were Circumcised and kept the Law of Moses they could not be saved as Acts 15. This is by Paul termed Compelling or Constraining and by him withstood and testified against although promoted by Peter the Eldest Apole and Peter c. had more to say for themselves and Moses's Law than you have for G. F. and his Laws of Womens Meetings and Marriages and although the Church if Jerusalem at the Request of the Gentiles and not by any assumed Power to inforce Laws resolved on the Question the Gentiles need not observe Moses his Laws yet we find in the Epistles to the Romans Corinthians and Galatians that the Apostle permitted the Practice of some things to some that were conscious of them as Days Meats c. and said Let every one be fully perswaded in his own Mind Judg not one another and it was the Preaching of Forms or Ceremonies of necessity to Salvation that then was termed compelling although such things as might be allowed to be believed or practised yet when they would impose them on others are termed a Yoke and not to be born and caused Paul to say If you
which was given to the Gentils and it is but the Gentile Nature that glories in Lording over their Brethren and giving Laws to their Consciences for if G. F. should say he is moved to set up Jewish or Romish Ceremonies and 66. in a London Metting say It is Christs great Ordinance as such he may find some who may be so blind as to deny their own Light although they think it true to obey G. F. but such a Submission once cost a Prophet dear and the Children of Israel were not to dance about the Calf and say These be thy Gods although no less Man than Aaron was concerned And in p. 12. Hyp. There are Outward Forms that God ownes and stays in But these words of I. N. by you cited are much perverted to make them speak for compelling or conforming without or against Conviction but are quite contrary and are thus p. 27. Test Who have Spiritual Worship can no longer stay in any Form than God stays therein but by his Spirit are led into whatsoever he goes and out of whatever he departs Here is no Outward Limitation to G. F's Laws And Hyp. in p. 12. We do own the Power of God and the Form which he hath led us into But would you but do as you would be done by which is the Duty of all Christs Disciples then you would allow others the same Liberty as you take for what proof give you only you say so but if those you call Apostates say so then Rotten Heart and joyned to the Son of Perdition as in p. 9. of Hyp. you will have all Judgment and be sure to acquit your selves and condemn others but the difference is not about what you own but that you would compel others to own the same Would you but allow others their Liberty to enjoy their Faith in God and his Law in their Hearts as you do yours in G. F. and his Laws I know not of any great difference only you will manifest your selves to be some of the Lo here 's come to G. F's comely Order but Christ said go not forth the Lord knows who be his and needs hot G. E's Livery to be known by that will not prove the Wedding Garment when the Muster views his Guests And in p. 12. Hyp. What Is P. E. B. and W. P. apply to false Churches concerning Outward Orders that you apply to G. F. and Friends in Truth Compelling and Imitation without Inward Conviction is as false among you as any and more detestable and Liberty of Conscience due from you of any People because that was the Foundation of your gathering every one to know the Light in his own Heart These following be your false and unrighteous Accusations and Assertions 1st p. 3. Thou saist in thy Title You are Gods Israel and all that oppose you Pharaohs Task-masters 2. And in the Post-script You are followers of the Lamb all others worshippers of the Beast 3 d. p. 8. Thou accountest all that oppose thee and your side have the Beasts Mark 4. p. Thou saist Thou hast the Saints Seal and and others the Beasts Mark 5 ly p. 9. Thou dost not only disown the good Order of Truth but the Language of Truth 6th p. 4. Thou saist is Is P's Testimony which thou told his Son thou never read'st nor saw 7th p. 8. T. C. his stollen words which he doth not deny but saith he took them out of W. R. 8th p. 8. In pretence to prevent ill Orders thou wilt have no Outward Orders 9th p. 5. Thou art for many folds out of Gods Protection 10th p. 6. Thou hast found another Administration than God gave by his Spirit at Pentecost 11th p. 7 You Villyfie with reproachful Terms and call Christs Government set up by his Spirit and Power in his Instruments Outward Orders and Rotten Orders c. 12th p. 1. The Foundation of thy work is not the Light of Christ within thee but W. R. his Book without thee T. C. never used that word Rotten that he remembers nor any ereverent Expression to any of Christs Laws only against making G. G. his Laws and Traditions Christs Doctrine and all these Accusations of yours thou sayest or thou dost be false and you have not nor cannot prove them for T. C. doth no where say so nor believe so as the Preface makes appear that I am against Judging others for difference in Judgment or Practice and that God hath some sealed ones among you c. 13th p. 4. A perverting and not Is P 's Testimony See p. 10 T. L. sayeth a little of that T. C. cites is Is P. his Testimony 14th p. 9. More might be said to T. C 's stollen words 15th p. 5 T. C. mingles and perverts Is P's Sence and Meaning By mingle you must mean put in other words among Is P's which be not his which is false and for perverting let Truth in all Judge whether those Testimonyes of Is P. cited by T. C. be for Liberty of Conscience or compelling all to an Outward Form 16th p. 5. Thou makest ill use of his words i.e. Is P. to uphold a bad Cause I do make no other use of Is P. words but to maintain Liberty of Conscience against Impositiou which once you thought a good Cause but now having assumed to your selves Power and Rule change your Judgments c. As G. F. said of Liberty of Conscience he liked not the word 17th p. 6. Thy Writings are obscure and dark Counsel by words without Knowledge and plainly prove that your Side is joyned to the Man of Sin and Son of Perdition If T. C. his Writings be obscure it is because you have given up all your Judgment also to G. F. c. i.e. as the Barbadoes Church did and therefóre cannot discern 18th p. 7. And yet you own Persons going up and down preaching which is false and Contradiction But the Apostles to the Hebrews and John then were false and contradicted for they said in latter days God would write his Law in the Heart and should not need any to teach but yet taught 19th p. 11. Erroneous and Schismatical Doctrines broached by thee and such as thou art These words follow in answer to G. B. his Test. p. 11. Seek not to undervalue that to which you were sent to Minister Which words of G. B. be sound for G. B. meanes not that they preach to or Minister to Christ but to turn to the measure of Christs Light in their own Hearts as the Seed is come to turn unto or for the good of which the Ministry was sent It is plain he meanes to turn People to the seed and not that Christ was in want of or bettered by the Creature Therefore thou hast not nor canst not prove G. B's Erroneous and Schismatical but your selves False Accusers 20th Thy Copy is false subscribed the chief words left out and other mords put in dishonesty to serve thy turn as thy usual manner hath been through thy Book