the Magistrate do better than those that deny them only because G. F. c. do so order or will Judge them therefore And for the using of plain Language or any Practice Friends use or refuse as in Conscience to God T. C. condemns not only Imitation And for that J. P. saith is a Lye if he mean saying you to a single Person this I think is too uncharitable a rude word in it self and so accounted by J.P. as in his 14th p. 1. 10. he says W. R. foul-mouthedly gives G. F. the Lye but that was to G. F. I cannot understand that saying You to a single Person is a Lye unless it be spoke to deceive for I take a Lye to be a wilful Vntruth for every Vntruth is not a Lye because one may speak untrue and yet not know but believes it is true also Speech is only to signifie the Intents and if the Party spoken to plainly know the meaning of the Speaker the end is answered and that distinction rather proper for Schooles than Christians And this confident black-mouthed young man hath by those few words marked as Lyers and so for the Lake hundreds of better Christians than himself But I know that with the Lord is more Mercy also with the Christian-Quaker more Charity And I am satisfied J. P. is not the Young Man Ezekiel saw That was to mark those that mourn for all the Abominations that be done in Jerusalem For I believe that among those he hath marked as Lyers there be many such I am sorry his anger against T.C. should so transport him to fall foul of so many Generations past as also many now no ways concerned nor privy to T. C's Provocation of him that he is so offended at For T. C. condemns none that are Conscientious to God although in different Practice neither doth he question but they were and are acceptable But G.F. c. making Laws and Orders how People should speak and act and yet pretend to Believe and Preach the Sufficiency of the New-Covenant and dare not trust them therewith this I take to be a more denial of Christ being come in the Flesh than a peaceable Submission to the Law when nothing from God in the Heart is otherwise required And I do believe that G. F. is not as Moses to receive Orders from but HIM to whom all Judgment is committed And who ever fixes Christ his Offices or Titles on G. F. c. such are Denyers of Christ being come in the Flesh And I am not against Gospel-Order but for it as W. R. in the Third Part and several other places in the Christian-Quaker hath asserted And for that J. P. is offended with T. C. in pag. 9. because he said That may be required of one which may not be required of another T. C. did not say It is so but may be and if that be possible as I am sure it is then what I affirmed is truth and I think the Parable of the Talents c. makes that good and as Is Pennington saith Though the Doings or Thoughts or Words be Divers yet if they proceed from the same Principle and Nature there is a true Vnity felt therein where the Life alone is Judge A small grain of Charity much less than he hath of Enmity would have shewed him how to reconcile such Assertions to Truth but to satisfie the honest hearted and not to gratifie the Chief Priests and Pharisees T.C. doth say That he believes many Christians do out of Conscience scruple Paying of Tithes as believing it sinful and that it is required of such that they be faithful thereto but he also believes that some honest People have not the same scruple or doubt therefore it is not so required of them and in this case it may properly be said That is required of one which may not be of another For that J. P. queries of W. R. whether he will stand by T.C. thereby taking on him to enquire for help for T. C. he need not for T. C. never complained to him for neither would he have any of his help for he likes not his Practice so well and T. C. fears not but he shall have sufficient assistance as he is on Truths part and otherways he doth not desire any but hopes never shall shelter under J. P's Refuge for I am sure that must be swept away And if not to pay Tithes be a fundamental or substantial Doctrine of Christian Religion which is the highest it can be hear what Isaac Pennington in page 11. of Examination speaking of the Kingdom of God faith Another may want divers Doctrines concerning it perhaps some of those which men call FUNDAMENTAL and yet be a Citizen of it and in the Power c. Also see Edward Burrough's Testimony pag. 20. Notwithstanding Difference in Judgment in Cases Substantial yet they were to be in Love and Vnity Whereby it appears from both their Writings that they allowed difference in Practice and Judgment in things esteemed SUBSTANTIALS and G. F's Laws cannot be more And this was the Unity Isaac Pennington saith pag. 88. Being thus kept all will come into One Outwardly I hope this rash Young Man will not term his Father and E. B. as he hath T. C. One that shuns the Cross and seeks Ease in the Flesh and say They oppose Truth to Truth and maketh the Spirit inconsistent with it self And seeing Is P's words are such undeniable Truths as cited by T. C which J. P. cannot deny only saith it is but in part his Fathers Sense T. C. never said it was all but in Preface referred to his Book I hope J.P. will not make one Part contradict the other for that would render himself guilty of what he falsly charges on W. R. and T. C. that they have abused and perverted his Fathers Writings and thereby all those black Characters that J. P. hath bestowed on W. R. and T. C. justly belong to himself And for that he hath been so extravagant beyond his pretended Principle to bestow such a Livery on T.C. and so abundantly belace it I believe he never knew T. C. before the occasion of these Testimonies therefore seeing his knowledge was so little neither hath he proved any great Crimes against him I appeal to any Christian Quaker whether it be not a very unchristian and bold adventure of this black monthed Young Man to say T.C. dayly doth despite to the Spirit of Grace and that he opens a Gap to Libertinism I deny all fleshly Liberty and Ease but the high Hedg or Wall viz. G. F's Orders c. must be destroyed and that City layed wast And every one know his dependence upon the Foundation Christ Jesus the Light And what you have hewed and hammered and made such a noise with your Tools they are not therefore the fitter for the Lords House for His Day is come and coming on all your Fenced Cities and High Towers and those who like the poor Rekabites cannot
THE SECOND PART OF Babel's-Builders Vnmask't In an ANSWER to a False Charge against W. R. and T. C. in a Book Entituled John Penington's Complaint c. IN the said Complaint against W. R. put out in the name of J. Penington I find the Scripture fulfilled in the Approvers thereof as well as in J. P. That the time would come they will not indure Sound Doctrine For although that Testimony cited from Js P's was Sound Truth who was one of the most experienced among them yet because it thwarts their present Designs and Interest therefore they revile the Publishers and the Owners thereof as appears by the black Names and Characters to W. R. and T. C. Notoriously guilty of premeditated Falshood impious Prevaricators Betrayers of Truth and the sincere Professors thereof unto the wicked unworthy and untrue to his word a Shame to Moral Heathens hardened Heart prostrate Soul in stiffness against the Lord departed from the just Principle in themselves and dayly doing despite to the Spirit of Grace loose libertine c. after all their other kindnesses in the lower end of the 9th pag. by craft which they be well skil'd in term W. Rogers Forger whereby their Book seems more like a Popish Bull than a Complaint And the great and black Crimes pretended against T. C. is because He published some Testimonies of Isaac Peningtons and saw not his Book but published them on the sole Authority of W. R. whom you term a Prosessed Adversary pag. 8. but yet although the young Man hath too much Confidence he dares not say It was not his Fathers but I do now as afore affirm it was every word that I published as Isaac Peningtons really his without any additions or alteration of the sense of the words only abridged and advice thereof given in the Preface and also in pag. 11. recommended to the Book But whereas J. P. saith that I published it solely on the credit of W. R. That is false and he and his Approvers Slanderers and False-Accusers for I had other satisfaction from them whose Honesty Ability and Credit exceeds J. P's although I did transcribe it from W. Rs. being then from London where I had not the opportunity of Isaac Peningtons Book and being not willing to exceed two Sheets therefore did abridge some Sentences but not to the alteration thereof But if I had only taken W. R's Authority therein it is well known that he is a Man whose Credit will pass for a greater Concernment with many honest Friends notwithstanding your Abuses and Slanders of him because he hath detected your Apostacy And seeing ye have not nor cannot prove W. R's Citation nor mine false but W. R. hath in the Sixth Part of the Christian-Quaker manifested that he took all his viz. 10 pages all together and not left out altered or added any words therefore it is the same as if I had transeribed them from Isaac Penningtons as I have done the Second Edition before Publication and yet you are as much offended with that and indeed have as much cause for the words be the same and will stand a Witness against Your Idol G. F 's Laws although he have many such as Solomon Eccles and C. Taylor to adore them as from the Oracles of Divine Breath c. John Pennington at the lower end of his first page cites W. R's words or preamble that he mentions just before the Testimony and in second page says Who would desire fairer dealing and notwithstanding all your black and bitter revilings of W. R. afore mentioned have not proved that W. R. hath not performed what he there said and if W. R. had cited but as many lines as he hath done pages of Isaac Penningtons and taken intire Sentences that depend not on others he had not wronged him nor abused the Reader For W. R. never said it was the beginning or end of Isaac Penningtons nor the whole but on the contrary said it was a Part therefore W. R. not base nor untrue to his word but you false Accusers For in pag. 78. of Examination Is P. sayeth speaking of Christ He waited until that was opened in his Disciples which was able to receive his Testimony and he made use of his Power of Life c. To inable him to serve and wait in patience for the fulfilling the Will of the Father These Lines need not the whole to explain them and do prove what W. R. affirms and against what he opposes and he is not such a crafty Mangler as you term him nor hath he acted as you have in your Hypocrisy c. published in the name of T. L. also the Accuser c. For there be many more Sentences in that Part which he omitted that be against your Impositions c. And for that you charge W. R. for mangling and T. C. for curtaling yet observe but your own Doings you eite a few words of the Epistle to Corinth The Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets Now you would think it harsh Judgment to be treated with such Language as you do W. R. because you have not quoted the whole Chapter or at least the words next adjoyning and by your own Measures you may justly be termed Manglers and Curtalers of Scripture and deserve those Names given W. R. and T. C. too many and too foul to repeat And that which aggravates your Confidence and Unrighteousness in so reviling W. R. for not citing all or more of Isaac Penningtons Testimony is in your 6th p say that he hath cited words to the same effect as those he left out whereby it appears it would but have been needless Repitition of him to have cited the same again And those by him cited are such plain Truths and according to Scripture that they need not others to explain them Pag. 5. you say W. R. would make appear that Isaac Pennington was against any Outward Form of Government Order and Discipline but W. R. doth not say so nor any ill or disrespective word of Isaac Penington in all his Book therefore in that also you be false Accusers And for that Sentence which J. P. saith in his 4th pag. W. R. left out because it pinched him it was not in so far as he cited the words be these And the Vnity being thus kept all will come into one outwardly also at length as the Light grows in every one but this must be patiently waited for from the Hand of God who hath the right way of effecting it and not harshly attempted by the rough hand of Man These J.P. truly cites but when he comes to infer from them then he is guilty of what he falsly charges W. R. with For he is so much in hast for Outward Oneness with G. F ' s Laws that he takes no notice of the explaining words but leaps over them he forgets to stay for Outward Oneness until the Lord Effect it as his Father said to plead but to stay until
God they warn all to beware of them c. and to warn them to go home and be reconciled to their Brethren c. i.e. Submit to G.F. and say therein will ye acquit your selves in Gods Sight Whereby it appears what Value and Force they esteem their Orders that the bare observing them can absolve a cheap way to Heaven if you can believe all these Men say and that they be the only Dispensers of the Gospel but as conscientious and careful as these new Spiritual Lords would make the honest hearted believe they are for the Glory of God and Prosperity of Truth it appears by their severe Judgment and heathenising I.S. and I. W. c. and their condemning I. A. because out of Conscience they cannot conform to G. F's Laws and their excusing S. E. who speak Lyes in the Name of the Lord also the high Praises given the Barbadoes Church notwithstanding their so erroneous Judgment in pursuance of G. F's Laws as in Babel-Builders it more fully appears that their Care is for G. F's Laws more than the Laws of God And the consideration of the Inconsistency of the Principles of Truth with their Church-Government is cause of astonishment to many remembring that under pretences of every one walking as they were by the Light in their Consciences perswaded they gathered many honest People out of all Societies and now term Outward Orders about needless Ceremonies ordered by G. F. c. Christs Government and no being Members of Christs Church without so owning them and yet their own Liberty but at pleasure of others considering all Circumstances I think scarce any Imposers now extant if they be not and the consideration of what ill Consequence it may prove to the After-Ages if G.F. and his Party but gain that Point of Power viz. To give Laws to others and that it is their Duty to be conformable thereto although contrary to their Consciences Or that any one of G. F's Party pretending them seyes Publick Labourers or Ministers must not be denyed Inspection into others Affairs for fear of being accounted Imposers worse than any Court Assize or Sessions as G. F. did the Westmorland Friends I say the Apprehension of the ill Effects of these Principles and Practices If some others should but have the Confidence to give such Names and Dignities as G. F. c. have done to their Laws and Ceremonies now in use and some of them in themselves as inoffensive as G. F's only too much stress laid on them I dread to think the ill Consequences thereof it was truly said That Popery least suspected will do us most harm For when Constantinople pretended to the Universal Bishoprick Rome then seemed as much against what the now is as some now do for all they may now say Am I a Dog as one once did and yet did that he then seemed so to abhor and of all People in England miserable Slaves be we poor Quakers better and safer to submit to a Church that have their Atticles fixed or the Scripture for their Rule for thereby we may know what may be required their Power being limited but G. F's c. not For they have a High Tower where they think themselves so safe that none can reach them and that is their pretence to their Church-Power which others pretend to as well as they therefore it was truly said in Adr. to Prot. Eithor convince my Vnderstanding or shew me a Miracle but that failed for that Deceiver S.E. would have forged one on I.S. when in likelihood not to live long belying the Lord and saying That year he should dye but hath since confessed it was false A cheap way of buying Pardons and great Incouragement for other his Fellow Servants to G. F. to do the same who make such a noise of Vnsubjected Spirits to the Yoke of Christ as if there were no Yoke of Christ but G. F.'s Orders Is not Pure Religion now the same as ever Is the Lord changed or the Force of Faith abated for by that the Elders obtained a good Report and that Sure Word that Peter directed to was more sure than the Voice that was heard in the Mount and is now as Sure and Powerful as ever and if surer to that Church when Peter wrote to them then that formerly spoke to Christ in the Mount although Peter himself a Witness of it then more sure and safe than G. F's c. For as his great Champion and Servant S.E. was mistaken so may he and better to undergo their False Judgment than that of God in the Conscience although they may say You despise Dignities and disturb the Churches and be Apostates c. Remember it was Pharaoh of old that said to the Children of Israel Ye are idle and the Enemies to Jerusalem in Nehemiahs time said when they went to repair the Breaches They would Rebel and damage the Kings Tribute and the Jews cryed out of the Apostles That if they were let alone the Romans would come and take Place and Nation as G. F. c. faith Make us a Derision to the Heathen and lay wast Gods Heritage It is the Old Lording Spirit that hath followed and entred all Forms that hath entered G. F. c. who would Pharaoh like keep in Bondage therefore say Ye are Idle and weary of the Cross and would go back into Egypt but I know not what looks more like Egypt than being tasked by G. F. c. and be in Bondage to them who must give or rather command what and how much we must do to have our Work and Task set by them that is AEgypt and contrary to the Apostle who when desired to concern himself by complaint about the neglect of some Widdows he said Choose ye out faithful Men shall we leave the Work of the Lord to serve Tables But G. F's Party contrary to this Example they will call it Imposition and Independency worse than Court Assize or Sessions if you will not let them meddle with your Business when unconcerned altho they have liberty to deliver any thing they have from God Oh poor slaves the under Members of your Body For I would know the Security that any thing one hath is their own if but G.E. or S. E. pretend something on their Spirits which C.T. may term From the Oracle of Divine Breath you must be at Unity that is give up or else erred from your Measures The Dangerousness of these Doctrines and their such early Proceedings thereon causes some to think no pains ill spent to Detect and Lay Naked such Men and Principles that it may be known that G. F. c. are not the best among the Quakers nor the best of Gods Servants as C. T. c. have falsly affirmed For there be thousands among them abhor such things although the ruling Party term them Apostates c. who desire no more Liberty than they are willing to allow to others differing from them and desire as Christ said To