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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	according_a	scripture_n	spirit_n	3,143	5	5.2045	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35006	Babel's builders unmasking themselves as appears by the following paper from Barbadoes, (promoted by George for 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 prophecy of that lying prophet, Solomon Eccles. Published for undeceiving the simple, and in abhorrence and detestation of the principle and practice contained in the said paper; they being of an evil tendency, and contrary to the doctrine of Christ and his apostles, or of any sincere-hearted Protestants, or true Christians this day. By T.C.	Crisp, Thomas, 17th cent.; Fox, George, 1624-1691.; Eccles, Solomon, 1618-1683.; Whitehead, George, 1636?-1723.	1681 (1681)	Wing C6948; ESTC R214946	14,720	16

to give up both their Spiritual and Temporal Concerns to the Universal Spirit in Men 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 Wilfull that are against Men and Womens Meetings the Universal Spirit cannot receive that And all are to give up to the Universal Spirit of God 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 Subcription which is above all outward Subcriptions both among the Jews and Professors for 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 Men and Womens Meetings as believing it to be more according to the universal 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 measure of the Spirit in their own particulars not one with the Universal Spirit in the said Meetings And as for those that the Men 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 least measure now as it was in the Apostles days who kept every one to their own measure 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 and have had much to do with some loose Spirits there and therefore 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 Apostle's 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 amongst you but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment And Phil. 2. 2 3. Fulfill 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 lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves And 1 Pet. 3. 8. Finally be all of one mind having compassion one of another love as Brethren Be pitiful 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. London the 20th of the 4th Month 1681. Your dear Friends and Brethren in our Lord Jesus Christ in whom you have Peace Life and Salvation GEORGE FOX ALEX. PARKER GEO. WHITEHEAD Now by this Letter of G. F. c. they either condemn the aforesaid Paper or not if they condemn it then these three particular Persons condemn the Judgment of the Universal Spirit of God as they call it in the Men and Womens Meetings if they do not condemn it then they fall in with them in contradiction to their first Principles But it is observed that they rather dislike the wording it than the matter of it and would have it believed that those Measures in Particular Persons which Men and Womens Meetings have not Unity with They are erred from their own Measures of the Spirit of God and are stubborn wilful and the like Thus do they condemn the conscientious Refusers and greatly magnify the Authors of the said Paper and do fully assert their Authority As for their advising against such Subscriptions it may be observ'd that their Reasons are Lest Apostats or Opposers as they call them should make ill work with it and say such and such things as do clearly follow from it Not that these three Men are against the Substance or Doctrine couched in the subscribed Paper but they are afraid to give the World that which some have long seen such a clear instance of their Apostacy from their former Principles and their Ambition in having all the Quakers subject to them for these Men and Womens Meetings must do nothing which does not agree with the Judgment of G. F. and his Elders Let all sober Men judg of the turnings and twinings that are to be discovered in these two Papers that from Barbadoes and that from London and how inconsistent they are with themselves and their first Principles A● 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 Universal Wisdom of God than any particular measure 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 condemn 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 that 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 Laodicea 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 and 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 although the Judgment General have 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 although the General have not unity therewith for what is not of Faith is Sin much more what is contrary thereto For if any Meeting require any one to do or believe contrary to their own measure whoever obeys them becomes therein a Servant to these Persons or Meetings for it is said His Servants ye are whom ye obey Hereby you call such Men or Meetings your Master or Father which is contrary to Christs Command O Friends strain not at Gnats and swallow such Camels which the 82 seem to me to have done Secondly 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 God's Spirit in our 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. I. P's Works or any ancient Friends they all direct to the Light in our own Hearts or Consciences as the only and sufficient Guide and Leader But you not only contradict Scripture and Friends Testimonies but 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. 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 there one may know what they may or can require of one but yours after one hath given up 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 and yet 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 I am ashamed that after all this Light and Knowledg 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 imbrace each other But if any say we mistake you you do not give up to the Meeting but to the Spirit of God c. But 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 Understanding and Conscience my Faith is false tho hers 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. 852. Now that which further aggravates and makes this Judgment 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. High-grown Christians 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 give up to But now to give up to the Requirings of others altho contrary 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 strife therefore let no Men nor Women especially rule over you neither receive their Traditions for Doctrines further than manifested by the Truth in your own Hearts and in the Scriptures Are ye so foolish as to believe that the Requirings of Men and Womens Meetings without Scripture-evidence or manifestation by the Light in your own Hearts can give you acceptance with God when as Christ said to them that said they had prophesied and cast out Devils 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 as was prophesied in Scripture Some shall arise from among your selves speaking perverse things Remember from whence ye are fallen and return to the measure of Truth in your own selves and arise and depart from such Judgments for fear it be fulfilled on you as was said against some of old

when they knew God they glorified him not as God they became vain in their imaginations and their foolish hearts were darkned Therefore I pray be not so soon moved and tossed up and down by these windy Arbitrary and implicit Judgments of Men who have Mens Persons and Orders in admiration because of advantage for such serve not Christ but themselves but mind 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 Nay but as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God this Spirit Christ said he would send should be in them Think me not your Enemy because I deal plainly with you For it is in Love to Truth and abhorrence of Arbitrary and Unlimited Power and implicit blind and unacceptable Obedience that I write to you desiring the Lord may open your Understandings to know his Will and what is acceptable and I recommend you to the Spirit of Grace in your own Hearts which is able through Faith in Christ to preserve you blameless and harmless in this crooked Generation to God alone be Glory and Dominion for ever Friends mind the good Sermon of Christ on the Mount also the sound Exhortations in the Epistles of Paul and Peter c. which as in Faith read and considered may be helpful and useful to the Man of God in words and works Forasmuch as the foregoing Letter of G. F. c. to Barbadoes was produced as a proof of their denial of the said Paper I have read it and observe this therefrom That they are more afraid of its Publication than ashamed of the Matter and do more object the subscribing the Paper than owning the Principle as appears by their words If it should come into the hands of Opposers c. they would say we set up Arbitrary Power and Implicit Faith c. which are the plain tendency thereof But it is needful to know what they mean by the Universal Spirit being that is so often mentioned I take it to be the Opinion or Judgment of the Ruling Party or Foxonians among the Quakers because they exclude those who oppose their Orders as being Apostats and gone out from the Universal Spirit Also I take this Spirit of theirs not to be the Universal Spirit of God but a private selfish Spirit of their own Because they say As for the Stubborn and Wilfull that are against Men and Womens Meetings the Universal Spirit cannot receive that Now those they term Stubborn c. are not against Men and Womens Meetings but differ about the Form and Power thereof they are only against Women having Meetings apart from the Men when they have no business requires it not against them in Cities great Towns and Places where they live near together and occasions require but only in Counties where they live remote from each other and have no business Also about the Form of Marriages c. For these Persons who they say are against Meetings do and are willing to use them on necessary occasions This is the state of the Difference and the Case of those Persons G. F. c. terms Apostats bad Spirits c. G. F. c. say the Universal Spirit cannot receive that I shall shew by Testimonies of other Friends that notwithstanding Differences yet Christians ought to receive each other and walk in Love as Brethren E. Burrough says Every one was to walk in that measure of Truth they had attained to and notwithstanding their difference in Judgment whether in Cases substantial or ceremonial yet they were still to be in love and unity p. 809. and every one to mind the teachings of the Spirit in himself Hereby you may see that E. B. could receive in love and walk in unity with such as differed in Cases substantial which is as high a Difference as any about Womens Meetings Also W. Pen says Address to Protestants p. 70. I cannot see how such Men can excuse themselves from great presumption c. who deny those Persons to be Members of Christ's Church that in Conscience refuse to subscribe any other draught than their Lord hath given them Then how can G. F. c. excuse themselves who say Those that be against Womens Meetings the Universal Spirit cannot receive unless G. F. c. prove that such Dissenters have had their Form of Womens Meetings from their Lord. G. F. c. must admit them Members of Christ's Church or prove they refuse that which the Lord hath given them or else G. F. c. are inexcusable and condemnable by their own owned Testimonies Also 2 Pet. 1. 5. Give all diligence thereunto add to Faith Vertue Knowledg Temperance Patience Godliness Brotherly-kindness Love for if these things be in you and abound ye shall not be unfruitful nor barren c. Wherefore give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure for if you do these things ye shall never fail for an entrance shall be ministred unto you into the everlasting Kingdom Now I appeal to any sober Christian Whether all these qualifications may not be in one and yet conscienciously dissent from a Form of Womens Meetings as used and ordered by G. F. If it can be as I am sure it may be that one may be so qualified and assisted by God's Spirit as to attain these Vertues expressed by the Apostle Peter and not comply with G. F's Womens Meetings then a sure entrance is made into the everlasting Kingdom and they are received by the Universal Spirit of God therefore G. F's c. Spirit is not that of God nor of E. B. or I. P. nor the Spirit of Christ and his Apostles for they said Judg not and that the Tree was known by its Fruit. But G. F. c. will judge and condemn for evil and gone from the Spirit although no evil Fruit appears Also where evil Fruit does appear as in this their Judgment yet he can say to them because they own his Form and Womens Meetings We know your care and that you aim at the best things So that to give up to his Orders tho contrary to their own measures is by him termed the best things and they are manifestly declared the Epistle of Christ writ with the Spirit of the living God c. whereby he seems to place more Virtue and Power in conforming to his Orders of Womens Meetings than in all Faith and fruits of the Spirit expressed in the Scripture And where-ever G. F. mentions the Universal Spirit I take him he means the Spirit that set up these Meetings and persecutes all such who cannot for Conscience sake conform to his Womens Meetings Now Christ said Whatever ye would another should do to you that do unto them Love thy

Neighbour as thy self c. This is the Universal Spirit to desire no more Liberty nor Charity from another than one would be content to allow them and impose no more on another than one would have them impose on ones self G. F. c. once cried for Liberty of Conscience none must perform any Worship but taught and led thereinto by the Light in their own Hearts but having gathered a People to themselves now say they Submit to your Elders and if not conform to his Orders for Conscience sake then Wilful stubborn out of the Universal Spirit and Truth and all that is Good c. Also it appears that the Subscribers of the Paper and G. F. c. do differ for G. F. c. say This would make the belief which is in the Light and the measure of the Spirit in their own Particulars not one with the Universal Spirit c. Indeed so it does for there be many that believe in the Light and measure of the Spirit and its sufficiency not one with G. F's c. imposing Spirit which he calls Universal but against it altho the true Universal Spirit of Christ and in all His hath now as formerly unity with the least measure in any Member tho for Conscience sake they may be of a differing apprehension in some things and therefore saith the Apostle he became all to all weak or strong and said bear one anothers Burdens and bear one with another and therefore he condescended to baptize and circumcise to win over and endeavoured the encrease of their Faith and Understandings not blind Conformity before Convincement but said If any be otherwise minded God shall reveal c. As their Faith increased 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 c. pretended Universal Spirit Now G. F. 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 have 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 whole scope of their Letter that they only are dissatisfied with the wording of it and afraid of its publication knowing they cannot justify 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 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 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 Universal Spirit cannot receive c. But all that fear God beware of such Men 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 Apostles in the latter end of G. F's Letter which be found and had they kept themselves to their primitive Testimony and sound Doctrine as in Scripture there had not been this Separation but having followed the devices of their own Heads with fair words and speeches beguile the many simple ones but now their folly is made manifest and that they have only a Form of Godliness but deny the Power thereof from such turn away And it is 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 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 The aforesaid Judgment being publickly read in Gracechurch-street-Meeting with a Protestation against it that it would be printed unless disowned by them and as a stop to the printing of the same and in vindication of G. F c. this Letter or Answer was produced which indeed is more subtilly worded but denies not nor disowns the Principles therein neither refuses nor denies to receive what is in that Judgment given up to them but I doubt not but that 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 Widowhood 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 is such bare-faced 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 Reproof in all only Caution for fear of its Publication c. But when we consider the Names and Terms which 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 consciencious forbearing to practise such things as they have no faith in are termed Apostats departed from the Truth such as the Universal Spirit cannot receive c. By all which we may see how they would hedg 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 reveales 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