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
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
for shewing Charity to some honest Men that differed from them in some things And I. S. and I. W. said They would not have People over driven And this Christian Charity which Is P's and E. B's antient Testimonies accord with and so ought all in Truth G. F's Party are so Apostatised from rendring them such Evil Facts that they make them Heads of Articles nay for differing about Manner or Form of Marriages shall condemn out of Unity which is out of the Church of Christ with them as by their Principle afore Cited must be all of one Mind cannot be otherwise but the Testimonies cited of I. P's and E. B.'s say contrary And therefore who cannot adore G. F. and his Laws as C. T. c. have done From the Oracle of Divine Breath and S. E. The great and good Ordinancer of Jesus Christ and if not of one Mind with them and will not give up to his Womens Meetings c. Then Rebels against the Lord and Cursed from God from all Eternity to all Eternity as some of G. F's Men of War have said because some will not bow to G. F's Will And he himself hath said those that be of I. S's Party be of the Devils Party then out of the Truth and not safe to be left to their Freedom or as G.F. says to the Barbadoes Church Those that have not Vnity with Mens and Womens Meetings are erred from their Measures but the Vniversal Spirit hath Vnity with the least Measure So that they that are not of one Mind with them have not the least Measure for if they had they should have Unity with them Which Doctrine is also confirmed in their Brief Examination pag. 2. and 3. If thou are such an one that can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth then mayest thou safely be left to thy Freedom in the things of God which words do imply that it is not for others to expect it or have right to it as confirmed a littel farther where having spoke of some good things then say That if thou plead thy Freedom against such things c. thy Freedom is nought and out of Truth Now with those and many more such good Names and Rich Attire do they dress G. F's Laws with and who cannot as C. T. and S. E. adore him and them as they have then Your Freedom's nought and out of Truth and by the Consequence of the above cited Doctrine It is not fit for you to be left to your Freedom in the things of God unless you be arrived to that heigth of Hypocritical and Pharisaical Righteousness as C.T. c. who in his Epistle of Caution is of the same mind with Exam. He would have it Believed they cannot appoint any thing against but for the Truth whereby it is manifest that their Charity for Freedom in the Things of God i. e. Liberty of Conscience extends to such as can own G. F. for the best of Gods Servants and his Laws from the Oracle of Divine Breath but those who cannot so believe their Freedom is nought and they out of Truth although never so Conscientious to God otherwise But Adâ— to Prâ—t p. 104 saith Faith in that day was an intire Resignation and Dependence on God and not a Subscription to Verbal Propositions and Articles although never so true P. 105 Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and thy Neighbour as thy self is the perfection Christian Religion and certain Token of a Disciple These Qualifications may be and yet not of one Mind in some Forms neither are all the Members of Christs Church arrived to that State or not to that height of Presumption as G. T. c. but on the contrary may through unwatchfulness and weakness do some things displeasing to God therefore not for but against the Truth yet ought to be left to their Freedom in the Things of God And that Position That them which be left with the one Spirit of Truth must be of one Mind cannot be otherwise I take to be false For Peter and Paul differed and were not of one Mind in some things yet I hope you will not deny them to be Members of Christs Church and to be left to their Freedom c. seeing you have so much Christian Charity for Moral Men to admit they may be Christians It is said p. 7. of Brief Exam. The difference between Peter and Paul testifies the weakness of Peter and Justifies Pauls Reproof of his too great Complyance with the Jews Which makes against Liberty of various Practices in the ' Church But I take him to mistake for Peter not only complyed to the Jews himself but he Would constrain the Gentils to do like the Jews Gal 2. v. 14. Therefore Paul withstood him and it was not the believing or practising one or'tother for he said Circumcision or Uncircumcision avail not also he caused Timothy to be Circumcised but it was the Preaching of Forms or Ceremonies of necessity to Salvation that he terms Compelling Act. 15. Certain Men taught the Gentiles that except they were Circumcised and kept the Law of Moses they could not be Saved This Paul withstood Also it is said Br. Exam. page 7. That Passage about Eating hath nothing in it for which it is alledged for it related not to Church Order or Communion But I think it did for in the Qu. before it is said The Persons differing were Peter and Paul and Peter eat with the Gentils as Gal. 2.12 also 1. Cor. 8.10 If any see thee which hast Knowledge sit at Table in the Idols Temple shall not the Conscience of him that is weak be imboldned to eat those things sacrificed to Idols Also Rom. 14. The Apostle speaks of observing Days to the Lord as well as eating and about offending one another which could not so properly be in what any eats in private as his Nourishment but related to some Differences about Meats which some would have oblieged the Believing Gentiles to observe the Jews Ceremonies therein on account of Salvation as in Act. 15. which Paul was against and they had Disputes about Rom. 14. Him that is weak receive not to doubtful Disputations and in the next words the Apostle saith One believeth he may eat all things another that is weakeateth Herbs and in Vers 5. Let Every Man be fully perswaded in his own Mind and Vers 12. Every one shall give account of himself to God let us not therefore judge one another These Scriptures and Citations clearly manifest that Christians ought to be left to their Freedom i. e. Liberty of Conscience although not so strong or at least not so confident as C. T. c. But if it be as said in page 7. Br. Exam. It related only to what they would Eat as private Persons in respect to Appetite although they had therein Power yet the Apostle advises to the consideration of others as Rom. 14.14 I know and am perswaded that there is nothing unclean of it self Yet in 1 Cor. 10.13 If Meat offend my Brother I will eat no Flesh while the World standeth Now if Paul would thus deny himself in condescension to a weak Brother surely he was far from compelling him to be of his Mind or saying They cannot be otherwise Therefore if that Instance about Meats related only to private Freedoms that makes much more against a necessity of all being of one Mind but rather according to Is Ps c. Testimonies for leaving them to their Freedom walking in Love and Unity in Diversity of Practices Wherefore that astonishing Affirmation of I. P. That he never saw nor heard any thing contradictory to the present Sense and Practice of Friends i. e. G. F. and his Party from his Father seemed to me so remote from Truth that I wonder to use their own words they have the Face to assert it I recommend you all to the word of Gods Grace nigh in your Hearts which is able to give you an Inheritance among the Sanctified Ones which neither G. F. c. nor conforming to his Orders can do Tho. Crisp