UPon the 20th of the First Month, 1681/2. I re­ceived from Thomas Crisp's hand a Book en­tituled, The Fourth Part of Babel's Builders, &c. which he told me I was concerned in, which upon per­usal I find my name, or the Letters for it is mentioned near thirty times. And I therein termed and charged by him several times to be a false Witness, and with grand falshood and called Inquisition Officer, and such like. All which Reproaches I might and willingly could bear, and forbear thus to mention, and Rejoyce that the Lord hath counted me worthy to be of that little number or Remnant, which are Reproached for the name of Christ, knowing that the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon such. And they and I have indeed cause to rejoyce, &c. as Christ Exhorted; it being falsly spoken—though this was of old the Lot or portion of several of God's Servants, and also of his People: for remember David said, Psal. 102.8. Mine Enemies Reproach me all the day, and they that are mad against me, are Sworn against me. And did not Rabshakeh reproach Israel in daies past, and yet said, The Lord said to me, go up against this Land and destroy it. And for my part I shall leave it (to the manifestation of God's Spirit in every ones heart thereby to judge whether or no the same Spirit that led Rabshakeh [Page 2](so to Reproach Israel and the living God) hath not entred Thomas Crisp and his Adherents and Abettors; though they may as Rabshakeh say (or pretend its the Lord and it's his Cause they stand for, and its his Rule and Govern­ment in the Conscience they would Exalt; but blessed be God in and by the blessed and divine Light of Christ Je­sus (which a Remnant was first turned to, in which they have believed and have fellowship with God and oue ano­ther) they clearly see, that it's not his Government, viz. Christ's, &c. that they would Exalt, (notwithstanding their pretences) but the Rule and Government of him, who Rules in the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience, whose unfruitful Works of Darkness they are bring­ing forth, though they Nick-name them; and would put off their corrupt dross for pure Gold, guilding it over with a few fair words and fine Specches, by which they would delude and deceive the hearts of the simple; but blessed be God who hath so preserved a Remnant in his fear, that from him they have receiv'd Wisdom, and thereby are taught, not to buy, or receive though offered any of these mens corrupt Wares and false Doctrines; and I believe the time hastens, in which they like their Brethren of old shall (because no man buyeth her Merchandize any more) weep and mourn over their Mother Mystery Babilon, the Mo­ther of Harlots and abominations of the Earth, that had as fair pretences, and as guilded a Cup, and as highly con­ceited of her Seat, as T. C. and his Company are of theirs; and if they Repent not, I question not, but they shall as surely be Judged, plagued and tormented as she was: For strong is the Lord that Judgeth her.

Now the Paper out of which he Collects what he takes occasion, to charge me with falshood and being a false Wit­ness, and draws his Conclusion from: that I am not a Mi­nister of Christ, is a Paper which I had set down his Do­ctrine in, and to that had as in that which was Printed in S. Crisp's Book set my name, as a Witness, in which Paper was these words he so charges upon me, and men­tions so often in his Book. I therefore thought meet here to set down a Copy of it, which he calls in his 18 page, J. F's Bull of Excommunication against me, but [Page 3]why he calls it J. F's he hath not told. It is as followeth, Viz.

And now I shall take some notice what T. C. saith in his 4th part of Babels, &c. pag. 19. which is as followeth, And I. F. hath falsly asserted that T. C. did Evil, in that pro­ceed of his Marriage, also he says for which there is no Exam­ple in the holy Scriptures for there is president and Command in Scripture for what T. C. did.

Answer Observe the words of that paper which he calls mine, are as followeth T. C. and his Wife, in the ten­der Love of God, was visited by Friends (in order to bring them to a Sence of the Evil they had done in being Marryed by a Priest whom he had disown'd, &c. now T. C. a few lines after in the same 19. page saith, viz. Al­tho it is commonly said Marryed by Friends, but more properly before them; so was ours before the Priest, but not by him. Answer, How then hath, I. F. falsly Asserted, who said Friends visited him? viz. T. C. in order to bring him to a Sence of the Evil he had done in being marryed by a Priest; and if this was a false Assertion, and what thou did there be president and Command in Scripture for; why did thy Wife Condemn it? &c. and thou in the 18. page diriding­ly calls paying Tythes and Marrying by Priests black Sins, and in the 19. page sayest it was thy principle, viz, to Marry by a Preist, or Pay Tythes, and in the same page thou sayest thou was not Marryed by a Preist. Answer, Then not ac­cording to thy Principle, and what man of Reason or understanding thinkest will Regard such a man that is not true to his own principle, what grand Hypocrysy Con­tradiction and Babilonish Confusion is this to say its thy Prin­ciple to pay Tythes; and in the same page say, It was in requital of a kindness readily and freely granted by the Person to my self and another Concerned, and not as Tythes, &c. and yet say thou hast lately paid Tythes. Note, The Act of Parlia­ment which lays so much up­on a House in the new Build­ings, per l. as the House is rated at for the Parish Priest calls that rate Tythes. And yet behold he is an Abettor, of the true Christian Quakers canse, falsely so called. But come Thomas, shew me where J. F's false Assertion is, and what Chapter or verse in the Scripture there is either president or command for being Marryed by a priest? and then I. F. will confess he hath asserted falsely concerning thee in this thing, but I Con­clude thy eyes will sink in their holes before thou find that place though it be thy principle. Again, in the said 19. pag. you say'st I Condescended to take my Wife in the presence of a Preist [what need of such a Condescention if there be president and Command in Scripture for what thou didst] and Acquainted him that I did it not on any point of Religion but to Answer the Law. Answer, What is there no point of Religion in it, and yet president and Command in [Page 5]Scripture for it as thou sayst; but I affirm, Marriage is an Ordinance of God and Instituted by him in Paradice. Well Thomas, But if there was such a care upon thee, to An­swer the Law, let's examine how thou hast Answered that? seeing in pag. 15. Thou sayst, It's a wonder to me when I Consider how many have been Encouraged to deny or refuse Submission to Authority, on pretence of Conscience—Again, But for being Subject to the Magistrate for Conscience sake, that is accounted Submitting to the Pope [I think to speake more to this wicked and false Assertion.]

Answer, But doth not the Authority, Magistrates and Law, require more a great deal to be done, by Persons that joyn in Matrimony or Marriage than thou Relates thou didst Read the form of the Solemnization of Marriage in the Common Prayer Book, which all Priest's in Orders are obliged and bound by the Acts of Uniformity to do, and upon failure to be deprived of their Benefice ipso facto as it dead; for the Common Prayer herein well and reasonably provides, that the Banes should be Asked or Published three several times in their Assemblies or Church (so call'd) that no Person might be deprived of their Children, &c. without their knowledge. And are they not to give their Troth, one to the other? and say thereto I plight my Troth. And yet saith the Man should give unto the Woman a Ring, laying the same upon the Book with the Costomed Dutys to the Priest and Clark, and the Priest taking the Ring, shall deliver it to the Man, to put upon the fourth finger of the womans left hand. And the man holding the Ring there and taught by the Preist shall say, With this Ring I thee Wedd, with my Body I thee Worship, and with my World­ly Goods I thee Endow, &c. Now Consider how T. C. hath Answered the Law and who they are that now may be Wondered at, and that are Guilty of Idolatry, &c. Now if T. C. hath not thus done how he hath Answered the Law, been Submisive and Subject to Authority, let the unprejudiced Judge.Note, And let W. R. F. B. L. K. and such that Abetts this man and his work, consider if it was, thus practised by Friends in the beginning, or since thus, to Marry, and hav. a Ring, & a Priest, which let T. C. if he will or can de­ny he had; only I would desire and advise him to remember what I said to him at his House about it, and what he then Answer'd; and this I would add. It seems he is not only against going before the Women to lay his Intention, but the men also, and is neither for laying his Intention of Marriage before either of them, neither once [...] twice, but for doing it clandestinely. And I desire all tender hearted [Page 6]Friends, to whose hands these may come, to consider whether this be as it was in the beginning (of Friends) what did they get a Preist and three or four of their Acquaintance, under pretence of Answering the Law and take one another before them as T. C. page 19. of Babels, &c. saith he did, certainly nay, or did they declare their Intentions first to the People of God, and then take one another before a Meeting with the Consent of Parents or Relations concerned, I hope they in whom any tenderness is, and whose under­standings are not wholy darkened, will see what Spirit this busie and great Abettor of the Cause of W.R. J. W. and such like is led by, who so highly commends the Charity and Christian condescention of the Priest, that he saith in his Book page 19. its to much, there to In­sert. But he shews little, nay no Charity but abun­dance of Enmity, when he most wickedly, falsly, and maliciously saith, That for being Subject to the Magistrate for Conscience sake is accounted (by Friends) Submitting to the Pope, much may be said hereto, to shew his great Enmity and falshood, and how he would hereby Stir up and Incense, the Magistrate against us especially at this time when our Friends in the Ci­ty of Bristol and elsewhere lye under hard and grie­vious Sufferings, but let this Serve to give a Rellish of the mans Spirit and who it is setts him to Work, &c. whose present loose principle never will lead him to lose any thing for Christ's sake, and the Gos­pel.

But page 19, 20. T. C. saith, But it is observable, that about the time that J. F. published this against me Ellis Hookes was dead (the Clark of the Marriages) and had left a considerable Estate; and 'tis said, much of it was gained by Fees and Gratuities about Marri­ages, which was more gain to him than to several Priests in London put together. This so profitable an Office (as is thought) J. F. wanting or coveting, might be glad of this opportunity to gain the favour of G. F. &c. Also to make others be afraid of being so Ex­posed: [Page 7]if they should let others have the profits of their Marriage Certificates, &c.Thomas Crisp seeing thou hast brought Ellis Hooks's name in publick Print, who is dead, and cannot now Answer for himself to thy Ca­lumniating and Slandering Tongue; and thou sayst. That E. Hooks left a considerable Estate, and it's said much of it was gained by Fees, and Gratuities about Mar­riages; and then saith, Which was more gain to him than to several Priests in Lon­don put together. I do charge T. Crisp to mention and bring forth their Names in publick Print, that hath said this of Ellis Hooks, and prove that he hath gotten his considerable Estate that he left behind him by Fees and Gratuities about Marriages, and now T. C. is positive, when he saith which, was more gain to him than several Priests in London put together. This I charge him again to prove, if he can, concerning E. H. But let this foul mouth'd Busie body T. C. ask E. H's Brother the Councellor, if his Father did not give him an Estate; besides, it's known to the Friends of Truth in this City, that E. H. was a Stationer; and by his Industry in that Employ, gained a considerable part of his Estate; and other lawful and considerable Employs he had which augmented his Estate But T. C's Envy against Truth and its Children is so large, and he in it so restless, that therein he abuses and belies both the Living and the Dead.

Answer, What an Observable matter this is, that Ellis Hooks was dead, the Clark of the Marriages at this time and left a Considerable Estate. What then? why, Thomas Crisp thereby hath gotten an oppertunity out of the abun­dance of his malitious heart to vent some of his Envious thoughts and malicious words against J. Feild and says (if he may be believed) much (viz of E. H. Estate) was gained by fees and gratuities as its said, this is like his Brother W. R. whose Example he herein follows who often saith if report be true: But saith T. C. This so proffita­ble an Office, as (its thought) J. F. wanting, or Coveting, might be glad of this opportunity, to gain the favour of G. F. &c.

Answ. As (its thought) Aye, but had T. C. or any of his Abettors or Informers so said I should have told them it was a palpable untruth and base thought, as its both a base and unworthy Action of T. Crisp thus publickly to defame and Scandalize me in print, upon an Evil thought, this is not like the Spirit of Christ but I can Expect no better of him, that may well be compared to a rageing wave of the Sea casting up mire and dirt. But blessed be God J. F. hath through the Lord's blessing, and his Endeavour that whereby he hath hitherto, honestly pro­vided for himself and his Family, without either Covet­ing or receiving that which is anothers by griping or over­reaching [Page 8]any man and can say with the Apostle his own hands have ministred to his necessity, and he hath not been chargeable unto any. And hopes he shall unto the End of his dayes, through the Assistance of the Lord and by his grace manifest himself to be an honest man, though not so rich as T. C. that writes thus maliciously against him, for whom his prayer is and shall be (if it be the Lords will, that he and such as he) may come to see the Evil Work he is about and Repent of it before it be to late.

T. C. page 18 deridingly saith, As for those black sins (of paying Tythes and marrying by Priests) so often charged on T. C. by S. C. and his Confederates (on which J. F. hath grounded his Bull of Excommunication against me) and say they have no Ʋnity with me.

Answer, I desire the Bull of Excommunication as he Scoffingly, and maliciously calls that paper may by the Christian and unprejudiced Reader, be well perused to See if they can find that any thing therein deserves, such a Scornfull name, for he is not therein Curst, that being who­ly Contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles, and is for ever utterly disowned by us, (the true Christians call­ed Quakers.) What, Thomas, must wee say we do own Persons, that are not of us, and have Unity with them that thou gives, this frightful terme of Bull of Excom­munication to that Innocent paper, that I believe and am fully Satisfied was writt and given forth to manifest, and tell others, that knew thee not so well as thy Neighbours do, what thou art, and what thy practice hath been, for peradventure, they might think thee by thy fair words to be that, thou art not, and is it not pity but such should be better informed. Well, Thomas, my desire is thou mayst Repent of these black Sins of Envy and Falshood, and not encourage others to do the same, lest thou become guilty of their Sins also.

Here followeth a short Collection of some of Thomas Crisp's many Falshoods or Untruths, with short Notes thereupon to shew his Envy and detect his Folly in using my name so often, &c. and repeating some Sentences of mine (relating to Friends Unity, and being of one mind an [Page 9]judgment, &c.) in all which he leaves out the material words, as apparently as if a wicked Atheist should say he would prove from the Psalmists words, Psal. 14. & 1. That he said, There is no God; he should leave out these words, viz. (The Fool hath said in his heart there is) af­ter this manner hath this unfair Adversary dealt with me, as I with the Lord's help shall shew.

In the 20 p. And for J. F. to say their Ʋnity stands in the Eternal Spirit, it is false, saith T. C.

Note, But who, Thomas, dost think will believe thee, for my part I shall not, neither take thy word herein who art so Hypocritical and unfaithful, as to act contrary to thy own principle (as I have before shewed.) And I do af­firm that our (and all faithful Friends and true Christians) Unity and Fellowship, does stand in the Eternal Spirit of God, and that it is grand falshood and untruth in thee to say otherwise.

P. 18. T. C. saith, As for those black sins (of paying Tythes and Marrying by Priests, so often charged on T. C. by S. C. and his Confederates (on which J. F. hath grounded his Bull of Excommunication against me.) And say they have no Ʋnity with me.

Note, Why, Thomas, dost thou say thou hast Unity with us that thou art so Angry at that Paper thou callest my Bull, as to use my Name seven times in a page, and more than four times seven in thy three Sheets and half of Babel, &c. because that paper saith thou, remainest a man out of the Unity of Friends, &c. Prethee Thomas is this a breach of that Reveased will of God thou speakest of, p. 12. to say, thou remainest a man out of the Unity of Friends, that thou art so Angry, to term and compare me to an Inquisition Officer. This is not the way to convince me, that the Spirit of Christ in the Heart moves thee thus to write, or rather scribble against me and Friends, what­ever thy Conceits are of promoting and contending for the Rule of the Gospel of the Spirit of Christ in the heart.I suppose you may know whose Phrases these are. And my desire is that I and all tender-hearted honest Friends may never know the Rule nor Government of that Spirit thou art led and instigated by; thus to vent thy malicious words, prating like some of old against the Truth.

And in the 19 page T. C. saith, And on other discourse with J.F. the next day per ceiving he intended to publish it, did say hemight do it—therefore consented to his writing those words.

Note, Yes, Thomas, and to the Printing of them too (thou consented) otherwise, for all what thou sayst, thou perceived (I Intended) it had never been Printed, as it was. And I question not but thou and P.E. then in com­pany with thee, knows and may remember, that thou said (vauntingly) it would cover or hide but a little spot of the Beast, &c. and took a Copy of it with thee.

And in the 21 page T.C. saith, If you were in the Eternal Spirit as J.F. falsly says, your Ʋnity would not stand in forms and Ceremonies and Orders.

Note, Prethee, Thomas, who ever said, it did? sure it was not J. F. that hath been so often termed false Wit­ness, &c. for saying it was in the Eternal Spirit; don't quarrel and fight thus with thy own Shadow or sancy, who in thy Babilonish Spirit, would insinuate as if Friends Unity were in Ceremonies and Orders, which we deny, though we own the order of the Gospel and Law of Life, and what are the products of the Spirit of Truth, and that which it leads into and tends to vertue and good Report, and to the Testifying against vice and looseness, and that which would bring an ill Report (though thou mayst scoffingly call them G. F's Orders and Laws, &c.) and though to our grief some, (who for want of keeping in the holy fear of God, and a diligent waiting upon him in low­liness of mind, therein to be guided by his Wisdom and Councel) have not so practised them as they ought, which hath been as a Feast to thee, and such as thee; and a grief to the tender and upright hearted; yet this doth not prove those wholsom Instructions of Friends, (which thou scof­fingly calls Order) bad.

T.C. in the 2 page, saith, The Apostles said, who have not the Spirit of Christ, are not his; therefore no wonder that they give such black names, to them who cannot give up all their Faith and Consciences to their Womens Meetings, hereby it is—proved that G. F's, &c. Ʋniver sal Spirit is not that of Christ and the Apostles, and Ancient Friends [Page 11]—therefore not the same, but a private Spirit or Party which adore him and his Laws, as S.E. and C.T. have done.

Note, T. C's wicked and ungodly Insinuation as if Friends required people to give up all their Faith and Con­sciences, to Womens Meetings, which is as much as if he said, Friends required persons to have no Faith in Christ, nor no Conscience to deal justly, &c. for if they must give up all to them, they leave none for any thing else, let the Reader now judge whether T. C. hath the Spirit of Christ, or is excited thereby thus to write, yea or nay that thus insinuates, for though I believe Christ is served in the Womens Meetings; and that they are according to his mind; yet I don't place All my Faith and Conscience in them; neither doth this prove that G. F. &c. Universal Spirit (by which I take him to mean that Universal Spi­rit G. F. and Friends bear Testimony of and direct unto) is not the Spirit of Christ, the Apostles and Ancient Friends, but a private Spirit which adore him and his Laws, for I charge it upon T. C. as a grand untruth or a Lye. For T.C. to say S. E. and C.T. have ador'd or worship'd C. F. or his Laws; for I affirm all true and Spiritual Wor­ship (which is the Worship we own) is only due unto God and Christ, and is performed in the Holy Spirit.

T. C. in the 10th page, saith, That G. F. &c. will not admit that any have the least measure of the Spirit that sub­not to his Laws.

Note, This is another of his untruths or Lies, for its well known he hath often testified unto the Universality of the Grace and Spirit of God, and hath said with the Apostle that the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

In the 11th page, T. C. saith, Whereby it is manifest what high Esteem and great Authority you Ascribe to your Orders; that the bare obeying them, can Acquit in Gods sight.

Note, This is another of T. C's great and palpable untruths or Lyes and Thomas prove if thou canst that any owned by us so high Esteem, and ascribed such great Authority to those Good, Orders and wholsome Instruct­ions given by the Spirit of the Lord through his Servants concerning the outward Conversation and performance of [Page 12]things amongst the People of God; which thou in dirision commonly calls G. F. orders, &c. For we are of the Apostles mind that some may retain the form of Godli­ness, and be out of, and Enimies to the power thereof and such never were, nor are owned by the Lord God nor his faithful people, for Hypocrisy was and is an Ab­mination unto the Lord. And a blind Sacrifice was nei­ther under Law nor Gospel owned by him, And they that have the form of Godliness, and are out of the pow­er and Enimies to it, are not acquitted in Gods sight for being in the form, neither can they that are Born of God, have Unity with them, that have the form of Godliness, and are out of the power thereof though we say its possi­ble, as it was in the Apostles days, that some may have the outward form of Godliness, to wit, a profession of the Light, Grace, Spirit and Power of God, and yet be out of and Enimies to the same, but we know and there­fore say, that they that walk in the Light, Spirit, Grace and power of God, the same gives them a good understand­ing and accordingly leads them, in their Doctrine, life and Conversation, into a sound Christian form and order, for as the Apostle said, God is the God of order and not of Confusion, in all the Churches of the Saints.

Page 20 T.C. saith, And for J.F. to say their Ʋnity stands in the Eternal Spirit it is false; for it is manifest to be in forms and needless Ceremonies: for such as Conform and preach them up, have been, and are guilty of shameful Miscarriages, and yet they are Suffered to continue as Preachers and no Judgment or Excommunication against them as out of Ʋnity, and they have received what they have given and Spent on them of others Estates, and not from the Ʋniver sal Spirit of God.

Note, This I Charge upon T. C. as a grand and fivefold untruth or Lye until he proves it, which I am well Satisfied he never can, though he would by this and such like ungod­ly unchristian, and abominable falshood, begett jealousies in the mind of some against them that God hath raised up to publish his Truth, and that sreely give up to spend and be spent in the Service of it and seek not any earthly thing, but the glory of God and Exaitation of his Truth [Page 13]according to their several measures and gifts and have a Testimony from God in their hearts against that lying Spirit that hath entred him and his Abettors which if he and they Repent not of, the plagues and Judgments of the Lords will certainly be their portion, to all Eternity for no Lyar can enter the Kingdom of God. For the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone, which is the second Death, is their portion. Oh! that God may (if it be his Will) give T.C. and them a Heart to Repent before it's too late.

In T. C's Postscript he saith, Also that grand falshood of J. Feild's asserted in his Bull of disowning me, &c.

Note, Disowning thee for my part, I have known thee some years, but never knew thou wast owned by Friends, or the People called Quakers, or was one of them; for I ne­ver so looked upon thee I am sure. T. C. also in his Post­seript speaks concerning the use of the word Company. And saith, Although the same used by G.F.J. Feild, S. Ecdes, &c. are Guilty of.

Note, J. Feild denysthat there is any such word, viz. as (Company) in that he writ. And charges it upon thee among the many untruths that thou hast writ concerning him and Friends, some (and but some) of which he hath here set down.

I shall now say little more to this Babel Builder but set down the words of the paper (which he calls mine) and hath help't to fill his book with, (which he omitted) and shew how he hath perverted them, to make them speak to his mind and Answer his corrupt end and vain Conceit, the words he left out are these viz. [Which leads all them that are faithful thereunto to be.]

Now Read what he hath so often mentioned with these words to them as they were in that paper. And its thus. Friends unity and fellowship stands in that Etemal Spirit which leads all them that are faithful thereunto to be all of one mind and to speake the same thing, and by the same Spirit a remnant, are Joyned together in the same mind and in the same Judgment among whom there is no Division, and these with the one mind and mouth, glorify God, and serve him even the Father of [Page 14]our Lord Jesus Christ with one mind and one accord &c. Pray now where's John Feuds false Assertion, or grand falshood. For J. F. never said T. C. W. R. and J. W. &c. were of one mind, for J. S. and J. W. says, The pay­ment of Cythes as at this day is Antichristian: but T. C. saith Its his Principle to pay Tythes and Marry by a Priest, and hath practiced accordingly, in paying Tythes, &c. Now if J. F. had said these were of one mind and Judgment and spake the same thing, T. C. might well have termed it false or a grand falshood. Neither did J. F. say that those that are not faithful to the Spirit of God were of one mind. And J. F. would not have T. C. say the Spirit of God is not at unity with it self; nor that them that are led thereby not at Unity one with another; least he thereby Contracts more guilt upon his Soul, and affirms that which he may (as for his other unfruitful words and works of darkness) have full sore Cause to Repent of.

So God who is large in his mercy and Infinite in his kind­ness (if it be his will) give him a heart to Repent of these his evil works, before he goes hence no more to be seen of man that they may not follow him and that these Sins (may not in that dreadful day, wherein God will Judge the Secrets of all hearts by Jesus Christ according to his Gospel, and reward every man according to his deeds) be such a weight upon him, that will Sink him into the lake of endless misery, and Horrible pit out of which there is no Redemption, for God who knows how to deliver the Righteous out of Temptation, knows how to Reserve the wicked to the day of Judgement.

Thomas Crisp. I am thy Friend who can and do (as I have learnt of Christ) freely forgive thee all thy hard speeches and false sayings concerning me.