Hypocrisy Detected, Or, a Brief ANSWER TO Thomas crisps Book.  
By Thomas Laurence.  
Let this Paper be kept by Friends, and spread only as they see a Service for it occasioned by Thomas Crisp 's Book, or otherwise.  
London, Printed by Andrew Sowle, and sold at his Shop in Devonshire-Buildings, without Bishopsgate, 1681.   

Hypocrisy Detected: Or, A brief Answer to Thomas Crisp 's Book.  
I. HE saith, He hopes to be instrumental to provoke to Love and Gentleness.  
Answer, In thy Title-page thou sayest, You are Gods Israel, and all those that oppose you, Pharaohs Taskmasters. And in thy Postscript, That you are Followers of the Lamb, and all others Worshippers of the Beast. Is this thy gentle beginning, to provoke to Love? judge thy own words; alack for thee, Thomas! I pity thee; the Foundation of thy work is not (as thou pretendest) the Light of Christ within thee, but W. Rogers' Book without thee: Why, Thomas, canst thou not preach without a Text? What! Priestlike? nay, far below the Priests, they take a Text from the Book of Scripture, which is true, but thou from William Rogers' Book, which is false.  
II. Thou sayest, Thou wilt show the necessity of bearing, and not judging one another about Opinions in Religion.  
Answ. I deny thee, and all Evil Opinions, all that are in Truth are out of them; O Lord keep me sensible in thy Spirits Motions.  
III. Thou sayest, We may belong all to one Shepherd, though not all to one Fold.  
Answ. Christ said, Other Sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them will I bring, and (then) there shall be one Sheep-fold, and one Shepherd; but it appears by thy Book, thou art not yet brought into Christ's one Fold.  
John Story, and others, that are Enemies to the Church's Peace, say, The Apostasy came in FIRST by setting up of outward Orders, Synods and Counsels.  
Answ. The cause of the Apostasy was departing from the Spirit of God, which Spirit leads his People into good Order, and preserves his People in the same.  
Now I am come to thy Book; first thou sayest is Isaac Pennington's Testimony, which thou toldst his Son before Philip Ford, thou never readst nor saw, but took thine out of William Rogers 's Book; and William Rogers took but part of Isaac Pennington's neither, and that he wrested too, and never was Isaac Pennington's Sense nor Meaning. So, here is a Perversion and Abuse in the beginning of thy Book, but not Isaac Pennington's Testimony. T. C. how darest thou to rake up the Ashes of that honourable Person in Truth, and so mingle, wrist and pervert his Sense and Meaning! blush for shame, and own thy Condemnation for it, before thy Heart is wholly hardened, and say, a Friend in love did give thee good Advice and Counsel.  
Second, Edward Burrough 's Vision of a Flock of Sheep, if his, but it is not like him, nor like his other Writings; The Sheep fed together, the Shepherd gathering his Flock into one Fold, he stayed by the Fold himself, where all his Sheep were safely protected; but thou art for several or many Folds, out of God's Protection, and in the many Errors and Confusions. I can say but little to this Author, because I do not know certainly who he is; only this I know, that Isaac Pennington, Edward Burroughs and William Penn have writ with great zeal against outward Orders set up by Papists, Sects and false Churches, all out of Truth, which thou and thy own side of unlearned and unstable men do apply against faithful Friends in Truth.  
Third, Geo. Bishop against a Paper of Orders, 1666. by eleven of your (why your?) Ministers. T. C. thou keep'st close still in thy separation, Yours and Ours. T. Crisp, George Bishop hath finished his course in this World (and I hope is at rest) but thou makes ill use of his words, to uphold a bad Cause.  
1st, Thou sayest, In the Apostles days were Pastors, Teachers and Elders, but in this day, the Spirit itself is Pastor, Teacher and Elder, without respect of Persons.  
Answ. By what Scripture dost thou prove the Spirit called an Elder? (that serve Tables.)  
2. Answ. The Spirits moving, which is the efficient cause, doth not destroy his instruments, in which he moves, but speaks in them, as in the Apostles days; and it is the honour of a King, the Multitude of Subjects, not alone; but it seems thou pretendest, thou hast found another Administration than God gave by his Spirit to his Church at the Pentecost, Acts 2.  
2dly, Thou sayest, Declaring and Speaking is not now in the Disposition of Persons.  
Answ. Why then dost thou write, and many Persons of your side declare?  
3dly, Thou sayest, The Seed is come, the Heir is come, and not to be limited under Tutors and Governors.  
Answ. Dost thou account the Seed limited when it goeth forth in a powerful Ministry, for the good of them that shall be Heirs of Salvation; but thy Writings are obscure, and darken Counsel by words without Knowledge.  
4thly, Thou grantest, The eleven Subscribers were Ministers, and the Presence of the Lord hath been with them; but now they think to settle themselves in the place of the Heir.  
Answ. This is unjust and hasty judging, yet your side complain against judging one another.  
5thly, Thou sayest, Seek not to undervalue that to which you were sent to minister.  
Answ. Here is another Problem; had the Seed of God ever any need of the Ministry of man, or was the Ministry sent to that which the Seed had begotten in man? Here is thy great Mistake.  
Thomas Crisp, these are Eorronious and Schismatical Opinions, broached by thee and such as thou art, and they prove plainly that your side are joined to the man of Sin, the son of Perdition, defined 2 Thes. 2.3, 4. who separates Christ's Church, Government and Discipline from his Doctrine.  
2. You vilify, and with reproachful terms call Christ's Church-Government, set up by his Spirit and Power in his instruments, Outward Orders, Forms, Prescriptions, rotten Orders and Idols, not like Christians.  
3. You cast away Christ's Church-Government and Discipline; for thou toldst me in our short Discourse, There was no need of any Discipline.  
4. You do not only cast away Christ's Church-Government, but his Doctrine and Ministers also, saying, The Spirit itself is Pastor, Teacher and Elder, without Persons. Yet you own Persons that go about Preaching, which is Self-contradiction and Confusion in Life and Doctrine.  
Fourth is Tho. crisps piece of stolen words, which he doth not deny, but saith, He took them out of William Rogers 's Book.  
1st, Thou sayest, Some have promoted Government and Orders, to the compelling of others before convincement.  
Answ. But thou hast not named any particular Persons, nor do I know any one amongst us, who so do. But in pretence, to prevent ill orders, thou wouldst have no outward orders.  
2dly, Thou sayest, There is the Saints Seal and the Beasts Mark described in Scripture.  
Answ. Thou accountest, all that oppose thee, and your side, have the Beasts Mark; for thou chargest them, proudly saying, Away with calling yourselves the People of God, and judge others.  
Answ. How often in thy Book hast thou passed severe Judgement on others? and yet complain'st of judging: Thou condemnest others, and dost the same things, therefore thou art inexcusable, Rom. 2.  
3dly, Let none boast of their Number, and think themselves the only People of God, because they are many; but as the Apostle said, Esteem others better than yourselves.  
Answ. Art not thou a proud boaster, that sayest, Thou hast the Saints seal, and others the Beasts mark? Dost not thou esteem thyself better than others, contrary to the Apostles counsel, the words of Scripture, which thou hast quoted against thyself.  
4thly, Thou sayest, The Kingdom of Heaven doth not consist in speaking one sort of Speech or Language, or conforming to Orders or Prescriptions from without.  
Answ. Now the rottenness of thy Heart within, and painted Sepulchre of deceiving Words without is manifest; for thou dost not only disown the good Order of Truth, which is according to Scripture, but also the Language of Truth, according to Scripture, and ownest the World's Manners, Gestures and Language; Art not thou a Ranter, who sayest in thy Title-page, You Quakers? (giving some cause thereby to judge that thou art none.)  
5thly, Have not some of your side said, That God will teach his People himself? yet now you limit them by your Orders and Directions.  
Ans. God teacheth his People himself, sometimes inwardly & immediately by his spirit itself, sometimes outwardly by the same spirit in his instruments; so he taught by his Apostles and Ministers in the primitive Churches, so he doth now in our Churches. Much more might be said to Thomas crisps Epistle to the Reader, and his own piece of stolen words, but I am weary of raking in such dirty Puddles.  
Fifthly, Thou quotest Isaac Pennington first in thy second Edition; now I may try how thou dealest with Isaac Pennington's second Testimony; note two things; first, he owns outward Orders and Uniformity in the Church of Christ, and saith:  
1. Uniformity is good, and to be desired; and the intent and work of the Ministry is to bring into Unity, which being kept in, will come into Uniformity at length, pag. 7.  
2. Isaac Pennington saith, The Church was clothed, appearing in the beautiful and glorious Dress; the Lord himself put upon her, pag. 17. of thy Book.  
Now, if you seek to take away outward Order in the Church of Christ, is not this to take away from her Glory?  
3. The Invisible state of the Church hath a Visible way of appearing to the World, by the Garments that she wears openly, which the Life chooseth to appear in, pag. 18. Then they that are against outward Order, are against the Life's appearing in what it chooseth.  
4. The Form was once true, until the Dragon entered, pag. 19 This is Isaac Pennington's Testimony for outward Government and Order in the Church, quoted by Thomas Crisp against himself, that saith, There is no need of any outward Government, endeavouring to destroy the glory and beauty of the Church.  
Sixth Author is Edward Burroughs, which is answered already.  
Seventh is a further Testimony of a nameless Author, that makes several Queries, not to force People into outward Orders; which is but a needless repartition of what your side of erroneous Schismatics propounded before.  
Eighth is R. R 's Testimony: Thomas Crisp, why dost thou not name Robert Rich? this Testimony it is like him; but it may be thou art ashamed, and well thou mayst, for he was an Enemy to Truth, and to Friends in Truth; and for thee to have named him, would not have been for the credit of thy Cause. But your Testimonies are both alike, and so are your false Schismatical Doctrines also.  
Ninth is B. F. in a Letter to G. W. Thomas Crisp, if thou dost think that G. W. is guilty of a separating lording Spirit, thou mightst, nay, thou oughtest to have told him first, before thou hadst published him in thy Book, that he might have satisfied thee of his clearness in this Matter, etc. And as for B. F. I do not think he is of that treacherous dividing spirit as Robert Rich and thou art art of. What Isaac Pennington, Edward Burroughs & William Penn writ zealously against outward Orders, set up by false Churches out of Truth, thou and thy side of unlearned and unstable men, falsely apply against faithful Friends in Truth.  
Tenth is a few words of James naylor's; but he confutes thee, and all thy side: Why dost thou bring him? first he saith, They that are in the spiritual Worship of God, cannot stay in any form any longer than God stays therein.  
Answ. Then there are outward Forms that God owns, and stays in them. The Apostle spoke against such who had the form of godliness, but denied the power thereof; he said, from such turn away; but we do own the Power of God, and the form which he hath led us into, and justifies us in. And what James Naylor said concerning Form, to the Professors, I understand to be concerning outward Shadows and Figures, which are to pass away, some of which was used by some in the infancy of the primitive Church.  
Eleaventh is William Penn's Address to Protestants, that are as yet carnal, and not convinced of Truth; and what Isaac Pennington, Edward Burroughs and William Penn applieth to the false Churches concerning outward Orders, you apply to George Fox, and Friends in Truth.  
Twelfth is a Manuscript of James naylor's, added by desire of a Friend. Thomas Crisp, thy Friend and thou have added nothing to your work, but a needless repartition of words, which I have spoken to, and answered fully already.  
Thirteenth is John Wilkinson and John Story's sense concerning women's Meetings, wherein we may take notice, that John Wilkinson and John Story are unconstant changeable men, as appears by their subtle reserves, as what their words will bear, etc.  
1st, They say, We do approve of Monthly and Quarterly Meetings; and that it will be our Duty to be at unity with our Brethren in the service thereof. But in the first of the forty four Charges John Wilkinson declared publicly against appointing set days aforehand to meet; and John Wilkinson was the Header of that separate Meeting in Wiltshire, which they continue separate from our Quarterly and Monthly Meetings set up by the Power of God in his instruments (they said, They will not say they were not.)  
2dly, John Wilkinson subscribed a Paper for erecting of women's Meetings in the Country, in singleness of Heart, and for unities sake; but now we [Why we?] judge there is no necessity to continue them in the Country. It seems John Wilkinson had changed his Mind from singleness of Heart and Unity, into Separation.  
3dly, Though we conscientiously forbear to assent or encourage to lay intentions of Marriage before the women's Meetings, yet our inward Sense is, that it is not agreeable to the Life of Truth, to oppose others in the Practice thereof.  
4thly, When it pleaseth the Lord to manifest to us a sense of its Service in the Country, as in the City, we shall join hand and heart with our Brethren and Sisters in the Practice of it. Oh, unstable changeable men! who can trust them in any thing. What! not settled in their Judgement yet?  
Fourteenth is an Abridgement of a Judgement against John Wilkinson and John Story. Thomas Crisp, thy Copy is not the same, but falsely transcribed, the chief words left out, as [to be reconciled to your Brethren, and united to the Church] is not in; and other words put in dishonestly, to serve thy own turn, as the usual manner hath been through thy Book.  
Fifteenth, Another eminent Opposer of J. W. and J. S. saith, [Let not that spirit be reasoned with, enter not into Articles with it, but feed it with Judgement, this is God's decree]  
Answ. T. C. is it not God's Decree to pass Judgement upon all wicked spirits? He doth not say, article not with the person; that were uncharitable; but use means to pull him as 〈◊〉 Firebrand out of the Fire, by telling him, if he will not hear thee, tell one or two; if he will not hear them, tell the Church; if he will not hear the Church, let him be unto thee as an Heathen man. Thomas Crisp, our acquaintance and unity in the Truth, twenty years since, was joyful, but now to see thee joined to a spirit Error, grieves my heart. If thou shouldst dislike my plainness of speech, and account it hard Words, or ill Will, thou art mistaken; I wish thee all happiness, as to my own Soul, and in true Love counsel thee, rest not in Self-confidence, but search thy heart deeply, whether thou mayst not be mistaken. I say unto thee, as in my Answer to William Rogers, if thou canst prove all thy Writings true, and mine false, I will submit to the Truth in thee; but if thou canst not prove thine true, nor mine false, than thou art to submit to the Truth in me; so all Controversy betwixt us in these matters, will be ended.  
The 6th Month, 1681. Thomas Laurence.  
THE END.