The skirts of the WHORE DISCOVERED, And the mingled People in the midst of Her.

In a Letter sent by Denys Hollister to the Independent Bap­tiz'd People, who call themselves a Church of Christ in Bristol, but are found to be a 'Synagogue of Satan' in Answer to a Charge brought to him from them by some of their Mem­bers, and by him for the sake of the Simple-hearted among them, from whom it hath been kept, and for the manifesting of De­ceit and Hypocrisie published.

Together with another Letter written by him to Thomas Ewens, a Teacher among them, who before several Witnesses hath often denied him­self to be a Minister of the Gospel, as his fruits also declare] referring to his speaking among his people of having Sarah Latchet a servant of Jesus, once a member among the Baptists, sent to Bridewell, and whipt for testisying to them in the name of the Lord in their meeting the second. day of the ninth Moneth. 1655.

And likewise an Answer to 16 Antiqueries directed to the People called Quakers, which Answer was sent to Thomar Ewens, from whom the Antiqueries were received, though Iohn Pendarviss a long time after publi­shed the Antiqueries by the name of Queries, without the Answer to them, or taking the least notice of it [in a Book entituled Arrows against Babylon] which hath occasiond the presenting of the one, and the other, now to the view of those who read, and understand, to judge of the whole, and of their unfaire and deceitfull dealing.

For the greatnesse of thine iniquities are thy skirts discovered, and thine heales made bare.

In her tkirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents, I have not found it upon secret search, but upon all these.

VVere they ashamed when they had committed these abominations? nay they wer: not at all ashamed, neither could they blush.

I know the Blasphemies of them, which say they are Jewes, but are not, but are the Synagogue of Satan.

Take away her Battlements, for they are not the Lords.

Forlo I will raise, and cause to come up against Babylon an Assembly of great Nati­ons from the North Country, and they shall set themselves in array against Her, from thence she shall be taken, their arrows shal be as of a mighty expert man, none shall retu [...] in vain, all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows, for she hath sinned a­gainst the Lord.

LONDON, Printed for Giles Calvert, and are to be sold at his Shop at the si [...] of the Black-Spread-Eagle at the West-end of Pauls. 1656.

To the Reader.

Reader,

HAving received a charge of several particulars as to sinne, by Robert Simpson, Robert Purnell, and Richard Moone, from the baptiz'd Inde­pendent-People, who call themselves a Church of Christ, with whom I have walked in oustward fellowship many years; and about the space of 8, or 9 years past, at their request taken the care of them as an Elder (they having no pastour, nor Teacher) to which upon my refusall they often E­ected me, I prepared my defence thereunto in Writing, which thou hast in the second following paper, which I intended only to themselves (and not to be made publick to the rest of the World) in answer to what they sene to me, and to manifest to their Consciences that deceit and hypocrisie in which of a truth they inhabit; so that the dreadfull terrible day of the Lord, in which no iniquity or deceit can stand, which is now at the door, and hasteth greatly, is like to be upon them before they are aware, and to awaken, if it were pos­sible, those slumbring Virgins that are yet amongst them, after whose soules of a truth my bowels yern; that so they might be gathered out of all de­ceitful paths, in which they are led by the sleights of men (like an Oxe to the slaughter, and a foole to the correction of the stocks) up to Christ Iesus, the Light, and the Life of men, yea the Wisedome and Power of God, and so come to Witnesse not only a Lamp of profession, but Oyle in their own Ves­sels, whereby the true Light is maintained, by which alone the Bridegroom can be followed into the Marriage-Chamber.

But knowing how subtilly the Serpent, whose head must be bruis'd, works in some Children of disobedience amongst them to keep them in the snares of Sa­tan, in security and blindnesse, that the true way to everlasting peace they may never know, but the things thereunto belonging hid from their eyes: not only by crying peace, peace to that, which of a truth is for destruction, and dawbing with untempered Morter that house, of which according to my mea­sure I beare testimony shall never stand, when the winds blow, and the floods beat: but also by corrupting, opposing, and keeping from their hearing whatsoever might tend to their good: There appeared to me some disficulty how to get it truly and faithfully read, and communicazed among the people to whom it was intended: And therefore having sent for Robert Simpson, and Robert Purnell, two of the Messengers they sent to me, and read in their [Page]hearing what I had written to their Company, I demanded of them whether they were free to take it, and read it truly and faithfully to the rest at a full meeting? Who replied, they saw nothing in it, for which it ought not to be so communicated, and promis'd to doe it, if the people would hear it; only desired me to take notice, that notwithstanding they could not but acknowledge they were guilty of what I had therein charg'd upon them, viz. pride, hypo­crisic, envy, slandering, backbiting, railing, lying, &c.) yet it did not reign among them, but was their burthen: Yet notwithstanding, when it was made mention of to be read in the meeting, so great was the deceit among them, that it could not be suffered; and the better to cover the deceit, that the simple might be beguil'd, and not discern it, a fasting day, as they call'd it, being ap­pointed, a clear answer from God to some is pretended, that the said Letter must not be opened and read, lest the weak be thereby stumbled, or to that ef­fect: And so after about a moneths space was it return'd, and left not with me, but with my servant, and never permitted to come to the hearing of those to whom it was intended, nor any reason or cause signified to me why it was so return'd, although I waited patiently above three moneths for it; but in stead of receiving any answer to their first lying accusations & standers, of which I know I am clear in many, if not in all their Consciences, the aforesaid per­sons came the second time pretending themselves Messengers of the Church of Christ, and in his name to lay the former things with some other, as false addi­tions to my charge, and admonish me thereof.

Which when they had done, I beginning to reply, and to vindicate my self from their accusations, and to answer what they had said, they hasted away, and would not hear, and said they were not to stay to receive any an­swer, which was their manner also in many other places, fulfilling the Scri­pture, that the Wicked cannot stand in judgement, nor sinners in the Con­gregation of the Iust, but flies when no man pursues. Now forasmuch as hereby it plainly appeares, that the intent, and end of those who sent the aforesaid charge to me, was but to slander and accuse, as hath been the man­ner of the Devill and his Instruments from the beginning, who is the accuser of the Brethren; and for that, hereby my just and necessary defence is kept from the simple-hearted amongst them, after whom my soule longs, and for whose sakes it was principally intended: Therefore that they may come to the knowledge thereof, and that the exceeding deceit and filthinesse of the rest may be made manifest, and the skires of the Whore discovered, I am even con­strained thus to make it publick, that not only themselves, but all, in whom any spark of honesty and true discerning is, may read, and judge, and so be led to consider their wayes, brought to repentance, and acknowledgement of the truth, that their sonles may be saved im this great and notable day of the Lord Iesus, which is the true desive of him, that was, and is a Lover of their souls, known by the nature of

D. H.

TO THE INDEPENDENT BAPTIZED PEOPLE IN BRISTOLL.

Friends,

WHilest I slumbred, and slept in security, and outward fellowship among you ab­sent from the Bridegroom, and the Fa­thers house, and knew not the Bread of Life which came down from Heaven, and is the life of men, but fed you in wisedom of words, and spake unto you smooth things, how was I as a prophet well esteemed among you? but after that the kindnesse and love of God ap­peared, and by the ministration of the Spirit, which excells in glory (after which my soule had long travell'd) I was made in some measure to see the sandinesse of all Foundations, and Professions, which stood in the Imagination, not in the Life, and so the emptinesse of your Forme, and the foundation of your Religion to be but in the imaginations, which is only evill continually, and all your Worships and Services which from thence proceed, to be but the Witchcrasts and Sorceries of [Page 2] Babylon, by which Nations are deceived, and the Priests your Lea­ders to be one in the same nature with the Magicians and Sorceres of Egypt and Babylon, who by the same spirit withstood Moses and Da­niel then, as they and you doe now the truth; and so the same ne­cessity and ground to separate and withdraw from you, and your wor­shipping, as formerly from the Parishes, and their Whoredomes, and began to warn you of it; how soon were you offended, and some of you greatly enraged! Yet so tender was my heart towards you, that for your sakes I did bear my burthen among you for a season, till he, who hath mercy on the ignorant, and those that are out of the way, pluckd me, as a brand out of the fire, from amongst you, and gave me opportunity by your passionate, furious, and unchristianlike behaviour in your Assembly, when others took their leave, and testi­fied against you, to acquaint you (after I had been witness against that spirit that then acted you) that although I was altogether igno­rant till then of any others being there to take their leaves, yet had I the same thing to propound concerning my selfe, and so tender over you I was, that I only desired leave (till I more sully saw which way the Pillar and Cloud moved) to come into your meetings, or not; and if I came, and had not freedome to speak among you, as formerly, but in silence to wait, that offence might not be taken by any, assuring you that I made not this motion out of any levity, or lightness of spi­rit, but of awfulness, sear, and dread of the Living God; not to sa­tisfie the flesh, the affections, or lusts thereof, by living idly, loosely, or carelesly in the World, but to deny my self, and crucisie the flesh, by casting off whatsoever might feed and nourish the same: Not be­cause I was at all shaken in minde as to sellowship, or communion of Saints, but because I seared you were not the Spouse of Christ, but an Harlot, and that your communion and sellowship was not in the light and life of the Spirit of Christ, but in the spirit of the world, which is the spirit of Whoredomes: And how tenderly I behaved my selfe afterwards towards you, without doing, or speaking ought by which you might be offended, or your minds made evill-affected to­wards the truth, is in part known to some of you. Nevertheless, the wrath and rage of many of you waxed great against the Truth, and was made manifest, by much railing, reviling, slandering, and false accusing in your, Pulpits, and other your Meetings; those that enter­tain'd the same, in which my selse was a Sharer, and matter was sought for, whereof to accuse me; but when nothing justly could be sound, an accusation made up of apparent lyes, falsehood, and de­ceit (as is manifest in my Reply) is prepared, and sent me by three of your Members, being all the men you have lest of those to whom I was joyned) and two of them became Imitators of Water-Baptism, a practice disowned and testified by those to whom I joyned; but when I had prepared my Defence, in answer to your Accusations, I sent for two of your aforesaid Messengers, to whom I read what I had written [Page 3]to you; and manifested my desire to have it publickly read among you at a full meeting, and asked their freedome to doe it, who an­swered, they were free to doe it, and saw no reason why it should not be so done, and told me, I had created more trouble and paines for my selfe, because an Answer to it I might be sure to receive; yet when it came (so great was the deceit among you that) it could not be permitted to have an hearing by you, lest thereby (as was pretended) the weak should be stumbled; but the truth was, lest deceit and hypocrisie should be thereby manifested to the view of the simple-hearted among you, who discerning the same, might be drawn out of your snares, and Satan lose his dominion over them, and that the eyes of their minds might be the more effectually blinded, kept it was till a Fasting day was appointed, and therein an Answer pretended by some among you from God that it must not be read.

Isa. 58.4. Be­hold you fast for strife and de­bate, and to smite with the fist of wicked­nesse. And so after a moneths space, or thereabouts, was it return'd, not into mine, but into the hand of one of my servants, without signify­ing in the least to me any reason why it was so return'd. And as if your former wickedness had been too little, in laying things to my charge which I never knew, and refusing to receive, or to heare my charge which is just and true, you proceed to another wickedness little lesse then the former, and send your Messengers again in the name of the Lord (as they said) who charged me once more with the same false accusations, with some other feigned and false additions, who, as soon as they had done, fled away as men surpriz'd with fear, or accu­sed by their own Consciences, and said, they were not to receive any answer, and so hasted away, espeially the two Baptists, notwithstanding I urged them by several Arguments to hear a little, and told them it was the wicked that did flee, and could not stand in the judgement, but the righteous was bold as a Lyon: And afterwards meeting with Robert Simpson, who was the mouth of your three messengers (my bowels moving towards him) I put it to his Conscience what he had done, and asked how he durst come to me, and in the name of the Lord lay to my charge that I affirm'd the Scriptures of truth were one of the greatest plagues in the Land, when as I never spake, nor thought any such thing? Who answered, he spake it not, nor laid it to my charge, neither did he hear any such thing from me; I told him I had it under his hand, which he confidently denied before several witnes­ses; I told him I could shew it; he replied, if I could, he would ac­knowledge himselfe a lyar before those then present: I desired him to stay a little, and I would fetch his paper, who answered, he should not stay; I desired him to call againe that Evening, or the next morning, and he should see it; who replyed, he had other business to doe, or to that effect, and so passionately departed: upon which, the next day I writ to him as followeth.

The Letter to ROBERT SIMPSON.

Robert Simpson,

IT came upon me in sobernesse yesterday to manifest to thy Conscience a little of the deceit in which thou inhabitest, not knowing of another opportunity by reason of thy sudden departure for London, and therefore charged thee with coming to me with lyes in the name of the Lord, and demanded of thee how thou durst in the name of the Lord tell me, and so lay to my charge that I said or affirmd that the Scriptures were one of the greatest plagues of the Land, when I never spake, or thought any such thing: To which thou replyedst, thou never spake it, nor laid it to my charge; I told thee I had it under thy hand, which thou boldly and confidently didst deny again and again; and when I told thee I could shew it under thy hand, thou replyedst it was not so, or to that effect; and that if I could produce any such thing thou wouldst acknow­ledge thy selfe a lyar before those men who were then present: Now the lyar is without, and for the Lake; and a proud look, a lying tongue, and a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations the Lord hates: But thy lips hath spoken lyes, and thy tongue hath utterd perversenesse; and as the false witnesse shall not be unpunished, so he that speaketh lyes cannot escape: Now having found thy paper, the fifth thing thou layest to my charge, is in these words, whi [...]h thou mayst see when its convenient: viz. Speaking reproachfully of the pre­cious Scriptures of Truth: As first affirming it was a blinding to souls; and secondly, one of the greatest plagues of the Land; where thou mayst take no­tice of a lye invented among you, a lye prosecuted, a lye denied, and the lye proved upon thee: Therefore oughtest thou to own thy condemnation, which is just, and repent before he appear, who is a swift witnesse against all lyars: And by this also mayst thou with the rest of thy company take notice what the nature of the rest of the Charge is, which in the name of the Lord, which is dreadfull, both thou and they have laid to me.

Friend, I do not insuli over thee, nor delight in thy woe and misery, but sorely grieved I am, to see how the man of sin, that wicked one, whom the Lord is now risen as a mighty man refreshed after wine to destroy with the glo­ry of his coming, it exalted among you, who once were so dear unto me, and that your eyes are so blinded; and that thy heart is so hardened, that though your root is become rottennesse, and your fruit withers, and you become like stubble fully dry; yet art thou insensible, and canst not see, but under a cloak of Profession hide your selves, as if you were delivered to commit abomination; but all that I desire at this time as to thee, is, that thou repent, and pray God that the thoughts of thy heart may be for given, and that thou fear and tremble before the dreadfull God, whose name thou hast taken in vain, and cannot be hold guiltlesse: Which is the groaning of thy friend, who is a Lover of thy soul, though a Witness against thy deceit, who in the world is known by the name of D. H.

25th. first moneth, 1646.

Vpon the reading whereof I shall not now mention his wrath and passion, though it much exceeded the bounds of moderation, but to the Letter I have received no answer: Now therefore upon the whole matter, let the unjustness of your proceedings be considered: Nico­demus a Pharisee could say, Doth our Law judge a man before he be heard? And Festus, a Heathen Roman Governor, was so noble, That he heard Pauls defence as to the accusations made against him by his own Coun­try-men: And King Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thy self: But ye have falsly accused, judged, and condemn­ed me, and refused to hear my defence, which in writing I sent you; and not onely so, but sent your Messengers the second time with like false accusations, which Messengers, would not receive my answer, saying, They were not to do it; and when I met with him, who was the mouth of the three, and put it to his conscience what he had spoken with his mouth, and writ with his hand, he denyed it, and fled, and refused to hear any farther; and when I charged him with it, he (like the man cast into utter darkness) became speechless, so as not to an­swer me by word or writing. Are these the people of the Lord? are these his doings? Is this the Church of Christ, or the Harlot? Ye who are simple-hearted among the people called Churches, consider of it, take advise, and speak your mindes, whether such things as these have been done in Israel? And whether being thus dealt withal and constrained, I could do less then publish this to the view of all men, without an apparent suffring of my self, and the everlasting Truth of God by me owned, which is dearer to me then thousands of gold and silver, to lie under such false accusations and slanders, as a fore said.

And now friends, having thus given you a particular and true ac­count of proceedings, and the manner of them, let me ask you what aileth the mountains and the hills: Are ye grieved, that I (having at last sound the Pearl of great price, which in the field of this World was, and is hid) am in some measure made freely willing to sell all, yea, the repute and esteem I had with you and others, called Churches, that I might possess it; and that I have found him whom my soul lo­veth, even him of whom Moses and the Prophets did write, and the Apostles, and living Saints did, and doth witness, even Jesus which saves his people from their sins, and redeems them from all iniquity, who is the light of the World, and the life of men; the living Way, the Resurrection, and the Life, the faithful and true Witness; the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, who was dead and is alive, and lives for evermore: Whom you with me were long seeking among the dead, but could not finde because he was not there, but was risen, and is gone before his people, whom he leads with a strong hand from under Pharaoh and all his host, his Magicians and wise men; the King of Babylon and all his Counsellors, to give them freedom and rest in the promised Land, to the terror and astonishment of the World, and the [Page 10]disquietment of the Inhabitants of Babylon, where they shall feed as in days of old, and the Lord delight to dwell amongst them, and multiply them, and set his Sanctuary in the midst of them for ever­more.

Are the pillars and foundation of your building so feeble, that a Letter from the hand of a friend, that dearly loves you, (and is become as your enemy onely for telling you the truth, and imbracing it) makes it tremble and shake, so that you durst not suffer it to be read amongst you, lest it fall: Hath fear indeed surprized the Hypocrite? Doth the wicked know that he cannot stand in Judgement, but must be de­stroyed by the brightness and glory of Christs appearing and coming? Have ye not read in the Scripture, That they that trust in the Lord, shall be as mount Sion, that cannot be shaken; and that the house built upon the rock stands, notwithstanding the wind, rain, and floods beat and dash against it: Yea, that all the gates and powers of hell cannot prevail against it; and that they that serve God acceptably, receive a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, and that all that may be shaken must be removed: Why then are ye afraid? Do ye not hereby declare and manifest, that ye are children in whom is no faith, and that the light of God in your consciences hath manifested to you that your building is on the sands, not on the rock, and that your foundations is not eternal, but in the imaginations onely, though to it you attend not? And is not he your friend, that warns you of it in time, and bids you attend to wisdom, which cries and utters her voice in your streets, and saith, Turn ye at my reproof, and I will pour out my spirit upon you.

But why must not my defence be heard, if it contains onely truth, must it therefore be shut out from among you, and not suffered to have an hearing in your Assembly, least thereby deceit and Hypocrisie be discovered, and the man within you is so strongly armed, lose his Palace? if it contain other then truth, why had you not made it ma­nifest, that I might repent, since you pretend your love is so great that pou cannot cease praying for my return back to you, though I have often denyed those Prayers? Isa, 1.15. When you make many Prayers, I will not hear.

Are ye not many, and I but one, and such an one whom you may easily encounter, if truth and power were on your side? Did not your messengers tell me they saw nothing in it, for which it might not be read in your meeting, & that I had but created more labor and trouble for my self, because an answer to it I might be sure to receive? To which I replyed, An answer to it I would willingly receive from them to whom it was sent, and advised, that they took care it were to some purpose, and not a parcel of weakness and confusion; to which end you might call to your assistance the men of your Confederacy, the Tabernacles of Edom, the Ishmaelites, Moab, and the Hagarenes, &c. and instanced some lately invited and entertained by you, who opened their mouthes in Blasphemy against God, his Tabernacle, and them [Page 11]that dwell therein: And this I did the rather, because I have seen put sorth by Priests and People such parcels of falshood and confusion (yet its like the best they had) that is was no ways worth perusing or an­swering.

Why had not your messengers delivered it into mine own hands, from which it was received, that their promise might not be broken; or signified some reason or other, why it was so returned; and why could they not stand to receive a sober and true answer from my mouth, when they came the second time with your false and feigned accusations? had shame and confusion covered their faces, or was there so much guilt in their consciences, that they durst not appear to deliver the one, least some reason should be demanded of its return, and they confoun­ded, & the refore shufled it into the hand of a servant, without so much as asking me in 3 moneths time, whether I had it or not, that they might be clear of their promise; or to receive a short answer to the other, least thereby their guilty consciences should so far condemn them, that they be forced to acknowledge the truth, both of mine inno­cency and their own, and your hypocrisie and wickedness: Is fear, the pit, and the snare fallen upon thee? Oh, thou inhabitant of the earth! hath the Lord, who tryeth the righteous, rained upon thee snares as the portion of thy cup, that thou become every way ensnared in the work of thine own hands!

Oh! that your eyes were opened by him, that is given for a Cove­nant, that you might see it and repent, and seek after the living God, whose wisdom and strentgh is against you to cut you down, except you return: How can you say you are wise, and the law of the Lord is with you? what Judgement is there in your goings? do not the righ­teousness of the Scribes and Pharisees far exceed yours? Read, consi­der, and be not deceived, for the day of Visitation is come, and the Lord waits to be gracious, and wisdom cries in your streets, though ye regard it not, but set at naught her counsels, and refuse her reproofs, and the redeemer is come to Sion; and to all that turn from ungodli­ness in Iacob, the voice of the turtle, and singing of birds is heard and witnessed in our land, and the cry at mid-night is made, Behold the Bridgroom cometh, and many are gone forth to meet (and have met him) And therefore awake, awake ye sleepy Virgins, arise ye women that are at ease, hearken and hear ye careless daughters, whose vintage hath long failed, and whose gathering doth not come; who art wearied in thy way, yet sayest not there is no hope; who hast wickedly abused thy self to obtain that which Moses by faith refused: Happy would you be, if your souls, which long have been in captivity under the wisdom and policy of the first Adam might be raised, and have dominion, and you come to witness your part in the first resurrection, where the second death hath no power.

O my friends, what shall I say unto you, or how shall I intreat you! for I bear you record, that some of you have a great zeal of God, but [Page 12]not according to knowledge, but going about to establish your own wisdom, have not submitted your selves to the wisdom of Christ, nor his Cross, which is foolishness to some, and a stumbling block to others, but is known and witnessed by those that are saved, to be the very wisdom of God.

Now in the words of Iob I shall conclude to you, Iob 13.1, 2. Loc, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it; what ye know, the same do I know, also I am not Inferior to you: Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God; but ye are for­gers of lies, ye are all Physitians of no value: O that ye would al­together hold your peace, and it should be your wisdom! hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleading of my lips: Will ye speak wickedly for God, and talk deceitfully for him? Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God? Is it good that he should search you out, or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him? he will surely reprove you: If ye secretly accept persons, shall not his excellency make you afraid, and his dread fall upon you? your re­membrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

Now all the Churches in England and Wales, Baptized and Inde­pendant so called, to whom I have been known in the flesh, and the Elders that are among them, I exhort (who also was account­ed and called an Elder) that by the Light of Christ, with which you are every one enlightned (and is the true Light, of which Iohn was a witness) you search your selves, whether ye are indeed that which ye account your selves to be, or else but the likeness, the picture, or the image of the thing, without the life or living power of God within you to act, order, and direct you: For the day of the Lord is great upon all the Idols, Likenesses and Images, which have eyes and do not see, and feet, and do not walk, &c. Like unto which are all those that make, or trust in them; and sad will be your portion, if you be found wor­shipping in the house of your Imagery and Imaginations, setting up the Images of Churches, in which the true life is not; or the like­ness of Elders (without the power which the living Elders had) which is the works of your own hands; for the Scripture saith, Confounded be all they that serve graven Images, that boast themselves of Idols: And also I exhort you to be sober, Come out of Egypt, and stand still that you may see the salvation of the Lord, who is now leading his people like a stock, out of Egypt, and out of Babylon, as in the days of old, at which Pharaoh with all his Host is angry, and the Magicians and Wise-men of Egypt withstand, with whom many of you have already been par­takers, in persecuting and in unwarrantable cruelties exercised upon the true Israel of God; by which you have sufficiently declared your selves to be the feed which was born of the Bond-woman after she flesh, which persecuted, and must be cast out; and not the seed which was by promise born of the Free-woman, from above after the Spirit, which shall be Heir, and must reign, who in all ages was persecuted [Page 13]under one pretence or other, but did never persecute; but as then He that was born after the flesh, persecuted him that was born after the spirit; so it is now.

And the innocent blood of righteous Iames Parnel, who hath suf­fered to the loss of his life, for the testimony of Jesus, in the Goal of Colchester, will sadly witness it to the Consciences of those pretended Ministers and Members of the Churches in Essex, who were his unjust betrayers and persecuters, against whom it cries aloud for vengeance; let some Members of Churches, whom I know in Norfolk, and other parts of the Nation, also consider this and repent: And therefore amend your ways and your doings, and execute true Judgement and Justice; oppress not the stranger, the fatherless and widow, and shed not innocent blood, nor walk after the abominations of the Heathen, whom the Lord hath cut off before you; and trust not in lying words that cannot profit, saying, The Temple of the Lord, the Ordinances of God, The Churches of Christ, &c. For will ye lie, swear, deal unjustly, persecute, and imprison the righteous, slander, and abuse, and shed in­nocent blood, & do worse then your Fathers; and come & stand in that you call a Church, as if you were delivered to do these abominations? Is the House that is called by my Name become a Den of Robbers, or Persecutors in your eyes? Behold, I have seen it, saith the Lord: And although he hath daily sent unto you his Servants, and Prophets, warning you in his Name, and in his Power, yet have you not heark­ned unto him, nor enclined your ears, but hardened your necks, and many of you done worse then your Fathers; and therefore go see what he hath done to your Brethren the Persecuters, which he cast out be­fore you.

And for mine own part, I must deal plainly, and tell you, the be­holding and observing the unrighteous actings, and deceitful hypocri­tical dealings of many of your eminent Members, and other high pre­tenders to Religion, whilst I sate with them in Parliament, and other chief places of Counsel and Trust in the Nation, was one of the first things that put me upon consideration, what the root of that Professi­on should be, from whence such sowre grapes, and fruits of bitterness proceeded; where I obtained mercy through the light of Christ, that enlightneth every man that cometh into the world, to see the root and the fruit to be the same; your foundation rotten in the imitation and likeness of the truth, not in the truth as it is in Jesus; your way too broad to lead to life, your Principle and profession weak and powerless, not able to carry and lead you out of the World, and its crooked and deceitful ways; but in the lustful, proud, vain-glorious, envious, op­pressive nature, to dwell equal with the rest of the world, from whence it is since broken sorth into the monstrous Viper of plain and open Ty­ranny, Violence and Persecution; in which you are observed greatly to exceed the Generations that went before you. Vpon consideration of which, notwithstanding I have known what it is to be accounted [Page 14]something among those called Churches: what the preferment of Pha­raohs Court is, and the great things of England, and have had a nature prone enough to imbrace the same; yet for the sake of him, whom the world knows not, (and therefore persecute) who was ever a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, have I chosen rather to suffer af­flictions with the people of God, then to enjoy the Pleasures and Trea­sures of England; and can truly say, Much rather would I be a Door­keeper in the House of God, where the living presence and power of God is manifested, known and witnessed, then with you to dwell in the Tents of ungodliness, where pride, oppression, violence, & persecution is owned and practiced: These things are found among you, if any of you deny the Spirit of persecution, let him declare it; and any of you are tender hearted, and desire after the Lord, Come forth from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, faith the Lord God Almighty.

The LETTER to the INDEPENDANT-BAPTIZED People.

Friends,

ALthough I cannot own any power at all you have over me, neither am careful of the judgement of man, who must abide the judgement of God, before whose seat all must shortly come: yet some Messengers from you having some time past been with me, and told me they were sent by the Church of Christ, and in the name of Christ to warn me of some things they lay to my charge as sin: The true love I ever had to your souls, constrains me to give you an answer in all simplicity and plainness, and by the same spirit by which I often spake among you, when many could not bear it, but were offended, as they still will be, which I matter not, well knowing from what fountain of darkness and ignorance it comes.

But before I proceed to answer the Particulars, I must in faithfulness to your souls tell you, that I am even constrained to bear witness, that you are no Church of Christ, neither know the name of Christ, but a Synagogue of Satan, and a Cage of unclean and hateful Spirits; in which lodgeth Pride, Hypocrisie, Envy, Slandering, Back-biting, Railing, Lying, love to this present World; and conformity to the fashions, customs, and conversation of the same ( notwithstanding there is that in some among you, after which my soul doth greatly groan with much longings, that the salvation of God were come out of Sion, &c.) but the Temple of God is holy; Christ dwells not with these un­clean Spirits: And it becomes all who name the name of the Lord, to depart from these iniquities; his Name is dreadful to it, and those that know his Name, know it so, &c.

To the Particulars.

1. You say my sin lies in leaving the Church, which hath these three sad con­siderations in it as you judge. The drawing of many from the Faith, and way of the Gospel: The offending, staggering, and grieving many weak souls: And the opening the mouths of many to speak evill of the wayes of Truth. To which I Reply, That all Judgement is given to the Son, whom you being ignorant of, and enemies to in your minds by wicked works, by what can you judge, or what is your judgement worth? The Church I own as the Pillar and ground of truth, which are all li­ving stones built upon the living Foundation, and groweth up into an holy Temple for God through the eternal Spirit, in which the Lord God Almighty dwels, and walks, and manifests himself, which Church I have not left: But if by the Church you mean a company of people dead in trespasses, without the life and power of godliness, or true know­ledge of God by the Revelation of the Sonne, living in pride, in the customes, and loves of the world, serving diverse lusts and pleasures, e­ver learning, but never comes to the knowledge of the Truth, walking like other Gentiles in the Vanities of their minds, having their under­standings darkned, and hating the true Light, so that they are aliena­ted from the life of God through ignorance, feeding on ashes, not on bread, having a dead Forme without the living power of Godliness: From this if I turn away, it is not my sin, but my duty; and from this if any be drawn, it is matter of joy in Heaven, and of no sadness, except to that which is beneath, and to be cast out: At which, that which is offended, stagger'd, or griev'd, may wel be said to be Weak, and must perish. It is true, the mouths of many are now open to speak evill of the waies of Truth, and of things they understand not, as ever it was of old. But, as many among your selves, are not the least in that transgression, so shall you not miss of righteous Judgement, (ex­cept you repent) in this approaching day, when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, Who is to be reveald from Heaven in flames of fire, to take Vengeance on them who know not God, nor obey the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ, &c.

2. You say my sin lies in neglecting and comtemning some of the Ordinan­ces of Christ. To which I Reply. The Inventions, Traditions, and Imaginations of mens carnall wisedome withall that is done in the first nature, being bus Cains Sacrifice, and nol acceptable to God, I am learning to neglect and disesteem: Yea all that of which the Lord by the true Prophet Isay complaines, Isay 11.10. to the 16. where you may read, that in the account of the pure God the multitude of Sacrifi­ces, Oblations, Incense, New Moons, Sabbaths, solemn Assemblies, appointed Feasts, spreading forth the hands, and making many pray­ers, was to no purpose, no delight had the Lord in it, he required it not at their hands; it was vain, abominable, and burthensome to him, [Page 12]who could not away with it, his soule hated it, it was a trouble to him, it was iniquity coming from impure hearts, and bloody hands; but the ordinances and appointments of God to his people I own, ap­prove, and long after in the pure light, life, and spirit, in which the true Saints had communion and fellowship.

When I asked your Messengers (as they call'd themselves) what they meant in particular by the ordinances that I neglected: They re­replyed, Baptism by Water, and breaking of Bread. To which I an­swer: How can you but blush, when you consider that degree of de­ceit and hypocrifie in which you now speak, doth not that of God in all your Consciences reprove you? I know it doth, if you will observe it; and therefore in plainness, yet with true love let me ask you; how can you say to me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when behold a beam is in your own eyes? Can you judge me, and not condemne your selves, who doe the same things? A Member of an Anabaptist Assembly I never was, but did bear witness against it, as ye know; and the people with whom I walked was once neer upon casting out one for entertaining that opinion of Water-Baptism: And when did you baptize (as you call it) your children? I have known no such thing in use among those with whom I walked these many yeares: And al­though many among you are now running from mountain to moun­taine, building Altars in your own inventions, yet can you not from thence Enchant, nor ensnare the Israel of God, the true Seed, whom the Lord hath blessed, and with whom the Lord of a truth is. And whereas you charge me with neglect of breaking of Bread, I answer: Have not you your selves neglected it, have you medled in any such thing for some yeares past? Oh my Friends, durst you pretend to come in the name of Christ with such things as these? know ye not that his Name is dreadfull to all Hypocrites, and his wrath to be re­veald against such Hypocrisie and Deceit? He loveth truth in the in­ward parts, and those that name his Name must depart from iniquity. But Baptism and the Supper of the Lord I own, &c.

3. You say my sin lies in extreme censoriousnesse, and rash judging, not only of men abroad, but if the Church, calling the Church of Christ an Harlot. To which I reply, the charge is false, and from the Father of lyes; for I never called the Church of Christ an Harlot, but doe own it dearly, and in my measure know it to be chast and pure, yea an ha­bitation for the Lord, who dwells not with impurity, I judge it to be so; but the Harlot is an Harlot, and not the Church of Christ; and it is not my sin, but my duty to declare it so *. And let the Spirit that moved in your Assembly not only that day that proves my parting day, Rev. 1. ch. 3.9. and when Eliz Marshal was sent of the Lord among you for your good, but at many other times since manifest, and testifie who dwells there, & an habitation for whom you are; and whether you are an holy habita­tion for the pure God, or a Cage of unclean and hatefull Birds: And truly in this, my desire is, that prejudice, passion, and fuay may not so [Page 17]blind your eies: But that in the pure feare and light of the Lord you may consider, and try your selves, that so you may not be deceived, and prove rebrobate silver in the day when God shall try you; for to triall you must come, &c.

4. You say my sin lies in asserting the Church-Principles contrary to Truth: As first that Faith is an eternal thing. To which my Reply is, That Faith is a Mystery held in a pure Conscience, hid, and unknown to all ignorant and vulturous eies (as well as to yours) And when you are guided by the pure light of Chr. to know what it is they speak, til which time it will be your wisedom to keep silence: For the wise mans eies are in his head, but a foole will be medling. Yet let me ask you, whether that Faith by which the Saints are justified, by which they overcame the world, by which they saw him that was invisible, by which their hearts are purified, by which Enoch was translated that he saw not death, and is the substance of things hoped for, be eternal, or carnal, or what middle place you have to account it in? Oh that you were not wise in your own eies!

Secondly, That Christ and Faith were all one. To which I only re­ply, that I never asserted any such thing, but enquired after it, as you very well know.— Yet this I say, let the difference be manifested by you, if you can, and how you will divide them.

Thirdly, That Christ Jesus is not the object of Faith. To which my Answer is, that the word object (in this sense) is your own, not mine, nor the Scriptures; and therefore is denied, with much more of like stuff in use among you: But that Christ Jesus is the only foun­dation laid in Sion, and that no other foundation can be laid besides him, is it that I have, and still doe assert, and affirm against all gain­sayers and opposers whatsoever: And withall, that but very few in the world know this foundation, but are offended at him, and stumble at that stumbling stone, as it was in dayes of old. But plainly and honestly let me ask you, Why floe you question me for these Princi­ples as you call them) now, i [...] it be for Connscience sake, as that which is your duty; why had you not done it sooner, or while I was among you? Why had you not then disapproved me by the Scrip­ture? Why would you suffer things which you call Principles contrary to truth to be asserted among you without rebuke? I advise you once more to take heed, and beware of this Hypocrisie and Deceit; for God is not mocked: His name is dreadfull, and must not be pretended to cloak and cover such deceitful actions.

Did not many of your hearts burn within you when I spake? did you not wait for my words? Why then doe you now rake together things in your carnal imaginations to lay to my Charge, which I know not, and pretend the holy and dreadful name of God to it. Am I become your enemy because I told you the truth? Truly these hidden things of Esau will be sought out, the skirts of the Whore will be dis­covered, and all deceit manifested: And then woe from God will be [Page 18]the portion of thousands: But if the ground upon which you charge me be your passion, your corruption, carnal wisedome, and pretences to have something whereof to accuse me (as doubtless it is, and that in your Consciences will witness it) then I demand of you, whether your Charge, as well as your Church, is not to be denied, and witnes­sed against by every sonne and daughter of Sion as carnal, sensual, and devilish, and much like unclean persons, which whiles together in acts of uncleanness approve each others practises; but when separa­ted, accuse one another of evil deeds. This cannot stand with devour­ing fire.

5. You say my sin lies in speaking reproachfully of the precious Scrip­tures of Truth, affi [...]ming that it is one of the greatest Plagues of the Land, a blinding to souls, and not the Word of God, nor Rule of Life. All which is false, and from the Father of lyes; for I never affirmed any of the three among you; though something of query hath been put concer­ning the two last; and therefore my Reply shall be to each, and shall say: The Scriptures of Truth I ever own'd, and still doe, as that which was given forth by inspiration of the Spirit, and is profita­ble, &c. But that ever I said, or thought, or that it ever entred in­to mine heart to think that it was one of the greatest Plagues of the Land, is so utterly groundless, false, and proceeds only from the fa­ther of lyes, and invented by his instruments among your selves, that I cannot but wonder what spirit hath possessed you, and that you durst mention such filthy Vntruths, and pretend it in the name of Christ: But surely the righteous Judge, in whose presence the lying lip, and double tongue can never stand, will require it at your hands.

Its true, I said the thing called the Body of Divinity by the Wi­zards of this world, was a plague to the Land, and doe still affirme it to be so: Although I perceive some among you are so blinded by the god of this world, that they know not how to put a difference between the spirit of Witchcrafts, which acts in the Diana called Divinity, and the pure Spirit of Christ, by which the Scriptures were given forth.

And whereas you accuse me for saying the Scriptures were a blind­ing, or a veil? I demand, where are your eyes? Hath the god of this world indeed so blinded it, that you cannot read plain words of Scri­pture, but lay that to my charge as sinne, which is according to that which came out of the mouth of him whom you pretend to honour? Doth not Christ Jesus, the Light of the world, and the wisedome of God, say, Mdrk 4.11, 12. Vnto you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom; but to them that are without, all these things are done in Para­bles, that seeing, they might see, and not perceive, and hearing, they might hear, but not understand, &c. And the like words in Luke 8.10. Was not Isaiah sent to this purpose, to make the peoples hearts fat, and their eares heavy, and to shut their eyes: And to say unto them; hear ye indeed, but understand not, and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Isa. 6. Doe ye not [Page 19]understand that the Letter killeth, and the Spirit quickneth; besides many other Scriptures manifesting the same thing.

Oh my Friends! were you not wholly given over, and become past feeling, without any sence of the life and spirit of God, how can these things be, especially at such a time, when the night is so far spent, and the day so much appeared, and the true Light come, and the glo­ry of the Lord risen, and the children of the Lord walking in the light of the Lord, and calling each other thereinto according to the Scrip­tures? were it not your way to be silent, and not manifest your igno­rance and folly in accusing others for speaking upon the matter the ve­ry words of Scripture; when it is your own ignorance, even of the very Letter of Scripture, that is the cause of it?

And whereas you accuse me for affirming in the Church, that the Scriptures were not the Word of God, and Rule of Life; when I on­ly propounded it among you, to consider whether it was so or not. In this you manifest your ignorance, as well as in the former: And therefore I demand of you, where doth the Scripture call it selfe the Word of God, and to whom was it the rule of life? It is true, the Holy Scriptures of Truth declare of the Word, and that Word of which it declares, was God, and took flesh; and by that Word was the world made, and by the same Word it is reserved to the judgement of the great day: And if you can find the Scriptures declaring of any o­ther Word of God, let me know it; and till then be silent, and adde not your imaginations (which are onely Evill, and that continually,) to the Scriptures.

Thus having answered what you sent to me, I shall further adde, that I take notice that God hath granted me that mercy, that in all studied accusations raked up together against me, you cannot finde one particular thing to lay to my charge condemned by the spirit of Christ to be contrary to the Scriptures of Truth; and that all, or most part of what you seem to gather up, is of that which was done, or spo­ken, whilest I was among you, and not then reproved; and so your own evill is manifested, and not mine.

But to conclude, for my heart is moved after some of you, why would you stone, or otherwise harm me, what evill have I done? Why doe ye wait for my Halting, and lay snares for him that reproved you in times past by words, and now by silence? Why are your spirits imbitter'd against him that thought nothing deare to doe you service? Have I not served you freely many years together, and been a keeper of your Vineyard? In which all my reward from you was to beare, and be broken under your backbitings, murmurings, formality, and unfruitfulness, and other evils, not a few then in being, and still is a­mong you.

Is it not time now for me to look to my own Vineyard, and to mind my Eternal Habitation? Have I ever made a gain of you, or any of you? Surely I have been servant to you neer as long as Iacob [Page 20]was to Laban for both his wives: And may I not now be permitted to mind mine own, but you must pursue like Laban after poor Iacob, when God bid him return? I know, and am perswaded, that the most embitter'd spirit among you cannot but say I have been more righte­ous then you, more discerning, more faithful and diligent then you, (though I am not thereby justified, neither have I whereof to glory) And may I not say to you, as sometimes the poor Ass abused by the blind Prophet, said to his Master, what have I done? Have I not been your servant these many yeares? was I wont to doe as now? Surely if ever the Lord take pleasure in you, and open your eyes, you will soon see the Angel in the way, and that the poor Ass hath more discer­ning, then the wilfull, angry, and passionate Prophet.

You are my Witnesses, that some manifestations of truth was break­ing forth in me some yeares past, and was sometimes manifested among you, at which some of your hearts burn'd, some trembled, & some were offended, and contradicted, &c. My selfe in all was groaning after power, spirit, and life, without which no satisfaction came to my soul; from whence I ceased not to warn you from day to day of your danger in the state where you stood short of the life. But you not being war­ned, how often hath mine heart lamented in your hearing in these and the like words.

To whom shall I speak and give warning? you will not hear, your hearts are uncircumcised, and you cannot hearken. The word of the Lord is a re­proach so you, and you have no delight in it. O that my head were water, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, &c. Oh that I had in the Wildernesse a lodging-place of Wayfaring men, that I might leave my people, and goe a­way from them; for they are Adulterers, an Assembly of treacherous men, and bend their tongues like bowes for lyes, but are not valiant for the Truth upon Earth, &c.

But this seemed as idle words, yet was I made to proceed, and to warne you of the mighty day of the Lord now at the doore, in which you could never stand I told you your foundation was on the sand, short of the life; your profession was in words, not in power; and that your mountaines must be brought low, and your valleys exalted, before the Lord come to your Temple; and at last, that your Church was but an Harlot, and the spirit of whoredomes acted therein: All which, with much more not being believed, nor received, but entertained with of­fence and prejudice: What could I doe but shake off the dust of my feet, and stand as a Witness against your deceit, and so betake my self into the Wilderness, as before I had said, in which the Lord speaks com­fortably.

And give me leave without offence to tel you, that in all this I under­stood, and knew what I spake: Yea when I profess'd among you my ig­norance of Christ, I wel knew what I did; for mine eies began to be ope­ned by him, that was given for a covenant to open blind eies: And there­fore do bear testimony, that that knowledg also which you had then of [Page 21]Christ, shall profit you nothing; and that your habitation is in the midst of deceit, and through deceit ye refuse to know the Lord, but are feeding on ashes, not on bread, and so are a people robbed and spoiled; yea, all of you snared in holes, and hid in Prison-houses, and are for a prey and for a spoil: And this shall ye know and witness eternally, when happily no place for repentance may be found, but the things belonging to your peace be hid from your eyes: But who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come? But when I consider both your danger and your con­fidence, and see but little probability of escape: How am I wounded at the heart, and made as it were to cry out, My bowels, my bowels? I am pained at the heart, I have labored in vain, and spent my strength for nought; for the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously, and so you proceed from evil to evil, as appeareth this day; though the God of this world hath so blinded your eyes, that you cannot see it.

I told you also whiles I was with you, that as many desired, and seemed to delight in the day of Christs first appearance in flesh, could not stand when he appeared, but became his Betrayers and Murderers; so in his second appearance in Spirit, Power and Life, many of those that expected him, seemed to desire and earnestly pray for that day of Christ, would be found the greatest Enemies to him, and told you some of you would betray him; and how sadly it is already fulfilled in you, and made good by you: Let all to whom God hath given any measure of true discerning, judge, and see, if in envy, wrath, and rage, some of you exceed not the Heathen; yea all your Fathers, who in envy, wrath, and rage, persecuted the Prophets and holy men of God; that witnessed the truth in their generations.

But my Friends, Against whom do ye sport your selves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue, yea and the hand also? Are you not children of transgression, a seed of falshood? Are your actions the actions of Isaac, the true seed, to whom the promise is made; or of Ishmael, that scoffed, or mocked, and must be cast out? of righteous Abel, or wrathful Cain; by your fruits are ye known, and the Harvest is come in which the wheat is gathering, and the tares and chaff is scattering and burning, and your saying, Lord, Lord, will not serve turn: Your saying and imagining you have Faith, will not save you, when your works are contrary, and proceed not from above, but from beneath. Why do ye rage and imagine vain things? why do ye set your selves, and take counsel together a­gainst the anointed one? why will ye break all his bonds, and cast his cords from you? by which he would draw and gather you to himself, in this day of his mighty power: The Lord hath set his King upon his holy Hill of Sion: Who from thence declares the decrees, & the Law is gone forth of Sion, and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem; & thou­sands are witnesses thereof, although it be your lot to be of that number [Page 22]that despise, and wonder, and must perish according to the Scripture, except ye repent: And therefore be wise, and kiss the Son, lest he be angry, &c. For truly you may associate your selves, and take counsel of the enemies of the Lord; you may strike in confederacy with the enemies of our God, but you must be broken to pieces, for the Lord of Hosts is with us, and the shout of a King is among us, though we are as signs and wonders in Israel.

But to be plain, from whence comes Wars, and Fightings that are among you? why do ye beat in your meetings (likewise Enemies of Christ in their Synagogues) as some of you did the tenth day of the seventh moneth at Richard Moons; if you had there met to call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth righteously, why had you not past your time in fear; but if you have bitter envyings, and strife in your hearts (as it is evident you then, and at other times had) glory not, and lie not against the truth, for this comes not from above, but is carnal, sensual, and devilish; and where strife and envy is, there is confusion, and every evil work: Therefore cleanse your hands ye sinners, and purifie your hearts ye double-minded; be afflicted, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into heaviness, for God accepts not your sacrifice, but his wrath and fury is to be revealed against all ungodliness, and unrighte­ousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness, as you do this day: And therefore the sinners in Sion are afraid, great fear hath sur­prized the Hypocrites.

I beseech you read uprightly, without prejudice or deceit, the 83. Psalm, from end to end, and see if it contains not both your pra­ctice and portion: I advise you to stand still, if you will see the salva­tion, the Lord of a truth is working for his people: But if you will stand on the other side, reioycing over the children of Iudah in the day of their calamity, and speak proudly in the day of her distress, and be like one of her enemies: Know, that the day of the Lord is near upon all the Heathen, her enemies, and as you have done, it shall be done un­to you; as the Prophet witnesses, Obadiah 11.12, 13, 14, 15. And if you will be one with the enemies of the Lord in sin, must ye not be one in plagues? And if you (although ignorantly) will be lifting at the burthen some stone, and fighting against Ierusalem, must ye not be broken, and receive the plague from the Lord God, that must be poured out upon all that fight against it, Zach. 14.12. Can any pretence what­soever cover you? Consider this, all ye that put faraway the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; who beat and abuse the ser­vants of the living God, which in his Name he sends among you for your good, so that they bear your marks in their bodies, as of old they did from your Fathers; and whether it be not an evident token of your perdition, but to us of salvation, and that of God. But what shall I advise or counsel you; I know from of old many of your hearts are hardned, and you will not hear; and therefore I shall say no more, [Page 23]but with Paul, From henceforth let no man among you trouble me; for I must bear about in my body the dying of the Lord Iesus, that the life also of Iesus may be manifested in my mortal body: however you take it, this is written in much feeling and love to your souls; and therefore in plainness, by one that hath been, and still is a great lover of your souls, though a witness against your deceit: Known to you by the name of

Dennis Hollisler.
POSTSCRIPT.

I Shall spare to make much mention to you of your carri­age to a Servant of the Lord, who came into your meet­ing the second day of this ninth moneth; and of your threatning her with Whips, Stripes, and Prison: Having written more largely of it to Th [...]mas Ewens your Teacher, where you may see how contrary your practice is to the Saints in all ages; and the Churches of Christ; and one with the Seed of the Serpent, the enemies of Christ, who was ever found in imprisoning and persecuting the Saints, as the Scriptures testifie.

The Letter to Thomas Ewens.

Thomas Ewens,

THy Letter of the second day of the last Moneth I received with the en­closed Papers from Henry Iessey, and Iohn Pendarviss, as thou saist, in answer to some Queries sent to me by them, which is not true; for I sent none to them in particular, that I know, but to the People to whom they were directed, viz. The Baptists, of which as that time a very great number was in Town, from whom some reasonable answer might be expected; instead of which, I reveived a Paper signed Henry Iessey, Iohn Pendarvis, pre­tending some Reasons why they answered not; and in thy Letter a shew of an answer to them the said Quaeries, but indeed a parcel of such dull stuff, that its not worth observing, much less replying thereto, by those, whose time is [Page 24]not their own, but his that sent them: Enclosed thou maist receive an answer to their Anti-quaeries, from those to whom they were directed: A reply also to the pretended answer of the Quaeries, thou and they might have expected, had it been worth the while; but instead thereof, you (viz.) the Baptists, are desired to review your own Answers, and take notice of the confusion and deceit therein contained, and how far short it is of an answer to the Queries, and amend the same.

I shall instance in one particular, namely your answer to the eight Query, in which you speak of two Baptisms under the New Testament, besides that of Iohn; when the Scripture saith, One Faith, one Baptism; you say, Christ in his own Person onely Baptized with the Spirit, none other being appointed nor inabled, &c. When the Scripture saith, Some were made able Mini­sters of the Spirit, not the Letter: And he that ministred the spirit a­mong the Saints, Did he it by the works of the Law, saith that able Mini­ster of the Spirit? And where was it, that Christ in his own person Baptized in Scripture expressions, Were not all the Saints Ba­ptized by one Spirit into one Spirit into one Body. See [...] Cor. 12.13. without wresting? sithence the Spirit was not given, till that person was ascended: And he that spake by the Spirit, said, Though ye have known Christ after the flesh, yet henceforth know ye him so no more: And what is that Name of the Lord Iesus, in which you say you Baptize?

I shall say little to your Spiritual ends there mentioned of your water Ba­ptism, or my stical holdings out, or representtions, &c. But would rather have the tearms and things proved by the words of Scripture to be so, because the sha­dows do now begin to flie away, and the true Light shines, and deceit is mani­fested; so that words, colours, and pretences, will not now prevail to blinde and deceive those that live, and walk in the true Light.

And whereas thou saist, If there be any thing in either of the Papers, that may tend to recover my precious Soul out of the pit and snare in­to which it is faln; as it would be a rejoycing to others that love me, so to thy self, who would be as ready as ever, to serve me in love, and in the Lords way.

To which I reply Were my soul, (which indeed is precious in the eye of the Lord) faln into a pit or snare, I see nothing in either of those dull, confused, liveless, and powerless Papers like to recover, or lift it out: But why dost thou not tell me what the snare and pit is, into which it is faln? The mistaken blinde generation, in all ages accounted the people of God, who were escaped their pollution and snares, and turned from the darkness to the Light, and from the power of Satan unto God, deceived, faln, and mis-guided; and therefore hated, reviled, and persecuted them, as people faln into a snare, fit for their prey and spoil, and to be whipt, and imprisoned, &c. I do not say in Bridewell, but shall leave it to come out of thy mouth, as it did the second day of this present month: and is that the Lords way, in which thou art so wil­ling to serve me, I utterly deny that way, and the Lerd of it, which is the god of the world, the Devil, and all that by him are led and guided therein; it is the devil that casts the Saints into Prison, as the Scripture saith, It was wretch­ed Pilate that scourged Iesus: It was those Masters, whose gain came in by [Page 25]Divination, joyning with the multitude, that carryed Paul and Silas before the Magistrates, and caused them to be beaten, and many stripes laid upon them, and cast into prison: It was Iesus, that foretold his Disciples they muse be so used by the world, the generation of Vipers, that must fill up the mea­sure of their Fathers iniquities, that upon them may come all the righteous blood, that hath been shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel, &c. It was Paul, the able Minister of the Spirit, not of the Letter, that proved himself the Minister of God, in much patience, intumults, in stripes, in imprisonments, &c. and more a Minister of Christ, then the false Mini­sters that encountred him were, by labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in Prisons more frequent, that five times of the professing Iews, re­ceived forty stripes save one, and was thrice beaten with rods. But is is Tho­mas Ewens, a Minister of the Letter, not of the Spirit, as all the false Apostles and deceitful Workers were, who trans form themselves into the Mi­nisters of Christ, as Satan doth himself into an Angel of Light, that is at least threatning the servants of God, and witnesses of Iesus with stripes, with whipp ings, and with Bridewel.

O my Friend! How great is the wrath, and how heavy is the indignation, that from the Lord God is gone forth against thee except thou repent, who waxeth worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived; and little dost thou think the extream heighth of wickedness; into which thou art spreading above many thy Companions, if the Lord prevent not: Alass, alass! Why was I warned from invisible sights many moneths, if not years past, to beware of thee? something of whose condition was then manifest, which I could not be­lieve, till in time it began to be made manifest by its fruits, and now begins to be visible, and breaks out like the fire, which thou canst not contain within thee, but openly opposest the appearance of Christ, where it is found in life and power.

O my Friend! Tender, and open is my heart towards thee: what would I not do that thou mightest escape the pit, out of which no redemption can be? How often am I wounded, and my heart troubled in minding of thee! O that thou might st know the things belonging to thy peace, and how sandy thy foundation is on which thou standest, and the deceit which fast thou holdect, and so be led to repentance, and not shut up the Kingdom of Christ against thy self and others! My bowels are even turned for thee, not knowing how to give thee up, who am thy friend as thou lovest the light.

D. H.

To this no answer at all was returned, but many moneths after the said Antiqueries by the name of Quaeries were published in a book entituled Arrows against Babylon, without taking the least notice there­in of the answer given to it long before; of the honesty, equity, and justness of which proceedings the wise in heart may judge, and by the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, of which Iohn was a witness, come to see where deceit reigns, and the spirit of whoredomes, witchcrafts and abominations rules; but the answers were as followeth.

The ANTIQUAERIES answered.

Query 1.

Whether you be willing that the depth of your perswasions concerning Christ his being contained in the Heavens, the raising of our dead Bodies after natu­ral death, try all of Spirits and Doctrines according to the Scriptures, should be clearly and openly known and published?

Answer. 1.

Yea, and clearly and openly do we publish and declare the way to God according to the Scripture: Christ who is risen, of whom we bear witness, and that he is ascended into Heaven, and set down on the right hand of God: But as for his being contained, you ask you know not what: And as for our perswasion of the raising of your dead Bo­dies after natural death; or as you say, the corruptible Bodies that are laid in graves, or cast into the sea, literally we say, flesh and blood inherits not the Kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit in­corruption: But our perswasion is, that the wicked and unjust shall arise to shame and everlasting contempt, and therefore we warn you in the presence of the Lord to hearken unto the Light, that shews you sin, and come to repentance, that you may witness a change, lest that day come upon you unawares: And the resurrection of the Just we own to everlasting life; but we are not of those that say, How are the dead raised, and with what body do they come? but we know that there is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body; and we confess, and are perswaded of the resurrection of the just and unjust, and to every seed his own body, according to the Scripture: And trial of Spirits, and doctrines we own, and are willing thereunto by the Spirit of the Lord to try, and to be tryed; and our perswasion is known un­to the children of Light, and the truth is plainly published; and yet not known unto the world, nor by its wisdom, but to the Saints well known, and in the light have we fellowship with the children of God, unto whom his secrets are revealed.

Query.

If so, What was the reason you gave no answer, when it was put to you whether you did agree to those few plain Scripture truths concerning Christ, and those weighty things before named?

[Page 27] Answer.

The spirit of Christ, by which we are guided, is not limited to your time, and if you do conclude (because there was not an answer, when it was put) that we deny Scripture truths, you are given over to believe lies; the same may be drawn concerning you, for not returning an answer to our Queries when they were put; and likewise your own reasons may be turned upon you, if no particular answers to your An­tiqueries were given, and you judged out of your own mouthes. First, Because there is an intruding by you into the things not revealed. Secondly, Because some things are of less concernment, and because in the conclusion there is an answer required in a masterly maner: In all which, you shew you alow your selves in the things which you condemn, and that you are not taught by the light within to do as you would be done unto; although you say the light within, which is the light of right reason, shews the unreasonableness or inequality of such a way of proceeding, in taking of so casie a work, as to hand out a heap of questions, in number twenty seven, but rightly distinguished, a­mounting to a far greater number: And here you are seen not to own the light of right reason, to shew you your own unreasonableness, who have sent out a heap of Queries, by number sixteen; which are near as much, if they be not altogether, as our twenty seven Questi­ons and your particular Answers to them: And your Answers are dull stuff, saving the Scriptures, which we own, as they were spoken by them who lived in the life; but the unclean spirit of confusion, by which you speak, we utterly deny. You say, The Church under the New Testament, being the Kingdom of God, there is the cup of the Lord, who is the true Vine; which cup is an outward cup you say, in which you shew your ignorance, that you neither know the cup nor the Vine, nor the Kingdom of God: You say, The worship of De­vils, and sacrificing, and seasting, and the cup of Devils was outward, but say you, the cup of fornication, and abomination, which all the world drinks of, is not to be taken literally, but mystically: And here you have shewn your confusion, who say, The cup of the Lord, which is the true Vine, is an outward cup; but the cup of fornication and abomination is mystically to be taken, which you have done accord­ingly; yet you say, the sacrifices and feastings to Devils is an out­ward worship, but fornication and abomination is mystical, and de­notes a certain measure of the delusion of the Whore: And whether the drinking of the cup, and sitting at the Table and feasting and sa­crificing to Devils, was not abomination, and a certain measure of the delusion of the Whore, let all that can discern, judge, and whether it concerns not you to examine, if this be not a certain measure of the delusion of the Whore, to be in such confusion that you cannot dis­cern the mother of Harlots, the father of Lies; neither know the Wine, [Page 28]the Church, the cup, nor the Kingdom of the Lord, further then you can imagine in your earthly sensual wisdom, and you being so blinde, and in such confusion without the power which laid the foundation, as you confess, we deny your spirit, and account your stuff in your An­swer, as not worth mentioning to rake up after you; but what you want in answering, you can make up in asking, shewing unreasonable­ness by your own confession: And likewise appears, that you would cover your selves and hide your perswasions, and had rather pry into the conditions of others, then bring your own deeds to the Light; and seeing there is insulting, because of our not answering in your time, and false conclutions drawn, we bear witness against your deceit, and proceed to answer, declaring, that we differ by the power of the living God, who by his spirit hath quickned us, by which we see, and dis­cern you to be in the Will-worship, in the wisdom which is from below, of that number who are measuring your selves by your selves, and comparing your selves among your selves, and not according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed, with which we agree; but that to us from you doth not reach, and therefore your voice and spirit we deny, though you take the Scriptures to talk upon, and trade withal in your earthly imaginations, looking that the King­dom of God should come with observation; and say, The cup of the Lord, which is the true Vine, is an outward cup, when as the Kingdom of God is within.

O ye blinde guides, how can you teach others, who are your selves ig­norant of the Kingdom and of the cup of the Lord? and we bear wit­ness to the sive things at least of great concernment, and with your spi­rit we do not agree. First, We own and witness, that God by Jesus Christ calls sinners, to repentance; and saves his people from their sins, and redeems them from the wrath to come, soul and body, as many as rightly believe and work by love: And that the same Jesus, that at Ierusalem was crucified, and before Pilate witnessed a good confession, is now in the Heaven; and the same that descended, did ascend, and comes again in like maner; and also that our vile bodies shall be made like unto his glorious body, and be flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone. And again, Every spirit we credit not, but believing in the Lord Jesus, we try the spirits; and yours is tryed, and seen to be the spirit of the world, and not believed by us, nor credited (though you pretend to come with light) therefore your spirits are rejected. And last­ly, We know that it is not every one that saith Lord, but he that doth the will of the Lord, that enters into the kingdom of God: And such have right to the Tree of Life, and interest in the Promises made to Believers, who worship God in Spirit and Truth, and keep the Com­mandments, according as they have received, not by tradition, nor imitation by and in the earthly carnal wisdom, but led and guided by the spirit of the living God, by which spirit we bear witness against your traditions and inventions, and herein we differ, and we do agree [Page 29]with that which convinceth you of sin, and makes manifest your de­ceit, and calls you to repentance from dead works, that is the light which we love, and you hating it, and walking contrary to it, and lo­ving darkness differs you from the children of God, and there is your condemnation; and for answer to your other Quaeries take as follow­eth.

Query 2.

Whether you doe not by many of your sayings craftily hide your perswa­sions from the sight of some honest people: And is not this dissimulation at the best, or lying after the manner of Ananias? Acts 5.2.

Answer

Dissimulation at the best, or lying against the Spirit we deny, and from honest people we doe not craftily hide our perswasions, but by manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every mans Con­science in in the sight of God, not walking in craftiness, but renoun­cing the hidden things of dishonesty; and if our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost.

Query 3.

Whether your selves, even all of you be not Men and Women of finfull failings and imperfections, as those godly people you cry down; If not, tell us who are the persons among you without their failings, and imperfections, and how they came so to be?

Answer

This Query is rais'd from a Lye, godly people we cry not down, but deceit in all we witness against by that which is Eternal without imperfection: And for being free from sin, we say the Sonne of God is come, which takes away sinne, and he thats borne of God sinneth not; he that is in Christ is a new creature, and this many among us are Witnesses of; but the sinfull failings are without, and such we do not justifie by saying they are not where they are, or pleading for them where they are.

Query 4.

Doe your in your judgements of the Congregations of Believers look after those things which are commendable, as well as those which are condemnable in their practises, doc you not on the contrary cry them down in general without any mercy?

[Page 26] Answer

Yea, we doe look after those things which are commendable in Be­lievers, and own them; but they that say they are Believers, and are not, are to be witnessed against: But to cry all down without any mercie, is false, and the lyar is for condemnation with the Light, and with it we have unitie.

Quere 5.

Whether your declaring against instrumentall Teaching, and yet going a­bout informing and instructing your selves and others, doth not discover a grosse contradiction between your principles and practises; and whether it be right to set them against it, to bring them to hear your declaring, altering only the name?

Answer

Against the Teachings of Man, or such who know what they know naturally, we declare; yet we are sent to turne from darkness to light, and this is right, and no contradiction, but as the Prophets, and Apo­stles, who went up and down declaring against Seducers, Deceivers, and false Teachers, and they informed and instructed, and they that were of God heard them; and this is not only altering the name: But the Spirit is another, and so the nature, which beares witness against the spirit of the world, where ever it rules: Let your name be what it will, your nature is seen, and witnessed against.

Quere 6.

Whether instrumentall Teaching be unsuitable unto the new Covenant? If so, why did Christ, being ascended, appoint Pastors and Teachers, till all came into the Vnity, ordaining Ministers for the Work, while Work re­maines, did Christ burden his Saints with needlesse appointments?

Answer

Its confest, we goe about informing and instructing our selves, and others, and the New Covenant we own, where all are taught of God, and why Christ appointed Pastors and Teachers, is answer'd in the que­ry, and what he appoints is not needless.

Quere 7.

Whether the Scriptures you bring to oppose the Practice of Gospel-Ordi­nances [Page 31]doe not serve onely to reprove the practise of Circumcision, or the wal­king after the traditions of men, or the carnal formalist practise or Idolizing of the true Gospel-Ordinances? all you say making not at all against a spiritual practice of Gospel-Church-Ordinances, as of Breaking of Bread, and Exhor­ting one another, &c.

Answer

We bring not Scripture to oppose the practice of Gospel-Ordinances; but we bear witness against your traditions, carnal formalists, and Idoli­zing practises by the same spirit, as they did then, who said, It is neither Circumcision, nor Vncircumcision, but a new Creature: And the spiritual practice we own, and press unto it, and against the formall, and the carnall, all we say not making at all against a spiritual practice of Gospel-Church-Ordinances: And whether the spiritual be taken, practis'd, and fulfill'd in the carnall, let the Spiritual Judge, who com­pares spiritual things with spiritual; and here your queries are in your confusion, who before drew a conclusion we cried all down without mercy, and now say, all we say makes not at all against a spiriruall practice: Here the unclean Spirit hath confess'd truth.

Quere. 8.

Whether it be better to wait on God in his good old wayes, expecting his work to be gradually carried on, so running with patience your spirituall race, or as the manner of some is, to forsake the assembling our selves together, in hopes to start up from a low stature suddenly into perfection by embracing a new Doctrine?

Answer

In this query we are not concern'd, by your own confession we in­forme and instruct our selves and others, and we assemble our selves to­gether for edifying; waiting upon the Lord in patience to runne the spiritual race; and for your starting up into perfection, your envy is seen, and against what you start, and such starting we deny your; slander returns upon your own head.

Quere 9.

Whether Iesus Christ hath not prayed for those that believe through the word of the Apostles? Is so, whether they are not in a good and safe way, who believe accordingly? And whether it be better to credit their testimony so fully confirm'd and owned by the Lord, or to forgoe that, and embrace and fol­low the sayings of some of your company?

Answer

Christ hath prayed for those that believe, and they are in a good and safe way that believe accordingly; and for crediting their testimo­ny so fully confirm'd, you have Drunkards, Lyars, Swearers, Cove­tous, proud Hyocrites, and deceitful Ones to be of your company to confess the truth of their words, but are as far from witnessing the life and power the Believers witnessed, as the Hypocrites, as the Drunkards, & swearers, yea, and many in this day of the Lord are brought to repen­tance, and enter into the Kingdome before ye graves and painted se­pulchres: And for your secret slandering some of our company, where nothing is instanced, there needs no answer: But all we say, as you confess making nothing at all against a spiritual practice we judge it safe to follow that; and they that believe and follow other­wise, it is not for the better.

Quere 10.

What is that Faith which the Spirit speaketh expresly some should depart from in the latter dayes. giving heed to seducing spirits, and dostrines of Devils

Answer

It is the Faith of the Son of God, and Faith is a Mystery held in a pure Conscience; and you that are ignorant of this Faith, are among the seducing spirits, and the last and perillous time is fulfilled upon you reprobate concerning the faith, having a forme of godliness, but de­nying the power, as you confess, that you profess no tto have the power the Apostles had, by which the foundation was laid; yet you say you can build, but what your building is worth, let the wise in heart judge, who have not the power, that layd the foundation. O ye blind guids! are your consciences so seared, that you cannot see that you are out of the doctrine of Christ without the power that laid the foundation, buil­ding among the company beforemention'd: In the presence of the Lord are you seen, & witness'd against to be in the doctrine of devils without the power of God, giving heed to seducing spirits, & seducing, Repent, repent ye Hyyocrites, this is love to your souls, and the Witness in your Consciences will answer it in the day of the Lords account.

Quere 11.

Whether that Doctrine, which in some is no more, but look to the Light Within with a curse upon disobedience, and a blessing upon obedience there­unto be that glorious Gospel Preached by Christ and his Apostles? or whe­ther [Page 29]it be not a renewing the old Doctrine of Iustification by Works, w [...]e­in the mystery of iniquity works to darken the grace of God in justifying the Vngodly without works freely by his grace, and to make void the sufferings of Christ?

Answer

This query is grounded upon a lye; but the true Ministry is to turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God: And this is the way to receive forgiveness of sinnes, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is in C. Jesus, and that the wrath of God is to be revealed upon the disobedient, is found Doctrine, and your deceitful coverings will not hide you, who obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: And glad tiding, and plenteous redemp­tion through his blood doe we witness, and the old doctrine is denied by the summ of what we declare, and the carnal profession and hypo­crisie contrary to the grace of God, which teacheth to deny ungodli­ness, and the forme without the same power that laid the foundation, there the mysterie of iniquity worketh, and from thence came this query, which is utterly false, as it is applied to us.

Query 12.

Whether the Light that is in every man doth reveale Iesus Christ as cru­cified for sin, and risen again? If so, how came it to passe that so many strict men, and Paul himself walking according to his Conscience before Conversi­on, were ignorant of him?

Answer

Do you not here shew your ignorance? Is Christ reveal'd crucified for sin, and raised again before Conversion? Is this a learned questi­on, how it comes to passe that Christ is not known before Conversions, seeing the Light reveales him? The Light condemnes the Vnbelie­vers, though they make a Profession that Christ is come, and crucified for sin, and risen: Ye are in the darkness it self, as neer Egypt as Baby­lon: Did Paul know Christ, til he was revealed in him, and doth darkness reveale him? While Paul walked in the zeal without the true know­ledge persecuting, he was ignorant and injurious, and the Son not re­veal'd: But in the Light is Christ known and reveal'd, and the true Light lighteth every man, and he that believeth in the light, is a child of light. But one question after your manner of counting to you a­mong your heap, whether it be not the Prince of darkness in you, which denies that the Light reveales Jesus Christ, that so ye may draw people from the true light which lighteth every man, to follow your own inventions, building in the credit of others testimony, without [Page 28]the power which laid the foundation, and so set up a Forme without the power in your gross dark imaginations, and call that Light, shew­ing your selves to be false Christs, crying loe here, and loe there. And seeing some may be Witches that Preach up the outward. Commands in the Letter without the Spirit, Whether are not you Witches, that deny the power the Apostles had, by which the foundation was laid? and whether he that brings the same doctrine the Apostle brought, hath not the same power which laid the foundation, seeing he hath the Father and the Sonne? and whether you that have denied this power, can deny but ye are seducing spirits, and in the doctrine of Devils?

Quere 13.

Whether you have not among you many who presume to be Masters, or masterly Teachers, contrary to the word of Christ, Mat. 23.10. Doe not they usurp authority over the Consciences and judgements of their followers▪ requiring them to believe and obey what they say, without asking their mea­nings, and examining their sayings by the Scriptures; whereas Christ ex­pounded his sayings to his Disciples, and the Bereans were commended for searching the Scripture?

Answer

Nay, we have not many such among us, contrary to the Word of Christ; neither do they (whom we own to be Ministers) usurp autho­rity over the Consciences and Judgments of their followers, requiring them to believe what is said without tryal; this is an absolute lye. Ah ye dissembling Hypocrites, doth not the light condemne you for this Hypocrisie, who are found in this very practice, contrary to the word of Christ, and would hide your selves by casting it upon the innocent? Truly your condemnation slumbers not, though your hearts may be hardned.

Query 14.

Whether it be not high presumption, and spritual pride for some among you to break Christs commands, and teach men so, and to judge the secrets of mens hearts, and rathly without knowledge of mens conversations to affirme they have not the Spirit, may not others know by such things how to judge of you?

Answer

This Query as tis laid down is a lye, and by your uttering forth such deceit, we know how to judge of you: We deny breaking Christs commands, and teaching men so; bring in those some, and let them [Page 25]be made manifest, else ye are slanderers manifest: But to judge the secrets of mens hearts, the Lord doth it, by which spirit the Saints are guided, and judge the Vnlearned and Vnbelievers, the thoughts of their hearts being made manifest; and this we witness against spiritual pride which would not be judged.

Query 15.

Whether you doe not esteem the sayings of some among you of equall autho­rity with the sayings of God in Scripture, and as readily, or more to be belie­ved or obeyed, without enquiring whether they agree with Scripture or no, e­ven though they plainly contradict the Written Word: Is it not an usuall thing with many of you to travell up and down, to and fro, farre and near, in obedience to such voices not warranted by Scripture, but contrary thereunto?

Answer

This query is absolute Lyes, as tis laid down: But that which God speaks now, we own to be of the same authority with what he spake formerly, and is to be believed and obeyed accordingly, though the wicked generation, who have the words formerly spoken, doe reject the Word of the Lord now, as the Hypocrites did, who had the Pro­phets words, but owned not them who spake by the same Authority, & your building the tombs of them your fathers slew wil not serve to hide you in the dreadful day of the Lord, you will know that the Lord hath sent his Witnesses among you; and for contradicting the Scripture, it is not shewed in what, let the slander lie upon you: As for wan­dring up and down, to and fro, farre and neer, that is not contrary to Scripture, but was the practice of the holy men, who spake as they were moved, and wandred up and down, and to the voice of God were o­bedient in so doing, and some of them to the going naked, though you be so blind and ignorant, as to oppose the same in them, who witness it a sign to such as you.

Query 16.

Whether Satan that old deceiver, who often changeth his shape, being dis­covered in many of his old devices, may not now be expected to come in his best dresse, as an Angel of Light? And if so, ought not all men to take heed how they believe every spirit; as also how they hear, and follow every Pro­phet that comes in sheeps cloathing; and are not such in the way to be easily seduced, who are taken with a fair covering, and outside carriage of persons, as to embrace their Principles, without a serious, spirituall, Scripture-triall?

Answer

Satan in his best dresse is discovered by the Light, and the children of the Light are not ignorant of his wiles, but by the power of the Lord are we preserved from that transforming, and see him to become working his lying wonders with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; and though you have got into as high a form as you can, even professing the doctrine of the Apostles, yet wanting the power the Apostles had which laid the Foundation, we see your dress to be the well-favour'd Harlot: And seeing it is so, we believe not your spirit, but try you, and find you to be Wolfes and false Prophets, and they that receive you, and follow you, or such, are in the way easily to be seduced: and here again is confusion in the Queries, who speak of spiritual pride in judging secrets, and say the outside, the carriage, and the covering is faire, and said, all we say makes not against a spi­ritual practice, and yet condemnes us deceivers. Ye blinde guides, who are expecting that Satan may come, and are so blinded by him at present, that you are acting his part. One of you said his soul was in the pit, to whom these Antiqueries were sent; was not that judging a se­cret? and whether such deceit, lying, and confusion from such blinde guides, and seducing spirits, be more likely to recover souls out of the pit, or lead those who follow them into the pit, let the impartial spi­ritual Judges bear Witness.

And here your queries are answered in particular in clearness and plainness in our own Judgements and Consciences; and they whose eyes are opened may see your Errour, and give glory to God.

Answered by them to whom they were directed.

To England I have this to say.

OH England, England, who wast Chief among the Na­tions, and Princely among the Provinces, in the midst of which the right hand of the Lord became glorious in power, and dasht in pieces his Enemies, and in the great­ [...]esse of his Excellencie overthrew and brought downe the Oppressour, and gave thee opportunity to performe thy Vowes, Promises, and Declarations, which in the day of thy distresse thou madest to God and men against Injustice, Oppression, Tyranny, and Wrong, and in the behalfe of Equitie, Truth, and Right: But now the Lord by his power having given thee Victorie and Peace, How soone is the just man perished, and the upright in thee not found, but the wonders of the Lord forgotten, and his wrathfull judgements against Oppressors, and the Proud accounted happy, and they that tempt God and doe wickedly, deli­vered and exalted, whom Pride compasseth as a chaine, and violence take hold as a garment; so that the wicked compasse about the Just, and devoure the man that is more righteous then he! How wofully is truth fallen in thy streets, and equitie cannot enter; but he that departs from iniqui­ty is made a Prey, & Judgment turned away backward, & Ju­stice standeth afar off! Oh how is the Foundations broken up, and the Sluces opened, whereby injustice oppression, and almost all ungodlinesse hath again overspread thy face beyond what it did in the day before thou wast made a field of blood; so that by the overspreading of abomination, how great is thy desolation, and all thy seeming Religion and high Profession, which stood in Words and Forms, but not in the Life, discoverd and manifested to be but scum and deceit in this day when God hath tried thee! How is thy Silver become drosse, and thy Wine mixt with water, and the faithful City become an harlot, in which Righteousnesse once seemed to lodge, but now murderers; and all thy Vowes, Promises, and Engagements both to God and men [Page 34]forgotten in this day of thy pride; and how are the hidden things of Esau sought out, and the blood-thirstinesse of Edom in thee manifested, and the wise men destroyed out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esan, whose calamitie commeth upon him from the Lord for his perpetual hatred against his Brother; as the Scripture witnesseth, which also saith, As Troops of Robbers wait for a man, so the company of Priests murther in the way by consent and commit lewdnesse, as it is seen this day! Who would have thought that the wonders of the Lord should be so soon forgotten in thee, and the wayes of the Heathen so exactly learned, and the deeds of the wicked overpassed, whom the Lord cast out, as thou hast seen! How shall the Lord pardon thee for these things? or how shall thy heart endure, when he shall visit it upon thee, whose controversy is so much increased, because truth and mercy is perished in thee?

FINIS.

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