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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 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 of2 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 written3 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 the10 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 them11 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, but12 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 perſecuted13 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 accounted14 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,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 ſo17 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 be18 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 not19 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 Iacob20 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 of21 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 number22 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,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 is24 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 by25 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?

27Anſwer.

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,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 agree29 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?

26Anſwer

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-Ordinances31 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 whether29 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, without28 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 them25 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 men34 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.

About this transcription

TextThe 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 ... published. Together with another letter written by him to Thomas Ewens, a teacher among them, ... 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 testifying 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 Thomas 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.

AuthorHollister, Dennis, d. 1676?.

Extent Approx. 105 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 20 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images.

Edition1656

SeriesEarly English books online.

Additional notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A86489)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 114978)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 135:E896[3])

About the source text

Bibliographic informationThe 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 ... published. Together with another letter written by him to Thomas Ewens, a teacher among them, ... 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 testifying 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 Thomas 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. Hollister, Dennis, d. 1676?. [4], 4, 9-31, [4], 32-34 p. Printed for Giles Calvert, and are to be sold at his shop at the sign of the Black-Spread-Eagle at the west-end of Pauls.,London, :1656.. (Partly a reply to: Pendarves, John. Arrowes against Babylon.) (The words "in a book .. Babylon" are enclosed in square brackets on title page.) (The pages following p. 31 are numbered 18, 29, 28, 25.) (Annotation on Thomason copy: "Decemb: 3d".) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)

Languageeng

Classification

Pendarves, John, 1622-1656. -- Arrowes against Babylon -- Early works to 1800.
Ewens, Thomas -- Early works to 1800.
Latchet, Sarah.
Dissenters, Religious -- England -- Bristol -- Early works to 1800.

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ImprintAnn Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2011-04 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2).

Identifiers

DLPS A86489
STC Wing H2508
STC Thomason E896_3
STC ESTC R202571
EEBO-CITATION 99862802
PROQUEST 99862802
VID 114978

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