Mystical Babylon Unveiled

Mystical Babylon Unveiled, Wherein is proved. I. That Rome-papal is mystical-Babylon. II. That the Pope of Rome is the Beast. III. That the Church of Rome is the Great Whore. IV. That the Roman-priests are the False Prophet. Also, a call to come out of Babylon.

Hanserd Knollys, 1599-1691, was an English Particular Baptist Minister, educated at Cambridge, and ordained to the Ministry in 1629 by the Bishop of Peterborough. Married in 1631, he soon renounced his Anglican affiliation, and came under the influence of John Wheelwright. After a brief flight to New England to escape persecution, he returned to London in 1641, took up teaching {opened a boarding-school on Great Tower Hill} and spent a short time as a Parliamentary Army Chaplain under the Earl of Manchester. By 1644 we find him in connection with Henry Jessey’s Independent Congregation in London, where he soon became convinced of the Ordinance of Believer’s Baptism. Knollys soon became an influential leader of the early English Particular Baptists, and along with William Kiffin, Paul Hobson and Samuel Richardson, one of the twelve Signers of the 1646 London Confession of Faith. In 1645 he was instrumental in gathering a Particular Baptist Congregation in London, which he was to lead {though he was often prevented by the Papal arm – in Presbyterian attire – of Religious persecution, from fulfilling his obligations} for the remainder of his life. Soon after the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660, Knollys was briefly imprisoned, spent a few years in Holland and Germany, but always returned to his home and Congregation in London. From his writings we can observe that Knollys was a Firm Advocate for the Cause of Religious Liberty, {his name is attached to pleas for toleration addressed to Parliament in 1651 and 1654, and to Oliver Cromwell himself in 1657,} probably the most learned of all the Early Baptists, {publishing guides to the study of Greek, Hebrew and Latin in 1664,} and above all a zealous Advocate of Christ’s Glory & Pre-eminence in Salvation. Though Knollys had his share of “bonds and imprisonments” the Lord sustained him through all, and blessed his labors to many of the Lord’s poor and afflicted people. He died in 1691, aged 93, and was buried in Bunhill Fields.

Whilst we measurably dissent from a number of the conclusions which Knollys has derived from his Prophetic Interpretations, &c., {being somewhat more inclined in this age, as further Gospel ‘light’ has been disseminated, and the floodgates of universal deception have been opened, to associate not a few of these “signs and wonders” with nothing less than what is esteemed as the Christian Religion, in all its malignant forms of denominational chaos, delusion and confusion. “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy, &c.,” Rev.13:1, &c.,} we nevertheless align ourselves with the overall analysis, viz., that the Roman Catholic Institution or Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth has been from its pagan roots and throughout its accursed history, in its masquerade of what the world calls Christianity, the greatest enemy of the true Gospel in existence - a black plaque indeed, which the Lord – the righteous Judge – hath poured forth upon the inhabitants of the earth; and though veiled by popish priestcraft & religious confusion to the paramount glory of Christ in the Gospel to all that are given over to succumb to its spiritual harlotry, and drink of her intoxicating mixtures; yet this beast like that of the false prophet of counterfeit Christianity will be exposed and stripped bare of all his purple & scarlet attire to the Spirit instructed mind & contrite heart of every penitent sinner who has come out of this accursed system; and fled to Christ as Spirit enthroned – the whole of salvation glory; and at this time of universal apostasy / deception when the Second Beast {Revelation 13} who looks like a lamb, but speaks as a dragon – otherwise known as the Protestant Whore Church has joined this abominable religious institution in believing, promoting, and tolerating the false gospel of conditional salvation, it becomes all the more necessary to boldly cry out against her atrocious practices, teachings and manifold idolatries.