whether the Dragon that would devour it be not the Devil that rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience the false Christians stirring them up to persecute murther about Religion Worship seeing Cain that did so was of the wicked one the Murtherer from the beginning the blood of all the Prophets Saints is found in the Mother of all abominations which is carryed or upheld by a Scarlet coloured Beast Mark that Rev. 17.3 9. And whether the spirit of this Beast which carrieth this great Whore do not go downward to the Earth and feed upon the earth and the things of the Earth and minds the earth its pleasures pride covetousness and ambition and is pushing with its horns like the false Prophets Ezek. 34. ruling with oppression and cruelty and persecuting and afflicting about Religion and Worship minding honor below storming and raging for fear of losing the Devils Kingdom his works which the Son of God the true Womans Seed is come to destroy in whom is known the Spirit of a Man which goes upward but dust is the Serpents meat and upon his belly he goes all the days of his life and no higher there he feeds and out of his dark holes he creeps spitting forth his poyson and venome against that which is always caught up to God out of his reach though he cast out his fiery-like Floods after the Woman and her Child and makes war with the remnant of her Seed which are this day in being which keep the Commandments and have the Testimony of Jesus Mark the Child whose Life the Dragon Beast Whore and false Prophet seek to destroy is caught up to God out of their reach and ever was and ever will be And this is the Word of the Lord God unto all persecutors and Earth both Teachers and Rulers about Religion Sacrifice and Worship you tread the outward Court the Serpent bruiseth the heel mark that and not the Head the Head is in the holy City where the dogs the biters whoremongers and murtherers cannot come but beware how you sport with the Vessels of the Lord for they are holy that bear them left the hand-writing on the Wall appear against you and you be smitten with a final destruction Dan. 5. throughout and fear before the God of Daniel who is persecuted for worshipping his God at this day among his Brethren for he was a trembler at God's Word Dan. 10.11 So remember you are once more warned as God's Witnesse shall answer on your death-bed if you go on in Cains way you shall have Cains portion banished from God's peace and rest with greater punishments then you wil be able to bear and if you are in the Whores way in which the Pharisees was professing of Religion and making long prayers and yet persecuting about it you must partake of their woes judgements and if you are in the Beasts Dragon and false Prophets way and Balaams way minding earthly things greedy of filthy lucre casting into prisons for your bellies pride covetousnesse and Earthly Honors sake the innocent followers of the Lamb the true Womans Seed that keeps Christs commands you must be cast into the Lake of fire in Gods wrath and vengeance to be tormented for ever and ever as it is written Rev. 19.19 20. 20.10 14.19 20. c. Therefore try your selves of what birth you are whether you are of Cain or Abel of God or the Devil of the true woman or Church of Christ in deed and in truth walking in his steps in the self-denial bearing witness for the truth led from prison to judgement for the Testimony which you hold and for the word of patience for this declares his generation Isa 53.8 Or whether you are the Seed of the Adulterers and the Whore which Isaiah speaks of chap. 57.3 and John in the Revelations which drunk the blood of the Saints Read your state and see who is your Father and Mother for there is no daubing in God's sight with untempered morter you must be of the one or the other of Jerusalem the holy City or of Babylon the great VVhore the false Church or the true you are of therefore let no man deceive you with flatteries smooth things for this Testimony wil stand before God Angels and men and J am thus far clear of all your blood and you will be left without excuse whether you hear or forbear W. B. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Behold the Devil shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tryed and ye shall have tribulation ten days But be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 Have respect unto the Covenant for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty Psal 74.20 Matt. 7.15 16. Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheeps clothing but inwardly they are ravening wolves ye shall know them by their fruits Do not rich men oppress you and draw you before the judgement-seat c. Jam. 2.6 7. He that loveth his brother abideth in the Light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him but he that hateth his brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes 1. John 2.11 For this is the Message that ye heard from the beginning that we should love one another not as Cain who was of that wicked one and slew his brother and wherefore slew he him because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous Marvel not my brethren if the world hate you we know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren He that loveth not his brother abideth in death Whosoever hateth his brother is a Murtherer and ye know that no murtherer hath eternal life c. 1 Joh. 3.11 12 13 14 15. THE END
AN ARROVV SHOT AGAINST BABYLON OUT OF Josephs Bow Which grew up from the stem of Jesse the Root and Off-spring of David and was bent by the Archer of Israel which hath struck at Cains mark from Paradice into the Land of Nod and hath lighted in the skirts of the great Whore to the discovering the Mother or original of Harlots and all Abominations of the Earth tracing her in her footsteps with all her Companions and Merchants the Beast Dragon and false Prophet by the blood of the Prophets and Saints and of all that were slain upon the Earth And also pursuing her from her birth or the Serpents hole out of which she came to her latter end which is the bottomless pit or Lake of Fire into which she must return And this is a Visitation and Warning once more from God unto all such Rulers Teachers and people in England who are or may be persecutors about Religion and VVorship that they may yet flee out of Babylon mystery Babylon the great VVhore which hath set upon Nations and reigned over the King of the earth that they may partake no longer of her sins lest they partake of her perpetual plagues which cometh swiftly upon her in one day With a few questions concerning the Devil and Cain and the Whore and the Dragon and the Beast and false Prophet whence they came and where they are and how they may be known and whither they must all go together in the end And this may serve as a Glass for all false Christendom to behold themselves and try their ways and see what Spirit and Church they are of and whose children they are if ye were Abrahams children ye would do the works of Abraham By WILLIAM BAYLY Put your selves in array against Babylon round about all ye that bend the Bow shoot at her spare no arrows for she hath sinned against the Lord Jer 50.14 For thy Merchants were the great men of the earth for by thy sorceries were all Nations deceived in her was found the blood of the Prophets of saints and of all that were slain upon the earth Rev. 18.23 24. LONDON Printed in the Year 1663. An Arrow shot against Babylon c. IN the beginning before transgression man was in Paradice the Garden of God made in his own image and likeness and was in unity and peace with him in the innocent meek tender holy upright life in which he was formed in which state he stood with God as a Child with a Father or as a Wife with a Husband without variance distance or enmity between them and God's blessings was upon them in this their innocent lowly obedient state till at length another spirit got an entrance by desiring or letting the desire go out after the eye to be more knowing and wise in the mysteries of the outward Creation and visible things c. which soon captivated the tender simple upright mind and beguiled it from its own proper life and being in which it was made a living soul for they did not only taste but eat and that brought the death over them as it is written Gen. 2.17 for they entred into a secret false joy of what they had attained to and a satisfaction they got in the sensual wisdom and knowledge of things and so grew conceited that they were as Gods knowing good and evil c. And so through this aspiring spirit or motion which began to spring up in their minds a secret strife or enmity began to arise between the innocent life and it for there was a contrariety between them but they eat of the Tree of Knowledge which beguil'd them from the Tree of Life in the midst of the Paradice of God This was Adam's fall going outward with his mind from the guidance rule and dominion of the innocent upright Life by which he was made a living soul feeding in the aspectings and viewings of the visible things the mysterie and secrets of which was hid from him in that Life from which he was departed and he only could retain but strong imaginations of them which pust him up so now he became a griever and an oppressor of God's good Spirit and it became a reprover and troubler of him by reason of his disobedience against it and departure from it and he was now afraid of God's voice having done that which was contrary to him and then to get peace he sewed fig-leaves to make themselves coverings but all would not do while the Tree of knowledge is fed upon which was good in its place but forbidden to feed upon because it beguiled from the Tree of Life being pleasant to the eye and desirable to make one wise c. and the World by Wisdom knows not God so by it they lost the knowledge and unity and peace of God and were driven into the Earth and shut out of the Paradice of God and became vailed in the enmity pride and pleasures of the Earthly or sensual part which followed that aspiring motion of the subtil Serpent or Adulterer that led out from God like the Harlot Solomon speaks of that was subtil of heart whom the young man followed as an Ox to the slaughter and as a fool to the correction of the Stocks and knew not that it was for his life and that her paths led to the Chambers of death and her steps take hold of Hell this is the thing Adam was very young and the Harlot subtil so was deceived for the one enticed and the other consented and followed not knowing it was for his life though God had said he should surely dye but this Tempter led out the mind from the sence of the good man of the House with her Bed of pleasures and delights and with enticing vvords she forced him but the end was bitter as Wormwood as hath been known by woful experience for here was the first carrying away captive into Babylon the Mysterie of which the outward vvas but a figure and the first draught of the Whores Cup of Fornication was novv drunk by vvhich the just innocent life suffered as one might say even in the Womb and in Cain and Abel the tvvo Seeds or Spirits were clearly manifest the one in pride fury enmity murther drinking his brothers blood and the other the sufferer by him in the patience vvhose blood had a voice that cryed unto God from the ground and yet it 's said of Babylon that in her is found the blood of the Martyrs and Prophets and of all the Saints that have been slain upon the Earth then Cain was in Babylon which is now called the Great Whore and the controversie between Cain and Abel was about Sacrifice and Worship this hath spread even the Spirit of Whoredoms Enmity and Wickedness over the World and Cains Mark hath been apparent among multitudes peoples tongues and languages killing and persecuting about Religion and Worship This is the great Whore which hath sate upon many Waters reigned over the
to your deeds done in your bodies And this dreadful day is hastening upon all flesh which hath corrupted its way before the Lord for his own Name sake and for his Elect seed sake wil he cut it short in righteousness which hath long groaned and cryed unto him under the heavy burdens and cruel oppressions of the ungodly to be delivered from the bondage of corruption which hath long overspread the whole Earth and to be set free in the Paradice of God in the glorious liberty which is at his right hand where is joy and pleasures for evermore yea durable riches and righteousness from whence Adam was driven into the Earth by disobedience and so into darkness ignorance and confusion having eaten that which was forbidden and drank of the flattering Harlots Cup which hath since become a great Whore and made all Nations drunk and sate upon them and reigned over them even Kings of the Earth multitudes tongues and languages and the Garden of the Sluggard or sloathful wicked drunken servant hath been all grown over with thorns and thistles and Nettles have covered the face thereof and the best have been as a briar and the most upright as a thorn hedge pricking stinging tearing killing and warring against the Lilly and the Apple-tree as it sprung up in all Ages as it is written They all have lain in wait for blood they hunt every man his brother with a net Thus it was in Micahs days * Read Mic. 7.1 2 3 4. and the Sacrament of the Altar in the Martyrs days the Oath of Allegiance in these days see if the net be not found the mischievous desire wrapt up now among the bryars and thorns whose end is burning which caused sorrow to come upon him in the consideration and sence thereof and in Jeremiah's days Jer. 5.26 c. And thus it hath been from Cain unto this day persecuting about Religion Worship and Sacrifice but for the Elect sake as I said before these days shall be shortned and this is the Word of the Lord unto you all Mat. 24.22 Therefore hearken diligently and hear all ye Rulers Governors and People of the Earth who are the sons of Adam in transgression the fall and consider well in what state you now are and what knowledge of God your Creator you have and see whether you are not shut out of the Paradice of God in which man was made a living soul and whether you are not drove into the Earth even as Adam in transgression afraid of God and hiding your selves from his presence in which state you have no true rest but are separated from the enjoyment of the Life and Unity with the Eternal God in whose presence no worker of iniquity can endure therefore doth God in his eternal love call unto you to come out of Babylon and he hath appointed a day of visitation unto the children of men in all ages that in it they should seek and meet him by returning every one from his evil ways and look unto him from whom they have gone a whoring who is the alone salvation and Saviour of all them that repent and turn to him with their whole heart and that is the sacrifice which he requireth of all that make mention of his Name for it is not a talk or profession of Christianity and godliness that will stand in stead in the day of death or in this day in which the great deeps of the mysterie root and ground of all things which have been since the foundation of the World are manifest even unto Babes in Christ Jesus who is the Wisdom of God and the Power of God which none of the Princes of this World knew I say the secrets of the Most High are with them that fear him whose dwelling is in him that hath given them a measure of that pure discerning Life in which Adam gave Names unto Creatures and Things according to their natures while he was in Paradice before transgression was even in this Life through this Life is the living God bringing many sons daughters to that glory which was with him before the World began and is drawing with the Cords of his Love which is stronger then death many followers after him who cannot be satisfied in the Earth into which they were driven by transgression and polution which is not their true resting-place as it is written Micah 2.10 Therefore we being awakened are returning toward our Native Countrey in which we were created in Adam before transgression or separation was and we have given up our hearts minds and spirits bodies and souls to wait upon our God to receive from him strength and power to be translated into his own image and likeness wherein our salvation is wrought out with fear and trembling Therefore ye Rulers and people of the Earth do you ponderously weigh and deeply consider what you are doing by endeavouring to hinder us in the narrow way of our passage to the Heavenly Holy-Land or Paradice of God's rest which he hath prepared for the poor in spirit and tremblers at his Word who are not satisfied with an outward profession or name to live whilst not enjoying the eternal inheritance and possession of the Life and Substance which is at the right hand of God for evermore In which passage we resist no man or fight with carnal Weapons for our Warfare is spiritual but are calling to those who are our Brethren in Adam to turn their minds and affections with us to seek after our Native Countrey where our Father is again found and known and his voice heard that so the Spirit of enmity which came of the Serpent and the Whore might no longer remain in God's Creation from whence the strife and contentions wars and fightings comes but be cast into the Lake for ever Why should you thus abuse your Brethren or what reason can you shew to hinder us in the way of our passage to our own Native rest of our weary souls seeing we have no other end or aim in our eye but the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus who is gone before us into Paradice from whence we were driven by transgression the cloud of separation Read Isa 59 throughout And though you should yet more grievously oppress us and smite us and even put heavier yokes upon our tender necks or cause us to make brick without straw as our brethren did yet we cannot but sigh and groan and cry to our God whom we delight to worship though it be in the Wilderness under the grievous burdens of our oppressors For we being awakened and quickned from the deep sleep of sin and death which hath covered mankind cannot but look to the Rock from whence we were hewn and press forward in the patient sufferings through the strait gate and the daily Cross into the Heavenly Kingdom and Dominion of the holy God into which no worker of iniquity or unclean thing can enter So whatever
and never were in bondage c. and kept strict the Sabbath and fasted and made long prayers and paid tythe and gave Alms and read Moses and the Prophets words very exactly c. and yet the love of God was not in them as you may read John 8.33 37 39 44. but they were of their Father the Devil because his Works they did notwithstanding their fair covering and what was that they persecuted and kill'd about Religion and Worship as may be read at large in the Scriptures of truth of the proceedings in that age of the Rulers chief Priests Elders and great Professors c. Therefore take heed to your selves and to your own standing and do not so hastily judge amiss of us nor thus speak evil of us nor abuse and persecute us nor so grievously and cruelly afflict and oppress us any more about these things or because we are not altogether like or conformable unto you in your ways and traditions for God will plead with you about it but rather judge your selves that you are not hastening with us as Lot out of Sodom because of the wrath and vengeance which is swiftly coming upon the World of the ungodly which they shall not escape for I tell you and that from the mouth of the living God That a terrible storm dreadful hour is at hand except you run our race toward Zoar you will be taken and destroyed being found in spiritual Sodom and Egypt and in the Babylonish Market-place of confusion ungodliness ignorance and unrighteousness out of which the Lord of the Harvest hath called and gathered us into his Vinyard where after our faithful labour therein we receive enjoy and rest in the joy of our Lord And if you are found smiting your fellow-servants or brethren like Cain about these things and eat and drink with the drunken who are drunk with the Whores Cup and say in your hearts The Lord delayeth his coming he wil come unawares upon you and in an hour when you look not for him and will cut you assunder and give you your portion with unbelievers abominable ungodly and hypocrites who shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth for evermore Therefore remember to do as you would be done unto for that is the Law and the Prophets and as for Christ and his followers they are not come to destroy mens lives but to save them and let us alone in our journey or passage toward the City or Paradice of the living God who hath called and awakened us and raised up our affections and desires which cannot be satisfied with dreams husks painted things likenesses or vain shews for the Spirit of a man we are now come to know which goeth upward and are leaving the Beastial Spirit that descends downward into the Earth and now we also know that none can learn our song but they whose minds through the patient sufferings are redeemed from the Earth for it 's the song of the Lamband of Moses which chused rather to suffer affliction then to embrace the Treasures of Egypt or the pleasures of sin which are but for a season against whose brethren generation seed and off-spring the Beast the Whore and the Dragon the false Prophet Death and Hell the powers of darkness and ungodliness make War who shall be cast into the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone even under the sence and feeling of the Eternal Vengeance of the Almighty God there to be tormented day and night for ever and ever But blessed are they who follovv the Lamb in vvhose mouth is found no guile vvhithersoever he goeth or leadeth through the patient sufferings in the love unfeigned they shal rest in the Land of the Paradice of the Fountain of pleasures at the right hand of God for evermore Amen Halelujah And novv hear O ye Rulers and Teachers by vvhat flattering title soever you are called in this Land of England your nakedness is seen as in the day in vvhich you vvere born and your hypocrisie and deceit God hath found out and discovered therefore be ashamed and blush and stand guilty before him and repent if there be yet a minute or place left you and do not strive any longer against God and to cover your selves any more vvith the Name of Christianity vvhile you are in the nature of Heathens and in the vvay of Cain persecuting and imprisoning about Religion and Worship for it is Cain's mark in all ages and the Heathens that knovvs not God as it is written and you may read it Why do the Heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing and its in vain for you to strive against the Decree and Work of God which he is bringing to pass Mark the Ragers are the Heathen that know not God and these are the persecutors in all ages these are in Cains way as it is written Wo unto them for they have gore in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the error of Balaam mark wo is their portion and is not this your state ye Rulers and Teachers of England consider it in the cool of the day and let God's Witness in your Consciences answer For I tell you from God and proclaim it this day amongst you that wo misery wil be your end if ye proceed in these things which is already stealing upon you and will overtake you as an armed man and as a woman in travel and you shal not escape For do you think to prosper or set up your selves by striving against God and his marvellous Work and Will which is to be done in Earth as it is done in Heaven Do you imagine that your Laws or Decrees shall hinder or frustrate God's eternal and unchangeable Decree and Purpose which is to finish transgression destroy the Works of the Devil and make an end of sin and exalt truth and righteousness the Mountain of his own House and Holiness and to establish it a top of all Hills and over all Mountains which was before the Mountains and Hills were brought forth over which it must be established and to fulfil his promise made to Abraham and to his Seed which must be as the stars of Heaven and as the sands by the sea-shore for multitude And will you yet strive to hinder the encrease of God's decreed number or will you limit his Seed that it might not spread and replenish the Earth whose right it is to inherit the uttermost part thereof and a multitude of the sea shall be converted unto him Must not this be done which was spoken of by holy men of God as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Shall the wicked which are like the chaff and makes a mock at the movings of the Holy Ghost or Spirit disannul God's determinate Counsel Can you hinder the course of the Stars or cause them to withdraw their shining or number the sands by the sea-shore or stop the ebbings or flowing of the Ocean Or can you stop the rain or cause it