up of thy tender countenance When this I have considered my soul hath mourned in secret and mine eyes have trickled down tears in the sence of thy deep sufferings and yet had it not been for thy sake the whole world had been as Sodom and been consumed like unto Gomorrah Oh who will not now come down and suffer with thee that they may also reign with thee as Kings and Priests on the Earth For now thou art arising in the greatnesse of thy strength to be avenged on all thine oppressors Thou hast trodden the Wine-presse alone and of the People there was none with thee Therefore wilt thou trample them in thy fury and stain all thy Raiment for the day of vengeance is in thine heart and the year of thy redemptions is come Thou art the King of Sion thou hast the key of David and the keys of Death and of Hell who ridest meekly upon the wilde Asse Colt as in the dayes of old Come forth now O ye Daughters of Jerusalem and behold your King even the Lamb of God which hath been slain in whose mouth guile is not found that taketh away your sins and follow him for ever ye Daughters of Abraham and Sons of Jacob for it is of the Lords mercy you are not consumed because his compassions fail not toward his Seed but remains sure in his Covenant for evermore Amen Therefore now all ye followers of the Lamb be ye very still low and watchful dwelling in the pure dread and humility of him that sits upon the Throne and of the Lamb for evermore and let none be carelesse or wilful least ye be found in the degeneration from the spirit of the subjection of the Lamb of God who is come to Rule but in his life stand you upon Mount Sion with him with the Harps of his high praises in your hands for they onely are the chosen and blessed who are faithful followers of him in the Regeneration So let your eye be single and your minds retired dwelling in the good Shepherds Tent of Israel hid in him whom the world knows not where you will feel quietnesse to your immortal souls and peace and patience to undergo all tryals for this is a day of great and manifold temptations and tryals in which the enmity works every way in its full strength among the children of men but its violent force is chiefly bent as a mighty floud or full current to sink and destroy the Ark of the Testimony of God feel me in your life within and without ye dear children ye simple-hearted breathing babes who know the winnowings on every hand and how the Tempter works to draw out the mind and affections one way or other that he might get advantage to spoyle your resting place which you have in the staidnesse on God and simplicity of Christ and to keep the soul and understanding clouded in darknesse and unsensiblenesse hardnesse and blindnesse to be luke-warm carelesse or secure without the feeling and present enjoyment of the pure refreshing presence of Gods Countenance then he hath his purpose who seeks to devoure for in the darknesse is the root of disobedience and every evill word and work then the root of bitternesse will spring up through which many may be defiled then the self-will which is crooked and perverse ariseth again then the pure savour and discerning is decreased and love waxen cold then the tender innocent Seed suffers the Lamb is pierced and wounded which should have the preheminence then strife in the high mind out of Gods awe and dread gets up then the Strong Man begins to keep the house again who was once bound and his goods spoyled then the meek that should ride upon the wilde Asse Colt is thrown down and trampled upon by the wilde then Ishmael and Esau the ruffe man reign over worm Jacob. God Allmighty keep all his Babes who have tasted of his Heavenly gift and of the precious vertue of the endlesse life out of this state My soul is even bowed down and the travel of a burthen is upon me because of the deep sufferings of the Holy Seed and the oppressions of the poor by him that is too strong for him O Lord arise arise and plead its innocent cause with all flesh O all ye breathing Babes of God abide for ever in the pure subjection to his good and perfect will in his fear and in tendernesse of heart then how can you but partake of the afflictions of your Brethren the seed of Abraham It came into Moses heart and that from God to visit his poor afflicted brethren which cryed and groaned under the cruell and heavy oppressions and God rewarded him according to his works And now can the Seed and children thereof mourne and languish or be sorrowfull and I not feel it can they be tempted and tryed in the Wilderness and I not sensible thereof how can this be if I be in Christ Jesus who is afflicted in all their afflictions My friends it is a day of mourning of weeping and fasting let the wise understand though in God I rejoyce that my Name is written in heaven and this is more to know and feel then if all the Devills without were subject Therefore ye followers of the Lamb dwell in the sense and feeling of the life of the precious tender suffering Seed that you may know the marriage of the Lamb come and rejoyce greatly because of the Bridegroomes Voyce for this makes glad the upright and the weak to be as David And here you will eat your own bread from your Fathers hand which he gives freely to the hungry soul and be kept out of all strife and debate disputings and murmurings in the gentle contented Spirit of the Lamb who is the saving health of all his people Here you will know the place of broad Rivers where goes no Gally with Oares no toyl or labour or striving but to stand still Here is the beginning known and the Glory that was before the VVorld was or the Hills or the Foundation of the earth were laid blessed is he that readeth in the life of these things Here is the place of defence as the Munition of Rocks where the bread is sure and the water never fails but issueth forth from the Fountain of the Paradise of God for evermore Here is the lying down under the Vine where none can make afraid Blessings and thanks to him that lives for ever Here is the returning naked as we came into the World even so we go out carrying nothing and yet possesseth all things Here 's the little child that enters the Kingdome even that Kingdome of Heaven where the least is the greatest the lowest is the Highest the poorest is the richest the weakest is the strongest the simplest is the wisest VVhere is the disputer now where is the gloryer in the strength wisdome Arts and parts in the spirit of this world now VVhere are the wise and the Scribes and the counter of Towers now where is the high Professor and great talker in the strong Towers of comprehension and Imaginations now where are the climbers up above the Door now Behold a little child is Governour The poor man which was disregarded delivered the City by his wisdome He that can read let him for God hath made foolish the wisdome of this world and the seers are blind The sounding brass is empty the strong are become weak and the weak saith I am strong they that were dead are alive and them that were lively are now as dead men on the Sea-shore God is turning the world upside down the Lamb shall Rule and all the Beasts of the Forrest shall fear and bow before him The Lilly shall grow higher then the Cedar the begger shall sit upon the Throne and the Counseller as in the beginning shall be known and Judges as at the first Blessed is he that readeth understandeth and enjoyeth these things Gods salvation and Covenant of eternall life and peace is then witnessed who is the good Shepherd and true Physitian of his people And this is thy Captain O Israel who is made perfect through sufferings therefore obey thou him in all things follow him in his footsteps who leads in the way of Righteousness that so thou may be partaker of the power of his Resurrection and possesse thy soul in his patience and lye down in his eternall will in the rest prepared that so the second death over thee may have no power So my dear friends the Lord God of Life preserve you all faithfull bearing your single and pure Testimony for his holy Name in this your day and generation that you may be the chaste Virgins and entire followers of the Lamb in whose mouth guile is not found that so you may give up your account with chearfulness unto him who alone is worthy of all obedience praises honour and glory over all heaven and earth world without end Amen I remain a Traveller in spirit for the restoration of the oppressed seed of Jacob and am your brother who in your measures are in the same tribulations and patience of the Lamb. And unto you this is the dear salutation of my breathing life in the Bowels of Gods love and mercies And if in this my Testimony is finished I am content and made willing for the joy and rest that is set before me to lay down the earthen vessel which is called WILLIAM BAYLY Prisoner at Hartford the 2d day of the 8th month 1663. THE END
God but of the world and the day of tryal is now come in which things that have been hid shall be manifest There is a spirit that can satisfie it self with the profession likeness or image of the Truth but its cross and burden is the very Truth it self which doth discover it judge it and cast it out Therefore take heed and beware of that spirit believe it not but judge it in every appearance it is the leaven of the Pharisees which can never enter but shuts up the Kingdome of God with all its Righteousness Comprehension and Profession This spirit is without the vail and cannot see the end of those things which God will abolish being shut out of the Holiest of All in which the secrets and wonderful works of God are manifest to them that fear him so this spirit judgeth according to the outward appearance and not with righteous judgement This is that Bastard or Son of the Bond woman which shall not inherit with the Heir the Son of the Free-woman This is a knower of men after the flesh the flesh is the vail and a respecter of persons and loveth the praise of men and esteemeth the rich in this world more than the poor whom God hath chosen rich in faith and heirs of his everlasting Kingdom Therefore beware of it let it have no place in thy Bosom or within thy Borders O Israel for it is abomination unto the Lord thy God and a great Oppressor and Griever of his seed and a contemner and secret despiser of his mean appearances in his babes and little ones in and by whom he will confound the wisdom and glory of all flesh Again There is a spirit that thinks or conceits better of it self than of others because of outward things which it seems to possesse or because of the knowledge experiences or tryals which it hath had in dayes past through the dealings of God in his love to the Seed and with these things decks it selfe and through which the heart is lifted up out of Gods fear feeding it self with the Manna which corrupteth this is a disobedient spirit an imprisoner of the Seed and Life of God in the particular and an oppressor and wounder of it in the general and it is a lover of this world secretly in its heart though it seems to have a beautiful out-side or covering the sower of discord lodgeth as a couched Beast in its bosome and the back-biter lyes within its breast which as Arrows it will send forth against the upright and simple hearted which doth discover see and fathome the ground and foundation thereof therefore beware of it judge it and cast it off for ever for it is of the old leaven of malice and wickedness It hath a life in giving heed to reports yea false reports against others entertaining them and reporting them thereby to cover it self as with a garment that so it might be esteemed and have the preheminence and that others whom it pleaseth may be dis-esteemed slighted or undervalued This spirit the Lord God will cast down and abase unto the nethermost Pit it is a Robber of God and a despiser of his neighbour it is very neer unto the chains of darkness in them to be reserved unto the day of great Judgement Therefore O Israel follow thou the Lord thy God alone who discovereth the very secrets of all hearts and is the searcher tryer and finder out of every false spirit before whose presence and in whose sight all things that have been hidden shall be sought out evidently seen and made manifest unto the ends of the Earth For the day is come in which no shadow of death or dark covering shall hide the worker of iniquity and wickednesse though never so secret Therefore remember with whom thou hast to do for all things are naked open and bare before his pure eyes And see thou walkest in the Light of the Lord which is the Light of his true Israel and remains their standing dwelling-place which shall be for a flame and an everlasting fire in the hearts of all them who wilfully and contemptuously transgress against him and comes not to be humbled because thereof before him This is thy God and Lord which brought thee up at first out of Egypt the dark Land and hath led thee by a way thou knewest not who gave thee water in the desart and Manna in the wildernesse who was as a Gloud by day and as a Pillar of fire by night and who by little and little did drive out the many strange Nations that thou mightest inherit the promised Land which remains for ever a Rest for the People and Seed of God Now he called thee not out of Egypt in the day of thine afflictions and grievous burthens sighs groans and tears when thou cryedst to go forth to sacrifice unto him that thou shouldest return or make thee a Captain to go back again to the house of bondage but that thou shouldst be a redeemed holy peculiar people unto himself zealous for truth righteousness and every good work And thou mayst remember that thou wert charged in that day of thy entrance into the good Land that thou shouldst not worship nor bow down to any of the Gods of the strange Nations whom he drove out before thee neither give your sons to their daughters nor your daughters to their sons in Marriage least it become a snare unto thee and steal away thine heart from wholly following the Lord thy God which brought thee up from the land of darkness or out of the North Country where thou wert driven and scattered upon the cold cloudy and barren Mountains as sheep without a shepherd Was not this thy state O Israel in which thy God sought thee and found thee and was not this the acceptable year and the appoynted time or day of salvation Didst not thou rejoyce as a poor captive bound in chains to be delivered what wouldst thou have promised or what couldst thou have done or left undone in those dayes for his sake who then appeared for thy deliverance Didst thou not say in thine heart that this God should be thy God if he would but give thee bread to eat and raiment to put on when he called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit when thou couldst have put thy mouth in the dust if there might have been but hope When thou fattest trembling upon the ground and lookedst every way without for a comforter and when thou wert as at thy wits end in thy wearisom toyls troubles and anguish of spirit then did not the Lord hear thy cryes and remember his Covenant which was made to Abraham and to his Seed for ever and see thine afflictions and come down to deliver And didst not thou rejoyce like them in Harvest at the appearance or breaking forth of this Morning wert not thou ready to call in thy neighbours to rejoyce with thee when the Lords money on which his Image is was found
in thine own house And the sheep that was Lost brought home upon shoulders of the good Shepherd who laid down his life for their sakes And when the Lord withdrew his presence for a little moment was not thine heart troubled and couldst thou be satisfied till thou hadst found him again whom thy soul loved And when thou hadst found him didst thou not say in thine heart This is my beloved this is my friend I will hold him fast and not let him go untill he hath brought me into the house of her that bare him or into the Land of rest in which is peace joy comfort and satisfaction for evermore Didst not thou rejoyce when Moses came to Pharaoh King of Egypt the Land of Bondage and Darkness and Charged him to let thee go though it were but three dayes Journey into the Wilderness because of the heavy Burthens and sore Afflictions which thou enduredst under the oppressing Task-masters of the uncircumcised But didst thou think what would befall thee in the Wilderness the many holes and pits and turnings among the wild beasts in drought hunger and sore travell Yet how did the Lord allure thee and then many times spake comfortably unto thee And led thee by a right way though it seemed hard and strange unto the murmurer and to that spirit which would have made a Captain to return back into Egypt that Land of Darkness and Bondage on which the plagues were poured forth because of the oppression of his seed Therefore hear O Israel and consider who is a God like unto thy God or what man was able to do these things which the Lord hath done for thee by his own Arme which he stretched forth and revealed in the midst of thee who gave thee Precepts Commandements Statutes and Judgements to direct guide counsel instruct and strengthen thee in the way thou shouldest walk which is none other then that which first appeared for thy deliverance though its Name was then known no greater then I AM or the Light of Israel which did after become a flame and the holy One as a fire to consume and destroy his and thine enemies round about This is he who said I am God I change not therefore the sons of Jacob are not consumed This is thy God who commanded thee saying Thou shalt have no other Gods but me nor make forme or grave any likeness or Image to bow down unto For I the Lord thy God am a Jealous God and will visit the iniquity and sins of all them that transgresse against my Commandements Therefore take heed that thou bow not or give thine heart mind and affections unto any thing visible or invisible but to the Lord thy God alone whose Name is but one and changeth not even the Light which makes manifest all things and divides the Darkness from it and hath no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes and workers therein but doth reprove them though never so secret and will not hold him guiltlesse who taketh his name in vaine And all they who depart not from iniquity and whose tongues are not bridled ruled or subjected by the power of the Lord and who are not thereby guided in wisdome meekness and fear such take the Name of the Lord in vaine such are guilty and shall so appeare before God Angels and men For as I said the day hastens in which no shadow of death or secret dark place though as deep as hell or as high as the starres of heaven shall be able to hide the worker of wickedness under the fairest Covering The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Therefore again hear O Israel and repair with speed every man to his Tent and none look out but all feel and see the glory of the Lord God which is like devouring fire at thy Tent door burning up all that which is contrary to him that thou mayst be preserved in this day of the Lords Passeover who is not onely passing over but also through the very hearts reines and Consciences of the Children of men with his grounded Staffe yea even searching and trying to the ground and bottom of all foundations and buildings And he will fight with the contrary the dark mountaines the false foundations and deceitfull Coverings with Battles of shakings of totterings of stripings and rentings yea the vaile shall be rent from the top to the bottom though it be in the very Temple it self that they that have lyen in their graves may arise and come forth and that he might appeare before the eyes of all to be the Son of God in whom is no guile who humbled himself to the death of the Crosse and through it came to Triumph over principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places This is thy Captain O Israel therefore think not of another nor make another nor forme any likeness of him or of any thing in heaven or in earth for there is not another whom thou art to worship follow or subject unto but him alone at whose presence the vails rent and the dead arise and at whose Birth and coming the heavenly hoast sing for Joy but the Tribes of the earth mourne he that hath an ear to hear let him hear who is now come with power and great glory in the Clouds of heaven not of the earth to reward every man equally according to his workes and words without respect of persons For he is a righteous and just God he is not as a man that he should change alter or vary from what he was in the beginning who by his power is able to raise up Children unto Abraham at this day of them that have lyen among the pots Therefore let your eyes look toward his holy place whence he ariseth to silence all flesh before him and cease from man whose breath is in his nostrills and is as a worme and dust before him And know this that thy God who raised thee to be a people above all the Families of the Earth and hath given thee great dominion that if thou shalt exalt thy self and say This thou hast done and the other thou hast done and secretly take the honour and glory to thy self and listest thine heare up out of the uprightness and integrity before him and shall slight his mercies and not walke humbly in his sight but forget his wonderfull workes and to ascribe the glory 〈◊〉 unto his Name That he then is able to rent the Kingdome from thee and give thee a beasts heart and drive thee out to seed with Oxen even among the beasts of the field And this God will manifest on such as he hath divers times amongst the sons of men That all flesh may feare and tremble before him and bow at his Name which must and shall be exalted above every Name and ascribe acknowledgments of mercy righteousness power and glory unto him for evermore For this is the same God that set a Print upon Jobs heels and marked all his steps whose
last for ever unto whom my soul ascribeth all glory praise honour and thanks who is worthy of all to whom be it for ever given by all that feel Breath in the land of the living And now all ye dear and tender breathing Babes and Children of the most high God whose hearts and understandings the Lord hath opened who have cast down all your Crowns at the feet of the Lamb who have forsaken and can forsake all for his sake in whom is no guile who have obeyed his voyce and faithfully follow him in the Regeneration who love not your lives unto death for his sake that was slain from the foundation of the world because of the sweet savour of his precious oyntment which you dayly feel poured forth into your vessels Ye onely are the wise Virgins ye are the Redeemed from the Earth and are not defiled with women the weak and beggerly things And this is the word of the Lord God Almighty that lives for ever unto you all The day of your Redemption the day of your sitting upon Thrones the day of shouting and of singing Halelujahs for joy is at hand in the triumphant Dominion of the Lord God Omnipotent over all flesh and uncleane spirits over the raging waves of the Sea in the midst of the greatest stormes yea over Death and Hell and the Gates of it which shall never prevaile against you as you abide on the Rock as you inhabite the Rock you shall sing praises yea high praises unto him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever who is worthy to receive power wisdome riches honour glory and blessings for ever and ever over all in the Highest Amen Halelujah who giveth you the victory Therefore faint not for unto you this is the word of the Lord God who liveth and reigneth for evermore Amen Israel is commanded not to meddle with Physick or Physitians c. for any disease or distemper without the Leadings and Counsel of the Lord their God c. Dear Friends I Am commanded of the Lord and it lyes upon me in the fear of his Name and in the bowels of his love to warn and charge you whom it concerns that I may be cleer in his sight of these particulars following viz. 1. All you who in this great day of judgements and tryals within and without feels any distemper weakness sickness pains or any disease whatsoever Seek not to Physitians without Gods eternal motion or in the clear freedome of his life nor let out your minds in an eager seeking a remedy to any man people or things outward but as the living God alone guides you who is a present help in time of trouble to all his children that wait upon him And know ye this for a surety that the Lord our God hath made known the Tree of Life again unto his babes that fear him which is in the midst of the Paradice of God whose vertue heals within and without blessed and praised be his holy name for evermore Therefore all ye who professe the knowledge of God and faith in Jesus Christ now try your selves and your faith concerning these things for if you truly know God and Christ whom he hath sent to be a Prince and a Saviour and your faith stands in the power of God and not in a sound onely then you know the Tree of Life and him that gives us life and breath and all things Mark and if he gives us all things then he gives wisdom understanding and counsel to his people in all things needful how to walk act or speak in all occasions and at all times and places who guides the meek in his way and teacheth the humble in judgement Therefore I say wait you upon God alone in the pure fear of his name for counsel and instruction in this particular if you love the peace of your own souls and seek not any thing for a remedy but in his leading counsel and wisdome and in the faith of Gods Elect for if you do it will adde to your trouble and sorrow and distemper it s the Word of the Lord unto you which you will know fulfilled in the end Therefore my dear Friends Dwell in the Light which makes all things states and conditions manifest and wait upon the Lord in the still cool and quiet spirit for the right understanding of your own particular state and the ground and cause of all distempers diseases or judgements in your own particulars else how are you as the spiritual man that judgeth all things if you know not the things of God and what is in man and the ground of all distempers diseases and judgements where is your dwelling with him that is greater than Solomon if you know not that wisdome which gives the understanding of all things from the Hysop on the wall to the Cedar in Lebanon how can you be wiser than Serpents or how will you know the suries of wilde Beasts and that which bounds and limits them if you know not the ground of all things in your own particulars Therefore I say again Wait upon the Lord of life and think not your time mis-spent in so doing neither give your selves rest till you in very deed know Jesus Christ who is the Tree of Life in the midst of the Garden of God For I must say in the word of the Lord many may be deceived with the apprehension or a name to live and may profess and talk of him and yet be dead and ignorant of the true and right knowledge of him and his wayes to whom he will professe he never knew them Oh! that this fearful day and sentence may never surprize any of you who have tasted that the Lord is gracious For many people have been destroyed for lack of knowledge and of a right understanding in these things before mentioned not knowing the intent of the motions of Gods Spirit within them neither discerning the Lords body for since transgression disobedience and ignorance of God the cloud of errour and darkness hath over-spread the world the ground of these things have been hid to the children of men so that when the displeasure of God hath been kindled against them they have not perceived it in the ground in the particular but were apt to talk of it in a general way that sin is the cause when great plagues and judgements comes upon a people or the like but scarce one man in a Nation did turn in his mind and wait upon God to see his will and counsel in such things in the particular but such as did and obeyed the Lord were Prophets who cryed against such things in the general as they had suffered the indignation of the Lord for who had subdued them in the particular And so the Lord God hath often sent his visitations amongst the children of men and his Servants to warn them that they might be awakened and repent and be humbled before him that so he might