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
judge all things as God judgeth in his infallible righteous judgement and not before or without him who is Lord and Head over all to his Church Friends I preach the Crosse unto the world and to the nature spirit and wayes of it without respect of persons in the sense of what God is doing and will shortly bring to passe that no flesh may glory in his presence And this I say to you all within the Camp of Israel who are of the mixt multitude that came out of Egypt and yet love the Garlick and the flesh-pots thereof that love the earth and sticks in the earth and saves self alive hides from sufferings for feare of losing the earth or your reputation among men you follow not the Lamb of God in whom is no guile who humbled himself to the death of the Crosse for the Joy that was set before him who made himself of no reputation and had not whereon to lay his head who set his face like a flint because of truth and righteousness against all unrighteousness hypocrisie and wickedness whatsoever without respect to the persons of any possessions or places of any For which end he was born and for which end his followers are born who feel him born within them even to witness for the truth and to stand up upon the Earth and plead for it and suffer patiently for the Testimony which they hold till the Spirit of life from God arise in the Consciences of ungodly and wicked men to plead his own Cause with them You I say who are of that spirit of self-saving you have and shall have your reward as the Pharisees had as the mixt multitude had and as the murmuring Israelites had God gave them their hearts lusts seeing they desired it but sent leanness into their souls This is your state therefore take heed and be awakened and retire back to the foundation of God out of the earth for the Lord will crosse you and vex you by rolling the earth out of its place and will abase your reputation and bring you into shame and contempt til you know that the Most high ruleth amongst men and governeth in the Kingdomes and Authorities amongst men and people who is higher then they whose the Earth is and the fulness of it and not yours you must give an account to him how you have ordered it and used and improved it to the praise and exaltation of his Name and the help of the true woman For the earth and heavens are hers and the Childs which she brings forth to govern the Nations and you are but as wormes and Grashoppers in Gods sight who can crush you and tread down the high places of the earth in a moment and rebuke and break in pieces the strong Nations in a moment and this is the Lord God of heaven a doing that all people may fear and obey him And these things are coming to passe and will be accomplished by him that respecteth not the persons of men but will reward every one according to his wayes And my friends Judgement hath begun at the house of God but greater things then many have yet seen are approaching for a short work will the Lord make on the earth for his oppressed Seeds sake for his great Name sake amongst you and in the world therefore expect you not great and finall destruction to come upon the wicked without untill the Temple is neerer built For I tell you nay you must first be faithfull followers of the Lamb if you would see your Conquest over the Beast Dragon Whore and false Prophet the Antichrists without you must first see it and your victory over the world and the spirit of it through faith and patience within for this way it cometh to passe that no flesh should glory but be abased even to the dust from whence it came And this have I seen in Gods secret Counsell even how he will accomplish his great work among his people and how he will destroy his and their enemies with a finall destruction even like a whirlewinde when once it ariseth Therefore my friends Gird up the loines of your minds watch and be sober and waite alwayes upon God and feel your hope to the end and be not hasty but remember the dayes of Noah how the Lord was long-suffering till the Ark was finished then came the Floud upon the world of the ungodly And thus is the son of man come and his long-suffering to us-ward who obey his voyce is salvation Let him that readeth understand For as it was in the dayes of Noah even so is it now at the coming of the son of man blessed is the eye that seeth and the heart that understandeth and keeps out of that eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage building and planting there spoken of For much that is joyned together must be separated and scattered and much that is builded and planted must be thrown down and plucked up by the roots and the earth must be burnt up and the Elements melt with fervent heat For hot will be the day in which all the ungodly shall become as ashes under the soles of the feet of the Saints of the Most high and in which the sons of Levi shall be purged and purified as fine Gold which day is but as it were begun amongst many but it draweth neere and hasteneth greatly Therefore blessed is that wise servant that is alwayes ready waiting for his Lord and who is giving his fellow-servants meane in due season and do not eare and drink with the drunken nor smite his fellow-servants for on such the day will come unawares and in an houre they think not of And this hath the Lord God Almighty proclaimed which shall sound a certain sound throughout all the Tribes of Israel and to the ends of the Earth Amen So this I have written in obedience to the Lord that I might be clear of their blood whom it chiefly concernes and concerning whom it came into my heart from God to lay these things before you For I have desired of the Lord to direct me aright in all things according to his will and I labour to keep my Conscience voyd of offence toward him and all men and I travell and pray to God that I may finish my Course with Joy and give up my account dayly and at the last with joy and not with griefe And this God knoweth is the hearty desire of my breathing soul unto his Throne for you all that with one minde and heart we may all press forward in the same way which is the steps and path of the just one that leads more and more unto perfection out of the imperfection out of the earth out of the darkness and the old leavens into Paradise where man was made a living soul in the image and likeness of his Maker where the Dominion is known and the Blessings enjoyed which makes rich and the pleasures at his right Hand which