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
Candle had shined upon his Tabernacle and unto whom the Rock had poured forth Rivers of Oyl whom when he came to see how great and how powerful how excellent marvailous and wonderful the Lord was in his unsearchable wayes he ascribed all the righteousnesse to his Maker and abhorred self in dust and ashes though he knew his Redeemer lived and that he should stand upon the earth at the latter day Therefore take heed that thou never depart from him from his leadings counsels commandments wisdome and fear who hath set a Print upon thine heels and who marketh all thy steps though never so many or in the most secret hidden places whether thou steppest in Butter or upon a Rock the Lord seeth all thy goings and unto him thou must give an account for all thy wayes by whom actions are weighed Therefore O Israel Look not unto man look not unto man but alone unto him who is thy salvation and the salvation of all his people to the ends of the earth For if thou do but a little stand still and consider thy self in what state the Lord found thee and how helpless thou wert of thy self or of any man but by the power of God And then again how the Lord alone heard thy cryes and remembred thee in the dust and with his own Arme brought salvation unto thy desolated soul I say when thou Considerest these things in the depths of Gods Counsel with what eye canst thou look unto man then with an eye that God hath opened to see all flesh to be grasse and the glory of it as the flower of the grasse when the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it it soon fadeth away So unto him who commanded Light to shine out of darkness and gave light into thy dwellings let every soul within thy Camp O Israel be subject and ascribe all Glory for he is the first and he is the last and besides him there is no God that is able to deliver thy soul from death and thy feet from falling Amen Concerning Government in Families c AND now hear O ye Tribes of Israel even all you who are Masters Parents Governours of Familyes or Teachers of children and young people This is the word of the Lord unto you all take heed to your own spirit and see in and with what spirit you rule and govern for all who are not in the Spirit of the Lord cannot serve him nor be serviceable to him in their several places and amongst their several Familyes Tribes and Congregations unto whom every particular must give account of his Stewardship Therefore see that ye walk and live and rule in the Spirit power and Wisdom of God in the still quiet and cool spirit in which every thought is weighed and judged and in it watch for the Seed and its appearance when it ariseth in them all amongst whom ye are placed and reprove exhort and correct in the Dominion of God and in the Wisdome and Patience of the Lord Jesus Christ and in due time and season even in the feeling of the Leadings of the Seed of God in your selves And for the Seeds sake and the Lords sake who searcheth your hearts and wait for the raising of it up in all your Familyes that it may be Head and Ruler in and among you all that the blessings of the Lord God may be upon you and his presence may bless your Familyes that ye may be a blessing and refreshment one to another and be refreshed one in another even in the Love and Life of God which is but one in all And rule not with rigor for that savours of the Land of darknesse Nor in a wrong Dominion in conceitedness self-willedness or in an impatient brittle spirit but in the Wisdom of God which is first pure then gentle and peaceable in his fear and dread and in love and meekness and in uprightness of heart and mind as in Gods sight doing all things as unto him who seeth in secret and will reward openly For the Seed is soon oppressed and the evil is soon strengthned by a wrong Government out of the true Wisdom in the wrong Authority and it will cry to God in Servants and Children when it is grieved and oppressed and God will hear it and it will witnesse against such Parents Masters Rulers or Governours as do not answer it in the Wisdom and Love of God in their Ruling and Governing Reproving or Correcting for it is the even Ballance that will let them see and feel as well as you when the weight is short or when it exceeds in all your words actions and carriages and then the evil being present it will take advantage thereby and an hardness and stubbornness will encrease in and among them and a liberty and strength in all manner of evill when the witness of God is not answered and the seed raised which would scatter all such things Therefore great is your Charge who are Masters Parents and Governours of Familyes and great should be your care and diligence for the suppressing and keeping under the rebellious and wild nature and the cherishing and strengthning the good part in all your Familyes from the least to the greatest For that is Gods who will call you to account how you have answered it and been careful that you have not hurt the least appearance of it And whether you have been as tender of it as the Apple of your eye for so is it unto the Lord who will plead its cause with all its Oppressors and Grievours within and without without respect of persons And when you exhort admonish or correct them or find a cause so to do then wait you upon God to feel his presence and Seed to lead govern and go before you that Christ Jesus may be your Head and have the preheminence and the Government upon his Shoulders whose Right it is in all things And let your words be few seasoned in the savour of the Power and pure gentle wisdom of God cool quiet and low and not loud and clamorous heady or wilfull for that savours of the foolish woman whose feet are without which buildeth not her house but puls it down with her hands but the wise buildeth it up to the praise and glory of God So let Christ whom you professe be known and exalted Head in and among and over you all even the power and wisdom of God Then will the Lord be honoured and the Seed answered and the evil be kept under by him whose right it is onely to Reign and Govern among the children of men And take heed that for want of watchfulness circumspection and wisdom ye do not discourage the tender appearance of truth and sobriety in your Children or Servants or any under your Government by reproving before others or out of due time for that may and will hurt and grieve the Seed and beget evil thoughts stubbornness and an answering again which will arise in the corrupt part
wax old glory unto him in the highest who hath wrought all our works in us and for us Amen So remember the Spirit of truth is thy proper Leader O Israel in all things concerning soul and body at all times places and occasions and not any other Nay though an Angel see thou do it not for they are but ministring spirits sent forth for them that are heires of salvation and are fellow-servants with them who are led by the Spirit of truth and are not to be worshipped or followed any further then is agreeable to the leadings of Gods Spirit in thy own heart for unto him thou must give an account and not unto Angels or men Now I do not hereby limit the Lord nor his people from exercising their pure faith in any thing concerning their state either inward or outward And as for the things before mentioned concerning the health or weakness of the outward man I do know that there are natural and accidental causes of weakness sickness or distempers which are incident even to Gods dear Children while in these earthen Tabernacles for which naturall things may be applyed in the leadings of the life and wisdome of God by which they were created I say my intent is not neither am I joyned to such a spirit as to impose or limit the motion of Gods Spirit in any thing whatsoever but onely to limit the contrary even the hasty minde and spirit and that all may come to be guided by the Counsell of God out of ignorance and doubtfulness into clearness and a perfect knowledge of their own state as it is in Gods sight and of the vertuousness of the power of the resurrection of the holy Seed in themselves and not be led in blindness and unsensibleness in which state is the error and mistakes and wherein people are destroyed for lack of true and sound knowledge and here they have many things applyed and are apt so to do even naturall and visible things for spirituall and invisible causes I do not mean an invisible distemper meerly of the outward man which may proceed from a visible or naturall cause But when God by his Spirit strives with man in him and smites on his Conscience by reason of sin or some disobedience or other through which the Lord beholds guilt and cannot but punish which causeth even the countenance to change and brings judgement upon the very creature because thereof I say this shall never be removed in the ground by any outward or visible thing the Lord hath spoken it For it is striving against the Creator and the good end of his gentle chastisements with the creatures which he hath created for his praise and to be used in his counsell and wisdome by which they were all created and have their being so this ignorant wilfull impatient spirit which cannot trust God this is to be limited and bound down by the dread and power of the Lord that the innocent Seed which can trust in him which hath long suffered under oppression may arise in whose resurrection and life is the healing and blessing of the Nations that are saved which are for ever to walk in the light of the Lamb. So let all be subject to him that gives life and breath and all things and be not hasty when any trouble or distemper comes to be delivered or to get ease from under it till thou in patience hast seen the mind of God therein and be delivered by him that comes out of Sion to turn away ungodliness from Jacob blessed is the eye that sees and the heart that understands and contrives not any thing in the will but as led and guided by the Shepherd of Israel who will not suffer his Lambs to lack any good thing for their body nor soul which in his wisdome he sees meet for them And that which is not subject is the carnall mind in which the enmity lodgeth the death trouble and condemnation here the Lyons lack and suffer hunger but the meek shall increase their joy in the Lord and they that wait upon him shall run and not be weary and walk and not faint And know this for infallible truth that whosoever useth or applieth the creatures of God even naturall things which are good in themselves and places to a condition not suitable even when God smites upon the Conscience for any disobedience or wickedness by which as I have said the outward man comes also to suffer being partaker with the spirit that transgressed that this state is parallel to that mentioned Isaiah 22.12 13 14. When God called for fasting weeping and mourning behold slaying of oxen and killing of sheep c. which was iniquity that should not be purged till they dye Therefore dear friends think on these things which are but as a touch of what might be spoken but a word to the wise is sufficient and waite upon the Lord alone to be guided in all things and do nothing hastily out of his fear and counsell which onely is known understood and stood in in the still and quiet waiting in the retiredness of mind and spirit staid upon him out of all your own willings and contrivings or runnings in the sinking down and subjectedness to his holy will alone that he might be all in you all and you as nothing before him but vessels of his honour praise and glory to whom be it given over all Amen No Babe in Israel to study for the attaining the Lawes of men to make their defence c. AND my dear friends who have no knowledge in the Lawes of men or Nations which are in the fall and are in such things ignorant as children this is my advise unto you from my God and your God do not now study or strive to attain the knowledge thereof in any case to make your defence when you are brought before Rulers and Governours or their Judgement-seats for the Name sake of Christ Jesus for if you do it will prove like Sauls Armour which David the Seed cannot go out to war with unless you have the knowledge of such things already as a servant to use in the dominion and pure wisdome of God for this I have found who am also ignorant of such things as a babe That the Innocent Seed of Jacob need none to plead its cause but God alone who giveth strength and wisdome in the same hour Therefore my dear and tender Friends Look not out from your own measures received of the grace of God which is sufficient neither consult with flesh and blood by reasonings disputings or premeditations but stand single and innocent eying the Honour and Glory of God in his pure fear and true humility for in this alone is the Victory Wisdome and Blessings obtained and God will not give it to another for the Battel is the Lords and we are to stand still in the Seed to see his salvation and then keeping low this will glorifie its Father alone as the Father hath
shew them his way and guide them in it which is a way of holiness mercy and truth and that they might alway fear and dread his great Name and terrible Majesty who is able to do whatsoever he will in the Heavens and in the Earth and that they might through his judgements come to be redeemed and reconciled unto him in Christ the everlasting Covenant of life and peace Therefore my dear Friends Wait you upon God and let him be your fear and your dread then will you not dread man or rather the furies of wilde Beasts or Serpents which is manifest in the sons of men neither let in the fear of death or any tryal whatsoever which tends to the vailing or weakning your tender life which you have felt and enjoyed in God but let the presence of the Mighty God of worm Jacob fill your hearts who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell and also to save to the uttermost all them that fear and obey him that you may feelingly and perfectly know and understand in the light of the Lord all things that comes to passe in your particulars then shall you be of a right and sound judgement concerning all men spirits and things in the general for none can truly know the Cause Ground or Root of a matter originally but who dwels in God the Root that bears him and all men the original of life and he that doth not know aright may easily or soon judge wrong Therefore it s the Saints onely amongst all the children of men that are able and can and must judge the world Mark who are sanctified by Christ Jesus yea such shall judge Angels who dwell in him to whom they all bow for he is judge of quick and dead and from him is no secret hid that shall not be manifest For he is come neer to judgement and is a swift witnesse against all unrighteousnesse and also his tender mercies and blessings are neer the upright-hearted which is to them as the former and latter rain but the rebellious dwell in a dry Land So be you all very still in your minds and not will or run but diligently heed the will and counsel of the motions of Gods good Spirit in you which is the onely Teacher of his people for he hath said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man and he is the true Physitian Shepherd and Overseer of the soul and will he not over-see and take care for the body the lesser by giving wisdom and discretion how to order all his creatures to his praise yea and this is witnessed among his babes blessed and praised for ever be his name which is their strong Tower and Safety Rock and Defence and they need not another who are come to dwell in the Holy City New Jerusalem that came down from God the quiet habitation whose walls are peace and gates praise and salvation here is no need of Candle Sun or Moon to give light but the Glory of God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof And hither is the Lord God of endless wisdom and compassions bringing his little ones that beleeve and trust alone in him who is becoming all in all in his faithful children this is the sum my Friends this is that we have waited for to which end the Lord hath long waited to be more and more manifesting his grace and wisdome unto us that we might come up hither by descending lower in our selves into him who is the root and off-spring what shall I say of him if it can be born I could say much in the infallible counsel of God that he is becoming the Father and Mother Feeder and Cloather Healer Guider and Governour yea all as I have said unto his dear Lambs who have long breathed and panted after him and cannot be fully satisfied till this is accomplished No borrowed light no Moon or Candle will suffice the Noble birth but the very glory of God and the marriage of the Lamb to whom it ascribes all having received all out of the bosome of the eternal treasury of the wisdom and compassions of the Allmighty And so here is a cry heard with a loud voyce from the Throne of God and the Lamb Cease from man cease from man in all things and come up hither ye travelling children and you shall be refreshed and satisfied it s I have heard your cryes and if men at any time have had compassion on you it was through my bowels which I put upon him to that end therefore look unto me and come I am the fountain of all goodness mercy and truth saith the Lord God and not any man for they are but as Cisterns which may break and then where wilt thou be for thy dayly nourishment and refreshment These were the two great evils committed in the dayes past viz They have forsaken me the Fountain of living waters and hewed them out cisterns broken Cisterns that could hold no water for which the Heavens were astonished and very desolate and afraid Is Israel a home-born slave read Jer. 2.11 12 13 14. and consider it perfectly for the latter dayes of considerations are come as much as if God had said Is Israel who once wrestled like a Prince and prevailed and had power with God and with man c. become so ignoble as to forsake me the Fountain and be satisfied now with Cisterns that will hold no water Oh! this was a horrible thing these were great evils the very Heavens were astonished at this Therefore my dear Friends let this saying sink deep into your hearts See that you alwayes in all things mind the Motions and Leadings of the Spirit of Truth for it is the true and perfect Guide sent of the Father to guide us into all Truth and to shew us things to come and he that follows any man by word or example and goes from this in himself hath committed a great evil even Idolatry and is gone from the hearkning and obeying this is the Witchcraft spoken of 1 Sam. 15.22 23. Gal. 3.1 This is not to be suffered to live or not to be lived in in all Israel Exod. 22.18 the Lord hath spoken it for worm Jacob who is now arising in the strength and pure wisdom of his God is no more a home-born slave to feed at Cisterns or live upon Husks or to be deceived with any likeness whatsoever but is filling himself at the living Fountain of the Riches Nobility at the right hand of the Majesty on high and so in vain is the snares laid in the sight of him that hath wings that sees them and is able to escape them for there is a Remnant that stands upon Mount Sion with the Lamb in the innocent life who are and can freely come to God the Judge of all be ript open and stand naked in the particular and such is the Lord God cloathing with white robes of his everlasting Righteousness which shall never