though he might rage storme and persecute or promise all the Glory Kingdoms and pleasures of this world to be bowed unto or worshiped yet the Royal seed cannot give glory to another therefore would the Devil like his son Haman have him destroyed out of the world in which he himself hath been worshiped as God blinding and vailing the minde of mankind from the true knowledge and understanding of the noble seed the heir whose right it is alone to Reigne and he must Reigne now till all his enemies are trampled under his feet the Lord hath spoken it to whom be all Honour Worship Glory Dominion Praise Thanks-giving and Eternal songs of deliverance and Redemptions over all Heaven and Earth Halelujah Amen ALL you Bishops Prelates Preists Episcopal men or any other that are professing God Christ and Scriptures and are offering Sacrifice in your own wills and time and places out of the fear and counsel and wisdome of God This is the word of the Lord God you and your Sacrifices are not accepted in his sight but are Abomination unto him even iniquity and Idolatry and all your prayers singings preachings fastings feastings and roarings enters not into the ears of the Lord God of Sabboths but is a smoak in his nostrils all the day long and all your Sacrifices and Sacraments as you call them are not better in the sight of the pure living God of Heaven then if you cut off a Dogs neck or offered Swines blood for it is so you offer Swines blood and not the blood of the Lamb without spot the acceptable seed and the broth of Abominable things which the Lord abhors is in your Vessels if you have ears to hear hear you offer Swines blood the life of the Swine the greedy devourer that lives in your dwellings in which the Devils is entered and you are running violently down the steep place and you will perish among the waters if you Repent not and turn speedily the Lord hath spoken it Therefore hear hear you that are offering Sacrifice and prayers called Common and are in your will Worships and feigned humility never commanded of God though you make a great noyse with your Organs and Sacraments and Surplices and Tippits and Girdles and tables and fingings and pipings and ringings and the like it s all but as the hidious howling of a Dog at midnight whilst you live in lusts envy pride coveteousness coveteousness and unrighteousness and no more accepted of the Righteous holy just God then Cains was the Vagabond who slew his brother being in the same nature and ground of malice and wickedness and God hath set a mark upon you as upon Cain which shall never be blotted out unless you turn and be converted from that root and sink down in your minds to the righteous suffering seed in you which never had fellowship in these things in which you are thus excercised but reproves you in secret for sin and lets you see the evil and vanity of your ways For while you do evil sin lyeth at your door and your prayers and Sacrifices do not enter into the acceptance of the holy God for God heareth not sinners but if any man be a Worshiper of God and doth his will him he heareth but none worships God but them 〈◊〉 worship him in spirit and in truth even in that spirit which you dayly greive and provoke with your abominations and Sacrifices and Oblations sinning and superstitions which he is weary to bear of which he will shortly ease himself and of you also if you proceed in these things which never came into his mind to commend or require at your hands Therefore hear and consider and fear and tremble before the just God of power who is arisen to plead with you about these things and will reprove you for your words worships and Sacrifices feigned imitations which are without the true knowledge darkening the Counsel of God in your own selves and others whereby his pure way of life and truth is not heeded but evil spoken of and his Eternal Counsel by you is not understood which is to stand still in the Light of Christ Jesus the Saviour and not will nor run but as led and guided by it which leads out of all unrighteousness into soberness goodness equity all truth it will let you see if you are quiet in your minds that the jealous God of holiness hath no fellowship nor delight in your ways of superstition and wickedness but secretly saith Returne returne this is not your rest for it is poluted but and if you will not hear and come into the still waters of Shiloah which run saftly but will still ride upon Horses even go on in the strength of your wills in your great noyse of false worships ways Sacrifices and ungodliness then they that persue you even the Judgements of God shall be very swift against you faith the Lord God of Hosts This is your warning and visitation as shall be witnessed whether you hear or forbear Some occasional Queries concerning a Vagabond 1. Qu. VVHether the ground of being a Vagabond be the want of an outward Inheritance Habitation or earthly riches or certain dwelling place in the Earth as some have said yea or nay if yea then how was Cain as a Vagabond seeing he was a Rich man and had an Inheritance and certain dwelling place in the Earth who builded a City and called it after the name of his son Gen. 4. 2. Qu. And if the want of an outward Inheritance or certain dwelling place in the Earth be the only ground of being a Vagabond then whether Abraham was a Vagabond when he went out of his own Country not knowing whether he went having not so much ground as to set his foot on of whom it is written he is called the freind of God Acts 7. Heb. 11. For there hath been a great noise in the World amongst the Rich and great men and professors thereof in these latter days saying if you cannot give an account of your certain dwelling place habitation or place of aboad in the earth we account you as Vagabonds and wanderers and Rogues and you must be prosecuted against as such by our Law Ordinace or Act of Parliament or the like which if they have such a Law that doth Iudge conclude such to be Vagabonds as have no certain dwelling place in the earth that this in their account is the ground of being a Vagabond then marke how far this Law will reach 3. Qu. Whether it will not reach as far in this case as did the Scribs and Pharisees the Jews Law to the son of God who said we have a Law and by our Law he ought to dye for said Christ the Foxes have holes such as Herod and the fowles of the Aire have nests of whome the Devil is Ruler but the son of man hath no where to lay his head Now this Law taks hold of him and of Abraham his freind
worship and practises life and conversation of his servants and Children from the beginning to this day First consider there are but two seeds in the whole Creation between which emnity is put and are obsolute contrary in Nature fruits and effects that is the seed of the Serpent And the seed of the Woman which is Christ in his people the same to day yesterday and for ever the Imanuel who is now coming in ten thousands of thousands of his Saints called Quakers who tremble at his word for they are the people that shall spring up and spread from the Root of Iesse over the face of the whole Earth through the vertue and power of this seed Christ Jesus whose fruits and effects is Love meekness patience temperance mercy fulness justness soberness righteousness holiness peace and joy in the eternal power and spirit of the pure God doing to all men as they would they should do to them these and such like are the fruits of the tree of this seed of the Woman Christ which must bruise the head of the Serpent whose seed brings forth contrary fruits and effects in every particular though in some things it might imitate the Righteous seed as Cain did in matter of sacrifice or worship or the like but still it s from another seed root and ground which is acursed for said God cursed is the ground for thy sake mark that the ground not the simple earth which is good but the ground of envy murder and wickedness that had opened his mouth in him to swallow up his brothers blood from which it cryes against him and his generation of murderers about sacrifice and worship at this day and for ever so this is the other seed whose fruits and effects are manifest as saith the Scriptures even the seed of the fleshly Birth which persecutes the birth born of the Spirit of the living God which are these envy pride wrath malice striffe anger highmindedness frowardness bitterness uncleaness laciviousness covetousness drunkeness wantoness revellings rioting emulations witchcraft hatred heresies Idolatry injustice partiallity and hipocrisy these and such like are the fruits and effects of the Serpents seed which hath spread as a great tree of wickedness over the whole earth and is that cursed one that hath so long cumbred the ground And these are also the Children of Babylon the great Whore which hath Reigned over the Nations and Kings of the Earth happy is the man that dasheth these against the stone Christ Jesus the light that discovers them and these are those wares costliness pretious things of Babylon even the fruits and pleasures of sin the glory riches worships and beloved practises of iniquity which proceeds from this seed of falsehood satisfying a ground that is accursed for ever Therefore saith God come out of Babylon my people pertake not of her sins or fruits that ye be not pertakers of her plagues And now is the day come in which Babylon shall receive at the hand of the Almighty the Cup of the wine of his fury and indignation without mixture and shall drink the dregs thereof and wring them out and all her Marchants that have lived deliciously and delighted in her wares and costliness and traded with her shall houl wail and lament beholding the smoak of her torments which ascends up for ever and ever Hear this you superstitious and Idolatrous Priests Bishops and Hirelings for the foolish woman whose feet are not in her house but is without loud stubborn and clamourous is now pulling down her own house with her hands mark that by her own ungodly actions wicked words and practises slanders persecutions and greivous abominations even pulling or drawing down the just judgements plagues and eternal vengeance of the righteous God upon her own head he that reads let him understand for the time is at hand therefore consider all ye that live in enmity against the harmless seed and people this day are not you in pride which is abomination to God and Ambition and Covetousness which is Idolatry and love pleasures and vanities lusts of uncleanness deceit and flattery more then the pure living God of truth and righteousness and are not you in the stoutheartedness disdainfulness feignedness and Hypocrisy dissimulation and all manner of wickedness and are not you become the hold of every foul spirit and cage of unclean and hateful birds read your state and do not strive against that that lets you see it nor say no by any pretence or covering for the dreadful God hath found you out and his judgements and vengeance is your portion and the great day of the Lamb is come in which you are not able to stand This is the ground of your rage seeing you have but a short time as it is written the wicked cannot stand in the judgement nor sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous Therefore hearken all ye who are in the Babilonish Garments the night attire of the great Whore the Almighty strong and powerful God of Heaven and Earth is stripping and making her bare and naked as in the day in which she was borne to the the view of all Nations Men and Angels for the hour of her judgements is come her sins have reached to heaven and are come into the remembrance before God even her envy and rage scorning and disdaining persecuting and cruelty lusts and pleasures and vanities and all manner of Injustice iniquity and ungodliness flattering and deceitful titles ambition dissimulation Hypocrisy and Idolatry and the like abominations this is also the tongue of the Egyptian Sea which God Almighty of Heaven will shortly dry up that people may goe over dry-shod he that hath an ear let him hear and understand the day hastens yea it cometh swiftly in which righteous just sober and godly men and people shall walk with boldness with comfort and courage in the waies of holiness uprightness and truth in all the Nations of the earth or else the Lord God hath never spoken by me which I know he hath and will perform it Therefore tremble ye careless daughters that are at ease walking haughtily with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes howl howl and weep bitterly ye light puft up and vainglorious men and women the day of your calamity cometh on like an armed man and you shall not escape and upon all you that cry out against the children and servants of the most high God saying they will not obey Magistrates nor reverence such as are in Authority nor respect and honour Superiors nor be subject to the Kings Laws but are proud and wilful stubborn and disobedient and will not worship as we worship nor admire mens persons though they might have advantage by it Hear now my answer ye people whose portion is in this life who are of the houshould and stock of Esau the prophane person whose house is now as Stubble The God of heaven by his dreadful and Almighty power and Judgements hath broken in upon us
and laid low the haughtiness and hewed down the tree of wickedness and unrighteousness in us from whence these evil fruits before mentioned proceeded and hath redeemed us from our vain conversation in which we were as other Gentiles walking in the vanitys of our minds in the Lusts of Ignorance and hath raised up by the same power a seed of his own begetting in us having cast out the heathen in us that knew not God and prepared roome for his own Life and power and wisdome which is foolishness to the world to take possession of our hearts and consciences for ever to which our souls are subject knowing him to be the higher power who hath put down all Rule and all Authority in us which was contrary to him who is now become our King and our Law-giver Teacher and Saviour which no man can remove from us into a corner and we are led and guided by his spirit who is the wonderful Counsellour the mighty God the Prince of peace and are not Rebellious wilful or stubborn neither to God nor man in what is manifest to be his will concerning us And as for Magistrates and such as are in the Authority and power of God as was Moses and such men fearing God hating covetousness injustice and unrighteousness we dearly own and honour in the Lord even such as are punishers of evil doers favourers and encouragers of them that do well these are Magistrats in Gods behalfe bearing the Sword of Justice and true Judgement and not in vain being in the power and wisdome of God a terrour to evil doers and a praise to them that do well these are worthy of honour these rule well these answer the witness of God in all people these Judge Righteously equally and justly without partiallity in the fear and dread and domion of God having respect to him and his honour only in what they do not seeking their own honour which would perish but in meekness soberness and soundness of minde and Judgement without respect of persons judging between man and man being able to discerne the ground of all causes and controversies in the Light and Counsel of God whose servants they are mark that these are Magistrats not every one that beareth that name no more then all that profess Christ in words are Christians who can say Lord Lord and we are Christians and we love God when they hate the light his own witness in them and walk in darkness being Lyers and Hypocrits for none are Christians really and in Gods sight but they that follow Christ in the Regeneration being borne again through the strength and power and vertue of his own life and spirit being guided by it out of all unrighteousness into holiness righteousness and truth for they that say they are Christians and are not are Lyers and of the Synagoge of Satan whose will and works they do even they it is that bear the name of Magistrates and are not really so Now Magistrates are not a terrour to good works but to the evil mark that but such as have been and yet are so called in England New and Old have been and yet are a terrour to good works contrary to the end and will of God government on Earth and the very word Magistrate so that such are but like them that said they were Jews and were not but of the Synagogue and generation of him who hath been a lyer from the beginning for this I testifie in the Lord without respect of persons that such are not Magistrates ordained by him that are out of his fear and those good properties and qualities before mentioned though they may be rich and great men in the earth as Cain Esau and Haman were yet are like the Preists that bear rule by their means and not by the power wisdome and mercy of God who will rage and fume and storme like a wild Bull in a net before they have heard the causes and controversies of such as are brought before them because the spirit of Pride and Ambition which is of the Devil is not bowed unto and will imprison people right or wrong without breach of any just Law of God or man these are not Magistrates but evil doers and Magistrates are for the punishing of evil doers neither is that a just Law but an unrighteous decree which is made to be a terrour to good works and an encouragement to evil doers this is turning Judgment into Gall and Righteousness into Hemlock and the Sword backwards Consider these things for with them God is not pleased who beholds the prey that is made on them that depart from iniquity in the Land For such do well and are not evil doers who meet together in the fear of the true God to wait upon him in the light of his counsel by it to be guided into all truth through the knowledge of his will concerning them and their salvation that so they may serve God in his holy way acceptably all the daies of their life with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire and he or she that bears witness in the spirit of truth and power of righteousness against Pride Idolaty Popery or superstition or any other ungodly lusts deceit or hypocricy as preaching for money or Judging for rewards and such like Injustice Oppression and cruelty or any of the fruits of the corrupt tree which God is hewing down for the fire I say that man or woman boy or girle of the streets of Ierusalem that so doth as afore mentioned in the name of the Lord doth well and they that abuse them for so doing doth evil and God shall require it at their hands for he or she that stands a witness in the power and wisdome of God which is the higher power against the fleshly lusts which warr against the soul is in so doing the souls freind he that can hear let him him hear for to the higher power which was before the lusts and wills of men or the powers of darkness Death Hell and transgression the lower condemned power was are we subject and this seed or life which God hath raised in us who at this day are called Quakers cannot bow down to the Devil the lower power nor worship that spirit of Pride enmity ambition and wickedness which God hath determined to destroy root and branch and them that live in and worship it for it is the Image of the old Serpent the Devil and destroyer of mankind to which the pure Image or son of the living God could never bow but was always a sufferer for a season under its enmity and cruelty as may be seen throughout all ages to this day for it is no new thing to see him that is born after the flesh oppress and persecute him that is born after the spirit for it began at Abel even about sacrifice and is the same at this day for whatsoever you may say and profess in words Cain could also talk
persecutions cruel mockings imprisonments and drawing before Judgement seats should like Abraham in obedience to the voice of the Lord God of our fathers go out of our own Countrys not knowing whether we went even we who are called Quakers that tremble at his word yet we are no Vagabonds but obedient children and servants of the most high God of power and compassions before whom all Nations shall bow and tremble Therefore be awakened all ye Rulers and Inhabitants of the Earth and consider these things and be not rash heady nor high minded nor hasty to give heed to false reports or to fulfil the lusts and wills of envious wrathful and ambitious men or to lay hands suddenly or violently on any without just cause but be meek patient and sober and search out the truth of causes and controversies and consider the Scriptures before written for the people of the living God are at this day strangers and Pilgrims in the Earth as all our fathers were Therefore fear God and be very careful heeding the light his witness in you which lets you see between good and evil for some have entertained Angles unawares Heb. 13.2 Be wise thererore now O ye Kings and Rulers and be instructed and learn Righteousness ye that be Juddges of the Earth and serve the God with fear and trembling least his anger be wholly kindled against you and then you perish from the way of everlasting peace and happyness I am a lover of the Holy God and good men of truth mercy and Righteousness and am wâ—yâ—ing in the spirit of Love and patience for the Resurrection of the dead that the Righteous and holy seed may arise and come into Rule and Dominon in and through the whole Creation called VVilliam Bayly THe decree of God the first Birth is to slay That all its fruits and Offspring might decay Which hath sild the Earth with Pride and Violence Even like the Plague and grevious Pestilence The zeal of God against it now doth burn Which will consum 't in Iacobs blest return For the first born of Egypt must be brought To death who hath the seconds mischeif sought Which now must rule the Nations with his Rod Though Cain may flee and build i' th Land of Nod Yet there his hand will finde him out again Then endless will be his punishment and pain And all that came from the first Birth must go In 't Condemnation and eternal woe Which caus'd the wrath of God on earth to come Therefore its great destruction is the Sun Of what the Prophets by past have declar'd That Babylon no longer should be spar'd But Vengeance on her head should poured be That all her Plagues and nakedness may see And by her Torments learn for to amend Least furious Plagues again on them he send For with his sword hee 'l cut down Ceadars tall And with great noyse Now Babylon must fall And all her Merchants they shall weep and wail For God will neither leave her head nor tail And hee 'l not spare his Arrows for to spend Till of her seed h' hath made a final end All flesh shall fail all knees shall feeble be The Joynts and Loyns of men now loos'd you 'l see The Earth shall reel the Mountains they shall quake Because God pleads with them for his Seeds sake These things are neer and hasten they do now The time is come that Nations all must bow To him that 's born who must the Scepter sway And bring to dust what stands against his way His Name is Light his burthen is so to Easy his Yoak to those who life for-goe And in his Name sake and in his will can rest These are the Souls that are for ever blest But as for them that will not he should Reign The time draws neer in which they must be slain Amen Ha le lu jah W. B Babylon the Great is fallen is fallen and become the habitation of Devils Revel 18. THE END