you judge of us we have no other end in all our meetings together but to wait upon our God that we might know his Will and be guided and directed into all truth by his Spirit which he hath sent into our hearts and in it to worship and serve him all the days of our life and here we find the narrow way and strair Gate which leads into the Paradice of God even to the eternal life but broad is the way and wide is the Gate that leads to destruction according to the words of our dear elder Brother Christ Jesus for we having but turned our faces from the Earth toward the Garden of God our true resting-place but immediately our Brethren the first-born of Adam in transgression like Cain do rise up in wrath to smite us by whom we are greatly abused imprisoned and oppressed who will not go in this narrow passage themselves nor suffer them that would and in as much as in them lieth they strive to hide the key of true knowledge from their Brethren and would not have them seek that City which hath foundations whose Builder and Maker is God in which only is the eternal salvation peace and quietness of the souls of the children of men Heb. 11.10 Surely this must needs be of the old Serpent the beguiler oppressor and destroyer of Mankind and of the great Whore the Mother of Harlots even the same which beguiled and deceived tempted and led them out of the Paradice of God's counsel and presence in which is joy and peace for evermore even the Murtherer from the beginning which killed the just and let the mind into the Earth and its delights pleasures and vanities which comes to an end Therefore the Cross must be taken up which the second Adam taught us daily to the earthly affections things of this World in which the Prince of darkness ruleth for it is but a Cross not of Wood Stone Gold or Silver but the pure Power of God by which the World and the things thereof are become dead and crucified unto us and we unto them even such a Cross that the earthly minded are enemies to who can set up and wear the Cross of Wood Silver and Gold which is of the Earth like them that make them and wear them but this crucifies the World and all that is in the World is the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life and the whole World lies in wickedness so this crucifies the wickedness slays the enmity which your Crosses of Wood and Stone never did but you have been in enmity about them and such things and yet are in the lust and pride enmity and wickedness stumbling at the Cross in which the Saints glory is for by this are the Kings bound in Chains and the nobles in fetters of iron even Lord Esau and all the Princes of Ishmael and Dukes of Edom Esau's stock and the Devil is King over all the Children of Pride Read this and tremble all you whose state this is for it is not your talk of God and Christ and of his Cross that will at all avail you while you stick fast in the driven-out-state in which you are separated from the enjoyment of his life and presence and not returning to the Rock from whence we were hewen the tryed everlasting foundation which is laid in Sion by which every mans Works Words Professions and Religions must be tryed and made manifest of vvhat sort it is For by this Line of true Judgement he that says he vvorships God or loves God and yet hates his Brother is found a lyar and vve knovv that all lyars are shut out of his Heavenly Kingdom and must have their portion in the Luke that burneth vvith the heavy displeasure of God Rev. 21 8. Therefore I pray you brethren be you novv vvell advised in vvhat you do act or speak and consider the end of these things your ovvn state as to God-vvard for as for us vve are but strangers in the Earth as our Fathers vvere now vve are avvake the glory of it is but like a dream vvithout substance or satisfaction to the immortal soul vve novv perceive what the captivity of Babylon is and the Whore vvhich hath sate and reigned over all Nations and Kings of the Earth and vvhat that night and sleep vvas in vvhich the Enemy came and sovved tares among the good Seed in the field for vve being returned toward the Land of the living following the Light of Israel the promises of our heavenly Father are fulfilling unto us where he said They shall return and discern between the precious and the vile between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not between him that sweareth and him that feareth an Oath c. and I will return unto them a pure Language and they shall worship me with one consent This the Lord is fulfilling among us whom he hath gathered out of the many unclean Languages and false Worships and vain Religions the Whores Dommions to worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth for such only he seeketh and they are the true Worshippers John 4.23 24. Now I question not but you have heard how Cain offered sacrifie and yet smote and slew his brother Abel whose blood cryed from the ground against him for vengeance may you not read this somewhat near consider it and God had no respect to his offering who slew his brother but unto his offering who was the sufferer God had respect as he hath at this day who saith To this man will I look who is poor and of a contrite Spirit and trembleth at my word These things and the ground of them you might perceive if you were but truly awakened from the deep sleep of sin and death and the pleasures thereof which are but for a season however the Trump of God is sounding which shall ere long awaken you to judgement then shall you see how you have striven against the love and mercies of God and slighted the day of your visitation from on high and have fought against God's Witness and Witnesses to keep them in the perpetual Babylonish captivity and Egyptian bondage and darkness Be not deceived any longer neither flatter with your selves for we are not blind nor mad or in ignorance and error as you have supposed believed and reported through which you have reproached and greatly abused us and strengthened the hands of evil-doers and cruelty against us without cause but we are truly awakened by the voice of the Son of God who hath opened our ears and understandings and that eye which the Serpent the god of the World had blinded and now we see and know that if any man love the World or the things of the World the Love of the Father is not in him let him profess what he will The Scribes and Pharisees could say much could say We have one Father even God and we are Abraham's Seed
AN ARROVV SHOT AGAINST BABYLON OUT OF Josephs Bow Which grew up from the stem of Jesse the Root and Off-spring of David and was bent by the Archer of Israel which hath struck at Cains mark from Paradice into the Land of Nod and hath lighted in the skirts of the great Whore to the discovering the Mother or original of Harlots and all Abominations of the Earth tracing her in her footsteps with all her Companions and Merchants the Beast Dragon and false Prophet by the blood of the Prophets and Saints and of all that were slain upon the Earth And also pursuing her from her birth or the Serpents hole out of which she came to her latter end which is the bottomless pit or Lake of Fire into which she must return And this is a Visitation and Warning once more from God unto all such Rulers Teachers and people in England who are or may be persecutors about Religion and VVorship that they may yet flee out of Babylon mystery Babylon the great VVhore which hath set upon Nations and reigned over the King of the earth that they may partake no longer of her sins lest they partake of her perpetual plagues which cometh swiftly upon her in one day With a few questions concerning the Devil and Cain and the Whore and the Dragon and the Beast and false Prophet whence they came and where they are and how they may be known and whither they must all go together in the end And this may serve as a Glass for all false Christendom to behold themselves and try their ways and see what Spirit and Church they are of and whose children they are if ye were Abrahams children ye would do the works of Abraham By WILLIAM BAYLY Put your selves in array against Babylon round about all ye that bend the Bow shoot at her spare no arrows for she hath sinned against the Lord Jer 50.14 For thy Merchants were the great men of the earth for by thy sorceries were all Nations deceived in her was found the blood of the Prophets of saints and of all that were slain upon the earth Rev. 18.23 24. LONDON Printed in the Year 1663. An Arrow shot against Babylon c. IN the beginning before transgression man was in Paradice the Garden of God made in his own image and likeness and was in unity and peace with him in the innocent meek tender holy upright life in which he was formed in which state he stood with God as a Child with a Father or as a Wife with a Husband without variance distance or enmity between them and God's blessings was upon them in this their innocent lowly obedient state till at length another spirit got an entrance by desiring or letting the desire go out after the eye to be more knowing and wise in the mysteries of the outward Creation and visible things c. which soon captivated the tender simple upright mind and beguiled it from its own proper life and being in which it was made a living soul for they did not only taste but eat and that brought the death over them as it is written Gen. 2.17 for they entred into a secret false joy of what they had attained to and a satisfaction they got in the sensual wisdom and knowledge of things and so grew conceited that they were as Gods knowing good and evil c. And so through this aspiring spirit or motion which began to spring up in their minds a secret strife or enmity began to arise between the innocent life and it for there was a contrariety between them but they eat of the Tree of Knowledge which beguil'd them from the Tree of Life in the midst of the Paradice of God This was Adam's fall going outward with his mind from the guidance rule and dominion of the innocent upright Life by which he was made a living soul feeding in the aspectings and viewings of the visible things the mysterie and secrets of which was hid from him in that Life from which he was departed and he only could retain but strong imaginations of them which pust him up so now he became a griever and an oppressor of God's good Spirit and it became a reprover and troubler of him by reason of his disobedience against it and departure from it and he was now afraid of God's voice having done that which was contrary to him and then to get peace he sewed fig-leaves to make themselves coverings but all would not do while the Tree of knowledge is fed upon which was good in its place but forbidden to feed upon because it beguiled from the Tree of Life being pleasant to the eye and desirable to make one wise c. and the World by Wisdom knows not God so by it they lost the knowledge and unity and peace of God and were driven into the Earth and shut out of the Paradice of God and became vailed in the enmity pride and pleasures of the Earthly or sensual part which followed that aspiring motion of the subtil Serpent or Adulterer that led out from God like the Harlot Solomon speaks of that was subtil of heart whom the young man followed as an Ox to the slaughter and as a fool to the correction of the Stocks and knew not that it was for his life and that her paths led to the Chambers of death and her steps take hold of Hell this is the thing Adam was very young and the Harlot subtil so was deceived for the one enticed and the other consented and followed not knowing it was for his life though God had said he should surely dye but this Tempter led out the mind from the sence of the good man of the House with her Bed of pleasures and delights and with enticing vvords she forced him but the end was bitter as Wormwood as hath been known by woful experience for here was the first carrying away captive into Babylon the Mysterie of which the outward vvas but a figure and the first draught of the Whores Cup of Fornication was novv drunk by vvhich the just innocent life suffered as one might say even in the Womb and in Cain and Abel the tvvo Seeds or Spirits were clearly manifest the one in pride fury enmity murther drinking his brothers blood and the other the sufferer by him in the patience vvhose blood had a voice that cryed unto God from the ground and yet it 's said of Babylon that in her is found the blood of the Martyrs and Prophets and of all the Saints that have been slain upon the Earth then Cain was in Babylon which is now called the Great Whore and the controversie between Cain and Abel was about Sacrifice and Worship this hath spread even the Spirit of Whoredoms Enmity and Wickedness over the World and Cains Mark hath been apparent among multitudes peoples tongues and languages killing and persecuting about Religion and Worship This is the great Whore which hath sate upon many Waters reigned over the
but be cloathed with humility walk in love for he that loveth not knoweth not God For the Apostles of Christ's sending were harmless We seek not yours but you I have coveted no man's Gold or Silver or Apparel and we have the Spirit of Love and of a sound mind then not an earthly but redeemed from it unto God as Kings and Priests to reign over it so if you be not found in this inwardly as wel as talk of these good things with the mouth and tongue outwardly we shall judge you in the infallible judgement of Christ that you are not sent of him but are the contrary against him of Antichrist the grievers the thorns the raveners of the stock of Cain and linage of the great Whore Mysterie Babylon the false Prophets by your fruits you are and shall be manifested So consider these things ye Rulers and Teachers of England and tremble and quake before the Lord God and put your mouths in the dust and be silent for your covering are too narrow and your bed too short and God is stretching the line of true Judgement over you which shall dash you as with an iron Rod if you wil not be humbled and confess you have sinned in all these things and repent speedily and do so no more And this is the Word of the Lord unto you which wil shortly be fulfilled Here followeth some Questions to be answered by the Persecutors about Religion and Worship who are usurping Authority over mens Consciences in such things which only belongs to God and are neglecting their own duty and place in not relieving the oppressed and doing Justice and ex cuting true and righteous Judgement between man and man but are making it their work to ensnare the righteous and oppress the innocent and to strengthen the hands of the wicked encourage the evil-doers for which things sake God will rebuke them Psal 82 83. Qu 1. PErsecutor What is the Devil of whom the Scripture speaks that he is a Murtherer from the beginning John 8.44 And where is he now And how was he a Murtherer from the beginning And about what did he murther from the beginning And how doth he work in the hearts of the children of disobedience And what are his works and where are they which are manifest which the Son of God was manifested to destroy Eph. 2.2 1 John 3.8 2. What was Cain of which the Scripture speaks that he was of the wicked one 1 Joh. 3.12 And what was the wicked one of which Cain was if it be not the Devil And how was Cain of the wicked one or the Devil if it were not because he persecuted and slew his Brother about Sacrifice and Worship Gen. 4.3 4 5 6 7 8. 3. What is the great Whore which is called Mysterie Babylon of which the Scripture declares that she hath reigned over Nations Kindreds Peoples Tongues and Languages and Kings of the Earth seeing she is called the Mother or original of all Abominations of the Earth and that in her is found the blood of the Prophets and Saints and of all that were slain on the Earth What is the Mother of all abominations if not that Spirit that led out from God and persecuted killed and murthered about Religion and Worship Whether all abominations did not proceed from this Spirit And whether the Legions be not in that Vessel where this Murtherer dwells who is King over all the children of pride Read Rev. 17. and 18. chap. Job 41.34 Isa 27.1 4. Whether the Devil was not Cain's Father and the great Whore his Mother seeing the Scripture saith he was of the wicked one and the Pharisees who persecuted to death about Worship and Sacrifice were of their Father the Devil John 8.44 And in the Whore Mysterie Babylon was found the blood of all the Prophets and Saints c. and if all the blood of the Saints was found in her then whether any can be found out of her when dilgent inquisition is made by the Spirit of the righteous God but if none of the righteous blood be found out of her but all found in her then vvhether Cain and the Devil vvere not of and in this Mysterie Babylon the great Whore vvho vvere Murtherers from the beginning about Sacrifice and Worship by vvhom righteous Abel vvas killed from the beginning Gen. 4. 5. What is Cains Mark and Cains vvay of which it is written in the Scripture God set a Mark upon Cain or takes notice of him by something by which he may be known and wo unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain c. Now what is Cains Mark and his Way canst thou answer me if it be not persecution and murthering about Religion and Sacrifice in the wrath and envy seeing the Scripture saith his countenance fell and he was wrath and slew his brother and wherefore slew he him because his own Works were evil and his brothers righteous * Mark ye that swear and compel to swear and imprison the harmless for not swearing your works are evil for ye transgress the commands of Christ Jesus whom all are to hear and obey who saith Swear not at all and they that obey him their works are righteous and God doth and will put a difference between them and you about these things as it is written even as between Cain and Abel Mark the occasion of persecution and who are the persecuted and of whom are the persecutors seeing Cain was of that wicked one who slew his brother about Sacrifice a matter of Conscience towards God 6. What is the Beast and his mark or image which carrieth the great Whore which all the World hath wondered after and worshipped or bowed down to seeing the Scripture saith the Whore sate upon many Waters the Waters were Nations Tongues Peoples Multitudes and Languages and she reigneth over the Kings of the Earth who were made drunk with the Cup of her Fornications and her Merchants were the great men of the Earth c. Rev. 18. 7. And whether this Beast be not the great red Dragon which carrieth the great Whore which stands ready to devour the Man-child of the true Woman which was fled into the Wilderness for a time times and a half into a place appointed And whether this Child which the Dragon would devour be not that Seed of the Woman which was promised should bruise the Serpents head And whether this Dragon be not the old Serpent the Devil and Satan which rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience whose Head must be bruised by the Womans seed And whether the Devil do not know he hath but a short time when this seed comes forth to reign whose right it is Rev. 12.12 13 14 15 16 17. 8. Whether this Seed or Child of the Woman which must bruise the Serpents head be not Christ or the appearance of God manifest in flesh among and in his despised and afflicted people in all ages And
whether the Dragon that would devour it be not the Devil that rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience the false Christians stirring them up to persecute murther about Religion Worship seeing Cain that did so was of the wicked one the Murtherer from the beginning the blood of all the Prophets Saints is found in the Mother of all abominations which is carryed or upheld by a Scarlet coloured Beast Mark that Rev. 17.3 9. And whether the spirit of this Beast which carrieth this great Whore do not go downward to the Earth and feed upon the earth and the things of the Earth and minds the earth its pleasures pride covetousness and ambition and is pushing with its horns like the false Prophets Ezek. 34. ruling with oppression and cruelty and persecuting and afflicting about Religion and Worship minding honor below storming and raging for fear of losing the Devils Kingdom his works which the Son of God the true Womans Seed is come to destroy in whom is known the Spirit of a Man which goes upward but dust is the Serpents meat and upon his belly he goes all the days of his life and no higher there he feeds and out of his dark holes he creeps spitting forth his poyson and venome against that which is always caught up to God out of his reach though he cast out his fiery-like Floods after the Woman and her Child and makes war with the remnant of her Seed which are this day in being which keep the Commandments and have the Testimony of Jesus Mark the Child whose Life the Dragon Beast Whore and false Prophet seek to destroy is caught up to God out of their reach and ever was and ever will be And this is the Word of the Lord God unto all persecutors and Earth both Teachers and Rulers about Religion Sacrifice and Worship you tread the outward Court the Serpent bruiseth the heel mark that and not the Head the Head is in the holy City where the dogs the biters whoremongers and murtherers cannot come but beware how you sport with the Vessels of the Lord for they are holy that bear them left the hand-writing on the Wall appear against you and you be smitten with a final destruction Dan. 5. throughout and fear before the God of Daniel who is persecuted for worshipping his God at this day among his Brethren for he was a trembler at God's Word Dan. 10.11 So remember you are once more warned as God's Witnesse shall answer on your death-bed if you go on in Cains way you shall have Cains portion banished from God's peace and rest with greater punishments then you wil be able to bear and if you are in the Whores way in which the Pharisees was professing of Religion and making long prayers and yet persecuting about it you must partake of their woes judgements and if you are in the Beasts Dragon and false Prophets way and Balaams way minding earthly things greedy of filthy lucre casting into prisons for your bellies pride covetousnesse and Earthly Honors sake the innocent followers of the Lamb the true Womans Seed that keeps Christs commands you must be cast into the Lake of fire in Gods wrath and vengeance to be tormented for ever and ever as it is written Rev. 19.19 20. 20.10 14.19 20. c. Therefore try your selves of what birth you are whether you are of Cain or Abel of God or the Devil of the true woman or Church of Christ in deed and in truth walking in his steps in the self-denial bearing witness for the truth led from prison to judgement for the Testimony which you hold and for the word of patience for this declares his generation Isa 53.8 Or whether you are the Seed of the Adulterers and the Whore which Isaiah speaks of chap. 57.3 and John in the Revelations which drunk the blood of the Saints Read your state and see who is your Father and Mother for there is no daubing in God's sight with untempered morter you must be of the one or the other of Jerusalem the holy City or of Babylon the great VVhore the false Church or the true you are of therefore let no man deceive you with flatteries smooth things for this Testimony wil stand before God Angels and men and J am thus far clear of all your blood and you will be left without excuse whether you hear or forbear W. B. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Behold the Devil shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tryed and ye shall have tribulation ten days But be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 Have respect unto the Covenant for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty Psal 74.20 Matt. 7.15 16. Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheeps clothing but inwardly they are ravening wolves ye shall know them by their fruits Do not rich men oppress you and draw you before the judgement-seat c. Jam. 2.6 7. He that loveth his brother abideth in the Light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him but he that hateth his brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes 1. John 2.11 For this is the Message that ye heard from the beginning that we should love one another not as Cain who was of that wicked one and slew his brother and wherefore slew he him because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous Marvel not my brethren if the world hate you we know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren He that loveth not his brother abideth in death Whosoever hateth his brother is a Murtherer and ye know that no murtherer hath eternal life c. 1 Joh. 3.11 12 13 14 15. THE END