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
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
IACOB is become a FLAME and the house of ESAV Stubble Or the Battail betwixt Michael and the Dragon in which the Seed of the woman is bruising the Serpents Head And Cain the first Birth the Persecutor is found the Vagabond and Abel and Abraham that wandred the freinds of God Being a true discovery of the two seeds or births between which the enmity is put the time and day being come in which the Elder must serve the Younger With a few words to the Priests Bishops Episcopal-men and professors of this last Age and a short warning to the Rulars and Inhabitants of the EARTH Do men gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles IN the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth the Sea and all living Creatures and the end of their creation was to serve and manifest the glory wisdome power goodness of God their Creator and for no other end were they Created in the beginning and that all his works of Creation should be in subjection unto him being ruled and governed by his pure Righteous power Counsel and wisdome And to the end that his wonders and power and goodness and wisdome might be the more manifest he endued man with a proportion of the same that he himself is even pure wisdome Love Holiness Truth Justice and Goodness or whatsoever might be named of the properties and qualities of the Creator mark this was the end of Gods Creation especially of mankind to set forth his own glorious virtues and holy righteous power that so his workmanship might be a continual praise unto him living in subjection to that pure power by which they were created this was Gods end even to glorifie himself in these things Therefore said his dear Son who came to restore man and the whole Creation into its first state Herein is my Father glorified that you manifest or bring forth good fruits mark this glorifies God and his end of Creation by this is answered even the bringing forth of those virtues in power and life again But whilest man is in the transgression seperation and alienation from God he answers not the end of his Creation but is out of his right and proper habitation fallen short of his glory neither can he manifest Gods wonders and power wisdome and truth and goodness in that state but doth manifest and bring forth the power and lying wonders works and properties of the wicked one which is called the old Serpent the Divel and Satan whose workings are contrary to God and the welfare of his Creation therefore is he called the Adversary and was known so to be by the true Seed in all Ages who came again to be restored into that state in which they enjoyed the power and virtues and wisdome of God and so in the end of their Creation even bearing good fruits gloryfying God in body soul and spirit Now consider man in the beginning was made uprightly and planted a noble Vine and in that state was blessed of God his Creator in whose power and virtues he should have continued and in the wisdome authority and dominion thereof to have ruled over all the Creation yet as a subject to that power by which he was made and created and not aspire above it mark that for it was so and this was the first appearance of the Adversary even to draw out the simple mind to be more wise knowing and seeking something to himself with a promise mark that ye shall be as Gods knowing to which hearkning and obeying the upright and simple mind is deceived and beguiled of that wisdome Power Glory and Blessedness which endures for ever and so feeds on that which dyes of it self against the command of God for knowledge doth vanish away but the life power and blessings of God endures for ever and will never dye though Heaven and Earth may pass away Therefore consider O mankind in what state thou wert at first created and by what spirit and power thou wast then upheld and guided and to what state or seed the everlasting blessings of God the Creator are due and of right unto for now are the Springs and Fountains of the great deep broke open unto the children of men and the great day of God and the Lamb is manifest and come in which all things works and fruits shall be proved and tryed of what seed root or ground soever and every seed shall have his own body he that hath an ear to hear let him hear and now shall the seed and body of the Serpent call to the Mountains and Rocks to fall on them to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb the womans seed and of him that sits upon the throne to whom be blessings and goodness all glory and honour Amen for ever Now this was the Serpents seed whose head is and must be bruised that at its beginning sprang up in the mind with a deceivable promise of being wise and knowing of himself lifting up above and without respect of subjection to his Creator so from this root grew pride selfishness earthly wisdome and disobedience to every good motion of that holy righteous power by which he was created and here is that Proverb true After pride comes a fall for it s not of God but abomination to him and the seed of evil doers shall never be renowned but must be bruised by the dread and power of the Lord of Heaven and earth and be chained down as a slave of abominations for ever and the day is come in which the Almighty hath laid hold on this Dragon and will seal him down into the pit of perdition no more to arise and deceive the Nations of the Earth and the Ax of his displeasure against unrighteousness is laid at the root of the great tree of wickedness and down must it come as a Milstone that is cast into the depth of the Sea as you have heard of Babylon for this is the Mother or original of all Harlots and abominations of the earth and they that live in wickedness and take pleasure in ungodliness are the children of this womb of Confusion where all is out of the true order and subjection of the Holy pure God of truth yet are wise to do evil but to do good have no knowledge being lifted up out of the fear of God that made them yet there is a government and kingdome and fruits and properties of this seed of wickedness in the time of its reign and predominancy As there is of the seed of God in its reign and government but contrary in nature fruits and effects and this wicked deceivable one hath got a Church Religious Worships and Orders as they call them and are in the imitation of the true seed things like Cain but from the root of confusion and enmity as by its fruits and effects is manifest through the Creation of God this is that Elder which must now serve the Younger having had its day or rather night and
and contend in the same nature that matters not while you are in the spirit of Pride and enmity which is of the Devil your Sacrifice is not accepted of the Righteous holy God but is unto him as an odious smoak of Brimstone in the Nostrills of a man and your Church so called is not the body of Christ Jesus the Lambs wife but of the great whore which hath drank the blood of the Saints living in pleasures wantonness pride scornfulness disdain flattery deceit and vanity with your tongues at Liberty out of Gods fear in wrath and envy lust and malitiousness swearing cursing and corrupt communication rioting and sporting and all manner of ungodliness these are not the fruits of Gods spirit in which he is only worshiped nor graces of Christs Church but the Whores night garments for the Christians were and are to abstain from all appearance of evil and to waite upon God through his power to be sanctified throughout in body soul and spirit hating even the garment spotted with the flesh against which work the Serpent and his seed in all Ages have set themselves and took counsel together and made Laws and decrees even to hinder the appearance growth and Dominion of the Righteous seed and Image of God which is Christ in his people in all generations the seed of the woman which is brusing the Serpents head Therefore All ye Rulers Priests Bishops Lip-professors and people who are gainsayers of the light the truth the way of God in his people and are persecutors opposers proud wanton disdainful wild scornful and rebellious against Gods witness that lets you see your evil deeds and vain conversation and all you swearers and drunkards lyers envious unbeleiving whoremongers hypocrites whores sorcerers fearful and abominable you are all without without are dogs the biters and every one that loveth and maketh a Lye Hear this you that oppose the power of the pure dreadful God and its mighty works amongst the children of men which he hath begun in his people called Quakers it is too weighty for you it shall break you to peices and confound you its Gods work you oppose and not mans and if you say in your hearts you will make us bow before you have done with us I tell you nay God hath raised a seed in us of his own life and Image can ye not understand which can never bow to unrighteousness Idolatry hypocricy and deceit but stand in the Royal power and Authority of the Living God bearing testimony against it and fear not him that can but kill the body and after that hath power to do no more but is in the pure fear dread and terrible power of the Almighty God who hath raised it up compassing it about as a wall of fire and you can never quench it for it is that love which is stronger then death that is shed abroad in our hearts blessed is the man that heareth beleiveth and receiveth it therefore it is imposible for you to prevaile against it unless you could prevaile against God or were stronger then him then might you hinder his handy works and mighty wonders which he hath determined to bring to pass in these last days for let me tell you the Kings Rulers Priests Bishops for to you now am I speaking and that from the eternal God of Heaven that you are at this day verily opposing the great weighty work of God which he will accomplish none shall be able to hinder verily you shall as easily pluck the Sun Moon and Stars out of the Firmament in which the living God hath set them by his power and orders them by his wisdome as stop hinder or fustrate the decree or purpose of God concerning his people and their Enemies in these last days For the day is come of which his former Prophets have prophesied and declared that in the last days he would poure out of his spirit upon his sons and daughters and they should prophecy But this is a strange work which you cannot understand as it is witten many shall be tryed purified and made white but the wicked will do wickedly and none of the wicked shall understand but the wise shall understand who are in that wisdom which the fear of the Lord is the beginning of And in the day when the proud were called happy them that tempted God were even delivered did some fear the Lord and met often together and thought upon his name for when a book of remembrance was written before the Lord and they shall be mine saith God I will spare them as a man spareth his son that serveth him though men will not spare them who are servants of the Devil and is not this the day ye this is the day even the notable day the great and dreadful day in which the mighty God will cut short his work in Righteousness and because of this Nations shall be distressed and in great perplexity the Sea shall roar and mens hearts shall faile them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming upon the Earth and men shall walk like blind men because of their Rebellion against God and God shall send his Plagues upon the Earth like showers of Hail even Sword and Famine and Pestilence and Earthquakes and dreadful Thunderings upon the head of the wicked and all flesh shall faile before him and the Mountains shall quake at his presence for the terible God shall roar out of Sion and utter his voice in Ierusalem and the earth shall tremble and pain shall take hold of the ungodly as a woman in travail and they shall not escape Therefore seek not to get ease and covering by your unrighteous decrees against the Saints of the most high God or by afflicting and abusing them for we whom you have thus dealt with are his chosen Generation his Royal preisthood his peculiar people zealous of good works whose cause he will plead with all flesh and there is not a man upon the face of the whole earth that God hath respect unto or his offering but in this seed of Abraham which is Christ in us which he hath raised to offer up living sacrifices acceptable in his sight for the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to him and there are but two seeds roots or grounds as I have said from whence all good and evil springs the one is the seed of Gods own sowing which is now arising to spread over the whole earth even the Plant of Righteousness Truth and Equity and the other is the seed of Enmity against God his truth and people and this is the seed of evil doers which shall never be renowned And the son of God is come the seed of Renown and hath given us an understanding that we know him that is true and are in him that is true and we know him that is false and out of the truth and we know God only is to be worshiped and the Devil denyed
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