THE CONVICTION Of JAMES NAYLOR and his black spirit demonstrated from his own confessions lyes evasions and contradictions in the maine points of Doctrine by him held forth against the truth In answer to a Book of his called Wickednesse weighed The which was writt in answer to a little Treatise called The Quakers quaking Principles examined and Refuted written by ELLIS BRADSHAVV This Treatise is therefore directed by way of appeale to all the truly Judicious to be weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary and to see in which end of the scales the wickednes lyeth his end or mine And also some Rules held forth whereby to try the spirits whether they be of God yea or no in case of visions or apparitions yea dreames or voyces whether speaking within or without As also some Scripture Rules for discerning the motions and lustings of the spirit and flesh each from the other that so wee might not be led blind-fold to destruction by any deluding spirits within us or without Written by ELLIS BRADSHAVVE Acts 13.9 10 11. Then Saul who also is called Paul filled with the holy Ghost sett his eyes on him And said Oh full of all subtiltie and all mischiefe thou child of the Devill thou enemy of all goodnesse how long wilt thou not cease to pervert the right wayes of the Lord And now behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee and thou shalt be blind not seeing the Sunne for a season c. LONDON Printed by M. S. for Lodowike Lloyd at the Castle in Cornwall 1656. THE CONVICTION of JAMES NAYLOR and his black spirit demonstrated from his own confessions lyes evasions and contradictions in the maine points of Doctrine by him held forth against the truth READERS James Naylor asserteth in his Title page concerning my booke that it is dedicated as I say unto his Highnesse the Lord Protector c. The which I say is true but what of that he saith nothing and therefore needeth no answer But further he saith that it is much boasted off by the Author but as little worth as the boast is great I answer I did commend it to ingage his Highnes to the reading of it least his multitude of buisinesse should cause him to neglect it And what of all that doth not James Naylor commend his Doctrines and Teachings and Judgements and Censures and tells us it is by the eternall light and Spirit of God that he holdeth them forth as you may see in any of his Bookes wherein we know he lyeth But it will appeare I therein speake the truth and nothing more And as for the worth of that Treatise when it is weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary it will appeare I did not over-value it in my commendations of it but of that let the readers judge Againe he saith also that it was my envie that carried mee with such envie against the innocent till I spake I knew not what concerning the Father and the Sonne the Word the Light and Spirit I answer though he Judge so of me whom in derision he calleth the man yet the truth is I care not to be Judged of James Naylor Nor for ought he knoweth not of mans Judgement But he that Judgeth me is the Lord Nor would I change my condition with James Naylor nor for ought he knoweth not with any man living on the earth And how then can James Naylor know that it was envie that carried me And how can I envie those I account off to be wicked and destinate to destruction for ought I yet see in them that in my apprehension are farre from innocency in the sight of God And how dare I then be envious against them or choose any of their wayes see Psal 37 1. Pro. 23.17 24.1 I shall not envie them till they be more innocent then I yet see them And therefore his censure of mee that I speake I know not what doth not trouble mee at all for I expected no better f om his lying spirit Though he cannot nor doth not in the least prove it so in any of his Answers And why should I beleeve it upon his owne testimony who beginneth with lyes in his Title page Againe hee saith That here is also some markes and maintenance of the true Ministers set downe and also of the false their fruits differing them accoring to Christs Rules in Scripture with diverse other things to keepe the simple from deceite All which when weighed in the ballance let the truth appeare for so I wish of God whether they be or no true or false according to Christs Rule in Scripture yea whether they be in deed to keepe the simple from deceite or clearely and really to deceive the simple and to make them also deceivers of others And againe he telleth us it is by a friend to the worke of God but an enemy to the Devills worke where it is found and pleaded for called of the world James Naylor To this I answer that if this were true what then should be the reason that hee blameth me in his second page for asking Why should not I whiles I am in the world endeavour to destroy the works of the Devill seeing he sayth of himselfe that he is an enemy to the worke of the Devill and if he be so he will labour to destroy it for it is doubtlesse lawfull and a following of Christ as much as in us lyeth to destroy the works of the Devill and none but Devills and their instruments will blame any man for so indeavouring nor call it a setting of himselfe to the stead of Christ for no man can either doe it or indeavour it what in him lyeth but through his grace and assistance and the power of his Spirit as so I never spake otherwise in all my life And he can and will for ought Naylor knoweth enable mee in some measure by his strength to doe it But if I be an exilted wretch and seeke to set my selfe in the stead of Christ as so he calleth mee I know he will not and therefore it is in vaine to indeavour it for hee giveth his grace to the humble And beholdeth the wicked as a farre off and as having no mind to Imploy them in any such service nor any such as are setled in their wickednesse and dare take the office of Christ and attribute it to themselves But the Quakers looke for such amongst themselves they are easily found And it is the Quakers spirit and not the Spirit of God that ever did or shall puffe men up to any such conceits or apprehension of themselves And what James Naylor may conceite of himselfe I well know not For something or other hee would intimate unto us when hee putteth that preamble before his name as in many of his Bookes to wit Called of the world James Naylor Now whether hee would have us thinke that hee is the Christ the sonne of the living God and that Christ that dyed at Jerusalem was
but a type of him as their brother John Toldervie was perswaded by their spirit but was deceived I shall not Judge Or whether hee would Intimate to us that his Name was changed when he was converted and called as Paul by an Immediate voyce of Christ or his Angel Michael at least who is his Representative And that to the Ministerie as so hee writeth of himselfe that he was called to the Ministerie by an Immed are voyce I shall not determine nor doe I much care But if his name was changed I know no reason why he should conceale it but might make it knowne as Paul also did his so that many of the world know how Paul was called But it may be James Naylor is loath to declare it least he should declare the true signification of his name to others not knowing it himselfe for it may be some great Schollers that are better learned then he in that kinde of learning would discover him by it and for whoâ—â— service he was intended and so obstruct his worke who is his Master For if he should be knowne properly by his name hee might possibly be thereby knowne whose servant he is For we reade of a kinde of Locusts Revel 10th a strange kinde of creatures who yet had a King over them who is the Angel of the bottomlesse pit whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon but in the Greeke tongue his name is Apollyon Which is to say a destroyer see vers 11. And so we reade their businesse was no better Now if his new name being interpreted should discover him to be one of these Locusts he might well be avoyded that he could not destroy according to his end and name and nature And therefore it is his pollicie in all likelihood to keepe it secret Now it is evident for all his closenesse and pollicie to hide his designe that if it lyeth in his power or the spirit that acteth him that all the Ministers in the world that allow not his doctrine nor follow his wayes but preach in our old publike meeting places which hee calleth Idoll-Temples and the people also that heare and maintaine them must all be destroyed and come to naught and that in a short time else his spirit deceiveth him yet wee feare not his Prophesies if hee and such Locusts will but hould their hands for wee have a promise they shall onely hurt those men that have not the seale of God upon their foreheads Yet doe but spiritually paralell the case of these people with those Locusts there spoken off and you will certainly conclude there was never any so like them since the Revelation was given forth that we can reade of in Histories But the paralells would swell this Treatise to a great volume And to produce any paralells in opposition unto them is but accounted with them as a vaine piece of worke and not worth answering as I finde by experience For not one paralell that ever I produced against James Naylor is answered by him but he slights them as not worth answering or taking notice off As for instance in this last Treatise I proposed Gal. 5.22 23. to wit the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance against which there is no law Upon which I tould them that I saw not so much as a shew of any of these in them but the quite contrary to wit hatred sadnesse of spirit and countenance no peace with any man no long-suffering but hastie rage no gentlenesse but severe austeritie and imperious bitternes no goodnesse but cleare malignitie against all goodnesse no faith in God but in a lying spirit within them whom they obey and serve and worship as God no meeknesse for they are hastie and angerie and revengefull no temperance in their tongues and pens And therefore every Law of God is against them see this in page 59. But this he doth not answer at all but when he hath made a Catalogue of such things as he calleth lyes in my booke he saith Many more such might be gathered out of this little Treatise confessing it hath much in it of such stuffe fit for the fire yet he warneth mee that I shall not conclude that he owned the Rest which he did not mention saying that many more untruths are in my booke not worth naming nor answering So that this I suppose is one that he meant But I rather beleeve that hee durst not mention them having no ground at all for contradiction of them And least it should be a meanes to undeceive the simple and let them see themselves and at what a great distance that spirit in them is from the spirit of God which are best discerned by their different fruits And few of the Quakers but they buy his bookes though they regard not others for the most of his bookes are bought up by the Quakers and so take the busines as he represents it as though there were nothing valuable in any against them but what he specifieth and so he deludeth the poore simple soules and keepeth them blind Reciting part of a sentence and concealing the Rest to make it untrue to their apprehensions like a Jugling Cheater as so he hath done in some parts of this his answer which I hope to discover and his Ignominious basenes in that respect to render mee a lyar and deceiver and sott c. As so he calleth me without any reall or rationall cause like his blacke father And againe in his title page he citeth a Scripture which being paraleld with their blasphemous practises includeth themselves as copartners with the beast that had seaven heads and ten hornes that had upon his heads the names of blasphemy and opened his mouth in blasphemies against God to blaspheme his Name and his Tabernable and them that dwell in heaven All which he doth both by word and writing as is clearely proved in my little Treatise And yet he bringeth this Scripture as something applicable to us oh subtill Serpent this is the old Serpents policie to apply that to others which he feareth will be brought and applyed to himselfe and this he frequently useth in his bookes to bring such Scriptures as his very Conscience cannot choose but tell him are properly applicable against himselfe yet he bringth them against others that he may prevent them by giving them first and then he commonly putteth some cloud or glosse upon them meerely sophisticall Againe in the Frontespice of his answer he calleth me Friend which when I began to consider what he meant by it in regard that spirit by which he is acted seldome useth any such loving appellations to its opposites I wondered having not to my remembrance found the like in all his writings But considering his words before and after to have nothing like any love in them I was satisfied that he meant it no otherwise but as Christ did to Judas who was going to betray him with a kisse
shew any the least Scripture that so much as tendeth to such a doctrine nor his spirit neither But these evading shifting reviling answers in stead of rationall and proper answers doe clearely hould forth his conviction and obstinance against the light it selfe concerning this maine point so much controverted I shall therefore follow him to some other point to wit hee telleth mee pag. 15. that I aske in what part of Scripture is the Gospell called the letter or the preaching of faith the preaching of the letter I say thou shouldst aske thy selfe this question who would make the letter the Gospell and the preaching of faith litterall which I say are both spirituall and spiritually preached And I aske thee againe where did ever I call the Gospell letter or the preaching of faith letter and so take thy challenge backe againe To which I answer that I tould him that I finde it in a little booke written by Thomas Polard in answer to Richard Farnworth that they call the Scriptures carnall and a dead letter and say it will never bring a man to the knowledge of God but that all that is gotten from the Scripture is but braine knowledge And that I finde in a booke of Naylors against Thomas Moore how hee answereth this to wit being asked by Moore whether the writing of the Prophets and Apostles be a dead letter hee answereth that without the Spirit it is see in my booke pag. 4th And it is cleare in the 12 page of this his answer where hee saith speaking of the Devill that hee would keepe in the letter but from the spirit of which the letter declares And saith also to us and the rest of the world you have long counted the Scriptures to be the word of God but the Devills kingdome is standing still in the heart and so must be till there be account of the word that is nearer then the letter From all which expressions it is cleare that that which wee call the Scriptures hee calleth the letter and a dead letter Now wee call the contents of the Bible both the old and new Testament the holy Scriptures and so hee will not deny but they are Now these Scriptures hee owneth but as carnall and a dead letter wee call them spirituall and the words of God Therefore hee calleth all the Scriptures the letter And the Gospell being contained in the Scriptures which is glad tydings and good newes that shall be to all people the which was therefore called the Gospell And it was written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope the which Gospell was also preached from the beginning yea even to Adam and Eve that they might have hope and comfort thereby to wit that the seede of the woman should breake the Serpents head And wee shall not deny that the Gospell is spirituall and so is the Law also But wee must not deny but both this Law and Gospell are written for our learning And if they be written it must needs be legible to us or it will not serve for our learning if wee want it for the present and have it not written in our hearts for if faith come by hearing and so by reading as so it doth sometimes then it entereth first by the eare to wit by hearing or else by the eye to wit by reading And if wee cannot reade what is written in the hearts of one another not being omnitient but by hearing them speake or seeing them act or reading an expresse of their minds in writing how can wee learne what is the minde and will of the Lord from that which is written if it be not legible and that in letters Suppose us as ignorant for the present not having either Law or Gospell as yet in our hearts how shall wee beleeve in him in whom wee have not heard Implying that it is not a thing to be expected that all should have it by Immediate inspiration but by the hearing of it preached which is the ordinarie meanes whereby the Lord conveyeth it to the soule as hath been shewed before and that from Scripture grounds Now that which hee calls the letter wee call the Scripture and so it is for it was written and is therefore Scripture because written yet wee dare not call it a dead letter but lively Oracles a spirituall word a word in which there is spirit and life to such as beleeve and receive them in love yea wee doe call the Scripture the word of God And doe but aske James Naylor what else that is which is called by the Apostle the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God If it be not the Scripture yea that which is written in the Bible which hee calleth the letter see Eph. 6.17 Aske him I say whether this sword of the spirit which the Apostle calleth the word of God be meant of Christ who is the essentiall word and who is the spirit or it be meant of the Scriptures which are the expresse word of God and so as a sword or weapon in the hand of the spirit both defensive and offensive against our adversaries upon all occations yea Christ himselfe used it against the Devill when hee tempted him and against the Scribes and Pharisees and that as the best and fittest weapon to incounter them with But if this sword of the spirit be not the spirit it selfe but the sword or instrument in the hand of the spirit and yet is called the word of God Then it is not blasphemy but good Scripture language to call the Scripture the word of God but the blasphemy is theires who call it carnall and a dead letter as hath more largely been shewed before in this Treatise Now in these expressions of James Naylor hee denyeth to call any thing Gospell but the spirit or any thing Scripture but the spirit or any thing the word of God but the spirit And so the Scripture with him and the glad tidings of the Gospell contained therein must of necessitie either be called the spirit and so also God or but a dead letter and not the word of God and so not the sword of the spirit wherein how clearely contradicteth himselfe and his owne confessions as hath been shewed before and also the plaine expresse Scripture as any Rationall man may easily perceive that will but reade and consider so that his conviction is cleare from his owne confessions concerning these two maine points of his doctrine which I may well call the maine substance of that Gospell which hee preacheth and of all his bookes which hee writeth namely to teach us to eye that spirit and word and light within and desert the Scriptures and the teachings of men as a dead and vaine and fruitlesse meanes for leading into and guiding in all the wayes of God c. The which Gospell I now leave to the Judgements of all that are truely Judicious whether it be not another Gospell then the Gospell of
every one had need But James Naylor dare though hee hath his ground to seeke for hee sheweth no reason worth mentioning I suppose hee was affraid with Judas least hee should not seeme charitable to the poore for under pretence of the poore so hee could keepe it from the Ministers of Christ and so from Christ himselfe hee would have it for himselfe and the Quaker-Ministers to fill their baggs though they are theeves and Robbers spiritually as Judas was carnally For it is evident that hee accounteth no poore deserving nor no Ministers deserving but the Quakers poore and Ministers Though hee saith if they be found Ministers of Christ farre be it from mee to hould from them that maintenance which Christ ever allowed his Ministers But that hee alloweth none to be found his Ministers but the Quaker-Ministers is evident for as for all such as preach in our publike places which hee calle 〈◊〉 our Idoll Temples are condemned by him as Ministers of Antichrist and not sent of God So that hee and I are at a great distance from accordance though hee seemeth to graunt to all that I plead for or ever intended it to wit such as are found to be Ministers of Christ Nor have I in the least pleaded for any other if they be knowne to be such And therefore though hee Imperiously commandeth mee when I write againe first to prove them so and then call them so I answer I called not any by name nor doe I know but few of very many that are knowne faithfull labourers in Gods harvest therefore I cannot enter into any particulars it would be too large to proove every particular Minister of Christ sent of God by the particular grounds and Reasons to cleare every man that yet is cleare in the sight of God But I am not so omnitient yet if I heare them preach in the cleare evidence and demonstration of the spirit and of power by that I can know them though I cannot demonstrate the same unto James Naylor as such I know many that preach in our publike places which yet are but a few in comparison of what there is that I know not nor ever saw Nor will I goe about to decipher them out by their markes so as to condemne all as hee hath done yet if they be Wolves that come in sheepes cloathing or meere hirelings or clearely Antichristian or if by any of their fruits I can certainly know them to be theeves and Robbers and such as are carnall and worldly and proud and vaine boasters or heretickes or schismatickes and such like I shall and doe disowne them as much and more then James Naylor doth But amongst the Rest I disowne James Naylor in particular for being so much as like any Minister of Christ that ever was in the world But dare maintaine him for one of the primest of all that â—athan hath and the most audacious in a bad cause Now hee telleth mee further that another argument I use saying wee ought to account them as spirituall Fathers And saith that if any so doe whom they have not spiritually begotten such account of a lye and thou teaches them to it I answer That is one of James Naylors lyes for if they be fathers to others and I know it though they did not beget mee yet I ought to account them so else I account of a lye above the truth oh shamelesse lyar who but will know this to be a lye at the first reading If they be fathers they are so though not to mee But for all those markes that James Naylor hath given to know them by I will not follow him throughout Because that this I know That if they be such who have the manifestation of the Spirit and preach in the evidence and demonstration thereof and that with power Though I see in them many humane frailties and that they be subject to like passions as other men are nay though Jonas-like they should shew themselves angerie with the Lord himselfe and that for shewing mercy and say they doe well to be angerie even to the very death yet I shall not deny but they are sent of God and ought to be maintained as his faithfull Ambassadours and hee that denyeth them denyeth Christ and hee that condemneth and Judgeth them as no Ministers of Christ because of such passions and frailties doth also condemne and Judge himselfe for the same censure that hee casteth upon them if hee doth the same or worser things It Redoundeth to himselfe by the Judgement of the Lord for saith hee With what Judgement yee Judge yee shall be Judged And therefore James Naylor hath cause to feare that Judgement attendeth him and will befall him and that ere long if hee doth not repent especially after Conviction in his owne Conscience of his injurious Censures and blasphemous Reproaches cast like a flood out of his mouth and penn to make them all odious amongst the people of God But I must not stand any longer upon this third particular but shall fall to answer breifly his Catalogue of lyes that hee would father upon mee but may keepe them himselfe as more properly his owne For 1. Saith hee Thou sayes our spirit teacheth us to pull downe mens faith and hope they have in God Ans True and that by calling men carnall and damned when you cannot proove any such thing 2. That wee give no honour or worship either to God or man Ans Not that I know off let them shew wherein 3. That we have no knowledge of God at all but a wicked lying malicious spirit that is an enemy to all goodnesse Ans And so I verily beleeve and that for those reasons rendred in the booke 4. That our wicked lying spirit teacheth us to speake evill of all men that embrace not our lying doctrines and wayes Ans The truth of this I Referre to the Judgements of all that know their Rayling and Reviling of the Ministers and professors of all sorts the Quakers excepted who onely embrace their wayes 5. That the Elect may be so farre lead away with the errour of the wicked as to fall from their owne steadfastnesse Ans I say from their owne proper steadfastnesse they may which word proper hee leaveth out to deceive the simple And so I say they may else the Apostles exhortation was needlesse 2 Pet. 3.17 6. That the case is Just with us deluded Quakers as it is with Witches Ans And so it is in those Respects therein mentioned as I could have prooved it by examples of some of those people 7. That wee bitterly Revile and Reproach all the Saints and servants of God almost over all the world Ans And I said true for they Revile and Reproach all professors but of their owne way and those are no Saints but more like Devills 8. That our pleading for so many good things and sharply reprooving of evill and our coming to the light with the deeds can be no other but from a deluding
spirit Ans I say it is true for that is but done to delude the simple through hypocrisie to make their lyes more feizible as so the Ministers of Sathan are sometimes transformed as if they were Ministers of Righteousnesse as hath been shewed before and so are they 9. That our directing to observe the light in the Conscience is nothing else but to advise them to obey Sathan Ans I say true in such cases wherein I instanced to wit to them in whom hee Ruleth it is no better but so 10. That wee direct people to eye and observe that lying spirit that is in them Ans So they doe by such directions to all those whom they so direct in whom hee raigneth 11. That Naylors doctrine is quite contrarie that any that lacke wisdome should aske it of God Ans I say in my booke Just so and shew my Reasons for it because I finde it not in any of his bookes But onely a direction to seeke it within before they have it And if they have it not already then they want it and ought to aske it of God and not to seeke it where it is wanting and not to be found but it is a grosse directorie so to advise them as so I call it in my booke 12. That Sathan hath got a Commission to be a lying spirit in my mouth Ans Very true and if hee call this a lye hee must father all these lyes himselfe and so be a Devill and the father of lyes for it is not God hee cannot lye 13. That James Naylor is sent with strong delusions to some that they might beleeve a lye Ans True and that to very many of those that beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse as so I say it againe and shewed reasons for it in my booke 14. That I would needs be accounted some great Prophet and to have some extraordinary revelations that no man else had knowne before and yet teacheth us nothing except lyes c. Ans I say it is true hee that teacheth us nothing except lyes but what wee knew before now this except lyes hee leaveth out and putteth in c. as was usuall in the Bishops times when they were ashamed to declare all 15. That James Nayor utterly denyeth the manhood of Christ Ans So hee doth by cleare consequence from his doctrine as is prooved in the Treatise for that hee blameth us for owning a Christ without and at a distance to wit his body being in heaven as well as hee is present with us in spirit 16. That I blame men for praising and singing of Psalmes in spirit unto God as the Apostles did Ans In spirit and with the mouth and voyce hee doth calling them Devills Rymes most wickedly and prophanely as is shewed but not answered yet 17. That I often produce the non-proficiency of the people as a ground of disparagement to the word it selfe Ans So hee doth as a disparagement to the Scripture it selfe which I call the expresse word of God and as a disparagement to the teachings of men also which hee cannot deny and therefore this is his lye 18. That James Naylor counteth himselfe the highest and all below him either dwarffes or nothing like Christians Ans And this is true for Reasons therein shewed but is his Recitall hee leaveth out those words to wit either like dwarffes and also the reasons which hee cannot answer 19. That I Reproach and disparage those that take heede to the sure word of prophesie Ans True for so hee doth all that take heede to the Scriptures which the Apostle meant when hee so called it 20. That how the word was made flesh James Naylor understandeth not Ans True I said so let him proove the contrary by shewing it if hee can 21. That James Naylors Directorie is quite contradictorie to the directorie of Scripture Ans True and it is so prooved in the booke 22 That I Naylor requireth Scripture grounds for what hee asserteth which hee never yet gave Ans It is I that require Scripture grounds of him for what hee asserteth the which hee hath not yet nor cannot give and that maketh him to put it in the quite contrary sence as I suppose least the simple should discerne him 23. That wee have no faith in God but in a lying spirit within Ans It really appeares that spirit within them is a lying spirit and yet in that they beleeve but the Spirit of God is not a lying spirit therefore their faith is not in God 24. That wee would make the blood of Christ of none effect Ans It is true your doctrine doth so what in your lyeth as it is prooved in the Treatise and not yet answered 25. That our spirit teacheth us not to put off our hatts when wee pray Ans I was so informed by those that have seene you pray that your practise is so and then I suppose your spirit so teacheth you so that if it be not true yet it not my lye because I was so informed Thus his twenty-five lyes that hee would father upon mee I Returne backe to himselfe in this short dresse And shall passe over his language hee giveth mee as grounded hence because it wanteth footing and come to his last maine charge And lastly saith hee thou goes on to plead for a deale more of thy Masters stuffe wherewithall hee houlds up his kingdome of pride and partialitie and such like stuffe as none ever pleaded for but the Devill and his Ministers who is afraid that his kingdowne should goe downe And thou sayes Sathan tells us that it is our dutie to observe the language held forth in Scripture and the example of Christ and his Apostles and upon paine of damnation not to varie from it And this thou brings to plead against speaking the word thou to a particular I answer If it be laid upon us as an injunction and that upon paine of damnation And no such injunction to be found in Scripture it must needs be of Sathan But James Naylor knoweth there is no such Injunction upon that penaltie in all the Scripture as to threaten damnation for using the custome of the Countrie wherein there is no sinne though they varie from the customes in old time As so If James Naylor should tell mee that in Regard Christ wore a coate without seame therefore I may not weare any but such and that upon paine of damnation I should also say that it came from the Devill nor doe I thinke that James will teach the Quakers to follow the example of Christ in this thing But hee saith hast thou been all along crying up Scriptures in thy booke for a Rule and is now the language of it and the examples of Christ and his Apostles therein become a perswasion of Sathan with thee hast thou not heere shewed what broode thou art one who preferres the Devills pride and the worlds fashions before the examples of Christ and his Apostles and would
render it a perswasion of Sathan for us to follow it art not thou hee the Apostle speakes on 1 Tim. 6.3 4 5. I answer that if James Naylor have any Scripture Rule that bindeth us to it I will observe it and confesse my errour in pleading against it But this Scripture hee bringeth hath nothing in it to this purpose but against it the words are these which hee citeth but in part least it touch himselfe to wit If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse hee is proud knowing nothing but doating about questions and striffes of words whereof cometh envy strife Raylings evill surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth supposing that gaine is godlinesse from such withdraw thy selfe Now I know nothing by my selfe but I doe consent to the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the doctrine which is according to godlinesse But is this doctrine according to godlinesse to binde us up to the word thee and thou because it was the ordinarie language of Christ and his Apostles when there is no such obligation in any of their words and yet they tould us all things that pertained to life and godlinesse and kept backe nothing but declared even the whole counsaile of God see Job 18.2 3. for the word you to a single person How long will it be ere you make an end of words mark and afterwards we will speak Wherefore are wee counted as beasts and reputed vile in your sight But if this were intended then wee must not varie in our prayers from the words of the Lords prayer or the prayers of the Apostles upon paine of damnation But carnall men make carnall interpretations such as Nicodemus did not knowing what it meant to be borne againe unlesse he should enter into his mothers wombe first Nor no more doth James Naylor what that doctrine is which is according to godlinesse and therefore maketh this carnall use of it which was never intended by the Holy Ghost and therefore it is hee that is doating about questions and striffe of words which produce no better fruits but as the Apostle relates and yet hee is puft up with pride and triumpheth as if hee had got a great conquest But doth James Naylor consent to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse why then doth hee make such a carnall interpretation which was never intended I say it was never intended let him proove it to the contrary if hee can let him proove any unwholsomnesse or ungodlinesse in using the word you to a single person from any Scripture ground else hee but doateth and befooleth poore simple people and bringeth them into a suare without a cause I referre the Reader to my booke for further satisfaction by reason Againe hee saith thou pleads for bowing unto men and putting off the hatt and sayes the Spirit of God teaches it wherein thou belyes the Spirit of God I answer a very heavie charge if it were true but the lyar is one of the Quakers who might have quaked to have writt this charge Considering I tould him this curtesie is included under that command to wit Bee yee courteous and tender-hearted towards all men And that it were easie to proove that bowing of the body was the customarie Reverence in old time But I rather asked them what courtesie at all they shew to any man upon any occasion And that taking off the hart is a proper Reverend duty to those whom wee honour and doe and ought to reverence is easie to proove And that wee are commanded to honour all men so that if wee know them to be dutyes either of love or honour wee are bound to use them Nay that if they be proper expressions either of love or honour and that wee have any spirit of love or honour in us it will naturally ingage us to use such expressions one to another if wee were not so commanded Now for bowing of the body this is cleare from examples and those unrepeald by the coming of Christ For as the Apostle adviseth women that professe the feare of God to follow the examples of Sarah and other holy women So I thinke I may from the same ground advise to follow the example of Jacob and other holy men my ground is from Now it is well knowne that before Jacob mett his brother Esau hee bowed himselfe to the ground seaven times untill hee came neare to his brother And so also did his wives and children and maids see Gen. 33.3 4 5 6 7. Now this bowing and calling him Lord was but to his brother and that prophane Esau and yet the Spirit of God ingaged him to this humble and courteous demeanour and to such humble appellations calling him My Lord. Now this being cordiall was no honour but such as cometh of God Nor doe I seeke either honour from James Naylor nor any other neither care I for it And therefore I said that by my consent they shall never be perswaded to use them at all till their cordiall love and respects ingage them sincerely to it I onely pleaded for the lawfulnesse and engagement that lay upon us to use it for it is not proper for them till the spirit of love and honour be in them for they should but deceive us as so I said in my booke And for courteous and honourable and respective appellations see Luke the 1.3 to Theophilus most excellent Theophilus and Paul to Aprippa Oh King Agrippa and to Festus though hee thought him to be mad Most Noble Festus see Acts 26.19.25 This was not like that spirit in the Quakers by which they were guided And for putting off the hatt when wee expresse any courtesie or honour or Reverence either to God or men it is clearely Required of men by the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 11.7 For saith he a man ought not to cover his head for as much as hee is the Image and glorie of God That is to say hee ought not to cover the Majestie of God which appeareth in his face but unvaile his countenance which is much in shew upon any occation according to the temper of the heart and minde whether it be tempered with love or anger love maketh the countenance amiable and chearfull and an honourable Respect is much seene in the humble feare of the countenance And so is anger and scorne on the other part for the temper of a mans spirit will appeare in the forehead and eyes and can scarce be dissembled And therefore if there be any love or Respect and honour in the heart it will naturally ingage us to uncover it neither need wee be ashamed of it for such affections are Reall fruits of the Spirit of God which ought not to be vailed but discovered and exprest according to the truth and sinceritie thereof they being lovely in themselves and much inducive to the