to deceive that all may be warned by what I have learned in Sufferings and they that will not may be left without excuse JAMES NAYLOR Written in Bridewell about the Beginning of 1658. FINIS LONDON Printed in the Year 1659. TRUTH Cleared from Scandals Being James Naylor's Answer and Declaration Touching some things Charged upon him in the Lancashire PETITION HAVING heard of divers Untruths cast upon me by some of the Priests in their High Places though I stand only to the Lord in respect of my self yet least any that love the Truth should be led to speak Evil of the things they know not I shall lay open the Truth as it is in me Revealed touching those things Jude 10. Re. 19. 13 1 Joh. 1. 1 2 3 4 5. 1 Pet. 1. 25. John 1. 14. Eph. 5. 30. 1. 21 22. Joh. 8. 12. 2 Thes 2. 8 2 Cor. 6. 16. 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. whereof I have been Falsly Accused 1. Concerning Jesus Christ who is the Eternal Word of God by whom all things were made and are upholden which was before all Time but manifested in Time for the Recovery of Lost Man which Word became Flesh and dwelt amongst the Saints who is the same Yesterday and to Day and for Ever who did and doth dwell in the Saints who Suffered and Rose again and Ascended into Heaven and is set at the Right Hand of God to whom all Power is given in Heaven and in Earth who filleth all Places is the Light of the World but known to none but those who Receive and Follow him and those he leads up to God out of all the Ways Works and Worships of the World by his pure Light in them whereby he Reveals the Man of Sin and by his Power casts him out and so prepares the Bodies of the Saints a fir Temple for the pure God to dwell in with whom dwells no Unclean thing and thus he Reconciles God and Man and the Image of God 2 Cor. 5. 18 19. which in Purity and Holiness is renewed and the Image of Satan which is all Sin and Uncleanness is defaced and none Col. 3. 10. can Witness Redemption further than Christ is thus Revealed in them to set them Free from Sin Which Christ I Witness John 8. 34 36. to be Revealed in me in Measure Gal. 1. 16. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Col. 1. 27. 2. Concerning the Scriptures That they are a true Declaration 1 John 1. 3 5. 2 Pet. 1. 21 22. Deut. 4. 2. Rev. 22. 18. Tim. 3. 16 17. of that Word which was in them that gave or spake them forth and are of no Private Interpretation but were given forth to be Read and Fulfilled in the Saints as they were given forth by the Holy Ghost without adding or diminishing and was not given forth for Men to make a Trade upon to get Mony by but as they are they are Profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be Perfect throughly furnished unto every good Work But they who tread in the Letter and are Ignorant of the Mystery deny all Perfection and none can rightly 1 Cor. 2. 14 15. Joh. 3. 11. Acts 1. 5. 1 Cor. 12. 13. 1 Pet. 3. 2. Col. 2. 12. Gal. 3. 27. Rom. 6. 3. Mat. 26. 26 28. John 6. 51 53 54 55 56. 1 Cor. 10. 16. 1 Cor. 11. 24 25. Col. 2. 10. Acts 4. 32. 1 Cor. 11. 27 28 29 Joh. 5. 20. understand the Scriptures but they who Read them with the same Spirit that gave them forth For the Natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are Spiritually discerned 3. Concerning Baptism the true Baptism is that of the Spirit with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Baptized by one Spirit into one Body not the washing away of the Filth of the Flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ without which no other Baptism can Save us they being but Figures or Shadows but this Baptism of Christ is the Substance whereby we are Baptized into his Death and those who are Baptized into Christ have put on Christ 4. Concerning the Lord's Supper the true Supper of the Lord is the Spiritual Eating and Drinking of the Flesh and Blood of Christ Spiritually which the Spiritual Man only Eateth and is thereby nourished up unto Eternal Life without which Eating there can be no Life in the Creature profess what you will and all who Eat of this Bread and Drink of this Cup have real Communion with Christ the Head and also one with another as Members and are all of one Heart and one Mind a Compleat Body in Christ Now the World who take only the Outward Signs and are not brought into a discerning of the Lords Body Eat and Drink Damnation to themselves and so become guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ and calls this a Communion but Lives in Envy Strife and Debate Fighting and going to Law one with another for Earthly things 5. Concerning the Resurrection That all shall arise to give 1 Cor. 15. 38. an Account and receive at the Last Day according to their Works done in the Flesh whether Good or Evil these Bodies that are Dust shall turn to Dust but God shall give a Body as pleaseth him that which is sown in Corruption shall be raised 1 Cor. 15. 42 43 44 46 50 51. in Incorruption it is sown a Natural Body it is raised a Spiritual Body and as we have born the Image of the Earthly so we shall bear the Image of the Heavenly But Flesh and Blood Rev. 20. 6. Phil. 3. 21. 1 Cor. 15. 20. cannot Inherit the Kingdom of Heaven neither doth Corruption Inherit Incorruption for we shall all be changed But they who cannot witness the first Resurrection within themselves know nothing of the second but by hear-say And therefore say 1 Cor. 15. 47. Col. 1. 15. some of your Teachers that Christ is in Heaven with a Carnal Body now that Christ who is the first Fruits should be there with a Carnal Body and the Saints with a Spiritual Body is not proportionable 6. Concerning Magistracy That it is an Ordinance of God Ordained for the Punishment of Evil doers and an Encouragement Rom. 13. 3. to them that do Well Where Justice and Righteousness is the Head and Ruleth without Partiality that Land is kept in Peace and those who Judge for the Lord I Honour as my Jude 16. own Life not with a Flattering Honour of putting off the Hat and bowing of the Knee which is the Honour of the World having Mens Persons in Admiration because of Advantage for Self-ends but from my Heart for Conscience sake Rom. 13. 5. as to the Power which is of God and not to Mens Persons For the Scripture saith He that Respects Persons commits Sin and is Convinced of the Law as are Transgressors And
an Enemy to him tho' the Creature may not know it but may think it is doing God service it being got above the suffering Seed in themselves would scatter and devour it in others And this Spirit the Lord hath shewed me and its end and hath redeemed me from it by the Spirit of the Lamb and I shall never join as Head or Tail therewith but shall earnestly pray to the Father that a deep Search of Truth may seriously pass through the Hearts and Reins of all Contenders that all that are guilty herein may speedily come to Repentance left they be hardned therein and there come a time when they would give whatever is dear to them for one Hour's Society with the People of God and cannot obtain it then with lamentable Wo shall the Wrath of that be known that is now trampled on without the true Fear of God or Life of his Love And having at length received this Favour of the Lord I have taken this time in the tender Bowels of Love as one wounded therewith to warn you hereof Beseeching you all for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake that you all search low for the Bowels of him who loved you and suffered for you when you were his Enemies and put them on towards all Men but especially towards one another who have been called by one Spirit into one Truth that so the holy Spirit be no more grieved nor Satan get any more advantage whose Work is to sow Dissention even among Brethren And the Lord God of Love give us all to see that whatever our Gifts or Powers be yet if we have not the Life and Power of Love it avails not with God though Men may esteem of us never so high For only he that dwells in Love knows God and lives in him the rest knows not what Spirit they are of And this I feelingly declare from that dear Love of God in me begotten to all his People whereby I am so far from taking delight in troubling the People of God that their growth in Peace and Truth upon the Foundation laid already was never so much desired and my Love to them is daily increased beyond what I can here express yet the Lord knows it and whence it is whether it be receiv'd by Men or no yet the Seed snall feel it in God's time to which it is and in whose Peace only I have Peace and I hope in the Power of that Love God will so strengthen me that nothing of Shame Loss or Reproach shall ever be too hard to take up for the advancement thereof as God shall shew and lead me therein without whom I dare do nothing lest I deny his Work or confound it with my own And concerning you the tender Plants of my Father who have suffered through me or with me in what the Lord hath done with me in this time of great Tryal and Temptation the Almighty God of Love who hath numbred every Sigh and put every Tear in his Bottle Reward it a Thousand-fold into your Bosoms in the Day of your need when you shall come to be tryed and tempted and in the mean time fulfil your Joy with his Love which you seek after The Lord knows it was never in my Heart to cause you to mourn whose Sufferings is my greatest Sorrow that ever yet came upon me for you are innocent herein But the Envious One hath taken his advantage which the Lord will turn to his disadvantage and utter ruine in many Souls and in this believing is all my rest in my great trouble of heart concerning you or my self and in Patience I wait to see it when the Man of Sin hath had his time to be revealed For I have seen the good Hand of God all along working in it whose End is good to all that love him else had I been destroy'd e're this such hath been the Violence of the Enemy of my Soul But he hath numbred my Hairs and not left me in the Fire or Water when none else was with me thou wert my Comforter O that I may never hide thy Praise by covering my Sin or Shame God forbid By a way unexpected did the Lord open a way to declare these Words all other means of writing being taken from me Blessed be He on whom I wait further to see his Will that I may do or suffer it The Presence and Peace of the Almighty comfort his People whom I salute in the Bowels of Love James Naylor I beseech you all that can to receive it even as you would be received of the Lord and for the rest the Lord give me Patience to suffer till the Lord make up the Breach A Testimony to Christ Jesus delivered to the Parliament who Persecuted him as a Blasphemer written in the time of his Imprisonment in Bridewell CHrist Jesus the Immanuel of whose Sufferings the Scriptures declare him alone I confess before Men for whose sake I have denied whatever was dear to me in this World that I might win him and be found in him and not in my self whose Life and Virtue I find daily manifest in my mortal Body which is my Eternal Joy and Hope of Glory whom alone I seek to serve in Spirit Soul and Body Night and Day according to the measure of Grace working in me that in me he may be glorified whether by Life or Death and for his sake I suffer all things that he alone may have the Glory of my Change whose Work alone it is in me Even to that Eternal Spirit be Glory and to the Lamb for ever But to ascribe this Name Power and Virtue to James Naylor or to that which had a beginning and must return to Dust or for that to be exalted or worshipped to me is great Idolatry and with the Spirit of Christ Jesus in me it is condemned which Spirit leads to Lowliness Meekness and Long-suffering So having an opportunity given with readiness I am willing in the Fear of God the Father in Honour to Christ Jesus and to take off all Offences from every simple Heart this to declare to all the World as the Truth of Christ is in me without Guile or Deceit daily finding it to be my Work to seek Peace in Truth with all Men in that Spirit James Naylor J. N's ANSWER to the FANATICK HISTORY In Relation to himself AS for thy Charge against J. N. through the Everlasting Mercy of my God I have yet a Being amongst the Living and breathe to answer for my self though against the Intents of many Bloody Cruel Spirits who pursued my Soul unto Death as much as in them lay in that Day of my Calamity when my Adversary was above and wherein I was made as a Sign to a Backsliding Generation who then would not see nor hear what now is coming upon them but rejoiced against this piece of Dust and had little pity towards him that was fallen into their Hands wherein God was just in giving me up for my
Scattered IN the Fear of God and Love to his Truth and People do I declare in the Spirit of Meekness what hath long oppressed my Soul concerning those Unclean Spirits gone out from the Unity of the Truth and Light by which we have been called and gathered into one in Christ Jesus the Head over all his Blessed for ever whose Name hath been greatly dishonoured through many wild Actings and his Innocent Spirit grieved and many simple Souls deceived many opressed and many offended against the Truth because of those Spirits gone out from the Truth and now secretly under a pretence seeks dayly to make it odious to all For which Work my Soul hath been much troubled Who to this Day raven about from Place to Place amongst the People of God seeking to enter where they can and so to strengthen themselves into Parties to trouble such as they cannot enter seeking to spoil the peaceable Pasture of the Lambs that they should not Feed in Peace And for that end hunt after the Meetings of the People of God All which Practises and Pretences I deny in my Soul and that Spirit that acts therein And the more it lies upon me from the Lord to warn the simple innocent ones of his thereof openly in that through me these Spirits have got much Head and Entrance into the Minds of some who were simple towards God's Truth And this the Envious One hath done in the Night of my Tryal and Hour of Darkness and Temptation taking Advantage at my Sufferings in the Day when my Judgment was taken away and I led Captive under the Power of Darkness which all along hath sought my Life had not the Father hid it and with his Hand upon me staved me in those great Temptations to whom alone I give the Glory of my Deliverance from that great Destruction as his Promise was to me before I came into that Tryal who hath now brought me up again and hath given me to see those Evil Spirits and that the Work of the Murtherer and Devourer is therein against the Life of God in his Temple Which though they seek Entrance under pretence of Humility promising some great things and more Holiness in that way to steal into simple Minds but being got in exalts themselves above the Seed of God and Tramples the Meek Spirit under Foot and so darkens the Vessels and being exalted in the Openings of the Imaginations leads the Creature as God above that of God and so against that of God he warrs in others where God is above And this Mystery of deep Iniquity hath the Lord God in the Spirit of the Lamb revealed unto me whose powerful working I have found working in me above the pure Measure and Unspotted Life of God And though in the Simplicity of Christ Jesus I had given up my Body all along a Free Offering to the Will of God in Life or in Death for the Seeds sake yet ungathered in the World as God knoweth I lye not yet could I often feel that exalted One above secretly tempting to Envy against the People of God already gathered pretending a greater thing to come another Way but this with the Life of God was ever Judged Though often I was buffeted therewith sometimes so strongly as to force Words from me above the meek and lowly Principle All which Words were soon judged with the sufferer which lay under and with his Life be they Condemned for ever And this lyes upon me to declare openly which God hath revealed to me for the sake of the simple Ones who may be deceived therewith but would not did they know his Subtilty And by this shall you all perceive that Spirit whatever it pretends it will secretly withdraw your entire Love from the Flock of God already gathered and cool your Affections and Zeal towards their present Meetings and if you judge it not there it will grow on with an Evil Eye to spy out their Failings and delight to hear of them and talk of them with an hidden Joy whispering them to others and adding thereunto with a desire to see them broken and their Nakedness laid open if any thing be amiss And thus it hath wrought in a Mystery of Wickedness in some Unjudged until it be seated in the Throne of open Enmity and Strife against the Lambs of Christ preferring the Society of the Prophane before them and taking Part therewith against them joining with any who seek to scatter them And what ever pretence this Spirit seeks to cover it self with this I declare of it having been kept by the good Hand of God to see it reveal'd in its Ground and End that it is the Old Spirit of the Ranters which now in a new Way makes Head against the Light of Christ and Life of his Cross which is the only thing that stands in its Way by condemning its Filthiness in every Conscience And so they in whom this is Entered being exalted above the Living Witness in themselves would devour it in others And this in the Presence and Fear of God I declare without the least Prejudice against the Person of any Man or Woman but in Obedience to God and for the Seeds sake lest any more of the simple should be deceived and that such as are deceived already might recover themselves out of Satan's Snares no selfish End have I in it God knoweth And long time hath my Soul been in travail e'er I could obtain Power herein so strongly hath he that letteth withstood my Way Therefore in the Bowels of tender Love I warn you all to take heed how you ever come under that Spirit under any pretence whatsoever but let the Fear of God and sound Judgment in the Spirit of Meekness you all preserve above it for wheresoever it enters by consent it is hardly got out again And if it be it is not without much Sorrow And this I have found in the Depth which for your sakes I declare in Plainness and Truth as I have learned of the Lord labouring with him without ceasing that the rest of the People of God every where may be saved from this Devourer who goeth dayly about to deceive and whosoever he takes he casts into the Earth or into the Sea for Wickedness is with him wheresoever he goeth Even the Lord God Almighty arm you all against his Wiles being warned thereof in his Love and the Eternal Power of Holiness you all preserve clean to Himself who are dearer unto me than ever and that in no other thing but in that Innocent Principle in which you are kept free from all the Pollutions of the World and Fleshly Liberty and stand Witnesses for God against it before all Men and in no other thing have I fellowship with any which is that I seek to set up above all And this was I moved to give forth to go every where as a Witness against that unclean Spirit where-ever it goes felling its Work is to run to and fro