approoveth I appeale to all Judicious men that reades these things whether hee doth not clearely contradict himselfe and shew his owne conviction in this point by this his owne confession and practise and whether his owne conscience can for shame deny it that he is condemned out of his owne mouth and his folly made manifest to all that reade or heare his words a childe of seven yeares of age may discerne his folly and contradiction here even to his owne doctrine And then hee telleth mee that I say there are some that are a people of no understanding therefore hee that made them will have no mercy on them And saith he thou art hee who art reasoning against the light of Christ being sufficient and yet thou sayes is not the manifestation of the spirit given to every man to profit withall hast thou not lost thy understanding herein I answer let all men Judge whether hee or I have lost their understandings in these things hee that hath manifestly contradicted and convicted himselfe in his own words and blamed mee heere for producing such grounds from Scripture and arguments as hee cannot answer with any reason at all by way of contradiction but by asserting mee to be hee that is without understanding not shewing in the least any Reason at all why hee so calleth mee But telleth mee that yet I have got the Serpents subtiltie to thrust in my words to abuse the Scriptures I answer how can a men that hath lost his understanding get the Serpents subtiltie I never knew that any man could be subtile without understanding And where I have thrust in any of my words to abuse the Scriptures I cannot tell nor James Naylor neither and therefore this is one of his many lyes But hee must say something else the Quakers will suspect him that hee hath lead them wide as if they will but reade his and mine they may see who it is that hath got the Serpents subtiltie to make evasions where hee cannot answer and make lyes and shifts that are very poore What a poore shift is it to rayle and revile in stead of Rationall answers I said in my booke also that some men are sensuall having not the spirit And is not the manifestation of the spirit given to every man to profit withall and whom shall they profit if all be alike qualified and need no teaching And is there not diversities of gifts of that selfe same spirit and all for the edifying of the body of Christ till wee all grow up to a full stature which is not yet attained no not by Naylor himselfe for all his boastings of infallibilitie and purenesse from sinne To all which hee answereth not a word but what is before Recited which is nothing at all to the questions proposed but a poore Rationles evasion nor can James Naylor nor that lying spirit by whom he is acted with all his serpentine wisdome and policie evade the dint of these Texts of Scripture but they quite overturne all his maine doctrines against the use of meanes For if these diversities of gifts and manifestations of the spirit are given of God for the edification of the body of Christ and for the worke of the ministerie and to profit withall Then they ought to be employd for that very end and not to be put under a bushell nor hid as the talent But if the wisdome of God hath thought it fit to give gifts unto men for edifying of the body and for the worke of the ministrie and alwayes hath done and doth still by instrumentall meanes communicate light and knowledge of spirituall things to all his people and that by times and measures as it pleaseth him and by whom hee pleaseth Is it not a high presumption in James Naylor and his complices to deny such meanes and Instruments to be of any use in the Church and goe about to perswade all men to neglect and despise and disparage such meanes and instruments what in them lyeth and onely direct them to turne their minds inward to what light they have within and that already Doe they not herein manifestly contradict the wayes and wisdome of God as accounting themselves wiser then hee and as if his gifts were given in vaine and not to be us'd or employd for any such ends as to the use of edifying and as accounting it needlesse that all things should be done to the use of edifying and that of the body yea that men should edifie one another in their most holy faith yea after they have faith they may be built up further and increase their faith and walke from faith to faith till they be tall and strong and full of power by the spirit of the Lord if they use such meanes as the Lord hath appointed them But if all have light and that sufficient light already within what need is there then of edifying one another of the worke of the ministrie yea of those diversities of gifts and administrations and operations given forth by the same spirit doth not hee that prophesieth speake unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort And ought wee not to covet earnestly the best gifts And are all Prophets or all Teachers to whom then shall they prophesie or whom shall they teach If all were one member where were the body If all were an eye where were the hearing so if all were teachers where were the hearers who must learne If the eare should say because I am not the eye I am not of the body is it therefore not of the body So say I if the hearers should say because wee are not teachers therefore wee have not the spirit have they therefore not the spirit If James Naylor say so I will not beleeve him Because I know that the wisdome of God hath so tempered the body together as that the eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of thee neither the head to the foot I have no need of you And this hee hath done purposely That they might be no schisme in the mysticall body that are all baptized into one spirit see 1 Cor. 12. Cha. But if there be need one of another then wee need helpe one of another both the hearers of their teachers and the teachers of their hearers Teachers are as the eyes for guidance and lighting of the body and hearers are as the eares which receive their teachings and light and directions for understanding and practicall obedience as from the mouth of the Lord. And therefore till I shall be perswaded that the wisdome of James Naylor is above the wisdome of the Lord himselfe I shall never beleeve that it cometh of wisdome to direct men onely to a light within as their onely guide and to neglect the ministrations and teachings of men and of the Scriptures as James Naylor doth And that without the least warrant or ground from Scripture or reason either as hath been shewed before Nor hath hee yet done nor can hee ever
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
Christ yea or no see Gala 1.8 And if hee doth not repent his Judgement is passed already by the spirit of truth who cannot lye And then againe hee beginneth to charge mee for pleading for Reverent gestures to worship God in as well as in spirit The which I confesse I did For page 27. I asked where it is said in Scripture that God is not to be worshipped with reverend gestures of the body as well as in spirit and truth To which hee answereth And whereas thou art pleading for reverend gestures to worship God in as well as in spirit I say in at that doore came your Altars your bowings your surplices and conformities wherein the teachers of this Nation was leading back to Rome the mother of these witchcrafts if God had not stopt the way by his hand And now have you got a little peace and thither are you turning againe even in bloody persecuting against all who witnesse against you who testifies against these false wayes c. To which I answer that for ought I know there is no man enforced to worship either with Reverend gestures or without nor any man persecuted or troubled for any such things by any of the powers of this Nation And therefore this is a lye and a slander against those in Authoritie as is well knowne I need not proove it But I onely asked whether the Scripture forbid Reverend gestures of the body as well as in spirit and truth To which he doth not answer properly but sheweth his dislike thereof and that they testifie against such false wayes and gestures set up by the man of sinne In which he clearely condemneth the practice of Christ himselfe Luk. 22.41 And of Poter Act. 9.40 And of Paul Chap. 20.36 Chap. 21.5 Eph. 3.14 And of Daniell Dan. 6.11 And of Solomon 1 Kings 8.54 and 2 Chron. 6.13 And that as unlawfull and the pleading for the lawfullnesse of it an opening of a doore to Altars and bowings Surplices and conformities c. and a making way for an unparalelld persecution and a hasting on to destruction which he sees saith he to be the end of our Reverend gestures And saith he will not the gestures of the Saints serve your worship that which lookes so much out neglects that within so you plead against the Spirit Oh prophane and ungodly spirits It is not enough with them to slander the Magistrates and all that are in authoritie but they will slander the footsteps of the Lords anoynted even the Lord Jesus himselfe and all his anoynted ones from the beginning of the world who have all practised such Reverend gestures in their worshipping of God And then he saith will not the gestures of the Saints serve your worship Oh damnable hypocrisie are they Saints that reproach the practise and footsteps of the Lords anoynted see Psal 89.51 see whose enemies they are And doe they not therein Reproach the footsteps and wayes and gestures of all the Saints that ever lived on the earth And yet they will call themselves Saints as so alwayes did the Popes and Papists that were Devills incarnate and as absolute enemies to the Saints of God and so by consequence to the Lord himselfe as any in the world But for all his scornes it is the practise of the Saints that will serve our worships and all the Saints gestures that were Saints indeed wee cordially approve and account it lawfull to follow their stepps as occasion requires But as for the gestures of Saint James Naylor nor these his doctrines and slanders they will not serve our worships to approve or practise because the Spirit of truth and holines Ingageth us otherwise wee are naturally ingaged by the Spirit of God out of Reverend Respect to his glorious Majestie to serve him with Reverence and godly feare knowing that hee that is our God is a consuming fire see Heb 12.28 29. But if hee that privily slandereth his neighbour shall be cut off see Psal 101.5 Of how much sorer punishment shall hee be counted worthy that slandereth and Reproacheth even the sonne of God and his Reverend gestures in his prayers unto God Can this be any lesse then cleare despite unto the spirit of grace see Heb 10.29 It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God see verse 31. It is no strange thing to mee to reade his scornes and reproaches and slanders and censures that in all his bookes hee houldeth forth and fumeth out most bitterly and maliciously against others or my selfe considering his fullnesse of venome and malice cannot be kept in but must burst forth like filthy vomit against the Lord of glory as in this appeares I shall not therefore much care nor take any great notice what hee saith by mee but shall as breifly as possible answer his maine points and referre the Reader to the bookes themselves for Resolution where the wickednesse lyeth for I desire no more but that they reade them both and then let them Judge Againe Pag. 15. hee falleth to worke about the Ministers which is the third maine head saying Thy third thing is for thy maintenance and for thy Ministerie I answer as for my maintenance there is not one word in all my booke as the Reader may see and that hee maketh lyes his Refuge when hee hath nothing to answer that is like the truth And as for Ministers maintenance and for the poore I have pleaded it and prooved it also and that from divers grounds and arguments from Scripture yea and Gospell foundations such as James Naylor never heard before nor have they been published before that I know off either by word or writing as I said in my Epistle the which hee calleth boasting but doth not nor cannot make it appeare to the contrary in the least neither can hee contradict the truth thereof nor blame them justly by any Rationall or spirituall argument though hee reciteth many of them as though hee intended a confutation but in the end cometh off with a faile perverting both my words and meaning that hee might finde breadth for a Reproofe which are but poore shifts for so eminent a Quaker For saith hee and that thou may get something or make a shew for this Religious worke thou art about and that thou may seeme to be a charitable man as Judas did thou putst in the poore with them but seeing there is as much difference betwixt them and the poore as betwixt Masters and beggers I shall therefore set the poore by themselves concerning whom I say be as liberall to them as thou wilt I answer that for my ends in this hee must not be Judge But for what cause hee should set apart the poore by themselves who were ever joyned together by the Lord himselfe when tithes were commanded they to have part as see And whom God hath joyned together I dare not seperate neither did the Apostles in the primitive times but what was given was distributed to all as
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
like Returnes of Reciprocall Communication of love and honour where it is sincere For the looking forth of the spirit of love through the eyes and face is as an invitation to the same spirit if it be in another to looke forth also and salute each other beeing not two but one and the same spirit though in two persons by operation in both their spirits to shew its onenesse and make them so likewise if they doe apply yea that they may be one as God is one for nothing but love can make two one as God is one and there is no spirit of love but one and that is God I meane of love that is true and lawfull Now this spirit of love is the same spirit in us which was in the Patriarkes before the Law was given forth and did ingage them to such humble honourable and amiable affections and to such expressions as are naturall to it And if we have any little measure of the same spirit it will ingage us also to doe the like if wee doe not resist it and wee are forbid to resist the spirit Now it sometimes ingageth those in whom it dwells to lift up their eyes or their hands towards heaven and sometimes both according as it ingageth the heart and affections the which if wee resist wee resist the spirit And it is easily discernable through the eyes whether such their motions come from the heart or they are but fained especially by such who are also acquainted with such ejaculations of their owne hearts and of their eyes and hands as they are affected And I doe beleeve that many of the Quakers have resisted the spirit and quenched it also before they could get their hearts to comply with such uncourteous carriage as not to put off their hatts and bow their bodies and use the word you to such whom they formerly had been so accustomed So that now they are growne to such hardnesse of heart and searednesse of spirit that nothing can be seene in them of naturall affection but more like bruite beasts made to be taken and to be destroyed see 2 Tim. 3.3 2 Pet. 2.12 as was prophesied of them in these last dayes And whereas hee telleth mee that I belye the spirit of God for saith he the spirit of God forbids it James 2. even that which setts up pride and respects persons I answer so doe I also forbid pride and respect of persons in that sense there meant and in many other and I can love and honour the poore that are virtuous more then the rich that are either wicked or not so virtuous nor would I debase or depresse the poore because he is poore to exalt the rich in partiall respect But I must honour all men and give them due respect and shall I hope as I know what it is but to shew no respect to any at all as so the Quakers doe is to shew plainly that I have not any love or Respect in mee And againe saith hee Christ himselfe saith How can you beleeve that Receive honour one of another John 5.44 And if they could not beleeve that received honour how much lesse can you beleeve that seeke it and grudge if you have it not I answer let them that seeke it or Receive it either that which cometh but from men answer for themselves I seeke it not nor receive it neither but that which cometh of God onely if I know it from the other Now that which cometh of God is really cordiall and I must receive it and Returne the like as so I am naturally ingaged by the love and honour which is of God in my owne soule nor doe I dissemble any more then they Now there is a common love and a common respect and customarie honour to which I am bound by that command to wit honour all men but there is a nearer and more particular love and honour and courtesie which will induce mee to a fuller expression both in word and deed and I am so ingaged by the same spirit and in all this there is no partiallitie or respect of persons but as I ought to doe And so his comparison of mee to Haman and Saul I have good ground to deny And againe saith hee not having any Scripture to plead for these things thou wouldst plead for them under the pretence of love and being courteous and tender-hearted I say saith he silence deceite you have sett up these things till you have lost all love but what is selfish c. I answer I did produce diverse Scriptures but they are none it seemes with him is there no Scripture that commandeth love and to be courteous and tender-hearted What spirit is this but a lying Devill that proceedeth on upon this lying foundation to rayling and reviling and prophesying the destruction of all our fading glorie because wee maintaine the lawfullnesse of these customarie Civilities but because his bookes are so full of lyes I doe not much regard either his rayling or prophesying but to cleare up the truth which the Lord assisting mee I have in some measure done and doe commit the same to his blessing and disposall to whom be all the honour and glorie and praise for ever and ever Amen Amen The End A Postscript to fill up a sheet that wanted being a Catalogue of some of James Naylors lyes gathered out of his booke in five or six houres time to let the Reader see hee is none of those children that will not lye but when hee can no otherwise shift off the dint of a Scripture or argument hee maketh lyes his Refuge and under vanitie would hide himselfe if such coverings were not too narrow but that hee could wrapp himselfe How faine would hee appeare to be all in sheepes cloathing though Inwardly hee is ravening and Woolffish A Catalogue of some of James Naylors lyes 1. HEE saith my booke is much boasted off by the Author but as little worth as the boast is great 2. Hee saith it was my envie that carried me with such envie against the Innocent till I spake I knew not what 3. Hee saith hee hath set downe some markes and maintenance of the true Ministers and also of the false their fruits differing them according to Christs Rules in Scripture with diverse other things to keepe the simple from deceit 4. Hee saith 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 by the world James Naylor These foure lyes are in his Title page and are answered pag. 1 2 3. 5. Hee saith I have boasted much of my worke 6. That I have forgot that teaching to let other men praise mee and not my owne mouth 7. That I have prooved nothing against James Naylor but against my selfe These three are in his first page 8. That I have writ against the light of Christ being sufficient 9. That I would binde them to creature-worships and Nationall customes 10. That I