till this upstart Faction spread it selfe abroad like an infectious cloud for if in all this time there were no Church then could Christ be no Head without a body nor no Husband without a Spouse nor a Saviour without a people saved Answ. All formes differing from the light of Christ are in Babylon darknesse and distraction and the true Church is in God 1 Thess. 1. 1. Such onely are out of Babylon who are gathered out of the world by the spiritual light of Christ and there it hath been ever since his passion and he hath never been without though but in a small number which he hath saved which the world hated and scornfully miscall'd and into Prisons and corners have they been driven all this time of the man of Sinne and his Papal Priesthood but now he is come who is spreading his truth and multiplying his seed as a cloud to the Egyptians wherefore the Heathen rage exceedingly But it seems by the Query that thou ownest the Church all along since the Apostles to have been in the multitude of the Popish Priests rather then in the Martyrs seeing thou speakest so scornfully of a small number to be the Church of Christ who are so contemptible which the Church ever was and so it is at this day Luke 12. 32. Mat. 7. 14. Mat. 20. 16. Reply 9 10. Now I beleeve you speak truth as that all Formes differing from Christ and so yours among the rest are of Babylon and under the destruction thereof not but that there may be difference in circumstance and yet a concurrence in substance as there was in the Primitive times even amongst the very chiefe of the Apostles and though there be some difference in part of opinion yet may those so different be Christians still but not so if like you they erre in the main And what you tel me here is nothing but what I knew before ever I heard of you and is nothing to the thing required at all for we know and are sure that there now is and ever hath been a Church on earth as also was that of the Thessalonians as well as other Churches which is evidently declared in many places And what I queried was concerning a visible Church not of an in visible Church of which you speak nothing at all and in that you grant that Christ had ever a Church since his passion you also grant your selves to be none of his Church you being never heard of until of late years unless in the days of holy Moses but if you follow their wayes be careful of their end And for what you further adde it is nothing but of words without proofe and the Pope calls them that dye for the testimony of his Apostacy Martyrs which are rather malefactors and for them who are Martyrs indeed they dyed for the testimony of that Religion Doctrine and Ordinances which we professe and you now oppose and like the Heathen rage exceedingly against the Ministers and professors thereof who are so contemptible in your eyes and others of your society as to be railed against with the unchristianlike termes of dumb dogs serpents sons of perdition instruments and children of the Devil and the like and if this be the language of the spirit of God what then is the speech of Satan Qu. 11. Whether you own the Resurrection of the body after death if not of what doth and shall Christs Kingdome consist for he can be no King without his subjects Answ. I say yea the Resurrection I own according to the Scriptures Rep. 11. This is no satisfactory Answer in general unless you do descend unto particulars for I know not whether you doe mean according to the sense you wrest it unto and so by such subtilty smother perhaps heresie in privacy for some of your Fraternity have affirmed to me that there is no other Resurrection spoken of in Scripture but in this life as from the death of the first Adams fin unto the life of the second Adams righteousnesse contrary to the true me aning and so not according to the Scriptures which usually speaks of a resurrection from the dead after a dissolution of the body therefore speak out your meaning plainly Qu. 12. Whether you acknowledge the Trinity of the persons in the Godhead the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost one substance but three in subsistence or manner of beings Answ. For the word Trinity thou mayst send it to Rome from whence it came but God the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost and that these three are one I know and acknowledge according to the Scriptures 1 John 5. 7. Reply 12. Now O subtil Deceiver yet simple Etymologer doth not thy pen here stink with the tinkture of ancient Hereticks whom you here imitate in that you say that the word Trinity came from Rome in a derision of it I shall not stand to dispute it as a Controversie because perhaps you brought it thence with most if not all of your Tenets but this I know it was a word long time used and never disallowed that I know of by any unlesse erroneous Hereticks for the Latines have it as well as the English thus Trinitas as we Trinity both signifying three in one and so agreeable unto Scripture But O wretched imitator of Hereticks who with thy self hath stumbled at this word Michael Servetus that heretical blasphemer compared the Trinity unto Cerberus the Porter of Hell-gate and Arius that notable Heretick counted the word Trinity a Fiction and a laughing-stock whose end was as wretched as his life was wicked for in easing himselfe of natures courses he disburdened himselfe of his bowels and the same opinion is now upheld by his Successor Biddle a man no lesse obstinate then erroneous The Turkish Mabomet and Sabellio likewise held the word Trinity in derision as doe you and many more of your Society and I fear in many more of your Tenets concurre with them Qu. Whether Jesus the Son of Mary incarnated in the flesh Godman in one person who dyed at Jerusalem upon the Crosse rose from the death to life the third day and ascended on high into the highest heavens and sitteth on the right hand of God be the true Messias that you own and say is within you Answ. Jesus the Sonne of God and Eternal Word which came downe from God became flesh borne of the Virgin God and man who dyed at Jerusalem rose againe ascended and sitteth at the right hand of the Father the true Messias which Christ we own to be within us which no carnal minde which denies his light can comprehend and Christ in you except ye be Reprobates 1 Cor. 10. 4. Reply 13. This is in some sort more then any of the rest satisfactory but that the true Messias is within you I have not faith to beleeve it because I see such opposite actings to him or any thing of his spirit That I apprehend them rather
NAYLER'S BLASPHEMIES DISCOVERED OR SEVERAL QUERIES To him Proposed WITH His owne Answers thereunto By a Friend to the Truth of CHRIST Matth. 7. 15. Beware of False Prophets which come to you in Sheeps cloathing but inwardly are ravening Wolves LONDON Printed for Simon Waterson at the Sign of the Globe in S. Pauls Church-Yard 1657. A PUBLICK DISCOVERY OF A SECRET DECEIT An Answer to Nineteen Quaeries subscribed JOHN DEACON 1. Quaere IF every man that comes into the world have light in him sufficient to salvation how then do you say that I am in darkness for either you must grant your first or second Assertion to be false or prove me not come into the world or not born of a woman Answ. 1. The cause why thou art in darkness is because thou dost not believe and follow that light which is sufficient according to Christs words John 8. 12. For they that turn from the darkness to the light have the promise but the unbeliever is condemn'd in darkness yet is the light sufficient John 3. 15 16 17 18 19. Reply 1. When first I undertook to encounter with thee O subtil Deceiver and secret Deceit though I looked not for the innocency of a Dove but rather the ravening of a spiritual Wolfe yet I find the subtilty of a Serpent though not the purity of Christ yet the policy of Antichrist But as Satan is a Serpent so is Christ and that a brazen one too and as the Deceiver is a Lyon that seeketh whom he may devour so is Christ a Lyon and that of the Tribe of Judah and as the serpent is subtil to deceive so is Christ no less cunning to preserve unto his everlasting habitation who hath began a good work of faith in our souls and also will do it the end whereof is everlasting salvation When I quaeried since you affirm that all that come into the world have light in them soul-saving how then I being come into the world and so in general affirmed to be in light that you in particular should conclude me in darkness as if not come into the world at all and therefore I quaeried how the contradiction could be reconciled to a concurrence you put me off with a pretended Answer which indeed is but a Sophistical flash of the Deceivers policy with an uncharitable I had almost said diabolical Assertion that I am in darkness when this I can affirm with joy that God hath so far enlightned me as to see your deceivableness and I fear hellish darkness 2. Qu. If that Light be universal that is soul-saving shall all be saved yea or no Answ 2. All that believe shall but he that believeth not the light is his condemnation John 3. 19 Reply 2. That all which believe shall be saved we need not you to teach us but since you affirm all have soul-saving light the question was whether all should be saved if not your Doctrine is false which saith there is in all a sufficiency But you pretend private I may say a new light left your deeds being as dark as Antichristian they should be brought unto the publick light Christ and his Gospel and so by that light that evil be made publique which now lies hid in you under glorious pretences 3. Qu. If you say yea I query further How is it then that you say I am damn'd and where is the Reprobate Answ. 3. Thou art damn'd by thy unbelief Joh. 3. 18 19. And where Christ the light of the world is not known within but denyed there is the Reprobate 2 Cor. 13 3. 5. Reply 3. Here I finde two diabolical satanical censorious uncharitable Assertions both beyond the spiritual presumptuous determination First that I am damned Secondly that I believe not both which are devilish in a double sense First as presuming to step up into the seat of Gods Tribunal and to define that which only belongs unto him to whom judgement is given But who art thou that judgest another and judgest not thy selfe Secondly as being a lye that I believe not prove this if thou canst or else it proves thee a lyer but if it be so that I must believe your heresies and then be a believer and though I believe in Christ yet still be an unbeliever let the devil be the first and if he will for I will be the latter And here thou abusest the Text in saying that where Christ is not known within there is the reprobate as much as to say he may be there unknown But canst thou hide the Sunne O deceitful Deceiver that it shall not shine forth If thou couldest yet this celestial Sun of righteousness cannot be kept under but will banish all sinful clouds and illuminate resplendently to the obvious prospect of that soul where it is And the Apostle saith Christ is in you Corinthians except ye be Reprobates giving thee the lye who sayest Christ is in Reprobates as well as Saints 4. Qu. If this light ought only to be minded and all external means utterly abolisht I query wherefore you teach and to what end serveth the Scriptures which were for the making perfect the man of God 2 Tim. 3 1 6 7. Ans. 4. We teach to turn peoples minds to the light word which is the one thing needful to be minded 2 Pet. 1. 19. 2 Cor. 4. 1. to the 8th And the Apostle preacht that word to the people which was in their hearts Rom. 10. 6 7 8. And their preaching was to open the blind eyes and to turn from darknesse to light and so from the power of Satan unto God the Father of the Light Acts 26. 18. And the Scripture serveth for declaring and testifying that this Christ is he that is the light of the world and lighteth every one that cometh into the world and the Saviour of all that believe John 12. 46. John 1. 9. 1 Tim. 4. 10. Rep. 4. Here you grant a damnable heresie that all external things are useless none excepted in that you pass it over with a consent of silence and hypocritically say you teach to turn peoples minds to the light and yet elsewhere declare against all them and so confusedly against your self here that say the light in every man Reprobate and Saint is not sufficient to lead and guide out of all the wayes and works of this dark world into the wayes of God without the help or teaching of man confusedly there declaring against and now attesting for the self and the same thing But let me here so far presume on your vitiated patience as to salute you with this one query Is it not as lawful for others as for you to teach and may not their doctrine be as effectual to this end to turn peoples minds from darkness to light as is yours and whether it be not the spirit of Satan in you that cries down that in others which it preacheth up in your self And is it not the spirit of confusion that
to the faithlesse except ye be Reprobates and again Know you not that no unrighteous person inâ—eriteth the Kingdom of God where it is cleare that it does not possesse men as inheriting them for this implyes a contradiction but it is to be possessed of men and they to inherit it and from this inheritance the unrighteous are excepted and exempted too therefore it is certainly a most notorious lye to say Christ preached the Kingdome of God in unbeleevers though among them for he himselfe and all his excellencies that attended him in his Incarnation were among them but not in them and an error in the Translation makes not an error in Christs Doctrine Thus for the first I come now to clear the Apostle from your falshoods for you speaking of unbeleevers say he saith that all which may be known of God or of his glory is manifest in them This you pretend to be a proofe that there is a light in every man to reveale all that may be known of God or of his glory which I say can be nothing lesse then the Spirit of God when if you read the verse following for the first hath a dependency on the latter you shall see the extention of the former expression The invisible things of him from the Creation of the world are clearly seene being understood by the things that are made Now this cannot be the Spirit of God or Christ which teacheth all things needfull for salvation except you can prove him to be made at the Creation and so a creature and not a Creator and therefore it must be something in the creature which can be nothing else but the eye of the rational soule which is reason by which may be seen the invisible being of God and that he is so Cicero Aristotle Plato but meer Heathens have attain'd unto therefore this is humane not divine I shal not stand to state arguments to prove it experimentally because I intend brevity I Come unto the other Scripture which you adde that the Apostle saith that they speaking of unbeleevers still came to the knowledge of God and his glory by the light that shone in them A most notorious lye wresting the meaning of the Apostle unto your owne wills and I leave it to you to examine with feare and trembling whether it be not also unto your own destruction too for the words are these For God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the grace of God in the face of Jesus Christ Where is observable First what it was that shined God that commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined Secondly the persons to and in whom he shined in our hearts Now the word our maketh a separation between Paul and the Corinthians to whom he writ who were Beleevers and Reprobates who beleeved not therefore you must needs acknowledge you have belyed him in saying he spoke of unbeleevers when he spoke to and of Saints in our hearts unlesse you can prove that that Paul and the Corinthians were such as you speak of even unbeleevers Thirdly the intent and purpose for which he shone to give it was not free to all as you say but particularly given to some the light of the knowledge of the glory of God And then Fourthly the manner how in the face of Jesus Christ I intend not to write an Exposition on the words but onely rightly to divide them and so to cleare them from the scandal laid on them by you which is clear So that your Query being thus handled I suppose there can be no more required in answer to it and farre be it from me to hold a judgement willingly any further then is concomitant to and with Scripture proofes and practice Learne to speak truth and cease to endeavour the building of so lying a Babel which is not in that one language of God but that of Satan For every lye is of Satan the Father of lyes Query 4. Whether that New Birth spoken of in the Scriptures be Christ within or some other thing and if not he then what is it and how people may know it by the Letter without the Light when they have Christ and when they have a spirit of delusion and whether the light of the Spirit alone be sufficient without the letter to reveale the Sonne of God the Father and all truth and judge of all spirits whatsoever without any addition to it An Answer to the Fourth Query The New Birth or Regeneration is a repairing of the Image of God once in the first Adam through the effectual working of the Spirit and grace of God by faith in the second Adam which they that looke unto the first Adam and in their own strength endeavour to renew cannot comprehend for it is spiritually discerned though the policy of the Serpent may so far prevaile as to cast them into a kinde of pleasing slumber of Security and so pretending to lead them back unto that earthly Eden by personal obedience which they lost by disobedience like lambs led to the slaughter they may passe a Celestial Paradise by and perhaps arrive at a perilous disconsolate place of eternal sorrow or if you will it is a remission of sinne and a renewment of sanctity called Sanctification on the whole Doctrine whereof to insist at large would require a greater volume then either I intend to trouble you to peruse or my selfe to compose but for the satisfaction of them among you or elsewhere whose intentions are to be informed out of sincerity not curiosity I shall speak a little unto some particulars of it In brief man hath no hand at all in this work but the spirit of God for even as in the compositure or making of any thing there must two things concurre First the Agent or Workman which giveth the forme shape or being to the Work Secondly the matter whereof the work must be made or formed the which cannot be said to work it selfe but onely to suffer the operation of the Worker This is the summe of Regeneration First the the spirit of God is the workman in this work he is the begetter of this new man the framer of this new creature and the re-builder of this sacred Fabrick Secondly the minde and will of man is the matter whereof this new creature or image of God in man is made not working together with the Spirit of God but onely suffering the operation of the holy Ghost this is the Epitomy of this whole work for Regeneration is nothing else but a sanctified minde and will so the begetter of this new man is God even the Holy Ghost For that which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit So that this New Birth is the work of the Spirit and although by the Ministry of man as the matter yet not