at all but such who are really holy and wise and faithfull Eighthly Whether their message tendeth not to bring us into spirituall bondage As to such and such wayes and formes or ceremonies and practises under paine of damnation which doe not appeare to be absolutely necessary and that from Scripture grounds But rather suspect that they goe about to destroy our faith by bringing us under a Covenant of workes and so to keepe us in bondage that wee can never attaine to a full assurance of faith but as it were a doubtfull case depending wholy upon our good behaviour For God requireth a full assurance of faith and that in God through Christ Jesus that so our Joy might be full yea such as is unspeakable and full of glory For if our faith and assurance be not full there is likewise a defect in our love and so by consequence in our Joy in the Lord. Ninthly And above all things observe whether their message and businesse tendeth to provoke us unto love and good workes or unto wrath and bitternesse or some displeasure against our knowne brethren Rea. For he that biddeth us provoke one another unto good works never doth provoke us to the contrary himselfe nor ought wee to obey if an Angell from heaven should so provoke us but let him be accursed And that wee might know how to discerne the motions and lustings of the spirit and flesh each from the other that so wee might not be led blindfold to destruction by any deluding spirits within us nor without take these Scripture Rules to wit see Gala. 5.16 17. saith the Apostle Walke in the spirit and yee shall not fullfill the lust of the flesh For the flesh lustech against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that yee cannot doe the things that yee would And on purpose that wee might be Resolved how to know the one from the other hee pointeth them out by their fruits that so wee might know their tendency in the first motions or lustings of them and be lead by the spirit and not by the flesh to wit see vers 19 20 21. saith he Now the workes of the flesh are manifest which are these Adulterie fornication uncleannes lasciviousnesse Idolatrie witchcraft hatred variance emulations wrath strife sedition heresies envyings murthers drunkennes revellings and such like of the which I tell you before as I have also told you in times past that they which doe such things shall not inherit the kingdome of God Now it is easie to discerne if wee doe observe even the lustings of our spirits in the first motion whether they tend to the producing of any of these or such like effects yea or no And so by the strict observation of these Rules wee may Resist them in their first motions and mortifie such evill and corrupt affections in their first Rise through the gratious assistance of the Spirit of God whose fruits are also noted out for that purpose also that wee might know them and cherish and obey them and be lead thereby to wit Love joy peace long-suffering gentlenes goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance against which there is no Law see vers 22 23. To all which wee may joyne the wisdome which cometh from above which is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without partialitie and without hypocrisie and the fruit of righteousnesse is sowne in peace of them that make peace see James 3.17 18. And further the Apostle saith in another place that the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnesse and Righteousnesse and truth And see also 1 Cor. 13.4 5 6 7. The nature or properties of love or charitie to wit Love suffereth long and is kinde it envyeth not vaunteth not it selfe is not puffed up c As so I might be large in shewing the nature of that love which is a fruit of the Spirit from every one of these properties And likewise of the contraries for the Scripture is full of such directions and notes As see on the contrary for it is not the Spirit of God but Sathan and our owne flesh that maketh men lovers of their owne selves covetous boasters proud disobedient to parents unthankfull unholy c. see 2 Tim. 3.2 3 4 5. But I must not inlarge so farre as to descant upon all these and it is easie for any that will to try the spirits and the tendencie of their motions whether they lead us to good or evill by which wee may easily know from whence they proceed I shall therefore let these suffice for the present and follow him a little further to wit He saith againe pag. 11 And thou sayes then what need the teaching of James Naylor if this light within be sufficient I say saith he as a meanes to turne people to this light I am which the Devill useth all meanes hee can to turne them from To which I answer that it is herein evident that hee exalteth himselfe above the light of Christ and clearely disowneth the sufficiencie of that light for turning men to it without the helpe of James Naylor whom he ownes to be a meanes to turne them to that light For as I said before so I say againe that if all doe know the Lord already what need is there then of the teachings of James Naylor and his complices if their light within them be sufficient it can teach them all that he doth and all that hee knoweth and how to eye it onely and to looke within for light and to desert the teachings of men and despise them too as so hee doth And I say doth not James Naylor teach that the light of Christ is sufficient and that without the teachings of men or of the Scriptures And yet confesseth himselfe to be a teacher and a meanes to turne men to that light should hee not have added himselfe to that light for making it up sufficient if it be not sufficient without him as a meanes to turne people to it selfe and direct them to eye it onely as the onely light as so hee calleth it And how is it the onely light if it cannot inlighten people with so much light as to turne to it and eye it onely without James Naylor as a meanes Now if James Naylor and his writings and teachings bee a meanes and if hee also bringeth Scriptures to perswade and turne men to eye that light Why may not Scriptures be brought also by others besides the Quakens to turne men from darknesse unto light and from the power of Sathan unto God Where saith the Scripture that James Naylor and his complices must needs be added as a meanes for turning men to God and no body else nor any other doctrine but what James Naylor teacheth must be used as a meanes nor any Scriptures alledged but what hee bringeth nor any exposition or meaning of the Scriptures given forth but what hee giveth or
obey such particular Scriptures as he bringeth to their minds and applyeth and wresteth for his owne ends The Devill never bringeth Scriptures but to deceive thereby alwayes wresting them from their genuine sense and proper meanings as James Naylor might see if he were not blinde or had not sould himselfe for the Devills service And againe whereas he saith that one may have the letter of Scripture and not have the word and that the letter without the Spirit is dead page 4. I answer as before that the letter of the Scripture is the word of God though it is not Christ And that the letter of the Scripture is no where in Scripture called a dead letter but it is words of spirit and life to them that beleeve and receive them in love nor is the Spirit of God at any time withdrawne from his owne words nor doe they returne voyde but alwayes accomplish what he pleaseth and doe that for which he sent them And it is not the Resisting of his Word or Spirit nor both joyntly that can disparage the validitie thereof whether it be set home by the finger of his Spirit or that mens hardned hearts still remaine obdurate Nor will James Naylors Directorie to a light within be effectuall to any for the saving of their soules that doe not beleeve the Scriptures and receive them in love but have pleasure in unrighteousnesse but will rather indanger them to be deluded with a lying spirit and acted by it in stead of the Spirit of God and to be carried blind-fold to their greater sinne and condemnation And therefore what is that to the matter though Satan have the Scripture and have no good by it there being no promise therein for him or what if James Naylor hath it and finde no life in it but a meere dead letter in his apprehension in regard hee wresteth it and doth not love it and therefore cannot afford it so much as a good word having an enmitie against it not caring much if it were all burnt as it is very likely because it condemneth him in something or other that he loveth or desireth and will not part with in obedience thereunto but will rather runne the hazzard of loosing all or he will disparage and make voyde the Scripture that hath touched him Nay hee seemeth to mee rather to preferre his owne words and his owne writings above any in Scripture commending his owne as words that proceed immediately from the eternall Spirit full of life and power but the Scriptures carnall and dead and vaine yea vaine hee accounteth them to such who have not the Spirit already Though he cannot but know they are appointed of God as the cheife meanes for ministration of the Spirit and of life and power for what life and power can be communicated or administred to any man by ministration of men but from Scripture-grounds and those pretious promises therein contained through Christ Jesus in whom all the promises are yea and Amen and through whom onely wee have interest in them being all finners and so excluded from life as well as the Devill were it not for him that hath merited our salvation And therefore what a devillish doctrine is this to dehort all men from reading the Scriptures till they first obtaine the Spirit of God What other end can this doctrine aime at but to keepe them still under a spirit of bondage as sure there are none that are set free and have the spirit of life in them through the hearing of faith preached That will owne this doctrine to be of God but a doctrine of Devills And againe hee telleth mee that hee might shew my blindnesse in all other Scriptures that I quote were it needfull as instance that 2 Pet. 1.19 Wee have a more sure word of prophesie to which you doe well to take heed as to a light that shines in a darke place till the day dawne and the day-starre arise in your hearts Now it is true I quoted this Scripture as one amongst the rest against his assertion in his answers to Baxter to wit that the Scripture houlds out but one light and word the which I there denyed and proved it first from Mat. 5.14 16. To wit Yee are the light of the world and John 5.35 that John was a burning and a shining light and Psal 119.130 The entrance of thy words giveth light it giveth understanding unto the simple and then this of Peter Upon which I say that I suppose James Naylor will not acknowledge that he ever received any light from that sure word of prophesie as from a light shining in a darke place but onely some little braine knowledge of the bare letter else hee would not so reproach and disparage those that doe take heed to the sure word of prophesie till they be inlightned thereby in what they were darke and did not understand Now to all that I say in these words hee answereth not at all by way of contradiction but doth as much as confesse that hee was mistaken nor can hee possibly make that his assertion good against these Scriptures But hee heere undertakes to shew my blindnesse in quoting this Scripture to this purpose before-named to wit And this saith he you would have to be the letter of the old Prophets which shines in a darke place And so saith hee by thy doctrine the letter of the old Testament and in a darke place too is a surer word then what Peter heard God himselfe speake and were eye witnesses of his Majestie And this is all thou knowest of the spirit of prophesie the testimony of Jesus or the Scriptures that declare it To which I answer that I appeale to the Judgements and Consciences of all that know any thing of the spirit of prophesie or the testimonie of Jesus or the Scriptures that declare it Whether the Apostle doth not meane it of the old Prophesies of the old Testament when he thus speaketh yea I say the letter hee meant when hee so adviseth them and not the spirit onely of which the letter declares for the letter declares of the spirit and the spirit is the author and opener of the letter and that by the letter as an instrumentall meanes comparing Scripture with Scripture and spirituall things with spirituall things The Prophet Daniel himselfe understood by booke that the time of their captivitie was accomplished And James the Apostle produced the words of the Prophet Amos to Resolve that great doubt and difference amongst them Act. 15.15 To wit And to this agree the words of the Prophet as it is written c. Observe as it is written and so he Recites the very written letter for he knew by the letter what the words of the Prophet were because they were written And how else should wee have knowne the words of the Prophets if they had not been written and wee had seene or heard them read or recited those Prophets themselves being dead long since were they not written
for our learning and what good will their being written doe us if we will not reade them but stay and waite till they be inspired into us as so Naylor owneth the Scripture to be profitable to whom they are given by inspiration Implying that else they are not if we have them first by reading see in this his answer page 5. What an absurd doctrine is this and how loath is he to owne that the Scripture in bookes is worth reading This discovers what spirit hee is acted by and how bitterly malicious and full of devices against the Scriptures And againe observe the Apostle Peter and hee are fallen at odds and he hath given him the lye for writing this Scripture it hath so angered him that the Apostle should stand in such direct opposition to his false doctrine For the Apostle calls it a more sure word of prophesie then either visions or voyces which he had in the Mount But this James Naylor denyeth and blameth mee exceedingly for beleeving such a thing as that the letter of the old Prophets should be a surer word then what Peter heard God himselfe speake and were eye witnesses of his Majestie Ans I answer this voyce and vision might seeme a surer word unto Peter and others then the old prophesies it according with them and so was a further confirmation of what the Prophets had spoken But those to whom he writes this Revelation of such things did not heare that voyce nor see his Majestie but had it written unto them as well as the Prophesies and so had it but in the letter from Peter as a testimony unto them And therefore it was that the Apostle called it a more sure word of prophesie for words of prophesie given by inspiration of God if wee know them to be such are more sure words to me then visions and voyces that are heard by others and seene and Related For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesie And this hee would have them to know that the prophesie in old time came not by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooved by the Spirit of God And therefore hee saith wee including himselfe have a more sure word of prophesie the which though the confirmation thereof to Peter testifying of Jesus to be the Christ therein specified was surer to him yet that sure word of prophesie was a more sure word to build their faith upon in regard it foreshewed the coming of Christ and that that Jesus was hee giving notice beforehand of the place of his birth and of his life and death and all such things which came to passe Which clearely demonstrateth that all those prophesies were by inspiration for who else but God could foreshew such things so long before And therefore there cannot be a more sure word then that sure word of prophesie for what can be surer then the words of God and those proved to be his words by the truth and successe in the events thereof that were thereby foreshewed And therefore it is that in case the people desired to know of any Prophet whether the Lord had sent him with such a Message or he had spoken it presumptuously Hee referres them to the successe and events thereof and whether the thing came to passe or no see Deut. 18.21 22. To wit When a Prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord if the thing follow not nor come to passe that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken but the Prophet hath spoken it presumptuously thou shalt not be afraid of him But the prophesies of old time are confirmed to us to be a sure word of prophesie and therefore we cannot but beleeve them And that a great deale better then the prophesies of James Naylor though hee telleth us hee hath them by Immediate voyce and visions likewise and that hee hath them from God by Immediate inspiration For till we see them confirmed by the events thereof wee shall rather beleeve that more sure word of prophesie that was spoken in old time and also those sure words of prophesie and Rules and directions given by Christ and his Apostles then those given by James Naylor though hee call himselfe and others account him the Messenger of the living God But though wee doe beleeve in regard wee finde it in Scripture and that in many places and are in expectation dayly to see the downfall and shame and confusion of such who presume to preach in the Name of the Lord and hee hath not sent them see verse 20. Yet wee dare not believe the prophesying of Naylor in that respect nor can we expect or desire either the downfall and shame and confusion of any that is godly and faithfull Nor dare wee condemne all that preach in publike in our publike places which hee whickedly calleth our Idoll Temples to be carnall and hirelings as he blasphemously doth for wee know the contrary and therefore know him to be a lyar and not a true Prophet and so wee feare him not nor regard his prophesies but as false and frothie presumptuous lyes and therefore if it come not so to passe hee will be discovered to those seely people that for the present beleeve him as so he is to us already Againe I produced a Scripture to prove the various and different dispensations of the Lord to his Prophets and to Rebuke the pride and insolencie of James Naylor the which as I suppose because he could not oppose any deductions from it nor evade the charge upon himselfe to wit of despising the Word He maketh as though he understood not my meaning and as though I had brought it for another end the which I never meant And maketh use of it for prooving that they are no Prophets who have no word but the letter The which I shall easily graunt so hee will not deny that the letter of Scripture is the word also nor did I ever deny it but owned Christ as the essentiall word and the Scripture also is the word and therefore he needed not fetch any arguments to proove it But I made another use of it to wit that I finde but little of this meeknesse in James Naylor that was exemplified in Moses But on the contrary that hee counteth himselfe the highest and all below him either dwarfes or nothing like Christians in so much as if they have need of a booke either the Bible or any other they are despised by him as litterall men in his booke against Moore Though Paul advised otherwise as to give attendance to reading and to exhortation and doctrine and not onely to a light within and more to that purpose Which is so quite contrary to his Directorie that having nothing to answer he turneth the dease eare and falleth upon other busines discussed before Againe he saith my second thing is to deny the light of Christ to be sufficient I answer it is most false I told him that wee must confesse that
Christ is able to inlighten little children and to make them capable of comprehending of it and that so he doth to his Elect that depart this life in their childhood and minoritie for Jeremiah was sanctified in the wombe and John Baptist filled with the Holy-Ghost from his mothers belly and that Christ himselfe was qualified with the blessed Deitie in the very seede of the woman And yet considered as man hee did not in his minoritie comprehend that light which dwelt in him bodily but increased in wisdome and stature and favour with God and man as Luk. 2.52 Yea though considered as God he thought it no robbery to be equall with God yet as man hee was ignorant of the times and seasons which the Father had kept in his owne power Nay after he was ascended and sate downe at the right hand of the Majestie on high when hee gave forth the Revelation of Saint John hee had it but at the second hand considered as man for it is called the Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to passe and hee sent and signified it by his Angell unto his servant John so that John had it but at the third hand though he had Christ the light Recident in him as so had also the seaven Churches of Asia and the Angells thereof yet they had but this Revelation at the fourth and fift hand therefore meanes are good From all which it is evident that though God can and doth when he seeth it good and necessary communicate his light Immediately by his blessed Spirit unto whom he pleaseth Yet his ordinarie way where meanes is to be had is by the foolishnesse of preaching as so the world accounteth it to save them that beleeve And therefore such doctrines as these which tend so directly contrary to the use of meanes are as absurd and wicked as if they should teach their children not to eate any meate because God is able to preserve them without Nay it is so much worse by how much the soule is better then the body And this and many more such like things I did assert in my Booke But is there any thing heere against the sufficiency of the light of Christ or so much as intended save onely I plead for the use of meanes to get his light mediately or immediately against which he hath nothing to answer and therefore falls to cavill against a manifest truth to wit That after Christ was sate downe on the Right hand of the Majestie on high hee had the Revelation considered as man but at the second hand And makes great adoe as though hee did not understand what I meane by having it at the second hand and yet hee remembers I said hee Received it of God and yet is stumbled to know which was the first hand I answer God had it first it was in his hand and power before Jesus Christ had it given to him so that hee had it not first but at the second hand and this is plaine in the Text for all his blind cavills And then againe that John had it but at the third hand I say it againe And hee saith is not this strange doctrine of thine and hee had it from the Alpha and Omega the allmightie or did hee not speake true who said hee was so Rev. 1.8 To which I answer And did not hee speake true that said of Jesus Christ that hee sent and signified it by his Angell unto his servant John And is not Jesus Christ in heaven And must not the heavens containe him till all things be restored Therefore it was not Jesus Christ considered as man but his Representative Michaell the Archangell who Representatively vissibillified the Invisible essence of the blessed Deitie of the Sonne of God the Lord Jesus Christ in like manner as also before his Incarnation the Lord alwayes Represented himselfe in the similitude of a man when he spake unto the Prophets in vision as Ezekiell 1.25 26. To wit Vpon the likenesse of the throne was the likenesse as the appearance of a man above upon it And from thence came the voyce see vers 25. From the firmament that was over their heads But these were onely likenesses and similitudes shewed in vision by Angells as the most proper similitude of the presence of the invisible God And therefore it is said this was the similitude of the glory of the Lord clearely shewing that it was but a similitude of his glory and when the Prophet saw it he fell upon his face and a voyce of one that spake saying c. see vers 28. See also Dan. 7. What hee saw in his visions by night vers 9.13 Hee saw one live the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven But this was not the Son of Man for hee was not then visible in the world And so I say of this Alpha and Omega it was not the visible body of Christ but onely a Representation of the essentiall word who is every where present in spirit at one and the same time and doth sometimes vocally expresse himselfe to the capacities of his Prophets by the ministration of Angells As so hee did also to John in this place see Revel 1.13 Hee is said to be one like unto the sonne of man cloathed with a garment downe to the foote and girt about the paps with a golden girdle his head and haires were white like wooll as white as snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire vers 14. And without all question Christ was present in spirit and so exprest himselfe as the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end and to be hee that liveth and was dead and is alive for evermore Amen I say Christ was present even there in spirit for so he is alwayes and that every where to the end of the world see Mat. 28.20 But the spirit of Christ is invisible whom never man saw neither can see but through an eye of faith Therefore this vissibillitie that appeared unto John was not properly the essence of the Deitie which is invisible but God was there present causing such appearances and voyces by the ministration of Angells For it is said Hee sent and signified it by his Angell unto his servant John vers 1. And so it is both true that the Alpha and Omega was there by vision and yet that it was but signified by voyce and vision by an Angell and so the Alpha and Omega did not lye nor the Apostle neither Neither was it any thing but truth which I asserted to wit that Christ considered as man had it given him of God and hee sent and signified it by his Angell to his servant John which communicated it to the seaven Churches but first to the Angells And therefore the use I made of it is nothing but proper and true nor can James Naylor deny the truth thereof with any reason nor the proprietie of the use
wee are like to take his word for it in regard he hath no proofe but his owne testimonie yet I beleeve hee telleth true in that which followeth to wit that Sathan would keepe us from the Spirit what he can in regard he would keepe us from the meanes whereby to obtaine it and have it administred And againe hee telleth mee I say where the Scriptures are knowne and counted for the word of God the Devills kingdome must downe in the heart I say true but I added in the hearts of the Elect these words of the Elect he leaveth out that hee might have something to say And hee leaveth out also the Reasons there rendred one whereof is our experience What blindnesse and darknesse and sottish ignorance is in all places where the word is not preached nor the Scriptures minded and searched and knowne so that give him but the reception of this doctrine and it is the best foundation for his kingdome that can be laid and I say it is like to that of the Papists and hath the same tendency to wit that Ignorance is the mother of devotion But the Scripture would teach them how to obtaine the spirit and wisdome namely to aske it of God which is none of Naylors directions in all his bookes but quite the contrary as to eye that light already within as if every man had the Spirit already And againe saith he thou calles it a grosse directory to advise to take heede to a light within and sayes I might as well bid them follow the Devill I answer yes I did say so but he leaveth out my reason for it to wit in case where the Devill ruleth and keepeth them in darknesse as that hee doth in all the children of disobedience But hee chargeth mee in anger and telleth me hee sayes I shall one day know I have blasphemed against the spirit and gift of God herein Was that saith he a grosse directorie of Christ Luk. 11.35 17.21 I answer no the first of these I have recited before and the words of the other are these Neither shall men say loe heere or loe there for the kingdome of God is within you To which I say here is never a word yet in any of these Scriptures that tendeth to perswade men to looke onely to a light within and desert the Scriptures and the teachings of men But let any man judge whether the kingdome of God and the kingdome of Sathan can rule in the heart at one and the same time is the kingdome of God come too and within such a man whiles Sathan ruleth must hee not first binde or cast out the strong man before he spoyle his goods Can any serve two Masters If the spirit of God and the spirit of Sathan can live quietly together in the same soule and not fight and quarrell and contradict each other in their motions and commands Christ was deceived It may be hee thinketh the case is so with every man as it was with Toldervie who was tossed with crosse commands of two severall spirits and knew not whether to obey James Naylor might have taught him of all that time whiles hee continued his Disciple to have knowne the voyce of the Spirit of God from the voyce of Sathan if hee had knowne it himselfe for hee was long enough with them But their skill is wanting to discerne of spirits so that if it be a spirit within they obey it as God though hee hath forewarned them if they would heede the Scripture not to beleeve every spirit but try them whether they be of God And if they would learne of mee I could give them Scripture Rules to know for certaine what spirits they are of but I am almost weary with striving with them and Scripture Rules are so slighted by them and so little regarded that in respect of them I account it almost vaine yet for the sake of others I shall name some few And first to try the spirits whether they be of God in case of visions or apparitions yea dreames or voyces whether speaking within or without First Such who finde their hearts ambitious in seeking after visions and Revelations to get a fame and respect amongst men let such suspect all visions or Revelations or apparitions whatsoever that appeare to them as but delusions of Sathan sent of God either purposely to deceive them or at least to try them with whether they doe more regard his holy and sacred word or the Revelations visions or words of Angells Yea though an Angell from heaven should teach us another doctrine then what wee have received from the word of God wee are commanded and therefore ought to let him be accursed Yea though hee bringeth us many good messages and perswadeth to many good things yet if any part of his message doth not really correspond with the sacred Scriptures yea though he be an Angell of light an Angell of God an Angell from heaven and appeare in such a shape as the holy Angells were accustomed to appeare in old time yet beleeve him not but rather let him be accursed Secondly But observe also whether they appeare not to have cloven feete For if so they may well be suspected to be uncleane spirits because the holy Angells were never accustomed so to appeare but for the most part in the shape of a man when they brought any message mediately from God Thirdly Observe whether they bring any message of waight and Importance and of necessitie yea or no such as it much concernes us to know that we either cannot or have not learned or knowne before or such as cannot be knowne from Scripture it being either silent therein or that wee have not understanding to conceive it thence Rea. For Idle and vaine messages are not likely to be from God who forbiddeth all vanitie yea so much as an Idle word Fourthly And much more observe well their message whether it be lawfull to obey it yea or no and try it by Scripture and not onely by the doctrines of men the Quakers nor others for all may erre but the Scripture in its proper genuine sence is infallible true and cannot be broken Fifthly Observe whether their message hang properly and rationally together For the Spirit of God and all his messages accord rationally together and he likewise giveth understanding and rationalitie to such to whom he sendeth them to conceive them so Sixthly Whether they inhibit any thing lawfull to be done and that upon any penaltie without a necessary cause or satisfactory reason for such inhibition For God is not unreasonable in any thing hee requires but convinceth the Judgement in any such a case Seventhly Observe whether their message tendeth to puffe us up with pride and high conceits of our selves as some choice men when as yet wee finde no such things in us above other men especially in respect of wisdome and holinesse Rea. For God doth not usually commend any in such an expresse manner nor ever any