are herein named 8. That the Quakers are clearely under a degree of blasphemy and in what perticulars evidenly demonstrated 9. That they are acted and mooved by an evill and malitious spirit which is not of God prooved from Scripture 10. That they shall bring upon themselves swift destruction unlesse they humble themselves greatly in the sight of God and repent and turne 11. That Naylor for all his profession of perfection and infallibilitie and knowing of all things yet hee teacheth us nothing except lyes but what wee knew before the which is clearely Illustrated 12. That James Naylor and his complices are sent with strong delusions and for what end and cause cleared from Scripture 13. That Satan hath Commission to be a lying spirit in their mouthes 14. That they shuffle up their lyes closely amongst many knowne truths to make them feizible 15. That if the Ranters doctrine had been feizible the Devill would never have transformed his Ministers so like to the Ministers of righteousnesse Though his designe is the same in the Quakers as in the Ranters in some chiefe respects 16. Some Queries proposed to Naylor Requiring Scripture-ground for what hee asserteth which he never yet gave nor can I suppose 17. That Christ who is the true light and inlightneth every one that commeth into the world yet doth not inlighten them all sufficiently by immediate lumination no not all the Elect themselves so as to bring them to salvation But doth it mediately by the Scriptures and teachings of men to bring them to the knowledge of God and of Christ for the saving of their soules 18. That it is the same designe of Satan in the doctrines of the Quakers which hee had in the Popish Hierarchy when they inhibited the Scriptures to be read or knowne in their owne mother-tongues to the Layitie to wit to keepe them in Ignorance one of the chiefest policies that Satan hath to perpetuate his kingdome in the darke world 19. That James Naylors Directorie is quite contradictory to the Directorie of Scripture And is as much to some men as if hee should expresly bid them to eye and observe and obey Satan instead of the Spirit of God 20. That yet they have not Commission to deceive the Elect totally and finally but such as received not the truth in love 21. That in the Judgement of charitie wee may well beleeve at least that all those people are not obstinately thus lead but Satan deceiveth them and maketh them beleeve that it is no other but the Spirit of God that acteth and teacheth them when notwithstanding it is but himselfe And how he deceiveth them is shewed at large 22. An objection is answered to wit how they come to be so spirited and acted and changed from what they were before If it be not indeed the Spirit of God In answer whereunto is shewed by what stepps and degrees they attaine these things 23. A serious Admonition to beware of the least of those stepps whereby they come to be delived up of God to such strong delusions and to be spirited and acted by that lying spirit instead of the Spirit of truth which stepps are chiefely these 1. Satan by his Ministers worketh them up to a dislike of the Ministers of God and of the Christian professors 2. Of all the Ordinances of God 3. Of the Scriptures themselves as all but carnall and a dead letter and vaine unto them 4. To Reproach and despise them which is expresse blasphemie and then hee hath power to spirit them and act them at pleasure 24. Here is also added a paralell List of some of the manifest contradictions betwixt the teachings of that spirit in the Quakers and the expresse teachings of the Spirit of God A BREEFE ANSWER To some erroneous TENENTS held forth by JAMES NAYLOR In his Answers unto Baxter and some others that have publickly opposed that black Spirit in the deluded QVAKERS to wit HE alledgeth that Scripture Rom 10.8 The word is nigh thee in thy heart and in thy mouth And further he saith that this word of Faith the Apostles preached which was in peoples hearts All which in some sence is true and he saith further that such were not Ministers of the letter but of the Spirit The which in some sence must needs also be true for it is in the scripture But he saith further Nor did ever say the letter was the Word The which I utterly deny if he mean by the letter any part of Scripture the which I shal make appeare by the help of God from many Scripture grounds which he owneth in his Answers unto Baxter as truths of God I mean the scripture But first I must clear the meaning of those words of the Apostle to wit Not of the letter but of the Spirit for the letter killeth but the spirit giveth life 2 Cor 3.6 Now it is plain what rhe Spirit of God intendeth by it if we read the Verses following to wit 7 8 9. where the Apostle maketh a comparison betwixt the glory of the Law and that of the Gospel the ministration of Moses and that of Christ and therein maketh the Law as a ministration of condemnation and of death but the ministration of the Gospel the ministration of the Spirit and of Righteousness which is through Jesus Christ and so of life So that his meaning is clear to any that wil understand that he doth not mean as though the Apostles did not Preach and ground their Doctrines from sacred Scripture but that by preaching of Faith from scripture grounds they minister life to those that were spiritually slain by the letter of the Law For in regard that no flesh can be justified in the sight of God by keeping of the Law in regard they cannot fulfil it in every point and therefore lye under death and condemnation spiritually I mean being condemned by it in their souls and Consciences and as it were bound over unto death and hel without hope of recovery and that unto all eternity in their own apprehensions in the fight of God having transgressed the Law They so remain as it were without hope and without God in the world til it pleaseth God to revive and quicken them to a lively hope and confidence in God by the ministration of the spirit of life which is not ministred by Preaching the works of the Law but by the hearing of faith preached see Gal 3.2 So that it is clear what the Apostle meaneth and intendeth to teach us when he declared that they were able Ministers not of the letter but of the spirit and that spirit within if it be of God doth so apprehend it and wil own it as a truth of God And therefore James Naylor is either much mistaken and so is but fallibly guided or else obstinately wicked in drawing such inferences from this scripture as to account them no Ministers of God that are Ministers of the letter and ground their Doctrines thereon For the Spirit is
and that in publick which was the old Testament But James Naylor saith he may read all his life the Letter of the Scriptures and therewith come amongst the Parish Ministers and never discern the voyce of Christ See page 45. in his book against Moore To the which I answer It is true that such who are none of the sheep of Christ may indeed read the Scriptures and heare them read and preached all their lives and yet never know the voyce of Christ in them so as to follow him but they will rather follow strangers instance James Naylor But such who are his sheep they know his voyce and will follow him and not the stranger yea by what means soever he speaketh unto them mediatly or immediatly and they account the Scripture as the word of God himselfe as if he should speak unto them by an audible voyce and they know them to be written for their learning that they through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope And it is no disparagement to the Scripture the Letter as he calls it that some despise it and regard it not but undervalue it and let it slip Nor to the words of Christ himselfe and his Apostles nor to his Ministers now because many people did not profit by them nor do not know them in regard they are not mixed with faith in such as heare them For it is they that are of God they hear Gods word and they that are Christs sheep know his voyce and obey and follow him But some therefore heare them not because they are not of God and some obey not his voyce because they are none of his sheep John 10 and Chap. 8.47 But Naylor often produceth the non-proficiencie of the people as a ground of disparagement to the Ministers of the word yea and to the word it self the Letter I mean the which I shall prove to be the word of God And first that there is not onely one but many words of God and so called in Scripture it is plain to any rational Christian that knoweth the Scriptures 1. Psalm 12.6 The words of the Lord are pure words like silver tried in a Furnace of earth purified seven times 1 Arg. Now the words of the Lord are words of God 2 Arg. And words in the plural number must needs include more then one Conclus Therefore there is as certainly as that the Scripture is true more words of God then one spoken of in Scripture 2. Prov. v 30.5 Every word of God is pure he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him Now this word Every includeth more then either one or two words and that of God 3. 1 Thess 2.13 where the Apostle saith Because when yee received the word of God which ye heard of us yee received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God From whence it is clear that the word which they heard of the Apostles was in truth the word of God Even that audible word which they heard of the Apostles yea heard them speak 4. 1 Tim. 5.17 Especially them that labour in the Word and Doctrine 5. 2 Tim. 2.9 But the word of God is not bound 6. Heb. 6.5 And have tasted of the good word of God 7. Jam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth 8. And verse 21. And receive with meeknesse the ingrafted word which is able to save your souls And verse 22. And be yee doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiving your own souls Quest Can any of these be meant of Christ How improper had it been to have said Be ye Doers of Christ in stead of Be ye doers of the word 9. See Deut. 8.3 But by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Obser Observe how improper it had been to have said Every Christ that proceedeth out of the mouth of God 10. Psa 68.11 The Lord gave the word great was the company of those that published it Observe It it is not said him but It. 11. Isai 2.3 For out of Zyon shall go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem 12. Jer. 6.10 The word of the Lord is unto them a reproach they have no delight in it 13. Amos 8.11 12. A famine of hearing the words of the Lord. 14. Matth. 13.23 He that receiveth seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word and understandeth it And Luke 8.11 12. 15. The seed is the word of God Those by the way side are they that heard then cometh the Devil and taketh away the word out of their hearts lest they should believe and be saved Could the Devil take Christ out of their hearts after once received how absurd were it 16. John 5.24 He that heareth my word and beleeveth on him that sent me hath everlasting life 17. Acts 4.31 And they spake the word of God boldly 18. Acts 6.2 It is not meet that we should leave the word of God and serve the tables And verse 7. And the word of God increased and the number of the Disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly Quest. Had it been proper to have said That Christ increased 19. Acts 8.14 15 16. Samaria had received the word of God and yet the holy Ghost was not come down upon any of them Conseq So they had received the Word but not the Spirit and so not Christ by James Naylors account if there be no more but Christ 20. Act 12.24 But the word of God grew and multiplied Did Christ grow and multiply See also chap. 13.44 and verse 46 48 49. And chap. 15.35 36. And chap. 19.20 2 Cor. 4.2 Ephes 6.17 All which are clearly meant of the teaching and preaching of the word of God and of the growth thereof Assertion 2. to wit That what ever God hath spoken is his word or words The which I prove thus it is written Exod 20.1 And God spake all these words saying Conseq Therefore when God speaketh his expressions are called words or a word See Psalm 68.11 The Lord gave the word great was the Company of those that published it Arg. But if what God speaketh is his word or words Conseq Then it must necessarily follow that all Scripture is the word of God and the particular words of it are words of God and altogether they are his word See Heb. 1.2 God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake unto our Fathers in times past by the Prophets hath in these last times spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things by whom also he made the worâ—ds See also Chap. 12.25 See that yee refuse not him that speaketh Also Luke 1.69 As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the world began Observe he spake it by the mouth of his holy Prophets and of his Apostles and af his Son Therefore all such speakings and expressions are the words and
that in every place the Spirit witnessed that bonds and afflictions aboad for him And Agabus signifyed the same to him And in those dayes it is said of some that they were full of the holy Ghost and wisdome Steven being so full that his face shone and Philip was caught away from the Eunuch that he saw him no more yet hee was found at Azotus preaching the Gospel And the holy Ghost said Seperate Paul and Barnabas for the worke whereto I have called them But I was yet short in these things having not yet attained so much acquaintance and familiaritie with God And I hardly know how so to walke in the Spirit that I shall not fullfill the workes of the flesh lesse or more I have not yet attained to such a degree of faith as to aske what I will and it shall be given mee though I have a promise for it of him that cannot lye but many times my faith failes and I begin to sinke and come short of attainement of what I earnestly desire to wit the best of things and the best gifts and things needfull and lawfull to aske and desire after I have not yet learned so full as I ought to cast all my care on him whom I know careth for mee but am many times too much troubled with cares of this world I have not yet learned to keepe my heart with such diligence but the Issues thereof are sometimes evill I am too much troubled with carnall thoughts and vaine Imaginations which sometimes produce Idle and vaine words and actions of which I know I must give an account at the day of Judgement I am too much addicted to love the world and the things in the world though I well know that if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him And though I allow not my selfe in any of these things but desire and pray to him that hath power to helpe and deliver mee in these Respects that I may get victory and full conquest yet I have not attained it unto this day And whether the wisdome of God hath so determined it that it shall yet be thus because his power is made perfect through weaknesse as hee said to the Apostle or it be because of the weaknesse of faith or coldnesse of my desires after this conquest I cannot well determine yet I am resolved by the grace of God to presse on forwards and to fight the good fight of faith whiles I shall remaine in this tabernacle but I will get victory through Jesus Christ my Lord and life and onely Saviour who alone is able to make mee Conquerour in these respects for power belongeth unto God And I know him in part in whom I have beleeved and that hee is able to give mee victory I shall not deny but he is fully able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him and to guide them infallibly and leade them into all truth But I will not neglect either to reade the Scriptures or exercise my selfe in prayer unto God nor the teachings of men but shall be glad to learne of the meanest Christian that can teach mee further then I have attained I will not scorne to learne at James Naylor if he can teach me any truth of God of which I am ignorant though he would much disdaine to be taught by mee or by men whomsoever as so I cannot but judge in regard hee blameth and despiseth such who run after men and heape up teachers as being resolved for his part that he is infallible and without sinne or imperfection having the Spirit of God which is infallible and of power sufficient to inable him fully to doe the will of God yea to doe it on earth as it is done in heaven As so no man that knoweth God but will acknowledge his power and wisdome is all-sufficient if he so pleaseth And therefore the question doth not lye whether the Spirit of God be an infallible guide yea or no But whether James Naylor and others be infallibly guided by that infallible Spirit yea or no in all things that they doe Now though I shall confesse that what hee speaketh or writeth being mooved thereto by the Spirit of God is infallibly true and it may truly be called the word of God if the Spirit of God hath spoke it by him Yet when he speaketh or writeth that which is not true but quite contradictions to the Law and testimonie and that I know it so to be I shall never confesse that hee was mooved thereunto by the Spirit of God but that he hath done it presumptuously out of the vision of his owne heart or by Satans instigation And therefore when he dareth be so presumptuous as to disparage the Scriptures reproaching them that call them the word of God And when hee directeth men rather to the light within which in some for the present is clouded with darknesse rather then to the Scriptures for their guide to direct them to eternall life I dare not confesse he was mooved thereunto by the Spirit of God And so when hee directeth men still to eye their light within and to own it as sufficient without any word at all of the teachings of men And when he blameth Ministers of the word of God for taking of a Text and preaching from it as sometimes Christ and his Apostles did I shall not confesse hee was mooved thereunto by the Spirit of God And when hee blameth men for praising and singing of Psalmes in the Spirit unto God as the Apostles did I shall never beleeve he was mooved thereto by the Spirit of God nor that he was ever so merry I meane in the Lord as to rejoyce and delight so to expresse himselfe by singing of Psalmes as the Saints of God are many times and as for that end they were given forth and ordained of God and held forth by David and others And when he blameth men so much for having a Law without and morrall as well as the same Law written in their hearts and for having light and a word without as well as that within And a Church without and a Christ without and in heaven as well as within in their hearts As so he doth in his Epistle to all the faithlesse generation of the world and all that desire to know in what saith and hope they live and what faith and hope they deny I can never beleeve that hee writt this profession of faith being mooved thereunto by the Spirit of God Nor can I beleeve that their refusing to give honour to whom honour is due and feare to whom feare and shewing love to whom love is due is from the Spirit of God Nor can I ever beleeve that their uncivill uncourteous and brutish carriage and their harsh opprobrious disgracefull language and darke and dismall countenances so farre off from the least shew of love and amiablenesse is from the Spirit of God Nor can I ever beleeve that their
Ingrossing of all the Ministers of God under the name of Antichristian Ministers if they owne a Law without and a light without and a word without and a Church without a Baptisme without Praises and singing without and a Christ without and righteousnesse without as well as within as so they ought is from the Spirit of God but they doe at presumptuously Nor doe I thinke it any lesse then under a degree of blasphemie against Christ so to vilifie and reproach his Ministers for so hee accounteth it Hee that despiseth you despiseth mee and hee that despiseth mee despiseth him that sent mee c. And all such poore ignorant people as by their example and ministration are perswaded to speake and act against the Ministers of God in such an opprobrious blasphemous manner it is great marvaile if the Justice of God doe not deliver them up to the power of Satan to be acted by him and to be led captive by him at his will and pleasure who like a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom hee may devoure or whom hee may possesse for the destruction of their bodyes or their soules or both as the Lord in Justice shall give him leave And if I be not deceived it is so with some their countenances bewray them that they are acted and mooved by an evill and malicious Spirit which is not of God Those darke and stolen spirits that looke through their eyes I meane of some of them that I have seene are at the greatest distance from the spirit of love which is the Spirit of God of any spirits that ever I discernd through the eyes of men where they are to be discernd or not at all for spirits are invisible unlesse they assume a shape of some thing that is visible yet they are discernable through the eyes of men if well considered And the discerning of spirits is one of those gifts of the Spirit of God that are given unto men to profit withall see 1 Cor 12.8 9 10. But their rancorous and bitter carping and catching at every misplaced word or syllable and following it so close and vehemently to the disparagement of mens persons and professions what in them lyeth by giving them hatefull and reproachfull language in stead of clearing up the truth by dint of argument And the vilifying of those whom I know to be Saints and servants of God doth fully confirme mee in this opinion that they are not acted by the Spirit of God but by a wicked malicious and lying spirit For the Spirit of God reproacheth not his Saints But especially and above all their under-valuing of the Scriptures calling them but the letter as if they were not spirituall and denying to owne them as the word of God as so the Devill and the prophane Ranters have done before them who were the first that ever I heard doe it Which cannot possibly have any other end or tendency but to perswade the people to slight and neglect them and to eye onely what light they have already within them that so if any be possessed with a false and lying corrupt spirit or if the Prince of the ayre who ruleth in the children of disobedience be there already hee might still continue and not be cast out but keepe his credit and power and dominion which the knowledge of the Scriptures would discover and dissipate if they should attend and listen thereunto For what other tendency can it have to direct them so much to a light within but to make men beleeve that what ever motion cometh into their mindes is of the Spirit of God and ought to be obeyed that so they may follow the wayes of their owne hearts and the vanities of their owne mindes and so run headlong to destruction without trying of the spirits whether they be of God as the Scriptures injoyne them and will direct them also for how should they try them but by such Rules as are held forth in the Scripture which was written for our learning and not to be slighted and laid aside as a dead letter or as uselesse and unvaluable or like a nose of wax pervertible at pleasure for though it is true that some doe pervert it and wrest it for their own ends and purposes yet it is saith the Apostle to their owne destruction As so doe but marke the successe of James Naylor and all his complices unlesse they repent and humble themselves greatly before the Lord if it doth not bring them to destruction at last 2 Pet 3.16 It is as dangerous to the soule to wrest or pervert or disparage the Scriptures as kicking against prickes is to the body hee that undervalueth and disparageth the Scriptures doth it to the Lord himselfe whose word it is as hath been clearely prooved But I looke for no other but like Jannes and Jambres they should resist the truth yet the promise I expect to be fullfilled against them that their madnesse and folly shall be discovered and made manifest unto all men even as theirs also was see 2 Tim 3.8 9. Their wrestings and turnings of devices shall be but as the potters clay their bed is too short and their covering too narrow they cannot wrap themselves See also 2 Pet. 2.1 the end of such â—â—e teachers who deny the Lord that bought them whether they shall not bring upon themselves swift destruction As so it is manifest James Naylor doth for hee utterly denyeth the manhood of Christ who dyed for us and who was in all things like unto us sinne onely excepted and therefore hee maketh no account of a Christ without us and at a distance nor one that is visible having a visible body which the heavens must containe till all things be restored And hee shall appeare againe the second time without sinne unto salvation The Scripture is cleare that the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us saith the Apostle and they saw his shape as the shape of the onely begotten Sonne of God full of grace and truth But great is the mystery of godlinesse God was manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seene of Angels beleeved on in the world and received up into glorie It is indeed such a mysterie as James Naylor understands not else hee durst not sleight it and so undervalue the person of Christ or of his words either as now hee doth But this is so grosse and palpable a doctrine that hee dareth scarce expresly owne it when men of understanding are present there being thousands of Scriptures make it so clearely manifest both in the old and new Testament which makes him dumbe and silent when questioned in that point And yet he will needs be accounted infallible and as some great Prophet and as though he had some extraordinary Revelations that no man else had knowne before him And yet he teacheth us nothing except lyes but what wee knew before Who that is versd in Scripture but he knoweth that Christ is the true light who lighteneth every
one that cometh into the world with what light they have of understanding and rationalitie And who knoweth not that Jesus Christ is in us except wee be Reprobates by his blessed Spirit in lesser or greater measure And who knoweth not that the word is nigh us even in our heart and in our mouth to wit the essentiall word which is Christ by his blessed Spirit if wee be his Elect And who knowath not that the ministration of the Spirit is not by the workes of the Law by which no flesh can be justified but by the hearing of faith preached because the letter of the Law killeth spiritually but the Spirit giveth life through faith and love which are in Christ Jesus And who knoweth not that God is a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth or not accept it But hee will be worshipped with the body also And who knoweth not that men should sing with the Spirit and with the understanding But what singing or praising of God is that which is not with the mouth I never heard such nor shall doe I thinke unlesse I heare the Angells which have not any proper mouthes And what Church is that which is in the heart our bodyes indeed are the Temples of the holy Ghost and I reade of the Church of the first-borne written in heaven but are these the Churches of the Saints spoken of in Scripture which yet some of them had their failings And who knoweth not that all that are without God and his Righteousnesse are in the world and strangers as yet to the Covenant of grace And who will not deny that faith and worship which God denyes And who knoweth not that those who have an unction from the holy One and know all things have no need that any man should teach them but as the same Anointing teacheth them of all things see 1 John 2.20.27 But those who have this unction will not follow James Naylor nor his crooked and perverse doctrines for those that goe out from us are not of us see vers 19. For a stranger will they not follow for they know not the voyce of strangers Joh 10.5 But James Naylor is sent with strong delusiens to some that they might beleeve a lye that they all may be damned that receive not the truth in love but have pleasure in unrighteousnesse Qu But how is hee sent may wee Imagine Ans Not properly of God nor by his Spirit but Satan hath got commission to be a lying spirit in his mouth and in the mouthes of all his complices as hee was in the mouth of all Ahabs Prophets to deceive those who receive not the truth in love but have pleasure in unrighteousnesse If hee had a paire of hornes of Iron such as Zedekiah the sonne of Chenana made that hee might bring them to Fox and tell him that with those hee should push downe all the Ministers of God till hee had destroyed them It is very likely that Fox would beleeve him yet so doth not any Micaiah any true Prophet of the Lord though James Naylor himselfe hath prophesied so much concerning all the Ministers of God in England and elsewhere yea even all the generation of them who ever they be that will not receive and beleeve his lyes Which truly are so palpably grosse that I verily beleeve that not one Minister that is sent of God in all the world will owne for truthes though hee shuffle them up never so closely amongst the truthes of God as in that art hee is extreame cunning and it is no marvaile if that old lying spirit hath skill to teach him and be in his mouth for hee hath long used that very art and of all the arts that hee hath yet learned it is the most deceivable and therefore he hath used it longest hee deceived Eve with it when shee was pure from sinne and perfectly wise no marvaile then if hee deceive so many now that are laden with sinne and lead with divers lusts and not so wise as shee But I hope it is his last and cheifest Refuge I cannot but rejoyce to see him play this carde to transsorme himselfe into an Angell of light and his Ministers into Ministers of Righteousnesse I hope it will be to his losse in the end If the Ranters doctrine would have taken amongst us hee would never have owned so many truthes and good things but that not taking hee was glad to transforme himselfe and his Ministers in new suits of apparrell not all out of course but finer wooll and smoothly woven and drest yet the designe and doctrines against the Scriptures being not owned as the word of God and in respect of disowning the teachings of men as utterly needlesse they being taught of God as they say to love one another They are just the same which the Ranters used Their designe being clearely the same with the Ranters to wit to preach downe all preachings and teachings of men though never so holy and spirituall teachings And why forsooth but because there is a promise that they shall be all taught of God using the very same Scripture-grounds which the Quakers doe and quite perverting them for the same use as the Ranters did which any spirituall understanding knoweth for certaine that they were never given forth by the holy Ghost for any such ends or uses but quite the contrary which were easie to demonstrate if it were needfull But let mee fall to question James Naylor a little as hee hath done us First Where the Scripture giveth any such directories for attaining unto life and power c. To wit That wee should onely give heed to that light within us and utterly desert all teachings of men save onely of themselves who onely direct us unto that light though it be but darknesse in comparison of what wee may learne from Scripture and from men likewise who teach us from thence by the Spirit of God Secondly Where doth the Scripture tell us that hee that is the light of the world and that inlighteneth every one that comuteth into the world doth inlighten all sufficiently and so as to guide them insallibly or that hee inlighteneth all alike and that immediately without the knowledge of the Scriptures or the teachings of men so as that they need not to teach one another saying know the Lord because all doe know him from the greatest of them even to the least of them Is the case so now that all know him 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 hee doth and all that he knoweth and how to eye it onely and to looke within for light and to desert and despise the teachings of men as so he doth and what else doth hee teach which is not taught by men from sacred Scripture and with more spirit and power then hee teacheth any thing and farre more rationally and convincingly in
were knowne in the Christian world by giving heed unto seducing spirits and doctrines of Devills speaking lyes through hypocrisie having their consciences seared as with an hott Iron By which it is evident that it is the last dayes In which saith the Apostle perilous times should come c. noting them out unto us by almost twenty Epithets which are all of them verified in the Papists and the Quakers for what one commeth short in the other compleateth And wee may still expect that evill men and doctrines shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived see 2 Tim 3. Chap And that there shall come false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders so that if it were possible they should deceive even the very Elect Mat 24.23 24 25 26 27 28. Admonition These things considered wee ought to be seriously admonished and perswaded hereby to take heede unto our selves that wee be not deceived by these seducing spirits these false Christs and false Prophets Behold saith our Saviour I have told you before Wherefore if they shall say unto you behold he is in the desert goe not forth behold he is in the secret chambers beleeve it not For as the lightning c. I say therefore if the Quakers tell us loe here is Christ or loe there nay if they shall prevaile so farre as the Lord knoweth how farre hee will suffer them as it may be to shew great signes and wonders yet let not us be deceived Behold hee hath told us before that wee might be forewarned and forearmed So that wee are inexcusable if wee be deceived And therefore that wee might not be deceived with these seducing spirits and doctrines of Devills Let us take admonition from the Spirit of God and not thinke our selves so steadfast and immoveable as that wee may not be deluded for even the Elect themselves may be so farre lead away with the errour of the wicked as to fall from their owne proper steadfastnesse though not totally nor finally see 2 Pet 3.17 18. And first then let us take heed least these seducing spirits provoke and stirre us up to a dislike of and enmitie against the Ministers of God for this is the first step that leadeth them to delusion but let us love and honour them as Embassadours of Christ and let this love be without dissimulation not in word and tongue onely meerely complementall but indeed and in truth and let it be exprest upon all occasions especially who ever it be that teacheth us and that administreth unto us spirituall things let us see and take care that they doe not want of our carnall things For according as wee sowe liberally or sparingly in these respects the same shall we reape from the hand of God Let not the Quabers deceive us in these respects God is not mocked And let us not account it as a matter of indifferency for it is our dutie and therefore it is called communicating To doe good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifice God is well pleased and let him that is taught in the Word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things Now communicating is distinguishable from distribution or giving to the poore because of the poore wee receive nothing in recompence but from the Lord onely neither doe wee expect it Whereas in case of communicating wee receive one good thing for another yea and that many times more valuable than all the carnall things that we can communicate So that we ought not to account it as a worke of charitie but as a worke of pietie and dutie unto God for the Ministers are his substitutes or Receivers And therefore wee ought as the Apostle Injoyned Every first day of the weeke to put apart by it selfe as the Lord hath increased us and give it in to the Churches treasurie that there need be no trouble in gathering of it and that to be disposed to the Ministrie and to the poore as may be thought most needfull and convenient by faithfull men I have heard of an English Lawyer of late yeares who was so conscientious of his dutie to God in this respect that he put apart every tenth shilling that he got with his practise and disposed of it for pious and charitable uses as hee found occasion and hee so increased that he grew very rich and honourable and so lived and dyed in great esteeme And I doubt will rise up in Judgement to the condemnation of many carnall and worldly professors that make no conscience of their duty unto God and their faithfull Ministers nor to the poore neither in these respects And I much feare that the people of God themselves are much blame-worthy and neglective of their duty in these respects And that it tendeth greatly to the hinderance of the Gospell and the disparagement of their profession besides their owne detriment which is very great as I could largely instance but this is a subject deserves a whole Treatise Onely this Item I desire wee might remember that if the Scripture be true hee that in these respects soweth sparingly doth and must receive but sparingly if he be a Christian and that both spiritualls and temporalls from the hand of God and hee that soweth liberally doth and shall and may certainly expect to reape aboundantly from the hand of God both for this life and the life to come The which is easie to confirme from many testimonies in sacred Scripture besides many examples that might be produced from experience amongst us to wit of many professors of great estates going to decay that are provident enough for things of this life if not too covetous And the reason is because the Lord doth not blesse them in what they goe about but bloweth upon their designes and labours and estates And it is but just and according to his Word For professors ought to be as lights to the world and so to let their light shine that they might see their good workes and glorifie their father which is in heaven and as they excell in other graces so they ought to excell in this grace also And to exemplifie true Christianitie and obedience and subjection to the Gospell of Christ in every duty both to God and men that so they might also be blessed of God and increased accordingly that so they may witnesse the truth and veritie of his promises and blessings pronounced in Scripture in such a case And for further satisfaction that it is a duty which God requires at our hands Consider with mee these Scriptures and Reasons and promises also 1. If wee must communicate to those that teach us in the Word in all good things Conseq That there is no exemption of any good thing wherewith the Lord hath blessed and increased us Rea For all is a generall word and includes every good thing Instance According to that Text Serve the Lord with all thine heart and with the first-fruits of all thine increase So shall
it is not forbidden in Scripture and where there is no Law there is no transgression But the reason was because it was the customarie language in those dayes the which then to have aborated from had been offensive as the contrary is now And then againe hee telleth them that it is Improper to use the word you to a single person and they stand much upon the proprietie of the language thee and thou and thinke themselves wise and all others fooles that use any other Yet in case when they speake to more then one they use the word you and doe allow it as orthodox in their Religion Now if they will grant us this wee shall need no more to warrant our practise Rea For wee say with Solomon Eccle 4.10 Woe to him that is alone for when hee falleth hee hath not a second to lift him up And so also our blessed Saviour said of himselfe I am not alone but I and the Father that sent mee Joh 8.16 And I am one that beare witnesse of my selfe and the Father that sent mee beareth witnesse of mee vers 18. And in another place I and my Father are one Now the Quakers beleeve and are very confident and boast much of it that the eternall Spirit of God which was in Christ Jesus is in them also and if so then they are not alone but God is with them as hee was with Christ in some measure And as Christ said to his Apostles It is not you that speake but the Spirit of your Father speaketh in you And the truth is If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his Now then if they be not alone they are not meerely single persons And therefore may properly use the word you one to another which yet they doe not And suppose that others who have not the Spirit of Christ ' have the spirit of Satan in them as the Quakers say that wee have Then yet such are not alone nor properly single but the word you may be properly used to such also and therefore if they sticke but upon proprietie of language if they will get a dispensation from their spirit to use it to us wee have a dispensation from that Spirit by which wee are acted to use it to them And I also beleeve that as Christ could truely say I and my Father are one So also may some of them say properly and truely I and my father are one For some men are as properly one with the Devill as Christ was with God and are as properly guided and acted by him and therefore are not alone in that respect but are two persons united so together as that they are properly one in one sence and properly two in another And therefore the word you nor the word thee or thou is Improper language to be spoken to any that is so spirited So that the proprietie of our language being cleared If they cannot finde it forbidden in Scripture wee have not onely a dispensation to use it but doe account it our dutie in regard it is the Custome of our Country least wee should offend For wee must give no offence neither to Jew nor Gentile neither to the Church of God And it is such grosse incivilitie and such an angerie kinde of language that any stranger would beleeve that wee are ready to fight them And so in stead of provoking one another unto love and to good workes wee are more likely to provoke them unto hatred and wrath and to doe us some injurie in regard wee give them such disgracefull language And by that meanes in stead of As much as in us lyeth to have peace with all men wee should bring it about to have peace with no man And that for no cause but to please the adversarie the accuser of the brethren and his complices the Quakers whom hee enslaveth and befooleth in these and such like things 6. And againe their spirit teacheth them not to put off their hatts nor bow their bodies in reverence or respect to any man at all in what place or Relation soever hee be nor in way of curtesie when they meete with friends neither to drinke one to another in a modest and moderate way for this they call worshipping of men and drinking one to another they say is to provoke them to excesse c. the which wee deny for they are not alwayes used for such ends But the spirit of God teacheth us so clearely to the contrary that wee need not to plead the custome of the Country to excuse us in these for they are all included under this command of the Apostle to wit Bee yee courteous and tender-hearted towards all men And it were easie to proove that bowing of the body was the customarie reverence in old time But I need not I shall rather aske them what courtesie at all they shew to any man upon any occasion And that taking off the hatt is a proper Reverend duty to those whom wee honour and doe and ought to reverence is easie to proove And wee are commanded to honour all men So that if wee know them to be dutyes either of love or honour wee are bound to use them Nay if they be proper expressions of love or honour and that wee have any spirit of love or honour in us it will naturally ingage us to use such expressions one to another if wee were not so commanded But there is doubtlesse some men in these last dayes are without naturall affections accoring as was prophesied 2 Tim 3.3 And those like bruit beasts made to be taken and to be destroyed 2 Pet 2.12 From such it is not to be expected no more then love for they should but dissemble if they should make a shew of what they have not And it were better to be without then to be deceived by their outward shews And therefore by my consent they shall never be perswaded to use them at all till their cordiall love and respects ingage them sincerely to it which can never be till they love us better And wee may not expect any love from them whiles they are acted and guided by our old adversarie the enemy of mankinde who hateth any thing in us that in the least resembleth the Image of God And wherefore is it required that wee should honour all men but because there is at least some Remnant of the Image of God excistent in them For man is the Image and the glory of God as I might shew at large but I have been too long about so cleare a point yet this further I shall make bold to assert namely That where the Spirit of God dwelleth there is also the Spirit of love for it is but the same For God is love And where there is love it will act curteously and tender-heartedly and that towards all men And doe but marke the Quakers how many of those fruits of the Spirit of God Gal 5.22 23. you can finde in them
or so much as the least shew of them and then you may judge by whose Spirit they are acted But saith the Apostle the fruit of the Spirit is love Joy peace long-suffering gentlenes goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance against which there is no law Now for my part I see not so much as a shew of any of these in them but the quite contrary are manifest in them to wit hatred sadnesse of spirit and countenance no peace with any man no long-suffering but hastie rage no gentlenes but severe austeritie and imperious bitternes no goodnesse but cleare malignitie against all goodnesse no saith 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 let them try themselves by this if they please and try them who will and they shall finde them such and so farre off from loving or honouring any man at all in whom the Image of God is in a great measure renewed As that they doe what they can to disparage and dishonour and to cause them to be abhorred For if they discover any fault or weaknesse or frailtie in any man they are readie with all the wit and skill they have to publish and aggravate the same to the highest pitch But I never heard them speake good of any man unlesse of themselves nor tooke notice so of them as to commend them for their vertues in the least degree but the Spirit of God doth otherwise Rev 2.2 though he have somewhat against them vers 4. c. 7. And againe their spirit teacheth them as much as in them lyeth to destroy and pull downe mens faith and hope which they have in God telling them they see death in their faces and that they are eternally damn'd and such like language judging all men they meete with before the time now the end of Satan in this is to destroy their weake faith telling them if they be not perfect and free from sinne they are sure to be damned But the Spirit of God teacheth us to judge nothing before the time but to edifie one another in our holy faith and not to quench the smoaking flax nor breake the bruised reede but to support and strengthen one another and to comfort one another by holding forth the promises and that to sinners for Christ came not to call the rightous but sinners to repentance and if any if any man saith hee hath no sinne hee deceiveth himselfe and the truth is not in him And if any man sinne hee is not presently damned by the Apostle as the Quakers would doe but hee telleth us Wee have an Advocate with the Father c. who is the propitiation for our sinnes And the truth is if none must be saved but such as have no sinne there will but few be saved indeed I beleeve all the Quakers will come short of heaven For if those their doctrines and wayes and practises be not manifest sinnes there is no sinne at all in men or Devills And what was the end for which Christ came into the world but to save sinners they would make his blood of none effect for if men could be saved by their owne righteousnesse Christ dyed without a cause And who ever is justified by the Law is fallen from grace for it is not of grace but debt if men be perfectly just of themselves But if it be of grace then it is by faith and that in the righteousnesse of Christ which is not properly ours but by the application thereof through faith which faith also is the gift of God and given freely of meere grace also and that to whom hee pleaseth yet it is given to all his Elect and that in due time And this will exclude all the Quakers boastings and trusting in themselves that they are righteous and despising others as Pharisaicall 8. And Eightly Their spirit teacheth them not to put off their hatts when they pray unto God or preach and that in publike Congregations so that it evidently appeareth that they give no honour or worship either to God or man but onely to to that lying spirit within them And surely if they thinke themselves too good to worship or honour God it is no marvaile that they give no honour or respect unto man who is but his Image at the best when perfect But the Spirit of God teacheth us That every man praying or prophesying having his head covered dishonoureth his head see 1 Cor 11.4 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head for as much as hee is the Image and glory of God vers 7. 9. Ninthly Their spirit teacheth them most prophanely to call the Psalmes of David Davids Rimes and Balads and jeare towards us because wee sing them in meeter Oh prophane spirits But the spirit of God teacheth us to sing them with grace in our hearts unto the Lord and biddeth us If any be merry let him sing Psalmes James 5.13 Coloss 3.16 They know not what it is to speake unto themselves in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs singing and making melody in their hearts unto the Lord see Eph 5.19 No such strangers as they shall intermeddle with the Saints Joy It is too unspeakeable and full of glorie to be communicated unto them Though they sport themselves with their owne deceivings sometimes But it will not reach to such a measure of Joy as to expresse themselves in singing of Psalmes in praise unto God and thankfullnesse of heart as he requireth of us Neither doth any inforce them nor any other till they doe it heartily as unto the Lord yet the Saints are commanded see Psal 30.4 Sing unto the Lord yee Saints of his and give thankes at the remembrance of his holinesse But it is no marvaile at them in this for where is there any ordinance of God but they despise and jeare them and such also as observe and keepe them in sinceritie of heart Which maketh cleare to mee that they have no knowledge of God at all but of a wicked lying malicious spirit that is an enemy unto all goodnesse But I have raked too long in these stinking puddles that are so nautious to the stomackes of all the truely godly as that they will scarce reade them much lesse will they daigne to answer them in every particular accoridng to their folly Save onely in regard that their mouthes must be stopped because they subvert whole houses see Tit 1.11 Yet the holy Ghost biddeth us answer a foole according to his folly least he be wise in his owne conceite So that it is lawfull and a duty also to answer such who are in folly and thinke themselves wise in such their foolishnesse that so if possible at least their conceite of their owne wisdome might be remooved For a man once wise in his owne conceite there is more hope of a foole then of such a man And such I conceive some of the Quakers to be and therefore have little hope of prevailing with them Yet perceiving so many that are counted religious to plead much for them and rather incline to embrace their doctrine being seduced thereby and too much deluded I have taken some paines in searching their bookes to finde out the bottome and tendencie of their doctrines and wayes and practises and the depth of Satan and his enterprises therein that some of them at least might be undeceived and have endeavoured to discover them and make them to appeare in their owne native colours and from whence they come and whither they tend committing the successe and event thereof to the great Lord both of heaven and earth the God of the spirits of all flesh to make it effectuall as it pleaseth him and to take impression on whom he pleaseth according to his infinite wisdome and goodnesse and mercy To whom be for ever ascribed as it is justly due all the honour and glory and power and praise for ever and ever Amen Amen FINIS