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
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
the Saints and servants of God almost over all the world accounting them all but Litteralists as hath been shewed in part and is easily demonstrated from divers of their books those of themselves onely excepted And is it not alwayes so with Satan in his trading with Witches that before hee granteth them a familiar spirit to be their servant hee ever ingageth them under a degree of blasphemie as to speake evill of God or Christ and of his holy Spirit and it may be to renounce and curse them in a fearefull manner And then hee knoweth that he hath them sure as quite from under the protection of God and so ingageth them in covenant and league with himselfe in a mutuall way for hee knoweth his libertie and commission from God and that hee is chained within such bounds and limitts that hee cannot passe For till the Lord hath delivered them up to his power and government hee cannot act them at his will and pleasure And hee well knoweth that hee must bring them under some degree of blasphemie or such a measure of sinne as will provoke the Lord to deliver them up to his will and pleasure else hee cannot doe them the least harme at all much lesse can he use them as Instruments for his owne service and to make them his slaves and vassalls to doe his drudgery and act for him in things that concerne his kingdome yea and such things likewise as hee could no wayes effect without their assistance as I might instance in many examples that I have read in Histories concerning divers Witches how it was with them in that case by their owne confessions to which Histories I shall referre the Reader But in my apprehension the case is just the same with these deluded people called Quakers For they being a people that beleeved not the truth so as to receive it in love but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse see 2 Thess 2.10 11 12. Though they heard the Word both read and preached and that with authoritie and power yet it did not profit them because it was not mixed with faith And so could not possibly worke them up to receive it in love because they having pleasure in unrighteousnesse the word was unto them unsavourie yea the savour of death unto death and therefore put away from them and not beleeved and embraced as they ought to have done In so much that not loving and receiving the word of truth they could not love and receive the Ministers and Messengers of it in regard they brought no glad tidings of peace unto them whiles they loved unrighteousnesse Upon which occasion of advantage Satan sent forth his Ministers first the prophane Ranters perswading them to forsake the teachings of men and to liften to that light within in their consciences for they were all taught of God to love one another and that light within was the teaching of the Spirit and that of men was but carnall nor the Scripture it selfe was but carnall and a dead letter and the Bible might be burnt and bought and sold and might be read all their life without any profit or benefit to their soules whereas that light and spirit within them was of an eternall nature and an infallible guide so that obeying that light they could not erre but should be sure of perfection and of eternall life Now these poore ignorant unstable soules finding it true that they had not received any great benefit nor life and comfort by the word and ministrations of men in any other way or ordinance of so long time They immediately embraced and received their doctrine and so fell in with them to despise all ordinances and ministrations of men and even the Scripture it selfe and fell to reviling them and calling them carnall and hirelings and traders with the Word and such as looked onely for gaine from their quarter and such like language as is notoriously knowne But then their spirit within taught and lead them to such prophanenesse and excessive open wickednesse as to commit adultery and fornication and to father the same on the Spirit of God as moved by him which was outragious blasphemy such horrid impietie that no man almost that ever knew what belonged unto common civilitie could for shame owne them or their wayes or doctrine but cryed out shame against them But Satan perceiving his doctrine and kingdome to decay by reason of this excesse of wickednesse Hee put his Ministers into another garbe and also some little refined his doctrine in some inferiour points provided alwayes that his maine might stand to wit against the Scriptures and the teachings of men and ordinances c. and that they should onely listen to that light and spirit within For this they still preach and father blasphemously on the Spirit of God But then for much of outward prophanenesse they cry out against as much as possible and as if they were indeed the Ministers of Christ and plead extreamely for perfection professing themselves to have already attained it And Satan hath so farre moulded them as to make some shew of holinesse and of humilitie and righteousnesse in externall things and hath so farre deluded them as that some of them thinke and are fully perswaded that they are perfect and free from sinne and that it is certaine that it is no other but the spirit of God that hath so moulded them and that dwelleth in them and acteth and mooveth them so that what ever they are taught or mooved unto by that Spirit they dare not disobey nor cannot beleeve that it is not true or just c. Nay though an Angell from he even should teach them contrary in so much that they are bold and consident in the maintenance of their doctrines and ceremonies and wayes as if they were certainly witnessed by the Spirit of God as is publicity knowne And so being deluded themselves they are the more powerfull to delude others for Satan acteth them at pleasure and they are spirited by him to preach and pray and promulgate his doctrine in all places where they come and that with life and power even subverting whole houses and beguiling many unstable soules First By working them up to a dislike of the Ministers and then of all ordinances and then of the Scriptures as all but carnall and dead and vaine and unprofitable unto them as is easie to doe with those who never loved them And then they bring them one step further to wit to reproach and despise them and speake evill of them which is a degree of blasphemy And then they are left to the power of Satan by the Justice of God and so are spirited by him and familiarly taught by a spirit within and acted and mooved at his will and pleasure and yet doe confidently beleeve it is the Spirit of God that sometimes speaketh with an audible voyce and they obey accordingly And thus poore soules they are led blindfold with the strongest and strangest delusions that ever
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
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
gather strong Resolutions to take Solomons advise to wit to cast our bread upon the waters In regard that after many dayes wee shall finde it And to give a portion to seaven and also to eight in regard wee know not what evill shall be upon the earth And the advice also of our blessed Saviour to make our selves friends with the unrighteous mammon that when wee faile they may receive us into everlasting habitations Now to cast our bread upon the waters and to expect to finde it after many dayes would seeme very unlikely But though our Communicating to the Ministers or giving to the poore seeme as unlikely as that in our apprehensions for yeelding us any returne yet wee need not feare the promise of Christ is cleare wee shall in no wise loose our reward in regard wee doe it in a good intent either out of love to the Ministers or compassion to the poore or in love and obedience unto Christ or because they belong to him or for the furtherance of the Gospell and the glory of God yea though wee be not certaine that they are any such men yet if wee be not certaine to the contrary let us account it as our duty and let not covetousnesse sway us to the contrary for it will be to our losse if wee neglect our duties 3 Object A third Objection may be raised to wit That in many places the Ministers are provided for by tithes and other wayes so as they need not to us for any such communication the poore are provided for in another way according to equalitie so as wee have many of us that are Christians little occasion at all to expresse our thankfullnesse to God for his increasing of us in these respects of Communication and Distribution And therefore wee may well beleeve that our vocall and cordiall thankfullnesse to God in such a case may serve the turne Answ I answer that if wee put apart by it selfe as the Lord hath increased us with a full purpose of heart to expresse our gratitude for such his mercies when occasion is offered for workes of pietie or workes of charitie The Lord will finde us occasions suitable for disbursing the same in due time If hee that seeth our hearts see us willing and obedient and cordially thankfull as wee ought to be And so will finde us occasion to lay up our treasure in heaven where neither moth nor canker can corrupt neither theeves dig through and steale And there is one argument which might make us earnest and very diligent in seeking occasions to distribute and communicate if wee were but as wise in our generation as the men of this world If wee can beleeve what Christ hath promised us and if wee cannot doubtlesse it is our shame and will be too our losse And that is this to wit It is evident and needeth no more proofe that the men of this world are earnest and diligent in seeking how to lay out their moneys for gaine and profit and rather then let it lye rusting by they will be content with a very little as six or eight or ten in the hundreth and that for a whole yeare but in case they heare of a good bargaine either of land or merchandize how industrious they will be to buy it themselves and to prevent others and sometimes to defeat and beguile their neighbours to get it before them or take it out of their hands and very injuriously being so covetous of it But Christ hath promised us not onely ten in the hundreth but an hundreth for ten nay an hundreth fold in this present life besides in the world to come life everlasting for what ever it be that wee forsake or part withall for his sake and the Gospell And yet wee are such fooles in these respects that if occasions and necessities and it may be shame it selfe doe not finde us out and almost compell us thereto wee seldome seeke any such occasions but are likemeere unthrifts in these respects In so much that our constant practise yea I may say of the generalitie of Christians is as though wee did not beleeve any truth at all in these plaine and faithfull promises of our blessed Saviour For else without question wee should be more diligent in seeking and more glad in finding such occasions and opportunities of doing good and of communicating And I am afraid it tendeth greatly to our detriment here and in the life to come For the manifest wisdome of the men of this world in their generation and things of this life shall certainly rise up in Judgement against us and condemne our folly for having a price in our hands and opportunities offred us and neglecting to take them whiles wee have time And knowing also both the uncertaintie of riches and of our time and lives as wee cannot but know and see by experience And considering also that wee cannot deny but if wee take it not and be obedient and free and liberall in these respects wee neglect our duties both to God and men The Lord grant us more solid wisdome in these respects then is yet exemplified amongst the best of Christians else our reckoning will be poore when wee come to account how wee have traded with our Talents lent us for this purpose with direction how to use them for the glory of God and the good of men yea for the advancement and furtherance of the Gospell of Christ and for the proofe and exemplifying of the naturallnesse of our love and the truth and visibilitie of our Christianitie and unfained faith and obedience unto God And let us consider a little further to wit What love and respects the Ministers of the Gospell both doe and ought to exspect from us and that not in word and in tongue onely but in deed and in truth Especially considering that wee ought to account them as spirituall Fathers whom wee ought to love and to obey and honour as such if wee be children spiritually begotten And it is but naturall to us that wee should so doe so that wee can hardly doe otherwise if wee be not bastards And wee are necessarily ingaged if wee expect their blessings of us to be effectuall To make them savourie meate that their soules may blesse us as Isaac said to his sonne Esau For it is not bare verball formall blessings that will be efficacious to cause the blessing to rest in our houses and on all that wee have But it must be their faithfull cordiall soule-blessings that can be effectuall or that wee may trust unto to be certainly efficacious as blessings indeed For how can wee expect any such cordiall soule-blessings from such whom wee make not any savorie meate such as their soule loveth if wee shew no love either to God or the Lord Jesus Christ or his faithfull Embassadors and servants how shall they blesse us in faith how can they beleeve that God will make their bleslings efficacious and blessings indeed to such covetous worldlings
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