SEVERAL PAPERS OF CONFESSIONS, PRAYER, and PRAISE; By James Naylor: Concerning His Fall and Restoration. A Just Man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; but the Wicked shall fall into Mischief, Prov. xxiv. 16. LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1659. To those who were in AUTHORITY, whom the LORD is now Judging, that they may Repent and find Mercy from God. By James Naylor. With His Letter to King CHARLES II. OH! Men of England, whose Day is over, and whose Time is passed away from you, and you are now left as Men in Desolation and Darkness: You had a large Day and Time to have done good, and to have answered God's Requirings of you, and your Engagements to him, and so to have laid up Treasure with God against the Evil Day, which is come from far upon you; and you had a large time, and a great Power in your Day, to have made you Friends of the Unrighteous Mammon, by doing Justly, and showing Mercy therein; that so you might have had a Habitation in the Day of Adversity: And in your Day the Heavens were fair, and the Son gave you his Light; shining upon you through many Clouds that seemed to arise, over which he sent you Light; that in his Light you might have walked and seen Light; and his Visitations and Rise towards you was often, and his Appearance was lovely towards you; even as a calm Sunshine after a stormy Tempest, and as warm Clearness after Rain, to the softening of the Earth, and to make it Fruitful, that he might have received of his Tillage, a good Savour from the Fruit of his Labours, and have blessed you: But Oh People! You would not hear nor regard in that Day, when his Work was good towards you every Morning, and his Mercies upon you all the Day long; but you grew high and lofty in yourselves, and Proud in your Minds, and Selfconceited, and Self-ended, and hardened your Hearts against his tender Witness in your Conscience, and walked Rebelliously against his good Spirit in your own Hearts, and he could not cause you to hear; but you grew past feeling of any thing that is called God in you. Then you daily waxed Fat, and Fullness increased, and Pride gendered into your Hearts, and you grew wanton, and kicked against him that bore you, and made light of his Bricks in your Consciences: Thus was your Ear stopped towards God, and you wholly lost from all that he might speak unto you in Spirit, or Counsel, or Fear; and from the Way of his Teaching and Reproof you was utterly gone, and had removed your Hearts far away from hearing his Voice; for you had filled them with Pride and vain Glory, and your unjust Gain had made many of them even as the nether Millstone, so you became unmoveable in your Way. Then did the Lord raise him up Servants that would hear, and gave them his Light, to see what you were doing against the Lord your God, who had redeemed you out of all Adversity, and had raised you up out of a low Estate, and had done for you exceedingly; even to win you as a People to himself: And also what God was adoing against you, because of this your contrary walking towards him; and that he would certainly bring you down before your Enemies, if you did not return and humble yourselves before him: And these he sent amongst you with his Word, rising early, and sending them to speak his Mind expressly what he minded to do; and it could no longer slumber: But you would n●t hear, neither would you believe; but the same which had stopped your Ear, and hardened your Hearts in your own selves from feeling, that had wrought too such Hardness, Dullness and Unbelief, till God's Word could have no Entrance into you; nor his Servants Liberty to walk among you to publish it: But you begun to Question in your unbelief, whether it was the Word, and in your Pride to scorn it: And in the Hardness of your Hearts, than you begun to persecute the Messengers of the Lord, which he sent with it to you for your Good, and many Hundreds suffered in all Parts of the Nation upon this Account, till there was no hope of your hearing, or obeying the Voice of your Return. Then did the Lord raise up Signs and Wonders among you, if by any means he might appear as one to be feared or observed by you: And he stripped his Children naked and sent them among you; and some he clothed in Sack Cloth, as mouring over you: And some with Ashes upon their heads he sent into your Assemblies of Worships, and your Assemblies in your Feasts, and of your Fasts, which was all Abominable to him, while you walked in your own Ways, and would not hear his Voice; but these you used worse than formerly, and your Rage increased in Stocking, Beating, Whipping, and Imprisoning, until the Cry of Oppression was so great, that there was no Remedy; and then the Lord arose and shaked you in Pieces, as a Mighty One in his Anger, and broke you with such a Breach so as you could not be healed, nor be a Power any longer; and so hath brought the Wheel over you, and from far, without help, hath he caused the Rod to Blossom. And the Just Lord is now seen in the midst of you, and which of you is able to stand before Him in Judgement, or to Condemn Him in the thing he hath done; and Captivity is taken Captive before Him; and you that did Imprison, are imprisoned; and you that sought to make yourselves dreadful by Oppression, now knows not where to hid yourselves from the mighty Day that's coming upon you from the God of the whole Earth. And now this is the Word of the Lord to you, all you Sturdy Oaks, and Tall Fruitless Trees, whom the Wind of the Fierce Wrath of the Almighty hath thus shaken: Hear the Rod, and who hath appointed it; and how before the Terrible judge of all flesh, and seek not to save yourselves with your former Consultations, with that Spirit in which you have always Rebelled against God till this Day, and in whose Counsel you have wrought this great Evil to provoke the Lord, and in which you have ever rejected his Word in yourselves and others; neither trust to your Friends to make Flesh your Arm, yet farther to provoke the Lord to your utter Confusion; neither trust in your Prayers or Performances, or ought you can do, while you are in that Rebellious Spirit of Disobedience to God's Witness in your own Consciences; for verily God will not hear you, while you are unwilling to hear him. And now for this he is come near you at last to Judgement, and he hath brought near his Righteousness, that you might see it, and lay hold on it, and make Peace therewith now at last for your Souls, that you may be saved, and your Return must be first to that Spirit against whom you have Sinned, there to make Peace. And now spend not your time in vain Talks, and vain Practices, and so still serve that Evil Spirit that hath all along betrayed you of your Obedience to God; but wait to feel that Spirit which calls you to mourn a part, every one for the Evils of his own Heart against his God, and let that be minded which leads to Repentance towards God first; that if by any means you may find a place for Repentance, which will be hard for many of you to do, you have so long Dissembled with God, and betrayed his Witness in you through Deceit; for this is the Truth to you all, If you find that from the Lord in Spirit, that will let you see the Evils of Provocation, and give you Power to put it off, whatever it be, you will find favour with God therein for your Souls; but if you find not that Spirit, you will find small Peace with God, and then that which Men can do for you will be little available; for it is for want of Hearing and Obedience towards God, that all this Evil is come upon you; which must be turned to, e'er it can be taken Everlastingly off; for if you had hearkened to his Light in your Consciences, and his Word had had a Place in your Hearts to Obedience, when you was yet tender, then would it have kept you in his Fear; so that you durst not have coveted that Cursed thing, with which you hide and covered that Just Principle in you, and blinded your Eyes with the Riches and Spoil of your Enemies; nor durst you have set up what you had cast down, and got into their Estates, and so into their Pride by unrighteous Gain, whom God had cast out: Then had you not provoked God by these things to your utter Ruining: Or if after this was entered upon you, you had harkened to his Reproof, and put this off yourselves with his Spirit, than had he not brought this Terrible Besom to sweep it away from off you, and from within you, who hath left you no Place to hid your Glory, or your Riches, where his Hand shall not reach, and his Eye find them out. And there is now no hope for Agreement with God in y●●r selves, nor that he will cease his Anger against you, till you return to that from which you departed, that the same Spirit may be confessed, and Glory given thereto, by putting off in his Counsel and Motion, that which was put on in your Counsels against that Spirit, and his Light in your own Consciences; and also in many others, whose Souls were troubled and grieved for you in that Day; and this the Lord God looks for, that Glory be given to the just in his sight, and in the sight of all before whom his name hath been Blasphemed. And this is now the Work of this your Day, while you have a little time, and for this he waits and forbears, that he may be Gracious to your Souls for his Names' sake: And it is not a time for you to sleep and sit at ease, nor spend your time in Vanity, nor seek to hid that which God is resolved to declare openly, nor with fleshly Counsel seek to save that which God will destroy. It's time now at last to see what that selfish Spirit, and its Counsel hath done for you, and Repent of it; by following whereof all this Evil is come upon you, for your Authority hath vomited you out, your Glory hath left you naked, and your Riches cannot profit you in this Day of Wrath from the Almighty. This was I moved of the Lord to write to you. J. N. Oh! KING, GOD hath in these Nations a People gathered by himself into his Light, who are known to himself better than to Men, and therefore have we suffered by Men under all the Powers that have risen in this Nation, ever since God called us towards himself by his Eternal Light and Spirit; and though we receive not our Laws from Man; yet are we not without Law as to our God, but have one Lawgiver, even Christ Jesus our Lord, our Life, and our Head, blessed over all: And from his Laws we may not departed; and by his Law in our Conscience, and the Power of his Spirit in our Hearts, are we ordered and guided to walk Holily towards our God, and Harmlessly towards Men, as the Saints of Old witnessed in Scripture, however they be minded towards us; and by the Virtue of the Lamb, and not of Flesh and Blood, are we made to give our Goods to the Spoil, and our Bodies to the Tortures of Cruel Men, rather than defile our Consciences, or Sin against any one of the least of the Commands of our Lord and Lawgiver Christ Jesus; who by the Light of his Eternal Spirit, doth daily lead us out of the Evils and Vanity of this present World, and having begotten us into his own Guiding, he doth not suffer us to subject ourselves to any thing whatsoever is not set up by himself; nor to Worship the god of this World; nor obey him in Commands or Customs; but the Exercise of our Consciences he hath redeemed wholly to himself, and by his Precious Blood hath sprinkled them, and made them tender and pure; so that we may not Worship false gods, nor the true God in a false manner; nor may we Worship Men, nor the true God in a false manner; nor may we Worship Men, nor follow the Customs of Nations, Kindred's, or People, or Languages; but the Spirit of Truth itself we must follow: Nor may we break Christ's Commands in Swearing, when Men Command us; but must obey him who faith, Swear not at all: Nor may we join to, or uphold any Worship whatsoever, but what the Spirit of Truth itself leads us into; though many have sought to force us thereto: Nor may we leave the Ministry of Christ, and that Maintenance which the Gospel allows of, to Maintain a Priesthood with Tithes, and so go back from Christ to the Law, that the Apostle saith is disannulled, Heb. 7. And for such things as these, concerning a tender Conscience, and the Law of our God, have we suffered Grievous Persecution, and not for any Unrighteousness done by us against any Man's Person or Estate, nor have we suffered by any just Law of the Nation, but by the Wills of Cruel Men, and as a Prey to every Man's Lust hath been our Liberties, Lives, and Estates, and the Rulers that have been to this Day, have not sought our Deliverance, but have dealt Treacherously with us, and the Lord whom we serve hath seen it, and reproved it, and yet we are not set free; but at this Day we live in the Account of the rude and envious People, as a People appointed to Death and Desolation, and the whole Body of Ungodliness, and Rage of Wickedness is upon us daily, and with Cruelty falls upon us in our Persons and Estates, and our Peaceable Meetings to Worship the living God. And as to all these things, we are laid as the Mire in the Street, for every rude Boy to run over, and we have not found help from Man, as to all the Powers that have been till this Day since we were a People; nor do we speak this because we look for help from Man; nor indeed can we expect that from Men, until Men own the same Principle of God to Rule in them to which we are subject; which is the Son of Righteousness, and leads all into Righteousness, Truth, and Peace, that his Light doth follow, who is known to us to be King of Kings, and Judge of the Judges, though Flesh and Blood sees not his Kingdom. And now, O King, as we have been moved of the Lord in Bowels of Love, and with much Plainness of Speech (after the Spirit of Truth, and not with vain Compliments) to lay these things before all the several Powers that have risen hitherto, with several other Evils which our God hath sent us to testify against, (both in Rulers, Teachers, and People) so we have done, and for that we have suffered also for a Witness against them, as it is at this Day: So the same God hath now after a while put into our Hearts to lay these things before thee (O King) that thou mayst not be Ignorant to what we are called, and for what we suffer: And in this we rejoice, That we feel love to thy Soul even while we are thus doing; and if many should be moved hereto of God, take heed of being wearied therewith, nor count it Clamour, or Trouble, as they that was before thee did, and so let up Prejudice and Evil Thoughts in their own Hearts against the Innocent; for this we say unto thee, and affirm in the Name of our God, that the more any are (truly) moved by the Eternal Spirit to warn thee of these Things, (or any other Evils that may any way grieve his Holy Spirit) so much doth the Lord (of thy Life, and true and Everlasting Peace) double his Love unto thee, and show his Willingness to stay thee from that which hath removed Kings, and broken Kingdoms: And this we know to be in God, and by him in us towards thy Soul and Eternal Welfare. And though we cannot Swear, and Unswear; Covenant, and Uncovenant with every Change that comes, as Men do that know not the Everlasting Covenant and Decree of God; yet this hath God sealed in our Hearts, To seek the Good of all Men, Plot against none; but study to live quietly, and Exercise our Conscience faithfully towards whatever Government our God shall set up; desiring that all Men in their Day may so use their Power, as they may give Account to God with Joy, and not leave their Names for a Curse and Reproach among Men; for this we know, That God is now at Hand, to give a speedy Reward to every Man, as shall be the Work of his Day. Wherefore, O King, seek the Fear of the Lord, and not Pleasure, do Justice and Judgement in this thy Day, Relieve the Helpless Oppressed, and break the Yoke of Bondage that lies upon the Poor, and bring Judgement into the Gates, and let not Justice be sold, lest the Meek of the Earth Cry to God against thee: Verily God is nearer this Nation to avenge than many can believe, though the hath done Wonders in this Generation that many Generations have not seen, and he is trying all Sorts of People with the Testimony of his Appearance; Blessed are they whose Eye is open to discern the Signs of the Times, for a Work is God working in the Earth, and he will cut it short in Righteousness for his Elect sake, which Daily hath waited upon Him that is Blessed for ever. O King, spend not thy time in Fleshly Pleasures, neither strive after that Glory which will fade away; but apply thy Heart to God, and wait to feel his Spirit in thee, giving thee Light and Understanding to guide thy ways before him; for only Blessed is he who Rules by his power, and who is taught of God, shall be Established in Righteousness, and be far from Oppression; and only such shall be called the Blessed of God to all Generations; read, and remember the Righteous and the Wicked. From one of those whom the World calls Quakers, JAMES NAYLOR. Written the 3d Day of the 4th Month, 1660. FINIS. LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1660. To all the Dearly Beloved PEOPLE of GOD, Mercy and Peace. THere is nothing dear and percious to me in this World, but God's Truth, and his Life of Righteousness; for which I have forsaken all the World, and whatever was dear to me therein, I have hated and counted it as an Enemy, that I might obtain Christ, the Fountain and Spring of that Eternal Life of Truth, the Beauty whereof I cannot express, as I see it and feel it: The Loveliness thereof to my Soul hath so dearly united my Spirit to all that bear the Image and Life of it, that there can be no Separation, but my Life suffers thereby; and I can truly say, that there is no other thing whatsoever that can unite me, as one with any Creature living, but this Image and Life, where I see it born up, or breathing to Life; but in whomsoever it be (without respect of Persons) that I see the least appearance of this Seed of Life is, I can (by that Power of Love the Father hath begotten in me) lay down my Life to serve for the Seed's sake. And wherein I have come short of this formerly, and have respected the High, more than stood only in this Seed, I have been judged of the Lord, and my evil Thoughts therein condemned; yea, and I do condemn them before all the World, to be of that which favours Self, and not the Things of Christ: And the lower God doth bring me, and the nearer to himself, the more doth this Love and Tenderness spring and spread towards the poor, simple, and despifed ones, who are poor in Spirit, meek and lowly Suffering Lambs; and with those I choose to suffer, and do suffer, wherever they are found; and I bear my Testimony against that Spirit by which they suffer, wherever it is found; and this lies upon me from the Lord: Hearing and feeling a Spirit of Enmity having got head, by what the Lord hath done with me, and now doth exercise its Power against the Peaceable Meetings of the Lord's People, the Burden whereof lies heavy upon me, and I suffer under it, and have long waited with Prayers, and Tears of Sorrow, Night and Day, to receive Counsel from the Lord what to do in it, in that Condition I am now in at present: God knows, I Lie not; for there is nothing of all my Hardships that hath lain and doth lie upon me like this, that any of the Flock of God should be offended, or suffer through me; therefore I have not ceased to warn (as God hath opened to me) such as I could speak to, to live in Peace and Love; to suffer, but not to act Strife and Violence; and have denied that Spirit, not to be of the Lamb, but an Enemy to him, tho' the Creature may not know it, but may think it is doing God service; it being got above the suffering Seed in themselves, would scatter and devour it in others: And this Spirit the Lord hath showed me, and its end, and hath redeemed me from it by the Spirit of the Lamb; and I shall never join, as Head or Tail, therewith; but shall earnestly pray to the Father, that a deep Search of Truth may seriously pass through the Hearts and Reins of all Contenders, that all that are guilty herein may speedily come to Repentance, left they be hardened therein, and there come a time when they would give whatever is dear to them for one Hour's Society with the People of God, and cannot obtain it; then with lamentable Woe shall the Wrath of that be known, that is now trampled on, without the true Fear of God, or Life of his Love: And having at length received this Favour of the Lord, I have taken this time, in the tender Bowels of Love, (as one wounded therewith) to warn you hereof: Beseeching you all, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, that you all search low for the Bowels of him who loved you, and suffered for you, when you were his Enemies, and put them on towards all Men, but especially towards one another, who have been called by one Spirit into one Truth; that so the holy Spirit be no more grieved, nor Satan get any more advantage; whose Work is to sow Dissension, even among Brethren. And the Lord God of Love give us all to see, that whatever our Gifts or Powers be, yet if we have not the Life and Power of Love, it avails not with God, though Men may esteem of us never so high: For only he that dwells in Love, knows God, and lives in him; the rest knows not what Spirit they are of. And this I feelingly declare, from that dear Love of God in me; begotten to all his People; whereby I am so far from taking delight in troubling the People of God, that their growth in Peace and Truth, upon the Foundation laid already, was never so much desired; and my Love to them is daily increased, beyond what I can here express, yet the Lord knows it, and whence it is, whether it be received by Men or no; yet the Seed snall feel it (in God's time) to which it is, and in whose Peace only I have Peace; and I hope, in the Power of that Love, God will so strengthen me, that nothing of Shame, Loss, or Reproach, shall ever be too hard to take up for the advancement thereof, as God shall show and lead me therein, without whom I dare do nothing, lest I deny his Work, or confound it with my own. And concerning you, the tender Plants of my Father, who have suffered through me, or with me, in what the Lord hath done with me, in this time of great Trial and Temptation; the Almighty God of Love, who hath numbered every Sigh, and put every Tear in his Bottle, Reward it a Thousand-fold into your Bosoms, in the Day of your need, when you shall come to be tried and tempted; and in the mean time fulfil your Joy with his Love, which you seek after. The Lord knows, it was never in my Heart to cause you to mourn, whose Sufferings is my greatest Sorrow, that ever yet came upon me, for you are innocent herein: But the Envious One hath taken his advantage, which the Lord will turn to his disadvantage, and utter ruin in many Souls; and in this believing, is all my rest, in my great trouble of heart, concerning you or myself; and in Patience I wait to see it, when the Man of Sin hath had his time, to be revealed. For I have seen the good Hand of God all along working in it; whose End is good to all that love him, else had I been destroyed this, such hath been the Violence of the Enemy of my Soul: But he hath numbered my Hairs, and not left me in the Fire or Water; when none else was with me, thou wert my Comforter. O that I may never hid thy Praise, by covering my Sin or Shame! God forbidden. By a way unexpected did the Lord open a way to declare these Words, all other means of writing being taken from me. Blessed be He, on whom I wait further to see his Will, that I may do or suffer it. The Presence and Peace of the Almighty comfort his People, whom I salute in the Bowels of Love. James Naylor. I beseech you (all that can) to receive it, even as you would be received of the Lord; and for the rest, the Lord give me Patience to suffer, till the Lord make up the Breach. A Testimony to Christ Jesus, delivered to the Parliament, who Persecuted him as a Blasphemer; written in the time of his Imprisonment in Bridewell. CHrist Jesus, the Immanuel, (of whose Sufferings the Scriptures declare) him alone I confess before Men; for whose sake I have denied whatever was dear to me in this World, that I might win him, and be found in him, and not in myself, whose Life and Virtue I find daily manifest in my mortal Body, (which is my Eternal Joy and Hope of Glory) whom alone I seek to serve in Spirit, Soul and Body, Night and Day, (according to the measure of Grace working in me) that in me he may be glorified, whether by Life or Death; and for his sake I suffer all things, that he alone may have the Glory of my Change, whose Work alone it is in me: Even to that Eternal Spirit be Glory, and to the Lamb for ever. But to ascribe this Name, Power and Virtue to James Naylor, (or to that which had a beginning, and must return to Dust) or for that to be exalted or worshipped, to me is great Idolatry, and with the Spirit of Christ Jesus in me it is condemned; which Spirit leads to Lowliness, Meekness, and Long-suffering. So having an opportunity given, (with readiness) I am willing in the Fear of God the Father, (in Honour to Christ Jesus, and to take off all Offences from every simple Heart) this to declare to all the World, as the Truth of Christ is in me, without Guile or Deceit, daily finding it to be my Work to seek Peace in Truth with all Men in that Spirit. James Naylor. J. N's ANSWER to the FANATIC HISTORY, In Relation to himself. AS for thy Charge against J. N. through the Everlasting Mercy of my God, I have yet a Being amongst the Living, and breathe to answer for myself, though against the Intents of many Bloody Cruel Spirits, who pursued my Soul unto Death (as much as in them lay) in that Day of my Calamity, when my Adversary was above; and wherein I was made as a Sign to a Backsliding Generation, who then would not see nor hear what now is coming upon them, but rejoiced against this piece of Dust, and had little pity towards him that was fallen into their Hands; wherein God was just, in giving me up for my Disobedience for a little moment, as a Father to correct; yet should not they have sought to aggravate things against me, as thou dost: For it was a Day of deep Distress, and lay sore upon my Soul; and the pitiful God saw it, who, though he was a little displeased, yet his Thoughts was not to cast off for ever, [but extend Mercy] as it is at this Day: Glory be to his Name from my delivered Soul eternally. And in that Day there was many Spirits flocked about me; and some whom, while my Candle shone upon my Head, I ever judged, and kept out from me; who then got up, and acted and spoke several things, not in the Light and Truth of God; by which they who sought occasion against me, than was strengthened to afflict this Body; and he that watches for Evil in thee, and some others, makes use of still, against God's Truth and Innocent People; whose Mouths the God of my Mercy stop, and so finish the Trouble of my Heart, as to that thing. For my Soul hath long dwelled among Lions, even among them that are set on Fire, whose Teeth are Spears and Arrows, and their Tongues a sharp Sword, speaking mischievous things to shed Blood. But O Man, or Men, whatever you be, whose Work it is to gather together the Failings of God's People in Time of Temptation, or Night of their Trial, and aggravate them, and add there to the Wickedness and mischievous Lies of your own Hearts, as thou hast done in thy Book, and then come out with those against God's Everlasting Holy Truth, it to Reproach! I say, you are set to work by an Evil Spirit; and you do but show yourselves to be Enemies to God and his Children: And it is our Sorrow that any of us should give such Spirits occasion to blaspheme; and it hath been Trouble of Soul to all the People of God, that have ever loved Righteousness, when they have thus occasioned the Joy of the Wicked, or to feed that Man that watches for Iniquity, and feeds on Mischief. Yet know this, you that are of that Brood, God will not cast off his People, though he be sometimes provoked to correct them, even before their Adversaries, (which is a Sign to them;) yet is his Anger but for a moment, and his Favour shall return as Streams of Life. Then shall the Food be taken out of the Mouth of the Viper, and the Prey from between the Teeth of the Devourers; and God shall feed them with their own Vomit; and the Poison, that hath long lain under their Tongues, shall be bitter in their own Bowels. Thus will God certainly plead with Zion's Enemies, as he bends her Sons for himself, and God will make up her Breaches. And this hath my Soul seen, Jacob's Captivity restored, and the Diggers of the Pit are fallen therein: Neither hath he smitten him, as he smote them that smote him; or is he slain, according to the Slaughter of them that are slain by him; but this is all his Fruit, to purge away his Sin. So he that had long waited for my failing, then got advantage against me; yet had I then Power to bear his utmost Envy, through Christ Jesus, whom I then confessed before Men, who then was my support in all, and under all, and who is over all, blessed for ever, of all who have proved him in the depth. But that which was and is the Sorrow of my Heart, is the advantage the Enemy than took against the Name of Christ, his Truth, and his despised People, in that time of Temptation, which is that which thou art now pursuing, with Hatred and Lies; as that I had a Woman in Bed with me the Night before I suffered at Bristol: When there was Six or Seven Persons in the Room that Night, and a Man (to wit, Robert Rich) in Bed with me. But this, and several other false things thou hast written in thy Book, of which I am clear before the Lord, so they touch me not at all; nor shall I here mention them against thee in particular: But to God alone I look, in his time, to be cleared from all Offences in his sight, who only knows my Heart in this thing; in whose Presence I can say, that nothing is more odious and burdensome to my Soul, than that any of that Glory or Worship, which belongs to God or to Christ, should be given to Flesh and Blood, in myself or others: And how it was with me at that Day, many talk of, but few knows; so the Judgement of such I bear: Desiring, that none in Judging me, might have Condemned themselves in God's sight, whose Counsels are a great Deep, and the End of his Works past finding out, till he himself reveal them; but in the End he will be justified of all, and in all he doth, that all Flesh may be silent before him. And however myself, or any others, may be left to themselves, to be tried in the Night; yea, should any utterly fall, or whatever may be acted by any Man or Woman, that is not justifiable in God's sight; yet in vain dost thou, or you, gather up Sin, or watch for Iniquity, to cast upon the Light, which Condemns it in every Enlightened Conscience, and there will clear himself to be no Author nor Actor therein: And I know by the Spirit of Jesus, which I have received, and which worketh in me, that this is not his Work, nor his Seed, nor in him that loves thy Enemies, thou art not, but the old Accuser of the Brethren it is that worketh strongly in thee; and in the Light which thou Reproaches, art thou seen to be the Man that makes Lies, and carries Tales to shed Blood, Ezek. 22. 9, 12. Another Paper added. THere is a Spirit which I feel, that delights to do no Evil, nor to revenge any Wrong, but delights to endure all things, in hope to enjoy its own in the End: Its hope is to outlive all Wrath and Contention, and to weary out all Exaltation and Cruelty, or whatever is of Nature contrary to its self. It sees to the End of all Temptations: As it bears no Evil in itself, so it conceives none in Thoughts to any other: If it be betrayed, it bears it; for its Ground and Spring is the Mercies and Forgiveness of God. Its Crown is Meekness, its Life is Everlasting Love unfeigned, and takes its Kingdom with Entreaty, and not with Contention, and keeps it by Lowliness of Mind. In God alone it can rejoice, though none else regard it, or can own its Life. It's conceived in Sorrow, and brought forth without any to pity it; nor doth it murmur at Grief and Oppression. It never rejoiceth, but through Sufferings; for with the World's Joy it is murdered. I found it alone, being forsaken; I have Fellowship therein, with them who lived in Dens, and desolate Places in the Earth, who through Death obtained this Resurrection and Eternal Holy Life. J. N. London, Printed in the Year 1660. TO ALL THE People of the LORD EVERY WHERE, Gathered or Scattered. IN the Fear of God, and Love to his Truth, and People do I declare, in the Spirit of Meekness, what hath long oppressed my Soul, concerning those Unclean Spirits gone out from the Unity of the Truth and Light, by which we have been called, and gathered into one in Christ Jesus, the Head over all his Blessed for ever, whose Name hath been greatly dishonoured through many wild Actings, and his Innocent Spirit grieved, and many simple Souls deceived; many oppressed, and many offended against the Truth; because of those Spirits gone out from the Truth, and now secretly, under a pretence, seeks daily to make it odious to all. (For which Work my Soul hath been much troubled:) Who to this Day raven about from Place to Place amongst the People of God, seeking to enter where they can; and so to strengthen themselves into Parties, to trouble such as they cannot enter, seeking to spoil the peaceable Pasture of the Lambs, that they should not Feed in Peace: And for that end, hunt after the Meetings of the People of God. All which Practices and Pretences, I deny in my Soul, and that Spirit that acts therein. And the more it lies upon me from the Lord, to warn the simple innocent ones of his thereof openly, in that through me these Spirits have got much Head and Entrance into the Minds of some who were simple towards God's Truth: And this the Envious One hath done, in the Night of my Trial, and Hour of Darkness and Temptation, taking Advantage at my Sufferings, in the Day when my Judgement was taken away, and I led Captive under the Power of Darkness, which all along hath sought my Life, had not the Father hide it, and with his Hand upon me, staved me in those great Temptations; to whom alone I give the Glory of my Deliverance from that great Destruction, as his Promise was to me before I came into that Trial; who hath now brought me up again, and hath given me to see those Evil Spirits, and that the Work of the Murderer and Devourer is therein, against the Life of God in his Temple: Which, though they seek Entrance under pretence of Humility, promising some great things, and more Holiness in that way, to steal into simple Minds; but being got in, exalts themselves above the Seed of God, and Tramples the Meek Spirit under Foot, and so darkens the Vessels, and being exalted in the Openings of the Imaginations, leads the Creature, (as God) above that of God, and so against that of God; he wars in others, where God is above. And this Mystery of deep Iniquity hath the Lord God in the Spirit of the Lamb revealed unto me, whose powerful working I have found, working in me above the pure Measure and Unspotted Life of God. And though in the Simplicity of Christ Jesus, I had given up my Body all along, a Free Offering to the Will of God in Life, or in Death, for the Seeds sake; yet ungathered in the World; (as God knoweth I lie not) yet could I often feel that exalted One above, secretly tempting to Envy against the People of God already gathered, pretending a greater thing to come another Way; but this, with the Life of God was ever Judged. Though often I was buffeted therewith, sometimes so strongly, as to force Words from me, above the meek and lowly Principle: All which Words were soon judged, with the sufferer which lay under, and with his Life be they Condemned for ever. And this lies upon me to declare openly, which God hath revealed to me, for the sake of the simple Ones, who may be deceived therewith, but would not, did they know his Subtlety; And by this shall you all perceive that Spirit, whatever it pretends, it will secretly withdraw your entire Love from the Flock of God, already gathered, and cool your Affections and Zeal towards their present Meetings, and if you judge it not there, it will grow on with an Evil Eye, to spy out their Failings, and delight to hear of them, and talk of them, with an hidden Joy, whispering them to others, and adding thereunto, with a desire to see them broken, and their Nakedness laid open, if any thing be amiss: And thus it hath wrought in a Mystery of Wickedness in some Unjudged, until it be seated in the Throne of open Enmity and Strife against the Lambs of Christ; preferring the Society of the Profane before them, and taking Part therewith against them, joining with any who seek to scatter them. And what ever pretence this Spirit seeks to cover itself with, this I declare of it, (having been kept by the good Hand of God, to see it revealed in its Ground and End) that it is the Old Spirit of the Ranters, which now in a new Way makes Head against the Light of Christ, and Life of his Cross; which is the only thing that stands in its Way, by condemning its Filthiness in every Conscience: And so they, in whom this is Entered, being exalted above the Living Witness in themselves, would devour it in others. And this in the Presence and Fear of God I declare, without the least Prejudice against the Person of any Man or Woman; but in Obedience to God, and for the Seeds sake, lest any more of the simple should be deceived, and that such as are deceived already, might recover themselves out of Satan's Snares; no selfish End have I in it, God knoweth. And long time hath my Soul been in travail, e'er I could obtain Power herein, so strongly hath he that letteth withstood my Way. Therefore in the Bowels of tender Love, I warn you all, to take heed how you ever come under that Spirit under any pretence whatsoever; but let the Fear of God, and sound Judgement in the Spirit of Meekness, you all preserve above it; for wheresoever it enters by consent, it is hardly got out again: And if it be, it is not without much Sorrow: And this I have found in the Depth, which for your sakes I declare in Plainness and Truth, as I have learned of the Lord, labouring with him without ceasing, that the rest of the People of God every where may be saved from this Devourer, who goeth daily about to deceive, and whosoever he takes, he casts into the Earth, or into the Sea; for Wickedness is with him wheresoever he goeth. Even the Lord God Almighty arm you all against his Wiles, being warned thereof in his Love, and the Eternal Power of Holiness you all preserve clean to Himself, who are dearer unto me than ever, and that in no other thing, but in that Innocent Principle in which you are kept free from all the Pollutions of the World, and Fleshly Liberty, and stand Witnesses for God against it, before all Men, and in no other thing have I fellowship with any, which is that I seek to set up above all. And this was I moved to give forth, to go every where, as a Witness against that unclean Spirit wherever it goes, felling its Work is to run to and fro to deceive; that all may be warned by what I have learned in Sufferings, and they that will not may be left without excuse. JAMES NAYLOR. Written in Bridewell, about the Beginning of 1658. FINIS. LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1659. TRUTH Cleared from Scandals: Being James Naylor's Answer, and Declaration, Touching some things Charged upon him, in the Lancashire PETITION. HAVING heard of divers Untruths cast upon me by some of the Priests in their High Places, though I stand only to the Lord in respect of myself; yet lest any that love the Truth, should be led to speak Evil of the things they know not, I shall lay open the Truth, as it is in me Revealed; touching those things Judas 10. Re. 19 13 1 Joh. 1. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 1 Pet. 1. 25. John 1. 14. Eph. 5. 30. & 1. 21, 22. Joh. 8. 12. 2 Thes. 2. 8 2 Cor. 6. 16. 1 Cor. 3. 16, 17. whereof I have been Falsely Accused. 1. Concerning Jesus Christ, who is the Eternal Word of God, by whom all things were made and are upholden, which was before all Time, but manifested in Time, for the Recovery of Lost Man; which Word became Flesh, and dwelled amongst the Saints, who is the same Yesterday, and to Day, and for Ever; who did, and doth dwell in the Saints; who Suffered and Risen again, and Ascended into Heaven, and is set at the Right Hand of God, to whom all Power is given, in Heaven and in Earth; who filleth all Places; is the Light of the World, but known to none, but those who Receive and Fellow him, and those he leads up to God, out of all the Ways, Works and Worships of the World, by his pure Light in them, whereby he Reveals the Man of Sin, and by his Power casts him out, and so prepares the Bodies of the Saints a fir Temple for the pure God to dwell in, with whom dwells no Unclean thing; and thus he Reconciles God and Man, and the Image of God, 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19 which in Purity and Holiness is renewed; and the Image of Satan, which is all Sin and Uncleanness, is defaced; and none Col. 3. 10. can Witness Redemption, further than Christ is thus Revealed in them, to set them Free from Sin: Which Christ, I Witness John 8. 34, 36. to be Revealed in me in Measure. Gal. 1. 16. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Col. 1. 27. 2. Concerning the Scriptures, That they are a true Declaration 1 John 1. 3, 5. 2 Pet. 1. 21, 22. Deut. 4. 2. Rev. 22. 18. Tim. 3. 16, 17. of that Word which was in them, that gave or spoke them forth, and are of no Private Interpretation; but were given forth to be Read and Fulfilled in the Saints, as they were given forth by the Holy Ghost, without adding or diminishing, and was not given forth for Men to make a Trade upon, to get Money by; but as they are, they are Profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, for Instruction in Righteousness, that the Man of God may be Perfect; throughly furnished unto every good Work: But they who tread in the Letter, and are Ignorant of the Mystery, deny all Perfection, and none can rightly 1 Cor. 2. 14, 15. Joh. 3. 11. Acts 1. 5. 1 Cor. 12. 13. 1 Pet. 3. 2. Col. 2. 12. Gal. 3. 27. Rom. 6. 3. Mat. 26. 26, 28. John 6. 51, 53, 54, 55, 56. 1 Cor. 10. 16. 1 Cor. 11. 24, 25. Col. 2. 10. Acts 4. 32. 1 Cor. 11. 27, 28, 29, Joh. 5. 20. understand the Scriptures, but they who Read them with the same Spirit that gave them forth, For the Natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are Spiritually discerned. 3. Concerning Baptism, the true Baptism is that of the Spirit, with the Holy Ghost, and with Fire, Baptised by one Spirit into one Body, not the washing away of the Filth of the Flesh, but the answer of a good Conscience towards God, by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ: without which, no other Baptism can Save us, they being but Figures or Shadows, but this Baptism of Christ is the Substance, whereby we are Baptised into his Death; and those who are Baptised into Christ, have put on Christ. 4. Concerning the Lord's Supper, the true Supper of the Lord, is the Spiritual Eating and Drinking of the Flesh and Blood of Christ Spiritually, which the Spiritual Man only Eateth, and is thereby nourished up unto Eternal Life; without which Eating, there can be no Life in the Creature, profess what you will; and all who Eat of this Bread, and Drink of this Cup, have real Communion with Christ the Head, and also one with another, as Members, and are all of one Heart, and one Mind, a Complete Body in Christ. Now the World who take only the Outward Signs, and are not brought into a discerning of the Lords Body, Eat and Drink Damnation to themselves, and so become guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ; and calls this a Communion, but Lives in Envy, Strife and Debate, Fight, and going to Law one with another, for Earthly things. 5. Concerning the Resurrection. That all shall arise to give 1 Cor. 15. 38. an Account, and receive at the Last Day according to their Works done in the Flesh, whether Good or Evil; these Bodies that are Dust, shall turn to Dust, but God shall give a Body as pleaseth him; that which is sown in Corruption shall be raised 1 Cor. 15. 42, 43, 44, 46, 50, 51. in Incorruption; it is sown a Natural Body, it is raised a Spiritual Body; and as we have born the Image of the Earthly, so we shall bear the Image of the Heavenly. But Flesh and Blood Rev. 20. 6. Phil. 3. 21. 1 Cor. 15. 20. cannot Inherit the Kingdom of Heaven; neither doth Corruption Inherit Incorruption, for we shall all be changed. But they who cannot witness the first Resurrection, within themselves, know nothing of the second, but by hear-say: And therefore say 1 Cor. 15. 47. Col. 1. 15. some of your Teachers, that Christ is in Heaven with a Carnal Body; now that Christ, who is the first Fruits, should be there with a Carnal Body, and the Saints with a Spiritual Body, is not proportionable. 6. Concerning Magistracy. That it is an Ordinance of God, Ordained for the Punishment of Evil doers, and an Encouragement Rom. 13. 3. to them that do Well. Where Justice and Righteousness is the Head, and Ruleth, without Partiality, that Land is kept in Peace; and those who Judge for the Lord, I Honour as my Judas 16. own Life; not with a Flattering Honour of putting off the Hat, and bowing of the Knee, which is the Honour of the World, having men's Persons in Admiration, because of Advantage, for Self-ends; but from my Heart, for Conscience sake, Rom. 13. 5. as to the Power which is of God, and not to men's Persons: For the Scripture saith, He that Respects Persons commits Sin, and is Convinced of the Law as are Transgressor's. And the Apostle James James 2. 5. Verse 1, 2, 3, 4. Commands the Saints, not to have the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory with Respect of Persons: And saith, such are Partial in themselves, and become Judges of Evil Thoughts. And Rom. 13. 1, 5. saith Paul, Let every Soul be Subject to the Higher Powers: For saith he, there is no Power but of God. The Powers that be, are ordained of God, not of Man; and that whosoever Resisteth the Power, Resisteth the Ordinance of God: And saith, We must needs be Subject for Conscience sake. And therefore, though the Prophets and Saints were often sent by the Lord, to Pronounce Judgement against Unjust Men, who had the Power committed to them, and did not Judge for God, but for Self-ends; yet they never attempted to raise any Violence against them, but used all means to Persuade them to do Justly, Love Mercy, and Mic. 6. 8 walk humbly with God, that they might be Established, and the Wrath of God turned away from them: For those that be of God, cannot Rejoice in the Destruction of any, but would 1 Pet. 1. 12. Eph. 4. 11. 12. have all to turn to God and find Mercy. 7. Concerning the Ministry. The true Ministers of Jesus Christ have always been, and are still such as came not by the Will of Man, but by the Will of God; neither are they fitted for that Work by any thing of Man, but by God alone; for the true Ministry is the Gift of Jesus Christ, given for the Perfecting of the Saints, and needs no addition of Humane Helps and 1 Cor. 12. 7. Learning, but as the work is Spiritual, and of the Lord, so they are Spiritually fitted only by the Lord. And therefore he chose Pet. 4. 10. 11. Gal. 11. 11, 12, 16. Herdsmen, Fishermen, and Ploughmen, and suchlike; and as he gave them an Immediate Call, without the Leave of Man; so he fitted them Immediately without the Help of Man: And as they received the Gift Freely, so they were to give Freely: And when ever they found any of the false Ministers, who Taught for Hire, they Cried out against them, and Pronounced Woes against them, and shown them that they lay in Iniquity, because they thought that the Gift of God could be Bought and Sold for Money. And Christ calls them Hirelings, Mat. 10. 8. Acts 8. 20. John 10. 13. Micah 3. 10. Jer. 5. 30. and 6. 13. Isai. 56. 10, 11. 2 Pet. 2. 14, 15. 2 Cor. 11. 15. Judas 11. and saith, they care not for the Sheep. And Micah cries out against the Priests that Taught for Hire, and saith, They Build up Zion with Blood, and Jerusalem with Iniquity. And Jeremiah, cried out against the Priests in his Days, that bare Rule by their means and calls it an Horrible thing, and saith. That from the least of them to the greatest, they are all given to Covetousness. And Isaiah cried out of such in his Days, and calls them Greedy Dogs, that can never have enough; and saith he, they all look for their Gain from their Quarter. And Peter saith of such in his Days as should come, that they through Covetousness should make Merchandise of the People, and saith, They have Hearts exercised with Covetous Practices, who have forsaken the right Way, and have followed the Way of Balaam, who loved the Wages of Unrighteousness. And Judas cries, Woe unto them, for they go on in the Way of Cain, and run greedily after the Error of Balaam for Rewards. But those that were sent out by Christ, counted it their Reward, to make the Gospel without Charge; neither ever had they any set 1 Cor. 9 16, 17, 18. 1 Cor. 4. 11. Gal. 4. 19 means, but went about, having no certain Dwelling Place; neither were Masters, but Servants to all for Christ's sake: Nor ever went to Law for Tithes, or any other Earthly thing, but Suffered Persecution; and as always he that was after the Flesh Persecuted him that was after the Spirit; even so it is now. Now all People, Try your Priests by the Scriptures, whether they are of God or of the World; and never think to hear the Word of the Lord from their Mouths, who walk contrary to the Scriptures; for such were never sent of God; for had they been sent of God, they would abide in his Doctrine. And John 1 John 2. 3, 4, 5, 6. Joh. 9 10. 2 John 9 10, 11. saith, such hath not God, but he that abides in the Doctrine of Christ, hath both the Father and the Son. And if there come any to you, and bring not this Doctrine, you are forbidden to receive them into your Houses, or bid them God Speed, for if you do, you are partakers of their Evil Deeds. And unto the Wicked, saith God, What hast thou to do to Declare my Statutes, or that thou shouldest Psal. 50. 16, 17. take my Covenant into thy Mouth, seeing thou hatest Instruction, and castest my Words behind thy Back, and art a partaker with the Thief, the Adulterer, Evil-Speaking, Slandering and Deceit, and such as Psal. 50. 21. do these things, think God to be like themselves. But I will Reprove thee, and set them in order before thine Eyes. J. N. 1653. The Condition and Portion of the People of England, who have long Flattered themselves with the Church-Ministry, and Ordinances; but upon Trial, are found to be the Synagogues of Satan, Persecutors of the Truth, and Enemies of the Gospel of Christ. The Lion hath Roared, Tremble all you Beasts of the Field. The Trumpet hath sounded, let the Beast prepare himself to Battle, for the great Day of Zions Recompense is at hand, and Woe to all her Enemies. I Have heard a Voice of Woe and Terror, to come upon all the Inhabitants of the Earth: Repent all you Inhabitants of the Earth, the Sword of the Lord is Furbished against you, to make a grievous Slaughter; Howl, Woe and Misery, all sorts of People, who have preferred your own Wills, Lust, and Pleasures, before the pure Law of God: Howl you Sodomites, and Belly-Gods of the Earth, who have given up yourselves to Fullness of Gluttony, and all Excess of Riot, Feeding without the Fear of God, Sporting in the Day Time; Living like fed Horses, spending the Creatures upon your Lusts, which were never made for that end: Woe unto you, you Fat Swine, the Sins of Sodom are found among you, and the Plagues of Sodom are nigh at hand. Woe unto you, for now is the Lord come to Require his Corn and his Wine which he gave to Feed the Poor and Hungry, which your Lusts have Devoured; the Wants of all Poor in the Nation cry out against you, you have exceeded all that ever went before you, and you shall exceed in Misery. Woe unto you Proud, Lustful and Lofty ones, that are lifted up in your own Eyes, and have set yourselves above the Fear of God, which Teacheth Humility, you plainly appear to be Children of the Devil, who is the Father of all Pride and Self-exaltation; you bear the Image of the Serpent, you speckled ones, who have Painted yourselves in the various Colours, to make yourselves seem Glorious in the Eyes of others, that they may Bow to and Worship you. Woe unto thou, that hast set thyself in the Seat of God, thou art Weighed and found Wanting, thy Pride is for the Fire, and thy Honour for the Dust, for now isthe Lord coming to Inquire after his Wool and Flax, which he gave to the Naked of all sorts, with which thou hast Decked the Serpent, and spent it upon thy Lusts, thereby to set thyself in the Seat of the Almighty. Woe, Woe, Woe unto thee, thou that art exalted as high as Heaven, yea, as into God's Throne, but thou shalt be cast down to Hell, the Lamb is Risen to Rule the Nations. Woe unto the Covetous Cruel Oppressors, who Live upon Dust, you Grind the Face of the Poor, and Oppress them that are Fallen, your Measures you have filled, and you have heaped up abundance against this Day of Wrath. The Fire of the Almighty is kindled, and it shall never be Quenched till it hath Devoured and Burnt up you and your Heaps, and made you a Curse to the Generations that shall come after. Woe unto the Evious Serpents that seek to Devour the Innocent, that make a Prey upon them that depart from Iniquity, you are the. Head of the Serpent, that must fulfil what is spoken of you, and you now show the Enmity that God hath put between the two Seeds, now thy Rage is come, the Seed is come whose Heel thou art Bruising, who shall Bruise thy Head, thy Time is as short as thy Rage is great. Rejoice all you that Suffer it, that the Scriptures may be fulfilled. Woe unto you Scorners, you Sons of Hagar, you Sons of Bondage to the Works of the Devil, Scorning, Backsliding, False Accusing, Slandering and Evil Speaking; you are brought forth by the Egyptian Woman, and are in Egyptian Darkness, and you cannot see that you are in the Works of the Devil, and by him you are put on to Act against Christ, in his Saints. But now is the Son of the Freewoman brought forth, to whom the Heritage belongs, and you shall be cast out among the Heathen, and Ungodly, and Judgement is coming upon you, in which you shall not be able to Stand. Woe unto you Swearers and Liars, under whose Tongues lies the Poison of Apses, which you vent out as you are moved by your Father the Devil, against the Holy and Dreadful Name of the Almighty, the Land is filled with this Generation, and hath long Mourned because of you: Who can pass in Streets or Markets, that Fear the Lord, and their Hearts not be Broken to hear it? Do not all places abound with Vain Oaths, and Lying Idle Words? Never was Nation like to this in these things, so that any who will not use these Idle Words and Oaths, is known in the Streets as they pass, and not esteemed worthy to Live in the Nation; and thus not only with all the Common sort, but also with many that are in place of Authority to Punish such things; and yet those are not afraid to call themselves Christians: Shall not the Lord be Avenged on such a People as this? Woe unto you that Live upon Deceit in your Weights and Measures, by your Slighty Words arising from the Serpent's Wisdom, which makes a Prey on the Simple; and when you have got great Estates, you say, God hath given you them; you are set up above them who are made Poor by you; now is the Lord come to search you out, and you shall Restore for your Theft . Woe unto you that have had Power in your Hands to restrain these things, but instead of using the Sword to scatter the Works of Iniquity, have turned the Edge of it against such as the Lord hath called out of these things, and sent them to call others out, lest they partake of the Plagues that are to come upon those who are found in them. Woe, Woe unto you Blind Guides, who have called yourselves Christ's Seeds-men, and now that the Lord of the Harvest is come to look for Fruits, here is no better Fruit to Reap but such as these; and that among such as you call Saints, and the Churches of Christ: And now that the Heir is Appearing, you are stirring up the Powers of the Earth how to Destroy him, lest you be called to Account for your great Care to feed your own Bodies, and heap up Carnal things, and the little Care for the Souls of Christ's Flock: Now shall you not Escape, your Day is near at hand. Who could have Believed that England would have brought forth no better Fruits than these, now after such Deliverance, as no Nation else can Witness? Oh! tell it not among the Heathen, lest you strengthen the Hands of the Enemy, and occasion the Wicked to Blaspheme the Name of the God of Hosts, who is reported to be amongst us, and Subdued all our Enemies, and hath Delivered us thus far. Awake, Awake, all sorts of People, can you say you have not had Power in your Hands against these Abominations? But now that you have not proved Faithful in your Promises to the Lord, in the Day of your Fears; therefore is the Lord coming to call to Account all sorts of Dissemblers and Oppressors, and by his own Right Hand to get himself the Victory. And now Woe unto you that have known to do Well, and had it in your Power, but have not done it. Woe unto you that have taken Counsel at your own Wisdom, and Multitudes, and not at the Spirit of the Lord, and have Strengthened yourselves by your Riches. Woe unto you Fruitless Trees, you have long been Digged and Pruned, but no Fruits brought forth, you have long cumbered the Ground. Woe unto you that are at ease in Zion, Howl, Woe and Misery; Tremble ye Women that are at Ease, Strip you, make you Bare, put off your Pride, and put on Ashes, turn your Music into Wailing, your Feasts into Fasting, and Bitter Lamentation, and meet the Lord, if there may be Hope for your Souls, in the Day of his Fierce Wrath that is coming upon the Earth. While you have time, improve it. J. N. THE END. Printed in the Year, 1654. TWO EPISTLES OF JAMES NAYLOR's. An Epistle to several Friends about Wakefield. JAMES a Prisoner of Jesus Christ, unto all that love the Appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ every where, Grace and Peace be multiplied from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ; My dear Hearts, you whom the Lord hath manifested so much Love unto, as to call you out of Sin and Death, and the World, all the Delights and Pleasures of the World, which Fades away, up to himself, where is Joy unspeakable, Pleasures and Riches that endure for Evermore. Dear Friends, Watch and be Sober, that you may hear the voice of your Beloved when he calleth, and let not the precious proffers of the Love of God be tendered in vain; while you have an Ear open to the World, you cannot hear the Voice of God, so that you have been made to groan under it: How long have you been deceived by it, all your time promising Peace, Fullness, and Satisfaction; but have been brought to cry out of Oppression and Deceit, and your Cries are come before the Lord of Sabbaths, who is your Rest, and he is now appeared to Deliver you, and set you free from Bondage, that you may serve him alone. And now take heed of consulting with your Old Master; hath the Lord been so Merciful unto you, as that he hath set your Faces out of Sodom and Egypt, towards the promised Land, Oh take heed of looking back, lest you be taken Captive, and led back again, and so you come short of Redemption, and your Faith fail you, and so you come short of the Promise, for Unbelief cannot enter into the Rest; but you, Dear Friends, put on Resolution, put on Strength, be Valiant for your Freedom, cast off every Weight, follow your Captain the Lord Jesus Christ, who for the joy set before him, endured the Cross, despised the Shame, and so entered into Rest and Glory. Take heed of halting between God and the World; what agreement can there be, or what Peace, while you are Married to the World? Your thoughts turn in thither, and you are Adulterated from God, who gives you all good things, as so many tokens of his Love; hereby is the broken Language brought forth, and you cannot speak the pure Language of the Land of Rest. And while you give way to that in you, which leads you to look back to what is behind you; you keep yourselves in the Wilderness and Darkness, and lose your way, and know not where you are; Grieving the Holy Spirit of the Lord which hath appeared unto you, to Guide you: But (Oh Friends!) mind your Guide, and follow him; Arise, Shine, your Light is come, and the Glory of the Lord is risen upon you, the Night is far spent, the Day is at hand, even the Day of Sion's Deliverance; Arise, come away all you that love her, come off from the World and Worldly things, come into the Life, lie no longer in Death and Dead things. Awake thou that Sleepest, and stand up from the Dead, that Christ may give thee Light: Come forth, come forth of all Created things, witness your Redemption from the World, that you are Redeemed from the Earth up to God, out of all Kindred's, Tongues, People and Nations, to Reign as Kings and Priests for Ever, above the World, Sin, and Death; Triumphing and Treading upon all that would take you Captive. This is the Day of your Deliverance, own it with the Loss of all Fading Pleasures, make it appear to all the World, this is the Day you waited for, even the Day of your Joy, but of the World's Sorrow: A Day of Blackness and Gloominess, a Day of Fear and Trouble to them that Oppress you; a Day wherein the Kingdom of Jesus Christ shall be Exalted, and all the Kingdoms and Powers of the Earth Shaken; a Day wherein the Lord will Avenge the Power of him that is too strong for you: Rejoice, Rejoice ye Meek of the Earth, Shout for Joy ye poor Despised ones, whom your Brethren have trodden upon, and have cast you out, and you have been made their Mocking-stock for the Truth's sake, Sing and Rejoice, the Voice of a King is amongst you, and he will Marry you to himself in Righteousness, Purity and Holiness, and will Rejoice over you, as a Bridegroom over the Bride, and you shall be for a Crown of Glory in the hand of the Lord, and a Royal Diadem in the hand of your God. O my dear Hearts, my desire to God for you all, is, that you might come to see what unspeakable Riches is laid up for you in Jesus Christ, which is hid from all Flesh, neither can they see it who live after the Flesh; and while they continue their Love to the World and Worldly things, they keep out the Manifestation of the Father's Love, for their Hearts cannot receive both: Now show yourselves Wise Men, choose that which is Eternal, here is Light and Life tendered you in Jesus Christ, freely out of the Father's Love, freely receive Life and Love, and show forth Life and Love to God again, by giving up to him all you have, and all you are for Christ's sake, that so you may come to receive all again with Christ, who is the fullness of the Father's Love, and in him are all good things needful for this Life, and that which is to come, even the earnest of your Inheritance, which none can take from you; which being received, you shall never hunger more, having a Wellspring within, even the Witness of Eternal Life and Love; and as Christ Appears, who is our Life and Love, so shall Life and Love Appear, Spring, Blossom, and bring forth Fruit towards God and Man; that so being raised with him from Death and Dead Works, you may henceforth Live unto God, and being brought into Oneness with him, and Purity, and Holiness, you may be one amongst yourselves, of one Heart and one Mind, speaking one and the self same thing, and having the same care one for another, as for yourselves. And take heed that there be not in any of you, a Principle of Self-love, which will lead to Separation and Division, casting a stumbling block in the way of the Simple; and so they that are Weak may be Defiled and turned back into the World. And I beseech you Brethren, that you mark them that once set their Faces towards Zion, but not being willing to deny the World, and take up the Cross, have consulted with Flesh and Blood, and turned back into Egypt again; of such take heed, knowing that the same Spirit that hath wrought in them Deceitfully, will not cease to work by them to Deceive others to maintain its own Kingdom; but you standing fast in the pure Light of Christ, shall see whither those Return, and the cause of their Returning, and that the end of such is worse than the beginning; but there will be such, that they who are approved may be made manifest. But you my Brethren, be ye so far from following such, that their falling away, may cause you to watch and search by what Power you stand, and so a pure fear may be preserved in you, by which you may be kept in the way that leads to the Crown which is Immortal: For it is he that overcomes that must wear the Crown, wherefore faint not, nor think any thing hard the Lord calls you unto, nothing must Suffer but that which is to Die, that your Souls may Live: Oh your light Affliction worketh for you a far more exceeding weight of Glory, while you keep your Eye to that which is Invisible! wherefore give up yourselves to his will in all things: Stand in the will of God in your present Condition, you are my joy in the Lord; let my bowels be refreshed to hear of your Steadfastness and Growth in the Truth: Take heed of propounding ends to yourselves in any thing, for that leads out of the way of God, and gives way to your own Wisdom; and so you seek to preserve that Alive which is appointed for Death, and so you maintain War against God, and know it not; and in this condition you can have no Peace, while the Enemies are in Arms against your Peace. Oh! dear Friends, you are in my Heart, my Prayer to God for you is, that you may be kept blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, blessed for Ever. My fellow Prisoner, and dear Companion in the Lord Salutes you F. H. all: Cease not to Pray for us, that we may be kept to his Praise, who hath counted us worthy to Suffer for his Name, we are well and in great Peace, kept in our Father's Love above all; we are often brought to stand and wonder how we are kept in the midst of the Fire, and not Consumed; and the more that the Enemy Rages, the more are we kept in Peace within: Here are strange Devices used to ensnare us, to get aught against us (true or false) but all is ordered by a power the World knows not, God is our Strength; Rejoice with us all, dear Friends, and Praise his Name for Evermore, for he is worthy, for his Mercy endures for Ever. JAMES NAYLOR. A Prisoner at Appleby in Westmoreland for the Truth's sake, 1653. To all Dear BRETHREN and FRIENDS in Holderness, and in the East Parts of Yorkshire. DEAR Friends, I Rejoice in you, as you are entered into the Love of the Truth, and have owned the Voice that calls out of the Darkness that is over all the Earth, to set your Faces towards Zion the City of Everlasting Light: And now mind your Way, and the Light that is given to Guide you in the Way, to keep your Eye to the Light, that it may lead you through all the Visible things of the World, and as you pass through you may stand single in the Mind unto God, not turning to the right or left Hand, where lies the Temptation, nor looking back, which lays you open to be Assaulted afresh by those Evils you had once escaped from; but keeping the Eye towards the Mark, pass on, leaving and forgetting what is behind, and Treading and Trampling under your Feet, what the Enemy shall lay as stumbling blocks in your way, which your Carnal Eyes, or Ears, or Hearts would be closing with, for the Temptation lies in the Carnal things, and there is the Bondage of the Creature to things that are Corrupt, from which Bondage, from Sin and Corruption, the Lord is now Appeared, that in the Light he may Redeem and lead out of it, all that will own and follow him; and this Light and Redemption is in his Son, whom he is about to Exalt, in which Exaltation a strange and mighty Work is to be brought to pass, whereat all that stand not in his Counsel and Fear, and to whom he shall not Reveal his Secrets, shall be offended, for all that is exalted shall be laid low and debased, the Wisdom of the Wise shall come to nought, and the Understanding of the Prudent ones shall be hid, Riches and Honours shall fall to Dust, from whence they came, and the Worship of the World shall become Filthiness, the Gods of the Heathens shall be Famished with looking for Worship, but shall get none, and the strongest of them shall not be able to deliver himself; for the Lord will bring down all Heights and Mountains into the Valleys, for in the Valley of Jehosaphat he will plead with all Flesh, which hath scattered the Seed of the Covenant: And now dear Friends, here is your Peace and Blessedness, that you Silence all Flesh, and cease from your own Wisdom, and give over your Imaginations about the things of God; come out of the Love of the World, and arise out of all Visible things, and prepare to meet the Lord; cast off all your Idols that have had your Hearts, and put off the stumbling blocks of your Iniquities from before your Faces, and give up all that will not that he should Reign over them, that his Enemies may be your Enemies, for in Judgement and Righteousness is he come out, to be Avenged upon the Unrighteous Seed, and now stand in the Light, that a separation may be made in you, the Precious from the Vile, that a true savour may arise, that you may know your Calling and Election, what is called, and what you are to come out of, lest you stay in any of that to which the Plagues is, for this is the cause of your Suffering, not discerning in the pure Wisdom, what that Antichrist or exalted Spirit is, that is got into the Seat of God, and shows himself to be as God, whose Kingdom stands in the Wisdom, Glory and Riches of the World, whereat all that knows not the true God in Spirit ask Counsel; therefore, dear Friends, look not out into the Visible things, for there he is ready to present to you false Voices, and Visions, Lying-wonders, to lead out the vain Mind into the Liberty and Boasting of high things, in Words without Power; but while such speak of Liberty, they are in Bondage, in Mind, to Corrupt and Fading things, and while these are Head in the Creature, there is not Redemption: For the Bonds of Iniquity are unloosed, and the pure seed is oppressed, and the Plagues must pass upon that Nature, therefore sink down into the Sufferings and Death, that you may find the Door whereat to Enter, for there is a Vale of Tears to pass thorough, you shall find your Well-springs in him, where you shall drink of the Water of Life, and find Refreshment, and grow from Strength to Strength, till you come up to Zion: Stand fast, take heed of Words without Life, spoken from the Comprehensions; for that Feeds not the pure Seed, but Feeds the Wisdom which is above, and the Itching Ears, and so the pure is covered with Earth, and the Fowls of the Air is fed, and no Fruit is brought forth to Perfection, and take heed of that Nature that would know more than God is willing to Reveal; for you shall find that unwilling to obey what it knows, and take heed of that which desires to appear before Men to be commended, for that seldom deserves Praise of God; and let a Godly Conversation declare what is within, and know one another in Spirit, and not in Word, and meet often together, and wait upon God (for his Teaching alone) in a Cross to your own Wills, for therein is the Secrets of God Revealed: Let Love abound in you one towards another, without being Partial; and I beseech you by the Love of God, that you halt not between God and the World; but as you Profess that you are not of the World, so let your Conversation be out of its Fashions, Customs, and Traditions, and Covetous Practices, that it may appear you are marked out for the Lord's, and that you are not ashamed to own that which differs, and so walk, as not to cast an offence on the Gospel, that you become not a scorn to Fools, but let Wisdom be justified of her Children, and take heed of that which would be exalted above others, Teaching and Talking of things without Life; and you that would be counted somebody, let such first learn to wash the Feet of them they would be above, and he that would be Greatest, let him be Servant to all, for it is the Humble, and not the High Spirits that are Taught of God, and such so walk, as their Lives and Practices Teach and Judge, all Vain, Light, and Heighty Spirits; and mind how you grow out of the Earth, and out of that which is in the Enmity; and until you be brought out of the Love of all Visible things, and wholly enfolded into the Love of God, you cannot witness Redemption, nor receive the true Joy that ariseth in the Manifestation of the Love, for it is only he that is brought up out of the Death to Reign over it, whose Heart is come out of the Unrighteous Mammon, who is entered into the Kingdom of Righteousness, Joy and Peace; and as you arise out of the Earthly Bondage, you shall witness the glorious Liberty, and so come to know your own Measures, every one in particular to improve it, and not to boast above it in another Man's Line; and so you will come to see by what Power you stand in your Warfare, how far you are Conquerors, and who is your Enemy at present, and so be able to give an Account in yourselves of your Faith, and how you grow from Faith to Faith: And dear Friends, watch over one another, Ex●ort, Reprieve, Admonish in pure Love and Meekness of Spirit, lest you also be Tempted, and all know, that you are set as a City on a Hill, as Signs to this Generation; therefore lift up your Light to all the World, that all Mouths may be Stopped, and Hearts Convinced; so that all that see you, may see you to be Children of Light, and being Judged by you, may be ashamed of their deeds of Darkness, for great is the work of the Lord, and Blessed are they that are found Faithful in it, in what is committed to them. Farewell, dear Hearts, and the Lord God Almighty Bless, Prosper, and Preserve you Pure and Clear unto his Kingdom, Amen. My Love in the Lord Salutes you all, and if my Father please, I shall be glad to see your Faces in the Flesh; but his Will is my Peace, who is Blessed for Evermore. Written from Nuby the last Day of the Seventh Month, 1653. A Lover of your Souls, JAMES NAYLOR. The Work of the Lord is great in those Parts, and he carries it on with a High Hand, having got himself the Victory. Praise the Lord with us, all that know him, who is worthy, even him alone for Ever. FINIS Printed in the YEAR, 1654.