Quest. Wherefore didst thou sing 'Holy, &c. Answ. I did not at that time; but those that sang did it in discharging of their duty. Quest. Dost thou own him that rode on horse-back to be the holy one of Israel. Answ. Yea, I do; and with my blood will seal it. Quest. And dost thou own him for the Son of God? Answ. Quest. Wherefore didst thou pull off his stockings, and lay thy cloaths beneath his feet? Answ. He is worthy of it; for he is the holy Lord of Israel. Quest. Knewest thou no other Jesus, the only begotten Son of God? Answ. I know no other Saviour. Quest. Dost thou believe in James Nayler? Answ. Yea, in him whom thou callest so, I do. Quest. By what name dost thou use to call him? Answ. The Son of God; but I am to serve him, and to call him Lord and Master. Quest. Jesus was crucified; but this man you call the Son of God, is alive? Answ. Quest. Answ He hath shook off his carnal body. Why, what body hath he then? Say not the Scriptures, Thy natural body I will change, and it shall be spiritual? Quest. Hath a spirit flesh and bones ? Answ. His flesh and bones are new. Christ raised those that had been dead; so did not he. Quest. Answ. He laid his hand on my head, after I had been dead two days, and said, Dorcas, arise; and I arose, and live as thou seest. Quest. Where did he this? Answ. At the gaol in Exeter. Quest. What witness hast thou for this? Answ. My mother, who was present. Quest. His power being so much, wherefore opened he not the pri son doors, and escaped? Answ. The doors shall open, when the Lord's work is done. Quest. What apostles hath he? Answ. They are scattered, but some are here. Quest. Jesus Christ doth sit at the right-hand of the Father, where the world shall be judged by him. Answ. He, whom thou callest Nayler, shall sit at the right-hand of the Father, and shall judge the world with equity. Here followeth a relation concerning one of his companions. ONE of James Nayler's disciples, having attained to some knowledge in the French tongue, went over into France to a city called Bourdeaux, where, after entering into a congregation of the Protestants, he be gan, after his wonted manner here in England, to cry out, in the open congregation, against the minister, calling him conjurer, lyar, impostor, deceiver; and the elders and people being astonished at the novelty, and reputing him a madman, came and told him, That they had laws in France to protect the congregations, either of papists or protestants, from any disturbance; and thrust him forth of their church. Upon which,he went into the church yard,and,upon a stone, continued his discourse, which drew the whole congregation out of the church, after him, and caused the minister to give over; and the elders, coming again to him, told him, that, he being a stranger, they were willing to favour him; but, seeing he did continue his disturbance, they would commit him to justice; he told them, justice was never in that place until his appearance. Upon that, they took him away to the governor; where, being brought, with his hat on, he asked the governor what he was; who told him, he was the governor of that place under the King of France. He said, that he would not answer him as governor, his government being carnal And a certain bishop being with the governor, who was a papist,desiring that he might question him,and demanding what he was, he told him, he was an Englishman,and sent of the Lord to prepare his way. He demanded of the bishop what he was; who told him,he was a bishop; whereupon he replied, that against him he was sent, who was one of the locusts that was sent forth of the bottomless pit; and that the weapons he had with him were fitted to destroy him and the whole kingdom of Antichrist, who was held in darkness and blindness; and that he was to pour out vials of the Father's wrath upon him. The governor of Bourdeaux, percei ving several of the people to be infected with his doctrine, demanded if there was any ship ready to sail for England; which being informed of, he therein shipped him, being not willing to use extremity to a stranger, but caused some six or seven, who had been infected with his doctrine, to be whipped through the streets. A relation concerning some others of the same tribe. SEVEN or eight others went over in a vessel to New-England, where, being arrived, they began to spread themselves; but the governor, having notice, caused them to be clapped up close in a castle, and would not suffer any one to come to see them under penalty of five pounds. In the mean time, he sent for the master of the ship that brought them, and commanded him immediately to carry them back into old England, which, he refusing, was also clapped up close prisoner, until he con sented, and took them a-board again. Now, reader, I shall close up all with a word or two of his life and actions. JAMES NAYLER is a man of so erroneous and unsanctified a disposition, that it is hard to say, whether heresy or impudency beareth the greater rule in him; as will appear. First, In what he testifieth before sufficient witnesses; see the Brief relation of the Northern Quakers,' page 22, That he was as holy, just, and good, as God himself. And, Secondly, That he, in a letter to one in Lancaster, expresly saith, That, he that expected to be saved by Jesus Christ that died at Jerusa lem, shall be deceived. See Mr. Billingsly's Defence of the Scriptures, page 16. The perfect Pharisee, page 8. And so said another of that sect: He was not such a fool, as to hope to be saved by Jesus Christ that died at Jerusalem sixteen-hundred years ago. See Mr. Farmer's Mystery of Godliness and Ungodliness. Thus they glory in their ignorance, and count that foolishness which is the true wisdom. Thirdly, In a letter I had in my possession, but now lent to a friend, subscribed by the pastor, and other members of that congregation in the north, whereof Nayler once was a member, till, for his apostasy, he was excommunicated, it is offered to be proved, and by them testified to be true, that one Mrs. Roper, her husband being gone on some occasion from her, a long voyage, this Nayler frequented her company, and was seen to dandle her upon his knee, and kiss her lasciviously; and, in that time of his society with her, she was brought to bed of a child, when her husband had been absent seven and forty weeks, to a day, from her; and, on a time, he was seen to dance her in a private room; and, having kissed her very often, she took occasion to say, Now, James, what would the world say if they should see us in this posture? To which he said somewhat, but he was so low, that it could not be heard. This was objected against him, but he denied to answer it before the said church; objecting, That he would not speak to them, that spoke not immediately by the spirit. Fourthly, In that, when I had discourse with him concerning perfect perfection, at the Bull and Mouth, he said, I was a lyar to say he owned it; then I proved it from his own writings, as that he said, they that say they have faith, and their life is not the life of Christ, and them that say they have faith, and yet they cannot be saved from their sins but in part in this world, them and their faith I deny, &c. To which he hypocritically said, that I was a lyar to say that he owned it in himself, though he disowned it in others. And, when I had objected any thing against what he said, he would deny it as soon as he had spoke it; which, to convince the people of his lying deceits, I desired them that stood by me, to remember that he said, All that are in the world are of the world, in direct opposition to that saying of Christ, John xvii. I pray not, holy Father, that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but preserve them from the evil of the world'; which I presently accused him with, for which he called me lyar; for he said, he said not so. I then desired them that heard him to testify to the truth, against the lyar and his deceit, which they did; but his seared impudence was such, that he said, should a thousand say so, they were all lyars; with much more to the like effect. For his character. HE is a man of a ruddy complexion, brown hair, and slank, hanging a little below his jaw-bones; of an indifferent height; not very long vi saged, nor very round; close shaven; a sad down look, and melancholy countenance; a little band, close to his collar, with no band strings; his hat hanging over his brows; his nose neither high nor low, but rising a little in the middle. Something concerning some others of them also. DISBOROUGH, not much inferior to Nayler himself, attempting to lie with one Rebeccah (who was first seduced to be, and then was of their heresy) she asked him, what his wife would say if she should know what he attempted? Dishorough replied, that he gave her the same li berty that he took himself (that was, to be a whore, as he was a whoremaster) but, in short, he having obtained his desire of her, she asked him, how if she should prove with child? He answered, she must be content to be numbered with the transgressors, and to make her grave with the wicked (so that he followed not that light which is pure, but sinned against knowledge) as she, the said Rebeccah, as bewailing her sin, confessed unto one Mr. White, a Lincolnshire gentleman, to whom she added, that Nayler attempted to defile her also; so that, instead of perfect saints, they are rather perfect sophisters. This relation under the said gentleman's hand, and the aforementioned letter from the church, whereof Nayler was once a member, were of fered to be proved and made good, in the publick meeting at the Bull and Mouth, to Nayler's face, more than once or twice, who was unable to say aught unto it, but left his standing, and sat down silent. They, that offered it so to publick trial, were, one Mr. Persivall, and Mr. John Deacon, author of the publick discovery of their secret deceit. Some of their opinions are these: 1. THEY deny the scriptures are the word of God. 2. They esteem their own speakings to be of as great authority. 3. They hold it unlawful to expound or interpret the Scriptures. 4. They say, that he, that preaches by a text of Scripture, is a con jurer. 5. That the holy letter is carnal. 6. That the bible ought to be burned. 7. That Jesus Christ inhabits in their flesh as man. 8. Some have said, that Christ never ascended into heaven. 9. That to pray, that their sins may be pardoned, is needless. 10. They believe not that there is another world. 11. Some of them deny the resurrection. 12. That they cannot sin, but that they are perfect. 13. They make no distinction of persons. A friend of mine being desirous to be resolved of a doubt; as, whe therthat which was reported, of that heretical sect, were more than they erred in, or less than they erroneously maintained contrary to the truth? He went unto their meeting, within Aldersgate, where he had no sooner entered that synagogue of Satan, but the then speaker (name 1 ly, George Fox) cried out, but on what occasion, he knoweth not, 'Quakers, Quakers, earth is above God,' in the open house, before hundreds then present. At which, my friend wondered, and pressing forwards a little into the multitude, he saw some disputing upon the same words; who demanding what was the matter, one answered, that George Fox said, 'earth is above God'; and here is one saith,that whatsoever George Fox should do or say, he would maintain (pointing to a young manthen standing by) to whom, my friend replied, he had undertaken a harder task, than he was able to perform: For God was the Creator of the earth, and all things else; and therefore above the carth, and not the earth above him, that created it; forasmuch as the workman is above his work: For, although an artificer shall by art compose any thing, that is never so excellent, yet it can claim no equality with the maker, in regard that what is excellent in it, is the Maker's excellency, and not its own: for, destroy the work, and the workman can make the like; but destroy the workman with the work, and both perish. To which he replied, he did not mean the earth under our feet, but earthly sin in man. To which my friend replied, that now his blasphemy was worse than it was before; for take the earth simply in itself, it hath no prejudice towards God; but sin is that, which seeks God's destruction, and therefore he was not to be conversed with, being of so diabolical an opinion. One Stephens of London, being on a time at their meetings, with an intent to oppose what he should there hear, not agreeing with truth, which, at his first coming, he did for a short time, till one of them, taking him by the hand, and rubbing his wrist very hard; which put him to very sore pain, and so altered his resolution, that he was so transformed by their inchantments, that he since confessed, that, should any one whatsoever have dared to oppose or resist them, as he just before did, he would have stabbed them to the heart, whatsoever had come of it. There is one Stephens (and it is supposed, the same) a Quaker, that now lieth stark mad, and hath so been a pretty while, through the disturbances of that spirit, which ruleth in the old Quakers. JOHN DEACON. A CASE OF CONSCIENCE, Whether it be lawful to admit Jews into a christian commonwealth? Resolved by Mr. John Dury: written to Samuel Hartlib, esq. London, printed for Richard Wodenothe, in Leadenhall-street, next to the Golden Heart, 1656. Quarto, containing twelve pages. FIND it the practice of most of the protestant commonwealths here in Germany, to admit of the Jews, but they do it with a huge mark of distinction between them and others; by which means they are made |