After this, hearing that some had wronged him about that which he had
spoken to the committee of the parliament, and understanding how men
had perverted his words, he wrote a paper, declaring himself further
concerning his belief of Christ, and his sufferings, and death, &c.
Also he complained of things that some had published, under the title
of James Nayler’s recantation, wherein they had much perverted him; and
he declared:
‘And as touching the printing of that paper, (called J. N.’s
recantation,) it was not done by me, nor with my knowledge in the
least, nor do I yet at all know the man that hath done it; but
out of the Truth, and against the Truth he hath done it, and for
evil towards me, whoever it was; the Lord God of my life, who
hath kept me alive in all distress, turn it for good, and forgive
the evil: and though he that hath done it, hath not done it in
Truth, nor love to it, yet what of truth there is in the paper,
I shall own, as stands on Truth’s behalf: for thus it was, that
after I was put into the hole at Bridewell, I heard of many wild
actions done by a sort of people who pretended that they owned
me; and these were earnestly stirred up at that day, with much
violence, and many unseemly actions, to go into the meetings of
the people of the Lord called Quakers, on purpose to hinder their
peaceable meetings; and yet would take that holy and pure name
of God and Christ frequently in their mouths, whereby the name
of the Lord was much dishonoured, and his pure Spirit grieved,
and much disorder they caused in many places of the nation, to
the dishonour of Christ Jesus, for which I felt wrath from God;
which when I understood that they had any strength through me, I
used all means I could to declare against that evil spirit, which
under the name of God and Christ, was against God and Christ, his
Truth and people; and something I did give forth about a year and
a half since, in denial of these spirits, which it seems to me,
he that hath done this, hath got a sight of, and hath added to
it the thoughts of his own heart, and so hath brought out this
darkness, that people know not what to make of it.
‘Therefore, so far as it testifies against those unclean ranting
spirits, and all the actions wherein the holy name of God hath
been dishonoured, and his Spirit grieved, so far I own it; but in
that it is turned as though I denied the Lord Jesus Christ, and
his Truth, which hath called me out of the world, or his people,
whom he hath called into light, in that I own it not; for in the
patience and tribulation of Christ Jesus, and with those who have
the power this day to testify therein, against all the evils of
this present world, I am one in heart and soul to the utmost of
my strength, till the coming of the Lord Jesus over all; and the
throne of meekness and truth, be set on the top of enmity and
deceit; in which faith and power I am given up to live or die,
suffer or rejoice, as God will, even so be it, without murmuring.