This is certain, that James Nayler came to very great sorrow, and
deep humiliation of mind; and therefore, because God forgives the
transgressions of the penitent, and blotteth them out, and remembereth
them no more, so could James Nayler’s friends do no other than forgive
his crime, and thus take back the lost sheep into their society. He
having afterwards obtained his liberty, behaved himself as became a
Christian, honest and blameless in conversation; and patiently bore the
reproach of his former crimes.
When king Charles the Second had ascended the throne, one Richard Blome
published a book, entitled, The Fanatic History, which was said to be
published with the approbation of orthodox divines, (so called,) and
dedicated by him to the king. This book struck chiefly against the
Quakers, and was stuffed with a multitude of lying stories, and the
fall of J. Nayler was not concealed in it. He being then alive, took
up the pen, and answered the falsities contained in it, relating to
himself: and because R. Blome, in his dedication, said, ‘That if his
majesty put not forth his royal hand of power suddenly, to restrain us,
we are so numerous, and seducing, that we will, (in a little time,)
diffuse our poison over the better part of his kingdom, which none but
a regal authority can stifle.’
‘I say then, what is become of your spiritual weapons? Have not
your teachers told people of the strength of truth, and the power
of godliness? Have you lost both, (may wisdom say,) and run you
now to the arm of flesh, to get errors stifled, (as you call
them,) or else your hope is lost, and your faith fails you? Did
ever any of Christ’s ministers leave their spiritual weapons, to
run to the arm of flesh, or a carnal weapon to stop seducers? I
say, no. This they never did; but with spiritual weapons they
wrestled, and overcame spiritual wickedness, and with them cut
down heresies, blasphemies, and false worships, and cleared the
churches of Christ of them, and drove them down before them in
the world: for none could resist the spirit by which they spoke,
of all the false priests, and false worshippers; but being put
to the worst, they cried, (as you do,) to rulers and people,
Help us, or all will be overrun: for they that turn the world
upside down are come hither, (mind your cry.) And then the rude
multitude ran on heaps upon them, and made tumults often, and
fell upon them with staves and fists, and assaulted the houses
that entertained them, as you do, and so hauled them before
rulers, who took their parts herein, and put them in prison, and
often whipped them; unless it were some that were so noble, as
not to heed the cry of the multitude; but would hear their cause,
and give them leave to speak, before they would sentence them
that were accused. And this was the nobility of heathen kings and
rulers; and do not you seek to make England’s rulers worse than
them? Beware lest heathens rise up in the day of judgment against
them who are called Christians, and condemn them.
‘And is this your cry for help, against so contemptible a people,
(as you count them,) you, like silly women, do but discover your
weakness and worthlessness; and if God open the eyes of King
Charles, he will see it. What! have you preached and wrestled
yourselves out of all hope and faith, that either you must have
sudden help from him, or all is lost and overrun? Surely it may
be said, you have been bad watchmen, and idle shepherds, who have
lost all, if sudden help come not from another hand. Now if any
had come against you with carnal weapons, then had you had some
excuse in crying to the earthly powers; but in that nothing but
spirit comes against spirit, and yet you have lost the day. This
doth clearly manifest, that the power of God you have not in you,
but have lost the kingdom of the Most High, and so are become
unreasonable men, who would have two weapons against one, and
another to do your work for you, and yet are unwilling to forego
your wages; yea, this advantage you have had divers years, but
have not prevailed therewith.
‘And whereas thou sayest thy book is of great consequence; and so
thou presumest to make king Charles the patron of it: and then
askest pardon for thy presumption, when thou hast done.
‘I say thou hast need: the substance of thy book being made up
of false accusations, gathered up out of books formerly written
against us, which have been disproved by answers several times
over: and to these thou hast added some new accusations, as false
as the old, and spied out the failings of some few, who have
mourned before God, that ever they should sin, and give occasion
to the enemy of God so to blaspheme. And many things which were
done and spoken by others, who are not of us, nor ever were: and
of this is thy book made up, as any may see who reads it, and our
several answers to the charges therein, many of them of several
years standing, against these false accusations, which have most
of them been printed over and over, and presented to the former
powers that have risen, and as often answered: so there needed no
more to be said, than hath been, were it not for the sake of some
who may yet be strangers to your way of dealing towards us, under
every power that hath been. Now discretion will say, that to make
another man the father of such a work, to which he is a stranger,
(but especially a king,) is presumption indeed, rashness and
folly, and needs a pardon.
‘And whereas you now say, that none but a regal authority can
stifle; it is true, you have tried parliaments and protectors,
(as you called them,) and parliaments again; and to make them
then work for you, your priests used these arguments to them, to
wit, That in the late wars they had exposed lives, liberties,
estates, and relations, with all other personal advantages, in
maintaining the just proceedings of parliaments, and from them
you then claimed our stifling, as the price of your prayers,
purses, hazards, losses, banishment, and blood, as may be read
in the Westmoreland petition against us, which thou hast printed
in page 197 and 198. And was not this power that which you then
called the common enemy, in the same petition, page 200, which
you now cry to, and would put him upon that work against us
now, as defender of your faith, &c. Ah! a faithless generation
have you been to God and man, may you not be ashamed of this
work, to print it, and send it to king Charles, and call him to
defend it, and patronize it: how hath envy bereaved you of your
reasonableness? Shall he who defends this, defend either faith or
truth? But this is, that you may cover yourselves with your shame
and envy, that both king and people, and parliaments, may see
what a generation you are, that will run under any power to get
your bloody ends; but indeed true to none; for if it was true,
that you were so faithful to that parliament, with your prayers,
purses, and blood, as there you plead, then is your faith but
new, which now you would have defended; but if not true, then how
great deceivers, and how little to be trusted, or defended, in
your cruel designs.
‘“The king that faithfully judges the poor, his throne shall be
established for ever. But, if a ruler hearken to lies, all his
servants are wicked.” Prov. xxix. 12, 14.
‘And to thee, who hast set forth this book of mischief, I say
with the Scriptures, “Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the
dwelling of the righteous, spoil not his resting place. For a
just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; but the wicked
shall fall into mischief.” Prov. xxiv. 15, 16. See also Mich.
vii. 8.