The night that we came to Exeter I spoke with James Nayler: for I saw
he was out, and wrong, and so was his company. The next day, being
First-day, we went to visit the prisoners, and had a meeting with
them in the prison; but James Nayler, and some of them, could not
stay the meeting. There came a corporal of horse into the meeting,
who was convinced, and remained a very good Friend.
The next day I spoke to James Nayler again; and he slighted what I
said, was dark, and much out; yet he would have come and kissed me.
But I said that since he had turned against the power of God, I could
not receive his show of kindness. The Lord moved me to slight him,
and to set the power of God over him. So after I had been warring
with the world, there was now a wicked spirit risen amongst Friends
to war against. I admonished him and his company.
When he was come to London, his resisting the power of God in me, and
the Truth that was declared to him by me, became one of his greatest
burdens. But he came to see his out-going, and to condemn it; and
after some time he returned to Truth again;[95] as in the printed
relation of his repentance, condemnation, and recovery may be more
fully seen.
[95] His death came not long after his awful punishment, and just
before the end of life he wrote these words:
"There is a spirit which I feel, which 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 a nature contrary to itself. It sees
to the end of all temptations; as it bears no evil in itself, so
it conceives none in thought to any other. If it be betrayed, it
bears it; for its ground and spring is the mercy and forgiveness
of God. Its crown is meekness; its life is everlasting love
unfeigned. It 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
is 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
those who lived in dens and desolate places in the earth; who
through death obtained this resurrection, and eternal, holy life!"
See also "James Nayler's answer to the Fanatick History as far as
it relates to him."
The wild extreme to which Nayler went had a very sobering effect
on the Friends themselves.
On First-day morning I went to the meeting in Broadmead at Bristol,
which was large and quiet. Notice was given of a meeting to be in the
afternoon in the orchard.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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