Daily Old Testament: Isaiah 61 and New Testament Inspired Words of James Nayler - Nayler Sonnet 10 by K. Boulding

Isaiah 61 – The spirit of the Lord has been poured out on the prophet to “bring good news to the poor, to bind up hearts that are broken; to proclaim liberty to captives, freedom to those in prison” (61:1).

I exult in Yahweh “for he has clothed me in the garments of salvation, he has wrapped me in the cloak of integrity . . . .as the earth makes fresh things grow, as a garden makes seeds spring up, so will the Lord Yahweh make both integrity and praise spring up in the sight of the nations” (61:11).

New Testament Inspired:

Beautiful Quaker Words: James Nayler’s Deathbed Testimony

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 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 mercies 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 them who lived in dens and desolate places of the earth, who through death obtained this resurrection and eternal holy life.

Thou wast with me when I fled from the face of mine enemies: then didst Thou warn me in the night: Thou carriedst me in Thy power into the hiding-place Thou hadst prepared for me: there Thou coveredst me with Thy Hand that in time Thou mightst bring me forth a rock before all the world. When I was weak Thou stayedst me with Thy Hand, that in Thy time Thou mightst present me to the world in Thy strength in which I stand, and cannot be moved. Praise the Lord, O my soul. Let this be written for those that come after. Praise the Lord.

Kenneth Boulding’s Nayler Sonnets:

10. As it bears no evil in itself

If SOUL be soil what may not grow therein?

The indifferent ground cares not what plant it feed;

Both the good grain and the lean poisoned weed

Out of its fecund womb their life may win.

Can there then be a soil that grows no sin,

That nourishes no thought of pride or greed,

And bears no plant no fruiting for the need

Of the good gardener and his humble kin?

Not in man’s world, where saviors do not save;

Where painless, glib goodwill for humankind

Serves but to rub the sores it cannot bind,

And Liberators leave man more a slave;

But out of harrowed heart and broken will

Ground is prepared at last that grows no ill.