New Testament Inspired Words of James Nayler - Nayler Sonnet 18 by K. Boulding

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:

18. In God alone it can rejoice

I plunge me, shouting, in the fecund tide

Of vast creation; lave myself in light,

Dwell with imperial clouds, cloak with the night,

And woo the earth as lover woos a bride;

Through intricate kingdoms of pure sound I ride

On music, and on laughter, and invite

My joyful body-spirit to unite

With scent, taste, touch: all senses sanctified.

What then! In God alone I must rejoice?

Not in His creatures, His abounding gifts?

The veil of sensual goodness lightly lifts

And through the inward seam there drops a voice:

“Could any gift its giver’s loss atone,

or joy be sure, except its source be known?”

Daily Bible Reading: 1 Kings 14 and Philippians 4

1 Kings 14 – Jeroboam’s son, Abijah, becomes ill and Jeroboam sends the mother to Shiloh to consult with the prophet Ahijah (the one who told him he should be king). Ahijah can’t see but when the woman comes to him, he knows it is she even though she pretends to be someone else. He gives her the following message—the Lord is not pleased with Jeroboam because he has not been like David.  He has made idols and provoked God, so God will bring evil on Jeroboam’s house—when the woman returns her child will die (14:12). But beyond that, “the Lord will strike Israel. . .he will root up Israel out of this good land that he gave to their ancestors, and scatter them beyond the Euphrates, because they have made their sacred poles, provoking the Lord to anger” (14:15). It happens as Ahijah predicts. Jeroboam reigns 22 years. His son Nadab succeeds him.

           

In Judah, Rehoboam reigns 17 years in Jerusalem, but Judah too “did what was evil in the sight of the Lord” (14:22). They set up high places and sacred poles too, instituted temple prostitution for males.  During his reign the Pharaoh of Egypt comes and takes the treasure of the king’s house—the shields Solomon had made.  Also, there is war between Jeroboam and Rehoboam continually.  When Rehoboam dies, his son Abijam succeeds him.

Philippians 4 - Continuing his loving conclusion, Paul urges his readers to help those who have shared in Paul’s work: women co-workers Euodia and Syntyche, Clement and others “whose names are in the book of life” (4:3).

He admonishes his readers once again to “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice” (4:4). “The Lord is near.  Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (4:5-7). And finally, in those now famous words, Paul urges us to cultivate and contemplate everything that is worthy in life: 

“[W]hatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (4:8).

He thanks them for the support they have sent to him and especially tells them that it is the benefit to them their generosity entails in spiritual reward that makes him the happiest. 

Throughout this lovely letter, we not only hear how we are to grow in the depth and breadth of love, and come to know the resignation to God’s will that brings complete peace and equanimity of mind, but we see it in Paul and hear it in the tone and feeling of his words.