necessary consequence they are the Scribes and Pharisies because they are other Ministers about this matter which likewise helpe forward the death of Christ You may see howe safe it is to leaue the naturall sense of the Scripture and to followe allegories as doeth this familie For H. N. hath walked so long this way in the beliefe leauing the certaintie of the worde that hee hath prooued himselfe to bee Iudas that betrayeth Christ and his doctrine to bee that crosse which doeth take the life from Christ Hee hath prooued that Christe was woorthie of his death and coulde not haue come to euerlasting ioy if hee had not died in the fleshe and so consequently that Iudas and the high Priestes did a verie good woorke vnto Christ himselfe in putting him to that death that the Crosse was a blessed thing and the death thereof a blessed death for Christe himselfe that Iudas and the Iewes were blessed men in that woorke of procuring Christ his death and that his life and estate before ▪ that time for his owne good and benefite did necessarily require the same that the life of Iudas and the Iewes that crucified Christ was better then the life of Christ and their estate in al respectes better then his that they walked in the wayes of life and hee in the wayes of death that they who wished and procured his death were his best friends and his mother and disciples who stoode agaynst it and councelled him otherwise were his greatest enimies and those who did in truth betray him that Christ himselfe had the greatest benefite by his owne death and shoulde haue had the greatest losse himselfe if hee had not dyed And that others shoulde haue no further benefite from his death then they receiue instruction and example by his death to suffer as he hath done the death of the Crosse Howe doeth this passion agree with that hystorie of Christ his passion which is set foorth in the Scripture The woorde of GOD reporteth this matter of Christ his passion and death not as an Allegorie or a type and figure of a truth to be accomplished but with circumstaunces of time place person and order of proceeding setteth it foorth as a true historie and the very truth it selfe of that thing which by types and Figures had beene shadowed out long before and was nowe in Christe one person and yet both GOD and man truely accomplished Wee haue an historie in the woorde of GOD touching his apprehension and the manner of proceding agaynst him before Pilate In like manner touching his death and buriall not barely and in a woorde deliuered but with al circumstances fully discharged Hee foretelleth his Disciples both of the time of his death that it shoulde bee within two dayes when his aduersaries had purposed to deferre it till after the feaste for feare of an vprore among the people and of the manner of his death A woman comming by the instinct of GOD his spirite with a boxe of very costly ointment powring it on his head as he sate at the table declare thereby that the death of his bodie and burial were at hande and not any spirituall dying in respect of sinne and imperfection which he neuer had no not in his youngnes as H.N. speaketth The chiefe Piestes the Scribes the elders of the people assēbled togither into the Hall of the highe Prieste called Caiphas consulting howe they might take Iesus by subtiltie and kill him determining that it should not be at the feast of the Passeouer for feare of vprore at which time notwithstanding the Lorde woulde haue it performed that the very time might admonishe vs that Christ was the true Paschall lambe and the true bodie of those shadowes and figures that had gone before according as the Apostle restifieth If this had beene a conspiracie of many men against their affections because they woulde not yeelde obedience to true doctrine or a type and fygure of anie suche matter why then is a thing common to so manye made speciall in the type and figure Why is there such specialtie of person in the patterne where so manie haue interest in the thing Suche choyse likewise of the daye to foreshewe a matter free and lawfull to bee done at all times and bounde to no day Why is there suche feare of displeasure from the people at one speciall time whose malice agaynst true doctrine endeth not with anie time Here Christe his Aduersaries woorke procure and in ende performe with their owne destruction his death and suffering But to conspire the death of H.N. his Christ in the fleshe is required necessarilie to their saluation and therefore the one cannot bee a type of the other Hee that betrayed Christ was one of his disciples hyred therevnto with thirtie pieces of siluer who after that hee sawe him condemned brought the monie agayne confessing that hee hadde betrayed the innocent and went and hanged him selfe and bursting asunder in the middest all his bowelles gushed out so iust and heauie was the iudgement of GOD vppon him but hee that shoulde betray H.N. his Christe in the fleshe hath for recompence euerlasting life Neyther can any passe into immortalitie but by betraying and killing of him and therefore one of these cannot bee so muche as a tipe or figure of an other muche lesse the thing it selfe Wee reade that our Sauiour Christe charged Iudas and his companie that they came with materiall weapons swordes staues as vnto a theefe to apprehend him when notwithstanding he had taught daily in the Temple and beene in their companie continually there and yet they had no power before that time whiche he telleth them was their very houre when darkenesse had power graunted to preuayle against the light for a time And the Disciple likewise who wounded the seruant of the high Priest with his sworde receiued a reproofe from Christ with this answeare That he might with a worde haue obtayned armies of Angelles from heauen in his defence but that it might not be otherwise for then the scriptures shoulde not haue beene fulfilled This declareth that the true Christ was subiect to externall force and apprehended and that he was willing to die to fulfil the Scriptures wheras otherwise he might haue had legions of Angels in his quarrell and therefore that Mathematicall Christ who suffereth in wardly in the minde of man a departure out of the letter into the spirtie hath no resemblaunce with this Christ which is here set foorth in the Scriptures When this true Christ his passion and suffering is in hande it is declared particularly and playnely howe the Scriptures which foretolde that matter and the manner of it also are verified in him who accomplished all that trueth which they foretolde and therefore can not the hystorie of him bee a foretelling or shadowing out of a truth yet to bee performed by H.N. or any other their doctrine or doinges whatsoeuer They crucifie two theeues
passe from me Let vs ceasse to meruel that the Apostles did beare no part in it for this his praier doth declare that Iesus Christ had his hands full of it Let vs not meruaile why the Apostles had no more lust nor affection to deale in it for Iesus Christe him selfe if he had followed the sence and persuasion of his fleshe had flatly refused it fainted at the firste and neuer haue gone thorowe with it O my father if it be possible let this cup passe How heauy a waight of our sinnes was vpon him not onely is bewrayed by his prayer but also by the droppes of blood that fell from his face and by his often passage as a man greatly distressed and in sore anguish from his Apostles to the place where he prayed and from thence to them againe Somtimes waking them and seeking comfort from the sight of them and sometimes againe intreating his father for fauour Neither doth hee this once and away but sundry times doth he renewe it and make often attemptes to haue ease by it This was the beginning of this his conflict Much anguish was in it as you haue heard and little comforte comming from any yet the farther he proceedeth the more his paine increaseth and the lesse comforte he feeleth Before hee had the sight of his Apostles albeit they could not be kept waking for his comfort now they all flee and forsake him saue Peter who did abide by it a while but in the end did forsweare him His father whome before hee did attempt to intreat now standeth foorth taking the place of iustice the seate of iudgement summoneth al his seruauntes to appeare and answeare for their sinnes Then the sonne of man Iesus Christ commeth foorth to the barre appeareth in the person of all sinners there standeth he to receiue sentence afterwards executiō accordingly which coulde be no slender punishment for it muste be a sufficient satisfaction for the sinnes of all his seruauntes It coulde be no litle blowe that hee did beare for why it was suche a one that the sinnes of all his seruantes did dye of it Howe coulde it be a litle stripe or stroke that was the death of so many sinnes Nay vniuersaly of all the sinnes in his seruauntes When he went vnder it this speache of his O GOD my God why hast thou forsaken mee did sufficiently testifie what waight and burden hee had of it Before he was forsaken of men and his dearest Disciples had leaft him Now sinne hath set his father against him and hee feeleth him an vtter enemie vnto him For that hee wrestled not with an ordinarie and vsuall kinde of deathe his words to his father doe bewray He was to beare the punishment for sinne which muste touche him els howe should we be perswaded that the punishment was sufficient and meete for suche a matter Beholde a true ballance wherein to waie sinne a Glasse that will geue vs the true sight of sinne Looke vppon this glasse ye which thinke that at your last houre ye shal be well enough able to driue away sinne with a sigh Beholde this spectacle yee that take sinne in young men to be the grace of those yeeres and so slender a matter in olde men that it cannot abide the least breath or sight of one that hath gray heares ▪ You see when sinne is to be aunsweared the Apostles left it and Christe him selfe did sundrie wayes declare that he had enough of it Wee may see sufficiently by this that they neuer felt the sting of it who in their speaches and remedies appointed to redresse it doe geue out so slenderly of it There is one thing whereof we are especially to be admonished that wee neuer make our selues giltie of so great vnduetifulnes against our god as to cal his diuinitie into question because he was hūbled vnto this anguishe and paine in our person and bewrayed such sence and feeling thereof in our nature For how doe we answeare the Lorde if wee will let him haue no longer any honour from vs for that he was so greatly humbled for v◠Hereby we may sufficiently see and discerne what a cursed and counterfayte Christe that is which H.N. hath brought into the worlde For H.N. his Christe was not first God and then after when he was to suffer made man but first man and after by his suffering was Godded with god He gaue no speciall argumentes of good will vnto vs by his passion and suffering for him selfe had the greatest benefite by it insomuche as that he coulde not haue beene saued without it He is not this true Christe who offered him selfe a sufficient price for all the sinnes of his seruantes for he leaueth euery one to answeare for his owne sinne telling him that he him selfe and no other is to answeare for it And therefore looke what the sinnes of H N. his Christe cost him the same price muste they pay for theirs if they will beleeue him All the helpe that they haue from him is that he hath paide his money before them so that nowe they shal not neede to trouble them selues either about the price to spende any long time in learning what is required neither yet about the maner to vnderstande where and howe it is to be paide If anye doe maruelle howe H. N. can make away this so plaine an historie let them vnderstande that it is well knowen to those who bee any thing acquainted with him that to sinke any historie H. N. will require no more then one single shot of an Allegorie The Lorde graunt that they which thus abolishe the true Christe and his office to set vp so cursed a creature in his place may bee looked to in time before they shal drawe others into the same condemnation Christe Iesus gaue him selfe for vs to purge vs that we might be a peculiar people vnto him selfe zelous of good woorkes Heere are all the carnall Gospellers condemned who liue in hope that vnder the countenaunce of their profession all libertie of life will well enough be borne out that make Christe his death to be nothing els but a bande vnto their lewde lyfe Heere may wee see that the Lorde hath not laide downe his life to purchase no other thing at our handes beside a profession of the trueth but that hee bought with his blood a zelous addicting of our selues to christan conuersation It is a woonder to see howe the wicked will boast of the benefite of Christe his blood howe mightie it is to merite how sufficient to saue from sinne But for all that will they not geue ouer anye libertie of life that before they haue enioyed whereas it was geuen to purchase a newe conuersation aswell as a newe profession For hee gaue him selfe for vs that wee might geue our selues vnto him a peculiar people zelous of good woorkes Let vs marke it then my brethren that he gaue him selfe for vs to haue the honour of a Christian life
of saying I beleeue in Iesus Christ if we wil become scholers vnto H. N. we are to say I work Iesu Christ The matter that ministreth vnto vs faith and comfort in Iesus Christ is that he being God equall with his father hath notwithstanding abased himselfe in our nature and for our saluation vnto the estate of a seruant wherein he hath humbled himselfe vnto all reproch contempt anguish and bitternesse of paine both in soule and bodie in the time of his life and vnto all infamie and slander by his death For his death was the death of the crosse and his graue was giuen him with the wicked and the wicked had their will of him insomuch that the Prophet saith He was famous for his miserie and affliction This is that loue and friendship which the Apostle saith hath no fellow or match to be found among men For who hath beene found to offer himselfe to an infamous death for his friend the sonne of God doth it for his enemies For he was counted among the transgressours Here is the ground worke of our faith and comfort that when there was no religion or feare of God in vs and therefore deadly enmitie betwene him and vs yet so great was the good will he did beare vnto vs that himselfe would wade throughout all those raging waues to saue and preserue vs that were vnder the water of euerlasting destruction Here is the triumph of Christians in whom religion is in trueth begonne and his feare truely entered and therefore hatred banished and they truely reconciled that if his death were able of enemies to make friends his life which is of much more efficacie power shall well be able where friendship is begonne to continue it for euer If that which is weaker hath done the greater worke the stronger will bee much more able to goe thorowe with the lesse labour H. N. his Christ cutteth of all this comfort For his estate in suffring was not abased and lower then before it had beene but better and nearer vnto glorie H. N. his Christ was not equall with God before the time of his passion and humiliatiō but an vtter enimy vnto god For the time of his humiliation and suffering is from his first entrance into the familie vntill he become an illuminate elder before which time in his opinion hee is a straunger nay an vtter enimie to God and all godlinesse Here is then no argument of good will by abasing himselfe from a better estate vnto a worse whereby comfort especially commeth vnto vs Besides H.N. his Christ suffereth for his owne benefite for hee coulde not come to euerlasting ioy and his perfect estate vnlesse he should die in the flesh And this vtterly killeth all comfort for what argument of good will towardes vs can wee haue from another in that matter whereby himselfe is either the whole or at the least the greatest gayner Moreouer shall his death by reconciling of vs to God which is the greater worke from the weaker instrument put vs in assured hope to be safely kept by his life vnto eternall glorie when wee are both by our owne death suffering to rid vs from the daunger of our sinnes reconcile vs vnto our God and by our life to continue and preserue our selues vnto glorie Howe fearefull is the fall of H.N. and his familie that haue forsaken the true Messias that bringeth so great comfort vnto mankinde to imbrace so cursed and comfortlesse a Christ H.N. The fift Article We beleeue that the God of Abraham hath raysed vp this his sonne Iesus from the dead and that hee euen so the third day rose againe from the dead and appeared or made manifest himselfe vnto his friends which loued him shewing vnto them through his suffering and death of the Crosse the victorie ouer the sinne death deuill hell the flesh and the worlde Answere The resurrection of H.N. his Christ answereth vnto that doctrine which he hath deliuered before touching his death For as that was nothing but a passing out of the flesh or letter of the law which is a condition common to the Nouices and yong ones in H.N. his schoole so this is the resurrection when a man is come into the spirit or that estate of perfection which his illuminate elders are pertakers of That which hath beene spoken of before may sufficiently satisfie vs touching H.N. his opinion that thus he thinketh and not otherwise of the resurrection yet shall it not be amisse to adde one testimonie out of his Euangelie where of purpose he handleth the resurrection of Christ it is in the. 22. Chapter where he speaketh thus Now whē Iesu Christ was foūd faithful in the death of his crosse til vnto his burial to a true Passeouer out of the flesh into the making aliue according to the spirit was also through the power of God his father raised vp frō the death and made aliue againe and that he had shewed himselfe in his making aliue vnto his disciples for that they should stedfastly beleeue so was he then wholy taken vp from the eyes of their fleshe and he set himselfe according to the spirite at the right hande of God his father in the heauenly being and entred euen so as the true high Priest when as the seruice had perfectly ended his course according to the true being in the holy into the most holy his disciples therefore were mindful of all this and what he had said vnto them remained within Ierusalem wayting concordably with supplication and praier for the promises of the father vntil that Christ after the spirite appeared vnto them out of the heauenly being the most holy in the holy in spirituall and heauenly powers like as hee after the Spirite and according to the trueth of the heauenly Godhead is an euerlasting and true Christ of GOD. He is plaine as you heare in this point that Christ his resurrection and making aliue was according to the spirite for he sayth that Iesus Christ was founde faythfull in his death of the crosse to a true Passouer out of the flesh into the making aliue according to the spirit He is likewise as plaine in this that his sitting at the right hand of God is in spirit spiritual For those are his very words as you haue heard he set himselfe according to the spirit at the right hād of god his father in the heauēly being More ouer he is of opinion that he is not a true Christ but as he speaketh imagineth of him that is according to the spirit For touching this point these are his words He after the spirit and according to the trueth of the heauenly Godhed is an euerlasting and true Christ of God. And that in this absurd doctrine heauē earth might come togither and a mingle mangle made of all things hee shameth not to affirme that Christ is the holy ghost and that the doctrine which is deliuered in the 2.
resurrection and inherite euerlasting life Answere All the comfort that H. N. doeth assure his familie of by the resurrection of their Christ is that such as shall become obedient vnto his doctrine which thing he expresseth in these woordes such as indeuour themselues in the beliefe vnder the obedience of the loue of Iesus Christ to become implanted into Christ the gracious woorde of the Lord for Christ as you haue heard before signifieth somtimes nothing else with H. N. but this worde and doctrine which he hath brought into the worlde shall by this their slaying and burying of sinne in the flesh become renued in the spirite of their minde obteyne and inioy the resurrection or as he speaketh the making aliue from the deade and inherite the euerlasting life But wee haue not thus learned Christ so manie as haue beene taught out of the woorde of God the truth of him and the true fruite of his resurrection For as Christ Iesus died in our sinnes and went downe into the graue in our iniquities inasmuch as it was our sinnes and no offence of his owne that drewe him vnto death so his resurrection was the perfect absolution and clearing of the faithfull from al their transgressions For had one sinne of his seruants bene vnsatisfied for neither woulde death haue resigned hir right who had arested him as suretie for sinne neither would the righteous Lord by raising him from the dead bringing him out of the danger that he lay vnder for our sinnes haue giuen sentence on his side so iustified vs in him Which thing the apostle cōfirmeth triumphing ouer condēnation not onely because we haue discharged it by his death but also because we haue our Quietus est acquittance to shew for the same euen his resurrectiō Who shal lay any thing to the charge of god his chose It is God that iustifieth who shal cōdēne it is Christ that is dead yea or rather which is risē againe And likewise the same apostle in his epistle to the Corin. affirmeth plainly that if Christ be not risen from the dead we haue nothing to shewe for our discharge against sinne but do remaine yet vnder the danger thereof And in the Epistle to the Romanes he declareth also that wee are by his resurrection cleared from our sinnes and they nowe no longer imputed vnto vs And therefore when he had before declared that not only Abraham his faith was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse but also that ours shal be imputed vnto vs hee telleth vs more particularly how this commeth to passe to wit because Christe who was deliuered to death for our sinnes is risen againe for our iustification For as God the father in deliuering Christ vnto death did cast all our sinnes vpon him and condemned our sinnes in him so in raysing him frō the dead he iustified and absolued him vs in him inasmuch as but for vs neither sinne nor death could haue any thing to doe with him from all our sinnes and trāsgressions whatsoeuer Now if the Lorde had let him make an escape who was in holde for our sinnes inasmuch as he had once taken vpon hym to satisfie for the same or wrougt his deliuerance and set him at libertie before a ful sufficient satisfaction had bene made then coulde not himselfe haue bene cleared of iniurye offred vnto vs nor his Iustice haue bene vnspotted euen before vs which if once wee suffer to enter but into our thoughtes it maketh vs giltye of high treason against our god This doctrine therefore of H. N. who will haue our dying vnto synne not onelie to preuent but also to procure our rising vnto righteousnesse not mencioning any other benefite that wee haue from Christ his resurrectiō beside the example that is set before vs for our imitation and following after him in the same is at defiance and vtter enmitie with the trueth which is taught in the word of god For Christ his resurrection which H. N. maketh so small an accounpt of not onelie is our iustification from the giltinesse and daunger of sinne but also the head and wel spring of al that righteousnes holinesse and newenes of life that is to be founde ni the conuersation of his seruāts And therfore the Apostle in the 2. to the Ephe. doth fetch our rising vnto righteousnesse frō Christ his resurrection and ioyning them togither speaketh thus God which is rich in mercie euen when we were deade by sinnes hath quickened vs togither in Christ and hath raysed vs vp togither And accordingly to the Collosians draweth his exhortation vnto newnesse of life from the resurrection of Christ as from the fountaine from the which floweth the reformation of our life If ye thē be risen with Christ saith the Apostle seeke those thinges which are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God set your affection on things that are aboue and not on thinges which are on the earth Which thing is also confirmed out of the Ephesians where we doe reade that the large and liberall distribution of his graces did followe his resurrection and ascention when that notable victorie and conquest ouer sinne death was fully accomplished The resurrection therfore of Christ according to the trueth of his worde is not onely our discharge against sinne but the fountaine and spring also of all that chaūge of life and conuersation which is to be seene in his seruants But according to this doctrine of H.N. it is neither our discharge against sinne nor yet the beginning of our good life therfore without mention either of iustification from sinne by it or viuification and quickening in the wayes of righteousnesse we are sent to make warre with our affections according to the rules of his doctrine that so wee may obteine the resurrection from the deade and the renewing of our spirit and minde So that we haue nothing in H.N. his Creed to be beleeued but many things in our conuersation to be practised nothing to leaue vnto that was once doone by him but al that we may trust to must proceede from our selfe Touching this poynt Whether our dying vnto sin doe both preuent and purchase the renewing of our minde it hath beene answeared in the article immediatly going before H. N. The sixt Article We beleeue that this same Iesus like as the Scripture mencioneth thereof is ascended into Heauen sitting at the right hand of God his almightie Father We confesse that he hath taken in the heauen and reigneth and ruleth essentially in the heauenly beeing with his father vntill that all his enemyes be layde vnder his fete and that he in like maner shall in euery behalfe take in the kingdome and all dominion and power and render it all ouer vnto his father that God may euen so be all in all according to the promises Answeare This confessor H. N. acknowledgeth and confesseth that this same Iesus of
challenged to himselfe in his title as you hearde before to iudge the compasse of the earth with righteousnesse and that the God of heauen hath nowe declared him selfe and his Christ to his elect with the fulnes of his garnishing and spiritual heauenly riches to an euerlasting house for God his dwelling the which as he saith is the true vndisturbable kingdome full of all godly power ioy and heauenly beautifulnesse wherin is the fulnesse of eternal life And in the 35. chapter of his Euangelie he confirmeth the same in these words Behold in this present day is this scripture fulfilled according to the testimony of the scripture the raising vp and the resurrection of the Lordes dead commeth also to passe presently in this same day through the appearing of the cōming of Christ in his maiestie Which resurrectiō of the dead seeing that the same is come vnto vs frō gods grace we do likewise in this presēt day to an Euangelie or ioyful message of the kingdōe of god christ publish in al the world vnder the obediēce of the loue In which resurrectiō of the dead God sheweth vnto vs that the time is now fulfilled that his dead or the dead which are fallē a sleepe in the lord rise vp in this day of his iudgement and appeare vnto vs in godly glory which shal also frō henceforth liue in vs euerlastingly with Christ raigne vpon the earth Wherin the scripture becōmeth fulfilled in this presēt day like as there standeth writtē therof He affirmeth here in plaine words ▪ that the dead w are fallen a stepe in the Lord rise vp in this day of his iudgemēt appeare vnto H.N. the illuminate elders of his familie in godly glory He affirmeth like wise that they shal frō hēceforth liue in him his felow elders euerlastingly thē the with what can be more erronious For by this doctrine the resurrectiō should be onely of thē that sleepe in the Lord that is of the good of which number he taketh thē to be alone who now receiue his doctrine euerlasting life which they rise vp to enioy should be onely to liue after that course of life which he his illuminat felow elders do keepe For he saith that they are to liue in him and in his fellow elders euerlastingly to reigne vppon the earth If their eies bee not altogeather closed vp who fauour the doctrine of H.N. they may well discerne that this resurrection is not that resurrection whiche the Scripture mencioneth neither is this chaunge of them that imbrace his doctrine that which the Apostle reporteth 1. Corinth 15.52 Which as he testifieth there is to be perfourmed in a moment in the twinckling of an eye at the last Trumpe Nowe I am wel assured experience wil tel thē beside the doctrine of H.N. which confirmeth the same that they are not by and by in a moment after they haue hearde the blaste of H.N. his doctrine partakers of the resurrection that is made elders and illuminate men In the 37. Chapter of of his Euangelie likewise this same matter is testified of him more cleerely yf possible that may be Yea happy is he which now respecteth wel the true light and assembleth him in this day vnto the mercy seate of the Maiestie of God and Christ to his saluation for after this day there shall no day of grace come vppon the earth because all the workes of God and his Prophecies bee come fulfilled according to the scripture in the same And for that the righteous iudgement of God to an euerlasting death and damnation of all vngodly and to an eternall life and saluation of all the holy ones and elect of God becommeth also executed therein This opinion of his is confuted before at large in my answere to that title which hee challengeth vnto him selfe This onely testimony I wyll adde to the former for the ouerthrowe of this opinion If to doe good and liue well be the resurrection of life howe is that true which S. Iohn testifieth that they which haue doone good shall come foorth of the Graues vnto the resurrection of life With what trueth or in what sence can it be said of a man that he commeth forth to that which already he hath in him selfe and is possessed of Nay if this bee the resurrection to arise vp to the imbrasing of H.N. his doctrine with what trueth can it be saide that they which alreadie haue doone good shal come forth vnto the resurrectiō of life whē he is of opinion that we are voide of al goodnes grace vntil we become seasoned with this seruice of the loue And howe can they which haue doone good come out of the graue when by his doctrine they haue come out of theyr graues before they haue done good For death burial vnto sinne are in order before the resurrection vnto righteousnes and newnesse of life What comfort can our faith finde in this article of our beliefe yf H.N. his doctrine be true If all were perfourmed which hee promiseth yet can wee come by no other comfort from him then this that yf wee shall imbrace his doctrine then shall wee lyue as hee doeth heere vppon earth This is all the benefite that our faith obteyneth by the resurrection of H.N. his Christ from the dead H.N. The eight Article Wee beleeue in the holy Ghost and that the same in the oldnesse of the tyme when the dayes of the patience of Christ in the obedience of the holy and gratious woorde ▪ and his seruice of loue are fulfilled becommeth powred foorth from the right hand of God through Iesus Christ namely ouer them all that haue followed Christ in his death of the crosse obediently and haue kept his doctrine with the word of his patience euen vnto the ende that is which are passed through or haue accomplished the Passeouer with Christ till vnto the seconde birth from the dead Or vnto the new life of the true being of Christ Answeare Wee doe heare nothing from H. N. to mooue vs too thinke that the holy Ghost is God which thing woulde not haue beene omitted if hee had been sounde therein seeing he openeth vnto his familie the principles of religiō whereof this is one of the chiefe and setteth downe beside the woordes of our Creede his owne exposition explication of the same seyng also that of all the churches which professe Christianitie throughout the whole worlde there is no one that hath vnto this day imbrased his doctrine or ioyned with him in religion and those which throughly know hym professe warre with him considering likewise that the scripture hath not left vs without sufficient light to prooue the holy Ghost not onely to be God in substaunce one with the father and the sonne but also distinct in person I say in these and suche like respectes his silence in so principal a thing bewrayeth him selfe not to be sounde
teacheth vs to deny vngodlynesse neither doeth it onely tell vs barely and nakedly what is to be doone But with sweete promises allureth and with great perswasion and most louing councell and aduise doeth exhorte and prouoke vs therevnto crauing beseeching and intreating vs to yeelde and consent not leauing out any thing that is likely to further the matter that is in hand The nature of man beeing as it is destrous of knowledge howe can hee but bee welcome vnto vs that professeth to teache If there were no more but the name of a Teacher it were inough to driue vs to some consideration for the good intertainment of him Albeit we had neuer seene nor hearde the manne before But when these Teachers bring giftes with them the better to perswade and when those become Teachers and perswaders to whome for all our welfare and happy estate wee are wholly beholden may there aduise possibly thinke you bee neglected and not esteemed of any who hath but the least sparke of humanitie or good disposition in him And beholde the grace of GOD that bringeth with it our saluation teacheth and intreateth vs to deny vngodlynesse and worldly lustes and to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present worlde If you like Teachers that perswade and enter into the heartes of men by giftes you can not mislike him I am wel assured that bringeth no lesse gift then your saluation If giftes doe commende I thinke he is sufficiently commended vnto vs and most true it is that giftes and benefites canne not but commende their Maisters that bring them Salomon sayth That a gift laid secretly and closely in the bosome of him that is offended with vs is able to asswage anger when it is growen so stronge that it may bee saide to haue sinewes and bones Hee sayth more and besides this That a rewarde is as a precious stone it prospereth and preuaileth whethersoeeuer it turneth Rewardes and giftes receiued holde a man as captiue and Prisoner vnto the giuer so that hee is scarce his owne manne but seeth with an other mans eyes and dealeth with an other mannes handes for he who commeth commended vnto vs by some rewarde and gifte is able as it were by some inchantment to set what coulour he will vppon his matter and that so cunningly as the wisest man that is of vs all shall not bewray it For doe we not reade in Deuteronomie That rewardes blinde the eyes of the wise and peruerte the woordes of the iust And this is the cause why in that same place the Iudges are forbidden to take rewards for such is the corruption of man that he will not stick to perswade his euill cause by those meanes if hee shall vnderstande that the Iudge lyeth any whitte open on that parte But this infirmitie of man who oftentimes furthereth his euill cause by giftes may not so preiudice the holie Ghoste who is without all suspecion to commende euill causes vnto vs but that it shall be alwaies lawfull for him to vse what way of perswasion as shall best like him yea to enter vppon vs euen by giftes and to cause the grace of God bringing with it our saluation to intreate vs to deny vngodlines and worldly lustes to see if that which is so pearcing of it selfe be able to touch vs that which perswadeth so greatly be of force to preuaile with vs that which often times speedeth in euil matters may finde fauour with vs to promote the best things For what hath he not obtayned among men that by giftes hath continued to perswade and among gifts there is some diuersitie some be more able to moue vs then others are some perswade more effectually then others doe For those benefites haue alwaies beene regarded aboue the rest that haue drawen vs out of some great daunger or haue comforted vs in some great extremitie the memorye of such is wont to be of greatest continuance of moste thankful remembrance with vs Whē Dauid would perswade Bethsabe his wife that Salomon should be king after him and put her out of all doubt that shee neede neuer to feare the matter any longer hee pledgeth for the assuraunce of his woorde his thankefulnesse vnto God for suche benefites as coulde not but binde his obedience That is his often deliueraunce out of trouble As the Lorde liueth sayeth Dauid who hath brought my soule out of aduersitie Salomon thy sonne shall reigne after me The benefites are not lightly regarded that are receiued in aduersitie For the present sense and feeling of the misery doeth greatly enhaunce the price thereof And therefore Dauid tooke away all occasion of doubting when he pawneth for assuraunce of his woorde so great a matter as was his thankefulnesse for deliueraunce out of aduersitie For it coulde not be that hee shoulde forget to redeeme so great a gage And in this highest degree of giftes commeth this benefite commended vnto vs for it is the grace of GOD that bringeth saluation And bringing of saluation prooueth our estate to haue beene damnable before It is not only misery then that wee were plunged in before this benefite came but a miserie of miseries for wee were holden vnder the thraldome of death and damnation Suche a benefite deserueth thankeful remembraunce it speedeth where any perswasion will preuayle Suche a gift a man woulde thinke shoulde finde fauour and prosper whither so euer it turneth Hauing succeeded so great and greeuous a miserie how can it but haue the taste of most bountifull and sweete mercy We may learne by this that hath beene saide what the cause is why the holy Ghost saith not simply The Gospel teacheth and exhorteth vs but saith the grace of GOD which bringeth saluation teacheth and exhorteth vs for it is the Gospell that hee meaneth and yet he calleth it the grace of GOD that bringeth saluation to make vs more mindefull of the matter This maner of perswading by giftes and benefites vsed of the holy Ghoste may learne vs a profitable lesson howe to withstande temptations vnto sinne what so euer to wit by keeping freshe in memory the seuerall benefites of GOD towardes vs making them as Bulwarks against our sinfull assaultes so that when they allure vs we may thus aunsweare them the GOD who hath redeemed my soule from all aduersitie doeth forbid it mee The grace of GOD to whome I owe my saluation doeth deny it vnto mee the goodnesse of that GOD of whome I haue receiued life health honour wealth delieraunce out of these and these troubles preseruation from the murtherer euill tongue and slaunderer doeth desire mee that for all the good wil that euer hee hath borne mee I woulde not consent vnto it If any Prince shoulde by speciall pardon deliuer a Subiecte from death that by Lawe and Iustice had deserued it and after aduaunce him to some place of honour in the Lande harde and vnthankfull were his heart if those sutes especially of the Prince whiche broughte with them the
expectation of the latter daye and the glory therof When Paul will set out the commendation of the Thessalonians and fame that was geuen out of them in all places he doth no otherwise cōmend thē then that they we are turned from idols to serue the lyuing god to waite for his sonne from heauen which should bestowe vpon them this benefite to delyuer them from the wrath to come And in the second to the Thessa. persuading them by that which was in most reuerence regard with them and likest to bringe them into the carnest consideration of his words he frameth his speach thus I beseech you brethrē by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ our gathering together and vniting vnto him So that the loking the last daye semeth to hym to be in great reuerence regard and assured expectation amonge them when he maketh their reuerence vnto that the matter and grounde of this exhortation And when he laboureth to lift them of the earth comonly he reareth them vp with no other instrument than this the waitinge for the glory and hope of an other life In the 3. to the Colossians he reasoneth thus When Christ which is your life shall appeare then shall you appeare with him in glorie mortifie therfore your earthly members vncleanes couetousnesse which is Idolatrie And in the thirde to the Philippians openyng the meane of their staie from huntinge after the Earth with the false Apostles which minded earthly thinges Hee saieth thus But our conuersation is in Heauen from whence wee looke for a Sauiour euen the Lorde Iesus who shall chaunge our vile body that it may bee like his glorious bodye In the eleuenth to the Hebrewes the obedience of Abraham in leauinge his owne Countrey not knowinge where he should become is ascribed to this that hee waited for a Citie that had a foundation whose maker is GOD for all things in the worlde are subiecte to corruption The great thinges that are spoken of Moises in accountinge the rebuke of Christe to bee of more valewe then the treasures of Aegypte and his not fearing the furie of the Kinge is onely imputed to this that hee was as if he had seene him that is inuisible The comming of the glory of that great GOD was alwayes before his eyes The greatnesse of the thing and the excellencie of it is noted in these woordes The glorye of the greate God our Sauiour Christe It is the same glory the great GOD our Sauiour Christe inheriteth that wee waite for It is worth the wayting for there is cause why wee should bee mooued to sobrietie hauing so greate thinges in expectation Wee beseeche you saith Paule that ye would walke woorthy of GOD who calleth you to his owne kingdome and glory The glory of this worlde daseleth our eyes and therefore must we be drawne vp by meditation of greater things before wee shall be able to let these be of small reckoning with vs The greatnesse of that glory once thorowly digested would set these in a base and lowe place it would make them vanishe as Smoke from our presence The expectation of a transitorie kingdome when it is but once deuoured and digested by hope we see it maketh men neglect liues goodes landes friendes children and countrie to hazard all The Merchant that is in expectation of some great gaine wee see into what vnknowen Countryes into what daungers by the Seaes hee will commit himselfe The great regarde and care that is had euery where to thinges heere belowe the gredie following after them the carefull pursuing of pleasures profites and honours doe plainely speake that the hope of an other life is not yet setled in the heartes of a great number Let vs call to remembraunce howe that this is our day to waite it is our time to serue when Christe whiche is our life shall appeare then shall wee bee glorious and appeare with him in glory There is no pleasure which the Lorde hath not matched with some griefe and paine to take off if it might our delight and to fasten it in surer thinges If the glory of God cannot preuaile with vs if it cannot chaunge our taste how shal we looke for renewment If so great hyre as is his owne glorye cannot allure vs brutish sencelesse must our nature needes bee What a greater argument can we haue of our blockishnesse then that so greate thinges can get no more attendance The trueth is we are not perswaded of the excellencie of them and therefore in all those places alledged for the wayting of his comming there is the benefite set foorth with it and the greatnesse of it which poynteth at our darkenesse and vnbeliefe heerein and telleth vs that the glory of this world standeth as a cloude betweene it and our sight To conclude let vs inlarge our hope and by meditation and Prayer enter into some consideration of the length breadth and deapth of that glorye so shall we see such a portion in it as will comforte vs euen in our greatest afflictions counting it a great honour that wee are vouchsafed his seruice as the Apostles haue done Nowe wee are to consider of that which is the thirde thing in this our diuision to wit what was geuen to make vs good schollers in this his doctrine to become a people zelously geuen vnto good woorkes The gift is so great as himself for he gaue himselfe for vs He laide not downe his life at the pleasure of his aduersaries being otherwise vnwillinge but franckly and freely of his owne accord did yelde it vp for vs This is that which we esteme aboue the benefite often times the minde of the geuer Great gifts are darkned when they come from an vnwillinge mynde and leese their cōmendation but a willinge minde aduaunceth the lest gift that can be No man taketh my life from me saith our Sauiour Christ but I layd it downe of my selfe His willingnesse also appeareth in this that he went foorth to meete them askinge of them whom they sought and confessing him to be the man As his aduersaries did not compell him by violence to leaue his life no more did good deseruing on our part procure him thervnto And therfore S. Iohn doth herein note a speciall thinge that he beganne with vs and prouoked vs vnto loue and not wee hym This loue was voluntary and not forced It had likewise the preeminence of beginnyng and prouokinge and was neither borne nor begotten of any former benefite of ours to himward In this gift that was geuen we are to remember not onely that moment of his passion wherin he passed imediatly from life to death but also the whole course of his life while he had his aboade with vs here vpon earth For he serued vs with his life as wel as with his death performing in it all that obedience which the Lord requireth of man And this obedience vnto the lawe could not be vrged of
it as that their heartie goodwil affection may be seene to appeare thereby towards it This iudgement of God vpon H.N. and his Family speaketh plainly of the Gospel that we can not enioy it if wee giue no better entertainment then they haue done vnto it For as for them they are now farther from the knowledge of the Gospel then they were the first houre that euer they looked vppon the light For Christ is nothing with them but obedience vnto that doctrine which they professe Which may easily be discerned by H.N. his discription of him which is this Christus doth signifie vnto vs saith H.N. the safe making oyle of the God sauing being and yet more plainely is that matter expressed in the Booke entituled Theol. Ger. A booke that euery mā who hath red any of his workes if his owne coūtrimen had neuer discouered it might easely perceiue to haue come frō the same spirit which spake in him These words are founde there touching that matter Vetus homo est Adamus et inobedientia ipsitas egoitas et similia at nouus homo est Christus et obediētia Adā is the olde man disobedience he I such like but Christ is the new man obedience Where that obedience is nothing that he doth is sinne where that is not there is nothing but sinne God hath nothing so proper vnto him wherein by this doctrine of H.N. his illuminate elders be not felowes with him euerlasting life if that we beleeue him is fully felt possessed in this life here is our heauen here is our hell the resurrection is not corporall of the body but spirituall of the minde Now is Christ come to iudgement and this doctrine is the last trump they are rysen againe and in perfect ioy who haue perfectly imbraced it and those haue alredy receiued their iudgement be in hell who do resist it to be gilty of death by the sinne of an other or to be iustified by the righteousnes of an other is a doctrine not onely not receiued of them but throughout all their bookes impugned our sinnes by this doctrine are answeared within vs and no righteousnesse that shall doe vs good is without vs Touching which point this is saide in the Booke alledged before Etiamsi Deus omnes homines quicunque sunt ad se assumeret ipse in eis homo fieret ipsi in eo deus fierent idem in me non fieret nunquam corrigeretur meus lapsus Although GOD woulde take all men to himselfe and were made man in them and they were made God in him and the same shoulde not bee done in mee my sinne and offence shoulde neuer bee discharged They onely are the Church al cōgregations whatsoeuer that ioine not with thē they call thē Synagouges of Sathan and nestes of Deuils they holde that euery man is his owne Sauiour and a Chrst for him selfe euery mā that hath wel profited in the schoole of H. N. is perfit and without sinne To conclude this matter the errours bee so many so foule and so filthy as woulde force the very penne in passing to stay stop the nose The onely way whereby a man should enter to do them good haue they hedged and stopped vp against vs for they say that they onely are spirituall and therefore iudge truely of the word that they haue the sence and we nothing but the words they haue the spirit and we nothing but the letter that they haue the life and we the body they haue the carnel we the shell they haue the sword and we the scabbard To be briefe in this matter of doctrine H.N. turneth religion vp side downe and buildeth heauen heere vpon earth maketh God man and man God heauen hell hel heauen For venom and poyson which will bring present death hath he dispersed ouer euery member article of our beliefe so vniuersall is the poyson of his opinion Touching conuersation howe may wee imagine that there is any soundnesse when the doctrine and vitall partes be thus infected For do we not read in the scriptures that most shameful corruptiō of life hath alwaies followed as a due deserued punishment the corruption of doctrine God gaue them vp saith the Apostle to their hearts lusts vnto vncleannes to defile their owne bodyes betwene thēselues which turned the trueth of God vnto a lye Which thing Priscillianus of whom H.N. hath borowed not only that villanous wresting of the word by allegories but also that monstrous opiniō that periurie and lying be lawfull and may be doon with good conscience to conceale religion confessed beeing condemned to dye for heresie Priscillianus saith Daneus was put to death at Treuyris which is the most famous Citie of Germany hauing confessed before that that hee had oftenten times committed moste shamefull wickednesse with the women of his sect And what a libertie H. N. his doctrine giueth vnto all lewdnesse of life in his allegorie of the woman that is rauished in the fielde I leaue it to the consideration of the godly These be his wordes in his booke called Documentall Sentences speaking of temptations vnto sinne If they take and lay holde on vs with force and violence and that then although we cry there commeth not any power or helpe vnto vs for to withstand them in their force and violence and that they euen so rauish vs against our will so are wee guiltles of the transgressing for we haue cryed to be released of the tyranny of the euil there is no help come vnto vs Of the which guiltlesse transgressing the law likewise witnesseth where it sayeth A woman which is violently taken in the field where as there is not any helpe and so rauished and although she haue cried aloude yet gotten no helpe she shall be guiltlesse of the transgressing What can open anie window wider vnto all wickednesse then this doctrine doeth For if temptations presse vs and our prayers presently preuaile not by this doctrine we are discharged of all daunger from the fact howe often and how grieuously soeuer we shall offende Whom would not this doctrine not onely incourage vnto sinne but also make him impudently secure and senselesse in the same This monstrous birth so beastly and so blinde hath the contempte of the worde and want of care to keepe it in a good conscience nourished and brought forth Wherby we may see with what daunger we walke not onely wickedly but also carelesly against the worde For this spectacle doeth plainly shew that it is more precious in the Lord his sight then that he either can or will put vp at our hands the contempt and neglect of the same And therfore when we see at this day those men who sometimes haue knowne the trueth become as beastes voyde of all reason let vs vnderstande that the Lorde thereby meaneth to magnifie his worde and to let men perceiue the might and Maiestie of the
the like practise of counterfaiting Papists who make shew of religion hauing sworne hearts to the Pope whose dispensation either they haue or trust in some reconciling reliques and ceremonyes from Rome for these causes I thought it some danger to lay open suche blasphemyes such escapes of an euill and erronious conscience which beginning long agoe in the ancient heretiques the Priscillanistes Montanists Pelagians Anabaptists and Catharists c. and hauing been long time buried in the botome of Hell are not thence to be raked any more Also I thought it almost impossible to meet with such an inconstant and slippery serpent that hath so obscure wordes now to hide and now to conuay her poyson thereby to auoyde the wholesome remedy by the worde and iust punishment by the magistrate But my good brother these my doubts grew from the eye I had to their will and way finding the Serpent so subtile to charme others yet him selfe to shut his care so against the trueth that he will not heare the voyce of the charmer charme hee neuer so wisely and that it is as hard to finde out his way as the way of a Ship that hath sayled through the sea For afterwarde considering that Antichrist did bring as he thought to perfection the mystery of iniquitie in the working force of Satan in all powers and signes and lying woonders and in all deceit of vnrighteousnesse as S. Paul prophesied we in these last ages haue clerely seene and that notwithstanding God hath already almost altogither consumed that man of sin with the spirit of his mouth which is his word preached in the Gospel I acknowledge with praise to God the father in Iesus Christ for that sword of the spirit that two edged swoord that it is able either to heale or to wounde to death all aduersary power be it either in al impietie of heresie or in all corruption of maners Yea if H.N. were freed from all his sinne and washed from all corruption If he in deede were as he is in the fancie of his familie an angell from heauen or by an other transubstantiation more then an archangell or that which they affirme and I dare not write yet teaching otherwise then we haue receiued from the holy Prophets and Apostles he is to be holden accurssed and his Gospell of the kingdom with all other his doctrine to be had in abhomination They that pray are thus to pray against such heresies they that write are so vpon occasion to write and Magistrates are in a zeale of Gods house to put on that minde that the holy trueth may bee exalted and all heresies rooted out to the glory of GOD and the preseruation of his Churche from those damnable waies wherein many not esteeming nor seeking the trueth are sooner destroyed then they can feare destruction Therfore you haue doone wel in the Lord drawing out that sworde of the worde of God to make a separation betweene thought and thought betweene practise and practise betweene secret open paths of errour and contempt betwene ioynts and marrow betwene soule and spirit that all the outgoings escapes and dennes wherein these heresies either lye in waite and worke against the trueth or hide themselues from discouery may be discouered and the bright face of the trueth appeare to the great glory of God ouerthrowing of al error cōuerting those of that family of Loue whom he hath loued and in mercie will conuert deliuering their eyes from blindenesse and feete frō falling and to stay those that might for want of the voice of the trumpet sodenly fal into the enemies hand to be caried away into the miserable captiuitie of those heresies and to the second death that followeth thē as their iust reward Also the Magistrate by such a manifest discouery of those blasphemies against God against his Christ against his worde shall more more see into the great danger of their horrible sect and find necessary cause to ioyne with the worde to cut it off lest in the end they with their brethrē the Anabaptists exalt themselues asmuch against the holy and necessary authoritte of magistrates as they doe already against God and his word by whome Princes raigne receiue their blessed peace and safetie Against which Magistrates this practise they haue vsed and still doe vse abusing their holy place of Iustice they recant in woordes without recantation in heart as I noted before holding it for a rule that they ought not to destroy the Temple of GOD whiche is say they in a grosse and absurde interpretation our body and therefore we will not be brought to persecution and death Making a rule against the rule of Christ and against the most wonderfull practise thereof in him selfe and his holy Martyres who loosing their life heere haue found it in heauen and hauing their bodies burnt to ashes in hope they looke for the ioyful resurrection of the same bodyes at the comming of Iesus Christ Therfore my very good brother I thanke God for your labours praying his maiestie to blesse them that the offenders may see and repent their offence that others yet free may remaine by such instruction free for euer from those and such heresies and may be more more armed against error with the trueth and comforted therein to their saluation Praying also that God would continue with increase that spirit of zeale and wisdome in the heart of our most excellent soueraine the Queene other in authoritie vnder her to represse those fantasticall and erronious spirits being indeed the true succession of those ancient Catharists Puritans who thought themselues not to sinne but actually to bee possessed with absolute holinesse and purenesse For so those thinke of themselues and plainly affirme it of their illuminate elders But howsoeuer they seduce some goodly and zealous men women of honest and godly conuersation placing them at the porch of their Synagogue to make a shewe of holinesse and to stand there as baites and stalles to deceiue others yet alas who can without blushing vtter the shame that is committed in the inwarde roomes and as it were in the heart of that Synagogue of Satan These are the things I haue thought touching the booke and a testimonie of my greate ioy touching the same And besides the good I haue already noted this confutation shal testifie to all ages at large that the blessed gouernment of our gratious soueraigne the Queenes maiestie suffereth neither Papists nor other heretiques to goe vncōfuted or vnpunished howsoeuer first in great abundance of singular clemencie it pleaseth her to seeke their saluation draw on their effectuall conuersation Which blessed fruite of that singular clemencie the Lord God graunt in Christ Iesus and a perfect peace to this Church for euer Amen Yours assuredly in the Lorde W. C. ¶ A Confutation of monstrous and horrible heresies taught by H. N. and imbraced of a number who call them selues the Familie of Loue. ¶ The Title
as one ouercome by reason of so long lack of comforte might say at the hearing of this ioyfull message of H.N. as the wife of Phinehes did when it was tolde for her consolation that shee had borne a sonne The glorie saith she is allredy gone from Israel and therfore let the childe haue his name accordingly and be called Ichauod Now if this were the true worde of GOD and Gospell of Iesus Christ which neuer had seene the light before but by H.N. had beene the firste digged out of darkenesse what ignoraunce is it to confounde the Gospell with the holie Ghoste as if the holie Ghost were no other thinge then the doctrine it self For that place is plainely and expresly mente of the spirite of God and not of any doctrine that he should haue in purpose to send them from Heauen That which hee speaketh further of his office that it is to expresse How that Christ is come againe according to his promise to beget vs anew to iudge vs with his righteousnesse That we might presently enter into the true rest which God hath prepared from the beginning and inherite the euetlasting life is nothing else but a very sinke of absurde doctrine For first howe absurde is this to say That Christ his comming againe shall be to beget vs a new out of the doctrine of his seruice when as the Apostle playnely saith His comming shall bee to render vengeaunce vnto all them thaâ— are no at that time already borne anewe by obedience vnto the Gospell It is a righteous thing with God to recompenc tribulation vnto them that trouble you to you which are troubled rest when the Lord Iesus shal shew him selfe from Heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendering vengeance vnto them that doe not knowe GOD and obey not vnto the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ It will then be to late to learne when the bridegrome is once come It wil be to late then to seek Oyle for their Lampes Their Lampes shall then be burning that shall bee admitted to enter in with the Bridegrome And therefore he commeth not againe now to beget vs a new but to render vengeance vnto so many as shal not be founde at his comming borne againe and already begotten a newe Besides what a match is that to haue the first coÌ„ming of Christ to ioyne in time with the second for that out of the Prophet Esaie is plainely spoken of his first comming in the flesh which notwithstanding is heere ioined with the comming of the Lord vnto iudgement and bringing of the elect into that rest which hath beene prepared from the beginning euen the inheritaunce of euerlasting life Nowe H.N. saith that they bothe take effect at the publishing of this his doctrin Moreouer of this doctrine it doth followe that regeneration is the ioyes of heauen and that when a man doth reforme his life by the word he is presentlie entred into those ioyes which haue beene prepared from the beginning for the elect It doth plainely make the comforts of euerlasting life to be no other then those that are felte of the godlie in this life It bindeth also those ioyes of heauen and euerlasting life vnto this life and vnto the imbracing of H.N. his doctrine that in the receiuing thereof a man should enter the possession of the ioyes of heauen For the place of Matthew is so plaine for the day of Iudgement and for the possessing of such euerlasting ioyes as in this worlde are not enioyed as no thing can be more These be the wordes Then shall the king say vnto them on his right hand Come yee blessed of my father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world For I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate I thirsted and you gaue me drinke c these were men regenerate and borne againe for he reciteth their fruites of newe life and the workes of regeneration which they had done and these men which had shewed foorth these fruites he then putteth in possession of the kingdom prepared for them from the beginning of the world saying Come ye blessed of my father inherite the kingdome prepared for you If they be then called out to inherite a kingdome which haue practised the fruites of Christianitie before then is there an other kingdome abyding for the Children of God beside that which they are possessed of presently vpon the newnesse and reformatioÌ„ of their life For meÌ„ are not wont to be called out to take the possession of that which they are alredy entred vpon And how could they haue brought foorth such fruites as the Lord doth crowne vnlesse there had beene newnesse of life before The Apostle Paule affirmeth our estate which trust in Christ to be the moste miserable of all other if so be that we haue no other hope but in this life only For heere the estate of the godly is subiect to so great affliction and persecution that sometimes men that feared God haue beene greatly tempted to followe the wayes of the wicked while they did see them to flourish in all worldly prosperitie inioying as it were a heauen heere vppon Earth and the seruants of GOD almoste continually liuing such a life as that death it selfe might seeme iustly to bee wished before it Dauid professeth that him selfe fretted at the wicked when he did se the prosperitie of them and that his steppes had wel neere sâ—pt and his feet were almost gone For they are not in trouble saith he like the other sort and therefore pride is as a chaine vnto them The grace of God saith the Apostle which bringeth saluation hath appeared and teacheth vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldlie lustes and to liue temperatlie iustly and godly in this present worlde wayting for that blessed hope and appearing of the glorie of the mightie God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christe If in a sober iust and godly course of life we haue to waite for that blessed hope and glorie which shal appeare with the comming of Iesus Christe then is not that sober iust and godly course of life the blessed hope and glory it selfe For men doe not waite for that which they doe enioy already Wee giue thanks saith the Apostle vnto God since we heare of your faith in Christ of your loue towards all Saints for the hopes sake which is layd vp for you in Heauen If they did abounde in faith towardes Christ and in loue towards the Saincts for the hopes sake which was laide vp for them in heauen Then was not their Heauen hope contained within the limites of this life and much lesse was that fruite of faith loue the hope and heauen it self And lest any man might imagine that I haue taken the aduantage of this one place vnaduisedly penned by the Author let him reade his Bookes and he shall finde it to bee a doctrine often and with great deliberation set downe and
confirmed by places of the scripture after his accustomed maner And euen in this same chapter he hath these words Happy are they which haue nowe in this day entended or minded the loue and the peace for in this selfe same day shall now the good with all repentant ones which stand good willing towards the good become knowen and made manifest from the wicked and from all vnrepentant ones which haue a lust to the iniquitie to the wicked and corrupted world they shal seperate thē the one from the other The separation which shal be at the last day betweene the sheepe and the goates as it is euident in that place of Matthew which he alleadgeth is as he saith fulfilled nowe while some ioyne with his doctrine that his family other seperate themselues from it And a little after in this same chapter thus he speaketh againe of this same thing Behold in this present day the glorious cōming of our Lorde Iesu Christ with the many thousands of his saints becommeth manifested which hath set himself now vpon the seate of his maiestie for to iudge in this same day which the Lord hath ordained or appointed the whol world with equitie and with faithfulnes trueth according to his righteousnes The places quoted by him in the margent out of Matthew Iude the Actes are so plaine for the second comming of Christ to the iudgement both of quick dead and not for bringing any doctrine for their further instruction as that it can admit no interpretation to the contrary The Scripture is not more plaine in any point then that eternall life is a matter diuers and distinct from the fruites of regeneration whiche are practised of the godly heere in this life For thus saith the Apostle of him selfe I haue fought a good fight and haue finished my course I haue kept the faith from henceforth is laid vp for me the crowne of Righteousnes which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day and not vnto mee onely but vnto all them also that loue his appearing If eternall life bee the same with Christian conuersation then could not the Apostle who had kept the faith look for any other crowne then that which he had alreadie neither yet for any other appearing of Christ if that be his last comming when he worketh the reformation of our life Let vs brethrē learne of the Apostle to keep the faith that we may also with him bee assured to receiue the crowne of Righteousnesse at the appearing of Iesus Christ For the father of this familie togither with many of his householde because they haue not kept the faith but made shipwrack thereof not onely nowe themselues want the comfortable hope of that blessed inheritance which holdeth vs vp in the middest of all our distresses but also labour to take away from others the grounds of all hope heereafter to bee had Nowe if any bee so fauourable to this familie as to answeare for them that whatsoeuer their woordes bee it is not their meaning to imagine that the day of Iudgement is already come and that Christ is come againe to iudge the quick and the deade or that nowe wee are parted from the Goates and possessed of euerlasting life I woulde aske that man what hee would say if hee should by occasion happen to heare a man conspyring with others his fellowes aboute the breaking of his house and afterwarde him selfe should take the same partie when he had vndermined the strongest parte thereof whether hee could not bee brought for all this to thinke the man had any meaning to hurte or hinder him Nowe the woordes of H. N. are plaine that Christe is already come with thousandes of his Angels to iudge the worlde with righteousnesse and the strongest holdes of our hope for an other life and other ioyes in the worlde to come he hath attempted vtterly to ouerthrowe telling vs that those are already possessed of vs euen heere in this life H. N. The fifth Chapter of his Euangelie or ioyful message of the kingdome BEholde and consider ye dearely beloued how that God after the mans falling away hath alwaies shewed his loue on the man and promised him euē so to the destroying of the sinne to set enmitie betwixt the serpent whose head is the sinne and the woman which consented to the sinne and betwixt the serpents seede and the womans seede to the treading downe of the head of the serpent And how that the same promised enmitie against the sin and the sinful seede had her beginning by the single minded Abel Which Abel offered vp his willing gifte or offering out of a good hart vnto the God of Heauen and was slaine by the wicked nature of the sinne through the hands of his brother Caine And how that Seth after the death of Abel was placed by God to be an other seede in the place of Abel to the establishing of the foresaide promise of God As also how that Seth which is the seconde seede in the place of Abel and his seede is the right stocke or linage whereout the beleeuers and children of GOD namely all they that haue beene enemies vnto the sin are borne or brought forth to the establishing of the promises of God the father But all other people or generations which were borne vpon the earth without the stocke of Seth and all they that walked not in the forme of Abel according to the maner or ordinaunce of Seth were not of the right stocke of Seth but they were foraine braunches which turned them away there from and were neuer prudent nor vnderstanding in the godly wisdome but verie well in their owne felfe knowledge and good thinking wherewith they turned vnto them selues and forsooke euen so the vpright childishnesse and simplicitie and the willing oblation or god seruice of Abel Answere TOuching the fall of man this Authour speaketh darkely and daungerously in euery place GOD saith he after the mans falling away hath alwayes shewed his loue on the man and in the later ende of the fourth Chapter hee hath these woordes Wee will declare from the time foorth of the falling away or disobedience of the man the earnest loue which GOD hath alwaies till vnto this same day shewed towards the man through his elected Ministers to bring him agayne vnto the heritable beautie of the former kingdome From the which hee turned him away In the beginning likewise of that fourth Chapter hee saith to the like effect that from the former kingdome full of all righteousnesse loue peace and amiablenesse the man hath from the beginning turned away his hearte and fell away from or was disobedient vnto the worde of his God the vpright life of his true light Thus doth he set foorth the fall of man for he hath no place touching this doctrine plainer fuller then these be Wherin I beseche you mark the diuersitie of this doctrine from
which not onely H.N. but all other Heretikes professe of hauing our sinnes answered by and in our selues either wholy or at least in some part that the verie figures shoulde haue light sufficient in them to driue awaye all darkenesse and doubting herein But what lighte can make him see that is blinde or open those eyes that in iust iudgement are closed vp by the Lorde H.N. And hath suffered in all obedience of the word of his heauenly father the death of the crosse in reproch blasphemie contempt and false defamation or accusation for our sinnes cause Answere The name of Christe as you haue hearde is giuen by H. N. vnto all his illuminate Elders as vnto those who haue atteyned vnto an estate of perfection by meanes of their obedience vnto his doctrine Whome howe manie soeuer hee comprehendeth vnder one name and speaketh of them as of one person It is giuen also as you haue hearde by speciall prerogatiue vnto the eldest Elder that is H. N. himselfe The suffering of this Christ his death of the crosse is set forth in this that he hath yelded all obedience to the worde of his heauenly father which is this doctrine of H.N. and gone vnder and borne reproch blasphemie contempt and false defamation or accusation for the same Thus hath H. N. his Christ suffered the death of the Crosse in that himselfe and his illuminate elders could neither by their owne affections nor yet by the reproch and contempt of others be brought from this doctrine and seruice of loue which thing is confirmed in the. 20. Chapter of this his first exhortation and third Section in these wordes Against these assaultings the man ought in his yongnesse to learne to take vp his crosse on him to follow after Christ his Sauiour in his like suffering or death of the crosse and to shewe forth pacience with Christ against all the assaultings vntil that al the enemies or aduersaries of the louely life through the death of Christ that is in maner of suffering be vtterly vanquished and that he euen so is growne vp thorow the death or togither suffering of Christ which is the dayly oblation in the holy to the olde age of the man Christ and entred thorow the secōd birth from the dead into the euerlasting life which passage or way to the euerlasting life we haue witnessed and figured forth distinctly and clearly in the figure of the true and spirituall tabernacle and in other moe places in the glasse of righteousnesse The yong scholler in this scoole of Loue whome hee calleth the man in his yongnesse is as you heare to follow Christ that is H.N. and those illuminate elders in his like suffering and death of the crosse So that Christ had no other suffering or death of the Crosse then the yongest scholler in H.N. his schoole must suffer go vnder and that is nothing else as he sayth in this place but to shewe foorth pacience against all assaultings vntill all the aduersaries of this louely life by this maner of suffering become vtterly vanquished and hee growne vp to the olde age of the man Christ that is a perfect and absolute elder And therefore in his two next sections hee exhorteth them that it shoulde not bee tedious vnto them to shewe foorth this pacience and to abide this death of the Crosse for a little time in bearing the assaultes of those enemies who woulde turne them from the good will they haue to this godly being vnder the obedience of the loue and doeth promise vnto them that after a little time of this their distresse affliction and anguish the Lorde will bring his Christ that is as he there sayth his best beloued and most holy being vnto them in power and glorie In the 26. and 27. Sections of this Chapter he doeth in plaine wordes declare that while a man is in this yongnesse and not fully setled in the doctrine and seruice of loue but subiect to anguishe and affliction with temptations and assaultes eyther with himselfe or from others that would drawe him from the same and with griefe for his stumbling or falling by meanes thereof then is he suffering with Christ vpon the Crosse for the redemption of his sinnes These bee his wordes in that place Wherfore when as now your stumbling and falling becommeth dayly figured very great and horrible before you and that yee for that cause beeing wofull of heart feele yet the pricking of the sinne the dartes of the death and the condemnation of the hell or beare the same with anguish in your hearts yet feare not nor be dismaied in your heartes but shewe foorth pacience and followe after Christ in his suffering for those are the dayes of affliction heauinesse and death wherein Christ hath gone before you in the holy for to prepare you through the same death of the crosse the euerlasting forgiuenesse and redemption of sinnes as there is before sayde Where you may painely see that H.N. his Christ in his yongnesse as hee calleth it was a sinner and was wofull in his heart for his stumbling and falling are woful in heart he sayeth Those are the dayes of affliction and heauinesse wherein Christ hath gone before you for to prepare you through the same death of the crosse the euerlasting forgiuenesse and redemption of sinnes And if yet some more specialtie touching the death of H.N. his Christ be asked after that shal be the sooner answered if we call to remembrance that which was vttered before out of the 9. Chap. of the Euangelie and tenth Section to witte that the knowledge after the letter and the obedience vnto the same is the first birth and the knowledge of Christ after the flesh which must bee crucified and put to death that the lawfull heire which is after the spirit spirituall and heauenly may take place comparing it with that which is written in the 21. Chapter of his Euangelie in these woordes Forasmuch nowe as that in times past the clearenesse of Christ through the holy ghost was yet vnknowne vnto the vpright and faythful disciples of Iesus Christ whilest that they knew him not otherwise but after the fleshe so was it therefore needefull that Christ should keepe the Pascha or Passeouer with them for that cause the Lord Iesus caused the same to be prepared him for to keepe the Passeouer with his Disciples in the true beeing and tolde them before of his suffering and Passeouer and that they must also doe the like if they woulde come to his clearenesse in the heauenly being with his father Therfore hee gaue them to vnderstande in what maner his Passeouer should be to wit that he namely Christ after the flesh should be slaine and euen so accomplish according to the true being the true God seruice with the gifte or offering of his fleshe in the holy namely on the true aultar of the holie offring which is his crosse whereon he died in the beleefe herewith Christ
shewed vnto his disciples howe or in what maner his flesh must be offered and giuen ouer to a life of men that they all euen so which in the beliefe of their safe making from their sinnes eate his flesh and followed after him euen vnto the second birth should haue the life in fulnesse in all godly clearnesse according to the spirit Behold this is the vpright Passeouer with Christ or the right supper which the vpright beleeuers disciples of Christ keepe with Christ to wit that they depart euen so with Christ out of the flesh into the spirit and out of the death or mortalitie into the eternall life of euerlasting immortalite wherethrough the sinne and all destruction becommeth vanquished This death of H.N. his Christ in the flesh is to renounce the knowledge of Christ after the letter to die vnto that and so to passe into that clearenesse of the spirite in knowledge and obedience whereto we are led by the doctrine of H.N. which he calleth that eternall life of euerlasting immortalitie wherby sinne and all destruction becommeth vanquished The maner of the death and suffering of H.N. his Christ what it is may well be conceyued by the Allegorie of Agar and Sara in the 8. Chapter of his Euangelie By Agar as hee sayeth in that place is signified the written woorde which hee calleth the seruiceable writing or letter of the beleefe By Sara a perfect estate according to H.N. his doctrine For he sayeth That so manie be her children as are borne out of the beleefe of the true being of Abraham and are growne vp in the holy and godly vnderstanding Now when the seede of Sara the free woman which before was called Christ after the spirite is borne then is Agar with her seede that is Christ after the flesh or the written word which he calleth the seruiceable writing or letter of the beleefe put away and discharged And therfore then is H.N. his Christ killed put to death whē any disciple of his hath so profited that he is now no longer led by the writtē word but altogither ruled by reuelatiō with estate as H.N. teacheth is altogither void of sin imperfection If it be required what benefite we reape from his passion and suffering because H.N. affirmeth in this place that hee hath suffered for our sinnes cause that is answered in the 20. Chap. of this first exhortation Sect. 17. For when in the 12. Section hee had exhorted his yong disciples that if they shoulde offend or as he speaketh ouerreach themselues in anie thing they shoulde not suffer themselues to bee iudged or condemned by their conscience but shoulde humble themselues to the elders or Ministers of the word in the seruice of the loue to bee instructed by them giuing the reason of his speach in the Section following hee hath these wordes For we haue in our communiaitie of the loue a true iudge Iesus Christ our Lord and King he is vnto vs in all our walking a fountaine of life and to a-making a liue of vs all against the death and the deadly venime of the sinne And continuing his speach of the same matter speaketh thus Wee haue also thorow him a dayly offering in the holiest his spiritual and true tabernacle into which holy he is gone before vs therein himself beareth our sinnes through his suffering and death of the crosse wherethrough hee sheweth or teacheth vs the vpright offering for our sinnes and prepareth for vs euen so a free entrance with him into the holy to an eternall and liuing way H.N. therefore and these illuminate elders or Ministers of the word in the seruice of Loue to whom he giueth the name of Christ and speaketh of them all as of one person are saide to suffer for our sinnes because they hauing gone before vs in the conflictes with these enemies of the louely being haue shewed vnto vs by their example the vpright offering for our sinnes And this is all the helpe wee haue from the passion death and suffering of H.N. his Christ that wee haue the way beaten before vs howe to suffer for our owne sinnes and to procure the remission of the same Which thing he testifieth likewise in the 19. Section of this chapter saying Through which daylie God seruice and offering in the holy in the taking vppe of our Crosse in the imitation of Christ in his death we obteine the remission of sinnes they be his owne woordes But I neede not to trauayle farre for proofe that this is his opinion of the benifite wee haue by Christ for euen in the woordes which do immediatly folow this place we haue in hand he affirmeth that Christ is gone before vs in the obedience of the word of his Father in reproche and contempt that we should in like maner folow after him vnder the obediēce of his loue in his death of the Crosse to the safemaking of vs from all our sinnes What blasphemie can be vttered agaynst Christ that doeth not followe this opinion of H.N. for by this docrrine H.N. by speciall prerogatiue and the illuminate elders in the seruice of loue after a seconde sort be Christ himselfe By this doctrine Christ when he was a young one had sinne and suffered the death of the Crosse for it By this doctrine we suffer the death of the Crosse for our own sinnes make the purchase thereof by our selues By this doctrine wee are released of our sinnes by imitation but not not by imputation And whether would not this heresie stretch if a man should thorowly searche the length deapth and breadth thereof seeyng that by this doctrine the historie of Christ his birth death and suffering had no trueth according to the naturall sense meaning of the letter but was only a figure of a spiritual kinde of birth death suffering which should be procured by obedience vnto this doctrine of H.N. not signifying a thing once done by one man according to the natural meaning of the woordes but a figure of a thing to bee often doone and by many according to an illegitimate and bastardely wringing of the woordes in vtterly denying the trueth of that doctrine which telleth vs that Christe hath come in the fleshe ouerthrowing both his person and office The Crosse then that H.N. his Christ died vppon was his doctrine which he calleth the beliefe and therefore as wee hearde before in the twētieth chapter he saith that he died in the beliefe And in trueth it is a doctrine that killeth the true Christ and all true Christianitie These thinges beyng considered it shal be no hard matter to discerne who is Iudas here and who be the Scribes and Pharisees that bring Christ to the death of the Crosse For who is the chiefe man to bring other to the beliefe which is the crosse whereon Christ dieth in fleshe but H N He therefore of necessitie must be Iudas And as for the illuminate elders by
of the Actes of the Apostles touching the holy ghost appearing in clouen tongues like fire was nothing else but the appearing of this his Christ after the spirit These are his wordes touching this matter His disciples therefore were mindfull of all this and what he had said vnto thē remained within Ierusalē waiting cōcordably with supplication praier for the promises of the father vntil that christ after the spirit appeared vnto them out of the heauenly being The subtiltie of that ancient enimie vnto mankind may here euidently be seene for albeit heauē be not further distant frō the earth then the meaning of H.N. is from the truth of the doctrine set forth in this cōmon Creede these articles of our belief yet to colour his craft withall he keepeth him to the same words which the church vseth professing the christ rose the third day frō the dead saue that he interlaceth some odde words which cannot wel be discerned but by thē that are well acquainted with his bookes vnder the which he conueyeth all his corrupt doctrine Here hee sayeth that the God of Abrahā hath raysed vp this his sonne Iesus hauing relation in these wordes this his sonne vnto that Christ which he describeth And likewise when he affirmeth that Christ rose euen so the thirde day from the dead by this speach euen so hee caryeth vs from the resurrection in the fleshe vnto the rising in the spirite according as himselfe hath imagined of the matter and yet is hee content to make mencion of the thirde day as if there were no ill meaning in the man when as indeede this rising the thirde day must bee euen so as hee meaneth that is nothing so as the truth is Where the scripture affirmeth that Christ appeared in the flesh after his resurrection vnto his disciples and shewed vnto them his handes and his side and that hee willed Thomas who had affirmed he woulde neuer beleeue his resurrection vnlesse hee shoulde put his finger into the print of the nayles and his hande into his side to put his finger where the nayles had beene and his hande into his side H.N. to mainteine his doctrine of the resurrection in the spirite affirmeth that he shewed vnto his disciples nothing else but the victorie ouer sinne death deuil and hell as if he had declared vnto them howe by his suffering passion he came by the victorie ouer sin death the deuil and hell to the ende they might follow him in the same footesteppes and so become partakers of the like victorie with him Which thing in plaine woordes hee professeth in the next Section Heere he setteth foorth the matter not altogither so plainely and yet clearely enough to him that is anie thing acquainted with his subtile writing and craftie manner of speaking These bee his woordes in this place Hee appeared or made manifest him selfe to his friendes which loued him shewing vnto them thorowe his suffering and death of the Crosse the victorie ouer the sinne death deuill hell the fleshe and the worlde What plainer proofe can be brought not onely that Christ did rise in the fleshe but also that he rose in the same flesh wherein he suffered then this euen now alledged out of the Gospel after saint Iohn for the Apostles see his handes and his side Thomas putteth his finger into the place where the nayles had beene and his hande into his side which thing H. N. shall neuer bee able to wipe away by any mystical interpretation whatsoeuer inasmuch as our Sauiour Christ reproouing the want of fayth in Thomas and that he was so hardly led to beleeue his resurrection before his senses were satisfied sayth vnto him Thomas because thou hast seene me thou beleeuest blessed are they that haue not seene and haue beleeued In the second of the Actes saint Peter proueth that Christ must be raised vp concerning the flesh and bee set vpon the throne of his father and that he should not bee left in the graue neither should his flesh see corruption and that Dauid long before as he was a prophet did both foresee foretel this therfore seeing he was a prophet knew that God had sworne with an othe to him that of the fruit of his loines he wold raise vp christ cōcerning the flesh to set him vpō his throne he knowing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ that his soule should not be left in graue neither his flesh shuld see corruptiō This testimony of the apostle cannot agree with H. N. his Christ For his flesh must necessarily bee left in the graue and see corruption because when his Christ after the fleshe is dead hee neuer resumeth or taketh vnto him againe that estate but as hauing for euer done with it riseth vp in the spirite and continueth in the same being for euer after an illuminate elder who neither can erre in iudgement nor offend anie more in conuersation So that death or the graue do still keepe that possession or power which once they had of his flesh neither will he that they yeelde it vnto him anie more againe As for the true Christ it was impossible for death to keepe and continue that holde which once it had of him as appeareth in the Actes The Lord if it be his good will giue this Familie to see what a Christ H. N. hath brought vnto them that they refuse no longer the true Christ and onely comfort of all Christians for this miserable Christ whome the graue hath closed vp and holdeth all that euer it had of him For their Christ after the spirite was neuer in the graue and their Christ after the fleshe by H. N. his owne testimonie doeth neuer arise after that once he hath beene in the graue How shall these men bee euer able to gette out at the doores of death when their Christ and Captaine is yet groping and to this day hath not founde the gate that leadeth out of the graue H.N. Wee confesse that no man can become partaker with all the holie ones of God and beleeuers of Iesus Christ of the resurrection of Christ nor of the resurrection from the dead or yet rise vp with the holie ones of God and Christ but such as indeuour themselues in the beliefe vnder the obedience of the loue of Iesus Christ to become implanted into Christ the gracious worde of the Lorde and euen so then to die with Christ in his like death as also to lay away slay and burie through the death of his crosse the sinne in the flesh whereby they may euen so out of the second birth from the dead become renued in the spirit of their minde in Iesus Christ For therethrough wee all obteine and enioy in the vpright righteousnesse and holinesse which GOD esteemeth the making aliue from the dead namely with all the righteous and holie ones of God in the day of the
Church Nowe if vnto Allegories vsed in the scripture it be denied to speake as witnesses for the deciding of doubtes because theyr speache is so doubtfull and obscure in it selfe with what conscience can the testimony be taken of H. N. his Allegories to decide the chiefe pointes of religion withal seeing they are all hatched at home of him selfe and not one to be founde in the writinges of the holy Ghost Irenaeus likewise in his second booke Aduersus haereses and the tenth chapter speaking to the same purpose hath these woordes Omnis autem quaestio non per aliud quod quaeritur habet resolutionem nec ambiguitas per aliam ambiguitatem soluitur apud eos qui sensum habent aut aenigma per aliud magis aenigma sed ea quae sunt talia ex manifestis consonantibus claris accipiunt absolutiones Matters called into question can haue no resolution by other thinges that are likewise in question neyther can one obscure thing be cleered among them that haue eyther iudgement or sence by an other that is darke but of questions that be darke and obscure are wise men woont not otherwise to be resolued then by apparant and manifest proofes It is plaine therefore by the iudgement of these ancient and learned fathers that Allegories which are H. N. his best witnesses be as those men who haue heretofore worne papers For theyr testimony may not be taken to decide matters of question And he that bringeth no better matter then is an Allegorie for the deciding of a doubt is as he who because he wāteth better witnesse is glad to call a periured person to the booke I except not in this speach Allegories that are read in the scripture vnlesse they be suche as by plaine woordes either going before or comming after bee clearely opened and made manifest vnto vs The dispositions of such as haue their sence by circumstance made certaine and are founde in the scripture I deny it not may bee taken but that is altogeather for the assurance that the circumstances doe make vnto vs not for any certaine that is to bee had from them selues They must be plaine and certaine that shal induce a man to geue credite vnto any matter that he is not already resolued of The Logitians therefore refuse too haue them among their places from whence they deriue their proofes and probalities I deny not but that the Rhethoritians haue entertayned them among their figures to moue and delight vs when before the trueth of that thing is out of al doubt with vs The Familie therefore are greatly abused of H.N. their Lorde and maister whyle they are enforced of him to take Allegories onely for theyr euidence And yet are not Allegories so muche abused when they be admitted for proofe as when they are made to ouerthrowe the naturall and historical sence of the worde For albeit the case be to bee pitied when a man shall be forced for lacke of credible persōs who haue beene present to take a periured man to decide a doubt yet is this more lamentable when the party periured shal be suffered to the end that he only may be heard to stop the mouthes of men of good credite who both could and woulde resolue vs of the right And in trueth so the case stādeth with H. N. his Allegories for they vtterly abolishe the naturall sence of the worde and of an historie when H.N. hath doone with it there is nothing left to be heard or seene beside a naked Allegorie Ierome him selfe albeit he had some times ouer great a lykyng of Allegories yet was hee neuer so be witched with them but that he held this trueth in opiniō that the literal natiue sence of the woorde was first to be layde as a sure fundatiō before the roofe of any spiritual sence or Allegorical meanyng might be made therunto Cum Historiae habuerint fundamenta tunc spiritualis intelligentiae culmen accipiant vt verè Christus de virgine natus sit Verè Lazarū mortuū susetarit quamuis quotidie de anima Virginali nascatur sermo diuinus quotidide peccato mortui vitiorum funibus alligati de sepulchro scelerum suorum iubentur exire When they shall haue the foundation of an History then let them builde the roofe of a spiritual fence As for example It is the trueth of a deede once done that Christ was borne of a Virgin and that hee raysed vp Lazarus when hee was dead albeit a diuine word is dayly borne of a pure chast minde they that are dead vnto sinne and bound with the cordes of theyr offēces are dayly cōmaūded to come out of the graues of theyr sinnes Howe farre is H. N. from this moderation for his Allegories in the weightiest matters as in the birth death and resurrection of Christ haue wholy drunke vp and altogeather drowned the histories And generally throughout al his writinges after once hee hath begunne with it hee neuer ceasseth to pursue his Allegory vntyl hee haue seene it playe the hangman vnto the natural sence and history For the drift and scope of all his doinges is to make vs keepe our eares shut against that which the Lorde doeth speake plainely vnto vs out of his woorde that we may onely reuerence these rydles that proceede from him selfe The woorde of GOD wil not suffer vs with H. N. to place and put into possession Allegories which be illegitimate that the naturall sence and signification of the woorde which is the lawful heire might thereby bee dispossessed and driuen out The practise of our Sauiour Christ of the Apostle Saint Paule is our president to vpholde the credite of the natural sence and meanyng of the woorde which Allegories beeyng suffered to haue so large alowance as H. N. doeth make them woulde soone driue out at the doores For the least part of an Historie as a worde and circumstance of time the whole whereof H. N. his Allegories woulde vnhorse and ouerthrow is with our Sauiour Christ aduaunced to the credite of deciding and determinyng matters of greatest weight and moment in religion Nowe yf aworde in his proper signification be so much made of with Christ the Apostles as that it shal be of sufficient credit to carry away a matter of greatest weight What wrong doeth H. N. offer the worlde that with Allegories would beare downe not the natiue sence onely of a woorde but of many wordes and sentences set togeather to maintaine a proper and naturall sence and signification Our Sauiour Christ when he will prooue him selfe the true Messias to be more then a man he vrgeth the naturall signification of the woorde Lorde that because Dauid whose sonne he was after the fleshe calleth him Lorde therefore it coulde not bee but that he was more then a meere man Moreouer in that weightie matter of iustification doeth not the Apostle stande vpon the signification of this worde impute which is euer vsed when fauour and mercy preuayleth
froÌ„ vs He left his life for vs that our life might be let out to honour him He made not so slender a purchase with so great a price as that if hee had a good sigh or a good word at our last breath that would suffice him this life was geuen for the purchase of a zelous geuing of our liues to the works that please him And therfore doth the Apostle tell vs that we are not our owne men to frame our life after our owne liking but are to serue the Lorde both with our body and with our spirite because they are the Lords bought of him with a price Yf we humble not our selues to a zelous folowing of good works we withhold the lords due for he hath paide a great price to purchase a good life at our handes Hee hath with no smal price but dearely bought of vs the honor of a life led in zelous obedieÌ„ce vnto his word For we are not barely to geue some good words either els to shew some good countenance toward religion and christian conuersation but to haue our conuersation declare that we are affected with the same become studious of such an estate of life Suche men declare theÌ„selues to be that peculier people for whoÌ„ the Lord laide out his life As for those who waâ—ke so indifferently betwene true religion false that a man can not discerne whether they are more inclined vnto As also those that walke so euen betwen a ciuil life a christianlike hehauiour that the difference is not easilie discussed they do declare themselues as yet not to be affected in desire towards those dueties which the Lord hath laid vpon his Now where this purchase of his hath taken place they are become a peculiar people zelous of good workes If colde christians haue so litle comfort from the death of Christ what shal become of them that are sworne enimies either to true religion or els to good life christiaÌ„ behauiour It is said here by the Apostle that we must be purged to become a peculiar people vnto our God zelous of good works which office of purging the holy Ghost perfourmeth not by miracle but by meanes wherein we haue great cause to be thankeful vnto God that whereas our foode was exceding grosse vnder the gouernment of the Pope as hauing only for diet the inuentions of man Nowe that pure and fine foode of the woorde of God is not only made lawfull vnto vs but also liberally layde out for vs But herein againe we ar bothe to confesse and acknowledge our want that seing we are not voyde of sinne while we remayne in this flesh and therfore haue neede to be often purged clensed our purgations for all this so greate a change so good a constitution of the minde vnder the Gospell be nowe at this day nothing diuers from those that were vsed in that that greate grossenes which we had vnder the Pope The Cannon lawe I confesse might purge somewhat in those times of ignorance when because the foode was so grosse the minde coulde not but be full of great and grieuous humores but now the constitution of our mindes beyng altered by reason that the foode is so cleane diuers from that it hath benne how can it purge to any purpose Let vs therfore euery one pray that seing by reason of this good diet of the Gospell the state and constitution of our minde is chaunged in steede of the Cannon lawe which passeth ouer many daungerous humors and purgeth them neuer a whit by reason of the great grossnesse that is in it VVe may haue rules Canons out of the worde of God which will pearce further purge other humoures wherof we haue great store those such as do greatly blemishe the Gospell and causeth so greate slaunder vnto our profession as hyndreth many from comyng thervnto Howe often doth the whole body of this realme asseÌ„ble togeather in that highe court of parliament to redresse those euils that are amonge vs ether in bodie goods or name making new statutes and repelinge olde accordinge as by that wisdome and experience which God hath giuen theÌ„ they see perceiue any danger either preseÌ„t or shortly lyke to fal vpoÌ„ them But as for the Church which Sathan maliceth infinitlye more and therfore maketh many sorer assaltes against the same how slenderly in all such assembles is her estate thought vpon And what statutes are their made to preueÌ„t the practises of Sathan Or what old ones be once repelid how vnprofitable or hurtfull so euer experience doth tel vs that they be The Lord touch them with the care of it who haue especial authoritie to redresse it I haue already bene verie long and the weather hath bene very tedious vnto you a woorde therefore or two of the last point and so I make an ende The maner of teaching trayning of schollers in Christ his schoole is by teaching exhorting and rebuking these thinges saieth the Apostle Speake exhort and rebuke with all authoritie We cannot conceaue the matters of saluation by and of our selues they must be taught vs and when wee yeelde vnto them in iudgement beeing perswaded of the truth thereof it is another labour then the former to be rightly affected with them And therfore they must be pressed vpon our affections by exhorting and rebuking for we are not by and by truely touched with our dutie and humbled to the obedience thereof when once wee haue subscribed in our iudgement to the truth and equitie of the thing Men muste haue speciall cunning and skill from God that shall come within vs and make vs in iudgement and affection to yeelde vnto duetie howe shall they preach saith the Apostle vnlesse they be sent This argueth a strong and a woonderful corruptioÌ„ to be within vs which hath so blinded our reason and hardened our affection that they must bee men of speciall giftes and graces that shal be able to open the eyes of our mind to conceiue the trueth and to touche our affections so as they shal be moued to make conscience of the same We may well discerne then howe vnprofitable those ministers bee in their place who know nothing how to exhort and rebuke Who woulde hyre into his haruest a Mower that coulde not set an edge vpon his sith when it should happen to be blunted by stones or other thinges that were hid in the grasse And is not teaching exhorting and rebuking the edge of the worde which maketh it cut And be not our heartes of themselues if Sathan shoulde cast in no outwarde occasions a grounde that is full of stones and what shoulde hee doe then in the haruest of the Lorde that cannot geue an edge to the worde by strengthening the trueth of the doctrine if false Prophets and Teachers should cast in stones of heresie erronious opinions nor yet by waking and rowsing the affections of men by exhorting and rebuking acording to sound doctrine