the riches of God Illuminated in the Spirit with the heauenly truth the true light of the perfect being elected to a Minister of the gracious word which is now in the last time raised vp by God according to his promises in the most holy Seruice of God vnder the Obedience of his Loue. The blasphemies of whose writings are so grosse as these wretches are very strait to whom they affirme that this euerlasting Gospell is H. Ns. the Light which God hath manifested in these last dayes yet apparantly it is it and no other For they speake plainely to whom they dare trust as they know wee well know and disperse his Bookes to those in whom they haue some hopes requiring most solemne protestations that they shall not let any see them who they know to be aduerse * For often they write keepe secrets from vnbeleeuers So that it is plaine this light which they much boast of and haue tolde many of vs of is this Gospell of H. N. which is so farre from light being compared with the holy Scriptures that it is damnable darknes from which we trust our God will alwayes keepe vs. But they tell vs much of it is in the Booke of Common prayer in the Booke of Homilies and in the booke of ordering of Bishops Priests and Deacons wherein all may see these hypocrites still would shelter themselues vnder Authority though it be a manifestation to all of their owne hypocrisie and of the horrible defamation of the Common prayer Booke for as wee said before they respect the Common prayer booke and the rest no more then they respect the Popish Masse-booke nor the Turkish Alchoran to wit in respect of the Magistrates commaund being farre from thinking in their hearts that any of them containeth the worship of God which they affirme to be onely inward and not in any outward obseruation whatsoeuer wherein they are most notable dissemblers in making men beleeue they respect that which they doe not And what a defamation is it vnto the Common prayer Booke and the rest that they affirme much of this new Light to be contained therein Is any such thing contained in any of these Bookes as that men euer had or can haue One Nature Being Life order and Spirit with God That God is all that Man is and that man is all that God is That Christ is the Perfection in the louely being whereunto H. N. and his fellow Elders doe attaine That Regeneration or the true Baptisme is the captiuating of men into H. Ns loue and her seruice That the Resurrection of the dead is the rising to H. Ns Doctrine That the Eternall iudgement is in this Day of the Loue of H. N and the life euerlasting the liuing in the Doctrine of H. N. after which there is no life more to bee waited for That any Idoll may haue all reuerence performed to it with the body that a man being tempted to any sinne if vpon crying helpe come not hee is free from the transgressing though he commit the fact That in this Citty or Communialty there is no more euill nor euill suspition nor yet sight of euill in them For within the same one doth neither see nor thinke any thing but all good c. That this Family should make manifest their whole heart with all their counsels mindes willes and thoughts together with all their doings 1. Exhor cap. 13. sect 12. dealings and exercises naked and bare before the Eldest in the Family of Loue and not couer nor hide any thing be it what it is before him also all whereunto their inclination kinde and nature draweth them vnto and all wherewith they become tempted or assaulted in their hearts And in their louely society Spirit land Cap. 37. sect 3. they doe not vow or binde themselues in the matrimony of men nor yet suffer themselues to be bound therein but are like the Angels of Heauen And there is no man that claymeth any thing to bee his owne as to possesse the same to his owne priuate vse for no man and that out of euery ones good disposition can desire any thing to bee his owne or yet to make any thing proper to himselfe from another But also whatsoeuer is there is free and is left free in his vpright forme There is also no man denyed to vse any thing in freedome of all that is profitable and needfull for him for they stand all in equity as one in the Loue c. Oh who would haue thought that so many abhominations had lurked in this wicked Family though alas these bee not all that are knowne and how many moe are vnknowne Pro. of H.N. Cap. 22. sect 16. and keepe secrets from vnbeleeuers men may imagine by H. Ns teaching his fellow Elders not to reueale their secrets no not to their owne young ones This is H. Ns. light brought into the world in these latter times but wee hope none of this new light or rather darknes will be sheltred in the Cōmon prayer Booke It will not patronage any of these fearefull blasphemies and therefore the hypocriticall boldnes of these Familists will haue little thankes for this their affirmation but before they come to this Light obserue what they must doe Looke who so will know these thinges must depart from all the wisdome of the Learned from the steps of the graue Fathers and from the religious walkings of all the Deuout persons euen all the knowledge men haue must away by little and little from euery one that shall be saued M. P. burning light cap. 7. sect 23 but before a Wise man can let slip all there must rise many agonies anguishes striuings and Earthquakes c. For before the Truth shall appeare the Destroyer must come and make all waste All light of Truth must bee put out before they can come to these thinges Oh fearefull wickednes Tenthly yee are voyde of the Christian Faith Answ OF the Faith of H. Ns. Christ we confesse our selues vtterly voide and doe blesse our God for the same but wee hauing manifested our Faith in the true Christ none will iudge vs to be voyde thereof but Atheisticall Familists Eleauenthly yee seperate from the holy Catholike Church Answ FIrst let it be obserued what these Familists iudge of all that beleeue not the Loue. Thus they write All such as beleeue not the Loue nor are Baptised into the name of the Father it is not meete to account such vnbeleeuers and vnbaptised ones for Christians at whose hands wee should looke for any word of truth let them esteeme themselues as holy as they will they are a false Christianity and deuillish Synagogue or Schoole now this being their censure of all but themselues If they meane the holy Catholike Church to be the Family of Loue as indeed H. N. saith then we must beare this accusation For as wee neuer were of it so we purpose to be deuided from it for euer If they meane any
Hee did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth hee was that iust one Cap. 3.18 who appeared to take away our sinnes and in him is no sinne That he suffered for the sinnes of others although what is said be proofe sufficient yet if any thing might bee accounted plaine with these wofull men manifold testimonies might be added Esa 53.5.6 you see Christ appeared to take away our sinnes hee was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes are wee healed Vers 12 and the Lord laide vpon him the iniquity of vs all hee powred out his soule vnto the Death hee bare the sinnes of many and payed for the trespassers hee dyed for the vngodly Rom. 5.6.8.9.10 for Sinners his Blood iustifies others his Death reconciled vs when wee were his enemies hee was giuen to Death for vs for our Sinnes Rom. 8.32 2 Cor. 5.15 Gal. 3.13 4.5 1. Pet. 2.21.24 hee dyed for all that were Dead Christ redeemed vs from the Curse of the Law by his suffering euen the cursed Death of the Crosse that he might Redeeme them that were vnder the Law who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his Body on the Tree 1. Pet. 3.18 4.1 1. Tim. 2.6 1. Ioh. 2.2 c. Christ the Iust suffered for the vniust and he hath suffered for vs in the Flesh hee gaue himselfe a Ransome for all men and hee is the reconciliation for the Sinnes of the whole world Secondly it is manifest that none can haue saluation but by Faith in those Sufferings of that man CHRIST IESVS Mar. 16.16 Hee that beleeneth and is Baptized shall be faued as many as receiues him to them Ioh. 1.12 hee gaue power to bee the sonnes of God euen as many as beleeue in his Name Ioh. 3.16 And whosoeuer Beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting Life hee that beleeueth not is Condemned already Vers 18 Be it knowne vnto you men and Brethren that through this man is Preached vnto you forgiuenes of Sinnes and from all thinges from the which yee could not be iustified by the Law of Moses Act. 13.38.39 by him euery one that Beleeueth is iustified The righteousnes of God is manifest vnto all and vpon all that Beleeue Rom. 3.22 And Abraham the Father of the Faithfull he beleeued and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes Rom. 4.24 And to vs also shall it bee imputed for Iustice which beleeue and the Iust shall liue by Faith Gal. 3.11 And wee are the sonnes of God by Faith in Christ Iesus Vers 26 What shall we need to alledge more testimonies who will not wonder that any mortall man professing the Scriptures should dare to set his face against God in these his euident testimonies when God saith The iust shall liue by Faith in his Sonne Christ Iesus who dare say this is a fable to seeke Iustice in another then in our selues and that by the Law men may bee justified before God as after it shall appeare they doe From all which testimonies we confidently affirme that neuer any Sinner was saued but by Faith in Christ either beleeuing him to come by the Promise of God to pay the ransome for mans sinne Or that he is come to performe the same For they that were saued before his Comming did beleeue in him according to the promise of the Father but after he is come all must beleeue as himselfe saith That I am hee Ioh. 8 24. or else they shall dye in their sinnes All which is so euident that it may be maruailed at that the Deuill should so besot men with blindnes as that they should contradict so euident a Truth and the rather because in wordes they acknowledge the Scriptures and in their Writings plentifully quote them but indeed it is certaine it is but to blinde the eyes of the simple For as the Master saith Therefore it is assuredly all false and lyes H.N. Dialog cap. 16. sect 16. seducing and deceitfull what the vngodded or vnilluminate men out of the Imagination of their knowledge and out of the learnednes of the Scriptures bring forth institute Preach or teach They Preach indeed the Letter but not the worde of the liuing God Let them esteeme themselues as holy as they will they are all a false Christianity and a deuillish Synagogue or Schoole So say his Disciples That wee out of the Family of Loue vnderstand not one word in all the vniuersall Bible and that wee are in the way of infernall darknesse So that pretend what they will they reiect all Scripture further then may stand with H. N. and his fellow Elders in the Family of Loue. For thus further they write They ought to beware that that they distrust not the Eldest in the Family of Loue H. N. in 1. exhor cap. 13 Diuis 11. fol. 31. nor suspect any manner of euill or vnwisedome by him nor yet in any wise perswade themselues that the Exercises documents or Instructions which are taught or set forth before them by the Father of the Family of Loue or oldest Elder are too sleight too childish or too vnwise for them to follow after or to obay but with perfect hearts humbly and singly minded as good willing Children to receiue the same instructions proceeding out of the wisedome and Councell of the Eldest and to stand euen so submitted till they come vnto the manly oldnesse in the Loue. Againe he saith The Scripturely learned man hath no knowledge of Gods matters In the Prophesie cap. 8. hee cannot vnderstand any tittle much lesse interpret or expound the same to others it is giuen onely to the Family of Loue to vnderstand the secrets thereof Againe thus My Children and you Family of Loue giue eare to mee your Father liue according to my Doctrine Jn his 1. exhort cap. 11. sect 1.2 that it may goe well with you take heed to my Doctrine and what I doe set forth and teach that it may bee a Seale of life and a witnes of truth in your hearts for it is your Life And againe thus Let your selues now in all your being nature minde and disposition Crying voyce cap. 3. sect 11 become renued through the loue in her seruice and giue all your vnderstanding captiue vnder the obedience of the Loue. And so teacheth his Children to say O my Father in the Loue 1. Exhor cap. 13. sect 2. I submit my selfe and all my vnderstanding vnder the wisedome of thy Doctrine Let all iudge if these wretches abolish not the Scriptures to set vp their owne deuillish inuentions what shew of the Scriptures soeuer they make But they obiect against this strict Faith in this man Christ and his sufferings Rō 2.14.15 For when the Gentiles which haue not the Law doe by Nature the thinges contained in the Law hauing not the Law are a Law
this Son of God Iesus Christ That no Idolater can be saued is thus confirmed Confounded bee all they that serue grauen Images and that glory in Idols Psal 97.7 1. Sam. 12.21 Num. 25.2.9 For they are not onely thinges of naught and vanity but they bring confusion and curse vnto all that submit vnto them Yea the Lord saith That Idolaters shall no more inherite the Kingdome of Heauen then Adulterers Fornicators wantons 1. Cor. 6.9 Buggerers Theeues couetous Drunkards raylers nor Extortioners But Idolaters with the fearefull and vnbeleeuing and abhominable and Murtherers and Whoremongers and Sorcerers and all lyars shall haue their part in the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone Reuel 21.8 which is the second Death Therefore we are commanded to flye from Idolatry and seperate our selues 1. Cor. 10.14 and touch none vncleane thing and then God will be our God and Father and walke among vs 2 Cor. 6.17 18. and dwell there and wee shall be his Sonnes and Daughters Hauing thus in generall proued that no Idolater can be saued that wee may come a little nearer the thing let vs obserue how far Idolatry doth extend It is sufficiently knowne of many that Idololatria signifieth a seruice of any likenes not onely of God but also concerning the thinges of Gods worship which is truely acknowledged by the annotation in the English Bible in Quarto vpon 1. Iob. 5.21 Babes keepe your selues from Idols The wordes are meaning from euery forme and fashion of thing which is fet vp for any deuotion to worship God And a great aduersary of the Papists saith Dillingham against the Pa◠pa. 37. To serue God as we list and not as he will is Idolatry So that any formes or fashions of Deuotion in Gods worship that is not Gods or besides Gods are Idols and Christs Babes must keepe themselues from them else they will bring them to destructiō as before is proued therefore not onely they that worship stockes and stones as God or as similitudes of God are Idolaters subiect to the Curses pronounced but also all such as in Deuotion to God set vp formes or fashions to worship God by that God hath not commanded and this is plainly proued by those fearefull Iudgements pronounced against all such as worship those mysticall Idols The Beast or his Image spoken of Reuel 14.9 c. Which generally all acknowledge that these worshippers doe in wordes worship the true God For these Scriptures are applyed to those people that in words doe acknowledge both God and Christ yet saith the Holy Ghost These worshippers shall drinke of the wine of Gods wrath and bee tormented in Fire and Brimstone for euermore Which estate of confusion all must comeout of that will be saued For as it is a habitation of Deuils Reuel 18.2 so the worshippers therein are worshippers of Deuils Reuel 9.20 though it be in a great mystery and so perceiued of few Next it remaineth to proue that saluation is promised as to Faith in Christ as before is proued vpon Repentance of Idolatry as of all other sinne so also to obedience of Faith not to obedience of the Law but to obedience of the Gospell for that Faith that is not accompanied with Obedience Iam. 2.19 is not onely a dead Faith but it is the Deuils Faith that which shall neuer profit any man to Iustification Obedience to the Law had iustice in it felfe if any could haue kept it but obedience to the Gospell hath iustice in Christ to all that beleeue obey him who hath fulfilled the Law for them and by the workes of the Gospell wee are saued For this is the worke of God which shall inherite eternall life that wee beleeue in Iesus Christ Ioh. 6.29 Which Faith is accompanied with Obedience of * faith Rom. 1.5 16.26 It is written Not euery one that saith vnto mee Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heauen but hee which doth my Fathers will which is in Heauen Math. 7.21 And let it be well obserued that obedience to the Sonne is not properly the obseruing of those morall precepts contained in the second Commandement Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe for that God hath from the beginning written not onely in the Tables of stone but in the tables of mans heart That as a man would another should doe to him Math. 7.12 so he should doe to him againe and not that onely is written in euery mans heart but euen this also that man should loue his Creator aboue all but the manner of this loue consisting in obedience to his Commandements for his worship and seruice that was directed in the Law by Moses and the Fathers If the Gentiles would haue it they must come vnto the Iewes Rom. 3.2 For to them were of credit committed the Oracles of God But now in these last dayes God hath spoken or declared what worship he will haue by his Sonne Heb. 1.2 whome he hath made heyre of all thinges Cōmanding all to heare him who hath shewed what manner of persons he accepteth worship of what his worship is what Ministery he hath appointed and what a Church Gouernment hee hath constituted and all other thinges for the well being of his Church Which is his Body Ephes 5.23 of which hee is the Sauiour who ought to bee obedient to him in euery thing And as the seruant Moses and the Commandements giuen by him was worthy of Honor in that time and euery transgression receiued a iust recompence of reward Heb. 2.2 of which we read of diuers dreadfull examples Leuit. 10.1 1. Sam. 6.19 1. Chron. 13.7.10 2. Chron. 26.16 c. Num. 16. cap. 1. Sā 13.13 c. cap. 15. read Deut. 27.36 So is the Sonne worthy of more honour in his Commandements in these last dayes Heb. 3.3 and soter punishment are they worthy of that doe transgresse them This is the Kingdome Heb. 10.29 and power in Heauen and Earth that is giuen to this Sonne of God to wit Mat. 28.18 to rule ouer the bodyes and soules of men whom he hath redeemed by the scepter of his word This is the gouernment on his shoulder Esa 9.6 Heb. 12.28 Act. 2.30 1. Cor. 15.24 c. and the Kingdome that can not bee shaken On which hee sits for euer to order it euen till hee haue subdued all thinges and deliuer it vp to his Father and they that will not that he shall raigne ouer them by his owne Lawes shall be brought and slaine before him Luk. 19.27 Now if such be the estate of all those that obey not the Sonne in his Lawes as if the Scriptures be true it is then what is the estate and condition of such as in stead of obedience to him contemne his Commandements and submit to mens inuentions for matter of worship to God where now is place for that hypocriticall pretence of
the 7th day in the Paradice of God wherein God rested from all his workes and is the Perfection the which also is very true c. And in the same Chap. thus Oh that they yet now awaked and tooke heede in the worde of the seruice of Loue vnto this Gracious time The word of the seruice of Loue is the Christ and gaue eare vnto the same that they might vnderstand their safe making and so then bee rightly and according to the truth brought into the true being that is vnto Christ And againe speaking in praise of the Romish Priests thus Therefore they were ioyned with others in the seruice of the Holyworde Euang Reg. Cap. 3. sect 14. because they let passe the child-hood or the youngnes of the holy vnderstanding and grew vp according to the requiring of the seruice of Loue The perfectiō of the oldest Father is H. N's Christ vnto the manly agednesse of Christ that is vnto the true being of the oldest and holyest Father And againe thus Hereunto serue the Parish Priests as to such procurators or helpers forward of the Communalties Euang. Chap. 14. sect 16. for to beare a good care ouer them and to witnes and teach them dayly the holy vnderstanding of Christ the oldest Father Also thus First exhort of H.N. cap. 12. sect 22.34 If yee will not that the wrath of God come or fall vpon you so deale faithfully before God and his holynesse and walke with your Spirit in the louely and vertuous being fasten your mindes thereto and build your righteousnes thereon for that is an eternall fast standing foundation whereon all Gods Prophets and holy ones haue builded and is Christ himselfe So that H. N's Christ is plainly by his owne testimony The perfection in the Louely being whereunto his Elders doe attaine and not the man Christ Concerning whome he thus writeth Oh alas how great Contention and vnprofitable Disputations hath there beene Euan. cap. 18 sect 17. concerning the Conception of Iesus Christ in the wombe of Mary and touching his Birth but if they all which contended hereabout had knowne the power of God and that also the mystery of the minde and workes of God had beene giuen them to vnderstand so should they thē verily not haue contended thereabout For his Successor writeth thus Where it is come to passe that all riches of the Spirit is gone cleane away The salutation of M. P. called the last trumpt sect 12. c. there the minde is become a poore widdow and the same widdow bringeth forth a Mayden to light which will conceiue the holy thing comming of the holy Ghost for then the power of the highest shall ouershadow the same Virgin and she shall thereby conceiue God with vs euen the deliuerer from all thraldome and bondage We might alledge much more of their intricate and tedious stuffo but it is wearisome According to which damnable Doctrine his now followers affirme That men may bee saued by the workes of the Law without knowledge or Faith in the blood of the man Christ Iesus yea they holde it a meere fable and speake of it with great contempt that we looke for justification with God in and through another that we looke for justification without vs that we speake of imputatiue righteousnes that wee holde justification by beleeuing for in truth they doe not hold that Christs Death bloodshed hath purchased any man but that he was an example to vs and such like for they holde that those Gentiles Rom. 2. kept the Law which say they was the Christ within them and those by this Christ namely by keeping the Law were justified Which detestable blasphemies of H.N. and his followers of making Christ to be a power and perfection in man which is his justification might rather be wondred at then confuted were it not that the Deuill in his instruments transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light to deceiue the hearts of the simple for whose cause we haue endeauored to say something What Iesus Christ is for whome hee hath endured all his sufferings without Faith in whome no soule can haue saluation THat Iesus signifieth a Sauiour Math. 1 2◠and Christ annoynted so that he is the annoynted Sauiour to saue his people from their sinnes is sufficiently knowne euery where in the Scripture And although hee be God ouer all Blessed for euer yet also is he true man ordayned before the foundation of the world promised to Adam when he had sinned and to Abraham and the Fathers The Prophets also declare the certainty hereof A Virgin shall Conceiue and beare a Sonne Esa 7.14 and shee shall call his name God with vs. Vnto vs a Childe is borne vnto vs a Sonne is giuen Esa 9.6 hee shall call his name Wonderfull Counsellor the mighty God c. And a Woman shall compasse a man Ier. 31.22 And in the fulnesse of time God sent his Son made of a Woman c. This Sonne of God thus made Flesh dwelt dmong vs being sent of the Father to declare and doe his will in which estate being like to vs in all thinges Sinne excepted he suffered not onely the cursed Death of the Crosse Reuel 19.15 but also trode the winepresse of the wrath of God the agony of which was so great that he not onely sweat drops of Blood but also cryed Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and if it be possible let this Cup passe from me This being the true Iesus Christ that came by Water Blood 1. Ioh. 5.6 witnessed by the Spirit of truth thus ordayned promised Prophesied of and performed And now if it bee proued that what he did hee did it in Obedience to his Father yet for the benefit of others that without the knowledge of and Faith in him no soule euer was or can be saued we say if these thinges be plainely proued that cursed fiction of the Christ of H. N. and his followers will appeare to be most abhominable Therefore first will wee proue that Christs sufferings were for others That hee dyed for sinne is manifest That himselfe had no sinne is as manifest therefore of necessity he must dye for the sinnes of others That he dyed for sinne is proued Yet the Lord would breake him and make him subject to infirmities when hee shall make his soule an Offering for sinne c. Esa 53.10 Heb. 9.10 c. 1. Pet. 3.18 All the sinne Offerings were types of his sufferings for Sinne and he once suffered for sinnes That hee had no sinne himselfe is proued Though he had done no wickednes neither was any deceit in his mouth Esa 53.9 2. Cor. 5.21 For hee hath made him to be Sinne for vs that knewe no sinne c. But was in all thinges tempted in like sort Heb. 4.15 yet without Sinne 1. Pet. 1.19 and 2.22 He was that Lambe of God vndefiled and without spot
other Assembly how are they confounded to call that the holy Catholike Church in one place which in another place they call a false Christianity and a deuillish Synagogue or Schoole can the Deuils Synagogue be a holy Church But if the Family or any other bee a deuillish Synagogue Gods people are commaunded to seperate from them in all Spirituall fellowship Seperate your selues from this froward generation Act. 2.40 haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull works of darknes Ephe. 5.11 1. Cor. 10.20 I would not yee should haue fellowship with Deuils in the Sacrifices of the Gentiles What fellowship hath Christ with the Deuill the Beleeeuer with the vnbeleeuer the Temple of God with Idols Therefore seperate your selues saith the Lord touch no vncleane thing and I will receiue you 2. Cor. 6.14 c. and bee a God and Father vnto you and yee shall be my Sonnes and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty Thus is seperation lawfull till they haue proued that to be the Church of Christ which they say we seperate from which we trust they shall neuer haue cause to accuse vs of Twelthly there is not any one of you that is a new Creature Answ VVHat H. Ns new Creature is all may perceiue where hee saith Crying voyce Cap. vil sect 11. For to become washed in the Loue with her pure water is the vpright washing and the true font of the Regeneration or new Birth And the second Birth out of the Holy Ghost is in the Oldnesse of time whē the dayes of the patience of Christ in the obedience of the holy and Gracious word Exhort 1. Cap. 7. sect 29.31 and her seruice of Loue are fulfilled that then the holy Ghost becōmeth powred forth through Iesus Christ ouer them all that haue followed Christ in the Death of his Crosse obediently and haue kept his Doctrine namely H. Ns with the word of his patience euen vnto the end which is euery where taught in his tedious and intricate writings the estate of Perfection in the loue or Doctrine of this deceiuer For he saith The second Birth which is not minded according to the Flesh but according to the Spirit of the heauenly Truth obtaineth the victory beareth rule with God and bringeth forth the Name of Israell or Christ it selfe as before hath beene related vpon another occasion This their Godded estate is their second birth or new Creature which we doe much abhorre and therfore no maruaile if they say of vs that not any one of vs are new creatures But such new creatures as the sacred Scriptures speaketh of that we imbrace and follow after that being sometimes foolish disobedient deceiued seruing diuers lusts and pleasures liuing in malice and enuy hatefull and hating one another but after that the kindnesse and loue of God our Sauiour towards man appeared Tit. 3.3.4.5 not by the workes of righteousnes which wee had done but according to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of Regeneration and renuing of the holy Ghost c. Hereby in a measure are wee new Creatures Rom. 6.13 not now giuing our members seruants of sinne nor taking pleasure in any vnrighteousnes as before wee did but endeauoring henceforth to giue our members seruants of righteousnes in Holines 2. Cor. 7.1 c. and to cleanse our selues of all filthinesse of Flesh and Spirit and to growe vp vnto perfect holinesse in the feare of God For our helpes herein hauing not onely the power of the Spirit of God in our hearts but also all those blessed rules in Christs Testament for the guidance of vs in the way of life in which estate of Regeneration some are Babes 1. Ioh. 2.12 c. some are Young-men and some may bee called Fathers in respect of a measure of perfection whereunto they may attaine onely through Christs perfection without whose perfection all mens perfection is imperfection through him all his Are able to doe all thinges Phil. 4.13 Ioh. 15.5 ◠without him they can doe nothing The weakest of his members are perfect with God through him the strongest are not perfect without him For onely through him the Father is well pleased and he is our Iustification 1. Cor. 1.30 and all in all vnto vs. But that any man can attaine vnto such an estate in this life as it is not possible for him to transgresse any Law of God by any meanes in thought word or deed wee leaue that deuillish Dreame with H. N. and his bewitched followers who account this the second Birth or new Creature The Apostles of Christ confessed the contrary Iam. 3.2 1. Ioh. 1.8 To these 12. supposed euils which in writing they haue taxed vs with we will adde a 13th which we had frō their mouthes and it is this 13. You obserue not the Commaundement giuen to the Woman and her seede Reuel 12. of flying into the Wildernes from the presence of the Serpent Answ THeir meaning is that wee are too open in our profession through the which we endure much misery for so they haue said vnto vs they would haue vs dissemble like themselues and saue our selues from troubles For M. P. who calleth himselfe that mighty Prince of the Hebrewes in his vertue of the Crosse corrected Thus he writeth It is written Cap. 3. sect 1 saying When they persecute you in this Citty flye into another that is whilest wee are yet weake not well able to beare the crosse we may doe as Peter did with mouth deny Christ but not in heart And much more of this stuffe he proceedeth in but in diuers places of the margent he writeth Hide secrets from the vnbeleeuers To whom wee may say as Christ said to Peter when hee disswaded him from Suffering Get thee behinde me Sathan thou art an offence vnto me Math. 16. thou vnderstandest not the thinges that are of God c. Are not Gods seruants the salt of the earth and the light of the world shall the light be put vnder a Bushell Math. 5.13 and not set on a Candlesticke Christ commands that what he said in Darknes that his should speake it in the Light and what they heard in the eare that they should Preach on the houses and not feare them that would kill the Body Math. 10. c. and after that could doe no more For he that is ashamed of Christ and his words Mark 8.38 amongst this Adulterous and sinfull generation of him shall the Sonne of man be ashamed when he commeth in the Glory of his Father with his holy Angels For as with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnes so with the mouth he must confesse to saluation Rom. 10.10 If we suffer with Christ we shall raigne with Christ and if we deny him he will deny vs 2. Tim. 2.12 This the true Christ teacheth whom wee confesse and endeauour to serue But H. N. and the Families Christ teacheth them to saue themselues and rather
to dissemble if Authority command it then suffer any afflictions to the outward man abusing for his purpose this Scripture Blessed is the barren that beareth not c. As also that Christs yoake is easie and his burthen light And therefore bringeth not his to suffer persecution to the outward man but to doe any thing that Authority commaundeth whose grosse abhominations hath been formerly confuted and we trust our innocency defended against all the accusations of these Children of that olde accuser of the Brethren The Lord discouer their most palpable abhominations and deliuer poore simple soules from their snares Pro. 9.18 for assuredly the Dead are there and her guests are in the depth of Hell Conclusion IF these Familists or any that are not willing to be knowne to be of them doe except against any thing either by word or writing which is here written and say that we wrong them in alledging H. Ns. and the rest their hellish sayings and laying them vpon them we answer them many of these sayings are their owne and all the rest for any thing that we knowe for otherwise they would not disperse their Bookes if they did not approue of the Doctrine contained in them in all things that we know follow their course and we hartily beseech all that shall haue to deale with them that if they be ashamed of H. N. and this his new light or euerlasting Gospell which they so much glory of that they would require them by writing to be published to testifie their abhorring of these his wicked blasphemies otherwise they will not onely confirme all of their holding the same but also giue all occasion to iudge them to bee as they are dissembling hypocrites who hold thinges and yet endeauour to perswade people that they doe not holde them Let them testifie their abhorring 1. FIrst that which H. N. hath written of God That God and Man had one Order Spirit Nature and being that God was all that Man was and Man was all that God was 2. That Christ is the Perfection in the Louely being whereunto their Godded Elders doe attaine Or any power in man whereby hee can keepe the Law without Faith in the man Christ 3. That the true Baptisme is To bee in the loue and her Seruice 4. That the Resurrection of the Dead The Eternall Iudgement and the euerlasting life is in this life before the naturall Death of the body And that the Body commeth to nothing after Death 5. That they ought to prostrate their Bodyes before any Idoll or Idol-seruice at the Magistrates command keeping their hearts to God 6. That the Worship of God standeth not at all in any outward Ordinance or obseruation 7. That if one bee tempted to any Sinne and cry and there come no helpe hee or she is guiltlesse though they commit the Act. 8. That they doe not binde themselues in Matrimony of men nor yet suffer themselues to be bound therein but are like the Angels of Heauen 9. That they ought to confesse before the Eldest in the Family all their euill thoughts wordes and deedes whatsoeuer they be and all that their inclination and Nature draweth them vnto 10. That some of them are come vnto such a perfection that being Godded with God neither in thought word nor deed they can sinne any more 11. That no man maketh any thing his owne or proper to himselfe but all thinges whatsoeuer is in the Loue is free and is as one 12. That any that are ignorant though Idolaters and worshippers of Deuils and iustifying themselues therein may bee saued though they know not nor beleeue in the Blood of the man Christ 13. That H. N M. P. and the seruant of M. P. were raised vp of God to publish these thinges to the world in these latter dayes as an euerlasting Gospell All these thinges hath Henry Nicholas and his followers published being raised vp out of the infernall pit to the deceiuing of them that beleeue not the Truth which Iesus Christ the Sonne of the Eternall Father hath reuealed but haue pleasure in vnrighteousnes being of God deliuered vp to a reprobate minde that they might be damned If they testifie their abhorring of these thinges without scores euasion or mentall reseruation we shall be glad If not let them be content to be called his Disciples whose Discipline they maintaine Wee doe herein as we would be done vnto for we are content that any whatsoeuer shall aske vs a reason of our Faith in any thing and we will render it to them Now the Lord Iesus Christ the great and good Shepheard of his Sheepe disclose and destroy the lyes and snares of this Theefe and robber H. N. and his followers that the soules of all for whom Christ hath payed so deare a price may be deliuered from their destruction and be brought vnto and continued in his Folde to their Immortality of soule and body in Glory euerlasting By the same our Lord and Sauiour to whome with the Father and the blessed Spirit one Eternall and euerliuing God be Glory and Dominion now and for euer Amen PSAL. 111.104 By thy precepts J haue gotten vnderstanding therefore J hate all the wayes of falshood VERS 115. Away from me yee wicked for I will keepe the Commaundements of my God FINIS