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
mercy the knowledge of the Gospell being reuealed to the world by his Son hee admonisheth all men euery where to repent euen you Athenians of your ignorant worship else as he had no regard in the time of your ignorance you continuing the same he will yet haue no regard of your ignorant Deuotion the like is said of Caines worship that God regarded it not Gen. 4.5 God hath so little regard of Ignorance that if his owne Commandements should be performed without knowledge Heb. 11.6 it were sinne For without Faith it is impossible to please God and whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 the wages of sinne is Death This place therefore may be for confirmation of what is said to proue that God hath no regard of any ignorant worship whatsoeuer But their mayne obiection is from Cornelius in that he is called a Deuout man Act. 10. cap and one that feared God with all his Houshold which gaue much Almes to the people and prayed God continually a iust man of good report among all the Nation of the Iewes The holy Ghost saith of this man That his Prayers and his Almes were come vp in remembrance before God Therefore saith the Lord now send men to Ioppa and call for Symon whose surname is Peter hee shall speake wordes vnto thee whereby both thou and all thy House shall be saued This man say they was in the estate of saluation before euer Peters Doctrine came vnto him which if it were so it must bee by Faith in the promised seed Iesus Christ and then will make nothing for them where we can see a man or men in whom wee can behold asmuch good as in Cornelius wee will willingly say asmuch of him as of Cornelius But wil it therefore follow that such as liue in Idolatry and wilfully though ignorantly goe on in the same that such must be declared to bee in the estate of saluation Seeing the Lord hath so plentifully declared the contrary Can any such thing be said of Cornelius wee neither reade that he was an Idolater nor refused to receiue Christ Iesus when hee was offered Thus much Cornelius estate proueth That men that walke in no euill way but on the contrary haue many goodnesses in them God so remembreth and respecteth them that hee will not leaue them till he haue sent Peters Doctrine vnto them whereby they may be saued yea God respecteth any good in any as in Ahab 1. King 21.29 1. King 14.13 Ionah 3.10 Rom. 1.12 c. Ieroboams Sonne Niniuie yea in those that haue no more but the workes of God to teach them as euery reasonable Creature vnder Heauen hath that if they vse that well and glorifie God by that they haue he will not leaue them till he haue brought thē to Peters Doctrine whereby they may be faued Now that Cornelius although a iust man fearing God and his prayers had in remembrance with God was therefore in the estate of Saluation before Peters Doctrine came vnto him it may be questioned if not absolutely denyed for these reasons 1. Because the Lord saith Act. 11.14 Peter shall speake wordes vnto thee whereby both thou and thy House shall be saued If they were in the estate of saluation before to what end are these wordes spoken 2. It is said when Gods worke concerning Cornelius was declared vnto the Apostles and the rest of the Circumcision Vers 18 they glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles graunted repentance vnto life If they had life before what cause had they to glorifie God for granting it now by Peters Doctrine 3. Peter relating that God chose him that by his mouth the Gentiles Cornelius and the rest should heare the word of the Gospell and beleeue Act. 15.7.8.9 For saith hee God which knoweth the hearts bare them witnesse in giuing vnto them the Holy Ghost euen as vnto vs And hee put no difference betweene vs and them after that by Faith hee had purified their hearts Now this being so that by Peters Doctrine the ioyfull tidings was brought and they beleeued by which Faith their hearts were purified and then they were in the same estate with the faithfull who dare be so bolde notwithstanding all these manifest testimonies as to say Cornelius was in the estate of Saluation before any part of these came vnto him Those Iewes are said to feare God when as yet they had not repented of killing the Lord of Life The humiliation of Ahab and Neniuie Act. 2.5 came vp in remembrance with God as before is proued Act. 17.23 and 3.1 The blinde Athenians are said to bee Deuout and the vnbeleeuing Iewes kept a constant course in Prayer These be the best proofes they haue for a thing of so great consequence the iustifying of those whom God condemneth Saying vnto the wicked thou art righteous Ezek. 13.22 thereby strengthening their handes that they cannot returne from their wicked way by promising them life But wee hope the Godly wise will reject the euill and cleaue fast vnto what God hath so plentifully and plainely taught that Ignorance shall not excuse any that continue in wickednes For if ignorance would excuse men how happy were the Ignorant Or if one ignorant person that iustifieth himselfe in his wickedne might be saued why not two and so twenty and then where were the period to stay vs heere Where were our rule which Ignorant should bee saued and which not Or how could it be auoyded but all Ignorant persons must be saued how wicked soeuer if of ignorance The reasons for one if there were any would bee reasons for all ignorant persons whatsoeuer And for Conclusion of this thing they obiect That generall repentance will serue from Psal 19.12 Who can vnderstand his faults cleanse mee from secret faults To which wee answer If there be any Repentance generall or particuler we will not gaine-say it for we acknowledge the righteous doe offend oft in words and actions Mat. 18.22 which they know to be euill the particulers whereof are so many that they are not able to vnderstand them and therefore ought they to pray Cleanse me from secret faults that are hid from me for want of remembrance the particulers of which if they were of could be related they would particulerly repent of them But Idolaters that liue in Idolatry and take pleasure therein though of ignorance cannot bee brought within this compasse For let an Idolater who performeth any generall Repentance let him be asked whether hee intend to include in his Repentance his Idolatry which others know he liues in his answer will be no in no wise It is his Idoll which is his God or God-seruice which he accounteth one of the best actions that he doth For example Let one of the Family of Loue be asked one that is not yet deified for one that is deified cannot sinne and so needes no repentance let a youngling in the
A DISCOVERY OF THE ABHOminable Delusions of those who call themselues the Family of Loue. WHEREIN THEIR FALSE CHRIST and false Profession is plainely laide open and all their grosse Cauils cleerely confuted PRO. 28. They that forsake the Law praise the wicked but they that keepe th Law set themselues against them REVEL 2.6 But this thou hast that thou hatest the workes of the Nicolaitans which I also hate Printed M. D.CXXII TO THE READER AMong the many Tares that the Enuious man hath sowen in these last Dayes of the world there are two principall ones by which he so preuayleth among them that acknowledge a Christ that hee bringeth many millions of soules to eternall perdition which wee earnestly beseech may be seriously considered One is a perswasion he worketh in many that if they haue the knowledge of Christ in wordes and doe make a profession of him with their lips mouth and so are accounted Christians by name practising some obseruations which haue a shew of his sacred Commaundements although in deede and Truth they bee the inuentions of Men this they thinke are perswaded is Christianity effectuall and will serue sufficiently to bring them to heauen A second is that when the Deuill seeth he cannot preuayle with diuers in this perswation but that they see Christianity is another thing then a bare profession of Christ then by little and little hee throweth them vpon these fearefull rockes of Familisme to beleeue and be perswaded that true Christianity and the worship of God is onely inward in the heart not at all in any outward obseruatiō or Bodily performance whatsoeuer and that the knowledge of a Christ who by his bodily Death suffered for our sinnes is needlesse which being effectually wrought in their hearts they growe presently to a loathing of the true Christ and the bodily obseruation of all Christs Ordinances for the gathering of his Church for his Ministery for his Worship and for his Church gouernment and all the appertainings thereof hating and contending against all that in the feare of God stand for the maintainance of them And not so onely but also defend with a high hand that men may be saued without knowledge or Faith in the Blood of the man Christ and that Christians ought to subiect their bodyes at the Magistrates commaund in all outward reuerence at any Idolatrous abhomination Mahometisme Papisme or whatsoeuer keeping their hearts to God all which commaunds of the Magistrates they account but Idle vanities as shall be shewed And for the spreading of these and many other most fearefull thinges the Deuill hath raised vp H.N. the most skilfull workman of this Craft and for his Successors though botchers in respect of their Master M.P. who calleth himselfe the mighty Prince of the Hebrewes and his seruant who writeth thus Seruant of M.P. a true Certif cap. 1. sect 10. It is not the pride of our manly being that wee meane to be equall in this or that but onely we meane God to be the very fame in M. P. and the seruant of M.P. that he was in H.N. c. These hauing written diuers Bookes many of which wee haue read by which they haue gotten many Disciples especially such as hauing knowne much truth which vsually is accompaned with the Crosse of Christ haue not onely forsaken that truth wherewith they were enlightened but now doe most wofully blaspheme it whose vniust accusation of vs and proude boasts occationeth the publishing of this little worke And although these especially be delt with yet there are diuers others who will not be called Familists that are deeply tainted with diuers of these things some called the scattered flocke who agree with the former that they may remaine in Babilon A litle booke to the Church of Rome pa. 113. and there mourne tarry c. And what account they make of the Lords Ordinances may appeare by that they write of Baptisme In T.L. aduertis pa. 5.8 which they say is teares teares is the water in Baptisme c. Another sort there are who although they haue not the name of Familists in that they dislike many of their blasphemies yet are dangerously affected with one of their maine grounds They cry out against outward Church Ministery Worship and Church gouernment and feeke and sue to the Magistrate for reformation thereof which when they cannot obtaine they submit and earnestly perswade others to submit to those thinges which being against their Consciences they cry out of onely to auoyde the crosse of Christ and they perswade the people that seeing they haue had comfort in that estate although the thinges they practice be most vile yet they may remaine in the practice thereof and they being reproued for speaking euill of that they practice and submit to they haue Fig-leaues to couer this their naked hypocrisie and when the examples of the Disciples and Churches of Christ are brought to reproue their courses they answer These were inuisible Churches the Elect in the outward Church and diuers such fancies whose courses herein are met withall in this writing following The meane betwixt these we desire to walke in not approuing it sufficient for iustification to haue a Fleshly knowledge of Christ onely or to haue respect to any outward obseruation or bodily seruice where the soule or affection is wanting For in all the Ordinances of Christs Gospell nothing auayleth but a new creature Gal. 6.15 2. Cor. 5.17 Ioh. 3.5 and if any be in Christ he is a new creature none can enter into the kingdome of heauen except he be borne again But we doe abhorre any hypocriticall conceipts which indeed are deceits where the knowledge and Faith of Christ after the flesh and those bodily obseruations that Iesus Christ cōmaundeth is dispised and made of none effect yea where in stead thereof any manner of Idol-seruice is set vp and outwardly reuerenced Christ telleth vs It becommeth vs to fulfill all righteousnes Math. 3. in bodily washing or Baptizing and as often as wee eate that bread of Cōmunion 1. Cor. 11.26 and drinke that Cup we shew forth the Lords death till hee come God hath made our Bodies redeemed them preserueth them Psal 119.113 and will glorifie them so as we will glorifie him with both in abhorring vaine inuentions and louing his Law Christ hath coupled soule and body together and let no man seperate them in his seruice If bodily obseruations be abandoned in the Cōmandements of the first table concerning the worship of God Mat. 23.38 which is the great Commandement and that we may with our bodyes performe any worship why is not the Commands of the second Table our duty towards man abandoned in all bodily obseruations and that our bodyes may steale Whore Lye Murther and what not which thing the oldest Father of this Family doth not sticke at as is shewed Pag. 54. In dealing with this wofull people let none take offence that wee
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