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
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
peruert Heb. 6. and other holy Scriptures to their owne destruction Hauing now discouered some of H. Ns. principles The summe of the true Faith wee will in short set downe our Faith concerning these 6. Principles Heb. 6. First of Repentance from dead workes we doe beleeue that euery transgression of any Law of God is sinne 1. Ioh. 3.4 Rom. 6.23 and the wages of euery sinne is Death and so a dead worke That no man by reason of weake Flesh can keepe the Law Rom. 8.3 and therefore by transgression becommeth dead in Sinne Ephe. 2.1.3 and so by weake Nature the Childe of wrath For the Law causeth wrath Rom. 4.15 for where no Law is there is no transgression but the power of Gods word contained in the holy Scriptures 1. Cor. 15.34 Ephes 5.14 and not the Reuelations or Dreames of H.N. nor any others awaking man and setting his sinnes in order before him and the fearefull terror of Gods wrath against him Act. 2.37 16.30 Act. 2.38 3.19 causeth man to be pricked in his heart and to cry out what shall wee doe to be saued To which God answereth Repent of thy sinnes confesse them sorrow for them and reforme them But man seeing by the same holy Scripture that this his repentance or any other thing that he can doe cannot appease Gods wrath nor satisfie his Iustice for his sinne he is inuited hereupon to flye vnto Gods Grace by the Redemptiō purchased through the blood of his Sonne who is God ouer all and tooke our Nature vpon him and became Man Dyed for vs and is risen againe in his Body ascended into Heauen sitting at the right hand of his Father making intercession for his seruants euen for all that obey him Heb. 5.9 through whom alone wee haue Redemption euen the forgiuenes of our sinnes 2. Thus by Faith in the Blood of Christ is this Sinner sprinckled in his heart from an euill Conscience Heb. 10.22 and must also be washed in his Body with pure water 3. This is the Baptisme that saueth not onely the washing away the filth of the Flesh but in that a good Conscience maketh request vnto God 1. Pet. 3.21 by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ Yet not onely the good Conscience is Baptisme but also washing with materiall water into the Name of the Father c. For to enter into the Kingdome of Heauen which is the estate of Grace or true Christianity in this life called the Kingdome of Heauen Ioh. 3.5 Ephes 4.5 Wee must haue Water and Spirit Christ hath coupled them together as his one Baptisme and let no man seperate them 4. By laying on of handes wee conceiue is meant the whole ministery of the Church which consisteth of those Offices mentioned in Christs Testament All which are to be entred into by laying on of hands as these Scriptures teach * Act. 6.6 13.3 For other laying on of hands by which extraordinary guiftes were communicated vnto men wee vnderstand they were myracles giuen of God in the primitiue Church for the confirmation of the Apostles authority who taught thinges that neuer before were taught Heb. 2.5 which that they might be credited they did such thinges as neuer men did And if any Familist can doe Myracles as did th Apostles thē might they haue had some colour to write and bring into the world new Gospels as they are not ashamed to doe 5. Concerning the Resurrection from the Dead We beleeue that our soules shall be seperated from our bodies by naturall Death That the Body returnes to earth whence it came and the Spirit to God that gaue it Eccles 12.7 1. Cor. 15. vntill the day that Iesus Christ shall come againe to Iudge quicke and dead Then shall our Bodies rise againe euen these bodies Ioh. 19.25 c. and with these eyes shall wee see our Redeemer Lastly we doe beleeue and looke for to our great reioycing the blessed appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ to that Eternall iudgement wherein hee shall Iudge both quicke and dead according to their works done in this Flesh 2 Cor. 5.10 whether they be good or euill Reuel 20.12 to an Eternall being to wit Them that by continuance in wel-doing seeke glory and Immortality Rō 2.7 c. 1. Thes 4.17 Rom. 2.8 they shall come to Eternall Life where they shall bee euer with the Lord. But those that are contentious and disobey the Truth and obeyes vnrighteousnes haue done euill and haue not repented thereof They shall come forth to the resurrection of condemnation Ioh. 5.29 indignation and wrath shall bee vpon them burning in the Lake for euermore with the Deuill and his Angels Mat. 25.41 Now let all Iudge whether wee be totally ignorant of the 6. Principles Heb. 6. as these accusers doe suggest or rather that themselues are not only ignorant of them for if they were their sinne were the lesse but they deny them and that after their enlightning The 9. transgression they accuse vs of is Ninthly you will not bee reformed by the Light which God hath manifested in these latter times and whereof much is in the Booke of Common Prayer and in the Homilies and in the Booke of Ordering of Bishops Priests and Deacons Answ VVEE hauing asked some of them what Light this is that in these latter times God hath manifested for we conceiue God neuer spake nor euer will after his speaking by his Sonne in these last dayes who by himselfe and his Apostles hath deliuered all the Counsell of God sealing it vp with these sentences If wee or an Angell from Heauen teach any otherwise then we haue Preached Gal. 1.8 9. let him bee accursed And if any adde to what they haue done Reuel 22.18.19 God will adde the plagues written by them or if any take away any of those their wordes God will take away their names out of the Booke of Life we say we hauing asked them concerning these thinges they haue answered vs God hath spoken to the world at three seuerall times First by Moses and the Fathers 2. By Christ and the Apostles And thirdly by an euerlasting Gospell in these last dayes alledging Reuel 14. Which what Gospell should it bee but the Gospell of the Kingdome which H. N. hath published to the world in which many of his poysoned Doctrines is broached concerning which hee hath giuen himselfe a stately stile farre exceeding the Apostles in all their writings full of blasphemies which is this H. N. through the Grace and mercy of God Euang. Peg. Cap. 1. and through the holy Spirit of the loue of Iesu Christ raised vp by the highest God from the Death according to the prouidence of God and his Promises annoynted with the Holy Ghost in the olde age of the holy vnderstanding of Iesu Christ Godded with God in the Spirit of his loue made heyre with Christ in the heauenly goods of