the loue of God and Christ farre be that from me it is selfe loue that I discommende in your author and in you all of this family For the loue of God is manifested to vs by Christ our Lorde which is our onely comfort So God loued the worlde c. You loue your authour so wel that this loue of God little appeareth 2 Could any man you say rew the prosperitie of the householde of God except he were of the diuell no verelye If you were of Christs householde we as fellowes woulde imbrace you but straungers from that household ye are and as straungers lurke in corners 3 My foundation you say is against H. N. whom I neuer knewe nor vnderstode off True it is touching his person but by his doctrine he is not vnknowne to me whose bookes I haue to shewe 4 You say as Christ in the reuelation is shadowed by two caracters A. and O. so none can knowe his name except he ouercome in the spirite therefore we must be scilent hereafter for H. N. is not the signification of any mans name This is a great mistery in déede for if H. N. be not a man then haue I vtterly mistaken my selfe but sure the bookes were not written by Angels man was the minister and the man that write them his name is Henrye Nicholas the same mans life I haue truely set downe not hearesayes but the trueth not of enimies but of his neighbours familiers not one man but many they will not onely speake the trueth but are ready vppon their othes to testifie the same 5 Where you iudge that you are suer they are not of the Church of Christ it is very rash Iudgement I coulde testifie of their honest life and manners but it shal be here impertinent You make your comparisons vnequall because Christ by two letters did testifie his maiestie power as god will you admit H. N. by like reason to vse two letters significant In déede I haue â—en aunswered y H. N. signifieth Homo nouus but such follyes will not serue you must of necessitie acknowledge H. N. to be a man as one of our Family at Farnam before the Bishop of Winchester did acknowledge confes him that is to say H. N. not only to be a maÌ„ but also a sinner least you shuld burden me with vntruth as you haue done I will giue you his name R. W. 6 You put me in minde of my impudent dealing in that I haue saide that none of your family dare set forth your doctrine in principles that all men may sée wherein you and we differ you referre me to a little booke called The confession of the Family which booke I haue read but that is very plausible nothing differing from vs If you helde no worse pointes then that booke doth vtter suerly I would come before you al acknowledg my fault and craue pardon but this is a méere mockery of the people to set down your faith common with vs and nothing contrary to vs where as your authour in sundrie places tearmeth vs a diuellish Sinagogue or schoolâ— and that we are not the Church but a harloâ—t If you and we professe one Christ one baptisme one faith why are we seuered in communion but it is a worlde to sée your doings in this matter When any of your family are conueÌ„ted before any officer in Christes Church then you subscribe to any forme you recant in your owne churches you promise neuer to professe H. N. nor his doctrine and yet still after so sollemne protestations you reteine your secrete doctrine which in fewe wordes is not plaine dealing If your doctrine be a trueth why doe you still deny it if the power of God hath shone through H. N. so mightely why doe you not in principles drawe your doctrine that the people of God may sée vppon what groundes and stayes you haue seuered your selfe from vs but you vse the pollicy of the cuttle a fish whose property is to trouble the water that she may not be séene so with your darke speaches misteries you would cast a myst that no man should sée your meaning and then stande vppon your tiptoes and say that your sentences haue such profounde maiestie that our simple grosse capacities cannot comprehend the same Plaine dealing is euer best If we be in error shewe it to vs in what points and for my owne part I wil if you can conuince me by the testimonies of holy scripture yeald vnto you or any 7 What conference I haue had with your family dyuers of your family can tell you 8 You say my disorderly dealing shall appeare in the aunswere to my booke which for my part I shal long looke for for hitherto you haue not set down any one place where in I haue mistaken your author In déede I tooke not vpon me to write against any one booke but to display what absurdities I finde in your authors Doctrine you shall finde that performid or it be long by Maister Knewstubs who hath written a book to confute your Euangelium Regni You apply this text of holy scripture very fondly Christ saith my kingdome is not of this world 9 You aske howe the trueth can be taught where his kingdome is not If you meane by this worde kingdome power maiestie dominion then it is shewed in y world manifested to hys Church But by kingdome the Euangelist doth vnderstande as I take it an outwarde shewe of principalitie which the Iewes looked for to be in their deliuerer or Messias which he denied to be in him which may better appeare in that which followeth For then would my ministers surely fight for me 11. I knowe that Christ chiefly reigneth in his Churche but who are the Church is the question Euery heresie seeketh to shadowe it selfe with the title of the Church but by the life of Gods holy worde they haue béen found heretikes and seducers and yet I neuer hearde of any errour but drewe their doctrine into principles and durst disspute with any in their opinions except one Basilides whiche Eusebius in his 4. booke Chap. 7. maketh mention of who feining sundrie titles of vnknown names of Prophetes to amaze their hearers depending vpon Reuelations and visions amongest other thinges taught this that in time of persecution their faith with periury might bee denied saying Iura periura fideÌ„ prodere noli Now surely if I might without offence compare your dealings with Basilides it shoulde be founde little differing 12 You say that the same doctrine which the Martyrs taught in the primitiue Church H. N. teacheth nowe but wee plainely denie that euer any taught a perfection to bee atteyned vnto in this life to liue not daily committing sinne or that our battell is ended when we be re generat or that any H. N. hath receiued such power of teaching extraordinarie as you imagine For we denie that he hath the spirite of god and say that he teacheth
THE DISplaying of an horrible secte of grosse and wicked Heretiques naming themselues the Family of Loue with the liues of their Authours and what doctrine they teach in corners Newly set foorth by I. R. Wherevnto is added certeine letters sent from the same Family mainteyning their opinions which Letters are aunswered by the same J. R. IMPRINTED AT London for George Bishop 1579. ¶ The Preface of the Authour to the Reader WHEN I began to write of this doctrine of the Familie of Loue I minded in deed to haue sent it to a friende of mine which is entered into that errour and so to haue made it as a priuate matter betweene vs But when I had shewed the same to certeine of my friendes to haue their iudgement in certeine pointes their importunate suite was that this small treatise might be published in print which request I was loth to grant for diuers causes The chiefe whereof was that Bookes whiche are set foorth vnto the eyes of all the world had need to be circumspectly and diligently examined before thei be made as á glasse for all men to looke vpon For when as there are many beholders there are also many fault finders And in this simple work there are many faultes through ignorance and want of skill committed which I coÌ„fesse not to be done of malice or negligence but in trueth my simple vnlearned capacitie could doe no better The faults are these The rough and harsh stile being rudely and without any good methode set downe because I want the help of those artes which comly aptly couch sentences together whereby the Reader might take the more delectatioÌ„ in reading and perusing of books The order shoud haue bene amended if time would haue suffred but since it is otherwise I beseech thee accept my good will. If any of the familie carpe at this booke because of the rudenesse thereof let them answer it and a reply will speedily be perfourmed wherin their expectation shal be satisfied I dout not by men of godly knowledge and learning In the meane time I wil declare the cause that made me more willing to satisfie my friendes request There are many diligent godly teachers whiche in places conuenient do inuey impugne the doctrine of y Family of Loue yet are not throughly acquainted therwith whereby many in the same family take occasion to exclame against them as slaunderers of their doctrine many also of Gods children hearing the Family of loue spoken against are desirous to know what opinions and doctrine they hold professe Therefore I thought it my dutie which I owe vnto Christes Church as a member thereof to vtter and make manifest vnto all persons what I know touching the Authours and doctrine of the same family And seeing that wee liue amongst so many enimies of Christs Gospell which obiect against vs varietie in opinions it is very requisite that euerie member in Christes Church put too his helping hand to cleanse and purge the Church from such errours and false doctrine as through the malice of Satan daily creepeth in For if we hearing Christe Iesus his death and passion which is our only comfort blemished and darkned by the subtile fetches and persuasions of erronious and wicked men possessed with fantasticall spirites shall not be moued with zeale howe appeareth any loue of God or Christ Iesus in vs or where is become the fruites that should shew a iustifying faith Many that are at case liue securely thinke that this errour will of it selfe vanish decay without stir or gainsaying which saying bewraieth too much their want of y true feare loue of god For if we shall daily heare but our friend euill spoken of and bee still and silent â—hereat what loue or friendship appeareth in vs How much more ought we to bee zealously affected when the glorie of our GOD and the office of Christe Iesus our Lord shal be shadowed and impaired wee sleeping securely without touch or motioÌ„ of true zeale or loue And if we looke into the daily increase of this errour we shall then behold our slouth negligence For in many shires of this our countrie there are meetings conuenticles of this familie of loue and into what number they are grown my heart reweth to speake that which one of the same societie did auouch to me for trueth Therfore it is time to withstand their impious opinions and euerie one according to his charge and office in the Church of Christ to purge and cleanse the same from the dregges and blasphemies of H. N. and his familie And although many errours much false doctrine is taught in the family more then is here expressed which to touch al would require a longer discouerie and a more learned author yet I haue set down for a tast or shew some of their doctrine that the children of God may be armed afore hande and take heede of such impious blasphemies as H. N. teacheth Many Bokes are abrode which I haue not seene and many I haue seene which I could not haue the vse off to reade For except one will be pliant to their doctrine and shew good will thereto he shal hardly get any of their bookes no nor they will not conferre nor talke of any points of their doctrine with any except it be to such as they finde inclined and as they tearme it willingly minded thereto And here I protest that what my pen shall vtter either touching the person of H. N. or his doctrine I malice him not nor his familie I rather pittie theÌ„ their case that so many simple people are by his doctrine seduced and deceiued neither will I auouch any thing which I haue not suffient warrant to proue As touching his person and behauiour I haue the testimonie of diuers ancient persons of good credite of the Dutch church who haue bene acquainted with y same H. N. and haue dwelt together in one citie and in one streete being neere neighbours familiar friendes who haue declared and testified the certeintie of his behauiour demeanour And touching his doctrine I haue vsed this order to set downe the authours owne speech not adding or diminishing any thing with the name of the Book Chapter or follio And whereas I haue directed much speech vnto the Familie the cause is this I haue ben familiar with some of them of long time haue had large discourses and conference with many of theÌ„ therfore if my simple speech vttred by pen may do any of them good I haue that I desire And this hath bene an other cause why more willingly I condescended vnto my friendes request And because H. N. and his family haue protested that the trueth hath no where beene taught in the worlde since the Apostles time but now by the family how vaine this their assertion is in it self appeareth For if truth hath ben hid and buried this 1500. yeares where is become Christes promise
the countrie infected sundrie simple men with this poysoned doctrin snared their minds so corruptly therein that it is harde to plucke out of their heades those vainâ— toyes of H. N. which Vittel hath so déeply impressed in their minds y although they denie publikâ—ly before the worlde yea set their handes against the same doctrine yet they returne againe to their olde opinions as is well séene by many that I could name For it is a Maxima in the Familie to denie before men all their doctrine so that they kéepe the same secrete in their hearts which is impious and vngodly There haue béene many of our Englishe men in Flaunders to conferre with this H. N. their authour of whom in their returne they speake great good of his wisdome of his milde nature of his humilitie and of his patience yea and they vainely boast that he knewe of their secrete messages which they account to be miraculous And when he maketh any mention of the workes which he hath written he calleth them the workes of God and seldome or neuer his workes Certeine pamphlets are newly set foorth as his works The Lord bring such deuices of Sathan to naught preserue his church euermore The life and doings of H. N. testified by certeine of the Dutch Church yet liuing who knew the man were acquainted with him H N. otherwise called Henrie Nicholas borne in Amsterdam a towne in Holland of many was called Henrie of Amsterdam who with his brother Iohn departed from Amsterdam about the yeare of our Lord 1533. when a certeine sturre was in the towne tending to a tumult And these two brethren had prepared money with other furniture to ayd as they pretâ—ded their brethren in Munster a citie of Westphalia who were distressed by a siege of the noble men as you may read in the x. booke of Sleydanes Commentaries although he giue them to name Anabaptistes for they were rife in those dayes yet surely it is probable that Dauid Georges followers were there vnto whom these two brethren did send ayde who being espied by the Magistrates were imprisoned at the last they forsooke the citie and came to Emden a citie of Westfrize land Iohn Nicholas was a brewer by occupation but Henrie was a Mercer and called commonly Henrie of Amsterdam He was a man of a reasonable tall stature somewhat grosse of bodie Hée had a sonne who kept his shop called Iohn Nicholas This Henrie was very braue in his apparell he woulde goe in his crimsen satten doublet euery holy-day Henrie gaue himselfe to writing of bookes which he put in print especially one amongst the rest which was the chiefe called The glasse of righteousnes the lesse for he compiled two bookes of that title wherein he certifieth his Familie of loue that they must passe foure most terrible castels ful of combersome enemies before they come to the house of loue the first is Iohn Caluine the second the Papistes the third Martin Luther the fourth the Anabaptists and passing these daungers they may be of the familie else not this is testified by a man of credite one Adrian Gisling who did read the same in a Dutch booke intituled as afore said There was complaint made vnto the Magistrats wheÌ„ certein of his bookes came abrode that he despised al maner of religion especially those of Caluine and Luther affirming that of all other they were the worst He married his daughter Marie to a yonker when they should come to church Giles Faber minister of Emden did deny her marriage saying vnto Henrie Nicholas that he was a derider of their religion Also Henrie Nicholas had in his house thrée women which went all alike in their apparell the one he affirmed to be his wife the other his sister the thirde his cousin It happened his cousin to be verie sick doubtful of life the neighbours in such a case resorted vnto her and there before diuers of good report the confessed that Henrie Nicholas had abused her bodie and made her beleeue that she should neuer die The neighbours hearing this so odious a matter made complaint vnto maister Brames who was Drosserd of Emden or gouernour he according to his office came to the house to haue apprehended the party but Henrie was fled immediately before The Magistrate seised vpon his goodes and carried it away vnto the castell of Emden and this was in Anno. 1556. Henrie fled to Peusam to a yonker called Hycomanning one of his Familie of Loue and there remained about a yere He was 57. yeres old when these thinges happened It is thought that he went with Granuella to Naples the yere following and the most do verily think that he is dead but our Fami lie in England do beléeue y he is aliue doth still write if it be so by this collection he can not be lesse then 78. yeres old He doth call him selfe Restaurator omnium in the thirtéene Chapter of his Euangeli So did they at Munster intitle a booke and called it The booke of restauration In which booke are conteined diuers horrible heresies which thei held as may appeare by Sleidans Commentaries which I haue here placed that the reader may perceiue howe in many thinges their doctrine in Munster and the Familie in England do agrée Articles taken out of the Booke of restauration which they in Munster held as appeartth by Iohn Sleydan 1 THe time of Restauration is at hande 2 The seate of Dauid which is decaied shall be erected 3 The writings of the Prophets shal be now fulfilled 4 This restauration goeth before the world to come to the intent that all the vngodly being destroyed the house and seate of Iustice might be prepared and beautified 5 The marriage of such as are not lightened with true fayth is polluted and filthie and to be reputed for whoredome 6 Martin Luther and the Byshop of Rome be false prophets but of both Luther is the worse 7 Since the Apostles time the word of God was neuer preached truely nor any iustice vpon earth 8 There are foure prophets whereof two are iust Dauid and Iohn Leyden and two vniust the bishoppe of Rome and Luther Their teachers in Munster were all or the most part Hollanders and Dauid George did then teache his blasphemous doctrine at that time Although Iohn Sleydan doth generally call them Anabaptistes yet it is very probable y these and other of their articles are all one with the familie of Loue for the Anabaptistes doe holde none of these Articles gathered out of the Bookes of H. N. and which are taught by the Familie of Loue. 1 IN primis that H. N. can no more erre or misse the right then Moyses the prophets or Christe and his Apostles 2 Item the Elders are illuminate and Deâ—fied and God in them hominified or become man. 3 Item their illuminate Elders doe not sinne neither actually nor by cogitation 4 Item that they may ioyne with any congregation or Church
liue vnder the obedience of any magistrate be he neuer so wicked or vngodly the Turke the Pope or whosoeuer 5 Item that they allowe a kinde of shrifte worse then Popish For where the Pope requireth but confession of the act coÌ„mitted they will haue the thoughtes manifested and what our nature and inclination draweth vs vnto 6 Item they holde that the lawe of God is possible to be kept of euerie man that will indeuour himselfe thereto 7 Item that their authour H. N. is the true prophet of God sent to blowe the last trumpe of doctrine which shall be published vpon earth he only knoweth the true sence of the holie scripture 8 Item that his bookes are of equall authoritie with the holie scripture and are written with the same spirite 9 Item all is false and lyes whatsoeuer is taught or preached by any other then their Illuminate Elders in the Familie 10 Item they commend the Pope and Cardinals and allowe the Masse other their ceremonies The Bookes of H. N. which I haue seene 1 IN primis the first Epistle of H. N. 2 Item the first and second exhortation of H. N. 3 Item a diologue betweene the father and the sonne 4 Item the prophesie â—â— the spirite of loue 5 Item the published peace vppon earth 6 Item the declaration of the masse 7 Item their Euangelium Regni 8 Item the true and spirituall Tabernacle 9 Item the new and heauenly Ierusalem 10 Item a confession of their faith newly made 11 Item sundrie Epistles of H. N. Bookes which I heare of and haue not seene 1 ITem two bookes intituled the glasse of righteousnesse 2 Item a Booke called the holy Lamb. The displaying of the Familie of Loue. WHen I considered the duetie of a Christian to consist in the true profession of Christ Iesus his name diligently to walke in the pathes and wayes manifested in his word and to séeke to beautifie and inrich that beloued spouse the Church of Christ sanctified by his bloude I could not holde backe my penne to publish such matter as I sée daily to blemishe that beloued bride I meane the Church of Christ and to haue crept in by the subtiltie of Sathan our professed enimy Hauing therefore gathered diuers notes of that cankered error of H. N. taken out of his bookes which I haue to shewe I had thought to haue stayed my hande from further frauell but being vrged by diuers of Gods children to manifest this my labour to the end that some nouices of that errour might if it were possible be stayed from further plunging themselues into that gulfe of impietie How the wicked take occasion by these like errours to speake euil of Christs Church the eares of many godly doe heare Especially the Papists who speak and write â–ª and nothing is heard more common in their mouthes then these tearms Ye are at variaunce amongst your selues no vnitie of doctrine is obserued ye are of diuers opinions and sectes But how vntruely they impute these maters vnto the church of Christ to euerie member of the same Church it is euident For if we consider the wisedome of God in gouerning his we shal perceiue that in all ages when Christes Church did most flourish in perfectioÌ„ then was errour and heresies moste rife as may wel appéere euen in the Apostles times by the Nicolaitans Ebionites Cerinthus and others How busily did the fathers in the primitiue Church withstand such heresies as crept in euen in that happie time Tertullianus the Valentinians Augustine the Donatistes and Athanasâ—â—us the Arrians with infinit mâ— as by reading the Ecclesiasticall histories doeth well appeare Wherein what trauell hath béene taken what counsels called what Books written it were a wonder to behold But when corruption began by litle and litle to spread her selfe and got the face of a Church O how were dissentions appeased no varietie séemed to be where as in déede nothing was taught nor published but dreams deuises of men who leauing the certein and knowen wayes of y Lord reuealed in his word betoke theÌ„selues to depend vpoÌ„ the doctrines of men But if we descend into these last times wherein we liue and marke the wisedome of God in gouerning his Churche how he hath manifested his sonne Christ Iesus with an vncouered face to the great comfort of his children how the doting dreams of men are vanished how nothing but Christ Iesus is lifted vp with prayses as the immediate and only cause of our saluation how the true vse of workes is placed not as any cause but as the fruites of our instification And yet to sée how busily sathan enuying the prosperitie of Christes spouse endeuoureth daily in his meÌ„bers to trouble and disquiet this peaceable Sion by raysing vp diuers strange and monstrous heresies as the Anabaptistes the Free will men the Arrians the Pelagians and the Familie of Loue with many others which heresies the Diuell more bufily soweth nowe to disquiet the Churche then heretofore in y time of ignorance when he lulled the most part of y world in errours and dreames of men And séeing that euerie errour doeth seeke his cloake defence by the holie scripture yet we haue great cause to reioyce that onely by the scripture they are all put to silence and their heresies made manifest to all men as by the learned treatises of many graue men in this our age doeth manifestly appeare Of this last errour of H. N. the cheefe piller and vpholder of these errours of the Familie of Loue whereof by the Lordes assistance I minde to leaue behinde me such notes and bréefes â–ª as of certeintie I haue learned bothe of the person and also of his doctrine no man hitherto that I can learne hath endeuoured to confute them in writing Whose Bookes as they haue come to my hande I haue with diligence perused and by much conference with diuers of that Familie learned the doctrine which they followe And whereas they haue béene charged with diuers articles before the highe commissioners yet by no argument that I can learne doe I finde that they holde all the errours conteined in the same Notwithstanding so many as either by the doctrine of Henrie Nicholas or by conference I haue learned I haue set downe to the ende that some good man might be incouraged to confute so impious an authour and such horrible errours and perfourme in some learned worke that whiche my want and capacitie is not able to supply neither would I haue ventured to committe to writing suche rude and ignorant labour the matter béeing in déede â—etter then the handling but in my opinion it is better to haue course bread then none at all And because diuerse with whome I am familiarly acquainted are fallen into this errour of Henrie Nicholas I haue the rather for their sakes bent my studie to doe them good if it be possible And if these simple notes may haue that successe that I wishe I trust it
good calling in London which is readie to testifie the same and both the parties are liuing when the one did expostulate very earnestly why the other once professing the Gospell of Christ Iesus was nowe turned vnto the errour of H. N. The other answered It is a wise Gospell which I professed then I knowe an other manner of Gospell farre better then that in such reputation haue the Familie the bookes and doctrine of H. N. But why H. N. intituleth his followers A familie of Loue I think it to be a mysterie not to be explicated Euery errour hath supposed them selues to be the true Church but H. N. is contented that his be counted a Familie Why he addeth this word Loue I could neuer perfectly learne but as some haue interpreted to me this word Loue in many places of the authour doth signifie the Maiestie of God â–ª as in these thrée phrases The louely being of the Loue or The manly oldnesse in the Loue Here Loue is takeÌ„ in both places for God according to this sâ—â—ying Deus â—st Charitaâ— God is Loue but why they vse this 〈◊〉 the so much I caÌ„not well vnderstand It is true that God is Loue or Charitie so is he Iustice so is he Mercie and all other like vertues â— but they are not in him as qualities one extelling another as they reigne in man but he is Loue â–ª without measure euen Loue it selfe euen so Iustice it self euen so Mercy it selfe he is all Loue he is all Mercie he is all iustice But when we speake of any of these which procéede from the Maiestie of God we vnderstande not by any one of these God him selfe For as his â—one is excéeding great so his mercy also therefore by as good right may an other bring foorth a doctrine or Familie of Mercie as H. N. a Familie of Loue For mercie is our gret comfort mercy is the fairesâ— flower of our garland We read in the holy scriptures of diuers sortes of loue of which thrée be principall The first is y loue of God towardes his children set foorth in these wordes So God loued the worlde that he gaue his only begotten son that none that beleeue in him should perish but haue life euerlasting which loue how perfect it is and howe excellent it passeth the capacitie of man to conceiue much lesse to vtter or describe It caused that beloued and elect vessell Saint Paule to exclame and crie out Oh the exceeding greatnesse and deapth of the loue of God which loued vs first 1. Ioh. 4. Chap. vers 19 this loue is perfect in déede The second loue that is expressed is the loue of vs againe towardes God appearing in these words If ye loue me keepe my commandementes And againe The loue of God is shead abroad in our heartes Ro. 5. Chap. vers 5. whiche loue in vs howe vnperfect it is euery one féeleth in himselfe and is a witnesse The third is the loue that one of vs should shew towards an other whiche properly is called Charitie appearing in these words By this shal al men knowe that you are my disciples if yee loue one an other And againe A newe commaundement I giue vnto you that ye loue one an other Ioh. 13. Chap. 14. vers Nowe if I might be so bolde as to demand this questioÌ„ of H. N. or any of their Illuminate Elders of which of these thrée loues is their fellowship If they say of the first which is the loue of God towardes man they deceiue theÌ„ selues for of that felowship none is partaker but Christe Iesus our Lorde If thei bee of the second which is the loue of man towardes our God it is so imperfect and corrupt in vs that I thinke they will not acknowledge them selues to be members of such imperfection If they will be of the third which is of the loue we owe one towardes an other I thinke if they enter in to sée how weak and féeble it is in vs and in euery one of Gods childreÌ„ they shal easily iudge how farre off they are froÌ„ that they shold be as if ye looke into S. Pauls first Epistle 13. Chapter verse 4. there shall you sée the properties of loue rightly described howe loue boasteth not enuieth not séeketh not her owne reioyceth not in iniquitie suffereth all things beléeueth all thinges hopeth all thinges indureth all things But how these shall be found in any yea euen in y best of gods children if we rightly iudge ourselues I caÌ„not discerne Of this laste loue if they will haue their felowship then let theÌ„ behold how vnperfect their Familie is contrarie to that they vainly brag Where H. N. hath written these words We the Elders of the holy vnderstanding shall reigne vpon the earth in righteousnesse vnder the obedience of loue iudge the world with equitie When these things shall come to passe this dreamer which would be taken for a Prophet doth not tell vs Here thou maiest sée this Prophete persuading his Familie y the Elders shall reigne vpon the earth in iudgement and equitie Who would not followe this authour â—hat so plentifully will reward his scholers to make them vpon earth Kings and Iudges I doubt his words be no warrants nor his promise any payment for it is 28. yeres ago since he made this solemne protestation and yet none of the Familie do inioy any part of the promise but contrarie it doth appeare y none of his Elders neither in England Flaunders or else where dare once be so bold as to defend their dreaming prophet but subtilly in corners insinuate vnto the simple sort féed them with many outward promises but to argue or dispute their cause with any of Gods children therein they kéeye silence and prefend ignorance affirming their elders to be able to defend their Authour and his doctrin but they are but partakers of the holy vnderstan ding And when you happen to méete any of their Elders you shall finde them as farre without sense or féeling of the spirit of God as y yonger sort although they can set a shew of greater grauitie â–ª And bicause I haue often made mentioÌ„ of their Illuminate Elders I thinke it not amisse to name one and the same notoriously known His name is Christopher Vittell a ioyner by occupation a man that all the dayes of Queene Marie was a teacher of those famous heretiques the Arrians and at Paules Crosse did solemnely in the first yeare of our souerein Lady Queene Elizabeth recant the same errours as by the register of y bishop of LondoÌ„ doth manifestly apeare And nowe as thâ— olde prouerbe is he is gone A malo in peius from euil to worse â–ª Such men as can not be content with the simple trueth taught in the holy scripture but curiously séeke for singularitie do easily fall into such bypaths as our enimie by his subtiltie can lead them vnto And to speake truely this is the onely man that hath brought
our simple people out of the plame wayes of the Lorde our God and hath put so many toyes of this authour H. N. into their heades that I feare me they will not easily be remoued What trauell he hath taken howe he hath trudged from countrie to countrie and howe he will not once moue his speach if any learned or godly persons that hath any true knowledge of the worde be present is very wel known but among the simple he is péerelesse and in déede the oldest Elder of our English Familie amongst whome he hath his maintenance His wife is resident in London with whom as is supposed he hath not bene these two-yeares In corners doth this man créepe and dare not shewe his head nor maintaine that doctrine which he hath taught but certaine of his pupils haue béene imprisoned who in the end haue subscribed against thâ— doctrine of H. N. which Vittel doth teach Euerie doctrin whiche is true dare abide the light but the doctrin of H. N is kept in corners dare not abide the light a certeine Argument that it is a counterfet doctrine For no one man dare once open his mouth or put penne to paper to defende their Author in England but amongst the simple whose capacitie is like vnto waxe which will easily receiue euerie seale or print among such will he sound his trumpe He saith the last trumpe shall blowe by which he vnderstandeth the last doctrine which shal be published vpon earth â–ª which is as he saith this doctrine of H. N. How he miserably doeth expound the holie scripture vnto the simple people in corners my heart doth lament how he driueth the true sense of the holie Ghost into allegories it pitieth me to heare and other wise to interpret the holie scripture is to sticke in the letter as he vntruly affirmeth But woe be vnto those simple people which doe giue eare vnto such false teachers they can not with the Lorde our God pleade simplicitie and ignorance by no meanes can excuse them If the blinde leade the blinde they both fall into the ditche The greatest gréefe that I conceiue against y Nouices of y Family is that some of them haue béene prosessours of Christ Iesus Gospel according to the brightnesse thereof which by his good will and pleasure he hath reuealed in this latter age most plentiously and now by the doctrine of this Vittell are declined so farre that the true sense of the Gospel they despise and followe the baine and fantasticall humor of Vittels allegories a man vtterly vnlearned more fitte to be a scholler in Christes schoole then an Illuminat Elder in the Familie and so a teacher He that neuer learned Christe Iesus truely â–ª howe caÌ„ he teach Christ Iesus to others And in déede if he taught Christe Iesus he were to be borne withall but that is not the marke they shoote at To set vp H. N. as a Prophet to aduance his preceptes to credite his spéeche to beléeue that he is Godded with God and cannot erre is their whole indeâ—our But amongst the rest in déede they insinuate a good life which they pretende to followe which is as the visard and cloake to hide al the rest of their grosse and absurde doctrine and the hooke and baite whereby the simple are altogether deceiued And this is the subtiltie of Sathan who otherwise could not preuaile with such bewitched doctrine except it were shadowed vnder the cloake of outward holinesse For there is no sound argument a good life is all that is required for vs to do with this the Familie doe séeme to presse Gods children often in conference For if y will serue to saluation I sée not how the Iewe or Turke can be excluded whose workes outwardly if they be viewed shall condemne vs. Howe close vnto the letter of the lawe doeth the Iewe sticke How willingly doe they abide as vagrant and banished men in euerie countrie How pitifully doe they reléeue their brethren whiche want so that none is found to want that which another is not ready to supply which are notes markes of charitie or loue and truely in my opinion we come not néere the Iewe in this point But I pray you what doeth all this auaile without a true and a righte fayth in Christ Iesus the sonne of God The Turke likewise is a great diligeÌ„t obseruer of his Alcaron a great faster or absteiner a great giuer of almes diligent in prayer seuere in kéeping his worde and promise verie charie in kéeping his Sabbathes verie obedient to Princes and Magistrates and to speak truth in many outward vertues doth farre excell vs Christians to our shame it may be spoken but what doth all this auayle For so much as they blaspheme Christ the sonne of God and denie his Godhed and resurrection they haue no part nor fellowship with vs of the promise of God touching Christ our Lord neither are partakers of his mercie which through Christe we féele in our heartes to our great consolation comfort Without faith it is vnpossible to please God. Therefore aright faith in Christe our Lord is cheefely to be required and sought after and then our workes will of necessitie follow For it is the proper fruite of that excellent trée a true faith can neuer be without his works which sticke so close together that they are inseparable A faithfull man can neuer be without good-workes no more then fire can be without heate and yet a faithful man is not without sinne as H. N. doth auouche of his regenerate man We haue many examples to proue that a faithfull man or a regenerat man doth sinne often and to vse the wordes of the Prophet Dauid Septies in die cadit iustus seuen times a day doth the righteous fal This caÌ„not be vnderstood but of a faithfull and regenerat man Dauid was regenerate when he fell into whoredome and murther Peter was regenerat wheÌ„ he denied with cursing Christ our lord Paule was regenerate when he solemnly pronounced those wordes Christe Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of the which number I am the greatest And I am persuaded that we are neuer so néere vnto God our Lorde as when we féele sinne moste heauie God calleth not such as be emptie or féele not the loade of sinne but Come vnto mee all ye that are loaden with sinne I wil refresh you I speake not of the reprobate who in déede féele in this life a hell in their conscience and do dispaire but GODS children do féele themselues wounded with sinne euen to death but by grace giuen from aboue they doe apply that souereigne salue that wholsome medicine Christe Iesus whose passion hath purchased whose bloud hath cleansed whose death hath cured all our diseases and maladies This comfort doth H. N. take away from his Family and placeth in stéed thereof his owne preceptes without comfort to a troubled minde For his doctrine is That wee must growe vp vnto the manly oldnesse
fayth which Christe Iesus planted in you and haue digged vp puddels of corupte waters vnto your selues Consider I pray you front whence ye are departed and whether you are come ye are gone from the comfortable promises in Christe Iesus touching the forgiuenesse of our sinnes our consolation redemptiō are driuen too fro with many vaine persuasions of H. N. that first you shall be made partakers of the holie vnderstanding then inioye the vpright fréedome to be frée from sinning and lastly come to be an Illuminate Elder to be Deified with God with such fantasies are ye fedde and suche doctrine are ye taught but how these thinges agrée with the holie Scripture is partely shewed before Miserably is your simplicitie deceiued through these false teachers and yet howe vnwilling ye are to sée this your nakednesse made manifest by proofe I can testifie Haue a regard at the last vnto your owne soules whiche Christe hath déerely bought if you perteine vnto him let them not be snared in such doctrines of men yea men of the worst sort But if there be any loue of GOD in you loue the Lorde Iesus and be of his Churche which you can not be imbracing H. N. and his doctrine Consider his loue his mercie and his patience in suffering vs to fall into many temptations that our returne might be the more ioyfull to him I pray you marke but this one thing in their teaching how they driue the true sense of the holie Ghost into allegories And when so euer any texte of the holie Scriptures is alledged by any of Gods children they aunswere that we little vnderstande what is meant thereby and then if they be pressed to expounde the place by and by it is drawne into an allegorie For they take not the creation of man at the first to be historicall according to the letter but méere allegoricall alluding that Adam signifieth the Earthly man the Garden the Woman the Serpent to be within man and applying stil the allegory they destroye the trueth of the historie H. N. in the first Epistle deuision 19. For. H N. biddeth his Familie Come eate of the tree of life that standeth in y midst of the paradise of the Lord Come eate and taste of the hidden bread of the Loue and liue eternally And as they expound this place thus euen so doe they all the whole course of the scripture leauing nothing certeine to our fayth for by as good righte may they make an allegorie of Christes death and Passion and say that CHRIST signifieth annointed and so alluding and following that sense denie that the man Christe Iesus died and so by application of the Allegorie diminish our faith and hope And in déede when I was earnestly solicited by some of the Family to imbrace that way which the mercie of the Lord kept me from the first steppe that I should haue entered into the depth of their diuinitie was to learne the signification of the Hebrue names of the Scripture and thereby to expound the same What a miserable case is this to sée the holie Scriptures thus drawen from the true sense into Allegories whiche may be taken many wayes euen as the vaine imagination of man can deuise And surely it is verie pernicious and hurtefull thus to expound the holie Scripture and yet the simple people not séeing the deceipte hereof doe thinke that these bée notable men and haue the spirite of GOD and that they teache them suche thinges therby as they neuer heard of before I denie not but sometimes the allegory may be well applied and to good purpose but when we applie the allegorie to destroy the true sense of the holy ghost it is by no meanes to be admitted For if we take such true histories as the holy Ghost hath left to his Church wherby he sheweth what his will is and drawe the same into an allegorie what do we leaue certain that our faith may depend vpon and where is our hope if allegories may haue place For as I saide before they expound this place of Saint Paule 1. Cor. The last trumpe shall blowe and the dead shall rise c. The last trump is the last doctrin whiche shal be blowne vpon the earth whiche is this of H. N. And the dead shall rise that is ▪ such as were dead in sinne shall be raised vp by the same trumpe of doctrine What a horrible matter is this to sée the holy Scripture thus drawen like waxe vnto euery purpose A man would thinke that no man hauing his senses would euer credit such fantasies and vanities but I know too many that haue a speciall liking of this teaching do unbrace it as the trueth of god Many partes of this our countrey is pitifully snared by such vaine techers as Christopher Vittell is yea not a few ministers of the simple sort are her with intangled with sorrow I speak it and I wold to God that the chiefest place in this realme were frée of these men If we should examine what is the cause of this errour surely our sinnes is the chiefe which doth prouoke the iustice of GOD to afflict vs with such false teachers and the negligence of our ministers which eyther can not or will not impugne their errour in countrie townes where it is imbraced The malice of Sathan is not behind who séeing the ioyful succéeding of the Gospell of Christ the sonne of God doth stirre his stumps in his members to impugne the same There is no Apothecarie in the worlde able to qualifie the bitternesse of his potion or medicine as our enimie is to qualifie the bitter and poysoned doctrin of H. N. Vittell with such swéete pretences of a holy life and vpright conuersatiō which in déed are but mere visars cloaks to shadow horrible blasphemie Such subtiltie hath Sathan that nowe enuying Christ ▪ Iesus his gospel doth stirre vp his members to disquiet the Church of God with this absurd senslesse errour And surely we were forewarned of such seducers that in the latter times would deceiue the simple the holy Ghost doth set thē foorth what kind of men they should be proud boasters y they haue the spirite of God as is witnessed 1. Tim. 4. vers 1. In y latter days some shal depart from the faith and shal giue heede vnto the spirites of errour doctrines of diuels And againe the 2. Epist. 3. chap. vers 5. Hauing a shewe of godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof turne away therefore from such Also Peter 2. Epist. 2. Chap. vers 1. But there were false Prophets also among y people euen as there shall bee false teachers among you whiche priuily shall bring in damnable heresies euē denying y Lord that hath bought them bring vpon them selues swift damnation and many shal follow their damnable wayes by whome the way of trueth shal be euil spoken of The same Chapter verse 21. For it had bene better for them not to haue
sinners c. but repent least that chaunce to you that came vpon them And againe looke I pray you howe you stumble in your owne tale You would prooue that none hath receiued their ministerie from the mouth of God you'speake of Paule did not Christ speake to him after his ascention from heauen and I pray you tell mee what ministration that euer was true came froÌ„ other then Gods owne mouth you are taught to flee such boasters like enough for so Satan hath alwayes taught his children And as concerning the badge whereby you woulde knowe them is as you set downe by publique declaration which is vtterly false For Moyses onely shewed his ministration to the Israelites Abraham to his children Noc to his familie Lott to his housholde and all the Prophets to Gods peculier children the Apostles in priuate houses c. And nowe to be short the disciples of Christe â–ª or his worde which are taught by the doctrine of Christ our sauiour out of the mouth of H. N. do confesse freely before all men the ground of their faith and religion and though you will not credit it yet it doth not followe that it is not so except this reason as God forbid should alwayes holde like as it hath holden of late Because men say I am a theefe therefore no proofe of lawe the testimonie of my neyghbours with whome I liue nor mine owne words against so simple an alligation must be permitted but all is vntrue nowe except it be to proue your false words slaunderous brutes trewe Here we finde will and vniustice on your parte to haue more rule then equitie or good reason And nowe therefore master Rogers will I euen out of loue to an admonition of you to your preseruation display vnto you a little of the difference betwixt the doctrine of H. N. yours He exhorteth according to the doctrine of Iesus Christ mentioned in the Scriptures to true repentâ—unce godly loue an vpright faith and dutifull obedience c. euen like as many of you at this day in words do but yet he with more power for he manifesteth according to the trueth that none among all the children of men shal be found meete in the sight of the Lord to beare the names of Christians boast they neuer so much of their Christianitie freedome or iustification by Christe in their vnregenerated life as they wil which hath not submitted them selues in true repentance vnder the obedience of Gods holie lawe which is administred vnto them in the seruice of Loue for to become first disciples of the same worde to a reformation of their owne wayes and not to go presently foorth with the knowledge and teach others as you do before they be come taught and reformed thereby neyther yet to iudge others therwith as you now do before they be come first iudged thereby which he calleth the true baptisme in the name of the father And then being so taught vnto Iesus Christ in the holie lawe to take vp in the beleefe their crosse daily on them with Christ against the sinne which he calleth the true baptisme in the name of the Sonne vntill that Christe which is the way the trueth and the life it selfe haue gotten a liuing shape or fourme in them by faith and that they through the Spirite of loue or Christ be raised vp againe in a newe life which he calleth the true baptisme in the name of the holy Ghost wherevnto all the Familie of Loue or of God at this day are louingly called and doe meane by Gods assistance most earnestly to endeuour themselues but yet with much more quietnesse mought they haue rest by such enimies to all godlynesse as you are Although you be vnaquainted with this doctrine â–ª or rather true baptisme here following yet would wee not therefore haue you belye vs according to your accustomed manner and saye that we deny the holy sacrament therof And although this infallible Christian doctrine of Loue Faith Obedience and Life which is taught by H. N. in the seruice of Loue accordeth with all Scriptures remaineth yet vnknowen much lesse practised amongst you free ones or Lybertines and this true repentance which is taught vnder the obedience of the holy lawe of God the Father this true crosse of Iesus Christ which is taught vnder the obedience of the beleefe of God the Sonne and this true resurrection or newenesse of life which is taught vnder the obedience of the loue of God the holie Ghoste is nowe blasphemed despised and resisted as an vnneedefull thing of you yet is the same neuerthelesse by the Familie of Loue or of God found to be the olde and true way corespondent with all the doctrine of the Apostles of Iesus Christ and therefore so needefull that without it looke ouer the Scriptures againe so mâ—ny as be wise among you there shall no man finde mercie with God or els through Iesus Christ become saued Then Alas master Rogers â–ª alas what haue you done I hope nothing yet but out of ignorance I would then you woulde looke better into the matter for if H. N. be a minister of the Lord then you haue much ouershot your selfe I leaue Stephan Bateman to the righteous iudgement of the Lord as one in whome there is small hope of any goodnesse Wherefore the Lorde God for his Christes sake graunt you eyes of vnderstanding and a repentant heart to aske forgiuenesse for so maliciously blaspheming Gods loue and trueth extended towardes vs out of mercie vndeserued and to aske mercie for deprauing such a gratious worke of God published forth nowe in the last time to all mens preseruation that desire to walke â–ª therein whereof we shal be right glad and then shal you be deliuered from that lying spirite which nowe seeketh like as in times past with moste horrible slaunders lyes to deface all good all such as indeuour themselues therevnto So shal it come to passe to Gods glorie your saluation our comfort Amen Your vnknowen friend The aunswere of I. R. to â–ª the letter of the Familie I Receiued a letter from you as from an vnknoweÌ„ friend conteining matter inuectiue against my booke as also verie many contumelious slaunderous speaches touching my honestie both which to aunswere you shall finde me readie and willing although not with like speach of disdaine sauouring of the spirite of enuie and not of loue To all which speach touching my honestie this shall serue for answere the Lord deale so and so betwéene vs as you vniustly charge me with waightes measures wares c but the contents of my booke disquieteth your moode the which you shal finde more large in aunswering 1 The first matter you tell me that no honest man woulde assay to defende so vnhonest attempts to defend my honestie I will not in this place my protestation shall serue but if the cause be dishonest then I am worthy great reprehension but you mistake me vtterly that I reprehend
méerè contrary doctrin vnto the scriptures It is therefore conuenient that you shew vs wher in you we differ in what pointes in what doctrine and then we shal thinke that there is some shewe of good meaning in you otherwise if you continue disslikers of our profession and shewe vs not wherein but referre vs to your authors bookes we shall neuer find out the difference betwene vs. 13 In déede in your long discourse you haue shewed your disliking in one part of our doctrine to wit of predestination which you impute to be the cause of the fulnes of prisons in England but before the doctrine was set foorth prisons haue béene full of leude persons such as regarde no religion Therefore you doe not well to charge the doctrine of predestination with so foule a faulte Which doctrine standeth vpon the omnipotencie of God so that they that acknowledge his almightinesse must of force graunt his power in predestination and election And although some stumble at the same yet the faulte is not in the doctrin but in the persons who take it by that part which it is not to be holden by For as a sharpe two edged sworde being taken by the blade or point to defende a man may as soone hurte himselfe as his enemie euen so who taketh the doctrine by such parte as the holy scriptures haue appointed it will be to their comfort otherwise it may hurt thē Many haue writtē largely in that argumēt whervnto hitherto few haue replyed And if no other matter gréeue your minds but this doctrin I doubt not but reconciliation may easely be bad but I am affrayde our Iustification in Christ our acknowledging ourselues to be sinners our weaknes in perfourming y law is also some cause of discention betwéen you and vs which I woulde be glad to vnderstande for my erudition 14 You say that H. N. exhorteth to true repentance godly loue vpright faith c. If we did not the like we were impions hipocrites but he you say doth it with power which we woulde gladly féele 15 Our iustification and redemption bragge we neuer so much thereof saye you helpeth not except a regenerate life followe We agrée with you that a regenerate life doth shewe a iustified man but maketh not a man iust For it is the fruite and not the roote of our iustification 16 But that you tearme our repentance obedience faith loue c. the vpright baptisme of the father your meaning I am ignorant of To take vp in the beléefe our crosse daily against sinne and this to be the true baptisme of the sonne as you say And when Christ hath gotten in vs a liuing forme or shape by faith and so be raised vpp in newnesse of life this you cal the true baptisme in the holy ghost All which I doe acknowledge may haue verie apt application so long as we imagine not a perfection to be wrought in vs as to be without sin For to be like to Christ or haue his image is to be vnderstoode to be like minded to him who did not sinne but that priuiledge onely perteineth to him and not to vs For he is like to vs in all thing sinne except but this barre sinne is the badge whereby his death and office worketh vppon vs to our saluation And except we with al the Prophets Patriarches Apostles other Gods children doing our best still acknowledge our selues sinners I cannot sée how Christs death doth by any meanes perteine vnto vs Gladly would I be resolued in this point 17 And nowe at this day we are called as you say and might finde much more rest if such enimies to al godlines as I am were not This is verie sharpe iudgemēt Bicause I manifest your familie doth it followe that I am enemie to all godlines Is ther no godlines vpō earth but among men of your profession only Christs houshold were very smal then and yet as I am an enemie to your doctrine so your persons I haue not hated For whom in their trouble I haue sought deliuerie and haue knowne of your méetings if I had béen enuiously minded but far be that from me 18 As for E. L. I protest vnto you euen by the Lord that he is vtterly ignorant of any my doings neither did I sée him this yeare and halfe yet did hée participate to mee of Christopher Vittals behauiour longe agoe Nowe touching your frée confession before all men out of the mouth of H. N. of your doctrin certeinly it is shadowed with such phrases and circumstāces that few can find any sense in his bookes but manye good wordes without conclusion which shoulde not bee in the puritie of a good cause 19 As for those propheticall spéeches in the Apocalipse of the white stone with a newe name written therein which none knoweth sauing he that receiueth it if this be H. N. as you would slily insinuate tel vs in plaine tearmes For your hidden misteries wil not longer serue 20 You aske what ministration was euer true which came not from God his owne mouth I answere as before that there must be both an inwarde calling which is from God an outward calling from men Nowe if H. N. or you will shewe vs that he is called frō God his owne testimonie is not sufficient neither doe his bookes manifeste his calling Therefore for the credite of his new doctrine it is required that he worke miracles or else prooue vnto vs that his doctrine is not disagréeing from the holy scriptures and that substancially If you woulde goe plainely to worke and shewe vnto vs your authours doctrine by principles prooue the same by holy scripture surely I and others woulde conceiue that vpon some grounde of good conscience you were seuered in iudgment from vs For so long as the matter remaineth hidden men construe your doinges worse peraduenthen it is it augmēteth suspition that being called to witnes forth your doctrine you are founde so fearefull and fainte that it sheweth not a testimonie of the spirite of God For where the spirte of God resteth there is ioyned wisedome audacitie constancie trueth and plaine dealing 21 And where you holde it good policie to flée frō one citie to an other being sought for I grant it to be reasō yet being called broght before y magistrats then fearefully or cowardly to fainte is méere impietie in a iust cause He that denieth me before men I will c. For either ye vtter such a confession as is holden of vs and beléeued among vs or else venie your author and his doctrine vtterly Did the Martires in the primitiue Church so Did our brethren in Queene Maries dayes so Nay cleane contrarie being called they did boldly publishe the trueth of Christ with open and plain speaches did set down their faith in principles to the eyes of al men and not kéepe it secrete in corners 22 Assuredly if H. N. be a minister of the Lorde then haue I much
ouershot my selfe and if you can prooue it to me I shall gladly receiue it and will be redie to recant and cal backe all my wordes and aske mercie in like fourme as you haue prescribed but hitherto as I am persuaded and as my conscience beareth me witnesse I haue not in any point slandered you nor of malice spokeÌ„ any thing against you for if I did know any nerer way to saluatioÌ„ then y which our sauiour Christ hath taught in his Gospell I woulde with all gréedenesse imbrace it And if I can vnderstand that euer this your doctrin was taught publikly since christ our Lord his assention by any godly writer in Christs Church I will ceasse and subscribe vnto you otherwise blame me not though I continue in that minde which the Lorde in mercie by his Christ hath made manifest to me to my comforte The God of mercie and consolation giue you a right spirite to depend vpon the puritie of his worde written by the holy Ghoste and not to depend vpon the vncertainetie of man giuing testimonie to him selfe so shall both you and I bee brought to sée rightly into our weakenesse shall heare y ioyful voyce y Paule heard My grace is sufficient for thee For y Lords power loue is manifested made kno wen vnto the worlde through our weakenesse and all our righteousnesse is Sicut pannus menstrualis God in mercie giue vs all his grace that in séeking the true way that ledeth to life euerlasting we be not led into y by paths of errour but leade vs and guide vs O Lorde so shall we knowe thy ways aright imbrace our sauing health in Christ declared to all nations If it please you to reply I shall receiue it thankfully London the 12. of Februarie Your friend I. R. A Letter of the Familie to I. R. written by E. R. M. Rogers these are to signifie vntd you that I haue perused a booke wherof you are the authour In your preface you say you haue vsed this order to set downe the authors owne speach not adding or diminishing any thing with the name of the booke Chapter or folio I do wish that your word and deede had agreed therein I call to minde that I haue read many authours bookes within this 35. or 36. yeares and among them all I haue not found any writer that hath taken such an order as you haue done for who so euer will write to confute an Authour he should set downe the Authours owne wordes as they stande written in his bookes and so to confute them by the Scriptures orderly and not to take out here some and there some and of diuers sentences and part of diuers sentences to make one sentence You haue added and diminished in diuers places and to inlarge your booke withall you haue set downe the most part of the sentences in two places as y readers may perceiue if they do confer your booke with the Authours bookes wâ—y them with indifferencie I am fully persuaded that the sober discreet wise and godly learned do ne wil not allowe of it that any Authour should be so abused as you haue abused this Authour in wresting belying and peruerting his writings Salonton saith A false record wil make a lye A false witnesse shall not remaine vnpunished and hee that speaketh lyes shall not escape I pray God open the eyes of your heart that you may see your ignorance and repent You do ground one point of your matter vpon Adrian Gisling a man of credite as you say y he did read in a Duche booke intituled the Glasse of righteousnesse wherein the Authour doth certifie his Familie of Loue that they must passe foure most terrible castels full of combersome enimies before they come to the house of Loue the first is Iohn Caluine the second the Papistes the third Martine Luther the fourth the Anabaptistes howe good of credite so euer Adrian Gisling is of he hath not at any time read any such matter in any of that Authours bookes he might perhaps read of such matter in some other booke hauing that title I my self haue read ouer diuers of the bookes and also the booke called the Glasse of righteousnesse of that Authours writing that you take your occasion against and there is no such Castles written in any of his bookes therfore Adrian Gisling is therein vtterly deceiued and I do beleeue no lesse but those other thinges that you haue written vpon reporte against â— Author to make him odious vnto the people is as contrarie I suppose you should haue done well if you had not come in with a flourish to attempt battell and beginne a skirmish against those that haue no pleasure or delight in warre or battell but much rather doe desire peace vnitie It is not reckoned for a manly part that an armed souldier should take vp weapon and fight with a naked childe It is written Let not him that putteth on his harnesse boast him selfe as he that putteth it off If the little vnarmed childe Dauid doe come to battell with his sling and stones one of the stones may happen to hit Golias in the forhed be he neuer so well appointed for battell and trusteth in his owne strength But what you haue done you can not vndo it is too farre past your hands And where you call in doubt that the familie will carpe as you terme it at your booke and do offer if they do answere it a speedie replie will be performed I for my parte I giue GOD thankes am not ignoraunt of the Lande of strife and contention that ye walke in and as it appeareth ye haue a pleasure therein I haue wandered vppe and downe there ouerlong and consumed much time there about to my greate greefe and sorrowe for those that doe loue strife and contention would haue other like to them selues S. Paule saith The seruants of the Lord must not striue And Saint Iames saith If ye haue bitter enuying and strife in you hearts reioyce not neither be lyars against the trueth and then following where enuie and strife is there is vnstablenes all maner of euill workes In the Homilie for whitsunday the second part ye may read this sentence But to conclude and make an end ye shall briefly take this short lesson where so euer ye finde the spirit of arrogancie and pride the spirit of enuie hatred contention crueltie murther extortion witchcraft Necromancie c. assure your selues that there is the spirite of the diuell and not of GOD albeit they pretend outwardly to the worlde neuer so much holinesse I haue no desire pleasure nor delight to carpe at your booke nor to striue or contend with you or any one neyther is there any other who doe desire peace and vnitie that will haue any delight or pleasure in strife and contention but leaue euery one to the Lorde Salomon saith The sinne of the wicked is his owne snare Saint