good but forasmuch as your doctrine is false wicked and fantasticall therfore your prayer is corrupte and abhominable and to be despised and all princes that fear the Lord wil become vtter enemies to you â— your doctrine and seek diligently to amend if it be possible your corruptions and I doute not but the Lord hath in his Church men of zealous mindes who will not see the glory of our immortall God nor the death passion and resurrection of Christ Iesus our Lord so defaced darâ—kned and shadowed And that his Church may be purged of such corrupt weedes which spring vp séeking to destroy that good corn which is sowed already O Lord God we humble sinners abiding in the vnity of thy holy Church doe most humbly hartely pray thee eueÌ„ for thy sonne our Sauiour Christ Iesus sake that thou wilt in mâ—rcy looke vpon thy poore afflicted Church and the members thereof that by no malice of Sathan no pretence of collored speach nor no vanity of minde any of thy children be caryed away as straying from thy fould but that O Lord they may agayne be ioyned to thy flock so that so many as pertayne vnto that good shepherd of our soules Christ Iesus may laud and prayse thy name with one voyce and O Lord we most humbly beseech thee to clense thy Church from the filthy dregges of doctrine which wicked meÌ„ through the malice of Sathan haue deuised to disquiet thy peaceable Sion conuert thou them O Lord wée beseech thee mollify their stony hartes which haue set vp a Prophet whome thou O Lord hast not sent let them O Lord behold how farre they haue declyned from thy wayes and followed the doctrine of deceaueable men let them see from whome they haue departed to whom they cleaâ—e fast And although we O Lord by our offences and the manyfold transgressions wherwith we prouoke thy merciâ—ull goodnes who doe know thy will and yet are so slow performerâ— therof wherby thou O Lord doest punish our offences so that wicked men now set vp theÌ„selues against vs accusing vs and that worthely of the breaking of thy holy lawes So O Lord although we haue thus sore prouoked thy goodnes by our offences yet we beseech thee consider thy sonne our Lord and Sauiour whose obedience righteousnes to thy will â–ª thou hast by promise made it ours so that beloÌ„ging to thy sonne we are shadowed vnder his righteousnes and couered vnder his winges in safety from eternall destrucâ—ion But such is thy goodnesse O mercifull God to try thy children here in earth how stedfast we will bid battaâ—le against Sathan and his impes and how constant we will abide therein so that no blast nor inuation of enemies shall I hope shake that foundation of faith that thou hast plâ—nted in vs which we most humbly desire thy maiesty to increase and that we may perseuâ—re and continue in the vnity of thy holy church in this life and after we may inioy tâ—e fruition of thy godly maiâ—stye and sing prâ—yses vnto thee world without end Vitell. O Lord let vs finde grace before thine eyes and heare ouâ— humble sâ—pplication which we make vnto thee in the sorrowfulnesse of our haâ—ts For a broaken hart and a sorrowfull spâ—â—ite wilt thou O Lord not despise â–ª for euen there wilt thou enter 〈◊〉 and therby mâ—â—e thine habitation and sanctifie thy name from genâ—ration tâ—â—enâ—â—â—tio◠〈◊〉 in euerlastingnes It is very true Answere O Lord we bâ—seech thée turne the harts of thesâ— deceaueâ— people and graunt them thy holâ— sâ—irit y they may discern thy truth tauâ—ht in thy holy word and not geue eaâ—e vnto anâ—e which teach coÌ„trary therto ouerthrow their deuices brig to light their deâ—â—â—ts for thy holy names sake That we thy childreÌ„ may reiâ—yce ouer their tâ— uersioÌ„ so together with one voice magnifie praise thy glorious name â–ª and that those straying shâ—â—p may be brought in to thy fold again 〈◊〉 it be thy blesâ—â—d wil Reueale vnto them O Lord we beseech thee the office and death of thy sonne our Lord and Sauiour that they tasting the swetenes thereof may â—orsake the confidence they haue in their perfection and that we may all acknowledge onely Christ Iesus to be perâ—ite and we our selues dust and dung and whatsoeuer is vile let nâ—t Sathan lead theÌ„ captiue but O Lord we besech thee pull them out of the Lyons mouth and conioyne them to thy holy Church out of which they haue wandred ouer long in doctrines of men Let thy strength appeare O Lord and let our weakenes be made open to them let the effect of thy Gospell breake into their hartes of stone that they may tast féele how swâ—ete the Lord is in mercy towardes sinners and how seuere to such as iustify theÌ„selues And if it stand with thy good will pleasure thus to coÌ„uert theÌ„ at the sute of our earnest prayers we shall for the same geue thankes in thy Church euermore But if thy Churche shall haue thereby their tryall made knoweÌ„ to the world herein O Lord kéepe thy children and such as loue thâ— Lord Iesus embrace the ioyfull tidinges of the Gospell in thine owne bosome that they be not led away with any pretences of pietye into error or corruption but defend them as thou hast promised that what pittye a Father hath ouer his childreÌ„ lyke pittye thou O Lord wilt shew vnto theÌ„ which we besech thee graunt vs for thy sonne Iesus Christ his sake to whome with the holy ghost be honor land prayse power and dominion from euerlasting to euerlasting So be it The state and condition of a regenerate man by the rule of holy scripture compared with the state of a regenerat man by the doctrine of HN. in the Familye of Loue. I Being in my creation at the first in most excellent state and happines hauing by diuine prouideÌ„ce in my selfe frée choyse will to choose the good and refuse the euill described by fire and water I willingly and of mine owne accord gaue place to euill and so worthely by iustice brought vpon my selfe the heauy hand of my God and the dexteritye of his law â–ª with maledirioÌ„ cursse where in â— had remained euerlastingly had not the Lord my God in mercy and of his speciall grace beholding my woeâ—â—â—l â—ase without any desert of mine prouided and promised a deliuerer a Sauiour eueÌ„ the Lord Iesus which in â—ulnes of time came whome the Patriarches hoped after whome the Prophets foretold of which died for my sinnes and rose agayne for my iustification who put out the hand writing of the law pronounced agaynst me â—astened it to his crosse who suffered for me y I might raigne with him who left me an example that I should â—ollow his steppes And which is more without coÌ„dition promisâ—d me eternall lyfe which by the onely sacrifice of his death he hath obtayned and by his paynefull
agreing with our frayle condition and nature But such is our vanitye not guided by the spirite of God to aduaunce our state and calling aboue our degree and condition by the setting on of our enemy Sathan Vitell. NOw I doe maruell why you be so enuious agaynst that name HN. wil you not permit the Lord to geue names to his ministers according to the worke that he will accomplish by them or doe you think that the names are geueÌ„ to the outward creature then are you much deceiued No my beloued the seruauntes of the Lord are children of Loue ascribe no names of holynes as dew to the outward person For they know that they are but fraile eaâ—then vessels beare their names according to their vertues whiche God hath geuen them and submit them humbly and obediently as serviceable instrumâ—ts to serue the lord their neiâ—hbour therfore I would councell you to looke iâ—to your selues marke what 〈◊〉 good thinking spirites rule 〈◊〉 wherethrough ye blaspeme diâ—piâ—e dishonor the tâ—ple or tabernaâ—lâ— of the Lord. Answere AGaynst the two letters of HN. I am not enuyous only against such doctrine as he doth teach contrary to the scripture whereby you as an Ipocrite haue seduced the people and led theÌ„ into error and corrupt wayes to hinder the Lord of his purpose it resteth not in mortal man If HN. be a name signifiyng some office why hath neither he nor you manifested y same but plead ignorance that it signifieth some hâ—e misterye which you nor we know not now as HN. is a name geueÌ„ by the Lord as you affirme according to the worke that he will establish by him so doth his fellow Elder â—idelitas looke for lyke credit whose wordes I will repeate as they be written in his booke called A distâ—nciâ—e declaration of the requiring of the Lord c. In the First chap. 1â— seâ—ion â—e hath these wordes following but fire or bend alwayes all your sight oâ— me Fidelitas and consider how that the Lord hath choseÌ„ me euen froÌ„ my very byrth out of my Mothers wombe to the obedience of the requiring of his word For that I with you and yee also with me according to the requiring of the testimonyes of his gracious word should become vnited therein and so to growe of one vniforme being with ech other in the same c. You shew vs in the 29. sexion that through HN. his priestes office the Lord will receaue all men in mercy but for Fidelitas office as yet we know not what it is and in deede there were neuer any that would challenge such names as these elders doe affirme that they signifie their office and calling certayne players vpon stages would declare thâ—â—r names representinâ— câ—rtâ—ine â—eâ—â—ueâ— to seâ— out their matters somâ— wâ—â—e callâ—d truâ—th some hope some â—aithfulnesse but in sadnes to set â—owne such names to siâ—niâ—â—e 〈◊〉 which thâ— Lord as yâ—u affirme will accomplish by them is meere impâ—etie But where the Lord geueth names it appeareth by their calling and such aâ—e their workes and sayinges as geâ—eth testimony sâ—fficient to their vocation â—ut â—our HN. câ—n shew no sufficient markes wherby any but seduced persoâ—s should geue credite to his wordes onely a paâ—nted shew and barren heaping vp of woâ—des darkly appliâ—d without conclusion or sence sauing you and such lâ—ke that finde great misterâ—es in his sentences carying such credit among you as is not seeming Christians The Lord gaue names to sundry vnder the law as Isaack Sampson Iohn â—aptist c. But doth it follow that HN. is a name geuen by the lord Proue vnto vs that the Lord hath established his name your friuolous cauill that HN. signifieth 〈◊〉 will not serue such bables are scarce sufficiâ—Ì„t to meâ—k children therefore you must deuise some better 〈◊〉 Some of your Familye haue written that HN. signifieâ—h some greater matter then either you â–ª or wee can tell of such incertentyes hoâ— you auâ—uch of your HN. For vncertayne doctrine must haue certayne â—idden misteryes to amase the heares mindes or els no doubt â–ª the drift of doâ—â— me would easely be espied Therefore you must deâ—ise some hidden sâ—â—retes whereby to cary a shew of profâ—â—â—d mâ—tter That names are geuen by men in these dayes and not by God there is no doubt or question but you would sayne haue HN. to be a name geuen of God to signifie a calling you geue vs no reasâ—n so to thinke but woulde haue vs beleue it is so because you say so then were we vayn heads and vncâ—nstant mindes For we depende so stricktly vpon the scrâ—ptures of God that no spirite no 〈◊〉 nor no Angel teaching other 〈◊〉 can be a coâ—ted or beleued amongst vs so ceâ—tayn is our faith and so inuincible is that truth which by the Scriptures we held In that you tâ—e Children of y loue ascribe no names of holynes vnto the outward person it is a mistery we aâ—e ignorant of we simply geue names to our children in baptisme without signification of holynes touching the Inâ—ant the names may signifie holynes but that the person carrying the same name shall be indewed therwith that are we ignorant of If you haue such hidden misteries among you it were good the world should not be ignorant of it We commit the successe and euent of such hidden secrets to the lord Of enuyous good thinking spirites that rule in vs you councel vs to looke to without your councell God willing we meane to follow the councel of the Lord our God which willeth vs not to beleue euery spirite c. And yet I neuer heard before of enuyous good thinking spirits But such a grace you haue not only to forge new doctrine but new names of Spirits also In speaking against HN. you wold insinuate that we blaspheme despise and dishonoâ— the temple or tabernacle of the lord Doth it follow necessarily that they that speake against HN. blaspheme despise c. And is he the temple or tabernacle of the Lord vndoubtedly we are all deceaued then For I assure you we take him to be an erroneous spirit a fantastical hed possessed with pride of minde Sathan blowing the belowes The Lord working therby the exercise of his church If you haue other opinioÌ„ of HN. warrant or grouÌ„d so to do haue you none But beâ—ause you will not beâ—eeue the truth therefore are strong illusions sent whereby you might be deceaued Looke into the holy Scriptures with a more single minde and it shall be easily perceiued Vitell. MOrâ—ouer you say that the illuminat â—lders sin not I would you knew what you say forth you should vnderstand that they do lord and preuaile with God and Câ—â—ist ouer the sinne and haue no pleasure to commit sinne therfore they teach men the godly obedience whereby they might be frends with God but they that haue pleasure in sinne are the seruants of â—inne and are enemies to the Lord. Answere I Haue sayd that the
which only depende on reuelations And you which brag of your Author which is as he sayeâ—h taught froÌ„ god his own mouth hath hard y souÌ„d of his voice Thus miserably are you carâ—ed away by illusioÌ„s herin you deceiue your selues and many others Out of the wisdome of the flesh sprange all Christopher Vitelles â—rrors Note I pray thee Reader that this Libeller acknowledgeth to haue bin in him many errors comprehended in this word â—all and anonâ— thou shall finde him saying he was in no error In deede the church of Christ hath felt to much expeâ—â—ence of your heretâ—call head fraught full of heresies so that if any newer deuice should by Sathan be stirred vp you are as apte an instrument to broach the same as any that I know in England From no other mans bookes did this man sucke his errors and were you in error theÌ„ and by the same meanes may you not still remayne in error haue you any further priuiledge now then you had before Of necessity you must sly vnto your perfection that you cannot erre nor sinne there is no ether excuse to be had here is a mistery For you thinke it an absurde thing that your errors spâ—ang from any other fountaine then the flesh of sinne No bookes no conference were meanes to bring you to this â—rroâ— Loâ—ke well into your selfe and you shall fiâ—de in â—ou now more errors and heâ— esiâ—s then euer you held heretofore â—ou imagined your selfe cleansed and your hâ—use swept but now are sâ—uen morse spirites entered into you as appâ—areth by your doctrin and you are become ten solde the child of destruction more now thâ—n beâ—â—râ— And except you repent your ende will be far worse then your beginning Vitell. NEither â—an I blame any man for minâ— own sinnes were gâ—eater and horribleâ— in my sight â–ª then all other menneâ— for although I had â—ed certayne bookes of sundry wryteâ—s yet was I moued to seaâ—â—h â—hether they were grounded vpon the Loâ—ds promyses or no and humbling my selfâ— befoâ—e the Loâ—d aâ— desiâ—ous to doe his will â—o gaue he me to vndeâ—stand that I knew nothing of all his wayeâ— but the troble that I â—as in whereout the Lord delyueâ—ed me â—s not to be expâ—â—ssed And iâ— the Loâ—d of his goodnes had not comfâ—rted me with his holy spiâ—ite through hiâ— most holy seruice of his loue broght forth through HN. his elected minister I should haue remained without hope of life Answere NOw commeth this Vitell to declare a tragedy of himself which no man can gaâ—nsay being a thing secret and vnknowen to the world For our secret conflictes are troublesome I graunt when our conscience shall pres vs with the greatenes of our sinnes but whether it were so or no who can controll him or els who will beleeue his own wordes speaking so many things contrary to truth already But I must certifie that this is a speciall point of practise in the Family that when any in conference doe require how they could so easily leaue the certainty of doctrine which once they earnestly imbraced then shall you heare them tell you of marueilous conflicts much trouble and veration of minde and could neuer attaine to any quietnes vntill by the doctrine of â—â— they found rest vnto their soules But may not this be an illusion of Sathan as otherwise being rightly examined for Sathan is so suttle that if he may get possession of any setled mindes who instructed in godlynes by the scriptures resist his perswasions and so coÌ„meth to conslict of minde in such troubles â–ª where Sathan â–ª by the Lord his permission preuayleth then worketh he in his a certayne security or peace and then they thinke all is well when indâ—de neuer in worse case then so captiued in Sathans tyranny Now this man when he hath set abroad some of his troubles you shall see how he was deliuered by which we may gather what marke he shootes at namely in all troubles and agonyes of minde all must resort to the seruice of Loue set forth by his elected Minister HN. For this man if he had not taken that course he had remained without hope of lyfe certaynly great is the honor wherewith they aduaunce this their priest and prophet aboue all that is called God but my hope is that with the blast of the Lord his mouth which he hath published in the scriptures he shall be confounded and ouerthrowne so low that the fall of him which so exalted himselfe shall be to the comfort of all the Lord his children for whose â—ake he now beginneth to maniâ—est this lying Prophet and will I hope rayse vp to his Church men of zelous mindes which will both write and speake agaynst this wicked man of sinne which is in such credit with deceaued people which the Lord in mercy spedely bring to passe to the glory of thy name the comfort of thy church and the spoyle of Sathan and his ympes Vitell. BVt he gaue me to vnderstande there through that he would be merâ—ifull vnto all penitent sinners how horrible sinnes soeuer they had coÌ„mitted therefore I may say a medicine master getteth gretest prayâ—e by those that haue the filthâ—est and corruptest diseaâ—es as a leprous person and such like â—uen so haue I the gretest cause to land the Lord and must confes that he whâ—ch is mighty hath done great things on me and holy is his name Answere NOw after this man hath shewed his conflict of minde and how he was delyuered through the seruice of loue ministred by HN. Now he telleth that by that same he vnderstood that God would be mercifull to al sinners and I pray you did you not know of this mercy but by HN Were you ignoraunt â—of the Scriptures before you came acquainted with him his bookes His mercy and compassion is plentifully declared in the gospell which it seemeth you were ignorant of This medicine mâ—ster HN. hath wrought a great cure vpon this man For as one of your schollers haue written in his defence He teacheth with power and it may be the power of Sathan which leadeth men into errors and heresies Although you imagine that this is wrought by the mighty hand of the Lord abusing the words of the â—anticle which the blessed virgine did set forth magnifying the name of y Lord thereby Touching your diseases which you count to be cured it is out of dout that you are more full of infirmities and desperate diseases then euer you were although you feele them not For a body that feeleth no sicknes yet infirme and weake is hard to be cured yea irrecuperable as Phisitions prescribe Looke therfore more rightly into your selfe and you that are so whole clene you shall finde matter of corruption in you whereupon the true Phisition of our soules Christ Iesus shall if you acknowledge your sicknes and infirmity worke therby such an alteration in you as heretofore you neuer had the lyke but if you stand
will not ioy nor rest in peace vntill all your errors be disclosed and â—ou and your fellowes be brought to â—umble your selues before the Lord without your HN. which the Lord bring spedely to passe Amen Vitell. NOw must I for want of tyme passe ouer and omit many thinges and submit my cause vnto the almighty desiring him of his goodnes for to try our cause in his ballaunâ—e of equitye euen with the Loue and trueth for so shall there then be expressed and testified by the light or Christ that Gods honour is declared with the Loues seruice most sincerely Aunswere THis Libel was not long enough but he muâ—â— oâ—â—t much matter and so as he sayth submit his cause vnto the almighty c. â—ut if you did as becoÌ„meth a true Christian you should not onely submit your cause vnto the Lord who in patience suâ—freth Ipocrites to trouble his Church but also submit your doctrine to be tryed and iudged by his holy word which is a iust iudge in all causes of controuersy For if your protestation shall be admitted without exception theÌ„ euill doers and blasphemers of God and Christ may haue liberty to referre their cause vnto the Lord but since almighty God hath in earth a knowen Church it is requisite that euery one being required should geue account of his fayth and hope as the scriptures doe teach you would haue your cause tryed in the ballaunce of equitye a truer ballance is not then his law which is without blot or wrinkle if you would abide the tryall thereof your doctrine and your patrone HN. should be found lighter then vanitye it selfe Where you adde with the Loue trueth the Loue you so often confound that you know not your selues the meaning thereof sometyme you wil signifie Christ by that name loue sometime a vertue procéeding sometyme a qualitye of the minde sometyme for the exercise which you priuately vse where to finde the exposition of this word Loue you leue it as vncertaine then it shall be expressed you say by the light or Christ that by you God his honor is declared with the Loues seruice sincerely here is Loue agayne ioyned with seruice which cannot meane as I thinke any thing â—lls but God his seruice I take it in the best part if you haue any other more secret misterye therein I leaue to your selues but touching any seruice you doe to God it is Ipocrysye so long as you serue him without Christ or with any other and Christ for he will admit no other to haue place in mens hartes but himselfe he made all he requireth all Vitell. OH what a dauÌ„gerous tyme is it presently in these last dayes and how vnrightly haue many vnregenerated men set vp themselues to geue iudgement with their good thinking For whatsoeuer euery one mindeth thinketh good and electeth â—ther falleth to that same prayseth and iudgeth he for the most best and for a righteousnes thereto also he wresteth the scripture according to his will for the scripture is seruiceable vnto euery one euen as he is minded be it whatsoeuer to be high minded in pleasant lustes either to be debased in misery to be merâ—y or sorowfull with sighing either with thankes to be despised and persecuted or to persecute and despise one an other and many such lyke c. Answere OF the dauÌ„gerous tyme we are not ignorant of and more we tell you that you and your fellowes make the tyme much more daungerous and troublesome with your errors which HN. and you haue raysed vp Now you complayne that vnregenerat men haue set vp themselues you meane by vnregenerat men all others which are not illuminat nor deifâ—ed as your Elders are The children of God for whome Christ dyed whose names are written in the booke of lyfe are regenerate although as I haue sayd before you account none to be regenerat but such as haue no motions of sinne or sinne not but you say that the same vnregenerat men with their good thinking â–ª that same he prayseth and iudgeth for righteousnes but who might worse alledge the same then you who câ—mmâ—nd without reason or cause your Auâ—hor and his moÌ„strous doâ—trinâ— which hath in it such grosse absurdâ—â—yes and most contrary to God and his word and you are they that peâ—uert the scripture to set vp your Prophet and his doctrine and what is spoken of Christ doe you not wickedly apply the same to your HN. doe you not apply this place of Malarhy chap. 3. which our Sauiour Christ verefied to be propesied of Iohn behold I will send my messenger which shall prepare the way before me Againe Math. 11. he shall turne the hart of the Fathers to the children and the hartes of the children c. doe you not I say apply these places to signifye your HN. and that it is ment by him therefore there are none found such wresters of the scriptures as you And where as you affirme that the scripture is seruiceable vnto euery one therein you shew what reuerence you haue vnto y same for although you such others do abuse the scripture contrary to y purpose of y holy ghost yet are the scriptures y wisedome of God reuealed to man and is a perfit law of righteousnes and not as you vngodly and vnreuerently tearme it seruiceable vnto euery one Your companions the Papistes haue as you doe called the scripture a nose of ware a shipmans hose c. but most wickedly and falsely to both your confusions it is the power of God vnto saluatioÌ„ Vnto them that beleue the sauour of lyfe vnto lyfe but vnto such as you are which so vnreuerently speake thereof it is the sauor of death vnto death the scriptures doe not maintayne pleasant lustes nor high mindes as you vnreuerently suppose but they are to comfort and lift vp the sorrowfull and broken mindes and to beate downe and correa the hauty and proud stomackes If vngodly men such as you are abuse them to other purposes the fault is in the persons not in the word Vitell. WHereunto euery one wresteth the scripture and defendeth his cause therewith insomuch that euery one thinketh that he for his part hath the most best Behold with such a misery is the man plagued such manner of good thinking and vnprofitable burthen hath he taken vpon him oh that we left all such and gaue ouer our vnderstanding captiue ether suffred it to be pluâ—kt vnder the obedience of the loue of Iesu Christ and followed after the coÌ„mon brotherly loue innocently or vndeceitfully and continued concordably in prayer vnto God â—l that God receiued vs to mercy released vs froÌ„ the sin of the ignorant knowledge and established his promise on vs to the laud prayse and honor of his holy name and to our saluation Aunswere YF euery one wrest the scripture where shall wee finde Christ his Church who is led by the spirite of trueth according to his promise thâ— greatest wresters of
the word are you your selues as is before shewed that euery one thinketh that he hath the best part as you say For mens thoughtes we referre to his knowledge that is Scrutâ—tor cordium remum Also you affirme that man is plaged with such a miserye and burthen but we rather say oh miserable man out of whose corrupt nature springeth such presumption and wickednes to be vnder the obedience of the Loue of Christ Iesus is our whole care and studyâ— to him onely we cleaue on him we call vpon his mercy we depend and carefully seeke indeuour to be obedient to his will for he is our hope our anker hold our mercy seate our only coÌ„fort in all distresse of mind our phisitioÌ„ in sicknes our gouernour in health our peacemaker the onely purchaser of our health and saluatioÌ„ he is all in all with vs and wée enioy all in all by him and through him and if this sayth were also planted in you then would your HN. be banished out of your hartes and your perfection would soone quaile and in humilitye of spirite you would â—ith vâ— fall downe before this méeke Lambe Christ Iesus and say peccauimus cum patribus nostris c. We haue sinned with our Fathers without which Christ no flesh that is no creature liuing is iustified in his fathers sight and Christ his death is proper to none nor bâ—longeth to none but sinners and such aâ— feele sinne or are laden with sinnes What shall then become of you Iusticiaryes with your perfite state which sinne not to follow brotherly loue is also to be wished both in you and vs and I pray you doe euen the same theÌ„ shall you not séeke out y simple people whose capaciti is lyke vnto ware which will easely receiue any print or marke seek not with your fly and suttle perswasions to seduce theÌ„ with your corrupt doctrine â–ª vnder preâ—ence that you seeke onely the godly lyfe which Christians should follow whereas in déede you séeke to leade theÌ„ from Christ to HN. from the â—omfort of the holy scriptures which sheweth how mercy is offred to all penitent sinnâ—rs vnto a perfite state of lyfe which must be attained in this world which neuer any Christ Iesus except could attayne vnto and so you corruptly leade them away from all comfort in Christ Therefore we will not let to desire the Lord in mercy to preserue his childreÌ„ from your infected poyson Vitel. THerfore speketh the lord through his Prophet Zacâ—ary Iudge righteously and let euery one shew goodnes and mercifulnes vnto his brother and let no man deale vnrightly with another nor with the widowes fatherles sâ—â—angers and poore And let no man imagine any euill against his brother in his haâ—t but alas they will not haue â—â—gard hereupon but â—uâ—ne theâ— backs saith the Lord vnto me and stop their eares that they heare not and harden their haâ—â—es as hard as a diamont For that they should not be obediâ—t to the law the word which the lord sendeth in his spirite through his prophets Aunswere TOuching the saying of â—achary we wish the very same that euery one shew mercy and deale rightly with his brother with the widow and fatherles strangers and poore c. But can you alleadge these places haue no regard to folow the exhortatioÌ„ your selues how rightly do you deale with your brethren that being required to vtter your faith which you hold you deal suttelly and deceitfully with such as with well vnto you and seeke your health and delyuery from error Now regard you that no man imagine euill in his hart against his brother when as you call vs free â—nes Libertiâ—es and wicked blasphemers c. Who turnes their backs who stoppes their â—ares who harden their harts Haue not you turned from Christ to HN Haue not you stopt your eares against all holesome admonition which the holy Ghost hath plentifully in the holy scriptures set forth and only bent your harts vpon the bookes and wrytyngs of HN Haue you not hardened your harts and bent your faces against a manifest truth and placed HN. a prophet priest by whoÌ„ God wil receiue all vnto mercy On whom may this propheticall speach or exhortation be better applyed then vpon your selues and yet will not I goe about to excuse my selfe and others that we do therein what is required but only let y world see that these men of the Family cry out and apply the sayings of the Prophets against vs and for themselues they suâ—pose it belongeth not to them to take waâ—ning thereby in so perfecte a state do they remaine Vitell. O God prepare the harts of the people to the lowlynâ—ssâ— that they might stand mindeâ— in humility to the Loue and loue the comming of thy Christ in his lordlâ—nes through whom the whol earth shal be â—udged with righteousnes which shall moue all might and violence and bring it vnder his obedience and render vnto thee O almighty God the kingdom all power and glory to the end that thou mayest be all in all O god geue this into the harts of the gouernors that they may see it And illuminate all kinges princes Lords and potentates with thy godly wisdome that they may feare thy holy name stand submitted vnto thy Loue and her seruice and might turne them from all violence and misuse and that the world may be inhabited to thy praise in the Loue and in all righteousnes and that all men in true repentance for their sinnes might be turned vnto thee And the horrible plagues of vngodlynes which are come ouer the world for their sinâ—es cause cease and haue an end Answere THis part coÌ„taineth a prayer which this man maketh for all that they might staâ—d minded in humility to the loue as I haue often complayned of the confounding this word Loue and the signification therof so here I will tâ—ke it in y best part to signifie God to whom we craue continually his grace to huÌ„â—le our harts that we may euer standâ— obedyent to his will and that we may look for that ioyfull coÌ„ming of Christ Iesus whose appearing shal be to the comfort of his elect to their surpassing ioy but as a terrible iudge to the wicked despisers of his mercy offered and to such as haue sâ—t vp in their harts any other besides him or follow any other but him or delite in any other sauing hâ—m No violence can resist him no strength preuail with him but as you say all shall be brought vnâ—er his obâ—dâ—ence â—here as you pray that all kings princes c. may â—eaâ—e thy holy name and stand submitted to thy loue â—ere is loue takeÌ„ in another sence therfore you intricatly vse this word Loue wherby your meaning can not easily be found out For here loue and her seruice is meant such doctrine and seruice â—s you teach which you wiâ—h all princes were partakers of if your doctrine were a truth in dâ—â—de then were your prayer