ye in like manner without Christ and against Christ although yee make great boast of him committe whoredome and deale nor walke not according to the doctrine or requiring of Christ If others thinke hardly and speake badly of these Familistes which are strangers vnto them and none of their societie and his Maiestie tearmeth them a vile Sect let them maruell noe more seeing H. N. the oldest Father of that Familie and priuie to all their actions and dealinges taketh them I meane many euen Almost all of them to bee but an whorish company making the voluptuousnesse of the flesh their freedome or summum bonum neither let them blame others hence forward as iniurious to their good manners For H. N. hath taught vs what they are The Familie of Loue. OR if wee doe varie or swarue from the now established Religion in this Land either in Seruices Ceremonies Sermons or Sacraments The Examination Here would I know what they meane by varying or swaruing from the now established religion in this Land If by varying they vnderstand any outward publique dissenting from the religiō established The Familistes Temporizers or from the Seruices Ceremonies Sacraments and exercises of the same by absenting from the Church or not frequenting and repairing vnto the sacred and approued assemblies then surely can they not he said to varie from our religiō and exercises at all For they neither altogether with the Brownistes nor in any Ceremoniall considerations with the halfe Brownists the Puritanes refuse to communicate with vs in the Seruices Ceremonies and other exercises of our Religion and so they doe or wil doe liued they at Rome as H. N. hath taught and willed them (a) Patterne of the pres Temps The Seruices or Ceremonies shall not saue any one saith H. N. without the good nature of Iesus Christ and of his seruice of Loue nor yet condemne any one in that good nature of IESVS CHRIST nor in the seruice of Loue (b) 3. Refrein §. 6. Hence it is that they neither accuse nor blame any folke for their religion whether the Ministers of the Popish Church or in any other Protestant and reformed Church which minister or vse the Ceremonial Seruices (c) Ibid. §. 2. prouided that they hold them still and suffer the Familists to be quiet and encrease neither striue they at all wheresoeuer they reside nor varie with any one about Religion (d) Patern◠of the pres Temps But this doth not extenuate their fault but aggrauate their offence for that they are pliable and conformable to all religions Seruices and times for their owne ease and aduantage and to shunne persecution and trouble which they will not suffer come of religion what will But if by varying from the now established religion in this Land c. they meane howe in their iudgement they condemne and doe not approue the religion Seruices Ceremonies and Sacraments ratified by the hie and lawfull authoritie of this Church as wherein The Familists most capitall enemies vnto sound Christian religion without the Seruice of their Loue or ministrie of H. N. his doctrine God is not delighted and whereby Christians please not the diuine Maiesty one whit but rather irritate and offend him then surely they doe more varie from the religion Seruices Ceremonies and Sacraments of the Church of England than doth any Brownist or Puritane or other aduersarie of the Church of England whatsoeuer For howsoeuer they showe themselues obedient and externally conformable by repairing vnto our Churches frequenting of Sermons vsing the Sacramentes and the like yet in their hearts and minde both present and absent either as childish they deride or as impious they condemne them all Witnesse H. N who speaking of vs and whosoeuer else bee not of his Familie whom they imagine to soiorne in the land of ignorance They build saith hee in scoffing and odious manner They build diuerse common houses which they name Gods houses And they occupie there manie-manner of foolishnesse or taken on Seruices which they name Religions or Gods seruices to waue or hold forth some thing before the ignorant people to a stay of the consent arising out of their spotted consciences whereby their might set their foolish consciences at peace (e) H.N. Spiritland c. 5. §. 1. Which our meetinges and Seruices elsewhere hee calleth false Exercises or vsages (f) H.N. 1. exhort c. 16. §. 2. which heare a goodly shewe wherewith many ignorant people that knowe not any difference betweene the true and the false light become seduced and deceiued And in another place Therefore cannot the Man whilest that he is not yet wholly Godded in one spirit of the godly Being with God occupie or vse any manner of Freedome that is falser wickeder absurder seducinger arroganter nor horribler against God his vpright Seruice nor yet daungerfuller nor distructionabler to the children of men than this Namely that any man should become so arrogant and free or vnbound of Hart that he out of an appeased Conscience or contented Hart shold dare to teach or set forth any thing through the imagination of the knowledge whether he then haue taken on the same Out of the learnednesse of the Scriptures or out of his good thinking wisedome as a Word or Commaundement of the Lord or yet to iustitute any Seruices Out of the letre of the Scripture accordinge to his good thinkinge and so to plucke or make subiect the hearts of men to destruction thereunder So H. N. (g) Ibid. §. 14. And further No man saith H. N. (h) Ibid. 16. can rightly according to the truth of the holy Scriptures nor according to the spirituall vnderstanding of the godly wisedome deale-in or vse the true Gods seruices nor the seruices of the holy word it becommeth not like wise that any man saith H. N. should take-in hand to busie himselfe thereabout but onlie the illuminated Elders in the godlie wisedome which walke in the House of Loue c. are cuē so Godded with God or incorporated to God in all Loue. With whom also God in one Being and power of his holy spirit is hominified or become Man And then obserue the execrable spirit of these men Therfore it is assuredly all false and lies seducing and deceitfull what the vngodded or vnilluminated Men out of the imagination or riches of their knowledge and out of their learnednesse of the Scriptures bring-forth institute preach and teach They preach indeede the Letter and the Imagination of their knowledge but not the word of the liuing God All this hath H. N their prophet (i) Ibid. §. 17.18 which well may shew that the bodies of his Familistes may be in our Churches and at Seruice Sermons and Sacramēts but their harts doe loath whatsoeuer they doe either see or heare though it be neuer so firmely grounded apparantly deriued frō Gods written word if the same either proceede not neither be vttered by the deified
loue raised-up the gracious word according to his promises and elected H.N. thereto for to minister the same c. (c) H. N Prouerbs c. 1. §. 6. And in this Prouerbs againe Through which gracious word and N.N. God reuealed sayth he the appearing of the comming of Christ and the newe day of his righteous iudgement as also the flowing foorth of his holy Spirit of loue to the awaking and raising vp of all his holy-ones out of sleepe to their glorious Lordliness with Iesus Christ and to an euerlasting fast-standing Kingdome of the godly Maiestie vpon earth according to his promises (d) Ibid. §. 17. And afterward Thus hath God declared with H.N. the eight thorough-breaking of his true light vpoÌ„ the earth wherein the Lord the God of heauen restered the former Kingdome with his garnishing together with all that which God hath spoken from the beginning of the World through the mouth of his holy Prophets c. (e) Ibid. §. 18. In his exhortation God hath illuminated him he saith with his light for to illuminate or giue light to them that dwell yet in darknesse vpon the earth (f) 1. Exhor c. 19 §. 8. And finally in his first Epistle All people are called and friendly bidden through H. N. to the repentance for their sinne c. Not alone with his calling but also with all the Scriptures heauenly Testimonies and spirituall voyces of the Eternall Truth which are gone forth from the holy spirit of loue and brought to light through H. N. (g) 1. Epist or Cri. vâ—â—ce c. 1. § 1. And why all this but to the ende that as himselfe aduiseth the young ones in the Family should not distrust nor suspect any manner of euill or vnwisedome by him nor yet in any wise perswade themselues that the Exercises Documents and instructions which are taught or set forth before them by him the Father of the Family of Loue or oldest elder are too childish or too vnwise for the to follow after (h) 1. Exhort c. 13. §. 11. But the childe of God must alwaies haue in remembrance that many false Prophets are gone into the world and therfore is not to belieue whatsoeuer is affirmed but trie the spirits whether they are of God Because men receiue not the loue of the truth that they may be saued God will send them strong delusion that they shall belieue lies that they may be daÌ„ned which belieued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse (i) 2. Thes 2. V. 10.11 The more H. N. boasteth of himself that he is illuminated from aboue the lesse is he to be credited the more to be suspected Let him proue his preparation his election vocation and generall Apostleship from Gods word which he shall neuer doe or let him be accursed yet a because he arrogateth to himselfe the diuine nature and most heretically and blasphemously auoucheth that whatsoeuer the Prophets haue foretold are fulfilled in him and the like and all this to the end that his idle reuelations cloaked vnder his Loue-seruice may the more slily enter into the mindes of wel willing and good meaning people hold him and all that hold with and applaud him and his fanaticall speculations euermore accursed The Family of Loue. O Out of which Seruice or writings we be taught all dutiful obedience * Vntrue towards God and Magistrates The seruice of Loue. and to liue a godly and honest life and to loue God aboue all things and our neighbours as our selues agreeing therein with all the holy Scriptures as wee vnderstand them The Examination ALL this tendeth to the raising vp of credit to H. N. his writings which sheweth of what spirit these men are In their Courtly deuise inscribed vnto the last Earle of Lecester they let not to say that were all the books of H. N. rightly considered of with indifferencie so should they be found Assistants in all to the Religion established in the Church of England and no hinderers Here I take which they grant that the holy Scriptures teach all these things next that the religion established in the Church of England is sound and euery way good and true But that the Seruice of Loue the writings of H. N. truly indeed so teach as they would beare his Maiestie in hand I cannot thinke for diuers reasons 1. They hold That neither before nor without their most holy Seruice of Loue c. the true light hath not been set forth ministred nor taught that there shal likewise no other light nor cleerenes that can be true appeare nor yet come hereafter but the light of loue (a) H. N. 1. â—r doct c. 16. §. 10 which is the new doctrine deuised by H. N. that we so condemne 2. They teach that it is assuredly al false lies seducing deceitful that the vngodly or vnilluminated Men out of the imaginatioÌ„ or riches of their own knowledge out of their learnednesse of the Scriptures bring forth institute and teach (b) Ibid. §. 17. Then is not H. N. his doctrine Seruice of Loue grouÌ„ded vpon the written word of God but vpon I know not what visions Anabaptisticall reuelations and therefore to be held most execrable Thirdly they say There is nothing more needfull to the man at the first where-to enter into life then that he humble himself vnder the obedience of loue meaning the instructions of H. N. so become taught in the Seruice of Loue for to vnlearne againe al what he hath taken on and learned to himselfe (c) Spir. land c. 56 §. 7. which counsayle of vnlearning is rife and euery where as it were the first thing deliuered to the Nouices in the Loues seruice (d) H. N. exhort c. 13. §. 9. Cri. voice c. 1. §. 7. which manifesteth their religion to be newe and singular when the doctrine in our Churches taught and embraced must all be vnlearned and abhominable and corrupt for the entertaining of theirs which they vaunt to be celestiall Fourthly because they may not talke of their secrets either yet vtter their mysteries opeÌ„ly or nakedly in the hearing of their young children disciples (e) H. N. Prouerbs c. 22. §. 15. that is as H. N. sayth til they haue attained the age of 30 yeares and are come to their manly age and haue beardes (f) Ibid. c. 21. §. 1. They might and would talke of their secrets might their exercises and mysteries abide the hearing of godly modest persons as Gods holy word and our doctrine deriued from the sacred Scriptures will Last of al because the Seruice of Loue and books of H. N. so and none otherwise make to the aduancement of godlinesse and furtherance of virtue then they vnderstand the Scriptures And indeed the make od interpretations of Gods word turning light into darkenesse truth into falsehood histories into allegories and sound religion into fancies of men But as others
and diuers bookes (d) Epiphan Photius that pestilent Apostata wrote very manie dscourses both in the Greeke Latine tongue (e) Vnicent Lir. aduers haeres for the propagation of his damnable doctrine Basilides that hell-hound compiled more then 24. volumes (f) Eale myst of iniquitie Appollinaris filled the whole world with his blasphemous pamphlettes (g) Basil magn And Tatianus not inferior to any of the rest not to any else except perhaps to H. N. for impietie his bookes were infinite and innumerable (h) Euseb eccles hist l. 4. c. 29. Which writings notwithstanding were not so applauded by some as they were abhorred of others nor so famous in times past among a few as they are odious now among all men neither were so read and vsed earst as they are at this time both out of sight and out of request yea and out of mind and gon as if they neuer had beene either deuised or vsed in former dayes And so we doubt not shall happen to the writings of H. N. though together they world seeme neuer so great a volume in seuerall be verie many Againe they here commend not their H. N. only for his paines and bringing forth such a volume of theologicall speculations but also for the manner of his writings For he neither tooke part with say they nor writ against any particular partie or companie whatsoeuer as naming them by their names nor yet praised or dispraised any of them by name as if to take part or write against any particular partie or ocmpanie of Heretikes Schismatikes or other vngodly persons and especially in confuting to name them were an hainous fault Little thinke these Familiars by thus and this cōmending their H. N. whom they touch as faultie that haue both taken part in a world of dissentions set themselues against Sectaries and in their writings as to all posterities eternally horrible named the authors and spreaders abroad of hellish errors by their proper names Our Sauiour Christ opposed himselfe professedly against the Pharisies and Sadduces so did the Apostle Peter against the highe Priestes and Rulers of Ierusalem so Paule against Alexander Demas Hymeneus Philetus and such like so the Euangelist Iohn against the Nicolaitans and so the true against the false Apostles Ministers and wicked persons from time to time in all ages whose both errors they haue oppugned and registred their names for an euerlasting remembrance And though this H. H. neither tooke part with nor writ against any particular partie or company whatsoeuer which ye is vntrue as afterward shal be shewen as naming them by their names a thing which lawfully and after the example euen of the best hee might haue done yet which hee cannot iustifie nor aunswere before God hee opposeth himselfe generally against all men which bee not of his fect (a) H.N. 1. Exhor c. 16 §. 2. c. whence it is that all men especially the true Church and seruantes of God are against him and his Familie Againe these Familists still ouer familiar with his Maiestie would beare his Highnesse in hand that the said H.N. in his writings doth neither praise nor dispraise any partie or companie by name which is most vntrue For hee commendeth the Church of Rome with all the orders and officers thereof tearming it The Communion of all Christians the Pope the chiefe annointed the most holy Father the Cardinalls most holy and famous and next the most auncientest and holy Father the Pope in most holy Religion and vnderstanding (b) Euang. cap. 31. §. 1.2 c. and prophecieth of an entire and perfect restauration of the papall Hierarchie (c) Ibid. §. 23. And on the other side he cōdemneth as many as out of the knowledge which they tooke out of the Scriptures as all the protestant and reformed Churches through-out the world haue done brought in certaine seruices and ceremonies in any other wise or order than the Church of Rome Appointed (c) Ibid. c. 32. § 4 He raileth on Gods Preachers and calleth them vnilluminated vnregenerated vnrenewed vngodded vnsent and I wot not what besides (d) Ibid. c. 4. §. 4 to bringe their persons ministerie and profession into vtter hatred and contempt (e) Ibid. c. 28. §. 4. Document sent c. 2. §. 2. And though in his writinges he had neither so praised as he hath done the Pope and his partakers on the one side nor dispraised and to the pit of hell condemned all Ministers and Preachers whom in scorne euerie where hee tearmeth Scripture-learned 1. Exhort c. 15. §. 17.19 yet that maketh him not a commendable writer and regardable For he is aprayser and magnifier of himselfe euerie where in his writings which is the greatest fault that can be in a man whether hee write or speake and bee his praises either true or false but elspecially if they be proudly arrogated and not deseruedly Would you heare a vaunting Bragadine Listen then vnto H. N. The Lord the God of Heauen moued Me in his Minde or Spirit saith H. N. his power incompassed Mee with a Rushing noyse and the glorie of the same God of Heauen became great in my spirite of his Loue in such wise that the great clearenesse of God wholly innironed Mee and shoane round about Mee where-through the sight of mine Eies became clearer than Chrystall and mine vnderstanding brighter than the Sunne (f) H. N. Prophet of the Spir. c. 1. §. 2. the Lorde his Being and Essence spake vnto Mee for the Being of God gaue-forth his sound and voice and spake vnto Mee H. N. through his spirit of Loue all these wordes and saide c. (g) Ibid. §. 5. Here the Essence and Being of God spake vnto him Againe I lament saith H. N. and bewaile verie much your vnfaithfulnesse and all your fainednesse wherewith yee thinke to couer you before Mee yet are neuerthelesse all the Counsailes and falshoodes of your Harts manifested before Me so much the more naked bare before the Eies of my Hart and Spirit (h) Ibid. c. 3. §. 1.2.3 Here hee braggeth that the Counsailes secrets of mans hart knowen onely vnto God are not hidden from him Many saith H. N. could much rather iudge Moses the Prophets of God together with the Apostles of Christ and God his elected Minister H. N. to erre or misse the right than that they would by any meanes confesse and acknowledge that they in the Imagination of their knowledge concerninge the godly matters are ignorant and lying (i) Ibid. c. 13. §. 8. Hee vaunteth here that hee could no more erre than could the Prophets and Apostles yea he preferreth himselfe if his wordes be well obserued before the Apostles and Prophets In his Prouerbes The God of Heauen saith H.N. (k) Chap. 8. §. 3 as the Father himselfe is come downe and He bringeth in the Seruice of his Loue Himselfe with his Christ and Holy Ghost and with all that
doubt that our King IAMES may of al be the first is their heartie desire end of their instant perition Hence they humbly beseech his Maiestie to peruse the bookes of their H. N himselfe with an vnpartiall eye as the principall meanes to make him a Familist and a Maister of that household of Loue especially within his owne Realmes and Dominions which he vouchsafing to do they promise by their best endeuour to procure his Maiesty so many of H. N. his bookes as they can and of such their illuminats as they can heare of euer inward with H. N. his doctrine well exercised in his works and perfect in his tongue words phrases and all out of Germany Which is a bold offer of theirs and the more audacious and gracelesse because they confesse here his Ma. to be Scripture-learned we know him among Christian Princes the chiefest Patrone of all men studious and conuersant in the Scriptures of God which kind of men of all others these Familistes cannot brook which Scriptures and Scripture-learned men are most opposite euer haue beene to H. N. his doctrine and his doctrine Seruice of Loue or secrets contrarie nothing more vnto the sayd Scriptures and such learned men For sayth H. N. as hath afore beene alleadged and is neuer by mee mentioned but in detestation of the speech It is assuredly all false and lyes seducing and deceitfull that the vngodded or vnilluminated Men out of the imagination or riches of their owne knowledge and of their learnednesse of the Scriptures bring foorth institute preach and teach Besides what a mockery is it to beare his Highnesse in hand that H. N. his workes and wrightings rightly and with an vnpartiall eye considered are nothing dissonant from the Scriptures of God knowing vnlesse they credit him not herein their oldest Elder and chiefest Illuminate H. N. vtterly as false and lyes seducing and deceitfull to condemne whatsoeuer is grounded vpon the same Scriptures of God The Family of Loue. ANd so vpon such your Highnesse godly aduised consultation and censure thereupon finding the same workes hereticall or sedicious and not agreeable to Gods holy word and testimonies of all the Scriptures to leaue them to take them as your Maiesties lawes shall therin appoint vs hauing no intent nor meaning to contend or resist there-against howsoever it be but dutifully to obey thereunto according to the counsell of the Scriptures and also of the sayd Authors workes The Examination VPon his Maiesties censuring of H. N. his doctrine and vvrightinges they promise obedience vnto his lawes and proceedinges which is conscionably they doe performe then shall they shewe themselues to bee honest and good men But the doctrine of dissimulation and temporizing is so often dispersed and rise in H. N. his wrightinges and the sayde workes of H. N. in all this their supplication so magnified and euen in this their verie petition so expresly acknowledged to proceede euen out of the great grace and loue of God and Christ extended towardes all Kings Princes Rulers and people vpon the vniuersall earth to their saluation c. as it is to be feared that what obedience soeuer they pretēd outwardly to his Maiesties lawes iniunctions constitutions their heart yet dissenteth from his and all Religions else in the world differing from theirs to which notwithstanding for quietnesse sake they will not sticke perhaps outwardly to conforme themselues wheresoeuer they reside in Great Britanie and Ireland to the Kings profession in Spaine at Rome or elsewhere to the Romane superstition and idolatry (a) Pattern of the pres Tēps in externall matters alwayes following the stronger part reseruing their hearts vnto their H. N. and his Seruice of Loue as many Papistes doe vnto the Pope according to the iniunction in like cases where they are too weake Da mihi cor Fili sufficit For our Familistes are Free men and can walke in all freedome among all people (b) H. N. Spir. Land c. 41. § 6. VVhat the religion is which his Maiestie dooth professe and will resolutely as Gods holy and onely truth protect is well knowne to his Highnesse Subiectes yea to the whole World (c) Proclam at Wilt. 27. Octob At Westm 22. Feb. 5. March At the parliam 19. March 163. A Religion grounded vpon the Scriptures aduersant to all humane inuentions and spirituall or diabolicall reuelations and visions whatsoeuer Now put-case his Maiestie will not vouchsafe as good hope is he will not from his most serious weightie affaires of his kingdome to steale opportunitie to suruaie the wrightings of H. N. yea will neither reade them himselfe nor yet like Constantine the great (d) Tripart hist lib. 2. c. 15. suffer his well meaning Subiectes of weake capacities to reade yea nor to deteine such wrightings by them as are opposite contrary or differing from the religion by himselfe professed by Lawe established and which truly embraced will bring men to saluation will not our Family giue ouer their Loue Seruice to serue God as the King and his lawfull subiectes do according to Gods word Their wordes before that they neuer heard nor knew any lawe established in this Realme against H. N. and his bookes and their secret and parlour meetings and administration of their H. N. his Seruices euen from the beginning almost of that blessed Queenes raigne ELIZABETH of fresh and honorable remembrance doth plainly intimate how it is neither the Kings owne writings Proclamations Actes Statutes Ecclesiasticall Canons and Constitutions nor whatsoeuer else hee decreeth for the ratification of one and the same Religion and condemnation of all others contrarie or crossing the same in his Realmes and Dominions that they regarde or will yielde vnto vntill his Highnesse with good discretion hath read and vpon sound aduise disallowed and censured as hereticall seditious or dissonant from Gods holy word the workes and writings of their H. N. For vpon such his Highnesse godly aduised graue consultation and Censures they promise to yielde and leaue the workes bookes and wrightings of their doctor H.N. but not afore The Family of Loue. ANd our further humble sute vnto your Highnesse is Their second Petition that of your gracious fauour and clemencie you will grant and giue order vnto your Maiesties Officers in that behalf that all of vs your faithfull louing Subiects which are now in prison in any part of this your Realme for the same cause may be released vpon such bayle or bonde as we are able to giue and that neither we nor any of that company behauing our selues orderly and obediently vnder your Highnesse Lawes may be any further persecuted or troubled therein vntill such time as your Maiestie and such godly learned and indifferent men of your clergie as your Highnesse shall appoint thereto shall haue aduisedly consuited and determined of the matter whereby that we may not be vtterly wasted by the great charge of imprisonment persecution and