be reduced into these two partes the first conteineth his aunswere to the 22. Articles of the Libertines where after his manner he is very eloquent in heaping vp phrases to what end he wotteth best if it be to describe a Libertine he did very vnwisely in that for breuityes sake he referred vs not to the 1. Epistle of the Fami written to M. Rogers pag. 73. b. lin 15. where very artificially he defineth a Libertine in few wordes after this sort He that knoweth not the doctrine of HN. is a fre one or Libertine thus if he had done in few wordes theÌ„ should his wit and his wordes haue ben equal wheras now running the furthest way about it may be verified of him that was sayd in the lyke case of a person not far vnlyke Theophilus satis loquentiae sapieÌ„tiae parum many wordes but small wisedome And thus much with the notes in the margeÌ„t vnto the first part of his diuisioÌ„ Theophi first reason to approue that the doctrine of HN. is a true doctrine is taken from the effect thus The effect is good Therefore the efficient in the which argumeÌ„t drawne from that profe it is failed when that is put for the effect which is not the effect as thus The knowledge of the scripture is cause of heresie Ergo it is not good that scripture should be knowne Agayne The reading the histories of Lots incest and drunkennes of Lia and Rachell the wiues of Iacob of Iudas and Thamar c. be euell examples and yet to be read in the olde Testament Ergo to read in the ould Testament is vnlawfull for hurting of honestye This Argument is false from the effect for it putteth the reading of the Scripture to be the cause of whoredome whereas that is not such a cause as Staphilus dreameth of so that herein then ye sée the fault of this Argument wherein it ceasseth to be so strong as HN. would haue it Theophilus reasoneth thus the effect of the doctrine of the Familie is good therfore the doctrine it selfe To this I aunswere that Theophilus supposeth that whereas diuers liue honestly in the Familie that is brought to passe by HN. his doctrine that is to be denyed for whereas they now liue and honest vpright and Christian life this they learned of the preachyng of the Gospell before euer they were infected with HN. his heresie so that thereby they rather bewtifie it then are bewtified by it And for proofe hereof it is manifestly apparaunt that the younger nouices meÌ„ be in HN. his hereticall doctrine the honester they are in life and conuersation but when they leaue once their singlemyndednes and grow vp to the manly oldnes in the Loue and come as they thinke nearer to the perfection of the vpright beyng then the wicked spirite beginneth to Lord ouer them and sinne to haue a liuyng and dayly shape in them So that the déeper they wade in this mighty streame of the louely ministration the nearer they come to the hiest pitch of being altogether Godded with the nature of their new fouÌ„d Idoll which in stede of the true God they haue set vp vnto them the greater rule and sway doth the wicked nature of sinne beare in them And why so truly because that in their childish yongnes of the loue the worde of the Lord is of some credite with them So that thereby they are bridled from sinnyng but when they shall leaue that candle and light vpon false lightes as the perfect do when they come toward this perfectnesse then their lyues are euery day more vngodly then other That this is true in HN. his Dictatis or Documentall sentences is manifest where he sayth As long as the beleuers of the word are yet young or childish in the procreation of the seede of the promise that becoÌ„meth borne in them out of the belief of the world And are not yet groweÌ„ vp to the Elderdome of the perfect beyng Ephes 4. b. of the word which is the appointed tyme of the father ouer all beleuers of the world so stand they yet although they beleue vnder the ordinauÌ„ce of the Lord or his word not therfore that they should alwayes remaine as subiect there vnder But vnto the appointed tyme to wit till vnto the manly old age in the godly vnderstandyng of the holy word as there is sayd that is till that the Sinnes be subdued c. The which wordes of HN. as they haue bene the roote of all Anabaptistrie and Libertinisme For that these sectaries haue boasted they could not sinne in their perfection and therfore néeded neither the word nor the Sacramentes so doe they playnly confirme thâ—â— whereunto I haue alledged them videl So long men liue vpright as the doctrine of HN. is not knowen vnto them and that HN. his Elders are more corrupt in lyfe then the simplest in the Familie Secondly it is offended in this Argument because it is drawne from the second table of the CoÌ„maundements vnto the first that he liueth honestly before men therfore he is good in ReligioÌ„ before God. Whereas the reason should be cleane otherwise froÌ„ the first table vnto the second this is an vsuall maner in Scripture wherby the holy Ghost laboureth to discry an hypocrite In Esay the holy Ghost reasoneth thus Ye seeke me dayly and will know my wayes eueÌ„ as a nation that did righteously and had not forsaken the statutes of their God they aske of me ordinaunces of iustice they will draw neare vnto their God saying wherefore haue we fasted and thou seest it not we haue punished our selues and thou regardest it not Thus they reason as the Familie do we fast c. Ergo we are Religious and godly men but God turneth the Argument cleane otherwise thus Ye are oppressours vers 34. ye are vnmercyfull to the poore vers 7. ye are oppressours vers 3.4 ye are vnmercyfull to the poore vers 7. ye are extortioners and ingraters vers 6. Therfore are not honest men in Religion neither feare God aright The selfe same reason is vsed by S. Iames to reproue the dispersed Iewes which boasted of their vpright ReligioÌ„ they are proued to be hipocrites and dissemblers before God from the same table as before You refrayne your toungues but deceiue your owne hartes therfore your Religion is in vayne And agayne Ye visite not the fatherles and widowes in aduersitie Therfore your ReligioÌ„ is not pure and vndefiled before God. And thus still we sée that the Familie reasoneth not aright for that they frame their Argument amisse as also doth Theophilus in this place But this is not Theophilus reasoÌ„ in this place alone but in the Brief rehearsall the same is likewise vsed as an inuincible Argument to proue the professed Religion by the Familie is the truth where he likewise argueth thus The voyce of the countrey where we dwell approueth we are honest before
of the man from the true fayth in Christ the light of lyfe to the addictyng of him selfe to the lye or darcknes or euer such tyme as they become conuerted to their God and are regenerated in the spirite of their mynde is the greatest Antichrist which also frō the very begynnyng as likewise in the very corporall appearaunce of Christ in the flesh like as S. Iohn also expresseth impugne it and persecute it in the truth of God and that in the inwardnesse of the man to the establishyng of all vnrighteousnesse in him and not onely a certaine disordred or abused Papistrie yea or euer the Papistrie was thought of which no Pope also or such outward fleshly creature could or can euer worke or bryng to passe And therefore deceiue not your selfe in the point to iudge the Author to be a maintainer of any fleshly or creature like Pope with his adherentes in their abusion of Ceremoniall seruices Ceremonies but he driueth his matter onely as in his worke beyng well noted you may sée to this point to wit that after the entraunce of the darknesse once chaunced the manly generations beyng falne away from the fayth towardes God which was established by Christ in his Apostles and Disciples the old Fathers grew out of a zealousnes of the mynde towardes God and his righteousnesse to institute certaine Ceremonies and seruices so neare as they could out of their insight and comprehendyng that they by their diligent study and searchyng of the Scriptures had attained vnto concerning Gods truth hit the same that resembled or were conformablest to the holy and diuine Scriptures to a commemoration of the thyngs wrought and brought to passe before with Christ and his holynes in the very true beyng to the susteinyng and staying vp of the ignoraunt people in the tyme of darknes from fallyng into any greater absurdities enormities and errours that might haue happened vnto thē and which also did happen vnto many such as maliciously and obstinately not rightly seyng but rather in meanyng to set vp some better degressed and winded of them selues there from and maliciously blasphemed and continewed the same tell that the light of Gods truth might spryng foorth agayne or be erected in the seruice of the loue accordyng to the promises and goeth not about to establish the same in and of their ceremoniall much lesse abused seruice and Ceremonies where about men presently so greatly striue and varie now in this present tyme of the light of loue whiche he affirmeth to be the day of the cleare righteous iudgemēt of God wherein god will restore all thynges to their right to wit bryng or set the lye in his lying beyng to be condemned in the hellish caue and the truth likewise in his right fourme or degrée to wit to preuayle florish and beare sway ouer the vnrighteousnes for euer more Whereby that the will of God might euē so be accomplished in earth as in heauen Wherefore me thinkes that should be very small discernyng in such as can not distinct the shadowes figures or image of a thyng from the body it selfe or the very true beyng either substaunce of the same And that he speaketh of mens ignoraunce in that place and touchyng their slender knowledge vnderstandyng in Gods worde that layeth he forth flatly to the effectuall word and not the imagelike or written word wherein the right Christians are not iniuried but the conceited Christians detected Rochester THe rest of the booke from the 34. Chapter vnto the end is of the callyng of the Gentiles and of the grace of God offred to the world in the last age of the world which seemeth to be the best part of that booke Familie of Loue. IT is well that ye like some part of the booke and if ye could therewithall note that there were a defectiō frō the truth and that there were also by that meanes no difference to bee had betwixt a ceremoniall either letter doctour Christian and an vncircumcised Heathen so had ye then somewhat for your part Rochester THus haue you a tast of this booke gathered as the tyme would serue whereby it appeareth to be no such precious price of worke as of some it is supposed to be Such fayre shewes and glorious titles may soone deceiue the simple to haue such bookes in more admiration then the holy Scriptures But we haue Moses and the Prophetes let vs heare them and iudge all others by them Family of Loue. I do not so collect by the authors wrighting that he would prefer his writing aboue the scriptures geuen by inspiration of God and brought forth and written by the holy Fathers in times past But if you had well marked or considered the same he witnesseth as by a concordable and vniforme testimonye either by record of the same their writynges what the Lord will now accomplish in these last dayes wishing euery one in the same booke to search the Scriptures whether that they also mētion and record not the very same affirmyng also therewith that God is not ne cannot be a God of contentatiō but of peace vnitie And that God moreouer hath stirred him vp to bee a seruiceable instrument or as his elect minister to bryng downe accordyng to his promises written in the Scriptures all controuersies growne among men about their misunderstanding of the scriptures to bryng the same to an end And doth also in the same booke vncouer sundry secret thinges which they that haue seing eyes may by ententiue reading of the same together with the Lordes assistaunce well perceiue and vnderstand that no selfewise or enuious scripture learned could or can euer attaine vnto it agayne What iniurie were it seing that it procedeth by the same spirite to valew it equall with those same sacred scriptures that were tofore written by the holy one of God. Also ye may remember that the fleshly Iewes had also for their aunswere to Christ enuying agaynst him being the truth it selfe the same testimonye that ye alledge to wéete that they had Moses and the Prophets c But who were in the meane time greater persecutours of him then they Rochester WE are sure that the holy Scriptures were wrighten by the spirite of Loue and truth the holy ghost And conteine all true and necessary and sufficient doctrine for our saluation let vs not hould vpon men proue all thinges hould that which is good beleue not euery spirite but proue the spirites Family of Loue. I Graunt that right discerning is good and commeth from the Lord and through him from them whome he and not themselues placeth and by them that are set in the right place of iudgement by the Lord himselfe and not by those that sitt on their owne stoole for it is to be doubted that so many as take vpon them that office of iudgemēt or medling with gods matters or euer Christ be come vnto them or haue a liuing shape in them that they all will
reade further Exod. 16.8.1 Sam. 8.7 Num. 16. chap. throughout I haue in this place gentle and indifferent reader to desire thée diligently to marke the sly and crafty dealing of this peuish Familye For in my Articles which I exhibited vnto them for my further satisfaction I added this clause of the outward calling of the minister which then I did suspect they denyed and since by their faythles demeanour of concealing that clause I am certainely perswaded to be true where also it shall not be amisse if besides their fond behauiour in ouerhipping that which they néedes must confesse to be truely reported of them by me to consider also how guilefully they protest that No man is able iustly to blame accuse detect or burthen them as transgressors of the lawe beīt agaynst any the Quéenes Maiesties proceadinges in causes Ecclesiasticall c. And yet in this place by me quoted out of the lamentable complaynt sent 34. They deny without their Familye their is no lawfull calling of Ministers Their wordes be these For to be a teacher or minister of the holy worde is not euery mans office but his only which is thereunto euen lyke as was Aaron called and elected of God whose rodde or staffe greeneth blossometh and beareth fruit as lykewise his which is a true disciple of the worde and louer of the truth hath receiued the learning and administration of his holy word with integritye of singlenes of hart of the Elders in the house of Loue obediently and euē so is growē vp vnder thobediēce of the loue in the holy vnderstādings till vnto the Elderdome of the man Christ and taught to the kingdome of God. And the same is by thē in playne wordes affirmed but more skoffingly and contemptuously in the same booke sent 34. But of that place more hereafter in the addition to the Article They with their cauill as it is common vnto them with their brethren the Papistes and Anabaptistes who alwayes not being able to criminate and blame the doctrine taught flye straight wayes to the persō of the preacher demaunded A Syr what auctoritye haue you to minister and who layd handes on your who called you c. as also their forefathers the old Pharisies which demaūded of S. Iehn the Baptist the same question with that learned man M. Musculus I aunswere Qui legitimé vocati non sunt quaestionem de vocatione mouent They which are not called lawfully first moue a controuersie about a lawfull calling which obiection M. Bullenger in his booke agaynst the Anabaptistes doth aunswere learnedly and at large Bullenger agaynst the Anabaptistes 3. booke 4. chap. 90. leafe An addition to the 5. Article of an outward calling SVch an one as in euen so with his vnderstanding and thoughtes become incorporate in all obediēce of the word to the truth of God and lyfe of Christ and euen so acknowledge the truth the same verily bideth rightly in the doctrine of Christ and is apt to minister the holy word of truth and to be a teacher of the people c. No man can teach the word of Christ and his doctrine but such as first haue bin obedient disciples of Loue. No man ought to busy himselfe about the word but the Elders in the Familye c. No man knoweth Christ nor the father nor yet also the seruices or Ceremonies of Christ but euen onely those which are euen so through Christ as we haue rehearsed renewed or regenerated in their spirite and mynde neither doth it also behoue or belong vnto any other to set forth any seruices of Ceremonies of Christ nor to preach or declare the Euangely but such are those whiche are sent of Christ himselfe for otherwise it is all false The Disciples of Christ could not vnderstand the clearenes of Christ before the fifty day taht the holy Ghost was poured vpon them much lesse then verely can now the Scripture learned which haue not kept the passeouer from death into lyfe and from flesh into spirite with Christ nor yet atteined through the power of the holy Ghost to the clearenes of Christ vnderstand out of the knowledge of the Scripture the clearenes of the word of Christ nor yet set forth or teach accordyng to the truth his ceremonies or seruices nor also preach or declare the Euangely of Christ ARTICLE 6. of HN. of vniting into God. ANd the Elders of the Familie sayth HN. are illuminated from God they are Godded with God they are incorporate into God with whō God also in one beyng is Hominified or become man. Theophilus WHat error is this if it were rightly sene vnto whilest the vine braunch is to be vined in the vine Iohn 15. he that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one spirite with him and are made partakers of the godly nature 2. Pet. 1.4 William Wilkinson TRue it is that a certaine godly and learned man affirmeth writyng vpon the fall of S. Peter When God leaueth vs to our selues their is not hope to stay from rūnyng headlong into sinne right so it fareth in Gods iudgement with this coale Prophet HN. and his dreamyng Disciple Theophilus For the maister on still fallyng from phantasie to phantasie and from one errour into an other and the scholer bringeth in stones and morter to build vp the confused heape of all impitie In the former clause was shewed that they vtterly cōdemne and mislike all Ordination and Election of Ministers with their Familie now if follweth to be handled what priuiledge and prerogatiue his Elders purchase vnto themselues by the admission they haue into that blynd societie HN. affirmeth very soberly as it séemeth that the Elders of his broode are illuminated and Godded with God or incorporated into god c. his scholer Theophilus laboureth to strengthen his Assertion with the testimony of Scripture to that ende by him wrested and wrongly alledged wherein seyng he cā not slippe the coller with me as erst he did in leauyng the former sentence now to outcountanaunce the truth with the impudencie of his forehead hee asketh What an errour is this if it were rightly seene vnto what errour do you aske truly an horrible palpable errour it is flat against the truth of the sacred scripture straungely saueryng of those dregges whiche you haue déeply dronke both at the hand of the Anabaptisticall Sinagogue and also of the Romish harlot sea of Antichrist But whereas you added a Caueat which is If it be rightly sene vnto I aunswere he that putteth on the Christall spectacles of Gods word and taketh in his hād the Lanthorne of holy write to looke diligently to your steppes shall straight trace out a théefe and a rebell agaynst the Lord. But first to procéede orderly let me aunswere your authorities and then in a word or two wil I set downe the horriblenes of that opinion You say The vine braunche is vined into the vine I finde no such wordes in the
or nation and religion as Christians in their Mahomet or Turkes in theirs Heathen in theirs c. To whom after HN. hath geuen particuler titles immediatly he in the same section addeth And yet furthermore euery head properly for himselfe hauing then so diuers and many maners of groundes beliefes religions ceremonyes offices and administratiōs as they will wherein they loue Gods truth and their righteousnes Then the which wordes what may be sayd more Sathan like or what euen belched out of the bottomles pit more blasphemous if all the fiendes of hell would conspire together to afford a graceles and godles speach whereby the hartes of them that stagger in the way of the truth if not wholy they might be drawne away to superstition for as for the worde Religion I feare me I haue attributed it to their scisme to often albeit the Familye of Loue in their Confession would faine be counted religious yet might they enioy the heresie of HN. with their opinions and fauour whatsoeuer liketh them best So that certayne it is whereas this his Euangelye and the other of his bokes were nayled vpon euery post in the common shops of stationers in dutch land commōly sould vntill by the restraint of the maiestrate they were bridled and called in they drew some Catholickes also to his faction for whose cause and with whome to créepe into fauour to haue a shealter ready for any storme so notable he commendeth the popish Hierarchie which order of popishe pollicye to let passe that famous infamous booke the Declaration of the Masse I meane after step by step he had extolled it aboue the cloudes from the hyest to the lowest he falleth downe after this sort Section 4. he commendeth the Pope and expoundeth Papa to signifie an olde Father in the holy vnderstanding to whome he coupeleth his Colledge of Cardinals sent 8. thirdly Primates sent 9. Bishops sent 10. Priestes sent 14. who say their seruice in the formest part of the Church that is in the chauncell Parsons Curates Proctours sent 16 Deacons sent 17. Sextons or keepers of holy thinges that the same muy be occupied in due season and times conuenient sent 18. Monkes which for the loue of righteousnes as HN. sayth are consecrated and sequestred from the world from whome well it were if the world were seperated also and from all that is worldly and fleshly set 19. and lastly the commen people sent 21. To the which for a conclusion he addeth Behold all this hath bin euen so in tymes past in his very true being when as yet the light of lyfe had the clearenes and the beliefe her seruice in the holynes of God the renewed or Goddead men vpon the earth all which shall now in the sam day lykewise of the Loue through the comming of Christ in the light of lyfe and his holy spirite be reduced or restored to his vpright fourme in the very true being according to the Christian lyke ordinaunces and florish in vigor or become forcible according to the promises The which as I quake to wright so to marke the ripenes of sinne that HN. is come vnto must it needes enforce the godly Christian and tender childe of God to melt at the horrible outrage therein conteined To the which if the goodwilling in England which are named the Familye of Loue shall reply and alledge for I hope they are not so far gone to defend this so great blasphmie agaynst the kingdome of the sonne of God and his gloryous gospell that they will not defend neither lyke in all thinges of his opinions to this I aunswere as M. Bullenger doth vnto the lyke obiection Sometyme they are of this iudgement sometymes of that neither doe they all agree among themselues in the certaintye of their errour for as truth onely is lyke it selfe error must nedes iar and disagre But herein it had ben somewhat more tollerable for our Fam. if they had not set downe this in wrighting that herein they might shew themselues to be perfect schollers of a peruerse maister But he that neuer kepeth touch with his seruauntes hath here betrayed them by their owne wordes to the world ere they were aware For in their first Epistle which they make as an aunswere to M. Rogers boke fol. 71. pag. v. lin 30. they vtter these wordes You forget say they to M. Rogers many protestantes in Rome Spayne Italy and many other places vnder the Byshop of Romes inquisition which hould it good pollicie to defend thēselues their cōsciences from such tyranny Will not you allow to others which you gladly chalenge to your selfe c. Whereby it is clearely proued and manifestly affirmed that HN. and his scholers termed the Fam. of Loue in England draw all in one line and hould the same opinions with Dauid George that he doth whom because they affirme by the testimonye of learned writers to be an Anabaptist néedes must it necessarye by the same consequence be vrged that they are Anabaptistes by their owne confession and labour to bring Anabaptistrie into the church from the which and other heresies sectes and scismes the Lord deliuer both vs and all his chosen dispersed wheresoeuer Amen It remaineth that with the lyke breuitye or greater if so large a matter may be conteined in a lesser roome as I before promised so I compare HN. with those euident noates manifest tokens of an heretique set downe by the spirite of God in holy Scriptures For by that iudge both he and I must be tryed to be true meaning men in this lyfe before the Militaunt Church and receiue our dome thereafter before the triumphāt Churche in the world to come Tokens of an heretique out of Scripture 1. Tokē THe holy ghost in the Scriptures doth liken those heretiques which disturbe the peace of the Church vnto Foxes which priuily and by night are wont to spoile and rauine And in lyke manner our Sauiour Christ doth describe not onely the father of heretiques but his children also by the name of a enuious mā which soweth teares whilest men sléepe S. Paule termeth then false teachers crafty creepers in S. Peter sayth false teachers shall priuilye bring in damnable heresies S. Iude sayth certaine men haue crept in which turne the grace of God into wantones vpon all the which places it may very easely be gathered that whosoeuer intendeth to broach any new and straunge doctrine as false coiners vse to doe he counterfaiteth in secret That this hath bin the practise of heretiques from tyme to tyme nedeth no long profe onely it is to be considered who it was that renued Arius heresie in Constantine the Emperours dayes was it not a priest which priuilye bare Constantia the Emperours sister in hād that the Counsell of Nice had done Arius wrong who thought not of Christes deuinitye as the Counsel supposed and the rumour was spread abroad of him c. And haue not the Familye of Loue
as vnto all mē declare their misbehauiour straight with the presence of the spirite cloke of zeale they haue laboured to shroude this so great impietie For hereupō it ensued that the Romanistes so cloyed the church with their fond festiuals leud Legendes and so stuffed into the seruice of God such store of idle reuelations and vnnecessary visions that by the reading of them openly in the congregation the holy and canonicall wrightinges of the holy ghost were wholy abandoned and cleane cast out of the dores And this was that which the Anabaptistes and other heretiques haue practised which when they had no witnes or warrant from the written word and approued truth of God they forged straunge euidence and that which with blasphemie they inuented they vttered with vntruth For being demaūded the ground of their misdemeanour they aunswered The spirite thus commaundeth me and thus the Father hath sayd so that when they wanted the worde they boasted of the spirite and affirmed that they had their doctrine from heauen reuealed vnto them This might by the inducing of many examples be proued to be true and the historyes of them who haue noted their behauiour are many and manifest Onely the testimonies of those learned men which were acquainted with their dealinges shall vnto the indifferent reader be sufficient for proofe of that which we haue in hand Vnto the which assertions of the Papistes and Anabaptistes with the Libertines lykewise if Henrye Nicholas should be added which in plainer wordes vttereth more pestilent impietye their messe shall be the fuller and the conuenticle of them more conuenient vpon the which the iudgements of God should fall in greater measure seing they all haue bene partakers fellow laborers in forging so great a heape of confusion to set vp the same agaynst the truth of God. To proue that HN. is guiltye of the inditement wherewith I burthen him vz. That he is a coyner of reuelations my allegations are two first his owne wordes vz. That the Lord reueiled it vnto him out of Sion and declared it out of the heauenly Ierusalem Secondly the places of Scripture by him misaleaged to quote and cōfirme this his dotage wherein he will not onely be offensiue to men but to the Lord also very wickedly iniurious As for his wordes the which are prefixed before this Article therin he claimeth vnto himselfe a more notable prerogatiue thē any mā liuing durst euer thinke or once imagine of For whereas it hath ben an onely especiall thing which properly appertained vnto such as haue ben singularly beloued of the Lord vnto whom God hath shewed himselfe in more notable measure as vnto Abraham Moses Iosua Gedeon Esay Ezechiel and the rest of the heauenly prophets and holy Apostles of Christ whome the Lord had before adioyned to more excellent functions and put them aside for some notable and extraordinarye ministration vnto those the Lord hath more clearely discouered himselfe and reuealed his countenaunce and in a greater measure opened and set abroad the brightnes of his glory yet vnto none so far at any time as HN. boasteth of hath hapned vnto him that he should be codeified with God in the spirite of his loue made heire with Christ in the heauenly treasures of the riches of God. The which great and wonderfull claime as it farre surpasseth all that euer any of the Prophets durst chalenge vnto themselues so doth HN. herein very impudētly boast and blasphemously arrogate more vnto himselfe then euer belonged vnto any mortall man the son of God excepted The which his vaine challenge as it is taken on by him with an harlots forehead so hath he no specialtye to shew that can warantiz him therein but onely the vngodly behauiour of the aūtient heretiques which by their furious fantasies and vaine imaginations haue made a diuorce betwixt the spirite and the written word of God which alwayes are enlinked together so that the one of them is neuer seperate from the other In the which poynt as he hath dealt very vnlearnedly and vnskilfully before men so hath he behaued himselfe very vnthākfull towardes the word of God which before might haue ben vnto him a sufficient caueat for that it termeth such reuelations and Prophesies as his are but lying visions whereof none haue so much bragged as the false Apostles But if here HN. his disciples shall reply that their Eldest Father doth confirme that reuelatiōs are sent frō God to him by the written word of the Canonicall scripture then I aunswere that herein resteth the triall that HN. is a lying seer and a seducing Prophet which may more easely appeare if the places which he alledgeth for the profe of his fained reuelations import no such thing as he doth father vppon them As for the first place which is To the which Elders and Fathers God hath reueiled his word in the day of Loue There is not any one place quoted for confirmation of it neither with Gods people will a mans bare worde be of sufficient warrant to countenaunce and confirme any thing Scripture it is that is the true rule and euen ballaunce wherein Gods marchandise must be peised This selfe same thing A godly and learned Father hath soundly proued when he sayth Let it not be sayd this say I and this thou sayst but this the holy Ghost sayth And agayne Taceant voces humanae loquantur diuinae ede mihi vel vnam scripturam pro parte Donati Let mens wordes be silent let Gods voyce be heard shew me but one text of scripture which defendeth Donatus assertion Right so say I set aside the persons of the speakers let vs sift and examine that which is spoken shew me but one text of scripture truely cited for the profe of HN. his doctrine As for this profe affirmations without ground and miracles without the worde as HN. doth commonly vse thē so is his vse not commendable The second place testifieth that God hath reuealed his true being vnto HN. out of Sion and Ierusalem Esa. 2. a. Mich. 2. a. 2. Pet. 1. b. Wherein he depraueth the sence of the holy Prophets in wresting that into an allegorye of the Celestiall Ierusalem which is ment of the Terestriall and earthly but this his fond exposition is more playne in an other place in these wordes HN. doth declare the same misterie of the riches of God agayne vpō the earth and minister the selfe same liuing word which is the very true light haue out of the heauenly Ierusalem to a testimonye of the truth receiued from Gods owne mouth c. And in an other place he sayth that this opening of Gods misteries is come vnto him out of the hyest heauen So that here it is very plainely to be sene that he abuseth the scripture and peruerteth the sence therof by turning the truth of a déede done in a place materiall into a heauenly and spirituall vision whereas the sence of the
yea bodies and liues also that by some meanes or other their wicked and schismaticall fantasies might be ouerthrowne All the which they would not haue done vnlesse by the worde of God it had ben assuredly lawfull or if the counsaile of Gamaliell had bene as a generall lawe to all estates tymes and persons that followed The which examples of Christian Emperours and godly kinges and gouernours both in the law and the kinges of Iudah in and since the state of the Primatiue Church I besech God to whome the care of his Church doth belong to put into the hartes of all Christian Magistrates to practise that they may in déede shew themselues nurses of the Church to the maintenaunce of Religion and the assuraunce of their owne thrones and estates and to the quietnesse of their subiectes that heresie may be suppressed sinne punished and that God in all may be gloryfied in and through his Christ our onely mediatour and redéemer Amen ⧠Certaine profitable notes to know an Heretique especially an Anabaptist With the Opinions and behauiour of them out of 〈◊〉 Authors ¶ Out of M. Bullingers booke agaynst the Anabaptistes ANabaptistes fly open conference and créepe from house to house craftely and priuily seducyng the simple and ignoraunt 2. Nicholas Storcke in Saxonie the chiefe ringleader of the Anabaptistes boasted of Reueilations 3. He boasted of a new world wherin iustice dwelleth Anabaptisme commeth alwayes by contentious and troublesome persons where the Gospell had bene preached before Thomas Muncer taught in word and writyng First that the Preachers of his tyme were not sent of God neither that they taught the word of God but the dead letter of the Scripture further that the scripture and outward word was not the true word of God but a testimonie of the true word and that the word is inward and heauenly and coÌ„meth immediatly from the mouth of God and that it ought to be taught inwardly by the spirite and not by Scriptures or Sermons He denyed Baptisme of Infantes He sayd that Christ did not fully satisfie for vs. He sayd God reueiled his will by dreames which he highly commended as inspirations from the holy Ghost His owne sect be termed the elect of God all that were not of his sect he sayd they were wicked woorthy to be slayne He sayd that goodes ought to be common Yea he sayd that Gedeons sword was geuen hym to abolish all Lordshyps agaynst all tyrauntes to restore the former libertie erect the new kyngdome of Christ vpon the earth Muncer was put to death for his heresie and repented before his death At Tygurie some contentious men though not vnlearned tooke part with the Anabaptistes The Anabaptistes would not communicate with the wicked They sayd that the Baptisme of infantes was inuented by Pope Nicholas and therfore it was naught Anabaptistes were hartned by those which desired the ouerthrow of the Gospell and the restoryng of Popery Anabaptistes were sage men they sighed often they laughed not they were vehement in reprehensions The simple were deceiued much by this Argument Let meÌ„ say of the Anabaptistes what they will I sée their sobriety I heare theÌ„ say nothing but this that we must not sweare at all but we must lyue holy and iust c. The Anabaptistes complained that all thynges were done agaynst them by force that the truth was oppressed that simple and godly men which sought nothing but that which was conteined in the word of God neither could they be hard or haue frée libertie to vtter out their myndes The Anabaptistes outwardly did lead a godly lyfe they spake earnestly agaynst couetousnes pride othes filthy talke vncomely behauiour chearyng and dronkennes they spake much of killyng the old man c. Briefly great and manifold was their hypocrisie They sayd they onely were the true Church wherein Christians delighted that their Sectaries might kéepe company with no Christian Churches of the Gospellers for that their Churche were no more the Churches of Christ then the Papistes Churches They sayd that the Ministers were not lawfully called to the Ministry nor ordinarily because they had not those qualities that S. Paule requireth 1. Tim. 3. e. They allow of Reuelations They say that the Sermons of Preachâ—â—â— are of smal accompt because in them is taught that Christ onely satisfied for our sinnes and that men were iustified before God by fayth and not by workes They affirmed the law might be kept and therefore they blamed the Preachers for saying the contrary They held Communitie of all thynges They affirmed that the old TestameÌ„t ought not to be mingled with the new because the old was abrogated They sayd that the soules slept vntill the day of Iudgement No Christian might be a Magistrat Magistrates must not medle with Religion The last punishmeÌ„t of Christians is ExcoÌ„municatioÌ„ No maÌ„ ought to be compelled to fayth or put to death for his Religion Warre say they is vnlawfull for Christians Their speaches must be yea and no without any oth None say they ought to be put froÌ„ the Lordes supper Cap. 9. Of diuers sectes and sortes of Anabaptistes ¶ Of Anabaptistes termed Apostoliques whose errours were 1. They approued onely the bare letter of the Scripture 2. They vsed no weapoÌ„ staffe wallet shoes money c. 3. They preached on house toppes 4. They washed one an others féete 5. They forsooke wiues and children 6. They held communitie Cap. 10. ¶ Of Anabaptistes Spirituall 1. They had nothyng like the world to proue it they abused Rom. 11. 2. They had rules both for the matter and fourme of apparell And affirmed it was vnlawfull to weare silke 3. They had rules of eatyng drinkyng and sléepyng 4. They might neuer laugh 5. They sighed often might not come in opeÌ„ asseÌ„blies 6. They condemne bargainyng and the vse of weapons Cap. 11. ¶ Of Sinles Anabaptistes These Anahaptistes sayd they could sinne For proofe they cited He that is of God sinneth not He that sinneth is of the Deuill Christes Church is without spot or wrinckle And therfore did they intermit the 5. petition Forgiue vs our trespasses They sayd there was no originall sinne neither were infantes by nature sinfull The hatchers of this heresie were Nouatus Catharis Auxentius Pelagius it is learnedly and at large confuted by S. Augustin Tom. 7. Agaynst Coelestius of mans perfect righteousnes in the last end of the booke Cap. 12. ¶ Of Anabaptistes that vsed to hold their peaces and pray 1. They sayd there ought to be no more any preachyng because the doore was shut Apoc. 1. 2. The world was not worthy to heare the Gospell 3. Beyng asked ought of their Religion they held their peace 2. Booke 1. Chap. Of Anabaptistes Enthusiastae They were often in a trayne and boasted much of the spirite and Reuelations Their common by word was The father sayd it They saw by Reuelation that the
day of Iudgement was at hand Cap. 2. Of free brethren oâ— groâ—â—â— and impure Anabaptistes 1. They had as they theÌ„ selues affirmed fleshly knowledge either of other 2. They sayd Christ made them frée from all lawes 3. They might haue no landes nor pay tithes or obedience or subiection to any man. 4. They had communitie of all thinges Cap. 4. Of Libertine Anabaptistes 1. They grauÌ„ted that othes Magistracie and Baptisme might indifferently be vsed or not be vsed 2. They passed not for Scripture for say they we are all taught of God. 3. They sayd Sacramentes were néedeles for the fayth full hauyng the thyng signified vz. the holy Ghost néeded not the outward signe of water 4. They sayd it was frée for them in persecution either to confesse or dissemble their Religion 5. They sayd it is sufficieÌ„t for them to kéepe their harts cleane although they do cleane coÌ„trary in their déedes 6. No man say they ought to put him selfe in dauÌ„ger for his fayth for God is not pleasured by any maÌ„s death neither wil he haue any man leaue his wife childreÌ„ 7. For their quietnes sake they say they may coÌ„forme them selues to the Religion of any people among whom they lyue And of this iudgemeÌ„t said M. Bulling was the beast Dauid George and this is the most pestilent sect of all others Cap. 6. Of the sect of the Hutties They thought they were the Israelites bodely They had terrible dreames and visions They saw in their dreames that domes day was at hand therfore spent their goodes rioteously In continuaunce of tyme when all was wasted they professed wâ—â—full pouertie Cap. 7. Of the sect of the Augustines of Augustine a Bohemian THey sayd that heauen is was and shal be shut vntill the day of Iudgement They thought that neither the good were in heauen nor the wicked in hell vntill the day of Iudgement but they were put in seuerall places which places are vnto vs vnknowne Cap. 8. Of the Anabaptistes of Munster 1. THey inueyed agaynst all excellencie wealth and honour 2. They despised and spake agaynst the Magistrate 3. They despised the world and worldly thynges 4. Their talke was wholy of the mortifying of the old maÌ„ Cap. 13. Melchior HoffmaÌ„ an Archheretique and an Anabaptist and his sectaries affirmed 1. THat the Baptisme of infantes was of the deuill 2. That Christ tooke not flesh of the virgin Mary 3. That our saluation is of our selues 4. That there is no hope of pardon for those which fall away after they haue receiued the grace of God. Cap. 14. Of the heresie of Dauid George 1. DAuid George affirmed that all the doctrine giueÌ„ vs from godly Moses Christ and the Prophets and Apostles is vnperfect vnprofitable to saluation but sayd that his heresie is perfectly profitable vnto lyfe euerlastyng 2. Dauid George sayth he is Christ and the Messias the beloued sonne of God borne not of the flesh but of the spirite 3. Dauid George sayd he will restore the house or Israell and the tribe of Leuie 4. Dauid George sayth it is he that must forgeue sinnes 4. Libertines 1. THey sayd God made the sinne of Cain and Iudas 2. They denyed the Resurrection and sayd it was spirituall 3. They sayd the deuils all the wicked should be saued 4. They sayd the old Testament is abrogate 3. Booke 1. Chap. THe Anabaptistes withdraw themselues from their Churches and Ministers cap. 2. your Ministers line not well say the Anabaptistes therefore your Church is not the true Church The Anabaptistes in ioyning to the Churches where the Gospell hath with much labour bene preached there they stirre vp tumultes They say the Ministers are not rightly called Chap. 6. Anabaptistes reasons why they refuse to come to Church 1 THe Ministers refuse and depart from Christes doctrine 2 No man ought to be compelled to fayth 3 Ye resist euill and Moyses sword should not defend doctrine but Christes 4 Your Ministers liue not as they teach Ergo their doctrine is vntrue 4. Booke 3. Chapter THe Anabaptistes say we may fulfill the law They affirme they are not heard as they ought to be vz. openly and as the law requireth and Nichodemus Reason 1 counsaileth and yet not one of theÌ„ dare once professe their doctrine openly They quoted much scripture Wée ought not say they be compelled to Religion Reason 2 It is not lawfull to defeÌ„d Religion by the ciuill sword Reason 3 For Christ sayd resist not euill The preachers rayled on them and delt vncharitably Reason 4 with them yet were they the most scoffers of all others No man say they ought to be put to death for ReligioÌ„ Reason 5 but be excommunicated onely for excommunication is the last punishment of the holy Ghost They rayled on the Lordes supper and sayd it was Reason 6 no sacrament they sayd they might not companye with any but of their owne sect other they sayd are wicked They affirmed none ought to be baptized but they Reason 7 which are of age which can professe their fayth and yet for profe hereof they quote no scripture Yf any of the Gospellers lyue godly they call him an Anabaptist The reprochfull tauntes of the Anabaptistes Lutherans Fol. 254. False and carnall Gospellers 255. errors and vnskilfulnes of preachers 256. Succeders of the Pharesies 256. Hipocrites blind guides Fooles blind serpents Generations of vipers 257. fellowes of theues whome Dauid maketh mention of Psal. 50. They say we hate theÌ„ because they would lyue without sinne They say we may kéepe the law to the profe whereof they abuse much scripture The preachers say the Anabaptistes would haue vs professe openly because they would haue the Magistrate persecute vs. FINIS ex Bullingero Out of Caluin agaynst the Anabaptistes THey say that they ought not to receiue the Lordes Supper where there is no true excommunication They say they may not participate in the sacraments with any man whome they know to be wicked Catharistes Donatistes and Anabaptistes séeke a Church without spot The Anabaptistes say no man that is minister may haue a certayne charge alledging for profe the Apostles example Out of Caluin agaynst the Libertines THe sect of the Libertines is that sect which S. Peter and S. Iude foretould The whole speach of the Libertines is in such strauÌ„ge kinde of stile that those which heare them at the first doe wonder at them and so dealt Marcion in the hatching of his heresie The Libertines denied the resurrection The Libertines were deuided into orders of men The first sort were called blessed ones which wheÌ„ they vsed their office in purging their religion they were termed Puritanes Secondly there were ij kindes of their disciples the first they vnto whome they did reueale their misteries of their sect and them they termed Elected ones Others whome they a far of by little and litle made acquainted with their heresie they termed Hearers In the
and also of diuers Reasons of the Familie beyng mere hereticall beyng set down in this end of the booke might hereafter when they shall here any of the Familie slide into any of these affirmations know whence such speaches haue bene learned and auoyde them gentle reader the Lord geue thée vnderstāding in all thinges and lighten all thy wayes by the candle of his word that the day star arising in thy hart thou maiest grow to a further knowledge of the Lord with a feruent desire to doe his will and to liue to learne and learne to lyue to tread the steppes of Gods sonne and to dye his seruaunt He this graunt vnto thée who hath geuen himselfe for thée to whome be eternall prayse power and glorye Amen Tim. 4. chap. 6. vers 87. YF thou put thy bretheren in remembraunce of these thinges thou shalt be a good Minister of Christ which hast bene nourished vp in the wordes of fayth and of good doctrine which thou hast continuallye followed But cast away profane and ould wiues Fables and exercise thy selfe vnto godlines So be it FINIS Cantic 2.15 Ezech. 13.4 Esay 5.1 Ionas 4.7 Math. 13.24.25 Act. 20.28 Heb. 13.17 Math. 24.24 Math. 13.25 Math. 7.15 1. Pet. 5.8 2. Cor. 11.14 The cause of heresie is want of preachyng Math. 22.29 Rom. 10.14 Esay 29.9 Ierem. 23.2 Zach. 11.17 Ierem. 50.6 Esay 56.10 Math. 15.14 HN. his heresie mingled of all heresies 2. Pet. 2.1.2 Iude. 12. Amos. 8.11.12 Math. 4.4 Prou. 29.18 First Edition pag. 606. A. Pag. 1605. * This Kempe is now liuing and is preacher in the Yle of wight and is by this popish priest slaūdered the sayd Kemp being a very Godly man read M. Fox his last booke pag. 1976. Where he rehearseth Kemps story at large M. Fox reporteth his most godly Christian doctrine Pag. 1976. a. Pag. 1530. H. Harte a peruerse heretique M. Fox pag. 1531. Predestination blasphemed by the Fam. Vitels doctrine in Queene Maries tyme at Colchester 1. Infantes not to be Baptised 2. Kyng Edwardes booke not Gods seruice 3. Christ not God. 4. The godly sinne not 5. The Pope no Antichrist Vitels denyed that Christ is God. Obiectiō of the Familie Aunswere Vitels some tymes an Arriā God graunt he now be sounde in that point Actes 8.24 Math. 26.75 Generaly HN. his Euangelye is to be mislyked for Odious comparison of the Fam. Fam. maketh Gods word hard to be vnderstode so doe the Papistes contrary to the scripture Prou. 8.8.9 Psalme 19.7.8 All without the Fam. fleshly and worldly minded Vntruth for the Prophet Esay and the rest are very eloquent All without the Fam. directed with dreames of mans fantasie No booke of any wrighter like HN. his Euangelye HN. his Euangelie in Exposition of darke figures in the Bible No learned mā in these dayes like HN. HN. a Papist Chap. 31. Chap. 31. sent 4 Christ what he is according to the Familie Antichrist nothing but sinne according to the Fam. Two kyndes of Gods worde after HN. his Familie Luke 16.28 A notable vntruth for HN. no where in his bookes doth wish mē to read the Scriptures Horrible blasphemie HN. his booke of Euangelie made equall with the word of God. Ephe. 5.21 1. Iohn 4.1 No man may iudge of doctrine but the Familye Louely Poetrie of the Familie Preface sent 2. Resurrection is appeared vnto HN. Law and Prophets all fulfilled in HN. his Loue day Preface sent 3. HN. taketh on him Iohn Baptistes office Sent. 4. HN. his writinges the Gospell Sent. 6. Cap. 1. sent 4. Libertie of Religion Chap. 2. sent 1. Fol. 4. Cap. 2. sent 1. Cap. 2. sent 11. Cap. 4. sent 1. Cap. 4. sent 4. HN. rayleth on the Ministers Preachers of Gods word Sent. 5. Onely HN. his Familie wise Sent. 15. Resurrectiō cōmeth to passe in HN. his new day Heresie sent 18. Cap. 5. sent 1. Cap. 8. sent 4.5.6.8 c. Cap. 9. sent 7. Cap. 13. sent 3. Cap. 13. sent 4. Cap. 19. sent 5. Sent. 11. Cap. 23. sent 2. Cap. 23. sent 2. Cap. 25. sent 6. Cap. 25. sent 6. Cap. 25. sent 6. Ibid. No dissembling is lawfull by HN. Sent. 10. All prophecies doe lead and end in HN. his Fam. Cap. 28. sent 4. HN. raileth vpon preachers Cap. 30. sen 5.6 HN. liketh of purgatorye Cap. 31. sent 1. HN. Fauoreth poperie Popish discipline good by HN. Cap. 31. sen 4. 7. Orders a Sacrament by HN. Sent. 5.7 The truth spred in all landes by the Pope sayth HN. Sent. 8. 10. 14. 17. 18. 19. Sent. 23. Cap. 32. sent 4. Cap. 33. sent 11. Cap. 34. sent 1. Blasphemye Cap. 35. sent 1. Cap. 35. sent 3. 4 5. 6. 7. Sent. 8. Resurrectiō passed already saith HN. Cap. 36. sent 13 Cap. 37. sent 1. and .14 and. cap. 38. sent 1.3 Cap. 4. sent 7. Scripture vildly abused by Allegories Nothyng commeth from HN. his perfect ones but perfection Perfection Christ after the flesh what Christ rooke no flesh the virgin but doctrine c. HN. his perfect ones not subiect to Gods worde alwayes Shrift Scripture vntruly Expounded 1. Cor. 15. cap. verses 50.53.54 Resurrectiō denied The Family wil haue all the whole man or nothyng at all Admission into the Familie Admissiō to the Familie with an othe Herodes oth in the Familie Why few Fambles returne frō HN. his doctrine Giltles of particular sinnes Antecedent HN. his argument that we may sinne Scriptures wrested Shrift HN. taketh to him that is proper to Christ Agge 2.7 Heb. 12.27 HN. 1. epist. cap. 1. sent 2. pub of the peac sent 14. Shrift worse then Popish Conference denyed HN. his holy bread dayly eaten at Tables Scripture wrested Sinnes forgiuen in the Familie onely Gay Rhetoricke of the Familie Docum sentences 1. Chap. sect 3.7 Bullenger agaynst the Anabaptistes 1. Cor. 16.14 Gal. 5.22 1. Cor. 13.4 1. Iohn 3.18 Math. 7.16 Luk. 6.44 Math. 12.34 Iohn 3.20 Fam. of Loue in the briefe rehearsall the title Bulling 1. boke chap. 8. leaf 18. a Cyp. de simpl August ad Crescon 2. boke 7. chapter Schismatiques who Num. 16.1 2. Cor. 1.12 Actes 20.28.29 30. verses Rom. 16.17.18 Fam. bred and brought vp among the Papistes Deut. 27.18 Math. 18.7 1. Cor. 11.19 Reuel 3.11 1. Tim. 3.15 Math. 24.5.24 1. Iohn 4.1 Ezech. 33.4 1. epist. cap. 2. sent 2.6 1. Exhor cap. 7. sent 38. leaf 16. Scripture abused Last day Euang. cap. 3. sent 3. Psal. 118.24 Ephes 4.4 Marc. 15.28 Iohn 20.30 Euang. praeface sent 2. Luke 24. c. Scriptures quoted in vaine Cyp. de simpl praelat August ad petrum dia. cap. 34 6 ▪ epist. 1. boke Cyp. ibid. throughout Iud. 6. vers 2. Pet. 2.4 1. Exhor cap. 12. sent 42. fol. 27. 1. Exhort cap. 20. sent 7. fol. 49 Dictata cap. 19. sent 3. Euang. praefac sent 6. cap. 23 sent 7. Euang. cap. 3. sent 3. fol. 4. HN. wresteth 3. Article of the Lordes Prayer Euang. cap. 24. sent 9. Iam. 4.3 Math.
the Ceremoniall law is néedefull to be obserued HN. termeth our Baptisme an handfull of water Who soeuer is not Baptised accordyng to the forme or maner of Iohn that is with the water of repentaunce confessing their sinne he is no Christian No man sayth HN. can Minister the vpright seruice or Ceremonies of Christ truly but the regenerate HN. denyeth the outward admission of Ministers The Familie shal be in all perfection euerlastyngly vpō earth to the end that Gods will might be done in earth as it is in heauen HN. beasteth perfection in this lyfe and in many places HN. sayth that this testimony and publishyng of the ioyfull message videl his Gospell is the kyngdome of perfection and that all the seruices and prophecies which are gone out from God doe lead hereunto and rest and cease herein HN. his sayth Familie must not conceale or dissemble their Religiō but they must hold it out before euery one whō the Lord stirreth vp in their wayes In HN. his Familie is the true most holy of the euerlastyng beyng of God from whence the vpright seruice of the Familie is ministred whereunto all seruices and prophecies which are gone out from God and his truth do lead as to the right and very true perfection that God might euer be declared vpon earth HN. sayth of all preachers without his Fam. that they are vnilluminated vnregenerated vnrenewed vngodded vnsent good thinkyng which out of their literall knowledge come into the shéepefold of the beleuers besides the Church of Christ Which Christ calleth théeues wolues murtherers false hartes and Scripture learned HN. alloweth confession of sinnes in his Familie and forgeuenesse of the same and clensing whiche he calleth Purgatorie HN. sayth that the Romishe Church hath obediently grounded it selfe on the seruices and ceremonies which are the prefiguration of true Christianitie and her seruices and with diligence and feruēcie obserued the same to a good discipline or ordinaunce of the congregations HN. sayth that the annoyntyng with oyle which the Papistes vse is a Sacrament of the holy Churche of Christ and signifieth vnto vs the annoyntyng of Priests and Elders with the holy Ghost HN. alloweth of the Pope because sayth he through his seruice of the holy word the true clearenes of Christ was spread abroad in all landes HN. of the Popish Hierarchie namely Cardinals Bishops Parish priestes signifiyng the Leuiticall Priestes Deacons or helpers of the Parish Priestes Sextons or kéepers of holy thynges Monkes whiche signifie such as dwell alone and are through the loue of righteousnes sanctified and therfore seperated from the world and all that is fleshly for to liue euen so as sanctified ones of God. All the aforesayd sayth HN. hath bene vsed in tymes past in his true beyng whē the light of lyfe had his clearenes but now is become darkned HN. condenmeth as many out of their knowledge whiche they take out of the Scriptures brought in certaine seruices and ceremonies in any other wise and order then the Churche of Rome appoynted as vnorderly reiectyng and blasphemyng the Catholique Church of Rome and rentyng the consent and nurturable sustentation of the same It is mere lyes and vntruth which the Scripture learned through the knowledge whiche they get out of the Scripture institute preach and teach HN. sayth God raysed him vp which lay altogether dead without breath and lyfe from the death annoynted him with his godly beyng named him selfe with him and Godded him with him selfe All the Scripture speakyng of Christ of his séede of his commyng in his glory is in this day of the Loue fulfilled HN. sayth that the prophecies 1. Edras 4. d. Esay 3. e. and 11. b. Ezech. 39. c. Soph. 3. b. Zach. 2. b. are in this day of Loue fulfilled Moreouer the raysing vp and Resurrection from the dead commeth to passe also in this same day through the appearyng of the commyng of Christ in his maiestie acaccordyng to his saying Iohn 6. e. I will rayse him vp agayne in the last day In this day are all prophecies fulfilled The seruice of Loue is the perfection it selfe All sayth HN. shall perishe without the Familie of Loue. ¶ Hereticall affirmations and vngodly expositions of Scriptures by HN. out of the documentall sentences EVen thus haue the seruices of the testimonyes of the holy spirite of Loue their ministrations among the perfect ones and do remoue the midle wall which is betwixt the perfect and vnperfect ones To make euen so of twayne that it be one namely God and the man in one true being of Iesus Christ cap. 1. sent 4. Nothing can come from the true perfection but all humble and méeke vertues and righteousnes which flow out of perfection cap. 1. sent 7. He alledgeth that there is a perfection in his lyfe to proue it he quoteth 1. Cor. 13. b. cap. 1. sent 9.10.2 Pet. 1. d. The perfect can bring forth nothing but all good and loue quoted as a profe Iohn 13 14.16 he leadeth thē into all truth Cap. 2. sent 1. ¶ Christ is taken on  1. With an imagination of knowledge Cap. 2. sent 1. Videl 2. Good thincking of the hart  3. Or out of the text of the letter No man can teach the word of doctrine of Christ but such as haue bene disciples obedient of the loue cap. 2. senten 1. Vnilluminated Scripture learned and vnsent preachers cap. 2. sent 2. The word that is ministred speakeable or in letters out of the Loue and out of the true lyfe is also Christ after the fleash cap. 2. sent 4. For euen so among the beleuers of the word the word became flesh and dwelt among them and Iesus was in such sort borne of the virgin Mary out of the séede of Dauid after the flesh that is of pure doctrine out of the séede of the Loue and whosoeuer feadeth of the ouerflowne word and his lyfe beleuingly in his soule he eateth truely the flesh of Christ and drinketh his bloud and is raysed vp by Christ in the last day to eternall lyfe and becommeth euen so in his new birth Consubstanciated with Christ after the spirit cap. 2. sent 5. As also for that the seruauntship of the Law should be noe Gal. 3. c. heire with the beleuer cap. 3. sent 10. That same was the complaint of Abraham which he or euer he had a sonne or an heire complayned before the Lord that he had obteined no. Gen. 15. a. séede out of the beliefe And supposed euen so that his seruaunt that is his seruauntship out of the law should be his heire but the sonne wich shall be borne out of the spirite that is out of the fayth of Abraham cap. 3. sent 11. As long as the young ones are childish and not yet growne vp vnto the Elderdome of the perfect being they are yet vnder the ordinance of the
that be of the Familie who soeuer is without the Familie is inueigled with wiles subtletie and falsechode For no man rightly accordyng to truth of the Scriptures nor accordyng to the spirituall vnderstandyng of the godly wisdome can deale in or vse the true Gods seruice nor the seruices of the holy worde but onely the Illuminate Elders in the godly wisedome whiche walke in the house of loue The wise men of the world and the Scripture learned haue not knowen the veritie of the heauenly truth nor yet obteined or gotten the clearenes with Christ. It is mere lyes and vntruth what the Scripture learned through the knowledge they got out of the Scriptures institute or teach c. They preach in deede the letter and Imagination of their knowledge but not the word of the liuyng God. Therefore sayth he they are mē whose knowledge doth imagine much in them ARTICLE 3. of HN. No Baptisme WIthout the Familye of Loue sayth HN there is no true Christian Baptisme This same is the schole of grace to an euerlasting remission of sinnes ouer all such as cleaue there vnder There is no true Christianitye but the Comminalty of the holy ones in the loue of Christ Iesus Ion. 17. c. Ephe. 4. a. h. All other that haue not the Christian doctrine of the seruice of the loue forgoing their Baptisme It is not meete and conuenient that men should count such vnbeleuers and vnbaptised ones for Christians neither yet also for men at whose handes one should any way suppose or trust to finde any word of Ioh. 1. a. 3. a. gods truth or yet any workes Mar. 1. a. righteousnesse or Gods seruice that God regardeth or accepteth They are without Christes body Theophilus COnsider better of the text Rather vnder the obedience of the father and his loue vnder the obedience of Christ and his beliefe and the obedience of the holy ghost and his renewing of the lyfe and minde c. to be baptised in the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghost c. William Wilkinson WHat account HN. maketh of our Church and the truth therein taught is already declared Now followeth it to be vnderstode what his opinion is of our Sacramentes And first to speake of baptisme For of the holy Sacrament of the supper of our Lord he hath written very litle what he attributeth to our Church therein is playne that vnlesse we haue our foregoing in the doctrine of the loue we are not to be counted of him and his Fam to be baptised ones To the which I will aunswere briefly if first he shall satisfy me in this demaund Whether when there was no Family of Loue there were no vpright baptisme in England If he say there was a lawfull baptisme than is there an vpright baptisme without the foregoing of his louely doctrine and without his Family a true Christian baptisme If he say there was none than doe I aunswere that these Famelers in England are not rightly baptised speake the truth worke righteousnes or an acceptable worke in the sight of god To the which if the Familye shall further aunswere though then they were not yet since they haue bin rightly baptised This it may be Vitels the Ioyner will aunswere to approue his hereticall behauiour at Cholchester ad to this I am to reply that if the Fam. acknowledge a rebaptization then are they hypocrites all the sort of them For they in their last cōfession being a rehearsall of their doctrine beliefe and religion affirme that they doe deale simply and playnely c We haue say they nor vse any other Ceremonyes lawes statutes nor Sacramentes of Baptisme and supper of the Lord then such as are ministred in the Church of England But I say that the Church of England vseth not rebaptization Therefore if they be rebaptised they be double faced dissemblers Furthermore if they shall affirme that they vse not other Sacramentes c. than is vsed in the Church of England that is in their Fam. in the Church of England because it was sayd in the first Article that we haue no Church without their Family I aunswere They pretend in their confession they deale faythfully with all men If this be their fayth what I pray you is their falshode Furthermore I let passe to repeate much lesse to confute that fond opinion of those vaine heads which thought the partyes baptised of heretiques ought to be rebaptised agayne Of this opinion the Fam. of Loue semeth to lyke very well for because they affirme before that without this Fam. there is no Christian baptisme And thus much for this Article is sufficient As for you frend Theophilus ye huddle vp so that no man can vnderstand you when you shall learne to speake out of the mouth and leaue to fumble with your c. I will tell you my minde more art large An addition of the 3. Article of HN. HN. Reproueth our doctrine with this terme and handful of water an Elementish water Whosoeuer is not baptized according to the forme and manner of Iohn who baptized the people confessing their sinnes flowing with the water of repentaunce into their hartes he is not rightly baptized neyther may he boast els that he is a Christian ARTICLE 4. HN. No forgeuenes of sinnes WIthout he Familye fayth HN. there is no forgeuenes of sinnes for this is the true Christianitye the Familye of Loue wherein God himselfe 2. Cor. 6. b. Apoc. 21. a. dwelleth liueth and walketh Theophilus FOr so it is agreable with the Scripture William Wilkinson THe truth of this exposition I must gladly graunt and willingly confesse vz. No pardon of sinnes without the Church of Christ For truely it is sayd No man must seuer or put in sunder that which God hath lincked together and so in our Créede the Communion of Saintes and forgeuenesse of sinnes are ioyned together And S. Paule sayth that Christ gaue him selfe for the Churches to satisfy it and clense it by the washyng of the water through the woorde that hee might make it a glorious Church spotlesse and without wrinckle c. And I know very well that we are naked in our selues and poore but in Christ and his Churche so many as are members of that head are clothed richly with the manifold graces of God and continaully enriched And to this purpose fitly sayth the spirite of god by Esay the Prophet God is in the Churche and the 21. of the Apocal. 3. a. is fitly alledged and the truest hetherto that HN. hath cied As for his place out of the Corinth there is no such thyng nor any steppe of such a sence as he séemeth to alledge it for All the Article if it should be geuen yet shall you not thereby proue that without your particuler conuēticles and Schismaticall assembles is no remission of sinnes For the promise of the keyes and the remission is geuen to the Church which
to repeate I made out of them this Collection HN. sayth he is indued with the good nature of God and that he is raysed vp from the dead to iudge the earth with righteousnes also the day of Loue by him preached is the last day and there shall be no day of grace hereafter Neither was there any trueth before him or besides him or shal be after him To the fourme of wordes he hath framed a wrangle the matter he graunteth belike to be true Thirdly I affirme that HN. sayth he was prophecied of by Moses and all the Prophets and Apostles and the Euangelistes to proue this he alledgeth Deut. 18.6 Esay 60. a. Iohn 5. c. To the which Theophilus replieth thus Theophilus REade the place againe you shall finde he sayth that the light or lyfe is it which is prophecied of and not himselfe and leaue your lying for very shame William Wilkinson TO the which his reprochfull reply and childish cauill I thinke I shall aunswere fully and satisfy sufficiently Yf first I be able to iustifie which gods assistance I hope I shall that HN. presumptiously taketh on him that which is prophecied on and proper vnto Christ Secondly I will cōparing him with Dauie George and their heresies mutually with other proue that it is very like to be true which they deny and Maist Rogers doth charge him with HN. to be Dauie Georges scholler and that in impietye he goeth far beyond him Thirdly by comparing him and his opinions with Gods worde I will shew that he is not the perfect Prophet but the most pestilent Archheretique that euer was and that he was so prophecied of by the Prophets Apostles and Euangelistes In the which place to display all his wrestinges of the scriptures I neither am able they being infinit nor willing because I desire to be briefe onely I will by a few geue a tast what the rest are which I haue not touched HN. HN. Alledgeth ▪ Esay 60. a. to proue the light shewed by him was fore spoken of by Esay W. Wilkinson IT is manifestly ment of Christ his first comming HN. HN. Sayth that all the scriptures heauenly testimonyes and spirituall voyces of the eternall trueth which are gone forth from the holy spirite of Loue that is of God are brought to light through him William Wilkinson THis is blasphemous agaynst the Prophecy of Christ and agaynst the Scriptures Math. 17.5 Marc. 9.28 Iohn 1.18 Col. 23. HN. HN. Sayth yet once more he hath appointed a day in the which he will iudge the earth with righteousnes Act. 17. g. and this in the next sentence 3. he doth apply to his appearaunce in these wordes this day and now is the day fulfilled in the Loue and this once more sayth he is meant of himselfe for profe he quoteth Act. 17. g. 31. verse W. Wilkinson THis is particularly ment of Christes first comming in the flesh prophecied euen in the selfe same wordes Agge 2. cap. 7. verse and in Christ fulfilled Heb. 12. cap. 27. verse HN. HN. Quoteth Esay 2. a. 2. Miche 4. a 1. to be meant of the restoring of the decayed state of Gods Church which is redyfied by him William Wilkinson THis is manifestly meant of Christ HN. HN. Citeth Math. 24. verse 14. Esay 67.22 g. Psal. 95.7.8 Heb. 3.7 and the 4.7.8 Apoc. 14.6 to be spoken of his Euangelye by him published William Wilkinson WHich is vnderstode of the preaching of the gospell by Christ and his Apostles HN. HN. Sayth hee is an elected Minister of the gratious worde stirred vp in the last time according to the promises Ierem. 33. read the whole chap. W. Wilkinson IT is meant of Christ HN. HN. Sayth the testimonye of his Euangelie is not alone the Euang. of the kingdome promised to be published in all the world to all people but also all the testimonies which HN. hath set forth in the glasse of righteousnes William Wilkinson BLasphemous agaynst the gospell and a thing accursed Galla. 1. chap. 8. ver He taketh that vnto him which belongeth vnto Iohn Baptist Mallachi Math. 11.10 HN. HN. Sayth the misterye of the kingdome of God his righteous iudgements Math. 25. d. Actes 16.17 d. Iude. 1. and the comming of Christ now in the last tyme in the resurrection Ezech. 37 6. Iohn 5. c. Rom. 8.6 Phil. 3. b. 11. ver of the dead is declared vnto him as an elected vessel from the mouth of God himselfe God hath be gone a new miraculous worke now in this day of Loue whereof we witnes with vs his elected ones wherin the scripture is fulfilled Esay 43 6. c.a. Esay 57 b. HN. Sayth he will declare the secret misteries of God and make relation of thinges hidden before the beginning of the world Math. 13.11 b. Iohn 6. The day of Loue. Psal. 118. c. is the appearaunce and comming Math. 24. c. 30. ver Luk. 17.20 ver Actes 2. a. of Christ Iesu our Lord in the resurrection Esay 26. c. 1. Cor. 15. f. of the dead wherein the law the Prophetes and all that is written of Christ becommeth fulfilled Luk. 24. e. The day of Loue preached by HN. is the day of the last comming of Christ in iudgement with many thousandes of Saintes Esay 3. b. Math. 4.24 d. 37. 25. d. 31. Iude. 1. b. Whiche places manifestly proue beyng meant of the second comming of Christ that the resurrection of his comming is perfected past already HN. Sayth that this testimonie that is his Euang and publishing of the ioyfull message is the same comming and all seruices and prophecies which are gone out from God doe leade herevnto and cease herein HN. Sayth Behold ye dearely beloued presently euen from the selfe same day becommeth the scripture in all fulfilled of that which it mentioneth of Christ of his seede and of his glory and Lordlynes Therefore all scriptures was vntill now vnperfect and not fulfilled contrary to that which Iohn sayth 19.28 HN. Sayth that all the prophecies Esdr 4. d. Esay 3. c. 11. b. 12. Ezechi 39. d. 21. Zopha 3. b. 9. ver Zach. 2. b. 10. 11 Numb 24. a. 5. 6. are in this day of Loue presently fulfilled all the which places are particularly meant of Christ and applied blasphemously by HN. to him for to proue the day of his comming The Familye compare and make equall HN. his wrightinges with the holy scriptures because say they they are written with the same spirite William Wilkinson THus with as great breuitye as I could I haue set downe a few of his blasphemies for that his vayne and blinde idle and impertinēt alleadging of Scriptures is infinite and without number for almost he neuer citeth any scripture aright for the children of God it shall not be vnprofitable to consider that to leaue the Lordes hye way and the cleare sunne shine of his truth is to entangle our selues with
also because the sonne of God in the Actes geueth him the same title he is sayth he vnto me a chosen vessell c. now when HN. can iustifie his callyng to haue bene such as S. Paules was then he shall proue some what in the meane tyme our skill is not so meane as whensoeuer he vseth to alledge Scripture for the phrase that by and by it must materially be vnderstode as he will haue vs take it or els all is marred In the same sort he abuseth a place taken out of S. Paul to the Corinthes Cap. 3. vers But these his vayne payntynges of his margent shall hereafter make his cause more odious vnto them whiche will diligently labour to take him haltyng in the alledgyng of the Scriptures for to what purpose is it for an Archer to doe as HN. doth to set vp his markes and neuer commyng at them to raunge vp and downe the fieldes at rouers But of this somewhat before beyng spoken shall herein stay my labour concernyng that matter Vnto the which also HN. addeth where he heard these his Reuelatiōs videli From the mouth of God him selfe Wherein he doth open vnto the world his shameles and vayne boasting beleue him he that will. And if it be truth that the Israelites were so terrified with the voyce of God and that Christes voyce draue S. Paule to the grounde with the wonderfull maiestie therof and the brightnes of his countenaunce Which voyce also did smite the souldiours to groūd The force and the working wherof and how mighty the operation therof is holy Dauid declareth at large by many effectes in the 29. Psalme through out Now then if this be true that God in his law hath thus thundred thereby to kéepe vs in obediēce to be wholy subiect vnto him how can HN. auouch it to be true that he affirmeth hee hath heard these his Reuelations From the mouth of God him selfe We know very well as many I meane as are the beloued of the Lord that Reueilatiōs haue bene of old but they are not néedefull God in tymes past in diuers maners spake in the old tyme by the Prophetes vnto our Fathers but in these last dayes he hath spoken vnto vs by his some Miracles serued the Church in her swadlyng clothes but now fayth is sealed by the death of Christ and to cry for further miracles were to crucifie the sonne of God a fresh and to make a mocke of the Sauiour of the world Hath the earthly father an inward care to leaue his sonne his will sealed with his owne seale and subscribed with his owne hand to auoyde contention and to cease strife and shal not Iesus Christ the sonne of the most wise God which sonne to testifie his loue towardes vs often calleth him selfe the sonne of man shall not the loue of his manhode and the vnspeakeable wisedome of his Godhead prouide for the safe and quyet gouernement of his owne house which so dearely with his hart bloud hee hath purged and made cleane Thus then we sée that HN. his bragges be but bables and triffles that he boasteth he will declare the secret Misteries of God and make relation of thynges hidden from the beginnyng of the world Sathan albeit he hath taken vpon him the shape of an Aungell of light yet if he in the likenesse of the most glorious Aungell in heauen will teach vs or shall preach vnto vs any other Gospell then we haue receaued be he ten thousand tymes accursed But this doctrine as it alwayes hath bene peculiar vnto the Papistes Libertines and especially the Anabaptistes for that they are mighty in such kynde of proofes as for the true Church it neither vseth nor alloweth any such doctrine of Reuelations as HN. in this place dreameth of onely it is sufficiently instructed in the truth of Gods word without any further search after fonde and curious visions which are expresly forbidden by the written word of God and holy Scripture which onely is the power of God vnto saluatiō to saue the soules of Gods people But of Reuelations and extraordinary declarations of Gods word hetherto for the 9. Article ARTICLE 10. of HN. Of Shrift ANd vnto their Elders priuately must they confesse all their sinnes and make their lyfe naked and bare before them Theophilus FOr how should they otherwise receiue counsell to auoyde the same and thereto it is spoken as reade forth the text and leaue your priuate addition as priuately William Wilkinson THe most conuenient method to deale with this as with all the rest of HN. his erroneous and absurd Paradoxes in my iudgement is first because the Famblers vse to cauil that they are falsly and vniustly burthened neither can that be proued by them wherewith they are charged by their owne wrightinges to conuince them to be guiltye of that which is layd agaynst them Secōdly to examine their groundes proofes whereby they labour to auouch their heresie to be the truth Thirdly to shew what parteners and fellowes they haue of other heretiques which haue either held the same heresie or hauyng held it haue maintained it by the same profes that they doe Lastly to shew wherein they in their opinions doe disagrée from the holy scriptures the iudgement of some wrighters cōcerning the same which order he that well considereth the former Articles shall sée hath by me ben obserued heretofore For the first pointe that HN. and the Familie hould an erroneous confession of sinnes and a kinde of shrift more then Popish shall not néede any long probation out of their wrightinges For that the Elder Theophilus confesseth the same boulstering vp his asseueration with this interrogatorye For how should they otherwise receiue counsell to auoyd the Fami c. Yet will I adde a place or twaine out of HN. to make the matter more cleare that hereafter it be not doubted of Let all your counsayles enterprises purposes will deeds whether they be then secret or manifest appeare at all tymes naked and bare before your Elders Eccle. 4. c. But if ye chaunce to offend in committing any misdeeds yet binde not in any case your hart thereon Eccle. 5. a. neither yet feare you to be ashamed Eccl. 4. c. to confesse the same before god Pro. 28. b. Esay 29. b. Ierem. 23. c. Esdras 16. g. and the priestes your Elders but let it appeare apparauntly before them c. sent 21. 22. 23. 30. Fourthly it is expedient that they should Prou. 28. b. Eccle 4. c. 17. b. Iam. 5. b. make manifest their whole harte with all their counsels mindes willes and thoughtes together with all their doinges dealinges and exercises naked and bare before the Eldest in the Familye of Loue are not couer Esay 29. b. 4. Esdr 16. g. or hide any thing be it what it is before him Also whereunto their inclination kinde and nature draweth them and
and other idolatours seruice agaynst the which vngodly opinion that excellent ChristiaÌ„ and blessed Martyr of God M. Bradford writ being in prison as in the bookes that he published is to be séene at large The which blind opinion of HN. is most clearely confuted by his owne bookes in the places by me before quoted as also by the holy scripture in diuers places which I refraine to set downe for that I will not be tedious as also desiring the reader to vew these few places by me quoted in the margent for profe sufficient as also let him reade further of his question M. Bulleng agaynst the Anabaptistes 2. boke 5. chapter But to returne to Theophilus who laboreth to salue this sore and stoppe vp this breach with his headles distinction betwixt the beliefe and the misteries of God I would that he knew that neither this wound will be cured with this salue neither this breach stopped vp with this his vntempered head morter For mightier is the shotte which the Lordes péeces affourd them with so smale a shelter they may be succoured For whereas he would séeme not to haue spoken at aduentures but to haue added his aunswere vpon a witty and sober deliberation albeit the other his expositions are very fond and fantasticall yet this his distinction wherein he thought to haue wonne his spurres is so frantique that tâ—â—â—ein he hath both ieoperded the horse and lost the saddâ—e For whereas in a good and artificiall distinction neither part can be affirmed of the other yet in this diuision made by Theophilus both partes are but one neither is there such difference betwixt them as he would beare vs in hand there is For where as he insinuateth that the belief misteries or secrets of god caÌ„not be one thing S. Paule handling that part the chaunging of our bodyes in the resurrection the belief addeth these words Behold I shew you a secret thing we shall not all sleepe but we shal all be chauÌ„ged Here he knitteth together the Article of our beliefe a secret thing makyng theÌ„ but one which Theophilus maketh two And speaking in an other place of the vnion betwixt Christ and his Church wheÌ„ 1. halfe especiall partes of the belief consist straight he addeth This is a great secret Still coupling theÌ„ to one which Theophilus will haue twayne But whereas Theophilus his déepe iudgement alloweth that he will not haue the secrets of God reueiled to the enimies he dealeth with vs euen as he doth with his owne fellow Famblers for he doth not deliuer vnto them all the secrets of God but the beliefe onely at the first wherein he discrieth himselfe at vnawares to be one of those of whome it is sayd by M. Caluine the chiefe and Rabbies doe alwayes keepe backe some point of theyr principall doctrine that they may the better maintaine the opinion that their hangbies haue of theÌ„ This also is the iudgement of Staphilus in his Appollogie that he would haue the word God which is the bread of the soules of Gods people to be cut out and deliuered vnto them by péecemeale The scripture that Theophilus citeth to strengthen his assertion is the same that the Anabaptistes alleadged to the same purpose being writteÌ„ in S. Math. cap. 7. v. 6. Geue not that which is holy vnto dogges neither cast your pearles before swine By dogges in scripture are ment those that are not conteined within the hedges of the church Math. 15.26 c. and open eâ—â—mies which of set purpose persecute a knowne manifest truth which as yet Theophilus hath not proued the doctrine of his Familie to be And by swine are ment those that being once washed returne eftsones to their filth agayne and making no accompt of the Lordes truth become more beastly in lyfe then they were before 2. Pet. 2.22 Pro. 26.11 b. the which place also of S. Math. before alleadged may thus be vnderstode that the word of God ought not to be preached vnto them which sinne agaynst the holy ghost Heb. 6.4 10.26 For that their sinne is so great in the sight of God that is not to be prayed for 1. Iohn 5.16 of the which sinnes if Theophi will say they are guiltye which withstand HN. his Fam. I desire him that he iude not neither to hastely pronounce the sentence til we haue hard the euidence red whereby he would that verdict should be gathered which shall passe agaynst vs. Furthermore whereas Theophi by the way of blinde similitude gathereth that those which séeke to suppres this their scismaticall secte are théeues by the high way and therfore ought not the treasure of Gods word to be opened vnto them I answere that this reason is not so much to be confuted with words as with whips was it euer had or being heard was it euer suffered the Christian magistrates into whose hands the sword of iustice is committed that they should cut downe such wéedes as trouble the growth of good trées in gods vineyard and preachers which haue the sword of the spirite to cutt downe schisme heresie was it euer hard that a graceles heretique as this Theop. is durst terme theÌ„ Theues by the hyway as Theophilus doth in this place God graunt all magistrates to loke to this betimes least vnder this counterfeite cloake of Loue that subiectes be drawne away from the obedience of their lawfull prince when such rebellious wordes as these be blowne abroad in corners by such heretiques and their fellowes ARTICLE 14. of HN. Of Libertie to Sinne. HN In a certaine booke of his entituled Dictata per HN. vpon the 22. chapter of Deutronom vers 27. which sayth if a man rauish a womaÌ„ and she cry she shal be free the meanyng is sayth HN. when sinne commeth to a man and if he cry to God and God helpe him not he is free Theophilus NOw forth whether your chosen out Errours may appeare to be in them selues very good and true sayinges and your partiall additions to be mere lyes we referre that to the iudgement of all those which shal read the text with an vnparciall eye For he doth not say that she that is violently taken c. shall be free videl to commit euill as you would seeme to haue it but she shall be guiltlesse of the transgression videl for beyng condemned for the same William Wilkinson IN the auÌ„sweryng to this Article Theophilus vseth this order In his first clause he maketh a by speach to the collectour of the Article in the secoÌ„d he setteth downe the meanyng of the same Article His first note in his speach is this that they are my chosen out Articles which I vtterly deny for it followeth not I chose out these Articles or errours out of HN. to be resolued of the meanyng of them by the Fami or some of that broode as time should serue therfore these Articles are myne this is a reason beyond all reason that
meÌ„ Ergo our Religion is good before God. Where if the voyce of the countrey did iustifie them for honest men as farre as they know them by trading with them so farre I will confesse with them that I know some few of them to be of an honest life yet this proueth not the doctrine of HN. which they professe to be true for that I know that some honest men of them in lyfe haue confessed vnto me diuers heresies in Religion Agayne it is extreme follie to be iudged by those simple men amongest whom they liue that are truly religious for that some of those whom they desire to haue their Iudges haue no skill in those pointes that the Familie are charged with all so that in vayne it were to bryng these men beyng blynd in this case to iudge of coullors not being expert in the knowledge of the Scriptures whiche is the light whereby these coullors must be sene By this then we vnderstand that the Familie is not so learned in vsing so vnlearned a reason as they beare men in hand they are for that hereby they deceiue the simple in makyng their liues before men to be Argumentes to proue their Religion to be true For that in Scripture the Pharisies liued very vprightly before men vsing many glorious ceremonies as washyng of cuppes and beds c. and yet Christ called them hypocrites and sayd often woe be vnto them Many false Prophetes shall come in sheepes clothing sayth Christ and they are rauenyng Wolues within Staphilus a Papist handleth this Argument at large in his Apollogie where he also confuteth this Argument of HN. and his Familiers 1. the doctrine may be good sayth he and yet the lyfe euill Math. 23. and many in the Romish Church liue not Catholiquely For they lead their liues clene contrary and repugnant to their owne Canons and Constitâ—â—â—â—â—s sayth he 2. the doctrine may be euill and the lyfe good Math. 7. beware of false Prophetes Yea heretiques are of great vertue in apparaunce as he proueth by sondry examples So that sayth Staphilus the lyfe both must be iudged to be true by the doctrine as also the doctrine by the lyfe both must agrée together therfore it is not inough vnlesse both trée and frute be good And our Sauiour sayth that his workes therfore ought to be beleued because the doctrine the lyfe in him went ioyntly together And to this purpose very fitly sayth he out of S. Augustin The Argument that proueth mens doctrine by their lyfe is false Thus in the iudgement of the Families best frendes the Papistes whom they magnifie so much this their Argument is not true Furthermore as it is vnreasonable to finde fault with good séede because it is sowed by an euill husbandman so is not therfore euill séede the better to be liked of because that a good husbandman shall haue euill seruauntes that sowe it Very aptly therfore sayth Origen concernyng this matter In myne opinion sayth he an Heretique of good lyfe is much more hurtfull and hath more authoritie in his wordes then he that doth discredit his doctrine with his lyfe therfore must we take heede of heretiques which seeme to be of godly conuersation God graunt all his children may be ruled by the ghostly counsell of this godly and learned father To all the which that hetherto hath ben sayd coÌ„cerning this matter if the Famblers will obiect that euery man doth defend and maintayne that he lyketh best and that here I shew my selfe a proctour of sinne as oftentimes they obiect to this I aunswere that this obiection is HN. and Anabaptisticall neuerthelesse I lyke not to smother sinnes or to boulster vp impietye in any person whatsoeuer albeit this accusatioÌ„ in some part be true that many which professe theÌ„selues to be Gospellers can talke gloriously of religion and regeneration have â—â—â—e list to lyue thereafter abusing the pretence of the Gospell as a stalking horse to leuell at others by therefore I counsaile that no man be accompted an honest man in religion what countenaunce soeuer he would beare vnlesse he in lyfe expresse that in outward dealings which his tongue so often runneth of so that to walke after not to talke of the Gospell doth make a Protestant and a gospeller otherwise when God shall in iudgement plucke of our Lyons skinnes we shall be openly séene who we are to our owne shame and confusion Neither are the Papistes to boast that the gospellers is but a schisme from the Romish Church for otherwise it would yeald other fruites I aunswere that no land albeit sowen with neuer so good wheat bringeth out onely wheat but sometymes wéedes also And as for the Church of Antechrist the Romish harlot I meane Staphilus in his Apologie shall tell her tale and M. Harding which defendeth her open whoredome and commen stewes shall beare him witnes that though some gospellers sinne yet many Papistes sinck in impietye and thus much for Theop. first reason Vnto Theop. secoÌ„d reason conteining a request concerning an vpright arbiter in this matter as it is very equal vz. That his doctrine and the heresie of HN. be tried by the rule of Scripture so do I in this behalfe thereto most willingly consent and agrée wherein also I haue as I am able satisfied his request wholy herein aunswering him as S. Augustine in the lyke case aunswered Donatus a man in doctrine not vnlike to Theophilus Whether they hould the truth or no let them shew me none otherwise but by the canonical books of holy scripture And good reason it is that euery maÌ„ be heard by him to whome hâ— dâ—â—h make his appeale seing therfore he hath appeald to the Scripture to the Scripture shall he go Wherin also I promes him very trulye that I am rather desirous of the defending the truth then to contend with him in â—â—â—ugning his errour In the confirmation wherof if he shall deale soundly and set downe chapter and verse for his profe I will as fully satisfie him as I am able being euer ready to performe either priuately or openly that which in priuate letters I long since did offer him wherein also if at any tyme or in any matter I shall by him be thought not rightly to haue conceaued his meaning if by any meanes I shall haue intelligence thereof and if he shall vouchsafe to deale by any reasonable profe I offer my selfe to doe nothing out of euill will being as ready to confesse mine ouersightes as he shall be able to conuince me of them onely mine earnest desire out of harty loue is if hee meane to deale heareafter with me any further that he keepe him to the true gramaticall sence of scripture expounding the same according to the proportion of fayth this if he doe I shall be hartely glad otherwise if he doe in quoting scripture for the phrase and in Allegorizing the text depraue the sence thereof