of the heauenly goods which are administred and brought thorow the seruice of loue to an euerlasting perfection vnto the vpright of heart and wherin al vnperfect or childish things Images figures and shadowes do ceasse becommeth nowe in this present day O ye louers of the truth euangelized and declared vnto you all and thereto also yee all so well as we were created for to liue therein and are called and bidden vnto the same out of the grace and mercie of God by me H. N. in whom God hath sealed the dwelling of his glorie and his holie name Wee are taught out of the worde of God to beleeue and assuredly to looke for the resurrection of this our flesh which by death is taken downe and layde into the dust For by that league and couenant wherein the Lord standeth bound vnto vs to become our God he hath not onely taken our soule but our fleshe and bodie also into his fatherly protection and that not for the time of this life alone but in like maner for the life to come And therefore our Sauiour Christ Iesus by these words of the couenant proueth that the dead shal rise againe yea that Abraham who had bene alreadie partaker of rising from sinne in truth the shadow whereof H.N. vrgeth for the rising againe of the flesh should haue yet an other resurrection which is to rise vp in flesh and bone to inherite euerlasting comfort as well in bodie as in soule For as the godly doe glorifie GOD here vpon earth both in bodie and soule so shall they likewise be glorified of him in both in the life to come And this is an article of our beliefe and especiall comfort left vnto Christians But how can it be that H.N. should be priuie vnto these such like comfortes who is vtterly ignoraunt of Christ the procurer of thē The Apostle Paule whose conuersation was in heauen and therefore already possessed of the rising from sinne looked notwithstanding for this resurrection of the bodie when it should be chaunged and made like vnto the glorious bodie of Iesus Christ as it is written in the Epistle to the Philippians But our cōuersation is in heauen from whence also wee looke for the sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ who shall chaunge our vile bodies that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie according to the working whereby hee is able euen to subdue all things vnto himselfe It is manifest then by this which hath bene spoken that the resurrectiō of the bodie cannot be drowned as H.N. his doctrine doeth teach vs in the rising from sinne and wickednesse And beside in this short abstract of the principal points of our faith is it possible to perswade any man that one and the same thing shoulde bee the matter and argument of sundrie articles Now by the doctrine of H.N. this article is the same in effect with those of Christ his rising the third day frō the dead his ascending into heauē his sitting at the right hand of God his father yea it is the same in meaning with those of the holy ghost the holy catholike Church the cōmunion of Saints the forgiuenes of sinnes For all these be nothing else besides that estate of life which his doctrine doeth describe to bee the louely being and that estate of perfection which his illuminate elders bee possessed of What cause haue all true hearted Christians to crie out agaynst this doctrine which shrinketh vp so manie and speciall comfortes so proper and peculiar vnto them H. N. The .xij. Article And we beleeue one euerlasting life Amen We confesse that the same euerlasting life is a true light of men and that God hath made and chosen him the man hereto that hee shoulde liue in the same light euerlastingly it is verie true Answere This euerlasting life which H. N. speaketh of is no other thing then that doctrine which he professeth And therfore he calleth it a true light of men according as we haue heard before in his title that in respect of this doctrine he chalengeth vnto him selfe to bee called the true light of the perfect being alledging the same place that here is cited for proofe thereof But least some might say that this place is not plaine inough to warrant this to be their opinion let vs heare himself open his owne meaning more at large These are his owne wordes in the 34. Chapter of his Euangelie Section 4. In this same day or last time namely in the perfection of the workes of God in his righteous iudgement the God of heauē hath now declared himself his christ together with al his saints to vs his elect also made a dwelling with vs brought euen so vnto vs out of his holy being the most holie of his true tabernacle with the fulnes of his garnishing and spiritual heauenly riches to an euerlasting fast standing Ierusalem and house for Gods dwelling according to the Scripture the which is the verie true vndisturbable kingdome full of all godly power ioy and of all heauenly beautifulnesse wherin the land of the lord with fulnesse of eternall life and louely sweetenesse is sung from euerlasting to euerlasting and wherein all mindes of pure heartes doe dwell liue and walke with freedome and Christian triumph in all loue This day of loue is with him as you heare the last time and therefore nowe doeth God make his dwelling with vs and bringeth the fulnesse of his spiritual riches And this kingdome as he sayeth here is the verie true vndisturbable kingdome full of all godly ioy and heauenly beautifulnes wherein is the fulnesse of eternall life He calleth it the eternall life because this doctrine must reigne on earth for euer and therefore in his exposition vpon this Article he doeth not affirme that anie one man shall liue in the same light euerlastingly but speaking indefinitely sayeth the man shall liue in it euerlastingly because there shall bee from hencefoorth in all times hereafter men founde that shall walke in perfecte obedience vnto this Doctrine It appeareth likewise out of his Euangelie that he professeth euerlasting life to be nothing else but his doctrine So that to liue in perfect obedience vnto that is no other thing then to liue in the life euerlasting in that light that shineth therein And it is therefore called euerlasting because it shal be professed for euer and no religion preuaile against it These bee his owne woordes Euangelie 37.13 Therefore also is this day or light of the loue with his seruice in the most holie the last day and the perfection or conclusion of all the workes of God in the which God himselfe with his Christ and with all the thousandes of his Saintes as in the moste holy of his true tabernacle appeareth and commeth vnto the beleeuers and obedient ones to the requiring of his worde to an eternall rest of his holy ones and to a godly consolation for all afflicted
great it is that shall GOD willing hereafter appeare What shal we be able to hold free from his assaults when he shameth not to geue the attempt for breaking of so strong barres as these bee and that to gette the possession from Christ himselfe Cicero doth geue it foorth of Caesar that there was almost no man to bee founde who had not rather yeelde to his request how vnreasonable soeuer then once to enter into the fielde with him for to fight Nec adhuc ferè inueni qui non concedendum putaret Caesari quod postularet potiùs quam pugnandum But we are to reioyse in it it fareth farre otherwise with the captayne of this bande for he is so shamelesse in demaundes and so foolish in his fight that he would tempte the mildest man that is to take his owne weapon from him and to beate him with it vnto blood before once hee begonne to reason the matter for his request The last aucthoritie alleadged for proofe that H.N. is raised from the dead is taken out of the second Chapter of the Epistle vnto the Ephesians and sixth verse these bee the wordes God which is rich in mercie euen when we were dead by sinnes hath quickened vs together in Christ and hath raysed vs vppe together A benefite flowing from Almightie God vnto euerie member of his to be quickened and raysed vp in Christe and by his grace from the death of sinne If it shall fall out by plaine proofe whē we come to speake of Christ that H.N. denieth both his person his office then hath he no maner of colour or shewe of reason at all out of this place For the resurrection which the Apostle speaketh of here is saide to be in and by Christ But bee it that his iudgement touching Christ were sound the contrarie whereof God willing shall hereafter playnely appeare yet this spoken of men approued both in doctrine and in life and that by the testimonie of the Apostle himselfe is no proofe to induce those to thinke that H.N. is risen from the deade by whom his life as well as doctrine shall at any tyme as now it is be called into question I hope H.N. wil neuer goe aboute to haue goodes that be priuate made common in his familie seeing that himself turneth things common vnto his owne priuate vse For this place is common vnto ali true Christians wherein notwithstanding H N. clameth propertie For otherwise what reason is it that euery one who is risen frōvnder the dominiō of sin should therfore haue the place authoritie of a Prophet in the Churche It remayneth nowe to consider with what iudgement or conscience H N. hath ioyned together these testimonies for the proofe of one matter So shall we come to some sight of his dangerous doctrine The first testimonie as you see plainely speaketh of the resurrectiō in the last day The second of Christ his rising from death corporally The third of rising from sinne iniquitie These how diuerse soeuer one from an other are notwithstanding by H. N. yoked together for strengthening of one and the same matter And the reason thereof is because hee taketh the doctrine touching the resurrection vnto life at the seconde comming of Christ And the doctrine also of Christ his bodily rising agayne from death to be vnderstoode onely of rising from sinne to leaue no other doctrine beside that vnto vs You perceiue then by this doctrine wee are depriued both of the comfort comming vnto vs by Christ his dying in the flesh and also of the hope that we shal rise vp at the last day both in bodie soule to inherit euerlasting life For both of these are sunke vp by his doctrine into one onely spirituall rising from sinne and that not otherwise then by imbracing his religion and doctrine for the gouernment of our liues This is the stuffe that hee hath bounde together for drawing of himselfe out from among the dead But if the lines of his life had bene no more able to haue holden him among the liuing then these cordes are to pull him out from among the dead then I am well assured Sathan shoulde long before this time haue lost one principall factor for him here vpon earth When this Author addeth more that this his rising from death is according to the prouidence of God and his promises he sendeth vs for proofe hereof vnto the eight chapter of the Romanes and by these letters C. and D. vnto the thirtienth and twentie three verses thereof In the thirtienth verse it is thus written If ye liue after the fleshe ye shall die but if ye mortifie the deedes of the bodie by the spirite yee shall liue His reason is this The children of GOD who by his spirite mortifie the deedes of the fleshe in this life shall in the worlde to come liue for euer therefore by vertue of this promise H. N. is alreadie risen from the dead Hee claimeth still his olde priuiledge that it may be lawfull for him by speciall dispensation to make that which is yet to come to be alreadie done euerlasting life to bee in this life and the resurrection in the last day to be no other thing then the rising from sinne If this absurde kinde of reasoning had ben his gheast but for one night the matter might happily haue had some colour frō a cūning excuse but beyng a seruant of his downe lying and vprising with him euery day there is no place left for any defence to cleare him of the shame and infamie thereof Meruayle no more therefore why H. N. shoulde in all his writinges so sore inueigh against the Scripture Learned as he calleth thē it was no smal poynt of wisedome to complayne first For he was well assured it coulde neuer bee that learning shoulde attayne anie such portion of pacience as were able to beare the weight of halfe that wrong which hee had in purpose to lay vpon it In the 23. verse it is thus written We also which haue receiued the first fruites of his spirite euen we do sigh in ourselues wayting for the adoption euen the redemption of our body This is then his reason the faithfull doe waite for the adoption resurrection therefore it must be by promise that H. N. is alredy risē frō the dead Howe repugnant vnto all shew of reason and truth is this that H. N. shoulde therfore be risen from the dead because the children of God doe yet waite for the resurrection In effect he saith thus much There is a thing which shortly is like to be lost and therefore H. N. hath alreadie founde it Who can yeeld to such absurde conclusions vnlesse it be proued vnto him before that H N. hath a speciall commission to finde thinges before they be lost and to take them vp when as yet they are not fallen Howe heauie is the hande of God vppon heresie and idolatrie and howe great is the blindnesse that they be in and yet
that which is deliuered touching this matter in the holy scriptures In the Scripture we doe reade of one man by name Adam the first offendour among men heere is no mention made of any one man but the blame is wholy after his accustomed obscure and dark dealing put ouer vnto to a generall and confused notion which is called of him the man and that his the man is no one man it appeareth by that which was euen nowe alleaged out of the fourth Chapter For no one man hath continued from the beginning vntyll this day to receiue continuall mercies from the Lorde And you haue hearde that hee saith wee will declare from the time foorth of the falling away or disobedience of the man the earnest loue which God hath alwaies vntill this same day shewed towardes the man It is playne therefore that his the man is set heere to hide an horrible errour to wit the mankinde hath no common harme from any one man For he is perswaded that we haue no infection from any man otherwise then so so farre foorth as we shal in doing the like euil become folowers of that man So that by his doctrine any euill man may be an occasion of as great hurt vnto vs as was Adam In the Scripture wee doe reade of one principal offendour we do likewise reade there of one particular yet principal offence to wit the eating of the forbidden fruit which brought the gilte of condemnation vpon al. This authour deliuereth that point of the particular offēce in like maner generally vnto vs in these woordes The man from the beginning fel away from or was disobedient vnto the woorde of his God the vpright life of his true light Some not of the least among that familie with whom I haue had conference according to this doctrine of H. N. haue in plaine speache told me that there was no material tree neither was it any material fruite that Adam did eate but that Adam was therfore said to eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euil because in transgressing the will of GOD Adam mingled euill with that goodnesse which was in him and so was founde to haue doone euill aswell as good When this familie doth not acknowledge this particular offence it followeth necessarily that they shoulde bee altogeather ignoraunt both of the number vnto howe many that infection reacheth and also of the daunger thereof growing vnto the same In the woorde of God it is plaine especially in the Epistle vnto the Romanes That one offence brought condemnation vpon all men Where one offence of one offendour is set against one righteousnesse of one righteous man Iesus Christe For as Adam was the spring from whence flowed corruption vnto all and in whose offence wee all had offended as being a part or parcell of him closed vp within his loines so Christ in like maner is the roote of all righteousnesse in whose obedience all the faithful are founde innocent and reckoned as righteous before the Lorde The doctrine which deliuereth vnto vs how daungerous a disease wee haue from Adam is a chiefe point of our religion that doth principally concerne vs For the disease is so daungerous that it doeth infect vnto death bringing with it condemnation and so vniuersal that it denieth priuilege vnto any scattering deadly poyson euery where and ouer all And therefore if H. N. were sounde in all other points of religion yet this one errour of his touching originall sinne were sufficient to cut him of as a rotten member from the Churche of Christe vntill hee shoulde confesse his faulte renounce this his heresie and with the Church of GOD professe the trueth of that doctrine which touching Originall sinne is deliuered vnto vs in the worde of god The infection that commeth by Adam is not an euil without vs not able otherwise to harme vs then when we shall drawe so neare as that i◠may breathe vpon vs but an inward infection that dwelleth within vs which woulde both counsaile and and practise wickednes though there were no former example thereof through the whole worlde When the Apostle saith that he was by nature the childe of wrath as wel as others He semeth to finde a fountaine of sinne in nature as nowe it is corrupt in Adam but not to charge any man or men by euil example of life to haue beene the occasion of that wrath and curse of god So that infection of nature not imitation of example is the grounde of all our griefe Euill beeyng so neare vnto vs as is our nature hath the credite with vs of our best and next neighbour before wee be warned of it by the word not the light regarde which is commonly had of a forener and stranger But the word teacheth that it ought not lightly to feare vs as an enimie without vs against whom are shutte the gates of all our hartes aswell as of our holdes And casteth so great care vpon vs to withstand it as is required to driue out an enimie already within our gates and possessed of our strongest holdes Let H. N. therefore haue that credite and entertainement with all good Christians that hee deserueth who certifieth of our enimie that hee is yet in his owne lande when hee hath entred our chiefe cities and walled townes Or let his fees bee the same with those counsellours by whose aduise all our munition is sent into foraine Countreies to war vpon them when before they are priuie that subiectes are redy to rise vp and rebel in our owne lande In Leuiticus there was enioyned vnto euery woman which had brought forth seed and borne a childe that she should bring vnto the Priest a sinne offering after the daies of her purifiyng were expired to the ende he might make an attonemēt for her so purge her of her blood A notable example to let vs see the spring of sinne that wee may be humbled in our vncleanenesse and being discharged of hypocrisie may consider how lowly we ought to be in our owne eyes whose birth is so polluted that our mothers become therwith all fouly slained Let vs therefore say with Iob not in impaciencie against the Lord but in all humbling of our selues Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse Let vs likewise with Dauid Who came not in hipocrisie excusing him selfe to accuse his mother but in humilitie to condemne him selfe that hee might be pardoned of the Lord confesse that our mothers haue warmed vs in sin and that we haue been borne in iniquitie Let vs begin at the head and hide nothing from the Lorde So shall our conscience be cleared and our prouision made in trueth for assured peace As for that question common to the Papistes with the familie of Loue howe this infection is conueighed from Adam into his posteritie Whether by the body or by the soule seeing thus much is plaine by the scriptures that there it is And from Adam
teacher and Prophet is likewise very great for who can make vs doubt or make any question of it howe wee should knowe the wil of God generally or his affection towards the beleuer perticularly when the sonne himselfe to whom as being neerest vnto him the wil of the father is wholy and altogeather made knowen hath opened the same in his Gospel Who dare nowe tell me that as one who hath no iudgement or discretion I am wholy to put ouer my selfe in matters of fayth to Councelles fathers and consent of nations when I am taught too beleeue that Christe Iesus is annointed Prophet and Teacher aswell inwardly to perswade by his spirite as outwardly to teache and set downe a true rule of righteousnesse according as it is written in Iohn But yee haue an ointement from him that is holy and know al things These things touching his name and office I haue vttered more at large because H.N. with one breath passeth from the creation of all thinges by Christ vnto the woorke of our redemption as if they had not onely both one workeman but also were both of them nothing els but one the same worke nay which more is as if the comming of Christ in the fleshe and his suffering had been onely to answeare a duety that was laid vpon him by some couenant from the creation which stoode him self vpō to answere for his own benefite whereas the Scripture laieth out at large the matter of our saluation as the most speciall and principall thing that it handleth A thing so seueral and sundred from the creation as that the sonne of God hath not onely nowe another matter in hande but also a newe name and another nature a diuerse office and a distinct condition H.N. notwithstāding al these good words is not of opinion that Iesus Christ is God for then here especially he woulde haue beene plaine and laide out the matter at large not onely for that necessarie occasion is offered him by the mention that is made of the onely sonne of God but also because our redemption which is the matter he hath in hand could not be accomplished by any that was but man onely For what iust satisfaction coulde a mortall man make for offences committed agaynst the high maiestie of GOD when offences growe to be greater or lesse as the partie offended is in place and dignitie higher or lower According as wee see that an euill woorde spoken against a Prince hath in iustice greater punishment then the same woorde ought to haue being spoken but against a priuate man Nowe when so great a person as the only begotten sonne of GOD and GOD him selfe hath humbled him selfe in our nature for vs and beene obedient euen vnto that most slaunderous death of the crosse for our cause no man can deny but that suche a sacrifice is able to weigh with all the sinnes of his seruauntes For that obedience hath estimation and desert from the person who did perfourme it Howe daungerously then dealeth this Familie as much as in them lieth to shake out faith beside the iniurie that they doe offer vnto his Maiestie when they deny the Godhead of Christ seeing no man is able to bring that price wherewith sinne may be sent away as answered in desert and our consciences rest vpon as in a sufficient discharge against the same Moreouer who not beeing the Almighty him selfe had beene able to preuayle against death and to breake through the iron barres and mightie chaines of the graue which yet is but the prison of the body onely and not that darkest dungeon and safest ward that Sathan hath where the soule is imprisoned when sinne ceaseth vpon the conscience Nowe the gates of both these prisons were to be opened and that so wide as infinite multitudes beside him selfe might safely passe thorowe them nay they were to bee broken vnto so small sheuers as it were impossiible euer after to make them of strength able to bee kept shut against the feeblest of his seruauntes But I knowe you are desirous out of H. N. his bookes to knowe what hee thinketh of Christe seeing I doe so constantly affirme that hee denieth him to bee GOD and haue before referred you for your further satisfaction touching his opinion heerein vnto this place and likewise what you may safely say by warraunt from his owne writings that he beleueth Christ to be By the doctrine of H.N. Christ is no one man but an estate and condition in men common to so many as haue receiued his doctrine that they are growen thereby to perfection nowe sinne no more Which estate hee calleth the true light or true beeing and perfection For proofe whereof I referre you vnto the xiii Chapter of his Euangelie or ioyfull message of the kingdome towarde the ende of second section there hee hath these wordes This same true light is the annointed with the holy ghost which annointed in Hebrue is named Messias in Greeke Christus Hee was also in times past called of certaine Rabbins amōg the Iewes the Lorde his Sabboth And they say that the same annointed is the seuenth day in the Paradize of God wherein God resteth from all his woorkes and is the perfectiō the which also is very true for this same Messias or annointed is the Sabboth day which the Lord hath commaunded to be alwaies had in remembrance that we when the same commeth might rest therein hallow or sanctifie the same wherin the law the seruice of the Priesthood of Aaron out of Leui and the elders testament doth ceasse hath accomplished his seruice For the same annointed which commeth at that time out of heauen with his annointing of the holy Ghost in the spirite and is the very like being of the godhead it self he is a Priest of the most highest higher and greater of dignitie then was Aaron because hee bideth euerlastingly and is a minister of the spiritual heauenly goodes This same true light which H. N. bringeth ye see he calleth it the annointed with the holy ghost Messias Christ the seuenth day the perfectiō to cloke his horrible heresie the better that it might not be espied hee speaketh of this his estate of perfection in the Masculine gender as if it were a man and saith as you haue hearde before he was also in times past called of certayne Rabbins among the Iewes the Lordes Sabboth and likewise he speaketh of this estate as yf it were a man when he sayth he is a Priest of the most highest higher greater of dignitie then was Aaron This horrible blasphemie is yet more plainely laide out in the viii ix x. sections of this same chapter wher he speaketh thus Oh alas how grosly haue then certaine wise of the world and Scripture learned ouerreached them herein which haue without diuersitie forsaken the lawe and the seruice of the elders Testament and of the Priestes office after the ordinance of Aaron and set backe the same
of God whereof he had a merciful promise and graunt made vnto him Likewise when Dauid his sinnes were not imputed neither laid vnto his charge that was fauour in the Lord pardoning them and not imputing them vnto him Howe doeth this hang togeather with the doctrine of H. N. who saith that wee are to folowe Christ in the death of his crosse to the pardoning releasing of vs from our sinnes And howe will this folowing of Christ in his death of the crosse for the safe making of vs frō our sinnes stand with this not imputing of our sinnes vnto vs For if our righteousnes stande by imputation then is it not purchased by imitation and following of Christe in his like death and suffering If Christ his satisfaction for sinne stande beetweene the wrath of GOD and vs then doeth not our imitation of Christ in his death keepe of the daunger of our sinnes from vs The Brasen Serpent erected in the wildernesse at the commaundement of Almightie God which was a figure of Christ declareth that it is faith in him that did hang vppon the crosse and not the following after him in the death of the crosse that doeth iustifie vs and keepe the sting of our sinnes from beeing deadly vnto vs For those who are bitten with the liuing serpentes were promised if they shoulde looke vppon the dead Serpent to liue and recouer by that meanes but were not inioyned to haue them selues after death erected and set vppe vppon a Pole for their recouery from that daunger As appeareth in the booke of Numbers And the Lord saide vnto Moses Make thee a fiery Serpent and set it vppe for a signe that as many as are bitten may looke vppon it and liue So Moses made a Serpent of Brasse and set it vppe for a signe and when a Serpent had bitten a man then hee looked to the Serpent of Brasse and liued Nowe the sharpe and daungerous biting and stingyng of the liuyng Serpent did force them to leaue them selues and too looke after comfort where it was to bee founde And when sinne shal once sting the fauourers of this opinion of H. N. theyr consciences beyng awaked which nowe are in a deadly sleepe they shall then bee forced to feele and confesse that there is no medicine in them selues able to asswage the heate and anger thereof But as it seemed vnlikely to fleshe and blood that a Serpent of Brasse beyng but a dead thing coulde euer woorke a cure vppon them who were stoong with quicke liuing Serpentes and in daunger of present death especially by the looking and beholding of the same So doeth it vnto H. N. the eyes of whose vnderstanding are altogeather fleshly that Christe his obedience vppon the crosse beeyng but looked vppon with the eies of our faith and not imitated in the selfe same practise shoulde bee able to heale the sores of our soule Albeit our Sauiour Christ affirmeth in plaine speache That as Moses lifte vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so muste the Sonne of man bee lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shoulde not perishe but haue eternall life The opinion of H. N. that our folowing after Christe and obediennce in the imitation of him shoulde be able to discharge vs of our sinnes that before were committed declareth that hee is ignorant altogether of the righteousnesse of GOD reuealed in his woorde For obedience if it were perfect in vs and no transgression to bee founde against the lawe of God either in thought woorde or deede after that once wee haue begunne to feare him yet coulde not all this answere for the least sinne that went before For it is but a part of that is due vnto the Lorde from vs Who teacheth vs that when wee shall haue discharged the whole debt and haue doone euery thing commaunded yet are wee humblie to acknowledge that wee bee but vnprofitable seruauntes and haue doone no more then that which was our dutie to doe according as hee by our owne experience and practise doth plainely prooue vnto vs For which of you sayth our Sauiour Christ Hauing a seruaunt plowyng or other wyse labouryng all the day long wyll by and by after hee bee come home say vnto him Goe and sit downe at the Table wyll hee not rather be ready to enioyne him an other woorke within the house as to prepare thynges for his owne Supper and when that is doone laye the thirde labour vppon him as to wayte at the Table and see nothing to bee wantyng vntyll hymselfe haue supped yea and when all this is doone doeth hee so muche as once open his mouth to thanke that seruant because he did that which was commaunded vnto him I trowe not saith our Sauiour Christ And in very deede we do looke for such duetie from a seruant that yf he shall deny to doe any thing of that which his maister shall commaunde him foorthwith wee geue sentence that he is no man meete for seruice because we think that the seruant ought not as if hee weere a free man to haue any libertie or priuiledge but to reache in obedience vnto all that his maister by commaundement shal enioyne him And therfore accordingly when our seruant shal haue dispatched labour after labour and obeyed commaundedement after commaundement yet do we not once thanke him for all that because wee thinke it is all duetie that a seruant doeth howe muche so euer Herevpon came that Prouerbe That no man can serue two maisters because seruice is voide of all priuiledge and libertie of infinite duetie if maisters shall make no ende of commaunding for all is accompted duetie in a seruaunt which the maister shall commaunde him to do A man cannot therefore sufficiently woonder at the blindnesse of H. N. and others who acknowledgyng that they be seruauntes vnto the Lorde dare notwithstanding in the pride of their hart make such a reckoning of their seruice a fewe dayes or yeeres as that it shoulde make a sufficient satisfaction for those dayes and times wherein they were not only loyterers and did no duetie vnto him at all but also were retained of his aduersarie and spared not to wounde his glory Dare a seruant who hath loytered one whole weeke and done his maister no woorke or seruice at all for shame open his mouth the next weeke when hee hath trauelled for his maister as a good seruaunt ought alwaies to doe and say Sir I trust now your selfe being iudge I haue made a sufficient satisfactiō for my loitering al this last weeke I cannot thinke this Famelie eyther to bee so full of loue or so empty of vpright iudgement as to take this for sufficient seruice or as a reasonable answeare to bee put vp at the handes of any of their seruantes not excepting those to whom they shall geue the least wages This familie of loue and the Papistes they are the best husbandes that I haue euer hearde of and the moste can they make of that litle they haue ▪ for
of saying I beleeue in Iesus Christ if we wil become scholers vnto H. N. we are to say I work Iesu Christ The matter that ministreth vnto vs faith and comfort in Iesus Christ is that he being God equall with his father hath notwithstanding abased himselfe in our nature and for our saluation vnto the estate of a seruant wherein he hath humbled himselfe vnto all reproch contempt anguish and bitternesse of paine both in soule and bodie in the time of his life and vnto all infamie and slander by his death For his death was the death of the crosse and his graue was giuen him with the wicked and the wicked had their will of him insomuch that the Prophet saith He was famous for his miserie and affliction This is that loue and friendship which the Apostle saith hath no fellow or match to be found among men For who hath beene found to offer himselfe to an infamous death for his friend the sonne of God doth it for his enemies For he was counted among the transgressours Here is the ground worke of our faith and comfort that when there was no religion or feare of God in vs and therefore deadly enmitie betwene him and vs yet so great was the good will he did beare vnto vs that himselfe would wade throughout all those raging waues to saue and preserue vs that were vnder the water of euerlasting destruction Here is the triumph of Christians in whom religion is in trueth begonne and his feare truely entered and therefore hatred banished and they truely reconciled that if his death were able of enemies to make friends his life which is of much more efficacie power shall well be able where friendship is begonne to continue it for euer If that which is weaker hath done the greater worke the stronger will bee much more able to goe thorowe with the lesse labour H. N. his Christ cutteth of all this comfort For his estate in suffring was not abased and lower then before it had beene but better and nearer vnto glorie H. N. his Christ was not equall with God before the time of his passion and humiliatiō but an vtter enimy vnto god For the time of his humiliation and suffering is from his first entrance into the familie vntill he become an illuminate elder before which time in his opinion hee is a straunger nay an vtter enimie to God and all godlinesse Here is then no argument of good will by abasing himselfe from a better estate vnto a worse whereby comfort especially commeth vnto vs Besides H.N. his Christ suffereth for his owne benefite for hee coulde not come to euerlasting ioy and his perfect estate vnlesse he should die in the flesh And this vtterly killeth all comfort for what argument of good will towardes vs can wee haue from another in that matter whereby himselfe is either the whole or at the least the greatest gayner Moreouer shall his death by reconciling of vs to God which is the greater worke from the weaker instrument put vs in assured hope to be safely kept by his life vnto eternall glorie when wee are both by our owne death suffering to rid vs from the daunger of our sinnes reconcile vs vnto our God and by our life to continue and preserue our selues vnto glorie Howe fearefull is the fall of H.N. and his familie that haue forsaken the true Messias that bringeth so great comfort vnto mankinde to imbrace so cursed and comfortlesse a Christ H.N. The fift Article We beleeue that the God of Abraham hath raysed vp this his sonne Iesus from the dead and that hee euen so the third day rose againe from the dead and appeared or made manifest himselfe vnto his friends which loued him shewing vnto them through his suffering and death of the Crosse the victorie ouer the sinne death deuill hell the flesh and the worlde Answere The resurrection of H.N. his Christ answereth vnto that doctrine which he hath deliuered before touching his death For as that was nothing but a passing out of the flesh or letter of the law which is a condition common to the Nouices and yong ones in H.N. his schoole so this is the resurrection when a man is come into the spirit or that estate of perfection which his illuminate elders are pertakers of That which hath beene spoken of before may sufficiently satisfie vs touching H.N. his opinion that thus he thinketh and not otherwise of the resurrection yet shall it not be amisse to adde one testimonie out of his Euangelie where of purpose he handleth the resurrection of Christ it is in the. 22. Chapter where he speaketh thus Now whē Iesu Christ was foūd faithful in the death of his crosse til vnto his burial to a true Passeouer out of the flesh into the making aliue according to the spirit was also through the power of God his father raised vp frō the death and made aliue againe and that he had shewed himselfe in his making aliue vnto his disciples for that they should stedfastly beleeue so was he then wholy taken vp from the eyes of their fleshe and he set himselfe according to the spirite at the right hande of God his father in the heauenly being and entred euen so as the true high Priest when as the seruice had perfectly ended his course according to the true being in the holy into the most holy his disciples therefore were mindful of all this and what he had said vnto them remained within Ierusalem wayting concordably with supplication and praier for the promises of the father vntil that Christ after the spirite appeared vnto them out of the heauenly being the most holy in the holy in spirituall and heauenly powers like as hee after the Spirite and according to the trueth of the heauenly Godhead is an euerlasting and true Christ of GOD. He is plaine as you heare in this point that Christ his resurrection and making aliue was according to the spirite for he sayth that Iesus Christ was founde faythfull in his death of the crosse to a true Passouer out of the flesh into the making aliue according to the spirit He is likewise as plaine in this that his sitting at the right hand of God is in spirit spiritual For those are his very words as you haue heard he set himselfe according to the spirit at the right hād of god his father in the heauēly being More ouer he is of opinion that he is not a true Christ but as he speaketh imagineth of him that is according to the spirit For touching this point these are his words He after the spirit and according to the trueth of the heauenly Godhed is an euerlasting and true Christ of God. And that in this absurd doctrine heauē earth might come togither and a mingle mangle made of all things hee shameth not to affirme that Christ is the holy ghost and that the doctrine which is deliuered in the 2.
teacheth vs to deny vngodlynesse neither doeth it onely tell vs barely and nakedly what is to be doone But with sweete promises allureth and with great perswasion and most louing councell and aduise doeth exhorte and prouoke vs therevnto crauing beseeching and intreating vs to yeelde and consent not leauing out any thing that is likely to further the matter that is in hand The nature of man beeing as it is destrous of knowledge howe can hee but bee welcome vnto vs that professeth to teache If there were no more but the name of a Teacher it were inough to driue vs to some consideration for the good intertainment of him Albeit we had neuer seene nor hearde the manne before But when these Teachers bring giftes with them the better to perswade and when those become Teachers and perswaders to whome for all our welfare and happy estate wee are wholly beholden may there aduise possibly thinke you bee neglected and not esteemed of any who hath but the least sparke of humanitie or good disposition in him And beholde the grace of GOD that bringeth with it our saluation teacheth and intreateth vs to deny vngodlynesse and worldly lustes and to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present worlde If you like Teachers that perswade and enter into the heartes of men by giftes you can not mislike him I am wel assured that bringeth no lesse gift then your saluation If giftes doe commende I thinke he is sufficiently commended vnto vs and most true it is that giftes and benefites canne not but commende their Maisters that bring them Salomon sayth That a gift laid secretly and closely in the bosome of him that is offended with vs is able to asswage anger when it is growen so stronge that it may bee saide to haue sinewes and bones Hee sayth more and besides this That a rewarde is as a precious stone it prospereth and preuaileth whethersoeeuer it turneth Rewardes and giftes receiued holde a man as captiue and Prisoner vnto the giuer so that hee is scarce his owne manne but seeth with an other mans eyes and dealeth with an other mannes handes for he who commeth commended vnto vs by some rewarde and gifte is able as it were by some inchantment to set what coulour he will vppon his matter and that so cunningly as the wisest man that is of vs all shall not bewray it For doe we not reade in Deuteronomie That rewardes blinde the eyes of the wise and peruerte the woordes of the iust And this is the cause why in that same place the Iudges are forbidden to take rewards for such is the corruption of man that he will not stick to perswade his euill cause by those meanes if hee shall vnderstande that the Iudge lyeth any whitte open on that parte But this infirmitie of man who oftentimes furthereth his euill cause by giftes may not so preiudice the holie Ghoste who is without all suspecion to commende euill causes vnto vs but that it shall be alwaies lawfull for him to vse what way of perswasion as shall best like him yea to enter vppon vs euen by giftes and to cause the grace of God bringing with it our saluation to intreate vs to deny vngodlines and worldly lustes to see if that which is so pearcing of it selfe be able to touch vs that which perswadeth so greatly be of force to preuaile with vs that which often times speedeth in euil matters may finde fauour with vs to promote the best things For what hath he not obtayned among men that by giftes hath continued to perswade and among gifts there is some diuersitie some be more able to moue vs then others are some perswade more effectually then others doe For those benefites haue alwaies beene regarded aboue the rest that haue drawen vs out of some great daunger or haue comforted vs in some great extremitie the memorye of such is wont to be of greatest continuance of moste thankful remembrance with vs Whē Dauid would perswade Bethsabe his wife that Salomon should be king after him and put her out of all doubt that shee neede neuer to feare the matter any longer hee pledgeth for the assuraunce of his woorde his thankefulnesse vnto God for suche benefites as coulde not but binde his obedience That is his often deliueraunce out of trouble As the Lorde liueth sayeth Dauid who hath brought my soule out of aduersitie Salomon thy sonne shall reigne after me The benefites are not lightly regarded that are receiued in aduersitie For the present sense and feeling of the misery doeth greatly enhaunce the price thereof And therefore Dauid tooke away all occasion of doubting when he pawneth for assuraunce of his woorde so great a matter as was his thankefulnesse for deliueraunce out of aduersitie For it coulde not be that hee shoulde forget to redeeme so great a gage And in this highest degree of giftes commeth this benefite commended vnto vs for it is the grace of GOD that bringeth saluation And bringing of saluation prooueth our estate to haue beene damnable before It is not only misery then that wee were plunged in before this benefite came but a miserie of miseries for wee were holden vnder the thraldome of death and damnation Suche a benefite deserueth thankeful remembraunce it speedeth where any perswasion will preuayle Suche a gift a man woulde thinke shoulde finde fauour and prosper whither so euer it turneth Hauing succeeded so great and greeuous a miserie how can it but haue the taste of most bountifull and sweete mercy We may learne by this that hath beene saide what the cause is why the holy Ghost saith not simply The Gospel teacheth and exhorteth vs but saith the grace of GOD which bringeth saluation teacheth and exhorteth vs for it is the Gospell that hee meaneth and yet he calleth it the grace of GOD that bringeth saluation to make vs more mindefull of the matter This maner of perswading by giftes and benefites vsed of the holy Ghoste may learne vs a profitable lesson howe to withstande temptations vnto sinne what so euer to wit by keeping freshe in memory the seuerall benefites of GOD towardes vs making them as Bulwarks against our sinfull assaultes so that when they allure vs we may thus aunsweare them the GOD who hath redeemed my soule from all aduersitie doeth forbid it mee The grace of GOD to whome I owe my saluation doeth deny it vnto mee the goodnesse of that GOD of whome I haue receiued life health honour wealth delieraunce out of these and these troubles preseruation from the murtherer euill tongue and slaunderer doeth desire mee that for all the good wil that euer hee hath borne mee I woulde not consent vnto it If any Prince shoulde by speciall pardon deliuer a Subiecte from death that by Lawe and Iustice had deserued it and after aduaunce him to some place of honour in the Lande harde and vnthankfull were his heart if those sutes especially of the Prince whiche broughte with them the