as a thing vnneedefull not once distincting vnto whom the seruice after the ordinaunce of Aaron is yet necessary nor yet with whom the same at the appoynted time ceaseth or leaueth of but haue al for the most parte cried Christ Christ and we are Christians and attributed to themselues much freedome ere euer the time of the appearing of Christ or the annointing of the holy Ghost was come to passe or fulfilled with them in the accomplishing of the olde Testament Oh that they yet nowe awaked and tooke heede in the woorde of the seruice of loue vnto this gratious time and gaue eare vnto the same that they might vnderstande their safemaking and so then bee rightly and according to the trueth brought to the true beyng that is vnto Christ You heare that hee complayneth greately of the Scripture learned that they haue altogether and generally leaste the Leuiticall Priesshoode and seruice after the ordinaunce of Aaron forbidding it vnto all without exception when as the time of the appearing of Christ is not yet come to passe with many because they haue not taken heede in the woorde of the seruice of loue vnto this gracious time and therefore hee wisheth in the tenth Section that they yet woulde nowe awake and take heede in the woorde of the seruice of loue vnto this gratious time that so they might rightly and acording to the trueth bee brought to the true beyng that is as he saieth vnto Christ for these be his owne woordes in this place And so then be rightly and according to the truth brought vnto the true beeing that is vnto Christ So that nowe you see clerely by receiuing effectually this his doctrine men are made that true light whereof he spake before in this chapter when as he saide And this same true light is the annoynted with the holy Ghost which is named in Hebrue Messias and in Greeke Christus In the sixth Section hee declareth when men may be saide to come to this true being and perfection which he calleth Christ To witte when the law and seruices doe chaunge with the beleeuers out of the letter and seruiceable woorde into the reuealing of the holie spirite of Christ For then as hee sayeth in that Section The honourable Priest is come vnto them who teacheth not after the maner of Aaron by requiring them yet to obserue the will or righteousnes of the law but after the maner of Melchisedech bringing with him the blessing the accōplishing of the law the saluation of life the annointing of the holy Ghost these be his words Where now thē the law the seruices do in such wise change by the beleeuers of the annointed to witte out of the figures into the true beeing and out of the letter and seruiceable worde into the reuealing of the holy spirite of Christ there is also then by these same the Priest his office chaunged for Christ the honourable Priest cōmeth vnto them from the right hand of God the Father out of the heauenly beeyng which hath or vseth not his seruice after the maner or ordināce of Aaron which is yet a teaching and requiring to obserue the will or the righteousnesse of the lawe of the Lorde but after the maner or ordinance of Melchisedech with bringeth with him the blessing the accomplishing of the lawe or of the Lorde his will the saluation of life and the annointing of the holy Ghost to a pleadge of the godly inheritance to an euerlasting treasure or riches of God and reigneth in the righteousnes of the same See the miserie of this mischiefe hee will haue Christ to bee an estate in man which leaueth the written woorde which hee calleth the letter and hearkeneth wholly to the reuelation of the spirit which banisheth Aaron that is that estate which is carefull to doe the will and commaundementes of God and resteth resolued that they haue already accomplished the lawe and sinne no more And this is that true seede of promise whereof wee heard before out of the eightienth chapter of this booke which is not as he sayeth conceiued of the fleshe but of the holy Ghost through the power of the most highest in the beleefe this seede out of the faith of Abraham also of the pure virgin Marie is as he saith in that place the true seede of the promise to the blessing of all generations of the earth And this seede he calleth the vpright children of the beliefe Albeit I haue set downe the wordes before yet it shall not be amisse to recite the place againe worde for worde as it lieth there Consider ye beloued howe that there is shewed vnto vs and geuen vs to vnderstand through the speches of the Angel Gabriel which he vsed with Mary that at the same time when the holy Ghost came through the power of the most highest vpon the Virgin Marie and procreated the true seede of promise the time of the procreating of the seede of Abraham according to the fleshe turned it selfe about to wit that the holy and true seede of Abraham should not from thenceforth be conceiued of the flesh but of the holy Ghost through the power of the most highest in the belief that the same should euē so be borne out of the true faith of Abrahā for the seed out of the faith of Abraham out of the pure virgin Mary is the true seed of promise to the blessing of all generations of the earth And thus from that time foorth the Genealogie of the seede of Abraham according to the fleshe ceassed with the Beleeuers for the vpright children of the belief which had their discent out of the seed of the faith of Abraham and of the pure Virgin Mary as also frō the holie Ghost were knowē to be the true seede of Abraham because the same seede was the seede of the promise of God the Father was likewise in his minde according to the spirite the likenes of God his father also spirit spirituall of the godly nature being according to the will of God wholly minded with God. It appeareth likewise plainely in that his booke which is intituled The Prophesie of the spirit of loue chapter xv v. Section that this state of perfection which is there called the seconde birth is Christ Iesus the Lord and sauiour These be his woordes O ye holy ones of God thou louely communaltie of loue feare not but be nowe of good cheere vpon the earth against all your enimies For beholde your GOD commeth to be auenged on all your enimies for to lay them that they may bee troden downe vnder the feete of your Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ and euen so in your second birth out of the holy spirite of the loue of Iesus Christ to transporte or yeeld ouer the iudgement and dominion vpon the earth vnto you and your Sauiour Iesus Christ to the ende that yee with him and he with you and your sauiour Iesus Christ and with his
same For when he cannot abide that they should anie longer enioy so much credite by his word as the shew bare professiō would yeeld vnto them which is al that they would require ▪ but that he wil haue thē turned out of their clouts and laid naked in their shame doth he not from heauē by such iudgements preach declare the maiestie and might of his word Is not that the great seale sent from heauen into the earth to be set vnto the worde for the authorizing thereof For seeing they would not reuerence it brought vnto thē vnder the Lords owne hand and seale of signes miracles they haue forced him by bringing these heauie iudgements vppon them for the further confirming of it to set his seale the second time vnto it Should not all men nowe feare to prophane it when there is here among vs a mark of such maiestie set vpon it Should not euerie man now examine what rereuerence he doth beare vnto it when he seeth for the freeing of it from contempt so great plaine a print of authoritie to be ioyned vnto it Let people now take heed how they cherish that humor within themselues which cannot beare any other teaching of the woord then that which is so interteyned of the eare that it can not bee hired so much as once to vewe and visite the heart Let those feare who cannot digest the word vnlesse with eloquence and wit curious questions prophane hystories and fables the power and strenght of it bee so allayed as nowe there is no more any maiestie in it And seeing we haue such sensible iudgement among vs against them who like not the simplicitie of the worde but will feed of speculations and mysticall matters let them who minister the worde take heede they feede not that affection in them by laying on such painting and colours as may rather make them wonder at the workemanship then take any profite by the worke Let them teach and exhort with wholsome doctrine not onely planting knowledge in them but earnestly calling vpon them to keepe their knowledge in a good conscience and so much the rather because wee see before our eyes what a daungerous shipwracke they haue made euen of knowledge who haue gone vnto the sea with it in the riuen vessell of a corrupt conscience Let them styrre them vppe to haue their reckoning in a readinesse seeing the Lorde hath alreadie begonne to visite the contempt of his woorde Let them vrge them likewise to seeke for iudgement in the word whereby to discerne spirites that seeing nowe we bee sought and sifted that way by Sathan we may be found sufficiently armed likewise on that side against him lest wilful ignorance should bee punished in vs with obstinate errour Let vs prouide that those may be ioyned togither which the Lord cannot abide to put a sunder that zeale for lacke of knowledge doe not degenerate either into some daungerous schisme or superstition neither yet knowledge for want of zeale affection either into vnprofitable curiosity or els into some horrible heresie Touching those who be of opiniō that these heresies will vanish away of thēselues because the matter is so grosse the men be so vtterly vnlearned and therfore would neither haue sword nor pen pulled out against them They are to be required that they woulde vouchsafe to haue their iudgemēt waied by the word so should they find it lighter then the wind For doth not the Apostle tell vs that want of affection and loue towards the truth pulleth the eyes of our knowledge out of our heads procureth belief credit vnto manifest lies vntruthes insomuch that where this iudgmēt of god entreth the greatest vntruthes shal not be receiued waueringly in opinion but cōstantly in beliefe strong perswasiō now with what affection the gospel is receiued of many among vs whether with so good an affection as will warrant vs that way I think in this behalfe a good confession is much better then an euill defence And touching the want of learning in the patrons of these heresies who knoweth not that Alexander the Copper-smith wrought more woe vnto the Apostle S. Paule by hindering the course of the gospel then any either eloquent Orator or subtile Philosopher For when simple men such as be artificers thrust forth themselues with as much boldnes as blindnesse to be guides for others vnto God forthwith that is fathered by the multitude vpon the miraculous extraordinarie worke of God and therefore they will haue all of them who haue atteined vnto knowledge by ordinarie meanes of necessitie yeelde and giue place to their better superiour My purpose was at the beginning to haue dealt onely with his booke intituled Euangelium Regni but finding it stand often vpon one thing as what order can confusion affoord vnto vs I thought I should better prouide for the Reader if I should examine his iudgement vpon euerie seueral article of our beliefe which he hath set downe in his first exhortation and withall for the better vnderstanding thereof should cite these places out of his Euangelie where hee handleth the same matter and that so largely as it may easily appeare vnto all men that neither I haue missed of his meaning nor yet dealt vnfaythfully by suppressing any trueth in my allegations Where he doth vsually pester his margent with plenty of authorities as if nothing but scripture might at any time be heard out of his mouth It is a bayte layde for the simple who either cannot or will not examen the matter For falshoode wil as wel guard the trueth as those authorities defend the cause he hath in hande I haue perused them one by one which are alleaged to warrant his calling where I am sure hee bringeth foorth the best euidences that hee hath because it toucheth his freehold let them be viewed that is the treatise which I first deal withal and as they deserue so let the rest be beleued Wherin vnlesse I should ouermuch abase H.N. I can no better match him then with S. George as the papistes doe describe him For as S. George loueth to bee alwayes on horsbacke albeit he neuer ride So H.N. hath great liking to be moūting in the margent vpon the autorities of the sacred worde albeit they neuer step forth with him to speake so much as one woorde for him I haue added next vnto that before I enter to examine the articles of the beliefe his iudgement of originall sinne taken out of the 5. Chapter of his Euangelie because those only were the matters which that booke had more and besides that doctrine which is handled in his exposition vpon the Creede His words be wrapped in such darknesse and obscuritie as doe geue euident testimony of his minde that he meaneth to deceiue As for the parts of his arguments they be at such variance with in thē selues that the cōsequens can by no right be denied the good abearing against his antecedent
Church Nowe if vnto Allegories vsed in the scripture it be denied to speake as witnesses for the deciding of doubtes because theyr speache is so doubtfull and obscure in it selfe with what conscience can the testimony be taken of H. N. his Allegories to decide the chiefe pointes of religion withal seeing they are all hatched at home of him selfe and not one to be founde in the writinges of the holy Ghost Irenaeus likewise in his second booke Aduersus haereses and the tenth chapter speaking to the same purpose hath these woordes Omnis autem quaestio non per aliud quod quaeritur habet resolutionem nec ambiguitas per aliam ambiguitatem soluitur apud eos qui sensum habent aut aenigma per aliud magis aenigma sed ea quae sunt talia ex manifestis consonantibus claris accipiunt absolutiones Matters called into question can haue no resolution by other thinges that are likewise in question neyther can one obscure thing be cleered among them that haue eyther iudgement or sence by an other that is darke but of questions that be darke and obscure are wise men woont not otherwise to be resolued then by apparant and manifest proofes It is plaine therefore by the iudgement of these ancient and learned fathers that Allegories which are H. N. his best witnesses be as those men who haue heretofore worne papers For theyr testimony may not be taken to decide matters of question And he that bringeth no better matter then is an Allegorie for the deciding of a doubt is as he who because he wāteth better witnesse is glad to call a periured person to the booke I except not in this speach Allegories that are read in the scripture vnlesse they be suche as by plaine woordes either going before or comming after bee clearely opened and made manifest vnto vs The dispositions of such as haue their sence by circumstance made certaine and are founde in the scripture I deny it not may bee taken but that is altogeather for the assurance that the circumstances doe make vnto vs not for any certaine that is to bee had from them selues They must be plaine and certaine that shal induce a man to geue credite vnto any matter that he is not already resolued of The Logitians therefore refuse too haue them among their places from whence they deriue their proofes and probalities I deny not but that the Rhethoritians haue entertayned them among their figures to moue and delight vs when before the trueth of that thing is out of al doubt with vs The Familie therefore are greatly abused of H.N. their Lorde and maister whyle they are enforced of him to take Allegories onely for theyr euidence And yet are not Allegories so muche abused when they be admitted for proofe as when they are made to ouerthrowe the naturall and historical sence of the worde For albeit the case be to bee pitied when a man shall be forced for lacke of credible persōs who haue beene present to take a periured man to decide a doubt yet is this more lamentable when the party periured shal be suffered to the end that he only may be heard to stop the mouthes of men of good credite who both could and woulde resolue vs of the right And in trueth so the case stādeth with H. N. his Allegories for they vtterly abolishe the naturall sence of the worde and of an historie when H.N. hath doone with it there is nothing left to be heard or seene beside a naked Allegorie Ierome him selfe albeit he had some times ouer great a lykyng of Allegories yet was hee neuer so be witched with them but that he held this trueth in opiniō that the literal natiue sence of the woorde was first to be layde as a sure fundatiō before the roofe of any spiritual sence or Allegorical meanyng might be made therunto Cum Historiae habuerint fundamenta tunc spiritualis intelligentiae culmen accipiant vt verè Christus de virgine natus sit Verè Lazarū mortuū susetarit quamuis quotidie de anima Virginali nascatur sermo diuinus quotidide peccato mortui vitiorum funibus alligati de sepulchro scelerum suorum iubentur exire When they shall haue the foundation of an History then let them builde the roofe of a spiritual fence As for example It is the trueth of a deede once done that Christ was borne of a Virgin and that hee raysed vp Lazarus when hee was dead albeit a diuine word is dayly borne of a pure chast minde they that are dead vnto sinne and bound with the cordes of theyr offēces are dayly cōmaūded to come out of the graues of theyr sinnes Howe farre is H. N. from this moderation for his Allegories in the weightiest matters as in the birth death and resurrection of Christ haue wholy drunke vp and altogeather drowned the histories And generally throughout al his writinges after once hee hath begunne with it hee neuer ceasseth to pursue his Allegory vntyl hee haue seene it playe the hangman vnto the natural sence and history For the drift and scope of all his doinges is to make vs keepe our eares shut against that which the Lorde doeth speake plainely vnto vs out of his woorde that we may onely reuerence these rydles that proceede from him selfe The woorde of GOD wil not suffer vs with H. N. to place and put into possession Allegories which be illegitimate that the naturall sence and signification of the woorde which is the lawful heire might thereby bee dispossessed and driuen out The practise of our Sauiour Christ of the Apostle Saint Paule is our president to vpholde the credite of the natural sence and meanyng of the woorde which Allegories beeyng suffered to haue so large alowance as H. N. doeth make them woulde soone driue out at the doores For the least part of an Historie as a worde and circumstance of time the whole whereof H. N. his Allegories woulde vnhorse and ouerthrow is with our Sauiour Christ aduaunced to the credite of deciding and determinyng matters of greatest weight and moment in religion Nowe yf aworde in his proper signification be so much made of with Christ the Apostles as that it shal be of sufficient credit to carry away a matter of greatest weight What wrong doeth H. N. offer the worlde that with Allegories would beare downe not the natiue sence onely of a woorde but of many wordes and sentences set togeather to maintaine a proper and naturall sence and signification Our Sauiour Christ when he will prooue him selfe the true Messias to be more then a man he vrgeth the naturall signification of the woorde Lorde that because Dauid whose sonne he was after the fleshe calleth him Lorde therefore it coulde not bee but that he was more then a meere man Moreouer in that weightie matter of iustification doeth not the Apostle stande vpon the signification of this worde impute which is euer vsed when fauour and mercy preuayleth
A Confutation of monstrous and horrible heresies taught by H. N. and embraced of a number who call themselues the Familie of Loue. by I. Knewstub Ephe. 4.14.15 Henceforth let vs be no more children vvauering and caried about vvith euerie vvind of doctrine by the deceit of men and vvith craftinesse vvhereby they lay in vvaite to deceiue But let vs follovv the truth in loue and in all thinges grovv vp into him vvhich is the head that is Christ Seene and allowed according to the Queenes Maiesties Iniunctions ¶ Imprinted in London at the three Cranes in the Vine-tree by Thomas Dawson for Richard Sergier 1579. To the right honorable his very good Lord and Maister Ambrose Earle of Warwick maister of her maiesties Ordinance Knight of the noble order of the Garter and one of her highnesse moste honorable priuie Councel Iohn Knewstub wisheth increase of all true happinesse and honour with the continuall comfort of a good conscience GReate haue beene those harmes right honorable and my very good Lord which the Church of God in euery age hath suffred at the hands of straungers open enemies vnto the trueth but yet nothing so grieuous as that hurte which she hath frō time to time had at home by some who haue long layen in her owne bosome and as Children beene serued from her owne table For as ciuill warre is alwayes more dangerous then foraine force So the enemyes within the church be they who of al other deale with greatest danger against the Church Against the force of an open enimy we haue the strength of a double wall the credite of a cause for Religion the concorde of our mindes But these walles are wanting when the Church dealeth against enimyes gone out from her which sometimes haue been of her For touching the cause of religion they wil be equall with vs touching the points wherin we differ they may be thought euen of some who are no sworne enemyes vnto Religion if matters be not very wisely with great iudgemēt examined to ouermatch vs For the continuance of friendship as they pretend vnto Religion seemeth to assure vs that their profiting in knowledge and iudgement and no other cause hath moued them aswell to be diuers from them selues as to departe from vs As for the professed enemie he is more hardened against our cause and better armed against our selues when he seeth the cause it selfe as it were parted by opinion and vs deuided from our selues in affection These enemyes of the Church do both strengthen the enemies arme abrode and also discourage the friendes at home yet hath the true Church alwayes beene subiect to this tryal euen when Doctrine was moste pure and pastors most painfull Was not Moses in his time troubled with Iannes and Iambres Paule in his time with Hymenaeus and Phyletus Iohn the Euangelist with a multitude of Antichristes and yet I thinke no man dare take exception either against the puritie of doctrine at those times or against the trauell paynes of those persons Neyther haue we onely examples to tell vs it hath bene so but doctrine left in the Church to tel vs that it must be so There were false Prophetes among the people sayeth Saint Peter euen as there shall bee false teachers among you which priuily shall bring in damnable Heresies denying the Lorde that hath bought them There muste bee heresies sayeth Saint Paule euen among you that they which are proued among you may be knowne The causes why it must be thus with the Church doe I finde in the scripture to be these that the good may bee tried and knowne the wicked foūd out punished The good are tried whether they loue the Lord aswel by their affection towarde the doctrine of Christe as by their fruits of conuersation For there is no man that loueth an other who is not studious of his disposition to knowe what is well liked of him and acceptable vnto him that he may serue his humour and be set a woorke to his good liking and pleasure So that hee who hath bestowed no study that way either is not otherwise setled in iudgement or moued with affection but that euery seducer may deceiue him doeth plainely declare therein that he beareth no loue towards him Punishment is executed against the wicked either by giuing them vp into heresies and erronious opinions for that hauinge the trueth in knowledge they made no conscience of it neither in affection did beare any loue towarde it either else because not submitting them selues to the simplicitie of the word they haue desired to be fed with curious questions matters of witte and subtile speculations Of both those offences we are not onely warned off by the doctrine of the woorde but also by the heauy iudgement of God which did fall vpon certaine offenders herein whereof there is expresse menciō made in the word Great is the grossenes thē of the Papists who therfore stūble at the true church because some proue heretiques that haue beene brought vp in the bosome therof as if they had neuer red this in the Scripture spoken in the person of the Church They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they woulde haue continued with vs but greater is the carelessenesse of many that would be accounted Christians who notwithstanding all these heauie examples and visible warnings of Gods wrath bee not touched for all that with care to ioyne conscience vnto knowledge and to let a good iudgement haue the honour of a louing affection alwayes waiting vpon it May professors of the trueth now possibly bee any longer satisfied with bare profession when the almightie hath alredy takē the reuengmēt therof into his own hands begun to driue such out of their dennes to hunt them out of their lurking holes and not to leaue them before hee haue brought their deserued iudgement of palpable blindenesse vpon them so that we se them before our eyes glory in their shame and put vpon them as a garment of honour the couering of confusion therefore the punishment of God fallen now visibly vpon this family is the iudgement of bare professors and carnal Gospellers In these persons they al are arrained found giltie iudged Now haue we learned by tryall experience that the Gospel disdaineth the sole attendance of our knowledge and looketh to bee receiued in like manner with a good heart and friendly affection And good cause and reason there is why it should be so for who is so meane amongst men that would be content with this entertainmēt amongst his friendes if at his comming to them they would vouchsafe to name him and take knowledge that they had seene him And is not this the best welcome that many in these dayes doe make the Gospel they are content to speake to it take knowledge of it but they are but a few that so friendly do entertaine
For mark their meating you shal perceiue that alwaies the one draweth vpō the other wil neuer leaue him before he haue either a leg or an arme of him And in asmuch as partly by his dark speaking partly by his allegorical expositiō he hath hatched a mōster of perfectiō which he calleth Christ I haue added to the end of this booke 3. seuerall short treatises of those 3. special matters concluding the booke with a Sermō which I made heretofore moued therunto by the iudgemēt of some not only for that the present occasiō did then force me to stād vpō that historie of Christ his death which H.N. would wholy and altogither transforme into an allegorie but also for that in so large a matter of doctrine to reforme our iudgemēt I wished there might be somwhat ioined to further our cōuersation I haue likewise set down the iudgemēt of some godly learned as wel of the Dutch church as of our owne touching these heresies of H.N. that thēselues may see I am not alone neither in my opiniō of thē neither in this necessarie cōtention by writing with thē These fruits of my labours my very good Lord I present vnto your honour as a publike testimonie of my humble duetie good will vnto your L. not only in respect of my selfe for your L. great good deseruings towarde me but also in regarde of many others who find a safe harborow vnder your honourable protection and haue such an easie accesse entrance vnto your honour in all their good occasions and lawfull requests as bindeth vs vnto all duetie and thankfulnesse vnto his maiestie and your honor as his instrument for the same Which hath made me bold at this time to cōmend vnto your honourable care the redresse of a dangerous enormity which of late hath broken out in this land I meane this Athisme brought in by H.N. that his household who will bee called the Familie of loue The seruice your honour may doe vnto God in it is great the hope to preuaile against them in like maner is good for as true Religion spreadeth and increaseth vnder the crosse so punishment and affliction is the bane of heresie and false religion With what care and conscience such matters are to bee dealt withall that which is read in Deut. 14. may sufficiently direct your honour Where it is plainly declared that if anie shall secretly intice vnto a strange religion either friend husband or brother the nearest bondes that nature or friendship hath they stand charged not only to reueale it but also that their handes shall be first vpon them to put them to death To bewray the secretes of a deare friend who is to a man as his owne soule seemeth to flesh and blood an heynous matter to deale so with a mans brother the sonne of his mother or with his daughter the bowels of his owne bodie the law of nature doeth crie out of it and yet for the glorie of our God we are not onely in such a case to reueale this against them but our selues to be the chiefe doers in the death execution of thē which telleth vs that with the true worship of God and religion neither friendship nor nature may enter anie comparison nay it telleth vs that at the bringing in of Idolatry a strange religion how secretly soeuer the seedes therof shal be sowen rather thē by the impunitie therof Gods glorie should be defaced and the daunger that is due for the neglect thereof should be susteined we are not onely to lay aside naturall affection but euē to breake into our owne bowels to bathe our selues in our owne blood The case so nearly touching the glorie of our God I am in good hope that this which hath bene said shall sufficiently perswade your honour to enter into some speedie care consideration how to suppresse so great grieuous a danger Your L. labour in this cause so directly and so daungerously dealing against the highest hee can neuer forget to recompence who hath promised to reward euē to a cup of cold water bestowed vpō the least of those little ones who doe beleeue in his name The God of all glorie make you partaker of that honour which is assured vnto all them who by these such like fruites of faith shall trauaile the ratifying of their owne election and the remouing of all such enormities or blemishes which either hurt the health or hinder the beautie of the Church Your Lordships most bounden to serue in the Lorde Iohn Knewstub To the Reader grace and peace THe holie Apostle speaking of the comming of the Romishe Antichrist sheweth that the Lorde woulde set vp that rennagate seat as it were an executioner or sergeant of his wrathfull iudgement against those which should not haue the loue of the trueth that they which would not effectually beleeue it receiuing sentence of the Lord himself to beleeue lies effectually shoulde be put to the execution thereof by the ministerie of that seat The truth wherof as in other places of Europe so in this our Countrey especially is euidently seene where the Lord sitting in his Assise not twise a yeare but all the whole yeare long reuengeth the shameful contempt and neglect of his truth by sending numbers to their stie or walter againe which beeing drawne into the fouldes of Christ by the preaching of the Gospell behaued themselues coldly and carelesly therein And albeit in long processe of time this only cāker of Poperie be able to eat vp the whole church yet the sinnes of our Countrey crie so loude that is to say are done so openly and so vncōtrolledly in the sight of the Lord that as if he woulde make a short hande of all he setteth vpon vs with diuerse engines at once to pull downe that which he hath so graciously builded and with diuerse axes layde euen to the roote vtterly to cutte vp that which his owne hand hath planted And to follow the former comparison as where there are great store of fellons the Iustices of Assise are faine to seuer and single themselues to make the speedier hande of them euen so through heapes of those which haue no loue of the truth in them the lord is as it were faine to erect vp other iudgement seates by the which hee may ease himselfe of them and to appoint other hangmen for their quicker dispatch to the place wherevnto they are adiudged And therefore contenteth not himself now with the heresie of the Papistes which haue beene a long time the principall sincke to receiue the outcastes of the Church nor with the heresie of the Arians and Anabaptists as it were other houses of office whereunto some of the filth of the Church hath beene discharged but stirreth vp other brandes of hell to set fire as it were in euerie corner of the Church Of this sort are the vnlouely companie of them that call themselues the Familie of loue Wherevpon it may
which H. N. claimeth vnto himselfe in the first Chapter of his booke intituled Euangelium Regni The Gospel and ioyfull message of the kingdome H. N. Through the grace and mercie of God and through the holy spirite of the loue of Iesu Christe raised vp by the highest GOD from the death according to the prouidence of God and his promises annoynted with the holie Ghoste in the olde age of the holy vnderstanding of Iesu Christe Godded with God in the spirite of his loue made heyre with Christe in the heauenlye goodes of the riches of God illuminated in the spirite with the heauenly trueth the true light of the perfect Beyng elected to a Minister of the gracious woorde which is nowe in the laste time raysed vp by God according to his promises in the moste holy seruice of God vnder the obedience of his loue Answere THE first thing that H. N. would perswade vs is that God hath raised him from the dead or to vse his owne wordes that he is raised vp by the most highest God from the death For confirmation hereof hee alleageth the sixt of Iohn the 17. of the Actes and the seconde to the Ephesians For he wil not seeme to say that thing which two or three shall not be redy to witnesse with hym VVe are therefore to heare what these can say to that point In the sixt of Iohn he directeth vs by this letter f vnto this Scripture conteyned in the 54. verse Whosoeuer eateth my flesh drinketh my blood hath eternal life and I will raise him vp at the last day Heere is a promise made vnto all true christians for they onely haue their hartes prepared by faith to digest the flesh and blood of Christe that the Lorde will raise them vppe at the laste day which wee call the day of iudgement and the seconde comming of Christe The promise I graunt is past but the day taken to performe the couenant is yet to come For by the promise it is playne that wee may not looke to haue the matter perfourmed before the laste day which is the seconde comming of Christe I wil not here call it into question whether H. N. be one of them who eate his fleshe and drinke his blood that shall go as graunted at this time onely this I will saye that hee is to begge shamefully who with no other helpe then that hee hath from hence shall obteine so muche as a place among the common sorte of Christians but hee that will vppon this warrant deale as a Prophete and Teacher in the Churche It cannot be excused but that he doeth felloniously enter breake in and steale For there is no colour of anie good title to bee shewed for the same Now I pray you consider of his argument which is this The Lorde will raise vppe all his faithfull at the last day and therefore H. N. is already risen from the dead The matter is established as doone but the grounde is no other then a graunt and promise made in expresse woordes for the time yet to come For our Sauiour Christe sayth playnely that hee will raise them vp at the laste day Where there is not only noted a time to come but of that time also the laste and furthest day is taken and yet yee see that H. N. will haue the matter to be alreadie accomplished in him selfe and that not otherwise then by vertue of this promise Let that bee graunted which H. N hath begged and let his felonious acte for once bee pardoned yet hath hee proceeded no farther in proofe then that hee ought to be taken as a Prophet risen from the dead with condition to wit if that the day of iuddgemēt alredy be past The Lord open the eies of his familie leaste as hee is no Prophet vnlesse that bee paste which is yet to come so they in like maner become no true Christians before that which is for euer past heereafter shall come If the cause of suche confusion bee demaunded this it is He expoundeth the doctrine of our resurrection Allegorically and taketh it to be nothing els but to ryse in our iudgemente and affection from the likyng of all other too the embracing of his doctrine and religion And therefore the day of iudgement which wee looke for is in his opinion already come because the troumpe of his doctrine now soundeth which woorketh this his spiritual resurrection The confutation whereof you shall God willing haue more at large heereafter and yet there is sufficient euen in this place aleadged by him to ouerthrowe it For speaking of the children of GOD who are true Christians possessed by fayth of eternall life and therefore already rysen from the dead because to rise from errour to the imbrasing of the trueth which hee taketh his owne doctrine too bee is with him the rising from the dead euen of those hee sayth I will rayse them vp in the last day appoynting an other resurrection yet to come for those who by a true faith haue alredy taken holde of that spiritual rising from darknesse to light from sinne and iniquitie to righteousnesse and true christianitie If his best bulwarke appointed to beare of the first and greatest assault that shal be made against him bee thus weake there is good hope it wil be no great woorke too winne the hold it selfe His seconde confirmation is taken out of the Acts 17. verse 31. The woordes be these God wil iudge the worlde in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath appointed whereof he hath geuen assurance vnto al in that he hath raised him from the dead A place proper and peculiar vnto Christe alone whom God the father hath raised from corporall death to be an assuraunce vnto vs that hee is the man appointed who shal iudge the world in righteousnesse at the latter day There can be no other place more peculiar and proper vnto Christe then is this whereunto for all that H. N. wil be entituled Notwithstanding yf the woorde of GOD haue geuen it vnto him good reason hee shoulde enioy it Let it therfore bee considered what he hath saide for it This is his reason GOD hath geuen vs assuraunce that hee will iudge the world in righteousnesse by the man Christ in that hee hath raysed hym from the dead therefore H. N. is alreadie risen from the dead If H. N. bee Christ it foloweth necessarily though not by force of this argument yet by sufficient strength from the trueth of the matter it selfe that he shoulde be rysen from the dead because hee is the same person of whom it is sayde that he is already risen from the dead to assure vs of the last iudgement that it shal be holden by him selfe But if H.N. bee anie thing beside Christe there is no maner of helpe to bee had from this place For hee speaketh playnely heere of the bodyly death of Christe him selfe As for the affinitie betweene H. N. and Christe howe
as a matter out of doubt and yet might it well bee that the woorde whereof hee is a Minister were a gracious woorde as hee calleth it and for all that his election therevnto neither good nor gracious But woulde you heare what this gracious woorde is according as the Prophet testifieth of it Surely it is no other thing then euen now to bring vs the first newes of a matter done and past manie hundreth yeares agoe to witte that Iuda and Ierusalem shoulde bee inhabited againe by the Iewes after the captiuitie of Babilon In the place which he alledgeth out of the Prophete it is written thus Thus saith the Lord againe there shall be heard in this place which ye say shal be desolate without mā without beast euē in the cities of Iuda and the streetes of Ierusalem the voice of ioy and the voice of gladnesse the voice of the bridegrome the voice of the bride For I will cause to returne the captiuitie of the land as at the first The Iewes are cōforted by the prophet with this promise frō the Lord that they shal returne frō their captiuity and inhabite Iuda and Ierusalem with comfort and ioy of heart For saith he there shall be heard in your streetes the voice of ioy gladnes the voice of the bridegrome and the voice of the bride H.N. might well haue stayed among the dead neuer haue striuen so much about his resurrection from among them if he haue no other message then this for they are dead many hundreth yeares agoe to whom this matter did apperteine It is plaine therefore by his own testimonie that he hath no authority to deale with vs but with Iuda Ierusalem nor to bring anie doctrine into the world touching euerlasting saluation but onely cōcerning a temporall deliuerance neither to haue any thing to doe with men nowe liuing but with people long before this time deade Thus much in particular both touching his person and his office For his title in generall I haue to say that this title which is so ample and glorious being compared with the preface of the Apostles set before their writings wil soone discrie the diuersitie of spirits They dispatch vs touching the knowledge of themselues in the words of Seruant Apostle whē they stand the longest with vs vpō that matter By seruant declaring what they hold in common with all Christians by Apostle what they haue special in the function ministerie of the word Paul a seruāt of Iesus Christ called to be an Apostle Simon Peter a seruāt an Apostle of Iesus Christ And somtimes they are so sparing that they wil not spend both vpon vs. Iames a seruant of God and of the Lord Iesus Christ Peter an Apostle of Iesus Christ Iude a seruant of Iesus Christ But H. N. as if he could no longer beare such basenesse steppeth in before them with his stately stile and sayth H.N. Through the grace and mercie of God and through the holy spirite of the loue of Iesus Christ Raised vp by the highest God from the death according to the prouidence of God and his promises Anointed with the holy Ghost in the olde age of the holy vnderstanding of Iesus Christ Godded with God in the spirit of his loue Made heire with Christ in the heauenly goodes of the riches of God Illuminated in the spirite with the heauenly truth The true light of the perfect being Elected to a minister of the gracious worde which is now in the last time raised vp by God according to his promises in the most holy seruice of god vnder the obediēce of his loue What man measuring the matter by the outwarde face that is set vpon it would thinke the Apostles worthie to hold the candle to this mans cunning And what friend of theirs if H.N. would take vpon him to teach them the depth of his diuinitie would once seeme to offer with them lesse then the seruice of vii yeres Neither is there so great oddes betweene them in the multitude of titles as in the magnificence and dignitie of them How plain simple and farre from pride be the names of seruant Apostle How glorious swelling magnificēt be these speches Godded with God annointed with the holy Ghost in the olde age of the holy vnderstanding illuminated in the spirit the true light of the perfect being raised vp by the highest God frō the dead But no meruaile if H. N. be so glorious in titles for this he hath in common with the Heretikes of all times The Montanists who had their name beginning of Montanus the first heretike that practised to draw on disciples by procuring stipend and wages from the richer sorte of that sect to others the teachers and mainteyners thereof which was a baite that brought many to bite of those morsels and therefore vpon good consideration is nowe a freshe practised in this familie where there is so great famine of better arguments to perswade with all did affirme that they were wiser then the Apostles and alledged that place of the Apostle for it where Paule setting him selfe in the number with other sayeth We knowe in part For they mainteyned an absolute cleare and perfect reuelation in themselues affirming Montanus to be the holy Ghost promised to the Church whereof the Apostles had receyued but a little measure There were also a sect of people in that part of Pisidia which belongeth vnto Pamphilia who refused to receiue any into their felowship and communion that kept anie thing priuate and proper to themselues excluding them as straungers from the kingdome of God and they would be called Apostolici Apostolicall and be knowne by no other name Seruetus the heretike called himselfe Michael the keeper of the Church of God and the great prince of his people Dauid George H. N. his Schoole-maister though the scholer setting vp for himselfe will now take no more knowledge of anie maister or superiour calleth himselfe the seuenth Angell of GOD and the last trumpe And H. N. the father of this familie will bee godded with GOD and become the true light of the perfect being that in no wise hee might seeme to want that badge of boasting which is so speciall and proper vnto heretikes That which is commonly sayd of pictures and painted workes hath a fitte place in these workes of H.N. Picturae atque imagines eminùs non cominùs videndae Pictures and Images they are faire a farre off but if the eye drawe neare them there is then no sight or shew of them If a man looke at the diuinitie that is heere deliuered a farre off he would thinke it came from aboue the hiest heauen so great and goodly speaches of loue and peace be conteyned in it But come neare and lay it to the line of God his worde and beside that the lowest pit of hell shall not be able to afoorde worse wares then some that here be vttered It would
loth a man to looke vpon the ioyntes of it while no member hath dewe proportion and place but is either looking backewarke when it shoulde see streight forward or else starting aside when it shoulde stande vpright For the conclusion doeth alwayes looke a cleane contrarie way from the Antecedent If by Hipocrates those two children were truelie iudged to bee brethren of one birth and the nearest in blood that coulde bee who were obserued alway to laugh and weepe together alwayes to be sicke and whole together Then may wee safely say by warrant from the rule of contraries that H. N. his Antecedentes might marrie with his conclusions for anie kindred that is betweene them for the one shall no sooner beginne to laugh but the other will bee sure to weepe If the one seeme to builde vppe anie thing the other will doe what in him lyeth to cast downe the same Heauie is the hande of God against them who haue refused to beare loue vnto his trueth euen so heauie as to bee giuen vp to bee strongly setled in the beleefe of open and manifest lyes As wee see it fall out with this Familie who receyuing sometime the trueth but refusing to reserue it in loue are nowe so throughly perswaded of manifest lyes that when before their eyes they fall a sunder burst in peeces and starte one parte from another by violent rushing agaynst the trueth yet bee their eyes so blinde they doe not see it and their heartes so hardened they will not beeleeue others telling them of it The Lorde in mercie keepe vs farre from that sinne whiche causeth his hande to bee so heauie vpon vs and graunt vs in affection to bee so linked to the trueth that the eyes of our mind may be alwayes cleare to discerne aswell the spottes of corrupt doctrine as the defilementes of wicked conuersation H. N. For to publish nowe in the last time out of the same grace and heartie mercifulnes of God through the same holie spirite of the loue of Iesus Christ good tidings or a ioyfull message of the kingdome of God vnto all people which sit in the darkenesse and haue a lust or longing after the true light and to bring vnto the beleeuers a great light of the true being of Iesus Christ And the glorious day of his godly clearnesse as also to expresse that God hath pitied the generations of mankinde and that Iesus Christ hath not left vs as Orphants but as our faythfull father for to beget vs a newe out of the safe making water or Doctrine of his seruice and out of his holie spirite of loue Also to iudge vs with his righteousnesse and to bring vs into his rest is come againe vnto vs according to his promises to the ende that they all which loue God and his righteousnesse and Christ and his vpright being mought presently enter into the true rest which God hath prepared from the beginning for his elect and inherite the euerlasting life Answere H. N. continueth his speach touching his office and affirmeth that he is appointed to publish good tidings or a ioyfull message of the kingdome of God vnto all people which sit in darkenesse and therefore applieth that vnto himselfe which is in the Prophet Esay of healing the broken hearted and preaching deliuerance vnto the captiues and recouering of sight vnto the blinde Which our Sauiour Christe pronounceth to haue beene fulfilled in him selfe when hee came to Nazareth vpon a Sabboth day and had the Booke of the Prophet Esaias deliuered vnto him If H. N. had remembred that it is said in that place The spirit of the Lorde is vpon me and therefore hath the Lord annoynted me and sent mee to preach good tydings vnto the poore And thervpon made first sufficient proofe that the spirit of the Lord had stirred him vp and inabled him to preach the glad tidinges to the people he might haue better been borne with all But it is apparant by that which alreadie hath beene saide if no more shoulde bee added thereunto that the spirite whiche speaketh in him is a spirite of errour and delusion whiche hath so wholie possessed him as there is nothing now beside most blasphemous and hereticall doctrine to be heard proceeding from his mouth If H. N. had any simple and sincere meaning in him or any portion of that spirit which was in the Apostles hee should after the example of the Apostle Paule in this his purpose to perswade men of his calling that it is lawfull and from God long before this time haue communicated with them that were the chief accompted as pillers of the Church touching the Gospel which he preacheth and setteth forth Which thing S. Paul thought to be so necessary that hee affirmeth him selfe did performe it lest by any meanes he shuld haue run in vaine And if he had beene of opinion that all the world from the beginning vnto the appearing of his doctrine had beene seduced hee should then haue taken profitable paines in making a plaine confutation of the errors and heresyes that be holden contrarie to his doctrin throughout all christian countryes But this secret winding in of him selfe into the heartes of the simple vnder the pleasant speach of loue without either true ioying with them or plaine confuting of thē sauoureth more of the serpents subtletie then of the doues simplicitie His charge is also as he saith to declare That God hath pitied the generatiō of mankind that Iesus Christ hath not left vs as Orphants but as our faithful father to beget vs anewe and to iudge vs with his righteousnes to bring vs into his rest is cōe againe vnto vs according vnto his promises ▪ to the end that they al which loue God his righteousnes might enter presently into the true rest which God hath prepared frō the beginning of his elect inherite the euer lasting life This hereticall doctrine is so ful fraught with violent wresting of the word of God therby to establish most horrible blasphemies That a mā can not so sone begin the cure of any one parte but the danger almost desperate of an other doth violently hale him forth to giue a helping hand vnto that Now H.N. as one that in his owne opiniō hath preuailed so farre as to match him selfe with God the father and Christ euen in titles most proper vnto them will enforce the holie Ghost to bring forth his euidence shew how he alone could come vpon the Apostles the faithful immediatly after the ascentiō of Christ For he chalengeth that promise which our sauiour Christ made vnto his Apostles in Iohn for the sending of a comforter vnto them and not leauing of them comfortlesse to be now verified at the breaking out of this doctrine which hee hath broched nowe of late If Iesus Christe had deferred his comforte so long a time after his Resurrection I doe not see but the Church
necessary consequence they are the Scribes and Pharisies because they are other Ministers about this matter which likewise helpe forward the death of Christ You may see howe safe it is to leaue the naturall sense of the Scripture and to followe allegories as doeth this familie For H. N. hath walked so long this way in the beliefe leauing the certaintie of the worde that hee hath prooued himselfe to bee Iudas that betrayeth Christ and his doctrine to bee that crosse which doeth take the life from Christ Hee hath prooued that Christe was woorthie of his death and coulde not haue come to euerlasting ioy if hee had not died in the fleshe and so consequently that Iudas and the high Priestes did a verie good woorke vnto Christ himselfe in putting him to that death that the Crosse was a blessed thing and the death thereof a blessed death for Christe himselfe that Iudas and the Iewes were blessed men in that woorke of procuring Christ his death and that his life and estate before ▪ that time for his owne good and benefite did necessarily require the same that the life of Iudas and the Iewes that crucified Christ was better then the life of Christ and their estate in al respectes better then his that they walked in the wayes of life and hee in the wayes of death that they who wished and procured his death were his best friends and his mother and disciples who stoode agaynst it and councelled him otherwise were his greatest enimies and those who did in truth betray him that Christ himselfe had the greatest benefite by his owne death and shoulde haue had the greatest losse himselfe if hee had not dyed And that others shoulde haue no further benefite from his death then they receiue instruction and example by his death to suffer as he hath done the death of the Crosse Howe doeth this passion agree with that hystorie of Christ his passion which is set foorth in the Scripture The woorde of GOD reporteth this matter of Christ his passion and death not as an Allegorie or a type and figure of a truth to be accomplished but with circumstaunces of time place person and order of proceeding setteth it foorth as a true historie and the very truth it selfe of that thing which by types and Figures had beene shadowed out long before and was nowe in Christe one person and yet both GOD and man truely accomplished Wee haue an historie in the woorde of GOD touching his apprehension and the manner of proceding agaynst him before Pilate In like manner touching his death and buriall not barely and in a woorde deliuered but with al circumstances fully discharged Hee foretelleth his Disciples both of the time of his death that it shoulde bee within two dayes when his aduersaries had purposed to deferre it till after the feaste for feare of an vprore among the people and of the manner of his death A woman comming by the instinct of GOD his spirite with a boxe of very costly ointment powring it on his head as he sate at the table declare thereby that the death of his bodie and burial were at hande and not any spirituall dying in respect of sinne and imperfection which he neuer had no not in his youngnes as H.N. speaketth The chiefe Piestes the Scribes the elders of the people assēbled togither into the Hall of the highe Prieste called Caiphas consulting howe they might take Iesus by subtiltie and kill him determining that it should not be at the feast of the Passeouer for feare of vprore at which time notwithstanding the Lorde woulde haue it performed that the very time might admonishe vs that Christ was the true Paschall lambe and the true bodie of those shadowes and figures that had gone before according as the Apostle restifieth If this had beene a conspiracie of many men against their affections because they woulde not yeelde obedience to true doctrine or a type and fygure of anie suche matter why then is a thing common to so manye made speciall in the type and figure Why is there such specialtie of person in the patterne where so manie haue interest in the thing Suche choyse likewise of the daye to foreshewe a matter free and lawfull to bee done at all times and bounde to no day Why is there suche feare of displeasure from the people at one speciall time whose malice agaynst true doctrine endeth not with anie time Here Christe his Aduersaries woorke procure and in ende performe with their owne destruction his death and suffering But to conspire the death of H.N. his Christ in the fleshe is required necessarilie to their saluation and therefore the one cannot bee a type of the other Hee that betrayed Christ was one of his disciples hyred therevnto with thirtie pieces of siluer who after that hee sawe him condemned brought the monie agayne confessing that hee hadde betrayed the innocent and went and hanged him selfe and bursting asunder in the middest all his bowelles gushed out so iust and heauie was the iudgement of GOD vppon him but hee that shoulde betray H.N. his Christe in the fleshe hath for recompence euerlasting life Neyther can any passe into immortalitie but by betraying and killing of him and therefore one of these cannot bee so muche as a tipe or figure of an other muche lesse the thing it selfe Wee reade that our Sauiour Christe charged Iudas and his companie that they came with materiall weapons swordes staues as vnto a theefe to apprehend him when notwithstanding he had taught daily in the Temple and beene in their companie continually there and yet they had no power before that time whiche he telleth them was their very houre when darkenesse had power graunted to preuayle against the light for a time And the Disciple likewise who wounded the seruant of the high Priest with his sworde receiued a reproofe from Christ with this answeare That he might with a worde haue obtayned armies of Angelles from heauen in his defence but that it might not be otherwise for then the scriptures shoulde not haue beene fulfilled This declareth that the true Christ was subiect to externall force and apprehended and that he was willing to die to fulfil the Scriptures wheras otherwise he might haue had legions of Angels in his quarrell and therefore that Mathematicall Christ who suffereth in wardly in the minde of man a departure out of the letter into the spirtie hath no resemblaunce with this Christ which is here set foorth in the Scriptures When this true Christ his passion and suffering is in hande it is declared particularly and playnely howe the Scriptures which foretolde that matter and the manner of it also are verified in him who accomplished all that trueth which they foretolde and therefore can not the hystorie of him bee a foretelling or shadowing out of a truth yet to bee performed by H.N. or any other their doctrine or doinges whatsoeuer They crucifie two theeues
seate habitation Neither haue the arguments tokens of his loue here had their end but he hath set him on his right hand that is hath cōmitted the whole gouernment administratiō of his kingdome heervpon earth into his hands How can it goe harde with vs when our mediatour and he that hath had all these dealings for vs is become so great with our God as to bee made the head of his church to haue receiued the gouernmēt charge ouer his chosen May we not with the Apostle triumph say Who shal lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is Christ which is dead or rather which is risen again nay which is at the right hād of God making intercession for vs If his death brought vs from such danger what benefite wil this his life bring vnto vs and against how many and how great dangers shal it be able to defend vs If when we were enimyes we were reconciled vnto God by the death of his sonne much more beeing reconciled we shall be saued by his life For both the instrument hath now more power and strength to performe and the matter is the fitter to be wrought vpon Christ is not entred into the holie places that are made with hands which are similitudes of the true sanctuary but is entred into very heauen to appeare now in the sight of God for vs Seeing then we haue an high Priest whiche is ouer the house of GOD let vs draw neare him with a true heart in assuraunce of faith sprinkling in our heartes from an euil conscience and washed in our bodyes with pure water abhorring from our heartes this cursed and comfortlesse Christ which H.N. hath brought out not meaning to comforte feede but to pyne famish his familie withall We haue not onely comforte by our Christ touching his priesthood for that he appeareth nowe in the sight of our God for vs and that the sacrifice is continually before his eyes whereby we stand discharged against sinne and made acceptable and in good fauour and grace with our God neither yet for that he beeing ascended on high and leading captiuitie captiue doth giue giftes to his Church generallie and to the seuerall members therof particularly in gouerning them by his spirite and worde beeing forcible by the working thereof to promote his glory in them but also touching his kingdome because he is our Christ to whome is giuen all power both in heauen and earth and of whome it is written The Lorde saide vnto my Lorde sitte thou at my right hand vntil I make thine enemyes thy footestoole Be thou ruler in the middest of thine enemyes without whose licence and leaue euen in his humilitie lowest estate the deuils themselues durst not to deale no not against Hogges and swine And therefore beeing now exalted into such glory how dare they be bolde to attempt any thing against the least of his seruantes without speciall licence from himselfe The Familie can finde no such comforte in their counterfaite Christe who setteth and breedeth onely in their braine hatching his reuelations and coyning these such like mysteries ruling ouer no other enemyes neither beeing carefull to kepe of other aduersaries besides the true naturall meaning of the worde of god Thus as you haue hearde hath H.N. stopped the heads of all the wel springs of life taking from vs all the seuerall comfortes which by these Articles of our beliefe we are lawfully intituled vnto sending vs to dig pittes in our selues and there to seeke for this spring of life where by the worde of God wee are well assured it can neuer be founde H.N. The seuenth Article We beleeue that Iesus Christ shal come from thence namely from the right hand of God his father out of heauen to iudge the liuing and the dead Wee confesse that he wil euen so in his cōming shewforth his great power and maiestie and make manifest with him the glorious Lordlines of the many thousands of his holy ones in their garnishing possesse his inheritance with God his father and with al his saintes in triumph and perpetual ioy euerlastingly And iudge euē so with all his holy ones as a righteous Iudge the worlde and all nations generations and languages according to the trueth with righteousnesse Answeare This cōming of Christ to iudge the quicke the dead is by the doctrine of H.N. in this life yea it is euen now in this time whē H.N. and his doctrine are manifested and brought to light Now saith H.N. shal the glorious lordlynesse of the many thousand of his holie ones in their garnishing be made manifest now shal Christ possesse his inheritaunce in triumphe perpetuall ioy euerlastingly and iudge euen so all nations and languages according to the trueth with righteousnesse In his title I haue sufficiprooued that the day of iudgement is in this life if we wil beleeue his doctrine and that it is no other thing then the publishing of this his doctrine Yet because I woulde not haue any sent away vnsatisfied herein I will adde one or two testimonies vnto the former In his Euangelie cap. 34. thus he speaketh of that matter Behold and consider my beloued how wonderfully god worketh in his holie ones and how that now in this day or light of the loue the iudgement seate of Christ is reuealed and declared vnto vs out of heauen to a righteous iudgement vpon earth from the right hand of God how that on the same iudgement seate of Christ that the Scripture might be fulfilled there sitteth one nowe in truth in the habitation of Dauid which iudgeth vprightly thinketh vppon equitie and requireth righteousnesse Through him God will now in this day which he him selfe hath appointed or ordained thereunto iudge the compasse of the earth with righteousnes In which this same day or last time namely in the perfection of the woorkes of God and in his righteous iudgement the God of heauen hath now declared him selfe and his Christ togeather with al his Saints vnto vs his elect also made a dwelling with vs and brought euen so vnto vs out of his holy beeing the most holy of his true tabernacle with the fulnesse of his garishing and spirituall heauenly riches to an euerlasting fast standing Ierusalem and house for Gods dwelling according to the Scripture the which is the very true vndisturbable kingdome ful of all godly power ioy and of al heauēly beautifulnesse wherein the laude of the Lorde with fulnes of eternal life and louely sweetnesse is song from euerlasting to euerlasting and wherein al mindes of pure hartes doe dwell liue and walke with freedom and christian triumphe in al loue He professeth heere that the iudgement seat of Christ is now reuealed in this day of loue that God wil now in this same day through him whom hee hath appointed that is him selfe for this same place and authoritie out of the 17. of the Actes hee hath
hearts which hope on God and on his righteousnesse and beare the loue of God and Christ in their hearts to the end that they all which loue God and his Christ mought now liue louely and peaceably in the same rest with all the holy ones of God and Christ in all loue which most holy the most pure perfect beautie his vpright and gracious seruice of loue we haue receiued or atteined vnto now in this last time wherin we inherite the fulnesse of the life to an euerlasting ioy with God and his Christ And that same most holy his seruice of loue reacheth also no further but it is the perfection it selfe for that cause the seruice of loue which the Lord hath erected with vs little ones elected ones shal stand fast euerlastingly in his ministration and remaine for euer according to the Scripture This seruice of loue as H.N. doth here declare is the perfection it selfe which shall stande fast euerlastingly in his ministration and remain for euer according to the scripture and he that liueth obediently in this seruice of the loue is alreadie ouer head and eares in the ioyes of heauen H.N. his heauen that is builded here vpon earth hath beene ouerthrowne before in the confutation of his title I meane not therefore to haue any other dealing against it before I shall be fully certified that eyther it is builded higher or else that the foundation is made surer onely this I desire that the eyes of this family may be opened so to see the true happinesse laid vp in heauen for the faithfull as that they may growe into a true detestation of all those who teach no other ioyes to be there then such that are felt and perceyued in this life A confutation of H.N. his estate of perfection THat which in this doctrine of H.N. is all in all according to the trueth of God his worde is not at all to be founde among men I meane his estate of perfection which with him is Christ the holy Ghost the resurrection and the euerlasting life and what is it not Now he imagineth that his illuminate men haue profited so well in godlinesse that they sinne no more A doctrine which the whole course of the Scripture doth vtterly ouerthrow For the scope and drift of the worde of God is to leaue all flesh indebted vnto the goodnesse of God that he who will glorie may glorie in the Lorde And therefore it doeth in many places teach and declare that sinne and imperfection is in all men In manie thinges sayeth the Apostle Saint Iames we offende all The Apostle doth not exempt anie man no not himselfe from sinne and offence against God in this his doctrine Whervnto accordeth that saying of Saint Iohn If we say that we haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and the trueth is not in vs. When the Apostles and pillers of the Church of GOD acknowledge themselues to bee sinners hee cannot bee guided with that spirite which did speake in them who shall denie him selfe and others to offende at all They alledge for them that saying of Saint Iohn Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not and that likewise He that committeth sinne is of the Deuill To the which I answere according to that principle which is begonne and grounded vpon reason which also our vsuall speach and practise doeth continue that the whole doeth beare the name after that which is principall in the thing And therefore when men haue dealinges in diuerse trades they alwayes beare the name after that which is principall The Marchaunt who hath a house in the Countrey and some dealinges in husbandrie is notwithstanding called a Marchant and not an husbandman because it is the chiefe and principall thing which he trauaileth in and whereby his especiall maintenaunce doeth growe The wine which is mingled with water hath to name wine and not water because wine is the principall and chiefe part And that lumpe which hath great store of drosse is named notwithstanding of that golde which is in it howe little soeuer the quantitie thereof shall happen to bee because it is principall in value and accompt So that whether we shall compare quantitie with quantitie or qualitie with qualitie the principall shall alwayes beare away the name And therefore no maruaile if the Euangelist shall say that he is of the Deuill who committeth sinne because here hee disputeth not of one or some fewe actions that breake out of a man but of that which is principall in a man For hee draweth all men to these two heades either to bee borne of GOD or of the Deuill According to this doctrine doeth the Apostle exhort vs saying Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies for if sinne bee principall beare rule and reigne in anie they giuing themselues as seruauntes thereunto wee may lawfully say of such with the Apostle that they are of the Deuill as contrariwise when anie shall humble themselues to those dueties which are sette downe to vs in the worde of GOD so as that course of life shall bee chiefe and principall in them though in manie particular actions they shall be found offenders yet may they all this notwithstanding be said to be borne of GOD and not to sinne because it is not in them as ruler and principall but as a slaue and vnderling and therefore not able to beare the name When the contention is as nowe for principalitie rule According to this distinction we do finde in the scriptures graces denied vnto sinners when sinne is in rule and gouernement which are not denied when it is in subiection and seruice In the Gospell after Saint Iohn it is thus written touching sinne when it is principal and gouerneth â–ª We know that God heareth not sinners And in the Epistle it is plainly set downe concerning sinne when yet it is in vs though not ruler ouer vs that if wee acknowledge our sinnes he is faithfull iust to forgiue vs our sinnes We doe find likewise in other places because of this diuersitie diuerse and distinct things vttered touching sinne For in the Epistle of Saint Iohn it is there said He that committeth sinne is of the Deuil And in the first Chapter of that Epistle the Apostle affirmeth plainly of himselfe and of all the seruants of God who liue here in this world that if we say we haue no sinne we do deceiue our selues and trueth is not in vs. So diuerse speaches vttered in the Scripture of sinne must of necessitie force vs according as the godly and learned of all times haue done before vs thus to distinguish the same For the further warrant of this doctrine which giueth the name of the whole vnto that which is not yet whole and perfect because of a speciall studie trauaile profiting therein and contending thervnto consider I pray you of that which is written by the Apostle who when he had before confessed that he had
to the Churche of GOD howe pernicious to the common wealth and priuate families and howe farre from the spirite of GOD forasmuche as thereby the Lorde Iesus is bereft of all his kingly Priestly and Propheticall dignitie all godlinesse is ouer throwen a windowe is opened to all sinnes and wickednesse to fraude deceipt lying fornication theft idolatrie and couetousnesse and after this life the hope of eternall life in immortall fleshe and the feare of hel fire are taken from the mindes of men euery one hauing but a sparke of godlinesse and of the knowledge of Christ doeth easily perceiue so that there needeth not heere manye woordes for the confutation thereof This one thing is briefly to be added that it may not seme woonderfull to any yf many in our age doe fall into this so grosse an errour For in suche disagreementes of true religion men knowyng the Idolatrie of the papacie the whiche can bee vnknowen to none but too the dullest kinde of men and beeing terrified from the profession of true religion through the feare of persecutions troubles or of pride plucking away the shoulders from vnder the yooke of Christe doe moste easily fall into that moste detestable errour which is beautified with the Title of sweete peace and concorde is verie plausible through the large promise of lyberty God also is iust with punisheth this intollerable vnthankefulnes of the worlde agaynst Christ and his word with such grosse errours according to that prophecie of the Apostle Because they receiued not the loue of the trueth that they might be saued Therfore god wil send thē strōg delusion that they may beleeue lies ▪ that al they might bee damned which haue not beleued the truth but haue had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse But if any shal more diligently examine the Apostolical prophecies w are written in the 2. Tim. 3. 2 Pet. 2. 3. Chapter and in the epistle of Iude concerning the last times shal then be sufficiently armed against that diuelishe peace We are also admonished in the Scriptures that true peace is enclosed in certayne limites least we shoulde be deceiued with some vaine shadowe of peace For true peace is ioyned with an vnspeakable knot to faith and charitie It consisteth also in a good thing and that also according to Christ as it is manifest by these words of the Apostle Nowe abideth faith hope and charitie these three Again Let euery one of vs please his neighbour in that which is good or in a good thing to edificatiō Also The God of pacience and consolatiō giue you that yee bee lyke minded one towardes another according to Iesus Christe that yee with one minde and one mouth may prayse God euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christe Away therfore with this newe cursed peace togeather with the house the founder therof which passeth neither for faith nor hope and is occupied in euil thinges and forbidden of GOD and shutteth out Iesus Christe For yf the studie of peace excused not Aaron for makyng a Calfe nor Saule for sacrificing nor Peter for dissembling neither shall these truely escape vnpunished of the Lorde who vnder the title of peace ouerthrowe all honestie and religion especially seeing that the Prophetes in olde time haue vehemently cryed against all promise of false peace Esay also crieth Woe to them which call euill good and good euill which put darknesse for light and light for darkenesse who put sowre for sweete and sweete for sowre This same people of peace as they wil be called cannot free it selfe from this faulte whiles that it leaueth those thinges free to them of their owne profession which GOD in his woorde hath seuerely punished and moste greeuously condempned Hitherto therefore we hope it hath beene sufficiently shewed of vs howe greatly wee ought to take heede of them all who to the godly that are inlightened with the true knowledge of the Gospell wyl haue that departing from the impure congregations and superstitions of the Romishe Churche to be vnlawfull ₠A Confutation of the Doctrine of Dauid George and H. N. the Father of the Familie of Loue By M. Nicholas Charinaeus who died heere at London Minister of the woorde in the Dutch Churche about the beginning of September in the yeere 1563. DAVID George of whom mencion is made before added to the foresayde argumentes of the aduersaries agaynst the obseruation of the Ecclesiasticall congregations that the vse of all rytes and ceremonies instituted of Christe was simply taken away by him because that hee as he thought executing the office of the holy Ghost should lead al men into all trueth and shoulde bryng foorth that which was perfect and therfore shoulde abolishe that which was but in part And seeyng that hee fained that his doctrine is moste perfect more excellent and farre surpassing the doctrine of Christ as which must be constrained to geue place vnto him whatsoeuer the scripture witnesseth of mans perfection in the commyng of Christ al that hee so impudently draweth vnto hym selfe and to his doctrine that he promiseth vnto him self to his disciples the ful dominion of the whole world immortalitie also perfect righteousnes yea that in this flesh vnderstanding by the name of perfect righteousnes that same inward affection of the minde altogeather free from all sence of sinne But a certaine chiefe builder of the house and Citie of peace and a framer of that same glasse of righteousnesse perceiuing that yet that same full libertie was not permitted vnto men by Dauid George as he that yet bounde them vnto his person boasteth that hee hath found out a more perfect doctrine then that was of Dauids To wit that whosoeuer dwelleth in the house of Loue not onely is free from all religion of Christ but also altogeather from all outward religion and from all holy ceremonies Nowe he calleth loue that same affection of the minde by which a man neyther feeleth in hym selfe nor in any other any euyll or sinne but all thinges what soeuer they bee hee interpreteth them to bee good Now because the neere kindred of the opinions of both these Antichristes doe not onely bryng to nothyng the religious obseruation of Ecclesiastical congregations which come togeather in the name of Christ but also taketh out of the mindes of men the hope of the life to come in Christe Iesus and doeth open windowes doores to al iniquities I am constrayned to confute it in this place and that in fewe woordes First of all I require of both of them that they woulde playnely prooue by manyfest testimonies out of the holy Scripture that the doctrine of the Gospel of Iesus Christ must once bee abolished out of the Churche and a nother more perfect succeede in the place thereof and if it ought too bee abolished that it is theirs that ought to succeed it to continue for euer Besides that let them perfourme those thinges in deede which the holy Scripture