handled more at large And though that those which know not Theophilus bringing vp may by vnséemely and vnciuile speach thinke it to haue ben very rude in that at the first stoppe he breatheth out into this homely phrase that is vntrue and ye vtterly shame your selfe yet being somewhat acquainted and hauing as his phrase is an experimentall knowledge of his modestie I toke him better then he meaneth not measuring him by his owne elwand For I wot well it alwayes will be truth that the ould Oratour sayth to his frend Qui semel vericundiae fines transiliuerit c. He that once hath raunged without the listes of honestye he without all hoe must néedes be impudent To proue that I haue vnderstode amisse and falsified HN. his meaning in my places which I haue set downe Theophilus referreth me to the Lamentable complaint to the same sect which I quoted before thinking belike the if I looked againe I should finde it otherwise in the section 6.7 The words that I misliked in that place are these Euen as partely that same is well knowen and become manifest vnto vs of certaine namely of those which are the auncientest in the scripturlearnednes or principallest in the Ceremonye seruice which haue made vp themselues agaynst the truth of Gods testimonies and his promises agaynst the holy spirite of Christ and agaynst the Loue c. This place whome HN. in playne wordes auoucheth that the Auncientest that is the Bishops and reuerend Fathers and preachers of the word in the Scripture learnednes the principallest in the Ceremonye seruice c. is that wherewith I charged him The same is more euidently also to be sene 1. Exhor cap. 15. sentence 8. and 10. c. which is a slaunderous and a blasphemous section which because it is tedious I refraine to set downe verbatim after HN. his copie And Chapt. 16. sent 3. For certaine take in hand vse out of the imagination of the knowledge whereon they set their hartes at peace false God seruices which they notwithstandyng institute or bryng in for true God seruices Religions Lawes and Commaundementes of God and plant the same knowledge into the people as though they ought of right to be obedient thereunto And sent 14. Dare any man teach or set forth any thyng through the imagination of the knowledge whether he then haue taken on the same out of the learnednesse of the Scriptures or out of his good thinking wisedome as a word or Commaundement of the Lord or yet to institute any seruices out of the letter of the Scripture accordyng to his good thinking and so to plucke or make subiect the hartes of men to dissention thereunder c. sent 15. 16. By all the which places it is manifest what opinion he hath of the preachyng of Gods word that it is but an institute knowledge inuented by mans wit to the bredyng of discord dissētion then the which I say not what Papist what Atheist or Macheuile in the world could write or inuent any thyng more vngodly Besides this I am able to auouch by myne own experiēce that some with whō I haue conferred which haue affirmed that the Scripture is to hard for a simple mā and therfore the bookes of HN. do make a more easie passage and geue a readyer way to the vnderstandyng therof In somuch as when that the Elders haue perswaded any man to become their sectarie they haue for a tyme taken all the bookes of holy Scriptures from him and all other bookes altogether and geue him the bookes of HN. to meditate and be exercised in and this is that which HN. him selfe exhorteth them after this sort Glasse your beyng and minde in the glasse of righteousnes Iam. 1. c. and behold therein how many spottes and wrinkles there are yet in you Wherein he sheweth that he preferreth his booke which he termeth the Glasse of righteousnesse before the word of God in referryng them thereunto for to espy the spottes of sinne cleane contrary to the word of God which teacheth vs that the knowledge of sinne commeth by the law And this he doth not in this place alone but also almost at the end of euery Chapter in his Euang. This horrible treason agaynst God and his word as it would make any Christian hart to melt so is it not for the manifest impietie therof by many argumentes or places so much to be confuted as by the losse of the lyues of such gracelesse Atheistes to be chastised which the sooner shall stay if those to whom the Lord hath committed the care of his Church and gouernaunce of this commō wealth shal by some waight of seuere and sharpe lawes kéepe vnder so horrible impietie and blasphemy agaynst the sonne of god For herein is the infection more pestilent that the bookes of HN. beyng made of equall countenaunce with the word of God the writynges of HN. are receiued as a playne and easie truth the word of God either wholy abandoned and set aside or els read by the ouersight and allowance of their Elders who often tyme dust the beames of the truth by their vayne Allegories and idle Expositions But this is the iudgement of God which is iustly in great measure come vpon vs that whilest diuers of the ministers of the word haue not preached the word as the word of God and the people haue heard it as the word of man it is come to passe I say that our eyes are blynded least we should sée and our eares waxed deafe least we should heare our hartes are waxed dull least we should beleue and so the secret though iust punishment of hardnes of hart is come vpon vs so that thereby euery day we are nearer hell then other For what wickednes can be compared with this or what blasphemie hath the world euer bene witnes of the like that the fonde nature of our flesh as a swift streame hath caryed vs to the depth of such impietie that we should loade and burthen the blessed word of the eternall God with such intemperate and graceles tauntes as to doubt whether the truth be the truth or no. Well I say no more but he that is filthy let him be filthy still And that Argument which S. Paule thinketh to be of such weight to proue his preachyng to haue bene the vndoubted truth of God the same would I vse to perswade all such as wauer in the truth therof Proue your selues whether ye are in the fayth examine your selues knowe ye not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be cast awayes c. Wherein S. Paule appealeth vnto their owne consciēce to approue the certaintie of his doctrine truth of his Apostleshyp Right so say I vnto the Familie of Loue that whereas they affirme we teach nothyng but our owne good thinkyng I demaunde of them when they heare the word of God preached and their consciences shaken with the terrour thereof
I promise him lykewise that hereafter I will not further medle with him or his for I like not to spend good leasure wherof I haue not such plenty that in speaking in the ayre I both may mispend my tyme and abuse the reader with emptines The last and least reason whereby Theoph. would proue that no man ought to deale agaynst the Fam. is taken from the counsell of Gamaliell in the Actes of the Apostles This reason is as it were by common consent receiued and alledged by all those that are any thing at all sene in the Fam. euer in their mouthes if it be of God it will stand c. The which reason the Anabaptistes vsed very often and is by a learned expositor termed a reason not fit for any man of wisedome First concerning Gamaliels wordes that they are not alwayes to be taken for a law it is manifest neither are they a right rule or conteine a generall doctrine how at all tymes false teachers are to be delt withall neither were the holy Apostles false teachers as Theophilus comparison doth afford but he onely vpon that present occasion because of that imminent perill that hangeth ouer the heads of the Appostles at that instant vttered that speach as a worldly wise and politique man to stay the fury of the priestes and set frée the Apostles in so great a daunger Wherefore he that shall stretch Gamaliels wordes further then he ment them and of one priuate politique action by and by publish a principle in Diuinitye and thereupon ground a generall doctrine without an especiall precept to the warrant thereof shall of the lyke examples in the scriptures gather many and marueilous inconueniences Concerning the doctrine of the first table if this example were generall by this gapp many heretickes would stirre coles in the Church and in the second tables many theues harlots and godles persons would swarue to the vtter ouerthrow of the common weale The first will not haue any man compelled to religigion therefore much lesse to be put death for the same The second is a plausible doctrine to fill the world full of theues and harlots to the confirmation whereof no honest man will once breath to the confutation euery man both by the law of nature and much more by the written word of God is bound to agrée with all possible resistaunce if he meane to kéepe a good consciēce towards God or maintayne the dutye of Charitye towardes his neighbour But because the oportunitye and the instance of this place doth séeme to enforce a word or two concerning this question by sound and straunge reasons out of holy Scripturres I will approue that a Christian magistrate both may and ought to punnish by death and otherwise those that are heretiques agaynst the fayth and blasphemers against religion 1 The Manachies Donatistes and ould Heretiques were of the opinion that all heretiques ought fréely and without punnishment professe what they listed and not be compelled to fayth but they might embrace what religion best they lyked without controulement whome S. Augustine in many places confuted shewing that a magistrate might lawfully compell heretiques to the fayth and sharpely punnish false teachers for broaching of their opinions And therefore speaking to the heretiques he sayth very well Recte faciunt imperatores Catholici qui eos cogūt ad vnitatem the Catholique Emperours doe very well when they compel heretiques to come to vnitye The first reason is taken from S. Paule who reasoneth Reason 1 from the end of the institution of the magistrate That he beareth not the sword for nought for he is the minister of God to take vengeaunce on him that doth euill Séeing then heretiques and false teachers doe euill in blaspheming the holy name of Christ after the which we are named in making a schisme amongest the people in disturbing the commē quietnes of the land wherein they liue and the state of priuate men also therefore it is not to be doubted but they may and ought to be punnished of him not onely in their wealth and goodes but in their bodyes with the losse of lyfe also Secondly God by manifest precept and commaundement Reason 2 hath prescribed how heretiques ought to be dealt withall for when they stirre vp tumultes amōg the people and drawe them from the doctrine deliuered out of the word of God which teacheth that we should haue but one God one fayth one Baptisme c. And séeing I say there be perticuler preceptes of this matter and God in his word hath commaunded that they should be slayne It can not neither is it to be thought that God hath commaunded that he hath not allowed of heretiques Therfore lawfullye may by the commaundement of God be put to death by the ciuill Magistrate Reason 3 Thirdly the Lord hath not left this vnto vs by precept onely or as a thing indifferent in the pleasure of the magistrate to chuse whether he will punnish them by death or no but he hath also hedged in this his law by example that whosoeuer shall transgresse in this behalfe shall be guiltye of a heinous transgression The man that gathered stickes on the Saboth day was slayne Godly kinges by their example haue approued the same by their continuall practise Asa put downe his owne mother from her estate because she made an Idole in a groue and he destroyed her Idols and burnt them by the brooke Kidron Iosias put downe the Chemerims he defiled Tophet he brake downe the Images and put downe the alters sacrificing the priestes of the hye places vpon them Iehoiada destroyed Baals temple brake his altar and his Images and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars Elias put to death all Baals prophets and would not let one of them escape Iehue put all Baals priestes to death Neither was this onely in the tyme of the law of Moses but after Christes assention when there was not a Christian Magistrate S. Paule made Elimas blinde S. Peter slew Ananias and Saphira because they lyed agaynst the holy ghost Lastly in the tyme of Christian Emperours namely Constantine Gratiā Valentinian Theodosius Archadius Honorius Valentinus and Martianus And many others which by waight of lawes did forbid all wicked sectes and factions contrarye to the word of god And therefore did they commaunde to all their Liuetenants Proconsuls and Presidents in all their Empires that Idolatrye should be forbiddē the temples of Idols should be shut that they should not be permitted to sacrifice in them that all the heretiques as the Manichies the Donatistes the Arians Apollinaristes and Euchians with their doctrine should not be suffered their Churches should be spared and their conuenticles forbidden That their heretical bookes should be openly burned that those which fostered them or receiued them to house should be greeuously punished and the heretiques themselues should be depriued of honours goods
founde whatsoeuer doth disquiet the buildyng vppe of Sion that we may keepe the spirit of vnitie in the bonde of peace and be but one folde vnder the shepheard Iesus Christ our Lord who blesse your Lordshyp with the fulnes of all spirituall blessinges to the honour of his name and profite of his Churche Amen Cambridge September 30. Anno. 1579. Your Lordshyps most humbly bounden William Wilkinson ¶ To the godly and Christian Reader Peace from God the Father and our Lord Iesus Christ THat which auncieÌ„t writers and learned men reporte to be the singular commendation and especiall prayse of a good Historiographer geÌ„tle Reader to coÌ„ceale nothyng of the truth for feare or to vtter any vntruth for for euill will neither yet to flatter or claw for fauour that same me thinkes is necessarily to be required of all those whiche take in hand to testifie of any matter whatsoeuer For els how should we possibly looke for truth of those men whose myndes are wedded to affections whose handes and pennes are let out for lucre and toungues let loose to testifie an vntruth who are wholy blinded with disdayne and beyng egged on with euill will haue set them selues to sale committyng whatsoeuer is vnhonest with vnsatiable greadines CoÌ„cernyng my selfe in simplicitie of hart I testifie and soleÌ„nely protest before the whole world calling God to witnesse whom I know to be a sharpe reuenger and seuere iudge agaynst those which abuse his blessed name to any vntruth agaynst myne owne soule if in this treatise I haue vttered ought for enuie or malice of those people against whose opinions my whole stile and writyng is especially directed I haue truely quoted rightly alledged and faythfully as I am hable reported whatsoeuer I haue either heard by word or read by writyng concernyng the errour of those men who terme themselues to be of the Familie of loue Whiche I haue the rather done beyng thereto required by that dutie that I owe vnto the Churche of Christ whiche is the felowshyp of the faythfull and societie of the Saintes of God â–ª as also beyng by a Christian Magistrate thereunto coÌ„maunded I could not chuse I say but I needes must testifie the truth of that whiche both I haue heard and sene which also I am ready at any tyme to auouch before any person beyng called thereunto either priuately or openly Wherein also I haue not sayd so much as I might truely and could iustly hauyng refrayned for their sakes especially which are my very frendes beyng somewhat ouertaken with the lime of that secte and are bewitched with the blyndnesse of those vnsauery opinions Concernyng my further knowledge in that Heresie I referre thee good reader vnto that which ensueth most humbly beseeching thee to blesse and further me with thy most feruent prayers as I hartly desire the promotion and furtheraunce of Gods true Religion the encrease of a true fayth in the feare of God the quietnesse of our English Church and the vtter ruine and abolishyng of all Papistry Atheisme and Hereticall sectes and Schismes whatsoeuer Cambridge Septemb. 30. Readyng certaine bookes of H.N. and conferring with certaine of that Louely Fam. I was by them requested to set downe vnto them in writyng for my further instruction those doubtes whiche either by meanes of the vnusualnesse of their Methode in writing the noueltie of their farre fetched phrases there wrong and wrested Allegories there Diuinitie not heard of or their rough â—ottyng stile I did not vnderstand I deliuered vnto them in the moneth of August 1578. those Articles which follow hereafter in this booke and desiryng earnestly to be fully satisfied in that behalfe I receiued the aunswere deliuered to the common carrier in London whiche beyng intercepted by my worshypfull frend came not into my handes vntill the third of Aprill last past Anno. 1579. The aunswere whiche I shall set downe if first I shall geue you to vnderstand what I can testifie concernyng them and their Fathers of their monstruous Hereticall opinions ¶ A brief view of the heresies and errours of HN. conteined and confuted in this treatise by pag. as herein they are to be found 1. Article HN. sayth we haue no Church 2. 2. Article HN. sayth we haue no truth 5. 3. Article HN. sayth we haue no Baptisme 11. 4. Article HN. sayth we haue no forgeuenes of sins 12. 5. Article HN. sayth we haue no Ministrie 13. 6. Article Of beyng vnited and Godded with God. 15. 7. Article What HN. sayth of him selfe and his extraordinary callyng Wherein is declared agaynst the Familie that first he was D. George his Scholer secondly he is one of the heretiques whereof Christ and his Apostles did foretell thirdly HN. agréeth with the old heretiques in sundry their heresies and opinions 20. 8. Article What is necessarily required in HN. his Disciple 34. 9. Article Of HN. his Reuelations 44. 10. Artic. Of shrift vsed in HN. his Familie 49. 11. Artic. HN. misliketh the Preachyng of the word and what he termeth it 51. 12. Artic. HN. his Iudgement of Preachers not admitted by his Familie 56. 13. Artic. HN. sayth it is lawfull for one of his Familie to dissemble 61. 14. Artic. HN. maketh God the Author of sinne and the sinner guiltes 63. 22. Articles of the Libertines 66. Theophilus Proofes confuted whereby he proueth HN. his doctrine is the truth 67. ¶ With a brief token how to know an Anabaptist gathered out of Zuinglius Bullinger and Caluin whiche declare the opinions and behauiour of Heretickes from tyme to tyme. ⧠A very brief and true description of the first springing vp of the Heresie termed The Familie of Loue which conteineth the places where and the parties by whom the sayd Heresie was broached WHoâ— as long tyme the singular mercy and leuitie of the Lorde in the happy dayes of good kyng Edward the vj. a Prince of blessed remembraunce was by the carnall profession of many and looâ—e lyfe of the greatest part abused in the end by Gods â—â—st scourge ouer England it came to passe which alwayes ensueth the contempt of so precious pearles that Amos long before Prophesied of the Epicures of Israell there followed a greuous famine not onely of bread for the comfortyng and susteinyng of the outward man but also the foode of the soule whereby our lyfe to Godward is prolonged was taken away And it was a very daungerous thyng to confesse Christ openly not onely for feare of Excommunication but for daunger of the losse of lyfe also And so farre had the Prince of darkenesse confirmed his kyngdome of ignoraunce in this worthy Iseland that the worshyppers which worshypped in spirite and truth durst not openly assemble themselues for feare of the TyraÌ„nous hatred of the Scribes and Pharisies the rest of the oiled broode of the Popishe Sinagogue They were compelled secretly to meete in priuate houses so fearefull a thyng was it for fleshe bloud to abyde the extreme fury of the Romish Baalamites which
waxed so heate and such dayly dauÌ„ger honge ouer their heades that professed the sinceritie of the Gospel So scorchyng was the flame of those most bloudy tymes that those men whoÌ„ the world was not woorthy of some of them were tryed by bondes and Imprisomnentes some of them by most bitter tormentes of Fire and Fagot such imminent and present perill abode those who professed them selues to be fauorers of Christes truth Which great distresse and calamitie draue diuers of the Children of God to wander from place to place not hauyng where they durst at any tyme rest long together In the which tyme of their continuall tossing sometymes they had ease and comfort by their feruent Prayers and by the participation of the blessed word Sacramentes they got some space to breath them agaynst that fiery triall which hourely they looked for Neither had this affliction albeit it was mighty bene so greuous if Sathan there had stayd his rage but his priuate hatred long concealed brake forth into open enmitie who beyng an old Dragon and subtle Serpent dayly raysed vp some which priuily spake peruerse thynges entanglyng the simple sorte and drawyng such weakelynges after them as they dayly met withall to be their Disciples The auÌ„cient and famous Towne of Colchester was in the troublesome tyme of Queene Maries persecution a sweete and and comfortable mother of the bodyes and a tender nourse of the soules of Gods children which towne was the rather at that tyme frequented because it aforded many godly and zealous Martyrs whiche continually with their bloud watered those seedes whiche by the preachyng of the worde had bene sowne most plentifully in the hartes of Christians in the dayes of good Kyng Edward This towne for the earnest profession of the Gospell became like vnto a Citie vpon an hill and as a candle vpon a candlesticke gaue great light to all those who for the comfort of their conscience came to conferre there from diuers places of the Realme and repairyng to common Innes had by night their Christian exercises whiche in other places could not be gotten For proofe whereof I referre the Reader vnto that whiche is truely reported by M. Foxe in his booke of Actes and Monumentes that at the kynges head in Colchester and at other Innes in the sayd Towne the afflicted Christians had set places appointed for theÌ„ selues to meete at where least Sathan should bee thought to bee idle or his venemous or deadly hatred agaynst Christes poore afflicted members should seeme to bee lesse then his open professed enmitie hee styrred vp diuers Schismaticall spirites whiche euen in that great trouble of the Church sought to be teachers of that wherof they had no vnderstandyng and thereby turned the knowledge of Gods testimonies which in many of them though it was small yet somewhat to vayne and contentious â—anglyng whereby the deare Saintes of God were not a litle disquieted at such tyme especially as some of them beyng coÌ„demned to death looked to tast of the same cup whiche had bene in full measure powred out vnto their brethren For not onely in the priuate assemblies of the godly did these spider catchers swarme together to peruert the right wayes of the Lord but also in diuers prisons in London they kept a continuall haunt where they scattered their deuilish cocle of abhominable Heresie among such as were committed for the loue of the Gospell For the testimony of the truth hereof vouchsafe good reader to read the booke of M. Foxe before alledged where hee reporteth the letter of a wicked Promoter named Thom. Tye the Popish Priest of Muchebently and Steuen Norish a false Iudas and betrayer of Gods Saintes in the tyme of their trouble where he vseth these wordes There is sayth this popish priest one Iohn Kempe and Henry Harte who is the principall of all those that are called Frewil meÌ„ for so they are termed of the Predestinators the sayd Harte hath drawen out xiij Articles to be obserued among his company and as farre as I do beleue there comes none in their brotherhode except he be sworne The other Iohn Kempe is a great trauailer abroad in Kent what his doctrine is I am not hable to say Hetherto M. Foxe And that thou mayest know the better what this Henry Harte was consider I pray thee what is reported of him Where that zealous and faythfull seruaunt of God Iohn Careles in his examination by Doctor Martin verifieth that to bee true whiche in the former place those two were burdened withall by Steuen Norish Of this Henry Harte sayth Iohn Careles it had bene good for him if he had neuer bene borne for many a simple foule hath hee shamefully seduced beguiled and deceiued with his soule Pelagian opinion both in the dayes of kyng Edward and since his departure This Harte write a Confutation of certaine Articles of Christian Religion writte by Iohn Careles and sent vnto William Tyms prisoner in the Kynges Benche The companions also of the same Henry was one M. Gibson who sought to peruert turne froÌ„ the truth xij godly ChristiaÌ„s which were Martyred Of this vngracious coÌ„pany also was one Trewe of Kente who albeit before for the truthes sake he lost his cares for perswadyng the people from goyng to Masse yet afterward happenyng into the coÌ„pany of Pelagians he became deadly enemy to good Iohn Careles as appeareth by Careles his examination whiche he with his owne hand penned before he dyed in prison as in this booke of Martyrs is to be sene at large Now if any man will demaunde what is this to the Familie agaynst whom ye purposely mynde to deale I aunswere that from this preseÌ„t yeare in the which this happened the doctrine of HN. began to pepe out and although it haue a more louely name then the Heresies of the Libertines Anabaptistes and Pellagians had yet it is to him that is disposed to see very certaine by that coÌ„parison which in this booke followeth of all the sectes that the grouÌ„d of all these Heresies were brought into England by Christopher Vitels and his complices out of Delph in Dutchland where it had bene happy for our English Church if with the first Brokers thereof they had bene buryed and forgotten Theire doctrine was then 1. The godly haue in them selues free will to do good 2. They could not away with Predestination Neither caÌ„ this Louely Family abide the most blessed and comfortable doctrine of Predestination as is apparauntly to be sene in their first Epistle to M. Rogers where they vtter this deuilish blasphemous speach Your brethren in Christ for their good faythes cause they haue in your licentious doctrine of Predestination and free election fill all the prisons almost in England But to adde somewhat which is hable by the mouth of a liuyng witnes to be iustified who in Q. Maries tyme was present at the brochyng of this doctrine by Vitels the Ioygner his testimonie
of this Family and their doctrine subscribed with his owne hand is this About the third yeare of Q. Maries raigne An. 1555. at Michaelmas or not much after I Henry Crinell of Willingham in the County of Cābridge came to the towne of Colchester where I happened into a cōmon Inne The cause of my repayre thether at that tyme was that I was desirous to prouide that my conscience should not be entangled with the Popish pitch And beyng then there I met with diuers of myne acquaintaunce as also with straungers who came thether to conferre concernyng the safetie of their conscience where William Rauen of S. Iues who came thether at that tyme with me was my bedfellow hauyng likewise fled beyng in daunger for Religion There we founde at our commyng thether one Christopher Vitels a Ioigner who so farre as I could at that tyme learne held many straunge opinions and also taught diuers pointes of doctrine scarce soūd and to me before vnheard of The which Ioigner as he thē priuily dissembled so since he hath bene noted openly for his runnyng witte and curious phantasies beyng as it seemed weary of his occupation left his craft of Ioigning and tooke vnto him a new trade of lyfe so that of a simple scholer he became a great and learned Scholemaister of the doctrine of a man who liued as he sayd beyond the seas an holy life and an vpright conuersation This man he praysed very much and reported many wonderfull thyngs of his Angellike behauiour whom afterwardes I vnderstode to be one Henry Nicholas a Mercer of Delph in Holland The especiall pointes of Hereticall doctrine that the sayd Ioigner did then and there teach were these 1. Children ought not to be Baptised vntill they come to yeares of discretion 2. He founde fault with the Letany in the booke of Common prayer set forth in King Edwardes tyme affirming that it was not the right seruice of God. 1. Because it was sayd God the Sonne redeemer of the world for sayth he Christ is not God. 2. Because it was sayd Haue mercy vpō vs miserable sinners for the godly sinne not sayth hee and therefore neede they not to vse that prayer He affirmed also that the Pope was not Antichrist but he which doth not that which Gods law commaundeth neither fulfilleth the requiring therof he is Antichrist so are there many Antichristes Furthermore at the same tyme one Iohn Barry seruaunt to M. Laurence of Barnehall in Essex came to the same Inne to reason with the Ioigner about the Diuinitie of Christ whom Vitels denied to be god After they had entred cōference Iohn Barry alledged out of the 2. chap. 5. verse of S. Paule to the Phillipiās Let the same mynde be in you which was in Christ Iesus who beyng in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God c. Yea quoth Vitels the same mynde must be in you which was in Christ the same mynde must be in you which was in Christ that there he stopped him which wordes so oftē he repeated that thereby he put Barry to silence blankt him so that he had not a word to say to the great offence of diuers but especially of ij women Gospellers which came with Barry to heare him and Vitels conferre about that matter And to say the truth Vitels babling did so astonish diuers there present and my selfe also that I was fully mynded to go to Oxford to aske coūsaile of Byshop Ridley M. Latimer cōcernyng that matter had I not met with some man to satisfie my conscience in the meane season The truth of the report of this conference I referre vnto the remembraunce of the sayd Iohn Barry him selfe if he be aliue as to others also who were present at that conflict The whiche Ioigner since that tyme wandryng vppe and downe the Countrey to visite his Disciples came to the Towne of Willingham where I dwell and sent forme to come and speake with hym at an Alehouse but I sent hym word that I would not come at hym nor haue to doe with him This is very true and so I testifie with myne owne hand By me Henry Orinell of Willingham Thus seest thou gentle Reader so much as yet hath come to my handes concernyng this matter simply set downe to the whiche if the Familie shall reply First that this belongeth nothyng vnto them I aunswere This chiefly doth concerne Vitels their Elder and chief Patriarch who is a great Doctour of their Louely secte and such Doctour such doctrine such tree such fruite c. Secondly if they shall reply that this doctrine was taught by Vitels lōg since and since by him recanted openly and vpon harty repentaunce which then he shewed he hath bene receiued into the Churche and needeth not now to be feared for teachyng of any such doctrine I aunswere albeit the Famely deny that euer he recanted yet seyng many witnesses aliue can auouch it to be true if he since haue bene sory from his hart and vppon his repentaunce be restored into the Church God make him to be a member not a molester of the Church least in the end his repentaunce proue not to be as the sorrow of Simon Magus but as Simon Peters who earnestly and with teares bewayled the deniall of his Maister to whom sith he standeth or falleth I will not iudge him the Lord make hym both to bee and to continue of the number of his children Amen ¶ Notes vpon the booke entituled Euangelium regni gathered by the Reuerend father in Christ I. Y. Byshop of Rochester with the aunswere of the Familie vnto the sayd Notes AS the Latin a is meane so is the stile or b maner of writyng darke and obscure in many places and although the Author had not set to his name yet it should seeme to be of some Friers doyng or some other that fauored the Church of Rome Aunswere of the Familie of Loue. FOr a the first part where ye take exception at the meannes of the Latin which yet perhaps ye would hardly match much lesse better it all thynges considered methinkes ye might out of reasonablenes consider that the meannes of the Latin in any worke is not any hinderaunce to a right and good matter for the more common the Latin is the easier it is to be vnderstanded of the simple Clerkes and therefore that is not worthy of note to take exception at for the single and lowly mynded respect more the intent of a matter then the florished stile or speach c. b Secondly whereas ye finde fault at the obscuritie and darcknes of the Authors writyng I might aunswere that it might séeme so much the more to be the same that it geueth forth it selfe for videl a worke procéedyng from the spirite of the Lord and therfore hard to be vnderstode of all myndes of the flesh and out of the industrious prudencie of the manly
reason or knowledge For then should they right wel vnderstand it for the world can vnderstand her owne whose wisedome maketh all men in their manly wisedome meere fooles compassing the wise in their wisedome and prouyng their thoughtes to be but vayne will therfore as S. Paule and likewise the Prophet affirmeth destroy the wisedome of the wise and reiect the vnderstandyng of the prudent For it hath ben euermore an order with the holy on s of God in the bringyng forth of the holy thynges to expresse it more out of the authoritie of the spirite and with power I meane out of the efficacie of the Lord had by their essential operation in their inwardnes thē with the entising wordes of manly wisedome that our fayth might not stand or rest grounded in the wisedome of man but in the power of God by which meanes the naturall man perceiueth not any thyng of the spirite of god Yea the thynges of God and his wisedome are mere foolishnesse vnto him And therefore he shal be founde happyer that becommeth deceiued with such a godly deceit then shall those which are borne in hand to be in a right way and a good case beyng yet in the meane tyme directed with the dreames of mans fantasie in steade of cleare truth c. Rochester THe greatest part of this boke is nothyng but a brief discourse either a rehearsall of the story of the Bible as appeareth frō the .5 chapter to the .27 .28 chapters And his collectiō is none other but such as any meanly learned may gather by diligēt readyng of the Scriptures The Familie of Loue. HOw well soeuer the greatest part of the booke bee iudged by you to be nothyng but a bare brief discours or rehearsall of the histories of the Bible whiche any meanly learned as you say might do the like yet séemeth it to me to be of greater force neither haue I euer in my tyme heard or by readyng perceiued that the greatest learned among the prudent wisenesse which rest grounded more on the litterall knowledge of the Christiā verifie then on the beyng of the same haue atchiued the like or brought the match therof to light all thyngs considered For it is not onely an euident declaration of the singular good will and operations of God towardes his creatures in respectyng and tenderyng their saluation darckly figured foorth in the Bible but also and expresse manifestation of the approchyng of tyme wherein the purpose of the Lord drawen a long and begon as the tyme state and age of the worlde would permit the same touchyng the disposing of the wicked world with her ministers and adherentes the erectyng of the righteous world to florish there ouer in vigour for euermore becōmeth as he there testifieth Full accomplished through the same seruice of God or ministrations of his loue expressed or mencioned in the same booke accordyng to the promises To the which ministration God hath chosen the Authour as he there alledgeth to be a right minister and prepared him thereto in the fourme and sorte mencioned in the head of his booke vnto which like function and holy annoyntyng no conceited Scripture learned or Doctour of the letter that I can any way marke or perceiue hath in these dayes attained or reached And whether that be a pretendyng of the Ghost or no that will well appeare and be séene in his tyme by the sequele thereof to wéete in the perseueraunce and foorth goyng of the same among and with all such as shall endure to sée the triall therof c. Rochester THe Authour doth much pretend the holy Ghost and entituleth his booke An Epistle written from the holy Ghost which is to be suspect of hygh Reuelations daungerous to deceiue the simple Familie of Loue. THis is aunswered in the Section before Rochester INtreatyng of Antichrist in the 28. chapter he teacheth no certaine doctrine who he is or where to be founde that we may know him beware of his doctrine but it seemeth altogether doubtfull in so much that the Note in the margēt sayth O that this Antechrist were knowen Whereas if the Authour would haue dealt plainly and according to the scriptures he might easly haue shewed that Rome is the seate of Antechrist And that the succession of Popes and that body and kingdome is the very Antichrist mencioned and described in the .2 Thessal 2. Apocal. 13.17 c. ¶ In the Chapter 31. 32. the Authour HN. bewrayeth him selfe to be a Papist 1. FIrst he calleth the Church of Rome the communion of all Christiās whereas it is but a particular Church fallen away from the vniuersall Church of Christ 2. Although he seemeth to cōfesse that the Church of Rome hath not that perfection of Religion whiche it had in tymes past which the Papistes do and must graunt yet he seemeth to allow and speake reuerently of all Popishe orders as they be now The Pope hee calleth the chief annoynted the chief Byshop or high Priest who hath his heyng in the most holy sanctuarie of true and perfect holynes most holy Father Next vnto him he placeth the Cardinals whom he calleth most holy and famous and hee sayth that they are next the most auncientest and holy Father the Pope in most holy Religion and vnderstandyng Next vnto Cardinals he reconeth Byshops whom he calleth chief Priestes After Byshops he nameth Curates Deacons c. After those he maketh mencion of Monkes whom he commendeth as men addicted to holynesse and separated from the world and all carnall desires But most playnly the Authour sheweth him selfe a frend to the Church of Rome saying that many through contention and discorde did cast of the Church of Rome and dyd blaspheme her with her ministeries and of their own braynes pretendyng the Scriptures haue brought in other ministeries and Religion they spoke much of the word of god Who doubteth that this is the voyce and iudgement of Papistes agaynst Protestauntes and true Christians Familie of Loue. WHere as you furthermore complayne of the insufficiencie of the expressing of Antechrist as to say who he is and where to be founde because the Authour applyeth him not to the Pope and his succession in the Church of Rome it séemeth if the matter were well looked vnto that mē should finde that Antechrist euen in the very selfe same place from whence you gather your exception flatly detected although he is not so employed to mēs contētations for if men could sée what Christ accordyng to the spirite is as he is a liuyng power of God were whereas his whole scope drift of writyng stretcheth they should then right well perceiue thereout that the man of sinne and child or broode of the Deuill and cōdemnation beyng a right aduersarie or an expresse contrary beyng vnto Christ the righteousnes of God the father and raignyng in all states of men generally Beyng fleshly Popes or other from the tyme of the declinyng
of the man from the true fayth in Christ the light of lyfe to the addictyng of him selfe to the lye or darcknes or euer such tyme as they become conuerted to their God and are regenerated in the spirite of their mynde is the greatest Antichrist which also frō the very begynnyng as likewise in the very corporall appearaunce of Christ in the flesh like as S. Iohn also expresseth impugne it and persecute it in the truth of God and that in the inwardnesse of the man to the establishyng of all vnrighteousnesse in him and not onely a certaine disordred or abused Papistrie yea or euer the Papistrie was thought of which no Pope also or such outward fleshly creature could or can euer worke or bryng to passe And therefore deceiue not your selfe in the point to iudge the Author to be a maintainer of any fleshly or creature like Pope with his adherentes in their abusion of Ceremoniall seruices Ceremonies but he driueth his matter onely as in his worke beyng well noted you may sée to this point to wit that after the entraunce of the darknesse once chaunced the manly generations beyng falne away from the fayth towardes God which was established by Christ in his Apostles and Disciples the old Fathers grew out of a zealousnes of the mynde towardes God and his righteousnesse to institute certaine Ceremonies and seruices so neare as they could out of their insight and comprehendyng that they by their diligent study and searchyng of the Scriptures had attained vnto concerning Gods truth hit the same that resembled or were conformablest to the holy and diuine Scriptures to a commemoration of the thyngs wrought and brought to passe before with Christ and his holynes in the very true beyng to the susteinyng and staying vp of the ignoraunt people in the tyme of darknes from fallyng into any greater absurdities enormities and errours that might haue happened vnto thē and which also did happen vnto many such as maliciously and obstinately not rightly seyng but rather in meanyng to set vp some better degressed and winded of them selues there from and maliciously blasphemed and continewed the same tell that the light of Gods truth might spryng foorth agayne or be erected in the seruice of the loue accordyng to the promises and goeth not about to establish the same in and of their ceremoniall much lesse abused seruice and Ceremonies where about men presently so greatly striue and varie now in this present tyme of the light of loue whiche he affirmeth to be the day of the cleare righteous iudgemēt of God wherein god will restore all thynges to their right to wit bryng or set the lye in his lying beyng to be condemned in the hellish caue and the truth likewise in his right fourme or degrée to wit to preuayle florish and beare sway ouer the vnrighteousnes for euer more Whereby that the will of God might euē so be accomplished in earth as in heauen Wherefore me thinkes that should be very small discernyng in such as can not distinct the shadowes figures or image of a thyng from the body it selfe or the very true beyng either substaunce of the same And that he speaketh of mens ignoraunce in that place and touchyng their slender knowledge vnderstandyng in Gods worde that layeth he forth flatly to the effectuall word and not the imagelike or written word wherein the right Christians are not iniuried but the conceited Christians detected Rochester THe rest of the booke from the 34. Chapter vnto the end is of the callyng of the Gentiles and of the grace of God offred to the world in the last age of the world which seemeth to be the best part of that booke Familie of Loue. IT is well that ye like some part of the booke and if ye could therewithall note that there were a defectiō frō the truth and that there were also by that meanes no difference to bee had betwixt a ceremoniall either letter doctour Christian and an vncircumcised Heathen so had ye then somewhat for your part Rochester THus haue you a tast of this booke gathered as the tyme would serue whereby it appeareth to be no such precious price of worke as of some it is supposed to be Such fayre shewes and glorious titles may soone deceiue the simple to haue such bookes in more admiration then the holy Scriptures But we haue Moses and the Prophetes let vs heare them and iudge all others by them Family of Loue. I do not so collect by the authors wrighting that he would prefer his writing aboue the scriptures geuen by inspiration of God and brought forth and written by the holy Fathers in times past But if you had well marked or considered the same he witnesseth as by a concordable and vniforme testimonye either by record of the same their writynges what the Lord will now accomplish in these last dayes wishing euery one in the same booke to search the Scriptures whether that they also mētion and record not the very same affirmyng also therewith that God is not ne cannot be a God of contentatiō but of peace vnitie And that God moreouer hath stirred him vp to bee a seruiceable instrument or as his elect minister to bryng downe accordyng to his promises written in the Scriptures all controuersies growne among men about their misunderstanding of the scriptures to bryng the same to an end And doth also in the same booke vncouer sundry secret thinges which they that haue seing eyes may by ententiue reading of the same together with the Lordes assistaunce well perceiue and vnderstand that no selfewise or enuious scripture learned could or can euer attaine vnto it agayne What iniurie were it seing that it procedeth by the same spirite to valew it equall with those same sacred scriptures that were tofore written by the holy one of God. Also ye may remember that the fleshly Iewes had also for their aunswere to Christ enuying agaynst him being the truth it selfe the same testimonye that ye alledge to wéete that they had Moses and the Prophets c But who were in the meane time greater persecutours of him then they Rochester WE are sure that the holy Scriptures were wrighten by the spirite of Loue and truth the holy ghost And conteine all true and necessary and sufficient doctrine for our saluation let vs not hould vpon men proue all thinges hould that which is good beleue not euery spirite but proue the spirites Family of Loue. I Graunt that right discerning is good and commeth from the Lord and through him from them whome he and not themselues placeth and by them that are set in the right place of iudgement by the Lord himselfe and not by those that sitt on their owne stoole for it is to be doubted that so many as take vpon them that office of iudgemēt or medling with gods matters or euer Christ be come vnto them or haue a liuing shape in them that they all will
Church for his mother The Church is Noahs Arke out of the which he that is must néedes be drowned Christianus non est qui in Christi ecclesia non est sayth Cyprian He is not a Christiā which is not of the Church of Christ They be Antichristes which goe out of the Church and deale agaynst the Church The which Church of Christ if your Family be Shew me out of the scriptures these markes wherby the Church ought to be knowen this if you can truely doe I confesse that you haue the Church if ye cannot beware least the further ye wander from the shepfold the further ye goe astray from Christ and encrease you owne damnation Therefore loke well to your standing The doctrine is very true yet the place quoted by HN Fol 16. sent 38. out of S. Iude to proue it is very impertinent hauing no such proofe in it as he alledgeth it for For how hangeth this reason together God hath reserued vnto the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their owne habitation euerlasting chaines vnder darknes vnto the iudgement of the great day which S. Peter calleth their damnation Therefore he that turneth away from the comminalty of Loue which as you tearme is the Church of God bringeth euen so ouer himselfe the iudgement of his condemnation But it were hartely to be wished that his fault in abusing Scripture were the least which in the eyes of God is damnable so should not his cancred and poysoned Heresies besides his owne guilt draw with them likewise the soules of those that stumble vpon him And thus much for HN his text Now to Theophilus exposition Theophilus YOu say that this clause It is the hill of the Lord is spoken of the loue it selfe and not of the familie W. Wilkinson THen belike you would haue me take your meanyng to be this The loue the is God ye say for so in the next clause ye expound it is the hill of the Lord whereon his Church is builded What a perplexitie of speach is this the ye can not vtter your mynde so the I may vnderstand ye If you meane the God is onely the foūdation of his Church I graunt yet hath not your Paraphrasis vpon HN. his wordes as yet forced thus much Ergo God is the foundation of your Loue Familie Ye take in hād to explicate HN. his meanyng but the old Prouerbe will still belike be true An euill expositor marreth the text For herein you do but rayse dust with your shufflyng tell vs there is a marke if we could sée it when ye haue dimmed it with a darke exposition so that it can not be sene For in my simple iudgement you leaue the wordes very doubtfull For whereas you make a circumloqution and say it may not bee denied for as much as God is loue and the other must consequently or necessarily follow I vnderstand HN. very well when he sayth God is loue it is very true and therefore I take it that in diuers places he vseth this diffuse terme the loue for the Lord our God as a worde that is equiualente of signification But whereas you say the other must consequently or necessarily follow I vnderstand not yet what you meane for it is as though ye bad me looke stedfastly and yet shut myne eyes For what is the other which you adde Is the sence this the Familie of Loue by you pretended is Gods Church that God is the grounde of that your Familie Geue me leaue to vse your own wordes neither is the consequent good nor doth it follow of necessitie for which you induce it For to let passe your learned and weightie Parenthesis for how is an house to be builded on an house with a sad interrogatorie ministred in the same what a necessarie consequēt is this God is the hill of the Lord or this God is the foundation of his Church Ergo your pretended Familie is the Church of god How this consequent doth halte in his followyng he that knoweth what a consequent meaneth can easely consider But it séemeth that you are no great gatherer of necessary consequentes albeit ye iumbling stumbled on these wordes To follow consequently or necessarily vnwares But if hereafter vppon a further deliberation by you had you shall enforce your consequent more necessarily I shall hit on your meanyng the better so shape you a fitter aunswere And thus much of the first Article An addition to the first Article out of HN. THe Familie and cōmunaltie of the same house vid. of the loue is Gods chosen people of Israell and he him selfe with them is Ierem. 24. a. 31. d. Ezech. 27. c. Apoc. 21. a. their God and will likewise bide their God from generation to generation euerlastingly And if they chaunce to transgresse in any thing God will then 1. Chron. 3. chastē teach and informe them but he will no more withdraw his grace and mercy frō them Psal. 89. c.d. For God hath chosen none other house nor Ierem. 7. b. Temple but 1. Cor. 3. b. c. 2. Cor. 6. b. c. the godly childrē or Communialtie of loue For the F. of L. is the mercy seate of the loue that is of the Lord the schole of grace Exhor Cap. 12.44 Heb. 5. a. The rest prepared from the beginnyng for the people of God and all repentaunt persons It is the Sion and Ierusalem from whence the law was prophesied Esay 2. Mich. 4. to come The Familie of Loue is the true tabernacle of God which shall in all perfection be euerlastingly vpon earth For so it hath pleased God to the end that his will and iudgemēt of his righteousnes may be done vpō earth as it is in heauen Math. 6. Luke 11. All prophesies ministratiōs which are gone from God doe tend or lead to the Familie of Loue as to an euerlasting very true perfect good most holy seruice of the loue that is the Lord which shall remaine in the same clearenes in his ministery euerlastingly to the end that the same most holy Prophet good frō henceforth might perpetually be declared vpon earth W. Wilkinson THese haue I good Reader put downe as a tast that thou mightest bee somewhat acquainted with their horrible blasphemies and thereby thou knowyng them mightest more carefully eschew and auoide them ARTICLE 2. HN. No truth HN sayth that he can not perceiue nor find the true belief in Iesus Christ amongest any people vpon earth that walke without the Communialtie of loue and liue vnto them selues and that same is appeared and manifested vnto the holy ones of God in the Communialtie 1. Iohn 1.3 a. of the loue through the appearyng Mat. 25.3 d. Act. 1.11 d. of the comming of Iesus Christ out of the most high heauen So can not likewise the same most holy belief become rightly witnessed or confessed by any other people nation or communialities but onely by the 1. Cor. 12. a.
this long tyme borne their schollers in hand and others whome they séeke to seduce nay doe they not now at this instant perswade the simple that Henrye Nicolas and Christofer Vitels are no such men as they are bruted amōgest the people The lyke is reported by Iosias Simlerus in his Epistle prefixed before M. Bullengers booke agaynst the Anabaptistes Of the Anabaptistes themselues whom he sayth fly open conference and créeping from house and seduce the simple M. Huldrich Zuinglius in the same wordes doth vtter the same sence of the Catabaptistes of his tyme which sayth he priuily spread abroad their bookes in the handes of their owne sectaries Whereas when Christ taught any thing he came first into the Sinagogue priuilye sayth our Sauiour I haue sayd nothing The Apostles in semblable maner whē they preached any thing they came to the temple and when the hye priestes called them and commaunded them to silence committed them to prison the Aungell of the Lord sayd vnto them goe your way and stand in the temple and speake vnto the people c. Furthermore S. Paule comming vnto Antiochia on the Sabboth day he went into the Sinagogue and being at Athens when he saw the whole Citie geuen to Idolatrye openly in the market place he disputed with the Epicures and Stoick Philosophers and such as he met and Standing in the middest of the Mars streate he openly inueighed agaynst the superstitiō of that worthy Citye and Vniuersitye euen to the faces of the greatest Clerkes and wisest men or naturall light I meane in all the world besides Neither was S. Paule affraid of all their learning and countenaunce but boldly hee preached vnto them the vnknowen God and the resurrection from the dead vnto whome how vnlyke our Familyes are in zeale of profession I leaue to the whole world that knoweth them to iudge and their owne consciences to testifie For whether in the teaching of their doctrine and in the defending of the same they are lykest to the auncient Anabaptistes and to the ould heretiques and vnto S. Paule the Apostle this one coullor wherby we sée a schismatique discribed can sufficiently testifie For if the doctrine secretly taught by those who are termed the Famlye of Loue be such a truth and grounded vpon such inuincible profes as they in euery corner vse to bragge of why follow they not that course which the sonne of God by his example shaped forth vnto them that is euen in the presence of the ciuill and spirituall Magistrate in the chiefest Citye of the Realme and that in the concourse and greatest assēblies of the people why doe they not before them that openly blame them and in sermōs publiquely confute them protesting the truth of HN. his bookes openly at Paules crosse Nay being at Paules Crosse for their fantasticall opinions why doe they deny them and renounce them with detestation openly But herein did the Anabaptistes deale more orderly then our Fam. in England For they procured an open conference and disputation to be had in the presence of the Maiestrate thereby to testifie their schisme to be truth but our Fam. are so far from procuring an open that dare not abide a priuate conference if they be therevnto vrged by any man priuately without witnes whereby they indéede betray their sect to be but a scisme and shew how far vnlyke they are herein vnto the olde Prophets and Apostles of the Primatiue Church 2. Token of an heretique out of Scripture THe second note of an heretique saith S. Paule is this that those which sowe the corrupt séede of such erroneous doctrine as schismatiques most commōly doe they become vaine ianglers desirous to teach yet vnderstād not what they speake nor whereof they affirme Whereby it is geuē to vnderstād that they who in S. Paule his tyme began to sowe such séede were but simple men and in knowledge very base in that they toke in hand to dispute they wot not what and maintain that which they had no skill of Such in times past were heretiques and such as thought it a glorious and glittering thing in the sight of the world to set abroad straunge opinions that they onely might cary away the prick and prise not hauing so much as the emptye caske smalest smacke of learning And so alwayes hath it falne out that those partyes which first taught heresies were least able to defend them tel by little and little they gathered strength Sometyme vaine heades being not altogether vnlearned tooke part with them and vnhapely labored to perfect that which was vngratiously begone The chief of the Anabaptistes in Germanie were men silly for their wits rather to be pittied for their follie thē enuied for their knowledge Which being weary of their seuerall craftes and occupations sought by a more easie trade to get their liuyng And beyng of meane and illiberall sciences sought in the profession and interpretation of the word to shoulder and out face the Preachers therof with reprochfull tauntes and scoffes vntollerable such was Cnipper Dollyng and Iohn a Leid beyng a Boatcher HN. was a Mercer in Amsterdam and those who are yet alyue both in Emdene and London els where who haue kept him company and knew him very wel affirme that his knowledge was but small neither was he expert in any toung saue his owne Dutch toūg onely neither was he euer trayned vp in any liberall Art or had commendation for his learnyng Vitels was a Ioyner and if his learnyng was so singular as his frendes affirme it is lyke that he came by it rather by Reuelatiō thē by the ordinary meanes of study There is a T. in Cambridgeshyre who was Vitelles companion who was a flat Arrian as by his owne hand I am able to auouch and before men of worshyp Anno. 1574. March. 24. in Cābridge denyed Christ to be God equal with his father 2. He said that childrē are not by nature sinfull neither ought to be Baptised tell yeares of discretion 3. The Regenerate sinne not 4. S. Paule his Epistles be not to be more accompted of then the letters of priuate men This man beyng then a flat Arrian since once recanted his errour and secondly is falne into the same opinion His name is W. H. of B. perhaps vnto the Family he is not vnknowen for that Vitels had sometymes lodged in his house and hee vseth to conferre with them concernyng their opinions this man would séeme in the company of simple mē to be very learned and they that haue talked with him affirme that he hath many wordes but small wisedome beyng of a wealthy occupation but smal in wit and might be better occupyed to learne the first principles of Gods feare and him selfe bee instructed before he teach that which he hath no skill of And so is it with the chief Elders of our Louely Fraternitie some of them be Weauers some Basketmakers some Musitians some Botlemakers and
are sayd to be of that Fam shall most assuredly affirme my assertion to be true For diuers of theÌ„ haue priuely whispered abroad in the eares of the simple as also with some men of wealth who theÌ„selues haue tould it me and are ready to testifie the thing it selfe to be true that they of the Familye haue disuaded and dehorted some not to put their sonnes to schole or vniuersitye for that simple wrighting and reading say they is sufficient for a Christian without any further knowledge of the Latine or Greeke tongues or any other facultye of learning whatsoeuer So that by this meanes they seeke to discredit learning to deface the learned and to strengthen ignoraunce to be the hye way vnto true deuotion and to aduaunce the glory of God which is flat Poperye so that thereby they labour to put out the eyes of this land the Vniuersityes I meane the vtilitye whereof as it is vnspeakeable for that froÌ„ them come the most skilfull stearesmen to gouerne both the state ecclesiasticall and ciuill in this land so also is the antiquitie of such kinde of discipline and good nurture of youth most auntient and in sondrye places of Scripture commended and confirmed by the worde of God and so hauing troden vnderfote this most precious orchards of the Lord they might not onely runne vncontrouled but also bring the commen wealth vnto that estate that the Anabaptistes brought the frée Cityes of Germany vnto in the tyme of their seditious tumult and vnfaythfull rebellion But for a playner and euidenter profe I desire thée geÌ„tle reader But thée especially which art haplesly gratious with that graceles company to marke diligently thou shalt sée it to be true the very few of the Fami or none at all be furtherers of learning or fauorers of learned men much lesse doe they traine vp their children in the knowledge of the liberall sciences either in the commen scholes of this realme or in the vniuersities to the robbing both of Gods Church the common wealth of many a toward wit being also vtterly vnthankfull to the florishing state and peaceable gouernement of this noble realme wherein they might vse all meanes possible to further and promote the glorye of Ged and also discharge some part of the debt wherein they are bound to the countrye wherein they were bred and brought vp Furthermore it is to be vnderstode that if this first steine of the 8. Article concerning the renouncing of knowledge by the disciples of the Familye be thus to be expounded that no man ought to seeke neither can attaine vnto any knowledge but onely those which be spirituallye minded and regenerated standing wholye subiect vnto their Familye of Loue which is taught by the bookes of HN. then doth the Familye accuse all the churches in England the perticuler congregations of the faythfull I meane yea the generall and visible Church in EnglaÌ„d to be vnrenued in spirite and vnregenerate for that the visible and generall Church of England neither hath nor now doth allow the sect and schisme of the Fami of vnregeneration For that they affirme they know nothing before they new birth quoting for profe Iohn 3. a. Except ye be borne agayne of water and the holy ghost ye cannot enter into the kingdome of God. Thus couertly they affirme that there is no truth taught in the Church of England which is the second Article wherewith I charge HN. in this boke pag. 23. he auoucheth here to be true and that we haue nothing but a literall not hauing yet attained vnto the experimentall knowledge wherof he dreameth So that first they acknowledge no truth without their Fami secondly he that is not regenerate can not speake the trueth c Herein then was HN. much ouerséene that whilest he would faine haue his sect to be some singuler thing he put no difference at all betwixt the knowledge of the learned and the blindnes of the ignoraunt but either of them alike which came to be made frée of his sect and incorporated into his Fami and had a longing to be instructed by him must equally cast of and renounce all their learning and knowledge whatsoeuer albeit they had studied sore and swet not a little for it before they could obtaine it So that betwixt the well practised and expert man in the holy word and those which be simple and playne men which neuer hard if there were any such thing as men vse to call learning there is no great difference but all is one wherein a man of meane witte may easely perceiue that at the fist entring into HN. his schole HN. maketh all his schollers to be a lyke and equall towardnes placing theÌ„ all in one fourme to learne one lesson wherein it had ben well if for his credit sake he had vsed a further forecast and more sober discretion The reason and Argument wherby HN. would fayne perswade vs that we should know and vnderstand more then we do if we would suspect our knowledge and confesse it to be lesse and that beyng wholly naked of our owne skill whiche we haue learned out of the word of God we might be warmely clad with his excéeding learnyng and so stand single myndedly obedient vnto his documentable Sentences it is the same Sillogisme and seducyng fallations wherewith the Deuill beyng a subtill Sophister beguiled and blynded our graundmother Eue in Paradise That is if he would forgoe that measure of knowledge which God had bestowed vpoÌ„ her and if she would be indued with a more excellent knowledge of good and euill she might easely attayne thereunto by eatyng the forbidden fruite and breakyng the expresse commaundement which she confessed she had receaued from the mouth of God. This then is the iudgemeÌ„t of HN. that we should abiure recant all such knowledge of the word of God as we haue already learned out of the word take vnto vs such glosing ExpositioÌ„s as he would teach vs So that we should be alwayes learning but neuer attainyng vnto the truth contrary to the doctrine of S. Peter which sayth That we haue a most sure word of the Prophetes to the whiche if ye shall take heede ye shall doe well And S. Paule sayth we must not bee as children waueryng and caryed about with euery winde of doctrine nor as cloudes caryed about of wyndes nor as vnstable mynded men whiche are vnconstant in all their wayes but we should be grounded and rooted in the truth holdyng the mistery of fayth in a pure conscience knowyng that if the Heathen writer onely indued with the light which God gaue him naturally without the knowledge of his word could say Cognita iudicio constant incognita casu That is that which we know to be true it is vndoubtedly to be embraced but thynges vnknowne proue true but vpon aduenture therfore ought we not to forgoe the one to finde the other for if we waâ—e indifferent whether we kept
did not bow to heare him nor vouchsafe him pardō will Theophilus say that he is giltles for beyng condemned for that transgression So may it be sayd of Caine before he committed that horrible murther the Lord did not onely frowne vppon him but gaue him likewise a watchword that if he stayd not his furie there was a punishment prepared for him and the continuall torment of conscience should not departe from him Dare Theophilus affirme that now seyng the Lord stayd not his hand from heauen in the staying of his brother is God therefore guiltie of that murther as well as Caine because the tongues of them that teach false doctrine are not rent out of the mouthes of heretiques and those that defile the Lordes Priesthode are not plagued is God not iust yes Theophilus God will recōpence the slownes of his punishment with the waight therof our God shall come and not stay for euer looke you therfore before hand to your standyng that ye be not cast out of the holy Citie and haue your part with those that wepe eternally And thus much to your Articles and aunsweres The summe of the opinions of cercertaine Libertines 1 FIrst they affirme that the preaching of the word is not the ordinarye meanes to come to the knowledge of the worde but by reason 2 Secōdly that no man which is faulty himselfe can preach the truth to others 3 Those preachers which doe take in hand to preach the word of God before man be regenerate doe take the office of the holy Ghost out of his hand 4 Those that be doctors and learned can not preach the word truely their reason is because Christ sayth it is hidden from the wise and prudēt and is reueiled to sucklinges and babes 5 There is no deuill but suche as the painters make 6 They which haue the spirite of God know all thinges 7 That we ought not to geue our almes to beggers for that they liue in the consumablenes and that there was no begger in Israell 8 Mariage is a sacrament and wonderfull speculation 9 That there were misteries and great speculations in the Masse if they could be attained vnto and that it was a God seruice 10 Also the seruice that we haue taken for a gods seruice is not so and in so taking it both they and we are deceiued 11 That Adam did not sinne at all their reason is Adam did not sinne but the woman 12 There is no man Gods childe but he that can shew his Pedigrue 13 The martyrs in Q. Maryes dayes ought not so to haue died for in so dying they distroyed the temples of God. 14 That whosoeuer hath Gods Spirite can not sinne and that the Prophet Dauid did not sinne after that tyme he had receiued the holy Ghost 15 That a man ought not to wearie his bodye in trauaile and labour For say they the holy ghost will not tarye in a body that is wearie and yrksame 16 Where there is any contention there is not the spirite of God for say they the spirite is not deuided 17 That the witch which raysed vp the deuill in the lykenes of Samuell was no witch but the wisedome of God and the spirit that she raysed vp was Samuell himselfe 18 That Adam was the sonne of God otherwise then by creation 19 That there be many bookes besides the Bible which Esdras speaketh of should be reuealed and come abroad before the end 20 That the Bible is not the word of God but a signification thereof and that the Bible is but ynk and paper but the word of God is spirite and lyfe 21 That they may not speake the truth bouldly and openly because the truth will not be heard 22 That there are Some which now are liuing which doe fulfill the Law in all pointes William Wilkinson ALbeit there be diuers of these Articles which I haue not read expressiuely in their bookes yet haue they ben confessed by them in conference as it may be proued by the testimonye of thē which haue talked with them vnto the which Articles exhibited at the same time with the former of HN. Theophilus aunswereth in maner as followeth Theophilus NOw forth for your conclusion that you make vpō the 22. forged articles which you terme the opiniōs of the Libertines and you would faine father thē on the Family of Loue vpon the testimony of some priuate conference had by some of that company as you say with such as are as ready as your selfe for to maintayne their lye and yet shame not therein Therfore it is briefly sayd whatsoeuer accordeth not with the scriptures of God therein that same may well be the opinion of the Libertines Whose God is their bellie whose glory is their shame and rest worldy minded Which also with vncircumcised and vnrenewed spightfull minded hartes and all euill dedednes as in contempt of his word persecuting of his chosen following of the fleshly lustes forsaking of his crosse seeking all ease in the flesh by lying and slaundering of his worde and his chosen flock doe seeke to honour the God of lyfe in maintayning of the contrary nature the kingdome of Gods aduersary the deuill to serue and worship the Christ of the same God by maintayning of the lyfe of Antichrist To reuerence his holy spirite by the vpholding of the Belialish spirite of Antechrist but surely none of the right professours of the Loue can in any wise maintayne any such errors as some of them be Therefore in some point Theophilus is a Libertine and so is the Fam. also And by the way it is much to be maruailed at that any such which take vpon them to professe the Christianitye can with such vehemencie contemne the loue of God and her louely ministration whilest that all the Scripture enfouldeth all good and the some of all what God and Christ requireth in his word therein Vnles it were to be graunted that the enviers thereof are vtterly ignoraunt in that which they professe Therfore let this professed Loue vowed by the Familye of Loue be proued a false and counterfaite Loue by some euil fruites or deedes that are in testimonye of truth and meekenes and not by lye and arrogancye And eke by the rule of Scripture to breake forth and be gathered thereout or els if better may be found to be proued by lyke effect let it in peace be allowed to dwell by and with you Least ye procure by such a continuall inueying agaynst God his righteousnes God his seuere wrath and indignation to fall without remedie ouer you For it is all in vaine to kick agaynst the pricke or striue agaynst the Lord for if it be out of the flesh and bloud it will surely goe vnder or faile and spare you much labour but being done by the finger of God small will be your preuailing and much lesse your reward c. W. Wilkinson THis whole speach of Theophilus may for orders sake
day of Iudgement was at hand Cap. 2. Of free brethren oâ— groâ—â—â— and impure Anabaptistes 1. They had as they theÌ„ selues affirmed fleshly knowledge either of other 2. They sayd Christ made them frée from all lawes 3. They might haue no landes nor pay tithes or obedience or subiection to any man. 4. They had communitie of all thinges Cap. 4. Of Libertine Anabaptistes 1. They grauÌ„ted that othes Magistracie and Baptisme might indifferently be vsed or not be vsed 2. They passed not for Scripture for say they we are all taught of God. 3. They sayd Sacramentes were néedeles for the fayth full hauyng the thyng signified vz. the holy Ghost néeded not the outward signe of water 4. They sayd it was frée for them in persecution either to confesse or dissemble their Religion 5. They sayd it is sufficieÌ„t for them to kéepe their harts cleane although they do cleane coÌ„trary in their déedes 6. No man say they ought to put him selfe in dauÌ„ger for his fayth for God is not pleasured by any maÌ„s death neither wil he haue any man leaue his wife childreÌ„ 7. For their quietnes sake they say they may coÌ„forme them selues to the Religion of any people among whom they lyue And of this iudgemeÌ„t said M. Bulling was the beast Dauid George and this is the most pestilent sect of all others Cap. 6. Of the sect of the Hutties They thought they were the Israelites bodely They had terrible dreames and visions They saw in their dreames that domes day was at hand therfore spent their goodes rioteously In continuaunce of tyme when all was wasted they professed wâ—â—full pouertie Cap. 7. Of the sect of the Augustines of Augustine a Bohemian THey sayd that heauen is was and shal be shut vntill the day of Iudgement They thought that neither the good were in heauen nor the wicked in hell vntill the day of Iudgement but they were put in seuerall places which places are vnto vs vnknowne Cap. 8. Of the Anabaptistes of Munster 1. THey inueyed agaynst all excellencie wealth and honour 2. They despised and spake agaynst the Magistrate 3. They despised the world and worldly thynges 4. Their talke was wholy of the mortifying of the old maÌ„ Cap. 13. Melchior HoffmaÌ„ an Archheretique and an Anabaptist and his sectaries affirmed 1. THat the Baptisme of infantes was of the deuill 2. That Christ tooke not flesh of the virgin Mary 3. That our saluation is of our selues 4. That there is no hope of pardon for those which fall away after they haue receiued the grace of God. Cap. 14. Of the heresie of Dauid George 1. DAuid George affirmed that all the doctrine giueÌ„ vs from godly Moses Christ and the Prophets and Apostles is vnperfect vnprofitable to saluation but sayd that his heresie is perfectly profitable vnto lyfe euerlastyng 2. Dauid George sayth he is Christ and the Messias the beloued sonne of God borne not of the flesh but of the spirite 3. Dauid George sayd he will restore the house or Israell and the tribe of Leuie 4. Dauid George sayth it is he that must forgeue sinnes 4. Libertines 1. THey sayd God made the sinne of Cain and Iudas 2. They denyed the Resurrection and sayd it was spirituall 3. They sayd the deuils all the wicked should be saued 4. They sayd the old Testament is abrogate 3. Booke 1. Chap. THe Anabaptistes withdraw themselues from their Churches and Ministers cap. 2. your Ministers line not well say the Anabaptistes therefore your Church is not the true Church The Anabaptistes in ioyning to the Churches where the Gospell hath with much labour bene preached there they stirre vp tumultes They say the Ministers are not rightly called Chap. 6. Anabaptistes reasons why they refuse to come to Church 1 THe Ministers refuse and depart from Christes doctrine 2 No man ought to be compelled to fayth 3 Ye resist euill and Moyses sword should not defend doctrine but Christes 4 Your Ministers liue not as they teach Ergo their doctrine is vntrue 4. Booke 3. Chapter THe Anabaptistes say we may fulfill the law They affirme they are not heard as they ought to be vz. openly and as the law requireth and Nichodemus Reason 1 counsaileth and yet not one of theÌ„ dare once professe their doctrine openly They quoted much scripture Wée ought not say they be compelled to Religion Reason 2 It is not lawfull to defeÌ„d Religion by the ciuill sword Reason 3 For Christ sayd resist not euill The preachers rayled on them and delt vncharitably Reason 4 with them yet were they the most scoffers of all others No man say they ought to be put to death for ReligioÌ„ Reason 5 but be excommunicated onely for excommunication is the last punishment of the holy Ghost They rayled on the Lordes supper and sayd it was Reason 6 no sacrament they sayd they might not companye with any but of their owne sect other they sayd are wicked They affirmed none ought to be baptized but they Reason 7 which are of age which can professe their fayth and yet for profe hereof they quote no scripture Yf any of the Gospellers lyue godly they call him an Anabaptist The reprochfull tauntes of the Anabaptistes Lutherans Fol. 254. False and carnall Gospellers 255. errors and vnskilfulnes of preachers 256. Succeders of the Pharesies 256. Hipocrites blind guides Fooles blind serpents Generations of vipers 257. fellowes of theues whome Dauid maketh mention of Psal. 50. They say we hate theÌ„ because they would lyue without sinne They say we may kéepe the law to the profe whereof they abuse much scripture The preachers say the Anabaptistes would haue vs professe openly because they would haue the Magistrate persecute vs. FINIS ex Bullingero Out of Caluin agaynst the Anabaptistes THey say that they ought not to receiue the Lordes Supper where there is no true excommunication They say they may not participate in the sacraments with any man whome they know to be wicked Catharistes Donatistes and Anabaptistes séeke a Church without spot The Anabaptistes say no man that is minister may haue a certayne charge alledging for profe the Apostles example Out of Caluin agaynst the Libertines THe sect of the Libertines is that sect which S. Peter and S. Iude foretould The whole speach of the Libertines is in such strauÌ„ge kinde of stile that those which heare them at the first doe wonder at them and so dealt Marcion in the hatching of his heresie The Libertines denied the resurrection The Libertines were deuided into orders of men The first sort were called blessed ones which wheÌ„ they vsed their office in purging their religion they were termed Puritanes Secondly there were ij kindes of their disciples the first they vnto whome they did reueale their misteries of their sect and them they termed Elected ones Others whome they a far of by little and litle made acquainted with their heresie they termed Hearers In the
and also of diuers Reasons of the Familie beyng mere hereticall beyng set down in this end of the booke might hereafter when they shall here any of the Familie slide into any of these affirmations know whence such speaches haue bene learned and auoyde them gentle reader the Lord geue thée vnderstāding in all thinges and lighten all thy wayes by the candle of his word that the day star arising in thy hart thou maiest grow to a further knowledge of the Lord with a feruent desire to doe his will and to liue to learne and learne to lyue to tread the steppes of Gods sonne and to dye his seruaunt He this graunt vnto thée who hath geuen himselfe for thée to whome be eternall prayse power and glorye Amen Tim. 4. chap. 6. vers 87. YF thou put thy bretheren in remembraunce of these thinges thou shalt be a good Minister of Christ which hast bene nourished vp in the wordes of fayth and of good doctrine which thou hast continuallye followed But cast away profane and ould wiues Fables and exercise thy selfe vnto godlines So be it FINIS Cantic 2.15 Ezech. 13.4 Esay 5.1 Ionas 4.7 Math. 13.24.25 Act. 20.28 Heb. 13.17 Math. 24.24 Math. 13.25 Math. 7.15 1. Pet. 5.8 2. Cor. 11.14 The cause of heresie is want of preachyng Math. 22.29 Rom. 10.14 Esay 29.9 Ierem. 23.2 Zach. 11.17 Ierem. 50.6 Esay 56.10 Math. 15.14 HN. his heresie mingled of all heresies 2. Pet. 2.1.2 Iude. 12. Amos. 8.11.12 Math. 4.4 Prou. 29.18 First Edition pag. 606. A. Pag. 1605. * This Kempe is now liuing and is preacher in the Yle of wight and is by this popish priest slaūdered the sayd Kemp being a very Godly man read M. Fox his last booke pag. 1976. Where he rehearseth Kemps story at large M. Fox reporteth his most godly Christian doctrine Pag. 1976. a. Pag. 1530. H. Harte a peruerse heretique M. Fox pag. 1531. Predestination blasphemed by the Fam. Vitels doctrine in Queene Maries tyme at Colchester 1. Infantes not to be Baptised 2. Kyng Edwardes booke not Gods seruice 3. Christ not God. 4. The godly sinne not 5. The Pope no Antichrist Vitels denyed that Christ is God. Obiectiō of the Familie Aunswere Vitels some tymes an Arriā God graunt he now be sounde in that point Actes 8.24 Math. 26.75 Generaly HN. his Euangelye is to be mislyked for Odious comparison of the Fam. Fam. maketh Gods word hard to be vnderstode so doe the Papistes contrary to the scripture Prou. 8.8.9 Psalme 19.7.8 All without the Fam. fleshly and worldly minded Vntruth for the Prophet Esay and the rest are very eloquent All without the Fam. directed with dreames of mans fantasie No booke of any wrighter like HN. his Euangelye HN. his Euangelie in Exposition of darke figures in the Bible No learned mā in these dayes like HN. HN. a Papist Chap. 31. Chap. 31. sent 4 Christ what he is according to the Familie Antichrist nothing but sinne according to the Fam. Two kyndes of Gods worde after HN. his Familie Luke 16.28 A notable vntruth for HN. no where in his bookes doth wish mē to read the Scriptures Horrible blasphemie HN. his booke of Euangelie made equall with the word of God. Ephe. 5.21 1. Iohn 4.1 No man may iudge of doctrine but the Familye Louely Poetrie of the Familie Preface sent 2. Resurrection is appeared vnto HN. Law and Prophets all fulfilled in HN. his Loue day Preface sent 3. HN. taketh on him Iohn Baptistes office Sent. 4. HN. his writinges the Gospell Sent. 6. Cap. 1. sent 4. Libertie of Religion Chap. 2. sent 1. Fol. 4. Cap. 2. sent 1. Cap. 2. sent 11. Cap. 4. sent 1. Cap. 4. sent 4. HN. rayleth on the Ministers Preachers of Gods word Sent. 5. Onely HN. his Familie wise Sent. 15. Resurrectiō cōmeth to passe in HN. his new day Heresie sent 18. Cap. 5. sent 1. Cap. 8. sent 4.5.6.8 c. Cap. 9. sent 7. Cap. 13. sent 3. Cap. 13. sent 4. Cap. 19. sent 5. Sent. 11. Cap. 23. sent 2. Cap. 23. sent 2. Cap. 25. sent 6. Cap. 25. sent 6. Cap. 25. sent 6. Ibid. No dissembling is lawfull by HN. Sent. 10. All prophecies doe lead and end in HN. his Fam. Cap. 28. sent 4. HN. raileth vpon preachers Cap. 30. sen 5.6 HN. liketh of purgatorye Cap. 31. sent 1. HN. Fauoreth poperie Popish discipline good by HN. Cap. 31. sen 4. 7. Orders a Sacrament by HN. Sent. 5.7 The truth spred in all landes by the Pope sayth HN. Sent. 8. 10. 14. 17. 18. 19. Sent. 23. Cap. 32. sent 4. Cap. 33. sent 11. Cap. 34. sent 1. Blasphemye Cap. 35. sent 1. Cap. 35. sent 3. 4 5. 6. 7. Sent. 8. Resurrectiō passed already saith HN. Cap. 36. sent 13 Cap. 37. sent 1. and .14 and. cap. 38. sent 1.3 Cap. 4. sent 7. Scripture vildly abused by Allegories Nothyng commeth from HN. his perfect ones but perfection Perfection Christ after the flesh what Christ rooke no flesh the virgin but doctrine c. HN. his perfect ones not subiect to Gods worde alwayes Shrift Scripture vntruly Expounded 1. Cor. 15. cap. verses 50.53.54 Resurrectiō denied The Family wil haue all the whole man or nothyng at all Admission into the Familie Admissiō to the Familie with an othe Herodes oth in the Familie Why few Fambles returne frō HN. his doctrine Giltles of particular sinnes Antecedent HN. his argument that we may sinne Scriptures wrested Shrift HN. taketh to him that is proper to Christ Agge 2.7 Heb. 12.27 HN. 1. epist. cap. 1. sent 2. pub of the peac sent 14. Shrift worse then Popish Conference denyed HN. his holy bread dayly eaten at Tables Scripture wrested Sinnes forgiuen in the Familie onely Gay Rhetoricke of the Familie Docum sentences 1. Chap. sect 3.7 Bullenger agaynst the Anabaptistes 1. Cor. 16.14 Gal. 5.22 1. Cor. 13.4 1. Iohn 3.18 Math. 7.16 Luk. 6.44 Math. 12.34 Iohn 3.20 Fam. of Loue in the briefe rehearsall the title Bulling 1. boke chap. 8. leaf 18. a Cyp. de simpl August ad Crescon 2. boke 7. chapter Schismatiques who Num. 16.1 2. Cor. 1.12 Actes 20.28.29 30. verses Rom. 16.17.18 Fam. bred and brought vp among the Papistes Deut. 27.18 Math. 18.7 1. Cor. 11.19 Reuel 3.11 1. Tim. 3.15 Math. 24.5.24 1. Iohn 4.1 Ezech. 33.4 1. epist. cap. 2. sent 2.6 1. Exhor cap. 7. sent 38. leaf 16. Scripture abused Last day Euang. cap. 3. sent 3. Psal. 118.24 Ephes 4.4 Marc. 15.28 Iohn 20.30 Euang. praeface sent 2. Luke 24. c. Scriptures quoted in vaine Cyp. de simpl praelat August ad petrum dia. cap. 34 6 ▪ epist. 1. boke Cyp. ibid. throughout Iud. 6. vers 2. Pet. 2.4 1. Exhor cap. 12. sent 42. fol. 27. 1. Exhort cap. 20. sent 7. fol. 49 Dictata cap. 19. sent 3. Euang. praefac sent 6. cap. 23 sent 7. Euang. cap. 3. sent 3. fol. 4. HN. wresteth 3. Article of the Lordes Prayer Euang. cap. 24. sent 9. Iam. 4.3 Math.
1. Cor. 8.1.2 a. Rom. 12.6 Reuelat. 22.15 Stapleton controuer 2. 5. boke cap. 2. 3. 4. 5. pag. 161. 162. Math. 7.15 Math. 2.4.5 a. Iohn 5.39 Act. 17.11 1. Cor. 11.13 1. Thes 5.21 d. 1. Ioh. 4.1 1. Cor. 14.32 1. Cor. 12.10 Psal. 119. ver 98 99.100.104 Psal. 19.6 Gen. 3.5 Iohn 10.27 Vitels in his reply to M. Rogers his display HN. agreeth vvith the Papistes 1. HN. his doctrine contrary to Gods vvord 2. To himselfe 3. To naturall reason and common sense 1. Exhort cap. 13 fol. 30. b. line 25 Theop. Exposition Ierem. 31.33.34 Deut. 4.9 11.19 Prou. 8.9 Esay 11.9 52.6 Col. 1.9 Rom. 15.4 Math. 11.23 Luke 10.21 Esay 54.13 Prou. 2.2 Psal. 119.104 Dan. 2.21 8.17 10.11.12 Math. 15.10 Mar. 7.14 2. Tim. 3.16 Deut. 6.6.8.9 11.18 Numb 10.10 15.39 Psal. 119.52.55 Actes 11.16 20.31 Rom. 15.15 2. Pet. 1.15 3.2 Iude. 17. Prou. 4.4 d. 1. Exhor cap. 13 fol. 30. line 25. Ecclesi cap. 38. v. 27. 28. 29. 30. Esa. 30. v. 10. Psal. 19.11 Cicero 2. Acad. HN. svvarueth to poperye HN. 9. Errour 1. Exhor cap. 6. sent 21. f. cap. 14. sent 54. h. Euang. cap. 2. sent 1. HN. speaketh with god mouth to mouth sent 8. Sent. 11. Bullinger 2. booke 1. cap. leafe 35. 36. Bullinger 1. booke 1. chap. 2. booke 1. chap. Zuing. pag. 35. 77. 89. 100. Gen. 28. Exod. 3.12.3 Ios 5.13 Iudg. 6.37 Esay 1.1.2.10 Ezech. 1.1.3 Math. 17.5 a. Euang. cap. 1. sent 1. Esay 59. v. 21 d. Ose 12. v. 10. Iohn 16.13 Act. 10.6 1. Thes 5.19.20 1. Sam. 28.15 1. King. 13.18 2. Cor. 12.1 Exhort cap. 16. sent 21. August de pastoribus cap. 8. Euang. cap. 1. sent 4. Exhor cap. 14. sent 54. HN. Euang. cap. 2. sent 1. fol. 6. Ierem 31. vers 31. Psal. 110.1 a. Luke 24.47 Math. 15.24 c. Ephes 2.17 c. Scripture falsefied by HN. Thynges reueiled Math. 25. vers 31. d. Act. 16.17 d. Fol. 2. b. Fol. 61. b. Psal. 119.164 Vnto whome reueiled Vz. vnto HN. Rom. 1.1 Actes 9. v. 15. 1. Cor. 3.15 Euan. cap. 1. sent 1. 3. From whence it was reueiled Exod. 20.19 Act. 9.4.5 22.1.2.26.14 Iohn 18.6 Psal. 29. Heb. 1.1 Gal. 1.8 Deut. 13.1.2 a. 30.12 Esay 8.19 Actes 10.5 Luke 16.30 Gallat 1.8 Apoc. 2.25 Rom. 1.16 2. Tim. 3.17 d. Iam. 1.21 1. Exhort cap. 13. sent 12. Brief rehearsall of the Familie pag. 2. lin 3. 1. Guiltie by their ovvn vvritynges 2. Proofe of groundes quoted by the Fam. 3. Fellowes to the Fam. in their heresie who The Fa. vvherein they svvarue from the Scripture 1. Exhort cap. 11 sent 7. b. Ibid. cap. 11. sent 20. d. Esay 29. falsefied Ierem. 23. Ibid. cap. 13. sent 12. c. fol. 31 Profes Apocripha 2. Mach. 12.44 14. cap. ve 41. Eccle. 4.26 d. Ephe. 5. Iohn 9.34 Math. 14.4 2. place aunswered Eccle. 17.18 b. Lib. 4. distinct 17. a. 4. Esdr 16.57.58 g. Vers 58. HN. his Canonicall proofes Prou. 28.13 b. 1. Iohn 1.8.9 Prou. 20.9 Eccl. 7.20 2. Chron. 6.36 1. Kyng 8.46 2. epist. to M. Rogers pag. 86. HN. borroweth of Poperie M. Sentences 4. booke Dist 16. a Ibid. Distinct 17 Scotus quaest 1. De Poenitendis 1. quamuis plenitudo M. Hardyng fol. 71. a. HN. falsefieth the Scripture Cap. 2. diuis 2. Bysh of Salisbury defenc of the Apollog pag. 167. 168. 174. 175. 180. 181. 187. 188. Lam. com s 7. 1. Exhor cap. 16 sent 17. sent 3.4 Ceremonie seruice False God seruice HN. 1. exhort cap. 16. sent 3. Col. 2. b. HN. maketh the Gospell cause of discention 1. Exhort cap. 1. sent 39. HN. preferreth his own bookes before the Scriptures Rom. 7.7 2. Cor. 13.5 4. Heb. 12. 1. Corin. 4.3.4 Act. 24.26 1. Exhort cap. 16. sent 14. Ibid. sent 13. HN. quoteth scripture in vaine The Gospell engendreth a false freedome sayth HN. HN. rayleth without proofe Bulling 2. book 2. 3. chap. 1. Exhort cap. 15. sent 26. HN. his libertie vvhat it is Sent. 28. HN. HN. definition of libertie discussed Bulling 1. book 21. cap. leafe 26. b. epist. of E. R. The difinitiō of Christian libertie by the Scriptures Second crime layd to the Gospell Math. 23.3 1. Exhor cap. 15. sent 8. 10. Sent. 12. Sent. 10. Staphilus 3. treatise from pag. 78. c. to 115. Defence of the Apol. 3. Chap. 1. diuisi pag. 378 379. 380. Replie 15. Artic. 12 diuision pag. 536. 537. HN. his 12. Assertion 11. epist. of HN cap. 5. sent 13. 34. 1. Exhort 15. sent 7. 1. epist. cap. 2. sent 8. 5. 1. Exhort cap. 15. sent 8. Euang. cap. 4. sent 4.5.6 Pub. of the Peace cap. 1. sent 2. sent 6. 20. 24. 27. 1. Exhort cap. 15. sent 17. fol. 38. D. 1. Exhort cap. 16 sent 17. Scripture prophanely quoted 1. Exhort cap. 16 sent 18. Iam. 3. ver 11. Docum sent cap. 1. sent 7. HN. his perfection and the fruites Bulleng fol. 260. Anabaptistes fulfilling of the lavv and the fruites thereof Papistes good wordes and vvorkes and a patterne of thē Actes 9 5. Math. 13.25 Esdr 4.38 Math. 24.35 Psal. 119.89 1. Pet 1.25 1. Exhort cap. 16 sent 16. fol. 34. * This perticuler standeth for any generall propositiō though HN. expoundyng the .1 Cor. 15. vers 53. sayth that it is not ment of any creature of earthly fleshe and bloud Docum sent cap. 6. sent 3. fol. 13. b. line 15. 1. Exho cap. 16. sent 17. pag. 2. lin 5 Bullin 3. booke 3. chap. D. August contra Fulgentium Donatist Iob. 14.4 Ephes 5. August agaynst the letters of Parmenianus 2. booke 8. chap. Exod. 3.10 Ierem. 1.10 Esay 6.9 Amos. 7.15 Math. 18.18 Exod. 20.12 Galath 4.19 1. Sam. 8.7 2. King. 1.11 2.23 Cant. 1.4 Math. 3.12 Math. 13.48 2. Tim. 2.20 1. Corin. 2.2 Galath 1.2 Ephe. 11. Apoc. 2. The Church there spotted in euery chapter 1. Corin. Gal. 3.1 Apoc. 2.6 Apoc. 14.15 HN. Iam. comp in the title of the boke Ierem. 5.13 Vers 15.16.17 HN. a doctour of the letter Hosius de verbo Dei expresso Illiricus in norma concilij 3. booke of the Hierarch 3. cap. leafe 103. and controuer de Eccle. 3. Kemnitius exā of the Trident counsell pag. 32 Staphilus Apol. fol. 65. b. Bulling 1. book chap. 3. and 2. booke cap. 4.5 Luke 5.1 Luke 10.39 g. and 15. 1. Math. 7.24 d. 13.20 c. Mar. 6.20 c. Rom. 10.14.17 c. 1. Tim. 3.15 d. Col. 1.6 a. Theophilus aūswereth not to the poynt Famblers dissemble 11. epist. cap. 6. sent 3. gag 24. lin 3. Docum sent cap. 16. sent 18. fol. 40. a. To dissemble vvhat it is Eusebius historie lib. 4. cap. 7. cap. 70. Familie may be presēt at Masse M. Bradfordes treatise agaynst goyng to Masse Iob. 13.7 Dan. 3. Math. 10.33 Mar. 8.38 Luke 9.26 12.8 1. Cor. 10.21 Ephes 5.11 1. Cor. 15.51 Ephes 5.32 Caluin agaynst the Libertines Fol. 76. 77. Bulling 6. book cap.
merueile at all for such a fountayne such water men gather not grapes of thornes nor figges of thistles And true it is that our Sauiour sayth out of the aboundance of the hart the mouth speaketh ARTICLE 1. No Church THe house of Loue sayth HN is the Church of God. 1. Exhor cap. 7. s 37. Theophilus his exposition FIrst note that it is all one to say the house of Loue and the house of God the familye of Loue and the family of God and then proceede William Wilkinson DArke wordes double speaches haue bin alwayes the starting holes of heretiques playne meaning men walke openly at noone lewd and euill disposed persons vage and wander abroad at midnight For he that euill doth hateth the light neyther commeth to the light least his déedes should be reproued Yée speake in a riddle neither doth your reason follow Because it is framed A petitione principij You take that to be graunted which is in controuersie or rather cleane false For what proprietye of speach is this or how doth this reason follow The house of God is the Church of God therefore the good willing ones in England which are named the Familye of Loue are the Church of god But if you will in playne wordes affirme that you onely which are of that familye and no man els which is not of that societye is of the Church First I aunswere that the Anabaptistes did lykewise of their conuenticles affirme that they were the true Church Next I say that when I shall vnderstād your meaning better I will tell you more In the meane time I would you knew that you are not of the Church but yée haue made a Schisme from the Church Christes coate without seame ye haue rent in péeces Truely sayth a learned father whosoeuer doth cut a sunder the vnitye and disturbe the peace of the Church whereby the fellowship of the faythfull is torne into diuers partes he is a Schismatique Such were Chorah Dathan and Abiram agaynst Moyses such were they which disquieted the church of Corinth by holding some of Paule some of Peter some of Appollos some of Christ Such are they whome S. Paule bad the Elders of Ephesus take héede of for they should be greuous wolues not sparing the flock who speaking perverse thinges should drawe disciples after them Of such S. Paule sayth I beseech you brethren marke those which cause dissention amongest you contrary to the doctrine which you haue receiued and auoid them c. As for you of that Familie neither were ye of vs nor went from vs So ye haue choked the word in many weake brethren laying stumbling blocks in the wayes of the simple Ye haue led the blinde out of their way therefore are ye by Gods mouth accursed And albeit that offences must néedes come yet woe be to him by whome they come it were better a millestone were hanged about his neck then to offend one of the litle ones There must be heresies in the Church to try the faythfull and happy is he that holdeth fast least another take his crowne When ye can shew me by the scripture that your Familie is the house of God the piller of the truth I shall confesse my selfe to be in an error Christ hath geuen vs warning to take héede that no man deceiue vs for many shall come in his name saying I am Christ and shall deceiue many and there shall arise false Christes and false Prophets c. but he hath told vs before that we should not beleue them nor goe after thē Beleue not euery spirite sayth S. Iohn many false Prophets are gone out into the world Thus are wee warned in the mouth of the sonne of God if the sword come and take vs away our bloud shall be vpon our owne head HN. His assertion IT is the hill of the Lorde whereon his house is builded to the which he that subiecteth not himselfe is a false hart and standeth minded agaynst God and his Church Theophilus exposition THat is spoken of the loue it selfe and not of the Family For how is an house to be builded on an house which thing also may not be denyed for so much as God is loue and the other must consequently or necessarily follow William Wilkinson FIrst to the text of HN. and to Theophilus his exposition The familye sayth HN. is the hill of the Lorde whereon his house is builded for proofe hee quoteth Esa. 2.2 a. Mich. 4.1 a. It shall come to passe in the last day the mountaine of the Lordes house shall be prepared in the toppe of the moūtaines c. The sence of the which places of the prophets is that in the last day vz. in the first comming of the sonne of God the Church shall by him be restored to her glorious beauty the which places in HN. his new gospell 3. chap. 3. sent are applyed to HN. himselfe and to the time of his appearaunce in these wordes Now shall the law be taught out of Sion and in the 4. sent for this is the day of promise Psal. and ver 24. c. which the Lord hath made which first place is directly vnderstode of Christ and the building agayne of the Church by him The other place of the psal declared that Dauid being appointed by God to be king ouer Israell should deliuer the Arke out of the handes of the Philistines wherein he foreshewed that by a figure which was true in Christ Ephe. 4. verses 4.8.11.12.13 the which HN. presumptuously taking vnto himselfe grossly erreth in applying the scripture gracelesly blasphemeth the sonne of god First making Christ lesse carefull of his Church than he is in déede Secondly he is openly impious in this that whereas Christ sayth All is finished meaning all types and figures HN. maketh all vnperfect affirming that in him and his appearaunce all becommeth fulfilled His wordes be these The day of Loue Psal. 118. ver 24. c. is the appearing and comming Mat. 24. c. Luk. 17. c. Actes 24. of our Lorde Iesus Christ in the resurrection of the dead Esa. 26. c. 1. Cor. 15. f. Wherein the law of the Prophets and all that is written of Christ becommeth fulfilled All which places by him quoted are very playnely ment of the resurrection that is the second resurrection from death the secōd comming of Christ to iudgemēt whereby HN seemeth to emply the resurrection of the body and the second comming of Christ to iudgement to be past already which is heresie or els quoting those places for his first comming he alledgeth them amisse which is ignoraunce HN. TO the which he that subiecteth not himselfe is a false hart William Wilkinson IT is very true he that submitteth not himselfe to the Church of God is a false hart c. For he shall neuer haue God for his Father which hath not the
yea bodies and liues also that by some meanes or other their wicked and schismaticall fantasies might be ouerthrowne All the which they would not haue done vnlesse by the worde of God it had ben assuredly lawfull or if the counsaile of Gamaliell had bene as a generall lawe to all estates tymes and persons that followed The which examples of Christian Emperours and godly kinges and gouernours both in the law and the kinges of Iudah in and since the state of the Primatiue Church I besech God to whome the care of his Church doth belong to put into the hartes of all Christian Magistrates to practise that they may in déede shew themselues nurses of the Church to the maintenaunce of Religion and the assuraunce of their owne thrones and estates and to the quietnesse of their subiectes that heresie may be suppressed sinne punished and that God in all may be gloryfied in and through his Christ our onely mediatour and redéemer Amen ⧠Certaine profitable notes to know an Heretique especially an Anabaptist With the Opinions and behauiour of them out of 〈◊〉 Authors ¶ Out of M. Bullingers booke agaynst the Anabaptistes ANabaptistes fly open conference and créepe from house to house craftely and priuily seducyng the simple and ignoraunt 2. Nicholas Storcke in Saxonie the chiefe ringleader of the Anabaptistes boasted of Reueilations 3. He boasted of a new world wherin iustice dwelleth Anabaptisme commeth alwayes by contentious and troublesome persons where the Gospell had bene preached before Thomas Muncer taught in word and writyng First that the Preachers of his tyme were not sent of God neither that they taught the word of God but the dead letter of the Scripture further that the scripture and outward word was not the true word of God but a testimonie of the true word and that the word is inward and heauenly and coÌ„meth immediatly from the mouth of God and that it ought to be taught inwardly by the spirite and not by Scriptures or Sermons He denyed Baptisme of Infantes He sayd that Christ did not fully satisfie for vs. He sayd God reueiled his will by dreames which he highly commended as inspirations from the holy Ghost His owne sect be termed the elect of God all that were not of his sect he sayd they were wicked woorthy to be slayne He sayd that goodes ought to be common Yea he sayd that Gedeons sword was geuen hym to abolish all Lordshyps agaynst all tyrauntes to restore the former libertie erect the new kyngdome of Christ vpon the earth Muncer was put to death for his heresie and repented before his death At Tygurie some contentious men though not vnlearned tooke part with the Anabaptistes The Anabaptistes would not communicate with the wicked They sayd that the Baptisme of infantes was inuented by Pope Nicholas and therfore it was naught Anabaptistes were hartned by those which desired the ouerthrow of the Gospell and the restoryng of Popery Anabaptistes were sage men they sighed often they laughed not they were vehement in reprehensions The simple were deceiued much by this Argument Let meÌ„ say of the Anabaptistes what they will I sée their sobriety I heare theÌ„ say nothing but this that we must not sweare at all but we must lyue holy and iust c. The Anabaptistes complained that all thynges were done agaynst them by force that the truth was oppressed that simple and godly men which sought nothing but that which was conteined in the word of God neither could they be hard or haue frée libertie to vtter out their myndes The Anabaptistes outwardly did lead a godly lyfe they spake earnestly agaynst couetousnes pride othes filthy talke vncomely behauiour chearyng and dronkennes they spake much of killyng the old man c. Briefly great and manifold was their hypocrisie They sayd they onely were the true Church wherein Christians delighted that their Sectaries might kéepe company with no Christian Churches of the Gospellers for that their Churche were no more the Churches of Christ then the Papistes Churches They sayd that the Ministers were not lawfully called to the Ministry nor ordinarily because they had not those qualities that S. Paule requireth 1. Tim. 3. e. They allow of Reuelations They say that the Sermons of Preachâ—â—â— are of smal accompt because in them is taught that Christ onely satisfied for our sinnes and that men were iustified before God by fayth and not by workes They affirmed the law might be kept and therefore they blamed the Preachers for saying the contrary They held Communitie of all thynges They affirmed that the old TestameÌ„t ought not to be mingled with the new because the old was abrogated They sayd that the soules slept vntill the day of Iudgement No Christian might be a Magistrat Magistrates must not medle with Religion The last punishmeÌ„t of Christians is ExcoÌ„municatioÌ„ No maÌ„ ought to be compelled to fayth or put to death for his Religion Warre say they is vnlawfull for Christians Their speaches must be yea and no without any oth None say they ought to be put froÌ„ the Lordes supper Cap. 9. Of diuers sectes and sortes of Anabaptistes ¶ Of Anabaptistes termed Apostoliques whose errours were 1. They approued onely the bare letter of the Scripture 2. They vsed no weapoÌ„ staffe wallet shoes money c. 3. They preached on house toppes 4. They washed one an others féete 5. They forsooke wiues and children 6. They held communitie Cap. 10. ¶ Of Anabaptistes Spirituall 1. They had nothyng like the world to proue it they abused Rom. 11. 2. They had rules both for the matter and fourme of apparell And affirmed it was vnlawfull to weare silke 3. They had rules of eatyng drinkyng and sléepyng 4. They might neuer laugh 5. They sighed often might not come in opeÌ„ asseÌ„blies 6. They condemne bargainyng and the vse of weapons Cap. 11. ¶ Of Sinles Anabaptistes These Anahaptistes sayd they could sinne For proofe they cited He that is of God sinneth not He that sinneth is of the Deuill Christes Church is without spot or wrinckle And therfore did they intermit the 5. petition Forgiue vs our trespasses They sayd there was no originall sinne neither were infantes by nature sinfull The hatchers of this heresie were Nouatus Catharis Auxentius Pelagius it is learnedly and at large confuted by S. Augustin Tom. 7. Agaynst Coelestius of mans perfect righteousnes in the last end of the booke Cap. 12. ¶ Of Anabaptistes that vsed to hold their peaces and pray 1. They sayd there ought to be no more any preachyng because the doore was shut Apoc. 1. 2. The world was not worthy to heare the Gospell 3. Beyng asked ought of their Religion they held their peace 2. Booke 1. Chap. Of Anabaptistes Enthusiastae They were often in a trayne and boasted much of the spirite and Reuelations Their common by word was The father sayd it They saw by Reuelation that the