loue raised-up the gracious word according to his promises and elected H.N. thereto for to minister the same c. (c) H. N Prouerbs c. 1. §. 6. And in this Prouerbs againe Through which gracious word and N.N. God reuealed sayth he the appearing of the comming of Christ and the newe day of his righteous iudgement as also the flowing foorth of his holy Spirit of loue to the awaking and raising vp of all his holy-ones out of sleepe to their glorious Lordliness with Iesus Christ and to an euerlasting fast-standing Kingdome of the godly Maiestie vpon earth according to his promises (d) Ibid. §. 17. And afterward Thus hath God declared with H.N. the eight thorough-breaking of his true light vpoÌ„ the earth wherein the Lord the God of heauen restered the former Kingdome with his garnishing together with all that which God hath spoken from the beginning of the World through the mouth of his holy Prophets c. (e) Ibid. §. 18. In his exhortation God hath illuminated him he saith with his light for to illuminate or giue light to them that dwell yet in darknesse vpon the earth (f) 1. Exhor c. 19 §. 8. And finally in his first Epistle All people are called and friendly bidden through H. N. to the repentance for their sinne c. Not alone with his calling but also with all the Scriptures heauenly Testimonies and spirituall voyces of the Eternall Truth which are gone forth from the holy spirit of loue and brought to light through H. N. (g) 1. Epist or Cri. vâ—â—ce c. 1. § 1. And why all this but to the ende that as himselfe aduiseth the young ones in the Family should not distrust nor suspect any manner of euill or vnwisedome by him nor yet in any wise perswade themselues that the Exercises Documents and instructions which are taught or set forth before them by him the Father of the Family of Loue or oldest elder are too childish or too vnwise for the to follow after (h) 1. Exhort c. 13. §. 11. But the childe of God must alwaies haue in remembrance that many false Prophets are gone into the world and therfore is not to belieue whatsoeuer is affirmed but trie the spirits whether they are of God Because men receiue not the loue of the truth that they may be saued God will send them strong delusion that they shall belieue lies that they may be daÌ„ned which belieued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse (i) 2. Thes 2. V. 10.11 The more H. N. boasteth of himself that he is illuminated from aboue the lesse is he to be credited the more to be suspected Let him proue his preparation his election vocation and generall Apostleship from Gods word which he shall neuer doe or let him be accursed yet a because he arrogateth to himselfe the diuine nature and most heretically and blasphemously auoucheth that whatsoeuer the Prophets haue foretold are fulfilled in him and the like and all this to the end that his idle reuelations cloaked vnder his Loue-seruice may the more slily enter into the mindes of wel willing and good meaning people hold him and all that hold with and applaud him and his fanaticall speculations euermore accursed The Family of Loue. O Out of which Seruice or writings we be taught all dutiful obedience * Vntrue towards God and Magistrates The seruice of Loue. and to liue a godly and honest life and to loue God aboue all things and our neighbours as our selues agreeing therein with all the holy Scriptures as wee vnderstand them The Examination ALL this tendeth to the raising vp of credit to H. N. his writings which sheweth of what spirit these men are In their Courtly deuise inscribed vnto the last Earle of Lecester they let not to say that were all the books of H. N. rightly considered of with indifferencie so should they be found Assistants in all to the Religion established in the Church of England and no hinderers Here I take which they grant that the holy Scriptures teach all these things next that the religion established in the Church of England is sound and euery way good and true But that the Seruice of Loue the writings of H. N. truly indeed so teach as they would beare his Maiestie in hand I cannot thinke for diuers reasons 1. They hold That neither before nor without their most holy Seruice of Loue c. the true light hath not been set forth ministred nor taught that there shal likewise no other light nor cleerenes that can be true appeare nor yet come hereafter but the light of loue (a) H. N. 1. â—r doct c. 16. §. 10 which is the new doctrine deuised by H. N. that we so condemne 2. They teach that it is assuredly al false lies seducing deceitful that the vngodly or vnilluminated Men out of the imaginatioÌ„ or riches of their own knowledge out of their learnednesse of the Scriptures bring forth institute and teach (b) Ibid. §. 17. Then is not H. N. his doctrine Seruice of Loue grouÌ„ded vpon the written word of God but vpon I know not what visions Anabaptisticall reuelations and therefore to be held most execrable Thirdly they say There is nothing more needfull to the man at the first where-to enter into life then that he humble himself vnder the obedience of loue meaning the instructions of H. N. so become taught in the Seruice of Loue for to vnlearne againe al what he hath taken on and learned to himselfe (c) Spir. land c. 56 §. 7. which counsayle of vnlearning is rife and euery where as it were the first thing deliuered to the Nouices in the Loues seruice (d) H. N. exhort c. 13. §. 9. Cri. voice c. 1. §. 7. which manifesteth their religion to be newe and singular when the doctrine in our Churches taught and embraced must all be vnlearned and abhominable and corrupt for the entertaining of theirs which they vaunt to be celestiall Fourthly because they may not talke of their secrets either yet vtter their mysteries opeÌ„ly or nakedly in the hearing of their young children disciples (e) H. N. Prouerbs c. 22. §. 15. that is as H. N. sayth til they haue attained the age of 30 yeares and are come to their manly age and haue beardes (f) Ibid. c. 21. §. 1. They might and would talke of their secrets might their exercises and mysteries abide the hearing of godly modest persons as Gods holy word and our doctrine deriued from the sacred Scriptures will Last of al because the Seruice of Loue and books of H. N. so and none otherwise make to the aduancement of godlinesse and furtherance of virtue then they vnderstand the Scriptures And indeed the make od interpretations of Gods word turning light into darkenesse truth into falsehood histories into allegories and sound religion into fancies of men But as others
vnderstand them they tend to the supplanting of true religion and ouerthrowe of Gods house which is the Church of God for the erecting of a newe Family whereof they take their name The Family of Loue. AGainst which auctor and his books wee neuer yet heard nor knew any law established in this realm by our late gracious Souereigne but that we mought read theÌ„ without offence whose writings wee suppose vnder your Highnesse correction your Maiestie hath yet neuer seen or perused heard of by any indifferent nor true information The Examination IT Is well knowne there be lawes canons and iniunctions against erroneous and infectious books and that Proclamations houe come out expresly against H. N. and his scandalous inuentions When there be lawes against Sect-masters and Heritickes bee there no lawes shall we thinke against H. N. and his bookes Scarse had I proceeded thus farre in this examination but vpon searche I founde a paper which many yeares hath lyen by mee in my priuate studie conteining a forme of abiuration offered by the Lords of the late Queene ELIZABETHS most honorable priuie Counsayle vnto certaine persons suspected to fauour the vile Heresies of H. N. which forme vvas this Whosoeuer teacheth that the dead which are fallen asleepe in the Lord An abiuration tendred vnto the Familistes the tenth of October An. 1580 by ten of the Lords of Q. Elizabeths priuy Counsel rise vp in this day of his iudgement and appeare vnto vs in godly glorie which shal henceforth liue in vs euerlastingly with Christ and raigne vpon the earth is a detestable Hereticke But H. N. teacheth so Euang. c. 37. Sect. 9. Therefore H. N. is a detestable Heretike Whosoeuer teacheth that to be born of the Virgin Marie out of the seede of Dauid after the flesh is to be expounded of the pure doctrine out of the seede of Loue is a detestable Hereticke But H. N. teacheth so Document sent c. 3. Sect. 5. Therefore H. N. is a detestable Hereticke Whosoeuer teacheth that Iesus Christ is come againe vnto vs according to his promise to the ende that they all which loue God and his righteousnesse and Christ and his perfect Being might presently enter into the true Rest which God hath prepared from the beginning for his his elect and inherit the euerlasting life is a detestable Hereticke But H. N teacheth so Euang. c. 1. Sect. 1. Therefore H. N. is a detestable Hereticke Nauing examined these reasons with the bookes of H. N. wee doe finde that in truth hee holdeth these heresies and we thinke in our hearts and of our owne knowledge affirme that H. N. is in these heresies a detestable Hereticke Promising faithfully before God and your Honors neuer hereafter to haue any dealing with his bookes and doctrine nor to go-about to bring any to the loue liking or reading of them And that we now speake is the true meaning of our hearts as wee looke for mercie at his hands which searcheth the heart Would her Maiesties Councell minister this Abiuration vnto these Familistes euen of her owen Familie had they noe law nor authoritie so to doe Or would the saide Courtiers as before their Honors they did abiure these Heresies if both the said heresies had not been contained in the bookes of H. N. and themselues by Lawe compellable either to abiure or abide the punishment due for obstinate Heretickes And was there Lawe then viz. Anno. 1580. for in that yeare and so long agoe was this donne and is there noe Lawe now Haue they not heard nor knowen of these things by lawfull authoritie performed which were both heard andmade knowen both in Court and CouÌ„trie the parties some of them and the cheifest yet liuing and in Court which so abiured their Children in right auncient place about his Maiesty before whome they abiured But haue they not heard nor knowen as they pretend of any Lawe established in this Realme against H. N. and his bookes by our late gratious Soueraigne Then pray wee vnto God that they may both heare and knowe some lawe to bee established against them by our nowe raigning and gratious Soueraigne the King The rest of this section that his Highnesse as they feare not to say neuer yet hath seene or perused the writings of H. N. nor somuch as heard of them by any indifferent or true information are words derogatorie in an high degree to his Maiesties honour because both his Highnesse hath affirmed vpon his knowledge the Familistes to be a vile sect of Anabaptistes yeelding inuincible reasons of his certaine knowledge which are aboue specified and they say his Maiestie neuer yet sawe nor perused nor so much as heard of H. N. his writinges by any indifferent and true information in the which the points wherewith hee chargeth them are most truely contained The Familie of Loue. FOr the saide H. N. in all his doctrine and writings being as we are crediblie enformed as much matter in volum if they were all compiled together as the whole Bible containeth doth * Vntrue neither take part with nor write against any particular partie or companie whatsoeuer as naming them by their names nor yet prayse or dispraise any of themy by name * Vntrue Hee magnifieth the Church of Rome The Examination THis vain boasting of the bulke of H. N. his writings is verie vsuall among the Familistes About thirtie yeares agoe mine eares heard his disciples much bragge of the multitude of H. N. his bookes as if his greate paines in writing were argument stronge enough to induce men to the liking of his opinions Which if it beeso then haue the Papistes a stronge reason that the trueth is with them on their side the monkes and Friars of whose Religion hauing bestowed infinite paines in writinge and composing of bookes Then haue wee whose doctrine and religion deriued and drawen from Gods word as Scripture learning the Familistes labour to supplant the truth and not the Familistes to whom for multitude of writinges they are not comparable some one of vs as Caluin hauing written so much as noe one man eitherin these or our Fathers daies hath done the like (a) Beza in vit Cal. Musculus and Luther and Erasmus and euerie of these hath written more then any man can read in many score of yeares (b) Bodin in method hist c. 5. which Erasmus composed so many Epistles and Letters as gathered together would neere loade two Cartes or Wagons (c) Eras catal Lucâ—b And therefore equall many Bibles in bulke and bignesse And could not the heretickes in all ages say as much for their founders as the Familistes here doe of H.N. viz. that their bookes were many and themselues as studious and painefull in writing of discourses for the propagating of their inuentions as euer the true and faithful seruants of God were or bee for the implanting of the truth Manes that Arch-hereticke and great grand Father to H. N. his errors was the Father of sundrie
haue framed diuers subtle Articles for vs being plaine and vnlearned men to aunswere vpon our oath whereby to vrge and gather some things from our selues so to approue their false and vnchristian accusations to be true or else will force vs to renounce recant and condemne that which wee doe not wilfullie maintaine nor iustifie much like as it was practiced in the Primitiue Church against the Christians yea they are not ashamed to laie their owne and all other mens disobedient and wicked actes of what profession soeuer they be vpon our backes to the ende cunningly to purchase fauour and credite to themselues and to make vs seeme monstrous detestable before the Magistrates and the common people euerie where for that wee and the doctrine of H. N. mought without any indifferent triall and lawfull or orderly proceeding as heretofore hath beene vsed in the Christian Church in such cases for confutinge and condemning of heresies be vtterly rooted out of the Land with diuers other most cruell practices proceeding out of thei bitter and enuious hartes toward vs tending to the same vnchristian and mercilesse purpose the which wee will here omit to speake of because wee haue alreadie beene ouer-tedious vnto your Highnesse most humblie crauing your most gratious pardon and patience therein in respect that wee speake to cleare our selues of such matter as may touch our liues and liberties which are two of the chiefest iewels that GOD hath giuen to mankinde in this world and also for that we haue fewe friendes or anie other meanes then this to acquaint your Highnesse with the truth and state of our cause whereof we thinke your Maiestie is altogether ignorant but haue verie many enimies whom we doe greatly suspect will not be slacke to prosecute their false and malitious purpose against vs vnto your Highnesse euen like as they haue accustomed to doe in times past vnto our late Soueraigne Queene through which preuailing in thier slanderous defacing of us our cause diuers of vs for want of friendes to make it rightly knowen vnto her Maiestie haue sundrie times been constrained to endure their iniurious dealinges toward vs to our great vexation and hinderance The Examination HEre haue wee an intricate and long perplexed period deuoide of charitie discretion and truth but full of gaule odious comparisons and vniust complainings and that not only of priuate persons their accusers whosoeuer but euen of publike Magistrates their proceedings first and last against this Familie and all for their fauouring and wel-wishing to H. N. and his doctrine which because it is fitter for the said Magistrates her odiously traduced to censure and aunswere whose doings against the Familists I am ignorāt of and yet am perswaded haue alwaies beene both mild towards them and iust I omitte and commend the further consideration of this their hainous complaint vnto the supreme authoritie and his Assistants and delegats The Familie of Loue. WHerefore most gratious Soueraigne this is nowe Their 1. Petition our humble suite vnto your Highnesse that when your Kingly affaires of importance which your Maiestie hath nowe in hand shall bee well ouer-past and finished for the prosperous performance wherof we will as dutie bindeth vs daiely pray vnto Almightie God that then your Highnesse will be pleased because we haue alwaies taken the same authors worke aforesaid to proceed out of the great grace and loue of God and Christes extended towards all Kings Princes Rulers and people vpon the vniuersall earth as hee himselfe in many of his workes doth witnesse no lesse to their saluation vnitie peace and concord in the same godly Loue to grant vs that fauour at your Maiesties fitte and conuenient time to peruse the bookes your self with an vnpartial eie conferring thē with the holy Scriptures wherein it seemeth by the bookes that are set-foorth vnder your Highnesse name that you haue had great trauaile and are therefore the better able to iudge betwixt trueth and falsehoode and wee will whensoeuer it shall please your Highnesse to appoint the time and to command and licence vs thereto doe our best indeuour to procure so many of the bookes as we can out of Germanie where they bee printed to bee deliuered vnto your Maiestie or such godly learned and indifferent men as it shall please your Maiestie to appoint And wee will also vnder your Highnesse lawfull licence and commaundement in that behalfe doe our like indeuour to procure some of the learned men of that Countrie if there bee any yet remaininge aliue that were well acquainted with the author and his workes in his life time and which likewise haue exercised his workes euer since to come ouer and attend vpon your Maiestie at your appointed time conuenient who can much more sufficiently instruct and resolue your Highnesse in anie vnusuall wordes phraze or matter that may happilie seeme darke and doubtfull vnto your Maiestie than any of vs in this your land are able to do The Examination NOwe are wee come at the length vnto their Petition The grounde whereof is a deepe and heauenly conceipt which they haue of their H. N. and the worke by him vndertaken for the saluation of mankind Many are H.N. his prophecies of his good successe and future preuailing through out the world This same kingdome of peace and of Loue saith the said H. N. speaking of this Familie shall through the administration of the gratious word of the Lord spread abroad and bid all people to their preseruation therunto to the intent that all Kingdomes of the world should assemble them to this one Kingdome of peace and of Loue and that c. to the ioy and saluation of all the children of men (a) H. N. 1. exhort c. 12. §. 40. Againe This same God seruice this loue and louely being and the sound or fame of the same shall breake in among all nations of people and let it selfe to be heard ouer all lands (b) Ibid. c. 14. § 9. Of all Prouinces the first that receiued the Christian faith by publike allowance was Britany (c) Sabel Aeneiad 7. lib. 5. The first king christened that we read of was Lucius K. of Britanie And among Kings christened if not the first yet with the first hee that expelled the Pope and his courtes was Henry the viij and that rooted out all his detestable enormities out of his dominions was Edward the vi Kings of England Oh what a cordiall ioy and comfort would it be vnto this Family that of all Prouinces which shall fauour their Loue Seruice Britanie would be the first and to the glorie of his noble auncestors that it might be added how our most illustrious King IAMES was the first that supplanted the Scripture learning brought in by King Lucius and reestablished by great Henry and Edward last mentioned for the implanting of the Seruice of Loue and H. N. his illusions I should say illuminations which that all Kings one day will implant they haue no
blessed gift of discerning spirits enhable his Maiestie with spirit and vertue from aboue that hee may remoue these stumbling blockes and causes of diuision if they will not repent and both in heart and hand ioyne with his Church and people For hee beareth not the sword in vaine Rom. 13. The Familie of Loue. AND gratious Soueraigne wee humbly beseech your Highnesse with Princely regard in equitie fauour to pouder and grant the humble sute contained in this most lowely supplication of your loyall true harted faithful afflicted subiects to remember that your Maiestie in your book of Princely graue fatherly aduise to the happie Prince your Royal Sonne doth conclude that Principis est parcere subiectis debellare superbos and then to doubt God will blesse your Highnesse and all your noble off-spring with peace long life and all honors and happinesse long to continue and raigne ouer vs. For the which we will euer pray with incessant prayers to the Almightie The Examination HITHERTO in their Supplication the Familistes haue quarrelled with his Maiestie for calling them Puritanes they haue callenged his Highnesse of vntrueth as vttering that in a publike writing against them which neither himselfe is able to iustifie nor any indifferent man dare auouch they confesse further they haue by them and haue reade certaine bookes which the royall and supreame authoritie of this Realme hath prohibited them either to reade or haue they haue commended to the Starres that monster among men H.N. both for his heauenly vocation calling Office bookes and writinges which not onely all the learned and godly Prelates and Preachers but the whole Church of England yea all Churches Christian as most impious and Antichristian vtterly condemne they haue intimated that neither his Maiestie nor his people vnlesse they submitte themselues vnto the Seruice of Loue deuised by H. N. shall be saued they haue enticed his Highnesse to read and peruse bookes both poysonfull and dangerous they haue condemned all other men in this Realme not siding with them as cursed and vnfruitefull trees and all this willingly studiously professedly and apparantly they haue done the least of these crimes deseruing royall indignation in an hie degree Now what doth our Familie Craue they pardon meekly at his Maiesties hands for these their offences audaciously committed Noe such thing yea they proceede in their disloyall course boldely crauinge though with humble wordes yet with proud hearts what they haue sued for may readily bee graunted them Yea as earst so here they both set out themselues as submisse and duetifull subiectes condemning all others especially their aduersaries as proude and wishing punishment vnto them and aduancement with fauour vnto themselues yea they let not to say how his Maiesty may feare great plagues to light vpon him if hee punish them but shall bee sure both hee and his posteritie of longe life much prosperitie and eternall happinesse if he shewe fauour to the Familie of Loue and their cause A gracelesse and audacious companie The Familie of Loue. MOst-gratious Soueraigne Their Postscript here followeth the briefe rehersall and Confession of the Christian Beliefe and religion of the company that are named the Familie of Loue. Which for the causes therein specified was by them set out in print about that time whē they were first persecuted imprisoned in this Realme for the same profession by their aforesaid aduersaries and by meanes of their false accusations and complaints vnto the Magistrates against them the which we haue thought necessarie to present here with vnto your Maiestie for that you may therby the better vnderstand of our innocent intent and profession whatsoeuer you shall heare reported to the contrarie by our enimies or by any that be ignorant therof humblie beseeching your Highnesse to vouchsafe to read the same and with your vnpartiall and godly wisedome to consider and iudge of vs and our cause in equitie and fauour accordinglie till your Maiestie shall haue further true intelligence thereof The Examination THe confession here mentioned and tendered as they saie I neuer sawe yet haue I heard well thereof It was published in the yeare of our Lord. 1575. That so long ago or since the Familie of Loue were persecuted and imprisoned for the same Confession or professing the same is both an egregious vntruth a slander of the State and a false information It is obserued concerning H. N. that for the propagating of his Loue Seruice hee hath bookes of sundry natures and sorts some for Nouices wel-willing ones and some for the elder sort grown into the manly vnderstanding of the Familie mysteries Of the former be N. N. his Instructions of the vpright Faith and christian Baptisme his Crying voice his First exhortation and such like which may bee confessed among the adulterous and sinnefull generation and the false hearts of the Scripture learned (a) H. N. 1. Exhort c. 6. §. 5.7.8.9 The latter sort containe the Loue secretes or priuie mysteries communicable only with such as are come vnto the manly age and haue Beards (b) H. N. Prou. c. 21. § 1. and sit vpon the seates of the Elders or wise and daiely heare the secret mysteries of all matters (c) Ibid. §. 2. Yee shall not talke of your Secrets either yet vtter your mysteries openly or nakedly saith H. N. vnto these Familists in the hearing of your young children and disciples but spare them not saith hee in the Eares or hearing of the Elders which can vnderstand the same and are able to beare or away with the sound thereof For it is giuen to the Elders to vnderstand the priuie mysteries of the wise and to expounde their parables (d) Ibid. c. 22. §. 15. So these Companions this Familie of Loue they haue among them good bookes after the Scripture learning common with vs and agreeable to the religion professed by his Maiestie and ratified by the lawes of this Realme and they haue also the workes and bookes of H. N. Elidad Fidelitas and other Familie Elders vndermining the found and Christian doctrine comprised in the Confession mentioned This Confession of theirs or ours rather they waus about which worde H. N. vseth in scorne of our Confessions and religion (e) Spirit land cap. 5. §. 5. as Children doe their Banners when they are at play but H. N. and their Familie Elders books are they which they only studie read at their meetings delight in and practice Besides which both Confession of ours and bookes of H. N. and such Illuminates they haue their Conuenticles verball traditions vnwritten or vnprinted verities and priuate exercices through which they growe vp in the Loue according to the Requiring of her Seruice (f) Elidads exhort § 5. where all things needfull to be knowen or declared are alwaies according to the capacitie of their vnderstanding brought and declared vnto thē (g) Ibid. §. 17. viz. vnto the young or newborne Children according to their yongnesse vnto the weake according to their weakenesse vnto the stronge vp-growing Men according to their habilitie or strength and vnto the Elders according to their Dayednes or olde age (h) Ibid. §. 18. where neither some heart All nor all heare some secrets or priuie mysteries of their Sect. It is not for the confession here spoken of it is for H. N. and other Familie books which they detaine by them and studie and for their vnlawfull Loue exercises and meetinges that they are troubled let them leaue burne or deface these bookes of H. N. and cleaue vnto this Confession and then without farther molestation imprisonment or persecution they may enioy the benefites and liberties of his Maiesties good subiects which that they may doe is mine hartie desire and prayer vnto Almightie GOD. FINIS