the loue of God and Christ farre be that from me it is selfe loue that I discommende in your author and in you all of this family For the loue of God is manifested to vs by Christ our Lorde which is our onely comfort So God loued the worlde c. You loue your authour so wel that this loue of God little appeareth 2 Could any man you say rew the prosperitie of the householde of God except he were of the diuell no verelye If you were of Christs householde we as fellowes woulde imbrace you but straungers from that household ye are and as straungers lurke in corners 3 My foundation you say is against H. N. whom I neuer knewe nor vnderstode off True it is touching his person but by his doctrine he is not vnknowne to me whose bookes I haue to shewe 4 You say as Christ in the reuelation is shadowed by two caracters A. and O. so none can knowe his name except he ouercome in the spirite therefore we must be scilent hereafter for H. N. is not the signification of any mans name This is a great mistery in déede for if H. N. be not a man then haue I vtterly mistaken my selfe but sure the bookes were not written by Angels man was the minister and the man that write them his name is Henrye Nicholas the same mans life I haue truely set downe not hearesayes but the trueth not of enimies but of his neighbours familiers not one man but many they will not onely speake the trueth but are ready vppon their othes to testifie the same 5 Where you iudge that you are suer they are not of the Church of Christ it is very rash Iudgement I coulde testifie of their honest life and manners but it shal be here impertinent You make your comparisons vnequall because Christ by two letters did testifie his maiestie power as god will you admit H. N. by like reason to vse two letters significant In déede I haue â—en aunswered y H. N. signifieth Homo nouus but such follyes will not serue you must of necessitie acknowledge H. N. to be a man as one of our Family at Farnam before the Bishop of Winchester did acknowledge confes him that is to say H. N. not only to be a maÌ„ but also a sinner least you shuld burden me with vntruth as you haue done I will giue you his name R. W. 6 You put me in minde of my impudent dealing in that I haue saide that none of your family dare set forth your doctrine in principles that all men may sée wherein you and we differ you referre me to a little booke called The confession of the Family which booke I haue read but that is very plausible nothing differing from vs If you helde no worse pointes then that booke doth vtter suerly I would come before you al acknowledg my fault and craue pardon but this is a méere mockery of the people to set down your faith common with vs and nothing contrary to vs where as your authour in sundrie places tearmeth vs a diuellish Sinagogue or schoolâ— and that we are not the Church but a harloâ—t If you and we professe one Christ one baptisme one faith why are we seuered in communion but it is a worlde to sée your doings in this matter When any of your family are conueÌ„ted before any officer in Christes Church then you subscribe to any forme you recant in your owne churches you promise neuer to professe H. N. nor his doctrine and yet still after so sollemne protestations you reteine your secrete doctrine which in fewe wordes is not plaine dealing If your doctrine be a trueth why doe you still deny it if the power of God hath shone through H. N. so mightely why doe you not in principles drawe your doctrine that the people of God may sée vppon what groundes and stayes you haue seuered your selfe from vs but you vse the pollicy of the cuttle a fish whose property is to trouble the water that she may not be séene so with your darke speaches misteries you would cast a myst that no man should sée your meaning and then stande vppon your tiptoes and say that your sentences haue such profounde maiestie that our simple grosse capacities cannot comprehend the same Plaine dealing is euer best If we be in error shewe it to vs in what points and for my owne part I wil if you can conuince me by the testimonies of holy scripture yeald vnto you or any 7 What conference I haue had with your family dyuers of your family can tell you 8 You say my disorderly dealing shall appeare in the aunswere to my booke which for my part I shal long looke for for hitherto you haue not set down any one place where in I haue mistaken your author In déede I tooke not vpon me to write against any one booke but to display what absurdities I finde in your authors Doctrine you shall finde that performid or it be long by Maister Knewstubs who hath written a book to confute your Euangelium Regni You apply this text of holy scripture very fondly Christ saith my kingdome is not of this world 9 You aske howe the trueth can be taught where his kingdome is not If you meane by this worde kingdome power maiestie dominion then it is shewed in y world manifested to hys Church But by kingdome the Euangelist doth vnderstande as I take it an outwarde shewe of principalitie which the Iewes looked for to be in their deliuerer or Messias which he denied to be in him which may better appeare in that which followeth For then would my ministers surely fight for me 11. I knowe that Christ chiefly reigneth in his Churche but who are the Church is the question Euery heresie seeketh to shadowe it selfe with the title of the Church but by the life of Gods holy worde they haue béen found heretikes and seducers and yet I neuer hearde of any errour but drewe their doctrine into principles and durst disspute with any in their opinions except one Basilides whiche Eusebius in his 4. booke Chap. 7. maketh mention of who feining sundrie titles of vnknown names of Prophetes to amaze their hearers depending vpon Reuelations and visions amongest other thinges taught this that in time of persecution their faith with periury might bee denied saying Iura periura fideÌ„ prodere noli Now surely if I might without offence compare your dealings with Basilides it shoulde be founde little differing 12 You say that the same doctrine which the Martyrs taught in the primitiue Church H. N. teacheth nowe but wee plainely denie that euer any taught a perfection to bee atteyned vnto in this life to liue not daily committing sinne or that our battell is ended when we be re generat or that any H. N. hath receiued such power of teaching extraordinarie as you imagine For we denie that he hath the spirite of god and say that he teacheth
méerè contrary doctrin vnto the scriptures It is therefore conuenient that you shew vs wher in you we differ in what pointes in what doctrine and then we shal thinke that there is some shewe of good meaning in you otherwise if you continue disslikers of our profession and shewe vs not wherein but referre vs to your authors bookes we shall neuer find out the difference betwene vs. 13 In déede in your long discourse you haue shewed your disliking in one part of our doctrine to wit of predestination which you impute to be the cause of the fulnes of prisons in England but before the doctrine was set foorth prisons haue béene full of leude persons such as regarde no religion Therefore you doe not well to charge the doctrine of predestination with so foule a faulte Which doctrine standeth vpon the omnipotencie of God so that they that acknowledge his almightinesse must of force graunt his power in predestination and election And although some stumble at the same yet the faulte is not in the doctrin but in the persons who take it by that part which it is not to be holden by For as a sharpe two edged sworde being taken by the blade or point to defende a man may as soone hurte himselfe as his enemie euen so who taketh the doctrine by such parte as the holy scriptures haue appointed it will be to their comfort otherwise it may hurt thē Many haue writtē largely in that argumēt whervnto hitherto few haue replyed And if no other matter gréeue your minds but this doctrin I doubt not but reconciliation may easely be bad but I am affrayde our Iustification in Christ our acknowledging ourselues to be sinners our weaknes in perfourming y law is also some cause of discention betwéen you and vs which I woulde be glad to vnderstande for my erudition 14 You say that H. N. exhorteth to true repentance godly loue vpright faith c. If we did not the like we were impions hipocrites but he you say doth it with power which we woulde gladly féele 15 Our iustification and redemption bragge we neuer so much thereof saye you helpeth not except a regenerate life followe We agrée with you that a regenerate life doth shewe a iustified man but maketh not a man iust For it is the fruite and not the roote of our iustification 16 But that you tearme our repentance obedience faith loue c. the vpright baptisme of the father your meaning I am ignorant of To take vp in the beléefe our crosse daily against sinne and this to be the true baptisme of the sonne as you say And when Christ hath gotten in vs a liuing forme or shape by faith and so be raised vpp in newnesse of life this you cal the true baptisme in the holy ghost All which I doe acknowledge may haue verie apt application so long as we imagine not a perfection to be wrought in vs as to be without sin For to be like to Christ or haue his image is to be vnderstoode to be like minded to him who did not sinne but that priuiledge onely perteineth to him and not to vs For he is like to vs in all thing sinne except but this barre sinne is the badge whereby his death and office worketh vppon vs to our saluation And except we with al the Prophets Patriarches Apostles other Gods children doing our best still acknowledge our selues sinners I cannot sée how Christs death doth by any meanes perteine vnto vs Gladly would I be resolued in this point 17 And nowe at this day we are called as you say and might finde much more rest if such enimies to al godlines as I am were not This is verie sharpe iudgemēt Bicause I manifest your familie doth it followe that I am enemie to all godlines Is ther no godlines vpō earth but among men of your profession only Christs houshold were very smal then and yet as I am an enemie to your doctrine so your persons I haue not hated For whom in their trouble I haue sought deliuerie and haue knowne of your méetings if I had béen enuiously minded but far be that from me 18 As for E. L. I protest vnto you euen by the Lord that he is vtterly ignorant of any my doings neither did I sée him this yeare and halfe yet did hée participate to mee of Christopher Vittals behauiour longe agoe Nowe touching your frée confession before all men out of the mouth of H. N. of your doctrin certeinly it is shadowed with such phrases and circumstāces that few can find any sense in his bookes but manye good wordes without conclusion which shoulde not bee in the puritie of a good cause 19 As for those propheticall spéeches in the Apocalipse of the white stone with a newe name written therein which none knoweth sauing he that receiueth it if this be H. N. as you would slily insinuate tel vs in plaine tearmes For your hidden misteries wil not longer serue 20 You aske what ministration was euer true which came not from God his owne mouth I answere as before that there must be both an inwarde calling which is from God an outward calling from men Nowe if H. N. or you will shewe vs that he is called frō God his owne testimonie is not sufficient neither doe his bookes manifeste his calling Therefore for the credite of his new doctrine it is required that he worke miracles or else prooue vnto vs that his doctrine is not disagréeing from the holy scriptures and that substancially If you woulde goe plainely to worke and shewe vnto vs your authours doctrine by principles prooue the same by holy scripture surely I and others woulde conceiue that vpon some grounde of good conscience you were seuered in iudgment from vs For so long as the matter remaineth hidden men construe your doinges worse peraduenthen it is it augmēteth suspition that being called to witnes forth your doctrine you are founde so fearefull and fainte that it sheweth not a testimonie of the spirite of God For where the spirte of God resteth there is ioyned wisedome audacitie constancie trueth and plaine dealing 21 And where you holde it good policie to flée frō one citie to an other being sought for I grant it to be reasō yet being called broght before y magistrats then fearefully or cowardly to fainte is méere impietie in a iust cause He that denieth me before men I will c. For either ye vtter such a confession as is holden of vs and beléeued among vs or else venie your author and his doctrine vtterly Did the Martires in the primitiue Church so Did our brethren in Queene Maries dayes so Nay cleane contrarie being called they did boldly publishe the trueth of Christ with open and plain speaches did set down their faith in principles to the eyes of al men and not kéepe it secrete in corners 22 Assuredly if H. N. be a minister of the Lorde then haue I much
diuision increased a worse heresie then before so that the sonnes of the Diuell gate names â–ª as Phariseis Saduceis Esseis Basilides Cerdonistes Valentianistes Marcionistes Appelles Montanus Sabellius Manes Arius Donatus Macedonius Eunomius Pelagius Eutiches which ingeÌ„dered the Pope and Papistes when â—esus Christ his Church was banishâ—â— by the tyrannie of the great murders from Nero to Domitianus and other through persecution After which time yet to vexe the Church a new came in Menandrians Cherinthus Ebionites Nicholaites Saturninus Taâ—â—anus Messaliani Nâ—scoâ—ians Anabaptistes Libertines aâ—d diuers others whose nature not vnlike to Turdus Syluestris by whose â—yling on the Okâ— or fruite trees the Misâ—le groweth so of the doung of these silthie sâ—â—â—es haue proceeded a nâ—wâ— Mergus a cormorant foule the familie of loue an hereticall sect that hath to bring forth a new puritie in religion supped vp the moste part of former errours which except it plâ—ase the Almightie God in the mercies of his Christe our Lorde and Sauiour the sufferance thereof will giue occasion to a newe persecution It behâ—ueth therefore all reuereâ—d Elders Bishoppes and Preachers to seeke at the handes of our souereigne authoritie to redresse the same or else will assuredly followe the like plâ—gue on vs as was at Munster in Germanie by Dauid George Iohn a Leede Kâ—ipper Dolling and others the seede whereof is H. N. Henrie Nicholas nowe of Colone His disciple here in England Christopher Vittel lotner and many moe whom God turn from this and al other errours if it be his wil or else hasten their ouerthrowe from poysoning the simple as yet to be accounted traitours to God hipocrites to the Prince and false Prophetes in seducing the people Thus gentle Reader I haue presumed to enter into this authours booke these fewe wordes to none other ende then to incourage thee to accept his paines that seeketh by his studie and laborious toile thine ease in bringing to lighte that whiche might else haue longer bene hid to the great hurt of this common wealth And now being brought to light giue God the praise to whom he honour and glorie for euer Amen Stephan Bateman professour of diuinitie The life of Dauid George testified by the Magistrates of Basil which was the founder of the heresie of H. N. and the Familie of loue DAVID GEORGE borne in Delphe a towne of Holland taught his errours in the lowe countrie where he dwelled fourtie yeares and fearing to bée espied by the Magistrates departed out of his countrie Anno. 1544. and iournied towards Basil in Zuitzerland with his familie and kinsfolke named himselfe Iohn of bridges When he was come to Basil he made his complaint to diuers of the Magistrats that he was banished out of his natiue countrie for the word of God and was faine to flée from place to place They tooke compassion of him and made petition vnto the Lordes of the towne for him that it would please them to take him and his for poore subiects and inhabiters of their citie They receiued this answere that they would not denie their citie to any honest stranger being of a good true religion His graue yeares sober speach and modest behauiour with his ancient and comely apparell did not a little preuaile that his petition tooke place so that he and al his companie were made frée men of Basil was in good reputation among the people He was liberall in giuing of almes and full of hospitalitie he maried his daughters very worshipfully he was serued in plate and spent liberally for his scholers in the lowe countries made collections for him so that he wanted nothing Eleuen yeres he dwelt in Basil and it was not espied what doctrine he taught Then he built two houses the one for pleasure in a garden the other in the towne one of the houses was by lightening and thunder consumed with fire also in his own dwelling house one loft fel downe and did much harme al these were warnings of Gods displeasure In processe of time one that married his daughter beganne to mistrust his doctrine and when Dauid George vnderstoode thereof he sent for his sonne in lawe and with many persuasions endeuoured to confirme his sonne to beleeue that he was that right Dauid that was sent from God and should restore againe the kingdome of Israel and build the tabernacle of Iacob in the latter dayes whereunto his sonne answered that the restoring of the kingdome of Israel and al other prophesies of Dauid was fulfilled by Christe With which answere Dauid George was veriâ— angrie notwithstanding with gentle wordes he beganne againe to persuade him y if any thing were too high in his bookes that he could not vnderstand he should commit it vnto God from whom such high wisedome did come He writ diuers bookes especially â—â—â— called The wonder booke wherein he taught his damnable errours He dyed the 16. of August 1556. and was buried in the parish Church of S. Leonardes Many of his disciples tooke great thought after he was dead for that he promised vnto them that he should not die but if he did he would rise again within thrée yeares and fulfil all his former promises Diuerse of his disciples and schollers forsooke his heresies after his death and confessed themselues deceiued and acknowledged Dauid George to be a very blasphemer of our sauiour Christ. But certaine would not but conueyed them selues away and infected others The Magistrates of Basil when they vnderstoode of his doctrine and manners they called before them all such as they suspected to holde of Dauid George and searched their houses founde the bookes and letters which he had written and when the Lordes of Basil had all they caused them to recant solemnely in the chiefe Church all such articles as Dauid George had taught them They founde also in Dauid Georges house a picture of Dauid Georges person veriâ— curiously cunningly couÌ„terfet which together with the carcase of Dauid George his bookes letters c. were burned in the Market place his goodes and landes seised to the vse of the town All the rest that were knowne to holâ—e that errour did willingly abiure the same and so were receiued as members of Christes Church Yet did not his heresies cease for diuerse were in Holland that stifly did maintain Dauid Georges heresies and peruerted many among which number was Henrie Nicholas thought to bee chiefe who after the death of Dauid George tooke vpon him to mainteine the same doctrine not in the name of Dauid but in his owne name as a Prophet sent to rebuke the world of sin and iniquitie hath written many books in the Dutch tong in a rude stile which many of his schollers fellowes haue translated into diuers languages his Euangelium Râ—gni is in Latin many also are in a Dutch letter in English translated as is supposed by Christopher Vittell a ioyner dwelling somtime in Southwark who hath by his trudging about
liue vnder the obedience of any magistrate be he neuer so wicked or vngodly the Turke the Pope or whosoeuer 5 Item that they allowe a kinde of shrifte worse then Popish For where the Pope requireth but confession of the act coÌ„mitted they will haue the thoughtes manifested and what our nature and inclination draweth vs vnto 6 Item they holde that the lawe of God is possible to be kept of euerie man that will indeuour himselfe thereto 7 Item that their authour H. N. is the true prophet of God sent to blowe the last trumpe of doctrine which shall be published vpon earth he only knoweth the true sence of the holie scripture 8 Item that his bookes are of equall authoritie with the holie scripture and are written with the same spirite 9 Item all is false and lyes whatsoeuer is taught or preached by any other then their Illuminate Elders in the Familie 10 Item they commend the Pope and Cardinals and allowe the Masse other their ceremonies The Bookes of H. N. which I haue seene 1 IN primis the first Epistle of H. N. 2 Item the first and second exhortation of H. N. 3 Item a diologue betweene the father and the sonne 4 Item the prophesie â—â— the spirite of loue 5 Item the published peace vppon earth 6 Item the declaration of the masse 7 Item their Euangelium Regni 8 Item the true and spirituall Tabernacle 9 Item the new and heauenly Ierusalem 10 Item a confession of their faith newly made 11 Item sundrie Epistles of H. N. Bookes which I heare of and haue not seene 1 ITem two bookes intituled the glasse of righteousnesse 2 Item a Booke called the holy Lamb. The displaying of the Familie of Loue. WHen I considered the duetie of a Christian to consist in the true profession of Christ Iesus his name diligently to walke in the pathes and wayes manifested in his word and to séeke to beautifie and inrich that beloued spouse the Church of Christ sanctified by his bloude I could not holde backe my penne to publish such matter as I sée daily to blemishe that beloued bride I meane the Church of Christ and to haue crept in by the subtiltie of Sathan our professed enimy Hauing therefore gathered diuers notes of that cankered error of H. N. taken out of his bookes which I haue to shewe I had thought to haue stayed my hande from further frauell but being vrged by diuers of Gods children to manifest this my labour to the end that some nouices of that errour might if it were possible be stayed from further plunging themselues into that gulfe of impietie How the wicked take occasion by these like errours to speake euil of Christs Church the eares of many godly doe heare Especially the Papists who speak and write â–ª and nothing is heard more common in their mouthes then these tearms Ye are at variaunce amongst your selues no vnitie of doctrine is obserued ye are of diuers opinions and sectes But how vntruely they impute these maters vnto the church of Christ to euerie member of the same Church it is euident For if we consider the wisedome of God in gouerning his we shal perceiue that in all ages when Christes Church did most flourish in perfectioÌ„ then was errour and heresies moste rife as may wel appéere euen in the Apostles times by the Nicolaitans Ebionites Cerinthus and others How busily did the fathers in the primitiue Church withstand such heresies as crept in euen in that happie time Tertullianus the Valentinians Augustine the Donatistes and Athanasâ—â—us the Arrians with infinit mâ— as by reading the Ecclesiasticall histories doeth well appeare Wherein what trauell hath béene taken what counsels called what Books written it were a wonder to behold But when corruption began by litle and litle to spread her selfe and got the face of a Church O how were dissentions appeased no varietie séemed to be where as in déede nothing was taught nor published but dreams deuises of men who leauing the certein and knowen wayes of y Lord reuealed in his word betoke theÌ„selues to depend vpoÌ„ the doctrines of men But if we descend into these last times wherein we liue and marke the wisedome of God in gouerning his Churche how he hath manifested his sonne Christ Iesus with an vncouered face to the great comfort of his children how the doting dreams of men are vanished how nothing but Christ Iesus is lifted vp with prayses as the immediate and only cause of our saluation how the true vse of workes is placed not as any cause but as the fruites of our instification And yet to sée how busily sathan enuying the prosperitie of Christes spouse endeuoureth daily in his meÌ„bers to trouble and disquiet this peaceable Sion by raysing vp diuers strange and monstrous heresies as the Anabaptistes the Free will men the Arrians the Pelagians and the Familie of Loue with many others which heresies the Diuell more bufily soweth nowe to disquiet the Churche then heretofore in y time of ignorance when he lulled the most part of y world in errours and dreames of men And séeing that euerie errour doeth seeke his cloake defence by the holie scripture yet we haue great cause to reioyce that onely by the scripture they are all put to silence and their heresies made manifest to all men as by the learned treatises of many graue men in this our age doeth manifestly appeare Of this last errour of H. N. the cheefe piller and vpholder of these errours of the Familie of Loue whereof by the Lordes assistance I minde to leaue behinde me such notes and bréefes â–ª as of certeintie I haue learned bothe of the person and also of his doctrine no man hitherto that I can learne hath endeuoured to confute them in writing Whose Bookes as they haue come to my hande I haue with diligence perused and by much conference with diuers of that Familie learned the doctrine which they followe And whereas they haue béene charged with diuers articles before the highe commissioners yet by no argument that I can learne doe I finde that they holde all the errours conteined in the same Notwithstanding so many as either by the doctrine of Henrie Nicholas or by conference I haue learned I haue set downe to the ende that some good man might be incouraged to confute so impious an authour and such horrible errours and perfourme in some learned worke that whiche my want and capacitie is not able to supply neither would I haue ventured to committe to writing suche rude and ignorant labour the matter béeing in déede â—etter then the handling but in my opinion it is better to haue course bread then none at all And because diuerse with whome I am familiarly acquainted are fallen into this errour of Henrie Nicholas I haue the rather for their sakes bent my studie to doe them good if it be possible And if these simple notes may haue that successe that I wishe I trust it
stead and office in iudging the children of God saying My iealous conceiuing can not stande otherwise towards thee but that thou art a presumptuous whore and shalt be constrained to drinke the bitter cursed water of my ielousie If these be not Luciferian voyces I am much deceiued then he saith that what the Prophetes Christ haue written that must be fulfilled in him and with him and that all the generations of the earth must submit them selues vnto the mercy seat and godly maiestie which is in him Thus I suppose my coniecture standeth firme where I saide that Dauid George was the hatcher of this heresie and layde the egge but H. N. brought foorth the chickens How wel they agrée in vaunting them selues doth well appeare and that the sonne is farre worse then the father Surely I could well haue spared my penne in writing this and other their wicked opinions with their patrones haue buried it in silence had it not the zeale of the Lordes house carried me so farre that I could not stay vntill I had published suche matter as came to my handes whereby I sawe the glory of Christ Iesus to be so defaced séeing these wicked impes to place them selues so high in the mindes of many simple people here in England it pitieth me to sée them so snared in this bewitched errour A man would thinke that these things are so vaine absurd that none y were in their right wits would once bend their mindes to imbrace the same In déed if I did not know many of theÌ„ and am truely certified by some of the same fellowship that there are in Engand at the least 1000. in diuers partes of this realme which do hold this vain monstruous opinion of H. N. I would not haue traueled any further But eueÌ„ for their sakes who in déede are simply deceiued and not maliciously holde any thing doe I write and if this my labour may by the Lords will conuert any of that fellowship and bring them into the plaine and manifest way whiche Christ Iesus hath left in his word I haue my expected desire There is no one thing in my opinion that hath so much preuailed with this simple sorte which are members and professours of y Familie of Loue as a certeine shew outwarde face of a holy conuersation which some of their illuminate Elders do séeme to vse Wherein they followe the steppes of the Pelagians and Papists directly whose doctrine of works howe by them we are in the fauour of God and accepted doth in diuers treatises manifestly appeare destroying the worke wrought by Christe our Lorde â–ª by whose bloud we are cleansed and by whose stripes we are healed without this faith in Christ all our works be they neuer so godly are méere impietie If he woorke in vs the will and the déede what haue we to boast of workes If we haue nothing which we haue not receiued what fauor with God doth our works purchase If euerlasting life be the frée gift of God what haue our workes to do in that matter of our saluatioÌ„ It standeth not vpon so â—ickle a point as the vncertaintie of our workes but in suche errours they wander which leaue the wholesome precepts of the holy Ghoste reuealed by the scripture and imbrace the doctrins of men It séemeth that the simple truth which by the Scriptures we be taught and the promises of Christe our Lorde made vnto vs doeth not content their curious heads but vainly they wander in euery vncerteine way estéeming H. N. and his sayings expressed in his book to be of no lesse value and credite then the sacred Scripture written for our comforte not as the workes of men but by the finger of GOD euen the holy Ghoste And whereas H. N. doeth boast him self y he can not erre he saith that with the same lying spirite that is in the Pope affirming the selfe same thing As for the Pope it is manifest ynough without proofe But bycause some may thinke that I auouch that of H. N. that is not to be proued I will set downe his wordes as they are written in his booke intituled The prophesie of the spirit of Loue the 13. chapter where you shall perceiue y H. N. doth couple him self with Moses with y Prophets with Christ and his Apostles very presumptuously affirming that he him selfe can no more erre then they His wordes be these H. N. Chap. 13. verse Moyses the Prophetes Christe and his Apostles and his Minister H. N. they iudge to erre or misse the right rather then acknowledge themselues in their imagination to be ignorant and lying In my opinion H. N. in these words doth somewhat ouermatch the Pope for the Pope doth acknowledge that as he is a man he may erre but as he is Christes vicar or deputie vpon earth he can not erre but H. N. without any distinction doth affirme that he can no more erre then Christe or his Apostles And in déede his bookes are thought amongest his disciples to be of equall authoritie with the scripture and they do affirme that they are written with the same spirit But if their bare affirmation may stand for good proofe then indéed it is somwhat they say but the holy ghost hath taught vs another lesson saying beléeue not euery spirite but trie the spirite whether he be of god And that we may rightly discern this H. N. other wise called Henrie Nicholas which taketh vpon him to be that great prophet sent to rebuke the world of sinne hath written his bookes intituling one The prophesie of the spirite of Loue wherin he prophesieth of many thinges to happen to the Church of GOD before this time but God be thanked his wordes are no warrants he is proued a false prophet and since our Sauiour Christe published vnto the world y glad tidings of his glorious gospel to our great comfort the office of prophesying or foretelling of thinges to come hath ceased in Christes Church Many haue risen and taken vpon them to prophesie and foretell thinges to come â–ª but they haue ben counted false prophets euen as H. N. is Christ our Lord did forewarne vs that in the latter times such false prophetes should rise and false Christes and such daungerous dayes that if it were possible the very Elect should be deceiued Blessed be the Lorde our God which by the light he hath giuen his children in the holy scripture hath so instruct vs that the very childreÌ„ babes are able to confute these false techers false prophets And least the Papistes should imagine that this H. N. should be a professor of the Gospell I will declare manifest causes to proue that he is a right chickeÌ„ of the Church of Rome and harboured many yeares by Granuella a Cardinal Howe he extolleth the Pope to be that great Priest of the West howe he openeth the misteries of the Masse in a book intituled A declaration of the masse
in the loue which in playne tearmes is to growe to perfection and to be without sinne which they affirme in this life to be brought to passe If this be good doctrine then the holie Scripture is contrarie 1. Iohn first Chapter If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs. Likewise Paule Rom. 8. verse 20. The creature is subiect to vanity not of his owne will but by reason of him that subdued it vnder sinne To the Galathi Chapter 5. verse 17. The flesh Iusteth against the spirite and the spirite against the fleshe continually These are contraries the one to the other so that ye cannot doe the same thinges that ye would And Almightie God did pronounce vpoÌ„ man at the beginning this saying God sawe that the wickednes of mans heart was great and all the imaginations and thoughtes of his heart were euill continually Gen. Chapter 6. verse 5. The whole scope of the holie Scripture doth proue that God hath shut vp all vnder sinne Now if H. N. or his Il luminate Elders will still auouch that they are without sinne then may I as truly aledge y they are without christ Let the terrible example of Sharpe and Allin moue you to coÌ„sider how desperat a doctrine you imbrace whose souden deaths without any comfort in Christ may remaine as an example to all posteritie For the Author of this errour is Satan who in a desperate state leaueth his pupils For it was pride that caused almightie GOD to execute his iudgement vpon him his state béeing angelical so likewise he séeketh to bring man into the same destruction by the same meanes through pride and presumption that we are pure without sinne and so exalting our selues we might haue the swifter damnation For Almightie God hath cast our condition state so lowe that without his mercie set foorth by Christe we all perishe as is witnessed by Paule * God hath included vs vnder sinne * Also both Iewes and Gentiles are vnder sinne as it is writteÌ„ There is none righteous no not one c. We are neuer so néere vnto our God as when we féele our sinne as a burthen or heauie loade lying vppon our conscience nor neuer further off then when we féele or testifie that we are without sinne which persuasion Sathan doth féede our humours withall contrarie to the holie Scripture Therfore I conclude that this principle to liue in this life without sinne is méerely the suggestion of Sathan and not of the spirite of god Christ Iesus came into the worlde to saue sinners And againe I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentaunce If Henrie Nicholas and his Illuminate Elders be now without sinn Christe came not for to saue them * For there is none other name vnder heauen giuen to men by which we shal be saued but Christ Iesus Therefore manifestly it appeareth that H. N. and his Illuminat Elders are clean excluded and haue no néede of Christe for his office and death doeth properly belong to sinners then consequently not to them Therefore ye nouices of the Family which sée not into what daunger Christopher Vittell H. N. doeth miserably bring your troubled mindes looke wel betimes espye their subtiltie leaue the doctrine which is without comfort and hath no warrant in the holie scripture forsake those péeuish and darke riddles of H. N. and cleaue vnto the holie scripture leaue the phantasies of H. N. and his scholler Vittell and by little and little ye shall espie their craft and subtiltie how they set vp them selues and not Christ Iesus how they teach false doctrine which dare not abide the light nor they are not able to defend and yet persuade you in corners that it is the spirite of God by whiche they speake How gréeuous ye are vnto the Church of GOD may appeare by the trauell which is taken for your sakes what offence ye giue what stumbling blockes ye are vnto the simple whome ye ought not to offend no not the least let your conscience beare witnesse * It is necessarie that offences come but woe bee vnto them by whome they come Know this for certeine without the Arke there is no saluation except ye abide in the vine Christe ye bring foorth no fruite ye cannot serue two maisters béeing so contrarie If ye cleaue to H. N. and his doctrine ye haue no parte nor fellowshippe with Christe Iesus for H. N. destroyeth the office of Christe our Lorde and taketh away the comfort of his Gospel in stéede whereof he placeth his vpright fréedome with a perfection in this life suche as the holie Scripture alloweth not For our battell is continuall and shall neuer haue end vntill our flesh be dissolued and we at rest in Christe If we must atteine to suche perfection in this life as H. N. sheweth then our Sauiour Christe did in vaine teache vs to pray continually Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue c. Also Leade vs not into temptation Which petitions are without effect if his doctrine be true Therefore as ye loue your own soules beware of his doctrine examine it better acknowledge Christ Iesus and his Gospell and leaue the drowsie dreames of a doting Dutchman and the erronious spirite of Christopher Vittell arude and vnlearned Ioyner And although they boast neuer so much of the spirite yet vse the counsell of the holie Ghost Beleeue not euerie spirite but trie y spirit whether he be of God. Think not within your selues that they cannot erre it is a priuiledge not giuen to mortal man but only to our immortall God. God is true and all men are liers Beléeue not that his Bookes are written by the spirite of God for God is not contrarie to himselfe the doctrine of H. N. is manifest contrarie to God the doctrine published by Christ in his gospel If ye continue in the Family of H. N. ye denie Christ. We may not hold of Paule or Apollo for they were not crucified for vs we are counted Christs friendes if we doe those things that he commaundth What haue we to dâ—e with H. N. or his commaundementes â–ª Deceiue not â—our selues with your pretenced the we of a holie life but confesse with the Prophet Dauid Psalme 130. If thou Lorde shouldest looke straightly vpon sinnes Lorde who should abide it â–ª Euen the holâ—est y euer were being â—arthly men haue néede to call vppon God in this manner with the beloued Prophet Dauid If you imagine that your workes do helpe or profite you to saluation ye are with the Pelagians and Papistes demers of the grace of God in Christe our Lord in which doctrine of merite there is no comfort nor consolation If ye continue still in the Family of H. N. there is neither hope nor helpe for you Christes sacraments you conteâ—ine which are to vs the seales and cognisances of our redemption and tokens of his couenant and promise Ye haue forsaken the
ouershot my selfe and if you can prooue it to me I shall gladly receiue it and will be redie to recant and cal backe all my wordes and aske mercie in like fourme as you haue prescribed but hitherto as I am persuaded and as my conscience beareth me witnesse I haue not in any point slandered you nor of malice spokeÌ„ any thing against you for if I did know any nerer way to saluatioÌ„ then y which our sauiour Christ hath taught in his Gospell I woulde with all gréedenesse imbrace it And if I can vnderstand that euer this your doctrin was taught publikly since christ our Lord his assention by any godly writer in Christs Church I will ceasse and subscribe vnto you otherwise blame me not though I continue in that minde which the Lorde in mercie by his Christ hath made manifest to me to my comforte The God of mercie and consolation giue you a right spirite to depend vpon the puritie of his worde written by the holy Ghoste and not to depend vpon the vncertainetie of man giuing testimonie to him selfe so shall both you and I bee brought to sée rightly into our weakenesse shall heare y ioyful voyce y Paule heard My grace is sufficient for thee For y Lords power loue is manifested made kno wen vnto the worlde through our weakenesse and all our righteousnesse is Sicut pannus menstrualis God in mercie giue vs all his grace that in séeking the true way that ledeth to life euerlasting we be not led into y by paths of errour but leade vs and guide vs O Lorde so shall we knowe thy ways aright imbrace our sauing health in Christ declared to all nations If it please you to reply I shall receiue it thankfully London the 12. of Februarie Your friend I. R. A Letter of the Familie to I. R. written by E. R. M. Rogers these are to signifie vntd you that I haue perused a booke wherof you are the authour In your preface you say you haue vsed this order to set downe the authors owne speach not adding or diminishing any thing with the name of the booke Chapter or folio I do wish that your word and deede had agreed therein I call to minde that I haue read many authours bookes within this 35. or 36. yeares and among them all I haue not found any writer that hath taken such an order as you haue done for who so euer will write to confute an Authour he should set downe the Authours owne wordes as they stande written in his bookes and so to confute them by the Scriptures orderly and not to take out here some and there some and of diuers sentences and part of diuers sentences to make one sentence You haue added and diminished in diuers places and to inlarge your booke withall you haue set downe the most part of the sentences in two places as y readers may perceiue if they do confer your booke with the Authours bookes wâ—y them with indifferencie I am fully persuaded that the sober discreet wise and godly learned do ne wil not allowe of it that any Authour should be so abused as you haue abused this Authour in wresting belying and peruerting his writings Salonton saith A false record wil make a lye A false witnesse shall not remaine vnpunished and hee that speaketh lyes shall not escape I pray God open the eyes of your heart that you may see your ignorance and repent You do ground one point of your matter vpon Adrian Gisling a man of credite as you say y he did read in a Duche booke intituled the Glasse of righteousnesse wherein the Authour doth certifie his Familie of Loue that they must passe foure most terrible castels full of combersome enimies before they come to the house of Loue the first is Iohn Caluine the second the Papistes the third Martine Luther the fourth the Anabaptistes howe good of credite so euer Adrian Gisling is of he hath not at any time read any such matter in any of that Authours bookes he might perhaps read of such matter in some other booke hauing that title I my self haue read ouer diuers of the bookes and also the booke called the Glasse of righteousnesse of that Authours writing that you take your occasion against and there is no such Castles written in any of his bookes therfore Adrian Gisling is therein vtterly deceiued and I do beleeue no lesse but those other thinges that you haue written vpon reporte against â— Author to make him odious vnto the people is as contrarie I suppose you should haue done well if you had not come in with a flourish to attempt battell and beginne a skirmish against those that haue no pleasure or delight in warre or battell but much rather doe desire peace vnitie It is not reckoned for a manly part that an armed souldier should take vp weapon and fight with a naked childe It is written Let not him that putteth on his harnesse boast him selfe as he that putteth it off If the little vnarmed childe Dauid doe come to battell with his sling and stones one of the stones may happen to hit Golias in the forhed be he neuer so well appointed for battell and trusteth in his owne strength But what you haue done you can not vndo it is too farre past your hands And where you call in doubt that the familie will carpe as you terme it at your booke and do offer if they do answere it a speedie replie will be performed I for my parte I giue GOD thankes am not ignoraunt of the Lande of strife and contention that ye walke in and as it appeareth ye haue a pleasure therein I haue wandered vppe and downe there ouerlong and consumed much time there about to my greate greefe and sorrowe for those that doe loue strife and contention would haue other like to them selues S. Paule saith The seruants of the Lord must not striue And Saint Iames saith If ye haue bitter enuying and strife in you hearts reioyce not neither be lyars against the trueth and then following where enuie and strife is there is vnstablenes all maner of euill workes In the Homilie for whitsunday the second part ye may read this sentence But to conclude and make an end ye shall briefly take this short lesson where so euer ye finde the spirit of arrogancie and pride the spirit of enuie hatred contention crueltie murther extortion witchcraft Necromancie c. assure your selues that there is the spirite of the diuell and not of GOD albeit they pretend outwardly to the worlde neuer so much holinesse I haue no desire pleasure nor delight to carpe at your booke nor to striue or contend with you or any one neyther is there any other who doe desire peace and vnitie that will haue any delight or pleasure in strife and contention but leaue euery one to the Lorde Salomon saith The sinne of the wicked is his owne snare Saint
sufficient to answer for him were they weyed in the balance of equitie You terme the saide Familie simple howe much are they bound to laude the Lorde and to giue him most high thankes and praise that they are simple Moses saith Would God that all the Lordes people could prophesie and that the Lord would put his spirite vpon them So doe I wish from the bottome of my heart that all the Lordes people were simple concerning euill and malice then strife contention enuying backbiting lying persecuting for coÌ„scieÌ„ce cause theft â–ª murder whoredome dronkennesse Idolatrie and such like should not beare so great dominioÌ„ as it doth Is it an odious matter in your eyes to be simple I pray you peruse well these few sentences of Scripture here following The testimonie of the Lorde is pure and giueth wisedome to the simple God thou knowest my simplenesse my faultes are not hid from thee He taketh vp the simple out of the dust lifteth the poore out of the mire The Lorde preserueth the simple When thy worde goeth foorth it giueth light and vnderstanding euen vnto the simple A simple mans wisdome is despised and his wordes are not heard Timely in the morning do they arise to murder the simple and poore Reioyce thou greatly O daughter Sion be glad O daughter Hierusalem for loe thy King commeth vnto thee euen the righteous and Sauiour lowly and simple is he The poore simple sheepe that had a respect vnto me knewe thereby that it was the word of the Lord. You say the zeale of the Lordes house carried you so farre that you could not stay till you had published suche matter as came to your handes I for my part can not so conceiue that it was the Lordes zeale for there coulde not any one deale in such sort vse such spenches in writing as you haue done if he were carried by the zeale that the lord doth require It may rather be gathered that you had such a zeale as Iesus the sonne of Syrach writeth of where he saith Zeale and anger shorten the dayes of life and also There is nothing but wrath zeale fearefulnesse vnquietnesse feare of death ' rigours anger and strife c. But my desire is of the Lorde that he would plant the true zeale in vs all and then the loue v3 to loue God aboue all and our neighbour as our selues shoulde not be so despised and had in contempt with many as it is nowe in these dayes You say that Syr William Moore a worthy Iustice in Surrie had the examination of one or two of the Familie who vttered much matter which you are loth to write and yet in the end of your booke you haue set downe the Articles that were confessed before Syr William Moore the 28. of May 1561. by two of the Familie of loue You would haue it appeare to the readers as though there wer two at one time before a worshipfull Iustice of Peace and one or two at an other time before Syr William Moore and all those confessours were but two parties and one matter as you well knowe for you haue or haue had the written copie of the Articles with the names of those two parties that as it is said were the confessours of the saide Articles before Syr William Moore who was not at that time v3 the 28 of May. 1561. knowne or called by the name of Syr William Moore for he was but an Esquire What false and forged matter is set downe in the saide Articles and that the confessours of them are nor neuer were of the Familie of Loue I leaue to the iudgement of the same two parties and of all those that haue had haue or shall haue the cause in question and will consider of it with indifferencie Concerning the citizen your neighbour whome you doe so often name in your booke to discredit him as much as in you lyeth although you haue nâ— iust cause so to doe I leaue to the iudgement of all those discreet wise sober and honest citizens his neighbors who haue had at any time to deale with him there or else where and also to the discreete wise sober vertuous and godly learned that haue had at any time conference with him I hope you will from hence foorth take heede how you mâ—ke any such attempts to speake or write vpon report nor belye wrest ne peruert any authours writings for lyars shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone What Authour hath written any booke if one shoulde deale therewith as you haue done with this Authours writing but there might be founde many faultes c. To me as I suppose you are vnknown but if I should write what I haue heard of you and of Maister Bateman your furtherer in this your attempt vpon report happily you nor he wold scarse take it in good part It were good and according to the rule of the holy Scripture that all fault finders wold first looke into them selues that it be not saide Hypocrite first cast out the beame out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearely to plucke out the moâ—e that is in thy brothers eye c. I haue presumed to be so bolde as to certifie you my minde touching a fewe pointes of your booke hoping not lesse but you will take this my simple plaine and rude hand writing in good part although it lacke good Methode and doe wish that my time of leasure woulde haue permitted me to certifie you my minde in many other paintes of your booke but for as much as my time wil not serue thereto I am constrained to hold my self coÌ„tented Thus M. Rogers I bid you farwel wishing to you as to my self althogh there be many ways paths walked in of those that do trauell in religion â—reuer the right pathway be found which is to followe Christe Iesus our Sauiour in his footsteps yet I hope our God will in the end bring vs all into the same right path and that our sinnes shall be by and through the death passion and bloudsheading of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ done away and be of the number of those that shall be set on the right hand to whoÌ„ our sauiour Iesus Christ when he coÌ„meth in his glory al the holy Angels with him shal say vnto Com ye blessed childreÌ„ of my father inherit the kingdom prepared for you froÌ„ the beginning of the world c. to the end I might through the power of the lord be one of the number of the elect haue I had my exercise in the Scriptures And to the end that I might be furtherer in the vnderstanding of the Scriptures I haue read diuers Authors who haue set too their helping hand to the opening of the Scripture so farre foorth as the Lorde gaue them vnderstanding thereof and although some haue in diuers pointes varied in iudgement Salomon saith
N. nor his doctrine and yet haue turned to the same againe we do not denye but that some haue beene constrained so to doe and that it is no plaine dealing And I pray you tel mee hath the like matter euer beene heard of ere this tune that simple men who can scarcely reade Englishe because they haue read a booke or heard it read should be compelled to yelde an accompt of the spirite of the author that wrote the same I thinke not except you will allowe by like reason that euery simple man that heareth a doctor preache should be compelled to deliuer forth all his diuinitie or els to be committed to straight prison Learned men dispute with the learned it hath euer yet suffised amongst Gods ministers a simple person to yelde an accompt of his beleefe simply c. were not thinke you playner dealing better you say that wee vse the propertie of the Cuttell c. Do you not remember that the fleshly minded Iewes could not see their Sauiour when he was dayly amongst them yet they boasted verie stoutly of their sight and would not in any case confesse their blindnesse Wee stand not vpon our tiptoes as you say but we dayly acknowlege our blindnesse and waite vpon the Lord for our sight Wee say not that you are in errour but wee say that we haue through that sinfull nature of the fleshe that earthly lying being which hath wrought that disobedience in Adam where through we are all fallen beene bewrapped in all ignorance and blindnesse and for that cause are not ashamed to confesse our errour Wee will not go about to conuince you by the testimonies of the holy Scriptures for that lyeth not in our power neither were wee so dealt withall It is the Lorde by his grace that hath conuinced vs and brought vs vnder his crosse ▪ if he also conuince you then are ye rightly conuinced and so the praise thereof appertayneth onely vnto him And whereas you desire to knowe wherein you haue mistaken the author to that we saye that you haue not set downe any whole sentence but patched peeced the same without all order contrarie to your promise For you say you will not adde nor diminish but set downe the authors wordes worde for worde which you haue done euen as one may take the tenne commaundements and leaue out some wordes thereby say that God commaunded such things as for example Thou shalt haue none other Gods but mee Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not committ adulterie c. Leaue out none not and then what is the commaundement If this be good dealing then you haue dealt well let all men iudge You say moreouer you tooke not vppon you to write against any one booke but to display the absurdities you found in the auctors doctrine which wee shall fynde perfourmed ere it be long by master Knewstub who as we suppose shall displaye him selfe therein euen like as you haue in your booke displayed your selfe and your adherents You say we apply this text My kingdome is not of this world c. verie fondly we take his kingdome not to be outward but inward vz. peace righteousnesse and ioy in the spirit which things the world is ignorant of you may expound it at your pleasure though we expressed our minde therein in plaine dealing mought it please you so to take it You say moreouer you knowe that Christ raigneth in his Church but who are the church is the question In deede master Rogers you say verie well and nowe giue vs leaue to vse plaine dealing with you least otherwise we mought happe to slaunder or belye you In your book one leafe before your admonitiō to Christopher Vittell these be your owne wordes Howe H. N. iudgeth of vs because wee acknowledge our selues to be of the Church of Christ. For that cause if thou nowe accompt not thy selfe for an whoore but esteemest thy selfe for the faithfull espowsed wife of Christ c. And nowe for as much as we vse not neither are so taught in the seruice of loue to iudge rashly or vnaduisedly of any people to their reproche like as you haue done of vs let vs intreat you to read in the booke called The prophesie of the spirite of loue the tenth Chapter sect 12. 13. 14. and in the 11. 12. Chapters throughout and then see with an vnparciall eye what manner of Churche that it is which he doth there reproue you shall finde it in deede to be that fleshly wicked nature that lying being which spareth not with his earthly knowledge to set it selfe to iudgement and to giue sentence of the godly matters which he calleth a false seede an adulterous generation of the earthly man which hath inhabited the earth with vnrighteousnesse iudged it falsely with her lyes seduced the simple oppressed the little ones murdered the holy ones of God and spylt the innocent bloud on the earth He calles it moreouer a bronde of the venomous Dragon yea of the diuell and of the earthly lying generation which is begotten of the seede of the Serpent and viperous generation which hath alwayes beene a false and a wicked whoore vppon the earth c. which church you nowe do challenge to your selues and acknowledge your selues as members of the same euen like as wee in times past haue also done Which thing so soone as the Lorde let vs see into then fell wee down before the Lorde and shamed not to confesse our faultes before him as that wee had ouerlong taken parte with that whoorishe nature of the earthly fleshly and sinfull being whome wee do nowe by Gods grace vtterly abhorre hoping dailye by the might of Christe Iesus our Lorde to see her filthie nakednesse in vs and in manye disclosed abhorred and reiected for euer more You desire to knowe of vs the difference betwixt you and vs Could any man tell it more plainly then you in your wordes haue here manifested the same Consider aduisedly of it so shall you not neede henceforth to demaunde of vs any further resolution in that point but must of necessitie if you doe well fall downe before the Lorde and crye with vs Peccauimus cum patribus nostris iniuste egimus iniquitatem fecimus You charge vs vniustly with the errour of Basilides as though wee were forswearers of our selues whereas yet notwithstanding there hath neuer beene proued any such matter against any of that companie or in any of all that authors workes which may well suffise to stop your mouth if trueth will serue to aunswer you And yet I remember that Tindall a learned man and writer in his booke of Obedience writeth these wordes Breake not vp into the consciences of men after the example of Antichristes disciples which compell them eyther to forsweare themselues by the Almightie God and by the holie Gospell of his mercifull promises or to testifie against them selues which abhomination our prelates learned of Caypha◠Math. 26.