his is ascended into heauen sitting at the right hand of God his almightie father but with this cautiō that it is like as the scripture mencioneth therof that is as his owne head shall imagine the Scripture to speake when it is transformed from the true and naturall sence into allegories and mysteries of his owne making And therefore after his woonted manner louing to make his Commentarie darker then the Text which hee hath taken in hande to open and explane hee saith That his Iesus hath taken in the heauen raigneth ruleth essentiallie in the heauenlie being that is that beeing free from sin the knowledge of the worde after the letter he is now become altogether heauenly spiritual inspired with knowledge immediatly frō God himself For his Christ after the spirit is him selfe and all that his number who are by obedience vnto his doctrine growen to such perfection that now they sinne no more beeing replenished with the fulnesse of the holie spirit of Christ as himself speaketh And that he meaneth no other ascending into heauen ▪ neither any other taking in of the heauen is euidently proued out of his Euangelie chapter 26. and 10 Section Beholde when as now the law of Moses was in such wise as is said fulfilled or accomplished and had no longer seruice with the death of the sinne and with the beleuers of Christ which through the lawe were dead vnto the law but the spirit of Christ which made the diseassed beleeuers of Christ aliue againe in righteousnesse out of the death of Christ so had then also the Priesthoode in his Images figures and shadowes after the manner of Aaron no more ministration with the liuing in Iesu Christ neither yet gaue it any clerenes more with them because the heauenly clearnesse of Christ and his vpright beeing of loue wherein the disciples of Christ were comprehended excelled farre away all cleerenesse of the figuratiue seruices for that cause the priesthood of Aaron chaunged also with the Disciples of Christ and ceassed by them for with them there was a spirituall heauenly priesthood appeared in vpright righteosnesse and euen so was the same with his seruice established on Christ after the spirit the true light which is an high Prieste that bideth for euer at the right hand of God in the heauenlye beeing whose seruice of the spitituall heauenlie ministration commeth not to passe in the letter nor in the figures but in the verie true beeing Beholde euen so was Christ after the spirit in his office or seruice a minister of the very true and heauenly goods among his disciples and beleeuers and hath when hee had taken in the Heauen multiplied him selfe through his seede of the holie Ghost out of the heauenly beeing to the increasing of his generation the vpright seede of Abraham according to the promises and euen so became Christ fruitfull vpon earth in many thousandes of his Saintes all which he through his death made free or iustified frō the sinne made them aliue through his holy Ghost taking them vp from the earth and assembling them vnto him at the right hande of God his father in the heauenly beeing He affirmeth as you heare in the 10. Section that when the lawe of Moses was accomplished by the death of sinne and had resigned vnto the spirit of Christ which made the deceassed beleuers aliue again in righteousnes thē had the priesthood after the manner of Aaron no more ministration with these liuing neither gaue it any more clearnes vnto them this is his reason because the heauenly cleerenesse of Christ wherein the disciples of Christ were comprehended excelled farre away all cleerenesse of the figuratiue seruices The same reason hee rendreth in the next Section saying that the priesthood of Aaron ceassed with the disciples of Christ for that vnto them there had a spirituall heauenly priesthood appeared who was with his seruice established on Christ after the spirit which is an high Priest that bideth for euer at the right hand of God in the heauenly being In the 12. Section continuing his speach of those to whome nowe the heauenly Priesthood had appeared hee calleth them Christ after the spirite and affirmeth that when he had taken in the heauen he multiplyed himselfe thorowe his doctrine which he calleth his seede of the holie Ghost for beeing perfect they may publiquely teache and professe to the increasing of his generation the vpright seede of Abraham according to the promises and so became Christ fruitfull vppon the earth and assembled many vnto him at the right hand of God his father in the heauenly beeing This is the taking in of the the heauen or the ascending into Heauen of H.N. his Christ and the sitting at the right hand of God his father euen to become heauenly minded and inspired from aboue in all fulnesse with this knowledge and obedience which H.N. requireth in this his seruice of loue Heere is neither hope nor comfort for vs in any other man beside our selues neither is any consolation opened either from the ascencion of Christ either else for that he sitteth at the right hande of God his father only this is confessed that the number of his perfect ones are become inclosers and haue taken in the heauen so that there is no portion of heauen and other true happinesse to be hired or otherwise had vnlesse a man renounce the knowledge of the worde after the letter become voyde of all sinne and perfectly illuminated with thefull cleerenes of H.N. his doctrine The greatest comfort that I see a man who would willingly become a disciple can haue by H. N. his doctrine is that though his religion be very highe and mysticall yet his Heauen is very lowe euen heere vppon Earth among vs For this ascention of his Christe and sitting at the right hande of his father is performed in this life when the disciples become once comprehended of this his heauenly cleerenesse and of his vpright beeing of the loue When shall we once come to the bottom of this dungeon of darkenesse How hard is it when once a man hath giuen way to heresie to finde that stoppe which shall make him stay and recouer himselfe Howe great is the goodnesse of our God that hath armed vs with cleere and plaine doctrine out of his woorde against these and the like daungers and hath left vnto vs the knowledge of his Christ to our exceeding great comfort and consolation insomuch that euery article of our beliefe addeth something to the consolation of a christian For albeit our hope be great in that we heare of him who went downe into the graue in our sinnes that hee is risen againe and so acquite of that danger and iudgement which he lay vnder for the same yet is it much more when we vnderstand that the Lord hath not so left him and caste him of who was the whole dealer doer for vs but hath receiued him into heauen his owne
For mark their meating you shal perceiue that alwaies the one draweth vpō the other wil neuer leaue him before he haue either a leg or an arme of him And in asmuch as partly by his dark speaking partly by his allegorical expositiō he hath hatched a mōster of perfectiō which he calleth Christ I haue added to the end of this booke 3. seuerall short treatises of those 3. special matters concluding the booke with a Sermō which I made heretofore moued therunto by the iudgemēt of some not only for that the present occasiō did then force me to stād vpō that historie of Christ his death which H.N. would wholy and altogither transforme into an allegorie but also for that in so large a matter of doctrine to reforme our iudgemēt I wished there might be somwhat ioined to further our cōuersation I haue likewise set down the iudgemēt of some godly learned as wel of the Dutch church as of our owne touching these heresies of H.N. that thēselues may see I am not alone neither in my opiniō of thē neither in this necessarie cōtention by writing with thē These fruits of my labours my very good Lord I present vnto your honour as a publike testimonie of my humble duetie good will vnto your L. not only in respect of my selfe for your L. great good deseruings towarde me but also in regarde of many others who find a safe harborow vnder your honourable protection and haue such an easie accesse entrance vnto your honour in all their good occasions and lawfull requests as bindeth vs vnto all duetie and thankfulnesse vnto his maiestie and your honor as his instrument for the same Which hath made me bold at this time to cōmend vnto your honourable care the redresse of a dangerous enormity which of late hath broken out in this land I meane this Athisme brought in by H.N. that his household who will bee called the Familie of loue The seruice your honour may doe vnto God in it is great the hope to preuaile against them in like maner is good for as true Religion spreadeth and increaseth vnder the crosse so punishment and affliction is the bane of heresie and false religion With what care and conscience such matters are to bee dealt withall that which is read in Deut. 14. may sufficiently direct your honour Where it is plainly declared that if anie shall secretly intice vnto a strange religion either friend husband or brother the nearest bondes that nature or friendship hath they stand charged not only to reueale it but also that their handes shall be first vpon them to put them to death To bewray the secretes of a deare friend who is to a man as his owne soule seemeth to flesh and blood an heynous matter to deale so with a mans brother the sonne of his mother or with his daughter the bowels of his owne bodie the law of nature doeth crie out of it and yet for the glorie of our God we are not onely in such a case to reueale this against them but our selues to be the chiefe doers in the death execution of thē which telleth vs that with the true worship of God and religion neither friendship nor nature may enter anie comparison nay it telleth vs that at the bringing in of Idolatry a strange religion how secretly soeuer the seedes therof shal be sowen rather thē by the impunitie therof Gods glorie should be defaced and the daunger that is due for the neglect thereof should be susteined we are not onely to lay aside naturall affection but euē to breake into our owne bowels to bathe our selues in our owne blood The case so nearly touching the glorie of our God I am in good hope that this which hath bene said shall sufficiently perswade your honour to enter into some speedie care consideration how to suppresse so great grieuous a danger Your L. labour in this cause so directly and so daungerously dealing against the highest hee can neuer forget to recompence who hath promised to reward euē to a cup of cold water bestowed vpō the least of those little ones who doe beleeue in his name The God of all glorie make you partaker of that honour which is assured vnto all them who by these such like fruites of faith shall trauaile the ratifying of their owne election and the remouing of all such enormities or blemishes which either hurt the health or hinder the beautie of the Church Your Lordships most bounden to serue in the Lorde Iohn Knewstub To the Reader grace and peace THe holie Apostle speaking of the comming of the Romishe Antichrist sheweth that the Lorde woulde set vp that rennagate seat as it were an executioner or sergeant of his wrathfull iudgement against those which should not haue the loue of the trueth that they which would not effectually beleeue it receiuing sentence of the Lord himself to beleeue lies effectually shoulde be put to the execution thereof by the ministerie of that seat The truth wherof as in other places of Europe so in this our Countrey especially is euidently seene where the Lord sitting in his Assise not twise a yeare but all the whole yeare long reuengeth the shameful contempt and neglect of his truth by sending numbers to their stie or walter againe which beeing drawne into the fouldes of Christ by the preaching of the Gospell behaued themselues coldly and carelesly therein And albeit in long processe of time this only cāker of Poperie be able to eat vp the whole church yet the sinnes of our Countrey crie so loude that is to say are done so openly and so vncōtrolledly in the sight of the Lord that as if he woulde make a short hande of all he setteth vpon vs with diuerse engines at once to pull downe that which he hath so graciously builded and with diuerse axes layde euen to the roote vtterly to cutte vp that which his owne hand hath planted And to follow the former comparison as where there are great store of fellons the Iustices of Assise are faine to seuer and single themselues to make the speedier hande of them euen so through heapes of those which haue no loue of the truth in them the lord is as it were faine to erect vp other iudgement seates by the which hee may ease himselfe of them and to appoint other hangmen for their quicker dispatch to the place wherevnto they are adiudged And therefore contenteth not himself now with the heresie of the Papistes which haue beene a long time the principall sincke to receiue the outcastes of the Church nor with the heresie of the Arians and Anabaptists as it were other houses of office whereunto some of the filth of the Church hath beene discharged but stirreth vp other brandes of hell to set fire as it were in euerie corner of the Church Of this sort are the vnlouely companie of them that call themselues the Familie of loue Wherevpon it may
Section seuenteene Oh alas how greate contention and vnprofitable disputations hath there bene concerning the conception of Iesus Christ in the wombe of Mary and touching his birth but if they all which contended heere about had knowen the power of God and that also the mysterie of the minde and works of God had bene giuen thē to vnderstand so should they then verily not haue contended there aboute And whereas the Scripture declareth that Christ should come of the seede of Abraham he wipeth that away after his mystical maner saith that the seed out of the faith of Abraham and out of the pure virgin Mary is the true seede of promise to the blessing of all generations of the earth so that otherwise he will not haue him to be Abrahams seede but in that he followeth the faith of Abraham And as for beeing borne of the virgin Mary hee will haue that a matter common to all his illuminate elders and perfect men of his familie Where he saith That the vpright children of the beliefe which had their discent of the seede of the faith of Abraham and of the pure virgin Mary were knowne to be the seede of the promise His reason is rendred before because Mary with him signifieth nothing else but a doctrice They therfore that are taught in his schole from whence only cōmeth as he thinketh pure doctrine are saide to be borne of the pure virgin Mary and for this cause when he had affirmed that the true seede of Abraham should not be conceiued of the fleshe but of the holy Ghoste Hee saith further that this is to bee done through the power of the most highest in the beliefe The word of God teacheth vs another doctrine that Christ was very man borne of a woman as we reade in the Epistle to the Galathians When the fulnesse of time was come God sent his sonne made of a woman that hee might redeeme them that were vnder the lawe And in the firste of Matthewe and thirde of Luke he is so plainly prooued to bee the seede of Abraham and the seede of Adam after the fleshe that there can bee no admitting of H N. his mysticall meaning or allegoricall exposition Which thing the Apostle likewise affirmeth plainely when hee saith I wish my selfe to be seperate from Christ for my brethren that are my kinsemen according to the flesh which are the Israelites of whome are the fathers and of whome concerning the fleshe Christ came who is God ouer all blessed for euer This damnable doctrine of H. N. ouerthroweth all comforte which is giuen to Christian consciences in the worde of god For seeing by man and in our nature sinne was committed and corruption did take beginning the iustice of God did require that he should be very man and haue our nature who was to make satisfaction for the same That as equitie doth require where the offence was committed there the satisfaction might be made Otherwise howe coulde our consciences rest satisfyed that the law in iustice were answeared and for this cause the holie Ghost saith He toke not on him the nature of Angels but the nature of men and the seede of Abraham And therefore in that he refusing the nature of Angels hath taken vpon him the nature of man hee hath in so doing ouerthrowen all H.N. his spiritual constructions and supercelesticall interpretations touching the flesh and humanitie of Christ and forceth him to a true and naturall meaning in that matter It was necessary likewise for our comfort that his conception should be pure and therefore that hee should be borne of a virgine without the help of man For otherwise if hee had not beene pure in and from the conception he had beene no meete Mediatour for others but one that had stoode in neede of a Mediatour him self Neither should the satisfaction make our full and perfect discharge against the iustice of God seeing his best children are not rid of the remnaunts of sinne but stil feele prouocations and motions vnto euill in them if our nature in him who is the peacemaker were not pure and altogether without spotte or staine And therefore damnable is that doctrine of H.N. that would wring this comforte out of our handes and make vs beleeue that Mary signifieth nothing but a pure teacher and that so many are borne of the pure virgine Mary as are brought vp in the doctrine of H.N. which is as full of puritie as Antechriste is of Christianitie And as by his doctrine wee are lefte comfortlesse touching our satisfaction for sinne so are we likewise touching the hope to obtaine any thing by way of Prayer and intercession Let vs goe boldely saieth the Apostle vnto the throne of grace for wee haue not an highe Prieste which can not be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but one who was in all things tempted in like sorte yet without sinne If the bolde presenting of our selues in Prayer before the throne of grace arise heerevppon that our mediatour is ready to take compassion because he hath our nature in it had tast natural feeling of our infirmities then by the same stroke that H.N. ouerthrowth his humanitie he giueth the deadly wounde to the comforte that wee haue to call vpon God in our necessities H.N. The fourth Article Wee beleeue that this holie seede of blessing namely thissame onely sonne of GOD Iesus Christe our Lorde and Sauior the very like beeing of GOD the Father hath suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried and descended to the hel Wee confesse that thissame sonne of GOD inasmuch as hee beareth all thinges with the worde of his owne power beareth also in vs our sinnes Answeare For as much as this Mathematicall Christe which H.N. discribeth is in the minde of man as a qualitie or affection thereof begotten by his doctrine therefore hee is constrayned to saye that hee beareth our sinnes in vs For he will haue the obedience which his familie doth performe through his doctrine which hee calleth the beliefe to be of that valewe that immediatly vppon the receite thereof they haue a Quietus est of the Lord for all their sinnes are clearely discharged of all their iniquities and stand fully reconciled vnto their God because then in all thinges they doe his will according as is declared in the twelfth chapter of his Euangelie Section 7. where speaking how the Priesthoode of Aaron had place vntill the reuealing of his doctrine hee hath these woordes According to thissame manner had this Testament administred by the elders of the holye vnderstanding the foregoing and his fruitefulnesse with the vnilluminated vntill that the beliefe out of the power of GOD became with childe through the holy Ghost and bare or brought foorth a newe man or a newe creature according to the very like beeing of the heauenly Godheade by the beleeuers and illuminated them euen so in their spirite
care ought yee and all other that sit in iudgement to haue that you make not your selues this lande guiltie of the blood by winkyng at sinne and wickednesse especially by letting the murtherer that is manifest escape you And if the whole lande where wickednesse committed against the seconde Table is winked at be founde guiltie of blood we stande in greater danger of that iniquity that directly concerneth the glory of GOD I meane the offences doone against religion and the true woorshyppe of god And the whole lande is to looke for defence agaynst so great daunger at the Magistrate his hand And because it is a dutie they owe vnto vs it standeth them vppon to seeke the peace of their owne conscience in that callyng which cannot be otherwise compassed then in the true discharge of that which is det and due on their behalfe That which is recorded in the 22. of Iosua doeth notably direct Magistrates with what care and vigilancie they are too deale against corruption in the worshyp of god It is worth the noting to obserue howe they were afraide of the Alatr erected by Iordan insomuche that they geathered them togeather to goe vppe to warre against their brethren so soone as they heard that an Altar was builded in that place Albeit their brethren hadde no yll meaning in that matter Naye as afterwarde they doe professe their meaning therein was verie good and godly but conscience of duetie and experience of plagues where such offences as there they feared had escaped without punishment made them iealous ouer euerie occasion and afrayed of euery light suspition as appeareth by the speach which they had to their brethren Haue we to litle say they for the wickednes of Peor whereof we are not cleansed vnto this day ye are turned this day from the Lord and euen to morow he wil be wrath with al the congregation of Israel Did not Achan trespasse greatly in the execrable thing and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israell and this man alone perished not in his wickednesse The Lorde put it into the mindes of our Magistrates in lyke maner that whensoeuer they shall heare of an aultar erected in anie secrete corner of this lande and false worship vsed they make no delay vntill they haue seene the offence punished We see then what cause Magistrates haue to watche ouer euill and what occasion we haue to commend them to God by feruent prayer that they may sincerely serue the Lorde in so great a calling least the whole lande shoulde bee arraigned before the iudgement seate of the highest and all founde guiltie of much blood outrage and Idolatrie which hath long layde vppon the lande vnpunished which plague the Lord in mercie keepe farre from vs. Iustice and iudgement they are the strong holdes and fenced places of this lande they are the keyes of our Countrey they keepe vs better then all the Blockhouses or places of defence wheresoeuer they are better able to encounter with our enemies then anie garrison of men how well practised soeuer they may be But contrariwise the neglect of iustice is worse then rebellion it pulleth Princes out of their thrones maketh the lande cast out her inhabitantes ioyneth with forraine power openeth the gates of al our castles and holdes taketh the weapon from the warriour taketh the heart from the valiant souldier wisedome and forecast from the wise Councellour poysoneth all our munition And in the 5. of Esai the Lorde vnder the similitude of a vine doeth most liuelie declare howe he will deale with his people when iudgement and righteousnesse can not be founde among them He will breake downe the wall thereof and it shal be troden downe he will take away the hedge and it shal be eaten vp It is our parte therefore to pray for our Magistrates and those that be in place of iustice that they may looke to the cause of the widowe fatherlesse and oppressed that they may purge the lande of blood by taking punishment vpon malefactors that they may haue courage and the feare of God that they may hate couetousnes so that our Prince may sit sure among vs our holdes strongly fortified our headges stil vpholden that wee may long inioy peace to the better honouring of our god And their owne safetie doeth require great care in this behalfe Shalt thou reigne saith the Prophet to Iehoikim because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar Did not thy father eate drinke and prosper when he executed iustice and iudgement when he iudged the cause of the poore he prospered was not this because he knewe me saith thy Lord but thine eyes and thy heart are only for the couetousnesse and for oppression therefore thus saith the Lord of Iehoikim he shall be buried as an Asse is buried The Lawyer hee must deale iustly and giue euery man his owne for he is the liuing lande marke that limiteth men their inheritance that pointeth out their right and title howe farre it goeth and so breaketh controuersie and telleth euery one in his doubtfull cause where his clayme and title lieth what lawe and equitie will beare him in and where it wil forsake him He I say is a liuing lande marke that by true opening of the lawes boundeth euerie man within the compasse of his owne title And because of that doeth highly deserue of the common wealth as a most necessarie and profitable member thereof Such men are the common treasure house of the Land where vnto the euidences of euerie man are committed And they put in trust withall to reserue for euery manne his title that when hee is incombred for his right they shoulde out of that Treasure house of the lawe bring good euidence for him and so forthwith cleare his innocencie The lawe is the house of euery man where being tossed with many stormes abroad he findeth a place to hide his heade in and beyng in safetie doth boldely contemne both winde and weather quietly take his rest For being tossed with iniuries either in bodie goods or name we haue no house of refuge and rest beside the lawe no sanctuarie in our vniust vexation besides that The place which they serue God in who are ministers of the law is verie high and honorable the good they may doe verie much if God geue them conscience and care of it The hurt in like manner is exceeding great where the feare of God doeth not rule For is it not a merueilous mischiefe to remoue the land marke of any man it is that sinne that had a solemne curse called for against it by the ministery of the Leuites wherevnto all the people were commaunded to say Amen And what diuersitie or difference is there betweene him that setteth in the land marke and so boundeth a man shorter and him that either by wresting of the lawe or hiding the true meaning of it is an occasion of cutting short or empayring the true Title of anie man Euerie man will graunt that