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A04901 A confutation of monstrous and horrible heresies, taught by H.N. and embraced of a number, who call themselues the Familie of Loue by I. Knewstub. Seene and allowed, according to the Queenes Maiesties iniunctions. Knewstubs, John, 1544-1624. 1579 (1579) STC 15040; ESTC S108097 192,800 286

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which not onely H.N. but all other Heretikes professe of hauing our sinnes answered by and in our selues either wholy or at least in some part that the verie figures shoulde haue light sufficient in them to driue awaye all darkenesse and doubting herein But what lighte can make him see that is blinde or open those eyes that in iust iudgement are closed vp by the Lorde H.N. And hath suffered in all obedience of the word of his heauenly father the death of the crosse in reproch blasphemie contempt and false defamation or accusation for our sinnes cause Answere The name of Christe as you haue hearde is giuen by H. N. vnto all his illuminate Elders as vnto those who haue atteyned vnto an estate of perfection by meanes of their obedience vnto his doctrine Whome howe manie soeuer hee comprehendeth vnder one name and speaketh of them as of one person It is giuen also as you haue hearde by speciall prerogatiue vnto the eldest Elder that is H. N. himselfe The suffering of this Christ his death of the crosse is set forth in this that he hath yelded all obedience to the worde of his heauenly father which is this doctrine of H.N. and gone vnder and borne reproch blasphemie contempt and false defamation or accusation for the same Thus hath H. N. his Christ suffered the death of the Crosse in that himselfe and his illuminate elders could neither by their owne affections nor yet by the reproch and contempt of others be brought from this doctrine and seruice of loue which thing is confirmed in the. 20. Chapter of this his first exhortation and third Section in these wordes Against these assaultings the man ought in his yongnesse to learne to take vp his crosse on him to follow after Christ his Sauiour in his like suffering or death of the crosse and to shewe forth pacience with Christ against all the assaultings vntil that al the enemies or aduersaries of the louely life through the death of Christ that is in maner of suffering be vtterly vanquished and that he euen so is growne vp thorow the death or togither suffering of Christ which is the dayly oblation in the holy to the olde age of the man Christ and entred thorow the secōd birth from the dead into the euerlasting life which passage or way to the euerlasting life we haue witnessed and figured forth distinctly and clearly in the figure of the true and spirituall tabernacle and in other moe places in the glasse of righteousnesse The yong scholler in this scoole of Loue whome hee calleth the man in his yongnesse is as you heare to follow Christ that is H.N. and those illuminate elders in his like suffering and death of the crosse So that Christ had no other suffering or death of the Crosse then the yongest scholler in H.N. his schoole must suffer go vnder and that is nothing else as he sayth in this place but to shewe foorth pacience against all assaultings vntill all the aduersaries of this louely life by this maner of suffering become vtterly vanquished and hee growne vp to the olde age of the man Christ that is a perfect and absolute elder And therefore in his two next sections hee exhorteth them that it shoulde not bee tedious vnto them to shewe foorth this pacience and to abide this death of the Crosse for a little time in bearing the assaultes of those enemies who woulde turne them from the good will they haue to this godly being vnder the obedience of the loue and doeth promise vnto them that after a little time of this their distresse affliction and anguish the Lorde will bring his Christ that is as he there sayth his best beloued and most holy being vnto them in power and glorie In the 26. and 27. Sections of this Chapter he doeth in plaine wordes declare that while a man is in this yongnesse and not fully setled in the doctrine and seruice of loue but subiect to anguishe and affliction with temptations and assaultes eyther with himselfe or from others that would drawe him from the same and with griefe for his stumbling or falling by meanes thereof then is he suffering with Christ vpon the Crosse for the redemption of his sinnes These bee his wordes in that place Wherfore when as now your stumbling and falling becommeth dayly figured very great and horrible before you and that yee for that cause beeing wofull of heart feele yet the pricking of the sinne the dartes of the death and the condemnation of the hell or beare the same with anguish in your hearts yet feare not nor be dismaied in your heartes but shewe foorth pacience and followe after Christ in his suffering for those are the dayes of affliction heauinesse and death wherein Christ hath gone before you in the holy for to prepare you through the same death of the crosse the euerlasting forgiuenesse and redemption of sinnes as there is before sayde Where you may painely see that H.N. his Christ in his yongnesse as hee calleth it was a sinner and was wofull in his heart for his stumbling and falling are woful in heart he sayeth Those are the dayes of affliction and heauinesse wherein Christ hath gone before you for to prepare you through the same death of the crosse the euerlasting forgiuenesse and redemption of sinnes And if yet some more specialtie touching the death of H.N. his Christ be asked after that shal be the sooner answered if we call to remembrance that which was vttered before out of the 9. Chap. of the Euangelie and tenth Section to witte that the knowledge after the letter and the obedience vnto the same is the first birth and the knowledge of Christ after the flesh which must bee crucified and put to death that the lawfull heire which is after the spirit spirituall and heauenly may take place comparing it with that which is written in the 21. Chapter of his Euangelie in these woordes Forasmuch nowe as that in times past the clearenesse of Christ through the holy ghost was yet vnknowne vnto the vpright and faythful disciples of Iesus Christ whilest that they knew him not otherwise but after the fleshe so was it therefore needefull that Christ should keepe the Pascha or Passeouer with them for that cause the Lord Iesus caused the same to be prepared him for to keepe the Passeouer with his Disciples in the true beeing and tolde them before of his suffering and Passeouer and that they must also doe the like if they woulde come to his clearenesse in the heauenly being with his father Therfore hee gaue them to vnderstande in what maner his Passeouer should be to wit that he namely Christ after the flesh should be slaine and euen so accomplish according to the true being the true God seruice with the gifte or offering of his fleshe in the holy namely on the true aultar of the holie offring which is his crosse whereon he died in the beleefe herewith Christ
which H. N. claimeth vnto himselfe in the first Chapter of his booke intituled Euangelium Regni The Gospel and ioyfull message of the kingdome H. N. Through the grace and mercie of God and through the holy spirite of the loue of Iesu Christe raised vp by the highest GOD from the death according to the prouidence of God and his promises annoynted with the holie Ghoste in the olde age of the holy vnderstanding of Iesu Christe Godded with God in the spirite of his loue made heyre with Christe in the heauenlye goodes of the riches of God illuminated in the spirite with the heauenly trueth the true light of the perfect Beyng elected to a Minister of the gracious woorde which is nowe in the laste time raysed vp by God according to his promises in the moste holy seruice of God vnder the obedience of his loue Answere THE first thing that H. N. would perswade vs is that God hath raised him from the dead or to vse his owne wordes that he is raised vp by the most highest God from the death For confirmation hereof hee alleageth the sixt of Iohn the 17. of the Actes and the seconde to the Ephesians For he wil not seeme to say that thing which two or three shall not be redy to witnesse with hym VVe are therefore to heare what these can say to that point In the sixt of Iohn he directeth vs by this letter f vnto this Scripture conteyned in the 54. verse Whosoeuer eateth my flesh drinketh my blood hath eternal life and I will raise him vp at the last day Heere is a promise made vnto all true christians for they onely haue their hartes prepared by faith to digest the flesh and blood of Christe that the Lorde will raise them vppe at the laste day which wee call the day of iudgement and the seconde comming of Christe The promise I graunt is past but the day taken to performe the couenant is yet to come For by the promise it is playne that wee may not looke to haue the matter perfourmed before the laste day which is the seconde comming of Christe I wil not here call it into question whether H. N. be one of them who eate his fleshe and drinke his blood that shall go as graunted at this time onely this I will saye that hee is to begge shamefully who with no other helpe then that hee hath from hence shall obteine so muche as a place among the common sorte of Christians but hee that will vppon this warrant deale as a Prophete and Teacher in the Churche It cannot be excused but that he doeth felloniously enter breake in and steale For there is no colour of anie good title to bee shewed for the same Now I pray you consider of his argument which is this The Lorde will raise vppe all his faithfull at the last day and therefore H. N. is already risen from the dead The matter is established as doone but the grounde is no other then a graunt and promise made in expresse woordes for the time yet to come For our Sauiour Christe sayth playnely that hee will raise them vp at the laste day Where there is not only noted a time to come but of that time also the laste and furthest day is taken and yet yee see that H. N. will haue the matter to be alreadie accomplished in him selfe and that not otherwise then by vertue of this promise Let that bee graunted which H. N hath begged and let his felonious acte for once bee pardoned yet hath hee proceeded no farther in proofe then that hee ought to be taken as a Prophet risen from the dead with condition to wit if that the day of iuddgemēt alredy be past The Lord open the eies of his familie leaste as hee is no Prophet vnlesse that bee paste which is yet to come so they in like maner become no true Christians before that which is for euer past heereafter shall come If the cause of suche confusion bee demaunded this it is He expoundeth the doctrine of our resurrection Allegorically and taketh it to be nothing els but to ryse in our iudgemente and affection from the likyng of all other too the embracing of his doctrine and religion And therefore the day of iudgement which wee looke for is in his opinion already come because the troumpe of his doctrine now soundeth which woorketh this his spiritual resurrection The confutation whereof you shall God willing haue more at large heereafter and yet there is sufficient euen in this place aleadged by him to ouerthrowe it For speaking of the children of GOD who are true Christians possessed by fayth of eternall life and therefore already rysen from the dead because to rise from errour to the imbrasing of the trueth which hee taketh his owne doctrine too bee is with him the rising from the dead euen of those hee sayth I will rayse them vp in the last day appoynting an other resurrection yet to come for those who by a true faith haue alredy taken holde of that spiritual rising from darknesse to light from sinne and iniquitie to righteousnesse and true christianitie If his best bulwarke appointed to beare of the first and greatest assault that shal be made against him bee thus weake there is good hope it wil be no great woorke too winne the hold it selfe His seconde confirmation is taken out of the Acts 17. verse 31. The woordes be these God wil iudge the worlde in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath appointed whereof he hath geuen assurance vnto al in that he hath raised him from the dead A place proper and peculiar vnto Christe alone whom God the father hath raised from corporall death to be an assuraunce vnto vs that hee is the man appointed who shal iudge the world in righteousnesse at the latter day There can be no other place more peculiar and proper vnto Christe then is this whereunto for all that H. N. wil be entituled Notwithstanding yf the woorde of GOD haue geuen it vnto him good reason hee shoulde enioy it Let it therfore bee considered what he hath saide for it This is his reason GOD hath geuen vs assuraunce that hee will iudge the world in righteousnesse by the man Christ in that hee hath raysed hym from the dead therefore H. N. is alreadie risen from the dead If H. N. bee Christ it foloweth necessarily though not by force of this argument yet by sufficient strength from the trueth of the matter it selfe that he shoulde be rysen from the dead because hee is the same person of whom it is sayde that he is already risen from the dead to assure vs of the last iudgement that it shal be holden by him selfe But if H.N. bee anie thing beside Christe there is no maner of helpe to bee had from this place For hee speaketh playnely heere of the bodyly death of Christe him selfe As for the affinitie betweene H. N. and Christe howe
as a matter out of doubt and yet might it well bee that the woorde whereof hee is a Minister were a gracious woorde as hee calleth it and for all that his election therevnto neither good nor gracious But woulde you heare what this gracious woorde is according as the Prophet testifieth of it Surely it is no other thing then euen now to bring vs the first newes of a matter done and past manie hundreth yeares agoe to witte that Iuda and Ierusalem shoulde bee inhabited againe by the Iewes after the captiuitie of Babilon In the place which he alledgeth out of the Prophete it is written thus Thus saith the Lord againe there shall be heard in this place which ye say shal be desolate without mā without beast euē in the cities of Iuda and the streetes of Ierusalem the voice of ioy and the voice of gladnesse the voice of the bridegrome the voice of the bride For I will cause to returne the captiuitie of the land as at the first The Iewes are cōforted by the prophet with this promise frō the Lord that they shal returne frō their captiuity and inhabite Iuda and Ierusalem with comfort and ioy of heart For saith he there shall be heard in your streetes the voice of ioy gladnes the voice of the bridegrome and the voice of the bride H.N. might well haue stayed among the dead neuer haue striuen so much about his resurrection from among them if he haue no other message then this for they are dead many hundreth yeares agoe to whom this matter did apperteine It is plaine therefore by his own testimonie that he hath no authority to deale with vs but with Iuda Ierusalem nor to bring anie doctrine into the world touching euerlasting saluation but onely cōcerning a temporall deliuerance neither to haue any thing to doe with men nowe liuing but with people long before this time deade Thus much in particular both touching his person and his office For his title in generall I haue to say that this title which is so ample and glorious being compared with the preface of the Apostles set before their writings wil soone discrie the diuersitie of spirits They dispatch vs touching the knowledge of themselues in the words of Seruant Apostle whē they stand the longest with vs vpō that matter By seruant declaring what they hold in common with all Christians by Apostle what they haue special in the function ministerie of the word Paul a seruāt of Iesus Christ called to be an Apostle Simon Peter a seruāt an Apostle of Iesus Christ And somtimes they are so sparing that they wil not spend both vpon vs. Iames a seruant of God and of the Lord Iesus Christ Peter an Apostle of Iesus Christ Iude a seruant of Iesus Christ But H. N. as if he could no longer beare such basenesse steppeth in before them with his stately stile and sayth H.N. Through the grace and mercie of God and through the holy spirite of the loue of Iesus Christ Raised vp by the highest God from the death according to the prouidence of God and his promises Anointed with the holy Ghost in the olde age of the holy vnderstanding of Iesus Christ Godded with God in the spirit of his loue Made heire with Christ in the heauenly goodes of the riches of God Illuminated in the spirite with the heauenly truth The true light of the perfect being Elected to a minister of the gracious worde which is now in the last time raised vp by God according to his promises in the most holy seruice of god vnder the obediēce of his loue What man measuring the matter by the outwarde face that is set vpon it would thinke the Apostles worthie to hold the candle to this mans cunning And what friend of theirs if H.N. would take vpon him to teach them the depth of his diuinitie would once seeme to offer with them lesse then the seruice of vii yeres Neither is there so great oddes betweene them in the multitude of titles as in the magnificence and dignitie of them How plain simple and farre from pride be the names of seruant Apostle How glorious swelling magnificēt be these speches Godded with God annointed with the holy Ghost in the olde age of the holy vnderstanding illuminated in the spirit the true light of the perfect being raised vp by the highest God frō the dead But no meruaile if H. N. be so glorious in titles for this he hath in common with the Heretikes of all times The Montanists who had their name beginning of Montanus the first heretike that practised to draw on disciples by procuring stipend and wages from the richer sorte of that sect to others the teachers and mainteyners thereof which was a baite that brought many to bite of those morsels and therefore vpon good consideration is nowe a freshe practised in this familie where there is so great famine of better arguments to perswade with all did affirme that they were wiser then the Apostles and alledged that place of the Apostle for it where Paule setting him selfe in the number with other sayeth We knowe in part For they mainteyned an absolute cleare and perfect reuelation in themselues affirming Montanus to be the holy Ghost promised to the Church whereof the Apostles had receyued but a little measure There were also a sect of people in that part of Pisidia which belongeth vnto Pamphilia who refused to receiue any into their felowship and communion that kept anie thing priuate and proper to themselues excluding them as straungers from the kingdome of God and they would be called Apostolici Apostolicall and be knowne by no other name Seruetus the heretike called himselfe Michael the keeper of the Church of God and the great prince of his people Dauid George H. N. his Schoole-maister though the scholer setting vp for himselfe will now take no more knowledge of anie maister or superiour calleth himselfe the seuenth Angell of GOD and the last trumpe And H. N. the father of this familie will bee godded with GOD and become the true light of the perfect being that in no wise hee might seeme to want that badge of boasting which is so speciall and proper vnto heretikes That which is commonly sayd of pictures and painted workes hath a fitte place in these workes of H.N. Picturae atque imagines eminùs non cominùs videndae Pictures and Images they are faire a farre off but if the eye drawe neare them there is then no sight or shew of them If a man looke at the diuinitie that is heere deliuered a farre off he would thinke it came from aboue the hiest heauen so great and goodly speaches of loue and peace be conteyned in it But come neare and lay it to the line of God his worde and beside that the lowest pit of hell shall not be able to afoorde worse wares then some that here be vttered It would
with him that the Scripture might be fulfilled which sayeth he was counted among the wicked they parted his apparell among them by lottes that it might bee fulfilled likewise whiche was spoken by the Prophete They parted my garments among them and vpon my vesture did they cast lottes So that it is euident hee was that true Christe in whom the Scriptures became accomplished and beside him there is none to be looked for but false Prophets and false Christes H. N. And that he likewise vnder the obediēce of the loue of his father is gone before vs therein for that wee shoulde in like manner follow after him vnder the obedience of his loue in his death of the crosse to the safemakinge of vs from our sinnes become incorporated to hym with his like death and baptized or washed vnder the obedience of the beliefe in his name or safemaking and bury euen so through the beliefe the old man which is destroying through the lustes of errour to the forgeuing and releasing of our sinnes through his name or safemaking to the end that we might euen so through Iesus Christ obteyne the renuing of our spirit and mind in an vpright life and the resurrection from the dead with Christ in the appearing of his maiestie for when as we in suche sort become incorporated as fellowe members of Christ into the bodie of Christ so is Christ then in like maner a Sauiour of his bodie or of his people from their sinnes according to the Scripture And this is the vpright christian Baptisme in the name of the Sonne and is the true forgeuenesse and purging of our sinnes through Iesus Christ Answeare THis following of Christ in his death of the Crosse which H N. requireth of vs to the safemaking of vs from our sinnes declareth that hee is as ignorant of true fruite and effect of Christ his death as before he hath bewrayed himselfe to bee of the trueth and true maner of his suffering For the death of Christ vppon the Crosse was a sacrifice for our sinne of that excellencie that it coulde not be imitated of any man and of that sufficiencie that it needed not by imitation to be reiterated According as we reade in the Epistle to the Hebrues in these words Such an high Priest it became vs to haue which is holy harmelesse vndefiled seperate from sinners and made higher thē the heauēs who needed not daily as those high Priestes to offer vppe sacrifice first for his owne sinnes and then for the peoples for that did he once when he offered vp himselfe Before hee doeth declare touching Christ the true high priest that his once offering of himself was sufficiēt for the sins of his people that he needed not as the Priestes vnder the law to offer often he telleth vs of his excellencie that he was separate frō sinners made higher then the heauens that we should cease to make any questiō seyng the person was of that dignitie why the once offering vp of himselfe shoulde be of suche force and efficacie to wipe away the sinnes of so manie This doctrine is H.N. and his family vtterly ignoraunt of they see no reason why the sacrifice and obedience of one man shoulde discharge and aunsweare for the sinnes of an other and therefore saith H.N. in this place that we likewise shoulde followe Christe in the death of his Crosse to the safemaking of vs from our sinnes when notwithstanding in playne woordes it is written that wee are sanctified by the once offering of the bodie of Iesus Christ Where it is playnely prooued that the sacrifices vnder the law were therefore conuict of imperfection and made vnable to satisfie for sinne because they were reiterated and yeare by yeare offered For as it is written in that Chapter If the sacrifices vnder the lawe had sanctified the cōmers therunto they woulde then haue ceassed to haue bene offered for where remission is of sinne there is no more offering for sinne they being once purged shoulde haue had no more conscience of sinnes So that by the reason of the holy Ghost in this place there is no remission of sinne to bee looked for by the suffering and death of H. N. his Christ because it is often renewed and continually reiterated For euery one of that familie is to suffer with Christ the like death of the Crosse And as the true sacrifice for sinne was but one to declare the sufficiencie and perfection thereof so the true Sacrificer for sinne to argue his abilitie had none to take his place after him in that worke in respect whereof Christ hath the prerogatiue aboue the Priests vnder the lawe who because they could not liue alwayes had others to succeede them in that function Wheras he enduring for euer hath the office for euer remaining to himself alone according as it is written to the Hebrues And among them speaking of the Priestes vnder the law many were made Priestes because they were not suffered to endure by reason of death But this mā because he endudureth euer hath a Priesthood which cānot passe from one vnto another Whereby it appeareth playnely that the true Christ can haue none to follow him eyther in the office or in the offering for sinne And therfore this doctrine of H. N. which telleth vs that we are to follow Christ in his like death of the Crosse to the safemaking of vs from our sins disagreeth no lesse with the trueth thē doth light with darkenes It is at open warre with the doctrine of iustification which is left vnto vs in the worde of God for the Apostle prooueth that we are righteous by fauour freely geuen vs from God and not by any dutie or desert that is comming vnto vs in the right of our workes grounding his reason vppon the phrase and fourme of Speache which the Scripture vseth in this matter when the righteousnesse euen of Abraham and Dauid men who of all other were best stored of good woorkes is of purpose discussed touching this point Where because hee findeth it written of Abraham that hee beleeued and that was imputed or reckoned vnto him for righteousnes And that Dauid describing a blessed man sayth Hee is blessed to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne Hee pronounceth plainely that our righteousnesse commeth of fauour and not of duetie because wee doe not vse this woorde imputing or accepting when it is duety in the man answering but onely when it is a free gratifiyng For the wages that are growing vnto vs for our woorkes are called due debt and claymed in equitie by iust title and when they shall truely pay them yet is that no more but duetie which proceedeth from them But fauour and and friendship ruled in the matter when Abraham was iustified because the scripture saith he was accepted or reckoned righteous bringing nothing with him beside faith that is a resting in the gracious good will
excellencie of the priesthood of Christ Therefore not vnfitly is it here called perfection of Paule which perfection hee leaueth not at all to bee declared afterwardes muche lesse too Dauid George or any others but hee promiseth that hee wil doe it Heb. 6. a. 3. which he most happily performeth in the Chapters following vnto the eleuenth Now we haue proued that the doctrine of Christ is to remaine in the Church of God continually as a doctrine which is most perfect notwithstanding that which belongeth to the manner of reuealing and perfection of the same in the faithfull to be wrought in heauen where Christ our lord shal make al his enimies subiect vnto him and further more that to be more vain then vanitie it self with our aduersaries boast of the absolute perfection of theyr doctrine But if further they will yet continue to dispute that a more perfect doctrine then that of Christe is to bee looked for then I woulde haue them by euident tokens to prooue vnto me that their doctrine is it neyther any other againe to be looked for For Dauid George hath boasted that his was the most perfect doctrine now that preacher of the house of loue succeeding him reiecting that of Dauid attributeth the same to his doctrine and agayne another may also conceiue to him selfe the like dreame Therefore wee desire that they woulde with as plaine argumentes prooue their doctrine too bee the moste perfect as Christ our Lorde hath approued his If neuerthelesse they will still pretende that perfection which wee looke for at the comming of Christ then wee desire that they woulde in very deede performe al those things which with vndoubted faith we looke for of Christ Iesus at his comming To wit that their bodies may bee glorious like the body of Christ spiritual celestial not any longer subiect to the miseries of hunger thirst wearines sicknes age and death That their women may beare and bring forth their children without griefe of wombe that all vngodlines being taken away onely righteousnes may raigne that without the helpe of bookes admonitions and such like things which are dayly vsed they may obteine the full knowledge of heauenly thinges and finally that they woulde restore all thinges lost in Adam But as long as they performe not these suche like thinges as assuredly they cannot it plainly appeareth that it is a mere beewitching of the minde or rather an extreme madnes to beleeue such spirites FINIS T. D The iudgement of an other godly learned man touching the same matter MY very deere good freende I cannot answere you so fully as I would in the matter you demanded of me touching mine opiniō of that sort of men that name thēselues the Family of loue my tyme is abridged and my businesses are many yet I must say somthing because you did so friēdly request it How much I may know of the opinions of that sect some can witnes with me that haue been acquainted with my conference had with some of them and with the reading of a good part of their writings But how much soeuer it bee this may suffise to iustifie me before the godly men of vnderstanding for my dislyke of them their heresie that they diguyse themselues with a coūterfait tytle making profession of one thing in woord another thing in trueth deede They terme them selues the family of loue but their meaning is that they bee more thē the Familie euē the loue it self for though they agre not alwayes in al places with themselues sometyme they take this word loue as is stādeth for loue in deed yet in other places they take it after the woordes of Iohn where he saith God is loue so making themselues not the householde of God but god himselfe This they vouch in many places of their writings in saying that they are deified that is made and become gods God is hominified that is made man not meaning of the incarnacion of Christ but as they expresse in another place saying that Adam was al that God was God al that Adā was which woords besides that they contayne blasphemy in them selues so are they made couers to abuse the simple yet for al that this may not bee their name whereby they wil be called that is they wil not be called gods nor goddified nor loue but only the Family of loue Thinking by this meanes sooner to allure the simple whereas otherwise if they should in title themselues Gods desire to be so called they would cause al the worlde to abhorre and detest them as they iustly deserue This name is but a new coate shapen of some bodging workman that knew not how to take the true measure of their bodie their olde coate becommeth them better They are in truth the Libertines those ancient loose lyuers for they lyue as they lyst no law of God or man to controll them as men vnder no law for they are men in deede as they professe beleeue them if you wil that cannot sinne And therfore of the law they make none account the Gospel serueth them to as little purpose they take scorne to aske forgiuenes of sinnes at Gods hands yea they say that whosoeuer prayeth as Christ hath taught vs argueth himselfe of imperfection Christ gaue that precept to his disciples whē they wer yonglinges before they had receiued the holy Ghost after those abundant graces receiued and as they expounde it after that they were deified it is not to be foūd they euer prayed And as their opinion is for prayer so is the practise of their lyfe they hold they may doe all things yea the grossest sinnes that wee make account of and yet in doing cōmitting them they cannot sinne How we may accoūpt of them S. Iohn telleth vs He that saith he hath no sinne is a lyer if they went no further they were lyers but he that saith hee cannot sinne what rekoning shal we make of him This is their loue and their louely sect And while they stand thus affected for the second table is there any meruaile that they stand as euilly minded in the first They cary lyke minds towards al religions whatsoeuer the Turk the Iewe the Barbariā the Papist the Arriā the Pelagiā as wel welcome to them as the professors of the trueth of God they say we haue marred al with making these differences were it not for these diuersities of names whereby we maintaine dissentions their familie would be spred ouer the face of the whole earth And surely I beleeue it for if all men could be perswaded that sinne were no sinne if the iudgemēts of God were remoued from their eyes hearts if they coulde so basely esteeme of Christ and saluation wrought by him as these men doe if they could be perswaded that there were no neede of inuocation and exercise of godlynes I doubt not but the whole worlde woulde quickly become a louely familie I coulde