shewed vnto his disciples howe or in what maner his flesh must be offered and giuen ouer to a life of men that they all euen so which in the beliefe of their safe making from their sinnes eate his flesh and followed after him euen vnto the second birth should haue the life in fulnesse in all godly clearnesse according to the spirit Behold this is the vpright Passeouer with Christ or the right supper which the vpright beleeuers disciples of Christ keepe with Christ to wit that they depart euen so with Christ out of the flesh into the spirit and out of the death or mortalitie into the eternall life of euerlasting immortalite wherethrough the sinne and all destruction becommeth vanquished This death of H.N. his Christ in the flesh is to renounce the knowledge of Christ after the letter to die vnto that and so to passe into that clearenesse of the spirite in knowledge and obedience whereto we are led by the doctrine of H.N. which he calleth that eternall life of euerlasting immortalitie wherby sinne and all destruction becommeth vanquished The maner of the death and suffering of H.N. his Christ what it is may well be conceyued by the Allegorie of Agar and Sara in the 8. Chapter of his Euangelie By Agar as hee sayeth in that place is signified the written woorde which hee calleth the seruiceable writing or letter of the beleefe By Sara a perfect estate according to H.N. his doctrine For he sayeth That so manie be her children as are borne out of the beleefe of the true being of Abraham and are growne vp in the holy and godly vnderstanding Now when the seede of Sara the free woman which before was called Christ after the spirite is borne then is Agar with her seede that is Christ after the flesh or the written word which he calleth the seruiceable writing or letter of the beleefe put away and discharged And therfore then is H.N. his Christ killed put to death whē any disciple of his hath so profited that he is now no longer led by the writtē word but altogither ruled by reuelatiō with estate as H.N. teacheth is altogither void of sin imperfection If it be required what benefite we reape from his passion and suffering because H.N. affirmeth in this place that hee hath suffered for our sinnes cause that is answered in the 20. Chap. of this first exhortation Sect. 17. For when in the 12. Section hee had exhorted his yong disciples that if they shoulde offend or as he speaketh ouerreach themselues in anie thing they shoulde not suffer themselues to bee iudged or condemned by their conscience but shoulde humble themselues to the elders or Ministers of the word in the seruice of the loue to bee instructed by them giuing the reason of his speach in the Section following hee hath these wordes For we haue in our communiaitie of the loue a true iudge Iesus Christ our Lord and King he is vnto vs in all our walking a fountaine of life and to a-making a liue of vs all against the death and the deadly venime of the sinne And continuing his speach of the same matter speaketh thus Wee haue also thorow him a dayly offering in the holiest his spiritual and true tabernacle into which holy he is gone before vs therein himself beareth our sinnes through his suffering and death of the crosse wherethrough hee sheweth or teacheth vs the vpright offering for our sinnes and prepareth for vs euen so a free entrance with him into the holy to an eternall and liuing way H.N. therefore and these illuminate elders or Ministers of the word in the seruice of Loue to whom he giueth the name of Christ and speaketh of them all as of one person are saide to suffer for our sinnes because they hauing gone before vs in the conflictes with these enemies of the louely being haue shewed vnto vs by their example the vpright offering for our sinnes And this is all the helpe wee haue from the passion death and suffering of H.N. his Christ that wee haue the way beaten before vs howe to suffer for our owne sinnes and to procure the remission of the same Which thing he testifieth likewise in the 19. Section of this chapter saying Through which daylie God seruice and offering in the holy in the taking vppe of our Crosse in the imitation of Christ in his death we obteine the remission of sinnes they be his owne woordes But I neede not to trauayle farre for proofe that this is his opinion of the benifite wee haue by Christ for euen in the woordes which do immediatly folow this place we haue in hand he affirmeth that Christ is gone before vs in the obedience of the word of his Father in reproche and contempt that we should in like maner folow after him vnder the obediēce of his loue in his death of the Crosse to the safemaking of vs from all our sinnes What blasphemie can be vttered agaynst Christ that doeth not followe this opinion of H.N. for by this docrrine H.N. by speciall prerogatiue and the illuminate elders in the seruice of loue after a seconde sort be Christ himselfe By this doctrine Christ when he was a young one had sinne and suffered the death of the Crosse for it By this doctrine we suffer the death of the Crosse for our own sinnes make the purchase thereof by our selues By this doctrine wee are released of our sinnes by imitation but not not by imputation And whether would not this heresie stretch if a man should thorowly searche the length deapth and breadth thereof seeyng that by this doctrine the historie of Christ his birth death and suffering had no trueth according to the naturall sense meaning of the letter but was only a figure of a spiritual kinde of birth death suffering which should be procured by obedience vnto this doctrine of H.N. not signifying a thing once done by one man according to the natural meaning of the woordes but a figure of a thing to bee often doone and by many according to an illegitimate and bastardely wringing of the woordes in vtterly denying the trueth of that doctrine which telleth vs that Christe hath come in the fleshe ouerthrowing both his person and office The Crosse then that H.N. his Christ died vppon was his doctrine which he calleth the beliefe and therefore as wee hearde before in the twētieth chapter he saith that he died in the beliefe And in trueth it is a doctrine that killeth the true Christ and all true Christianitie These thinges beyng considered it shal be no hard matter to discerne who is Iudas here and who be the Scribes and Pharisees that bring Christ to the death of the Crosse For who is the chiefe man to bring other to the beliefe which is the crosse whereon Christ dieth in fleshe but H N He therefore of necessitie must be Iudas And as for the illuminate elders by
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
duetie with them not only payeth their olde debt but also purchaseth more lande and liuing Let one of them yeelde a litle seruice vnto their God in their deuotion suche as it is and they will make that to answere the debt and daunger of their former sinnes yea and to deserue also more and greater graces to be geuen them from God according as H.N. sayth heere that they muste burie the olde man to the ende that they might euen so obteine the renuing of their spirite and minde in an vpright life Yf they coulde perswade men that there were either equitie right or reason in this kinde of dealing which they wil force vpon the Lorde it were no great matter too growe soone as riche in goodes as they doe take them selues to be in godlinesse For when they haue long tyme gone vpō credit if after their beginning to pay for wares as they shall take them they coulde perswade their creditours that the same dealing which nowe at the laste they haue light vppon doeth not onely answere their former debtes but also in equitie deserue to haue better penie-worthes alwayes after howesoeuer it should fare with their creditours they were sure to gaine greatly by it Thus blinde is man when he walketh without the worde And when his reason for some long time hath been his rule his punishment from GOD is so great that he taketh it in the ende to bee reason to depart from all equitie and reason If our sinnes were answered in that obedience wherby our life is reformed how commeth it then to passe that the Apostle speaking to the Church of Corinth after they were turned from theyr lewde life to serue the liuing God affirmeth that yf Christe be not risen they are yet in their sinnes They walked in humble obedience vnto theyr GOD they had left idolatrie fornication drunkennesse and other fruites of ignorance wherein before they had liued Notwithstanding the apostle telleth them that if Christ by his rising vp againe haue not made a cōquest for them ouer sinne hel and destruction their rising from sinne will stande them in no steede Because albeit they haue left those sinnes yet haue they not answered the Iustice of GOD for the offence whereof they haue made them giltie by theyr committing of the same as the Theefe or other malefactour may not thinke that all his offence passeth when the action is once past the purpose lefte of doeing the like it is no Plea either in lawe or reason for hym to say the deed is long since doone and my wayes are now otherwyse his offence committed against the good lawes vnder the with he liueth against the peace of his Prince must necessarily either be pardoned or els in his punishementes satisfied For albeit the deede passeth away with the tyme it is in doeing yet leaueth it that giltinesse in vs which no other thing but either pardon or punishment can discharge As for that H. N. affirmeth that our burial of the old mā obteineth the renuing of our spirite and minde in an vpright life it will in no wise stande with the doctrine left vnto vs in the woorde of god The woorde of GOD will not beare that blasphemie Touching this point God saith the Apostle which is rich in mercy euen when wee were dead by sinnes not when we had put our sinnes to death hath quickened vs togeather in Christ by whose grace yee are saued and hath raysed vs vp togeather that hee myght shewe in the ages too come the exceeding ryches of his grace through his kindenesse towardes vs in IESVS Christe For by grace are yee saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of GOD not of woorkes least any man shoulde boast him selfe Which doctrine not onely affirmeth that grace and not woorkes hath brought vs vnto the estate of saluation but also that wee haue passed immediatly from the woorkes of darkenesse and a damnable estate into the workes of light and estate of our saluation Euen when wee were dead in sinnes saith the Apostle hath God quickened vs in Christ by whose grace ye are saued How is our saluation of grace not of workes if by buriyng the olde man and woorking the death and destruction of sinne we obteyne the renuing of our mind in an vpright life How can it be said that hee hath quickened vs euen when we were dead by sinnes if we haue by our woorks greatly preuailed against sinne euen so farre as to procure the death thereof before we be quickened by beeyng renued in our spirite and mynde in an vpright lyfe H.N. Beholde after this manner as wee beeleeue and doe heere confesse or acknowledge become wee rightly baptized in the name of the Sonne incorporated or implanted as fellowe members of Christe into the bodye of Christe and the stocke of Israel to the ende that wee shoulde euen so according to the trueth as true Christians and an holy people of Israel of the seed of Abraham beare or carry his holy name confesse or acknowledge the same Christ as our Sauiour before men and euen so liue and walke in his louelie vpright beeyng Wee confesse likewise that all suche as doe not imitate or followe after Iesus Christ in his death of the crosse in all obedience of the holy worde of Iesu Christ and of his holy spirite of loue to the vanquishing of the sinne the death and the hel to a burying of all iniquitie destroying nature vngodly being or become not euen so baptized or washed in his name neither yet beare the death of the sinne through the death of the crosse of Christ in their inwardnesse are no christians nor yet baptized in the name or saluation of the sonne For al such as become not baptized or washed in the name of Iesu that is in the sauing health of his death to the mortifiyng of the sinfull fleshe according to the inwarde man neither yet indeuour them thereto and yet neuerthelesse boast them to be christians they are al false n Christians also lying in al theyr confessing teaching because they enter not into the cōmunialtie of the sheepe of Christ through the death and coincor porating of the death of Christ which is the right doore of the sheepe folde of Christ but breake in some other way and beleeue not the saluation or sauing health of Iesu Christ Answeare THis conteyneth nothing els but a iustifiyng of that which hee hath professed before to wit that our imitation of Christe in his death of the crosse is our beliefe in the sonne and our baptizing in the name of the sonne and a condemning of al as false Christians who shal not enter by this his way into the sheepefolde of Christ And therfore my former answere doth dispatch this also Through this doctrine professed by H. N. faith is vtterly banished and woorkes onely and altogeather imbrased so that instead
challenged to himselfe in his title as you hearde before to iudge the compasse of the earth with righteousnesse and that the God of heauen hath nowe declared him selfe and his Christ to his elect with the fulnes of his garnishing and spiritual heauenly riches to an euerlasting house for God his dwelling the which as he saith is the true vndisturbable kingdome full of all godly power ioy and heauenly beautifulnesse wherin is the fulnesse of eternal life And in the 35. chapter of his Euangelie he confirmeth the same in these words Behold in this present day is this scripture fulfilled according to the testimony of the scripture the raising vp and the resurrection of the Lordes dead commeth also to passe presently in this same day through the appearing of the cōming of Christ in his maiestie Which resurrectiō of the dead seeing that the same is come vnto vs frō gods grace we do likewise in this presēt day to an Euangelie or ioyful message of the kingdōe of god christ publish in al the world vnder the obediēce of the loue In which resurrectiō of the dead God sheweth vnto vs that the time is now fulfilled that his dead or the dead which are fallē a sleepe in the lord rise vp in this day of his iudgement and appeare vnto vs in godly glory which shal also frō henceforth liue in vs euerlastingly with Christ raigne vpon the earth Wherin the scripture becōmeth fulfilled in this presēt day like as there standeth writtē therof He affirmeth here in plaine words ▪ that the dead w are fallen a stepe in the Lord rise vp in this day of his iudgemēt appeare vnto H.N. the illuminate elders of his familie in godly glory He affirmeth like wise that they shal frō hēceforth liue in him his felow elders euerlastingly thē the with what can be more erronious For by this doctrine the resurrectiō should be onely of thē that sleepe in the Lord that is of the good of which number he taketh thē to be alone who now receiue his doctrine euerlasting life which they rise vp to enioy should be onely to liue after that course of life which he his illuminat felow elders do keepe For he saith that they are to liue in him and in his fellow elders euerlastingly to reigne vppon the earth If their eies bee not altogeather closed vp who fauour the doctrine of H.N. they may well discerne that this resurrection is not that resurrection whiche the Scripture mencioneth neither is this chaunge of them that imbrace his doctrine that which the Apostle reporteth 1. Corinth 15.52 Which as he testifieth there is to be perfourmed in a moment in the twinckling of an eye at the last Trumpe Nowe I am wel assured experience wil tel thē beside the doctrine of H.N. which confirmeth the same that they are not by and by in a moment after they haue hearde the blaste of H.N. his doctrine partakers of the resurrection that is made elders and illuminate men In the 37. Chapter of of his Euangelie likewise this same matter is testified of him more cleerely yf possible that may be Yea happy is he which now respecteth wel the true light and assembleth him in this day vnto the mercy seate of the Maiestie of God and Christ to his saluation for after this day there shall no day of grace come vppon the earth because all the workes of God and his Prophecies bee come fulfilled according to the scripture in the same And for that the righteous iudgement of God to an euerlasting death and damnation of all vngodly and to an eternall life and saluation of all the holy ones and elect of God becommeth also executed therein This opinion of his is confuted before at large in my answere to that title which hee challengeth vnto him selfe This onely testimony I wyll adde to the former for the ouerthrowe of this opinion If to doe good and liue well be the resurrection of life howe is that true which S. Iohn testifieth that they which haue doone good shall come foorth of the Graues vnto the resurrection of life With what trueth or in what sence can it be said of a man that he commeth forth to that which already he hath in him selfe and is possessed of Nay if this bee the resurrection to arise vp to the imbrasing of H.N. his doctrine with what trueth can it be saide that they which alreadie haue doone good shal come forth vnto the resurrectiō of life whē he is of opinion that we are voide of al goodnes grace vntil we become seasoned with this seruice of the loue And howe can they which haue doone good come out of the graue when by his doctrine they haue come out of theyr graues before they haue done good For death burial vnto sinne are in order before the resurrection vnto righteousnes and newnesse of life What comfort can our faith finde in this article of our beliefe yf H.N. his doctrine be true If all were perfourmed which hee promiseth yet can wee come by no other comfort from him then this that yf wee shall imbrace his doctrine then shall wee lyue as hee doeth heere vppon earth This is all the benefite that our faith obteyneth by the resurrection of H.N. his Christ from the dead H.N. The eight Article Wee beleeue in the holy Ghost and that the same in the oldnesse of the tyme when the dayes of the patience of Christ in the obedience of the holy and gratious woorde ▪ and his seruice of loue are fulfilled becommeth powred foorth from the right hand of God through Iesus Christ namely ouer them all that haue followed Christ in his death of the crosse obediently and haue kept his doctrine with the word of his patience euen vnto the ende that is which are passed through or haue accomplished the Passeouer with Christ till vnto the seconde birth from the dead Or vnto the new life of the true being of Christ Answeare Wee doe heare nothing from H. N. to mooue vs too thinke that the holy Ghost is God which thing woulde not haue beene omitted if hee had been sounde therein seeing he openeth vnto his familie the principles of religiō whereof this is one of the chiefe and setteth downe beside the woordes of our Creede his owne exposition explication of the same seyng also that of all the churches which professe Christianitie throughout the whole worlde there is no one that hath vnto this day imbrased his doctrine or ioyned with him in religion and those which throughly know hym professe warre with him considering likewise that the scripture hath not left vs without sufficient light to prooue the holy Ghost not onely to be God in substaunce one with the father and the sonne but also distinct in person I say in these and suche like respectes his silence in so principal a thing bewrayeth him selfe not to be sounde
great it is that shall GOD willing hereafter appeare What shal we be able to hold free from his assaults when he shameth not to geue the attempt for breaking of so strong barres as these bee and that to gette the possession from Christ himselfe Cicero doth geue it foorth of Caesar that there was almost no man to bee founde who had not rather yeelde to his request how vnreasonable soeuer then once to enter into the fielde with him for to fight Nec adhuc ferè inueni qui non concedendum putaret Caesari quod postularet potiùs quam pugnandum But we are to reioyse in it it fareth farre otherwise with the captayne of this bande for he is so shamelesse in demaundes and so foolish in his fight that he would tempte the mildest man that is to take his owne weapon from him and to beate him with it vnto blood before once hee begonne to reason the matter for his request The last aucthoritie alleadged for proofe that H.N. is raised from the dead is taken out of the second Chapter of the Epistle vnto the Ephesians and sixth verse these bee the wordes God which is rich in mercie euen when we were dead by sinnes hath quickened vs together in Christ and hath raysed vs vppe together A benefite flowing from Almightie God vnto euerie member of his to be quickened and raysed vp in Christe and by his grace from the death of sinne If it shall fall out by plaine proofe whē we come to speake of Christ that H.N. denieth both his person his office then hath he no maner of colour or shewe of reason at all out of this place For the resurrection which the Apostle speaketh of here is saide to be in and by Christ But bee it that his iudgement touching Christ were sound the contrarie whereof God willing shall hereafter playnely appeare yet this spoken of men approued both in doctrine and in life and that by the testimonie of the Apostle himselfe is no proofe to induce those to thinke that H.N. is risen from the deade by whom his life as well as doctrine shall at any tyme as now it is be called into question I hope H.N. wil neuer goe aboute to haue goodes that be priuate made common in his familie seeing that himself turneth things common vnto his owne priuate vse For this place is common vnto ali true Christians wherein notwithstanding H N. clameth propertie For otherwise what reason is it that euery one who is risen frōvnder the dominiō of sin should therfore haue the place authoritie of a Prophet in the Churche It remayneth nowe to consider with what iudgement or conscience H N. hath ioyned together these testimonies for the proofe of one matter So shall we come to some sight of his dangerous doctrine The first testimonie as you see plainely speaketh of the resurrectiō in the last day The second of Christ his rising from death corporally The third of rising from sinne iniquitie These how diuerse soeuer one from an other are notwithstanding by H. N. yoked together for strengthening of one and the same matter And the reason thereof is because hee taketh the doctrine touching the resurrection vnto life at the seconde comming of Christ And the doctrine also of Christ his bodily rising agayne from death to be vnderstoode onely of rising from sinne to leaue no other doctrine beside that vnto vs You perceiue then by this doctrine wee are depriued both of the comfort comming vnto vs by Christ his dying in the flesh and also of the hope that we shal rise vp at the last day both in bodie soule to inherit euerlasting life For both of these are sunke vp by his doctrine into one onely spirituall rising from sinne and that not otherwise then by imbracing his religion and doctrine for the gouernment of our liues This is the stuffe that hee hath bounde together for drawing of himselfe out from among the dead But if the lines of his life had bene no more able to haue holden him among the liuing then these cordes are to pull him out from among the dead then I am well assured Sathan shoulde long before this time haue lost one principall factor for him here vpon earth When this Author addeth more that this his rising from death is according to the prouidence of God and his promises he sendeth vs for proofe hereof vnto the eight chapter of the Romanes and by these letters C. and D. vnto the thirtienth and twentie three verses thereof In the thirtienth verse it is thus written If ye liue after the fleshe ye shall die but if ye mortifie the deedes of the bodie by the spirite yee shall liue His reason is this The children of GOD who by his spirite mortifie the deedes of the fleshe in this life shall in the worlde to come liue for euer therefore by vertue of this promise H. N. is alreadie risen from the dead Hee claimeth still his olde priuiledge that it may be lawfull for him by speciall dispensation to make that which is yet to come to be alreadie done euerlasting life to bee in this life and the resurrection in the last day to be no other thing then the rising from sinne If this absurde kinde of reasoning had ben his gheast but for one night the matter might happily haue had some colour frō a cūning excuse but beyng a seruant of his downe lying and vprising with him euery day there is no place left for any defence to cleare him of the shame and infamie thereof Meruayle no more therefore why H. N. shoulde in all his writinges so sore inueigh against the Scripture Learned as he calleth thē it was no smal poynt of wisedome to complayne first For he was well assured it coulde neuer bee that learning shoulde attayne anie such portion of pacience as were able to beare the weight of halfe that wrong which hee had in purpose to lay vpon it In the 23. verse it is thus written We also which haue receiued the first fruites of his spirite euen we do sigh in ourselues wayting for the adoption euen the redemption of our body This is then his reason the faithfull doe waite for the adoption resurrection therefore it must be by promise that H. N. is alredy risē frō the dead Howe repugnant vnto all shew of reason and truth is this that H. N. shoulde therfore be risen from the dead because the children of God doe yet waite for the resurrection In effect he saith thus much There is a thing which shortly is like to be lost and therefore H. N. hath alreadie founde it Who can yeeld to such absurde conclusions vnlesse it be proued vnto him before that H N. hath a speciall commission to finde thinges before they be lost and to take them vp when as yet they are not fallen Howe heauie is the hande of God vppon heresie and idolatrie and howe great is the blindnesse that they be in and yet
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
of saying I beleeue in Iesus Christ if we wil become scholers vnto H. N. we are to say I work Iesu Christ The matter that ministreth vnto vs faith and comfort in Iesus Christ is that he being God equall with his father hath notwithstanding abased himselfe in our nature and for our saluation vnto the estate of a seruant wherein he hath humbled himselfe vnto all reproch contempt anguish and bitternesse of paine both in soule and bodie in the time of his life and vnto all infamie and slander by his death For his death was the death of the crosse and his graue was giuen him with the wicked and the wicked had their will of him insomuch that the Prophet saith He was famous for his miserie and affliction This is that loue and friendship which the Apostle saith hath no fellow or match to be found among men For who hath beene found to offer himselfe to an infamous death for his friend the sonne of God doth it for his enemies For he was counted among the transgressours Here is the ground worke of our faith and comfort that when there was no religion or feare of God in vs and therefore deadly enmitie betwene him and vs yet so great was the good will he did beare vnto vs that himselfe would wade throughout all those raging waues to saue and preserue vs that were vnder the water of euerlasting destruction Here is the triumph of Christians in whom religion is in trueth begonne and his feare truely entered and therefore hatred banished and they truely reconciled that if his death were able of enemies to make friends his life which is of much more efficacie power shall well be able where friendship is begonne to continue it for euer If that which is weaker hath done the greater worke the stronger will bee much more able to goe thorowe with the lesse labour H. N. his Christ cutteth of all this comfort For his estate in suffring was not abased and lower then before it had beene but better and nearer vnto glorie H. N. his Christ was not equall with God before the time of his passion and humiliatiō but an vtter enimy vnto god For the time of his humiliation and suffering is from his first entrance into the familie vntill he become an illuminate elder before which time in his opinion hee is a straunger nay an vtter enimie to God and all godlinesse Here is then no argument of good will by abasing himselfe from a better estate vnto a worse whereby comfort especially commeth vnto vs Besides H.N. his Christ suffereth for his owne benefite for hee coulde not come to euerlasting ioy and his perfect estate vnlesse he should die in the flesh And this vtterly killeth all comfort for what argument of good will towardes vs can wee haue from another in that matter whereby himselfe is either the whole or at the least the greatest gayner Moreouer shall his death by reconciling of vs to God which is the greater worke from the weaker instrument put vs in assured hope to be safely kept by his life vnto eternall glorie when wee are both by our owne death suffering to rid vs from the daunger of our sinnes reconcile vs vnto our God and by our life to continue and preserue our selues vnto glorie Howe fearefull is the fall of H.N. and his familie that haue forsaken the true Messias that bringeth so great comfort vnto mankinde to imbrace so cursed and comfortlesse a Christ H.N. The fift Article We beleeue that the God of Abraham hath raysed vp this his sonne Iesus from the dead and that hee euen so the third day rose againe from the dead and appeared or made manifest himselfe vnto his friends which loued him shewing vnto them through his suffering and death of the Crosse the victorie ouer the sinne death deuill hell the flesh and the worlde Answere The resurrection of H.N. his Christ answereth vnto that doctrine which he hath deliuered before touching his death For as that was nothing but a passing out of the flesh or letter of the law which is a condition common to the Nouices and yong ones in H.N. his schoole so this is the resurrection when a man is come into the spirit or that estate of perfection which his illuminate elders are pertakers of That which hath beene spoken of before may sufficiently satisfie vs touching H.N. his opinion that thus he thinketh and not otherwise of the resurrection yet shall it not be amisse to adde one testimonie out of his Euangelie where of purpose he handleth the resurrection of Christ it is in the. 22. Chapter where he speaketh thus Now whē Iesu Christ was foūd faithful in the death of his crosse til vnto his burial to a true Passeouer out of the flesh into the making aliue according to the spirit was also through the power of God his father raised vp frō the death and made aliue againe and that he had shewed himselfe in his making aliue vnto his disciples for that they should stedfastly beleeue so was he then wholy taken vp from the eyes of their fleshe and he set himselfe according to the spirite at the right hande of God his father in the heauenly being and entred euen so as the true high Priest when as the seruice had perfectly ended his course according to the true being in the holy into the most holy his disciples therefore were mindful of all this and what he had said vnto them remained within Ierusalem wayting concordably with supplication and praier for the promises of the father vntil that Christ after the spirite appeared vnto them out of the heauenly being the most holy in the holy in spirituall and heauenly powers like as hee after the Spirite and according to the trueth of the heauenly Godhead is an euerlasting and true Christ of GOD. He is plaine as you heare in this point that Christ his resurrection and making aliue was according to the spirite for he sayth that Iesus Christ was founde faythfull in his death of the crosse to a true Passouer out of the flesh into the making aliue according to the spirit He is likewise as plaine in this that his sitting at the right hand of God is in spirit spiritual For those are his very words as you haue heard he set himselfe according to the spirit at the right hād of god his father in the heauēly being More ouer he is of opinion that he is not a true Christ but as he speaketh imagineth of him that is according to the spirit For touching this point these are his words He after the spirit and according to the trueth of the heauenly Godhed is an euerlasting and true Christ of God. And that in this absurd doctrine heauē earth might come togither and a mingle mangle made of all things hee shameth not to affirme that Christ is the holy ghost and that the doctrine which is deliuered in the 2.
of the Actes of the Apostles touching the holy ghost appearing in clouen tongues like fire was nothing else but the appearing of this his Christ after the spirit These are his wordes touching this matter His disciples therefore were mindfull of all this and what he had said vnto thē remained within Ierusalē waiting cōcordably with supplication praier for the promises of the father vntil that christ after the spirit appeared vnto them out of the heauenly being The subtiltie of that ancient enimie vnto mankind may here euidently be seene for albeit heauē be not further distant frō the earth then the meaning of H.N. is from the truth of the doctrine set forth in this cōmon Creede these articles of our belief yet to colour his craft withall he keepeth him to the same words which the church vseth professing the christ rose the third day frō the dead saue that he interlaceth some odde words which cannot wel be discerned but by thē that are well acquainted with his bookes vnder the which he conueyeth all his corrupt doctrine Here hee sayeth that the God of Abrahā hath raysed vp this his sonne Iesus hauing relation in these wordes this his sonne vnto that Christ which he describeth And likewise when he affirmeth that Christ rose euen so the thirde day from the dead by this speach euen so hee caryeth vs from the resurrection in the fleshe vnto the rising in the spirite according as himselfe hath imagined of the matter and yet is hee content to make mencion of the thirde day as if there were no ill meaning in the man when as indeede this rising the thirde day must bee euen so as hee meaneth that is nothing so as the truth is Where the scripture affirmeth that Christ appeared in the flesh after his resurrection vnto his disciples and shewed vnto them his handes and his side and that hee willed Thomas who had affirmed he woulde neuer beleeue his resurrection vnlesse hee shoulde put his finger into the print of the nayles and his hande into his side to put his finger where the nayles had beene and his hande into his side H.N. to mainteine his doctrine of the resurrection in the spirite affirmeth that he shewed vnto his disciples nothing else but the victorie ouer sinne death deuil and hell as if he had declared vnto them howe by his suffering passion he came by the victorie ouer sin death the deuil and hell to the ende they might follow him in the same footesteppes and so become partakers of the like victorie with him Which thing in plaine woordes hee professeth in the next Section Heere he setteth foorth the matter not altogither so plainely and yet clearely enough to him that is anie thing acquainted with his subtile writing and craftie manner of speaking These bee his woordes in this place Hee appeared or made manifest him selfe to his friendes which loued him shewing vnto them thorowe his suffering and death of the Crosse the victorie ouer the sinne death deuill hell the fleshe and the worlde What plainer proofe can be brought not onely that Christ did rise in the fleshe but also that he rose in the same flesh wherein he suffered then this euen now alledged out of the Gospel after saint Iohn for the Apostles see his handes and his side Thomas putteth his finger into the place where the nayles had beene and his hande into his side which thing H. N. shall neuer bee able to wipe away by any mystical interpretation whatsoeuer inasmuch as our Sauiour Christ reproouing the want of fayth in Thomas and that he was so hardly led to beleeue his resurrection before his senses were satisfied sayth vnto him Thomas because thou hast seene me thou beleeuest blessed are they that haue not seene and haue beleeued In the second of the Actes saint Peter proueth that Christ must be raised vp concerning the flesh and bee set vpon the throne of his father and that he should not bee left in the graue neither should his flesh see corruption and that Dauid long before as he was a prophet did both foresee foretel this therfore seeing he was a prophet knew that God had sworne with an othe to him that of the fruit of his loines he wold raise vp christ cōcerning the flesh to set him vpō his throne he knowing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ that his soule should not be left in graue neither his flesh shuld see corruptiō This testimony of the apostle cannot agree with H. N. his Christ For his flesh must necessarily bee left in the graue and see corruption because when his Christ after the fleshe is dead hee neuer resumeth or taketh vnto him againe that estate but as hauing for euer done with it riseth vp in the spirite and continueth in the same being for euer after an illuminate elder who neither can erre in iudgement nor offend anie more in conuersation So that death or the graue do still keepe that possession or power which once they had of his flesh neither will he that they yeelde it vnto him anie more againe As for the true Christ it was impossible for death to keepe and continue that holde which once it had of him as appeareth in the Actes The Lord if it be his good will giue this Familie to see what a Christ H. N. hath brought vnto them that they refuse no longer the true Christ and onely comfort of all Christians for this miserable Christ whome the graue hath closed vp and holdeth all that euer it had of him For their Christ after the spirite was neuer in the graue and their Christ after the fleshe by H. N. his owne testimonie doeth neuer arise after that once he hath beene in the graue How shall these men bee euer able to gette out at the doores of death when their Christ and Captaine is yet groping and to this day hath not founde the gate that leadeth out of the graue H.N. Wee confesse that no man can become partaker with all the holie ones of God and beleeuers of Iesus Christ of the resurrection of Christ nor of the resurrection from the dead or yet rise vp with the holie ones of God and Christ but such as indeuour themselues in the beliefe vnder the obedience of the loue of Iesus Christ to become implanted into Christ the gracious worde of the Lorde and euen so then to die with Christ in his like death as also to lay away slay and burie through the death of his crosse the sinne in the flesh whereby they may euen so out of the second birth from the dead become renued in the spirit of their minde in Iesus Christ For therethrough wee all obteine and enioy in the vpright righteousnesse and holinesse which GOD esteemeth the making aliue from the dead namely with all the righteous and holie ones of God in the day of the
resurrection and inherite euerlasting life Answere All the comfort that H. N. doeth assure his familie of by the resurrection of their Christ is that such as shall become obedient vnto his doctrine which thing he expresseth in these woordes such as indeuour themselues in the beliefe vnder the obedience of the loue of Iesus Christ to become implanted into Christ the gracious woorde of the Lord for Christ as you haue heard before signifieth somtimes nothing else with H. N. but this worde and doctrine which he hath brought into the worlde shall by this their slaying and burying of sinne in the flesh become renued in the spirite of their minde obteyne and inioy the resurrection or as he speaketh the making aliue from the deade and inherite the euerlasting life But wee haue not thus learned Christ so manie as haue beene taught out of the woorde of God the truth of him and the true fruite of his resurrection For as Christ Iesus died in our sinnes and went downe into the graue in our iniquities inasmuch as it was our sinnes and no offence of his owne that drewe him vnto death so his resurrection was the perfect absolution and clearing of the faithfull from al their transgressions For had one sinne of his seruants bene vnsatisfied for neither woulde death haue resigned hir right who had arested him as suretie for sinne neither would the righteous Lord by raising him from the dead bringing him out of the danger that he lay vnder for our sinnes haue giuen sentence on his side so iustified vs in him Which thing the apostle cōfirmeth triumphing ouer condēnation not onely because we haue discharged it by his death but also because we haue our Quietus est acquittance to shew for the same euen his resurrectiō Who shal lay any thing to the charge of god his chose It is God that iustifieth who shal cōdēne it is Christ that is dead yea or rather which is risē againe And likewise the same apostle in his epistle to the Corin. affirmeth plainly that if Christ be not risen from the dead we haue nothing to shewe for our discharge against sinne but do remaine yet vnder the danger thereof And in the Epistle to the Romanes he declareth also that wee are by his resurrection cleared from our sinnes and they nowe no longer imputed vnto vs And therefore when he had before declared that not only Abraham his faith was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse but also that ours shal be imputed vnto vs hee telleth vs more particularly how this commeth to passe to wit because Christe who was deliuered to death for our sinnes is risen againe for our iustification For as God the father in deliuering Christ vnto death did cast all our sinnes vpon him and condemned our sinnes in him so in raysing him frō the dead he iustified and absolued him vs in him inasmuch as but for vs neither sinne nor death could haue any thing to doe with him from all our sinnes and trāsgressions whatsoeuer Now if the Lorde had let him make an escape who was in holde for our sinnes inasmuch as he had once taken vpon hym to satisfie for the same or wrougt his deliuerance and set him at libertie before a ful sufficient satisfaction had bene made then coulde not himselfe haue bene cleared of iniurye offred vnto vs nor his Iustice haue bene vnspotted euen before vs which if once wee suffer to enter but into our thoughtes it maketh vs giltye of high treason against our god This doctrine therefore of H. N. who will haue our dying vnto synne not onelie to preuent but also to procure our rising vnto righteousnesse not mencioning any other benefite that wee haue from Christ his resurrectiō beside the example that is set before vs for our imitation and following after him in the same is at defiance and vtter enmitie with the trueth which is taught in the word of god For Christ his resurrection which H. N. maketh so small an accounpt of not onelie is our iustification from the giltinesse and daunger of sinne but also the head and wel spring of al that righteousnes holinesse and newenes of life that is to be founde ni the conuersation of his seruāts And therfore the Apostle in the 2. to the Ephe. doth fetch our rising vnto righteousnesse frō Christ his resurrection and ioyning them togither speaketh thus God which is rich in mercie euen when we were deade by sinnes hath quickened vs togither in Christ and hath raysed vs vp togither And accordingly to the Collosians draweth his exhortation vnto newnesse of life from the resurrection of Christ as from the fountaine from the which floweth the reformation of our life If ye thē be risen with Christ saith the Apostle seeke those thinges which are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God set your affection on things that are aboue and not on thinges which are on the earth Which thing is also confirmed out of the Ephesians where we doe reade that the large and liberall distribution of his graces did followe his resurrection and ascention when that notable victorie and conquest ouer sinne death was fully accomplished The resurrection therfore of Christ according to the trueth of his worde is not onely our discharge against sinne but the fountaine and spring also of all that chaūge of life and conuersation which is to be seene in his seruants But according to this doctrine of H.N. it is neither our discharge against sinne nor yet the beginning of our good life therfore without mention either of iustification from sinne by it or viuification and quickening in the wayes of righteousnesse we are sent to make warre with our affections according to the rules of his doctrine that so wee may obteine the resurrection from the deade and the renewing of our spirit and minde So that we haue nothing in H.N. his Creed to be beleeued but many things in our conuersation to be practised nothing to leaue vnto that was once doone by him but al that we may trust to must proceede from our selfe Touching this poynt Whether our dying vnto sin doe both preuent and purchase the renewing of our minde it hath beene answeared in the article immediatly going before H. N. The sixt Article We beleeue that this same Iesus like as the Scripture mencioneth thereof is ascended into Heauen sitting at the right hand of God his almightie Father We confesse that he hath taken in the heauen and reigneth and ruleth essentially in the heauenly beeing with his father vntill that all his enemyes be layde vnder his fete and that he in like maner shall in euery behalfe take in the kingdome and all dominion and power and render it all ouer vnto his father that God may euen so be all in all according to the promises Answeare This confessor H. N. acknowledgeth and confesseth that this same Iesus of
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
it as that their heartie goodwil affection may be seene to appeare thereby towards it This iudgement of God vpon H.N. and his Family speaketh plainly of the Gospel that we can not enioy it if wee giue no better entertainment then they haue done vnto it For as for them they are now farther from the knowledge of the Gospel then they were the first houre that euer they looked vppon the light For Christ is nothing with them but obedience vnto that doctrine which they professe Which may easily be discerned by H.N. his discription of him which is this Christus doth signifie vnto vs saith H.N. the safe making oyle of the God sauing being and yet more plainely is that matter expressed in the Booke entituled Theol. Ger. A booke that euery mā who hath red any of his workes if his owne coūtrimen had neuer discouered it might easely perceiue to haue come frō the same spirit which spake in him These words are founde there touching that matter Vetus homo est Adamus et inobedientia ipsitas egoitas et similia at nouus homo est Christus et obediētia Adā is the olde man disobedience he I such like but Christ is the new man obedience Where that obedience is nothing that he doth is sinne where that is not there is nothing but sinne God hath nothing so proper vnto him wherein by this doctrine of H.N. his illuminate elders be not felowes with him euerlasting life if that we beleeue him is fully felt possessed in this life here is our heauen here is our hell the resurrection is not corporall of the body but spirituall of the minde Now is Christ come to iudgement and this doctrine is the last trump they are rysen againe and in perfect ioy who haue perfectly imbraced it and those haue alredy receiued their iudgement be in hell who do resist it to be gilty of death by the sinne of an other or to be iustified by the righteousnes of an other is a doctrine not onely not receiued of them but throughout all their bookes impugned our sinnes by this doctrine are answeared within vs and no righteousnesse that shall doe vs good is without vs Touching which point this is saide in the Booke alledged before Etiamsi Deus omnes homines quicunque sunt ad se assumeret ipse in eis homo fieret ipsi in eo deus fierent idem in me non fieret nunquam corrigeretur meus lapsus Although GOD woulde take all men to himselfe and were made man in them and they were made God in him and the same shoulde not bee done in mee my sinne and offence shoulde neuer bee discharged They onely are the Church al cōgregations whatsoeuer that ioine not with thē they call thē Synagouges of Sathan and nestes of Deuils they holde that euery man is his owne Sauiour and a Chrst for him selfe euery mā that hath wel profited in the schoole of H. N. is perfit and without sinne To conclude this matter the errours bee so many so foule and so filthy as woulde force the very penne in passing to stay stop the nose The onely way whereby a man should enter to do them good haue they hedged and stopped vp against vs for they say that they onely are spirituall and therefore iudge truely of the word that they haue the sence and we nothing but the words they haue the spirit and we nothing but the letter that they haue the life and we the body they haue the carnel we the shell they haue the sword and we the scabbard To be briefe in this matter of doctrine H.N. turneth religion vp side downe and buildeth heauen heere vpon earth maketh God man and man God heauen hell hel heauen For venom and poyson which will bring present death hath he dispersed ouer euery member article of our beliefe so vniuersall is the poyson of his opinion Touching conuersation howe may wee imagine that there is any soundnesse when the doctrine and vitall partes be thus infected For do we not read in the scriptures that most shameful corruptiō of life hath alwaies followed as a due deserued punishment the corruption of doctrine God gaue them vp saith the Apostle to their hearts lusts vnto vncleannes to defile their owne bodyes betwene thēselues which turned the trueth of God vnto a lye Which thing Priscillianus of whom H.N. hath borowed not only that villanous wresting of the word by allegories but also that monstrous opiniō that periurie and lying be lawfull and may be doon with good conscience to conceale religion confessed beeing condemned to dye for heresie Priscillianus saith Daneus was put to death at Treuyris which is the most famous Citie of Germany hauing confessed before that that hee had oftenten times committed moste shamefull wickednesse with the women of his sect And what a libertie H. N. his doctrine giueth vnto all lewdnesse of life in his allegorie of the woman that is rauished in the fielde I leaue it to the consideration of the godly These be his wordes in his booke called Documentall Sentences speaking of temptations vnto sinne If they take and lay holde on vs with force and violence and that then although we cry there commeth not any power or helpe vnto vs for to withstand them in their force and violence and that they euen so rauish vs against our will so are wee guiltles of the transgressing for we haue cryed to be released of the tyranny of the euil there is no help come vnto vs Of the which guiltlesse transgressing the law likewise witnesseth where it sayeth A woman which is violently taken in the field where as there is not any helpe and so rauished and although she haue cried aloude yet gotten no helpe she shall be guiltlesse of the transgressing What can open anie window wider vnto all wickednesse then this doctrine doeth For if temptations presse vs and our prayers presently preuaile not by this doctrine we are discharged of all daunger from the fact howe often and how grieuously soeuer we shall offende Whom would not this doctrine not onely incourage vnto sinne but also make him impudently secure and senselesse in the same This monstrous birth so beastly and so blinde hath the contempte of the worde and want of care to keepe it in a good conscience nourished and brought forth Wherby we may see with what daunger we walke not onely wickedly but also carelesly against the worde For this spectacle doeth plainly shew that it is more precious in the Lord his sight then that he either can or will put vp at our hands the contempt and neglect of the same And therfore when we see at this day those men who sometimes haue knowne the trueth become as beastes voyde of all reason let vs vnderstande that the Lorde thereby meaneth to magnifie his worde and to let men perceiue the might and Maiestie of the
the like practise of counterfaiting Papists who make shew of religion hauing sworne hearts to the Pope whose dispensation either they haue or trust in some reconciling reliques and ceremonyes from Rome for these causes I thought it some danger to lay open suche blasphemyes such escapes of an euill and erronious conscience which beginning long agoe in the ancient heretiques the Priscillanistes Montanists Pelagians Anabaptists and Catharists c. and hauing been long time buried in the botome of Hell are not thence to be raked any more Also I thought it almost impossible to meet with such an inconstant and slippery serpent that hath so obscure wordes now to hide and now to conuay her poyson thereby to auoyde the wholesome remedy by the worde and iust punishment by the magistrate But my good brother these my doubts grew from the eye I had to their will and way finding the Serpent so subtile to charme others yet him selfe to shut his care so against the trueth that he will not heare the voyce of the charmer charme hee neuer so wisely and that it is as hard to finde out his way as the way of a Ship that hath sayled through the sea For afterwarde considering that Antichrist did bring as he thought to perfection the mystery of iniquitie in the working force of Satan in all powers and signes and lying woonders and in all deceit of vnrighteousnesse as S. Paul prophesied we in these last ages haue clerely seene and that notwithstanding God hath already almost altogither consumed that man of sin with the spirit of his mouth which is his word preached in the Gospel I acknowledge with praise to God the father in Iesus Christ for that sword of the spirit that two edged swoord that it is able either to heale or to wounde to death all aduersary power be it either in al impietie of heresie or in all corruption of maners Yea if H.N. were freed from all his sinne and washed from all corruption If he in deede were as he is in the fancie of his familie an angell from heauen or by an other transubstantiation more then an archangell or that which they affirme and I dare not write yet teaching otherwise then we haue receiued from the holy Prophets and Apostles he is to be holden accurssed and his Gospell of the kingdom with all other his doctrine to be had in abhomination They that pray are thus to pray against such heresies they that write are so vpon occasion to write and Magistrates are in a zeale of Gods house to put on that minde that the holy trueth may bee exalted and all heresies rooted out to the glory of GOD and the preseruation of his Churche from those damnable waies wherein many not esteeming nor seeking the trueth are sooner destroyed then they can feare destruction Therfore you haue doone wel in the Lord drawing out that sworde of the worde of God to make a separation betweene thought and thought betweene practise and practise betweene secret open paths of errour and contempt betwene ioynts and marrow betwene soule and spirit that all the outgoings escapes and dennes wherein these heresies either lye in waite and worke against the trueth or hide themselues from discouery may be discouered and the bright face of the trueth appeare to the great glory of God ouerthrowing of al error cōuerting those of that family of Loue whom he hath loued and in mercie will conuert deliuering their eyes from blindenesse and feete frō falling and to stay those that might for want of the voice of the trumpet sodenly fal into the enemies hand to be caried away into the miserable captiuitie of those heresies and to the second death that followeth thē as their iust reward Also the Magistrate by such a manifest discouery of those blasphemies against God against his Christ against his worde shall more more see into the great danger of their horrible sect and find necessary cause to ioyne with the worde to cut it off lest in the end they with their brethrē the Anabaptists exalt themselues asmuch against the holy and necessary authoritte of magistrates as they doe already against God and his word by whome Princes raigne receiue their blessed peace and safetie Against which Magistrates this practise they haue vsed and still doe vse abusing their holy place of Iustice they recant in woordes without recantation in heart as I noted before holding it for a rule that they ought not to destroy the Temple of GOD whiche is say they in a grosse and absurde interpretation our body and therefore we will not be brought to persecution and death Making a rule against the rule of Christ and against the most wonderfull practise thereof in him selfe and his holy Martyres who loosing their life heere haue found it in heauen and hauing their bodies burnt to ashes in hope they looke for the ioyful resurrection of the same bodyes at the comming of Iesus Christ Therfore my very good brother I thanke God for your labours praying his maiestie to blesse them that the offenders may see and repent their offence that others yet free may remaine by such instruction free for euer from those and such heresies and may be more more armed against error with the trueth and comforted therein to their saluation Praying also that God would continue with increase that spirit of zeale and wisdome in the heart of our most excellent soueraine the Queene other in authoritie vnder her to represse those fantasticall and erronious spirits being indeed the true succession of those ancient Catharists Puritans who thought themselues not to sinne but actually to bee possessed with absolute holinesse and purenesse For so those thinke of themselues and plainly affirme it of their illuminate elders But howsoeuer they seduce some goodly and zealous men women of honest and godly conuersation placing them at the porch of their Synagogue to make a shewe of holinesse and to stand there as baites and stalles to deceiue others yet alas who can without blushing vtter the shame that is committed in the inwarde roomes and as it were in the heart of that Synagogue of Satan These are the things I haue thought touching the booke and a testimonie of my greate ioy touching the same And besides the good I haue already noted this confutation shal testifie to all ages at large that the blessed gouernment of our gratious soueraigne the Queenes maiestie suffereth neither Papists nor other heretiques to goe vncōfuted or vnpunished howsoeuer first in great abundance of singular clemencie it pleaseth her to seeke their saluation draw on their effectuall conuersation Which blessed fruite of that singular clemencie the Lord God graunt in Christ Iesus and a perfect peace to this Church for euer Amen Yours assuredly in the Lorde W. C. ¶ A Confutation of monstrous and horrible heresies taught by H. N. and imbraced of a number who call them selues the Familie of Loue. ¶ The Title
that which is deliuered touching this matter in the holy scriptures In the Scripture we doe reade of one man by name Adam the first offendour among men heere is no mention made of any one man but the blame is wholy after his accustomed obscure and dark dealing put ouer vnto to a generall and confused notion which is called of him the man and that his the man is no one man it appeareth by that which was euen nowe alleaged out of the fourth Chapter For no one man hath continued from the beginning vntyll this day to receiue continuall mercies from the Lorde And you haue hearde that hee saith wee will declare from the time foorth of the falling away or disobedience of the man the earnest loue which God hath alwaies vntill this same day shewed towardes the man It is playne therefore that his the man is set heere to hide an horrible errour to wit the mankinde hath no common harme from any one man For he is perswaded that we haue no infection from any man otherwise then so so farre foorth as we shal in doing the like euil become folowers of that man So that by his doctrine any euill man may be an occasion of as great hurt vnto vs as was Adam In the Scripture wee doe reade of one principal offendour we do likewise reade there of one particular yet principal offence to wit the eating of the forbidden fruit which brought the gilte of condemnation vpon al. This authour deliuereth that point of the particular offēce in like maner generally vnto vs in these woordes The man from the beginning fel away from or was disobedient vnto the woorde of his God the vpright life of his true light Some not of the least among that familie with whom I haue had conference according to this doctrine of H. N. haue in plaine speache told me that there was no material tree neither was it any material fruite that Adam did eate but that Adam was therfore said to eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euil because in transgressing the will of GOD Adam mingled euill with that goodnesse which was in him and so was founde to haue doone euill aswell as good When this familie doth not acknowledge this particular offence it followeth necessarily that they shoulde bee altogeather ignoraunt both of the number vnto howe many that infection reacheth and also of the daunger thereof growing vnto the same In the woorde of God it is plaine especially in the Epistle vnto the Romanes That one offence brought condemnation vpon all men Where one offence of one offendour is set against one righteousnesse of one righteous man Iesus Christe For as Adam was the spring from whence flowed corruption vnto all and in whose offence wee all had offended as being a part or parcell of him closed vp within his loines so Christ in like maner is the roote of all righteousnesse in whose obedience all the faithful are founde innocent and reckoned as righteous before the Lorde The doctrine which deliuereth vnto vs how daungerous a disease wee haue from Adam is a chiefe point of our religion that doth principally concerne vs For the disease is so daungerous that it doeth infect vnto death bringing with it condemnation and so vniuersal that it denieth priuilege vnto any scattering deadly poyson euery where and ouer all And therefore if H. N. were sounde in all other points of religion yet this one errour of his touching originall sinne were sufficient to cut him of as a rotten member from the Churche of Christe vntill hee shoulde confesse his faulte renounce this his heresie and with the Church of GOD professe the trueth of that doctrine which touching Originall sinne is deliuered vnto vs in the worde of god The infection that commeth by Adam is not an euil without vs not able otherwise to harme vs then when we shall drawe so neare as that i◠may breathe vpon vs but an inward infection that dwelleth within vs which woulde both counsaile and and practise wickednes though there were no former example thereof through the whole worlde When the Apostle saith that he was by nature the childe of wrath as wel as others He semeth to finde a fountaine of sinne in nature as nowe it is corrupt in Adam but not to charge any man or men by euil example of life to haue beene the occasion of that wrath and curse of god So that infection of nature not imitation of example is the grounde of all our griefe Euill beeyng so neare vnto vs as is our nature hath the credite with vs of our best and next neighbour before wee be warned of it by the word not the light regarde which is commonly had of a forener and stranger But the word teacheth that it ought not lightly to feare vs as an enimie without vs against whom are shutte the gates of all our hartes aswell as of our holdes And casteth so great care vpon vs to withstand it as is required to driue out an enimie already within our gates and possessed of our strongest holdes Let H. N. therefore haue that credite and entertainement with all good Christians that hee deserueth who certifieth of our enimie that hee is yet in his owne lande when hee hath entred our chiefe cities and walled townes Or let his fees bee the same with those counsellours by whose aduise all our munition is sent into foraine Countreies to war vpon them when before they are priuie that subiectes are redy to rise vp and rebel in our owne lande In Leuiticus there was enioyned vnto euery woman which had brought forth seed and borne a childe that she should bring vnto the Priest a sinne offering after the daies of her purifiyng were expired to the ende he might make an attonemēt for her so purge her of her blood A notable example to let vs see the spring of sinne that wee may be humbled in our vncleanenesse and being discharged of hypocrisie may consider how lowly we ought to be in our owne eyes whose birth is so polluted that our mothers become therwith all fouly slained Let vs therefore say with Iob not in impaciencie against the Lord but in all humbling of our selues Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse Let vs likewise with Dauid Who came not in hipocrisie excusing him selfe to accuse his mother but in humilitie to condemne him selfe that hee might be pardoned of the Lord confesse that our mothers haue warmed vs in sin and that we haue been borne in iniquitie Let vs begin at the head and hide nothing from the Lorde So shall our conscience be cleared and our prouision made in trueth for assured peace As for that question common to the Papistes with the familie of Loue howe this infection is conueighed from Adam into his posteritie Whether by the body or by the soule seeing thus much is plaine by the scriptures that there it is And from Adam
it came It is altogeather curious and vnprofitable It were a more profitable question to discusse howe wee might haue it with least hurt seing we cannot be rid of it altogeather then to examine howe it is entred into vs And he that shal cast of the care how to rid him of the daunger of it holding a disputation howe hee fell into it is no lesse foolishe in my iudgement then yf a man thruste by another into a deepe and dangerous pit shoulde refuse to speake of his comming out enquiring only of them that came by who he was that did hurle him in And when hee is resolued therin wil haue it further debated while he is yet in the pit before once he thinketh of cōming out whether the man in their iudgments preuayled against him because his heart fainted or because his strength failed Nowe if the Lord be cleere not to be touched whē he doth harden the harts of the wicked punisheth sin with sinne which thing the scripture declareth and euery Christian confesseth because sinne hath been before in them to deserue the same Why shoulde the Lorde be blamed since that wee all being in Adam haue as was euen now prooued greeuously offended If he deale no otherwise with the soule of man then from the same ballance of equitie and iustice which wee haue approoued may returne with like equitie cleared and discharged As this doctrine of H. N. warranteth vs from any hurte by Adam his fall except wee shall be founde transgressours actually after his example against the will and commaundement of GOD so it setteth foorth in like maner Christe Iesus no otherwise to be an helper vnto vs then so farre foorth as wee shall by his example of doctrine and life be led into the like obedience And therfore as Adam in his opinion hath nothing speciall in the falling away of man from God so Christe yeeldeth no priuate and peculiar helpe to his saluation Al the wicked haue beene stumbling blockes and occasion of sinne vnto the rest and all that feared God in euery age haue brought the benefite of good instruction and example vnto those among whom they haue had their conuersation And therfore in his iudgement no one man standeth alone to holde out so muche as is the helpe of good doctrine and good lyfe towarde our iustification but all howe many so euer haue beene founde faithfull from the beginning are matched togeather and made fellowes at the prayse of that woorke That this is his doctrine touching the restoring of man it doth appeare out of this place For whē he hath affirmed that the promise for the ouerthrow of sinne doeth consist in setting enmitie betwene the Serpent and the woman and betweene the Serpents seede and the womans seed hee declareth that this promised enmitie began with Abell and after his death was established with Seth and that Seth became the right stocke or linage whereout the beleeuees and children of God namely all they that haue beene enimies vnto sinne were borne and brought foorth to the establishing of the promises of God the father These are his owne woordes Nowe for the maner how after Abel Seth became the stocke from whence sprang all the beleeuers that it was only by imitation and folowing of his example he declareth afterwarde in these woordes All they that walked not in the forme of Abel according to the maner and ordinance of Seth were not of the right stocke of Seth but they were foraine branches which turned them away therfrom and were neuer prudent nor vnderstanding in the godly wisedome but verie wel in their owne selfe knowledge and good thinking What dampnable doctrine lurketh vner these wordes Doe the beleeuers now or did they at that time spring out of Seth as out of their stocke or were all that haue beene enimies vnto sin brought foorth out of Abel and Seth and not out of Christ the root of the righteous Who as the Apostle saith is before al thinges in him al things consist And he is the head of the bodie of the Church hee is the beginning and the first borne of the dead that in all thinges hee might haue the preheminence for it hath pleased the Father that in him shoulde al fulnesse dwell Are the promises of God the father established indifferently in all those that haue ben enimies vnto sin are not al the promises nowe in Christ yea and Amen Doeth not the Apostle reason from the woordes of the couenant and promise and prooue plainely that Christe only was this promised seede and that hee hadde no fellowes ioyned with him because the couenant was not as he sayth deliuered in these fourme of woordes To thy seedes as speaking of many but thus And to thy seede as of one which is Christe Moreouer shall wee saye that righteousnesse was deriued from Seth by imitation vnto all those that walked in the same pathe of righteousnesse When the apostle saith that God was in Christ recōciling the world vnto himself not imputing their sinnes vnto them If we be reconciled vnto God by imputation then commeth not our righteosnesse by imitation If wee be iustified because our sinnes bee not laide to our charge then are wee not free therefore because in following the footesteps of the righteous we haue wrought our owne discharge And if this be not thought plaine enough to prooue that H. N. doeth acknowledge no other righteousnesse in man beside that which commeth by imitation neither any other helpe from the Lorde for our saluation then continuall lightes of good doctrine and good life shining out of his seruauntes at all times for the benefite of that age and time wherein they liued Toward the end of this Chapter you shall haue yet more playne confirmations thereof if possibly that may bee perfourmed For there he reckoneth vp by name the patternes examples of euery age and sayth Behold in suche sort hath this vpright seede in the light and righteousnes of his God had his procreation to righteousnes and life vpon the earth namely from Seth the seconde seede in the place of Abel till vnto Noah and Sem. From Noah and Sem vntill Abraham Isaac and Iacob Which Iacob whom GOD named Israell begot the twelue fathers of Israel out of the which GOD chose him Iuda From Iuda vntil Dauid the king of Israell and Iuda From Dauid the king vntill Zorababel in the captiuitie of Babylon From Zorababel vntill Ioseph which had a virgin to wife out of the same stocke of Dauid named Mary of whom Iesus Christ the consūmation of all the woorkes of GOD and the perfect light of the godly clearnesse was borne and brought foorth Nowe least any man might imagine that when this authour commeth to speake of Christ he dare not but giue out otherwise of him then that he should haue others ioyned with him in that woorke of our saluation Consider
he take something for their standing other benefit he hath none by them This true essence and being of God which H. N calleth his loue is not according to his doctrine any thing that the Almightie hath proper and peculiar vnto himselfe in that he is God but that which all the faythfull are possessed of and that not in some little measure but so as there dwel liue or rule no other thing in all there spirite thoughtes mind and soule but alone this true godhead with his louely being of the vpright loue For these are his owne words in his first exhortation Chap. 15. and Section 26. The true freedome verily is this that the maÌ„ through the ministratioÌ„ of the gracious word is wholy released purged or purified froÌ„ all wicked nature which hath raigned ouer him that there dwel liue nor rule any other thing in him namely in al his spirit thoughts mind soule but alone the true godhed with his louely being of the vpright loue yea to be so wholy replenished with all vertues of God that there flow nothing in him but the spirituall heauenly and liuing waters And because H.N. his doctrine tendeth to establish a kinde of loue which in his opinion is the true beeing diuinitie and deitie of God therefore he calleth also his counsell and instruction this true being For thus he speaketh in his first exhortation Chapiter 12. Section 54. If yee stand minded to feare the Lorde to bee obedient to his lawe that passeth foorth presently out of the true Sion his word that passeth forth presently out of the heaueÌ„ly Ierusalem giue ouer your selues after my counsaile and instruction according to it al as the Lord hath reuealed the true being vnto me out of Sion and Ierusalem wholy and altogither so will I then in like maner euen out of the heartie loue stand seruiseable so much as I may in the Lorde vnto you dayly and at all times thervnto to the end you should feare the highest God and might learne to knowe his righteousnesse For his righteousnesse is the loue the true being and the euerlasting life Speaking as you heare of his doctrine and exhorting them to the imbracing thereof hee calleth it the true being when hee sayeth according as the Lorde hath reuealed the true being vnto mee And in the ende he concludeth that the righteousnesse which he teacheth is the loue the true beeing and the euerlasting life So that the Deitie and beeing which H. N. giueth vnto GOD is no other then that which mortall men attaine vnto For the righteousnesse which they perfourme by his doctrine is as he sayeth the loue the true being and euerlasting life And forasmuch as this true being is no other thing with him then that loue which by his doctrine manie are made partakers off therefore in the beginning of his Euangelie H.N. affirmeth himselfe to be godded with God in the spirite of his loue and likewise sayeth that he was the true light of the perfect being And in his first exhortation Chapter 17. Section 5. The Childe confesseth of the Father and eldest Elder that the moste highest hath reuealed the possession of his moste excellent Maiestie in him and that with the same being of the perfect Godhead he hath made a godly dwelling with him This doctrine doeth vtterly ouerthrow the true diuinitie deitie of God it robbeth him of his true essence and beeing and couereth him with no other essence nature or being then is found in man it setteth the creator among the creatures and it matcheth the the creature with the creator The Lord if it be his good wil open their eyes that they may see it giue them harts that may blush and be ashamed of such blasphemie that eâ—that they may receiued in true repentance or otherwise if they will still harden their hearts that wee may see them laid downe in their confusion and couered with their owne shame H.N. In which name of the father wee are plucked Section 3 thorowe the seruice of his holie and gratious word vnder the obedience of the law of the Lorde of the beliefe of Iesu Christ and of the loue of the holie ghost by the father to the loue of his onely sonne Iesu or Sauiour the very like beinge or substaunce of his Godhed and euen so baptised or washed in the same name of the father Which plucking of the father and baptising in Section 4 the fathers name hath the foregoing by vs in the administration of the holie word vnder the obedience of the loue with the Law or ordinaunce of the Lorde And with his correction or discipline wherewithall we euen so as in an enmitie against the sinne beecome preuented and infourmed to an incorporating in the godlie righteousnesse For euen so in the becomming baptised in the name Section 5 of the father doth the Lord chastise or nurtur with his lawe euery man which hee plucketh or receiueth vnto him where through it becommeth than all made manifest in the man whatsoeuer becommeth chastised by the light or through the light Section 6 Through which fatherlie discipline in the becomming manifest of the sinne we are in seeing perceiuing in the light all the horriblenes of the sinne togither with Deuils and the fleshes lying craftie deceitful or false nature and Gods indignation and wrath ouer the same ouer all such as are of one minde therwith Section 7 When we nowe finde our selues guiltie in al and become in such sorte chastised by Gods grace through his light of the fatherlie loue so beare wee at that time greife sorrowe and anguish or affliction for the sinnes cause and confessing the same sinnes with humble heartes in the seruice of the holie word vnder the obedience of the loue of the father wee become wholy inclined and goodwilling to hate to leaue and to lay away or to mortifie the sinnes and all what is vngodly and to that effect we doe as than wholly giue ouer our selues in the counsaile of the holie worde and of the elders in the seruice of the loue To the ende that God the fathers name according to the requiring of the seruice of his loue might become hallowed and magnified in vs. Section 8 And euen so in the familie or communalty of the Loue wee obtaine grace and fauour before God the father and his sonne Iesu Christ become through the seruice of the holy woorde and of the fatherlie correction kepte and led foorth euen vnto Iesus Christ the sonne of GOD the father For to become iustified released or made free through the name of the sonne vnto whom God the father hath giuen all power both in heauen earth from the sinne â–ª and from her kingdom of the death of the Deuill and of all wicked spirites namely to our preseruation in the godlinesse in the
made and accomplished all his woorke and that hee namely the sonne of God Iesus Christ for that cause beareth also all thinges with the woorde of his power and maketh the purging of our sinnes throwe him selfe Answeare I Haue sufficiently before declared that Christians are taught to beleeue in Iesus Christ that it is not enough for them to confesse that there is a Christe or that Christ is the sonne of the liuing god And yet notwithstanding H. N. vsually in explaning the articles of our beliefe shunneth as rockes all words of faith and beliefe and embraseth in steede thereof woordes of confessing whereof he hath as it seemeth conceiued some better liking but the cause thereof he is content to keepe secrete to him selfe Where he professeth that Iesus Christ is the very like being of the liuing GOD his father and that GOD the father through him hath made and accomplished all his woorkes that he beareth all things with the worde of his power and hath made the purging of our sinnes throwe himselfe It shall God willing appeare hereafter in my answeare vnto this reason that he meaneth nothing lesse touching Christ then that his woordes seeme at the first sight to giue out of him As for his reason which is that because GOD the father hath made and accomplished all his woorkes by Iesus Christ in the creation of the worlde therefore hee shoulde make the purging of our sinnes through him selfe alone if it were good and sufficient the holie Ghoste might aswell haue the name of the mediatour and redeemer as Iesus Christ For GOD the father accomplished not that woorke without him Moreouer howe absurde is it that his dealing in the creation shoulde charge him with the woorke of our redemption When did H. N. euer see the obligation whereby at his entring vppon the Creation hee stoode bounde to perfourme the woorke of redemption The Scripture telleth vs hee laide downe his life frankly and freely of his owne accord not to discharge any dutie or debt of his owne growing vpon any former couenant hee had made for him selfe to perfourme but that it was to acquite vs thereby from euerlasting death and destruction which otherwise was in iustice to fall vppon vs And for that cause hath he geuen him this name Iesus as we reade in the Gospel after S. Matthewe Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shal saue his people from their sinnes He came not then to rid him selfe from the daunger that any former couenant tharge or duetie of his owne had laide vpon him or bound him vnto but to deliuer his people from their sinnes which had laide holde vpon them and as an heauie burden did presse them downe vnto death So that the reason rendred in the scriptures why he had to name Iesus doth sufficiētly declare that it was no priuate cōmoditie of his owne but the saluation of his people that was sought for and accomplished by him And that wee shoulde not doubt of his authoritie or abilitie to goe through with so great a matter as is the worke of our saluation therefore commeth he from God the father with speciall authoritie and graces in all abundance annointed and enabled therevnto And thereuppon hath this name Christ accordingly ▪ which in our tongue signifieth annointed that our faith might not roaue vncertainely about our saluation but directly looke at one both sufficiently authorized and also fully furnished for that woorke where wee might particularly and cleerely see the grounde of al this good will betweene GOD the father and vs For from hence had this league the beginning and here is the hope and assurance that wee haue for the continuaunce of it Wherein the Lord his dealing is in all mercy towards vs that we should haue such specialtie geuen vs as might put out of doubt and point foorth particularly the occasion of our saluation For the scripture which is our euidence doeth not barely mention this matter of our saluation but telleth vs at large by whom at what time it was purchased for vs what price was paid for it what enimies stoode against it and howe great a woorke it was after the beginning to goe thorowe with it and that Christe Iesus did execute both the office of a Priest and also of a Prophet in the accōplishing therof not onely praying for vs in that he was a Priest as appeareth in the Gospel after S. Iohn so declaring himselfe to be our mediatour of prayer and intercession but also offering vppe him selfe once for all a sufficient sacrifice for al the sinnes of his seruauntes and so became in like maner the Mediatour of our redemption In which two pointes of offering praier sacrifice to God for the people did the Priest his office consist Wherein the comfort of a Christian is exceeding great for that he hath so singular a person the force efficacie of whose prayer and sacrifice is dayly in God his sight for him as it is written to the Hebrues Christ is not entred into the holy places made with handes but into very heauen to appeare nowe in the sight of God for vs. And seeing as the Prophet speaketh The Lorde hath sworne and will not repent that he is a Priest for euer it followeth necessarily that there shoulde ▪ 〈…〉 euerlasting vse and fruite of that Priesthoode towards the faithful He did also execute the office of a Prophet towards vs had special cōmission likewise for that fūctiō as appeareth in the Prophesie of Esay The spirite of the Lorde God is vpon me therfore hath the Lord annointed me he hath sent me to preache good tidinges to the poore c. VVhich speache our sauiour Christ in Luke affirmeth to be verified in him selfe being of all other moste sufficient too make true report of the will and pleasure of the father and to deliuer vs from all feare of not atteyning vnto so high and secrete a thing because as saint Iohn sayth he dwelleth in his bosome and is his onely begotten sonne and therefore not onely of all other most deare vnto him but also most priuie vnto his greatest secretes For which cause hee is called by the Prophet Counsellour And in as much as his kingdome wherin should dwel holines and righteousnesse was to be gouerned by the scepter of his worde and preaching of the Gospel he hath promised his presence euen to the ende of the worlde vnto that office and function Goe therefore and teache all nations to obserue what so euer I haue commaunded you and loe I am with you vnto the end of the worlde For by vertue of this function he hath not onely barely and nakedly to set downe a trueth vnto vs but also to woorke effectually with it to transfourme vs into the same that we might geue credite to the promises and be humbled vnto the dueties commaunded The comfort that commeth vnto a christian for that Christ is made our
teacher and Prophet is likewise very great for who can make vs doubt or make any question of it howe wee should knowe the wil of God generally or his affection towards the beleuer perticularly when the sonne himselfe to whom as being neerest vnto him the wil of the father is wholy and altogeather made knowen hath opened the same in his Gospel Who dare nowe tell me that as one who hath no iudgement or discretion I am wholy to put ouer my selfe in matters of fayth to Councelles fathers and consent of nations when I am taught too beleeue that Christe Iesus is annointed Prophet and Teacher aswell inwardly to perswade by his spirite as outwardly to teache and set downe a true rule of righteousnesse according as it is written in Iohn But yee haue an ointement from him that is holy and know al things These things touching his name and office I haue vttered more at large because H.N. with one breath passeth from the creation of all thinges by Christ vnto the woorke of our redemption as if they had not onely both one workeman but also were both of them nothing els but one the same worke nay which more is as if the comming of Christ in the fleshe and his suffering had been onely to answeare a duety that was laid vpon him by some couenant from the creation which stoode him self vpō to answere for his own benefite whereas the Scripture laieth out at large the matter of our saluation as the most speciall and principall thing that it handleth A thing so seueral and sundred from the creation as that the sonne of God hath not onely nowe another matter in hande but also a newe name and another nature a diuerse office and a distinct condition H.N. notwithstāding al these good words is not of opinion that Iesus Christ is God for then here especially he woulde haue beene plaine and laide out the matter at large not onely for that necessarie occasion is offered him by the mention that is made of the onely sonne of God but also because our redemption which is the matter he hath in hand could not be accomplished by any that was but man onely For what iust satisfaction coulde a mortall man make for offences committed agaynst the high maiestie of GOD when offences growe to be greater or lesse as the partie offended is in place and dignitie higher or lower According as wee see that an euill woorde spoken against a Prince hath in iustice greater punishment then the same woorde ought to haue being spoken but against a priuate man Nowe when so great a person as the only begotten sonne of GOD and GOD him selfe hath humbled him selfe in our nature for vs and beene obedient euen vnto that most slaunderous death of the crosse for our cause no man can deny but that suche a sacrifice is able to weigh with all the sinnes of his seruauntes For that obedience hath estimation and desert from the person who did perfourme it Howe daungerously then dealeth this Familie as much as in them lieth to shake out faith beside the iniurie that they doe offer vnto his Maiestie when they deny the Godhead of Christ seeing no man is able to bring that price wherewith sinne may be sent away as answered in desert and our consciences rest vpon as in a sufficient discharge against the same Moreouer who not beeing the Almighty him selfe had beene able to preuayle against death and to breake through the iron barres and mightie chaines of the graue which yet is but the prison of the body onely and not that darkest dungeon and safest ward that Sathan hath where the soule is imprisoned when sinne ceaseth vpon the conscience Nowe the gates of both these prisons were to be opened and that so wide as infinite multitudes beside him selfe might safely passe thorowe them nay they were to bee broken vnto so small sheuers as it were impossiible euer after to make them of strength able to bee kept shut against the feeblest of his seruauntes But I knowe you are desirous out of H. N. his bookes to knowe what hee thinketh of Christe seeing I doe so constantly affirme that hee denieth him to bee GOD and haue before referred you for your further satisfaction touching his opinion heerein vnto this place and likewise what you may safely say by warraunt from his owne writings that he beleueth Christ to be By the doctrine of H.N. Christ is no one man but an estate and condition in men common to so many as haue receiued his doctrine that they are growen thereby to perfection nowe sinne no more Which estate hee calleth the true light or true beeing and perfection For proofe whereof I referre you vnto the xiii Chapter of his Euangelie or ioyfull message of the kingdome towarde the ende of second section there hee hath these wordes This same true light is the annointed with the holy ghost which annointed in Hebrue is named Messias in Greeke Christus Hee was also in times past called of certaine Rabbins amōg the Iewes the Lorde his Sabboth And they say that the same annointed is the seuenth day in the Paradize of God wherein God resteth from all his woorkes and is the perfectiō the which also is very true for this same Messias or annointed is the Sabboth day which the Lord hath commaunded to be alwaies had in remembrance that we when the same commeth might rest therein hallow or sanctifie the same wherin the law the seruice of the Priesthood of Aaron out of Leui and the elders testament doth ceasse hath accomplished his seruice For the same annointed which commeth at that time out of heauen with his annointing of the holy Ghost in the spirite and is the very like being of the godhead it self he is a Priest of the most highest higher and greater of dignitie then was Aaron because hee bideth euerlastingly and is a minister of the spiritual heauenly goodes This same true light which H. N. bringeth ye see he calleth it the annointed with the holy ghost Messias Christ the seuenth day the perfectiō to cloke his horrible heresie the better that it might not be espied hee speaketh of this his estate of perfection in the Masculine gender as if it were a man and saith as you haue hearde before he was also in times past called of certayne Rabbins among the Iewes the Lordes Sabboth and likewise he speaketh of this estate as yf it were a man when he sayth he is a Priest of the most highest higher greater of dignitie then was Aaron This horrible blasphemie is yet more plainely laide out in the viii ix x. sections of this same chapter wher he speaketh thus Oh alas how grosly haue then certaine wise of the world and Scripture learned ouerreached them herein which haue without diuersitie forsaken the lawe and the seruice of the elders Testament and of the Priestes office after the ordinance of Aaron and set backe the same
holy spirit shoulde from hencefoorth worlde without ende raigne with righteousnesse vpon the earth and iudge the same with equitie according to the promises When he hath affirmed that almighty God wil lay downe their enimies vnder the feete of their Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ foorthwith explaning that matter more he saith And euen so in your seconde birth yeelde ouer the dominion vpon the earth vnto you and your Sauiour Iesus Christ So that it appeareth playnely he taketh their second birth to be their Sauiour For when he hath mencioned their Lorde and Sauiour the next wordes that followe be these And euen so in your seconde birth c. Sometimes this name Christ in a degree of excellencie is geuen to the oldest Father in the familie of loue because he is possessed of this estate of perfection in the highest degree and greatest measure as in the 31. chapter of his Euangelie and 14. Section where speaking of the offices and functions that were in the Churche of Rome whereof he sheweth great liking as beyng figuratiue seruices of that trueth which H.N. hath newely started he saith of the parishe Priestes Therefore they were ioyned with others in the seruice of the holy worde because they let passe the childhood or the yongnes of the holy vnderstanding grew vp according to the requiring of the seruice of loue vnto the manly agednes of Christ that is vnto the true being of the oldest holiest father For these be his owne woordes in that place Where as yee heare he calleth the manly agednesse of Christ the true being of the oldest father And to confirme the same he hath these wordes in the sixteenth Section of this chapter Herevnto serue the parish Priests as to such procurators or helpers forward of the communialties for to beare a good care ouer them and to witnesse and to teach thē daily the holy vnderstāding of Christ the oldest father where as before Christe and the Eldest Father whiche is H. N. himselfe bee by apposition made one the same person Sometimes this doctrine of H.N. for that it teacheth this state of perfectiō which is Christ leadeth men thervnto is called Christ as in the two fourtie chapter of the Gospel after H.N. and 8. Section in these words Whosoeuer now thē forsaketh himself geueth ouer himselfe obediētly in Iesu Christ the gracious word of the Lord becommeth nowe admitted or receiued in Iesu Christ and in the obedience of his requiring And likewise in his first exhortation chapter seuenth the fyrst article Section 23. in these woordes Wee confesse that no man can become partaker with all the holy ones of God of the resurrection of Christ but suche as indeuour themselues in the beliefe vnder the obedience of the loue of Iesu to become implanted into Christ the gratious worde of the Lorde and euen so then to die with Christ in his like death c. Christ and the gratious worde of the Lorde which is H. N. his doctrine are heere vnited by him and made one and the same thing which thing not onely the sense will leade you vnto but also the manner of poynting which hath no litle mystery in it For after Christ ye shall finde in his booke a full perfect point albeit the sense be yet hanging aboue the head of it there is an other point reaching forward which is a priuie marke betweene him his disciples telling them that the woorde following doth open and expounde it After the gratious woorde of the Lorde Yee see an other full and perfect point and aboue the heade of it a point looking backewarde to insinuate vnto them that the woorde behinde doeth in like manner open and declare it There is not one iodde in H.N. his Gospell that goeth for nothing For euen this Childishe toy is made a mysterie nay a miracle with manie of them Nowe whensoeuer H.N. vseth this forme of speache by Iesu Christ Hee meaneth eyther this state of perfection or else this gratious woorde of his wherein the sence will direct vs whether of the interpretations wee are to admitte off The like is to bee sayde of this forme of woordes in Iesu Christe that is in the state of perfection which his illuminate Elders doe euioy or in the gratious doctrine which hee hath brought into the worlde Christ then is nothing else but annointed and as ye haue hearde by his allegoricall exposition is geuen to all that are come to that infection he calleth it Perfection which was spoken of before to wit whē they haue done with Aaron and the seruiceable word and haue met with their Melchisedech who doth all to berubbe their heades with reuelations and as for their conuersation telleth them whatsoeuer their doinges be they are no longer now to be said or accompted to haue any sinne in them Now to colour his doings he speaketh of al the vpright children of the beliefe that are thus annointed in the singular number as of one bodie that his young disciples should not smel out his heresie at the first but remaine still of this opinion that when he speaketh of Christ hee meaneth no other beside that same one person whereof the Scripture speaketh which is both God and man Whereas in truth he comprehendeth vnder that name all that multitude or number howe many soeuer who haue to diet from H.N. this roste meate of reuelations It appeareth by this whiche hathe beene sayde that H.N. his Christ is not GOD but an affection or disposition in man which if it were good were yet no more but godlinesse not GOD himselfe But wee haue hearde manifestly prooued vnto vs before that of necessitie the mediatour and redeemer of man must be GOD himselfe And therefore this miserable man pulleth vppe the doctrine of our saluation by the rootes His doctrine of Christ is declared yet more playnely if possibly that may be in that allegory which he maketh of Esau and Iacob in the nienth Chapter of his Euangelie Where he affirmeth that the righteousnesse of the Lawe with the great knowledge of the fleshe or of the earthly being which is borne out of the letter and hath to name Adam Esau or Edom must serue the little single minded simplicitie which is borne out of the spirite or heauenly being He affirmeth in the 8. Section of that chapter That those who liue vnder the obedience of loue that is his family doe openly perceiue these two birthes in themselues The first birth is when we vnderstande the worde according to the letter and are reaching or striuing to atteine to the perfection which his illuminated elders are possessed of And this birth hee calleth in this Section The right knowledge of man out of the fleshe or letter the seede that is borne according to the fleshe and hath no inheritance in the promises And in the tenth Section hee calleth it the minde of the fleshe which is named Adam Esau or Edō the knowledge
necessary consequence they are the Scribes and Pharisies because they are other Ministers about this matter which likewise helpe forward the death of Christ You may see howe safe it is to leaue the naturall sense of the Scripture and to followe allegories as doeth this familie For H. N. hath walked so long this way in the beliefe leauing the certaintie of the worde that hee hath prooued himselfe to bee Iudas that betrayeth Christ and his doctrine to bee that crosse which doeth take the life from Christ Hee hath prooued that Christe was woorthie of his death and coulde not haue come to euerlasting ioy if hee had not died in the fleshe and so consequently that Iudas and the high Priestes did a verie good woorke vnto Christ himselfe in putting him to that death that the Crosse was a blessed thing and the death thereof a blessed death for Christe himselfe that Iudas and the Iewes were blessed men in that woorke of procuring Christ his death and that his life and estate before ▪ that time for his owne good and benefite did necessarily require the same that the life of Iudas and the Iewes that crucified Christ was better then the life of Christ and their estate in al respectes better then his that they walked in the wayes of life and hee in the wayes of death that they who wished and procured his death were his best friends and his mother and disciples who stoode agaynst it and councelled him otherwise were his greatest enimies and those who did in truth betray him that Christ himselfe had the greatest benefite by his owne death and shoulde haue had the greatest losse himselfe if hee had not dyed And that others shoulde haue no further benefite from his death then they receiue instruction and example by his death to suffer as he hath done the death of the Crosse Howe doeth this passion agree with that hystorie of Christ his passion which is set foorth in the Scripture The woorde of GOD reporteth this matter of Christ his passion and death not as an Allegorie or a type and figure of a truth to be accomplished but with circumstaunces of time place person and order of proceeding setteth it foorth as a true historie and the very truth it selfe of that thing which by types and Figures had beene shadowed out long before and was nowe in Christe one person and yet both GOD and man truely accomplished Wee haue an historie in the woorde of GOD touching his apprehension and the manner of proceding agaynst him before Pilate In like manner touching his death and buriall not barely and in a woorde deliuered but with al circumstances fully discharged Hee foretelleth his Disciples both of the time of his death that it shoulde bee within two dayes when his aduersaries had purposed to deferre it till after the feaste for feare of an vprore among the people and of the manner of his death A woman comming by the instinct of GOD his spirite with a boxe of very costly ointment powring it on his head as he sate at the table declare thereby that the death of his bodie and burial were at hande and not any spirituall dying in respect of sinne and imperfection which he neuer had no not in his youngnes as H.N. speaketth The chiefe Piestes the Scribes the elders of the people assēbled togither into the Hall of the highe Prieste called Caiphas consulting howe they might take Iesus by subtiltie and kill him determining that it should not be at the feast of the Passeouer for feare of vprore at which time notwithstanding the Lorde woulde haue it performed that the very time might admonishe vs that Christ was the true Paschall lambe and the true bodie of those shadowes and figures that had gone before according as the Apostle restifieth If this had beene a conspiracie of many men against their affections because they woulde not yeelde obedience to true doctrine or a type and fygure of anie suche matter why then is a thing common to so manye made speciall in the type and figure Why is there such specialtie of person in the patterne where so manie haue interest in the thing Suche choyse likewise of the daye to foreshewe a matter free and lawfull to bee done at all times and bounde to no day Why is there suche feare of displeasure from the people at one speciall time whose malice agaynst true doctrine endeth not with anie time Here Christe his Aduersaries woorke procure and in ende performe with their owne destruction his death and suffering But to conspire the death of H.N. his Christ in the fleshe is required necessarilie to their saluation and therefore the one cannot bee a type of the other Hee that betrayed Christ was one of his disciples hyred therevnto with thirtie pieces of siluer who after that hee sawe him condemned brought the monie agayne confessing that hee hadde betrayed the innocent and went and hanged him selfe and bursting asunder in the middest all his bowelles gushed out so iust and heauie was the iudgement of GOD vppon him but hee that shoulde betray H.N. his Christe in the fleshe hath for recompence euerlasting life Neyther can any passe into immortalitie but by betraying and killing of him and therefore one of these cannot bee so muche as a tipe or figure of an other muche lesse the thing it selfe Wee reade that our Sauiour Christe charged Iudas and his companie that they came with materiall weapons swordes staues as vnto a theefe to apprehend him when notwithstanding he had taught daily in the Temple and beene in their companie continually there and yet they had no power before that time whiche he telleth them was their very houre when darkenesse had power graunted to preuayle against the light for a time And the Disciple likewise who wounded the seruant of the high Priest with his sworde receiued a reproofe from Christ with this answeare That he might with a worde haue obtayned armies of Angelles from heauen in his defence but that it might not be otherwise for then the scriptures shoulde not haue beene fulfilled This declareth that the true Christ was subiect to externall force and apprehended and that he was willing to die to fulfil the Scriptures wheras otherwise he might haue had legions of Angels in his quarrell and therefore that Mathematicall Christ who suffereth in wardly in the minde of man a departure out of the letter into the spirtie hath no resemblaunce with this Christ which is here set foorth in the Scriptures When this true Christ his passion and suffering is in hande it is declared particularly and playnely howe the Scriptures which foretolde that matter and the manner of it also are verified in him who accomplished all that trueth which they foretolde and therefore can not the hystorie of him bee a foretelling or shadowing out of a truth yet to bee performed by H.N. or any other their doctrine or doinges whatsoeuer They crucifie two theeues
of God whereof he had a merciful promise and graunt made vnto him Likewise when Dauid his sinnes were not imputed neither laid vnto his charge that was fauour in the Lord pardoning them and not imputing them vnto him Howe doeth this hang togeather with the doctrine of H. N. who saith that wee are to folowe Christ in the death of his crosse to the pardoning releasing of vs from our sinnes And howe will this folowing of Christ in his death of the crosse for the safe making of vs frō our sinnes stand with this not imputing of our sinnes vnto vs For if our righteousnes stande by imputation then is it not purchased by imitation and following of Christe in his like death and suffering If Christ his satisfaction for sinne stande beetweene the wrath of GOD and vs then doeth not our imitation of Christ in his death keepe of the daunger of our sinnes from vs The Brasen Serpent erected in the wildernesse at the commaundement of Almightie God which was a figure of Christ declareth that it is faith in him that did hang vppon the crosse and not the following after him in the death of the crosse that doeth iustifie vs and keepe the sting of our sinnes from beeing deadly vnto vs For those who are bitten with the liuing serpentes were promised if they shoulde looke vppon the dead Serpent to liue and recouer by that meanes but were not inioyned to haue them selues after death erected and set vppe vppon a Pole for their recouery from that daunger As appeareth in the booke of Numbers And the Lord saide vnto Moses Make thee a fiery Serpent and set it vppe for a signe that as many as are bitten may looke vppon it and liue So Moses made a Serpent of Brasse and set it vppe for a signe and when a Serpent had bitten a man then hee looked to the Serpent of Brasse and liued Nowe the sharpe and daungerous biting and stingyng of the liuyng Serpent did force them to leaue them selues and too looke after comfort where it was to bee founde And when sinne shal once sting the fauourers of this opinion of H. N. theyr consciences beyng awaked which nowe are in a deadly sleepe they shall then bee forced to feele and confesse that there is no medicine in them selues able to asswage the heate and anger thereof But as it seemed vnlikely to fleshe and blood that a Serpent of Brasse beyng but a dead thing coulde euer woorke a cure vppon them who were stoong with quicke liuing Serpentes and in daunger of present death especially by the looking and beholding of the same So doeth it vnto H. N. the eyes of whose vnderstanding are altogeather fleshly that Christe his obedience vppon the crosse beeyng but looked vppon with the eies of our faith and not imitated in the selfe same practise shoulde bee able to heale the sores of our soule Albeit our Sauiour Christ affirmeth in plaine speache That as Moses lifte vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so muste the Sonne of man bee lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shoulde not perishe but haue eternall life The opinion of H. N. that our folowing after Christe and obediennce in the imitation of him shoulde be able to discharge vs of our sinnes that before were committed declareth that hee is ignorant altogether of the righteousnesse of GOD reuealed in his woorde For obedience if it were perfect in vs and no transgression to bee founde against the lawe of God either in thought woorde or deede after that once wee haue begunne to feare him yet coulde not all this answere for the least sinne that went before For it is but a part of that is due vnto the Lorde from vs Who teacheth vs that when wee shall haue discharged the whole debt and haue doone euery thing commaunded yet are wee humblie to acknowledge that wee bee but vnprofitable seruauntes and haue doone no more then that which was our dutie to doe according as hee by our owne experience and practise doth plainely prooue vnto vs For which of you sayth our Sauiour Christ Hauing a seruaunt plowyng or other wyse labouryng all the day long wyll by and by after hee bee come home say vnto him Goe and sit downe at the Table wyll hee not rather be ready to enioyne him an other woorke within the house as to prepare thynges for his owne Supper and when that is doone laye the thirde labour vppon him as to wayte at the Table and see nothing to bee wantyng vntyll hymselfe haue supped yea and when all this is doone doeth hee so muche as once open his mouth to thanke that seruant because he did that which was commaunded vnto him I trowe not saith our Sauiour Christ And in very deede we do looke for such duetie from a seruant that yf he shall deny to doe any thing of that which his maister shall commaunde him foorthwith wee geue sentence that he is no man meete for seruice because we think that the seruant ought not as if hee weere a free man to haue any libertie or priuiledge but to reache in obedience vnto all that his maister by commaundement shal enioyne him And therfore accordingly when our seruant shal haue dispatched labour after labour and obeyed commaundedement after commaundement yet do we not once thanke him for all that because wee thinke it is all duetie that a seruant doeth howe muche so euer Herevpon came that Prouerbe That no man can serue two maisters because seruice is voide of all priuiledge and libertie of infinite duetie if maisters shall make no ende of commaunding for all is accompted duetie in a seruaunt which the maister shall commaunde him to do A man cannot therefore sufficiently woonder at the blindnesse of H. N. and others who acknowledgyng that they be seruauntes vnto the Lorde dare notwithstanding in the pride of their hart make such a reckoning of their seruice a fewe dayes or yeeres as that it shoulde make a sufficient satisfaction for those dayes and times wherein they were not only loyterers and did no duetie vnto him at all but also were retained of his aduersarie and spared not to wounde his glory Dare a seruant who hath loytered one whole weeke and done his maister no woorke or seruice at all for shame open his mouth the next weeke when hee hath trauelled for his maister as a good seruaunt ought alwaies to doe and say Sir I trust now your selfe being iudge I haue made a sufficient satisfactiō for my loitering al this last weeke I cannot thinke this Famelie eyther to bee so full of loue or so empty of vpright iudgement as to take this for sufficient seruice or as a reasonable answeare to bee put vp at the handes of any of their seruantes not excepting those to whom they shall geue the least wages This familie of loue and the Papistes they are the best husbandes that I haue euer hearde of and the moste can they make of that litle they haue ▪ for
in the same But to omit coniectures how euident soeuer they bee and to come to the matter iustified and warraunted by expresse writing howe is it that H. N. professeth that his holy Ghost becommeth poured foorth as he speaketh in the oldnesse of the time when men haue followed Christe in the death of his crosse vnto the newe life or seconde birth Can men make any beginning in Christianitie before the spirit of God bee geeuen vnto them Nay can they truely cōceine of that way before they be lightened with the spirite of God Doeth not the Apostle plainly affirme That no man knoweth the things of God but the spirite of God And therefore in the next verse confesseth That they had receiued the spirite of GOD whereby they myght knowe the thinges that were geuen them of GOD Haue the seruantes of GOD his spirite powred vppon them when they haue beene dead vnto sinne is it not by the power of the spirite of GOD that they die vnto sinne aswell as they that lyue vnto righteousnesse Doeth not the Apostle attribute the mortifiyng of the deedes of the body to the spirite in these woordes If yee mortifie the deedes of the body by the spirite yee shall liue Howe then dare H.N. vtter suche dangerous dreames as these bee of the holy Ghoste that hee shoulde not bee geuen vnto the seruauntes of GOD before they haue altogeather left sinne and become vtterly dead vnto the same For hee is of opinion that the holy ghost is not graunted vnto his familie before that time that Christe in the spirite as was spoken before appeare vnto them and they become partakers and possessed of that estate of perfection which hee dreameth of And therefore as was declared before he calleth the visible comming of the holy Ghost vpon the Apostles whereof mention is made in the second of the Actes the appearing of Christe in the spirite For that estate which his familie are partakers of before this perfection was called before the estate of the man in his youngnes and here it is called the dayes of the pacience of Christ in the obedience of the holy and gracious woorde and his seruice of loue and the keeping of the doctrine of his patience Now saith H.N. when those dayes of the pacience of Christ are fulfilled and when they haue kept the woorde of his pacience vnto the ende then becometh the holy Ghost powred foorth vpon suche from the right hande of GOD. By this doctrine in my iudgement H. N dealeth hardly with the man in his youngnesse For yf it shoulde please the Lorde to call any of his familie before they were come to this perfection which hee speaketh of they shoulde dye as reprobates out of the fauour of GOD the heires of euerlasting destruction For as saint Paule testifieth If any man haue not the spirite of Christ the same is not his and by this doctrine of H. N. they are not partakers thereof before those dayes of the pacience of Christe bee fully expired and this estate of perfection entred which hee calleth the second birth from the dead or the new life of the true beeyng of Christe H. N. Which vpright beleuers that folowe after Christ in death life become baptized or washed through Christ in the pure and liuing waters of the holy ghost those same shal also i become powred foorth ouer thē with ful clearenesse of God abūdantly for euen so through shedding foorth of the holy Ghoste ouer the vpright beleeuers in Christ vnder the obedience of the loue of the holy Ghost doeth Christ make manifest his holy church the cōmunialtie of his holy ones and establisheth on the same the promises of God his heauenly father and euen so plainely sheweth who are the right Christians in what maner of wise that they become baptized vnder the obedience of the beliefe of Iesu Christ in the name of the holy Ghost And that is the vpright christian baptisme in the name of the holy Ghost and it is the true seconde byrth out of the holy Ghost the ttue loue of GOD and Christ Answeare THese vpright beleeuers haue the waters of the holy Ghost as H. N. affirmeth powred foorth ouer them with full cleerenes of God abundantly and thus doth Christ make manifest his holy Churche vnder the obedience of the loue through the shedding foorth of the holy Ghost who is nothing els but the loue of God Christ with H.N. as appeareth in the lasse lyne of the last Section and this he calleth the baptisme in the name of the holy Ghost This doctrine hath bene confuted before there is nothing therefore remayning now but to geue you a sight of those absurde thinges which follow vppon it First of all by this doctrine H.N. his Christ in the spirite and his holie Ghost be all one Secondly the holie Ghost is not geuen but to them that are of this familie and subscribe to the doctrine and religion of H.N. Thirdly sinne is subdued before the holie Ghost bee graunted and geuen vnto them Fourthly Baptisme is no cutwarde seale and assurance of that good will the Lord beareth vnto vs but an inwarde perfect obedience that wee yeelde vnto him And last of al the holie Ghost is not that with begetteth in vs the loue of God Christ as it is written but it is the verie loue it self of God and Christ and nothing else These errours be so euident that if nothing had bene saide seuerally vnto them before being once brought out vnto the barre and arrayned a man woulde thinke they would at the first haue yeelded confessed and neuer for shame by pleading not guiltie haue made any further trouble vnto the countrie for their tryall H. N. Wee confesse that they all which become not grounded in this same vpright faith of Iesu Christ nor become euen so baptized as is before mencioned in the first article in the name of the Father vnder the obedience of the loue of the father and his lawe and as is before mencioned in the fourth article in the name of the Sonne vnder the obedience of the loue of the sonne and his beliefe and as is before mencioned in this 8. article in the name of the holie Ghost vnder the obedience of the loue of the holy Ghoste and his renuing of the life minde are no true Christians and that they also all that boast themselues to be Christians without this same vpright faith and baptisme are doubteles false christians Sectio 33. Therefore shall nowe in this same day of the loue the worde that the Lord Iesus hath spoken cōcerning the true be liefe and baptisme be a iudge also become fulfilled founde verie true and make knowen the beleeuers from the vnbeleeuers Section 34. For verilie who so beleeueth and becōmeth baptized after this maner like as we here confesse or acknowledge according to the word of Iesu Christ the vpright faith
them notwithstanding matter of necessitie to be purged that so they may bring foorth more fruite Euery braunch that beareth fruite he purgeth it that it may bring foorth more fruite and therfore doe we say in the next Article that we doe beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes but the sanctification and holynesse of H.N. his Church and Familie as they say is perfect euen in this life The members of the true Church bee braunches of that true Vine Christ and haue from thence their sappe strength to beare but the fellowes of this Familie haue all their sappe in them selues for they doe not acknowledge originall sinne nor yet the doctrin of our free election in Christ and therefore must of necessitie with Pelagius plant grace generally in our nature and so consequently confesse that we haue our sap in our selues H.N. The tenth Article Wee beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes namely in the same communialty of holy ones which standeth grounded in thssame vpright and godly beliefe of Iesu Christ and becommeth baptized in that same holie beeing of GOD aboue rehearsed and where the loue hath obtained the victory Wee confesse also that no man shall obtaine grace or forgiuenesse of sinnes at Gods hand without thissame holie communialtie of Christ For thissame is the holy Christianitie the familie of Loue wherein GOD himselfe dwelleth liueth and walketh and the true communialtie of Israell which reigneth with God and Christ ouer all her enemyes Answeare Hee that calleth to minde that doctrine which H.N. which hath set foorth before in his exposition vpon the 4. Article shall plainely perceiue that remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes is nothing else but to bee set free from sinning any more against God and that not to be attained vnto any otherwise then by following his Christ in the death of the crosse vnder the obedience of the loue Which opinion is confirmed in his Euangelie Chapter 30. Section 6. The clensing which is called Purgatory signifieth vnto vs the making pure of the beleeuers of Christ which they in distresse affliction sorrowe and anguish for the sinnes cause doe passe thorowe wherein they as in a fire of humiliation are purged or iustified from all their sinnes through the beliefe for to enter euen so with pure heartes into the kingdome of the GOD of heauēs In which fire of clensing or Purgatory the vpright beleeuers of Christ shew foorth patience in prayer vnto God and euen so in the beliefe and in manner of suffering they followe after Christ in his death of the crosse to the purging of their sinnes And the 28 Chapter of that same booke and first Section this his opinion is likewise established These be his woordes Whilst nowe the children of men cleaued vnto the vpright faith of Abraham which was of one beeing with the true light of life or grounded themselues therein and euen so obediently suspected the seruice of the beliefe administred out of the true light which is Christ himselfe in his requiring exercised them therein and onely gaue eare and had regarde vnto the ministers of the holie word which had kept the Passeouer with Christ out of the flesh into the spirit out of death into life were euen so implanted into Christ coedified with God and also beeing obedient vnto the worde in his requiring bide stedfast therein vntill that they had also kept the passouer with Christ and obtayned the renewing of their spirit and mind in Iesu Christ the which is the vpright supper or Pascha wherein men rightly eate the body of Christ drinke his bloode are partakers of his suffering and baptized in his death vnto his burying and euen so remember the suffering of Christ and witnesse or publish his death till vnto his comming that is vntill the true light arise in the heart so were they made safe iustified from their sinnes renewed in the spirit of their minde and sanctified in Christ to fellow members of his body to coheires in the riches of God his father in the euerlasting life This doctrine which maketh man his owne Sauiour and redeemer is plentifully confuted in the fourth Article wherevnto I refer the reader A man would not imagine that they could attempt so much mischieuous matter against vs and our saluation euen then when they giue vs no worse woordes then the holie Ghost doth vse For heere are heard no other wordes then wordes of pardon and forgiuenesse and yet there is no other matter in hand thē matter of purchasing and paying for our saluation But no marueile if H.N. who before was sufficiently prooued to bee Iudas doe nowe kisse when he meaneth to kill and in woords putteth vs in hope of a pardon when in deede is drift is to haue vs pay the vtmost farthing In the tenth Chapter to the Hebrues it is plainely prooued that euen those his deare and best beloued Children in whose heartes and mindes himselfe hath written his owne lawes haue in them notwithstanding matter to be pardoned and forgiuen After those dayes saieth the Lorde I will put my lawes in their heart and in their mynde I will write them and their sinnes and iniquities I will remember no more The place is alleadged out of the Prophete Ieremye I wil make an euerlasting couenant with them that I will neuer turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not departe from me These people to whome the Lorde hath made this large and liberall promise that they shall enioy such a portion of his feare as shal be able to kepe thē from departing from him these I say that haue and enioy such a measure of mercy from the Lorde haue all this notwithstanding in that their estate sinnes to be pardoned and that with one offering for all neuer after to be renued With one offering hath he cōsecrated for euer saith the holie Ghost them that be sanctified And againe Where remission of these things is there is nowe no more offering for sinne If one offering consecrate for euer them that be sanctified then are there not so many offeringes to consecrate withall as there be persons sanctified which is the doctrine of H.N. If one offering consecrate for euer them that be sanctified then H. N. and his Familie are not sanctified because they refuse that one offering which the Lord hath appointed thereby to consecrate for euer them that are sanctified and haue erected in steade therof a continuall offering and oblation for sinne wherin euery man must play the Prieste for himselfe And therefore albeit he affirme words that there is remission and forgiuenesse of sinne in his Familie yet in trueth it is otherwise for where there is remission of sinne there is no more offering for sinne Nowe in H. N. his Familie there is more offering for sinne and therfore there is among them no remission of sinne The Prophete Dauid affirmeth that because the
duety vpon hym who was Lord of the law in his owne name and for himselfe but onely in respect of vs whose cause and person hee was content to sustaine Touching his life what a rare argument and token of good will was this to begin withall that he would be abased so farre for vs as to lay downe the maiestie glorie wherein he was nothing inferiour to his father and to take vpon him the estate and condition of a poore and miserable seruant to leaue the highest estate in heauen and to goe vnder the basest condition here vpon earth to chaunge the highest dignitie with the basest condition the greatest glorie with the greatest infamie the place that hath superioritie ouer all with that which is to serue all what is the glorie of all kingdomes in the worlde if they were ioyned together to the glorie of Heauen and yet howe impossible were it to intreate him who is king of the least Islande in the worlde to chaunge his estate with a seruant to leaue the glory of his kimgdome and to imbrace the estate of the meanest subiecte and seruant in the lande VVhat subiect howe friendly soeuer in former times he had beene to the Prince could after long sute preuaile thus much with him and beholde the king of heauen and Lord of life doth force this friendship vpon his enemies It requireth our earnest meditation of the matter to consider the greatnesse of the goodwil that lyeth vnder it for it hath neuer before or since been heard off that the sonne his life should be the price to purchase vnto the seruant his fredom that the sonne should be sould to serue to the end the seruant nay enemie might be made free Wonder at this worke thou earth be amased at it ye heauens for frō the beginning if al your regesters were searched the like shal not be heard of at any time to haue happened The gift had beene exceeding great if wee should haue had no more at his hands then is the seruice of his life lead in all maner of obedience for our sake heere vpon Earth but after this obedience vnto the will of his father in all duetie accomplished he himselfe must passe thorow death and so become a slaine sacrifice for the sinnes of his seruants Wherin let vs a litle beholde the weight of suche a worke so shall wee make the better account of him who hath wrought it for vs Let vs behold his behauiour when the time approched of his appearing before the iudgement seat of the righteous God for sinners Which although it be but the enterāce into his passion and suffering wil notwithstanding let vs haue some sight and tast wherby to discerne how hard a work he had in hand When he was to enter the answearing of sinne he went as appeareth in the Gospel after Saint Mathew into a place called Gethsemane saying to his Disciples Sit ye heere while I goe and pray yonder While he was on the way he began to waxe heauy sorowfull and greeuously troubled In so much that he complaining of his grief vnto Peter and the two sonnes of Zebedeus whome he tooke with him saith vnto them I feele my heart heauy vnto death tary ye heere and watch with me The paine pressed him so sore that hee craueth the eomfort of their presence in that combat Yee may well consider that it is no small matter which driueth the sonne of God to intreate his Disciples to watch with him But are they able to afforde him any helpe In trueth they can giue no helpe vnto the mater he hath in hand It is no great thing that is required and yet for al that it cannot be obteyned It is no great matter to looke on though the matters which be in doing were neuer so daungerous and yet the Scripture doth tel vs that the chiefe of the Apostles could not hold vp their heads and helpe their maister at his desire while hee yet was but in the beginning of his conflict with so much as a cōfortable countenance no not after he had cōplained of their great vnkindnesse and expostulating the matter with them had vsed these wordes towardes them What coulde ye not watch with me one howre A wonderfull matter that Peter the Prince of the Apostles should bebewray so great weakenesse that beeing sundry times requested by his Maister could not performe towarde our saluation so little a matter as is the looking on So farre was hee from afording either countenannce or speach of incouragement in this cause The Lorde had a speciall purpose in it and we are therfore to drawe speciall instruction from this that there did neuer greater want appeare neither mo infirmities breake out of the Apostles then whē the worke of our saluation was in hand For had they giuen but the least helpe vnto that worke howe should men haue beene kept from matching them with Christ in the matter of mediation For many be so mad that notwithstanding the best of them could not helpe with a comfortable countenaunce when our saluation was to bee procured yet will they haue the meanest of them at least fellowes with Christ at halfe of the Mediatorship for they will not be perswaded but that they must pray vnto them and so haue them fellowes with Christ in the office of intercession Howe hath the holie Ghost met with man his infirmitie heerin and remoued all stumbling blockes that wee might haue free passage to that alone Mediatour betweene God and man the man Iesus Christ Who can deny but that the onely wise God did foresee what great folly and susperstition many would fall into with the Apostles and Saints of GOD and therefore would haue the woorke of our saluation so cleare and voyde of any helpe from the Apostles that the chiefe of them could not bee kept from sleeping at the beginning neither from periurie and forswearing after a little farther proceeding in the same For so farre wer they from healping our saluation forwarde that beeing requested to watch and solace their Maister with their sight in his agonie that they are daunted and lye like deade menne And when they are wakened and reprooued for that they woulde not watche one houre by and by they fall faste a sleepe againe so that no manner of comforte can bee had from them And no maruell for the Almightie had determined that the combate should be single perfourmed of one alone and therefore it coulde not be that Peter and Christe should suffer togither In deede there weare two theeues crucified with him but there was no doubt which thing the learned doe well note that the sacrifice for sinne should haue any supply from their suffering The fourme of prayer which our Sauiour Christ vsed vnto God the father when hee entred into this agonie doth likewise tel vs what paine anguish he did sustaine For sundry times he made this peticion vnto God O my father if it be possible let this cup
passe from me Let vs ceasse to meruel that the Apostles did beare no part in it for this his praier doth declare that Iesus Christ had his hands full of it Let vs not meruaile why the Apostles had no more lust nor affection to deale in it for Iesus Christe him selfe if he had followed the sence and persuasion of his fleshe had flatly refused it fainted at the firste and neuer haue gone thorowe with it O my father if it be possible let this cup passe How heauy a waight of our sinnes was vpon him not onely is bewrayed by his prayer but also by the droppes of blood that fell from his face and by his often passage as a man greatly distressed and in sore anguish from his Apostles to the place where he prayed and from thence to them againe Somtimes waking them and seeking comfort from the sight of them and sometimes againe intreating his father for fauour Neither doth hee this once and away but sundry times doth he renewe it and make often attemptes to haue ease by it This was the beginning of this his conflict Much anguish was in it as you haue heard and little comforte comming from any yet the farther he proceedeth the more his paine increaseth and the lesse comforte he feeleth Before hee had the sight of his Apostles albeit they could not be kept waking for his comfort now they all flee and forsake him saue Peter who did abide by it a while but in the end did forsweare him His father whome before hee did attempt to intreat now standeth foorth taking the place of iustice the seate of iudgement summoneth al his seruauntes to appeare and answeare for their sinnes Then the sonne of man Iesus Christ commeth foorth to the barre appeareth in the person of all sinners there standeth he to receiue sentence afterwards executiō accordingly which coulde be no slender punishment for it muste be a sufficient satisfaction for the sinnes of all his seruauntes It coulde be no litle blowe that hee did beare for why it was suche a one that the sinnes of all his seruantes did dye of it Howe coulde it be a litle stripe or stroke that was the death of so many sinnes Nay vniuersaly of all the sinnes in his seruauntes When he went vnder it this speache of his O GOD my God why hast thou forsaken mee did sufficiently testifie what waight and burden hee had of it Before he was forsaken of men and his dearest Disciples had leaft him Now sinne hath set his father against him and hee feeleth him an vtter enemie vnto him For that hee wrestled not with an ordinarie and vsuall kinde of deathe his words to his father doe bewray He was to beare the punishment for sinne which muste touche him els howe should we be perswaded that the punishment was sufficient and meete for suche a matter Beholde a true ballance wherein to waie sinne a Glasse that will geue vs the true sight of sinne Looke vppon this glasse ye which thinke that at your last houre ye shal be well enough able to driue away sinne with a sigh Beholde this spectacle yee that take sinne in young men to be the grace of those yeeres and so slender a matter in olde men that it cannot abide the least breath or sight of one that hath gray heares ▪ You see when sinne is to be aunsweared the Apostles left it and Christe him selfe did sundrie wayes declare that he had enough of it Wee may see sufficiently by this that they neuer felt the sting of it who in their speaches and remedies appointed to redresse it doe geue out so slenderly of it There is one thing whereof we are especially to be admonished that wee neuer make our selues giltie of so great vnduetifulnes against our god as to cal his diuinitie into question because he was hūbled vnto this anguishe and paine in our person and bewrayed such sence and feeling thereof in our nature For how doe we answeare the Lorde if wee will let him haue no longer any honour from vs for that he was so greatly humbled for v◠Hereby we may sufficiently see and discerne what a cursed and counterfayte Christe that is which H.N. hath brought into the worlde For H.N. his Christe was not first God and then after when he was to suffer made man but first man and after by his suffering was Godded with god He gaue no speciall argumentes of good will vnto vs by his passion and suffering for him selfe had the greatest benefite by it insomuche as that he coulde not haue beene saued without it He is not this true Christe who offered him selfe a sufficient price for all the sinnes of his seruantes for he leaueth euery one to answeare for his owne sinne telling him that he him selfe and no other is to answeare for it And therefore looke what the sinnes of H N. his Christe cost him the same price muste they pay for theirs if they will beleeue him All the helpe that they haue from him is that he hath paide his money before them so that nowe they shal not neede to trouble them selues either about the price to spende any long time in learning what is required neither yet about the maner to vnderstande where and howe it is to be paide If anye doe maruelle howe H. N. can make away this so plaine an historie let them vnderstande that it is well knowen to those who bee any thing acquainted with him that to sinke any historie H. N. will require no more then one single shot of an Allegorie The Lorde graunt that they which thus abolishe the true Christe and his office to set vp so cursed a creature in his place may bee looked to in time before they shal drawe others into the same condemnation Christe Iesus gaue him selfe for vs to purge vs that we might be a peculiar people vnto him selfe zelous of good woorkes Heere are all the carnall Gospellers condemned who liue in hope that vnder the countenaunce of their profession all libertie of life will well enough be borne out that make Christe his death to be nothing els but a bande vnto their lewde lyfe Heere may wee see that the Lorde hath not laide downe his life to purchase no other thing at our handes beside a profession of the trueth but that hee bought with his blood a zelous addicting of our selues to christan conuersation It is a woonder to see howe the wicked will boast of the benefite of Christe his blood howe mightie it is to merite how sufficient to saue from sinne But for all that will they not geue ouer anye libertie of life that before they haue enioyed whereas it was geuen to purchase a newe conuersation aswell as a newe profession For hee gaue him selfe for vs that wee might geue our selues vnto him a peculiar people zelous of good woorkes Let vs marke it then my brethren that he gaue him selfe for vs to haue the honour of a Christian life
froÌ„ vs He left his life for vs that our life might be let out to honour him He made not so slender a purchase with so great a price as that if hee had a good sigh or a good word at our last breath that would suffice him this life was geuen for the purchase of a zelous geuing of our liues to the works that please him And therfore doth the Apostle tell vs that we are not our owne men to frame our life after our owne liking but are to serue the Lorde both with our body and with our spirite because they are the Lords bought of him with a price Yf we humble not our selues to a zelous folowing of good works we withhold the lords due for he hath paide a great price to purchase a good life at our handes Hee hath with no smal price but dearely bought of vs the honor of a life led in zelous obedieÌ„ce vnto his word For we are not barely to geue some good words either els to shew some good countenance toward religion and christian conuersation but to haue our conuersation declare that we are affected with the same become studious of such an estate of life Suche men declare theÌ„selues to be that peculier people for whoÌ„ the Lord laide out his life As for those who waâ—ke so indifferently betwene true religion false that a man can not discerne whether they are more inclined vnto As also those that walke so euen betwen a ciuil life a christianlike hehauiour that the difference is not easilie discussed they do declare themselues as yet not to be affected in desire towards those dueties which the Lord hath laid vpon his Now where this purchase of his hath taken place they are become a peculiar people zelous of good workes If colde christians haue so litle comfort from the death of Christ what shal become of them that are sworne enimies either to true religion or els to good life christiaÌ„ behauiour It is said here by the Apostle that we must be purged to become a peculiar people vnto our God zelous of good works which office of purging the holy Ghost perfourmeth not by miracle but by meanes wherein we haue great cause to be thankeful vnto God that whereas our foode was exceding grosse vnder the gouernment of the Pope as hauing only for diet the inuentions of man Nowe that pure and fine foode of the woorde of God is not only made lawfull vnto vs but also liberally layde out for vs But herein againe we ar bothe to confesse and acknowledge our want that seing we are not voyde of sinne while we remayne in this flesh and therfore haue neede to be often purged clensed our purgations for all this so greate a change so good a constitution of the minde vnder the Gospell be nowe at this day nothing diuers from those that were vsed in that that greate grossenes which we had vnder the Pope The Cannon lawe I confesse might purge somewhat in those times of ignorance when because the foode was so grosse the minde coulde not but be full of great and grieuous humores but now the constitution of our mindes beyng altered by reason that the foode is so cleane diuers from that it hath benne how can it purge to any purpose Let vs therfore euery one pray that seing by reason of this good diet of the Gospell the state and constitution of our minde is chaunged in steede of the Cannon lawe which passeth ouer many daungerous humors and purgeth them neuer a whit by reason of the great grossnesse that is in it VVe may haue rules Canons out of the worde of God which will pearce further purge other humoures wherof we haue great store those such as do greatly blemishe the Gospell and causeth so greate slaunder vnto our profession as hyndreth many from comyng thervnto Howe often doth the whole body of this realme asseÌ„ble togeather in that highe court of parliament to redresse those euils that are amonge vs ether in bodie goods or name making new statutes and repelinge olde accordinge as by that wisdome and experience which God hath giuen theÌ„ they see perceiue any danger either preseÌ„t or shortly lyke to fal vpoÌ„ them But as for the Church which Sathan maliceth infinitlye more and therfore maketh many sorer assaltes against the same how slenderly in all such assembles is her estate thought vpon And what statutes are their made to preueÌ„t the practises of Sathan Or what old ones be once repelid how vnprofitable or hurtfull so euer experience doth tel vs that they be The Lord touch them with the care of it who haue especial authoritie to redresse it I haue already bene verie long and the weather hath bene very tedious vnto you a woorde therefore or two of the last point and so I make an ende The maner of teaching trayning of schollers in Christ his schoole is by teaching exhorting and rebuking these thinges saieth the Apostle Speake exhort and rebuke with all authoritie We cannot conceaue the matters of saluation by and of our selues they must be taught vs and when wee yeelde vnto them in iudgement beeing perswaded of the truth thereof it is another labour then the former to be rightly affected with them And therfore they must be pressed vpon our affections by exhorting and rebuking for we are not by and by truely touched with our dutie and humbled to the obedience thereof when once wee haue subscribed in our iudgement to the truth and equitie of the thing Men muste haue speciall cunning and skill from God that shall come within vs and make vs in iudgement and affection to yeelde vnto duetie howe shall they preach saith the Apostle vnlesse they be sent This argueth a strong and a woonderful corruptioÌ„ to be within vs which hath so blinded our reason and hardened our affection that they must bee men of speciall giftes and graces that shal be able to open the eyes of our mind to conceiue the trueth and to touche our affections so as they shal be moued to make conscience of the same We may well discerne then howe vnprofitable those ministers bee in their place who know nothing how to exhort and rebuke Who woulde hyre into his haruest a Mower that coulde not set an edge vpon his sith when it should happen to be blunted by stones or other thinges that were hid in the grasse And is not teaching exhorting and rebuking the edge of the worde which maketh it cut And be not our heartes of themselues if Sathan shoulde cast in no outwarde occasions a grounde that is full of stones and what shoulde hee doe then in the haruest of the Lorde that cannot geue an edge to the worde by strengthening the trueth of the doctrine if false Prophets and Teachers should cast in stones of heresie erronious opinions nor yet by waking and rowsing the affections of men by exhorting and rebuking acording to sound doctrine
12. b. q. Rom 7. b. r. Rom. 7. b.c. Å¿. Iere. 30. c. t. Eccle. 5. a. Rom. 2. a. u. Psal. 5. a. x. Apo 3 c. y. Ephe. 5. b. z. Psal. 32. a. Prou. 28. b. a. Psal. 45. b. 139. c. Prou. 1. a. 3. c. 14. Eccle. 4. a. 32. c. Heb. 13. b. b Mar. 1. Actes 2 d. d. Mat. 6. d. Luke 11. a. e. Prou. 3. b. Heb. 12. b. f. Iohn 8. d. Rom. 6. c. g. Mat. 11. c. 28. h. Mat. 1. c. i. Apoc. 2â— a. k. Ioel. 2. a. Amos. 5. b. l. Sop. 1. b. Mala. 4. a. m. Pro. 29. Heb 1.2 b. n.. Mat. 25. d. o. Bar. 3. b. p. Psal. 89. d. q. Ephe. 5. d. r Psal. 89. d. Prou. 3. a. Heb. 12. b. Å¿. Matth. 5. a t. Gal. 4.5 a. u. 1. Pet. 1. b. 2. 2. Pet. 1. a. Heb. 11.33 Iam. 2.23 Rom. 4.35 Man bringeth him selfe vnto Christ by this doctrine of H. N. Rom. 6.11 Agust epist. 89. Iohn 6.44 x. Mat. 18. b. y. Mat. 16. b. Rom. 6. a. z. Galla. 3. â— a. Iohn 1. a 3. a. b. Mar. 1. a. a. Math. 1. a. c. Luke 1. d. 2. b b. Math. 16. b. 17 Rom. 1. a c. Col. 1. b. Hab. 1. a. d. Gen. 1. c. Ihon. 1. a. e. Heb. 1. a Gen. 1.2 Matth. 1.21 Iohn 17 Hebrues 9.24 Psalm 110. Esay 61. Luke 4. Iohn 1.18 Esay 9.6 Math. 28.19 1. Iohn 2.20 Rom. 5.15 Messias and Christ is the state of perfection with H.N. Christ is that estate when men leaue the written worde and betake themselues to reuelations Our seconde birth or regeneration is our Sauiour according to the doctrine of H. N. The oldest father of the familie is Christ This doctrine of H.N. because it leadeth to perfection is sometime called Christ H. N. his opinion of Christ Christ is not God. Adam and Christ after the flesh are one with H.N. H.N. calleth the seconde birth Christ the Godhead Gods true being it self Reue. 17.4 f. Esa. 7. b. Matth. 1. c. Luke 1. d. g. Luk. 2. b. Gal. 4. a. h. Gen. 22 b. Rom. 4. b. Gal. 3. b. Christ is so often conceiued of the holie Ghost as any shall haue profited wel in this doctrine of H.N. q. Ephes 2. d. The Gospell after H.N. Cha. 18 Section 10. Euang. 18. Euan. 18.10 Christ not Abrahams seede after the flesh but only as he foloweth the faith of Abraham Euang. 18. Section 3. Euang. 18. Section 9. Gâ—lla 4.4 Rom. 9.5 Heb. 2.16 Heb. 1.15 i. Colo. 1. b. k. Esa. 53. a.b. l. Matth. 27. b. Luke 23. 1. Timo. 6. b. m. 1. cor 15. a. 1. Pet. 2. c. n. Heb. 1. a. o. Esai 53. b. The newe testament is heauen and the seate of the most highest Esay 53.5.6 Rom. 5.9 2. Cor. 5.21 p. Phil. 2. â— q. Hebr. 12. â— That Christ which H.N. hath brought into the worlde was a sinner in his yong yeares VVhen and how Christ is put to death H. N. is Christ Christ in his yoÌ„g yeares was a sinner Christ suffered for his own sinne VVe must make the purchase of our owne righteousnesse by our selues The doctrine of H.N. is the crosse wherevppon Christ died H.N. is Iudas his illuminate elders be the Scribes and Pharisees By the doctrine of H.N. Christ himselfe had the greatest benefite by his own death Mat. 26. â— Mar. 14.8 Matth. 26.3 1. Cor. 5.7 They that crucified Christ in the flesh wrought thereby their owne saluation Luke 22. r. Phil. 2. a. 1. Pet. 2. c. Heb. 5. b. Å¿. 1. Pet. 2. c. t. Rom. 6 a. Phil. .3 b. v. Rom. 6. a. Colos 2. b. x. Ephe. 4. c. y. Act. 4 b. 1. Iohn 2. a. z. Esai 26. c. 1 Cor. 15. â— 1. Thes 4 b. a. Matt. 24. d. Luke 17. c. Act. 1 b. b. Ephe. 4. b. Col. 2. b. c. Mat. 1 â— Ephe. 5. c. d Mat 18.4 Mat. 16. b. e. Heb. 9. b. Heb. 7.26 Mortification is our iustification according to the doctrine of H.N. Heb. 10.110 Heb. 7.23 Num 21. g. Luke 17.7 1. Cor. 15.17 Ephe. 2.4 Verse 5. f. 1. Peter 1. â— 3. c. g. Rom. 11. c. h. Matt. 10. d. Luke 12. â— i. Rom. 6. a. b. 8 1. Cor. 15. f. Colloss 2 b. k. Rom. 6. a. l. 2. Cor. 4. b. Gala. 6. b. m. Rom. 6. a Gala. 5. c. Colloss 3. a. Mat. 24. a. Iohn 8. c. o. Iohn 10. c. p. Rom. 6. a. Esay 53. The estate of H. N. his Christ was nearer vnto glorie and more honourable in the time of his suffering then euer it was before a. Matth. 28. a marke 16. a Luke 24. a b. c. Actes 1.2.3.4 b. Iohn 20.21 Acts. 10. e. 13. d. e. 1. Cor 15. a c. Rom. 6. a. b. c. 1. Cor. 15. f. According to the doctrine of H.N. Christ sicteth not in our nature that is in the flesh at the right hand of his father but onely in Spirit The holy Ghost is Christ Iohn 20.20 Iohn 20.27 Iohn 20.29 Actes 2.30.32 The flesh of H. N. his Christ is left in the graue and seeth corruption Actes 2.24 d Rom. 6. a. Phil. 3. b. e Rom. 6. a. b. c. 2. Peter 4. a. f Iohn 3. a. Rom. 6 a. g Ephe. 4. e. h Luke 1. g. Ephe. 1. a. i Rom. 8. b. k Esay 26. e. Ezec. 36. c. 37. b l Ose 13. b. Iohn 5. c. m Rom. 6. g. Rom. 8.33 1. Cor. 15.17 Rom. 5.25 Rom. 8. â— Ephe. 2 6. Collo 3. Ephe. 4.8 n. Mark. 16. b. Luke 24. f. Actes 1. b. n. Mark. 16. b. Luke 24. f. Actes 1. b. o. Phil. 2. a. Collo 3. a. Heb. 12. a. p. Mark. 16. b. Actes 1. b. q. Psal. 116. a Ephe. 1. c. r 1. Cor. 15. c. Å¿ Num. 14. c. 1. Cor. 15. c. Euangelie 16.10.11.12 How H.N. his Christ hath ascended into Heauen t. Acte 1. b. v. Mat. 16. d. 24.25 Acte 10. c 2. Tim. 4. a. 1. Peter 4. a. x. Luke 21. 1. Thesta 4. a. Iude. 1. b. y. Esay 3. b. Sapien. 3. a. Mat. 19. c. c. 2. Thessa. 1. a z. Acte 17 d. Iude. 1. b. Here in this life is the fulnesse of eternall life The dead shal rise and liue in H.N. and in the illuminate elders euerlastingly and raigne vpon the earth Iohn 5.29 a. Iohn 14. c. 16 1. Iohn 5. a b. Ioel. 2. c. c. Acts. 2. c. 10. c d. Mat. 19. c. e. Luk. 22. c. 24. f. Mat. 19. Rom. 6. 1. Cor. 2.11 Rom. 8.13 Those of the family which dye before they be elders and come to perfection be damned for euer by the doctrine of H. N. Rom. 8.9 g. Actes 1. a. h. Iohn 3. a. 7. 1. Actes 2. c. k. Apo. 21. a. l. Actes 2. a. Ephe. 1 c. 2. c. m. Gen. 12 a. 22 n. Actes 10. e Ephc. 1. b. 4. d. o. Mat. 28. b. Actes 1. a. 2. a. 10. e. p. Iohn 3. a Sinne is subdued in vs before we haue the holy Ghost Rom. 7 q. Mat. 24. a. Luke 21. a. r. Mar. 16.