Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	apostle_n	faith_n	scripture_n	1,714	5	6.0562	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08219	An epistle sent vnto tuuo daughters of VVarwick from H.N., the oldest father of the Familie of Love ; with a refutation of the errors that are therein, by H.A.	Ainsworth, Henry, 1571-1622?; Niclaes, Hendrik, 1502?-1580? Epistle sent unto two daughters of Warwick.	1608 (1608)	STC 18553; ESTC S1318	62,756	66

is revealed and declared vnto vs out of heaven to a righteous judgement vpon earth from the right hand of God and how that on the same judgement seat of Christ that the scripture mought be fulfilled ther sitteth one now in truth in the habitation of David which judgeth vprightly thinketh vpon equity and requireth righteousnes By this the reader may see what this man aymeth at in al his writings even to draw al men vnto himself as judge of the world sitting on the throne of Christ and spareth not to apply the promises of Christs coming to this day of his preaching being a more shamelesse and presumptuous blasphemer then ever was Mahomet or any arch-heretik that Satan sent to bewitch the world As he hath abused this 16. of Iohn so doth he afterwards the 10. of John They are al theeves and murtherers which are come before me that is sayth H. N. whosoever letteth himself think that he is a Christian before the spirit of Christ be born in him that same is a theef and a murtherer Wher againe he intimateth Christ and a Christian to be al one and if the Spirit of Christ be borne in a man then though he make himself Christ the door the shepheard c. he is no theef no murderer Thus H. N. sheweth himself to be sold vnto syn and given over to an heretical and reprobate mind perverting al scripture vnto his destruction It is very true H. N. 4. See my beloved in the love of Christ even thus standeth the foūdatiō of y e Christianity in such maner of wise hav●th Apostles taught the salvation in Christ even like as Paul sayth to the Corinthes 13. although I givc al my goods to the poor and that I suffer my body to be burned and although I had faith saith he that I could remove mountayns if I had not love it were not any thing vnto me that is whosoever hath not Christ he is without God and without righteousnes in this world I mean the being like Christ which is received through the power of the holy Ghost and not any ceremonial Christ which one man speaketh of or promiseth to an other through the ceremonial service which he out of his prudencie according to his fleshly mind hath set vp O no The work and begetting or procreating of the children of God cometh not so slenderly to passe as men now at this time teach each other out of their vnregenerate spirit which never proceedeth from God H. A. UUHat a sandy foundation of Christianity H. N. hath layd we hav seē before by his doctrine of God and of Christ and of mans righteousnes Here to build hay on his rotten ground he perverteth an another scripture and would father his error on the Apostle Paul who most of al other did set against it For the teaching the salvation in Christ to be by Fayth as before is shewed H. N. wil have him say it is by Love the Love that is in vs which Love he expoundeth as his manner is to be Christ himself so wresting the word as did the old serpent vnto mens destruction The Love treated of by the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. is a qualitie in the Saincts wrought in them by the spirit of God as it is written The fruit of the spirit is Love c. Now this Love which is in vs whither it be towards God or our brethren is not the foundatiō or cause of our happines but an effect thereof as we may learn by the Apostle that sayth Herein is Love not that we loved God but that he loved vs sent his son to be a reconciliation for our synnes Which Love when we perceiv by faith then we agayn doe love the Lord as it after followeth We love him because he loved vs first Then from the Love of God floweth also the Love of our brethren as is further added And this commandement have we of him that he which loveth God should love his brother also And that these graces come not of our selves and consequently ar not meritorious in vs nor causes of our salvation Moses taught his people when he sayd The Lord thy God will circumcise thy hart the hart of thy seed that thou mayst Love the Lord thy God with al thy hart with al thy fowl that thou mayst live As for the cause of our salvation that it is onely Gods Love and grace towards vs the Apostle Paul sheweth saying God which is rich in mercy through his great Love wherwith he loved vs even when we were dead by syns hath quickned vs togither in Christ so by grace ye are saved This Grace we apprehend by fayth which fayth if it be alive stirreth it self and worketh by love And thus the Saincts doe shew their fayth by their Love and good works but in case of justification before God and mans salvation al works are excluded as the same Apostle proveth saying David declareth the blessednes of the man vnto whom God imputeth justice without works This being so what labour they for but our curse and wretchednes which would have vs rely vpon our Love or any good works for the saving of our sowles His next inference is more mischeevous when he expoundeth those words if I have not Love thus That is sayth H. N. whosoever hath not Christ is without God Thus maketh he Love in vs to be Christ and so the playn doctrines of the Gospel concerning our Saviour shal be but a fable And that this is his meaning he sheweth elswhere more playnly when he sayth If ye wil not that the wrath of God should come or fal vpon you so deal faithfully before God his holy ones walk with your Spirit in the Lovely and verteous Being fasten your mind therto build your righteousnes theron for that is an eternal fast standing foundation wheron al Gods prophets holy ones have builded and is Christ himself Here men may see what a miserable foundation he hath layd for to build our righteousnes on evē our own walking in the lovely verteous being and this with him is Christ. Wherby he proclameth himself to be Antichrist for the Apostle John sayth Every spirit which confesseth not Iesus Christ comen in the flesh is not of God but this is the spirit of Antichrist Now to say that Love which is an affection of the mynd is Christ is to deny him comen in the flesh out of the loynes of David and Abraham of the virgin Mary in the dayes of Herod the King as the scriptures playnly teach And by as good reason may H. N. deny that ever ther was any such man as Adam any such beast as the Serpent any such creation of the world as Moses describeth Gen. 1. or any God and so by his allegories overturne al religion and bring Atheisme in the place which in deed he hath done with most high abomination in deifying himself and blaspheming

AN EPISTLE SENT VNTO TVVO daughters of VVarwick from H. N. THE OLDEST Father of the Familie of Love VVith a refutation of the errors that are therin by H. A. Rescue me Lord and deliver me from the hand of strangers whose mouth talketh vanity and their right-hand is a right-hand of falshood Psal. 144. 11. Imprinted at Amsterdam by Giles Thorp 1608. To the Christian reader wisdome grace AS ther are many enimies of the truth of the gospel and many that write to broach and spread their errors so is it needful that some write against them least troden truth be quite forsaken and silly sowles be wrapped in error vnto perdition It is not easy for al men to espie Satans subtilties nor the deceitful sophismes of his ministers both he they can trāsforme themselves like Angels of light Such therfore as discern them through the grace of God should give warning vnto others that as the foolish womā is troublesome babling lowd inviting her ghests to the depth of hel so the maidens of wisdom may lift vp also their voice and make their crie be heard on the highest places of the citie What wormwood and bitternes even deadly poison is sparsed abroad in Henry Nicholas his writings who caleth himself the Father of the Family of Love the children of wisdome that do read the same may by the light of Gods law soon perceive yet with faire and flattering speeches he hath beguiled many vnstable sowles such as have had no love to the truth have been givē over vnto his lies And never had Satan a fitter time to work his malicious wil on the sons of Adam then in these last evil dayes when Atheisme and iniquity doe so much abound Never had he a fitter religion for Atheists and carnal hypocrites then that which H. N. out of his corrupt and fleshly hart hath set abroach It taketh away the crosse of Christ persecution for righteousnes sake and teacheth men to cōmunicate with al religions services and ceremonies so as they cleave in hart to his feighned service of the Love It maketh them pure and without al syn in their own foolish imaginations yea more then which the Serpent himself did never teach it deifieth them with God In a word it bringeth a fretting leprosie vpon al religion overthroweth the grounds of faith layd in holy scriptures which H. N. by foolish allegories perverteth to the destruction of himself and his Family And for the principles of theologie he hath written more blasphemously and absurdly then ever did Mahomet in his Alcoran For this cause in answering this his letter as I was requested by some that heard how much it was boasted of among the Nicholaitans I have touched by the way some of the impious heresies that are in his other writings without knowledge wherof his frawd in this Epistle cannot easily be perceived For as a child of darknes he laboureth to be obscure in his words y t men may admire the deepnes of Satan by which he speaketh and himself when he is folowed can no other way escape may have this for his last refuge that men vnderstand him not But al things when they are reproved of the light are manifest for the light is that which maketh al things manifest Now the word of the Lord is a lantern his Law a light by it therfore have I assayed to discover the snares of this seducer not doubting but God who causeth the Morning to know his place that it may take hold of the corners of the earth that the wicked may be shaken out of it wil notwithstanding al the dark delphick speeches and glozing allegories of these falsers declare their works and manifest their impieties and wil turn the night in the darknes wherof they think to be shrowded and they shal be destroyed Let therfore the prudent reader make trial of that which on both sides is said by the word of truth least as the serpent beguiled Evah through his subtilty so their harts be withdrawn from the sincerity of Christ. And the Lord give them vnderstanding in al things and preserve them from this generation for ever for the wicked walk on every side whiles vilenes is extolled among the sons of Adam Henry Ainsworth The preface made by some of H. N. his disciples THis Epistle was written by the author vnto two maydens that were before purposed out of zele to have suffred death for the confession sake of the Christiā ceremonies which as he saith in divers places of his works are no more but outward meanes set forth by God his ministers to direct people to the inward righteous life of Christ in the spirit supposing therin that they should rightly have obeyed fulfilled the cōmandemēt of Christ who willeth vs to forsake our own lives for his sake But vpon better consideration therof through the grace of God and these distinct godly testimonies and reasons both touching that point and divers others herein conteyned their mindes as it hath bene reported by some of that followship wer altered herin to an other vnderstanding of the matter and they did willingly indevour themselves afterwards to follow his good counsel Answer THe drift of this Epistle being at the best to disswade from the pacient and cōstant witnessing of the truth of Christ especially in the outward ordinances of the gospel and open profession of the same Under a colour of inward and spiritual confession and service of God in the holy Ghost it shal not be amisse to look a little into the sleights of Satan wherby as it seemeth he hath deceived and would stil deceive the simple and to shew the weaknes and insufficiencie of the reasons alleged in this Letter as also to manifest how the outward obedience of the body must be conjoyned with the inward of the mind and spirit and the external ordinances of Christs testament professed and practised if we would have the spirit and life which is of God And howsoever H. N. accounteth the ordinances of the gospel but ceremonies yet in that he confesseth them to be outward meanes set forth by God to direct people to the inward righteous life of Christ in the spirit he manifesteth himself to be but a seducer in perswading the two maydens not to suffer death for the confession sake of them seing the outward meanes of mans salvation and of the righteous Christian life is to be stood for vnto the death as in handling the particulars shal by Gods grace appear And if by the authors counsel those daughters were drawn as here is insinuated from their outward confession suffring affliction for the ordinances of Christ against the Romish Antichristian doctrines ceremonies their faith was but weak they forsook the inward righteous life of Christ in the spirit and their mindes were perverted to a very evil vnderstanding If also they assented to other points of H. Ns. heresies

an elementish body It is far from the harts of al the faithfull to imagine that any thing which themselves can eyther doe or suffer in body or sowl is able to appease God They have otherweise learned to know the guilt and wages of syn the infinitenes of Gods majesty who is angry with the world for their misdeeds the weaknes and vnworthynes of al mens works and suffrings To that therfore which H. N. pretendeth to say on Gods behalf I answer with Job and ask him if he wil speak wickedly for God or talk deceitfully for his cause For we esteem our suffrings nothing and all our righteousnes as dung It is the body of our Lord Jesus that was hanged on the tree which is the onely sacrifice for our synns and appeaseth the wrath of his Father and the things that we doe or suffer benifit not him but our selves for the chastisements of God whither on our bodies or sowles are as the Apostle teacheth vs for our profit that we might be partakers of his holynes Wherfore H. N. hath conceived mischief and brought forth a lie whiles labouring to abolish the outward confessing and suffring of Christians he falsly imputeth vnto thē this error to beleev they appease God with an elementish body yea the frawd of this falser is manifestly discovered as the reader may observ for the error which he would lay vpon others is found to be in himself whose doctrine is such as teacheth men to be their own saviours By the Apostles Gospel we have our redemption and forgivenes of syns through the blood of Christ once offred to him also give al the prophets witnesse that through his name al that beleev in him shal receiv remission of syns sayth Peter but by H. Ns. Gospel we obteyn it by our own imitation of Christ in his death and taking vp of our crosse And many such like deadly venimous doctrines are sparsed in his writings to disanull the true Christ with his suffrings and merits and to set vp a false and imaginary Christ bred and born in his corrupt hart as I have before proved Now though we hold not God to be appeased with our suffrings as this man cavilleth yet hold we vpon ground frō the scriptures that we must serve and glorify God both with our bodyes and with our spirits because both ar Gods and therfore are we willed to give vp our bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God which is our reasonable serving of God And if by bonds and prisonment by racking scourging stoning hewing asundex or other the like torments of body as others before vs have suffred God also try vs we ought with patience to bear them and not to go from the confessing of Christ and his truth for avoyding them as this deceiver would perswade vs. His conclusion therfore which he maketh agaynst these two daughters namely that they have not confessed Christ according to the truth c. is yet to be proved for asmuch as he hath not by any ground from Gods word overthrowen their faith or confessiō in any poynt but onely sought to vndermine it by falshood and deceyt abusing the readers ād perverting the holy scriptures his desire being to draw others into the same destruction with himself who in sted of confessing Christ according to the truth hath like an Antichristian overthrown the whol Gospel of Christ denyed him to be come in the flesh and set vp an Idol in his place even the Lovely Being out of his own fleshly hart H. N. 31. God is my witnes that it is true which I here write vnto you the occasion of my writing is chanced for that I bear a sorrowfull hart with you both But this is my hope over you that ye will take it at my hands as out of the Love of Christ and not to be in any case obstinate in your selves for to wind away your selves from the reading of these Letters with humble harts 32. And when ye have deliberately read the same witnesses and the Lord added his wisdome therto wherby the eyes of your harts mought be a little opened then spare me not to be your servant and give me to vnderstand by the bringe therof ther shal yet more be brought vnto yow then that which yow have presently 33. And if yow cannot acknowledge this for the truth yet look well alwayes hereto that ye do not blaspheme the same which ye know not And I likewise shal not blame yow although that yow cannot comprehend the same For the godly gifts cannot be brought to any one by violence or compulsion for they are the gifts of God 34. Herewith I salute yow both whose names I know not very hartily through the love of Christ wish vnto yow out of the ground of my sowl the knowledge of the very true Spirit of Christ that ye mought learn to know aright your caling in Christ. That grant vs the Almighty God through his Love Amen By your vnknown friend H. N. H. A. IF God were witnes that it is true which H. N. here hath written the scriptures which are Gods witnesses or testimonies would approve of the same but by holy writ his errors are disproved and the evils which he vnjustly layeth vpon others are justly returned vpon his own head and found to be in himself and his bewitched folowers whom I leav to the doon of him which hath sayd I wil come neer to yow to judgement and I wil be a swift witnes against sorcerers against adulterers and against false swearers c. And for al that shal read these writings as they ought to be farr from blaspheming the truth which they know not so should they be far also from approving or hearkning to a knowen deceiver and blasphemer of God such as this Henry Nicolas by this Epistle and his other vngodly writings is proved for to be His fawning words and submissive cariage with promise of more matters after are but the behaviour of the Lewd woman that vseth to entise with flattering lips when her howse is the way vnto the grave which goeth down to the chambers of death What thank or reward then remaynes for H. N. for al his paynes and proffered kindnes but that which the wise man hath appointed saying He that blesseth his friend with a lowd voice rising early in the morning it shal be counted to him as a curse Pro. 27. 14. FINIS In pag. 47. lin 5. before the end for love read live● † Pro 7. 11. 9. 13. 18 * Pro. 9. 3. | 1 Exhort cap. 11. See 1. * Ephe. 5. 13. | Ps. 119. 105 Pro 6. 13. † Iob. 38. 13 | Iob. 34. 25. ‡ Ps. 12. 7. 8. * 2 Tim. 3. 6. 7. ‡ 1 Cor. 1. 24. | Math. 7. 15. | Tim. 4. 1. † 1 Ioh. 4. 1. * 2 Pet. 2. 1. | vers 3. ‡ Rom. 16. 18 * 2 Pet. 2. 18.