good calling in London which is readie to testifie the same and both the parties are liuing when the one did expostulate very earnestly why the other once professing the Gospell of Christ Iesus was nowe turned vnto the errour of H. N. The other answered It is a wise Gospell which I professed then I knowe an other manner of Gospell farre better then that in such reputation haue the Familie the bookes and doctrine of H. N. But why H. N. intituleth his followers A familie of Loue I think it to be a mysterie not to be explicated Euery errour hath supposed them selues to be the true Church but H. N. is contented that his be counted a Familie Why he addeth this word Loue I could neuer perfectly learne but as some haue interpreted to me this word Loue in many places of the authour doth signifie the Maiestie of God â–ª as in these thrée phrases The louely being of the Loue or The manly oldnesse in the Loue Here Loue is takeÌ„ in both places for God according to this sâ—â—ying Deus â—st Charitaâ— God is Loue but why they vse this 〈◊〉 the so much I caÌ„not well vnderstand It is true that God is Loue or Charitie so is he Iustice so is he Mercie and all other like vertues â— but they are not in him as qualities one extelling another as they reigne in man but he is Loue â–ª without measure euen Loue it selfe euen so Iustice it self euen so Mercy it selfe he is all Loue he is all Mercie he is all iustice But when we speake of any of these which procéede from the Maiestie of God we vnderstande not by any one of these God him selfe For as his â—one is excéeding great so his mercy also therefore by as good right may an other bring foorth a doctrine or Familie of Mercie as H. N. a Familie of Loue For mercie is our gret comfort mercy is the fairesâ— flower of our garland We read in the holy scriptures of diuers sortes of loue of which thrée be principall The first is y loue of God towardes his children set foorth in these wordes So God loued the worlde that he gaue his only begotten son that none that beleeue in him should perish but haue life euerlasting which loue how perfect it is and howe excellent it passeth the capacitie of man to conceiue much lesse to vtter or describe It caused that beloued and elect vessell Saint Paule to exclame and crie out Oh the exceeding greatnesse and deapth of the loue of God which loued vs first 1. Ioh. 4. Chap. vers 19 this loue is perfect in déede The second loue that is expressed is the loue of vs againe towardes God appearing in these words If ye loue me keepe my commandementes And againe The loue of God is shead abroad in our heartes Ro. 5. Chap. vers 5. whiche loue in vs howe vnperfect it is euery one féeleth in himselfe and is a witnesse The third is the loue that one of vs should shew towards an other whiche properly is called Charitie appearing in these words By this shal al men knowe that you are my disciples if yee loue one an other And againe A newe commaundement I giue vnto you that ye loue one an other Ioh. 13. Chap. 14. vers Nowe if I might be so bolde as to demand this questioÌ„ of H. N. or any of their Illuminate Elders of which of these thrée loues is their fellowship If they say of the first which is the loue of God towardes man they deceiue theÌ„ selues for of that felowship none is partaker but Christe Iesus our Lorde If thei bee of the second which is the loue of man towardes our God it is so imperfect and corrupt in vs that I thinke they will not acknowledge them selues to be members of such imperfection If they will be of the third which is of the loue we owe one towardes an other I thinke if they enter in to sée how weak and féeble it is in vs and in euery one of Gods childreÌ„ they shal easily iudge how farre off they are froÌ„ that they shold be as if ye looke into S. Pauls first Epistle 13. Chapter verse 4. there shall you sée the properties of loue rightly described howe loue boasteth not enuieth not séeketh not her owne reioyceth not in iniquitie suffereth all things beléeueth all thinges hopeth all thinges indureth all things But how these shall be found in any yea euen in y best of gods children if we rightly iudge ourselues I caÌ„not discerne Of this laste loue if they will haue their felowship then let theÌ„ behold how vnperfect their Familie is contrarie to that they vainly brag Where H. N. hath written these words We the Elders of the holy vnderstanding shall reigne vpon the earth in righteousnesse vnder the obedience of loue iudge the world with equitie When these things shall come to passe this dreamer which would be taken for a Prophet doth not tell vs Here thou maiest sée this Prophete persuading his Familie y the Elders shall reigne vpon the earth in iudgement and equitie Who would not followe this authour â—hat so plentifully will reward his scholers to make them vpon earth Kings and Iudges I doubt his words be no warrants nor his promise any payment for it is 28. yeres ago since he made this solemne protestation and yet none of the Familie do inioy any part of the promise but contrarie it doth appeare y none of his Elders neither in England Flaunders or else where dare once be so bold as to defend their dreaming prophet but subtilly in corners insinuate vnto the simple sort féed them with many outward promises but to argue or dispute their cause with any of Gods children therein they kéeye silence and prefend ignorance affirming their elders to be able to defend their Authour and his doctrin but they are but partakers of the holy vnderstan ding And when you happen to méete any of their Elders you shall finde them as farre without sense or féeling of the spirit of God as y yonger sort although they can set a shew of greater grauitie â–ª And bicause I haue often made mentioÌ„ of their Illuminate Elders I thinke it not amisse to name one and the same notoriously known His name is Christopher Vittell a ioyner by occupation a man that all the dayes of Queene Marie was a teacher of those famous heretiques the Arrians and at Paules Crosse did solemnely in the first yeare of our souerein Lady Queene Elizabeth recant the same errours as by the register of y bishop of LondoÌ„ doth manifestly apeare And nowe as thâ— olde prouerbe is he is gone A malo in peius from euil to worse â–ª Such men as can not be content with the simple trueth taught in the holy scripture but curiously séeke for singularitie do easily fall into such bypaths as our enimie by his subtiltie can lead them vnto And to speake truely this is the onely man that hath brought
THE DISplaying of an horrible secte of grosse and wicked Heretiques naming themselues the Family of Loue with the liues of their Authours and what doctrine they teach in corners Newly set foorth by I. R. Wherevnto is added certeine letters sent from the same Family mainteyning their opinions which Letters are aunswered by the same J. R. IMPRINTED AT London for George Bishop 1579. ¶ The Preface of the Authour to the Reader WHEN I began to write of this doctrine of the Familie of Loue I minded in deed to haue sent it to a friende of mine which is entered into that errour and so to haue made it as a priuate matter betweene vs But when I had shewed the same to certeine of my friendes to haue their iudgement in certeine pointes their importunate suite was that this small treatise might be published in print which request I was loth to grant for diuers causes The chiefe whereof was that Bookes whiche are set foorth vnto the eyes of all the world had need to be circumspectly and diligently examined before thei be made as á glasse for all men to looke vpon For when as there are many beholders there are also many fault finders And in this simple work there are many faultes through ignorance and want of skill committed which I coÌ„fesse not to be done of malice or negligence but in trueth my simple vnlearned capacitie could doe no better The faults are these The rough and harsh stile being rudely and without any good methode set downe because I want the help of those artes which comly aptly couch sentences together whereby the Reader might take the more delectatioÌ„ in reading and perusing of books The order shoud haue bene amended if time would haue suffred but since it is otherwise I beseech thee accept my good will. If any of the familie carpe at this booke because of the rudenesse thereof let them answer it and a reply will speedily be perfourmed wherin their expectation shal be satisfied I dout not by men of godly knowledge and learning In the meane time I wil declare the cause that made me more willing to satisfie my friendes request There are many diligent godly teachers whiche in places conuenient do inuey impugne the doctrine of y Family of Loue yet are not throughly acquainted therwith whereby many in the same family take occasion to exclame against them as slaunderers of their doctrine many also of Gods children hearing the Family of loue spoken against are desirous to know what opinions and doctrine they hold professe Therefore I thought it my dutie which I owe vnto Christes Church as a member thereof to vtter and make manifest vnto all persons what I know touching the Authours and doctrine of the same family And seeing that wee liue amongst so many enimies of Christs Gospell which obiect against vs varietie in opinions it is very requisite that euerie member in Christes Church put too his helping hand to cleanse and purge the Church from such errours and false doctrine as through the malice of Satan daily creepeth in For if we hearing Christe Iesus his death and passion which is our only comfort blemished and darkned by the subtile fetches and persuasions of erronious and wicked men possessed with fantasticall spirites shall not be moued with zeale howe appeareth any loue of God or Christ Iesus in vs or where is become the fruites that should shew a iustifying faith Many that are at case liue securely thinke that this errour will of it selfe vanish decay without stir or gainsaying which saying bewraieth too much their want of y true feare loue of god For if we shall daily heare but our friend euill spoken of and bee still and silent â—hereat what loue or friendship appeareth in vs How much more ought we to bee zealously affected when the glorie of our GOD and the office of Christe Iesus our Lord shal be shadowed and impaired wee sleeping securely without touch or motioÌ„ of true zeale or loue And if we looke into the daily increase of this errour we shall then behold our slouth negligence For in many shires of this our countrie there are meetings conuenticles of this familie of loue and into what number they are grown my heart reweth to speake that which one of the same societie did auouch to me for trueth Therfore it is time to withstand their impious opinions and euerie one according to his charge and office in the Church of Christ to purge and cleanse the same from the dregges and blasphemies of H. N. and his familie And although many errours much false doctrine is taught in the family more then is here expressed which to touch al would require a longer discouerie and a more learned author yet I haue set down for a tast or shew some of their doctrine that the children of God may be armed afore hande and take heede of such impious blasphemies as H. N. teacheth Many Bokes are abrode which I haue not seene and many I haue seene which I could not haue the vse off to reade For except one will be pliant to their doctrine and shew good will thereto he shal hardly get any of their bookes no nor they will not conferre nor talke of any points of their doctrine with any except it be to such as they finde inclined and as they tearme it willingly minded thereto And here I protest that what my pen shall vtter either touching the person of H. N. or his doctrine I malice him not nor his familie I rather pittie theÌ„ their case that so many simple people are by his doctrine seduced and deceiued neither will I auouch any thing which I haue not suffient warrant to proue As touching his person and behauiour I haue the testimonie of diuers ancient persons of good credite of the Dutch church who haue bene acquainted with y same H. N. and haue dwelt together in one citie and in one streete being neere neighbours familiar friendes who haue declared and testified the certeintie of his behauiour demeanour And touching his doctrine I haue vsed this order to set downe the authours owne speech not adding or diminishing any thing with the name of the Book Chapter or follio And whereas I haue directed much speech vnto the Familie the cause is this I haue ben familiar with some of them of long time haue had large discourses and conference with many of theÌ„ therfore if my simple speech vttred by pen may do any of them good I haue that I desire And this hath bene an other cause why more willingly I condescended vnto my friendes request And because H. N. and his family haue protested that the trueth hath no where beene taught in the worlde since the Apostles time but now by the family how vaine this their assertion is in it self appeareth For if truth hath ben hid and buried this 1500. yeares where is become Christes promise
that he would be euer with his to the end * of y world â–ª to what purpose haue so many notable men suffered Martyrdome both in the primatiue Church vnder heatheÌ„ Emperors daily do suffer vnder the persecuting and cruell Papists If these haue not suffered for the trueth where shall wee seeke for trueth at thâ— handes of H. N whose doctrine so farre disagreeth from truth as light from darknesse This is a true saying Truth loueth no corners if the doctrine of H. N. be a truth why is it taught in corners Why dare none sâ—ep forth to mainteine the doctrine of H. N. being euery wher spokeÌ„ against why dare none of y Illuâ—inâ—t Elders whiche can not erre nor sinne come before the simple ones in Christes schoole and proue their authours doctrine good by the holy Scripture Their answere is that feare of death doth cause them to bee silent Did Christe or his Apostles so If we perteine vnto Christe Iesus wee must * be like vnto him in suffering that wee may reigne with him beeing called to witnesse the trueth And this is a thing also to be wondred at amongest the Familie that if conference be vrged at their hands they denie it vtterly if disputation be offered they flee from it egerly the reason is their doctrine dareth not abide the light nor the triall of the touchstone If there were nothing else to proue their doctrine false this were sufficient I coulde declare of discentions that are amongst theÌ„ how many of their great Rabbines or Illuminate Elders haue beene plaine Arrians haue recanted at Paules Crosse Also how often they haue altered their opinions as well touching communitie of thinges as diuers other points But because they will lay to my charge that I seeke onely to make them odious to the world I ceasse to speake any further bycause I rest hoping in their conuersion which I beseech the Lorde our God to graunt for his Christes sake There is one other thing which as they affirm moueth them to be silent â–ª because there is no publique Magistrate that will mainteine their doctrine therefore they are constrayned to be still If this be a cause sufficient let the reader iudge Shall a trueth be hidden because no Magistrate will giue it maintenance Certainely if the Apostles had ceassed to preach Christe vntill they had warrant from the Magistrate I thinke many nations had bene yet vnconuerted But I will not let to put them in memorie where they had maintenance of a Magistrate Euen in Munster a citie of Westphalia where Iohn Leyden and Knipper Dolling shewed the fruites and effectes of their doctrine Nothing they taught nor published but that which they affirmed to receiue from God by reuelatioÌ„ What murders â–ª what abhominations they exercised during their reigne and gouernment Iohn Sleydan a man liuing at that time and of good credit hath manifestly published declared And these men were Hollanders and schollers of Dauid George whose disciple your authour H. N. was at that time although now he publish his doctrine in his owne name and saith y he hath receyued the same not by mans ministerie but at y mouth of God whose sound voice he saith he hath heard The Scriptures do teach vs to flie from such men as boast of such vanities that they are taught by reuelation For * Paul when he was conuerted was sent by Christ to Anâ—niâ—s to be instructed * Cornelius was seÌ„t to Peter Almightie God to teach his children vseth always the office ministery of man The Israelits had their Prophets men instructed by God I grant but they had their testimonie of their calling ioyned with their office as a seaâ— badge which was a bold publicatioÌ„ of their message without feare because it was a truth and there was ioyned commonly therewith the working of myracles whiche seales your authour wanteth For neither H. N. nor any that followe that doctrine dare boldly speake what they beleeue * nor render a reason of their faith and hope as the apostle Peter hath written although H. N. calleth himselfe a Prophet and hath intituled a booke called The Prophefie of the spirite of loue in which booke his manifest follie is openly declared as by reading this small treatise thou shalt find The Lord God for his Christes sake open their eies and mollifie their hard and stonie hearts that they may beholde the suttleties conteined in the doctrine of the family and imbrace the ioyfull promises which Christ our Lorde hath set forth to vs in his Gospel and that his Gospel y his Church may be free from such deprauers of Christ Iesus his death and passion so shall we his children reioyce ouer their conuersion and magnifie the name of the Lord our God to whom be praise and dominion now and euer Stephan Bateman to the gentle Reader CHristian Reader consider I pray thee howe from the beginning there hath euer bene such discordaunce founde as hath bred great dissention among the creatures of the worlde for by the wicked the death of the godly hath euer bene hastened And I gather it to be for this cause onely that the absence of suche godly mighte seeme to the froward a peaceable being when not rebuked for their wicked and vngodly liuing they might as it seemed vnto them liue secure to doe what in their eyes and mindes seemed best This subtile engine had Sathan in the beginning when hee stirred Caine to sâ—ay his brother Abell And why because his brothers sacrifice was good and his euill c. Likewise as from a corrupt tree there hath sprong foorth suche sappe by the instigation of Sathan in the members of the vngodly as ambition hypocrisie false religion and suche like that to haue a place of gouernement according to their natures they haue driuen the Churche of Christe by many extremities into out Isles of the world and when by Gods mightie assistaunce they haue for a time inioyed quietnesse yet suchâ— hath bene the malicâ— of the olâ— serâ—â—â—t and his members to beginne againe with â—ew deuised torments to disqviet the peaceable seruice of Christes Church which notwithstanding in spite of that furie hath euer hâ—d stay in one place or other And for the yet hoped time after many attempts they migâ—t get the victorie the diuell to the intent that bâ— domesticall discorde the church of Christ might be throughly shaken as a lâ—ing spirit begate errour errour begate heresie hoâ— euen vnder the visard of hypocrisie to feigne the pure religion by outward resemblance and so in time to bring in his maâ—e Idolatrie that then betwixt theÌ„ both they might in short space hatch superstition practising the Church insteade of the creator to worship not onely the creatures but also idolâ— made by themselues which as soone as euer the true Churche espied beganne to separate themselues from that sâ—lthie broode then came discorde and with him diuision which
Howe he commendeth euery trifling toye in the Masse by the booke may at large appeare Howe he allowed confession worse then auricular may appear by diuers his owne words which least any should carpe at me I wil set down Howe he agréeth with the Papistes in extolling workes as efficient causes of our saluation I haue before toucheâ— Al which do proue that he is no professour but an enimie to the Gospell of Christe our Lorde H. N. in the first exhortation Chapter 13. Diuision 12. IT is expedient that they shoulde make manifest their whole hart with all their counsels mindes willes and thoughtes together with all their doings dealings and exercises naked and bare before the eldest in the Familie of Loue and not to couer or hide any thing be it what it is before him what their inclination nature draweth them vnto By this it doth appeare that nothing must be kept vntolde or vnreuealed to the eldest Elder in euery their seuerall conuenticles for else it can not be vnderstoode that one man in one countrie shoulde heare all the rest particularly And here they step one foote before the Papistes in my opinion For where the Pope requireth but a confession of the act committed H. N. requireth a declaration of the thought and what the inclination of our nature draweth vs vnto And yet in moe speciall pointes they agrée with the Papistes namely in the possibilitie of the Law to be kept of euery one that will séeke to performe the same And wheras I shewed before that H. N. and the Pope doe both boaste that they can not erre I thinke it not amisse to let H. N. tel his owne tale touching this matter that his scholers may behold that I slaunder him not neither do make his doctrine worse then it is In the first exhortation Chapter 13. Diuision 11. Fol. 31. They ought to beware that they distrust not the eldest in the familie of Loue nor suspect any maner of euil or vnwisdome by him nor yet in any wise persuade them selues that the exercises documents and instructions which are taught or set foorth before them by the father of the Familie of Loue or oldest Elder are too sleight too childish or too vnwise for them to follow after or to obey but with perfect heartes humbly and singly minded as good willing children to receiue the same instructions proceeding out of the wisdome and counsel of the eldest and to stand euen so submitted till they come vnto the manly oldnesse in the Loue. Here is shewed that none must suspect the oldest Elder touching any false Doctrine that he might vtter â–ª nor to thinke any vnwisdome to be in him in which affirmation howe arrogantly doth he challenge that vnto him which is only due to Christ our Lord and to the holy scripture written by the spirite of god And although he bost that he hath the spirite of God and that he is Godded with God God in him Hominified or made man yet are not wée to beléeue suche lying spirites whiche vtter such absurd and blasphemous doctrine contrarie to the Scriptures of god And bycause I am entered into that high point of Diuinitie which amongst the Familie is counted a misterie I thinke it not impertinent to set before the eyes of all the professours of H. N. and his doctrine what the meaning of those termes are to be Godded with God for as they be straunge vnwoonted and vnaccustomed speaches so the doctrine taught in the same is more strange and absurd It were conuenient that we that professe Christe should be content with such phrases as the holy Ghoste doth vtter in the sacred Scriptures and not to séeke curiously strange termes which are not in the holy historie nor consequently can not be gathered out of the same of which number this is one to be Godded with God and vngodded with man the meaning of all such tearmes is this as it is taught by H. N. and imbraced of the Familie They holde as a principle in the schoole that after regeneration we sinn not fortifying this their assertion with this place of the Euangelist S. Iohn He that is borne of God sinneth not hee that committeth sinne is a seruaunt of sinne Againe God heareth not sinners All which places are very truely saide and alledged but to a wrong purpose for the places do not proue that the regenerate man sinneth not but sheweth y sins are not imputed to a regenerate man to condemnation and death He that is borne of God or regenerate sinneth not That is to his distruction euerlastingly The Scriptures do teach vs to distinguish sinnes in this sort to commit sinne is one thing but to abide in sinne or to dwell in sinne or sinne to haue dominioÌ„ in vs as S. Paul saith Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies and in the epistle to the Romanes Commit not wickednesse with greedinesse is another thing The last perteineth not to the elect of God For as the children of God do daily fall thorough frailtie and humane imperfections so they are daily renued by the spirite of God which driueth them to repentaunce But with the wicked the case is otherwise For they sitte downe in the seate of the scornefull they committe wickednesse with gréedines saying tush God séeth vs not such sinners God heareth not and such be seruantes vnto sinne Now in the Familie it is otherwise taught and otherwise beléeued For they affirme that after we be regenerated which they terme The vpright freedom we actually sin not neither in thought nor déed And y we may heare the Authour H. N. vtter his own spéech I will set downe what he writeth touching this matter In the Dialogue deuision 26. follio 40. The true freedom is this that the man in his heart minde and spirite be wholy released purged and purified from all wicked nature and sinne whiche hath raigned ouer him and that there dwel liue nor rule any other thing in him namely in all his spirites thoughts mind and soule but alone the true Godhead with the louely beeing of the vpright loue and wholy to be replenished with all the vertues of God and that there â—â—owe nothing else in him but spirituall and heauenly waters Hereby it may appeare what the Authour H. N. thinketh touching regeneration whiche they call The vpright Freedome And as I haue conferred with diuers of the same familie to vnderstand these mysteries which in the end with much a do I haue found out to be y after we be regenerat we sinn not And when I haue required somewhat out of y holie scripture to proue this in the end I haue receiued this for answer God doth promise to dwell with the man that is of a lowly mind humble heart Also ye are the Temples of the holie Ghost And againe the father and I wil make our habitation in man Nowe where Christ dwelleth there also is the father and the holie Ghost where or in
slacke You once did abhorre the Pope as Antichrist and nowe doe imbrace an Authour a right chicken of the Church of Rome who hath opened the mysteries of the Masse and euery trifling toy therein at large in his booke intituled A declaration of the Masse Alas brethren is your faith which once you had in the mercifull promises of Christe Iesus come to this that an obscâ—re man whose person you knowe not and whose books you did neuer vnderstand aright hath stopped that liuely fountaine that did once flow in you Assuredly it is the malice of sathan that hath brought this to passe y you being led out of the way into the bypathes of mans deuices might perish in the same But my hope is that as many of you as pertaine vnto our Lord and sauiour Christ Iesus and are members of the holy communion of Saints shall at the last be brought to sée howe déepe you are fallen and how sore ye haue ben wounded eueÌ„ to death by that deceiuer Christopher Vittell a man borne as it were of purpose for that intent whose erronious spirit the Church of God hath tasted many ways And marke this thing well that man that once is entred into heresies not wel reclaynied is subiect to manifold temptatioÌ„s of our enimie which is well proued in your instructer Vittel who teaching the monstruous opinion of Arrius many yeares together now is possessed with infinite moe errours and is the childe of destruction tenne folde worse then before It is a wonder to sée that men hauing once knowne Christ Iesus do now notwithstanding denie the effect of his office which the doctrine of Henrie Nicholas doth in many pointes and yet is beléeued and imbraced very gréedily of you yea aboue measure It should appear that Christ was not surely fixed in your mindes for if he had no blast of H. N. Vittell nor any could haue separated you from the loue of Christ Iesus Such wandering errours are they subiect vnto that perfectly doe not imbrace our Lord Christ according to his promises manifested and declared in his worde but féede themselues with fantasies and deuices of men yea such men as neuer lerned Christ Iesus truly Such are verified in the scripture Exiére à nobis sed â—on erant de nobis They went out froÌ„ vs but they were not of vs. Euery errour that hath bene in the worlde hath had some patrones and defenders learned and skilfull men in science and arte but this errour of the Familâ—e hath neither Authour nor disciple which are indued with true knowledge or learning For H. N. doth despise such as bring foorth any doctrine out of the learnednesse of the Scripture he saith it is all seducing and lyes that such doe preach or teach yea and it is further auouched by H. N. that none of vs in the Church of God â—an teach the truth of Christ Iesus but only he and such Illuminate Elders as are brought vp in his Familie But as I haue before procéeded it is â—â—uenient that their Authour speak himselfe that the Familie may iudge that I deale indifferently His wordes be these In the prophesie Chap. 8. verse 6. Strangers which walke not with the Familie of Loue or deale falsly therwith tast not of the louely beeing for earthly are all their mindes and thoughtes The Scripturely learned man hath no knowledge of Gods matters hee can not vnderstand any tittle much lesse expounde or interprete the same to others All Scripture appeare to such couered secret in signes and parables neither comprehende they what the same according to the trueth is It is giuen onely to the Familie of Loue to vnderstande the sesecretes thereof Hereby it is manifest that H. N. doeth signifie vnto his Familie that none can speak the truth but he his Elders nor none can vnderstande the scripture but they Upon this persuasion it coÌ„meth to passe y few or none in the Familie doth credite or beléeue any other that teach except H. N. or his Elders How pernitious this matter is if you credite his speach shal appeare And if truth be tied except he be sent If H. N. can proue vnto vs that he is sent of God as he boasteth then he is to be credited but we haue shewed that his voyces are not the voyce of God reuealed to vs by Christe Iesus but méere contrarie therefore by no meanes to be credited For none that is sent by God will teach any doctrine contrarie to that whiche is reuealed in the scripture For we are not to beléeue him although he be an Angel from heauen For H. N. teacheth not Christ but himself extolling him selfe his doctrine and his wisdome which is a token and marke that he is not led by the spirite of God but is puffed vp with the arrogant pride of his minde in boasting maner whiche Gods children did neuer follow For the holie spirite doeth promise to dwell in the man that hath a lowly and humble heart and not in the proud and arrogant person that boasteth himselfe The spirit of God is neuer boasting but in humilitie méekenesse and patience doth set foorth the glory of God christ And because we may better take a â—â—ll vewe of H. N. and his spirite I will set downe his owne words wherby it may be the better discerned of what spirit he is His wordes are these In the preface to his crying voyce Although our cause for a time bee condemned and dispised yet the iust and vpright vnderstanding ones doe prayse and commende our godlie wisedome In the first exhortation Chapter 16. My children and you Familie of Loue giue â—are to me your father liue according to my doctrine that it may goe wel with you take heede to my doctrine and what I doe set foorth and teach that it may be a seale of life a witnes of truth in our heartes For it is your life Eodem libro capitulo If you humble your selues vnto the schoole of grace wherevnto you are called by me H. N. in the house of life and forsake your ignorant knowledge and good thinking then shall yee liue and inherite the peace In the Prophesie Chapter 4. O Ye Caynish ceremonie ministers and ye persecuters murtherers of the Abellishe vpright heartes ye haue falsely iudged the vpright harts as men worthy to be rooted out of the earth If therefore thou ceasse not from thy wicked workes and from thy iudging of God his matters whiche doubtlesse thou vnderstandest not therefore iudgest falsely if thou repent not all the curses of the Lawe shall be executed against thee In the last time the glorious Lordlinesse of the Lorde God shall in vs become manifested and declared in vs fulfilled Here mayst thou discerne H. N. and his boasting spirite howe he commendeth his godly wisedome then how he extolleth his doctrine saying that his doctrine is their life then he promiseth that his Family shall if they giue eare vnto him and his doctrine liue
vtter their mindes to any other that is not of their companie I can be both an eye witnes and eare witnesse which is a very subtil persuasion of sathan For that man that wil not vtter his griefe or sicknes and where the paine is howe or when caÌ„ he be healed it is an vnpossible cure Euen so in the Family they are so close and so warie in their speach that they will not vtter their griefe to any that can ease them Therfore so long as they continue in that minde they are remedilesse I shall not néede to confute their doctrin by the testimonies of holy scripture which in déede is easie to be done I doe reserue the same to some zealous pastour in Christs schoole which I dout not but as occasion serueth they wil be willing to perfourme It is ynough for me to beginne the skirmishe to display the Familie to make readie the way to discrie their force that others may come after and ouerthrowe their camp and put them to silence for euermore He that will rightly consider the originall of this heresie with the Authours what persons taught it first and when it did increase and growe shall sée that euen when the Gospell began to shine againe being couered with clouds and darkened with dreames of men then began Sathan in Dauid George to enuie the prosperitie of the Gospell Dauid died An. 1556. and then Henrie Nicholas supplyed his turne and followed his steppes not in Dauids name but in his owne name as a Prophet sent of God to rebuke the world and to bring them as he saith to the right wayes But more truely may it be affirmed that they peruert the simple which were entred into the right and plaine wayes of Christe our Lorde and haue brought them from the pure waters which are drawne out of the fountaine which the holy Ghoste by the scriptures doth offer vnto vs and doe giue them dregges and puddle which vngodly men haue digged out of the myre of their owne imagination and do deliuer it as drink sent of God to quench their thirst but they deceiue them most shamefully For to all our senses it doeth appeare to be ranke poyson and doeth slay the soules of euery one that doth vsually drink thereof If these simple admonitions may doe the least of you good giue glorie and prayse vnto the Lorde our God if not I haue discharged my dutie whiche I owe vnto Christe Iesus and his Churche in letting you sée the beginners of your bewitched follie And I shall not let to make my humble prayers vnto the Lorde our GOD euen for his sonne Christe Iesus sake that he will open your eyes and mollifie your stonie heartes that you may beholde the Lorde Iesus which was crucified for you who with his bloud hath cleansed washed your sinnes be they neuer so great that in his goodnesse and mercy he wil take away this erronious spirit wherewith ye are possessed and create in you a right spirite to be obedient to his will and not to the will of mortall men which seduce you and leade you headlong to destruction and that he wil bestowe vpon you his grace to sée rightly into his word without the vaine shadowes of allegories which deceiue you and leaue to vs nothing certaine and that you may â—leaue vnto the Gospel of Christ Iesus and forsake the vain trust you haue in your Deifying and to liue without sinne which I instantly desire our Lorde God to bring to passe for his sonne Christ Iesus sake Amen Certein absurd speeches taken out of the bookes of H. N. as errours of the Familie of Loue. 1 Howe and in what manner the Lorde God hath appeared to H. N. THE Lord God of heauen moued me in his minde or spirit his power compassed me with a rushing noise and the glorie of the same God of heauen became great in my spirite in such wise that the clearenes of God wholy inuironed me and shone round about me where thorough y sight of mine eyes became clearrer then the christall and mine vnderstanding brighter then the sunne When I then perceiued or vnderstoode it so the Lords meaning and will vnto me euen such as his beeing or essence spake vnto me For the being of God gaue forth his sound and voyce and spake vnto me H. N. through the spirit of his loue all these wordes 2. The secrets of our hearts are knowne to H. N. For although ye dissemble with mee and howe craftily so euer ye couer you before me yet are neuerthelesse all the counsels and falshoodes of your hearts manifest before mee and so muche the more naked and bare before the eyes of my heart and spirite For no beloued no ye can not bide couered before me nor before the face of my God. 3 H. N. can no more erre then Christ and his Apostles They doe iudge Moyses the Prophets Christe and his Apostles and his Minister H â–ª N. to erre and misse the right rather then to acknowledge them selues in their imagination to be ignorant and lying 4. The scriptures are fulfilled in H. N. and his Familie To the end nowe in the very last the Scripture and all what God hath spoken by his holy Prophetes and what is written of Christ should in vs and with vs become fulfilled to the honour and glory of God and to our ioy like as it standeth written Luke 1. ca. 24. vers 44. This is assuredly the heartie mercifulnesse of God ouer vs nowe in the last time to the end the glorious Lordlynesse of GOD should in vs become manifested and declared and the Scripture fulfilled 5 No man must mistrust H. N. in doctrine nor any euill to be in him They ought to beware that they distrust not the eldest in the Familie of Loue â–ª nor suspect any maner of euill or vnwisedome by him nor yet also in any wise persuade them selues that the exercises documents and instructions whiche are taught or set foorth before them by the Father of the Familie of Loue or oldest Elder are too slight too childish or too vnwise for them to followe after or to obey but with perfect hearts humbly and singly minded euen as good willing children vnto obedience to receiue the same instructions proceeding out of the wisdome counsel of the Eldest and to stand eueÌ„ so submitted always vnto the manly oldnesse in the loue 6 The maner of shrift vsed in the Familie It is expedient that they make maninifest their whole hearte with all their counselles myndes willes and thoughtes together with all their doinges dealings and exercises naked and bare before the Eldest in the Familie and not to hide any thing bee it what it is and al what their inclination and nature draweth them vnto and al things wherwith they become teÌ„pted in their heatrs If ye chaunce to offende or committe sinne confesse the same before the priestes and Elders and let all appeare nakedly
ouershot my selfe and if you can prooue it to me I shall gladly receiue it and will be redie to recant and cal backe all my wordes and aske mercie in like fourme as you haue prescribed but hitherto as I am persuaded and as my conscience beareth me witnesse I haue not in any point slandered you nor of malice spokeÌ„ any thing against you for if I did know any nerer way to saluatioÌ„ then y which our sauiour Christ hath taught in his Gospell I woulde with all gréedenesse imbrace it And if I can vnderstand that euer this your doctrin was taught publikly since christ our Lord his assention by any godly writer in Christs Church I will ceasse and subscribe vnto you otherwise blame me not though I continue in that minde which the Lorde in mercie by his Christ hath made manifest to me to my comforte The God of mercie and consolation giue you a right spirite to depend vpon the puritie of his worde written by the holy Ghoste and not to depend vpon the vncertainetie of man giuing testimonie to him selfe so shall both you and I bee brought to sée rightly into our weakenesse shall heare y ioyful voyce y Paule heard My grace is sufficient for thee For y Lords power loue is manifested made kno wen vnto the worlde through our weakenesse and all our righteousnesse is Sicut pannus menstrualis God in mercie giue vs all his grace that in séeking the true way that ledeth to life euerlasting we be not led into y by paths of errour but leade vs and guide vs O Lorde so shall we knowe thy ways aright imbrace our sauing health in Christ declared to all nations If it please you to reply I shall receiue it thankfully London the 12. of Februarie Your friend I. R. A Letter of the Familie to I. R. written by E. R. M. Rogers these are to signifie vntd you that I haue perused a booke wherof you are the authour In your preface you say you haue vsed this order to set downe the authors owne speach not adding or diminishing any thing with the name of the booke Chapter or folio I do wish that your word and deede had agreed therein I call to minde that I haue read many authours bookes within this 35. or 36. yeares and among them all I haue not found any writer that hath taken such an order as you haue done for who so euer will write to confute an Authour he should set downe the Authours owne wordes as they stande written in his bookes and so to confute them by the Scriptures orderly and not to take out here some and there some and of diuers sentences and part of diuers sentences to make one sentence You haue added and diminished in diuers places and to inlarge your booke withall you haue set downe the most part of the sentences in two places as y readers may perceiue if they do confer your booke with the Authours bookes wâ—y them with indifferencie I am fully persuaded that the sober discreet wise and godly learned do ne wil not allowe of it that any Authour should be so abused as you haue abused this Authour in wresting belying and peruerting his writings Salonton saith A false record wil make a lye A false witnesse shall not remaine vnpunished and hee that speaketh lyes shall not escape I pray God open the eyes of your heart that you may see your ignorance and repent You do ground one point of your matter vpon Adrian Gisling a man of credite as you say y he did read in a Duche booke intituled the Glasse of righteousnesse wherein the Authour doth certifie his Familie of Loue that they must passe foure most terrible castels full of combersome enimies before they come to the house of Loue the first is Iohn Caluine the second the Papistes the third Martine Luther the fourth the Anabaptistes howe good of credite so euer Adrian Gisling is of he hath not at any time read any such matter in any of that Authours bookes he might perhaps read of such matter in some other booke hauing that title I my self haue read ouer diuers of the bookes and also the booke called the Glasse of righteousnesse of that Authours writing that you take your occasion against and there is no such Castles written in any of his bookes therfore Adrian Gisling is therein vtterly deceiued and I do beleeue no lesse but those other thinges that you haue written vpon reporte against â— Author to make him odious vnto the people is as contrarie I suppose you should haue done well if you had not come in with a flourish to attempt battell and beginne a skirmish against those that haue no pleasure or delight in warre or battell but much rather doe desire peace vnitie It is not reckoned for a manly part that an armed souldier should take vp weapon and fight with a naked childe It is written Let not him that putteth on his harnesse boast him selfe as he that putteth it off If the little vnarmed childe Dauid doe come to battell with his sling and stones one of the stones may happen to hit Golias in the forhed be he neuer so well appointed for battell and trusteth in his owne strength But what you haue done you can not vndo it is too farre past your hands And where you call in doubt that the familie will carpe as you terme it at your booke and do offer if they do answere it a speedie replie will be performed I for my parte I giue GOD thankes am not ignoraunt of the Lande of strife and contention that ye walke in and as it appeareth ye haue a pleasure therein I haue wandered vppe and downe there ouerlong and consumed much time there about to my greate greefe and sorrowe for those that doe loue strife and contention would haue other like to them selues S. Paule saith The seruants of the Lord must not striue And Saint Iames saith If ye haue bitter enuying and strife in you hearts reioyce not neither be lyars against the trueth and then following where enuie and strife is there is vnstablenes all maner of euill workes In the Homilie for whitsunday the second part ye may read this sentence But to conclude and make an end ye shall briefly take this short lesson where so euer ye finde the spirit of arrogancie and pride the spirit of enuie hatred contention crueltie murther extortion witchcraft Necromancie c. assure your selues that there is the spirite of the diuell and not of GOD albeit they pretend outwardly to the worlde neuer so much holinesse I haue no desire pleasure nor delight to carpe at your booke nor to striue or contend with you or any one neyther is there any other who doe desire peace and vnitie that will haue any delight or pleasure in strife and contention but leaue euery one to the Lorde Salomon saith The sinne of the wicked is his owne snare Saint
Diuers men haue diuers heartes that is Gods woorke to reuenge or redresse the same according to his owne will and pleasure and not to mans To the which kingdome the Lorde bring vs all for his sonne our Lorde Iesus Christes sake Amen Dat. decimo quinto die Decembris An. Domi. 1578. Per me E. R. The aunswere of I. R. to the letter of the Familie of loue written by E. R. I Receiued a letter from you touching my booke wherein you séeme to bée offended for diuers matters For aunswere wherof I refer your in many thinges to my letter sent ad amatorem charitatis You say that I take vp weapon to fight with a naked childe and so sporte your selfe in amplifying the example of Dauid and Goliath but to any article of doctrin which I haue charged you with all there is no mention It were conuenient that you would proue vnto vs such points of doctrine as you hold contrary to vs and not to dally in friuolus and néedelesse matter I haue saide that your author H. N. doth not speake nor write by the spirite of God that your illumined elders are not without sinne that the lawe of God is not possible to be kept c. Unto these matters you aunswere nothing but blott much paper in néedeles probations You giue vs a note that wher the spirite of enuy pride contention crueltie murther c is there is the diuell and not god If I should nowe inlarge this matter and put it ouer vnto you you would thinke me vncharitable For I graunt it to be true and the holy scripture is our grounde our lyne our square without any mans mixture and if H. N. had neuer writ the scriptures are sufficient to vs and the church of Christ hath tasted sufficiently his mercy without him and you had béene in much better case if he had neuer beene borne For alas what doctrine do you hold but that which many heretikes haue helde and haue béene condempned by the Church for the same It is not Christianlike that one man should persecute an other for conscience sake you say but doth it followe that heresies and blasphemyes may be mainteined and no man manifest the same Let vs leaue wrangling and come to the trueth if you holde a truth as I haue often saide why is it hidden and kept secrete If we be in error why do you not through loue charitie manifest the same plainly vnto vs your authors darke and ranging stile which you estéeme misticall doth not sufficiently declare any false doctrine we teach If you striue for a godly and regenerate life certeinly we will with our whole hearts ioyne with you For we acknowledge y our bare confession of Christ with our mouthes is not sufficient Not euery one that saith Lorde Lord c. Yet may the diuell vnder the outwarde cloke of holynesse nourish in our harts many false suggestions there fore the Godly euermore haue had an eye to sathans deceite and in humilitie of spirite haue still bewayled the greatnesse of their sinnes and acknowledged the same which H. N. doth not in any bookes that I haue reade For many standing vppon the securitie of kéeping Gods lawes haue vtterly deceiued themselues The Pharisies boasted of their holynesse and the obseruation of the lawe but Christ reproued them as ypocrits the Manachits the Donatists the Marcionits the Montanists c haue outwardly sought and prescribed to them selues straict rules and seuere obseruances of pietie but yet mainteyned vnder the same blasphemous doctrine and euery heresie set out their holynesse commended their patrons as men hauing the spirit of God mightely working with power And doe not you in like sort affirme H. N. to haue the spirite of God and to haue published his doctrine with much more power then any in these latter dayes Let vs not striue for vaine glory heaping applications of holy scripture without conclusion and so farre from the purpose Let vs content our selues with the glorious name to be called christians and let this tearme Family of Loue goe as a new deuised thing without warrant in holy scripture The householde of faith is mencioned of but not loue Touching this point of doctrine of the possiblitie of kéeping the commaundements I knowe those places of scripture very well and what God requireth but our weakenesse in performing the same appeareth Gen. 6. chapter verse 5. Iob. 25. chapt 5. vers 4. Romanes 4. chapter 20 verse but I delight not in many cotations but how to purpose the holy scriptures are applyed therefore onely I will giue you to consider two places the one of saint Paule in 11. Romaines 32. verse For God hath shutte vp all in vnbeliefe that he might haue mercie on all Galathians 3. chapt verse 22. but the scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that belieue But before faith came we were vnder the lawe vntill the faith shoulde after be reuealed Wherefore y lawe was our schoolemaister to bring vs to Christ that we might be made righteous by faith but after that faith is come we are no longer vnder a schoolemaister I pray you note howe the holy Ghoste teacheth vs not to trust in the perfourmaunce of the lawe For it is such a burthen as wenor our fathers were euer able to beare but includeth vs vnder sinne and the curse of the lawe that the blessinges which by Christes death we obteine through faith we might notably become heires by promise and not by the lawe The Lawe therefore doeth shewe our weakenesse and sendeth vs to Christe who fulfilled it for vs and all his obedience and righteousnesse is ours by imputation we by grace through faith are made heires and not by the déedes of the law yet we reiect it not but with reuerence and feare indeuour our selues to perfourme in euerie pointe what it requireth but still we féele our weakenesse in perfourming the same and therefore flée vnto Christe Iesus in whome we finde rest to our conscience confessing our vnablenesse and infirmitie finding in him strength and habilitie whiche still by faith we apply to our troubled mindes when the iustice of God or the lawe doth by any meanes threaten vs And this is our anchor hold of faith manifested to vs by the scriptures of God to our euerlasting comforte We are taught to say when wee haue done our best Luk. 17. That we are vnprofitable seruaunts Christ is said Act. 13. vers 3. to deliuer vs from all thinges which we could not be iustified by the lawe of Moyses By him euery one that beléeueth is iustified for if saluatiō come by the law Christe died in vaine For it standeth not with the glorie of Christ Iesus that any such perfection shoulde be giuen vs to kéepe the lawe For if by our infirmitie the strength of Christe be made perfecte Cor. Chap. 12. so contrary wise by our perfection Christes death
Therefore to conclude for our true principles we referre you to the briefe rehersall and for any other difference to these premisses and all other doubtes we haue sufficiently resolued you as wee thinke in plaine speeche out of hartie loue Let this therefore suffise for an aunswere at this time The Lorde for his mercie graunt you and vs all inclyned heartes to doe his will but first to leaue our owne will and to indeuour vs with all the elect of God and Christe to the renouation in the spirite vz. that wee all in one heart of godly loue mought as liuing stones bee fast couched or coupled together in Iesus Christe to an holy house temple or familie of Loue or of God in as much as God is Loue and not any longer to striue but much rather as seruanntes of the Lorde in all meekemindednesse to humble our soules vnder this his great grace loue and mercie wherevnto wee all are so louingly called and warned by him and his holie Gospell in the ministration of the loue in the last time Amen This aunswere is to your first Letter Your louers and friends F. L. The answere of I. R. to the reply of the Family of Loue. BY perusing of your reply to my first answere I perceiue that our conference is to small purpose for that you cōtinue stil of the same mind you were and your crabbed slaunderous words towards me is nothing impaired with your smooth answer saying we charge you not with weightes wares c. If you of purpose had not charged me here with what néeded any mention of such slaunders but as in other thinges so in this you bewray your stomacks and of what spirite you are You take witnes My Lord of Canterburie whose minde concerning your great Rabby Vittell is knowen to many You affirme the cause I take in hande is surely dishonest The cause is Christes whose office and death is impaired and made of no effect by your doctrine of perfection and shadowed by H. N. so darkely that the children of GOD abiding in the vnitie of his Church do greatly lament your follie You say I haue belyed and slaundered my poore neighbours impudently and yet you shewe no matter wherein only you finde fault with vnorderly setting downe your Authours spéech No man can kéepe order with him that is without order Of adding diminishing you often charge me and shewe not in what place nor in what sentence I will not vse your vnhonest tearmes of impudencie but surely you deale in this case as the Papistes are woont to charge the doctrine of Christs Gospell which we professe that it bréedeth sedition that it pulleth Princes out of their seats openeth a gap to liber tie c. which howe truely these are imputed the eies of al do at the last behold The feare of our rigorous dealing forceth you to lurke in corners you say what rigour I pray you was euer shewed either to you or your companions the Papistes for their conscience Imprisonment you would say vpon submission which is no rigor Of such an houshold as we haue challenged to our selues you say you are strangers we confesse our selues to be of no other houshold then of Christes staying vpon the puritie of his word if you will be straungers from the same willingly it is great pitie You had rather follow H. N. then Christ and yet confesse that H. N. signifieth not any mans name but hath some other meaning which you ne wee can tell What a lamentable case is this that men hauing any sence or vnderstanding would credite such vncerteine wayes to follow an Authour doctrine so egerly and yet confesse you are ignoraunt who he is or what he is As for your confession published as I saide it is a mockerie for it is sounde and agréeing to vs Why halt you so cunningly Why will you dance in a nett and not be séene Do you in your confession impugne the doctrine of predestination or the possibility of the law c. or doe you once mencion the same therein and yet in your letters you shewe your dislyking of such doctrine terming it licentious Is not this déep dissembling and yet call it plaine dealing I would not haue you accuse your selues as you vniustly charge me but vse a simple and playn trueth and shew your minds truely and not hide it craftely and set downe pointes of doctrine agréeable with vs and say it is your confession of faith where you conceale the chéefe matters in variance betwéen vs Oh when will you deale plainly a wicked doctrine requireth shiftes and delayes but trueth openeth her selfe plainly to al in y day light And for your weakelings which haue recanted you say they were suche as coulde scarsely read english You forget your selfe very much was Sharpe and his companie which recanted at the crosse were they suche as you would beare vs in hand simple Sharpe was a teacher and others that I could name were not of the least account among you yet to help their weakenesse you call them simple men c. I know that some of thē haue followed the doctrine of H. N. these 18. yeares I take you not to be so olde a scholler in the Family You say you wil not conuince vs by the testimonies of the scriptures for it lyeth not in your power neither were you so dealt withall Surely this is very straunge It is the Lord that hath conuinced you and brought you vnder his Crosse but I pray you came this to passe by reuelation or by mans ministery If man was the minister you would haue vs beléeue that H. N. was he but it appeareth not that you are vnder Christes Crosse for in patience he suffered all wrongs and there was no deceipt nor guile found in his mouth He commanded his doctrine to be published to all the worlde not in corners but on the house toppe not faintly and fearefully but boldely and couragiously he suffered contumelious spéech and slaunderous but you do vse spéech of slaunder and disdaine as appeareth so that you haue not learned Christes crosse but H. N. his crosse As for Maister Knewstubs doings as yet not exstant you rashly and foolishly cauill at him before you heare him and condemne his doinges before you sée them and say that he will display himselfe euen as I haue done This is impudencie in the highest degrée to iudge and condemne a man before he be heard what he can say this doeth bewray of what mind and spirite you are What conference can do you good It séemeth your heart is hardned with the riddles of H. N. y so make your selues knowen to all Gods children it had bene more agréeable to the spirite of God to haue suspended iudgement vntill the worke had bene séene My adherentes in diriston you often name I tel you truly that the church of Christ Iesus are those adherents for I mainteine no other doctrine then y which in Christs Churche by publique