such as are not enlightned with true faith is â—â—lthy and polluted and to bee reputed for whoredome 9. Concerning Henry Nicolas 1. He is raised by the highest God from the dead 2. He can no more â—rre then Moses or Christ c. 3. He is the true Prophet of God sent to blow the last Trumper of Doctrine which shall be published upon earth 4. That he onely knoweth the true sense of Scripture 5. That his Books are of equall authority with the holy Scripture Through the service of H. N. his holy and gracious Word and our obedience thereunto we are led of the Father to the love of Jesus Christ. 6. That the Scriptures are fulfilled in H. N. and his Family 7. H. N. knoweth the secrets of our hearts 8. That all men must submit themselves to the godly wisdome of H. N. c. 10. Concerning their illuminated Elders and family 1. All illuminated Elders are Godded with God or deified and God in them hominified or become man 2. The young Disciples are Adams and the illuminated Elders Christs 3. The eldest Father of the Family is Christ himselfe 4. That the estate of all such as are not of this Sect is a false being the Antichrist the wicked spirit the kingdome of hell and the devill himselfe 5. The Family of Love is perfect in this life and therefore that they must not pray for forgivenesse of sins 6. That their illuminated Elders doe not sinne 7. They may ioyne with any Congregation and Church and live under the obedience of any Magistrate though never so ungodly 8. Whatsoever is taught by any other then by their illuminated Elders is false Such as despise their Family shall bee consumed with everlasting fire Moreover they hold 1. That he who is one of their Congregation is either as perfect as Christ or else a very divell 2. That it is lawfull to doe whatsoever the higher Powers command to be done though it be done against the commandement of God 3. That it is ridiculous to say God the Father God the Son God the holy Ghost as though by saying these words they should affirme to be three Gods 4. That every man ought first to be in an errour before he can come to the knowledge of the truth 5. That heaven and hell are present in this world among us and that there is none other 6. That they are bound to give almes to none other persons but to those of their Sect and if they otherwise doe they give their Almes to the divell 7. That they ought not to burie their dead because it is said let the dead bury the dead 8. That none ought to receive their Sacraments before he receiveth their whole Ordinances as 1. He must be admitted with a kisse then his feet must be washed then hands laid on him and so received 9. That the Angels Raphael and Gabriel and others were borne of a woman 10. That they ought not to say Davids Psalmes as Prayers being righteous and without sinne 11. That there ought to be no Sabbath day but that all should be alike 12. That Christ is come forth of the flesh as he came forth of the Virgin Mary 13. That there was a world before Adams time as is now 14. That the Law of God is possible to be kept of every man that will endeavour himselfe thereto 15. That it is â—â—pedient that they should make manifest their whole heart with all their counsels minds wils and thoughts together with all their doings dealings and exercises naked and bare before the children of the Family of Love and not to cover or hide any thing be it was it is before him and what their inclination and nature draweth them unto In a word their doctrine is perverse blasphemous and erroâ—eous it openeth a doore to all wickednese turning Religion up-side-downe building heaven here upon earth making God man and man God heaven hell and hell heaven not accounting of the Law of God and making but a jest of the Gospell of Jesus Christ leaving no manner of sin uncommitted yet affirming they sin not at all for venome and poyson which will bring present death to the soule he hath dispersed over every member and Article of the Beliefe so universall is the poyson of his opinion as you may see in their confession set down by Mr. Knewstub 3. The Confession of Familists I Doe believe in God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and earth They say the same is a true living God a mighty Spirit a perfect cleare light a true being and that the same being is God the Fathers name and his love it selfe And they perswade their good willing ones that by the beliefe of this Article which they call the Baptisme in the Fathers name that here and now they do attain to the perfect obedience of the Law of God and of the beliefe of Jesus Christ and love of the holy Ghost which they make to be all one with the perfect righteousnesse of the Law 2. And in Iesus Christ his onely Son our Lord. Some of these words they alter for instead of his onely Son they say the onely Son of God c. Whereby Jesus the only Son I mean Righteousnesse for there is their generall Tenet and conclusion that Righteousnesse is Christ and Sin is Antichrist The seed of the woman is righteousnesse and holinesse and the seed of the Serpenâ— is sin turning the person of Christ into equality 3. Which was conceived of the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary As we confesse the thing done so we speake of the present time as of the thing doing saying which is conceived of the holy Ghost meaning every one that comes to take in their Belief as they term it is then conceived of the holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary calling the conception of their fancy the first or Virgins estate of Infancy so making the Article intend all and every one of them in generall and hot one in particular as we beleeve 4. Sufferedunder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried and descended into hell In the former Article they confesse the conception and birth of the blessed seed of Abraham according to the Promises and here they beleeve their sufferings according to the Scriptures And Jesus Christ is borne and conceived in themselves under Pontius Pilate and so is incorporated into the death of his Crosse and this they call the Baptisme under the obedience of the Beliefe in the name of the Son and they fâ—y they bury through his Belief the old Man which state they call the youth or young Man the renewing of the Spirit in an upright life wherein this Article both of suffering crucifying death and buriall and discention into hell are fulfilled in them the rest you may see in Mr. Knewstub 4. Their lewd Conversations OF this holy Family we read that most shameful corruption of life hath alwaies followed corruption of Doctrine as Rom. 1. 24. God
deceived of their purpose They wanting their Signall which was the ringing of the Towne-Bell which was not done a drunken man having taken away the rope the Company assembled not many of the Anabaptists were slaine and others received condigne punishment The Anabaptists after the death of Iohn of Leyden chose another King who with his high Treasurer was taken at Virecht and kept in prison among the exployts of that elected King he brought his wife into a wood and there killed her that without interruption he might lye with her daughter and he also cut a young wenches throat lost she should detect him good store of Plate was found in his house most of it Church Plate the King and his Treasurer was burnt I read of another King of the Anabaptists called Ian Wilhems whose execrable deeds and actions are written in Dutch and translated into French by Ch. de Niclles This Ian Wilhems was Sonne to one Theodore Wilhems a Vicar in Ruremond in Gelderland this King kept his Residence in divers places as at Arâ—hem first and afterwards at Lovain Wesel Alden Calcar Harsem and last of all at a Village called Avendrop not farre from Wesel to which place divers resorted who had beene in the siege of Munster This man succeeded Cornelius Appleman who was executed for his wicked Acts in the City of Virecht Which Appleman succeeded Ian Cordwainer who going about to restore the broken fantastick Kingdome of the Anabaptists was discovered by some of his followers to be Captaine of the Theeves and Church robbers and executed at Brussels This King Wilhems affirmed the Doctrine of the Anabaptists taught in Munster to be the true Doctrine to bring men to salvation and that God for his austere life had given him grace to make knowne his law more cleerely and purely than it had been ever before He wrot a book intituled Du mariage impure des faux Evangeliques in which he defended Poligami He rob'd and spoyl'd the Countrey about him affirming that to rob the ungodly was no sinne at all for the people of the new Ierusalem because the good of the land belonged onely to lesus Christ and his Disciples This wicked Rout called themselves le people de Ian Wilhelmes He used a sword which he called the sword of God and Gedeâ— This holy King had 21. wives to encrease his holy seed among whom he had Elsken Thewes and Elizabeth her daughâ—er also Clare and Elizabeth sisters daughters of Ian Marsens Of his facinorous Acts and names of his Queens you may read more at large in the History of his life written by Ch. Nells This fanetick King was burnt according to his deserts the 12. of March Anno 1580. and divers of his Complices were executed at Wesell Cleve ond other places In this History before releated we may see the great Hypocrisie of these Sectaries who when they crept first into Munster made a shew of great holinesse great humility great innocence they would not sweare not use any obscene speech their ordinary communication was of mortification But when they became Masters of the Town they broke the lawes of all pudicity and honesty More especially an Anabapeist might not beare on office in a Countrey village but afterwards Iohn of Leyden their Prophet would be King of the Universe they would not suffer a man to weare a Ring or a woman a silken Gowne But after the surprise of Munster no Prince was so gloriously arryed as King Iohn and his Officers an this other Attendants They pretended that it was not lawfull for a Christian man to beare Armes or to punish offenders whereas in Munster they exercised all manner of cruelty King Iohn cut of his wives head in the Market-place another Prophet his brothers head before his Father affirming it to be the will of the heavenly Father And whereas some good Citizens were grieved at their disorders and groaned under their Tyranny and went about to shake off the yoke of King Iohns oppression about 50. of them were taken and put to death with all manner of cruelty Iohn of Leyden incouraging them saying that in that their doing they should doe God good service The History of the Anabaptists you shall finde in the fifth and tenth book of Sleidens Commentaries Master Bullâ—â—ger hath written the same and confuted their Errors Lambeâ—tus Hortensius hath written of the Anabaptist's of the Low Countries and Iohn Gastius Minister of Zuricke of their doings in Zuitzerland II. The Errors of the Anabaptists set downe by Pontanus Osiander Bullinger and others Errors not to be tolerated in the Church 1. THat Christ did not assume his flesh and bloud from the Virgin Mary 2. That Christ is not true God but onely endued with more gifts than other men 3. Our righteousnesse not to depend upon faith in Christ but upon the workes of Charity and Afflection 4. They reject the Doctrine of Originall sin and those Doctrines that depend upon it 5. They deny Baptisme to Infanâ—s because they cannot make confession of their faith affirming that the Baptisme of children came from the Pope and the Devill they call Baptisme of Infants the marke of the beast 6. They re-baptize them that have beene already Baptized 7. They dream that before the day of judgment their Church shall destroy all the wicked and obtaine a Monarchy in which the godly shall reigne alone 8. They allow men free will in spirituall things 9. They separate themselves from all other Churches accounting themselves onely pure and holy without sin 10. That the Office of the Ministerie is of no great effisicacie and that Lay men may preach and administer the Sacraments Errors not to bee suffered in a Common-wealth without the Ruine of it 1. That it is unlawfull for a Christian man to be a Magistrate and that the people may depose them 2. That it is not lawfull for a Magistrate to punish any malefactor whatsoever with death 3. That a Christian man cannot with a safe conscience take 〈◊〉 Oath 4. Nor by oath promise fidelity to any Prince or Magistrate whatsoever Errors not to be tollerated in Families 1. That a Christian man may not with a safe conscience possesse any thing proper to himselfe but whatsoever he hath hee must make common 2. That wives of a contrary Religion may be put away and that it is lawfull for them to take others 3. That a Christian man may have many wives III. The Confutation of these Blasphemous and detestable Errors before named THat Christ tooke not flesh from the Virgin Mary This Error is flar against the first promise of Christ Gâ—n 3. The seed of the woman shall break the serpents head Against the promise made to Abâ—aham Gen. 22. In thy seed c. To David Psal. 132. 11. Of the fruit of thy body c. Luke 1. That which is borne of thee saith the Angel to Mary Rom. 1. 3. Who was made of
wit for them And our Saviour averring Iohn 10. 15. I lay down my life for my sheep And Iohn 15. 12. This is my Commandement that yee love one another as I have loved you greater love then this no man hath that a man lay down his life for his friends Thirdly Fourthly Their Errors concerning mans corruption and conversion unto God 1. THey teach that it cannot be well objected that Originall sin of it selfe is sufficient â—or the conâ—enâ—ning of aâ—l mankinde or for the deserving of any temporall and eternall punishment In this they goe against the Apostle who saith Rom. 5. By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned and veaâ— 16. The judgement was by one to condemnation Rom. 6. 23. The â—ages of sin is death 2. They teach that spirituall gifts or good qualities or vertues such as our goodnesse holinesses or righteousnesse could not bee sâ—aâ—ed in the will of man in his first 〈◊〉 and therefore in his fall the will could not bee bereft of them This is contrary to the Image of God laid downe by the Apostle Eph. 4. 24. Where hee describeth it by righteousnesse and holinesse which doubtlesse are placed in the will 3. They teach that in spiritual death nâ— spirituall gifts were separated from the will of man to 〈…〉 will it selfe 〈…〉 corrupted bâ—t onely encombred by 〈◊〉 darknesse of the understanding and unrulinâ— sse of the affections which impeâ—iments being removed the will may be put into her owne inbred faculty of freedome that is of her selfe will or â—ill chuse or refuse any kind of good set before her Verily this is a new feigned and erroneous piece of doctrine bent on purpose for the enhansing of the forces of free-wil contrary to that of the Pâ—ophet Jer. 17. 5. The heart is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked And that of the Apostle Eph. 23. Among whom namely the children of disobedience All we had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the wills of the flesh and of the minde 4. They teach that an unregenerate man is not properly nor totally dead in sins nor destitute of all strength tending to spirituall good but that he is able to hunger and thirst after righteousnes or everlasting life and to offer the Sacrifice of an humble and contrite heart even such as is acceptable to God These assertions march against the direct testimonies of Scriptures Eph. 2. 1. 5. Yee were dead in trespasses and sinnes Gen. 6. 7. 8. 21. Every imagination of the thoughts of mans heart is onely evill continually Moreover the hungring and thâ—rsting for deliverance out of misery and for life eternall as also offering to God the sacrifice of a broken heart is proper to the Regenerate and such as are called blessed Psalme 519. Matth. 5. 6. 5. They teach that a corrupt and naturall man can so rightly use common grace by which they mean the light of nature or those gifts which are left him after the fall that by the good use thereof he may obtaine to a greater namely Evangelicall or saving grace and by degrees at length salvation it selfe And that God for his part sheweth himselfe ready in this manner to reveale Christ to all men seeing he doth sufficiently and efficaciously afford to every man necessary meanes for the making Christ known and for faith and repentance This is 〈◊〉 to be false as by the experiance of all ages in the world so also by Scriptures Psal. 147. 19 20. He sheweth his word unto Jacob his statutes and his judgements unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any nation and as for his judgements they have not knowne them Acts 14. 16. God in times past suffered all Nations to walke in their owne wayes Acts 16. 6 7. Paul and his company were forbidden to preach the Word in Asia and after they were come to Mysia they offered to goe into Bythâ—â—iâ— but the spinit suffered them not 6. They teach that in true conversion of a man there cannot be inâ—used by God any new qualities habits or gifts into his will and so by faith by which we are first converted and from which we are stiled faithfull is not any gift or quality infused by God but onely an act of man that this faith cannot be called a gift otherwise then in regard of the power or meanes given us of attaining it These strange positions are contrary to holy Scriptures which testifie unto us that God doth infuse or shed downe into our hearts new qualities of faith obedience and some of his love towards us Ier. 31. 33. I puâ— my Law into their inner parts and write it in their hearts Isa. 44. 3. I will poure water upon him that is thirsty and flouds upon the dry grounds I will poure my spireit upon thy seed Rom. 5. 5. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us They contradict also the continuall practice of the Church which useth to pray after the manner prescribed by the Prophet Convert me O Lord and I shall be converted Jer 31. 18. 7. They teach that the grace wherewith we are converted unto God is nothing else but a gentle inducement or as others explain it that the most noble kinde of working a mans conversion and most â—utable to our nature is performed by swasoâ—y motives or advice and that no cause can be alledged â—hy even such morall grace alone should not of naturall men make spirituall Nay moreover that God doth not produce the consent of our will otherwise then by way of morall counselling and that the efficacy of Gods working wherein he exceedeth the working of the devill consâ—steth in this that the divell promiseth temporary things but Gods things eternall This is downe-right Pelagianisme and warreth against the whole course of Scriptures which besides this swasory course of moving acknowledgeth in the conversion of man another manner of working of Gods spirit and that more divine and of farre greater efficacy Ezek. 36. 26. I will give you a new heart and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of yur flesh and will give you an heart of flesh 8. That God in regenerating a man doth not imply that omnipotent strength whereby he may powerfully and infallibly bow and bend his will unto faith and conversion but that all the gracious operations which God useth for our conversion being accomplished neverthelesse man may withstand God and his holy Spirit intending that mans conversion yea and oftentimes doth make actuall resistance so it lyeth in mans power to be or not to be regenarate This amounteth to no lesse then the denying of all efficacy to Gods grace in our conversion and to the subjecting of the worke of Almighty God unto the will of man which is flat contrary to the Doctrine of the Apostles
Eph. 1. 19. That we believe according to the working of his mighty power And 2 Thes. 1. 11. That God fulfilleth all the pleasure of his goodnesse and the worke of faith with power And 2 Pet. 1. 3. That Gods power hath given to us all things that pertaine to life and godlinesse 9. They teach that grace and free-will are co-partening causes joyntly concurring to the beginning of conversion and that grace doth not in the order of casuality goe before the action of the will That is that God doth effectually helpe mans will to conversion before the will of man moveth and determineth or setleth it selfe thereunto This doctrine was long since condemned by the ancient Church among the Pelagian Errors out of the Apostles Authority Romans 9. 16. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy And 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou didst not receive Item Phil. 2. 13. It is God which worketh in you both â—o will and to doe of his good pleasure 5. Error concerning the perseverance of the Saints 1. THey teach that the perseverance of the faithfull is not an effect of election nor any gift of God purchased by the death of Christ but that it is a condition of the new Covenant which is to be performed by mans part by his owne free will before his as they themselves speak peremptorily election and justification whereas the holy Scriptures testifie that it followeth election and is given to the Elect by vertue of Christ death resurrection and intercession Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his owne Sonne but delivered him up for us how shall not he with him give us freely all things Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ that dyed yea or rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us who shall separate us from the love of Christ 2. They teach that God indeed furnisheth the faithfull man with sufficient strength to persevere and is ready to maintâ—iâ—e that strength in him if he himselfe be not wanting to his duâ—y yet not withstanding when as all abilities necessary unto perseverance and all things which God is pleased to use for the preservation of Faith once granted and set in readinesse that it still remaineth in the choyce and pleasure of mans will to performe or not This opinion is easily discovered to be an impe of Pelagiâ—nisme which whilst it strives to make man free maketh him sacrilegious contrary to the uniforme and peâ—petuall consent of Evangelicall doctrine which quite strippeth a man of matter of boasting and ascribeth the glory of his benefit to Gods grace onely and contrary to the Apostle witnessing that it is God that shall confirme us unto the end that we may be blamelesse in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 3. They teach that the regenerate and true beleevers not only may totally and finally fall from justifying saith as also from grace and salvation but that frequently also they indeed do fall from all these and perish everlastingly This opinion maketh the grace of justification and regeneration and Christs continuall custody voyd and of none effect contrary to the expresse words of St. Paul Rom. 5. 8. While we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us much more then being justified by his bloud we shall be saved from wrath through him And contrary to the Apostle St. Iohn 1 Joh. 3. 9. Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him neither can be sin because he is borne of God And also contrary to the word of our Saviour Iohn 10. 28 29. I give eternall life to my sheep and they shall never perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hand my Father which gave them me is greater then all and none is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand 4. They teach that the regeneraâ—e and truely faithfull may sin the sin unto death or against the holy Ghost St. Iohn in his first Epistle Chapter 5. Verse 16. Having made mention of such as sinned unto death and forbidden to pray for them presently verse 16. addeth We know that whosoever is borne of God sinneth not to wit that kinde of sin but he that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one coucheth him not 5. They teach that no certainty of future perseverance caâ— he had in this life without speciall revelation By this Doctrine the solid comfort of true beleevers in this life is quite taken away and the doctrine of doubâ—fulnesse â—â—â—ouched by the Papists is brought againe into the Church whereas the holy Scripture every wheâ—e draweth this assurance not from special and extraordinary revelation but from the proper markes and signes of Gods children and from the infallible promises made by God himselfe especially the Apostle Rom. 8. 39. No creature is able to separate us from the love of God which is in Iesus Christ. 1 Joh 3. 24. He that keepeth his Commadement dwelleth in him and he in him and hereby we know that hee abideth in us even by the spirit which hee hath given us 6. They teach that the doctrine maintaiâ—ing assurance and persâ—verance and of salvation is of its own nature gift a soft pillow for the flesh and hurtfull to good manners godlinesse praying and other holy exercises and contrariwise that it is a true commendable thing to be doubtfull of such perseverance The opposers of this assurance do evideÌ„tly shew that they know not the powerfulnesse of Gods grace nor the operation of the holy Ghost dwelling in the heart and spare not to outface the Apostle Iohn affiâ—ming the contrary in expresse terms 1 Ioh 3. 2 3. Beloved now are we the sonnes of God and it doth not yet appeare what we shal be but we know that when he shal appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is And every man that this hope in him purifieth himselfe even as he is pure They are also refuted by the examples of holy men both in the old and new Testament who though well assured of their own perseverance and salvation yet gave not over prayers and otheâ— exercises of godlinesse 7. They teach that the faith of those that beleeve but for a season differeth no from justifying and saving faith but onely in respect of continuance Christ himselfe manifestly puts Mat. 13. 20. Luke 8. 13. a three-fold disparison between temporisors and true beleevers saying that those receive the seed in a stony ground these in a good ground that is an honest and good heart these want root these have a fast root these are fruitlesse these bring forth their fruit with diversity of yeeld that with patience that is with constancy and perseverance 8. They teach that it is absurd that a man