reade further Exod. 16.8.1 Sam. 8.7 Num. 16. chap. throughout I haue in this place gentle and indifferent reader to desire thée diligently to marke the sly and crafty dealing of this peuish Familye For in my Articles which I exhibited vnto them for my further satisfaction I added this clause of the outward calling of the minister which then I did suspect they denyed and since by their faythles demeanour of concealing that clause I am certainely perswaded to be true where also it shall not be amisse if besides their fond behauiour in ouerhipping that which they néedes must confesse to be truely reported of them by me to consider also how guilefully they protest that No man is able iustly to blame accuse detect or burthen them as transgressors of the lawe beīt agaynst any the Quéenes Maiesties proceadinges in causes Ecclesiasticall c. And yet in this place by me quoted out of the lamentable complaynt sent 34. They deny without their Familye their is no lawfull calling of Ministers Their wordes be these For to be a teacher or minister of the holy worde is not euery mans office but his only which is thereunto euen lyke as was Aaron called and elected of God whose rodde or staffe greeneth blossometh and beareth fruit as lykewise his which is a true disciple of the worde and louer of the truth hath receiued the learning and administration of his holy word with integritye of singlenes of hart of the Elders in the house of Loue obediently and euē so is growē vp vnder thobediēce of the loue in the holy vnderstādings till vnto the Elderdome of the man Christ and taught to the kingdome of God. And the same is by thē in playne wordes affirmed but more skoffingly and contemptuously in the same booke sent 34. But of that place more hereafter in the addition to the Article They with their cauill as it is common vnto them with their brethren the Papistes and Anabaptistes who alwayes not being able to criminate and blame the doctrine taught flye straight wayes to the persō of the preacher demaunded A Syr what auctoritye haue you to minister and who layd handes on your who called you c. as also their forefathers the old Pharisies which demaūded of S. Iehn the Baptist the same question with that learned man M. Musculus I aunswere Qui legitimé vocati non sunt quaestionem de vocatione mouent They which are not called lawfully first moue a controuersie about a lawfull calling which obiection M. Bullenger in his booke agaynst the Anabaptistes doth aunswere learnedly and at large Bullenger agaynst the Anabaptistes 3. booke 4. chap. 90. leafe An addition to the 5. Article of an outward calling SVch an one as in euen so with his vnderstanding and thoughtes become incorporate in all obediēce of the word to the truth of God and lyfe of Christ and euen so acknowledge the truth the same verily bideth rightly in the doctrine of Christ and is apt to minister the holy word of truth and to be a teacher of the people c. No man can teach the word of Christ and his doctrine but such as first haue bin obedient disciples of Loue. No man ought to busy himselfe about the word but the Elders in the Familye c. No man knoweth Christ nor the father nor yet also the seruices or Ceremonies of Christ but euen onely those which are euen so through Christ as we haue rehearsed renewed or regenerated in their spirite and mynde neither doth it also behoue or belong vnto any other to set forth any seruices of Ceremonies of Christ nor to preach or declare the Euangely but such are those whiche are sent of Christ himselfe for otherwise it is all false The Disciples of Christ could not vnderstand the clearenes of Christ before the fifty day taht the holy Ghost was poured vpon them much lesse then verely can now the Scripture learned which haue not kept the passeouer from death into lyfe and from flesh into spirite with Christ nor yet atteined through the power of the holy Ghost to the clearenes of Christ vnderstand out of the knowledge of the Scripture the clearenes of the word of Christ nor yet set forth or teach accordyng to the truth his ceremonies or seruices nor also preach or declare the Euangely of Christ ARTICLE 6. of HN. of vniting into God. ANd the Elders of the Familie sayth HN. are illuminated from God they are Godded with God they are incorporate into God with whō God also in one beyng is Hominified or become man. Theophilus WHat error is this if it were rightly sene vnto whilest the vine braunch is to be vined in the vine Iohn 15. he that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one spirite with him and are made partakers of the godly nature 2. Pet. 1.4 William Wilkinson TRue it is that a certaine godly and learned man affirmeth writyng vpon the fall of S. Peter When God leaueth vs to our selues their is not hope to stay from rūnyng headlong into sinne right so it fareth in Gods iudgement with this coale Prophet HN. and his dreamyng Disciple Theophilus For the maister on still fallyng from phantasie to phantasie and from one errour into an other and the scholer bringeth in stones and morter to build vp the confused heape of all impitie In the former clause was shewed that they vtterly cōdemne and mislike all Ordination and Election of Ministers with their Familie now if follweth to be handled what priuiledge and prerogatiue his Elders purchase vnto themselues by the admission they haue into that blynd societie HN. affirmeth very soberly as it séemeth that the Elders of his broode are illuminated and Godded with God or incorporated into god c. his scholer Theophilus laboureth to strengthen his Assertion with the testimony of Scripture to that ende by him wrested and wrongly alledged wherein seyng he cā not slippe the coller with me as erst he did in leauyng the former sentence now to outcountanaunce the truth with the impudencie of his forehead hee asketh What an errour is this if it were rightly seene vnto what errour do you aske truly an horrible palpable errour it is flat against the truth of the sacred scripture straungely saueryng of those dregges whiche you haue déeply dronke both at the hand of the Anabaptisticall Sinagogue and also of the Romish harlot sea of Antichrist But whereas you added a Caueat which is If it be rightly sene vnto I aunswere he that putteth on the Christall spectacles of Gods word and taketh in his hād the Lanthorne of holy write to looke diligently to your steppes shall straight trace out a théefe and a rebell agaynst the Lord. But first to procéede orderly let me aunswere your authorities and then in a word or two wil I set downe the horriblenes of that opinion You say The vine braunche is vined into the vine I finde no such wordes in the
Lord or his word not that they should alwayes remaine as subiect thereunder but vntill the appoynted tyme vntill the manly old age in the godly vnderstanding of the holy word that is tell sinne in them be subdued sayth HN. cap. 3. sent 12. Let euery one confesse his sinnes wherein he falleth before his Elder in the holy vnderstanding and make manifest before him all his dealyng and conuersation cap. 4. sent 3. Verely the mortall wherof S. Paule witnesseth is not any creature of earthly flesh bloud but it is the liuing word or being of God which in the beginning was mortall in the manhoode and is in vs for our sinnes cause become mortall cap. 6. sent 3. The letter slayeth 2. Cor. 3.6 namely the administration of the law after the letter or ministration of Christ after the flesh that is nothing els but that the letter according to the requiring of Christ pointeth and leadeth vs to the death of sinne and withdraweth euen so our mindes and thoughtes from all that which is vngodly cap. 11. sent 6. A man which loueth the vpright righteousnes cannot apply hinselfe vprightly thereunto before he haue wholy geuen ouer himselfe to the gratious worde and seruice of Loue for to be obedient vnto the word and euen so to be admitted thereto by his elder in the holy vnderstanding and minister of the gracious word for to become taught therein cap. 13. sent 1. He that is admitted into the Famil promiseth before God and his holy ones that he will cleaue onely to the word and his requiring and shew faythfull obedience out of his whole hart and minde and not seperate himselfe therefrom for euer cap. 13. sent 4. But if they our ould sinnes which he calleth our Paramours which in tymes past we loued sen 7. take or lay hold on vs with force and violence and that then although we cry there commeth not any power or helpe vnto vs for to withstand their force and violence and that they euen so rauish vs agaynst our will so are we guiltles of the transgression for we haue cryed for to be released from the tyranny of the euill and there is no helpe come vnto vs Ergo if we sinne we are guiltles Of the which guiltles transgressing the law likewise witnesseth where it sayth Deut. 11.27 A woman which is violently taken in the field whereas there is not any help and so rauished and although she haue cryed aloud and gotten no helpe she shall be guiltles of the transgressing cap. 13. sent 8. If it chaunce that any man through weakenesse doe sinne yet let him not couer his sinnes but let him confesse them before his Elder in the holy vnderstandyng and repent him so shall then the Lord be gracious vnto him and forgiue his sinnes Cap. 13. senten 8. and Cap. 11. senten 6. This is the day which God Actes 17. e. hath appointed for to iudge in the same the cōpasse of the earth with righteousnesse through his word in whom he hath concluded his iudgement Cap. 15. sent 4. They of the Familie must manifest them selues and their whole hart dealyng and inclination to the Elders in the Familie of loue Cap. 16. sent 4. Haue not much prate or disputation with straungers nor with thē that fall away from the seruice of the Loue nor with the vnwillyng ones resisters Cap. 16. sent 18. O ye adioyned ones and incorporated ones to the word ye shall not hold you Math. 18. and. c. 1. Cor. 5. b. 2. Thessal 3. b. Common with straungers and decliners from the seruice of Loue for to eate dayly with them at your Table the holy bread Iohn 6. d. Actes 2. f. But breake and eate the same among ech other Cap. 18. sent 10. Beare in no wise any enmitie to any one but shew alwayes your brotherly loue which ye haue amongest ech other Cap. 16. sent 11. Come now all and turne you to this mercy seat of the Loue of the holy spirite of Iesus Christ and obtaine the forgiuenes of your sinnes Cap. 19. sent 2. 3. ARTICLES Which I exhibited vnto a frend of mine to be conuaied vnto the Familie of loue that I might be certified of the doubtes in them contayned Which for my further instruction one Theophilus sent me with a letter and an Exhortation annexed vnto the sayd Articles with his exposition in manner following THEOPHILVS TO the collector of these after expressed Articles that out of his malitious minde peruerted the sence and true minde of the Author and framed sundry of them into errors and to the rest of his Assistants in these and such vncharitable dealinges wheresoeuer they be greeting W. WILKINSONS TITLE ERrors out of the bookes of HN. faythfully and truely if sayth THEOPHILVS such preachers as be vncircumsided both in tongue and eares be to be beleued in these dayes gathered and quoted as in his booke by Chapter and Section they are to be found THEOPHILVS YE might rather in truth haue affirmed vnfaythfully lyingly slaunderously and malitiously or vncharitably W. WILKINSONS CONFVTATION MArke I pray thée gentle Reader what a cholorick and taunting spirite these Familers be of and yet they néedes will be called the Familye of loue as though all that commeth from them were nothing but loue and the very pefection of it selfe For so they affirme of themselues Now if these be their swéete and amiable wordes and louely phrases what cutting tearmes shall wée then looke for when they shall sée vs that wée withstand their enterprise and controule their doctrine especially seing that I did neither by worde nor writing euer geue thē any occasion But if this be their loue and perfection then truely I confesse that I meane not to walke with them I enuy not their happines neyther care I amōgest them to be reckoned vnperfect In deede these speaches be such as the Anabaptistes vsed agaynst the preachers of the Gospell which withstode their heresie they rayled on them calling them Lutherans Fol. 254. False and carnall Gospellers 255. erroneous and vnskilfull preachers 256. succeders of the Pharisies ibid. Hypocrites blinde guides fooles serpentes generations of vipers hirelinges 2576. fellowes of théeues whome Dauid maketh mention of Psal. 50. These were the flowers of Anabaptistes Rhetorique but S Paule teacheth vs another kinde of Eloquēce which becometh the children of God. Let all thinges sayth he be done in loue and the fruite of the spirite is loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenes goodnes fayth Loue suffereth long it is bountifull it enuieth not it doth not boast it is in déede and truth not in tongue and worde onely Now whether this family haue bene taught in the schole of the holy ghost or in the schole of the Anabaptistes I leaue it to the indifferent reader to be considered But if any man shall muse to sée such enuious speaches to flowe from so louely a familye I aunswere No
of the man from the true fayth in Christ the light of lyfe to the addictyng of him selfe to the lye or darcknes or euer such tyme as they become conuerted to their God and are regenerated in the spirite of their mynde is the greatest Antichrist which also frō the very begynnyng as likewise in the very corporall appearaunce of Christ in the flesh like as S. Iohn also expresseth impugne it and persecute it in the truth of God and that in the inwardnesse of the man to the establishyng of all vnrighteousnesse in him and not onely a certaine disordred or abused Papistrie yea or euer the Papistrie was thought of which no Pope also or such outward fleshly creature could or can euer worke or bryng to passe And therefore deceiue not your selfe in the point to iudge the Author to be a maintainer of any fleshly or creature like Pope with his adherentes in their abusion of Ceremoniall seruices Ceremonies but he driueth his matter onely as in his worke beyng well noted you may sée to this point to wit that after the entraunce of the darknesse once chaunced the manly generations beyng falne away from the fayth towardes God which was established by Christ in his Apostles and Disciples the old Fathers grew out of a zealousnes of the mynde towardes God and his righteousnesse to institute certaine Ceremonies and seruices so neare as they could out of their insight and comprehendyng that they by their diligent study and searchyng of the Scriptures had attained vnto concerning Gods truth hit the same that resembled or were conformablest to the holy and diuine Scriptures to a commemoration of the thyngs wrought and brought to passe before with Christ and his holynes in the very true beyng to the susteinyng and staying vp of the ignoraunt people in the tyme of darknes from fallyng into any greater absurdities enormities and errours that might haue happened vnto thē and which also did happen vnto many such as maliciously and obstinately not rightly seyng but rather in meanyng to set vp some better degressed and winded of them selues there from and maliciously blasphemed and continewed the same tell that the light of Gods truth might spryng foorth agayne or be erected in the seruice of the loue accordyng to the promises and goeth not about to establish the same in and of their ceremoniall much lesse abused seruice and Ceremonies where about men presently so greatly striue and varie now in this present tyme of the light of loue whiche he affirmeth to be the day of the cleare righteous iudgemēt of God wherein god will restore all thynges to their right to wit bryng or set the lye in his lying beyng to be condemned in the hellish caue and the truth likewise in his right fourme or degrée to wit to preuayle florish and beare sway ouer the vnrighteousnes for euer more Whereby that the will of God might euē so be accomplished in earth as in heauen Wherefore me thinkes that should be very small discernyng in such as can not distinct the shadowes figures or image of a thyng from the body it selfe or the very true beyng either substaunce of the same And that he speaketh of mens ignoraunce in that place and touchyng their slender knowledge vnderstandyng in Gods worde that layeth he forth flatly to the effectuall word and not the imagelike or written word wherein the right Christians are not iniuried but the conceited Christians detected Rochester THe rest of the booke from the 34. Chapter vnto the end is of the callyng of the Gentiles and of the grace of God offred to the world in the last age of the world which seemeth to be the best part of that booke Familie of Loue. IT is well that ye like some part of the booke and if ye could therewithall note that there were a defectiō frō the truth and that there were also by that meanes no difference to bee had betwixt a ceremoniall either letter doctour Christian and an vncircumcised Heathen so had ye then somewhat for your part Rochester THus haue you a tast of this booke gathered as the tyme would serue whereby it appeareth to be no such precious price of worke as of some it is supposed to be Such fayre shewes and glorious titles may soone deceiue the simple to haue such bookes in more admiration then the holy Scriptures But we haue Moses and the Prophetes let vs heare them and iudge all others by them Family of Loue. I do not so collect by the authors wrighting that he would prefer his writing aboue the scriptures geuen by inspiration of God and brought forth and written by the holy Fathers in times past But if you had well marked or considered the same he witnesseth as by a concordable and vniforme testimonye either by record of the same their writynges what the Lord will now accomplish in these last dayes wishing euery one in the same booke to search the Scriptures whether that they also mētion and record not the very same affirmyng also therewith that God is not ne cannot be a God of contentatiō but of peace vnitie And that God moreouer hath stirred him vp to bee a seruiceable instrument or as his elect minister to bryng downe accordyng to his promises written in the Scriptures all controuersies growne among men about their misunderstanding of the scriptures to bryng the same to an end And doth also in the same booke vncouer sundry secret thinges which they that haue seing eyes may by ententiue reading of the same together with the Lordes assistaunce well perceiue and vnderstand that no selfewise or enuious scripture learned could or can euer attaine vnto it agayne What iniurie were it seing that it procedeth by the same spirite to valew it equall with those same sacred scriptures that were tofore written by the holy one of God. Also ye may remember that the fleshly Iewes had also for their aunswere to Christ enuying agaynst him being the truth it selfe the same testimonye that ye alledge to wéete that they had Moses and the Prophets c But who were in the meane time greater persecutours of him then they Rochester WE are sure that the holy Scriptures were wrighten by the spirite of Loue and truth the holy ghost And conteine all true and necessary and sufficient doctrine for our saluation let vs not hould vpon men proue all thinges hould that which is good beleue not euery spirite but proue the spirites Family of Loue. I Graunt that right discerning is good and commeth from the Lord and through him from them whome he and not themselues placeth and by them that are set in the right place of iudgement by the Lord himselfe and not by those that sitt on their owne stoole for it is to be doubted that so many as take vpon them that office of iudgemēt or medling with gods matters or euer Christ be come vnto them or haue a liuing shape in them that they all will
comme to short in their reconing c. I may not deny but that there is conteined in the scriptures geuen by inspiration of God being rightly vnderstanded followed and obeyed necessary and sufficient doctrine of saluation but for want of these thrée principall pointes many haue small profite truely I could also with all my hart wishe that man with man committed not filthines nor depended one vpon an other but to stay them onely on the Lordes truth and not on flesh and bloud so were then all controuersies at an end It were well also to proue all thinges but not as semeth me by the crooked rule of mans owne iudgement or fleshly minde and concerning nor by his imagination without the light of Gods truth or spirite of righteousnes and loue taken on in constructing and wresling of the right sence and minde of the scriptures which being seperated from the light of lyfe as he in the same worke alleadgeth is a closed booke or a darke word without light and the seruice administred thereout as a dead bodye without a soule or as a dead wife deceased from her husband which could bring fourth no children of lyfe For what can the naturall man iudge that is altogether ignoraunt of the thinges of God or yet open the holy thinges without the key of Dauid or behould the Paradice of God when as men can not frely enter the Seraphin with his fiery sword not being taken away or yet iudge of an other which hath ouercome and attained to haue a new name written in the white stone that lyeth himselfe yet in the meane time altogether be wrapped and buried vnder the bondage and subiectioÌ„ of the earthly being and vngodlynes c. Consider therefore euery thing in his right degrée if you be endewed with ghoastly vnderstanding and possessed with the right spirite of iudgemeÌ„t and then out of your spiritualnes iudge all thinges according to the ballance of equitye and trying squaire or measure line of righteousnes in the lyfe and truth Trie also the spirits by the same rule and be not vnbeleuing towardes the right spirit but follow and embrace that which is good For if you can shew vs any passinger God of Israel or any better lawe rites and ordinaunce then is his lawes rites and ordinaunces or anye perfecter life then the loue whereon Christe with his holy ones haue heretofore testified Whereto also the Author presently as a concordable witnes with the same doth only point and direct vs or that there be any better thing then the eternall lyfe and the loue it selfe So let not theÌ„ that same most best be withheld from vs whilest that we onely enforce vs thereunto that we might serue eueÌ„ so the onely liuing God in vniformenes of hart and vnpartialitye of minde together with an vpright righteousnes and holynes Take this briefe freindly well meaning aunswere to your exceptions in good part and way it not as a matter done to defend the worke by the way of contending but rather as one out of goodwill doe but geue you occasion thereby to weigh more distinctly and reasonably of that which commeth so lyuely freindly to your hands out of grace to your profit and welfare Therefore saue labour for making any further reply hereunto least you doe but lose your trauaile herein for Christ with his holy ones will not now in this same day of the Loue lyke as doe the princes of the earth whose kingdome is of this world set vp and maintayne his kingdome with contention and discorde but with peaceablenes louing kindnes and long suffering But if one listed to sée wrestlers bestirre them in their play then for to graunt them leuill ground he might not well denay And yf one should trauers the right of his case then must the Iudge sit vnparciall in iudgement place so shall then all matters in equalitye out fall but otherwise be peruerted and oppresse right we shall Vale ê™ F. L. ⧠Errours and absurde asseuerations out of HN. his Euangelie gathered by William Wilkinson HN Sayth the day of Loue by him preached is the appearyng of our Lord Iesus Christ in the Resurrection Esay 26. c. 1. Cor. 15. f. of the dead wherein the law and the Prophetes and all that is written of Christ becommeth fulfilled Luke 24. e. HN. sayth he is the Aungell of the Lord or messenger before him for to prepare his way Math. 3. a. Math. 11. b. and to publish an euerlastyng Euangelie Math. 24. Apoc 14. a vnto all generations languages and peoples accordyng to the promises All the testimonies of HN. set foorth in the Glasse of righteousnesse are the Gospell HN. sayth the Familie is the rest of God prepared froÌ„ the begynnyng for the people of God and for all repentaunt persons and is appeared in the last tyme accordyng to the promises HN. permitteth to euery nation what Religion they will so they hold with his heresie of the Loue. HN. receiued this message of his Euangelie from the mouth of God him selfe HN. maketh the day of the publishyng his Euangelie to be the last commyng of Christ in iudgement with thousaÌ„ds of Saints For proofe he citeth Esay 3. b. Math. 24. d. and 25. d. Iude. 1. b. HN. buildeth vpon miracles without Scriptures HN. sayth he will declare the secret misteries of God and make relation of thynges hidden before the world HN. sayth the former kyngdome wherein man was set that is Adam before his fall is brought agayne in the lowlynes of the vpright beyng HN. sayth of the Preachers that they vaunt and geue foorth themselues for Christians and as illuminated men that are Maisters of the Scripture beyng craftie subtill peruerse of hart darcke in their vnderstandyng of a peruerse nature HN. sayth that no man how wise and vnderstandyng soeuer he be in the knowledge of the Scripture can by any meanes vnderstand or comprehend the wisedome of God but they onely that be of his Familie Therefore hope we sayth HN. with much ioy ouer the dead whiche dye in the Lord or are dead in him to wéete that they in their Resurrection from death shall liuyngly come vnto or méete with vs For all the dead of the Lord or the members of Christ shall now liue and arise with their bodyes and we shall assemble with them and they with vs. This day of the Loue is the last commyng of Christ Abell was slayne through the wicked nature of sinne through the handes of his brother Cain HN. depraueth the whole Historie of Abraham from Gene. 16. vnto the 27. Chapter by turnyng it into an Allegorie The greatest must serue the lesse that is sayth HN. the great righteousnesse of the law with the great knowledge or prudence of the fleshe or of the earthly beyng which is borne out of the letter shall serue the litle mynded simplicitie of Christ HN. peruerteth the fourth Commaundement HN. sayth
the Ceremoniall law is néedefull to be obserued HN. termeth our Baptisme an handfull of water Who soeuer is not Baptised accordyng to the forme or maner of Iohn that is with the water of repentaunce confessing their sinne he is no Christian No man sayth HN. can Minister the vpright seruice or Ceremonies of Christ truly but the regenerate HN. denyeth the outward admission of Ministers The Familie shal be in all perfection euerlastyngly vpō earth to the end that Gods will might be done in earth as it is in heauen HN. beasteth perfection in this lyfe and in many places HN. sayth that this testimony and publishyng of the ioyfull message videl his Gospell is the kyngdome of perfection and that all the seruices and prophecies which are gone out from God doe lead hereunto and rest and cease herein HN. his sayth Familie must not conceale or dissemble their Religiō but they must hold it out before euery one whō the Lord stirreth vp in their wayes In HN. his Familie is the true most holy of the euerlastyng beyng of God from whence the vpright seruice of the Familie is ministred whereunto all seruices and prophecies which are gone out from God and his truth do lead as to the right and very true perfection that God might euer be declared vpon earth HN. sayth of all preachers without his Fam. that they are vnilluminated vnregenerated vnrenewed vngodded vnsent good thinkyng which out of their literall knowledge come into the shéepefold of the beleuers besides the Church of Christ Which Christ calleth théeues wolues murtherers false hartes and Scripture learned HN. alloweth confession of sinnes in his Familie and forgeuenesse of the same and clensing whiche he calleth Purgatorie HN. sayth that the Romishe Church hath obediently grounded it selfe on the seruices and ceremonies which are the prefiguration of true Christianitie and her seruices and with diligence and feruēcie obserued the same to a good discipline or ordinaunce of the congregations HN. sayth that the annoyntyng with oyle which the Papistes vse is a Sacrament of the holy Churche of Christ and signifieth vnto vs the annoyntyng of Priests and Elders with the holy Ghost HN. alloweth of the Pope because sayth he through his seruice of the holy word the true clearenes of Christ was spread abroad in all landes HN. of the Popish Hierarchie namely Cardinals Bishops Parish priestes signifiyng the Leuiticall Priestes Deacons or helpers of the Parish Priestes Sextons or kéepers of holy thynges Monkes whiche signifie such as dwell alone and are through the loue of righteousnes sanctified and therfore seperated from the world and all that is fleshly for to liue euen so as sanctified ones of God. All the aforesayd sayth HN. hath bene vsed in tymes past in his true beyng whē the light of lyfe had his clearenes but now is become darkned HN. condenmeth as many out of their knowledge whiche they take out of the Scriptures brought in certaine seruices and ceremonies in any other wise and order then the Churche of Rome appoynted as vnorderly reiectyng and blasphemyng the Catholique Church of Rome and rentyng the consent and nurturable sustentation of the same It is mere lyes and vntruth which the Scripture learned through the knowledge whiche they get out of the Scripture institute preach and teach HN. sayth God raysed him vp which lay altogether dead without breath and lyfe from the death annoynted him with his godly beyng named him selfe with him and Godded him with him selfe All the Scripture speakyng of Christ of his séede of his commyng in his glory is in this day of the Loue fulfilled HN. sayth that the prophecies 1. Edras 4. d. Esay 3. e. and 11. b. Ezech. 39. c. Soph. 3. b. Zach. 2. b. are in this day of Loue fulfilled Moreouer the raysing vp and Resurrection from the dead commeth to passe also in this same day through the appearyng of the commyng of Christ in his maiestie acaccordyng to his saying Iohn 6. e. I will rayse him vp agayne in the last day In this day are all prophecies fulfilled The seruice of Loue is the perfection it selfe All sayth HN. shall perishe without the Familie of Loue. ¶ Hereticall affirmations and vngodly expositions of Scriptures by HN. out of the documentall sentences EVen thus haue the seruices of the testimonyes of the holy spirite of Loue their ministrations among the perfect ones and do remoue the midle wall which is betwixt the perfect and vnperfect ones To make euen so of twayne that it be one namely God and the man in one true being of Iesus Christ cap. 1. sent 4. Nothing can come from the true perfection but all humble and méeke vertues and righteousnes which flow out of perfection cap. 1. sent 7. He alledgeth that there is a perfection in his lyfe to proue it he quoteth 1. Cor. 13. b. cap. 1. sent 9.10.2 Pet. 1. d. The perfect can bring forth nothing but all good and loue quoted as a profe Iohn 13 14.16 he leadeth thē into all truth Cap. 2. sent 1. ¶ Christ is taken on  1. With an imagination of knowledge Cap. 2. sent 1. Videl 2. Good thincking of the hart  3. Or out of the text of the letter No man can teach the word of doctrine of Christ but such as haue bene disciples obedient of the loue cap. 2. senten 1. Vnilluminated Scripture learned and vnsent preachers cap. 2. sent 2. The word that is ministred speakeable or in letters out of the Loue and out of the true lyfe is also Christ after the fleash cap. 2. sent 4. For euen so among the beleuers of the word the word became flesh and dwelt among them and Iesus was in such sort borne of the virgin Mary out of the séede of Dauid after the flesh that is of pure doctrine out of the séede of the Loue and whosoeuer feadeth of the ouerflowne word and his lyfe beleuingly in his soule he eateth truely the flesh of Christ and drinketh his bloud and is raysed vp by Christ in the last day to eternall lyfe and becommeth euen so in his new birth Consubstanciated with Christ after the spirit cap. 2. sent 5. As also for that the seruauntship of the Law should be noe Gal. 3. c. heire with the beleuer cap. 3. sent 10. That same was the complaint of Abraham which he or euer he had a sonne or an heire complayned before the Lord that he had obteined no. Gen. 15. a. séede out of the beliefe And supposed euen so that his seruaunt that is his seruauntship out of the law should be his heire but the sonne wich shall be borne out of the spirite that is out of the fayth of Abraham cap. 3. sent 11. As long as the young ones are childish and not yet growne vp vnto the Elderdome of the perfect being they are yet vnder the ordinance of the
Church for his mother The Church is Noahs Arke out of the which he that is must néedes be drowned Christianus non est qui in Christi ecclesia non est sayth Cyprian He is not a Christiā which is not of the Church of Christ They be Antichristes which goe out of the Church and deale agaynst the Church The which Church of Christ if your Family be Shew me out of the scriptures these markes wherby the Church ought to be knowen this if you can truely doe I confesse that you haue the Church if ye cannot beware least the further ye wander from the shepfold the further ye goe astray from Christ and encrease you owne damnation Therefore loke well to your standing The doctrine is very true yet the place quoted by HN Fol 16. sent 38. out of S. Iude to proue it is very impertinent hauing no such proofe in it as he alledgeth it for For how hangeth this reason together God hath reserued vnto the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their owne habitation euerlasting chaines vnder darknes vnto the iudgement of the great day which S. Peter calleth their damnation Therefore he that turneth away from the comminalty of Loue which as you tearme is the Church of God bringeth euen so ouer himselfe the iudgement of his condemnation But it were hartely to be wished that his fault in abusing Scripture were the least which in the eyes of God is damnable so should not his cancred and poysoned Heresies besides his owne guilt draw with them likewise the soules of those that stumble vpon him And thus much for HN his text Now to Theophilus exposition Theophilus YOu say that this clause It is the hill of the Lord is spoken of the loue it selfe and not of the familie W. Wilkinson THen belike you would haue me take your meanyng to be this The loue the is God ye say for so in the next clause ye expound it is the hill of the Lord whereon his Church is builded What a perplexitie of speach is this the ye can not vtter your mynde so the I may vnderstand ye If you meane the God is onely the foūdation of his Church I graunt yet hath not your Paraphrasis vpon HN. his wordes as yet forced thus much Ergo God is the foundation of your Loue Familie Ye take in hād to explicate HN. his meanyng but the old Prouerbe will still belike be true An euill expositor marreth the text For herein you do but rayse dust with your shufflyng tell vs there is a marke if we could sée it when ye haue dimmed it with a darke exposition so that it can not be sene For in my simple iudgement you leaue the wordes very doubtfull For whereas you make a circumloqution and say it may not bee denied for as much as God is loue and the other must consequently or necessarily follow I vnderstand HN. very well when he sayth God is loue it is very true and therefore I take it that in diuers places he vseth this diffuse terme the loue for the Lord our God as a worde that is equiualente of signification But whereas you say the other must consequently or necessarily follow I vnderstand not yet what you meane for it is as though ye bad me looke stedfastly and yet shut myne eyes For what is the other which you adde Is the sence this the Familie of Loue by you pretended is Gods Church that God is the grounde of that your Familie Geue me leaue to vse your own wordes neither is the consequent good nor doth it follow of necessitie for which you induce it For to let passe your learned and weightie Parenthesis for how is an house to be builded on an house with a sad interrogatorie ministred in the same what a necessarie consequēt is this God is the hill of the Lord or this God is the foundation of his Church Ergo your pretended Familie is the Church of god How this consequent doth halte in his followyng he that knoweth what a consequent meaneth can easely consider But it séemeth that you are no great gatherer of necessary consequentes albeit ye iumbling stumbled on these wordes To follow consequently or necessarily vnwares But if hereafter vppon a further deliberation by you had you shall enforce your consequent more necessarily I shall hit on your meanyng the better so shape you a fitter aunswere And thus much of the first Article An addition to the first Article out of HN. THe Familie and cōmunaltie of the same house vid. of the loue is Gods chosen people of Israell and he him selfe with them is Ierem. 24. a. 31. d. Ezech. 27. c. Apoc. 21. a. their God and will likewise bide their God from generation to generation euerlastingly And if they chaunce to transgresse in any thing God will then 1. Chron. 3. chastē teach and informe them but he will no more withdraw his grace and mercy frō them Psal. 89. c.d. For God hath chosen none other house nor Ierem. 7. b. Temple but 1. Cor. 3. b. c. 2. Cor. 6. b. c. the godly childrē or Communialtie of loue For the F. of L. is the mercy seate of the loue that is of the Lord the schole of grace Exhor Cap. 12.44 Heb. 5. a. The rest prepared from the beginnyng for the people of God and all repentaunt persons It is the Sion and Ierusalem from whence the law was prophesied Esay 2. Mich. 4. to come The Familie of Loue is the true tabernacle of God which shall in all perfection be euerlastingly vpon earth For so it hath pleased God to the end that his will and iudgemēt of his righteousnes may be done vpō earth as it is in heauen Math. 6. Luke 11. All prophesies ministratiōs which are gone from God doe tend or lead to the Familie of Loue as to an euerlasting very true perfect good most holy seruice of the loue that is the Lord which shall remaine in the same clearenes in his ministery euerlastingly to the end that the same most holy Prophet good frō henceforth might perpetually be declared vpon earth W. Wilkinson THese haue I good Reader put downe as a tast that thou mightest bee somewhat acquainted with their horrible blasphemies and thereby thou knowyng them mightest more carefully eschew and auoide them ARTICLE 2. HN. No truth HN sayth that he can not perceiue nor find the true belief in Iesus Christ amongest any people vpon earth that walke without the Communialtie of loue and liue vnto them selues and that same is appeared and manifested vnto the holy ones of God in the Communialtie 1. Iohn 1.3 a. of the loue through the appearyng Mat. 25.3 d. Act. 1.11 d. of the comming of Iesus Christ out of the most high heauen So can not likewise the same most holy belief become rightly witnessed or confessed by any other people nation or communialities but onely by the 1. Cor. 12. a.
b. Ephes 4. b. communialitie of the holy ones in the loue or by such as walke and liue 1. Pet. 1. b. 1. Iohn 3. b. 4. b. obediently vnder the gracious word and his seruice of loue W. Wilkinson HN. sayth he can not perceiue or finde the true belief c. to this I aunswere that it is Gods iust though secret iudgement that when men aske amisse they do not obtaine when they knocke at the wrong doore they are not let in and beyng on sléepe when the bridgrome commeth and wāt light in their lampes they enter not in with him into the Mariage That HN. hath not founde nor perceiued the truth the reason is he wil not learne Pro. 8.8.9 he stoppeth his eares charme the charmer neuer so wisely Psal. 58.4.5 The Lord will guide thē that be méeke in his way Psal. 25.9 but knowledge entereth not into a froward soule and a foole that séeketh wisedome findeth her not for the Lord withstandeth the proud geueth grace vnto the humble 1. Pet. 5.5 The Israelites sought God as a people desirous to know his wayes but because the feare of him was learned by mēs preceptes Esay 29.13 they were selfe conceited wise Esay 5.21 Therfore did they heare and not vnderstād sée and not perceiue their hart was fat their eares were heauy and their eyes were shut Esay 6.9.10 Where note curteous Reader that this holy Prophet for so wil the Ioigner néedes haue vs for to take him HN. and our Papistes vse the selfe same weapō and by the same knife séeke to cut the throate of gods Church which they hādle after this sort Your Church ye Protestates was not alwayes visible neither did it alwayes appeare vnto the world Therefore it is not the true Church What a faint Consequent and weake reason this is especially with our Papistes which can not abide an Argument drawen from the Negatiue by this which followeth beyng the like may easely be proued I sée no sunne sayth the blind man neither heare I any swéetnes of song or pleasaūt Musicke sayth the deafe man Therfore there is no sunne sayth the one nor song quoth the other HN. the sonne of perdition and the Romish broode of old Hipocrites can not see the truth or will not therefore there is no truth at all The communialitie of the holy ones in the loue for so vnlesse ye terme them they will bee angry out of measure créepe in corners as owles doe at noone euen as did the Anabaptistes in the first spryng tyme of their heresie therefore there is now no Familie of Loue neither were there any Anabaptistes any where in tymes past this Argument as it is euidēt in the one so will it not be denied by the other Albeit in déede it be a féeble kinde of disputyng farre swaruyng from all rule of reason For the seyng or not seyng of mortall man doth not approue or disproue the truth of the immortall god Pharao kyng of Egypt saw Moses and Aaron and confessed the miracles by thē wrought to be true miracles yet saw he not a reason to perswade him to let Israell goe Iohn Baptist did as it were point out Christ with his finger saying Behold the lambe of God. The Iewes cōfessed that Christ had done all thinges well The Pharisies saw their thoughtes disclosed yet reasoned they thus The Scribes and Pharisies and rulers beleue not on him but onely the rude and accursed multitude Therfore is he not the Messias And if I should vse the like forme of Argumēt as this is trow ye the Familie would thinke the consequent necessary Before the dayes of Queene Mary or An. 1555. at the furthest this Louely Familie was neuer sene nor heard of onely the hatchers of this Familie the Libertines the Arriās the Anabaptistes the Free will men and Catharistes were than extant but as yet this broode of Locustes had not broken out of the bottomlesse pitte neither had it the name of Loue which it now hath Therfore the Familie of Loue neither is the Church of God neither is the holy truth of God in that their conuenticle but vnto them and their Patriarch HN. I leaue such kind of reasonyng most hūbly beséechyng God to giue them eyes to sée tongues to confesse the truth to Gods glory and the safegarde of their soules in the appearaunce of his Christ After HN. had told his Disciples where he could not finde the truth now he telleth them where he foūd it vz. HN. THe same is appeared and manifested vnto the holy ones of God in the Communialtie of Loue. W. Wilkinson SO that then belike vnlesse it be graunted him that he founde it there all his labour is lost Secondly it was not founde out there before he founde it and to that purpose it is whiche in his new Euangely he sayth He will declare the secrete misteries of God and make relation of thynges hidden from the world vntill his new day c. And he is annointed with the holy Ghost Godded with God in the spirite of his loue made heyre with Christ in the heauenly goodes of the riches of God elected to be a minister of the gracious worde which is now in the last tyme raysed vp by God accordyng to the promise Ierem. 33. Which is ment of Christ wherein HN. blasphemeth What if for all these his great boastyng crakes his swellyng wordes of vanitie turne to smoke out of the fornace and dust before the winde what then if for all his outfacyng of the simplicitie of the Gospell and shouldring out the sonne of God the Lord lay opē his folly to the world and his shame vnto the sonnes of men And if he founde no truth or if it be truth yet not of his findyng Was there no truth before he told it Was there no Gospell before his heape of confusion and huge lompe of shapeles and vnshamefast heresies If there was as most vndoubtedly there was a light before darkenes and an Arke of God before Dagon the Philistian Idoll why boasted he then thus presumptuously that the truth was of his findyng onely Neither is it yet agréed among his new peruertes concerning the age of this new founde heresie For some of his Sectaries beyng demaunded where his Church was from the Apostles tyme vntill the appearaunce of HN. this new found Prophet of theirs he aunswered not onely obscurely to the question but also fondely to the purpose and vnfittely to satisfie a waueryng conscience It was in the land of the liuyng among the holy ones But thus doth the Lord suffer their eyes to dazell who are quicke sighted to séeke out Phantasies to féede the it itchyng eares of them whō no doctrine can content HN. alledgeth 1. Iohn 1. a for proofe The wordes be these That whiche we haue sene and heard declare we vnto you that ye may also haue fellowshyp with vs and that our fellowship
that be of the Familie who soeuer is without the Familie is inueigled with wiles subtletie and falsechode For no man rightly accordyng to truth of the Scriptures nor accordyng to the spirituall vnderstandyng of the godly wisdome can deale in or vse the true Gods seruice nor the seruices of the holy worde but onely the Illuminate Elders in the godly wisedome whiche walke in the house of loue The wise men of the world and the Scripture learned haue not knowen the veritie of the heauenly truth nor yet obteined or gotten the clearenes with Christ. It is mere lyes and vntruth what the Scripture learned through the knowledge they got out of the Scriptures institute or teach c. They preach in deede the letter and Imagination of their knowledge but not the word of the liuyng God. Therefore sayth he they are mē whose knowledge doth imagine much in them ARTICLE 3. of HN. No Baptisme WIthout the Familye of Loue sayth HN there is no true Christian Baptisme This same is the schole of grace to an euerlasting remission of sinnes ouer all such as cleaue there vnder There is no true Christianitye but the Comminalty of the holy ones in the loue of Christ Iesus Ion. 17. c. Ephe. 4. a. h. All other that haue not the Christian doctrine of the seruice of the loue forgoing their Baptisme It is not meete and conuenient that men should count such vnbeleuers and vnbaptised ones for Christians neither yet also for men at whose handes one should any way suppose or trust to finde any word of Ioh. 1. a. 3. a. gods truth or yet any workes Mar. 1. a. righteousnesse or Gods seruice that God regardeth or accepteth They are without Christes body Theophilus COnsider better of the text Rather vnder the obedience of the father and his loue vnder the obedience of Christ and his beliefe and the obedience of the holy ghost and his renewing of the lyfe and minde c. to be baptised in the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghost c. William Wilkinson WHat account HN. maketh of our Church and the truth therein taught is already declared Now followeth it to be vnderstode what his opinion is of our Sacramentes And first to speake of baptisme For of the holy Sacrament of the supper of our Lord he hath written very litle what he attributeth to our Church therein is playne that vnlesse we haue our foregoing in the doctrine of the loue we are not to be counted of him and his Fam to be baptised ones To the which I will aunswere briefly if first he shall satisfy me in this demaund Whether when there was no Family of Loue there were no vpright baptisme in England If he say there was a lawfull baptisme than is there an vpright baptisme without the foregoing of his louely doctrine and without his Family a true Christian baptisme If he say there was none than doe I aunswere that these Famelers in England are not rightly baptised speake the truth worke righteousnes or an acceptable worke in the sight of god To the which if the Familye shall further aunswere though then they were not yet since they haue bin rightly baptised This it may be Vitels the Ioyner will aunswere to approue his hereticall behauiour at Cholchester ad to this I am to reply that if the Fam. acknowledge a rebaptization then are they hypocrites all the sort of them For they in their last cōfession being a rehearsall of their doctrine beliefe and religion affirme that they doe deale simply and playnely c We haue say they nor vse any other Ceremonyes lawes statutes nor Sacramentes of Baptisme and supper of the Lord then such as are ministred in the Church of England But I say that the Church of England vseth not rebaptization Therefore if they be rebaptised they be double faced dissemblers Furthermore if they shall affirme that they vse not other Sacramentes c. than is vsed in the Church of England that is in their Fam. in the Church of England because it was sayd in the first Article that we haue no Church without their Family I aunswere They pretend in their confession they deale faythfully with all men If this be their fayth what I pray you is their falshode Furthermore I let passe to repeate much lesse to confute that fond opinion of those vaine heads which thought the partyes baptised of heretiques ought to be rebaptised agayne Of this opinion the Fam. of Loue semeth to lyke very well for because they affirme before that without this Fam. there is no Christian baptisme And thus much for this Article is sufficient As for you frend Theophilus ye huddle vp so that no man can vnderstand you when you shall learne to speake out of the mouth and leaue to fumble with your c. I will tell you my minde more art large An addition of the 3. Article of HN. HN. Reproueth our doctrine with this terme and handful of water an Elementish water Whosoeuer is not baptized according to the forme and manner of Iohn who baptized the people confessing their sinnes flowing with the water of repentaunce into their hartes he is not rightly baptized neyther may he boast els that he is a Christian ARTICLE 4. HN. No forgeuenes of sinnes WIthout he Familye fayth HN. there is no forgeuenes of sinnes for this is the true Christianitye the Familye of Loue wherein God himselfe 2. Cor. 6. b. Apoc. 21. a. dwelleth liueth and walketh Theophilus FOr so it is agreable with the Scripture William Wilkinson THe truth of this exposition I must gladly graunt and willingly confesse vz. No pardon of sinnes without the Church of Christ For truely it is sayd No man must seuer or put in sunder that which God hath lincked together and so in our Créede the Communion of Saintes and forgeuenesse of sinnes are ioyned together And S. Paule sayth that Christ gaue him selfe for the Churches to satisfy it and clense it by the washyng of the water through the woorde that hee might make it a glorious Church spotlesse and without wrinckle c. And I know very well that we are naked in our selues and poore but in Christ and his Churche so many as are members of that head are clothed richly with the manifold graces of God and continaully enriched And to this purpose fitly sayth the spirite of god by Esay the Prophet God is in the Churche and the 21. of the Apocal. 3. a. is fitly alledged and the truest hetherto that HN. hath cied As for his place out of the Corinth there is no such thyng nor any steppe of such a sence as he séemeth to alledge it for All the Article if it should be geuen yet shall you not thereby proue that without your particuler conuēticles and Schismaticall assembles is no remission of sinnes For the promise of the keyes and the remission is geuen to the Church which
is Christes spouse not to an harlot and shameles strumpet Ierusalem aboue is frée and is the mother of vs all but your Agar is in bōdage and is cast forth with her children The Lord geue you grace to consider in what case you are There is no fauour of God to them that forsake his truth and cleaue vnto errour Most of your illuminates haue ben professors though now most deriders of the ghospell and skoffers of Religion making a profession of religion but inwardly hauing denied the power thereof The further you walke in darcknes the greater is your daunger An addition to the 4. Article THe same doctrine is in diuers other places affirmed that there is no pardon c. 1. Exhort cap. 11. sent 10. cap. 15. sent 29. c. cap. 18. sent 7. Euang. cap. 41. sent 7. ARTICLE 5. HN. No Ministery WE must haue respect vnto the seruice ministred in the Familie by the Elders thereof For God hath chosen vnto him selfe the Familie of loue and this seruice of the holy and gracious word for their ministration is the safe making ministration Neither is there any minister of the worde rightly called but by their Familie Theophilus BEcause their exercise is obedience and loue accordyng to the requiryng of his word William Wilkinson TRue it is that Gods ministery is an holy and sacred thing in thought not to be violated in word and déede greatly to be had in reuerence For they which are Gods messengers doe bryng the glad tidynges of deliueraunce from sinne and Sathā vnto the people of God. They are Gods watchmen and do warne vs of the commyng of the enemy which like a roaryng Lion goeth about séekyng how hee may deuoure vs. And because their mouthes should kéepe knowledge of them must wee aske for the vnderstandyng of the word and enquire after the will of our God yet doth not all this proue that that ministration which is by you of that faythlesse Familie forged is the true and holy ministration For sometyme as now in your Familie it cōmeth to passe that false Prophetes will say thus sayth the Lord and yet the Lord hath not spoken They will presume to preach without a vision and prophesie without a burthen runne when God biddeth them not go take the testimonies of the holy ones in their mouthes when yet the Lord sendeth them not Heretiques will with a face of the Churche séeke to out-face both the children of God and the truth also Thus then not euery one that pretendeth is called in déede for some come not in at the doore but clyme in at the windowes and as many as come before Christ and set downe a contrary requiryng as ye do he is a Wolfe séeketh but to rauin Not euery one that crieth Christ Regeneration the spirite a perfect and true incorporatyng into the vpright beyng a consubstantiation and counityng with God is a true teacher and faythfull Christian Nor euery that taketh vpon him to expounde knoweth the meanyng of the word For many of you when as ye would be Doctours of the word had néede to be instructed in the very principles of fayth and first grounde of Religion So the true Ministers haue both a publicke and externall callyng by man as also a priuate and internall callyng by God which who so hath not he is an hereticall intruder and no propheticall Minister of God nor Preacher of the most holy one The whiche internall and externall callyng to the Lordes haruest to be a true labourer if any man shall pollute with his lewde life and light conuersation he is at the Lordes hand to be beaten with stripes without number Yet if any man shall say well and doe euill whiche God forefend with man it may discredit him that doth speake well and yet do amisse with God euill déedes doe not disanull the truth of doctrine as good déedes proue not euill doctrine to be true A ring of gold in a swines snowt ceaseth not to be a ryng of gold though a swine weare it pearles are pearles before dogges or swine The broad seale of England is highly to be honored for the Maiestie of the Prince therein appeareth though some tyme the partie that may cary it may bee a lewde person and a Godles Atheiste The word and Sacramentes ministred by wicked men cease not by their administration to haue their force For the wickednes of man can not ouerthrow the institution of god Where I in good conscience testifie that I speake not to defend corrupt life in any man but to vphold the truth of good liquor in an vnsauery vessell and gods good worde and sacramentes in a minister of an euill lyfe and conuersation For that Iudas and Iames in their ministery gaue the same word and wrought to the same wonders yet the one a reprobate the other an holy one and a perfect Saint of God. So then this reason that in corners your froward Familye vseth to whisper agaynst euill men though Gods Ministers is Anabaptisticall Your Ministers liue not as they teach Therefore their doctrine is not true In Scripture I know this reason is often vsed Your lyfe is not according to the law your profession Therefore you are hypocrites and dissemble with me sayth God. The former fond argument I neuer hard of any man that is sound for iudgement and sincere for godlynes The same reason is by your Familye and by your good minded brethren the Papistes alledged agaynst the truth now preached after this sort We worke better then you therefore our religion is truer they yours The first exposition if you know what proposition meaneth I deny and also the argument More than we they marke I graunt so had they néede that will haue heauen by desert or els will-naue none of it but better they doe not Quod non est ex fide peccatum est What is not of fayth c. The Pharisie gaue more almes tithes c. than the Publican yet was the Publican more iust by much then the Pharisie Not to worke but to worke well in Gods sight is commendable Non tam quid quam quomodo operamur inquiret dominus Not so much what as with what fayth we worke that will God demaund Thus haue I obiter and by the way touched your Families Papisticall Anabaptisticall argument whereof the one will be saued by the fulfilling of the lawe the other will haue markes concurre with fayth in the matter of Iustification cleane contrary to S. Augustine who sayth Opera sequuntur iustificatum non praecedunt iustificandum The workes we doe follow as fruites and goe not before as the efficient cause of our iustification And thus much of the worthines of the Ministery and ministers thereof Whome I counsell you to reuerence in better sort both in worde and writing than ye haue done For you know what Christ sayth he that despiseth you despiseth me c. and
Ioh. 12. e. 35. HN. his other places Iohn 8. b. 12. I am the light of the world And Ephes 5. c. 14. Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from death and Christ shall giue the light The first proueth that without Christ is nothyng but darknes and condemnation and out of the body of Christ which is his Churche is no health nor comfort of body or soule which when ye can shew me by the Scriptures truly alledged that ye are I will acknowledge my selfe to be in an errour vntill ye can so do say not euery one that sayth the lord c. Heretiques in crying the Churche haue alwayes sought to bryng in a schisme to disturbe and disquiet the state of the Church HN. ANd euen so out of this high Maiestie of God doth this true light shew forth his seruice through the illuminated or Godded man with whom the most hyest through the selfe same light and his seruice is also manned witnessing and declaryng how that the true light consisteth not in the knowledge of this or that but in an vpright and true beyng of God and his eternall life Iohn 17. c. Theophilus exposition THat is through the new creature which is incorporated into God by the power of his word W. Wilkinson IT is not in this place certaine to bee gathered by any apparaunt circumstaunce wherfore or to what end all these authorities are wrong in by HN. for if he meane that no man ought to minister without a callyng as it seemeth hee would fayne meane if hee could vtter it the proposition I confesse is true and I aske him what outward callyng he had and by whom he was called or who admitted him vnto that Propheticall function whiche so often he boasteth of yet are these places by him very vnskilfully cited and vnaptly to the purpose the whiche he doth alledge them so that herein I blame his euill choyse for hee might better for profe haue quoted Iohn 1.25 Num. 17.9 2. Sam. 6.7 Heb. 4.5 But if hee brought them for his illuminated or Godded man as it is like that hee did because vnto that place he made his directorie g. I accuse him that he quoteth scripture with an euill conscience For that in none of those places by him cited there is any word of illumination Goddyng or mannyng The places of the Actes he dealeth lyke a théefe that dare not make a playne stepe least he should be taken for he treadeth but ouerly dare not set downe either Verse or Letter to direct the Reader but vsing onely his old ragged and running maner of quotatiōs very impertinently to no purpose doth he abuse the Reader As also in the places of S. Peter and S. Paule he hath by his direction set vs to séeke that which we shall neuer finde Lastly the place out of S. Iohn 17. c.. is idle and emptie hauyng no one sillable tendyng to any such end as he alledged it for As for HN. it is very like that hee thought the world would allow his wordes without proofe and as his Disciples vse to doe hand ouer head he would take whatsoeuer commeth from him without examination which his opinion is grounded of the old doctrine of the Papistes that doctrine of teachers ought not to be further shifted or iudged by the hearer of the which point we shall haue occasion to speake more Article 8. pag. 89. THE 7. ARTJCLE Conteinyng HN. his blasphemy what he boasteth of him selfe and his miraculous and extraordinary callyng HN Sayth that he is moued with the good nature of God and that hee is raysed vppe from the dead to iudge the earth with righteousnesse Theophilus HEre are his wordes wrested and wrongly alledged his meanyng subuerted and misconstrued Read Euang. cap. 3. sent 11. cap. 28. sent 3. and Dictata cap. 5. sent 4. and ye shall see he pointeth on Christ William Wilkinson THis Article as it is one of the most blasphemous and Hereticall of all the rest so in the Exposition and saluyng therof Theophilus doth so freate and vary his old eloquence as vnlesse I were acquainted with his melancholie and whot complexion I should hardly beare such coales as he heapeth vpon me The houndes wherewith he persueth me are two the first is wrestyng the second is wrongfull alledgyng subuertyng and misconstruyng his meanyng to the which vnlesse I withstand with playne dealyng naked truth it séemeth that I shall finde small fauour at his handes And first whereas hee burtheneth me with wrongfull alledging HN. him selfe shall explayne his owne meanyng who will say agaynst him selfe much more then I in the former clause did accuse him of or for these wordes of his He is indued with the good nature of God the wordes be as playne as can be in the place by me alledged which is also more clearely by him aduouched in his wofull Euangely where he hath these woordes HN. out of grace accordyng to the prouidence of God and of his promises Iohn 6. raised vp by the highest God from the dead annointed with the holy Ghost in the Elderdome of the holy vnderstandyng of Christ Iohn 14. Codeified or Godded together with God in the spirite of his Loue made heyre with Christ in the heauenly treasures of the riches of God Illuminated with the heauēly truth the very true light of the perfect beyng in the spirite Apo. 21. Elected to be a minister of the gracious word stirred vp now at this last tyme accordyng to the promise Ieremy 33. Thus you sée he hath word by word vttered that whiche you maliciously affirme that I haue wrongfully alledged what blasphemy these wordes conteine no man can be ignoraūt but he that will not sée cōcerning his wordes I purposely abstaine to cōfute for that they are learnedly by a godly man confuted already Concernyng his meanyng I shall hereafter set down proofe that arrogantly and Luciferlike he taketh vppon him that which is proper to Christ onely where likewise I will touch the places by you cited and proue that HN. pointeth not out Christ as ye affirme After the day of Loue seyng the same is last or newest day wherin the vniuersall Actes 17. d. compasse of the earth shal be come iudged with righteousnes There shall no Apoc. 10. a. day of grace appeare any more vpō the earth but a seuere Heb. 10. c. or sharpe iudgement ouer all vngodly We acknowledge that there is none other light nor life more that is true nor hath bin neither in heauen nor vpon earth but this same light which is now in this last time through the loue of God the father reueiled come vnto vs that same whereon Moses Deut. 18.6 and all the Prophets of God haue witnessed Esay 60. a. Iohn 5. c. and which the holy Apostles of Christ Actes 2.3.4 7.10.13 c. and the Euangelistes haue published These be HN. his owne wordes out of the which because they were to tedious
to repeate I made out of them this Collection HN. sayth he is indued with the good nature of God and that he is raysed vp from the dead to iudge the earth with righteousnes also the day of Loue by him preached is the last day and there shall be no day of grace hereafter Neither was there any trueth before him or besides him or shal be after him To the fourme of wordes he hath framed a wrangle the matter he graunteth belike to be true Thirdly I affirme that HN. sayth he was prophecied of by Moses and all the Prophets and Apostles and the Euangelistes to proue this he alledgeth Deut. 18.6 Esay 60. a. Iohn 5. c. To the which Theophilus replieth thus Theophilus REade the place againe you shall finde he sayth that the light or lyfe is it which is prophecied of and not himselfe and leaue your lying for very shame William Wilkinson TO the which his reprochfull reply and childish cauill I thinke I shall aunswere fully and satisfy sufficiently Yf first I be able to iustifie which gods assistance I hope I shall that HN. presumptiously taketh on him that which is prophecied on and proper vnto Christ Secondly I will cōparing him with Dauie George and their heresies mutually with other proue that it is very like to be true which they deny and Maist Rogers doth charge him with HN. to be Dauie Georges scholler and that in impietye he goeth far beyond him Thirdly by comparing him and his opinions with Gods worde I will shew that he is not the perfect Prophet but the most pestilent Archheretique that euer was and that he was so prophecied of by the Prophets Apostles and Euangelistes In the which place to display all his wrestinges of the scriptures I neither am able they being infinit nor willing because I desire to be briefe onely I will by a few geue a tast what the rest are which I haue not touched HN. HN. Alledgeth ▪ Esay 60. a. to proue the light shewed by him was fore spoken of by Esay W. Wilkinson IT is manifestly ment of Christ his first comming HN. HN. Sayth that all the scriptures heauenly testimonyes and spirituall voyces of the eternall trueth which are gone forth from the holy spirite of Loue that is of God are brought to light through him William Wilkinson THis is blasphemous agaynst the Prophecy of Christ and agaynst the Scriptures Math. 17.5 Marc. 9.28 Iohn 1.18 Col. 23. HN. HN. Sayth yet once more he hath appointed a day in the which he will iudge the earth with righteousnes Act. 17. g. and this in the next sentence 3. he doth apply to his appearaunce in these wordes this day and now is the day fulfilled in the Loue and this once more sayth he is meant of himselfe for profe he quoteth Act. 17. g. 31. verse W. Wilkinson THis is particularly ment of Christes first comming in the flesh prophecied euen in the selfe same wordes Agge 2. cap. 7. verse and in Christ fulfilled Heb. 12. cap. 27. verse HN. HN. Quoteth Esay 2. a. 2. Miche 4. a 1. to be meant of the restoring of the decayed state of Gods Church which is redyfied by him William Wilkinson THis is manifestly meant of Christ HN. HN. Citeth Math. 24. verse 14. Esay 67.22 g. Psal. 95.7.8 Heb. 3.7 and the 4.7.8 Apoc. 14.6 to be spoken of his Euangelye by him published William Wilkinson WHich is vnderstode of the preaching of the gospell by Christ and his Apostles HN. HN. Sayth hee is an elected Minister of the gratious worde stirred vp in the last time according to the promises Ierem. 33. read the whole chap. W. Wilkinson IT is meant of Christ HN. HN. Sayth the testimonye of his Euangelie is not alone the Euang. of the kingdome promised to be published in all the world to all people but also all the testimonies which HN. hath set forth in the glasse of righteousnes William Wilkinson BLasphemous agaynst the gospell and a thing accursed Galla. 1. chap. 8. ver He taketh that vnto him which belongeth vnto Iohn Baptist Mallachi Math. 11.10 HN. HN. Sayth the misterye of the kingdome of God his righteous iudgements Math. 25. d. Actes 16.17 d. Iude. 1. and the comming of Christ now in the last tyme in the resurrection Ezech. 37 6. Iohn 5. c. Rom. 8.6 Phil. 3. b. 11. ver of the dead is declared vnto him as an elected vessel from the mouth of God himselfe God hath be gone a new miraculous worke now in this day of Loue whereof we witnes with vs his elected ones wherin the scripture is fulfilled Esay 43 6. c.a. Esay 57 b. HN. Sayth he will declare the secret misteries of God and make relation of thinges hidden before the beginning of the world Math. 13.11 b. Iohn 6. The day of Loue. Psal. 118. c. is the appearaunce and comming Math. 24. c. 30. ver Luk. 17.20 ver Actes 2. a. of Christ Iesu our Lord in the resurrection Esay 26. c. 1. Cor. 15. f. of the dead wherein the law the Prophetes and all that is written of Christ becommeth fulfilled Luk. 24. e. The day of Loue preached by HN. is the day of the last comming of Christ in iudgement with many thousandes of Saintes Esay 3. b. Math. 4.24 d. 37. 25. d. 31. Iude. 1. b. Whiche places manifestly proue beyng meant of the second comming of Christ that the resurrection of his comming is perfected past already HN. Sayth that this testimonie that is his Euang and publishing of the ioyfull message is the same comming and all seruices and prophecies which are gone out from God doe leade herevnto and cease herein HN. Sayth Behold ye dearely beloued presently euen from the selfe same day becommeth the scripture in all fulfilled of that which it mentioneth of Christ of his seede and of his glory and Lordlynes Therefore all scriptures was vntill now vnperfect and not fulfilled contrary to that which Iohn sayth 19.28 HN. Sayth that all the prophecies Esdr 4. d. Esay 3. c. 11. b. 12. Ezechi 39. d. 21. Zopha 3. b. 9. ver Zach. 2. b. 10. 11 Numb 24. a. 5. 6. are in this day of Loue presently fulfilled all the which places are particularly meant of Christ and applied blasphemously by HN. to him for to proue the day of his comming The Familye compare and make equall HN. his wrightinges with the holy scriptures because say they they are written with the same spirite William Wilkinson THus with as great breuitye as I could I haue set downe a few of his blasphemies for that his vayne and blinde idle and impertinēt alleadging of Scriptures is infinite and without number for almost he neuer citeth any scripture aright for the children of God it shall not be vnprofitable to consider that to leaue the Lordes hye way and the cleare sunne shine of his truth is to entangle our selues with
or nation and religion as Christians in their Mahomet or Turkes in theirs Heathen in theirs c. To whom after HN. hath geuen particuler titles immediatly he in the same section addeth And yet furthermore euery head properly for himselfe hauing then so diuers and many maners of groundes beliefes religions ceremonyes offices and administratiōs as they will wherein they loue Gods truth and their righteousnes Then the which wordes what may be sayd more Sathan like or what euen belched out of the bottomles pit more blasphemous if all the fiendes of hell would conspire together to afford a graceles and godles speach whereby the hartes of them that stagger in the way of the truth if not wholy they might be drawne away to superstition for as for the worde Religion I feare me I haue attributed it to their scisme to often albeit the Familye of Loue in their Confession would faine be counted religious yet might they enioy the heresie of HN. with their opinions and fauour whatsoeuer liketh them best So that certayne it is whereas this his Euangelye and the other of his bokes were nayled vpon euery post in the common shops of stationers in dutch land commōly sould vntill by the restraint of the maiestrate they were bridled and called in they drew some Catholickes also to his faction for whose cause and with whome to créepe into fauour to haue a shealter ready for any storme so notable he commendeth the popish Hierarchie which order of popishe pollicye to let passe that famous infamous booke the Declaration of the Masse I meane after step by step he had extolled it aboue the cloudes from the hyest to the lowest he falleth downe after this sort Section 4. he commendeth the Pope and expoundeth Papa to signifie an olde Father in the holy vnderstanding to whome he coupeleth his Colledge of Cardinals sent 8. thirdly Primates sent 9. Bishops sent 10. Priestes sent 14. who say their seruice in the formest part of the Church that is in the chauncell Parsons Curates Proctours sent 16 Deacons sent 17. Sextons or keepers of holy thinges that the same muy be occupied in due season and times conuenient sent 18. Monkes which for the loue of righteousnes as HN. sayth are consecrated and sequestred from the world from whome well it were if the world were seperated also and from all that is worldly and fleshly set 19. and lastly the commen people sent 21. To the which for a conclusion he addeth Behold all this hath bin euen so in tymes past in his very true being when as yet the light of lyfe had the clearenes and the beliefe her seruice in the holynes of God the renewed or Goddead men vpon the earth all which shall now in the sam day lykewise of the Loue through the comming of Christ in the light of lyfe and his holy spirite be reduced or restored to his vpright fourme in the very true being according to the Christian lyke ordinaunces and florish in vigor or become forcible according to the promises The which as I quake to wright so to marke the ripenes of sinne that HN. is come vnto must it needes enforce the godly Christian and tender childe of God to melt at the horrible outrage therein conteined To the which if the goodwilling in England which are named the Familye of Loue shall reply and alledge for I hope they are not so far gone to defend this so great blasphmie agaynst the kingdome of the sonne of God and his gloryous gospell that they will not defend neither lyke in all thinges of his opinions to this I aunswere as M. Bullenger doth vnto the lyke obiection Sometyme they are of this iudgement sometymes of that neither doe they all agree among themselues in the certaintye of their errour for as truth onely is lyke it selfe error must nedes iar and disagre But herein it had ben somewhat more tollerable for our Fam. if they had not set downe this in wrighting that herein they might shew themselues to be perfect schollers of a peruerse maister But he that neuer kepeth touch with his seruauntes hath here betrayed them by their owne wordes to the world ere they were aware For in their first Epistle which they make as an aunswere to M. Rogers boke fol. 71. pag. v. lin 30. they vtter these wordes You forget say they to M. Rogers many protestantes in Rome Spayne Italy and many other places vnder the Byshop of Romes inquisition which hould it good pollicie to defend thēselues their cōsciences from such tyranny Will not you allow to others which you gladly chalenge to your selfe c. Whereby it is clearely proued and manifestly affirmed that HN. and his scholers termed the Fam. of Loue in England draw all in one line and hould the same opinions with Dauid George that he doth whom because they affirme by the testimonye of learned writers to be an Anabaptist néedes must it necessarye by the same consequence be vrged that they are Anabaptistes by their owne confession and labour to bring Anabaptistrie into the church from the which and other heresies sectes and scismes the Lord deliuer both vs and all his chosen dispersed wheresoeuer Amen It remaineth that with the lyke breuitye or greater if so large a matter may be conteined in a lesser roome as I before promised so I compare HN. with those euident noates manifest tokens of an heretique set downe by the spirite of God in holy Scriptures For by that iudge both he and I must be tryed to be true meaning men in this lyfe before the Militaunt Church and receiue our dome thereafter before the triumphāt Churche in the world to come Tokens of an heretique out of Scripture 1. Tokē THe holy ghost in the Scriptures doth liken those heretiques which disturbe the peace of the Church vnto Foxes which priuily and by night are wont to spoile and rauine And in lyke manner our Sauiour Christ doth describe not onely the father of heretiques but his children also by the name of a enuious mā which soweth teares whilest men sléepe S. Paule termeth then false teachers crafty creepers in S. Peter sayth false teachers shall priuilye bring in damnable heresies S. Iude sayth certaine men haue crept in which turne the grace of God into wantones vpon all the which places it may very easely be gathered that whosoeuer intendeth to broach any new and straunge doctrine as false coiners vse to doe he counterfaiteth in secret That this hath bin the practise of heretiques from tyme to tyme nedeth no long profe onely it is to be considered who it was that renued Arius heresie in Constantine the Emperours dayes was it not a priest which priuilye bare Constantia the Emperours sister in hād that the Counsell of Nice had done Arius wrong who thought not of Christes deuinitye as the Counsel supposed and the rumour was spread abroad of him c. And haue not the Familye of Loue
letter not profitable say the Anabaptistes for we are all taught from god The Messalians sayd it was not necessary neither yet the Sacramentes and so sayd the Familie of Loue for in diuers places ye shall sée them make small accompt of Sermons so that some of them will sit in the streetes in the tyme that the word of God is preached Yet all these agréeyng amoÌ„g them selues are at iarre with the holy Ghost who in the whole course of the Scripture doth singularly commende the hearyng of the word but especially S. Paule to the Romaines whiche maketh it the mother of Fayth whiche fayth is the hand whereby all the promises of God are apprehended and taken hold of and without the whiche it is vnpossible to please god Hebrues 11. chapter 6. verse Much more might be sayd agaynst this horrible heresie but because euen the repeatyng of it doth strike a horrour and quakyng into the children of God to thinke how wicked a thyng it is for a mortall man to mislyke that which the Lord hath ordained as a meanes wherby he will haue the sparkles of his grace continually to to be kyndled in vs the onely remembraunce shall rest herein consideryng that the more myer is stirred the sauour is the noysomer and hurtefull to those that are standers by ARTICLE 13. of HN. Of dissemblyng and concealyng Religion HN Sayth it is lawfull for one of his Familie to dissemble and conceale his Religion contrary to his owne doctrine Euang. cap. 3. sent 8. cap. 25. sent 6. 1. Exhort cap. 6. senten 8. where he biddeth them confesse it before all men amongest the adulterous and sinfull generation sent 1. Theophilus THe adulterous and sinfull generation of the ignoraunt world if they repent and turne may finde mercy but to the enemyes or enuious of the loue of Christ and to the obstinate which turne theÌ„ away there from There is no mercy promised looke the text W. Wilkinson THeophilus beyng demaunded of Onions aunswereth of Garlike for the question beyng whether a man may hide his Religion beyng demauÌ„ded of it either openly by the Magistrat or priuatly by his ChristiaÌ„ brother he aunswereth that there is no mercy without the Familie which is nothyng to the purpose Therefore it were to be wished that his wisedome would be ruled by his owne counsell videl looke better oâ— the text 2. sent Theophilus HE biddeth them confesse their beliefe among the sinfull generations and false hartes of the Scripture learned c. and not to reueile the secretes of God Math. 7. chap. 6. vers to the bloud thirstie ones and aduersaries to all truth whiche lye in wayte to deuoure theÌ„ more then a true man is bound to confesse his treasures to a theefe or a murtherer William Wilkinson FIrst I will aunswere vnto HN. his Article and secondly to Theophilus Exposition Concernyng the certaintie of this Article our Famblers will in no wise admit the same albeit Theophilus in this place acknowledge it to be true So that diuers that are sayd to be welwillers that way haue being openly called to accompt before a Magistrate set downe their haÌ„des in a certaine schedule the copy wherof I haue wherein they affirme it altogether vnlawfull to speake one thyng with the mouth and thinke the contrary with the hart So that herein they and their Prophet HN. are at variaunce for he as is before declared to auoyde trouble willeth them to conceale their fayth as also Theophilus proueth by his théeuish similitude This I know to to be true by the report of a worshipfull freind in Cambridge that whereas one Allen a weauer being committed for the opinions of the Fami and HN. he contrary to his promise made departed and fled away and being afterwardes mette by a iustice of peace which knew him by sight asked him his name and he sayd his name wrs Allen the iustice demaunded if he had about him no bookes of HN. he aunswered no the Iustice alighting from his horse searched him and found diuers bokes about him Now let the Famlers and Allen himselfe coâ—fesse whether that herein he did dissemble or not and whether by HN. his doctrine that art of his was lawful I could by many liuing witneses proue this to be true and shew wherein diuers of them haue dissembled but I cease And least the Familye should affirme that they are slaundered in this Article HN. his owne wordes shall speake for himselfe after this sorte Shew not your selues in any wise bare before the enemies let them not see you be now by them whilest that the wicked world beareth rule euen as though ye were dead and were not and had no speach in your mouth Psal 38. b. vers 13. and walke eueÌ„ so as inuisiblie and vnknowen before all such as are without the Familie of Loue and make manifest themselues as enemies there agaynst as also before them that turne theÌ„ away therefrom And in his documentall sentence HN. exhorteth his Fami to the same thing in the same wordes Thus haue not much prate or disputation with the straungers or with them that fall away from the seruice of Loue nor with the vnwilling ones and resisters The which places being throughly waied no man can be ignorant that HN. geueth leaue to his Familie to dissemble if to dissemble be as Salust doth define it Aliud in linqua aliud in pectore clausum habere that is to haue one thing in the tongue and another in the thought But the profe of the truth of this Article I leaue to the commen practise of the Fami and to the knowledge of those men that haue had to deale with them concerning their Louely doctrine albeit I must and will confesse that I haue mette with a few which haue delt more playnely herein then they are commenly wonte to doe wherein I doe geue them some better lyking in that they deale truely Now if any man be desirous to vnderstand further of this heresie let him reade the excellent learned man M. Lambert Daneus in his comentaries vpon S. Augustine de heresibus ad Quod vult Deum where the same is learnedly handled and art large who reporteth among all the opinions of the Priscilianistes this was not the least that they held a man must not open tâ—â— secresie of their sect as appeareth by this verse Iura perinra secretum prodere noli Swere and forswere hid thinges doe not declare Of this heretique did that monster of mankinde and wild heretick Dauid George learne this opinion of whome somewhat is sayd before and of him it is very like to be true that HN. learned it as he did diuers other pointes of this his louely doctrine and from HN. his filthy pit drew Vitels that poysoned water wherewith he infected diuers honest and godly men in the troublesome tyme of Q. Marye by perswading them that they might kéepe their consciences to themselues and be preseÌ„t at the masse