great it is that shall GOD willing hereafter appeare What shal we be able to hold free from his assaults when he shameth not to geue the attempt for breaking of so strong barres as these bee and that to gette the possession from Christ himselfe Cicero doth geue it foorth of Caesar that there was almost no man to bee founde who had not rather yeelde to his request how vnreasonable soeuer then once to enter into the fielde with him for to fight Nec adhuc ferè inueni qui non concedendum putaret Caesari quod postularet potiùs quam pugnandum But we are to reioyse in it it fareth farre otherwise with the captayne of this bande for he is so shamelesse in demaundes and so foolish in his fight that he would tempte the mildest man that is to take his owne weapon from him and to beate him with it vnto blood before once hee begonne to reason the matter for his request The last aucthoritie alleadged for proofe that H.N. is raised from the dead is taken out of the second Chapter of the Epistle vnto the Ephesians and sixth verse these bee the wordes God which is rich in mercie euen when we were dead by sinnes hath quickened vs together in Christ and hath raysed vs vppe together A benefite flowing from Almightie God vnto euerie member of his to be quickened and raysed vp in Christe and by his grace from the death of sinne If it shall fall out by plaine proofe whē we come to speake of Christ that H.N. denieth both his person his office then hath he no maner of colour or shewe of reason at all out of this place For the resurrection which the Apostle speaketh of here is saide to be in and by Christ But bee it that his iudgement touching Christ were sound the contrarie whereof God willing shall hereafter playnely appeare yet this spoken of men approued both in doctrine and in life and that by the testimonie of the Apostle himselfe is no proofe to induce those to thinke that H.N. is risen from the deade by whom his life as well as doctrine shall at any tyme as now it is be called into question I hope H.N. wil neuer goe aboute to haue goodes that be priuate made common in his familie seeing that himself turneth things common vnto his owne priuate vse For this place is common vnto ali true Christians wherein notwithstanding H N. clameth propertie For otherwise what reason is it that euery one who is risen frōvnder the dominiō of sin should therfore haue the place authoritie of a Prophet in the Churche It remayneth nowe to consider with what iudgement or conscience H N. hath ioyned together these testimonies for the proofe of one matter So shall we come to some sight of his dangerous doctrine The first testimonie as you see plainely speaketh of the resurrectiō in the last day The second of Christ his rising from death corporally The third of rising from sinne iniquitie These how diuerse soeuer one from an other are notwithstanding by H. N. yoked together for strengthening of one and the same matter And the reason thereof is because hee taketh the doctrine touching the resurrection vnto life at the seconde comming of Christ And the doctrine also of Christ his bodily rising agayne from death to be vnderstoode onely of rising from sinne to leaue no other doctrine beside that vnto vs You perceiue then by this doctrine wee are depriued both of the comfort comming vnto vs by Christ his dying in the flesh and also of the hope that we shal rise vp at the last day both in bodie soule to inherit euerlasting life For both of these are sunke vp by his doctrine into one onely spirituall rising from sinne and that not otherwise then by imbracing his religion and doctrine for the gouernment of our liues This is the stuffe that hee hath bounde together for drawing of himselfe out from among the dead But if the lines of his life had bene no more able to haue holden him among the liuing then these cordes are to pull him out from among the dead then I am well assured Sathan shoulde long before this time haue lost one principall factor for him here vpon earth When this Author addeth more that this his rising from death is according to the prouidence of God and his promises he sendeth vs for proofe hereof vnto the eight chapter of the Romanes and by these letters C. and D. vnto the thirtienth and twentie three verses thereof In the thirtienth verse it is thus written If ye liue after the fleshe ye shall die but if ye mortifie the deedes of the bodie by the spirite yee shall liue His reason is this The children of GOD who by his spirite mortifie the deedes of the fleshe in this life shall in the worlde to come liue for euer therefore by vertue of this promise H. N. is alreadie risen from the dead Hee claimeth still his olde priuiledge that it may be lawfull for him by speciall dispensation to make that which is yet to come to be alreadie done euerlasting life to bee in this life and the resurrection in the last day to be no other thing then the rising from sinne If this absurde kinde of reasoning had ben his gheast but for one night the matter might happily haue had some colour frō a cūning excuse but beyng a seruant of his downe lying and vprising with him euery day there is no place left for any defence to cleare him of the shame and infamie thereof Meruayle no more therefore why H. N. shoulde in all his writinges so sore inueigh against the Scripture Learned as he calleth thē it was no smal poynt of wisedome to complayne first For he was well assured it coulde neuer bee that learning shoulde attayne anie such portion of pacience as were able to beare the weight of halfe that wrong which hee had in purpose to lay vpon it In the 23. verse it is thus written We also which haue receiued the first fruites of his spirite euen we do sigh in ourselues wayting for the adoption euen the redemption of our body This is then his reason the faithfull doe waite for the adoption resurrection therefore it must be by promise that H. N. is alredy risē frō the dead Howe repugnant vnto all shew of reason and truth is this that H. N. shoulde therfore be risen from the dead because the children of God doe yet waite for the resurrection In effect he saith thus much There is a thing which shortly is like to be lost and therefore H. N. hath alreadie founde it Who can yeeld to such absurde conclusions vnlesse it be proued vnto him before that H N. hath a speciall commission to finde thinges before they be lost and to take them vp when as yet they are not fallen Howe heauie is the hande of God vppon heresie and idolatrie and howe great is the blindnesse that they be in and yet
duetie with them not only payeth their olde debt but also purchaseth more lande and liuing Let one of them yeelde a litle seruice vnto their God in their deuotion suche as it is and they will make that to answere the debt and daunger of their former sinnes yea and to deserue also more and greater graces to be geuen them from God according as H.N. sayth heere that they muste burie the olde man to the ende that they might euen so obteine the renuing of their spirite and minde in an vpright life Yf they coulde perswade men that there were either equitie right or reason in this kinde of dealing which they wil force vpon the Lorde it were no great matter too growe soone as riche in goodes as they doe take them selues to be in godlinesse For when they haue long tyme gone vpō credit if after their beginning to pay for wares as they shall take them they coulde perswade their creditours that the same dealing which nowe at the laste they haue light vppon doeth not onely answere their former debtes but also in equitie deserue to haue better penie-worthes alwayes after howesoeuer it should fare with their creditours they were sure to gaine greatly by it Thus blinde is man when he walketh without the worde And when his reason for some long time hath been his rule his punishment from GOD is so great that he taketh it in the ende to bee reason to depart from all equitie and reason If our sinnes were answered in that obedience wherby our life is reformed how commeth it then to passe that the Apostle speaking to the Church of Corinth after they were turned from theyr lewde life to serue the liuing God affirmeth that yf Christe be not risen they are yet in their sinnes They walked in humble obedience vnto theyr GOD they had left idolatrie fornication drunkennesse and other fruites of ignorance wherein before they had liued Notwithstanding the apostle telleth them that if Christ by his rising vp againe haue not made a cōquest for them ouer sinne hel and destruction their rising from sinne will stande them in no steede Because albeit they haue left those sinnes yet haue they not answered the Iustice of GOD for the offence whereof they haue made them giltie by theyr committing of the same as the Theefe or other malefactour may not thinke that all his offence passeth when the action is once past the purpose lefte of doeing the like it is no Plea either in lawe or reason for hym to say the deed is long since doone and my wayes are now otherwyse his offence committed against the good lawes vnder the with he liueth against the peace of his Prince must necessarily either be pardoned or els in his punishementes satisfied For albeit the deede passeth away with the tyme it is in doeing yet leaueth it that giltinesse in vs which no other thing but either pardon or punishment can discharge As for that H. N. affirmeth that our burial of the old mā obteineth the renuing of our spirite and minde in an vpright life it will in no wise stande with the doctrine left vnto vs in the woorde of god The woorde of GOD will not beare that blasphemie Touching this point God saith the Apostle which is rich in mercy euen when wee were dead by sinnes not when we had put our sinnes to death hath quickened vs togeather in Christ by whose grace yee are saued and hath raysed vs vp togeather that hee myght shewe in the ages too come the exceeding ryches of his grace through his kindenesse towardes vs in IESVS Christe For by grace are yee saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of GOD not of woorkes least any man shoulde boast him selfe Which doctrine not onely affirmeth that grace and not woorkes hath brought vs vnto the estate of saluation but also that wee haue passed immediatly from the woorkes of darkenesse and a damnable estate into the workes of light and estate of our saluation Euen when wee were dead in sinnes saith the Apostle hath God quickened vs in Christ by whose grace ye are saued How is our saluation of grace not of workes if by buriyng the olde man and woorking the death and destruction of sinne we obteyne the renuing of our mind in an vpright life How can it be said that hee hath quickened vs euen when we were dead by sinnes if we haue by our woorks greatly preuailed against sinne euen so farre as to procure the death thereof before we be quickened by beeyng renued in our spirite and mynde in an vpright lyfe H.N. Beholde after this manner as wee beeleeue and doe heere confesse or acknowledge become wee rightly baptized in the name of the Sonne incorporated or implanted as fellowe members of Christe into the bodye of Christe and the stocke of Israel to the ende that wee shoulde euen so according to the trueth as true Christians and an holy people of Israel of the seed of Abraham beare or carry his holy name confesse or acknowledge the same Christ as our Sauiour before men and euen so liue and walke in his louelie vpright beeyng Wee confesse likewise that all suche as doe not imitate or followe after Iesus Christ in his death of the crosse in all obedience of the holy worde of Iesu Christ and of his holy spirite of loue to the vanquishing of the sinne the death and the hel to a burying of all iniquitie destroying nature vngodly being or become not euen so baptized or washed in his name neither yet beare the death of the sinne through the death of the crosse of Christ in their inwardnesse are no christians nor yet baptized in the name or saluation of the sonne For al such as become not baptized or washed in the name of Iesu that is in the sauing health of his death to the mortifiyng of the sinfull fleshe according to the inwarde man neither yet indeuour them thereto and yet neuerthelesse boast them to be christians they are al false n Christians also lying in al theyr confessing teaching because they enter not into the cōmunialtie of the sheepe of Christ through the death and coincor porating of the death of Christ which is the right doore of the sheepe folde of Christ but breake in some other way and beleeue not the saluation or sauing health of Iesu Christ Answeare THis conteyneth nothing els but a iustifiyng of that which hee hath professed before to wit that our imitation of Christe in his death of the crosse is our beliefe in the sonne and our baptizing in the name of the sonne and a condemning of al as false Christians who shal not enter by this his way into the sheepefolde of Christ And therfore my former answere doth dispatch this also Through this doctrine professed by H. N. faith is vtterly banished and woorkes onely and altogeather imbrased so that instead
resurrection and inherite euerlasting life Answere All the comfort that H. N. doeth assure his familie of by the resurrection of their Christ is that such as shall become obedient vnto his doctrine which thing he expresseth in these woordes such as indeuour themselues in the beliefe vnder the obedience of the loue of Iesus Christ to become implanted into Christ the gracious woorde of the Lord for Christ as you haue heard before signifieth somtimes nothing else with H. N. but this worde and doctrine which he hath brought into the worlde shall by this their slaying and burying of sinne in the flesh become renued in the spirite of their minde obteyne and inioy the resurrection or as he speaketh the making aliue from the deade and inherite the euerlasting life But wee haue not thus learned Christ so manie as haue beene taught out of the woorde of God the truth of him and the true fruite of his resurrection For as Christ Iesus died in our sinnes and went downe into the graue in our iniquities inasmuch as it was our sinnes and no offence of his owne that drewe him vnto death so his resurrection was the perfect absolution and clearing of the faithfull from al their transgressions For had one sinne of his seruants bene vnsatisfied for neither woulde death haue resigned hir right who had arested him as suretie for sinne neither would the righteous Lord by raising him from the dead bringing him out of the danger that he lay vnder for our sinnes haue giuen sentence on his side so iustified vs in him Which thing the apostle cōfirmeth triumphing ouer condēnation not onely because we haue discharged it by his death but also because we haue our Quietus est acquittance to shew for the same euen his resurrectiō Who shal lay any thing to the charge of god his chose It is God that iustifieth who shal cōdēne it is Christ that is dead yea or rather which is risē againe And likewise the same apostle in his epistle to the Corin. affirmeth plainly that if Christ be not risen from the dead we haue nothing to shewe for our discharge against sinne but do remaine yet vnder the danger thereof And in the Epistle to the Romanes he declareth also that wee are by his resurrection cleared from our sinnes and they nowe no longer imputed vnto vs And therefore when he had before declared that not only Abraham his faith was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse but also that ours shal be imputed vnto vs hee telleth vs more particularly how this commeth to passe to wit because Christe who was deliuered to death for our sinnes is risen againe for our iustification For as God the father in deliuering Christ vnto death did cast all our sinnes vpon him and condemned our sinnes in him so in raysing him frō the dead he iustified and absolued him vs in him inasmuch as but for vs neither sinne nor death could haue any thing to doe with him from all our sinnes and trāsgressions whatsoeuer Now if the Lorde had let him make an escape who was in holde for our sinnes inasmuch as he had once taken vpon hym to satisfie for the same or wrougt his deliuerance and set him at libertie before a ful sufficient satisfaction had bene made then coulde not himselfe haue bene cleared of iniurye offred vnto vs nor his Iustice haue bene vnspotted euen before vs which if once wee suffer to enter but into our thoughtes it maketh vs giltye of high treason against our god This doctrine therefore of H. N. who will haue our dying vnto synne not onelie to preuent but also to procure our rising vnto righteousnesse not mencioning any other benefite that wee haue from Christ his resurrectiō beside the example that is set before vs for our imitation and following after him in the same is at defiance and vtter enmitie with the trueth which is taught in the word of god For Christ his resurrection which H. N. maketh so small an accounpt of not onelie is our iustification from the giltinesse and daunger of sinne but also the head and wel spring of al that righteousnes holinesse and newenes of life that is to be founde ni the conuersation of his seruāts And therfore the Apostle in the 2. to the Ephe. doth fetch our rising vnto righteousnesse frō Christ his resurrection and ioyning them togither speaketh thus God which is rich in mercie euen when we were deade by sinnes hath quickened vs togither in Christ and hath raysed vs vp togither And accordingly to the Collosians draweth his exhortation vnto newnesse of life from the resurrection of Christ as from the fountaine from the which floweth the reformation of our life If ye thē be risen with Christ saith the Apostle seeke those thinges which are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God set your affection on things that are aboue and not on thinges which are on the earth Which thing is also confirmed out of the Ephesians where we doe reade that the large and liberall distribution of his graces did followe his resurrection and ascention when that notable victorie and conquest ouer sinne death was fully accomplished The resurrection therfore of Christ according to the trueth of his worde is not onely our discharge against sinne but the fountaine and spring also of all that chaūge of life and conuersation which is to be seene in his seruants But according to this doctrine of H.N. it is neither our discharge against sinne nor yet the beginning of our good life therfore without mention either of iustification from sinne by it or viuification and quickening in the wayes of righteousnesse we are sent to make warre with our affections according to the rules of his doctrine that so wee may obteine the resurrection from the deade and the renewing of our spirit and minde So that we haue nothing in H.N. his Creed to be beleeued but many things in our conuersation to be practised nothing to leaue vnto that was once doone by him but al that we may trust to must proceede from our selfe Touching this poynt Whether our dying vnto sin doe both preuent and purchase the renewing of our minde it hath beene answeared in the article immediatly going before H. N. The sixt Article We beleeue that this same Iesus like as the Scripture mencioneth thereof is ascended into Heauen sitting at the right hand of God his almightie Father We confesse that he hath taken in the heauen and reigneth and ruleth essentially in the heauenly beeing with his father vntill that all his enemyes be layde vnder his fete and that he in like maner shall in euery behalfe take in the kingdome and all dominion and power and render it all ouer vnto his father that God may euen so be all in all according to the promises Answeare This confessor H. N. acknowledgeth and confesseth that this same Iesus of
of saying I beleeue in Iesus Christ if we wil become scholers vnto H. N. we are to say I work Iesu Christ The matter that ministreth vnto vs faith and comfort in Iesus Christ is that he being God equall with his father hath notwithstanding abased himselfe in our nature and for our saluation vnto the estate of a seruant wherein he hath humbled himselfe vnto all reproch contempt anguish and bitternesse of paine both in soule and bodie in the time of his life and vnto all infamie and slander by his death For his death was the death of the crosse and his graue was giuen him with the wicked and the wicked had their will of him insomuch that the Prophet saith He was famous for his miserie and affliction This is that loue and friendship which the Apostle saith hath no fellow or match to be found among men For who hath beene found to offer himselfe to an infamous death for his friend the sonne of God doth it for his enemies For he was counted among the transgressours Here is the ground worke of our faith and comfort that when there was no religion or feare of God in vs and therefore deadly enmitie betwene him and vs yet so great was the good will he did beare vnto vs that himselfe would wade throughout all those raging waues to saue and preserue vs that were vnder the water of euerlasting destruction Here is the triumph of Christians in whom religion is in trueth begonne and his feare truely entered and therefore hatred banished and they truely reconciled that if his death were able of enemies to make friends his life which is of much more efficacie power shall well be able where friendship is begonne to continue it for euer If that which is weaker hath done the greater worke the stronger will bee much more able to goe thorowe with the lesse labour H. N. his Christ cutteth of all this comfort For his estate in suffring was not abased and lower then before it had beene but better and nearer vnto glorie H. N. his Christ was not equall with God before the time of his passion and humiliatiō but an vtter enimy vnto god For the time of his humiliation and suffering is from his first entrance into the familie vntill he become an illuminate elder before which time in his opinion hee is a straunger nay an vtter enimie to God and all godlinesse Here is then no argument of good will by abasing himselfe from a better estate vnto a worse whereby comfort especially commeth vnto vs Besides H.N. his Christ suffereth for his owne benefite for hee coulde not come to euerlasting ioy and his perfect estate vnlesse he should die in the flesh And this vtterly killeth all comfort for what argument of good will towardes vs can wee haue from another in that matter whereby himselfe is either the whole or at the least the greatest gayner Moreouer shall his death by reconciling of vs to God which is the greater worke from the weaker instrument put vs in assured hope to be safely kept by his life vnto eternall glorie when wee are both by our owne death suffering to rid vs from the daunger of our sinnes reconcile vs vnto our God and by our life to continue and preserue our selues vnto glorie Howe fearefull is the fall of H.N. and his familie that haue forsaken the true Messias that bringeth so great comfort vnto mankinde to imbrace so cursed and comfortlesse a Christ H.N. The fift Article We beleeue that the God of Abraham hath raysed vp this his sonne Iesus from the dead and that hee euen so the third day rose againe from the dead and appeared or made manifest himselfe vnto his friends which loued him shewing vnto them through his suffering and death of the Crosse the victorie ouer the sinne death deuill hell the flesh and the worlde Answere The resurrection of H.N. his Christ answereth vnto that doctrine which he hath deliuered before touching his death For as that was nothing but a passing out of the flesh or letter of the law which is a condition common to the Nouices and yong ones in H.N. his schoole so this is the resurrection when a man is come into the spirit or that estate of perfection which his illuminate elders are pertakers of That which hath beene spoken of before may sufficiently satisfie vs touching H.N. his opinion that thus he thinketh and not otherwise of the resurrection yet shall it not be amisse to adde one testimonie out of his Euangelie where of purpose he handleth the resurrection of Christ it is in the. 22. Chapter where he speaketh thus Now whē Iesu Christ was foūd faithful in the death of his crosse til vnto his burial to a true Passeouer out of the flesh into the making aliue according to the spirit was also through the power of God his father raised vp frō the death and made aliue againe and that he had shewed himselfe in his making aliue vnto his disciples for that they should stedfastly beleeue so was he then wholy taken vp from the eyes of their fleshe and he set himselfe according to the spirite at the right hande of God his father in the heauenly being and entred euen so as the true high Priest when as the seruice had perfectly ended his course according to the true being in the holy into the most holy his disciples therefore were mindful of all this and what he had said vnto them remained within Ierusalem wayting concordably with supplication and praier for the promises of the father vntil that Christ after the spirite appeared vnto them out of the heauenly being the most holy in the holy in spirituall and heauenly powers like as hee after the Spirite and according to the trueth of the heauenly Godhead is an euerlasting and true Christ of GOD. He is plaine as you heare in this point that Christ his resurrection and making aliue was according to the spirite for he sayth that Iesus Christ was founde faythfull in his death of the crosse to a true Passouer out of the flesh into the making aliue according to the spirit He is likewise as plaine in this that his sitting at the right hand of God is in spirit spiritual For those are his very words as you haue heard he set himselfe according to the spirit at the right hād of god his father in the heauēly being More ouer he is of opinion that he is not a true Christ but as he speaketh imagineth of him that is according to the spirit For touching this point these are his words He after the spirit and according to the trueth of the heauenly Godhed is an euerlasting and true Christ of God. And that in this absurd doctrine heauē earth might come togither and a mingle mangle made of all things hee shameth not to affirme that Christ is the holy ghost and that the doctrine which is deliuered in the 2.
which H. N. claimeth vnto himselfe in the first Chapter of his booke intituled Euangelium Regni The Gospel and ioyfull message of the kingdome H. N. Through the grace and mercie of God and through the holy spirite of the loue of Iesu Christe raised vp by the highest GOD from the death according to the prouidence of God and his promises annoynted with the holie Ghoste in the olde age of the holy vnderstanding of Iesu Christe Godded with God in the spirite of his loue made heyre with Christe in the heauenlye goodes of the riches of God illuminated in the spirite with the heauenly trueth the true light of the perfect Beyng elected to a Minister of the gracious woorde which is nowe in the laste time raysed vp by God according to his promises in the moste holy seruice of God vnder the obedience of his loue Answere THE first thing that H. N. would perswade vs is that God hath raised him from the dead or to vse his owne wordes that he is raised vp by the most highest God from the death For confirmation hereof hee alleageth the sixt of Iohn the 17. of the Actes and the seconde to the Ephesians For he wil not seeme to say that thing which two or three shall not be redy to witnesse with hym VVe are therefore to heare what these can say to that point In the sixt of Iohn he directeth vs by this letter f vnto this Scripture conteyned in the 54. verse Whosoeuer eateth my flesh drinketh my blood hath eternal life and I will raise him vp at the last day Heere is a promise made vnto all true christians for they onely haue their hartes prepared by faith to digest the flesh and blood of Christe that the Lorde will raise them vppe at the laste day which wee call the day of iudgement and the seconde comming of Christe The promise I graunt is past but the day taken to performe the couenant is yet to come For by the promise it is playne that wee may not looke to haue the matter perfourmed before the laste day which is the seconde comming of Christe I wil not here call it into question whether H. N. be one of them who eate his fleshe and drinke his blood that shall go as graunted at this time onely this I will saye that hee is to begge shamefully who with no other helpe then that hee hath from hence shall obteine so muche as a place among the common sorte of Christians but hee that will vppon this warrant deale as a Prophete and Teacher in the Churche It cannot be excused but that he doeth felloniously enter breake in and steale For there is no colour of anie good title to bee shewed for the same Now I pray you consider of his argument which is this The Lorde will raise vppe all his faithfull at the last day and therefore H. N. is already risen from the dead The matter is established as doone but the grounde is no other then a graunt and promise made in expresse woordes for the time yet to come For our Sauiour Christe sayth playnely that hee will raise them vp at the laste day Where there is not only noted a time to come but of that time also the laste and furthest day is taken and yet yee see that H. N. will haue the matter to be alreadie accomplished in him selfe and that not otherwise then by vertue of this promise Let that bee graunted which H. N hath begged and let his felonious acte for once bee pardoned yet hath hee proceeded no farther in proofe then that hee ought to be taken as a Prophet risen from the dead with condition to wit if that the day of iuddgemēt alredy be past The Lord open the eies of his familie leaste as hee is no Prophet vnlesse that bee paste which is yet to come so they in like maner become no true Christians before that which is for euer past heereafter shall come If the cause of suche confusion bee demaunded this it is He expoundeth the doctrine of our resurrection Allegorically and taketh it to be nothing els but to ryse in our iudgemente and affection from the likyng of all other too the embracing of his doctrine and religion And therefore the day of iudgement which wee looke for is in his opinion already come because the troumpe of his doctrine now soundeth which woorketh this his spiritual resurrection The confutation whereof you shall God willing haue more at large heereafter and yet there is sufficient euen in this place aleadged by him to ouerthrowe it For speaking of the children of GOD who are true Christians possessed by fayth of eternall life and therefore already rysen from the dead because to rise from errour to the imbrasing of the trueth which hee taketh his owne doctrine too bee is with him the rising from the dead euen of those hee sayth I will rayse them vp in the last day appoynting an other resurrection yet to come for those who by a true faith haue alredy taken holde of that spiritual rising from darknesse to light from sinne and iniquitie to righteousnesse and true christianitie If his best bulwarke appointed to beare of the first and greatest assault that shal be made against him bee thus weake there is good hope it wil be no great woorke too winne the hold it selfe His seconde confirmation is taken out of the Acts 17. verse 31. The woordes be these God wil iudge the worlde in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath appointed whereof he hath geuen assurance vnto al in that he hath raised him from the dead A place proper and peculiar vnto Christe alone whom God the father hath raised from corporall death to be an assuraunce vnto vs that hee is the man appointed who shal iudge the world in righteousnesse at the latter day There can be no other place more peculiar and proper vnto Christe then is this whereunto for all that H. N. wil be entituled Notwithstanding yf the woorde of GOD haue geuen it vnto him good reason hee shoulde enioy it Let it therfore bee considered what he hath saide for it This is his reason GOD hath geuen vs assuraunce that hee will iudge the world in righteousnesse by the man Christ in that hee hath raysed hym from the dead therefore H. N. is alreadie risen from the dead If H. N. bee Christ it foloweth necessarily though not by force of this argument yet by sufficient strength from the trueth of the matter it selfe that he shoulde be rysen from the dead because hee is the same person of whom it is sayde that he is already risen from the dead to assure vs of the last iudgement that it shal be holden by him selfe But if H.N. bee anie thing beside Christe there is no maner of helpe to bee had from this place For hee speaketh playnely heere of the bodyly death of Christe him selfe As for the affinitie betweene H. N. and Christe howe
it came It is altogeather curious and vnprofitable It were a more profitable question to discusse howe wee might haue it with least hurt seing we cannot be rid of it altogeather then to examine howe it is entred into vs And he that shal cast of the care how to rid him of the daunger of it holding a disputation howe hee fell into it is no lesse foolishe in my iudgement then yf a man thruste by another into a deepe and dangerous pit shoulde refuse to speake of his comming out enquiring only of them that came by who he was that did hurle him in And when hee is resolued therin wil haue it further debated while he is yet in the pit before once he thinketh of cōming out whether the man in their iudgments preuayled against him because his heart fainted or because his strength failed Nowe if the Lord be cleere not to be touched whē he doth harden the harts of the wicked punisheth sin with sinne which thing the scripture declareth and euery Christian confesseth because sinne hath been before in them to deserue the same Why shoulde the Lorde be blamed since that wee all being in Adam haue as was euen now prooued greeuously offended If he deale no otherwise with the soule of man then from the same ballance of equitie and iustice which wee haue approoued may returne with like equitie cleared and discharged As this doctrine of H. N. warranteth vs from any hurte by Adam his fall except wee shall be founde transgressours actually after his example against the will and commaundement of GOD so it setteth foorth in like maner Christe Iesus no otherwise to be an helper vnto vs then so farre foorth as wee shall by his example of doctrine and life be led into the like obedience And therfore as Adam in his opinion hath nothing speciall in the falling away of man from God so Christe yeeldeth no priuate and peculiar helpe to his saluation Al the wicked haue beene stumbling blockes and occasion of sinne vnto the rest and all that feared God in euery age haue brought the benefite of good instruction and example vnto those among whom they haue had their conuersation And therfore in his iudgement no one man standeth alone to holde out so muche as is the helpe of good doctrine and good lyfe towarde our iustification but all howe many so euer haue beene founde faithfull from the beginning are matched togeather and made fellowes at the prayse of that woorke That this is his doctrine touching the restoring of man it doth appeare out of this place For whē he hath affirmed that the promise for the ouerthrow of sinne doeth consist in setting enmitie betwene the Serpent and the woman and betweene the Serpents seede and the womans seed hee declareth that this promised enmitie began with Abell and after his death was established with Seth and that Seth became the right stocke or linage whereout the beleeuees and children of God namely all they that haue beene enimies vnto sinne were borne and brought foorth to the establishing of the promises of God the father These are his owne woordes Nowe for the maner how after Abel Seth became the stocke from whence sprang all the beleeuers that it was only by imitation and folowing of his example he declareth afterwarde in these woordes All they that walked not in the forme of Abel according to the maner and ordinance of Seth were not of the right stocke of Seth but they were foraine branches which turned them away therfrom and were neuer prudent nor vnderstanding in the godly wisedome but verie wel in their owne selfe knowledge and good thinking What dampnable doctrine lurketh vner these wordes Doe the beleeuers now or did they at that time spring out of Seth as out of their stocke or were all that haue beene enimies vnto sin brought foorth out of Abel and Seth and not out of Christ the root of the righteous Who as the Apostle saith is before al thinges in him al things consist And he is the head of the bodie of the Church hee is the beginning and the first borne of the dead that in all thinges hee might haue the preheminence for it hath pleased the Father that in him shoulde al fulnesse dwell Are the promises of God the father established indifferently in all those that haue ben enimies vnto sin are not al the promises nowe in Christ yea and Amen Doeth not the Apostle reason from the woordes of the couenant and promise and prooue plainely that Christe only was this promised seede and that hee hadde no fellowes ioyned with him because the couenant was not as he sayth deliuered in these fourme of woordes To thy seedes as speaking of many but thus And to thy seede as of one which is Christe Moreouer shall wee saye that righteousnesse was deriued from Seth by imitation vnto all those that walked in the same pathe of righteousnesse When the apostle saith that God was in Christ recōciling the world vnto himself not imputing their sinnes vnto them If we be reconciled vnto God by imputation then commeth not our righteosnesse by imitation If wee be iustified because our sinnes bee not laide to our charge then are wee not free therefore because in following the footesteps of the righteous we haue wrought our owne discharge And if this be not thought plaine enough to prooue that H. N. doeth acknowledge no other righteousnesse in man beside that which commeth by imitation neither any other helpe from the Lorde for our saluation then continuall lightes of good doctrine and good life shining out of his seruauntes at all times for the benefite of that age and time wherein they liued Toward the end of this Chapter you shall haue yet more playne confirmations thereof if possibly that may bee perfourmed For there he reckoneth vp by name the patternes examples of euery age and sayth Behold in suche sort hath this vpright seede in the light and righteousnes of his God had his procreation to righteousnes and life vpon the earth namely from Seth the seconde seede in the place of Abel till vnto Noah and Sem. From Noah and Sem vntill Abraham Isaac and Iacob Which Iacob whom GOD named Israell begot the twelue fathers of Israel out of the which GOD chose him Iuda From Iuda vntil Dauid the king of Israell and Iuda From Dauid the king vntill Zorababel in the captiuitie of Babylon From Zorababel vntill Ioseph which had a virgin to wife out of the same stocke of Dauid named Mary of whom Iesus Christ the consūmation of all the woorkes of GOD and the perfect light of the godly clearnesse was borne and brought foorth Nowe least any man might imagine that when this authour commeth to speake of Christ he dare not but giue out otherwise of him then that he should haue others ioyned with him in that woorke of our saluation Consider
preuenting of GOD his goodnesse the dignitie and desert of bringing him selfe vnto Christe by his hatred and mislyking of sinne wheras the mislyking of sinne as well as the loue of righteousnesse are fruites that followe our beeing in Christ not causes that goe before to procure the same as appeareth in the Epistle to the Romans Likewise thinke ye also saith the Apostle that ye are deade vnto sinne and liuing vnto God in Iesus Christ our Lorde He ioyneth with the Pelagians against the grace of God which renueth and regenerateth vs and inwardly draweth vs by his spirit to beleeue and doe the will of God and will haue the grace of GOD no further to stretch vnto vs then that we haue from the Lord a lawe and doctrine whereby wee may learne what to beleeue and what to doe but the power to performe this albeit they will not refuse to call it the grace of GOD yet they say it is our nature according as August reporteth Isti autem asserunt sicut a fratribus qui eorum libros legerunt cognouimus in eo dei gratiam deputandam quod talem hominis instituit creauitque naturam quae per propriam volumtatem legem dei possit implere siue naturaliter in corde conscriptam siue in literis datam eandem quoque legē ad dei gratiam pertinere quod illam Deus in adiutoriū hominibus dedit illam vero gratiā qua vt dictum est Christiani sumus cuius Apostolus Praedicator est dicens condelector legi dei secūdum interiorem hominem Video autem aliam legem in membris meis repugnantem legi mentis mei et captiuantem me in lege peccati miser homo quis me liberabit de corpore mortis huius gratia dei per Iesum Christum dominum nostrum nolunt omnino cognoscere nec apertè quidam oppugnare audent In their opinion as Augustine saieth the grace of God towards vs is this that we haue such a nature from him that by our owne wil and power we may satisfie fulfill the law of God and that this is also that other parte of the grace of God towardes vs that hee hath giuen a lawe for the helpe of man But as for that grace whereby wee are are Christians whereof the Apostle speatketh saying I am delighted with the lawe of God in the inner man but I see an other lawe in my members striuing against the lawe of my minde Miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this body of sinne The grace of God thorowe Iesus Christ our Lorde that will not acknowledge that neither dare they openly impugne or speake against it This plucking thorowe the seruice of that gracious word which he affirmeth to haue the foregoing by vs in the administration of the holie woorde in the thirde and fourth Section is according to the Pelagians the other grace of GOD which is added to that of our good nature euen to haue a rule instruction from God to guide this nature which in their opinion is so franke and so free vnto good that if it may once see the way there is no stay with it or let to keepe it from going forwarde And therefore where it is written in the Gospell after Saint Iohn No man can come vnto mee except the father which hath sent mee drawe him H.N. calleth this drawing of the father a plucking that plucking to be the giuing of a lawe and worde to rule our liues by In opinion then he ioyneth iumpe with the Pelagians for denying originall sinne he is forced to confesse the grace of GOD to be in nature and againe we see the lawe which doth poynte out the right way vnto life is called the plucking of the father or baptising in the fathers name H.N. Section 10 And that this is the vpright Christian Baptisme or washing in the name of the father and is the true baptisme which hath the forgoing in the christian doctrine of the seruice of loue Section 11 We confesse likewise that all such as beleue not euen thus in God the father beleeue vnrightly and that also they all which become not euen so as is aboue saide baptized thorowe the seruice of the holie worde vnder the obedience of the law of the Lorde or of the doctrine of his word in Gods loue or true being beare or carry not Gods holy name nor the spirite of his true beeing nor are baptized in the name of the father and that in like manner it is not meete or conuenient that men should count such vnbeleeuers and vnbaptized ones for Christians neither yet also for men at whose handes one should any way suppose or trust to finde any woorde of Gods trueth or yet any workes of righteousnesse or good seruice that God regardeth or accepteth Answeare It appeareth by these wordes that H. N. reckoneth of all beside his owne secte For there are no people beside him selfe and his familie who thinke or beleeue so erroniously as this confession teacheth as of Heathen vnbeleeuers vnbaptized ones they be his owne words as also be these It is not meete that men should account such for christians Whē hee concludeth that wee may not think to finde any woorde of God his trueth or any workes of righteousnesse among them whosoeuer beleeueth otherwise he speaketh not only ignorantly for that some trueth may be founde where there is store of errour and a wicked lyfe may be founde where the groundes of religion are truely holden but also maliciously agaynst the true Churche of GOD as that no woorde of trueth or woorke of righteousnesse were among vs who abhorre his religion as Heretical deuilishe doctrine What benefite doe these men receiue by the ministerie of the worde being thus perswaded of the Church of God In what readinesse are they to ioyne with any enimie for the ouerthrowe of the Churche being perswaded of vs that neither woorke of righteousnesse nor woorde of trueth is among vs I trust the Lorde wil moue the heartes of those who haue the gouernment in their handes either to trauaile to plant in them a better opinion of the Church or if that will not bee to cut them of as rotten members before they shall woorke any greater woe vnto the same The opinion of H. N. touching the Churche of God as appeareth by this his speache is most pernicious neither thinketh he worsse of Turks and infidels then hee doeth of all Christians that receiue not his doctrine What effectes this opinion may woorke in the heartes of the simple people that be seduced by him I leaue it to their godlie care to whom it doth chiefly appertaine to refourme the same H. N. The seconde Article Section 13 Wee beleeue in Iesus Christe the onely sonne of God our Lorde We confesse that the same sonne of GOD Iesus Christ is the very like being of the liuing God his father through whom god the father hath
Section seuenteene Oh alas how greate contention and vnprofitable disputations hath there bene concerning the conception of Iesus Christ in the wombe of Mary and touching his birth but if they all which contended heere about had knowen the power of God and that also the mysterie of the minde and works of God had bene giuen thē to vnderstand so should they then verily not haue contended there aboute And whereas the Scripture declareth that Christ should come of the seede of Abraham he wipeth that away after his mystical maner saith that the seed out of the faith of Abraham and out of the pure virgin Mary is the true seede of promise to the blessing of all generations of the earth so that otherwise he will not haue him to be Abrahams seede but in that he followeth the faith of Abraham And as for beeing borne of the virgin Mary hee will haue that a matter common to all his illuminate elders and perfect men of his familie Where he saith That the vpright children of the beliefe which had their discent of the seede of the faith of Abraham and of the pure virgin Mary were knowne to be the seede of the promise His reason is rendred before because Mary with him signifieth nothing else but a doctrice They therfore that are taught in his schole from whence only cōmeth as he thinketh pure doctrine are saide to be borne of the pure virgin Mary and for this cause when he had affirmed that the true seede of Abraham should not be conceiued of the fleshe but of the holy Ghoste Hee saith further that this is to bee done through the power of the most highest in the beliefe The word of God teacheth vs another doctrine that Christ was very man borne of a woman as we reade in the Epistle to the Galathians When the fulnesse of time was come God sent his sonne made of a woman that hee might redeeme them that were vnder the lawe And in the firste of Matthewe and thirde of Luke he is so plainly prooued to bee the seede of Abraham and the seede of Adam after the fleshe that there can bee no admitting of H N. his mysticall meaning or allegoricall exposition Which thing the Apostle likewise affirmeth plainely when hee saith I wish my selfe to be seperate from Christ for my brethren that are my kinsemen according to the flesh which are the Israelites of whome are the fathers and of whome concerning the fleshe Christ came who is God ouer all blessed for euer This damnable doctrine of H. N. ouerthroweth all comforte which is giuen to Christian consciences in the worde of god For seeing by man and in our nature sinne was committed and corruption did take beginning the iustice of God did require that he should be very man and haue our nature who was to make satisfaction for the same That as equitie doth require where the offence was committed there the satisfaction might be made Otherwise howe coulde our consciences rest satisfyed that the law in iustice were answeared and for this cause the holie Ghost saith He toke not on him the nature of Angels but the nature of men and the seede of Abraham And therefore in that he refusing the nature of Angels hath taken vpon him the nature of man hee hath in so doing ouerthrowen all H.N. his spiritual constructions and supercelesticall interpretations touching the flesh and humanitie of Christ and forceth him to a true and naturall meaning in that matter It was necessary likewise for our comfort that his conception should be pure and therefore that hee should be borne of a virgine without the help of man For otherwise if hee had not beene pure in and from the conception he had beene no meete Mediatour for others but one that had stoode in neede of a Mediatour him self Neither should the satisfaction make our full and perfect discharge against the iustice of God seeing his best children are not rid of the remnaunts of sinne but stil feele prouocations and motions vnto euill in them if our nature in him who is the peacemaker were not pure and altogether without spotte or staine And therefore damnable is that doctrine of H.N. that would wring this comforte out of our handes and make vs beleeue that Mary signifieth nothing but a pure teacher and that so many are borne of the pure virgine Mary as are brought vp in the doctrine of H.N. which is as full of puritie as Antechriste is of Christianitie And as by his doctrine wee are lefte comfortlesse touching our satisfaction for sinne so are we likewise touching the hope to obtaine any thing by way of Prayer and intercession Let vs goe boldely saieth the Apostle vnto the throne of grace for wee haue not an highe Prieste which can not be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but one who was in all things tempted in like sorte yet without sinne If the bolde presenting of our selues in Prayer before the throne of grace arise heerevppon that our mediatour is ready to take compassion because he hath our nature in it had tast natural feeling of our infirmities then by the same stroke that H.N. ouerthrowth his humanitie he giueth the deadly wounde to the comforte that wee haue to call vpon God in our necessities H.N. The fourth Article Wee beleeue that this holie seede of blessing namely thissame onely sonne of GOD Iesus Christe our Lorde and Sauior the very like beeing of GOD the Father hath suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried and descended to the hel Wee confesse that thissame sonne of GOD inasmuch as hee beareth all thinges with the worde of his owne power beareth also in vs our sinnes Answeare For as much as this Mathematicall Christe which H.N. discribeth is in the minde of man as a qualitie or affection thereof begotten by his doctrine therefore hee is constrayned to saye that hee beareth our sinnes in vs For he will haue the obedience which his familie doth performe through his doctrine which hee calleth the beliefe to be of that valewe that immediatly vppon the receite thereof they haue a Quietus est of the Lord for all their sinnes are clearely discharged of all their iniquities and stand fully reconciled vnto their God because then in all thinges they doe his will according as is declared in the twelfth chapter of his Euangelie Section 7. where speaking how the Priesthoode of Aaron had place vntill the reuealing of his doctrine hee hath these woordes According to thissame manner had this Testament administred by the elders of the holye vnderstanding the foregoing and his fruitefulnesse with the vnilluminated vntill that the beliefe out of the power of GOD became with childe through the holy Ghost and bare or brought foorth a newe man or a newe creature according to the very like beeing of the heauenly Godheade by the beleeuers and illuminated them euen so in their spirite
with him that the Scripture might be fulfilled which sayeth he was counted among the wicked they parted his apparell among them by lottes that it might bee fulfilled likewise whiche was spoken by the Prophete They parted my garments among them and vpon my vesture did they cast lottes So that it is euident hee was that true Christe in whom the Scriptures became accomplished and beside him there is none to be looked for but false Prophets and false Christes H. N. And that he likewise vnder the obediēce of the loue of his father is gone before vs therein for that wee shoulde in like manner follow after him vnder the obedience of his loue in his death of the crosse to the safemakinge of vs from our sinnes become incorporated to hym with his like death and baptized or washed vnder the obedience of the beliefe in his name or safemaking and bury euen so through the beliefe the old man which is destroying through the lustes of errour to the forgeuing and releasing of our sinnes through his name or safemaking to the end that we might euen so through Iesus Christ obteyne the renuing of our spirit and mind in an vpright life and the resurrection from the dead with Christ in the appearing of his maiestie for when as we in suche sort become incorporated as fellowe members of Christ into the bodie of Christ so is Christ then in like maner a Sauiour of his bodie or of his people from their sinnes according to the Scripture And this is the vpright christian Baptisme in the name of the Sonne and is the true forgeuenesse and purging of our sinnes through Iesus Christ Answeare THis following of Christ in his death of the Crosse which H N. requireth of vs to the safemaking of vs from our sinnes declareth that hee is as ignorant of true fruite and effect of Christ his death as before he hath bewrayed himselfe to bee of the trueth and true maner of his suffering For the death of Christ vppon the Crosse was a sacrifice for our sinne of that excellencie that it coulde not be imitated of any man and of that sufficiencie that it needed not by imitation to be reiterated According as we reade in the Epistle to the Hebrues in these words Such an high Priest it became vs to haue which is holy harmelesse vndefiled seperate from sinners and made higher thē the heauēs who needed not daily as those high Priestes to offer vppe sacrifice first for his owne sinnes and then for the peoples for that did he once when he offered vp himselfe Before hee doeth declare touching Christ the true high priest that his once offering of himself was sufficiēt for the sins of his people that he needed not as the Priestes vnder the law to offer often he telleth vs of his excellencie that he was separate frō sinners made higher then the heauens that we should cease to make any questiō seyng the person was of that dignitie why the once offering vp of himselfe shoulde be of suche force and efficacie to wipe away the sinnes of so manie This doctrine is H.N. and his family vtterly ignoraunt of they see no reason why the sacrifice and obedience of one man shoulde discharge and aunsweare for the sinnes of an other and therefore saith H.N. in this place that we likewise shoulde followe Christe in the death of his Crosse to the safemaking of vs from our sinnes when notwithstanding in playne woordes it is written that wee are sanctified by the once offering of the bodie of Iesus Christ Where it is playnely prooued that the sacrifices vnder the law were therefore conuict of imperfection and made vnable to satisfie for sinne because they were reiterated and yeare by yeare offered For as it is written in that Chapter If the sacrifices vnder the lawe had sanctified the cōmers therunto they woulde then haue ceassed to haue bene offered for where remission is of sinne there is no more offering for sinne they being once purged shoulde haue had no more conscience of sinnes So that by the reason of the holy Ghost in this place there is no remission of sinne to bee looked for by the suffering and death of H. N. his Christ because it is often renewed and continually reiterated For euery one of that familie is to suffer with Christ the like death of the Crosse And as the true sacrifice for sinne was but one to declare the sufficiencie and perfection thereof so the true Sacrificer for sinne to argue his abilitie had none to take his place after him in that worke in respect whereof Christ hath the prerogatiue aboue the Priests vnder the lawe who because they could not liue alwayes had others to succeede them in that function Wheras he enduring for euer hath the office for euer remaining to himself alone according as it is written to the Hebrues And among them speaking of the Priestes vnder the law many were made Priestes because they were not suffered to endure by reason of death But this mā because he endudureth euer hath a Priesthood which cānot passe from one vnto another Whereby it appeareth playnely that the true Christ can haue none to follow him eyther in the office or in the offering for sinne And therfore this doctrine of H. N. which telleth vs that we are to follow Christ in his like death of the Crosse to the safemaking of vs from our sins disagreeth no lesse with the trueth thē doth light with darkenes It is at open warre with the doctrine of iustification which is left vnto vs in the worde of God for the Apostle prooueth that we are righteous by fauour freely geuen vs from God and not by any dutie or desert that is comming vnto vs in the right of our workes grounding his reason vppon the phrase and fourme of Speache which the Scripture vseth in this matter when the righteousnesse euen of Abraham and Dauid men who of all other were best stored of good woorkes is of purpose discussed touching this point Where because hee findeth it written of Abraham that hee beleeued and that was imputed or reckoned vnto him for righteousnes And that Dauid describing a blessed man sayth Hee is blessed to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne Hee pronounceth plainely that our righteousnesse commeth of fauour and not of duetie because wee doe not vse this woorde imputing or accepting when it is duety in the man answering but onely when it is a free gratifiyng For the wages that are growing vnto vs for our woorkes are called due debt and claymed in equitie by iust title and when they shall truely pay them yet is that no more but duetie which proceedeth from them But fauour and and friendship ruled in the matter when Abraham was iustified because the scripture saith he was accepted or reckoned righteous bringing nothing with him beside faith that is a resting in the gracious good will
in the same But to omit coniectures how euident soeuer they bee and to come to the matter iustified and warraunted by expresse writing howe is it that H. N. professeth that his holy Ghost becommeth poured foorth as he speaketh in the oldnesse of the time when men haue followed Christe in the death of his crosse vnto the newe life or seconde birth Can men make any beginning in Christianitie before the spirit of God bee geeuen vnto them Nay can they truely cōceine of that way before they be lightened with the spirite of God Doeth not the Apostle plainly affirme That no man knoweth the things of God but the spirite of God And therefore in the next verse confesseth That they had receiued the spirite of GOD whereby they myght knowe the thinges that were geuen them of GOD Haue the seruantes of GOD his spirite powred vppon them when they haue beene dead vnto sinne is it not by the power of the spirite of GOD that they die vnto sinne aswell as they that lyue vnto righteousnesse Doeth not the Apostle attribute the mortifiyng of the deedes of the body to the spirite in these woordes If yee mortifie the deedes of the body by the spirite yee shall liue Howe then dare H.N. vtter suche dangerous dreames as these bee of the holy Ghoste that hee shoulde not bee geuen vnto the seruauntes of GOD before they haue altogeather left sinne and become vtterly dead vnto the same For hee is of opinion that the holy ghost is not graunted vnto his familie before that time that Christe in the spirite as was spoken before appeare vnto them and they become partakers and possessed of that estate of perfection which hee dreameth of And therefore as was declared before he calleth the visible comming of the holy Ghost vpon the Apostles whereof mention is made in the second of the Actes the appearing of Christe in the spirite For that estate which his familie are partakers of before this perfection was called before the estate of the man in his youngnes and here it is called the dayes of the pacience of Christ in the obedience of the holy and gracious woorde and his seruice of loue and the keeping of the doctrine of his patience Now saith H.N. when those dayes of the pacience of Christ are fulfilled and when they haue kept the woorde of his pacience vnto the ende then becometh the holy Ghost powred foorth vpon suche from the right hande of GOD. By this doctrine in my iudgement H. N dealeth hardly with the man in his youngnesse For yf it shoulde please the Lorde to call any of his familie before they were come to this perfection which hee speaketh of they shoulde dye as reprobates out of the fauour of GOD the heires of euerlasting destruction For as saint Paule testifieth If any man haue not the spirite of Christ the same is not his and by this doctrine of H. N. they are not partakers thereof before those dayes of the pacience of Christe bee fully expired and this estate of perfection entred which hee calleth the second birth from the dead or the new life of the true beeyng of Christe H. N. Which vpright beleuers that folowe after Christ in death life become baptized or washed through Christ in the pure and liuing waters of the holy ghost those same shal also i become powred foorth ouer thē with ful clearenesse of God abūdantly for euen so through shedding foorth of the holy Ghoste ouer the vpright beleeuers in Christ vnder the obedience of the loue of the holy Ghost doeth Christ make manifest his holy church the cōmunialtie of his holy ones and establisheth on the same the promises of God his heauenly father and euen so plainely sheweth who are the right Christians in what maner of wise that they become baptized vnder the obedience of the beliefe of Iesu Christ in the name of the holy Ghost And that is the vpright christian baptisme in the name of the holy Ghost and it is the true seconde byrth out of the holy Ghost the ttue loue of GOD and Christ Answeare THese vpright beleeuers haue the waters of the holy Ghost as H. N. affirmeth powred foorth ouer them with full cleerenes of God abundantly and thus doth Christ make manifest his holy Churche vnder the obedience of the loue through the shedding foorth of the holy Ghost who is nothing els but the loue of God Christ with H.N. as appeareth in the lasse lyne of the last Section and this he calleth the baptisme in the name of the holy Ghost This doctrine hath bene confuted before there is nothing therefore remayning now but to geue you a sight of those absurde thinges which follow vppon it First of all by this doctrine H.N. his Christ in the spirite and his holie Ghost be all one Secondly the holie Ghost is not geuen but to them that are of this familie and subscribe to the doctrine and religion of H.N. Thirdly sinne is subdued before the holie Ghost bee graunted and geuen vnto them Fourthly Baptisme is no cutwarde seale and assurance of that good will the Lord beareth vnto vs but an inwarde perfect obedience that wee yeelde vnto him And last of al the holie Ghost is not that with begetteth in vs the loue of God Christ as it is written but it is the verie loue it self of God and Christ and nothing else These errours be so euident that if nothing had bene saide seuerally vnto them before being once brought out vnto the barre and arrayned a man woulde thinke they would at the first haue yeelded confessed and neuer for shame by pleading not guiltie haue made any further trouble vnto the countrie for their tryall H. N. Wee confesse that they all which become not grounded in this same vpright faith of Iesu Christ nor become euen so baptized as is before mencioned in the first article in the name of the Father vnder the obedience of the loue of the father and his lawe and as is before mencioned in the fourth article in the name of the Sonne vnder the obedience of the loue of the sonne and his beliefe and as is before mencioned in this 8. article in the name of the holie Ghost vnder the obedience of the loue of the holy Ghoste and his renuing of the life minde are no true Christians and that they also all that boast themselues to be Christians without this same vpright faith and baptisme are doubteles false christians Sectio 33. Therefore shall nowe in this same day of the loue the worde that the Lord Iesus hath spoken cōcerning the true be liefe and baptisme be a iudge also become fulfilled founde verie true and make knowen the beleeuers from the vnbeleeuers Section 34. For verilie who so beleeueth and becōmeth baptized after this maner like as we here confesse or acknowledge according to the word of Iesu Christ the vpright faith
of the heauenly goods which are administred and brought thorow the seruice of loue to an euerlasting perfection vnto the vpright of heart and wherin al vnperfect or childish things Images figures and shadowes do ceasse becommeth nowe in this present day O ye louers of the truth euangelized and declared vnto you all and thereto also yee all so well as we were created for to liue therein and are called and bidden vnto the same out of the grace and mercie of God by me H. N. in whom God hath sealed the dwelling of his glorie and his holie name Wee are taught out of the worde of God to beleeue and assuredly to looke for the resurrection of this our flesh which by death is taken downe and layde into the dust For by that league and couenant wherein the Lord standeth bound vnto vs to become our God he hath not onely taken our soule but our fleshe and bodie also into his fatherly protection and that not for the time of this life alone but in like maner for the life to come And therefore our Sauiour Christ Iesus by these words of the couenant proueth that the dead shal rise againe yea that Abraham who had bene alreadie partaker of rising from sinne in truth the shadow whereof H.N. vrgeth for the rising againe of the flesh should haue yet an other resurrection which is to rise vp in flesh and bone to inherite euerlasting comfort as well in bodie as in soule For as the godly doe glorifie GOD here vpon earth both in bodie and soule so shall they likewise be glorified of him in both in the life to come And this is an article of our beliefe and especiall comfort left vnto Christians But how can it be that H.N. should be priuie vnto these such like comfortes who is vtterly ignoraunt of Christ the procurer of thē The Apostle Paule whose conuersation was in heauen and therefore already possessed of the rising from sinne looked notwithstanding for this resurrection of the bodie when it should be chaunged and made like vnto the glorious bodie of Iesus Christ as it is written in the Epistle to the Philippians But our cōuersation is in heauen from whence also wee looke for the sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ who shall chaunge our vile bodies that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie according to the working whereby hee is able euen to subdue all things vnto himselfe It is manifest then by this which hath bene spoken that the resurrectiō of the bodie cannot be drowned as H.N. his doctrine doeth teach vs in the rising from sinne and wickednesse And beside in this short abstract of the principal points of our faith is it possible to perswade any man that one and the same thing shoulde bee the matter and argument of sundrie articles Now by the doctrine of H.N. this article is the same in effect with those of Christ his rising the third day frō the dead his ascending into heauē his sitting at the right hand of God his father yea it is the same in meaning with those of the holy ghost the holy catholike Church the cōmunion of Saints the forgiuenes of sinnes For all these be nothing else besides that estate of life which his doctrine doeth describe to bee the louely being and that estate of perfection which his illuminate elders bee possessed of What cause haue all true hearted Christians to crie out agaynst this doctrine which shrinketh vp so manie and speciall comfortes so proper and peculiar vnto them H. N. The .xij. Article And we beleeue one euerlasting life Amen We confesse that the same euerlasting life is a true light of men and that God hath made and chosen him the man hereto that hee shoulde liue in the same light euerlastingly it is verie true Answere This euerlasting life which H. N. speaketh of is no other thing then that doctrine which he professeth And therfore he calleth it a true light of men according as we haue heard before in his title that in respect of this doctrine he chalengeth vnto him selfe to bee called the true light of the perfect being alledging the same place that here is cited for proofe thereof But least some might say that this place is not plaine inough to warrant this to be their opinion let vs heare himself open his owne meaning more at large These are his owne wordes in the 34. Chapter of his Euangelie Section 4. In this same day or last time namely in the perfection of the workes of God in his righteous iudgement the God of heauē hath now declared himself his christ together with al his saints to vs his elect also made a dwelling with vs brought euen so vnto vs out of his holy being the most holie of his true tabernacle with the fulnes of his garnishing and spiritual heauenly riches to an euerlasting fast standing Ierusalem and house for Gods dwelling according to the Scripture the which is the verie true vndisturbable kingdome full of all godly power ioy and of all heauenly beautifulnesse wherin the land of the lord with fulnesse of eternall life and louely sweetenesse is sung from euerlasting to euerlasting and wherein all mindes of pure heartes doe dwell liue and walke with freedome and Christian triumph in all loue This day of loue is with him as you heare the last time and therefore nowe doeth God make his dwelling with vs and bringeth the fulnesse of his spiritual riches And this kingdome as he sayeth here is the verie true vndisturbable kingdome full of all godly ioy and heauenly beautifulnes wherein is the fulnesse of eternall life He calleth it the eternall life because this doctrine must reigne on earth for euer and therefore in his exposition vpon this Article he doeth not affirme that anie one man shall liue in the same light euerlastingly but speaking indefinitely sayeth the man shall liue in it euerlastingly because there shall bee from hencefoorth in all times hereafter men founde that shall walke in perfecte obedience vnto this Doctrine It appeareth likewise out of his Euangelie that he professeth euerlasting life to be nothing else but his doctrine So that to liue in perfect obedience vnto that is no other thing then to liue in the life euerlasting in that light that shineth therein And it is therefore called euerlasting because it shal be professed for euer and no religion preuaile against it These bee his owne woordes Euangelie 37.13 Therefore also is this day or light of the loue with his seruice in the most holie the last day and the perfection or conclusion of all the workes of God in the which God himselfe with his Christ and with all the thousandes of his Saintes as in the moste holy of his true tabernacle appeareth and commeth vnto the beleeuers and obedient ones to the requiring of his worde to an eternall rest of his holy ones and to a godly consolation for all afflicted
Church Nowe if vnto Allegories vsed in the scripture it be denied to speake as witnesses for the deciding of doubtes because theyr speache is so doubtfull and obscure in it selfe with what conscience can the testimony be taken of H. N. his Allegories to decide the chiefe pointes of religion withal seeing they are all hatched at home of him selfe and not one to be founde in the writinges of the holy Ghost Irenaeus likewise in his second booke Aduersus haereses and the tenth chapter speaking to the same purpose hath these woordes Omnis autem quaestio non per aliud quod quaeritur habet resolutionem nec ambiguitas per aliam ambiguitatem soluitur apud eos qui sensum habent aut aenigma per aliud magis aenigma sed ea quae sunt talia ex manifestis consonantibus claris accipiunt absolutiones Matters called into question can haue no resolution by other thinges that are likewise in question neyther can one obscure thing be cleered among them that haue eyther iudgement or sence by an other that is darke but of questions that be darke and obscure are wise men woont not otherwise to be resolued then by apparant and manifest proofes It is plaine therefore by the iudgement of these ancient and learned fathers that Allegories which are H. N. his best witnesses be as those men who haue heretofore worne papers For theyr testimony may not be taken to decide matters of question And he that bringeth no better matter then is an Allegorie for the deciding of a doubt is as he who because he wāteth better witnesse is glad to call a periured person to the booke I except not in this speach Allegories that are read in the scripture vnlesse they be suche as by plaine woordes either going before or comming after bee clearely opened and made manifest vnto vs The dispositions of such as haue their sence by circumstance made certaine and are founde in the scripture I deny it not may bee taken but that is altogeather for the assurance that the circumstances doe make vnto vs not for any certaine that is to bee had from them selues They must be plaine and certaine that shal induce a man to geue credite vnto any matter that he is not already resolued of The Logitians therefore refuse too haue them among their places from whence they deriue their proofes and probalities I deny not but that the Rhethoritians haue entertayned them among their figures to moue and delight vs when before the trueth of that thing is out of al doubt with vs The Familie therefore are greatly abused of H.N. their Lorde and maister whyle they are enforced of him to take Allegories onely for theyr euidence And yet are not Allegories so muche abused when they be admitted for proofe as when they are made to ouerthrowe the naturall and historical sence of the worde For albeit the case be to bee pitied when a man shall be forced for lacke of credible persōs who haue beene present to take a periured man to decide a doubt yet is this more lamentable when the party periured shal be suffered to the end that he only may be heard to stop the mouthes of men of good credite who both could and woulde resolue vs of the right And in trueth so the case stādeth with H. N. his Allegories for they vtterly abolishe the naturall sence of the worde and of an historie when H.N. hath doone with it there is nothing left to be heard or seene beside a naked Allegorie Ierome him selfe albeit he had some times ouer great a lykyng of Allegories yet was hee neuer so be witched with them but that he held this trueth in opiniō that the literal natiue sence of the woorde was first to be layde as a sure fundatiō before the roofe of any spiritual sence or Allegorical meanyng might be made therunto Cum Historiae habuerint fundamenta tunc spiritualis intelligentiae culmen accipiant vt verè Christus de virgine natus sit Verè Lazarū mortuū susetarit quamuis quotidie de anima Virginali nascatur sermo diuinus quotidide peccato mortui vitiorum funibus alligati de sepulchro scelerum suorum iubentur exire When they shall haue the foundation of an History then let them builde the roofe of a spiritual fence As for example It is the trueth of a deede once done that Christ was borne of a Virgin and that hee raysed vp Lazarus when hee was dead albeit a diuine word is dayly borne of a pure chast minde they that are dead vnto sinne and bound with the cordes of theyr offēces are dayly cōmaūded to come out of the graues of theyr sinnes Howe farre is H. N. from this moderation for his Allegories in the weightiest matters as in the birth death and resurrection of Christ haue wholy drunke vp and altogeather drowned the histories And generally throughout al his writinges after once hee hath begunne with it hee neuer ceasseth to pursue his Allegory vntyl hee haue seene it playe the hangman vnto the natural sence and history For the drift and scope of all his doinges is to make vs keepe our eares shut against that which the Lorde doeth speake plainely vnto vs out of his woorde that we may onely reuerence these rydles that proceede from him selfe The woorde of GOD wil not suffer vs with H. N. to place and put into possession Allegories which be illegitimate that the naturall sence and signification of the woorde which is the lawful heire might thereby bee dispossessed and driuen out The practise of our Sauiour Christ of the Apostle Saint Paule is our president to vpholde the credite of the natural sence and meanyng of the woorde which Allegories beeyng suffered to haue so large alowance as H. N. doeth make them woulde soone driue out at the doores For the least part of an Historie as a worde and circumstance of time the whole whereof H. N. his Allegories woulde vnhorse and ouerthrow is with our Sauiour Christ aduaunced to the credite of deciding and determinyng matters of greatest weight and moment in religion Nowe yf aworde in his proper signification be so much made of with Christ the Apostles as that it shal be of sufficient credit to carry away a matter of greatest weight What wrong doeth H. N. offer the worlde that with Allegories would beare downe not the natiue sence onely of a woorde but of many wordes and sentences set togeather to maintaine a proper and naturall sence and signification Our Sauiour Christ when he will prooue him selfe the true Messias to be more then a man he vrgeth the naturall signification of the woorde Lorde that because Dauid whose sonne he was after the fleshe calleth him Lorde therefore it coulde not bee but that he was more then a meere man Moreouer in that weightie matter of iustification doeth not the Apostle stande vpon the signification of this worde impute which is euer vsed when fauour and mercy preuayleth