teacher and Prophet is likewise very great for who can make vs doubt or make any question of it howe wee should knowe the wil of God generally or his affection towards the beleuer perticularly when the sonne himselfe to whom as being neerest vnto him the wil of the father is wholy and altogeather made knowen hath opened the same in his Gospel Who dare nowe tell me that as one who hath no iudgement or discretion I am wholy to put ouer my selfe in matters of fayth to Councelles fathers and consent of nations when I am taught too beleeue that Christe Iesus is annointed Prophet and Teacher aswell inwardly to perswade by his spirite as outwardly to teache and set downe a true rule of righteousnesse according as it is written in Iohn But yee haue an ointement from him that is holy and know al things These things touching his name and office I haue vttered more at large because H.N. with one breath passeth from the creation of all thinges by Christ vnto the woorke of our redemption as if they had not onely both one workeman but also were both of them nothing els but one the same worke nay which more is as if the comming of Christ in the fleshe and his suffering had been onely to answeare a duety that was laid vpon him by some couenant from the creation which stoode him self vpō to answere for his own benefite whereas the Scripture laieth out at large the matter of our saluation as the most speciall and principall thing that it handleth A thing so seueral and sundred from the creation as that the sonne of God hath not onely nowe another matter in hande but also a newe name and another nature a diuerse office and a distinct condition H.N. notwithstāding al these good words is not of opinion that Iesus Christ is God for then here especially he woulde haue beene plaine and laide out the matter at large not onely for that necessarie occasion is offered him by the mention that is made of the onely sonne of God but also because our redemption which is the matter he hath in hand could not be accomplished by any that was but man onely For what iust satisfaction coulde a mortall man make for offences committed agaynst the high maiestie of GOD when offences growe to be greater or lesse as the partie offended is in place and dignitie higher or lower According as wee see that an euill woorde spoken against a Prince hath in iustice greater punishment then the same woorde ought to haue being spoken but against a priuate man Nowe when so great a person as the only begotten sonne of GOD and GOD him selfe hath humbled him selfe in our nature for vs and beene obedient euen vnto that most slaunderous death of the crosse for our cause no man can deny but that suche a sacrifice is able to weigh with all the sinnes of his seruauntes For that obedience hath estimation and desert from the person who did perfourme it Howe daungerously then dealeth this Familie as much as in them lieth to shake out faith beside the iniurie that they doe offer vnto his Maiestie when they deny the Godhead of Christ seeing no man is able to bring that price wherewith sinne may be sent away as answered in desert and our consciences rest vpon as in a sufficient discharge against the same Moreouer who not beeing the Almighty him selfe had beene able to preuayle against death and to breake through the iron barres and mightie chaines of the graue which yet is but the prison of the body onely and not that darkest dungeon and safest ward that Sathan hath where the soule is imprisoned when sinne ceaseth vpon the conscience Nowe the gates of both these prisons were to be opened and that so wide as infinite multitudes beside him selfe might safely passe thorowe them nay they were to bee broken vnto so small sheuers as it were impossiible euer after to make them of strength able to bee kept shut against the feeblest of his seruauntes But I knowe you are desirous out of H. N. his bookes to knowe what hee thinketh of Christe seeing I doe so constantly affirme that hee denieth him to bee GOD and haue before referred you for your further satisfaction touching his opinion heerein vnto this place and likewise what you may safely say by warraunt from his owne writings that he beleueth Christ to be By the doctrine of H.N. Christ is no one man but an estate and condition in men common to so many as haue receiued his doctrine that they are growen thereby to perfection nowe sinne no more Which estate hee calleth the true light or true beeing and perfection For proofe whereof I referre you vnto the xiii Chapter of his Euangelie or ioyfull message of the kingdome towarde the ende of second section there hee hath these wordes This same true light is the annointed with the holy ghost which annointed in Hebrue is named Messias in Greeke Christus Hee was also in times past called of certaine Rabbins amōg the Iewes the Lorde his Sabboth And they say that the same annointed is the seuenth day in the Paradize of God wherein God resteth from all his woorkes and is the perfectiō the which also is very true for this same Messias or annointed is the Sabboth day which the Lord hath commaunded to be alwaies had in remembrance that we when the same commeth might rest therein hallow or sanctifie the same wherin the law the seruice of the Priesthood of Aaron out of Leui and the elders testament doth ceasse hath accomplished his seruice For the same annointed which commeth at that time out of heauen with his annointing of the holy Ghost in the spirite and is the very like being of the godhead it self he is a Priest of the most highest higher and greater of dignitie then was Aaron because hee bideth euerlastingly and is a minister of the spiritual heauenly goodes This same true light which H. N. bringeth ye see he calleth it the annointed with the holy ghost Messias Christ the seuenth day the perfectiō to cloke his horrible heresie the better that it might not be espied hee speaketh of this his estate of perfection in the Masculine gender as if it were a man and saith as you haue hearde before he was also in times past called of certayne Rabbins among the Iewes the Lordes Sabboth and likewise he speaketh of this estate as yf it were a man when he sayth he is a Priest of the most highest higher greater of dignitie then was Aaron This horrible blasphemie is yet more plainely laide out in the viii ix x. sections of this same chapter wher he speaketh thus Oh alas how grosly haue then certaine wise of the world and Scripture learned ouerreached them herein which haue without diuersitie forsaken the lawe and the seruice of the elders Testament and of the Priestes office after the ordinance of Aaron and set backe the same
it as that their heartie goodwil affection may be seene to appeare thereby towards it This iudgement of God vpon H.N. and his Family speaketh plainly of the Gospel that we can not enioy it if wee giue no better entertainment then they haue done vnto it For as for them they are now farther from the knowledge of the Gospel then they were the first houre that euer they looked vppon the light For Christ is nothing with them but obedience vnto that doctrine which they professe Which may easily be discerned by H.N. his discription of him which is this Christus doth signifie vnto vs saith H.N. the safe making oyle of the God sauing being and yet more plainely is that matter expressed in the Booke entituled Theol. Ger. A booke that euery mā who hath red any of his workes if his owne coūtrimen had neuer discouered it might easely perceiue to haue come frō the same spirit which spake in him These words are founde there touching that matter Vetus homo est Adamus et inobedientia ipsitas egoitas et similia at nouus homo est Christus et obediētia Adā is the olde man disobedience he I such like but Christ is the new man obedience Where that obedience is nothing that he doth is sinne where that is not there is nothing but sinne God hath nothing so proper vnto him wherein by this doctrine of H.N. his illuminate elders be not felowes with him euerlasting life if that we beleeue him is fully felt possessed in this life here is our heauen here is our hell the resurrection is not corporall of the body but spirituall of the minde Now is Christ come to iudgement and this doctrine is the last trump they are rysen againe and in perfect ioy who haue perfectly imbraced it and those haue alredy receiued their iudgement be in hell who do resist it to be gilty of death by the sinne of an other or to be iustified by the righteousnes of an other is a doctrine not onely not receiued of them but throughout all their bookes impugned our sinnes by this doctrine are answeared within vs and no righteousnesse that shall doe vs good is without vs Touching which point this is saide in the Booke alledged before Etiamsi Deus omnes homines quicunque sunt ad se assumeret ipse in eis homo fieret ipsi in eo deus fierent idem in me non fieret nunquam corrigeretur meus lapsus Although GOD woulde take all men to himselfe and were made man in them and they were made God in him and the same shoulde not bee done in mee my sinne and offence shoulde neuer bee discharged They onely are the Church al cōgregations whatsoeuer that ioine not with thē they call thē Synagouges of Sathan and nestes of Deuils they holde that euery man is his owne Sauiour and a Chrst for him selfe euery mā that hath wel profited in the schoole of H. N. is perfit and without sinne To conclude this matter the errours bee so many so foule and so filthy as woulde force the very penne in passing to stay stop the nose The onely way whereby a man should enter to do them good haue they hedged and stopped vp against vs for they say that they onely are spirituall and therefore iudge truely of the word that they haue the sence and we nothing but the words they haue the spirit and we nothing but the letter that they haue the life and we the body they haue the carnel we the shell they haue the sword and we the scabbard To be briefe in this matter of doctrine H.N. turneth religion vp side downe and buildeth heauen heere vpon earth maketh God man and man God heauen hell hel heauen For venom and poyson which will bring present death hath he dispersed ouer euery member article of our beliefe so vniuersall is the poyson of his opinion Touching conuersation howe may wee imagine that there is any soundnesse when the doctrine and vitall partes be thus infected For do we not read in the scriptures that most shameful corruptiō of life hath alwaies followed as a due deserued punishment the corruption of doctrine God gaue them vp saith the Apostle to their hearts lusts vnto vncleannes to defile their owne bodyes betwene thēselues which turned the trueth of God vnto a lye Which thing Priscillianus of whom H.N. hath borowed not only that villanous wresting of the word by allegories but also that monstrous opiniō that periurie and lying be lawfull and may be doon with good conscience to conceale religion confessed beeing condemned to dye for heresie Priscillianus saith Daneus was put to death at Treuyris which is the most famous Citie of Germany hauing confessed before that that hee had oftenten times committed moste shamefull wickednesse with the women of his sect And what a libertie H. N. his doctrine giueth vnto all lewdnesse of life in his allegorie of the woman that is rauished in the fielde I leaue it to the consideration of the godly These be his wordes in his booke called Documentall Sentences speaking of temptations vnto sinne If they take and lay holde on vs with force and violence and that then although we cry there commeth not any power or helpe vnto vs for to withstand them in their force and violence and that they euen so rauish vs against our will so are wee guiltles of the transgressing for we haue cryed to be released of the tyranny of the euil there is no help come vnto vs Of the which guiltlesse transgressing the law likewise witnesseth where it sayeth A woman which is violently taken in the field where as there is not any helpe and so rauished and although she haue cried aloude yet gotten no helpe she shall be guiltlesse of the transgressing What can open anie window wider vnto all wickednesse then this doctrine doeth For if temptations presse vs and our prayers presently preuaile not by this doctrine we are discharged of all daunger from the fact howe often and how grieuously soeuer we shall offende Whom would not this doctrine not onely incourage vnto sinne but also make him impudently secure and senselesse in the same This monstrous birth so beastly and so blinde hath the contempte of the worde and want of care to keepe it in a good conscience nourished and brought forth Wherby we may see with what daunger we walke not onely wickedly but also carelesly against the worde For this spectacle doeth plainly shew that it is more precious in the Lord his sight then that he either can or will put vp at our hands the contempt and neglect of the same And therfore when we see at this day those men who sometimes haue knowne the trueth become as beastes voyde of all reason let vs vnderstande that the Lorde thereby meaneth to magnifie his worde and to let men perceiue the might and Maiestie of the
the like practise of counterfaiting Papists who make shew of religion hauing sworne hearts to the Pope whose dispensation either they haue or trust in some reconciling reliques and ceremonyes from Rome for these causes I thought it some danger to lay open suche blasphemyes such escapes of an euill and erronious conscience which beginning long agoe in the ancient heretiques the Priscillanistes Montanists Pelagians Anabaptists and Catharists c. and hauing been long time buried in the botome of Hell are not thence to be raked any more Also I thought it almost impossible to meet with such an inconstant and slippery serpent that hath so obscure wordes now to hide and now to conuay her poyson thereby to auoyde the wholesome remedy by the worde and iust punishment by the magistrate But my good brother these my doubts grew from the eye I had to their will and way finding the Serpent so subtile to charme others yet him selfe to shut his care so against the trueth that he will not heare the voyce of the charmer charme hee neuer so wisely and that it is as hard to finde out his way as the way of a Ship that hath sayled through the sea For afterwarde considering that Antichrist did bring as he thought to perfection the mystery of iniquitie in the working force of Satan in all powers and signes and lying woonders and in all deceit of vnrighteousnesse as S. Paul prophesied we in these last ages haue clerely seene and that notwithstanding God hath already almost altogither consumed that man of sin with the spirit of his mouth which is his word preached in the Gospel I acknowledge with praise to God the father in Iesus Christ for that sword of the spirit that two edged swoord that it is able either to heale or to wounde to death all aduersary power be it either in al impietie of heresie or in all corruption of maners Yea if H.N. were freed from all his sinne and washed from all corruption If he in deede were as he is in the fancie of his familie an angell from heauen or by an other transubstantiation more then an archangell or that which they affirme and I dare not write yet teaching otherwise then we haue receiued from the holy Prophets and Apostles he is to be holden accurssed and his Gospell of the kingdom with all other his doctrine to be had in abhomination They that pray are thus to pray against such heresies they that write are so vpon occasion to write and Magistrates are in a zeale of Gods house to put on that minde that the holy trueth may bee exalted and all heresies rooted out to the glory of GOD and the preseruation of his Churche from those damnable waies wherein many not esteeming nor seeking the trueth are sooner destroyed then they can feare destruction Therfore you haue doone wel in the Lord drawing out that sworde of the worde of God to make a separation betweene thought and thought betweene practise and practise betweene secret open paths of errour and contempt betwene ioynts and marrow betwene soule and spirit that all the outgoings escapes and dennes wherein these heresies either lye in waite and worke against the trueth or hide themselues from discouery may be discouered and the bright face of the trueth appeare to the great glory of God ouerthrowing of al error cōuerting those of that family of Loue whom he hath loued and in mercie will conuert deliuering their eyes from blindenesse and feete frō falling and to stay those that might for want of the voice of the trumpet sodenly fal into the enemies hand to be caried away into the miserable captiuitie of those heresies and to the second death that followeth thē as their iust reward Also the Magistrate by such a manifest discouery of those blasphemies against God against his Christ against his worde shall more more see into the great danger of their horrible sect and find necessary cause to ioyne with the worde to cut it off lest in the end they with their brethrē the Anabaptists exalt themselues asmuch against the holy and necessary authoritte of magistrates as they doe already against God and his word by whome Princes raigne receiue their blessed peace and safetie Against which Magistrates this practise they haue vsed and still doe vse abusing their holy place of Iustice they recant in woordes without recantation in heart as I noted before holding it for a rule that they ought not to destroy the Temple of GOD whiche is say they in a grosse and absurde interpretation our body and therefore we will not be brought to persecution and death Making a rule against the rule of Christ and against the most wonderfull practise thereof in him selfe and his holy Martyres who loosing their life heere haue found it in heauen and hauing their bodies burnt to ashes in hope they looke for the ioyful resurrection of the same bodyes at the comming of Iesus Christ Therfore my very good brother I thanke God for your labours praying his maiestie to blesse them that the offenders may see and repent their offence that others yet free may remaine by such instruction free for euer from those and such heresies and may be more more armed against error with the trueth and comforted therein to their saluation Praying also that God would continue with increase that spirit of zeale and wisdome in the heart of our most excellent soueraine the Queene other in authoritie vnder her to represse those fantasticall and erronious spirits being indeed the true succession of those ancient Catharists Puritans who thought themselues not to sinne but actually to bee possessed with absolute holinesse and purenesse For so those thinke of themselues and plainly affirme it of their illuminate elders But howsoeuer they seduce some goodly and zealous men women of honest and godly conuersation placing them at the porch of their Synagogue to make a shewe of holinesse and to stand there as baites and stalles to deceiue others yet alas who can without blushing vtter the shame that is committed in the inwarde roomes and as it were in the heart of that Synagogue of Satan These are the things I haue thought touching the booke and a testimonie of my greate ioy touching the same And besides the good I haue already noted this confutation shal testifie to all ages at large that the blessed gouernment of our gratious soueraigne the Queenes maiestie suffereth neither Papists nor other heretiques to goe vncōfuted or vnpunished howsoeuer first in great abundance of singular clemencie it pleaseth her to seeke their saluation draw on their effectuall conuersation Which blessed fruite of that singular clemencie the Lord God graunt in Christ Iesus and a perfect peace to this Church for euer Amen Yours assuredly in the Lorde W. C. ¶ A Confutation of monstrous and horrible heresies taught by H. N. and imbraced of a number who call them selues the Familie of Loue. ¶ The Title
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
as a matter out of doubt and yet might it well bee that the woorde whereof hee is a Minister were a gracious woorde as hee calleth it and for all that his election therevnto neither good nor gracious But woulde you heare what this gracious woorde is according as the Prophet testifieth of it Surely it is no other thing then euen now to bring vs the first newes of a matter done and past manie hundreth yeares agoe to witte that Iuda and Ierusalem shoulde bee inhabited againe by the Iewes after the captiuitie of Babilon In the place which he alledgeth out of the Prophete it is written thus Thus saith the Lord againe there shall be heard in this place which ye say shal be desolate without mā without beast euē in the cities of Iuda and the streetes of Ierusalem the voice of ioy and the voice of gladnesse the voice of the bridegrome the voice of the bride For I will cause to returne the captiuitie of the land as at the first The Iewes are cōforted by the prophet with this promise frō the Lord that they shal returne frō their captiuity and inhabite Iuda and Ierusalem with comfort and ioy of heart For saith he there shall be heard in your streetes the voice of ioy gladnes the voice of the bridegrome and the voice of the bride H.N. might well haue stayed among the dead neuer haue striuen so much about his resurrection from among them if he haue no other message then this for they are dead many hundreth yeares agoe to whom this matter did apperteine It is plaine therefore by his own testimonie that he hath no authority to deale with vs but with Iuda Ierusalem nor to bring anie doctrine into the world touching euerlasting saluation but onely cōcerning a temporall deliuerance neither to haue any thing to doe with men nowe liuing but with people long before this time deade Thus much in particular both touching his person and his office For his title in generall I haue to say that this title which is so ample and glorious being compared with the preface of the Apostles set before their writings wil soone discrie the diuersitie of spirits They dispatch vs touching the knowledge of themselues in the words of Seruant Apostle whē they stand the longest with vs vpō that matter By seruant declaring what they hold in common with all Christians by Apostle what they haue special in the function ministerie of the word Paul a seruāt of Iesus Christ called to be an Apostle Simon Peter a seruāt an Apostle of Iesus Christ And somtimes they are so sparing that they wil not spend both vpon vs. Iames a seruant of God and of the Lord Iesus Christ Peter an Apostle of Iesus Christ Iude a seruant of Iesus Christ But H. N. as if he could no longer beare such basenesse steppeth in before them with his stately stile and sayth H.N. Through the grace and mercie of God and through the holy spirite of the loue of Iesus Christ Raised vp by the highest God from the death according to the prouidence of God and his promises Anointed with the holy Ghost in the olde age of the holy vnderstanding of Iesus Christ Godded with God in the spirit of his loue Made heire with Christ in the heauenly goodes of the riches of God Illuminated in the spirite with the heauenly truth The true light of the perfect being Elected to a minister of the gracious worde which is now in the last time raised vp by God according to his promises in the most holy seruice of god vnder the obediēce of his loue What man measuring the matter by the outwarde face that is set vpon it would thinke the Apostles worthie to hold the candle to this mans cunning And what friend of theirs if H.N. would take vpon him to teach them the depth of his diuinitie would once seeme to offer with them lesse then the seruice of vii yeres Neither is there so great oddes betweene them in the multitude of titles as in the magnificence and dignitie of them How plain simple and farre from pride be the names of seruant Apostle How glorious swelling magnificēt be these speches Godded with God annointed with the holy Ghost in the olde age of the holy vnderstanding illuminated in the spirit the true light of the perfect being raised vp by the highest God frō the dead But no meruaile if H. N. be so glorious in titles for this he hath in common with the Heretikes of all times The Montanists who had their name beginning of Montanus the first heretike that practised to draw on disciples by procuring stipend and wages from the richer sorte of that sect to others the teachers and mainteyners thereof which was a baite that brought many to bite of those morsels and therefore vpon good consideration is nowe a freshe practised in this familie where there is so great famine of better arguments to perswade with all did affirme that they were wiser then the Apostles and alledged that place of the Apostle for it where Paule setting him selfe in the number with other sayeth We knowe in part For they mainteyned an absolute cleare and perfect reuelation in themselues affirming Montanus to be the holy Ghost promised to the Church whereof the Apostles had receyued but a little measure There were also a sect of people in that part of Pisidia which belongeth vnto Pamphilia who refused to receiue any into their felowship and communion that kept anie thing priuate and proper to themselues excluding them as straungers from the kingdome of God and they would be called Apostolici Apostolicall and be knowne by no other name Seruetus the heretike called himselfe Michael the keeper of the Church of God and the great prince of his people Dauid George H. N. his Schoole-maister though the scholer setting vp for himselfe will now take no more knowledge of anie maister or superiour calleth himselfe the seuenth Angell of GOD and the last trumpe And H. N. the father of this familie will bee godded with GOD and become the true light of the perfect being that in no wise hee might seeme to want that badge of boasting which is so speciall and proper vnto heretikes That which is commonly sayd of pictures and painted workes hath a fitte place in these workes of H.N. Picturae atque imagines eminùs non cominùs videndae Pictures and Images they are faire a farre off but if the eye drawe neare them there is then no sight or shew of them If a man looke at the diuinitie that is heere deliuered a farre off he would thinke it came from aboue the hiest heauen so great and goodly speaches of loue and peace be conteyned in it But come neare and lay it to the line of God his worde and beside that the lowest pit of hell shall not be able to afoorde worse wares then some that here be vttered It would
I pray you of that which is written in the eightienth chapter of this booke where of purpose he hādleth that matet◠historie of Christ at large There hee hath these wordes Consider ye beloued how that there is shewed vnto vs and geuē vs to vnderstand through the speaches of the Angel Gabriel which hee vsed with Marie that at the same time whē the holy Ghost came through the power of the most highest vpō the Virgin Mary procreated the true seed of promise the time of procreating of the seed of Abraham according to the flesh turned it selfe about to wit that the holy true seed of Abrahā should not frō thencefoorth be conceiued of the flesh but of the holy Ghost through the power of the most highest in the beliefe And that the same should euē so be borne out of the true faith of Abraham For the seed out of the faith of Abraham out of the pure Virgin Mary is the true seed of promise to the blessing of al generatiōs of the earth And thus from that time forth the Genealogie of the seede of Abraham according to the fleshe ceassed with the beleeuers For the vpright children of the beliefe which had their discent out of the seede of the faith of Abraham and the pure Virgin Mary as also from the holy Ghost were knowen to be the true seede of Abraham because the same seede was the seede of the promise of God the Father was likewise in his mind according to the spirit the likenes of God his father also spirit and spirituall of the godly nature and being And according to the will of GOD wholly minded with God. You see that the woordes of the Angel vnto the Virgin Marie to perswade her touching the worke of the Lorde within her to witte that the holy Ghost shoulde come vppon her and the power of the moste high shoulde ouershadowe her are by this Authour wrong by way of Allegory vnto all the faithfull that shall come after Christ who are made by his doctrine to come out of the pure Virgin Mary to be the very true seed of promise ioyntly together for the blessing of all generations of the earth For the seed saith he out of the faith of Abraham and out of the pure Virgin Mary is the true seed of the pramise to the blessing of al generatiōs of the earth These be his owne wordes And immediatly after least that any shoulde thinke this was spoken of one onelie and therefore of Christ alone continuing the same matter he speaketh in the plural number and saieth The vpright children of the beliefe which had their discent out of the seede of the faith of Abraham and of the pure Virgin Mary as also from the holy Ghost were knowen to be the true seede of Abraham because the same seede was the seed of the promise of God the father Cā any thing bee added to this blasphemie to ioyne many to make vppe this seede of promise by whom shoulde come the blessing of all the generations of the earth When as the Apostle sayeth in the third to the Galathians which place is here alleaged by him That the promises were made to Abraham and his seede which was Christ and not to his seedes as speaking of manie If any man either for want of knowledge or through aboundance of good will woulde here gladly become a proctour for H.N. and affirme that he meant nothing lesse by this speach of blessing all generations of the earth then to declare the way and meanes of our saluation besides that the whole chapter is occupied about Christ and therefore about our saluation and that it is the phrase of speache which the holie Ghost vseth to expresse that matter by The places which are quoted in the margent out of Genesis and the Epistle to the Galathians directly dealing for that worke of our saluation doe leaue no colour for this excuse All the grounde that hee hath of this blasphemous doctrine is a blinde ignoraunt and altogether vnlearned descanting about the names of men wherein consisteth the deapth of all his diuinitie For when once hee hath with allegories as it were with hot irons seared the word taking away thereby the life and natural sence of the same then beginneth he to rattle the drie bones and to descant vpon bare names as best liketh himselfe without anie helpe at all giuen vnto his interpretation from the circumstances of the place matter that is inhande resting onely vpon a childish ridiculous deriuation of the words from the Hebrues For because as hee saieth in that chapter Galilie signifieth a turning either winding about He will haue this doctrine established therevpon that the procreating of the true seede turned it selfe about to witte that the holie and true seede of Abraham which according to his doctrine all he faithful are shoulde not from thencefoorth be conceaued of the flesh but of the holie Ghost What daunger lurketh vnder this doctrine Is it not proper onely to that one man Iesus Christ alone to be conceiued by the holy Ghost Howe then dare H.N. secretly insinuate that Christ had no other kinde of conception but that whereof all the faithfull are partakers together with him Now if hee meant no mischiefe herein what neede hath hee to set his turning about from Galilie to tell vs that the true seede of Abraham shoulde not from thencefoorth be conceiued of the fleshe For if he haue relation vnto regeneration Who is ignorant that the worke therof not onely since Christ but before his comming hath beene alwayes wrought through the holie Ghost and neuer performed by fleshe Marie after the like maner of interpretation signifieth with him a doctrice For that is his owne woorde in this Chapter wherevppon he gathereth that the true seede is brought foorth by the most highest in the beliefe that is by himselfe who onely in his owne iudgement teacheth purely and so consequently they all are borne of the pure Virgin Marie that are brought by his doctrine and instruction which onely he holdeth for pure to ioyne with him in his faith and religion Thus blasphemously doth he deale through grosse ignorance ioyned with intollerable arrogancie pride to ouerthrowe the grounde woorke of our saluation As for these woordes which in the ende of this his speache are spoken of all the faithful after Christ The same seed was the seed of the promise of God the Father was likewise in his minde according to the spirit the likenesse of God his Father also spirit and spiritual of the godly nature and beyng and according to the will of God wholly minded with God Whether they eueroch vppon Iesus Christ or attribute any other diuinitie and Godhed vnto Christ then they are perswaded the faithful after him be all pertakers of I leaue it to the consideration of the learned that feare God without any other speache thereof then that here all the
he take something for their standing other benefit he hath none by them This true essence and being of God which H. N calleth his loue is not according to his doctrine any thing that the Almightie hath proper and peculiar vnto himselfe in that he is God but that which all the faythfull are possessed of and that not in some little measure but so as there dwel liue or rule no other thing in all there spirite thoughtes mind and soule but alone this true godhead with his louely being of the vpright loue For these are his owne words in his first exhortation Chap. 15. and Section 26. The true freedome verily is this that the maÌ„ through the ministratioÌ„ of the gracious word is wholy released purged or purified froÌ„ all wicked nature which hath raigned ouer him that there dwel liue nor rule any other thing in him namely in al his spirit thoughts mind soule but alone the true godhed with his louely being of the vpright loue yea to be so wholy replenished with all vertues of God that there flow nothing in him but the spirituall heauenly and liuing waters And because H.N. his doctrine tendeth to establish a kinde of loue which in his opinion is the true beeing diuinitie and deitie of God therefore he calleth also his counsell and instruction this true being For thus he speaketh in his first exhortation Chapiter 12. Section 54. If yee stand minded to feare the Lorde to bee obedient to his lawe that passeth foorth presently out of the true Sion his word that passeth forth presently out of the heaueÌ„ly Ierusalem giue ouer your selues after my counsaile and instruction according to it al as the Lord hath reuealed the true being vnto me out of Sion and Ierusalem wholy and altogither so will I then in like maner euen out of the heartie loue stand seruiseable so much as I may in the Lorde vnto you dayly and at all times thervnto to the end you should feare the highest God and might learne to knowe his righteousnesse For his righteousnesse is the loue the true being and the euerlasting life Speaking as you heare of his doctrine and exhorting them to the imbracing thereof hee calleth it the true being when hee sayeth according as the Lorde hath reuealed the true being vnto mee And in the ende he concludeth that the righteousnesse which he teacheth is the loue the true beeing and the euerlasting life So that the Deitie and beeing which H. N. giueth vnto GOD is no other then that which mortall men attaine vnto For the righteousnesse which they perfourme by his doctrine is as he sayeth the loue the true being and euerlasting life And forasmuch as this true being is no other thing with him then that loue which by his doctrine manie are made partakers off therefore in the beginning of his Euangelie H.N. affirmeth himselfe to be godded with God in the spirite of his loue and likewise sayeth that he was the true light of the perfect being And in his first exhortation Chapter 17. Section 5. The Childe confesseth of the Father and eldest Elder that the moste highest hath reuealed the possession of his moste excellent Maiestie in him and that with the same being of the perfect Godhead he hath made a godly dwelling with him This doctrine doeth vtterly ouerthrow the true diuinitie deitie of God it robbeth him of his true essence and beeing and couereth him with no other essence nature or being then is found in man it setteth the creator among the creatures and it matcheth the the creature with the creator The Lord if it be his good wil open their eyes that they may see it giue them harts that may blush and be ashamed of such blasphemie that eâ—that they may receiued in true repentance or otherwise if they will still harden their hearts that wee may see them laid downe in their confusion and couered with their owne shame H.N. In which name of the father wee are plucked Section 3 thorowe the seruice of his holie and gratious word vnder the obedience of the law of the Lorde of the beliefe of Iesu Christ and of the loue of the holie ghost by the father to the loue of his onely sonne Iesu or Sauiour the very like beinge or substaunce of his Godhed and euen so baptised or washed in the same name of the father Which plucking of the father and baptising in Section 4 the fathers name hath the foregoing by vs in the administration of the holie word vnder the obedience of the loue with the Law or ordinaunce of the Lorde And with his correction or discipline wherewithall we euen so as in an enmitie against the sinne beecome preuented and infourmed to an incorporating in the godlie righteousnesse For euen so in the becomming baptised in the name Section 5 of the father doth the Lord chastise or nurtur with his lawe euery man which hee plucketh or receiueth vnto him where through it becommeth than all made manifest in the man whatsoeuer becommeth chastised by the light or through the light Section 6 Through which fatherlie discipline in the becomming manifest of the sinne we are in seeing perceiuing in the light all the horriblenes of the sinne togither with Deuils and the fleshes lying craftie deceitful or false nature and Gods indignation and wrath ouer the same ouer all such as are of one minde therwith Section 7 When we nowe finde our selues guiltie in al and become in such sorte chastised by Gods grace through his light of the fatherlie loue so beare wee at that time greife sorrowe and anguish or affliction for the sinnes cause and confessing the same sinnes with humble heartes in the seruice of the holie word vnder the obedience of the loue of the father wee become wholy inclined and goodwilling to hate to leaue and to lay away or to mortifie the sinnes and all what is vngodly and to that effect we doe as than wholly giue ouer our selues in the counsaile of the holie worde and of the elders in the seruice of the loue To the ende that God the fathers name according to the requiring of the seruice of his loue might become hallowed and magnified in vs. Section 8 And euen so in the familie or communalty of the Loue wee obtaine grace and fauour before God the father and his sonne Iesu Christ become through the seruice of the holy woorde and of the fatherlie correction kepte and led foorth euen vnto Iesus Christ the sonne of GOD the father For to become iustified released or made free through the name of the sonne vnto whom God the father hath giuen all power both in heauen earth from the sinne â–ª and from her kingdom of the death of the Deuill and of all wicked spirites namely to our preseruation in the godlinesse in the
as a thing vnneedefull not once distincting vnto whom the seruice after the ordinaunce of Aaron is yet necessary nor yet with whom the same at the appoynted time ceaseth or leaueth of but haue al for the most parte cried Christ Christ and we are Christians and attributed to themselues much freedome ere euer the time of the appearing of Christ or the annointing of the holy Ghost was come to passe or fulfilled with them in the accomplishing of the olde Testament Oh that they yet nowe awaked and tooke heede in the woorde of the seruice of loue vnto this gratious time and gaue eare vnto the same that they might vnderstande their safemaking and so then bee rightly and according to the trueth brought to the true beyng that is vnto Christ You heare that hee complayneth greately of the Scripture learned that they haue altogether and generally leaste the Leuiticall Priesshoode and seruice after the ordinaunce of Aaron forbidding it vnto all without exception when as the time of the appearing of Christ is not yet come to passe with many because they haue not taken heede in the woorde of the seruice of loue vnto this gracious time and therefore hee wisheth in the tenth Section that they yet woulde nowe awake and take heede in the woorde of the seruice of loue vnto this gratious time that so they might rightly and acording to the trueth bee brought to the true beyng that is as he saieth vnto Christ for these be his owne woordes in this place And so then be rightly and according to the truth brought vnto the true beeing that is vnto Christ So that nowe you see clerely by receiuing effectually this his doctrine men are made that true light whereof he spake before in this chapter when as he saide And this same true light is the annoynted with the holy Ghost which is named in Hebrue Messias and in Greeke Christus In the sixth Section hee declareth when men may be saide to come to this true being and perfection which he calleth Christ To witte when the law and seruices doe chaunge with the beleeuers out of the letter and seruiceable woorde into the reuealing of the holie spirite of Christ For then as hee sayeth in that Section The honourable Priest is come vnto them who teacheth not after the maner of Aaron by requiring them yet to obserue the will or righteousnes of the law but after the maner of Melchisedech bringing with him the blessing the accōplishing of the law the saluation of life the annointing of the holy Ghost these be his words Where now thē the law the seruices do in such wise change by the beleeuers of the annointed to witte out of the figures into the true beeing and out of the letter and seruiceable worde into the reuealing of the holy spirite of Christ there is also then by these same the Priest his office chaunged for Christ the honourable Priest cōmeth vnto them from the right hand of God the Father out of the heauenly beeyng which hath or vseth not his seruice after the maner or ordināce of Aaron which is yet a teaching and requiring to obserue the will or the righteousnesse of the lawe of the Lorde but after the maner or ordinance of Melchisedech with bringeth with him the blessing the accomplishing of the lawe or of the Lorde his will the saluation of life and the annointing of the holy Ghost to a pleadge of the godly inheritance to an euerlasting treasure or riches of God and reigneth in the righteousnes of the same See the miserie of this mischiefe hee will haue Christ to bee an estate in man which leaueth the written woorde which hee calleth the letter and hearkeneth wholly to the reuelation of the spirit which banisheth Aaron that is that estate which is carefull to doe the will and commaundementes of God and resteth resolued that they haue already accomplished the lawe and sinne no more And this is that true seede of promise whereof wee heard before out of the eightienth chapter of this booke which is not as he sayeth conceiued of the fleshe but of the holy Ghost through the power of the most highest in the beleefe this seede out of the faith of Abraham also of the pure virgin Marie is as he saith in that place the true seede of the promise to the blessing of all generations of the earth And this seede he calleth the vpright children of the beliefe Albeit I haue set downe the wordes before yet it shall not be amisse to recite the place againe worde for worde as it lieth there Consider ye beloued howe that there is shewed vnto vs and geuen vs to vnderstand through the speches of the Angel Gabriel which he vsed with Mary that at the same time when the holy Ghost came through the power of the most highest vpon the Virgin Marie and procreated the true seede of promise the time of the procreating of the seede of Abraham according to the fleshe turned it selfe about to wit that the holy and true seede of Abraham should not from thenceforth be conceiued of the flesh but of the holy Ghost through the power of the most highest in the belief that the same should euē so be borne out of the true faith of Abrahā for the seed out of the faith of Abraham out of the pure virgin Mary is the true seed of promise to the blessing of all generations of the earth And thus from that time foorth the Genealogie of the seede of Abraham according to the fleshe ceassed with the Beleeuers for the vpright children of the belief which had their discent out of the seed of the faith of Abraham and of the pure Virgin Mary as also frō the holie Ghost were knowē to be the true seede of Abraham because the same seede was the seede of the promise of God the Father was likewise in his minde according to the spirite the likenes of God his father also spirit spirituall of the godly nature being according to the will of God wholly minded with God. It appeareth likewise plainely in that his booke which is intituled The Prophesie of the spirit of loue chapter xv v. Section that this state of perfection which is there called the seconde birth is Christ Iesus the Lord and sauiour These be his woordes O ye holy ones of God thou louely communaltie of loue feare not but be nowe of good cheere vpon the earth against all your enimies For beholde your GOD commeth to be auenged on all your enimies for to lay them that they may bee troden downe vnder the feete of your Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ and euen so in your second birth out of the holy spirite of the loue of Iesus Christ to transporte or yeeld ouer the iudgement and dominion vpon the earth vnto you and your Sauiour Iesus Christ to the ende that yee with him and he with you and your sauiour Iesus Christ and with his
holy spirit shoulde from hencefoorth worlde without ende raigne with righteousnesse vpon the earth and iudge the same with equitie according to the promises When he hath affirmed that almighty God wil lay downe their enimies vnder the feete of their Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ foorthwith explaning that matter more he saith And euen so in your seconde birth yeelde ouer the dominion vpon the earth vnto you and your Sauiour Iesus Christ So that it appeareth playnely he taketh their second birth to be their Sauiour For when he hath mencioned their Lorde and Sauiour the next wordes that followe be these And euen so in your seconde birth c. Sometimes this name Christ in a degree of excellencie is geuen to the oldest Father in the familie of loue because he is possessed of this estate of perfection in the highest degree and greatest measure as in the 31. chapter of his Euangelie and 14. Section where speaking of the offices and functions that were in the Churche of Rome whereof he sheweth great liking as beyng figuratiue seruices of that trueth which H.N. hath newely started he saith of the parishe Priestes Therefore they were ioyned with others in the seruice of the holy worde because they let passe the childhood or the yongnes of the holy vnderstanding grew vp according to the requiring of the seruice of loue vnto the manly agednes of Christ that is vnto the true being of the oldest holiest father For these be his owne woordes in that place Where as yee heare he calleth the manly agednesse of Christ the true being of the oldest father And to confirme the same he hath these wordes in the sixteenth Section of this chapter Herevnto serue the parish Priests as to such procurators or helpers forward of the communialties for to beare a good care ouer them and to witnesse and to teach thē daily the holy vnderstāding of Christ the oldest father where as before Christe and the Eldest Father whiche is H. N. himselfe bee by apposition made one the same person Sometimes this doctrine of H.N. for that it teacheth this state of perfectiō which is Christ leadeth men thervnto is called Christ as in the two fourtie chapter of the Gospel after H.N. and 8. Section in these words Whosoeuer now thē forsaketh himself geueth ouer himselfe obediētly in Iesu Christ the gracious word of the Lord becommeth nowe admitted or receiued in Iesu Christ and in the obedience of his requiring And likewise in his first exhortation chapter seuenth the fyrst article Section 23. in these woordes Wee confesse that no man can become partaker with all the holy ones of God of the resurrection of Christ but suche as indeuour themselues in the beliefe vnder the obedience of the loue of Iesu to become implanted into Christ the gratious worde of the Lorde and euen so then to die with Christ in his like death c. Christ and the gratious worde of the Lorde which is H. N. his doctrine are heere vnited by him and made one and the same thing which thing not onely the sense will leade you vnto but also the manner of poynting which hath no litle mystery in it For after Christ ye shall finde in his booke a full perfect point albeit the sense be yet hanging aboue the head of it there is an other point reaching forward which is a priuie marke betweene him his disciples telling them that the woorde following doth open and expounde it After the gratious woorde of the Lorde Yee see an other full and perfect point and aboue the heade of it a point looking backewarde to insinuate vnto them that the woorde behinde doeth in like manner open and declare it There is not one iodde in H.N. his Gospell that goeth for nothing For euen this Childishe toy is made a mysterie nay a miracle with manie of them Nowe whensoeuer H.N. vseth this forme of speache by Iesu Christ Hee meaneth eyther this state of perfection or else this gratious woorde of his wherein the sence will direct vs whether of the interpretations wee are to admitte off The like is to bee sayde of this forme of woordes in Iesu Christe that is in the state of perfection which his illuminate Elders doe euioy or in the gratious doctrine which hee hath brought into the worlde Christ then is nothing else but annointed and as ye haue hearde by his allegoricall exposition is geuen to all that are come to that infection he calleth it Perfection which was spoken of before to wit whē they haue done with Aaron and the seruiceable word and haue met with their Melchisedech who doth all to berubbe their heades with reuelations and as for their conuersation telleth them whatsoeuer their doinges be they are no longer now to be said or accompted to haue any sinne in them Now to colour his doings he speaketh of al the vpright children of the beliefe that are thus annointed in the singular number as of one bodie that his young disciples should not smel out his heresie at the first but remaine still of this opinion that when he speaketh of Christ hee meaneth no other beside that same one person whereof the Scripture speaketh which is both God and man Whereas in truth he comprehendeth vnder that name all that multitude or number howe many soeuer who haue to diet from H.N. this roste meate of reuelations It appeareth by this whiche hathe beene sayde that H.N. his Christ is not GOD but an affection or disposition in man which if it were good were yet no more but godlinesse not GOD himselfe But wee haue hearde manifestly prooued vnto vs before that of necessitie the mediatour and redeemer of man must be GOD himselfe And therefore this miserable man pulleth vppe the doctrine of our saluation by the rootes His doctrine of Christ is declared yet more playnely if possibly that may be in that allegory which he maketh of Esau and Iacob in the nienth Chapter of his Euangelie Where he affirmeth that the righteousnesse of the Lawe with the great knowledge of the fleshe or of the earthly being which is borne out of the letter and hath to name Adam Esau or Edom must serue the little single minded simplicitie which is borne out of the spirite or heauenly being He affirmeth in the 8. Section of that chapter That those who liue vnder the obedience of loue that is his family doe openly perceiue these two birthes in themselues The first birth is when we vnderstande the worde according to the letter and are reaching or striuing to atteine to the perfection which his illuminated elders are possessed of And this birth hee calleth in this Section The right knowledge of man out of the fleshe or letter the seede that is borne according to the fleshe and hath no inheritance in the promises And in the tenth Section hee calleth it the minde of the fleshe which is named Adam Esau or Edō the knowledge
of Christ after the flesh The second borne as he affirmeth in the eleuenth Section holdeth himselfe in stilnesse and obteyneth through the prudence of the holy Ghost the blessing of the promises In the nienth Section he calleth it the Godhead the truth Gods true being it selfe the inheritaunce of all spirituall and heauenly goodes the true seede of the beliefe that becommeth borne in vs according to the spirite inheriteth the promises of God the Father And in the twelfth Section and last line thereof hee calleth it Christ these be his woordes The seconde birth which is not minded according to the fleshe but according to the spirite of the heauenly trueth obteineth the victorie beareth rule with God and bringeth foorth the name of Israel or Christ it selfe By this which hath bene saide it appeareth euidently that H.N. his Christ is that estate of man or men which liueth as it best liketh not beyng nowe any more vnder the gouernement of the written woorde which he calleth the seruiceable letter hauing let the rayne loose vnto reuelations so that nothing shall now be good but that he thinketh to be good neither shall any thing be euill of it selfe vnlesse he iudge it to be euill For he is now the rule himself to make by his reuelation what construction soeuer he will of the worde so it be not according to the letter and naturall sence of the same for that is with him the first borne which cannot inherite the promises It shall now be now be no great hard matter by the light wee haue had from these former places to finde out the poyson that lyeth vnder the sweete wordes with he geueth Christ in his confession For confessing Christ to bee the very like beeing of God his Father wee may soone perceiue what he meaneth when hee calleth the seconde birh wherof so many be partakers as shall inherit the promises Gods true being it selfe the very like being of the Godhed it self which are his owne words in the xiii chapter of his Gospel and fifth Section Confessing likewise that God the Father by Christ hath made and accomplished all his woorke what is this more then that he attributeth in the xiii Chapter of his Gospel and thirde Section to this estate of his illuminate Elders and perfect men who bee come to the seconde birth which he calleth in that place The Lorde his Sabboth the seuenth day in the Paradice of God wherein God rested from all his workes So that then they are saide to rest as hauing accomplished all their woorkes when this their estate of perfection wherevnto he giueth this name of Christ is come vnto them And in the like sence hee saith That Christ beareth all things with the word of his power and maketh the purging of our sinnes through him selfe For that estate vnderstandeth the worde after the spirit therefore hath it in that power whereby it beareth and doth all thinges and that estate likewise freeth them from all daunger of sinne in as much as it wholly purgeth and cleanseth them from the same This so wicked horrible monstrous construction and meaning vnder so greate good words doth plainly declare that H.N. and his family are children of that great Whoore described in the seuenteenth chapter of the Reuelation which giueth foorth all her abhomination out of a Golden Cuppe H.N. The third Article 14. We beleeue that the same sonne of GOD is conceiued of the holie Ghost through the power of the moste highest and borne of the holie Virgin Mary 15 We confesse that this same sonne of God which is conceiued of the holie Ghoste and borne of the holie Virgin Mary is the true and promised seede and borne to the blessing of all generations of the earth according to the promises Answeare In this Creede so ful of new straunge matters maruel not if H.N. adde some thing new and straunge in words We say in our common Creede as of a thing paste That Iesus Christ was conceiued of the holie Ghoste In H.N. his Creede ye heare wee are taught to say as of a thing present that he is conceiued of the holie Ghoste whereby hee putteth vs in remembraunce of this newe Christ which he hath brought into the world whom because he hath imagined to be nothing else but a perfection in the minde of so many as haue bene or shall bee inheritours of the promises he cannot say that his conception is altogither paste for so often as any are brought on to that estate which H.N. setteth forth in his doctrine so often in his opinion is Christ conceiued of the holy Ghost as appeareth in the eighteenth chapter of his Euangelie which place is already set downe before and alleaged by me And albeit enough hath beene spoken to him that will vnderstand for proofe that H.N. taketh Christe to bee but a course in life and conuersation which so many attaine vnto as shall auoyde the wrath of God or as himselfe speaketh a walking in the louely beeing yet I thinke it not amisse to adde vnto the former one testimonie more because this place we now haue in hand is occupyed aboute that matter In the twelfth Chapter of his first exhortation Section 22. and 34. these be his wordes If ye wil not that the wrath of GOD should come or fall vppon you so deale faithfully before GOD and his holines and walke with your spitite in the louely and vertuous beeing fasten your minde thereto and builde your righteousnesse theron for that is an eternall fast standding foundation wheron all GOD his Prophetes and holy ones haue builded and is Christe him selfe This walking with their spirit in the louely and vertuous beeing he calleth as you heare Christ himselfe and those who keepe this course of life and walk in the louely beeing how many so euer doth he speake of heere in the singular number as of one person and one seede when he saith This same sonne of GOD which is conceiued by the holy Ghoste and borne of the holy Virgin Mary is the true and promised seede borne to the blessing of all generatiōs of the earth As also he speaketh in his Euangelie or Gospel when he saith The vpright children of the beliefe which had their discent out of the seede of the faith of Abraham and of the pure virgin Mary as also from the holie Ghoste were knowen to bee the true seede of Abraham because the same seede was the seede of the promise of GOD the father and was likewise in his minde according to the spirit the likenes of God his father also spirite and spirituall of the godly nature and beeing and according to the will of God wholly minded with God. Nowe touching the humanitie of Christe hee is so farre from thinking that Christ is a person now did take fleshe of a Virgin called Mary that woondering at the madnesse of them who haue defended that he saith thus Euangely eighteen and
and minde with the vpright righteousnesse and holinesse For this is the right procreation to the renewing of the spirit and minde of the beleeuers and is also the true newe Testament which God hath promised to errect with his people which new Testament is the very true that God himself witnesseth in his people which are obedient vnto him out of faith in the seruice of his worde and bringeth euen so vnto them in the spirite of their minde the true God seruice of the spirituall and heauenly goodes and writeth according to his godly and heauenly trueth his lawe institutions and rites in the beeing of their inwarde minde In such sorte worketh the Lorde the holie one in Israel and bringeth forth euen so his children sonnes daughters seruants and handmaidens vpon which he in these last dayes poureth forth his spirit and remembreth no more their sinnes for they are a reconciled people vnto him which doe in all his wil. Beholde and consider such is the newe testament with his children for that same newe Testament is in his children the heauen the seate of the most hyest also spirit and life for that cause it is with his children heauenly spirituall and liuingly minded which children of the new testament loue not the worlde nor that which is in the worlde in asmuch as that the newe testament is wholy and altogether of God also the loue the life and the vpright beeing of the holie Ghost it selfe The state of his young scholers which he calleth the beliefe inasmuch as they hope for the perfection becommeth as hee saith with childe through the holy Ghoste and bringeth foorth a new creature according to the very like beeing of the heauenly Godhead and illuminateth the beleuers in their spirit and minde with the vpright righteousnesse and holinesse He calleth his doctrine likewise The true new testament all those vpon whom the spirit is powred forth in this sorte now in these last dayes he affirmeth of them that the Lord remembreth their sinnes no more rendring this reason because they are a reconciled people vnto him which doin all his wil. He affirmeth heere in like maner that these his children of the new testament loue not the worlde nor the things in the world and will haue this to be the cause and occasion thereof for that the new testament is wholy and altogither of God the loue the life the vpright being of the holie Ghost it selfe of such vertue operation that so sone as a man hath had a few receites therof all his worldly humours are forthwith voided thereby and he as cleare purged of them as if hee neuer had beene infected with them and which is yet more he sayth that this new testament is in his children the heauen the seate of the most highest also spirit and life for they be his owne words euen in this place You see then according to the doctrine of H.N. that our obedience whervnto we be brought by it beareth our sinnes in vs because when in all things wee doe his will wee stande as a people fully reconciled vnto our God and therefore wholy and altogether discharged of all daunger for our former sinnes For according to this doctrine when once we haue ceased to sinne sinne likewise ceaseth to lay anie thing to our charge and thus this obedience beareth our sinnes in vs This doctrine is confirmed by the Prophet Esay in his 53. Chapter if we will beleeue H.N. for that place is alledged by him for it Wherin he plainly bewrayeth vnto al the worlde that the spirite of darkenesse euen palpable blindnesse doth possesse him For if a man should come prepared to speake agaynst that poynt of hauing our sinnes answered and borne in our selues it were not possible to speake more plainly and more effectually against it then doeth the Prophet in that place For is it possible to adde anie thing plainer then this speach We like sheepe haue gone astray we haue turned euery one to his owne way and the Lord hath layd vpon him the iniquitie of vs all he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquitie the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes wee are healed Such grosse blindnesse is a iust punishment from God vpon thē which are offended and stumble at the cleare light that nowe shineth in the Gospel and so blinde guides are meete Scholemaisters for so manie as loue darkenesse more then light Could H.N. the seede of Satan iustifie our sinnes to be borne in our selues as from the Prophet euen in that place where he in plaine wordes sayeth that the iniquitie of vs all are laide vppon another if the Prince of darkenesse had not bereft him of al iudgement and pulled cleane out of his heade the eyes of vnderstanding We did iudge him to haue beene plagued of God saith the Prophet but it is cleare and out of all doubt he hath borne our infirmities and caried our sorrowes Neither is the Prophet more plaine in this case then is the Apostle Paule in the Epistle to the Romaines where he setteth the righteosnesse of one man for the making of many righteous against the disobedience of one vnto the making of manie sinners Can the righteousnesse of one man make manie righteous if this doctrine of H.N. be true that our sinnes are borne in our selues and our righteousnesse not layde vp in another for vs but resteth in our owne breastes within vs In the second Epistle to the Corinthes the Apostle doeth yet more plainly declare himselfe to haue a contrarie spirite to H.N. in that hee is flatte contrarie in speach For he affirmeth Christ to be a sinner in vs and vs to be righteous in him our sinnes to be imputed vnto him and his righteousnesse to be reckoned ours our sinnes to be borne in him and so he to be made sinne for vs and we righteousnesse in him For he made him to bee sinne for vs sayth the Apostle which knewe no sinne that we should be made the righteousnesse of God in him If he be made sinne for vs then are not our sinnes borne in vs if we be righteous before God or the righteousnes of God in him then not in vs but in him are our transgressions both borne and buried and our righteousnesse wholie and altogither purchased If the Sacrifices for sinne appointed to make reconciliation had beene eaten as were other then H N. and other heretikes shoulde haue had some colour to bleare the eyes of their Disciples withall touching this doctrine to haue their sinnes borne in them and their righteousnesse wrought by themselues but the sacrifices for sinne whose blood was brought into the tabernacle of the Congregation to make reconciliation in the holie place beeing figures of that alone Sacrifice by Christe by expresse woordes were forbidden to bee eaten and receyued into men Wherein the holie Ghost no doubt made a special Prouiso against this daungerous doctrine
which not onely H.N. but all other Heretikes professe of hauing our sinnes answered by and in our selues either wholy or at least in some part that the verie figures shoulde haue light sufficient in them to driue awaye all darkenesse and doubting herein But what lighte can make him see that is blinde or open those eyes that in iust iudgement are closed vp by the Lorde H.N. And hath suffered in all obedience of the word of his heauenly father the death of the crosse in reproch blasphemie contempt and false defamation or accusation for our sinnes cause Answere The name of Christe as you haue hearde is giuen by H. N. vnto all his illuminate Elders as vnto those who haue atteyned vnto an estate of perfection by meanes of their obedience vnto his doctrine Whome howe manie soeuer hee comprehendeth vnder one name and speaketh of them as of one person It is giuen also as you haue hearde by speciall prerogatiue vnto the eldest Elder that is H. N. himselfe The suffering of this Christ his death of the crosse is set forth in this that he hath yelded all obedience to the worde of his heauenly father which is this doctrine of H.N. and gone vnder and borne reproch blasphemie contempt and false defamation or accusation for the same Thus hath H. N. his Christ suffered the death of the Crosse in that himselfe and his illuminate elders could neither by their owne affections nor yet by the reproch and contempt of others be brought from this doctrine and seruice of loue which thing is confirmed in the. 20. Chapter of this his first exhortation and third Section in these wordes Against these assaultings the man ought in his yongnesse to learne to take vp his crosse on him to follow after Christ his Sauiour in his like suffering or death of the crosse and to shewe forth pacience with Christ against all the assaultings vntil that al the enemies or aduersaries of the louely life through the death of Christ that is in maner of suffering be vtterly vanquished and that he euen so is growne vp thorow the death or togither suffering of Christ which is the dayly oblation in the holy to the olde age of the man Christ and entred thorow the secōd birth from the dead into the euerlasting life which passage or way to the euerlasting life we haue witnessed and figured forth distinctly and clearly in the figure of the true and spirituall tabernacle and in other moe places in the glasse of righteousnesse The yong scholler in this scoole of Loue whome hee calleth the man in his yongnesse is as you heare to follow Christ that is H.N. and those illuminate elders in his like suffering and death of the crosse So that Christ had no other suffering or death of the Crosse then the yongest scholler in H.N. his schoole must suffer go vnder and that is nothing else as he sayth in this place but to shewe foorth pacience against all assaultings vntill all the aduersaries of this louely life by this maner of suffering become vtterly vanquished and hee growne vp to the olde age of the man Christ that is a perfect and absolute elder And therefore in his two next sections hee exhorteth them that it shoulde not bee tedious vnto them to shewe foorth this pacience and to abide this death of the Crosse for a little time in bearing the assaultes of those enemies who woulde turne them from the good will they haue to this godly being vnder the obedience of the loue and doeth promise vnto them that after a little time of this their distresse affliction and anguish the Lorde will bring his Christ that is as he there sayth his best beloued and most holy being vnto them in power and glorie In the 26. and 27. Sections of this Chapter he doeth in plaine wordes declare that while a man is in this yongnesse and not fully setled in the doctrine and seruice of loue but subiect to anguishe and affliction with temptations and assaultes eyther with himselfe or from others that would drawe him from the same and with griefe for his stumbling or falling by meanes thereof then is he suffering with Christ vpon the Crosse for the redemption of his sinnes These bee his wordes in that place Wherfore when as now your stumbling and falling becommeth dayly figured very great and horrible before you and that yee for that cause beeing wofull of heart feele yet the pricking of the sinne the dartes of the death and the condemnation of the hell or beare the same with anguish in your hearts yet feare not nor be dismaied in your heartes but shewe foorth pacience and followe after Christ in his suffering for those are the dayes of affliction heauinesse and death wherein Christ hath gone before you in the holy for to prepare you through the same death of the crosse the euerlasting forgiuenesse and redemption of sinnes as there is before sayde Where you may painely see that H.N. his Christ in his yongnesse as hee calleth it was a sinner and was wofull in his heart for his stumbling and falling are woful in heart he sayeth Those are the dayes of affliction and heauinesse wherein Christ hath gone before you for to prepare you through the same death of the crosse the euerlasting forgiuenesse and redemption of sinnes And if yet some more specialtie touching the death of H.N. his Christ be asked after that shal be the sooner answered if we call to remembrance that which was vttered before out of the 9. Chap. of the Euangelie and tenth Section to witte that the knowledge after the letter and the obedience vnto the same is the first birth and the knowledge of Christ after the flesh which must bee crucified and put to death that the lawfull heire which is after the spirit spirituall and heauenly may take place comparing it with that which is written in the 21. Chapter of his Euangelie in these woordes Forasmuch nowe as that in times past the clearenesse of Christ through the holy ghost was yet vnknowne vnto the vpright and faythful disciples of Iesus Christ whilest that they knew him not otherwise but after the fleshe so was it therefore needefull that Christ should keepe the Pascha or Passeouer with them for that cause the Lord Iesus caused the same to be prepared him for to keepe the Passeouer with his Disciples in the true beeing and tolde them before of his suffering and Passeouer and that they must also doe the like if they woulde come to his clearenesse in the heauenly being with his father Therfore hee gaue them to vnderstande in what maner his Passeouer should be to wit that he namely Christ after the flesh should be slaine and euen so accomplish according to the true being the true God seruice with the gifte or offering of his fleshe in the holy namely on the true aultar of the holie offring which is his crosse whereon he died in the beleefe herewith Christ
shewed vnto his disciples howe or in what maner his flesh must be offered and giuen ouer to a life of men that they all euen so which in the beliefe of their safe making from their sinnes eate his flesh and followed after him euen vnto the second birth should haue the life in fulnesse in all godly clearnesse according to the spirit Behold this is the vpright Passeouer with Christ or the right supper which the vpright beleeuers disciples of Christ keepe with Christ to wit that they depart euen so with Christ out of the flesh into the spirit and out of the death or mortalitie into the eternall life of euerlasting immortalite wherethrough the sinne and all destruction becommeth vanquished This death of H.N. his Christ in the flesh is to renounce the knowledge of Christ after the letter to die vnto that and so to passe into that clearenesse of the spirite in knowledge and obedience whereto we are led by the doctrine of H.N. which he calleth that eternall life of euerlasting immortalitie wherby sinne and all destruction becommeth vanquished The maner of the death and suffering of H.N. his Christ what it is may well be conceyued by the Allegorie of Agar and Sara in the 8. Chapter of his Euangelie By Agar as hee sayeth in that place is signified the written woorde which hee calleth the seruiceable writing or letter of the beleefe By Sara a perfect estate according to H.N. his doctrine For he sayeth That so manie be her children as are borne out of the beleefe of the true being of Abraham and are growne vp in the holy and godly vnderstanding Now when the seede of Sara the free woman which before was called Christ after the spirite is borne then is Agar with her seede that is Christ after the flesh or the written word which he calleth the seruiceable writing or letter of the beleefe put away and discharged And therfore then is H.N. his Christ killed put to death whē any disciple of his hath so profited that he is now no longer led by the writtē word but altogither ruled by reuelatiō with estate as H.N. teacheth is altogither void of sin imperfection If it be required what benefite we reape from his passion and suffering because H.N. affirmeth in this place that hee hath suffered for our sinnes cause that is answered in the 20. Chap. of this first exhortation Sect. 17. For when in the 12. Section hee had exhorted his yong disciples that if they shoulde offend or as he speaketh ouerreach themselues in anie thing they shoulde not suffer themselues to bee iudged or condemned by their conscience but shoulde humble themselues to the elders or Ministers of the word in the seruice of the loue to bee instructed by them giuing the reason of his speach in the Section following hee hath these wordes For we haue in our communiaitie of the loue a true iudge Iesus Christ our Lord and King he is vnto vs in all our walking a fountaine of life and to a-making a liue of vs all against the death and the deadly venime of the sinne And continuing his speach of the same matter speaketh thus Wee haue also thorow him a dayly offering in the holiest his spiritual and true tabernacle into which holy he is gone before vs therein himself beareth our sinnes through his suffering and death of the crosse wherethrough hee sheweth or teacheth vs the vpright offering for our sinnes and prepareth for vs euen so a free entrance with him into the holy to an eternall and liuing way H.N. therefore and these illuminate elders or Ministers of the word in the seruice of Loue to whom he giueth the name of Christ and speaketh of them all as of one person are saide to suffer for our sinnes because they hauing gone before vs in the conflictes with these enemies of the louely being haue shewed vnto vs by their example the vpright offering for our sinnes And this is all the helpe wee haue from the passion death and suffering of H.N. his Christ that wee haue the way beaten before vs howe to suffer for our owne sinnes and to procure the remission of the same Which thing he testifieth likewise in the 19. Section of this chapter saying Through which daylie God seruice and offering in the holy in the taking vppe of our Crosse in the imitation of Christ in his death we obteine the remission of sinnes they be his owne woordes But I neede not to trauayle farre for proofe that this is his opinion of the benifite wee haue by Christ for euen in the woordes which do immediatly folow this place we haue in hand he affirmeth that Christ is gone before vs in the obedience of the word of his Father in reproche and contempt that we should in like maner folow after him vnder the obediēce of his loue in his death of the Crosse to the safemaking of vs from all our sinnes What blasphemie can be vttered agaynst Christ that doeth not followe this opinion of H.N. for by this docrrine H.N. by speciall prerogatiue and the illuminate elders in the seruice of loue after a seconde sort be Christ himselfe By this doctrine Christ when he was a young one had sinne and suffered the death of the Crosse for it By this doctrine we suffer the death of the Crosse for our own sinnes make the purchase thereof by our selues By this doctrine wee are released of our sinnes by imitation but not not by imputation And whether would not this heresie stretch if a man should thorowly searche the length deapth and breadth thereof seeyng that by this doctrine the historie of Christ his birth death and suffering had no trueth according to the naturall sense meaning of the letter but was only a figure of a spiritual kinde of birth death suffering which should be procured by obedience vnto this doctrine of H.N. not signifying a thing once done by one man according to the natural meaning of the woordes but a figure of a thing to bee often doone and by many according to an illegitimate and bastardely wringing of the woordes in vtterly denying the trueth of that doctrine which telleth vs that Christe hath come in the fleshe ouerthrowing both his person and office The Crosse then that H.N. his Christ died vppon was his doctrine which he calleth the beliefe and therefore as wee hearde before in the twētieth chapter he saith that he died in the beliefe And in trueth it is a doctrine that killeth the true Christ and all true Christianitie These thinges beyng considered it shal be no hard matter to discerne who is Iudas here and who be the Scribes and Pharisees that bring Christ to the death of the Crosse For who is the chiefe man to bring other to the beliefe which is the crosse whereon Christ dieth in fleshe but H N He therefore of necessitie must be Iudas And as for the illuminate elders by
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
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.
of the Actes of the Apostles touching the holy ghost appearing in clouen tongues like fire was nothing else but the appearing of this his Christ after the spirit These are his wordes touching this matter His disciples therefore were mindfull of all this and what he had said vnto thē remained within Ierusalē waiting cōcordably with supplication praier for the promises of the father vntil that christ after the spirit appeared vnto them out of the heauenly being The subtiltie of that ancient enimie vnto mankind may here euidently be seene for albeit heauē be not further distant frō the earth then the meaning of H.N. is from the truth of the doctrine set forth in this cōmon Creede these articles of our belief yet to colour his craft withall he keepeth him to the same words which the church vseth professing the christ rose the third day frō the dead saue that he interlaceth some odde words which cannot wel be discerned but by thē that are well acquainted with his bookes vnder the which he conueyeth all his corrupt doctrine Here hee sayeth that the God of Abrahā hath raysed vp this his sonne Iesus hauing relation in these wordes this his sonne vnto that Christ which he describeth And likewise when he affirmeth that Christ rose euen so the thirde day from the dead by this speach euen so hee caryeth vs from the resurrection in the fleshe vnto the rising in the spirite according as himselfe hath imagined of the matter and yet is hee content to make mencion of the thirde day as if there were no ill meaning in the man when as indeede this rising the thirde day must bee euen so as hee meaneth that is nothing so as the truth is Where the scripture affirmeth that Christ appeared in the flesh after his resurrection vnto his disciples and shewed vnto them his handes and his side and that hee willed Thomas who had affirmed he woulde neuer beleeue his resurrection vnlesse hee shoulde put his finger into the print of the nayles and his hande into his side to put his finger where the nayles had beene and his hande into his side H.N. to mainteine his doctrine of the resurrection in the spirite affirmeth that he shewed vnto his disciples nothing else but the victorie ouer sinne death deuil and hell as if he had declared vnto them howe by his suffering passion he came by the victorie ouer sin death the deuil and hell to the ende they might follow him in the same footesteppes and so become partakers of the like victorie with him Which thing in plaine woordes hee professeth in the next Section Heere he setteth foorth the matter not altogither so plainely and yet clearely enough to him that is anie thing acquainted with his subtile writing and craftie manner of speaking These bee his woordes in this place Hee appeared or made manifest him selfe to his friendes which loued him shewing vnto them thorowe his suffering and death of the Crosse the victorie ouer the sinne death deuill hell the fleshe and the worlde What plainer proofe can be brought not onely that Christ did rise in the fleshe but also that he rose in the same flesh wherein he suffered then this euen now alledged out of the Gospel after saint Iohn for the Apostles see his handes and his side Thomas putteth his finger into the place where the nayles had beene and his hande into his side which thing H. N. shall neuer bee able to wipe away by any mystical interpretation whatsoeuer inasmuch as our Sauiour Christ reproouing the want of fayth in Thomas and that he was so hardly led to beleeue his resurrection before his senses were satisfied sayth vnto him Thomas because thou hast seene me thou beleeuest blessed are they that haue not seene and haue beleeued In the second of the Actes saint Peter proueth that Christ must be raised vp concerning the flesh and bee set vpon the throne of his father and that he should not bee left in the graue neither should his flesh see corruption and that Dauid long before as he was a prophet did both foresee foretel this therfore seeing he was a prophet knew that God had sworne with an othe to him that of the fruit of his loines he wold raise vp christ cōcerning the flesh to set him vpō his throne he knowing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ that his soule should not be left in graue neither his flesh shuld see corruptiō This testimony of the apostle cannot agree with H. N. his Christ For his flesh must necessarily bee left in the graue and see corruption because when his Christ after the fleshe is dead hee neuer resumeth or taketh vnto him againe that estate but as hauing for euer done with it riseth vp in the spirite and continueth in the same being for euer after an illuminate elder who neither can erre in iudgement nor offend anie more in conuersation So that death or the graue do still keepe that possession or power which once they had of his flesh neither will he that they yeelde it vnto him anie more againe As for the true Christ it was impossible for death to keepe and continue that holde which once it had of him as appeareth in the Actes The Lord if it be his good will giue this Familie to see what a Christ H. N. hath brought vnto them that they refuse no longer the true Christ and onely comfort of all Christians for this miserable Christ whome the graue hath closed vp and holdeth all that euer it had of him For their Christ after the spirite was neuer in the graue and their Christ after the fleshe by H. N. his owne testimonie doeth neuer arise after that once he hath beene in the graue How shall these men bee euer able to gette out at the doores of death when their Christ and Captaine is yet groping and to this day hath not founde the gate that leadeth out of the graue H.N. Wee confesse that no man can become partaker with all the holie ones of God and beleeuers of Iesus Christ of the resurrection of Christ nor of the resurrection from the dead or yet rise vp with the holie ones of God and Christ but such as indeuour themselues in the beliefe vnder the obedience of the loue of Iesus Christ to become implanted into Christ the gracious worde of the Lorde and euen so then to die with Christ in his like death as also to lay away slay and burie through the death of his crosse the sinne in the flesh whereby they may euen so out of the second birth from the dead become renued in the spirit of their minde in Iesus Christ For therethrough wee all obteine and enioy in the vpright righteousnesse and holinesse which GOD esteemeth the making aliue from the dead namely with all the righteous and holie ones of God in the day of the
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
his is ascended into heauen sitting at the right hand of God his almightie father but with this cautiō that it is like as the scripture mencioneth therof that is as his owne head shall imagine the Scripture to speake when it is transformed from the true and naturall sence into allegories and mysteries of his owne making And therefore after his woonted manner louing to make his Commentarie darker then the Text which hee hath taken in hande to open and explane hee saith That his Iesus hath taken in the heauen raigneth ruleth essentiallie in the heauenlie being that is that beeing free from sin the knowledge of the worde after the letter he is now become altogether heauenly spiritual inspired with knowledge immediatly frō God himself For his Christ after the spirit is him selfe and all that his number who are by obedience vnto his doctrine growen to such perfection that now they sinne no more beeing replenished with the fulnesse of the holie spirit of Christ as himself speaketh And that he meaneth no other ascending into heauen ▪ neither any other taking in of the heauen is euidently proued out of his Euangelie chapter 26. and 10 Section Beholde when as now the law of Moses was in such wise as is said fulfilled or accomplished and had no longer seruice with the death of the sinne and with the beleuers of Christ which through the lawe were dead vnto the law but the spirit of Christ which made the diseassed beleeuers of Christ aliue againe in righteousnesse out of the death of Christ so had then also the Priesthoode in his Images figures and shadowes after the manner of Aaron no more ministration with the liuing in Iesu Christ neither yet gaue it any clerenes more with them because the heauenly clearnesse of Christ and his vpright beeing of loue wherein the disciples of Christ were comprehended excelled farre away all cleerenesse of the figuratiue seruices for that cause the priesthood of Aaron chaunged also with the Disciples of Christ and ceassed by them for with them there was a spirituall heauenly priesthood appeared in vpright righteosnesse and euen so was the same with his seruice established on Christ after the spirit the true light which is an high Prieste that bideth for euer at the right hand of God in the heauenlye beeing whose seruice of the spitituall heauenlie ministration commeth not to passe in the letter nor in the figures but in the verie true beeing Beholde euen so was Christ after the spirit in his office or seruice a minister of the very true and heauenly goods among his disciples and beleeuers and hath when hee had taken in the Heauen multiplied him selfe through his seede of the holie Ghost out of the heauenly beeing to the increasing of his generation the vpright seede of Abraham according to the promises and euen so became Christ fruitfull vpon earth in many thousandes of his Saintes all which he through his death made free or iustified frō the sinne made them aliue through his holy Ghost taking them vp from the earth and assembling them vnto him at the right hande of God his father in the heauenly beeing He affirmeth as you heare in the 10. Section that when the lawe of Moses was accomplished by the death of sinne and had resigned vnto the spirit of Christ which made the deceassed beleuers aliue again in righteousnes thē had the priesthood after the manner of Aaron no more ministration with these liuing neither gaue it any more clearnes vnto them this is his reason because the heauenly cleerenesse of Christ wherein the disciples of Christ were comprehended excelled farre away all cleerenesse of the figuratiue seruices The same reason hee rendreth in the next Section saying that the priesthood of Aaron ceassed with the disciples of Christ for that vnto them there had a spirituall heauenly priesthood appeared who was with his seruice established on Christ after the spirit which is an high Priest that bideth for euer at the right hand of God in the heauenly being In the 12. Section continuing his speach of those to whome nowe the heauenly Priesthood had appeared hee calleth them Christ after the spirite and affirmeth that when he had taken in the heauen he multiplyed himselfe thorowe his doctrine which he calleth his seede of the holie Ghost for beeing perfect they may publiquely teache and professe to the increasing of his generation the vpright seede of Abraham according to the promises and so became Christ fruitfull vppon the earth and assembled many vnto him at the right hand of God his father in the heauenly beeing This is the taking in of the the heauen or the ascending into Heauen of H.N. his Christ and the sitting at the right hand of God his father euen to become heauenly minded and inspired from aboue in all fulnesse with this knowledge and obedience which H.N. requireth in this his seruice of loue Heere is neither hope nor comfort for vs in any other man beside our selues neither is any consolation opened either from the ascencion of Christ either else for that he sitteth at the right hande of God his father only this is confessed that the number of his perfect ones are become inclosers and haue taken in the heauen so that there is no portion of heauen and other true happinesse to be hired or otherwise had vnlesse a man renounce the knowledge of the worde after the letter become voyde of all sinne and perfectly illuminated with thefull cleerenes of H.N. his doctrine The greatest comfort that I see a man who would willingly become a disciple can haue by H. N. his doctrine is that though his religion be very highe and mysticall yet his Heauen is very lowe euen heere vppon Earth among vs For this ascention of his Christe and sitting at the right hande of his father is performed in this life when the disciples become once comprehended of this his heauenly cleerenesse and of his vpright beeing of the loue When shall we once come to the bottom of this dungeon of darkenesse How hard is it when once a man hath giuen way to heresie to finde that stoppe which shall make him stay and recouer himselfe Howe great is the goodnesse of our God that hath armed vs with cleere and plaine doctrine out of his woorde against these and the like daungers and hath left vnto vs the knowledge of his Christ to our exceeding great comfort and consolation insomuch that euery article of our beliefe addeth something to the consolation of a christian For albeit our hope be great in that we heare of him who went downe into the graue in our sinnes that hee is risen againe and so acquite of that danger and iudgement which he lay vnder for the same yet is it much more when we vnderstand that the Lord hath not so left him and caste him of who was the whole dealer doer for vs but hath receiued him into heauen his owne
seate habitation Neither haue the arguments tokens of his loue here had their end but he hath set him on his right hand that is hath cōmitted the whole gouernment administratiō of his kingdome heervpon earth into his hands How can it goe harde with vs when our mediatour and he that hath had all these dealings for vs is become so great with our God as to bee made the head of his church to haue receiued the gouernmēt charge ouer his chosen May we not with the Apostle triumph say Who shal lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is Christ which is dead or rather which is risen again nay which is at the right hād of God making intercession for vs If his death brought vs from such danger what benefite wil this his life bring vnto vs and against how many and how great dangers shal it be able to defend vs If when we were enimyes we were reconciled vnto God by the death of his sonne much more beeing reconciled we shall be saued by his life For both the instrument hath now more power and strength to performe and the matter is the fitter to be wrought vpon Christ is not entred into the holie places that are made with hands which are similitudes of the true sanctuary but is entred into very heauen to appeare now in the sight of God for vs Seeing then we haue an high Priest whiche is ouer the house of GOD let vs draw neare him with a true heart in assuraunce of faith sprinkling in our heartes from an euil conscience and washed in our bodyes with pure water abhorring from our heartes this cursed and comfortlesse Christ which H.N. hath brought out not meaning to comforte feede but to pyne famish his familie withall We haue not onely comforte by our Christ touching his priesthood for that he appeareth nowe in the sight of our God for vs and that the sacrifice is continually before his eyes whereby we stand discharged against sinne and made acceptable and in good fauour and grace with our God neither yet for that he beeing ascended on high and leading captiuitie captiue doth giue giftes to his Church generallie and to the seuerall members therof particularly in gouerning them by his spirite and worde beeing forcible by the working thereof to promote his glory in them but also touching his kingdome because he is our Christ to whome is giuen all power both in heauen and earth and of whome it is written The Lorde saide vnto my Lorde sitte thou at my right hand vntil I make thine enemyes thy footestoole Be thou ruler in the middest of thine enemyes without whose licence and leaue euen in his humilitie lowest estate the deuils themselues durst not to deale no not against Hogges and swine And therefore beeing now exalted into such glory how dare they be bolde to attempt any thing against the least of his seruantes without speciall licence from himselfe The Familie can finde no such comforte in their counterfaite Christe who setteth and breedeth onely in their braine hatching his reuelations and coyning these such like mysteries ruling ouer no other enemyes neither beeing carefull to kepe of other aduersaries besides the true naturall meaning of the worde of god Thus as you haue hearde hath H.N. stopped the heads of all the wel springs of life taking from vs all the seuerall comfortes which by these Articles of our beliefe we are lawfully intituled vnto sending vs to dig pittes in our selues and there to seeke for this spring of life where by the worde of God wee are well assured it can neuer be founde H.N. The seuenth Article We beleeue that Iesus Christ shal come from thence namely from the right hand of God his father out of heauen to iudge the liuing and the dead Wee confesse that he wil euen so in his cōming shewforth his great power and maiestie and make manifest with him the glorious Lordlines of the many thousands of his holy ones in their garnishing possesse his inheritance with God his father and with al his saintes in triumph and perpetual ioy euerlastingly And iudge euē so with all his holy ones as a righteous Iudge the worlde and all nations generations and languages according to the trueth with righteousnesse Answeare This cōming of Christ to iudge the quicke the dead is by the doctrine of H.N. in this life yea it is euen now in this time whē H.N. and his doctrine are manifested and brought to light Now saith H.N. shal the glorious lordlynesse of the many thousand of his holie ones in their garnishing be made manifest now shal Christ possesse his inheritaunce in triumphe perpetuall ioy euerlastingly and iudge euen so all nations and languages according to the trueth with righteousnesse In his title I haue sufficiprooued that the day of iudgement is in this life if we wil beleeue his doctrine and that it is no other thing then the publishing of this his doctrine Yet because I woulde not haue any sent away vnsatisfied herein I will adde one or two testimonies vnto the former In his Euangelie cap. 34. thus he speaketh of that matter Behold and consider my beloued how wonderfully god worketh in his holie ones and how that now in this day or light of the loue the iudgement seate of Christ is reuealed and declared vnto vs out of heauen to a righteous iudgement vpon earth from the right hand of God how that on the same iudgement seate of Christ that the Scripture might be fulfilled there sitteth one nowe in truth in the habitation of Dauid which iudgeth vprightly thinketh vppon equitie and requireth righteousnesse Through him God will now in this day which he him selfe hath appointed or ordained thereunto iudge the compasse of the earth with righteousnes In which this same day or last time namely in the perfection of the woorkes of God and in his righteous iudgement the God of heauen hath now declared him selfe and his Christ togeather with al his Saints vnto vs his elect also made a dwelling with vs and brought euen so vnto vs out of his holy beeing the most holy of his true tabernacle with the fulnesse of his garishing and spirituall heauenly riches to an euerlasting fast standing Ierusalem and house for Gods dwelling according to the Scripture the which is the very true vndisturbable kingdome ful of all godly power ioy and of al heauēly beautifulnesse wherein the laude of the Lorde with fulnes of eternal life and louely sweetnesse is song from euerlasting to euerlasting and wherein al mindes of pure hartes doe dwell liue and walke with freedom and christian triumphe in al loue He professeth heere that the iudgement seat of Christ is now reuealed in this day of loue that God wil now in this same day through him whom hee hath appointed that is him selfe for this same place and authoritie out of the 17. of the Actes hee hath
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
and baptism he shall become saued but who so beleeueth not hee shall according to the worde of Iesu Christ become cōdemned 35. For that cause let no mā boast him to be a christiā that hath not in the vpright faith receiued the true tokens of the Christianitie that is that beareth or carieth not the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost essentially and liuingly in him otherwise he shall assuredly in this same day of the loue of the righteous iudgement before al the holie ones of God which are comprehēded in the communialtie of the loue bee founde false and lying For the woorde that the Lorde Iesus Christ hath spoken shal iudge him in this same newest day Answeare H.N. proceedeth nowe to the sentence of euerlasting condemnation which hee thundreth out agaynst all howe many soeuer who shall not nowe in this present day of the loue beleeue this doctrine which he hath here published and professed What sentence hee himselfe lieth vnder I leaue it vnto the Lorde but if there be any place left vnto prayer for him I pray God hee may be so truely touched with repentaunce as that curse may be turned from him which wayteth for so many as by damnable doctrine shall leade blinde and simple soules out of the way In the meane time we stande assured from the mouth of the lorde that the curse which is causelesse shall not come The true Churche of Christ acknowledgeth the holy Ghost to be God equall with the Father and the Sonne because the Scripture geueth libertie and freedome vnto him in distributing of graces and giftes vnto the children of god According as we reade in the former Epistle to the Corinthes Al these thinges worketh one and the self same spirite distributing to euerie man seuerallie as he will because in like maner it ioyneth him with the father and the sonne makinge but one God of those three persons as it is written in the first Epistle of Saint Iohn There are three which beare recorde in heauen the Father the worde and the holy Ghost and these three are one Wee doe assuredly beleeue that the holie Ghost will bee our comforter vnto the ende as well in woorking the woorkes of sanctification in vs as in making strong and sealing vp vnto our spirite the assurance of saluation and euerlasting life bringing all that to passe in our weakenesse which the Lorde hath promised in his woorde For the which ende he is sent from the Father and the Sonne into the world Which effectes are many in number and merueilous for the great workemanshippe thereof in such frailtie as wee are forced to feele and confesse to be within our selues For what a wonderful worke is this in flesh and bloud to haue a wise and vnderstanding heart in the will and word of his God The Apostle setteth this sight of God his goodnesse towardes vs which is offered in the Gospel farre aboue the reach eyther of sense or reason attributing it onely to the holy Ghost The things which eye hath not seen neither eare heard neither came into mans heart hath God prepared for them that loue him but God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his spirit for what mā knoweth the thinges of a man saue the spirit of a mā euen so the things of God knoweth no mā but the spirit of god What a rare work is this in like manner to geue vnto men who are priuie to themselues of manifolde offences and great wretchednes the confidence and boldenesse to call God Father making a full reckoning of his fauour and good wil towards them which thing is notwithstanding wrought in the seruants of God by the spirit of God as the Apostle witnesseth because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirite of his sonne into your hartes which crieth Abba Father Of what difficultie likewise is that woorke to quicken this not dull but dead disposition within vs in the wayes of the Lorde his lawes and in the woorkes of his commaundementes yet doeth the spirite of God performe it in vs as wee reade in the Epistle to the Romanes If the spirite of him that raised vppe Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raysed vp Christe from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his spirite that dwelleth in you Moreouer that passeth the power of man in our afflictions to be guided vnto God and to haue beside the matter the acceptable maner also of mourning and groning ministred vnto vs which proceedeth from the spirite of God as it is written to the Romanes Likewise the spirite also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray as we ought but the spirite it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed but he that searcheth the heartes knoweth what is the meaning of the spirite for he maketh request for the faultes according to the will of God. And howe woonderfull is the Lorde by this woorke of his spirite in vs who are yet kept from our Countrey kingdome and oftentimes so euill intreated and so litle regarded that not onelie men but the Lorde himselfe seemeth to reckon of vs as vnwoorthie of any welfare here vppon earth to haue notwithstanding within vs a good earnest of our inheritance in heauē euē the spirit of God who hath also to name Comforter for these and like effectes of consolatiō after that ye beleued ye were sealed with the holy spirite of promise which is the earnest of our inheritaunce for the redēption of that libertie purchased to the praise of his glory As for H.N. his holie Ghost there are no suche thinges to bee had from him for concerning the earnest and assurance to be made for our inheritaunce what vse can there be thereof when once wee are entred vpon the same nowe by H.N. his doctrine euerlasting life is in this life and in this estate of perfection which he professeth therfore when possession is taken there is no longer place for anie pledge or earnest of assurance and therefore H.N. his holie Ghost cannot bee he which the Scripture setteth foorth and maketh knowen by the propertie of a pleadge or earnest Beside this when H.N. his holie Ghost is once come they are past praier for sinne they haue not to pray against it beyng no sinners and goodnesse they want not beyng perfect and therefore he is not that holie Ghost which the Scripture speaketh off that helpeth their infirmities who know not what to pray as they ought making request with sighes and grones that cannot be expressed H.N. The nienth Article Wee beleeue one holy Churche a communialtie of holie ones which is the conioyned bodie of Christ or incorporated through the loue to Christ and that the shedding forth of the holy Ghost commeth to passe vnder the obedience of the loue vppon the same For through the holie Ghost wherewith shee is in
all loue annoynted blessed and elected to a sanctified bride of Christ shee becommeth named one holy communialty of holie ones which is the holie conioyned body of the bodie of Iesu Christ We confes that this same one holy comunialtie which becommeth euen so as is aboue said incorporated through the loue into the bodie of Iesu Christ as one bodie with him and baptized in his sauing health is the true Christianitie and the vpright holie churche of Iesu Christ Wherevnto all people shoulde of right assemble them vnder the obedience of the loue to their blessing and saluation according to the promises For she is God maiesty or the true house of the loue for his dwelling wherein God will haue mercie on all people Who so nowe therefore assembleth him not vnder the obdiēce of the loue vnto the same holy Church of Iesu Christ neither yet submitteth him humbly vnder the same maiestie of GOD but contemneth the righteousnesse of GOD and the spiritual giftes riches of Christ so turneth away him self from the communialtie of the loue the chosen holy ones of God he sheweth that hee is false of hearte and standeth minded agaynst GOD and his holie Church and bringeth euen so the iudgement of his condemnation ouer himselfe Answeare H.N. professeth here that this sect is the true and onely Church of Christ incorporated through loue to Christ wherevnto all people shoulde of right assemble themselues to their blessing and saluation because she is Gods Maiestie for these be his owne wordes Hee professeth likewise that whosoeuer turneth himselfe away from this communialtie of the loue hee bringeth euen so the iudgement of his condemnation ouer himselfe In many places of this booke he flatly condemneth all people that are not of this secte hee affirmeth their estate to hee a false beyng the Diuell the Antichrist the wicked spirit the kingdome of Hell the maiestie of the Diuell himselfe they are his verie woordes in the fifteenth Chapter of his first exhortation I will not stand long vpon this point but content my selfe onely with two testimonies and those taken out of this and the next chapter whereby euery man may easily perceiue what his iudgement is both of the Preachers and people wheresoeuer or howe many soeuer that are not of his familie Thus he speaketh in the fifteenth Chapter of his first Exhortation and tenth Section The vnilluminated vnsent teachers busie and apply them very earnestly about the profounde knowledge of the Scriptures or high vnderstandinges according to the pleasing either contentation of men or about a paynted holines or false righteousnes according to the fleshe or outwarde appearance that hath before the fleshly minded a shewe of righteousnes but inwardly their nature or minde is full of iniquitie and full of all false witnessinges against God his gratious woorde and his Ministers and they are not else what but a nest of Diuelles and of all wicked Spirites Therefore surely the riches of the knowledge in all false heartes of the Scripture-learned and in all presumptuous or arrogant selfe wise is the false spirite of Antichrist which through his shew of outwarde holines and great knowledge in the Scripture worketh a secrete iniquitie and esteemeth himselfe as more worthie then the loue and her seruice and aboue the wisedome of God or the vpright life to be the spirit of the ful wisedom it self And in the sixteenth Chapter which is the next following and seuenteenth Section he confirmeth his iudgement in these woordes Therefore it is assuredly al false lies seducing and deceitful what the vngodly or vnilluminated men out of the imaginatiō or riches of their own knowledg out of the learnednes of the Scriptures bring foorth institute preache and teache They preache in deed the letter imaginatiō of their knowledge but not the word of the liuing god Seing then they haue not fulfilled obediently the first entrance into the doctrine of the gratious word yet neuerthelesse with free hearts presumptuosly boast them to haue and to vse all what is brought geuē out of grace to the holieones of God in the communialtie of the loue lie or erre therein so is doubtlesse all their doing word that they vse out of the free mindednes of their heat a false freedom out the false light the imagination of the knowledge all their congregation let thē esteeme thēselues so holy as they will a false Christianity and Deuilles Synagogue or schoole For there is none other cōmunialtie of holie ones or true Christianitie but the communialty of holy ones in the loue of Iesu Christ al such as adioyne thē thervnto and grow vp vnder the obedience of the loue in the same loue to elders of the holy godly vnderstanding His woordes can no waye be arrested so but that any man who shall read them may see and plainly perceiue that he thinketh of al that are not of his familie imbracing his doctrine adioyning themselues to that number as of a false christianitie a diuels sinagogue or schole they be his owne woordes euen now cited as you haue hearde It is very expedient therefore to examine what trueth there is in this his assertion The true Church of Christ resteth vpon Christ and his obedience H.N. his familie resteth vpon the law and their obedience yeelded vnto the same for that is their Christ and all the meanes of saluation that they doe acknowledge as doeth plainely appeare by that which hath beene spoken afore of their Christ Wee may therefore say vnto them with the Apostle ye are abolished from Christ who soeuer are iustified by the law ye are fallen from grace The Church of Christ is Abraham his seede and therfore as he was so they be heires by promise H.N. his familie commeth to all their happinesse by their own paines proper purchase therfore fallen frō grace and lye vnder the curse of God For so many as are of the workes of the law are vnder the curse saith the Apostle In the true Church of Christ the iusi man who because he is iust cannot be voyde of the fruites of righteousnesse and true holinesse yet leaneth he not to that his labour as now beeing altogither free from imperfection but liueth by his faith and resteth in the mercy of his God according as it is written by the Apostle The iuste shall liue by faith But in this Familie there iust men leaue and let goe all faith and credite in the goodnesse of any other and will liue by their owne laboure This sanctification and holinesse of the Church of Christe albeit it be sounde and sincere yet is it neuer perfect and absolute in this life without sinne and imperfection at all For we doe reade in the Gospell after Saint Iohn that braunches euen all of those without exception which bring forth fruite be in no other estate but that they haue in
them notwithstanding matter of necessitie to be purged that so they may bring foorth more fruite Euery braunch that beareth fruite he purgeth it that it may bring foorth more fruite and therfore doe we say in the next Article that we doe beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes but the sanctification and holynesse of H.N. his Church and Familie as they say is perfect euen in this life The members of the true Church bee braunches of that true Vine Christ and haue from thence their sappe strength to beare but the fellowes of this Familie haue all their sappe in them selues for they doe not acknowledge originall sinne nor yet the doctrin of our free election in Christ and therefore must of necessitie with Pelagius plant grace generally in our nature and so consequently confesse that we haue our sap in our selues H.N. The tenth Article Wee beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes namely in the same communialty of holy ones which standeth grounded in thssame vpright and godly beliefe of Iesu Christ and becommeth baptized in that same holie beeing of GOD aboue rehearsed and where the loue hath obtained the victory Wee confesse also that no man shall obtaine grace or forgiuenesse of sinnes at Gods hand without thissame holie communialtie of Christ For thissame is the holy Christianitie the familie of Loue wherein GOD himselfe dwelleth liueth and walketh and the true communialtie of Israell which reigneth with God and Christ ouer all her enemyes Answeare Hee that calleth to minde that doctrine which H.N. which hath set foorth before in his exposition vpon the 4. Article shall plainely perceiue that remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes is nothing else but to bee set free from sinning any more against God and that not to be attained vnto any otherwise then by following his Christ in the death of the crosse vnder the obedience of the loue Which opinion is confirmed in his Euangelie Chapter 30. Section 6. The clensing which is called Purgatory signifieth vnto vs the making pure of the beleeuers of Christ which they in distresse affliction sorrowe and anguish for the sinnes cause doe passe thorowe wherein they as in a fire of humiliation are purged or iustified from all their sinnes through the beliefe for to enter euen so with pure heartes into the kingdome of the GOD of heauēs In which fire of clensing or Purgatory the vpright beleeuers of Christ shew foorth patience in prayer vnto God and euen so in the beliefe and in manner of suffering they followe after Christ in his death of the crosse to the purging of their sinnes And the 28 Chapter of that same booke and first Section this his opinion is likewise established These be his woordes Whilst nowe the children of men cleaued vnto the vpright faith of Abraham which was of one beeing with the true light of life or grounded themselues therein and euen so obediently suspected the seruice of the beliefe administred out of the true light which is Christ himselfe in his requiring exercised them therein and onely gaue eare and had regarde vnto the ministers of the holie word which had kept the Passeouer with Christ out of the flesh into the spirit out of death into life were euen so implanted into Christ coedified with God and also beeing obedient vnto the worde in his requiring bide stedfast therein vntill that they had also kept the passouer with Christ and obtayned the renewing of their spirit and mind in Iesu Christ the which is the vpright supper or Pascha wherein men rightly eate the body of Christ drinke his bloode are partakers of his suffering and baptized in his death vnto his burying and euen so remember the suffering of Christ and witnesse or publish his death till vnto his comming that is vntill the true light arise in the heart so were they made safe iustified from their sinnes renewed in the spirit of their minde and sanctified in Christ to fellow members of his body to coheires in the riches of God his father in the euerlasting life This doctrine which maketh man his owne Sauiour and redeemer is plentifully confuted in the fourth Article wherevnto I refer the reader A man would not imagine that they could attempt so much mischieuous matter against vs and our saluation euen then when they giue vs no worse woordes then the holie Ghost doth vse For heere are heard no other wordes then wordes of pardon and forgiuenesse and yet there is no other matter in hand thē matter of purchasing and paying for our saluation But no marueile if H.N. who before was sufficiently prooued to bee Iudas doe nowe kisse when he meaneth to kill and in woords putteth vs in hope of a pardon when in deede is drift is to haue vs pay the vtmost farthing In the tenth Chapter to the Hebrues it is plainely prooued that euen those his deare and best beloued Children in whose heartes and mindes himselfe hath written his owne lawes haue in them notwithstanding matter to be pardoned and forgiuen After those dayes saieth the Lorde I will put my lawes in their heart and in their mynde I will write them and their sinnes and iniquities I will remember no more The place is alleadged out of the Prophete Ieremye I wil make an euerlasting couenant with them that I will neuer turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not departe from me These people to whome the Lorde hath made this large and liberall promise that they shall enioy such a portion of his feare as shal be able to kepe thē from departing from him these I say that haue and enioy such a measure of mercy from the Lorde haue all this notwithstanding in that their estate sinnes to be pardoned and that with one offering for all neuer after to be renued With one offering hath he cōsecrated for euer saith the holie Ghost them that be sanctified And againe Where remission of these things is there is nowe no more offering for sinne If one offering consecrate for euer them that be sanctified then are there not so many offeringes to consecrate withall as there be persons sanctified which is the doctrine of H.N. If one offering consecrate for euer them that be sanctified then H. N. and his Familie are not sanctified because they refuse that one offering which the Lord hath appointed thereby to consecrate for euer them that are sanctified and haue erected in steade therof a continuall offering and oblation for sinne wherin euery man must play the Prieste for himselfe And therefore albeit he affirme words that there is remission and forgiuenesse of sinne in his Familie yet in trueth it is otherwise for where there is remission of sinne there is no more offering for sinne Nowe in H. N. his Familie there is more offering for sinne and therfore there is among them no remission of sinne The Prophete Dauid affirmeth that because the
but neuer when men are dealt withall according to desert And because the Prophet Dauid had ascribed blessednesse to that man to whom the Lorde imputeth not his sinnes and it was written likewyse that Abraham his faith was imputed vnto him for righteousnes hee is not afrayde to set it downe as an assured trueth that our iustification commeth by mercy and fauour and not by merite and desert So that the naturall signification of the woorde doeth carry away iustification from works and geueth it by good right vnto fauour and grace Wherin this is also woorth the obseruation because wee are about the force and credite of the naturall sence and Historie of the woorde that the Apostle layeth great weight vpon the circumstance of time which the Historie doeth yeelde vnto him insomuche that because righteousnesse was imputed vnto Abrahā as appeareth in Genesis by that historie before he was circumcised he concludeth that iustification standeth by fauour and mercy alone and needeth not to be vnderpropped by woorkes for that Abraham before circumsicion which was with them as is baptisme with vs the entraunce into religion and seruice of God the first beginnyng to obey to the woorde and wyll of GOD was reckoned of God him selfe as a righteous man Yf there be suche weight in the woords and circumstances which are the least part of the history then doeth H.N. as was sayde before offer great wrong vnto vs who in his Allegories drowneth not only circumstances and the naturall signification of words but also the proper sence of Histories and whole sentences when they are set togeather The Heretiques in all tymes haue by Allegories vpholdē their errors And Allegories in al ages haue been theyr strongest instruments to woorke with all Epiphanius maketh mention of a beastly sort of Heretiques who by Allegories maintayned the sinne of the Sodomites not onely as a thing that might be suffered but as a duetie that must be doone most shamefully racking to the defence of that shamelesse opinion these woordes of our Sauiour Christe Verily I say vnto thee thou shalt not come out thence tyl thou haue payde the vttermost farthing The Heretiques called Priscillianistae who taught that it was lawful to lie and forsweare in causes of religion thereby to hyde theyr religion and shameful life from the daunger of theyr aduersaries by Allegories did auoide whatsoeuer out of the Scripture was brought agaynst them These bee the woordes of Augustine touching those persons and that matter in suos sensus Allegorizando vertunt quicquid in sanctis libris est quod eorum euertat errorem Whatsoeuer is founde in the Scripture that ouerthroweth theyr errour by an Allegoricall exposition they make it to maintayne the same And the Anabaptistes nowe in our dayes with Allegories as it were with Rackettes doe tosse the Scriptures too and fro like tennes balles to serue their turne withall And who knoweth not that Allegories are the hookes wherewithall the Romishe Churche hath pulled vp theyr Purgatorie and suche other pelfe of theirs Hierome sayth of Origen that by his Allegorizing hee made his owne wit Sacramentes of the Churche These bee his woordes Origines liberis Allegoriae spaciis euagatur ingenium suum facit Ecclesiae Sacramenta In as muche as in an Allegory there is one thynge spoken and an other ment the Heretiques of all times haue drawne the scriptures generally without any respect into Allegories that whatsoeuer the woordes bee they might haue libertie to make a meaning therevnto of and for themselues and that without any helpe at all from the matter that is in hande Nowe the Allegories and figuratiue speaches vsed in the Scriptures muste haue their meaning made manifest and beaten out by the circumstance of the places from whence they are taken and by helpe from the matter which is in hande neyther may any place in the Scripture be vrged in an Allegoricall sence vnlesse the same taken litterally and in the Gramaticall sence shall establishe some thing repugnant eyther to faith or Charitie ¶ A plaine proofe that the darke and obscure forme of writing which H. N. vseth is an euident note of the Spirite of errour and deceite THe greate obscuritie darkenes of speache which H. N. vseth in al his workes bewraieth his doctrine spirite suficiētly if we had no other matter to charge him withal For the truth is simple and plaine Ethnickes could by the light of nature sufficiently see into such things One of them touching that matter saith thus Veritatis sermo est simplex apertus nec variis indiget explicationibus ambagibus sed iniusta causa cum per se sit morbida necessario indiget astutis pharmacis The truth sayth he is simple and plaine needeth not varietie of windlaces and fetchinges of matters about the bushe but an euill cause in that it is sicke and diseased hath neede to haue a cunning plaister conueied vnto it An other of them hath these woordes Simplex sententia est communis ac omnibus vsitata nihil admodum profundi astuté cogitati habens aut etiam aliud quid celans That phrase and forme of speaking hath simplicitie in it which is common and vsed of al hauing in it nothing craftily deuised neither cloking some other thing then is professed I leaue it to the iudgemēt of euery indifferent man whether H. N. his stile were able to abide euen this touchestone geuen vs of the Ethnicks to trie the trueth withal for what strange words hath he deuised frō that the scripture vseth to expresse the same thing by And how doth he after once he hath begon a thing by continual winding in of words drawe a man so far frō the place wher he was that hardly can he get home againe Moreouer how craftily doth he vse the worde and name of Christ for all that meane no other thing thereby then that estate of perfection which himself hath deuised so that if heathen men hauing no other euidence then that whiche the light of nature doeth geue them might bee permitted to passe vpon him hee woulde vndoubtedly bee founde guiltie euen by them of false and corrupt doctrine In the worde of God which is a rule of all righteousnesse vnto vs the borowed speaches which bee most obscure be taken from matters vsuall and commonly falling out in the life affaires of men For who knoweth not what the Lorde his meaning is when he calleth himselfe eyther away a doore or a vine And if al the similitudes parables and borowed speaches in the Scriptures bee examined they shal be founde to haue bene drawen and deriued from such matters as the people then were well acquainted withall This simplicitie plainnesse of the woorde which is a rule to al them that are guided by that spirite which spake in the same is very plainly proued out of the Prouerbes of Solomon vnder the person of wisedome Al the wordes of my mouth are righteous
find in thy hart to afford God for thy welth It followeth we must liue godly this necessarily is ioyned to righteousnesse For it were but a vaine thing to be precise in geuing man his right then to withholde the Lord his thorowe impietie Wee must communicate with him as I tolde you before in his worde Receiue the lawe of his mouth and lay vp his wordes in thy heart Dauid hauing declared before howe the heauens doe declare the glorie of God and howe the creatures doe leade vs vnto some knowledge of him immediately as one rauished with the maiestie and excellencie of that knowledge of God which we haue by the worde and as one who taketh that other kinde of teaching to be nothing in respect of this affirmeth that the lawe of the Lorde conuerteth the soule that it giueth wisedome to the simple giueth light to the eyes and bringeth ioy to the heart making these to be the special prerogatiues of the worde of GOD which neither by the creatures nor yet by anie other outward meanes may be atteined vnto It behoueth vs therefore to haue often vse of the woorde of GOD not onely to take our knowledge from thence howe to serue him but also to seeke for incouragement and quickening therevnto from it For the woorde of God quickeneth vs to our dueties and stirreth vp the slownesse that by nature is in vs A notable example whereof we haue in the 2. of the Chronicles cap. 15. Wee are likewise to rest vpon his goodnesse whereof hee hath made vs such large promises in his worde to applie his benefites as speciall helpes to strengthen our fayth in the perswasion of his fatherly affection towardes vs and to prouoke our obedience the rather thereby and to bee often and earnest in prayer with him both to haue our strength and abilitie to serue him by that meanes increased and also to prouide that neither by our subtile aduersarie nor yet by our owne frailtie wee bee intrapped in the nette of destruction For albeit by his grace our spirite bee readie yet haue wee a weake fleshe which is to bee dragged forward by strength obteyned thorow prayer from our god These things must wee bee giuen vnto and neither by a plaine reiecting of them and erecting of our owne deuotion neither yet by a colde and carelesse vse of them to tempt the Lorde and to vpholde vs in vngodlinesse and the fruites thereof The Papistes Anabaptists Libertines and familie of Loue are all sworne enemies vnto godlinesse for as much as they will haue the woorde altogither subiect to their spirite For they will haue it not to speake but as their spirit shall indite and herevpon they build that they are the Church and therefore haue a promise of the holy Ghost to keepe them that they erre not Enquire of a Papist from whence come their vnwritten verities and manifolde traditions they answere there were many thinges that the Apostles then were not able to beare which the holie spirite beeing nowe come hath taught them The Anabaptists Libertines and house of Loue vrged with the Scripture will aske you what sayeth the Spirite affirming that to bee but the killing letter Thus both of them howsoeuer in other things greatly differing haue this common principle for their foundation and beginning that the Scriptures beeing but an ABC to Christianitie the spelling and reading thereof must be drawne from their Spirite as if the Gospel should giue place to reuelations and so carie with it the staine of imperfection or as if the Spirite could be diuorced from the written woorde which it was sent to teach and confirme As it is written He shal bring all thinges to your remembrance which I haue tolde you What can bee a more shamefull abasing of Christ then to make him but vsher and their Spirite in place aboue him chiefe Schoolemaister that as the law brought vs by the hande to Christe so Christ shoulde bee our guide vnto reuelation and resigne vnto it as the lawe did vnto him They will not denie the woorde but in trueth they make it a matter of nothing For they will allowe no sence vnto it but suche as their Spirite shall sette vppon it So that in verie deede howe so euer they woulde bee thought to leade vs to the woorde they doe leade their Disciples onely to the dreames and deuises of their owne heade In the time of the Law when visions and reuelations were often and vsuall yet were they then subiect to the worde and to be tried by it nay to be ouerruled of it According as we reade If there arise among you a Prophet and giue thee a signe or wonder and the signe or wonder which he hath told thee come to passe saying let vs go after other gods thou shalt not hearken vnto the wordes of the Prophet ye shall walke after the Lord your God and shal keepe his commandements and hearken vnto his voice but that Prophet shal be slaine because he hath spoken to thrust thee out of the way wherein the Lord thy God commaunded thee to walke If in the times when visions and reuelations had their best alowance the most lawful title that euer they had all that notwithstanding they were to giue vp their account vnto the written worde of God and from thence to receiue their quietus est Wee may not then in these times receiue such wares vnder the alone warrant of their owne weightes when faith must fight against miracles and reuelations for the woorde which in the infancie of the Church was helped by miracles vnto the worde Howe can there bee anie true godlinesse among this people among whom God is not licenced to speake in his worde what pleaseth him but the worde strained by their spirite to speake after the liking of miserable men Great is the vngodlinesse likewise of those men who hauing banished superstition and fantasticall reuelation yet for all that leaning vnto the holde of their profession of the trueth as vnto a sufficient fortresse doe not submitte themselues to anie often and earnest vse of the woorde and prayer with conscience and care to haue their wayes refourmed by it and with perswasion of anie great necessitie that they haue of it We can not geue our selues vnto these dueties vnlesse we shal be in the expectation and lookinge after the hope of an other life therfore very fitly doth the Apostle ioyne vnto these seuerall duties that wee haue hearde of this speache Waiting for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of the mightie God our Sauiour Iesus Christe For it can not come to passe we shoulde bee taken of from things here belowe vnlesse we be assured ells where No man wil let goe things assured for vncertaine Faith must geue vs assuraunce of greater glory from god ere we can let goe the hould that wee haue here Therfore it is made a speciall note of god his children and necessarily ioyned to his worshippe to bee in