and folowed his corrupt counsel then were they led captive as the Apostle sayth being simple women laden with synns and led with divers lusts From which estate God keep al his people direct their feet in the wayes of life peace AN EPISTLE Sent vnto two daughters of Warwick From H. N. THe wisdome of the Father through the Love of Christ in the power of the holy Ghost in the second birth out of the new life of the heavenlie being be vnto every one which with an vnpartial hart seeketh the godlynes in Iesus Christ to a harty salvation Because that every one which seeketh God with hart mought know the right diversitie betwixt the heavenly and the earthly betwixt the spirit the flesh betwixt the light and the darknes betwixt the death the life and betwixt the righteousnes of the spirit and the righteousnes of the elementish things and then to love the same That grant vs the Almightie God through his love Amen 1. Because ye mought through the spirit of Christ inherit the same gift and meere affection or goodwillingnes to the godly life I do bear or cary the same gift God is my witnes before al men But now am I compelled through the love of Christ severally to open the same gift vnto two yong daughters of a certayn place named Warwick The Lord give his prosperitie and grace thervnto for that his righteousnes which is wrought through the Spirit of Christ mought be knowen of them and that the life of Christ which by many is sought after the flesh might be knowen and inherited of them according to the spirit even like as God which is blessed is a Spirit Ioh. 4. 2 Cor. 3. H. A. OUr saviour Christ the wisdome of the Father hath warned vs to beware of false prophets which come vnto vs in sheeps clothing but inwardly are ravening wolves The Apostles through the love of Christ in the power of the holy Ghost have foretold vs that in the latter times some should depart from the faith and give heed vnto spirits of error and doctrines of Divils speaking lies through hypocrisie and having their consciences burned-with-a-hot-yron and therfore counselled vs not to beleev everie spirit but to trie the spirits whither they ar of God because many false prophets were even then gone out into the world The evil that they should enterprise is privilie to bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that hath bought them the maner of their cariage should be to vse feighned words fayr flattering and good speech swelling words of vanity promises of liberty and the like The effect of their doctrine should be deceiving of the harts of the simple even of many yea if it were possible of the verie elect and by those many that follow their damnable wayes the way of truth should be blasphemed The end of al which touching themselves is that because such reprobates receive not the love of the truth that they mought be saved therfore God sendeth them strong delusion that they should beleeve lies and they al may be damned which beleeve not the truth but hav pleasure in vnrighteousnes These things considered it standeth vs vpon to look wel to our selves least we be caried away with the error of the wicked This author H. N. beginneth as was foretold not onely with fayr and flattering speech but also with swelling words of the second birth out of the new life of the heavenly being and sondry the like He boasteth of the gift of the godly life which he beareth before al men and here severally openeth vnto two yong daughters and of this he taketh God to witnesse He telleth them in the 2. section folowing that the Christ of God was not yet declared vnto them according to the heavenly truth Thus promiseth he great matters and seemeth to be a setter forth of a new Christ and consequently of a new God Very needful therfore it is to attend vnto his doctrine and if it be true for to receive it if false for to abhorr it and to hold the author therof accursed And herevnto the Lord inable and guide vs by his grace 1. First where he vaunteth of the gift borne before al men in his other writings opened to these daughters in this Epistle let vs bring it to the trial by the word of God who he saith is his witnes For we read of some that have given gifts vnto their lovers that they might come vnto them on every side for fornication and whither this writing and other pamphlets of H. N. be not gifts sent abroad for such evil purpose let the godly reader judge If his gift have wytnes of God it hath witnes of his written word as the prophet saith to the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because ther is no light in them Is H. N. willing to come to this trial it seemeth farr otherweise for in al his writings he much inveigheth against scripture-learning contrary to the true prophets and Apostles who highly commended this as being able to make men wise vnto salvation and profitable to teach to improve to correct to instruct in righteousnes and never did any of them entwite the learning or knowledge of the scriptures as the reader may see H. N. to doe in this Epistle and his other pamphlets Our saviour Christ willed al men even his adversaries to serch the scriptures for they testified of him If they testified likewise of H. N. and his doctrine doubtlesse he would not despise as his manner is the scripture-learning of others especially whiles he wil seem to rely vpon the testimonies of the same for himself But if we may not learn the truth of religion out of holy writt how then may we attayn it H. N. telleth vs in his First exhortation to his children thus My beloved children like as the true Communiality of holy ones and Elders of the house of Love confesse vnder the obedience of the Love the beleef in Iesu Christ and the Christian baptism and like as I expresse the same here vnto you and confesse or acknowledge it before al men to be the true faith and the vpright baptisme even so ground with fast beleef your harts likewise therin So then the doctrine of H. N. and his folowers must be the groūd of our faith as they confesse and beleev so must we And herein the Familists religion accordeth wel with the Turks whose great prophet Mahomet in his law or Alchoran to draw disciples after him saith thus They that worship God let them if they be good beleev his Messenger Mahomet and again O ye good men be followers of God and of his messenger never wittingly depart from them But may we not our selves by the light and grace that God giveth vs make trial of H. N. his religion by the word of the Lord
God By Christ or righteousnes H. N. sayth he meaneth the being like Christ not any ceremonial Christ so he seemeth to esteem the playn doctrines of the gospel to be but ceremonial that wheras we read there of one Jesus to be crucified for our syns c. this he couÌ„teth but a ceremonie shadow or figure such it may be as was the ram that Abraham offred or the beasts that Aaron killed or perhaps the parable that Jotham told for the true Christ that saveth men is the Lovely being that is in the Familists themselves this idol hath their god H. N. out of his prudency according to his fleshly mind set vp And this is a great secret or mysterie of iniquity H. N. 5. Herevpon my beloved mought ye or som other say we learn not or ther is not any thing taught vnto vs then out of the clear scripture which may not lie Yea my beloved the scripture lyeth not but al those which ar not instructed through the spirit of Christ they lie are beguiled signify or expouÌ„d the scripture which is spokeÌ„ through the holy Ghost shewed out in the spirit of life Iohn 6. vpon an earthy or elementish foundation wherthrough the man can not obteyn or get any renewing of the hart Even like as in the witnessing of the scripture ther is witnessed sufficiently to those that can vnderstand the same Who is ther without the word of the Lord which is spirit life Iohn 6. that hath atteyned vnto the salvation or who hath I beseech you in any world brought forth any true witnes vnlesse that he through the Spirit of the Lord which is his word become altogether born anewâ— H. A. UUE are sure the sacred scripture lâ—â—th not but H. N. which abusâ—th and falsifieth the scripture and denieth Jesus to be the Christ making Love and the Lovely Being in himself and his familie to be Christ as we have heard is by the Apostle condemned for a Liar and an Antichrist 1 Ioh. 2. 22. and he not being instructed through the Spirit of Christ hath taught an earthly and rotten foundation to the ruine of true religion The scripture cannot rightly be vnderstood or opened but by the Holy Ghost that is the gifts of the holy Ghost But some have the gifts of the Spirit which yet are not themselves altogither born anew as had Balaam the Scribes and Pharises Caiaphas Judas the traitor and others many which as the Apostle sayth Heb. 6. 4. were once lightned have tasted of the heavenly gift were made partakers of the holy Ghost Therfore it is false which H. H. writeth that none in any world brought forth any true witnes vnlesse that he became altogither born anew Againe he here brocheth another error in expounding the Spirit of the Lord to be his word which H. N. in his grosse vnderstanding perversly gathereth from Christs words Iohn 6. 63. the words that I speak vnto you are spirit wherby our Lord meaneth that his words were spiritual not that they were the Holy Spirit it self For he vseth the like phrase of a spiritual and regenerated man saying Except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God and that which is born of the spirit is spirit Iohn 3. 5. 6 Now seing H. N. describing his Communialty of the Love sayth Whosoever cometh into this good city he becometh altogither born anew in the spirit he may by like reason conclude that himself and his Nicholaitans are also the holy Spirit and so be a blasphemer against the Holy Ghost as he is against the Father and the Son The Scriptures teach vs playnly to distinguish between the word and the Spirit of the Lord this latter being cause and author of the former as it is written 2 Sam. 23. 2. The Spirit of the Lord spake in me his word was in my tongue and of al the prophets it is witnessed that they spake as they were moved by the holy Spirit 2 Pet. 1 21. The Apostle sayth this is the word which is preached among you and how they preached it an other sheweth when he sayth that by the spirit of God they knew the things given them of God and spake those things not in words which mans wisdom teacheth but which the holy Spirit teacheth that al men may see how ignorantly if not worse H. N. hath confounded the word and the Spirit of the Lord as if they were one thing H. N. 6. Note wel or consider of fellowship the estate or manner of the Apostles how that they although they went about so long tyme with Christ wer alwayes with him whiles the power of God was wrought through him vnderstood not what the mind of the Lord was concerning the godly causes before that the day of Pentecost or Whitsontide when that they received the holy Ghost was come vnto them Even like as there standeth written how that they sayd at the tyme when Christ was crucified among them we had hoped or supposed that he should have delivered Israel and it is now the third day and ther cometh nothing of it we wil goe a fishing For they supposed that Christ should have set vp a fleshly kingdom H. A. HEre H. N. to magnify himself as a spiritual and godded man spareth not to wrong the holy Apostles as if they before Pentecost Acts. 2. vnderstood not the scriptures nor preached the word truly wheras it is evident that they were sent and had preached the word long before Luk. 9. 1. 2. which word Christ had given them and they received Iohn 17. 8. 14. and were made clean by it Iohn 15. 3. and he had opened their vnderstanding to vnderstand the scriptures Luk. 24. 45. though afterward at Pentecost they received more plentifull graces of the spirit when Christ was gone from them Act. 2. 1. 2. 4. c. Again H. N. as if he delited to falsify the scripture sayth there standeth written how that they sayd when Christ was crucified we hoped that he should hav delivered Israel c. wheras these words were spoken by Cleopas and an other disciple which were none of the Apostles as appeareth Luk. 24. vers 18. 21 33. and to make vp his patcherie he addeth that they sayd it is now the third day there cometh nothing of it we wil go a fishing Wheras those two spake not at al of going a fishing but other men at an other time Ioh. 21. 3. By this the reader may mind what credit is to be given to H. N. his allegations of scripture who careth not to profane the holy word for maintenance of his lies and setteth things down as they come in his idle head But why say I so of this godded man seeing men ought not to distrust him nor suspect any manner of evil or vnwisdom by this Oldest Father whose eysight as himself sayth was clearer then Chrystal his vnderstanding brighter
then the Sun H. N. 7. The whiles then that the Apostles which dayly went about with Christ and had the word of the Father dayly among them vnderstood not the Spirit of the Lord how should then the multitude of these which now say that they are Christians yet neyther have nor know spirit nor word but go on with their fleshly prudencie in the literal scripture and set forth the same with their fleshly harts before the simple people as it seemeth best vnto them and say even so very stowtly we have the word of the Lord wheras it is but their own word wherin that they through their own prudencie are gendred or begotten feel eyther perceiv the same H. A. THe application of this invective belongeth to H. N. himself and his Nicholaitans who out of his fleshly hart as seemeth best vnto him though against the literal scripture setteth forth his forgeries to the simple people yet boasteth very stowtly that he is anoynted with the holy ghost in the old age of the holy vnderstanding of Iesu Christ godded with God in the spirit of his Love made heyr with Christ in the heavenly goods of the riches of God illuminated with the spirit in the heavenly truth the true light of the perfect being elected to a minister of the gracious word c. so that in him and his sect the prophesie is fulfild which foretold how in the last dayes men should be lovers of them selves boasters proud cursed speakers c. 2 Tim. 3. 1. 2. But if the Apostles as he sayth vnderstood not the spirit of the Lord how should then he that is sold into syn and given over vnto heresies which are works of the flesh feel or perceiv the same H. N. 8. It is true they have the scripture and the same giveth witnes of the Lord and of the word but is not the word it self Iohn 5. neyther yet may any man vnderstand the witnessing of the same vnlesse that he hath first inherited the spirit of the Lord in the second birth H. A. ONe evil and heresie draweth on another wher God restreyneth not men by his grace Here H. N. denieth the scripture to be the word of the Lord saying that it giveth witnes of the Lord and of the word Which he would gather from Christs speech Iohn 5. 39. Serch the scriptures for they testifie of me but he abuseth the scripture and concludeth amisse as if because it giveth witnes of the Lord Iesus therefore it is not the word the contrarie wherof is true it giveth witnes of him therfore it is his word For Christ playnly calleth that which is written in the Law the word Iohn 15 25. and so doth Paul Rom. 9. 9. 1 Cor. 15. 54. and Peter 2 Pet. 1. 19. The scriptures for we speak not here of the essential word of the Father which is Christ himself are the word of the Lord written even as the lively preaching of the prophets and Apostles was the word of the Lord spoken The beginning of their books sheweth this as Hos. 1. 1. The word of the Lord that came to Hosea Ioel. 1. 1. The word of the Lord that came to Ioel and many the like It is sayd Exod. 20. 1. God spake al these words and in Exod. 24. 4. it is said Moses wrote al the words of the Lord. If then that be Gods word which is spoken that also is his word which is written and H. N. is but an instrument of Satan to teach otherwise that he may bring his own word in the place If the scripture be not Gods word because it is a witnesse then the Holy Spirit which H. N. made the word before in sect 5. is not so seeing that is a witnesse also 1 Iohn 5. 6. yea Christ is a witnesse Rev. 1. 5. God the Father is a witnesse 1 Iohn 5. 9. 10. the Apostles also were witnesses Luk. 24. 48. If then that which is a witnes is not the word then none of these but H. N. and his dreames must be the word to weet of the Serpent and he indeed is no witnesse of God neyther do his writings bear testimony to the truth but seek to destroy it H. N. 6. Oh my beloved look into the same a little with me what vncertayn witnessings that we out of an earthly or a natural Being have followed after even vntil this day We may wel say with the Prophet it is altogither lies what the scripture learned preach eyther teach for asmuch as they do reject the word of the Lord Ier. 8. Here giveth the prophet a distinction or diversity betwixt the word of the Lord the witnessing of an vnregenerated man which he bringeth forth out of the Letter of the scripture H. A. THe more we look the more indeed we see what vncertayn witnessings you H. N. out of an earthly Being have followed after even vntil this day This stil more and more appeareth in your abusing of the prophets and Apostles Here you would father a distinction vpon Jeremy as if the word of the Lord and that which is written in the scripture were not one and the same the Prophet teacheth no such thing but blameth the Jewes for rejecting the word in truth and deed whiles they boasted to be wise and to have the law with them Ier. 8. 8. 9. He denyeth not the written law to be the word for I have before proved that it was Gods word Exod. 20. 1. 14. 4. but sheweth how vnregenerate men wil abuse it and yet boast of it as your self H. N. are found to falsify the word and yet vaunt your self to be a godded man and minister of the gracious word Every jod and title and consequently every Letter word and sentence of the scripture is Gods vndoubted word though yow and al Divils should deny it the false glosses and heresies that yow and other vnregenerated men gather from it are the word of Satan which the scripture it self by help of Gods spirit evidently doth disprove and so the word of the Lord endureth for ever and that is the word which the Apostles preached 1 Pet. 1. 25. and what they did preach is recorded in their writings H. N. 10. Oh if these men which now so boldly or freemindedly doe say that they are Christians and wil alwayes confesse Christ with the mouth had eyes to see the right spirit for to vnderstand then should they surely cease or leav off for to walk in the strange or erring wayes 11. There is read in the scripture that Christ should be confessed or acknowledged which is a very true witnes but the mind or meaning of the Lord therin do verie few vnderstand And many suppose whiles they have read in the scripture of one Christ likewise through their industry or prudencie they know that in times past ther was one Christ in Israel which was born amongst his own that the same when they know it confesse it with their
the Paradise of your Lord and God c. Come in now all hither to the Paradise of the Love and pluck in her garden the tender Olives Become drunken with the wine of her soon-ripe grapes and embrace her to al concordable friendlynes Thus like an harlot he allureth men to his religion and imitateth the whore of Babylon which made the inhabitants of the earth drunken with the wine of her fornications For his vaine conceyted Lovely Being with the toyes and pleasures that men imagine in that estate is a fooles paradise wher men become drunken and besotted in syn and drowned in perdition This is H. Ns. heaven and they that are not here he thinks they are in hel yea playnly sayth in his new gospel that the second death is come and beareth dominion over the world and all vnbeleevers By this the discreet reader may see what a Christ and salvation H. N. doth teach and what a Death Divil and Hel the Nicholaitans or Familists doe subdue This wretched man seemeth to have written his books in scorn of al true religiō that Atheisme and Epicurisme vnder shew of religiō mought reign in the earth H. N. 13. Herevpon mought some men say ye would have the man perfect No my beloved no I speak not of the perfection of the man but I speak of the perfectnes which Christ ought to have with the man before he can be confessed or acknowledged The man in his vnregenerated spirit is vnperfect I speak not thereof but what he is that is he out of grace without cause of boasting 14. Therfore let every one look wel vnto it that he be not self-minded in his vncertayn forecasts or preconceiving but that he take heed or be wel advised whither he be worthy to receive the same grace of God H. A. THat which David sayth of the wicked man that his mouth is ful of deceit and frawd vnder his tongue is mischief and iniquitie is verifyed of H. N. in his deceitful writings He seemeth here at first as if he would not have the man perfect no my beloved crieth he at it no but presently from vnder his tongue floweth out mischief and iniquitie when he speaks of the perfectnes which Christ ought to have with the man before he can be confessed This is a depth of Satan to bring men into misery vnder colour of perfection and to abolish them from Christ whiles they may imagine he is perfectly with them Though Christ I mean the true Christ whom we professe not the idol which H. N. feighneth of the Lovely Being be in himself perfect yea perfectiou it self and though the work that he hath done for vs be also perfect because with one offring he hath consecrated for ever them that are sanctified and his blood hath clensed vs from all syn yet his work in vs is yet vnperfect even in the best men that ever confessed Christ whiles they lived on earth who therfore were taught every day to pray that their syns might be forgiven them and the Apostle Paul after he had long confessed and preached Christ truly sayth of himself Not as though I were already perfect and agayn I do not the good thing which I would but the evil which I would not that do I and agayn we know in part and we prophesie in part but when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shal be abolished now wee see through a glasse darkly but then shal we see face to face c. But H. N. by an other spirit which perswadeth him that he is like God yea Godded with God writeth of his citie or communialtie and those that are come vnto it that as then there is no more evil nor evil suspition nor yet sight of evil in them for within the same one doth neyther see nor think any thing els but all good joy rest and peace in the everlasting life Such a societie hath yet never been heard of on earth since Adams fall neyther doth the historie of the bible shew vs any such church onely it telleth vs ther is a generatiō y t at pure in their own eyes which yet ar not washed from their filthines Pro. 30 12. If the Familists be this generation they may rejoyce in the sparks of the fyre that they hav kindled til they shal lie down in sorow As for vs we have learned of a better teacher that there is no man iust in the earth that doeth good and synneth not but in many things we syn all for syn yet dwelleth in vs and if we should say we have no syn we should but deceive our selves and the truth were not in vs. Yet know we that our confession of Christ is acceptable vnto him because he pardoneth all our iniquities and healeth al our infirmities hath washed vs from our syns in his blood and wil not impute them vnto vs. Wheras H. N. to help the matter sayth The man in his vnregenerated spirit is vnperfect he followeth but his wonted course to deceive the readers for none are so grosse as to think the vnregenerated man is perfect neyther is this the question between him and vs but whither the regenerated be perfect or no which H. N. erroneously holdeth but cannot prove we contraryweise have proved that the Apostles and other Christians were regenerated but not perfect whiles they lived here on earth among men Phil. 3. Rom. 7. 1 Cor. 13. Iam. 3. H. N. 15. Now mought ye say we encline or endevour our selves therafter so much as we may for we have given our selves to the Christian-like baptismey and supper of the Lord. 16. Oh my beloved that were very wel if it were even so in the truth for ther ar many that boast themselves of the baptismey of Christ and they have not known him in any world For were they baptised in Christ then should they have put on Christ even like as Paul sayth to the Galathians 3. so many of you as are baptised have put on Christ. 17. I would gladly now ask of al those which say they have received the Christianlike baptismey how or after what maner Christ hath a shape or fashion in them I am verie sure that they all for the most part should be deceived and should find themselves vnmighty or weak in that Being of Christ wherin many should make manifest themselves that they have not received the baptismey of Christ but their own baptismey 18 Everie one therfore that is vpright of hart and seeketh the truth in Christ vnpartially let him prove himself how he hath put on Christ according to the spirit And if he then finde not the stirring of the holy spirit of Christ in him then let him advisedly look sharply yea sharply herevnto that he boast not himself of the Christianity but let him humble himself before the might of the Lord and trust vpon his grace H. A. THe
is revealed and declared vnto vs out of heaven to a righteous judgement vpon earth from the right hand of God and how that on the same judgement seat of Christ that the scripture mought be fulfilled ther sitteth one now in truth in the habitation of David which judgeth vprightly thinketh vpon equity and requireth righteousnes By this the reader may see what this man aymeth at in al his writings even to draw al men vnto himself as judge of the world sitting on the throne of Christ and spareth not to apply the promises of Christs coming to this day of his preaching being a more shamelesse and presumptuous blasphemer then ever was Mahomet or any arch-heretik that Satan sent to bewitch the world As he hath abused this 16. of Iohn so doth he afterwards the 10. of John They are al theeves and murtherers which are come before me that is sayth H. N. whosoever letteth himself think that he is a Christian before the spirit of Christ be born in him that same is a theef and a murtherer Wher againe he intimateth Christ and a Christian to be al one and if the Spirit of Christ be borne in a man then though he make himself Christ the door the shepheard c. he is no theef no murderer Thus H. N. sheweth himself to be sold vnto syn and given over to an heretical and reprobate mind perverting al scripture vnto his destruction It is very true H. N. 4. See my beloved in the love of Christ even thus standeth the fouÌ„datioÌ„ of y e Christianity in such maner of wise havâ—th Apostles taught the salvation in Christ even like as Paul sayth to the Corinthes 13. although I givc al my goods to the poor and that I suffer my body to be burned and although I had faith saith he that I could remove mountayns if I had not love it were not any thing vnto me that is whosoever hath not Christ he is without God and without righteousnes in this world I mean the being like Christ which is received through the power of the holy Ghost and not any ceremonial Christ which one man speaketh of or promiseth to an other through the ceremonial service which he out of his prudencie according to his fleshly mind hath set vp O no The work and begetting or procreating of the children of God cometh not so slenderly to passe as men now at this time teach each other out of their vnregenerate spirit which never proceedeth from God H. A. UUHat a sandy foundation of Christianity H. N. hath layd we hav seeÌ„ before by his doctrine of God and of Christ and of mans righteousnes Here to build hay on his rotten ground he perverteth an another scripture and would father his error on the Apostle Paul who most of al other did set against it For the teaching the salvation in Christ to be by Fayth as before is shewed H. N. wil have him say it is by Love the Love that is in vs which Love he expoundeth as his manner is to be Christ himself so wresting the word as did the old serpent vnto mens destruction The Love treated of by the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. is a qualitie in the Saincts wrought in them by the spirit of God as it is written The fruit of the spirit is Love c. Now this Love which is in vs whither it be towards God or our brethren is not the foundatioÌ„ or cause of our happines but an effect thereof as we may learn by the Apostle that sayth Herein is Love not that we loved God but that he loved vs sent his son to be a reconciliation for our synnes Which Love when we perceiv by faith then we agayn doe love the Lord as it after followeth We love him because he loved vs first Then from the Love of God floweth also the Love of our brethren as is further added And this commandement have we of him that he which loveth God should love his brother also And that these graces come not of our selves and consequently ar not meritorious in vs nor causes of our salvation Moses taught his people when he sayd The Lord thy God will circumcise thy hart the hart of thy seed that thou mayst Love the Lord thy God with al thy hart with al thy fowl that thou mayst live As for the cause of our salvation that it is onely Gods Love and grace towards vs the Apostle Paul sheweth saying God which is rich in mercy through his great Love wherwith he loved vs even when we were dead by syns hath quickned vs togither in Christ so by grace ye are saved This Grace we apprehend by fayth which fayth if it be alive stirreth it self and worketh by love And thus the Saincts doe shew their fayth by their Love and good works but in case of justification before God and mans salvation al works are excluded as the same Apostle proveth saying David declareth the blessednes of the man vnto whom God imputeth justice without works This being so what labour they for but our curse and wretchednes which would have vs rely vpon our Love or any good works for the saving of our sowles His next inference is more mischeevous when he expoundeth those words if I have not Love thus That is sayth H. N. whosoever hath not Christ is without God Thus maketh he Love in vs to be Christ and so the playn doctrines of the Gospel concerning our Saviour shal be but a fable And that this is his meaning he sheweth elswhere more playnly when he sayth If ye wil not that the wrath of God should come or fal vpon you so deal faithfully before God his holy ones walk with your Spirit in the Lovely and verteous Being fasten your mind therto build your righteousnes theron for that is an eternal fast standing foundation wheron al Gods prophets holy ones have builded and is Christ himself Here men may see what a miserable foundation he hath layd for to build our righteousnes on eveÌ„ our own walking in the lovely verteous being and this with him is Christ. Wherby he proclameth himself to be Antichrist for the Apostle John sayth Every spirit which confesseth not Iesus Christ comen in the flesh is not of God but this is the spirit of Antichrist Now to say that Love which is an affection of the mynd is Christ is to deny him comen in the flesh out of the loynes of David and Abraham of the virgin Mary in the dayes of Herod the King as the scriptures playnly teach And by as good reason may H. N. deny that ever ther was any such man as Adam any such beast as the Serpent any such creation of the world as Moses describeth Gen. 1. or any God and so by his allegories overturne al religion and bring Atheisme in the place which in deed he hath done with most high abomination in deifying himself and blaspheming
Christian baptisme consisteth of an outward washing with water by Christs Minister and of an inward washing with the holy Ghost by Christ himself Ioh. 1. 33. Act. 8. 38. and 10. 47. The outward washing of the flesh without the inward clensing of the hart is not avaylable to salvation 1 Pet. 3. 21. Yet may not the outward action be despised or neglected For as the true circumcision was of the hart in the spirit yet if any had not circumcision also in his flesh he was to be cut off from his people as having broken Gods covenant so is it likewise for baptisme come in place of circumcision Act. 2. 38. Colos. 2. 11. 12. The outward baptisme many do rightly receive which have not the inward as did Symon Magus Act. 18. 13. 20. 21. The inward none have in deed and truth that do despise the outward we teach that these both must be joyned togither according to the scriptures and labour for both The Familists therefore which boast of their inward baptisme and administer not the outward among themselves but present their children to be baptised of Papists or any other Antichristians so offering their children vnto Molech and perswading others to do the like shew themselves to be farr from true Christian baptisme which defile their bodies and sowles with such hypocrisie and idolatrie And H. N. which laboureth here to disswade these two daughters from suffring and witnessing against Popery bewrayeth himself not to have known Christ in any world nor can he shew Christs shape to be in him whiles vnderhand he teacheth grosse impietie pretending inward baptisme and spiritual regeneration But the drift of this man is by his invective against others to allure men to himself for when he concludeth with his exhortation that every one should humble himself before the might of the Lord and trust vpon his grace his meaning is as elswhere he explaneth himself Let your selves now in all your being nature minde and disposition become renewed through the Love in her service and give all your vnderstanding captive vnder the obedience of the Love and humble your selves even so vnder her service to the end that ye all may become washed in the Love with the pure water of the Love For to become washed in the Love with her pure water is the vpright washing and the true Font of the regeneration or new birth Now seing thus harlot-like he allureth all men to his stollen waters within his lovely Family for th'vpright washing let vs see what manner of washing and baptisme that is which he so boasteth of In this Letter he coucheth his heresie in a word namely that Being of Christ wherby the meaneth that the man or the lovely Being in the man baptised is Christ himself as before is manifested and after shal further appear This error he would ground on the Apostles words Gal. 3. 27. For all ye that are baptised into Christ have put on Christ which place this author thus allegeth so many of you as are baptised have put on Christ. Where first as his maner is he corrupteth the text it self by taking away those words into Christ and saying onely baptised wherby he would intimate that none are rightly baptised but such as have put on Christ contrary to the scriptures which shew that Symon Magus and many others were rightly baptised as touching the Ministerie of man which yet had not put on Christ because they were not baptised into Christ as the Apostle here addeth but H. N. omitteth Agayn he gathereth that which the Apostle strowed not namely that to put on Christ is to have the Being of Christ in vs but this H. N. fansieth to himself for the spirit of God speaketh not so yea the Apostle meant farr otherweise as his former words shew wher he sayd for ye al are the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus So Christ is put on by faith as also elswhere he is sayd to dwel in vs by faith not by a real or essential Being such as the Familists feign to themselves by the spirit of error Now to Beleeve in Christ and to have the Being of Christ that is to be Christ himself are farr differing things as all men know And as wel might the Familists plead that Abraham was God because he beleeved in God and that the multitude of Israel were the Lord because they beleeved in him as that men are Christ or have the Being of Christ because they beleev in him and by beleef have put him on Neither can our imitation or following of God or of Christ in the likenes of his death and resurrection make the Being of God or of Christ to be in vs any more then our following of the Apostles which also we are exhorted vnto can make vs of one Being with them How absurd these things are any reasonable man may see Yet such absurdities many ar the groundly documents of this oldest Father H. N. touching Baptisme and other mysteries of religion as is more playnly to be seen in his First exhortatation For there treating of Baptisme and having described God to be a might Spirig a perfect cleer Light and a true Being he addeth that the same Being is God the Fathers name meaning that Name of the Father into which we are baptised and his Love it self No word of God telleth him this but he forgeth it out of his fleshly hart The Being of God as we may learn by the Scriptures is such a thing as neyther men nor Angels can know or comprehend how then should they Be the same 1 Tim. 6. 16. Isa. 6. 2. Psal. 145. 3. Iob. 11. 7. 8. and 36. 26. But the Name of God is that wherby in some sort he hath made known and manifested himself in his word and works Exod. 3. 15. and 6. 3. 33. 19. Deut. 12. 8. 11. Psal. 9. 11. After this having discoursed of the Fathers plucking vs to the Love of Christ and so baptising vs into the name of the Father and this by the Familists in the administration of the holy word vnder the obedience of the Love with the Law of the Lord and with his correction c. H. N. telleth vs that God the Father with the discipline of his Law manneth himself with vs and we become likewise Godded with him to the end that we through his own Being should bear as men of God his holy Name vnder the obedience of his Law c. Wherin this heretik vttereth double blasphemie first that God the Father manneth himself with vs by which doctrine Athâ—an like he spoileth God of his true Being his simplicity immutability infinitenes and the like which the scriptures shew to be in God Deut. 6. 4. Iam. 1 17. 1 King 8. 27 Secondly in saying that men become Godded with him he wretthedly extolleth corruptible man into the throne of the incorruptible God confounding heaven and earth the