of these Principles and shew wherein we differ and leaue them to the iudgement of the Godly wise First concerning repentance from dead workes they teach that none need repent of performing any bodily seruice to any Idoll as before but that they ought to continue therein making all the beholders conceiue they doe as they inwardly and outwardly when as they in their hearts loath detest that seruice And when they are come to the Family they teach they sinne no more For they write That in this Citty of Communalty there is no more euill Spirit land Cap. 33. sect 9. nor euill suspition nor yet sight of euill in them for within the same one doth neither see nor thinke any thing but all good c. 2. Concerning their beliefe of God thus they write See and marke yee beloued H. Ns mans falling away c. sect 1. in the beginning when God made all things well then was the Lord one Lord of his Kingdome and one God of his workes there was also no more but one God and one Man and they were one and had in all one order being and nature For God was all that the Man was and Man was all that God was And elsewhere thus he writeth H. Ns Epist to 2. Daughters of Warwick sect 22 God had Created the Man that he should bee of one life one being one Spirit and of one Nature with God c. If this be the true Eternall euerlasting vnchangeable and incomprehensible God that had no other Order being and Nature then Man let all that know the true God iudge And concerning their beliefe of Christ we haue formerly related that they hold not the Man Christ that was conceiued borne of that Naturall woman the Virgin Mary for that is a thing ought not to be striuen about but the Perfection of H. N. and his fellow Elders of that louely Family or a Power in man whereby they can keepe the Law without Faith in the Blood of the man Christ This is H. N. and his followers Christ 3. Concerning Baptisine This he writeth Let your selues in all your being nature minde and disposition Crying voyce Cap. vlt. sect 11. become renewed through the loue in her Seruice and giue all your vnderstanding captiue vnder the obedience of the Loue and humble your selues so vnder her seruice to the end that yee all may become washed in the Loue with the pure water of the Loue for to become washed with her pure water is the vpright washing and the true Font of the Regeneration or new hirth So that to be captiuated in H. Ns. loue and her Seruice is the vpright Baptisme And where that commeth not to passe vnto them Epist to the 2 Daugh. sect 20. there is not the Christian seruice ministred let them make themselues so like fashioned to the Scriptures as they will And for the Ordinance of water he calleth that Epist sect 11.17 Ceremoniall Elementish and mens owne Baptisme And M. P. that mighty Prince of the Hebrewes as he calleth himselfe saith Iohns Baptisme is full of many great holy graue shewes M. P. burning light Cap. 13. sect 10. but in power weake as Water he can eate no mans meat drinke no Wine ne strong Drinke therefore must his Head be taken off for he shall not gouerne Disciples still we were glad therefore to depart from him for his going out was the comming in of Iesus 4. Touching their opinion of laying on of handes we are ignorant 5. Euang. Reg. Cap. 35. sect 8.9 Of the Resurrection of the Dead Thus they write Behold in this present Day is the Scripture fulfilled and according to the testimony of the Scripture the raising vp and the resurrection of the Lords Dead commeth also to passe presently in this same day through the appearing of the comming of Christ in his Maiesty which resurrection of the Dead seeing that the same is come vnto vs from Gods Grace wee doe likewise in this present day to an Euangelie or ioyfull message of the Kingdome of God and Christ publish in all the world vnder the Obedience of the loue in which resurrection of the Dead God sheweth vnto vs that the time is now fulfilled that his dead or the Dead which are fallen asleepe in the Lord rise vp in this day of his Iudgement and appeare vnto vs in Godly glory which shall also from henceforth liue in vs euerlastingly with Christ and Raigne vpon the Earth So that all may plainely see the resurrection from the Dead is with these men or rather Deuils to get into H. Ns. Doctrine of the Loue. And because these Godded men that are Godded with H.N. their God doe dye aswell as others and being demaunded what becomes of their Bodies after their death some of their younglings haue answered vs they conceiue their iudgement is that the soule goes into God againe and so becōmeth God and their bodies lye and become as when they were not which opinion may well stand with all their other execrations For if the bodies rise not againe thē no question they may aswell worship an Idol as the true God and commit all their abhominations for after this life there is neither reward nor punishment for the bodies Oh fearefull wickednes Lastly Euang. Reg. Cap. 3. sect 2 3.4 concerning the Eternall Iudgement thus they say When as now in this same day the wicked world becommeth Iudged with the Lords mighty hand which wicked world is reserued or kept in store vntill this same day of the loue to the fire of Hell for to be condemned in the selfe same day of the Loue for euermore to her eternall cursing and iudgement of the fires cruell vehemency And againe Sect. 4. verily now in this same day when as now all vngodly and selfe-wise with all vnrepentant persons and false hearts of the Scripture-learned c. inherite with much smart and griefe in the vehement cruelty of the fire of Hell the terrible condemnation then shall the people of God Spirit land Cap. 27. sect 11.12 namely the whole cōmunialty of the loue c. reioyce them in all loue c. And further thus After this time no time more After the which there is no life more to be wayted for for the same life continueth for euermore This estate of H. Ns. loue and her Seruice it is with the Familists the Christ It is the Holy Ghost the Baptisme the Resurrection the euerlasting Life the eternall Iudgement and all in all Of all which wee are destitute yet herein we haue knowledge that they are abhominations fetcht out of the deepest pit of Hell such as we are perswaded were heuer before vttered by the mouth of any mortall man No maruaile now that H. Ns. Schollers say we vnderstand not one word in all the vniuersall Bible and that we are totally ignorant of the principles of the Family who to set a gloze vpon their wicked forgeries abuse and
the 7th day in the Paradice of God wherein God rested from all his workes and is the Perfection the which also is very true c. And in the same Chap. thus Oh that they yet now awaked and tooke heede in the worde of the seruice of Loue vnto this Gracious time The word of the seruice of Loue is the Christ and gaue eare vnto the same that they might vnderstand their safe making and so then bee rightly and according to the truth brought into the true being that is vnto Christ And againe speaking in praise of the Romish Priests thus Therefore they were ioyned with others in the seruice of the Holyworde Euang Reg. Cap. 3. sect 14. because they let passe the child-hood or the youngnes of the holy vnderstanding and grew vp according to the requiring of the seruice of Loue The perfectiō of the oldest Father is H. N's Christ vnto the manly agednesse of Christ that is vnto the true being of the oldest and holyest Father And againe thus Hereunto serue the Parish Priests as to such procurators or helpers forward of the Communalties Euang. Chap. 14. sect 16. for to beare a good care ouer them and to witnes and teach them dayly the holy vnderstanding of Christ the oldest Father Also thus First exhort of H.N. cap. 12. sect 22.34 If yee will not that the wrath of God come or fall vpon you so deale faithfully before God and his holynesse and walke with your Spirit in the louely and vertuous being fasten your mindes thereto and build your righteousnes thereon for that is an eternall fast standing foundation whereon all Gods Prophets and holy ones haue builded and is Christ himselfe So that H. N's Christ is plainly by his owne testimony The perfection in the Louely being whereunto his Elders doe attaine and not the man Christ Concerning whome he thus writeth Oh alas how great Contention and vnprofitable Disputations hath there beene Euan. cap. 18 sect 17. concerning the Conception of Iesus Christ in the wombe of Mary and touching his Birth but if they all which contended hereabout had knowne the power of God and that also the mystery of the minde and workes of God had beene giuen them to vnderstand so should they thē verily not haue contended thereabout For his Successor writeth thus Where it is come to passe that all riches of the Spirit is gone cleane away The salutation of M. P. called the last trumpt sect 12. c. there the minde is become a poore widdow and the same widdow bringeth forth a Mayden to light which will conceiue the holy thing comming of the holy Ghost for then the power of the highest shall ouershadow the same Virgin and she shall thereby conceiue God with vs euen the deliuerer from all thraldome and bondage We might alledge much more of their intricate and tedious stuffo but it is wearisome According to which damnable Doctrine his now followers affirme That men may bee saued by the workes of the Law without knowledge or Faith in the blood of the man Christ Iesus yea they holde it a meere fable and speake of it with great contempt that we looke for justification with God in and through another that we looke for justification without vs that we speake of imputatiue righteousnes that wee holde justification by beleeuing for in truth they doe not hold that Christs Death bloodshed hath purchased any man but that he was an example to vs and such like for they holde that those Gentiles Rom. 2. kept the Law which say they was the Christ within them and those by this Christ namely by keeping the Law were justified Which detestable blasphemies of H.N. and his followers of making Christ to be a power and perfection in man which is his justification might rather be wondred at then confuted were it not that the Deuill in his instruments transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light to deceiue the hearts of the simple for whose cause we haue endeauored to say something What Iesus Christ is for whome hee hath endured all his sufferings without Faith in whome no soule can haue saluation THat Iesus signifieth a Sauiour Math. 1 2◠and Christ annoynted so that he is the annoynted Sauiour to saue his people from their sinnes is sufficiently knowne euery where in the Scripture And although hee be God ouer all Blessed for euer yet also is he true man ordayned before the foundation of the world promised to Adam when he had sinned and to Abraham and the Fathers The Prophets also declare the certainty hereof A Virgin shall Conceiue and beare a Sonne Esa 7.14 and shee shall call his name God with vs. Vnto vs a Childe is borne vnto vs a Sonne is giuen Esa 9.6 hee shall call his name Wonderfull Counsellor the mighty God c. And a Woman shall compasse a man Ier. 31.22 And in the fulnesse of time God sent his Son made of a Woman c. This Sonne of God thus made Flesh dwelt dmong vs being sent of the Father to declare and doe his will in which estate being like to vs in all thinges Sinne excepted he suffered not onely the cursed Death of the Crosse Reuel 19.15 but also trode the winepresse of the wrath of God the agony of which was so great that he not onely sweat drops of Blood but also cryed Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and if it be possible let this Cup passe from me This being the true Iesus Christ that came by Water Blood 1. Ioh. 5.6 witnessed by the Spirit of truth thus ordayned promised Prophesied of and performed And now if it bee proued that what he did hee did it in Obedience to his Father yet for the benefit of others that without the knowledge of and Faith in him no soule euer was or can be saued we say if these thinges be plainely proued that cursed fiction of the Christ of H. N. and his followers will appeare to be most abhominable Therefore first will wee proue that Christs sufferings were for others That hee dyed for sinne is manifest That himselfe had no sinne is as manifest therefore of necessity he must dye for the sinnes of others That he dyed for sinne is proued Yet the Lord would breake him and make him subject to infirmities when hee shall make his soule an Offering for sinne c. Esa 53.10 Heb. 9.10 c. 1. Pet. 3.18 All the sinne Offerings were types of his sufferings for Sinne and he once suffered for sinnes That hee had no sinne himselfe is proued Though he had done no wickednes neither was any deceit in his mouth Esa 53.9 2. Cor. 5.21 For hee hath made him to be Sinne for vs that knewe no sinne c. But was in all thinges tempted in like sort Heb. 4.15 yet without Sinne 1. Pet. 1.19 and 2.22 He was that Lambe of God vndefiled and without spot
the Holy Ghost his Deputy The Kinges of the Nations Raigne ouer them but you shall not bee so c. Lu◠22. Christ when he ascended left not Peter with them to direct them into all Truth but promised to send the Holy Ghost vnto them for that end These are his Highnes wordes But the Familists answer vs That Gods worship consisteth not at all in any outward obseruation the which saying of theirs if we ouerthrow a great part of their tottering profession will fall for they cannot deny but we must worship the Lord our God and him onely must wee serue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adoro is not onely taken for to Pray vnto or to beseech but also to Honour with bowing of the Body and the Scripture expresseth the same First Math. 14.10 saith If thou wilt fall downe and worship me Luke saith of the same Luk. 4.10 If thou wilt fall downe before me Math. 8.2 And loe there came a Leper and worshipped Marke saith of the same Mark 1.40 And there came a Leper beseeching him and kneeling down vnto him Luk. 5.12 Luke of the same And hee fell on his face and besought Math. 9.18 It is onely said There came a certaine Ruler and worshipped him Marke explaines it saying Mark 5.22 Hee fell downe at his feete and besought him instantly The same saith Luke Luk. 8.41 not speaking of any other worship Againe it is said Math. 15.25 of the Cannanite shee came and worshipped him saying Lord helpe me Mark 7.25 Marke calles this worship And she fell at his feete Further Marke saith The man possessed when he saw Iesus ranne and worshipped him Mark 5.6 Luke calleth this worship onely this Luk. 8.28 And hee cryed out and fell downe before him Also those wicked Soldiers are said to worship our Sauiour when bowing their knees before him Mar. 15.19 they mocked him By all which and much more that might be alledged it may most euidently appeare that the wisedome of God that knoweth best how to speake and to teach vs accounteth bowing of the Body kneeling or falling downe to be worship Further it is said And there were certaine Greekes that came to Ierusalem to worship Ioh. 12.20 at the Feast Act. 8.27 And the Euunuch is said to come out of Ethiopia to worship And Paul doth say he came to Ierusalem to worship All which teacheth Act. 2◠11 that the performance of those serulces and Sacrifices that with their Bodies were to be performed are counted Gods worship and not only a Spirituall reuerence or adoration which they might haue performed not haue come to Ierusalem This may suffice to proue that any bodily reuerence in matters of God and bodily seruices or Sacrifices are called Gods worship and therefore vtterly forbidden in any Spirituall seruice but onely in the true seruice of the true God Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue This therefore is to giue vnto God thinges which are Gods euen subjection with our soules and with our bodies to those parts of his Spirituall worship which he hath commanded in these last dayes by his Sonne Esa 2 8. This is his Honour which he will not giue to another This the seruants of God knew so well that they would not giue it to others to the greatest Potentates of the Earth notwithstanding all their commands and threats And this through the power of God wee will maintaine vnto the Death and approue our selues to God and all good men to bee neither Rebels to Caesar nor deserue iust taxation but commendation herein of all but hypocriticall and Atheisticall Familists And for what is Caesars wee vprightly acknowledge that all ciuill authority of Magistracy is the blessed Ordinance of God That all ciuill reuerence Honor ought to be giuen to it That Tribute and all other duties are to be payed vnto it Rom. 13. c. That all ciuill commands of it ought to be obeyed And that of Conscience to God whose ministers they are euen from the King to the most meanest Constable And that they may so execute their iust offices that they may notwithstanding walke with Iesus Christ be members of his Church and be faued That they haue a Sword giuen them of God to take vengeance on them that doe euill and are ordained of God for the wealth of all wel-doers And this is all that can be Caesars or that wee dare giue vnto any mortall man whatsoeuer So that hauing now shewed what is Gods what is Caesars we confidently affirme that the body may not be seuered from the foule or heart in our obedience to both as these hypocrits the Familists doe suggest In our obedience to man in all Ciuill things that which we doe we must doe of Conscience and not for wrath onely Rom. 13.5 And Seruants and so Subiects be obedient to your Masters according to the Flesh in all thinges not with eye seruice us men pleasers but in singlenes of heart fearing God and whatsoeuer yee doe Col. 3.22.23 Ephe. 6.5.6 doe it heartily as to the Lord and not to men Also with singlenes of your hearts as vnto Christ All which teacheth That all our seruice to euery Superiour must be with the heart and of Conscience and not with our Bodies onely and for our obedience to God with our Bodies aswell as our Spirits in all Spirituall or Diuine seruice and that they may not be seuered therein is proued We are bought both soule and Body with a deare price 1. Cor. 6.20 and therefore are commanded to glorifie God with both For our bodyes are the Temples of the Holy Ghost and they are not our owne Vers 19 And the bodyes of Christians are the members of Christ Vers 15 and these members of Christ our bodies must not be coupled to any Harlot whether materiall or Spirituall And wee are commaunded to giue vp our Bodyes a liuing sacrifice Rom. 12.1 wholy and acceptable which is our reasonable seruice of God This is plaine to him that will vnderstand And the Familists teaching the contrary it shall plainely appeare they are not onely most notable hypocrites but also Rebellious against the power of Magistracy Magistrates that take vpon them to Commaund in matters of Gods worship they doe not onely require bodily falling downe but also Reuerence with the soule of heart Dan 3. Did not Nabuchadnezzar require falling downe and worshipping And doe not the Magistrates in Popery and elsewhere where constraint to worship is doe they not require Diuine adoration to their diuine Seruice as they call it let all their Orders for their constrained and stinted seruice be looked into and this cannot be denyed And this being the Ordinance of the Magistrate if it be rebellion not to submit with the body in such diuine worship as they require because they commaund it as the Familists affirme then they are rebellious because they submit not
peruert Heb. 6. and other holy Scriptures to their owne destruction Hauing now discouered some of H. Ns. principles The summe of the true Faith wee will in short set downe our Faith concerning these 6. Principles Heb. 6. First of Repentance from dead workes we doe beleeue that euery transgression of any Law of God is sinne 1. Ioh. 3.4 Rom. 6.23 and the wages of euery sinne is Death and so a dead worke That no man by reason of weake Flesh can keepe the Law Rom. 8.3 and therefore by transgression becommeth dead in Sinne Ephe. 2.1.3 and so by weake Nature the Childe of wrath For the Law causeth wrath Rom. 4.15 for where no Law is there is no transgression but the power of Gods word contained in the holy Scriptures 1. Cor. 15.34 Ephes 5.14 and not the Reuelations or Dreames of H.N. nor any others awaking man and setting his sinnes in order before him and the fearefull terror of Gods wrath against him Act. 2.37 16.30 Act. 2.38 3.19 causeth man to be pricked in his heart and to cry out what shall wee doe to be saued To which God answereth Repent of thy sinnes confesse them sorrow for them and reforme them But man seeing by the same holy Scripture that this his repentance or any other thing that he can doe cannot appease Gods wrath nor satisfie his Iustice for his sinne he is inuited hereupon to flye vnto Gods Grace by the Redemptiō purchased through the blood of his Sonne who is God ouer all and tooke our Nature vpon him and became Man Dyed for vs and is risen againe in his Body ascended into Heauen sitting at the right hand of his Father making intercession for his seruants euen for all that obey him Heb. 5.9 through whom alone wee haue Redemption euen the forgiuenes of our sinnes 2. Thus by Faith in the Blood of Christ is this Sinner sprinckled in his heart from an euill Conscience Heb. 10.22 and must also be washed in his Body with pure water 3. This is the Baptisme that saueth not onely the washing away the filth of the Flesh but in that a good Conscience maketh request vnto God 1. Pet. 3.21 by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ Yet not onely the good Conscience is Baptisme but also washing with materiall water into the Name of the Father c. For to enter into the Kingdome of Heauen which is the estate of Grace or true Christianity in this life called the Kingdome of Heauen Ioh. 3.5 Ephes 4.5 Wee must haue Water and Spirit Christ hath coupled them together as his one Baptisme and let no man seperate them 4. By laying on of handes wee conceiue is meant the whole ministery of the Church which consisteth of those Offices mentioned in Christs Testament All which are to be entred into by laying on of hands as these Scriptures teach * Act. 6.6 13.3 For other laying on of hands by which extraordinary guiftes were communicated vnto men wee vnderstand they were myracles giuen of God in the primitiue Church for the confirmation of the Apostles authority who taught thinges that neuer before were taught Heb. 2.5 which that they might be credited they did such thinges as neuer men did And if any Familist can doe Myracles as did th Apostles thē might they haue had some colour to write and bring into the world new Gospels as they are not ashamed to doe 5. Concerning the Resurrection from the Dead We beleeue that our soules shall be seperated from our bodies by naturall Death That the Body returnes to earth whence it came and the Spirit to God that gaue it Eccles 12.7 1. Cor. 15. vntill the day that Iesus Christ shall come againe to Iudge quicke and dead Then shall our Bodies rise againe euen these bodies Ioh. 19.25 c. and with these eyes shall wee see our Redeemer Lastly we doe beleeue and looke for to our great reioycing the blessed appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ to that Eternall iudgement wherein hee shall Iudge both quicke and dead according to their works done in this Flesh 2 Cor. 5.10 whether they be good or euill Reuel 20.12 to an Eternall being to wit Them that by continuance in wel-doing seeke glory and Immortality Rō 2.7 c. 1. Thes 4.17 Rom. 2.8 they shall come to Eternall Life where they shall bee euer with the Lord. But those that are contentious and disobey the Truth and obeyes vnrighteousnes haue done euill and haue not repented thereof They shall come forth to the resurrection of condemnation Ioh. 5.29 indignation and wrath shall bee vpon them burning in the Lake for euermore with the Deuill and his Angels Mat. 25.41 Now let all Iudge whether wee be totally ignorant of the 6. Principles Heb. 6. as these accusers doe suggest or rather that themselues are not only ignorant of them for if they were their sinne were the lesse but they deny them and that after their enlightning The 9. transgression they accuse vs of is Ninthly you will not bee reformed by the Light which God hath manifested in these latter times and whereof much is in the Booke of Common Prayer and in the Homilies and in the Booke of Ordering of Bishops Priests and Deacons Answ VVEE hauing asked some of them what Light this is that in these latter times God hath manifested for we conceiue God neuer spake nor euer will after his speaking by his Sonne in these last dayes who by himselfe and his Apostles hath deliuered all the Counsell of God sealing it vp with these sentences If wee or an Angell from Heauen teach any otherwise then we haue Preached Gal. 1.8 9. let him bee accursed And if any adde to what they haue done Reuel 22.18.19 God will adde the plagues written by them or if any take away any of those their wordes God will take away their names out of the Booke of Life we say we hauing asked them concerning these thinges they haue answered vs God hath spoken to the world at three seuerall times First by Moses and the Fathers 2. By Christ and the Apostles And thirdly by an euerlasting Gospell in these last dayes alledging Reuel 14. Which what Gospell should it bee but the Gospell of the Kingdome which H. N. hath published to the world in which many of his poysoned Doctrines is broached concerning which hee hath giuen himselfe a stately stile farre exceeding the Apostles in all their writings full of blasphemies which is this H. N. through the Grace and mercy of God Euang. Peg. Cap. 1. and through the holy Spirit of the loue of Iesu Christ raised vp by the highest God from the Death according to the prouidence of God and his Promises annoynted with the Holy Ghost in the olde age of the holy vnderstanding of Iesu Christ Godded with God in the Spirit of his loue made heyre with Christ in the heauenly goods of
the workes of the Iewes his owne people if when he came they had not cast him off The most that this place proueth is that if Gods people teach truthes but practice it not the truth they teach must be followed not their practices but if they will not repent of their euill practices they must be cast out for being Gods people * Math. 18.15 c. 1. Cor. 5. c. 2. I hes 3.14 and serueth nothing to proue that Gods people may practice according to the wicked workes of the Idolaters but the contrary but of this exposition more hereafter But feeing this Scripture is alledged heere by the Familists for proofe of that which many that are not so farre gone as they will abhorre yet thus farre take it vp as that they may heare Idolaters in their Religious exercises which is a dependancy of the former we thinke it very necessary to speake something of that forasmuch as many haue beene ouerthrowne by that vpon these rockes of Familisme for indeed in part it is the former For it is this a hearing of Idolaters to receiue some Spirituall benefit by them else why doe they heare and yet in their hearts doe not joyne in any Spirituall fellowship with them but iudge them to be Idolaters their estate with God to be most fearefull In a measure it is hypocrisie as the former and vtterly vnlawfull by the Scriptures That it is not lawfull to heare lying Idolatrous Prophets except to reproue them and contend against them is thus proued 1. THe Lord expresly forbiddeth it Deut. 13.3 Thou shalt not hearken vnto the wordes of that Prophet c. Thus saith the Lord of Hoasts Iere. 23.16 heare not the words of the Prophets that prophesie vnto you and teach you vnity they speake the vision of their owne heart and not out of the mouth of the Lord. For if any goe to such Prophets to aske for God Ezek. 14.10 the Lord will punish them with the Prophets punishment Which is to bee cut off from Gods people Cap. 13.9 not to be written among the righteous and not to enter into the Land of Israell for euer Ioh. 10.5 Christs sheepe will flye from a stranger for they know not his voyce and they are often commaunded to beware of false Prophets which come in Sheepes cloathing Math. 7.15 1. Ioh. 4.5.6 the world heareth them but they that are of God heareth vs saith the Apostle Lying Prophets are for the wicked Micah 2.11 Gods people must not receine them if they come vnto them to teach them 2. Ioh. 20.11 much lesse may they goe seeke to be taught of them Let them returne to thee returne nel thou to them Iere. 15.19 2. As Preaching or teaching the word of God and hearing of the same among the Saints is a part of true worship * 1. Cor. 11.5 Math. 15.9 so is preaching and hearing among the wicked a part of false worship and so their Communion From which the Saintes are to seperate and haue no fellowship with their vnfruitfull workes of darkenes Ephes 5.11 but reproue them And so the wicked themselues account Preaching and hearing a part of their worship Psal 16.4 and 15.4 26.4.5 which the Saints may not offer but euen contemne such vile persons and actions and hate their assemblies and not company with them 3. As God commaunded that the Prophet that should presume to speake a word in his name Deu. 18.20 that he commanded him not to speake was to dye That is the Israelites the people of God were to slay his Body Deut. 13.5 and so to take euill away forth of the midst of them So are Gods people now cōmaunded that euen among themselues they must marke diligentlys them that teach contrary Doctrine and auoyde them Rō 16.17 and from such to seperate themselues 1. Tim. 6.5 yea if they were Angels from Heauen teaching falshood to let them be accursed Gal. 1.8.9 Gal. 5.10 and beare their condemnation whosoeuer they bee which being practised towards false Prophets within the Church or without the Saints are no more to heare them but to declare their estate of Death as vnder Moses bodily so vnder Christ spiritually 4. The Saints are to declare vnto the wicked That God saith what hast thou to doe to declare mine Ordinances that thou shouldest take my Couenant in thy mouth Psal 50.16 c. seeing thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my wordes behind thee and because I held my tongue therefore thou thoughtest I was like thee but I will reproue thee c. This is written for the Saints instruction Rom. 15.4 that herein they may imitate their heauenly Father Math. 5.48 For whosoeuer heareth in Gods matters and is silent he doth establish that which is done Num. 30.14.15 And hee that wincketh at iniquity when he seeith it Leuit. 20.4.5 the Lord will set his face against that man 5. Our Lord Christ Ioh. 8.44 would not suffer the Deuill the Father of all lying Prophets to confesse him Mark 1.25 yea by his power he made the euill Spirit in the man Act. 19.15 reproue those wicked men for medling with the name of Iesus 1 Ioh. 2.6 And we must walke as hee hath walked that when we heare the Deuill in the wicked false Prophets meddle with the name of Christ or his holy word or Ordinances we must sharpely rebuke them and asmuch as in vs is not suffer them 6. The end of the Saints hearing any false Prophet meddle with the word of God must either be for edification or else to rebuke them as before else what doe they there If to rebuke them it is lawfull as before is proued If to receiue Spirituall food from them they may not for there is food sufficient in Gods house the Saints may not goe to Aegipt to seeke food of any Aegiptian Esa 30.1 Woe vnto the rebellious Children saith the Lord that take counsell but not of mee they walk forth to goe down into Aegipt Esa 31.1 And woe vnto them that goe downe to Aegipt for helpe For the Lord will say to his people Iere. 5.7 how shall I spare thee for this though I fed thee to the full yet they cōmitted Adultery and assembled themselues in Harlots houses yea he doth further say What hast thou to doe in the way of Aegipt to drinke the water of Nilus Iere 2.18 or what makest thou in the way of Ashur to drinke the water of the Riuer And therefore this Prophet of the Lord when he had none to company with in Gods matters Iere. 15.17 he would not sit in the assembly of mockers but sate alone 7. Christ hauing giuen sufficient meanes in his Church for the edificatiō of euery member * Ephe. 4.16 Col. 2.9 1. Cor. 1.7 1. Cor. 3.21 2. Chro. 11.15 therin it is high
the riches of God Illuminated in the Spirit with the heauenly truth the true light of the perfect being elected to a Minister of the gracious word which is now in the last time raised vp by God according to his promises in the most holy Seruice of God vnder the Obedience of his Loue. The blasphemies of whose writings are so grosse as these wretches are very strait to whom they affirme that this euerlasting Gospell is H. Ns. the Light which God hath manifested in these last dayes yet apparantly it is it and no other For they speake plainely to whom they dare trust as they know wee well know and disperse his Bookes to those in whom they haue some hopes requiring most solemne protestations that they shall not let any see them who they know to be aduerse * For often they write keepe secrets from vnbeleeuers So that it is plaine this light which they much boast of and haue tolde many of vs of is this Gospell of H. N. which is so farre from light being compared with the holy Scriptures that it is damnable darknes from which we trust our God will alwayes keepe vs. But they tell vs much of it is in the Booke of Common prayer in the Booke of Homilies and in the booke of ordering of Bishops Priests and Deacons wherein all may see these hypocrites still would shelter themselues vnder Authority though it be a manifestation to all of their owne hypocrisie and of the horrible defamation of the Common prayer Booke for as wee said before they respect the Common prayer booke and the rest no more then they respect the Popish Masse-booke nor the Turkish Alchoran to wit in respect of the Magistrates commaund being farre from thinking in their hearts that any of them containeth the worship of God which they affirme to be onely inward and not in any outward obseruation whatsoeuer wherein they are most notable dissemblers in making men beleeue they respect that which they doe not And what a defamation is it vnto the Common prayer Booke and the rest that they affirme much of this new Light to be contained therein Is any such thing contained in any of these Bookes as that men euer had or can haue One Nature Being Life order and Spirit with God That God is all that Man is and that man is all that God is That Christ is the Perfection in the louely being whereunto H. N. and his fellow Elders doe attaine That Regeneration or the true Baptisme is the captiuating of men into H. Ns loue and her seruice That the Resurrection of the dead is the rising to H. Ns Doctrine That the Eternall iudgement is in this Day of the Loue of H. N and the life euerlasting the liuing in the Doctrine of H. N. after which there is no life more to bee waited for That any Idoll may haue all reuerence performed to it with the body that a man being tempted to any sinne if vpon crying helpe come not hee is free from the transgressing though he commit the fact That in this Citty or Communialty there is no more euill nor euill suspition nor yet sight of euill in them For within the same one doth neither see nor thinke any thing but all good c. That this Family should make manifest their whole heart with all their counsels mindes willes and thoughts together with all their doings 1. Exhor cap. 13. sect 12. dealings and exercises naked and bare before the Eldest in the Family of Loue and not couer nor hide any thing be it what it is before him also all whereunto their inclination kinde and nature draweth them vnto and all wherewith they become tempted or assaulted in their hearts And in their louely society Spirit land Cap. 37. sect 3. they doe not vow or binde themselues in the matrimony of men nor yet suffer themselues to be bound therein but are like the Angels of Heauen And there is no man that claymeth any thing to bee his owne as to possesse the same to his owne priuate vse for no man and that out of euery ones good disposition can desire any thing to bee his owne or yet to make any thing proper to himselfe from another But also whatsoeuer is there is free and is left free in his vpright forme There is also no man denyed to vse any thing in freedome of all that is profitable and needfull for him for they stand all in equity as one in the Loue c. Oh who would haue thought that so many abhominations had lurked in this wicked Family though alas these bee not all that are knowne and how many moe are vnknowne Pro. of H.N. Cap. 22. sect 16. and keepe secrets from vnbeleeuers men may imagine by H. Ns teaching his fellow Elders not to reueale their secrets no not to their owne young ones This is H. Ns. light brought into the world in these latter times but wee hope none of this new light or rather darknes will be sheltred in the Cōmon prayer Booke It will not patronage any of these fearefull blasphemies and therefore the hypocriticall boldnes of these Familists will haue little thankes for this their affirmation but before they come to this Light obserue what they must doe Looke who so will know these thinges must depart from all the wisdome of the Learned from the steps of the graue Fathers and from the religious walkings of all the Deuout persons euen all the knowledge men haue must away by little and little from euery one that shall be saued M. P. burning light cap. 7. sect 23 but before a Wise man can let slip all there must rise many agonies anguishes striuings and Earthquakes c. For before the Truth shall appeare the Destroyer must come and make all waste All light of Truth must bee put out before they can come to these thinges Oh fearefull wickednes Tenthly yee are voyde of the Christian Faith Answ OF the Faith of H. Ns. Christ we confesse our selues vtterly voide and doe blesse our God for the same but wee hauing manifested our Faith in the true Christ none will iudge vs to be voyde thereof but Atheisticall Familists Eleauenthly yee seperate from the holy Catholike Church Answ FIrst let it be obserued what these Familists iudge of all that beleeue not the Loue. Thus they write All such as beleeue not the Loue nor are Baptised into the name of the Father it is not meete to account such vnbeleeuers and vnbaptised ones for Christians at whose hands wee should looke for any word of truth let them esteeme themselues as holy as they will they are a false Christianity and deuillish Synagogue or Schoole now this being their censure of all but themselues If they meane the holy Catholike Church to be the Family of Loue as indeed H. N. saith then we must beare this accusation For as wee neuer were of it so we purpose to be deuided from it for euer If they meane any
no lesse abhorre to seeke Iustice in our selues by keeping the Law for then Christ dyed for nothing and all that are bewitched with that cursed conceit are abolished from Christ are fallen from Grace But if they meant no more but that euerlasting Godlines were to doe Iustice loue mercy and humble our selues to walke with God Micah 6.8 Mat. 22.37 c. the somme of all which is to loue God aboue all by beleeuing to haue Iustice by the Death and bloodshed of his Sonne and obaying his Commandements for his worship and louing our neighbour as our selues wee vnfainedly desire to striue after these and doe according to our vttermost ability And the Consciences of diuers of these men if they were not past feeling will not deny this hauing formerly acknowledged the same by words and writings not onely that our profession leadeth to a holy life in our entrance in our not admitting any but such as manifest themselues to vs to be new Creatures but also in our progresse wherein if any sinne appeare in any we haue power from the Lord Iesus and doe execute the same power either to cast the sinne out of the party by Repentance or to cast the party out of our spirituall fellowship by Excommunication as we are cōmanded * Math. 18.17 c. 1. Cor. 5.13 And for our dealings and carriages among men we leaue that to the testimony of them among whom we liue wee had rather our actions should speake then our mouthes Men full of weaknesses we are we freely confesse with vnfained humility desiring to striue towards perfection wherein when we haue done what we can wee seeke our perfection in and through the perfection of CHRIST who is vnto vs all in all thinges without whom wee can doe nothing Ioh. 15.5 And this euerlasting righteousnes both towards God and man the Ordinances of Gods worship leadeth vs vnto though contemned of all Familists in which the more zealous we are the more doe we attaine to euerlasting righteousnes To the last that we contend against Godly ceremonies Their meaning is as afterwards they haue explained it in that wee contend against and submit not with our bodies vnto such obseruations for such Spirituall worship as the Turke the Pope or any other Superior power where we liue commaundeth That we should contend against all vaine inuentions for Gods worship and loue Gods Law Psal 119.113 The Holy Ghost teacheth vs For if wee should worship God by mens precepts God would account vs hipocrites Math. 15.9 and our worship vaine but of this at large in his due place in answer to their third taxation of vs for not submitting with our bodies to any outward seruice keeping our hearts to God This may suffice to cleare vs of the first Secondly you are without the Charity described 1. Cor. 13. Chap. FOr answer to which we say The particulers of Loue are many in that place and therefore till we are accused particularly wee can giue no answer We trust if they come to particulers we should rather proue them to bee lyers and false accusers then that they should proue such things against vs we know nothing herein by our selues that men can iustly taxe vs but we are not hereby iustified with God But thus much we may truely say that when our walking was no better then now it is some of these younglings in or towards the Family haue solemnly protested they neuer found the like loue as among vs with any people that euer they knew Thirdly you submit not to euery Ordinance of the Magistrate 1 Pet. 2.13 TO which we answer they are false accusers wee giue vnto Caesar thinges which are Caesars Mat. 22.21 but Christ commaundeth vs also to giue vnto God thinges which are Gods Now if we take away from Caesar either by words or practice any thing that is his we may iustly be accounted Rebels against Caesar And so all they that take away from the most high God the thinges which are his shall be accounted Rebels against the King of Kings who although hee be patient and long suffering and deferreth his wrath yet if once it burne Psal 2.12 Oh blessed are they that trust in him The right knowledge of what is Caesars what is Gods will be the best way of clearing our selues of this imputation for concerning this we not onely suffer the reproches of this wicked Family and all their wel-willers but also all our persecutions are inflicted vpon vs for this cause And without the distinct knowing of what is Gods what is Caesars men shall greatly doe amisse It is written here in Peter Submit your selues to all Ordinances of Man for the Lord So also in 1. Cor. 7.23 it is written Yee are bought with a price be not the seruants of men In some thinges we must submit vnto them and in other thinges wee must not submit vnto them for the Lord hath commaunded both therefore it is meete we should know the difference If there were no more but these places of Scripture they would sufficiently decide the controuersie Peter saith Submit your selues to all humane Ordinances or to euery ordinance of Man a humane or worldly Ordinance it must be that wee must submit vnto Paul saith yee are bought with a price be not the seruants of men Christ hath bought vs and therefore wee must be his seruants This is confirmed in diuers Scriptures Rom. 7.4 That we should be vnto him that dyed for vs and rose againe Mat. 10.37 For if we loue Father mother wife magistrate or life more then he wee are not worthy of him And therefore did his seruants in the commaunds of God when they were contradicted by the Magistrates say Dan. 3.16.18 We are not carefull to answer thee O King in this matter Be it knowne vnto thee we will not fall downe nor worship Act. 4.19.20 c. And we cannot but speake the thinges we haue heard and seene Whether is it better to obey God or men iudge yee In matters of God wee must submit vnto Christ alone I am 4.12 hee is the one Law-giuer able to saue and to destroy The Father hath spoken by him in the last dayes giuing him all power in Heauen and in Earth Confirming it by voyce from Heauen This is my beloued Sonne heare him and he that will not that he shall raigne ouer him let him be brought and slaine before him The truth of this most euident not onely by the Scriptures but also acknowledged by many Superiours the chiefest ouer vs on Earth acknowledgeth the same The Kings most excellent Matie saith Apol. for the Oath of Allegiance pag. I vtterly deny that there is any earthly Monarch ouer the Church whose word must be a Law and who cannot erre by an infallibility of Spirit because earthly Kingdomes must haue earthly Monarchs it doth not follow the Church must haue a visible Monarch too Christ is the Churches Monarch and