passion hath purchased freely for me and all others whome he chose before all worldes to be heyres and sonnes of the same inheritaunce by adoption and grace which promise or assuraÌ„ce I holde â—â—rmely by fayth Notwithstanding this his louing kindenes and mercy shewed towardes me if the Lord my God did not sâ—ill protect me guide me and deâ—end me I should anihilat and make voyd this mine estate or assurauÌ„ce therfore hath he geuen vnto me the participatioÌ„ of his holy spirite renewing me working in me regeneration which is a detestation lothing and hate of sinne and a minde will to serue the lord Yet so as there is a kinde of rebellion in me So that the good thinges I would doe I doe not but the euill I hate that doe I yet not I but sin that dwelleth in me I feele my flesh lusting agaynst the spirite and the spirite agaynst the flesh continually so that I cannot doe the same thinges I would â–ª I fele the law of my members striuing and rebelling agaynst the law of my minde And further to make my state and condition more throughly knowen I feele often tymes sinne and the mostons thereof so strong in me that I am for a season led captiue therewith yea without remorse so that the spirite semeth in me vtterly quenched or as â—ire raked vnder ashes that is not seene and sometime I wallow and for a season as it were forget my God notwithstanding this my backslyding I feele agayne the goodnes of my God and the working of hys spirite renewing me agayne then in sorrowfulnes and teares I bewaile my selfe in prayer y I haue so long estraunged my self offended my God then doe I féele the coÌ„fort of his spirite which bringeth to my remeÌ„braunce the promises of the Lord pronounced in his word videliz Though thy sinnes were as redde as scarelet yet will I make them as white as woole looke how far the heaueÌ„ is from the earth so farre haue I set thy sinnes froÌ„ thee Lyke as a Father hath compassioÌ„ on his children euen so the Lord will shew mercy on me for he dealeth not with vs after our sinnes noâ— rewardeth vs after our iniquityes â–ª All the day long he standeth with stretched out armes ready to receaue those that turne vnto him c. Then when I feele this the Lord my God comforting me by his promises I am driuen by the working of the same his holy spirite to be partaker of the holy sacrament of his death which is to me a seale and pledge cognizaunce of my redemption which to my great comfort I receaue as a token of his loue and kindenes shewed to me and so more and more I feele sinne and Sathan weaker and by resisting him dayly I finde him and his baytes Idle my fleshe and â—he aâ—lurementes of the world lesse able to hurt me or to preuaile agaynst me And â— feele in my selâ—â— through the working of the same spirite a redynes to all good exercises of pietie as hearinâ— of the word Prayer Aâ—stinence Charitie towards Christes members Loue Peace Ioâ— c. But yet still I féel finne with her motions neuer ceâ—sing a fresh to assay me and try me with new assaults and sifting me euery way againe and agayne charging me ofteÌ„ with the dexterity of the law with the greatnes of my sinnes laying them particularly before me with great horror preparing such bookes and baites for me that if I were not preserued by the great goodnes of my God I should vtterly dispaire and fal away but the Lord doth comfort me still saying My grace is sufficient for thee My grace is made strong through thy weaknes Be of good cheare I haue ouercome the world In such case I am and such is my battaile continually and alwaies fighting this vnder my graund captayne I preuayle and am not vaÌ„quished nor vtterly ouercomed yet agayne I prepare for a newe skirmish place my selfe in y formost raÌ„k to abyde the brunt of the next incouÌ„ter so that I neuer looke for any rest nor peace whilst I am in this vale of misery for my lyfe is a coÌ„tinuall warfare Yet in this exercise or continuall skirmish I am at peace in minde and conscience knowing and firmely beleeuing that my redeemer liueth who hath trod the wine presse alone and hath offered me the cup of Saluation and sealed in my hart the pledge of hyâ— loue so that with confidence and boldnes I haue accesse vnto my God and by the mediation of my Lord and Sauiour Christ I obtaine what soeuer is necessary or behouâ—full for me for I beyng thus knit vnto my God do boldly make my prayers vnto hym yet in tremâ—ling and feare I acknowledge my offences say O Lord my God I dayly confesse mine offences my sins are euer before me Enter not into IudgemeÌ„t with thy seruaunt for no flesh is righteous in thy sight â—f thou O Lorde obserueâ—t myne iniquities who is able â—o abide it For thy holy name sake O Lord be mercifull vnto myne iniquitie for it is greaâ— Remember not the faults of my youth Shew vnto me thy mercy and graunt me thy salvatioÌ„ Thus dayly and nightly I bewaile my misery confesse my â—â—nnes vnto the Lord my God and acknowledge that â—f the Lord should conâ—ond with me in iustice I were not able to answere For what is man that he should be cleane or he that is borne of a woman that he should be iust For he founde no stedâ—astnes in his saints yea the heauens are not cleane in his sight How much more man which is abhominable and filthy and drinketh iniquitie like water Whose very righteousnes is like a cloth defiled with the vnâ—â—mely bâ—â—th of a woman Thus considering my state and condition I rest quâ—et in mind and by faith in the sonne of God Christ Iesus I dout nothing of my saluation but accept gladly the battaile warfare I haue with sinne and SathaÌ„ continually as tokens of his great mercy and plâ—dges of his loue in fâ—eling the redy help and speedy deliuery of y lord who in time to me vnknowen will visite mine offences in this life with whips and my sinnâ—s with scourges but his mercy he wilâ— neuer take from me And thus being chosen callâ—d and prepared he sanctifieth me by death maketh a waâ— and entrance vnto an happy life where I shall behold that ioyfull sight euen the Lamb that was 〈◊〉 for me And shall follow him whâ—resoeâ—er he goeth Singing praise and thankes to him for euer and euer Amen The state and condition of a Regeneraâ—â— man afâ—er the doctrine and â—eaching of HN. in the pretended â—amily of Loue. BEloued in the beginning when God made all things well then was â—he Lord one Lord of his kingdoâ—e and one God of his workes There was also no more but one
AN Answere vnto a wicked infamous Libel made by Christopher Vitel one of the chiefe English Elders of the pretended Family of Loue Maintaining their doctrine carpingly answeringe to certaine pointes of a boke called the displaing of the Fam. Aunswered by I. Rogers AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Daye dwelling ouer Aldersgate Anno. 1579. Cum Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis To the right honourable Syr Frauncis VValsingham chiefe Secretary vnto the Queenes most excellent Maiesâ—y and of her honorable Councell Grace and Peace in Christ our Lord. HAuing before this set forth a small tretise displaing a sort of men in this our countrey of England imbracing an Author vnder two letters H and N. about sixe monethes agoe I haue receaued since from the same persons sundry letters contayning matter against the doctrine publickly taught in the church of England and answering certain matters contayned in the sayd booke called The displaying of the Family of Loue which answeres some I haue put in print the rest remayn wherof this Libel is one of the chiefest and as the same doth witnesse is made and compiled by one of the chiefe of that sect and the only man which was the occasion that any of HN his doctrine became conuersant with our natiue Countrey people a thing greatly to be lamented The name of the party is Christofer Vitel sometime a Ioyner of London and infected with that infamous doctrine of Airius â—0 yeares agoe â–ª whose credâ—â—e among the pretended Family of Loue is very great and therefore I haue vsed more diligence in answering the same Being Right honorable unboldened to present the same vnto your honor vpoÌ„ vew and tast of your good inclination towardâ—s the true Church of Christ and the purging out of the same all disorders and discords that therin groweth or which blemisheth that beloued bride as much as in your honor lyeth And if herein I shall seeme ouer bold or presumptuous considering my rude and vnlearned capacity I haue many examples which may serue for my excuse For where should men publishing error seeke defence but vnder the name and protection of such as through the Lords dispensatioÌ„ and gift of singular wit doe vnderstand falshood at the first sight and haue authoritie to correct the same and hate error and corruption of a zeale to the glory of god and a care of true Religion and by rate goodnes of nature doe loue the truth and also sufficiently adorned with corage to defend the same Accept therefore most honorable these my rude labors in â—â—norable part and geue iudgement where trueth lyeth Accept my serâ—iceable hart to further the glory of christ his church and not the simple vtterance and smal skil with les learning as by the handling appeareth Also consider the prouideÌ„ce of our God which ruleth his childreÌ„ by his beck and hath appointed your honor as a speciall Patrone in his Church to heare the griefe and gronings thereof and to vnderstand and see that truth be not defaced troden downe or spurned at by heretickes or wicked Atheistes which the mixed Church is too too full of And as the Lord hath made your honor to feele the sweetnes of his sonne our Sauiour So I am perswaded that you bende your singular care and deep consideration that this our countrey of England might be free from hereticks deprauers of Christ his glory And if it might please your honor to consider the root and ground froÌ„ whence this strange doctrin grew the practises and meanes by which it is maintained and supported And by this litle sayd by me consider with all what might be sayd against this doctrine of H N. by men of knowledge and skill And finding the roote nothing els but singularitie ambition pride and carnall liberty The shore and pillers that vphold it wrong application of the holy Scriptures counterfaite shewes of piety c. your honor shall perceiue I dout not how litle true reason these men haue or sound argument to proue the particulars of their doctrine the body and substance being found in deede but a lumpe of olde worne heresies newly hatcht by H N. Fidelitas and â—lidad men come out of the cloudes as they would haue the world beleeue And as this doctrine hath increased and spred it selfe in many shires of this Realme So if I should declare what euent doth follow in many places it were scarce credible The fountaine or foundation thereof is the opinion that these men haue that they keepe the law of God in euery point as he requyreth â—er of commeth their doctrine of perfection attayned vnto in this life and as they tearme it the beginning of immortality then being made perfecte they imagine themselues to be Godded with God or incorporate to God I will vse their own tearmes with whom God in one being of his spirit is hommisied or become man. Now hauing once planted this doctrine what Sathan can worke with this perswasion is easily perceiued For when this doctrine is once beleeued that their Elders caÌ„not sinne and whatsoeuer they commit it cannot be sinne because they are guyded by the spirite And when all feare to offend or conscience of sinne is excluded to all boldnes and liberty to liue after our liking a very window is opened As there is no reason to maintayn this nor truth to vphold this So it is very necessary that the simple people should be warned to beware of this so suttle a doctrine which they like very well of because their teachers and Elders vnder preteÌ„ce of plausible precepts delyuered to the simple at the first taste of a godly life which asore any thing they must imbrace with many shewes of mortificatioÌ„ TheÌ„ must they grow to the manly oldnes in the loue which is that perfection which they dreame of But the secret part of their doctrine is hid from the most parte And all their bookes are not made coÌ„mon to all as containing to strong meate for weake stomaches therfore their glas of righteousnes few must looke into least their whole vanity and corruption should be espyed That booke therefore is a rare birde among this Family And this suttlety doth Sathan worke to deceaue the simple to keep certaine secret misteries and doctrine to worke admiration in the hartes of deceaued people Right honorable I haue set downe this part of their doctrine as a tast what other matters they maintayne by perusing this small treatâ—se shall easely be espied how their chiefe Elder HN. is exalted and called a Prophet and that his prophesies shal be proued true and also they account of HN. in office to be a priest and say that through his priestes office God will receaue all men to mercy so that our only Lord Sauiour is smally accounted of his offices are bestowed vpon HN. These thinges are too too absurd Right honorable and worthy to be buryed in silence had not SathaÌ„ raysed vp his impes to trouble his Church with these blasphemies agaynst which I
trueth they seeke but singularitye For although in other matters there be difference opinions yet in maâ—s election saluation redemption and regeneâ—ation being the pillers and foundations of our fayth whosoeuer erreth herein cannot be saued I am also Christian reader to desire thee to amend and correct with thy pen certaine faultes escaped in this treaâ—ise by the Printer and to amend the sence of some sentences being not rightly poynted which I refer vnto thy learned Iudgement The Lord our God blesse thee and grauÌ„t vs his holy spirite that we may persist and abide in the vnitye of his holy Church and patiently abide the Lord his leasure in rooting out errors and heresies which disquiet thy little flocke They are exercises of our fayth but yet blockes whereat the wicked stumble and hinderaunces of many a mans conuersion which the Lord our God foretold vs of that in the latter dayes such should come and such daungerous dayes should be that if it were possible the elect should be deceiued The complaint of a Regenerate man vnto God the Father shewing the sorrowfulnes of his haâ—t O Lord God heauenly Father thoâ— that art not only our God but the God of all the world we thy creatures the worke â—f thy hands make our humble prayers and supplications bâ—fore thy excellent maiesty â—eseeching thee O Lord not to consider vs as we aâ—e of our selues eaâ—th ashes and whatsoeuer is 〈◊〉 but as we are in Christ Iesus our Lord thy sanctified people whom thou hast chosen before all worlds to witnes thy â—ame in earth And to whom tâ—ou hast made manifest thy Sonne ouâ— Sauiour with an vncouered face to our great comfort â—et alas we vnworthy wretches finde in our selues such heapes of sinnes and such lumpes and loades of impieties that were we not stayed in thy promyses wee should perish with mistrust in thy mercies For we know that thou art a iust God and doest visite the offences of thy childreÌ„ with rods and their sinnes with whips Yet thy mercy doth neuer faile vs Yea although we sinne yet are we thine We haue O Lord tasted greatly of thy mercies Many yeaâ—es we haue been fed with heauenly meate Long time we haue enioyed the benefite of thy gospel a blessiâ—â— of blessinges our own conscience doth witnes yea our sinnes are so ripe and so outragious that they are ascended vp vnto the heauens and 〈◊〉 for thy iustice which we haue sore prouoked with multyplying sinne vpon since We haue not obayed thy voice We haue not harkened vnto thy seruants whom thou hast sâ—â—t We haue propbaned thy holy Sabaoth with vaine spectacles vngodly tragedies We professe thy name in our word but deny it in deedes Our vanity is too too manifest in our apparrail Our excesse appeareth in our banquets Our small reuerence towardes thy holy name in our vayne other Our merciles charitie towards thy meÌ„bers is too too manyfest Yea our whole life is nothing els but abuse of thy creatures with ingratitude for thy benefites So that we thy children are to expect and looke for nought els but thy heauy hand yea thy iudgements in displeasure We and our for fathers haue sinned Our Princes and Rulers our Priestes our Prophets and teachers Yea from the greatest to the least all haue followed the bypath of their own imagination deuice â–ª and haue not harkned vnto thy word to make it the lanthorne to our feete and the light to our steps Our own wayes and deuises haue preuayled We therfore O Lord our God prostrate our selues before thy maiesty beseeching thee for thy deere Sonne our Sauyour Christ Iesus sake turne not away thy face from vs in displeasure Bring not vpon vs wretches the due punishments our sinnes haue deserued Looke not vpon vs as we are of our selues but as we beloÌ„g to Christ Iesus for whose sake thou hast promised to deny vs nothing we aske in his name Looke vpon thy wonted mercies of old although the cry of our sinnes be great before thee yet the righteousnes of our Lord and Sauyour Christ Iesus is greater whom we interpose and put betweene thy iustice and our deserts Yea by him we appeare with boldnes before thee this day as childreÌ„ not as strangers saying O Our Father sanctified be thy holy name Let thy kingdome be inlarged in vs thy children Let thy will be performed in vs most obedieÌ„tly eueÌ„ as thy saints holy ones do fulfill the same before thee Geue vnto vs O Lord all earthly blessings this day that we may vse them to our comfort and not abuse them in pleasure Forgeue vs O Lord we beseech thee our dayly sinnes that we commit against thy diuine Maiesty And geue vs thy holy spirite that we may forgeue all such as by any degree 〈◊〉 trespas against vs Leade vs not not O Lord into tryall nor temptation aboue our strength for then our weakenes will appeare Delyuer vs O Lord from all those euils our sinnes dayly prouoke And froÌ„ all those plagues and punishments which thou hast threatned to bring vpon vs at this time Delyuer vs from the mouthes of cruell Lions which dayly gaâ—e to deuour vs From blondy Papistes which lye in wayte for vs and dâ—ly conspire to bereaue vs of the most comfortable benefit of thy word and seeke to make our liues a pray vnto their greedy desires Bring O Lord their deuises to nought Let thâ— liâ—le flock enioy the sweete comfort of thy gospell that we may praise thy holy name in our own land Roote out all secâ—es and heresies which are among vs which Sathan hath stirred vp to disquyet thy church And Lord if it be thy will either to conuert them or put them to silence for euermore Preserue O Lord God our gracious Queene Elizabeth in thine own bosome Deliuer her O Lord from all conspiracies tresoâ—s and trecheries which Sathan in his members shall deuise against her Make void their couâ—cels that consult against her and let vs O Lord enioy thy blessing in her long prosperous and happy dayes Geue O lord vnto her Councellors wisdome fortitude and courage to preuent all dangers and vnto our bishops and teachers geue truth in doâ—trine boldnes to publish the same without 〈◊〉 And to vs thy people geue O lord humble hartes and obedyent minds that we thy children may now at the last be warned to reuerence and regard thy holy gospel and feare thy puâ—â—shmeÌ„tâ— forsaking our vain delites in earthly things so that our whol life may be a dayly watch and looking for thy glorious coming So that in our hartes we may dayly saâ— Come Lord Iesus come quikly that we maybe losed fâ—oÌ„ thâ— woful vale wherein we doe nothing but prouoke thee with our sinnes â–ª Graunt O Lord we beseech thee that thy church may long enioy the liberty of thy word and geue constancy to thy members our bretheren which suffer any crosse or tribulatioÌ„â—â—her in body or minde as witnesses of thy trueth Geue
gulfe of mischiefe and then to shew some reason that moued you to forsake that opinion and imbrace this absurde impietye of HN. which so gréedely you haue chosen to satisfie your hunger and you call it life and saluation The two writers wil the Lord assisting vs verefie continuallâ—e that in no poâ—nte we haue slaundered you nor your minister HN. And we refer the iudgement therof vnto the louers of truth which shal indifferently vew the reasons allegationâ— on both sides without partiality As for the horrible blasphemye against the Lord wherwith you bitterly charge vs we deny y we haue committed any such haynous offence against â—od whose reuerent name we adore with all humility and vntil you can prooue vs such blasphemers you wil remayne in the sight of all God his children an impudent lyar and a slaunderer You are one of those illuminate â—lders which keepe all the coÌ„maundementes of God and commit no sinne but now it doth appeare of what spirit you are with what spirite you are led Can not your cause be maintayned without such contumelious and impudent speach he that is a blasphemer of God is without hope of mercy Many Diuines haue studiously sought what the sin of blasphemy is but you haue with greate ease found out the same to be who so speaketh or wryteth againste HN. or his famely must he needes be a blasphemer Temper your humors with more modesty for shame els men wil thinke that your HN. hath published that of you which cannot be found in you which is that when you are reuiled taunted or bitterly vsed you as lambes in patience bear the same you do euil verefie your authors words It is all out of ignorant blindenes what we haue done as you say are al blind and ignorant that speak against your pretended family then are there many blinde and ignorant in y world but I dout your great sight which you prophetically make a shew of in thiâ— libell will declare very notablye your blindnes though you brag very often of your sight I would with all youre sight you saw rightly into your selues theÌ„ should you perceiue that your new couenaÌ„t of perfectioÌ„ which you dream of is a moere illusion of Sathan and no where to be found in the holy scriptures Vitell. IN asmuch as it hath pleased the Lord of his gratious goodnes to make manifest vnto me as most vnworthy through his most holy seruice of loue in misunderstanding ignorance error so haue I humbled my selfe before the Lord and his Minister HN. as the greatest sinner among sinners desiring the Lord that he of his goodnes woulde extend his mercy ouer me and forgeue me al my offences wherein I had liued contrary to his commaundementes lawes and ordinaunces so that the Lord at his time when he sawe it good through his grace released me out of my calamitye and also made manifest vnto me through his most holy seruice of Loue and his elected minister HN. his promises which he made with Abraham where through he will blesse all the generatioÌ„s of the earth and also how when and wherein they are fulfilled c. Aunswere Hâ—re is expressed the maner of this mans conuersion and how he came to be of the Familye of Loue wherein are many shewes of piety and humility requisite in a Christian but where he saâ—th he humbled himselfe beâ—ore the Lord and his cleâ—ed mâ—nister HN. therein he bewrayeth himselfe we are taught in all our troubles to call vpon the lord Innoca me in die tribulâ—tionis 〈◊〉 â–ª to humble our selues before the Loâ—d it is good and conuenient but before HN. what warrant haue you so to do why ioine you HN. and God together in â—our humiliation I will not crye out no you doe that this is blasphemâ—e yet I tell you it is not Christianlyke spoken I know not how you will quâ—liâ—ie this your speach you say that the Loâ—de when he saw it good released you of all offenceâ— wherein you had liued contrary to his commaundements but now being released doe you sinne any moâ—e â—f you would speake plainlye as you haue vttered your repentaunce so now resteth that you should also speake of your perfection and of the state wherein you now stand For that is the matter that we would haue you to be playne in but that is concealed and kept secret least your lybertye should be espyed â—ou say further that through the seruice of Loue and his elect minister HN. all the promises made vnto â—braham how when and where they are fulfilled and made manyfest vnto you And I pray you could you not imbrace the promise made vnto Abraham without HN. are not the scriptures sufficient to manifest the same without him surely this is great pitye that you extoll your Aucthor so aboue measure the Prophets haue written thereof Christ and his Apostles haue opened to vs how when and where those promises are fulfilled sufficeÌ„tly â—f HN. had neuer written Vitell. MOreouer there was made manifest vnto me through the same seruice of Loue and the Lords minister HN. the comming agayne of Christ with his sayntes and his righteous iudgement wherein he will iudge the world with mercye and faythfulnes and erect agayne his righteousnes and euen so acoÌ„plish all whatsoeuer he hath spoken through the mouthes of his seruauntes the Prophets from the beginning of the world according to his promises Aunswere NOw you affirme that there is made manifest to you the comming agayne of Christ with his sayntes c. but because you ad not in the resurrection wée are doubtfull what you meane by the comming agayne of Christ least you vnderstand it a comming in this lyfe Because you adde that there shall be accomplished whatsoeuer hath bene spoken by the Prophets from the beginning â—f you had ben a true Christian you needed not HN. to manifest these thinges they are sufficiently opened to vs in the holy historye by his beloued Apostle Paule yf you had stayed your selfe with their manifestatioÌ„ you should not haue looked for your HN. to make knowen the same but it is to be doubted by your speach that you meane some other comming of Christ in this lyfe and not when he shall come at the general day of Christ his second comming when he shall come with glory maiesty and powre to iudge the world with righteousnes You affirme that then he shall accomplish whatsoeuer he spake by the Prophets from the beginning The Prophets spake as they were commaunded to kingdomes and Cityes certefying of the destruction determined and the captiuities whereunto the people should be ledde many of their Prophesyes confirmed the comming of Christ c. which are alredy come to passe Your meaning I doubt of but I will not take you so short nor hunt for any aduauntage of wordes but I tell you playne your speach is very doubtâ—ull Vitel. NOw wheÌ„ the Lord of his goodnes had â—eleased me out of my blindneâ— and opened mine eyes thâ—Ì„ saw
illuminate Elders in the Family sinne not you deny it not but wish y I knew what I sayd you say that they preuayl with God ouer sinne But we deny that any preuayle with God ouer sin otherwise then in the person of Christ. And herein you teach false docâ—rine to the people For your wordes are false that we preuaile with God and Christ ouer sinne Nay we affirme that we preuaile with God by Christ which accepteth vs for his sake and although you acknowledge neuer so much that this is brought to passe by Christ in vs yet we tell you playne that it standeth not with his good will and pleasure so to do but that contynually we should be petitioners to him for grace to keep vnder sinne that sinne raigne not in vs that sinne beare not rule in vs or haue dominion ouer vs as the Scriptures vse to spâ—ake but that we preuayle against sinne so that we extinguish it in our own persons It is a doctrine of Sathan and not froÌ„ the lord In this and the like doctrine doth your Author and you shew a manifest pâ—oofe whence your errors are suckt euen from the Pope who teacheth that we may fulfill the law If it be so then may we be righteous by it and haue no neede of christ Such hereticall and imptous doctrine contrary to the scriptures you teach and therfore your Author and you worthely despysed The Pope in his doctrine of Opera superâ—◠〈◊〉 and you with your doctrine of perfection to be wrought in vs in this life do so extenuat the death and passion of our Lord and Sauyour Christ that the poore oppressed burthened sinner loaden and â—roning vnder the burthen of sinne can finde smal comfort Therfore the church of christ grounded vpon the Prophetes and Apostles Christ Iesus being the chiefe corner stone of this foundation doubt not in truth and humilitie of spirite to acknowledge still iâ— vs while we are in this life a battaile or combat against sinne to striue to fight but not to conquere to tryumph or to preuayle but by faith in Christ in whose person we conquere we tryumph and we preuayle So that to be ouercome or be subdued vnder sin we cannot because we haue a valiant and most victorious conqueror who still imputeth his conquest and victory ours yet so as sinne and the motions therof still remayn in â—s to our great exercise that feeling our wâ—â—knes our want and our need we â—ight in our necessitye haue recâ—â—se vnto our Captayn our Sauyour and delyuerer But that we in our persons should pâ—euayle 〈◊〉 sinne as you affirmed is false wicked and damnable doctrine but such fauour hath falsed with you that you greedely embrace this as though Christ or his Apostles had taught it whereas it is against all the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and against all examples in the scriptures David sayth 〈…〉 S. Paul sayth Christ Iesus came into y world to saue sinners of y which number I am the greatest if doing our best we must acknowledge our selues vnprofitable seruauntes where is become your doctrine of perfection neuer heard of in Christ his Church our â—umayne state and condition is so lifted vp and stast with pride by your doctrine of perfection that penitent sinners find smal grace in whom you impute scarce hope of saluation except they attayne the perfection on whome shall Christ hys death take place to whome shal the vertue thereof extend if none shal be saued but such as be perfect in whome no sinne resteth or remayneth you take away all comfort from sinners to whome the Gospell belongeth and our onely comfort in distresse the effect wherof by this your doctrine is denied miserably do you herein deceaue your setuâ—s and other They that haue pleasure in sinnâ— are seruaunts to sinne as you affirme but to haue pleasure in sinne that sinn raygne in vs or haue dominion ouer vs continually we affirme that they are markeâ— and tokens not of the children of good but contrary yet we doubt not to â—â—â—irme the remnants the motions lustâ— and roÌ„cupiscence incident to our frayle nature still to lurke in our bodyes notwithstanding we be in the fauour with God and made righteous by Christ his death and passion for so it standeth with his good wil and pleasure that his grace should be made perfect through our weaknes Therefore you with your doctrine of perfection doe extenuate his death as much as in you lyeth We are not in humbling our selues enemies vnto y lord but you by exalting your selues except ye repent will be taken enemies both to God and all good men Your schollers in the Family doe blame vs in their wrytings affirme that we in confessing our imperfections â–ª and sinnes which contynually doe assault vs dayly and hourely We are as they say â–ª Aduocates for sinue and you teaching a perfection are mainteners of righteousnes but more truely may it be sayd of you that you with your perfection are enemies to y grace of God manifest to vs by Christ Iesuâ— our Lord and do thereby blaspheme as much as in you lyeth the glory of hys passion and death appropriate only to sinners you may with the pharasies brag of your perfection and obseruation of the law but we comfort ourselues with these and the lyke sayings of holy Scripture Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners So God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotteÌ„ sonne c Behold the lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world c. Vitell. FArther you say they may ioyne with any congregatioÌ„ or Church and liue vnder the obedience of any Maiestrâ—te It is true we are obedient vnto all Maiestrates where wee dwell for â—he peaces cause and obserue their politick ordinances which are to a good protectioÌ„ of their subiectes â—â—d the land but we consent not vnto any thing which is agaynst God or hys commaundements also we accompâ— none vngodly but such aâ— obstiâ—atly blaspheme the Lord hys ordiâ—â—unces and despise his most holy seruice of loue although they be ignoraunt of the waye vnto lyfe For we confesse that there is no man righteousnes vntill the Lord deliuer hym from his vnrighteousnesse and through hys Christ make hym righteous and then may he say that the Lord is hys righteousnes Aunswere THat you may ioyne with any Church c. I did affirme beyng led by many reasons so to do for you perswaded many in Queene Maries raigne to go to Masse your brethren in Flaunders which are of your Family do the lyke you also with vs come to Church and ioyne with vs in praier in â—euing thanks in heâ—ring the worde preached c. Yet hauâ— you priuate conuâ—ntickles and meetings forbidden by the law wherin you shewe not your obedience to the Maiestrates aâ— you affirme but your wilfull stubburnes and frowardnes you ioyne with all to wyne all but more iustly you flatter
now he beginneth to be knowen and by the great credit and admiration you haue him in the more detestable will he be reputed as a seducer of such men as cannot content themselues wiâ—h such trueth as the scriptures containe but must haue a Prophét raysed vp out of FlauÌ„ders a banished man and one that dare not shew his face in any countrey openly and you had rather imbrace his noueltyes then the wholsome doctrine conteyned in the olde and new testament Vitell. NOw concerning his bookes they be of such Aucthoritye as he affirmeth them but where as you say that he sayth all is false and lyes whatsoeuer is taught c. marke wel what he writeth and adde nothing thereto and it shall be found true what he writeth more where as you say he commendeth the Pope and Cardenalls with the Masse and other ceremonyes there is none commended but in their right order if you marke the matter well Answere HIs bookes I affirmed that they were in crâ—dite amongest the familye of equall auâ—horitye with the scriptures and that they were written with the same spirite to this you auÌ„swere that they are of such aucthoritye as he hath affirmed thereforâ— note well what you say for neuer any since the Apostles tunes had so impudent a face as openly to publish such a detestable lye if this come not from the spirite of pride I know no proud bosting spirites all the Fathers in the primitiue Church euer reuerenced the holy scripture and submitted all their bookes thereunto Austen desired not to be credited or beleued but as his workes might agree with the holy scriptures all men in generall haue euer acknowledged themselues in their writinges to be subiect to error onely the scripture to be without blemish but this man will haue HN. and his bookes of equall aucthoritye with the scriptures written with the same spirite thus doe you runne from one impietye to an other and in the highest degree of blasphemye But I pray you looke vpon the matter better before you say he is a prophet now his bookes are of equal aucthoritye with the scripture whether will you lift vp your HN. aboue all condition of fraile man the higher he is exalted the more greuous will be his fall without repentaunce it is Luciferian pride thus to attribute vnto mortall man but you make HN to be a name of office and not of a creature such misteryes requireth falced where trueth and simplicitye imbraceth playne dealing Now you say that HN. doth auouch all to be false whatsoeuer is taught by any other therefore heare his owne wordes and then discerne and sée God his trueth and his godly and heauenly workes are vnknowen vnto all fleshe and vnto all fleshly and earthly men but it is geuen to the children of the kingdome the comminaltye of the Loue to vnderstand the secret misteryes thereof You say it will be found true what he writeth If none but the comminaltye or Familye of Loue doe vnderstaÌ„d the scripture then it was not rightly vnderstode before there was any mention of your Familye Now for commendatioÌ„ of the Pope Cardinals and Masse he sayth hee commendeth none buâ— in his right order this speach is ambigâ—us in his right order For simply I thinke none of them haue any shaddow of right order neither is their callinges nor doctrine grounded vpon either right or good order Your Author belyke alloweth the Masse or els he would not haue taken such paynes as to explicat euery ceremonye therein in his booke called A declaratioÌ„ of the Masse but thus with subtiltye of speach you would faine say somewhat to defend your Author be his sayinges neuer so monstrous Vitell. FOr in that booke named a ioyfull message of the kingdome of God Christ though ye deâ—idingly call it his gospell is declared that â—Papa signifieth an olde Father in the holy vndeâ—standing Now althogh he be not indued with the holy vnderstaÌ„ding yet is the name not the worse in it selfe For the Lord hath ordeined gouernours spirituall and temporall and they represent the maiestye of God although now certayne gouernours gouerne not according to the rule of righteousnes yet is not therefore the name euerthelesâ—e of reputation because it is an ordenance of God therefore let vs despise no name that belongeth to gouernours neither yet also any gouernour nor any man els for we haue all sinned haue neede of the grace or mercy of the Lord. Answere THe booke in lattin is called EuaÌ„gelium Regnâ— gospell of the kingdome but this man is the translator thereof and hath qualified it calling it a ioyfull message of the kingdome the title is arrogant and presumptuous the doctrine therein worse as will appere in print ere it be long the pope hath found among manâ— enemies one freÌ„d although his doctrine is spokeÌ„ against euery where yet this maÌ„ would gladly képe and retayne his bare name belonging to a gouernour in office we coÌ„deme not the name his doctrine not agrâ—â—ing with the word is by the same word condemned so is yours For significations of names â–ª wâ—e will not contend a part of your deuinity lyeth therein neither do wee despise any name but is euell doctrine be shadowed or vnder any name cloked then wee inuey agaynst the doctrine vsing the name as wheÌ„ inuectiues are made agaynst the Pope or HN. it is not ment of the persons but of the doctrine And surely the Pope did neuer exercise so great a Popedome in the West Church as your HN. a new Pope doth among you of his Familye and as the papistes which tooth and nayle seeke to maintayne euery absurd and senceles part of the popes doctrine with all their power witte and skill EueÌ„ so do ye of his Family maintayne your Nâ— and whatsoeuer vnsauery doctrine he teacheth it maâ— not be discredited nor he cannot therein erre or misse the right in such reputation haue you placed mortall man. You say we all haue sinned haue need of y grace or mercy of the Lord y all haue sinned you truely confes but that all doe dayely sinne you cannot beleue especially you the â—â—ders of the holy vnderstandinâ— but in humilitye of spirite you and wee ought to coÌ„fesse not onely that we haue sinned but dayely and hourely do sinne and haue neede not onely of his grace but his mercy also although you speake of grace or mercy but wee craue his grace and mercy his grace to guide vs and his mercy to deliuer vs. Vitell. MOreouâ—r you are greatly offended because hee sayeth that none shold take iâ— haÌ„d to teach or preach but the illuminate elders whiâ—h arâ— Godded with God or incoâ—poâ—atâ—d to God and with whom also God in one being and power of his spirite is hominisied or become man And those you call proud speaches and because â—N vseth them ye despise him althoughe they be no strange words or speches in thâ— dutâ—h language â–ª therfore in so doing you despiâ—e the
which only depende on reuelations And you which brag of your Author which is as he sayeâ—h taught froÌ„ god his own mouth hath hard y souÌ„d of his voice Thus miserably are you carâ—ed away by illusioÌ„s herin you deceiue your selues and many others Out of the wisdome of the flesh sprange all Christopher Vitelles â—rrors Note I pray thee Reader that this Libeller acknowledgeth to haue bin in him many errors comprehended in this word â—all and anonâ— thou shall finde him saying he was in no error In deede the church of Christ hath felt to much expeâ—â—ence of your heretâ—call head fraught full of heresies so that if any newer deuice should by Sathan be stirred vp you are as apte an instrument to broach the same as any that I know in England From no other mans bookes did this man sucke his errors and were you in error theÌ„ and by the same meanes may you not still remayne in error haue you any further priuiledge now then you had before Of necessity you must sly vnto your perfection that you cannot erre nor sinne there is no ether excuse to be had here is a mistery For you thinke it an absurde thing that your errors spâ—ang from any other fountaine then the flesh of sinne No bookes no conference were meanes to bring you to this â—rroâ— Loâ—ke well into your selfe and you shall fiâ—de in â—ou now more errors and heâ— esiâ—s then euer you held heretofore â—ou imagined your selfe cleansed and your hâ—use swept but now are sâ—uen morse spirites entered into you as appâ—areth by your doctrin and you are become ten solde the child of destruction more now thâ—n beâ—â—râ— And except you repent your ende will be far worse then your beginning Vitell. NEither â—an I blame any man for minâ— own sinnes were gâ—eater and horribleâ— in my sight â–ª then all other menneâ— for although I had â—ed certayne bookes of sundry wryteâ—s yet was I moued to seaâ—â—h â—hether they were grounded vpon the Loâ—ds promyses or no and humbling my selfâ— befoâ—e the Loâ—d aâ— desiâ—ous to doe his will â—o gaue he me to vndeâ—stand that I knew nothing of all his wayeâ— but the troble that I â—as in whereout the Lord delyueâ—ed me â—s not to be expâ—â—ssed And iâ— the Loâ—d of his goodnes had not comfâ—rted me with his holy spiâ—ite through hiâ— most holy seruice of his loue broght forth through HN. his elected minister I should haue remained without hope of life Answere NOw commeth this Vitell to declare a tragedy of himself which no man can gaâ—nsay being a thing secret and vnknowen to the world For our secret conflictes are troublesome I graunt when our conscience shall pres vs with the greatenes of our sinnes but whether it were so or no who can controll him or els who will beleeue his own wordes speaking so many things contrary to truth already But I must certifie that this is a speciall point of practise in the Family that when any in conference doe require how they could so easily leaue the certainty of doctrine which once they earnestly imbraced then shall you heare them tell you of marueilous conflicts much trouble and veration of minde and could neuer attaine to any quietnes vntill by the doctrine of â—â— they found rest vnto their soules But may not this be an illusion of Sathan as otherwise being rightly examined for Sathan is so suttle that if he may get possession of any setled mindes who instructed in godlynes by the scriptures resist his perswasions and so coÌ„meth to conslict of minde in such troubles â–ª where Sathan â–ª by the Lord his permission preuayleth then worketh he in his a certayne security or peace and then they thinke all is well when indâ—de neuer in worse case then so captiued in Sathans tyranny Now this man when he hath set abroad some of his troubles you shall see how he was deliuered by which we may gather what marke he shootes at namely in all troubles and agonyes of minde all must resort to the seruice of Loue set forth by his elected Minister HN. For this man if he had not taken that course he had remained without hope of lyfe certaynly great is the honor wherewith they aduaunce this their priest and prophet aboue all that is called God but my hope is that with the blast of the Lord his mouth which he hath published in the scriptures he shall be confounded and ouerthrowne so low that the fall of him which so exalted himselfe shall be to the comfort of all the Lord his children for whose â—ake he now beginneth to maniâ—est this lying Prophet and will I hope rayse vp to his Church men of zelous mindes which will both write and speake agaynst this wicked man of sinne which is in such credit with deceaued people which the Lord in mercy spedely bring to passe to the glory of thy name the comfort of thy church and the spoyle of Sathan and his ympes Vitell. BVt he gaue me to vnderstande there through that he would be merâ—ifull vnto all penitent sinners how horrible sinnes soeuer they had coÌ„mitted therefore I may say a medicine master getteth gretest prayâ—e by those that haue the filthâ—est and corruptest diseaâ—es as a leprous person and such like â—uen so haue I the gretest cause to land the Lord and must confes that he whâ—ch is mighty hath done great things on me and holy is his name Answere NOw after this man hath shewed his conflict of minde and how he was delyuered through the seruice of loue ministred by HN. Now he telleth that by that same he vnderstood that God would be mercifull to al sinners and I pray you did you not know of this mercy but by HN Were you ignoraunt â—of the Scriptures before you came acquainted with him his bookes His mercy and compassion is plentifully declared in the gospell which it seemeth you were ignorant of This medicine mâ—ster HN. hath wrought a great cure vpon this man For as one of your schollers haue written in his defence He teacheth with power and it may be the power of Sathan which leadeth men into errors and heresies Although you imagine that this is wrought by the mighty hand of the Lord abusing the words of the â—anticle which the blessed virgine did set forth magnifying the name of y Lord thereby Touching your diseases which you count to be cured it is out of dout that you are more full of infirmities and desperate diseases then euer you were although you feele them not For a body that feeleth no sicknes yet infirme and weake is hard to be cured yea irrecuperable as Phisitions prescribe Looke therfore more rightly into your selfe and you that are so whole clene you shall finde matter of corruption in you whereupon the true Phisition of our soules Christ Iesus shall if you acknowledge your sicknes and infirmity worke therby such an alteration in you as heretofore you neuer had the lyke but if you stand
Gather ye now altogether into my house of Loue and to my holy tabernacle or man of God wherein I as a glorious God with my perfite Godhed as with my Christ at my right hand and with my holy spirit of Loue my true being doe liue dwell and walke and wherein wee as one true deity haue reuealed and glorified vs to the end that ye all now may become consubstantiated or coÌ„formably vnited as one mâ—n of God in me and inherite my rest with all the children of God. For when all that which the Lord requireth through his word through the seruice of his Loue is fulfilled with vs all and in vs all so is then also verely with vs all namely by those with whome the same is fulfilled the end of the sinne and the death of the same come to passe or atteyned vnto the end of the sinne her death is the beginning of y eternall immortaâ—itye is also the vpright freedome in Iesu Christ whereunto all men Iewes and Greekes circumsized and vncircumsized wise and vnwise are called â–ª and bidden by the grace of God. Man being thus illuminate regenerat Godded with God in whom god in one power being of his spirit is hominiâ—ied or become man cannot sinne misse the right nor commit any euill but doth Lorde preuaile with God and Christ ouer the sinne nothing can flow from him but heuenly liuing and safe making waters Christ his shape is required to be perfite in vs while we are in this lyfe the shape is perfection without sinne which shape cannot be in vs if we be sinners therefore requisite that we be pertakers of the new couenaunt of perfection spoken of by Fidelitas chap. 1. deui 8. Let euery one take this effectually to hart and let no man refuse the good being whereunto God hath created the man and called him through Iesus Christ his holy ones and wherevnto he is also presenly loued by the comminaltye of the loue c. FINIS AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Day dwelling ouer Aldersgate Anno. Dom. 1579. The â—hâ—ninâ—ing of HN. into a holy nâ—â—â— and C. Vitell â–ª into an oue◠〈◊〉 â–ª is a pâ—â—â—e 〈◊〉 t◠〈◊〉 so 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 The Deuâ—ls dâ—â—â—st neâ—eâ—â—â—the theâ— fall of Lucifer eâ—â—hâ—â—nge theâ—â— names into the dâ—uine eâ—â—enâ—e tâ—ll now Onely 〈◊〉 I waâ— thâ— Câ—rist the Caâ—penter 〈◊〉 called was yet better 〈…〉 then Vitell the ioyneâ—â— that so peâ—eshly hath framed wood and clay together 〈…〉 Proph 〈…〉 Gal. 2.11 Iohn 4.1 2. Thes. 2.1 Rom. 6.12 24. 1. Cor. 3.11 Psal. 130. â— Tim. 1.15 Luke 17.10 Cor. 2. cha 12. v. 9. Tim. 1. châ— Iohn 3.16 Prophesi Chapter 13 verse 〈…〉 A 〈◊〉 callâ—d mâ—nnes fâ—lling away Thessâ— 2. châ—p â— Prophesie â—ol 1. In the preâ—â—câ— of the Prophesie Fol. 1. Iohn 10. Psâ—lme 1. Gen. â— 7 â—â—â—ans â—â—atâ— in innoceâ—cy Mans 〈◊〉 in â—is â—all 〈…〉 15. Gal. 4.4 Esaâ— â— 14 〈…〉 Rom. 13.14 Ephe. 1.3 〈…〉 〈…〉 Râ—m â— 24 Râ—m â— 9 Rom. 7.3 Gal. 5.17 â— Cor. 1â— 7 2. Sam. 12. â—say 57 â—7 â—euâ—â—0 1 〈◊〉 â— 18 Psalme 103 Psâ—l 116.13 Deut. 2â— 26 〈◊〉 3.10 2. Cor. 12.8 Iob. 7.1 â—say â—â— 9 Psal. 19. Ioh. 9.3 Ioâ— 15. câ—a 14. â— 15 1â— â—sa 25.11 Reuâ— â— This wor◠〈◊〉 worde 〈◊〉 of a 〈◊〉 called Man â–ª falling awâ—y an 〈…〉 1. 2. â—la 9. â—â— Sexion 2. Sexion 6. Seâ—ion â— Man his innocency Sexion 10. Sexion 11. Sexion 14. Sexion 15. Sexion 1â— Thâ— opiâ—ion thâ—t th◠〈◊〉 hauâ— of Chriâ—t Sexiâ—n 17. Mâ—th 15. Lukâ— â—3 Sexion 10. Sexion 2â— Sâ—xâ—oâ— 24. Which man iâ— HN. Published peace chap. 1. deui 16. Documentall sentenceâ— HN. châ—p â— deâ—â— 4. â—idâ—litas Chap. 1. â—â—ui â— Documentâ—ll sâ—ntenceâ— chap. 3. dâ—ui 7. â— Libertinisme Deut. 22. Document chap. 2. deâ—i 1. Deut. 26. Maâ— hâ—s stâ—te râ—genâ—rat Documentâ—ll sâ—ntâ—ncâ—s â–ª chap. 2 Dâ—uâ— â— Prophesie â–ª châ—p 6. Dâ—ui 9. Pâ—ophesie â–ª chap 7. Diui. 19. â—idelitas Chap. 3. dâ—ui 15. Vitel â–ª Libell Sexion And is their genâ—â—â—l doctrine A principle in thâ—â—amilye collectâ—d by the doctrine Fidelitas Chap. 5. deui 15.