agreing with our frayle condition and nature But such is our vanitye not guided by the spirite of God to aduaunce our state and calling aboue our degree and condition by the setting on of our enemy Sathan Vitell. NOw I doe maruell why you be so enuious agaynst that name HN. wil you not permit the Lord to geue names to his ministers according to the worke that he will accomplish by them or doe you think that the names are geueÌ„ to the outward creature then are you much deceiued No my beloued the seruauntes of the Lord are children of Loue ascribe no names of holynes as dew to the outward person For they know that they are but fraile eaâ—then vessels beare their names according to their vertues whiche God hath geuen them and submit them humbly and obediently as serviceable instrumâ—ts to serue the lord their neiâ—hbour therfore I would councell you to looke iâ—to your selues marke what 〈◊〉 good thinking spirites rule 〈◊〉 wherethrough ye blaspeme diâ—piâ—e dishonor the tâ—ple or tabernaâ—lâ— of the Lord. Answere AGaynst the two letters of HN. I am not enuyous only against such doctrine as he doth teach contrary to the scripture whereby you as an Ipocrite haue seduced the people and led theÌ„ into error and corrupt wayes to hinder the Lord of his purpose it resteth not in mortal man If HN. be a name signifiyng some office why hath neither he nor you manifested y same but plead ignorance that it signifieth some hâ—e misterye which you nor we know not now as HN. is a name geueÌ„ by the Lord as you affirme according to the worke that he will establish by him so doth his fellow Elder â—idelitas looke for lyke credit whose wordes I will repeate as they be written in his booke called A distâ—nciâ—e declaration of the requiring of the Lord c. In the First chap. 1â— seâ—ion â—e hath these wordes following but fire or bend alwayes all your sight oâ— me Fidelitas and consider how that the Lord hath choseÌ„ me euen froÌ„ my very byrth out of my Mothers wombe to the obedience of the requiring of his word For that I with you and yee also with me according to the requiring of the testimonyes of his gracious word should become vnited therein and so to growe of one vniforme being with ech other in the same c. You shew vs in the 29. sexion that through HN. his priestes office the Lord will receaue all men in mercy but for Fidelitas office as yet we know not what it is and in deede there were neuer any that would challenge such names as these elders doe affirme that they signifie their office and calling certayne players vpon stages would declare thâ—â—r names representinâ— câ—rtâ—ine â—eâ—â—ueâ— to seâ— out their matters somâ— wâ—â—e callâ—d truâ—th some hope some â—aithfulnesse but in sadnes to set â—owne such names to siâ—niâ—â—e 〈◊〉 which thâ— Lord as yâ—u affirme will accomplish by them is meere impâ—etie But where the Lord geueth names it appeareth by their calling and such aâ—e their workes and sayinges as geâ—eth testimony sâ—fficient to their vocation â—ut â—our HN. câ—n shew no sufficient markes wherby any but seduced persoâ—s should geue credite to his wordes onely a paâ—nted shew and barren heaping vp of woâ—des darkly appliâ—d without conclusion or sence sauing you and such lâ—ke that finde great misterâ—es in his sentences carying such credit among you as is not seeming Christians The Lord gaue names to sundry vnder the law as Isaack Sampson Iohn â—aptist c. But doth it follow that HN. is a name geuen by the lord Proue vnto vs that the Lord hath established his name your friuolous cauill that HN. signifieth 〈◊〉 will not serue such bables are scarce sufficiâ—Ì„t to meâ—k children therefore you must deuise some better 〈◊〉 Some of your Familye haue written that HN. signifieâ—h some greater matter then either you â–ª or wee can tell of such incertentyes hoâ— you auâ—uch of your HN. For vncertayne doctrine must haue certayne â—idden misteryes to amase the heares mindes or els no doubt â–ª the drift of doâ—â— me would easely be espied Therefore you must deâ—ise some hidden sâ—â—retes whereby to cary a shew of profâ—â—â—d mâ—tter That names are geuen by men in these dayes and not by God there is no doubt or question but you would sayne haue HN. to be a name geuen of God to signifie a calling you geue vs no reasâ—n so to thinke but woulde haue vs beleue it is so because you say so then were we vayn heads and vncâ—nstant mindes For we depende so stricktly vpon the scrâ—ptures of God that no spirite no 〈◊〉 nor no Angel teaching other 〈◊〉 can be a coâ—ted or beleued amongst vs so ceâ—tayn is our faith and so inuincible is that truth which by the Scriptures we held In that you tâ—e Children of y loue ascribe no names of holynes vnto the outward person it is a mistery we aâ—e ignorant of we simply geue names to our children in baptisme without signification of holynes touching the Inâ—ant the names may signifie holynes but that the person carrying the same name shall be indewed therwith that are we ignorant of If you haue such hidden misteries among you it were good the world should not be ignorant of it We commit the successe and euent of such hidden secrets to the lord Of enuyous good thinking spirites that rule in vs you councel vs to looke to without your councell God willing we meane to follow the councel of the Lord our God which willeth vs not to beleue euery spirite c. And yet I neuer heard before of enuyous good thinking spirits But such a grace you haue not only to forge new doctrine but new names of Spirits also In speaking against HN. you wold insinuate that we blaspheme despise and dishonoâ— the temple or tabernacle of the lord Doth it follow necessarily that they that speake against HN. blaspheme despise c. And is he the temple or tabernacle of the Lord vndoubtedly we are all deceaued then For I assure you we take him to be an erroneous spirit a fantastical hed possessed with pride of minde Sathan blowing the belowes The Lord working therby the exercise of his church If you haue other opinioÌ„ of HN. warrant or grouÌ„d so to do haue you none But beâ—ause you will not beâ—eeue the truth therefore are strong illusions sent whereby you might be deceaued Looke into the holy Scriptures with a more single minde and it shall be easily perceiued Vitell. MOrâ—ouer you say that the illuminat â—lders sin not I would you knew what you say forth you should vnderstand that they do lord and preuaile with God and Câ—â—ist ouer the sinne and haue no pleasure to commit sinne therfore they teach men the godly obedience whereby they might be frends with God but they that haue pleasure in sinne are the seruants of â—inne and are enemies to the Lord. Answere I Haue sayd that the
acknowledge themselues to be felow Elders with the Elder HN. and magnifie his office and calling abouâ— measure and protest with great vehemency that such wonderfull workes as are brought forth through the same HN. could not be wrought unles the Lord God were with him And these strange names of their Elders do maruelously astonish our English people Elidad as I haue learned is an Hebruâ— word and signyfieth dilecâ—us Dei. the beloued of God which is a proper title belonging to our Sauiour Christ. This is my beloued sonne c. And that we generally are in him and by him beloued there is no dout so is be still the beloued And that some of their Elders name themselues Fidelitas so others that belike are not come to so high degree name theÌ„selueâ— Amatores Charitatis It is a world to see how these men delite in such vayne shewes of piety and thinke to get credite by these coloured meanes which to the godly seemeth ridiculous and too too fond And thus much coÌ„cerning the bokes in latin by occasioÌ„ of the Dutch wherin note this Christian Reader that wheras the Italian Pope would haue all in latin this other Pope and dutch Antichrist would haue all in Dutch as a predestinate tongue to open his prophesies and misteries of that Lord. All the quotations of holy scripture that HN. vseth to proue that he is rysen from the dead to iudge the world do proue in deede that Iesus Christ hath rysen from the dead must they therfore auouch HN. his resurrection See good Reader the presumptuous spirite of Sathan so setled in these for â—orne â—dames â–ª that through the eating of that forbidden fruite wherethrough they would become as god that is deiâ—â—ed they are wholy become sathanified or diuilyfied Strange names I confesse but very significant propeâ— for such strange Christians Was not Christ Iesus mightely declared to be God by the resurrection from y dead If this resurrection were the mightyest declaration or argument proofe that Christ was God iudge Christian Reader â–ª if HN. maketh not himself not only God but Christ and so the promised séede And in deede you your selfe Vitell haue affirmed him to be a Prophet before in thiâ— place you cal him a priest geue him also the name of a king and then is he Christ a new Messiaâ— for by his resurrection he maketh him selfe god Such an Antichâ—ist â— thinke should neuer haue beene heard of if that the Children of God had not beene warned in the gospell that many false Christes should come into the world and such dangerous dayâ—s that if it were possible the elect of God should be deceaued But blessed be God whâ— euer is ready to preserue his electe by Christ sâ— that perish in â—ecoiuable wayeâ— they shall not such a care hath the Lord ouer his Now HN. and his â—â—istes office shall appeare where through the Lord will receaue all men O impudent wretâ—hes haue we not a deliuerer euen the Lord Iesus who doth not onely receaue vs but continually protect vs and minister to vs all thinges both heauenly and earthly which are expedient for vs but will you blasphemously open your mouthes that wee shall be receiued by the Priestes office of your HN. No godly Christian can heare this without griefe What â—erogatioÌ„ is this to our merciful Lord and Sauiour that now a wretched man possessed with a lamentable spirite shall take vpon him his office and calling where through we shall be receaued Oh manisefâ—st impietye Oh exeâ—rable iniquitye which no patience can beare Seing you publishe â—uch doctrine in writing with deliberation what doctrine doe you teâ—ch in corners to your Family where no maÌ„â—are open hiâ— mouth agaynst any blasphemy that you doe vtter â–ª In such credâ—â— are you â—â—ept but wo worth y hed that seekes to 〈◊〉 the simple with such horrible doctrine Your 〈◊〉 â—ayd that I know not HN. but as it was sayd to Serinthus the heretique I know him to be the first begotten sonne of SathaÌ„ But the Lord hath geuen his Church the spirite of trueth to direâ—â— them from all such vâ—yne boastes of iniquitye So lykewise O Lord geue thy holy spirit to the simple seduced in y Familye â–ª that they may behold the blasphemyes which their Elders in wickednes doe teach agaynst the son of God Christ Iesus Vitell. FVrthermore you write very vntruly of HN. where you say that no man be he neuer so learned or godly can vnderstand or interpreat the scriptureâ— for I am sure there are no such wordes written by him therfore I must needes say they are lyes and false iudgementes with wrong interpretatioÌ„s almost all what you write of him and of his workes and euen so are most of your interpretationâ— which you alledge of Christ and his Apostles doctrine For if so be they I meane HN. his bookes might be perused of vnparciall Iudges then your iudgement would be found euen lyke their iudgement which coÌ„demned Susanna but the Lord raysed vp Daniell which is the iudgement of God and deliuered the giltles vnto whome we commit our cause For he will iudge vprightly and reward euery one according to his deedes Aunsweâ—e WHat HN. hath pronouÌ„ced of all other mens vnderstaÌ„ding of the scripture I will here agayne set down that the reader may iudge who is in the lye Therefore it is assuredly all false and lyes seducing and deceitfull what the vngodded or vnilluminated men out of the imagination or of their owne knowledge and out of the learnednes of the scriptures bring forth institute preach and teach they preach in deede the letâ—er and the imagination of their knowledges but not the word of the liuing God. And in an oâ—her place â—o diuâ— â–ª codem cap. 〈◊〉 theÌ„ esteme themselues so holy as they will they are a false Christianitye and Diuells sinagogue or schole c. with many other places to lyke effect so that HN. still teacheth his Familye that it is geueÌ„ to the Familye of Loue to vnderstand the secretes thereof Now let the indiffereÌ„t reader iudge whether HN. exempt not all but him and his from the true vnderstanding of the scriptures all men which are not godded with God he tearmeth fleshly minded and earthly in cogitations and intreateth whole chapters of such men he sayth That a fleshly and earthly man out of his naturall and scripture learned vnderstaÌ„ding hath not any sight or knowledge at all thereof he iâ— so vtterly voyd of the same that he cannot vnderstand the smallest title thereof much lesse expound the same according to the trueth to an other c. So that it appeareth pâ—ayne that nono but HN. and his illuminat Elders can vnderstand the samâ— â–ª â—â—ccording to trueth You say if HN. his bookes might be perused of vnpartiall Iudges then should his case be found as innocent as Susanna Those vnparcial Iudgeâ— that you would haue are you and your fellow Elders in the Familye For I doe truely affirme that no
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
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
Elders Vitell. NOw for asmuch as there are certayne which make vp themselues slaunderously and reprochfully as ignorauÌ„t of the promises of the Lord where through they blaspheme the Lord and his most holy service of Loue saying it is the most detestable heresie and so desame and slaunder the Lorde his elected Minister H N. and all those that haue therein their exerciseâ— which seeke onely there through and through the lawe of the Lord how they mought liue in that which is godly and manly in all lawfull â–ª and dutyfull obedience both to God and gouernours spirituall and temporall and lyue peaceably and deale vprightly with all men c. Answere WHereas some in the feare of God and loue to his trueth and in discharge of their duetye they owe vnto his Church haue manifested and made knowen to the world your doctrine and behauiour we doe not herein slaunder you wee onely seeke thereby your amendment and conuersion and geue also warning vnto the simple that they may take heede vnto your painted cloakes by which you shadow vntrue doctrine to the peryshing of their soules 〈◊〉 are not ignoraunt of the promises of Christ our Lord but to our great comfort we depend thereoÌ„ neither doe we blasphemâ— the most holy seruice of Loue yf you vnderstand by Loue God as often you do confound that word Louâ—â— but when wee speake agaynst the seruice of Loue we meane thereby sucâ— seruice and vsages as are vsed â—mong you in your priuate coâ—ueâ—tiâ—les As for HN. whome you tear me the Lord his elected minister wee dare not so acknowledge him neither thinke him worthy of y name but a sower of heresies almost worn out of vse but now by him reuiued blased vnder new titles and vnaccustoâ—ieâ— phrases to amaze the simple And for that he calleth himselfe a Prophet and so is among you accompted wee tell you that the more you extoll him and his calling the more you extenuate the office of Christ Iesus If you seeke onely to serue the Lord can not this be done without H N. or his seruice of Loue Wee thinke that Christ hath left vs sufficient testimony in his word how he will be serued in his church if HN had neuer written And for your dewtifull obedience to Magestrates spirituall and temporall that doth little appeare for so much as you 〈◊〉 an Author nor allowâ—d of by any Magistrate and vse your priuate 〈◊〉 forbidden by the Magistrate and both wright speake agaynst 〈◊〉 of Christ 〈…〉 by the publick Magistrate and for your vpright dealing they beâ—â—â— now it that are coÌ„uersant amongst you Yf your priuate dealinges be no 〈◊〉 then your publicke declarations I suppose your vprightnes is not greatly to be boasted of Vitell. ANd yet â–ª are complayned of to the Maiestrates with many false brutes and slaunderously reported of where through the Maiestrates are moued to trouble and persecute theÌ„ yet their aduersaries haue not anything worthy of punishment agaynst them but I see that the tyme is now euen as it was when the Lord Iesus Christ was personally vpoÌ„ the earth for the Pharesies sayd that Iesus was a breaker of the Sabboth they also found fault with his Disciples because they goyng through a corne fielde pluckâ— of the eares rubbed out the corns eat for they were hungry eueÌ„ so the Family of loue going through a corne field haue pluckâ— of eares of corne and rubbed and eaten thereof to satisfie their huÌ„gry soules the which the enuiers of the loues vnitie haue of pied and are offended at them and haue accused them therefore but other matter they haue not agaynst them and yet they say they are breakers of the law c. Aunswere THe complaynt that good men haue made agaynst you is not to slaunder you but of purpose to haue you and your Family depend vpon the Lord his truth not vpon HN. or any although they boast neuer so much of the spirite of God of trouble and persecution you complayne and yet for your part you are safe inough as for some of your Family whiche haue bene imprisoned and vpon submission released therin no cruelty was shewed if nothing could haue bene obiected agaynst them as you report then was their imprisonment seueritye is it not lawfull to chastice heresies and to punish gainsayers of publick doctrine in deede so you would haue it that euery man might be left to the libertye of hys owne will and so shoulde the world swarine with infinite dissentioÌ„s and heresies which y deuil doth more busily stir vp now then heretofore It is the gospell and the doctrine thereof that he breatheth out threates against and stirreth vp his to spurne against the same very eagerlye onely because it spoyleth him of his wished pray through the firme faith and confidence 〈◊〉 haue in our most tryumphant conquerour Christ Iesus Your comparysons are vneâ—â—all because Christ was accused as a breaker of the sabaâ—th and his Disciples found fault withall that in hunger did rub the eares of corne euen so you as you would gladly haue men beléeue are as innocent of crime as Christ and his Apostles in that you are charged but we tel you plainly we finde faulte with you for satisfying your hungry soules it is for the corrupt meate you haue chosen which in deed is very poyson and wil bring your bodies soules to vtter destruction euerlastingly except ye repent and because we warne you and wil you to be circumspect and take heede of such poysoned meate in your hunger you are waspish aboue measure If that you be hungrye in déede Christ hath meate prepared in his holy word sufficient to quench the hunger or thirst of any true Christian. But you haue chosen meate prepared by HN. which you like greatly and agréeth best with your stomaches but we in the feare of the Lord warn you that you take héede therof for it will bring a surphet vncurable vnto your soules Vitell. FOr which cause sake I am moued to make a short rehearsall by what meanes the Lord of his good 〈◊〉 me out of â—hinâ— ignorance and also made manifest vnto me the life saluation More I haue râ—cyted the names â–ª of two wâ—iterâ— which haue wâ—â—â—ten agaâ—ist the most holy seruice of loue and agaynst the Lords minister HN. also a part of their slaunderous reportes to the end that the louers of trueth might pray vnto the Lord that he of his gracious goodnesse will geue those slaunderers vnderstanding that they might percâ—iue and vnderstand their horrible blasphemy against the Lord and so humble themselues repent for I thinke it is all out of ignoraunte blindnes whatsoeuer they haue done whereby they might finde grace at the hands of the Lord c. Aunswere IT were more requisite that you would declare vnto vs what was the cause that moued you first to embrace that wicked sect of Arrius and many yeares became a leader of many pore soules into that
Fideliâ—as he would haue vs beleeue that Nâ— pronounceth and declareth the right state of all what is in heauen and vpon earth what is Gods and mans spiritual and heauenly naturall right and reasonable c. Belike he thought his bookes should neuer haue been perused by any but of such as are drowned in the drowsie dremes oâ— this fantastical doctrine One More of â—uâ—â—er in â—â—â—ng â—â—wardes dayes and one 〈…〉 of Manchester in this our Quéenes dayes tolde of such vayne and friuoloâ—s matters but they were punished as Lunatikes And whereas your Fidelitas sayth that no such works could be wrought by anye vnlesse the Lord were with him this is as strongly affirmed as the other part is monstrous and vngodly For I praye you examine what are the works that HN. hath so notably brought forth which doth manifest y God is with him His bookes peraduenture you meanâ— What his bookes are and out of what spirit they procéed is easely perceiued A simple wit hauing such a guide could deuise agaynst Christ his doctrine as fine riddles as HN. hath published should carry a more shew of truth then his bookes do For schollers and children are able to confute his follies sufficiently they cary such absurdities with them both against the Scriptures of God and against all common reason and nature The kingdome of Israell shal be set vp again the childreÌ„ of loue shall raigne therin you say but when shall this your prophesie take place you tell vs not In deede Dauid George tolde vs before the like propheâ—y that the true house of Dauid should be erected and the children of loue should raigne therin Why delite you your selues with such speaches For in this worlâ— these thinges according to the letter â—hall not happen but they are spoken to assure vs of the resurrection and to shadow the ioyes of the kingdome of heauen whereby our harts should be lifted vp with expectation of his promise Vitell. BEhold these be the causes wherthrough the lord hath moued me to minister the seruice of loue vnto other wherein I haue sought only the honor of God and the saluation of al people which hope in god and long for his righteousnes Also I haue through the goodnesse of the lord met with certan good willingnons which haue submitted them obediently and faithfully vnto the lord and his gratious word which also haue followed the couÌ„cel of christ to the clensing of their hartes and therin doth their light shine before men wherin they seeke the laude of the lord and the saluation of all meÌ„ Answere WHen you had séene dissention vprores contentioÌ„ c. in the world then the Lord you say moued you to minister the seruice of loue vnto others you toke the aforesayd â—robles as a fit occasion geueÌ„ you to begin your doctrine surely you bewâ—ay your selfe in your speach You thought it was good fishing when the waters were troubled and tooke occasion to teach false doctrine when you saw great broiles and tumults in the world But where you affirme that the Lord moued you to do this â–ª wherby shall we know that this your bare affirmation is true onely because you say so but the holy Ghost hath warned vs not to geue credit to such Ier. 14. ver 14. sayth The Prophetes prophesie lâ—es in my name I haue not sent them nether did I commaund them nether did I speake to them but they prophesie to you a falâ—e vision diuination vanity and deâ—eitfâ—lnes of their own harts Also Eze. 13. ver 3. Wo be to the foolish Prophets that follow their own spirit haue seene nothing We may not beleue euery spirit but try the spirit whether he be of God Iohn 4.1 The Lord moued you not to leue your arte calling and to minister a strange doctrine to the people but the spirit of pride and vaynglory and a desire of singularity puâ—t vp your mind Like as in time past you did as eagerly maintayn other strange monsterous opinions The causes that moued you to spred your doctrine are not sufficient you haue thrust in your selfe into a function and calling nether allowed of god nor ordayned by mâ—n and thiâ— your ministery is disobedience to God and the publick magistrate neither hâ—ue you herein fought the honor of God â–ª saluation of al people as you afâ—irmâ— If you had sought God his honor your voice should publickly haue been heard and not in corners In that you haue met with certayn good willing ones which haue submitted themselues c. therin we beshrew you lament that any simple soules are deceiued by your perswasions and in deede it seemeth some such there are that geue eare to your sugred wordes For the poyson of aspes is vnder youre tongue Psal. 14. Why come you not â—orth to mayntayn such doctrine as you haue taught why proue you not your doctrin by the holy Scripture Why suffer you your schollers to be troubled and imprysoned but for your selfe you are saâ—e inough and when they should render a reason of their hope and faith then they vtterly deny your doctrine It séemeth that such a principle you haue taught theÌ„ to affirme and to deny only keeping their conscience secret Now where you say that your good willing ones or schollers their light hath shone before men wherâ—by you would heare vs in hand that your pupilâ— be men of excellent life as you set them out so do they your life as appeares by their letters so one of you commeÌ„deth and prayseth another anâ— so must you â—éedes do when you want good neighborâ— y best way iâ— to praise your selues Vitell. ALso I haue geuen forth certayn bookes which are translated word for word as neare as we could out of the bokes of HN. and some of them haue come to the hands of enuyous persoÌ„s which are diuilâ—ed with the deuill either diuelishly minded for they be slaunderers and liâ—rs and also blasphemers whilest they haue â—laâ—phemed thâ— holy Ghost and hiâ— most holy seruice of loue Moreouer they hauâ—â—ayled at â—euyled condemned despised and blasphemed the Lord his elected minister HN. If this come not out of enuy although they say nay then I know no enuyous spirites And although there be many enuiors of the loue and her most holy seruice yet are theâ—e two horryble blasphemers of late rysen vp whose bookes arâ— come to my hands The one is named Steuen Batman the othâ—r I.R. But they might both be named with one name Tertullus if they coÌ„tâ—nue in their lying wherof I must wryte although I haue no pleasure in such workers of wickednes Aunswere THat the bokes of HN. were translated out of Dutch by you we knew before but in distributing them to the Quéenes subiects without any allowance of the magistrate contrary to law therin we tel you you haue not dealt liâ—e a â—rue subiect nor a christiaÌ„ you complayned of disobedience to magistrates but you your selfe are the most disobedient of
scarce credible But at â—mden from that day to this opeÌ„ly he durst not be séene therefore some other matter was layd to his charge then professing a strange doctrine For his credite sake it had beâ— conuenient to haue geuen some reason to proue that he was accused for no other cause let the world iudge indifferently where is more probabilitye Vitell. ANd after there was iustice desired then they restored agayne his goodes vnto his children but there was much taking away by the vntrue officers for there was no inuitory taken therof but whether he went and where he had his abode that shall in tyme be manifest when as the Lord shall moue the hartes of the Magesâ—â—ates to desâ—re to know the ground of the trueth then shall it all be declared to them but the trueth thereof is yet vnknowen vnto you therefore you may be content and not trouble your selfe therwiâ—h Answere THe Magâ—strates you say redeâ—iuered hâ—â— goodes to his children therfore they were men that imbraced Iustice and so would they haue ministred Iustice to HN. If he would â— stayd but the safest way was to preuent the matter by flight you are very â—riuye to HN. and his doingâ—s that can so redely tell what was missing now the Magestrates here shall know the trueth where he is and where he hath made his abode euer since but sure it is little to be regarded where he is and I thinke the Magestrates doe hartely wishe that he had neuer ben borne nor you neither he for deuising your new familye and you for publishing the same to our countrye and translating tâ—e bookes which certainly was not done lyke a godly Christâ—aÌ„ nor a true â—nglish harted man For in â—eede as I am informed you are of the Dutch race your selfe and so appearâ—th by your vaine and curious hed salling froÌ„ one error to another as those countrymen are apt vnto â—f the boâ—kâ—s had remained in dutch our quiet Country should neuer haue â—in troubled with this new familye to the griefe oâ— God his childreÌ„ whiâ—h bewaile y state that you haue brought many vnto at this day veye well assured that although ye lurke in corners and send fourth your Libels you cannot escape his handes who seeth euery corner of our hartes And as HN. by slight would not abide the triall of his matter euen so doe ye follow the same course sayle rightly by his compas for stand to your doctrine nor come to conference you dare not but priuily insinuat your doctrine where your wordes are taken for Oracles The Magestrates would gladly that you should geue a reason more agreable to truth of your dealinges and doctrine as for HN. where he became or where he is they little passe and wheâ—e you say that to me the trueth is vnknowen it may be as you say neither will I trouble my selfe much therein but that you of his Familye might imbrace trueth is my chiefe purpose which cannot be in my opinion holding your selues captiue to the illusions of HN. Vitell. FVrthermore you say that he doth cal himselfe Restorer of al things whereunto I aunswere that there is no suâ—h word written by him and yet hath thâ— Lord accomplished according to his promises through the â—piriâ—â— of Christ in him all that he hath spoken through the mouth of his seruauntâ—s the Prophets more where you say that HN. cannot erre or miâ—â—e the right c. I know not how hee or any one should erre whiâ—hâ— is indewed with the holy Ghost led by the spiâ—ite of Christ which leadeth into all trueth Aunswere THat he doth so call himselfe I haue written therein as I â—inde it collected by the commissioners who delt specially in that matter but you affirme as much or more of him then I charged him with For you say that the Lorde â—ath accomplished through the spirite of Christ in him all that he hath spoaken through the mouth of his Prophetes and this we thinke to be very straingely auouched of you contrary to trueth the Prophecyes of such whome the Lord raysed vp to coÌ„fort the weake estate of his Church in the tyme of the law were fulfilled in their seasons especially such prophesyes as either touched the captiuitye of the Iewes or the destruction of their Citie also many of their prophesies concerned the comming of our merciful Messias the maner of his byrth passion death and resurrection Now to affirme that all these are fulfilled in â—â— is very horâ—â—ble and moÌ„strous but such is your vanitye that so you may extoll the dignitye of your Aucthor you care not what vntruthes ioyned with blasphemye you vtter the lyke speach HN. auoucheth of himselfe saying what God hath spoken â—hrough hâ—s holy Prophets what is written of Châ—ist should also in vs and with vs beâ—ome fâ—lâ—illed c. â—ow you are able by any shaddow of trueth to proue anâ— of these two sayinges true it had bin requisite that you should a shewed for they carry great absurdityes both in trueth and reason Whether doe you lift vp your Aucthor by such vntrue speaches it doth appeare very lamentable to all God his children this is proude bosting and exaltation such as S. Paule did warne the Church to take heede of such I doe much maruell that Christian men with any face can write thus presumpteouslye of mortall man although you would qualisye your saying that this is brought to passe by the spirite of Christ in him but this helpeth not neither doth it stand with the will of God reueled that any mortall creature should be so exalted For if we should demaund of you how we shall know this to be true then you aunswere by his workes which I thinke you meane his bookes Yf otherwise you meane some miraculous dealing which you are priuy of and not knowen it were necessary for his credit and your honesty not to hide it any longer but simply to manifest the same Moreouer you say that none can erre which are indued with the holy ghost c. We know that the spirite leadeth into al trueth yet those vessels hauing by grace such priuiledge doe often in shew and countenaunce appeare as though the spirite were queÌ„â—hed or as fire raked vp in ashes example here of Peter who hauing the spirite of God yet did thingâ—s contrary to trueth and therefore was rebuked by Paule and that worthely many in Christ his Church no dout haue bin guided by the spirite of God and yet sometymes haue shewed theÌ„selues humane creatures as wanting that excellent priuiledge appropriate to Christ which sayd I am trueth such is our condition we may not reach higher not to erre is a speciall title belonging to Christ our Lord and not to mortall man although lightened with the spirite we must rest conteÌ„t with such honor as it pleaseth him to graunt who is Lord of his creatures and not to reach so high as presumpteously to chalenge a title and dignity farre aboue our capacitye and not
with all to deceaue all How do you obserue the politik ordinaunce of the Maiestrate in printing your bookes and publishing them to the Queenes subiectes contrary to the law made in that behalf your obedience câ—nsisteth in wordes but not in 〈◊〉 â—hâ—refore with more truth you might saye we will not be obedient to Maiâ—strates In that you coÌ„descend â—oâ— iâ— anye thing contrary to God c. Therin you say well but I would you were found herein true of your promise for then your HN. and hys doctrine with hys prophesies should not haue such credit amoÌ„g you as appeareth if his doctrine be not directly agaynst the Lorde our God and hys commaundementes I apeale vnto the iudgement of all God his Children that shall reade these conferences You accompt none vngodly but such as blaspheme the Lord and despise his most holy seruice of loue Whome you accompt blasphemers before is declared iâ— any speake aagaynst your HN. or your Family of loue Ipso faâ—to he is a blasphemer then all the worlde which doe despise your Familye are blasphemers your conclusion must needes fall out euen so whereby appeareth what reuerent opinion you haue of any and of al that are not of your Family if you learned this of HN. consider better of it for very shame of y worldâ— if no reuereÌ„ce nor feare of God can moue you You confesse that there is no man righteous vntill the Lord deliuer him froÌ„ hys vnrighteousnes but howe we are deliuered you wee greatly vary we according vnto the holy Scripture do acknowledge Christ to be our righteousnes which he hath wrought perfectly in him selse which by fayth wee apply to our vnrighteousnes hys obedieÌ„ce his loue his pacience c. we by fayth apply to our disobedience to our hatred to our impacience c. all what was in Christ is made ours by grace yet still wee in our earthen vessels are coâ—rupt sinâ—ull and vâ—yde oâ— anye suche vertues as the law requireth But â—ou on the contrarye affirme that by Christ working in vs by hys spirite we are made righteous and so clensed from our vnrighteousnes that we are chaunged into hys perfection so that in all our actions wordes and thoughts nothing can â—low oâ— pâ—ocâ—ede from vs but sucâ—e as procâ—ede â—rom Christ because we are guyded by the same spirite but whether you or wee speake truth let the holy Scriptures beare witnesse then may be say that the Lord is his righteousnes it is very true but how and in what manner the Lord may be sayd to be our righteousnes is to be vnderstoode we acknowledge y hee in hys owne person is our righteousnes and sanctificatioÌ„ but you will haue hys righteousnes wrought in you by his spirtie the difference coÌ„sisteth in the maâ—er we acknowledge in him all strength all piety all obedience and in our selues all weakenes all vngodlinesse and all disobedience but you will needes haue all in all to be in vs whiche to much blemisheth hys glory and triumph if we shoulde also in our persons triumph our triumph standeth not in doing but in beleeuing in him which did Therefore as you haue charged vs wrongfully to be aduocats for sinne so may we rightly call yâ—u Patrons for our corrupt rotten and earthen vessels Vitell. MOre you are offended at the confession of the Familye of Loue vnderstand the matter well that there is no man coÌ„pelled therevnto but if any one be wounded or trobled in his coÌ„science then he may to his coÌ„fort make his euel thoughts or els what manifest vnto a priest or Elder aâ—cording vnto the counsell of the holy scripture Also I thinke it is an ordinauÌ„ce in the Church of England that if any one be troubled in minde he shall come and aske counsell of the person or minister and I thinke he must then make manifest his thoughtes c. And the Catholiâ—k ReligioÌ„ holdeth thought word and deede but there are many that will compell men to deâ—lare their thoughts â–ª whiâ—h 〈◊〉 nâ—â—ther pâ—iestes nor Ministers of the â—ord Aunswere TOuching your coÌ„fessioÌ„ which â—ou acknowledge to be voluntary and not coaâ—ted I haue signified my dislyking your Auâ—thor HN. doâ—h say it is expedient that they of his Familye make maniâ—est all that hath bin coÌ„mitted both what it is wherevnto our nature draweth vs vnto here it apppeareth â–ª if you follow your Author directly he leueth the matter not so voluntary as of necessitye And this must be done as you say vnto a pâ—iest or Elder to please the Papitles I thinke you haue added this worde priest but we tell you that such manner of confession the scriptures allow not of if any be wounded in conscieÌ„ce he may to his comfort repayre to any godly or learned preacher â—o shew his griefe and to receaue counsell and comfort to his consolation by the scripture agaynst the prick of conscience or the law which troubleth many miÌ„s mindes but that of necessitye he must make manifest all thoughts all what our nature doth incline vnto there is no warrant what ordinaunce is in the Church of England you haue not shewed but that he must of necessitye make manifest his thoughts it is vntrue it is left frâ—â— onely by way of perswasion men are moued to repaire in such extremitye to their learned and godly pastors and by no ordinaunce but this appeareth that you accompt not your selfe as any member of this Church of England no maruell for you holde it more safe to professe HN. his Familye then to be an obedient child of Christ his Church Whereof England is a speciall part What the Catholick religion holdeth touching confession is no cloke to shaddow your dealinges with all for we tell both you and them that such a confession as both you and they hold is not agrâ—eing with trueth The Papistes vrge men and accompt them heretickes that deny it and you hold it as an expedient thinge neither haue you both any warrant so to doe Some doe compell men to declare their thoughtes which are neither priestes nor ministers as you affirme who they are you tell vs not yet I suppose you meane the coÌ„missioners who â—xamining your Familye touching their fayth and doctrine found them so suttle by your instructioÌ„s that in y end they required theÌ„ to declare their knowledge what they thought of their Author HN. and I thinke the Magistrate authorised by the Prince may in such cases require vs to maniâ—est what opinion we haue of any Author or what we thinke of him but you haue taught them to say we know him not and therefore to commend him or discommend him wee may not such sleightes you deuise wheÌ„ the Magistrats requireth a trueth at your handes and here is also declared your obedieÌ„ce to rulers your Elders are safe when the poore country people are brought before the Magistrates but when will any of you the â—lders come voluntarily and defend your doctrine and proue it good by souÌ„d argumeÌ„t it
vpon your perfection integrity he commeth to such a as terrible Iudge to your confusion where on the contrary we reioyce in his mercy still acknowledging our sinnes our wantes crying calling vpon him all the dayes of our lyâ—es with the Prophet Dauid and saying if thou O Lord looke straightly vpon our sinnes Lord Lord who shall abide it c. Correct vs O Lord but yet in thy mercy not in thy fury least we should be consumed c. thus we still call vpoÌ„ the Lord for our deliuery acknowledge our continuall transgressions which are euer before vs as prickes to prouoke vs forward to doe therein our duety that is to aske mercy of the Lord our God who willeth vs to call vpon him in the day of our trouble Vitell. FVrthermore coÌ„cerning Christophers being at Paules Crosse and the cause why he came there that can my Lord Byshop doctor Grindall declare best For he knoweth he found me in no error and so he there sayd neither had he any law to compell me to come theâ—her but he desired me to come coÌ„fesse that I held no such opinioÌ„ or error wherby the false brute might be stayed which went of me so I accomplished his request therein albeit I coÌ„fessed that I had in some poyntes bin deceiued by certayne straungers c. now I wish that you would inquire of my Lord doctor Grindall for I thinke he will testify the matter euen as it was Answere COncerning Christopher Vitells being and recanting at Paules Crosse there are many yet liuing that were preseÌ„t doe verefy what I haue sayd touching my L. of Cant. whom you appeale vnto if y case be so as you haue affirmed then is he worthy great blame to desire any maÌ„ to recaÌ„t which is in no error â— come to such a famous place as Paules Crosse is Before in the 35. section you confesse that out of the wisedome of the flesh sprang all Christoffer â—itells errors and now you affirme that you were in no error agayne in this tractation you confesse that in some poyntes you had bin deceaued by certayne straungers and in an other place you aâ—ouch that by no other mens counsell or bookes you were deceiued such a gift you haue to say â–ª and vnsay to affirme and to deny but the trueth is that you were prisoner in the counter in woodstret by commaundement of the Byshop that then was and there is your name regestred and your comming was not voluntary as you vntruely affirme but coacted by the law Magesâ—rates vse not to desire men to come to publick place to confesse their heresies but the law it selfe doth vrge it and you according to the law for your releasement out of prison did recant at the Crosse and named your error to be Arrianisme whether you did it from the hart that the Lord God knoweth Now consider this man for his credit sake among his deceaued Familye would perswade that such a péece of iniustice was shewed vnto him as he sayth but he is proued a lyer not onely in this but in many other matters verefying the olde prouerb mendâ—cem memorem esse oporteâ— a lyer had neede to haue a good memory And where as you so confideÌ„tly affirme that you were in no error wheÌ„ you were at the Crosse the contrarye whereof is manifest I will put you in minde of the disputations and confereÌ„ce that diuers meÌ„ had with you in Queene Maryes dayes M. Ro. Crowley a reuerent and godly preacher yet liuing who affirmeth that seueral times he disputed with you concerning the blasphemy of Arryus and you coÌ„tinually denyed Christ Iesus to be God equall with his Father and immoueably you remained all her raigne of that minde and this M. Crowley is redy to auouch agaynst you whensoeuer you or any for you will require to be certafied Also one Ione Agar an olde mayde which wayted on those in office for the Cittye as Mayors and shrieffes did declare to M. Fulkes the Elder and others that you Christopher Vitell whome she named to be hyr cosin had taught her playnely that Christ was not God but onely a good man and a Prophet and that there were men that shee did know liuing that were as good and as holy men as he was and further that Maister Latimer Maister Ridley and others which gaue their lyfâ— for Christes cause were starke fooles and did not well in suffering death such wickednes haue you bin the Aucthor of yet now to hould your credit with your Familye you would haue the world beleue that you were in no error but you are worthy the reward of a lyer which is that when he speaketh trueth he is not beleued This man is chosen and found to be the aptest person to be an illuminat Elder in HN. his Family of greatest credit among those deceiued soules a fitter instrument to beare record of HN. and his doctrine then to declare the ioyfull message of Christ our redeemer whome he hath blasphemed denying his diuinitye worthely are they deluded that follow such a deceiuer That man that once hath made shipwrack of fayth good conscience and is possessed with error it is hard to reclayme him but that some spice of that maladye will lurke in him or a worse as is proued true by you you confessed then you were deceaued by certayne straungers and haue you not as great cause to suspect your selfe deceaued now by HN. a straunger in nation and estraunged from God and Christ in his doctrine published contrary to his will reuealed in the holy scriptures if you would consider with indifferency you were neuer so notably deceiued then as you are now for looke into all the workes of HN. what doe they tend to but that he is a prophet raysed vp by God and an elected minister a priest in office by whome God wil receiue all men in mercy With such lyke testimonyes doth he vtter of himselfe and his Familye doe beleue the same I would his credit were not so great with you but that you could coÌ„pare his saâ—ings with the scriptures and haue an eye vnto â—s collections of the same and how he followeth the grossest â—raslation of the Bible delighting in that most specially and his allegations applyed so farre from the sence of the holy ghost that a man meanely exercised â—n the scripture may playnely see his corruption Many brutes haue bin of you touching your erronious spirite and in deede they that haue truely noted your disposition doe affirme that you could neuer lyke of any publick doctrine which was taught but had alwayes a desire of singularitye such a troubler of Christ his Church haue you bin but blessed be the name of y Lord who hath made manifest your herâ—sies although you will not scarcely acknowledge theÌ„ so that the simplest among many thowsandes is sufficieÌ„tly assâ—sted by the Lord to bewray and display your manifest impietye and the Lord hath in store of his Church that
God â—nd one man and they were one and had in al one order being and nature For God was all that the man wâ—s and the man was â—l that God was c. Thus man became God at the beginning For God looking vpon man looked vpon him self as the same cleerâ—nes of his liuing Godhead Also the man looked vpon his God his gentle cleane and vnspotted manhode in all fulcomenes in all honesty and fairenes in all fashion and being according to the same Godhead And this was also all one God and the man c. God gaue the man in the beginning none other Lawes Institutions Iudgements nor Commaundements but to liue with ioy naked or vncouered before him and to looke vpon all the works of God for good and not for euil should neuer tast or féele euill death or condemnation But as the man turned â—way the eyes of his flesh from his â—od saw vpon him selfe that he was not the hyest Godhed it selfe but that he was also man â–ª then was he vndersought or tempted to the knowledge of good and euill to be therethrough as God. Then came a blindnes ouer man and estranged him or seperated him from his God wherethrough he could not beare the word or voice of his god nor shine before him with his naked manhoode Man did acknowledge none other God saluation nor kingdome of heauen but through the knowledge that the man had takeÌ„ on to him self which was nothing els but the deuill hell and condemnation Through this knowledge of AdaÌ„ the generations of men haue inherited a consumeable inheritaunce wherethrough men that were made or shaped to be one with God and ought to be one with another are fallen into many contrarieties and hinderlike knowledges Thus man being fallen away altogether destroyed in his vnderstanding and from the liuing Godhed and from the kingdome of heauen straunged might be brought agayne to his vpright estate in his God through his loue according as he had promysed to the saluation of the manly generation he made one new man after the same likenes or similitude of his Godhead and named him Iesus Christus which doeth signifie vnto vs the safemaking oyle of God sauing being the same is gone out from God and hath shewed himselfe vpon earth He is gone into the knowledge of men and found all their man knowledges and their scripture learnednes in all in all that they wist false and lying This false knowledge siting she vnderstandeth not Gods truth aright through her wisdome and Scripture learnednes hath Christ rebuked and taken captiue the knowledge of men and made it through Christ foolishnes to make them frée and deliuer them in this to coÌ„ming day of his Lordlines from all their foolish knowledge Euen so hath Christ done by y sin and the righteousnes of men He is also gone into the death of men and hath borne therby one death namely his death of the crosse and so through his death hath taken captiue the death of men because that he in y last day in his comming againe may set vp the man from death through the death of the cros and make him aliue that he may bring him in his vpright estate to his God. But now hath Iesus Christ the might and Lordship ouer all destroyed things which burthened the men and the destructions which were takeÌ„ captiue and through the death of the cros had brought all vnder him Euen so is he with his might and Lordship risâ—n agayne from death ouer the destruction and through the declaration of his resurrection hath he shewed to his frends and disciples which belâ—eued in him and hath made it knowen vnto them the might home to get y ouer winning against al y destroyed things wherewith the maÌ„ was incaptiued God hath ordayned a day which is the day of loue in which he will iudge the earth with righteousnes through one man he hath concluded it which holdeth beliefe before euery man seing that God hath awaked him againe from the death Hetherto the doctrine of HN. taken out of a booke called Mans falling away his Lordlines and comming agayne THe heauenly being of God and God his vpright righteousnes is become mortall in vs but yet not for euer but for a certaine season till the man shew forth vpright fruites of repentaunce The man in his youngnes is subiect to sinne vntill he haue attayned the manly oldnes in the Loue and the vpright fréedome then is the new couenaunt of perfection ereâ—â—ed and all is fulfilled which is written by Moyses or that God requireth through his Prophets or what is euangelised of Christ. And if there chaunce any temptations by our Paramours which we in tymes past haue loued to come and assault vs c. but if they lay hould on vs with force and violence and that then although we cry there commeth not any power or helpe vnto vs for to withstand them in their force and violence and that they euen so rauish vs agaynst our will so are we guiltles of the transgressinges for wee haue cryed for to be released from the tyranny of the euill and there is no helpe come vnto vs of which guiltles transgressinges the law witnesseth where it sayth a woman that is violently taken in the field c. The regenerat man from his new byrth is exercised in all well doing and for that cause also he cannot bring fourth any thing els but all good and Loue. The true or vpright fredome is this that the man through the ministration of the gracious word c. his hart spirite and minde is wholy released purged and purified from all wicked nature which hath raigned ouer him that there dwell liue nor rule any other thing in him namely in all his spirite thoughtes minde soule but alone the true Godhed with his louely being of the vpright Loue and so to be wholy replenished with all y vertues of God that there flowe nothing els in him namely in all his spirite and minde but the spirituall heauenly â–ª and liuing waters Man regenerat doth veare costly treasure in earthen veâ—sels is of one minde with the thrée godly witnesses that heare witnes in heauen Of which thâ—ee godly witnesses the onâ— is the Loue which is God the Father himselfe The second witnes is the trueth which is the word of God the Father Iesus Christ himselfe And the third witâ—es is the holy spirite of Loue or of God of the truâ—th of Iesus Christ which is the euerlasting lyfe and the inheritaunce of all spirituall and heauenly goodes Consider where God with his Christ and spirite hath his dwelling iâ— any one and bringeth forth 〈◊〉 secret treasures of the heauenly goodes thereout euen there is then truely his wisedome to be found and also the couÌ„cell of God according to the trueth
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.
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
Lord. Answere I Am offended in zeale of Gods 〈◊〉 agaynst your generall doctrine wheâ—of this is a part that none may teach the truth but y illuminat â—lders Your HN. further sayth Therefore it is assuredly all false and lyes seducing and deâ—eitfull what the vngodded or vnilluminate men out of the imagination or riches of theire own knowledge out â—f their learnednes of the scriptures bâ—ing forth institute prâ—ach and teaâ—h c. Now looke wel and behold whether HN. condemne not all others but his illumined Elders who are Godded with God c. which in dâ—ede I haue rightly tearmeâ— proud speaches such as neuer any godly wryter in Christ his church durst euer speake or write â—ou would colour the wordes by the ducth tongue saying they be not straÌ„ge speches in that language but certainly a strange and monsterous doctrine is therby taught and far disagreeing from the written word and far â—nbeseeming any Christian. And here if I should dilate what a meaning you haue in these wordes Godded with God I should increase this treatise ouer much yet I will somewhat touch it as you and your Author haue expressed it in wryting I will vse your own speach as followeth See and marke my beloued in the beginning when God had made all things well thâ— was the Lord one Lord of his kingdome and one God of his worke and there was also no more but one God and one man and they were one â–ª and had in all one ordeâ— beinâ— â–ª â—nd nature For God was all that the man was and the mâ— was all that God wâ—â— Thus monstrously and blasphemously you haue taught god and man to be one in nature now compare this godhead with God or incorporated to God and easily it is perceiued that you meane God and man to be one this were worthye to be buryed in silence but that now the patrons defeÌ„d such blasphemies it is tyme to cleare the Church of Christ that such proude and Luciferian voyces shoulde not bee heard or once named yet this man will proue that HN. cannot erre and none that know the truth can condeÌ„ne HN. It is a pitiful thing that men hauing anye sence or feeling of God or godlines should so vaynely wryte or publish to y world such absurd horrible doctrine neuer heard of before and yet the Aucthor must needes be a prophet and his doctrine to proceede from the Lord nowe in despising thys and the like proud speach of HN of necessitie I am counted to despise y Lord thus still you drawe HN. hys matters that who so speaketh or wryteth agaynst hym be wryteth and speaketh agaynst God whether will you exalt your Auâ—thor ye vnbeleuers surely aboue all that is called God but wyth your father you will be cast headlong so low where to late you may bewaâ—l your contempt of God and godlinesse looke in tyme to this and the like part of your doctrine oh ye Ipocrites Vitell. FOr asmuch as the Lord hath seen it for good to bryng foorth hys most holy seruice of loue in the duch language although it seeme grosse and barbarous to you so shall it from henceforth be counted a language amoÌ„g those languages wherin the Lord hath erected his law and the priestes office thereof and the seruice of the beliefe with hys priests office Like maner shall the most holy seruice of loue be brought foorth through the Lorde hys elected minister HN. with his priests office where through the Lorde will receaue all men in mercy whiche humble them vnto hys word of grace according to the requiring of hys lawe and ordinaunces be erected and remayne from generation to generation for euermore for loue peace and righteousnesse shall remayne in eueâ—lalastingnes Aunswere THe Dutch language must nowe be accounted amongst those learned tongues wherein the law and gospell were written and this he auoucheth the Lord hath seene it for good that it shal be euen so you now take your authors office in hande For you Prophesye that from hencefourth this shall come to pas the law the seruice of the beliefe and the Priestes office must be brought forth in y Dutch Language I cannot but say notwithstanding your false Prophesye that the Dutch Language you vse especially in such straunge inuented wordes and confused compositioÌ„ is barbarous sith that â—â—rtayne other of your bookes that haue learned to speake latine a toung by nature propriety plaine copious and eloquent are also new fangled in name and barbarous in phrase of purpose to be blasphemous in doctrine which you nor any of your Familyâ— haue as yet as I thinke translated they want a certayn father and therefore haue no certayn names but borrowed as Theologica Germanica Augustinus Elutherius c. Their new deuised latin wordes are such as Aegoitas Ipsietas c. Their doctrine is that Adam is nothing els but vetus homo and Christus is nothing els but Nouus homo The history of Christ his birth hys miracles passion death resurrection c. they regard not but allegor is vppon euery part thereof most daungerously and vngodly teachingâ— vncertayne significations without coÌ„â—ort making no accompt of the history Confidently to beleue the truth of the history they say is to abide in the letter which killeth Those bookes contaynâ— playne doctrine which the Libertynes hold and also the doctrine of perfection whiche you hold to be in this life â–ª but especially this principle that when this perfection whiche you dreame of is come to the man then is he illuminate and deiffied and God in him hominified so that in all his actions wordes and thoughtes he can no more coÌ„mit sinne or anye euill then God or Christ can commit sinne or euill the reason is rendred because God or Christ dwelleth in the man and hath thâ— gouernment of all hys actions thoughtes c. And when ye are pressed in conference to shewe that man thus hauing Christ dwelling in him if he at any tyme doe bring foorth any euill that in resemblaunce maâ— appeare as sinnes they are not so to beâ— accompted of say you because Christ dwelleth in the man which doctrine is wicked false and diuelish as I haue often tolde your fellowes in other places Christ dwelleth in vs by the participation of his holye spirite and guydeth our actions els should wee haue no strength to resiste sathan or flesh nor the intisements of the world but taketh not away thereby our humayne imperfections but he keepeth lustes and all wickednes that they raigne not ouer vs or rule in vs or haue dominion ouer vs yet wee ceasse not to be sinners or commit sinne that is your owne doctrine but hath no foundation or warrant in the worde Other bookes also are of such lyke name and doctrine as Elidad and Fidelitas whereof I fearâ— me that you were the traÌ„slator The doctrin wherof I meane not to touch in this place onely this is to be noted that the parties