our first creation wherein first we were created vnto holynes of lyfe c. to be heauenly affected to sauour spirituall and goastly thinges that belong vnto the soule Briefely I say M. Peter Mart. whos 's great iudgement I know how much the learned esteame we are one spirite with god when we are ioyned vnto him by the operation of his spirite and the inward working of the holy Ghost Yet doth not this vniting of vs with God availe vs so far that we thereby should be equall with him onely Iesus Christ the sonne of God according to the deuine nature is so vnited with God that he is one in spirite with his father and wholely equall with him wherein we of right and worthely are far vnequal inferior vnto him And thus much out of him concerning the meaning of this place of S. Paule whome ye wrest to approue your errour and yet in the iudgement of the best interpretours your blinde exposition and forced minde of that place is cleane ouerthrowne and confuted for we are sayth he farre inferiour vnto God and our vniting vnto him is that in the preaching of the word and ministration of sacramentes he stoupeth and lispeth with vs that we may vnderstand him Now concerning that last place by you alledged out of S. Peter which is this we are made partakers of the heauenly nature therefore say you your Elders are illuminated from God Godded with god c. Truely yf ye had read any learned wrighter vpon this place or if ye had but waighed with your selfe the purpose of S. Peter in that place comparing the place you cited with that which goeth before and that which euen in the next wordes follow after I trust ye would haue bin better aduised before ye had wrested the place so violently to the purpose that ye haue applied it For in the very wordes following doth he expound his owne meaning in this sort To be made partaker of the deuine nature is nothing els but to flee the corruption which is in the world through lust which S. Paule calleth oftentimes in his Epistles to be dead to sinne and not to be in the flesh and agayne let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodyes that ye should obey the lust of it but euen as the Lord is holye so must we be holy for we are the temples of the holy Ghost and the Lord God through Christ doth dwell within vs. But let me demaund this one question of you to the which if ye will directly aunswere ye shall sée all this controuersie betwixt vs about this place of S. Peter sone discussed tell me but this What is the nature of God which we are partakers of is it not his euerlasting trueth his righteousnes his wisedome c. Is it not peace of soule ioy of conscience and all goodnes which cannot be imagined is not he thē which is made partaker of these good graces of God both in body and soule rightly sayd to be made partaker of the heauenly nature yes verely Then may ye very playnely sée and easely discerne that by these wordes the nature of God We are not sayd to be partakers of his substance or essence but of the deuine and heauenly qualityes which are in god Of this place read Caluins institutions 3. boke I know in déede the heathen Poet Aratus out of whome S. Paule doth alledge a verse in the Actes of the Apostles fayneth that we spring out of the generation of god But what haue we to stand to his fond fantasie and idle dreame True it is the Manicheis held the same errour that we were sprong of the same ofspring and séede of God and after we haue run the race of our lyfe we shall returne to our fist original And I know that in the former times of our fore fathers there were some frantick men which imagined that Gods nature is so powred into vs that it wholy causeth our nature being to lose the force thereof Right so dreameth your Fam. and as they quoted for profe God must be all in all Therfore are we wholy resolued and turned into the nature of god To the selfe same purpose haue ye as fondly as they alledged in this place this text out of Saint Peter but right so may it be affirmed of you which is sayd of them such a dotage as this neuer once entred into the minds of the Apostles Foolish therefore and vngodly are they whosoeuer they be which out of this place imagine that the essentiall nature or being of God is poured into vs our owne being there vtterly vanishing away And thus much for the meaning of these wordes of S. Peter We are made partakers of the heauenly nature And for a further exposition hereof reade the Byshop of Salisburyes reply agaynst harding pag. 331. 5. Article 7. diuision Now to satisfy your questions which ye aske of me What errour is this yf it were rightly sene vnto I aunswere Looke you rightly vnto it and ye shall see it is the errour of Manes of Seruetus a Spanish Arrian burnt at Geneua the errour of Osiander concerning the essentiall and substantiall iustice more largely expounded by HN. in his Euangelie 1. chapter and first sentence From the which heresie good Lord deliuer vs The which opiniōs because I feare they will more hurt the simple people by repeating then doe you good in confuting of purpose I let them passe reseruing you for a more fuller and perfect instruction to M. Caluins institutions by whom the heresies aforesayd so are clearely cōfuted that no godly Christian can or will desire a more absolute resolution Not meaning any further to busie my selfe with the confuting of the opinions of our Romish Catholiques who in this point agree with you affirming that our coniunction with Christ is carnally and bodely HN. CHrist himselfe is their light sayth HN. which becommeth administred vnto them Theophilus IT is true vnlesse ye will deny the scripture William Wilkinson YOw should first haue proued it by the Scriptures afterwardes haue affirmed it to be true bare affirmations beare no weight HN. his profe he quoteth Iohn 1.9 a. The light is the true light which lighteth euery man that commeth into the world is a rouing profe The meaning of the which place is this that all men are equally indued with the light of naturall reason to see God in his Creatures and thereby to acknowledge him to be their creator Which because they haue light other wheres and Christ hath light of and frō himselfe therefore Christ is God. But this place proueth not that onely the Children of God are lightned with the light of Gods spirit which assertion albeit it be true yet is this place by HN. quoted without discretion for it speaketh of a light generall to all that are borne not proper to the regenerate of this light Read. Esay 9.1.2 Mat. 4.15.16 Ioh. 9. a. 5.
did not bow to heare him nor vouchsafe him pardō will Theophilus say that he is giltles for beyng condemned for that transgression So may it be sayd of Caine before he committed that horrible murther the Lord did not onely frowne vppon him but gaue him likewise a watchword that if he stayd not his furie there was a punishment prepared for him and the continuall torment of conscience should not departe from him Dare Theophilus affirme that now seyng the Lord stayd not his hand from heauen in the staying of his brother is God therefore guiltie of that murther as well as Caine because the tongues of them that teach false doctrine are not rent out of the mouthes of heretiques and those that defile the Lordes Priesthode are not plagued is God not iust yes Theophilus God will recōpence the slownes of his punishment with the waight therof our God shall come and not stay for euer looke you therfore before hand to your standyng that ye be not cast out of the holy Citie and haue your part with those that wepe eternally And thus much to your Articles and aunsweres The summe of the opinions of cercertaine Libertines 1 FIrst they affirme that the preaching of the word is not the ordinarye meanes to come to the knowledge of the worde but by reason 2 Secōdly that no man which is faulty himselfe can preach the truth to others 3 Those preachers which doe take in hand to preach the word of God before man be regenerate doe take the office of the holy Ghost out of his hand 4 Those that be doctors and learned can not preach the word truely their reason is because Christ sayth it is hidden from the wise and prudēt and is reueiled to sucklinges and babes 5 There is no deuill but suche as the painters make 6 They which haue the spirite of God know all thinges 7 That we ought not to geue our almes to beggers for that they liue in the consumablenes and that there was no begger in Israell 8 Mariage is a sacrament and wonderfull speculation 9 That there were misteries and great speculations in the Masse if they could be attained vnto and that it was a God seruice 10 Also the seruice that we haue taken for a gods seruice is not so and in so taking it both they and we are deceiued 11 That Adam did not sinne at all their reason is Adam did not sinne but the woman 12 There is no man Gods childe but he that can shew his Pedigrue 13 The martyrs in Q. Maryes dayes ought not so to haue died for in so dying they distroyed the temples of God. 14 That whosoeuer hath Gods Spirite can not sinne and that the Prophet Dauid did not sinne after that tyme he had receiued the holy Ghost 15 That a man ought not to wearie his bodye in trauaile and labour For say they the holy ghost will not tarye in a body that is wearie and yrksame 16 Where there is any contention there is not the spirite of God for say they the spirite is not deuided 17 That the witch which raysed vp the deuill in the lykenes of Samuell was no witch but the wisedome of God and the spirit that she raysed vp was Samuell himselfe 18 That Adam was the sonne of God otherwise then by creation 19 That there be many bookes besides the Bible which Esdras speaketh of should be reuealed and come abroad before the end 20 That the Bible is not the word of God but a signification thereof and that the Bible is but ynk and paper but the word of God is spirite and lyfe 21 That they may not speake the truth bouldly and openly because the truth will not be heard 22 That there are Some which now are liuing which doe fulfill the Law in all pointes William Wilkinson ALbeit there be diuers of these Articles which I haue not read expressiuely in their bookes yet haue they ben confessed by them in conference as it may be proued by the testimonye of thē which haue talked with them vnto the which Articles exhibited at the same time with the former of HN. Theophilus aunswereth in maner as followeth Theophilus NOw forth for your conclusion that you make vpō the 22. forged articles which you terme the opiniōs of the Libertines and you would faine father thē on the Family of Loue vpon the testimony of some priuate conference had by some of that company as you say with such as are as ready as your selfe for to maintayne their lye and yet shame not therein Therfore it is briefly sayd whatsoeuer accordeth not with the scriptures of God therein that same may well be the opinion of the Libertines Whose God is their bellie whose glory is their shame and rest worldy minded Which also with vncircumcised and vnrenewed spightfull minded hartes and all euill dedednes as in contempt of his word persecuting of his chosen following of the fleshly lustes forsaking of his crosse seeking all ease in the flesh by lying and slaundering of his worde and his chosen flock doe seeke to honour the God of lyfe in maintayning of the contrary nature the kingdome of Gods aduersary the deuill to serue and worship the Christ of the same God by maintayning of the lyfe of Antichrist To reuerence his holy spirite by the vpholding of the Belialish spirite of Antechrist but surely none of the right professours of the Loue can in any wise maintayne any such errors as some of them be Therefore in some point Theophilus is a Libertine and so is the Fam. also And by the way it is much to be maruailed at that any such which take vpon them to professe the Christianitye can with such vehemencie contemne the loue of God and her louely ministration whilest that all the Scripture enfouldeth all good and the some of all what God and Christ requireth in his word therein Vnles it were to be graunted that the enviers thereof are vtterly ignoraunt in that which they professe Therfore let this professed Loue vowed by the Familye of Loue be proued a false and counterfaite Loue by some euil fruites or deedes that are in testimonye of truth and meekenes and not by lye and arrogancye And eke by the rule of Scripture to breake forth and be gathered thereout or els if better may be found to be proued by lyke effect let it in peace be allowed to dwell by and with you Least ye procure by such a continuall inueying agaynst God his righteousnes God his seuere wrath and indignation to fall without remedie ouer you For it is all in vaine to kick agaynst the pricke or striue agaynst the Lord for if it be out of the flesh and bloud it will surely goe vnder or faile and spare you much labour but being done by the finger of God small will be your preuailing and much lesse your reward c. W. Wilkinson THis whole speach of Theophilus may for orders sake
reason or knowledge For then should they right wel vnderstand it for the world can vnderstand her owne whose wisedome maketh all men in their manly wisedome meere fooles compassing the wise in their wisedome and prouyng their thoughtes to be but vayne will therfore as S. Paule and likewise the Prophet affirmeth destroy the wisedome of the wise and reiect the vnderstandyng of the prudent For it hath ben euermore an order with the holy on s of God in the bringyng forth of the holy thynges to expresse it more out of the authoritie of the spirite and with power I meane out of the efficacie of the Lord had by their essential operation in their inwardnes thē with the entising wordes of manly wisedome that our fayth might not stand or rest grounded in the wisedome of man but in the power of God by which meanes the naturall man perceiueth not any thyng of the spirite of god Yea the thynges of God and his wisedome are mere foolishnesse vnto him And therefore he shal be founde happyer that becommeth deceiued with such a godly deceit then shall those which are borne in hand to be in a right way and a good case beyng yet in the meane tyme directed with the dreames of mans fantasie in steade of cleare truth c. Rochester THe greatest part of this boke is nothyng but a brief discourse either a rehearsall of the story of the Bible as appeareth frō the .5 chapter to the .27 .28 chapters And his collectiō is none other but such as any meanly learned may gather by diligēt readyng of the Scriptures The Familie of Loue. HOw well soeuer the greatest part of the booke bee iudged by you to be nothyng but a bare brief discours or rehearsall of the histories of the Bible whiche any meanly learned as you say might do the like yet séemeth it to me to be of greater force neither haue I euer in my tyme heard or by readyng perceiued that the greatest learned among the prudent wisenesse which rest grounded more on the litterall knowledge of the Christiā verifie then on the beyng of the same haue atchiued the like or brought the match therof to light all thyngs considered For it is not onely an euident declaration of the singular good will and operations of God towardes his creatures in respectyng and tenderyng their saluation darckly figured foorth in the Bible but also and expresse manifestation of the approchyng of tyme wherein the purpose of the Lord drawen a long and begon as the tyme state and age of the worlde would permit the same touchyng the disposing of the wicked world with her ministers and adherentes the erectyng of the righteous world to florish there ouer in vigour for euermore becōmeth as he there testifieth Full accomplished through the same seruice of God or ministrations of his loue expressed or mencioned in the same booke accordyng to the promises To the which ministration God hath chosen the Authour as he there alledgeth to be a right minister and prepared him thereto in the fourme and sorte mencioned in the head of his booke vnto which like function and holy annoyntyng no conceited Scripture learned or Doctour of the letter that I can any way marke or perceiue hath in these dayes attained or reached And whether that be a pretendyng of the Ghost or no that will well appeare and be séene in his tyme by the sequele thereof to wéete in the perseueraunce and foorth goyng of the same among and with all such as shall endure to sée the triall therof c. Rochester THe Authour doth much pretend the holy Ghost and entituleth his booke An Epistle written from the holy Ghost which is to be suspect of hygh Reuelations daungerous to deceiue the simple Familie of Loue. THis is aunswered in the Section before Rochester INtreatyng of Antichrist in the 28. chapter he teacheth no certaine doctrine who he is or where to be founde that we may know him beware of his doctrine but it seemeth altogether doubtfull in so much that the Note in the margēt sayth O that this Antechrist were knowen Whereas if the Authour would haue dealt plainly and according to the scriptures he might easly haue shewed that Rome is the seate of Antechrist And that the succession of Popes and that body and kingdome is the very Antichrist mencioned and described in the .2 Thessal 2. Apocal. 13.17 c. ¶ In the Chapter 31. 32. the Authour HN. bewrayeth him selfe to be a Papist 1. FIrst he calleth the Church of Rome the communion of all Christiās whereas it is but a particular Church fallen away from the vniuersall Church of Christ 2. Although he seemeth to cōfesse that the Church of Rome hath not that perfection of Religion whiche it had in tymes past which the Papistes do and must graunt yet he seemeth to allow and speake reuerently of all Popishe orders as they be now The Pope hee calleth the chief annoynted the chief Byshop or high Priest who hath his heyng in the most holy sanctuarie of true and perfect holynes most holy Father Next vnto him he placeth the Cardinals whom he calleth most holy and famous and hee sayth that they are next the most auncientest and holy Father the Pope in most holy Religion and vnderstandyng Next vnto Cardinals he reconeth Byshops whom he calleth chief Priestes After Byshops he nameth Curates Deacons c. After those he maketh mencion of Monkes whom he commendeth as men addicted to holynesse and separated from the world and all carnall desires But most playnly the Authour sheweth him selfe a frend to the Church of Rome saying that many through contention and discorde did cast of the Church of Rome and dyd blaspheme her with her ministeries and of their own braynes pretendyng the Scriptures haue brought in other ministeries and Religion they spoke much of the word of god Who doubteth that this is the voyce and iudgement of Papistes agaynst Protestauntes and true Christians Familie of Loue. WHere as you furthermore complayne of the insufficiencie of the expressing of Antechrist as to say who he is and where to be founde because the Authour applyeth him not to the Pope and his succession in the Church of Rome it séemeth if the matter were well looked vnto that mē should finde that Antechrist euen in the very selfe same place from whence you gather your exception flatly detected although he is not so employed to mēs contētations for if men could sée what Christ accordyng to the spirite is as he is a liuyng power of God were whereas his whole scope drift of writyng stretcheth they should then right well perceiue thereout that the man of sinne and child or broode of the Deuill and cōdemnation beyng a right aduersarie or an expresse contrary beyng vnto Christ the righteousnes of God the father and raignyng in all states of men generally Beyng fleshly Popes or other from the tyme of the declinyng
of the man from the true fayth in Christ the light of lyfe to the addictyng of him selfe to the lye or darcknes or euer such tyme as they become conuerted to their God and are regenerated in the spirite of their mynde is the greatest Antichrist which also frō the very begynnyng as likewise in the very corporall appearaunce of Christ in the flesh like as S. Iohn also expresseth impugne it and persecute it in the truth of God and that in the inwardnesse of the man to the establishyng of all vnrighteousnesse in him and not onely a certaine disordred or abused Papistrie yea or euer the Papistrie was thought of which no Pope also or such outward fleshly creature could or can euer worke or bryng to passe And therefore deceiue not your selfe in the point to iudge the Author to be a maintainer of any fleshly or creature like Pope with his adherentes in their abusion of Ceremoniall seruices Ceremonies but he driueth his matter onely as in his worke beyng well noted you may sée to this point to wit that after the entraunce of the darknesse once chaunced the manly generations beyng falne away from the fayth towardes God which was established by Christ in his Apostles and Disciples the old Fathers grew out of a zealousnes of the mynde towardes God and his righteousnesse to institute certaine Ceremonies and seruices so neare as they could out of their insight and comprehendyng that they by their diligent study and searchyng of the Scriptures had attained vnto concerning Gods truth hit the same that resembled or were conformablest to the holy and diuine Scriptures to a commemoration of the thyngs wrought and brought to passe before with Christ and his holynes in the very true beyng to the susteinyng and staying vp of the ignoraunt people in the tyme of darknes from fallyng into any greater absurdities enormities and errours that might haue happened vnto thē and which also did happen vnto many such as maliciously and obstinately not rightly seyng but rather in meanyng to set vp some better degressed and winded of them selues there from and maliciously blasphemed and continewed the same tell that the light of Gods truth might spryng foorth agayne or be erected in the seruice of the loue accordyng to the promises and goeth not about to establish the same in and of their ceremoniall much lesse abused seruice and Ceremonies where about men presently so greatly striue and varie now in this present tyme of the light of loue whiche he affirmeth to be the day of the cleare righteous iudgemēt of God wherein god will restore all thynges to their right to wit bryng or set the lye in his lying beyng to be condemned in the hellish caue and the truth likewise in his right fourme or degrée to wit to preuayle florish and beare sway ouer the vnrighteousnes for euer more Whereby that the will of God might euē so be accomplished in earth as in heauen Wherefore me thinkes that should be very small discernyng in such as can not distinct the shadowes figures or image of a thyng from the body it selfe or the very true beyng either substaunce of the same And that he speaketh of mens ignoraunce in that place and touchyng their slender knowledge vnderstandyng in Gods worde that layeth he forth flatly to the effectuall word and not the imagelike or written word wherein the right Christians are not iniuried but the conceited Christians detected Rochester THe rest of the booke from the 34. Chapter vnto the end is of the callyng of the Gentiles and of the grace of God offred to the world in the last age of the world which seemeth to be the best part of that booke Familie of Loue. IT is well that ye like some part of the booke and if ye could therewithall note that there were a defectiō frō the truth and that there were also by that meanes no difference to bee had betwixt a ceremoniall either letter doctour Christian and an vncircumcised Heathen so had ye then somewhat for your part Rochester THus haue you a tast of this booke gathered as the tyme would serue whereby it appeareth to be no such precious price of worke as of some it is supposed to be Such fayre shewes and glorious titles may soone deceiue the simple to haue such bookes in more admiration then the holy Scriptures But we haue Moses and the Prophetes let vs heare them and iudge all others by them Family of Loue. I do not so collect by the authors wrighting that he would prefer his writing aboue the scriptures geuen by inspiration of God and brought forth and written by the holy Fathers in times past But if you had well marked or considered the same he witnesseth as by a concordable and vniforme testimonye either by record of the same their writynges what the Lord will now accomplish in these last dayes wishing euery one in the same booke to search the Scriptures whether that they also mētion and record not the very same affirmyng also therewith that God is not ne cannot be a God of contentatiō but of peace vnitie And that God moreouer hath stirred him vp to bee a seruiceable instrument or as his elect minister to bryng downe accordyng to his promises written in the Scriptures all controuersies growne among men about their misunderstanding of the scriptures to bryng the same to an end And doth also in the same booke vncouer sundry secret thinges which they that haue seing eyes may by ententiue reading of the same together with the Lordes assistaunce well perceiue and vnderstand that no selfewise or enuious scripture learned could or can euer attaine vnto it agayne What iniurie were it seing that it procedeth by the same spirite to valew it equall with those same sacred scriptures that were tofore written by the holy one of God. Also ye may remember that the fleshly Iewes had also for their aunswere to Christ enuying agaynst him being the truth it selfe the same testimonye that ye alledge to wéete that they had Moses and the Prophets c But who were in the meane time greater persecutours of him then they Rochester WE are sure that the holy Scriptures were wrighten by the spirite of Loue and truth the holy ghost And conteine all true and necessary and sufficient doctrine for our saluation let vs not hould vpon men proue all thinges hould that which is good beleue not euery spirite but proue the spirites Family of Loue. I Graunt that right discerning is good and commeth from the Lord and through him from them whome he and not themselues placeth and by them that are set in the right place of iudgement by the Lord himselfe and not by those that sitt on their owne stoole for it is to be doubted that so many as take vpon them that office of iudgemēt or medling with gods matters or euer Christ be come vnto them or haue a liuing shape in them that they all will
the Ceremoniall law is néedefull to be obserued HN. termeth our Baptisme an handfull of water Who soeuer is not Baptised accordyng to the forme or maner of Iohn that is with the water of repentaunce confessing their sinne he is no Christian No man sayth HN. can Minister the vpright seruice or Ceremonies of Christ truly but the regenerate HN. denyeth the outward admission of Ministers The Familie shal be in all perfection euerlastyngly vpō earth to the end that Gods will might be done in earth as it is in heauen HN. beasteth perfection in this lyfe and in many places HN. sayth that this testimony and publishyng of the ioyfull message videl his Gospell is the kyngdome of perfection and that all the seruices and prophecies which are gone out from God doe lead hereunto and rest and cease herein HN. his sayth Familie must not conceale or dissemble their Religiō but they must hold it out before euery one whō the Lord stirreth vp in their wayes In HN. his Familie is the true most holy of the euerlastyng beyng of God from whence the vpright seruice of the Familie is ministred whereunto all seruices and prophecies which are gone out from God and his truth do lead as to the right and very true perfection that God might euer be declared vpon earth HN. sayth of all preachers without his Fam. that they are vnilluminated vnregenerated vnrenewed vngodded vnsent good thinkyng which out of their literall knowledge come into the shéepefold of the beleuers besides the Church of Christ Which Christ calleth théeues wolues murtherers false hartes and Scripture learned HN. alloweth confession of sinnes in his Familie and forgeuenesse of the same and clensing whiche he calleth Purgatorie HN. sayth that the Romishe Church hath obediently grounded it selfe on the seruices and ceremonies which are the prefiguration of true Christianitie and her seruices and with diligence and feruēcie obserued the same to a good discipline or ordinaunce of the congregations HN. sayth that the annoyntyng with oyle which the Papistes vse is a Sacrament of the holy Churche of Christ and signifieth vnto vs the annoyntyng of Priests and Elders with the holy Ghost HN. alloweth of the Pope because sayth he through his seruice of the holy word the true clearenes of Christ was spread abroad in all landes HN. of the Popish Hierarchie namely Cardinals Bishops Parish priestes signifiyng the Leuiticall Priestes Deacons or helpers of the Parish Priestes Sextons or kéepers of holy thynges Monkes whiche signifie such as dwell alone and are through the loue of righteousnes sanctified and therfore seperated from the world and all that is fleshly for to liue euen so as sanctified ones of God. All the aforesayd sayth HN. hath bene vsed in tymes past in his true beyng whē the light of lyfe had his clearenes but now is become darkned HN. condenmeth as many out of their knowledge whiche they take out of the Scriptures brought in certaine seruices and ceremonies in any other wise and order then the Churche of Rome appoynted as vnorderly reiectyng and blasphemyng the Catholique Church of Rome and rentyng the consent and nurturable sustentation of the same It is mere lyes and vntruth which the Scripture learned through the knowledge whiche they get out of the Scripture institute preach and teach HN. sayth God raysed him vp which lay altogether dead without breath and lyfe from the death annoynted him with his godly beyng named him selfe with him and Godded him with him selfe All the Scripture speakyng of Christ of his séede of his commyng in his glory is in this day of the Loue fulfilled HN. sayth that the prophecies 1. Edras 4. d. Esay 3. e. and 11. b. Ezech. 39. c. Soph. 3. b. Zach. 2. b. are in this day of Loue fulfilled Moreouer the raysing vp and Resurrection from the dead commeth to passe also in this same day through the appearyng of the commyng of Christ in his maiestie acaccordyng to his saying Iohn 6. e. I will rayse him vp agayne in the last day In this day are all prophecies fulfilled The seruice of Loue is the perfection it selfe All sayth HN. shall perishe without the Familie of Loue. ¶ Hereticall affirmations and vngodly expositions of Scriptures by HN. out of the documentall sentences EVen thus haue the seruices of the testimonyes of the holy spirite of Loue their ministrations among the perfect ones and do remoue the midle wall which is betwixt the perfect and vnperfect ones To make euen so of twayne that it be one namely God and the man in one true being of Iesus Christ cap. 1. sent 4. Nothing can come from the true perfection but all humble and méeke vertues and righteousnes which flow out of perfection cap. 1. sent 7. He alledgeth that there is a perfection in his lyfe to proue it he quoteth 1. Cor. 13. b. cap. 1. sent 9.10.2 Pet. 1. d. The perfect can bring forth nothing but all good and loue quoted as a profe Iohn 13 14.16 he leadeth thē into all truth Cap. 2. sent 1. ¶ Christ is taken on  1. With an imagination of knowledge Cap. 2. sent 1. Videl 2. Good thincking of the hart  3. Or out of the text of the letter No man can teach the word of doctrine of Christ but such as haue bene disciples obedient of the loue cap. 2. senten 1. Vnilluminated Scripture learned and vnsent preachers cap. 2. sent 2. The word that is ministred speakeable or in letters out of the Loue and out of the true lyfe is also Christ after the fleash cap. 2. sent 4. For euen so among the beleuers of the word the word became flesh and dwelt among them and Iesus was in such sort borne of the virgin Mary out of the séede of Dauid after the flesh that is of pure doctrine out of the séede of the Loue and whosoeuer feadeth of the ouerflowne word and his lyfe beleuingly in his soule he eateth truely the flesh of Christ and drinketh his bloud and is raysed vp by Christ in the last day to eternall lyfe and becommeth euen so in his new birth Consubstanciated with Christ after the spirit cap. 2. sent 5. As also for that the seruauntship of the Law should be noe Gal. 3. c. heire with the beleuer cap. 3. sent 10. That same was the complaint of Abraham which he or euer he had a sonne or an heire complayned before the Lord that he had obteined no. Gen. 15. a. séede out of the beliefe And supposed euen so that his seruaunt that is his seruauntship out of the law should be his heire but the sonne wich shall be borne out of the spirite that is out of the fayth of Abraham cap. 3. sent 11. As long as the young ones are childish and not yet growne vp vnto the Elderdome of the perfect being they are yet vnder the ordinance of the
Lord or his word not that they should alwayes remaine as subiect thereunder but vntill the appoynted tyme vntill the manly old age in the godly vnderstanding of the holy word that is tell sinne in them be subdued sayth HN. cap. 3. sent 12. Let euery one confesse his sinnes wherein he falleth before his Elder in the holy vnderstanding and make manifest before him all his dealyng and conuersation cap. 4. sent 3. Verely the mortall wherof S. Paule witnesseth is not any creature of earthly flesh bloud but it is the liuing word or being of God which in the beginning was mortall in the manhoode and is in vs for our sinnes cause become mortall cap. 6. sent 3. The letter slayeth 2. Cor. 3.6 namely the administration of the law after the letter or ministration of Christ after the flesh that is nothing els but that the letter according to the requiring of Christ pointeth and leadeth vs to the death of sinne and withdraweth euen so our mindes and thoughtes from all that which is vngodly cap. 11. sent 6. A man which loueth the vpright righteousnes cannot apply hinselfe vprightly thereunto before he haue wholy geuen ouer himselfe to the gratious worde and seruice of Loue for to be obedient vnto the word and euen so to be admitted thereto by his elder in the holy vnderstanding and minister of the gracious word for to become taught therein cap. 13. sent 1. He that is admitted into the Famil promiseth before God and his holy ones that he will cleaue onely to the word and his requiring and shew faythfull obedience out of his whole hart and minde and not seperate himselfe therefrom for euer cap. 13. sent 4. But if they our ould sinnes which he calleth our Paramours which in tymes past we loued sen 7. take or lay hold on vs with force and violence and that then although we cry there commeth not any power or helpe vnto vs for to withstand their force and violence and that they euen so rauish vs agaynst our will so are we guiltles of the transgression for we haue cryed for to be released from the tyranny of the euill and there is no helpe come vnto vs Ergo if we sinne we are guiltles Of the which guiltles transgressing the law likewise witnesseth where it sayth Deut. 11.27 A woman which is violently taken in the field whereas there is not any help and so rauished and although she haue cryed aloud and gotten no helpe she shall be guiltles of the transgressing cap. 13. sent 8. If it chaunce that any man through weakenesse doe sinne yet let him not couer his sinnes but let him confesse them before his Elder in the holy vnderstandyng and repent him so shall then the Lord be gracious vnto him and forgiue his sinnes Cap. 13. senten 8. and Cap. 11. senten 6. This is the day which God Actes 17. e. hath appointed for to iudge in the same the cōpasse of the earth with righteousnesse through his word in whom he hath concluded his iudgement Cap. 15. sent 4. They of the Familie must manifest them selues and their whole hart dealyng and inclination to the Elders in the Familie of loue Cap. 16. sent 4. Haue not much prate or disputation with straungers nor with thē that fall away from the seruice of the Loue nor with the vnwillyng ones resisters Cap. 16. sent 18. O ye adioyned ones and incorporated ones to the word ye shall not hold you Math. 18. and. c. 1. Cor. 5. b. 2. Thessal 3. b. Common with straungers and decliners from the seruice of Loue for to eate dayly with them at your Table the holy bread Iohn 6. d. Actes 2. f. But breake and eate the same among ech other Cap. 18. sent 10. Beare in no wise any enmitie to any one but shew alwayes your brotherly loue which ye haue amongest ech other Cap. 16. sent 11. Come now all and turne you to this mercy seat of the Loue of the holy spirite of Iesus Christ and obtaine the forgiuenes of your sinnes Cap. 19. sent 2. 3. ARTICLES Which I exhibited vnto a frend of mine to be conuaied vnto the Familie of loue that I might be certified of the doubtes in them contayned Which for my further instruction one Theophilus sent me with a letter and an Exhortation annexed vnto the sayd Articles with his exposition in manner following THEOPHILVS TO the collector of these after expressed Articles that out of his malitious minde peruerted the sence and true minde of the Author and framed sundry of them into errors and to the rest of his Assistants in these and such vncharitable dealinges wheresoeuer they be greeting W. WILKINSONS TITLE ERrors out of the bookes of HN. faythfully and truely if sayth THEOPHILVS such preachers as be vncircumsided both in tongue and eares be to be beleued in these dayes gathered and quoted as in his booke by Chapter and Section they are to be found THEOPHILVS YE might rather in truth haue affirmed vnfaythfully lyingly slaunderously and malitiously or vncharitably W. WILKINSONS CONFVTATION MArke I pray thée gentle Reader what a cholorick and taunting spirite these Familers be of and yet they néedes will be called the Familye of loue as though all that commeth from them were nothing but loue and the very pefection of it selfe For so they affirme of themselues Now if these be their swéete and amiable wordes and louely phrases what cutting tearmes shall wée then looke for when they shall sée vs that wée withstand their enterprise and controule their doctrine especially seing that I did neither by worde nor writing euer geue thē any occasion But if this be their loue and perfection then truely I confesse that I meane not to walke with them I enuy not their happines neyther care I amōgest them to be reckoned vnperfect In deede these speaches be such as the Anabaptistes vsed agaynst the preachers of the Gospell which withstode their heresie they rayled on them calling them Lutherans Fol. 254. False and carnall Gospellers 255. erroneous and vnskilfull preachers 256. succeders of the Pharisies ibid. Hypocrites blinde guides fooles serpentes generations of vipers hirelinges 2576. fellowes of théeues whome Dauid maketh mention of Psal. 50. These were the flowers of Anabaptistes Rhetorique but S Paule teacheth vs another kinde of Eloquēce which becometh the children of God. Let all thinges sayth he be done in loue and the fruite of the spirite is loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenes goodnes fayth Loue suffereth long it is bountifull it enuieth not it doth not boast it is in déede and truth not in tongue and worde onely Now whether this family haue bene taught in the schole of the holy ghost or in the schole of the Anabaptistes I leaue it to the indifferent reader to be considered But if any man shall muse to sée such enuious speaches to flowe from so louely a familye I aunswere No
b. Ephes 4. b. communialitie of the holy ones in the loue or by such as walke and liue 1. Pet. 1. b. 1. Iohn 3. b. 4. b. obediently vnder the gracious word and his seruice of loue W. Wilkinson HN. sayth he can not perceiue or finde the true belief c. to this I aunswere that it is Gods iust though secret iudgement that when men aske amisse they do not obtaine when they knocke at the wrong doore they are not let in and beyng on sléepe when the bridgrome commeth and wāt light in their lampes they enter not in with him into the Mariage That HN. hath not founde nor perceiued the truth the reason is he wil not learne Pro. 8.8.9 he stoppeth his eares charme the charmer neuer so wisely Psal. 58.4.5 The Lord will guide thē that be méeke in his way Psal. 25.9 but knowledge entereth not into a froward soule and a foole that séeketh wisedome findeth her not for the Lord withstandeth the proud geueth grace vnto the humble 1. Pet. 5.5 The Israelites sought God as a people desirous to know his wayes but because the feare of him was learned by mēs preceptes Esay 29.13 they were selfe conceited wise Esay 5.21 Therfore did they heare and not vnderstād sée and not perceiue their hart was fat their eares were heauy and their eyes were shut Esay 6.9.10 Where note curteous Reader that this holy Prophet for so wil the Ioigner néedes haue vs for to take him HN. and our Papistes vse the selfe same weapō and by the same knife séeke to cut the throate of gods Church which they hādle after this sort Your Church ye Protestates was not alwayes visible neither did it alwayes appeare vnto the world Therefore it is not the true Church What a faint Consequent and weake reason this is especially with our Papistes which can not abide an Argument drawen from the Negatiue by this which followeth beyng the like may easely be proued I sée no sunne sayth the blind man neither heare I any swéetnes of song or pleasaūt Musicke sayth the deafe man Therfore there is no sunne sayth the one nor song quoth the other HN. the sonne of perdition and the Romish broode of old Hipocrites can not see the truth or will not therefore there is no truth at all The communialitie of the holy ones in the loue for so vnlesse ye terme them they will bee angry out of measure créepe in corners as owles doe at noone euen as did the Anabaptistes in the first spryng tyme of their heresie therefore there is now no Familie of Loue neither were there any Anabaptistes any where in tymes past this Argument as it is euidēt in the one so will it not be denied by the other Albeit in déede it be a féeble kinde of disputyng farre swaruyng from all rule of reason For the seyng or not seyng of mortall man doth not approue or disproue the truth of the immortall god Pharao kyng of Egypt saw Moses and Aaron and confessed the miracles by thē wrought to be true miracles yet saw he not a reason to perswade him to let Israell goe Iohn Baptist did as it were point out Christ with his finger saying Behold the lambe of God. The Iewes cōfessed that Christ had done all thinges well The Pharisies saw their thoughtes disclosed yet reasoned they thus The Scribes and Pharisies and rulers beleue not on him but onely the rude and accursed multitude Therfore is he not the Messias And if I should vse the like forme of Argumēt as this is trow ye the Familie would thinke the consequent necessary Before the dayes of Queene Mary or An. 1555. at the furthest this Louely Familie was neuer sene nor heard of onely the hatchers of this Familie the Libertines the Arriās the Anabaptistes the Free will men and Catharistes were than extant but as yet this broode of Locustes had not broken out of the bottomlesse pitte neither had it the name of Loue which it now hath Therfore the Familie of Loue neither is the Church of God neither is the holy truth of God in that their conuenticle but vnto them and their Patriarch HN. I leaue such kind of reasonyng most hūbly beséechyng God to giue them eyes to sée tongues to confesse the truth to Gods glory and the safegarde of their soules in the appearaunce of his Christ After HN. had told his Disciples where he could not finde the truth now he telleth them where he foūd it vz. HN. THe same is appeared and manifested vnto the holy ones of God in the Communialtie of Loue. W. Wilkinson SO that then belike vnlesse it be graunted him that he founde it there all his labour is lost Secondly it was not founde out there before he founde it and to that purpose it is whiche in his new Euangely he sayth He will declare the secrete misteries of God and make relation of thynges hidden from the world vntill his new day c. And he is annointed with the holy Ghost Godded with God in the spirite of his loue made heyre with Christ in the heauenly goodes of the riches of God elected to be a minister of the gracious worde which is now in the last tyme raysed vp by God accordyng to the promise Ierem. 33. Which is ment of Christ wherein HN. blasphemeth What if for all these his great boastyng crakes his swellyng wordes of vanitie turne to smoke out of the fornace and dust before the winde what then if for all his outfacyng of the simplicitie of the Gospell and shouldring out the sonne of God the Lord lay opē his folly to the world and his shame vnto the sonnes of men And if he founde no truth or if it be truth yet not of his findyng Was there no truth before he told it Was there no Gospell before his heape of confusion and huge lompe of shapeles and vnshamefast heresies If there was as most vndoubtedly there was a light before darkenes and an Arke of God before Dagon the Philistian Idoll why boasted he then thus presumptuously that the truth was of his findyng onely Neither is it yet agréed among his new peruertes concerning the age of this new founde heresie For some of his Sectaries beyng demaunded where his Church was from the Apostles tyme vntill the appearaunce of HN. this new found Prophet of theirs he aunswered not onely obscurely to the question but also fondely to the purpose and vnfittely to satisfie a waueryng conscience It was in the land of the liuyng among the holy ones But thus doth the Lord suffer their eyes to dazell who are quicke sighted to séeke out Phantasies to féede the it itchyng eares of them whō no doctrine can content HN. alledgeth 1. Iohn 1. a for proofe The wordes be these That whiche we haue sene and heard declare we vnto you that ye may also haue fellowshyp with vs and that our fellowship
reade further Exod. 16.8.1 Sam. 8.7 Num. 16. chap. throughout I haue in this place gentle and indifferent reader to desire thée diligently to marke the sly and crafty dealing of this peuish Familye For in my Articles which I exhibited vnto them for my further satisfaction I added this clause of the outward calling of the minister which then I did suspect they denyed and since by their faythles demeanour of concealing that clause I am certainely perswaded to be true where also it shall not be amisse if besides their fond behauiour in ouerhipping that which they néedes must confesse to be truely reported of them by me to consider also how guilefully they protest that No man is able iustly to blame accuse detect or burthen them as transgressors of the lawe beīt agaynst any the Quéenes Maiesties proceadinges in causes Ecclesiasticall c. And yet in this place by me quoted out of the lamentable complaynt sent 34. They deny without their Familye their is no lawfull calling of Ministers Their wordes be these For to be a teacher or minister of the holy worde is not euery mans office but his only which is thereunto euen lyke as was Aaron called and elected of God whose rodde or staffe greeneth blossometh and beareth fruit as lykewise his which is a true disciple of the worde and louer of the truth hath receiued the learning and administration of his holy word with integritye of singlenes of hart of the Elders in the house of Loue obediently and euē so is growē vp vnder thobediēce of the loue in the holy vnderstādings till vnto the Elderdome of the man Christ and taught to the kingdome of God. And the same is by thē in playne wordes affirmed but more skoffingly and contemptuously in the same booke sent 34. But of that place more hereafter in the addition to the Article They with their cauill as it is common vnto them with their brethren the Papistes and Anabaptistes who alwayes not being able to criminate and blame the doctrine taught flye straight wayes to the persō of the preacher demaunded A Syr what auctoritye haue you to minister and who layd handes on your who called you c. as also their forefathers the old Pharisies which demaūded of S. Iehn the Baptist the same question with that learned man M. Musculus I aunswere Qui legitimé vocati non sunt quaestionem de vocatione mouent They which are not called lawfully first moue a controuersie about a lawfull calling which obiection M. Bullenger in his booke agaynst the Anabaptistes doth aunswere learnedly and at large Bullenger agaynst the Anabaptistes 3. booke 4. chap. 90. leafe An addition to the 5. Article of an outward calling SVch an one as in euen so with his vnderstanding and thoughtes become incorporate in all obediēce of the word to the truth of God and lyfe of Christ and euen so acknowledge the truth the same verily bideth rightly in the doctrine of Christ and is apt to minister the holy word of truth and to be a teacher of the people c. No man can teach the word of Christ and his doctrine but such as first haue bin obedient disciples of Loue. No man ought to busy himselfe about the word but the Elders in the Familye c. No man knoweth Christ nor the father nor yet also the seruices or Ceremonies of Christ but euen onely those which are euen so through Christ as we haue rehearsed renewed or regenerated in their spirite and mynde neither doth it also behoue or belong vnto any other to set forth any seruices of Ceremonies of Christ nor to preach or declare the Euangely but such are those whiche are sent of Christ himselfe for otherwise it is all false The Disciples of Christ could not vnderstand the clearenes of Christ before the fifty day taht the holy Ghost was poured vpon them much lesse then verely can now the Scripture learned which haue not kept the passeouer from death into lyfe and from flesh into spirite with Christ nor yet atteined through the power of the holy Ghost to the clearenes of Christ vnderstand out of the knowledge of the Scripture the clearenes of the word of Christ nor yet set forth or teach accordyng to the truth his ceremonies or seruices nor also preach or declare the Euangely of Christ ARTICLE 6. of HN. of vniting into God. ANd the Elders of the Familie sayth HN. are illuminated from God they are Godded with God they are incorporate into God with whō God also in one beyng is Hominified or become man. Theophilus WHat error is this if it were rightly sene vnto whilest the vine braunch is to be vined in the vine Iohn 15. he that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one spirite with him and are made partakers of the godly nature 2. Pet. 1.4 William Wilkinson TRue it is that a certaine godly and learned man affirmeth writyng vpon the fall of S. Peter When God leaueth vs to our selues their is not hope to stay from rūnyng headlong into sinne right so it fareth in Gods iudgement with this coale Prophet HN. and his dreamyng Disciple Theophilus For the maister on still fallyng from phantasie to phantasie and from one errour into an other and the scholer bringeth in stones and morter to build vp the confused heape of all impitie In the former clause was shewed that they vtterly cōdemne and mislike all Ordination and Election of Ministers with their Familie now if follweth to be handled what priuiledge and prerogatiue his Elders purchase vnto themselues by the admission they haue into that blynd societie HN. affirmeth very soberly as it séemeth that the Elders of his broode are illuminated and Godded with God or incorporated into god c. his scholer Theophilus laboureth to strengthen his Assertion with the testimony of Scripture to that ende by him wrested and wrongly alledged wherein seyng he cā not slippe the coller with me as erst he did in leauyng the former sentence now to outcountanaunce the truth with the impudencie of his forehead hee asketh What an errour is this if it were rightly seene vnto what errour do you aske truly an horrible palpable errour it is flat against the truth of the sacred scripture straungely saueryng of those dregges whiche you haue déeply dronke both at the hand of the Anabaptisticall Sinagogue and also of the Romish harlot sea of Antichrist But whereas you added a Caueat which is If it be rightly sene vnto I aunswere he that putteth on the Christall spectacles of Gods word and taketh in his hād the Lanthorne of holy write to looke diligently to your steppes shall straight trace out a théefe and a rebell agaynst the Lord. But first to procéede orderly let me aunswere your authorities and then in a word or two wil I set downe the horriblenes of that opinion You say The vine braunche is vined into the vine I finde no such wordes in the
Ioh. 12. e. 35. HN. his other places Iohn 8. b. 12. I am the light of the world And Ephes 5. c. 14. Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from death and Christ shall giue the light The first proueth that without Christ is nothyng but darknes and condemnation and out of the body of Christ which is his Churche is no health nor comfort of body or soule which when ye can shew me by the Scriptures truly alledged that ye are I will acknowledge my selfe to be in an errour vntill ye can so do say not euery one that sayth the lord c. Heretiques in crying the Churche haue alwayes sought to bryng in a schisme to disturbe and disquiet the state of the Church HN. ANd euen so out of this high Maiestie of God doth this true light shew forth his seruice through the illuminated or Godded man with whom the most hyest through the selfe same light and his seruice is also manned witnessing and declaryng how that the true light consisteth not in the knowledge of this or that but in an vpright and true beyng of God and his eternall life Iohn 17. c. Theophilus exposition THat is through the new creature which is incorporated into God by the power of his word W. Wilkinson IT is not in this place certaine to bee gathered by any apparaunt circumstaunce wherfore or to what end all these authorities are wrong in by HN. for if he meane that no man ought to minister without a callyng as it seemeth hee would fayne meane if hee could vtter it the proposition I confesse is true and I aske him what outward callyng he had and by whom he was called or who admitted him vnto that Propheticall function whiche so often he boasteth of yet are these places by him very vnskilfully cited and vnaptly to the purpose the whiche he doth alledge them so that herein I blame his euill choyse for hee might better for profe haue quoted Iohn 1.25 Num. 17.9 2. Sam. 6.7 Heb. 4.5 But if hee brought them for his illuminated or Godded man as it is like that hee did because vnto that place he made his directorie g. I accuse him that he quoteth scripture with an euill conscience For that in none of those places by him cited there is any word of illumination Goddyng or mannyng The places of the Actes he dealeth lyke a théefe that dare not make a playne stepe least he should be taken for he treadeth but ouerly dare not set downe either Verse or Letter to direct the Reader but vsing onely his old ragged and running maner of quotatiōs very impertinently to no purpose doth he abuse the Reader As also in the places of S. Peter and S. Paule he hath by his direction set vs to séeke that which we shall neuer finde Lastly the place out of S. Iohn 17. c.. is idle and emptie hauyng no one sillable tendyng to any such end as he alledged it for As for HN. it is very like that hee thought the world would allow his wordes without proofe and as his Disciples vse to doe hand ouer head he would take whatsoeuer commeth from him without examination which his opinion is grounded of the old doctrine of the Papistes that doctrine of teachers ought not to be further shifted or iudged by the hearer of the which point we shall haue occasion to speake more Article 8. pag. 89. THE 7. ARTJCLE Conteinyng HN. his blasphemy what he boasteth of him selfe and his miraculous and extraordinary callyng HN Sayth that he is moued with the good nature of God and that hee is raysed vppe from the dead to iudge the earth with righteousnesse Theophilus HEre are his wordes wrested and wrongly alledged his meanyng subuerted and misconstrued Read Euang. cap. 3. sent 11. cap. 28. sent 3. and Dictata cap. 5. sent 4. and ye shall see he pointeth on Christ William Wilkinson THis Article as it is one of the most blasphemous and Hereticall of all the rest so in the Exposition and saluyng therof Theophilus doth so freate and vary his old eloquence as vnlesse I were acquainted with his melancholie and whot complexion I should hardly beare such coales as he heapeth vpon me The houndes wherewith he persueth me are two the first is wrestyng the second is wrongfull alledgyng subuertyng and misconstruyng his meanyng to the which vnlesse I withstand with playne dealyng naked truth it séemeth that I shall finde small fauour at his handes And first whereas hee burtheneth me with wrongfull alledging HN. him selfe shall explayne his owne meanyng who will say agaynst him selfe much more then I in the former clause did accuse him of or for these wordes of his He is indued with the good nature of God the wordes be as playne as can be in the place by me alledged which is also more clearely by him aduouched in his wofull Euangely where he hath these woordes HN. out of grace accordyng to the prouidence of God and of his promises Iohn 6. raised vp by the highest God from the dead annointed with the holy Ghost in the Elderdome of the holy vnderstandyng of Christ Iohn 14. Codeified or Godded together with God in the spirite of his Loue made heyre with Christ in the heauenly treasures of the riches of God Illuminated with the heauēly truth the very true light of the perfect beyng in the spirite Apo. 21. Elected to be a minister of the gracious word stirred vp now at this last tyme accordyng to the promise Ieremy 33. Thus you sée he hath word by word vttered that whiche you maliciously affirme that I haue wrongfully alledged what blasphemy these wordes conteine no man can be ignoraūt but he that will not sée cōcerning his wordes I purposely abstaine to cōfute for that they are learnedly by a godly man confuted already Concernyng his meanyng I shall hereafter set down proofe that arrogantly and Luciferlike he taketh vppon him that which is proper to Christ onely where likewise I will touch the places by you cited and proue that HN. pointeth not out Christ as ye affirme After the day of Loue seyng the same is last or newest day wherin the vniuersall Actes 17. d. compasse of the earth shal be come iudged with righteousnes There shall no Apoc. 10. a. day of grace appeare any more vpō the earth but a seuere Heb. 10. c. or sharpe iudgement ouer all vngodly We acknowledge that there is none other light nor life more that is true nor hath bin neither in heauen nor vpon earth but this same light which is now in this last time through the loue of God the father reueiled come vnto vs that same whereon Moses Deut. 18.6 and all the Prophets of God haue witnessed Esay 60. a. Iohn 5. c. and which the holy Apostles of Christ Actes 2.3.4 7.10.13 c. and the Euangelistes haue published These be HN. his owne wordes out of the which because they were to tedious
to repeate I made out of them this Collection HN. sayth he is indued with the good nature of God and that he is raysed vp from the dead to iudge the earth with righteousnes also the day of Loue by him preached is the last day and there shall be no day of grace hereafter Neither was there any trueth before him or besides him or shal be after him To the fourme of wordes he hath framed a wrangle the matter he graunteth belike to be true Thirdly I affirme that HN. sayth he was prophecied of by Moses and all the Prophets and Apostles and the Euangelistes to proue this he alledgeth Deut. 18.6 Esay 60. a. Iohn 5. c. To the which Theophilus replieth thus Theophilus REade the place againe you shall finde he sayth that the light or lyfe is it which is prophecied of and not himselfe and leaue your lying for very shame William Wilkinson TO the which his reprochfull reply and childish cauill I thinke I shall aunswere fully and satisfy sufficiently Yf first I be able to iustifie which gods assistance I hope I shall that HN. presumptiously taketh on him that which is prophecied on and proper vnto Christ Secondly I will cōparing him with Dauie George and their heresies mutually with other proue that it is very like to be true which they deny and Maist Rogers doth charge him with HN. to be Dauie Georges scholler and that in impietye he goeth far beyond him Thirdly by comparing him and his opinions with Gods worde I will shew that he is not the perfect Prophet but the most pestilent Archheretique that euer was and that he was so prophecied of by the Prophets Apostles and Euangelistes In the which place to display all his wrestinges of the scriptures I neither am able they being infinit nor willing because I desire to be briefe onely I will by a few geue a tast what the rest are which I haue not touched HN. HN. Alledgeth ▪ Esay 60. a. to proue the light shewed by him was fore spoken of by Esay W. Wilkinson IT is manifestly ment of Christ his first comming HN. HN. Sayth that all the scriptures heauenly testimonyes and spirituall voyces of the eternall trueth which are gone forth from the holy spirite of Loue that is of God are brought to light through him William Wilkinson THis is blasphemous agaynst the Prophecy of Christ and agaynst the Scriptures Math. 17.5 Marc. 9.28 Iohn 1.18 Col. 23. HN. HN. Sayth yet once more he hath appointed a day in the which he will iudge the earth with righteousnes Act. 17. g. and this in the next sentence 3. he doth apply to his appearaunce in these wordes this day and now is the day fulfilled in the Loue and this once more sayth he is meant of himselfe for profe he quoteth Act. 17. g. 31. verse W. Wilkinson THis is particularly ment of Christes first comming in the flesh prophecied euen in the selfe same wordes Agge 2. cap. 7. verse and in Christ fulfilled Heb. 12. cap. 27. verse HN. HN. Quoteth Esay 2. a. 2. Miche 4. a 1. to be meant of the restoring of the decayed state of Gods Church which is redyfied by him William Wilkinson THis is manifestly meant of Christ HN. HN. Citeth Math. 24. verse 14. Esay 67.22 g. Psal. 95.7.8 Heb. 3.7 and the 4.7.8 Apoc. 14.6 to be spoken of his Euangelye by him published William Wilkinson WHich is vnderstode of the preaching of the gospell by Christ and his Apostles HN. HN. Sayth hee is an elected Minister of the gratious worde stirred vp in the last time according to the promises Ierem. 33. read the whole chap. W. Wilkinson IT is meant of Christ HN. HN. Sayth the testimonye of his Euangelie is not alone the Euang. of the kingdome promised to be published in all the world to all people but also all the testimonies which HN. hath set forth in the glasse of righteousnes William Wilkinson BLasphemous agaynst the gospell and a thing accursed Galla. 1. chap. 8. ver He taketh that vnto him which belongeth vnto Iohn Baptist Mallachi Math. 11.10 HN. HN. Sayth the misterye of the kingdome of God his righteous iudgements Math. 25. d. Actes 16.17 d. Iude. 1. and the comming of Christ now in the last tyme in the resurrection Ezech. 37 6. Iohn 5. c. Rom. 8.6 Phil. 3. b. 11. ver of the dead is declared vnto him as an elected vessel from the mouth of God himselfe God hath be gone a new miraculous worke now in this day of Loue whereof we witnes with vs his elected ones wherin the scripture is fulfilled Esay 43 6. c.a. Esay 57 b. HN. Sayth he will declare the secret misteries of God and make relation of thinges hidden before the beginning of the world Math. 13.11 b. Iohn 6. The day of Loue. Psal. 118. c. is the appearaunce and comming Math. 24. c. 30. ver Luk. 17.20 ver Actes 2. a. of Christ Iesu our Lord in the resurrection Esay 26. c. 1. Cor. 15. f. of the dead wherein the law the Prophetes and all that is written of Christ becommeth fulfilled Luk. 24. e. The day of Loue preached by HN. is the day of the last comming of Christ in iudgement with many thousandes of Saintes Esay 3. b. Math. 4.24 d. 37. 25. d. 31. Iude. 1. b. Whiche places manifestly proue beyng meant of the second comming of Christ that the resurrection of his comming is perfected past already HN. Sayth that this testimonie that is his Euang and publishing of the ioyfull message is the same comming and all seruices and prophecies which are gone out from God doe leade herevnto and cease herein HN. Sayth Behold ye dearely beloued presently euen from the selfe same day becommeth the scripture in all fulfilled of that which it mentioneth of Christ of his seede and of his glory and Lordlynes Therefore all scriptures was vntill now vnperfect and not fulfilled contrary to that which Iohn sayth 19.28 HN. Sayth that all the prophecies Esdr 4. d. Esay 3. c. 11. b. 12. Ezechi 39. d. 21. Zopha 3. b. 9. ver Zach. 2. b. 10. 11 Numb 24. a. 5. 6. are in this day of Loue presently fulfilled all the which places are particularly meant of Christ and applied blasphemously by HN. to him for to proue the day of his comming The Familye compare and make equall HN. his wrightinges with the holy scriptures because say they they are written with the same spirite William Wilkinson THus with as great breuitye as I could I haue set downe a few of his blasphemies for that his vayne and blinde idle and impertinēt alleadging of Scriptures is infinite and without number for almost he neuer citeth any scripture aright for the children of God it shall not be vnprofitable to consider that to leaue the Lordes hye way and the cleare sunne shine of his truth is to entangle our selues with
or nation and religion as Christians in their Mahomet or Turkes in theirs Heathen in theirs c. To whom after HN. hath geuen particuler titles immediatly he in the same section addeth And yet furthermore euery head properly for himselfe hauing then so diuers and many maners of groundes beliefes religions ceremonyes offices and administratiōs as they will wherein they loue Gods truth and their righteousnes Then the which wordes what may be sayd more Sathan like or what euen belched out of the bottomles pit more blasphemous if all the fiendes of hell would conspire together to afford a graceles and godles speach whereby the hartes of them that stagger in the way of the truth if not wholy they might be drawne away to superstition for as for the worde Religion I feare me I haue attributed it to their scisme to often albeit the Familye of Loue in their Confession would faine be counted religious yet might they enioy the heresie of HN. with their opinions and fauour whatsoeuer liketh them best So that certayne it is whereas this his Euangelye and the other of his bokes were nayled vpon euery post in the common shops of stationers in dutch land commōly sould vntill by the restraint of the maiestrate they were bridled and called in they drew some Catholickes also to his faction for whose cause and with whome to créepe into fauour to haue a shealter ready for any storme so notable he commendeth the popish Hierarchie which order of popishe pollicye to let passe that famous infamous booke the Declaration of the Masse I meane after step by step he had extolled it aboue the cloudes from the hyest to the lowest he falleth downe after this sort Section 4. he commendeth the Pope and expoundeth Papa to signifie an olde Father in the holy vnderstanding to whome he coupeleth his Colledge of Cardinals sent 8. thirdly Primates sent 9. Bishops sent 10. Priestes sent 14. who say their seruice in the formest part of the Church that is in the chauncell Parsons Curates Proctours sent 16 Deacons sent 17. Sextons or keepers of holy thinges that the same muy be occupied in due season and times conuenient sent 18. Monkes which for the loue of righteousnes as HN. sayth are consecrated and sequestred from the world from whome well it were if the world were seperated also and from all that is worldly and fleshly set 19. and lastly the commen people sent 21. To the which for a conclusion he addeth Behold all this hath bin euen so in tymes past in his very true being when as yet the light of lyfe had the clearenes and the beliefe her seruice in the holynes of God the renewed or Goddead men vpon the earth all which shall now in the sam day lykewise of the Loue through the comming of Christ in the light of lyfe and his holy spirite be reduced or restored to his vpright fourme in the very true being according to the Christian lyke ordinaunces and florish in vigor or become forcible according to the promises The which as I quake to wright so to marke the ripenes of sinne that HN. is come vnto must it needes enforce the godly Christian and tender childe of God to melt at the horrible outrage therein conteined To the which if the goodwilling in England which are named the Familye of Loue shall reply and alledge for I hope they are not so far gone to defend this so great blasphmie agaynst the kingdome of the sonne of God and his gloryous gospell that they will not defend neither lyke in all thinges of his opinions to this I aunswere as M. Bullenger doth vnto the lyke obiection Sometyme they are of this iudgement sometymes of that neither doe they all agree among themselues in the certaintye of their errour for as truth onely is lyke it selfe error must nedes iar and disagre But herein it had ben somewhat more tollerable for our Fam. if they had not set downe this in wrighting that herein they might shew themselues to be perfect schollers of a peruerse maister But he that neuer kepeth touch with his seruauntes hath here betrayed them by their owne wordes to the world ere they were aware For in their first Epistle which they make as an aunswere to M. Rogers boke fol. 71. pag. v. lin 30. they vtter these wordes You forget say they to M. Rogers many protestantes in Rome Spayne Italy and many other places vnder the Byshop of Romes inquisition which hould it good pollicie to defend thēselues their cōsciences from such tyranny Will not you allow to others which you gladly chalenge to your selfe c. Whereby it is clearely proued and manifestly affirmed that HN. and his scholers termed the Fam. of Loue in England draw all in one line and hould the same opinions with Dauid George that he doth whom because they affirme by the testimonye of learned writers to be an Anabaptist néedes must it necessarye by the same consequence be vrged that they are Anabaptistes by their owne confession and labour to bring Anabaptistrie into the church from the which and other heresies sectes and scismes the Lord deliuer both vs and all his chosen dispersed wheresoeuer Amen It remaineth that with the lyke breuitye or greater if so large a matter may be conteined in a lesser roome as I before promised so I compare HN. with those euident noates manifest tokens of an heretique set downe by the spirite of God in holy Scriptures For by that iudge both he and I must be tryed to be true meaning men in this lyfe before the Militaunt Church and receiue our dome thereafter before the triumphāt Churche in the world to come Tokens of an heretique out of Scripture 1. Tokē THe holy ghost in the Scriptures doth liken those heretiques which disturbe the peace of the Church vnto Foxes which priuily and by night are wont to spoile and rauine And in lyke manner our Sauiour Christ doth describe not onely the father of heretiques but his children also by the name of a enuious mā which soweth teares whilest men sléepe S. Paule termeth then false teachers crafty creepers in S. Peter sayth false teachers shall priuilye bring in damnable heresies S. Iude sayth certaine men haue crept in which turne the grace of God into wantones vpon all the which places it may very easely be gathered that whosoeuer intendeth to broach any new and straunge doctrine as false coiners vse to doe he counterfaiteth in secret That this hath bin the practise of heretiques from tyme to tyme nedeth no long profe onely it is to be considered who it was that renued Arius heresie in Constantine the Emperours dayes was it not a priest which priuilye bare Constantia the Emperours sister in hād that the Counsell of Nice had done Arius wrong who thought not of Christes deuinitye as the Counsel supposed and the rumour was spread abroad of him c. And haue not the Familye of Loue
this lyfe they shall féele in some measure the torment and worme of the conscience that they shall haue in the world to come when as the godly shall haue all ioye that can possible be thought and more in déede then mortall man can imagine the quietnesse of conscience that passeth all vnderstandyng but this is meant of this lyfe and not to be vnderstanded of the resurrection or the lyfe to come For that in all that Chapter the meanyng scope of the Prophet is not to handle any such matter And thus much for the manner how the personnes whereby and the doctrine that is taught by them whom the scripture termeth an heretique which in my iudgement doth as fitly agrée to HN. and is by S. Peter as fully foretold as if he had liued in HN. his tyme and bin priuie vnto all his dealinges Now in one word concerning HN. his stile and the maner of the deliuerye of his opinions in his bookes His method is take it among ye The thred of his speach is sometymes knotty and sometimes great and sometyme small as vnskilfull spinners vse to afford his grace and giftes in pēning thereof is euen such as Marcion is reported to haue vsed in penning of his hereticall writings Whose whole talke of the spirite was in such a straunge kinde of stile that those which hard or read them at the first did wonder at them And this being a part of that wherein our Familye doe as it were wonderfull loue and make of themselues so that in their speach which they dayly vse in talke with any man if euer they may be gotten to confer of the knowledge of the Scriptures of the law of sinne inner man and regeneration of the humblyng of the soule which are the largest Common Places of their studye straight way by the vnusualnes of their speaches and straūge termes ye may easely vnderstand what way they are enclined So that when I my selfe haue spoken publiquely the great paynes which I haue taken in perusing their bookes haue so acquainted my selfe with HN. his phrases that I vsing them at vnwares haue by diuers which knew me not ben suspected to be priuie vnto their doctrine But concerning the generall noates of an heretique this shall suffice with the perticuler application thereof vnto HN. it remaineth that I confer his opinions with the perticuler fantasies of diuers heretiques with whom we shall finde him so to agrée that it may easely appeare they haue had all but one and the same Scholemaister who hath instructed them in the same principles to ouerthrow and disquiet the Church of God. HN. his opinions compared with Heretiques opinions THe Origianists Nepotians and Priscilianists did altogether peruert the certaintye of the written word of God by turning it into allegoryes so doth HN. Docum sent or Dictatis cap. 3. sent 11. 12. Euang. cap. 8. sent 3. 4. 5. 6. 1. epist. 3. cap. 22. sent and almost in euery side of euery leafe in all his wrightinges 2. The Montanistes Praeputians Donatists Luthusiastes Monkes and Anabaptists boast of reuelations so doth HN. Euang. cap. 2. sent 1. contrary to the Scriptures 1. Gal. 8. ver 3. The Cerdonians Marcionites and Appellites boast of their new Prophets and prefer them before the olde so did the Anabaptistes prefer Thomas Muncer their Arch-heretique before Luther and Zuinglius Bulleng fol. 9. b. Vitels in his reply to M. Rogers display termeth HN. a Prophet in these wordes Ye despise HN. because he sayth he is a Prophet sent of God but the tyme may come that you shall finde his prophesie true and in the same reply he sayth whereas ye say that HN. doth call himselfe Rectorer of all thinges I aunswere that there is no such word writtē by him and yet hath the Lord accomplished according to his promises through the spirite of Christ in him all what he hath spoken through the mouth of his seruauntes the Prophets And agayne ye say we affirme HN. to be the true Prophet of God sent to blow the last trumpe of doctrine which shall be blowne vpon the earth marke what his workes testifie of him and so is he whether it be beleued or not 4. Noetus sayd he was Moses HN. sayth he is Malachias and Iohn Baptist praeface Euang. sent 3. 5. The Heracleonites made a double confession of God wherof either part was equall one was with the hart only and the other with the mouth to auoyd persecution So doth HN. Dictatis 16. chapter 18. sent and 11. epist. cap. 6. sent 3. So sayth Theoph. that the misteries ought not to be reueiled to the withstanders c. contrary to the scripture 1. Pet. 3.15 Heb. 10.23 Phil. 2.11 6. The Messalians taught it was lawfull to deny God and the fayth of Christ Theophilus sayth the beliefe ought to be declared to all men But not the secrets no more thē we ought to cōfesse to a theefe what treasure we haue about vs the Anabaptistes thought it was frée vnto them either to confesse or deny their fayth in persecution the sam opinion held the Priscianistes and the Andiani contrary to the Scriptures Math. 10.33 Luke 9. 26. and 12.8 contrarye to HN. his owne doctrine 1. exhor cap. 5. sent 9. cap. 6. sent 1. cap. 4. sent 5. 7. 8. cap. 12. sent 22. 7. The Hetianites Cerinthians Nazarenes affirmed that Ceremonies of Moses law are to be kept of necessitye so sayd the false Apostles Act. 15.1 so sayth HN. Euang 13. chap. 4. sent contrarye to S. Iohn cap. 19.30 and the whole epist. to the Galatians 8 The Nazarenes had more Gospels then 4. the Papistes had S. Thomas and other gospels HN. hath made a gospell of his owne contrarye to S Paule Gal. 6.8 9 The Basilidians thought that the misteries of Fayth ought to be reuealed to few so thought the Papistes so thinketh the Fam. 10. Hymineus and Menander thought that sanctification and regeneration of the spirite was the resurrection of the flesh cōfounding the first and second resurrection so doth HN. 1. exhor cap. 7 sent 24. 11. epist. cap. 5. sen 10. and Dictat cap. 6. sent 3 he sayth the 15. chap. to the Corinthians verses 50.53.54 are not meant of the earthly body in these wordes Verely the mortall whereof S. Paule witnesseth is not any creature of earthly flesh and bloud but it is the liuing worde or being of God which in the beginning was mortall in the manhode and is in vs for our sinnes cause became mortall 11. The Aerians and Iouinians refused to come to sermōs so doe the Familiers of Loue which be illuminated For sayth HN. As long as the yongons are childish and not yet growne vp into the Elderdome of the perfect being they are yet vnder the ordinaunce of the Lord of his word not that they should alwayes remaine as subiect there vnder but vntell the appoynted tyme vntell the manly olde age in the godly vnderstanding of the holy worde
straight way take for gould whatsoeuer glistereth But to stand vnto HN. his iudgemeÌ„t shall we thinke that if HN. were in the open Marte of EmdeÌ„ or Amsterdame that he would be such a want witte as to take all kynde of coine that were brought him neuer examine it would he neuer bring his siluer to the touch nor his gold to the ballaunce so fareth it with Gods children in buying the precious pearles of Gods truth and heauenlye doctrine they must touch all with the proportioÌ„ of fayth and as in the meate wherewith our body is nourished the daunger of poyson is carefully to be auoyded and taken héede of neither can we be to warye that the health of our bodyes be indamaged so is the infection of doctrine by the contagiousnes whereof our soule is in hazard it is most diligently to be considered of for that as the one doth endaunger but the body the other doth pitch down hedlong both body and soule into euerlasting torments The principle which HN. doth publish in this place is mere Papisticall as witnesseth M. Stapleton in his booke of Controuersies the wares he offereth to sale he hath bought at Rome of the purpule strumpet as ye by marke may sone discerne which will bring it to light and offer it to the triall if they demaund vnto what light or triall I aunswere vnto that candle which S. Peter sayth shineth in a darke place and we shall doe well if we will looke vnto Let vs then in a word or two consider of HN. his doctrine by the Analogie of fayth and light of holy scripture and straight way espy the difference betwixt HN. his wordes and the worde of God. HN. sayth He must not be suspected or mistrusted whatsoeuer he teach Our Sauiour Christ geueth vs warning to take heede of false Prophets HN. sayth if the Eldest say it it must be beleued Herod demaunding of the Scribes where Christe should be borne was aunswered at Bethlem in the land of Iuda for thus it is written Miche 5.2 so there vnto the truth of their aunswere they ioyned a profe out of the scripture yet will HN. haue vs beleue his resolution and that without profe wherein he dealeth more vnequally with vs then Herod was delt withall by the Scribes and Pharisie Furthermore HN. sayth that right sentences must be heard of the Eldest in the Familye Christ sayth it must be learnd out of the Scripture HN. draweth his disciples from the examination of his doctrine for sayth he they must not suspect it to be to sleight childish or vnwise for theÌ„ to follow The noble Berrheans when they heard S. Paule preach searched the scriptures dayly whether those thinges were so S. Paule biddeth vs iudge what he sayth and proue all thinges and S. Iohn sayth Try the spirites whether they are of God adding also a reason for many false prophets are gone out into the world and yet sayth HN. his doctrine must not be examined The spirite of the Prophets sayth S. Paule are subiect to the Prophets and in another place speaking to the whole Church and euery particuler member thereof he sayth that the Discerning of spirites is the gift of God. The kingly Prophet Dauid sayth that he was made wiser then his enemies by the law of God and that he had more vnderstanding then his teachers because he meditated in Gods lawe he vnderstode more then the aged because he kept Gods preceptes For by his worde he gat vnderstanding which worde alone it is whereby the simple on s are lightned instructed yet would HN. haue vs leaue the broad and beaten highway refusing all such meanes as holy Dauid was a bettered by and digge vnto vs cisterns out of his inuentions where he first accused Gods reuealed worde and ordinarie meanes and fly to his strong methode whereby he sayth his schollers may attaine perfect wisedome But the same perswasion wherewith HN. séeketh to blinde his sectaries yf they would profite vnder the instruction of the Eldest not to suspect his doctrine which he termeth right sentences but they should stand single mindedly to receiue the doctrine of the Ouldest Father in the Familye is that wherewith Eue was beguiled in Paradice But as many as are Christes sheepe heare his voyce and they follow him onely neither know they the voyce of straungers Lastly whereas HN. would not haue the truth of his doctrine come in contruersie or be doubted of he secretly would steale away with this Papisticall assertion that he can not erre And so lykewise Vitels affirmeth of HN. saying I know not how he or any other should erre which are ruled by the spirite of God. Which is all one with the iudgement of the Papistes concerning the Pope in determining of matters of religion So that they will not onely driue vs to poysoned pastures but in eating whatsoeuer they shall set before vs we shall by them be compelled to be accessarye vnto our owne destruction And thus desiring the Reader to marke how iust the Papistes and HN. doe iumpe in this point I end the second part of this 8. Article ¶ The third part of the 8. Article THe third and last clause of this Article as it is a palbable grosse and an absurde Paradox so is the fondnesse therof more euident in that it setteth it selfe not onely flatly contrary to the written word of God but also it is manifestly repugnaÌ„t to HN. his own doctrine deliuered in his bookes and lastly to the very practise of humane Artes and the light of nature it selfe in the iudgement of all the which witnesses it is most fonde and foolish The wordes them selues are manifest and not able to be denyed vz. And not for to cary the resolution and instruction â—s in maner of a knowledge in their memory or vnderstandyng in the helpyng and saluyng wherof the Expositor Theophilus is farre ouer the shoes that beyng not able to shift the errour or to get out of so manifest a slyp he returneth the fault vpon me by a Rhetoricall Anticipation and thinketh wholly to stoppe my mouth byddyng me looke on the text and leaue my peruertyng whereas if I should looke vpon it neuer so often I should not neither if I should vse his eyes finde any wordes then already I haue set downe For that which he him selfe addeth for an Exposition how I pray you doth it expounde vz. Yea verely but not to cary the resolution as in manner of a knowledge in their memory looke the text and leaue your peruertyng But thus falleth it out with those whose heades labour with a Schismaticall phantasie euen as a woman is payned in her trauaile tell she be deliuered But to come to HN. his wordes The Disciples must not cary the instruction c. Thinkes that these thrée seuerall and distinct phrases haue this meanyng To cary in maner of a knowledge in Latin cognitione coÌ„plecti
handled more at large And though that those which know not Theophilus bringing vp may by vnséemely and vnciuile speach thinke it to haue ben very rude in that at the first stoppe he breatheth out into this homely phrase that is vntrue and ye vtterly shame your selfe yet being somewhat acquainted and hauing as his phrase is an experimentall knowledge of his modestie I toke him better then he meaneth not measuring him by his owne elwand For I wot well it alwayes will be truth that the ould Oratour sayth to his frend Qui semel vericundiae fines transiliuerit c. He that once hath raunged without the listes of honestye he without all hoe must néedes be impudent To proue that I haue vnderstode amisse and falsified HN. his meaning in my places which I haue set downe Theophilus referreth me to the Lamentable complaint to the same sect which I quoted before thinking belike the if I looked againe I should finde it otherwise in the section 6.7 The words that I misliked in that place are these Euen as partely that same is well knowen and become manifest vnto vs of certaine namely of those which are the auncientest in the scripturlearnednes or principallest in the Ceremonye seruice which haue made vp themselues agaynst the truth of Gods testimonies and his promises agaynst the holy spirite of Christ and agaynst the Loue c. This place whome HN. in playne wordes auoucheth that the Auncientest that is the Bishops and reuerend Fathers and preachers of the word in the Scripture learnednes the principallest in the Ceremonye seruice c. is that wherewith I charged him The same is more euidently also to be sene 1. Exhor cap. 15. sentence 8. and 10. c. which is a slaunderous and a blasphemous section which because it is tedious I refraine to set downe verbatim after HN. his copie And Chapt. 16. sent 3. For certaine take in hand vse out of the imagination of the knowledge whereon they set their hartes at peace false God seruices which they notwithstandyng institute or bryng in for true God seruices Religions Lawes and Commaundementes of God and plant the same knowledge into the people as though they ought of right to be obedient thereunto And sent 14. Dare any man teach or set forth any thyng through the imagination of the knowledge whether he then haue taken on the same out of the learnednesse of the Scriptures or out of his good thinking wisedome as a word or Commaundement of the Lord or yet to institute any seruices out of the letter of the Scripture accordyng to his good thinking and so to plucke or make subiect the hartes of men to dissention thereunder c. sent 15. 16. By all the which places it is manifest what opinion he hath of the preachyng of Gods word that it is but an institute knowledge inuented by mans wit to the bredyng of discord dissētion then the which I say not what Papist what Atheist or Macheuile in the world could write or inuent any thyng more vngodly Besides this I am able to auouch by myne own experiēce that some with whō I haue conferred which haue affirmed that the Scripture is to hard for a simple mā and therfore the bookes of HN. do make a more easie passage and geue a readyer way to the vnderstandyng therof In somuch as when that the Elders haue perswaded any man to become their sectarie they haue for a tyme taken all the bookes of holy Scriptures from him and all other bookes altogether and geue him the bookes of HN. to meditate and be exercised in and this is that which HN. him selfe exhorteth them after this sort Glasse your beyng and minde in the glasse of righteousnes Iam. 1. c. and behold therein how many spottes and wrinkles there are yet in you Wherein he sheweth that he preferreth his booke which he termeth the Glasse of righteousnesse before the word of God in referryng them thereunto for to espy the spottes of sinne cleane contrary to the word of God which teacheth vs that the knowledge of sinne commeth by the law And this he doth not in this place alone but also almost at the end of euery Chapter in his Euang. This horrible treason agaynst God and his word as it would make any Christian hart to melt so is it not for the manifest impietie therof by many argumentes or places so much to be confuted as by the losse of the lyues of such gracelesse Atheistes to be chastised which the sooner shall stay if those to whom the Lord hath committed the care of his Church and gouernaunce of this commō wealth shal by some waight of seuere and sharpe lawes kéepe vnder so horrible impietie and blasphemy agaynst the sonne of god For herein is the infection more pestilent that the bookes of HN. beyng made of equall countenaunce with the word of God the writynges of HN. are receiued as a playne and easie truth the word of God either wholy abandoned and set aside or els read by the ouersight and allowance of their Elders who often tyme dust the beames of the truth by their vayne Allegories and idle Expositions But this is the iudgement of God which is iustly in great measure come vpon vs that whilest diuers of the ministers of the word haue not preached the word as the word of God and the people haue heard it as the word of man it is come to passe I say that our eyes are blynded least we should sée and our eares waxed deafe least we should heare our hartes are waxed dull least we should beleue and so the secret though iust punishment of hardnes of hart is come vpon vs so that thereby euery day we are nearer hell then other For what wickednes can be compared with this or what blasphemie hath the world euer bene witnes of the like that the fonde nature of our flesh as a swift streame hath caryed vs to the depth of such impietie that we should loade and burthen the blessed word of the eternall God with such intemperate and graceles tauntes as to doubt whether the truth be the truth or no. Well I say no more but he that is filthy let him be filthy still And that Argument which S. Paule thinketh to be of such weight to proue his preachyng to haue bene the vndoubted truth of God the same would I vse to perswade all such as wauer in the truth therof Proue your selues whether ye are in the fayth examine your selues knowe ye not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be cast awayes c. Wherein S. Paule appealeth vnto their owne consciēce to approue the certaintie of his doctrine truth of his Apostleshyp Right so say I vnto the Familie of Loue that whereas they affirme we teach nothyng but our owne good thinkyng I demaunde of them when they heare the word of God preached and their consciences shaken with the terrour thereof
if all their glory in their perfection wherof they rather boast in worde then in déede are partakers of if all the figge leaues which they haue so fondly sewed together be able to garde them that they quake and quiuer not when the Lord out of the mouth of his Ministers begynneth to menace them If they tremble at the preachyng of the word of God why then do they make accompt of it but as a vocall word outward sounde Why acknowledge they not that the workyng thereof is mighty that it pearceth like a two edged sword and entreth into the deuidyng of the soule and the spirite If they haue no féelyng of the word when it is preached vnto theÌ„ then is the Gospell therfore hid vnto them because the God of this world hath blinded the eyes of their myndes that the brightnes of the sonne of God should shine vnto them but in this world in some measure the darknes of the world to come is begon in them wherein is wéepyng and gnashyng of téeth beyng farther gone in this lyfe in their impietie then Foelix the prophane Deputie of Iudaea which when he heard S. Paule preach of righteousnesse and temperaunce and the iudgementes of the world to come hee trembled and was affrayde Which tremblyng and quakyng of him which was an vnchristianed Heathen man shall condemne the lose hearyng of Gods word in them whiche count them selues Christians and yet performe nothyng worthy of the seruauntes of Christ Wel let vs learne hereafter to heare Gods word with a more hungry and thirsty soule to liue and dye thereafter and as many as rue vpon the state of the poore seduced soules made droncken with the dregges of this so fond a Familie let them desire God that as many amoÌ„g them as are appointed to be of Gods flocke may leaue to wander in the wearynes of their owne soules and laying the law of God to their hartes may by the candle of his truth sée from whence they are fallen and so at the last returne backe agayne to the Archshepheard and Byshop of their soules Amen HN. THey say the freedome which commeth by the preachyng of the Gospell there is not a more wickeder falser nor an absurder seducynger arroganter horribler agaynst God and his vpright seruice nor yet damagefuller nor destructionabler to the children of men then this c. Which freedome also he termeth a spirituall pride Apoc. 17. a. 18. a. 21. b. there is no such places that hath any such word as he doth alledge them for a presumption a great blasphemyng of God. Theophilus NOt so But that which is taken on presumptuously out of the learnednes of the letter or out of the imagination of the knowledge by the vnrenewed man for a word or coÌ„maundement of God to a breedyng of dissention and captiuatyng of mens hartes vnto mens good thinking or imagination is the worst or falsest fredome as true it is c. and blaze your selfe therein William Wilkinson HN. As in the former part of this Article very vngraciously hath reproched the Gospell by termyng it a ceremonie seruice inuented by man and a seruice of the letter So in the second part of the same Article he and his lewde Scholler Theophilus lay diuers accusations agaynst the same prouyng that it is not the true light which we preach neither the Gospell of the Lord first because it bringeth forth a most false absurde seducyng and arrogant fredome horrible agaynst God and his vpright seruice bringing daunger and destruction vnto the children of men Vnto the which Theophilus addeth a reason of his maister HN. his Assertion that therfore it is false c. because that we beyng vnrenewed or vnregenerate out of the learnednes of the letter and imagination of our owne knowledge take it vpon vs because it bréedeth dissention and captiuatyng of mens hartes vnto mens good thinking therfore also is it the falsest fredome or libertie and I must blase my selfe therein videl to be a false Libertine or Fréeman These be the chiefest notes of the second part of this 11. Article The first crime wherewith HN. chargeth the ministry of the Gospel is that it engendreth a false freedome or libertie The which his accusation albeit it is slauÌ„derous and Godles yet had it bene more glorious in the sight of men if in the approuing therof as he otherwhiles doth so in the confirmation also he had pretended some cloke of Scripture that thereby also his meanyng might the playnlier haue bene vnderstode But seyng that neither in 14. or 15. sentences he citeth no proofe for any such matters let vs examine his wordes to sée if his bare word be sufficieÌ„t with proofe to be our warrant that his saying is true The string that he harpeth on is the same that all heretiques and schismatiques haue ben busie withall therby to draw by a plausible doctrine many Disciples after them videl libertie fréedome c. And least HN. should séeme as grosse as his brethren the impure Anabaptistes in protestyng to the world an open and carnall libertie by a cunnyng conueighauÌ„ce he couereth the same shewyng vs in two dishes one meat and onely telleth vs that they be twayne because he sauceth and setteth them forth after a diuers fashion The liberty which he broacheth he defineth after this sort when through the ministration of the gracious word vnder the obedience of the loue man forgoeth or vnbindeth all taken on knowledge with the purging of hart spirite mynd is purged or purified from all wicked nature Rom. 6. c. 8. a. whiche hath reigned ouer hym that there dwell nothyng in man but the true Godhead with his Louely beyng of the vpright loue this he termeth a definition the which he darkneth with many varying diffuse termes but how like a deffinition it is beyng a hotch potch without forme or matter to him that knoweth what a deffinition is may easely be discâ—â—â—ed The partes whereof HN. his definition principally doth consist are in number 2. In the first he requireth an vnbyndyng and forgoyng or as in an other place more fitly he termeth it an vnlearnyng of all knowledge The which clause of this definition is flatly a Papisticall dotage which teacheth Ignoraunce is the mother of deuotion already coÌ„futed in this booke 8. Article The second part of his definition videl a purging of the spirite from all wicked nature is also playne Anabaptisticall which dreameth that it is possible in this life to come to that perfection that meÌ„ should not sinne whiche also our Familie mightly do maintaine by their open letters to M. Rogers in the quarell they moue against his display The last clause which doth after a sorte expounde this purging of the spirite c. conteineth this palpable absurditie that the true Godhead doth dwell in vs. Which was the hereticall fantasie of the Manichies wherof I haue spoken somewhat before of the which his