ye in like manner without Christ and against Christ although yee make great boast of him committe whoredome and deale nor walke not according to the doctrine or requiring of Christ If others thinke hardly and speake badly of these Familistes which are strangers vnto them and none of their societie and his Maiestie tearmeth them a vile Sect let them maruell noe more seeing H. N. the oldest Father of that Familie and priuie to all their actions and dealinges taketh them I meane many euen Almost all of them to bee but an whorish company making the voluptuousnesse of the flesh their freedome or summum bonum neither let them blame others hence forward as iniurious to their good manners For H. N. hath taught vs what they are The Familie of Loue. OR if wee doe varie or swarue from the now established Religion in this Land either in Seruices Ceremonies Sermons or Sacraments The Examination Here would I know what they meane by varying or swaruing from the now established religion in this Land If by varying they vnderstand any outward publique dissenting from the religiō established The Familistes Temporizers or from the Seruices Ceremonies Sacraments and exercises of the same by absenting from the Church or not frequenting and repairing vnto the sacred and approued assemblies then surely can they not he said to varie from our religiō and exercises at all For they neither altogether with the Brownistes nor in any Ceremoniall considerations with the halfe Brownists the Puritanes refuse to communicate with vs in the Seruices Ceremonies and other exercises of our Religion and so they doe or wil doe liued they at Rome as H. N. hath taught and willed them (a) Patterne of the pres Temps The Seruices or Ceremonies shall not saue any one saith H. N. without the good nature of Iesus Christ and of his seruice of Loue nor yet condemne any one in that good nature of IESVS CHRIST nor in the seruice of Loue (b) 3. Refrein §. 6. Hence it is that they neither accuse nor blame any folke for their religion whether the Ministers of the Popish Church or in any other Protestant and reformed Church which minister or vse the Ceremonial Seruices (c) Ibid. §. 2. prouided that they hold them still and suffer the Familists to be quiet and encrease neither striue they at all wheresoeuer they reside nor varie with any one about Religion (d) Patern◠of the pres Temps But this doth not extenuate their fault but aggrauate their offence for that they are pliable and conformable to all religions Seruices and times for their owne ease and aduantage and to shunne persecution and trouble which they will not suffer come of religion what will But if by varying from the now established religion in this Land c. they meane howe in their iudgement they condemne and doe not approue the religion Seruices Ceremonies and Sacraments ratified by the hie and lawfull authoritie of this Church as wherein The Familists most capitall enemies vnto sound Christian religion without the Seruice of their Loue or ministrie of H. N. his doctrine God is not delighted and whereby Christians please not the diuine Maiesty one whit but rather irritate and offend him then surely they doe more varie from the religion Seruices Ceremonies and Sacraments of the Church of England than doth any Brownist or Puritane or other aduersarie of the Church of England whatsoeuer For howsoeuer they showe themselues obedient and externally conformable by repairing vnto our Churches frequenting of Sermons vsing the Sacramentes and the like yet in their hearts and minde both present and absent either as childish they deride or as impious they condemne them all Witnesse H. N who speaking of vs and whosoeuer else bee not of his Familie whom they imagine to soiorne in the land of ignorance They build saith hee in scoffing and odious manner They build diuerse common houses which they name Gods houses And they occupie there manie-manner of foolishnesse or taken on Seruices which they name Religions or Gods seruices to waue or hold forth some thing before the ignorant people to a stay of the consent arising out of their spotted consciences whereby their might set their foolish consciences at peace (e) H.N. Spiritland c. 5. §. 1. Which our meetinges and Seruices elsewhere hee calleth false Exercises or vsages (f) H.N. 1. exhort c. 16. §. 2. which heare a goodly shewe wherewith many ignorant people that knowe not any difference betweene the true and the false light become seduced and deceiued And in another place Therefore cannot the Man whilest that he is not yet wholly Godded in one spirit of the godly Being with God occupie or vse any manner of Freedome that is falser wickeder absurder seducinger arroganter nor horribler against God his vpright Seruice nor yet daungerfuller nor distructionabler to the children of men than this Namely that any man should become so arrogant and free or vnbound of Hart that he out of an appeased Conscience or contented Hart shold dare to teach or set forth any thing 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 iustitute any Seruices Out of the letre of the Scripture accordinge to his good thinkinge and so to plucke or make subiect the hearts of men to destruction thereunder So H. N. (g) Ibid. §. 14. And further No man saith H. N. (h) Ibid. 16. can rightly according to the truth of the holy Scriptures nor according to the spirituall vnderstanding of the godly wisedome deale-in or vse the true Gods seruices nor the seruices of the holy word it becommeth not like wise that any man saith H. N. should take-in hand to busie himselfe thereabout but onlie the illuminated Elders in the godlie wisedome which walke in the House of Loue c. are cuē so Godded with God or incorporated to God in all Loue. With whom also God in one Being and power of his holy spirit is hominified or become Man And then obserue the execrable spirit of these men Therfore it is assuredly all false and lies seducing and deceitfull what the vngodded or vnilluminated Men out of the imagination or riches of their knowledge and out of their learnednesse of the Scriptures bring-forth institute preach and teach They preach indeede the Letter and the Imagination of their knowledge but not the word of the liuing God All this hath H. N their prophet (i) Ibid. §. 17.18 which well may shew that the bodies of his Familistes may be in our Churches and at Seruice Sermons and Sacramēts but their harts doe loath whatsoeuer they doe either see or heare though it be neuer so firmely grounded apparantly deriued frō Gods written word if the same either proceede not neither be vttered by the deified
Our Heart is the Mind of God most high Our Beeing amiable as the sweete Lillie Our faith fullnes Loue and Trueth upright Is Gods Light life and Cleernes bright A SVPPLICATION OF THE FAmily of Loue said to be presented into the Kings royall hands knowen to be dispersed among his Loyall Subiectes for grace and fauour Examined and found to be derogatorie in an hie degree vnto the glorie of God the honour of our King and the Religion in this Realme both soundly professed firmly established Reuel 2. Ver. 14.15 I haue a fewe things against thee because thou hast them that mainetaine the doctrine of BALAAM c. Euen so hast thou them that mainetaine the doctrine of the NICOLAITANES which thing I hate Printed for Iohn Legate Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1606. TO THE KINGS most excellent Maiestie IAMES the first by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland defender of the Fayth c. MOST gracious Soueraigne Lord The exordium where there is published in a booke written by your Highnesse as an instruction to your most noble Sonne whome Almightie God blesse with much honour happinesse and long life of a people that are of a vile secte among the Anabaptists called the Family of Loue who doe hold and mainetaine many proud vncharitable vnchristian and most absurd opinions vnto whome your Highnesse doth also giue the name of Puritanes affirming in the say de booke that diuers of them as Browne Penrie and others doe accord with them in their foule erroneous heady and fantasticall opinions which are there set downe at large by your Maiestie aduising your Royall Sonne as is most meet to punish them if they refuse to obey the Lawe and will not cease to stirre vp rebellion The Examination THis is the Families Exordium and containeth an heauie and pitious complaint vnto and of the Kings Maiestie himselfe for that in his booke and Instruction vnto his most noble Sonne hee tearmeth the Familie of Loue a vile Sect amongst the Anabaptists and also giueth them the title of Puritans This goeth to their verie hearts The Exordium quare some that they should be so ranked and stiled and that by his Maiestie and that in a printed booke and that divulged in a knowen tongue ouer his dominions and the same directed vnto his royall and deatest Sonne euermore to continue Hence their quarrell and contention euen with their King hidden yet vnder the faire wordes of an humble petition A memorable Exordium or preface The Familie of Loue. NOw gratious Soueraigne A Propestatiō because it is meete that your Highnesse should vnderstand by their supplication and declaration of the truth herein by themselues of whom your Maiestie hath beene thus informed prostrate at your Princely seete as true faithfull loyall and obedient subiects to all your lawes ordinances ciuil and politique spirituall and temporall they with humble hearts do beseech your Princely Maiestie to vnderstand that the people of the Familie of Loue or of God doe vtterly disclaime and detest all the said absurd and selfe-conceited opinions and disobedient and erroneous Sects of the Anabaptistes Browne Penrie Puritanes and all other proude-minded Sectes and heresies whatsoeuer protesting vpon paine of our liues that we are not of consent nor agreeing with any such brain-sicke Preachers nor their rebellious and disobediet Sectes whatsoeuer but haue been euer wil be truely obediēt to your Highnesse and your lawes to the effusion of our blood and expenses of our goods and lands in your Maiesties seruice highly lauding Almightie God who hath so gratiously peaceablie appointed vnto vs such a vertuous wise religious and noble King and so carefull and vnpartiall a Iusticer to gouerne ouer vs beseeching him daiely to blesse your Highnesse with his godly wisedome and holy vnderstanding to the furtherance of his truth and godlinesse and with all honor happinesse peace long life to iudge rightly betwixt false hood and truth The Examination IN this Section they protest that they are not as the King saith they are a vile Sect but The Familie of Loue Against their Protestation or of God or Gods Familie neither that they doe hold maintain as his Maiestie hath published any much lesse many proud vncharitable vnchristian and most absurd opiniōs yea they doe vtterly disclaime detest al the said absurd and self-conceited opinions as also the disobediēt and erroneous Sectes of the Anabaptistes Browne Penrie Puritanes all other proud-minded Sects heresies whatsoeuer c. And therfore that his Highnes both misconceiueth and misreporteth of them good men In which their Protestation hee that seeth not his most excellent and sacred Maiestie most odiously to be traduced as a publike defamer of Gods people is verie blinde and againe obseruing so much is not grieued thereat sheweth that hee neither carrieth sound affection vnto his Souereigue nor tendereth the honour of his Prince Now forsomuch as both his Maiesties book is extant and this their supplication but more truly infamous Libell in many mens hands especially of the young ones in this Family of Loue for few else can haue so much as a viewe thereof vnlesse they be of the vulgar sorte and withall inclineable to receiue their doctrine of all others the vnfittest to read or heare such dangerous discourses whereby both the Familistes are confirmed in their familiar instructions and his Maiestie by such Libels ignominiously dispersed is not a little wounded it is verie behoouefull somewhat to examine the truth of this their protestation And because they say how the premisses are published in the sayd booke of the Kings it shall not be amisse heere to set downe his Maiesties verie words and the occasion of them expressed by his royall hand to the end that it may appeare who is more abused either the Family who are charged as there is set down by his Highnesse or his Maiestie thus traduced and that to his face by the Family In the second booke therefore of his most Fatherly Kingly and diuine directions vnto the royall Impe of rare hope Prince Henry his best beloued sonne his Maiesty hauing at large set down the diseases of the church and from his owne experience declared how the Puritanes all his raigne and some yeares afore had troubled the quiet of the Scottish kingdome Church opposed themselues against the throne of Maiestie laboured by the peoples fauour and assistance the erection of a gouerment Democraticall by the ruine of the royall State and sought to bring in a parity equalitie of all degrees aswell into the Common-weale as Church in the ende he giueth his aduise and sayth Take heede therefore my Sonne to such Puritanes Puritanes to beauoided very Pestes in the Church and Common-weale whome no desertes can oblige neither oathes or promises binde breathing nothing but sedition and calumnies aspiring without measure railing without reason making their owne imaginations without any warrant of
vnderstand them they tend to the supplanting of true religion and ouerthrowe of Gods house which is the Church of God for the erecting of a newe Family whereof they take their name The Family of Loue. AGainst which auctor and his books wee neuer yet heard nor knew any law established in this realm by our late gracious Souereigne but that we mought read theÌ„ without offence whose writings wee suppose vnder your Highnesse correction your Maiestie hath yet neuer seen or perused heard of by any indifferent nor true information The Examination IT Is well knowne there be lawes canons and iniunctions against erroneous and infectious books and that Proclamations houe come out expresly against H. N. and his scandalous inuentions When there be lawes against Sect-masters and Heritickes bee there no lawes shall we thinke against H. N. and his bookes Scarse had I proceeded thus farre in this examination but vpon searche I founde a paper which many yeares hath lyen by mee in my priuate studie conteining a forme of abiuration offered by the Lords of the late Queene ELIZABETHS most honorable priuie Counsayle vnto certaine persons suspected to fauour the vile Heresies of H. N. which forme vvas this Whosoeuer teacheth that the dead which are fallen asleepe in the Lord An abiuration tendred vnto the Familistes the tenth of October An. 1580 by ten of the Lords of Q. Elizabeths priuy Counsel rise vp in this day of his iudgement and appeare vnto vs in godly glorie which shal henceforth liue in vs euerlastingly with Christ and raigne vpon the earth is a detestable Hereticke But H. N. teacheth so Euang. c. 37. Sect. 9. Therefore H. N. is a detestable Heretike Whosoeuer teacheth that to be born of the Virgin Marie out of the seede of Dauid after the flesh is to be expounded of the pure doctrine out of the seede of Loue is a detestable Hereticke But H. N. teacheth so Document sent c. 3. Sect. 5. Therefore H. N. is a detestable Hereticke Whosoeuer teacheth that Iesus Christ is come againe vnto vs according to his promise to the ende that they all which loue God and his righteousnesse and Christ and his perfect Being might presently enter into the true Rest which God hath prepared from the beginning for his his elect and inherit the euerlasting life is a detestable Hereticke But H. N teacheth so Euang. c. 1. Sect. 1. Therefore H. N. is a detestable Hereticke Nauing examined these reasons with the bookes of H. N. wee doe finde that in truth hee holdeth these heresies and we thinke in our hearts and of our owne knowledge affirme that H. N. is in these heresies a detestable Hereticke Promising faithfully before God and your Honors neuer hereafter to haue any dealing with his bookes and doctrine nor to go-about to bring any to the loue liking or reading of them And that we now speake is the true meaning of our hearts as wee looke for mercie at his hands which searcheth the heart Would her Maiesties Councell minister this Abiuration vnto these Familistes euen of her owen Familie had they noe law nor authoritie so to doe Or would the saide Courtiers as before their Honors they did abiure these Heresies if both the said heresies had not been contained in the bookes of H. N. and themselues by Lawe compellable either to abiure or abide the punishment due for obstinate Heretickes And was there Lawe then viz. Anno. 1580. for in that yeare and so long agoe was this donne and is there noe Lawe now Haue they not heard nor knowen of these things by lawfull authoritie performed which were both heard andmade knowen both in Court and CouÌ„trie the parties some of them and the cheifest yet liuing and in Court which so abiured their Children in right auncient place about his Maiesty before whome they abiured But haue they not heard nor knowen as they pretend of any Lawe established in this Realme against H. N. and his bookes by our late gratious Soueraigne Then pray wee vnto God that they may both heare and knowe some lawe to bee established against them by our nowe raigning and gratious Soueraigne the King The rest of this section that his Highnesse as they feare not to say neuer yet hath seene or perused the writings of H. N. nor somuch as heard of them by any indifferent or true information are words derogatorie in an high degree to his Maiesties honour because both his Highnesse hath affirmed vpon his knowledge the Familistes to be a vile sect of Anabaptistes yeelding inuincible reasons of his certaine knowledge which are aboue specified and they say his Maiestie neuer yet sawe nor perused nor so much as heard of H. N. his writinges by any indifferent and true information in the which the points wherewith hee chargeth them are most truely contained The Familie of Loue. FOr the saide H. N. in all his doctrine and writings being as we are crediblie enformed as much matter in volum if they were all compiled together as the whole Bible containeth doth * Vntrue neither take part with nor write against any particular partie or companie whatsoeuer as naming them by their names nor yet prayse or dispraise any of themy by name * Vntrue Hee magnifieth the Church of Rome The Examination THis vain boasting of the bulke of H. N. his writings is verie vsuall among the Familistes About thirtie yeares agoe mine eares heard his disciples much bragge of the multitude of H. N. his bookes as if his greate paines in writing were argument stronge enough to induce men to the liking of his opinions Which if it beeso then haue the Papistes a stronge reason that the trueth is with them on their side the monkes and Friars of whose Religion hauing bestowed infinite paines in writinge and composing of bookes Then haue wee whose doctrine and religion deriued and drawen from Gods word as Scripture learning the Familistes labour to supplant the truth and not the Familistes to whom for multitude of writinges they are not comparable some one of vs as Caluin hauing written so much as noe one man eitherin these or our Fathers daies hath done the like (a) Beza in vit Cal. Musculus and Luther and Erasmus and euerie of these hath written more then any man can read in many score of yeares (b) Bodin in method hist c. 5. which Erasmus composed so many Epistles and Letters as gathered together would neere loade two Cartes or Wagons (c) Eras catal Lucâ—b And therefore equall many Bibles in bulke and bignesse And could not the heretickes in all ages say as much for their founders as the Familistes here doe of H.N. viz. that their bookes were many and themselues as studious and painefull in writing of discourses for the propagating of their inuentions as euer the true and faithful seruants of God were or bee for the implanting of the truth Manes that Arch-hereticke and great grand Father to H. N. his errors was the Father of sundrie