which H. N. claimeth vnto himselfe in the first Chapter of his booke intituled Euangelium Regni The Gospel and ioyfull message of the kingdome H. N. Through the grace and mercie of God and through the holy spirite of the loue of Iesu Christe raised vp by the highest GOD from the death according to the prouidence of God and his promises annoynted with the holie Ghoste in the olde age of the holy vnderstanding of Iesu Christe Godded with God in the spirite of his loue made heyre with Christe in the heauenlye goodes of the riches of God illuminated in the spirite with the heauenly trueth the true light of the perfect Beyng elected to a Minister of the gracious woorde which is nowe in the laste time raysed vp by God according to his promises in the moste holy seruice of God vnder the obedience of his loue Answere THE first thing that H. N. would perswade vs is that God hath raised him from the dead or to vse his owne wordes that he is raised vp by the most highest God from the death For confirmation hereof hee alleageth the sixt of Iohn the 17. of the Actes and the seconde to the Ephesians For he wil not seeme to say that thing which two or three shall not be redy to witnesse with hym VVe are therefore to heare what these can say to that point In the sixt of Iohn he directeth vs by this letter f vnto this Scripture conteyned in the 54. verse Whosoeuer eateth my flesh drinketh my blood hath eternal life and I will raise him vp at the last day Heere is a promise made vnto all true christians for they onely haue their hartes prepared by faith to digest the flesh and blood of Christe that the Lorde will raise them vppe at the laste day which wee call the day of iudgement and the seconde comming of Christe The promise I graunt is past but the day taken to performe the couenant is yet to come For by the promise it is playne that wee may not looke to haue the matter perfourmed before the laste day which is the seconde comming of Christe I wil not here call it into question whether H. N. be one of them who eate his fleshe and drinke his blood that shall go as graunted at this time onely this I will saye that hee is to begge shamefully who with no other helpe then that hee hath from hence shall obteine so muche as a place among the common sorte of Christians but hee that will vppon this warrant deale as a Prophete and Teacher in the Churche It cannot be excused but that he doeth felloniously enter breake in and steale For there is no colour of anie good title to bee shewed for the same Now I pray you consider of his argument which is this The Lorde will raise vppe all his faithfull at the last day and therefore H. N. is already risen from the dead The matter is established as doone but the grounde is no other then a graunt and promise made in expresse woordes for the time yet to come For our Sauiour Christe sayth playnely that hee will raise them vp at the laste day Where there is not only noted a time to come but of that time also the laste and furthest day is taken and yet yee see that H. N. will haue the matter to be alreadie accomplished in him selfe and that not otherwise then by vertue of this promise Let that bee graunted which H. N hath begged and let his felonious acte for once bee pardoned yet hath hee proceeded no farther in proofe then that hee ought to be taken as a Prophet risen from the dead with condition to wit if that the day of iuddgemēt alredy be past The Lord open the eies of his familie leaste as hee is no Prophet vnlesse that bee paste which is yet to come so they in like maner become no true Christians before that which is for euer past heereafter shall come If the cause of suche confusion bee demaunded this it is He expoundeth the doctrine of our resurrection Allegorically and taketh it to be nothing els but to ryse in our iudgemente and affection from the likyng of all other too the embracing of his doctrine and religion And therefore the day of iudgement which wee looke for is in his opinion already come because the troumpe of his doctrine now soundeth which woorketh this his spiritual resurrection The confutation whereof you shall God willing haue more at large heereafter and yet there is sufficient euen in this place aleadged by him to ouerthrowe it For speaking of the children of GOD who are true Christians possessed by fayth of eternall life and therefore already rysen from the dead because to rise from errour to the imbrasing of the trueth which hee taketh his owne doctrine too bee is with him the rising from the dead euen of those hee sayth I will rayse them vp in the last day appoynting an other resurrection yet to come for those who by a true faith haue alredy taken holde of that spiritual rising from darknesse to light from sinne and iniquitie to righteousnesse and true christianitie If his best bulwarke appointed to beare of the first and greatest assault that shal be made against him bee thus weake there is good hope it wil be no great woorke too winne the hold it selfe His seconde confirmation is taken out of the Acts 17. verse 31. The woordes be these God wil iudge the worlde in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath appointed whereof he hath geuen assurance vnto al in that he hath raised him from the dead A place proper and peculiar vnto Christe alone whom God the father hath raised from corporall death to be an assuraunce vnto vs that hee is the man appointed who shal iudge the world in righteousnesse at the latter day There can be no other place more peculiar and proper vnto Christe then is this whereunto for all that H. N. wil be entituled Notwithstanding yf the woorde of GOD haue geuen it vnto him good reason hee shoulde enioy it Let it therfore bee considered what he hath saide for it This is his reason GOD hath geuen vs assuraunce that hee will iudge the world in righteousnesse by the man Christ in that hee hath raysed hym from the dead therefore H. N. is alreadie risen from the dead If H. N. bee Christ it foloweth necessarily though not by force of this argument yet by sufficient strength from the trueth of the matter it selfe that he shoulde be rysen from the dead because hee is the same person of whom it is sayde that he is already risen from the dead to assure vs of the last iudgement that it shal be holden by him selfe But if H.N. bee anie thing beside Christe there is no maner of helpe to bee had from this place For hee speaketh playnely heere of the bodyly death of Christe him selfe As for the affinitie betweene H. N. and Christe howe
as a matter out of doubt and yet might it well bee that the woorde whereof hee is a Minister were a gracious woorde as hee calleth it and for all that his election therevnto neither good nor gracious But woulde you heare what this gracious woorde is according as the Prophet testifieth of it Surely it is no other thing then euen now to bring vs the first newes of a matter done and past manie hundreth yeares agoe to witte that Iuda and Ierusalem shoulde bee inhabited againe by the Iewes after the captiuitie of Babilon In the place which he alledgeth out of the Prophete it is written thus Thus saith the Lord againe there shall be heard in this place which ye say shal be desolate without mā without beast euē in the cities of Iuda and the streetes of Ierusalem the voice of ioy and the voice of gladnesse the voice of the bridegrome the voice of the bride For I will cause to returne the captiuitie of the land as at the first The Iewes are cōforted by the prophet with this promise frō the Lord that they shal returne frō their captiuity and inhabite Iuda and Ierusalem with comfort and ioy of heart For saith he there shall be heard in your streetes the voice of ioy gladnes the voice of the bridegrome and the voice of the bride H.N. might well haue stayed among the dead neuer haue striuen so much about his resurrection from among them if he haue no other message then this for they are dead many hundreth yeares agoe to whom this matter did apperteine It is plaine therefore by his own testimonie that he hath no authority to deale with vs but with Iuda Ierusalem nor to bring anie doctrine into the world touching euerlasting saluation but onely cōcerning a temporall deliuerance neither to haue any thing to doe with men nowe liuing but with people long before this time deade Thus much in particular both touching his person and his office For his title in generall I haue to say that this title which is so ample and glorious being compared with the preface of the Apostles set before their writings wil soone discrie the diuersitie of spirits They dispatch vs touching the knowledge of themselues in the words of Seruant Apostle whē they stand the longest with vs vpō that matter By seruant declaring what they hold in common with all Christians by Apostle what they haue special in the function ministerie of the word Paul a seruāt of Iesus Christ called to be an Apostle Simon Peter a seruāt an Apostle of Iesus Christ And somtimes they are so sparing that they wil not spend both vpon vs. Iames a seruant of God and of the Lord Iesus Christ Peter an Apostle of Iesus Christ Iude a seruant of Iesus Christ But H. N. as if he could no longer beare such basenesse steppeth in before them with his stately stile and sayth H.N. Through the grace and mercie of God and through the holy spirite of the loue of Iesus Christ Raised vp by the highest God from the death according to the prouidence of God and his promises Anointed with the holy Ghost in the olde age of the holy vnderstanding of Iesus Christ Godded with God in the spirit of his loue Made heire with Christ in the heauenly goodes of the riches of God Illuminated in the spirite with the heauenly truth The true light of the perfect being Elected to a minister of the gracious worde which is now in the last time raised vp by God according to his promises in the most holy seruice of god vnder the obediēce of his loue What man measuring the matter by the outwarde face that is set vpon it would thinke the Apostles worthie to hold the candle to this mans cunning And what friend of theirs if H.N. would take vpon him to teach them the depth of his diuinitie would once seeme to offer with them lesse then the seruice of vii yeres Neither is there so great oddes betweene them in the multitude of titles as in the magnificence and dignitie of them How plain simple and farre from pride be the names of seruant Apostle How glorious swelling magnificēt be these speches Godded with God annointed with the holy Ghost in the olde age of the holy vnderstanding illuminated in the spirit the true light of the perfect being raised vp by the highest God frō the dead But no meruaile if H. N. be so glorious in titles for this he hath in common with the Heretikes of all times The Montanists who had their name beginning of Montanus the first heretike that practised to draw on disciples by procuring stipend and wages from the richer sorte of that sect to others the teachers and mainteyners thereof which was a baite that brought many to bite of those morsels and therefore vpon good consideration is nowe a freshe practised in this familie where there is so great famine of better arguments to perswade with all did affirme that they were wiser then the Apostles and alledged that place of the Apostle for it where Paule setting him selfe in the number with other sayeth We knowe in part For they mainteyned an absolute cleare and perfect reuelation in themselues affirming Montanus to be the holy Ghost promised to the Church whereof the Apostles had receyued but a little measure There were also a sect of people in that part of Pisidia which belongeth vnto Pamphilia who refused to receiue any into their felowship and communion that kept anie thing priuate and proper to themselues excluding them as straungers from the kingdome of God and they would be called Apostolici Apostolicall and be knowne by no other name Seruetus the heretike called himselfe Michael the keeper of the Church of God and the great prince of his people Dauid George H. N. his Schoole-maister though the scholer setting vp for himselfe will now take no more knowledge of anie maister or superiour calleth himselfe the seuenth Angell of GOD and the last trumpe And H. N. the father of this familie will bee godded with GOD and become the true light of the perfect being that in no wise hee might seeme to want that badge of boasting which is so speciall and proper vnto heretikes That which is commonly sayd of pictures and painted workes hath a fitte place in these workes of H.N. Picturae atque imagines eminùs non cominùs videndae Pictures and Images they are faire a farre off but if the eye drawe neare them there is then no sight or shew of them If a man looke at the diuinitie that is heere deliuered a farre off he would thinke it came from aboue the hiest heauen so great and goodly speaches of loue and peace be conteyned in it But come neare and lay it to the line of God his worde and beside that the lowest pit of hell shall not be able to afoorde worse wares then some that here be vttered It would
as a thing vnneedefull not once distincting vnto whom the seruice after the ordinaunce of Aaron is yet necessary nor yet with whom the same at the appoynted time ceaseth or leaueth of but haue al for the most parte cried Christ Christ and we are Christians and attributed to themselues much freedome ere euer the time of the appearing of Christ or the annointing of the holy Ghost was come to passe or fulfilled with them in the accomplishing of the olde Testament Oh that they yet nowe awaked and tooke heede in the woorde of the seruice of loue vnto this gratious time and gaue eare vnto the same that they might vnderstande their safemaking and so then bee rightly and according to the trueth brought to the true beyng that is vnto Christ You heare that hee complayneth greately of the Scripture learned that they haue altogether and generally leaste the Leuiticall Priesshoode and seruice after the ordinaunce of Aaron forbidding it vnto all without exception when as the time of the appearing of Christ is not yet come to passe with many because they haue not taken heede in the woorde of the seruice of loue vnto this gracious time and therefore hee wisheth in the tenth Section that they yet woulde nowe awake and take heede in the woorde of the seruice of loue vnto this gratious time that so they might rightly and acording to the trueth bee brought to the true beyng that is as he saieth vnto Christ for these be his owne woordes in this place And so then be rightly and according to the truth brought vnto the true beeing that is vnto Christ So that nowe you see clerely by receiuing effectually this his doctrine men are made that true light whereof he spake before in this chapter when as he saide And this same true light is the annoynted with the holy Ghost which is named in Hebrue Messias and in Greeke Christus In the sixth Section hee declareth when men may be saide to come to this true being and perfection which he calleth Christ To witte when the law and seruices doe chaunge with the beleeuers out of the letter and seruiceable woorde into the reuealing of the holie spirite of Christ For then as hee sayeth in that Section The honourable Priest is come vnto them who teacheth not after the maner of Aaron by requiring them yet to obserue the will or righteousnes of the law but after the maner of Melchisedech bringing with him the blessing the accōplishing of the law the saluation of life the annointing of the holy Ghost these be his words Where now thē the law the seruices do in such wise change by the beleeuers of the annointed to witte out of the figures into the true beeing and out of the letter and seruiceable worde into the reuealing of the holy spirite of Christ there is also then by these same the Priest his office chaunged for Christ the honourable Priest cōmeth vnto them from the right hand of God the Father out of the heauenly beeyng which hath or vseth not his seruice after the maner or ordināce of Aaron which is yet a teaching and requiring to obserue the will or the righteousnesse of the lawe of the Lorde but after the maner or ordinance of Melchisedech with bringeth with him the blessing the accomplishing of the lawe or of the Lorde his will the saluation of life and the annointing of the holy Ghost to a pleadge of the godly inheritance to an euerlasting treasure or riches of God and reigneth in the righteousnes of the same See the miserie of this mischiefe hee will haue Christ to bee an estate in man which leaueth the written woorde which hee calleth the letter and hearkeneth wholly to the reuelation of the spirit which banisheth Aaron that is that estate which is carefull to doe the will and commaundementes of God and resteth resolued that they haue already accomplished the lawe and sinne no more And this is that true seede of promise whereof wee heard before out of the eightienth chapter of this booke which is not as he sayeth conceiued of the fleshe but of the holy Ghost through the power of the most highest in the beleefe this seede out of the faith of Abraham also of the pure virgin Marie is as he saith in that place the true seede of the promise to the blessing of all generations of the earth And this seede he calleth the vpright children of the beliefe Albeit I haue set downe the wordes before yet it shall not be amisse to recite the place againe worde for worde as it lieth there Consider ye beloued howe that there is shewed vnto vs and geuen vs to vnderstand through the speches of the Angel Gabriel which he vsed with Mary that at the same time when the holy Ghost came through the power of the most highest vpon the Virgin Marie and procreated the true seede of promise the time of the procreating of the seede of Abraham according to the fleshe turned it selfe about to wit that the holy and true seede of Abraham should not from thenceforth be conceiued of the flesh but of the holy Ghost through the power of the most highest in the belief that the same should euē so be borne out of the true faith of Abrahā for the seed out of the faith of Abraham out of the pure virgin Mary is the true seed of promise to the blessing of all generations of the earth And thus from that time foorth the Genealogie of the seede of Abraham according to the fleshe ceassed with the Beleeuers for the vpright children of the belief which had their discent out of the seed of the faith of Abraham and of the pure Virgin Mary as also frō the holie Ghost were knowē to be the true seede of Abraham because the same seede was the seede of the promise of God the Father was likewise in his minde according to the spirite the likenes of God his father also spirit spirituall of the godly nature being according to the will of God wholly minded with God. It appeareth likewise plainely in that his booke which is intituled The Prophesie of the spirit of loue chapter xv v. Section that this state of perfection which is there called the seconde birth is Christ Iesus the Lord and sauiour These be his woordes O ye holy ones of God thou louely communaltie of loue feare not but be nowe of good cheere vpon the earth against all your enimies For beholde your GOD commeth to be auenged on all your enimies for to lay them that they may bee troden downe vnder the feete of your Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ and euen so in your second birth out of the holy spirite of the loue of Iesus Christ to transporte or yeeld ouer the iudgement and dominion vpon the earth vnto you and your Sauiour Iesus Christ to the ende that yee with him and he with you and your sauiour Iesus Christ and with his
holy spirit shoulde from hencefoorth worlde without ende raigne with righteousnesse vpon the earth and iudge the same with equitie according to the promises When he hath affirmed that almighty God wil lay downe their enimies vnder the feete of their Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ foorthwith explaning that matter more he saith And euen so in your seconde birth yeelde ouer the dominion vpon the earth vnto you and your Sauiour Iesus Christ So that it appeareth playnely he taketh their second birth to be their Sauiour For when he hath mencioned their Lorde and Sauiour the next wordes that followe be these And euen so in your seconde birth c. Sometimes this name Christ in a degree of excellencie is geuen to the oldest Father in the familie of loue because he is possessed of this estate of perfection in the highest degree and greatest measure as in the 31. chapter of his Euangelie and 14. Section where speaking of the offices and functions that were in the Churche of Rome whereof he sheweth great liking as beyng figuratiue seruices of that trueth which H.N. hath newely started he saith of the parishe Priestes Therefore they were ioyned with others in the seruice of the holy worde because they let passe the childhood or the yongnes of the holy vnderstanding grew vp according to the requiring of the seruice of loue vnto the manly agednes of Christ that is vnto the true being of the oldest holiest father For these be his owne woordes in that place Where as yee heare he calleth the manly agednesse of Christ the true being of the oldest father And to confirme the same he hath these wordes in the sixteenth Section of this chapter Herevnto serue the parish Priests as to such procurators or helpers forward of the communialties for to beare a good care ouer them and to witnesse and to teach thē daily the holy vnderstāding of Christ the oldest father where as before Christe and the Eldest Father whiche is H. N. himselfe bee by apposition made one the same person Sometimes this doctrine of H.N. for that it teacheth this state of perfectiō which is Christ leadeth men thervnto is called Christ as in the two fourtie chapter of the Gospel after H.N. and 8. Section in these words Whosoeuer now thē forsaketh himself geueth ouer himselfe obediētly in Iesu Christ the gracious word of the Lord becommeth nowe admitted or receiued in Iesu Christ and in the obedience of his requiring And likewise in his first exhortation chapter seuenth the fyrst article Section 23. in these woordes Wee confesse that no man can become partaker with all the holy ones of God of the resurrection of Christ but suche as indeuour themselues in the beliefe vnder the obedience of the loue of Iesu to become implanted into Christ the gratious worde of the Lorde and euen so then to die with Christ in his like death c. Christ and the gratious worde of the Lorde which is H. N. his doctrine are heere vnited by him and made one and the same thing which thing not onely the sense will leade you vnto but also the manner of poynting which hath no litle mystery in it For after Christ ye shall finde in his booke a full perfect point albeit the sense be yet hanging aboue the head of it there is an other point reaching forward which is a priuie marke betweene him his disciples telling them that the woorde following doth open and expounde it After the gratious woorde of the Lorde Yee see an other full and perfect point and aboue the heade of it a point looking backewarde to insinuate vnto them that the woorde behinde doeth in like manner open and declare it There is not one iodde in H.N. his Gospell that goeth for nothing For euen this Childishe toy is made a mysterie nay a miracle with manie of them Nowe whensoeuer H.N. vseth this forme of speache by Iesu Christ Hee meaneth eyther this state of perfection or else this gratious woorde of his wherein the sence will direct vs whether of the interpretations wee are to admitte off The like is to bee sayde of this forme of woordes in Iesu Christe that is in the state of perfection which his illuminate Elders doe euioy or in the gratious doctrine which hee hath brought into the worlde Christ then is nothing else but annointed and as ye haue hearde by his allegoricall exposition is geuen to all that are come to that infection he calleth it Perfection which was spoken of before to wit whē they haue done with Aaron and the seruiceable word and haue met with their Melchisedech who doth all to berubbe their heades with reuelations and as for their conuersation telleth them whatsoeuer their doinges be they are no longer now to be said or accompted to haue any sinne in them Now to colour his doings he speaketh of al the vpright children of the beliefe that are thus annointed in the singular number as of one bodie that his young disciples should not smel out his heresie at the first but remaine still of this opinion that when he speaketh of Christ hee meaneth no other beside that same one person whereof the Scripture speaketh which is both God and man Whereas in truth he comprehendeth vnder that name all that multitude or number howe many soeuer who haue to diet from H.N. this roste meate of reuelations It appeareth by this whiche hathe beene sayde that H.N. his Christ is not GOD but an affection or disposition in man which if it were good were yet no more but godlinesse not GOD himselfe But wee haue hearde manifestly prooued vnto vs before that of necessitie the mediatour and redeemer of man must be GOD himselfe And therefore this miserable man pulleth vppe the doctrine of our saluation by the rootes His doctrine of Christ is declared yet more playnely if possibly that may be in that allegory which he maketh of Esau and Iacob in the nienth Chapter of his Euangelie Where he affirmeth that the righteousnesse of the Lawe with the great knowledge of the fleshe or of the earthly being which is borne out of the letter and hath to name Adam Esau or Edom must serue the little single minded simplicitie which is borne out of the spirite or heauenly being He affirmeth in the 8. Section of that chapter That those who liue vnder the obedience of loue that is his family doe openly perceiue these two birthes in themselues The first birth is when we vnderstande the worde according to the letter and are reaching or striuing to atteine to the perfection which his illuminated elders are possessed of And this birth hee calleth in this Section The right knowledge of man out of the fleshe or letter the seede that is borne according to the fleshe and hath no inheritance in the promises And in the tenth Section hee calleth it the minde of the fleshe which is named Adam Esau or Edō the knowledge
duetie with them not only payeth their olde debt but also purchaseth more lande and liuing Let one of them yeelde a litle seruice vnto their God in their deuotion suche as it is and they will make that to answere the debt and daunger of their former sinnes yea and to deserue also more and greater graces to be geuen them from God according as H.N. sayth heere that they muste burie the olde man to the ende that they might euen so obteine the renuing of their spirite and minde in an vpright life Yf they coulde perswade men that there were either equitie right or reason in this kinde of dealing which they wil force vpon the Lorde it were no great matter too growe soone as riche in goodes as they doe take them selues to be in godlinesse For when they haue long tyme gone vpō credit if after their beginning to pay for wares as they shall take them they coulde perswade their creditours that the same dealing which nowe at the laste they haue light vppon doeth not onely answere their former debtes but also in equitie deserue to haue better penie-worthes alwayes after howesoeuer it should fare with their creditours they were sure to gaine greatly by it Thus blinde is man when he walketh without the worde And when his reason for some long time hath been his rule his punishment from GOD is so great that he taketh it in the ende to bee reason to depart from all equitie and reason If our sinnes were answered in that obedience wherby our life is reformed how commeth it then to passe that the Apostle speaking to the Church of Corinth after they were turned from theyr lewde life to serue the liuing God affirmeth that yf Christe be not risen they are yet in their sinnes They walked in humble obedience vnto theyr GOD they had left idolatrie fornication drunkennesse and other fruites of ignorance wherein before they had liued Notwithstanding the apostle telleth them that if Christ by his rising vp againe haue not made a cōquest for them ouer sinne hel and destruction their rising from sinne will stande them in no steede Because albeit they haue left those sinnes yet haue they not answered the Iustice of GOD for the offence whereof they haue made them giltie by theyr committing of the same as the Theefe or other malefactour may not thinke that all his offence passeth when the action is once past the purpose lefte of doeing the like it is no Plea either in lawe or reason for hym to say the deed is long since doone and my wayes are now otherwyse his offence committed against the good lawes vnder the with he liueth against the peace of his Prince must necessarily either be pardoned or els in his punishementes satisfied For albeit the deede passeth away with the tyme it is in doeing yet leaueth it that giltinesse in vs which no other thing but either pardon or punishment can discharge As for that H. N. affirmeth that our burial of the old mā obteineth the renuing of our spirite and minde in an vpright life it will in no wise stande with the doctrine left vnto vs in the woorde of god The woorde of GOD will not beare that blasphemie Touching this point God saith the Apostle which is rich in mercy euen when wee were dead by sinnes not when we had put our sinnes to death hath quickened vs togeather in Christ by whose grace yee are saued and hath raysed vs vp togeather that hee myght shewe in the ages too come the exceeding ryches of his grace through his kindenesse towardes vs in IESVS Christe For by grace are yee saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of GOD not of woorkes least any man shoulde boast him selfe Which doctrine not onely affirmeth that grace and not woorkes hath brought vs vnto the estate of saluation but also that wee haue passed immediatly from the woorkes of darkenesse and a damnable estate into the workes of light and estate of our saluation Euen when wee were dead in sinnes saith the Apostle hath God quickened vs in Christ by whose grace ye are saued How is our saluation of grace not of workes if by buriyng the olde man and woorking the death and destruction of sinne we obteyne the renuing of our mind in an vpright life How can it be said that hee hath quickened vs euen when we were dead by sinnes if we haue by our woorks greatly preuailed against sinne euen so farre as to procure the death thereof before we be quickened by beeyng renued in our spirite and mynde in an vpright lyfe H.N. Beholde after this manner as wee beeleeue and doe heere confesse or acknowledge become wee rightly baptized in the name of the Sonne incorporated or implanted as fellowe members of Christe into the bodye of Christe and the stocke of Israel to the ende that wee shoulde euen so according to the trueth as true Christians and an holy people of Israel of the seed of Abraham beare or carry his holy name confesse or acknowledge the same Christ as our Sauiour before men and euen so liue and walke in his louelie vpright beeyng Wee confesse likewise that all suche as doe not imitate or followe after Iesus Christ in his death of the crosse in all obedience of the holy worde of Iesu Christ and of his holy spirite of loue to the vanquishing of the sinne the death and the hel to a burying of all iniquitie destroying nature vngodly being or become not euen so baptized or washed in his name neither yet beare the death of the sinne through the death of the crosse of Christ in their inwardnesse are no christians nor yet baptized in the name or saluation of the sonne For al such as become not baptized or washed in the name of Iesu that is in the sauing health of his death to the mortifiyng of the sinfull fleshe according to the inwarde man neither yet indeuour them thereto and yet neuerthelesse boast them to be christians they are al false n Christians also lying in al theyr confessing teaching because they enter not into the cōmunialtie of the sheepe of Christ through the death and coincor porating of the death of Christ which is the right doore of the sheepe folde of Christ but breake in some other way and beleeue not the saluation or sauing health of Iesu Christ Answeare THis conteyneth nothing els but a iustifiyng of that which hee hath professed before to wit that our imitation of Christe in his death of the crosse is our beliefe in the sonne and our baptizing in the name of the sonne and a condemning of al as false Christians who shal not enter by this his way into the sheepefolde of Christ And therfore my former answere doth dispatch this also Through this doctrine professed by H. N. faith is vtterly banished and woorkes onely and altogeather imbrased so that instead
of the Actes of the Apostles touching the holy ghost appearing in clouen tongues like fire was nothing else but the appearing of this his Christ after the spirit These are his wordes touching this matter His disciples therefore were mindfull of all this and what he had said vnto thē remained within Ierusalē waiting cōcordably with supplication praier for the promises of the father vntil that christ after the spirit appeared vnto them out of the heauenly being The subtiltie of that ancient enimie vnto mankind may here euidently be seene for albeit heauē be not further distant frō the earth then the meaning of H.N. is from the truth of the doctrine set forth in this cōmon Creede these articles of our belief yet to colour his craft withall he keepeth him to the same words which the church vseth professing the christ rose the third day frō the dead saue that he interlaceth some odde words which cannot wel be discerned but by thē that are well acquainted with his bookes vnder the which he conueyeth all his corrupt doctrine Here hee sayeth that the God of Abrahā hath raysed vp this his sonne Iesus hauing relation in these wordes this his sonne vnto that Christ which he describeth And likewise when he affirmeth that Christ rose euen so the thirde day from the dead by this speach euen so hee caryeth vs from the resurrection in the fleshe vnto the rising in the spirite according as himselfe hath imagined of the matter and yet is hee content to make mencion of the thirde day as if there were no ill meaning in the man when as indeede this rising the thirde day must bee euen so as hee meaneth that is nothing so as the truth is Where the scripture affirmeth that Christ appeared in the flesh after his resurrection vnto his disciples and shewed vnto them his handes and his side and that hee willed Thomas who had affirmed he woulde neuer beleeue his resurrection vnlesse hee shoulde put his finger into the print of the nayles and his hande into his side to put his finger where the nayles had beene and his hande into his side H.N. to mainteine his doctrine of the resurrection in the spirite affirmeth that he shewed vnto his disciples nothing else but the victorie ouer sinne death deuil and hell as if he had declared vnto them howe by his suffering passion he came by the victorie ouer sin death the deuil and hell to the ende they might follow him in the same footesteppes and so become partakers of the like victorie with him Which thing in plaine woordes hee professeth in the next Section Heere he setteth foorth the matter not altogither so plainely and yet clearely enough to him that is anie thing acquainted with his subtile writing and craftie manner of speaking These bee his woordes in this place Hee appeared or made manifest him selfe to his friendes which loued him shewing vnto them thorowe his suffering and death of the Crosse the victorie ouer the sinne death deuill hell the fleshe and the worlde What plainer proofe can be brought not onely that Christ did rise in the fleshe but also that he rose in the same flesh wherein he suffered then this euen now alledged out of the Gospel after saint Iohn for the Apostles see his handes and his side Thomas putteth his finger into the place where the nayles had beene and his hande into his side which thing H. N. shall neuer bee able to wipe away by any mystical interpretation whatsoeuer inasmuch as our Sauiour Christ reproouing the want of fayth in Thomas and that he was so hardly led to beleeue his resurrection before his senses were satisfied sayth vnto him Thomas because thou hast seene me thou beleeuest blessed are they that haue not seene and haue beleeued In the second of the Actes saint Peter proueth that Christ must be raised vp concerning the flesh and bee set vpon the throne of his father and that he should not bee left in the graue neither should his flesh see corruption and that Dauid long before as he was a prophet did both foresee foretel this therfore seeing he was a prophet knew that God had sworne with an othe to him that of the fruit of his loines he wold raise vp christ cōcerning the flesh to set him vpō his throne he knowing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ that his soule should not be left in graue neither his flesh shuld see corruptiō This testimony of the apostle cannot agree with H. N. his Christ For his flesh must necessarily bee left in the graue and see corruption because when his Christ after the fleshe is dead hee neuer resumeth or taketh vnto him againe that estate but as hauing for euer done with it riseth vp in the spirite and continueth in the same being for euer after an illuminate elder who neither can erre in iudgement nor offend anie more in conuersation So that death or the graue do still keepe that possession or power which once they had of his flesh neither will he that they yeelde it vnto him anie more againe As for the true Christ it was impossible for death to keepe and continue that holde which once it had of him as appeareth in the Actes The Lord if it be his good will giue this Familie to see what a Christ H. N. hath brought vnto them that they refuse no longer the true Christ and onely comfort of all Christians for this miserable Christ whome the graue hath closed vp and holdeth all that euer it had of him For their Christ after the spirite was neuer in the graue and their Christ after the fleshe by H. N. his owne testimonie doeth neuer arise after that once he hath beene in the graue How shall these men bee euer able to gette out at the doores of death when their Christ and Captaine is yet groping and to this day hath not founde the gate that leadeth out of the graue H.N. Wee confesse that no man can become partaker with all the holie ones of God and beleeuers of Iesus Christ of the resurrection of Christ nor of the resurrection from the dead or yet rise vp with the holie ones of God and Christ but such as indeuour themselues in the beliefe vnder the obedience of the loue of Iesus Christ to become implanted into Christ the gracious worde of the Lorde and euen so then to die with Christ in his like death as also to lay away slay and burie through the death of his crosse the sinne in the flesh whereby they may euen so out of the second birth from the dead become renued in the spirit of their minde in Iesus Christ For therethrough wee all obteine and enioy in the vpright righteousnesse and holinesse which GOD esteemeth the making aliue from the dead namely with all the righteous and holie ones of God in the day of the
hearts which hope on God and on his righteousnesse and beare the loue of God and Christ in their hearts to the end that they all which loue God and his Christ mought now liue louely and peaceably in the same rest with all the holy ones of God and Christ in all loue which most holy the most pure perfect beautie his vpright and gracious seruice of loue we haue receiued or atteined vnto now in this last time wherin we inherite the fulnesse of the life to an euerlasting ioy with God and his Christ And that same most holy his seruice of loue reacheth also no further but it is the perfection it selfe for that cause the seruice of loue which the Lord hath erected with vs little ones elected ones shal stand fast euerlastingly in his ministration and remaine for euer according to the Scripture This seruice of loue as H.N. doth here declare is the perfection it selfe which shall stande fast euerlastingly in his ministration and remain for euer according to the scripture and he that liueth obediently in this seruice of the loue is alreadie ouer head and eares in the ioyes of heauen H.N. his heauen that is builded here vpon earth hath beene ouerthrowne before in the confutation of his title I meane not therefore to haue any other dealing against it before I shall be fully certified that eyther it is builded higher or else that the foundation is made surer onely this I desire that the eyes of this family may be opened so to see the true happinesse laid vp in heauen for the faithfull as that they may growe into a true detestation of all those who teach no other ioyes to be there then such that are felt and perceyued in this life A confutation of H.N. his estate of perfection THat which in this doctrine of H.N. is all in all according to the trueth of God his worde is not at all to be founde among men I meane his estate of perfection which with him is Christ the holy Ghost the resurrection and the euerlasting life and what is it not Now he imagineth that his illuminate men haue profited so well in godlinesse that they sinne no more A doctrine which the whole course of the Scripture doth vtterly ouerthrow For the scope and drift of the worde of God is to leaue all flesh indebted vnto the goodnesse of God that he who will glorie may glorie in the Lorde And therefore it doeth in many places teach and declare that sinne and imperfection is in all men In manie thinges sayeth the Apostle Saint Iames we offende all The Apostle doth not exempt anie man no not himselfe from sinne and offence against God in this his doctrine Whervnto accordeth that saying of Saint Iohn If we say that we haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and the trueth is not in vs. When the Apostles and pillers of the Church of GOD acknowledge themselues to bee sinners hee cannot bee guided with that spirite which did speake in them who shall denie him selfe and others to offende at all They alledge for them that saying of Saint Iohn Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not and that likewise He that committeth sinne is of the Deuill To the which I answere according to that principle which is begonne and grounded vpon reason which also our vsuall speach and practise doeth continue that the whole doeth beare the name after that which is principall in the thing And therefore when men haue dealinges in diuerse trades they alwayes beare the name after that which is principall The Marchaunt who hath a house in the Countrey and some dealinges in husbandrie is notwithstanding called a Marchant and not an husbandman because it is the chiefe and principall thing which he trauaileth in and whereby his especiall maintenaunce doeth growe The wine which is mingled with water hath to name wine and not water because wine is the principall and chiefe part And that lumpe which hath great store of drosse is named notwithstanding of that golde which is in it howe little soeuer the quantitie thereof shall happen to bee because it is principall in value and accompt So that whether we shall compare quantitie with quantitie or qualitie with qualitie the principall shall alwayes beare away the name And therefore no maruaile if the Euangelist shall say that he is of the Deuill who committeth sinne because here hee disputeth not of one or some fewe actions that breake out of a man but of that which is principall in a man For hee draweth all men to these two heades either to bee borne of GOD or of the Deuill According to this doctrine doeth the Apostle exhort vs saying Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies for if sinne bee principall beare rule and reigne in anie they giuing themselues as seruauntes thereunto wee may lawfully say of such with the Apostle that they are of the Deuill as contrariwise when anie shall humble themselues to those dueties which are sette downe to vs in the worde of GOD so as that course of life shall bee chiefe and principall in them though in manie particular actions they shall be found offenders yet may they all this notwithstanding be said to be borne of GOD and not to sinne because it is not in them as ruler and principall but as a slaue and vnderling and therefore not able to beare the name When the contention is as nowe for principalitie rule According to this distinction we do finde in the scriptures graces denied vnto sinners when sinne is in rule and gouernement which are not denied when it is in subiection and seruice In the Gospell after Saint Iohn it is thus written touching sinne when it is principal and gouerneth â–ª We know that God heareth not sinners And in the Epistle it is plainly set downe concerning sinne when yet it is in vs though not ruler ouer vs that if wee acknowledge our sinnes he is faithfull iust to forgiue vs our sinnes We doe find likewise in other places because of this diuersitie diuerse and distinct things vttered touching sinne For in the Epistle of Saint Iohn it is there said He that committeth sinne is of the Deuil And in the first Chapter of that Epistle the Apostle affirmeth plainly of himselfe and of all the seruants of God who liue here in this world that if we say we haue no sinne we do deceiue our selues and trueth is not in vs. So diuerse speaches vttered in the Scripture of sinne must of necessitie force vs according as the godly and learned of all times haue done before vs thus to distinguish the same For the further warrant of this doctrine which giueth the name of the whole vnto that which is not yet whole and perfect because of a speciall studie trauaile profiting therein and contending thervnto consider I pray you of that which is written by the Apostle who when he had before confessed that he had
of saying I beleeue in Iesus Christ if we wil become scholers vnto H. N. we are to say I work Iesu Christ The matter that ministreth vnto vs faith and comfort in Iesus Christ is that he being God equall with his father hath notwithstanding abased himselfe in our nature and for our saluation vnto the estate of a seruant wherein he hath humbled himselfe vnto all reproch contempt anguish and bitternesse of paine both in soule and bodie in the time of his life and vnto all infamie and slander by his death For his death was the death of the crosse and his graue was giuen him with the wicked and the wicked had their will of him insomuch that the Prophet saith He was famous for his miserie and affliction This is that loue and friendship which the Apostle saith hath no fellow or match to be found among men For who hath beene found to offer himselfe to an infamous death for his friend the sonne of God doth it for his enemies For he was counted among the transgressours Here is the ground worke of our faith and comfort that when there was no religion or feare of God in vs and therefore deadly enmitie betwene him and vs yet so great was the good will he did beare vnto vs that himselfe would wade throughout all those raging waues to saue and preserue vs that were vnder the water of euerlasting destruction Here is the triumph of Christians in whom religion is in trueth begonne and his feare truely entered and therefore hatred banished and they truely reconciled that if his death were able of enemies to make friends his life which is of much more efficacie power shall well be able where friendship is begonne to continue it for euer If that which is weaker hath done the greater worke the stronger will bee much more able to goe thorowe with the lesse labour H. N. his Christ cutteth of all this comfort For his estate in suffring was not abased and lower then before it had beene but better and nearer vnto glorie H. N. his Christ was not equall with God before the time of his passion and humiliatiō but an vtter enimy vnto god For the time of his humiliation and suffering is from his first entrance into the familie vntill he become an illuminate elder before which time in his opinion hee is a straunger nay an vtter enimie to God and all godlinesse Here is then no argument of good will by abasing himselfe from a better estate vnto a worse whereby comfort especially commeth vnto vs Besides H.N. his Christ suffereth for his owne benefite for hee coulde not come to euerlasting ioy and his perfect estate vnlesse he should die in the flesh And this vtterly killeth all comfort for what argument of good will towardes vs can wee haue from another in that matter whereby himselfe is either the whole or at the least the greatest gayner Moreouer shall his death by reconciling of vs to God which is the greater worke from the weaker instrument put vs in assured hope to be safely kept by his life vnto eternall glorie when wee are both by our owne death suffering to rid vs from the daunger of our sinnes reconcile vs vnto our God and by our life to continue and preserue our selues vnto glorie Howe fearefull is the fall of H.N. and his familie that haue forsaken the true Messias that bringeth so great comfort vnto mankinde to imbrace so cursed and comfortlesse a Christ H.N. The fift Article We beleeue that the God of Abraham hath raysed vp this his sonne Iesus from the dead and that hee euen so the third day rose againe from the dead and appeared or made manifest himselfe vnto his friends which loued him shewing vnto them through his suffering and death of the Crosse the victorie ouer the sinne death deuill hell the flesh and the worlde Answere The resurrection of H.N. his Christ answereth vnto that doctrine which he hath deliuered before touching his death For as that was nothing but a passing out of the flesh or letter of the law which is a condition common to the Nouices and yong ones in H.N. his schoole so this is the resurrection when a man is come into the spirit or that estate of perfection which his illuminate elders are pertakers of That which hath beene spoken of before may sufficiently satisfie vs touching H.N. his opinion that thus he thinketh and not otherwise of the resurrection yet shall it not be amisse to adde one testimonie out of his Euangelie where of purpose he handleth the resurrection of Christ it is in the. 22. Chapter where he speaketh thus Now whē Iesu Christ was foūd faithful in the death of his crosse til vnto his burial to a true Passeouer out of the flesh into the making aliue according to the spirit was also through the power of God his father raised vp frō the death and made aliue againe and that he had shewed himselfe in his making aliue vnto his disciples for that they should stedfastly beleeue so was he then wholy taken vp from the eyes of their fleshe and he set himselfe according to the spirite at the right hande of God his father in the heauenly being and entred euen so as the true high Priest when as the seruice had perfectly ended his course according to the true being in the holy into the most holy his disciples therefore were mindful of all this and what he had said vnto them remained within Ierusalem wayting concordably with supplication and praier for the promises of the father vntil that Christ after the spirite appeared vnto them out of the heauenly being the most holy in the holy in spirituall and heauenly powers like as hee after the Spirite and according to the trueth of the heauenly Godhead is an euerlasting and true Christ of GOD. He is plaine as you heare in this point that Christ his resurrection and making aliue was according to the spirite for he sayth that Iesus Christ was founde faythfull in his death of the crosse to a true Passouer out of the flesh into the making aliue according to the spirit He is likewise as plaine in this that his sitting at the right hand of God is in spirit spiritual For those are his very words as you haue heard he set himselfe according to the spirit at the right hād of god his father in the heauēly being More ouer he is of opinion that he is not a true Christ but as he speaketh imagineth of him that is according to the spirit For touching this point these are his words He after the spirit and according to the trueth of the heauenly Godhed is an euerlasting and true Christ of God. And that in this absurd doctrine heauē earth might come togither and a mingle mangle made of all things hee shameth not to affirme that Christ is the holy ghost and that the doctrine which is deliuered in the 2.
resurrection and inherite euerlasting life Answere All the comfort that H. N. doeth assure his familie of by the resurrection of their Christ is that such as shall become obedient vnto his doctrine which thing he expresseth in these woordes such as indeuour themselues in the beliefe vnder the obedience of the loue of Iesus Christ to become implanted into Christ the gracious woorde of the Lord for Christ as you haue heard before signifieth somtimes nothing else with H. N. but this worde and doctrine which he hath brought into the worlde shall by this their slaying and burying of sinne in the flesh become renued in the spirite of their minde obteyne and inioy the resurrection or as he speaketh the making aliue from the deade and inherite the euerlasting life But wee haue not thus learned Christ so manie as haue beene taught out of the woorde of God the truth of him and the true fruite of his resurrection For as Christ Iesus died in our sinnes and went downe into the graue in our iniquities inasmuch as it was our sinnes and no offence of his owne that drewe him vnto death so his resurrection was the perfect absolution and clearing of the faithfull from al their transgressions For had one sinne of his seruants bene vnsatisfied for neither woulde death haue resigned hir right who had arested him as suretie for sinne neither would the righteous Lord by raising him from the dead bringing him out of the danger that he lay vnder for our sinnes haue giuen sentence on his side so iustified vs in him Which thing the apostle cōfirmeth triumphing ouer condēnation not onely because we haue discharged it by his death but also because we haue our Quietus est acquittance to shew for the same euen his resurrectiō Who shal lay any thing to the charge of god his chose It is God that iustifieth who shal cōdēne it is Christ that is dead yea or rather which is risē againe And likewise the same apostle in his epistle to the Corin. affirmeth plainly that if Christ be not risen from the dead we haue nothing to shewe for our discharge against sinne but do remaine yet vnder the danger thereof And in the Epistle to the Romanes he declareth also that wee are by his resurrection cleared from our sinnes and they nowe no longer imputed vnto vs And therefore when he had before declared that not only Abraham his faith was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse but also that ours shal be imputed vnto vs hee telleth vs more particularly how this commeth to passe to wit because Christe who was deliuered to death for our sinnes is risen againe for our iustification For as God the father in deliuering Christ vnto death did cast all our sinnes vpon him and condemned our sinnes in him so in raysing him frō the dead he iustified and absolued him vs in him inasmuch as but for vs neither sinne nor death could haue any thing to doe with him from all our sinnes and trāsgressions whatsoeuer Now if the Lorde had let him make an escape who was in holde for our sinnes inasmuch as he had once taken vpon hym to satisfie for the same or wrougt his deliuerance and set him at libertie before a ful sufficient satisfaction had bene made then coulde not himselfe haue bene cleared of iniurye offred vnto vs nor his Iustice haue bene vnspotted euen before vs which if once wee suffer to enter but into our thoughtes it maketh vs giltye of high treason against our god This doctrine therefore of H. N. who will haue our dying vnto synne not onelie to preuent but also to procure our rising vnto righteousnesse not mencioning any other benefite that wee haue from Christ his resurrectiō beside the example that is set before vs for our imitation and following after him in the same is at defiance and vtter enmitie with the trueth which is taught in the word of god For Christ his resurrection which H. N. maketh so small an accounpt of not onelie is our iustification from the giltinesse and daunger of sinne but also the head and wel spring of al that righteousnes holinesse and newenes of life that is to be founde ni the conuersation of his seruāts And therfore the Apostle in the 2. to the Ephe. doth fetch our rising vnto righteousnesse frō Christ his resurrection and ioyning them togither speaketh thus God which is rich in mercie euen when we were deade by sinnes hath quickened vs togither in Christ and hath raysed vs vp togither And accordingly to the Collosians draweth his exhortation vnto newnesse of life from the resurrection of Christ as from the fountaine from the which floweth the reformation of our life If ye thē be risen with Christ saith the Apostle seeke those thinges which are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God set your affection on things that are aboue and not on thinges which are on the earth Which thing is also confirmed out of the Ephesians where we doe reade that the large and liberall distribution of his graces did followe his resurrection and ascention when that notable victorie and conquest ouer sinne death was fully accomplished The resurrection therfore of Christ according to the trueth of his worde is not onely our discharge against sinne but the fountaine and spring also of all that chaūge of life and conuersation which is to be seene in his seruants But according to this doctrine of H.N. it is neither our discharge against sinne nor yet the beginning of our good life therfore without mention either of iustification from sinne by it or viuification and quickening in the wayes of righteousnesse we are sent to make warre with our affections according to the rules of his doctrine that so wee may obteine the resurrection from the deade and the renewing of our spirit and minde So that we haue nothing in H.N. his Creed to be beleeued but many things in our conuersation to be practised nothing to leaue vnto that was once doone by him but al that we may trust to must proceede from our selfe Touching this poynt Whether our dying vnto sin doe both preuent and purchase the renewing of our minde it hath beene answeared in the article immediatly going before H. N. The sixt Article We beleeue that this same Iesus like as the Scripture mencioneth thereof is ascended into Heauen sitting at the right hand of God his almightie Father We confesse that he hath taken in the heauen and reigneth and ruleth essentially in the heauenly beeing with his father vntill that all his enemyes be layde vnder his fete and that he in like maner shall in euery behalfe take in the kingdome and all dominion and power and render it all ouer vnto his father that God may euen so be all in all according to the promises Answeare This confessor H. N. acknowledgeth and confesseth that this same Iesus of
seate habitation Neither haue the arguments tokens of his loue here had their end but he hath set him on his right hand that is hath cōmitted the whole gouernment administratiō of his kingdome heervpon earth into his hands How can it goe harde with vs when our mediatour and he that hath had all these dealings for vs is become so great with our God as to bee made the head of his church to haue receiued the gouernmēt charge ouer his chosen May we not with the Apostle triumph say Who shal lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is Christ which is dead or rather which is risen again nay which is at the right hād of God making intercession for vs If his death brought vs from such danger what benefite wil this his life bring vnto vs and against how many and how great dangers shal it be able to defend vs If when we were enimyes we were reconciled vnto God by the death of his sonne much more beeing reconciled we shall be saued by his life For both the instrument hath now more power and strength to performe and the matter is the fitter to be wrought vpon Christ is not entred into the holie places that are made with hands which are similitudes of the true sanctuary but is entred into very heauen to appeare now in the sight of God for vs Seeing then we haue an high Priest whiche is ouer the house of GOD let vs draw neare him with a true heart in assuraunce of faith sprinkling in our heartes from an euil conscience and washed in our bodyes with pure water abhorring from our heartes this cursed and comfortlesse Christ which H.N. hath brought out not meaning to comforte feede but to pyne famish his familie withall We haue not onely comforte by our Christ touching his priesthood for that he appeareth nowe in the sight of our God for vs and that the sacrifice is continually before his eyes whereby we stand discharged against sinne and made acceptable and in good fauour and grace with our God neither yet for that he beeing ascended on high and leading captiuitie captiue doth giue giftes to his Church generallie and to the seuerall members therof particularly in gouerning them by his spirite and worde beeing forcible by the working thereof to promote his glory in them but also touching his kingdome because he is our Christ to whome is giuen all power both in heauen and earth and of whome it is written The Lorde saide vnto my Lorde sitte thou at my right hand vntil I make thine enemyes thy footestoole Be thou ruler in the middest of thine enemyes without whose licence and leaue euen in his humilitie lowest estate the deuils themselues durst not to deale no not against Hogges and swine And therefore beeing now exalted into such glory how dare they be bolde to attempt any thing against the least of his seruantes without speciall licence from himselfe The Familie can finde no such comforte in their counterfaite Christe who setteth and breedeth onely in their braine hatching his reuelations and coyning these such like mysteries ruling ouer no other enemyes neither beeing carefull to kepe of other aduersaries besides the true naturall meaning of the worde of god Thus as you haue hearde hath H.N. stopped the heads of all the wel springs of life taking from vs all the seuerall comfortes which by these Articles of our beliefe we are lawfully intituled vnto sending vs to dig pittes in our selues and there to seeke for this spring of life where by the worde of God wee are well assured it can neuer be founde H.N. The seuenth Article We beleeue that Iesus Christ shal come from thence namely from the right hand of God his father out of heauen to iudge the liuing and the dead Wee confesse that he wil euen so in his cōming shewforth his great power and maiestie and make manifest with him the glorious Lordlines of the many thousands of his holy ones in their garnishing possesse his inheritance with God his father and with al his saintes in triumph and perpetual ioy euerlastingly And iudge euē so with all his holy ones as a righteous Iudge the worlde and all nations generations and languages according to the trueth with righteousnesse Answeare This cōming of Christ to iudge the quicke the dead is by the doctrine of H.N. in this life yea it is euen now in this time whē H.N. and his doctrine are manifested and brought to light Now saith H.N. shal the glorious lordlynesse of the many thousand of his holie ones in their garnishing be made manifest now shal Christ possesse his inheritaunce in triumphe perpetuall ioy euerlastingly and iudge euen so all nations and languages according to the trueth with righteousnesse In his title I haue sufficiprooued that the day of iudgement is in this life if we wil beleeue his doctrine and that it is no other thing then the publishing of this his doctrine Yet because I woulde not haue any sent away vnsatisfied herein I will adde one or two testimonies vnto the former In his Euangelie cap. 34. thus he speaketh of that matter Behold and consider my beloued how wonderfully god worketh in his holie ones and how that now in this day or light of the loue the iudgement seate of Christ is reuealed and declared vnto vs out of heauen to a righteous iudgement vpon earth from the right hand of God how that on the same iudgement seate of Christ that the Scripture might be fulfilled there sitteth one nowe in truth in the habitation of Dauid which iudgeth vprightly thinketh vppon equitie and requireth righteousnesse Through him God will now in this day which he him selfe hath appointed or ordained thereunto iudge the compasse of the earth with righteousnes In which this same day or last time namely in the perfection of the woorkes of God and in his righteous iudgement the God of heauen hath now declared him selfe and his Christ togeather with al his Saints vnto vs his elect also made a dwelling with vs and brought euen so vnto vs out of his holy beeing the most holy of his true tabernacle with the fulnesse of his garishing and spirituall heauenly riches to an euerlasting fast standing Ierusalem and house for Gods dwelling according to the Scripture the which is the very true vndisturbable kingdome ful of all godly power ioy and of al heauēly beautifulnesse wherein the laude of the Lorde with fulnes of eternal life and louely sweetnesse is song from euerlasting to euerlasting and wherein al mindes of pure hartes doe dwell liue and walke with freedom and christian triumphe in al loue He professeth heere that the iudgement seat of Christ is now reuealed in this day of loue that God wil now in this same day through him whom hee hath appointed that is him selfe for this same place and authoritie out of the 17. of the Actes hee hath
but neuer when men are dealt withall according to desert And because the Prophet Dauid had ascribed blessednesse to that man to whom the Lorde imputeth not his sinnes and it was written likewyse that Abraham his faith was imputed vnto him for righteousnes hee is not afrayde to set it downe as an assured trueth that our iustification commeth by mercy and fauour and not by merite and desert So that the naturall signification of the woorde doeth carry away iustification from works and geueth it by good right vnto fauour and grace Wherin this is also woorth the obseruation because wee are about the force and credite of the naturall sence and Historie of the woorde that the Apostle layeth great weight vpon the circumstance of time which the Historie doeth yeelde vnto him insomuche that because righteousnesse was imputed vnto Abrahā as appeareth in Genesis by that historie before he was circumcised he concludeth that iustification standeth by fauour and mercy alone and needeth not to be vnderpropped by woorkes for that Abraham before circumsicion which was with them as is baptisme with vs the entraunce into religion and seruice of God the first beginnyng to obey to the woorde and wyll of GOD was reckoned of God him selfe as a righteous man Yf there be suche weight in the woords and circumstances which are the least part of the history then doeth H.N. as was sayde before offer great wrong vnto vs who in his Allegories drowneth not only circumstances and the naturall signification of words but also the proper sence of Histories and whole sentences when they are set togeather The Heretiques in all tymes haue by Allegories vpholdē their errors And Allegories in al ages haue been theyr strongest instruments to woorke with all Epiphanius maketh mention of a beastly sort of Heretiques who by Allegories maintayned the sinne of the Sodomites not onely as a thing that might be suffered but as a duetie that must be doone most shamefully racking to the defence of that shamelesse opinion these woordes of our Sauiour Christe Verily I say vnto thee thou shalt not come out thence tyl thou haue payde the vttermost farthing The Heretiques called Priscillianistae who taught that it was lawful to lie and forsweare in causes of religion thereby to hyde theyr religion and shameful life from the daunger of theyr aduersaries by Allegories did auoide whatsoeuer out of the Scripture was brought agaynst them These bee the woordes of Augustine touching those persons and that matter in suos sensus Allegorizando vertunt quicquid in sanctis libris est quod eorum euertat errorem Whatsoeuer is founde in the Scripture that ouerthroweth theyr errour by an Allegoricall exposition they make it to maintayne the same And the Anabaptistes nowe in our dayes with Allegories as it were with Rackettes doe tosse the Scriptures too and fro like tennes balles to serue their turne withall And who knoweth not that Allegories are the hookes wherewithall the Romishe Churche hath pulled vp theyr Purgatorie and suche other pelfe of theirs Hierome sayth of Origen that by his Allegorizing hee made his owne wit Sacramentes of the Churche These bee his woordes Origines liberis Allegoriae spaciis euagatur ingenium suum facit Ecclesiae Sacramenta In as muche as in an Allegory there is one thynge spoken and an other ment the Heretiques of all times haue drawne the scriptures generally without any respect into Allegories that whatsoeuer the woordes bee they might haue libertie to make a meaning therevnto of and for themselues and that without any helpe at all from the matter that is in hande Nowe the Allegories and figuratiue speaches vsed in the Scriptures muste haue their meaning made manifest and beaten out by the circumstance of the places from whence they are taken and by helpe from the matter which is in hande neyther may any place in the Scripture be vrged in an Allegoricall sence vnlesse the same taken litterally and in the Gramaticall sence shall establishe some thing repugnant eyther to faith or Charitie ¶ A plaine proofe that the darke and obscure forme of writing which H. N. vseth is an euident note of the Spirite of errour and deceite THe greate obscuritie darkenes of speache which H. N. vseth in al his workes bewraieth his doctrine spirite suficiētly if we had no other matter to charge him withal For the truth is simple and plaine Ethnickes could by the light of nature sufficiently see into such things One of them touching that matter saith thus Veritatis sermo est simplex apertus nec variis indiget explicationibus ambagibus sed iniusta causa cum per se sit morbida necessario indiget astutis pharmacis The truth sayth he is simple and plaine needeth not varietie of windlaces and fetchinges of matters about the bushe but an euill cause in that it is sicke and diseased hath neede to haue a cunning plaister conueied vnto it An other of them hath these woordes Simplex sententia est communis ac omnibus vsitata nihil admodum profundi astuté cogitati habens aut etiam aliud quid celans That phrase and forme of speaking hath simplicitie in it which is common and vsed of al hauing in it nothing craftily deuised neither cloking some other thing then is professed I leaue it to the iudgemēt of euery indifferent man whether H. N. his stile were able to abide euen this touchestone geuen vs of the Ethnicks to trie the trueth withal for what strange words hath he deuised frō that the scripture vseth to expresse the same thing by And how doth he after once he hath begon a thing by continual winding in of words drawe a man so far frō the place wher he was that hardly can he get home againe Moreouer how craftily doth he vse the worde and name of Christ for all that meane no other thing thereby then that estate of perfection which himself hath deuised so that if heathen men hauing no other euidence then that whiche the light of nature doeth geue them might bee permitted to passe vpon him hee woulde vndoubtedly bee founde guiltie euen by them of false and corrupt doctrine In the worde of God which is a rule of all righteousnesse vnto vs the borowed speaches which bee most obscure be taken from matters vsuall and commonly falling out in the life affaires of men For who knoweth not what the Lorde his meaning is when he calleth himselfe eyther away a doore or a vine And if al the similitudes parables and borowed speaches in the Scriptures bee examined they shal be founde to haue bene drawen and deriued from such matters as the people then were well acquainted withall This simplicitie plainnesse of the woorde which is a rule to al them that are guided by that spirite which spake in the same is very plainly proued out of the Prouerbes of Solomon vnder the person of wisedome Al the wordes of my mouth are righteous
A Confutation of monstrous and horrible heresies taught by H. N. and embraced of a number who call themselues the Familie of Loue. by I. Knewstub Ephe. 4.14.15 Henceforth let vs be no more children vvauering and caried about vvith euerie vvind of doctrine by the deceit of men and vvith craftinesse vvhereby they lay in vvaite to deceiue But let vs follovv the truth in loue and in all thinges grovv vp into him vvhich is the head that is Christ Seene and allowed according to the Queenes Maiesties Iniunctions ¶ Imprinted in London at the three Cranes in the Vine-tree by Thomas Dawson for Richard Sergier 1579. To the right honorable his very good Lord and Maister Ambrose Earle of Warwick maister of her maiesties Ordinance Knight of the noble order of the Garter and one of her highnesse moste honorable priuie Councel Iohn Knewstub wisheth increase of all true happinesse and honour with the continuall comfort of a good conscience GReate haue beene those harmes right honorable and my very good Lord which the Church of God in euery age hath suffred at the hands of straungers open enemies vnto the trueth but yet nothing so grieuous as that hurte which she hath frō time to time had at home by some who haue long layen in her owne bosome and as Children beene serued from her owne table For as ciuill warre is alwayes more dangerous then foraine force So the enemyes within the church be they who of al other deale with greatest danger against the Church Against the force of an open enimy we haue the strength of a double wall the credite of a cause for Religion the concorde of our mindes But these walles are wanting when the Church dealeth against enimyes gone out from her which sometimes haue been of her For touching the cause of religion they wil be equall with vs touching the points wherin we differ they may be thought euen of some who are no sworne enemyes vnto Religion if matters be not very wisely with great iudgemēt examined to ouermatch vs For the continuance of friendship as they pretend vnto Religion seemeth to assure vs that their profiting in knowledge and iudgement and no other cause hath moued them aswell to be diuers from them selues as to departe from vs As for the professed enemie he is more hardened against our cause and better armed against our selues when he seeth the cause it selfe as it were parted by opinion and vs deuided from our selues in affection These enemyes of the Church do both strengthen the enemies arme abrode and also discourage the friendes at home yet hath the true Church alwayes beene subiect to this tryal euen when Doctrine was moste pure and pastors most painfull Was not Moses in his time troubled with Iannes and Iambres Paule in his time with Hymenaeus and Phyletus Iohn the Euangelist with a multitude of Antichristes and yet I thinke no man dare take exception either against the puritie of doctrine at those times or against the trauell paynes of those persons Neyther haue we onely examples to tell vs it hath bene so but doctrine left in the Church to tel vs that it must be so There were false Prophetes among the people sayeth Saint Peter euen as there shall bee false teachers among you which priuily shall bring in damnable Heresies denying the Lorde that hath bought them There muste bee heresies sayeth Saint Paule euen among you that they which are proued among you may be knowne The causes why it must be thus with the Church doe I finde in the scripture to be these that the good may bee tried and knowne the wicked foūd out punished The good are tried whether they loue the Lord aswel by their affection towarde the doctrine of Christe as by their fruits of conuersation For there is no man that loueth an other who is not studious of his disposition to knowe what is well liked of him and acceptable vnto him that he may serue his humour and be set a woorke to his good liking and pleasure So that hee who hath bestowed no study that way either is not otherwise setled in iudgement or moued with affection but that euery seducer may deceiue him doeth plainely declare therein that he beareth no loue towards him Punishment is executed against the wicked either by giuing them vp into heresies and erronious opinions for that hauinge the trueth in knowledge they made no conscience of it neither in affection did beare any loue towarde it either else because not submitting them selues to the simplicitie of the word they haue desired to be fed with curious questions matters of witte and subtile speculations Of both those offences we are not onely warned off by the doctrine of the woorde but also by the heauy iudgement of God which did fall vpon certaine offenders herein whereof there is expresse menciō made in the word Great is the grossenes thē of the Papists who therfore stūble at the true church because some proue heretiques that haue beene brought vp in the bosome therof as if they had neuer red this in the Scripture spoken in the person of the Church They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they woulde haue continued with vs but greater is the carelessenesse of many that would be accounted Christians who notwithstanding all these heauie examples and visible warnings of Gods wrath bee not touched for all that with care to ioyne conscience vnto knowledge and to let a good iudgement haue the honour of a louing affection alwayes waiting vpon it May professors of the trueth now possibly bee any longer satisfied with bare profession when the almightie hath alredy takē the reuengmēt therof into his own hands begun to driue such out of their dennes to hunt them out of their lurking holes and not to leaue them before hee haue brought their deserued iudgement of palpable blindenesse vpon them so that we se them before our eyes glory in their shame and put vpon them as a garment of honour the couering of confusion therefore the punishment of God fallen now visibly vpon this family is the iudgement of bare professors and carnal Gospellers In these persons they al are arrained found giltie iudged Now haue we learned by tryall experience that the Gospel disdaineth the sole attendance of our knowledge and looketh to bee receiued in like manner with a good heart and friendly affection And good cause and reason there is why it should be so for who is so meane amongst men that would be content with this entertainmēt amongst his friendes if at his comming to them they would vouchsafe to name him and take knowledge that they had seene him And is not this the best welcome that many in these dayes doe make the Gospel they are content to speake to it take knowledge of it but they are but a few that so friendly do entertaine
it as that their heartie goodwil affection may be seene to appeare thereby towards it This iudgement of God vpon H.N. and his Family speaketh plainly of the Gospel that we can not enioy it if wee giue no better entertainment then they haue done vnto it For as for them they are now farther from the knowledge of the Gospel then they were the first houre that euer they looked vppon the light For Christ is nothing with them but obedience vnto that doctrine which they professe Which may easily be discerned by H.N. his discription of him which is this Christus doth signifie vnto vs saith H.N. the safe making oyle of the God sauing being and yet more plainely is that matter expressed in the Booke entituled Theol. Ger. A booke that euery mā who hath red any of his workes if his owne coūtrimen had neuer discouered it might easely perceiue to haue come frō the same spirit which spake in him These words are founde there touching that matter Vetus homo est Adamus et inobedientia ipsitas egoitas et similia at nouus homo est Christus et obediētia Adā is the olde man disobedience he I such like but Christ is the new man obedience Where that obedience is nothing that he doth is sinne where that is not there is nothing but sinne God hath nothing so proper vnto him wherein by this doctrine of H.N. his illuminate elders be not felowes with him euerlasting life if that we beleeue him is fully felt possessed in this life here is our heauen here is our hell the resurrection is not corporall of the body but spirituall of the minde Now is Christ come to iudgement and this doctrine is the last trump they are rysen againe and in perfect ioy who haue perfectly imbraced it and those haue alredy receiued their iudgement be in hell who do resist it to be gilty of death by the sinne of an other or to be iustified by the righteousnes of an other is a doctrine not onely not receiued of them but throughout all their bookes impugned our sinnes by this doctrine are answeared within vs and no righteousnesse that shall doe vs good is without vs Touching which point this is saide in the Booke alledged before Etiamsi Deus omnes homines quicunque sunt ad se assumeret ipse in eis homo fieret ipsi in eo deus fierent idem in me non fieret nunquam corrigeretur meus lapsus Although GOD woulde take all men to himselfe and were made man in them and they were made God in him and the same shoulde not bee done in mee my sinne and offence shoulde neuer bee discharged They onely are the Church al cōgregations whatsoeuer that ioine not with thē they call thē Synagouges of Sathan and nestes of Deuils they holde that euery man is his owne Sauiour and a Chrst for him selfe euery mā that hath wel profited in the schoole of H. N. is perfit and without sinne To conclude this matter the errours bee so many so foule and so filthy as woulde force the very penne in passing to stay stop the nose The onely way whereby a man should enter to do them good haue they hedged and stopped vp against vs for they say that they onely are spirituall and therefore iudge truely of the word that they haue the sence and we nothing but the words they haue the spirit and we nothing but the letter that they haue the life and we the body they haue the carnel we the shell they haue the sword and we the scabbard To be briefe in this matter of doctrine H.N. turneth religion vp side downe and buildeth heauen heere vpon earth maketh God man and man God heauen hell hel heauen For venom and poyson which will bring present death hath he dispersed ouer euery member article of our beliefe so vniuersall is the poyson of his opinion Touching conuersation howe may wee imagine that there is any soundnesse when the doctrine and vitall partes be thus infected For do we not read in the scriptures that most shameful corruptiō of life hath alwaies followed as a due deserued punishment the corruption of doctrine God gaue them vp saith the Apostle to their hearts lusts vnto vncleannes to defile their owne bodyes betwene thēselues which turned the trueth of God vnto a lye Which thing Priscillianus of whom H.N. hath borowed not only that villanous wresting of the word by allegories but also that monstrous opiniō that periurie and lying be lawfull and may be doon with good conscience to conceale religion confessed beeing condemned to dye for heresie Priscillianus saith Daneus was put to death at Treuyris which is the most famous Citie of Germany hauing confessed before that that hee had oftenten times committed moste shamefull wickednesse with the women of his sect And what a libertie H. N. his doctrine giueth vnto all lewdnesse of life in his allegorie of the woman that is rauished in the fielde I leaue it to the consideration of the godly These be his wordes in his booke called Documentall Sentences speaking of temptations vnto sinne If they take and lay holde on vs with force and violence and that then although we cry there commeth not any power or helpe vnto vs for to withstand them in their force and violence and that they euen so rauish vs against our will so are wee guiltles of the transgressing for we haue cryed to be released of the tyranny of the euil there is no help come vnto vs Of the which guiltlesse transgressing the law likewise witnesseth where it sayeth A woman which is violently taken in the field where as there is not any helpe and so rauished and although she haue cried aloude yet gotten no helpe she shall be guiltlesse of the transgressing What can open anie window wider vnto all wickednesse then this doctrine doeth For if temptations presse vs and our prayers presently preuaile not by this doctrine we are discharged of all daunger from the fact howe often and how grieuously soeuer we shall offende Whom would not this doctrine not onely incourage vnto sinne but also make him impudently secure and senselesse in the same This monstrous birth so beastly and so blinde hath the contempte of the worde and want of care to keepe it in a good conscience nourished and brought forth Wherby we may see with what daunger we walke not onely wickedly but also carelesly against the worde For this spectacle doeth plainly shew that it is more precious in the Lord his sight then that he either can or will put vp at our hands the contempt and neglect of the same And therfore when we see at this day those men who sometimes haue knowne the trueth become as beastes voyde of all reason let vs vnderstande that the Lorde thereby meaneth to magnifie his worde and to let men perceiue the might and Maiestie of the
the like practise of counterfaiting Papists who make shew of religion hauing sworne hearts to the Pope whose dispensation either they haue or trust in some reconciling reliques and ceremonyes from Rome for these causes I thought it some danger to lay open suche blasphemyes such escapes of an euill and erronious conscience which beginning long agoe in the ancient heretiques the Priscillanistes Montanists Pelagians Anabaptists and Catharists c. and hauing been long time buried in the botome of Hell are not thence to be raked any more Also I thought it almost impossible to meet with such an inconstant and slippery serpent that hath so obscure wordes now to hide and now to conuay her poyson thereby to auoyde the wholesome remedy by the worde and iust punishment by the magistrate But my good brother these my doubts grew from the eye I had to their will and way finding the Serpent so subtile to charme others yet him selfe to shut his care so against the trueth that he will not heare the voyce of the charmer charme hee neuer so wisely and that it is as hard to finde out his way as the way of a Ship that hath sayled through the sea For afterwarde considering that Antichrist did bring as he thought to perfection the mystery of iniquitie in the working force of Satan in all powers and signes and lying woonders and in all deceit of vnrighteousnesse as S. Paul prophesied we in these last ages haue clerely seene and that notwithstanding God hath already almost altogither consumed that man of sin with the spirit of his mouth which is his word preached in the Gospel I acknowledge with praise to God the father in Iesus Christ for that sword of the spirit that two edged swoord that it is able either to heale or to wounde to death all aduersary power be it either in al impietie of heresie or in all corruption of maners Yea if H.N. were freed from all his sinne and washed from all corruption If he in deede were as he is in the fancie of his familie an angell from heauen or by an other transubstantiation more then an archangell or that which they affirme and I dare not write yet teaching otherwise then we haue receiued from the holy Prophets and Apostles he is to be holden accurssed and his Gospell of the kingdom with all other his doctrine to be had in abhomination They that pray are thus to pray against such heresies they that write are so vpon occasion to write and Magistrates are in a zeale of Gods house to put on that minde that the holy trueth may bee exalted and all heresies rooted out to the glory of GOD and the preseruation of his Churche from those damnable waies wherein many not esteeming nor seeking the trueth are sooner destroyed then they can feare destruction Therfore you haue doone wel in the Lord drawing out that sworde of the worde of God to make a separation betweene thought and thought betweene practise and practise betweene secret open paths of errour and contempt betwene ioynts and marrow betwene soule and spirit that all the outgoings escapes and dennes wherein these heresies either lye in waite and worke against the trueth or hide themselues from discouery may be discouered and the bright face of the trueth appeare to the great glory of God ouerthrowing of al error cōuerting those of that family of Loue whom he hath loued and in mercie will conuert deliuering their eyes from blindenesse and feete frō falling and to stay those that might for want of the voice of the trumpet sodenly fal into the enemies hand to be caried away into the miserable captiuitie of those heresies and to the second death that followeth thē as their iust reward Also the Magistrate by such a manifest discouery of those blasphemies against God against his Christ against his worde shall more more see into the great danger of their horrible sect and find necessary cause to ioyne with the worde to cut it off lest in the end they with their brethrē the Anabaptists exalt themselues asmuch against the holy and necessary authoritte of magistrates as they doe already against God and his word by whome Princes raigne receiue their blessed peace and safetie Against which Magistrates this practise they haue vsed and still doe vse abusing their holy place of Iustice they recant in woordes without recantation in heart as I noted before holding it for a rule that they ought not to destroy the Temple of GOD whiche is say they in a grosse and absurde interpretation our body and therefore we will not be brought to persecution and death Making a rule against the rule of Christ and against the most wonderfull practise thereof in him selfe and his holy Martyres who loosing their life heere haue found it in heauen and hauing their bodies burnt to ashes in hope they looke for the ioyful resurrection of the same bodyes at the comming of Iesus Christ Therfore my very good brother I thanke God for your labours praying his maiestie to blesse them that the offenders may see and repent their offence that others yet free may remaine by such instruction free for euer from those and such heresies and may be more more armed against error with the trueth and comforted therein to their saluation Praying also that God would continue with increase that spirit of zeale and wisdome in the heart of our most excellent soueraine the Queene other in authoritie vnder her to represse those fantasticall and erronious spirits being indeed the true succession of those ancient Catharists Puritans who thought themselues not to sinne but actually to bee possessed with absolute holinesse and purenesse For so those thinke of themselues and plainly affirme it of their illuminate elders But howsoeuer they seduce some goodly and zealous men women of honest and godly conuersation placing them at the porch of their Synagogue to make a shewe of holinesse and to stand there as baites and stalles to deceiue others yet alas who can without blushing vtter the shame that is committed in the inwarde roomes and as it were in the heart of that Synagogue of Satan These are the things I haue thought touching the booke and a testimonie of my greate ioy touching the same And besides the good I haue already noted this confutation shal testifie to all ages at large that the blessed gouernment of our gratious soueraigne the Queenes maiestie suffereth neither Papists nor other heretiques to goe vncōfuted or vnpunished howsoeuer first in great abundance of singular clemencie it pleaseth her to seeke their saluation draw on their effectuall conuersation Which blessed fruite of that singular clemencie the Lord God graunt in Christ Iesus and a perfect peace to this Church for euer Amen Yours assuredly in the Lorde W. C. ¶ A Confutation of monstrous and horrible heresies taught by H. N. and imbraced of a number who call them selues the Familie of Loue. ¶ The Title
that which is deliuered touching this matter in the holy scriptures In the Scripture we doe reade of one man by name Adam the first offendour among men heere is no mention made of any one man but the blame is wholy after his accustomed obscure and dark dealing put ouer vnto to a generall and confused notion which is called of him the man and that his the man is no one man it appeareth by that which was euen nowe alleaged out of the fourth Chapter For no one man hath continued from the beginning vntyll this day to receiue continuall mercies from the Lorde And you haue hearde that hee saith wee will declare from the time foorth of the falling away or disobedience of the man the earnest loue which God hath alwaies vntill this same day shewed towardes the man It is playne therefore that his the man is set heere to hide an horrible errour to wit the mankinde hath no common harme from any one man For he is perswaded that we haue no infection from any man otherwise then so so farre foorth as we shal in doing the like euil become folowers of that man So that by his doctrine any euill man may be an occasion of as great hurt vnto vs as was Adam In the Scripture wee doe reade of one principal offendour we do likewise reade there of one particular yet principal offence to wit the eating of the forbidden fruit which brought the gilte of condemnation vpon al. This authour deliuereth that point of the particular offēce in like maner generally vnto vs in these woordes The man from the beginning fel away from or was disobedient vnto the woorde of his God the vpright life of his true light Some not of the least among that familie with whom I haue had conference according to this doctrine of H. N. haue in plaine speache told me that there was no material tree neither was it any material fruite that Adam did eate but that Adam was therfore said to eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euil because in transgressing the will of GOD Adam mingled euill with that goodnesse which was in him and so was founde to haue doone euill aswell as good When this familie doth not acknowledge this particular offence it followeth necessarily that they shoulde bee altogeather ignoraunt both of the number vnto howe many that infection reacheth and also of the daunger thereof growing vnto the same In the woorde of God it is plaine especially in the Epistle vnto the Romanes That one offence brought condemnation vpon all men Where one offence of one offendour is set against one righteousnesse of one righteous man Iesus Christe For as Adam was the spring from whence flowed corruption vnto all and in whose offence wee all had offended as being a part or parcell of him closed vp within his loines so Christ in like maner is the roote of all righteousnesse in whose obedience all the faithful are founde innocent and reckoned as righteous before the Lorde The doctrine which deliuereth vnto vs how daungerous a disease wee haue from Adam is a chiefe point of our religion that doth principally concerne vs For the disease is so daungerous that it doeth infect vnto death bringing with it condemnation and so vniuersal that it denieth priuilege vnto any scattering deadly poyson euery where and ouer all And therefore if H. N. were sounde in all other points of religion yet this one errour of his touching originall sinne were sufficient to cut him of as a rotten member from the Churche of Christe vntill hee shoulde confesse his faulte renounce this his heresie and with the Church of GOD professe the trueth of that doctrine which touching Originall sinne is deliuered vnto vs in the worde of god The infection that commeth by Adam is not an euil without vs not able otherwise to harme vs then when we shall drawe so neare as that i◠may breathe vpon vs but an inward infection that dwelleth within vs which woulde both counsaile and and practise wickednes though there were no former example thereof through the whole worlde When the Apostle saith that he was by nature the childe of wrath as wel as others He semeth to finde a fountaine of sinne in nature as nowe it is corrupt in Adam but not to charge any man or men by euil example of life to haue beene the occasion of that wrath and curse of god So that infection of nature not imitation of example is the grounde of all our griefe Euill beeyng so neare vnto vs as is our nature hath the credite with vs of our best and next neighbour before wee be warned of it by the word not the light regarde which is commonly had of a forener and stranger But the word teacheth that it ought not lightly to feare vs as an enimie without vs against whom are shutte the gates of all our hartes aswell as of our holdes And casteth so great care vpon vs to withstand it as is required to driue out an enimie already within our gates and possessed of our strongest holdes Let H. N. therefore haue that credite and entertainement with all good Christians that hee deserueth who certifieth of our enimie that hee is yet in his owne lande when hee hath entred our chiefe cities and walled townes Or let his fees bee the same with those counsellours by whose aduise all our munition is sent into foraine Countreies to war vpon them when before they are priuie that subiectes are redy to rise vp and rebel in our owne lande In Leuiticus there was enioyned vnto euery woman which had brought forth seed and borne a childe that she should bring vnto the Priest a sinne offering after the daies of her purifiyng were expired to the ende he might make an attonemēt for her so purge her of her blood A notable example to let vs see the spring of sinne that wee may be humbled in our vncleanenesse and being discharged of hypocrisie may consider how lowly we ought to be in our owne eyes whose birth is so polluted that our mothers become therwith all fouly slained Let vs therefore say with Iob not in impaciencie against the Lord but in all humbling of our selues Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse Let vs likewise with Dauid Who came not in hipocrisie excusing him selfe to accuse his mother but in humilitie to condemne him selfe that hee might be pardoned of the Lord confesse that our mothers haue warmed vs in sin and that we haue been borne in iniquitie Let vs begin at the head and hide nothing from the Lorde So shall our conscience be cleared and our prouision made in trueth for assured peace As for that question common to the Papistes with the familie of Loue howe this infection is conueighed from Adam into his posteritie Whether by the body or by the soule seeing thus much is plaine by the scriptures that there it is And from Adam
confes or acknowledge almighty God to be a true and liuing God a mighty spirit a perfect light and a true beeyng doth our beliefe in God import no more then a bare acknowledging or confessing of him to be a true and liuing GOD VVhat comfort or confidence can we haue from hence seeyng that the Diuels as was saide before are felowes with vs at all this consolation who knowe by miserable experience that he is a mightie spirite and a liuing God VVhy doth not H. N. in his explanation of these articles of our beliefe vse that forme of speaking which the Churche receiueth The Church of God saith I beleeue in God the Father almighty which hath more in it then to say I confesse that there is a GOD and Father almighty or that the same is a liuing God and mighty spirit For faith or beliefe hath not onely in it a knowledge of the minde but also a comfort or confidence of the hearte reposed in that partie whom we trust Which to be so if for the resolution thereof wee had no helpe from the scriptures yet woulde our common speache lende vs sufficient light For we are not woont to haue a trust or confidence in any man so soone as we know the man or vnderstand generally what is the disposition and qualitie of that man which may peraduenture be of that sorte as nothing can make more for the withdrawing of our hearte and affection from him But when we haue good knowledge of such a special good disposition towards vs as we may safely commit our selues vnto then are we sayde to haue a confidence or trust in him Nowe for this speciall good will of God to vs warde wee haue not onely his bare woorke but also a plaine couenant of his As appeareth in Genesis I will establish my couenant betwene mee and thee and thy seede after thee in their generations for an euerlasting couenant to be GOD vnto thee and vnto thy seede after thee which is more plainly and plentifully set foorth in the Epistle to the Hebrues After these dayes sayeth the Lorde I will put my lawes in their minde and in their heart I will write them and I will be their GOD and they shall be my people I will be mercifull to their vnrighteousnesse and I will remember their sinnes and their iniquities no more For this cause the Gospel which is the glad tidings of our saluation is called by the Apostle The doctrine of fayth to giue vs to vnderstand that fayth feedeth not vpon a bare knowledge of the Lord but hath for diet the large and liberall prouision of his promises conteyned in the Gospel where is plentifull confirmation of a most louing league betwene the Lorde and vs and of a speciall loue liking and good will that hee beareth vnto vs euen to shewe foorth all louing and fatherly dealing towardes vs not for some short tearme of tyme but by an euerlasting couenaunt to continue the same for euer Herevpon it is that in the Epistle to the Romanes it is giuen foorth as an effect of fayth that the faythfull doe alreadie glorie vnder the hope of the glorie of GOD knowinge that seeing they are alreadie entred into league fellowshippe and communion with the Lorde and that by an euerlasting couenaunt wherein the Lorde standeth bounde to remember their sinnes and their iniquities no more It can not bee hee shoulde cutte off that course of his kindenesse which hee hath alreadie entred into The Apostle likewise in his Epistle to the Ephesians affirmeth that fayth causeth boldenesse and maketh our accesse vnto GOD to bee with confidence And why Euen because as the Prophet sayeth wee are betrothed vnto the Lorde and hee hath maried himselfe vnto vs for euer in righteousnesse in iudgement in mercie and in compassion so that wee are to assure our selues of all goodnesse and compassion at his handes as beeing our ioynture that hee hath assured vnto vs for euer For the league is made betweene him and vs that wee shoulde bee no more as forreyners and straungers but Citizens with the Saintes and of the householde of God that as the honour of our welfare shoulde bee his so shoulde the studie and care thereof in like maner lie vpon him This I confesse requireth knowledge For howe shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard Yea and that also from his woorde Let thy louing kindnesse and thy saluation come vnto me according to thy promise sayeth the Prophet And againe O Lorde thou hast dealt graciously with thy seruant according to thy woorde For we are not set at libertie to conceyue of the Lorde whatsoeuer liketh vs but charged to looke after that which is pleasing in his eyes whereof hee hath giuen vs notice by his woorde Notwithstanding euerie thing conteyned in the woorde cannot truelie bee sayde to bring foorth this fayth but his free promise of grace and mercie is the true mother thereof For doeth any man then knitte our heartes vnto him when wee see nothing but heauie lookes and heare of nothing beside fearefull and heauie woordes or rather when his fauour is amiable and his woordes assured pledges of a minde that meaneth nothing but peace and prosperitie wealth and happinesse vnto vs Doeth the Apostle in the place before alleaged inquiring howe that aniâ— man shoulde beleeue in him of whome he hath not hearde stay as satisfied when once hee commeth to that poynt of hearing Doeth hee rest before the glad tidinges of peace and the glad tidinges of good thinges be heard of by that Messenger whose feete bee full of beautie and whose comming is most acceptable Hee driueth fayth from ignoraunce and blinde deuotion vnto the hearing of the woorde and yet findeth no perfect rest there before the gladde and good tidinges thereof bee made knowne and assured vnto the faythfull Albeit then fayth haue in it knowledge and can not bee without certificate from the woorde yet is not that all for vnlesse there bee setled in our heartes a comfort from his free and sweete promises we haue not what to repose our harts vpon And therefore as they are deceyued who mainteine a fayth without the knowledge of the woorde so is H.N. and whosoeuer else that will vpholde fayth to bee a knowledge onely without comfort or confidence from the promises of the worde That description helpeth greatly for the confirmation of this matter which the Almightie maketh of himselfe when hee affirmeth him to bee strong mercifull gracious slow to anger and abounding in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercy for thousandes forgiuing iniquitie transgression and sinne not making the offender altogither innocent but visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon children vpon childrens children vnto the thirde and fourth generation Wherein albeit the later woordes at the first sight may seeme to signifie the Lordes euerlasting wrath towardes the wicked yet if wee remember that in the former Chapter
preuenting of GOD his goodnesse the dignitie and desert of bringing him selfe vnto Christe by his hatred and mislyking of sinne wheras the mislyking of sinne as well as the loue of righteousnesse are fruites that followe our beeing in Christ not causes that goe before to procure the same as appeareth in the Epistle to the Romans Likewise thinke ye also saith the Apostle that ye are deade vnto sinne and liuing vnto God in Iesus Christ our Lorde He ioyneth with the Pelagians against the grace of God which renueth and regenerateth vs and inwardly draweth vs by his spirit to beleeue and doe the will of God and will haue the grace of GOD no further to stretch vnto vs then that we haue from the Lord a lawe and doctrine whereby wee may learne what to beleeue and what to doe but the power to performe this albeit they will not refuse to call it the grace of GOD yet they say it is our nature according as August reporteth Isti autem asserunt sicut a fratribus qui eorum libros legerunt cognouimus in eo dei gratiam deputandam quod talem hominis instituit creauitque naturam quae per propriam volumtatem legem dei possit implere siue naturaliter in corde conscriptam siue in literis datam eandem quoque legē ad dei gratiam pertinere quod illam Deus in adiutoriū hominibus dedit illam vero gratiā qua vt dictum est Christiani sumus cuius Apostolus Praedicator est dicens condelector legi dei secūdum interiorem hominem Video autem aliam legem in membris meis repugnantem legi mentis mei et captiuantem me in lege peccati miser homo quis me liberabit de corpore mortis huius gratia dei per Iesum Christum dominum nostrum nolunt omnino cognoscere nec apertè quidam oppugnare audent In their opinion as Augustine saieth the grace of God towards vs is this that we haue such a nature from him that by our owne wil and power we may satisfie fulfill the law of God and that this is also that other parte of the grace of God towardes vs that hee hath giuen a lawe for the helpe of man But as for that grace whereby wee are are Christians whereof the Apostle speatketh saying I am delighted with the lawe of God in the inner man but I see an other lawe in my members striuing against the lawe of my minde Miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this body of sinne The grace of God thorowe Iesus Christ our Lorde that will not acknowledge that neither dare they openly impugne or speake against it This plucking thorowe the seruice of that gracious word which he affirmeth to haue the foregoing by vs in the administration of the holie woorde in the thirde and fourth Section is according to the Pelagians the other grace of GOD which is added to that of our good nature euen to haue a rule instruction from God to guide this nature which in their opinion is so franke and so free vnto good that if it may once see the way there is no stay with it or let to keepe it from going forwarde And therefore where it is written in the Gospell after Saint Iohn No man can come vnto mee except the father which hath sent mee drawe him H.N. calleth this drawing of the father a plucking that plucking to be the giuing of a lawe and worde to rule our liues by In opinion then he ioyneth iumpe with the Pelagians for denying originall sinne he is forced to confesse the grace of GOD to be in nature and againe we see the lawe which doth poynte out the right way vnto life is called the plucking of the father or baptising in the fathers name H.N. Section 10 And that this is the vpright Christian Baptisme or washing in the name of the father and is the true baptisme which hath the forgoing in the christian doctrine of the seruice of loue Section 11 We confesse likewise that all such as beleue not euen thus in God the father beleeue vnrightly and that also they all which become not euen so as is aboue saide baptized thorowe the seruice of the holie worde vnder the obedience of the law of the Lorde or of the doctrine of his word in Gods loue or true being beare or carry not Gods holy name nor the spirite of his true beeing nor are baptized in the name of the father and that in like manner it is not meete or conuenient that men should count such vnbeleeuers and vnbaptized ones for Christians neither yet also for men at whose handes one should any way suppose or trust to finde any woorde of Gods trueth or yet any workes of righteousnesse or good seruice that God regardeth or accepteth Answeare It appeareth by these wordes that H. N. reckoneth of all beside his owne secte For there are no people beside him selfe and his familie who thinke or beleeue so erroniously as this confession teacheth as of Heathen vnbeleeuers vnbaptized ones they be his owne words as also be these It is not meete that men should account such for christians Whē hee concludeth that wee may not think to finde any woorde of God his trueth or any workes of righteousnesse among them whosoeuer beleeueth otherwise he speaketh not only ignorantly for that some trueth may be founde where there is store of errour and a wicked lyfe may be founde where the groundes of religion are truely holden but also maliciously agaynst the true Churche of GOD as that no woorde of trueth or woorke of righteousnesse were among vs who abhorre his religion as Heretical deuilishe doctrine What benefite doe these men receiue by the ministerie of the worde being thus perswaded of the Church of God In what readinesse are they to ioyne with any enimie for the ouerthrowe of the Churche being perswaded of vs that neither woorke of righteousnesse nor woorde of trueth is among vs I trust the Lorde wil moue the heartes of those who haue the gouernment in their handes either to trauaile to plant in them a better opinion of the Church or if that will not bee to cut them of as rotten members before they shall woorke any greater woe vnto the same The opinion of H. N. touching the Churche of God as appeareth by this his speache is most pernicious neither thinketh he worsse of Turks and infidels then hee doeth of all Christians that receiue not his doctrine What effectes this opinion may woorke in the heartes of the simple people that be seduced by him I leaue it to their godlie care to whom it doth chiefly appertaine to refourme the same H. N. The seconde Article Section 13 Wee beleeue in Iesus Christe the onely sonne of God our Lorde We confesse that the same sonne of GOD Iesus Christ is the very like being of the liuing God his father through whom god the father hath
of Christ after the flesh The second borne as he affirmeth in the eleuenth Section holdeth himselfe in stilnesse and obteyneth through the prudence of the holy Ghost the blessing of the promises In the nienth Section he calleth it the Godhead the truth Gods true being it selfe the inheritaunce of all spirituall and heauenly goodes the true seede of the beliefe that becommeth borne in vs according to the spirite inheriteth the promises of God the Father And in the twelfth Section and last line thereof hee calleth it Christ these be his woordes The seconde birth which is not minded according to the fleshe but according to the spirite of the heauenly trueth obteineth the victorie beareth rule with God and bringeth foorth the name of Israel or Christ it selfe By this which hath bene saide it appeareth euidently that H.N. his Christ is that estate of man or men which liueth as it best liketh not beyng nowe any more vnder the gouernement of the written woorde which he calleth the seruiceable letter hauing let the rayne loose vnto reuelations so that nothing shall now be good but that he thinketh to be good neither shall any thing be euill of it selfe vnlesse he iudge it to be euill For he is now the rule himself to make by his reuelation what construction soeuer he will of the worde so it be not according to the letter and naturall sence of the same for that is with him the first borne which cannot inherite the promises It shall now be now be no great hard matter by the light wee haue had from these former places to finde out the poyson that lyeth vnder the sweete wordes with he geueth Christ in his confession For confessing Christ to bee the very like beeing of God his Father wee may soone perceiue what he meaneth when hee calleth the seconde birh wherof so many be partakers as shall inherit the promises Gods true being it selfe the very like being of the Godhed it self which are his owne words in the xiii chapter of his Gospel and fifth Section Confessing likewise that God the Father by Christ hath made and accomplished all his woorke what is this more then that he attributeth in the xiii Chapter of his Gospel and thirde Section to this estate of his illuminate Elders and perfect men who bee come to the seconde birth which he calleth in that place The Lorde his Sabboth the seuenth day in the Paradice of God wherein God rested from all his workes So that then they are saide to rest as hauing accomplished all their woorkes when this their estate of perfection wherevnto he giueth this name of Christ is come vnto them And in the like sence hee saith That Christ beareth all things with the word of his power and maketh the purging of our sinnes through him selfe For that estate vnderstandeth the worde after the spirit therefore hath it in that power whereby it beareth and doth all thinges and that estate likewise freeth them from all daunger of sinne in as much as it wholly purgeth and cleanseth them from the same This so wicked horrible monstrous construction and meaning vnder so greate good words doth plainly declare that H.N. and his family are children of that great Whoore described in the seuenteenth chapter of the Reuelation which giueth foorth all her abhomination out of a Golden Cuppe H.N. The third Article 14. We beleeue that the same sonne of GOD is conceiued of the holie Ghost through the power of the moste highest and borne of the holie Virgin Mary 15 We confesse that this same sonne of God which is conceiued of the holie Ghoste and borne of the holie Virgin Mary is the true and promised seede and borne to the blessing of all generations of the earth according to the promises Answeare In this Creede so ful of new straunge matters maruel not if H.N. adde some thing new and straunge in words We say in our common Creede as of a thing paste That Iesus Christ was conceiued of the holie Ghoste In H.N. his Creede ye heare wee are taught to say as of a thing present that he is conceiued of the holie Ghoste whereby hee putteth vs in remembraunce of this newe Christ which he hath brought into the world whom because he hath imagined to be nothing else but a perfection in the minde of so many as haue bene or shall bee inheritours of the promises he cannot say that his conception is altogither paste for so often as any are brought on to that estate which H.N. setteth forth in his doctrine so often in his opinion is Christ conceiued of the holy Ghost as appeareth in the eighteenth chapter of his Euangelie which place is already set downe before and alleaged by me And albeit enough hath beene spoken to him that will vnderstand for proofe that H.N. taketh Christe to bee but a course in life and conuersation which so many attaine vnto as shall auoyde the wrath of God or as himselfe speaketh a walking in the louely beeing yet I thinke it not amisse to adde vnto the former one testimonie more because this place we now haue in hand is occupyed aboute that matter In the twelfth Chapter of his first exhortation Section 22. and 34. these be his wordes If ye wil not that the wrath of GOD should come or fall vppon you so deale faithfully before GOD and his holines and walke with your spitite in the louely and vertuous beeing fasten your minde thereto and builde your righteousnesse theron for that is an eternall fast standding foundation wheron all GOD his Prophetes and holy ones haue builded and is Christe him selfe This walking with their spirit in the louely and vertuous beeing he calleth as you heare Christ himselfe and those who keepe this course of life and walk in the louely beeing how many so euer doth he speake of heere in the singular number as of one person and one seede when he saith This same sonne of GOD which is conceiued by the holy Ghoste and borne of the holy Virgin Mary is the true and promised seede borne to the blessing of all generatiōs of the earth As also he speaketh in his Euangelie or Gospel when he saith The vpright children of the beliefe which had their discent out of the seede of the faith of Abraham and of the pure virgin Mary as also from the holie Ghoste were knowen to bee the true seede of Abraham because the same seede was the seede of the promise of GOD the father and was likewise in his minde according to the spirit the likenes of God his father also spirite and spirituall of the godly nature and beeing and according to the will of God wholly minded with God. Nowe touching the humanitie of Christe hee is so farre from thinking that Christ is a person now did take fleshe of a Virgin called Mary that woondering at the madnesse of them who haue defended that he saith thus Euangely eighteen and
and minde with the vpright righteousnesse and holinesse For this is the right procreation to the renewing of the spirit and minde of the beleeuers and is also the true newe Testament which God hath promised to errect with his people which new Testament is the very true that God himself witnesseth in his people which are obedient vnto him out of faith in the seruice of his worde and bringeth euen so vnto them in the spirite of their minde the true God seruice of the spirituall and heauenly goodes and writeth according to his godly and heauenly trueth his lawe institutions and rites in the beeing of their inwarde minde In such sorte worketh the Lorde the holie one in Israel and bringeth forth euen so his children sonnes daughters seruants and handmaidens vpon which he in these last dayes poureth forth his spirit and remembreth no more their sinnes for they are a reconciled people vnto him which doe in all his wil. Beholde and consider such is the newe testament with his children for that same newe Testament is in his children the heauen the seate of the most hyest also spirit and life for that cause it is with his children heauenly spirituall and liuingly minded which children of the new testament loue not the worlde nor that which is in the worlde in asmuch as that the newe testament is wholy and altogether of God also the loue the life and the vpright beeing of the holie Ghost it selfe The state of his young scholers which he calleth the beliefe inasmuch as they hope for the perfection becommeth as hee saith with childe through the holy Ghoste and bringeth foorth a new creature according to the very like beeing of the heauenly Godhead and illuminateth the beleuers in their spirit and minde with the vpright righteousnesse and holinesse He calleth his doctrine likewise The true new testament all those vpon whom the spirit is powred forth in this sorte now in these last dayes he affirmeth of them that the Lord remembreth their sinnes no more rendring this reason because they are a reconciled people vnto him which doin all his wil. He affirmeth heere in like maner that these his children of the new testament loue not the worlde nor the things in the world and will haue this to be the cause and occasion thereof for that the new testament is wholy and altogither of God the loue the life the vpright being of the holie Ghost it selfe of such vertue operation that so sone as a man hath had a few receites therof all his worldly humours are forthwith voided thereby and he as cleare purged of them as if hee neuer had beene infected with them and which is yet more he sayth that this new testament is in his children the heauen the seate of the most highest also spirit and life for they be his owne words euen in this place You see then according to the doctrine of H.N. that our obedience whervnto we be brought by it beareth our sinnes in vs because when in all things wee doe his will wee stande as a people fully reconciled vnto our God and therefore wholy and altogether discharged of all daunger for our former sinnes For according to this doctrine when once we haue ceased to sinne sinne likewise ceaseth to lay anie thing to our charge and thus this obedience beareth our sinnes in vs This doctrine is confirmed by the Prophet Esay in his 53. Chapter if we will beleeue H.N. for that place is alledged by him for it Wherin he plainly bewrayeth vnto al the worlde that the spirite of darkenesse euen palpable blindnesse doth possesse him For if a man should come prepared to speake agaynst that poynt of hauing our sinnes answered and borne in our selues it were not possible to speake more plainly and more effectually against it then doeth the Prophet in that place For is it possible to adde anie thing plainer then this speach We like sheepe haue gone astray we haue turned euery one to his owne way and the Lord hath layd vpon him the iniquitie of vs all he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquitie the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes wee are healed Such grosse blindnesse is a iust punishment from God vpon thē which are offended and stumble at the cleare light that nowe shineth in the Gospel and so blinde guides are meete Scholemaisters for so manie as loue darkenesse more then light Could H.N. the seede of Satan iustifie our sinnes to be borne in our selues as from the Prophet euen in that place where he in plaine wordes sayeth that the iniquitie of vs all are laide vppon another if the Prince of darkenesse had not bereft him of al iudgement and pulled cleane out of his heade the eyes of vnderstanding We did iudge him to haue beene plagued of God saith the Prophet but it is cleare and out of all doubt he hath borne our infirmities and caried our sorrowes Neither is the Prophet more plaine in this case then is the Apostle Paule in the Epistle to the Romaines where he setteth the righteosnesse of one man for the making of many righteous against the disobedience of one vnto the making of manie sinners Can the righteousnesse of one man make manie righteous if this doctrine of H.N. be true that our sinnes are borne in our selues and our righteousnesse not layde vp in another for vs but resteth in our owne breastes within vs In the second Epistle to the Corinthes the Apostle doeth yet more plainly declare himselfe to haue a contrarie spirite to H.N. in that hee is flatte contrarie in speach For he affirmeth Christ to be a sinner in vs and vs to be righteous in him our sinnes to be imputed vnto him and his righteousnesse to be reckoned ours our sinnes to be borne in him and so he to be made sinne for vs and we righteousnesse in him For he made him to bee sinne for vs sayth the Apostle which knewe no sinne that we should be made the righteousnesse of God in him If he be made sinne for vs then are not our sinnes borne in vs if we be righteous before God or the righteousnes of God in him then not in vs but in him are our transgressions both borne and buried and our righteousnesse wholie and altogither purchased If the Sacrifices for sinne appointed to make reconciliation had beene eaten as were other then H N. and other heretikes shoulde haue had some colour to bleare the eyes of their Disciples withall touching this doctrine to haue their sinnes borne in them and their righteousnesse wrought by themselues but the sacrifices for sinne whose blood was brought into the tabernacle of the Congregation to make reconciliation in the holie place beeing figures of that alone Sacrifice by Christe by expresse woordes were forbidden to bee eaten and receyued into men Wherein the holie Ghost no doubt made a special Prouiso against this daungerous doctrine
shewed vnto his disciples howe or in what maner his flesh must be offered and giuen ouer to a life of men that they all euen so which in the beliefe of their safe making from their sinnes eate his flesh and followed after him euen vnto the second birth should haue the life in fulnesse in all godly clearnesse according to the spirit Behold this is the vpright Passeouer with Christ or the right supper which the vpright beleeuers disciples of Christ keepe with Christ to wit that they depart euen so with Christ out of the flesh into the spirit and out of the death or mortalitie into the eternall life of euerlasting immortalite wherethrough the sinne and all destruction becommeth vanquished This death of H.N. his Christ in the flesh is to renounce the knowledge of Christ after the letter to die vnto that and so to passe into that clearenesse of the spirite in knowledge and obedience whereto we are led by the doctrine of H.N. which he calleth that eternall life of euerlasting immortalitie wherby sinne and all destruction becommeth vanquished The maner of the death and suffering of H.N. his Christ what it is may well be conceyued by the Allegorie of Agar and Sara in the 8. Chapter of his Euangelie By Agar as hee sayeth in that place is signified the written woorde which hee calleth the seruiceable writing or letter of the beleefe By Sara a perfect estate according to H.N. his doctrine For he sayeth That so manie be her children as are borne out of the beleefe of the true being of Abraham and are growne vp in the holy and godly vnderstanding Now when the seede of Sara the free woman which before was called Christ after the spirite is borne then is Agar with her seede that is Christ after the flesh or the written word which he calleth the seruiceable writing or letter of the beleefe put away and discharged And therfore then is H.N. his Christ killed put to death whē any disciple of his hath so profited that he is now no longer led by the writtē word but altogither ruled by reuelatiō with estate as H.N. teacheth is altogither void of sin imperfection If it be required what benefite we reape from his passion and suffering because H.N. affirmeth in this place that hee hath suffered for our sinnes cause that is answered in the 20. Chap. of this first exhortation Sect. 17. For when in the 12. Section hee had exhorted his yong disciples that if they shoulde offend or as he speaketh ouerreach themselues in anie thing they shoulde not suffer themselues to bee iudged or condemned by their conscience but shoulde humble themselues to the elders or Ministers of the word in the seruice of the loue to bee instructed by them giuing the reason of his speach in the Section following hee hath these wordes For we haue in our communiaitie of the loue a true iudge Iesus Christ our Lord and King he is vnto vs in all our walking a fountaine of life and to a-making a liue of vs all against the death and the deadly venime of the sinne And continuing his speach of the same matter speaketh thus Wee haue also thorow him a dayly offering in the holiest his spiritual and true tabernacle into which holy he is gone before vs therein himself beareth our sinnes through his suffering and death of the crosse wherethrough hee sheweth or teacheth vs the vpright offering for our sinnes and prepareth for vs euen so a free entrance with him into the holy to an eternall and liuing way H.N. therefore and these illuminate elders or Ministers of the word in the seruice of Loue to whom he giueth the name of Christ and speaketh of them all as of one person are saide to suffer for our sinnes because they hauing gone before vs in the conflictes with these enemies of the louely being haue shewed vnto vs by their example the vpright offering for our sinnes And this is all the helpe wee haue from the passion death and suffering of H.N. his Christ that wee haue the way beaten before vs howe to suffer for our owne sinnes and to procure the remission of the same Which thing he testifieth likewise in the 19. Section of this chapter saying Through which daylie God seruice and offering in the holy in the taking vppe of our Crosse in the imitation of Christ in his death we obteine the remission of sinnes they be his owne woordes But I neede not to trauayle farre for proofe that this is his opinion of the benifite wee haue by Christ for euen in the woordes which do immediatly folow this place we haue in hand he affirmeth that Christ is gone before vs in the obedience of the word of his Father in reproche and contempt that we should in like maner folow after him vnder the obediēce of his loue in his death of the Crosse to the safemaking of vs from all our sinnes What blasphemie can be vttered agaynst Christ that doeth not followe this opinion of H.N. for by this docrrine H.N. by speciall prerogatiue and the illuminate elders in the seruice of loue after a seconde sort be Christ himselfe By this doctrine Christ when he was a young one had sinne and suffered the death of the Crosse for it By this doctrine we suffer the death of the Crosse for our own sinnes make the purchase thereof by our selues By this doctrine wee are released of our sinnes by imitation but not not by imputation And whether would not this heresie stretch if a man should thorowly searche the length deapth and breadth thereof seeyng that by this doctrine the historie of Christ his birth death and suffering had no trueth according to the naturall sense meaning of the letter but was only a figure of a spiritual kinde of birth death suffering which should be procured by obedience vnto this doctrine of H.N. not signifying a thing once done by one man according to the natural meaning of the woordes but a figure of a thing to bee often doone and by many according to an illegitimate and bastardely wringing of the woordes in vtterly denying the trueth of that doctrine which telleth vs that Christe hath come in the fleshe ouerthrowing both his person and office The Crosse then that H.N. his Christ died vppon was his doctrine which he calleth the beliefe and therefore as wee hearde before in the twētieth chapter he saith that he died in the beliefe And in trueth it is a doctrine that killeth the true Christ and all true Christianitie These thinges beyng considered it shal be no hard matter to discerne who is Iudas here and who be the Scribes and Pharisees that bring Christ to the death of the Crosse For who is the chiefe man to bring other to the beliefe which is the crosse whereon Christ dieth in fleshe but H N He therefore of necessitie must be Iudas And as for the illuminate elders by
necessary consequence they are the Scribes and Pharisies because they are other Ministers about this matter which likewise helpe forward the death of Christ You may see howe safe it is to leaue the naturall sense of the Scripture and to followe allegories as doeth this familie For H. N. hath walked so long this way in the beliefe leauing the certaintie of the worde that hee hath prooued himselfe to bee Iudas that betrayeth Christ and his doctrine to bee that crosse which doeth take the life from Christ Hee hath prooued that Christe was woorthie of his death and coulde not haue come to euerlasting ioy if hee had not died in the fleshe and so consequently that Iudas and the high Priestes did a verie good woorke vnto Christ himselfe in putting him to that death that the Crosse was a blessed thing and the death thereof a blessed death for Christe himselfe that Iudas and the Iewes were blessed men in that woorke of procuring Christ his death and that his life and estate before ▪ that time for his owne good and benefite did necessarily require the same that the life of Iudas and the Iewes that crucified Christ was better then the life of Christ and their estate in al respectes better then his that they walked in the wayes of life and hee in the wayes of death that they who wished and procured his death were his best friends and his mother and disciples who stoode agaynst it and councelled him otherwise were his greatest enimies and those who did in truth betray him that Christ himselfe had the greatest benefite by his owne death and shoulde haue had the greatest losse himselfe if hee had not dyed And that others shoulde haue no further benefite from his death then they receiue instruction and example by his death to suffer as he hath done the death of the Crosse Howe doeth this passion agree with that hystorie of Christ his passion which is set foorth in the Scripture The woorde of GOD reporteth this matter of Christ his passion and death not as an Allegorie or a type and figure of a truth to be accomplished but with circumstaunces of time place person and order of proceeding setteth it foorth as a true historie and the very truth it selfe of that thing which by types and Figures had beene shadowed out long before and was nowe in Christe one person and yet both GOD and man truely accomplished Wee haue an historie in the woorde of GOD touching his apprehension and the manner of proceding agaynst him before Pilate In like manner touching his death and buriall not barely and in a woorde deliuered but with al circumstances fully discharged Hee foretelleth his Disciples both of the time of his death that it shoulde bee within two dayes when his aduersaries had purposed to deferre it till after the feaste for feare of an vprore among the people and of the manner of his death A woman comming by the instinct of GOD his spirite with a boxe of very costly ointment powring it on his head as he sate at the table declare thereby that the death of his bodie and burial were at hande and not any spirituall dying in respect of sinne and imperfection which he neuer had no not in his youngnes as H.N. speaketth The chiefe Piestes the Scribes the elders of the people assēbled togither into the Hall of the highe Prieste called Caiphas consulting howe they might take Iesus by subtiltie and kill him determining that it should not be at the feast of the Passeouer for feare of vprore at which time notwithstanding the Lorde woulde haue it performed that the very time might admonishe vs that Christ was the true Paschall lambe and the true bodie of those shadowes and figures that had gone before according as the Apostle restifieth If this had beene a conspiracie of many men against their affections because they woulde not yeelde obedience to true doctrine or a type and fygure of anie suche matter why then is a thing common to so manye made speciall in the type and figure Why is there such specialtie of person in the patterne where so manie haue interest in the thing Suche choyse likewise of the daye to foreshewe a matter free and lawfull to bee done at all times and bounde to no day Why is there suche feare of displeasure from the people at one speciall time whose malice agaynst true doctrine endeth not with anie time Here Christe his Aduersaries woorke procure and in ende performe with their owne destruction his death and suffering But to conspire the death of H.N. his Christ in the fleshe is required necessarilie to their saluation and therefore the one cannot bee a type of the other Hee that betrayed Christ was one of his disciples hyred therevnto with thirtie pieces of siluer who after that hee sawe him condemned brought the monie agayne confessing that hee hadde betrayed the innocent and went and hanged him selfe and bursting asunder in the middest all his bowelles gushed out so iust and heauie was the iudgement of GOD vppon him but hee that shoulde betray H.N. his Christe in the fleshe hath for recompence euerlasting life Neyther can any passe into immortalitie but by betraying and killing of him and therefore one of these cannot bee so muche as a tipe or figure of an other muche lesse the thing it selfe Wee reade that our Sauiour Christe charged Iudas and his companie that they came with materiall weapons swordes staues as vnto a theefe to apprehend him when notwithstanding he had taught daily in the Temple and beene in their companie continually there and yet they had no power before that time whiche he telleth them was their very houre when darkenesse had power graunted to preuayle against the light for a time And the Disciple likewise who wounded the seruant of the high Priest with his sworde receiued a reproofe from Christ with this answeare That he might with a worde haue obtayned armies of Angelles from heauen in his defence but that it might not be otherwise for then the scriptures shoulde not haue beene fulfilled This declareth that the true Christ was subiect to externall force and apprehended and that he was willing to die to fulfil the Scriptures wheras otherwise he might haue had legions of Angels in his quarrell and therefore that Mathematicall Christ who suffereth in wardly in the minde of man a departure out of the letter into the spirtie hath no resemblaunce with this Christ which is here set foorth in the Scriptures When this true Christ his passion and suffering is in hande it is declared particularly and playnely howe the Scriptures which foretolde that matter and the manner of it also are verified in him who accomplished all that trueth which they foretolde and therefore can not the hystorie of him bee a foretelling or shadowing out of a truth yet to bee performed by H.N. or any other their doctrine or doinges whatsoeuer They crucifie two theeues
with him that the Scripture might be fulfilled which sayeth he was counted among the wicked they parted his apparell among them by lottes that it might bee fulfilled likewise whiche was spoken by the Prophete They parted my garments among them and vpon my vesture did they cast lottes So that it is euident hee was that true Christe in whom the Scriptures became accomplished and beside him there is none to be looked for but false Prophets and false Christes H. N. And that he likewise vnder the obediēce of the loue of his father is gone before vs therein for that wee shoulde in like manner follow after him vnder the obedience of his loue in his death of the crosse to the safemakinge of vs from our sinnes become incorporated to hym with his like death and baptized or washed vnder the obedience of the beliefe in his name or safemaking and bury euen so through the beliefe the old man which is destroying through the lustes of errour to the forgeuing and releasing of our sinnes through his name or safemaking to the end that we might euen so through Iesus Christ obteyne the renuing of our spirit and mind in an vpright life and the resurrection from the dead with Christ in the appearing of his maiestie for when as we in suche sort become incorporated as fellowe members of Christ into the bodie of Christ so is Christ then in like maner a Sauiour of his bodie or of his people from their sinnes according to the Scripture And this is the vpright christian Baptisme in the name of the Sonne and is the true forgeuenesse and purging of our sinnes through Iesus Christ Answeare THis following of Christ in his death of the Crosse which H N. requireth of vs to the safemaking of vs from our sinnes declareth that hee is as ignorant of true fruite and effect of Christ his death as before he hath bewrayed himselfe to bee of the trueth and true maner of his suffering For the death of Christ vppon the Crosse was a sacrifice for our sinne of that excellencie that it coulde not be imitated of any man and of that sufficiencie that it needed not by imitation to be reiterated According as we reade in the Epistle to the Hebrues in these words Such an high Priest it became vs to haue which is holy harmelesse vndefiled seperate from sinners and made higher thē the heauēs who needed not daily as those high Priestes to offer vppe sacrifice first for his owne sinnes and then for the peoples for that did he once when he offered vp himselfe Before hee doeth declare touching Christ the true high priest that his once offering of himself was sufficiēt for the sins of his people that he needed not as the Priestes vnder the law to offer often he telleth vs of his excellencie that he was separate frō sinners made higher then the heauens that we should cease to make any questiō seyng the person was of that dignitie why the once offering vp of himselfe shoulde be of suche force and efficacie to wipe away the sinnes of so manie This doctrine is H.N. and his family vtterly ignoraunt of they see no reason why the sacrifice and obedience of one man shoulde discharge and aunsweare for the sinnes of an other and therefore saith H.N. in this place that we likewise shoulde followe Christe in the death of his Crosse to the safemaking of vs from our sinnes when notwithstanding in playne woordes it is written that wee are sanctified by the once offering of the bodie of Iesus Christ Where it is playnely prooued that the sacrifices vnder the law were therefore conuict of imperfection and made vnable to satisfie for sinne because they were reiterated and yeare by yeare offered For as it is written in that Chapter If the sacrifices vnder the lawe had sanctified the cōmers therunto they woulde then haue ceassed to haue bene offered for where remission is of sinne there is no more offering for sinne they being once purged shoulde haue had no more conscience of sinnes So that by the reason of the holy Ghost in this place there is no remission of sinne to bee looked for by the suffering and death of H. N. his Christ because it is often renewed and continually reiterated For euery one of that familie is to suffer with Christ the like death of the Crosse And as the true sacrifice for sinne was but one to declare the sufficiencie and perfection thereof so the true Sacrificer for sinne to argue his abilitie had none to take his place after him in that worke in respect whereof Christ hath the prerogatiue aboue the Priests vnder the lawe who because they could not liue alwayes had others to succeede them in that function Wheras he enduring for euer hath the office for euer remaining to himself alone according as it is written to the Hebrues And among them speaking of the Priestes vnder the law many were made Priestes because they were not suffered to endure by reason of death But this mā because he endudureth euer hath a Priesthood which cānot passe from one vnto another Whereby it appeareth playnely that the true Christ can haue none to follow him eyther in the office or in the offering for sinne And therfore this doctrine of H. N. which telleth vs that we are to follow Christ in his like death of the Crosse to the safemaking of vs from our sins disagreeth no lesse with the trueth thē doth light with darkenes It is at open warre with the doctrine of iustification which is left vnto vs in the worde of God for the Apostle prooueth that we are righteous by fauour freely geuen vs from God and not by any dutie or desert that is comming vnto vs in the right of our workes grounding his reason vppon the phrase and fourme of Speache which the Scripture vseth in this matter when the righteousnesse euen of Abraham and Dauid men who of all other were best stored of good woorkes is of purpose discussed touching this point Where because hee findeth it written of Abraham that hee beleeued and that was imputed or reckoned vnto him for righteousnes And that Dauid describing a blessed man sayth Hee is blessed to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne Hee pronounceth plainely that our righteousnesse commeth of fauour and not of duetie because wee doe not vse this woorde imputing or accepting when it is duety in the man answering but onely when it is a free gratifiyng For the wages that are growing vnto vs for our woorkes are called due debt and claymed in equitie by iust title and when they shall truely pay them yet is that no more but duetie which proceedeth from them But fauour and and friendship ruled in the matter when Abraham was iustified because the scripture saith he was accepted or reckoned righteous bringing nothing with him beside faith that is a resting in the gracious good will
Let vs therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded So that the perfection of the Apostle and all Christians for his doctrine is our instruction is in acknowledging our imperfection to long for that which is yet wanting and to endeuour our selues vnto that whiche is before According to this trueth it is saide of euerie true Christian without exception that they are to growe and to encrease in the fruites of godlinesse Euerie braunche that beareth fruite saieth our Sauiour Christ My heauenly Father doeth purge that it may bring foorth more fruite Wherevnto agreeth this saying of Augustine in his seconde booke De peccatorum meritis remissione cap. 15. A man may be called perfect and be accounted woorthie of that name not because there is no thing nowe wherein he may profit but because he hath greatly profited as we call him perfect in the law who notwithstaÌ„ding is yet ignorant of some thing in the same As the Apostle calleth them perfect to whom he saith If ye bee otherwise minded God shal open euen the same vnto you Hitherto Augustine Herevppon it followeth necessarily that this saying of S. Luke There is more ioy in heauen for one sinner that conuerteth then for nientie and niene iust men which neede no repentaunce is to bee taken by way of comparison that is that neede no repentaunce in comparison and respect of the other In which sense likewise is that taken which they also obiect agaynst vs out of the prayer of Manasses in the ende of the second booke of the Chronicles Thou O Lord that art the God of the iust hast not appointed repentance vnto the iust as to AbrahaÌ„ Isaac Iacob which haue not sinned against thee This forme and manner of speache to deny that in words simply which is not denied in sense and meaning but in respect of some other thing is sundry times vsed in the Scripture as in the first to the Corinthes The Apostle affirmeth that Christ sent him not to baptise but to preache Yet was the commission graunted vnto the Apostles not onely to preache but to baptize also And himselfe confessed euen in the next verse going before that he had baptized the housholde of Stephana It is therefore of necessitie to bee taken by way of comparison that they stoode nothing so greatly charged from the Lorde with baptizing as with preaching Which phrase of speaking is likewise vsed of the Prophet Ieremie I spake not vnto your Fathers concerning burnt offering and sacrifice but this thing commaunded I them saying Obey my voice When notwithstanding it cannot bee denied but that burnt offering and sacrifice was expressely geuen vnto that people in commaundement But hee meaneth that the respect was not alike of the outward offering of sacrifices and of the true spirituall seruice of God after his worde The aunsweare of Pelagius that auncient Heretike and of his successoures who woulde haue the acknowledging of sinne in the seruauntes of GOD to be a speache of modestie and not of veritie cannot stande with that saying of Saint Iohn 1. Epistle 1. Chapter verse eight For there he chargeth them who will take no knowledge that they bee sinners not with want of humilitie but with falshood and vntrueth If wee saie that wee haue noe sinne wee deceiue our selues and trueth is not in vs if wee acknowledge our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgeue vs our sinnes If we haue sinnes to be pardoned then are they in vs and ought in trueth to be acknowledged and we are deceiued if we thinke that there is no suche thing in vs which in truth it â—aght to be confessed Their seconde shift is of like force when they saie that the Saintes and the seruauntes of GOD are called sinners in the Scriptures not because they be such in their owne persons but onely because they be of that number of people which hath sinners in it in respect whereof and not otherwise that name is geuen vnto them Doe we not reade in Daniel that he confessed his owne sinne as well as the sinne of the people of Israell And is it not written in like maner of Nehemiah Chapter 1.6 that hee confessed both himselfe and his Fathers house to haue greeuously offended It is euident therfore that in themselues they were sinners in as muche as it is sayde expressely of them that they confessed their owne sinnes aswell as the sinnes of the people Whereby also that thirde shifte of Pelagius That good men shoulde be called sinners onely for the condition of their nature because it is fraile and not for any thing that is in their will by inclining in any consent vnto euill is not onely shaken but vtterly ouerturned for by their confession it is playne not onely that they had a brittle and vnstayed nature but that they had yeelded in consent to will nay beyonde the will euen vnto the deede and doing of that which was displeasaunt in the sight of god Some of the disciples of H.N. haue affirmed vnto me that the Apostles after they were Apostles sinned not thinking if that were once granted foorthwith the estate of perfection in their illuminate Elders were fully established to whom when I aunsweared that they as all Christians stoode bounde to call vpon God all the dayes of their liues for the forgiuenesse of their sinnes beyng a peticion in that prayer which himselfe hath prescribed to be vsed of his Churche for euer They replied that it coulde not be prooued that euer they vsed that praier after once they were Apostles To contend with them for the forme of woordes when the argument and matter it selfe is manifest were an vnnecessary contention This cannot be denied but that Iames was an Apostle neither can it bee denied but that after he was an Apostle he vttered this of himselfe and of al other In many things we offende all Iohn wrote his Epistle after he was an Apostle Wherein he speaketh of himselfe and of all others that if wee shall saie We haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and truth is not in vs. The Lorde geue them if it be his will with true touch to see that which the scripture doth assure vs they haue I meane their sinne and offences against God least with the proude Pharisey that came before God with an opinion of his perfection they heare when it shal be to late Euery one that exalteth himselfe shal be brought lowe It is written in the Gospel after Saint Luke of Zacharie and his wife that they were iust before God and walked in all the commaundements ordinances of the Lord without reproofe w is obiected against vs And yet who is ignoraunt that Zachary was a priest therefore daily â—â—…ered sacrifices for his own sins as wel as for the sins of the people with had bin in vain if he had bin altogether without sin offence Where they do affirm that because contraries
cānot dwel togither therfore sin cānot be in him in whom there is any religiō Christiā conuersation they do bewray great ignorance for who knoweth not that the humors of our bodie be within thēselues of a diuerse nay of a contrarie nature dispositiō and yet are they so ordered and tempered within our bodies that one hath the preheminence and gouernement and the others doe reient and yeelde therevnto and being so qualified the body hath a good constitution by the same In like manner albeit sinne in the extremitie thereof that is in the rule and gouernement of the same can not bee in him in whom righteousnes ruleth Yet when sinne is a seruaunt and brought vnder subiection it both is and may be in him that greatly feareth GOD otherwise howe coulde the Apostle haue saide I delight in the lawe of God concerning the inner mā but I see another law in my mēbers rebelling against the lawe of my minde And whereas simply in it selfe sinne is a deadly poyson to them that feare God where the gouernement is taken away it being subdued it hath the place and office of a profitable medicine For it helpeth to expell securitie and contempt of God in that by the sting thereof we are spurred to God warde and forced vppon the consideration of our want to bee humbled vnder his grace to haue daily dealinges with him for the vpholding of vs in the middest of so many daungers and so greate experience of weakenes and infirmitie ⧠A confutation of a detestable practise of H.N. in supplanting the true and grammatical sence of the woorde by bringing in place thereof a bastardly broode of Allegories TO vphold the heresies of H.N. this is one especiall and principall practise that the History and natiue sence of the woorde of God is altogeather neglected of him and in steede thereof is intertained an Allegorical and bastardly construction which thing vtterly defaceth the certentie of the sacred scripture maketh no other thing of it then a nose of waxe which wil receiue as many sundry figures and impressions as shal please a man to presse vpon it and beeing in it selfe one and the same thing will notwithstanding beare formes and faces which within them selues are most diuers and distinct Now if the woorde be made so vncertayne our faith which is grounded therevpon can not be sure And if our fayth bee not sure howesoeuer it it goe with vs when the weather is calme it can not be auoyded but wee shall sinke and suffer shipwracke when the least storme of temptation shall beginne to blowe ouer our heades And like as wee haue no stay for our selues no more haue me any good weapon wherwith either to beare of an aduersary or to make an assault against a deadly and sworne enimie For if the worde stande indifferent to such diuerse and differing constructions as must of necessitie be admitted if Allegories be allowed and our selues receiue no helpe from the writing and letter to decide more with one then with an other What will holde of the assaultes of an heretique beeing a subtile aduersarie or where shall wee haue a weapon able to geue a deadly wound to any Heresie Wheresoeuer then Allegories shal happen to haue so good liking and so great allowance as H. N. doeth make them there can nothing be long safe from our aduersaries neither any thyng wel assured to our selues And therefore the meaning of suche as turne all into Allegories and borowed speaches is no other then to haue strength and defence to vpholde in religion and conuersation whatsoeuer any man his lust and liking shall leaue hym vnto As for the estate of these men who in this their Allegorizing are alwayes borowing constructions and meaninges theyr dealinges are lyke to the traffique of suche as goe all vppon trust for be theyr shoppes neuer so well furnished of wares yet all is but borowed And albeit they beare the countenance of men worth many thousandes yet when their estate is truely tried they are foūd worse then nothing for this long borowing doeth bryng them in the ende to playne begging And it is out of question these shall finde it to true who turne all their Scriptures into Allegories and borowed speaches when tēptation shall trie them they shall haue nothing to vpholde them though in countenance and shew they wil be taken nowe for the best and richest among the christiās Where it is answeared for them that they receiue the woorde heare and reade it alleage and alowe it true it is they haue it and as they haue it Sathan both may and wyll very gladly spare it For it is so disguised by Allegories that the true sence and therefore the power and vertue that is in it is plainely abolished So that Satan his gayne groweth too bee greater thereby in as muche as the shadowe and shewe of liking and alleaging the woorde keepeth many simple soules from any suspition to receiue hurt or harme by imbrasing of theyr doctrine whereas yf that shewe and colour were wantyng and Christian ielousie had brought them once to a searching and examining of the matter suche horrible heresies coulde neuer long hyds them selues Touching that place credite which they geue vnto the word of God in trueth Esope his fables may stande in as good steede as the woorde of GOD doeth with H. N. and his familie For yf a man bee no longer bounde too the signification and sence which the woordes being set togeather yeeld of them selues but may be permitted without any preiudice of the natural sence to take vp for his owne vse an other meaning construction Esope his fables wil be made to afforde as good diuinitie as the scripture shal be able to yeeld any And what blasphemie thē is this against the maiestie of the woorde to bee in effect no other thing then a tale of Robin Hoode nay to be in effect no other thyng then are the woordes and Characters of Coniurers which of them selues yeelde no sence or significatiō to the hearer but haue all their vertue operation from the strong perswasion and imagination of the Inchaunter Allegories by the iudgement of the godly and learned are not allowed to geue any euidence in matters of doubt neyther is theyr testimony taken for any proofe when matters are called into question because as they doe speake darkly so is there great vncertayntie in that which they say And therfore saith Augustin very wel in his Epistle Quis autem non impudentissimè nitatur aliquid in Allegoria positum pro seipso interpretari nisi habeat manifesta testimonia quorū lumine illustrentur obscura What impudēcie is there in him that wil alleage an Allegory for him vnlesse he haue other manifest testimonies by the light wherof those darke thinges may be clered This was spokē by that learned father against the Donatists who alleaged an Allegorical speach vsed in scripture for proofe that they onely were the
Church Nowe if vnto Allegories vsed in the scripture it be denied to speake as witnesses for the deciding of doubtes because theyr speache is so doubtfull and obscure in it selfe with what conscience can the testimony be taken of H. N. his Allegories to decide the chiefe pointes of religion withal seeing they are all hatched at home of him selfe and not one to be founde in the writinges of the holy Ghost Irenaeus likewise in his second booke Aduersus haereses and the tenth chapter speaking to the same purpose hath these woordes Omnis autem quaestio non per aliud quod quaeritur habet resolutionem nec ambiguitas per aliam ambiguitatem soluitur apud eos qui sensum habent aut aenigma per aliud magis aenigma sed ea quae sunt talia ex manifestis consonantibus claris accipiunt absolutiones Matters called into question can haue no resolution by other thinges that are likewise in question neyther can one obscure thing be cleered among them that haue eyther iudgement or sence by an other that is darke but of questions that be darke and obscure are wise men woont not otherwise to be resolued then by apparant and manifest proofes It is plaine therefore by the iudgement of these ancient and learned fathers that Allegories which are H. N. his best witnesses be as those men who haue heretofore worne papers For theyr testimony may not be taken to decide matters of question And he that bringeth no better matter then is an Allegorie for the deciding of a doubt is as he who because he wāteth better witnesse is glad to call a periured person to the booke I except not in this speach Allegories that are read in the scripture vnlesse they be suche as by plaine woordes either going before or comming after bee clearely opened and made manifest vnto vs The dispositions of such as haue their sence by circumstance made certaine and are founde in the scripture I deny it not may bee taken but that is altogeather for the assurance that the circumstances doe make vnto vs not for any certaine that is to bee had from them selues They must be plaine and certaine that shal induce a man to geue credite vnto any matter that he is not already resolued of The Logitians therefore refuse too haue them among their places from whence they deriue their proofes and probalities I deny not but that the Rhethoritians haue entertayned them among their figures to moue and delight vs when before the trueth of that thing is out of al doubt with vs The Familie therefore are greatly abused of H.N. their Lorde and maister whyle they are enforced of him to take Allegories onely for theyr euidence And yet are not Allegories so muche abused when they be admitted for proofe as when they are made to ouerthrowe the naturall and historical sence of the worde For albeit the case be to bee pitied when a man shall be forced for lacke of credible persōs who haue beene present to take a periured man to decide a doubt yet is this more lamentable when the party periured shal be suffered to the end that he only may be heard to stop the mouthes of men of good credite who both could and woulde resolue vs of the right And in trueth so the case stādeth with H. N. his Allegories for they vtterly abolishe the naturall sence of the worde and of an historie when H.N. hath doone with it there is nothing left to be heard or seene beside a naked Allegorie Ierome him selfe albeit he had some times ouer great a lykyng of Allegories yet was hee neuer so be witched with them but that he held this trueth in opiniō that the literal natiue sence of the woorde was first to be layde as a sure fundatiō before the roofe of any spiritual sence or Allegorical meanyng might be made therunto Cum Historiae habuerint fundamenta tunc spiritualis intelligentiae culmen accipiant vt verè Christus de virgine natus sit Verè Lazarū mortuū susetarit quamuis quotidie de anima Virginali nascatur sermo diuinus quotidide peccato mortui vitiorum funibus alligati de sepulchro scelerum suorum iubentur exire When they shall haue the foundation of an History then let them builde the roofe of a spiritual fence As for example It is the trueth of a deede once done that Christ was borne of a Virgin and that hee raysed vp Lazarus when hee was dead albeit a diuine word is dayly borne of a pure chast minde they that are dead vnto sinne and bound with the cordes of theyr offēces are dayly cōmaūded to come out of the graues of theyr sinnes Howe farre is H. N. from this moderation for his Allegories in the weightiest matters as in the birth death and resurrection of Christ haue wholy drunke vp and altogeather drowned the histories And generally throughout al his writinges after once hee hath begunne with it hee neuer ceasseth to pursue his Allegory vntyl hee haue seene it playe the hangman vnto the natural sence and history For the drift and scope of all his doinges is to make vs keepe our eares shut against that which the Lorde doeth speake plainely vnto vs out of his woorde that we may onely reuerence these rydles that proceede from him selfe The woorde of GOD wil not suffer vs with H. N. to place and put into possession Allegories which be illegitimate that the naturall sence and signification of the woorde which is the lawful heire might thereby bee dispossessed and driuen out The practise of our Sauiour Christ of the Apostle Saint Paule is our president to vpholde the credite of the natural sence and meanyng of the woorde which Allegories beeyng suffered to haue so large alowance as H. N. doeth make them woulde soone driue out at the doores For the least part of an Historie as a worde and circumstance of time the whole whereof H. N. his Allegories woulde vnhorse and ouerthrow is with our Sauiour Christ aduaunced to the credite of deciding and determinyng matters of greatest weight and moment in religion Nowe yf aworde in his proper signification be so much made of with Christ the Apostles as that it shal be of sufficient credit to carry away a matter of greatest weight What wrong doeth H. N. offer the worlde that with Allegories would beare downe not the natiue sence onely of a woorde but of many wordes and sentences set togeather to maintaine a proper and naturall sence and signification Our Sauiour Christ when he will prooue him selfe the true Messias to be more then a man he vrgeth the naturall signification of the woorde Lorde that because Dauid whose sonne he was after the fleshe calleth him Lorde therefore it coulde not bee but that he was more then a meere man Moreouer in that weightie matter of iustification doeth not the Apostle stande vpon the signification of this worde impute which is euer vsed when fauour and mercy preuayleth
to the Churche of GOD howe pernicious to the common wealth and priuate families and howe farre from the spirite of GOD forasmuche as thereby the Lorde Iesus is bereft of all his kingly Priestly and Propheticall dignitie all godlinesse is ouer throwen a windowe is opened to all sinnes and wickednesse to fraude deceipt lying fornication theft idolatrie and couetousnesse and after this life the hope of eternall life in immortall fleshe and the feare of hel fire are taken from the mindes of men euery one hauing but a sparke of godlinesse and of the knowledge of Christ doeth easily perceiue so that there needeth not heere manye woordes for the confutation thereof This one thing is briefly to be added that it may not seme woonderfull to any yf many in our age doe fall into this so grosse an errour For in suche disagreementes of true religion men knowyng the Idolatrie of the papacie the whiche can bee vnknowen to none but too the dullest kinde of men and beeing terrified from the profession of true religion through the feare of persecutions troubles or of pride plucking away the shoulders from vnder the yooke of Christe doe moste easily fall into that moste detestable errour which is beautified with the Title of sweete peace and concorde is verie plausible through the large promise of lyberty God also is iust with punisheth this intollerable vnthankefulnes of the worlde agaynst Christ and his word with such grosse errours according to that prophecie of the Apostle Because they receiued not the loue of the trueth that they might be saued Therfore god wil send thē strōg delusion that they may beleeue lies ▪ that al they might bee damned which haue not beleued the truth but haue had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse But if any shal more diligently examine the Apostolical prophecies w are written in the 2. Tim. 3. 2 Pet. 2. 3. Chapter and in the epistle of Iude concerning the last times shal then be sufficiently armed against that diuelishe peace We are also admonished in the Scriptures that true peace is enclosed in certayne limites least we shoulde be deceiued with some vaine shadowe of peace For true peace is ioyned with an vnspeakable knot to faith and charitie It consisteth also in a good thing and that also according to Christ as it is manifest by these words of the Apostle Nowe abideth faith hope and charitie these three Again Let euery one of vs please his neighbour in that which is good or in a good thing to edificatiō Also The God of pacience and consolatiō giue you that yee bee lyke minded one towardes another according to Iesus Christe that yee with one minde and one mouth may prayse God euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christe Away therfore with this newe cursed peace togeather with the house the founder therof which passeth neither for faith nor hope and is occupied in euil thinges and forbidden of GOD and shutteth out Iesus Christe For yf the studie of peace excused not Aaron for makyng a Calfe nor Saule for sacrificing nor Peter for dissembling neither shall these truely escape vnpunished of the Lorde who vnder the title of peace ouerthrowe all honestie and religion especially seeing that the Prophetes in olde time haue vehemently cryed against all promise of false peace Esay also crieth Woe to them which call euill good and good euill which put darknesse for light and light for darkenesse who put sowre for sweete and sweete for sowre This same people of peace as they wil be called cannot free it selfe from this faulte whiles that it leaueth those thinges free to them of their owne profession which GOD in his woorde hath seuerely punished and moste greeuously condempned Hitherto therefore we hope it hath beene sufficiently shewed of vs howe greatly wee ought to take heede of them all who to the godly that are inlightened with the true knowledge of the Gospell wyl haue that departing from the impure congregations and superstitions of the Romishe Churche to be vnlawfull ₠A Confutation of the Doctrine of Dauid George and H. N. the Father of the Familie of Loue By M. Nicholas Charinaeus who died heere at London Minister of the woorde in the Dutch Churche about the beginning of September in the yeere 1563. DAVID George of whom mencion is made before added to the foresayde argumentes of the aduersaries agaynst the obseruation of the Ecclesiasticall congregations that the vse of all rytes and ceremonies instituted of Christe was simply taken away by him because that hee as he thought executing the office of the holy Ghost should lead al men into all trueth and shoulde bryng foorth that which was perfect and therfore shoulde abolishe that which was but in part And seeyng that hee fained that his doctrine is moste perfect more excellent and farre surpassing the doctrine of Christ as which must be constrained to geue place vnto him whatsoeuer the scripture witnesseth of mans perfection in the commyng of Christ al that hee so impudently draweth vnto hym selfe and to his doctrine that he promiseth vnto him self to his disciples the ful dominion of the whole world immortalitie also perfect righteousnes yea that in this flesh vnderstanding by the name of perfect righteousnes that same inward affection of the minde altogeather free from all sence of sinne But a certaine chiefe builder of the house and Citie of peace and a framer of that same glasse of righteousnesse perceiuing that yet that same full libertie was not permitted vnto men by Dauid George as he that yet bounde them vnto his person boasteth that hee hath found out a more perfect doctrine then that was of Dauids To wit that whosoeuer dwelleth in the house of Loue not onely is free from all religion of Christ but also altogeather from all outward religion and from all holy ceremonies Nowe he calleth loue that same affection of the minde by which a man neyther feeleth in hym selfe nor in any other any euyll or sinne but all thinges what soeuer they bee hee interpreteth them to bee good Now because the neere kindred of the opinions of both these Antichristes doe not onely bryng to nothyng the religious obseruation of Ecclesiastical congregations which come togeather in the name of Christ but also taketh out of the mindes of men the hope of the life to come in Christe Iesus and doeth open windowes doores to al iniquities I am constrayned to confute it in this place and that in fewe woordes First of all I require of both of them that they woulde playnely prooue by manyfest testimonies out of the holy Scripture that the doctrine of the Gospel of Iesus Christ must once bee abolished out of the Churche and a nother more perfect succeede in the place thereof and if it ought too bee abolished that it is theirs that ought to succeed it to continue for euer Besides that let them perfourme those thinges in deede which the holy Scripture
excellencie of the priesthood of Christ Therefore not vnfitly is it here called perfection of Paule which perfection hee leaueth not at all to bee declared afterwardes muche lesse too Dauid George or any others but hee promiseth that hee wil doe it Heb. 6. a. 3. which he most happily performeth in the Chapters following vnto the eleuenth Now we haue proued that the doctrine of Christ is to remaine in the Church of God continually as a doctrine which is most perfect notwithstanding that which belongeth to the manner of reuealing and perfection of the same in the faithfull to be wrought in heauen where Christ our lord shal make al his enimies subiect vnto him and further more that to be more vain then vanitie it self with our aduersaries boast of the absolute perfection of theyr doctrine But if further they will yet continue to dispute that a more perfect doctrine then that of Christe is to bee looked for then I woulde haue them by euident tokens to prooue vnto me that their doctrine is it neyther any other againe to be looked for For Dauid George hath boasted that his was the most perfect doctrine now that preacher of the house of loue succeeding him reiecting that of Dauid attributeth the same to his doctrine and agayne another may also conceiue to him selfe the like dreame Therefore wee desire that they woulde with as plaine argumentes prooue their doctrine too bee the moste perfect as Christ our Lorde hath approued his If neuerthelesse they will still pretende that perfection which wee looke for at the comming of Christ then wee desire that they woulde in very deede performe al those things which with vndoubted faith we looke for of Christ Iesus at his comming To wit that their bodies may bee glorious like the body of Christ spiritual celestial not any longer subiect to the miseries of hunger thirst wearines sicknes age and death That their women may beare and bring forth their children without griefe of wombe that all vngodlines being taken away onely righteousnes may raigne that without the helpe of bookes admonitions and such like things which are dayly vsed they may obteine the full knowledge of heauenly thinges and finally that they woulde restore all thinges lost in Adam But as long as they performe not these suche like thinges as assuredly they cannot it plainly appeareth that it is a mere beewitching of the minde or rather an extreme madnes to beleeue such spirites FINIS T. D The iudgement of an other godly learned man touching the same matter MY very deere good freende I cannot answere you so fully as I would in the matter you demanded of me touching mine opiniō of that sort of men that name thēselues the Family of loue my tyme is abridged and my businesses are many yet I must say somthing because you did so friēdly request it How much I may know of the opinions of that sect some can witnes with me that haue been acquainted with my conference had with some of them and with the reading of a good part of their writings But how much soeuer it bee this may suffise to iustifie me before the godly men of vnderstanding for my dislyke of them their heresie that they diguyse themselues with a coūterfait tytle making profession of one thing in woord another thing in trueth deede They terme them selues the family of loue but their meaning is that they bee more thē the Familie euē the loue it self for though they agre not alwayes in al places with themselues sometyme they take this word loue as is stādeth for loue in deed yet in other places they take it after the woordes of Iohn where he saith God is loue so making themselues not the householde of God but god himselfe This they vouch in many places of their writings in saying that they are deified that is made and become gods God is hominified that is made man not meaning of the incarnacion of Christ but as they expresse in another place saying that Adam was al that God was God al that Adā was which woords besides that they contayne blasphemy in them selues so are they made couers to abuse the simple yet for al that this may not bee their name whereby they wil be called that is they wil not be called gods nor goddified nor loue but only the Family of loue Thinking by this meanes sooner to allure the simple whereas otherwise if they should in title themselues Gods desire to be so called they would cause al the worlde to abhorre and detest them as they iustly deserue This name is but a new coate shapen of some bodging workman that knew not how to take the true measure of their bodie their olde coate becommeth them better They are in truth the Libertines those ancient loose lyuers for they lyue as they lyst no law of God or man to controll them as men vnder no law for they are men in deede as they professe beleeue them if you wil that cannot sinne And therfore of the law they make none account the Gospel serueth them to as little purpose they take scorne to aske forgiuenes of sinnes at Gods hands yea they say that whosoeuer prayeth as Christ hath taught vs argueth himselfe of imperfection Christ gaue that precept to his disciples whē they wer yonglinges before they had receiued the holy Ghost after those abundant graces receiued and as they expounde it after that they were deified it is not to be foūd they euer prayed And as their opinion is for prayer so is the practise of their lyfe they hold they may doe all things yea the grossest sinnes that wee make account of and yet in doing cōmitting them they cannot sinne How we may accoūpt of them S. Iohn telleth vs He that saith he hath no sinne is a lyer if they went no further they were lyers but he that saith hee cannot sinne what rekoning shal we make of him This is their loue and their louely sect And while they stand thus affected for the second table is there any meruaile that they stand as euilly minded in the first They cary lyke minds towards al religions whatsoeuer the Turk the Iewe the Barbariā the Papist the Arriā the Pelagiā as wel welcome to them as the professors of the trueth of God they say we haue marred al with making these differences were it not for these diuersities of names whereby we maintaine dissentions their familie would be spred ouer the face of the whole earth And surely I beleeue it for if all men could be perswaded that sinne were no sinne if the iudgemēts of God were remoued from their eyes hearts if they coulde so basely esteeme of Christ and saluation wrought by him as these men doe if they could be perswaded that there were no neede of inuocation and exercise of godlynes I doubt not but the whole worlde woulde quickly become a louely familie I coulde
find in thy hart to afford God for thy welth It followeth we must liue godly this necessarily is ioyned to righteousnesse For it were but a vaine thing to be precise in geuing man his right then to withholde the Lord his thorowe impietie Wee must communicate with him as I tolde you before in his worde Receiue the lawe of his mouth and lay vp his wordes in thy heart Dauid hauing declared before howe the heauens doe declare the glorie of God and howe the creatures doe leade vs vnto some knowledge of him immediately as one rauished with the maiestie and excellencie of that knowledge of God which we haue by the worde and as one who taketh that other kinde of teaching to be nothing in respect of this affirmeth that the lawe of the Lorde conuerteth the soule that it giueth wisedome to the simple giueth light to the eyes and bringeth ioy to the heart making these to be the special prerogatiues of the worde of GOD which neither by the creatures nor yet by anie other outward meanes may be atteined vnto It behoueth vs therefore to haue often vse of the woorde of GOD not onely to take our knowledge from thence howe to serue him but also to seeke for incouragement and quickening therevnto from it For the woorde of God quickeneth vs to our dueties and stirreth vp the slownesse that by nature is in vs A notable example whereof we haue in the 2. of the Chronicles cap. 15. Wee are likewise to rest vpon his goodnesse whereof hee hath made vs such large promises in his worde to applie his benefites as speciall helpes to strengthen our fayth in the perswasion of his fatherly affection towardes vs and to prouoke our obedience the rather thereby and to bee often and earnest in prayer with him both to haue our strength and abilitie to serue him by that meanes increased and also to prouide that neither by our subtile aduersarie nor yet by our owne frailtie wee bee intrapped in the nette of destruction For albeit by his grace our spirite bee readie yet haue wee a weake fleshe which is to bee dragged forward by strength obteyned thorow prayer from our god These things must wee bee giuen vnto and neither by a plaine reiecting of them and erecting of our owne deuotion neither yet by a colde and carelesse vse of them to tempt the Lorde and to vpholde vs in vngodlinesse and the fruites thereof The Papistes Anabaptists Libertines and familie of Loue are all sworne enemies vnto godlinesse for as much as they will haue the woorde altogither subiect to their spirite For they will haue it not to speake but as their spirit shall indite and herevpon they build that they are the Church and therefore haue a promise of the holy Ghost to keepe them that they erre not Enquire of a Papist from whence come their vnwritten verities and manifolde traditions they answere there were many thinges that the Apostles then were not able to beare which the holie spirite beeing nowe come hath taught them The Anabaptists Libertines and house of Loue vrged with the Scripture will aske you what sayeth the Spirite affirming that to bee but the killing letter Thus both of them howsoeuer in other things greatly differing haue this common principle for their foundation and beginning that the Scriptures beeing but an ABC to Christianitie the spelling and reading thereof must be drawne from their Spirite as if the Gospel should giue place to reuelations and so carie with it the staine of imperfection or as if the Spirite could be diuorced from the written woorde which it was sent to teach and confirme As it is written He shal bring all thinges to your remembrance which I haue tolde you What can bee a more shamefull abasing of Christ then to make him but vsher and their Spirite in place aboue him chiefe Schoolemaister that as the law brought vs by the hande to Christe so Christ shoulde bee our guide vnto reuelation and resigne vnto it as the lawe did vnto him They will not denie the woorde but in trueth they make it a matter of nothing For they will allowe no sence vnto it but suche as their Spirite shall sette vppon it So that in verie deede howe so euer they woulde bee thought to leade vs to the woorde they doe leade their Disciples onely to the dreames and deuises of their owne heade In the time of the Law when visions and reuelations were often and vsuall yet were they then subiect to the worde and to be tried by it nay to be ouerruled of it According as we reade If there arise among you a Prophet and giue thee a signe or wonder and the signe or wonder which he hath told thee come to passe saying let vs go after other gods thou shalt not hearken vnto the wordes of the Prophet ye shall walke after the Lord your God and shal keepe his commandements and hearken vnto his voice but that Prophet shal be slaine because he hath spoken to thrust thee out of the way wherein the Lord thy God commaunded thee to walke If in the times when visions and reuelations had their best alowance the most lawful title that euer they had all that notwithstanding they were to giue vp their account vnto the written worde of God and from thence to receiue their quietus est Wee may not then in these times receiue such wares vnder the alone warrant of their owne weightes when faith must fight against miracles and reuelations for the woorde which in the infancie of the Church was helped by miracles vnto the worde Howe can there bee anie true godlinesse among this people among whom God is not licenced to speake in his worde what pleaseth him but the worde strained by their spirite to speake after the liking of miserable men Great is the vngodlinesse likewise of those men who hauing banished superstition and fantasticall reuelation yet for all that leaning vnto the holde of their profession of the trueth as vnto a sufficient fortresse doe not submitte themselues to anie often and earnest vse of the woorde and prayer with conscience and care to haue their wayes refourmed by it and with perswasion of anie great necessitie that they haue of it We can not geue our selues vnto these dueties vnlesse we shal be in the expectation and lookinge after the hope of an other life therfore very fitly doth the Apostle ioyne vnto these seuerall duties that wee haue hearde of this speache Waiting for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of the mightie God our Sauiour Iesus Christe For it can not come to passe we shoulde bee taken of from things here belowe vnlesse we be assured ells where No man wil let goe things assured for vncertaine Faith must geue vs assuraunce of greater glory from god ere we can let goe the hould that wee haue here Therfore it is made a speciall note of god his children and necessarily ioyned to his worshippe to bee in