may be with the Father and with his sonne Iesus Christ Where S. Iohn teacheth he is a true witnes because he saw and heard secondely he was a profitable minister because he kept it not to him selfe but declared it vnto others Thirdly the profite that doth ensue to the Children of God by S. Iohns declaration that ye may haue fellowship with vs. Lastly to make his message more amiable in the sight of men and mē to embrace the same more gréedely he addeth that our fellowship may be with God the Father with his Sonne Iesus Christ and to entise them more effectually to take hold of Christ he sheweth that Christ commeth not bare or naked but clothed and accompanied with all his mercies to the encreasing of his children and comfort of the godly This worde fellowship geueth vs to vnderstand that among the godly there ought to be a mutuall féelyng of infirmities with a supplying of all comfort both in thynges spirituall and temporall This doctrine conteineth the true Exposition of the Article of our belief I beleue the communion of Saintes So that HN. might euen aswell haue founde his Communialty nay with much more ease and lesse labour in the belief as in S. Iohn the Apostle But let vs sée the application of this place of S. Iohn The faithfull haue fellowship with the Apostles and God the Father in or with Christ Iesus Therfore this fellowship is in the familie of your loue onely and there is no societie in truth but yours Not so For many a day before HN. was heard of was there a Communialitie of Saintes neither was it a Communialitie of goodes of which the Anabaptistes did dreame neither that filthy and graceles Communialitie of the Femal kinde of wiues virgins c. whiche the Nicholaitanes did dote of But this it was that made HN. so farre to ouershoote him selfe that wheresoeuer he founde this word Communialitie or fellowship straight way he imagined that it might proue vnto vs the Familie of his new inuention For neither did the woordes Actes 2.44 Act. 4.32 And all that beleued were in one place and had all thinges common meanyng that quoad ad vsum to helpe and releiue the necessity of such as could not labour there ought to bee a mutuall contribution among the faithfull of the irtemporall blessynges as there is in all Churches rightly gouerned proue quoad possessionem accordyng to priuate right no man ought to enioy any landes or other possession to the mainteinance of his callyng and nourishyng of his familie though in holy Scripture it bee set downe for an vnfaillible truth that Phillip the Deacon had a house so had Mathew and Peter and Ioseph of Aramathia Lidia a purple seller and Cornelius the Capitaine had priuate abidyngs and great wealth so had Philemon a faythfull Preacher and companion of Paule the Apostle both house and seruauntes yet no Communitie HN. THyrdly hee telleth them how hee founde the truth Through the appearyng of Iesus Christ out of the highe heauen W. Wilkinson TO proue that Christ appeared vnto him hee citeth Math. 25. d. wherein is conteined how Christ shall come in his second commyng to seperate the shéepe from the goates c. Act. 1.11 b. the men in white garmentes sayd he shall come agayne so as ye haue sene him go into heauen Thus then yf Christ did appeare in his body to HN. and in his second commyng or if he appeared not otherwise than did he not appeare to HN. at all and doth the mighty Rabby of the Familiely which is very like to be true or els with the Sadducies hee denieth the resurrectiō or with Himeneus and Philetus he affirmeth that the resurrection is past already HN. THe same most holy beliefe cannot become vprightly witnessed nor confessed by any other people c. William Wilkinson THis is the last part of HN his assertion wherein he sheweth where onely the truth and true beliefe is to be looked for that is in the Familye of Loue of his coigning and not els where The morter whereby he laboureth to build is vntēpered the stones are very precious but neyther fitte nor coucheable in that place wherein he sayth they shall be layd The place by him alledged 1. Cor. 12. a. b. proue that although there be diuersitye of giftes in Gods Church yet is it thereby builded vp For there is but one spirite whereby and one Lord to whome the Church is builded And this he amplifyeth by diuers examples and similitudes of the body of man c. And Ephe. 4. b. he sheweth that there is but one Church one Fayth one Baptisme and yet are there diuers functions instituted of God for the building vp of the Church as Apostles Euangelistes Pastors and teachers yet doe all these diuers giftes tend this one and the same end .1 to the gathering together of the Saintes .2 to the edification of the Church .3 to the vnitye of fayth And to touch S. Paule his meaning and scope Therefore Christians ought to liue charitably together in loue Doth this then proue that if men should agrée they had the truth and none but they that doe agrée doth vnitye of mindes proue a truth in doctrine S. Peter and the rest of the Apostles in their feruent prayer affirme that 1. Pontius Pilate .2 the gentiles .3 the Iewes agreed to put Christ to death Act. 1.27.28 Was here truth because they had vnitye Euen so though I graunt all to be true that S. Paule affirmeth as no doubt it is very true yet hath not HN fitly alledged these places 1. Cor. 12. b. Ephe. 4. b. to proue that the truth is no where taught but in his Familye HN. VVIthout the Familie is nothing but good thinking tedious trauaile labour and misery Theophilus SO then this is very true sauing that you haue put truth for true beliefe the rest of the wordes are spoken or referred to the rest which God hath reserued to his chosē in that house and to the seruice of that house Loke better on the text William Wilkinson VVHensoeuer any man shall be without or depart from the Church he shall neyther finde rest in bodye nor peace in conscience as they doe very well knowe who haue departed and falne away from the knowne truth or which at any tyme suffer their consciences to wauer halte betwixt God and Baal truth and errour light and darknes God for Christ his sake keepe vs from falling away from the truth or standing in mammering therof knowing that Neuters and Hipocrites with Lukewarme brethren shall be spewed out of Gods mouth which HN and his Familye must take heede and harken to whiche geueth any man liberty so he be of their Familye to embrace and lyke of what religiō he list in his new Euangely cap. 1. sent 4. Now if there be nothing but trauaile misery c. Why wishe ye peace and health vnto them which are dogges and not of
founde whatsoeuer doth disquiet the buildyng vppe of Sion that we may keepe the spirit of vnitie in the bonde of peace and be but one folde vnder the shepheard Iesus Christ our Lord who blesse your Lordshyp with the fulnes of all spirituall blessinges to the honour of his name and profite of his Churche Amen Cambridge September 30. Anno. 1579. Your Lordshyps most humbly bounden William Wilkinson ¶ To the godly and Christian Reader Peace from God the Father and our Lord Iesus Christ THat which auncieÌ„t writers and learned men reporte to be the singular commendation and especiall prayse of a good Historiographer geÌ„tle Reader to coÌ„ceale nothyng of the truth for feare or to vtter any vntruth for for euill will neither yet to flatter or claw for fauour that same me thinkes is necessarily to be required of all those whiche take in hand to testifie of any matter whatsoeuer For els how should we possibly looke for truth of those men whose myndes are wedded to affections whose handes and pennes are let out for lucre and toungues let loose to testifie an vntruth who are wholy blinded with disdayne and beyng egged on with euill will haue set them selues to sale committyng whatsoeuer is vnhonest with vnsatiable greadines CoÌ„cernyng my selfe in simplicitie of hart I testifie and soleÌ„nely protest before the whole world calling God to witnesse whom I know to be a sharpe reuenger and seuere iudge agaynst those which abuse his blessed name to any vntruth agaynst myne owne soule if in this treatise I haue vttered ought for enuie or malice of those people against whose opinions my whole stile and writyng is especially directed I haue truely quoted rightly alledged and faythfully as I am hable reported whatsoeuer I haue either heard by word or read by writyng concernyng the errour of those men who terme themselues to be of the Familie of loue Whiche I haue the rather done beyng thereto required by that dutie that I owe vnto the Churche of Christ whiche is the felowshyp of the faythfull and societie of the Saintes of God â–ª as also beyng by a Christian Magistrate thereunto coÌ„maunded I could not chuse I say but I needes must testifie the truth of that whiche both I haue heard and sene which also I am ready at any tyme to auouch before any person beyng called thereunto either priuately or openly Wherein also I haue not sayd so much as I might truely and could iustly hauyng refrayned for their sakes especially which are my very frendes beyng somewhat ouertaken with the lime of that secte and are bewitched with the blyndnesse of those vnsauery opinions Concernyng my further knowledge in that Heresie I referre thee good reader vnto that which ensueth most humbly beseeching thee to blesse and further me with thy most feruent prayers as I hartly desire the promotion and furtheraunce of Gods true Religion the encrease of a true fayth in the feare of God the quietnesse of our English Church and the vtter ruine and abolishyng of all Papistry Atheisme and Hereticall sectes and Schismes whatsoeuer Cambridge Septemb. 30. Readyng certaine bookes of H.N. and conferring with certaine of that Louely Fam. I was by them requested to set downe vnto them in writyng for my further instruction those doubtes whiche either by meanes of the vnusualnesse of their Methode in writing the noueltie of their farre fetched phrases there wrong and wrested Allegories there Diuinitie not heard of or their rough â—ottyng stile I did not vnderstand I deliuered vnto them in the moneth of August 1578. those Articles which follow hereafter in this booke and desiryng earnestly to be fully satisfied in that behalfe I receiued the aunswere deliuered to the common carrier in London whiche beyng intercepted by my worshypfull frend came not into my handes vntill the third of Aprill last past Anno. 1579. The aunswere whiche I shall set downe if first I shall geue you to vnderstand what I can testifie concernyng them and their Fathers of their monstruous Hereticall opinions ¶ A brief view of the heresies and errours of HN. conteined and confuted in this treatise by pag. as herein they are to be found 1. Article HN. sayth we haue no Church 2. 2. Article HN. sayth we haue no truth 5. 3. Article HN. sayth we haue no Baptisme 11. 4. Article HN. sayth we haue no forgeuenes of sins 12. 5. Article HN. sayth we haue no Ministrie 13. 6. Article Of beyng vnited and Godded with God. 15. 7. Article What HN. sayth of him selfe and his extraordinary callyng Wherein is declared agaynst the Familie that first he was D. George his Scholer secondly he is one of the heretiques whereof Christ and his Apostles did foretell thirdly HN. agréeth with the old heretiques in sundry their heresies and opinions 20. 8. Article What is necessarily required in HN. his Disciple 34. 9. Article Of HN. his Reuelations 44. 10. Artic. Of shrift vsed in HN. his Familie 49. 11. Artic. HN. misliketh the Preachyng of the word and what he termeth it 51. 12. Artic. HN. his Iudgement of Preachers not admitted by his Familie 56. 13. Artic. HN. sayth it is lawfull for one of his Familie to dissemble 61. 14. Artic. HN. maketh God the Author of sinne and the sinner guiltes 63. 22. Articles of the Libertines 66. Theophilus Proofes confuted whereby he proueth HN. his doctrine is the truth 67. ¶ With a brief token how to know an Anabaptist gathered out of Zuinglius Bullinger and Caluin whiche declare the opinions and behauiour of Heretickes from tyme to tyme. ⧠A very brief and true description of the first springing vp of the Heresie termed The Familie of Loue which conteineth the places where and the parties by whom the sayd Heresie was broached WHoâ— as long tyme the singular mercy and leuitie of the Lorde in the happy dayes of good kyng Edward the vj. a Prince of blessed remembraunce was by the carnall profession of many and looâ—e lyfe of the greatest part abused in the end by Gods â—â—st scourge ouer England it came to passe which alwayes ensueth the contempt of so precious pearles that Amos long before Prophesied of the Epicures of Israell there followed a greuous famine not onely of bread for the comfortyng and susteinyng of the outward man but also the foode of the soule whereby our lyfe to Godward is prolonged was taken away And it was a very daungerous thyng to confesse Christ openly not onely for feare of Excommunication but for daunger of the losse of lyfe also And so farre had the Prince of darkenesse confirmed his kyngdome of ignoraunce in this worthy Iseland that the worshyppers which worshypped in spirite and truth durst not openly assemble themselues for feare of the TyraÌ„nous hatred of the Scribes and Pharisies the rest of the oiled broode of the Popishe Sinagogue They were compelled secretly to meete in priuate houses so fearefull a thyng was it for fleshe bloud to abyde the extreme fury of the Romish Baalamites which
merueile at all for such a fountayne such water men gather not grapes of thornes nor figges of thistles And true it is that our Sauiour sayth out of the aboundance of the hart the mouth speaketh ARTICLE 1. No Church THe house of Loue sayth HN is the Church of God. 1. Exhor cap. 7. s 37. Theophilus his exposition FIrst note that it is all one to say the house of Loue and the house of God the familye of Loue and the family of God and then proceede William Wilkinson DArke wordes double speaches haue bin alwayes the starting holes of heretiques playne meaning men walke openly at noone lewd and euill disposed persons vage and wander abroad at midnight For he that euill doth hateth the light neyther commeth to the light least his déedes should be reproued Yée speake in a riddle neither doth your reason follow Because it is framed A petitione principij You take that to be graunted which is in controuersie or rather cleane false For what proprietye of speach is this or how doth this reason follow The house of God is the Church of God therefore the good willing ones in England which are named the Familye of Loue are the Church of god But if you will in playne wordes affirme that you onely which are of that familye and no man els which is not of that societye is of the Church First I aunswere that the Anabaptistes did lykewise of their conuenticles affirme that they were the true Church Next I say that when I shall vnderstād your meaning better I will tell you more In the meane time I would you knew that you are not of the Church but yée haue made a Schisme from the Church Christes coate without seame ye haue rent in péeces Truely sayth a learned father whosoeuer doth cut a sunder the vnitye and disturbe the peace of the Church whereby the fellowship of the faythfull is torne into diuers partes he is a Schismatique Such were Chorah Dathan and Abiram agaynst Moyses such were they which disquieted the church of Corinth by holding some of Paule some of Peter some of Appollos some of Christ Such are they whome S. Paule bad the Elders of Ephesus take héede of for they should be greuous wolues not sparing the flock who speaking perverse thinges should drawe disciples after them Of such S. Paule sayth I beseech you brethren marke those which cause dissention amongest you contrary to the doctrine which you haue receiued and auoid them c. As for you of that Familie neither were ye of vs nor went from vs So ye haue choked the word in many weake brethren laying stumbling blocks in the wayes of the simple Ye haue led the blinde out of their way therefore are ye by Gods mouth accursed And albeit that offences must néedes come yet woe be to him by whome they come it were better a millestone were hanged about his neck then to offend one of the litle ones There must be heresies in the Church to try the faythfull and happy is he that holdeth fast least another take his crowne When ye can shew me by the scripture that your Familie is the house of God the piller of the truth I shall confesse my selfe to be in an error Christ hath geuen vs warning to take héede that no man deceiue vs for many shall come in his name saying I am Christ and shall deceiue many and there shall arise false Christes and false Prophets c. but he hath told vs before that we should not beleue them nor goe after thē Beleue not euery spirite sayth S. Iohn many false Prophets are gone out into the world Thus are wee warned in the mouth of the sonne of God if the sword come and take vs away our bloud shall be vpon our owne head HN. His assertion IT is the hill of the Lorde whereon his house is builded to the which he that subiecteth not himselfe is a false hart and standeth minded agaynst God and his Church Theophilus exposition THat is spoken of the loue it selfe and not of the Family For how is an house to be builded on an house which thing also may not be denyed for so much as God is loue and the other must consequently or necessarily follow William Wilkinson FIrst to the text of HN. and to Theophilus his exposition The familye sayth HN. is the hill of the Lorde whereon his house is builded for proofe hee quoteth Esa. 2.2 a. Mich. 4.1 a. It shall come to passe in the last day the mountaine of the Lordes house shall be prepared in the toppe of the moūtaines c. The sence of the which places of the prophets is that in the last day vz. in the first comming of the sonne of God the Church shall by him be restored to her glorious beauty the which places in HN. his new gospell 3. chap. 3. sent are applyed to HN. himselfe and to the time of his appearaunce in these wordes Now shall the law be taught out of Sion and in the 4. sent for this is the day of promise Psal. and ver 24. c. which the Lord hath made which first place is directly vnderstode of Christ and the building agayne of the Church by him The other place of the psal declared that Dauid being appointed by God to be king ouer Israell should deliuer the Arke out of the handes of the Philistines wherein he foreshewed that by a figure which was true in Christ Ephe. 4. verses 4.8.11.12.13 the which HN. presumptuously taking vnto himselfe grossly erreth in applying the scripture gracelesly blasphemeth the sonne of god First making Christ lesse carefull of his Church than he is in déede Secondly he is openly impious in this that whereas Christ sayth All is finished meaning all types and figures HN. maketh all vnperfect affirming that in him and his appearaunce all becommeth fulfilled His wordes be these The day of Loue Psal. 118. ver 24. c. is the appearing and comming Mat. 24. c. Luk. 17. c. Actes 24. of our Lorde Iesus Christ in the resurrection of the dead Esa. 26. c. 1. Cor. 15. f. Wherein the law of the Prophets and all that is written of Christ becommeth fulfilled All which places by him quoted are very playnely ment of the resurrection that is the second resurrection from death the secōd comming of Christ to iudgemēt whereby HN seemeth to emply the resurrection of the body and the second comming of Christ to iudgement to be past already which is heresie or els quoting those places for his first comming he alledgeth them amisse which is ignoraunce HN. TO the which he that subiecteth not himselfe is a false hart William Wilkinson IT is very true he that submitteth not himselfe to the Church of God is a false hart c. For he shall neuer haue God for his Father which hath not the
b. Ephes 4. b. communialitie of the holy ones in the loue or by such as walke and liue 1. Pet. 1. b. 1. Iohn 3. b. 4. b. obediently vnder the gracious word and his seruice of loue W. Wilkinson HN. sayth he can not perceiue or finde the true belief c. to this I aunswere that it is Gods iust though secret iudgement that when men aske amisse they do not obtaine when they knocke at the wrong doore they are not let in and beyng on sléepe when the bridgrome commeth and wāt light in their lampes they enter not in with him into the Mariage That HN. hath not founde nor perceiued the truth the reason is he wil not learne Pro. 8.8.9 he stoppeth his eares charme the charmer neuer so wisely Psal. 58.4.5 The Lord will guide thē that be méeke in his way Psal. 25.9 but knowledge entereth not into a froward soule and a foole that séeketh wisedome findeth her not for the Lord withstandeth the proud geueth grace vnto the humble 1. Pet. 5.5 The Israelites sought God as a people desirous to know his wayes but because the feare of him was learned by mēs preceptes Esay 29.13 they were selfe conceited wise Esay 5.21 Therfore did they heare and not vnderstād sée and not perceiue their hart was fat their eares were heauy and their eyes were shut Esay 6.9.10 Where note curteous Reader that this holy Prophet for so wil the Ioigner néedes haue vs for to take him HN. and our Papistes vse the selfe same weapō and by the same knife séeke to cut the throate of gods Church which they hādle after this sort Your Church ye Protestates was not alwayes visible neither did it alwayes appeare vnto the world Therefore it is not the true Church What a faint Consequent and weake reason this is especially with our Papistes which can not abide an Argument drawen from the Negatiue by this which followeth beyng the like may easely be proued I sée no sunne sayth the blind man neither heare I any swéetnes of song or pleasaūt Musicke sayth the deafe man Therfore there is no sunne sayth the one nor song quoth the other HN. the sonne of perdition and the Romish broode of old Hipocrites can not see the truth or will not therefore there is no truth at all The communialitie of the holy ones in the loue for so vnlesse ye terme them they will bee angry out of measure créepe in corners as owles doe at noone euen as did the Anabaptistes in the first spryng tyme of their heresie therefore there is now no Familie of Loue neither were there any Anabaptistes any where in tymes past this Argument as it is euidēt in the one so will it not be denied by the other Albeit in déede it be a féeble kinde of disputyng farre swaruyng from all rule of reason For the seyng or not seyng of mortall man doth not approue or disproue the truth of the immortall god Pharao kyng of Egypt saw Moses and Aaron and confessed the miracles by thē wrought to be true miracles yet saw he not a reason to perswade him to let Israell goe Iohn Baptist did as it were point out Christ with his finger saying Behold the lambe of God. The Iewes cōfessed that Christ had done all thinges well The Pharisies saw their thoughtes disclosed yet reasoned they thus The Scribes and Pharisies and rulers beleue not on him but onely the rude and accursed multitude Therfore is he not the Messias And if I should vse the like forme of Argumēt as this is trow ye the Familie would thinke the consequent necessary Before the dayes of Queene Mary or An. 1555. at the furthest this Louely Familie was neuer sene nor heard of onely the hatchers of this Familie the Libertines the Arriās the Anabaptistes the Free will men and Catharistes were than extant but as yet this broode of Locustes had not broken out of the bottomlesse pitte neither had it the name of Loue which it now hath Therfore the Familie of Loue neither is the Church of God neither is the holy truth of God in that their conuenticle but vnto them and their Patriarch HN. I leaue such kind of reasonyng most hūbly beséechyng God to giue them eyes to sée tongues to confesse the truth to Gods glory and the safegarde of their soules in the appearaunce of his Christ After HN. had told his Disciples where he could not finde the truth now he telleth them where he foūd it vz. HN. THe same is appeared and manifested vnto the holy ones of God in the Communialtie of Loue. W. Wilkinson SO that then belike vnlesse it be graunted him that he founde it there all his labour is lost Secondly it was not founde out there before he founde it and to that purpose it is whiche in his new Euangely he sayth He will declare the secrete misteries of God and make relation of thynges hidden from the world vntill his new day c. And he is annointed with the holy Ghost Godded with God in the spirite of his loue made heyre with Christ in the heauenly goodes of the riches of God elected to be a minister of the gracious worde which is now in the last tyme raysed vp by God accordyng to the promise Ierem. 33. Which is ment of Christ wherein HN. blasphemeth What if for all these his great boastyng crakes his swellyng wordes of vanitie turne to smoke out of the fornace and dust before the winde what then if for all his outfacyng of the simplicitie of the Gospell and shouldring out the sonne of God the Lord lay opē his folly to the world and his shame vnto the sonnes of men And if he founde no truth or if it be truth yet not of his findyng Was there no truth before he told it Was there no Gospell before his heape of confusion and huge lompe of shapeles and vnshamefast heresies If there was as most vndoubtedly there was a light before darkenes and an Arke of God before Dagon the Philistian Idoll why boasted he then thus presumptuously that the truth was of his findyng onely Neither is it yet agréed among his new peruertes concerning the age of this new founde heresie For some of his Sectaries beyng demaunded where his Church was from the Apostles tyme vntill the appearaunce of HN. this new found Prophet of theirs he aunswered not onely obscurely to the question but also fondely to the purpose and vnfittely to satisfie a waueryng conscience It was in the land of the liuyng among the holy ones But thus doth the Lord suffer their eyes to dazell who are quicke sighted to séeke out Phantasies to féede the it itchyng eares of them whō no doctrine can content HN. alledgeth 1. Iohn 1. a for proofe The wordes be these That whiche we haue sene and heard declare we vnto you that ye may also haue fellowshyp with vs and that our fellowship
the houshold of Fayth permitting them what religion they will. But hereby ye thought to stretch your Familye from sea to sea and from one end of the world to another So that here you shewe what kindred acquaintaūce your Heresie hath with the Anabaptistes who affirme that for their quietnesse sake they may confirme them selues to any Religion of the people amongest whō they dwell How neare you and these mē iumpe I leaue to the discrete Reader to discerne M. Bullinger his censure on them is this Of this iudgement was that beast Dauid George sayth he and this sect is the most pestilent of all others Thus much sayth M. Bullinger who was acquainted with thē as hee him selfe testifieth I did put truth for true belief thinkyng them to be all one neither as yet haue ye shewed any difference betwixt them I haue looked on HN. his text sufficiently God geue you grace to looke better on the Testament and to come backe to the truth whence ye haue slydden and kéepe me in that which I doe and haue professed HN. THe true light hath not bene declared by any of them all that haue taken on set forth and taught before the same and without the same Familie of loue Heb. 9. b. 10. Theophilus YOu shuld do wel to alledge the text as it is and not your owne imagination which is that there is hath bene or can be any more thā one true light vz. Christ or the loue whiche presently is appeared to his chosen in the house of loue or of god For before and without the Church and his seruice there cā be no truth taught W. Wilkinson THat our blynde southsayer told vs there is not any truth to be foūd without his fond Familie although it hath by me bene handled in that part of this Article which immediately goeth before yet this learned Elder of this Louely Familie barketh and brauleth stil against vs and will not suffer playne and manifest truth to stop his mouth And although the place by me alledged out of HN. be verbatim and word for word as I alledged it yet will he not be satisfied but as it were facyng me out with a carde of x. he séeketh to ouerrunne me with his eloquēce sayth to blanke me withall that I haue mistaken and falsified the author But because he taketh me vp for an Imaginer of the text vouchsafe gentle and curteous Reader to way myne Imagination as he pleaseth to terme it The place by me rised out of the 1. Exhort of HN. Cap. 16. sent 9. fol. 42. is in the very first line thus Therefore the holy nor the most holy the true nor the most true light which the most highest hath presently in his most holy seruice vnder the obedience of the loue geuen vnto vs for to be declared forth hath not Heb. 9. b. 10. a. bene declared by any of thē all that haue taken on set forth and taught any thyng before this same or without this same our seruice of the loue Are not these my very wordes sauyng that for breuities sake I pretermitted your long and vnnecessary Parenthesis Haue I not delt truly with your houshold-father in that I truly and faythfully as from his owne mouth did report his wordes Am I not vniustly charged and falsely blamed for my Imagination in the text of so worthy an Author But seyng it is not expedient that I be myne owne iudge of myne innocencie I refer me to the sentence of the indifferēt Reader whom also I desire to be aduertised that he hath heard me take an Elder halting in his word whē as the fayth of their Familie HN. I meane in the booke by him intituled Dictata per HN. or documentable sentences sayth nothing can come from the true perfection but all humilitie and meeke vertues and righteousnes floweth from all perfection Now if to slaunder and misreport be a worke of righteousnesse and worthy of their perfection let them glory therein I had rather in that sort be vnperfect As for me and those that desire not hand ouer head to receiue all that comes from euery mā it is sufficient and shal be that if they lauish out any vntruth that I be pardoned for not sealyng vnto it before I way it in Gods ballance least it proue light and try it at the touchstone least it be counterfeite The places of Scripture by HN. quoted are very impertinent and absurdely alledged hauyng not any thrée wordes that sounde toward such a sense as he would father on them Theophilus THere hath not bene is ne can be any more thā one light which is presently appeared vnto his chosen in the house of loue or as HN. sayth our house of loue W. Wilkinson WHy then haue ye left the Churche into the which ye were Baptised why did ye promise ye would manfully fight vnder Christes banner and continue his faythfull souldiour and seruaunt to your liues end and now lyke a runnagate Apostata a cowardly souldiour or rather a traiterous Iudas ye betray his Saints to Sathā breake truce with the son of God into whose obedience ye were sworne Why do ye like children past grace insolently taunt and checke your mother and impudently tread vnder your féete the Lordes pearles as most filthy swine why come you not to the light that your workes may be sene how they are wrought in God what meane you to frame and imagine to your selfe a new Churche For whereas so oftē you affirme that you haue no church but ours no assemblies but ours why doth HN. terme it our Familie or seruice doth not this word our Familie note a particular secte or faction in the possession of a few Ye say very truely there can not bee any truth without the Churche If this be true then your doctrine is false for there is but one Lord one fayth one redeemer one spirite of sanctification one Abrahā the father of the faithful one Isaac one Iacob one body wherof we all are mēbers The Churche hath but one head and one body As for deridyng and scoffing Ismaell he shall be cast out with the bondmayd his mother prophane Esau shall haue no part in the Lordes inheritaunce neither your Schismaticall Familie vnles ye repent hartely for that which is past They Iewes cryed the Temple of the Lord yet were they a stiffenecked peopel you cry the schoole of grace the mercy seate the Familie of the Lord and yet all is but hypocrisie For the Iewes had an externall tabernacle instituted of god Therfore they might boast better thā you You haue coined and inuented a Schisme yet very cōfidently you affirme your conuēticle is the Church without the which is no truth to be looked for An Addition of HN. vnto the 2. Article NO mā sayth HN. how wise soeuer he be in the knowledge of the Scriptures can by any meane vnderstand or comprehend the wisedome of God but onely they
that be of the Familie who soeuer is without the Familie is inueigled with wiles subtletie and falsechode For no man rightly accordyng to truth of the Scriptures nor accordyng to the spirituall vnderstandyng of the godly wisdome can deale in or vse the true Gods seruice nor the seruices of the holy worde but onely the Illuminate Elders in the godly wisedome whiche walke in the house of loue The wise men of the world and the Scripture learned haue not knowen the veritie of the heauenly truth nor yet obteined or gotten the clearenes with Christ. It is mere lyes and vntruth what the Scripture learned through the knowledge they got out of the Scriptures institute or teach c. They preach in deede the letter and Imagination of their knowledge but not the word of the liuyng God. Therefore sayth he they are mē whose knowledge doth imagine much in them ARTICLE 3. of HN. No Baptisme WIthout the Familye of Loue sayth HN there is no true Christian Baptisme This same is the schole of grace to an euerlasting remission of sinnes ouer all such as cleaue there vnder There is no true Christianitye but the Comminalty of the holy ones in the loue of Christ Iesus Ion. 17. c. Ephe. 4. a. h. All other that haue not the Christian doctrine of the seruice of the loue forgoing their Baptisme It is not meete and conuenient that men should count such vnbeleuers and vnbaptised ones for Christians neither yet also for men at whose handes one should any way suppose or trust to finde any word of Ioh. 1. a. 3. a. gods truth or yet any workes Mar. 1. a. righteousnesse or Gods seruice that God regardeth or accepteth They are without Christes body Theophilus COnsider better of the text Rather vnder the obedience of the father and his loue vnder the obedience of Christ and his beliefe and the obedience of the holy ghost and his renewing of the lyfe and minde c. to be baptised in the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghost c. William Wilkinson WHat account HN. maketh of our Church and the truth therein taught is already declared Now followeth it to be vnderstode what his opinion is of our Sacramentes And first to speake of baptisme For of the holy Sacrament of the supper of our Lord he hath written very litle what he attributeth to our Church therein is playne that vnlesse we haue our foregoing in the doctrine of the loue we are not to be counted of him and his Fam to be baptised ones To the which I will aunswere briefly if first he shall satisfy me in this demaund Whether when there was no Family of Loue there were no vpright baptisme in England If he say there was a lawfull baptisme than is there an vpright baptisme without the foregoing of his louely doctrine and without his Family a true Christian baptisme If he say there was none than doe I aunswere that these Famelers in England are not rightly baptised speake the truth worke righteousnes or an acceptable worke in the sight of god To the which if the Familye shall further aunswere though then they were not yet since they haue bin rightly baptised This it may be Vitels the Ioyner will aunswere to approue his hereticall behauiour at Cholchester ad to this I am to reply that if the Fam. acknowledge a rebaptization then are they hypocrites all the sort of them For they in their last cōfession being a rehearsall of their doctrine beliefe and religion affirme that they doe deale simply and playnely c We haue say they nor vse any other Ceremonyes lawes statutes nor Sacramentes of Baptisme and supper of the Lord then such as are ministred in the Church of England But I say that the Church of England vseth not rebaptization Therefore if they be rebaptised they be double faced dissemblers Furthermore if they shall affirme that they vse not other Sacramentes c. than is vsed in the Church of England that is in their Fam. in the Church of England because it was sayd in the first Article that we haue no Church without their Family I aunswere They pretend in their confession they deale faythfully with all men If this be their fayth what I pray you is their falshode Furthermore I let passe to repeate much lesse to confute that fond opinion of those vaine heads which thought the partyes baptised of heretiques ought to be rebaptised agayne Of this opinion the Fam. of Loue semeth to lyke very well for because they affirme before that without this Fam. there is no Christian baptisme And thus much for this Article is sufficient As for you frend Theophilus ye huddle vp so that no man can vnderstand you when you shall learne to speake out of the mouth and leaue to fumble with your c. I will tell you my minde more art large An addition of the 3. Article of HN. HN. Reproueth our doctrine with this terme and handful of water an Elementish water Whosoeuer is not baptized according to the forme and manner of Iohn who baptized the people confessing their sinnes flowing with the water of repentaunce into their hartes he is not rightly baptized neyther may he boast els that he is a Christian ARTICLE 4. HN. No forgeuenes of sinnes WIthout he Familye fayth HN. there is no forgeuenes of sinnes for this is the true Christianitye the Familye of Loue wherein God himselfe 2. Cor. 6. b. Apoc. 21. a. dwelleth liueth and walketh Theophilus FOr so it is agreable with the Scripture William Wilkinson THe truth of this exposition I must gladly graunt and willingly confesse vz. No pardon of sinnes without the Church of Christ For truely it is sayd No man must seuer or put in sunder that which God hath lincked together and so in our Créede the Communion of Saintes and forgeuenesse of sinnes are ioyned together And S. Paule sayth that Christ gaue him selfe for the Churches to satisfy it and clense it by the washyng of the water through the woorde that hee might make it a glorious Church spotlesse and without wrinckle c. And I know very well that we are naked in our selues and poore but in Christ and his Churche so many as are members of that head are clothed richly with the manifold graces of God and continaully enriched And to this purpose fitly sayth the spirite of god by Esay the Prophet God is in the Churche and the 21. of the Apocal. 3. a. is fitly alledged and the truest hetherto that HN. hath cied As for his place out of the Corinth there is no such thyng nor any steppe of such a sence as he séemeth to alledge it for All the Article if it should be geuen yet shall you not thereby proue that without your particuler conuēticles and Schismaticall assembles is no remission of sinnes For the promise of the keyes and the remission is geuen to the Church which
is Christes spouse not to an harlot and shameles strumpet Ierusalem aboue is frée and is the mother of vs all but your Agar is in bōdage and is cast forth with her children The Lord geue you grace to consider in what case you are There is no fauour of God to them that forsake his truth and cleaue vnto errour Most of your illuminates haue ben professors though now most deriders of the ghospell and skoffers of Religion making a profession of religion but inwardly hauing denied the power thereof The further you walke in darcknes the greater is your daunger An addition to the 4. Article THe same doctrine is in diuers other places affirmed that there is no pardon c. 1. Exhort cap. 11. sent 10. cap. 15. sent 29. c. cap. 18. sent 7. Euang. cap. 41. sent 7. ARTICLE 5. HN. No Ministery WE must haue respect vnto the seruice ministred in the Familie by the Elders thereof For God hath chosen vnto him selfe the Familie of loue and this seruice of the holy and gracious word for their ministration is the safe making ministration Neither is there any minister of the worde rightly called but by their Familie Theophilus BEcause their exercise is obedience and loue accordyng to the requiryng of his word William Wilkinson TRue it is that Gods ministery is an holy and sacred thing in thought not to be violated in word and déede greatly to be had in reuerence For they which are Gods messengers doe bryng the glad tidynges of deliueraunce from sinne and Sathā vnto the people of God. They are Gods watchmen and do warne vs of the commyng of the enemy which like a roaryng Lion goeth about séekyng how hee may deuoure vs. And because their mouthes should kéepe knowledge of them must wee aske for the vnderstandyng of the word and enquire after the will of our God yet doth not all this proue that that ministration which is by you of that faythlesse Familie forged is the true and holy ministration For sometyme as now in your Familie it cōmeth to passe that false Prophetes will say thus sayth the Lord and yet the Lord hath not spoken They will presume to preach without a vision and prophesie without a burthen runne when God biddeth them not go take the testimonies of the holy ones in their mouthes when yet the Lord sendeth them not Heretiques will with a face of the Churche séeke to out-face both the children of God and the truth also Thus then not euery one that pretendeth is called in déede for some come not in at the doore but clyme in at the windowes and as many as come before Christ and set downe a contrary requiryng as ye do he is a Wolfe séeketh but to rauin Not euery one that crieth Christ Regeneration the spirite a perfect and true incorporatyng into the vpright beyng a consubstantiation and counityng with God is a true teacher and faythfull Christian Nor euery that taketh vpon him to expounde knoweth the meanyng of the word For many of you when as ye would be Doctours of the word had néede to be instructed in the very principles of fayth and first grounde of Religion So the true Ministers haue both a publicke and externall callyng by man as also a priuate and internall callyng by God which who so hath not he is an hereticall intruder and no propheticall Minister of God nor Preacher of the most holy one The whiche internall and externall callyng to the Lordes haruest to be a true labourer if any man shall pollute with his lewde life and light conuersation he is at the Lordes hand to be beaten with stripes without number Yet if any man shall say well and doe euill whiche God forefend with man it may discredit him that doth speake well and yet do amisse with God euill déedes doe not disanull the truth of doctrine as good déedes proue not euill doctrine to be true A ring of gold in a swines snowt ceaseth not to be a ryng of gold though a swine weare it pearles are pearles before dogges or swine The broad seale of England is highly to be honored for the Maiestie of the Prince therein appeareth though some tyme the partie that may cary it may bee a lewde person and a Godles Atheiste The word and Sacramentes ministred by wicked men cease not by their administration to haue their force For the wickednes of man can not ouerthrow the institution of god Where I in good conscience testifie that I speake not to defend corrupt life in any man but to vphold the truth of good liquor in an vnsauery vessell and gods good worde and sacramentes in a minister of an euill lyfe and conuersation For that Iudas and Iames in their ministery gaue the same word and wrought to the same wonders yet the one a reprobate the other an holy one and a perfect Saint of God. So then this reason that in corners your froward Familye vseth to whisper agaynst euill men though Gods Ministers is Anabaptisticall Your Ministers liue not as they teach Therefore their doctrine is not true In Scripture I know this reason is often vsed Your lyfe is not according to the law your profession Therefore you are hypocrites and dissemble with me sayth God. The former fond argument I neuer hard of any man that is sound for iudgement and sincere for godlynes The same reason is by your Familye and by your good minded brethren the Papistes alledged agaynst the truth now preached after this sort We worke better then you therefore our religion is truer they yours The first exposition if you know what proposition meaneth I deny and also the argument More than we they marke I graunt so had they néede that will haue heauen by desert or els will-naue none of it but better they doe not Quod non est ex fide peccatum est What is not of fayth c. The Pharisie gaue more almes tithes c. than the Publican yet was the Publican more iust by much then the Pharisie Not to worke but to worke well in Gods sight is commendable Non tam quid quam quomodo operamur inquiret dominus Not so much what as with what fayth we worke that will God demaund Thus haue I obiter and by the way touched your Families Papisticall Anabaptisticall argument whereof the one will be saued by the fulfilling of the lawe the other will haue markes concurre with fayth in the matter of Iustification cleane contrary to S. Augustine who sayth Opera sequuntur iustificatum non praecedunt iustificandum The workes we doe follow as fruites and goe not before as the efficient cause of our iustification And thus much of the worthines of the Ministery and ministers thereof Whome I counsell you to reuerence in better sort both in worde and writing than ye haue done For you know what Christ sayth he that despiseth you despiseth me c. and
vaine and endles Questions which engender strife of wordes more thē godly edifying of the which S. Paule geueth Timothy a straight charge to beware 1. Tim. 1.4 and 4. chap. Titus 1.14 2. Pe. 1.16 1. Tim. 6.4 The which watchword if our Familye had diligently taken hede vnto they had not so mightely ben deceiued with such strong illusions For this is the light vnto the which we must take héede as vnto a candle shining in a dark place so shal we not faile of the reward after lyfe nor in this lyfe make shipwrack of our owne saluation Now followeth the second part of the comparison of D. George his heresies with HN. whereby we shall see the one not to be any whit in impietye inferiour vnto the other THe Familye of Loue in their first Epistle to M. Rogers pag. 72. lin 7. c. very vehemently stomack as their maner is because M. Rogers enlinketh HN. with Iohn a Leyde and the Archheretique Dauid George to haue ben confederates in spreading the heresie of the Anabaptistes at Munster Anno 1533. And least that M. Rogers should scape vntarred with their opprobrious Eloquēce they very louingly as well becommeth their Familye brande him with his marke An egregious vntruth vttered by this new shameles wrighter Furthermore they affirme that many learned wrighters testify the matter vz. of Dauid c to be Anabaptisme and yet say they this man will haue it the Familye of Loue and here they triumph hauing taken M. R. tardye as though the Familye of Loue and the Anabaptistes were such great straungers that at no time they had bin acquainted nor euer yet talked or met together To remoue the which doubt if any shall happen to stand in doubt which I thinke he will not that knoweth throughly what both the opinions meane by laying of the schismaticall opinions of these two heretiques together the Fam. shall not neede to be so straunge with their kinne nor be so nice because their faction is more famous then the other of their Elder brethren I meane the Anabaptistes The first opinion of Dauid George as M. Rogers alledgeth and M. Bullinger in his booke agaynst the Anabaptistes auoucheth to be true was this The doctrine taught by Moses Christ the Prophetes Apostles is vnto saluation but his heresie is perfect as he sayth to saluatiō The reasons which do induce me to thinke the heresie of Dauid George and HN. is in effect all one are because they iumpe both in this They prefer their owne doctrine before the doctrine of Moses Christ the Apostles Prophetes and secondly affirme it is abler to saue those that heare their 's thē the other Now to proue they prefer their doctrine before Moses c. This shal be playne and an vndeniable reason The doctrine which in the Churche of England the Lordes most holy name be praysed for it is by Publike authorie commaunded by all that preache the same approued and by the Fam. of Loue confessed to be the doctrine of Moses c. But they say that this is not sufficient vnto saluation Therefore are they Anabaptistes and Dauid Georges Schollers For proofe of the first proposition that the doctrine by publique authoritie commaunded is the doctrine of Moses c. they will not deny it for so much as they haue in their Cōfession of their fayth published An. 1575. openly protested that they are not iustly to bee blamed accused detected or burthened as transgressors of the law agaynst any of the Queene her Maiesties proceedyng in causes Ecclesiasticall c. But all men know that it is an Ecclesiasticall cause concernyng the truth of doctrine Publiquely preached therfore they are likewise obedient to her therein If they shall here séeke to starte by affirmyng that they meane outward pollicie of the Church that is a thyng of lesse waight then the doctrine of the word of God openly professed for that the truth of the word is alwayes one and immutable it is the same vnto all nations and people of the world But the externall pollicie in gouerning the Church is mutable neither alwayes one but chaunged diuersly in diuers places accordyng to the state of the places tymes and people Therfore they shall aunswere here nakedly if they say that they agrée vnto the pollicie of gouernement not vnto the doctrine of the Churches of England they shall shewe very plainly and that they 1. deale doublely notwithstādyng they pretend in their foresayd Confession that they deale with all men vprightly faythfully and charitably Further more when as in their confession mēcionyng Religion they affirme that they obey our soueraigne Lady the Queene and the Magistrates our foregoers spirituall and temporall c. Whiche by the word of God they should not neither ought to do vnlesse the doctrine by the Prince commaunded were from God therefore secondly I conclude that they confesse the doctrine by vs professed publiquely to be the doctrine of Moses Christ and the Apostles and Prophetes and this is the proofe of my first proposition But cōcernyng the second proposition vz. that the doctrine of Moses is vnsufficiēt is apparaūt For no man in the choyse of two thyngs wherof he must néedes chuse the one will chuse that which is insufficient therefore is the particular Fam. whiche they fayne vnto them selues thought by thē more sufficiēt then the Publique doctrine assembly of our Church Christiā congregation Now least they should shift in saying that our Chruch theirs is all one as some times they do to dazell and deceiue the simple I aunswere that in the third Epistle that is Extant of theirs to M. Rogers they affirme that of such an houshold as we haue challenged to our selues they are straungers Therefore say I they thinke their Fam. to be more sufficient for to attaine saluation in then the open visible Church of Christ is England which doth impugne their Familie And to this purpose very naturally they Exhort such as be wise among vs to looke ouer the Scriptures agayne For if their Fam. of Loue haue founde the true or old way correspondent with all the doctrine of the Apostles of Iesus Christ and therfore s needfull that without it there shall no man finde mercy with God or els through Christ become saued Item read the second Article of HN. pag. 23. and there this is handled at large The places which further at large out of their bookes proue this matter are 1. Exhort cap. 12. sent 42. 20. sent 7. Dictata cap. 9. sent 3. Eu ā cap. 3. sent 3. cap. 23. sent 7. cap. 24. sent 25. in all the which they affirme as Dauid George doth in his heresie that onely their Familie is sufficient vnto saluation whereby is clearely auouched that their Fam. of Loue are guiltie in the first degrée Dauid George his second heresie was that he affirmed himselfe Christ and Messias the beloued sonne of God.
HN. dare not expresly and definitiuely so affirme least all mē should hold him for a false Prophet yet as it were a sloape and couertly affirmeth it in takyng vnto him the prophecie of Christ c. as is declared before pag. 52. 53. so that yet in the second degrée D.G. and HN. agrée very filthy in their heresies ech with other Dauid George his third heresie was this that he would restore the house of Israell and the tribe of Leuy he will rayse the tabernacle of God by the spirite of Christ That HN. is the minister by whom the Church is restored through the spirite of the Loue or of God in many and sundry places cited already is more thē manifest if though they beyng incident to the matter I should repeat them they of the Fam. would charge me that I alledged thē often to make the volume arise the greater Let it therefore besides the places quoted already in the pag be sufficient for me by one testimony out of his Euang. to proue this in him to be true wherewith I charge him Now in the same day shall the Citie of the Lord be builded vpon her brief place or auncient roome of the tēple of the Lord or tabernacle of his dwellyng shall stand euen as the same ought to stand Namely inwardly in vs in the beyng of the holy Ghost and therefore when HN. is disposed to boast of the restoring of the hill of the Lord and of the repayring of the Church then straight he vseth to quote Esay 2. chap. 2. vers d. and Micheas 4. chap. 1. vers d. and thē immediatly before or after straight hee putteth this shall come to passe in this day of the Loue or now or in this same most newest day of the loue c. vpon the which places as those most often wherein the redyfiyng of the Church by Christ is prophecied and foretold of by the Prophetes he that marketh this obseruation well shall see him stumble very often What may be gathered thereby is not hard to coniecture vz. that he dreamed and so would néedes perswade his Disciples the instauration of the Churche should be perfected by him Euang. 2. chapter 1. sect 2. leafe And in the third Chap. section the first and 9. are notable places to verifie the truth of this verdict which for breuitie I pretermit onely notyng them not further meanyng to encomber the Reader with them and thus much to proue that HN. agréeth with D. George in his iij. heresie Dauid George his fourth heresie That who soeuer speaketh agaynst his doctrine shall neuer be forgiuen in this world nor in the world to come In this doth HN. fitly with Dauid George agrée accord in one as in my Additions may appeare at large to the 3. and 4. Articles and Theophilus him selfe will not deny it For hee expoundeth HN. his meanyng thus in the 13. Article in these wordes To the enemyes or enuious of the loue of Christ and to the obstinate which turne them away there from there is no mercy promised Yf this be not all one both in wordes and sence with Dauid George I cā not tell what it should bee to agrée with him at euery turne both in wordes and sence And because by the way of comparison I haue in the former Articles declared that HN. and Dauid George do fully consent and agrée in the principall matters wherewith we charge them let it be lawfull for me good Reader to set one foote further in this comparison that I may shew more euidently how in as weighty a point as hethereto I haue layd agaynst them that in the accord of their heresie they so conspire either with other that it clearely and to HN. his perpetuall shame it may be affirmed which M. Rogers reporteth that Dauid George layd the egge of this heresie and HN. hatched the chickens As for HN. though it séemeth his wit is pestilent enough to peruert the truth yet by Dauid George his Maisters whettyng him forward hauyng of him selfe a cankred mynde agaynst the truth and a swellyng hart he became x. fold more the sonne of perdition in beyng wholy bent to seduce the simple that thereby he might not so much be holy as he pretended as increase his priuate wealth which by his fiskyng to and fro was not a litle empayred For to affirme that in word which the deed it selfe auoucheth to be true sufficiently apparaunt it is that Dauid George first put downe the principles of this secte which when he had so done and with writhyng and wrestyng had brought his heresie into tune HN. was now by him further to be instructed how with a malitious mynde and perilous wit he might runne descāt at will and quauer at pleasure vpon this straunge doctrine and new tuned opinions The first straine wheron this further heretical accord was to be stretched was this that after D. George perceiued that openly in the face of the world to professe his opinions was not without spot godly Magistrates had diligently prouided that the Church of God should no lōger receiue any detrimēt straight way then did he forge this new found fond principle as a soueraigne salue to cure that mischeuous maladie and imminent perill which abode those that were defiled with that horrible infection And seing the daunger was not smale to be outragious in so great a matter he thought it sufficient that his sectary bare a good hart stode single in myndedly vnto his doctrine to kéepe their consciences to themselues and for their further quietnes sake to cōforme themselues to any people whatsoeuer amongest whome they liued with whome they had to deale This as it was a principall point so was it also a pestiferous poyson wherewith the diuel hath deceiued many a simple soule and thrown many a stumbling block in the way of the wauering and weake harted Christian That this was Dauid George his opinion and that hereafter I be not sayd to slaunder him let M. Bullenger be heard who testifieth thus of him Of this opinion was this beast D. George whiche sect also is the most pestilent of all others To the which I further adde Of this opinion is that wretched man HN. and by this bayte hath he choaked more Christians then by any other whatsoeuer For hereby in the tyme of Papistry he had his faultors also whom by the Suthwarke Ioyner he licensed to be present at Idolaters seruice and to kéepe their consciences secret vnto themselues hauing taught them before it was an indifferent thing to hould any thing so they kept the doctrine of the Loue by him taught vnto them And this is manifest in his Euangelye especially in that O yes which he maketh before his blasphemous proclamation to the whole world in these words following To the louers of the truth here and there wheresoeuer or in what part of the world they dwell or haue their abode of what sort
are sayd to be of that Fam shall most assuredly affirme my assertion to be true For diuers of theÌ„ haue priuely whispered abroad in the eares of the simple as also with some men of wealth who theÌ„selues haue tould it me and are ready to testifie the thing it selfe to be true that they of the Familye haue disuaded and dehorted some not to put their sonnes to schole or vniuersitye for that simple wrighting and reading say they is sufficient for a Christian without any further knowledge of the Latine or Greeke tongues or any other facultye of learning whatsoeuer So that by this meanes they seeke to discredit learning to deface the learned and to strengthen ignoraunce to be the hye way vnto true deuotion and to aduaunce the glory of God which is flat Poperye so that thereby they labour to put out the eyes of this land the Vniuersityes I meane the vtilitye whereof as it is vnspeakeable for that froÌ„ them come the most skilfull stearesmen to gouerne both the state ecclesiasticall and ciuill in this land so also is the antiquitie of such kinde of discipline and good nurture of youth most auntient and in sondrye places of Scripture commended and confirmed by the worde of God and so hauing troden vnderfote this most precious orchards of the Lord they might not onely runne vncontrouled but also bring the commen wealth vnto that estate that the Anabaptistes brought the frée Cityes of Germany vnto in the tyme of their seditious tumult and vnfaythfull rebellion But for a playner and euidenter profe I desire thée geÌ„tle reader But thée especially which art haplesly gratious with that graceles company to marke diligently thou shalt sée it to be true the very few of the Fami or none at all be furtherers of learning or fauorers of learned men much lesse doe they traine vp their children in the knowledge of the liberall sciences either in the commen scholes of this realme or in the vniuersities to the robbing both of Gods Church the common wealth of many a toward wit being also vtterly vnthankfull to the florishing state and peaceable gouernement of this noble realme wherein they might vse all meanes possible to further and promote the glorye of Ged and also discharge some part of the debt wherein they are bound to the countrye wherein they were bred and brought vp Furthermore it is to be vnderstode that if this first steine of the 8. Article concerning the renouncing of knowledge by the disciples of the Familye be thus to be expounded that no man ought to seeke neither can attaine vnto any knowledge but onely those which be spirituallye minded and regenerated standing wholye subiect vnto their Familye of Loue which is taught by the bookes of HN. then doth the Familye accuse all the churches in England the perticuler congregations of the faythfull I meane yea the generall and visible Church in EnglaÌ„d to be vnrenued in spirite and vnregenerate for that the visible and generall Church of England neither hath nor now doth allow the sect and schisme of the Fami of vnregeneration For that they affirme they know nothing before they new birth quoting for profe Iohn 3. a. Except ye be borne agayne of water and the holy ghost ye cannot enter into the kingdome of God. Thus couertly they affirme that there is no truth taught in the Church of England which is the second Article wherewith I charge HN. in this boke pag. 23. he auoucheth here to be true and that we haue nothing but a literall not hauing yet attained vnto the experimentall knowledge wherof he dreameth So that first they acknowledge no truth without their Fami secondly he that is not regenerate can not speake the trueth c Herein then was HN. much ouerséene that whilest he would faine haue his sect to be some singuler thing he put no difference at all betwixt the knowledge of the learned and the blindnes of the ignoraunt but either of them alike which came to be made frée of his sect and incorporated into his Fami and had a longing to be instructed by him must equally cast of and renounce all their learning and knowledge whatsoeuer albeit they had studied sore and swet not a little for it before they could obtaine it So that betwixt the well practised and expert man in the holy word and those which be simple and playne men which neuer hard if there were any such thing as men vse to call learning there is no great difference but all is one wherein a man of meane witte may easely perceiue that at the fist entring into HN. his schole HN. maketh all his schollers to be a lyke and equall towardnes placing theÌ„ all in one fourme to learne one lesson wherein it had ben well if for his credit sake he had vsed a further forecast and more sober discretion The reason and Argument wherby HN. would fayne perswade vs that we should know and vnderstand more then we do if we would suspect our knowledge and confesse it to be lesse and that beyng wholly naked of our owne skill whiche we haue learned out of the word of God we might be warmely clad with his excéeding learnyng and so stand single myndedly obedient vnto his documentable Sentences it is the same Sillogisme and seducyng fallations wherewith the Deuill beyng a subtill Sophister beguiled and blynded our graundmother Eue in Paradise That is if he would forgoe that measure of knowledge which God had bestowed vpoÌ„ her and if she would be indued with a more excellent knowledge of good and euill she might easely attayne thereunto by eatyng the forbidden fruite and breakyng the expresse commaundement which she confessed she had receaued from the mouth of God. This then is the iudgemeÌ„t of HN. that we should abiure recant all such knowledge of the word of God as we haue already learned out of the word take vnto vs such glosing ExpositioÌ„s as he would teach vs So that we should be alwayes learning but neuer attainyng vnto the truth contrary to the doctrine of S. Peter which sayth That we haue a most sure word of the Prophetes to the whiche if ye shall take heede ye shall doe well And S. Paule sayth we must not bee as children waueryng and caryed about with euery winde of doctrine nor as cloudes caryed about of wyndes nor as vnstable mynded men whiche are vnconstant in all their wayes but we should be grounded and rooted in the truth holdyng the mistery of fayth in a pure conscience knowyng that if the Heathen writer onely indued with the light which God gaue him naturally without the knowledge of his word could say Cognita iudicio constant incognita casu That is that which we know to be true it is vndoubtedly to be embraced but thynges vnknowne proue true but vpon aduenture therfore ought we not to forgoe the one to finde the other for if we waâ—e indifferent whether we kept
that is to know to cary an instructiō in memory in memoria habere to Romēber or haue in remembraunce And to cary in vnderstanding intelligentia compraehendere to vnderstand from the which proprieties of speach if either HN. or Theophilus shall séeke to slip they shall straight declare how well they are ouersene in the tounges and common speach So that if vpon all these we shall gather this sentence The Familie must not know remember nor vnderstand the doctrine or instruction whiche the Eldest in the Familie deliuereth forth vnto them which Eldest sayth Theophilus is Christ him selfe and his holy worde How blasphemously and Papistically HN. and Theophilus do play the heretiques is manifest For what man is so blynd that he will not sée or so gracelesse that he will not confesse that The word of God must be knowne remembred and vnderstode of the simple if this be not Popery what is Popery And that First the simple ought to know Secondly vnderstand Thirdly remember these places quoted for proofe out of the Scripture shal be sufficient Furthermore HN. is contrary to his owne doctrine which he him selfe teacheth in his owne bookes whereas for his vsual Embleme he taketh 1. Exhort cap. 12. sent 10. b. this sentence or posie for his cōmon badge whereby his bookes are knowne frō others of his fellow Elders Take it to hart Which is according to the best translations Let thine hart hold fast my wordes Where it is ment that his wordes ought wholly and throughly to be knowne vnderstode and remembred contrary to his former doctrine in the place first alledged But to let passe these two former partes of contrarietie betwixt HN. and the written word of God secondly betwixt him selfe and his owne writynges if we diligently way and consider we shall assuredly finde that this thyrd clause concerning naturall reason and common experience it is as wholly agaynst HN. and impugneth his doctrine as truth is agaynst falsehode and light darknes And herein to vse the same example which the Scripture doth in like matter The wiseman doth very excellently commend the diligence of diuers men in their sundry occupations and seuerall handlabours As the Grauer in his Imagery the Smith at his anuill the Potter at his clay all these sayth the wiseman vse wisedome in their worke whiche they could not do vnlesse their common practise had taught them experience and vse makyng thē perfect they should by remembraunce renew the same from tyme to tyme which they before had learned And to vse yet more familiar example think you that it is lyke that when Vitels Maister instructed him in his Arte of Ioignerie was it not conuenient for him to instruct his Prentice Vitels often in those thynges whereby he might get his liuyng in time to come and was it not Vitels part to cary his maisters Arte and his instructions in his memory and vnderstandyng els if he had not remembred his maisters preceptes how should he hau◠compacted that great knowledge neither haue got the singular cōmendation for to be so skilfull a Ioyner as his Familie doth report of him that he is albeit for greater matters sake he hath lefte that his trade now professeth him selfe a teacher in that his Louely Familie What Schoolemaster vnto his Scholers would so oftē take paynes to inculcate and repeate the selfe same principles with great labour vnto the one and vnpleasauntnes vnto the other if he thought it not expedient that it should be of him remembred And blessed Esay saith Precept must be vpon precept and line vpon line here a litle and there a litle to the end that by often iteratyng the same thyng it might the better be remēbred But séekyng to conuince HN. by the ineuitable and most certaine rule of reason why doe I alledge Scripture seyng that the excellent Philosophers Themistocles Simonides Carneades Sceptius Metrodorus are singularly praysed in prophane writers for the worthy remembraunce which they had in Philosophy and other Sciences and shal we thinke that seyng by the kéepyng of Gods commaundements there is great reward ought we not to remember those thynges for the remēbraunce wherof we shal receaue a reward or how shal we kéepe them if we do not remember them True it is that is wisely remembred by a Heathē Oratour Memoria non modo Philosophiam sed omnē vitae vsum omnesque Artes vna maxime continet Remembraūce doth not onely conteine Philosophy but also the whole practise of mans lyfe yea she alone comprehendeth all other Artes and Sciences whatsoeuer But what should I oppose the iudgement of the wise agaynst him that is witles and the Scriptures diuine testimonies agaynst a prophane and godles Atheiste Whose scope iustly iūpeth with the Romanistes in this to forbyd a particular knowledge in matters of saluation and to teach that if men beleue as the Church beleueth they can not do amisse In the confutation wherof seing that by these thréefold testimonies I haue throughly conuinced HN. his Assertion for this 8. Article and all the partes therof let this be sufficient ARTICLE 9. HN. Of Reuelations FOr vnto the Elders and Fathers God hath reueled his word in this day of loue Publishyng of the peace cap. 1. sent 12. 6. The Lord hath reueled the true beyng vnto me out of Sion and Ierusalem Esay 2. a. Mich. 4. a. 2. Pet. 1. b. HN. sayth the mistery of the kingdome of god Math. 25. d. Actes 16.17 d. Iude. 1. b. his righteous iudgementes and the commyng of Christ now in the last time in the resurrection of the dead Ezech. 37. b. Iohn 5. e. Rom. 8. b. Phil. 3. b. is declared vnto him as vnto an elect vessell house or dwellyng of God from the mouth of God himselfe HN. sayth hee will declare the secret mysteries of God and make relation of thynges that are hidden from the beginnyng of the world William Wilkinson VNto many it may séeme straunge and scarse credible vnto some that there should lyue a people vpon the earth whiche not holdyng them selues content with the written word of God would adde vnto it some tricke of their own deuising which although they agréed as euill as a new péece of clothe vnto an old garment yet fayne would they their toyes were pewefellowes with the sacred truth of God not onely to match but some tymes to geue a checkemate vnto the same Yet vnto him that equally considereth all things with an vnpartiall eye it is easely to be sene that it was not onely the practise of the Popishe Prelacie so to outface the simplicity of the Scripture partly with the bringyng their blynd and vnsauery traditions partly with the burthenyng of the church with the intollerable yoke of their vnwritten verities but the dealyng of the Anabaptistes and Libertines and all other like Heretiques hath agréed in this accord that when the touchstone would not serue and a naked truth would not so much hide
also because the sonne of God in the Actes geueth him the same title he is sayth he vnto me a chosen vessell c. now when HN. can iustifie his callyng to haue bene such as S. Paules was then he shall proue some what in the meane tyme our skill is not so meane as whensoeuer he vseth to alledge Scripture for the phrase that by and by it must materially be vnderstode as he will haue vs take it or els all is marred In the same sort he abuseth a place taken out of S. Paul to the Corinthes Cap. 3. vers But these his vayne payntynges of his margent shall hereafter make his cause more odious vnto them whiche will diligently labour to take him haltyng in the alledgyng of the Scriptures for to what purpose is it for an Archer to doe as HN. doth to set vp his markes and neuer commyng at them to raunge vp and downe the fieldes at rouers But of this somewhat before beyng spoken shall herein stay my labour concernyng that matter Vnto the which also HN. addeth where he heard these his Reuelatiōs videli From the mouth of God him selfe Wherein he doth open vnto the world his shameles and vayne boasting beleue him he that will. And if it be truth that the Israelites were so terrified with the voyce of God and that Christes voyce draue S. Paule to the grounde with the wonderfull maiestie therof and the brightnes of his countenaunce Which voyce also did smite the souldiours to groūd The force and the working wherof and how mighty the operation therof is holy Dauid declareth at large by many effectes in the 29. Psalme through out Now then if this be true that God in his law hath thus thundred thereby to kéepe vs in obediēce to be wholy subiect vnto him how can HN. auouch it to be true that he affirmeth hee hath heard these his Reuelations From the mouth of God him selfe We know very well as many I meane as are the beloued of the Lord that Reueilatiōs haue bene of old but they are not néedefull God in tymes past in diuers maners spake in the old tyme by the Prophetes vnto our Fathers but in these last dayes he hath spoken vnto vs by his some Miracles serued the Church in her swadlyng clothes but now fayth is sealed by the death of Christ and to cry for further miracles were to crucifie the sonne of God a fresh and to make a mocke of the Sauiour of the world Hath the earthly father an inward care to leaue his sonne his will sealed with his owne seale and subscribed with his owne hand to auoyde contention and to cease strife and shal not Iesus Christ the sonne of the most wise God which sonne to testifie his loue towardes vs often calleth him selfe the sonne of man shall not the loue of his manhode and the vnspeakeable wisedome of his Godhead prouide for the safe and quyet gouernement of his owne house which so dearely with his hart bloud hee hath purged and made cleane Thus then we sée that HN. his bragges be but bables and triffles that he boasteth he will declare the secret Misteries of God and make relation of thynges hidden from the beginnyng of the world Sathan albeit he hath taken vpon him the shape of an Aungell of light yet if he in the likenesse of the most glorious Aungell in heauen will teach vs or shall preach vnto vs any other Gospell then we haue receaued be he ten thousand tymes accursed But this doctrine as it alwayes hath bene peculiar vnto the Papistes Libertines and especially the Anabaptistes for that they are mighty in such kynde of proofes as for the true Church it neither vseth nor alloweth any such doctrine of Reuelations as HN. in this place dreameth of onely it is sufficiently instructed in the truth of Gods word without any further search after fonde and curious visions which are expresly forbidden by the written word of God and holy Scripture which onely is the power of God vnto saluatiō to saue the soules of Gods people But of Reuelations and extraordinary declarations of Gods word hetherto for the 9. Article ARTICLE 10. of HN. Of Shrift ANd vnto their Elders priuately must they confesse all their sinnes and make their lyfe naked and bare before them Theophilus FOr how should they otherwise receiue counsell to auoyde the same and thereto it is spoken as reade forth the text and leaue your priuate addition as priuately William Wilkinson THe most conuenient method to deale with this as with all the rest of HN. his erroneous and absurd Paradoxes in my iudgement is first because the Famblers vse to cauil that they are falsly and vniustly burthened neither can that be proued by them wherewith they are charged by their owne wrightinges to conuince them to be guiltye of that which is layd agaynst them Secōdly to examine their groundes proofes whereby they labour to auouch their heresie to be the truth Thirdly to shew what parteners and fellowes they haue of other heretiques which haue either held the same heresie or hauyng held it haue maintained it by the same profes that they doe Lastly to shew wherein they in their opinions doe disagrée from the holy scriptures the iudgement of some wrighters cōcerning the same which order he that well considereth the former Articles shall sée hath by me ben obserued heretofore For the first pointe that HN. and the Familie hould an erroneous confession of sinnes and a kinde of shrift more then Popish shall not néede any long probation out of their wrightinges For that the Elder Theophilus confesseth the same boulstering vp his asseueration with this interrogatorye For how should they otherwise receiue counsell to auoyd the Fami c. Yet will I adde a place or twaine out of HN. to make the matter more cleare that hereafter it be not doubted of Let all your counsayles enterprises purposes will deeds whether they be then secret or manifest appeare at all tymes naked and bare before your Elders Eccle. 4. c. But if ye chaunce to offend in committing any misdeeds yet binde not in any case your hart thereon Eccle. 5. a. neither yet feare you to be ashamed Eccl. 4. c. to confesse the same before god Pro. 28. b. Esay 29. b. Ierem. 23. c. Esdras 16. g. and the priestes your Elders but let it appeare apparauntly before them c. sent 21. 22. 23. 30. Fourthly it is expedient that they should Prou. 28. b. Eccle 4. c. 17. b. Iam. 5. b. make manifest their whole harte with all their counsels mindes willes and thoughtes together with all their doinges dealinges and exercises naked and bare before the Eldest in the Familye of Loue are not couer Esay 29. b. 4. Esdr 16. g. or hide any thing be it what it is before him Also whereunto their inclination kinde and nature draweth them and
definition sith already euery part is confuted it shal in this place spare me a further labour In the definition as he termeth it there are cōtained diuers out-roades extrauagant varying of phrases altogether repugnyng vnto Arte which willeth that euery deffinition be as brief and playne as possible may be yet is HN. his definition so compacted together as if the one part of it stode at Collen and the other at Amsterdam but herein rather pitie we his folly then enuy his learning and dexteritie in formyng a fit definition But seyng we haue founde fault with HN. his definition of the vpright fredome let vs sée if there may a more playne and pithy definition be drawne then erst he hath set downe Christian libertie is the forgiuenesse of sinnes Psal. 32.1 a Rom. 4.8 Purchased by the death of Christ Rom. 4.25 d. Ephes 1.7 b. Preached vnto vs by the Gospell Ioh. 8.32.2 Tim. 1.10 c. sealed by the vse of the word Actes 13.26 d. Rom. 1.16 b. and Sacramentes Rom. 4.11 1. Cor. 11.26 The which definition I reale to amplifie or to prosecute the partes therof because the testimonies of the holy Scriptures shal be my sufficient warrant in that behalf The second crime that HN. burtheneth our Ministry withall is that those that preach are vnregenerate vnrenewed which that it hindreth not the truth of doctrine in that it is taught by a wicked person is apparaunt by the testimonie of our Sauiour who biddeth the Disciples and the people obey the doctrine of the Scribes and pharisies which sit in Moses chaire but do not after their lyfe which he would not haue done if the Pharisies euill lyfe had made voyde the truth of their doctrine But this is touched more in the 5. Article where it is impugned by HN. that a man lewde in lyfe can not speake the truth in doctrine The thyrd crime of preachyng out of the learnednes of the letter we shall haue a fitter place to touch it afterward in the next Article The fourth crime which HN obiecteth is coalewortes more then tenne times sodden and yet being refused by vs eftsone is in the next seruice set downe For how often doth he in his wofull exhortation still heate vpon this a ceremonie seruice that maintayneth dissention and agayne which stretcheth no further but to the breding of schisme partialitye and sedition among the people quoting Math. 24. a. 5. ve and b. 24. v. Where Christ sayth Many false Christes shall arise and deceiue many HN. expoundeth it of those which professe religion without his loathsom and schismaticall Familye and in the same place he quoteth 1. Cor. 3. a. 3. Iam. 3. b. which conteineth a discription of the intemperancie of the tongue being abused he vilanously doth aply it to those preachers which reuerētly handle the pure word of God without his hereticall secresie and frentique conuenticle and in the same 15. Chap. of HN The simple and vnlighted people Ierem. 23. c. d. Ezech. 13. b. ver 8.9.10 c. become therewith seduced and beguiled Math. 24. c. 2. Tim. 3.4 2. Pet. 2. a. Iude. 1. b. still HN. applieth those places to the preachers of Gods worde which are ment of him and such lyke bedlem heretiques as he is as also captiued with many diuises and sectes the which knowledge of the worde that the same preachers haue HN. termeth in the same blasphemous and schismaticall chap. Variaunce renting or diuision bringing forth discordable disputations about vnprofitable argumentes Rom. 1. d. Galla. 5. c. 1. Tim. 6. a. Titus 3. a. Iam. 3. b. then the which what can be vttered with more malice or set abroach with more cancred hatred and yet will HN. néedes be counted the Father of the Familye that in it hath nothing but loue and méeke mindednes The which accusation of his as it is most pestilent and full fraught with an hart wholy resolued to raile and backbite vnder the cloake of calmenes so is it a thing that continually hath ben obiected agaynst the Church to infring the trueth thereof after this sort There are in such and such particuler Churches disagreementes in some pointes of doctrine varietye of iudgemētes ergo there is no truth in those Churches This I say is an ould Argument framed first by heretiques vsed by the Papistes as an Iron flayle and now againe furbushed and being new fethered is shotte againe cleane besides the white and the butt also For the auncient Fathers hauing it often obiected to them frier Hosias and the graceles runnagate Staphilus and M. Harding himselfe hath often turned this stone which so is fastened by the Father of blessed remembraunce the Byshop of Salisburye that if all the Famblers of Loue and heretiques in the world shall set their shoulders vnto it therewith to ouerwhelme the truth they neuer shall be able so much as once to stir it and yet if they should they must take héede that in the rembling therof they crush not all their bones in sunder to their vtter confusion But that this gappe may finally be stopped that hereafter HN. neuer with his fellow hereticks breake in to disturbe the peace of Sion let it be remembred that is written Gen. 13.7 b. 27.11 Luke 22.24 c. Actes 15.39 f. 1. Cor. 1.11 b. Gal. 2.11 c. that alwayes in the Church of God there hath ben iarres aswell in maners as also in religion And thus much brieflye for this second part of HN. his doctrine of the dignitye of the word and the opinion of the truth thereof As for Theophilus who frendly geueth me counsell to blaze my selfe in the former definition of a Libertine I doe him to know that such libertye as is to be claymed by mercye and imputation of the death of Christ that libertie from sinne I loke for and none other and this is that which in my poore iudgment all the children of God doe loke for Rom. 8.20.21 both in this lyfe as also in the lyfe to come As for his Rhetoricall terme of blazing and Blazonrie I wish him to spare it tell he come in place where he may haue occasion to vse it for vnto me if he be that party whome some that wishe well to the Familye report to me that he is he should not haue needed to haue shadowed him selfe by a terme of heraultrie but if I were disposed to blase his coate perhaps if I should say that he were like to be that E. R. which ouershot himselfe in his Epistle to I. R. I might so dissipher his personage that the vizard of Theophilus should not be sufficient to saue him that he be not knowne by blushing but it is good for him to kéepe him to that which he is called and rather to learne the principles of the Catechisme and the first groundes of Gods feare then to busie bimselfe in that which he hath no skill of to the hurt of the Church the offence of the weake and endamaging of
and other idolatours seruice agaynst the which vngodly opinion that excellent ChristiaÌ„ and blessed Martyr of God M. Bradford writ being in prison as in the bookes that he published is to be séene at large The which blind opinion of HN. is most clearely confuted by his owne bookes in the places by me before quoted as also by the holy scripture in diuers places which I refraine to set downe for that I will not be tedious as also desiring the reader to vew these few places by me quoted in the margent for profe sufficient as also let him reade further of his question M. Bulleng agaynst the Anabaptistes 2. boke 5. chapter But to returne to Theophilus who laboreth to salue this sore and stoppe vp this breach with his headles distinction betwixt the beliefe and the misteries of God I would that he knew that neither this wound will be cured with this salue neither this breach stopped vp with this his vntempered head morter For mightier is the shotte which the Lordes péeces affourd them with so smale a shelter they may be succoured For whereas he would séeme not to haue spoken at aduentures but to haue added his aunswere vpon a witty and sober deliberation albeit the other his expositions are very fond and fantasticall yet this his distinction wherein he thought to haue wonne his spurres is so frantique that tâ—â—â—ein he hath both ieoperded the horse and lost the saddâ—e For whereas in a good and artificiall distinction neither part can be affirmed of the other yet in this diuision made by Theophilus both partes are but one neither is there such difference betwixt them as he would beare vs in hand there is For where as he insinuateth that the belief misteries or secrets of god caÌ„not be one thing S. Paule handling that part the chaunging of our bodyes in the resurrection the belief addeth these words Behold I shew you a secret thing we shall not all sleepe but we shal all be chauÌ„ged Here he knitteth together the Article of our beliefe a secret thing makyng theÌ„ but one which Theophilus maketh two And speaking in an other place of the vnion betwixt Christ and his Church wheÌ„ 1. halfe especiall partes of the belief consist straight he addeth This is a great secret Still coupling theÌ„ to one which Theophilus will haue twayne But whereas Theophilus his déepe iudgement alloweth that he will not haue the secrets of God reueiled to the enimies he dealeth with vs euen as he doth with his owne fellow Famblers for he doth not deliuer vnto them all the secrets of God but the beliefe onely at the first wherein he discrieth himselfe at vnawares to be one of those of whome it is sayd by M. Caluine the chiefe and Rabbies doe alwayes keepe backe some point of theyr principall doctrine that they may the better maintaine the opinion that their hangbies haue of theÌ„ This also is the iudgement of Staphilus in his Appollogie that he would haue the word God which is the bread of the soules of Gods people to be cut out and deliuered vnto them by péecemeale The scripture that Theophilus citeth to strengthen his assertion is the same that the Anabaptistes alleadged to the same purpose being writteÌ„ in S. Math. cap. 7. v. 6. Geue not that which is holy vnto dogges neither cast your pearles before swine By dogges in scripture are ment those that are not conteined within the hedges of the church Math. 15.26 c. and open eâ—â—mies which of set purpose persecute a knowne manifest truth which as yet Theophilus hath not proued the doctrine of his Familie to be And by swine are ment those that being once washed returne eftsones to their filth agayne and making no accompt of the Lordes truth become more beastly in lyfe then they were before 2. Pet. 2.22 Pro. 26.11 b. the which place also of S. Math. before alleadged may thus be vnderstode that the word of God ought not to be preached vnto them which sinne agaynst the holy ghost Heb. 6.4 10.26 For that their sinne is so great in the sight of God that is not to be prayed for 1. Iohn 5.16 of the which sinnes if Theophi will say they are guiltye which withstand HN. his Fam. I desire him that he iude not neither to hastely pronounce the sentence til we haue hard the euidence red whereby he would that verdict should be gathered which shall passe agaynst vs. Furthermore whereas Theophi by the way of blinde similitude gathereth that those which séeke to suppres this their scismaticall secte are théeues by the high way and therfore ought not the treasure of Gods word to be opened vnto them I answere that this reason is not so much to be confuted with words as with whips was it euer had or being heard was it euer suffered the Christian magistrates into whose hands the sword of iustice is committed that they should cut downe such wéedes as trouble the growth of good trées in gods vineyard and preachers which haue the sword of the spirite to cutt downe schisme heresie was it euer hard that a graceles heretique as this Theop. is durst terme theÌ„ Theues by the hyway as Theophilus doth in this place God graunt all magistrates to loke to this betimes least vnder this counterfeite cloake of Loue that subiectes be drawne away from the obedience of their lawfull prince when such rebellious wordes as these be blowne abroad in corners by such heretiques and their fellowes ARTICLE 14. of HN. Of Libertie to Sinne. HN In a certaine booke of his entituled Dictata per HN. vpon the 22. chapter of Deutronom vers 27. which sayth if a man rauish a womaÌ„ and she cry she shal be free the meanyng is sayth HN. when sinne commeth to a man and if he cry to God and God helpe him not he is free Theophilus NOw forth whether your chosen out Errours may appeare to be in them selues very good and true sayinges and your partiall additions to be mere lyes we referre that to the iudgement of all those which shal read the text with an vnparciall eye For he doth not say that she that is violently taken c. shall be free videl to commit euill as you would seeme to haue it but she shall be guiltlesse of the transgression videl for beyng condemned for the same William Wilkinson IN the auÌ„sweryng to this Article Theophilus vseth this order In his first clause he maketh a by speach to the collectour of the Article in the secoÌ„d he setteth downe the meanyng of the same Article His first note in his speach is this that they are my chosen out Articles which I vtterly deny for it followeth not I chose out these Articles or errours out of HN. to be resolued of the meanyng of them by the Fami or some of that broode as time should serue therfore these Articles are myne this is a reason beyond all reason that
25.11.12 Prou. 8.8.9 Psal. 58.4.5 Popish chaleng 9. Artic 8. demaun D. Fulkes boke Stapletō Controuer 1 lib. 4. cap. 9. pag. 121. Simlers epist. fol. 1. Exodus Iohn 1.36 Marc. 7.37 Math. 9.4 Iohn 7.48 Fathers of the Fam. of Loue Apoc. 9.3 Cap. 2. sent 11 leaf 7. Cap. 1. sent 1. fol. 3. Truth from Christ and the Apostles tyme vntill HN. where the Fam. affirme it was 1. Iohn 1. a. Communion of Saintes expounded Apoc. 2.6 How HN. foūd the truth Math. 22.23 2. Tim. 2. v. 17.18 Where HN. foūd the trueth Vnitie not alwayes proueth the truth 11. epist. cap. 5. sent 4. and .1 epist. cap. 1. sent 5. HN. geueth libertie of Religion Bullinger agaynst the Anabap 2. booke 4. Chap. Bullinger 1. booke 4. chap. leaf 9. b. line 17. HN. 11. epist. cap. 5. sent 4. 1. Exhort cap. 16. sent 9. leafe 42. Theophilus vttereth an vntruth wittingly 1. chap. 7. senten HN. and his schollers traytors of Christes Church Ephes 4.4 Euang. cap. 4. sent 5. Sent. 7. 1. Exhort chap. 16. sent 16. Euang. chap. 23. sent 6. Euang. cap. 33. sent 11.12.13 1. Exhort cap. 16.17.18 Cap. 16. sent 5. 1. Exhort cap. 7. sent 10.11.32 fol. 12. and. cap. 12. sent 44. fol. 27. cap. 16. sent 20. fol. 43. Euang. cap. 23. sent 7. cap. 4. sent 57. Confes leafe 7. a. Ibid. 6. leafe v. HN. Euang. cap. 19. sent 5.6 Sent. 11. 1. Exhor cap. 7. sent 40. cap. 12. sent 44. Euang. chap. 41.7 Ephes 5.25.26.27 Esay 45.14 2. Cor. 6. b. Math. 16.19 18.18 Iohn 20.23 1. Exhort cap. 12. sent 40.41.42.43.44 cap. 16. sent 16. Lam. cōp sent 31. Euang. cap. 52.7 Math. 4.14 Ezech. 33.7 1. Pet 5.8 Luk. 22.31 Malach. 2.7 Bulleng 1. boke 8. chap. leafe 12. verse Bullen 2. boke 7. chap. leafe 97. Esay 58. Luke 18.11 Bullen 2. boke 8. chap. leafe 18. Euang. cap. 13. sent 4. The dignitie of the Ministrie Math. 10.40 Fam. conceale that maketh agaynst them Confes pag. 4. confuted by Theoph. Lam. Compl. sent 34. of HN. Zuinglius agaynst the Catabap fol. 188. Iohn 1.22.25 Musculus Common places title of Ministers pag. 182. Lam. Compl. sent 33.34 Docum sent 3. cap. sent 1. 1 Exhort cap. 16 sent 16. Euang. cap. 23. sent 2. 1. Exhor 13. chap. 18. Cap. 16. sent 16. 1. Cor. 6.17 2. Pet. 1.4 Caluin vpon Math. 26. Scriptures falsified Luke 16. Luke 15.8 Math. 8.32 Fam. of Loues Exposition Iohn 1.6 1. Pet. 13. Ephes 5.32 Luk. 24.49 Cap. 6. sent 3. To be vnited in spirit what it is Ephes 4.24 Mart. 1. Corin. 6 17. Rom. 6.6.7.8 Rom. 6.6.7.8 Rom. 7.6 8.5 c. Leuit. 11.44.45 1. Pet. 1.15.16 See Byshoppe Iewels replye where hee expoundeth this place of S. Peter pag. 434. lin 24. Chap. 11. sect 10 Chap. 25. sect 10. Actes 17.27.28 1. Cor. 15.28 Goddyng into God what error and whose Cal. Institut 3. booke 11. chap. sect 5.6.7.8 c. 1. Exhort cap. 14. sent 1. 1. Rom. 20. c. 1. Exhor ca. 15. sent 4. Act. 23.4.5.6 2. Corin. 4.2 2. Pet. 1. v. 1. Ioh. 1.2 Euang. cap. 1. sent 1. 11. epist. cap. 2. senr 1. 5. cap. sent 10. Euang. cap. 1. sent 1. 11. epist. 2. cap. sent 1. HN. blasphemy Euang. 1. chap. 1. sent 1. Raysed from the dead 2. Annointed 3. Godded with God. 4. Heyre with Christ 5. Lightned with the true beyng of God in the spirite 6. Stirred vp in the last time c M. Knewstub Conf. pag. 1. HN. 1. epist. 3. chap. 6. sent 11. epist. cap. 5. sent 4. Scripture profanely abused 11. epist. cap. 2. sent 1. 1. epist. cap. 3. sent 6. 11. epist. cap. 5. sent 9. HN. Challengeth that is proper to Christ HN. Dauid George his scholler HN. foretould by the prophets c. to be an Heretique 11. Epi. 5. chap. 4. sent 1. epist. 1. chap. 1. sent 1. epist. 1. chap. 2. sent Docum sent cap. 15. sent 4. HN. publish of peace 1. cap. 16. sent 11. epist. 2. cap. sent 6. 2. Euang. cap. 1. pag. Euang. cap. 1. sent 1. Praeface ad Euang sent 4. Praeface ad Euang sent 3. Euang. cap. 2. sent 1. Euang. cap. 2. sent 4. Quoted in vayne Euang. cap. 2. sent 11. Praefa ad Euāg sent 2. Scripture abused False Quoted Euang. cap. 1. sent 9. Euang. cap. 25. sent 5. Euang. cap. 35. sent 1. Euang. cap. 35. sent 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. After the end of the chapter Aunswere to the exceptions taken at the Euang pag. HN. seldome alleageth Scripture aright D. George and Fami compared Pag. 3. Pag. 72. Anabaptistes the Fam. very neare of kinne 1. Comparison of D. George and the Fami 2. booke 14. chap fol. 68. D. George and HN. their heresies all one Confes pag. 4. Pag. 13. Conf. pag. 12. Actes 4.9 5.28 Fam. not of our Church by their owne confessiō Pag. 94. 1. epist. to M. Rog. fol. 73. pag. 2. 2. Comparison of D. George and his Fam. 3. Comp. of D. Georg and his Fam. Letter of the Fam. to M. Rogers pag. 82. lyn 24. Euang. cap. 3. sent 21. 2. King. 7. 1. Cron. 18. Esa. 2. Iere. 30.31 Mich. 4. Luc. 17. Iohn 4. Scripture vildly quoted by HN. 1. epist. cap. 1. sent 1.4 cap. 2. sent 2.6 4. Compa of D. George and the Fami Lib. 2. pag. 32. Pag. 11. Euang. cap. 31. sent 1.2 c. Sent. 23. HN. prophecieth of the restoring of Poperye Popish Hieracye shall flourishe sayth HN. Bulleng in his preface Note how mānerly they speake of the Pope Cantic 2.5 Math. 13.25 Gal. 2.4 2. Pet. 2.1 Iude vers 4. Ruffinus Hist Ecclesia cap. 11. Fol. 1. Fol. 11. 93. Luke 4.16 Math. 26.55 Iohn 18.20 Actes 3.11.5.20 Act. 13.14 Actes 27.17 17 22 1. At. Tiguri Bulling lib. 1. cap. 5.2 at Bern. cap. 7. fol. 17. An heretike out of Scripture Zuing. contra Catabap fol. 39. Vers 19. 2. Pet. 2.2 Rom. 16.17 2. Exhort cap. 15. sent 17. fol. 38. d. 1. Exhort cap. 16. sent 19. 2. Pet. 2.7 Verse 12.13 c. Hosea 6.4 HN. his scripture quoting 2. Pet. 2. HN. his stile is hereticall Caluin agaynst the Libertines leaf 131. 129. Bulleng 2. boke 4. chap. Docum sentences cap. 3. sent 12. Fol. 71. b. Heb. 11.6 To beget fayth onely Gods word is necessarye 1. Thes 5.20 Gen. 11.7.8 Actes 2.11 Actes 9.15 Rom. 1.1.5 Actes 17.18 Vers 22. Phil. 4.22 Act. 21.40 1. Sam. 19.18 2. King. 2.4.5 6.1.2 Actes 6.9 Actes 19.9 The Fam. what they thinke of the doctrine taught in England Gen. 3.5 2. Pet. 1.19 Ephe. 4.14 Iude. 12. Iam. 1. 1. Tim. 1.19 Ephe. 4.22 Colos 3.8 1. Exhor cap. 13. sent 6. leafe 29. b 1. Exhor cap. 15. sent 4. sent 36. a. 1. Sam. 2.3 a. Dan. 1.17 c. Iohn 11.22 c. 1. Cor. 5.1 a. 1. Iohn 3.2 a. and. 5.19 a. 1. Cor. 14.20 d. Hebr. 5.14 d. and 8.11 d. 1. Cor. 2.8 and 10.1 a. Math. 22.29 Math. 16.26