AN EPISTLE SENT VNTO TVVO daughters of VVarwick from H. N. THE OLDEST Father of the Familie of Love VVith a refutation of the errors that are therin by H. A. Rescue me Lord and deliver me from the hand of strangers whose mouth talketh vanity and their right-hand is a right-hand of falshood Psal. 144. 11. Imprinted at Amsterdam by Giles Thorp 1608. To the Christian reader wisdome grace AS ther are many enimies of the truth of the gospel and many that write to broach and spread their errors so is it needful that some write against them least troden truth be quite forsaken and silly sowles be wrapped in error vnto perdition It is not easy for al men to espie Satans subtilties nor the deceitful sophismes of his ministers both he they can trāsforme themselves like Angels of light Such therfore as discern them through the grace of God should give warning vnto others that as the foolish womā is troublesome babling lowd inviting her ghests to the depth of hel so the maidens of wisdom may lift vp also their voice and make their crie be heard on the highest places of the citie What wormwood and bitternes even deadly poison is sparsed abroad in Henry Nicholas his writings who caleth himself the Father of the Family of Love the children of wisdome that do read the same may by the light of Gods law soon perceive yet with faire and flattering speeches he hath beguiled many vnstable sowles such as have had no love to the truth have been givē over vnto his lies And never had Satan a fitter time to work his malicious wil on the sons of Adam then in these last evil dayes when Atheisme and iniquity doe so much abound Never had he a fitter religion for Atheists and carnal hypocrites then that which H. N. out of his corrupt and fleshly hart hath set abroach It taketh away the crosse of Christ persecution for righteousnes sake and teacheth men to cōmunicate with al religions services and ceremonies so as they cleave in hart to his feighned service of the Love It maketh them pure and without al syn in their own foolish imaginations yea more then which the Serpent himself did never teach it deifieth them with God In a word it bringeth a fretting leprosie vpon al religion overthroweth the grounds of faith layd in holy scriptures which H. N. by foolish allegories perverteth to the destruction of himself and his Family And for the principles of theologie he hath written more blasphemously and absurdly then ever did Mahomet in his Alcoran For this cause in answering this his letter as I was requested by some that heard how much it was boasted of among the Nicholaitans I have touched by the way some of the impious heresies that are in his other writings without knowledge wherof his frawd in this Epistle cannot easily be perceived For as a child of darknes he laboureth to be obscure in his words y t men may admire the deepnes of Satan by which he speaketh and himself when he is folowed can no other way escape may have this for his last refuge that men vnderstand him not But al things when they are reproved of the light are manifest for the light is that which maketh al things manifest Now the word of the Lord is a lantern his Law a light by it therfore have I assayed to discover the snares of this seducer not doubting but God who causeth the Morning to know his place that it may take hold of the corners of the earth that the wicked may be shaken out of it wil notwithstanding al the dark delphick speeches and glozing allegories of these falsers declare their works and manifest their impieties and wil turn the night in the darknes wherof they think to be shrowded and they shal be destroyed Let therfore the prudent reader make trial of that which on both sides is said by the word of truth least as the serpent beguiled Evah through his subtilty so their harts be withdrawn from the sincerity of Christ. And the Lord give them vnderstanding in al things and preserve them from this generation for ever for the wicked walk on every side whiles vilenes is extolled among the sons of Adam Henry Ainsworth The preface made by some of H. N. his disciples THis Epistle was written by the author vnto two maydens that were before purposed out of zele to have suffred death for the confession sake of the Christiā ceremonies which as he saith in divers places of his works are no more but outward meanes set forth by God his ministers to direct people to the inward righteous life of Christ in the spirit supposing therin that they should rightly have obeyed fulfilled the cōmandemēt of Christ who willeth vs to forsake our own lives for his sake But vpon better consideration therof through the grace of God and these distinct godly testimonies and reasons both touching that point and divers others herein conteyned their mindes as it hath bene reported by some of that followship wer altered herin to an other vnderstanding of the matter and they did willingly indevour themselves afterwards to follow his good counsel Answer THe drift of this Epistle being at the best to disswade from the pacient and cōstant witnessing of the truth of Christ especially in the outward ordinances of the gospel and open profession of the same Under a colour of inward and spiritual confession and service of God in the holy Ghost it shal not be amisse to look a little into the sleights of Satan wherby as it seemeth he hath deceived and would stil deceive the simple and to shew the weaknes and insufficiencie of the reasons alleged in this Letter as also to manifest how the outward obedience of the body must be conjoyned with the inward of the mind and spirit and the external ordinances of Christs testament professed and practised if we would have the spirit and life which is of God And howsoever H. N. accounteth the ordinances of the gospel but ceremonies yet in that he confesseth them to be outward meanes set forth by God to direct people to the inward righteous life of Christ in the spirit he manifesteth himself to be but a seducer in perswading the two maydens not to suffer death for the confession sake of them seing the outward meanes of mans salvation and of the righteous Christian life is to be stood for vnto the death as in handling the particulars shal by Gods grace appear And if by the authors counsel those daughters were drawn as here is insinuated from their outward confession suffring affliction for the ordinances of Christ against the Romish Antichristian doctrines ceremonies their faith was but weak they forsook the inward righteous life of Christ in the spirit and their mindes were perverted to a very evil vnderstanding If also they assented to other points of H. Ns. heresies
and folowed his corrupt counsel then were they led captive as the Apostle sayth being simple women laden with synns and led with divers lusts From which estate God keep al his people direct their feet in the wayes of life peace AN EPISTLE Sent vnto two daughters of Warwick From H. N. THe wisdome of the Father through the Love of Christ in the power of the holy Ghost in the second birth out of the new life of the heavenlie being be vnto every one which with an vnpartial hart seeketh the godlynes in Iesus Christ to a harty salvation Because that every one which seeketh God with hart mought know the right diversitie betwixt the heavenly and the earthly betwixt the spirit the flesh betwixt the light and the darknes betwixt the death the life and betwixt the righteousnes of the spirit and the righteousnes of the elementish things and then to love the same That grant vs the Almightie God through his love Amen 1. Because ye mought through the spirit of Christ inherit the same gift and meere affection or goodwillingnes to the godly life I do bear or cary the same gift God is my witnes before al men But now am I compelled through the love of Christ severally to open the same gift vnto two yong daughters of a certayn place named Warwick The Lord give his prosperitie and grace thervnto for that his righteousnes which is wrought through the Spirit of Christ mought be knowen of them and that the life of Christ which by many is sought after the flesh might be knowen and inherited of them according to the spirit even like as God which is blessed is a Spirit Ioh. 4. 2 Cor. 3. H. A. OUr saviour Christ the wisdome of the Father hath warned vs to beware of false prophets which come vnto vs in sheeps clothing but inwardly are ravening wolves The Apostles through the love of Christ in the power of the holy Ghost have foretold vs that in the latter times some should depart from the faith and give heed vnto spirits of error and doctrines of Divils speaking lies through hypocrisie and having their consciences burned-with-a-hot-yron and therfore counselled vs not to beleev everie spirit but to trie the spirits whither they ar of God because many false prophets were even then gone out into the world The evil that they should enterprise is privilie to bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that hath bought them the maner of their cariage should be to vse feighned words fayr flattering and good speech swelling words of vanity promises of liberty and the like The effect of their doctrine should be deceiving of the harts of the simple even of many yea if it were possible of the verie elect and by those many that follow their damnable wayes the way of truth should be blasphemed The end of al which touching themselves is that because such reprobates receive not the love of the truth that they mought be saved therfore God sendeth them strong delusion that they should beleeve lies and they al may be damned which beleeve not the truth but hav pleasure in vnrighteousnes These things considered it standeth vs vpon to look wel to our selves least we be caried away with the error of the wicked This author H. N. beginneth as was foretold not onely with fayr and flattering speech but also with swelling words of the second birth out of the new life of the heavenly being and sondry the like He boasteth of the gift of the godly life which he beareth before al men and here severally openeth vnto two yong daughters and of this he taketh God to witnesse He telleth them in the 2. section folowing that the Christ of God was not yet declared vnto them according to the heavenly truth Thus promiseth he great matters and seemeth to be a setter forth of a new Christ and consequently of a new God Very needful therfore it is to attend vnto his doctrine and if it be true for to receive it if false for to abhorr it and to hold the author therof accursed And herevnto the Lord inable and guide vs by his grace 1. First where he vaunteth of the gift borne before al men in his other writings opened to these daughters in this Epistle let vs bring it to the trial by the word of God who he saith is his witnes For we read of some that have given gifts vnto their lovers that they might come vnto them on every side for fornication and whither this writing and other pamphlets of H. N. be not gifts sent abroad for such evil purpose let the godly reader judge If his gift have wytnes of God it hath witnes of his written word as the prophet saith to the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because ther is no light in them Is H. N. willing to come to this trial it seemeth farr otherweise for in al his writings he much inveigheth against scripture-learning contrary to the true prophets and Apostles who highly commended this as being able to make men wise vnto salvation and profitable to teach to improve to correct to instruct in righteousnes and never did any of them entwite the learning or knowledge of the scriptures as the reader may see H. N. to doe in this Epistle and his other pamphlets Our saviour Christ willed al men even his adversaries to serch the scriptures for they testified of him If they testified likewise of H. N. and his doctrine doubtlesse he would not despise as his manner is the scripture-learning of others especially whiles he wil seem to rely vpon the testimonies of the same for himself But if we may not learn the truth of religion out of holy writt how then may we attayn it H. N. telleth vs in his First exhortation to his children thus My beloved children like as the true Communiality of holy ones and Elders of the house of Love confesse vnder the obedience of the Love the beleef in Iesu Christ and the Christian baptism and like as I expresse the same here vnto you and confesse or acknowledge it before al men to be the true faith and the vpright baptisme even so ground with fast beleef your harts likewise therin So then the doctrine of H. N. and his folowers must be the groūd of our faith as they confesse and beleev so must we And herein the Familists religion accordeth wel with the Turks whose great prophet Mahomet in his law or Alchoran to draw disciples after him saith thus They that worship God let them if they be good beleev his Messenger Mahomet and again O ye good men be followers of God and of his messenger never wittingly depart from them But may we not our selves by the light and grace that God giveth vs make trial of H. N. his religion by the word of the Lord
mouth is the right confessing of Christ wherof the scripture speaketh No my beloved no the confession of Christ must stand in greater force or effect then to be confessed with the mouth in the ceremonical service which is a baptising with water or an other elementish confession H. A. HEre H. N. openeth his evil mind more playnly to the two daughters Whom hitherto he hath boarded with feighned flattering speeches First he is offended that mâ—n wil so boldly say they are Christians But we have no cause to be afrayd or ashamed of this name which is warranted in the word of God Act. 11. 26. 1 Pet. 4. 16. But to be caled The family of Love is a name that H. N. hath invented and taken to himself and his sectaries Secondly he speaketh of erring wayes when he hath not yet shewed any one error that we walk in but pratled against vs as the Apostle sayd of Diotrephes with malicious words Then coming to speak of confessing Christ he denyeth not the thing but stands vpon the meaning He inveigheth against the knowing confessing with the mouth of one Christ whom they read of in the scripture that in times past was born in Israel c. Wherin he teacheth open Antichristianity for our Saviour speaking of his own person that was born in Israel sayd except ye beleev that I am He meaning the redemer of the world which was promised ye shal die in your syns and agayn praying to his Father he sayth this is life eternal that they know thee the onely very God whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. The Apostles preached this one man and no other who was born among his own of Davids seed after the flesh according to the scriptures they require a confession of this Christ with the mouth as well as beleef in him with the hart and did themselves confesse him with the mouth as ensamples vnto vs. Act. 2. 22. 23. c. 3. 13. c. But H. N. liketh not of this Christ nor of this manner confessing with the mouth he would perswade an other Christ bred and borne in his own fansie and corrupt imagination as before hath bene shewed and another manner confession doth he require which what it is let vs now examine H. N. 12. Mark wel what I write No man can confesse Christ among al those that wil confesse him vnlesse that he in his like being have his fashion or shape in him not according to the elementish ceremonies wherwith the one maketh another wise with the historical scriptures O no but according to the true being or flowing out of the Christian-like nature Through which Christian-like nature ther is subdued or brought vnder foot among al those wher the same is born out of grace the death Divel hel H. A. UUE mark wel that H. N. writeth for truth his own errors and deceits out of his corrupt hart No man sayth he can confesse Christ vnlesse that he in his like being have his fashion in him This is an vntruth of H. Ns. fiction he writeth thus but in the holy scriptures it is not so written For to confesse Christ is one thing to hav his fashion in vs is another thing the first may be wher the latter is not as the Apostle telleth vs of some that confesse that they know God but in works do deny him Tit. 1. 16. The confessing of Christ is with the mouth Rom. 10. 10. the having of Christs shape in vs is by fayth Eph. 3. 17. Phil. 3. 8. 9. which faith is in the hart and as th'Apostle sheweth Rom. 10. 10. these both confession with the mouth and beleef with the hart are needful to salvation It is possible for hypocrites to make a good and true confession of Christ with the mouth and yet in their harts not be partakers of the Christian or godly nature as Iudas Iscariot Simon Magus and others that were baptised and made Christs disciples by a true outward confession but it is vnpossible that any should have the Christian like nature in him in deed and truth but he wil also confesse Christ with his mouth or weep bitterly with Peter if through fraylty of the flesh he doe deny him Wheras therfore Gods word requireth both these in Christians and H. N. would draw these two daughters from the one namely from outward confessing with the mouth vnder pretense and colour of the other namely of having Christs shape within them he dealeth deceitfully and not according to truth It is as if he should allure them to fornication and when they alleged against him Gods Law Heb. 12. 16. Let ther be no fornicator c. he should answer true but the meaning you vnderstand not many suppose that the chastity of body is the right chastitie no my beloved no the godly chastitie must stand in greater force effect then to be in the outward or elementish body for so the Pharisees vnderstood the Law of old but Christ applyeth it against the lusts of the hart Mat. 5. 27. 28. If this reasoning be naught so is H. Ns. about confessing Christ. For as Gods word requiring chastitie intendeth it both of the body and of the mind so when it requireth confessing of Christ it meaneth both with mouth and hart as is playnly set down Rom. 10. 10. Other deadly poison hath H. N. here touched as where he sayth Christ in his like Being must have his shape in the man wherby he meaneth such a kind of traÌ„substaÌ„tiatioÌ„ as that Christ and the man should be one substance one being yea the Lovely vertuous being in man that is his Christ as before I have shewed This opinion is not possible to be warranted by holy writ but is the mere invention of this Antichristian Christ our redeemer is in his own substance and person in heaven at Gods right hand Mark 16. 19. Act. 3. 21. but we are on earth and Christ dwelleth not otherwise in vs theÌ„ by fayth Ephe. 3. 17. which faith purifieth the hart Act. 15. 9. and worketh by Love Gal. 5. 6. and fayth which is the evidence of things not seen apprehendeth Gods great and precious promises which are given vnto vs that by them we should be partakers of the godly nature in that we flee the corruption which is in the world through lust not by having the very substance and Being of God and of Christ as H. N. grossly imagineth and wayt with pacience for the second coming of our Lord in the clowdes of heaven at what time both the dead in Christ and those that are alive shabe caught vp in the clowds to meet the Lord in the aire and so shall we ever be with the Lord as th'Apostle sayth 2 Thes. 4. 17. An other damnable error H. N. here hath saying that through the Christian-like nature ther is subdued among all those where the same is born out of grace the death Divil and hell Wherby he would teach
an elementish body It is far from the harts of al the faithfull to imagine that any thing which themselves can eyther doe or suffer in body or sowl is able to appease God They have otherweise learned to know the guilt and wages of syn the infinitenes of Gods majesty who is angry with the world for their misdeeds the weaknes and vnworthynes of al mens works and suffrings To that therfore which H. N. pretendeth to say on Gods behalf I answer with Job and ask him if he wil speak wickedly for God or talk deceitfully for his cause For we esteem our suffrings nothing and all our righteousnes as dung It is the body of our Lord Jesus that was hanged on the tree which is the onely sacrifice for our synns and appeaseth the wrath of his Father and the things that we doe or suffer benifit not him but our selves for the chastisements of God whither on our bodies or sowles are as the Apostle teacheth vs for our profit that we might be partakers of his holynes Wherfore H. N. hath conceived mischief and brought forth a lie whiles labouring to abolish the outward confessing and suffring of Christians he falsly imputeth vnto thē this error to beleev they appease God with an elementish body yea the frawd of this falser is manifestly discovered as the reader may observ for the error which he would lay vpon others is found to be in himself whose doctrine is such as teacheth men to be their own saviours By the Apostles Gospel we have our redemption and forgivenes of syns through the blood of Christ once offred to him also give al the prophets witnesse that through his name al that beleev in him shal receiv remission of syns sayth Peter but by H. Ns. Gospel we obteyn it by our own imitation of Christ in his death and taking vp of our crosse And many such like deadly venimous doctrines are sparsed in his writings to disanull the true Christ with his suffrings and merits and to set vp a false and imaginary Christ bred and born in his corrupt hart as I have before proved Now though we hold not God to be appeased with our suffrings as this man cavilleth yet hold we vpon ground frō the scriptures that we must serve and glorify God both with our bodyes and with our spirits because both ar Gods and therfore are we willed to give vp our bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God which is our reasonable serving of God And if by bonds and prisonment by racking scourging stoning hewing asundex or other the like torments of body as others before vs have suffred God also try vs we ought with patience to bear them and not to go from the confessing of Christ and his truth for avoyding them as this deceiver would perswade vs. His conclusion therfore which he maketh agaynst these two daughters namely that they have not confessed Christ according to the truth c. is yet to be proved for asmuch as he hath not by any ground from Gods word overthrowen their faith or confessiō in any poynt but onely sought to vndermine it by falshood and deceyt abusing the readers ād perverting the holy scriptures his desire being to draw others into the same destruction with himself who in sted of confessing Christ according to the truth hath like an Antichristian overthrown the whol Gospel of Christ denyed him to be come in the flesh and set vp an Idol in his place even the Lovely Being out of his own fleshly hart H. N. 31. God is my witnes that it is true which I here write vnto you the occasion of my writing is chanced for that I bear a sorrowfull hart with you both But this is my hope over you that ye will take it at my hands as out of the Love of Christ and not to be in any case obstinate in your selves for to wind away your selves from the reading of these Letters with humble harts 32. And when ye have deliberately read the same witnesses and the Lord added his wisdome therto wherby the eyes of your harts mought be a little opened then spare me not to be your servant and give me to vnderstand by the bringe therof ther shal yet more be brought vnto yow then that which yow have presently 33. And if yow cannot acknowledge this for the truth yet look well alwayes hereto that ye do not blaspheme the same which ye know not And I likewise shal not blame yow although that yow cannot comprehend the same For the godly gifts cannot be brought to any one by violence or compulsion for they are the gifts of God 34. Herewith I salute yow both whose names I know not very hartily through the love of Christ wish vnto yow out of the ground of my sowl the knowledge of the very true Spirit of Christ that ye mought learn to know aright your caling in Christ. That grant vs the Almighty God through his Love Amen By your vnknown friend H. N. H. A. IF God were witnes that it is true which H. N. here hath written the scriptures which are Gods witnesses or testimonies would approve of the same but by holy writ his errors are disproved and the evils which he vnjustly layeth vpon others are justly returned vpon his own head and found to be in himself and his bewitched folowers whom I leav to the doon of him which hath sayd I wil come neer to yow to judgement and I wil be a swift witnes against sorcerers against adulterers and against false swearers c. And for al that shal read these writings as they ought to be farr from blaspheming the truth which they know not so should they be far also from approving or hearkning to a knowen deceiver and blasphemer of God such as this Henry Nicolas by this Epistle and his other vngodly writings is proved for to be His fawning words and submissive cariage with promise of more matters after are but the behaviour of the Lewd woman that vseth to entise with flattering lips when her howse is the way vnto the grave which goeth down to the chambers of death What thank or reward then remaynes for H. N. for al his paynes and proffered kindnes but that which the wise man hath appointed saying He that blesseth his friend with a lowd voice rising early in the morning it shal be counted to him as a curse Pro. 27. 14. FINIS In pag. 47. lin 5. before the end for love read live◠†Pro 7. 11. 9. 13. 18 * Pro. 9. 3. | 1 Exhort cap. 11. See 1. * Ephe. 5. 13. | Ps. 119. 105 Pro 6. 13. †Iob. 38. 13 | Iob. 34. 25. ‡ Ps. 12. 7. 8. * 2 Tim. 3. 6. 7. ‡ 1 Cor. 1. 24. | Math. 7. 15. | Tim. 4. 1. †1 Ioh. 4. 1. * 2 Pet. 2. 1. | vers 3. ‡ Rom. 16. 18 * 2 Pet. 2. 18.