DAVID GEORGE, borne in Delphe a towne of Holland, taught his errours in the lowe coun­trie, where he dwel­led fourtie yeares: and fearing to bée espied by the Magistrates, departed out of his countrie Anno. 1544. and iournied towards Basil in Zuitzerland, with his familie and kinsfolke, & named himselfe Iohn of bridges. When he was come to Basil, he made his complaint to diuers of the Magistrats, that he was banished out of his natiue countrie for the word of God, and was faine to flée from place to place. They tooke compassion of him, and made petition vnto the Lordes of the towne for him, that it would please them to take him and his, for poore sub­iects and inhabiters of their citie. They [Page] receiued this answere, that they would not denie their citie to any honest stran­ger, being of a good & true religion. His, graue yeares, sober speach, and modest behauiour, with his ancient and come­ly apparell, did not a little preuaile, that his petition tooke place: so that he and al his companie were made frée men of Basil, & was in good reputation among the people. He was liberall in giuing of almes, and full of hospitalitie: he ma­ried his daughters very worshipfully: he was serued in plate, and spent libe­rally: for his scholers in the lowe coun­tries made collections for him, so that he wanted nothing. Eleuen yeres he dwelt in Basil, and it was not espied what doc­trine he taught.

Then he built two houses, the one for pleasure in a garden, the other in the towne: one of the houses was by lighte­ning and thunder consumed with fire: also in his own dwelling house one loft fel downe, and did much harme: al these were warnings of Gods displeasure. In processe of time, one that married his daughter beganne to mistrust his doc­trine, [Page] and when Dauid George vnder­stoode thereof, he sent for his sonne in lawe, and with many persuasions, en­deuoured to confirme his sonne, to be­leeue that he was that right Dauid that was sent from God, and should restore againe the kingdome of Israel, and build the tabernacle of Iacob in the latter dayes: whereunto his sonne answered, that the restoring of the kingdome of Israel, and al other prophesies of Dauid, was fulfilled by Christe. With which answere Dauid George was veri [...] an­grie: notwithstanding, with gentle wordes he beganne againe to persuade him: y ^• if any thing were too high in his bookes that he could not vnderstand, he should commit it vnto God, from whom such high wisedome did come.

He writ diuers bookes, especially [...] called The wonder booke, wherein he taught his damnable errours. He dyed the 16. of August 1556. and was buried in the parish Church of S. Leonardes. Many of his disciples tooke great tho­ught after he was dead, for that he pro­mised vnto them that he should not die, [Page] but if he did, he would rise again with­in thrée yeares, and fulfil all his former promises.

Diuerse of his disciples and schollers forsooke his heresies after his death, and confessed themselues deceiued, and ac­knowledged Dauid George to be a very blasphemer of our sauiour Christ. But certaine would not, but conueyed them selues away, and infected others. The Magistrates of Basil, when they vnder­stoode of his doctrine and manners, they called before them, all such as they sus­pected to holde of Dauid George, and searched their houses, founde the bookes and letters which he had written: and when the Lordes of Basil had all, they caused them to recant solemnely in the chiefe Church, all such articles as Da­uid George had taught them. They founde also in Dauid Georges house a picture of Dauid Georges person, veri [...] curiously & cunningly coūterfet, which together with the carcase: of Dauid George, & his bookes, letters, &c. were burned in the Market place: his goodes and landes seised to the vse of the town. [Page] All the rest that were knowne to hol [...]e that errour did willingly abiure the same, and so were receiued as members of Christes Church. Yet did not his he­resies cease, for diuerse were in Holland that stifly did maintain Dauid Georges heresies, and peruerted many, among which number was Henrie Nicholas thought to bee chiefe: who after the death of Dauid George tooke vpon him to mainteine the same doctrine, not in the name of Dauid, but in his owne name, as a Prophet, sent to rebuke the world of sin and iniquitie, & hath writ­ten many books in the Dutch tong in a rude stile, which many of his schollers & fellowes haue translated into diuers languages: his Euangelium R [...]gni is in Latin, many also are in a Dutch letter in English, translated (as is supposed) by Christopher Vittell a ioyner, dwel­ling somtime in Southwark, who hath by his trudging about the countrie, in­fected sundrie simple men with this poysoned doctrin, & snared their minds so corruptly therein, that it is harde to plucke out of their heades those vain [...] [Page] toyes of H. N. which Vittel hath so déep­ly impressed in their minds, y ^• although they denie publik [...]ly before the worlde, yea & set their handes against the same doctrine, yet they returne againe to their olde opinions, as is well séene by many that I could name. For it is a Maxima in the Familie to denie before men all their doctrine, so that they kéepe the same secrete in their hearts: which is impious and vngodly.

There haue béene many of our En­glishe men in Flaunders, to conferre with this. H. N. their authour, of whom in their returne they speake great good of his wisdome, of his milde nature, of his humilitie, and of his patience: yea, and they vainely boast, that he knewe of their secrete messages, which they ac­count to be miraculous. And when he maketh any mention of the workes which he hath written, he calleth them the workes of God, and seldome or ne­uer his workes. Certeine pamphlets are newly set foorth as his works. The Lord bring such deuices of Sathan to naught, & preserue his church euermore

H N. otherwise called Henrie Nicho­las, borne in Amsterdam, a towne in Holland, of many was called Henrie of Amsterdam, who with his brother Iohn, departed from Amsterdam, about the yeare of our Lord, 1533. when a cer­teine sturre was in the towne tending to a tumult. And these two brethren had prepared money with other furni­ture, to ayd (as they pret [...]ded) their bre­thren in Munster, a citie of Westphalia, who were distressed by a siege of the no­ble men as you may read in the x. booke of Sleydanes Commentaries: & although he giue them to name Anabaptistes, (for they were rife in those dayes) yet sure­ly it is probable that Dauid Georges followers were there, vnto whom these two brethren did send ayde: who being espied by the Magistrates, were impri­soned: [Page] at the last they forsooke the citie, and came to Emden, a citie of Westfrize, land. Iohn Nicholas was a brewer by occupation, but Henrie was a Mercer, and called commonly Henrie of Amster­dam. He was a man of a reasonable tall stature, somewhat grosse of bodie. Hée had a sonne who kept his shop, called Iohn Nicholas. This Henrie was very braue in his apparell, he woulde goe in his crimsen satten doublet euery holy­day. Henrie gaue himselfe to writing of bookes, which he put in print, especial­ly one amongst the rest, which was the chiefe, called The glasse of righteousnes the lesse: for he compiled two bookes of that title, wherein he certifieth his Fa­milie of loue, that they must passe foure most terrible castels ful of combersome enemies, before they come to the house of loue: the first is Iohn Caluine, the se­cond the Papistes, the third Martin Lu­ther, y ^e fourth y ^e Anabaptists: and passing these daungers they may be of the fami­lie, else not: this is testified by a man of credite, one Adrian Gisling, who did read the same in a Dutch booke, intitu­led [Page] as afore said. There was complaint made vnto the Magistrats, whē certein of his bookes came abrode, that he despi­sed al maner of religion, especially those of Caluine and Luther, affirming that of all other they were the worst. He married his daughter Marie to a yon­ker, & when they should come to church, Giles Faber minister of Emden did deny her marriage, saying vnto Henrie Ni­cholas, that he was a derider of their re­ligion. Also Henrie Nicholas had in his house thrée women, which went all a­like in their apparell: the one he affir­med to be his wife, the other his sister, the thirde his cousin. It happened his cousin to be verie sick & doubtful of life: the neighbours in such a case resorted vnto her, and there before diuers of good report, the confessed that Henrie Nicho­las had abused her bodie, and made her beleeue that she should neuer die. The neighbours hearing this so odious a matter, made complaint vnto maister Brames, who was Drosserd of Emden, or gouernour: he according to his office, came to the house to haue apprehended [Page] the party, but Henrie was fled immedi­ately before. The Magistrate seised vp­on his goodes, and carried it away vnto the castell of Emden, and this was in Anno. 1556. Henrie fled to Peusam, to a yonker called Hycomanning, one of his Familie of Loue, and there remained a­bout a yere. He was 57. yeres old when these thinges happened. It is thought that he went with Granuella to Naples the yere following, and the most do ve­rily think that he is dead, but our Fami lie in England do beléeue y ^• he is aliue, & doth still write: if it be so, by this col­lection he can not be lesse then 78. yeres old. He doth call him selfe Restaurator omnium, in the thirtéene Chapter of his Euangeli. So did they at Munster intitle a booke, and called it, The booke of re­stauration. In which booke are conteined diuers horrible heresies which thei held, as may appeare by Sleidans Commen­taries: which I haue here placed, that the reader may perceiue howe in many thinges their doctrine in Munster and the Familie in England do agrée.

• [Page]1 THe time of Restauration is at hande.
• 2 The seate of Dauid which is decai­ed, shall be erected.
• 3 The writings of the Prophets shal be now fulfilled.
• 4 This restauration goeth before the world to come, to the intent that all the vngodly being destroyed, the house and seate of Iustice might be prepared and beautified.
• 5 The marriage of such as are not lightened with true fayth, is polluted and filthie, and to be reputed for whore­dome.
• 6 Martin Luther and the Byshop of Rome be false prophets, but of both, Lu­ther is the worse.
• 7 Since the Apostles time the word of God was neuer preached truely, nor any iustice vpon earth.
• 8 There are foure prophets, where­of two are iust, Dauid, and Iohn Leyden, [Page] and two vniust, the bishoppe of Rome, and Luther.

Their teachers in Munster, were all or the most part Hollanders, and Dauid George did then teache his blasphe­mous doctrine at that time. Although Iohn Sleydan doth generally call them Anabaptistes, yet it is very probable, y ^• these and other of their articles are all one with the familie of Loue, for the Anabaptistes doe holde none of these.

• 1 IN primis, that H. N. can no more erre or misse the right, then Moy­ses, the prophets, or Christe, and his A­postles.
• 2 Item, the Elders are illuminate and De [...]fied: and God in them hominified, or become man.
• 3 Item, their illuminate Elders doe not sinne, neither actually, nor by cogi­tation.
• [Page]4 Item, that they may ioyne with a­ny congregation or Church, & liue vn­der the obedience of any magistrate, be he neuer so wicked or vngodly: the Turke, the Pope, or whosoeuer.
• 5 Item, that they allowe a kinde of shrifte worse then Popish, For where the Pope requireth but confession of the act cōmitted: they will haue the thoughtes manifested, and what our nature and in­clination draweth vs vnto.
• 6 Item, they holde, that the lawe of God is possible to be kept, of euerie man that will indeuour himselfe thereto.
• 7 Item, that their authour H. N. is the true prophet of God sent to blowe the last trumpe of doctrine which shall be published vpon earth, & he only know­eth the true sence of the holie scripture.
• 8 Item, that his bookes are of equall authoritie with the holie scripture, and are written with the same spirite.
• 9 Item, all is false and lyes, whatsoe­uer is taught or preached by any other, then their Illuminate Elders in the Fa­milie.
• 10 Item, they commend the Pope [Page] and Cardinals, and allowe the Masse, & other their ceremonies.

• 1 IN primis, the first Epistle of H. N.
• 2 Item, the first and second exhortati­on of H. N.
• 3 Item, a diologue betweene the fa­ther and the sonne.
• 4 Item, the prophesie [...] the spirite of loue.
• 5 Item, the published peace vppon earth.
• 6 Item, the declaration of the masse.
• 7 Item, their Euangelium Regni.
• 8 Item, the true and spirituall Ta­bernacle.
• 9 Item, the new and heauenly Ieru­salem.
• 10 Item, a confession of their faith newly made.
• 11 Item, sundrie Epistles of. H. N.

• [Page]1 ITem, two bookes intituled the glasse of righteousnesse.
• 2 Item, a Booke called the holy Lamb.

WHen I considered the duetie of a Christian, to consist in the true profession of Christ Iesus his name, & diligently to walke in the pathes and wayes manifested in his word, and to séeke to beautifie and inrich that belo­ued spouse, the Church of Christ, sanc­tified by his bloude: I could not holde backe my penne, to publish such matter, as I sée daily to blemishe that beloued bride: (I meane the Church of Christ:) and to haue crept in by the subtiltie of Sathan, our professed enimy. Hauing therefore gathered diuers notes of that cankered error of H. N. taken out of his bookes, which I haue to shewe, I had thought to haue stayed my hande from further frauell: but being vrged by di­uers of Gods children, to manifest this my labour, to the end, that some noui­ces of that errour might, (if it were pos­sible) [Page] be stayed from further plunging themselues into that gulfe of impietie. How the wicked take occasion by these & like errours, to speake euil of Christs Church, the eares of many godly doe heare, Especially the Papists: who speak and write▪ and nothing is heard more common in their mouthes, then these tearms. Ye are at variaunce amongst your selues: no vnitie of doctrine is ob­serued: ye are of diuers opinions and sectes. But how vntruely they impute these maters vnto the church of Christ, to euerie member of the same Church it is euident.

For if we consider the wisedome of God in gouerning his, we shal perceiue that in all ages, when Christes Church did most flourish in perfectiō, then was errour and heresies moste rife, as may wel appéere euen in the Apostles times, by the Nicolaitans, Ebionites, Cerinthus and others. How busily did the fathers in the primitiue Church withstand such heresies, as crept in, euen in that happie time? Tertullianus, the Valentinians: Au­gustine, the Donatistes: and Athanas [...]us, [Page] the Arrians, with infinit m [...], as by rea­ding the Ecclesiasticall histories doeth well appeare. Wherein, what trauell hath béene taken, what counsels called, what Books written, it were a wonder to behold. But when corruption began by litle and litle to spread her selfe, and got the face of a Church: O how were dissentions appeased, & no varietie sée­med to be? where as in déede, nothing was taught nor published but dreams & deuises of men: who leauing the certein and knowen wayes of y ^• Lord reuealed in his word, betoke thēselues to depend vpō the doctrines of men. But if we de­scend into these last times, wherein we liue, and marke the wisedome of God in gouerning his Churche, how he hath manifested his sonne Christ Iesus with an vncouered face, to the great comfort of his children, how the doting dreams of men are vanished, how nothing but Christ Iesus is lifted vp with prayses, as the immediate and only cause of our saluation, how the true vse of workes is placed, not as any cause, but as the fruites of our instification. And yet to [Page] sée how busily sathan (enuying the pro­speritie of Christes spouse) endeuoureth daily in his mēbers, to trouble and dis­quiet this peaceable Sion, by raysing vp diuers strange and monstrous he­resies, as the Anabaptistes, the Free will men, the Arrians, the Pelagians, and the Familie of Loue, with many others, which heresies the Diuell more bufily soweth nowe to disquiet the Churche, then heretofore in y ^• time of ignorance, when he lulled the most part of y ^• world in errours and dreames of men. And séeing that euerie errour doeth seeke his cloake & defence by the holie scripture, yet we haue great cause to reioyce, that onely by the scripture they are all put to silence, and their heresies made ma­nifest to all men: as by the learned trea­tises of many graue men in this our age doeth manifestly appeare. Of this last errour of. H. N. the cheefe piller and vpholder of these errours of the Familie of Loue, whereof (by the Lordes assistance, I minde to leaue be­hinde me such notes and bréefes▪ as of certeintie I haue learned, bothe of the [Page] person, and also of his doctrine) no man hitherto (that I can learne) hath endeuoured to confute them in writing.

Whose Bookes as they haue come to my hande, I haue with diligence per­used, and by much conference with di­uers of that Familie, learned the doc­trine which they followe. And where­as they haue béene charged with diuers articles before the highe commissio­ners, yet by no argument that I can learne, doe I finde that they holde all the errours conteined in the same.

Notwithstanding, so many as either by the doctrine of Henrie Nicholas, or by conference I haue learned, I haue set downe, to the ende that some good man might be incouraged to confute so impious an authour, and such horri­ble errours, and perfourme in some learned worke that whiche my want and capacitie is not able to supply: neither would I haue ventured to com­mitte to writing suche rude and igno­rant labour, the matter béeing in déede [...]etter then the handling: but in my opi­nion, it is better to haue course bread, [Page] then none at all.

And because diuerse with whome I am familiarly acquainted are fal­len into this errour of Henrie Nicho­las, I haue the rather for their sakes bent my studie to doe them good, if it be possible. And if these simple notes may haue that successe that I wishe: I trust it will stay some of GODS children, from running headlong into that bewitched snare. And also suche matter, as by disputation, and confe­rence with some of the same familie, I haue boulted out, I will declare. For in déede, the Authour in his Bookes doeth not deale so plainely, as one be­ing ledde by the spirite of GOD, whereof he boasteth: but verie subtile­ly, and darkely, and so as the iudge­ment of many godly and learned men, to whom I haue deliuered his Bookes, vppon the reading of the same, haue testified, that there is no matter in the Authour, that may bée drawen into argument, but that it séemeth to be as a riddle, or darke speeche, and there­fore more intricate to be followed.

[Page]And as his tearmes and phrases are geyson and vnwoonted, so they doe dasell the simple, with an admira­tion of a prudent spirite to be in the Authour, which of meane wits can nei­ther be comprehended nor vnderstoode.

And when the Kabbynes of that Family, whome they tearme Illu­minate Elders, haue béene pressed by me and others, to giue a reason, why the Authour hath so cunningly and subtile­ly dealt, not expressing his minde in plaine tearmes and spéeche: the best an­swere that hath béene made, is, that the Authour hath writen in the Dutch tongue, which wanteth his grace and eloquence, béeing turned into our rude Englishe. But if I might be bolde to replye without offence, his rude stile béeing written in the Dutch tongue, is rather beautified by translation, then impayred: for I haue some co­pyes in Dutche, some in Latin, and some in English: wherein the Authors barbarous stile, and his ignoraunce, is verie muche manifested, although some of his schollers haue put too their [Page] helping handes, to garnishe this their barbarous▪ Author: especially the booke intituled, Euangelium Regni, which is translated into Latin exactly. I would to GOD the matter did answere the goodnesse of the tongue.

And if I should diligently séeke out of what forge the Authour Henrie Ni­cholas hath fyled his heresies, I am certeinly persuaded, that one Dauid George was the founder, hatcher, and bréeder of all this mischiefe, and Henrie Nicholas, but a disciple or scoller of the same Dauid. What this Dauid was, you may perceiue by that which is set downe before: whose errours also for a tast I will set downe in part as they are collected by the gouernour of the v­niuersitie of Basill, that all men may sée, that an euil authour hath bred a worse scholer: And thereby shall be perceiued that Dauid George his opinions differ nothing from H. N. but are so like in wicked boasting that they haue the spi­rit of God, that a man may thereby say, an euill father hath begotten a worse sonne.

AL doctrine taught by Moyses, the Prophetes, and Christe himselfe, are not sufficient to saluation: but onely to keepe the people in good order, till the comming of me Dauid George: but my doctrine is able to saue all those that put their trust therin.

2 Dauid George doth further say, that he is the right Mes [...]ias, the beloued sonne of the Father, not borne of the fleshe, but of the holy Ghost: and when Christ was dead, according to the flesh, the spirite of Christe was kept at the fa­thers appointment, vntill the comming of Dauid George, and giuen to him.

3 He saith, that he will set vp the true house of Dauid, & the children of Le [...], and he will raise the tabernacle of God, through the spirite of Christe, not by the crosse and suffering, but▪ through me [...]k­nesse and loue.

4 He saith, that whosoeuer speaketh against his doctrine, shall neuer bee for­giuen, neither in this worlde, nor in the world to come.

[Page]These I haue set downe as the doc­trine of Dauid George, founde in his books. And bicause their doctrin may be better viewed and séene, how they agrée in wicked & diuelish phantasies of their own deuice, set on by the father of lies, our ancient enimie, to be a stumbling blocke vnto the simple, and to darken and blemish the ioyful procéeding of the glorious Gospell of Christ Iesus, which almightie God hath in mercy reuea­led to nations & kingdomes most plen­tifully, mauger the malice of the diuell and all his children: I haue therefore here placed certaine sayinges of H. N. which are word for worde taken out of his bookes, that the diligent reader may sée how in wicked boasting they agrée, & what vile doctrine they publish.

1 For, the being of God, or essence, gaue foorth his sounde and voyce, and Proph. cap [...]. diuis. 5. spake vnto me H. N. through his spirite [Page] of loue all these wordes, he sayde.

Speaking against the Churche, he saith:

2 For that cause if thou now account not thy selfe for an whore, but esteemest thee for the faythfull espoused wise of Christe, my iealous conceiuing cannot stande otherwise towardes thee, but that thou art a presumptuous whore, whiche dissemblest and playest the hypocrite with Christe, and couertly committest whoredome, and neuerthelesse, wilt bee iudged as a faythfull espoused wife of Christe. So Shalt thou presenly be con­strained to drinke the bitter cursed wa­ter of my iealousie.

3 All that God hath spoken through his holie Prophetes, and what is written of Christ, should also in vs, and with vs, become fulfilled, to the honor and glo­rie of God, and to our ioy.

Here maiest thou sée these two men boasting thē selues in their presumpti­on and pride of minde, to haue the spirit of God: the one saying, that the same spirit which was in Christ Iesus when hee liued on earth, is nowe in Dauid George, (which is horible blasphemie [...]) and abaseth Moyses, the Prophets, and Christe him selfe, in whose doctrine the certaintie of our faith is firmely fixed, against which the gates of hell shal not preuaile: & promiseth to bring the house of Dauid and the children of Leuie into great prosperitie, and to set▪ them vp: not with painful suffring, as Christ our [Page] Lord in him self hath perfourmed, & left to vs his children example to follow his steppes in suffering miserie, that we might reigne with him in glory: but he promiseth to bring his disciples into that glory through méeknesse and loue, which in deede is the pleasanter way to be followed, if we consider fleshe and bloud.

H. N. he following his father in like blasphemie, auoucheth, that he hath tal­ked with God, not by inspiration or re­uelation, but by giuing foorth his sound & voyce. Then placeth himselfe in Chri­stes stead and office, in iudging the chil­dren of God, saying: My iealous con­ceiuing can not stande otherwise to­wards thee, but that thou art a presump­tuous whore: and shalt be constrained to drinke the bitter cursed water of my ielousie. If these be not Luciferian voy­ces, I am much deceiued: then he saith, that what the Prophetes & Christ haue written, that must be fulfilled in him and with him: and that all the generati­ons of the earth must submit them sel­ues vnto the mercy seat, and godly ma­iestie, [Page] which is in him. Thus I suppose my coniecture standeth firme, where I saide, that Dauid George was the hat­cher of this heresie, and layde the egge, but H. N. brought foorth the chickens. How wel they agrée in vaunting them selues, doth well appeare: and that the sonne is farre worse then the father. Surely I could well haue spared my penne in writing this and other their wicked opinions, & with their patrones haue buried it in silence, had it not the zeale of the Lordes house carried me so farre, that I could not stay, vntill I had published suche matter as came to my handes, whereby I sawe the glory of Christ Iesus to be so defaced: & séeing these wicked impes to place them sel­ues so high in y ^e mindes of many simple people here in England, it pitieth me to sée them so snared in this bewitched er­rour. A man would thinke that these things are so vaine & absurd, that none y ^• were in their right wits, would once bend their mindes to imbrace the same. In déed, if I did not know many of thē, and am truely certified by some of the [Page] same fellowship, that there are in Eng­and, at the least 1000. in diuers partes of this realme, which do hold this vain & monstruous opinion of H. N. I would not haue traueled any further. But euē for their sakes, who in déede are simply deceiued, and not maliciously holde any thing, doe I write: and if this my la­bour may (by the Lords will) conuert any of that fellowship, and bring them into the plaine and manifest way, whi­che Christ Iesus hath left in his word, I haue my expected desire. There is no one thing in my opinion that hath so much preuailed with this simple sorte, which are members and professours of y ^• Familie of Loue, as a certeine shew & outwarde face of a holy conuersation, which some of their illuminate Elders do séeme to vse. Wherein they followe the steppes of the Pelagians and Pa­pists directly, whose doctrine of works, howe by them we are in the fauour of God, and accepted, doth in diuers trea­tises manifestly appeare, destroying the worke wrought by Christe our Lorde, ▪ by whose bloud we are cleansed, and Esai. 53. [Page] by whose stripes we are healed: & with­out this faith in Christ, all our works, be they neuer so godly, are méere im­pietie. If he woorke in vs the will and the déede, what haue we to boast of workes? If we haue nothing which we haue not receiued, what fauor with Rom. 4. God doth our works purchase? If euer­lasting life be the frée gift of God, what haue our workes to do in that matter of our saluatiō? It standeth not vpon so [...]ickle a point as the vncertaintie of our workes: but in suche errours they wander, which leaue the wholesome precepts of the holy Ghoste reuealed by the scripture, and imbrace the doctrins of men. It séemeth that the simple truth which by the Scriptures we be taught, and the promises of Christe our Lorde made vnto vs, doeth not content their curious heads, but vainly they wander in euery vncerteine way, estéeming H. N. and his sayings expressed in his book, to be of no lesse value and credite, then the sacred Scripture written for our comforte, not as the workes of men, but by the finger of GOD, euen the [Page] holy Ghoste. And whereas H. N. doeth boast him self y ^• he can not erre, he saith that with the same lying spirite that is in the Pope, affirming the selfe same thing. As for the Pope, it is manifest y­nough without proofe. But bycause some may thinke that I auouch that of H. N. that is not to be proued, I will set downe his wordes as they are written in his booke intituled, The prophesie of the spirit of Loue, the 13. chapter, where you shall perceiue, y ^• H. N. doth couple him self with Moses, with y ^• Prophets, with Christ and his Apostles, very pre­sumptuously affirming, that he him selfe can no more erre then they. His wordes be these.

In my opinion H. N. in these words doth somewhat ouermatch the Pope, [Page] for the Pope doth acknowledge, that as he is a man he may erre, but as he is Christes vicar or deputie vpon earth, he can not erre: but H. N. without any di­stinction doth affirme, that he can no more erre then Christe or his Apostles. And in déede his bookes are thought a­mongest his disciples to be of equall au­thoritie with the scripture, and they do affirme that they are written with the same spirit. But if their bare affirmati­on may stand for good proofe, then indéed it is somwhat they say: but y ^e holy ghost hath taught vs another lesson, saying, beléeue not euery spirite, but trie the spirite whether he be of God. And that we may rightly discern this H. N. other wise called Henrie Nicholas, which ta­keth vpon him to be that great prophet, sent to rebuke the world of sinne, & hath written his bookes, intituling one, The prophesie of the spirite of Loue: wherin he prophesieth of many thinges to hap­pen to the Church of GOD before this time, but God be thanked, his wordes are no warrants, & he is proued a false prophet: and since our Sauiour Christe [Page] published vnto the world y ^• glad tidings of his glorious gospel to our great com­fort, the office of prophesying or foretel­ling of thinges to come, hath ceased in Christes Church. Many haue risen and taken vpon them to prophesie and fore­tell thinges to come▪ but they haue ben counted false prophets, euen as H. N. is. Christ our Lord did forewarne vs that in the latter times such false prophetes should rise, and false Christes, and such daungerous dayes, that if it were possi­ble, the very Elect should be deceiued. Blessed be the Lorde our God, which by the light he hath giuen his children in y ^e holy scripture, hath so instruct vs, that the very childrē & babes are able to con­fute these false techers & false prophets.

And least the Papistes should ima­gine that this H. N. should be a professor of the Gospell, I will declare manifest causes, to proue that he is a right chickē of the Church of Rome, and harboured many yeares by Granuella a Cardinal. Howe he extolleth the Pope to be that great Priest of the West, howe he ope­neth the misteries of the Masse, in a book [Page] intituled, A declaration of the masse: Howe he commendeth euery trifling toye in the Masse, by the booke may at large appeare. Howe he allowed confes­sion worse then auricular, may appear by diuers his owne words, which, least any should carpe at me, I wil set down: Howe he agréeth with the Papistes, in extolling workes as efficient causes of our saluation, I haue before touche [...] Al which do proue, that he is no professour, but an enimie to the Gospell of Christe our Lorde.

[Page]By this it doth appeare, that nothing must be kept vntolde or vnreuealed to the eldest Elder in euery their seuerall conuenticles: for else it can not be vn­derstoode, that one man in one countrie shoulde heare all the rest particularly. And here they step one foote before the Papistes in my opinion: For where the Pope requireth but a confession of the act committed, H. N. requireth a de­claration of the thought, and what the inclination of our nature draweth vs vnto. And yet in moe speciall pointes they agrée with the Papistes, namely, in the possibilitie of the Law, to be kept of euery one that will séeke to performe the same. And wheras I shewed before, that. H. N. and the Pope doe both boaste that they can not erre, I thinke it not amisse, to let H. N. tel his owne tale tou­ching this matter, that his scholers may behold, that I slaunder him not, neither do make his doctrine worse then it is.

Here is shewed, that none must sus­pect the oldest Elder touching any false Doctrine that he might vtter▪ nor to thinke any vnwisdome to be in him: in which affirmation, howe arrogantly doth he challenge that vnto him, which is only due to Christ our Lord, and to y ^e holy scripture, written by the spirite of God. And although he bost that he hath [Page] the spirite of God, and that he is God­ded with God, & God in him Hominifi­ed or made man, yet are not wée to be­léeue suche lying spirites, whiche vtter such absurd and blasphemous doctrine, contrarie to the Scriptures of GOD. And bycause I am entered into that high point of Diuinitie, which amongst the Familie is counted a misterie, I thinke it not impertinent, to set before the eyes of all the professours of H. N. and his doctrine, what the meaning of those termes are, to be Godded with God: for as they be straunge, vnwoon­ted, and vnaccustomed speaches, so the doctrine taught in the same, is more strange and absurd.

It were conuenient that we that professe Christe, should be content with such phrases as the holy Ghoste doth vtter in the sacred Scriptures, and not to séeke curiously strange termes, which are not in the holy historie, nor conse­quently can not be gathered out of the same: of which number this is one, to be Godded with God, and vngodded with man, the meaning of all such tearmes [Page] is this, as it is taught by H. N. and im­braced of the Familie.

They holde as a principle in the schoole, that after regeneration we sinn not, fortifying this their assertion with this place of the Euangelist S. Iohn: He that is borne of God sinneth not, & hee that committeth sinne is a seruaunt of sinne. Againe, God heareth not sin­ners. All which places are very truely saide and alledged, but to a wrong pur­pose, for the places do not proue that the regenerate man sinneth not, but shew­eth y ^• sins are not imputed to a regene­rate man, to condemnation and death. He that is borne of God or regenerate, sinneth not: That is, to his distruction euerlastingly. The Scriptures do teach vs to distinguish sinnes in this sort: to commit sinne, is one thing, but to abide in sinne, or to dwell in sinne, or sinne to haue dominiō in vs, (as S. Paul saith: Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bo­dies: and in the epistle to the Romanes. Commit not wickednesse with greedi­nesse,) is another thing. The last perteineth not to the elect of God: For [Page] as the children of God do daily fall tho­rough frailtie and humane imperfecti­ons, so they are daily renued by the spi­rite of God, which driueth them to re­pentaunce. But with the wicked the case is otherwise: For they sitte downe in the seate of the scornefull, they com­mitte wickednesse with gréedines, say­ing, tush, God séeth vs not: such sinners God heareth not, and such be seruantes vnto sinne. Now in the Familie it is o­therwise taught, and otherwise belée­ued: For they affirme that after we be regenerated, which they terme, The vp­right freedom, we actually sin not, nei­ther in thought nor déed. And y ^• we may heare the Authour H. N. vtter his own spéech, I will set downe what he wri­teth touching this matter.

Hereby it may appeare what the Authour H. N. thinketh touching rege­neration, whiche they call The vpright Freedome. And as I haue conferred with diuers of the same familie, to vn­derstand these mysteries, which in the end with much a do, I haue found out to be, y ^• after we be regenerat, we sinn not. And when I haue required somewhat out of y ^• holie scripture to proue this, in the end I haue receiued this for answer. God doth promise to dwell with y ^e man that is of a lowly mind & humble heart. Also, ye are the Temples of the holie Ghost. And againe, the father and I wil make our habitation in man. Nowe where Christ dwelleth, there also is the father and the holie Ghost: where or in what man soeuer God thus dwelleth, [Page] it may be well verified, God dwelleth in him: if God dwell in him, then the contrarie can not remaine in the same bodie. God is pure, and will not dwell in a corrupt vessell. Two contraries can not be in one place. Christ and Be­liall can not dwell in one temple. Light and darknes can not be together. That man y ^• hath God thus dwelling in him, may be called Godded, or god dwelling in him: so y ^• by this reason man is God ded with God, and God Hominified in man. This their Rabbynes or Illuminat Elders do teach, and whatsoeuer this Godded man doth speake, thinke, or do, it cannot be euill, neither may be so iud­ged by any.

What vain doctrine this is, may wel appeare euen in it self, & yet I was long acquainted, & much trauelled in y ^• mat­ter, before I could get this great myste­rie opened vnto me, which y ^• yong ones in the Familie can not explicat, except he come vnto the state of an illuminate Elder. And as I haue before proceeded, so you shal sée y ^e authour H. N. vtter his owne words, whereby no suspicion shall [Page] arise, that I haue spoken that I can not proue.

[Page]Now maist thou perceiue, how this H. N. estéemeth all preachers and tea­chers that are not thus Godded, or thus illuminate. In déede I confesse, that without the spirite of GOD, which his children be partakers of, we can not sée, nor perceiue the mysteries conteined in his worde, muche lesse declare the same to others. But that we must be Godded with God, because the scriptures vse no such phrases, neither hath any writer before vs in Gods church vsed any such proud spéeches, I thinke, with the Au­thor they are to be reiected in that sence that he meaneth. For béeing thus God­ded or illuminate, he standeth vpon his tiptoes and saith.

[Page]If these words do not proue H. N. to be a wicked deceiuer, let the indifferent Reader iudge. He affirmeth that the se­cretes of our hearts are knowen vnto him, which knowledge perteineth only vnto the Lord our God: For he is wit­nessed by the holy scripture, to be y ^e sear­cher of the hearte and reignes of man.

Thus how H. N. teacheth his family, that he is Godded with God, I haue de­scribed: the rather because it is one of y ^• chéef mysteries & secrets of their schoole, which verie fewe do vnderstand, except the illuminate Elders, who also are Dei­fied or Godded, till they doe growe vnto the manly oldenesse in the loue, as they vse to speake. These blasphemies, doe require a longer discourse then my simplicitie is able to atteine vnto, but I hope Almightie GOD will rayse vppe vnto his Churche some good man: who will take some paines learnedly to con­fute this horrible doctrine. In the mean season, these briefes I haue set downe, mindinge to let some of the Family sée the vanitie of their Authourand his doctrine, howe contrarie to the Scrip­tures [Page] of God they be.

In the Booke of. H. N. intituled E­uangēlium Regni, The Gospell of the kingdome, which is a title that none of Gods children durst euer giue vnto a­ny of their Bookes: and in déede it is a­nother Gospell, then that which is con­teined in the Newe Testament of our Sauiour Christe. How▪ H. N. aduaim­ceth the Pope and his Cardinals doeth man [...]estly appeare in the 13. Chapter of the same Booke▪

The Apostle Paule did arme Gods children a forehand, to beware of suche as should bring vnto vs another gospel, yea, although he were an Angell: & it is also [...]ifled, that our aduersarie doeth transforme himselfe into an Angell of light to deceiue Gods childrē, if it were possible▪ Euen so H. N. in all his wri­tinges, how doth he transforme himself to be deified with God, & God in him to be Hominified. Which in plain [...] are, y ^• he is made euen as God, & God in him is become man▪ which is horti [...]e blasphemie. For we haue the spirite of [Page] God by participation, and not Deified: For that belonged to Christ our Lorde, who, as S. Paule witnesseth, thought it no robberie to be equal with God. No man would suppose that in this great light, where Christ Iesus and his glo­rious Gospell doth shine, that such do­tinges and dreames of men possessed with a fantasticall spirite, could take a­ny déepe roote in the heartes of men: but alas, we sée y ^• there is no errour bee it neuer so absurd & senselesse, y ^• hath not many fauourers: & this hath the more, for that the Authour H. N. teacheth, that an outwarde shewe of a holie life doth chéefely please God: when as with­out faith, our life and works are impie­tie and wickednesse: and you shal neuer in all the writings of H. N. (that I haue read) heare him aduance, or once speake of our faith in Christ Iesus: but he doth raunge from matter to matter, in his writings so obscurely and darkly, that he thinketh neuer to be espied, what his scope of doctrine is: which in déed is not so plainly set forth in his smal treatises, as they are in a booke intituled, Speculū [Page] iustitiae, The glasse of righteousnesse: vn­to which booke the authour doth still re­ferre his reader to be fully certified: of which booke they make suche bragges, that all the world is not able to control the doctrine contained in the same: and still their Elders do beare their pupils in hande, that the booke shall be publi­shed. From day to day great collections haue bene made and sent into Flanders there aboute, but hitherto all in vaine. Yet I haue talked with some of the Fa­milie that hath read certain fragments of the same booke, and they say no man can resist the spirite which the authour doth shewe foorth in that booke. They thinke it is long lacking, but I suppose it will neuer be missing. Howe vainely they boast of such bookes, is well verifi­ed in one of the Familie, who speaking vnto a man of good calling in London, which is readie to testifie the same, and both the parties are liuing, when the one did expostulate very earnestly, why the other once professing the Gospell of Christ Iesus, was nowe turned vnto y ^e errour of H. N. The other answered. [Page] It is a wise Gospell which I professed then, I knowe an other manner of Gos­pell farre better then that: in such repu­tation haue the Familie the bookes and doctrine of. H. N. But why H. N. intitu­leth his followers, A familie of Loue, I think it to be a mysterie not to be expli­cated Euery errour hath supposed them selues to be the true Church, but H. N. is contented that his be counted a Fa­milie. Why he addeth this word Loue, I could neuer perfectly learne, but as some haue interpreted to me, this word Loue, in many places of the authour, doth signifie the Maiestie of God▪ as in these thrée phrases: The louely being of the Loue: or, The manly oldnesse in the Loue: Here Loue is takē in both places for God, according to this s [...]ying, Deus [...]st Charita [...], God is Loue: but why they vse this [...] the, so much, I cānot well vnderstand. It is true, that God is Loue, or Charitie, so is he Iustice, so is he Mercie, and all other like vertues: [...] but they are not in him as qualities, one ex­telling another, as they reigne in man: but he is Loue▪ without measure, euen [Page] Loue it selfe, euen so Iustice it self, euen so Mercy it selfe: he is all Loue, he is all Mercie, he is all Iustice. But when we speake of any of these which procéede from the Maiestie of God, we vnder­stande not by any one of these God him selfe. For as his [...]one is excéeding great, so his mercy also: therefore by as good right may an other bring foorth a doc­trine or Familie of Mercie, as H. N. a Familie of Loue: For mercie is our gret comfort, & mercy is the faires [...] flower of our garland. We read in the holy scrip­tures of diuers sortes of loue, of which thrée be principall. The first is, y ^• loue of God towardes his children, set foorth in Iohn. 3. 16. these wordes. So God loued the worlde that he gaue his only begotten son, that none that beleeue in him should perish, but haue life euerlasting: which loue how perfect it is, and howe excellent, it pas­seth the capacitie of man to conceiue, much lesse to vtter or describe. It cau­sed that beloued and elect vessell Saint Paule, to exclame and crie out, Oh the exceeding greatnesse and deapth of the loue of God, which loued vs first, 1. Ioh. [Page] 4. Chap. vers. 19: this loue is perfect in déede. The second loue that is expressed, is the loue of vs againe towardes God, appearing in these words: If ye loue me, keepe my commandementes. And a­gaine, The loue of God is shead abroad in our heartes. Ro. 5. Chap. vers. 5. whi­che loue in vs, howe vnperfect it is, eue­ry one féeleth in himselfe, and is a wit­nesse. The third is, the loue that one of vs should shew towards an other whi­che properly is called Charitie, appea­ring in these words. By this shal al men knowe that you are my disciples, if yee loue one an other. And againe, A newe commaundement I giue vnto you, that ye loue one an other. Ioh. 13. Chap. 14. vers. Nowe, if I might be so bolde as to demand this questiō of H. N. or any of their Illuminate Elders, of which of these thrée loues is their fellowship? If they say of the first, which is the loue of God towardes man, they deceiue thē selues: for of that felowship none is par­taker but Christe Iesus our Lorde. If thei bee of the second, which is the loue of man towardes our God, it is so im­perfect [Page] and corrupt in vs, that I thinke they will not acknowledge them selues to be members of such imperfection. If they will be of the third, which is of the loue we owe one towardes an other, I thinke if they enter in, to sée how weak and féeble it is in vs, and in euery one of Gods childrē, they shal easily iudge how farre off they are frō that they shold be: as if ye looke into S. Pauls first Epistle 13. Chapter, verse 4. there shall you sée the properties of loue rightly described: howe loue boasteth not, enuieth not, sée­keth not her owne, reioyceth not in ini­quitie, suffereth all things, beléeueth all thinges, hopeth all thinges, indureth all things. But how these shall be found in any, yea euen in y ^• best of gods children, (if we rightly iudge ourselues) I cānot discerne. Of this laste loue, if they will haue their felowship, then let thē behold how vnperfect their Familie is, & con­trarie to that they vainly brag. Where H. N. hath written these words. We the Elders of the holy vnderstanding shall reigne vpon the earth in righteousnesse, & vnder the obedience of loue, iudge y ^e [Page] world with equitie. When these things shall come to passe, this dreamer which would be taken for a Prophet, doth not tell vs. Here y ^u maiest sée this Prophete persuading his Familie, y ^• the Elders shall reigne vpon the earth in iudge­ment and equitie. Who would not fol­lowe this authour [...]hat so plentifully will reward his scholers, to make them vpon earth Kings and Iudges? I doubt his words be no warrants, nor his pro­mise any payment: for it is 28. yeres a­go since he made this solemne protesta­tion, and yet none of the Familie do in­ioy any part of the promise: but contra­rie it doth appeare, y ^• none of his Elders neither in England, Flaunders, or else where, dare once be so bold as to defend their dreaming prophet, but subtilly in corners insinuate vnto the simple sort, & féed them with many outward promi­ses: but to argue or dispute their cause with any of Gods children, therein they kéeye silence, and prefend ignorance, af­firming their elders to be able to defend their Authour and his doctrin, but they are but partakers of the holy vnderstan [Page] ding. And when you happen to méete a­ny of their Elders, you shall finde them as farre without sense or féeling of the spirit of God, as y ^• yonger sort: although they can set a shew of greater grauitie▪ And bicause I haue often made mentiō of their Illuminate Elders, I thinke it not amisse to name one, and the same notoriously known. His name is Chri­stopher Vittell, a ioyner by occupation, a man that all the dayes of Queene Ma­rie was a teacher of those famous here­tiques the Arrians, and at Paules Crosse did solemnely in the first yeare of our so­uerein Lady Queene Elizabeth, recant the same errours, as by the register of y ^• bishop of Londō doth manifestly apeare. And nowe, as th [...] olde prouerbe is, he is gone, A malo in peius, from euil to worse▪ Such men as can not be content with the simple trueth taught in the holy scripture, but curiously séeke for singu­laritie, do easily fall into such bypaths, as our enimie by his subtiltie can lead them vnto. And to speake truely, this is the onely man that hath brought our simple people out of the plame wayes [Page] of the Lorde our God, and hath put so many toyes of this authour H. N. into their heades, that I feare me they will not easily be remoued. What trauell he hath taken, howe he hath trudged from countrie to countrie, and howe he will not once moue his speach, if any learned or godly persons, that hath any true knowledge of the worde be present, is very wel known: but among the simple he is péerelesse, and in déede, the oldest Elder of our English Familie; amongst whome he hath his maintenance. His wife is resident in London, with whom (as is supposed) he hath not bene these two-yeares. In corners doth this man créepe, and dare not shewe his head, nor maintaine that doctrine which he hath taught: but certaine of his pupils haue béene imprisoned, who in the end haue subscribed against th [...] doctrine of H. N. which Vittel doth teach. Euerie doctrin whiche is true dare abide the light, but the doctrin of H. N is kept in corners, & dare not abide the light: a certeine Ar­gument that it is a counterfet doctrine. For no one man dare once open his [Page] mouth, or put penne to paper to defende their Author in England: but amongst the simple, whose capacitie is like vnto waxe, which will easily receiue euerie seale or print, among such will he sound his trumpe. He saith the last trumpe shall blowe, by which he vnderstandeth the last doctrine which shalbe published vpon earth▪ which is (as he saith) this doctrine of H. N. How he miserably do­eth expound the holie scripture vnto the simple people in corners, my heart doth lament: how he driueth the true sense of the holie Ghost into allegories, it pi­tieth me to heare: and other wise to in­terpret the holie scripture, is to sticke in the letter, as he vntruly affirmeth. But woe be vnto those simple people which doe giue eare vnto such false teachers, they can not with the Lorde our God, pleade simplicitie, and ignorance by no meanes can excuse them. If the blinde leade the blinde, they both fall into the ditche. The greatest gréefe that I con­ceiue against y ^• Nouices of y ^• Family, is, that some of them haue béene proses­sours of Christ Iesus Gospel according [Page] to the brightnesse thereof, which by his good will and pleasure he hath reuealed in this latter age most plentiously: and now by the doctrine of this Vittell are declined so farre, that the true sense of the Gospel they despise; and followe the baine and fantasticall humor of Vittels allegories, a man vtterly vnlearned, more fitte to be a scholler in Christes schoole, then an Illuminat Elder in the Familie, and so a teacher. He that ne­uer learned Christe Iesus truely▪ howe cā he teach Christ Iesus to others? And in déede, if he taught Christe Iesus he were to be borne withall, but that is not the marke they shoote at: To set vp H. N. as a Prophet, to aduance his pre­ceptes, to credite his spéeche, to beléeue that he is Godded with God and cannot erre, is their whole inde [...]our. But a­mongst the rest in déede they insinuate a good life, which they pretende to fol­lowe: which is as the visard and cloake to hide al the rest of their grosse and ab­surde doctrine, and the hooke and baite whereby the simple are altogether de­ceiued. And this is the subtiltie of Sa­than, [Page] who otherwise could not preuaile with such bewitched doctrine, except it were shadowed vnder the cloake of out­ward holinesse. For there is no sound argument, a good life is all that is re­quired for vs to do, & with this the Fa­milie doe séeme to presse Gods children often in conference. For if y ^• will serue to saluation, I sée not how the Iewe or Turke can be excluded, whose workes outwardly (if they be viewed) shall con­demne vs.

Howe close vnto the letter of the lawe doeth the Iewe sticke? How wil­lingly doe they abide as vagrant and banished men in euerie countrie? How pitifully doe they reléeue their brethren whiche want? so that none is found to want that, which another is not rea­dy to supply: which are notes & markes of charitie, or loue, and truely in my o­pinion we come not néere the Iewe in this point.

But I pray you, what doeth all this auaile without a true and a righte fayth in Christ Iesus the sonne of God? The Turke likewise is a great & dili­gēt [Page] obseruer of his Alcaron, a great fas­ter or absteiner, a great giuer of almes, diligent in prayer, seuere in kéeping his worde and promise, verie charie in kéeping his Sabbathes, verie obedi­ent to Princes and Magistrates: and to speak truth, in many outward vertues doth farre excell vs Christians, (to our shame it may be spoken,) but what doth all this auayle? For so much as they blaspheme Christ the sonne of God, and denie his Godhed, and resurrection, they haue no part nor fellowship with vs of the promise of God, touching Christ our Lord, neither are partakers of his mer­cie, which through Christe we féele in our heartes, to our great consolation & comfort. Without faith it is vnpossible to please God.

Therefore, aright faith in Christe our Lord, is cheefely to be required and sought after, and then our workes will of necessitie follow. For it is the proper fruite of that excellent trée: a true faith can neuer be without his works, which sticke so close together, that they are in­separable. A faithfull man can neuer be [Page] without good-workes, no more then fire can be without heate: and yet a faithful man is not without sinne, as H. N. doth auouche of his regenerate man. We haue many examples to proue, that a faithfull man or a regenerat man, doth sinne often, and to vse the wordes of the Prophet Dauid; Septies in die cadit iustus, seuen times a day doth the righteous fal. This cānot be vnderstood, but of a faith­full and regenerat man. Dauid was re­generate when he fell into whoredome and murther Peter was regenerat whē he denied with cursing Christ our Lord. Paule was regenerate when he solemn­ly pronounced those wordes, Christe Ie­sus came into the world to saue sinners, of the which number I am the greatest. And I am persuaded that we are neuer so néere vnto God our Lorde, as when we féele sinne moste heauie. God cal­leth not such as be emptie, or féele not the loade of sinne: but Come vnto mee all ye that are loaden with sinne, I wil re­fresh you. I speake not of the repro­bate, who in déede féele in this life a hell in their conscience, and do dispaire: but [Page] GODS children do féele themselues wounded with sinne, euen to death, but by grace giuen from aboue, they doe apply that souereigne salue, that whol­some medicine, Christe Iesus, whose passion hath purchased, whose bloud hath cleansed, whose death hath cured all our diseases and maladies. This comfort doth H. N. take away from his Family, and placeth in stéed thereof his owne preceptes, without comfort to a troubled minde. For his doctrine is, That wee must growe vp vnto the man­ly oldnesse in the loue, which in playne tearmes, is to growe to perfection, and to be without sinne, which they affirme in this life to be brought to passe. If this be good doctrine, then the holie Scripture is contrarie. 1. Iohn first Chapter If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues, and there is no truth in vs. Likewise Paule Rom. 8. verse 20. The creature is subiect to vanity, not of his owne will, but by reason of him that subdued it vnder sinne. To the Galathi Chapter. 5. verse 17. The flesh Iusteth against the spirite, and the spirite against [Page] the fleshe continually. These are con­traries the one to the other, so that ye cannot doe the same thinges that ye would. And Almightie God did pro­nounce vpō man at the beginning, this saying, God sawe that the wickednes of mans heart was great, and all the imagi­nations and thoughtes of his heart were euill continually. Gen. Chapter 6. verse 5. The whole scope of the holie Scrip­ture doth proue, that God hath shut vp all vnder sinne. Now if H. N. or his Il luminate Elders will still auouch that they are without sinne, then may I as truly aledge y ^• they are without Christ. Let the terrible example of Sharpe and Allin moue you to cōsider, how desperat a doctrine you imbrace, whose souden deaths, without any comfort in Christ, may remaine as an example to all pos­teritie. For the Author of this errour is Satan, who in a desperate state leaueth his pupils. For it was pride that caused almightie GOD to execute his iudge­ment vpon him, his state béeing angeli­cal: so likewise he séeketh to bring man into the same destruction by the same [Page] meanes, through pride and presumpti­on, that we are pure & without sinne, and so exalting our selues, we might haue the swifter damnation. For Al­mightie God hath cast our condition & state so lowe, that w ^tout his mercie set foorth by Christe, we all perishe: as is witnessed by Paule, * God hath inclu­ded Rom. 7. Rom. 3. vs vnder sinne. * Also both Iewes and Gentiles are vnder sinne, (as it is writtē,) There is none righteous, no not Psal. 14. one, &c. We are neuer so néere vnto our God, as when we féele our sinne as a burthen or heauie loade lying vppon our conscience, nor neuer further off, then when we féele or testifie that we are without sinne: which persuasion Sathan doth féede our humours with­all, contrarie to the holie Scripture.

Therfore, I conclude that this prin­ciple, to liue in this life without sinne, is méerely the suggestion of Sathan, and not of the spirite of God. Christ Iesus came into the worlde to saue sin­ners. And againe, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repen­taunce. If Henrie Nicholas, and his Il­luminate [Page] Elders be now without sinn, Actes. 4. Christe came not for to saue them.* For there is none other name vnder heauen giuen to men by which we shal­be saued, but Christ Iesus: Therefore manifestly it appeareth, that H. N. and his Illuminat Elders are clean excluded, and haue no néede of Christe: for his of­fice and death doeth properly belong to sinners, then consequently not to them.

Therefore ye nouices of the Family, which sée not into what daunger Chris­topher Vittell, & H. N. doeth miserably bring your troubled mindes, looke wel betimes, espye their subtiltie, leaue the doctrine which is without comfort, and hath no warrant in the holie scripture: forsake those péeuish and darke riddles of H. N. and cleaue vnto the holie scrip­ture: leaue the phantasies of H. N. and his scholler Vittell, and by little and little ye shall espie their craft and subtil­tie, how they set vp them selues and not Christ Iesus: how they teach false doc­trine, which dare not abide the light, nor they are not able to defend: and yet persuade you in corners, that it is the [Page] spirite of God, by whiche they speake. How gréeuous ye are vnto the Church of GOD, may appeare by the trauell which is taken for your sakes: what of­fence ye giue, what stumbling blockes ye are vnto the simple whome ye ought not to offend, no not the least, let your conscience beare witnesse. * It is necessa­rie Mat. 18. that offences come, but woe bee vnto them by whome they come. Know this for certeine, without the Arke there is no saluation: except ye abide in the vine Christe, ye bring foorth no fruite: ye cannot serue two maisters, béeing so contrarie.

If ye cleaue to H. N. and his doctrine, ye haue no parte nor fellowshippe with Christe Iesus, for H. N. destroyeth the office of Christe our Lorde, and ta­keth away the comfort of his Gospel, in stéede whereof he placeth his vpright fréedome, with a perfection in this life, suche as the holie Scripture alloweth not.

For our battell is continuall, and shall neuer haue end, vntill our flesh be dissolued: and we at rest in Christe. If [Page] we must atteine to suche perfection in this life as H. N. sheweth, then our Sauiour Christe did in vaine teache vs to pray continually, Forgiue vs our trespasses, as we forgiue, &c. Also Leade vs not into temptation. Which petiti­ons are without effect if his doctrine be true. Therefore as ye loue your own soules, beware of his doctrine, examine it better, acknowledge Christ Iesus and his Gospell, and leaue the drowsie dreames of a doting Dutchman, and the erronious spirite of Christopher Vittell arude and vnlearned Ioyner. And although they boast neuer so much of the spirite, yet vse the counsell of the holie Ghost. Beleeue not euerie spirite, but trie y ^• spirit, whether he be of God. Think not within your selues that they cannot erre, it is a priuiledge not giuen to mortal man, but only to our immor­tall God.

God is true, and all men are liers. Beléeue not that his Bookes are writ­ten by the spirite of God: for God is not contrarie to himselfe: the doctrine of H. N. is manifest contrarie to God, & the [Page] doctrine published by Christ in his gos­pel. If ye continue in the Family of H. N.. ye denie Christ. We may not hold of Paule or Apollo, for they were not crucified for vs: we are counted Christs friendes, if we doe those things that he commaundth. What haue we to d [...]e with H. N. or his commaundementes▪ Deceiue not [...]our selues with your pre­tenced the we of a holie life, but confesse with the Prophet Dauid, Psalme. 130. If thou Lorde shouldest looke straightly vpon sinnes, Lorde, who should abide it▪ Euen the hol [...]est y ^• euer were, (being [...]arthly men) haue néede to call vppon God, in this manner, with the beloued Prophet Dauid. If you imagine that your workes do helpe or profite you to saluation, ye are with the Pelagians and Papistes, demers of the grace of God in Christe our Lord: in which doctrine of merite, there is no comfort nor consola­tion. If ye continue still in the Family of H. N. there is neither hope nor: helpe for you. Christes sacraments you con­te [...]ine, which are to vs the seales and cognisances of our redemption, and to­kens [Page] of his couenant and promise. Ye haue forsaken the fayth which Christe Iesus planted in you, and haue digged vp puddels of corupte waters vnto your selues. Consider I pray you, front whence ye are departed, and whether you are come: ye are gone from the comfortable promises in Christe Iesus, touching the forgiuenesse of our sinnes, our consolation, & redemptiō, & are dri­uen too & fro with many vaine persuasi­ons of H. N. that first you shall be made partakers of the holie vnderstanding, then inioye the vpright fréedome, to be frée from sinning, and lastly come to be an Illuminate Elder, to be Deified with God: with such fantasies are ye fedde, and suche doctrine are ye taught, but how these thinges agrée with the holie Scripture is partely shewed be­fore. Miserably is your simplicitie de­ceiued through these false teachers, and yet howe vnwilling ye are to sée this your nakednesse made manifest, by proofe I can testifie. Haue a regard at the last vnto your owne soules whiche Christe hath déerely bought, (if you per­teine [Page] vnto him) & let them not be snared in such doctrines of men: (yea men of the worst sort.) But if there be any loue of GOD in you, loue the Lorde Ie­sus, and be of his Churche: which you can not be, imbracing H. N. and his doctrine. Consider his loue, his mercie, and his patience in suffering vs to fall into many temptations, that our re­turne might be the more ioyfull to him. I pray you marke but this one thing in their teaching, how they driue the true sense of the holie Ghost into allegories: And when so euer any texte of the holie Scriptures is alledged by any of Gods children, they aunswere that we little vnderstande what is meant thereby: and then if they be pressed to expounde the place, by and by it is drawne into an allegorie. For they take not the creation of man at the first to be histo­ricall, (according to the letter,) but méere allegoricall: alluding, that Adam signifieth, the Earthly man, the Garden, the Woman, the Serpent to be within man: and applying stil the allegory, they destroye the trueth of the historie.

And as they expound this place thus: euen so doe they all the whole course of the scripture, leauing nothing certeine to our fayth: for by as good righte may they make an allegorie of Chris­tes death and Passion, and say that CHRIST signifieth annointed, and so alluding and following that sense, denie that the man Christe Iesus di­ed, and so by application of the Alle­gorie diminish our faith and hope. And in déede, when I was earnestly solici­ted by some of the Family to imbrace that way, which the mercie of the Lord kept me from, the first steppe that I should haue entered into the depth of their diuinitie, was, to learne the signi­fication of the Hebrue names of the [Page] Scripture, and thereby to expound the same.

What a miserable case is this to sée the holie Scriptures thus drawen from the true sense, into Allegories, whiche may be taken many wayes, euen as the vaine imagination of man can de­uise? And surely it is verie pernicious and hurtefull thus to expound the holie Scripture: and yet the simple people (not séeing the deceipte hereof) doe thinke that these bée notable men, and haue the spirite of GOD, and that they teache them suche thinges therby, as they neuer heard of before. I denie not, but sometimes the allegory may be well applied, and to good pur­pose, but when we applie the allegorie to destroy the true sense of y ^e holy ghost, it is by no meanes to be admitted. For if we take such true histories as the ho­ly Ghost hath left to his Church, wher­by he sheweth what his will is, and drawe the same into an allegorie, what do we leaue certain, that our faith may depend vpon? and where is our hope, if allegories may haue place? For as I [Page] saide before, they expound this place of Saint Paule. 1. Cor. The last trumpe shall blowe, and the dead shall rise, &c. The last trump is the last doctrin whi­che shal be blowne vpon the earth, whi­che is this of H. N. And the dead shall rise, that is▪ such as were dead in sinne, shall be raised vp by the same trumpe of doctrine. What a horrible matter is this, to sée the holy Scripture thus dra­wen like waxe vnto euery purpose? A man would thinke, that no man hauing his senses, would euer credit such fan­tasies and vanities, but I know too ma­ny, that haue a speciall liking of this teaching, & do unbrace it as the trueth of God. Many partes of this our countrey is pitifully snared by such vaine techers as Christopher Vittell is: yea, not a few ministers of the simple sort are her with intangled, (with sorrow I speak it,) and I wold to God that the chiefest place in this realme were frée of these men. If we should examine what is the cause of this errour: surely our sinnes is the chiefe, which doth prouoke the iustice of GOD, to afflict vs with such false tea­chers, [Page] and the negligence of our mini­sters, which eyther can not, or will not impugne their errour in countrie tow­nes where it is imbraced. The malice of Sathan is not behind, who séeing the ioyful succéeding of the Gospell of Christ the sonne of God, doth stirre his stumps in his members, to impugne the same. There is no Apothecarie in the worlde able to qualifie the bitternesse of his po­tion or medicine, as our enimie is to qualifie the bitter and poysoned doctrin of H. N. & Vittell, with such swéete pre­tences of a holy life and vpright conuer­satiō, which in déed are but mere visars & cloaks to shadow horrible blasphemie. Such subtiltie hath Sathan, that nowe enuying Christ▪ Iesus & his gospel, doth stirre vp his members to disquiet the Church of God with this absurd & sens­lesse errour. And surely we were fore­warned of such seducers, that in the lat­ter times would deceiue the simple: the holy Ghost doth set thē foorth what kind of men they should be, proud boasters, y ^• they haue the spirite of God, as is wit­nessed: 1. Tim. 4. vers. 1. In y ^• latter days [Page] some shal depart from the faith, and shal giue heede vnto the spirites of errour, & doctrines of diuels. And againe, the 2. Epist. 3. chap. vers. 5. Hauing a shewe of godlinesse, but haue denied the power thereof: turne away therefore from such. Also Peter 2. Epist. 2. Chap. vers. 1. But there were false Prophets also among y ^• people, euen as there shall bee false tea­chers among you, whiche priuily shall bring in damnable heresies, euē denying y ^• Lord that hath bought them, & bring vpon them selues swift damnation, and many shal follow their damnable wayes, by whome the way of trueth shalbe euil spoken of.

The same Chapter, verse. 21. For it had bene better for them not to haue kno­wen the way of righteousnesse, then af­ter they haue knowen it, to turne from the holy commaundement giuen vnto them. Also the Epistle of Iude, verse. 4. For there are certeine men crept in, whi­che were of olde ordeined to this con­demnation, vngodly men they are, whi­che turne the grace of GOD into wan­tonnesse, which denie God the onely [Page] Lord, and our Lord Iesus Christ. Thus hath the holy Ghost decyphered all false teachers, and giuen warning to his children to beware of them. It is neces­sarie that heresies be (saith S. Paul) that those that are perfect may be manifes­ted. And surely Gods children haue thereby great triall and exercise of their faith, and the Lorde our God can make such heretiques to serue his purpose, e­uen to his owne glory: that his childrē being strengthened by him, may not be ouer taken in the sleightes and subtil­ties of Satan, nor his impes, but in the great temptation and seas of errours, may abide stedfast in the Lorde Ie­sus, and in his promises, maugre the malice of the diuell. If euer there were disturbers of the Church, whereby these scriptures and prophesies may be fulfil­led, I thinke that nowe is the time: For what with the bloudie Papistes with their fire and fagot, continuall warre, with horrible murders on the one side, and the Anabaptistes, Free will men, Ar­rians, Pelagians, and the Familie of Loue on the other side, Christes Church hath [Page] little rest, and small fauour in the sight of man, but spurned at on euery side.

But blessed be the Lorde our God, who in the middest of all calamitie and mi­serie which his children daily suffer, yet can not be driuen back by any torment, to denie the Lord Iesus, nor his known truth, manifested to all the world: and the Lord raiseth vp stil some of his chil­dren to withstand Sathan and all his rable, which striue against grace. And surely these and like errours are great exercises of our saith, how constant we will abide in the day of triall. Therfore though the world rage neuer so much, yet our graund captaine biddeth vs to be of good chéere, saying, Ego vici mundū. I haue ouercome the worlde. In whose cōfortable promises we stay our selues, and assuredly beléeue, that although the ship of Christ be tossed vp & downe with boistrous winds, yet perish it cānot, nor the lest y ^• pertaine to him. No dout, ma­ny of Gods déere children fal into many snares of errors, but they by grace are called backe againe, if not willingly, yet forceably, so that they can not perish in [Page] those wayes. For as our sauiour saith, that such times should come, that if it were possible, the elect should be decei­ued. But it is not possible to be deceiued and perish, though our God doth many ways trie vs, and maketh vs examples and patterns one of vs to an other, that his louing kindnes might appéere more notable in our preseruatiō, & we be pro­uoked thereby to shewe a thankful hart in obedience to his will, & also be occasi­oned to craue at his hands continually, a perfect perseuerāce of our faith in him, euen to y ^• end: Which we shal be sure to obtaine, so that no false doctrine of H. N. Vittel, nor any other, shall preuaile once to touch vs, bicause our hope resteth in the Lord Iesus. And I verily beléeue, y ^• although some of Christes houshold be entered into those steps of H. N. yet I dout not but the Lord in mercy wil cal thē, & if they wil not come, he wil force­ably compel them, if they be his. There­fore, you that are entered into the Fa­milie, through the swéete & sugred per­suasions of Vittell or any others, I be­séech you, euen for y ^• Lord Christes sake, [Page] consider from whome you are departed, euen from our Lorde Iesus, who hath bought you, whose armes are stretched abroade, ready to receiue you againe, with the reioycing of Angels ouer your conuersion. How acceptable you should be vnto Christ his Church, by proofe shal be perceiued, but especially how benefi­ciall you shall be thereby to your owne souls, and what rest to your conscience, none can expresse, but such as taste the same, & are partakers of the same grace of God in Christ Iesus. For this is vn­doubtedly true, that to wander astray, is a propertie belonging as well vn­to Gods chidren as vnto others, and their often falling is by many exam­ples of the Scriptures made manifest, but that they continue streying, and ne­uer returne home, or that by falling, they willingly wallowe in the myre, is a certaine note and mark that they per­taine not vnto the Lorde Iesus, nor are partakers of his death. Therefore if ye willingly perseuere and continue fol­lowers of H. N. Vittell, or any such, you are strangers in Christes schoole, and it [Page] will be sayde vnto you, Depart, I knowe you not. Auoyde therefore the daunger ye be in, acknowledge that your tea­chers may erre, and are mortall men. For since the Apostles times, there haue bene none so priuiledged, but that he might erre. The olde writers did euer giue that title vnto the holy Scripture, and desired to be beléeued no further, thē they agréed with the same: but your tea­chers will néedes haue their doctrine to be credited and beléeued, without exa­mination or triall. Assuredly if you did discerne them aright by the holy histo­rie, you should easily perceiue thē decei­uers, and your selfe deceiued. For if it be a trueth they teach vnto you, why teach they in corners, which trueth lo­ueth not. Euery truth is able to defend it selfe, especially the truth of God: and it is of that courage & boldnesse, y ^• there is no power, (be it neuer so mightie) but it dare stand fast and abide the tri­all, so inuincible a vertue is truth. Did Christe or his Apostles, being threate­ned not to publish a truth, c [...]ceale the same for feare of life? No verily: to the [Page] losse of life and limme, they stoode in the quarell of God, against the tyrants of the world, and preuailed. But Christo­pher Vittell your teacher, thinketh it sufficient to seduce you in corners, and suffer you to be imprisoned: but for him selfe he is safe ynough. A good sheepe­heard (saith Christ) will giue his life for his sheepe, but your shepheards wil not hurte their fingers for their Familie, but lurke in corners, and delude and deceiue greatly your simplicitie. Alas, why are you so bewitched, or so berest of sense, so to imagine, that a mortall man, an obscure Authour, whome you neuer sawe nor knewe, hath onely the truth, and all the world else seduced and deceiued: for so he him selfe confesseth: and that any other truth then the scrip­tures teach, is of necessitie to be belée­ued: or that his Glasse of righteousnes, which you neuer sawe, hath in it the wisedome▪ of God fully made knowne: or his Euangelium regni, Gospell of th [...] kingdome, is that testament sealed by Christes bloud. Surely beware, I ad­uise you betimes, prouoke not the Lord [Page] our God so vengeance with these ab­si [...]rde blasphemies. For it is witnessed, He will hasten his comming, and will not be slacke. You once did abhorre the Pope as Antichrist, and nowe doe im­brace an Authour; a right chicken of the Church of Rome, who hath opened the mysteries of the Masse, and euery tri­fling toy therein, at large, in his booke intituled. A declaration of the Masse. Alas brethren, is your faith which once you had in the mercifull promises of Christe Iesus come to this, that an ob­sc [...]re man, whose person you knowe not, and whose books you did neuer vn­derstand aright, hath stopped that liue­ly fountaine that did once flow in you? Assuredly, it is the malice of sathan that hath brought this to passe, y ^• you being led out of the way, into the bypathes of mans deuices, might perish in the same. But my hope is, that as many of you as pertaine vnto our Lord and sauiour Christ Iesus, and are members of the holy communion of Saints, shall at the last be brought to sée howe déepe you are fallen, and how sore ye haue ben woun­ded, [Page] euē to death, by that deceiuer Chri­stopher Vittell: a man borne (as it were of purpose) for that intent: whose erro­nious spirit the Church of God hath ta­sted many ways. And marke this thing well: that man that once is entred into heresies, & not wel reclaynied, is subiect to manifold temptatiōs of our enimie: which is well proued in your instructer Vittel, who teaching the monstruous o­pinion of Arrius many yeares together, now is possessed with infinite moe er­rours, and is the childe of destruction tenne folde worse then before. It is a wonder to sée, that men hauing once knowne Christ Iesus, do now notwith­standing denie the effect of his office, which the doctrine of Henrie Nicholas doth in many pointes, and yet is belée­ued and imbraced very gréedily of you, yea, aboue measure. It should appear that Christ was not surely fixed in your mindes, for if he had, no blast of H. N. Vittell, nor any, could haue separated you from the loue of Christ Iesus. Such wandering errours are they subiect vn­to, that perfectly doe not imbrace our [Page] Lord Christ, according to his promises manifested and declared in his worde: but féede themselues with fantasies and deuices of men, yea, such men as neuer lerned Christ Iesus truly. Such are ve­rified in the scripture, Exiére à nobis, sed [...]on erant de nobis: They went out frō vs but they were not of vs. Euery errour that hath bene in the worlde, hath had some patrones and defenders, learned and skilfull men in science and arte: but this errour of the Famil [...]e hath neither Authour nor disciple, which are indued with true knowledge or learning. For H. N. doth despise such as bring foorth a­ny doctrine out of the learnednesse of the Scripture, he saith, it is all seducing and lyes that such doe preach or teach, yea, and it is further auouched by H. N. that none of vs in the Church of God, [...]an teach the truth of Christ Iesus, but only he, and such Illuminate Elders as are brought vp in his Familie. But as I haue before procéeded, it is [...]uenient that their Authour speak himselfe, that the Familie may iudge that I deale in­differently. His wordes be these.

Hereby it is manifest, that H. N. doeth signifie vnto his Familie, that none can speak the truth but he & his Elders, nor none can vnderstande the scripture but they. Upon this persuasion it cōmeth to passe, y ^• few or none in the Familie doth credite or beléeue any other that teach, except H. N. or his Elders. How perni­tious this matter is, if you credite his speach, shal appeare. And if truth be tied [Page] except he be sent. If H. N. can proue vn­to vs that he is sent of God, (as he boa­steth) then he is to be credited: but we haue shewed that his voyces are not the voyce of God, reuealed to vs by Christe Iesus, but méere contrarie: therefore by no meanes to be credited. For none that is sent by God, will teach any doctrine contrarie to that whiche is reuealed in the scripture. For we are not to beléeue him, although he be an Angel from hea­uen. For H. N. teacheth not Christ, but himself, extolling him selfe, his doctrine, and his wisdome: which is a token and marke, that he is not led by the spirite of God, but is puffed vp with y ^e arrogant pride of his minde, in boasting maner, whiche Gods children did neuer follow. For the holie spirite doeth promise to dwell in the man that hath a lowly and humble heart, and not in the proud and arrogant person that boasteth himselfe. The spirit of God is neuer boasting, but in humilitie, méekenesse, and patience, doth set foorth the glory of God & Christ. And because we may better take a [...]ll vewe of H. N. and his spirite, I will set [Page] downe his owne words, wherby it may be the better discerned, of what spirit he is. His wordes are these.

Here mayst thou discerne H. N. and his boasting spirite: howe he commen­deth his godly wisedome, then how he extolleth his doctrine, saying, that his doctrine is their life: then he promiseth, that his Family shall, if they giue eare [Page] vnto him, and his doctrine, liue and in­herite the peace. He threateneth the mi­nisters of God (whome he calleth Cay­nish persecuters and murtherers,) that they haue falsely iudged his Fami­ly. He commandeth them to cease from iudging God his matters, saying, they vnderstand it not. He pronounceth the heauie curses of the lawe against them; if they repent no [...]. Last of all, he telleth, that the glorious Lordlinesse of GOD, shall in him be manifested, declared and fulfilled.

If H. N. do not shew him selfe naked & bare in this his pride, I report me to the indifferent view of the Family: (es­pecially such as are not entred into that gulfe, that no truth can be taught by a­ny other then by H. N. and his Elders) whether these spéeches procéede from the spirite of God, or from the spirite of pride and presumtion. Let them indiffe­rently iudge and espie the deceipt where it lurketh: namely, to discredite all the children of God which teach the Gospel of Christe Iesus, and to plant his doc­trine and teaching in stead thereof, and [Page] in déede it is the marke he shooteth at, but I hope in vain, to al y ^• be Gods chil­dren. What is this but to take away our comfort in Christes death and pro­mises, and to be deceiued with the sub­tilties of a seduced, and erronious spi­rite, and to discredite the Gospel, that we might depend vppon H. N. and his doctrine: O subtile Satan, if thou coul­dest bring this to passe, which thou go­est about in thy members, then haddest thou thy desire, to set vp thy selfe, and tread downe the bloud and death of the Lambe of God which hath taken away the sinnes of the worlde. But our God hath promised to kéepe vs his children euen as the apple of his eye. For as a Fa­ther hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him. Psalme. 103. ver. 13. So that Almightie GOD doeth prouide for his childrēs safty, from such poisoned infec­tion, and suffereth others, that willing­ly will wander out of the plaine wayes of Christ, which the Scriptures of God doe point vnto them. Of all the errours that euer the diuell did sowe to disturbe [Page] the Church of Christ, none is more sub­tile then this, y ^• no trueth can be taught by any other then by H. N. and his Il­luminate Elders: it is false, seducing, & deceiuing, what any other do teache. A­las, why should mortal man be thus lif­ted vp, and take vpon him Christ his of­fice & calling: for this prerogatiue onely hath Christ Iesus, and none other, to teache all truth, for it is one of his spe­ciall titles, I am trueth. Whither doth H. N. thrust himselfe by this proud chal­lenge, y ^• al truth is only taught by him, and his, and cā not be taught by any o­ther? sure into Christ his seat & office: but with Lucifer the Prince of pride, he shalbe thrown down headlong, & all such as in their puffed mindes doe exalte themselues aboue their state and condi­tion. For of all vice and sinne whiche man doth commit, none is more odious in God his sight, then pride, especially the pride of the minde in the highest de­grée, as this is, to place a vile man in Christ Iesus his office and calling.

Into suche errours doe they runne whiche content not them selues with [Page] the manifest and plaine testimonies of God, to vs reuealed in his worde: but curiously séeke for nouelties at y ^e hands of mortall men, yea vile men, and of the worst condition: and yet, so close they sticke vnto this heresie, by the persuasi­on aforesaide, (that no trueth can be taught but by H. N.) that I feare me the disease is incurable▪ except the Lord in mercie open their eyes, that they may [...]spie at the last, into what miserable and vile errours and heresies they are snared: which they shall neuer doe, so long as they holde that principle afore­saide. Yet we of the Lordes housholde, will not let to do our dueties to admo­nishe you, and shew you the greatnesse and daunger of your backslydinges, in charitable manner. And although this simple admonition will little preuaile to stirr vp your minds to acknowledge (with vs) the trueth of Christ Iesus his Gospell, yet knowe this vndoubtedly, that almighty God hath in his Church, men of zealous minds, that will not sée Christes glorie so defaced, and his Gos­pel so despised, but will in learned man­ner [Page] write against your Family, and are able to declare your errours, whi­che my vnlearned head is not able to bring to passe. Although thys will not moue your mindes, yet my conscience is quieted, in that I haue done my best for your conuersion, and discharged my duetie, which I owe vnto the Churche of Christ, (as a member thereof) to open and detecte your leaders and teachers which abuse your simplicitie without measure, and instruct you, that confe­rence is not good, that you may professe the doctrin of Henrie Nicholas inward­ly, and be subiect to the doctrine of the Gospell outwardly: whiche in plaine spéech is, to dissemble with GOD.

For you are obedient to such doctrine as is taught, you communicate with vs in Christes sacramentes, you heare our teachers expound the scriptures, and yet you credite and beléeue onely H. N. and his doctrine taught by Vittell. Is not this plaine hypocrisie? will God be thus mocked? If God be God, followe him: If Baal be he, follow him. In Gods trueth we must be of a single minde [Page] without halting, hypocrites and dissem­blers he vtterly abhorreth. If Christes Gospell be a trueth, as the diuels were driuen to confesse, then assuredly H. N. by the same doctrine is manifested to be a lyer, and hath not the spirite of God, but the spirite of pride in a boasting minde. Lift vp your heades, and sée in time vnto your health and saluation, searche the scripture more diligent­ly, and leaue the riddles of H. N. and you shal perceiue more contrari [...]tie in their teaching then I haue expressed: you shal rest in the cōfortable promises of Christ our Lord, and as for H. N. and his pro­mises, what haue we to doe with them? let them with their Authour perish in obliuion, and be deceiued no more ther­with: then shall ye féele how swéete the Lorde is, and what comfort we haue in Christ Iesus, which none can expresse but such as taste thereof, & féele it wor­king in them selues to immortalitie: which comfort is not found in the wri­tinges of any mortall man. Knowe this for certaine Lex Domini immaculata con­uertens animas, The Lawe of the Lorde [Page] is a perfect Lawe, and conuerteth soules▪ The lawes, preceptes, and writings of men, are all vnperfecte. Why doe ye cleaue vnto H. N. and his Bookes, and leaue this perfect lawe of righteousnes, which leadeth to life euerlasting?

If this warning will not serue, I shal sorrowe vntil God open your eyes, that ye may sée your grée [...]ous reuolte, and into what grinnes and snares of the di­uell you are wittingly ledde, but my prayer shall not be wanting for you, to desire the Lord in mercie, for his Chris­tes sake, that he will at the last mollifie your stonie heartes, and renewe a right spirite within euerie one of you, that your conuersion may be to Gods glo­rie, and the reioysing of his Churche.

If it please you to reade these simple instructions which I haue written for your sake, hurt thereby you can not haue: if any good happen, and that the Lord doe hereby open your eyes to be­holde your errour, giue glorie to the Lord our GOD, whose mercie is o­uer all his creatures, and imagine, (as trueth is) that I haue not so contu­meliosly [Page] vsed your Authour H. N. as he hath bitterly dealt with vs, in iudge­ing the Church of Christ, and all others that are not of his Family. I will vse his owne spéeche.

• 1 Here I haue repeated certeine sen­tences taken out of H. N. whereby first is shewed, that none can haue the truth which beléeue not in the loue, y ^• is, whi­che [Page] beléeue not as they do, nor are bap­tised in the name of y ^e father, which they take not to be y ^• sacrament of baptisme, but a mysterie excéeding my capacity to vtter, of incorporating vs into God.
• 2 Thē such as despise the Loue, & her seruice, shalbe consumed with fire euer lasting, that is, their teaching and ser­uice.
• 3 No man can obteine grace nor for­giuenes, except they ioyne with their commonaltie.
• 4 No people vppon earth can truely beléeue in Christ, but their Family, and such as walke with them.
• 5 Last of all they shall become incor­porated to the nature of God, through their seruice of Loue.

Here ye may sée the summe of that godly wisdome that is in your Author, & his déepe diuinitie. And surely in my minde it requireth no large discourse to confute the same: the spéeche of it selfe doeth sufficiently bewray the minde of their Authour: the effect whereof is, he and his Family haue onely the trueth, and all the world else are deceiued. But [Page] I may boldly say, and more truely, that no people in the world that haue any re­ligion, but they hearing H. N. and his doctrine, will iudge him to be a false Prophet, a vain boaster, and a deceiuer of suche as put any confidence in him: whose doctrine is so absurde, senslesse, & without comfort, that none but idiotes, or men without true religion, will im­brace the same. And although many simple people doe imbrace this vaine way, by the subtiltie of Christopher Vittel and others, yet I haue no doubt, but the Lorde in mercie will beholde their simplicitie, and giue vnto them a right spirite, to discerne trueth from falshod.

If I were disposed to lay abroade e­uerie odious matter, and euery Tra­gedie that I haue intelligence of in the Family, I should but infert the eares of Gods children with much vile mat­ter: which I had rather burie in silence, then by naming the persons, to make them abhorred of the multitude. I think it conuenient therefore, to couer their turpitude, rather then by manifesting [Page] the same, to publishe such odious stuffe, as would euen defile my pen to write.

Syr William Moore, a woorthy Iustice in Surrey, had the examina­tion of one or two of the Familye, who vttered much matter, which I am loth to write. I do gather it vpon this grounde, that forsomuch as their Il­luminat Elders do not sinne, and what so euer they commit, it cannot be sinne, (therfore if they fall into anye acte, be it neuer so vngodly) it can not be coun­ted sinne, as it procéedeth from them, because they are Deified. And what acte so euer they do, it can not be sinne, no more then the Prophete Osees, whi­che was commaunded to take a Har­lot to his wife, and to beget children in fornication, and he did so. Uppon such false and vaine persuasions, what vile doctrine doeth followe, the verie simple may perceiue. I doe absteine there­fore from further declaring, or dyla­ting of any such matter as this is, least I should euen infecte the ayre there­with.

And if any of the Family doe sup­pose [Page] that I write maliciously, & with­out proofe, let them signifie their minds vnto me, and I shall satisfie them pri­uately of all such matter as I haue in­telligence: with the processe, wholy and particularly. And if they denie that Henrie Nicholas doeth boaste him­selfe to haue the Spirite of GOD, (as I haue affirmed) and not by parti­cipation, but Godded with God, or in­corporated into GOD, as he vseth to speake: for my discharge, I will let H. N. tell how and in what manner he hath it, that you the Family, and all o­ther may perceiue what he is, rightly. His wordes be these.

He doeth not let to vtter vnto the Familie, how mightely and gloriously the God of heauen is in him: so that his sight and vnderstanding became clea­rer then the christall, or the sunne: whi­che if it be true, then it is méete that all generations of the earth submit them­selues therevnto, as he saith in his dia­logue. And surely this his boasting do­eth darken the glorie of Christe Iesus with his Family, excéedingly. And this is beléeued & credited among them, (the more pity) and the simple are delu­ded and mocked with such vaine boas­ting spirites, and it increaseth daily in the countrey, and créepeth as a canker euery where, through the smooth speach of their Elders. But how close they kéep them selues, and will not vtter their mindes to any other that is not of their companie, I can be both an eye witnes, and eare witnesse: which is a very sub­til [Page] persuasion of sathan. For that man that wil not vtter his griefe or sicknes, and where the paine is, howe or when cā he be healed? it is an vnpossible cure. Euen so, in the Family, they are so close and so warie in their speach, that they will not vtter their griefe to any that can ease them. Therfore so long as they continue in that minde, they are reme­dilesse. I shall not néede to confute their doctrin by the testimonies of holy scrip­ture (which in déede is easie to be done) I doe reserue the same to some zealous pastour in Christs schoole, which I dout not, but as occasion serueth, they wil be willing to perfourme. It is ynough for me to beginne the skirmishe, to display the Familie, to make readie the way, & to discrie their force, that others may come after and ouerthrowe their camp, and put them to silence for euermore. He that will rightly consider the origi­nall of this heresie, with the Authours, what persons taught it first, and when it did increase and growe: shall sée, that euen when the Gospell began to shine againe, being couered with clouds, and [Page] darkened with dreames of men, then began Sathan in Dauid George to en­uie the prosperitie of the Gospell. Dauid died An. 1556. and then Henrie Nicholas supplyed his turne, and followed his steppes, not in Dauids name, but in his owne name, as a Prophet sent of God to rebuke the world, and to bring them (as he saith,) to the right wayes. But more truely may it be affirmed, that they peruert the simple, which were en­tred into the right and plaine wayes of Christe our Lorde, and haue brought them from the pure waters, which are drawne out of the fountaine which the holy Ghoste by the scriptures doth offer vnto vs, and doe giue them dregges and puddle, which vngodly men haue digged out of the myre of their owne imagination, and do deliuer it as drink sent of God to quench their thirst: but they deceiue them most shamefully.

For to all our senses it doeth appeare to be ranke poyson, and doeth slay the sou­les of euery one that doth vsually drink thereof. If these simple admonitions may doe the least of you good, giue glo­rie [Page] and prayse vnto the Lorde our God: if not, I haue discharged my dutie whi­che I owe vnto Christe Iesus and his Churche, in letting you sée the begin­ners of your bewitched follie. And I shall not let to make my humble pray­ers vnto the Lorde our GOD, euen for his sonne Christe Iesus sake, that he will open your eyes, and mollifie your stonie heartes, that you may beholde the Lorde Iesus, which was crucified for you, who with his bloud hath clean­sed & washed your sinnes, be they neuer so great, that in his goodnesse and mercy he wil take away this erronious spirit wherewith ye are possessed, and create in you a right spirite, to be obedient to his will, and not to the will of mortall men, which seduce you, and leade you headlong to destruction: and that he wil bestowe vpon you his grace, to sée right­ly into his word, without the vaine sha­dowes of allegories which deceiue you, and leaue to vs nothing certaine: and that you may [...]leaue vnto the Gospel of Christ Iesus, and forsake the vain trust you haue in your Deifying, and to liue [Page] without sinne: which I instantly desire our Lorde God to bring to passe, for his sonne Christ Iesus sake. Amen.

1 Howe and in what manner the Lorde God hath appeared to H. N.

THE Lord God of heauen moued me Proph. cap 1. diui. 2. in his minde or spirit, his power com­passed me with a rushing noise: and the glorie of the same God of heauen became great in my spirite, in such wise, that the clearenes of God wholy inuironed me, and shone round about me, where tho­rough y ^• sight of mine eyes became clear­rer then the christall, and mine vnder­standing brighter then the sunne.

When I then perceiued or vnder­stoode Cap. cod [...]. diui. 5. it so, the Lords meaning and will vnto me, euen such as his beeing or es­sence spake vnto me.

For the being of God gaue forth his [Page] sound and voyce, and spake vnto me. H. N. through the spirit of his loue all these wordes.

2. The secrets of our hearts are knowne to H. N.

For although ye dissemble with mee, Cap. 3. di­uisi. 2. and howe craftily so euer ye couer you before me: yet are neuerthelesse, all the counsels and falshoodes of your hearts manifest before mee, and so muche the more naked and bare before the eyes of my heart and spirite.

For, no (beloued) no, ye can not bide Diui. 3. couered before me, nor before the face of my God.

3 H. N. can no more erre then Christ and his Apostles.

They doe iudge Moyses, the Pro­phets, Cap. 13. diui. 8. Christe, and his Apostles, and his Minister H▪N. to erre, and misse the right: rather then to acknowledge them selues in their imagination to be ignorant and lying.

4. The scriptures are fulfilled in H. N. and his Familie.

To the end nowe in the very last, the Scripture and all what God hath spo­ken Cap. 19. diui. 3▪ by his holy Prophetes, and what is written of Christ, should in vs and with vs become fulfilled, to the honour and glory of God, and to our ioy: like as it standeth written, Luke 1. ca. 24. vers. 44.

This is assuredly the heartie merci­fulnesse Diui. 11. of God ouer vs, nowe in the last time, to the end the glorious Lordly­nesse of GOD should in vs become ma­nifested and declared, and the Scripture fulfilled.

5 No man must mistrust H. N. in doctrine, nor any euill to be in him.

They ought to beware that they di­strust Exhort. 1. cap▪ 13. di­uisi. 11. not the eldest in the Familie of Loue▪ nor suspect any maner of euill or vnwisedome by him: nor yet also in a­ny wise persuade them selues, that the exercises, documents, and instructions, [Page] whiche are taught or set foorth before them, by the Father of the Familie of Loue, (or oldest Elder) are too slight, too childish, or too vnwise for them to fol­lowe after, or to obey: but with perfect hearts, humbly and singly minded, euen as good willing children vnto obedi­ence, to receiue the same instructions, proceeding out of the wisdome & coun­sel of the Eldest: and to stand euē so sub­mitted always, vnto the manly oldnesse in the loue.

6 The maner of shrift vsed in the Familie.

It is expedient, that they make mani­nifest Ibi. di. 12. their whole hearte, with all their counselles, myndes, willes, and thou­ghtes: together with all their doinges, dealings, and exercises, naked and bare before the Eldest in the Familie: and not to hide any thing, (bee it what it is) and al what their inclination and nature draweth them vnto, and al things wher­with they become tēpted in their heatrs.

If ye chaunce to offende or committe sinne, confesse the same before the prie­stes and Elders: and let all appeare na­kedly [Page] and apparantly before them.

7 That we must liue without sinne.

The vpright freedome is this, that the Exhor. 1. cap. 15. di. 26. fol. 40 heart, minde, and spirite is wholy relea­sed, purged, or purified, from all wicked nature which hath reigned ouer him, and that there dwell, liue, nor rule, any other thing in him, namely, in all his spirit, thought, mind, & soule, but alone the true godheade, with his louely being of the vpright loue: yea, to be so wholy replenished with all the vertues of God: and that there flow nothing else in him, namely in this spirite and minde, but the spirituall, heauenly, and liuing waters.

8 Howe H. N. iudgeth of vs, because we acknowledge our selues to be of the Church of Christ.

For that cause, if thou nowe account Proph. cap 11. fol. 27. not thy selfe for an whore, but esteemest thy selfe for the faithfull espoused wife of Christ, my ielous conceiuing can not stand otherwise, but that thou art a pre­sumptuous whore, whiche playest the hypocrite with Christe, and couertly [Page] committest whoredome: thou shalt be constrayned to drinke the bitter cursed water of my ielosie.

9 No man be he neuer so learned or godly, can vnderstand or interpret the scripture, but onely the El­ders in the Familie.

The Scripturely learned man hath no Proph. cap. 13. fol. 27. knowledge of Gods matters, he can not vnderstande any tittle, much lesse ex­pounde or interprete the same to others: all Scripture appeare to suche couered, secrete, in signes, and parables: nor can comprehend what the same (according to the trueth) is. What such conceiueth or speaketh, is false and lyes. It is assured­ly giuen to the family of Loue to vnder­stand the secretes thereof.

It is assuredly all false lyes, seducing Exhor. cap 11. fol. 44 and deceitfull, what the vngodded or vnilluminate men, out of the imaginati­on of their knowledge, and out of the learnednes of the scripture, bring foorth, preach and teach: they preach in deede the letter, and the immagination of their [Page] knoweledge, but not the word of the li­uing God. Let them esteeme themselues as holy as they wil: they are a false Chri­stianitie, a diuelish synagogue, or schole.

10 That all men must submit themselues vnto the godlie wisdome in. H. N.

Seeing nowe that I (my father) finde Dia. cap. 7 fol. 45. out in deede, that the Lorde the moste highest, hath reuealed his mercie seate, y ^• possession of his most excellent Maiestie and heauenly riches in thee, and with the same being of the perfect Godhead, made a godly dwelling with thee: so were it meete and conuenient, that al the generations of the earth submitted them selues vnto the same mercie seate and godly Maiestie, & assembled them ther­vnto.

11 Howe the Elders are Godded with God.

It becommeth not that any shoulde Exhort. fol 43. cap. 16. take in hand to teach, but only the Illu­minate Elders in the Familie: which also haue receiued the word of life from the [Page] liuing God, and are euen through the same, Godded with God, or incorpora­ted to God, with whom also God in on [...] being and power of his spirite, is Homi­nified, or become man.

THe cause that moued me to set foorth this litle piece of work, hath not ben (as I doubt you will imagine) of a ma­licious minde towardes your Familie, the Lord is my witnesse, I lament you, and malice you not: but of a sincere af­fection I owe vnto all Gods children▪ who by you are deceiued with the doc­trine of H. N. whom I haue manifested and made throughly knowne vnto the world. And I would to GOD that you coulde haue contented your selfe with the Authours bookes, and not haue pub­lished them to our brethren, the simple ones in the countrie: who are led easily into any newe doctrine which they ne­uer heard, by your subtile persuasion. And for as much as I knowe your per­son, [Page] and what capacitie is in you, I doe verily thinke, that the drift of H. N. is not vnknowne to you, namely, to set vp him selfe as a Prophete, to tread downe Christe Iesus our Lord, and to destroy the effect of his office. These things you sée well ynough in H. N. and yet you cease not still to ertall your Authour, and his bookes, and miserably seduc [...] the simple. Doe you thinke to escape the heauie stroke of Gods hande? No: he commeth, and will not be slacke to take vengeance of such as lead the sim­ple and blinde out of the wayes of the Lorde our GOD, and make them par­takers of doctrines of men possessed with Sathanicall spirites. It is ne­cessarie that offences come, but woe bee to them by whome they come: it were better that a milstone were hanged a­bout his necke, and hee cast into the Sea. If this doctrin be not offensiue to Gods children, iudge it your selfe. Consider that the bloud of those simple ones will be required at your handes, which pe­rish by deceite. Cursed is he that leadeth the blind out of the way. Woe bee vnto [Page] him that saith, sweete is sower, and sower sweete. Your erronious spirite is well knowne to Gods Church, I heard you at Paules Crosse recant the blasphemies of Arrius doctrine, the copie of which is foorth comming: and now Sathan hath possessed your minde with infinite moe blasphemies of H. N. Is this no sinne, thus to deceiue the simple? You are one of those Elders that kéepe all the Com­maundements of our GOD, and yet are a blasphemer and a sinner in the highest degrée. Your deceite is kno­wen, your trecherie is manifest, some of your owne Familie can testifie, that you are an hypocrite, and a dissembler, and liue of the spoyle of the poore, and haue left your arte and calling to liue méere ydlely, by sowing heresies, (as it were of purpose) to the destruction of many simple people. Alas, haue you a pleasure in their destruction? Doth it delight you to leade them headlong to perdition? Will not a day come when the Lord our God will charge you with this matter most sharplie? Remember in time, & mortall man, that thou shalt [Page] answere for euery soule that is peruer­ted. Although they perish, thou shalt not escape the Lordes handes. The more thou leadest into errour, the more grie­uous shall be thy destruction and dam­nation. Thinke not that thy counterfet shewe of a holy life, can any thing a­uaile. Now thy visard & cloake is pul­led off, I doubt not but the simplest wil espie thy deceit, and be no more deceiued with thy pretences, to gather their mo­ney daily, to set foorth the workes of H. N. and inrich thy selfe, as wil bee pro­ued. If thou feare not the vengeance of God, yet let the shame of y ^• world driue thée to confesse thy fault, and as thou diddest before recant the errour of Arri­us, so nowe come foorth out of thy denne, and recant the blasphemie of H. N. that the poore and simple may be brought in­to the wayes of Christe our Lord, out of which they haue wandered ouer long. Then shal the Church of Christ reioyce ouer your conuersion, and Sathan and his ministers shall be put to flight: the poore strayinge shéepe shalbe brought to the folde of Christe Iesus, and you shall [Page] be willingly receiued into the commu­nion of Saintes, where the faithfull re­ioyce in nothing but in the Lambe of God, who was cruci [...]ed for vs: singing prayses and thankes to him for euer­more. O Lorde in mercie, graunt that this may come to passe, for thy sonne our Saui­our Christe Iesus sake.

Amen.

1 FIrst, they be generally all vnlear­ned, sauing that some of them can reade English, and that not verie per­fectly, and of them that can so reade [Page] they haue chosen Bishops, Elders, and Deacons.

2 Their Bishops, Elders, or Dea­cons, do call those that be of their sect to­gether, by the name of a congregation, into one of their disciples houses, which they call also a Raab: where they com­monly méet, to the number of thirtie, or aboue, and their Bishop or Deacon doth reade vnto the congregation the Scrip­tures, expounding the same according to his owne fansie.

3 When any person shalbe receiued into their congregation, they cause all their brethren to assemble, & the Bishop or Elder doth declare vnto the new E­lected brother, that if he will be content that all his goodes shalbe in common a­mongst the rest of all his brethren, he shalbe receiued: wherevnto he answe­ring, yea, then he is admitted, with a kisse. vz. All the company both men and women kisse him, one after another.

4 At their méeting, either to receiue [Page] a new brother, or to reade the scripture, they all haue meate, drinke, & lodging at the cost and charges of the owner of the house, whome they call a Raab: and there they doe remaine as long as he hath good victualles for them, wherby sometimes they doe loose their Raab, sée­ing himselfe so farre ouercharged with them.

5 They are called together euer in the night time: and commonly to suche houses as be far from neighbours, one of them doth alwayes warne an other: and when they come to the house of mée­ting, they knocke at the doore, saying: here is a Brother in Christ, or a Sister in Christ.

6 When they be altogether, before their Bishop, or Elder, or Deacon wil reade the Scripture vnto them, he saith these words. All ye that are but weake, and not come to perfection, withdrawe your selues a while, and pray that you may be made woorthie therof. Where­vppon those weakelings doe repaire in­to [Page] an other place, and be not partakers of the doctrine that then shalbe taught, but afterwardes, as the Bishop, Elder, or Deacon séeth them frame thēselues, they shall be receiued to heare the doc­trine.

7 The Elder must not speak, the Bi­shop being present: nor the Deacon in the presence of either of them.

8 The Byshopp or Elder doeth al­wayes tell his congregation, that he hath more to teache them: so that he do­eth continually féede them with expec­tations of newe matters.

9 Euerie one of the congregation is inhibited to speake, or declare any thing that he learneth, vntill he be ad­mitted so to doe: and if he doe, he shalbe excommunicated, and, with great re­pentaunce againe receiued.

10 In the beginning of Quéene Ma­ries time, they would not come to the Church, thinking it damnable so to do▪ [Page] but within a yere after, they were chan­ged from that opinion, openly decla­ring vnto their brethren, that they were al bound to come vnto the church, and to doe outwardly, there, all suche thinges as the Lawe required then at their handes, vpon paine of damnation, although inwardely they did professe the contrarie.

11 They can not abide, any of their secte to pray, but those that bee newe receiued brethren, whome they call weaklings: thinking it a great fault to the rest, whome they affirme to be per­fect, to pray vnto God, as though they were importunate troublers, and ve [...] ­ers of him, hauing no néed to do so.

12 They s [...]orne all those y ^e say, Good Lorde haue mercie vppon vs miserable sinners: saying, they that so say, declare themselues neuer to amend, but still to be miserable sinners, whereas we doe liue perfectly and sinne not.

13 They may not say, God speede, [Page] God morrow, or God euen, but to those that be of their secte: and to others, they say, Speede, Morrowe, Deuen.

14 They may not say, God saue any thing. For they affirme that all thinges are ruled by nature, and not directed by God.

15 They did prohibite bearing of weapons, but at the length, perceiuing them selues to be noted and marked for the same, they haue allowed the bea­ring of staues.

16 When a question is demaunded of any of them, they doe of order stay a great while, ere they do answere: and commonly, their worde shalbe, Surely, or, So.

17 They may answere to euerie de­maundant (not béeing one of their sect) in suche sorte as they thinke best shall please him. For they say, they are bound to deale truely with no man in word or déede, that is not of their congregation: [Page] alledging, that he is no neighbour, and that therefore they may abuse him at their pleasure.

18 When their wiues are to be de­liuered of childe, they must vse the help of none other, but of those, that be of their secte: so that sometime the women are deliuered in the fieldes, for that they would eschewe the comming of others vnto them: as one of them was, hauing no woman with her at her trauel.

19 If any of their secte do die, the wife or husbande that ouerliueth, must marrie againe with one of their congregation, or else the offence is greate: the marriage is made by the brethren, who bringe them together sometime, that dwell aboue a hundreth myles a sunder: as for example, Tho­mas Chaundler of Wonerse, in the coun­tie of Surrey, had his wife fetcht out of the Isle of Ely by two of the congrega­tion: the man and the woman being vtter straungers, before they came to­gether to be married.

[Page]20 They doe diuorce againe them­selues a sunder if they can not agrée, before certeine of the congregation: as the saide Chandeler. and his wife did, vppon a mistyking, after they had béene one yeare married together.

21 Whosoeuer is not of their sect they accompt him as a beast, that hath no soule, and shal yéelde no account for his doing: but as a beast shall dye and not rise againe, in bodie or soule. And to proue it, they allege a place out of Es­dras that, Who so is not of God, shall be as a drop of water that falleth from the house, and commeth to nothing.

22 They hold, that he which is one of their congregation, is either as per­fecte as CHRISTE, or else a ve­rie diueti.

23 They holde, it is lawfull to doe what so euer the higher powers com­maunde to be done, thoughe it be a­gainst the commaundementes of God: and for that they alledge the wordes [Page] of S. Peter. Submit you selues to the or­dinaunces of the higher powers.

24 They denie that Christ is equal with God the Father in his Godhead: vppon this place of Scripture, My Fa­ther is greater then I.

25 It is odious for them to say, God the Sonne: for they denie him to be God as is aforesaide.

26 They denie the Trinitie, scor­ning them that say, God the Father, God the sonne, & God the holy Ghost: as though by saying these wordes, they shoulde affirme to be thrée Gods.

27 They holde, that no man should be baptised, before he be of the age of xxx. yeares. And therefore haue diuers of them béene baptised at those yeares and vpwardes.

28 They holde, that euerie man ought first to be in an errour before hee canne come to the knowledge of the [Page] trueth.

29 They say, that as Christ raised the dead, cleansed the lepre, gaue sight to the blind, and walked on the waters, so doe they.

30 They holde, that heauen, and hel are present in this worlde amongst vs, and that there is none other: & for proofe thereof, they alledge the xvij. of Mat­thewe, of Christes transfiguration: that as the cloude remoued, Peter did sée Eli­as, and Moses: so if the clowde were re­moued away, both heauen & hell should be visible vnto vs.

31 They holde, that they are bound to giue almes to none other persons, but to those of their sect: and if they do, they giue their almes to the diuel.

32 They holde, that they ought not to burie the deade, vppon this place of Scripture: Let the dead burie the dead.

33 They holde, that they▪ should so [Page] prouide, that if any perish, all should pe­rishe: so that euerie one of them should reléeue him with his goodes, that de­cayeth.

34 They holde, that none ought to receiue the sacraments before he recei­ueth their whole ordinaunces: as first, he must be admitted with a kisse, then his féete must be washed, then handes laide on him, and so receiued.

35 They holde, the Popes seruice, & this seruice now vsed in the Churche, to be naught, & yet to be by them vsed as frée in the Lorde, to whome nothing is vncleane.

36 They hold, that all men that are not of their congregation, or that are reuolted from them, to be dead.

37 They holde, that no Bishop, or Minister should remaine still in one place, but that they ought alwayes to be wandring from country to countrie.

[Page]38 They holde, that the Angels Ra­phael & Gabriel and others, were borne of a Woman.

39 They hold, that they ought not to say Dauids Psalmes as prayers: for they are righteous and without sinne.

40 They hold, there ought to be no Sabbath day, but that all should be like: and for that they alledge. The Sonne of of man is Lord ouer the Sabbath day.

41 They hold, that as God made heauen and earth by Iesus Christe: vz. the word: so did he it by them.

42 They hold themselues to be Ma­ries: and say, that Christ is come foorth in their fleshe, euen as he came foorth of the virgin Marie.

43 They holde, that there was a­worlde before Adams time, as there is nowe.

44 They hold, y ^• they ought to kepe scilence amongest them selues that the [Page] bertie they haue in the Lorde, may not be espied of others.

45 They holde, that no man should be put to death for his opinion: & there­fore they condemne Maister Cranmer, and Maister Ridley, for burning Ioane of Kent.

46 They can not abide any exposi­tion of Scriptures, but their own, con­ferring one place of Scripture with an other, and so to say their mindes of it, without any other bodies exposition.

47 If any of them be conuented for his opinion, and doeth denie the same by open recantation: he taketh that to be a glorie vnto him, as though he had suf­fered persecution in this doing: and yet still inwardly mainteyning these opi­nions.

48 They bragge verie muche of their owne sincere liues, iustifying themselues, saying, Marke, how pure­lie we liue.

[Page]49 If they haue any thing to doe, touching the ordering of their temporal thinges, they must do it by aduise: as to aske counsell of the Lorde, vz. they must go to one of their Bishops, or El­ders, and to aske of him counsell, what he shall do, and he must follow it.

50 When they giue their almes, there is a hat set by the Bishop or El­ders vppon a table, and then euery one of the congregation doth put vnder the hat, that he is disposed to giue: all which money commeth to the Bishops or El­ders handes, and so the same is by him or them distributed, as they will: but to whome, none of the congregation knoweth.

51 They haue certaine sleightes a­mongest them, to answere any questi­ons that shall be demaunded of them, with deceiuing the demaundant: as for example: if one of them be demaunded howe he beléeueth in the Trinitie, he will answere, I am to learne of you: & so prouoketh the demandant to shew [Page] his opinion therein: which done, he will say then: I do beléeue so: by the which wordes he meaneth, that he beléeueth the demaundant saith as he thinketh: but not that he thinketh so.

52 They do decrée, all men to be in­fants that are vnder the age of thirtie yeres: so that if they be demaunded, whither Infantes ought to be baptised, they answere, yea, meaning thereby, that he is an infant, vntill he attaine to those yeres, at which time [...]e ought to be baptised, and not afore.

53 Their Bishoppes, Elders, and Deacons, do increase in riches, and be­come wealthy, but their disciples be­come poore and fall to beggerie.

I Haue bestowed diligence ( M. Rogers) in perusing the Booke which ye set out, intituled, The displaying of an horrible sect of grosse and wicked heretiques, naming them selues the Familie of Loue, with the liues of their Authours, and what doctrine thei [...]each in corners: with yet cer­tain Articles confessed by two of the Familie be­fore Syr William Moore. which when I went about to peruse, I founde it so friuolous and voyde of good, argument, that I much maruel­led what might be the cause, why the authour deuised such vntruthes, and chiefly, bicause he put it in print at the instance of his friendes, (nay rather enimies): for friends persuade ho­nest things, and enimies dishonest. You write that the paines you tooke, was for a priuate friend, fallen into that errour, and though you were moued to put it in print, yet you were loath for diuers causes: but chiefly bicause your conscience tolde you, that the eyes of the worlde should by that meanes see your mani­fest vntrue reportes, for falshoode would haue corners, and feareth the light. If it were on­ly ignoraunce, it were the better to be borne withal: but indeede (as it seemeth) it is come out of malicious enuie: Many goodly shewes can not colour the matter: for it is a custome for men for good maners sake, to alledge great wants to performe their intents, and yet will [Page] aduenture their follies, with hazard of good or euill successe. A rude stile is neuer hurt to an honest cause, for the honestie beautifieth al de­formities of rudenesse. But for the bragge to haue some other of more iudgement to replie, I verily think that no honest man of any wit, will assay to defend so vnhonest attemptes, least he be drawne in by that means with this Author [ I. R.] to be found foole-hardy, or rash­hastie, perfourming therein (as well by wri­ting as by deede) vncharitable i [...]ueighings & impugnings o [...] that which you confesse you are not acquainted withall: and for that cause you are rightly termed of some, for slaundrers. For in deede many (knowing the people slan­dered, to be honester then the slaunderers) call in doubt whether those sayings might be true which are vitered against them. Nowe ye shall see this good childes care, as out of du­tie to Gods Church [euen as blinde as bolde] steppes in first, to reprehend and condemne the loue of God and Christe (which is the holy Ghoste) euen out of a zeale to aduaunce his purpose, whereby he might shewe the fruites of a iustifying faith: and (bicause he hath long time looked about, and yet findeth none that wil be so maddas to enter with him) see now, howe he can (according to his blindnesse) re­proue others: not seeing that they out of more modestie for certaine causes, forbeare to write, least that they with like rashnesse, should en­ter into like follie. This Familie of Loue (saith he) is muche increased within many [Page] Shieres of this realme, which he rueth much. who s [...]eth not this his greate blindnesse and follic? Could any man (I am bold herein with you M. Rogers) r [...]e the prosperitie of the hous­holde of God, vnlesse he him selfe were of the houshold of the diuel? and who would speake so shamefully [or rather shamelesly] againste Gods Ministers (as you doe) were he not one of the Ministers of the diuell? I pray you consider: the ground whereon you lay your foundation; is against one H. N: whome you neuer knewe nor vnderstoode of. For that I haue heard thereof, truely it is not the signifi­cation of any mans name: But as Christ gaue out his name by two Caracters or letters A. and [...] ▪ so I see not [...] he [that is to say Christe.] may be as well all the other letters betwéene them two, in as much as he is the first and the last. But it is very farre from M. Rogers minde, to looke▪ so narrowly into the matter. I remember in the Apo. 2. it is writ­ten. To him that ouercōmeth will I giue to eate Manna that is hidde, and will giue him a white stone: and in that stone [...] newe name written, which no man knoweth, sauing he that receiueth i [...]: Now if he that hath inueighed against H. N▪) hath (in the omnip [...]tent power of the most highest) ouercome in that manner as is afore­saide, then can he knowe this name: Other­wise let him & all his adherents for euer here­after be silent, least they (seeming to teache GOD what he hath to doe) perish accor­ding to the witnessing of the Prophete. Be­holde [Page] ye despisers, wonder and be confounded: for I doe a worke in your dayes, which ye shall Aba. 1. a Acts. 13. f not beleeue, albeit any one should tell it you. I must also a little put you in minde of your impudent dealings. You say you haue read a confession of their faith newly made, which neither you nor any of your adherēts can in a­ny worde iustly reproue: why shoulde you then (vnlesse it were out of cankered enuie, & according to your forefathers nature and ac­customed maner) so standerously report of vs, as that we are ashamed to acknowledge our beleefe? You affirme also, that much more false doctrine then you haue set out in that booke, is taught among the people, which (to confute) you complaine your selfe to be vnable to per­forme for the lacke of learning, neuerthelesse, you will giue vs a taste of this doctrine, to giue the children of God to beware thereof, yet many bookes (you say) are abroade which you haue not seene, and againe, some you haue seene, but yet had no leasure to peruse: for the vse of the people is not to let any but their owne companie, to see their bookes, neither wil they confer or talke in any points of doc­trine, but with such as them selues. Nowe I pray you [...]ee what a Caueat you put in to ex­cuse your malice (in that you haue not seene some of the bookes, and yet those some which you haue seene, you had no time to peruse suf­ficiently, neither could you conferre with the people for their subtilties cause). Loe, here is like to proceede some good stuffe I warrant [Page] you! For how can you say, but at aduenture, of the things which you neuēr heard ne sawe? I would you had played an honest mans part, and had vsed but equall weight and measure, & not haue (contrarie to your promise, where you said you wil alledge the Authors words, and neither adde ne diminish) taken here three or foure lin [...]s, and then passe ouer tenne or twelue, and then againe take two lines, and a­gaine passe ouer sixe lines, & take halfe a line, &c. and so make a sentence thereof. Thus is your doings found out of so many as haue cō ­pared your allegations with the bookes of the Authour: Notwithstanding all this, you protest that you are voyde of malice in your vntrue booke, seeming rather to pitie the poore seduced people, then otherwise intending en­uie. You promise likewise to put downe no­thing wherof you haue not sufficient warrant by certaine in the Duche Church, [but sure I am, not of Christes Church, for as much as they exercise not their mouthe [...] with Iyes]: but you haue heard so, and therefore it is so, men of good credite say so: I had rather heare an honest poore mans report truly spoken, then a riche credible mans that is a lyar, and it is well knowne to some of the Duche Church, that your credible men are lyars, yet can you be content to fauour their reportes. And as touching the cyting of H. N. his owne words, without adding or diminishing (I am asha­med of your disorderly dealings therein) that shall so appeare in the aunswere to the booke, [Page] as ye shal be proued therein as in y ^• rest, a fal­sister of both. The speach which you pretend to haue had with many of the company, I dare affirme it to be a great vntruth, & is but a vi­sard (as you haue saide of them) to couer your malice withall. I would shame would let you tell the truth, then should you say as it is, that your mate E. L. (one of your own familie) hath prompt you forward in these matters, especi­ally against Christopher Vitall [a man whose honest life and conuersation, you were neuer able to come near [...], nor shall, vnlesse you mend your wordes, deedes, weightes, measures, and waxes]. But will you see one notable matter which you haue gathered out of this Authors wordes more: that is, The truth hath not bene taught in the world since the Apostles time, but nowe by the Familie: the Scripture affirmeth Scripture euil appli­ed. that Christ (the onely trueth): hath saide: My kingdome is no [...] of this world, and howe can the trueth be taught, where the kingdome is not? for it hath bene euer hid from the worlde and her wise, but yet alwayes manifested a­mongst the outseuered ones from this world. And euen as the enimies of the same trueth haue alwayes martyred Gods holye ones, euen so nowe woulde suche worldlings as you are, doe, had you power thereto. And this I assure you, that the very same doctrine which those Martyres haue taught, the same doth H. N. teach: but you say, truth seeketh no corners, (see your appliment herein) Christe commandeth his disciples, saying: When they [Page] persecute you in one citie, flee vnto an other, & we read that Christe also many times went from place to place, to auoyde such your fore­fathers, the Scribes and Pharisees, who sought his life. And I pray you, did not Ia­cob flee from his brother Esau, Noe from the whole worlde, Lot from the Sodomites, Elias from all men, Dauid from Saule, with infinite more examples? Then howe doe you approue your matter? It can (belike) be no truth, ex­cept you allowe it to be true, a sound conse­quent. Likewise, you say, vntruely citing the wordes, that the Illuminate Elders can not erre nor sin, nor dare before the simple ones in Christes Churche, approue their Authours doctrine: you haue (I am sure) good warrant, to seuer the Illuminate Elders in the godly wisedome and holy vnderstanding, out of the Church of Christ. But I haue better to proue that you are not thereof. You disallowe others of bosting, bicause you might boast alone: is y ^e suffering with Christ to rayle vpon his true mēbers? or else in patiēce to take vp our crosse, and so suffer, till (by his suffering in vs) we be deliuered & iustified (but I dare say you vn­derstand me not now) from sinne, death, diuill, and hell? but your wordes are no slaunders as you thinke, else woulde you season them with truth, for very shame. For were it per­mitted that companie (with indifferencie) to auouch the trueth of their cause, as it is permitted you and your companie slaunde­rously to blaspheme, you shoulde then bee [Page] shewed in your right colours. Ye say also that their Rabies or Elders haue recanted A­rianisme at Paules crosse: as well might you be charged with other matter, &c. But your obiection is false, witnesse my Lorde of Canterburie that nowe is: and yet more were to be saide, but the companie hopeth your conuertiō, although at this present your brethren in Christ (for their good faithes cause they haue in your licentious doctrine of pre­destination and free election) fill all the pri­sons The opi­niō of the Familie of Loue con­cerning predesti­nation. almost in England: but what reason haue I to charge you therewith, but forsooth to put you in minde, that you looke to your selfe and yours, before you reproue others, which (mee thinketh) is but reason. You giue a glaunce also at the greatest house in this realme, which you wish were cleare of such errours, but (put vp your bolt I aduise you) whether that house hath auctoritie to ouer­looke you and your adherents, that may you knowe hereafter. Moreouer, you say you could (if you listed to be a blab) tell out ma­ny discentions among them, who yet (you confesse) will not in their best thinges make you or any other acquainted, much lesse in things against them selues: but it is true like the rest: all this is but to make your spea­ches wonderfull, and your modestie greater then it is. You forget thereby many Prote­stants (I thinke excelling you in vnderstan­ding) in Rome, Spaine, Italie, and other places vnder the Bishop of Romes inquisitiō, which [Page] holde it good pollicie to defend them selues & their consciences in keeping them from such Tyranny. Will you not allowe to others, as you gladly challēge to your self▪ then we must say you are vnequall in your doings. But wil you see the most egregious vntrueth that can be spoken by this newe shamelesse writer. He alledgeth Iohn Leydon and Snypper Dolling at Munster in Westfalia, which were duely punished for Anabaptisme by the gouernours and Lordes of that time and place, as appea­reth by many writers, as Iohn Sleydon and o­thers. And because these men were Hollan­ders, and as he affirmeth, schollers of Dauid George, therefore H. N. must be belike (by that reason) one of that confederatie. For al­though many learned writers do affirme their matter to be Anabaptisme, yet this man will haue it the Familie of Loue. Fulwell doe you open your malice herein as in the rest, with your forefathers, who saide that Christ had the diuell, and was a wine bibber, a com­panion of sinners, &c. but repent least that chaunce to you that came vpon them. And a­gaine, looke I pray you, howe you stumble in your owne tale. You would prooue that none hath receiued their ministerie from the mouth of God (you'speake of Paule) did not Christ speake to him after his ascention from hea­uen? and I pray you tell mee, what mini­stration (that euer was true) came frō other then Gods owne mouth? you are taught to flee such boasters: like enough, for so Satan [Page] hath alwayes taught his children. And as concerning the badge whereby you woulde knowe them, is (as you set downe) by pub­lique declaration, which is vtterly false. For Moyses onely shewed his ministration to the Israelites: Abraham, to his children: Noc, to his familie: Lott, to his housholde: and all the Prophets, to Gods peculier children: the Apostles, in priuate houses, &c. And nowe (to be short) the disciples of Christe▪ or his worde, which are taught by the doctrine of Christ our sauiour out of the mouth of H. N. do confesse freely before all men, the ground of their faith and religion: and though you will not credit it, yet it doth not followe that it is not so: except this reason (as God forbid) should alwayes holde, like as it hath holden of late: Because men say I am a theefe, there­fore no proofe of lawe: the testimonie of my neyghbours with whome I liue, nor mine owne words (against so simple an alligation) must be permitted: but all is vntrue nowe except it be to proue your false words & slaun­derous brutes trewe. Here we finde will and vniustice, on your parte, to haue more rule, then equitie or good reason. And nowe there­fore ( master Rogers) will I (euen out of loue to an admonition of you to your preser­uation) display vnto you a little of the diffe­rence betwixt the doctrine of H. N. & yours. He exhorteth (according to the doctrine of Iesus Christ mentioned in the Scriptures) to true repent [...]unce: godly loue: an vpright [Page] faith: and dutifull obedience, &c. (euen like as many of you at this day, in words do,) but yet he with more power: for he manifesteth according to the trueth, that none among all the children of men shalbe found meete (in the sight of the Lord) to beare the names of Chri­stians (boast they neuer so much of their Chri­stianitie, freedome, or iustification by Christe in their vnregenerated life as they wil) which hath not submitted them selues in true re­pentance, vnder the obedience of Gods holie lawe, which is administred vnto them in the seruice of Loue: for to become first disciples of the same worde, to a reformation of their owne wayes: and not to go presently foorth with the knowledge, and teach others (as you do) before they be come taught and reformed thereby: neyther yet to iudge others therwith (as you now do) before they be come first iud­ged thereby: which he calleth the true bap­tisme, in the name of the father. And then (being so taught vnto Iesus Christ in the holie lawe) to take vp (in the beleefe) their crosse daily on them, with Christ against the sinne (which he calleth, the true baptisme in the name of the Sonne) vntill that Christe (which is the way, the trueth, and the life it selfe) haue gotten a liuing shape or fourme in them by faith: and that they (through the Spirite of loue or Christ) be raised vp againe in a newe life (which he calleth the true bap­tisme in the name of the holy Ghost.) where­vnto all the Familie of Loue or of God, at [Page] this day are louingly called: and doe meane (by Gods assistance) most earnestly to ende­uour themselues, (: but yet with much more quietnesse) mought they haue rest by such eni­mies to all godlynesse as you are. Although you be vnaquainted with this doctrine▪ or ra­ther true baptisme, here following: yet would wee not therefore haue you belye vs (accor­ding to your accustomed manner) and saye, that we deny the holy sacrament therof. And although this infallible Christian doctrine, of Loue, Faith, Obedience, and Life, which is taught by H. N. in the seruice of Loue, & ac­cordeth with all Scriptures, remaineth yet vnknowen (much lesse practised) amongst you free ones or Lybertines, and this true repen­tance which is taught (vnder the obedience of the holy lawe of God the Father): this true crosse of Iesus Christ (which is taught vn­der the obedience of the beleefe of God the Sonne) and this true resurrection or newe­nesse of life (which is taught vnder the obedi­ence of the loue of God the holie Ghoste) is Rom. 6. a. b. c. &c Ephc. 4. [...]. Collos. 2. b 2. Timo. 2 c. d. Gall. 3. d nowe blasphemed, despised, and resisted, as an vnneedefull thing of you: yet is the same ne­uerthelesse (by the Familie of Loue or of God) found to be the olde and true way, corespon­dent with all the doctrine of the Apostles of Iesus Christ, and therefore so needefull, that without it (looke ouer the Scriptures againe so m [...]ny as be wise among you) there shall no man finde mercie with God, or els (through Iesus Christ) become saued. Then (Alas [Page] master Rogers▪ alas) what haue you done: (I hope nothing yet but out of ignorance) I would then you woulde looke better into the matter: for if H. N. be a minister of the Lord, then you haue much ouershot your selfe. I leaue Stephan Bateman to the righteous iud­gement of the Lord, as one in whome there is small hope of any goodnesse. Wherefore, the Lorde God for his Christes sake, graunt you eyes of vnderstanding, and a repentant heart to aske forgiuenesse, for so maliciously blas­pheming Gods loue and trueth extended to­wardes vs (out of mercie vndeserued) and to aske mercie for deprauing such a gratious worke of God, published forth nowe in the last time to all mens preseruation that desire to walke▪ therein: whereof we shalbe right glad: and then shal you be deliuered from that lying spirite, which nowe seeketh (like as in times past) with moste horrible slaunders & lyes to deface all good, & all such as inde­uour themselues therevnto. So shal it come to passe, to Gods glorie, your saluation, & our comfort. Amen.

I Receiued a letter from you as from an vnknowē friend, conteining mat­ter inuectiue against my booke, as also verie many contumelious & slaunderous speaches touching my honestie: both which to aunswere you shall finde me readie and willing, although not with like speach of disdaine, sauouring of the spirite of enuie and not of loue. To all which speach touching my honestie this shall serue for answere: the Lord deale so and so betwéene vs, as you vniustly charge me with waightes, measures, wares, &c: but the contents of my booke dis­quieteth your moode, the which you shal finde more large in aunswering.

1 The first matter: you tell me that no honest man woulde assay to defende so vnhonest attempts: to defend my ho­nestie I will not in this place, my pro­testation shall serue: but if the cause be dishonest then I am worthy great re­prehension: [Page] but you mistake me vtter­ly that I reprehend the loue of God and Christ: farre be that from me: it is selfe loue that I discommende in your au­thor, and in you all of this family. For the loue of God is manifested to vs by Christ our Lorde, which is our onely comfort. So God loued the worlde &c. Iohn. You loue your authour so wel that this loue of God little appeareth.

2 Could any man, (you say) rew the prosperitie of the householde of God, ex­cept he were of the diuell? no verelye. If you were of Christs householde, we as fellowes woulde imbrace you, but straungers from that household ye are, and as straungers lurke in corners.

3 My foundation you say is against H. N. whom I neuer knewe, nor vn­derstode off: True it is touching his person, but by his doctrine he is not vn­knowne to me, whose bookes I haue to shewe.

4 You say, as Christ in the reuelati­on is shadowed by two caracters A. and O. so none can knowe his name except he ouercome in the spirite, therefore we [Page] must be scilent hereafter, for H. N. is not the signification of any mans name. This is a great mistery in déede, for if H. N. be not a man, then haue I vtterly mistaken my selfe: but sure the bookes were not written by Angels, man was the minister, and the man that write them, his name is Henrye Nicholas, & the same mans life I haue truely set downe: not hearesayes, but the trueth: not of enimies, but of his neighbours & familiers: not one man, but many: they will not onely speake the trueth, but are ready vppon their othes to testifie the same.

5 Where you iudge that you are suer they are not of the Church of Christ, it is very rash Iudgement: I coulde testifie of their honest life and manners, but it shalbe here imperti­nent. You make your comparisons vn­equall, because Christ by two letters did testifie his maiestie & power as god: will you admit H. N. by like reason to vse two letters significant. In déede I haue [...]en aunswered y ^• H. N. signifieth Homo nouus, but such follyes will not [Page] serue: you must of necessitie acknow­ledge H. N. to be a man: as one of our Family at Farnam, before the Bishop of Winchester did acknowledge & confes him, that is to say, H. N. not only to be a mā, but also a sinner: & least you shuld burden me with vntruth as you haue done, I will giue you his name: R. W.

6 You put me in minde of my impu­dent dealing, in that I haue saide that none of your family dare set forth your doctrine in principles, that all men may sée wherein you and we differ, & you referre me to a little booke called The confession of the Family, which booke I haue read: but that is very plausi­ble, nothing differing from vs. If you helde no worse pointes then that booke doth vtter, suerly I would come before you al, acknowledg my fault, and craue pardon: but this is a méere mockery of the people, to set down your faith com­mon with vs, and nothing contrary to vs, where as your authour in sun­drie places tearmeth vs a diuellish Si­nagogue or school [...], and that we are not the Church, but a harlo [...]t. If you and [Page] we professe one Christ, one baptisme, one faith: why are we seuered in com­munion? but it is a worlde to sée your doings in this matter. When any of your family are conuēted before any of­ficer in Christes Church, then you sub­scribe to any forme, you recant in your owne churches, you promise neuer to professe H. N. nor his doctrine: and yet still after so sollemne protestations you reteine your secrete doctrine, which in fewe wordes is not plaine dealing. If your doctrine be a trueth, why doe you still deny it? if the power of God hath shone through H. N. so mightely, why doe you not in principles drawe your doctrine, that the people of God may sée vppon what groundes and stayes you haue seuered your selfe from vs? but you vse the pollicy of the cuttle, a fish, whose property is to trouble the water, that she may not be séene: so with your darke speaches & misteries, you would cast a myst that no man should sée your meaning: and then stande vppon your tiptoes and say, that your sentences haue such profounde maiestie, that our [Page] simple & grosse capacities cannot com­prehend the same. Plaine dealing is e­uer best. If we be in error, shewe it to vs in what points, and for my owne part I wil (if you can conuince me by the testimonies of holy scripture,) yeald vnto you or any.

7 What conference I haue had with your family, dyuers of your family can tell you.

8 You say my disorderly dealing shall appeare in the aunswere to my booke, which for my part I shal long looke for: for hitherto you haue not set down any one place where in I haue mistaken your author. In déede I tooke not vpon me to write against any one booke, but to display what absurdities I finde in your authors Doctrine: you shall finde that performid or it be long by Maister Knewstubs, who hath written a book to confute your Euangelium Regni. You apply this text of holy scripture very fondly: Christ saith, my kingdome is not of this world.

9 You aske howe the trueth can be taught where his kingdome is not? If [Page] you meane by this worde kingdome, power maiestie, & dominion, then it is shewed in y ^• world, & manifested to hys Church: But by kingdome the Euan­gelist doth vnderstande (as I take it) an outwarde shewe of principalitie, which the Iewes looked for to be in their deli­uerer or Messias, which he denied to be in him: which may better appeare in that which followeth. For then would my ministers surely fight for me.

11. I knowe that Christ chiefly reig­neth in his Churche: but who are the Church is the question. Euery heresie seeketh to shadowe it selfe with the title of the Church, but by the life of Gods holy worde they haue béen found heretikes and seducers: and yet I neuer hearde of any errour but drewe their doctrine into principles, and durst dis­spute with any in their opinions, except one Basilides whiche Eusebius in his 4. booke Chap. 7. maketh mention of: who feining sundrie titles of vnknown names of Prophetes, to amaze their hearers, depending vpon Reuelations, and visions: amongest other thinges [Page] taught this, that in time of persecution their faith w ^t periury might bee denied: saying. Iura periura fidē prodere noli. Now surely if I might without offence com­pare your dealings with Basilides, it shoulde be founde little differing.

12 You say that the same doctrine which the Martyrs taught in the pri­mitiue Church. H. N. teacheth nowe: but wee plainely denie that euer any taught a perfection to bee atteyned vn­to in this life, to liue not daily commit­ting sinne: or that our battell is ended when we be re generat: or that any H. N. hath receiued such power of teaching extraordinarie, as you imagine. For we denie that he hath the spirite of god, and say that he teacheth méerè contrary doctrin vnto the scriptures. It is there­fore conuenient that you shew vs wher in you & we differ, in what pointes, & in what doctrine: and then we shal thinke that there is some shewe of good mea­ning in you: otherwise if you continue disslikers of our profession, and shewe vs not wherein, but referre vs to your authors bookes, we shall neuer find out [Page] the difference betwene vs.

13 In déede in your long discourse you haue shewed your disliking in one part of our doctrine, to wit, of predestinati­on, which you impute to be the cause of the fulnes of prisons in England, but before the doctrine was set foorth, pri­sons haue béene full of leude persons, & such as regarde no religion. There­fore you doe not well to charge the doctrine of predestination with so foule a faulte. Which doctrine standeth vpon the omnipotencie of God: so that they that acknowledge his almightinesse, must of force graunt his power in pre­destination and election. And although some stumble at the same yet the faulte is not in the doctrin but in the persons, who take it by that part which it is not to be holden by. For as a sharpe two edged sworde being taken by the blade or point to defende a man, may as soone hurte himselfe as his enemie, euen so who taketh the doctrine by such parte as the holy scriptures haue appointed, it will be to their comfort: otherwise it may hurt thē. Many haue writtē large­ly [Page] in that argumēt, whervnto hitherto few haue replyed. And if no other mat­ter gréeue your minds but this doctrin, I doubt not but reconciliation may ea­sely be bad: but I am affrayde our Iu­stification in Christ, our acknowled­ging ourselues to be sinners, our weak­nes in perfourming y ^• law, is also some cause of discention betwéen you and vs: which I woulde be glad to vnderstande for my erudition.

14 You say that H. N. exhorteth to true repentance, godly loue, & vpright faith, &c. If we did not the like we were impions hipocrites: but he you say doth it with power: which we woulde glad­ly féele.

15 Our iustification and redemption bragge we neuer so much thereof (saye you) helpeth not, except a regenerate life followe. We agrée with you, that a regenerate life doth shewe a iustified man, but maketh not a man iust: For it is the fruite and not the roote of our iustification.

16 But that you tearme our repen­tance, obedience, faith, loue, &c. the vp­right [Page] baptisme of the father, your mea­ning I am ignorant of. To take vp in the beléefe our crosse daily against sinne, and this to be the true baptisme of the sonne, as you say. And when Christ hath gotten in vs a liuing forme or shape by faith, and so be raised vpp in newnesse of life, this you cal the true baptisme in the holy ghost. All which I doe acknowledge may haue verie apt application, so long as we imagine not a perfection to be wrought in vs, as to be without sin. For to be like to Christ, or haue his image, is to be vnderstoode, to be like minded to him who did not sinne, but that priuiledge onely pertei­neth to him and not to vs. For he is like to vs in all thing, sinne except: but this barre, sinne, is the badge whereby his death and office worketh vppon vs to our saluation. And except we with al the Prophets, Patriarches, Apostles & other Gods children (doing our best) still acknowledge our selues sinners, I cannot sée how Christs death doth by any meanes perteine vnto vs. Gladly would I be resolued in this point.

[Page]17 And nowe at this day we are cal­led as you say, and might finde much more rest if such enimies to al godlines as I am were not. This is verie sharpe iudgemēt. Bicause I manifest your fa­milie, doth it followe that I am enemie to all godlines? Is ther no godlines vpō earth but among men of your profession only? Christs houshold were very smal then: and yet as I am an enemie to your doctrine, so your persons I haue not ha­ted: For whom in their trouble I haue sought deliuerie, and haue knowne of your méetings if I had béen enuiously minded: but far be that from me.

18 As for E. L. I protest vnto you, e­uen by the Lord, that he is vtterly ig­norant of any my doings, neither did I sée him this yeare and halfe: yet did hée participate to mee of Christopher Vit­tals behauiour longe agoe. Nowe touching your frée confession before all men out of the mouth of H. N. of your doctrin: certeinly it is shadowed w ^t such phrases and circumstāces, that few can find any sense in his bookes, but manye good wordes without conclusion, which [Page] shoulde not bee in the puritie of a good cause.

19 As for those propheticall spéeches in the Apocalipse, of the white stone with a newe name written therein, which none knoweth sauing he that re­ceiueth it, if this be H. N. as you would slily insinuate, tel vs in plaine tearmes. For your hidden misteries wil not lon­ger serue.

20 You aske what ministration was euer true which came not from God his owne mouth, I answere as before, that there must be both an inwarde cal­ling which is from God, & an outward calling from men. Nowe if H. N. or you will shewe vs that he is called frō God his owne testimonie is not suffici­ent, neither doe his bookes manifeste his calling. Therefore for the credite of his new doctrine, it is required that he worke miracles: or else prooue vnto vs that his doctrine is not disagréeing from the holy scriptures, and that sub­stancially. If you woulde goe plainely to worke, and shewe vnto vs your au­thours doctrine by principles, & prooue [Page] the same by holy scripture, surely I and others woulde conceiue that vpon some grounde of good conscience you were se­uered in iudgment from vs. For so long as the matter remaineth hidden: men construe your doinges worse peraduen­then it is: & it augmēteth suspition, that being called to witnes forth your doc­trine, you are founde so fearefull and fainte, that it sheweth not a testimonie of the spirite of God: For where the spi­rte of God resteth, there is ioyned wise­dome, audacitie, constancie, trueth and plaine dealing.

21 And where you holde it good poli­cie to flée frō one citie to an other being sought for, I grant it to be reasō: yet be­ing called & broght before y ^• magistrats, then fearefully or cowardly to fainte, is méere impietie in a iust cause. He that denieth me before men, I will &c. For either ye vtter such a confession as is holden of vs, and beléeued among vs, or else venie your author and his doctrine vtterly. Did the Martires in the primi­tiue Church so? Did our brethren in Queene Maries dayes so? Nay cleane [Page] contrarie: being called, they did boldly publishe the trueth of Christ with open and plain speaches, & did set down their faith in principles to the eyes of al men, and not kéepe it secrete in corners.

22 Assuredly if H. N. be a minister of the Lorde, then haue I much ouershot my selfe, and if you can prooue it to me, I shall gladly receiue it, and will be re­die to recant and cal backe all my wor­des and aske mercie, in like fourme as you haue prescribed: but hitherto as I am persuaded, and as my conscience beareth me witnesse, I haue not in any point slandered you, nor of malice spokē any thing against you: for if I did know any nerer way to saluatiō then y ^• which our sauiour Christ hath taught in his Gospell, I woulde with all gréedenesse imbrace it. And if I can vnderstand that euer this your doctrin was taught pub­likly since christ our Lord his assention, by any godly writer in Christs Church, I will ceasse and subscribe vnto you: o­therwise blame me not though I conti­nue in that minde, which the Lorde in mercie by his Christ hath made mani­fest [Page] to me to my comforte. The God of mercie and consolation giue you a right spirite to depend vpon the puritie of his worde written by the holy Ghoste, and not to depend vpon the vncertainetie of man, giuing testimonie to him selfe: so shall both you and I bee brought to sée rightly into our weakenesse, & shall heare y ^• ioyful voyce y ^• Paule heard. My grace is sufficient for thee. For y ^• Lords power & loue is manifested & made kno wen vnto the worlde through our wea­kenesse, and all our righteousnesse is Sicut pannus menstrualis. God in mercie giue vs all his grace, that in séeking the true way that ledeth to life euerlasting, we be not led into y ^• by paths of errour: but leade vs and guide vs O Lorde, so shall we knowe thy ways aright, & im­brace our sauing health in Christ, decla­red to all nations. If it please you to re­ply I shall receiue it thankfully.

M. Rogers, these are to signifie vntd you, that I haue perused a booke, wherof you are the authour. In your preface you say, you haue vsed this order, to set downe the authors owne speach, not adding or diminishing any thing, with the name of the booke, Chapter, or folio. I do wish that your word and deede had agreed therein. I call to minde, that I haue read many authours bookes within this 35. or 36. yeares, and among them all, I haue not found any writer that hath taken such an or­der as you haue done: for who so euer will write, to confute an Authour, he should set downe the Authours owne wordes, as they stande written in his bookes, and so to confute them by the Scriptures orderly, and not to take out, here some, and there some, and of di­uers sentences, and part of diuers sentences, to make one sentence. You haue added and dimi­nished in diuers places, (and to inlarge your booke withall, you haue set downe the most part of the sentences in two places) as y ^• rea­ders may perceiue, if they do confer your booke, with the Authours bookes, & w [...]y them with indifferencie. I am fully persuaded, that the so­ber, discreet, wise, and godly learned, do, ne wil not allowe of it, that any Authour should be so abused, as you haue abused this Authour, in wresting, belying, and peruerting his wri­tings. Salonton saith. Prou. 14 a A false record wil make a lye. Prou. 19. a A false witnesse shall not remaine vn­punished, [Page] and hee that speaketh lyes shall not es­cape. I pray God open the eyes of your heart, that you may see your ignorance, and repent. You do ground one point of your matter vpon Adrian Gisling, a man of credite (as you say) y ^• he did read in a Duche booke, intituled the Glasse of righteousnesse, wherein the Authour doth certifie his Familie of Loue, that they must passe foure most terrible castels, full of combersome enimies, before they come to the house of Loue, the first is Iohn Caluine, the se­cond the Papistes, the third Martine Luther, the fourth the Anabaptistes: howe good of credite so euer Adrian Gisling is of, he hath not at any time read any such matter in any of that Au­thours bookes, (he might perhaps read of such matter, in some other booke hauing that title.) I my self haue read ouer diuers of the bookes, and also the booke called, the Glasse of righte­ousnesse, of that Authours writing that you take your occasion against, and there is no such Castles written in any of his bookes, therfore Adrian Gisling is therein vtterly deceiued, and I do beleeue no lesse, but those other thinges that you haue written vpon reporte, against [...] Author, to make him odious vnto the people, is as contrarie. I suppose you should haue done well, if you had not come in with a flou­rish to attempt battell, and beginne a skirmish against those that haue no pleasure or delight in warre or battell, but much rather doe desire peace & vnitie. It is not reckoned for a manly part, that an armed souldier should take vp [Page] weapon, and fight with a naked childe. It is written, 3. Reg. 20. b. Let not him that putteth on his har­nesse, boast him selfe, as he that putteth it off. If the little 1. Reg. 17. f. vnarmed childe Dauid, doe come to battell with his sling, and stones, one of the stones may happen to hit Golias in the forhed, be he neuer so well appointed for battell, and trusteth in his owne strength. But what you haue done, you can not vndo, it is too farre past your hands. And where you call in doubt that the familie will carpe (as you terme it) at your booke, and do offer, if they do answere it, a speedie replie will be performed, I for my parte (I giue GOD thankes) am not ig­noraunt of the Lande of strife and con­tention that ye walke in (and as it appea­reth, ye haue a pleasure therein) I haue wandered vppe and downe there ouerlong, and consumed much time there about, to my greate greefe and sorrowe: for those that doe loue strife and contention, would haue other like to them selues. S. Paule saith, 2. Tim. 2. d The ser­uants of the Lord must not striue. And Saint Iames saith, Iam. 3. c. If ye haue bitter enuying and strife in you hearts, reioyce not, neither be lyars against the trueth: and then following, where enuie and strife is, there is vnstablenes & all ma­ner of euill workes. In the Homilie for whit­sunday the second part, ye may read this sen­tence. But to conclude and make an end, ye shall briefly take this short lesson: where so e­uer ye finde the spirit of arrogancie and pride, [Page] the spirit of enuie, hatred, contention, crueltie, murther, extortion, witchcraft, Necromancie, &c. assure your selues, that there is the spirite of the diuell, and not of GOD, albeit they pretend outwardly to the worlde neuer so much holinesse. I haue no desire, pleasure, nor delight, to carpe at your booke, nor to striue or contend with you, or any one, neyther is there any other (who doe desire peace and vni­tie) that will haue any delight or pleasure in strife and contention, but leaue euery one to the Lorde. Salomon saith, Prou. 29. [...] The sinne of the wicked is his owne snare. Saint Paule saith, Gala. 6. [...]. Euery man shall beare his owne bur­then. And Rom. 12. d. Vengeaunce is mine, and I will recompence saith the Lorde, My heartie de­sire is of the Lorde, that hee will for his sonne Iesus Christes sake, be mercifull vnto vs all, and forgiue vs all our sinnes, and poure into vs his holy spirite, that we may learne of him, where hee sayth, Matt. 11. d Learne of mee. for I am meeke and lowly in heart. Saint Pe­ter sayth. 1. Pet. 2. d. Christe hath suffered for vs, lea­uing vs an ensample. that wee should followe his steppes. And Christe sayth, Matt. 5. [...]. Blessed are the mercifull, for they shall obtaine mer­cie. Againe, Luke. 6. c Bee yee mercifull as your heauenly father is mercifull. And further, Matt. 7. b. What so euer yee woulde that men shoulde doe to you, euen so doe to them, This is the lawes and the Prophetes. &c. Many other suche fruitfull and comfortable documentes, [Page] we may read in the holie and sacred Scrip­tures▪ which being well considred of, we could not striue, contend, enuie, belye, nor persecute one an other of vs, for as much as we are all creatures of one Gods creation. It is written Malachie. 2. c. Haue we not all one Father, hath not one God made vs? Why doth euery one of vs then despise his owne brother? S. Paule saith, Gala. 5. c. Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe. If ye byte and deuoure one another, take heede least ye be consumed one of an other. If any doe erre for a time, let euery one whome God hath deliuered out of errour, doe his best (according to the rule set downe to vs in the holy scriptures) to help the Gala. 6. a. Ephes. 4. a. burdened, Thess. 5. b. Rom. 15. a. fraile, weake, and erring man, Iam. 5. d. hoping vpon y ^e good­nesse of the Lord, and waite when the Lord of his meere goodnesse and mercy, will open the heart of the erring man: for those causes are betweene God and his creature, and God wil be auenged on all such as wilfully & willingly do erre, and haue a pleasure to remaine therin: but he wil be mercifull vnto al those that haue a desire to reture and seeke him in true repen­tance. It is not Christian like, that one man should enuie, belie, and persecute an other, for any cause touching conscience. William Tin­dale compareth them to Antichrists disciples, that do breake vp into the consciences of men, & compel them either to forsweare themselues by the Almightie God, and by the holy Gos­pell of his mercifull promises, or to testifie a­gainst them selues. Againe, he saith, secrete [Page] sinnes pertaine to GOD to punish, and open sinnes, to the king. He saith also, A Christian man hath Christes spirite. Nowe is Christ a mercifull king: if therefore thou be not merci­full after the example of Christ, then hast thou not his spirite. If thou haue not Christes spirite, then art thou none of his. Romanes 8. nor hast any part with him. If any man do willingly erre, he shall haue euerlasting dam­nation for his rewarde at Gods hand, vnlesse he do earnestly repent. Is not that punishmēt sufficient which God hath ordeined, but that one Christian must vexe, torment, belye, and persecute an other? Salomon saith, Prou. 14. [...]. Without doubt they doe erre that imagine wickednesse, the enuious man, the lyar, the persecuter of his poore brother, imagineth wickednesse, & there­fore he is not voyde of errour. I haue not read in any of the authors bookes, y ^• he hath striued, enuied, rayled at, slandred, belied, or wished per secution to any man, or hath named contumeli­ously any man: but his writing & striuing is against the nature of y ^• sinne, which hath borne so long dominion in the man, &c. And where you take exception, as though the Authour were against the learned in the Scripture, bi­cause he vseth in diuers places of his writings the false Scripture-learned. Answere. There is not any true meaning man, which readeth the scripture, that can of right take any exception thereat. Can any true, honest, or plaine hearted man, be offended with any godly and learned Preacher, to heare him speake against, and re­buke [Page] murder, theft, adulterie, couetousnesse, Idolatrie, and such like? Are we not al scrip­ture learned, that do read & talke of the scrip­ture? Doth not euery man approue his sect or opinion (as much as in him lyeth) by the scripture? Doth not this author also approue the testimonie of his writing by record of the scripture? He speaketh not against those that do desire to walke according to the counsell of the scripture, but against the false harts of the scripture learned, that haue more desire to be talkers thereof, then to do what the scripture requireth. An exsample: The Merchant that vseth his trade in balance, weight, and mea­sure, &c. according to the rule of the scripture (as ye may read, Leui. 19. g. Deu. 25. c. Pro. 11. a. 16. b. 20. b. Eze. 45. c. and Miche. 6. c.) may well be taken for a true Merchant, but he that vseth deceit, fraude, guile, &c. may be taken for a false Merchant, yet both are mer­chants. Our sauiour Christ saith, Matt. 7. c. Not all thei that say Lord, Lord, shal enter into the king­dome of heauen, but hee that doth my fathers will which is in heauen. Luke. 11. c Happie are they that heare the word of God and keepe it. Iohn. 14. b If ye loue me, keepe my commandements. Rom. 2. b. Before God, they are not righteous which heare the lawe, but the doers of the lawe shall be iustified. S. Iames accounteth him Iames. 1. d happie that is a doer of the work, and not a forgetful hearer: and see that ye be doers of the worde, and not hearers only. S. Iohn saith, Apo. 22. d Blessed are they that doe his commandements, that their power may be in [Page] the tree of life, and may enter in through the gate into the citie. The Preacher saith, Eccle. 12. [...] Let vs heare the conclusion of all things: Feare God, and keepe his commaundements, for that tou­cheth all men. Happily ye may obiect (as some haue done that I haue communed with) and say, it is vnpossible to do and keep the cōman­dements. Answere. What the scriptures last be­fore recited doth require, you haue heard, and many more there might be alledged to the like effect, wherof I haue here set downe some for an ensample (if you please, you may examine them by the Scripture) as Exodus. 20. a. Le­uit. 22. d. 26. a. Deut. 5. b. 10. c. 11. b. Iosu. 22. a. 3. Reg. 8. f. Psalme. 78. a. Prouerb. 2. a. 3. a. 4. a. 7. a. 19. b. Ezech. 18. Ecclesiast. 2. c. Matth. 19. b. Iohn. 15. b. 1. Corinth 7. d. 1. Timothie. 6. c. 1. Ioh. 3. d. 5. n. Apoca 12 d. &c. And S. Hierome saith, Accurssed be he which saith, God cōmaunded vnpossible thin­ges. And againe, he which saith, y ^• we can ful­fil the cōmandments of God wout the grace of God, accursed be he. You say, no one man dare once opē his mouth, or put pen to paper, to de­fend the author in England, but you are ther­in deceiued, there be y ^• hath done both, as some of your own familiar friends can testifie: Ne­uerthelesse, the authors own writings are suf­ficient to answer for him, were they weyed in the balance of equitie. You terme the saide Familie simple: howe much are they bound to laude the Lorde, and to giue him most high thankes and praise, that they are simple. [Page] Moses saith, Num. 11. g Would God that all the Lordes people could prophesie, and that the Lord would put his spirite vpon them. So doe I wish from the bottome of my heart, that all the Lordes people were simple, (concerning euill and ma­lice) then strife, contention, enuying, backbi­ting, lying, persecuting for cōsciēce cause, theft▪ murder, whoredome, dronkennesse, Idolatrie, and such like, should not beare so great domi­niō as it doth. Is it an odious matter in your eyes to be simple? I pray you peruse well these few sentences of Scripture here follow­ing. Psal. 19. b. The testimonie of the Lorde is pure, and giueth wisedome to the simple. Psal. 69. a. God thou kno­west my simplenesse, my faultes are not hid from thee. Psa. 113. b He taketh vp the simple out of the dust, & lifteth the poore out of the mire. Psal. 116. b The Lorde preserueth the simple. Psal. 119. c When thy worde goeth foorth, it giueth light and vnderstanding euen vnto the simple. Eccle. 9. d. A simple mans wisdome is des­pised, and his wordes are not heard. Iob. 24. c. Timely in the morning do they arise to murder the simple and poore. Zach. 9. b Reioyce thou greatly O daughter Sion, be glad O daughter Hierusalem, for loe, thy King commeth vnto thee, euen the righte­ous and Sauiour, lowly and simple is he. Zach. 11. c. The poore simple sheepe, that had a respect vnto me, knewe thereby that it was the word of the Lord. You say, the zeale of the Lordes house carried you so farre, that you could not stay till you had published suche matter as came to your handes, I for my part can not so conceiue, that it was the Lordes zeale, for there coulde [Page] not any one deale in such sort, & vse such spen­ches in writing as you haue done, if he were carried by the zeale that the lord doth require. It may rather be gathered, that you had such a zeale as Iesus the sonne of Syrach writeth of, where he saith: Eccl. 30. d Zeale and anger shorten the dayes of life, and also, Eccl. 40. [...] There is nothing but wrath, zeale, fearefulnesse, vnquietnesse, feare of death, 'rigours, anger, and strife, &c. But my desire is of the Lorde, that he would plant the true zeale in vs all, and then the loue (v3. to loue God aboue all, and our neighbour as our selues) shoulde not be so despised and had in contempt with many as it is nowe in these dayes. You say that Syr William Moore, a worthy Iustice in Surrie, had the examina­tion of one or two of the Familie, who vtte­red much matter which you are loth to write, and yet in the end of your booke, you haue set downe the Articles that were confessed before Syr William Moore, the 28. of May, 1561. by two of the Familie of Loue. You would haue it appeare to the readers, as though there wer two at one time before a worshipfull Iustice of Peace, and one or two at an other time be­fore Syr William Moore, and all those confes­sours were but two parties, and one matter as you well knowe, for you haue, or haue had, the written copie of the Articles, with the names of those two parties, that (as it is said) were the confessours of the saide Articles be­fore Syr William Moore, who was not at that time (v3. the 28, of May. 1561.) knowne or [Page] called by the name of Syr William Moore, for he was but an Esquire. What false and for­ged matter is set downe in the saide Articles, and that the confessours of them, are, nor ne­uer were of the Familie of Loue, I leaue to the iudgement of the same two parties, and of all those that haue had, haue, or shall haue, the cause in question, and will consider of it with indifferencie. Concerning the citizen your neighbour, whome you doe so often name in your booke, to discredit him as much as in you lyeth (although you haue n [...] iust cause so to doe, I leaue to the iudgement of all those dis­creet, wise, sober, and honest citizens his neigh­bors, who haue had at any time to deale with him, there, or else where, and also to the dis­creete, wise, sober, vertuous, and godly lear­ned, that haue had at any time conference with him. I hope you will from hence foorth, take heede how you m [...]ke any such attempts. to speake, or write vpon report, nor belye, wrest, ne peruert any authours writings, for Apo. 21. c lyars shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone. What Au­thour hath written any booke (if one shoulde deale therewith as you haue done with this Authours writing) but there might be founde many faultes &c. To me, as I suppose you are vnknown, but if I should write what I haue heard of you, (and of Maister Bateman your furtherer in this your attempt) vpon report, happily you, nor he, wold scarse take it in good part. It were good, and according to the rule [Page] of the holy Scripture, that all fault finders wold first looke into them selues, that it be not saide, Matt. 7. [...] ▪ Hypocrite, first cast out the beame out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearely to plucke out the mo [...]e that is in thy brothers eye. &c. I haue presumed to be so bolde as to certi­fie you my minde, touching a fewe pointes of your booke, hoping not lesse but you will take this my simple, plaine, and rude hand writing in good part (although it lacke good Methode) and doe wish that my time of leasure woulde haue permitted me, to certifie you my minde in many other paintes of your booke, but for as much as my time wil not serue thereto, I am constrained to hold my self cōtented. Thus M. Rogers I bid you farwel, wishing to you as to my self: & althogh there be many ways & paths walked in (of those that do trauell in religion) [...]reuer the right pathway be found, which is to followe Christe Iesus our Sauiour in his footsteps: yet I hope, our God will in the end, bring vs all into the same right path, and that our sinnes shall be (by and through the death, passion, and bloudsheading of our Lord and sa­uiour Iesus Christ) done away, and be of the number of those that shall be set on the right hand, to whō our sauiour Iesus Christ, when he cōmeth in his glory, & al the holy Angels w ^t him, shal say vnto Matt. 25. [...] Com ye blessed childrē of my father inherit the kingdom, prepared for you frō the beginning of y ^e world &c. & to y ^e end I might through the power of y ^e lord, be one of y ^e num­ber of the elect, haue I had my exercise in the Scriptures. And to the end that I might be [Page] furtherer in the vnderstanding of the Scrip­tures, I haue read diuers Authors, who haue set too their helping hand to the opening of the Scripture, so farre foorth as the Lorde gaue them vnderstanding thereof, and although some haue in diuers pointes varied in iudge­ment, (Salomon saith, Prou. [...]7. c Diuers men haue di­uers heartes) that is Gods woorke to re­uenge, or redresse the same (according to his owne will and pleasure) and not to mans. To the which kingdome the Lorde bring vs all, for his sonne our Lorde Iesus Christes sake. Amen.

I Receiued a letter from you touching my booke, wherein you séeme to bée offended for diuers mat­ters: For aunswere wher­of, I refer your in many thinges to my letter sent ad amatorem charitatis. You say that I take vp weapon to fight with a naked childe, and so sporte your selfe in amplifying the example of Da­uid and Goliath, but to any article of doctrin which I haue charged you with all, there is no mention. It were con­uenient that you would proue vnto vs such points of doctrine as you hold con­trary to vs, and not to dally in friuo­lus and néedelesse matter. I haue saide that your author H. N. doth not speake nor write by the spirite of God, that your illumined elders are not without sinne, that the lawe of God is not possi­ble to be kept, &c. Unto these matters you aunswere nothing, but blott much paper in néedeles probations. You giue [Page] vs a note that wher the spirite of enuy, pride, contention, crueltie, murther &c, is: there is the diuell and not God. If I should nowe inlarge this matter and put it ouer vnto you, you would thinke me vncharitable. For I graunt it to be true, and the holy scripture is our grounde, our lyne, our square, without any mans mixture, and if H. N. had neuer writ, the scriptures are suffici­ent to vs, and the church of Christ hath tasted sufficiently his mercy, without him: and you had béene in much better case if he had neuer beene borne. For a­las what doctrine do you hold, but that which many heretikes haue helde, and haue béene condempned by the Church for the same? It is not Christianlike that one man should persecute an other for conscience sake you say: but doth it followe that heresies and blasphemyes may be mainteined and no man mani­fest the same? Let vs leaue wrangling and come to the trueth: if you holde a truth (as I haue often saide) why is it hidden and kept secrete? If we be in er­ror, why do you not through loue & cha­ritie [Page] manifest y ^e same plainly vnto vs? your authors darke and ranging stile (which you estéeme misticall) doth not sufficiently declare any false doctrine we teach. If you striue for a godly and regenerate life, certeinly we will with our whole hearts ioyne with you: For we acknowledge y ^• our bare confession of Christ with our mouthes is not suf­ficient. Not euery one that saith Lorde, Lord, &c. Yet may the diuell vnder the outwarde cloke of holynesse nourish in our harts many false suggestions: there fore the Godly euermore haue had an eye to sathans deceite, and in humilitie of spirite haue still bewayled the great­nesse of their sinnes, and acknowledged the same: which H. N. doth not in any bookes that I haue reade. For many standing vppon the securitie of kéeping Gods lawes, haue vtterly deceiued themselues. The Pharisies boasted of their holynesse and the obseruation of the lawe, but Christ reproued them as ypocrits, the Manachits, the Donatists, the Marcionits, the Montanists, &c, haue outwardly sought and prescribed to [Page] them selues straict rules and seuere ob­seruances of pietie, but yet maintey­ned vnder the same blasphemous doc­trine: and euery heresie set out their holynesse, & commended their patrons as men hauing the spirit of God migh­tely working with power. And doe not you in like sort affirme H. N. to haue the spirite of God, and to haue publi­shed his doctrine with much more pow­er then any in these latter dayes? Let vs not striue for vaine glory, heaping applications of holy scripture without conclusion, and so farre from the pur­pose. Let vs content our selues with the glorious name to be called christi­ans, and let this tearme Family of Loue goe as a new deuised thing with­out warrant in holy scripture. The householde of faith is mencioned of, but not loue. Touching this point of doctrine, of the possiblitie of kéeping the commaundements, I knowe those pla­ces of scripture very well, and what God requireth: but our weakenesse in performing the same, appeareth Gen. 6. chapter, verse 5. Iob. 25. chapt. 5. vers. [Page] 4. Romanes 4. chapter, 20 verse: but I delight not in many cotations, but how to purpose the holy scriptures are ap­plyed: therefore onely I will giue you to consider two places, the one of saint Paule in 11. Romaines 32. verse. For God hath shutte vp all in vnbeliefe, that he might haue mercie on all. Galathians 3. chapt. verse 22. but the scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne, that the pro­mise by y ^e faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that belieue. But before faith came we were vnder the lawe, vntill the faith shoulde after be reuea­led. Wherefore y ^• lawe was our schoole­maister to bring vs to Christ, that we might be made righteous by faith, but after that faith is come, we are no lon­ger vnder a schoolemaister.

I pray you note howe the holy Ghoste teacheth vs not to trust in the perfour­maunce of the lawe: For it is such a burthen as wenor our fathers were euer able to beare, but includeth vs vnder sinne and the curse of the lawe, that the blessinges which by Christes death we obteine through faith, we [Page] might notably become heires by pro­mise and not by the lawe. The Lawe therefore doeth shewe our weakenesse, and sendeth vs to Christe, who fulfil­led it for vs, and all his obedience and righteousnesse is ours, by imputation: & we by grace through faith are made heires, and not by the déedes of the law: yet we reiect it not, but with reuerence and feare indeuour our selues to per­fourme in euerie pointe what it requi­reth, but still we féele our weakenesse in perfourming the same, and there­fore flée vnto Christe Iesus in whome we finde rest to our conscience, confes­sing our vnablenesse and infirmitie, fin­ding in him strength and habilitie, whi­che still by faith we apply to our trou­bled mindes, when the iustice of God or the lawe doth by any meanes threa­ten vs. And this is our anchor hold of faith, manifested to vs by the scriptures of God to our euerlasting comforte. We are taught to say when wee haue done our best, Luk. 17. That we are vn­profitable seruaunts. Christ is said Act. 13. vers. 3. to deliuer vs from all thin­ges [Page] which we could not be iustified by the lawe of Moyses. By him euery one that beléeueth is iustified: for if saluatiō come by the law, Christe died in vaine. For it standeth not with the glorie of Christ Iesus, that any such perfection shoulde be giuen vs, to kéepe the lawe. For if by our infirmitie the strength of Christe be made perfecte. Cor. Chap. 12. so contrary wise by our perfection Christes death and passion is impaired and lessened. Looke therfore into Chri­stes office with a right spirite, and you shall sée plainely in him the Lawe to be fulfilled for vs, so y ^• what he hath fulfil­led, y ^• haue we full filled: for it is made ours by grace, otherwise we cānot kéep the law but by Christ, neither are you a­ble to shewe vs any example that any Patriarches, Prophetes, or Apostles that euer were, did euer kéepe the lawe of God in euery point as good requireth.

Nowe touching the authoritie of S. Ierome: I aunswere by Ierome: who writing against Pellagius, doth shew two maner of perfections, the one to be agreable to the vertues of God whiche is voyde of all sinne, and here one earth [Page] declared in the person of Christ: the o­ther which agreth with our frailtie & is not pure frō sin: which argueth an im­possibilitie to fulfill the lawe, otherwise then in the person of Christ. And in déed almightie God did not cōmand impossi­ble things, for somuch as Christ being perfect mā, fulfilled y ^• law for vs, which vtterly declareth our weakenes & inha­bilitie to perfourme the same. For if by any other means y ^• wrath of God could haue bene pacified, or his lawe satisfied, Christ his onely sonne our blessed saui­our and redemer had not neded to haue ben incarnat & to become man, to work this great effect for vs. And surely they y ^e acknowledge our habilitie in perfour­ming the law, do mightilie shake the of­fice & death of Christ our Lord, & leaue in our conscience such a clog as is hard­ly remoued. Dauid demandeth Who can say my hart is cleane? again, God looked down frō heauen amōg the sons of men: and ther was not one righteous, no not one. Many of the fathers did sée our im­possibilitie in perfourming the lawe, & therfore Austen saith, al the commaū ­dements of God are accōpted to be don, [Page] when y ^• is pardoned which is vndone. To cōclude, almighti god neuer giueth such grace to any his childrē absolute­ly to fulfill his law, but only to Christ: & by him is that performed. It is no de­rogation to our God in giuing a lawe which we cannot performe, but cōmen­dation in sauing & deliuering vs from y ^• law, notwithstāding our weakenes in performing y ^• same. And if we did right ly examine our selues, our own consci­ence doth wel verifie the same: but sathā is an enemy heretoo, y ^e he might by pride puffe vp our minds with a vain imagi­nation y ^e we are able to do & performe y ^• which God in his law requireth, & so to perswade our minds thereby y ^e Christs death doth smally auaile or help vs here in. But of this argument this is suffi­cient, y ^• Godly & learned are able to say much more, if you require herein to be satisfied. The Lord direct our minds in­to the way of truth, & let thy people O-Lord not be ledde into error by sathans practise. Then Lord giue vs al humble minds. Amen. This aunswere is to E. R.

WE haue receiued a Letter from you (maister Rogers) dated the 29 of Ia­nuarie, as an aunswer to a former let­ter which came to your handes, wherein you say, was manie inuectiues against your booke, as also verie manie contumelious and slaun­derous speches, touching your honestie, &c. wherevnto wee aunswere breefely: he is ho­nest that honestly doth. But wee vse no dis­dainfull speeches sauouring of enuie and not of loue, like as you vnrightly report of vs. we charge you not, but we saye your allegation concerning Christopher Vittell is vntrue, as my lord of Caunterburie that now is can wit­nesse: and therefore (say wee) looke well to your weightes, measures and wares, from henceforth. The contents of your booke dis­quieteth not our moode: your cause is surely dishonest, then what honestie (wee aske) can proceede thereout? but yet (wee hope) you haue done it all out of ignorance, and there­fore worthie of lesse reprehention. And in that you haue reprehended the loue of God and Christ, we haue not therein mystaken you at all: for were the loue of God and Christ ma­nifested in you (like as you saye it is vnto you) then could you not verely haue (so impudently in the face of all the worlde▪) [Page] belyed and slaundered your poore neighbours, as you haue done, who neuer did you harme. You say, if we were of God and Christes houshold, you and we were fellowes, and you would embrace vs: but you call vs strangers of the housholde, and as straungers lurke in corners, &c. we aunswere, of such an houshold as you haue challenged to your selues wee are straungers, and the feare of your rigorous dea­lings, hath in deede made some of vs to flye & lurke in corners. we say still your foundati­on is against one H. N. whome you neuer knewe nor rightly vnderstood of: and you an­swer that his doctrine is not vnknowen vn­to you, whose bookes ye haue to shewe. Wee wish it were euen so. And whereas the name of Christ is shadowed by two carecters A. O. euen so we haue heard, that there is some mea­ning, more then you or wee can well tell, in these two carecters H. N. Notwithstanding if any man become so captious, as to gather and report therevpon, that we should there­fore denye any outward man or creature, he doth not onely mistake vs, but also (in re­porting the same againe to others) slaunder vs therein verie much. You say, you haue truely set downe the same mans life, not hear­sayes, but the trueth, &c. whome yet you con­fesse you neuer knewe, then it can be nothing but hearesayes that you write. And you saye that the reporters are honest and of Christes church. To which we say againe, that those of Christes church occupie not their mouthes [Page] with vntruethes, albeit then they stand neuer so well liked of you or any other, for wee knowe that they say not truely. And wher­as wee haue set downe the true principles of our faith and religion in a breefe rehersall, (which ye confesse to be sound and good:) yet (because that agreeth not to your minde, in that we confesse not somwhat therein where­by ye might haue your slaunders verified a­gainst vs, which ye looke for, by our own con­fession) it is you say pla [...]sible and mockerie. See into your disposition, if we would accuse our selues (albeit falsly) with any matter, that you accept gladly: but if we in trueth & sim­plenesse aunswere for our selues, that ye re­ie [...]t vtterly. Oh what nature (that good is) would so seeke to hurt his brethren. And fur­ther ye saye, that the auctor of those bookes termeth you a diuellish Sinagog [...]e or scoole, and that you are not the churche, but an har­lot, and if you and wee (say you) professe one baptisme, one Christ, one faith, &c. why are we scuered in Comunion? Of this matter, we will speake here following. And where you saye that certeine of our familie haue been conuinced, subscribed, and recanted, and haue promised neuermore to professe H. N. nor his doctrine, and yet haue turned to the same a­gaine: we do not denye but that some haue beene constrained so to doe, and that it is no plaine dealing. And I pray you tel mee, hath the like matter euer beene heard of ere this tune, that simple men, who can scarcely reade [Page] Englishe, because they haue read a booke, or heard it read, should be compelled to yelde an accompt of the spirite of the author that wrote the same? I thinke not: except you will al­lowe by like reason, that euery simple man that heareth a doctor preache, should be com­pelled to deliuer forth all his diuinitie, or els to be committed to straight prison. Learned men dispute with the learned: & it hath euer yet suffised amongst Gods ministers, a simple person to yelde an accompt of his beleefe sim­ply &c. were not thinke you playner dealing better? you say that wee vse the propertie of the Cuttell &c. Do you not remember that the fleshly minded Iewes, could not see their Sauiour when he was dayly amongst them, & yet they boasted verie stoutly of their sight, and would not in any case confesse their blind­nesse? Wee stand not vpon our tiptoes, (as you say) but we dayly acknowlege our blind­nesse, and waite vpon the Lord for our sight. Wee say not that you are in errour, but wee say, that we haue (through that sinfull nature of the fleshe, that earthly lying being, which hath wrought that disobedience in Adam, where through we are all fallen) beene be­wrapped in all ignorance and blindnesse, and for that cause are not ashamed to confesse our errour. Wee will not go about to conuince you by the testimonies of the holy Scrip­tures, for that lyeth not in our power, neither were wee so dealt withall. It is the Lorde (by his grace) that hath conuinced vs, [Page] and brought vs vnder his crosse▪ if he also conuince you, then are ye rightly conuinced, and so the praise thereof appertayneth one­ly vnto him. And whereas you desire to knowe wherein you haue mistaken the au­thor, to that we saye, that you haue not set downe any whole sentence, but patched & pee­ced the same without all order, contrarie to your promise. For you say, you will not adde nor diminish, but set downe the authors wor­des worde for worde: which you haue done, euen as one may take the tenne commaunde­ments and leaue out some wordes, & thereby say that God commaunded such things: as for example. Thou shalt haue none other Gods but mee. Thou shalt not steale. Thou shalt not committ adulterie, &c. Leaue out none & not, and then what is the commaundement? If this be good dealing, then you haue dealt well: let all men iudge. You say moreouer, you tooke not vppon you to write against any one booke, but to display the absurdities you found in the auctors doctrine, which wee shall fynde perfourmed ere it be long by ma­ster Knewstub: who (as we suppose) shall dis­playe him selfe therein, euen like as you haue in your booke displayed your selfe and your adherents. You say we apply this text, My kingdome is not of this world, &c. verie fond­ly: we take his kingdome not to be outward, but inward, vz. peace, righteousnesse, and ioy in the spirit, which things the world is igno­rant of (you may expound it at your pleasure) [Page] though we expressed our minde therein in plaine dealing, mought it please you so to take it. You say moreouer, you knowe that Christ raigneth in his Church, but who are the church is the question. In deede master Rogers, you say verie well: and nowe giue vs leaue to vse plaine dealing with you, least otherwise we mought happe to slaunder or belye you. In your book, one leafe before your admonitiō to Christopher Vittell, these be your owne wordes.

And nowe (for as much as we vse not, nei­ther are so taught, in the seruice of loue to iudge rashly or vnaduisedly of any people, to their reproche, like as you haue done of vs) let vs intreat you, to read in the booke (called The prophesie of the spirite of loue) the tenth Chapter, sect. 12. 13. 14. and in the 11. & 12. Chapters throughout, and then see (with an vnparciall eye) what manner of Churche that it is which he doth there reproue, & you shall finde it in deede to be that fleshly & wic­ked [Page] nature, that lying being, which spareth not (with his earthly knowledge) to set it selfe to iudgement, and to giue sentence of the godly matters: which he calleth a false seede, an adulterous generation of the earthly man, which hath inhabited the earth with vnrigh­teousnesse, iudged it falsely with her lyes, seduced the simple, oppressed the little ones, murdered the holy ones of God, and spylt the innocent bloud on the earth. He calles it moreouer, a bronde of the venomous Dra­gon (yea, of the diuell, and of the earthly ly­ing generation) which is begotten of the seede of the Serpent and viperous generati­on, which hath alwayes beene a false and a wicked whoore vppon the earth, &c. which church you nowe do challenge to your selues, and acknowledge your selues as members of the same, euen like as wee (in times past) haue also done. Which thing (so soone as the Lorde let vs see into, then fell wee down before the Lorde, and shamed not to confesse our faultes before him, as that wee had o­uerlong taken parte with that whoorishe na­ture of the earthly, fleshly, and sinfull be­ing, whome wee do nowe (by Gods grace) vtterly abhorre, hoping dailye (by the might of Christe Iesus our Lorde) to see her filthie nakednesse (in vs, and in ma­nye) disclosed, abhorred, and reiected for euer more.

You desire to knowe of vs, the difference betwixt you and vs: Could any man tell it [Page] more plainly, then you (in your wordes) haue here manifested the same? Consider aduised­ly of it: so shall you not neede (henceforth) to demaunde of vs any further resolution in that point, but must of necessitie (if you doe well) fall downe before the Lorde, and crye with vs: Peccauimus cum patribus nostris, in­iuste egimus, iniquitatem fecimus. You charge vs vniustly with the errour of Basilides, as though wee were forswearers of our selues, whereas yet (notwithstanding) there hath neuer beene proued any such matter against a­ny of that companie, or in any of all that au­thors workes: which may well suffise to stop your mouth, if trueth will serue to aunswer you. And yet I remember that Tindall a learned man, and writer, in his booke of Obe­dience writeth these wordes: Breake not vp into the consciences of men, after the example of Antichristes disciples, which compell them, ey­ther to forsweare themselues, by the Almightie God, and by the holie Gospell of his mercifull promises, or to testifie against them selues, which abhomination our prelates learned of Caypha [...]. Math. 26. saying: I adiu [...]e and charge thee in the name of the liuing God, whether thou bee Christe the sonne of God, &c. Let that whiche is secrete to God onely, whereof no proofe can be made, nor lawfull witnesse brought, abide to the comming of the Lord, which shall open all the secretes &c. which councell, if ye nowe followed, poore men mought enioy libertie of good conscience without such stretching [Page] and strayning as is nowe vsed. You also denye that euer any in the primitiue Churche taught a perfection to be attained in this life: whereat wee much marueile: for that wee knowe assuredly, that the Apostles taught the perfection to be attained in this life, of all, and among all, that could beleeue, and stoode good willing thereto: and so haue all that hath since taught Christ Iesus, who is the perfection of all the workes of God.

Is not this much ignoraunce, that wee who acknowledge (as wee saye) Christ Iesus▪ shoulde denye his perfection? But it seemeth wee looke not for his shape to be wrought in vs, as the Scriptures require. Paule to the Corinthians. 1. 13. Chapter. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is vn­perfect shalbe done awaye, &c. You must a­gree with vs, that all the holie ones from the beginning haue taught vs to leaue sinne, and surely that doctrine lyketh vs best. But all your citations are to defende and mainteine the sinne, which seemeth to like you best. For surely it were well that all true Christians should rather take parte with righteousnesse, then be such aduocates for the sinne, as moste men bee at these dayes. Nowe further it seemeth moste straunge vnto vs, where you also say you knowe not what wee meane con­cerning our confession, made in our saide let­ters, as concerning our true baptisme, In the name of God the Father, God the Sonne, and of God the holie Ghoste, which is the [Page] taking vp of our crosse, and right direction vnto Christ: who hauing then gotten in vs a liuing shape, confirmeth vs, through his holie spirite, in an assured hope of his promi­ses, in the resurrection, and in the euerlasting life, (yet as you graunt, it may haue an apte application) wee see not any other way to possesse the kingdome of heauen: & the whole newe & estament is full giuing witnesse ther vnto. But if ye haue founde out any easier way thereto, so are not wee therein against you: which till ye can let ds perceiue and feele, wee pray you to suffer vs in rest by you, in this our foolishnesse (as wee do you) vnhin­dered, vnmolested, and vnslaundered &c. wee also say not (as you imagin) that our battaile is ended when wee are regenerate: but wee say, that Christe Iesus (that man of God from heauen, which is borne of God, and in whome the seede of God remaineth, and there­fore sinneth not) he hath the power to subdue his enimies & end the battail in vs. Wher you also say that H. N. hath not y ^e spirite of God, & say moreouer, that he teacheth meere contrarie doctrine to the Scriptures, you haue therein (think we) entred verie farre into Gods se­crets, iudging also greatly of your self therin: for it is nowe adays a common thing that euery man can say, shewe mee a good man, whē as in deed in their beholding none is better thē themselues, & therfore cannot beleeue that god hath such worke with any man, as to bring any goodnes more (thē thei haue) to any other. [Page] And further we know, that with what mind a man beholdeth another, in such forme he ap­peareth whome he beholdeth: for a minde of enuie cannot discerne any paterne of Loue, no more then a blacke Moore looking in a glasse, can see his face altered into white coulour, &c. And as for difference which ye demaunde to knowe betweene you and vs, wee haue fully answered you before, by your owne wordes. Nowe for our minde concerning Gods pre­destination, take vs not therein so short, for we allowe of it simplie and reuerently, in his kinde: and yet further also, euen as the holie Scriptures allowe the same: but wee like not to contende therin, nor desperatly to seeke libertie of life thereby, neither foolishly to serch for things therein aboue our capacities. It seemeth also in your letters that ye feare our mindes stande not to agree with you, in your iustification by Christ: in your acknow­ledging your selues to be sinners: in your weakenesse in perfourming the lawe: and that we seuer vs from you therein: wherein ye are too much deceiued: for wee acknowledge our iustification to bee had by none other meanes, but alone in, by, and through the death, passion, & resurrection of Iesus Christ our Lorde and Sauiour: wee daily confesse our selues to he moste myserable sinners, and of our selues altogether vnable to perfourme the lawe: and therefore wee acknowledge and stedfastly beleeue the onely possibilitie to consist in the Lorde our God, through Iesus [Page] Christ our righteousnesse, and waite for the same: whatsoeuer you or any other say of vs to the contrarie. Ye say further, to be like vnto Christe, or to haue his Image, is to be vnderstoode, to be like minded vnto him, who did nat sinne, but that priuiledge (say you) onely apperteineth to him, and not to vs: then in vaine (as it seemeth by your wordes) was this written vnto the congregations: Let the same minde be in you, that was in Christ Iesus, &c. But as we haue saide, the power thereto is not in vs, but in him. But you take part ouermuch with the sinne (as we thinke) and we ouermuch with the righteousnesse (as you thinke.) And because we are enimies to our vttermost through the might of Christ against the sinne, you vniustly imagin therefore of vs, as that we (of our owne power, without Christ) meaned to subdue the same: but farre be that from our thoughtes: and surely, who so sayeth so of vs, slaundereth vs muche. Nowe further you say you are not enimie to our persons, which wee would be glad to see, (for we are taught to forsake that false sinfull nature of the diuell, that contrarie nature to God, and to growe into that good louely be­ing of God and Christe in the spirite) where­by wee see no cause ye should bee enimie to so good doctrine neyther. And as for Edmund L. you confesse as much of him as wee char­ged you with. Further ye saye, wee slyly meane H. N. by the white stone spoken of in the Apocalips. But vnderstande, we meane [Page] (as the text importeth) by all such as ouer­come in that battaile, and not by any one particulerly. But thus much for certein note well, such as haue no lust to ouercome (in the crosse of Christe) that earthly sinfull nature, but haue much more lust to take parte there­with, and yet notwithstanding doe claime a freedom w ^t Gods holie ones, in Iesus Christ, in an vnrenewed minde, knowe nothing ther­of: for it is written, no man knoweth that newe name saue alone he that receiueth it, boast he neuer so much of his knowledge.

Therefore to conclude, for our true principles we referre you to the briefe rehersall, and for any other difference to these premisses and all other doubtes, we haue sufficiently resolued you (as wee thinke) in plaine speeche out of hartie loue. Let this therefore suffise for an aunswere at this time. The Lorde for his mercie graunt you and vs all, inclyned hear­tes to doe his will (but first to leaue our owne will) and to indeuour vs (with all the elect of God and Christe) to the renoua­tion in the spirite. vz. that wee all (in one heart of godly loue) mought, as liuing stones, bee fast couched, or coupled toge­ther in Iesus Christe, to an holy house, tem­ple, or familie of Loue or of God, in as much as God is Loue: and not any longer to striue, but much rather, as seruanntes of the Lorde, in all meekemindednesse, to humble our soules vnder this his great grace, loue, [Page] and mercie, wherevnto wee all are so lo­uingly called, and warned by him and his holie Gospell, in the ministration of the loue, in the last time. Amen.

This aunswere is to your first Letter.

BY perusing of your reply to my first answere, I perceiue that our confe­rence is to small purpose, for that you cōtinue stil of the same mind you were, and your crabbed & slaunderous words towards me is nothing impaired, with your smooth answer, saying, we charge you not with weightes, wares, &c. If you of purpose had not charged me here with, what néeded any mention of such slaunders? but as in other thinges, so in this you bewray your stomacks and of what spirite you are. You take witnes My Lord of Canterburie, whose minde [Page] concerning your great Rabby Vittell, is knowen to many. You affirme the cause I take in hande is surely disho­nest. The cause is Christes, whose of­fice and death is impaired and made of no effect by your doctrine of perfection, and shadowed by H. N. so darkely, that the children of GOD abiding in the vnitie of his Church, do greatly lament your follie. You say I haue belyed and slaundered my poore neighbours impu­dently, and yet you shewe no matter wherein: only you finde fault with vn­orderly setting downe your Authours spéech. No man can kéepe order with him that is without order. Of adding & diminishing you often charge me and shewe not in what place nor in what sentence. I will not vse your vnhonest tearmes of impudencie: but surely you deale in this case as the Papistes are woont to charge the doctrine of Christs Gospell, which we professe: that it brée­deth sedition, that it pulleth Princes out of their seats, openeth a gap to liber tie, &c. which howe truely these are im­puted, the eies of al do at the last behold. [Page] The feare of our rigorous dealing for­ceth you to lurke in corners, you say: what rigour I pray you was euer shewed either to you or your compani­ons the Papistes for their conscience? Imprisonment you would say, vpon submission, which is no rigor. Of such an houshold as we haue challenged to our selues (you say) you are strangers: we confesse our selues to be of no other houshold then of Christes, staying vpon the puritie of his word: if you will be straungers from the same willingly, it is great pitie. You had rather follow H. N. then Christ, and yet confesse that H. N. signifieth not any mans name, but hath some other meaning which you ne wee can tell. What a lamentable case is this, that men hauing any sence or vnderstanding, would credite such vn­certeine wayes, to follow an Authour & doctrine so egerly: and yet confesse you are ignoraunt who he is, or what he is. As for your confession published, (as I saide) it is a mockerie: for it is sounde and agréeing to vs. Why halt you so cunningly? Why will you dance in a [Page] nett and not be séene? Do you in your confession impugne the doctrine of pre­destination, or the possibility of the law, &c. or doe you once mencion the same therein, and yet in your letters you shewe your dislyking of such doctrine, terming it licentious? Is not this déep dissembling, and yet call it plaine dea­ling? I would not haue you accuse your selues as you vniustly charge me, but vse a simple and playn trueth, and shew your minds truely, and not hide it craf­tely, and set downe pointes of doctrine agréeable with vs, and say it is your confession of faith, where you conceale the chéefe matters in variance betwéen vs. Oh when will you deale plainly? a wicked doctrine requireth shiftes and delayes, but trueth openeth her selfe plainly to al in y ^• day light. And for your weakelings which haue recanted, you say they were suche as coulde scarsely read English. You forget your selfe ve­ry much: was Sharpe and his compa­nie which recanted at the crosse, were they suche (as you would beare vs in hand) simple? Sharpe was a teacher, and [Page] others that I could name were not of the least account among you: yet to help their weakenesse you call them simple men, &c. I know that some of thē haue followed the doctrine, of H. N. these 18. yeares: I take you not to be so olde a scholler in the Family. You say you wil not conuince vs by the testimonies of the scriptures, for it lyeth not in your power, neither were you so dealt with­all. Surely this is very straunge. It is the Lord that hath conuinced you, and brought you vnder his Crosse: but I pray you came this to passe by reuela­tion or by mans ministery? If man was the minister, you would haue vs beléeue that H. N. was he: but it appeareth not that you are vnder Christes Crosse: for in patience he suffered all wrongs, and there was no deceipt nor guile found in his mouth. He commanded his doctrine to be published to all the worlde, not in corners, but on the house toppe: not faintly and fearefully, but boldely and couragiously: he suffered contumelious spéech and slaunderous, but you do vse spéech of slaunder and disdaine as ap­peareth: [Page] so that you haue not learned Christes crosse, but H. N. his crosse. As for Maister Knewstubs doings, (as yet not exstant) you rashly and foolishly ca­uill at him before you heare him, and condemne his doinges before you sée them, and say that he will display him­selfe euen as I haue done. This is im­pudencie in the highest degrée, to iudge and condemne a man before he be heard what he can say: this doeth bewray of what mind and spirite you are. What conference can do you good? It séemeth your heart is hardned with the riddles of H. N. y ^• so make your selues knowen to all Gods children: it had bene more agréeable to the spirite of God, to haue suspended iudgement vntill the worke had bene séene. My adherentes in dirist­on you often name, I tel you truly that the church of Christ Iesus are those ad­herents: for I mainteine no other doc­trine then y ^• which in Christs Churche by publique authoritie is taught and preached: put vp your deriding termes, for they best become your selues.

Nowe touching the Church, you al­ledge [Page] H. N. in diuerse places of his Pro­phesie, to say that that fleshly and wic­ked nature, that lying being, that hath oppressed the little ones, murdered the holyones, and spilt innocent bloud on the earth, which hath béene a wicked whore vppon earth &c: who woulde e­uer iudge H. N. by these words to mean our corrupt & wicked nature, & not ra­ther a congregatiō or societie of mē, per secuting the iust: for how can our wic­ked nature be said to persecute, to mur­der, & to spill bloud, when this is done by the whole power, knowledge, and consente of men? The wicked nature of man can neuer bee properly tear­med or called a whore. And as I haue collected it, to bee spoken againste the Church of Christ which we professe, and you to be those holiones persecuted: So in my iudgement herein I haue not falsified, corrupted, nor maliciously slan dered your Authour as you haue collec­ted of me. You say wee challenge our selues to be of the persecuting Church, and so your selues haue beene in times past: but nowe the Lorde hath made [Page] you sée, and you are ashamed of that whorishe nature, and you abhorre her, & hope by Christes might not only in you to be disclosed, but abhorred & reiected for euermore. If this be spoken of our wicked nature, can you reiect it? cā you cast it of for euer? We rather by y ^• scrip­turs affirme y ^• we may kéepe it vnder, & not to raigne in vs or beare rule in vs, or haue dominion ouer vs: but vtterly to quench sinne, or reiect it for euer, the holy Ghost teacheth vs not. Whosoeuer hath béene rightly scholed in Christes Church, can by experience tell you, that to kéepe vnder sinne, by grace we may: but to extinguishe the motions we can not: and all those places of holy scrip­ture which tende to the abolishing of sinne, are rather as markes to ayme at or leuell at, then to hit the pricke of perfection, which shall neuer be in this life▪ You meruel notwithstanding.

Touching Christs perfection we doubt not, but stedfastly beléeue he was and is perfecte and hath fulfilled for vs all the law which God required of vs, per­fectly, but we vtterly denie this to be [Page] wrought as you affirme in vs: For nei­ther doeth he worke this perfection in vs, nor by vs, but merely without vs: & in déed this is a principall difference betwéene you and vs, and I doubt not but touching this argument you shall heare more hereafter. It blemisheth o­uer much Christes triumph ouer death and hell, if wee shall also triumphe by strength in him. Our triumph standeth not in doeing, but in beléeuing in him which did. The glorie of Christe Iesus his office and death is by this doctrins impaired, darkened and shadowed, (as I haue often saide) therefore better con­sider of it, it sauoreth to much of presūp­tion and pride, attributing that to bee wrought in vs which is not: and migh­tely herein you deceiue your selues and others. His shape to be wrought in vs, you affirme Paul. Cor. 1. 13. When that which is perfect is come, thē that which is vnperfect shall bee done away. but this shall not bee vntill mortalitie shall put on immortalitie, and corrup­tion incorruption. In the same chapter 4. lines after the place recited ther shal [Page] you find S. Paule opening his meaning more fully when that perfection shalbe wrought. Saying Cor. 1. Cha▪ 13. ver. 12. For nowe we see through a glasse darkely, but thē shal we see face to face: nowe I knowe in parte, but then shall I knowe as I am knowen &c. doeth not S. Paul plainly meane that this perfec­tion shal not be brought to passe in this life, but in the life to come? Who hath eyes to sée and beholdeth not these thin­ges? You affirme vs to maintain sinne, and that we are aduocates for sinne, & you take part with righteousnesse: but with more modesty you might say, that wee acknowledge with the Scrip­tures, that sinne is still lurking in vs, against which we haue dayly fight and combate, notwithstanding our election and redemption, and you affirme a per­fection to be wrought in vs by Christe which the scriptures allowe not. That christ is able to work such a work in vs we denie not: for all thinges are to him possible, but it is said, Omnia quod voluit fecit in celo & in terra: He doth al things y ^• he wil in heauen & in earth: but that [Page] it standeth with his wil reueiled in the scriptures, we denie. We are no main­teners of sinne, we are humble acknow­legers of our sins & imperfections. You mention often y ^• Christ must haue in vs a liuing shape: by shape, if you meane a perfecte fourme, then wee deny any such shape or fourme to bee in vs: but if you meane, by shape, to bee like min­ded to him, therein we agrée with you, as the scriptures teach. But herein wee affirme, that as it standeth with the weake condition of a mortall creature to be like that excellent creator of heauē and earth, or like minded, so our hu­maine frailtie must striue to attaine as néere the pricke as standeth with his good wil and pleasure to graunt vs. You pray vs to suffer you in rest with your folishnesse. I woulde you thought as you speake: but your wordes are Iro­nia: for you accompt it high wisedome, although you tearm it foolishnes. Your disquietnesse I neuer sought, it is your amēdment: it is your cōuersiō frō H. N. to Christ Iesus y ^• I séek to bring you to.

In the matter of predestination you [Page] desire not to be taken so short, for you say you allow it simply and reuerently in his kinde: you like not to contende therein, nor desperately to séeke liber­tie thereby: yet I will put you in mind what you your selfe haue spoken there­of in your first letter, saying: your ly­centious doctrin of predestination and frée electiō, which is the cause of the ful­nesse of prisons in Englande this day. Now sée how you agrée with your self: if you haue better cōsidered the matter, I woulde be glad, and giue the Lorde hartie thanks, but if herein you speake (as your manner is) somtime affir­ming, sometime denying, then we say you are vnstable and wauering in your wayes. Nowe, whereas I affirmed to be without sinne is a priuiledge be­longing onely to Christ Iesus our Lorde: you say if the case be so, then in vaine was this written vnto the con­gregations. Let the same minde bee in you which was in Christ Iesus, &c. You further say we charge you that by your owne power without Christ this is brought to passe, that sinne is subdued [Page] in you: but we tell you plainely, that this perfection that you speake of, nor such a subduing of sinne as you meane, is not wrought in vs, neither standeth it with Christes good will to worke the same so effectually as you imagine.

Sinne is kept vnder, and hath not do­minion in vs, it raigneth not in vs, we are not seruauntes to sinne, this the scripturs teach in many places: but that we shall quench it vtterly or subdue if, with all the motions thereof, the scrip­tures teach vs no such doctrine, being rightly vnderstoode. Looke I pray you, what that holy vessell saint Paul spake of himselfe after he was regenerate, Romaines 7. verse 14. I am carnal sold vnder sinne, for I allowe not that which I doe. For what I would that doe I not, but what I hate that do I. It is not I that doe it, but sinne that dwelleth in me. Againe verse 23. I delight in the law of God concerning the inwarde man, but I see an other law in my members, rebel­ling against the lawe of my minde, and leading mee captiue vnto the lawe of sinne which is in my members.

[Page]When he entred farre into the consi­deratiō of this his frailtie he exclaymed & said, verse 24. A wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me frō the body of this death? And in these extreame con­siderations and battell which we haue with sinne cōtinually (euen vntil death make an end) saint Paul by the spirite of God doth plainely arme Gods chil­dren, and sheweth the remedie in like cōflicts, saying: I thank god through Ie­sus Christ our Lord &c, this is brought to passe by him that sinne is not impu­ted vnto vs. But as Dauid saide: Bles­sed is the man whose sinnes are couered: And this is wrought only without vs, & not in vs, as you imagine. So y ^• our battell is continual and neuer ended in vs, vntill we be dissolued and at rest with Christ Iesus, contrary to your assertion. You sée no cause (you say) that we shoulde be enimies to so good a doctrine as you professe. If your doc­trine were good and agréeable to the holy scriptures, we woulde embrace it: but because it is contrarie there vnto, we reiect it. To forsake that false sin­full [Page] nature, with you we simply agrée: but with the Poet we say, Naturam ex­pellas furca, tamen vs (que) recurret. To be at defiance there with, and bidde battell against it we agrée: but to conquer it, to kill it, or subdue it vtterly in this life, that we deny. That God can doe this by his powre in vs we denie not, but that he will do it in vs, (as you af­firme) the scriptures allowe not of. For it standeth not with the glorious office of Christ Iesus, that such perfec­tion and such a conquest of sinne should be wrought in vs, but that we féeling our miseries, our wants, our weake­nesse [...], might sue by peticion in ear­nest prayer, for strength, for mercy, for deliuery: which all the Godly in Christ his church haue euer done. For we are neuer nearer vnto our God, nor neuer more accepted with him, then when we feele sinne as a burthen or loade lye hea­uely vpon vs: nor neuer further of, then when by illusion of sathans persuasion, we imagin sinne to be quenched or con­quered. All such as ouercome in the battell (you say) shall knowe the name [Page] written in the white stone mencioned by Iohn. You say further that such as haue no lust to ouercome that earthly sinfull nature, but haue more lust to take part therewith, knowe nothing thereof: although they boast of their knowledge or fréedome neuer so much. This knowledge therefore you would conclude to be in you and not in vs. Your knoweledge we enuie not, nor your séeking to serue the Lord vpright­ly: For our whole care, studie, & minde is bent to do the same: and we pray you hartely to ioyne your selues to vs, that you and we may serue the Lorde our God as he hath commaunded, and not H. N. and his precepts. Looke into the holy bookes of our God, and deale not with the darke riddles of H. N. Set not vp his bookes in your mindes so highly. The Scriptures are our comfort and our stay, without H. N. He exerciseth a greate Popedome among you. You had rather speake and vse his phrases, not found in holy scrip­ture, then content your selfe with the phrases of the holy Ghost. You often [Page] mencion these tearmes, the lying be­ing, the vpright fréedome, Godded with God, the newest day, the louely being of the loue, &c. Are these to be founde in the holy Scripture? or are they not deuised by H. N. to bring admiration to his doctrine, by straunge and vnaccustomed speach? If the loue of God be in you, (as you woulde haue vs beléeue it is) loue the Lorde Iesus and his holy worde, and let H. N. with new tearmes and phrases goe? Belieue not that God hath wrought in him any such a worke as you pretend: examine his doings and sayings better: you wil credit nothing that is spoken against him be it neuer so true, you except it as lyes and heresies, what soeuer testi­mony his neighbours & famyliers who knewe him long, vppon their oth shall affirme: but according to your concei­ued opinion, you like him, you im­brace him, you onely credit his testimo­nies, dislyking others: which if you continue, as you begin, there is nei­ther hope, nor helpe, nor conference that can doe you good, vntill the Lorde [Page] shake away the mist of darknesse which ouer shadoweth your eyes, through the doctrine of H. N. that you cannot be­holde the bright beames of Christ his glorious gospell.

Your authors doctrine is not suffi­ciently knowen vnto some of you, the fragments whereof you are but mean­ly acquited with: the secreat part of his purpose I doubt as yet is not extant, and more of his works are abroad then are come to your handes: therefore for the loue of God looke better into his minde, and credite not his bare sayings without warrant of holy scripture, nei­ther beléeue that almightie God hath wrought in him any such extraordina­ry power as is imagined. The cause y ^e moued me to write these thinges is, a little booke came to my handes of late, called Mans falling away, his comming againe and Lordlynesse. In the first sec­tion you shall finde this written worde for word: H. N. his words. Sect. 1

See and marke ye beloued, in the be­ginning when god made al things wel, then was the Lorde one Lorde of his [Page] kingdome, and one God of his workes: there was also no more but one God and one man, and they were one, and had in all one order, being, and nature: for God was all that the man was, and man was all that God was.

Beloued, when God looked on the Sect. 2. man which he had made according to the like being of his godhed, then loo­ked he vpon him selfe, as the same clere­nesse of his liuing godhed.

Likewise when the man looked vp­on Sect. 6. his God, his ientle, clene, & vnspot­ted manhode, in all full comlinesse, in all honestie, & fayrenesse, in all fashion and being, according to the same God­hed, so this was al one God & the man. I pray you loke into this doctrin whi­che your Authour H. N. teacheth: exa­mine it by thy holy scriptures, and iudge rightly therein, whether this can by any colour of speach be qualifi­ed or expoundedsoundly, or christianly: if you haue not this booke among you, I shall be content to sende you either the book or the coppie therof, y ^t you may examine your Authours doctrine bet­ter. [Page] For in my opinion this is blasphe­mie. And where you say that the world shall knowe ere it belong, what your meaning is therin I am vncertain: ex­cept you would that these our confe­rences should be published, whiche if it be your mind, send me word, for I am not ashamed of any thing that I haue written, and then lette the children of God in the world iudge where trueth and plaine dealing is: then shall ap­peare the difference of doctrin betwéen vs. The Lorde worke his will in vs, that in all our actions wee seeke his glory and not our owne praise. Amen.

IT doth appeare by reading of these discourses, that in y ^e familie there are some, who to defende their author and his doctrine haue vsed some diligence: what clamors they haue vttered a­gainst me doth appeare: how often they haue charged me with falcifying their Authors sayinges is manifeste: howe they doe discredite such testimonie as is produced against H. N. (of such as knew the man longe, and were his familiers) is shewed. What vntruethes, what slaunderous speaches, what raylinge wordes, what caueling, what wrang­ling, which doeth bewray the familie of what spirite they are, and with what spirite they are guided. Many friuolous matters I haue not touched, as not worth aunswere: and many things are but slenderly handled, as the nature of a priuate letter, (which requireth briefe­nes) will permit. Of all whiche falsefy­ing and peruerting of their author, on­ly [Page] they shew one place, wherin I collect that H. N. speaketh against the Church, which he tearmeth a whore: which they affirme is spoken againste the wicked nature of man. But whither of vs more truly haue shewed the true sence of the wordes, iudge I pray thée. Howe they tearme vs frée ones & libertines: howe they call the doctrine of predestina­tion licencious: how they impunge the confidence we haue in Christes death, calling it our bragge: how they affirme the Lawe possible to be kept: and ma­ny other such matters, doth manifestly by reding these letters appeare. Wher­by the godly Christian, may as time & occasion shal serue (hauing conference w ^e any in y ^e family) sée in what matters these men are captiued, & so to indeuour to heale y ^• sore, now y ^e wound is opened.

And where as I protested in my pre­face that I haue dealt truely and faith­fully, not maliciously and corruptly, as I am accused: For further proofe here­of I will briefely declare my euidence, that the worlde may sée the exclamati­ons they make are friuolous cauilles. [Page] Touching the storie of Dauid George▪ it is published by the vniuersitie of Ba­sill, in print, out of which I haue col­lected the story truely. For H. N. as before I haue shewed, the testimony of his neighbours I haue to shewe, being a liue, and of honest credite in the Duch Church. For their doings in Munster, I haue shewed my opinion, and the rea­sons that moued me so to thinke. Also the articles which they published, what coherence & agréement they haue with the Family, and how the Anabaptistes hold none of the same. Althogh I know that Martin Luther, Iohn Sleydan, and others do call them generally Anabap­tists, I haue declared the reasons that moued me to thinke the contrary. Let euery man credite these things as God shall moue, only I cleare my selfe, that of malice I haue done herein nothing. The other matters are produced [...] the bookes of H. N. and gathered b [...] [...] ference with the family. Now tou [...] [...] the confession which I say two [...] [...] Familie made before a worshipful Iu­stice of peace, they deny that they were [Page] of their Familie: but this is certaine, the parties are liuing and followers of one Allyne of Woneherst, a great compani­on of Christopher Vittells, which Allin died soudenly by the high way, going to Farnam to be examined before y ^• bishop of winchester. Thus haue I briefly tou­ched the stories which the familie doe discredit.

Nowe if I mighte vtter my sim­ple coniecture touching the saide Familie with out offence. For as much as their beginning was in Eng­lang about the latter end of Quéene Maries rainge, when many of our bre­thren were entred into that gulfe of fréewill, teaching that common grace reserued in Adam was appropriate to vs also: and likewise certeine Arrians, with Pellagians ioyning together, found an author for their purpose, vn­der a newe deuised name of Familie of Loue. What do they teach but the old [...]ry leuin, of such heretiques as were long agoe knowne and condem­ned? and in déede take from them the weapons of the foresayd heretikes, and [Page] you shall finde them vnarmed and na­ked: and yet (vnder a newe visor) they woulde not bee noted as any touched with their doctrine, but that they are newe matters broched by H. N. onely, and not knowen in the worlde vntill now. Surely the papistes do not mag­nifie their pope as the Family do H. N. whose bookes and doctrine may not be discredited, neither can he erre. For by no meanes can they be brought to ac­knowledge that H. N. may erre. Ther­fore this newe Pope deludeth the pore Family with his darke spéeches and ranging stile without conclusion, wher in they imagine that very diuinely and with such maiestie their authou [...] written, that we simple ones [...] vnderstand: and no mauell, for su [...] doubte he vnderstandeth not him [...] For if a man will followe his qu [...] ons of Scriptures whiche hee [...] downe, so thick and so close in the [...] giue of his bookes and epistles, a [...] meanly excercised in the holy scrip [...] may well perceiue how farre from the purpose of the holy ghost H. N. hath ap­plied [Page] them.

The Lord of mercie & consolatiō giue thē the true vnderstanding of thy holy word, & let not sathan leade the simple shéep out of the waies of the Lorde our god, but giue thy people O lord the wit of serpēts to beware of sathās sutilties, who enuying the prosperity of thy gos­pell, setteth himselfe against the same, by raysing vp olde sectes vnder newe cloaks: so that thy people being preser­ued vnder thy defence, may euermore extol and magnifie thy glorious name, and reioyce ouer the conuersion of our brethrē, that they being brought home again into thy folde, we may all praise thy [...]orious name, and with one voyce a [...] [...]inde may cry. Veni domine Iesu [...] Amen.