¶The Title which. H. N. claimeth vnto himselfe, in the first Chapter of his booke intituled Euangelium Regni, The Gospel and ioyfull message of the king­dome.

H. N. Through the grace1. Cor. 3.15 and mercie of God, and through the holy spirite of the loue of Iesu Christe,Iohn. 6. s Actes. 17. d Ephesians. 2. [...] raised vp by the highest GOD, from the death, according toRom. 8. c. d. the prouidence of God and his promises: annoynted with the holie Ghoste, in theEphesians. 4. b. olde age of the holy vnderstanding of Iesu Christe:Iohn. 14.17 Apoca. 21. a. Godded with God, in the spirite of his loue: made heyre with Christe in the heauenlye goodes of the riches of God: illuminated in the spi­rite with the heauenly trueth, the trueIohn. 1. a. light of the perfect Beyng: elected to a Minister of the gracious woorde (which is nowe in the laste time raysed vp by God,Iere. 33. b according to his promises) in the moste holy seruice of God, vnder the obedience of1. Cor. 13. b his loue.

Answere. THE first thing, that. H. N. would per­swade vs, is, that God hath raised him from the dead: or (to vse his owne wordes) that he is raised vp by the most highest God from the death. For confir­mation hereof, hee alleageth the sixt of Iohn, the 17. of the Actes, and the seconde to the Ephe­sians: [Page] For he wil not seeme to say that thing, which two or three, shall not be redy to witnesse with hym. VVe are therefore to heare what these can say to that point. In the sixt of Iohn he directeth vs by this letter (f) vnto this Scripture (conteyned in the 54. verse) Whosoeuer ea­teth my flesh & drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him vp at the last day. Heere is a pro­mise made vnto all true christians (for they onely haue their hartes prepared by faith to digest the flesh and blood of Christe:) that the Lorde will raise them vppe at the laste day, which wee call the day of iudgement, and the seconde comming of Christe. The promise I graunt is past, but the day taken to performe the couenant, is yet to come. For by the promise it is playne, that wee may not looke to haue the matter perfourmed, before the laste day, which is the seconde comming of Christe. I wil not here call it into question, whether H. N. be one of them, who eate his fleshe, and drinke his blood, that shall go as graunted at this time, onely this I will saye, that hee is to begge shamefully, who with no other helpe, then that hee hath from hence, shall obteine so muche as a place a­mong the common sorte of Christians: but hee that will vppon this warrant, deale as a Prophete and Teacher in the Churche: It cannot be excused, but that he doeth felloniously enter, breake in and steale: For there is no colour of anie good title, to bee shewed for the same. Now I pray you consider of his argument, which is this: The Lorde will raise vppe all his faithfull at the last day, and therefore H. N. is already risen from the dead. The matter is established as doone, but the grounde is no other, then a graunt and promise made in expresse woordes, for the time yet to come: For our Sa­uiour Christe sayth playnely, that hee will raise them vp at the laste day. Where there is not only noted a time [Page 2] to come, but of that time also, the laste and furthest day is taken: and yet yee see, that H. N. will haue the mat­ter to be alreadie accomplished in him selfe and that not o­therwise, then by vertue of this promise. Let that bee graunted which H.N hath begged, and let his feloni­ous acte, for once bee pardoned: yet hath hee proceeded no farther in proofe, then that hee ought to be taken as a Pro­phet risen from the dead with condition, to wit, if that the day of iuddgemēt alredy be past, The Lord open the eies of his familie, leaste as hee is no Prophet, vnlesse that bee paste, which is yet to come: so they in like maner be­come no true Christians, before that, which is for euer past, heereafter shall come. If the cause of suche confusion bee demaunded, this it is: He expoundeth the doctrine of our resurrection Allegorically, and taketh it to be no­thing els: but to ryse in our iudgemente and affection, from the likyng of all other, too the embracing of his doctrine and religion. And therefore the day of iudge­ment which wee looke for, is in his opinion, already come, because the troumpe of his doctrine now soundeth, which woorketh this his spiritual resurrection. The confutation whereof, you shall (God willing) haue more at large heereafter, and yet there is sufficient, euen in this place aleadged by him to ouerthrowe it. For speaking of the children of GOD, who are true Chri­stians, possessed by fayth of eternall life, and therefore already rysen from the dead, (because to rise from errour, to the imbrasing of the trueth, (which hee taketh his owne doctrine too bee) is with him the rising from the dead, euen) of those hee sayth, I will rayse them vp in the last day: appoynting an other resurrection yet to come for those: who by a true faith haue alredy taken holde of that spiritual rising from darknesse to light, from sinne and iniquitie, to righteousnesse and true christianitie. [Page] If his best bulwarke, appointed to beare of the first and greatest assault that shal be made against him, bee thus weake: there is good hope, it wilbe no great woorke too winne the hold it selfe.

Actes. 17.31His seconde confirmation, is taken out of the Acts, 17. verse 31. The woordes be these: God wil iudge the worlde in righteousnesse, by that man whom he hath appointed, whereof he hath geuen assurance vnto al, in that he hath raised him from the dead. A place pro­per and peculiar vnto Christe alone, whom God the fa­ther hath raised from corporall death, to be an assuraunce vnto vs, that hee is the man appointed, who shal iudge the world in righteousnesse, at the latter day. There can be no other place more peculiar and proper vnto Christe, then is this: whereunto for all that, H. N. wilbe entituled. Notwithstanding, yf the woorde of GOD haue geuen it vnto him, good reason hee shoulde enioy it. Let it ther­fore bee considered, what he hath saide for it. This is his reason: GOD hath geuen vs assuraunce, that hee will iudge the world in righteousnesse, by the man Christ, in that hee hath raysed hym from the dead: therefore H. N. is alreadie risen from the dead. If H. N. bee Christ, it foloweth necessarily, though not by force of this argument, yet by sufficient strength from the trueth of the matter it selfe, that he shoulde be rysen from the dead, because hee is the same person, of whom it is sayde, that he is already risen from the dead, to assure vs of the last iudgement, that it shalbe holden by him selfe: But if H.N. bee anie thing beside Christe, there is no maner of helpe, to bee had from this place. For hee speaketh playnely heere, of the bodyly death of Christe him selfe. As for the affinitie betweene H. N. and Christe, howe great it is, that shall GOD willing hereafter appeare. What shal we be able to hold free from his assaults, when he shameth not to geue the attempt, for breaking of so [Page 3] strong barres as these bee, and that to gette the possession from Christ himselfe? Cicero doth geue it foorth of Caesar, that there was almost no man to bee founde, who had not rather yeelde to his request, how vnreasonable soeuer, then once to enter into the fielde with him for to fight: Nec ad­huc ferè inueni, qui non concedendum putaret Caesari, quod postularet, potiùs quam pugnandum. But (we are to reioyse in it) it fareth farre otherwise with the captayne of this bande, for he is so shamelesse in demaundes, and so foolish in his fight, that he would tempte the mildest man that is, to take his owne weapon from him, and to beate him with it vnto blood, before once hee begonne to reason the matter for his request.

The last aucthoritie, alleadged for proofe that H.N. is raised from the dead, is taken out of the second Chapter of the Epistle vnto the Ephesians, and sixth verse:Ephe. 2. ver. 6. these bee the wordes: God which is rich in mercie, euen when we were dead by sinnes, hath quickened vs together in Christ and hath raysed vs vppe together. A bene­fite flowing from Almightie God, vnto euerie member of his, to be quickened and raysed vp in Christe, and by his grace, from the death of sinne. If it shall fall out by plaine proofe, whē we come to speake of Christ, that H.N. denieth both his person, & his office: then hath he no maner of co­lour, or shewe of reason at all out of this place. For the re­surrection which the Apostle speaketh of here, is saide to be in, and by Christ. But bee it, that his iudgement tou­ching Christ were sound, the contrarie whereof (God wil­ling) shall hereafter playnely appeare: yet this spoken of men approued both in doctrine, and in life, and that by the testimonie of the Apostle himselfe: is no proofe to induce those to thinke, that H.N. is risen from the deade, by whom his life as well as doctrine, shall at any tyme (as now it is) be called into question. I hope H.N. wil neuer goe aboute, to haue goodes that be priuate, made common [Page] in his familie, seeing that himself turneth things common vnto his owne priuate vse. For this place is common vn­to ali true Christians: wherein notwithstanding H N. cla­meth propertie. For otherwise what reason is it, that euery one, who is risen frōvnder y^e dominiō of sin, should therfore haue the place & authoritie of a Prophet in the Churche.

It remayneth nowe to consider, with what iudgement or conscience, H N. hath ioyned together these testimonies, for the proofe of one matter. So shall we come to some sight of his dangerous doctrine. The first testimonie (as you see) plainely speaketh of the resurrectiō in the last day The se­cond of Christ his rising from death corporally. The third of rising from sinne & iniquitie. These, how diuerse soeuer one from an other, are notwithstanding by H. N. yoked to­gether, for strengthening of one and the same matter. And the reason thereof is, because hee taketh the doctrine touching the resurrection vnto life at the seconde comming of Christ: And the doctrine also of Christ his bodily rising agayne from death: to be vnderstoode onely of rising from sinne, & to leaue no other doctrine beside that vnto vs. You perceiue then by this doctrine wee are depriued, both of the comfort comming vnto vs by Christ his dying in the flesh, and also of the hope that we shal rise vp at the last day, both in bodie, & soule, to inherit euerlasting life. For both of these are sunke vp by his doctrine, into one onely spirituall rising from sinne: and that not otherwise, then by imbra­cing his religion and doctrine, for the gouernment of our liues.

This is the stuffe that hee hath bounde together, for drawing of himselfe out from among the dead. But if the lines of his life, had bene no more able to haue holden him among the liuing, then these cordes are to pull him out from among the dead: then (I am well assured) Sa­than shoulde long before this time, haue lost one principall [Page 4] factor for him, here vpon earth.

When this Author addeth more, that this his rising from death is according to the prouidence of God, and his promises, he sendeth vs for proofe hereof, vnto the eight chapter of the Romanes, and by these letters, C. and D. vnto the thirtienth and twentie three verses thereof. In the thirtienth verse it is thus written: If ye liue after the fleshe, ye shall die, but if ye mortifie the deedes of the bodie by the spirite, yee shall liue. His reason is this: The children of GOD, who by his spirite morti­fie the deedes of the fleshe in this life, shall in the worlde to come liue for euer: therefore by vertue of this promise H. N. is alreadie risen from the dead. Hee claimeth still his olde priuiledge, that it may be lawfull for him by spe­ciall dispensation, to make that which is yet to come, to be alreadie done: euerlasting life, to bee in this life: and the resurrection in the last day, to be no other thing then the ri­sing from sinne. If this absurde kinde of reasoning, had ben his gheast but for one night, the matter might happily haue had some colour frō a cūning excuse: but beyng a ser­uant of his, downe lying and vprising with him euery day: there is no place left for any defence, to cleare him of the shame and infamie thereof. Meruayle no more therefore, why H. N. shoulde in all his writinges, so sore inueigh a­gainst the Scripture Learned (as he calleth thē:) it was no smal poynt of wisedome to complayne first. For he was well assured it coulde neuer bee, that learning shoulde at­tayne anie such portion of pacience, as were able to beare the weight of halfe that wrong, which hee had in purpose to lay vpon it. In the 23. verse it is thus written. We also which haue receiued the first fruites of his spirite, euen we do sigh in ourselues, wayting for the adoption euen the redemption of our body. This is then his reason, the faithfull doe waite for the adoption & resurrection: therefore it must be by promise, that H. N. is alredy risē frō the dead. [Page] Howe repugnant vnto all shew of reason and truth is this, that H. N. shoulde therfore be risen from the dead, because the children of God, doe yet waite for the resurrection? In effect he saith thus much: There is a thing which shortly is like to be lost, and therefore H. N. hath alreadie founde it. Who can yeeld to such absurde conclusions, vnlesse it be proued vnto him before, that H N. hath a speciall com­mission, to finde thinges before they be lost, and to take them vp, when as yet they are not fallen? Howe heauie is the hande of God, vppon heresie and idolatrie? and howe great is the blindnesse that they be in, and yet perceiue it not?1. Sam. 5. palpable was that blindnesse of the men of Ashdod, who ceassed not to worship their God Dagon, notwithstā ­ding they did see him fallen before the Arke, & his head ly­ing a parte from his bodie: But yet this familie doth farre passe them, for they doe bring into the worlde, and woor­ship here as God, one H. N: who is not remoued a little from his head, but vtterly without any head, iudgement, or sense at all: his proofes being generally such, as reason and iudgement doe vtterly renounce. The Lorde in mercie keepe vs from those sinnes, which in due desert, doe so close vp our eyes, as wee can see no thing at high noone day.

An other Title, which he taketh vpon himselfe, is, that he is annoynted with the holie Ghoste, in the olde age of the holy vnderstanding of Iesu Christ. This title he clai­meth to be giuen him from the Apostle, in the 4. chapter to the Ephesians, verse 13. Where, the Apostle speaking of the diuersitie of giftes, that were in the Church, saieth. God hath geuen some to bee Apostles, some Pro­phetes, some Euangelistes, some Pastors and teachers, for the gathering together of the saintes: &c. giuing the reason withall: to witte, that wee might growe vp to be men in Christ, and to be no longer as children, readie to bee carried away with euerie winde of doctrine. Hee [Page 5] telleth vs then, what a good order the Lord hath left in his Church, to keepe vs from the daunger of errour, and to make vs like men growne, to bee strongly stayed in the trueth: But we heare nothing, what speciall successe, this ordinance of the Lord hath had with H N. For what a rea­son is this: Apostles & Pastours are giuen of God to keepe his Church from errour, and to make them as men strong and stayed in the trueth: and therefore H. N. is strongly stayed in the trueth, or (as it liketh him rather to speake) therefore H. N. is annointed with the holy ghost, in the olde age of the holy vnderstanding of Iesus Christ?

Vpon order taken for procuring things to be done, H. N. will necessarily enforce that the same are done. He might with as good reason say, that because there is a law in this lande against theft, therefore euerie man liueth iustly and truely of his owne, and there is not a theefe to be heard of in this realme. For vpon no other warrant then this, that order is left in the Church, to keepe men staied and strong in the trueth: H. N. wil inferre it must of necessitie be, that himselfe is stayed in that trueth. He proceedeth further in his titles, as not taking himselfe sufficiently commended hitherto: and affirmeth that he is godded with God, in the spirit of his loue, and referreth vs for the triall of this title, vnto the 21. Chapter of the Reuelation, and third verse, as vnto the best euidence that he can bring: and therefore he hath dealt wisely, to leaue the other chapters without anie specialtie. In this place, the state of the godly is described, what it shall be in the life to come: to wit, that they shall be glorified, & enioy the presence of their God, being freed frō all griefe and paine. The wordes of the text be these:Reuela. 21.3. I heard a great voice out of heauen, saying, behold the ta­bernacle of God with men, & he wil dwel with them, & they shalbe his people, & God himself shalbe their God with thē, & God shal wipe all teares frō their eyes, and there shalbe no more death, neither sorow, neither pain [Page] Because it is sayd in the text, that God shall be their God with them, so that they shall enioy his glorious presence, whereas albeit he bee nowe their GOD, yet he is not their GOD with them, in that glorie which accompa­nieth the presence of his Maiestie: H.N. reasoneth thus: God shall be God with his people: and therefore H. N. is GOD with God, or godded with GOD. It asketh no paines of me, in manie woordes to set these two partes asunder, that is perfourmed in the same labour that brin­geth them togither. For it is neuer better seene, how white and blacke differ, then when they come once to be vewed the one with the other. Can not God haue licence to dwell with his people in the life to come, except before there shal passe a graunt to H.N. to bee godded, or made God with God here in this life? or if there were any such compact, doeth this place prooue it, that hath not so much as a sil­lable sounding that way? Can not God be with them, but therevpon it must follow, that they bee Godded with him? If there were any such thing in trueth, as (God willing) it shal hereafter appeare, there cannot be: yet this place doth not so much as with a good countenaunce comforte him therein. The place, being so direct for our comfort in the life to come, and for all that, by him included within the li­mits of this life: telleth vs, that he hath not yet chaunged his iudgement touching euerlasting life, but that here (in his opinion) all that is to be hoped for must be had. As for the title it self [to be godded with God:] it is a blasphemie not to be borne. And the place from whence they drawe it, will not suffer it to bee hidde vnder the proprietie of the Dutche tongue.

In the next title, he challengeth againe, that which is proper and peculiar onely vnto Christ in that he is God, that is, to be the true light of the perfect being. For in that place wherevnto hee appealeth for defence, after a plaine deniall of Iohn the Baptist, to bee the true light, it [Page 6] is verified of Christ, That he was the true light, Iohn. 1. [...]. which lighteneth euerie man that commeth into the worlde. Giuing him this prerogatiue aboue Angels, and all crea­tures, that hee is the true light, shining of, and in himselfe, whereas all other borow their brightnesse of him. What will this man bee ashamed of, who dare to say of himselfe, that he is that true light, which lighteneth euerie man that commeth into the worlde, for so be the very wordes of that place, wherevnto he sendeth vs? what can bee more blasphemous, then to lay claime to that, which belongeth not vnto Christ himselfe but onely in respect of his God­head. This blasphemie is yet more euident in that which foloweth. For there it is thus written: God is light, 1. Iohn. 1.5. and in him is no darkenesse at all, therevpon H. N. concludeth himselfe to be the true light. These blasphemies, if a man should deale with them in desert, are rather by open execra­tion to be repelled, then to haue the honour of anie enter­tainment, though not otherwise then by confutation. Thus much of his person: Nowe to his office.

Touching his office, he sayth, that he is elected to bee a minister of the gracious worde, which is nowe in the last time raised vp by God, according to his promises. He bringeth nothing for proofe of this his election, but pas­seth it ouer as a matter out of doubt: and yet might it well bee, that the woorde whereof hee is a Minister, were a gracious woorde, (as hee calleth it) and for all that his election therevnto neither good nor gracious. But woulde you heare, what this gracious woorde is, accor­ding as the Prophet testifieth of it? Surely it is no other thing, then euen now to bring vs the first newes of a matter done and past manie hundreth yeares agoe, to witte, that Iuda and Ierusalem shoulde bee inhabited againe by the Iewes, after the captiuitie of Babilon. In the place which he alledgeth out of the Prophete, it is written thus: Thus saith the Lord, againe there shall be heard in this [Page] place, which ye say shal be desolate, without mā & with­out beast, euē in the cities of Iuda, and the streetes of Ie­rusalem: Iere. 33.10. the voice of ioy, and the voice of gladnesse, the voice of the bridegrome, & the voice of the bride. For I will cause to returne the captiuitie of the land, as at the first. The Iewes are cōforted by the prophet, with this pro­mise frō the Lord, that they shal returne frō their captiuity, and inhabite Iuda and Ierusalem, with comfort and ioy of heart. For (saith he) there shall be heard in your streetes, the voice of ioy & gladnes, the voice of the bridegrome and the voice of the bride. H.N. might well haue stayed among the dead, & neuer haue striuen so much about his re­surrection from among them, if he haue no other message then this: for they are dead many hundreth yeares agoe, to whom this matter did apperteine. It is plaine therefore by his own testimonie, that he hath no authority to deale with vs, but with Iuda & Ierusalem: nor to bring anie doctrine into the world, touching euerlasting saluation: but onely cō ­cerning a temporall deliuerance: neither to haue any thing to doe with men nowe liuing, but with people long before this time deade. Thus much in particular both touching his person and his office.

For his title in generall, I haue to say, that this title which is so ample and glorious, being compared with the preface of the Apostles, set before their writings, wil soone discrie the diuersitie of spirits. They dispatch vs touching the knowledge of themselues, in y^e words of [Seruant, & A­postle] whē they stand the longest with vs vpō that matter. By [seruant] declaring what they hold in common with all Christians: by [Apostle] what they haue special in the func­tion & ministerie of the word.Rom. 1. Paul a seruāt of Iesus Christ, called to be an Apostle. 2. Pet. 1.1. Simon Peter a seruāt, & an Apo­stle of Iesus Christ. And somtimes they are so sparing, that they wil not spend both vpon vs.Iames. 1. Iames a seruant of God, and of the Lord Iesus Christ: Peter an Apostle of Iesus [Page 7] Christ: Iude a seruant of Iesus Christ: 1. Pet. 1. Iude. 1. But H. N. as if he could no longer beare such basenesse, steppeth in before them with his stately stile, and sayth:

H.N. Through the grace and mercie of God: and through the holy spirite of the loue of Iesus Christ,

Raised vp by the highest God from the death, accor­ding to the prouidence of God and his promises,

Anointed with the holy Ghost, in the olde age of the holy vnderstanding of Iesus Christ.

Godded with God in the spirit of his loue.

Made heire with Christ in the heauenly goodes of the riches of God,

Illuminated in the spirite with the heauenly truth,

The true light of the perfect being, Elected to a minister of the gracious worde, which is now in the last time raised vp by God, according to his promises in the most holy seruice of god, vnder the obediēce of his loue

What man (measuring the matter, by the outwarde face that is set vpon it) would thinke the Apostles worthie, to hold the candle to this mans cunning? And what friend of theirs (if H.N. would take vpon him, to teach them the depth of his diuinitie) would once seeme to offer with them lesse, then the seruice of vii. yeres? Neither is there so great oddes betweene them, in the multitude of titles, as in the magnificence and dignitie of them. How plain, simple, and farre from pride, be the names of seruant, & Apostle? How glorious, swelling, & magnificēt, be these speches, Godded with God: annointed with the holy Ghost in the olde age of the holy vnderstanding: illuminated in the spirit: the true light of the perfect being: raised vp by the high­est God frō the dead. But no meruaile, if H. N. be so glo­rious in titles, for this he hath in common with the Here­tikes of all times. The Montanists, who had their name & beginning of Montanus, (the first heretike, that practised to draw on disciples, by procuring stipend and wages from [Page] the richer sorte of that sect, to others the teachers and mainteyners thereof:Euseb. eccles. hist. lib. 5. cap. 16. which was a baite that brought ma­ny to bite of those morsels: and therefore (vpon good consi­deration is nowe a freshe practised in this familie, where there is so great famine of better arguments to perswade with all:) did affirme that they were wiser then the Apo­stles, and alledged that place of the Apostle for it, where Paule (setting him selfe in the number with other) say­eth: We knowe in part: For they mainteyned an abso­lute, cleare and perfect reuelation in themselues: affirming Montanus to be the holy Ghost promised to the Church, whereof the Apostles had receyued but a little measure. There were also a sect of people, in that part of Pisidia, which belongeth vnto Pamphilia, who refused to receiue any into their felowship and communion, that kept anie thing priuate and proper to themselues, excluding them, as straungers from the kingdome of God: and they would be called Apostolici, Apostolicall, and be knowne by no o­ther name.August. de haere. lib. 9. Ad quod vult Deum. Caluin in Daniel, cap. 12.1. Bullinger contra Anabap. lib. 2. cap. 11. Seruetus the heretike, called himselfe Mi­chael, the keeper of the Church of God, and the great prince of his people. Dauid George, H. N. his Schoole-maister, though the scholer (setting vp for himselfe) will now take no more knowledge of anie maister or superiour: calleth himselfe the seuenth Angell of GOD, and the last trumpe. And H. N. the father of this familie, will bee godded with GOD, and become the true light of the perfect being, that in no wise hee might seeme to want that badge of boasting, which is so speciall and proper vnto heretikes.

That which is commonly sayd of pictures, and painted workes, hath a fitte place in these workes of H.N. Picturae at (que) imagines, eminùs, non cominùs videndae. Pictures and Images, they are faire a farre off, but if the eye drawe neare them, there is then no sight or shew of them. If a man looke at the diuinitie, that is heere deliuered, a farre [Page 8] off, he would thinke it came from aboue the hiest heauen: so great and goodly speaches of loue and peace, be conteyned in it. But come neare, and lay it to the line of God his worde, and beside that the lowest pit of hell, shall not be a­ble to afoorde worse wares, then some that here be vttered: It would loth a man, to looke vpon the ioyntes of it: while no member, hath dewe proportion and place: but is either looking backewarke, when it shoulde see streight forward: or else starting aside, when it shoulde stande vpright. For the conclusion,August. de ciuit. Dei. cap. 2. doeth alwayes looke a cleane contra­rie way from the Antecedent. If by Hipocrates those two children were truelie iudged to bee brethren of one birth, and the nearest in blood that coulde bee, who were obserued alway to laugh, and weepe together, alwayes to be sicke and whole together: Then may wee safely say, by warrant from the rule of contraries, that H. N. his Antecedentes, might marrie with his conclusions, for a­nie kindred that is betweene them: for the one shall no sooner beginne to laugh, but the other will bee sure to weepe: If the one seeme to builde vppe anie thing, the other will doe what in him lyeth to cast downe the same.

Heauie is the hande of God against them, who haue re­fused to beare loue vnto his trueth, euen so heauie, as to bee giuen vp, to bee strongly setled in the beleefe of open and manifest lyes. As wee see it fall out with this Familie: who receyuing sometime the trueth, but refusing to reserue it in loue, are nowe so throughly perswaded of manifest lyes, that when before their eyes they fall a sunder, burst in peeces, and starte one parte from another, by violent rushing agaynst the trueth: yet bee their eyes so blinde, they doe not see it, and their heartes so har­dened, they will not beeleeue others telling them of it. The Lorde in mercie keepe vs farre from that sinne, whiche causeth his hande to bee so heauie [Page] vpon vs, and graunt vs in affection to bee so linked to the trueth, that the eyes of our mind, may be alwayes cleare, to discerne, aswell the spottes of corrupt doctrine, as the de­filementes of wicked conuersation.

H. N.

Apoc. 14. aFor to publish nowe in the last time: out of the same grace and heartie mercifulnes of God, & through the same holie spirite of the loue of Iesus Christ, good tidings, or a ioyfull message of the kingdome of God, vnto all people, whichEsay. 42.61. a sit in the darkenesse, and haue a lust or longing after the true light, and to bring vnto the beleeuers a great light of the true being of Iesus Christ. And the glorious day of his godly clearnesse: as also to expresse, that God hath pitied the generations of mankinde, and that Iesus Christ hath not left vsIohn. 14. b. as Orphants: but as our faythfull father, for to beget vsIohn. 3. a a newe, out of the safe making water or Doctrine of his seruice, and out of his holie spirite of loue. AlsoEsay. 11.32. a Iere. 23. a. 33. b to iudge vs with his righteousnesse, and to bring vs into his rest, is come againe vnto vs, according to his promises, to the ende that they all, which loue God and his righteousnesse, and Christ and his vpright be­ing, mought presently enter into the trueHeb. 3.4. a rest which God hath prepared from the beginning for his elect, andMat. 25. d. inherite the euerlasting life.

Answere. H. N. continueth his speach touching his office, and affirmeth that he is appointed to publish good tidings or a ioyfull message of the kingdome of God, vnto all people, which sit in darkenesse, and therefore applieth that vnto himselfe,Esay. 61. which is in the Prophet Esay, of healing the [Page 9] broken hearted, and preaching deliuerance vnto the cap­tiues and recouering of sight vnto the blinde: Which our Sauiour Christe pronounceth to haue beene fulfilled in him selfe,Luke 4.21. when hee came to Nazareth vpon a Sabboth day, and had the Booke of the Prophet Esaias deliuered vnto him. If H. N. had remembred, that it is said in that place: The spirit of the Lorde is vpon me, and therefore hath the Lord annoynted me, and sent mee to preach good tydings vnto the poore: And thervpon made first sufficient proofe, that the spirit of the Lord had stirred him vp, and inabled him to preach the glad tidinges to the peo­ple: he might haue better been borne with all: But it is ap­parant by that which alreadie hath beene saide, if no more shoulde bee added thereunto: that the spirite whiche spea­keth in him, is a spirite of errour and delusion, whiche hath so wholie possessed him, as there is nothing now, be­side most blasphemous and hereticall doctrine, to be heard proceeding from his mouth. If H. N. had any simple and sincere meaning in him, or any portion of that spirit which was in the Apostles, hee should after the example of the Apostle Paule, in this his purpose, to perswade men of his calling, that it is lawfull and from God: long before this time haue communicated with them, that were the chief, & accompted as pillers of the Church: touching the Gospel, which he preacheth and setteth forth. Which thing S. Paul thought to be so necessary, that hee affirmeth,Gal. 2.2. him selfe did performe it, lest by any meanes he shuld haue run in vaine. And if he had beene of opinion, that all the world from the beginning, vnto the appearing of his doctrine had beene seduced, hee should then haue taken profitable paines, in making a plaine confutation of the errors and heresyes: that be holden contrarie to his doctrin throughout all chri­stian countryes. But this secret winding in of him selfe into the heartes of the simple, vnder the pleasant speach of loue, without either true ioying with them, or plaine con­futing [Page] of thē, sauoureth more of the serpents subtletie, then of y^e doues simplicitie. His charge is also (as he saith) to de­clare, That God hath pitied the generatiō of mankind, & that Iesus Christ hath not left vs as Orphants but as our faithful father, to beget vs anewe, and to iudge vs with his righteousnes, & to bring vs into his rest, is cōe againe vnto vs, according vnto his promises▪ to the end that they al, which loue God & his righteousnes, might enter presently into the true rest, which God hath pre­pared frō the beginning of his elect, & inherite the euer lasting life. This hereticall doctrine, is so ful fraught with violent wresting of y^e word of God, therby to establish most horrible blasphemies. That a mā can not so sone begin the cure of any one parte, but the danger almost desperate of an other, doth violently hale him forth to giue a helping hand vnto that. Now H.N. as one that in his owne opiniō hath preuailed so farre, as to match him selfe with God the fa­ther and Christ, euen in titles most proper vnto them: will enforce the holie Ghost to bring forth his euidence, & shew how he alone could come vpon the Apostles, & the faithful immediatly after the ascentiō of Christ. For he chalengeth that promise, which our sauiour Christ made vnto his A­postles in Iohn (for the sending of a comforter vnto them,Iohn. 14. ver. 16.17. and 18. and not leauing of them comfortlesse) to be now verified, at the breaking out of this doctrine, which hee hath broched nowe of late. If Iesus Christe had deferred his com­forte so long a time after his Resurrection, I doe not see but the Church (as one ouercome by reason of so long lack of comforte) might say at the hearing of this ioyfull mes­sage of H.N. as the wife of Phinehes did, when it was tolde for her consolation that shee had borne a sonne:1. Sam. 4.21. The glorie (saith she) is allredy gone from Israel, and ther­fore let the childe haue his name accordingly, and be called Ichauod.

Now if this were the true worde of GOD and Gos­pell [Page 10] of Iesus Christ, which neuer had seene the light be­fore but by H.N. had beene the firste digged out of darke­nesse, what ignoraunce is it to confounde the Gospell with the holie Ghoste, as if the holie Ghost were no other thinge, then the doctrine it self? For that place is plainely and expresly mente of the spirite of God, and not of any doctrine, that he should haue in purpose, to send them from Heauen. That which hee speaketh further of his office, that it is to expresse, How that Christ is come againe ac­cording to his promise, to beget vs anew: to iudge vs with his righteousnesse. That we might presently enter into the true rest, which God hath prepared from the beginning, and inherite the euetlasting life, is nothing else, but a very sinke of absurde doctrine. For first howe absurde is this to say, That Christ his comming againe shall be to beget vs a new out of the doctrine of his ser­uice, when as the Apostle playnely saith, His comming shall bee to render vengeaunce vnto all them, tha [...] are no at that time already borne anewe by obedience vnto the Gospell. It is a righteous thing with God, 2. Thessa. 1.8. to recom­penc tribulation vnto them that trouble you, & to you which are troubled, rest, when the Lord Iesus shal shew him selfe from Heauen with his mightie Angels, in fla­ming fire, rendering vengeance vnto them that doe not knowe GOD, and obey not vnto the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ. It will then be to late to learne when the bridegrome is once come. It wil be to late then to seek Oyle for their Lampes. Their Lampes shall then be bur­ning, that shall bee admitted to enter in with the Bride­grome. And therefore he commeth not againe now to be­get vs a new: but to render vengeance vnto so many as shal not be founde at his comming borne againe, and already begotten a newe. Besides, what a match is that, to haue the first cōming of Christ, to ioyne in time with the second:Esay. 11. for that out of the Prophet Esaie is plainely spoken of his [Page] first comming in the flesh: which notwithstanding is heere ioined with the comming of the Lord vnto iudgement, and bringing of the elect into that rest, which hath beene pre­pared from the beginning, euen the inheritaunce of euer­lasting life. Nowe H.N. saith, that they bothe take effect at the publishing of this his doctrin. Moreouer of this doc­trine it doth followe, that regeneration is the ioyes of hea­uen: and that when a man doth reforme his life by the word, he is presentlie entred into those ioyes, which haue beene prepared from the beginning for the elect. It doth plainely make the comforts of euerlasting life, to be no other then those that are felte of the godlie in this life: It bindeth also those ioyes of heauen and euerlasting life, vnto this life, and vnto the imbracing of H.N. his doctrine: that in the receiuing thereof, a man should enter the possession of the ioyes of heauen.Matth. 25.34. For the place of Matthew is so plaine for the day of Iudgement, and for the possessing of such euer­lasting ioyes, as in this worlde are not enioyed: as no thing can be more. These be the wordes: Then shall the king say vnto them on his right hand: Come yee blessed of my father, inherite the kingdome prepared for you, from the foundations of the world: For I was an hun­gred and ye gaue me meate, I thirsted and you gaue me drinke &c, these were men regenerate and borne againe, for he reciteth their fruites of newe life, and the workes of regeneration, which they had done, and these men, which had shewed foorth these fruites, he then putteth in possessi­on of the kingdom, prepared for them from the beginning of the world: saying, Come ye blessed of my father, inhe­rite the kingdome prepared for you. If they be then cal­led out to inherite a kingdome, which haue practised the fruites of Christianitie before: then is there an other king­dome abyding for the Children of God, beside that which they are possessed of presently, vpon the newnesse and re­formatiō of their life. For mē are not wont to be called out [Page 11] to take the possession of that, which they are alredy entred vpon. And how could they haue brought foorth such fruites as the Lord doth crowne, vnlesse there had beene newnesse of life before? The Apostle Paule affirmeth our estate which trust in Christ, to be the moste miserable of all other,1. Cor. 15.19. if so be that we haue no other hope, but in this life only. For heere the estate of the godly, is subiect to so great affliction and persecution, that sometimes men that feared God, haue beene greatly tempted, to followe the wayes of the wicked while they did see them to flourish, in all worldly prosperi­tie, inioying as it were a heauen heere vppon Earth: and the seruants of GOD, almoste continually liuing such a life, as that death it selfe, might seeme iustly to bee wished before it. Dauid professeth that him selfe fretted at the wicked, when he did se the prosperitie of them, and that his steppes had wel neere s [...]pt, and his feet were almost gone.Psal. 73. For they are not in trouble (saith he) like the other sort, and therefore pride is as a chaine vnto them. Titus. 2.11. The grace of God (saith the Apostle) which bringeth saluation hath appeared, and teacheth vs to deny vngodlinesse, and worldlie lustes, and to liue temperatlie, iustly, and godly in this present worlde, wayting for that blessed hope and appearing of the glorie of the mightie God, and of our Sauiour Iesus Christe. If in a sober, iust, and godly course of life, we haue to waite for that blessed hope and glorie, which shal appeare with the comming of Iesus Christe: then is not that sober, iust, and godly course of life, the blessed hope and glory it selfe. For men doe not waite for that, which they doe enioy already. Wee giue thanks (saith the Apostle) vnto God, Collo. 1.3. since we heare of your faith in Christ & of your loue towards all Saints, for the hopes sake which is layd vp for you in Heauen. If they did abounde in faith towardes Christ, and in loue towards the Saincts, for the hopes sake, which was laide vp for them in heauen: Then was not their Heauen & hope [Page] contained within the limites of this life, and much lesse was that fruite of faith & loue, the hope and heauen it self.

And lest any man might imagine, that I haue taken the aduantage of this one place vnaduisedly penned by the Au­thor, let him reade his Bookes, and he shall finde it to bee a doctrine, often and with great deliberation set downe, and confirmed by places of the scripture after his accustomed maner. And euen in this same chapter, he hath these words, Happy are they which haue nowe in this day entended or minded the loue, and the peace, for in this selfe same day, shall now the good, with all repentant ones, which stand good willing towards the good, become knowen and made manifest from the wicked, and from all vn­repentant ones, which haue a lust to the iniquitie, & to the & wicked and corrupted world, & they shal seperate thē the one from the other. Matth. 25. d The separation which shalbe at the last day, betweene the sheepe and the goates, as it is euident in that place of Matthew, which he alleadgeth: is (as he saith) fulfilled nowe, while some ioyne with his doc­trine & that his family, & other seperate themselues from it. And a little after in this same chapter, thus he speaketh a­gaine of this same thing: Behold, in this present day the Esa. 3. b. Mat. 24. d. 25. d Iude. 1. b. glorious cōming of our Lorde Iesu Christ, with the many thousands of his saints, becommeth manifested: which hath set himself now vpon the seate of Esay. 16. b. his ma­iestie, for to iudge in this same day which the Lord hath ordained or appointed: the whol Actes. 17. d. world with equitie and with faithfulnes Zach. 8 a. & trueth, according to his righ­teousnes. The places quoted by him in the margent out of Matthew, Iude, & the Actes, are so plaine for the second comming of Christ, to the iudgement both of quick & dead, and not for bringing any doctrine for their further instruc­tion, as that it can admit no interpretation to the contra­ry. The Scripture is not more plaine in any point, then that eternall life, is a matter diuers and distinct, from the [Page 12] fruites of regeneration whiche are practised of the godly heere in this life. For thus saith the Apostle of him selfe, I haue fought a good fight, and haue finished my course: 2. Tim. 4.7. I haue kept the faith, from henceforth is laid vp for me the crowne of Righteousnes, which the Lord the righ­teous Iudge shall giue me at that day, and not vnto mee onely, but vnto all them also, that loue his appearing. If eternall life bee the same with Christian conuersation, then could not the Apostle who had kept the faith, look for any other crowne, then that which he had alreadie, neither yet for any other appearing of Christ, if y^t be his last com­ming, when he worketh the reformation of our life. Let vs brethrē learne of the Apostle to keep the faith, that we may also with him, bee assured to receiue the crowne of Righ­teousnesse at the appearing of Iesus Christ. For the fa­ther of this familie togither with many of his householde, because they haue not kept the faith, but made shipwrack thereof, not onely nowe themselues want the comfortable hope of that blessed inheritance, which holdeth vs vp, in the middest of all our distresses: but also labour to take away from others, the grounds of all hope heereafter to bee had.

Nowe if any bee so fauourable to this familie, as to an­sweare for them, that whatsoeuer their woordes bee, it is not their meaning to imagine that the day of Iudgement is already come, and that Christ is come againe, to iudge the quick and the deade, or that nowe wee are parted from the Goates, and possessed of euerlasting life: I woulde aske that man what hee would say, if hee should by occa­sion happen to heare a man conspyring with others his fellowes aboute the breaking of his house, and after­warde him selfe should take the same partie, when he had vndermined the strongest parte thereof: whether hee could not bee brought for all this, to thinke the man had any meaning to hurte or hinder him. Nowe the woordes of H. N. are plaine, that Christe is already come with [Page] thousandes of his Angels, to iudge the worlde with righ­teousnesse: and the strongest holdes of our hope, for an o­ther life, and other ioyes in the worlde to come he hath at­tempted vtterly to ouerthrowe, telling vs, that those are al­ready possessed of vs euen heere in this life.

H. N. The fifth Chapter of his Euangelie, or ioyful message of the kingdome.

BEholde and consider, ye dearely beloued, how that God after the mans falling away, hath alwaies shewed his loue on the man: and promised him euē so, to the destroying of the sinne,Gen. 3. b. to set enmitie betwixt the serpent, whose head is the sinne, and the woman which consented to the sinne: and betwixt the serpents seede and the womans seede, to the treading downe of the head of the serpent: And how that the same promised enmitie against the sin, and the sinful seede, had her be­ginning by the single minded Abel. Which AbelGen. 4. a. offe­red vp his willing gifte or offering, out of a good hart, vnto the God of Heauen, and was slaine by the wicked nature of the sinne, through the hands of his brother Caine: And how that Seth, after the death of Abel, was placed by GodGen. 4. c. to be an other seede in the place of Abel, to the establishing of the foresaide promise of God: As also how that Seth, which is the seconde seede in the place of Abel, and his seede is the right stocke or linage, whereout the beleeuers and children of GOD (namely all they that haue beene enemies vnto the sin) are borne or brought forth, to the establishing of the promises of God the father. But all other people or generations, which were borne vpon the earth, without the stocke of Seth, and all they that walked not in the [Page 13] forme of Abel, according to the maner or ordinaunce of Seth, were not of the right stocke of Seth: but they were foraine braunches, which turned them a­way there from, and were neuer prudent nor vnder­standing in the godly wisdome, but verie well in their owne felfe knowledge and good thinking, wherewith they turned vnto them selues: and forsooke euen so the vpright childishnesse and simplicitie: and the wil­ling oblation or god seruice of Abel.

Answere. TOuching the fall of man, this Authour speaketh darkely and daungerously in euery place. GOD (saith he) after the mans falling away, hath alwayes shewed his loue on the man: and in the later ende of the fourth Chapter, hee hath these woordes: (Wee will de­clare from the time foorth, of the falling away or dis­obedience of the man, the earnest loue which GOD hath alwaies till vnto this same day, shewed towards the man, through his elected Ministers, to bring him a­gayne, vnto the heritable beautie of the former king­dome, From the which hee turned him away. In the beginning likewise of that fourth Chapter, hee saith to the like effect, that from the former kingdome, full of all righteousnesse, loue, peace, and amiablenesse, the man hath from the beginning, turned away his hearte: and fell away from, or was disobedient vnto the worde of his God, the vpright life of his true light. Thus doth he set foorth the fall of man: for he hath no place tou­ching this doctrine, plainer & fuller then these be. Wher­in I beseche you mark the diuersitie of this doctrine, from that which is deliuered touching this matter, in the holy scriptures. In the Scripture we doe reade of one man, by name Adam, the first offendour among men:Rom. 5.15. heere is no [Page] mention made of any one man,1. Cor. 15.22 but the blame is wholy (af­ter his accustomed obscure and dark dealing) put ouer vn­to to a generall and confused notion, which is called of him (the man) and that his (the man) is no one man,By the doctrine of H.N. Adam was no one man. it appea­reth by that which was euen nowe alleaged out of the fourth Chapter. For no one man hath continued from the beginning vntyll this day, to receiue continuall mer­cies from the Lorde: And you haue hearde that hee saith, wee will declare from the time foorth of the falling a­way or disobedience of the man, the earnest loue which God hath alwaies vntill this same day, shewed towardes the man. It is playne therefore, that his (the man) is set heere, to hide an horrible errour, to wit, the mankinde hath no common harme,Man hath no common infection from Adam, or any other one man. from any one man. For he is perswa­ded that we haue no infection from any man, otherwise then so so farre foorth, as we shal in doing the like euil, be­come folowers of that man. So that by his doctrine, any euill man, may be an occasion of as great hurt vnto vs, as was Adam. In the Scripture wee doe reade of one principal offendour, & we do likewise reade there, of one particular & yet principal offence: to wit, the eating of the forbidden fruit, which brought the gilte of condem­nation vpon al. This authour deliuereth that point of the particular offēce, in like maner generally vnto vs in these woordes The man from the beginning, fel away from or was disobedient vnto the woorde of his God, the vpright life of his true light. Some not of the least a­mong that familie, with whom I haue had conference, ac­cording to this doctrine of H. N. haue in plaine speache told me, that there was no material tree, neither was it a­ny material, fruite that Adam did eate, but that Adam was therfore said to eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euil, because in transgressing the will of GOD; A­dam mingled euill with that goodnesse which was in him, [Page 14] and so was founde to haue doone euill, aswell as good. When this familie doth not acknowledge this particu­lar offence, it followeth necessarily that they shoulde bee altogeather ignoraunt, both of the number vnto howe many that infection reacheth, and also of the daunger thereof growing vnto the same. In the woorde of God it is plaine, especially in the Epistle vnto the Romanes, Rom. 5.18. That one offence, brought condemnation vpon all men. Where one offence of one offendour, is set against one righteousnesse, of one righteous man Iesus Christe. For as Adam was the spring from whence flowed corruption vnto all, and in whose of­fence, wee all had offended, as being a part or parcell of him, closed vp within his loines: so Christ in like maner is the roote of all righteousnesse, in whose obedience, all the faithful are founde innocent and reckoned as righte­ous before the Lorde. The doctrine which deliuereth vnto vs how daungerous a disease, wee haue from Adam, is a chiefe point of our religion, that doth principally con­cerne vs. For the disease is so daungerous, that it doeth infect vnto death, bringing with it condemnation: and so v­niuersal, that it denieth priuilege vnto any, scattering deadly poyson euery where and ouer all. And therefore if H. N. were sounde in all other points of religion. yet this one errour of his touching originall sinne were suffici­ent to cut him of as a rotten member from the Churche of Christe, vntill hee shoulde confesse his faulte, renounce this his heresie, and with the Church of GOD professe the trueth of that doctrine, which touching Originall sinne, is deliuered vnto vs in the worde of GOD. The infection that commeth by Adam is not an euil w^tout vs not able otherwise to harme vs, then when we shall drawe so neare as that i [...] may breathe vpon vs: but an inward infection that dwelleth within vs, [Page] which woulde both counsaile and and practise wickednes, though there were no former example thereof through the whole worlde. When the Apostle saith, that he was by nature the childe of wrath, Ephesians. 2.3. as wel as others: He semeth to finde a fountaine of sinne in nature, as nowe it is cor­rupt in Adam: but not to charge any man, or men, by euil example of life, to haue beene the occasion of that wrath, and curse of GOD. So that infection of nature, not imi­tation of example, is the grounde of all our griefe. E­uill beeyng so neare vnto vs as is our nature, hath the cre­dite with vs of our best and next neighbour, before wee be warned of it by the word: not the light regarde, which is commonly had of a forener and stranger. But the word teacheth that it ought not lightly to feare vs, as an e­nimie without vs, against whom are shutte the gates of all our hartes, aswell as of our holdes: And casteth so great care vpon vs to withstand it, as is required to driue out an enimie already within our gates, and possessed of our strongest holdes. Let H. N. therefore haue that cre­dite and entertainement with all good Christians, that hee deserueth who certifieth of our enimie, that hee is yet in his owne lande, when hee hath entred our chiefe cities and walled townes. Or let his fees bee the same with those counsellours, by whose aduise all our munition is sent into foraine Countreies to war vpon them: when before they are priuie, that subiectes are redy to rise vp and rebel in our owne lande. In Leuiticus, there was en­ioyned vnto euery woman,Leuiticus. 12. which had brought forth seed, and borne a childe: that she should bring vnto the Priest a sinne offering, after the daies of her purifiyng were expi­red: to the ende he might make an attonemēt for her, & so purge her of her blood. A notable example to let vs see the spring of sinne, that wee may be humbled in our vncleane­nesse, and being discharged of hypocrisie, may consider how [Page 15] lowly we ought to be in our owne eyes, whose birth is so polluted, that our mothers become therwith all fouly slai­ned. Let vs therefore say with Iob not in impaciencie a­gainst the Lord, but in all humbling of our selues:Iob. 14.4. Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse? Let vs like­wise with Dauid (Who came not in hipocrisie excusing him selfe to accuse his mother: but in humilitie, to con­demne him selfe, that hee might be pardoned of the Lord:) confesse that our mothers haue warmed vs in sin,Psal. 51. and that we haue been borne in iniquitie. Let vs begin at the head, and hide nothing from the Lorde: So shall our conscience be cleared, and our prouision made in trueth for assured peace. As for that question, common to the Pa­pistes with the familie of Loue: howe this infection is conueighed from Adam into his posteritie: Whether by the body, or by the soule: seeing thus much is plaine by the scriptures, that there it is, And from Adam it came: It is altogeather curious and vnprofitable. It were a more profitable question, to discusse howe wee might haue it with least hurt, seing we cannot be rid of it altogeather, then to examine howe it is entred into vs. And he that shal cast of the care, how to rid him of the daunger of it, hol­ding a disputation howe hee fell into it: is no lesse foolishe in my iudgement, then yf a man, thruste by another into a deepe and dangerous pit, shoulde refuse to speake of his comming out, enquiring only of them that came by, who he was that did hurle him in: And when hee is resolued therin: wil haue it further debated, (while he is yet in the pit, & before once he thinketh of cōming out, whether the man (in their iudgments) preuayled against him, because his heart fainted, or because his strength failed. Nowe if the Lord be cleere, & not to be touched, whē he doth harden the harts of the wicked & punisheth sin with sinne, which thing the scripture declareth, and euery Christian confes­seth, because sinne hath been before in them to deserue the [Page] same: Why shoulde the Lorde be blamed, since that wee all being in Adam, haue (as was euen now prooued) gree­uously offended: If he deale no otherwise with the soule of man, then from the same ballance of equitie and iustice which wee haue approoued, may returne with like equitie cleared and discharged? As this doctrine of H. N. warran­teth vs from any hurte by Adam his fall, except wee shall be founde transgressours actually after his example, a­gainst the will and commaundement of GOD: so it set­teth foorth in like maner Christe Iesus, no otherwise to be an helper vnto vs, then so farre foorth, as wee shall by his example of doctrine and life be led into the like obedi­ence. And therfore as Adam (in his opinion) hath nothing speciall in the falling away of man from God: so Christe yeeldeth no priuate and peculiar helpe to his saluation. Al the wicked haue beene stumbling blockes, and occasion of sinne vnto the rest: and all that feared God in euery age, haue brought the benefite of good instruction and example vnto those among whom they haue had their conuersation: And therfore in his iudgement, no one man standeth alone to holde out so muche as is the helpe of good doctrine and good lyfe towarde our iustification: but all howe many so: euer haue beene founde faithfull from the beginning, are matched togeather and made fellowes at the prayse of that woorke. That this is his doctrine, touching the resto­ring of man, it doth appeare, out of this place. For whē he hath affirmed, that the promise for the ouerthrow of sinne doeth consist in setting enmitie betwene the Serpent and the woman, and betweene the Serpents seede: and the womans seed: hee declareth that this promised enmitie, began with Abell, and after his death was established with Seth, and that Seth became the right stocke or linage whereout the beleeuees and children of God (namely all they that haue beene enimies vnto sinne) were borne and [Page 16] brought foorth, to the establishing of the promises of God the father: These are his owne woordes. Nowe for the maner, how after Abel, Seth became the stocke, from whence sprang all the beleeuers, that it was only by imi­tation, and folowing of his example, he declareth after­warde, in these woordes: All they that walked not in the forme of Abel, according to the maner and ordinance of Seth, were not of the right stocke of Seth, H. N. establisheth righteousnesse by imitation. but they were foraine branches, which turned them away ther­from, and were neuer prudent nor vnderstanding, VVith H. N not Christe but Seth is the roote of righteousnesse. in the godly wisedome, but verie wel in their owne selfe knowledge, and good thinking. What dampnable doctrine lurketh vner these wordes? Doe the beleeuers now, or did they at that time, spring out of Seth, as out of their stocke: or were all that haue beene enimies vnto sin, brought foorth out of Abel and Seth and not out of Christ, the root of the righteous. Who (as the Apostle saith) is be­fore al thinges, & in him al things consist. Colloss [...]a. 1.17. And he is the head of the bodie of the Church, hee is the beginning and the first borne of the dead, that in all thinges hee might haue the preheminence, for it hath pleased the Father, that in him shoulde al fulnesse dwell? Are the promises of God the father, established indifferently in all those that haue ben enimies vnto sin? are not al y^e promises nowe in Christ yea and Amen? 2. Cor. 1.20. Doeth not the Apostle reason from the woordes of the couenant and promise, and prooue plainely, that Christe only was this promised seede, and that hee hadde no fellowes ioyned with him, because the couenant was not (as he sayth) deliuered in these fourme of woordes: To thy seedes, Gala [...]hi. 3.16 as speaking of many, but thus: And to thy seede, as of one, which is Christe. Moreouer shall wee saye that righteousnesse was deriued from Seth by imitation, vnto all those that walked in the same pathe of righteousnesse: [Page] When the apostle saith,2. Cor. 5.19. that God was in Christ, recōci­ling the world vnto himself, not imputing their sinnes vnto them? If we be reconciled vnto God by imputati­on, then commeth not our righteosnesse, by imitation. If wee be iustified, because our sinnes bee not laide to our charge, then are wee not free therefore, because in follow­ing the footesteps of the righteous, we haue wrought our owne discharge. And if this be not thought plaine enough to prooue that H. N. doeth acknowledge no other righte­ousnesse in man beside that which commeth by imitation, neither any other helpe from the Lorde for our saluation, then continuall lightes of good doctrine and good life, shi­ning out of his seruauntes at all times, for the benefite of that age and time, wherein they liued: Toward the end of this Chapter you shall haue yet more playne confirma­tions thereof, if possibly that may bee perfourmed. For there he reckoneth vp by name, the patternes & examples of euery age, and sayth: Behold, in suche sort, hath this vpright seede, in the light and righteousnes of his God had his procreation, to righteousnes and life vpon the earth, namely, Gen. 4. c. from Seth the seconde seede, in the place of Abel Gen. 5.9 c. till vnto Noah and Sem. From Noah and Sem Gen. 11. b. c. vntill Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob. Which Iacob, whom Gen. 32. c. GOD named Israell, begot the twelue Gen. 29. c. d. fathers of Israel, out of the which, GOD Gen 49. chose him Iuda. From Iuda vntil 1. Kinges. 16. Dauid the king of Israell and Iuda. From Dauid the king vntill 1. Esdras. 3. a. 2. Esd as 5. a. Zorababel in the captiuitie of Babylon. From Zorababel vntill Matth. 1. b. c. Luke. 1. c 2. a. Ioseph which had a virgin to wife, out of the same stocke of Dauid named Mary: of whom Iesus Christ the consūmation of all the woorkes of GOD, and the perfect light of the godly clearnesse was borne and brought foorth. Nowe least any man might imagine, that when this au­thour commeth to speake of Christ, he dare not but giue [Page 17] out otherwise of him, then that he should haue others ioy­ned with him in that woorke of our saluation: Consider I pray you of that which is written in the eightienth chap­ter of this booke, where of purpose he hādleth that matet [...] & historie of Christ at large. There hee hath these wordes: Consider ye beloued, how that there is shewed vnto vs, and geuē vs to vnderstand through the speaches of the Angel Gabriel which hee vsed with Marie: that at the same time (whē the holy Ghost came through the pow­er of the most highest Luke. 1 vpō the Virgin Mary, & procreated the true seed of promise) the time of procreating of the seed of Abraham according to the flesh, turned it selfe about: to wit, that the holy & true seed of Abrahā should not frō thencefoorth be conceiued of the flesh, ☞ but of the holy Ghost, through the power of the most highest in the beliefe: And that the same should euē so be borne out of the true faith of Abraham For the seed out of the faith of Abraham, & out of the pure Virgin Mary, is the true Ce [...]. 21. b. 22. b. Rom 9.2. Gala. 3. b. seed of promise to the blessing of al generatiōs of the earth. And thus from that time forth the Genealogie of the seede of Abraham according to the fleshe, ceassed with the beleeuers. For the vpright children of the beliefe: which had their discent out of the seede of the faith of Abraham: and the pure Virgin Mary: as also from the holy Ghost: were knowen Rom. 9.2. to be the true seede of Abraham, because the same seede was the seede of the promise of God the Father: & was likewise in his mind according to the spirit, the likenes of God his father: also spirit and spirituall of the godly nature and being. And according to the will of GOD, wholly minded with God.

You see, that the woordes of the Angel vnto the Virgin Marie, to perswade her touching the worke of the Lorde within her, to witte, that the holy Ghost shoulde come vppon her, and the power of the moste high shoulde ouershadowe her: are by this Authour wrong by way of [Page] Allegory vnto all the faithfull that shall come after Christ: who are made by his doctrine, to come out of the pure Virgin Mary, & to be the very true seed of promise ioyntly together, for the blessing of all generations of the earth, For the seed (saith he) out of the faith of Abraham, Christ with H.N. is the head of A­brahams faith, but not of Abra­hams flesh, which opinion ouerthro­weth his humani­tie. and out of the pure Virgin Mary is the true seed of the pra­mise, to the blessing of al generatiōs of the earth, These be his owne wordes. And immediatly after, least that any shoulde thinke this was spoken of one onelie, and there­fore of Christ alone, continuing the same matter, he spea­keth in the plural number and saieth: The vpright chil­dren of the beliefe, which had their discent out of the seede of the faith of Abraham, and of the pure Virgin Mary, as also from the holy Ghost, were knowen to be the true seede of Abraham, because the same seede was the seed of the promise of God the father. Cā any thing bee added to this blasphemie, to ioyne many to make vppe this seede of promise by whom shoulde come the blessing of all the generations of the earth: When as the Apostle sayeth in the third to the Galathians, Gala 3.16. (which place is here alleaged by him) That the promises were made to A­braham, and his seede, which was Christ, and not to his seedes, as speaking of manie? If any man, either for want of knowledge, or through aboundance of good will, woulde here gladly become a proctour for H.N. and affirme that he meant nothing lesse, by this speach [of bles­sing all generations of the earth,] then to declare the way and meanes of our saluation: besides that the whole chap­ter is occupied about Christ, and therefore about our salua­tion, and that it is the phrase of speache, which the holie Ghost vseth to expresse that matter by: The places, which are quoted in the margent out of Genesis, and the Epistle to the Galathians, Gen. 22.18. Gal. 3.16. directly dealing for that worke of our saluation: doe leaue no colour for this ex­cuse. [Page 18] All the grounde that hee hath of this blasphemous doctrine, is a blinde, ignoraunt, and altogether vnlear­ned descanting about the names of men, wherein consi­steth the deapth of all his diuinitie. For when once hee hath with allegories, as it were with hot irons, seared the word, taking away thereby the life and natural sence of the same, then beginneth he to rattle the drie bones, and to descant vpon bare names as best liketh himselfe, without anie helpe at all giuen vnto his interpretation, from the cir­cumstances of the place & matter that is inhande, resting onely, vpon a childish & ridiculous deriuation of the words from the Hebrues. For because (as hee saieth in that chapter,) Galilie signifieth a turning either winding a­bout, He will haue this doctrine established therevpon, that the procreating of the true seede, turned it selfe about, to witte, that the holie and true seede of Abraham, which (according to his doctrine) all he faithful are, shoulde not from thencefoorth, be conceaued of the flesh, but of the ho­lie Ghost. What daunger lurketh vnder this doctrine?By H. N. his do­ctrine al the faith­ful are conceaued by the holy Ghost as was Christ. Is it not proper onely to that one man Iesus Christ alone, to be conceiued by the holy Ghost? Howe then dare H.N. se­cretly insinuate that Christ had no other kinde of concep­tion, but that whereof all the faithfull are partakers to­gether with him. Now if hee meant no mischiefe herein, what neede hath hee to set his turning about from Galilie, to tell vs, that the true seede of Abraham shoulde not from thencefoorth be conceiued of the fleshe. For if he haue rela­tion vnto regeneration, Who is ignorant, that the worke therof not onely since Christ but before his comming, hath beene alwayes wrought through the holie Ghost, and neuer performed by fleshe. Marie (after the like maner of interpretation) signifieth with him a doctrice. For that is his owne woorde, in this Chapter, wherevp­pon he gathereth, that the true seede, is brought foorth by [Page] the most highest in the beliefe, that is by himselfe, who one­ly (in his owne iudgement) teacheth purely and so conse­quently, they all are borne of the pure Virgin Marie, that are brought by his doctrine and instruction, which onely he holdeth for pure, to ioyne with him in his faith and reli­gion. Thus blasphemously doth he deale, through grosse ignorance, ioyned with intollerable arrogancie & pride, to ouerthrowe the grounde woorke of our saluation. As for these woordes, which in the ende of this his speache, are spoken of all the faithful after Christ,) The same seed, was the seed of the promise of God the Father, & was like­wise in his minde, according to the spirit, the likenesse of God his Father, also spirit and spiritual, of the godly nature and beyng: and according to the will of God, wholly minded with God: Whether they eueroch vppon Iesus Christ, or attribute any other diuinitie and Godhed vnto Christ, then they are perswaded the faithful after him, be all pertakers of: I leaue it to the consideration of the learned that feare God, without any other speache there­of, then that here, all the faithfull as one head, are saide to be the likenesse of God his Father, to be also of the god­ly nature and beyng, and finally to be according to the will of God, wholly minded with God: then the which, I doe not remember that I haue founde in all his woorkes, any greater thing geuen vnto Christ. By this which hath bene said it is euidēt, that this heresie of the familie of loue, tou­ching Adam and Christ, is the selfe same with the heresie of the Pelagians: August. Epist. 10. For Augustine doth reporte the opinions of the Pelagians to haue bene these.

1. Peccatum Adae ipsum solum laesit. The sinne of A­dam hurt onely himselfe.

2. Infantes nuper nati, in illo statu sunt, in quo fuit A­dam ante praeuaricationem. Infantes are in the same state, that Adam was before his fall.

3. Adam siue peccaret, siue non peccaret, moriturus esset. [Page 19] Adam if he had not sinned shoulde notwithstanding haue died.

4. Dei gratia secundum merita nostra datur. The grace of God, is giuen according to our desertes.

5. Filii Dei non possunt vocari, nisi omnino abs (que) peccato fuerint affecti. They cannot be called the children of God, vnlesse they become altogether without sinne. Touching their opinion of the grace of God, in an other place Au­gustine doth report it to haue bene this.August. Epist. [...]4.

6. Hoc solum ad dei gratiam pertinere contendunt, quod cū libero arbitrio, et non peccandi possibilitate creati sumus. This is al which they giue to the grace of God that we are created with free wil, & possibilitie or power not to offend. Where he openeth their opinion touching infantes more plainely in these wordes.

7. Paruuli non indigent gratia saluatoris, eo quód nullum ex Adam contagium damnationis contraxerint. Infantes neede not the grace of a Sauiour, because they haue no damnable contagion or infection from Adam.

Nowe these opinions doe necessarily followe of that doctrine which H.N. hath here deliuered touching Adam and Christ, which in effect all of them, not onely I my selfe, but diuers others haue hearde some of the chiefe men of this familie affirme and constantly mainteine. Where­by we may playnely discerne, that they lie vnder an heauy iudgement of God, in that so plaine testimonies of the scriptures, cannot preuayle with them for the chaunginge of so corrupt opinions. Is it possible in playner speach to proue, that lyfe came into the world by one, to wit, Christ, and that we are iustified by the righteousnes of one man, than the Apostle doeth in the epistle to the Romaynes? Whose words touching that matter are these,Rom. 5.18. As by the offēce of one man, the fault came on al men to cōdemna­tion, so by the iustifiing of one the benefit abounded to­ward al men, to the iustification of life. Here we see it [Page] confirmed, that one benefite by one man, doeth bring iustification vnto all that are iustified. This is the Gospel of Iesus Christ and the doctrine that wee haue from him: but H. N. his Gospel setteth foorth many benefites of good doctrine, and good life, proceeding from many men, euen so many as haue bene founde to feare GOD, as causes of iustification and righteousnesse, vnto all that shall be hol­den as righteous before the Lorde. Thus ye see this hor­rible heresie of Pelagius to be reuiued agayne by H. N. and his family, albeit somewhat subtilly for feare of beyng espied, and therefore he hath gotte him both a newe name and a newe coate. My hope is, all this subtiltie notwith­standing, that he shal nowe finde the Churche of GOD the same in affection towarde him and his doctrine, that he hath tried it to haue beene in former times. Sure I am there is cause, he shoulde haue vs more seuere against him thē euer Pelagius had them. For there is more poysō in his opiniō touching Adam and Christ, then yet ye haue heard, yea more then euer Pelagius powred out, as shall God willing playnely appeare, when I come to open his opini­nion of Christ.The young disci­ples of H. N. bee Adam, and his il­luminate elders be Christ. In the meane time this I will say (refer­ring you for the proofe thereof vnto that place) that Adam with H N. is no man, but an estate of men, yet subiect vnto sinne: and Christ likewise is with him no man, but a condi­tion of men altogether void of sinne. Therfore al his young disciples be Adams, & all his illuminate elders be Christs.

H.N. In his first exhortation Chapter 7. The first article of the Christian faith.

WE beleeue in God the FatherGen. 17. a. almightyGen. 1. a.b.c. maker of heauen & earth, we confesse or ac­knowledge that the same is a trueIohn. 1. a.g.b and liuing God, a [Page 20] mighty spirit, a perfiteSap. 7.8. 1. Iohn. 1.2. Heb. 1. a. cleare light, and a true being, And that the same being, is GOD the Fathers name, and his1. Iohn. 4. [...]. loue it selfe.

Answeare. THe Diuels themselues will confesse no lesse of the al­mighty,The Diuels be fe­lowes with H.N. at his faith. they doe acknowledge him to be a true and liuing God, a mighty spirite, a perfect cleare light, and a true beyng, and yet haue no comfort or trust in him, but shake and tremble at the remembraunce of him. Pagans & heathen men will confesse thus muche, and yet notwith­standing are voide of all comfort or true confidence in the Lorde. Touching the great multitude of testimonies that are mustred here in the Margent, and ready for the defence of this confession: when I compare it with the small or no number that before came foorth in the defence of Pelagianisme, for the discent of sinne onely by imitati­on: I may well say as did Aristippus of Dionisius his liberalitie. Tuto Dionisius liberalis est, his enim qui multis indigent, pauca mittit: Platoni vero, qui nihil accipit, plurima. Dionisius sayeth Aristippus (I dare geue you my warrant for it) mainteyneth all this his liberalitie wel enough, For Plato hath the most of these giftes that ye see goe from his dore sent him, because he taketh nothing: As for those that haue need of ma­nie thinges, and therefore like to receiue if any thing finde be offered, (marke it when you will) you shall them tempted of him with verie few. That God is a true and liuing GOD, a mightie spirite, is so playne and con­fessed of all, that it may well refuse these so manie giftes of defence which here bee offered by H. N. But that desperate and more then pyned cause of [Page] Pelagius (to haue sinne not to be originall in vs) for all this his feasting heere, departeth from his gates, not rele­ued so much as with one crum of breade, nay (which doth more bewray the want of all conscience and feare of God in him) it is so cunningly couched, that he is to looke neere­ly vpon it, who shal after the second or thirde reading, finde out his opinion, and meaning therin, and yet for all that, it is a principall point of H.N. his religion, and the chiefe ground worke, wherevppon standeth a great parte of his monstrous corruption. But to let that alone, what mea­neth H. N. in the profession of his faith, to say, We confes or acknowledge almighty God to be a true and liuing God, a mighty spirit, a perfect light and a true beeyng? doth our beliefe in God import no more, then a bare ac­knowledging or confessing of him to be a true and liuing GOD? VVhat comfort or confidence can we haue from hence, seeyng that the Diuels (as was saide before) are fe­lowes with vs at all this consolation, who knowe by mise­rable experience, that he is a mightie spirite, and a liuing God? VVhy doth not H. N. in his explanation of these ar­ticles of our beliefe, vse that forme of speaking which the Churche receiueth? The Church of God saith: I beleeue in God the Father almighty: which hath more in it, then to say, I confesse that there is a GOD, and Father al­mighty, or that the same is a liuing God, and mighty spi­rit. For faith or beliefe hath not onely in it, a knowledge of the minde, but also a comfort or confidence of the hearte, reposed in that partie whom we trust. Which to be so, if for the resolution thereof wee had no helpe from the scrip­tures, yet woulde our common speache, lende vs sufficient light. For we are not woont to haue a trust or confidence in any man, so soone as we know the man, or vnderstand generally what is the disposition and qualitie of that man: which may peraduenture be of that sorte, as nothing can make more for the withdrawing of our hearte and affection [Page 21] from him: But when we haue good knowledge of such a special good disposition towards vs, as we may safely com­mit our selues vnto, then are we sayde to haue a confidence or trust in him. Nowe for this speciall good will of God to vs warde, wee haue not onely his bare woorke, but also a plaine couenant of his: As appeareth in Genesis: Gen. 17.7. I will establish my couenant betwene mee and thee, and thy seede after thee in their generations, for an euerlasting couenant, to be GOD vnto thee, and vnto thy seede after thee, which is more plainly and plentifully set foorth in the Epistle to the Hebrues: Heb. 8.10. After these dayes (sayeth the Lorde) I will put my lawes in their minde, and in their heart I will write them, and I will be their GOD, and they shall be my people, I will be mercifull to their vnrighteousnesse, and I will remember their sinnes, and their iniquities no more. For this cause the Gospel which is the glad tidings of our saluation,Rom. 10.8. is called by the Apostle The doctrine of fayth, to giue vs to vnderstand that fayth feedeth not vpon a bare knowledge of the Lord, but hath for diet, the large and liberall prouision of his pro­mises conteyned in the Gospel, where is plentifull confir­mation of a most louing league betwene the Lorde and vs, and of a speciall loue, liking, and good will, that hee bea­reth vnto vs: euen to shewe foorth all louing and father­ly dealing towardes vs, not for some short tearme of tyme, but (by an euerlasting couenaunt) to continue the same for euer. Herevpon it is,Rom. 5.2. that (in the Epistle to the Romanes) it is giuen foorth as an effect of fayth, that the faythfull doe alreadie glorie vnder the hope of the glorie of GOD, knowinge that seeing they are alreadie entred into league, fellowshippe, and com­munion with the Lorde, and that by an euerlasting co­uenaunt, wherein the Lorde standeth bounde to remem­ber their sinnes, and their iniquities no more: It can not bee hee shoulde cutte off that course of his kinde­nesse, [Page] which hee hath alreadie entred into. The Apostle likewise,Ephe. 3.12. in his Epistle to the Ephesians affirmeth, that fayth causeth boldenesse, and maketh our accesse vnto GOD, to bee with confidence. And why? Euen be­cause (as the Prophet sayeth) wee are betrothed vnto the Lorde, [...]os [...]. 2.19. and hee hath maried himselfe vnto vs for euer, in righteousnesse, in iudgement, in mercie, and in compassi­on: so that wee are to assure our selues of all goodnesse and compassion at his handes, as beeing our ioynture that hee hath assured vnto vs for euer. For the league is made betweene him and vs, that wee shoulde bee no more as forreyners and straungers, but Citizens with the Saintes,Ephe. 2.19. and of the householde of God, that as the ho­nour of our welfare shoulde bee his, so shoulde the studie and care thereof, in like maner lie vpon him. This I con­fesse requireth knowledge, For howe shall they beleeue in him, Rom. 10.14. of whom they haue not heard? Yea, and that al­so from his woorde: Let thy louing kindnesse and thy saluation come vnto me according to thy promise, Psal. 119.41. (say­eth the Prophet.) And againe, O Lorde, thou hast dealt graciously with thy seruant, Ibid. 65. according to thy woorde. For we are not set at libertie to conceyue of the Lorde whatsoeuer liketh vs: but charged to looke after that, which is pleasing in his eyes, whereof hee hath giuen vs notice by his woorde. Notwithstanding euerie thing conteyned in the woorde, cannot truelie bee sayde to bring foorth this fayth, but his free promise of grace and mercie, is the true mother thereof. For doeth any man then knitte our heartes vnto him, when wee see nothing but heauie lookes, and heare of nothing be­side fearefull and heauie woordes: or rather when his fauour is amiable, and his woordes assured pledges of a minde, that meaneth nothing but peace and prospe­ritie, wealth and happinesse vnto vs? Doeth the Apo­stle [Page 22] in the place before alleaged,Rom. 10.13. inquiring howe that ani [...] man shoulde beleeue in him, of whome he hath not hearde, stay as satisfied when once hee commeth to that poynt of hearing? Doeth hee rest before the glad tidinges of peace, and the glad tidinges of good thinges be heard of, by that Messenger whose feete bee full of beautie, and whose comming is most acceptable? Hee driueth fayth from ignoraunce and blinde deuotion, vnto the hearing of the woorde, and yet findeth no perfect rest there, be­fore the gladde and good tidinges thereof bee made knowne and assured vnto the faythfull. Albeit then fayth haue in it knowledge and can not bee without cer­tificate from the woorde, yet is not that all: for vnlesse there bee setled in our heartes a comfort from his free and sweete promises, we haue not what to repose our harts vpon. And therefore as they are deceyued who mainteine a fayth without the knowledge of the woorde, so is H.N. and whosoeuer else that will vpholde fayth to bee a knowledge onely, without comfort or confidence from the promises of the worde. That description helpeth great­ly for the confirmation of this matter, which the Almigh­tie maketh of himselfe, when hee affirmeth him to bee strong, mercifull, gracious, slow to anger, Exod. 34.6. and aboun­ding in goodnesse and truth, reseruing mercy for thou­sandes, forgiuing iniquitie, transgression and sinne, not making the offender altogither innocent, but visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon children, & vpon chil­drens children, vnto the thirde and fourth generation. Wherein albeit the later woordes, at the first sight may seeme to signifie the Lordes euerlasting wrath towardes the wicked: yet if wee remember, that in the former Chapter, where the request was made by Moses to haue this glorie of GOD shewed him, the Lorde promised that hee woulde make all his good goe before him: it will refourme our iudgement heerein, and cause vs to [Page] conceiue that it is no other visitation he meaneth here, then such as his best children, after their offences are forced often to feale at his handes. I meane not (as the Church of Rome woulde haue it) that the Lord doeth thus wreake his wrath vppon them, vntill they shall haue made a iust satisfaction for their sinnes: but that hee doeth herein pro­uide that himselfe might receiue no staine by them, While albeit hee bee content to bee mercifull vnto them in their sinne, yet will hee reserue for all that vnto himselfe the right of a fatherly visitation, to declare that he is farre from being a fauourer or friende vnto sinne. In this explanation of H.N. his fayth, wee heare nothing why vnto GOD there shoulde bee added this worde [father] and yet it were requisite since hee is called in question for his fayth, by all Christian Churches planted thorowe out the whole worlde, hee shoulde speake plainely to euerie principall poynt, yea or no, touching his agreeing or dis­senting from them. The cause of his silence herein, is for that hee acknowledgeth no distinction of persons to be in the Godhead, wheras of purpose this worde [father] is set downe in the Creede and Articles of our fayth, to meete with that mischiefe of H.N. and others, the like their er­rours and heresies. It had beene requisite likewise, since in so short a draught of Christianitie, we may not thinke a­nie thing to bee superfluous or vnnecessarie, that hee had shewed some good helpe for the strengthening of our fayth to haue come from that almightie power, which the Almightie shewed in the workemanship of heauen and earth, whereof there is expresse mention made to that ende in this place. The Scripture, doth discerne the Lord from all Idols by this alone marke of his Maiestie:I [...]. 10.11. the Gods (saith the prophet) which haue not made heauē & earth, shal perish frō the earth, & frō vnder those heauens. The scripture doth likewise make it a strōg fortresse of our faith, which driueth out doubtfulnesse & distrust, as we read of A­braham, [Page 23] that he did not doubt of the promise thorow vnbe­leefe, but was strong in faith, because he was well assured,Rom. 4. that hee which had promised, was of sufficient power and abilitie to doe it. And vndoubtedly, when we shal vnto anie promise of the Lorde, ioyne in serious & earnest considera­tion this remembraunce withall, that it is the promise of that God, who by his power out of nothing, brought all the faire furniture of this world: it cannot but be forcible, to keepe off such doubtes of hauing the promises of God per­formed, as fleshe and blood are full of. Good reason it is therefore, that H N. should not haue beene altogither si­lent, in a matter of so great importance, but of that wee heare nothing. There is another matter that he shooteth at, to wit: after he hath affirmed God to bee a true being, to proue that the same being is god the fathers name, & his loue it self, for they are his very words. Now he bringeth no other proufe of it, then that of Iohn, where it is sayde,Iohn. 4.8. That God is loue, but no woorde heard that his being shoulde be no other thing beside loue it selfe, which is the matter that he woulde willingly establish. Now this is his accustomed craftie and subtile dealing, the sooner to de­ceyue the simple thereby, hee will aduouche Scripture, when hee setteth downe most absurde thinges, albeit there bee no parte of his opinion established thereby, It suffi­ceth him if there bee founde in the Scripture one of those woordes that hee vseth, howe farre soeuer hee swarue in sense and meaning from the purpose of that place from whence hee taketh it. For what reason is there in this, to say, because GOD is loue, therefore his essence and beeing is loue. Shall euerie thing that a man is, become an essence and beeing vnto him? One man is religious, riche, learned, well fauoured, temperate, chaste, humble, charitable: yet are not all these his essence and beeing. For one thing cannot haue more then one essence and be­ing. And in trueth none of these can be called the essence [Page] and being of a man, for there bee men that want all these, and yet haue the essence, being, and nature of men. Nowe albeit the Almightie cannot bee without loue, yet there­vpon it followeth not that his being is loue, no more then it doth to say, fire cannot be without smoke, nor snow with­out whitenesse, therefore the essence, and naturall being of fire, is smoke, and the substancial nature and being of snow is whitenesse, which is well knowne to bee most vntrue. Moreouer, mercie, wisedome, righteousnesse, strength, and holines, al these be as neare the nature & being of the Lord as is loue, for as he is loue, so is he wisdome, righteousnes, holines & strength, & all these are absolute & perfect in him­selfe. But if all these seuerally should be his essence & being, then should there be many beings & natural essences of one thing, nay distinct natures & beings of the same thing, then the which, what can be more mōstrous? For the Lord God is but one in essence & being, howsoeuer he be three in per­son, and therfore this assertion of H.N, & such like, which being graunted, do necessarily inferre that the Lorde God is not one in nature and being, are daungerous, nay hereti­call and blasphemous. It is no new thing to haue such slen­der proofes from him, for such straunge opinions, for it is his cōmon, and general practise throughout al his bookes, and therefore it is assuredly true, that if his religion were no better stayed and vpholden, by the wealth and fatnesse of some in that familie, then it is by authoritie from the Scriptures: the credite thereof woulde haue beene crac­ked with diuerse of them long before this time. I thinke H.N. hath beene his scholler, who now of late hath brought to light and taught a kinde of perswasion, which he calleth a princely proofe, whereof hee speaketh thus: Oratione persuadere, non Regium, sed Oratorium munus esse: Re­giam autem persuationem in donis, ac muneribus sitam esse oportere. It beseemeth not a King but an Oratour, to perswade by speach, for a King is to perswade by [Page 24] giftes and rewardes. And surely H.N. his proofes are al­together Princely by rewardes and giftes: as for proofes and perswasions from the scripture by worde or writing, whatsoeuer shew of sufficiencie bee made that way, yet in truth he is content to let that alone to poore Oratours and the meaner sort of men, as ouer base and beggerly for so mightie a personage as is himselfe. Touching the number of authorities that here are brought foorth, this one thing I am well assured of, and so will euerie man affirme, that shall with anie iudgement examine the same, that vnlesse he take something for their standing, other benefit he hath none by them.

This true essence and being of God, which H.N calleth his loue, is not according to his doctrine any thing that the Almightie hath proper and peculiar vnto himselfe, in that he is God: but that which all the faythfull are possessed of, and that not in some little measure, but so as there dwel, liue, or rule no other thing in all there spirite, thoughtes, mind, and soule, but alone this true godhead, with his loue­ly being of the vpright loue. For these are his owne words in his first exhortation. Chap. 15. and Section. 26. The true freedome verily is this, that the mā, through the mini­stratiō of the gracious word, is wholy released, & purged or purified frō all wicked nature, which hath raigned ouer him, & that there dwel, liue, nor rule any other thing in him (namely in al his spirit, thoughts, mind & soule) but alone the true godhed, with his louely being of the vpright loue, yea to be so wholy replenished with all vertues of God, that there flow nothing in him, but the spirituall heauenly and liuing waters. And because H.N. his doctrine tendeth to establish a kinde of loue, which in his opinion is the true beeing, diuinitie and deitie of God: therefore he calleth also his counsell and in­struction, this true being. For thus he speaketh in his first exhortation Chapiter. 12. Section 54. If yee [Page] stand minded to feare the Lorde, to bee obedient to his lawe, that passeth foorth presently out of the true Sion, & his word that passeth forth presently out of the hea­uēly Ierusalem, & giue ouer your selues after my coun­saile and instruction (according to it al as the Lord hath reuealed the true being vnto me out of Sion and Ierusa­lem,) wholy and altogither, so will I then in like maner, euen out of the heartie loue, stand seruiseable, so much as I may in the Lorde, vnto you dayly, and at all times thervnto, to the end you should feare the highest God, and might learne to knowe his righteousnesse. For his righteousnesse is the loue, the true being, and the euer­lasting life. Speaking (as you heare) of his doctrine, and exhorting them to the imbracing thereof, hee calleth it the true being, when hee sayeth, according as the Lorde hath reuealed the true being vnto mee. And in the ende he concludeth, that the righteousnesse which he teacheth, is the loue,By the doctrine of H.N. there is no other diuini­tie belonging vn­to God, but such as men are parta­kers of in this life. the true beeing, and the euerlasting life. So that the Deitie and beeing which H. N. giueth vnto GOD, is no other then that which mortall men at­taine vnto. For the righteousnesse which they perfourme by his doctrine, is (as he sayeth) the loue, the true being, and euerlasting life. And forasmuch as this true being is no other thing with him, then that loue, which by his doctrine, manie are made partakers off: therefore in the beginning of his Euangelie, H.N. affirmeth himselfe to be godded with God, in the spirite of his loue, and likewise sayeth, that he was the true light of the perfect being. And in his first exhortation Chapter 17. Section. 5. The Childe confesseth of the Father and eldest Elder, that the moste highest hath reuealed the possession of his moste excellent Maiestie in him, and that with the same being of the perfect Godhead, he hath made a godly dwelling with him. This doctrine doeth vtterly o­uerthrow the true diuinitie, & deitie of God, it robbeth him [Page 25] of his true essence and beeing, and couereth him with no o­ther essence, nature, or being, then is found in man: it set­teth the creator among the creatures: and it matcheth the the creature with the creator. The Lord (if it be his good wil) open their eyes that they may see it, & giue them harts that may blush and be ashamed of such blasphemie, that e [...] ­that they may receiued in true repentance, or otherwise if they will still harden their hearts, that wee may see them laid downe in their confusion, and couered with their owne shame.

H.N.

In which name of the father wee areIohn. 6. c. plucked Section. 3 thorowe the seruice of his holie and gratious word, & vnder the obedience of the law of the Lorde, of the be­liefe of Iesu Christ and of the loue of the holie ghost: by the father to the loue of his onely sonne IesuMatth. 1. or Sauiour: theCol. 1. b. Heb. 1. a. very like beinge or substaunce of his Godhed:Mat. 28. b. and euen so baptised or washed in the same name of the father.

WhichIohn. 6. c. plucking of the father, and baptising in Section. 4 the fathers name, hath the foregoing by vs, in the ad­ministration of the holie word vnder the obedience of the loue: with theExo. 20. a. Deut. 5. b. 11. a. Law or ordinaunce of the Lorde. And with hisPsal. 89. d. correction or discipline: wherewith­all we euen so, as in an enmitie against the sinne, bee­come preuented and infourmed, to an incorporating in the godlie righteousnesse.

For euen so in the becomming baptised in the name Section. 5 of the father: doth the LordProu. 3. b. Heb. 12. b. Apo. 3. chastise or nurtur with his lawe: euery man which hee plucketh or receiueth vnto him: where through it becommeth than all made manifest in the manEphe. 5. b. whatsoeuer becommeth chastised by the light or through the light.

[Page] Section. 6 Through which fatherliePro. 3. b. Heb. 12. b. discipline in the becom­ming manifestRom 7. b. of the sinne we are in seeing & percei­uing in the light all the horriblenesRom. 7. b.c. of the sinne, to­gither with Deuils and the fleshes lying, craftie & de­ceitful or false nature, and GodsIere. 30. c. indignation andEccle. 5. a. Rom. 2. a. wrath, ouer the same, & ouer all such asPsal. 5. a. are of one minde therwith.

Section. 7 When we nowe finde our selues guiltie in al and be­come in such sorte:Apo 3 c. chastised by Gods grace through hisEphe. 5. b. light of the fatherlie loue, so beare wee at that time greife, sorrowe and anguish, or affliction for the sinnes cause: andPsal. 32. a. Prou. 28. b. confessing the same sinnes with humble heartes, in the seruice of the holie word, vnder the obedience of the loue of the father, wee become wholy inclined and goodwillingPsal. 45. b. 139. to hate, to leaue, and to lay away, or to mortifie the sinnes, and all what is vngodly:Prou. 1. a. 3. c. 14. Eccle. 4. a. 32. c. Heb. 13. b. and to that effect we doe, as than: wholly giue ouer our selues in theMar. 1. Actes. 2 d. counsaile of the holie worde, and of the elders in the seruice of the loue. To the ende that God the fathers name, according to the requiring of the seruice of his loue, might becomeMat. 6. d. Luke. 11. a. hallowed and magnified in vs.

Section. 8 And euen so: in the familie or communalty of the Loue, wee obtaine grace and fauour before God the father, and his sonne Iesu Christ, & become through the seruice of the holy woorde and of the fatherlieProu. 3. b. Heb. 12. b. correction, kepte and led foorth, euen vnto Iesus Christ the sonne of GOD the father. For to be­come iustified & released, orIohn. 8. d. Rom. 6. c. made free, through the name of the sonne, vnto whom God the father hath gi­uenMat. 11. c. 28. all power both in heauen & earth from theMat. 1. c. sinne▪ and from herApoc. 2 [...]. a. kingdom of the death of the De­uill, and of all wicked spirites, namely to our preseruati­on in the godlinesse, in the great and terribleIoel. 2. a. Amos. 5. b. day of the Lord, & of the righteous iudgemēt of God, which [Page 26] shall burne in wrath orSop. 1. b. Mala. 4. a. fire ouer all vngodly, which haue dispised the loue in her seruice and requiring, and refused the fatherlyPro. 29. Heb 1.2. b. correction: as a fire toMat. 25. d. their euerlasting condemnation in the fire of hell, which is prepared for the deuill and his angels or ministers.

In which preseruationBar. 3. b. and extending of grace or Section. 9 merciful fauour of our God & sauiour, God the father with thePsal. 89. d. discipline of his lawe: manneth himselfe ac­cording to the inward man: with vs and we become like wise with the cleerenesse of his godlyEphe. 5. d. light (wherwith all he with the lawPsal. 89. d. Prou. 3. a. Heb. 12. b. of his chastising, is alwaies against vs, in the sin) godded or made conformable, in a good willing spirit to the vprightMatth. 5. a righteousnesse with him, to the end that wee through his owne beeing, should beare or cary: as men of God: his holie name vnder the obedience of hisGal. 4.5. a. lawe, and liue and walke euen so according to the lawe or ordinaunce of his1. Pet. 1. b. 2. 2. Pet. 1. a. true bee­ing in all loue.

Answeare. The Riddels & darke speaches of H.N. I meane God willing to touch hereafter in a place proper & peculiar to that matter: the name of father (that we may learne with Alphabetaryes first to spel, and then to ioyne together) signifieth his loue, as appeareth by the last line of the for­mer Section, the line that went immediatly before this: By plucked or plucking, hee meaneth Baptising, as ap­peareth out of the fourth Section and first line. Sauiour is a preseruation in all godlinesse, and noteth vnto vs an estate when men are voide and free from sinne, and walke in all loue, as is apparant in the 8. and 9. Section. The very like being & substance of his Godhead, is nothing else but loue, as appeareth by the last line of the 2. Section. Now to ioyne these together, this he affirmeth, that we thorow the seruice of H.N. his holie & gratious word, & our obedience thereunto, are led of the father to the loue of Iesus Christ. [Page] So y^t by his doctrine God the father bringeth vs, no other­wise, then by the hand of our owne obedience, vnto the loue of Iesus Christ. Our obediēce must necessarilie go before, for we are to passe thorowe the seruice of the holie and gra­tious worde, vnder the obedience of he lawe of the Lorde, to the loue of his only sonne Iesus or sauiour. These be his owne words. And this is that which is contained in the 3. Section. He describeth particularlie in the 4. Sections folo­wing. How we becom thus preserued frō sin, to walke in al loue, which is our baptising in the fathers name, affirming y^t the law of God cōmeth first with correction or discipline letting vs see sinne, the deuil, and the flesh, their lying, craf­tie and decietfull or false nature, and God his indignation and wrath ouer the same, and thereupon groweth griefe and sorrowe for sinne, a minde wholly inclined to mortifie it, and then they giue ouer them selues wholie to the coūsel of the holy worde, and the elders in the seruice of the loue. And thus are men become preuented and enformed (as he saith in the 4 Section) to an incorparating in the godlie righteousnesse, which is this loue, & the walking therein. These sundry Sections cannot in number compare with the errours therin contained. For first in this his discourse vpon the Articles of our belief, where hee was to intreate of faith, he is wholie occupyed about loue, and obedience vnto the law of God. So that faith is nothing but deeds in his opinion: Loue is beliefe: beleeuing is working: and louing or working, is become beleeuing. For he will haue our woorkes and obedience vnto the lawe to get and giue vnto vs the name of beleeuers, that in so doing we may be accounted faithfull, and that the same should not be a fruite of faith, but faith it self. So that by H N. his mystical doc­trine, a riddel darker then was that which Sampson pro­pounded vnto the Philistines, is put forth vnto vs: to witte, howe the sonne should beget the father, & afterwarde they two make but one man. He saith that works beget faith, & [Page 27] they growe to be but one and the same thing. The Scrip­ture affirmeth faith to be the father, and workes not to bee children lawfully begotten, how faire soeuer they shall bee to the shewe, vnlesse they proceede out of his loines.Heb. 11.33. So doe we reade in the Epistle to the Hebrewes, where all the good woorkes of the godly fathers, are fathered vppon Faith: and it is said that thorow faith they wrought righte­uosnesse. Faith is swallowed vp of works by this doctrine, For they are made all in all with H. N. he maketh no ac­count of our perswasion of the goodnesse of our God, tho­rowe the mercifull promises of his worde, and therefore al­togither leaueth that doctrine, when he is euen haled vnto it by the matter which he hath in hand, and falleth into the discourse of workes.Iam. 2.23. The Apostle Saint Iames keepeth a cleane contrary course: for when he is forced by the matter he hath in hand, to aduaunce woorkes to their highest de­gree: yet doth he hide them vnder the couert of faith, sauing of that principall worke of Abraham, that this scripture was fulfilled in it: Abraham beleeued, & that was recko­ned vnto him for righteousnes, so that it was his belief that set that price & value vpon it.Rom. 4.35. The Apostle Paule like­wise affirmeth that Abraham his beliefe was counted vn­to him for righteousnes, and addeth more, that to him who trusteth not to his works, but beleeueth in him y^t iustifieth the vngodly, his faith is coūted for righteousnes. One & the same spirite cannot be Author of such diuersitie. The A­postle so commendeth faith, that hee affirmeth vs to be ac­counted righteous thorowe the same, vtterly excluding woorkes for the procuring of our righteousnesse. But H.N. contrarywise so aduanceth workes, that he doth altogither banish faith, and cause it as one that dare not shewe his face, to creepe into the corner of workes, and to lye couered with the garment thereof. Neither is H.N. content with this spoyle of faith, the chiefe treasure in our house: but re­membring that he left the house standing, turneth backe a­gaine [Page] to fire the same, ouerthrowing the Sacramentes in like manner, and wil haue our Baptisme to be no other thing, then this walking in the obedience of his loue, and therefore termeth it [the plucking of the father, or Bapti­sing in the fathers name.] And that is not the least of his errours, although I doe giue it the last place that hee de­liuereth in the eight Section. That in this communialtie of loue, thorowe the seruice of the holie worde, and of the fa­therly correction, which is the sight and misliking of sinne, wee are led foorth vnto Iesus Christe, to be made free from sinne,Man bringeth him selfe vnto Christ by this doctrine of H. N. preserued in godlinesse, and to haue GOD manned with vs according to the inwarde man. For it giueth vnto man the preuenting of GOD his goodnesse, the dignitie and desert of bringing him selfe vnto Christe, by his hatred and mislyking of sinne: wheras the misly­king of sinne as well as the loue of righteousnesse, are fruites that followe our beeing in Christ, not causes that goe before to procure the same, as appeareth in the Epistle to the Romans: Rom. 6.11. Likewise thinke ye also (saith the Apo­stle) that ye are deade vnto sinne, and liuing vnto God in Iesus Christ our Lorde. He ioyneth with the Pelagians against the grace of God, which renueth and regenerateth vs, and inwardly draweth vs by his spirit to beleeue and doe the will of God, and will haue the grace of GOD no further to stretch vnto vs, then that we haue from the Lord a lawe and doctrine, whereby wee may learne what to be­leeue, and what to doe, but the power to performe this, al­beit they will not refuse to call it the grace of GOD, yet they say it is our nature, according as August. reporteth.

Agust. Epist. 89. Isti autem asserunt sicut a fratribus qui eorum libros le­gerunt cognouimus: in eo dei gratiam deputandam: quod talem hominis instituit creauitque naturam: quae per propri­am volumtatem legem dei possit implere: siue naturaliter in corde conscriptam: siue in literis datam: eandem quo­que legē ad dei gratiam pertinere: quod illam Deus in adiu­toriū hominibus dedit: illam vero gratiā, qua (vt dictum est) [Page 28] Christiani sumus, cuius Apostolus Praedicator est, dicens: con­delector legi dei secūdum interiorem hominem. Video autem aliam legem in membris meis repugnantem legi mentis mei, et captiuantem me in lege peccati: miser homo, quis me libe­rabit de corpore mortis huius, gratia dei per Iesum Chri­stum dominum nostrum: nolunt omnino cognoscere: nec apertè quidam oppugnare audent. In their opinion as Augustine saieth, the grace of God towards vs is this that we haue such a nature from him, that by our owne wil and power, we may satisfie & fulfill the law of God, and that this is also that other parte of the grace of God towardes vs, that hee hath giuen a lawe for the helpe of man: But as for that grace whereby wee are are Christians, whereof the Apostle speatketh saying, I am delighted with the lawe of God in the inner man, but I see an other lawe in my members, striuing against the lawe of my minde. Miserable man that I am, who shall deliuer mee from this body of sinne, The grace of God thorowe Iesus Christ our Lorde, that will not ac­knowledge that, neither dare they openly impugne or speake against it. This plucking thorowe the seruice of that gracious word, which he affirmeth to haue the forego­ing by vs in the administration of the holie woorde, in the thirde and fourth Section is (according to the Pelagians) the other grace of GOD, which is added to that of our good nature, euen to haue a rule & instruction from God to guide this nature, which (in their opinion) is so franke and so free vnto good, that if it may once see the way, there is no stay with it, or let to keepe it from going forwarde. And therefore where it is written in the Gospell after Saint Iohn. No man can come vnto mee, Iohn. 6.44. except the father which hath sent mee drawe him: H.N. calleth this drawing of the father, a plucking, & that plucking to be the giuing of a lawe, and worde to rule our liues by. [Page] In opinion then he ioyneth iumpe with the Pelagians, for denying originall sinne, he is forced to confesse the grace of GOD to be in nature, and againe we see the lawe which doth poynte out the right way vnto life, is called the pluc­king of the father or baptising in the fathers name.

H.N.

Section. 10 And that this is the vpright Christian Baptisme, or washing in theMat. 18. b. name of the father, and is the true baptisme which hath the forgoing in the christian do­ctrine of the seruice of loue.

Section. 11 We confesse likewise that all such as beleue not euen thus in God the father, beleeue vnrightly, and that also they all which become not euen so (as is aboue saide)Mat. 16. b. Rom. 6. a. baptized thorowe the seruice of the holie worde, vn­der the obedience of the law of the Lorde, or of the do­ctrine of his word, in Gods loue or true being, beare or carry not Gods holy name, nor the spirite of his true beeing, nor areGalla. 3. [...]. baptized in the name of the father, and that in like manner it is not meete or conuenient that men should count such vnbeleeuers and vnbapti­zed ones, for Christians, neither yet also, for men at whose handes one should any way suppose or trust to finde any woordeIohn. 1. a 3. a. of Gods trueth, or yet any workesMar. 1. a. of righteousnesse or good seruice, that God regardeth or accepteth.

Answeare. It appeareth by these wordes, that H. N. reckoneth of all beside his owne secte (For there are no people beside him selfe and his familie, who thinke or beleeue so erroni­ously as this confession teacheth) as of Heathen, vnbelee­uers, & vnbaptized ones, they be his owne words, as also be [Page 29] these: It is not meete that men should account such for christians. Whē hee concludeth that wee may not think to finde any woorde of God his trueth, or any workes of righ­teousnesse among them, whosoeuer beleeueth otherwise: he speaketh not only ignorantly (for that some trueth may be founde, where there is store of errour, and a wicked lyfe may be founde where the groundes of religion are truely holden) but also maliciously agaynst the true Churche of GOD, as that no woorde of trueth, or woorke of righte­ousnesse were among vs, who abhorre his religion as He­retical & deuilishe doctrine. What benefite doe these men receiue by the ministerie of the worde, being thus perswa­ded of the Church of God? In what readinesse are they, to ioyne with any enimie for the ouerthrowe of the Churche, being perswaded of vs, that neither woorke of righteous­nesse, nor woorde of trueth is among vs? I trust the Lorde wil moue the heartes of those who haue the gouernment in their handes, either to trauaile to plant in them a better opinion of the Church, or if that will not bee, to cut them of as rotten members before they shall woorke any grea­ter woe vnto the same. The opinion of H. N. touching the Churche of God, as appeareth by this his speache is most pernicious, neither thinketh he worsse of Turks and infidels, then hee doeth of all Christians that receiue not his doctrine. What effectes this opinion may woorke in the heartes of the simple people, that be seduced by him: I leaue it to their godlie care, to whom it doth chiefly ap­pertaine to refourme the same.

H.N.

And hath suffered in all obedience of the wordPhil. 2. [...]. of his heauenly father, the death of the crosse, in reproch, blasphemie, contempt, and falseHebr. 12. [...] defamation or ac­cusation for our sinnes cause.

Answere. The name of Christe (as you haue hearde) is gi­uen by H. N. vnto all his illuminate Elders, as vn­to those who haue atteyned vnto an estate of perfecti­on, by meanes of their obedience vnto his doctrine. Whome (howe manie soeuer) hee comprehendeth vn­der one name, and speaketh of them as of one person. It is giuen also as you haue hearde by speciall preroga­tiue vnto the eldest Elder, that is H. N. himselfe. [Page] The suffering of this Christ, & his death of the crosse, is set forth in this, that he hath yelded all obedience to the worde of his heauenly father, which is this doctrine of H.N. and gone vnder and borne reproch, blasphemie, contempt, and false defamation or accusation for the same. Thus hath H. N. his Christ suffered the death of the Crosse, in that him­selfe, and his illuminate elders, could neither by their owne affections, nor yet by the reproch and contempt of others, be brought from this doctrine and seruice of loue, which thing is confirmed in the. 20. Chapter of this his first ex­hortation, and third Section, in these wordes: Against these assaultings, the man ought in his yongnesse, to learne to take vp his crosse on him, to follow after Christ his Sauiour, in his like suffering or death of the crosse, and to shewe forth pacience with Christ, against all the as­saultings, vntil that al the enemies or aduersaries of the louely life, through the death of Christ, (that is in ma­ner of suffering) be vtterly vanquished, and that he euen so is growne vp, thorow the death or togither suffering of Christ, which is the dayly oblation in the holy, to the olde age of the man Christ, and entred thorow the se­cōd birth from the dead, into the euerlasting life, which passage or way to the euerlasting life, we haue witnessed and figured forth distinctly and clearly, in the figure of the true and spirituall tabernacle, and in other moe places in the glasse of righteousnesse. The yong scholler in this scoole of Loue, whome hee calleth the man in his yongnesse, is (as you heare) to follow Christ, that is H.N. and those illuminate elders, in his like suffering and death of the crosse. So that Christ had no other suffering or death of the Crosse, then the yongest scholler in H.N. his schoole, must suffer & go vnder, and that is nothing else (as he sayth in this place) but to shewe foorth pacience against all as­saultings, vntill all the aduersaries of this louely life, by this maner of suffering become vtterly vanquished, and hee [Page 43] growne vp to the olde age of the man Christ, that is a per­fect and absolute elder. And therefore in his two next sec­tions, hee exhorteth them, that it shoulde not bee tedious vnto them to shewe foorth this pacience, and to abide this death of the Crosse for a little time, in bearing the assaultes of those enemies, who woulde turne them from the good will they haue to this godly being, vnder the obe­dience of the loue, and doeth promise vnto them, that after a little time of this their distresse, affliction, and anguish, the Lorde will bring his Christ, that is (as he there sayth) his best beloued, and most holy being vnto them in power and glorie. In the 26. and 27. Sections of this Chapter, he doeth in plaine wordes declare, that while a man is in this yongnesse, and not fully setled in the doc­trine and seruice of loue, but subiect to anguishe and af­fliction with temptations and assaultes, eyther with him­selfe, or from others that would drawe him from the same, and with griefe for his stumbling or falling by meanes thereof: then is he suffering with Christ vpon the Crosse for the redemption of his sinnes. These bee his wordes in that place: Wherfore when as now your stumbling and falling, becommeth dayly figured very great and hor­rible before you: and that yee for that cause beeing wofull of heart, feele yet the pricking of the sinne, the dartes of the death, and the condemnation of the hell, or beare the same with anguish in your hearts, yet feare not, nor be dismaied in your heartes, That Christ which H.N. hath brought into the worlde was a sin­ner in his yong yeares. but shewe foorth pacience, and followe after Christ in his suffering, for those are the dayes of affliction, heauinesse and death, wherein Christ hath gone before you in the holy, for to prepare you through the same death of the crosse, the euerlasting forgiuenesse and redemption of sinnes, as there is before sayde. Where you may painely see, that H.N. his Christ in his yongnesse (as hee calleth it) was a sinner, and was wofull in his heart, for his stumbling and [Page] falling are woful in heart, he sayeth: Those are the dayes of affliction, and heauinesse, wherein Christ hath gone before you, for to prepare you through the same death of the crosse, the euerlasting forgiuenesse and redemp­tion of sinnes. And if yet some more specialtie touching the death of H.N. his Christ be asked after, that shal be the sooner answered, if we call to remembrance that, which was vttered before out of the 9. Chap. of the Euangelie, and tenth Section, to witte, that the knowledge after the letter and the obedience vnto the same is the first birth, and the knowledge of Christ after the flesh, which must bee cruci­fied and put to death, that the lawfull heire, which is after the spirit, spirituall, and heauenly, may take place: com­paring it with that which is written in the 21. Chapter of his Euangelie, in these woordes: Forasmuch nowe, as that in times past, the clearenesse of Christ through the holy ghost, was yet vnknowne vnto the vpright and faythful disciples of Iesus Christ, whilest that they knew him not otherwise but after the fleshe, so was it there­fore needefull, that Christ should keepe the Pascha, or Passeouer with them, for that cause the Lord Iesus cau­sed the same to be prepared him, for to keepe the Passe­ouer with his Disciples in the true beeing, and tolde them before of his suffering and Passeouer, and that they must also doe the like, if they woulde come to his clearenesse in the heauenly being with his father. Ther­fore hee gaue them to vnderstande, in what maner his Passeouer should be, to wit, that he (namely Christ after the flesh) should be slaine, and euen so accomplish ac­cording to the true being, the true God seruice, with the gifte or offering of his fleshe in the holy, namely on the true aultar of the holie offring, which is his crosse, whereon he died in the beleefe, herewith Christ shewed vnto his disciples, howe or in what maner his flesh must be offered, and giuen ouer to a life of men, & [Page 44] that they all euen so, which in the beliefe of their safe making from their sinnes, eate his flesh and followed after him euen vnto the second birth, should haue the life in fulnesse, in all godly clearnesse according to the spirit. Behold this is the vpright Passeouer with Christ, or the right supper which the vpright beleeuers & disci­ples of Christ keepe with Christ, to wit, that they depart euen so with Christ, out of the flesh, into the spirit, and out of the death or mortalitie, into the eternall life of euerlasting immortalite, wherethrough the sinne, and all destruction becommeth vanquished. This death of H.N. his Christ in the flesh, is to renounce the knowledge of Christ after the letter, to die vnto that, and so to passe in­to that clearenesse of the spirite, in knowledge and obedi­ence, whereto we are led by the doctrine of H.N. which he calleth that eternall life of euerlasting immortalitie, wher­by sinne and all destruction becommeth vanquished. The maner of the death and suffering of H.N. his Christ, what it is, may well be conceyued by the Allegorie of Agar and Sara, in the 8. Chapter of his Euangelie. By Agar, (as hee sayeth in that place) is signified the written woorde, which hee calleth the seruiceable writing or letter of the beleefe. By Sara, a perfect estate according to H.N. his doctrine. For he sayeth, That so manie be her children, as are borne out of the beleefe of the true being of A­braham, and are growne vp in the holy and godly vn­derstanding. Now when the seede of Sara the free woman which before was called Christ after the spirite, is borne, then is Agar with her seede, that is Christ after the flesh, or the written word, which he calleth the seruiceable writing or letter of the beleefe, put away and discharged.VVhen and how Christ is put to death. And ther­fore then is H.N. his Christ killed & put to death, whē any disciple of his hath so profited y^t he is now no longer led by the writtē word, but altogither ruled by reuelatiō, w^t estate as H.N. teacheth is altogither void of sin & imperfection.

[Page]If it be required what benefite we reape from his passi­on and suffering, because H.N. affirmeth in this place, that hee hath suffered for our sinnes cause: that is answered in the 20. Chap. of this first exhortation, Sect. 17. For when in the 12. Section, hee had exhorted his yong disciples, that if they shoulde offend, or (as he speaketh) ouerreach them­selues in anie thing, they shoulde not suffer themselues to bee iudged or condemned by their conscience, but shoulde humble themselues to the elders or Ministers of the word, in the seruice of the loue, to bee instructed by them: giuing the reason of his speach in the Section following, hee hath these wordes: For we haue in our communiaitie of the loue, a true iudge Iesus Christ our Lord and King, he is vnto vs in all our walking, a fountaine of life, and to a­making a liue of vs all against the death and the deadly venime of the sinne. And continuing his speach of the same matter speaketh thus: Wee haue also thorow him, a dayly offering in the holiest, his spiritual and true ta­bernacle, into which holy he is gone before vs, & there­in himself beareth our sinnes, through his suffering and death of the crosse, wherethrough hee sheweth or tea­cheth vs, the vpright offering for our sinnes, and prepa­reth for vs euen so a free entrance with him, into the ho­ly to an eternall and liuing way. H.N. therefore, and these illuminate elders or Ministers of the word in the ser­uice of Loue, to whom he giueth the name of Christ, and speaketh of them all as of one person: are saide to suffer for our sinnes, because they hauing gone before vs in the conflictes with these enemies of the louely being, haue shewed vnto vs by their example, the vpright offering for our sinnes. And this is all the helpe wee haue, from the passion, death, and suffering of H.N. his Christ: that wee haue the way beaten before vs, howe to suffer for our owne sinnes, and to procure the remission of the same. Which thing he testifieth likewise, in the 19. Section of this chap­ter [Page 45] saying: Through which daylie God seruice and offe­ring in the holy, in the taking vppe of our Crosse in the imitation of Christ in his death, we obteine the remis­sion of sinnes, they be his owne woordes. But I neede not to trauayle farre for proofe, that this is his opinion of the benifite wee haue by Christ, for euen in the woordes which do immediatly folow this place we haue in hand, he affirmeth that Christ is gone before vs in the obedience of the word of his Father, in reproche and contempt, that we should in like maner folow after him, vnder the obediēce of his loue, in his death of the Crosse, to the safemaking of vs from all our sinnes. What blasphemie can be vttered a­gaynst Christ, that doeth not followe this opinion of H.N.? for by this docrrine H.N. by speciall prerogatiue, and the illuminate elders in the seruice of loue after a se­conde sort, be Christ himselfe. By this doctrine,H. N. is Christ. Christ when he was a young one had sinne,Christ in his yōg yeares was a sinner. and suffered the death of the Crosse for it. By this doctrine, we suffer the death of the Crosse for our own sinnes,Christ suffered for his own sinne. VVe must make the purchase of our owne righte­ousnesse by our selues. & make the purchase thereof by our selues. By this doctrine wee are released of our sinnes by imitation, but not not by imputation. And whe­ther would not this heresie stretch, if a man should thorow­ly searche the length, deapth, and breadth thereof, seeyng that by this doctrine, the historie of Christ his birth, death, and suffering, had no trueth according to the naturall sense & meaning of the letter, but was only a figure of a spiritual kinde of birth, death & suffering, which should be procured by obedience vnto this doctrine of H.N. not signifying a thing once done by one man, according to the natural meaning of the woordes: but a figure of a thing to bee often doone and by many according, to an illegi­timate and bastardely wringing of the woordes, in vtterly denying the trueth of that doctrine, which telleth vs that Christe hath come in the fleshe, ouer­throwing both his person and office? The Crosse then that [Page] H.N. his Christ died vppon,The doctrine of H.N. is the crosse wherevp­pon Christ died. was his doctrine, which he calleth the beliefe, and therefore as wee hearde be­fore in the twētieth chapter, he saith, that he died in the be­liefe. And in trueth it is a doctrine that killeth the true Christ, and all true Christianitie. These thinges beyng considered, it shalbe no hard matter to discerne who is Iu­das here, and who be the Scribes and Pharisees, that bring Christ to the death of the Crosse. For who is the chiefe man to bring other to the beliefe, (which is the crosse whereon Christ dieth in fleshe,H.N. is Iudas, his illuminate el­ders be the Scribes and Pha­risees.) but H N? He there­fore of necessitie must be Iudas. And as for the illuminate elders, by necessary consequence they are the Scribes and Pharisies, because they are other Ministers about this matter: which likewise helpe forward the death of Christ. You may see howe safe it is to leaue the naturall sense of the Scripture, and to followe allegories, as doeth this familie. For H. N. hath walked so long this way, in the beliefe: leauing the certaintie of the worde, that hee hath prooued himselfe to bee Iudas that betrayeth Christ, and his doctrine to bee that crosse which doeth take the life from Christ. Hee hath prooued that Christe was woorthie of his death, and coulde not haue come to euer­lasting ioy, if hee had not died in the fleshe, and so conse­quently, that Iudas and the high Priestes, did a verie good woorke vnto Christ himselfe, in putting him to that death: that the Crosse was a blessed thing, and the death thereof a blessed death for Christe himselfe: that Iudas and the Iewes, were blessed men in that woorke of procu­ring Christ his death: and that his life and estate before▪ that time, for his owne good and benefite, did necessari­ly require the same: that the life of Iudas and the Iewes that crucified Christ, was better then the life of Christ: and their estate in al respectes better then his: that they walked in the wayes of life, and hee in the wayes of death: that they who wished and procured his death were his best friends: [Page 46] and his mother and disciples who stoode agaynst it, and councelled him otherwise, were his greatest enimies,By the doctrine of H.N. Christ himselfe had the greatest benefite by his own death. and those who did in truth betray him: that Christ himselfe had the greatest benefite by his owne death: and shoulde haue had the greatest losse himselfe, if hee had not dyed. And that others shoulde haue no further benefite from his death, then they receiue instruction and example by his death, to suffer as he hath done the death of the Crosse. Howe doeth this passion agree with that hystorie of Christ his passion, which is set foorth in the Scripture? The woorde of GOD reporteth this matter of Christ his passion and death, not as an Allegorie or a type and fi­gure of a truth to be accomplished, but with circumstaun­ces of time, place, person and order of proceeding, setteth it foorth as a true historie, and the very truth it selfe of that thing, which by types and Figures had beene sha­dowed out long before, and was nowe in Christe one person, and yet both GOD and man truely accompli­shed. Wee haue an historie in the woorde of GOD touching his apprehension, and the manner of proceding agaynst him before Pilate. In like manner touching his death and buriall, not barely and in a woorde de­liuered, but with al circumstances fully discharged. Hee foretelleth his Disciples both of the time of his death, that it shoulde bee within two dayes,Mat. 26. [...]. when his ad­uersaries had purposed to deferre it till after the feaste, for feare of an vprore among the people: and of the manner of his death. A woman comming by the instinct of GOD his spirite,Mar. 14.8. with a boxe of very costly ointment, & powring it on his head as he sate at the table, declare thereby that the death of his bodie, and burial were at hande, and not any spirituall dying in respect of sinne and imperfection, which he neuer had (no, not in his youngnes, as H.N. speaketth.) The chiefe Piestes the Scribes & the elders of the people assēbled togither into [Page] the Hall of the highe Prieste called Caiphas, consulting howe they might take Iesus by subtiltie and kill him, determining that it should not be at the feast of the Passe­ouer for feare of vprore,Matth. 26.3. at which time notwithstanding, the Lorde woulde haue it performed, that the very time might admonishe vs, that Christ was the true Paschall lambe,1. Cor. 5.7. and the true bodie of those shadowes and figures that had gone before, according as the Apostle restifieth. If this had beene a conspiracie of many men against their affections, because they woulde not yeelde obe­dience to true doctrine, or a type and fygure of anie suche matter, why then is a thing common to so ma­nye, made speciall in the type and figure? Why is there such specialtie of person in the patterne, where so manie haue interest in the thing? Suche choyse likewise of the daye, to foreshewe a matter free and lawfull to bee done at all times, and bounde to no day? Why is there suche feare of displeasure from the people at one speciall time, whose malice agaynst true doctrine endeth not with anie time? Here Christe his Aduersaries woorke procure, and in ende performe with their owne destruction,They that cruci­fied Christ in the flesh, wrought thereby their owne saluation. his death and suffering: But to conspire the death of H.N. his Christ in the fleshe, is required necessarilie to their saluation, and therefore the one cannot bee a type of the other. Hee that betrayed Christ, was one of his disciples hyred therevnto with thirtie pieces of siluer, who after that hee sawe him condemned, brought the monie agayne, confessing that hee hadde betrayed the inno­cent, and went and hanged him selfe, and bursting asun­der in the middest, all his bowelles gushed out, so iust and heauie was the iudgement of GOD vppon him: but hee that shoulde betray H.N. his Christe in the fleshe, hath for recompence euerlasting life, [Page 47] Neyther can any passe into immortalitie, but by betray­ing and killing of him, and therefore one of these cannot bee so muche as a tipe or figure of an other, muche lesse the thing it selfe. Wee reade that our Sauiour Christe char­ged Iudas and his companie, that they came with mate­riall weapons, swordes & staues, as vnto a theefe to appre­hend him, when notwithstanding he had taught daily in the Temple, and beene in their companie continually there, and yet they had no power before that time, whiche he tel­leth them was their very houre,Luke. 22. when darkenesse had pow­er graunted to preuayle against the light for a time. And the Disciple likewise who wounded the seruant of the high Priest with his sworde, receiued a reproofe from Christ with this answeare, That he might with a worde haue ob­tayned armies of Angelles from heauen in his defence, but that it might not be otherwise, for then the scriptures shoulde not haue beene fulfilled. This declareth that the true Christ was subiect to externall force and apprehended, and y^t he was willing to die to fulfil the Scriptures, wher­as otherwise he might haue had legions of Angels in his quarrell, and therefore that Mathematicall Christ, who suffereth in wardly in the minde of man, a departure out of the letter into the spirtie hath no resemblaunce with this Christ which is here set foorth in the Scriptures. When this true Christ his passion and suffering is in hande, it is declared particularly and playnely howe the Scriptures which foretolde that matter, and the manner of it also, are verified in him who accomplished all that trueth which they foretolde, and therefore can not the hystorie of him, bee a foretelling or shadowing out of a truth, yet to bee performed by H.N. or any other their doctrine or doinges whatsoeuer. They crucifie two theeues with him, that the Scripture might be fulfilled which sayeth, he was coun­ted among the wicked: they parted his apparell among [Page] them by lottes, that it might bee fulfilled likewise whiche was spoken by the Prophete: They parted my garments among them, and vpon my vesture did they cast lottes. So that it is euident hee was that true Christe, in whom the Scriptures became accomplished and beside him there is none to be looked for, but false Prophets and false Christes.

H. N.

And that he likewise vnder the obediēce of the loue of his father, is gone before vsPhil. 2. a. 1. Pet. 2. c. Heb. 5. b. therein, for that wee shoulde in like manner,1. Pet. 2. c. follow after him, vnder the obedience of his loue in his death of the crosse, to the safemakinge of vs from our sinnes, become incor­porated to hym with his likeRom. 6 a. Phil. .3. b. death, and baptized or washed vnder the obedience of the beliefe in his name or safemaking,Rom. 6. a. Colos 2. b. and bury euen so through the beliefe the old man,Ephe. 4. c. which is destroying through the lustes of errour, to the forgeuing and releasing of our sinnes through his name or safemaking, to the end that we might euen so throughAct. 4 b. 1. Iohn. 2. a. Iesus Christ, obteyne the re­nuing of our spirit and mind, in an vpright life, and the resurrection fromEsai. 26. c. 1 Cor. 15. [...]. 1. Thes. 4 b. the dead, with Christ in the appearing of hisMatt. 24. d. Luke. 17. c. Act. 1 b. maiestie for when as we in suche sort becomeEphe. 4. b. Col. 2. b. incorporated as fellowe members of Christ into the bodie of Christ, so is Christ then in like maner,Mat. 1 [...]. Ephe. 5. c. a Sauiour of his bodie, or of his people from their sinnes according to the Scripture. And this is the vpright christian Baptisme, in theMat 18.4. Mat. 16. b. name of the Sonne, and is the true forgeuenesse andHeb. 9. b. purging of our sinnes through Iesus Christ.

[Page 48] Answeare. THis following of Christ in his death of the Crosse, which H N. requireth of vs to the safemaking of vs from our sinnes: declareth that hee is as ignorant of true fruite and effect of Christ his death, as before he hath bewrayed himselfe to bee of the trueth and true maner of his suffering. For the death of Christ vppon the Crosse, was a sacrifice for our sinne, of that excellencie, that it coulde not be imitated of any man, and of that sufficiencie, that it needed not by imitation to be reiterated. According as we reade in the Epistle to the Hebrues, in these words: Such an high Priest it became vs to haue, which is ho­ly, harmelesse, vndefiled, seperate from sinners, Heb. 7.26. and made higher thē the heauēs, who needed not daily (as those high Priestes) to offer vppe sacrifice, first for his owne sinnes, and then for the peoples, for that did he once, when he offered vp himselfe. Before hee doeth declare touching Christ the true high priest, that his once offering of himself was sufficiēt for the sins of his people, & that he needed not as the Priestes vnder the law to offer often he telleth vs of his excellencie, that he was separate frō sinners, & made higher then the heauens, that we should cease to make any questiō (seyng y^e person was of that dig­nitie) why the once offering vp of himselfe, shoulde be of suche force and efficacie to wipe away the sinnes of so manie. This doctrine is H.N. and his family vtterly igno­raunt of; they see no reason why the sacrifice and obedience of one man, shoulde discharge and aunsweare for the sinnes of an other, and therefore saith H.N. in this place,Mortification is our iustification according to the doctrine of H.N. that we likewise shoulde followe Christe in the death of his Crosse, to the safemaking of vs from our sinnes: when notwithstanding in playne woordes it is written, that wee are sanctified by the once offering of the bodie of Ie­sus Christ.Heb. 10.110 Where it is playnely prooued that the sacrifi­ces vnder the law were therefore conuict of imperfection, [Page] and made vnable to satisfie for sinne: because they were re­iterated, and yeare by yeare offered. For as it is written in that Chapter: If the sacrifices vnder the lawe had sanctified the cōmers therunto, they woulde then haue ceassed to haue bene offered: for where remission is of sinne, there is no more offering for sinne, & they being once purged, shoulde haue had no more conscience of sinnes. So that by the reason of the holy Ghost in this place, there is no remission of sinne to bee looked for, by the suffering and death of H. N. his Christ, because it is often renewed and continually reiterated. For euery one of that familie, is to suffer with Christ the like death of the Crosse. And as the true sacrifice for sinne was but one, to declare the sufficiencie and perfection thereof: so the true Sacrificer for sinne, to argue his abilitie, had none to take his place after him in that worke, in respect where­of Christ hath the prerogatiue aboue the Priests vnder the lawe, who because they could not liue alwayes, had others to succeede them in that function: Wheras he enduring for euer hath the office for euer remaining to himself alone, ac­cording as it is written to the Hebrues:Heb. 7.23. And among them (speaking of the Priestes, vnder the law) many were made Priestes, because they were not suffered to en­dure by reason of death. But this mā because he endu­dureth euer, hath a Priesthood which cānot passe from one vnto another. Whereby it appeareth playnely, that the true Christ can haue none to follow him, eyther in the office, or in the offering for sinne. And therfore this doctrine of H. N. which telleth vs that we are to follow Christ in his like death of the Crosse, to the safemaking of vs from our sins: disagreeth no lesse with the trueth, thē doth light with darkenes. It is at open warre with the doctrine of iustifi­cation, which is left vnto vs in the worde of God: for the A­postle prooueth that we are righteous by fauour freely ge­uen vs from God, and not by any dutie or desert that is [Page 49] comming vnto vs in the right of our workes, grounding his reason vppon the phrase and fourme of Speache, which the Scripture vseth in this matter, when the righteousnesse euen of Abraham and Dauid, (men, who of all other were best stored of good woorkes) is of pur­pose discussed touching this point. Where because hee fin­deth it written of Abraham that hee beleeued, and that was imputed or reckoned vnto him for righteousnes: And that Dauid describing a blessed man, sayth, Hee is blessed, to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne: Hee pronounceth plainely, that our righteousnesse commeth of fauour, and not of duetie: because wee doe not vse this woorde imputing or accepting, when it is duety in the man answering, but onely when it is a free gratifiyng. For the wages that are growing vnto vs for our woorkes are called due debt, and claymed in equitie by iust title, and when they shall truely pay them, yet is that no more but duetie which proceedeth from them: But fauour and and friendship ruled in the matter, when Abraham was iustified, because the scripture (saith he) was accepted or reckoned righteous, bringing nothing with him beside faith, that is a resting in the gracious good will of God, whereof he had a merciful promise and graunt made vnto him. Likewise when Dauid his sinnes were not imputed neither laid vnto his charge, that was fauour in the Lord pardoning them, and not imputing them vnto him. Howe doeth this hang togeather with the doctrine of H. N. who saith, that wee are to folowe Christ in the death of his crosse, to the pardoning & releasing of vs from our sinnes? And howe will this folowing of Christ in his death of the crosse, for the safe making of vs frō our sinnes, stand with this not imputing of our sinnes vnto vs? For if our righ­teousnes stande by imputation, then is it not purchased by imitation and following of Christe in his like death and suffering. If Christ his satisfaction for sinne, stande bee­tweene [Page] the wrath of GOD and vs, then doeth not our imitation of Christ in his death, keepe of the daunger of our sinnes from vs. The Brasen Serpent erected in the wildernesse at the commaundement of Almightie God, which was a figure of Christ,Num 21. g. declareth that it is faith in him that did hang vppon the crosse, and not the following after him in the death of the crosse, that doeth iustifie vs, and keepe the sting of our sinnes from beeing deadly vnto vs. For those who are bitten with the liuing ser­pentes, were promised if they shoulde looke vppon the dead Serpent, to liue and recouer by that meanes, but were not inioyned, to haue them selues after death erected and set vppe vppon a Pole, for their recouery from that daunger. As appeareth in the booke of Num­bers: And the Lord saide vnto Moses. Make thee a fiery Serpent; and set it vppe for a signe, that as many as are bitten may looke vppon it, and liue: So Moses made a Serpent of Brasse, and set it vppe for a signe, and when a Serpent had bitten a man, then hee looked to the Serpent of Brasse and liued. Nowe the sharpe and daungerous biting and stingyng of the liuyng Ser­pent, did force them to leaue them selues, and too looke after comfort where it was to bee founde. And when sinne shal once sting the fauourers of this opinion of H. N. (theyr consciences beyng awaked which nowe are in a deadly sleepe) they shall then bee forced to feele and confesse, that there is no medicine in them selues, able to asswage the heate and anger thereof. But as it seemed vnlikely to fleshe and blood, that a Serpent of Brasse be­yng but a dead thing, coulde euer woorke a cure vppon them, who were stoong with quicke & liuing Serpentes, and in daunger of present death, especially by the looking and beholding of the same: So doeth it vnto H. N. (the eyes of whose vnderstanding are altogeather fleshly) that [Page 50] Christe his obedience vppon the crosse, beeyng but looked vppon with the eies of our faith, and not imitated in the selfe same practise, shoulde bee able to heale the sores of our soule, Albeit our Sauiour Christ affirmeth in plaine speache, That as Moses lifte vp the Serpent in the wil­dernesse so muste the Sonne of man bee lift vp, that whosoeuer beleeueth in him, shoulde not perishe, but haue eternall life. The opinion of H. N. that our folo­wing after Christe, and obediennce in the imitation of him, shoulde be able to discharge vs of our sinnes that be­fore were committed: declareth that hee is ignorant al­together, of the righteousnesse of GOD reuealed in his woorde. For obedience if it were perfect in vs, and no transgression to bee founde against the lawe of God, either in thought woorde or deede, after that once wee haue be­gunne to feare him, yet coulde not all this answere, for the least sinne that went before. For it is but a part of that is due vnto the Lorde from vs: Who teacheth vs, that when wee shall haue discharged the whole debt, and haue doone euery thing commaunded: yet are wee humblie to acknowledge, that wee bee but vnprofitable seruauntes, and haue doone no more then that which was our dutie to doe, according as hee by our owne experience and prac­tise doth plainely prooue vnto vs. For which of you (sayth our Sauiour Christ) Hauing a seruaunt plowyng, or other wyse labouryng all the day long, wyll by and by,Luke. 17.7. after hee bee come home, say vnto him, Goe and sit downe at the Table, wyll hee not rather be ready to enioyne him an other woorke within the house, as to prepare thynges for his owne Supper, and when that is doone, laye the thirde labour vppon him, as to wayte at the Ta­ble, and see nothing to bee wantyng, vntyll hym­selfe haue supped: yea and when all this is doone, doeth hee so muche as once open his mouth to thanke [Page] that seruant, because he did that which was commaunded vnto him, I trowe not, saith our Sauiour Christ. And in very deede, we do looke for such duetie from a seruant, that yf he shall deny to doe any thing of that which his mai­ster shall commaunde him, foorthwith wee geue sen­tence that he is no man meete for seruice, because we think that the seruant ought not (as if hee weere a free man) to haue any libertie or priuiledge, but to reache in obedience vnto all, that his maister by commaundement shal enioyne him. And therfore accordingly when our seruant shal haue dispatched labour after labour, and obeyed commaunde­dement after commaundement, yet do we not once thanke him for all that, because wee thinke it is all duetie that a seruant doeth, howe muche so euer. Herevpon came that Prouerbe, That no man can serue two maisters, be­cause seruice is voide of all priuiledge and libertie, of infi­nite duetie, if maisters shall make no ende of commaun­ding, for all is accompted duetie in a seruaunt, which the maister shall commaunde him to do. A man cannot there­fore sufficiently woonder at the blindnesse of H. N. and o­thers, who acknowledgyng that they be seruauntes vnto the Lorde, dare notwithstanding in the pride of their hart, make such a reckoning of their seruice a fewe dayes or yeeres, as that it shoulde make a sufficient satisfaction for those dayes and times wherein they were not only loyte­rers and did no duetie vnto him at all: but also were retai­ned of his aduersarie, and spared not to wounde his glory. Dare a seruant, who hath loytered one whole weeke, and done his maister no woorke or seruice at all, for shame o­pen his mouth the next weeke when hee hath trauelled for his maister as a good seruaunt ought alwaies to doe, and say: Sir I trust now (your selfe being iudge) I haue made a sufficient satisfactiō for my loitering al this last weeke? I cannot thinke this Famelie eyther to bee so full of loue, or so empty of vpright iudgement, as to take this for suf­ficient [Page 51] seruice, or as a reasonable answeare, to bee put vp at the handes of any of their seruantes, not excepting those to whom they shall geue the least wages. This familie of loue and the Papistes, they are the best husbandes that I haue euer hearde of, and the moste can they make of that litle they haue▪ for duetie with them not only payeth their olde debt, but also purchaseth more lande and liuing. Let one of them yeelde a litle seruice vnto their God, in their deuotion suche as it is: and they will make that to answere the debt and daunger of their former sinnes, yea and to de­serue also more and greater graces to be geuen them from God: according as H.N. sayth heere, that they muste burie the olde man, to the ende that they might euen so ob­teine the renuing of their spirite and minde in an vpright life. Yf they coulde perswade men, that there were either equitie right or reason in this kinde of dealing, which they wil force vpon the Lorde: it were no great matter too growe soone as riche in goodes, as they doe take them selues to be in godlinesse. For when they haue long tyme gone vpō credit, if after their beginning to pay for wares as they shall take them: they coulde perswade their credi­tours, that the same dealing which nowe at the laste they haue light vppon, doeth not onely answere their former debtes, but also in equitie deserue to haue better penie-worthes alwayes after: howesoeuer it should fare with their creditours, they were sure to gaine greatly by it. Thus blinde is man when he walketh without the worde. And when his reason for some long time hath been his rule, his punishment from GOD is so great, that he ta­keth it in the ende to bee reason, to depart from all equitie and reason. If our sinnes were answered in that obedience wherby our life is reformed, how commeth it then to passe that the Apostle speaking to the Church of Corinth, after they were turned from theyr lewde life to serue the liuing God, affirmeth: that yf Christe be not risen, they are yet [Page] in their sinnes.1. Cor. 15.17. They walked in humble obedience vnto theyr GOD, they had left idolatrie, fornication, drun­kennesse, and other fruites of ignorance, wherein before they had liued: Notwithstanding the apostle telleth them, that if Christ by his rising vp againe, haue not made a cō ­quest for them ouer sinne, hel, and destruction: their rising from sinne will stande them in no steede. Because albeit they haue left those sinnes, yet haue they not answered the Iustice of GOD for the offence, whereof they haue made them giltie by theyr committing of the same: as the Theefe or other malefactour may not thinke that all his offence passeth, when the action is once past, & the purpose lefte of doeing the like: it is no Plea, either in lawe, or reason, for hym to say [the deed is long since doone, and my wayes are now otherwyse:] his offence committed a­gainst the good lawes vnder the w^t he liueth, & against the peace of his Prince, must necessarily either be pardoned, or els in his punishementes satisfied. For albeit the deede passeth away with the tyme it is in doeing, yet leaueth it that giltinesse in vs, which no other thing but either par­don, or punishment can discharge. As for that H. N. affir­meth [that our burial of the old mā, obteineth the renuing of our spirite and minde in an vpright life:] it will in no wise stande with the doctrine left vnto vs in the woorde of GOD. The woorde of GOD will not beare that blas­phemie. Touching this point, God (saith the Apostle) which is rich in mercy, euen when wee were dead by sinnes, (not when we had put our sinnes to death) hath quickened vs togeather in Christ, by whose grace yee are saued, and hath raysed vs vp togeather, that hee myght shewe in the ages too come the exceeding ryches of his grace, through his kindenesse to­wardes vs in IESVS Christe. For by grace are yee saued through faith, and that not of your [Page 52] selues, it is the gift of GOD, not of woorkes, least any man shoulde boast him selfe. Which doctrine,Ephe. 2.4 not onely affirmeth, that grace and not woorkes, hath brought vs vnto the estate of saluation: but also, that wee haue passed immediatly, from the woorkes of darkenesse and a damnable estate, into the workes of light, and estate of our saluation. Euen when wee were dead in sinnes, (saith the Apostle) hath God quickened vs in Christ by whose grace ye are saued. Verse 5. How is our saluation of grace & not of workes, if by buriyng the olde man, and woorking the death and destruction of sinne, we obteyne the renuing of our mind in an vpright life? How can it be said that hee hath quickened vs euen when we were dead by sinnes, if we haue by our woorks greatly preuailed against sinne, euen so farre as to procure the death thereof, before we be quickened by beeyng renued in our spirite and mynde in an vpright lyfe.

H.N.

Beholde, after this manner as wee beeleeue, and doe heere confesse or acknowledge: become wee rightly1. Peter. 1. [...] 3. c. baptized in the name of the Sonne, & Rom. 11. c. incorporated or implanted as fellowe members of Christe, into the bodye of Christe, and the stocke of Israel, to the ende that wee shoulde e­uen so, according to the trueth, as true Christians and an holy people of Israel, of the seed of Abraham, beare or carry his holy name,Matt. 10. d. Luke. 12. [...]. confesse or acknow­ledge the same Christ, as our Sauiour before men, and euen so liue and walke in his louelie vpright beeyng. [Page] Wee confesse likewise, that all suche as doe not imitate or followe after Iesus Christ, in his death of the crosse, in all obedience of the holy worde of Iesu Christ, and of his holy spirite of loue,Rom. 6. a. b. 8 1. Cor. 15. f. Colloss 2 b. to the vanquishing of the sinne, the death, and the hel, & to a burying of all ini­quitie destroying nature, & vngodly being, or become not euen so baptized, or washed in his name, neither yet beare the death of the sinne,Rom. 6. a. through the death of the crosse of Christ in their2. Cor. 4. b. Gala. 6. b. inwardnesse: are no christians, nor yet baptized in the name or saluation of the sonne. For al such as become not baptized or wa­shed in the name of Iesu, (that is in the sauing health of his death) to the mortifiyngRom. 6. a Gala. 5. c. Colloss. 3. a. of the sinfull fleshe according to the inwarde man: neither yet indeuour them thereto: and yet neuerthelesse boast them to be christians, they are al false (n) Christians, also lying in al theyr confessing & teaching,Mat. 24. a. Iohn 8. c. because they enter not in­to theIohn. 10. c. cōmunialtie of the sheepe of Christ, through the death andRom. 6. a. coincor porating of the death of Christ, which is the right doore of the sheepe folde of Christ, but breake in some other way, and beleeue not the saluation or sauing health of Iesu Christ,

Answeare. THis conteyneth nothing els, but a iustifiyng of that which hee hath professed before, to wit, that our imi­tation of Christe in his death of the crosse, is our beliefe in the sonne, and our baptizing in the name of the sonne, and a condemning of al as false Christians, who shal not enter by this his way, into the sheepefolde of Christ. And ther­fore my former answere doth dispatch this also. Through this doctrine professed by H. N. faith is vtterly banished, and woorkes onely and altogeather imbrased, so that instead [Page 53] of saying, I beleeue in Iesus Christ, if we wil become scholers vnto H. N. we are to say, I work Iesu Christ. The matter that ministreth vnto vs faith and comfort in Iesus Christ, is, that he being God equall with his father, hath notwithstanding abased himselfe in our nature, and for our saluation vnto the estate of a seruant, wherein he hath hum­bled himselfe vnto all reproch, contempt, anguish, and bit­ternesse of paine both in soule and bodie, in the time of his life: and vnto all infamie and slander by his death. For his death was the death of the crosse, and his graue was giuen him with the wicked, and the wicked had their will of him, insomuch that the Prophet saith:Esay. 53. He was famous for his miserie and affliction. This is that loue and friendship, which the Apostle saith hath no fellow or match to be found among men. For who hath beene found to offer himselfe to an infamous death for his friend, the sonne of God doth it for his enemies. For he was counted among the transgres­sours. Here is the ground worke of our faith and comfort, that when there was no religion or feare of God in vs, and therefore deadly enmitie betwene him and vs: yet so great was the good will he did beare vnto vs, that himselfe would wade throughout all those raging waues, to saue and pre­serue vs that were vnder the water of euerlasting destructi­on. Here is the triumph of Christians in whom religion is in trueth begonne, and his feare truely entered, and there­fore hatred banished, and they truely reconciled: that if his death were able of enemies to make friends, his life (which is of much more efficacie & power) shall well be able where friendship is begonne, to continue it for euer. If that which is weaker, hath done the greater worke, the stronger,The estate of H. N. his Christ, was nearer vnto glo­rie and more ho­nourable in the time of his suffe­ring, then euer it was before. will bee much more able to goe thorowe with the lesse labour. H. N. his Christ cutteth of all this comfort. For his estate in suffring, was not abased, and lower then before it had beene: but better and nearer vnto glorie. H. N. his Christ was not equall with God before the time of his passion [Page] and humiliatiō, but an vtter enimy vnto God. For the time of his humiliation and suffering, is from his first entrance into the familie, vntill he become an illuminate elder, be­fore which time (in his opinion) hee is a straunger, nay an vtter enimie to God and all godlinesse. Here is then no ar­gument of good will, by abasing himselfe from a better e­state vnto a worse, whereby comfort especially commeth vnto vs. Besides, H.N. his Christ, suffereth for his owne be­nefite, for hee coulde not come to euerlasting ioy and his perfect estate, vnlesse he should die in the flesh. And this vt­terly killeth all comfort: for what argument of good will towardes vs can wee haue from another in that matter, whereby himselfe is either the whole, or at the least the greatest gayner? Moreouer, shall his death by reconciling of vs to God (which is the greater worke from the weaker instrument) put vs in assured hope, to be safely kept by his life vnto eternall glorie: when wee are both by our owne death & suffering, to rid vs from the daunger of our sinnes: reconcile vs vnto our God: and by our life, to continue and preserue our selues vnto glorie? Howe fearefull is the fall of H.N. and his familie, that haue forsaken the true Mes­sias, that bringeth so great comfort vnto mankinde, to im­brace so cursed and comfortlesse a Christ?

H.N.

Wee confesse that no man can become partaker with all the holie ones of God, and beleeuers of Iesus Christ, of the resurrection of Christ, nor of the resur­rection from the dead, or yet rise vp with the holie ones of God and Christ, but such as indeuour them­selues in the beliefe, vnder the obedience of the loue of Iesus Christ, to become implanted into Christ, the gra­cious worde of the Lorde: and euen so then to die with Christ in hisRom. 6. a. Phil. 3. b. like death,Rom. 6. a. b. c. 2. Peter. 4. a. as also to lay away, slay, and burie through the death of his crosse, the sinne in the flesh, whereby they may euen so, out of theIohn. 3. a. Rom. 6 a. second birth from the dead, becomeEphe. 4. e. renued in the spirit of their minde, in Iesus Christ. For therethrough wee all obteine and enioy, in the vprightLuke. 1. g. Ephe. 1. a. righteousnesse and holinesse which GOD esteemeth, theRom. 8. b. making aliue from the dead, namely with all theEsay. 26. e. Ezec. 36. c. 37. b righteous and holie ones of God: in the dayOse. 13. b. Iohn. 5. c. of the resurrecti­on: and inheriteRom. 6. g. euerlasting life.

[Page] Answere. All the comfort that H. N. doeth assure his familie of, by the resurrection of their Christ, is, that such as shall become obedient vnto his doctrine, which thing he expres­seth in these woordes (such as indeuour themselues in the beliefe, vnder the obedience of the loue of Iesus Christ, to become implanted into Christ, the gracious woorde of the Lord, for Christ (as you haue heard before) signifieth som­times nothing else with H. N. but this worde and doctrine which he hath brought into the worlde) shall by this their slaying and burying of sinne in the flesh, become renued in the spirite of their minde, obteyne and inioy the resurrecti­on, or (as he speaketh) the making aliue from the deade, and inherite the euerlasting life. But wee haue not thus learned Christ, so manie as haue beene taught out of the woorde of God, the truth of him, and the true fruite of his resurrection. For as Christ Iesus died in our sinnes, and went downe into the graue in our iniquities, inasmuch as it was our sinnes, and no offence of his owne, that drewe him vnto death: so his resurrection, was the per­fect absolution and clearing of the faithfull, from al their transgressions. For had one sinne of his seruants bene vn­satisfied for, neither woulde death haue resigned hir right, who had arested him as suretie for sinne, neither would the righteous Lord, by raising him from the dead, & bringing him out of the danger that he lay vnder for our sinnes, haue giuen sentence on his side, & so iustified vs in him. Which thing the apostle cōfirmeth, triumphing ouer condēnation, not onely because we haue discharged it by his death: but also because we haue our Quietus est, & acquittance to shew for the same,Rom. 8.33. euen his resurrectiō. Who shal lay any thing to the charge of god his chose? It is God that iustifieth, who shal cōdēne? it is Christ that is dead, yea or rather which is risē againe. And likewise the same apostle, in his [Page 58] epistle to the Corin. affirmeth plainly,1. Cor. 15.17. that if Christ be not risen from the dead, we haue nothing to shewe for our dis­charge against sinne,Rom. 5.25. but do remaine yet vnder the danger thereof. And in the Epistle to the Romanes, he declareth also, that wee are by his resurrection cleared from our sinnes, and they nowe no longer imputed vnto vs. And therefore when he had before declared, that not only Abra­ham his faith was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse, but also that ours shalbe imputed vnto vs, hee telleth vs more particularly how this commeth to passe, to wit, be­cause Christe who was deliuered to death for our sinnes, is risen againe for our iustification. For as God the fa­ther in deliuering Christ vnto death, did cast all our sinnes vpon him, and condemned our sinnes in him:Rom. 8. [...]. so in raysing him frō the dead he iustified and absolued him, & vs in him, (inasmuch as but for vs, neither sinne, nor death could haue any thing to doe with him) from all our sinnes and trāsgres­sions whatsoeuer. Now if the Lorde had let him make an escape who was in holde for our sinnes, inasmuch as he had once taken vpon hym to satisfie for the same, or wrougt his deliuerance and set him at libertie, before a ful & sufficient satisfaction had bene made: then coulde not himselfe haue bene cleared of iniurye offred vnto vs, nor his Iustice haue bene vnspotted euen before vs, which if once wee suffer to enter but into our thoughtes, it maketh vs giltye of high treason against our God. This doctrine therefore of H. N. who will haue our dying vnto synne, not onelie to preuent, but also to procure our rising vnto righteousnesse, not men­cioning any other benefite that wee haue from Christ his resurrectiō, beside the example that is set before vs, for our imitation and following after him in the same: is at defi­ance and vtter enmitie with the trueth which is taught in the word of God. For Christ his resurrection which H. N. maketh so small an accounpt of, not onelie is our iustifica­tion from the giltinesse and daunger of sinne: but also the [Page] head and wel spring, of al that righteousnes, holinesse, and newenes of life, that is to be founde ni the conuersation of his seruāts.Ephe. 2 6. And therfore the Apostle in the 2. to the Ephe. doth fetch our rising vnto righteousnesse frō Christ his re­surrection, and ioyning them togither speaketh thus: God which is rich in mercie, euen when we were deade by sinnes, hath quickened vs togither in Christ, and hath raysed vs vp togither. And accordingly to the Collosians, draweth his exhortation vnto newnesse of life, from the re­surrection of Christ, as from the fountaine, from the which floweth the reformation of our life. If ye thē be risen with Christ (saith the Apostle) seeke those thinges which are aboue, Collo. 3. where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God, set your affection on things that are aboue, and not on thinges which are on the earth. Which thing is also con­firmed out of the Ephesians, Ephe. 4.8. where we doe reade, that the large and liberall distribution of his graces, did followe his resurrection and ascention, when that notable victorie and conquest ouer sinne & death was fully accomplished. The resurrection therfore of Christ, according to the trueth of his worde, is not onely our discharge against sinne: but the fountaine and spring also of all that chaūge of life and conuersation, which is to be seene in his seruants. But ac­cording to this doctrine of H.N. it is neither our discharge against sinne, nor yet the beginning of our good life, & ther­fore without mention either of iustification from sinne by it, or viuification and quickening in the wayes of righte­ousnesse: we are sent to make warre with our affections, according to the rules of his doctrine, that so wee may ob­teine the resurrection from the deade, and the renewing of our spirit and minde. So that we haue nothing in H.N. his Creed to be beleeued, but many things in our conuersation to be practised, nothing to leaue vnto that was once doone by him, but al that we may trust to, must proceede from our [Page 58] selfe. Touching this poynt, Whether our dying vnto sin, doe both preuent and purchase the renewing of our minde, it hath beene answeared in the article immediatly going before.

H. N.

Which vpright beleuers, that folowe after Christ in death & life, becomeActes. 1. a. baptized or washed through Christ, in the pure and liuingIohn. 3. a. 7. 1. Actes. 2. c. waters of the holy ghost: & those same shal also (i) become powred foorth ouer thē, with ful clearenesse of God abūdantly, for e­uen so, through shedding foorth of the holy Ghoste, ouer the vpright beleeuers in Christ, vnder the obedi­ence of the loue of the holy Ghost, doeth Christ make manifestApo. 21. a. his holy church, theActes. 2. a. Ephe. 1 c. 2. c. cōmunialtie of his holy ones, and establisheth on the same the promises Gen. 12, a. 22 of God his heauenly father, and euen so plainely sheweth who are the right Christians, & in what ma­ner of wise that they become baptized, vnder the obe­dience of the beliefe of Iesu Christ, in the name of the holyActes. 10. e Ephc. 1. b. 4. d. Ghost. And that is the vpright christian bap­tisme, in theMat. 28. b. Actes. 1. a. 2. a. 10. e. name of the holy Ghost, and it is the true secondeIohn. 3. a byrth, out of the holy Ghost, the ttue loue of GOD and Christ.

Answeare. THese vpright beleeuers haue the waters of the holy Ghost, as H. N. affirmeth, powred foorth ouer them w^t full cleerenes of God abundantly: and thus doth Christ make manifest his holy Churche vnder the obedience of the loue through the shedding foorth of the holy Ghost, who is nothing els, but [the loue of God & Christ] with H.N. as appeareth in the lasse lyne of the last Section, and [Page 65] this he calleth the baptisme in the name of the holy Ghost. This doctrine hath bene confuted before: there is nothing therefore remayning now, but to geue you a sight of those absurde thinges which follow vppon it. First of all by this doctrine, H.N. his Christ in the spirite, and his holie Ghost, be all one. Secondly the holie Ghost is not geuen,Sinne is subdued in vs before we haue the holy Ghost. but to them that are of this familie, and subscribe to the doctrine and religion of H.N. Thirdly, sinne is subdued, before the holie Ghost bee graunted and geuen vnto them. Fourthly. Baptisme is no cutwarde seale and assurance of that good will the Lord beareth vnto vs, but an inwarde perfect obedience, that wee yeelde vnto him. And last of al, the holie Ghost, is not that w^t begetteth in vs the loue of God & Christ, as it is written: but it is the verie loue it self of God and Christ, and nothing else. These errours be so e­uident,Rom. 7 that if nothing had bene saide seuerally vnto them before, being once brought out vnto the barre, and array­ned, a man woulde thinke they would at the first haue yeel­ded, confessed, and neuer for shame by pleading not guil­tie, haue made any further trouble vnto the countrie for their tryall.

H. N.

Wee confesse, that they all, which become not grounded in this same vpright faith of Iesu Christ, nor become euen so baptized, as is before mencioned in the first article, in the name of the Father, vnder the o­bedience of the loue of the father, and his lawe, (and as is before mencioned in the fourth article) in the name of the Sonne, vnder the obedience of the loue of the sonne, and his beliefe, and as is before mencio­ned in this 8. article,) in the name of the holie Ghost, vnder the obedience of the loue of the holy Ghoste, [Page] and his renuing of the life & minde: are no true Chri­stians: and that they also all, that boast themselues to be Christians, without this same vpright faith, and bap­tisme, are doubteles falseMat. 24. a. Luke 21. a. christians. Sectio 33. There­fore shall nowe in this same day of the loue, the worde that the Lord Iesus hath spoken cōcerning the true be, liefe and baptisme, be a iudge, also become fulfilled & founde verie true, and make knowen the beleeuers from the vnbeleeuers. Section. 34. For verilie who so beleeueth and becōmethMar. 16. b. Actes. 1. a. baptized, after this maner (like as we here confesse or acknowledge, according to the word of Iesu Christ, the vpright faith and baptism) he shall become saued: but who so beleeueth not, hee shall according to the worde of Iesu Christ become [...]ar. 16. b. cōdemned 35. For that cause let no mā boast him to be a christiā, that hath not in the vpright faith receiued the true tokens of the Christianitie, that isMar. 28. c. that beareth or carieth not the name of the Father, and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost,Mark. 16.6. Actes. 1. b. 2. a. essentially and liuingly in him (otherwise he shall assuredly in this same day of the loue of the righteousMat. 25. d. Rom. 14 b. iudgement, before al the holie ones of God, which are comprehēded in the commu­nialtie of the loue bee founde false and lying. For the woorde that the Lorde Iesus Christ hath spokenIohn 12. d. shal iudge him in this same newest day.

Answeare. H.N. proceedeth nowe to the sentence of euer­lasting condemnation, which hee thundreth out agaynst all howe many soeuer, who shall not nowe in this present day of the loue, beleeue this doctrine which he hath here published and professed. What sentence hee himselfe lieth vnder, I leaue it vnto the Lorde, but if there [Page 66] be any place left vnto prayer for him, I pray God hee may be so truely touched with repentaunce, as that curse may be turned from him, which wayteth for so many, as by damnable doctrine, shall leade blinde and simple soules out of the way. In the meane time we stande assured from the mouth of the lorde,Prou. 26. [...]. that the curse which is causelesse shall not come. The true Churche of Christ acknowled­geth the holy Ghost to be God equall with the Father, and the Sonne: because the Scripture geueth libertie and freedome vnto him, in distributing of graces and giftes vnto the children of GOD. According as we reade in the former Epistle to the Corinthes: Al these thinges wor­keth one, and the self same spirite, 1. Cor. 12.11. distributing to euerie man seuerallie as he will: & because in like maner it ioy­neth him with the father and the sonne, makinge but one God of those three persons,1. Iohn. 5.7. as it is written in the first Epi­stle of Saint Iohn, There are three which beare recorde in heauen, the Father, the worde, and the holy Ghost, and these three are one. Wee doe assuredly beleeue, that the holie Ghost will bee our comforter vnto the ende, as well in woorking the woorkes of sanctification in vs, as in making strong and sealing vp vnto our spirite the as­surance of saluation and euerlasting life: bringing all that to passe in our weakenesse, which the Lorde hath promi­sed in his woorde. For the which ende he is sent from the Father and the Sonne into the world. Which effectes, are many in number, and merueilous for the great workeman­shippe thereof in such frailtie, as wee are forced to feele and confesse to be within our selues. For what a wonderful worke is this in flesh and bloud, to haue a wise and vnder­standing heart in the will and word of his God? The Apo­stle setteth this sight of God his goodnesse towardes vs which is offered in the Gospel, farre aboue the reach ey­ther of sense or reason, attributing it onely to y^e holy Ghost: [Page] The things which eye hath not seen, 1. Cor. 2.9. neither eare heard, neither came into mans heart, hath God prepared for them that loue him, but God hath reuealed them vn­to vs by his spirit, for what mā knoweth the thinges of a man saue the spirit of a mā, euen so the things of God knoweth no mā but the spirit of god. What a rare work is this in like manner, to geue vnto men who are priuie to themselues of manifolde offences, and great wretchednes, the confidence and boldenesse to call God Father, making a full reckoning of his fauour, and good wil towards them? which thing is notwithstanding wrought in the seruants of God,Gala. 4. by the spirit of God as the Apostle witnesseth: because ye are sonnes, God hath sent forth the spirite of his sonne into your hartes, which crieth Abba, Father. Of what difficultie likewise is that woorke, [to quicken this not dull, but dead disposition within vs,] in the wayes of the Lorde his lawes, and in the woorkes of his com­maundementes? yet doeth the spirite of God performe it in vs, as wee reade in the Epistle to the Romanes: If the spirite of him that raised vppe Iesus from the dead dwell in you, Rom. 8.11. he that raysed vp Christe from the dead, shall also quicken your mortall bodies, by his spirite that dwelleth in you. Moreouer that passeth the pow­er of man, in our afflictions to be guided vnto God, and to haue beside the matter, the acceptable maner also of mour­ning and groning ministred vnto vs, which proceedeth from the spirite of God,Rom. 8.26. as it is written to the Romanes: Likewise the spirite also helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what to pray as we ought, but the spirite it selfe maketh request for vs, with sighes which cannot be expressed, but he that searcheth the heartes, know­eth what is the meaning of the spirite, for he maketh request for the faultes, according to the will of God. And howe woonderfull is the Lorde by this woorke of his spirite in vs, who are yet kept from our Countrey & king­dome, [Page 67] and oftentimes so euill intreated and so litle regar­ded, that not onelie men, but the Lorde himselfe, seemeth to reckon of vs as vnwoorthie of any welfare here vppon earth to haue notwithstanding within vs, a good earnest of our inheritance in heauē, euē the spirit of God,Ephe. 2.14. who hath also to name [Comforter] for these and like effectes of con­solatiō? after that ye beleued ye were sealed with the ho­ly spirite of promise, which is the earnest of our inheri­taunce, for the redēption of that libertie purchased, to the praise of his glory. As for H.N. his holie Ghost, there are no suche thinges to bee had from him, for concerning the earnest and assurance to be made for our inheritaunce, what vse can there be thereof, when once wee are entred vpon the same: nowe by H.N. his doctrine, euerlasting life, is in this life and in this estate of perfection which he professeth, & therfore when possession is taken, there is no longer place for anie pledge or earnest of assurance, and therefore H.N. his holie Ghost, cannot bee he which the Scripture setteth foorth, and maketh knowen by the pro­pertie of a pleadge or earnest? Beside this, when H.N. his holie Ghost is once come, they are past praier for sinne, they haue not to pray against it beyng no sinners: and goodnesse they want not, beyng perfect, and therefore he is not that holie Ghost which the Scripture speaketh off, that helpeth their infirmities, who know not what to pray as they ought, making request with sighes and grones that cannot be expressed.