Admonition Unto Congregations, Title page – Dedication
AN ADvertiſement or admonition, unto the Congregations, vvhichwhich men call the New Fryelers, in the lowe Countries. written in Dutche.
And Publiched in Englis.
VVherein is handled 4. Principall pointes of Religion.
1. That Chriſt tooke his Fleſh of Marie, haveing a true earthly, naturall bodie.
2. That a Sabbath or day of reſt, is to be kept holy everie Firſt day of the weeke.
3. That ther is no Succeſſion, nor privilege to perſons in the holie thinges.
4. That Magiſtracie, being an holy ordinance of God, debarreth not anie from being of the Church of Chriſt.
After theſe followes certen demandes concerning Gods decree of ſalvation and condemnation.
Pro. 9.8.
Rebuke the wyſe, and they will love thee.
Pro. 29.1.
They that harden their neck, vvhen they are rebuked ſhall ſuddenly be deſtroyed and cannot be cured
Printed 1611.
To Hans de Ries, Reynier VVy-Brantſon, and the Congregations where of they are.
HAveing long deſired to publiſh our Faith vntounto this nation and in perticuler vntounto thoſe congregations wherof you are, (as wee have formerly done to our owne Nation): and alſo to make knowne the thinges wherein you, and wee differ, and are oppoſite. VVee have now through the merciemercy of God, thus farr, brought our deſires to paſſe, being onelyonly vnſatiſfied for our owne inſufficiency that wee are no better able to manifeſt your errors unto you wee have divers cauſes from good grounds to do this wee have done. Firſt becauſe we are bound to diſcover the miſterie of iniquitie, by all good meanes that wee can and in the cupp that ſhe hath filled to vsus, to fill hir the duble. Secondly that wee might through the grace of God (if your willing minds be thereunto) be inſtrumentes of good, vntounto you herein & the rather, becauſe you hauehave bene inſtrumēts of good in diſcovering divers of our erors unto us, which wee acknowledg to the praiſe of God, & with thāk full harts to you. Now in that wee do this by way of oppoſition and reproofe publiquely, wch you did by inſtruction privately: for our defence herein, wee anſwere: you came publiquely amongſt us, and advanced your error of Succeſſion and order, From the proportion of the ſcriptures, and have deſtroyed the faith of manie therbye, who for ſiniſter reſpect were willinge to followe you: wee have d…ltt divers times with divers of yoe privately, but you have lightly regarded our loveing admonitions eſteeming all as nothinge wee have faced: ſome of you goeing on in your ſinne ſeeking to make this people one with you, who are iuſtly cutt of From God and his people for their falling avvay from Grace. VVe have writtē privately to the vvhole congregation you are of, to prevent you in that evill. vvee have vvritten particulerly unto you H. de R. but all is in vaine, in that you eſteeme the truth vvee profeſſe, and us herein as vaine. Thus are wee conſtrained (for the defence of the truth of God wee profeſſe and that vvee may not ſeeme to juſtifie you in your evills, and to make it knovvne unto all that vvee have good cauſe to differ From you) to publiſh theſe thinges in this manner as vvee do: and that it may appeare vntounto all, and to your conſciences that vvee have ſtronge grounds for ch… thinges vvherein vvee differ From you, though vvee be vveake to the mainteynance of them. If anie ſhal oppoſe part or all of that is Heere vvritten, vvee d…e this equal kindnes, that it may be ſet over into …liſh For all our underſtandings, as vvee have cauſed … to be ſet over into dutch for all yours, and if there becauſe of Replye, vvee vvill by the aſſiſtance of God … were, vvithall the abilyty vvherevvith God ſhall make us able. Fare you vvell. Peace and love, vvith Faith. From God, and From our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, be with all …m that are in Chriſt Ieſus, Amen.
Thomas Helvvys.
THe Holie vvriter Iohn in the ſecond of the Revelation, vvritinge to the Church of Pargamus one of the Seaven Churches in Aſia, vvriteth thus verſ. 14. I have a fevv thinges aganiſt thee, becauſe thou …aiſt them there that mainteyne the doctrine of Baalam, and Verſ. 15. Even ſoo haiſt thou alſo, them that maintayne the doctrine of the Nicholaitanes, vvhichwhich thinge I hate. And vvriting to the Church of Thyatira ver. 20. he ſaith. I have a fevv thinges againſt thee, that thou ſuffereſt the wooman Ieſabell: In all vvch, the holy man of God teacheth this that it is great impietie for anie Church of Chriſt to ſuffer anie falſe Teachers, or anie Falſe doctrine to be mainteyned by anie that are amongſt them: and if they do and repent not, the lord that hats wickednes aſmuch now as ever, vvill certenly come againſt them vvith the ſame iudgments there threatned in his vvord. And there fore wee in love fore-warne you, that profeſſe your ſelves to be the Church of Chriſt, and yet have (heare us with patience) ſo manie doctrines of devills profeſſed and mainteyned amongſt you that you repent, leaſt the Lord riſe up in wrath againſt you: vvee ſpeake not by reports, but of our ovvne knovvledg, haveing heard vvith our owne eares and ſeene vvith our owne …e…es the thinges vvhereof vvee ſhall by Gods aſſiſtance ſpeake.