Confutation of Monstrous and Horrible Heresies, Point 5 – Point 6
H.N.
In which name of the father wee aref.Iohn. 6. c. plucked Section. 3 thorowe the ſeruice of his holie and gratious word, & vnderunder the obedience of the law of the Lorde, of the beliefe of Ieſu Chriſt and of the louelove of the holie ghoſt: by the father to the louelove of his onelyonly ſonne Ieſug.Matth. 1. or Sauiour: theh.Col. 1. b. Heb. 1. a. very like beinge or ſubſtaunce of his Godhed:i.Mat. 28. b. and euen ſo baptiſed or waſhed in the ſame name of the father.
Whichk.Iohn. 6. c. plucking of the father, and baptiſing in Section. 4 the fathers name, hath the foregoing by vsus, in the adminiſtration of the holie word vnderunder the obedience of the louelove: with thel.Exo. 20. a. Deut. 5. b. 11. a. Law or ordinaunce of the Lorde. And with hism.Pſal. 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 Lordn.Prou. 3. b. Heb. 12. b. Apo. 3. chaſtiſe or nurtur with his lawe: eueryevery man which hee plucketh or receiueth vntounto him: where through it becommeth than all made manifeſt in the mano.Ephe. 5. b. whatſoeuer becommeth chaſtiſed by the light or through the light.
Section. 6 Through which fatherliep.Pro. 3. b. Heb. 12. b. diſcipline in the becomming manifeſtq.Rom 7. b. of the ſinne we are in ſeeing & perceiuing in the light all the horriblenesr.Rom. 7. b.c. of the ſinne, togither with Deuils and the fleſhes lying, craftie & deceitful or falſe nature, and Godsſ.Iere. 30. c. indignation andt.Eccle. 5. a. Rom. 2. a. wrath, ouer the ſame, & ouer all ſuch asu.Pſal. 5. a. are of one minde therwith.
Section. 7 When we nowe finde our ſelues guiltie in al and become in ſuch ſorte:x.Apo 3 c. chaſtiſed by Gods grace through hisy.Ephe. 5. b. light of the fatherlie louelove, ſo beare wee at that time greife, ſorrowe and anguiſh, or affliction for the ſinnes cauſe: andz.Pſal. 32. a. Prou. 28. b. confeſſing the ſame ſinnes with humble heartes, in the ſeruice of the holie word, vnderunder the obedience of the louelove of the father, wee become wholy inclined and goodwillinga.Pſal. 45. b. 139. to hate, to leaue, and to lay away, or to mortifie the ſinnes, and all what is vngodly:c.Prou. 1. a. 3. c. 14. Eccle. 4. a. 32. c. Heb. 13. b. and to that effect we doe, as than: wholly giuegive ouer our ſelues in thebMar. 1. Actes. 2 d. counſaile of the holie worde, and of the elders in the ſeruice of the louelove. To the ende that God the fathers name, according to the requiring of the ſeruice of his louelove, might becomed.Mat. 6. d. Luke. 11. a. hallowed and magnified in vsus.
Section. 8 And euen ſo: in the familie or communalty of the LoueLove, 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 fatherliee.Prou. 3. b. Heb. 12. b. correction, kepte and led foorth, euen vntounto Ieſus Chriſt the ſonne of GOD the father. For to become iuſtified & releaſed, orf.Iohn. 8. d. Rom. 6. c. made free, through the name of the ſonne, vntounto whom God the father hath giueng.Mat. 11. c. 28. all power both in heauen & earth from theh.Mat. 1. c. ſinne▪ and from heri.Apoc. 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 terriblek.Ioel. 2. a. Amos. 5. b. day of the Lord, & of the righteous iudgemēt of God, which ſhall burne in wrath orl.Sop. 1. b. Mala. 4. a. fire ouer all vngodly, which hauehave diſpiſed the louelove in her ſeruice and requiring, and refuſed the fatherlym.Pro. 29. Heb 1.2. b. correction: as a fire ton..Mat. 25. d. their euerlaſting condemnation in the fire of hell, which is prepared for the deuill and his angels or miniſters.
In which preſeruationo.Bar. 3. b. and extending of grace or Section. 9 merciful fauour of our God & ſauiour, God the father with thep.Pſal. 89. d. diſcipline of his lawe: manneth himſelfe according to the inward man: with vsus and we become like wiſe with the cleereneſſe of his godlyq.Ephe. 5. d. light (wherwith all he with the lawrPſal. 89. d. Prou. 3. a. Heb. 12. b. of his chaſtiſing, is alwaies againſt vsus, in the ſin) godded or made conformable, in a good willing ſpirit to the vprightſ.Matth. 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 vnderunder the obedience of hist.Gal. 4.5. a. lawe, and liue and walke euen ſo according to the lawe or ordinaunce of hisu.1. Pet. 1. b. 2. 2. Pet. 1. a. true beeing in all louelove.
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 louelove, 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 vntounto vsus an eſtate when men are voide and free from ſinne, and walke in all louelove, as is apparant in the 8. and 9. Section. The very like being & ſubſtance of his Godhead, is nothing elſe but louelove, 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 louelove of Ieſus Chriſt. So yt by his doctrine God the father bringeth vsus, no otherwiſe, then by the hand of our owne obedience, vntounto the louelove of Ieſus Chriſt. Our obediēce muſt neceſſarilie go before, for we are to paſſe thorowe the ſeruice of the holie and gratious worde, vnderunder the obedience of he lawe of the Lorde, to the louelove 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 louelove, which is our baptiſing in the fathers name, affirming yt the law of God cōmeth firſt with correction or diſcipline letting vsus 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 giuegive ouer them ſelues wholie to the coūſel of the holy worde, and the elders in the ſeruice of the louelove. 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 louelove, & the walking therein. Theſe ſundry Sections cannot in number compare with the errours therin contained. For firſt in this his diſcourſe vponupon the Articles of our belief, where hee was to intreate of faith, he is wholie occupyed about louelove, and obedience vntounto the law of God. So that faith is nothing but deeds in his opinion: LoueLove is beliefe: beleeuing is working: and louing or working, is become beleeuing. For he will hauehave our woorkes and obedience vntounto the lawe to get and giuegive vntounto vsus 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 vntounto the Philiſtines, is put forth vntounto vsus: to witte, howe the ſonne ſhould beget the father, & afterwarde they two make but one man. He ſaith that works beget faith, & 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 vntounto 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 vnderunder the couert of faith, ſauing of that principall worke of Abraham, that this ſcripture was fulfilled in it: Abraham beleeued, & that was reckoned vntounto him for righteouſnes, ſo that it was his belief that ſet that price & value vponupon it.Rom. 4.35. The Apoſtle Paule likewiſe affirmeth that Abraham his beliefe was counted vntounto him for righteouſnes, and addeth more, that to him who truſteth not to his works, but beleeueth in him yt 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 vsus 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 to fire the ſame, ouerthrowing the Sacramentes in like manner, and wil hauehave our Baptiſme to be no other thing, then this walking in the obedience of his louelove, 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 giuegive it the laſt place that hee deliuereth in the eight Section. That in this communialtie of louelove, thorowe the ſeruice of the holie worde, and of the fatherly correction, which is the ſight and miſliking of ſinne, wee are led foorth vntounto Ieſus Chriſte, to be made free from ſinne,Man bringeth him ſelfe vntounto Chriſt by this doctrine of H. N. preſerued in godlineſſe, and to hauehave GOD manned with vsus according to the inwarde man. For it giueth vntounto man the preuenting of GOD his goodneſſe, the dignitie and deſert of bringing him ſelfe vntounto Chriſte, by his hatred and miſlyking of ſinne: wheras the miſlyking of ſinne as well as the louelove 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 vntounto ſinne, and liuing vntounto God in Ieſus Chriſt our Lorde. He ioyneth with the Pelagians againſt the grace of God, which renueth and regenerateth vsus, and inwardly draweth vsus by his ſpirit to beleeue and doe the will of God, and will hauehave the grace of GOD no further to ſtretch vntounto vsus, then that we hauehave 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) 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 vsus is this that we hauehave 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 vsus, 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 hauehave the foregoing by vsus 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 hauehave a rule & inſtruction from God to guide this nature, which (in their opinion) is ſo franke and ſo free vntounto 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 vntounto 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. 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 vntounto 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 thex.Mat. 18. b. name of the father, and is the true baptiſme which hath the forgoing in the chriſtian doctrine of the ſeruice of louelove.
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)y.Mat. 16. b. Rom. 6. a. baptized thorowe the ſeruice of the holie worde, vnderunder the obedience of the law of the Lorde, or of the doctrine of his word, in Gods louelove or true being, beare or carry not Gods holy name, nor the ſpirite of his true beeing, nor arez.Galla. 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 woordea.Iohn. 1. a 3. a. of Gods trueth, or yet any workesb.Mar. 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 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 vsus, 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 vsus, that neither woorke of righteouſneſſe, nor woorde of trueth is among vsus? I truſt the Lorde wil moue the heartes of thoſe who hauehave 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 vntounto 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.