Confutation of Monstrous and Horrible Heresies, Point 7
H.N.
And hath ſuffered in all obedience of the wordp.Phil. 2. …. of his heauenly father, the death of the croſſe, in reproch, blaſphemie, contempt, and falſeq.Hebr. 12. … defamation or accuſation for our ſinnes cauſe.
Anſwere. The name of Chriſte (as you hauehave hearde) is giuen by H. N. vntounto all his illuminate Elders, as vntounto thoſe who hauehave atteyned vntounto an eſtate of perfection, by meanes of their obedience vntounto his doctrine. Whome (howe manie ſoeuer) hee comprehendeth vnderunder one name, and ſpeaketh of them as of one perſon. It is giuen alſo as you hauehave hearde by ſpeciall prerogatiue vntounto the eldeſt Elder, that is H. N. himſelfe. 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 vnderunder 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 louelove, 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 hauehave 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 LoueLove, 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 vnderunder, 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 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 vntounto 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 hauehave to this godly being, vnderunder the obedience of the louelove, and doeth promiſe vntounto 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 vntounto 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 louelove, 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 vponupon 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 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 vntounto 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 vntounto 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 vntounto his diſciples, howe or in what maner his fleſh muſt be offered, and giuen ouer to a life of men, & that they all euen ſo, which in the beliefe of their ſafe making from their ſinnes, eate his fleſh and followed after him euen vntounto the ſecond birth, ſhould hauehave 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 vntounto 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 yt he is now no longer led by the writtē word, but altogither ruled by reuelatiō, wt eſtate as H.N. teacheth is altogither void of ſin & imperfection.
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 louelove, to bee inſtructed by them: giuing the reaſon of his ſpeach in the Section following, hee hath theſe wordes: For we hauehave in our communiaitie of the louelove, a true iudge Ieſus Chriſt our Lord and King, he is vntounto vsus in all our walking, a fountaine of life, and to amaking a liue of vsus all againſt the death and the deadly venime of the ſinne. And continuing his ſpeach of the ſame matter ſpeaketh thus: Wee hauehave alſo thorow him, a dayly offering in the holieſt, his ſpiritual and true tabernacle, into which holy he is gone before vsus, & therein himſelf beareth our ſinnes, through his ſuffering and death of the croſſe, wherethrough hee ſheweth or teacheth vsus, the vpright offering for our ſinnes, and prepareth for vsus 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 LoueLove, 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 vsus in the conflictes with theſe enemies of the louely being, hauehave ſhewed vntounto vsus by their example, the vpright offering for our ſinnes. And this is all the helpe wee hauehave, from the paſſion, death, and ſuffering of H.N. his Chriſt: that wee hauehave the way beaten before vsus, 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 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 hauehave by Chriſt, for euen in the woordes which do immediatly folow this place we hauehave in hand, he affirmeth that Chriſt is gone before vsus in the obedience of the word of his Father, in reproche and contempt, that we ſhould in like maner folow after him, vnderunder the obediēce of his louelove, in his death of the Croſſe, to the ſafemaking of vsus 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 louelove 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 vntounto 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 vsus that Chriſte hath come in the fleſhe, ouerthrowing both his perſon and office? The Croſſe then that 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 hauehave 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 vntounto 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: 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 hauehave had the greateſt loſſe himſelfe, if hee had not dyed. And that others ſhoulde hauehave 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 hauehave 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 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 hauehave it performed, that the very time might admoniſhe vsus, 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 hauehave 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, 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 vntounto 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 hauehave obtayned armies of Angelles from heauen in his defence, but that it might not be otherwiſe, for then the ſcriptures ſhoulde not hauehave beene fulfilled. This declareth that the true Chriſt was ſubiect to externall force and apprehended, and yt he was willing to die to fulfil the Scriptures, wheras otherwiſe he might hauehave 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 them by lottes, that it might bee fulfilled likewiſe whiche was ſpoken by the Prophete: They parted my garments among them, and vponupon 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.