Confutation of Monstrous and Horrible Heresies, Part 4
A Confutation of the doctrine of Dauid George, and H. N. the father of the Familie of louelove, By M. Martyn Micronius Miniſter of the woorde in the Dutche Churche at London, vnderunder Edward the vi. of bleſſed memory, King of England, taken out of his booke concerning holy aſſemblies, whiche hee wrote in Latine a litle before his death, at Nord in Eaſt Freeſlande, which alſo afterwards M. Nicholas Carinaeus ſet foorth publiquely in printe, certaine thinges being added vntounto it, tranſlated woorde for woorde into Engliſhe.
IT is not fayth but a certaine faithleſſe and arrogant falling awaye from GOD, and a meere deceipt of the Deuil, to faine that Idolatrie, ſuperſtition and outwarde vices are free and pure vntounto them, which vnderunder the pretence of a certaine fayth and inwarde puritie, boaſt that they knowe no ſinne in the heart. Into which gulfe of execrable errour, are fallen, not onelyonly thoſe which are commonly called Libertines, and thoſe that follow Dauid George who reiecting Ieſus Chriſt, fooliſhly fained vntounto him ſelfe a certaine immortalitie in this earth, which he hoped to purchaſe with the ſword for thoſe that were his but in vaine they beeing already dead & buried: but alſo thoſe euyll Chickens, which are hatched of that euyll egge, who this daye deceiue the worlde vnderunder the amiable title of a certaine peace, gloriyng that they hauehave founde the houſe and region of louelove, in which all differences of good & euil being taken away, al things beſides louelove are free. Out of which houſe of peace, they feine it lawfull for theirs to goe into the regions of the worlde, and as they ſay ſafely to goe through them: which is, that they may colourably and diſſemblingly applie thēſelues to the manners, wordes, and deedes of al other men, which yet belong not to that houſe of peace. Heereof it commeth that they mocke in their minds and contemne all ſeparation from the impure ſacrifices and ceremonies of the Romiſh Churche, and ſo conſequently all waightie profeſſion of any religion: and outwardly ioyne them ſelues to all religious and wicked factes, vnleſſe they bee witheld from thence, through the feare of daunger, or ſome hope of commoditie. But howe execrable this errour is to the Churche of GOD, howe pernicious to the common wealth and priuate families, and howe farre from the ſpirite of GOD: foraſmuche as thereby the Lorde Ieſus is bereft of all his kingly, Prieſtly and Propheticall dignitie, all godlineſſe is ouer throwen, a windowe is opened to all ſinnes and wickedneſſe, to fraude: deceipt, lying, fornication, theft, idolatrie and couetouſneſſe: and after this life the hope of eternall life in immortall fleſhe, and the feare of hel fire are taken from the mindes of men: eueryevery one hauing but a ſparke of godlineſſe, and of the knowledge of Chriſt doeth eaſily perceiue: ſo that there needeth not heere manye woordes for the confutation thereof. This one thing is briefly to be added, that it may not ſeme woonderfull to any, yf many in our age doe fall into this ſo groſſe an errour. For in ſuche diſagreementes of true religion, men knowyng the Idolatrie of the papacie (the whiche can bee vnknowen to none but too the dulleſt kinde of men) and beeing terrified from the profeſſion of true religion through the feare of perſecutions & troubles, or of pride, plucking away the ſhoulders from vnderunder the yooke of Chriſte, doe moſte eaſily fall into that moſte deteſtable errour, which is beautified with the Title of ſweete peace and concorde, & is verie plauſible through the large promiſe of lyberty. God alſo is iuſt wt puniſheth this intollerable vnthankefulnes of the worlde agaynſt Chriſt and his word,2. Theſ. 2.10.11.12. with ſuch groſſe errours, according to that prophecie of the Apoſtle: Becauſe they receiued not the louelove of the trueth, that they might be ſaued: Therfore god wil ſend thē ſtrōg deluſion, that they may beleeue lies▪ that al they might bee damned, which hauehave not beleued the truth but hauehave had pleaſure in vnrighteouſneſſe. But if any ſhal more diligently examine the Apoſtolical prophecies wc are written in the 2. Tim. 3. & 2 Pet. 2. & 3. Chapter: and in the epiſtle of Iude concerning the laſt times, ſhal then be ſufficiently armed againſt that diueliſhe peace. We are alſo admoniſhed in the Scriptures, that true peace is encloſed in certayne limites: leaſt we ſhoulde be deceiued with ſome vaine ſhadowe of peace. For true peace is ioyned wt an vnſpeakable knot to faith and charitie: It conſiſteth alſo in a good thing, and that alſo according to Chriſt: as it is manifeſt by theſe words of the Apoſtle: Nowe abideth faith, hope and charitie, theſe three. Again, Let eueryevery one of vsus pleaſe his neighbour in that which is good or in a good thing to edificatiō. 1. Co…. 13. d 13 Rom. 15. a. 2. Rom. 15. b. 5.6.Alſo, The God of pacience and conſolatiō, giuegive you that yee bee lyke minded one towardes another, according to Ieſus Chriſte, that yee with one minde and one mouth may prayſe God, euen the father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſte. Away therfore with this newe & curſed peace, togeather with the houſe & the founder therof which paſſeth neither for faith nor hope, and is occupied in euil thinges and forbidden of GOD, and ſhutteth out Ieſus Chriſte.Exod. 32. e. 22. 1. Sam. 13.6.9. c. 13. Gal. 2. c. 14. For yf the ſtudie of peace excuſed not Aaron for makyng a Calfe: nor Saule for ſacrificing: nor Peter for diſſembling: neither ſhall theſe truely eſcape vnpuniſhed of the Lorde, who vnderunder the title of peace ouerthrowe all honeſtie and religion, eſpecially ſeeing that the Prophetes in olde time hauehave vehemently cryed againſt all promiſe of falſe peace. Eſay alſo crieth,Iere. 8. d. 11. et. 23 d. 17. Ezech. 13.6.10 Ioſu. 5. c. 20. Woe to them which call euill good, and good euill: which put darkneſſe for light, and light, for darkeneſſe: who put ſowre for ſweete, and ſweete for ſowre. This ſame people of peace, as they wilbe called, cannot free it ſelfe from this faulte, whiles that it leaueth thoſe thinges free to them of their owne profeſſion, which GOD in his woorde hath ſeuerely puniſhed and moſte greeuouſly condempned. Hitherto therefore we hope, it hath beene ſufficiently ſhewed of vsus, howe greatly wee ought to take heede of them all, who to the godly that are inlightened with the true knowledge of the Goſpell, wyl hauehave that departing from the impure congregations and ſuperſtitions of the Romiſhe Churche to be vnlawfull (⁂)