Confutation of Monstrous and Horrible Heresies, Point 2
H. N.
i.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 louelove of Ieſus Chriſt, good tidings, or a ioyfull meſſage of the kingdome of God, vntounto all people, whichk.Eſay. 42.61. a ſit in the darkeneſſe, and hauehave a luſt or longing after the true light, and to bring vntounto 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 vsusl.Iohn. 14. b. as Orphants: but as our faythfull father, for to beget vsusm.Iohn. 3. a a newe, out of the ſafe making water or Doctrine of his ſeruice, and out of his holie ſpirite of louelove. Alſon.Eſay. 11.32. a Iere. 23. a. 33. b to iudge vsus with his righteouſneſſe, and to bring vsus into his reſt, is come againe vntounto vsus, according to his promiſes, to the ende that they all, which louelove God and his righteouſneſſe, and Chriſt and his vpright being, mought preſently enter into the trueoHeb. 3.4. a reſt which God hath prepared from the beginning for his elect, andp.Mat. 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, vntounto all people, which ſit in darkeneſſe, and therefore applieth that vntounto himſelfe,Eſay. 61. which is in the Prophet Eſay, of healing the broken hearted, and preaching deliuerance vntounto the captiues and recouering of ſight vntounto the blinde: Which our Sauiour Chriſte pronounceth to hauehave beene fulfilled in him ſelfe,Luke 4.21. when hee came to Nazareth vponupon a Sabboth day, and had the Booke of the Prophet Eſaias deliuered vntounto him. If H. N. had remembred, that it is ſaid in that place: The ſpirit of the Lorde is vponupon me, and therefore hath the Lord annoynted me, and ſent mee to preach good tydings vntounto 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 hauehave 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 hauehave 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 hauehave run in vaine. And if he had beene of opinion, that all the world from the beginning, vntounto the appearing of his doctrine had beene ſeduced, hee ſhould then hauehave 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, vnderunder the pleaſant ſpeach of louelove, without either true ioying with them, or plaine confuting of thē, ſauoureth more of the ſerpents ſubtletie, then of ye 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 vsus as Orphants but as our faithful father, to beget vsus anewe, and to iudge vsus with his righteouſnes, & to bring vsus into his reſt, is cōe againe vntounto vsus, according vntounto his promiſes▪ to the end that they al, which louelove 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 ye 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 giuegive a helping hand vntounto 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 vntounto them: will enforce the holie Ghoſt to bring forth his euidence, & ſhew how he alone could come vponupon the Apoſtles, & the faithful immediatly after the aſcentiō of Chriſt. For he chalengeth that promiſe, which our ſauiour Chriſt made vntounto his Apoſtles in Iohn (for the ſending of a comforter vntounto 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 hauehave his name accordingly, and be called Ichauod.
Now if this were the true worde of GOD and Goſpell 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 hauehave 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 vsus anew: to iudge vsus 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 vsus a new out of the doctrine of his ſeruice, when as the Apoſtle playnely ſaith, His comming ſhall bee to render vengeaunce vntounto all them, tha… are no at that time already borne anewe by obedience vntounto the Goſpell. It is a righteous thing with God, 2. Theſſa. 1.8.to recompenc tribulation vntounto 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 vntounto them that doe not knowe GOD, and obey not vntounto 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 vsus a new: but to render vengeance vntounto ſo many as ſhal not be founde at his comming borne againe, and already begotten a newe. Beſides, what a match is that, to hauehave 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 firſt comming in the fleſh: which notwithſtanding is heere ioined with the comming of the Lord vntounto 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 hauehave 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, vntounto this life, and vntounto 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 vntounto 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 hauehave 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, vponupon the newneſſe and reformatiō of their life. For mē are not wont to be called out to take the poſſeſſion of that, which they are alredy entred vponupon. And how could they hauehave 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 hauehave 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, hauehave 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 vntounto them. Titus. 2.11.The grace of God (ſaith the Apoſtle) which bringeth ſaluation hath appeared, and teacheth vsus 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 hauehave 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 giuegive thanks (ſaith the Apoſtle) vntounto God, Collo. 1.3.ſince we heare of your faith in Chriſt & of your louelove 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 louelove towards the Saincts, for the hopes ſake, which was laide vp for them in heauen: Then was not their Heauen & hope contained within the limites of this life, and much leſſe was that fruite of faith & louelove, the hope and heauen it ſelf.
And leſt any man might imagine, that I hauehave 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 hauehave nowe in this day entended or minded the louelove, 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 hauehave a luſt to the iniquitie, & to the & wicked and corrupted world, & they ſhal ſeperate thē the one from the other. Matth. 25. dThe 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 f.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 vponupon the ſeate of g.Eſay. 16. b.his maieſtie, for to iudge in this ſame day which the Lord hath ordained or appointed: the whol h.Actes. 17. d.world with equitie and with faithfulnes i.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 fruites of regeneration whiche are practiſed of the godly heere in this life. For thus ſaith the Apoſtle of him ſelfe, I hauehave fought a good fight, and hauehave finiſhed my courſe: 2. Tim. 4.7.I hauehave kept the faith, from henceforth is laid vp for me the crowne of Righteouſnes, which the Lord the righteous Iudge ſhall giuegive me at that day, and not vntounto mee onelyonly, but vntounto all them alſo, that louelove 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 yt be his laſt comming, when he worketh the reformation of our life. Let vsus 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 hauehave not kept the faith, but made ſhipwrack thereof, not onelyonly nowe themſelues want the comfortable hope of that bleſſed inheritance, which holdeth vsus 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 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 vsus, that thoſe are already poſſeſſed of vsus euen heere in this life.