An Epistle Unto Two Daughters of Warwick, Response to letter · Response 3 – Excerpt from letter 4
H. A.
THe author pretending to deal against that / which he would faynest establish / to weet / the miserable doctrine and false wisdome of the flesh, which gendreth her own righteousnes: first draweth the readers to himself and his familie / and the service of Love; as being the declarers of the true way to the everlasting life, now in the same last day. But this is like the cariage of the whorish woman who*Pro. 7. 13. 14. 15. caught the yong man and kyssed him / and with an impudent face sayd vntounto him / I have peace offrings, this day have I paid my vowes: therfore came I forth to meet thee. &c. and H. N. hath no better warrant then his predecessor Mahomet, who (before him) boasted himself to be the†Alchoran. Azoar 77. Teacher of the nations. That the reader may discern the frawd of this falser / I wil first briefly shew what doctrine he hath taught cōcerning God and Christ; And then I wil proceed in answering this his Letter. The God which H. N. treacheth to the world / is not as the scriptures declare the true God vntounto vsus / One eternal / everliving / infinite / incomprehensible / almighty / vnserchable and vnchangeable Being / who onelyonly hath immortality / and dwelleth in the light that none can attayn vntounto / whom never man saw / neither can see / vntounto whome be honour and power everlasting Amen. 1 Tim. 6. 16 Exod. 3. 14. Rev. 1. 4. Iob. 11. 7. 8. 9. & 36. 26. Psal. 90. 2. & 93. 2. & 102. 26. 27. & 145. 3. Act. 17. 25. Iam. 1. 17. But H. N. telleth vsus of a God / that†Epistles of H. N. Epist. 3. chap. 3. sect. 3. 3 was in the beginning as a light af life, of one substance with the manly creatures. For as he saith after*sect. 22. Gen. 1. & 3. in this letter, God had created the man, that he should be of one life, one Being, one Spirit, and of one nature with God. Now the manly creature we know was finite / comprehensible / not from eternity / but had his beginning in the sixt day of this world / and soon was changed from his estate and became like to the beasts that perish. How then can it without highest blasphemie / and dishonour of God / be sayd or thought / that God was of one substance with the man? yet H. N. to bring his blasphemie to a higher degree / if he may; hath further manifested his mind thus:†H. N. Man… falling &c. sect. 1. See and mark ye beloved, in the beginning, when God made al things wel, then was the Lord one Lord of his kingdom, & one God of his works; ther was also no more but one God and one man, and they were one, and had in al one order, being and nature, for God was al that the man was, and man was al that God was. The Divil when he had the|Gen. 3. Serpent for his instrument / (the subtilest beast of the field) durst not vtter such abomination vntounto Evah / as to say she should be of one substance with God, or al that God was; but only that she should be like vntounto God, knowing good and evil: but here having gotten a new instrument H. N. (which mystical letters may rightly be read†Gen. 3. 1. in the Hebrew. Ha Nachash, that is / The Serpent, who now is weren more old in evil / more bold in falshood / ) he shameth not to teach / that God and man were one substance and being: God al that man; and man, al that God was. By this doctrine H. N. leadeth men at once from God to the Divil / and deifieth the Serpent. For the Serpent was too subtile for the manly creature: the Divil deceived and overcame the man / with al that he was: his body sowl and spirit. Now seing God the creator / and man the creature / had al one substance and being, and the one was al that the other was; it wil folow vponupon this blasphemers doctrine / that the man had as much power / wisdom / wil and ability everie way to withstand the Divil / as God himself had: but the Divil was too strōg and too wise for the man; therfore also he was too strōg and to wise for H. Ns. God / who had no more of any thing then the mā. Now he that is most mighty / most wise &c. must needs / (even in any Pagans judgement) be esteemed for God. Mat. 4.The Divil could not prevayl with Christ / though he proffered him al the kingdomes of the earth / to fal down and worship him: but he hath gottē this honour and much more from H. N. for far lesse preferment / that he wil not only worship him / himself; but draw al the world / if he can to doe the like / by his Serpentlike doctrine.
But a man would think / that vponupon consideration of Adams fal / and al his childrens miserie; H. N. would change his more then beastly judgement / of God and man to be one substance. No it is farr otherwise. For as he hath feighned such a God as never was; so hath he begotten and brought vsus forth a Christ/to weet / a Lovely Being; or rather a lothsom Idol in his own hart / as after shal be shewed; which Christ, (he sayth)†H. N. Epist. 4. chap. 5. sect. 14. maketh of two that they be one, namely the Godhead and the manhood. By meanes of this mediator / |ibid. see. 18.is God the Father one substāce, or manned with vsus through Christ, and is al in al. Herevpon H. N. (which hath written the world a new Gospel / and beginneth it with his own praise / as*Mat. 1. 1. Mar, 1. 1. the holy Evangelists begin theirs with Christs / ) telleth vsus of himself / that he is‡Gospel of the kingd. Chap. 1 Sect. 1. Godded with God in the spirit of his Love. And least men should neglect to worship this beast / and give him his Divine honour; he every wher vrgeth his godhed and authority; one example wherof I wil set down.*Proverbs of H. N. chap. 8. sec. 3. The God of heaven, as the Father himself, is come down, and he bringeth in the service of his Love, himself with his Christ and his holy Ghost, & with al that which with him is Gods: vntounto his obedient mā H. N. & Godding the same wth him, he hath Manned him with the same; and his wil is, that now in the last time, through his service of Love, al people or generations of men, which are good willing to his righteousnes, should assemble them vntounto him & his Godded man, & even so likewise with them, al that which is manly; to the end that they al should become of one Being with him and his godded man, & so be al named Gods, and children of the most highest. For even so in the same conjoyned comming and conformity of being; namely God with al what is Gods, and the man with al what is manly; it al, what is not Gods nor manly, becommeth through God and the man vtterly condemned. Was ther ever any trump of Satan / that durst proclaym such Atheisme to the world vnderunder colour of religion as this man doeth? Mahomet was never so grosse or wicked to think thus of God / or of himself: He in his Alchoran every where speaketh rightly of God / that he is†Azoar …. 9. 4. 5. &c. One, immutable, most wise, most high, incomprehensible, omnipotent &c. He was willed (he sayth) to say,|Azoar 3…. Nothing is injoyned me, but to worship God alone, and not to esteem any his fellow (or partner.) and agayn*Azoar 7…. That thou (Mahomet) mayst be proved true, cal thy self but a messenger onelyonly. But H. N. wilbe Godded with God, and have al that is Gods, (as himself sayth:) then is he doubtlesse Gods fellow: and hath the eternal power and godhead, which the Apostle sayth,|Rom. 1. 2…. ar seen by the creation of the world &c. Now what can H. N. or any of his ylluminated Elders, answer to that which the true God propounded vntounto Job;|Iob. 38 4. &c. wher wast thou when I layd the foundation of the earth? declare if thou hast vnderstanding &c. *Iob. 40. 4. …. 6. 9.Hast thou an arm like God? or doost thow thunder with a voice like him? deck thy self now with majesty & excellencie, & array thy self with bewty and glory. Cast abroad the indignation of thy wrath, and behold every one that is prowd, and abale him &c. Then wil I confesse vntounto thee also, that thy right hand can save thee. Wee know the true God |Iob. 42. …can do al things / and that there is no thought hid from him. Let H. N. with his new Gods / shew forth their Godhead in their powerful works. Let them (as the prophet Isaias sayth) shew things that ar to come hereafter, that we may know that they ar Gods. Isa. 41. 23. Christ said to the Jewes / If I should bear witnes of my self, my witnesse vver not true. Ioh. 5. 31. But H. N. beareth witnesse of himself / and hath no testimony from God / nor his scriptures / more then had*Act. 5. 36. 37. Theudas or Iudas of Galilee. or Mahomet. Christ did confirm his authority|Act. 2. 22. by signes and wonders. He alleged his works for†Ioh. 5. 36. witnesses that the Father had sent him. But blessed be God / who though he hath suffred these idols of indignation (the Familists) to vtter the pride of their arrogant harts / yet hath he not permitted Satan to give them power to work any miracles / for to seduce the world withall: that such as do follow them / may shew them selves deprived of wisdome and humane reason / in crediting such an impostor / that hath nothing but foolish words to bewitch their minds withall. The prophet Isaias teacheth / that|Isa. 40. 17. &c. Al nations before God are as nothing / and they are counted to him / lesse then nothing and vanity. To whom then wil ye liken God?*vers. 25. To whom now wil ye liken me / that I should be like him? sayth the Holy one. H. N. answereth / that himself is not onelyonly like God / but hath one substāce with him / and al that is Gods. But as the prophet mocked those woodden idols / that were|Isa 44. 16. 17. half burnt in the fyre / and the other half worshipped as a God: so may al men deride these earthen idols / that cannot save their bodyes out of the dust or fyre? For goe they not down to the grave as other men / and perish like their doung? Is not H. N. rooted out of the land of the living / and doth not his name rott with him? Can any of his Godded men save themselves from fyre or sword / and scape out of the hand of the hangman? And then may we speak to them as did the Lord to the king of Tyrus;|Ezec. 28. 9. wilt thou say before him that slayeth thee, I am a God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hands of him that slayeth thee. The Apostle Paul sheweth the folly and blindnes of the Gentiles that‡Rom. 1. 23 turned the glorie of the incorruptible God, into the similitude of the image of a corruptible man; and is not H. Ns. foolish hart more ful of darknes then theirs; that after soo great light of the scriptures / turneth the glory and Being of the incorruptible God / into (not the image onelyonly but) the verie Being of a corruptible man? Doubtles God hath delivered him vp into a reprobate mind; that his madnes may be manifest vntounto al men; which thus hath turned the truth of God into a lie / magnified and honoured the creature, to the dishonour and blasphemie of the creator / who is blessed for ever / Amen. To al then that H. N. can say for his own Godhed/or his disciples / let al true Christians answer / as Jeremy taught the Jewes to answer the men of Babel; The Gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, shal perish from the earth and from vnderunder these heavens, Ier. 10. 11. By this the reader may perceive / what a poysoned religion this Nachash H. N. hath brought into the world / concerning God.
Now for his Christ, H. N. teacheth vsus not according to the scriptures / of one particular man / of the stock and generation of†Rom 9. 5. the Jewes / born about xvi. hundred yeres agoe|Mat 2. in Bethlehem; who himself alone (being God*Phil. 2. 6. equal with the Father”Ioh. 17. 5. before the world was / and in that fulnes of time†Heb. 2. 14. took vntounto him our humane nature) *1 Pet. 2. 24.bare in his own body the syns of al his elect / and by that †Heb. 9. 26. 28.once offring of himself vponupon the crosse / hath purged them al / from al their syns &c. No, H. N regardeth not (as after in this Letter sect. 11. he sheweth) this knowledge / that in times past ther was one Christ in Israel which was born amongst his own &c. but telleth vsus of a Lovely being/and a holy life: this is his Christ. For in his First exhortation he sayth / |chap. 12. sec. 23. 24.walk with your spirit in the Lovely and vertuous Being: Fasten your mind therto, and build your righteousnes theron. For that is an eternal and fast standing foundation, wheron al Gods prophets and holy ones have builded, and is Christ himself. Agayn / in the same book he sayth / †chap 20 sec. 5.After a little time of your distresse and anguish, or heavines, the Lord wil bring his Christ, (that is his best beloved and most holy being) in power and glory vntounto you. In this his Epistle to the two daughters,|sect 4. he expoundeth Pauls words 1 Cor. 13. though I had al faith, &c. if I had not love, it were nothing; that is (sayth H. N.) whosoever hath not Christ, he is with u… God: th…rf…re also in an other place / he caleth†First exh. ch. 12. sec. 33 Love, the vpright Being of Christ himself; And because this Lovely life and being / appeareth dayly fresh and new / in those that come to the family of Love / therfore they professe to beleeve / not that Christ was, but that he*First exhort. ch. 7. sec. 14. I… …eived of the holy Ghost, through the power of the most highest, & born of the H. virgin Mary. And wheras the scriptures teach that Christ suffred‡Rom. 5. 6. 8 & 4. 25. for vsus/and for our syns; H. N. … Christ beareth *First exhort. ch. 7. sec. 17.in vsus our syns. The scriptures teach / that|Rom. 5. 19. by the obedience of one (meaning Christ) many are made righteous: he hath washed vsus from our syns†Rev. 1. 5. in his blood / he was|Heb. 9 28. once offred to take away the syns of many / and with*Heb. 10. 14 one offring hath he consecrated for ever them that are sanctified: H. N. teacheth vsus that‡First exhor. ch. 7. sec. 17. Christ / vnderunder the obedience of the Love of his Father, is gone before vsus therin, for that we should, in like manner follow after him, vnderunder the obedience of his Love, in his death of the crosse, to the safemaking of vsus from our syns. Thus must we save our selves by our own suffrings / and Christ (set forth vntounto vsus in the scriptures) is but an example / to teach vsus what we must doe. But what should I stand longer vponupon this point; for the Familists hold and professe / that†Pattern of pres. temp…. an obedient and godly life is Christ Iesus; and so their doctrine of Christ, agreeth with their former doctrine of God: both being wretched and blasphemous. Having thus opened the groundwork of H. Ns. religion, it shalbe the easyer to discerne his frawd in this Letter / which I now wil particularly answer.
Let every one now, through the same service of Love (sayth this author) be warned, that he boast not himself in any of the works of righteousnes, or take on the same to salvation neyther to condemnation, before that he in the spirit of Christ, though the love of the Father be renewed in al righteousnes of life. In that H. N. sayth / before he be renewed, he playnly intimateth that his deadly error / that after men are renewed / they may boast in and take on their works to salvation; contrarie to Pauls doctrine / who sheweth that not onelyonly†Rom. 3. 3…. the vncircumcision, (the vnrenewed Gentiles / ) but also the circumcision (the renewed Jewes) should be justified of God by faith, which faith excludeth mans|vers. 27. rejoycing or boasting; and *vers. 20. 28.al works of the Law. He confirmeth it also by‡Rom 4. 1. 2. Abrahams example / who though he were renewed in righteousnes of life / had nothing to rejoyce of with God; but was justified by faith alone; and as he / so*vers. 23. 24. we al / shal have faith (not works) imputed to vsus for righteousnes. But H. N. speaking of the 10. commandements given on mount Sina / caleth that law / Gods†H. N. First. exhor. cha. 1. sec 12. …4. eternal, true, & living righteousnes; that he would have to be erected through his people Israel, vponupon the earth, and wherin al the children of men, generations and heathen, should live. Wherin his doctrine is quite contrary vntounto Pauls / who sayth / *Gal 3 21. 22.if ther had been a law given, which could have given life, suerly righteousnes should have been by the Law; but the scripture hath concluded al vnderunder syn, that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ, should be given to them that beleeve. Now the way of life / the Apostle had before shewed / in the same chapter / saying / |vers. 11. 12.it is evident that no man is justifyed by the Law in the sight of God, for †Hab. 2. 4.the just shal live by faith; and the Law is not of faith, but the man that shal do tho…e things shal live in them. H. N. therfore teaching contrary to the Apostle (as we have seen,) even a miserable doctrine / and false wisdome of the flesh / which gendreth her own righteousnes / is by th' Apostles commandement to be holden accursed. Gal. 1. 8. And this gift of his / hath no witnesse of the holy prophets or Apostles to confirm the same; but by his predecessor Mahomet is wel approved; for evē so did he teach the Turks*Alchoran, Azoar (or chapter) 4. 5. 35. & 42. That the Law of God is not impossible and intollerable: (howsoever the Apostles say the contrary (Rom. 8. 3. Act. 15. 10.) and that they which keep the the Law are joyned with God & saved.
After this H. N. sheweth that he meanes not the elemetish & ceremonial righteousnes, but that which according to the heavenly truth is in the Being of Christ, (for this we had heard is his heavēly truth, that every man should have the Being of Christ / or be Christ himself.) His proof herof is, The Father is not honoured but through the Son; that is (sayth H. N.) no man may knowe or serve God, but that he must be born out of the spirit of Christ. And thus he leadeth the daughters by degrees / to their own new birth / for their righteousnes and salvation: and to maynteyn this heresie / he corrupteth and abuseth the scripture Gal. 6. 15. wher Paul sayth (against such as |vers. 12.vrged Christians to be circumcised / that they might avoid persecution) that in Christ Iesus neyther circumcision avayleth any thing, nor vncircumcision, but a new creature; meaning that such as were graffed into Christ by faith / vntounto salvation from their syns; they need not care in this estate for having or wanting the outward Jewish signe of circumcision / but labour for that which it signified / namely to become new creatures / dying dayly vntounto syn / and living vntounto righteousnes / which fruits ar vndoubted testimonies that they ar in Christ. But H. N. corrupteth the words / first saying Ther avayleth before God, and then adding, in Christ Iesus wrought in the Love, meaning / that a new creature / in Christ (which Christ is) wrought in the Love / (for so he thinketh Christ to be the Lovely Being in vsus / as before is shewed;) this new creature avayleth before God / for righteousnes / and safe-making from our syns; as his words elswhere are. Thus careth he not / how he wrest / or what he add vntounto the scriptures / so as they may seem to serve his turn. That the reader may see his deceit / I wil shew what is his veyn and manner of reasoning. Two things are given vsus of God through Christ. 1.|Rom. 4. 25. justification, and 2.†1 Thes. 4. 3 sanctification. Justification is by|Rom. 3. 25. the forgivnes of our syns for Christs sake / and for the death that†Heb. 9. 26. 28. he once suffred for vsus himself alone on the crosse; whervpon followeth our blessednes and salvation; and this justification we apprehend by|Rom. 3. 28. faith alone. After which foloweth the work of Christ in vsus / by sanctifying our bodies sowles and spirits / and making vsus conformable*Gal. 5. 24. Rom. 6. to his death burial and resurrection / and furnishing vsus with fruits and graces of the Spirit: which being†Ioh. 15. 5. Colos. 1. 10. fruits of faith in Christ / following the same; are no cause of our justification or blessednes / for that we have|Rom. 3. 24. freely before given vsus of grace. Now cōmeth H. N. and he taketh this latter point of Sanctification, and al such scriptures as speak therof / and putteth it in place of the former / to weet / our justification, making this our new birth / and these fruits of faith / to be the very cause of our happines / righteousnes it self / yea and Christ himself. Which deceitful reasoning of his / may further be manifested / by a type and shadow of our redemtion / shewed to our fathers / traveling towards their outward rest in Canaan; as we do now travel towards our eternal rest in heaven. They in their journey were|Num. 21. 6. stung by fyrie serpents / and many of them died. To save them from this death / a serpent of †vers. 9.brasse was set vp / on which who so looked / was (without any other salves or medicines / ) healed of his deadly wound. Then being thus healed, they went|vers. 10. 11. &c. forward on their way / fought†vers. 21. 24. &c. against the Amorites and other enimies, and won the promised land; and this they were to doe / before they could have possession of the same. If H. N. had then lived / and should have perswaded the people / that not the looking vp to the brazen serpent / but their after journeyes / and battels against the Amorites / did heal them of their stings; should he not hauehave belyed the work of Gods grace / who without any work or war of theirs / did heal them freely? even so doth he in this. The venim of Synn / by the fyrie serpents the Devils / tormenteth men, and bringeth them to*Rom. 6. …3. death. Jesus Christ is lifted vp vntounto vsus / ‡Ioh. 3. 14. 15.as was the Serpent in the wildernes / vntounto whom we looking vp by†Gal. 2. 16. Rom. 5. 1. faith / are throughly healed. After this God unployeth vsus”Rom. 6. 1. &c. in a holy life / and Christian warfare / to subdue our lusts and affections / and bring forth fruites of the spirit in sanctification. Now cōmeth H. N. and telleth vsus / this holy life / this Christian warfare / is our righteousnes / our safemaking from our syns / and is Christ himself. Thus is he an enimie vntounto‡Gal. 5. 4. the grace of God / and hinderer o…mans salvation; seeking to procure it by the works of the law / by which no flesh shalbe saved; and in stead of Christ / would give vsus an idol of his own fiction.
After this / as vnsavourly and to as little purpose / he alledgeth / an other scripture / wher Christ (as he sayth) in the day of judgemēts, shal find faulty al flesh in their righteousnes, as he saith I shal rebuke the world of their righteousnes. Ioh. 16. First it is to be observed that Christ spake these words of the Comforter (the Holy Ghost) which he / being gone away would send to his Apostles / Ioh 16. 7. (as after came to passe / Act. 2. 33.) and sayth / when he is come he will reprove the world &c. but H. N. allegeth this / that Christ himself should do it / and falsifyeth our Lords words / putting I, for He, the reason wherof seemeth to be for that H. N. holdeth not a distinctiō of the three persons in the Godhed / as we professe|1 Ioh. 5. 7. Mat 28. 19. according to the scriptures; but ignorantly shuffleth and confoundeth al. Secondlly / he addeth to the scripture / saying their righteousnes; wheras Christ sayth onelyonly that the Holy Ghost should convince the world of righteousnes; which may as wel / (if not better) be vnderstood of Christs righteousnes / then of the worlds; especially seing the reason therof is rendred thus / †vers. 1….Of righteousnes, because I goe to my Father. Now though one may vnderstand it otherweise / of the worlds feighned righteousnes / yet is it overmuch boldnes in H. N. to put his own vnderstanding in sted of the text it self: for this is the meanes to corrupt Gods pure word / even as the mans hart is most corrupt. Thirdly, he referreth this to the day of judgements, which is far from Christs meaning; for he promiseth the efficacy and power of the Holy Ghost in his servants / whiles he is absent from them / before the day of judgemēt; as the text sheweth to any wise hart. But wherfore doth H. N. put in this, may we think? Doubtlesse to draw men vntounto himself / for he is the Comforter promised / yea he is Christ himself; and this day and time of his preaching / is the day of judgements. This is evident by his own words otherwhere. For in his First Exhortation, he thus writeth;†chap. 16. sect. 10. According to al the testimonies of the holy spirit of Love, this gracious word, and his service of Love, is the Light, and the day of the true judgement, wherwith God with his holy ones accomplisheth, and wherwith also he wil accomplish, his judgement vponupon the earth, according to the truth. In the Gospel of H. N. it is also thus written;|Evang. chap. 1. sect. 9. For behold in this present day, the glorious coming of our Lord Iesu Christ, with the many thowsāds of his Saincts, becommeth manifested, which hath set himself now vponupon the seat of his majesty, for to judge in this same day, which the Lord hath ordeyned or appointed, the whol world with equity and with faithfulnes and truth according to his righteousnes. And agayn in the same book.*chap. 34, sect. 2. Behold and consider my beloved, how wonderfully God worketh in his holy ones, and how that now, in this day or light of the Love, the judgement seat of Christ is revealed and declared vntounto vsus out of heaven, to a righteous judgement vponupon earth, from the right hand of God, and how that on the same judgement seat of Christ, (that the scripture mought be fulfilled) ther sitteth one now, in truth in the habitation of David, which judgeth vprightly, thinketh vponupon equity and requireth righteousnes. By this the reader may see / what this man aymeth at in al his writings / even to draw al men vntounto himself / as judge of the world sitting on the throne of Christ / and spareth not to apply the promises of Christs coming / to this day of his preaching / being a more shamelesse and presumptuous blasphemer then ever was Mahomet / or any arch-heretik that Satan sent to bewitch the world. As he hath abused this 16. of Iohn, so doth he afterwards the 10. of John. They are al theeves and murtherers which are come before me: that is (sayth H. N.) whosoever letteth himself think that he is a Christian before the spirit of Christ be born in him, that same is a theef and a murtherer. Wher againe he intimateth Christ and a Christian to be al one: and if the Spirit of Christ be borne in a man / then though he make himself Christ / the door / the shepheard &c. he is no theef / no murderer. Thus H. N. sheweth himself to be sold vntounto syn / and given over to an heretical and reprobate mind / perverting al scripture vntounto his destruction. It is very true.
H. N.
4. See my beloved in the love of Christ, even thus standeth the foū datiō of ye Christianity, & in such maner of wise hav…th Apostles taught the salvation in Christ, even like as Paul sayth to the Corinthes. 13. although I givc al my goods to the poor, and that I suffer my body to be burned, and although I had faith (saith he) that I could remove mountayns, if I had not love, it were not any thing vntounto me: that is, whosoever hath not Christ, he is without God, and without righteousnes in this world. I mean the being like Christ, which is received through the power of the holy Ghost, and not any ceremonial Christ, which one man speaketh of or promiseth to an other, through the ceremonial service, which he out of his prudencie according to his fleshly mind hath set vp. O no, The work and begetting or procreating of the children of God, cometh not so slenderly to passe, as men now at this time teach each other: out of their vnregenerate spirit, which never proceedeth from God.