Heresiography, Description of sect 4
Of the Familists.
THis Sect of the Family of Love is one of the most erron…ous and dangerous Sect that ever was.
The Family of Love are so called, because they will admit none common among them; their love is so great that they may joyne with any Congregation, and live under obedience to any Magistrate, be he never so ungodly, and therefore to …urry favour with all, they have some opinions agreeable with all in some things. They agree with the Turks in some things, with the Iewes in some things, with the Don…sts, Palagians, Libertines, Arians, and Anabaptists, in many things with the Papists, in few with the Protestants.
In describing of this Sect I purpose to set downe:
1. Their Originall or Authors.
2. Their horrible Blasphemies.
3. Their confession of Faith, or Creed.
4. Their Conversations.
5. Their severall sorts.
6. How to discover one of this Sect.
7. The abjuration of certaine Familis…s at Pauls Crosse.
THe first author was one David George of Delfe, The History of David George is written by his son in …, Nich-Bles… … and published by Iacob Beeb, Pri…ted …t Daventry, 1633. His doctrine is set down in 31 Articles.who fled out of Holl…nd… Basill giving it our that he was banished out of the low Countreyes; he changed his name, called himselfe Iohn of Bridges he affirmed that he was that right David that was sent from God, and should restore againe the Kingdome of Israel. He wrote divers Books as one called the Wonder-booke. he broached his damnable Heresiee, as:
…. All the Doctrines taught by Moses, the Prophe…s, and Christ himselfe were not sufficient to salvation, but only to keep the people in good order till the comming of David George, but his doctrine was able to save all those that put their trust in him.
2. That he was the right Messias, the beloved Son of the Father, not born of the flesh, but of the Holy Ghost; and that when Christ was dead according to the flesh, the Spirit of Christ was left by the Fathers appoyntment untill the comming of this David George, and given him.
3. That he would set up the true house of David, and the children of Levi must raise the Tabernacle of God through the Spirit of Christ, not by the crosse and suffering, but through meeknesse and love.
4. That whosoever speaketh against this Doctrine shall never be forgiven in this world, nor in the world to come; he dyed the 16. of August, 1556. at which his Disciples were much dismayed, for he promised them that he should not dye: or if he did, that he should rise againe, and fulfill all his former Promises, whereupon some forsook his heresies. The Magistrates being informed of his doctrine and manners, caused his house & the houses of such as were suspected to hold such errours to be searched, his books to be burnt, forseiting his goods and lands …o the use of the Town, causing his followers to recant.
After him rose one Henry Nicholas borne in Amsterdam, a Towne in Holland, of many called Henry of Amsterdam who took upon him to maintaine the same Doctrine, yet not in the name of David but in his owne name, as a Prophet sent to rebuke the world of sin and iniquity, naming himself… rest…r… to… mund…, the restorer of the world.
Mr. Iessop describeth H. N. after this manner, page 89. They call him the new man, or the holy nature, or holinesse which theyD…s…y of the errors of the … p…ge 89. make to be Christ, and sin to be Antichrist, because it is opp…i…e to Christ. They say that when Adam sinned then Christ was killed, and Antichrist came to live.
They teach the same perfection of holinesse which Adam had before he fell, is to be obtained here in this life, and affirme, that all their Family of Love are as perfect and innocent as hee, and that the Resurrection of the dead spoken of by St. Paul, 1 Cor. 15. and this Prophesie, then shall be fulfilled the saying which is written; O death where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory? is fulfilled in them; and they deny all other resurrection of the body to be after this life. They will have this blasphemer H. N. to be the Son of God, Christ, which was to come in the end of the world to judge the world, and say that the day of judgement is already come, and that H. N. judgeth the world now by his Doctrine; so that whosoever doth not obey his Gospell (in time) shall be rooted out of the world, and that this Family of Love shall inherit and inhabite the earth for ever, world without end: onelyonly they say they shall dye in the body, as now men doe, and their soules goe to heaven, but their Posterities shall continue for ever. This deceiver describeth eight through-breakings of the light (as he tearmeth them) to have been in eight severall times, from Adam to the time that now is, which (as he saith) have each exceeded other. The seventh he alloweth Iesus Christ to be the publisher of, and his light to be the greatest of all that ever were before him; and he maketh his owne to be the eight and last and greatest, and the perfection of all, in and by which Christ is perfected, meaning holinesse; he maketh every one of his Family of Love to be Christ; yea, and God, and himselfe God, and Christ in a more excellent manner, saying that he is godded with God, and co-deified with him, and that God is hominified with him. These horrible blas hemies with divers others, doth this H. N. & his Family teach to be the everlasting Gospell: which the Angel is said to preach in the Rev. 11. 15. They professe greater love to the Church of Rom…, and to all her Idolatries and superstitions, then they doe to any Church else whatsoever, except themselves.
They wickedly abuse these words of Christ; I must walk to day, to morrow, and the third day I shal be perfected: and say, that by to day is meant the time of Jesus Christ his Apostles: and by to morrow, all the time of the Religion of the Church of Rome: and by the third day, this their day of H. N. and his Family wherein they will have Christ to be perfected. And they doe compare all the whole religion of the Church of Rome to the Law of Moses, affirming that as God did teach his prople by these shadowes and types, till Jesus Christ came; so hee hath taught the world ever since by the Images, sacrifices, and heathen Rites of the Church of Rome, till this wretch H. N. came, and now he must be the onelyonly chiefe Teacher, Gods obedient man, yea his Son (as they blasphemously call him.) hee by his Gospell must make all things perfect.
One Christopher Viret, Christopher Viret.a Joyner dwelling in Southwarke, who had been in Queen Maries dayes an Arian, being infected with Hen, Nocolas his doctrine, poyso…ed first the English with this heresie: he translated out of Dutch into English divers of the books of Henr. Nicholas, as Evangelium regni, out of which and others these errors are collected.
2. Their blasphemous Errors.
1. COncerning God] That there is none other Deitie belonging unto God, but such as men are partakers of in this life.
2. Concerning Christ] 1. That Christ is not God. 2. Christ is not one man; but an esta…e and con…tion in men, common to so many as have received H. N. his doctrine, &c.
3. Of Adam] That Adam was all that God was;Knewst. p. 24. and God all that Adam was, &c.
4. Concerning Baptisme] That no man should be baptized untill he was 30 yeares old.
5. Concerning the Word] That there was never truth preached since the Apostles time before H. N.
6. Concerning the Resurrection] 1. The resurrection of the body is a …ising from sin and wickednesse. 2. That the dead shall rise and live in H. N. and in the iluminated Elders everlastingly and reigne upon earth.
7. Concerning the day of Judgement] 1. That the day of Judgement is in this life. 2. That the joyes of heaven are here upon earth.
8. Concerning marriage.] The marriage of such as are not enlightned with true faith is …lthy and polluted, and to bee reputed for whoredome.
9. Concerning Henry Nicolas.] 1. He is raised by the highest God from the dead. 2. He can no more …rre then Moses or Christ, &c. 3. He is the true Prophet of God, sent to blow the last Trumper of Doctrine which shall be published upon earth. 4. That he onelyonly knoweth the true sense of Scripture. 5. That his Books are of equall authority with the holy Scripture.
Through the service of H. N. his holy and gracious Word,Knewst. p. 27. and our obedience thereunto; we are led of the Father to the love of Jesus Christ. 6. That the Scriptures are fulfilled in H. N. and his Family. 7. H. N. knoweth the secrets of our hearts. 8. That all men must submit themselves to the godly wisdome of H. N. &c.
10. Concerning their illuminated Elders and family.] 1. All illuminated Elders are Godded with God,Knewst. fol. 15 or deified; and God in them hominified, or become man. 2. The young Disciples are Adams, and the illuminated Elders Christs. 3. The eldest Father of the Family is Christ himselfe. 4. That the estate of all such as are not of this Sect is a false being, the Antichrist, the wicked spirit, the kingdome of hell, and the devill himselfe. 5. The Family of Love is perfect in this life, and therefore that they must not pray for forgivenesse of sins. 6. That their illuminated Elders doe not sinne. 7. They may ioyne with any Congregation and Church, and live under the obedience of any Magistrate though never so ungodly. 8. Whatsoever is taught by any other then by their illuminated Elders is false: Such as despise their Family shall bee consumed with everlasting fire.
Moreover they hold:
1. That he who is one of their Congregation is either as perfect as Christ, or else a very divell.
2. That it is lawfull to doe whatsoever the higher Powers command to be done, though it be done against the commandement of God.
3. That it is ridiculous to say, God the Father, God the Son, God the holy Ghost; as though by saying these words, they should affirme to be three Gods.
4. That every man ought first to be in an errour before he can come to the knowledge of the truth.
5. That heaven and hell are present in this world among us, and that there is none other.
6. That they are bound to give almes to none other persons but to those of their Sect, and if they otherwise doe, they give their Almes to the divell.
7. That they ought not to burie their dead: because it is said, let the dead bury the dead.
8. That none ought to receive their Sacraments before he receiveth their whole Ordinances, as 1. He must be admitted with a kisse, then his feet must be washed, then hands laid on him, and so received.
9. That the Angels Raphael, and Gabriel and others were borne of a woman.
10. That they ought not to say Davids Psalmes as Prayers, being righteous and without sinne.
11. That there ought to be no Sabbath day, but that all should be alike.
12. That Christ is come forth of the flesh as he came forth of the Virgin Mary.
13. That there was a world before Adams time as is now.
14. That the Law of God is possible to be kept of every man that will endeavour himselfe thereto.
15. That it is …pedient that they should make manifest their whole heart, with all their counsels, minds, wils, and thoughts, together with all their doings, dealings, and exercises naked and bare before the children of the Family of Love, and not to cover or hide any thing (be it was it is) before him, and what their inclination and nature draweth them unto.
In a word, their doctrine is perverse, blasphemous and erro…eous: it openeth a doore to all wickednese, turning Religion up-side-downe, building heaven here upon earth, making God man and man God, heaven hell, and hell heaven, not accounting of the Law of God, and making but a jest of the Gospell of Jesus Christ, leaving no manner of sin uncommitted, & yet affirming they sin not at all: for venome and poyson which will bring present death to the soule, he hath dispersed over every member and Article of the Beliefe; so universall is the poyson of his opinion, as you may see in their confession set down by Mr. Knewstub.
3. The Confession of Familists.
I Doe believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. They say the same is a true living God, a mighty Spirit, a perfect cleare light; a true being, and that the same being is God, the Fathers name, and his love it selfe. And they perswade their good willing ones, that by the beliefe of this Article, which they call the Baptisme in the Fathers name, that here and now they do attain to the perfect obedience of the Law of God and of the beliefe of Jesus Christ, and love of the holy Ghost, which they make to be all one with the perfect righteousnesse of the Law.
2. And in Iesus Christ his onelyonly Son our Lord. Some of these words they alter, for instead of his onelyonly Son, they say the onelyonly Son of God &c. Whereby Jesus the only Son, I mean, Righteousnesse: for there is their generall Tenet and conclusion, that Righteousnesse is Christ, and Sin is Antichrist. The seed of the woman is righteousnesse and holinesse, and the seed of the Serpen… is sin turning the person of Christ into equality.
3. Which was conceived of the holy Ghost, borne of the Virgin Mary. As we confesse the thing done, so we speake of the present time as of the thing doing, saying, which is conceived of the holy Ghost, meaning, every one that comes to take in their Belief (as they term it) is then conceived of the holy Ghost, & born of the Virgin Mary, calling the conception of their fancy the first or Virgins estate of Infancy, so making the Article intend all and every one of them in generall, and hot one in particular, as we beleeve.
4. Sufferedunder Pontius Pilate, was crucified dead and buried, and descended into hell. In the former Article they confesse the conception and birth of the blessed seed of Abraham according to the Promises, and here they beleeve their sufferings according to the Scriptures. And Jesus Christ is borne and conceived in themselves under Pontius Pilate, and so is incorporated into the death of his Crosse, and this they call the Baptisme under the obedience of the Beliefe in the name of the Son; and they f…y, they bury through his Belief, the old Man, which state they call the youth or young Man; the renewing of the Spirit in an upright life, wherein this Article both of suffering, crucifying death and buriall, and discention into hell, are fulfilled in them: the rest you may see in Mr. Knewstub.
4. Their lewd Conversations.
OF this holy Family we read, that most shameful corruption of life hath alwaies followed corruption of Doctrine, as Rom. 1. 24. God gave them up to their owne hearts lusts, to uncleannesse, to defile their owne bodies between themselves, which turned the truth of God into a lie.
They are like Priscillianus the Hereticke, of whom H. N. borrowed not onelyonly that villanous wresting of the Word by allegories, as also the monstrous opinion that perj…ry and lying was lawfull, and to be done with a good conscience to conceale Religion.
Priscilianus (saith Daneus) was put to death at Treversa a City of Germany, En…ch Claphamconfessing at his death what shameful villanies he had committed with the women of his Sect.
The Familists talke of love, and being in love, and nothing but love; but their love turneth into lust, as one writeth of them.
Hen, Nicolas, as I finde written, had in his house three women apparelled alike: the one he affirmed to be his wife, the other his sister, the other his Cousin: which Cousin of his falling sick, and doubtfull of her life, confessed to her neighbours who resorted to her in her sicknesse, that H. N. had often abused her body, and made her believe that she should never dye. Complaint thereof being made to the Governour, he came to the house to have apprehended him; but he fled. It was thought he was gone with Granvella unto Naples, his goods were seized upon and carried to the Castle in Embden, in the yeare of our Lord 1556. and in the 57. yeare of his age.
5. Of divers sorts of Familists.
OF the Castalian Order,Do De…isons White W…lfe, page. …8. 1. Castalian Order. which dissent from the doctrine of the Church of England, opposing in every syllable, and yet being notorious Hypocrites, if they bee never so little questioned, will make shew by outward seeming of conformity, as if they did highly approve the doctrine of our Church. Who hold that the Law of God may be perfectly fulfilled by men in this world.
Who tearme themselves Eagles, Angels, and Arch-Angels, Lambes, & Doves, &c. who hope in a short time to be inspired with light and illumination, as ever Paul or any Prophets were, which allegorize the places of Scripture concerning Christ denying indeed that there was ever any such man as Christ, dreaming onelyonly of a sanctisying Christ, & abhorring a justifying Saviour, expecting salvation by their owne works, although they bee knowne to be co…rupt workers both in their Calling and Families, holding that Turks and Pag…ns may be saved if they live well, although they never heard of Christ.
Of the Grindletonian Familists,2. Grindletenian, who hold:
1. That the Scriptures are but for novices.
2. The Sabbath to be observed but as a Lecture-day.
3. To pray for the pardon of sin after he is assured of Gods love, is to offer Christ again.
4. That their Spirit is not to be tryed by the Scripture, but the Scripture by their Spirit.
5. That we must not goe by Motives, but by Motions.
6. That when God comes to dwell in a man, he so filleth the soule, that there is no more sinfull lusting.
7. That they see no reason why Ministers should speak against the sins of the wicked, seeing the wicked men can doe nothing but sin.
8. Which boast and thank God that they have cast off praying in their Families, repeating of Sermons, and such like things long agoe.
9. Which scoffe at such as make conscience of words, with many other pernicious poynts.
3. Of a third sort,3. Of the Mountains. Familiests of the Mountains, who say that they have cleane vanquished the divell, and are pure from all sin, and never so much as once tempted to doubt of their spirituall estate.
4. Of a fourth sort,4. Of the Valleyes. Familistes of the Vallies, who bring in their damnable doctrine, with faire pretences of weeping, sighing, & lifting up their eyes to heaven, of patience, of a smooth carriage, and the like.
5. Familists of the scattered flock,5. Of the scattered flock. who seduce by pretending themselves to be of them which feare the Lord when they are nothing lesse.
6. Familists of Caps Order,6. Caps Order. and of other ranks.
6. How to discover Familists.
THey are (saith my Author) at this present so close and cunning, that they can carry themselves, being directed thereunto by their Master H. N. that ye shal hardly ever find them out. They wll professe to agree in all things with the Church of England, and also with the Church of Rome, If they should be examined by them only, they will not lightly deny their Mr. Henr. Nicolas, nor speak evill of him, nor of his writings, if they should be put to it, and there is no way but this to discover them. I say, to put them to the denyall and abjuring of him and his writings, and to pronounce him a Blasphemer, and his doctrines blasphemous: this they will hardly doe, unlesse they be not yet fully his Disciples.
4. The abjuring of certaine Familists.
THe 12. of Iune 1575. stood at Pauls Croste five persons,How. Chron. English-men, of the Sect termed the Family of Love, who there confessed themselves utterly to detest aswell the Author of that Sect H. N. as all his damnable errors and heresies, Master Iohn Knewstub hath written a confutation of the monstrous and horrible heresies of the Family of Love, Printed by Thomas Dawson. 1575.