AN EPISTLE SENT UNTO TWO daughters of Warwick from H. N. THE OLDEST Father of the Family of Love.  
With a refutation of the errors that are therein; by H. A.  Rescue me (Lord), and deliver me from the hand of strangers: whose mouth talketh vanity; and their right-hand is a right-hand of falsehood. Psal. 144. 11. 
Imprinted at Amsterdam by Giles Thorp. 1608.   

To the Christian reader, wisdom & grace.  
AS there are many enemies of the truth of the gospel, and many that write to broach and spread their errors: so is it needful that some write against them, least trodden truth be quite forsaken; and silly souls be wrapped in error, unto perdition. It is not easy for all men to espy Satan's subtleties, nor the deceitful sophisms of his ministers: both he & they, can transform themselves like Angels of light. Such therefore as discern them through the grace of God, should give warning unto others; that as the foolish woman is 
† Pro 7. 11. & 9 13. 18  troublesome, babbling & loud, inviting her guests to the depth of hell: so the 
* Pro. 9 3.  maidens of wisdom, may lift up also their voice; and make their cry be heard, on the highest places of the city.  
What wormwood and bitterness & even deadly poison, is sparsed abroad in Henry Nicholas his writings, (who caleth himself the 
| 1 Exhort. cap. 11. See. 1.  Father of the Family of Love;) the children of wisdom that do read the same, may by the light of God's law soon perceive: yet with fair and flattering speeches, he hath beguiled many unstable souls; & such as have had no love to the truth, have been given over unto his lies. And never had Satan a fitter time to work his malicious will on the sons of Adam: then in these last evil days, when Atheism and iniquity, do so much abound. Never had he a fitter religion for Atheists and carnal hypocrites, then that which H. N. out of his corrupt and fleshly heart hath set abroach. It taketh away the cross of Christ, & persecution for righteousness sake: and teacheth men to communicate with all religions, services and ceremonies; so as they cleave in heart to his feighned service of the Love; It maketh them pure and without all sin, in their own foolish imaginations; yea (more than which the Serpent himself did never teach,) it deifieth them with God. In a word, it bringeth a fretting leprosy upon all religion, & overthroweth the grounds of faith laid in holy scriptures, which H. N. by foolish allegories, perverteth to the destruction of himself and his Family. And for the principles of theology, he hath written more blasphemously and absurdly then ever did Mahomet in his Alcoran. For this cause, in answering this his letter, (as I was requested by some that heard how much it was boasted of, among the Nicholaitans;) I have touched by the way some of the impious heresies that are in his other writings, without knowledge whereof, his fraud in this Epistle cannot easily be perceived. For as a child of darkness, he laboureth to be obscure in his words, that men may admire the deepness of Satan by which he speaketh; and himself when he is followed, & can no other way escape, may have this for his last refuge, that men understand him not. But 
* Ephe. 5. 13.  all things when they are reproved of the light, are manifest: for the light is that which maketh all things manifest. Now the 
| Ps. 119. 105 Pro 6. 13.  word of the Lord is a lantern, & his Law a light; by it therefore have I assayed to discover the snares of this seducer: not doubting but God, who causeth the Morning to know his place, that it may take hold of the corners of the earth, 
† job. 38. 13  & that the wicked may be shaken out of it; will, notwithstanding all the dark delphic speeches, and glozing allegories of these falsers, declare their works and manifest their impieties, and will 
| job. 34. 25.  turn the night, (in the darkness whereof they think to be shrouded) and they shallbe destroyed.  
Let therefore the prudent reader, make trial of that which on both sides is said, by the word of truth: lest, as the serpent beguiled Evah through his subtlety, so their hearts be withdrawn from the sincerity of Christ. And the Lord give them understanding in all things; and preserve them 
‡ Ps. 12. 7. 8.  from this generation for ever; for the wicked walk on every side, whiles vileness is extolled among the sons of Adam.  
Henry Ainsworth.   

The preface, made by some of H. N. his disciples.  

THis Epistle was written by the author unto two maidens that were before purposed out of zeal to have suffered death for the confession sake of the Christian ceremonies, which as he saith in diverse places of his works, are no more but outward means set forth by God & his ministers to direct people to the inward righteous life of Christ in the spirit;) supposing therein that they should rightly have obeyed & fulfilled the commandment of Christ, who willeth us to forsake our own lives for his sake. But upon better consideration thereof, through the grace of God, and these distinct godly testimonies and reasons, (both touching that point and diverse others) herein contained; their minds as it hath been reported by some of that fellowship were altered herein to an other understanding of the matter, and they did willingly endeavour themselves afterwards, to follow his good counsel.   

Answer.  
THe drift of this Epistle/ being (at the best) to dissuade from the patient and constant witnessing of the truth of Christ/ especially in the outward ordinances of the gospel and open profession of the same, Under a colour of inward and spiritual confession/ and service of God in the holy Ghost it shall not be amiss to look a little into the sleights of Satan/ whereby (as it seemeth) he hath deceived/ and would still deceive the simple; and to show the weakness and insufficiency of the reasons alleged in this Letter: as also to manifest/ how the outward obedience of the body/ must be conjoined with the inward of the mind and spirit; and the external ordinances of Christ's testament professed and practised; if we would have the spirit and life which is of God. And howsoever H. N. accounteth the ordinances of the gospel but ceremonies; yet in that he confesseth them to be outward means set forth by God, to direct people to the inward righteous life of Christ in the spirit, he manifesteth himself to be but a seducer/ in persuading the two maidens not to suffer death for the confession sake of them: seeing the outward means of man's salvation and of the righteous Christian life/ is to be stood for unto the death/ as in handling the particulars shall by God's grace appear. And if by the author's counsel/ those daughters were drawn (as here is insinuated) from their outward confession & suffering affliction for the ordinances of Christ/ against the Romish Antichristian doctrines & ceremonies; their faith was but weak/ they forsook the inward righteous life of Christ in the spirit/ and their minds were perverted to a very evil understanding. If also they assented to other points of H. Ns. heresies/ and followed his corrupt counsel: then were they led 
* 2 Tim. 3. 6. 7.  captive/ (as the Apostle saith/) being simple women/ laden with sins and led with diverse lusts. From which estate/ God keep all his people/ & direct their feet in the ways of life & peace.    

AN EPISTLE. Sent unto two daughters of Warwick.  

From H. N.  
THe wisdom of the Father, through the Love of Christ in the power of the holy Ghost, in the second birth out of the new life, of the heavenly being, be unto every one which with an unpartial heart seeketh the godliness in jesus Christ, to a hearty salvation. Because that every one which seeketh God with heart, mought know the right diversity betwixt the heavenly and the earthly, betwixt the spirit & the flesh, betwixt the light and the darkness, betwixt the death & the life, and betwixt the righteousness of the spirit, and the righteousness of the elementish things; and then to love the same. That grant us the Almighty God through his love, Amen.  
1. Because ye mought through the spirit of Christ inherit the same gift and mere affection or goodwillingnes to the godly life: I do bear or carry the same gift, (God is my witness) before all men. But now am I compelled through the love of Christ, severally to open the same gift unto two young daughters of a certain place named Warwick. The Lord give his prosperity and grace thereunto; for that his righteousness which is wrought through the Spirit of Christ, mought be known of them, and that the life of Christ which by many is sought after the flesh, might be known and inherited of them according to the spirit, even like as God which is blessed is a Spirit. joh. 4. 2 Cor. 3.   

H. A.  
OUr saviour Christ/ the 
‡ 1 Cor. 1. 24.  wisdom of the Father/ hath warned us to beware 
| Math. 7. 15.  of false prophets/ which come unto us in sheep clothing/ but inwardly are ravening wolves. The Apostles/ through the love of Christ in the power of the holy Ghost, have foretold us/ that 
| Tim. 4. 1.  in the latter times/ some should depart from the faith/ and give heed unto spirits of error and doctrines of Divils', speaking lies through hypocrisy/ and having their consciences burned-with-a-hot-yron; and therefore counseled us/ 
† 1 joh. 4. 1.  not to believe every spirit/ but to try the spirits whither they are of God/ because many false prophets/ were even then gone out into the world. The evil that they should enterprise/ is 
* 2 Pet. 2. 1.  privily to bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that hath bought them: the manner of their carriage should be to use 
| vers. 3.  feighned words, 
‡ Rom. 16. 18  fair, flattering and good speech, 
* 2 Pet. 2. 18.  swelling words of vanity 
| vers. 19  promises of liberty, and the like. The effect of their doctrine should be/ 
† Rom. 16. 18.  deceiving of the hearts of the simple, even of 
| Mat. 24, 5.  many/ yea/ if it were possible/ of 
† vers. 24.  the very elect; and by those many that follow their damnable ways/ 
† 1 Pet. 2. 2.  the way of truth should be blasphemed. The end of all which (touching themselves) is/ that because such reprobates/ receive 
| 2 Thess. 2. 10. 11. 12.  not the love of the truth/ that they mought be saved; therefore God sendeth them strong delusion/ that they should believe lies/ and they all may be damned/ which believe not the truth/ but have pleasure in unrighteousness. These things considered/ it standeth us upon/ to look well to ourselves/ least we be carried away with the error of the wicked. This author H. N. beginneth (as was foretold) not only with fair and flattering speech/ but also with swelling words of the second birth, out of the new life of the heavenly being, and sundry the like. He boasteth of the gift/ of the godly life/ which he beareth before all men/ and here severally openeth unto two young daughters: and of this he taketh God to witness: He telleth them/ (in the 2. section following/) that the Christ of God was not yet declared unto them according to the heavenly truth. Thus promiseth he great matters/ and seemeth to be a setter forth of a new Christ/ and consequently of a new God. Very needful therefore it is/ to attend unto his doctrine/ and if it be true/ for to receive it; if false/ for to abhor it/ and to hold the author thereof accursed. And hereunto the Lord enable and guide us by his grace.  
1. First where he vaunteth of the gift borne before all men/ (in his other writings/) opened to these daughters/ (in this Epistle;) let us bring it to the trial/ by the word of God, who (he saith) is his witness. For we read of some/ that have 
* Ezek. 16. 33  given gifts unto their lovers/ that they might come unto them on every side for fornication: and whither this writing/ and other pamphlets of H. N. be not gifts sent abroad for such evil purpose/ let the godly reader judge. If his gift have witness of God/ it hath witness of his written word/ as the prophet saith/ 
† Isa. 8. 20.  to the Law, and to the Testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is, because there is no light in them. Is H. N. willing to come to this trial? it seemeth far otherwise; for in all his writings he much inveigheth against scripture-learning; contrary to the true prophets and Apostles/ who highly commended this/ as being 
| 2 Tim. 3. 15 16.  able to make men wise unto salvation/ and profitable to teach/ to improve/ to correct/ to instruct in righteousness: and never did any of them entwite the learning or knowledge of the scriptures; as the reader may see H. N. to do in this Epistle and his other pamphlets. Our saviour Christ/ willed all men/ even his adversaries/ to 
* job. 5. 39  search the scriptures/ for they testified of him. If they testified likewise of H. N. and his doctrine; doubtless he would not despise (as his manner is) the scripture-learning of others; especially whiles he will seem to rely upon the testimonies of the same for himself. But if we may not learn the truth of religion/ out of holy writ; how then may we attain it? H. N. telleth us in his First exhortation to his children, thus 
| 1 Exhort. chap. 6. sect. 7.  My beloved children, like as the true Communiality of holy ones, and Elders of the house of Love, confess, under the obedience of the Love, the belief in jesus Christ, and the Christian baptism; and like as I express the same here unto you, and confess or acknowledge it before all men to be the true faith, and the upright baptism; even so ground with fast belief, your hearts likewise therein. So then the doctrine of H. N. and his followers must be the ground of our faith: as they confess and believe/ so must we. And herein the Familists religion acordeth well with the Turks, whose great prophet Mahomet in his law or Koran/ to draw disciples after him saith thus; 
| Koran. Azoar (or chapter) 18.  They that worship God, let them if they be good, believe his Messenger (Mahomet:) and again; O ye good men, be followers of God and of his messenger, & never wittingly depart from them. But may we not ourselves/ by the light and grace that God giveth us/ make trial of H. N. his religion by the word of the Lord? No: for in his First exhortation he saith; 
| chap. 16. sect. 16.  no man can rightly according to the truth of the holy scriptures nor according to the spiritual understanding of the godly wisdom, deal in, or use the true Godservices, nor the services of the holy word, (it becometh not likewise, that any man should take in hand to busy himself thereabout,) but only the illuminated Elders in the godly wisdom, which walk in the house of Love. But what if H. N. with his coelders'/ be but deceivers of men's souls/ seduced themselves and seducing others? for be they not men as others are/ and subject to error? He telleth us no/ for 
‡ ibidem.  they have received the word of life, through the power of the most highest, out of his holy heaven, from the living God, and are even so through the same word, Godded with God. Therefore in an other place of that book/ he saith men 
| chap. 13 sect. 11.  ought to beware that they distrust not the Eldest in the Family of Love, nor suspect any manner of evil or unwisdom by him: nor yet also in anywise persuade themselves that the exercises, documents & instructions which are taught or set forth before them, by the Father of the Family of Love, or oldest elder, are too slight, too childish, or too unwise for them to follow after or to obey. But with perfect hearts, humbly and single-mindedly, even as good willing children unto the Obedience; to receive the same instructions, proceeding out of the wisdom and counsel of the Eldest. And must we needs put out our own eyes/ that H. N. may lead us? may we trust him that he himself is not a blind guide/ and false prophet/ such as Christ foretold should come in this last time? For this matter he hath given us his warrant thus/ 
* First exhort. Cap. 11. sect. 1  My loving children, and thou Family of Love, give ear to me your Father, and live according to my doctrine, that it may go well with you: For the Lord will have the Father honoured of the children, and what the mother biddeth or commandeth the children to do, that will he have kept. 
* Sect. 2.  Take heed to my doctrine; and all what I out of Love, do set forth, teach, and exhort you unto, that print to a seal of life, or a witness of the truth, in your hearts. For it is your life. By this we may see what a good ground H. N. hath laid for himself and his cause: that men should receive his word and doctrines/ for Oracles of God. He saw that his brother/ the Antichrist of Rome/ had much prevailed in the foolish world/ by making men believe/ that he and his church could not ere: he minded also (perhaps) the glory that Mahomet hath among Turks/ by persuading them/ that the Koran (his law-book) 
| Azoar 20.  is without all falsehood; therefore H. N. will sail by that compass; and make that the foundation of his work. And coming as an enemy to war against Christians/ he is much more malicious than Nachash the Ammonite/ who would have 
| 1 Sam. 11. 2  thrust out but one eye of the Israelites/ whereas this tyrann would thrust out both; and that not of the body/ (as Nachash would) but of the mind and understanding; that having bereft men of their wits/ he might keep them prisoners under his heresies. For in his Crying voice, he hath proclaimed saying/ 
‡ Crying voice chap. 3. sect. 11  Let yourselves now in all your Being, nature, mind, and disposition, become renewed through the Love, in her service; and give all your understanding captive, under the obedience of the Love. Thus H. N. will be gaoler and keep in captivity the minds of all men; till they bow unto him and say/ as he hath taught his children (or rather his s●laves) in his First exhortation, 
* chap. 13. sect. 2.  O my father in the Love, I submit myself, and all mine understanding, under the wisdom of thy doctrine. And when he hath gotten men's minds this captived; he may lead them whither he list/ though it be into the deepest dungeon of hell. We find in Christ's Testament the Beraeans commended/ that tried the Apostles doctrines by the scriptures daily; Act. 17. 11. and other Christians also/ that took heed to the most sure word of the Prophets/ as to a light shining in a dark place; 2 Pet. 1, 19 Howsoever therefore H. N. would extinguish the seven lamps of the golden candlestick of God's law/ that men might see by the smoke of the fire which he hath kindled: we mean not to trust his pretended light/ but to bring to the trial both his spirit and his gift. For the serpent by his subtlety/ brought Evah unto death/ whiles he took away God's plain word/ and set his own in the place: like may be our end/ if we submit ourselves/ and all our understanding/ under the foolishness of this man's doctrine.   

H. N.  
2. See my beloved in the Love of Christ, I must speak unto you even like as Paul spoke unto the fleshly Israelites, where he saith, I bear Israel witness that they stand fervently minded towards the lov of God, but not according to knowledge; for they seek to set up their own righteousness. Rom. 10. So is now the witness of God in our spirit with the holy Paul towards you, that ye likewise stand fervently minded towards the love of God, but not according to knowledge, because that the Christ of God is not yet declared unto you according to the heavenly truth, but well according to man's wisdom or industry, which to the literal scripture, add their own prudency, and even so go forth withal, or occupy their own righteousness without the spirit of Christ, which is a miserable doctrine, being taught without the spirit of Christ.   

H. A.  
SOlomon warneth us of an heretic under the figure of a foolish woman/ that calleth unto her/ 
* Pro. 9 ver 13. 15.  them that pass by the way: yea such as go right on their way/ saying/ 
‡ vers. 16.  who so is simple let him come hither. And in this her call/ she counterfeiteth Wisdoms words/ for even so had her maidens spoken: 
| vers. 4.  before to the sons of men/ that went astray. The Apostle Paul/ found fault with the Israelites/ that for want of knowledge did seek to set by their own righteousness/ by the works of the Law: neglecting the righteousness of God/ which is by the faith of Jesus Christ. H. N. here cometh/ like the troublesome woman/ and calleth these two daughters/ which went right on their way/ even in the true path beaten by Paul and the other Apostles. And the more to allure them/ he useth Paul's words/ and pretends his affection: but his drift is to draw them quite awry/ from the true way of righteousness/ which Paul did preach/ unto a false righteousness by the works of the law/ a miserable doctrine which H. N. in his writings hath taught without the spirit of Christ. These two daughters of Warwick, did (as I have heard) so know and believe in Christ and in God/ and seek the true righteousness/ which is by faith; as other true Christians of our English nation have done and do. But the Christ of God was not yet declared unto them, (as H. N. saith) according to the heavenly truth. Whereas that which he meaneth by heavenly truth/ will be found indeed to be hellish error; he teaching such things of God, and of Christ, and of man's righteousness; as the prophets and Apostles have every where condemned: which anon will appear.   

H. N.  
3. Because that the same miserable doctrine and false wisdom of the flesh which gendereth her own righteousness, mought be made known, and even so then to be forsaken, therefore hath God now in the same last day showed his grace & mercifulness on us poor & wretched ones, and hath declared unto us through his holy spirit, his service of Love, for to declare unto all good willing ones through the self same service, which is the true way to the everlasting life. Therefore let every one now through the same service of love be warned that he look well hereto, that he boast not himself in any of the works of righteousness, or take on the same to salvation neither to condemnation, before that he in the spirit of Christ through the love of the Father be renewed in all righteousness of life. Not that I mean in the elementish ceremonial righteousness, which the man setteth forth or occupieth out of his own prudency, but I mean in that righteousness which according to the heavenly truth is in the being of Christ, and is set forth through the spirit of God. For the Father is not honoured but through the Son, that is, no man may know, either serve God, but that he must be born out of the spirit of Christ, even like as there standeth written; There availeth before God neither circumcision nor uncircumcision, but only a new creature in Christ jesus wrought through the Love, Gal. 6. Therefore shall Christ in the day of judgements, accuse and find faulty a flesh in their righteousness, even like as he saith, I shall reprove or rebuke the world of their righteousness. joh. 16. That this is all what the man out of his first birth, hath set up for a righteousness, which is an enemy unto God, even like as he saith, joh. 10. They are all thieves and murderers which are come before me: that is, whosover letteth himself think, that he is a Christian before the spirit of Christ be born in him, that same is a thief and a murderer. For whosoever hath not the spirit of Christ, the same belongeth not unto him. Rom. 8. Even like as Paul hath witnessed where he saith, I durst not speak any word, unless that Christ had spoken the same in me, or through me. Rom. 15. yea no man (saith he in an other place) can name jesus to be the Lord, but through the holy Ghost. 1 Cor. 12. A natural man (saith he) testeth not the spirit of God. 1 Corinth. 2. My children (saith Paul to the Galathians) with whom I travel again in birth, until that Christ be fashioned in you. 1 Gal. 4. Here may we mark that without the Spirit of Christ, there is no knowledge of God, And where God is not known, there can there not any doctrine be occupied to the man's salvation. It is very true.   

H. A.  
THe author pretending to deal against that/ which he would feignest establish/ to weet/ the miserable doctrine and false wisdom of the flesh, which gendereth her own righteousness: first draweth the readers to himself and his family/ 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 carriage of the whorish woman who 
* Pro. 7. 13. 14. 15.  caught the young man and kissed him/ and with an impudent face said unto him/ I have peace offerings, this day have I paid my vows: therefore came I forth to meet thee. etc. and H. N. hath no better warrant than his predecessor Mahomet, who (before him) boasted himself to be the 
† Koran. Azoar 77.  Teacher of the nations. That the reader may discern the fraud of this falser/ I will first briefly show what doctrine he hath taught concerning God and Christ; And then I will proceed in answering this his Letter. The God which H. N. treacheth to the world/ is not as the scriptures declare the true God unto us/ One eternal/ everliving/ infinite/ incomprehensible/ almighty/ unsearchable and unchangeable Being/ who only hath immortality/ and dwelleth in the light that none can attain unto/ whom never man saw/ neither can see/ unto whom be honour and power everlasting Amen. 1 Tim. 6. 16 Exod. 3. 14. Rev. 1. 4. job. 11. 7. 8. 9 & 36. 26. Psal. 90. 2. & 93. 2. & 102. 26. 27. & 145. 3. Act. 17. 25. jam. 1. 17. But H. N. telleth us of a God/ that 
† Epistles of H. N. Epist. 3. chap. 3. sect. 3. 3  was in the beginning as a light of 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 sixth 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 blasphemy/ and dishonour of God/ be said or thought/ that God was of one substance with the man? yet H. N. to bring his blasphemy 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 all things well, then was the Lord one Lord of his kingdom, & one God of his works; there was also no more but one God and one man, and they were one, and had in all one order, being and nature, for God was all that the man was, and man was all that God was. The Devil when he had the 
| Gen. 3.  Serpent for his instrument/ (the subtlest beast of the field) durst not utter such abomination unto Evah/ as to say she should be of one substance with God, or all that God was; but only that she should be like unto 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 falsehood/) he shameth not to teach/ that God and man were one substance and being: God all that man; and man, all that God was. By this doctrine H. N. leadeth men at once from God to the Devil/ and deifieth the Serpent. For the Serpent was too subtle for the manly creature: the Devil deceived and overcame the man/ with all that he was: his body soul and spirit. Now seeing God the creator/ and man the creature/ had all one substance and being, and the one was all that the other was; it will follow upon this blasphemers doctrine/ that the man had as much power/ wisdom/ will and ability every way to withstand the Devil/ as God himself had: but the Devil was too strong and too wise for the man; therefore also he was too strong and to wise for H. Ns. God/ who had no more of any thing then the man. Now he that is most mighty/ most wise etc. must needs/ (even in any Pagans judgement) be esteemed for God. 
Mat. 4.  The Devil could not prevail with Christ/ though he proffered him all the kingdoms of the earth/ to fall down and worship him: but he hath gotten this honour and much more from H. N. for far less preferment/ that he will not only worship him/ himself; but draw all the world/ if he can to do the like/ by his Serpentlike doctrine.  
But a man would think/ that upon consideration of Adam's fall/ and all his children's misery; H. N. would change his more than beastly judgement/ of God and man to be one substance. No it is far otherwise. For as he hath feighned such a God as never was; so hath he begotten and brought us forth a Christ/ to weet/ a Lovely Being; or rather a loathsome Idol in his own heart/ as after shall be showed; which Christ, (he saith) 
† H. N. Epist. 4. chap. 5. sect. 14.  maketh of two that they be one, namely the Godhead and the manhood. By means of this mediator/ 
| ibid. see. 18.  is God the Father one substance, or manned with us through Christ, and is all in al. Hereupon 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 Christ's/) telleth us of himself/ that he is 
‡ Gospel of the kingd. Chap. 1 Sect. 1.  Godded with God in the spirit of his Love. And lest men should neglect to worship this beast/ and give him his Divine honour; he every where urgeth his godhead and authority; one example whereof I will 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 all that which with him is Gods: unto his obedient man H. N. & Godding the same with him, he hath Manned him with the same; and his will is, that now in the last time, through his service of Love, all people or generations of men, which are good willing to his righteousness, should assemble them unto him & his Godded man, & even so likewise with them, all that which is manly; to the end that they all should become of one Being with him and his godded man, & so be all named Gods, and children of the most highest. For even so in the same conjoined coming and conformity of being; namely God with all what is Gods, and the man with all what is manly; it all, what is not Gods nor manly, becometh through God and the man utterly condemned. Was there ever any trump of Satan/ that durst proclaim such Atheism to the world under colour of religion as this man doth? Mahomet was never so gross or wicked to think thus of God/ or of himself: He in his Koran every where speaketh rightly of God/ that he is 
† Azoar ●. 9 4. 5. etc.  One, immutable, most wise, most high, incomprehensible, omnipotent etc. He was willed (he saith) to say, 
| Azoar 3●.  Nothing is enjoined me, but to worship God alone, and not to esteem any his fellow (or partner.) and again 
* Azoar 7●.  That thou (Mahomet) mayst be proved true, call thyself but a messenger only. But H. N. willbe Godded with God, and have all that is Gods, (as himself saith:) then is he doubtless Gods fellow: and hath the eternal power and godhead, which the Apostle saith, 
| Rom. 1. 2●.  are seen by the creation of the world etc. Now what can H. N. or any of his ylluminated Elders, answer to that which the true God propounded unto Job; 
| job. 38 4. etc.  where wast thou when I laid the foundation of the earth? declare if thou hast understanding etc. 
* job. 40. 4. ●. 6. 9  Hast thou an arm like God? or dost thou thunder with a voice like him? deck thyself now with majesty & excellency, & array thyself with beauty and glory. Cast abroad the indignation of thy wrath, and behold every one that is proud, and abale him etc. Then will I confess unto thee also, that thy right hand can save thee. We know the true God 
| job. 42. ●  can do all things/ and that there is no thought hid from him. Let H. N. with his new Gods/ show forth their Godhead in their powerful works. Let them (as the prophet Isaias saith) show things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that they are Gods. Isa. 41. 23. Christ said to the Jews/ If I should bear witness of myself, my witness were not true. joh. 5. 31. But H. N. beareth witness of himself/ and hath no testimony from God/ nor his scriptures/ more than had 
* Act. 5. 36. 37.  Theudas or judas of Galilee. or Mahomet. Christ did confirm his authority 
| Act. 2. 22.  by signs and wonders. He alleged his works for 
† joh. 5. 36.  witnesses that the Father had sent him. But blessed be God/ who though he hath suffered these idols of indignation (the Familists) to utter the pride of their arrogant heart's/ yet hath he not permitted Satan to give them power to work any miracles/ for to seduce the world withal: that such as do follow them/ may show themselves deprived of wisdom and human reason/ in crediting such an impostor/ that hath nothing but foolish words to bewitch their minds withal. The prophet Isaias teacheth/ that 
| Isa. 40. 17. etc.  All nations before God are as nothing/ and they are counted to him/ less than nothing and vanity. To whom then will ye liken God? 
* vers. 25.  To whom now will ye liken me/ that I should be like him? saith the Holy one. H. N. answereth/ that himself is not only like God/ but hath one substance with him/ and all that is Gods. But as the prophet mocked those wooden idols/ that were 
| Isa 44. 16. 17.  half burnt in the fire/ and the other half worshipped as a God: so may all men deride these earthen idols/ that cannot save their bodies out of the dust or fire? For go they not down to the grave as other men/ and perish like their dung? Is not H. N. rooted out of the land of the living/ and doth not his name rot with him? Can any of his Godded men save themselves from fire 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 showeth the folly and blindness of the Gentiles that 
‡ Rom. 1. 23  turned the glory of the incorruptible God, into the similitude of the image of a corruptible man; and is not H. Ns. foolish heart more full of darkness than theirs; that after so great light of the scriptures/ turneth the glory and Being of the incorruptible God/ into (not the image only but) the very Being of a corruptible man? Doubtless God hath delivered him up into a reprobate mind; that his madness may be manifest unto all men; which thus hath turned the truth of God into a lie/ magnified and honoured the creature, to the dishonour and blasphemy of the creator/ who is blessed for ever/ Amen. To all than that H. N. can say for his own Godhead/ or his disciples/ let all true Christians answer/ as Jeremy taught the Jews to answer the men of Babel; The Gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens, jer. 10. 11. By this the reader may perceive/ what a poisoned religion this Nachash H. N. hath brought into the world/ concerning God.  
Now for his Christ, H. N. teacheth us not according to the scriptures/ of one particular man/ of the stock and generation of 
† Rome 9 5.  the Jews/ born about xvi. hundred years ago 
| Mat 2.  in Bethlehem; who himself alone (being God 
* Phil. 2. 6.  equal with the Father 
” joh. 17. 5.  before the world was/ and in that fullness of time 
† Heb. 2. 14.  took unto him our human nature) 
* 1 Pet. 2. 24.  bore in his own body the sins of all his elect/ and by that 
† Heb. 9 26. 28.  once offering of himself upon the cross/ hath purged them all/ from all their sins etc. No, H. N regardeth not (as after in this Letter sect. 11. he showeth) this knowledge/ that in times passed there was one Christ in Israel which was born amongst his own etc. but telleth us of a Lovely being/ and a holy life: this is his Christ. For in his First exhortation he saith/ 
| chap. 12. sec. 23. 24.  walk with your spirit in the Lovely and virtuous Being: Fasten your mind thereto, and build your righteousness thereon. For that is an eternal and fast standing foundation, whereon all God's prophets and holy ones have builded, and is Christ himself. Again/ in the same book he saith/ 
† chap 20 sec. 5.  After a little time of your distress and anguish, or heaviness, the Lord will bring his Christ, (that is his best beloved and most holy being) in power and glory unto you. In this his Epistle to the two daughters, 
| sect 4.  he expoundeth Paul's words 1 Cor. 13. though I had all faith, etc. if I had not love, it were nothing; that is (saith H. N.) whosoever hath not Christ, he is with u● God: therefore also in an other place/ he caleth 
† First exh. ch. 12. sec. 33  Love, the upright Being of Christ himself; And because this Lovely life and being/ appear daily fresh and new/ in those that come to the family of Love/ therefore they profess to believe/ not that Christ was, but that he 
* First exhort. ch. 7. sec. 14.  Imperceived of the holy Ghost, through the power of the most highest, & born of the H. virgin Mary. And whereas the scriptures teach that Christ suffered 
‡ Rom. 5. 6. 8 & 4. 25.  for us/ and for our sins; H. N. 〈…〉 Christ beareth 
* First exhort. ch. 7. sec. 17.  in us our sins. The scriptures teach/ that 
| Rom. 5. 19  by the obedience of one (meaning Christ) many are made righteous: he hath washed us from our sins 
† Rev. 1. 5.  in his blood/ he was 
| Heb. 9 28.  once offered to take away the sins of many/ and with 
* Heb. 10. 14  one offering hath he consecrated for ever them that are sanctified: H. N. teacheth us that 
‡ First exhor. ch. 7. sec. 17.  Christ/ under the obedience of the Love of his Father, is gone before us therein, for that we should, in like manner follow after him, under the obedience of his Love, in his death of the cross, to the safemaking of us from our sins. Thus must we save ourselves by our own sufferings/ and Christ (set forth unto us in the scriptures) is but an example/ to teach us what we must do. But what should I stand longer upon this point; for the Familists hold and profess/ that 
† Pattern of pres. temp●.  an obedient and godly life is Christ jesus; 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 shallbe the easier to discern his fraud in this Letter/ which I now will particularly answer.  
Let every one now, through the same service of Love (saith this author) be warned, that he boast not himself in any of the works of righteousness, or take on the same to salvation neither to condemnation, before that he in the spirit of Christ, though the love of the Father be renewed in all righteousness of life. In that H. N. saith/ before he be renewed, he plainly intimateth that his deadly error/ that after men are renewed/ they may boast in and take on their works to salvation; contrary to Paul's doctrine/ who showeth that not only 
† Rom. 3. 3●.  the uncircumcision, (the vnrenewed Gentiles/) but also the circumcision (the renewed Jews) should be justified of God by faith, which faith excludeth man's 
| vers. 27.  rejoicing or boasting; and 
* vers. 20. 28.  all works of the Law. He confirmeth it also by 
‡ Rome 4. 1. 2.  Abraham's example/ who though he were renewed in righteousness of life/ had nothing to rejoice of with God; but was justified by faith alone; and as he/ so 
* vers. 23. 24.  we all/ shall have faith (not works) imputed to us for righteousness. But H. N. speaking of the 10. commandments given on mount Sina/ caleth that law/ Gods 
† H. N. First. exhor. cha. 1. sec 12. ●4.  eternal, true, & living righteousness; that he would have to be erected through his people Israel, upon the earth, and wherein all the children of men, generations and heathen, should live. Wherein his doctrine is quite contrary unto Paul's/ who saith/ 
* Gal 3 21. 22.  if there had been a law given, which could have given life, surely righteousness should have been by the Law; but the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by the faith of jesus Christ, should be given to them that believe. Now the way of life/ the Apostle had before showed/ in the same chapter/ saying/ 
| vers. 11. 12.  it is evident that no man is levied by the Law in the sight of God, for 
† Hab. 2. 4.  the just shall live by faith; and the Law is not of faith, but the man that shall do tho●e things shall live in them. H. N. therefore teaching contrary to the Apostle (as we have seen,) even a miserable doctrine/ and false wisdom of the flesh/ which gendereth her own righteousness/ is by th' Apostles commandment to be holden accursed. Gal. 1. 8. And this gift of his/ hath no witness of the holy prophets or Apostles to confirm the same; but by his predecessor Mahomet is well approved; for even so did he teach the Turks 
* Koran, Azoar (or chapter) 4. 5. 35. & 42.  That the Law of God is not impossible and intolerable: (howsoever the Apostles say the contrary (Rom. 8. 3. Act. 15. 10.) and that they which keep the the Law are joined with God & saved.  
After this H. N. showeth that he means not the elemetish & ceremonial righteousness, but that which according to the heavenly truth is in the Being of Christ, (for this we had heard is his heavenly truth, that every man should have the Being of Christ/ or be Christ himself.) His proof hereof is, The Father is not honoured but through the Son; that is (saith H. N.) no man may know 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 righteousness and salvation: and to maintain this heresy/ he corrupteth and abuseth the scripture Gal. 6. 15. where Paul saith (against such as 
| vers. 12.  urged Christians to be circumcised/ that they might avoid persecution) that in Christ jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature; meaning that such as were graffed into Christ by faith/ unto salvation from their sins; they need not care in this estate for having or wanting the outward Jewish sign of circumcision/ but labour for that which it signified/ namely to become new creatures/ dying daily unto sin/ and living unto righteousness/ which fruits are undoubted testimonies that they are in Christ. But H. N. corrupteth the words/ first saying There availeth before God, and then adding, in Christ jesus 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 us/ as before is showed;) this new creature availeth before God/ for righteousness/ and safemaking from our sins; as his words elsewhere are. Thus careth he not/ how he wrest/ or what he add unto the scriptures/ so as they may seem to serve his turn. That the reader may see his deceit/ I will show what is his veyn and manner of reasoning. Two things are given us of God through Christ. 1. 
| Rom. 4. 25.  justification, and 2. 
† 1 Thes. 4. 3  sanctification. Justification is by 
| Rom. 3. 25.  the forgiunes of our sins for Christ's sake/ and for the death that 
† Heb. 9 26. 28.  he once suffered for us himself alone on the cross; whereupon followeth our blessedness and salvation; and this justification we apprehend by 
| Rom. 3. 28.  faith alone. After which followeth the work of Christ in us/ by sanctifying our body's souls and spirits/ and making us conformable 
* Gal. 5. 24. Rom. 6.  to his death burial and resurrection/ and furnishing us with fruits and graces of the Spirit: which being 
† joh. 15. 5. Colos. 1. 10.  fruits of faith in Christ/ following the same; are no cause of our justification or blessedness/ for that we have 
| Rom. 3. 24.  freely before given us of grace. Now cometh H. N. and he taketh this latter point of Sanctification, and all such scriptures as speak thereof/ 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 happiness/ righteousness itself/ yea and Christ himself. Which deceitful reasoning of his/ may further be manifested/ by a type and shadow of our redemption/ showed to our father's/ travelling 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 fiery serpents/ and many of them died. To save them from this death/ a serpent of 
† vers. 9  brass was set up/ 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. etc.  forward on their way/ fought 
† vers. 21. 24. etc.  against the Amorites and other enemies, and won the promised land; and this they were to do/ before they could have possession of the same. If H. N. had then lived/ and should have persuaded the people/ that not the looking up to the brazen serpent/ but their after journeys/ and battles against the Amorites/ did heal them of their stings; should he not have belied the work of God's grace/ who without any work or war of theirs/ did heal them freely? even so doth he in this. The venom of Synn/ by the fiery serpents the Devils/ tormenteth men, and bringeth them to 
* Rom. 6. ●3.  death. Jesus Christ is lifted up unto us/ 
‡ joh. 3. 14. 15.  as was the Serpent in the wilderness/ unto whom we looking up by 
† Gal. 2. 16. Rom. 5. 1.  faith/ are thoroughly healed. After this God unployeth us 
” Rom. 6. 1. etc.  in a holy life/ and Christian warfare/ to subdue our lusts and affections/ and bring forth fruits of the spirit in sanctification. Now cometh H. N. and telleth us/ this holy life/ this Christian warfare/ is our righteousness/ our safemaking from our syns'/ and is Christ himself. Thus is he an enemy unto 
‡ 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 shallbe saved; and in stead of Christ/ would give us an idol of his own fiction.  
After this/ as unsavourly and to as little purpose/ he allegeth/ an other scripture/ where Christ (as he saith) in the day of judgements, shall find faulty all flesh in their righteousness, as he saith I shall rebuke the world of their righteousness. joh. 16. First it is to be observed that Christ spoke 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 pass/ Act. 2. 33.) and saith/ when he is come he will reprove the world etc. but H. N. allegeth this/ that Christ himself should do it/ and falsifieth our Lords words/ putting ay, for He, the reason whereof seemeth to be for that H. N. holdeth not a distinction of the three persons in the Godhead/ as we profess 
| 1 joh. 5. 7. Mat 28. 19  according to the scriptures; but ignorantly shuffleth and confoundeth al. Secondlly/ he addeth to the scripture/ saying their righteousness; whereas Christ saith only that the Holy Ghost should convince the world of righteousness; which may as well/ (if not better) be understood of Christ's righteousness/ then of the worlds; especially seeing the reason thereof is rendered thus/ 
† vers. 1●.  Of righteousness, because I go to my Father. Now though one may understand it otherwise/ of the worlds feighned righteousness/ yet is it overmuch boldness in H. N. to put his own understanding in stead of the text itself: for this is the means to corrupt Gods pure word/ even as the man's heart is most corrupt. Thirdly, he referreth this to the day of judgements, which is far from Christ's 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 judgement; as the text showeth to any wise heart. But wherefore doth H. N. put in this, may we think? Doubtless to draw men unto 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 all 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, wherewith God with his holy ones accomplisheth, and wherewith also he will accomplish, his judgement upon 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 jesus Christ, with the many thousands of his Saints, becometh manifested, which hath set himself now upon the seat of his majesty, for to judge in this same day, which the Lord hath ordained or appointed, the whole world with equity and with faithfulness and truth according to his righteousness. And again 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 unto us out of heaven, to a righteous judgement upon earth, from the right hand of God, and how that on the same judgement seat of Christ, (that the scripture mought be fulfilled) there sitteth one now, in truth in the habitation of David, which judgeth uprightly, thinketh upon equity and requireth righteousness. By this the reader may see/ what this man aimeth at in all his writings/ even to draw all men unto himself/ as judge of the world sitting on the throne of Christ/ and spareth not to apply the promises of Christ's coming/ to this day of his preaching/ being a more shameless 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 john, so doth he afterwards the 10. of John. They are all thieves and murderers which are come before me: that is (saith H. N.) whosoever letteth himself think that he is a Christian before the spirit of Christ be born in him, that same is a thief and a murderer. Where again he intimateth Christ and a Christian to be all one: and if the Spirit of Christ be borne in a man/ then though he make himself Christ/ the door/ the shepherd etc. he is no thief/ no murderer. Thus H. N. showeth himself to be sold unto sin/ and given over to an heretical and reprobate mind/ perverting all scripture unto his destruction. It is very true.   

H. N.  
4. See my beloved in the love of Christ, even thus standeth the foundation of the Christianity, & in such manner of wise hav●th Apostles taught the salvation in Christ, even like as Paul saith to the Corinth's. 13. although I giuc all 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 mountains, if I had not love, it were not any thing unto me: that is, whosoever hath not Christ, he is without God, and without righteousness 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 prudency according to his fleshly mind hath set up. O no, The work and begetting or procreating of the children of God, cometh not so slenderly to pass, as men now at this time teach each other: out of their unregenerate spirit, which never proceedeth from God.   

H. A.  
What a sandy foundation of Christianity H. N. hath laid/ we have seen before by his doctrine of God and of Christ/ and of man's righteousness. Here/ (to build hay on his rotten ground/) he perverteth an another scripture/ and would father his error on the Apostle Paul/ who most of all other did set against it. For the teaching the salvation in Christ to be by Faith, as before is showed: H. N. will have him say it is by Love, the Love that is in us; which Love he expoundeth (as his manner is) to be Christ himself; so wresting the word/ (as did the old serpent/) unto men's destruction.  
The Love treated of by the Apostle/ 1 Cor. 13. is a quality in the Saint's/ wrought in them by the spirit of God; as it is written/ 
| Gal. 5. 22.  The fruit of the spirit is Love, etc. Now this Love which is in us/ (whither it be towards God or our brethren/) is not the foundation or cause of our happiness/ but an effect thereof/ as we may learn by the Apostle/ that saith/ 
† 1 joh. 4. 10.  Herein is Love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, & sent his son, to be a reconciliation for our sins. Which Love/ when we perceive by faith; then we again do love the Lord; as it after followeth/ 
| vers. 19  We love him, because he loved us first. Then from the Love of God/ floweth also the Love of our brethren/ as is further added/ 
† vers. 21.  And this commandment have we of him, that he which loveth God, should love his brother also. And that these graces come not of ourselves/ (and consequently are not meritorious in us/ nor causes of our salvation.) Moses taught his people/ when he said/ 
| Deut. 30. 6.  The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart & the heart of thy seed, that thou mayst Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart & with all thy fowl, that thou mayst live. As for the cause of our salvation/ that it is only God's Love and grace towards us/ the Apostle Paul showeth saying 
† Eph. 2. 4. 5.  God which is rich in mercy, through his great Love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead by sins, hath quickened us together in Christ; (so) by grace ye are saved. This Grace we apprehend by faith; which faith/ if it be alive/ stirreth itself/ and 
| Gal. 5. 6.  worketh by love. And thus the Saints do show their faith by their Love and good works; but in case of justification before God/ and man's salvation/ all works are excluded/ as the same Apostle proveth saying/ 
| Rom. 4. 6.  David declareth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth justice without works. This being so/ what labour they for/ but our curse and wretchedness/ which would have us rely upon our Love, or any good works/ for the saving of our souls.  
His next inference is more mischievous/ when he expoundeth those words/ if I have not Love, thus: That is (saith H. N.) whosoever hath not Christ is without God. Thus maketh he Love in us to be Christ; and so the plain doctrines of the Gospel concerning our Saviour shall be but a fable. And that this is his meaning/ he showeth elsewhere more plainly/ when he saith/ 
* H. N. First exhort. ch. 12. sect. 23. 24.  If ye will not that the wrath of God should come or fall upon you, so deal faithfully before God & his holy ones, & walk with your Spirit, in the Lovely and virtuous Being, fasten your mind thereto, & build your righteousness thereon, for that is an eternal fast standing foundation, whereon all God's prophets & holy ones have builded, and is Christ himself. Here men may see what a miserable foundation he hath laid/ for to build our righteousness on/ even our own walking in the lovely & virtuous being, and this with him is Christ. Whereby he proclaimeth himself to be Antichrist: for the Apostle John saith/ 
† 1 joh. 4. 3.  Every spirit which confesseth not jesus Christ comen in the flesh, is not of God, but this is (the spirit) of Antichrist. Now to say that Love (which is an affection of the mind/) is Christ; is to deny him comen in the flesh/ out of the loins of David and Abraham/ of the virgin Mary/ in the days of Herod the King/ as the scriptures plainly teach. 
Mat. 1. & 2. Rom. 1.  And by as good reason may H. N. deny that ever there was any such man as Adam, any such beast as the Serpent, any such creation of the world/ as Moses describeth/ Gen. 1. or any God: and so by his allegories/ overturn all religion/ and bring Atheism in the place; which in deed he hath done/ with most high abomination/ in deifying himself and blaspheming God. By Christ, or righteousness, H. N. saith he meaneth the being like Christ, not any ceremonial Christ: so he seemeth to esteem the plain doctrines of the gospel/ to be but ceremonial, that whereas we read there of one Jesus to be crucified for our sins etc. this he counteth but a ceremony/ shadow or figure/ such (it may be) as was the 
† Gen. 22. 13.  ram that Abraham offered/ or the beasts that Aaron killed/ or (perhaps) the parable that 
* judg. 9 7. etc.  Jotham told: for the true Christ that saveth men/ is the Lovely being that is in the Familists themselves: this idol hath their god H. N. out of his prudency according to his fleshly mind set up. And this is a great secret/ or mystery of iniquity.   

H. N.  
5. Hereupon my beloved mought ye or some other say, we learn not, or there is not any thing taught unto us, than out of the clear scripture, which may not lie. Yea my beloved the scripture lieth not, but all those which are not instructed through the spirit of Christ, they lie & are beguiled, & signify or expound the scripture which is spoken through the holy Ghost, & showed out in the spirit of life john. 6. upon an earthy or elementish foundation, wherethrough the man can not obtain or get any renewing of the heart. Even like as in the witnessing of the scripture there is witnessed sufficiently to those that can understand the same. Who is there without the word of the Lord which is spirit & life, john 6. that hath attained unto the salvation, or who hath I beseech you in any world, brought forth any true witness, unless that he through the Spirit of the Lord, which is his word, become altogether born anew   

H. A.  
WE are sure the sacred scripture l●●th not/ but H. N. which abus●th and falsifieth the scripture/ and denieth Jesus to be the Christ/ making Love and the Lovely Being in himself and his family/ to be Christ, (as we have heard:) is by the Apostle condemned for a Liar and an Antichrist, 1 joh. 2. 22. and he not being instructed through the Spirit of Christ, hath taught an earthly and rotten foundation/ to the ruin of true religion.  
The scripture cannot rightly be understood or opened but by the Holy Ghost, that is the gifts of the holy Ghost. But some have the gifts of the Spirit/ which yet are not themselves altogether born anew: as had Balaam/ the Scribes and pharisees/ Caiaphas'/ Judas the traitor and others many/ which as the Apostle saith/ Heb. 6. 4. were once lightened & have tasted of the heavenly gift, & were made partakers of the holy Ghost. Therefore it is false which H. H. writeth/ that none in any world, brought forth any true witness, unless that he became altogether born anew. Again he here broacheth another error/ in expounding the Spirit of the Lord, to be his word; which H. N. in his gross understanding perversely gathereth from Christ's words john. 6. 63. the words that I speak unto you are spirit, whereby our Lord meaneth that his words were spiritual, not that they were the Holy Spirit itself. For he useth the like phrase of a spiritual and regenerated man saying/ Except a man be born of water and of the spirit/ he cannot enter into the kingdom of God; and/ that which is born of the spirit is spirit. john. 3. 5. 6 Now seeing H. N. describing his Communialty of the Love/ saith/ 
‡ Spirit, land of peace. cha. 33. sect. 5.  Whosoever cometh into this good city, he becometh altogether born anew in the spirit, he may by like reason conclude that himself and his Nicholaitans/ are also the holy Spirit, and so be a blasphemer against the Holy Ghost, as he is against the Father and the Son. The Scriptures teach us plainly to distinguish between the word and the Spirit of the Lord/ this latter being cause and author of the former/ as it is written/ 2 Sam. 23. 2. The Spirit of the Lord spoke in me & his word was in my tongue: and of all the prophets it is witnessed/ that they spoke as they were moved by the holy Spirit. 2 Pet. 1 21. The Apostle saith/ 
† 1 Pet. 1. 25.  this is the word which is preached among you; and how they preached it/ an other showeth/ when he saith/ that 
| 1 Cor. 2. 12. 13.  by the spirit of God they knew the things given them of God, and spoke those things not in words which man's wisdom teacheth but which the holy Spirit teacheth. that all men may see how ignorantly (if not worse) H. N. hath confounded the word and the Spirit of the Lord/ as if they were one thing.   

H. N.  
6. Note well, or consider of fellowship, the estate or manner of the Apostles, how that they, although they went about so long time with Christ, & were always with him, whiles the power of God was wrought through him, understood not what the mind of the Lord was, concerning the godly causes, before that the day of Pentecost or Whitsuntide, when that they received the holy Ghost, was come unto them. Even like as there standeth written, how that they said at the time when Christ was crucified among them, we had hoped or supposed, that he should have delivered Israel, and it is now the third day, and there cometh nothing of it, we will go a fishing. For they supposed that Christ should have set up a fleshly kingdom.   

H. A.  
HEre H. N. to magnify himself/ as a spiritual and godded man, spareth not to wrong the holy Apostles; as if they before Pentecost, (Acts. 2.) understood not the scriptures/ nor preached the word truly; whereas it is evident that they were sent and had preached the word long before/ Luk. 9 1. 2. which word Christ had given them and they received/ john. 17. 8. 14. and were made clean by it/ john. 15. 3. and he had opened their understanding to understand the scriptures Luk. 24. 45. though afterward at Pentecost, they received more plentiful graces of the spirit/ when Christ was gone from them. Act. 2. 1. 2. 4. etc.  
Again H. N. as if he delighted to falsify the scripture/ saith there standeth written, how that they said when Christ was crucified, we hoped that he should have delivered Israel etc. whereas these words were spoken by Cleopas and an other disciple which were none of the Apostles/ as appeareth Luk. 24. vers. 18. 21 33. and to make up his patchery/ he addeth that they said/ it is now the third day, & there cometh nothing of it, we will go a fishing Whereas those two spoke not at all of going a fishing, but other men at an other time, joh. 21. 3. By this the reader may mind what credit is to be given to H. N. his allegations of scripture/ who careth not to profane the holy word/ for maintenance of his lies/ and setteth things down as they come in his idle head. But why say I so of this godded man; seeing men 
| H. N. 1. exh. ch 13. S. 11.  ought not to distrust him, nor suspect any manner of evil or unwisdom by this Oldest Father; whose eyesight (as himself saith) 
* Proph. of the spir. ch. 1. s. 2.  was clearer than Crystal, & his understanding brighter than the Sun.   

H. N.  
7. The while then that the Apostles which daily went about with Christ, and had the word of the Father daily among them, understood not the Spirit of the Lord: how should then the multitude of these, (which now say that they are Christians, & yet neither have nor know spirit nor word, but go on with their fleshly prudency in the literal scripture, and set forth the same with their fleshly hearts before the simple people, as it seemeth best unto them, and say even so very stoutly, we have the word of the Lord, whereas it is but their own word, wherein that they through their own prudency are gendered or begotten,) feel either perceive the same.   

H. A.  
THe application of this invective/ belongeth to H. N. himself and his Nicholaitans/ who out of his fleshly heart as seemeth best unto him/ though against the literal scripture/ setteth forth his forgeries to the simple people; yet boasteth very stoutly/ that he is 
‡ H. N. Gospel. ch. 1. se. 1.  anointed with the holy ghost, in the old age of the holy understanding of jesus Christ, godded with God in the spirit of his Love, made heir with Christ in the heavenly goods of the riches of God; illuminated with the spirit in the heavenly truth, the true light of the perfect being: elected to a minister of the gracious word etc. so that in him and his sect/ the prophesy is fulfilled/ which foretold how in the last days/ men should be lovers of themselves, boasters, proud, cursed speakers etc. 2 Tim. 3. 1. 2. But if the Apostles (as he saith) understood not the spirit of the Lord; how should then he/ (that is sold into sin/ and given over unto heresies which are works 
† Gal. 5. 20.  of the flesh/) feel or perceive the same?   

H. N.  
8. It is true they have the scripture, and the same giveth witness of the Lord and of the word, but is not the word itself john. 5. neither yet may any man understand the witnessing of the same, unless that he hath first inherited the spirit of the Lord in the second birth.   

H. A.  
ONe evil and heresy draweth on another/ where God restraineth not men by his grace. Here H. N. denieth the scripture to be the word of the Lord/ saying that it giveth witness of the Lord and of the word. Which he would gather from Christ's speech john. 5. 39 Search the scriptures for they testify of me; but he abuseth the scripture and concludeth amiss/ as if because it giveth witness of the Lord jesus, therefore it is not the word; the contrary whereof is true/ it giveth witness of him, therefore it is his word. For Christ plainly calleth that which is written in the Law/ the word, john 15, 25. and so doth Paul/ Rom. 9 9 1 Cor. 15. 54. and Peter 2 Pet. 1. 19 The scriptures (for we speak not here of the essential word of the Father/ which 
† john. 1. ●.  is Christ himself) are the word of the Lord written, even as the lively preaching of the prophets and Apostles/ was the word of the Lord spoken. The beginning of their books showeth this; as Hos. 1. 1. The word of the Lord that came to Hosea; joel. 1. 1. The word of the Lord that came to joel; and many the like. It is said Exod. 20. 1. God spoke all these words; and in Exod. 24. 4. it is said Moses wrote all the words of the Lord. If then that be God's word which is spoken/ that also is his word which is written; and H. N. is but an instrument of Satan/ to teach otherwise/ that he may bring his own word in the place. If the scripture be not God's word, because it is a witness: then the Holy Spirit, which H. N. made the word (before in sect. 5.) is not so/ seeing that is a witness also; 1 john 5. 6. yea Christ is a witness Rev. 1. 5. God the Father is a witness, 1 john 5. 9 10. the Apostles also were witnesses, Luk. 24. 48. If then that which is a witness, is not the word, than none of these/ but H. N. and his dreams must be the word, to weet/ of the Serpent; and he indeed is no witness of God/ neither do his writings bear testimony to the truth/ but seek to destroy it.   

H. N.  
6. Oh my beloved look into the same a little with me, what uncertain witnessings that we out of an earthly or a natural Being, have followed after, even until this day. We may well say with the Prophet, it is altogether lies what the scripture learned preach either teach for as much as they do reject the word of the Lord jer. 8. Here giveth the prophet a distinction or diversity, betwixt the word of the Lord, & the witnessing of an unregenerated man, which he bringeth forth out of the Letter of the scripture.   

H. A.  
THe more we look/ the more indeed we see what uncertain witnessings you H. N. out of an earthly Being, have followed after, even until this day. This still more and more appeareth in your abusing of the prophets and Apostles. Here you would father a distinction upon Jeremy/ as if the word of the Lord, and that which is written in the scripture/ were not one and the same; the Prophet teacheth no such thing; but blameth the Jews for rejecting the word in truth and deed/ whiles they boasted to be wise/ and to have the law with them jer. 8. 8. 9 He denieth not the written law to be the word; (for I have before proved/ that it was God's word Exod. 20. 1. & 14. 4.) but showeth how unregenerate men will abuse it/ and yet boast of it; as yourself H. N. are found to falsify the word/ and yet vaunt yourself to be a godded man, and minister of the gracious word. Every 
| Mat. 5. 18.  jod and title/ and consequently every Letter word and sentence of the scripture/ is God's undoubted word/ though you and all Devil's should deny it; the false glosses/ and heresies that you and other unregenerated men gather from it/ be the word of Satan; which the scripture itself/ by help of God's spirit/ evidently doth disprove/ and so the word of the Lord endureth for ever; and that is the word which the Apostles preached/ 1 Pet. 1. 25. and what they did preach/ is recorded in their writings.   

H. N.  
10. Oh if these men, which now so boldly or freemindedly do say that they are Christians, and will always confess Christ with the mouth; had eyes to see, & the right spirit for to understand: then should they surely cease or leave off, for to walk in the strange or erring ways.  
11. There is read in the scripture, that Christ should be confessed or acknowledged; which is a very true witness: but the mind or meaning of the Lord therein do very few understand. And many suppose (whiles they have read in the scripture of one Christ, & likewise through their industry or prudency, they know that in times passed there was one Christ in Israel, which was born amongst his own,) that the same when they know it, & confess it with their mouth, is the right confessing of Christ, whereof the scripture speaketh. No my beloved, no, the confession of Christ must stand in greater force or effect, then to be confessed with the mouth, in the ceremonial service, which is a baptizing with water, or an other elementish confession.   

H. A.  
HEre H. N. openeth his evil mind more plainly to the two daughters; Whom hitherto he hath boarded with feighned flattering speeches. First he is offended that m●n will so boldly say they are Christians: But we have no cause to be afraid or ashamed of this name/ which is warranted in the word of God/ Act. 11. 26. 1 Pet. 4. 16. But to be called The family of Love, is a name that H. N. hath invented and taken to himself and his sectaries. Secondly he speaketh of erring ways; when he hath not yet showed any one error/ that we walk in; 
3 joh. 1●.  but prattled against us (as the Apostle said of Diotrephes) with malicious words.  
Then coming to speak of confessing Christ he denieth not the thing; but stands upon the meaning. He inveigheth against the knowing & confessing with the mouth of one Christ, (whom they read of in the scripture) that in times past was born in Israel etc. Wherein he teacheth open Antichristianity; for our Saviour speaking of his own person that was born in Israel/ said/ 
‡ joh. 8. ●4.  except ye believe that I am He, (meaning the redeemer of the world which was promised;) ye shall die in your sins. and again praying to his Father he saith/ 
† joh. 17. 3.  this is life eternal that they know thee the only very God, & whom thou hast sent jesus Christ. The Apostles 
| 2 Tim. 2. 8. 1 Cor. 15. 3. 4. joh. 1. 1. 14.  preached this one man and no other/ who was born among his own/ of David's seed after the flesh/ according to the scriptures; they require a confession of this Christ with 
* Rom. 10. ●.  the mouth/ as well as belief in him with the heart; and did themselves confess him with the mouth/ as ensamples unto us. Act. 2. 22. 23. etc. & 3. 13. etc.  
But H. N. liketh not of this Christ, nor of this manner confessing with the mouth; he would persuade an other Christ bred and borne in his own fancy and corrupt imagination/ as before hath been showed; and another manner confession doth he require: which what it is/ let us now examine.   

H. N.  
12. Mark well what I write, No man can confess Christ among all those that will confess him, unless that he in his like being, have his fashion or shape in him; not according to the elementish ceremonies, wherewith the one maketh another wise with the historical scriptures: O no, but according to the true being, or flowing out of the Christianlike nature. Through which Christianlike nature, there is subdued or brought under foot, among all those where the same is born, out of grace, the death, Devil & hell.   

H. A.  
WE mark well that H. N. writeth for truth/ his own errors and deceits/ out of his corrupt heart. No man (saith he) can confess Christ, unless that he in his like being have his fashion in him. This is an untruth of H. Ns. fiction; he writeth thus/ but in the holy scriptures it is not so written. For to confess Christ, is one thing/ to have his fashion in us, is another thing: the first may be/ where the latter is not; as the Apostle telleth us of some that confess that they know God/ but in works do deny him, Tit. 1. 16. The confessing of Christ is with the mouth; Rom. 10. 10. the having of Christ's shape in us/ is by faith; Eph. 3. 17. Phil. 3. 8. 9 which faith is in the heart; and (as th'Apostle showeth Rom. 10. 10.) these both/ (confession with the mouth/ and belief with the heart) are needful to salvation. It is possible for hypocrites to make a good and true confession of Christ with the mouth/ and yet in their hearts not be partakers of the Christian or godly nature; as judas Iscariot, Simon Magus, and others that were baptized and made Christ's disciples by a true outward confession: but it is unpossible that any should have the Christian like nature in him in deed and truth/ but he will also confess Christ with his mouth; or weep bitterly with 
‡ Mat. 26. 75  Peter/ if through frailty of the flesh he do deny him. Whereas therefore God's word requireth both these in Christians; and H. N. would draw these two daughters from the one (namely from outward confessing with the mouth/) under pretence and colour of the other/ (namely of having Christ's shape within them:) he dealeth deceitfully/ and not according to truth. It is/ as if he should allure them to fornication; and when they alleged against him God's Law/ Heb. 12. 16. Let there be no fornicator etc. he should answer/ true, but the meaning you understand not; many suppose that the chastity of body, is the right chastity; no my beloved no, the godly chastity must stand in greater force & effect then to be in the outward or elementish body, for so the Pharisees understood the Law of old; but Christ applieth it against the lusts of the heart. Mat. 5. 27. 28. If this reasoning be nought/ so is H. Ns. about confessing Christ. For as God's word requiring chastity/ intendeth it both of the body and of the mind: so when it requireth confessing of Christ/ it meaneth both with mouth and heart/ as is plainly set down Rom. 10. 10.  
Other deadly poison hath H. N. here touched/ as where he saith Christ in his like Being must have his shape in the man; whereby he meaneth such a kind of transubstantiation/ as that Christ and the man, should be one substance one being; yea the Lovely virtuous being in man/ that is his Christ/ as before I have showed. This opinion is not possible to be warranted by holy writ/ but is the mere invention of this Antichristian. Christ our redeemer/ is in his own substance and person/ in heaven at God's right hand/ Mark. 16. 19 Act. 3. 21. but we are 
| Eccles. 5. 1.  on earth/ and Christ dwelleth not otherwise in us then by faith/ Ephe. 3. 17. which faith purifieth the heart/ Act. 15. 9 and worketh by Love Gal. 5. 6. and faith/ which is the evidence 
| Heb. 11. 1.  of things not seen/ apprehendeth God's great and precious promises/ which are given unto us 
† 2 Pet. 1. 4.  that by them we should be partakers of the godly nature/ in that we flee the corruption which is in the world through lust/ (not by having the very substance and Being of God and of Christ/ as H. N. grossly imagineth/) and wait with patience for the second coming of our Lord in the clouds of heaven/ at what time both the dead in Christ/ and those that are alive/ shallbe caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air/ and so shall we ever be with the Lord/ as th'Apostle saith 2 Thes. 4. 17.  
another damnable error/ H. N. here hath/ saying that through the Christianlike nature, there is subdued among all those where the same is born out of grace, the death Devil and hell. Whereby he would teach us to be our own saviours/ we ourselves must conquer the death devil and hell; for as we have heard our own Lovely Being/ that is H. Ns. Christ. And whereas the Apostles teach us/ that forgiunes of sins is by God's imputation of Christ's righteousness and death/ and not imputing our sins unto us/ and that our faith in Christ is imputed unto us for justice; Rom. 4. 6. 8. 24. 25. 2 Cor. 5. 19 H. N. hath put imitation in stead of imputation/ saying/ that 
| H. N. First exhort. c. 20. sec. 19  through the daily Godservice and offering in the Holy, in the taking up of our cross, in the Imitation of Christ in his death, we obtain the remission of sins. Therefore he willeth us to 
† ibid. sec. 26. 27.  follow after Christ in his suffering, for those are the days of affliction heaviness and death, wherein Christ hath gone before us in the Holy, for to prepare us throuh the same death of the cross, the everlasting forgiunes and redemption of sins. Again in his book called The spiritual land of peace, 
| chap. 8. sec. 5 6.  he telleth us of an Instrument wherewith all enemies be overcome. This instrument of victory is the cross of Christ; (not that which Christ/ of whom we read in the scriptures/ died himself on/ and triumphed in the same over the principalities and powers/ Col. 2. 15. but that which we bear in imitation of Christ/) & it is named patience or sufferance/ (such as is mentioned Heb. 12. 1. jam. 5. 7.) and it (saith H. N.) is the true altar in the Holy, upon the which the true meat offering is, that is given to the faithful believing travelers to eat, and also the true drink offering that is given them to drink, which meat offering is named the flesh or body of jesus Christ, and the drink offering is named the blood of jesus Christ. And the same body and blood of jesus Christ, is unto the constant & faithful traveller in the proceeding on in his pilgrimage, a true mediator to lay away the sin in the flesh, & to establish the promises with him that are made to the Fathers. Thus the things which are spoken of Christ and his oblation of himself/ and of our partaking thereof 
| joh. 6. 29. 35.  by faith; this man perversely applieth to our own patient sufferings; and maketh Patience to be our victory, contrary to the evident doctrine of the Apostle/ who saith that it is Faith, 1 john 5. 4 5. Again, the scriptures teach not that our Christianlike nature/ but that Christ himself in his own person for us by death destroyed him that had the power of death which is the Devil/ and so delivered all us his children which for fear of death were all our life time subject to bondage/ Heb. 2. 14. 15. but H. N. teacheth that Christ's death/ is our like suffering/ as appeareth by his First exhortation 
| chap. 20. sec. 3.  where he saith that the man ought in his yongnes, to learn to take up his cross on him, to follow after Christ, his Saviour, in his like suffering and death of the cross, and to show forth patience with Christ, against all the assaultings, until that all the enemies or adversaries of the Lovely life, through the 
† Rom. 6. 4. 1 Cor. 15. f.  death of Christ, (that is, in manner of suffering,) be utterly vanquished. By these words/ and the scriptures which he quoteth/ it is plain/ that he meaneth our own sufferings in imitation of Christ/ to be our vanquishing the enemies/ and our salvation: which heresy he every where out of his own carnal wisdom urgeth and persuadeth/ to the dishonour of our Lord Jesus/ and magnifying men's own sufferings and merits.  
And if we look further what H. N. meaneth by his Death, Devil, and Hell; we shall find these also to be idols and fictions of his own; that in deed his victory/ is like his Christ; even erroneous fabulous and blasphemous. The holy scriptures teach us of a death in sin, (when men are wholly given over thereunto/) Ephe, 2. 1. contrary to which is a death to sin/ by sanctification of life Rom. 6. 2. They teach us also of a death for sin, (that is a reward of eternal punishment in hell.) Rom. 6. 23. Gen. 2. 17. jam. 1. 14. called the second death, Rev. 2. 21. & 20. 14. Unto which the devils and all reprobate men shallbe condemned for ever and ever for their sins at Christ's appearing; Mat. 25. 41. 46. Now H. N. (playing the part of the old Serpent/ which persuade▪ Evah that 
| Gen. 3.  she should not die/) persuadeth his disciples that here in this present world and life/ is death and hell; so the judgement/ the fire/ the condemnation threatened in the scriptures; he maketh fantastical imaginations or human affections. For as with him/ the Love/ and to 
† 1 Exhort. chap. 12. sec. 23. 24. 33.  walk in the Lovely & virtuous Being/ is Christ himself: so on the other hand inveighing against them that speak evil by the service of Love/ and the minister of the same; he saith/ their 
| ibid. chap. 15 sec. 17.  false Being is the Devil, the Antichrist, the wicked Spirit, the kingdom of Hell, and the Majesty of the Devil himself. Now the punishment for this/ is the Sentence which H. N. (who as we have heard/ vaunteth that he sits on the throne of Christ to judge the world) pronounceth: his condemnation of the false Being/ is eternal death and hell fire/ as appeareth by his Crying voice, 
† chap. 3. sec. 2. 3. 4.  where he calleth all men to himself/ to Come all and confess their syns'/ and make known uncoveredly the inwardness of their heart's/ to the end that they may become justified or purged from all their sins, and received into the holy Communialty of the Love/ when as now in this same day the wicked world becometh judged with the Lords mighty hand. Which wicked world (saith he) is reserved or kept in store till unto this same day of the Love, to the fire of hell, for to be condemned in the self same day of the Love, for evermore, to her eternal cursing & judgement of the fierce cruel vehemency. And a little after he addeth, 
| sec. 4.  Verily, now in this same day, when as now all ungodly, and all self-wise, with all unrepentant persons, and false hearts of the scripture-learned etc. inherit with much smart and grief in the vehement cruelty of the fire of hell, the terrible condemnation: then shall the people of God/ namely, the whole communialty of the Love of jesus Christ etc. rejoice them in all Love etc.: And that this their joy/ is like Epicures in this present world and life/ and in their counterfeit regeneration and godded estate: he elsewhere plainly confirmeth/ saying that in their city of Peace 
| Spirit. land. chap. 27. sec. 11. 12.  there is a watchman on the wall thereof/ that hath a trumpet named After-this-time-no-time-more; and that the watchman foundeth out of the same last time/ as out of the last trumpet, the sound of the everlasting life, after the which there is no life more to be waited for, for the same life continueth for evermore. Therefore in the conclusion of his Crying voice when he had bidden all 
† sec. 5.  Come now hither to the Love and her service; he addeth/ 
| sec. 18.  Come now all hither to the Paradise of your Lord and God etc. Come in now all hither to the Paradise of the Love, and pluck in her garden the tender Olives; 
| Sec. 24.  Become drunken with the wine of her soon-ripe grapes, and embrace her to all concordable friendlynes. Thus like an harlot, he allureth men to his religion/ and imitateth the whore of Babylon which 
| Rev. 17. 2.  made the inhabitants of the earth drunken with the wine of her fornications. For his vain conceited Lovely Being, with the toys and pleasures that men imagine in that estate/ is a fools paradise, where men become drunken and besotted in sin/ and drowned in perdition. This is H. Ns. heaven; and they that are not here/ he thinks they are in hell; yea plainly saith/ (in his new gospel/) 
† Evang reg. chap. 27. sec. 5.  that the second death is come and beareth dominion over the world, and all unbelievers. By this the discreet reader may see/ what a Christ and salvation H. N. doth teach, and what a Death Devil and Hell/ the Nicholaitans or Familists do subdue. This wretched man seemeth to have written his books in scorn of all true religion, that Atheism and Epicurism/ under show of religion mought reign in the earth.   

H. N.  
13. Hereupon mought some men say, ye would have the man perfect. No, my beloved, no; I speak not of the perfection of the man, but I speak of the perfectness which Christ ought to have with the man, before he can be confessed or acknowledged. The man in his unregenerated spirit is unperfect, I speak not thereof, but what he is, that is he out of grace, without cause of boasting.  
14. Therefore let every one look well unto it that he be not self-minded in his uncertain forecasts or preconceiving: but that he take heed, or be well advised, whither he be worthy to receive the same grace of God.   

H. A.  
THat which David saith of the wicked man/ that 
† Psal. 1●. 7.  his mouth is full of deceit and fraud, under his tongue is mischief and iniquity: is verified of H. N. in his deceitful writings. He seemeth here at first/ as if he would not have the man perfect; no, my beloved, (crieth he at it) no; but presently from under his tongue floweth out mischief and iniquity; when he speaks of the perfectness which Christ ought to have with the man, before he can be confessed▪ This is a depth of Satan/ to bring men into misery under colour of perfection; and to abolish them from Christ/ whiles they may imagine/ he is perfectly with them. Though Christ (I mean the true Christ whom we profess/ not the idol which H. N. feighneth of the Lovely Being/) be in himself perfect/ yea perfectiou itself; and though the work that he hath done for us/ be also perfect; because with one offering he 
| Heb. 10. 14.  hath consecrated for ever them that are sanctified/ and his blood 
† 1 joh. 1. 7.  hath cleansed us from all sin: yet his work in us is yet unperfect even in the best men that ever confessed Christ whiles they lived on earth; who therefore were taught every day to pray that 
| Luk. 11. 4.  their sins might be forgiven them: and the Apostle Paul/ after he had long confessed and preached Christ truly/ saith of himself/ 
† Phil. 3. 12.  Not as though I were already perfect, and again, 
* Rom. 7. 19  I do not the good thing which I would, but the evil which I would not that do I; and again/ 
† 1 Cor. 13. 9 10. 12.  we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part, shallbe abolished; now we see through a glass darkly, but then (shall we see) face to face etc. But H. N. by an other spirit which persuadeth him: that he is 
| Gen. 3.  like God/ yea Godded with God; writeth of his city or communialty and those that are come unto it/ that 
† Spirit. land chap. 33. sec. 9  as then there is no more evil, nor evil suspicion, nor yet sight of evil in them; for within the same, one doth neither see nor think any thing else, but all good, joy, rest and peace, in the everlasting life. Such a society hath yet never been heard of on earth since Adam's fall/ neither doth the history of the bible show us any such church; only it telleth us/ there is a generation that at pure in their own eyes, which yet are not washed from their filthiness, Pro. 30 12. If the Familists be this generation, they may rejoice in the sparks of the fire that they have kindled/ till they shall lie down in sorrow. As for us/ we have learned of a better teacher/ that there is 
| Eccle. 7. 22.  no man just in the earth that doth good and sinneth not, but 
† jam 3. 2.  in many things we sin all, for sin yet 
| Rome 7. 7.  dwelleth in us/ and if we should say we have no sin/ we should but 
† 1 joh. 1. 8.  deceive ourselves/ and the truth were not in us. Yet know we that our confession of Christ/ is acceptable unto him/ because he 
‡ Psal. 103. 8●.  pardoneth all our iniquities/ and healeth all our infirmities/ hath 
* Rev. 1. 5.  washed us from our sins in his blood/ and will not impute them unto us.  
Whereas H. N. to help the matter/ saith The man in his unregenerated spirit is unperfect/ he followeth but his wont course to deceive the readers; for none are so gross as to think the unregenerated man is perfect; neither is this the question between him and us; but whither the regenerated be perfect or no/ which H. N. erroneously holdeth but cannot prove; we contraryweise have proved that the Apostles and other Christians were regenerated/ but not perfect/ whiles they lived here on earth among men/ Phil. 3. Rom. 7. 1 Cor. 13. jam. 3.   

H. N.  
15. Now mought ye say, we incline or endeavour ourselves thereafter, so much as we may, for we have given ourselves to the Christianlike baptismey and supper of the Lord.  
16. Oh my beloved, that were very well, if it were even so in the truth; for there are many that boast themselves of the baptismey of Christ, and they have not known him in any world. For were they baptized in Christ, then should they have put on Christ, even like as Paul saith to the Galathians 3. so many of you as are baptized have put on Christ.  
17. I would gladly now ask of all those which say they have received the Christianlike baptismey, how or after what manner Christ hath a shape or fashion in them. I am very sure, that they all for the most part should be deceived, and should find themselves unmighty or weak in that Being of Christ, wherein many should make manifest themselves, that they have not received the baptismey of Christ, but their own baptismey.  
18 Every one therefore that is upright of heart, and seeketh the truth in Christ unpartially, let him prove himself how he hath put on Christ, according to the spirit. And if he then find not the stirring of the holy spirit of Christ in him, then let him advisedly look sharply yea sharply hereunto, that he boast not himself of the Christianity, but let him humble himself before the might of the Lord, and trust upon his grace.   

H. A.  
THe Christian baptism/ consisteth of an outward washing with water by Christ's Minister; and of an inward washing with the holy Ghost/ by Christ himself. joh. 1. 33. Act. 8. 38. and 10. 47. The outward washing of the flesh/ without the inward cleansing of the heart, is not available to salvation. 1 Pet. 3. 21. Yet may not the outward action be despised or neglected. For as the true circumcision was of 
| Rom. ●. 29. ●  the heart in the spirit; yet if any had not circumcision also in his flesh, he was 
† Gen. 17. 14.  to be cut off from his people/ as having broken God's covenant; so is it likewise for baptism come in place of circumcision. Act. 2. 38. Colos. 2. 11. 12.  
The outward baptism many do rightly receive/ which have not the inward; as did Simon Magus, Act. 18. 13. 20. 21. The inward none have in deed and truth/ that do despise the outward; we teach that these both must be joined together according to the scriptures; and labour for both. The Familists therefore which boast of their inward baptism/ and administer not the outward among themselves/ but present their children to be baptized of Papists or any other Antichristians/ so offering their children unto 
| Levit. 18. ●●  Molech, and persuading others to do the like; show themselves to be far from true Christian baptism/ which defile their bodies and souls with such hypocrisy and idolatry. And H. N. which laboureth here to dissuade these two daughters from suffering and witnessing against Popery/ bewrayeth himself not to have known Christ in any world; nor can he show Christ's shape to be in him/ whiles underhand he teacheth gross impiety; pretending inward baptism and spiritual regeneration. But the drift of this man is/ by his invective against others/ to allure men to himself; for when he concludeth with his exhortation that every one should humble himself before the might of the Lord, and trust upon his grace; his meaning is/ as elsewhere he explaineth himself, 
† Crying voice chap. ult. sec. 11.  Let yourselves now in all your being, nature, mind, and disposition, become renewed through the Love, in her service: and give all your understanding captive under the obedience of the Love, and humble yourselves even so under her service; to the end that ye all may become washed in the Love, with the pure water of the Love. For to become washed in the Love with her pure water, is the upright washing, and the true Font of the regeneration or new birth▪ Now seeing thus harlot-like he allureth all men to his 
* Prov. 9 17.  stolen waters within his lovely Family; for th'upright washing; let us see what manner of washing and baptism that is/ which he so boasteth of. In this Letter he coucheth his heresy in a word, namely 
| Sec. 17.  that Being of Christ; whereby the meaneth that the man/ or the lovely Being in the man baptized/ is Christ himself/ as before is manifested/ and after shall further appear. This error he would ground on the Apostles words Gal. 3. 27. For all ye that are baptized into Christ, have put on Christ; which place this author thus 
| Sec. 16.  allegeth/ so many of you as are baptized have put on Christ. Where first (as his manner is) he corrupteth the text itself/ by taking away those words into Christ/ and saying only baptized/ whereby he would intimate/ that none are rightly baptized/ but such as have put on Christ; contrary to the scriptures which show that 
| Act. 8. 13. 19 20. 21.  Simon Magus and 
† 1 Cor. 10. 2. 5.  many others were rightly baptized/ as touching the ministery of man/ which yet had not put on Christ/ because they were not baptized into Christ as the Apostle here addeth/ but H. N. omitteth. Again/ he gathereth that which the Apostle strewed not/ namely that to put on Christ is to have the Being of Christ in us: but this H. N. fancieth to himself; for the spirit of God speaketh not so; yea the Apostle meant far otherwise; as his former words show/ where he said/ 
† vers. 26.  for ye all are the sons of God, by faith in Christ jesus. So Christ is put on by faith, as also elsewhere he is said to 
* Eph. 3. 17.  dwell in us by faith, not by a real or essential Being, such as the Familists feign to themselves by the spirit of error. Now to Believe in Christ, and to have the Being of Christ, that is/ to be Christ himself: are far differing things/ as all men know. And as well might the Familists plead/ that Abraham was God/ because he 
| Gen. 15. 6.  believed in God; and that the multitude of Israel were the Lord because they 
† Exod. 14. 31.  believed in him; as that men are Christ or have the Being of Christ/ because they believe in him/ and by belief have put him on. Neither can our imitation or following 
* Ephe. 5. 1. Rom. 6. 3. 4.  of God or of Christ in the likeness of his death and resurrection/ make the Being of God or of Christ to be in us; any more than our following of the Apostles/ (which also we are 
| 1 Cor. 4. 16. & 11. 1. ● Thes. 3. 7. 9  exhorted unto;) can make us of one Being with them. How absurd these things are/ any reasonable man may see: Yet such absurdities many/ are the groundly documents of this oldest Father H. N. touching Baptism and other mysteries of religion; as is more plainly to be seen in his First exhortatation; For there treating of Baptism/ and having described God to be a might Spirig, a perfect clear Light, and a true Being; he addeth that 
| First exhort. chap. 7. sec. 2.  the same Being, is God the Father's name, (meaning that Name of the Father into which we are baptized/) and his Love itself. No word of God telleth him this/ but he forgeth it out of his fleshly heart. The Being of God (as we may learn by the Scriptures) is such a thing/ as neither men nor Angels can know or comprehend: how then should they Be the same? 1 Tim. 6. 16. Isa. 6. 2. Psal. 145. 3. job. 11. 7. 8. and 36. 26. But the Name of God is that whereby in some sort he hath made known and manifested himself in his word and works; Exod. 3. 15. and 6. 3. & 33. 19 Deut. 12. 8. 11. Psal. 9 11.  
After this having discoursed of the 
| ibid. sec. 3. 4. etc.  Father's plucking us to the Love of Christ/ and so baptizing us into the name of the Father/ and this by the Familists/ in the administration of the holy word under the obedience of the Love/ with the Law of the Lord and with his correction; etc. H. N. telleth us that 
† ibid. sec. 9  God the Father with the discipline of his Law, manneth himself with us, and we become likewise Godded with him, to the end that we through his own Being, should bear as men of God, his holy Name, under the obedience of his Law etc. Wherein this heretic uttereth double blasphemy; first that God the Father manneth himself with us; by which doctrine Athean like he spoileth God of his true Being, his simplicity/ immutability/ infiniteness and the like/ which the scriptures show to be in God; Deut. 6. 4. jam. 1, 17. 1 King. 8. 27 Secondly in saying/ that men become Godded with him/ he wretthedly extolleth corruptible man into the throne of the incorruptible God; confounding heaven and earth/ the creator and the creatures/ between whose Being there is no comparison. Which things if he would not learn of the H. scriptures/ (because he scorneth scripture learning/) yet might he have learned of Philosophers and heathen men/ who have said/ that 
| Galen. lib. 9 de placitis Hipp. et Plat.  though by certain demonstration it is manifest that a divine artizen hath procreated us, yet by no reason or wit can we perceive what his essence (or being) is. That God is 
† Proclus in theolog. Plat.  One alone separated from all, who cannot be explained nor perceived, that he is the first simplicity, incomprehensible, incomparable, uniform; that 
* Theophrast. in Metaph.  he cannot be known or found out, yea that it 
‡ Plotin. En●. 6. lib. 8. chap. 11.  is neither possible to find him out, nor lawful to search him out. And many like speeches have the Pagans spoken of God/ more divinely sound and religiously a great deal/ then this Epicure H. N. (the God of the Familists) hath written in his blasphemous pamphlets.  
After he hath thus described 
| H. N. first exhort. chap. 7. sect. 10.  the upright Christian Baptism (as he saith) or washing in the name of the Father; he proceedeth with his Baptism/ in the Name of the Son; of whom he saith that 
† ibidem sec. 14.  he is conceived of the holy Ghost, and born of the holy Virgin Mary. And that 
* sect. 17.  this same Son of God beareth in us our sins etc. and that he under the obedience of the Love of his Father, is gone before us therein, for that we should in like manner follow after him under the obedience of his Love, in his death of the cross, to the safemaking of us from our sins: become incorporated to him with his like death, and baptized or washed under the obedience of the Belief in his Name or safemaking, and bury even so through the belief the old man etc. to the forgiving and releasing of our sins through his name or safemaking, to the end that we might even so through jesus Christ, obtain the renewing of our spirit and mind, in an upright life and resurrection from the dead with Christ in the appearing of his Majesty. And that 
‡ sec. 18.  this is the upright Christian Baptism in the name of the Son, and is the true forgiunes and purging of our sins through jesu Christ. And all that thus follow not Christ 
| sect. 20.  are no Christians, nor yet baptized in the name or salvation of the Son.  
Here is an other puddle of heresy for men to be washed in/ in the name of H. Ns' Christ. Of whom he first telleth us/ that he is conceived and born; whereas we believe in that Christ which 
† Mat. 2. 1.  was conceived and borne now many years ago. But the Nicholaitans have a Christ in them/ to weet/ their Lovely Being, as 
* pag. 18.  before is showed; Neither is their faith settled on one Jesus borne heretofore in Israel, but they themselves are born of the virgin Mary/ as their Father H. N. teacheth them in his Gospel/ 
‡ chap. 18. sec. 10.  saying/ the upright children of the belief, which had their descent out of the seed of the faith of Abraham, and the pure virgin Mary, as also from the holy Ghost, were known to be the true seed of Abraham, because the same seed, was the seed of the promise of God the Father, & was likewise in his mind, according to the spirit, the likeness of God his Father; also spirit & spiritual, of the godly nature & being, & according to the will of God, wholly minded with God. These upright children of the belief/ are the Familists themselves/ (if we will believe them/) they are born of the holy Ghost/ and of the pure virgin Mary/ and are not only their own saviours/ but/ as a little before in the same place he writeth/ 
† sec. 9  the seed out of the faith of Abraham, & out of the pure Virgin Mary, is the true seed of promise, to the blessing of all generations of the earth. Thus do these caitiffs take to themselves the honour of Christ; and though the Prophet telleth us but of one 
| Isa. 9 6. 7.  child that is born unto us/ which should be prince of peace/ should order and 'stablish the kingdom of David forever: yet these tell us of many children of the pure virgin Mary/ as being that seed of promise in whom all generations of the earth should be blessed. How they have this strange birth/ we may gather by H. N. his learned interpretation of the name Mary/ which he saith 
† Evang. reg. chap. 18. sec. 3.  signifieth a Doctress; for the doctrine of H. N. is that whereby his disciples are born anew; as elsewhere he expoundeth that to be born of the virgin Mary out of the seed of David after the flesh/ is 
* Docum. sent. chap. 3. sect. 5.  of the pure doctrine out of the seed of Lov. Now Mary called in Greek 
‡ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 1. 27.  Mariam/ in Hebrew 
† 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 15. 20.  Mirjam, I find in the scripture to signify their rebellion; Nehem. 9 17. which name very fitly agreeth to the Familists Doctrine: but how or in what tongue it signifieth a Doctress/ themselves I suppose can hardly show/ unless upon H. Ns' authority/ who as he hath given them a new gospel/ so also a new language/ (far differing from the language 
| Isa. 19 18.  of Canaan/) whereby they may make what meaning and gather what allegories they list from words; and none must suspect any unwisedome to be in them.  
Secondly H. N. saith that this same Son of God beareth in them their sins; whereas that Son of God/ in whom the scriptures teach us to believe/ hath washed us from our sins 
* Rev. 1. 5.  in his own blood/ and put them away by the sacrifice 
‡ Heb. 9 26.  of himself: for he was wounded 
† Isa. 53. 5.  for our transgressions; 
| 1 Pet. 2. 24.  his own self bore our sins in his body on the tree/ and died 
* Rom. 5. 8.  for us. How erroneously then doth H. N. persuade/ that Christ beareth in us our sins?  
Thirdly he saith that Christ is gone before us/ for that we should in like manner follow after him under the obedience of his Love, in his death of the cross/ to the safemaking of us from our sins: so teaching us to save ourselves by imitation of Christ; this being all the benefit we have by his death/ that it is an example unto us how to do likewise. Wherein H. N. showeth himself to be a greater enemy to Christianity then was Caiaphas/ who said it was expedient that 
| joh. 11. 5●.  One man should die for the people/ and that the whole nation perished not; so prophesying 
† vers. 51.  that Christ should die for the nation; whereas H. N. would have men die themselves for their own salvation/ that so they might all perish for ever. But we have otherwise learned the true Christ/ who was delivered to death 
* Rom. 4. 25.  for our syns'/ and is risen again for our justification. That as by 
‡ Rom. 5. 1●.  one man/ (the first Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin/ and so death went over all men; so by one man/ (the second Adam Christ) we might 
| vers. 17.  reign in life/ and as by 
* vers. 18.  one man's disobedience many were made sinners/ so by the obedience of one/ many might he made righteous.  
Fourthly H. N. teacheth that men are baptized under the obedience of the belief in his name or safemaking, and bury even so through the Belief, the old man etc. to the forgiving and releasing of their sins. Where again he perversely applieth that to obedience and mortification/ which is due unto faith. For when the Eunuch would be baptized/ Philip required nothing of him but 
* Act. 8. 36. 37.  to believe; and Paul saith/ to him that worketh not, but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, 
‡ Rom. 4. 5.  his faith is counted for righteousness. Although therefore 
| Rom. 1. 5.  obedience to the faith must be given by all true Christians/ and they which are baptized into I. Christ/ are baptized 
† Rom. 6. 3. 4.  into his death and burial; yet is not this done/ to the forgiving and releasing of their sins, as H. N. Pharisaically inferreth; but to show forth the fruit and force of faith/ whereby the just 
‡ Gal. 3. 11.  do live/ and lay hold on Christ/ whom God 
† Rom. 3. 25.  hath set forth for a reconciliation though faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness by the forgiunes of sins that are passed through the patience of God.  
Whereas therefore H. N. doth gather from the premises that this (which he hath set down) is the upright Christian baptism in the name of the Son, & is the true forgiunes & purging of our sins through jesus Christ; he is found a false witness against God and Christ/ and would give us a sinful sink of error/ even a vain persuasion of our own obedience righteousness and sanctification/ to wash ourselves in; and hath roiled with his feet/ the pure fountain of Christ's blood/ which cleanseth all believers from all sin. That upon himself his own words may justly be retorted/ he boasteth himself of the baptismey of Christ, and he hath not known him in any world.  
Of like leaven/ is H. Ns' baptism in the name of the holy Ghost; which he maketh to be also 
| 1 Exhort. c. 7. sec. 31.  the second birth out of the holy Ghost, the true love of God & Christ. And this (even as the former of baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son/) we must not understand/ of any outward action by the minister of Christ/ washing with water as did John the Baptist/ nor yet to be done at one and the same time with the former: but as H. N. saith/ 
† ibid. sec. 29.  in the oldness of time, when the days of the patience of Christ, in the obedience of the holy and gracious word, & his service of Love are fulfilled, (that is/ when men have walked long enough in the Familists religion) that then the holy Ghost becometh powered forth through jesus Christ (understanding/ H. Ns Christ/ to weet/ the Lovely being;) over them all that have followed Christ in his death of the cross obediently, (that is/ which have saved themselves from their sins/ by their own fantastical sufferings/) and have kept his doctrine, with the word of his patience even unto the end. Thus hath this deceiver of minds/ drawn all God's ordinance of Baptism/ (which with men is outward/ and was by 
* Act. 8. 36. 38. and 10. 47. 48.  the Apostles admininstred with material water/) unto a blasphemous imagined Being and conformity with God/ or regenerated estate: and the holy doctrine of Justification/ by forgiunes of sins through the blood of Christ shed for us/ and sealed unto us in 
† Act. 2. 38. and 22. 16.  baptism; he hath wiped away under colour of Sanctification or deification by our own following of Christ. Which things he teacheth by the same spirit that the Serpent taught Evah not to fear the outward eating of the forbidden fruit, seeing she should be like unto God/ knowing good and evil.   

H. N.  
19 After such a like manner witnesseth Paul of the supper of Christ where he saith, so many of you as have eaten of one bread, are become partakers of one body. Hath any man now rightly used the supper of Christ, the same is then become partaker of the body of Christ, according to the mentioning of the scripture.  
20. Therefore see unto it, yea see unto it, every one which saith, that he hath fulfilled the service of Christ, or would be a disciple of Christ. For those services and ceremonies which are ministered through the commandment of the holy Ghost, out of a Christianlike Being; they have the promises whiles they are rightly obeyed, that should receive the pledge of the godly inheritance, which is the holy Ghost. And where that cometh not to pass, unto them there is not the Christian service ministered; let them make them then so like fashioned to the scripture as they wil For whatsoever is served without the spirit of Christ, it is an abomination before God; therein may every one think freely.   

H. A.  
That which is here said of the supper of Christ/ if an honest faithful man had written the same; might well be yielded unto/ for in the words there would lurk no fraud. But coming from this old seducer/ H. N. and being affixed to his former heresies/ I deny that after such a like manner (as H. N. before treated of Bapisme) Paul witnesseth of the supper of Christ. For Paul saith not that we are one Being with Christ/ but that we are the 
| 1. Cor. 12. 17.  body of Christ/ and that the bread which we break/ is the 
* 1. Cor. 10. 16.  communion of his body; which body we eat and have communion with/ by 
| john. 6. 35. 29.  faith/ not really and essentially as fleshly men imagine; and we are called the body of Christ, not properly but figuratively/ by way of 
* 1 Cor. 12. 12  similitude/ and in 
| Eph. 5. 30. 32.  great mystery; for as a man joined to a woman/ is one flesh, so 
‡ 1. Cor. 6. 16 17.  he that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit. But as the woman/ notwithstanding her conjunction/ is not the man/ neither hath the Being of the man; so the church notwithstanding her conjunction/ is not Christ/ neither hath the Being of Christ but by faith is coupled unto him/ as he saith by the prophet/ 
| Hos. 2. 2●.  I will marry the unto me in faith.  
Now that H. N. hath the like gross understanding of the Lords supper/ as he showed before of Baptism; appeareth not only by his entrance saying After such a like manner &c: but also by his words in his Gospel where speaking of the Passover, he saith 
| Evangel. reg. cap. 21. sect. 5.  Christ gav his disciples to drink out of the cup, (which is his passion,) his true blood, which is his holy life of the New Testament. Thus applieth he all things about Christ/ to a holy life; even then and there/ where it is plainly spoken of death. For though blood whiles it is in the body/ is the life of the same: yet when it is shed out of the body/ (as Christ there 
| Mark. 14. 24.  saith his was/) it signifieth death & not the life of the party; as also the Apostle testifieth/ 
† 1. Cor. 11. 26.  so oft as ye eat this bread/ and drink this cup ye show the Lords death till he come. And as David would not drink the water that came out of the well of Bethlehem/ because it was 
| 2. Sam. 2●. 17.  the blood of the men that fetched it/ that is/ because they jeoparded their lives unto the death to fetch it; so we when we drink the wine out of the cup in the Lord's supper/ do drink the blood of Christ, that is his death which for our sins he did undergo. But H. N. by the spirit of error that possessed him/ he takes Christ's death for us/ to be a holy life in us; as before is more largely showed.  
Unsound it is/ and savouring of a fantastical spirit/ that he opposeth in the end/ the services and ceremonies which are ministered through the commandment of the holy Ghost out of a Christian like being, unto the service fashioned like to the scripture. For there is no service commanded by the holy Ghost, but it is fashioned like to the scripture, and hath the ground and warrant therefrom; otherwise it cometh from the Spirit of Satan/ and not from God. For God's Spirit leadeth men into all truth/ john. 16. 13. and it is God's word which is the truth. john. 17. 17. The three that bear witness in heaven/ The Father, the Word, and the holy Ghost, as they are in Being/ so are they also in their testimony one. 1. joh. 5. 7. As the doctrine of Christ was not his own/ 
† john. 7. 16.  but the Fathers that sent him: so neither is the doctrine of the holy Ghost his own/ but the sons that sent him/ as Christ witnesseth saying 
| john. 16. 13.  he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear he shall speak; and again 
† Vers. 14.  he shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. Now seeing the holy Ghost teacheth no other doctrine than Christ/ nor Christ then the Father; and seeing Christ himself sendeth all men to search the scriptures/ as they which 
| john. 5. 39  testify of him; and his Apostle hath taught us/ that the knowledge of the scriptures is able 
† 2. Tim. 3. 15  to make us wise unto salvation through the faith which is in Christ Jesus: we may verily deem it to be a delusion of Satan/ whatsoever any would teach us touching God's service/ that is not warranted by the scriptures; and that those are spirits of error/ which so disdain and scoff at scripture-learning, and boast of illumination by the holy Ghost.  
Unsound also it is/ and contrary to the scriptures/ that H. N. here would persuade us/ that where it cometh not to pass, that the holy Ghost which is the pledge of the godly inheritance, is not received: unto them there is not the Christian service ministered. For the Apostle showeth/ that Israel had the true Christian service ministered to them/ when they did 
| 1. Cor. 10. 3. 4.  all eat the same spiritual meat/ and drink of the spiritual Rock which followed them/ which Rock was Christ: yet received they not the Godly inheritance which is the holy Ghost; for with 
* Ver. 5.  many of them God was not pleased/ they were overthrown in the wilderness/ and 
‡ Heb 3. 19  could not enter into the Rest of God/ because of their unbelief. The Christian service was rightly administered to 
† Act. 8. 13.  Simon Magus, when he was baptized: yet was not his 
| Verse 21.  heart right in the sight of God; also unto judas, when he did sit and eat with the other Apostles; yet even then 
* john. 13. 27.  Satan/ (and not the holy Ghost/) entered into him. Even so with us/ the true Christian service in the administration of the word/ seals/ and censures/ is set forth and practised: though many receive it into evil hearts and unfaithful/ to their greater condemnation. But the elect of God/ are edified/ comforted and confirmed in his grace hereby: though these are not many; for many be called but few elected. Mat. 20. 16  
Again/ H. N. hath here set down that which overthroweth the whole scope of his writing; when he saith/ Those services & ceremonies which are ministered through the commandment of the holy Ghost, out of a Christianlike Being; they have the promises, whiles they are rightly obeyed etc. If thus it be; then ought all Christians to labour and seek for those services and ceremonies/ (as he calleth them) that so they may obtain the promises: then also must they shun and refreyn from all false and human ceremonies or services/ which have no promise/ and are but the profaning of God's name. And this is our cause/ faith and practise/ which witness against and abstain from the Antichristian services and ceremonies of Popery/ for which doing/ the world hateth and persecuteth us: from which profession/ practise/ and patient suffering/ this writer would dissuade/ and allure to communion with wickedness/ by the vain pretences set forth in this Letter: as after more plainly followeth.   

H. N.  
21. Oh, how well should they do, which do now extol themselves before the simple, and say that they are preachers of Christ, if they would first learn to know Christ, before they made themselves ministers of him. They will preach the word of Christ, and yet they have not according to the Spirit, seen the fashion or shape of Christ, or heard of the same in any world. They say the scripture witnesseth unto us, that we for Christ's cause should forsake our lives, the which according to the truth, is very true: but the most part which speaks so much thereof, they themselves understand not the mind or meaning of God, in that which the scripture saith: namely, how that we must hate and forsake our own life, or else we cannot be the disciples of Christ. Therefore mark well thereupon; & not only upon that, but also upon all the witnessings of the scripture.  
22, Oh understand advisedly what I do write, of the forsaking of our own life. When God had created the man, than was the man in subjection to the life of God, and not to his own life: for thereunto God had created the man, that he should be of one life, one being, one Spirit, and of one nature with God. But when the man desired in his heart, to love some other thing beside the life of God, (namely the concupiscence of the sin,) then went he into his own life, and contentation, and forsook the life of God, and lived even so his own life, and the life of the Devil.  
23. The while now that the office of Christ hath his ministration, for to bring the man again unto God the Father: so cannot Christ bring the man to the Father, unless that the man forsake his own life, which he hath lived so long to the Devil and to himself, which is all that same wherein he hath sought, loved & lived to himself.  
24. Is not this now a great overshooting or misunderstanding that the children of men, can say and teach, that Christ meant hereby, the natural or elementish man?   

H. A.  
IT had been well in deed if H. N. who so extolleth himself before the simple, & saith that he is a preacher of Christ, (yea Godded with God/) would first have learned to know Christ, before he had made himself a minister of him. For now being ignorant of the principles of religion/ and a mere stranger from the life of God; he hath perverted all things to his own and there men's perdition. Witness this his corrupt doctrine about the forsaking of our own life. Wherein he first and generally seeketh to colour his iniquity with deceit and fraud. For/ to persuade that we need not give our lives/ our natural & elementish lives, for Christ's cause/ at any time; which is a doctrine of the serpent: he maketh a discourse of our spiritual life in sin/ and the old man corrupted with vices/ that we ought to lay down and forsake; which we all acknowledge to be a truth. And from this he gathereth a great overshooting and misunderstanding, of such as say Christ meant the natural or elementish man; which is a false and deceitful conclusion. We know that these both are required at our hands; the one (which is the mortifying of lusts and sinful affections/) of all men/ if they would be saved: the other (which is a suffering of natural death for Christ's sake/) of so many as God calleth thereunto/ in times of persecution. But H. N. urgeth the one/ that he might abolish the other; with as good reason/ as if one should persuade us not to serve or worship God with body, because Christ 
| john. 4.  saith/ we must worship him in spirit; or as if to defend fleshly filthiness/ he should reason in this manner. The wordome which God condemneth, is the whoring with men's own inventions, Psal. 106. 39 the fornication, with stones and stocks, jer. 3. 9 the going a whoring after other Gods. Deut. 31. 16. Is not this then a great overshooting or misunderstanding, that the children of men can say & teach of that commandment, Thou shalt not commit whoredom, Deut. 5. 18. that God meant hereby fleshly whoredom, done by the natural or elementish man? Lo this is the mould of H. Ns' argument/ and may as truly be alleged for defence of carnal fornication/ as he allegeth it for defence of carnal idolatry/ which he would persuade these two daughters to commit with the man of sin, rather than to suffer bands or death for the witness of Christ's truth. Neither is it to be thought but he thus understandeth in deed the 7. commandment; who so erroneously understandeth/ and expoundeth the second/ for the maintenance of his fleshly ease. But Oh he would have us understand advisedly what he doth write of the forsaking of our own life. God (saith H. N.) had created the man, that he should be of one Life, one Being, one spirit, and of one nature with God; this he meaneth/ as before we have seen/ to be godded with God, and that the man should be all that God was. Which blasphemous error/ I have before by the scriptures refuted. Neither doth H. N. confirm his cursed doctrine here by any scripture; because in deed he cannot. For all that the scripture saith is/ that God created man in his own image and likeness, Gen. 1 26. & 5. 2. but that the man should be of one Being with him; it saith not/ but H. N. hath forged it out of his arrogant mind/ who would thrust himself into God's throne. The image of God, is expounded by the Apostle to be in 
| Col. 3. 10. Eph. 4. 24.  knowledge, righteousness and true holiness: and H. N. addeth/ to be of one Being. which if it had been true/ then could not man have fallen any more than God himself; and if he had had the same life essentially with God; then should he have been immortal/ and incorruptible/ death could never have seized on him/ 1. Tim. 6. 16. So H. N. must either deny the fall and corruption of man/ whereof not only the word of God/ but nature itself and daily experience will convince him/ and himself yieldeth: or else/ he must hold a God subject to corruption and mortality. Which if he do/ then is he a monster among men/ and a wonderment to the very heathen. For whereas the Stoics of old/ esteemed their God's subject to all human changes and corruption; a heathen man writing against them saith; 
* Plutarch. advers. Stoic.  It may be one may meet with some barbarous and savage men, that think there is no god: but there hath not been any one man found, who thought their was a God, and yet the same not free from corruption, and eternal. Let this error therefore (which draweth such heathenish and blasphemous consequences after it/) return into H. Ns. bosom where first the Serpent hatched it.  
The next deceit wherewith he would beguile his reader/ lieth in this word Life; whereby he meaneth man's carriage or conversation/ according as the Apostle speaketh of walking in newness of Life, Rom. 6. 4.: whereas the Life which Christ telleth us we must be ready to lay down for his sake/ is an other thing/ both for Name and signification; For the Name, is 
| 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Psuche, the soul, Luk. 17. 33. & 9 23. 24. which word howsoever we may translate Life, because the soul is the life of the body; yet can we not take it for a Life or conversation, which the Apostle in Rom. 6. caleth 
† 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Zoe, Whereas therefore H. N. speaketh of the Life of God, and then of man's own life, and life of the Devil; (as if Christ spoke or meant of it/ when he speaketh and meaneth of the Soul and natural life;) herein he useth fraud/ and not Christian simplicity; or else/ bewrayeth gross ignorance. Which may yet further be thus proved. Our saviour speaketh of such a Life as himself layd-down for us/ saying/ 
| john. 10. 15.  I lay down my 
† 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  life for my sheep; now let H. N. say what life that was; whither it were not his very natural and elementish life; (as he caleth it) for I hope he will not be so wretched as to say that Christ had any wicked sinful life or life of the Devil in him/ to lay down; seeing we know that in Christ there never was sin; or if he should be so absurd as to say it/ yet Christ himself will convince him saying 
| john. 10. 17.  I lay down my life, that I might take it again; for was he to take again a sinful life? far be it from Christian thoughts. Now from this example of Christ the Apostle reasoneth thus/ 
† 1. john. 3. 16  Hereby have we perceived love, that he laid down his Life for us: therefore we ought also to lay down our lives for the brethren. So than what Life or Soul Christ laid down for us; the like are we to lay down for our brethren; and for Christ himself/ (as Peter 
| john. 13. 37  said he would;) but that was no sinful life or conversation/ but the natural life which he did lay down; therefore ours must be the like. Again this is further confirmed by Christ's words saying/ he 
* Mat. 16. 25.  that looseth his life (or soul) for my sake shall find it; meaning in the world or life to come; but I hope we shall there find no sinful life, such as H. N. fancieth Christ here to mean. Again the words following make it more plain/ Christ saying 
† Vers. 26.  For what should it profit a man though he should win the whole world, if he lose his own life (or soul.) But it is our greatest profit/ to loose our sinful life. Of that therefore Christ speaketh not/ as any reasonable man may perceive. So the Psyche soul or life, which we must be ready at God's pleasure to lay down for Christ's cause/ is not only the sinful life, but also the natural life of the natural or elementish man; and H. N. is but a carnal worldling to love his elementish life more than Christ/ and teach men so; under colour of forsaking our own wicked life and life of the Devil.  
If the prophets and Apostles had known this deep understanding which H. N. conceiveth, and had not thought they were also bound to lay down the natural and elementish man, they would never have endured such things in their flesh as is witnessed of them. What needed 
| Dan. 3.  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, to have changed the kings commandement/ and yielded their bodies to the fire/ rather than they would serve or worship his image; or 
* Dan. 6.  Daniel have jeoparded his life among the Lions; or 
† Act. 7.  Stephen have been stoned to death for confessing of Christ; or 
| Heb. 11. 35. 36. etc.  others to have been racked/ scourged/ prisoned/ hewn asunder/ slain with the sword & c? or what meant the Apostles/ to show us these patterns/ and will us to 
† jam. 5. 10.  take the prophets for an example of suffering adversity? Was is not (thinketh H. N.) a great overshooting or misunderstanding in all these/ to teach both by word and practise/ that afflictions should be suffered in the natural or elementish man? Or rather had not all these holy martyrs/ first laid down the spiritual sinful life, and then gave up the natural life also? How contrary then is this H. N. to all holy men that ever were or wrote/ that thus dissuadeth from the outward cross/ under pretence of inward holiness? Therefore let us all that lov the Lord Jesus/ say 
| Gal. 1. 9  Anathema to such false prophets/ as thus teach doctrine contrary to the scriptures/ for to favour the flesh/ & avoid affliction/ as is best pleasing to their sensual minds. Let the same 
* Phil. 2. 5. 8.  mind be in us that was in Christ Jesus/ who (besides the troubles and anguishs in his heart) humbled himself and became obedient unto the death/ even the death of the cross. And he which suffered these things for us/ hath 
| 1. Pet. 2. 21.  left us an ensample (as saith the Apostle) that we should follow his steps; who his own self bore our sins in 
† Vers. 24.  his body on the tree. And let us learn with Paul, to take 
‡ 2. Cor. 12. 10. & 11. 23. 24. etc.  pleasures in infirmities/ in reproaches/ in necessities/ in persecutions/ in scripes and prisonment/ in hunger and thirst/ in cold and nakedness/ and all other anguish for Christ's sake; for when we are weak/ then are we strong; and this is a part of our mortification and denial of ourselves: unto which when true faith and obedience in the spirit is adjoined/ Gods work goeth forward in us towards perfection/ the end whereof willbe everlasting life.   

H. N.  
25. Oh comprehend I beseech you, the understanding. We ourselves have not made the natural man: wherefore he cannot belong unto us. For the heaven with the earth and all that is therein, belongeth unto God; and it is God's pleasure and will; that all shaped creatures, so well the manly creature as any other of all those which God hath created, should live, and that it mought go well with them.  
26. What shall the man than forsake, that he mought be reconciled to God? not any thing else but his own life, that is the man of sin, which hath so long lain hid in the heart of man, which is the temple of God, and hath said that he was God. 2. Thes. 2.   

H. A.  
IT is hard to comprehend any good understanding in any thing which H. N. doth write/ he is so led with the spirit of error in all his ways. yet may we comprehend that his first reason here is against himself; we have not made the natural man; wherefore he cannot belong unto us. Very true; but God hath made it; therefore it belongs to him. If he made it/ and it be his; then may he require it when he will/ and we must not deny him his own. Now he requireth it/ when for witness of his truth men will shed our blood; though they do it unjustly/ yet his requiring is just; and we may not deny him or his truth/ for the saving of our lives; as before is proved. Of this reason therefore which H. N. bringeth/ we may say with the prophet/ 
| Psal. 37. 15.  his sword hath entered into his own heart.  
His next reason is a depth of iniquity; for seeming to plead for God/ he seeketh to draw men from God. God's will is (saith he) that all shaped creatures, so well the manly creature as any other, should live & that it might go well with them. So then to save their natural lives/ the Familists think they may deny & forswear Christ & all true religion; & may communicate with all idolatry & worship of devil's/ if Princes upon pain of death/ shall so command. This was the intendment of this present Letter/ sent to two maidens/ that refused (as it seemeth) the idolatrous Mass and subjection to the Romish Antichrist/ with hazard of their lives. This is the daily practice of the Nicolaitans H. Ns disciples/ who rather than they will suffer imprisonment/ banishment/ death or the like/ for their religion; will join with Papists/ Protestant's/ Arrians/ Anabaptists/ or any religion/ if the magistrate authorize and command it. For though they hold that their 
* Fidelitas. Declar. chapt. 4. sect. 11.  God of Love (as they call him) is the true living God, and besides him there is no God more; and his Gods-service of Love, which they minister under the obedience of his Love, is the true safemaking Gods-service, and besides the same there is not any Gods-service more, neither in heaven nor yet in earth: yet will they partake with any of the Godservices used in the world/ though they be contrary one to another. For H. N. in his new Gospel complaineth that 
| Evangel. cha ●2. sect. 4.  many have unorderly rejected and blasphemed the services and ceremonies of the catholic church of Rome, rent the concord & nurturable sustentation of the same, & turned them away therefrom, & even so out of their knowledge which they took out of the scripture, brought in certain services & ceremonies in another wise or order etc. But his disciples in England/ which land hath rejected/ and departed from the catholic church of Rome/ (as many other nations have/) do pretend/ in their late supplication to the King, that they are his true faithful loyal and obedient subjects, to all his laws and ordinances spiritual & temporal, and do deny that they vary or swerve from the now established religion in this land, either in services, ceremonies, sermons or sacraments. Thus either H. N. or these his followers/ or both/ must needs be hypocrites/ that so do write and profess of two adverse churches and religions; when in deed they approve of neither, but think as H. Ns' 
| Fidelitas. Declar. ch. 4. sec 11.  Co-elder avoucheth/ that they which remain without them and their Commonalty, and without the Requiring of the gracious Word, and his Service of Love, or withdraw themselves therefrom: have no living God, nor yet true Godservice; but are 
| Eph. a. b.  without God, and without Gods-service, in this world. yet notwithstanding this their judge meant and profession, rather than the manly creature should die/ they will fall down before idols/ will deny their God of Love, and will worship the Papists God of bread in the Mass/ yea will confess or deny any point of doctrine/ and submit unto any Gods-service or religion. And if they will thus do/ in things concerning God; how much more may we think they will so do/ in things concerning men. That if any Prince should be so wicked as to forbid all marriage on pain of death/ and command or permit a community of women/ or whoredom; these men rather than the manly creature should perish/ would not spare to defile their bodies (as well as their souls) in all manner filthiness. Yet sin they not (as they perhaps think) if their God of Love have their heart in hold/ and they be obedient to the requiring of the service of the Love; for as H. N. saith 
| Spir. land. cha. 39 sec. 8.  They know not of any other religion or godservice, then of the service of Love.  
But let us further see/ if we can comprehend what H. Ns. position here doth imply. If it be Gods will that the manly creature should live; and this be absolute and without restraint; then may not the Magistrate put any to death for any crime; or make war upon any occasion; for H. N. will tell the magistrate/ he made not the natural man, wherefore he cannot belong unto him; but unto God, & his will is, that all shaped creatures should live, and that it mought go well with them. This Anabaptistical error/ is built on H. Ns. rotten ground; and that the Familists do indeed deny the use of the sword unto the Magistrate (contrary to Paul's doctrine Rom. 13.) and all use of wars/ may appear by H. Ns. words otherwhere/ complaining of the Land of ignorance (which is every where/ but in his Family) that 
| Spirit. land. chap. 5. sec. 9  they make there many swords, halberds, spears, bows & arrows, guns, pellets, powder, armour or harness etc. for that the tyrannical oppressors and those that have a pleasure in destroying, should use war & battle therewithal one against another. And because the taking away of the sword/ is the frustrating of the magistrates office/ (for wherefore serveth he/ if not as for the wealth of the good/ so 
* Rom. 13. 4.  to take vengeance on them that do evil?) therefore it followeth necessarily/ that they condemn all magistracy in the church/ as do also the Anabaptists; for H. N. saith of his lovely city/ that 
‡ Spirit. land. ch. 37. sec. 2.  no man reigneth over an other, and that pleaseth God well, namely that the one man of God reigneth not over the other. Thus under a colour that God's creatures all should live/ he would abolish God's ordinances/ (who hath commanded 
† Exo. 21. 12. 25. 16, 17. etc.  that some malefactors should die and not live) and bring confusion upon civil polities/ as he hath upon Christian religion.  
Again/ in that he saith all shaped creatures should live/ and then the manly creature, so well as any other; will it not follow also hereupon that Beasts must live/ & may not be killed for the food of man. For they are shaped creatures/ and made by God/ not by us; and so by H. Ns. learning/ cannot belong unto us; and therefore may not be killed for our sustenance; though God do plainly permit it in his law/ Gen. 9 3. Deut. 12. 20. 21. 22. And so here is another doctrine of Divils', (as the 
| 1 Tim. 4. 1. 3.  holy Ghost caleth it) comprehended in this Oldest Fathers deep head/ whiles by consequence he commandeth to abstain from meats; or else his eyesight failed him/ when he set down this reason. But the Apostle gathereth quite contrary to this man; as namely because/ The earth is the Lords and the plenty thereof/ therefore we may eat all flesh/ 1 Cor. 10. 25. 26. Accordingly/ should H. N. (if he had savoured the things of God) have reasoned and concluded; The Lord made our bodies and our souls/ therefore it belongeth unto us/ to look that with both we 
| 1 Cor. 6. 20.  glorify him. The body is for the Lord/ therefore 
* ver. 13.  not for fornication: the body is the temple 
‡ verse 19  of the holy Ghost; therefore it may not be prostrate before idols; for 
† 2 Cor. 6. 16.  what agreement hath the temple of God with idols; the body is the Lords/ therefore it may not sit at the table of Divils'; and whatsoever the 
| 1 Cor. 10. 20 21. Rev. 9 20.  heathens or Antichristians offer/ they offer unto Divils'/ and we cannot drink the cup of the Lord/ and the cup of Divils'. Thus should H. N. if any Christian wisdom or grace had been in him/ have collected and inferred; and not as now he doth/ persuade the two daughters to communion with the church of Rome/ (which the holy Ghost caleth 
* Reve. 18. 2.  the habitation of Divils') because their bodies or lives are the Lords; and it belongs not unto them/ to lay down their natural lives for the testimony of Jesus at any time.  
But if H. N. had known in any world what the true life meaneth; he would not so have dissuaded from suffering temporary death for the Gospel's sake. This present life (which he so much esteemeth) is a 
‡ 1 Cor. 15. 31  dying daily, as the Apostle teacheth: the true life is/ when the body having been 
† vers. 42.  sown in dishonour/ shallbe raised in glory. Of which raising up/ this Sadducee H. N. is utterly ignorant/ as after shall be showed; and in his ignorance perverteth all religion/ and even reason itself/ for to maintain a momentany natural life/ though it be to the/ perpetual damnation of body and soul in hell.  
His 
| sect. 26.  conclusion what the man must forsake, that he may be reconciled to God? not any thing else but his own life, that is the man of sin etc. is like his premises/ full of guile and error; and what truth is in it/ is against himself. Erroneous it is/ to say or to insinuate/ that we may be reconciled to God, by any thing that we can forsake/ be it sin or what else. For our reconciliation to God is wrought by Christ alone/ not by ourselves when we forsake sin; of which point we have before spoken. Guileful it is to say or insinuate/ that Christ in willing us to forsake our lives for his sake/ meant that by so doing/ we should be reconciled to God, or that we do so esteem of any martyrs death. The man doth by it/ (as Christ 
‡ john. 21. 19  signified of Peter's death) glorify God; unto whom he was before by Christ's death reconciled. False it is to say a man must not forsake any thing else but his own sinful life; for Christ telleth us further of 
† Mat. 19 29  forsaking houses, brethren, sisters, father, mother, wife, children, lands for his name's sake; and these I trow are not also the Man of sin that lieth hid in man's heart. But it was far from H. Ns' heart/ to forsake any of these for Christ; he loved his sensual life so well.  
Erroneous it is/ that our sinful life is that man of sin spoken of 2 Thes. 2. of which point/ is to be spoken in the next place.  
And this only truth/ that we should forsake our own sinful life, overthroweth H. Ns' doctrine/ and his disciples practise. For sin it is and a continual sinful life/ to frequent idolatrous assemblies/ hear mass/ worship a God of bread/ and the beast Antichrist; observe his wicked ceremonies/ and profess his heretical doctrines; as the Nicolaitans will do/ and H. N. would persuade these daughters unto; whiles yet he pretends to have them leave sin. Dissimilation and 
| Mat. 23. 28. 1 Pet. 2. 1.  hypocrisy/ is a hateful sin both to God and man; wherein they that live/ are altogether strangers from the life of God: and this is the trade of life and religion among the Familists, who hating all religions but their own; yet will profess counterfeit and walk in any religion/ save their own; for that they do only in secret/ because their works are evil; but God in his time/ will give them their due reward/ even openly.   

H. N.  
27. Oh how grossly then do they comprehend this, which signify or apply this same unto us upon the Pope of Rome, & say that the Pope is the Antichrist. Oh, oh, no: the Antichrist is nearer unto us, were it well known. The wisdom of the flesh, wherewithal the man will judge the godly causes, is verily the right Antichrist; I say, the wicked nature of the Devil, (wherewith the man is of one mind; so long as he in the renewing of his spirit, is not incorporated with Christ,) is verily that same right Antichrist. Oh understand it rightly, with an unpartial heart.   

H. A.  
HEre H. N. crieth out of their gross comprehension, that say/ the Pope of Rome is the man of sin, the Antichrist; in the meam time/ he showeth himself to be most gross/ and carnal in his comprehension/ that expoundeth that man of sin spoken of 2 Thes. 2. to be The wisdom of the flesh; the wicked nature of the Devil etc. The vanity and falsehood whereof/ every babe in Christ/ that looketh into that scripture/ may easily perceive. For th'Apostle speaking there of 
† Vers. 2.  the day of Christ's coming, teacheth them not to expect that/ until 
| Vers. 3.  the departing (from the faith) were first come, and the man of sin, the Son of perdition were first disclosed. But the wisdom of the flesh and wicked nature of the Devil, was come already/ for Adam and his children had brought it forth and nourished it in the world/ even from the beginning Gen 3. Rom. 5. 12. 14. 17. 18. etc. and it was disclosed both by the Law/ Rom. 3. 20. and by the Gospel already preached/ 1 Cor. 1. 18. 19 21. 27. and 2. 6. 7. etc. 1 john 3. 8. etc. Wherefore it is but deceiving of men's souls/ to teach them to wait and look for that thing to come/ which is already come; and H. N. showeth how far he is from understanding the scriptures/ which yet so insolently vaunteth himself over all men. As for us/ we have learned of the Apostles/ to understand generally every false prophet to be an Antichrist, 1 joh. 2. 18 19 22. But specially one great Antichrist to come after the Apostles times/ whose mystery began even 
* 2. Thes. 2 7.  then to work whiles they lived; but something there was which then 
‡ Verse 6.  withheld his revelling/ (namely the heathen monarchy of the Roman empire/) which at that time 
† Vers. 7.  withheld and hindered (the doctrine of the Gospel) by open tyranny and persecution; and should let the working and disclosing of that great Antichrist in the Papacy/ until himself (that heathen Empire) were taken out of the way. Then after him should arise an other 
| Rev. 13.  Beast or Monarchy/ with horns like the Lamb (Christ/) pretending his faith and Religion/ (as do the Papists/) though his speech be like the Dragon's/ in all damnable doctrines and idolatries. And this Antichrist, should seat himself 
* 2. Thes. 2. 4  in the Temple or house of God/ (which is the 
‡ 1. Tim. 3. 15  Church;) and in the consciences of men/ by his errors wherewith he should deceive men's souls. A large and lively description of which Beast and great whore/ that reigneth in the 
† Rome.  city built on 7. hills/ we have in the book of Revelation/ the light whereof H. N. would darken by the fogs and mists/ of his own fleshly and allegorical interpretations.  
Now that the reader may see how good a proctor H. N. is for the Pope/ and wherefore he is so nearly affected to him/ and denieth him to be Antichrist; it shall not be amiss/ to show what pains he hath taken/ to compare himself and his society with the Pope/ and his clergy: that all men may discern them to be both sworn brothers against Christ.  
In his new Gospel/ called Evangelium regni, H. N. hath thus applied things/ 
† Cha. ●●. ●. ●.  This same foregoing (saith he) of the Elders of the holy understanding, and their anointing of the holy Ghost, to Priests Elders and Fathers, hath the catholic church of Rome, till unto this day, ministered and observed in figures, as is abovesaid. For to a token of remembrance of the holy anointing of Christ with the holy spirit, they have used the anointing with oil, & it is a sacrament of the holy church of Christ, which signifieth unto us the anointing of the Priests or Elders, with the holy Ghost.  
5. Of which anointed Elders or foregoers of the commonalty of the catholic church of Rome, the chiefest anointed is named Papa, & signifieth unto us an old Father in the holy understanding: also the chief Bishop or high priest which hath his being or conversation in the most holy of the true and perfect sanctuary, & ministereth his office of the holy word thereout, and for that cause is also named The most holy Father. etc.  

| sect. 8.  Those now that are next to the forenamed Papa, are named Cardinals, which signify unto us the principallest, which are nearest in the most holy understanding of the godliness, unto the Eldest or holiest Father; and have their communion with him in the most holy of the true and perfect being etc.  
After this he proceedeth to show how the 
* sect. 1●.  Bishops signified the pastors of the sheep and lambs of Christ; 
‡ sect. 14.  The Parish priests or curates, signified Levitical priests, or adjoined Pastors and elders of the holy understanding etc. 
† sect. 17.  The Deacons, signified ministers or helpers of the parish priests in the holy Godservices; 
“ sect. 18.  The Sextons, signified conservers or keepers of the holy things. 
| sect. 1●.  The many manner of orders, wherethrough many anointed ones and zealous people sought the righteousness and holiness, which are named Monks, signified such as dwell alone, & are through the love of the righteousness Sanctified, & for that cause also separated from the world, and from all what is worldly and fleshly etc. And, 
* sect. ●1.  Next unto all these forenamed anointed ones, are the common people, which believe and cleave unto the services religions and ceremonies of the Anointed, and which also humble them to the requiring of those same, etc.  
Thus hath H. N. fetched the mystery of his Family of Love/ from the Pope's forge; that all men may see it is no marvel that he denieth the Pope to be Antichrist; for H. N. (the oldest Father of this Family/) will be the Papa and great Antichrist himself/ and the Pope of Rome/ was but his shadow and figure. Howbeit/ herein he was overseen to gather his pedigree from the Papacy/ which he enough much better have fetched from the holy scriptures; (but that he is an enemy to scripture learning: as he often bewrayeth.) For H. N. the greatest in the Family/ who is (as himself saith) 
† Evan. ch 1. sect. 1.  Godded with God in the spirit of his Love; Because 
| Prov. of H. N. ch. 8. s. 3.  The God of heaven as the Father himself, is come down, & bringeth in the service of his Love, himself with his Christ, & his holy Ghost, & with all that which with him is Gods, unto his obedient man H. N. & Godding the same with him, he hath manned him with the same; This new God of the Nicolaitans is described in scripture thus; 
| Rev. 9 11.  They have a king over them which is the Angel of the bottomless pit, (for so also H. N. saith/ he was 
† Evang. reg. ch. 1. s. 1.  raised up from the death;) whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is named Apollyon, [in all languages/ The destroyer.] The doctrine taught by this H. N. corrupting and darkening all the holy scriptures/ was figured out by the 
| Rev. 9 2.  smoke of the bottomless pit, which darkened sun and air. And the ylluminated Elders of this Family/ are pourtrahed out by 
‡ Vers. 3. 10.  Locusts that came out of the smoke of H. N. his heresies/ with stings in their tails like scorpions/ to wound men's consciences by their deceivable doctrines. This had been a director and plainer portraiture of the Familists/ then that figure fetched from the Papists. And thus we may perceive/ it was not without cause that H. N. cried out/ Oh, oh, no, the Antichrist is nearer unto us, were it well known; when in deed so great a monster of Antichristianity was hatched in his own bosom/ who thus hath Deified hmself and blasphemed God? Neither is he a friend to Popery only/ and a Lover of the whore of Babylon; but of Judaisme also/ that he may appear to be quite abolished from Christ. Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews/ 
† Chapters. 7. 8. 9 & 10.  proveth at large the abrogating of the Levitical Priesthood and sacrifices/ by the coming of our high priest Christ Jesus/ and sacrifice of his own body/ (according as was prophesied of him/ that 
‡ Dan. 9 27.  he should cause sacrifice and; oblation to cease;) and for the Jews/ that would still continue their figurative worship/ he showeth them to have no part in Christ/ when he saith 
| Heb. 13. 10. etc.  We have an altar, whereof they have no authority to eat which serve in the Tabernacle. But H. N. teacheth us that the services of Aaron's priesthood are yet necessary for some; in these words/ 
† Evangel. regni. Chap. 13. s. 8.  Oh alas, how grossly have then certain wise of the world, and scripture-learned overreached them herein, which have without diversity forsaken the law & the service of the Elders Testament, and of the Priest's office after the ordinance of Aaron, and set back the same as a thing unneedful: not once distincting unto whom the service after the ordinance of Aaron, is yet necessary, nor yet with whom the same at th'appointed time ceaseth or leaveth off. Thus H. N. showeth how good a friend he is to Jews and Papists; But his enmity against Christ and his Gospel/ can not easily be opened/ it is in so many particulars. He thrusteth himself into Christ's throne/ and maketh himself the Judge of all the world; 
| Evang. ch. 1. s. 9  For behold (saith he) in this present day, the glorious coming of our Lord jesus Christ with his many thousands of his saints, which hath set himself now upon the seat of his Majesty, for to judge in this same day which the Lord hath ordained or appointed, the whole world with equity etc. with many like speeches (as before is showed) wherein the scriptures which foretell of Christ's coming to judgement at the world's end/ H, N. applieth to himself; and so the plain doctrines of the gospel/ are made but fabulous/ by this blasphemers allegory: and he showeth himself to be the Father of those 
† 2 Pet. 3. 3. 4  mockers that were foretold should come in the last days/ which walking after their lusts/ should say where is the promise of his coming? etc. Now because at Christ's coming/ must be the resurrection of the dead/ therefore that one error/ necessarily draweth on another/ namely that the resurrection is passed already, which was the canker whereby 
* 2 Tim. 2. 17 18.  Hymeneus and Philetus in the Apostles days/ destroyed the faith. This heresy hath H. N. published in his Gospel; saying/ 
‡ Evang. reg. ch. 35: s, 8, 9  Behold in this present day is this scripture fulfilled and according to the testimony of the scripture, the raising up & the resurrection of the Lords dead cometh also to pass presently in this same day, through the appearing of the coning of Christ in his majesty. Which resurrection of the dead, seeing that the same is come unto us from God's grace, we do likewise in this present day, to an evangely or joyful message of the kingdom of God & Christ, publish in all the world, under the obedience of the Love. In which resurrection of the dead God showeth unto us, that the time is now fulfilled that his dead, or the dead which are fallen a sleep in the Lord, rise up in this day of his judgement, & appear unto us in Godly glory, which shall also from henceforth live in us everlastingly with Christ, and reign upon the earth. Thus hath this Sadducee overturned that main ground and principle of Christian religion/ without which our faith were but 
‡ 1 Cor. 15. 16. 17.  vain/ and we were of all men the 
⸪ ver. 19  most miserable; And that his religion might be even a sink of sinful errors/ he hath taught/ that in their Lovely society/ they 
† Spir. land. ch. 37. sect. 7.  do not vow or bind themselves in the matrimony of men, nor yet suffer themselves to be bound therein, but are like the Angels of heaven: to verify the Apostles words/ that 
| 1 Tim. 4. 1. 3.  in the latter times some should teach and give heed unto doctrines of Devil's/ forbidding to marry etc. Now seeing he saith in another place/ 
* Spirit. land. ch, 36. sec. 6.  that they commit not any adultery, for they are honest & chaste of life, and clean or pure of heart; what may we think is among them/ but a community of all men and women/ yet without sin (as they suppose/) so long as it is not with them of the World/ especially seeing he saith also further/ 
† Ibid. ch. 35. sect. 4, & 5.  There is no man that claimeth any thing to be his own, as to possess the same to his own private use. For no man (& that out of every ones good disposition) can desire any thing to be his own, or yet to make any thing proper to himself from an other, but also whatsoever is there is free, & is there left free in his upright form. There is also no man denied to use any thing in freedom, of all what is profitable and needful for him; for they stand all in the equity as one in the Love; and again/ 
‡ Ibid ch. 39 se●. 8.  That they know not of any other religion or Godservice, then of the service of Love, and to love one an other, and so to keep themselves pure and unspotted of the world; Which writing of H. N. may give all wise men occasion to suppose/ that he teacheth in secret common filthiness; even the doctrine 
“ Rev. 2. 1●.  of the old Nicolaitans, which God doth hate. In secret/ I say/ for his loathsome carnal abominations he will not openly publish/ (though he hath published too much/) either to the world or to his young disciples; but this caveat he hath given to his fautors/ 
† Pro. of H. N cha. 22. s. 16.  ye shall not talk of your secrets, either yet utter your mysteries openly or nakedly in the hearing of your young children and disciples: but spare not the same in the ears or hearing of the Elders which can understand the same, and are able to bear or away with the sound thereof. For it is given to the Elders to understand the privy mysteries of the wise, and to expound their parables. This is the counsel of H. N. touching the secrets of his religion; quite contrary to the counsel and practise of Christ/ his prophets and Apostles; for Christ said to his Disciples/ 
| Mat. 1●. 27.  what I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light, and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye on the houses; and when the Prophets 
* Psal. 78. 2.  opened their mouths in parables/ and declared high sentences of old/ they would 
‡ ver. 4. 6.  not hide them from their children/ but show them that posterity might know it/ and children which should be born/ might declare unto their children etc. But the deep mysteries of H. N. must not be disclosed/ because as it is written/ 
‡ joh. 3. 2●.  every man that doth evil hateth the light, and/ 
† job ●4. 17.  the morning, is to them as the shadow of death: wherefore his doctrine is like the 
| Pro. 9 13. ●7.  foolish women which said/ Stolen waters are sweet, & hid bread is pleasant; but let all God's people know/ that 
‡ vers. 18.  the dead are there/ and that her guests are in the depth of hell.  
Now though he will not let his yong-anes know his secrets; yet he will be so bold as to know their secrets; and hath taught them to shrive them unto him/ with far greater spiritual slavery/ then the Antichrist of Some hath done. For H. N. in his 
| chap. 13.  First exhortation (after he had warned his children 
* sect. 11.  not to distrust the Eldest in the Family of Love, nor suspect any manner of evil or unwisdom by him) saith; 
‡ sect. 12.  Fourthly it is expedient, that they should make manifest their whole heart, with all their counsels, minds, wills and thoughts, together with all their doings dealings & exercises, naked and bare before the Eldest in the Family of Love, and not cover or hide any thing, (be it what it is,) before him. Also all whereunto their inclination, kind, and nature draweth them, and all wherewith they become tempted or assaulted in their hearts. The Pope requireth but confession of 
| Concil. Trid. soss. 14, ch. 5.  mortal, not of venial sins; But this tyrann H. N. will know all/ be it what it is; yea even men's natural inclinations. Now be it his wisdom was much overseme to make such a law: for this may call his Godhead into question/ & make men think/ he is but a Liar/ whiles he would be a God▪ for our Lord Jesus knew the 
| Mat. 9 ● john 2. 25.  thoughts of men/ and had no need that any should testify of man/ for he knew what was in man. If H. N. be godded with God/ what needeth he that men should thus make known their inclinations and actions unto him. But his disciples are well enough served; that whereas the Romish priests did whip them with rods/ these their Godded Priests should scourge them with scorpions.  
Finally this H. N. teacheth almost every where in his abominable books/ the doctrine of that old Serpent/ 
‡ Gen. 3. 5.  ye shall be as Gods: saying that his people 
⸪ Spirit. land ch. 38. sect. 7.  have their inhabiting in God's understanding, & stand comprehended in the light of life, being united in Gods true being: that 
† ibid. cha. 40. sect. 18.  they are one being with each other, namely God & his people of peace: that 
| Epis. of. H. N 3. ch. 4. se. 5.  God the Father through his only born son Christ, is become of one substance again with the manly creatures; and to that end also, because that all manly creatures should through Christ be one substance with God the Father, is Christ preached; that 
‡ Epis. 4. c. 5. sect. 18.  when as we are renewed in Jesus Christ through faith/ also come to the same age of the man Christ/ so is God the Father then likewise one substance or maned with us through Christ, & is all in all: that it is 
“ Prov. of H. N. ch. 8. s. ●.  Gods will, that now in the last time, through his service of love, all people or generations of men, which are good-willing to his righteousness, should assemble them unto him and his godded man (H. N.) and even so likewise with them all that which is manly, to the end that they all should become of one being with him and his godded man, and so be all named Gods, and children of the most highest. These and many the like blasphemies (whereby he quite overthroweth the Being of God/ as before is proved/) are often to be found in his writings. For which also/ (that he might the more imitate the first serpent/ which said 
† Gen. 3. 9  God doth know,) he allegeth and corrupteth the holy scriptures; that if he be Antichrist, which should sit in the temple of God/ 
| 2 Thes. 2. 4.  showing himself that he is God/ (as Paul warneth:) this H. N. may be known to be a great Antichrist; and all the world may see/ 
* john 11. 4●. 50. 51.  Caiaphas' prophesied not righter of Christ and of his death for the nation; then H. N. hath spoken/ when he cried out of the Antichrist to be so near unto him. It is very true.   

H. N.  
28. Oh, what a slight and earthly understanding is this, that God should be appeased with an elementish body: even like as though that God were fleshly, even as an unregenerate man.  
29. I say on God's behalf, that God is not in that manner of sort with the man; but rather the ungodly being or nature, which all unregenerated men do carry in their hearts, whereout all wickedness is engendered and brought forth. Read Mark. 7. Mat. 23. and in more other places in the scriptures, where the same is rcited or mentioned.  
30. Therefore my beloved, this is the counsel of God towards you both, that you should not boast yourselves in such an uncertain confessing; but for the love of Christ's sake, take it for the best, which I have here witnessed unto you; namely that you have not confessed Christ according to the truth, but the elementish ceremonies, even as they out of the darkness, without the Spirit of Christ, were taught unto you. Not that I therein do accuse or blame any man, as one that doth evil of a set purpose. O no; for they know not any other, then that they do use the doctrine of Christ. But my hearty desire is towards every one, which say that they seek Christ, that they mought seek and find him aright.   

H. A.  
OH what a slight and serpentlike subtlety is this/ that H. N. should abuse and deprave the words and actions of God's servants in this manner; as if by their meek and patient sufferings for Christ's sake/ they thought to appease God with an elementish body. It is far from the hearts of all the faithful/ to imagine that any thing which themselves can either do or suffer/ in body or soul/ is able to appease God. They have otherwise learned to know the guilt and wages of sin/ the infiniteness of God's majesty who is angry with the world for their misdeeds/ the weakness and unworthiness of all men's works and sufferings. To that therefore which H. N. pretendeth to say on God's behalf; I answer with Job/ and ask him/ 
‡ job. 13. 7.  if he will speak wickedly for God; or talk deceitfully for his cause? For we esteem our sufferings nothing/ and all our righteousness as dung. It is the 
† Heb. 10. 5. 6. 10.  body of our Lord Jesus that was hanged on the tree/ which is the only sacrifice for our synns/ and appeaseth the wrath of his Father: and the things that we do or suffer/ benefit not him but ourselves: for the chastisements of God/ whither on our bodies or souls/ are (as the Apostle teacheth us/) 
| Heb. 12. 10.  for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Wherefore H. N. hath 
⸪ Psa. 7. 14.  conceived mischief and brought forth a lie/ whiles labouring to abolish the outward confessing and suffering of Christians/ he falsely imputeth unto them this error/ to believe they appease God with an elementish body, yea the fraud of this falser is manifestly discovered/ as the reader may observe; for the error which he would lay upon others/ is found to be in himself/ whose doctrine is such as teacheth men to be their own saviours. By the Apostles Gospel/ we have our redemption and forgiveness of sins through 
† Col. 1. 14. Heb 9 28.  the blood of Christ once offered; to him also give 
| Act. 10. 43.  all the prophets witness/ that through his name/ all that believe in him shall receive remission of sins/ (saith Peter:) but by H. Ns. Gospel/ we obtain it 
| First Exhor. ch. 20. s. 19  by our own imitation of Christ in his death/ and taking up of our cross. And many such like deadly venomous doctrines are sparsed in his writings/ to disannul the true Christ/ with his sufferings and merits/ and to set up a false and imaginary Christ bred/ and born in his corrupt heart/ as I have before proved. Now though we hold not God to be appeased with our sufferings/ as this man cavilleth; yet hold we upon ground from the scriptures/ that we must serve and glorify God both with our 
* 1 Cor. 6. 20.  bodies and with our spirits/ because both are Gods; and therefore are we willed to give up 
‡ Rom. 12. 1.  our bodies/ a living sacrifice/ holy and acceptable unto God/ which is our reasonable serving of God. And if by bonds and prisonment/ by racking/ scourging/ stoning/ hewing asundex; or other the like torments of body/ as 
† Heb. 11. 35. 36. 37. & 13, 3. 2 Cor. 11. 23. 25. etc.  others before us have suffered/ God also try us: we ought with patience to bear them/ and not to go from the confessing of Christ and his truth/ for avoiding them/ as this deceiver would persuade us. His conclusion therefore/ which he maketh against these two daughters/ namely/ that they have not confessed Christ according to the truth, etc. is yet to be proved/ for as much as he hath not by any ground from God's word/ overthrown their faith or confession in any point/ but only sought to undermine it/ by falsehood and deceit; abusing the readers/ and perverting the holy scriptures; his desire being to draw others into the same destruction with himself; who in stead of confessing Christ according to the truth, hath like an Antichristian overthrown the whole Gospel of Christ/ denied him to be come in the flesh/ and set up an Idol in his place/ even the Lovely Being out of his own fleshly heart.   

H. N.  
31. God is my witness, that it is true which I here write unto you; & the occasion of my writing is chanced, for that I bear a sorrowful heart with you both. But this is my hope over you, that ye will take it at my hands, as out of the Love of Christ, and not to be in any case obstinate in yourselves, for to wind away yourselves from the reading of these Letters with humble hearts.  
32. And when ye have deliberately read the same witnesses, and the Lord added his wisdom thereto, whereby the eyes of your hearts mought be a little opened: then spare me not to be your servant, and give me to understand by the bring thereof, & there shall yet more be brought unto you, then that which you have presently.  
33. And if you cannot acknowledge this for the truth, yet look well always hereto, that ye do not blaspheme the same which ye know not. And I likewise shall not blame you, although that you cannot comprehend the same. For the godly gifts cannot be brought to any one by violence or compulsion, for they are the gifts of God.  
34. Herewith I salute you both, (whose names I know not,) very heartily through the love of Christ; & wish unto you, out of the ground of my soul, the knowledge of the very true Spirit of Christ, that ye mought learn to know aright, your caling in Christ. That grant us the Almighty God, through his Love, Amen.  
By your unknown friend H. N.   

H. A.  
IF God were witness, that it is true which H. N. here hath written; the scriptures/ which are Gods witnesses or testimonies would approve of the same; but by holy writ/ his errors are disproved; and the evils which he unjustly layeth upon others/ be justly returned upon his own head; and found to be in himself and his bewitched followers/ whom I leave to the done of him which hath said/ 
| Mal. 3. 5.  I will come near to you to judgement, and I willbe a swift witness against sorcerers, & against adulterers, and against false swearers. etc. And for all that shall read these writings/ as they ought to be far from blaspheming the truth which they know not; so should they be far also from approving or hearkening to a known deceiver and blasphemer of God; such as this Henry Nicolas by this Epistle and his other ungodly writings is proved for to be. His fawning words and submissive carriage/ with promise of more matters after; are but the behaviour of the 
* Prov. 7. 14— 21.  Lewd woman/ that useth to entice with flattering lips; when her 
† vers. 27.  house is the way unto the grave/ which goeth down to the chambers of death. What thank or reward then remains for H. N. for all his pains and proffered kindness/ but that which the wise man hath appointed saying/ He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted to him as a curse. Pro. 27. 14.  
FINIS.    

In pag. 47. lin. 5. before the end, for love read live●