¶ The Preface of the Au∣thour to the Reader.

WHEN I began to write of this doctrine of the Fami∣lie of Loue, I minded in deed, to haue sent it to a friende of mine which is entered into that errour, and so to haue made it as a priuate matter betweene vs. But when I had shewed the same to cer∣teine of my friendes, to haue their iudge∣ment in certeine pointes, their importu∣nate suite was, y^t this small treatise might be published in print: which request I was loth to grant, for diuers causes. The chiefe whereof was, that Bookes whiche are set foorth vnto the eyes of all the world, had need to be circumspectly and diligently examined, before thei be made as á glasse for all men to looke vpon. For, when as there are many beholders, there are also many fault finders. And in this simple work there are many faultes, through ig∣norance and want of skill committed: which I cōfesse, not to be done of malice or negligence, but in trueth my simple & vnlearned capacitie could doe no better. Page  [unnumbered] The faults are these. The rough and harsh stile, being rudely and without any good methode set downe, because I want the help of those artes which comly & aptly couch sentences together, whereby the Reader might take the more delectatiō in reading and perusing of books. The order shoud haue bene amended if time would haue suffred, but since it is otherwise, I be∣seech thee accept my good will. If any of the familie carpe at this booke, because of the rudenesse thereof, let them answer it, and a reply will speedily be perfourmed, wherin their expectation shal be satisfied (I dout not) by men of godly knowledge and learning. In the meane time, I wil de∣clare the cause that made me more wil∣ling to satisfie my friendes request. There are many diligent & godly teachers, whi∣che in places conuenient do inuey & im∣pugne the doctrine of y^• Family of Loue, & yet are not throughly acquainted ther∣with: whereby many in the same family, take occasion to exclame against them, as slaunderers of their doctrine: & many also of Gods children, hearing the Family of loue spoken against, are desirous to know what opinions and doctrine they hold & Page  [unnumbered] professe. Therefore I thought it my dutie which I owe vnto Christes Church (as a member thereof) to vtter and make ma∣nifest vnto all persons what I know tou∣ching the Authours and doctrine of the same family. And seeing that wee liue amongst so many enimies of Christs Gos∣pell, which obiect against vs varietie in opinions, it is very requisite, that euerie member in Christes Church, put too his helping hand, to cleanse and purge the Church from such errours and false doc∣trine, as through the malice of Satan dai∣ly creepeth in. For if we hearing Christe Iesus his death and passion (which is our only comfort) blemished and darkned by the subtile fetches and persuasions of er∣ronious and wicked men, possessed with fantasticall spirites, & shall not be moued with zeale: howe appeareth any loue of God or Christ Iesus in vs? or where is be∣come the fruites that should shew a iusti∣fying faith? Many that are at case & liue securely, thinke that this errour will of it selfe vanish & decay, without stir or gain∣saying: which saying bewraieth too much their want of y^• true feare & loue of God. For, if we shall daily heare but our friend Page  [unnumbered] euill spoken of, and bee still and silent •hereat, what loue or friendship appea∣reth in vs? How much more ought we to bee zealously affected, when the glorie of our GOD, and the office of Christe Iesus our Lord, shal be shadowed and im∣paired, wee sleeping securely without touch or motiō of true zeale or loue? And if we looke into the daily increase of this errour, we shall then behold our slouth & negligence. For in many shires of this our countrie, there are meetings & conuenti∣cles of this familie of loue, and into what number they are grown, my heart reweth to speake that which one of the same so∣cietie did auouch to me for trueth. Ther∣fore it is time to withstand their impious opinions, and euerie one according to his charge and office in the Church of Christ to purge and cleanse the same, from the dregges and blasphemies of H. N. and his familie. And although many errours & much false doctrine is taught in the fami∣ly, more then is here expressed, (which to touch al would require a longer discoue∣rie and a more learned author,) yet I haue set down (for a tast or shew) some of their doctrine, that the children of God may Page  [unnumbered] be armed afore hande, and take heede of such impious blasphemies as. H. N. teach∣eth. Many Bokes are abrode, which I haue not seene, and many I haue seene, which I could not haue the vse off to reade. For except one will be pliant to their doctrine and shew good will thereto, he shal hard∣ly get any of their bookes, no, nor they will not conferre, nor talke of any points of their doctrine with any, except it be to such as they finde inclined, and (as they tearme it) willingly minded thereto.

And here I protest, that what my pen shall vtter, either touching the person of H. N. or his doctrine, I malice him not, nor his familie, I rather pittie thē & their case, y^t so many simple people are by his doc∣trine seduced and deceiued: neither will I auouch any thing which I haue not suffi∣ent warrant to proue. As touching his person and behauiour, I haue the testimo∣nie of diuers ancient persons, & of good credite of the Dutch church, who haue bene acquainted with y^• same H. N. and haue dwelt together in one citie, and in one streete, being neere neighbours & fa∣miliar friendes, who haue declared and testified the certeintie of his behauiour, & Page  [unnumbered] demeanour. And touching his doctrine, I haue vsed this order, to set downe the au∣thours owne speech, not adding or dimi∣nishing any thing, with the name of the Book, Chapter, or follio. And whereas I haue directed much speech vnto the Fa∣milie, the cause is this. I haue ben familiar with some of them of long time, & haue had large discourses and conference with many of thē: therfore if my simple speech, vttred by pen, may do any of them good, I haue that I desire. And this hath bene an other cause, why more willingly I con∣descended vnto my friendes request. And because H. N. and his family haue protes∣ted, that the trueth hath no where beene taught in the worlde since the Apostles time, but now by the family: how vaine this their assertion is, in it self appeareth. For if truth hath ben hid and buried this 1500. yeares, where is become Christes promise, that he would be euer with his to the end * of y^• world▪ to what purpose* haue so many notable men suffered Mar∣tyrdome, both in the primatiue Church vnder heathē Emperors, & daily do suffer vnder the persecuting and cruell Papists? If these haue not suffered for the trueth, Page  [unnumbered] where shall wee seeke for trueth? at th• handes of H. N? whose doctrine so farre disagreeth from truth, as light from dark∣nesse? This is a true saying, Truth loueth no corners, if the doctrine of H. N. be a truth, why is it taught in corners? Why dare none s•ep forth to mainteine the doctrine of H. N. being euery wher spokē against? why dare none of y^• Illu•in•t Elders (whi∣che can not erre nor sinne) come before the simple ones in Christes schoole, and proue their authours doctrine good by the holy Scripture? Their answere is, that feare of death doth cause them to bee si∣lent. Did Christe or his Apostles so? If we perteine vnto Christe Iesus, wee must* * be like vnto him in suffering, that wee may reigne with him, (beeing called to witnesse the trueth.) And this is a thing also to be wondred at amongest the Fa∣milie, that if conference be vrged at their hands, they denie it vtterly: if disputation be offered, they flee from it egerly: the reason is, their doctrine dareth not a∣bide the light, nor the triall of the touch∣stone. If there were nothing else to proue their doctrine false, this were sufficient. I coulde declare of discentions that are Page  [unnumbered] amongst thē, & how many of their great Rabbines, or Illuminate Elders, haue beene plaine Arrians, & haue recanted at Paules Crosse: Also how often they haue altered their opinions, as well touching commu∣nitie of thinges, as diuers other points. But because they will lay to my charge, that I seeke onely to make them odious to the world, I ceasse to speake any further, by∣cause I rest, hoping in their conuersion, which I beseech the Lorde our God to graunt for his Christes sake. There is one other thing which (as they affirm) moueth them to be silent▪ because there is no pub∣lique Magistrate that will mainteine their doctrine: therefore they are constrayned to be still. If this be a cause sufficient, let the reader iudge. Shall a trueth be hidden, because no Magistrate will giue it main∣tenance? Certainely if the Apostles had ceassed to preach Christe, vntill they had warrant from the Magistrate, I thinke ma∣ny nations had bene yet vnconuerted. But I will not let to put them in memorie where they had maintenance of a Magis∣trate. Euen in Munster a citie of Westphalia where Iohn Leyden, and Knipper Dolling shewed the fruites and effectes of their Page  [unnumbered] doctrine. Nothing they taught nor pub∣lished, but that which they affirmed to re∣ceiue from God by reuelatiō. What mur∣ders▪ what abhominations they exercised during their reigne and gouernment, Iohn Sleydan, (a man liuing at that time, and of good credit) hath manifestly published & declared. And these men were Hollanders, and schollers of Dauid George, whose dis∣ciple your authour H. N. was at that time, although now he publish his doctrine in his owne name, and saith y^• he hath recey∣ued the same not by mans ministerie, but at y^• mouth of God, whose sound & voice he saith he hath heard. The Scriptures do teach vs to flie from such men as boast of such vanities, that they are taught by re∣uelation. For * Paul, when he was conuer∣ted,* was sent by Christ to An•ni•s to be instructed, * Cornelius was sēt to Peter. Al∣mightie God to teach his children, vseth always the office & ministery of man. The Israelits had their Prophets, men instruc∣ted by God, I grant: but they had their testimonie of their calling ioyned with their office, as a sea•, & badge, which was, a bold publicatiō of their message without feare, because it was a truth, and there was Page  [unnumbered] ioyned commonly therewith the wor∣king of myracles: whiche seales your au∣thour wanteth. For neither H. N. nor a∣ny that followe that doctrine, dare bold∣ly speake what they beleeue, * nor ren∣der* a reason of their faith and hope, as the apostle Peter hath written: although H. N. calleth himselfe a Prophet, and hath intituled a booke, called The Prophe∣fie of the spirite of loue: in which booke his manifest follie is openly declared, as by reading this small treatise thou shalt find. The Lord God for his Christes sake open their eies, and mollifie their hard and sto∣nie hearts, that they may beholde the sut∣tleties conteined in the doctrine of the fa∣mily, and imbrace the ioyfull promises which Christ our Lorde hath set forth to vs in his Gospel, and that his Gospel, & y^• his Church may be free from such depra∣uers of Christ Iesus his death and passion: so shall we his children reioyce ouer their conuersion, and magnifie the name of the Lord our God, to whom be praise and dominion now and euer.