[The displaying of an horrible secte of grosse and wicked heretiques, naming themselues the family of loue with the liues of their authours and what doctrine they teach in corners. Newly set foorth by I.R. Whereunto is added certeine letters sent from the same family mainteyning their opinions, which letters are aunswered by the same J.R.]

Stephan Bateman to the gentle Reader.

CHristian Reader, consider I pray thee, howe from the be∣ginning, there hath euer bene such discordaunce founde, as hath bred great dissention a∣mong the creatures of the worlde: for by the wicked, the death of the godly hath euer bene hastened. And I gather it to be for this cause onely, that the absence of suche godly mighte seeme to the froward a peaceable being, when (not rebuked for their wicked and vngodly liuing) they might (as it seemed vnto them) liue secure, to doe what in their eyes and mindes seemed best. This subtile engine had Sathan in the beginning, when hee stirred Caine to s••ay his brother Abell. And why?* 1.1 because his brothers sacrifice was good, and his euill. &c. Likewise, as from a corrupt tree, there hath sprong foorth suche sappe, by* 1.2 the instigation of Sathan, in the members of the vngodly: as ambition, hypocrisie, false religion, and suche like: that to haue a place of gouernement according to their natures, they haue driuen the Churche of Christe by* 1.3 many extremities, into out Isles of the world: and when by Gods mightie assistaunce they

haue for a time inioyed quietnesse, yet such••* 1.4 hath bene the malic•• of the ol•• ser••••••t and his members, to beginne againe with ••ew de∣uised torments, to disqviet the peaceable ser∣uice of Christes Church, which notwithstan∣ding, in spite of that furie, hath euer h••d stay in one place or other. And for the yet hoped time, after many attempts they mig••t get the victorie, the diuell, to the intent that b•• do∣mesticall discorde, the church of Christ might be throughly shaken, as a l••ing spirit, begate er∣rour, errour begate heresie, & ho•• euen vnder the visard of hypocrisie, to feigne the pure reli∣gion by outward resemblance, and so in time to bring in his ma••e Idolatrie: that then betwixt thē both, they might in short space hatch super∣stition,* 1.5 practising the Church, insteade of the creator to worship not onely the creatures but also idol•• made by themselues, which as soone as euer the true Churche espied, beganne to separate themselues from that s••lthie broode: then came discorde, and with him diuision, which diuision increased a worse heresie then before, so that the sonnes of the Diuell gate* 1.6 names▪ as Phariseis. Saduceis. Esseis, Basili∣des, Cerdonistes, Valentianistes, Marci∣onistes, Appelles, Montanus, Sabellius, Manes, Arius, Donatus, Macedonius, Eu∣nomius,

Pelagius, Eutiches, which ingē∣dered the Pope and Papistes, when ••esus Christ his Church was banish••••, by the tyran∣nie* 1.7 of the great murders, from Nero, to Do∣mitianus and other, through persecution. Af∣ter which time yet to vexe the Church a new, came in Menandrians, Cherinthus, Ebio∣nites, Nicholaites, Saturninus, Ta••••anus, Messaliani, N••sco••ians. Anabaptistes, Li∣bertines: a••d diuers others, whose nature not vnlike to Turdus Syluestris, by whose ••y∣ling* 1.8 on the Ok•• or fruite trees, the Mis••le groweth: so of the doung of these silthie s••••••es haue proceeded a n••w•• Mergus, a cormorant foule, the familie of loue, an hereticall sect, that hath to bring forth a new puritie in reli∣gion, supped vp the moste part of former er∣rours, which except it pl••ase the Almightie God in the mercies of his Christe our Lorde and Sauiour, the sufferance thereof will giue occasion to a newe persecution. It beh••ueth therefore all reuere••d Elders, Bishoppes, and Preachers, to seeke at the handes of our soue∣reigne, authoritie to redresse the same, or else will assuredly followe the like pl••gue on vs, as was at Munster in Germanie, by Dauid George, Iohn a Leede, K••ipper Dolling, and others, the seede whereof is. H. N.

Henrie Nicholas, nowe of Colone. His dis∣ciple here in England Christopher Vittel lot∣ner, and many moe, whom God turn from this and al other errours if it be his wil, or else ha∣sten their ouerthrowe from poysoning the sim∣ple, as yet to be accounted traitours to God, hi∣pocrites to the Prince, and false Prophetes in seducing the people. Thus gentle Reader, I haue presumed to enter into this authours booke these fewe wordes, to none other ende, then to incourage thee to accept his paines, that seeketh by his studie and laborious toile thine ease, in bringing to lighte that whiche might else haue longer bene hid, to the great hurt of this common wealth. And now be∣ing brought to light giue God the praise: to whom he honour and glorie for euer. Amen.

Stephan Bateman, professour of diuinitie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gene. 4. 6. 7. 8. 9 19.
• * 1.2

  Exod. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14 1••. 20. 32.
• * 1.3

  Num. ••2. Iosu. 1 ••. 6 7. 10.
• * 1.4

  Iudith. 1▪ 5 7. 1••. 1. Reg. 4. 5. 17. 31. 3. Reg. 18. 22. 4. Reg. 1. 2. 17. Psal 1.
• * 1.5

  Rom. 1. Ezech. 37. Dani. 5 3.
• * 1.6

  D. Cooper Cron.
• * 1.7

  Image of both chur ches. ••usebius.
• * 1.8

  Gesuerus. The dung of t••e••••d ing••d••e••h the mistle. Mat••••••lus Ra••tholo∣mens. Or∣tu•• ••anita∣tis.