heretique and deforme and dissigure the dwelling place the fellowship and communion of such heretiques is to be abandoned and such a Synagogue to be auoided We must shake off the dust from our feete lest the drought of our barren vnfaithfulnesse prepare and make the way sandy and hard to the true progresse and passage of our mindes and vnderstandings So if there be any Church as he saith afterward that renounceth the true faith and doth not keepe and obserue the foundation and ground of the Apostles preaching it is to be left and forsaken that it beget not the corruption of vntruth Seeing then I haue found Christ onely and his doctrine dwelling in the reformed Church and haue seene that erronious teachers do deforme disgrace the habitation of the Church of Rome I haue deseruedly left the one that I may cleaue to embrace the other that according to the commandement of the Apostle saying Do not company together with idolaters And againe Haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse but euen reproue the rather And what more vnfruitfull worke is there then to embrace false doctrine and heresie In another place We command you brethren in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that ye withdraw your selues from euery brother that walketh inordinately and not after the instruction which he receiued from vs. And to Titus Reiect him that is an heretique after once or twice admonition And the Apostle moreouer saith thus If any preach the Gospell vnto you otherwise then you haue heard and receiued it let him be accursed And a little before that Although any yea an Angell from heauen should teach you any other doctrine then that we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed But I will no longer stay vpon those places of the Prophets wherein the people is oftentimes exhorted to leaue and go out of Babylon which I know the Church of Rome both imitates and followes Let it not be obiected vnto me by any aduersary that I haue denyed my baptisme by which I am consecrated to almighty God for I onely renonunce the vaine ceremonies vsed therein by the Bishops without authority of holy Scriptures The vertue whereof I know to depend on God not in man that administers the same vnto me Seeing thē it is the part of a louing mother not onely to bring vp her children in the obedience and feare of God but to instruct them also and nurse them vp with the food of his heauenly word and so vnite them to Christ as I haue bene consecrated to God by baptisme in the Church of Rome so in the same I haue bene seduced from Christ by humane inuentions I haue therefore worthily and of right made choice of that Church in which the true baptisme is sincerely administred and the sound doctrine thereof is faithfully deliuered to such as are baptised through the whole course of their liues Besides I perswade my selfe and that truely that I am more deepely bound to God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost being three Persons yet onely God then the Church of Rome which hath forsaken and rebelled against that faith which the Apostles in times past so highly commended in her and against whom that imputation of reproach may worthily be had which was once laid vpon the Church of the Iewes in these words And their sonnes whom they beare vnto me they haue offered to Idols to be deuoured And againe in the same Prophet They haue played the whores and bloud is in their handes and with their idols haue they committed adultery And what is it else to commēd the inuocation of soules the adoration of images the obseruation of Purgatory and of Pardons They glorie of the workes of Supererogation the rules and examples of men that are sinners as Francis Dominicke Bruno Celestine Ignatius Loyola and others and especially to thurst yong men and women against their wils into a monastery What is this else as I say but to be consecrated to idols and to superstitious worshipping and in the end to the deuill himselfe and damnation And because as it is well knowne vnto me the Papists thinke we walke not after the right decrees and determinations of the true Church neither beleeue those things which are to be beleeued I will therefore seeing as God hath commanded I am separated and come from among them relate those things which we faithfully hold and imbrace For as Paul saith I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth Before all things we beleeue in God the Father Almighty maker of heauen and earth and in his Word begotten of the Father and in the holy Ghost proceeding from them both to whom their due and distinct properties are to be attributed in which according to Essence we neither separate the Sonne nor the holy Ghost from the Father nor contrary to the opinion of the Manicheys diuide the Father from the Sonne or from the holy Ghost but we beleeue that they haue one vnity of Essence and Trinitie of Persons without any confusion Which vnitie and trinitie as Hilary Ambrose and many others teach cannot perfectly be comprehended by naturall reason but is apprehēded by faith as many other hiddē mysteries of God of which S. Paul speaketh Oh the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God How vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out All honor be giuen to the blessed Trinity being one God and to whom is equall glory in three Persons contrary to the opinion of Arrius that blasphemously takes away the equality of Persons holding the Sonne to be inferior and the holy Ghost to be seruant to God the Father Of Christ the Sonne VVE beleeue in Iesus Christ his onely begotten Sonne the Redeemer and Mediator of mankind through whom in the holy Ghost he created all things in the beginning not that he redeemed mankind without the Father which sent his Sonne to be the Redeemer of the world or without the holy Ghost by whom man is conceiued and annointed but because the only person of the Sonne tooke vpon him humane nature and by his death and passion payd the price of our redemption and is but one person contrary to the opinion of Nestorius that maintained two We beleeue also that Christ was borne of the virgine Mary according to humane nature it selfe by the inspiration of the holy Ghost and we beleeue with the Catholicke Church that she was a virgin before the birth in the birth and after the birth against Heluidius whom S. Hierome vtterly disallowes so doth S. Ambrose S. Augustine and S. Thomas We beleeue also that Christ our Lord suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried and descended into hell and the third day rose againe not by anothers meanes as Lazarus and others but by his
God Yet I was not destitute of the Spirit of Prayer for in my greatest troubles and aflictions lifting vp mine eyes vnto Heauen I often times sayd Hath the Lord cast me off for euer Is his louing kindnesse withdrawne for euermore Hath the most mercifull God forgotten to be pittifull hath he by reason of his anger shut vp his compassion And often times sighing and speaking vnto my soule I said Oh my soule Why art thou abashed why doest thou tremble within me Repose thy trust in God and hope in him he shall yet be praysed and magnified in thee when with a benigne countenance onely he easeth thy torment The Father of mercie the God of all consolation did not reiect my prayer he receiued my request and heard me in Heauen He brake my bandes and of a Captiue set me free and at libertie He dealt not with me as I deserued nor rewarded me according to my iniquities For that as farre as the Heauens are distant from the Earth so much hath his mercie been aboundant vnto me With the same affection that a Father is mooued towardes his Child with the same hath the Lord been mooued towardes me Let my Soule blesse him and all the partes and members of my body prayse his holy name He hath saued me out of the Pitte and withdrawne my life from death Hee hath pardoned all my Iniquities and healed my Infâ—â—â—â—ties The Lord doth right and iustice vnto all those 〈…〉 iniuries and persecutions I will not therefore doe 〈…〉 who sayling in the middle of the Seas and after a thâ—â—sand dangers safely arriueth at his desired Hauen without considering or marking the hand of the Pilote that stirred the Shippe I will diligently acknowledge in this my deliueraunce the hand of God the prouidence of the Lord and THE Repentaunce of IOHN HAREN and his Conuersion from the Church of Rome to the true Church of God openly published and made by him in the French Church remayning in Wezell in the presence of the wise and discreete Senat of the same place the 7. day of March Anno. 1610. MY Lordes and louing Breathren in the Lord at my comming out of my sorrowfull Prison wherein I haue been violently holden for the space of eight yeares vpwardes for suckering your Churches passing by this towne of Wezell to goe 〈…〉 friendes I haue imboldned my selfe to salute you and to giue you to vnderstand many thinges which concerne the honour and glory of God the edification of his Church and the saluation of my soule Truely if it were not for the assurance that I haue of your pietie towards God and Christian charitie towards your Neighbours I durst not haue been so bold as I am at this present to certifie you of the miserable estate whereinto my sinnes haue brought mee but assuring my selfe that you will be imitators of the Mercie of God and of the Grace of his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ who desireth not the death of a Sinner but that he should conuert and be saued it maketh me doe that vnto you which the diseased person doth vnto the Phisition which is to discouer the Griefes of my heart and the Wounds of my soule Beloued breathren in mee you see and behold the paterne and spectacle of the iust Iudgement of God vpon man who hauing acknowledged Iesus Christ for my Sauiour trode his Word vnder my feete and made no account of his holy Ordinaunces and therefore God as a iust Iudge set me vpon the scaffold of his Wrath and Indignation because I would seeme to be Wise in my selfe forgetting the indignitie and miserie of my estate I haue grieued the holy Ghost which had registred mee in the Cathalogue of the blessed certainely I had been most happie if at the issuing foorth of my Mothers Wombe I had been buried without euer seeing the light of this World seeing that by my sinnes I haue subiected my vncertaine dayes vnto so many outrages and griefes For is there any man that hath receiued more benefites at the holy and liberall handes of God our Father then I Who from my youth vpwardes was brought vp and nourished in the most excellent Schooles that are in Christendome hauing had a Father that spared no thing to bring me vp in Learning Vertue and Pietie and that shewed me an example of Constancie and Fidelitie hauing suffered death for professing the name of the Lord. But as if God had done me wrong to continue his graces and great mercies vnto me I became the most filthy beastly Apostate that euer was in the World I say the most filthy for consider I pray you the Apostacies which were in times past in the auncient Church specially during the tenne great Persecutions from Nero to Constantine the great and the eleuenth which was vnder Iuhan that wicked Apostate which caused so many Reuoltes in the Church and when so many great persons made shipwracke of the Fayth Consider also the Apostacies that haue been committed in our dayes and you shall see if you can sinde the like to mine That a Seruant of God nourished and brought vp at the feete of true Doctors the Sonne of a Martire one that preached the Ghospell 17. or 18. yeares and that with edification in the time of Persecution when the Swordes of Tirantes made all publike places in the Netherlandes redde with humaine blood I reputed my selfe not onely happy to beleeue and anounce Iesus Christ but with the losse of my goodes to indure all sortes of oprobyes and slaunders for his name in and by whom I beleeued and spake And yet neuerthelesse afterward with so great scandale hauing made my selfe a Disciple of Antechrist Who would not be abashed and abhorre such an offence And therefore it is that I openly cry out and confesse that my Sinne is not like vnto other mens sinnes for if any man sinneth by ignoraunce or infirmitie hee shall finde a Mediatour which will pray for him and it shall be pardoned but who shall be my Mediatour I haue offended God and all his Seruantes I haue scandalized his people and haue made my selfe vnworthy of the commiseration of honest men Therefore the dolors of death eternall haue compassed me about and the tempestes of my iniquitie haue abashed me for the Arrowes of Almightie God haue wounded my soule in such maner that no part of my Flesh nor any of my Vaines are whole so much my mischiefe increaseth my Heart panteth and beateth in my breast with griefe my Bones are weakened by reason of the great distresse which I indure by meanes of my wicked action Behold how those that abandonate them-selues vnto Vanities are forsaken of God and of their owne grauitie It is a horrible thing to fall into the handes of the liuing God and to abiure his Trueth once knowne What shall I doe shall I despaire Must I at my departure out of this life attend and expect the reward of Cain and ludas and say with those miserable Apostates
My Sinnes are greater then the Mercie of God No I will not despaire for I know the eternall God is good that his Mercie surmounteth all the Heauens that he desireth not the death of a Sinner but rather that he should repent and be saued and that incessantly he pardoneth and forgiueth his elect He pittieth true repentant sinners be they neuer so miserable and great offenders and where Sinne aboundeth his Grace super-aboundeth I haue met with my Mediatour the Sonne of God my soueraine Sacrificator who can and will haue compassion of my infirmities but more then that his voyce and his example sommon induce yea and lead me to approch neere vnto him Come vnto mee sayth hee all you that are heauie laden and wearie and I will refresh you And againe Come now saith the Eternall if your Sinnes were as redde as Scarlet I will make them as white as Snow and if they were as redde as Vermilion I will make them white like Wooll When a man of credite speaketh wee beleeue him how much more then ought we to beleeue the mouth of him that can not lie It is hee that sanctifieth my afflictions to the ende that they should not bee the entry vnto eternall paine I haue likewise set before mine eyes an infinite number of examples of his pietie towardes Sinners The poore Publican casting downe his eyes to the ground crauing mercie of Iesus Christ returned home iustified The sinfull woman washed our Sauiours feete with her teares and hauing wipt them with her haire obtayned pardon of her finnes The poore Theefe being hanged vpon the Crosse desiring to be saued and calling vpon Iesus Christ assended from the Crosse into Paradise S. Peter hauing three times denied his good Maister after he had bewayled his sinnes with humilitie and repentance lost not the grace of an Apostle but was reestablished in his estate and vocation I call to minde great and inorare sinnes cruelties and wicked Apostasies committed against God and his Prophets by King Manasses who neuer the lesse being Prisoner in Babilon and finding his Conscience to be much pressed with the feeling of his wickednes after he had confessed his faultes vnto God he was receiued into mercie Jonas flying away frō the face of God from his presence in Tarsis because he would not follow his vocation was cast into the Sea and after being miraculously deliuered out of the Whales belly went to Ninine to declare his Commission All these examples haue made me know that God is exceeding good to those that seeke him who pardoneth all our infirmities hee is so good that hee will neuer reward vs according to our sinnes for he is prompt to Mercie and slow to Anger and hee is the perfection of all goodnesse Vp then my soule and prayse God and thou Sathan my aduersarie present no more vnto mee the inormitie of my apostacie thinking to astonish my conscience for the mercifull God of my continuall complaintes hath heard my voyce he hath receaued my request and hath graunted me more then I asked him All my enemies shall be ashamed and confounded neither could Sathan be both my Iudge and my Accuser for it was God whom I had offended who onely is my Iudge If therefore he is my Iudge who dares take vpon him to condeme me If he be with me who can be against me and if my Iudge will be my Aduocate and my Intercessor why should I feare the power and force of the Diuell Tirants although they sought to assayle me And therefore being in this sortresolued I determine to doe two thinges The one following the example of the Prodigall Childe to returne to my Countrie and my Fathers house againe I know he is mercifull and that although by my sinnes I haue lost his fauour yet he will neuer leaue nor loose his bountie I will willingly forsake the company and fellowship of those filthy Beastes with whom I haue so long time conuersed which is the Kingdome of the Romane Antechrist the Sonne of perdition that lifteth and opposeth himselfe against the Kingdome of the sonne of God and that vnder a false title of Pietie at this day tiraniseth ouer all the world desiring to satisfie his couetous humour with crueltie and ambition I will willingly abandon that sorrowfull habitation so odious and infamous and will put on the Roabe of Humilitie to present my Father with a true and sinceere contrition and confession of my faultes and offences My contrition shall be a disliking and detestation of my sinnes committed a trouble of Conscience apprehending and feeling in my Soule the wrath and anger of God which I haue incurred and deserued by my offences which would cause me to despaire if I were not strengthned an other way which is by a true and liuely faith in the mercie of God by the which after I haue truly duely confessed my sinnes I depose my selfe by faith to mount vp vnto the throane of grace to obtaine one drop of the Blood of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Secondly I haue sayd within my selfe I will seeke the face of God But where shall I find it but there where his Word is faythfully preached and the Sacramentes truely administred This Church so well marked was once my Mother she conceaued and brought me foorth to Christ my Sauiour she had giuen me many faire great prerogatiues for she had committed vnto me the keeping of her Spouses Flocke but I was one of those foolish Shepheardes of whom the Prophet Ezecheel in his 13. Chapter of his Reuelations speaketh which follow their owne fantasies and haue no care to execute their Offices and Vocations and therefore God the iust Iudge was angrie with me he dispoyled me of his fauours which were the singuler giftes graces wherwith he had indowed me in my youth and hath made me eate with Beastes as he did the Prodigall Child Yet I can not forget the loue which once she bore me and therefore I haue aproched vnto her againe hoping that she will be a follower of the bountie of God to wardes me asking two things of her The one that she will vouchsafe to pray vnto God for me for as issue of all enterprises dependeth vpon the fauour of God without the which we can doe nothing it is reason and very fitte to begin so holy a worke with the inuocation of his holy name The other that in this great perturbation of Spirit whereunto my intemperaunce hath brought me she will vouchsafe to giue me counsell and aduise for that from hence-foorth I will no more be wise in mine owne conceite but onely in God in whom consisteth the spring of Life and Wisedome I was then in an obscure and blacke Prison wherein Antechrist of Rome had caused me to be cast without any hope euer to come out againe My Accusations were That beeing Seruant to the Dutchesse of Cleaue I had been a Fauteur Mediator for the
the Father in whom such treasures are hidden But these thinges are repugned by the Papistes who say that such certaintie of assurance cannot be without arrogancie presumption But as we must not presume of any thing to be in our selues yet we must presume of all thinges in God for in trueth we are not for any other cause bereaued of all vaine glorie but onely to the end that we should be glorified in him On the other side behold and see with what affection those miserable and ignorant persons I speake specially of Ecclesiasticall persons are mooued and ledde they easily permit both them selues and others to be ignorant negligent and carelesse of the true Religion which is taught vs by the holy Scriptures and which ought to be resolutely and firmely held among all men and thinke that it is no great matter what Fayth euery man holdeth nor whether he holdeth with God or Christ so that with an inueloped or imposed Fayth as they tearme it they submit their censures to the iudgement of the Church and care not though the glory of God be poluted by euident Blasphemies so that no man speaketh a word against the authoritie of our Mother the holy Church that is according to their meaning the Sea of Rome And therefore they fight and contend with such rigour and boldnesse for the Masse Purgatorie Pilgrimage and such trifles in such maner that they denie that true pietie can be obserued if all those thinges be not beleeued and holden for infallible rules of our saluation although they prooue nothing by the word of God Wherefore I pray you but onely because their Belly is their God the Kitchin their Religion and the World their Paradise which being taken away they are not onely perswaded that they can be Christians but which is more no men and although some of them liue delicately and in great aboundance and others liue barely and votarely in pouertie gnawing of Crustes neuerthelesse they liue all by one Pot which without such aydes would not onely waxe cold but wholly be frozen vp And therefore he which among them hath most care of his Belly is the most zealous in their Fayth To conclude they haue all one selfe-same purpose and intent either to maintaine their Kingdome or their Bellies and there is none of thē that sheweth the least apearance in the world of true zeale and yet they cease not to Slaunder and with Fire Sword Water and all other mischiefes to pursue and persecute the doctrine of Trueth either to make it odious or suspected But if we were permitted to speake as boldly and as well as they I am perfwaded that their hotnesse wherewith they boyle so terribly against vs would be somewhat cooled for to say trueth that which the blind world at this day honoureth in those idle Bellies is onely a faigned vizard of Hipocrifie which vnder the shadow of the Church would hide their couetousnesse to beare rule seeking for the Church of God in the beautifulnesse of Houses and other exteriour ornamentes thinking that the vnion of the Faythfull consisteth and is contayned in those exteriour thinges which are transitorie and corruptible and not rather in righteousnesse and trueth Wherefore according to the word of God we hold the Sea of Rome to be the Seate of Antechrist which eleuateth and opposeth it selfe against that of the Sonne of God which vnder a false title of Religion at this day tiranniseth ouer all the world liuely representing that Seate of Impietie whereof the Prophet Daniel and the Apostle S. Paul haue spoken whereof we say the Pope is the Captaine which hath prophaned the Holy Temple of God by horrible abhominations in such sort that therein there rather appeareth an Image of Babilon then any shew of the holy Citie of God But some men will obiect and aske mee Did not you before your reuolt know these great impieties and mischiefes viz. that all the Romane sect is but a King dome of Vntruethes where the name of the eternall God is villanously prophaned and the Lordes honour impudently giuen vnto Idoles I answere that I knew it hauing a hundred and a hundred times published and preached it vnto the World but in trueth I confesse that I neuer did so pertinently vnderstand nor marke so well the horrible Sacrileges of Antechrist as I did while I conuersed familiarly with them in Rome where euery man attendeth his owne profite and pleasures and not the seruice of Iesus Christ We must not then feare that by leauing the Church of Rome we diuorce our selues from the Church of God for the communion of the Church was not ordained to that end that it should be a place for to draw vs to idolatry impietie ignorance of the true God and other wickednes but rather to retaine vs in the feare of God and in the obedience of the truth We do truly withdraw our selues from Poperie and not from the Church we shun and flie from idols but not from the true Church we will withdraw our selues from the tyrannie of the Pope and not from the true Christian common wealth from the plague and not from life ready to reunite our selues with them when Antichrist and the mischiefe which he hath brought into it shall be driuen away In the meane time the house of God shall be my habitation the Lord my portion and his Sonne my Pastor he will cause me to rest in his parkes of assurance he will restore my afflicted soule and will preserue me if it pleaseth him from the bloudy hands of those that seeke my vtter ruine and ouerthrow All you that haue done as I haue done and haue suffered your selues to runne headlong into mischiefe and which as yet liue in the kingdome of Antichrist with a contaminated and defiled conscience and vnquietnesse of spirit for I thinke and beleeue certainly that it is impossible for a man that hath knowne the impieties of Papistrie where the bloud of Christ is bought and sold where his onely propitiatorie sacrifice offered for our sinnes is esteemed to be insufficient to deface them where the merits of men are equalized with the merits of Iesus Christ I beleeue that his soule is alwayes in paine and that if he stayeth long there in the end he will feele an executioner in his conscience which will neuer suffer him to liue in peace night nor day I beseech you most humbly in the name and fauour of Iesus Christ to abandon and leaue the synagogue of Sathan and to reunite and ioyne your selues to this Church of God vnited and conioyned in faith with the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles in the word of God which is faithfully preached and the Sacraments duly and purely administred It is into his lap that I yeeld my selfe it is vnto the guard of his pietie that I haue recourse beseeching him with all humilitie to receiue and admit me into the communion of his children hauing determined to liue with them by the power of my
Sometimes also poyson as they say is put into that Sacrament that so men may be bereaft of their liues as it is read of the Emperour Henry the 7 and of Pope Victor the third whereof the first losse his life by the Sacrament of bread poysoned by his Consessour the last by wine transsubstantiate Therefore we must conclude that the body of Christ is not there or otherwise the body of Christ to be the instrument of sin and the meanes of euill which is blasphemy This corporall absence Christ hath manifestly shewne saying The poore you shall haue alwaies with you Me you shall not haue alwaies Christ also speaketh of the absence of his humanity for his Diuinity fils both heauen and earth in which humanity he shall not come vnto vs till the day of iudgement Moreouer the Papists affirme that the matter of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper ought to be determinate They are also possessed with many mad imaginations saying this is a true Proposition Out of bread becomes the body of Christ And this also is false Of bread becomes or is made the body of Christ These are words of exceeding folly and dotage and are differing and repugnant to themselues although Thomas expound them supernaturally In conuersions also that which is conuerted is corrupted and that into which the conuersion is had is begotten and ingendred Thus after their opinion we must say that Christ is so begotten and ingendred which is an heresie The Diuell getteth much and enlargeth his power and number by the idolatry of the Church of Rome which he still perswades them to maintaine and so they will vntill it shall please God of his infinite goodnesse and mercy to open their eyes and make their vnderstanding perfect that they may truly see and reade the booke of God for they yet liue in error and darknesse But if they would looke vpon and heare the booke which Hilkiah the high Priest found in the house of the Lord they would do as that godly king Iosiah did in the 18. yeare of his Monarchy who as soone as Shaphan the Chancellor had shewed it and read it to the king and that he had heard the words of the booke of the Law he was so moued therewith that he rent his clothes and wept before God and crauing pardon at Gods hands humbled himselfe destroyed the idols and walked according to the will and word of the Lord. I was also much troubled in minde about the power of the Pope when he doth those things which almighty God neither doth or can do For although God be omnipotent and nothing is vnpossible with him he yet worketh no sinne or euill neither is there any guile found in his mouth neither can he do that which is wrapt or encombred with controuersies and contradictions But the Pope takes vpon him to do this for if any come vnto him and desire the reliques of some Saint as of Hermolaus or any other he will answer that he hath none because his bones are dispersed But he takes the bones perhaps of some reprobate and wicked person and blesseth them and baptised in the name of Hermolaus he deliuereth them to him that makes suite for the same and then the bones of him are worshipped whose soule in hell is cruciated And thus it begets scandall and contradiction that the bones of any wicked or idle persons are the bones of some Saints or others at his pleasure I obserued the power couetousnesse and tyranny of the same Pope I beheld his exceeding pompe and pride and with these things and many more of this nature my minde was much tormented For seeing Christ is the fulnesse of all grace in that he endues the Church with spirituall grace and vnderstanding we ordaine him to be the head thereof with S. Paul saying He hath made all things subject vnder his feete and hath appointed him ouer all things to be the head of the Church And seeing both Men and Angels are ordained to enioy Gods glory euen as of men so also of the Angels he may rightly be called the head For the mysticall body of the Church doth not onely consist of men but of Angels But of all this multitude and number Christ is the head for that his seat is neere vnto God and doth partake of his gifts not onely more absolutely then men but more perfectly also then the very Angels so that from his influence both men and Angels receiue their benefits As Saint Paul witnesseth saying He hath set him at his right hand in the heauenly places farre aboue all principality and power and might and domination and euery name that is named not in this world onely but also in that that is to come and hath put all things vnder his feete And so S. Matthew saith Behold the Angels came and ministred vnto him And albeit the Angels themselues lacke faith Quia non per fidem sed per speciem ambulant and the Church is the congregation of the faithfull neuerthelesse Christ is their head There fore besides that diuine wisedome which Christ had from the beginning he had also a humane knowledge notwithstanding the position ofsuch as deny that there be two sorts of wisdomes in Christ which in the sixth Synode is held a thing damnable for as S. Ambrose saith God did assume the perfection of humane nature in the flesh tooke vppon him the sence of man but not the pride of carnall sensualitie But to the sence of man appertaineth an humane knowledge created Therefore in Christ is giuen that experimentall knowledge of which S. Luke speaketh So did loel prophetically see him taught saying to the people Reioyce in the Lord your God for he hath giuen you the raine of righteousnesse c. And the spouse saith I will leade thee and bring thee into my mothers house and there thou shalt instruct me And Isaias I haue giuen him for a Prince and a maister vnto the people comprehending these two things namely that he was a Redeemer and a Maister for whereas he termes him a Prince he meanes him to be a Redeemer but calling him Maister he signifies him an instructer or teacher Christ therfore is endued with all these sciences by which mē were instructed by him as out of Mathew opening his mouth he taught his Disciples and out of Iohn Iesus ascended into the Temple and taught the people and as it is written in Luke They found him sitting in the Temple c. By two wayes then he taught the people that is by example and words For Iesus began to do and afterwards to teach the true and simple doctrine without any kind of commixtion Seeing therefore Christ came to teach mankind and to redeeme them with his most pretious blod my selfe being one among the rest to be redeemed and taught through his vniuerse and exceeding goodnesse was at the length called to the true
Bishop But the Primitiue Church euen according to the opinion of the Papists was the true Church Therefore the true Church ought to knowe or acknowledge no head but Christ nor any vniuersall Bishop It is also thus proued by authority Gregory Bishop of Rome wrote against Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople saying He that shall name himselfe the vniuersall Bishop may be called the forerunner of Antichrist And the Councell of Carthage forbiddeth the Bishop of Rome to be called the vniuersall Bishop as Gratianus witnesseth in these words But now no not the Bishop of Rome may be called vniuersall What should I speake of the Synode of Chalcedon whose arguments are so many and so euident against the Sea of Rome that the same must either needs fal from her high pride and dignity or the whole authority of her Councell be vtterly suppressed as here manifestly appeares in that the same Synode is held and celebrated onely by the Emperors command without either the presence or authoritie of the Bishop of Rome as in those times euen vnto the yeare of our Lord 900 as Cusanus witnesseth their Councels were not vsuall to be assembled but by the direction of Caesar And Pope Leo as Thomas affirmeth following the same custome submitted himselfe to the opinion and iudgement of the Emperour Christ the true Bishop as in this world he took vpon him no person of state so he appointed no dominion or Empire among his Apostles but with graue words pacified them muttering somewhat among themselues of principality so that he drew their thoughts and cogitations vnto another forme of life farre differing from the Princes of this world and openly affirmed that such as would be the first and greatest in the kingdome of heauen must humble themselues amongst men And whosoeuer will be great among you let him be your seruant Christ euer taught and exercised humility saying I haue left you an example euen as I do so also do you Christ had not where to lay his head and will not one Pallace suffice the Bishop of Rome Christ refused the condition of Regall dignity being offered and will not one Crowne content the Bishop of Rome Is it not enough that he possesseth Italy vnlesse with his triple Crowne he command the world Christ departed away into a mountaine himselfe alone that they should not make him a king declaring his kingdome not to be of this world And shall this glorious Vicar in the name of Christ with such honor and superfluity possesse his kingdome in this world Or shall he thinke men will continue so besotted and miscaried in this difference and vnlikelinesse of things as to be perswaded that he beares the place and office of Christ here vpon earth or rather not of Antichrist Boniface the third was the first that tooke vpon him the name of vniuersall Bishop about the yeare 600 which name was neither giuen him by Christ nor from heauen but by that tyrant and parricide Phocas the Emperour From that troublesome fountaine did arise the great floud of Papistrie and that proud name had first beginning And yet in those dayes the Popes did not as now they do presently ascend to the top and height of dignity but by degrees did steale into rule and dominion For Boniface the 8 after he had by cunning and sedition crept into the Papall place made Emperours and Kings to feare him going about to depose and raise vp to authoritie whom he pleased So he thought himselfe both King and Emperour in so much as when the Iubilee was first granted he shewed himselfe openly the first day to the people attired in his Pontificall vestments and the day following in his armor and coate of male and in the presence of all the people with a loude voyce he commanded himselfe to be proclaimed Caesar Which vanity Baldus Antoninus Arch-bishop of Florence Salo and many others doe maintaine by their false doctrine saying that Emperours and Kings are but the Popes substitutes and that the Bishops of Rome had both the power of spirituall and temporall gouernement They ground their false opiniō vpon the power of Christ which power they pretend to haue as his Vicars for Christ saith All power is giuen vnto me both in heauen and in earth and so by consequence both the swords for he is named King of Kings Lord of Lords and in diuers places of the Scripture is called King and Emperour Ezechiel giues him both names and the Magicians and Pilate call him King But I demand this of these Antichrists that if they imitate Christ in this why they do not follow him in humility For although Christ had the power of rule and command yet he in respect of his humility vsed them not but rather affirmed his kingdome not to be of this world But if the Pope do not imitate Christ he is not his Minister his Vicar nor successour As the lewes boasted before Christ that they were of the seed of Abraham so the Pope glories in the succession of Christ and of Peter But the same answere that Christ giues vnto the Iewes he giues also to the Pope as you may read in Iohn 8. Chap. the 37 verse to the very end of the same Chapter But the Pope saith they are called the Seruants of seruants and so named for their humility So that may suffice To this I answere that vnder a faire shew lye hid foule intēts He carries the name of humility but his deedes are cleane contrary Is he the seruant of seruants that holdeth his foote forth for Kings and Emperous to kisse and do reuerence to Is he the seruant of seruants that is carried vpon mens shoulders Is he the seruant of seruants that makes such daily boast of his kingdome and authority Is he the seruant of seruants that saith he hath authority from heauen and the fulnesse of power to make iustice of iniustice Is he the seruant of seruants that saith he is like vnto the Sun and the Emperour like the Moone No but he is rather to be called an Harpy crowned or a deuouring Hiena that vnder a faigned shew of humility worketh death and cruelty Sedition and controuersy oftentimes troubles the minds of such as aspire vnto that vaine dignity and contend for the Papall seat and authority and the place in which stands much scandall when schismes and deuisions arise in the Church in the very act of election Many times this fals out for proofe whereof reade Plato and Illescas in the History of the Bishops If then the election of this present Pope Clement the 8. be diligently examined it was in like manner very irregular the people did much murmure at it By reason whereof vnlesse I be deceiued the Diuines are very doubtfull concerning his election For at Vall-Solet a place where the king of Spaines Court is in the yeare of our Lord 1602. Theses Theologicae apparuerunt teaching Pope Clement the 8. not to be held
owne proper power and vertue because he was God which according to Diuinitie was cause of his resurrection as Iohn saith No man taketh it from me but I lay it downe of my selfe I haue power to lay it downe and haue power to take it againe We confesse also that he ascended into heauen sate at the right hand of his Almighty Father which ascension Christ made not according to his diuine nature which was neuer out of heauen but as he was man for so he entred into heauen and by his owne power ascended We confesse further that with great Maiestie and glory he shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead and to reward euery man according to his workes which are all matters of faith and to be beleeued and are taught in the reformed Church With true faith we imbrace the Apostolicke Creed the Creed of Nice and Athanasius And so to that Church whose confession I find to be agreeing and conformable to the holy Scriptures I wholly yeeld and subscribe vnto But lest any man should thinke that either for want and necessitie or for any horrible offence committed and so for feare of punishment I haue left and separated my selfe from the Church of Rome I will make short repetition of what hath befallen vnto me through the whole course of my life euen from my infancie not led by ostentation or vaine glory but that in remembring thē I may be the more drawne to giue humble and hearty thankes vnto almightie God who hath had such pity and compassion on me I was borne at Caesar Augusta which is the chiefest place of the kingdome of Arragon The day before the Calends of February at two of the clocke in the afternoone and in the yeare of our Lord 1567. of honorable parentage both by father and mother as is well knowne in my countrey and by Gods prouidence without any impediments or defects of nature I was baptized in the parish Church of Saint Giles and confirmed by that excellent Prince Ferdinand Viceroy of Arragon and Arch-bishop of Caesar Augusta From my infancy with my parents great care and industry I was trained vp in the doctrine and religion of the Church of Rome and with my yeares my knowledge thereof was much increased and I did reuerence the same with such honour and ardency as no other religion appeared vnto me so profitable or pleasing My father departed out of this life when I was but 16 yeares of age but my mother as she was carefull I should be brought vp and instructed after the customes of the Romish Church for she was full of zeale and deuotion so was I taught Musicke and Military discipline and other exercises of body to my age best fitting and agreeable I was still sollicitous to reade bookes of Christian Religion and to take counsell and be conuersant with such men as seemed to me to be honest and learned So that desire of further knowledge daily increased in me The respect therefore of all temporall goods being laid aside I wholly applied my selfe to be in the number and societie of them whom they of Rome call and account Religious and contrary to my mothers minde or the good will of my brethren and kinsfolkes I followed the Religion of S. Francis and with all alacrity and willingnesse of heart I entred the Monastery of Iesus Which when my mother heard of she was moued with much sorrow and both by her words and deeds shewed that I had greatly displeased her Yet she loued me dearly alwaies hoped of me to be a refuge succour to her age Hauing therefore takē coūsell accompanied with a Noble woman her sisters daughter she came to the Couēt with an intent to alter my purpose both of them laboured byall that prayers or intreaties or faire promises might effect to draw me frō that vndertakē resolution But I was so constant in my deuotion of that Monasticke life as neither my mothers lamentations or large gifts proffered vnto me could work alteration of my mind So for that time she departed but vpon further counsell and aduice taken she came thither againe with a great troupe attending her with purpose in deed to haue taken me away by force and violence Which when I and the religious men of the Monastery perceiued we hindred their determinations so as my mother by no meanes could obtaine her purpose But she tooke it so grieuously that for the space of many dayes she fell into an extreme phrensie Hauing recouered her health and senses againe she still continued her meanes and deuices to change my mind and vsed the same almost a whole yeare so that at length she compelled me to forsake the Monasterie Neuerthelesse I promised such as I left behind me to returne againe with what speed I might possibly But I became somewhat forgetfull of my promise by reason that at that time my countrey presented vnto me many obiects of pleasure and delectation For there were great triumphs and solemnities for the celebration of the mariage of Katherine daughter to king Philip the second with Charles Duke of Sabaud with which my mind was much caried away and distracted But my former purpose and my continued deuotion vrging me I performed my promise and with great ioy of those Religious men that expected me I returned backe to the Monastery where I liued a while in much gladnesse and contentment But after a certaine time I left the Monastery againe by some occasion of businesse and retaining my first religious purpose I be tooke my selfe to the Religion of the holy Trinity and was receiued in the Conuent of Caesar Augusta in the yeare of our Lord 1585. I made choice of this Order for the singular deuotion thereof The Prelate and other religious men of the same Monasterie for many causes were desirous of my continuance amongst them I therefore began to apply my studies to humanity till at Valence by the diligence of my Tutor and my owne great labour I attained to some perfection of Logicke and Philosophy Afterwards I was sent to that famous vniuersitie of Illerd where I wholly dedicated my selfe to Diuinitie and hauing passed the seuerall termes and courses of Disputations Exercises and Lectures I was commended to be one of the best in Theologie For which I gaue God hearty thankes for these beginnings broughtme in the end to know those things which my soule euer thirsted after These foundations layd I was so well esteemed of that I was called to the Ministery contrary to their owne orders and institutions which forbid any man that dignity vnder the age of 33 yeares But the Prouinciall did willingly dispence with me and so I was made Minister of the Monastery of Liria About three yeares after I was made Minister of another monastery of higher dignitie called Nuestra senora de las sogas in which time by occasion of some contrary occurrents that befell concerning our Order by certaine learned Prelats and
very great men I was chosen Embassadour to the Reuerend Generall of our Order abiding then at Paris which I discharged by Gods assistance though with great danger of my life After I had obtained the presence of our Generall he lent such attention to the complaints deliuered by me that he dispatcht me with expedition and order for such as were troublesome and ignorant of obedience and gaue me full power and orders for the reading of Diuinity Graced with all these titles and additions of dignity and preferment I returned againe into Spaine But I had not long stayed there when vpon instance of other weighty occasions that concerned our Order I was sent againe to the Generall with two other graue Ministers in my company Him I found so kind and louing and so respectiue of me that whatsoeuer belonged to the gouernment of the Prouince I obtained at his hands He created me at that time both Maister and Doctor which with vs is a matter of much honour and commodity But after my returne into the Prouince which containes vnder it the kingdomes of Arragon Valence Catalonia and Mallorica by commandement which I had receiued from the Generall there was a Conuocation had for the election of the Prouinciall and the choice fell to M. Stephen Bertiz a Noble man of verie great learning and my especiall good friend He for the loue he bare me made me chiefe Secretary of the Prouince A little while after the religious men of our Monastery of Dertasa made me Minister which in the Order of the holy Trinitie is as high a place as theirs is who in the orders of other monasteries are called Priors Wardens Abbots Prelates c. and created me also the chiefe of the house That I might not seeme vnthankfull I tooke vpon me that charge and in the Colledge of the same City I was made Doctor Afterwards vnknowne to me both by the Church and Citizens of Vernauen farre enough distant from my house I had the charge giuen me of their Church and of the preaching of the Lent sermons And that I might wholly consecrate my selfe to preaching and reading and not be hindered by any other care of rule or gouernment which is much contrary to the profession of learning I left the monastery of Dert and resigned my office of ministery In the monastery also of Valence which is the chiefest monastery of all the Prouince where are resident to the number of 50 Preachers Doctors of Diuinity and others most approued men for learning there was an assembly had for the election of one that should be Minister Head of that monasterie and the 26 day of April in the yeare 1601 that lot fell to my share So consequently all the goods riches of the monastery were put into my hands and possession as well of siluer and gold-plate as of other precious ornaments treasure and sums of money with which the same monastery is richly furnished For it hath yearely to be laid forth and distributed by the Minister 4000 crownes a yeare In the time that I was Minister of Valence I was often created visitor of the houses and with the fulnesse of power made Vicar Prouincial of all the foure kingdomes And lastly the 8 day of Nouember in the yeare 1602 with generall and Apostolique power was constituted visitor of certaine monasteries within the limits of the Prouince I was greatly beloued of the Generall and other Prelats and Religious men of that Order which in times past I professed and was well accepted with Ecclesiastical gouernors But as S. Paul saith God forbid that I should reioyce but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the world In the knowledge wherof in the glory of the crosse of Christ I would not delay but pay my first fruits vnto the Lord who saith Thou shalt not be slacke to pay thy first fruits Which is nothing else but to auert and turne from the way of wickednesse and to follow and imbrace the way of the Lord. If for this alteratiō of my estate I should make any reckoning of this world alas how many shold I see to rise against me my friends are become my enimies my kinsfolks strangers all leaue and forsake me all dispise me and call me heretique but I will answer with the Prophet Dauid My father and mother haue for saken me but the Lord hath taken me vp I will not striue to please them as Paul saith If I should yet please men I were not the seruant of Christ I had rather displease men then follow lies and vntruths with them seeing the Prophet Dauid doth encourage vs saying O yee sonnes of men how long will ye turne my glory into shame louing vanitie and seeking lies I now desire to continue in this truth that the curse of God may not be laid vpon me who saith Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to do them And so with the Prophet I rather chuse to be an abiect in the house of my God where his Gospell is sincerely taught then to dwell in the tabennacle of sinners where the Gospell is obscured and made darke with fables and false interpretations For euen as the sundry and various expositions of the law make the law doubtfull and obscure so the Gospell is darke and made intricate by many intepretations I now therefore loue and imbrace the truth Now God hath made me partaker of his goodnesse and his passion was not in vaine for me Now hath his goodnes extended it selfe to cōmunicate those things vnto me as were determined for me in the beginning In times past I was Saul a persecutor of the true Church as he went about to destroy the true doctrine of Christ so did I likewise both in my priuate publick Sermons Exercises endeuor to put downe annihilate that sound doctrine of the true reformed Church But now through the infinite mercy of God I haue as Saul did fallen to the earth and as he at Damascus so haue I at Rupell found Ananias who hath taught me what to do and remoued the scales from mine eyes that hindred my sight and vnderstanding I looke to be persecuted and expect false censures and iudgements to be passed vpon me but what do I respect them Did not Aaron speake against his brother Moses And did not God himselfe admonish Hieremiah to take heed of his kinsfolkes saying For euen thy brethren and the house of thy father shall deate vnfaithfully with thee Did not Peters friends also contend against him because he went in to men vncircumcised and did eate with them So me thinkes I see how they contend and cry out against me 〈◊〉 God who as Dauid saith is the father and helper of orphanes and fatherlesse will not rest to defend and protect me Oh my Lord God of whom
the Prophet hath said that thou wilt saue preserue them that put their trust in thee My whole hope and confidence is in thee I stand in need of thy aid and defence Be vnto me oh Lord as a shield and buckler against those roaring Lyons that go about to deuoure me And as thou didst deliuer Moses out of the hand of Pharaoh Susanna from false iudgement and Daniel from the Lyons denne so deliuer me from their hands Giue vnto my soule the grace and gift of perseuerance and grant that they who are yet blind may haue their eyes opened and at length attaine to the knowledge and wisedome of the truth made knowne in thy Gospell In respect of thee oh my God I make account of nothing I leaue and forsake all things and hope not for any thing but thy glory The honours which I had in mine owne countrey I vtterly despise the dignity which I haue hitherto possessed I am quite forgetfull of and forgo my quondam Prouinciall who ordained me to be his successour My friends and all my kindred for thee I contemne and willingly reiect for euer For those things that were aduantage vnto me the same I account losse for Christs sake and do iudge them to be dung that I might win Christ and be found in him with S Paul And I will follow the true doctrine of Christ saying If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also hee cannot be my Disciple I confesse vnto thee my Lord and my King and I giue praise vnto thee my God and Sauiour for that thou hast deliuered me from perdition and from the tongues of them that speake lyes Be a succour vnto me and a tower of defence in the face of mine enimies that I may constantly abide the slaunders and backbitings wherewith I know they swarme and are full Wherefore oh most merciful God and louing Father who in the multitude of thy mercies dost put out of thy remembrance the sins and iniquities of such as confesse vnto thee by the grant of thy pardoÌ„ make void the imputation of all former offences Looke fauourably vpon thy seruant and giue vnto me that with true confession and contrition of heart begge remission of my sins Refresh and renew in me oh Father whatsoeuer the diuelish fraud and deceipt of the Church of Rome hath distained and corrupted and win a member of thy redemption to the body and vnity of the true reformed Church We the Pastours Seniours and Deacons of the Church of Rochel whose names are here vnderwritten do witnesse and make it knowne that Martin Bartox hath made a summary confession of our faith and publickely discouered vtterly renounced the errours of the Romish Church before a great company of Gods faithfull seruants being then present reioycing and congratulating his conuersion we witnesse further that we haue seene and heard to be performed whatsoeuer is herein made mention of or set forth From this Citty of Rochel Pastors I. Merlnius H. Colomozius S. Loumaeus L. Cerclerus Seniors Chalmotius Cl. Heralts I. Farnoulius I Bodierus I. Dournes Durantius Deacons I. Agrestsns A. Maquinus FINIS Mich. 7. 8. Exod. 2. Gene. 39. Ionas 2. Exod. 2. Exod. 12. Gen. 33. Gen. 41. Math 11 28. Esa 1. 18. Ioh 12. 3. Luk. 22. Gal. 2. 11. Luk. 15. Luk. 15. Luk. 19 Luk. 15. Iohn 5. 12. Iohn 5. 24. Rom. 3. 24. Iohn 3. 13. Ephe. 2. 6. Col 1. 13. Dan. 9. 2. Thes 2. Atha in Symb. Psal 2. 7. Hebr. 1. 3. Ioh. 1. 15. Atha in Symb. Idem in Symb. Num. 23. 19. Malac. 2. 6. Gen 1. 1. Hebr. 1. 2. 11 3. Ioh. 1. 3 Luk 18. 19 Tho 1. q6 Ar. 2. 2. in Aug. vt supra Hebr. 2. 16. Mat. 1. 16. Luke 2. 1. Dio de di no. Ioh. 1. 14. Math 1. 16. Luke 2. 1. Ari. 1 de coel text 32 2. text 17 tom 2. Gal 4. 5. Gen. 3. 6. 1. Cor. 15 22. Rom. 5. 12. Quisquis P. filij verâ— P. ad l. iâ— Gal. 4. 5. Ioh. 3. 16. Rom. 5. 9. Luke 19. 10. Math 18. 12. Col. 2. 3. Math. 17. 5. Irenaeus cap. 34 lib. 4. aduers heres Lib. 2. animâ— text 4. 6. 10. 2. Aug. de Trini lib. 3. cap. 10. Chr. Pâ—ze P. 8. in disp coenâ— Domini Ioh. Cal. lib. 4. cap 17 Sect 12. 13. vsque ad 20. Ft in eodem lib ca. Sect. 18. The 4. cause of his seperation Cal. lib. 4. cap. 17. a Sect. 14. vs ad 50. Math. 18. Tho. 3. p. q. â—8 Ar. 2. 5. Deut 1. 9. 12. 32. Rcu 22. 18 Luke 21. 33. Hebr. 7. 7. Gen. 27. 27. 40. 48. 15. Rom. 1. 25. Tho. 3. P. q. â—6 5 5. Exod. 25. 10. Vsque ad 25. 2. Sam. 6. â—6 vsque ad 11. Ioh 12. 3 Isa 66. 1. Act. 1. 11. The. 3. 75. 8. 2. Kin. 22. 10. 11. 12. The fifth cause of his separation Luk. 1. 36. 1. Pet. 2. 22. Ioh. 1. 15. Ephes 1. 22. Colos 1. 18. Colos 2. 10. Ephes 1. 21. Psal 8. 8. Ephe. 1. 21. Math. 4. 11. Sexta Synod Ambr. l. de incar Dom. â—ap 7. Luk 2. Ioel. 2. Cant. 8. 2. Isa 55. 4. Math. 5. Iohn 7. Luk. 2. Act. 1. 1. Cor 6. The first cause of his separation from the Romish Church The second cause of his separation 2. Tim. 2. Io. Caluin in ini tio Institut Ep. ad Regem Fran. Heb. 2. Psal 118. 105. Psal 32. Psal 108. Luke 15. Idem Wild 9. Eccles 1. 5. 16. 14. 37. Luke 1117. Math 1. 1. Eccles 4. 30. Luk. 17. 3. Math 18. 15. 16. 17. Leuit 19. 7. The third cause of his separation 1. Cor. 11. 26. per totum cap. The. 3. 2. 67. ar 1. ad 1. Math. 18. 4. Idem 20. 26. Marke 10. 43. Luke 22. 25. Iohn 13. 15. Luke 22. 26. Iohn 6. 15. 18. 46. Plat. in his Ponâ— Math. 28. 18. Ioh. 17. 2. Hebr. 2 8. Ezec. 37 22. Ioh. 18. 33. Math. 2. 2. Mar. 15. 26. Ioh. 8. 37. â— Decret Greg. tit 7. can Lib. 1. decret Greg. tit 33. Plat. Illescas in vitis Paâ—r Cal. cap. 6. 7. 11. The 6. cause of his separation Hebr. 1. 3. Heb. 9. 14. Ephe. 1. 7. Psal 116. 5. 6. Cal. lib. 3. Cap. 4. Chrysoft Amb Ca 9. in Lucan lib. 6. Eph. 5. 10. 1 ca. 5. 11. 10. a. Thes 5. 6. Tit. 2. 10. 11. Gal. 1 8. Ezech. 23. 31. Idem 16. 20. 2. Cor. 6. 17. Apoc. 18. 4. Isa 52. 11. Rom. 1. 16. Aug. in Manich. Hil. 1. lib. Trin. P. 5. à principio Amb. lib. 1. ad Grat ca. 5. 7. antemedium Leg. disput Atha Artij in con Niâ—â— Ioh. 3. 17. 4. 25 Act. 3. 19. Hebr. 2. 19. Gen. 1. 1. Ioh. 1. 3. 1. Col. 16. Pro. 8. 22. Apoe 3. 14. Psal 32. 9. Ioh. 3. 4. Luk. 2. 11. Idem in eod Mat. 3. 5. Luke 3 Acts 10. Ioh. 11. 1. S. Hierome lib. contra Helui de perpe virgi Mar. Amb. sup Luc. li. 2. ca. 1. S. Aug. in Serm. 14. de nat Do. S. Tho. 3. p. q. 28. ar 1. 2. 3. 4. 1. Tim. 6. Acts 3. 13. Rom. 4. Phil. 2. Ephe. 4. Acts 2. Apoc. 1. Acts 13. Ioh. 10. 18. Rom. 8. 11. Acts 2. 24. Mar. 16. 19. Luke 24. 51. Psal 109. 1. Ephe. 4. 9. Luke 21. 21. Ma. 25. 31. Rom. 2. 6. Apoc. 22. 12. Ad conuentumm Gal. 6 14. Exod. 22. 29. Psal 26. 10. Gal. 1. 10. Psal 4. 3 Gal. 3. 10. Psal 83. 11. Act. 11. 2. Num. 21. 1. Hierem 12. 6. Acts 11. 3. Exod. 14 30. 15. 4. Dan. 13. 63. 14. 39. Phi. 3. 7. Luke 41. 26. Math 10. 37.
knowledge of his diuine will and pleasure and by his assistance I began to open the eyes of my vnderstanding and to purge and seclude my selfe from those mists and errors of the Romish Church by which my minde before was too much caried away and obscured I obserued againe that from time to time there was a continuall mutabilitie and various changing of opinions among the Prelats for what was one day receiued and allowed by authoritie was the next day prohibited and vtterly disanulled as it is plainely to be seene in Indice expurgatorio For whatsoeuer seemed to taxe the errors of the Priesthood the same by commandement of the Inquisitors and of the Church of Rome was forthwith razed out and extinguished Secondly because if the Bishops at any time gaue power and authority to any for the preaching of the word of God they did not graunt him free libertie of speech but prescribed him a forme of preaching as my selfe can witnesse by their Commissions granted to me in that behalfe which is manifestly knowne to be a thing repugnant to the truth For as Paul saith The word of God is not tied or limited but they limit the same saying We giue you authoritie for the preaching of the word of God so farre forth as you do it according to the opinions of the holy Fathers and to the decrees of the most holy Councell of Trent When as notwithstanding neither the opinions of the Fathers or of the Councels agree amongst them neither are they alwayes true But if they do agree and are true they are as is aforesaid euery where altered by them and changed And if according to their iudgements the word of God should be expressed the truth would sometimes be made more manifest and apparent But in this they are contrary to them selues as that most learned man Iohn Caluine hath rightly and learnedly set downe I am an eye witnesse saith he of the tyranny of the Bishops and Inquisitors for I haue often heard very learned men preach amongst them but because those things that haue bin preached were displeasing to the tyrannous Inquisitors and Bishops the same preachers and learned men haue bene compelled euen in the same Church and that against their owne consciences by their commandements and authoritie to speake against themselues and to preach another doctrine contrary to the truth For instance whereof Father Lobo a famous preacher whose name is well knowne in Spaine and Italy at Rome in the beginning of Pope Gregory the 13 in his Sermon was heard to vtter these words It is of more weight and efficacie and of greater profit and vtility with God to heare his word then the Masse But the same preacher forthwith by the commandement of that great beast the Pope was compelled to make his publicke recantation and yet for all this he was depriued of his authoritie of preaching and enioyned to other penances Let God arise and iudge his cause who saith Viuus est sermo meus My word is a liuing word and Dauid lest he should fall did place the word of God A Lanterne vnto his feete by which also the heauens were framed and which endureth for euer To heare the same word by which all things were made and is the fountaine of wisedome the publicans and sinners assembled themselues together and the people preassed vpon Christ to heare the word of God of which all things were made for it is the fountaine of wisedome Ezekiel admonished the sonnes of Ammon the mountaines of Israel and the dry bones to heare the word of the Lord God by mediation whereof the bones came together bone to his bone and behold the synewes and the flesh grew vpon them and the skinne couered them Christ also calleth them happy and blessed that heare the word of God What the word of God makes loose and free that these tyrants do bind and tye to limits and compasse When Iohn Baptist was in prison he preached the same word which as the Lord saith we ought not any way to oppugne or resist In the yeare of our Lord 1597. Valentine Cortazer being Inquisitor the twentieth day of Iune comming to visit the city of Liria entred the same in his accustomed pompe and vanitie and did impose vpon me the charge and duty of preaching a Sermon of Faith And vpon Sonday the 22 day of the same moneth and yeare Aderat Inquisitor Ecclesiae pro Tribunali sitting in great maiestie and as the manner is Lecto mandato praeceptorum de accusatione I ascended the place of preaching and hauing saluted the Inquisitor began my Sermon After I had past ouer many things in praise and commendation of the Inquisitors and Inquisition I spake thus to the Auditorie Remember deare brethren and be mindfull of those words which I spake vnto you in Lent time in a Sermon touching brotherly correction for two Lents I was their Preacher You are bound as I then told you euery one of you to correct and admonish your brother secretly betweene you and him But if after admonishment he continue still in his wickednesse then tel and acquaint the Church therewith Yet before brotherly correction you are not tied to denounce him Marke this well This I speake vnto you in the name and behalfe of the liuing God Hauing made an end of my Sermon I was inuited by the Inquisitor with all kindnesse and courtesie to take my dinner with him which being ended he began to fall into commendation of my Sermon but vtterly to condemne that brotherly admonition saying That it is not admitted in matters of faith with which the Inquisition hath to do and takes notice of I replied with the very words of Christ in defence thereof but was compelled to hold my peace and the Sonday following constrained to preach of him that they hold and terme accursed in the presence of the Inquisitor and lay open his mind and pleasure against Gods word and to say that brotherly correction had no part or place in such matters as were contained in the Edict Do but see and behold how the word of God is tied and bound by these people of Antichrist And this whilest I was one of their number and company drew my mind into diuerse and sundry distractions Of Transubstantiation MY soule also was grieuously troubled about Transubstantiation of bread and wine into the body and bloud of Christ for this among other things alwayes seemed vnto me a matter of much difficultie And Saint Paul teacheth the contrary speaking of the Lords supper he alwayes nameth bread saying As aften as you shall eate of this bread and drinke of this drinke c. Againe Whosoeuer shall eate of this bread c. Also by this it followes that the Pope doth falsly intrude himselfe to be the head of the Church as is proued by this reason The Primitiue Church and that which flourished for many yeares knew no other head but Christ nor had any vniuersall