is the loue of Parents to their children to be compared to the loue of God towards vs Doth not God expreslie say by the Prophet Esay cap. 49. ver 15. Can a woman forget her children and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe though shee should forget yet will not forget thee Yea no father no mother no brother nor sister yea no friend whatsoeuer could so long beare with and indure thy wickednesse as God hath borne with it so that God may iustly complaine as in Esay 43. ver 24. Thou hast made me to serue with thy sinnes and wearied me with thy iniquities Yea whosoeuer will rightly indeede learne and knowe the mercy of God It is feareful to make God serue with our sinnes and thereby obserue how God bethinketh him before he punisheth sinners let him onely reade the 42.43 and 44. chapters of the Prophet Esay where he shall finde how God behaued himselfe towards the wicked stifnecked Iewes First he rebuketh them with wordes shewes them their disobedience calles them blinde and deafe By and by therevpon as in the 43. chapter he comforts them againe bids them not to feare and tels them he would giue people for them and nations for their ransome yet notwithstanding presently therevpon reprooueth them againe charging them to be hardned and abide in their sinnes And all that comes now from the alone mercy of God Then only man layeth holde on Gods mercie when he wholy anteÌ„deth his wicked life yet so indeede that the sinner confesse his sinne and laye holde on God his mercie Which he doth when he forsaketh his sinnes and wicked life for then will God not onely blot out and forgiue him all his sinnes but also therevnto bestowe vpon him all good things As it also is saide by the fore aledged Prophet Esa 44. ver 2.3 Feare not O Iacob my seruant and thou righteous whom I haue chosen For I will powre water vpon the thirsty and flouds vpon the drye ground I will powre my spirit vpon thy seede and my blessing vpon thy buds Behould this is now that vnspeakeable goodnesse of God wherevpon we stand All our prosperitie commeth from God alone are and liue Who would not 〈◊〉 then with ioye say and sing with the Prophet Dauid Psal 89. 〈…〉 I will lawde praise and sing the mercies of the Lord for euer And in another Psalme as namely the 59. ver 17. he saith God is my defence and my mercifull God Which is as if he had said All that euer I haue and whatsoeuer I am commeth wholye from Gods mercie Well then beloued in Christ I suppose I haue not herein done amisse in setting forth and praising the goodnesse of God Seeing that our God and mercifull God though I were a persecutor of his holy worde and of all true Christians a blasphemer of God and a superstitious Fryer hath of his free loue and mercy sought me found me and graciouslie deliuered me from those errors I had beene long time nusled in So that I may well and iustly say with Dauid Loqueus contritus est ego liberatus sum The snare is broken and I am deliuered Psal 124. v. 7. Let this suffice for the first part Now we will proceede 2. Part. The maner how God brings vs to his knowledge so to saluatioÌ„ and heere the second part how that God doth shew his mercie and bring vs first to his knowledge and then vnto saluation And this is not done vnto me alone but for the comfort of all sinners whereby they may learne to acknowledge Gods goodnesse and amend themselues Although Gods wayes are not as our wayes and his thoughts farre otherwise then our thoughts and besides God in the Scriptures hath reuealed so much of his will vnto vs as is needfull for vs to know his counsell is without searching out and also we cannot certainely know how God deales with man yet our louing God hath so farre forth reuealed his will vnto vs in the Scriptures his holy and diuine word that we may easily know how and wherewith God calleth and leadeth vs to his sheepefolde The worde of God is that sweete and notable voice through the which God hath from the beginning in the old Testament Gods word is his voice wherby he calleth vs to repentance brought many wilde straied sheepe to the true sheepefold which God did by Moses and all his true Prophets Lastly he sent his beloued sonne himselfe vnto vs as the right and true shepheard This is the true shepheard who saith by the Prophet Ieremie Ier. 23. ver 3. I will gather the remnant of my sheepe out of all countries whither I had driuen them and will bring them againe to their fouldes and they shall grow and increase In Ezech. 34 ver 11. saith this shepheard Beholde J will searche my sheepe and seeke them out which the sonne of God hath done by the preaching of his holy diuine worde After him did his Apostles and their successors the same and euen at this day all true shepheards and carers of soules doe which by the word of God call all straid sheepe It is Gods word and not force that must content men And there were euer at the beginning thereof many tyrannous Emperours and Kings Princes and Lordes yea and the whole world brought vnto the true sheepefold not with sword and armes nor with might and fier but by the word This is that word wherof the Lord speaketh by the Prophet Ieremie 23.2.29 that his word is euer like a fier and like a hammer that breaketh the stone Gods word is of nature like the Sunne euer hauing forcible effect either to mollifie the elect as the Sunne doth wax or to harden the wicked as the Sunne doth clay And in the Prophet Esai cap. 55. v. 10.11 God compareth his word vnto the Raine and Snow which come downe from heauen and water the earth and make it fruitefull So shall his word be that goeth out of his mouth it shall not retuâ—ne vnto him voyde This is that word mentioned in the Epistle to the Hebrues Heb. 4. v. 12. That it is sharper then any two edged sword it intreth through euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirite Paule reioyceth 1. Cor. 4. v. 15. that through this word he had begotten his Corinthians But some man may say or thinke in his hart that he hath indeed often and much heard Gods word yet hath not fouÌ„d any such change in himselfe nor perceiued any such powre To whom I answere I beleeue it very willingly for alas we see in this our time but little of that fruite which should come and arise out of the word of God The cause why men of all sorts profit no more by the word of God is for that they esteeme of it but basely therfore prepare not themselues aright vnto the hearing reading and meditating thereâ—f But the reason or fault must not
meane while dooth feede them onely with humaine traditions with prohibitions that nothing may be saide to the contrarye neither may be enquired for the truth out of the saide Scriptures confounding the trueth of Gods worde with his decrees and statutes The which things teach vs manifestly the loue and kindnesse of such a sheepheard towards his flocke that insteed of feeding it with the wholsome doctrine propounded in Gods worde and refreshing it with the sweete waters of Gods graces the which are conueyed into our hearts by the pure and sincere preaching of his worde doth rather cast it downe into the pit of errors and superstitions depriuing the common people most vniustly from the reading of the holy scriptures and keeping them thereby in ignorance The peoples ignorance whereby they cannot be resolued of their saluation prescribing vnto them an infinite number of traditions as if the scriptures were not sufficient to saluation yea accusing them most blasphemously of imperfection and of obscuritie against the plaine testimonie of S. Paul 2. Tim. 3. vers 16. 2. Tim. 3.16 For the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to conuince to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes This it is that opened our eyes that mooued our heart and setled vs vpon the right way from the which we erred by our corrupt nature The profit of God his worde and this doth manifest vnto vs the mysteries of saluation For as Chrysostome an olde Father very well teacheth Wee must onely beleeue the holy scriptures by this doore enter both sheepheard and sheepe who enters not through it is a theefe for it is a propertie of the diuell to adde somewhat to the commandements of God and beholde therefore how clearely God commands Deut. 4. ver 2. Deut. 4.2 to content our selues with this rule for to discerne by it the truth from falsehood Yee shall put nothing vnto the worde which I commande you neither shall yee take ought there-from that yee may keepe the commandements of the Lord your God which I commaund you Shall we desire a more expresse charge The Romish doctors part in this play But why doe our doctors of the Romish Synagogue notwithstanding all this They take their refuge to traditions of men without yea against the worde of God adding vnto it and detracting from it according to their pleasure They say the holye Scripture is not perfect enough she is obscure and hard to be vnderstood but we must explicate and cleere her with our traditions but I pray you what other perfection can they finde for vs to come to saluation Let vs here what the Apostle saies 2. Tim. 3. vers 15. Thou hast knowne the holy scriptures of a childe which are able to make thee wise vnto saluation through the faith which is in Christ Iesus And in the Gospell of Saint Iohn chap. 20. vers 31. we are set twise to the scriptures But these things saith he are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is that Christ that Sonne of God and that in beleeuing yee might haue life through his Name Dauid the Prophet considering the same Psal 119. verse 103. and 105. saith How sweete are thy promises vnto my mouth yea more then Honie And againe Thy worde is a Lantherne vnto my feete and a light vnto my path Yea but is it not say they a commendable thing to serue God according to the institutions of our Fathers and to keepe vs by them Is it not a thing agreeable vnto GOD to worship his Saints to goe in Pilgrimage to fast whole Lent to confesse to heare Masse c. But I pray you vpon what ground is this built and who requires such at your hands if wee will serue GOD let vs serue him according to his worde let vs enquire for his holye will and hauing found it let vs follow it obediently for truelye there was neuer so base a maister but hee would be serued according to his will prescribed vnto his seruants or disciples concerning their duty Wherefore shall we then deteine from God his right who hath reuealed his holy will vnto vs in his worde and the meanes how he will bee serued by vs. If then we will be obedient vnto him let vs seeke nothing in our selues to please him nor also the institutions of the Fathers to followe them according to the commaundement of GOD giuen to the Israelites Ezech. 20. verse 31. Walke yee not in the ordinances of your Fathers neither obserue their manners nor defile your selues with their Idols I am the Lord your God walke in my statutes and keepe my iudgements and doe them For as God saith in the 55. Chapter of the Prophet Esay verse 8.9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes saieth the Lorde For as the Heauens are higher then the Earth so are my wayes higher then your wayes and my thoughts aboue your thoughts And in the 15. Chapter of Mathew the 9. verse But in vaine they worship me teaching for doctrines mens precepts But let vs turne our selues to him seeing hee dooth inuite vs so kindely by his worde and as Cyprian an olde Father saith Cypr. Epist 3. lib. 2. Let vs not beholde those thinges that haue beene done and teacht before our times if so be wee will followe Iesus Christ but let vs before all things cast our eyes on those thinges which Christ who was before all men hath commanded to be done by vs following rather the trueth then custome And although an Angell from heauen should Preache you an other Gospell then I preache vnto you let him bee saith the Apostle an Anatheme Gallathians 1. Our Doctors holde to the contrarie by Popely authoritie that all those are execrable that doe not holde for good their institutions and humaine traditions But is this so wonderfull deere bretheren that such men shewe themselues so haynous enemies against the trueth and the holye Scriptures seeing they bee so bolde as to come thus farre that besides all their blasphemies against the worde of GOD Robbing of Iesus Christ to vnder-creepe and to robbe from Christ his office and honour that onely appertayneth vnto him before God his heauenly Father to accomplishe the worke of our gracious redemption stealing awaye a parte of his sacrifice by their merites and indulgences drawne out of the treasure of the Romish synagogue which as they saye is full of the merites of the Apostles and holye Martyres and of their workes of supererogation this they make the poore ignorante people beleeue Those now that haue great store of money and goods for that is it that maketh their chimney to smoake the spit to broache their roast meat buy of the same thinking to get therby saluatiō and thus according to their pleasure doe distribute for money the bloud of Iesus Christ wherein they are like
and annointed with all fulnesse of the holy Ghost Iohn 3. v. 34. Wherehence it is that the Angell saith Luk. 1. v. 35. That holy thing which shall be borne of thee shal be called the sonne of God If Christ Iesus now be the second person of the Trinitie he holy was honored and prayed vnto of the Angell also is holy according to his humanity then is it blasphemy to pray God the Father to sanctifie him first in the Masse seeing he himselfe is the sanctifier of all that are sanctified The other word namely that thou wouldest blesse him hath all one sence Oh great blindnesse we Adams wretched children shall and must be blessed in Christ Iesus for that is the seed whereof God said to Abraham Gen. 26. v. 4. In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Dauid saith and prayeth in his 67. Psal v 6.7 God our God shal blesse vs God shall blesse vs and all the ends of the earth shall feare him Through which thrise recited word God is also vnderstood the holy Trinitie Now as Dauid prayeth that God would blesse vs so the Masse-priest prayeth that God in his massing sacrifice would blesse his sonne who notwithstanding is God equall with him which of these prayers then shall we say belongs now vnto God without doubt Dauids prayer must needes be much better Dauids prayer being true the massing prayer is false which we are to auoide and vse Dauids for it proceedeth from the holy Ghost That also should we now follow pray God that he would vouchsafe to blesse vs through his sonne but the other seeing it is Antichristian we ought to auoide and flie Also that the Masse-priest saith It may please thee to accept of thy sonne who through and by this Sacrifice is sacrificed vnto thee is euen like the former a blasphemie The Euangelists shew Math. 3. v. 17. 16. cap. v. 16.17 Mark 9. v. 7. Luke 9. v. 20. that a voice came downe from heauen and sounded ouer Christ This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased Peter testifieth 2. Pet. 1. v. 16.17 that he his fellowes heard the sound vpon the hill Wherehence it certainely commeth to be blasphemie for vs to desire of God it would please him to accept of his sonne In the great Canon likewise are these words 5. error 2. sould Supplâ—ces terogamus omnipotens Deus iube haec perferri per manus sancti Angeli tui in sublime altare tuum in conspectu diuinae maiestatis tuae In English thus We humbly beseech thee Almighty God commaund that this namely this Sacrifice may be carryed by the hand of thy Angell vpon the high Altar before the presence of thy diuine Maiestie Who obserueth not in this vaine friuolous prayer two great errors For first this prayer thrustes Christ the sonne of God out of his throne 1. Thereby they thrust Christ out of his throne euen out of the throne of his honor and glory as though Christ were not as well in time of the Masse in heauen as vpon earth in the Masse Where with our Christian faith wherein wee acknowledge that Christ sitteth at the right hand of his heauenly father is ouerthrowne which notwithstanding is much and often read in the holy scriptures As Mark 16. v. 19. Luk. 24. v. 51. Act. 7. v. 55. Rom. 8. v. 34. and Coloss 3 v. 1. Secondly it is blasphemie in that the Masse-munger prayeth 2. They rob Christ of his omnipotencie making him inferior to the Angels Christ ascended of his owne power without all aide of Angels God would command his Angels to carry this Sacrifice namely his sonne vpon their hands before his diuine Maiesties sight Herewith they would rob Christ of his omnipotencie as though Christ were not so mighty that he ascended into heauen of his owne strength but that the Angels must or had carried him vp thither vpon their hands But the Scripture testifieth vnto vs that Christ ascended into heauen of his owne strength Act. 1. v. 9. Ephes 4. v. 8. Psal 68. v. 18. Heb. 4. v. 14. In which places it is expresly said that Iesus ascended into heauen and to be vnderstood by his owne strength and had no need at all of the Angels seruice therevnto But he is so ascended into heauen that also he hath not left and forsaken his faithfull Christians vpon earth Math. 8. v. 20. and Chap. 28. v. 20. but is present in the Lords Supper to the worthy receauer and needeth not thereunto any ascending or discending Here the Author hath according to his holy humanity which is erronious and by his cited scriptures not proued For they speake of a spirituall not of a corporall presence 6. Error is to lay haÌ„ds on Christ and to crucifie him againe nor yet any helpe of Angels as the Papistes dreame And who seeth not now that the Masse in euery thing striueth agaynst Gods worde This is done in the chiefest seruice of God and therefore beloued you may imagine how it standeth with them in other things and yet the Papists rest not but first lay their handes directly vpon Christ himselfe for when the Masse draweth neare to the end the Masse priest taketh the body in his hand for they maintaine with great vehemencie that after Consecration there is noe longer any bread left at all but that the bread is wholy changed into the flesh of Christ breakes the same in the midst asunder layeth the one peece vpon the plate the other which he holdeth in his handes he breaketh agayne in two peeces and throwes the one peece into the cuppe but layeth the other also in the plate and so breakes the Lords body into to three partes And this surely is to lay hands vpon Christ anew that we may so speake to crucifie him agayne The Heathen were not so wilfull as to breake a bone of Christes dead corpes hanging vpon the crosse which was therefore done sayth S. Iohn Ioh. 19 v. 36. That the scripture should be fulfilled which sayth Exo. 12. v. 46. Not a bone of his shal be broken But yet the Papists breake him into three peeces Is not this a horrible thing to bee heard And yet the Papists will turne all the sacrifices of the old Testament especially the Passe-ouer to haue signified the sacrifice of the Masse that al the Prophets prophecied thereof that this onely is Iuge sacrificium that dayly sacrifice whereof Daniel speaketh Dan. 8. v. 12.13 11. v. 31. 12. v. 11. that this is Oblatio munda The pure offering whereof Malachie speaketh Mal. 1. v. 11. And to proue that Christ himselfe also ordayned this Masse sacrifice The places quoted for the Masse proue nothing for it they alleadge Luke 22. v. 19.20 And also that the Apostles but chiefely Paul had sayd Masse and confirmed the same 1. Cor. 10. v. 16.17 c. 11.23.24 c. whereas notwithstaÌ„ding they are neuer able to shew
I know my selfe to be I hould my selfe assured of my saluation And I may iustly say as the children of Israel said being detained in Egipt vnder the seruitude of Pharao the eternal the God of the Hebrewes is come to meete vs we will trauaile three dayes iorney in the wildernesse and will sacrifice to the eternall our God apparantly shewing that so long as they should be in Egipt or vnder the bondage of Pharao they could offer no sacrifice to God that could be acceptable vnto him As for me I may say the like not only that I was detained in Egipt for Egipt is by interpretation darknesse but also vnder the seruitude and captiuity of a Pharao and more For Pharao did not exercise his power and cruelty but in ruling ouer the temporall bodies and goods But he of whome I intende to speake will rule both ouer our bodies ouer our soules our goods meaning himself causing others to cal him Gods lieutenant vpon earth and Lord of heauen earth Which he sheweth in effect when he sanctifieth and canonizeth some enroling them in the booke of heauen anathematizing and excomunicating others being in the Church militant taking the sword against kings and Monarches willing to depose and bring them to nothing Sixtus quintus as it well appeareth by a Bull which Sixtus quintus made in the yeare 1585. against Henry the second king of Nauarre and now our king And against Henry prince of Conde in confiscating all their temporall goods present and to come To the end that you may vnderstand the holines of this Pope Sixtus quintus last deseased I can assure you that I being at Rome familiarly talking with a Monke of the order of Saint Benit priour of his monastery asking him how they proceeded in the election of the Pope he answered me that there was nothing but bribery fauours and ambition reciting vnto me that it was found to be true The Popes bargaine that th'aforesayd Pope Sixtus v. Made a bargen with the deuill giuing himselfe vnto him vpon this condition that he should be Pope seuē years It so happened that vpon the end of the sixth yeare or the beginning of the seuenth a Neuiew of his in Rome had a quarrell against a great Lord which was very yong and the said yong Lord slue the Popes Neuiew Being apprehended and taken by iustice the Pope commanded him to be put to death the Iudges of the law answered that he was not yet of age competent according to their laws he asked how much there wāted they answered that there yet wanted one yeer then said the Pope go put him to death by and by I can do all I giue him one of my yeeres Incōtinent this being done behold a vehemēt feuer with a fransie tooke holde and seised on the said Pope the deuil came presented himselfe vnto him in the shape and forme of a black man who tooke him by the arme said vnto him Let vs go the Pope answereth he knew him not but he said I am the deuill to whom thou gauest thy selfe to be Pope Then the Pope saide vnto him there resteth to me yet one yeere The deuill answered him thou gauest it to the yong man which killed thy neuiew for to put him to death and then he departed and dyed in this sort And as for his behauiour who now raigneth I haue seene him considered of him hauing vpon his head a triple crown where is writtē vpon his forehead in precious stones the word Mistery For the reuerence which must be borne done vnto him whosoeuer wil speak with him must presētly so soone as he is permitted to enter into his chāber set him on his knees so come vnto him to the end to adore him this being done returne in the same maner vpon his knees I marked also another thing which is that being in the citty of Beulogne I saw a great multitude of people going to the church to adore the body of a womā called the happy Katherin of Bouloigne I asked them wherefore they did not call her Saint they answered for that she was not yet canonized nor sanctified by the Pope I asked thē where the fault was they answered me that the fault was in the Monkes by reason that there must be good store of gold siluer to do it shewing thereby that the Pope doth nothing without money the like is found in the citty of Auignon in the monastery of the Celestins of the body of S. Peter of Luxembrough which is not yet sanctified nor canonized for want of mony I haue marked moreouer that in sundry Churches of Rome in Italy the Pope hath giuen such power priuiledge to some aultars Priuiledged Alters which they call priuiledged aultars to deliuer soules from purgatory that in saying one only Masse before the said priuiledge altar he assureth that a soule is deliuered frō purgatory Now I leaue to you to think if it were so that there were a Purgatory what need shold there be to say some times so grear nūber of Masses that the means of the deceased are not sufficiēt to pay the priests if one only Masse as aforesaid being said before the said aultar be sufficient for his saluation I beleeue that this which they do is to fulfill the prophecie of Esay which saith they eate the sinnes of my people desire no other thing but the iniquity therof I haue noted also a great blasphemy in as much as they affirme in a booke called Stella clearicorū that the least of the priests is greater then the holy virgin or any Angel which is in heauen which they shew by their effects saying that they can pardon and remit sins in making vnto thē auriculer confession shewing therby that if they could they woulde plucke the pastoral rod out of the hād of the Lord wherwith he ruleth gouerneth his folk It seemeth to me vpō this discourse that I cannot better cōpare neither the Pope nor the priests then to Lye which hath this property to whiten linnen and as for it selfe it remaineth ougly filthy for they boast that they clense others frō their sins although they themselues bee impure and I stedfastly beleeue that if the Popes ambition were accomplished to witte to haue dominion ouer bodyes ouer soules and ouer the temporall goods there would rest nothing els to do but make a new religion after his fantasie You shall further knowe that if it so happen that the Mule which carryeth him dye it must be buried and enterred for feare that the Wolues and dogs eate him not I beleeue that they feare if that should come to passe they should be sanctified hauing eaten of so worthy a beast as to haue borne Gods lieutenant vpon earth I beleeued according as it was told me that when I should be in Italy I shoulde be halfe way to Paradice But hauing perceiued the contrary by reasō of their superstitiō I
the Lord and God Gods trueth that will and can helpe vs that without him there is neither God nor saluation that he will not giue such honor vnto any other How louingly and fatherly doth God admonish his people in the olde Testament that they shoulde not runne so after vanitye but should haue all their refuge vnto him alone And Christ the Sonne of God in like manner cryeth out a maine in many places of the new Testament that we should come vnto him that he is the true Wel indeede that he is the way and the trueth and that he is our quickning So the beloued Apostles doe also nothing els but onely preach and teach that Christ is the Sauiour of the world that he onely is our aduocate and intercessor with the father that he onely hath washed away our sinnes with his blood that through him by faith without workes we are and shal be iustified before God and that there is no other name vnder the sunne by which we can or may be saued but by the name of Iesus Wherefore it is a great impiety of vs sinfull men that haue so louing and so gracious a God who is so willing and ready to helpe vs and is able to deliuer vs out of all danger extremity yet we will seeke for helpe by others which haue need themselues of Gods helpe Praying to Saints is as to God dishonour so to their owne disquiet and without his helpe and grace can neuer be saued For in Popery there is no thing so small and of no accoumpt but they runne to Saints for it and seeke for helpe and counsel of theÌ„ This is against God and is also against the Saints owne rest and peace that we should call vpon them to make intercession for vs howsoeuer Ierom reasoneth thus seeing Peter Andrew and Iohn saith he whilst they yet liued vpon earth Hieromes error could obtaine some thing for others by their intercession should they now be able to do nothing being in heaueÌ„ They may now much more by their intercession win vs seeing their loue is perfected But I answere him I deny not that the Saints vpon earth in their life time may pray one for another obtain somwhat but do very willingly confesse that one may and ought here temporally pray for another which is according to Gods commaundement 1. Tim. 2. vers 1.2.3 Iam. 5. vers 14.15.16.17.18 But when one is gone from this temporall into eternall life he takes no longer charge or care ouer vs neither can helpe vs for he knoweth there is a God that both can and will helpe vs. Or if the Saints in heauen doe pray for vs they must necessarily knowe our distresse and afflictions The absurdity then ariseth of Hieroms reason for which they pray for if the Saints in heauen do know our sorrowes and if their loue be perfect then without all doubt they will obserue the holie apostle S. Paules rule which he hath left vnto all men Rom. 12. v. 15. Reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe And that the Saintes in heauen should be grieued for our sakes and suffer disquiet and heauinesse is directly against Gods word For it is expresly written in the third chapter of the booke of Wisedom v. 3. Illi autem sunt in pace but they are in peace And likewise Reuel 7. v. 17. and chap. 21. v. 4. it is plainely recorded that the Saintes after this life haue neither sorrow neither crying neither any more paine for God hath washed all teares from their eyes and they feele nothing but ioy and blisse Otherwise where should the saying of the Prophet Esay be fulfilled For he saith in the 22. of his Prophecie v. 18. Residebit my people shall dwell or rest in the tabernacle of peace and in sure dwellinges and in safe resting places Where may a man haue these things Gods children may expect no perfect peace in the things of this life but affliction Where is the tabernacle of peace In the olde Testament there was but little rest peace and safetie and much more warre tumults hunger and all kinde of persecutions In the new Testament likewise haue the people of God from the beginning thereof vntill the ende had little rest and peace as also our Lord Christ promised not much temporally here vnto his owne Ioh. 16. vers 20. Yee shall weepe and lament and v. 33. In the world ye shall haue affliction and Math. 10. v. 34. NoÌ„ veni missurus pace sed gladium I came not to send peace but a sworde Which is to be vnderstoode of worldly peace for Christ hath called his from the world and therefore can haue no peace with the world but a sword that is they shall be persecuted scourged and wholly killed So Christ telleth them plainelie Iob. 16. v. â—0 the world shall reioyce but ye shall sorrow And else where the world will hate you True rest and peace onely in heauen persecute and kill you this must all true faithfull christians as Gods owne people expect Where then is that peace rest safety which God promiseth his people we must then surely lift vp our eyes vnto the triumphant Church which is with God in heauen for there is the true peace rest and safetie Here hence therefore ariseth that which hath now beene vnanswerablie said that the praying vnto and calling vpon Saintes is against the honour and glory of God and against the Saintes owne rest peace and safetie For it is vnspeakeable to shewe how many Saintes they runne vnto in Popery And thence arose the vse of Pilgrimage a man runneth one while hether to Mary the Lordes mother shortlie thither to Saint Iohn This Popery is heathenish idolatrie and presentlie againe to Saint Benet or to Saint Barnarde wherein is surely sought the Saintes honour not Gods And there hence it is also come to passe that there bee almost as many Gods as Saintes in heauen Saint Nicholas is the God for the water Saint Leonard for the prisoners Popish foolerie Great impietie to spend so much vpon sencelesse things and forget Iosephs bonds Lazarus his miserie Saint Sebastian for the pestilence S. Apolonia for the tooth-atch and more such like Thence also is it that men shew ouer aboundant honour vnto their images and cloath them with Veluet and silken gownes with great ritches about their handes and necks with stately Rosaries as they call them and with beautifull and excellent garlands set vpon their heades they kneele downe also and pray before them and giue honor vnto dead sencelesse wodden and stone images clothing them after the brauest manner But contrariwise they let the liuing images and fellow members of Christ Iesus go bare and naked and dye with hunger Of the Masse The Masse is alike auaileable against diseases as ringing of Bels is against enemies and euil spirits 4. Kreitzer make 30. starling Well then let that
before the blessed Sonne of GOD Christ Iesus a Lambe without spotte in whom there is found no guile nor sinne seeing that euery sacrifice is receaued in respect of the Sacrificer as it is written in Gen. 4. The eternall had respect to Abel and his offering I omit for breuitie sake a thousand other absurdities that followe after this newe sacrifice of the Masse and likewise a whole worlde of horrible and most abhominable villanies which are to be found in the order of these Sacrificers as well regular as secular which sufficiently declare of what stuffe both themselues and their sacrifice are made I will not heere saye any thing of the grosse and beastlye ignorance which is in many though they be respected and honoured like great Doctors of the people and gouernours of soules which blinded as they are they leade with themselues into the pit of perdition I neede not likewise to make knowne to you the vitious life and scandalous conuersation Of Monks and their liues and too too notorious of the religious and Monkes meere abusers of the people who in Cloisters and Monastaries are nourished in idlenesse and entertained with the labour and sweate of the poore and simple people who conceiuing too good an opinion of them doe oftentimes take the very breade out of their owne mouthes to giue it to them which they abuse ouer wantonly through excesse and gluttony But to returne to their chiefe leader Patriarche Whē this deceiuour vsurpeth supreame authoritie ouer the lawes doctrines and documents of the sonne of God accusing them of insufficiencie and lacke of power to demonstrate vnto vs the Soueraigne good saying in a worde that the holy Scriptures are imperfect what doth he else then depriue him of his doctorall robe But the truth is and so it behoues vs to beleeue assuredly that as Christ Iesus hath sent vs from the euerlasting Father as a most wise Maister with charge and power to bring men to their saluation so hath he likewise by his doctrine laide open most sufficiently the way and meanes therevnto Traditiōs Whereby certainely is ouerthrowne all the host of traditions all this Iliade and infinite number of humaine inuentions and vnwritten doctrines forged in the shoppe of this deceiuer Pope aboue the Scriptures by the which he doth not onely surpasse but is also contrary and opposite to the deuine and wholesome doctrine and precepts of Christ Iesus a most sufficient Maister and teacher the true Messias both God man Pope is Antichrist accomplishing that which S. Paule foretolde of him that he should oppose and lift vppe himselfe against all that which is called God 2. Thes 2. No lesse doth he of the royall dignity of Christ Iesus whereof hee depriues him attributing it to himselfe as well in heauen as earth vsurping and chalenging the full authority to dispose after his fancie of the whole Church as well tryumphant as militant Hence it comes that this proud and arrogant deceiuer Canonising saints takes vpon him to make Saints to canonise those that seeme good vnto him deifying them in such sort as that the siely ignorant people cannot know nor discerne Christ Iesus among this rable of saints and eftsoons it falleth out that the bodies of those are honored and superstitiously adored by men in this worlde whose soules are tormented by the diuils in hell He taketh also power ouer Angels Pope commaundeth Angles and all the happy spirits of the celestiall court to commaund them what could he vsurpe more in heauen vnlesse he would banish and driue God himselfe if he could from thence But alas what authority takes he vpon him here vpon earth what exceeding great tyranny and cruelty dooth he exercise Some he excommunicates anathematizeth others he taketh the temporall spirituall sworde hee deposeth Kings and Monarches from their thrones to bee short being seated in the Temple of God hee causeth himselfe to be worshipped as God 2. Thes 2. But oh Lorde Iesus when wilt thou discomfit and bring to confusion this wicked vsurper by the breath of thy wrath when wilt thou abolish him by the brightnesse of thy comming when shall this beast with his false Prophet be cast into the pit or lake to the end she do no longer seduce the world Apo. 19. When shall that houre come wherein we shall vnderstand great consolation that voyce of the Angell crying alowde Rome is Babilon She is fallen she is fallen that great Babilō Apo. 18. O lord when shall it come to passe that the great nations and kings of the earth shall haue drunke enough of the wine of the wrath of her fornication and haue spewed foorth all the venome which already thy haue sucked out of her cuppe As for my part I am weary and tired therewith and therefore I renounce her I detest and abiure her in the presence of this Church of God both now and for euer louing rather to endure the Crosse of Christ in the bosome of his lawfull spouse then enioy the pleasures and ioyes of this world betweene the armes of a shamelesse strumpet who hath so long time deceiued me through her fooleries But againe I renounce and abiure now and for euer both her and all her doctrine in so much as that it is against the expresse word of God blasphematory Apostatique superstitious and as farre from the meaning of Christe our true maister as darkenesse from light as falshood from trueth vice from vertue most humbly beseeching almighty GOD thorough the entralls of his mercy and through the most precious bloude which his sonne Iesus Christ hath shed for me that he will not lay to my charge the faults of my youth nor iudge me according to the sinnes of my ignorance but rather pursuing his mercy begunne in me he will pardon all my offences committed by me either in works words or thoughts and in others through examples and wicked superstitious doctrines and that it would please the same God to worke so that those who hetherto haue beene wrapped vp in the palpable darkenesse of error and ignorance and luld a sleepe vnder the shadow of the winges of that strumpet hauing beene drunke with the wine of her fornication may now awake out of that profound sleepe and slumber of death to tast how little soeuer it be of the sauourous fruite of life and drinke onely a glasse of the delitious waters of the foūtaines of immortallity which streame from the house of God into the assembly of the elect for then I do assure my selfe they will forthwith abandon the venomous Cisterns of that defiled strumpet and most malicious deceiuer For this end therefore O mercifull father and euerlasting God we power out before thee euen from the bottome of our harts our humble petitions for that the compassion we haue of so many poore soules which she causeth to be drunke poysoned with a deadly poyson couered ouer with an agreeable sweetnes makes our eyes
God how they depraue the Sacraments by their filthy inuensions Sacramēts depraued how they annoint their belles with Oyle and creame as they call it with the assistance of God fathers and God mothers imposing names vpon them how this Antichrist that weareth the three Crownes Popestriple Crowne with others of the like stampe doe chalenge to themselues the power and authoritye of Iesus Christ both in heauen and earth though to none other but onely vnto Christ it doth appertaine and belong as being giuen vnto him of God the Father To be short I will omitte very many superstitions and heresies that haue caused me to flye from this pretended Catholick Church to settle my selfe with al maner of humility in the church reformed by Gods grace in this kingdome I make no doubt but there are many the very instruments of Sathan who enuying my holy resolution and saluation will drawe out of hell a sea of slaunders intending thereby the decay of my good fame and to bring mee into an euill opinion of the faithfull I knowe they will endeuour to spotte my coate of innocencye with a thousand lyes but time that reuealeth all things shall shew the contrary One thing comforteth me which is that if our head Iesus Christ hath receiued many opprobious speeches the faithfull who are his elected members shoulde not desire to bee exempt from the same seeing it is the meane to attaine to heauen Let them say what they will let them doe what they can neither promises nor threats neither iniuries nor persecutions nor the sword can through Gods grace with-drawe me from my holy resolution which is to imbrace the true and liuely faith of the reformed Churches assuring my selfe that GOD who hath euer care of his poore faithfull will be a sufficient buckler to defend me against all their assaults It remaineth now that with all humility I do beseech the congregation of the faithful to receiue me into their number with whom I desire to finish the residue of my dayes to the end with them I may freely serue my God and walke according to the sincerity of his Gospell Amen So Signed IOHN NORMAN We the Ministers and Elders of the Church of Tours do certifie vnder our hands that the said Norman hath made and signed his Christian profession and abiuration of Papisticall religion all the people being assembled at the said Church of Tours the 17. of September beeing Sunday with praises and thanksgiuing of al the faithfull 1600. So signed B. Rousseau Minister L. hommo Martin P. Mercier Doucet D. Mercier Elders for all the rest And the 24. day following of the same moneth the saide Norman being in a place at Fraisneau in the presence of all the congregation hath againe made the abouesaid declaration with promise to continue in the true profession and holinesse of a Christian life So signed B. Rosseau Minister L' hommè I. Bazin Mesgrier Bourrand all Elders A christian declaration made by Father Abraham sometimes Prior of Carmes in the towne of Arles publiquely in the reformed Church of Vzez THAT great excellent Philosopher who in respect of those vertues wherewith the heauēs adorned him was surnamed the Diuine viz. Plato gaue thanks to God for three things for that he was borne a man and not a beast a Grecian not a Barbarian but aboue all for that he had receiued the benefit of life in the time of Socrates from whose mouth he had learned many goodly and vertuous instructions If this Heathenish Philosopher hath esteemed it and that by good reason for a happy benefit to be borne in the Olympiads of Socrates of whom he might learne certaine humaine sciences but not the knowledge of his saluation alas with what a strict bond are we bound to praise and glorifie the name of our blessed Sauiour who hath caused vs to be borne in this age which is dyed red in the bloud of so many faithfull witnesses of his veritie and also by the brightnesse of his gospell shining through the clouds and mistes that are thickned by the malice of Sathan intending to hide from me the sweet sunne of iustice and knowledge of truth But among all those that are bound to this dutie of giuing of thankes I doe acknowledge and confesse my selfe this day the greatest debter do place among all the benefits receiued from Gods hand this of my conuersion and entrance into his Church to be the first and chiefest Without which alas what could haue profited me all the fauour receiued from his sacred hand but on lye to haue turned to my condemnation ruine and confusion What would it haue auailed mee to haue beene stamped in the stampe of Gods face if I bare the marke and character of the beast What good had it beene for mine eyes to haue beene lightned with this corporall light if my soule had been enclosed in the darkenesse of infidelitie What health had it beene for me to haue breathed in an ayre agreeable to my body which beeing infected with such impieties had beene contagious to my soule What honour to beare the name of a Doctor and to teach a lye to destroy instead of instructing to ruinate and bring to decaye that which I should haue built and repayred The Lord therefore be praised who hath vnmasked my eyes and caused me to see the light of his Gospell wherein my sight hath beene so long dazeled and blinded Blessed be that happy day wherein this good God hath caused to appeare the effects of his eternall election in me and hath acknowledged mee for his adopted childe and lawfull heyre of that great and eternall kingdome which his sonne Iesus Christ hath purchased for his elect through the merite of his perfect obedience Beholde me now come into the house of God betweene the armes and in the bosome of Christ his espouse as farre from impieties and sacriledges of that shamelesse Babell as the truth from falshood and light from darkenesse Beholde now I am come into the sweete libertie of my conscience which hath so often summoned mee to leaue and depart from the Seminarie abuses of papistrie from those horrible sinkes and vautes of impietie where the Lordes holy name is so villainously prophaned and the honour of the eternall who is infinitely iealous of his glorye shamefully prostituted to idols and marmosets where the bloud of Christ serueth for a traffique where his onely sacrifice which is the expiation of our offences is held incapable and insufficient to blotte them out and deface them Mans merits where mans merites go cheeke by ioule with those of Iesus Christs where the sonne of God our Redeemer is robbed of his greatest and most worthy titles of office where coadiutors are giuen him for intercession and Sacrificing Prayers to Saints where the pastorall staffe is taken out of his hands wherewith hee ruleth and gouerneth his flocke where the Empire of the world and conduct of his Church is shared in halfe with him
thy good pleasure alwaies rather to vse mercy then iustice to be gratious in shewing fauour not furye stretch forth thy hand draw them vnto thee teach them sith it is thy will that all may come to the knowledge of saluation Imprint in their mindes a desire to sound the depth of thy holy Scriptures Let the discretion of thy alsearching spirit guide them to gather in these gardens the flowers of that Soueraigne good the foode of their soules the fit and effectual hearbs for the phisicke of their spirituall infirmities the plants that are a Soueraigne Antidote against death the Sacrament of eternitie the certaine pledge of felicity Let them touch no more the tree of knowing good and euill although his outwarde beautie doth cloake his inwarde poyson And as thy sacred word diuinely inspired shall be an assured guide to all people desirous to reiect an vntruth beeing the Organe of perdition for to receiue the Euangelicall truth the power of God for the saluation of all beleeuers manifesting in her brightnesse the splendour of thy incorruptible heritage by the selfe same reason let it make known vnto theÌ„ that there is essentiall conformitie between the doctrine of the Church reformed and thy true church a substantiall discord betweene thine and that which is announced by the Roman Bishoppe or his adherents and consequently that this leadeth to damnation and the other to permanent happynesse And certainely as the glory of our Sauiour is vnseparably conioyned with the saluation of his elected and chosen creatures honouring and crowning with inesteemable benefits those that honour him So likewise that is the true and sincere Religion opening the waye to saluation which addresseth all her documents and exercises purely and simply to the glory of the almighty and contrarywise that religion is false and ruinous which seeketh the glory of creatures honoring them with that which onely belongeth to the liuing God who giues not his glory to any other By this rule the knowledge of the wise on earth is condemned and accused of vanity Rom. 1.21.25 for that hauing knowne God they haue not glorified him as God and haue not yeelded him due thankes but are become vaine in their discourses and their hart voyde of vnderstanding hath beene filled with darkenesse and tearming themselues wise are become fooles and haue changed the glory of God immortall into the likenesse and image of man By reason whereof they haue beene giuen vp to their owne harts lustes to filthinesse and the defyling of their owne bodies as hauing changed the truth of God into falshoode worshipped and serued the creature and haue forsaken the Creator who is blessed and praysed both now and for euer Amen By this rule and generall Maxime our Sauiour in Saint Iohn Chap. 5. vers 39. and after confirmes the will of his act wherof see vers 16.17.30 against the deceipts fallacies of the Iewes Search the Scriptures diligently for in them yee thinke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me But yee will not come to me that yee may haue life I seeke not glory of men I am come in my fathers name and yee receiue me not if another shall come in his owne name him wil yee receiue How can yee beleeue which receiue honour one of another and seeke not the honour that commeth from God alone And againe in the 12. Chap. vers 43. They haue loued the glory of men more then the praise of God By this rule the Apostle Gal. 1. vers 10. proueth that his preaching came down froÌ„ heaueÌ„ to the confusioÌ„ of vaine discourses and false Apostles Doe I preach mans doctrine or Gods For if I should yet please men I were not the seruant of Christ To bee short this principle is so cleere so true so authorised that it needeth not any more witnesses out of the scriptures it being more cleare and transparent then the Noone-day that the true and perfect religion is marked and knowne by this that shee seeketh absolutelie the glory of the creator of heauen and earth and that religion is false and abhominable that doth the contrarie And that the religion reformed is of the first degree and that of the Roman Church of the second the conference ensuing doth briefely set down And to tell the truth who is so blind that seeth not that the true Christians doe professe that first one onely God must bee called vpon Secondly that from him alone all maner of saluation and deliuerance must be expected Thirdly that his mercy defaceth all our sinnes Fourthly that the sacrifice of the vndefiled Lambe offered vpon the crosse taketh away condemnation Fiftly that his iustice redeemeth vs from the second death and his resurrection leadeth his Saintes into the right waye of eternall life Sixtly that his most blessed worde contayneth all manner of secrets necessarye for our welfare and happinesse Seauenthlye that workes cannot merrite euerlasting felicitye Eightlie that the most righteous and perfectest men cannot produce workes of supererogation as if it were in their power not onely to accomplish all iustice commaunded but also more than is required Ninthly that God must be worshipped in spirite and trueth Tenthly that the glorious body of Christ sits at the right hand of his father Brieflie all those that stedfastly beleeue this doctrine do they not rightly attribute all glorie to his Soueraigne maiestie Prayer to â—aiâ—â— And contrariwise the Papists dishonour him who first call vpon Angels Saints and Ladies Secondly they hope from them succours and helpe in their perils and necessities Thirdlie they promise to themselues remission of sinnes through the indulgences from the Bishop of Rome Fourthly they mingle the bloud of Martires with the bloud of Christ thinking his not sufficient Fiftlie they trust more in the merits of Saints or mortall creatures then in the obedience of the sonne of the eternall Sixtly they are not contented with the sacred letters of reconcilation but to supplie their want as they fondly imagine they adde the vaine sufficiencie of their vnwritten traditions Vnwritten Traditions IustificatioÌ„ by workes Seauenthly they presume of their workes for their iustification before the throane of Gods supreame iustice and doe further commit manie things repugnant to Gods heauenly will which notwithstanding is the onely rule of righteousnesse Eightly Workes of supererogation they thinke to be more wise than the Master of Masters when they doe more and aboue his commandements in their actions of supererogation Ninthly Worshiping of Images they encline and bowe themselues to the images of Creatures contrary to the lawe and they serue God after a sensuall and carnall manner prohibited by his worde without whose warrant euery worke is done without faith by consequence a most abhominable sinne Tenthly Transubstantiation they fasten the pretious body of Christ to bread and wine subiect after their consecration to a thousand corruptions and abuses and altogether farre from his excellencie We omit
the Sacrificer is preferred before the sacrifice as we may see Genes 4.4 where the holy ghost witnesseth that the Lord had first respect to Abel and then to his offering This then being granted and therewithall considering that in the Romish Church the Masse priest is reputed a Sacrificer Popish priest better then Christ Christ Iesus the sacrifice it must hereupon needes followe that the Romish priests beeing but mortall and sinfull men and by nature altogether estranged from God are preferred before him in whome there is found no guile nor sinne 1. Pet. 2.22 1. Pet 1.19 euen before that vnspotted Lambe the true son of God by nature Iesus Christ Oh intollerable blasphemy neuer vsed among the Turkes And to the end none may be ignorant of such a foolish impudencie note I pray you but that which may be seene whē in their Masse they mūble out these words Supraque proprio ac sereno vultu respicere digneris accepta habere Hebr. 9. 1. Iohn 1 Math. 3. sicuti munera pueri tui iusti Abel Wherein there are two propositiōs in the first the Priest becomes a Mediator for the Soueraigne Mediator Priest a mediator for Christ of whom the father saith this is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased for you must alwaies suppose as the Church of Rome doth that the true body of the sonne of God is present in the host as it was in his transfiguration and in his Baptisme in the Iordan In the second he compareth Iesus Christ to the sacrifice of Abel By meanes whereof as aforesaid the Priest shall be more pleasing and acceptable to God then Christ Iesus himselfe who likewise by this meanes shall be robbed aswell of his office as of his Sacerdotall dignity What mans eares that bee attentiue to any wholesome doctrine and stirred vp with the affection of a Christian zeale can endure and suffer the eccho of so harsh and horrible a speech What soule is there which is desirous to aspire come to her true scope felicity Math. 17 through the true and sacred mediator Christ Iesus Math. 23. Deut. 18. Esai 11. that can permit his excellencies and dignities to be so trampled vnderfoote The Church of Rome is not content to banish Christ out of the sanctuary whereas the Iewes haue cast him onely out of the Synagogue but goeth on further and taketh from him his pastorall robe which appertaineth and belongeth vnto him alone as it may euidently appeare in many places of the holy Scripture wherein he is promised and recommended for a Doctor and maister giuing lawes and precepts against which or besides which as proceeding from a most wise maister none of his desciples dare thrust themselues in for their alteration This Maxim against which the very heathens dare not dispute declareth sufficiently that he who is a meanes for conducting mē to the Soueraigne good must also by his instructions and precepts lay open the way and assured meanes for the attayning thereunto The Church of Rome yet notwithstanding vsurpeth and chalengeth to her selfe the Soueraigne authority of iudging such like instructions accuseth them of insufficiency Popes Doctrine as not able to shew the way leading to eternall life which surely is nothing els but an accusing of the author himselfe Christ Iesus the son of God Nay she yet goeth beyond and farre surmounteth the said precepts as well in the vertue of her word not written as of her traditions together with an Iliad of inuensions rather diabolicall then deuine or humane And moreouer she teacheth doctrine cleane contrary to Gods truth as may be noted in these few examples Iesus Christ forbiddeth any of his desciples to desire preheminence ouer the other The Church of Rome hath a counterpoise Math. 24. for she constituteth one in authority aboue all the Bishops in the worlde Christ Iesus will that his Church take her firme foundation vpon this that he is Christ the sonne of the liuing God Math. 16.16.18 who suffereth not the gates of hell to preuaile against her Chruch not built vpō Peter for that she is grounded vppon a sure rocke which is Christ The Church of Rome will builde her vpon a rocke which like vnto man is subiect to fall awaye and come to ruine I meane during the life of S. Peter as may be seene how the flouds of misbeleiefe and riuers of infidelity haue had great power ouer her and brought her flat vpon the ground Carued Images To be short all the doctrine of our saluation as well in the olde as new Testament forbiddeth vs to draw or paint any images or statutes in matter of religion yet notwithstanding the Church of Rome obstinatly alloweth them will haue them and commaund them Finally in conferring the one with the other you may see as it were in a glasse that Belial is no more contrary to Christe falshood to truth darknesse to light vice to vertue then the doctrine of the Church of Rome to that of the Mediator and accessor to the Soueraigne good Beholde then Christ Iesus in the Romane Church deuested of his doctorall robe Now remaines the third and last dignity of his vnction that is to say that he is King hauing all power both in heauen earth as it is proued by diuerse places of the holy Scripture namely in the 49. of Genes in the person of Iuda in the 11. of Esay in the 31. of Ieremy Psal 2. Psal 110. Mathew 23. of the which he is likewise dispossed in the Church of Rome For whosoeuer saith that he hath both spirituall and temporall power to gouerne the Church Triumphant and Militant to doe with them according to his pleasure he doth surely take vpon him the true domination of Christ who saith I giue the water of life and who so shall drinke thereof Iohn 4.10 shall neuer haue thirst by which speciall passion of thirst he comprehendeth all other spiritually by the figure Synedoche This is that which the Apostle expoundeth and the Euangelist in the Apocalips speaking of Saints who haue washed their robes in the bloude of the Lambe Apoc. 21. and doe no more taste of lamentations sorrowes or any other kinde of passions or torment It beelongeth therefore onely to the vndefiled Lambe who giueth the water of life to make and canonize true Saints But the Pope who is the head of the Church of Rome taketh vppon him authoritye and power to create Saints and canonize them hee enrouleth in the booke of heauen such as he will and when it is his good pleasure hee maketh them to raigne with Christ Iesus in the like title and degree as himselfe he vaunteth to haue power ouer Angels to command them nay which is more one of his bookes named Stella Clericorum dooth affirme that the meanest Priest among them Pope aboue the Angels is greater in dignity then the holy Virgin and all the Angels How much greater
then is the Creator of Priests viz. the Pope Oh shamelesse vanity Non Stygius tentaret Orcus quod audent effrenes monachi Againe euery one may easilye know what authority he taketh in the Church Militant excommunicating some anathematizing others he taketh the temporall sword hee pulleth downe kinges and Monarches from their thrones he setteth his foote vpon their necks and commonlye makes them kisse his pantable I omit to speake of the excessiue dignities attributed vnto him by his owne Canons Decrees Decretals Clementines being truely extrauagant from all truth as likewise a thousand more points of doctrine issuing out of these three principals That Christ Iesus is deuested of his office of Sacrificer in the Roman Church that his office of Doctorship is taken frō him that his gouernement in heauen and earth is vsurped from him Now seeing these offices are necessary adiacents to the Soueraigne good that the Church of Rome diuorceth them from the Mediator it must needes be that she doth not seeke the Soueraigne good but rather shuns and flyes from it Hence therfore it comes brethren that I haue renounced Papistry and doe purpose carefully and with labour to seeke the right pathes leading to the Soueraigne good wherwith the Church of Rome is not acquainted And for this purpose I haue abiured and do now abiure al her doctrine as blasphemous Apostaticall superstitious and as farre from Christianity as she is from the true ende and scope of mans creation which is the Soueraigne good And finally aboue all other graces wherewith God of his mercy hath made me pertaker I yeelde him most humble thankes for these two which are farre beyond compare of all others videlicet that hee hath shewed vnto mee through the light of the holye Ghost the natural brightnesse of his holy truth that the clearenesse thereof causeth his beames to shine in the Churches of this kingdome reformed both in faith and doctrine according to the purenesse and sincerity of his holy Gospell The confession of whose faith I will not onely seale with pen and inke vpon paper but also if neede be against tyrants with my bloud vpon this base Territority In which reformed Church I protest to dye and finish my dayes praying the Lord Almighty and onely wise who hath called me to the knowledge of his truth that he will establish ratifie this vocation of me and make me to feele and perceiue the full effects of his eternall election and further that of his mercye he will strengthen and assist me against all assaults and temptations that may present themselues before me And to conclude I hartily beseech this Church to make mee pertaker of her holy praiers as I will in like sort be euer mindefull as well to powre forth prayers to the eternall for her long prosperous continuance as also for those that are of the like faith in Iesus Christ To whom with the father and holy Ghost bee giuen all honour and glory both now and for euer Amen So Signed De Beauvall We the Pastoures and Elders of the reformed Church of Saint Amand L' Alher in Bourbony doe certifie that this day being the 16. of Iuly 1600. Maister Edmond de Beauval heretofore a Iesuite hath made a publicke abiuration of all the Papisticall Idolatries wherin he had bin norished and instructed protesting to liue euer hereafter as the reformed Churches of this kingdom do require according to a solemne promise by him made in an assembly of some Pastours Elders aswell of this said Church as others hereabout held at Belt in the house of the Lord of the said place the fourth day of this month and hath signed his confession of the faith of the reformed Churches of this kingdome In witnesse whereof we whose names are here vnder written haue giuen him this present Testimony to the end that he may be knowne in those places where he shall come for a mēber of the true Church Yeouen at S. Amand the day and yeare aboue written Signed Iamet Pastor of the said Church Perrinet an Elder Maget an Elder Perrimet Iudge in the said place Deueras De Foulenay Daniard Limosin Ieneueau Gaillard The declaration of Leonard Theuenot heretofore Priest and Curat of the Parish of S. Sauin in the Citie of Poitiers publickly pronounced in the Church of Poitiers aforesaid at the end of the exhortation on Sunday the 26. of Nouemb. 1600. I Am heere before God the Father the Sonne and the Holy-ghost and the elect Angels this Christiā assembly summarily to declare what I haue been in time past in what minde I am at this present wherto by the meanes of my God I aspire in time to come I am borne and was bred vp vntill this present in the Church which is called Romane where I sucked from the vncleane dugs of the impudent Babel and was one of her fauoured Nurse children euen to the obteyning the marke of the beast to be aduanced to the Priest-hood and sacrifizing of humane inuētion which I haue vsed for the space of fiue yeares I was soothed vp and I beleeued it that I was in Bethell that is to say in the house of God which is the Church the which he which hath not for his Mother cannot haue God for his Father as S. Cyprian and S. Augustin apostolically doe teach But some dayes since that it hath pleased God by his holy Spirit to awaken and with-drawe my soule from the letarge wherewith it was possessed working inwardly in me and there stirring vp and executing a great desire to reade the holy Scriptures to conferre of that which concerneth eternall saluation especially with the pastour of this church I perceiued and acknowledged that I was in Bethauen that is to say in the house of Iniquitie of corruption and of abhomination where the puritie of the word of God is defiled the sinceritie and truth of the Sacraments corrupted and the holy commandements of God by mens traditions are brought to nothing and haue euer since continually heard a voyce soūding in the eares of my conscience saying vnto me Depart frō Babilon get thee out of the middest of her for feare that continuing in participating in her sinnes thou receiue of her punishment Now to obey this voyce which the holy scriptures teach me to be of the Spirit of God I am retired into this place to you which I acknowledge to be of the sheepfolde of our Lord Iesus Christ for as you heare his voyce and will not giue eare to strangers and mercenaries I protest that I do abhorre and detest the Romish Idolatries and Superstitions and do renounce the Pope whome I acknowledge to be the sonne of perdition the man of sinne described by Saint Paul 2. to the Thessaloni 2. and the papacie Pope is Antichrist which is the great whore described in the Apocalips And that I desire to liue and to dye in the confession and profession of the faith of the reformed churches of