therefore resolued vvith himselfe to leaue the same and to giue himselfe vnto the fellovvship of the doctrine of the Gospell And came from Prage this yeare about Sexagesimae vnto our most gracious Prince and Lord to Dresden and vpon his graces further appointment likevvise came hither to Wittenberge and presently tolde vs of his purpose to ioyne himselfe vnto our Churches according as he should be best directed vvherevnto vve vvished him Gods blessing and furtherance and also receiued him vvillingly And for that he had heretofore a good vvhile vsed publiquely to Preach himselfe thought it very expedient by preaching to condemne such euident errors vvhich he did vvith a vvell meditated Sermon and great descretion from his heart This recātation was solemnly made before a great auditory of all sorts vpon the day Misericordias Domini this yeare in the Parish Church before a great congregation consisting of the vniuersitie and Schollers out of all Countries together vvith the vvhole company of Cittizens and Commons And after the Sermon ended he confirmed this his confession vvith prayer and the Lords Supper VVherefore vve humbly thanke the Eternall for that he daily graciously calleth his poore strayed sheepe vnto his heauenly kingdome and doe further beseech Almighty God our heauenly Father to vouchsafe by the vvorking of his holy Spirit fatherly to strengthen and confirme this Godefrid in the knovvne trueth mercifully to reduce other strayed sheepe vnto his sheepefould also to direct and gouerne his people and to confound the Romane Antichrists raging kingdome euen for his beloued Sonne Jesus Christ our Lord his sake Amen At Wittenberg the fift of May. 1601. By the Senior and other Doctors of Diuinitie there A Recantation done on the second Sonday after Easter called there Misericordias Domini vpon the Gospell for the day IOHN 10. ver 11. to 17. Iesus spake vnto the Iewes I am that good shepheard the good shepheard giueth his life for the sheepe But an hireling and he that is not the shepheard neither the sheepe are his owne seeth the Woolfe comming and he leaueth the sheepe and fleeth and the Woolfe catcheth them and scattereth the sheepe So the hireling fleeth because he is an hireling and careth not for the sheepe I am that good shepheard and know mine and am knowne of mine As the Father knoweth me so knowe I the Father and I lay downe my life for my sheepe Other sheepe I haue also which are not of this fould them also must J bring and they shall heare my voice and there shall be one sheepefould BEloued and elect in the Lorde Christ we reade in the Booke of the Chronicles of the Kings how that Almightie God did fight for his people and slue a great multitude of the enemies 2. Chro. 20. and obtained the victorie and got thereby such a huge spoile and bootie that in three whole dayes they could not carrie all the same away but in the fourth day they went into the Valley of Blessing Christ by his bitter sufferings hath subdued all our enemies and made vs to reioyce by giuing vs inwarde peace and there praised the Lord. Now hethervnto beloued your well affected mindes haue sufficiently heard how great a combate Iesus Christ hath sustained for vs the like whereof was neuer heard nor the like bootie was euer brought vnto the people of God This was done on Passion Friday past on which day the Sonne of God through his bitter sufferings ouercame and vtterly threwe to the ground all the enemies of mankinde whereby there is giuen vnto vs such a bootie of the which we may reioyce for euer As also the Prophet Esay saith in his 9. chap. ver 3. They haue reioyced before thee according to the ioye in Haruest and as men reioyce when they deuide the spoile Such glorious ioye haue we heard and found vpon the holy Easter day when Christ victoriously rose againe from the dead Now what this booke is that we haue herehence receiued was declared and taught vnto vs the last Sonday namely that peace which Christ thrise wished his Disciples Peace be with you to shew that through his sufferings death and resurrection now from henceforth all is become peaceable Let this therefore now stand still before vs that we like vnto the antient people of God hasten vs vnto the valley of blessing lawde honor and praise the worlds Sauiour Man soone forgetteth Gods benefits and therefore must often be put in minde thereof and neuer forget so great and vnspeakeable a benefit But because man forgetteth nothing more nor sooner then benefits the whole Christian Church hath set before vs this day such a Gospell in which is brought againe vnto our mindes the great loue and mercy of our most dearest shepheard Christ as namely how that he gaue his life vnto death for vs straied sheepe Seeing therefore I haue hethervnto beene a Fryer and stuck in the manifolde errors of Poperie but am now by the giuen grace of God come vnto the light of the trueth I will ground this my Recantation vpon this dayes Gospell 3. partes and deuide the same into three parts 1. First for that this present Sonday is in Christendome called Misericordias Domini the mercies of the Lord I will speake of the great mercy of God contained in these wordes I am that good sheepheard and giue my life for my sheepe 2. Secondly how God ordinarily bringeth the straied sheepe and sinners vnto his sheepefould seeing Christ saith He hath yet other sheepe which he must bring hithervnto 3. Thirdly how we ought to heare the true shepheard Christ his voyce and therein shew the errors of Poperie which are to be auoided as the very voyce of Antichrist Now the good and mercifull God assist vs herein with his diuine grace Amen 1. Part. Wherein Gods great mercies are set forth It is not without cause that the holy Apostle S. Paule 2. Cor. 1. vers 3. calleth Almightie God The Father of mercies and God of all comfort And Ephes 2.4 A God which is riche in mercie Without all controuersie Paul had some cause giuen him why he gaue God such a notable and glorious title yea surely there was good cause giuen him for he was a blasphemer and a persecutor but yet acknowledgeth he was receiued of God to mercy 1. Timoth. 1.13 Not onely that God had of his mercie forgiuen his sinnes but also had aduanced him to a notable Apostle and Preacher of his holy Gospell Dauid likewise exceedinglye commendeth Gods mercie but not without cause for he was an adulterer and a murtherer and yet God did not onely remit him his sinne but did also establish his kingdome in peace And therefore he iustly saith Psal 33.5 Benignitate or as the common translation Misericordia Domini pleci est terra The earth is full of the goodnesse or mercie of the Lord. And in the 145. Psalm ver 9. His mercies are ouer all his workes But such mercie goeth not
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
out of the aboue alleaged places of Christ and Paul that either the Lord Christ or Paul in the same euer ordained or cōfirmed the Masse An exhortation vnto all to auoid Poperie but the Lords Supper as we faithful Christians dayly vse Let this also suffice to be said of the third part Wherefore I exhorte all people but especially louing parents that they wil faythfully admonish and warne their children to flie from poperie as from Sathan For I am well perswaded these fewe yet fearefull errours will giue them iust occasion to take heede of Poperie and thus hath our louing mercifull God of his great mercie sought me found me and pulled me his vnworthy seruant although I were then no seruant but a persecutor no sheepe but a wolfe no shepheard but a destroyer of the sheepe out of popery that I may now ioyfully sing and say with the prophet Dauid The snare is broken and I am deliuered the Lord was my helper Here hence thē vpō the knowledge of such errors The Authors thāks giuing and prayer seeing that thou O God father of mercies hast opened my eyes and lightened my vnderstanding that I might know them to be such errours also hast giuen me a hart not to contend with thee I praise thanke thee through thy sonne Iesus Christ And I also beseech thee father of mercies through thy sonne Iesus Christ thou wouldest graciously forgiue me all my sins abhominations and Idolatries which I haue done and accustomed my selfe vnto in popery agaynst the cleare light of thy holy worde these twentie yeeres euen for thy beloued sonne Iesus Christ his merites for I did it ignorantly I intreate thee likewise Father of mercie thou wouldest of thy like grace and goodnes mercifully keepe and preserue me in this knowne truth strengthen me as thou didest strengthen thy seruant Paul when he put the Iewes to rebuke And I pray no lesse the whole Christian Church His request to the congregation to remember me in their prayers that our mercifull good God moued by the prayers of honest and faythfull Christians may keepe me the more graciously and make me strong and sure in this my knowledge And hereupon I Godfride Rabin He proueth this his recantation to be sincere protest and witnesse before the eyes of thy bottomlesse mercie before thee Iesus Christ my alone sauiour and redeemer before thee God the holy spirit who in Baptisme sanctified me to be a Christian and before you as a Christian congregation that by Gods gracious assistance I will not depart from this pure doctrine and knowne trueth neyther through ioy nor sorrow neyther through hunger nor miserie neyther through good nor ill successe But as before I haue sayd will abide constant to my end whereunto God assist me with his holy Gospell Moreouer I doe Anathematice and cursse that blasphemous poperie with all other sectes and heresies which fight and striue euer more and more agaynst Gods worde Amen The Declaration of Symon Palory of Richeleieu heretofore Prior and prouinciall in the pretended order of the Holy Crosse according to the protestation by him made in the reformed church of Caen the 11. of March 1601. 1. Cor. 4.6 Presume not to knovve aboue that vvhich is vvritten I Make no question but many will be offended at this my change I do foresee that many likewise will speake opprobriouslie and iniuriouslie of me and therefore I thought it not amisse to make known vnto you all what my profession hath bin vntill this present and the motiues that haue stirred me to take this resolution in hand It is about 18. or 20. yeares that I haue liued in the order of the Holy-Crosse which profession I haue not left for any lightnesse or humorous conceit God is my witnesse for before I tooke this holy resolution vpon me I haue indured manie combates in my selfe I haue wel pondered and foreseene the dangers and inconueniences whereinto I might fall I haue seene that according to the world I am sufficiently furnisht wherwith to liue at pleasure and therein to spend the residue of my daies and forsaking the same I haue likwise foreseene necessitie and much vnquietnes Neither am I entred into this happie resolution through any discontentment receiued by any of these of my order I haue Letters testimoniall from our Generall which sufficientlie testifie how I was honoured and beloued of those of my order but I must now come to vnfolde vnto you that which hath awaked me in the prime of my pleasures I haue throughly considered in my selfe the great contentions that haue beene and yet are in Christendom touching religion I haue cast the eyes of my minde vpon that mortal hatred which the greatest part of the world and those too that are the greatest personages do beare to true religion and the professors thereof I haue laid before me the sharpe and greeuous persecutions exercised against them and on the other side I cannot forget their constancie firme resolutiō to maintaine that which makes them so odious among so many assaults and dangerous trials cōtrarie to mans nature which seeks after naught els but rest and that which may bring him solace and pleasure This consideration makes me suspect that it is more then a humane spirit that awakes in them these heauenly motions so smally acceptable to the flesh I here the voyce of the Lorde speaking by his holie Apostle Try all things but retaine that which is good 1 Thes 5. Iohn 5. Act. 17. I here our Sauiour Christ commanding vs to found the Scripture the example of the faithfull of Berea who examined the Scriptures to see if that which S. Paule preached was answerable thereunto comes into my memory I behold how it was a question of eternall saluation and deserued in good earnest to be thought vpon I confesse freely that in comming and going from place to place for the execution of my charge of prouinciall I haue communicated with some of the religion aswell Ministers as others I haue seene and haue bin constrained to confesse that al maner seruices are not acceptable in Gods sight Ierem. 7. Es 29.13 Math. 15.8.29 Colos 1. He condemneth by his Prophet Esay and by our Sauiour Iesus Christ in S. Mathew the commandements and traditions of men he reiecteth by Saint Paule to the Colloss voluntary seruices what apparaunce or shew so euer they haue of deuotion He forbiddeth vs in Deuteronomie Deut. 4. to do that which shall seeme good in our owne sight and enioyneth vs to do onely that which he commaundeth vs neither to adde nor diminish his word he cryeth vnto vs by his Prophet Who hath required that at your hands Such and an infinite number of other like places of Scripture haue induced me to learne whether my profession were of Gods institution or if God were the author of those seruices which now beare greatest sway in the middest of the Roman Church I haue busied my selfe in
reading some bookes intreating of Religion and such as handle matters now in controuersie I haue bestowed some time in reading and examining the places of holy Scripture whereof Saint Paule speaketh 2. Tim. 3. that the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiratinn of God and profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes Iohn 5.39 Esay 8. whereof he also beareth record that the Scripture is of power to make vs become wise to saluation through faith in our Lorde Iesus Christ It is shee as I said before to whome our Sauiour Christ sendes vs as also the Prophet Esay when he vseth these wordes Romish seruice To the lawe and to the testimony if they speake not according to this worde it is because there is no light in them there haue I found seeking her opinion and aduice touching the seruice and doctrine maintained in the Romane Church which shee in no wise approoues but contrariwise in expresse wordes condemnes it I haue not disdayned to peruse the auncient fathers and doctors of the Christian Church whome the Romane Church ordinarilye vse for a buckler against those of the religion their owne wordes doe make mee know that their bookes serue not so much to confirme the seruices in the Church of Rome as to destroy them One thing hath exceedingly mooued me that is the Masse and prayers vsed in the Romane Church Masse which beare witnesse against themselues hauing many traces and reliques of the auntient doctrine of the primitiue Church which was in the Apostles time And to shew that I do not speake this at randome I will produce some witnesses aswell out of the holy Scriptures and auntient fathers as out of that which is contained in the Masse and in the seruice of the Church of Rome The principall controuersie at this day is concerning the pure seruice of God Those of the Church of Rome and in generall all the religious thereof do fully esteeme and conceiue it to consit in praying to Saints and Ladies Praying to Saints to honour and serue them nay which is more to present themselues before their images and there yeeld vp their offerings and deuotions God speaketh so plainely by his first commaundement to worship and serue him onely Exod. 20. Math. 4. Deut. 6. Esay 48. Exod. 20. that it is easilie seene how hee condemneth all seruice in the Romane Church And heereunto I adde his protestation made by Esay Not to giue his glory to another his declaration else where that he is iealous of his honour What can there be more expresse against all the seruices of images then the prohibition by the second commaundement Against Images not to make any image nor the likenesse of any thing not to bowe downe to it and worshippe it I shoulde neuer haue done if I shoulde rehearse all the passages of holye Scripture which are against images and the seruice of them Haba 2. Ierem. 10. they are called vanity teachers of falshoode and those that shall serue them are threatned to be brought to confusion The other great contention at this day is touching the transubstantiation and worshipping of the host TransubstantiatioÌ„ They perswade themselues in the Church of Rome that the bread and wine of the Masse after their consecration is no more bread and wine but the true and naturall bodie of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and thereuppon they forge that the substaunce of breade and wine must not be there any more sought for vnder these apparances of bread and wine Christ Iesus is there really all whole both God and man in his owne proper substance and therefore they teach men to bow downe themselues and worship this bread and this wine wherein doubtlesse they commit a great Idolaty if Christ Iesus be not there Act. 3.22 Acts. 3.20 Iohn 12.8 Mat 28.5.6 Mar. 24.23 Mar. 13.21 Luke 17. Ma. 24.27 as they would haue it beleeued And I pray you what meane so many places of the holy Scripture which testifie that Christ Jesus is ascended vp into heauen that from thence he shall not come vntil he commeth to iudge the quicke and the dead that the heauens do containe him vntill the day that all things shal be restored that we shall haue the poore alwayes with vs but him we shall not haue alwaies that wee must not follow those that shall say Christ is heere Christ is there that he shall come like lightning that goeth from the east towards the west The Apostle Saint Paul names bread and cuppe the bread wine in the celebration of the supper Whosoeuer shall eate of this bread 1. Cor. 11. saith he and drinke of this cuppe c. Our Sauiour Christ Iesus after the communication of his supper Math. 26. Marke 14.22.23.24 Luk. 22.19 Iohn 4.14 nameth the cuppe which he had ministred to his Apostles the fruite of the Vine I will drinke no more saith he of this fruite of the vine hee himselfe requires it at the hands of his worshippers Who worship the father in spirit truth places wholy contrary to the doctrine of transubstantiation and adoration of the host 1. Cor. 10.16.17 I know well that the breade of the supper is called the body of Christ and the wine also the bloud of Christ but notwithstanding I note on the other side that the same bread is called the communion in the body of Chrost the wine is called the bloud of Christ but it is also named the communion of the bloud of Christ and the new Testament in the blood of Christ Which places teach vs that we must not alwaies take the words in the foote of the letter nor vnderstaÌ„d that the bread wine of the supper be not more bread and wine in their substance but as bread is called the communion in the body of Christ the wine the communion and new testament in the bloud of Christ for because they represent vnto vs our coÌ„munion in the body bloud of Christ the new testament in the same bloud of Christ and moreouer the bread and wine of the Lordes supper represent vnto vs the body and bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ August in prolog tract Psalm 3. Tertulâ—adu Marcio lib. 4. chap. 40. Et lib. 3. Cotra eunde cap. 19. as S. Augustine and Tertullian name them the one a signe the other a figure of the body and bloud of Christ And this was the reason when Christ instituting his supper hath saide of breade This is my bodye and of wine This cuppe is my bloud Hence it comes that the auntient Church as the wordes of the Masse giues vs to vnderstand when they came to the communication of the supper vsed this exhortation sursum corda therby aduertising the faithfull to lift vp their harts aboue the visible things of the Sacrament and to imbrace Christ Iesus
intention For certainly I may well say with S. Paul to the glory of God and my great conuersion that though heretofore I haue beene one of the greatest embracers of the foolish traditions of my fathers being of that Sect the most superstitious of the Scribes and Pharisies of the Romane church when that my heart was in darkenesse my vnderstanding hardened and her waies and doctrine wholy tending to death Prou. 14. seemed to me pure and right yet now my heart is enlightened and I may contemplate in the bright mirrour of the Gospell the glory of the Lord plainly 2. Cor. 3. And my most mercifull father who hath conuerted me vnto himselfe through the influence of his holy spirit who a long time and that very often hath summoned and warned me sounding in the inward eares of my minde that which before hee spake to the rebellious children of Israel Walke yee not in the ordinances of your fathers neither obserue their maners nor defile your selues with their Idols I am the lord your God walke in my statutes keep my iudgemēts and do them which if a mā do he shall liue in them Ezec. 20 And in another place he willeth his people to come out of Babilon that they be not partakers of her syns receiue her plagues Apo. 18 depart depart ye go out frō thence touch no vncleane thing Jsai 52. Hearing I say so many times such and the like words of Gods diuine spirit soūd in the ears of my soule it being a hard thing for me to kick against the prick Gods clemency bounty through his patient pursuite surmounting my too great malice blindnesse hath now in the end forced me to obey his voice and follow his vocation Hence it comes therfore deare brethren that I haue forsaken the vaine and superstitious traditions of men and disposed my hart to receiue at large the diuine beames of the eternall sunne of iustice the influences of his supreame grace the most sweet ioyes of Gods face to wit through the participation of the word of life of the excellencie of the Sacraments of the efficacie of the exercies of pietie of the perfections of a liuely faith and other infinite blessings and benefits inspired from heauen into the elect in the mysticall societie of the body of Christ O thrice and foure times blessed be that so great power of the spirite of GOD which leadeth mee to such good high and heauenly things Behold me now through the grace of God to haue forsaken abandoned these seminary abuses of papistry to become forth from the dungeon and sinke of all filthinesse malice Behold me loose and freed frō the embracings of that strumpet Babel the nurserie of all impietie by whom the holy name of God is so villanously prophaned and the honor of the soueraigne God infinitely iealous of his glory so impudently prostrated of Idols of gold siluer stone wood and clay behold I say how that I am come forth from that dangerous labyrinth of errors so abhominable as that there is not any man hauing neuer so little feeling of faith but doth detest and abhorre them My conscience also which before had so many times grieued and tormented me for that she found her selfe so far wandring out of the way of the true and liuely spirit of God which secretly drew her to himselfe affoording her no assurance in the false grounds which before she sought now giues me a true repose and consolation hauing found that vnknowne good which she thirsted after the which is now happened to her when according to the counsell of the wise Prou. 14. and through the fauour of my GOD I am departed from that foolishe man from the sonne of iniquitie from Antichrist in whome I haue found no lips of knowledge but rather of falshood and deceipt This is the onely fruite that lyes hidden vnder the leaues of this fained holinesse iustice obedience pouertie fastings and disciplines instituted without and contrarie to the word of God All these fooleries these proud habilliments and haughty pompe of the Hierarchie of Antichriste tende to no other ende or vse but to busie amaze and abuse the sence of those who do not know the true celestiall ornaments of the citie of the liuing God which cannot discerne the manifest difference which the faithfull see betweene the crowne of thornes of their Redeemer and Sauiour Christ Iesus and the glittering crowne of the sonne of perdition sending men to men and humaine workes which are in parte the causes of their eternall saluation which to vs and for vs is purchased by the onely sonne of God to whome he dooth exceeding iniury thus to diminish through his false doctrine his merites and rendring them insufficient But if these poore soules which he amazeth would but enter how little soeuer into the bottome of their consciences to iudge of this his doctrine according to the vnderstanding which God worketh in them I doe assure my selfe they would soone discouer and condemne the vanitie and falshood of this deceiuer For GOD dooth suffer by his secret but most iust prouidence that the more they haue their eyes open to their workes as expecting by them saluation so much the more are they doubtfull fearefull and in despaire what shew or apparance soeuer the bountie and greatnesse of their workes carrye with them which doubtlesse is a worke which God worketh in them for good if they would not wilfully resist the holy Ghost I speake this by experience which I haue in my selfe and in a great number of others whose inward disposition hath beene very well knowne to me And surely this cursed teacher of lyes inuenter of fooleries dooth dishonour and outrage to the blessed sonne of God not onely in this which hath beene said but also most vnworthily and outragiously deuesteth him of all his other dignities and excellencies wherewith he hath beene honoured by his eternall father though in apparance hee qualifieth him the Sauiour and redeemer of the world but it is in such sort as that in effect and as much as in him lyeth hee depriueth and robbeth him of all that which is necessarie for such an office And first what is he so blinde that seeth not plainely how he dispossesseth him of his Soueraigne and perpetuall office of Sacrificer seeing he giues him coadiutors and successors in this kinde of office which are the Priestes Christ daily Sacrificed who according as he vainely conceiues doe againe daylie sacrifice the sonne of GOD offering him to the eternall father for the expiation of the sinnes of the worlde And what I pray you meanes he by this but that hee reputeth the onely sacrifice of the sonne of GOD the true defacer of all our offences to be of so small power and vertue that it is incapeable and vnsufficent to deface them for euer And againe is not this preferring of the Priest saying Masse or sacrificing a mortall and sinnefull creature whose lippes are defiled
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
THE Confession and publike recantation of thirteene learned personages lately conuerted in France Germanie and the Lowe-Countreys from Poperie to the Churches reformed wherein they haue zealously and learnedly set dovvne the reasons that moued them therevnto ¶ The names and degrees of the Conuerts 1. Godefrid Rahin Fryer and Preacher in Prage at S. Thomas on the little side 2. Simon Palory Prior Prouinciall of the order of the Holy crosse 3. Iohn Colleij a Caputchin and Guardian of S. Omer 4. Melchior Roman a Spaniard Proctor for the Iacobins at Rome 5. Iohn Norman Sub-prior of Marestay a Preacher 6. Father Abraham Prior of Carmes in Arles 7. Antony Ginestet a confessor of the order of S. Francis 8. Signeur Lewis of Câ—ransy a Priest 9. Father Edmon a Iesuite Doctor of Diuinity 10. Leonard Theuenot Curat of S. Sauin 11. Sir Francis a Monke of the order of the Celestins 12. Francis Goupil Angeuin a Fryer in the couent of Chastean Roux 13. Lewys du Boys Priest of S. Francis order in Dunkerke Translated out of the French and Dutch Printed copies by I. M. Imprinted at London for G. P. and are to be solde at the signe of the Bible in Paules Church-yard 1602. A Christian Recantation preached by the reuerend GODEFRID RABEN in English Crowe who had beene an Augustine Fryer and Preacher in Prage at S. Thomas on the little side VVherein he biddeth the Romaine Popedome farevvell recanteth freely and openly the same superstition and Antichristian abhominations in vvhich he had before bin nusled and gaue himselfe to the Protestant Churches of the Augsburgisher confession made in the Parish Church at Wittemberg on Sonday called Misericordias Domini 1601. Then published for the benefit of all well affected Christians together with a Preface made by the facultie of Diuinitie at VVittemberg and Printed at Magdeburg by Iohn Franck the same 1601. And now faithfully translated according to the said high Dutch coppy with an addition of the verses in all the alledged Scriptures and Marginall notes by I. M. A Preface vnto the Christian Reader FOr the space of certaine yeares hethervnto If men be not well grounded nor haue conscience they will in time of persecutioÌ„ be easily drawne froÌ„ the trueth euen euer since the Papists in Stiria Carinthia and Carnira haue begun againe vvith might and maine as enemies to persecute the Gospell vve haue had grieuous experience in vvhat sort manie people some for fauor of their Gouernors feare to be driuen froÌ„ their great lands and honor some for loue of their earthly countrey vvealth and goods some of foresight and pride desirous to be thought more vvise then others and some also of simplicitie and feare haue falne from the knovvne trueth of the holy Gospell and haue imbraced the palpable Idolatrous errors of cursed Romish Poperie For then by reason of such bloodshedding many godly hearts vvere greatly offended because they savve Gods cleare and pure vvord In persecution God trieth and strengthneth his children contained in the Bible must indure to be openly proclaimed accompted by many simple soules for heresie and horrible errors vvhere hence also vvas occasioned of euery side much doubting of the doctrine vvhereby also the blinde Papists conceiued vnto themselues a vaine hope that thence forvvard the Popes Antichristian kingdom vvas set vp againe on foote that his condemned hypocrisie Idolatrie blasphemous doctrine should be againe of most esteemed and receiued for pure holinesse But the eternall good God according to his comfortable promise hath not forgotten his beloued Church in this her heauinesse God onely able to rule the conscience If the scriptures were freely permitted vnto all to read many in Poperie would see the trueâ—â— but by the strength of his holy Spirit hath granted vnto many as vvell in high and great accompt as in lovve and meane estate a cheerefull constant heart vnto Gods truth so that their saith is tryed and increased by his firie ouen of temptation made knovvne vnto all men Besides vvhereas the vvretched and obdurated Papists thought most men vvould haue become Papists againe God to the contrary hath declared that he is Lord ouer the conscience and not the Pope and his rablement seeing that at all times he hath enlightned some peoples hearts that they haue knovvne openly confessed the truth And it vvould be much more done if the holy Scripture of vvhich the Papists as lucifugae scripturaruÌ„ and hypocriticall shunners of the light are afraide vvere permitted vnto euery one to read As also it is come to passe that a fevv dayes since there came vnto vs from Prage the reuerend learned man Godefridus Coruinus borne at Newstat on the Riuer of Sahl in Franconia vvho vvas an Augustine Fryer and an appointed Preacher of the same order amongst the Papists in the Prouince of Bauaria vvhich vvorke of God is so much the more to be admired seeing the doctrine of the Gospell had neuer greater enemies then euen those called in Poperie spirituall namely the Fryers Schoole-diuines Iesuites Bishops and such like yet hath God also euen in the great disordered and spoiled Fryers-order his number vvhome he sometimes bringeth vnto his sheepe-fould And as he in former time out of Paule a blasphemer and a persecutor made a Christian and an Apostle so he mercifully vsed Doctor Luther an Augustine Fryer for a generall reformation of all Friery orders This Godefridus vvas in the yeare of Christ 1582. Dominica Reminiscere This conuert was a great preacher amongst his order and therein esteemed aboue others by the people brought by his Parents vvho vvere driuen therevnto by pouertie vnto the Augustine Fryerie at Wirtzburg about the 18. yeare of his age Tvvo yeares after Anno. 1584. the sixt of May he professed and made his vovv Three yeares after that Anno. 1587. on Saterday before Iudica he vvas made a Priest at Freisingen in Bauaria and presently therevpon feria tertia Pascatos sung his first Masse solemnly vnto the Fryers in the Augustine Fryerie And because God had indued him vvith a speciall gift of Preaching Anno. 1593. he vvas appointed to be a common and ordinarie Preacher of the Augustine Fryers as his especiall Letters testimoniall doe declare and hath novv certaine yeares since exercised himselfe in Preaching at Prage vvherein he vvas also praised aboue others beloued and esteemed of But being diligent in reading the Scriptures the longer he read the more he found that Poperie might in no sorte be made like therevnto Poperie grounded either vpon no Scripture or vpon strained glosses but that the Papists erronious doctrine for the most parte vvas grounded vpon no Scripture at all and part againe onely vpon strained glosses of certaine places he began to doubt of the vvhole cause And as he more earnestly sought after the trueth he found at the last that he might no more vvith a good conscience deliuer vnto Gods congregation the apparant errors of the Papists and
be laid vpon Gods word but vpon thy selfe because thou cōmest preparest not thy selfe therunto with aright earnest religious affection so doest thy selfe wilfully hinder the gratious working of the holy Ghost For it is euen so at this time as at the time of the Prophet Ezechiel where God complaineth vnto the Prophet Ezech. 33. vers 30.31 The people talke against thee they will come vnto thee into the congregation and sit before thee as if they were my people * So it is interpreted by most is indeed the sence of the place where is to be marked that idle lasie hearers of Gods word are not Gods people and they will heare thy words but they will not do thē For with their mouthes they make iestes and their hart goeth after their couetousnes And also God saith by the Prophet Esay of the peoples stubbornes who seeing many things kept them not and opening their eares hard not Esai 42. v. 20. Here hence maist thou easily perceiue wherfore Gods word hath not a powerfull working in thee thou doest heare it indeede but thou wilt now follow it * Gods word not taken to hart cannot be powerfull to conuert thou takest it not to heart thou lettest it in at one eare and out at the other thou wilt not leaue thy couetousnesse thy pride thy immodest incontinencie such like sinnes for the which the holy Ghost cannot dwell in thee and Gods word can haue no fruite in thee wherfore marke how S. Iames exhorteth thee Iam. 1. verse 21. namely to receiue with meekenesse the word that is grafted in vs which is able to saue your soules Out of this worde of God so heard Gods word we heard worketh new thoughts and good motions the holye Ghost worketh all manner of good thoughts so that a bad and wicked man considereth sometimes how he hath heard in Gods worde that God hath so mighty a dislike with euery impenitent sinner that he will not onely punish such temporally here but also eternally in hell with the deuill and all his traine And considereth further how he hath heard in the preaching of Gods word that mans life is so short and vncertaine Sgnes of Gods calling the working of his spirit in vs. that our life here is nothing else then a vapour which indureth but a little while and is like the shadow vpon a wall like a bubble vpon the water and like all such other things remaining but the twinkling of an eye And although this life be so vncertaine and transitory yet is it so accompanied assaulted with many thousand miseries that we are not so long as the twinkling of an eye at any time secure but wee may be called hence by death and bee set before the iudgement seate of Christ there to heare our finall sentence and thereupon to receiue eyther good or bad as Paule saith 2. Cor. 5. verse 10. When therefore a sinner feeleth such motions in himselfe he ought to be assured God calleth him to amendmēt that he should depart from sinne and turne himselfe to Christ his shephard and carer of his soule This is now that knocking whereof Christ speaketh Reuela 3. verse 20. Behold J stand at the dore and knocke If any man heare my voice open the dore I will come in vnto him will suppe with him and he with me Forasmuch then as God will not the death of a sinner but that he conuert and liue as he saith by the Propet Ezechiell in the 18. and 33. chapters so doth he bring such motions into a sinners minde wherby the sinner should learne to reforme himselfe The good shepheard Christ hath yet another pleasant voice whereby he doth also call vs vnto his sheepfolde Outwarde blessinges a second voyce calling vs to his sheepefolde namely outward and temporall benefits as health strength straightnesse and comelinesse of body art wisedome foresight giuing of counsell in althings the vnderstanding and interpreting of the holye Scripture and all such other-like good guiftes as ritches houses and land yea all that is good comes from God as the Apostle Iames saith Euery good thing and euery perfect gift is from aboue and cōmeth downe from the father of lights Iam. 1. v. 17. Whereby euery man ought to consider how his louing God hath graciously indowed and adorned him Gods graces in vs ought to humble not to inflame vs with pride Therefore he should not brag it out nor be high conceipted and contemne others as others the most part doe but he should humble himselfe and be thankfull vnto God that he doth so notably respect him and so excellently adorne him and so richly prouide for him although he deserue it not but is a rebellious sinfull man and should indeuour by all his strength All men ought to imploy the graces giuē them to Gods glorie their owne saluation and neighbours good to apply all the aboue named gifts vnto pietie and the feare of God seeke his praise and honor his owne soules saluation and further his neighbors good that so he may after this life heare the Arche-shepheard Christ his delightfull voyce who hath bestowed vpon him and giuen him such great giftes and graces But when a man in this sort and manner will not turne vnto God but hardneth his heart as an Adamant stone and drinketh iniquitie like water as Iob saith Iob. 15. v. 16. and will not at all reforme himselfe by the sweetest voyce but by how much he is the better dealt with by so much the more he falleth into sinne then comes God with a harde and roughe voice Gods iudgments and threatnings a third voice to cal vs when plaine commandemēts blessings will not preuaile If after cōmandemēts blessings and threatnings men repent not then tēporall destruction at the least will lastly ensue which is called crosses sorrow sicknesse and all kinde of miserie Moses in the old Testament exhorteth the Israelites committed to his charge how they should behaue themselues when they were in prosperitie in the promised land And saith Deut. 8. in all the chapter Whē thou shalt be in the promised land build citties and houses plant vineyardes and Oyle trees and shall eate and fill your selues beware diligently thou forget not the Lord thy God And yet in the aboue named booke Deut. 32. v. 15. it is shewed that such hartie and faithfull admonitions made vnto the Iewes did them no good But when he waxed fat he spurned with his heele he was fatte and grosse and laden with fatnesse therefore he forsooke God that made him and regarded not the strong God of his saluation Therefore God gaue them ouer at the last to the sword to hunger and sorrowe to griefe and miserie as also Dauid sheweth in his 78. Psalme Likewise we see as with eyes in these last euill and dangerous times that God punisheth our disobedience vnthankfulnesse with warre and rebellions with dearth hunger heauinesse plague
also suffice for this point Nowe I will goe to Gods chiefest holiest seruice that the Papistes haue namely to the Masse and will truely shew what I haue obserued therein whereby we shall heare and vnderstand that Christes voice is not hard in the Masse but Antchrists In Popery the Masse is esteemed and said to be good and a sure meanes against all kinde of diseases or heauinesse And therefore it cannot go so straightly with any man but he wil run to the Masse forthwith and therein seeke all helpe and aide thither come godly men and deuout women one after another bring ten or twelue Kreitzers more or lesse and yet it may not wel be lesse for then the Sexton that receiues the money and appointes the masse will not indure it neither dare such a one come the second time and desire a Masse of our Lady that is of Mary the mother of our Lorde this man of S. Hanna and another one of S. Sebastian and of such like more Or this man will haue a Masse for some bodies soule because perhaps he takes no rest in the night the Massing Priestes care not what be the cause but receiue the money and read on forward their Masse For none may well desire a Masse gratis And if one desire an open and publique office to be sung whether it be for a soule in Purgatory or otherwise for the honor of any saint he that desireth it must giue an imperiall doller 4. shillings 6. pence for it neither may it be a farthing lesse And yet all this must not be accounted Simony but a meere Almes The Masse is a faire The errors of the Masse although it be exacted and gotten by force And this is the Masse faire The errors therein are these First when the Masse-munger hath laid al his trinckets which appertaine vnto the Masse vpō the Alter he goeth downe againe frō the Alter makes his confiteor that is his confessiō wherin he confesseth not only vnto God but vnto Mary S. Michael S. Iohn Baptist vnto the Apostles Peter Paule and vnto all the Saints But wherin haue I offended Saints that I must cōfesse my sins vnto thē Dauid was better taught 1. Error Horrible Idolatrie confessing vnto saints who said vnto God Psal 51. v. 14. Haue mercy vpon me o God according to the multitude of thy compassions for against thee only haue I sinned This therfore is an error in the entrance of the Masse that a mā must confesse vnto the Saints that are dead which cannot forgiue sins now when this confessiō is ended he riseth commeth againe to the altar maketh a Crosse vpon the altar whilst he is kissing the same crosse saith Oramus te Domine per merita sanctorum tuorum quorum reliqua hic sunt omnium Sanctorum vt indulgere digneris omnia peccata mea Which is in English thus much We pray thee O Lorde by the merites of thy Saints whose reliques are here present and of all Saints 2. Error desiring to haue all sinnes forgiuen for the merit of Saints to Christs dishonour that thou wouldest vouchsafe to blotte out all my sinnes Behold here louing Christian what a notable prayer this is where remaines the merite of our alone Mediator and Sauiour Iesus Christ O blasphemy against God what haue the Saints deserued that God should forgiue me my sins for their merits sake In the 5. of the Reuel v. 9. it is accorded how the Saints praise Christ and say O Lord thou hast redeemed vs to God by thy blood Behold there the Saints themselues acknowledge that they are redeemed and deliuered by the bloud of Christ that is they haue obtained heauē by his blessed merit But if the saints by the blood of Christ and his merit haue obtained heauen then it foloweth that they haue not merited it and if they haue receiued nothing for themselues they cā surely merit nothing for me Idolatrous prayer It is therfore an idolatrous praying to desire that God for the merit of Saints woulde forgiue vs our sinnes but we will leaue vnto the Papistes their idolatrie and pray thus We pray thee O God mercifully to forgiue vs our sins through the merite of thy beloued sonne Iesus Christ our Sauiour Further whē it comes now to the sacrificing then the Masse-munger taketh the plate wheron the Hostia lieth heaueth it vp a litle saith 3. Error the Hoste called an vnspotted Sacrifice Susepe Sancte Pater omnipotence aeterne Deus hanc immaculata hostiam c. In English receiue holy father Almightie eternall God this vnspotted hoste which I thy vnworthy seruant offer vnto thee my true euer-liuing God for all my sinnes and transgressions also for the sinnes of all that are present yea for the sinnes of all faithfull Christians aliue and dead that it may serue for mine and their health to euerlasting life This also should be a prayer but is nothing els thē a horrible blaspheming of God For the holy scripture knoweth not but of one only vnspotted sacrifice which is Iesus Christ who once offered himselfe vpon the crosse for our sins the sinnes of the whole world by which alone wee are cleansed and by this onely Sacrifice and by no other can or may we attaine vnto euerlasting life When they proceede forward take in hand the great Canon as they terme it 4. errors in the great Canon praying God to sanctifie that they take to be his immaculate son wherein they hould the heart and treasure of Gods true seruice lieth hid yet notwithstanding there are certaine speciall and horrible errors therewithall which are directly against Gods worde As first that the Masse-monger saith that prayeth God the Father Vt sanctices benedicas acceptum habeas c. Namely that God would sanctifie blesse and accept this Sacrifice which should notwithstanding be his sonne And who at the first sight perceiueth not that this is a great error striuing against Gods word What is not the Sonne of God then whom as they say this sacrifice signifieth yet sanctified is he not yet blessed and is he not as yet accepted of his father Is not the Sonne one eternall true God with the Father the holy Ghost that surely they will not deny And God saith Leui. 11. v. 44. We should be holy as he is holy Yet there is none so holy as our God Psal 99. v. 5. And the Prophet Esay cap. 6. v. 1.2.3 declareth how he sawe the heauen open and sawe the Lorde sitting vpon a high throne lifted vp and the Cherubins and Seraphims stood round about him The blesed Trinitie and cryed without ceasing one vnto another Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts our God Which is expresly spoken of the holy Trinitie the person is threefolde and yet but one diuine essence or being Christ also according to his holy humanitie is likewise perfect holy Christs humanitie perfect and holy
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
become fountaines our harts to yeld forth vnspeakable sighes considering in the theater of the world the great multitude which through the whirlewinde of sedition is rauished drawne and caried headlong into the gulfe of perdition But O father of light seeing it is thy maner rather to vse mercy then iustice that thy will and pleasure is to vse fauour not fury and that thou doest not desire the death of a sinner but that rather he turne to thee and liue stretch forth thy hand ouer them drawe them to thee teach them sith thy good pleasure is that all shoulde come to the knowledge of saluation Imprint in their soules a desire to founde thy holy Scriptures and let the discretion of thy holy spirite leade them togather in these gardens fit and necessarye hearbs for the physick of their spirituall infirmities the foode of their soules the sacrament of eternity the certayne pledge of felicity But as for me O father and most good God what shall I render vnto thee for those thy exceeding blessings bestowed vppon mee for like a good sheepeheard thou hast sought after my soule beeing a poore wandering sheepe and hauing layde her vpon thy shoulders hast brought her backe to thy euangelicall sheepefould to ioyne her to the flocke of thy true faithfull thou hast vnmasked her eyes layd open to her the abuses of Papistry made knowne to her where she should finde her rest and tranquillity the trueth of her saluation thou hast forgiuen me all my sinnes and healed me of all my infirmities thou hast saued my life from the pit thou hast crowned me with mercy and pitty and satisfied me with all good things Psal 130. so that through this my conuersion and this change by the power of my Creator I am made young and lusty as an Eagle what shall I then giue vnto the Lord for al the good which he hath done me Surely my deare brethren euen as I esteeme and holde this to be the chiefest most excellent benefit among all those wherwith it hath pleased God of his vncomparable bounty and heauenly mercy to make me pertaker so willingly I do acknowledge confesse my selfe vnable to render any thing comparable to so great a good yet notwithstanding among all those that are bound to yeilde harty thankes to God I do acknowledge my selfe at this time most of all indebted For alas without this benefit what profit should I haue receiued of all the fauours which came from him but condemnation ruine confusion What would it haue auailed me that the welbeloued son of God Christ Iesus who became obedient to his father endured the ignominious death of the Crosse for my reconcilation to God his father if I had beene depriued of so great a benefit if I had continued stil in that spirituall fornication wherin I was altogether ignorant of the pure trueth of the Gospel What vtility I pray you to see my selfe created after Gods Image and yet to haue borne the portrature character of beast What profit to haue had the eyes of my bodie open to the outward light and those of my soule debarred of the inward brightnesse and besieged with the darkenesse of infidelitie Arise then my soule and praise the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name praise the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits let his praise be alwayes in thy mouth to the end the meeke and gentle may here it and reioyce Psal 103. O praise the Lorde with me and let vs magnifie his name together I sought the Lord and he hard me ye he deliuered me out of all my feare Psal 34. Iob did curse the day of his temporall birth in this miserable world but I ought to blesse the day of my spirituall regeneration to eternall life for that the God of all mercy and consolation hath caused to appeare in me the effects of his eternall election acknowledging me for his child of adoption and for a lawfull heire of that great and eternall kingdome purchased for the elect through the perfect obedience of Christ Iesus their brother And as at this time I haue abiured that strumpet and her fornication so now I promise and protest before God and his Church hence forth with all my power to liue and dye in the faith of the Churches reformed where I see the Gospell purely preached and the Sacraments faithfully administred the confessiō of whose faith I wil seale not only with pen and Inke vpon paper but also through the effusion of my owne bloud if need be and this I fully purpose to do through the grace of almighty God who hath called me to this resolution and whome with all the powers of my soule I do entirely beseech to ratifie his vocation in me finally to make me feele the full effects of his election that he would likewise fortifie and assist me against all assaults and attempts that may be presented against me seruing me insteede of a strong and inuincible buckler in all dangers both spirituall and corporall I earnestly beseech the present congregatiō of the faithfull to receiue me into their number to the ende that after I haue fought a good fight with them in this church militant I may after my departure hence raigne with them in the triumphant So be it Amen Iohn Colleij The Conuersion of Signeur Melchior Roman a Spaniard sometimes Proctor of the order of Iacobins at Rome for the prouince of Thoulouse which he hath publickly protested in the reformed Church of Bragerak the 27. of August 1600. being Sunday THE holy Scripture telleth vs that the good Jacob seeing himselfe deceiued by Laban who the more he serued him the lesse was recompensed receiuing nought else but ingratitude and iniuries went into the lande of promise carrying away with him all his riches which so soone as Laban vnderstood he came to seeke him in the Mount Galaad and searched or visited all that which Iacob had caryed away where he found nothing that was his And afterwardes they made an agreement betweene them that from thence foorth the one should not come towardes the other to doe him hurt and for a token heere of they named this Mountaine Galaad which is to say the hill of Testimonie Saint Ierome saith and also Pagnine that Laban signifieth whitenesse and Philo the Hebrew that this word Laban signifieth colour so that whether it be in the one or other signification it representeth an accidentall and inconstant thing Who is this Laban A deceiuer a traitor and an vngratefull person who hath so oftentimes deceiued Iacob What is this cursed wretch who hath onely the apparance of good but no solide nor constant good indeed It is euen this papistrie and Sophistrie which we see in these tromperies and deceipts of riches and vnder the title of holinesse of obedience of pouerty of fastings and fained disciplines leadeth many to despaire Surely it is a worke of great pietie to flye
comfort iustice and life euerlasting in my hope Now must feare and amazement giue place vnto all these now must pensiuenes and hell it selfe depart from mee Christ Iesus abiding and liuing in mee dooth consume and banish all euils that afflicted mee Hence it comes that this vnion and coniunction is the cause that I am deliuered from the terrours seperated from the flesh transformed into Iesus Christ and into his kingdom which is the kingdom of grace iustice peace ioy life health and euerlasting glory so that liuing in him there is no hurt can chaunce vnto mee God promised that there should no more come an vniuersall deluge and in signe of a peaceable loue he gaue the rainbowe a pledge of his mercye which the Gentiles called Ianus as saith Berosus the Chaldean This is that bowe whereof S. Iohn speaketh in the Apocalips to be ouer the head of Iesus Christ signifying Christ crucified with his armes spread abroad The redde coulour of which celestiall bow representeth the bloud of Iesus Christ and his greene colour betokeneth hope for that in his wounds and bloud remaine all the hope of our good being and the seuerall colours declare vnto vs the multitude of his mercies This is that token which God the Father promised in redemption of the world whereof Saint Paule to Titus Chap. 3. saith That the bountifulnesse and loue of God appeared not in regarde of any workes of iustice by vs performed but he saueth vs according to his great mercy When there shall be presented before mine eyes the darke clouds of sinne when sorrowes and terrours shall with huge violence threaten me when dangers persecutions iniuries and other torments shall come vppon me then will I beholde the celestiall couenant I will cast my eyes vppon Iesus Christ crucified in whom I shall finde plenty of hope For he is our only refuge and such a one as Saint Paule 2. Corinths calleth the Father of mercie and God of all consolation comforting vs in all our calamities Wherefore I will alwayes be running to him arming my selfe with inuincible patience For the good Chirurgeon sheweth his experience in dangerous wounds the physition his skil in great maladies in perilous battels the prudent couragious valiant captaine declareth his strength policy in great tempests and stormes the expert pilot exerciseth his diligence Affliction is no new thing neither am I alone he that endures it S. Gregorie saith that if we would consider that which the Saints haue endured wee should see all our tribulations to be of very small importance particularly if we looke vpon and contemplate Iesus Christ the true God tormented vpon the crosse wee should perceiue our miseries in comparison of his to be but a drop of water in respect of the whole Sea And S. Barnard saith that Christ Iesus is not onely the mirrour of patience but the recompence and rewarde thereof To this ende therefore will I contemplate his crosse whereby I shall reape great comfort and rewarde But what recompence say the worldlings wilte thou haue seeing thou hast forsaken thy countrie thy parents thy meanes whereby thou mightest haue liued pleasantly thou hast left thy vocation and all these hast thou abandoned in the pride of thy dayes Then will I answer them according to the saying of Saint Bernard in his meditations that if it be a difficult thing for one of the most iust vnder the law to be saued at the point of death it will be more hard and as it were impossible for him to be saued that at his death presents vnto God nothing else but his bones which dogges refuse hauing giuen their flesh to Sathan as dayly they doe employing the time in vaine-glory in proud ambition onely delighting in the flesh as they are guided by the diuel But then they wil tell me that at the houre of death through vertue of the Popes Bull saying S. Peter S. John S. Paul S. Caphas Popes pardons and S. Macharus helpe me they shall be saued But if they waite til that time in that beleefe they shall manifestly see how God will heare thē sith they attribute to a mortall creature Gods eternall glory and place their hope in the Bul of a Croisade which is highly esteemed in Spain where euery yere it is bought at ten shillings price by vertue wherof they are tolerated in Lēt time to eate Egs Milke Butter Cheese and besides to be absolued as they fondly imagine from their sinnes and aswell à culpa as à poena that is to say aswell from their faulte as from the punishment once in this life and another time through Purgatorie at the houre of death Besides this there is another Bull named de los finados that is to say of the dead through which first hauing yearly well paide for the same the party liuing may for euery Bul fetch a soule of his friend or parent out of paine To be short great store of siluer and reuenews is gotten in respect of pardons or the Popes indulgences who vaunteth that he detaineth and keepeth treasure of the bloud of Christ and of Martirs An intollerable and auaritious abuse doubtlesse contrary to holy writ which certifieth that the mercy of the father of compassions presenteth to the faithfull forgiuenesse of their sinnes to saluation through the vertue of his Holyghost applyed and receiued by a liuely and iustifying faith of euery one beleeuing in Christ who was giuen for our iustice sanctification and redemtion dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification This is all my hope the foundation of my faith whereby I may ouercome the terrours of sinne and death and enioy eternall life And againe of the like corrupted stuffe as the Bulles before mentioned is the Canonizing of Saints and deifying them with whome the seelie ignorant people commit idolatrie and spirituall fornication very impiously and incredulously against GOD who is onely able to saue and restore to life those that are dead Pilgrimages Hence proceede so many pilgrimages into strange countries vnder pretence wherof many adulteries fornications Sodomies incests much drunkennesse and other execrable wicked actes are daily committed and their bodies are adored and superstitiously worshipped vpon earth whose soules oftentimes are tormented in hell The manner of the Popes proceeding in canonizing many Saints for the most pretended is very notorious For many times since the raigne of Poperie Canonasing saints those are placed in this ranke of whome there remaines no memorie or testimonie of their life and conuersation to the end that through processe of time and running on of the worlde there might be conceiued and brought forth a forgetfulnesse of their vices and enormious crimes which they might haue perpetrated And if any dare speake against such persons endeuouring to bee any hinderance that vnder such a false title holinesse and sanctitie be not attributed vnto them the Inquisition knoweth very well how to stop his mouth and remedie it by cruell torments and
vntollerable punishments And againe there want not in these kinde of affaires and businesses gildings aromaticall sauours pretious ornaments admirable stones impostures illusions of signes and wonders Fained miracles as well in the tombes where the reliques are laide as in the images and statues erected which often times by artificiall motions do produce teares to the end that through such kinde of spectacles and sights the eyes of the spectators might be deceiued a thing so familiar and common that such deceiuers haue many times beene by the lawes punished To be shorte without entring further into this bottomlesse pit of a matter so lamentable I will onely say that golde siluer fauours and liberalities with the Pope can worke much for raising such persons into this reputation of holinesse and deification which comes not from the spirit of sanctification but from the authoritie of a sinfull and mortall man For a testimonie whereof note but the thundring brute and fame within Rome in many kingdomes and within the couents of Monkes touching the inuention of the Iesuites who haue offered 50000. crownes employed the credit of Potentates and sundry Princes that Ignatius their patron and first founder may be canonized But his cursed remembrance was so fresh that neither he nor any of his disciples could yet attaine thereunto Vpon these purposes of cunning deuises I will not forget the trickes of the Portugall Nun Miracles so famous in respect of the effects which the diuell wrought in her person Shee while she prayed was lifted vp into the ayre and there stayed without any visible prop. She bare vpon her head the thornes and likewise the wounds of Iesus Christ in other partes of her body by meanes whereof many Princes Dukes Lordes and a number numberlesse of people came from farre countries to see and adore her But the Lord of truth in the end discouered this fraudulent and diabolicall deuice and the Inquisition being forced by the euident light of the truth repressed it These are the Saints and Ladyes forsooth their conception and bringing foorth and their qualities on whome the Papists hope and at whose hands they looke for succours both in life and death Wherefore I vtterly renounce them and doe onely put all my trust and confidence in my Creator As for the absence of my parents and countrey I must and will yeelde most heartie thankes to God almightie for that hee hath not placed mee in the vniuersall number but in the particular number hauing withdrawne me from the bondage of the deuill from the worshipping of Idoles from the inuention and errours of men and in their steede hath communicated vnto mee the inestimable guifts and graces of his holy Gospell And this is very well explained in Genesis 12. when GOD commaunded Abraham to come from his countrie from the house of his father that hee should forsake the world and his owne lustes and affections and onely seeke a peaceable and quiet life of the minde Saint Ambrose expounding that place saith that he should conuerse in heauen to the ende that leauing the conuersation and managing of worldly matters he should speake with God and fasten all his thoughtes vpon him Saint Paule saith to the Hebrewes Chap. 11. that Abraham went foorth not knowing whether hee should go insinuating thereby that as soone as God had commaunded him to go forth Abraham straight wayes obeyed him not seeking answeres or excuses he went and knew not whether for that he knew not the place hauing no person with him for his guide but onely his own humble obedience to Gods diuine prouidence He had a sonne whom the Lord commanded to be sacrificed in the Mounte of Moreâ— which signifieth the Mount of deuision there he was ready with his sonne I sack to haue kilde him God might haue charged him to haue sacrificed his son in his owne house but he ordained that he should come forth of his house should go to the Mount of deuision with his sonne alone which is not without a mistery For God meant thereby to note vnto vs that we should sacrifice in the fire of his diuine loue our owne sonnes videlicet our appetites and carnall desires for the performance whereof there is no place more fit and conuenient then a strange country hauing left our Parents and ritches behinde vs. This is the high Mount of diuision where the deuout soule vieweth many more misteries then those who abide belowe in the valley at the foote of the Mount at the house of their Parents without climing vp to God-warde with all their thoughts and affections Saint Chrisostome saith that absence from ones countrey is more ritch then citties and more glittering than the vniuersall world And speaking of Abraham in his 13. Homily vpon Genes saith Thinke I pray you with what loue the Patriarke affected tranquillity seeing he kept it so many yeares And Dauid saith I had rather be the meanest in the house God then conuerse in the pallaces of sinners Where Saint Chrisostome by the house of God vnderstandeth a strange land and a seperation from the world Iacob seeing himselfe ouerwhelmed with miseries persecuted by his brother Esau forsooke his originall conuersation went from his fathers house into a strange country and taking his way toward Aran he wandered so solitary and meditating that being come thither and finding himselfe weary he sat down and falling a sleepe saw in a dreame a heauenly ladder the one end whereof touched the skies and the other the earth whereupon was the vniuersall Creator the true sonne of Iustice the brightnesse that illuminateth soules and consumeth all darkenes In the absence of the visible sunne there appeared vnto him a sunne inuisible the beame of the sunne that gaue light vnto his body forsaking him there came vnto him the beames of the Sun that brought light to his soule changing an outward brightnesse into an inward light The Sunne that had created him did shyne vnto him Iohn 1. vz. the Sunne increate from whose light proceede all other lights as from an euerlasting light the fountaine of life and saluation Who by the said vision gaue Jacob to vnderstand that from him should come the Messias our blessed redeemer that the first degree or steppe of this ladder was Abraham the second Isaack the third Jacob himselfe and so forward all the rest recounted by Saint Math. Chap. 1. vntill Iesus Christ the sonne of the virgine who was at the end of the ladder opening the gates of heauen which before were shut God was able to haue shewed him this mistery in his fathers house frequenting his friends and kinsfolkes but he shewes not himselfe but to those that are alone and haue shaken handes with worldly vanities By these arguments may be seene that the life of a stranger hath a farre more excellent contemplation seeing his meditations are profitable then the dayly and fond studies of the greatest Papistes and Sophisters In the desart of Madian Exod. 3 Chap. Moses was
keeping of sheepe when the Lorde appeared to him in a burning bush making him his Ambassador and Coronell ouer the children of Israell Hee was all alone in the Mount Sinai farre from dignities or ambitious desires when he spake with the Almighty and receiued of him his law Exod. 19. Esai was alone when he had a vision of the Lorde of hostes the Seraphins with their winges couering themselues Helias Elizeus and the sonnes of the Prophets walked alone within the desart conuersing with God triumphing ouer the world ritches ambitions and carnall forces Others of whome saith Saint Paule to the Hebrewes 11. the world was not worthy conuersed in mountaines and caues of the earth What meaneth it that God hath called many of his seruantes from their country and their Parentes but that those who are of the worlde are not worthye of them whome GOD loueth They are brought from the house of their fathers into strange countries there to see and behoulde great misteries In the wildernesse John Baptist was he of whome many yeere before Esay had prophecied Chap. 4. that hee was to bee a voyce that shoulde preach in the desart And Saint John the Euangelist walked through the I le of Patmos when God reuealed vnto him the Apocalips Iohn Chap. 1. The Enuch of Candacis trauailed through the kingdome of Ethiopia and comming from Ierusalem Saint Phillip appeared vnto him who declared the holy Scripture vnto him baptised him and instructed him in matters touching faith as saith Saint Luke Actes 6. Hee learned more in an houre being farre from his countrey then in all his life tyme continuing at home And I may truely saye asmuch For so long as I conuersed at home in my countrey I neuer knewe ought else sauing a company of traditions and humane inuentions which at the day of iudgement would haue cast me into despaire and perdition but so soone as I conueyed my selfe to the Gospell vnder the winges of grace farre from my familiars I learned more in a day then in all my life time before For that as Saint Augustine saith The greatest knowledge is to learne how to be saued These are the true meanes to know the trueth videlicet to be drawne from Popery from Cardinals Patriarkes Bishops Abbots Priors and all their familiarities as depraued people and vnworthy the person of a true Christian So much doth Christ Iesus himselfe teach vs when he forbare to haue to do with temporal riches dignities but conueyed himselfe into solitary places farre from his greatest friends And S. Mathew in his 4. chapter saith He was accompanied with the holy Ghost in goimg from the citty to the desert Thereby noting vnto vs that it is the holy Ghost that retireth vs from citties from ambitions and other dignities and contrariwise it is the deuill that inticeth vs and leadeth vs to the citties and Papisticall dignities and such like worldly affaires The selfe same Euangelist reciteth that the deuill did accompany Iesus Christe when he went into the cittie to the end to trie if he could cause him to fall from the pinnacle of the Temple because his office is to procure mens fall through prosperities greatnesse and ambitions to the ende to burie them in eternall perdition This doth the Scripture make knowne vnto vs when it teacheth that the children of Israell lest the Mount Sinai and came to the Toumbes and Sepulchers of desire and concupisence By the Mount Sinai let vs vnderstand the grace of God by these Iewes those that forsake the high Mount and giue themselues to the lawe which giue commodities for a short life but not able to giue vs a neuer-fading glory For he that hath no hope in grace commonly with his workes commeth to dispaire fearing them to be vnsufficient to saue him as in truth they are Therefore being contemplatiue vpon the earth we are to conuerse in the heauens being dead to the world yet liuing in Iesus Christ we must say with the Apostle Saint Paul I liue and liue not But Christ liueth in mee Hence it comes that Jeremie Ier. 9.2 the light of the Israelites said Oh that I had in the wildernesse a cottage of wayfaring men that I might forsake my people And this spake the Prophet in declaring his will and giuing vs to vnderstand that it behoueth vs to renounce all ambitious glorye and to imbrace Iesus Christ feruently who will bee the true peace in this worlde a guerdon and crowne in the other with a happy contentment of felicity to all beleeuers in the trueth of his promises hoping in his bounty and power liuing according to the equity and righteousnesse of his law which is a sweete shower comming from his no lesse admirable then eternall holynesse and iustice Fynally if any one bee desirous to know what my parents were and the publicke charges which I haue exercised among the Papists before my conuersion I will briefely satisfie them not to boast or bragge thereof but to the end to beate downe euery slaunder that may arise whereunto the faithfull are most subiest My Father was called Melchior Roman a Fidalgo that is to say a Gentleman and the mother of my Father Ferrer of the villages of Frague and Caspe in the kingdome of Arragon My mother was called Isabell Roman of the Baylies of Arragon sufficiently renouned and knowne For from those are issued Saint Roman a Martyr and souldier a Cardinall named Roman and S. Vincent Ferrer whose body is againe superstitiously worshipped in Brittain S. Romain Bishoppe of Balbastre where he is worshipped with idolatry Such canonizations do sufficiently expresse my race and therefore I thinke it needlesse to speake any more in that behalfe As for my charge accompanying the Inquisitour Xamora I sawe at Saragoussa a vertuous personage burned for complaining of religion who as well by his pregnant arguments and doctrine as his constancy of martyrdome perswaded me to forsake the errours of Papistry This occasion transported me into Fraunce and beeing arriued in the prouince of Thoulouse I was very kindly receiued into the couent of Agen and afterward a Chapter being held in an I le in Dodon Peter Capdeuile being Prouinciall President there I was by the consent of them all elected Proctor prouinciall to go to Rome as appeareth by a Letter beginning Nos infra signati c. When I came from Rome and had finished my affaires there the Prouinciall made me his visitor and prouinciall vicar as it may appeare by a Letter the beginning whereof is Nos qui infra c. And in the end seeing and well liking my conuersation they made me Cōfessor of the Gentlewomen of the little Chappell of Agen. But now the Almighty and Father of light be euer praised for that through the grace of his holy spirit he hath opened the eyes of my minde displayed the corruptions of Papistrie made knowne vnto me where I should finde the peace of my conscience and trueth of my soules saluation I render
this kingdom forasmuch as in them men are contēt for the feeding of their soules with the Milke which distilleth from the pure brests of the chaste Spouse of our Lorde Iesus Christ to wit the canonicall writ of the old and new Testament wherein is not admitted any article of Faith which is not grounded in the expresse text or by necessary consequence of the holy Scriptures and this is the true and essentiall marke of the church to be a sound piller and faithfull keeper of the worde of God which is truth O father of light and fountaine of all goodnesse to thee I now lift vp my hands my eyes and my hart and beseech thee in the name of thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde that thou pardon me my faults of the time of my youth ignorance past and I yeeld thee thankes for the knowledge which thou hast giuen me of thy truth and I pray thee that thou continue fortifie and encrease me therein and also that thou communicate the same to those which yet are plunged in the sinke of Popish Idolatrie and Superstition to the end that they speedely forsake the great Riuers of Babylon which will turne into a Sea of fire and Brimstone to burne eternally those which perseuer in the seruice and the worshipping of the beast and that they may retire themselues into Sion vnto the Brookes of Siloe which runne gentilly which are made a fountaine of water springing to life euerlasting to those which drinke thereof And you which are hearers and beholders of this my declaration I beseech you by the intrailes of the Christian charitie which is in you that you will ioyne your prayers with mine to the eternall to the end that he defende me with constancie and perseuerance in the holye conuersion and resolution which he hath giuen me for it is he which worketh in vs the desire and perfection according to his good pleasure as he to whome the creation preseruation and the conducting of all things doe eternally appertaine Amen Signed Theuenot The copie of a Letter from Mounsieur Clemencean Minister of the Church at Poitiers To Monsyeur De la Vergne chosen in the election of Poitiers being this present at Paris SIR seeing that you doe me the fauour to make mee pertaker of the generall newes which you learne in the place where you are it is also my dutye to aduertise you frō hence of such matters as are of worthe as is that of the conuersion of a Curate of one of the parishes in this citty who on Sonday last made a publicke abiuration of Papistrie and profession of the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ in the place where we had assembled our selues at the end of the preaching to the great contentment of all honest men which were hearers of his declaratiō all which for the most part did shed aboundance of teares for ioy but if we did reioyce and were comforted the Papists to the contrary are greatly troubled and discontent The good is that this man had caused the bell to be rung to Masse in his Parish and his Parishioners stayed for him till noone but they might haue beene there till this time if they had still stayed for him Before that time he was in good reputation amongst them both in reguarde of his seruice and also in regarde of his life but now they say the worste of him that they can Hee is your countriman to wit of Mont-Morillion it is three yeare ago that he was Curate of the parish of S. Sauin in this city a moneth since he conferred sixe or seuen times with me the most secretly that he could I found that he had a good wit and a good vnderstanding of the Latin toung in trauelling as he reporteth himself thereto disposed he may do good I send you his declaration if wee had Printers that were honest men and liberty to do it in this place we would haue had it Imprinted you are in a place where it may be that it may be done and it cannot be but a great edification of the Churches of the Lord. I am of opinion that God will draw fruite there hence for his Church I will also tell you that yesterday an honest man came and aduertised me that an other Curate of one of the most principall parishes in this citty had sayd vnto one of our friends that his conscience did summon him to doe the like and that there were aboue fiftie of his profession in this citty of his minde God giue them the power to performe it to his glory and their saluation as I praye him to preserue vs long in health and prosperity and humbly kisse your hands resting euer Your most humble and affectionate Seruant I. Clemenceau From Poitiers the 29. of Nouember 1600. A christian declaration of Sir Francis Breton a Monke of the order of the Celestins publikely made in the reformed Church of Vendosme on Sunday the 28. of Ianuarie 1601. IF it be so that there is ioye in heauen in the Church triumphant at the conuersion of a sinner I no waye doubt of this present company which is heere assembled to heere the word of the Lord to the end to recite his praises but that this company will likewise reioyce in giuing thankes to God when they shall vnderstand the benefit and grace which it hath pleased the Lorde to bestow vpon me to wit for hauing drawne me out of the darkenesse of ignorance and calling me to the knowledge of the truth of his holy Gospell opening the eyes of my vnderstanding and taking from me the vaile of supersticion wherewith I haue long beene blinded I now yeeld thankes to God for that he hath not punished me with the law of rigor as he punished our first parents to wit Adam and Eue and likewise the serpent who was the author of the offence for he inflicted vpon the serpent for his punishment that from thencefoorth he shoulde creepe vpon his belly and should neuer haue any other thing to liue of but of the earth And to the woman for giuing eare vnto him that shee should loose the priuiledge to be companion and equall with her husband being appointed to be vnder his powre and rule moreouer that with paine she shoulde beare her children as for Adam he was banished and cast out of the earthly Paradice beeing said vnto him that in the sweate of his browes he shoulde eate his bread But he now no more sheweth himselfe to be the God of vengeance but rather the God of mercy and consolation whose properties is to haue pity to pardon which he hath shewed in my behalfe Well then assuring my selfe of his infallible promises promising well to giue recompense to those which go to worke in his vinyard at the eleuenth houre of the day as to those which haue wrought all the day and also that the sonne of man came to seeke and saue that which was gone astraye and lost of which number
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