I know my selfe to be I hould my selfe assured of my saluation And I may iustly say as the children of Israel said being detained in Egipt vnder the seruitude of Pharao the eternal the God of the Hebrewes is come to meete vs we will trauaile three dayes iorney in the wildernesse and will sacrifice to the eternall our God apparantly shewing that so long as they should be in Egipt or vnder the bondage of Pharao they could offer no sacrifice to God that could be acceptable vnto him As for me I may say the like not only that I was detained in Egipt for Egipt is by interpretation darknesse but also vnder the seruitude and captiuity of a Pharao and more For Pharao did not exercise his power and cruelty but in ruling ouer the temporall bodies and goods But he of whome I intende to speake will rule both ouer our bodies ouer our soules our goods meaning himself causing others to cal him Gods lieutenant vpon earth and Lord of heauen earth Which he sheweth in effect when he sanctifieth and canonizeth some enroling them in the booke of heauen anathematizing and excomunicating others being in the Church militant taking the sword against kings and Monarches willing to depose and bring them to nothing Sixtus quintus as it well appeareth by a Bull which Sixtus quintus made in the yeare 1585. against Henry the second king of Nauarre and now our king And against Henry prince of Conde in confiscating all their temporall goods present and to come To the end that you may vnderstand the holines of this Pope Sixtus quintus last deseased I can assure you that I being at Rome familiarly talking with a Monke of the order of Saint Benit priour of his monastery asking him how they proceeded in the election of the Pope he answered me that there was nothing but bribery fauours and ambition reciting vnto me that it was found to be true The Popes bargaine that th'aforesayd Pope Sixtus v. Made a bargen with the deuill giuing himselfe vnto him vpon this condition that he should be Pope seuē years It so happened that vpon the end of the sixth yeare or the beginning of the seuenth a Neuiew of his in Rome had a quarrell against a great Lord which was very yong and the said yong Lord slue the Popes Neuiew Being apprehended and taken by iustice the Pope commanded him to be put to death the Iudges of the law answered that he was not yet of age competent according to their laws he asked how much there wāted they answered that there yet wanted one yeer then said the Pope go put him to death by and by I can do all I giue him one of my yeeres Incōtinent this being done behold a vehemēt feuer with a fransie tooke holde and seised on the said Pope the deuil came presented himselfe vnto him in the shape and forme of a black man who tooke him by the arme said vnto him Let vs go the Pope answereth he knew him not but he said I am the deuill to whom thou gauest thy selfe to be Pope Then the Pope saide vnto him there resteth to me yet one yeere The deuill answered him thou gauest it to the yong man which killed thy neuiew for to put him to death and then he departed and dyed in this sort And as for his behauiour who now raigneth I haue seene him considered of him hauing vpon his head a triple crown where is writtē vpon his forehead in precious stones the word Mistery For the reuerence which must be borne done vnto him whosoeuer wil speak with him must presētly so soone as he is permitted to enter into his chāber set him on his knees so come vnto him to the end to adore him this being done returne in the same maner vpon his knees I marked also another thing which is that being in the citty of Beulogne I saw a great multitude of people going to the church to adore the body of a womā called the happy Katherin of Bouloigne I asked them wherefore they did not call her Saint they answered for that she was not yet canonized nor sanctified by the Pope I asked thē where the fault was they answered me that the fault was in the Monkes by reason that there must be good store of gold siluer to do it shewing thereby that the Pope doth nothing without money the like is found in the citty of Auignon in the monastery of the Celestins of the body of S. Peter of Luxembrough which is not yet sanctified nor canonized for want of mony I haue marked moreouer that in sundry Churches of Rome in Italy the Pope hath giuen such power priuiledge to some aultars Priuiledged Alters which they call priuiledged aultars to deliuer soules from purgatory that in saying one only Masse before the said priuiledge altar he assureth that a soule is deliuered frō purgatory Now I leaue to you to think if it were so that there were a Purgatory what need shold there be to say some times so grear nūber of Masses that the means of the deceased are not sufficiēt to pay the priests if one only Masse as aforesaid being said before the said aultar be sufficient for his saluation I beleeue that this which they do is to fulfill the prophecie of Esay which saith they eate the sinnes of my people desire no other thing but the iniquity therof I haue noted also a great blasphemy in as much as they affirme in a booke called Stella clearicorū that the least of the priests is greater then the holy virgin or any Angel which is in heauen which they shew by their effects saying that they can pardon and remit sins in making vnto thē auriculer confession shewing therby that if they could they woulde plucke the pastoral rod out of the hād of the Lord wherwith he ruleth gouerneth his folk It seemeth to me vpō this discourse that I cannot better cōpare neither the Pope nor the priests then to Lye which hath this property to whiten linnen and as for it selfe it remaineth ougly filthy for they boast that they clense others frō their sins although they themselues bee impure and I stedfastly beleeue that if the Popes ambition were accomplished to witte to haue dominion ouer bodyes ouer soules and ouer the temporall goods there would rest nothing els to do but make a new religion after his fantasie You shall further knowe that if it so happen that the Mule which carryeth him dye it must be buried and enterred for feare that the Wolues and dogs eate him not I beleeue that they feare if that should come to passe they should be sanctified hauing eaten of so worthy a beast as to haue borne Gods lieutenant vpon earth I beleeued according as it was told me that when I should be in Italy I shoulde be halfe way to Paradice But hauing perceiued the contrary by reasō of their superstitiō I
not vnto Simon Peter but Simon Magus of whom is spoken in the 8. chap. of the Acts and treade vnder feete the sacrifice of Christ by the damned sacrifice of the Masse The Masse a damned Masse I name it damned and with good reason for if Satan in any article sheweth himselfe impudent deceitfull and malicious it is in this point For what is the Masse but a manyfest and damnable prophanation of the merites of Iesus Christ yea such a prophanation whereby not onely the body of our Lord Iesus Christ is againe here on earth killed being neuerthelesse ascēdid into heauen glorified by God his father and placed to his right hand commeth to be broken of a man as being comprehended in a peece of dowe but also the greatnesse the full satifaction the vertue the eternity of his merites are vtterly reiected The scripture to the contrary teacheth vs manifestly to fly such a monster of errors admonishing vs that we obtaine onely by the blood shedding of our Lord Iesus Christ once done at the Crosse saluation and not by the damned sacrifice of a priest who offers againe and teares in peeces as a cruell hang-man the body of our Lord Iesus Christ that it is by his onely sacrifice done for vs as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 1.30 But ye are of him in Christ Iesus who of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption That according as it is written he that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord Whereof the Apostle testifieth in the 9. to the Hebrewes making a comparison betweene the sacrifices of the olde Testament with the sacrifice of our Lorde Iesus Christ shewing the difference of the one to the other opposing the imperfection and mutability of the one for they were renewed euery yeare to the perfection of the eternity of the sacrifice of our Lord Iesus Christ And therefore reade the new Testament ouer and ouer you shall finde no where one word I say not onely of the Masse which is an inuention of Satan but neither of any Propetiatory sacrifices of what kinde soeuer they be but of the onely sacrifice of Iesus Christ Psal 110.4 who being anoynted of God his father to bee an eternall priest according to the order of Melchizedeck hath voluntarily giuen ouer himselfe vnto the death and for euer reconciled vs with God the father If then the matter be thus cleare what shall our Docters reply to maintaine their Masse which is vtterly conuicted by these places of the holy Scripture for they cannot hold the words of the Apostle for trueth vnlesse they accuse themselues of this their abuse the reason is euident for if the Leuiticall sacrifices haue beene vnperfect and not sufficient to wash away the sinnes of the children of Israel because it was necessary to iterate renew them often how much the more shall the Sacrifice of our Lord Iesus Christ bee of small estimation before God his father when not onely euery yeare but also euery day yea almost euery houre it must needes by a priest be itterated and renewed And loe this is the doctrine of that great vicar of Iesus Christ of his Bishops and Supposts or Cardinals c. Consider once the substance of this faire sacrifice which is figured in the Masse but why do I call it a sacrifice seeing it is nothing els but a manifest deuision of Christ and his merites for as the Apostle saith Heb. 7.22 Where no shedding of blood is there is no sacrifice Marke once briefly the doctrine wherewith they nourish the people when they speake concerning saluation they keepe them depending on their tradition and merits of men where the scripture contrariwise testifieth most euidently that we cannot please God in any sort of our selues or by our merits but that we obtaine saluation onely by faith that it is his pure goodnesse as we read in the 3.4.5 and 10. chap. to the Romanes and in the 2. 3. to the Ephesians where the Apostle excludeth cleerely all these commeritors when he sayes By grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Not of workes least any man should boast himselfe in the 3. to the Phillipians vers 8. I esteeme saith the Apostle speaking of his owne person hauing thousand times more reason to boast of perfection and holinesse of his workes then our Papists haue now a dayes I esteeme saith hee all things but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I haue counted all things losse and doe iudge them to be doung that I might winne Christ Shall we desire a cleare and manifest testimony for to humble our selues before God and so to lift vp our harts vnto God for to craue mercy from him But the wickednesse of the Romish cleargy is so great and the poore people is so blinded that they neuer examine themselues and the vnworthinesse of their merrites which be not at all yea insteed that they should cry out with the Prophet Dauid in his 143. Psalm vers 2. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified they flatter themselues bring to an account before God their merrites and worthinesses to be saued by them or at least partly Wherein we haue to marke the great deceitfulnesse of Satan who knowing our sicknesse and our weaker part and obseruing that men by nature is giuen to an idle presumption pleasing of themselues and that man flatters commonly himselfe he propounds vnto him his merrites and good workes to this end that putting his confidence on the same hee might forget to imbrace the grace of God which saueth vs in Iesus Christ and therefore if any doctrine be mingled with the deceite of Satan Iustification by merrits the deuills Doctrine it is this doctrine namely of the iustification of the poore sinner before God for if he could once take away the trueth of this Doctrine which is the foundation of our saluation he might soone come to the ende of his purpose and intent seeing that without this there is no more any life for the poore sinner no mercy no couenant no promise but in a word eternall damnation if we will trust in any manner on our selues or haue opinion onely of any merrite The death of Papists a good thing to obserue From whence I pray you come so many sobs so much weeping so many teares and to be short such an vnbeliefe and incertitude of saluation in the article of death not only amongst the common people but also amongst the Priest and teachers yea such a despaire that they condemne themselues hauing no feeling of the salutary grace of God is not the reason because they considering and diligently examining their owne workes finde nothing that can subsist before such a iust iudge Surelye it is so for they are all but infirmities and stinking pollutions And this is the
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
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
and retire from her Forasmuch as if we beleeue workes to be sufficient we must wholy deny Iesus Christ and say that his passion was without fruite which were a sinne against the holy Ghost And therefore now doe I purpose with all my affection to withdraw me from this Laban or idolatrie as did the good Iacob with an infallible beliefe that her promises are vaine and deceiuing and I doe knowe my nature to be so depraued and corrupted that it were impossible for me to attaine saluation through my workes according to her cursed counsell And that which I finde more detestable is that notwithstanding the perfect wisdom of holy writ whereunto the Prophets Euangelists Apostles and the sacred word of our Sauiour Iesus Christ doe beare recorde that in beleeuing them we shall haue life euerlasting the scope of our desires and tipe of true felicitie and contrarywise a curse and Anatheme pronounced against those that shall eyther thereunto adde or diminish Apoc. 22.21 Yet our aduersaries against this celestiall trueth the onely foundation of faith do approoue a thousand traditions and vnwritten doctrines Humaine traditions forged vpon a mortall anuile in the shop of humaine wit But O prodigious thing oh monster of our age vnknowne to the most peruerse hereticks and fullest of impietie One Archicoriphee and as it were a Patriarke of others hath not blushed to write nay which is more to imprint and publish not without horrible blasphemie a little Treatise of the insufficiencie of the Scriptures Insufficiencie of the scriptures Where is then the perfection of them which is so highly commended by the Apostle who saith It is not permitted to know aboue that which is written 1. Act. 1. Cor. 4. no not if an Angel should speak otherwise Gala. 1.5 Could they not or ought they not or had they not the knowledge or durst they not fully reueale vnto vs the mysteries of truth concerning saluation Surely it were sacriledge to thinke it and Atheisme to beleeue it Alas what would become of so many religious soules since the worldes infancie vnacquainted altogether with the inuentions of Romaine Bishops brought forth but since a few forepassed ages Let vs assure our selues that that which is the first whether it be prophecie or the written gospell is most true and sufficient to saluation otherwise what should wee beleeue where should we ground our selues whereon would our faith laye holde if we should follow mans inuentions Euery man is a lyer and cursed be he that trusteth in the arme of flesh Men would teach against Gods worde that the sonne of man God and man Transubstantiation is vnder the forme bread in the pretended sacrifice of the Masse that his body is made of bread or at least that the substance of bread is changed into him that he is to be sought for betweene the hands of the Sacrificer Good God what absurditie is it to seeke the father of eternitie the creator of the world who hath the heauens for his throne respecting his diuinitie and who according to humane nature sits on the right hand of the father from whence he shall come visibly to iudge the quick and the dead to seeke him I say as great as he was vpō the crosse closed within a little morsell of dowe lesse than halfe a foote Should he be found where he is not What blindnesse trow you is this Let vs rather seeke him where he aduertised vs that he would retire himselfe and prepare a permanent habitation for those that are his he alone is a faithfull witnesse he alone is our Doctor to reueale his secrets Let vs go to the law of grace to the gospel that speaketh plainly and certainly hereof What is he so ignorant or foolish that would fastē to this corruption the prince of immortalitie seeing that the Sacrament is often subiect to the eating of Mice or Rats apt soone to corrupt I can alledge in testimonie of the trueth that which I saw at Lymoges in the Couent of the Iacobins the Prouinciall being come thither found an infinite number of formes or consecrated sacrifices much eaten with Rattes and wormes wrapt about likewise in cobwebs and againe in the said place the first sunday after the Octaue vnder pretence of religion the Subprior threw downe the box falsely and maliciously accusing those of the true religion reformed thereby minding to haue massacred them as a domestical seruāt of the said couent publickly confessed and therfore was whipped in the said towne banished the same In Leride a goodly town in Spain in the church of the couent of S. Dominick in my presence the proctor of the Couent being come into the city said Masse consecrated many Wafers to giue vnto the communicants wherof sundry were left whence returning to the Vestry one fell down which he treading vpon it claue to his wet feet without being able any way to pull it off but was mixed with the durt which could not be wiped away Foure Augustin Monkes were hanged in Seuel for that they said Masse and did not purpose to consecrate such is their extraordinary proceeding to cause the people to become idolaters to the bread and chalice Molon an inquisitor at Barselon after the consecration did cut the host with cissers Also Pope Sixtus the fourth in the towne of Florence commaunded that when the Priest held vp the host the people thē worshiping should be murdred which bloudie choler was put in executiō Pope Gregory the 7. hauing asked the Sacrament touching the reuealing of certaine things against the Emperor receiuing no answer threw it into the fire To be short Pope Victor the 3. a Bishop of Ebora and also the Emperour Henry the 7. were poysoned in taking the host and chalice Loe these are the absurdities and prodigious actes wherunto transubstantiation would subiect the glorious body of our Lord if it could preuaile Besides the Concomitācie which is falsly pretended therein Sacraments vnder one kinde is the occasion of the peoples priuation of the cupp against the ordinance of Christ who hath commaunded saying Drinke yee al. Mat. 26. and the practise of the Church 1. Cor. 11. and so they are depriued of consolation in participating through a liuely faith really the benefits of the bloud of our Sauiour for the remission of sins and confirmatiō of Gods couenant Now the taste of the substance of bread the sauour and odour of wine the inseperable accidents of the essence their true foundation and wherin they subsist doe teach vs that the signes abide in their naturall and essentiall proprietie not in their vsage which represēts vnto vs as a liuely image and really present and as an instrument of Gods grace the spirituall food the quickning refectiō the pledge of immortallity to the penitent faithfull soule bread being the communiō of the body the chalice sanctifieng the communiō of the bloud of life known receiued apprehended applied aswell throgh the secret operation
vnto his diuine maiestie eternall thankes aboue all other benefits of his large liberality bestowed vpon me for this my conuersion protesting to employ the grace and guifts it hath pleased his omnipotencie to endue me withall to the glorious praise of his Maiestie the edification of his Church there where his word is purely preached his holy Sacraments sincerely administred according to the Lords institution And here I protest vtterly to renouÌ„ce papistry the Masse errors and other fond superstitions and am disposed to spend my bloud and life for the maintenance of Gods word which teacheth a perfect way to my saluation And therefore according to my example I exhort all manner of people desirous of their saluation to giue themselues to the vnderstanding of the truth to contemne the worlde not to feare aduersitie to preferre the excellent ioy of eternity and the glory of the celestiall kingdome before all commodities and worldly vanities with a reuerent feare that if they despise the voice and counsell of our Sauiour hardening themselues in their wickednesse there will be no more place giuen to them for to repent in but shall contrariwise insteed of their present pleasures vanities and soone fading pastimes endure most horrible and fearefull torments in a place of darknesse where there is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth Now God for his grace giue vs some sparkes of his heauenly knowledge that thereby knowing the shortnesse vncertaintie and calamitie of this present life we may seeke to aduance and set foorth his glorye in the waye of righteousnesse which leadeth vs to his kingdome So be it Amen In die mandauit Dominus misericordiam suam Et nocte canticum eius Psal 41. Manus supra globum O Dextra tenet coelum manus altera sustinet orbem Vt me sancta leuat sic grauis ista premit Sidera perlegerem semper diuûmque cohortes Me nisi natorum sollicitaret amor H Lux vera Iohannes 8. Illuminat tenebras meas Psal 29. Splendor eius Abacuck 5. Deti depende mi sâ—r de tu luzmi resplendor mivalor detu valor Of thee dependeth my being of thy light my brightnesse my valour of thy valour MELCHIOR ROMAN A Christian declaration made viua voce in the reformed Churches of Tours and Fraisneau the 17. and 24. dayes of September being Sondayes by Maister Iohn Norman sometimes ordinary Preacher at Mastas and Sub-prior of Marestay 1600. Come out of Babylon my people to the end yee be not partakers of her sinnes Apoc. 18. IT is ordinarilye seene that hee who enterpriseth to trauell into a farre countrey or region and being still vrged with a continuall desire to make a speedy returne into his owne natiue countrey feareth not eftsoones to trauell in the night time But in the end continuing his iourney and chauncing to light vpon two seuerall pathes not knowing which of them to take I referre to your iudgement in what great perplexity he is detained But if by some diuine assistance he meete with any that can and dooth set him againe into the right way you shall straight way see him leape for ioy acknowledging himselfe vnspeakeably bound vnto him who hath beene the cause and meane of that so great a benefit euen so my soule hauing taken her beginning from the celestiall countrey being placed in this exile like a straÌ„ger Psalm 19. Hebr. 11. marching with her prison the body in this world a world say I couered with thick fogs of death a world of misery where there is no order but a perpetuall horror and againe she finding two diuers wayes diuersly leading the one broad Iob. 10. Math. 7. Luke 18. the other narrowe hath rather followed that which conducted to perditioÌ„ forsaking the true path which was to be traced for the attaining heauen the place of her first beeing But in the end the spirit of God darting one of the beames of his holy inspirations on my poore soule and taking off the vayle that couered her eyes hath brought her to the light of an holye knowledge of the way of saluation O admirable bounty of our God! I remember the Parable our Sauiour vsed in the Gospell Luke 15. Math. 28. saying What man of you hauing a hundred sheepe if hee lose one of them doth not leaue 99. in the wildernesse and goe after that which is lost vntill he do finde it and when he hath found it he layeth it on his shoulders with ioy and when he commeth home he calleth together his friends and neighbors saying vnto them Reioyce with me for I haue found the sheepe which was lost Euen so O God my soule hauing too long gone astray loe now with diligence thou hast sought after her to ioyne her to the flocke of thy poore faithfull in such sort that for so great a benefit of my conuersion as it is one of the excellentest which it hath pleased God to bestowe vpon me so willingly I confesse and acknowledge my selfe vnable to render him condigne thankes for so great a good Alas what would it haue auailed mee that the welbeloued sonne of GOD Iesus Christ embrasing the godly vertue of humilitie hauing taken vpon him an humaine body vouchsafed to goe vnder the forme of a seruant and the iust for the vniust endured the ignominious death of the crosse Math. 20. Phillip 2. for the reconciliation of man to God his Father And what would it haue profited me say I secluded from so great a good turne wallowing in spirituall fornication in that vnchaste Babell not acquainted with the pure trueth of the Gospell And seeing that with greater facilitie I could not attaine to the excellent riches of Gods grace but through faith how had it beene possible for mee to attaine thereunto since I had but an ideall and imaginarie faith in steade of a faith able to apprehend the true foundation which is Iesus Christ vppon whome the faithfull are to set the building of their saluation Loe nowe thankes bee to GOD you see mee vnmasked from the fraudulent embracementes of the strumpet Babell which is the Nurserye of all impietie Beholde I am loose from the dangerous labyrinth of Papisticall errours errours say I so abhominable that there is none hauing neuer so little feeling of faith but detesteth and abhorreth them I will deduce some of them vnto you First see howe shameleslye the Papisticall Priests dare vse the tearmes of speech Qui creauit me dedit mihi crearese he that created me Gabriel Bial hec verba Barnardi resensel lect 4. in exposcanonis missa Scholemens speeches gaue me power to create him qui creauit me sine me creatur mediante me hee that created me without me is created by my meanes Is not this a manyfest ouerthrowing of the doctrine touching the trueth of the humaine nature of our Sauiour Iesus Christ who hath one body and one soule and not two bodyes as their wordes inferre For by this their reconing Iesus Christ shall haue one