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
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
as put on a Friers coate somtimes change their name they receiued in Baptisme to signifie that they are a new Baptised againe But who seeth not heere Sathans craft and deceipt There is not one sillable or letter to be found in the whole holy Scripture that one should lay vpon any man after the vowe he hath made vnto the Lord Christ in Baptisme any such Fryerly vowes or cast such a rope about any mans neck Paul indeede speaketh of virginitie which he commendeth and praiseth very highly also counselleth therevnto but saith expresly he had no commandement namely to constraine any vnto virginitie but so that whosoeuer perceiueth in himselfe that he hath the grace and gift of cleannesse he should so abide not marry And yet saith againe expresly he would not intangle any with a snare 1. Cor. 7. v. 25. c. In like maner our Lord Christ himselfe reasoneth of and handleth this vertue Math. 19. but yet saith directly vers 11. It is not giuen vnto all men Of these Fryerly vowes the Wiseman speaketh directly in the 5. of Ecclesiastes ver 3. that God delighteth not in fooles eueÌ„ in foolish vnfaithfull promises And that is surely a foolish promise if any one vowe to doe a thing and know not whether he can or be able to performe it and that is an vnfaithfull promise if any one promise to doe a thing knowing well what it is and yet wilfully breaketh it as in a manner all Fryers and Priests doe in Poperie and therefore God hath no pleasure in them for they be foolish and vnfaithfull seruants ConfessioÌ„ of sinnes good in it selfe Confession and acknowledgement of sinne is good in it selfe and is grounded vpon Gods word yea the Lord commandeth often in holy scripture that we should confesse our sinnes Leuit. 16. v. 21. and Leuit. 26. and Psal 32 v. 5. and Psal 36. Prou. 18. Also Daniel confessed his and the peoples sinnes Daniel 9.4 to 20. And surely if we had no other proofe for confession yet should that be sufficiently therevnto where S. Iohn saith If we acknowledge our sinnes God is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes True confession vilely abused by the Popes wicked traditions 1. Iohn 1. v. 6. But the Pope hath most vilely abused with his traditions this notable ordinance of God The Prophet Dauid saith Psal 54. v. 6. Voluntarie I willl sacrifice freely vnto thee and will praise thy name O Lord. And what els is confession an acknowledgment of sinne then a giuing and offering vp of the heart and minde vnto God Now the Prophet saith he will doe it freely but the Pope saith although thou wouldst not yet thou shalt confesse and that when it pleaseth me namely about Easter and presently therevpon to go vnto the Sacrament Popish tyrannie against quick and dead but if thou wilt not thou shalt not then be accompted for a true christian and mayest not be partaker after thy death of any christian buriall but thou shalt be caried out into the fieldes and throwne behinde a hedge as in places of Popery they vse to do with the Protestants that die amongst them carying them out like dogges and throwing them into some little hole casting a little earth on them And although the Pope hath brought confession to be a tyrannicall commaundement and will expresly that euery one doe confesse and that at such times as he will haue theÌ„ yet notwithstanding he hath set so many fearefull abhominations vnto this necessarie confessioÌ„ that euery godly persons eares may iustly ring and his heart tremble with exceeding feare when he heareth them mentioned and by this popish tyrannicall confession there come not a few people to dispaire eternall damnatioÌ„ I know well how mens consciences be burthened afflicted in poperie What the errors be in Popish confession but here might many thinke meruaile what these great errours in popish confession are To whom I answere that the Pope hath therefore appointed auricular confession not onely that men should specifiâ—e and particularly confesse all their sinnes but also the circumstances of their sinnes as how what when where with whom at what time how oft c. And if any doe not thus he hath not then rightly confessed and his sinnes are not forgiuen him Now I haue all this by experience for I haue bene a confessor in poperie these thirteene yeeres and doe know well what vnfit matters oftentimes came to scanning and recitall It is altogeather impossible for a man to confesse all his sinnes much lesse possible to know how when where how often he hath sinned seeing that the scripture recordeth how that the righteous man offendeth seauen times a day and how often then offendeth the poore sinner The first error that mens consciences are thereby inthrauled and disquieted There are many indeede in poperie that when they come to confession do as much as in theÌ„ possible is to declare al their sinnes and yet when they haue receiued absolution and prepared to come to the Lordes Supper yet if suddenly there come a sinne into their mind which they doubt whether they haue confessed or no they vse to be so exceeding faint sorrowfull that they knowe not whether they may receiue the Lords Supper or no for they think they should receiue it vnworthely and so a conscience can haue no peace And is not this a fearfull abhomination where mens consciences are so martyred and punished Ouer and aboue this Second error that one cannot denounce forgiuenes for all sinnes the Pope hath diuided and all to broken confession for some he hath reserued to be by himselfe forgiuen which are called Casus papales some he hath graunted vnto Bishops to pardon and they are called Casus Episcopales the remainder he hath permitted vnto other ordinarie priestes But beloued where hath such foolery any ground in Gods worde Surely in no place and therefore this is not Christes the true Shepheardes voyce but Antichristes and the Diuelles As for praying to an inuocation of saintes Praying vnto saints it is now growne so notified that the little children intriuiall schooles know it to be agaynst God and an Idolatrie and is against the holy peace and saluation as I will proue anon It is not vniust to haue in worthy remembrance Gods holines therein to praise Gods works Christs mercie for God sayth himselfe 1. Sam. 2. v. 30. Them that honor me J will honor and Christ sayth also Iohn 12. v. 26. If any man serue me him will my Father honor It is therefore not amisse to giue vnto Saintes their due prayse but to call vpon them as intercessors and mediators and to seeke for helpe and comfort of them in extremitie that is agaynst God and is properly sayde to be a seeking for ayde of strange Gods It is written in the olde Testament by all the Prophets that God calles vs vnto him onely that he alone is
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
poore People with a better nourishment They compell them moreouer to confesse all their sinnes to the eare of a Priest Auricular confession which thing they would not vse if they had but penetrated into the knowledge of these wordes of Dauid Who can tell how oft he offendeth O cleanse thou me from my secret faults or if they had regarde vnto the example of the selfe same Dauid Psal 19. who saith that it was to God alone that hee confessed his sinnes The Church of Rome teacheth that saluation must bee sought for Iustificatiō by workes in mans merits and that our iustice commeth through workes but I shoulde bee too long in reciting all that which the Scripture saith to the contrarye For shee dooth acknowledge that there is not any sufficiencie or capacitie in man to do well we are not able to thinke any good thing of our selues 2. Cor. 3. Gen. 6. 8 Psalm 53. 1. Cor. 2. Gala. 3. 2. Tim. 1. Rom. 3.8 5. Act. 1.3 Phil. 3. as the Apostle saith she condemneth the thoughts of mans heart euen from his in fancie and saith that they are at strife with GOD and that they cannot be made obedient to the lawe of God she pronounceth that men are dead in sinne and affordes them no hope but in the mercy of GOD through the obedience of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and furder she declareth that we be iustified gratis by his exceeding great mercie through faith in Iesus Christ without the workes of the law And certainly we stand in great neede thereof for as Saint Ieromie saith Hierom in Pro. cap. 20 Et in Eccl. cap. 7. Lib. de orat what righteousnesse and what cleanenesse can be here in the life of the iust the workes which we minister through this body of ours are alwayes mingled with some errour we be taught saith Saint Gregorie of Nice in the holy Scripture that there is not one to be found among men which can passe one onely day without spot And therefore Saint Augustine was moued to say that which euery one of vs ought to say of ourselues after this example I presume not at all of my selfe In Psal 58. for what good haue I wrought to the end thou shouldest be mercifull vnto mee O my God and that thou shouldest iustifie me What hast thou found in me but onely synnes There is nothing in me of thee but bare nature which thou hast created all the rest is my synnes which thou hast defaced I haue not first risen vp to come vnto thee but thou didst come to awake me and before I brought any good thing to passe thy mercy O Lorde directed me And Saint Barnard asketh Serm. admilites tepli cap. 11. In his Manuel cap. 22. Why men should require againe at our handes that which Christ Iesus hath paide for vs He that hath borne the punishment of synne and giuen vnto vs his iustice the selfe same hath likewise payde the debt of death and hath receiued life for death being dead life returneth againe euen as sunne being in esse iustice commeth againe Now death hath been extinguished in the death of Christ and the iustice of Christ hath beene imparted vnto vs. To be short I say with S. Augustine All my hope is in the death of my Sauiour his death is my desert my refuge my saluatiō my life my resurectiō my merit is nothing else but the mercy of the lord I am not poore of merit so long as the Lord of mercies shall haue his being and if the mercies of the Lord are great then am I great in merits and looke how much the more he is mighty to saue so much the more am I assured The opinion of Purgatorie whereon are grounded so many Masses Obits and yearely seruices done to the dead is plainely ouerthrowne by infinite places of holy Scripture wherof some do testifie that there is no condemnation for those that are in Iesus Christ and that liue after the spirit and not after the flesh that he who beleeueth in Christ Iesus Rom. 8. Iohn 3.36 5.24 is gone from death to life and shall not enter into condemnation Other places there are that assure vs of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes in the bloud of Christ Iesus his blood cleanseth vs from all sinnes 1. Iohn 1. Ephes 1. Col. 1. Esay 5.3 Ephes 5. Apoc. 1. saith Saint Iohn by himselfe hee hath purged vs from our sinnes through his bloud we haue redemption wee haue deliuerance that is to say remission hee hath beene deliuered vp for our sanctification and to washe vs he hath also washed away our sinnes and defaced our iniquitie as a cloude and therefore he hath promised by his Prophet that men shall seeke for the iniquity of Israell Esai 44. and the sinne of Iuda but it shall no where bee found and addeth the reason because saith the Eternall J will pardon their iniquities Ier. 5. Yea were they redder then Scarlet they shall be made whiter than Snowe And likewise the ancient Fathers could neuer finde any other Purgatorie in the holy Scripture Iohn 1. then the bloud of the Lambe which taketh away the sinnes of the world Saint Augustine saith that the Catholique faith beleeueth according to the authoritie of God that there is the kingdome of Heauen Secondly Augu. contra Pelag. Hipp. lib. 5. that there is the lake of hell wherin euery Apostatate or strāger to the faith in Iesus Christ shall suffer torment of the third place saith he we know nothing at all do not finde in the holy Scriptures that there hath bin any such and also he saith in another place that there are but two wayes the one leadeth to condemnation and the other to saluation Serm. de temp 232. Euchir cap. 115. de verb D. and elswhere he disputeth against Purgatorie it selfe Bretheren saith he let no man deceiue you for there are two places and there is not a third for any he that shall not be worthy to raigne with Christ Iesus without doubt he shall perish with the diuell Here is all the forgiuenesse of sinnes Christ Iesus taking vpon him the punishment of our sinnes and not the fault hath wiped away both punishment and offence we are not here without sinne but we shall depart from hence voide of sinne Where is Purgatory then Serm. 37. de verb. D. Mary behold saith he in another place the purging of our sinnes is the bloud of the iust that is to say Christ Iesus Saint Cyprian saith Serm. 31. de trinit lib. 4. cap. 2. that when wee shall depart hence there shall be no other place allotted vnto vs for repentance nor to make satisfaction here life is either lost or gotten Saint Hierom likewise vpon Esai cha 65 saith Cypr. contra Demet. lib. 4. cap 4. that he who shall not haue obtained pardon for his sinnes whilst he liueth in this world shall depart in that
alone ouer one people and such mercy is not promised alone vnto one Nation Gods mercie cōmeth vnto all nations and sortes of people Cittie or Towne but it goeth ouer all mankinde The which Moses with great and feruent earnestnesse prooueth saying Exod. 34.6.7 The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slowe to anger and aboundant in goodnesse and trueth reseruing mercie for thousands that is without end As also God himselfe saith againe Deut. 5.9.10 I am the Lord thy God and shew mercie vnto many thousands In the second Booke of Samuel chap. 14. ver 14. the mercie of God is mightily declared by a notable speech Though God spare none that sinneth yet he appointeth means for the elects conuersion so receiueth to mercy the truely penitent A comfort to all afflicted consciences where the widow of Tekoah dealing with Dauid concerning Absolon whom Dauid for the murther he committed had banished amongst other things said thus God doth not spare any person yet doth he appoint meanes not to cast out from him him that is expelled But what are there any examples ready at hand whereby it may appeare to be so For otherwise surely the holy Scripture should be but of small accoumpt with afflicted and wounded consciences if it did but onely comfort vs with bare words without setting before vs any one example on whom God had also shewed his mercy But the holy Ghost hath besides the Scripture also set men before vs on whome we may cleerely see the exceeding great mercie of God Adam is iustly the first to be accompted of seeing also he was the first that was ouercome by Sathan and driuen from obedience to disobedience from the trueth to lyes for yet God would not that Adam should altogether perish but bethought him how Adam might be brought againe which was thus done After that Adam had perfected his sinne When soeuer man feeleth any motion or heareth any thing condemning his sinne it is of God that hee should repēt which he refusing casteth God off whatsoeuer he be he hid himselfe and then God asked Adam where art thou which God asked not as if he had not knowne where Adam was or sawe him not seeing there is no man that can hide himselfe from the sight of God but God therefore asketh that Adam should haue discended into himselfe and acknowledged his sinne and as after Dauid did should haue said Peccaui I haue sinned and should haue called vpon the mercy of God for grace and forgiuenesse Which because he did not but much more went about to hide excuse and extenuate his sinne God thrust him out of Paradise into the valley of miserie amongst all kinde of crosses sorrowe and trouble and yet that Adam might not altogether perish and dispaire vnder his crosse sufferings and sorrowes God doth forthwith vouchsafe him a most comfortable promise as namely that he would raise out of the woman a meanes and mediator which should helpe him and all his posteritie againe out of that miserie and breake the Serpents head The like occasion of bethinking himselfe gaue God to Caine Gens 4. whom also Satan had perswaded to murder for God notwithstanding dealt fauourablye with him to the end he might acknowledge his sinne and intreate for grace and pardon but in the end because he would not thus doe but onely say coldely his sinne was greater then might be forgiuen him he was through his owne fault temporally and eternally cast away and condemned God deliberateth much before he punisheth What a notable communication had God with Abraham before he ouerthrew the sinfull citties Sodom and Gomorrha Gen. 18. God accorded and yeelded so farre vnto Abraham that if they might haue found in those citties but ten righteous persons he would haue spared them What should I speake how God stood in contention deliberating with the holy man Moses concerning the stiffe-necked Iewes that he once said to Moses Exod. 32.10 Dimitte me Now let me alone that my wrath may waxe hote against them and consume them And what can with-holde God why he should not forthwith seuerely punish sinne but euen his mercy Examples whereof if the time would permit there might be manie alleadged But vnto any one euen of meane vnderstanding these alleadged may suffice where-hence he may aboundantlye learne how our good and mercifull God euen from the beginning vnto this present and will also hould and continue the same rule as long as the world indures according to his naturall mercie hath euer at all times so louingly and earnestly bethought him before he hath wholy ouerthrowne and destroyed any poore sinner As also the Lord Christ giues the same to vnderstand by the example of the vnfruitfull Figtree Luke the 13. Well and iustly therefore is it said by the Wiseman in the 11. chapter of his booke of Wisdome vers 20.21 Lord thou hast mercie vpon all for thou hast power of all things and makest as though thou sawest not the sinnes of men because they should amend For thou louest all the things that are and hatest none of them whome thou hast made And presently after in the last verse But thou sparest all for they are thine O Lord which art the louer of soules And againe Christ saith Math. 18.14 Man not repenting prouoketh God and procureth his assured wrath It is not the will of our Father which is in heauen that any of his little ones should perish And the holy Apostle S. Paul saith thus Rom. 2. ver 3.4.5 O thou man knowest thou not that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance But thou after thine hardnesse and heart that cannot repent heapest vp as a treasure vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath Consider it with thy selfe thou Christian hart and thinke vpon it well how oft hast thou giuen thy selfe lewdly and wilfully to any notorious sinne as to adultery All sinne seperateth vs from God or otherwise to any kinde of whoredome to theft murther blaspheming of God and to such other heauie sinnes which as the Scripture witnesse seperate vs from God so that God hath had iust cause euen in the dooing of that thy sinne to haue cast thee aliue into hell But now notwithstanding thou abidest yet and liuest yet Gods mercies for our preseruation are dayly renued and God hath not as yet reuenged himselfe vpon thee And wherefore not I pray thee where marke and obserue vpon what occasion the Prophet Ieremie saith in his Lamentations Lamen 3. ver 22.23 It is the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions faile not but are renued euery morning It is much saide and nature also teacheth that parents loue their children exceedingly and therefore sometimes are very slowe and lothe to take the rodde although the children haue well deserued it Gods mercie in part set forth by the loue of parents to their children although indeed there be no comparison therein for their loue preuaileth herein But what
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
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
in heauen through a liuely and true faith And such or the like manner of speaking is not to be thought strange for there is not any but doth acknowledge that here is a question of a Sacrament and it is well knowne that in matter of Sacrament the Scripture vseth to giue vnto the signe the name of the thing signified as when shee nameth the Circumcision couenant Genes 17. Exo. 5.11 albeit it was but a token of the Couenant and the Lambe which was offered in the Passe-ouer she names him Passach that is to say Passage and yet notwithstanding he was but a token of passage Sacrifice for quicke and dead They thinke that in the Masse there is a sacrifice propitiatorie for the remission of sinnes both for the quicke and dead but I doe see that the whole Scripture sendes vs to the sacrifice of Iesus Christ which he hath offered Heb. 20. Rom. 5. viz. his owne body vpon the Crosse Jt is through this onely oblation that we be made holy and haue eternall redemption How can the Masse be propitiatorie for our sinnes seeing that in the Masse there is no effusion of bloud Heb. 9. and as the Apostle to the Hebrewes saith There is no remission without shedding of bloud I haue considered and oftentimes meditated as well on the three Euangelists as on Saint Paule touching the institution of the Supper of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Heb. 5. 7 Psal 110. Math. 1. Acts. 4. 1. Cor. 22. wherevpon they would builde and grounde the sacrifice of the Masse But I haue seene plainely that it was without any apparance of reason For Christ Iesus vnder the formes of Bread and Wine presents his body and bloud and commaunds to communicate it and to preach his death and passion vntill his comming he speaketh nothing at all touching the offering it in sacrifice I finde likewise in other places in the scripture that Christ Iesus is the onely sacrificer according to the order of Melchisedech that through his onely sacrifice the wrath of God is appeased and therefore he is called Iesus that is to say Sauiour S. Peter saith There is no other name giuen vnder heauen whereby we must be saued S. Paule saith that he reioyceth in nothing but in Iesus Christ and him crucified It were a needelesse thing for mee to recken vppe all places that serue for this purpose In the Masse it selfe there are wordes to be found which beare recorde that those that haue composed it haue beene constrained to confesse that aunciently in the action of supper there was but a sacrifice of prayse and thanksgiuing according to the doctrine of Saint Paule When and as often as you shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cup you shall pronounce the death of our Sauiour vntill his comming Masse condemned by her owne Canons and behould the proper speeches touching the same in their owne Canons Pro quibus tibi offerimus vel qui tibi offerunt hoc sacrificium laudis pro se suisque omnibus that is For which we offer vnto thee or those that offer vnto thee this sacrifice of praise for themselues and all others And in another place in a Collect for the dead Praesta quaesamus omnipotens deus vt animae pro quibus hee sacrificium laudis tâ—ae obtulmus maiestati that is Graunt wee beseeche thee Almightye God that the soules for whome wee haue offered vnto thee this sacrifice of praise c. And in another Collect beginning Propitiare Domine there is pro quibus tibi offerimus sacrificium laudis that is Be mercifull O Lord to those for whom we haue offered vnto thee this sacrifice of praise The Church of Rome nourisheth men in ignorance Reading the Scriptures forbidden forbidding laye people and women to read the Scriptures and in their prayers and assemblies they vse an vnknowne tongue I could neuer comprehend how many bee accorded herewith that which is said in the Psalmes Happye is he Psal 1 Psal 19. 119. Deut. 4. who in the lawe of the Lord exerciseth himselfe day and night that the law of the Lord is an vndefyled law conuerting the soule and giueth wisdome to the symple that she is a light to lighten our feete c. Saint Peter saith that we doe well to be attentiue to the reading of the Prophets which giue vs light as it were a Candle in a darke place and Saint Paule saith in generall termes that whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning Saint Ierome knew verye well this doctrine when he wrote to Lata in these Termes Let the daughter loue diuine and heauenly bookes insteade of sylke and precious stones and in those bookes let her not be delighted with the outward gilding and embrodering of the couer but with the inward erudition distinguished and corrected according to faith let her learne fyrst by the Psalmes of Dauid to renounce wordly vanities let the Prouerbes of Salomon teach her to liue vertuously let her accustome her selfe to contemne and detest earthly things in Ecclesiastes let her follow the example of patience and vertue in Iob let her take the holy Gospell into her hands and neuer let it depart from her but with all her hart let her study the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles and when shee shall haue enritched the closet of her heart with such ritches then let her learne the doctrine of the Prophets and the bookes of Moses and for the last the Canticles For if shee shoulde haue read it in the beeginning shee might peraduenture haue beene wounded in her heart by not rightly vnderstanding the holy songs of the spirituall weddings vnder carnall wordes Vpon this purpose Saint Augustine doubteth not to pronounce August in hu 50. Sermon to his brethereÌ„ in the desert that hee who maketh no reckning to reade and meditate in the holye Scriptures sent from Paradice ought to feare not onely the incurring of eternall tribulations but also the enduring euerlasting paines and punishments For it is so dangerous vnto vs not to reade the holy Scriptures that with great griefe of minde the Prophet cryeth out Esay 5. Ose 4. 1. Cor. 14. For this cause my people haue beene led into captiuitie for that they haue no knowledge for hee that is ignorant shall be ignorant and a little after he addeth that those who will not vnderstand in reading in this world God will not know them in the day of iudgement and then finally he exclaimeth Why are we not carefull to reade the holy Scripture where our soules are fed and nourished for euer Seruice in an vnknowne tounge As for the seruice vsed in a tongue vnknowne I am greatlye abashed that so many reasons vsed by the Apostle S. Paule in the 14. Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians to withdraw men from so palpable abuse coulde not touch nor mooue the heartes of the Pastors and Gouernours of the Romane Church for to feede the
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
body framed in the wombe of the holye virgin and another which the creator createth by the Priest so consequently two bodies for to create is to giue the first being to a thing and to make it of nothing Moreouer Sacrificing for quicke and dead by their dayly sacrificing for the quicke and the deade they seeme directly to inferre that the sacrifice once made vppon the crosse by Christ Iesus the Soueraigne and eternall high Priest is insufficient and consequentlye that through one onely oblation of his body he hath not consecrated for euer them that are sanctified contrary to the doctrine of the Apostle Hebr. 7.27 and 10.10.14 Let vs go further Is it not a taking from Christ so excellent titles of honour viz. of intercessor and Mediator when and so often as they haue recourse Prayer to Saints and addresse their vowes and petitions now to Saint Antony then to Saint Apolline Saint Barbara Saint Catherine and others When we pray our chiefest request is that God would giue vs life euerlasting the butte and scope whereunto we all ought to aspire togeather with those things that are necessary for the leading of vs thereunto as are the graces of our God and the sanctity of life accorcording to that which Saint Augustine teacheth vs. August ad Probam de orand Deum It is God alone who maketh happy it is he alone that giueth grace it is he onely that sanctifieth vs in this mortall life by meanes whereof in vaine do they implore the aide of Saintes seeing that it is not in their dispensation and disposition Againe Luke 11. Math. 7. Iohn 16. Christ commaundeth vs to aske and we shall receiue to seeke and we shall finde to knocke and it shall be opened vnto vs the like promise is in Saint Iohn if we aske in his name Alas is it to be thought that God will refuse vs since he hath so loued the world that he hath giuen vs his owne onely sonne and all things with him Rom. 8.18 Moreouer if the Saints haue beene recompensed sufficiently and to vse the Papistical tearme merit more then they haue merited as it is written To you shall be giuen into your bosomes good measure pressed downe Luke 6. Math. 7. Math. 19. heaped vp and such as shall runne ouer Likewise to those that shall haue forsaken father and mother brethren and sisters or any temporall goods for Christ sake he promiseth to giue them a hundred folde asmuch Sant August Serm. 6. ad fratres in heremo Almighty God doth alwayes with iustice shew mercy to the iust and vniust to the happy and to the damned for that he yeildeth glory to those that are happy yet they deserue it not for all the good workes they haue done be they neuer so many and punished the wicked and yet they deserue more punishments in regard of their offences committed how can they then yet merit for that they are in termino at the end non in via 1. Cor. 9. not in the way and runne no more the race for they haue carried away the prize and inioy the crowne of iustice Ergo c. I will not here speake of their Idolatry 1. Cor. 9. namely when they thinke that a crosse of stone or wood after they haue salued it may pardō their offences as they chante in their himnes O Crux aue spes vnica Worshiping the Crosse hoc passionis tempore auge piis iustitiam reisque dona veniam Haile Crosse the onely hope in this time of passion increase iustice to the godly and giue mercy to the guilty attributing so exceedyingly are they tied in their superstitions to a thing without life that which belongeth to one only Iesus Christ as also they forge in their vnderstanding that by their workes they may meritoryously gaine Paradice Mens merrits euen in such manner as though GOD were highly bound vnto them Alas what is he so blinde of vnderstanding that seeth not how absurdly they deceiue thēselues doing great iniury to Christ and endeauouring to lessen his merits We knowe by the testimony of holy writ that GOD in the beginning of the world creating man after his owne image endowed him with free-will forbidding him to eate of the fruite of knowledge of good and euill Genes 3. but he being too credulous to the Serpentes perswasions and transgressing that commaundement was depriued of so great a benefite Psal 43. in such sort that homo cum honore esset non intellixit when man was in honour he vnderstoode it not he was compared to horse and Mule and became like vnto them 1 Cor. 15. Now for that wee all came from the race of Adam this curse is deriued to all his posteritye for all men are vnprofitable 1. Cor. 15. there is not one that doth good no not one Seeing then man by nature is wicked Psal 14. and that of himselfe hee cannot comprehende what the spirit and will of God is and if he should know it Eccles 7. yet he would not and if he would yet he coulde not doe it for it is God alone that worketh in vs a will 1. Cor. 2. a performance according to his good pleasure so that of our selues we are not able to think any good thing all our capacity depending of our Creator wee must thereby acknowledge that our godly workes are not meritorious seeing it is the actuall motion of the holy Ghost that hath induced vs to do well Againe 2. Cor. 3. if the graces of God might be purchased by mans merits as it must needes be if they were iustified by them Iesus Christ had then dyed in vaine and it had not bin needefull that he should haue opened vnto vs the gate of life if by our owne free will we could haue purchased it What shall then become of their meritum decondigno If it bee a question to compare and equall good works done by grace with eternall felicity they are not onely I will not say worthy but not approaching to the least parcell of the same Let the Christiā endure all the afflictions that euer may be inuented Rom. 8. yet neuertheles as saith S. Paule the angushes and tribulations of this world cannot counterpoise that future glory which shall be reuealed in vs. Likewise though a man were the richest in all the world and did distribute all his goods to the poore or did any other godly worke yet as saith Esai all our righteousnesse are as filthy clouts Esay 64. Luke 17. And if we should haue accomplished all that which is commanded vs yet are we neuerthelesse but vnprofitable seruants I will with silence passe ouer how they saide Scriptures insufficiēt the holy Scripture is not sufficient to saluation beeing so audatious as to bee lie the word of God which telleth vs that euery Scripture 2. Tim. 3.16.17 diuinely inspired is sufficient to make perfect the man of
thy good pleasure alwaies rather to vse mercy then iustice to be gratious in shewing fauour not furye stretch forth thy hand draw them vnto thee teach them sith it is thy will that all may come to the knowledge of saluation Imprint in their mindes a desire to sound the depth of thy holy Scriptures Let the discretion of thy alsearching spirit guide them to gather in these gardens the flowers of that Soueraigne good the foode of their soules the fit and effectual hearbs for the phisicke of their spirituall infirmities the plants that are a Soueraigne Antidote against death the Sacrament of eternitie the certaine pledge of felicity Let them touch no more the tree of knowing good and euill although his outwarde beautie doth cloake his inwarde poyson And as thy sacred word diuinely inspired shall be an assured guide to all people desirous to reiect an vntruth beeing the Organe of perdition for to receiue the Euangelicall truth the power of God for the saluation of all beleeuers manifesting in her brightnesse the splendour of thy incorruptible heritage by the selfe same reason let it make known vnto theÌ„ that there is essentiall conformitie between the doctrine of the Church reformed and thy true church a substantiall discord betweene thine and that which is announced by the Roman Bishoppe or his adherents and consequently that this leadeth to damnation and the other to permanent happynesse And certainely as the glory of our Sauiour is vnseparably conioyned with the saluation of his elected and chosen creatures honouring and crowning with inesteemable benefits those that honour him So likewise that is the true and sincere Religion opening the waye to saluation which addresseth all her documents and exercises purely and simply to the glory of the almighty and contrarywise that religion is false and ruinous which seeketh the glory of creatures honoring them with that which onely belongeth to the liuing God who giues not his glory to any other By this rule the knowledge of the wise on earth is condemned and accused of vanity Rom. 1.21.25 for that hauing knowne God they haue not glorified him as God and haue not yeelded him due thankes but are become vaine in their discourses and their hart voyde of vnderstanding hath beene filled with darkenesse and tearming themselues wise are become fooles and haue changed the glory of God immortall into the likenesse and image of man By reason whereof they haue beene giuen vp to their owne harts lustes to filthinesse and the defyling of their owne bodies as hauing changed the truth of God into falshoode worshipped and serued the creature and haue forsaken the Creator who is blessed and praysed both now and for euer Amen By this rule and generall Maxime our Sauiour in Saint Iohn Chap. 5. vers 39. and after confirmes the will of his act wherof see vers 16.17.30 against the deceipts fallacies of the Iewes Search the Scriptures diligently for in them yee thinke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me But yee will not come to me that yee may haue life I seeke not glory of men I am come in my fathers name and yee receiue me not if another shall come in his owne name him wil yee receiue How can yee beleeue which receiue honour one of another and seeke not the honour that commeth from God alone And againe in the 12. Chap. vers 43. They haue loued the glory of men more then the praise of God By this rule the Apostle Gal. 1. vers 10. proueth that his preaching came down froÌ„ heaueÌ„ to the confusioÌ„ of vaine discourses and false Apostles Doe I preach mans doctrine or Gods For if I should yet please men I were not the seruant of Christ To bee short this principle is so cleere so true so authorised that it needeth not any more witnesses out of the scriptures it being more cleare and transparent then the Noone-day that the true and perfect religion is marked and knowne by this that shee seeketh absolutelie the glory of the creator of heauen and earth and that religion is false and abhominable that doth the contrarie And that the religion reformed is of the first degree and that of the Roman Church of the second the conference ensuing doth briefely set down And to tell the truth who is so blind that seeth not that the true Christians doe professe that first one onely God must bee called vpon Secondly that from him alone all maner of saluation and deliuerance must be expected Thirdly that his mercy defaceth all our sinnes Fourthly that the sacrifice of the vndefiled Lambe offered vpon the crosse taketh away condemnation Fiftly that his iustice redeemeth vs from the second death and his resurrection leadeth his Saintes into the right waye of eternall life Sixtly that his most blessed worde contayneth all manner of secrets necessarye for our welfare and happinesse Seauenthlye that workes cannot merrite euerlasting felicitye Eightlie that the most righteous and perfectest men cannot produce workes of supererogation as if it were in their power not onely to accomplish all iustice commaunded but also more than is required Ninthly that God must be worshipped in spirite and trueth Tenthly that the glorious body of Christ sits at the right hand of his father Brieflie all those that stedfastly beleeue this doctrine do they not rightly attribute all glorie to his Soueraigne maiestie Prayer to â—aiâ—â— And contrariwise the Papists dishonour him who first call vpon Angels Saints and Ladies Secondly they hope from them succours and helpe in their perils and necessities Thirdlie they promise to themselues remission of sinnes through the indulgences from the Bishop of Rome Fourthly they mingle the bloud of Martires with the bloud of Christ thinking his not sufficient Fiftlie they trust more in the merits of Saints or mortall creatures then in the obedience of the sonne of the eternall Sixtly they are not contented with the sacred letters of reconcilation but to supplie their want as they fondly imagine they adde the vaine sufficiencie of their vnwritten traditions Vnwritten Traditions IustificatioÌ„ by workes Seauenthly they presume of their workes for their iustification before the throane of Gods supreame iustice and doe further commit manie things repugnant to Gods heauenly will which notwithstanding is the onely rule of righteousnesse Eightly Workes of supererogation they thinke to be more wise than the Master of Masters when they doe more and aboue his commandements in their actions of supererogation Ninthly Worshiping of Images they encline and bowe themselues to the images of Creatures contrary to the lawe and they serue God after a sensuall and carnall manner prohibited by his worde without whose warrant euery worke is done without faith by consequence a most abhominable sinne Tenthly Transubstantiation they fasten the pretious body of Christ to bread and wine subiect after their consecration to a thousand corruptions and abuses and altogether farre from his excellencie We omit
the Sacrificer is preferred before the sacrifice as we may see Genes 4.4 where the holy ghost witnesseth that the Lord had first respect to Abel and then to his offering This then being granted and therewithall considering that in the Romish Church the Masse priest is reputed a Sacrificer Popish priest better then Christ Christ Iesus the sacrifice it must hereupon needes followe that the Romish priests beeing but mortall and sinfull men and by nature altogether estranged from God are preferred before him in whome there is found no guile nor sinne 1. Pet. 2.22 1. Pet 1.19 euen before that vnspotted Lambe the true son of God by nature Iesus Christ Oh intollerable blasphemy neuer vsed among the Turkes And to the end none may be ignorant of such a foolish impudencie note I pray you but that which may be seene whē in their Masse they mūble out these words Supraque proprio ac sereno vultu respicere digneris accepta habere Hebr. 9. 1. Iohn 1 Math. 3. sicuti munera pueri tui iusti Abel Wherein there are two propositiōs in the first the Priest becomes a Mediator for the Soueraigne Mediator Priest a mediator for Christ of whom the father saith this is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased for you must alwaies suppose as the Church of Rome doth that the true body of the sonne of God is present in the host as it was in his transfiguration and in his Baptisme in the Iordan In the second he compareth Iesus Christ to the sacrifice of Abel By meanes whereof as aforesaid the Priest shall be more pleasing and acceptable to God then Christ Iesus himselfe who likewise by this meanes shall be robbed aswell of his office as of his Sacerdotall dignity What mans eares that bee attentiue to any wholesome doctrine and stirred vp with the affection of a Christian zeale can endure and suffer the eccho of so harsh and horrible a speech What soule is there which is desirous to aspire come to her true scope felicity Math. 17 through the true and sacred mediator Christ Iesus Math. 23. Deut. 18. Esai 11. that can permit his excellencies and dignities to be so trampled vnderfoote The Church of Rome is not content to banish Christ out of the sanctuary whereas the Iewes haue cast him onely out of the Synagogue but goeth on further and taketh from him his pastorall robe which appertaineth and belongeth vnto him alone as it may euidently appeare in many places of the holy Scripture wherein he is promised and recommended for a Doctor and maister giuing lawes and precepts against which or besides which as proceeding from a most wise maister none of his desciples dare thrust themselues in for their alteration This Maxim against which the very heathens dare not dispute declareth sufficiently that he who is a meanes for conducting mē to the Soueraigne good must also by his instructions and precepts lay open the way and assured meanes for the attayning thereunto The Church of Rome yet notwithstanding vsurpeth and chalengeth to her selfe the Soueraigne authority of iudging such like instructions accuseth them of insufficiency Popes Doctrine as not able to shew the way leading to eternall life which surely is nothing els but an accusing of the author himselfe Christ Iesus the son of God Nay she yet goeth beyond and farre surmounteth the said precepts as well in the vertue of her word not written as of her traditions together with an Iliad of inuensions rather diabolicall then deuine or humane And moreouer she teacheth doctrine cleane contrary to Gods truth as may be noted in these few examples Iesus Christ forbiddeth any of his desciples to desire preheminence ouer the other The Church of Rome hath a counterpoise Math. 24. for she constituteth one in authority aboue all the Bishops in the worlde Christ Iesus will that his Church take her firme foundation vpon this that he is Christ the sonne of the liuing God Math. 16.16.18 who suffereth not the gates of hell to preuaile against her Chruch not built vpō Peter for that she is grounded vppon a sure rocke which is Christ The Church of Rome will builde her vpon a rocke which like vnto man is subiect to fall awaye and come to ruine I meane during the life of S. Peter as may be seene how the flouds of misbeleiefe and riuers of infidelity haue had great power ouer her and brought her flat vpon the ground Carued Images To be short all the doctrine of our saluation as well in the olde as new Testament forbiddeth vs to draw or paint any images or statutes in matter of religion yet notwithstanding the Church of Rome obstinatly alloweth them will haue them and commaund them Finally in conferring the one with the other you may see as it were in a glasse that Belial is no more contrary to Christe falshood to truth darknesse to light vice to vertue then the doctrine of the Church of Rome to that of the Mediator and accessor to the Soueraigne good Beholde then Christ Iesus in the Romane Church deuested of his doctorall robe Now remaines the third and last dignity of his vnction that is to say that he is King hauing all power both in heauen earth as it is proued by diuerse places of the holy Scripture namely in the 49. of Genes in the person of Iuda in the 11. of Esay in the 31. of Ieremy Psal 2. Psal 110. Mathew 23. of the which he is likewise dispossed in the Church of Rome For whosoeuer saith that he hath both spirituall and temporall power to gouerne the Church Triumphant and Militant to doe with them according to his pleasure he doth surely take vpon him the true domination of Christ who saith I giue the water of life and who so shall drinke thereof Iohn 4.10 shall neuer haue thirst by which speciall passion of thirst he comprehendeth all other spiritually by the figure Synedoche This is that which the Apostle expoundeth and the Euangelist in the Apocalips speaking of Saints who haue washed their robes in the bloude of the Lambe Apoc. 21. and doe no more taste of lamentations sorrowes or any other kinde of passions or torment It beelongeth therefore onely to the vndefiled Lambe who giueth the water of life to make and canonize true Saints But the Pope who is the head of the Church of Rome taketh vppon him authoritye and power to create Saints and canonize them hee enrouleth in the booke of heauen such as he will and when it is his good pleasure hee maketh them to raigne with Christ Iesus in the like title and degree as himselfe he vaunteth to haue power ouer Angels to command them nay which is more one of his bookes named Stella Clericorum dooth affirme that the meanest Priest among them Pope aboue the Angels is greater in dignity then the holy Virgin and all the Angels How much greater
then is the Creator of Priests viz. the Pope Oh shamelesse vanity Non Stygius tentaret Orcus quod audent effrenes monachi Againe euery one may easilye know what authority he taketh in the Church Militant excommunicating some anathematizing others he taketh the temporall sword hee pulleth downe kinges and Monarches from their thrones he setteth his foote vpon their necks and commonlye makes them kisse his pantable I omit to speake of the excessiue dignities attributed vnto him by his owne Canons Decrees Decretals Clementines being truely extrauagant from all truth as likewise a thousand more points of doctrine issuing out of these three principals That Christ Iesus is deuested of his office of Sacrificer in the Roman Church that his office of Doctorship is taken frō him that his gouernement in heauen and earth is vsurped from him Now seeing these offices are necessary adiacents to the Soueraigne good that the Church of Rome diuorceth them from the Mediator it must needes be that she doth not seeke the Soueraigne good but rather shuns and flyes from it Hence therfore it comes brethren that I haue renounced Papistry and doe purpose carefully and with labour to seeke the right pathes leading to the Soueraigne good wherwith the Church of Rome is not acquainted And for this purpose I haue abiured and do now abiure al her doctrine as blasphemous Apostaticall superstitious and as farre from Christianity as she is from the true ende and scope of mans creation which is the Soueraigne good And finally aboue all other graces wherewith God of his mercy hath made me pertaker I yeelde him most humble thankes for these two which are farre beyond compare of all others videlicet that hee hath shewed vnto mee through the light of the holye Ghost the natural brightnesse of his holy truth that the clearenesse thereof causeth his beames to shine in the Churches of this kingdome reformed both in faith and doctrine according to the purenesse and sincerity of his holy Gospell The confession of whose faith I will not onely seale with pen and inke vpon paper but also if neede be against tyrants with my bloud vpon this base Territority In which reformed Church I protest to dye and finish my dayes praying the Lord Almighty and onely wise who hath called me to the knowledge of his truth that he will establish ratifie this vocation of me and make me to feele and perceiue the full effects of his eternall election and further that of his mercye he will strengthen and assist me against all assaults and temptations that may present themselues before me And to conclude I hartily beseech this Church to make mee pertaker of her holy praiers as I will in like sort be euer mindefull as well to powre forth prayers to the eternall for her long prosperous continuance as also for those that are of the like faith in Iesus Christ To whom with the father and holy Ghost bee giuen all honour and glory both now and for euer Amen So Signed De Beauvall We the Pastoures and Elders of the reformed Church of Saint Amand L' Alher in Bourbony doe certifie that this day being the 16. of Iuly 1600. Maister Edmond de Beauval heretofore a Iesuite hath made a publicke abiuration of all the Papisticall Idolatries wherin he had bin norished and instructed protesting to liue euer hereafter as the reformed Churches of this kingdom do require according to a solemne promise by him made in an assembly of some Pastours Elders aswell of this said Church as others hereabout held at Belt in the house of the Lord of the said place the fourth day of this month and hath signed his confession of the faith of the reformed Churches of this kingdome In witnesse whereof we whose names are here vnder written haue giuen him this present Testimony to the end that he may be knowne in those places where he shall come for a mēber of the true Church Yeouen at S. Amand the day and yeare aboue written Signed Iamet Pastor of the said Church Perrinet an Elder Maget an Elder Perrimet Iudge in the said place Deueras De Foulenay Daniard Limosin Ieneueau Gaillard The declaration of Leonard Theuenot heretofore Priest and Curat of the Parish of S. Sauin in the Citie of Poitiers publickly pronounced in the Church of Poitiers aforesaid at the end of the exhortation on Sunday the 26. of Nouemb. 1600. I Am heere before God the Father the Sonne and the Holy-ghost and the elect Angels this Christiā assembly summarily to declare what I haue been in time past in what minde I am at this present wherto by the meanes of my God I aspire in time to come I am borne and was bred vp vntill this present in the Church which is called Romane where I sucked from the vncleane dugs of the impudent Babel and was one of her fauoured Nurse children euen to the obteyning the marke of the beast to be aduanced to the Priest-hood and sacrifizing of humane inuētion which I haue vsed for the space of fiue yeares I was soothed vp and I beleeued it that I was in Bethell that is to say in the house of God which is the Church the which he which hath not for his Mother cannot haue God for his Father as S. Cyprian and S. Augustin apostolically doe teach But some dayes since that it hath pleased God by his holy Spirit to awaken and with-drawe my soule from the letarge wherewith it was possessed working inwardly in me and there stirring vp and executing a great desire to reade the holy Scriptures to conferre of that which concerneth eternall saluation especially with the pastour of this church I perceiued and acknowledged that I was in Bethauen that is to say in the house of Iniquitie of corruption and of abhomination where the puritie of the word of God is defiled the sinceritie and truth of the Sacraments corrupted and the holy commandements of God by mens traditions are brought to nothing and haue euer since continually heard a voyce soūding in the eares of my conscience saying vnto me Depart frō Babilon get thee out of the middest of her for feare that continuing in participating in her sinnes thou receiue of her punishment Now to obey this voyce which the holy scriptures teach me to be of the Spirit of God I am retired into this place to you which I acknowledge to be of the sheepfolde of our Lord Iesus Christ for as you heare his voyce and will not giue eare to strangers and mercenaries I protest that I do abhorre and detest the Romish Idolatries and Superstitions and do renounce the Pope whome I acknowledge to be the sonne of perdition the man of sinne described by Saint Paul 2. to the Thessaloni 2. and the papacie Pope is Antichrist which is the great whore described in the Apocalips And that I desire to liue and to dye in the confession and profession of the faith of the reformed churches of
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
shall be in heauen for one sinner that conuerteth more then for ninetie and nine iust men which neede none amendment of life The Dedication To the reuerend Ministers Elders and Deacons of the French congregation in Middelborough Lowys du Bois vvisheth peace and saluation HOnorable brethereÌ„ the desire which I haue to testifie how much I esteeme my selfe beholding vnto your worships because when I came first out of he bottomelesse pitte of darkenesse yee haue not onely receiued me very friendly but also entertained hether to with your liberality This desire moueth me to giue vnto your worship not any thing worthy for such a benefit but that which I can onely giue at this present beseeching your worship to regard more the affection of the giuer then the smalnesse of the gift I send vnto you my reclamation from Poperie done publickelie in the citty of Leyden out of the which God by his infinit mercy hath brought me vnto a sound resolution and confession of the true religion for to liue and dye in it God which hath begun his worke in me accomplish the same also and giue vnto your honourable bretheren daylie increase in scripture and corporall giftes and by the same grace bestowed on me to call those which are yet drowned in the impurities of Poperie and liue in the middest of a Babilonicall confusion Leyden the 14. of Iune 1601. Your honours most humble seruant Lowys du Bois The Conuerssion of Lowys du Bois I Stand heere in the presence of God the father and his electe Angels and of this Christian congregation for to declare briefly what I haue beene in times past and of what minde and inclynation I am at this present and whereunto I hope to come by the grace of God Beeing now departed from the abuse of Popery which are an Aâ—ysme of impietie by which the name of God is so villanously prophaned and so sinfullie attributed vnto idols Beholde the reason why I am gone out of this daungerous labyrinth of damnable errors and there is no body hauing onely a smacke of knowledge of the trueth but he will with all his hart flie from the same and abhor it according to that excellent admonition giuen by the holy Euangelist Iohn in his Reuelation the 18. vers 4. Go out of her my people that ye be not pertakers of her sinnes and that yee receiue not of her plagues c. And euen as God in this spirituall Babilon and vnder this kingdome of Antechrist hath alwayes kept his elect so he doth drawe the same in conuenient time out of this pit of damnation darkenesse errour and ignorance for to bring them vnto him Such a one am I at this present by the grace of my God which hath opened mine eyes for to vnderstand the falshood and infidelitie of the Romish Church The authors institution of former life in the which I haue been nourished instructed amgoÌ„st the sect most superstitious order of S. Francis as one of the chiefest fauorites did exercise the office of a Priest offering the abhominable sacrifice in that Sinagogue notwithstaÌ„ding my hart being yet hardned my vnderstaÌ„ding vayled with ignorance I esteemed my selfe to be in the house of God and in the middest of his church and the wayes leading into damnation seemed vnto me good and vpright But now by the grace of God our Father who according to the great riches of his bountifull grace as the Apostle testified in the 2. Ephe. 2.7 The authors conuersion Chap. to the Ephesi and by the inward motion of his fauour hath so graciously drawne me out of the pit of ignorance to his knowledge mine eyes beeing opened and my vnderstanding enlightened I consider now how farre I was gone astray from the way of saluation beeing so zealous in the tradition and ordinances of the fathers with the Apostle S. Paule before his conuersion Gala. 1.14 The practise of Poperie is fained deuotion and an Ape play as he himselfe telleth in the first to the Galathians being in a house full of iniquitie and vncleanenesse where the truth of Gods word lies vnder foote although they seeme to maintaine the bookes comprehended in the olde and new Testament for to blinde so the eyes of the common and simple people the which the meane-while they doe occupie with humaine traditions which not onely are not to be found in the scripture which is the onely rule of trueth but are quite contrary and repugnant to the same making them to beleeue that it is sufficient if they continue sometimes religiously in their Ape-play ceremonies and church customes as there is the sweete singing in the Masse vespers and mattines not permitting that the mysteries of saluation conteyned in the scriptures should be vnderstood of euery one but that all should be plaide in an vnknowne speech fearing that Gods word being translated into the common language might bring full knowledge and vnderstanding to euery one therefore also they do forbid that no body should be so bolde as to reade the Bible and to haue it in their houses holding them for heretickes and suspect men which keepe it by them so bridle them with threatnings of imprisonment and of death in the name and by the commandement of the Pope The Popes part who being partly by deceit partly by more Barbarous tyranny by little and little crept into the middest of the Church boasteth himselfe to be O monstrous blasphemy the Vicar of Iesus Christ and the head of his Church sitting as God in the Temple of God as it is written 2. 2. Thes 2.4 Thess 2. robbing vnshamefully and attributing to himselfe the honour which the holy Scripture onely describeth to Iesus Christ the true head of his elect Eph. 4. 5. Col. 1. 2. in the 4. and 5. to the Ephesians and in the first and second to the Collossians vsurping not onely authoritie and violence against all right and reason ouer all the Monarkes and Princes of the earth so that they must submit their neckes vnder his feete The Princes slauery and are constrained with more then seruile seruitude and bondage to kisse the soule of his Pantoffles but also although it be vntollerable before God and men doth endeuour and seeke to gouerne most cruelly the poore soules and consciences of men 2. Cor. 1.8 contrary to the saying of the Apostle 2. Cor. 1. vers 8. charging them with innumerable burthens of humaine traditions and triflings excommunicating some men and some condemning by anathema forgiuing sinnes with full authoritie canonizing the Saints arrogating to himselfe power aboue the Angels Pope aboue Angels to commaund and to vse them for his messengers and according to the same authoritie accompanied with more then godly wisdome as he boasted doth teach and instruct his flock deliuering vnto them the right scense and meaning of the holy scriptures as the onely and supreame interpretor of the same leading them in all truth The
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
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
consolation which they can get by the considering of their merits and good workes in the last breath of this life By and by followeth the last saluing or vnction as they call it done by a Priest who washeth and purgeth with an holyed and consecrated Oyle the poore sick man of his sinnes then come the waxen Candels which burne day and night before the graue the ringing of Bels Masses Vigiles De prefundis Requiescant in pace and such like Ape-play These things are rather vnto them Needels to prick their consciences seeking consolation in things which are of no valour in steede of taking their refuge to the blood of Christ which purgeth vs of all our sinnes as S. Peter saith 1. Epist 1. verse 18. And thus is the common people seduced and brought to their euerlasting perdition by these deceiuers and seducers of soules beholde this is the sweete consolation which they haue to weapon themselues against the battle of death and Sathan Beholde this is the rest and peace of their consciences in the end of their liues Besides this vnbeleefe and diffidence wherwith they are tormented being vncertaine of their owne saluation they see nothing but paine and torments prepared for them being transmitted soone after death to a Purgatorie which is the more rediculous because it can be found no where for to doe their penance and repent to the end that the poore soules which haue not merited enough in this worlde should suffer there for a certaine time the paines of Purgatorie being roasted in a fire the one more the other lesse for to come at last to heauen and deserue eternall saluation But for to discouer somewhat better their errors and abuses The sinne of Romish Doctors how shall the Doctors of the Romish Church be able to excuse themselues before God seeing they turne not onely the people from the true worshipping of God but commaund them also to worship creatures and take their recourse to Saints and Saintesses to be mediators betweene God and them in all their necessities and defects A doctrine flatte contrarie to the holy Scriptures for examine the holy Scripture from lease to lease from the beginning to the end you shall finde no commaundement to do it nor promise nor example of any that haue done it neither in the olde nor new Testament as those of the Romish Church do who being infected with plague take their recourse with prayer to Saint Andrew or to Saint Rocquis being in tempest in feare of Shipwracke they take recourse to Saint Nicholas or Saint Clemens and so foorth according to the diseases or euils which come vpon them And is not this it that the Scripture condemns showing as though it were with a finger we must inuocate and worship The Prophet Dauid in his 18. Psalme verse 2. saith The Lord is my rocke and my fortresse and he that deliuereth me my God and my strength in him will I trust my shielde the horne also of my saluation and my refuge And in the 3. Psalme verse 5. I layde me downe and slept and rose vp againe for the Lord sustained me I will not be afraide for ten thousand of the people Besides these are yet innumerable places of Scripture propounded vnto vs to demonstrate that we must not trust vpon the might and arme of man nor looke for any helpe of creatures but that we must take our course vnto God onely who can doth and will deliuer vs from all euils But is not this an impudencie say they and too great a boldnesse to appeare so before God without crauing first the meanes or intercession of some Saint I would faine that they should answer me whether it be presumption or boldnesse to obey vnto God and to follow his commaundement I thinke not that they be so impudent but they must confesse so much Considering then that we haue this commaundement in the holy Scripture that in all necessities we must take our refuge to God with a true and liuely faith and with a sure and vndoubted assurance to obtaine that which we pray for at his hands as clearely is written in the 50. Psalme of the Prophet Dauid verse 15. Call vpon me in the day of trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And the Apostle Hebrew 4. verse 16. Let vs goe boldly therefore vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of neede And if we seeke a mediator betweene vs and the Father we must not runne to Saints for Christ dyed for vs yea more he is risen and sitteth at the right hand of God and prayes for vs which the Apostle explicates in the 8. to the Roma 24. ver For we are saued by hope but hope that is seene is not hope for how can a man hope for that which he seeth and in Hebrew 9. vers 24. For Christ is not entred into the holy places that are made with hands which are similitudes of the true Sanctuarie but is entred into very heauen to appeare now in the sight of God for vs. We must therefore goe to him in all our necessities by him shall we obtaine mercy he is to be breefe our aduocate by the father offering vnto him our prayers Let vs therefore not runne to creatures and call vpon them in our neede Let vs not robbe God of his honour onely due vnto him to deferre the same to anye other but let vs follow that rule of well praying which Christ teacheth vs Matth. 6. Let vs in all suretie by the vertue of the Mediation of our Sauiour Iesus Christ go to God our Father trusting assuredly that nothing shall faile vs if we faile not in our dutie God is true in his promises to whome I will take my refuge Concluding therefore my rehearse I will giue him praise and thankes for all his exceeding great benefites which I confesse to haue receiued from his gracious mercie that he hath brought me that was gone astray from the right way of saluation was departed from his tabernacle to his Church clearing the eyes of my vnderstanding for to enioy the light of his holy Gospell and the trueth of his holy worde and to renounce to all errors and superstitions of the children of darkenesse in the which hetherto I haue beene smothered I confesse heere before God and his holy congregation that with a sincere vpright mind and hart I forsake from henceforward all Popery and their superstitious Apostaticall blasphemous doctrine and abhominable damnable errors which they exercise yet daily in the which I haue liued too long a time feeling my selfe now inuited to the salutary knowledge of the trueth Therefore I promise and protest before God and his whole congregation to desire to liue and to dye in the faith of the reformed Churches where the trueth of Gods word is purely preached and the Sacraments faithfully administerd praying all thirsting soules according to my example to their good wel-fare and saluation to gather themselues in all humility of hart to the true flocke of that great sheepheard whosoeuer feele a sparke of truth let him no longer be transported by all windes of humane traditions to the end that the kingdome of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ more and more increasing we also altogether at last may be congregated to the ioyes of eternal life through Iesus Christ our lord to whome with the father and the holy Ghost bee praise and thanksgiuing for euermore Amen We subscribed testifie this declaration to haue beene done publickly the 3. of Iune 1601. after the sermon in the French Church within the Citty of Leyden by Lowys du Bois of late Priest and preacher of the order of S. Francis in the citty of Dunkerke Lucas Tulcat the Father Lucas Tulcat the Sonne