the things of God Hilary in his seventh Book of the Trinity pag. 125. saving only the Word of God It behoveth us to confirm every word or thing by a Testimony of the Holy Scripture Basil the great in his twenty Sixth Principal of Morals chap. 1. both for the certainty and perfection of good and confusion of evil The Scripture Divinely inspired is constituted an Arbitrator for us Basil the great in his Book of Epistles Epist 80. which is to Eustathius the Physitian p. 714. according to the Frobenian Edition Printed in the year 1566. and by whom there shall be found agreeable Edicts in Divine words even to these and no more approacheth a Suffrage of verity Augustine in the Seventh Tome in his Book of the unity of the Church c. 16. plainly also saith the like 21ly That the Scriptures contain whatsoever Doctrine is necessary to Salvation THe Gospel containeth all things both for the present and the future Chrysostome upon the Epistle to Titus Homil. 1. and in a word hath wrapt therein honor and Piety and Faith and also every thing of Preaching Not all things which God did Cyril of Alexandria in his twelfth Book upon John chap. the last are written but those which are written as well for Manners as Belief are Judged to suffice that by a right faith and Works we may come Shining to the Kingdom of Heaven by Jesus Christ For all the Scripture Cardinal Hugo of St. Charo ia Postilla upon 2. Tim. 3. that is the Holy Scripture which is concerning all things necessary to Salvation and which is all the whole that is Perfect and therefore priviledgeth the Name of Scripture to it self by putting one Name for another The Speech is of the Sacred Letters of the old Testament Cardinal Cajetan upon 2. Tim. 3. which can instruct and teach thee as touching wisdome unto Salvation by Faith for they have the faculty of teaching the Wisdom not of this World but unto Eternal Salvation c. Also being perfect as touching the whole and consisting of all things requisite unto the perfecting of the Man of God Whereas the Lord Jesus hath done many things Augustine in his ninth tome and forty ninth Treatise upon John not all have been written but they are choice ones which were written which seemed to suffice Believers to Salvation Tertullian in his twenty second Chapter against Hermogenes and in his Book of the Flesh of Christ chap. 7. plainly also saith the like 22. That God only ought to be Adored and Invocated ONly God Origen in his eighth Book against Celsus who is the best and greatest is to be Adored and Prayers are to be offered by the only begotten Word of God alone To God alone by Jesus offer Prayers And in the same a little afterward For we have learned to Adore only him Eusebius in his fourth Book of Evangelical preparation chap. 5. who is the God and Creator of all things Neither do we read that any thing is to be Adored besides God Ambrose in his third Book of the holy Ghost chap. 12. for it is written thou shalt Adore the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve But nevertheless thou O Lord art only to be Adored Ambrose in his prayer at the departure of Theodosius Fol. 137. in the letter 6. thou only art to be asked that he Theodosius the Great Emperour may be with his Sons brought in thy presence He truly conserveth verity Cyril of Alexandria in his twelfth Book of Treasure chap. 1. which contrarily not the Creature but the Creator worshippeth and him only Serveth Dionysius Alexandrium as he is reheatsed by Eusebius in his seventh Book of the History of the Church chap. 10. And Augustine in the first tome of his Book of the true Religion chap. 55. plainly also say the like 23. That the Pope is Antichrist WHat is this Arnulph Bishop of Orleans in a Councel Assembled at Rhemes under the King the Head in which Arnulph was appointed Arch-Bishop of Rhemes speaketh thus of the Bishop of Rome This Speech also the Councel never contradicted but then judged according to the opinion of Arnulph of Orleans as it is recited in the tenth Century of the History of Magdeburge Printed at Basil Most Reverend Fathers what is this Man Sitting in a lofty Throne shining with Gold and a Purple Vestment what I say do you believe that this Man is It is no wonder if he be destitute of the Love of God and be proud with the only Wisdome also taken from him for he is Antichrist sitting in the Temple of Cod and shewing himself that he is God I being compelled to Rome have provoked the Roman Bishop Otto Duke of Bavaria in his Speech to the Bishops as it is received by Aventine in his seventh Book of the Annals of Bris pag. 550. and by the Direction of Gregory the Great Pope have defended mine by Armes This Man being dead you had Preached that the Roman Bishop is Antichrist And I have fell from the forsaken Sect of the Chief Priest to the Emperour c. 1. Contra Purgatorium Limbum Infantium AD refrigerium justi vocantur Cyprianus in libro de Mortalitate Sectione undecima ad supplicium rapiuntur injusti datur velocius tutela sidentibus Persidis poena Primum enim locum fides Catholicorum Divina Authoritate regnum credit esse Caelorum unde ut dixi Augustinus Septimo tomo libro quinto Hipognosticôt contra Pelagia nos Pagina nongenâ—essima quinquagefimâ septimâ non Baptizatus excipitur Secundum gehennam ubi omnis Apostata vel à Christi Fide alienus Eterna supplicia experietur Tertium penitus ignoramus imo nec esse in Scripturis Sanctis inveniemus Finge Pelagiane locum ex Officina dogmatis tui Scitote verò quòd cùm anima à corpore evellitur Augustinus tomo nono libro de vanitat seculi capite primo statim aut in Paradiso pro meretis bonis collocatur aut certè pro peccatis in inferni tartara praecipitatur Eligite modò quod vultis hoc jam in vita vestra disponite aut Perpetualiter gaudere cum Sanctis aut sine fine cruciari cum impiis Nemo se decipiat fratres duo enim loca sunt Augustinus tomo decimo de tempore sermone dacente siâ— secundo Augustinus etiam idem in effectu dicit tomo septimo libro primo de peccatorum meritis remissione capite vigesimo octavo Et quinto tomo libro vigesimo primo de civitate Dei capite vigessimo quinto tertius non est ullis qui cum Christo regnare non meruerit cum Diabolo absque dubitatione ulla peribit Secundò Contra invocatio Angelorum Sanctorum demortuorum facientem eos Mediatores Intercessores QUòd non oporteat Ecclesiam Dei relinquere Consilium Laodicenum
have said is excepted he which is not Baptized the second to be Hell where every Apostate or Stranger from the Faith of Christ shall undergo Eternal Punishments The third place we are utterly ignorant of nor do we find it in the Holy Scriptures Feign thou Pelagian 4. place out of the Ware-house of thy Opinion Know for certain Augustine in his Book of the Vanity of the World Tomb 9th Chap. 1. that when the Soul is departed from the Body it is either presently placed in Paradice for its good works or certainly is cast headlong into the Pit of Hell for its Sins Choose you now what you will have and dispose of this now in your life-time either Perpetually to rejoyce with the Saints or without end to be Punished with the Wicked Let no Man deceive himself Augustine in his 10th Tomb of time Sermon 202. Augustine also saith the same in Effect in his 7th Tomb and first Book of the Deserts and Remission of Sins Chap. 28. And in his fifth Tomb and Twenty first Book of the City of God Chap. 25. my Brethren there are but two places and a third there is not for any he which deserveth not to Raign with Christ without all douht shall Perish with the Devil 2ly Against the Invocation of Angels and Saints departed and the making of them our Mediators and Intercessors FOr it behoveth not the Church of God to leave off The Councel of Luodicea can 35. and be gone and nominate Angels and make Congregations which are known to be forbidden if any one therefore shall be found observing this Occult Idolatry let him be accursed because he leaveth our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God Theodoret upon the third Chapter of the Epistle to the Colossâ—â—s and delivereth himself up to Idolatry For whereas they did command to adore Angels he commanded the contrary that both words and deeds might adorn the remembrance of Christ the Lord and saith through the sending forth of the Action of thanksgiving to God and the Father Clement Pope and Martyr in his second Book of Apostolical constitutions c. 32. by him and not by Angels Following also this Law of the Laodicean Councel and willing to be cured of that old Disease read it is to be taken heed least they should pray to Augels and least they should leave Our Lord Jesus Christ It is not lawful to come to Almighty God unless by Christ. And whereas notwithstanding he saith to us Origin in his Bighth Book against Celsâ—â— there is one God the Father of whom are all things he saith to us this word of himself and to all which would ascend to the most High God of Gods and to the most High Lord of Lords but he ascendeth to the most High God which inseparably and indivisibly Worshippeth him by Jesus the Son of God by whose only conduct he cometh to the Father He hath said Cyril in his Eleventh Book upon John c. 7. impelling them to ask with confidence affirming Amen Amen whatsoever you shall obtain by request from the Father you shall ask it in my name and hath added in my name to the end he may shew himself a Mediator for no Man cometh to the Father unless by the Son Athanasius also in his Fourth Oration against the Arians treating upon the words of Paul to the Thessalonians pag. 259. And Augustine in his Eighth Tomb in his Enarration of the â—undred and Eighth Psalm say plainly the like things 3ly Against one Mans works being applyed to another FOr the foolish Virgins Hilary in his Commentary upon Matthew Cannon 27. their Lamps being out cannot go forth to meet him They which were Wise were Prayed that they would lend them Oyle to whom they answered we cannot lend our selves because there is not perhaps that there may be enough for every one So that works and deserts done by others shall help no Man because it is necessary that every one buy Oyle for his own Lamp Leo the Great in his 81 Epistle which is to the Palestine Monks in the first Tomb of the Councels pag 791. And Leo the Pope in his 95 Epistle written to Leo Augustus do plainly also say the like Fourthly Against the Adoration of Angels Martyrs and Saints departed LEt Mary be had in honor Epiphanius in his third Book Haeres 79. and the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost be Adored Mary no Body Adoreth I say not that either Woman or Man neither do the Angels receive such glorification this Mystery is due to God The things which were ill writ in the Heart of the deceiver are blotted out The desire of the Tree is taken from the Eyes it is turned again a fiction to the Lord. Eve returned with Adam that she might Worship God only not that she might be led away by the voice of the Serpent but might remain in the Precept of God thou shalt not Eat of the Tree and it was a Tree not error but by him the Tree was made inobedience of Error Let not any one Eat of the Error which is for St. Maries sake for although the Tree was fair but yet not for Food so Mary is very fair and holy and honorable but not for Adoration These truly do again renew the mixture of Fortune and prepare a Table for the Devil and not for God as it is written and they are fed with the food of impiety and as the holy Scripture saith and the Women do bear fine Flower and their Children gather Wood to make Cakes with Oyle subdued to the Army of Heaven Such Women are repressed by Jeremiah that they may not trouble the World and lest they should say let us honor the Queen of Heaven Cyril of Alexandria in his Third Tomb and Sixth Book against Julian fol. 50 in the Letter A. Taphnas also knew to Punish these the places of these Edifices have known to receive Bodies to Corruption But we say the Holy Martyrs be neither Gods nor have we been wont to Adore them But we Praise them with reat Honors that they have striven valiantly for the truth and have observed the sincerity of Faith so that they despised their lives and their farewel sayings prevailed in the greatest Perils by the Terrors of Death and were of such fortitude as to stir up to themselves Statues of their life I do not say that we may not Worship and Adore the reliques of Martyrs Hierom in his second Tomb in his Epistle against Vigilantiâ—â— for the repair of the Priests p. 119. but also that we may not Worship and Adore the Sun and Moon not Angels not Arch-Angels not Cherubin not Seraphin nor any name which is named both in this World and in the World to come for we may not serve Creatures rather than the Creator which is Blessed in the World The Worship of dead Men is not a Religion for us Augustine in his first Tomb in his Book of
THE REASONS OF THE CONVERSION OF Mr. John Sidway FROM The Romish to the Protestant Religion Together with what usage he hath since received in the Church of England As also a brief Account of his Travails Humbly Communicated to the High Court of PARLIAMENT LONDON Printed for Nevil Simmons at the Three Golden Cocks at the West end of St. Pauls and Langley Curtis on Ludgate Hill 1681. TO THE HIGH COURT OF PARLIAMENT JOHN SIDWAY wisheth Grace Mercy and Peace through Jesus Christ GReat and manifold were the Blessings most Noble and Magnificent Assembly which Almighty God the Father of all Mercies bestowed upon the People of England when your most Wise and Honorable Ancestors by a most impartial and happy Reformation expelled from the Church those Thick and Palpable Clouds of darkness that for many years had overshadowed this Land And as it yet giveth unto all that are well affected an exceeding great cause of comfort so the fruit thereof doth extend it self not only to the time spent in this Transitory World but to our safe conduct to that Eternal Happiness which is above in Heaven The occasions most August Assembly of my relinquishing the Romish way of Worship were the many exceeding gross Errors and most wicked Practices which I found I must necessarily be daily guilty of continuing therein And the Motives that enduced me to imbrace the Reformed Religion and be Reconciled to Protestancy were the most Sacred Scriptures and Antient Fathers unto whom I found the same agreeable both which having here exhibited I humbly Present to your High Court Humbly craving since things of this Nature have ever been Subject to the censures of ill meaning and discontented persons the same may receive Approbation and Patronage from so Learned and Judicious an Assembly as your High Court is That so although I am exposed hereby on the one side to the undeserved Calumniations of the Popish party who strive to keep the World in ignorance and darkness and on the other side to the Foolish Malignity of self-conceited Brethren who like of nothing but what is done by themselves or at leastwise framed after their own fancy I may rest secure supported within by the Truth and Innocency of a good Conscience having walked in the ways of Simplicity and Integrity as before the Lord and sustained without by the Powerful Protection of your most August Assemblies Grace and Favour which no doubt will ever give Countenance to honest and Christian endeavours against bitter Censures and Uncharitable Imputations The Lord of Heaven and Earth grant to this our Nation that by your wise endeavours Popery may be utterly Extirpated and Protestancy firmly established to all generations So that Peace and Happiness Truth and Justice Religion and Piety may ever flourish THE Printers Epistle TO THE READER Courteous Reader SInce he that is Cured of a most dangerous Distemper may do very good service in Relating to others the means of his Recovery The Author hath here exhibited to thy most Candid View and Serious Consideration what as may hereby easily be gathered with very great Cost hard and diligent Study long and tedious Travel and most eminent Danger he was several years in coming to the knowledge of The Book thou wilt find although but little is of very great and universal use For the Grace of God cooperating therewith art thou a Heathen Jew Turk or Infidel it will bring thee to the Faith of Christ art thou a Christian it will greatly confirme thee in thy Sacred Faith and exceedingly incourage thee in thy Religious Practice More particularly art thou a Papist it will cause thee to Relinquish thy Errors Idolatries Blasphemies and Superstitions and to adhere to the most Catholick Faith and most pure Practice of the Antient times Art thou a Protestant it will greatly fortifie and strengthen thee in thy most Renowned Primitive Christian Faith and Orthodox Profession In fine whatsoever thou art it will bring thee to imbrace the Commands of God and to avoid the Darts of the Devil if thou reapest the benefit thereby intended give God the Glory Vale. WHereas there is joy in the Presence of the Angels over a Sinner Converted and that we are Commanded to let our Light so shine before Men as that they may see our good Works and Glorify our father which is in Heaven I have here shewed to the World the Reasons of my Conversion from the Romish to the English Church I was Born at Dublin in Ireland but of an English Extract was Educated in a Jesuits Colledge at Bologna in Italy where I remained until I had not only Commenced Master of Arts but was by standing Batchelor of Divinity At my first coming to Bologna several Protestants often told me that the Roman Religion was not good and greatly indeavored to perswade me from it but perceiving their design herein was to bring me to their own I desired to know of them whether the Protestant Religion were Catholick had Antiquity Succession of Chairs Perpetual continuance wrought Miracles and had the greatest number of Christians which I looked upon being so instructed to be the Marks of the true Church but they being not able to shew it to be thus in the Romish sense I was so obstinate against Protestancy that I gave them such a repulse they never after troubled me The Jesuits in the next place after I had been a while there set upon me to enter into their order and did so assault me with such allurements and perswasions in order thereunto that I was so streightned to overcome their Temptations that many a time I have spent all the time allotted for recreation in Prayer to Almighty God that of his great mercy he would give me his assistance to defend me from them And as often as they tempted me thereunto I told them what I might have hereafter I knew not but as yet I had no inclination to enter into a Religious order but if I had ever such an inclination I would sooner enter into their order then any other And with this they seemed to be well satisfyed nevertheless it was but a meer put off for I did not at all approve their ways When I came to study Divinity reading the Fathers I often in the same observed divers passages which in my opinion made as exceedingly against both the Faith and Practice of the Church of Rome as might be which whether they do or no let the World Judge I have quoted them exactly as they are in their works making First against Purgatory Limbus Infantium THe just are called to refreshment Cyprian in his Book of Mortality Sect. 11 and the unjust are snatched away to Punishment there is presently given rewards to the Faithful and Punishments to the Wicked The Faith of the Catholicks by Divine Authority believeth the first place to be the Kingdom of Heaven Augustine in his 7th Tomb and 5th Book Hipognosticôn against the Pelagians p. 957. from whence as I
the true Religion chap. 55. if they have lived Godâ—ily they have no such property as to seek such honors but they will worship him by whose illumination their deserts are Praised by us that we be their Fellow-servants therefore they are to be honored for imitations sake not for Religions sake but if they have lived all wheresoever they are they are not so to be honored Augustine also in his first Tomb in his Book of the Manners of the Catholick Church chap. 30. Cyril of Alexandria in his second Book of Treasure in his first chapter against Eunomius Ambros in his first Book of Faith to Gratianus Augustus chap. 7. and many others do say the like Fifthly Against the Adoration of Images IT pleaseth The Councel of Eliber celebrated in the time of Constantine the great Can. 36. Tertullian in his Book of the Crown of a Warrier c. 10. that Pictures ought not to be in the Church nor that any thing should be Painted upon the Walls least the same should be Worshipped and Adored John the less hath said keep you from Idols not now from Idolatry as from a duty but from Idols that is from the very Effigies of them for it is an unworthy thing that there should be an Image of the Living God an Image of an Idol and dead thing there may be It is not to be doubted Lactantius in his second Book of Divine Institutions c. 19. but there is no Religion where there is an Image for if Religion be of Divine things there is nothing Divine unless in Celestial things Images therefore want Religion because that nothing Celestial can be in that thing which is made of the Earth which truly may appear to a Wise-man by the very name for whatsoever is feigned must needs be false neither may that ever receive the name of a true thing which feigneth the truth like a Drone and for imitation but if there be any imitation it is not chiefly a serious thing but is as it were a Play and a Jest Religion is not in Images but in Images is the least of Religion The true one therefore is to be preferred before the false and we must tread under foot Earthly things that we may follow Heavenly Take heed to your selves that you observe the Traditions which you have received Epiphanius Cyprius as he is Cited by Gregory Neocaesariensi in the sixt action of the second Nicen Councel that you do not decline either to the right hand or to the left for the doing of which bear away these things Be you mindful my beloved Children that you do not carry Images into the Church nor set them in the Burial places of the Saints but perpetually carry about you God in your Hearts Moreover do not suffer them in your common house for it is not a Christian right to he held suspended by the Eyes but by the Cogitation of the Mind God forbiddeth an Idol as well to be made as to be worshipped and by how much it goeth before that it may be that which may be worshipped Tertullian in his Book of Idolatry ch 4. by so much it is before that it may not be if it be not lawful to be worshipped For this cause the Divine Law Proclaimeth the very matter to wit of Idolatry to be rooted out you shall not make saith the same an Idol adjoyning neither the likeness of them which are in Heaven and which are in Earth and which are in the Sea and strictly forbiddeth the Servants of God the Arts of this sort throughout the whole world Enoch also had gone before foretelling this that all the Elements and every Sense of the World which are contained in Heaven which are contained in the Sea and which are contained in the Earth should be turned Devils unto Idolatry and that the Spirits of Desert Angels should be Consecrated for God against the Lord. Every thing therefore that a humane worshippeth besides him who is the Maker and Creator of all things is an error their Images are Idols and the Consecration of Images is Idolatry whatsoever a worshipper of Images committeth without doubt it shall be deputed to whatsoever Artificer and of whatsoever Idol Lastly the said Enoch precondemneth in Commination both the makers and worshippers of an Idol I swear to you Sinners Tertullian again in the same place that in the day of the Blood of Perdition there is prepared a Penance for you you which serve stones and which make Golden Silver Wooden and Stony Images and Fictils and serve Phantasmes and Devils and infamous Spirits and every error not according to knowledge shall find no help from them Isaiah truly saith be you witnesses if there be a God besides me And there were not then which do counterfeit and carve out every vain thing which they make at their pleasure which cannot profit them And afterward that whole saying detesteth as well against the makers as the worshippers whose clause it is Know you that the heart of them is Ashes and they erre and not one of them can deliver his own Soul When David also saith the like and such are they become which make them but what do I a Man of a mean Memory shew beyond what I can reckon up or what I can recollect of the Scriptures as though a word of the Holy Ghost may not be sufficient or beyond what may be deliberated whether the Lord will Curse and Condemn them in the first place the makers of them the Worshippers of whom he Curseth and Condemneth Justin Martyr in his Dialogue with Tryphon a Jew pag. 251. Clement of Alexandria in his Oration adhortory to the Gentils pag. 25. of the Latin florentine Edition Tertullian in his Scorpiaco against the Gnosticks chap. 2. And many others also say the like 6ly Against the Adoration of Holy Reliques Hierome in the Epistle to Riparius against Vigilantius in his second Tomb folio 119. and following Vigilantius called by Hierome a Holy Priest in his 1st Tomb in the Epistle to Paulinus follo 106. which also Caesar Baronius confesseth Aâ— Eccl. Tomb 5. in the year of our Lord 406. thus writeth as it is quoted by Hierome himself in the second Tomb in his Epistle against vigilantius fol. 123. I do not say that we may not Worship and Adore the Reliques of Martyrs but also that we may not Worship and Adore the Sun and Moon not Angels not Archangels not Cherubim not Seraphim nor any Name which is Named both in this World and the World to come for we may not serve Creatures rather than the Creator which is Blessed in the World What need is there that thou with so much honor not only dost Honor but also Adore that which is I know not what which bearing about in a little Vessel thou Worshippest * in the same Book also What Dust inclosed in Linnen Adoring doest thou Kiss †And afterwards We seem near to the custome of the Gentils
to Protestants to whom I was altogether unknown I might be hardly looked upon and perhaps too when I came dislike their Practice changing my resolution I resolved to continue in the Church of Rome From Naples therefore crossing the Countrey to Barlet and so taking Ship for Venetia and from thence going to Birgamo getting some Letters of Recommendation to the Bishop there he preferred me into a Cannos Place and made me a Deacon And now I gave my self seriously to the study of the Holy Scriptures in which I had before made a considerable Progress wheresoever I found they did not agree with the Faith Practice of the Roman Church I noted them down in a little Book All which I found afterward did agree with what I had before observed in the Fathers And revealing the same to my Ghostly Father in Confession hoping thereby to receive satisfaction he gave me such weak and absurd Answers that I thereby became the farther dissatisfied And now I again lamenting my hard Fate that it was my Lot to have been brought up in the Church of Rome had a great desire to see the Practice of some Protestant Church and therefore pretending a Journey to Lyons in France to see a Kinsman who was lately arrived there from Ireland furnishing my self with what Money and other necessaries I could for my Journey I went for Geneva purposely to see the practice and discourse with them of the Geneva Church And to the end I might do it the more securely I again put my self into a Secular Habit in which appearing at Geneva and being an English Man the Clergy there never mistrusted but that I was a Protestant and I being not fully resolved what to do told them no other but that I having been and then being much among Papists they continually pressed upon me to be of their Church And relating to them the several Arguments of the Church of Rome which at any time before had served me to retain me therein I desired their Instructions how I might so answer them as to defend my self against them The first thing I desired of them to make me capable thus to answer was the Popes Infallibility and lest that should not do 2dly The Infallibility of the Roman Church 3dly The Authority the Roman Church pretends to have over the Scriptures in Abolishing and making void part thereof at Her Pleasure And 4thly Her practising many things which were never mentioned in the Holy Scripture for which She pretends Tradition All which several of them answered so rationally rationally learnedly and discreetly that I was exceeding well satisfied therewith and returning them innumerable thanks I desired also to know of them what was the difference betwixt their own Church and the Church of England They answered me the difference betwixt Them and the Church of England was very little The greatest matter they said was only Episcopacy and certain Ceremonies This made me whilst I stayed there which was for the space of a week or such a matter seriously reflect with my self what to do And considering that their Service consisted most in Preaching of which I was there very uncapable in regard of my deficiency for the same in the French Tongue I resolved for England not doubting but I might do God as good Service there since the difference was so small betwixt them as here at Geneva the which I should immediately be capable of in regard of my English Tongue I was no sooner setting out from thence towards Paris designing for England but hearing I was near the Armies and that in my direct way to Paris I must upon necessity pass them which would be very dangerous I was forced to retire to Lyons where I was much further from Paris then I was at Geneva Being at Lyons having not sufficiently left for my charge into England my stock of moneys growing very low I again began to alter my resolution or at leastwise determined for a time till I was in a condition for my Journey to continue in the Church of Rome hoping Almighty God might accept of what I there did since thus constrained thereunto and so putting my self again into a Clerks Habit I hoped e're long to get an Employ I had been there but a short time but Mr. Chapman an English Gentleman of Avinion and Monsieur Fargue a French Man a Person of very good Quality recommended me to the Arch-Bishop the Arch-Bishop was pleased upon their recommendation to give me a Living and to the end I might be the better qualified for the same made me Priest I now began to be in care how to defray the charges of my Institution and Induction and other present charge and expences And writing to a Friend at Birgamo acqainting him that I had a Grant of a good Living in France but wanting Money for my Institution Induction and other Necessaries was willing upon reasonable Terms to resign my Canons Place there and therefore desiring him to help me to some Man that might take it of me I had not expected long but I received his Answer in which he acquainted me that if I would apply to one Monsieur Petite who was a Shopkeeper in Lyons he had received order to agree with me for it And coming to the said Monsieur Petite he gave me Twenty Lewie Dores for my Resignation And now I was in greater care than ever sometimes I thought to leave my present hopes and to go for England sometimes again fearing that if I were there I might have some dislike or at least should be altogether a stranger and hearing that there was little or no Provision for Men who had commonly done thus but that divers who had turned to the Chruch of England had been forced to turn from it again meerly for a bare subsistance whereupon to live I was quite off it but at length considering the Celebration of Mass was the dayly and in a manner only Practice of the Roman Clergy I betook my self seriously to read over the Mass-Book verily believing that if my Conscience could but dispense with that as for my Belief I might the better dissemble it When I thus seriously read over the Mass-Book I found first that some things therein were false as the Introibo ad Altare Dei for their Altar is not the Altar of God but a meer Fiction of Men. And the First and Ninth Part of the Canon which say the Priest Kneeleth when he Kneeleth not as also the Satiasti Domine familiam tuam c. wherein the Priest giveth us to understand that the People have nothing at all 2dly That othersome were foolish as the Memento for the Dead wherein is prayed that God would remember such as are gone before with the Sign of Faith and sleep in the sleep of Peace to grant them a place of comfort of light and peace And the Amen said after the Secrets adjoyned with the Per omnia Secula Seculorum's for how can the People say Amen