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
comfort iustice and life euerlasting in my hope Now must feare and amazement giue place vnto all these now must pensiuenes and hell it selfe depart from mee Christ Iesus abiding and liuing in mee dooth consume and banish all euils that afflicted mee Hence it comes that this vnion and coniunction is the cause that I am deliuered from the terrours seperated from the flesh transformed into Iesus Christ and into his kingdom which is the kingdom of grace iustice peace ioy life health and euerlasting glory so that liuing in him there is no hurt can chaunce vnto mee God promised that there should no more come an vniuersall deluge and in signe of a peaceable loue he gaue the rainbowe a pledge of his mercye which the Gentiles called Ianus as saith Berosus the Chaldean This is that bowe whereof S. Iohn speaketh in the Apocalips to be ouer the head of Iesus Christ signifying Christ crucified with his armes spread abroad The redde coulour of which celestiall bow representeth the bloud of Iesus Christ and his greene colour betokeneth hope for that in his wounds and bloud remaine all the hope of our good being and the seuerall colours declare vnto vs the multitude of his mercies This is that token which God the Father promised in redemption of the world whereof Saint Paule to Titus Chap. 3. saith That the bountifulnesse and loue of God appeared not in regarde of any workes of iustice by vs performed but he saueth vs according to his great mercy When there shall be presented before mine eyes the darke clouds of sinne when sorrowes and terrours shall with huge violence threaten me when dangers persecutions iniuries and other torments shall come vppon me then will I beholde the celestiall couenant I will cast my eyes vppon Iesus Christ crucified in whom I shall finde plenty of hope For he is our only refuge and such a one as Saint Paule 2. Corinths calleth the Father of mercie and God of all consolation comforting vs in all our calamities Wherefore I will alwayes be running to him arming my selfe with inuincible patience For the good Chirurgeon sheweth his experience in dangerous wounds the physition his skil in great maladies in perilous battels the prudent couragious valiant captaine declareth his strength policy in great tempests and stormes the expert pilot exerciseth his diligence Affliction is no new thing neither am I alone he that endures it S. Gregorie saith that if we would consider that which the Saints haue endured wee should see all our tribulations to be of very small importance particularly if we looke vpon and contemplate Iesus Christ the true God tormented vpon the crosse wee should perceiue our miseries in comparison of his to be but a drop of water in respect of the whole Sea And S. Barnard saith that Christ Iesus is not onely the mirrour of patience but the recompence and rewarde thereof To this ende therefore will I contemplate his crosse whereby I shall reape great comfort and rewarde But what recompence say the worldlings wilte thou haue seeing thou hast forsaken thy countrie thy parents thy meanes whereby thou mightest haue liued pleasantly thou hast left thy vocation and all these hast thou abandoned in the pride of thy dayes Then will I answer them according to the saying of Saint Bernard in his meditations that if it be a difficult thing for one of the most iust vnder the law to be saued at the point of death it will be more hard and as it were impossible for him to be saued that at his death presents vnto God nothing else but his bones which dogges refuse hauing giuen their flesh to Sathan as dayly they doe employing the time in vaine-glory in proud ambition onely delighting in the flesh as they are guided by the diuel But then they wil tell me that at the houre of death through vertue of the Popes Bull saying S. Peter S. John S. Paul S. Caphas Popes pardons and S. Macharus helpe me they shall be saued But if they waite til that time in that beleefe they shall manifestly see how God will heare thē sith they attribute to a mortall creature Gods eternall glory and place their hope in the Bul of a Croisade which is highly esteemed in Spain where euery yere it is bought at ten shillings price by vertue wherof they are tolerated in Lēt time to eate Egs Milke Butter Cheese and besides to be absolued as they fondly imagine from their sinnes and aswell à culpa as à poena that is to say aswell from their faulte as from the punishment once in this life and another time through Purgatorie at the houre of death Besides this there is another Bull named de los finados that is to say of the dead through which first hauing yearly well paide for the same the party liuing may for euery Bul fetch a soule of his friend or parent out of paine To be short great store of siluer and reuenews is gotten in respect of pardons or the Popes indulgences who vaunteth that he detaineth and keepeth treasure of the bloud of Christ and of Martirs An intollerable and auaritious abuse doubtlesse contrary to holy writ which certifieth that the mercy of the father of compassions presenteth to the faithfull forgiuenesse of their sinnes to saluation through the vertue of his Holyghost applyed and receiued by a liuely and iustifying faith of euery one beleeuing in Christ who was giuen for our iustice sanctification and redemtion dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification This is all my hope the foundation of my faith whereby I may ouercome the terrours of sinne and death and enioy eternall life And againe of the like corrupted stuffe as the Bulles before mentioned is the Canonizing of Saints and deifying them with whome the seelie ignorant people commit idolatrie and spirituall fornication very impiously and incredulously against GOD who is onely able to saue and restore to life those that are dead Pilgrimages Hence proceede so many pilgrimages into strange countries vnder pretence wherof many adulteries fornications Sodomies incests much drunkennesse and other execrable wicked actes are daily committed and their bodies are adored and superstitiously worshipped vpon earth whose soules oftentimes are tormented in hell The manner of the Popes proceeding in canonizing many Saints for the most pretended is very notorious For many times since the raigne of Poperie Canonasing saints those are placed in this ranke of whome there remaines no memorie or testimonie of their life and conuersation to the end that through processe of time and running on of the worlde there might be conceiued and brought forth a forgetfulnesse of their vices and enormious crimes which they might haue perpetrated And if any dare speake against such persons endeuouring to bee any hinderance that vnder such a false title holinesse and sanctitie be not attributed vnto them the Inquisition knoweth very well how to stop his mouth and remedie it by cruell torments and
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
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
of Monks which he hath faithfully deuoutly serued This time being expired hauing obteind sufficient nūber of monks the aboue said Francis hath requested that according to the leaue by him heretofore graciously attained from the most reuerend Abbot he may goe into his owne quarter and countrey which ought not in good right to be denied vnto him I haue giuen and granted him leaue In witnesse whereof I haue written subsigned this presents with my owne hand and garnished it with the common seale of the congregation giuen in our venerable monestery of Sir Peter Celestine at Milan the 16. day of August 1600. I Sir Theophilus abouesaid with my owne hand and with another hand Sir Peter the yonger by consent haue subsigned We the Minister and Ancients of the reformed Church of Vendosme certifie to all to whome it shall appertaine that maister Francis Lemoyne sometimes a Celestine Monke of the order of Saint Benit hath in this said Church made publick abiuration of the errours of the Church of Rome and profession that hee will follow the true catholique and apostolique religion and signed the same with his owne hand Sunday the xxviii of Ianuarie Anno Domino 1601. whereof we haue giuen him this present certificate hauing required vs to stand him insteede with the Brothers whether he may addresse himselfe Done at our consistorie of Vendosme aforesaid the 29. Ianuarie in the yeare 1601. Solomean Minister Chauueau C. Iohn I. Garriner R. Ceuruoisier The Christian protestation of Francis Coupil Angeuin heretofore a Fryer in the couent of Chasteau Roux openly published in the reformed Church at Thouars vpon Sunday the ninth of September 1601. O How pleasing is the protestation of God so often repeated in Ezechiel Ezechi 33.11 as I liue saith the Lorde I take no pleasure in the death of a sinner but rather that he turne from his way and liue I apply to my selfe in particuler the generall exhortation which he addeth turne you turne you from your wicked wayes for why will you dye O you house of Jsrael But for asmuch as it is not of free will or of course but of God who sheweth his mercy I also acknowledge before this holy assembly that I haue truely found mercy for being sometime past seduced by the sectaries of Francis D'assisa I yeelded my selfe to be perswaded to this protext of holinesse whereof they vaunt vntill such time as I had clad my selfe with the habit wherewith they so much deceiue the worlde I imagined that in clothing me with this weede I did put on the new man which as saith S. Paule Ephe. 4.24 after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse But I had not beene long amongst them but God gaue me the grace to know that I was deceiued both in workes and doctrine as for their workes I will not stand much vpon them but will tell you this onely by the words of the same Apostle I will no more participate with their vnfruitefull workes of darknesse and that it is a shame to name those things which by thē are done in secret And as for their doctrine I could neuer comprehend that God tooke any pleasure that the honour which appertained vnto him alone shoulde be transferred to the creatures after that I harde him say I am the Lorde Isa 42.8 this is my name and my glorye will I not giue to another neither my prayse to grauen Images But this is openlye done amongst them and without that I speake any further hereof all men know that they extoll their pretended S. Francis many degrees aboue Christ himselfe in the booke of conformities cōpiled by one of Pisa imprinted by their permission and procurement at Milan Moreouer I could neuer imagine how it could be possible that the merits of Christ could finde any place amongst the pretended merits of men so many workes of supererogation proceeding from the counsels wherby they perswade themselues to exceede the obseruation of the commandements of God and to haue sufficient for thēselues and others I am of opinion and do stedfastly beleeue Iob. 9.2.3 that that agreeth not with the saying of Iob how should man compared to God be iustified if hee woulde dispute with him he could not answere one thing of a thousand and with the saying of Iesus Christ who willed that we acknowledge our selues for vnprofitable seruants euen when we haue done all those things which are commaunded vs. Luk. 17.10 My conscience hath confuted me that I could not stand before God through my workes Wherefore I imbrace the remission of my sinnes in Iesus Christ and the iustification through faith onely reputing my habit and workes done amongst them for dunghill drosse to win Christ renouncing the traditions of men namely the Masse and all the superstitions and idolatries of the Romish Church to liue according to the word of God sincerely preached in the reformed Churches and hauing put off the habit off leasing with the leasing I beseech you to hold me for a member of Christ and with me to pray to him that it may please him to perfect his worke in me to his honour and glory the building of his Church and my eternall saluation assuring you that feeling that heartes ease as Dauid did after the remission of his sinnes I repeat in hart and voyce those his wordes Psal 31.2 O how blessed is he whose vnrighteousnsse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered oh how blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not his iniquity and in whose spirite is no deceipt I hope that God will giue me the grace that you shall know by my Godly perseuerance that there is not any in my hart or my mouth So be it The said Francis Goupil came foorth of the couent of Chasteau Roux is come to that of Thouars where he was receiued in vertue of his obedience written and signed vnder the hand of Cardinall Vicairra of the said couent wherin he giueth testimony of his honest life and religious conuersation as the originall beareth record kept in the said Church of Thouars We vnderwritten pastour and Elders of the Church of Thouars certify those to whom the same shal appertaine that the said Francis Goupil hath made profession of the true religion amongst vs according to the tennor of that which is aboue written and do pray the brothers to whome he shall repaire to hold him for a true member of our Lord Iesus Christ From Thouars the xviii of September 1601. Andrew Riuet Pastour Elders F. Guerineau P. Mausset F. Ferraut P. Pelleus The conuersion and confession of Lowys du Bois late of Rissijl Priest and preacher of S. Francis order within Dunkerke done publikly in the Citty of Leyden the third of Iune Ann. 1601. on Sunday after the Sermon Translated out of French and Dutch into English Luke 15. verse 6.7 Reioyce with me for I haue found my sheepe which was lost I say vnto you that likewise ioy
of the minde in the elect as through the efficacie of faith which is a presence of things absent a vision of things inuisible an hypostasis of the misteries of eternall saluation Loe this is the truth of this sacrament contrary to mans tradition But time will no more suffer me to repeate the erronious absurdities of this tradition Purgatory Now of Purgatory which they dote vpon it is contrary to the washing and purging of Christ his precious bloud shed vpon the crosse applyed through vertue and secret operation of the spirit and receiued through a liuely faith But these are but Monkish absurdities to imagyne that the vnspeakable dignity of the Sacrifice of Christ is not perfectly able to blot out our offences to reconcile soules vnto God and to iustyfie before the throne of iustice it is surely a great deminyshing of his mercy grace vnspeakeable fauour a too much eclypsing of the inmatchable glory of the Ocean of his compassions I leaue behinde for breuity sake a Chaos of like errours most humbly beseeching the Lord to haue mercy vpon the ignorant to enlighten thē in his knowledge and to confound those that maliciously warre against the truth I will be no longer a captiue in Babilon thus to haue no remembrance of Sion nor remember my selfe And for that I cannot sing the Lords song in a strange land in this pernicious Babilon nor vpon her bankes which do ouerflow with abhominations I will make riuers of mine eyes with a sweete remembrance and contemplation of the spirytuall Ierusalem notwithstandyng all aduersityes which clense vs from vitious imaginations from all superstitions and idolatryes and to the ende I may worship one onely GOD and beleeue in his gospell renouncing all humane inuentions which faith is gyuen vnto vs by the holy ghost through the preaching of the holy Gospell as it is witten in Saint Iohn 3. Mathew Chap. 16. To the Romans Chap. 10. and in the Actes Chap. 16. and in many other places which to shun prolixity wee will not now name This profit therefore commeth of tribulations And surely I may well say that which I my selfe haue experimented a few dayes past wherein I was tormented with an infinite number of imaginations caused in respect of the absence of my parents to see my selfe in a strange countrey to here the Papistes murmure and ordinarily speake against me with threats and slaunders but howsoeuer I did pray vnto the Lord for those that persecuted me and for mine owne comfort and consolation for it was the true meane to fortifie me the more in the trueth of the Gospell as at this present I do with my eyes behold fresh comforts and new effects of the holy ghost in my soule bidding me perseuer in the obedience of the worde of life This was the purpose of Esay who saide O Lord in tribulations we will seeke thee and of the Prophet Dauid Fill their faces with shame and reproch then they will seeke thy mercifull name By the mouth of the Prophet Osee saith GOD himselfe In their troubles and anguishes they shall rise vp and acknowledge me By Ezechiell My Zeale shall be taken from thee and J will cease and will no more be angry with thee God giueth vs manifestly to vnderstand in this place that hee is angrye the more with vs when hee doth not punish and chastice vs with tribulations for then he sheweth not the loue he beareth vnto vs. Saint Iohn saith in the Apocal chap. 3. that those whom he loueth he chastiseth a great consolation doubtlesse Esay Chap. 43. When thou shalt passe through the waters the riuers shall not couer thee and when thou shalt tread vpon the fier it shall not burne thee This is represented vnto vs in Exodus 14. when the Hebrewes passed through the red sea in Daniel 3. when the young men of Babilon were cast into the burning flames God could well haue hindred them from casting the three innocent young men into the fire but he the more to shew his mighty glory and for the saluation of his own people suffered them to be throwne into the fier without receiuing any dammage or hurt In like maner the Lord doth shew greater mercy vnto me in chastising me with tribulations giuing me patience and spirituall strength then if he had deliuered me from the outragious ignominies and aduersities aboue said For I well knew that when I was in tranquillity and rest he had as it were forgotten me but so soone as hee laide his crosse vpon me I knew that I was his creature bought with the inestimable price of his owne bloud who hath iustified me through his vnmeasurable mercy and heauenly grace Thus much dooth the scripture teach vs when it saith that the King of Babilon saw three young men walke in the middest of the fiery flames singing praises vnto God that they were accompanied with an other resembling the sonne of God For tribulation taken with patience procureth God to come to vs and be our defender being free and loose from papisticall dignities and ambitions who with inuentions of rich Altars beautified with idolles of golde and siluer with many thousands of other superstitions doe hinder men from attaining to the true knowledge of the Gospell or grace The imitation of the Apostles Actes 5. causeth wise men to reioyce in their afflictions standing in great feare of prosperity Saint Ierome compareth tribulation to Jonas his whale when others thought she swallowed him vp to kill him she swallowed him vp to saue him Saint Gregory saith that like as perfumes layd vpon coles declare their force and good smell so men doe shew the fortitude of their vertues passing through the flouds of aduersity Saint Barnard saith that as woll is to be carded wherwith fine and pure cloth is to be made so must the life of the iust bee tormented to the end their knowledge prooue more excellent Saint Chrisostome saith that vertue surmounteth in patiently abiding that affection is the true hauen of heauen Saint Gregory prooues it God himselfe in Saint Mat. Chap. 7. saith that the way that leadeth to life is straight narrow but that which leadeth to death is very large thereby meaning to inferre that those who would obtaine glory must first passe through many tempests difficulties And surely it will be an vnspeakable contentment vnto vs if wee consider that those passages are by Iesus Christ who is the way of glory and let vs not wonder if they be set with thornes but rather thinke and consider of him who hath first passed them and whither hee at last resorted In the booke of Wisdome it is written that the Lorde had made knowne the right way together with his kingdome vnto the iust O Lorde I beseech thee at this present to shewe me the right way that I erre not For I doe stedfastly beleeue that Iesus Christe liuing in mee abolisheth the curse of the lawe condemneth sinne mortifieth death he alone is peace