holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 Neither doth that which entereth in at the mouth defile a man but that which proceedes out of the mouth that defiles a man 9. I acknowledge and belieue Rom. 3.24 that I am justified freely by GODS grace through the redemption that is in CHRIST IESUS without any respect to my workes whereof I neither can nor should boast with the proud Pharisee but with the penitent Publican I cry to God continuallie to be mercifull to me who am a miserable sinner and with St. Paul the chiefe of sinners and so I belieue not the satisfaction made by me but the free remission of sins perswading my selfe that the wages of sin is death Rom 6.23 but the gift of GOD is eternall life through CHRIST IESUS our LORD and we his litle floke should not feare seing as our Saviour sayeth Luke 12.32 It is our Fathers pleasure to giue vs a Kingdome which we could never merit by our selues or any other creature for vs. 10. I acknowledge no fire after this life that purgeth vs from our sins and temporall punishments but as in Ioh. 1.7 the blood of IESUS CHRIST his Son purgeth vs from all our sins without any exception or destruction of sin what-so-ever and as the soules of the wicked immediatly after death goe to hell so the soules of the godly goe to Heaven 11. I acknowledge and belieue with St. Paul 1 Cor. 10.16 that the Cup in the Lords Supper is not the blood but figuratiuely the communion of his bodie And with Ioh. 6.30 The way how to eate and drink of this body is to belieue in him and the Doctors and Cannons of the Roman Church affirmeth the same with vs for the holy Scripture is full of such maner of speaches and our Saviour himselfe in this same place sayeth that whosoever beleiveth in him shall not thirst plainely making vs to vnderstand that this thirst is quenched only by beleiving and not by the drinking at the mouth and in Ioh. 6.56 he sayeth Whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in him and in verse 35. Who comes vnto mee shall not hunger and who beleiveth in mee shall never thirst So he eateth and drinketh who commeth vnto me who beleiveth in me and abideth in mee and alitle after having said Who beleiveth in me hath eternall life inferreth thereby that he is the bread of lyfe Hee is then meate indeed but for our soules not for our bodyes which is to be had by beleiving not by swallowing And so expondeth Origen an ancient father in his Hom. 12. in Math. this same place According to the Apostle his exhortation I am heartly desirous after tryall of my selfe 1. Cor. 11.18 oft to eate of that bread and drink of that Cup and so as praised be GOD I latelie did rrceaue that holie Sacrament publicklie in GODS Sanctuarie vnder both the kynds for the food of my soule whereby now I find great peace and comfort 12. I acknowledge also and beleiue that the Masse is not a propitiatorie sacrifice but a blasphemous and idolatrous abomination altogether derogatorie to CHRISTS propitiatorie sacrifice who once in the end of the world to appeare came to put away sinne by that only one sacrifice of himselfe and who once was offered to beare the sinnes of many Heb. 9.26.28 and by that one offering for ever hee hath perfited all them that are sanctified Heb. 10. v. 14.15 13. I acknowledge and beleiue that the Pope is not CHRISTS Viccare nor Peters successour but hee is that man of sinne the sonne of perdition and that verâ—e great Antichrist described by St. Paul 2. Thess 2. Who will judge all men whether they bee Kings or subjects and bee judged of none and will haue all men vnder paine of damnation to bee subject to him as their owne supreame Lord both in spirituall and temporall things I did also before my conversion after long tryall find some great oddes and verie remarkable differences betweene the Pastors of the reformed Kirk and that of the Roman Kirk And first that the Pastors of the reformed Kirk would bee judged by the word of GOD but the Pastors of the Roman Kirk would be judges of the word of GOD. 2 The reformed Pastors would bee ruled but the Roman Kirk would bee the rule themselues saying that the Kirk is soveraigne judge of all doubts of faith and that it can not erre And so I perceaue in this question If the Roman Kirk may erre or if it bee soveraigne and infallible judge it must bee that the Roman Kirk shall be judge and so consequentlie shee shall be both judge and partie I haue also observed this difference betweene the two religions which is that the reformed Kirk hath no rules that teacheth vices but the Roman Kirk hath sundrie rules that teacheth men to doe evill and to disobey GOD. Such is the rule of the councell of Constance that a man is not bound to keepe any faith and truth to Hereticks Such is the doctrine that the Pope may dispense with the expresse Commandemeâ—t of GOD by dispensing with the Cup in the Sacrament by dispensing with othes and vowes in granting permission to a man to man-sweare himselfe neither yet to performe any wayes that which wee haue promised to GOD. Such are the disobedience of young infants towards their fathers and mothers maintained authorized by the Roman Kirk when a young childe is entred into a closter contrare the will of his father Such are also the foundations of publick Bordels whereby the Pope himselfe draweth great tribute Such are also the revolt of subjects from their Prince and against them when it shall please the people to dispense with their Oath of alledgeance which they haue sworne to their King I haue found also the plaine text of Scripture in many places most pittifully corrupted and wrongously perverted by the Roman Kirk and some I remarked most carefully as followeth It is said in the 2 Epist to the Hebrews verse 21. That Iakob worshipped GOD leaning vpon the end of his staffe but the Byble of the Roman Kirk hath Iakob worshipped the end of his staffe thereby to establish the adoration of Creatures The lyke â—orruption is in the Psal 99. v. 5. Where David sayeth Worshippe towards his footstoole the Roman Bible hath Worshippe his footstoole and in Genes 3. v. 15. GOD said The seede of the woman should treade downe the head of the Serpent the Roman Kirk hath the woman shall bruise the head of the Serpent that is the Virgin Marie shall bruise downe the head c. Againe in St. Pauls Epist Rom. 11 6. is cutted off two lynes being omitted For these are the words of the Apostle But if it bee of workes it is no more of grace or else were workes no more workes which are left out in the vulgare translation And where St. Peter sayeth Heere are two swords the Roman Kirk most ridicoulouslie expondeth thus that the Pope hath
power over the spirituall and temporall And where the Evangelist sayeth Doe this in rememberance of mee the Romish Church expoundeth thus sacrifice my body in a sacrifice propitiatorie for the quick and the dead And another falshood I remember is where our Saviour speaking of the Cuppe in the Sacrament sayeth This Cuppe is the new Covenant in my blood which is shed for you But the Bible of the Romish Church hath into it This Cuppe is the new Covenant in my blood which shall bee shed for you least a man should perceaue that IESVS CHRIST spake of a sacramentall shedding of his bloode For as yet hee had not then really shed his bloode which hee had begunne to shed in his passion These and many other falshoods did I many tymes remarke as they were objected vnto me yet did I ever misregard them being ever discontented that any should speake to mee of such hereticall opinions as I called them because my ghostly fathers assured mee continually that it was a deadly sinne any wayes to doubt or to let it so much as once enter into my thought that ever the Church might or could erre continually dinging in my eares a warrant out of the Prophet Malachie cap. 2 verse 8. that the Preists cannot erre where it is thus read The Preists lips shall keepe knowledge and they shall seeke the law at his mouth This many yeeres contented mee till at last in my old dayes GOD so happily moved my heart to heare the trueth of better and sounder instructers and their warrand I praise GOD for it who sheweth to me that the words of the Prophet are and ought to bee translated thus yet men that are ledde with an opinion that the Kirk can not erre will never consider this The Preists lippes should keepe knowledge For they that translate thus the words and that they shall seeke the law at his mouth they did never intend to shew thereby that GOD did make heere a promise that so it shall bee for ever but onely to shew that this it the law and commaadement of GOD teaching what the Preists and people should doe and ought to doe even as in the Commandement Thou shall haue no other GODS but mee Now I find that the words doe not promise that the Israelites should alwayes acknowledge and worshippe IEHOVA the true GOD alone for as may bee seene in the text within fourtie dayes the event shewed the contrarie but shew what they ought to doe but the wordes are a Commandement recited not a promise made For the words of the fourth verse did show it Therefore men not partially led may easily perceaue that the translation of the reformed Kirk is most perfect of all showing not onely the sense and meaning of the law but also how it did bind the people and Priest and how they ought to obey it By this I thinke it no heresie and I beleiue with the reformed Kirk that it is GODS holy trueth that Preists succeeding in the place and office of Aaron and Moses may erre and haue erred yea I thinke it the greatest error of all errors to thinke that a man can not erre were hee never so holie I perceaue now Moses Chayre in the which the Scribes and Pharisees did sit was the seate wherein they were wont to read the law of Moses and the expositions thereof to the people for what they there did teach was true and therefore CHRIST commanded them to obey it To sitte in Moses Chaire I vnderstand is to teach Moses doctrine but as the Iewes made GODS law voyd by their owne glosses traditions they erred most damnablie and were no more in Moses Chaire and so the people were no more bound to obey it For at that tyme CHRIST himselfe called their doctrine sowre leaven and warned his Disciples to beware of it I know also and fimelie now belieue that it was never the purpose of GODS Spirit in that place or by these wordes to teach that the Law should alwayes bee taught truelie and infallablie by the Priests and Pastors who succeede Moses or the Apostles in the Church by a continued succession For that is a falshoode contrare to experience in all ages That this is most certaine I desire but any of a contrare opinion to read but the same verie place with an indifferent and vnprejudged minde which confutes it most evidently For in reading the same attentiuelie I find the Priests vnto whom the Prophet there speaketh in these places were Levits and directly succeded Aaron in the Preisthood And yet yee see by the plaine text they were departed out of the way they caused many fall in the law by their corrupt glosse and their abuse of the Covenant of Levi as it appeareth most clearely into the next words following immediatly Yea some of them yee see had sacrificed to Idolles which I haue read my selfe in Iosephus historie of these tymes and therefore the LORD threatneth to corrupt their seede by cutting off the male progenie and to cast the dung of their sacrifices in their faces Finally I hope now in the mercie of GOD yet before I die to heare a hundreth sermons in GODS true Kirk for now my onely joy is my new birth that by the mercie of my GOD I am regenerate and of a daughter of darknesse and death that haue beene from my naturall birth am now made a daughter of light and lyfe in my old age and my setled peace and comfort is my spirituall marriage with my head and husband the LORD IESUS CHRIST who hath marryed mee to himselfe in trueth and everlasting compassion and will take from mee my old corrupt garment and clothe mee with the white robe of his righteousnesse so that my nakednesse shall never appeare any more Now O LORD my GOD and gracious Father in thy CHRIST my sweete SAVIOUR let thy Spirit quicken mee more and more thy wisdome guide mee thy grace sanctifie mee and thy Word instruct me Let the holy Ghost of whom thy Sonne my SAVIOUR was conceived beget in mee and mee in thee by the immortall seede of thy Word Let my faith conceaue my repentance honour thee my loue embrace thee my zeale continuallie keepe thee with mee till the comming againe of thy Sonne for my ever hoped glorification So come vnto mee LORD IESUS come quicklie Amen Blessed be the LORD for he hath shewed me his mercifull kindnesse Psal 31.21 Why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou disquyeted within mee hope in GOD for I shall yet praise him who is the hope of my Salvation and my GOD. Psal 42.11 PSALME XLI.I. I Waited patiently vpon the LORD and hee inclyned vnto mee and heard my cry Hee brought mee also out of the horrible pit out of the myrie clay and set my feete vpon the Rocke and ordered my goings And hee hath put into my mouth a new song of Praise vnto our God Many shall see it and feare and shall trust into the LORD Blessed
is the man that maketh the LORD his trust and regardeth not the proud nor such as turne asyde to lyes 7. Then said I loe I come for in the roll of thy booke it is written of mee I desire to doe thy good will O my GOD. Yea thy law is within my heart I haue declared thy righteousnesse in the great congregation Loe I will not refraine my lips O LORD thou knowest PSALME 86.11 Teach mee thy way O LORD and I will walke in thy trueth knit my heart vnto thee that I may feare thy Name 17. Shew a token of thy goodnesse toward mee that they which hate mee may see it and bee ashamed because thou LORD hath helped me and conforted me PSALME 116.6 The LORD preserveth the simple I was in miserie and hee saved mee Returne vnto thy rest O my soule for the LORD hath beene beneficiall vnto thee PSALME 109.26 Helpe mee O LORD my GOD saue mee according to thy mercie and they shall know that this is thy hand and that thou LORD hast done it If the LORD had not helped mee my soule had almost dwelt in silence PSALME 101. Mine eyes shall bee vnto the faithfull of the Land that they may dwell with mee Hee that walketh in a perfite way shall serue mee there shall no deceatfull person dwell in mine house neither shall hee that telleth lyes remaine in my sight PSALME 56.12 I will now render praise vnto thee 13 For thou hast delyvered my soule from death and my feete frm falling that I may walke before GOD in the light of the living PSALME 103. Blessed bee the Name of the LORD from hencefoorth and for ever AMEN A PRAYER PSAL. 45. 10 Hearken O daughter and consider encline thine eare forget also thine owne people and fathers house AS thou O LORD art great and wonderfull in all thy workes yet thy mercie shineth aboue all thinges Albeit I forsooke thee O LORD yet thou hast not forsaken mee I haue turned my back to thee yet thou callest mee thy Childe All that thou requirest at mine hands is that I would hearken vnto thee And why should I not hearken vnto thee sith that all our destruction came from thence that our fathers turned their eares from thee to listen vnto the voice of the slie and subtile Serpent Grant me grace that I may haue a willing and obedient heart that by the meanes of good foode that I shall receaue in thy Word which alace too long I haue forsaken I may forget my wicked nature originall sin and all the vices which I did bring with mee from my mothers wombe that I forget the world to giue my selfe wholly vnto thee and thy service that I forget mine owne workes and mine owne opinions to depend wholly on thy grace And if the Bride and new married woman forsake and leaue her fathers house to follow her husband if she leaue the sport and pastime of her youth to goe about her houswifrie and to conforme her selfe vnto her husband why should not I alas forsake that which displeaseth thee to be agreeable vnto thy Son IESUS CHRIST which in so great mercie hath wedded me And albeit I was a straunger from his league promises of everlasting lyfe notwithstanding he hath joyned himselfe vnto me in hearty loue ratified his league with his precious blood Let me therefore O Lord be as his chast and faithfull spouse and let me be obedient vnto the will of our good LORD which doth me this honour to place me by his side and to take mee not only for his servant but also for his child his friend his deare and welbeloved Spouse Ioh. 15. Grant me O LORD that I follow no more strange Gods to delight in them but that my loue and affection be wholly set on him I will therefore endevour my selfe to please him I will loue him and loue that which he loveth I will honour him sith he hath so much honoured mee I will forsake all things to follow him seeing he forsooke the Heavens to saue mee on earth O happie marriage Of the marriage of Adam and Eue came so many vnthrifts so many wretches and miserable catiues bond-slaues to Sathan and of their owne nature detestable and abhominable before the face of GOD. But of this holy marriage are new borne the elect the vessels of glorie the children of GOD the heires of everlasting lyfe whom GOD so loveth and esteemeth taking pleasure in their beautie wherewith he doth adorne and deck them through his Son CHRIST IESUS which gifts LORD make me partaker thereof and let the praise be ascribed vnto thee for that great and glorious light of thy Word showne vnto me from henceforth and for ever AMEN THis profession of faith meditations prayers and prayses as they were most joyfullie and constantlie vttered and declared before many honorable men and women So were they most heartilie sealed and subscryved by the right religious most noble and truely wise Lady the 25. of Maij. FINIS