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
the Lord and God Gods trueth that will and can helpe vs that without him there is neither God nor saluation that he will not giue such honor vnto any other How louingly and fatherly doth God admonish his people in the olde Testament that they shoulde not runne so after vanitye but should haue all their refuge vnto him alone And Christ the Sonne of God in like manner cryeth out a maine in many places of the new Testament that we should come vnto him that he is the true Wel indeede that he is the way and the trueth and that he is our quickning So the beloued Apostles doe also nothing els but onely preach and teach that Christ is the Sauiour of the world that he onely is our aduocate and intercessor with the father that he onely hath washed away our sinnes with his blood that through him by faith without workes we are and shal be iustified before God and that there is no other name vnder the sunne by which we can or may be saued but by the name of Iesus Wherefore it is a great impiety of vs sinfull men that haue so louing and so gracious a God who is so willing and ready to helpe vs and is able to deliuer vs out of all danger extremity yet we will seeke for helpe by others which haue need themselues of Gods helpe Praying to Saints is as to God dishonour so to their owne disquiet and without his helpe and grace can neuer be saued For in Popery there is no thing so small and of no accoumpt but they runne to Saints for it and seeke for helpe and counsel of theÌ„ This is against God and is also against the Saints owne rest and peace that we should call vpon them to make intercession for vs howsoeuer Ierom reasoneth thus seeing Peter Andrew and Iohn saith he whilst they yet liued vpon earth Hieromes error could obtaine some thing for others by their intercession should they now be able to do nothing being in heaueÌ„ They may now much more by their intercession win vs seeing their loue is perfected But I answere him I deny not that the Saints vpon earth in their life time may pray one for another obtain somwhat but do very willingly confesse that one may and ought here temporally pray for another which is according to Gods commaundement 1. Tim. 2. vers 1.2.3 Iam. 5. vers 14.15.16.17.18 But when one is gone from this temporall into eternall life he takes no longer charge or care ouer vs neither can helpe vs for he knoweth there is a God that both can and will helpe vs. Or if the Saints in heauen doe pray for vs they must necessarily knowe our distresse and afflictions The absurdity then ariseth of Hieroms reason for which they pray for if the Saints in heauen do know our sorrowes and if their loue be perfect then without all doubt they will obserue the holie apostle S. Paules rule which he hath left vnto all men Rom. 12. v. 15. Reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe And that the Saintes in heauen should be grieued for our sakes and suffer disquiet and heauinesse is directly against Gods word For it is expresly written in the third chapter of the booke of Wisedom v. 3. Illi autem sunt in pace but they are in peace And likewise Reuel 7. v. 17. and chap. 21. v. 4. it is plainely recorded that the Saintes after this life haue neither sorrow neither crying neither any more paine for God hath washed all teares from their eyes and they feele nothing but ioy and blisse Otherwise where should the saying of the Prophet Esay be fulfilled For he saith in the 22. of his Prophecie v. 18. Residebit my people shall dwell or rest in the tabernacle of peace and in sure dwellinges and in safe resting places Where may a man haue these things Gods children may expect no perfect peace in the things of this life but affliction Where is the tabernacle of peace In the olde Testament there was but little rest peace and safetie and much more warre tumults hunger and all kinde of persecutions In the new Testament likewise haue the people of God from the beginning thereof vntill the ende had little rest and peace as also our Lord Christ promised not much temporally here vnto his owne Ioh. 16. vers 20. Yee shall weepe and lament and v. 33. In the world ye shall haue affliction and Math. 10. v. 34. NoÌ„ veni missurus pace sed gladium I came not to send peace but a sworde Which is to be vnderstoode of worldly peace for Christ hath called his from the world and therefore can haue no peace with the world but a sword that is they shall be persecuted scourged and wholly killed So Christ telleth them plainelie Iob. 16. v. â—0 the world shall reioyce but ye shall sorrow And else where the world will hate you True rest and peace onely in heauen persecute and kill you this must all true faithfull christians as Gods owne people expect Where then is that peace rest safety which God promiseth his people we must then surely lift vp our eyes vnto the triumphant Church which is with God in heauen for there is the true peace rest and safetie Here hence therefore ariseth that which hath now beene vnanswerablie said that the praying vnto and calling vpon Saintes is against the honour and glory of God and against the Saintes owne rest peace and safetie For it is vnspeakeable to shewe how many Saintes they runne vnto in Popery And thence arose the vse of Pilgrimage a man runneth one while hether to Mary the Lordes mother shortlie thither to Saint Iohn This Popery is heathenish idolatrie and presentlie againe to Saint Benet or to Saint Barnarde wherein is surely sought the Saintes honour not Gods And there hence it is also come to passe that there bee almost as many Gods as Saintes in heauen Saint Nicholas is the God for the water Saint Leonard for the prisoners Popish foolerie Great impietie to spend so much vpon sencelesse things and forget Iosephs bonds Lazarus his miserie Saint Sebastian for the pestilence S. Apolonia for the tooth-atch and more such like Thence also is it that men shew ouer aboundant honour vnto their images and cloath them with Veluet and silken gownes with great ritches about their handes and necks with stately Rosaries as they call them and with beautifull and excellent garlands set vpon their heades they kneele downe also and pray before them and giue honor vnto dead sencelesse wodden and stone images clothing them after the brauest manner But contrariwise they let the liuing images and fellow members of Christ Iesus go bare and naked and dye with hunger Of the Masse The Masse is alike auaileable against diseases as ringing of Bels is against enemies and euil spirits 4. Kreitzer make 30. starling Well then let that
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
manner doth perish vndoubtedly Hence it comes that another saith that so long as we liue here we haue a remedy Grego Nazianzene Carm. de Reb. suis in Moral reg 1. cap. 2.5 Faith onely iustifieth but when our last end is come there remaines but a perpetuall prison that is for those that shall not receiue remedy in this life for it is the time of repētance saith S. Basyll so soone as we are gone why all power of dooing any good is taken from vs. How comes it to passe saith he in another place that the wretched sinfull soule dare be so bould as to approach vnto God Mary in stedfastly beleeuing that the purging of her sins hath bin effected through the bloud of Christ Jesus To be short if Roses may be gathered among thornes I might here produce what the doctors of the Romane Church haue conceiued hereof Lomb. lib. 8. Sent. D. 19. C. Nunc. Lombard saith that euen as those who in ancient time beheld the brasen Serpent lifted vp were healed from the biting of Serpents so likewise if by a right and true fight of faith we beholde Christ Iesus who for vs was hanged vpon the Crosse we are thereby deliuered and freed from the bonds of Sathan that is to say from our synnes yea in such sort that after this life he findeth in vs nothing punishable Scotus likewise in his 4. booke of Sentences Dist 15. and the Glose of the Canons saith that Nec cordis contritione nec oris cōfessione peccata remittuntur sed tantum gratia Dei sed ipsae contritio cordis signum est peccata est dimissa sicut exterior satisfactio signum est cordis contritionis gratia enim praecedit contritionē Epiph. 2. lib. 1. tho Heros 59. in Cant. According to which I conclude with Epiphanus that there is neither fasting nor almes nor repentance nor iustice neither good nor euill that profiteth after death It is not my purpose nor intention to set downe here in perticular all that which hath distasted me in the church of Rome there are verye many other things by me obserued which in no point agree with the worde of God But I thinke that those pointes which I haue alreadye touched are sufficient enough to make it manifest that I haue enterprised nothing without good reason and that my conscience would neuer haue suffered me to liue in quiet and rest if I had done otherwise All which things carefully ballanced in my minde haue exceedingly mooued me to this resolution and I thinke verilye there is no true Christian soule but is with them I finde that it is a difficult thing to resist Gods voyce and to fight against the truth which discouereth her selfe so apparantly Psal 142. Psal 158.143.119 51. My conscience still vrging me what could I do else then sit downe and say O my God leade me in the right way teach me to do thy will I am a poore sheepe that is strayed make me to know thy Sion Drawe me into thy holy Hill cause me to see in these troubles and confusions that shee is the true Church and espouse of our Sauiour Iesus Christ bring mee into this rocke of life where thou doest gather together thy flocke open my eyes and suffer me not to bee deceiued with the horrible abuses of the world I did perceiue in generall the corruption of mens manners and therefore I perswaded my selfe that shee was not the true Church onely through holynesse of outwarde conuersation I did know and confesse that shee is that company which hath true faith and followeth the infallible doctrine of the Sonne of GOD Ambr. in Luk. lib. 6. cap. 9. according to the saying of Saint Ambrose He commaundeth vs saith he to seeke and principally to choose that church wherin Christ Jesus dwelleth but there is a church that reiecteth faith possesseth not the foundations of the Apostles preaching and such a Church we must leaue Yet notwithstanding I could not chuse but somewhat be touched in my heart in respect of the vncharitable reproaches which many great personages haue a long time vsed against all the Court of Rome and against the principall gouernours conductors of the Romaine church and especially considering the complaintes and murmures on euery side vsed against the dissolution of the Clergie Barnard in Serm. 33. Cant. Cant. I remember the wordes of S. Bernard who speaketh as followeth Now from whom shall the Church conuey or hide her selfe All are friends and all are enemies all are allies and all are aduersaries and are domesticals and there is none in peace and charity all are neighbours and all seeke but their owne profit They are Ministers of Christ serue Antichrist they walke in the honour of the goods of the Lord and yet they honour him not Beauty of the strumpet And hence comes that beauty of the strumpet which thou seest dailye gaily apparalled sometimes like stage players and other whiles like kings hence comes their golden bridles their imbrodered saddles and gilded spurrs By meanes hereof their tables with delicious cates and rich vessell of siluer are furnished hence proceedes their drunkenesse and gluttony the harpe and the viole hereof comes their wine-presses abounding in plenty their garners the one answering the other alwayes full By this meanes are their hogsheads full of oyntments and sweete sauour their purses neuer empty and in respect of these things forsooth they are and will be so called Princes of the Churches Archbishops Bishops Archdeacons Deanes prouosts and such like But this comes not so to passe iustly but because they walke in obscurity and trace the workes of darkenesse and therefore it hath bin heretofore prophefied and now it is accomplished behold in peace my bitternesse is most bitter It hath been before bitter in the death of Martyres after more Bitter in the controuersie of Heretikes and now most bitter in the maners of domesticalles a man cannot driue them away nor flie from them so mighty are they both in power and number the Churches griefe lies in the entrailes it is incurable therefore her bitternes most bitter Hitherto S. Barnard He that desireth to know further In Psal 90. In conuers S. Paule let him reade the wordes of the selfe same author vpon the 90. Psalme and in his Sermon of the Conuersion of Saint Paule where hee saith among other things Alas Lord those whom we see to effect the highest places in thy Church are the first and chiefest to persecute thee c. He further in his first Sermon of consideration to Pope Eugenius breaketh foorth into these termes What is it faith hee that Image makers say vnvnto thee Go to and sticke not for thou maist bouldly buy them with the spoyle of Churches Though there bee many that cease not to enueigh against the Ministers of the reformed Churches and that sticke not to call them Heretikes to charge them with slaunders yet doe I plainely perceiue
where the sonne of perdition that damnable Antichrist will forsooth haue a part with the Lorde whose Lieutenant he calleth himselfe in his house in his kingdome and Empire which is his Church O blasphemie O abhomination whose defence I haue too long but in vaine obstinately taken in hand for the maintenance whereof I haue often employed my tongue in the good townes of this kingdome and namely in this wherein I now am But if it shall please God to sanctifie my wish and blesse my labours whereas heretofore I haue vsed my vocall instrument as a pipe for the furthering of lyes and fallacies of Satan I will now vse it as a neuer-wearied trumpet for the publishing the truth of the Gospell to proclaime the Lordes will in all places where his voyce shall call me And by meanes of his good grace neither feare nor hope promises nor threates shall make me to departe from this holy resolution and protestation which I now make vz. to liue and dye in the faith and religious beliefe of the reformed Churches of this kingdome I know very well that I must walke vpon thornes and sight with great difficulties which will take holde on me to stoppe this my happie course I know that the enemies of my saluation being growne desperate at this my conuersion will frame a world of slaunders thereby to make me odious to Gods true Church and to make my profession suspected Yea it may so come to passe that the diuell will euen make vse of some that saye they are my friends thereby to shake cracke my constancie through vaine promises but whatsoeuer they do they shal preuaile nothing For there are two points that fortifie me against their furious assaults The one is that slaunder doth sufficiently shew it selfe to be a lie so that being opposed to innocencie it melteth away like snowe before the sun The other is that seeing I am in gods owne house which is an vnconquerable citty a fortresse that is out of danger for shaking vndermining or scaling I neede not feare their force or surprise being assured that the Lord will breake their vnrighteous designements and make their attempts as vaine as the rebellious waues that beate themselues against the foote of a great rock which do make a huge noyse and rage in vaine yea the end of their furious menaces shall be naught else but froth God through his infinite bounty and mercy strengthen me and finish the worke which he hath begun in me giuing mee grace to liue and dye in his house and in his Church Amen Amen Amen Whereunto all the people there assembled with one voyce and the greatest part weeping for ioy answered alowde Amen The ninth of January 1600. The Conuersion of Maister Anthonie Ginestet borne at Lautreck in Albigeois sometimes a confessor religious Priest of the pretended order of Saint Francis according to his protestation made the 22. of October 1600. in the Church of Bragerak together with that of Signeur Lewis of Caransie borne in the towne of Angoulesme heretofore a Priest as may appeare by their Letters LET the Papistes glory in the magnificence of their Churches artificially built with curious stones brought frō strange places Let them bragge of the building of their Altars proudly adorned Let thē triumphe in their vaults guilded Adorning of Alters Churches no lesse azured Let them exalt their ecchoing musick the picturing sculpture of their images let them wonder at the greatnes of the sundry orders of their sacrifices glittering in cloth of golde silke scarlet hung about with precious stones in stately pomp As for vs illuminated with the sacred life of the diuine trueth we esteeme all this and the like brauery as a thing of naught a perishable vanity vnworthy of true religion vncapable of leading to saluation in such sort that those who are busied or rather abused by such worldly inticements do leaue behind the principle of piety and spirituall worshippe And to iudge truly those who are dazeld with such an appearance doe onely feede their outward sense not at all vnderstanding the ritch ornaments or rather celestiall enrichments of the city of the liuing God For the wisedome of the children of this world is abhominable folly before the Soueraigne onely wise God That which man seely creature doth vndiscretly admire is ougly and execrable before the eyes of the eternall and that which the foole swolne in ignorance contemneth is certainely great and admirable The faithfull hereof haue dayly experience to their vnspeakeable comfort And with them wee thrice happy at this present doe enioy full matter of solace and gratious delectations hauing our eyes cleared with the beams of the eternal sonne of iustice so that we may contemplate in the house of God through this influence of supreame grace or at least the illumination of the celestiall light the most sweet felicities of his face the word of life the excellēce of the Sacramēts the efficacie of the exercises of piety the perfections of a liuely faith the vertues of the holy ghost and other infinite blessings inspired from heauen into the elect in the misticall society of the body of Christ which are as christalline mirrours conteyning a quickning brightnesse of the bounty fauour beatitude eternity power mercy wisdome and heauenly life in steede of the horrour of darkenesse of hellish torments of the terrors of the second death wherinto the error of humane inuentions do throw vs headlong with a perpetuall despayre Now as the Apostle 2. Corin. 3. prophecieth of the issue of the children of Israel saying Vntil this day the vaile did couer their harts when Moses was read vnto them but when they shal be conuerted to the Lord the vaile shal be taken away euen so all we who do behold as it were in a glasse which is the Gospel of grace the glory of the Lord plainly be transformed into the selfe fame Image frō glory into glory through the effectual aide of the holy Ghost And our earnest desire is that those who are floting and as it were bandied to and fro with sundry opinions of the vaine and not true Phylosopie would meditate hereupon that they would ascend into the moūt Sion that they would taste of her sauorous fruite of life and would drinke of the delicious waters of her fountaines of immortality forsaking the venomous Cisterns of the desert of the world a desert not of sinne but a desert of iustice a desert not of transitory goods but a desert of wholesome graces To this effect we from the bottome of our heartes make our humble petitions to the most high the inward compassions of our soules making our eyes melt into fountaines our better partes yeelding forth vnspeakable dolors considering in this Theatre of the worlde that the greatest multitude by the violēt stormes of seduction be enticed and rauished to be trayned finally to be throwne headlong into perdition But O father of light seeing it is
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
I know my selfe to be I hould my selfe assured of my saluation And I may iustly say as the children of Israel said being detained in Egipt vnder the seruitude of Pharao the eternal the God of the Hebrewes is come to meete vs we will trauaile three dayes iorney in the wildernesse and will sacrifice to the eternall our God apparantly shewing that so long as they should be in Egipt or vnder the bondage of Pharao they could offer no sacrifice to God that could be acceptable vnto him As for me I may say the like not only that I was detained in Egipt for Egipt is by interpretation darknesse but also vnder the seruitude and captiuity of a Pharao and more For Pharao did not exercise his power and cruelty but in ruling ouer the temporall bodies and goods But he of whome I intende to speake will rule both ouer our bodies ouer our soules our goods meaning himself causing others to cal him Gods lieutenant vpon earth and Lord of heauen earth Which he sheweth in effect when he sanctifieth and canonizeth some enroling them in the booke of heauen anathematizing and excomunicating others being in the Church militant taking the sword against kings and Monarches willing to depose and bring them to nothing Sixtus quintus as it well appeareth by a Bull which Sixtus quintus made in the yeare 1585. against Henry the second king of Nauarre and now our king And against Henry prince of Conde in confiscating all their temporall goods present and to come To the end that you may vnderstand the holines of this Pope Sixtus quintus last deseased I can assure you that I being at Rome familiarly talking with a Monke of the order of Saint Benit priour of his monastery asking him how they proceeded in the election of the Pope he answered me that there was nothing but bribery fauours and ambition reciting vnto me that it was found to be true The Popes bargaine that th'aforesayd Pope Sixtus v. Made a bargen with the deuill giuing himselfe vnto him vpon this condition that he should be Pope seuē years It so happened that vpon the end of the sixth yeare or the beginning of the seuenth a Neuiew of his in Rome had a quarrell against a great Lord which was very yong and the said yong Lord slue the Popes Neuiew Being apprehended and taken by iustice the Pope commanded him to be put to death the Iudges of the law answered that he was not yet of age competent according to their laws he asked how much there wāted they answered that there yet wanted one yeer then said the Pope go put him to death by and by I can do all I giue him one of my yeeres Incōtinent this being done behold a vehemēt feuer with a fransie tooke holde and seised on the said Pope the deuil came presented himselfe vnto him in the shape and forme of a black man who tooke him by the arme said vnto him Let vs go the Pope answereth he knew him not but he said I am the deuill to whom thou gauest thy selfe to be Pope Then the Pope saide vnto him there resteth to me yet one yeere The deuill answered him thou gauest it to the yong man which killed thy neuiew for to put him to death and then he departed and dyed in this sort And as for his behauiour who now raigneth I haue seene him considered of him hauing vpon his head a triple crown where is writtē vpon his forehead in precious stones the word Mistery For the reuerence which must be borne done vnto him whosoeuer wil speak with him must presētly so soone as he is permitted to enter into his chāber set him on his knees so come vnto him to the end to adore him this being done returne in the same maner vpon his knees I marked also another thing which is that being in the citty of Beulogne I saw a great multitude of people going to the church to adore the body of a womā called the happy Katherin of Bouloigne I asked them wherefore they did not call her Saint they answered for that she was not yet canonized nor sanctified by the Pope I asked thē where the fault was they answered me that the fault was in the Monkes by reason that there must be good store of gold siluer to do it shewing thereby that the Pope doth nothing without money the like is found in the citty of Auignon in the monastery of the Celestins of the body of S. Peter of Luxembrough which is not yet sanctified nor canonized for want of mony I haue marked moreouer that in sundry Churches of Rome in Italy the Pope hath giuen such power priuiledge to some aultars Priuiledged Alters which they call priuiledged aultars to deliuer soules from purgatory that in saying one only Masse before the said priuiledge altar he assureth that a soule is deliuered frō purgatory Now I leaue to you to think if it were so that there were a Purgatory what need shold there be to say some times so grear nūber of Masses that the means of the deceased are not sufficiēt to pay the priests if one only Masse as aforesaid being said before the said aultar be sufficient for his saluation I beleeue that this which they do is to fulfill the prophecie of Esay which saith they eate the sinnes of my people desire no other thing but the iniquity therof I haue noted also a great blasphemy in as much as they affirme in a booke called Stella clearicorū that the least of the priests is greater then the holy virgin or any Angel which is in heauen which they shew by their effects saying that they can pardon and remit sins in making vnto thē auriculer confession shewing therby that if they could they woulde plucke the pastoral rod out of the hād of the Lord wherwith he ruleth gouerneth his folk It seemeth to me vpō this discourse that I cannot better cōpare neither the Pope nor the priests then to Lye which hath this property to whiten linnen and as for it selfe it remaineth ougly filthy for they boast that they clense others frō their sins although they themselues bee impure and I stedfastly beleeue that if the Popes ambition were accomplished to witte to haue dominion ouer bodyes ouer soules and ouer the temporall goods there would rest nothing els to do but make a new religion after his fantasie You shall further knowe that if it so happen that the Mule which carryeth him dye it must be buried and enterred for feare that the Wolues and dogs eate him not I beleeue that they feare if that should come to passe they should be sanctified hauing eaten of so worthy a beast as to haue borne Gods lieutenant vpon earth I beleeued according as it was told me that when I should be in Italy I shoulde be halfe way to Paradice But hauing perceiued the contrary by reasō of their superstitiō I
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
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
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