newe teachers haue possest you mightily you are so carried away with them that they are able to make you beleeue any thing Why tell me the crowe is white or the snowe is blacke S. Good Mother the Lord hath mooued your heart to heare me speake who am yours and of you If I speake amisse as you thinke and so as you cannot consent vnto me with me leaue we it both to the working power of a mighty God who in further time can giue further light and vnderstanding to his children that humbly craue it and are not lifted vp with an high hand to withstand his offered grace Onely according to this motherly loue that you haue began to shew me vouchsafe to here me still vpon what groundes I haue setled my selfe and with what proofe I am mooued to thinke as I doe M. Surely sonne I coulde not abide or indure to heare any other once speake of such a straunge thing as this but say you on what you list you are my childe S. I doe verely beleeue it seemeth most straunge to you and to many moe of your side to heare that your religion is newe and ours olde Yet I doubt not but to make it evidently apparent vnto you and all whosoeuer shall without preiudice duly consider my allegations and proofe But first I must interpret my selfe in a worde or two what I meane by your faith and religion I pray you therefore when I speake of your Romish religion thinke not that I meane the whole doctrine and all the articles of faith and religion taught and professed by the Papists but onely those points of doctrine wherein they differ from vs. For in generall they hold the doctrine of the lawe and tenne commandements as we doe sauing that they leaue out the second commandement which forbiddeth the worshipping of Idols and Images making two of the tenth they professe also the summe of the gospell at least in generalitie and in wordes to wit that Christ Iesus perfect God and perfect man hath wrought our full redemption and by the blood of his crosse and pretious death prrfect obedience hath deliuered vs from eternall death the fierch and euerlasting wrath of God the due desert of our transgressions and purchased for vs euerlasting peace and blisse they maintaine also and professe in wordes as we also doe the three creedes the Nicene the Athanasian and the Apostolike creede wherein is comprised the summe of our faith and the doctrine we professe they acknowledge that most excellent forme and paterne of prayer taught vs in the gospel by our Sauiour and vse it and many other good and godly prayers which we also vse euen all those vvelneere in our common liturgie except a very fevve for our most gratious Queene sauing that they vse theÌ„ in latin vve in english that all may vnderstand and say amen Wherefore vvhen I say that your religion is nevv meane not generally nor of the things before rehearsed but only in respect of certeÌ„ other articles and points of religion maintained by Romish catholikes as namely 1. that the traditioÌ„s of the church are of equall authority vviâ—h the vvorde of god to be embraced with like reuerence and deuotion 2. that the vulgar latin translation commonly called Hieromes is onely authenticall 3. that the imputation of Christs righteousnes and obedience to the faithfull is a fantasie without ground in Gods word 4. that the bread in the sacrament of the Eucharist transubstantiated into the body of Christ is to be adored 5. that the faithfull are able to keepe the whole lawe of God 6. that the Pope is Christs generall vicar vpon earth hauing absolute power to ratifie or disanull all manner of decrees and ordinances and to dispense with the expresse and moral precepts of God at his pleasure 7. That the whole Church without him can neither enact nor infringe any lawe ecclesiasticall nor interpret any scripture 8. that the holy scriptures ought not to be translated into any vulgar tongue or reade of the lay people 9. that the sacrament of the Lords supper is to be administred onely in bread and not in wine Quia sapor possit generate suspitionem quòd esset ibi â—inum least as the Sorbonists at Paris say the people should smell it to be wine and so doubt of transubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ 10. that good works are meritorious and that by them we are iustified in the sight of God 11. that the soules of the faithfull dying before perfect repentance suffer the torments of purgatory 12. that prayers are to be made in an vnknowen tongue such like of al which and the rest wherein they disagree from vs I say they are newe and yesterday opinions in comparison of the faith which we hold consonant to the holy scriptures and those famous ancient creeds before mentioned And therefore now to proceede to the declaration of that which I haue vndertaken touching the noueltie of your faith Thus good Mother haue our men written at this day teach that it goeth not with Religion as it doth with the statutes of the realme iudgements at common law where the later is thought to be the better but in religion the first and eldest is best Therefore they euer remember that golden saying of Tertullian that is true which was first that is first which was from the beginning and that was from the beginning which was deliuered by the Apostles but our faith is that was deliuered by the Apostles yours is not therfore ours is froÌ„ the beginning and so first yours not and therefore later Now that ours is that which was deliuered by the Apostles they prooue it thus Another ancient father saith That which the Apostles preached and deliuered to the world by preaching Irenaeus they afterward by the will of God committed to writing that for euer it might be the foundation and ground of faith Wherevpon it followeth that which the Apostles preached is the old auncient Catholike and Apostolike saith but that which they haue written is that which they preached so saith this father therfore that which is written is the true auncient Catholike and Apostolike faith that is ours For as I haue saide we hold nothing as necessarie to salvation but that which is truly taught vs out of these written scriptures Therefore our faith is that which was deliuered by the Apostles your faith is not that which is written For your men wil not be tried by the scriptures onely as knowing that many things they hold haue no warrant there but haue deuised vnwritten traditions therefore yours is not that which was deliueeed by the Apostles and not the old faith but a late newe faith devised by men M VVhy that which was deliuered by tradition Tradition was deliuered by the Apostles as wel as that which they wrot S. True Mother if it could as soundly appeare vnto vs what they deliuered as it doth by their writings what they preached But
aside all contention let vs seeke out of those heauenly oracles the assoiling of our questions And of the Arrian herericks who in that counsel were ouerthrown another saith thus Explicantes sacras scripturas illâ—s euertimus Socr. l. 1. c. 6. by opening and expounding the holy scriptures we overthrowe them The like rule was followed at the counsell helde at Constantinople against the hereticke Macedonius that denied the divinitie of the holy ghost neuer mooue question hereof saith Athanasius ad Serapion but learne of the holy scriptures for the onely proofes that you shall there finde are sufficient And in another place the same father saith Scripturae sufficiunt adveritatis instructionem siue institutionem â—â—ra Genâ—es â—â—l Idola the scriptures are sufficient to instruct vs in the trueth Marke I pray you the word Sufficiunt In the other two Councels also of Ephesus and Chalcedon â—vagrius we read of the same course all things were concluded by the wordes of the Evangelists and Apostles The auncient father Origen saith Rom. lib. 10.16 Vnde quà m propè periculis illi sunt c. See and consider in what daunger they be that haue no care to read the holy scriptures for by the same scriptures onely the iudgement of this triall must be allowed ierom hom 1. And in another place Necesse est nobis scripturas sanctas in testimonium vocare sensus quippe nostri enarrationes sine iis testibus non habent fidem VVe must needes call to witnesse the holy scriptures for our iudgements and expositions without those witnesses carry no credit a notable saying if it please you to marke it And with him S. Austen fully agreeth when he saith 〈◊〉 Naâ— Grat. â— Solis Canonicis scipturis sine vlla recusatione consensum debeo Onely to the Canonicall scriptures do I owe my consent without gainsaying The same father againe when he disputed against Petilian the Donatist â—â—c Vnit. Ecâ—les c. 3. said Let not these vvordes be heard betweene vs I say or you say but let vs rather speake in this wise thus saith the Lord. Auferantur de medio chartae nostrae procedat in medium codex dei contra liâ— Pâ— l. 3 c. 6. Away with our bookes and let Gods booke come in place Siue enim de Christo siue de Ecclesia siue de quacunque aliâre quae pertinet adfidem vitamque nostram non dicamsi nos c. For whether it be of Christ or of his Church or of any thing els what soeuer pertaining either to our life or to our faith I will not say if I my selfe but if an angel from heauen shall teach vs otherwise then we haue receiued in the bookes of the law and in the gospel holde him accursed This is the proofe saith he againe quae nec falli nec fallere potest de peccat mâ—â— remist l. 1. c. 2â— which can neither deceiue nor be deceiued To the verie same effect speake all the fathers I assure you if it were needfull to repeat their wordes I beseech you saith S Chrisostom weigh not what this man or that thinketh in 2. Cor. hoâ—â—â— but touching all things search the scriptures S. Hierom saith Quod de scripturis autoritatem non habet eadem â—acilitate contemnitur qua probatur in 23. Mat. that which is not warranted by the scriptures may as easily be contemned as alleadged And so the rest of the fathers particularly euery one and therefore good Mother weigh it and note it that albeit both heretiques deuills abuse the scriptures by alleadging them to euill endes yet is it the true way and the onely way to be resolued by and to finde rest for our consciences in all matter of controuersie touching either faith or manners so taken so taught so held by Christ by his Apostles and by all the godly fathers and worthy approoued Councels in the world M. I must confesse that if the scriptures bee rightly applyed they are indeede the sure foundation that ought to be stood vpon but howe shall that appeare that you apply them rightly more then those whome you acknowledge heretiques which likewise haue alleadged them S. Good mother giue me leaue to make make much of that which I gaine from you in this conference and to recken it vp as deere vnto my verie soule for the duty I owe you and for the desire I haue that the trueth may be revealed vnto you This therefore now you see and confesse that although all the hereticks in the world and all the diuels in hell should alledge scripture and abuse it yet hath it not bin giuen of God in vaine but serueth as a sure ground of our faith and actions euery thing beeing alowable that is consonant vnto it and that alwaies faultie which is contrarie vnto it and therefore that we ought not to be beaten from it by any deuise of Satan but stedfastly to stick vnto it and euer to depend vpon it as the only sure ancher of our soules in like manner as all those worthy men and Councels before mentioned haue done For what quietnes to my minde like to this Thou Lord hast commanded me thus to beleeue and thus to doe therefore I so beleeve and so doe Interpretatioâ— of scripture Only you sticke nowe at the right application of them and aske howe shall you know that Surely mother you shall know it euen to your full contentment if you will doe as others before you godly and holy persons both men women haue done lib. 83. quaest 〈◊〉 Saint Austen saith Solet circumstantia Scripturarum illuminare sententiam The circumstance of the scriptures is vvout to giue light and open the meaning thereof in Esai c. 19 Saint Hierome saith Moris est scripturarum obscuris manifesta subnectere It s the manner of the scriptures after harde thinges to ioyne other things that be plaine Tertullian saith Opertet secundum plura intelligi pauciora The fewer things must be expounded by the moe Hil. de Trin. 9. S. Hilary saith Intelligentia dictorum ex causa dicendi fumenda est the vnderstanding of things spokeÌ„ must be taken froÌ„ the cause of speaking theÌ„ expraepositis consequeÌ„tibus by things going before and following after S Cyril saith Cyr. Thâ—s l. â— c. 2. whensoeuer we woulde vnderstande any place of scripture we must consider three things the time when it was written the person that writ and to whome or of whom and the matter it selfe Many such good rules haue the fathers which as you see greatly help in the thing you desire and which if we vse no doubt we shall finde as they found then haue we the gratious promise of gods holy spirit if we aske it and what a sure guide is that the performance of which promise see in the Gospell c. 24. then opened he their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the scriptures See it in
vnto his feete and a light vnto his pathes So shall conscience be a sure guide and he reforme himselfe by true obedience both to God and man Otherwise as I haue saide what we call conscience is but a fancie a conceit and a false erroneous perswasion such as if we still will follow against God against prince against countrie and all that euer any gouernours or friendes can say vnto vs the daie will come when wee shall feele with woe the punishment of such obstinacy and true conscience shall witnesse the want of conscience in so proudly disobeying all good perswasions which God forbid in his great mercy and turne our hearts in time vnto his trueth M. But I take it there is a plaine scripture that who so doth a thing which in his heart he thinketh he should not doe committeth deadly sinne because he doth against his own conscience or against his owne pretensed knowledge S. Good mother the scripture you mean as I conceiue is written in the 14 chapter of the Epistle to the Romans where the blessed Apostle saith He that doubteth is condemned if he eate because he eateth not of faith and what soeuer is not of faith is sinne Which place little helpeth any popish ignorance or stubburne wilfullnesse but is greatly by Romish Catholickes abused and wrested as other scriptures to serue for their way wardnesse Concerning which text thus haue our men truely and godlily answered long agoe and often first that the Apostle speaketh there of a particular and certaine matter papists applying these wordes generally to whatsoeuer they doe contrary to their erroneous conscience or pretensed knowledge 2. that the particular matter which the Apostle speaketh of is a thing indiffereÌ„t wheras Papists apply the wordes to things simply good and simply euill saying the former may be left vndone if my erring conscience be against it the later done without sinne if my pretensed knowledge lead me to it 3. That the things which the Apostle speaketh of were such as God himselfe was author of in his lawe as distinction of meate and daies which whilst the Iewes wonne to the Gospel did in those daies retaine though they did it ignorantly not knowing the libertie of the Gospell yet till they might be fully perswaded therein by faith which is grounded on doctrine and on the word they were bound to keepe by the commandement of God himselfe 4. That the manner and end of the Apostles bearing is not to nourish errour or to harden such an one in his opinion and doing but by patience to drawe him to trueth in the ende which manner of tolerance the Apostle calleth edification vers 19. and chap. 15.2 Lastly the Apostle speaketh not of Gentiles infidels nor of stubburn Christians but of a brother a faithfull man and one that hath receiued and embraced the profession of the Gospell but is weake through ignorance of some one point pertaining to Christian liberty in the outward vse of Gods creatures wherein he is not throughly perswaded of instructed of bearing with such an one by those whome God hath called to more plentifull knowledge of his heauenly trueth speaketh he All which things duly considered the true sence of the place appeareth thus namely that the faithfull for his particular regard beeing in doubt or lacking the full perswasion of faith which is giuen by measure and hath his time of groweth and increasing cannot without danger and therefore ought not attempt to do that wherein he is not already by the word of God and faith fully and throughly resolued But mark this double caution first that his absteining from the outward action be without danger of offence and scandall secondly that he stand not stiffâ—ly in his owne opinion flattering himselfe therein but ready vpon further instruction and knowledge to grow forward and to profit yea desirous also of such instruction and whatsoeuer other meanes may help to the better informing of his conscieÌ„ce in that behalfe whereby he may both clearely see the thing doubted of to the good holy and lawfull do the same with all sincerity faithfullnes M. But what if without daÌ„ger of offending God and prince I caÌ„not abstaine from the outward action and yet doubt in my selfe S. Your obedience beeing due it lesse offendeth to commit one fault then two that is to doe what you ought though doubtingly then both do doubt and disobey The doubting is a fault the obedience is none Amend what is euill by better instruction withdraw not what is good and due by all right He is condemned saith the Apostle if he eate not because he eteth but because he eateth not of faith In a lawefull action therefore it is not the deed which offendeth but the doubting that is not the matter but the manner performe obedience with a single heart and God in meane shall blesse it with true resolution M. Doth not then an erroneous conscience binde S. It may be borne withall for a time in charitable regard of weakenesse and in hope of better instruction but God forbidde that it should still binde and bee a couer or excuse for wilfull waywarde and malitious disobedience 2. Thes 2. 1. Tim. 4. For then to bee giuen ouer to a strong delusion to beleeue lies is not such a iudgement as the Apostle maketh it neither yet to haue the conscience feared with an hotte iron 2. Tim. 1.19 It is not right which the Apostle teacheth that vpon the putting away of a good conscience their followeth any shipwracke of faith or that the wicked haue their very mindes and consciences defiled 1. Tit. 1. For if the colour of such a conscience binde excuse and saue harmeles how is it defiled can that which is defiled it selfe make cleane any action But ô miserable doctrine that false reason should be made a guide to will and we bound to followe so blinde a guide The very heathen philosophers were not so madde For they talke of recta ratio and of mens sana in corpore sano of right and true reason and of a sound minde in a sounde body c. A Iewe sinneth mortally say these Catholike teachers if coÌ„â—ratrary to his pretensed knowledge or against his erroneous conscience he acknowledge in Trinitie Iesus Christ the second person yea the Iewes had sinned mortally if they had not crucified Christ according to their erring consciences Againe to beleeue in Christ if false reason propound it as euill is euill yea to worship the deuill beeing deceiued by the same reason is not onely not a sinne but a good worke O Catholike doctrine Then for the second table if a man leauing his wife and going into another countrie marry another and after repenting himselfe would leaue her affirming his former wife to be aliue and the Church suffer him not beeing ignorant of the trueth of that his assertion although this latter marriage bee nought and the man consequently an adulterer Deare mother marke this stuffe the
boast of disputation or say they haue prospered by it for we neede not to feare them God be blessed nor they to bragge of any winning There neuer wanted yet neither euer shall want both learned and vnlearned on our side whose spirits they shall not be able to resist writing preaching disputing they are the Gospels weapons and waies to build by Popery must take soÌ„e other course as yet in all times they haue done which holde that plough O that for further proofe of this point meÌ„ would be content without preiudice to read the Acts monuments of this our natiue countrie and English Church where we liue marking with a minde desirous of trueth what answers haue beene made by simple women maides and girles vnto great Bishops and Doctoures in causes of religion faith to the great astonishment of their aduersaries the high glorie of God seene in their weaknesse so strengthened by him But nothig can bee more grieuous to that Church then to graunt leaue to doe this which surely bewrayeth they are afraide Hence come their lies and slaunders invented against that book which would full soone be discried of vs woulde we reade it If any haue beene in Westminster ball at tharraignment of a misdoer we willingly heare him a whole day to tell vs the manner of it what was obiected what answered what replyed and what concluded yet we will not read with our owne eies hauing it so notably penned for vs the conventings of holy Christian men and women before their iudges for matter of faith and saluation We wil talke of disputation disputations and ô that men might be allowed to speake freely without daunger of lawe what they are able and when the time was for theirs to speake what they would or coulde and wee stoode at the barre in bolts and yron to answere their obiections and profound learning we will not nowe reade what was then done said on both sides Surely I will say of that booke what I wish tried that after the ground of holy scriptures it will yeelde the greatest contentment Men shall see men women shall see women age shall see age and youth youth brought to the triall howe they answered howe they suffered howe flesh startled howe the spirit conquered and in a worde howe God shewed his mercie and power infinite waies If we finde they speake well we may embrace it if otherwise leaue it The Lord hath giuen vs wisdome and reason and of his grace also I trust to be able to discerne if we would reade O why should our enemies hoodwincke vs so that we must neuer see but with their eies If the charge of this book be to much for one an whole parish might ioyne together and vse it by turners as leisure serued M. Sonne I see you are ready for eueuery way and therefore hauing gone thus farre in triall of what you could say and now being come to our iourneys ende I will goe no further with you at this time but reserue the particular pointes of controuersie till wee haue some fitte leisure and opportunity againe S. Good Mother when and howe you please But nowe ere we part I beseech you let me speake something to you with out offence I will not say much M. Speake on you shall doe more Then as yet you haue done if you any way offend me S. 〈◊〉 religious â—â—ite or a verâ—ous child to 〈◊〉 mother My suite is then most deare mother with a melting heart of an humble childe that you would vouchsafe to thinke of that which hath nowe beene spoken as also of this feare full course which you haue to long liked of in not comming to Church not receiuing the sacrament not hearing Gods word not obeying the lawes of your dread and gratious Soueraigne and of your natiue countrie It woundeth your credit and estimation with the best it hurteth my father daunteth your children blemisheth your house and wrongeth your friendes both neare deare most grieuously But ô father I say againe my heart bursteth and bleedeth to see howe he is eclipsed by it in comparison of others to whome he is no way inferiour either in birth in liuing in wisdome and experience or in any gift in body or minde neither hath his countrie that good from him or he that good from his countrie that might be had if you were reformed For how may he be thought so fit to rule others abroad that cannot be obeied of his owne at home His children therefore want him his friends want him his seruants want him yea he himselfe wanteth himselfe many times to his griefe Other things also I could name that better may be conceiued in your tender loue towardes him then by me expressed at this time O mother pardon your owne flesh in speaking thus boldly to you and knowe that it is but a part of your selfe that speaketh to your selfe in tender louect dutie When first my father matched with you he hoped of streÌ„gth countenance euery way to be increased to him both by your selfe and your excellent qualities wherewith God hath indued you and by your friendes and house to whome by this marriage he should be vnited not of any abashment and abatement in al these to him and his poore children the pledges of loue betwixt you And thus might it be it you would but alas thus is it not because hitherto you would not A fewe false charmers haue sunke deeper into your heart with their deceits then all your best friendes can with their faithful aduertisements And what is this els in you and others of your perswasion but that which euer hath bin done by the olde serpent the head and guide of these charmers In the Acts of the Apostles we read that the Iewes hating deadly the trueth of the Gospell preached by the Apostles and desirous to vexe them for it deuised this as the best means to stirre vp certaine honest and devout women against them which women should vvork with their friendes to expell such preachers from amongest them Nowe why women but because Satan hath euer had his aduaÌ„tage against this weake vessell why devout women but becavse a religious minde meaning well yet waÌ„ting knowledge is both quicklyer deceiued with shewe of religion and hottelier pursueth what it once beginneth doing more hurt in that false deuotion then many others not so well thought of And why honourable women but that might being added to blinde zeale both by power and example Satans cause might goe forwarde These charmers saith the Apostle againe shall still be creeping into houses lead captiue simple women By which often repeated name of women in the scripture all good women are effectually warned to beware Were there cause for you or any others thus to doe it no way could stand with religion to diswade you and in my selfe to you Mother it should be a double sinne because I am yours and aboue all wordly fauours ought to wish your eternall
safetie before others but the Lord knoweth whose trueth is with vs that there is no cause And whatsoeuer by the power of all popish learning hath beene alleadged as any cause we haue answered soundly out of Gods booke our answeres standing without reply vnto this day Our seruice theeefore is lawfull our praiers are holy our meetings are Christian and no better way to be resolued hereof then part by part to examine them So haue some done and beene reformed wondering howe so great slaunders could be raised where no cause is found The authoritie also of lawefull gouernment commaundeth but lawefull things increaseth the dutie to obey and presseth with no smaller weight then damnation as the Apostle flattely affirmeth if we resist Rom. 1â— Conceits may not take place where such euidence of trueth doth gainsay them If I had a conceit or perswasion that all meates would kill me must I certainely die for want of meate and retaine my errour The Galatians prescribed themselues amisse in some things and the Apostle thought it a reason sufficient to reforme them to tell them that such a perswasion was not the perswasion of him that called them meaning of God Gal. 5.8 And the scriptures phrase in the matter of perswasion is to adde through the Lord. Rom. 14.24 2. Thes 3.4 I am persvvaded through the Lord which is worthie noting Deare Mother the Lords annointed ouer you her sacred Maiestie commandeth this dutie and there is no deuill of hell can prooue this charge vnlawefull Therefore by the bonde of a subiect true and faithfull you ought to obey My father with sighes and groanes of a troubled heart desireth it and therefore by the bonde of a wife louing and dutifull you ought to obey And which is the greatest of all the God that made you coÌ„mandeth it to you and all his seruants therfore by the bonde of a childe of God you ought to obey The bondes are great the duty is holy the obedience is euerlasting peace comfort life the danger also is great to striue to offend And therefore happie is that heart that yeeldeth betimes If by reading their bookes this wound hath beene giuen you then reade our answeres and let God heale They haue written no matter of moment these 40. yeares in our english tongue but fully and soundly is it answered to Gods glorie Yea their new testament wherein is their whole strength heaped togither is learnedly answered to the full contentment of any not desperatly giuen ouer to his owne blindnesse In matter of lawe concerning the goodes of this world you will heare contrarie opinions and choose with iudgemeÌ„t In matter of phisicke concerning your bodie you will doe the like beat out a trueth Shall onely the soule be neglected and pinned on other mens sleeues ô God forbidde He hath promised that neuer deceiued eueÌ„ in this matter also Aske and you shall haue seeke and you shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Thus shall we finde their great wickednesse in denying the scriptures to be read of them that haue soules to be saued as well as themselues their taking away the cuppe from the lay people when Christs institution was Drinke ye all of this their leauing the second commandement out of their catechismes because it forbid deth Images their multitude of bodily exercises when the scripture saith they profit little their killing of princes when the Lord saith Touch not mine annointed and Dauids heart smote him for cutting off but the lappe of Sauls garment and to no worse ende then to make him see his innocency and his guardes negligence their freeing of subiects from their obedience and alliegance when it is written Let euery soule be subiect c. Their direct crossings of the written worde as when it is saide No man commeth to the father but by me they say we haue many mediatours by whome we may come to the father besides Christ when it is said Thou shalt not commit adultery they say if not chastly yet charily and find in one fish ponde of Gregory 6000 childrens skulls by that wicked charynes wheÌ„ the Lord saith You erre because you knowne not the scriptures they say directly contrarie you will erre if you meddle with the scriptures when the Lord saieth when you haue done all say you are vnprofitable seruants they say we may doe workes of supererogation more then we are bound and so merit for others Also when the Lord forbiddeth a lusting looke their Pope giueth licence not onely to erect a stews wherein not long since were nuÌ„bred 40000. harlots that paid a yeerely rent and vpon the 12 day at night were seene goe into the Popes pallace 17. coaches full of curtizans But ô horrible euen â—o practise the sinne against nature and not to be named during the 3. hotte moneths in the yeare Iune Iuly August Al which with many moe may giue any Christian man or woman not finally forsaken of God and left to a reprobate mind a true tast of that Cursed religion and cause them iustly to reason thus Popery maintaineth flat Idolatrie diuers waies therefore not true It alloweth other grosse sinnes forbidden of God therefore not true It nuzleth the hart of man in securitie therefore not true It robbeth the conscience of comfort and hope by maintaining doubting therefore not true It destroieth the ordinance of God lawfull magistracy and loyall obedieÌ„ce therefore not true It flieth the light and nourisheth darkenesse therefore not true It spreadeth it selfe and groweth by lies false testimonies slaunders dreames reuelations counterfeit holinesse and fained miracles therefore not true Deare Mother open your eies and regard your soule Be as you should be wise without wilfulnesse zealous without superstition discreet to discerne carefull to beware regarding God prince and countrie before any spirituall enchaunters whatsoeuer yea regarding your selfe and my deare father with vs your poore children who rise and fall with your well and ill doing I am no enemie that begge this of you but euen your owne bowells who haue liued in you and neuer desire to liue without you your child your own by God and nature bound vnto you O Mother behold my teares thinke of my heart prostrate before you vpon my face I beg it for his sake who gaue me to you whose loue is life whose trueth is ioy whose power and goodnesse is infinit to honour them that honour him Mine eies behold you for some worde of comfort cast me not away for Iesus sake without it M. Deare child arise let my silence now content thee It shall not be long ere we talke again Your father coÌ„meth towards vs whome I pray you goe meere and let him not knowe as yet of our speech When he was turned froÌ„ her towards his father shee caught the house vpon her and into her closet shee went with hast where all bewashing her selfe with teares shee brake out in this sort O my God and gratious father thou hast raised out of mine owne bodie a teacher for me that I might not scorne him and who by me receiued life concerning his bodie he by thee hath offred me life concerning my soule if I will receiue it I cannot I cannot denie his reasons I feele them coÌ„uince me I haue no excuse against such trueth and such a teacher but I am caught I am caught ô my God if I will not damnably breake out of thy net againe and runne desperatly headlong vpon mine owne destruction VVo is me that I so long haue erred from thy trueth harkning to the vaine inventions of mans braine Thy word I knowe is trueth and why should not I ground my selfe and soule vpon it Thy worde I heare is able to make me wise vnto saluation and so can no writing of man To the lavv and â—o the testimonie saith thy Prophet I nowe remember and if they speake not according to this it is because there is no light in theÌ„ VVho hath grounded vpon this rocke and hath miscarried yet my soule knoweth how popery abhorreth this lantarne we may not read it we may not goe to Church to heare it we may not haue it translated for vs but darknes darknes that is stil the mother of devotion though the holy ghost hath said Search the scriptures and be not children in vnderstanding Howe can this then be the true religion the truth the light that forbiddeth al meanes of knowledge They binde and burn I cannot denie the Saints of God bathe themselues in innoceÌ„t blood All is hypocrisie and vain glorie I see I see that ruleth amongst them O father strengthen me ô Sauiour pittie me ô holy ghost confirme me and finish this worke begunne in me to the eternall praise of thy name and the profitable mouing of others by my example that are abused and deceiued by these craftie iuglers and deceitfull workers as I was Amen Amen FINIS