meane while dooth feede them onely with humaine traditions with prohibitions that nothing may be saide to the contrarye neither may be enquired for the truth out of the saide Scriptures confounding the trueth of Gods worde with his decrees and statutes The which things teach vs manifestly the loue and kindnesse of such a sheepheard towards his flocke that insteed of feeding it with the wholsome doctrine propounded in Gods worde and refreshing it with the sweete waters of Gods graces the which are conueyed into our hearts by the pure and sincere preaching of his worde doth rather cast it downe into the pit of errors and superstitions depriuing the common people most vniustly from the reading of the holy scriptures and keeping them thereby in ignorance The peoples ignorance whereby they cannot be resolued of their saluation prescribing vnto them an infinite number of traditions as if the scriptures were not sufficient to saluation yea accusing them most blasphemously of imperfection and of obscuritie against the plaine testimonie of S. Paul 2. Tim. 3. vers 16. 2. Tim. 3.16 For the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to conuince to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes This it is that opened our eyes that mooued our heart and setled vs vpon the right way from the which we erred by our corrupt nature The profit of God his worde and this doth manifest vnto vs the mysteries of saluation For as Chrysostome an olde Father very well teacheth Wee must onely beleeue the holy scriptures by this doore enter both sheepheard and sheepe who enters not through it is a theefe for it is a propertie of the diuell to adde somewhat to the commandements of God and beholde therefore how clearely God commands Deut. 4. ver 2. Deut. 4.2 to content our selues with this rule for to discerne by it the truth from falsehood Yee shall put nothing vnto the worde which I commande you neither shall yee take ought there-from that yee may keepe the commandements of the Lord your God which I commaund you Shall we desire a more expresse charge The Romish doctors part in this play But why doe our doctors of the Romish Synagogue notwithstanding all this They take their refuge to traditions of men without yea against the worde of God adding vnto it and detracting from it according to their pleasure They say the holye Scripture is not perfect enough she is obscure and hard to be vnderstood but we must explicate and cleere her with our traditions but I pray you what other perfection can they finde for vs to come to saluation Let vs here what the Apostle saies 2. Tim. 3. vers 15. Thou hast knowne the holy scriptures of a childe which are able to make thee wise vnto saluation through the faith which is in Christ Iesus And in the Gospell of Saint Iohn chap. 20. vers 31. we are set twise to the scriptures But these things saith he are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is that Christ that Sonne of God and that in beleeuing yee might haue life through his Name Dauid the Prophet considering the same Psal 119. verse 103. and 105. saith How sweete are thy promises vnto my mouth yea more then Honie And againe Thy worde is a Lantherne vnto my feete and a light vnto my path Yea but is it not say they a commendable thing to serue God according to the institutions of our Fathers and to keepe vs by them Is it not a thing agreeable vnto GOD to worship his Saints to goe in Pilgrimage to fast whole Lent to confesse to heare Masse c. But I pray you vpon what ground is this built and who requires such at your hands if wee will serue GOD let vs serue him according to his worde let vs enquire for his holye will and hauing found it let vs follow it obediently for truelye there was neuer so base a maister but hee would be serued according to his will prescribed vnto his seruants or disciples concerning their duty Wherefore shall we then deteine from God his right who hath reuealed his holy will vnto vs in his worde and the meanes how he will bee serued by vs. If then we will be obedient vnto him let vs seeke nothing in our selues to please him nor also the institutions of the Fathers to followe them according to the commaundement of GOD giuen to the Israelites Ezech. 20. verse 31. Walke yee not in the ordinances of your Fathers neither obserue their manners nor defile your selues with their Idols I am the Lord your God walke in my statutes and keepe my iudgements and doe them For as God saith in the 55. Chapter of the Prophet Esay verse 8.9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes saieth the Lorde For as the Heauens are higher then the Earth so are my wayes higher then your wayes and my thoughts aboue your thoughts And in the 15. Chapter of Mathew the 9. verse But in vaine they worship me teaching for doctrines mens precepts But let vs turne our selues to him seeing hee dooth inuite vs so kindely by his worde and as Cyprian an olde Father saith Cypr. Epist 3. lib. 2. Let vs not beholde those thinges that haue beene done and teacht before our times if so be wee will followe Iesus Christ but let vs before all things cast our eyes on those thinges which Christ who was before all men hath commanded to be done by vs following rather the trueth then custome And although an Angell from heauen should Preache you an other Gospell then I preache vnto you let him bee saith the Apostle an Anatheme Gallathians 1. Our Doctors holde to the contrarie by Popely authoritie that all those are execrable that doe not holde for good their institutions and humaine traditions But is this so wonderfull deere bretheren that such men shewe themselues so haynous enemies against the trueth and the holye Scriptures seeing they bee so bolde as to come thus farre that besides all their blasphemies against the worde of GOD Robbing of Iesus Christ to vnder-creepe and to robbe from Christ his office and honour that onely appertayneth vnto him before God his heauenly Father to accomplishe the worke of our gracious redemption stealing awaye a parte of his sacrifice by their merites and indulgences drawne out of the treasure of the Romish synagogue which as they saye is full of the merites of the Apostles and holye Martyres and of their workes of supererogation this they make the poore ignorante people beleeue Those now that haue great store of money and goods for that is it that maketh their chimney to smoake the spit to broache their roast meat buy of the same thinking to get therby saluatiō and thus according to their pleasure doe distribute for money the bloud of Iesus Christ wherein they are like
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
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
thy good pleasure alwaies rather to vse mercy then iustice to be gratious in shewing fauour not furye stretch forth thy hand draw them vnto thee teach them sith it is thy will that all may come to the knowledge of saluation Imprint in their mindes a desire to sound the depth of thy holy Scriptures Let the discretion of thy alsearching spirit guide them to gather in these gardens the flowers of that Soueraigne good the foode of their soules the fit and effectual hearbs for the phisicke of their spirituall infirmities the plants that are a Soueraigne Antidote against death the Sacrament of eternitie the certaine pledge of felicity Let them touch no more the tree of knowing good and euill although his outwarde beautie doth cloake his inwarde poyson And as thy sacred word diuinely inspired shall be an assured guide to all people desirous to reiect an vntruth beeing the Organe of perdition for to receiue the Euangelicall truth the power of God for the saluation of all beleeuers manifesting in her brightnesse the splendour of thy incorruptible heritage by the selfe same reason let it make known vnto theÌ„ that there is essentiall conformitie between the doctrine of the Church reformed and thy true church a substantiall discord betweene thine and that which is announced by the Roman Bishoppe or his adherents and consequently that this leadeth to damnation and the other to permanent happynesse And certainely as the glory of our Sauiour is vnseparably conioyned with the saluation of his elected and chosen creatures honouring and crowning with inesteemable benefits those that honour him So likewise that is the true and sincere Religion opening the waye to saluation which addresseth all her documents and exercises purely and simply to the glory of the almighty and contrarywise that religion is false and ruinous which seeketh the glory of creatures honoring them with that which onely belongeth to the liuing God who giues not his glory to any other By this rule the knowledge of the wise on earth is condemned and accused of vanity Rom. 1.21.25 for that hauing knowne God they haue not glorified him as God and haue not yeelded him due thankes but are become vaine in their discourses and their hart voyde of vnderstanding hath beene filled with darkenesse and tearming themselues wise are become fooles and haue changed the glory of God immortall into the likenesse and image of man By reason whereof they haue beene giuen vp to their owne harts lustes to filthinesse and the defyling of their owne bodies as hauing changed the truth of God into falshoode worshipped and serued the creature and haue forsaken the Creator who is blessed and praysed both now and for euer Amen By this rule and generall Maxime our Sauiour in Saint Iohn Chap. 5. vers 39. and after confirmes the will of his act wherof see vers 16.17.30 against the deceipts fallacies of the Iewes Search the Scriptures diligently for in them yee thinke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me But yee will not come to me that yee may haue life I seeke not glory of men I am come in my fathers name and yee receiue me not if another shall come in his owne name him wil yee receiue How can yee beleeue which receiue honour one of another and seeke not the honour that commeth from God alone And againe in the 12. Chap. vers 43. They haue loued the glory of men more then the praise of God By this rule the Apostle Gal. 1. vers 10. proueth that his preaching came down froÌ„ heaueÌ„ to the confusioÌ„ of vaine discourses and false Apostles Doe I preach mans doctrine or Gods For if I should yet please men I were not the seruant of Christ To bee short this principle is so cleere so true so authorised that it needeth not any more witnesses out of the scriptures it being more cleare and transparent then the Noone-day that the true and perfect religion is marked and knowne by this that shee seeketh absolutelie the glory of the creator of heauen and earth and that religion is false and abhominable that doth the contrarie And that the religion reformed is of the first degree and that of the Roman Church of the second the conference ensuing doth briefely set down And to tell the truth who is so blind that seeth not that the true Christians doe professe that first one onely God must bee called vpon Secondly that from him alone all maner of saluation and deliuerance must be expected Thirdly that his mercy defaceth all our sinnes Fourthly that the sacrifice of the vndefiled Lambe offered vpon the crosse taketh away condemnation Fiftly that his iustice redeemeth vs from the second death and his resurrection leadeth his Saintes into the right waye of eternall life Sixtly that his most blessed worde contayneth all manner of secrets necessarye for our welfare and happinesse Seauenthlye that workes cannot merrite euerlasting felicitye Eightlie that the most righteous and perfectest men cannot produce workes of supererogation as if it were in their power not onely to accomplish all iustice commaunded but also more than is required Ninthly that God must be worshipped in spirite and trueth Tenthly that the glorious body of Christ sits at the right hand of his father Brieflie all those that stedfastly beleeue this doctrine do they not rightly attribute all glorie to his Soueraigne maiestie Prayer to â—aiâ—â— And contrariwise the Papists dishonour him who first call vpon Angels Saints and Ladies Secondly they hope from them succours and helpe in their perils and necessities Thirdlie they promise to themselues remission of sinnes through the indulgences from the Bishop of Rome Fourthly they mingle the bloud of Martires with the bloud of Christ thinking his not sufficient Fiftlie they trust more in the merits of Saints or mortall creatures then in the obedience of the sonne of the eternall Sixtly they are not contented with the sacred letters of reconcilation but to supplie their want as they fondly imagine they adde the vaine sufficiencie of their vnwritten traditions Vnwritten Traditions IustificatioÌ„ by workes Seauenthly they presume of their workes for their iustification before the throane of Gods supreame iustice and doe further commit manie things repugnant to Gods heauenly will which notwithstanding is the onely rule of righteousnesse Eightly Workes of supererogation they thinke to be more wise than the Master of Masters when they doe more and aboue his commandements in their actions of supererogation Ninthly Worshiping of Images they encline and bowe themselues to the images of Creatures contrary to the lawe and they serue God after a sensuall and carnall manner prohibited by his worde without whose warrant euery worke is done without faith by consequence a most abhominable sinne Tenthly Transubstantiation they fasten the pretious body of Christ to bread and wine subiect after their consecration to a thousand corruptions and abuses and altogether farre from his excellencie We omit
not vnto Simon Peter but Simon Magus of whom is spoken in the 8. chap. of the Acts and treade vnder feete the sacrifice of Christ by the damned sacrifice of the Masse The Masse a damned Masse I name it damned and with good reason for if Satan in any article sheweth himselfe impudent deceitfull and malicious it is in this point For what is the Masse but a manyfest and damnable prophanation of the merites of Iesus Christ yea such a prophanation whereby not onely the body of our Lord Iesus Christ is againe here on earth killed being neuerthelesse ascēdid into heauen glorified by God his father and placed to his right hand commeth to be broken of a man as being comprehended in a peece of dowe but also the greatnesse the full satifaction the vertue the eternity of his merites are vtterly reiected The scripture to the contrary teacheth vs manifestly to fly such a monster of errors admonishing vs that we obtaine onely by the blood shedding of our Lord Iesus Christ once done at the Crosse saluation and not by the damned sacrifice of a priest who offers againe and teares in peeces as a cruell hang-man the body of our Lord Iesus Christ that it is by his onely sacrifice done for vs as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 1.30 But ye are of him in Christ Iesus who of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption That according as it is written he that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord Whereof the Apostle testifieth in the 9. to the Hebrewes making a comparison betweene the sacrifices of the olde Testament with the sacrifice of our Lorde Iesus Christ shewing the difference of the one to the other opposing the imperfection and mutability of the one for they were renewed euery yeare to the perfection of the eternity of the sacrifice of our Lord Iesus Christ And therefore reade the new Testament ouer and ouer you shall finde no where one word I say not onely of the Masse which is an inuention of Satan but neither of any Propetiatory sacrifices of what kinde soeuer they be but of the onely sacrifice of Iesus Christ Psal 110.4 who being anoynted of God his father to bee an eternall priest according to the order of Melchizedeck hath voluntarily giuen ouer himselfe vnto the death and for euer reconciled vs with God the father If then the matter be thus cleare what shall our Docters reply to maintaine their Masse which is vtterly conuicted by these places of the holy Scripture for they cannot hold the words of the Apostle for trueth vnlesse they accuse themselues of this their abuse the reason is euident for if the Leuiticall sacrifices haue beene vnperfect and not sufficient to wash away the sinnes of the children of Israel because it was necessary to iterate renew them often how much the more shall the Sacrifice of our Lord Iesus Christ bee of small estimation before God his father when not onely euery yeare but also euery day yea almost euery houre it must needes by a priest be itterated and renewed And loe this is the doctrine of that great vicar of Iesus Christ of his Bishops and Supposts or Cardinals c. Consider once the substance of this faire sacrifice which is figured in the Masse but why do I call it a sacrifice seeing it is nothing els but a manifest deuision of Christ and his merites for as the Apostle saith Heb. 7.22 Where no shedding of blood is there is no sacrifice Marke once briefly the doctrine wherewith they nourish the people when they speake concerning saluation they keepe them depending on their tradition and merits of men where the scripture contrariwise testifieth most euidently that we cannot please God in any sort of our selues or by our merits but that we obtaine saluation onely by faith that it is his pure goodnesse as we read in the 3.4.5 and 10. chap. to the Romanes and in the 2. 3. to the Ephesians where the Apostle excludeth cleerely all these commeritors when he sayes By grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Not of workes least any man should boast himselfe in the 3. to the Phillipians vers 8. I esteeme saith the Apostle speaking of his owne person hauing thousand times more reason to boast of perfection and holinesse of his workes then our Papists haue now a dayes I esteeme saith hee all things but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I haue counted all things losse and doe iudge them to be doung that I might winne Christ Shall we desire a cleare and manifest testimony for to humble our selues before God and so to lift vp our harts vnto God for to craue mercy from him But the wickednesse of the Romish cleargy is so great and the poore people is so blinded that they neuer examine themselues and the vnworthinesse of their merrites which be not at all yea insteed that they should cry out with the Prophet Dauid in his 143. Psalm vers 2. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified they flatter themselues bring to an account before God their merrites and worthinesses to be saued by them or at least partly Wherein we haue to marke the great deceitfulnesse of Satan who knowing our sicknesse and our weaker part and obseruing that men by nature is giuen to an idle presumption pleasing of themselues and that man flatters commonly himselfe he propounds vnto him his merrites and good workes to this end that putting his confidence on the same hee might forget to imbrace the grace of God which saueth vs in Iesus Christ and therefore if any doctrine be mingled with the deceite of Satan Iustification by merrits the deuills Doctrine it is this doctrine namely of the iustification of the poore sinner before God for if he could once take away the trueth of this Doctrine which is the foundation of our saluation he might soone come to the ende of his purpose and intent seeing that without this there is no more any life for the poore sinner no mercy no couenant no promise but in a word eternall damnation if we will trust in any manner on our selues or haue opinion onely of any merrite The death of Papists a good thing to obserue From whence I pray you come so many sobs so much weeping so many teares and to be short such an vnbeliefe and incertitude of saluation in the article of death not only amongst the common people but also amongst the Priest and teachers yea such a despaire that they condemne themselues hauing no feeling of the salutary grace of God is not the reason because they considering and diligently examining their owne workes finde nothing that can subsist before such a iust iudge Surelye it is so for they are all but infirmities and stinking pollutions And this is the
shall be in heauen for one sinner that conuerteth more then for ninetie and nine iust men which neede none amendment of life The Dedication To the reuerend Ministers Elders and Deacons of the French congregation in Middelborough Lowys du Bois vvisheth peace and saluation HOnorable brethereÌ„ the desire which I haue to testifie how much I esteeme my selfe beholding vnto your worships because when I came first out of he bottomelesse pitte of darkenesse yee haue not onely receiued me very friendly but also entertained hether to with your liberality This desire moueth me to giue vnto your worship not any thing worthy for such a benefit but that which I can onely giue at this present beseeching your worship to regard more the affection of the giuer then the smalnesse of the gift I send vnto you my reclamation from Poperie done publickelie in the citty of Leyden out of the which God by his infinit mercy hath brought me vnto a sound resolution and confession of the true religion for to liue and dye in it God which hath begun his worke in me accomplish the same also and giue vnto your honourable bretheren daylie increase in scripture and corporall giftes and by the same grace bestowed on me to call those which are yet drowned in the impurities of Poperie and liue in the middest of a Babilonicall confusion Leyden the 14. of Iune 1601. Your honours most humble seruant Lowys du Bois The Conuerssion of Lowys du Bois I Stand heere in the presence of God the father and his electe Angels and of this Christian congregation for to declare briefly what I haue beene in times past and of what minde and inclynation I am at this present and whereunto I hope to come by the grace of God Beeing now departed from the abuse of Popery which are an Aâ—ysme of impietie by which the name of God is so villanously prophaned and so sinfullie attributed vnto idols Beholde the reason why I am gone out of this daungerous labyrinth of damnable errors and there is no body hauing onely a smacke of knowledge of the trueth but he will with all his hart flie from the same and abhor it according to that excellent admonition giuen by the holy Euangelist Iohn in his Reuelation the 18. vers 4. Go out of her my people that ye be not pertakers of her sinnes and that yee receiue not of her plagues c. And euen as God in this spirituall Babilon and vnder this kingdome of Antechrist hath alwayes kept his elect so he doth drawe the same in conuenient time out of this pit of damnation darkenesse errour and ignorance for to bring them vnto him Such a one am I at this present by the grace of my God which hath opened mine eyes for to vnderstand the falshood and infidelitie of the Romish Church The authors institution of former life in the which I haue been nourished instructed amgoÌ„st the sect most superstitious order of S. Francis as one of the chiefest fauorites did exercise the office of a Priest offering the abhominable sacrifice in that Sinagogue notwithstaÌ„ding my hart being yet hardned my vnderstaÌ„ding vayled with ignorance I esteemed my selfe to be in the house of God and in the middest of his church and the wayes leading into damnation seemed vnto me good and vpright But now by the grace of God our Father who according to the great riches of his bountifull grace as the Apostle testified in the 2. Ephe. 2.7 The authors conuersion Chap. to the Ephesi and by the inward motion of his fauour hath so graciously drawne me out of the pit of ignorance to his knowledge mine eyes beeing opened and my vnderstanding enlightened I consider now how farre I was gone astray from the way of saluation beeing so zealous in the tradition and ordinances of the fathers with the Apostle S. Paule before his conuersion Gala. 1.14 The practise of Poperie is fained deuotion and an Ape play as he himselfe telleth in the first to the Galathians being in a house full of iniquitie and vncleanenesse where the truth of Gods word lies vnder foote although they seeme to maintaine the bookes comprehended in the olde and new Testament for to blinde so the eyes of the common and simple people the which the meane-while they doe occupie with humaine traditions which not onely are not to be found in the scripture which is the onely rule of trueth but are quite contrary and repugnant to the same making them to beleeue that it is sufficient if they continue sometimes religiously in their Ape-play ceremonies and church customes as there is the sweete singing in the Masse vespers and mattines not permitting that the mysteries of saluation conteyned in the scriptures should be vnderstood of euery one but that all should be plaide in an vnknowne speech fearing that Gods word being translated into the common language might bring full knowledge and vnderstanding to euery one therefore also they do forbid that no body should be so bolde as to reade the Bible and to haue it in their houses holding them for heretickes and suspect men which keepe it by them so bridle them with threatnings of imprisonment and of death in the name and by the commandement of the Pope The Popes part who being partly by deceit partly by more Barbarous tyranny by little and little crept into the middest of the Church boasteth himselfe to be O monstrous blasphemy the Vicar of Iesus Christ and the head of his Church sitting as God in the Temple of God as it is written 2. 2. Thes 2.4 Thess 2. robbing vnshamefully and attributing to himselfe the honour which the holy Scripture onely describeth to Iesus Christ the true head of his elect Eph. 4. 5. Col. 1. 2. in the 4. and 5. to the Ephesians and in the first and second to the Collossians vsurping not onely authoritie and violence against all right and reason ouer all the Monarkes and Princes of the earth so that they must submit their neckes vnder his feete The Princes slauery and are constrained with more then seruile seruitude and bondage to kisse the soule of his Pantoffles but also although it be vntollerable before God and men doth endeuour and seeke to gouerne most cruelly the poore soules and consciences of men 2. Cor. 1.8 contrary to the saying of the Apostle 2. Cor. 1. vers 8. charging them with innumerable burthens of humaine traditions and triflings excommunicating some men and some condemning by anathema forgiuing sinnes with full authoritie canonizing the Saints arrogating to himselfe power aboue the Angels Pope aboue Angels to commaund and to vse them for his messengers and according to the same authoritie accompanied with more then godly wisdome as he boasted doth teach and instruct his flock deliuering vnto them the right scense and meaning of the holy scriptures as the onely and supreame interpretor of the same leading them in all truth The