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scripture_n	church_n	contain_v	tradition_n	4,482	5	9.0240	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B12171	The voluntarie conuersion and seuerall recantations, of foure great learned men, professed fryers in sundry monasteries of Fraunce, from the errours of idolatrie and poperie, to the true religion established in the Reformed Church. 1. Master Iohn Le Vager, a priest in the Romane Church, conuerted at Mauns, Ianuary 6. 2. Master Iohn Forent, a fryer Carmelite, in the Court of Morthemard, conuerted in the Reformed Church of Poictiers, Iune, 9. 3. Master Denis Boucher, a Franciscane fryer, in the couent of Noisy, neere Paris, conuerted in the Reformed Church of Paris, Iuly. 6. 4. Master Daniell Dusert, Franciscan fryer at Mello, conuerted in the Church of Mello, December, 22. All conuerted this last yeare, 1603. as their seuerall discourses following at large doe testifie, vnder their owne hands. Truely translated, out of the French printed copies.		1604 (1604)	STC 5650; ESTC S114587	31,204	52

abhominations Apoca. 18. 4. and plagues Which I haue done according to my duety and the desire Concerning himselfe I haue of mine owne saluation which is no where offered but in the true Church and that is it which followeth her Spouse wheresoeuer he goes and heares his voice and listens to no strangers that is to say whatsoeuer is beside the doctrine contained in canonicall Scripture For we ought to hold him whosoeuer accursed that shall preach any other Gospell to vs according as Saint Paule aduiseth vs. And we say with TERTVLLIAN to them of the Romish Tertullian Church That they must shew their doctrin written in those canonicall bookes or else let them expect that malediction to fal vpon their heads due to such as eyther adde or diminish from that doctrine For as for other mens traditions whereon their Church is grounded and not vpon the Apostles foundation nor the holy mountaines of sacred Scriptures those traditions are falsly called Apostolicall as Nicephorus whom they haue among Nicephorus in lib. 12. C. 33. 34. 35. them doth plainely approue to them the contrarie in his book the 12. C. 33. 34 35. God open their eyes by the illumination of his holy spirit that they may see the brightnesse of his Gospell to betake themselues to the aforesaide mountaines whereon the true Church is builded and to reforme their doctrine which is to the contrary Giue vs also his grace to perseuer in his sacred vocation to his glorie and our owne saluation Amen Iohn Le Vager FINIS A CHRISTIAN DECLARATION OF IOHN FORENT HEERtofore a religious Fryer of the order of the Carmelites in the Couent of Morthemard and Curate of Castell Lusac Made publickly in the refor med Church of Poictiers on Sunday the 9. of Iune 1603. 2. Cor. 6. 18. Come forth from among the Infidels and separate your selues saith the Lood and touch no vncleane thing And I will receiue you And I will be a Father vnto you and yee shall be my Sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almightie AS all the stones that are to build one house are not brought together in one instant and they likewise laide readie on a heape will hardly serue for the constructure therof til by good and skilfull workemen they be disposed and made meete each one to serue in his due ranke or place Euen so our Lord God doth not gather his elect of whome he buildeth and erecteth his Church all at one instant time or season but according as his prouidence and predestination hath concluded in his eternal counsell and purposed for accōplishment therof in at al times He cals one while some at other seasons others and day by day by his blessed spirit of rude and vnapt members he fashioneth and disposeth them to enter into the building of his sacred Temple whereof his dearely beloued sonne is not onely the foundation whereon it is builded but also the master and corner stone knitting together the two walles of the seuerall people Iewes and Gentiles into one sole building which is his true Church It is now twelue yeares and more since it pleased God to beginne to make mee listen to his inward calling which from one day to another he confirmed to mee by the sacred Scriptures whereby continually hee solicited mee to come out of Babylon and enter into his celestial Sion But vntil this instant there ensued many repugnancies on mine owne behalfe taking it not to be expedient for my saluation for an infinite number of humane considerations and vaine scruples opposed themselues against my desire presuming to counterchecke those iust reasons which the spirit of God suggested to mee and euen like dreadfull Gyants or furious monsters guarding the prison gate wherein I was enclosed gaue me many great apprehensions and still continued me in the terrible assaults euen when I best hoped to escape away from them But in the end it pleased the mercy of him who deigned to chuse me among the number of his liuing stones for entrance into the building of his sanctuarie by little and little to free mee from those feares by assuring my courage arming me with his grace and furnishing me with stones to beate downe the one and with weapons to cut off the heades of the others So that now by the meanes of his ayde and fauour I see mine enemies confoūded my prison doore opened and the way laide wide open for mee to enter into the house of my father Further assuring me that albeit I haue greatly prouoked his anger in so long time of abusing his graces for mine enlargement and therefore I shewed my selfe the more vnworthy to beare the title of his sonne yet that he is so pittifull as he will be mooued in compassion towards mee and allow for acceptable the repentance wherewith he hath touched my heart and so if not as a sonne yet to receiue me into his house as one of his seruants For now I will take no more delight in those spirituall brothelries the pure chastitie of his vndoubted Church hath inuited and drawne me to her communion I will now swallow no more of those bitter-sweete baites which haue so long time abused my taste as now appeareth by this contrarie heauenly sauour I desire in the company of the Children of God to feede on liuing bread in the house of the Lord. The Onions Leekes and Garlike of Aegypt haue seemed most odious and stinking to me since I tasted of the celestiall Manna which the heauens haue rained downe vpon vs. Too long haue I suckt the putrified and venemous blood issuing from the impure dugges of that cruell woman made drunke with the bloode of the Martyres Apoc. 17. 6. High time was it therefore to relish now hence forward the sweete milke distilling from the pure pappes of our dearest mother Too long time hath the deadly cup of abhominations deliuered daily abroad by that horrid strumpet beene ouerlauishly quaffed on now therefore it behooueth the more carefully to experiment the sweete liquour of life in the Cuppe presented to vs by the modest spouse of Iesus Christ Hauing then hitherto borne the heauie burden which the tyranny of Antichriste charged my shoulders withall I holde it reasonable since it hath pleased God so gratiously to deliuer me that all the rest of my life should be imployed thus to lay my neck vnder the sweete and pleasing yoake of the iust rule and gouernment belonging to my legitimate and Soueraigne king And my tongue also which heretofore hath beene loose vnbound to blasphemies as also the preaching of dreames and lyes shall henceforth doe his office in singing the maruels of my God to blesse his holie name in the congregation of his Saints to preach his worde for the edification of his Church if it stand with his good pleasure to render mee worthy and capable thereof and also to giue him thankes for that it hath pleased him after hee gaue me knowledge of his trueth to

be filled with statues Images Idols and pictures whereto incensings and honours must be done and before whome they must fall prostrate although they be vaine things the works of mens hands Finally the holy Spirit doth assure vs that the sacred Scriptures are diuinely inspired that they are apt to enstruct correct 2. Tim. 3. and conuince and that they can make a man wise before God to saluation The Pope and his partakers taking themselues to bee more wise then the holy Ghost doe not onely say that the sacred Scriptures are obscure but also that they be insufficient and like vnto a sword cutting with two edges That they haue a nose of wax which heretikes forme after their owne pleasure and wherewith they serue their owne turne to confirme their heresies These are such blasphemies as none but a diuell durst vtter considering that Iesus Christ himselfe in many places doth authorise the holy Scriptures referring all to their Iohn 5. Luke 4. subiectionhat ought men then to doe but followe his example in all things which concerne religion and the seruice of God VVhich if they of Popishe spirit would doe so many traditions and humane doctrins should not be seen directly against the word of God As is that of Purgatorie prayer for the dead Indulgences vowes and pilgrimages auricular confession and others so full of superstitions and Idolatries and neuer were heard so many blaspemies Namely as when the title of honour of the holy Father or of his holinesse which appertaineth to none but God onely is attributed and giuen to a mortall man a poore and miserable sinner The Sacraments of the Church which are but two instituted by our Lord Iesus Christ are they not broken and prophaned when we see them to bee augmented and added vnto with fiue other bastard Sacramēts All which hauing no institution commaundement or promise in the word of God we cannot neither ought wee to make any vse of them My masters these things with many others haue incited me to forsake the places where they are taught and commanded to leaue the large and spacious way which leadeth to perdition Mat. 7. to follow the hard and narrow path full of thornes and afflictions which conducteth men to our Lord Iesus Christ at the end whereof vnspeakable felicitie is found I set downe my rest then the grace of God assisting me to imbrace with you the profession of true Christianitie and therein purpose to liue and die VVhich I sweare protest and promise before God and all this holie assembly And to renounce as at this instant I haue renounced altogither al the false doctrines superstitions and Idolatries of Poperie namely that false counterfaite and blaspheamous sacrifice of the Masse quite contrarie to the merits death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ Vpon whom only I wil lay the foundation of my faith and cast Anker there with vndoubted hope of life eternall and perpetuall blessednesse I pray God with all my heart to grant me grace heerin and entreate you all my Masters according to your charitie to bee helpefull heerein to mee with your holy praiers to him To whome with the Sonne and the holy Ghost bee all glorie and honour for euermore Amen This present declaration was with a loude voice pronounced in the presence of the whole reformed Church of Paris congregated at Ablon after the end of the Sermon On Sunday the sixt day of this present moneth of Iuly 1603. By me DENIS BOVCHER and thus signed D. Boucher FINIS A DECLARATION MADE BY MAster DANIELL DVSERT a natiue of Cinte-gauelle neere to Tholouse and heretofore a Religious Fryer according to the Order of Saint Frances Contayning his abiuration of the Doctrine of the Romish Church and his protestation to liue and dye in the Faith of the reformed Church Made publickly by himselfe in the Church of Mello the 22. day of December 1603. I Render thanks to God that after so long time of wauering in faith and plunging in the errours of the Romane Church being altogither led by the cūning Doctours of that profession and brought into such an estate as being wholly subiected vnder the power of the Prince of darknesse hee hath yet at length by the vertue and efficacie of his blessed spirit giuen me to knowe that the doctrine preached in the said Romane Church is as farre off from the true Euangelicall doctrine as earth is from heauen that such as follow that track are out of the way of their saluation For proofe whereof it is a matter most certaine That out of Christs Church there is no saluation at all Now that is the Church of Christ which heares his voice therefore since the voice of Christ that is to say his word is not heard among them of the Romish Church it must needs follow that they are neither of his Church nor yet of his flock And to shew apparantly that the voice of Christ is not heard in the saide Romane Church we will proceede in approuing the same by the manifest Antithesis and opposition which is betweene the Romish doctrine and that of Christ contained in the sacred Scriptures And first of all the Church of Rome teacheth that the holy Scriptures doe not containe all the doctrine of our saluation Which is quite contrarie to the Apostles instruction who plainely saith That hee had knowen the holy Scriptures of a childe which are able to make wise vnto saluation through the 2. Tim. 3 15. faith which is in Iesus Christ For the whole Scripture is giuen by diuine inspiration and is profitable to teach to conuince to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse That the man of God Chap. eod v 16. 17. may he absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes It appeareth then that they erre in teaching that beside the doctrine of holy Scripture the traditions of men are necessarie to saluation Directly contrary to our Lord Sauiours instruction where he saith In vaine they worship me teaching for doctrine Math. 15. 9. the traditions of men They teach also that the same Scriptures are so obscure and doubtfull as we cannot clearely gather the doctrine of saluation by them Contrarie to Saint Peters speaches saying Wee 2. Pet. 2. 19. haue also a most sure word of the Prophets to the which yee do wel that yee take heed as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place They say moreouer that it is not lawfull for Lay men as they vse to call such as are of other condition then Ecclesiasticall persons to reade or meditate in the holy Scriptures Against the commandement of Christ who exhorteth all men generally in this manner Search diligently the Scriptures for in them yee thinke to haue eternall life and Iohn 5. 39. they are they which testifie of mee And Saint Iohn doth not hee addresse his Epistle to all sortes of ages saying Little children I write vnto you because your sinnes are forgiuen yee for his

THE VOLVNTARIE CONVERSION AND SEVERALL RECANTATIons of foure great learned men professed Fryers in sundry Monasteries of Fraunce FROM THE ERROVRS OF IDOLATRIE and Poperie to the true Religion established in the Reformed Church 1. Master Iohn Le Vager a Priest in the Romane Church conuerted at Mauns Ianuary 6. 2. Master Iohn Forent a Fryer Carmelite in the Couent of Morthemard conuerted in the Reformed Church of Poictiers Iune 9. 3. Master Denis Boucher a Franciscane Fryer in the Couent of Noisy neere Paris conuerted in the Reformed Church of Paris Iuly 6. 4. Master Daniell Dusert a Franciscan Fryer at Mello conuerted in the Church of Mello December 22. ¶ All conuerted this last yeare 1603. as their seuerall discourses following at large doe testifie vnder their owne hands Truely translated out of the French printed Copies ¶ Imprinted at London by Richard Bradocke for W. Iones dwelling at the signe of the Gun neere Holborne Conduit and are to be solde by W. Aspley in Paules Church-yard 1604. TO HIS WORTHILIE RESPECTED KINDE FRIEND Master George Gibson Citizen and Marchant Taylor of London IN regard of your many kindnesses and no other meanes remaining in mee of requitall except such as my condition alloweth I send you this small labour of mine being the seuerall conuersions of foure learned men from Popish errour and blinde superstition The fame of them hath beene farre extended in regard of the learned handling of each discourse which vpon consideration I am sure good iudgements both haue and will confesse no lesse I desire you to accept my good will and burie all defects in the honestie of mine intent toward you till better occasion may afford me a larger measure of loue on your behalfe This should haue been accōpanied with another excellent Treatise of a great Duchesses conuersion in the kingdome of France a learned Epistle of hers to her Lord and husband declaring her souls high comfort in her forsaking Idolatry and the maine Paradoxes of Popery very learnedly discouered but wanting leasure in regard of other very serious imployments I am enforced to let it rest till more apt opportunitie But I hope within short time to perfect it which then shall helpe to supply what wanteth in this toward you Till when as heretofore so shall I still remaine your poore wel-wishing friend any way by you to be vsed or commanded A PROFESSION OF FAITH MADE IN THE reformed Church of MAVNS the sixt day of Ianuary 1603. by Master IOHN LE VAGER sometimes a Priest in the Church of Rome AS it is vndoubtedly true that God most powerfully by his infinite goodnesse hath called vs all to the knowledge of his holy name to be his people and his Church whereon only he hath bestowed the treasures of his mercies and out of which there is no saluation at all so certainly if wee be desirous of this goodnesse and would participate of his blessings and mercies it behooueth vs to trauaile and study in the search of this Church to ioyne and incorporate our selues into the same And therefore let vs not imitate the heretique EVTICHVS who saide That as he had learned of his Fathers and beleeued in the Faith wherein he Concil Calced Act. 2. was borne euen so hee desired to dye Or as AVXENTIVS the Arrian who said That as he had learned from his infancie so Hillarius in 1. Epist ad Aux hee beleeued and would doe still Or as the Iewes thus speaking to Ieremie Wee and our Fathers haue done thus Or as our aduersaries Ier. 44. 17. at this day doe who tels vs that thus our fathers liued and beleeued To all which God thus answered by his Prophet Ezechiel Walke not yee in the ordinances of your Fathers neither obserue their waies nor defile your selues with their Ezech. 20. 18. 19. Idols I am the Lord your God walke in my Statutes and keepe my iudgements and doe them Search the Scriptures saith our Iohn 5. 39. Sauiour Christ to the Iewes And in the Gospel of S. Matthew also foretelling vs of the euil times which now are come vpon vs he doth aduertise vs that there shall be a desolation and reuolt in his Church and that many false Prophets shall arise who Math. 24. 11. shall come disguised in sheepes cloathing as now adaies wee see the like doone by our Monkes Capuchines and Iesuites who disguise themselues in habits of simplicitie of pouerty of sanctitie humilitie and leaue their owne common garments the better to seduce beguile poore simple people who suffer thēseues willingly to be led by their outward appearances according to the example of the ancient hypocritical Pharisies with their Philacteries and outward ceremonies Math. 23. 5. We haue a further admonition yet that when wee see this Math. 24. 5. cōfusion amongst false Prophets they wil say Heere is Christ others there is Christ as these dissemblers now vse to doe saying He is heere vnder the Cabinet in our faire guilded Temples where he yet workes strange miracles See heer the Iewes False miracles among the Fryers in Paris in Italy and elswhere Math. 24 16. Launce that pearced his pretious side it is heere on this Altar See heere a handkercher or napkin coloured with his bloode But I say that God commandeth vs in this confusion of deceiuing Prophets not to beleeue thē but that we should fly to the mountaines By which mountaines he insinuateth vnto vs that we should withdrawe make diligent search in the sacred Scriptures on the foundations whereof hee hath builded his Church So doth saint Iohn Chrysostome instruct speaking vpon that place When yee shal see the abhomination of desolation standing in the holy place the Lord commandeth vs saith he Math. 24. 15. Chrisost in opere imperfect that al Christians such as desire to holde a firmnesse in true faith should retyre themselues to the holy Scriptures for if they goe to any place else they will be scandalized and perish as not vnderstanding what the true Church is and so may easily fall into the abhomination of desolation crept into the holy places of the Church Origen in like manner saith Those soules that are ignorant of Origen in Mat. C. 24. the word of trueth and iustice and by that occasion are easily seduced cannot abide without seduction at the verie sight of the abhomination of desolation in the holy place Saint Hierome likewise saith At the comming of the Messias the people that had slept vnder their teachers enstructions went to the mountains Hierom. in Prophet C. 3. of the Scriptures and there found the old mountaines the mountaines of the Prophets and the mountaines of the new Testament And euen as flesh and bloud hath not reuealed Iesus Christ vnto vs but the Father which is in heauen so ought wee not to seeke for his Church according to our corporal sense but with the eyes of faith in the holy Scriptures wherein God himselfe speakes vnto vs and

comparable to the noble Eagles who looke with wide open eyes without winking vpon the glorious Sun but rather resembling Moules that delight themselues to dwel perpetually in the darke bowels of the earth making no account at all of the light And although they haue no eyes whereby to discerne it yet notwithstanding are they such enemies thereto as the leaste opening they feele for appearance of any of his beames or the ayre that may yeelde some glimmering to them makes them neuer cease vntil they be vnderneath a great masse of earth that light may not any way haue passage to them In like maner when God hath pleased to make some opening whereby to cause some penetrating or splendour of the faire beames of truthes cleare light into the Church of Rome yet in regard she affecteth nothing more then dreames wherin she hath long time beene nousled and vsed them as a common habit she hath imployed all her earthly forces against it that no way it may haue entrance to her And perceiuing that to dart her thunder bolts of excōmunication hath growen little to her auaile she makes her recourse now to execute her dessignes by the power of kings by murdring Canons swordes and Armes she hath practised al the rigours of the ciuil lawes seruing her turne with banishments proscriptions imprisonings libbitings burnings and other cruell inflictions Shee hath opposed the decrees of her Popes the traditions of her fathers the Canons of her Councels the headie opinions of her Schollers with the fallacies of her Sophisters Shee hath not forgot to set as marching in her formost rankes her venerable antiquitie her innumerable multitude her continued succession of Pastours her inuented miracles her precious sanctitie of Reliques her most holy splendour of Ceremonies the beautie and inestimable riches of her vessels and golden ornaments the thundring noyse of her belles as also the maruellous building of her churches whereby shee makes herselfe amiable to all such as are deaffe to his voice that cals them to saluation All which things are like so many cloudes gathered together to hinder by their thick darknesse that the bright sunne might not iustly shine among them like so many heapes of earth onely to suffocate and burie trueth in if she but offer to enter vpon them or as so many illusions to make her affrighted if of her owne nature she were any way fearefull But albeit the sunne doe tardie time a while yet his arising surmoūteth those cloudes and a vehement winde disperseth them abroade a great floud of waters descending from heauen quite beares away all those heapes of earth and the bright presence of the Lord makes all those feigned illusions to vanish And in despight of all the policies of Antichrist hee will enter to visite them that desire his companie and to comfort them that mourne after him and powerfully deliuer them out of the bloudie wolues fangs that call vpon him for their helpe God also in the end will punish the blasphemies which this strumpet hath cast forth against his glorie the contempt of saluation by him freely offered but by her most impudently reiected and will reuenge the outrages done by her to his chosen and faithfull which alreadie he had executed quite confounded her in the bottomlesse depth but that his mercie attendeth the rest of his elect who like good corne are mingled among the darnell and to the end they may not perish with the chaffe and be cast into the quenchlesse fire he will in his good time select them into his Garner For euen as while Lot was in Sodome he deferred the punishment of the wicked so while one of his elect shall abide in the polluted Church of Rome God with ouer-great patience will endure her abhominations and day by day augment the light of his trueth Which that hee may in his exceeding loue and mercie still vouchsafe to doe vpon my knees I hartily entreate of his diuine Maiestie And pray you all heere present to beare testimonie of mine vnfained conuersion imploring also your continuall prayers for my constant perseuerance vnto my liues end Amen Iohn Forent FINIS A DECLARATION AND PROFESSION PVBLICKLY made in the reformed Church of Paris gathered together at ABLON BY MASTER DENIS BOVCHER SOMEtime a Monke of the Order called Saint Frances in the Couent of Noisy neere Paris On Sonday the sixt of Iuly 1603. of his conuersion to the true Apostolike Religion and abiuration of the Popish errours superstitions and Idolatries MY Masters it is no newe thing neither ought it to be accounted strange to see heare rebellions and blasphemies against God or persecutions and heresies against his Church and holy trueth for such matters haue held place euer since the beginning and creation of the worlde as the sacred Scriptures sufficiently doe testifie The wicked spirit shadowed with the Serpents skinne would neuer cease till he had seduced and withdrawne our first parents from their obedience to God and his commandements Genes 3. In the daies of Noah who was at that time a great Patriarke and Prophet of GOD as also an Heralde of his iustice Genes 6. there arose ouerbold audacious Gyants giuen to all filthinesse and corruptions wherby they fell to make war against God and in such sort prouoked him as they drewe his iust iudgement against all the inhabitants on earth and the vniuersall Deluge of waters wherein all flesh was drowned and perished After the Deluge Nimrod and his associates puffed vp also with an ambitious headstrongnesse no way willing to depend Gen. 10. vpon God were the first that established tyranny and violent dominion in the world and enterprised to signalize themselues for pride in building of the Tower of Babell but God made a mockerie of them and euen confounded them in their owne enterprise by the confusion of their languages Wee see throughout the whole booke of Exodus how God after hee had with long patience toward Pharaoh the king of Aegypt shewed that he forgot not his people by him persecuted nor yet his blasphemies committed against his Maiestie in the end by a strong hand deliuered his people drowning the said Pharaoh and all his followers in the waters of the red Sea Many other strangers did bandie themselues against God and likewise persecuted his people as the Chaldeans Babilonians Persians and other people whome God at length did vtterly ruinate Which examples doe declare vnto vs that there is no power nor prudence neither any counsell whatsoeuer that can preuaile against the Lord our God But when hee once awakens himselfe as after a profound sleepe to vse the Prophets owne words hee knowes how to reuenge himselfe on those that durst lift vp themselues before him and oppose their weaknesse against his glorie The Histories Ecclesiasticall and prophane as well auncient as moderne giue vs assurance and proofe hereof in many great and generall persecutions and other particuler occasions beside raised vp by the Romane Emperours with

other great kings Princes and Infidel Potentates against God his Church and sacred trueth wherein neuerthelesse hee hath in the end showne himselfe most magnificently victorious euen ouer all his enemies protecting and defending all those that put their trust in him Which also was the blessed aduertisment and assured consolation that sometimes our Lord Iesus Christ gaue to his Apostles when hee sent them forth to preach his word saying I send yee forth as sheepe and lambes among Wolues Yee Luk. 10. shall haue manie enemies that shall put yee to much paine and trauaile in the world But bee yee of good courage for I haue ouercome the world And further assurance of victorie hee gaue Luk. 21. them by meanes of a mouth filled with wisdome which none should be able to resist or speake against Vndoubtedly then it is a most extreame folly for men to thrust themselues forward or to enterprise any thing whatsoeuer against his wisdom because he is euermore too strong for them and he will maintaine his right against all power whatsoeuer In this respect my worthy iudicious Masters because now daies it seemes that the Church of Rome is mightily aduanced by the multitude of her supposts and false Pastors who in stead of the true heauenly foode present nothing else but venemous hearbes and false doctrines therewith to feede the soules of men Although I say it appears that this Synagogue of Sathan do daily beare vp saile God sparing and delaying his iudgements against her Yet notwithstanding at length hee will let loose the arrowes of his indignation and fierce anger against her blasphemies so that shee shall no way be able to endure the weight of his displeasure but shall altogither remaine confounded and ruined Whereas on the contrary part hee will defend preserue and encrease day by day his little flock as we may perceiue that many being guided and conducted by his holy spirit haue forsaken the accursed foulde of Popery to ranck themselues amongst the members of his true Church And heere my masters I present my selfe before you as one of them who although I was one of the least members of that great Popish bodie yet did I not desist from persecuting to my vttermost the true Church of our Sauiour and the verity of his Gospell which I impugned by diuerse heresies which I learned in the infectious Cloysters of sundry Monasteries publickly preaching and pronouncing them vnderstanding and corrupting most vilely the holy Scriptures arming and seruing mine owne turne with infinite other subornations only to contradict the trueth withall I did intirely oppose my selfe against that goodly and bright splendour shining most gloriously in the word of God And to speake truely I made a spare of nothing which I imagined might serue for mine owne conseruation in the estate of lying But yet at length when God made me to know that it was ouer-hard for me to kick against the prick and that I had wilfully shut vp mine eyes before only because I would not looke on the bright Sunne of iustice which vouchsafeth to illuminate all the world God then I say in mercie looking vpon mee did let mee plainely perceiue that I deserued no lesse chastisement then the veriest wretch in the whole worlde And to the end I may make a more particular declaration of his grace bestowed vpon mee receiuing Heb. 8. and likewise deliuering to you a sound subiect of him to render all praise and thankes with mee to him therefore as also on the other side that mine example of entring now amongst you may the more resoluedly confirmeyee in the trueth I wil speak and deliuer vnto yee in very fewe words the grounds of those causes which moued and incited mee to forsake Antichristes Gal. 3. part of Rome to followe the trueth of God and ioyne my selfe to the bodie of his Church First of all the word of God teacheth vs that Iesus Christ is our soueraigne Prophet King and Priest and that at one time onely he offered vp himselfe a sacrifice to God for vs who were vtterly lost the children of wrath sinne and death That by one oblation onely hee hath sanctified vs bought vs from the curse of the Lawe euen when hee made himselfe a curse for vs. Now the Church of Rome confesseth that albeit Iesus Christ did die for vs yet his death is not profitable to vs except wee doe some good workes to apply vnto our selues matter of merit thereby As if hee had not offered vp himselfe to his Father but rather is to be offered vp by the Sacrifices and Doctours of the Lawe And that his oblation is not meritorious only except the same be daily reiterated in the Masse which they say is propitiatorie to God both for the liuing and the dead That Christ hath not throughly deliuered vs from the curse of the Lawe but that to bee saued we ought in our selues to accomplish the Lawe Wherein they contradict manifestly the sacred Scriptures and namely that place taught by saint Paule in the second Chapter of his Epistle to Ephes 2. and other places the Ephesians The holy Scriptures also doe enstruct vs that Iesus Christ is the alone Mediatour betweene God and man as also the only 1. Tim. 2. 1. Iohn 2. Iohn 10. Phil. 2. Colos 1. Aduocate and intercessour That hee is the good Sheepheard that God hath subiected all things vnto him and made him the head of his Church The Pope opposing himselfe against all these commaunds that prayers must be made to he Saints and shee Saints as mediatours betweene God and men and in regard that they haue beene men they haue the more communication with our nature and are more enclined to compassion of our miseries then Iesus Christ And yet notwithstanding it is hee that saith Come vnto mee all yee that are heauie laden and I will ease you Beside Whatsoeuer you demaunde Math. 11. Iohn 14. of the Father in my name you shall obtaine it The Pope auoucheth that although Iesus Christ bee the heade of the Church yet saith hee that he himselfe is the ministeriall head thereof in earth and that all things are as wel subiected to him as vnto Christ That all whatsoeuer hee doth or saith ought to be helde and reputed as comming euen from God himselfe That in things which concerne Religion he cannot erre yet notwithstanding many Popes haue bin found to be heretikes witnesse Liberius Marcellinus and others Hee saith also that his commaundements ought to bee executed equally with them belonging to God In breefe hee would make the world beleeue that the Church of GOD is a monster with two heades before which equally all knees ought to bowe and bend God did likewise expresly forbid his people and so consequently to all men to make any grauen Image of any thing Exod. 20. whatsoeuer to vse any seruice thereto or fal downe before it The Pope on the contrarie part hee will haue Churches to

as if hee were God as saint Paule writeth to the Thessalonians 2. Thes 2. 4. of him For first of all they say That he hath right aboue right and beyond right that he may dispense against the foure 1. Dic. Non. dec de la Rose Ex●r de M. 12 2. Clement 5. Clement 3. Can. si papa 4 In Constale Bonis Ex de Maior et obedien S. 10. 6. Euangelists the Epistles of Saint Paule and the foure first generall Councels Secondly that he can command the Angels to open and shut the heauens to giue pardon for many hundreds and thousands of yeares Thirdly that he hath a charter of condemning soules into hell Fourthly that he hath the two swords temporall and spirituall whereby hee may conferre of kingdomes and Estates dispense with subiectes oathes of fidelitie commaund ouer kings and Emperours and make them to fall before his feete Is this any thing else then to lift himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped So by consequent hee makes himselfe no Lieutenant of Christ who saide That his kingdome was not of this world and fled away Luk. 19. 14. when they would haue made him king In briefe is this the beeing of S. Peters successor who cared neither for gold nor siluer as he protesteth of himselfe in the Acts of the Apostles Act. 2. 45. 1. Pet. 5. 1. 2. 3 4. And who prayed in all modestie the Elders To feede the flocke of Christ Not as if they were Lords ouer Gods heritage but that they might be examples to the flocke To the end that when the chiefe sheepeheard shall appeare they might receiue an incorruptible crowne of glorie It followes not by his behauiour that he should be the Vicar of Christ nor the successour of Saint Peter much lesse then is he worthy to sit in the Temple of God and make himselfe honoured as a God Therefore before I conclude addressing my selfe to you my Masters of the Romane Church Beholde heere the important motiues and grounds which haue moued me to forsake your said Church following the Lords commaundement in the Reuelation Goe out of Babilon my people that yee bee not partakers Apoc. 18. 4. of her sinnes and that yee receiue not of her plagues And not as I protest here before God on any inconstant humour doe I this for affection to noueltie for reuenge against any one of you neither to auoide any punishment to bee inflicted on my selfe as in your own soules you are my faithful witnesses Nor yet to procure any repose or carnall liberty to my selfe but only for giuing the glorie due to God to attaine the saluation of mine owne soule Praying to the Almighty who hath deigned thus to visite mee in his mercie that it would please him to extend the same goodnesse towardes you and deliuer you out of that deadly sinck of ignorance And so to him that is King of Kings immortall inuisible and our onely wise God bee all honour and power ascribed eternally Amen D. Dusert WE whose names are hereunder written the Pastour and Elders of the reformed Church of Mello in Poictu doe testifie that this day being the 22. day of December 1603. Master Daniell Dusert a natiue of Cincte-gauelle in Languedoc and heretofore a Religious Fryer of the Order of Saint Frances called the Reformed Order in the Couent at Tholouse did come of himselfe before vs and declaring that hee hauing taken good notice of the errours of the Romane Church being contrarie to the conformitie vsed in the Church reformed and the sacred Scriptures desired that we would lend him a hand to entertaine him among the nūber of that holy flock Vpon this declaration made we examined him on the principall Articles of true Religion and finde in him that he comes not any way polluted among vs nor suffers himselfe to be transported in in this his change by giddie inconstancie nor seekes to exempt himselfe from the austerities vsed in the Religion he professed before nor yet to procure him any Licence to carnall libertie In breefe he hopes not to attaine among vs any honours and treasures of the world Christ calling his followers here on earth to the Communion of the Cup of his Crosse and his sufferings To these protestations he hath added withall that hee hath no other aime but the quiet of his conscience and saluation of his soule And after he had publickly made his abiuration of the doctrine of the Romish Church and solemnly protested to liue and die in that of the Church reformed according to the Articles before openly pronounced we receiued him as a member thereof and gaue him this present attestation to stead him vpon any neede thereof Giuen at Mello the day and yeare aboue written B. Manceau Pastour of the saide Church René de la Court Esquire Lord of Boullay D. Chollet created at Mello Gracian Lord of Vergne Nourry P. Tauerneau Elders FINIS