AN EPISTLE SENT BY MONSIEVR de VRILLAC ADVOCATE IN THE PARLIAMENT of PARIS To MONSIEVR de VRILLAC his FATHER vpon the occasion of his Conuersion Faithfully Translated into English according to the French Copie By C. C. LONDON Printed by I. D. for WILLIAM SHEFFARD and are to be sold at the signe of the Starre vnder St Peters-Church in Corne-hill and in Popes-head Alley 1621. AN EPISTLE SENT BY MONSIEVR de VRILLAC ADVOCATE IN the Parliament of PARIS To Monsieur de Vrillac his Fa ther vpon the occasion of his Conuersion MOst deare and my most honoured Father and Mother I say the truth in Christ I lie not my Conscience bearing me witnesse that I haue continuall sorrow and griefe in my heart that I must forsake you as touching the world my griefe being the more for that I know how much my estranging my selfe from you will breed you sorrow and affliction But this hope haue I in God that your sorrow shall be turned into ioy and your affliction into consolation when your wisedomes void of passion and worldly respects shall consider that the voyage which separates me from you is to bring me neerer to God and to set my Conscience at rest and quiet For I may no longer conceale it from you that by the often reading and serious meditation of the holy Scriptures together with calling vpon the name of God the Lord hath shewed me that mercie to see on the one side the new corrupt errors superstitions and heresies of the Roman Church and on the other side the pure truth taught in those Churches that are purged from the nouelty of Popery and reformed according to the true Antiquitie of the Apostles and Prophets Which knowledge I confesse I haue for some time held as captiue vnder feare suffering my selfe vnwisely to be carried away with their opinion who thinke it safest to sway with the time to beleeue with the Doctors and to liue with the multitude to giue the heart to God and the body to the world I was dumbe and sayd nothing I kept silence Psal 39. 2. 3. euen from good but my anguish increased my heart waxed hot within me and the fire kindled in my meditation wherefore I speake with my tongue For if heretofore the sonne of King Croesus beganne to speake seeing his Father in danger Who will thinke it strange to see my tongue loosed in a subiect where it hastens to set forth the glory of God my eternall Father and the saluation of mine owne soule For With the heart we beleeue but with the mouth Rom. 10. â—â— wee confesse to saluation for which cause Iesus Christ saith That whosoeuer shall confesse him before Mat. 10. 32. 33 men he will confesse him before his Father which is in heauen But whosoeuer shall deny him before men him will he deny before his Father which is in heauen And the Apostle also saith Come out from amongst them 2 Cor. 6. 17. meaning from Idolaters and separate your selues and touch no vncleane thing And the Spirit of God Apoc. 18. Goe out of Babylon my people left yee partake of her sins and that yee receiue not of her plagues God will haue no societie with Satan nor Communion with the world he will not with the harlot haue his childe diuided he will haue all or 1 King 3. 26. nothing For what hath righteousnesse to doe with iniquitie And what communion hath light with 2 Cor. 6. 14. darkenesse Or what agreement hath Christ with Belial Or what portion hath the beleeuer with the Infidel Or the Temple of God with Idols And here I called that to minde which God heretofore said vnto the Israelites by the mouth of the Prophet Eliah How long halt ye betweene two 1 King 18. opinions If God be God follow him but if Baal follow him I haue aduisedly considered of what great validitie that Maxime of our Sauiour is That it is Mat. 6. 24. impossible to serue two masters and haue often called that to minde which we reade Mat. 11. That the kingdome of heauen suffers violence and the violent take it by force I haue often considered that God will haue his children marked not onely with an inward seale Ephe. 1. 13. but also with the marke of an outward profession and that is the cause why in the 1. booke of Kings 1 King 19. 18. Chapter 19. God saith hee had reserued to himselfe seuen thousand men not onely who had not beleeued in the Idolatries of Baal but who had not bowed the knee to Baal nor kissed him And in the seuenth Chapter of th' Apocalyps v. 3. Iohn Reu. 7. 3. beheld in a Vision an Angel hauing the seale of the liuing God to marke the seruants of God in their foreheads teaching vs therein that if wee will be reputed the seruants of Iesus Christ wee must openly make profession of the Truth the which himselfe teacheth vs in S. Iohn If any one Iohn 12. 26. serueth me let him follow me For he that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me Mat. 12. 30. scattereth I haue also often thought with my selfe that the Deuill demanded nothing of Iesus Christ but what the worldly wise giue vnto him For the Deuill hauing shewed Iesus Christ all the kingdomes of the world and the glory thereof saith All these Mat. 4. 8. things will I giue thee not if thou beleeue in me but if thou shalt fall downe and worship me Nabuchadnezar required nothing of those three worthies which were cast into the fiery Furnace but Dan. 3. 15. outwardly to worship his Image and the greatest tyrants not being able to discerne the thoughts of the heart content themselues with the bodie and the tongue Yea I thought that if it sufficed to beleeue the truth without making profession of it in vaine should so many Martyrs haue maintained it before their Iudges and confessed it in the very flames signed with their bloud and sealed with their death And seeing the Church on earth is like vnto Israel in Egypt and Daniel in the Lyons den and that in the eyes of the world it is nothing but weaknesse and as it were a few Lambes in the midst of a multitude of Wolues if it should conforme it selfe to the times there would neuer bee any Church And in withdrawing our selues from the house of God we shall not onely run into the Temples of Papists but also into the Temples of Mahomet saying by way of excuse yet I beleeue it not Reason it selfe hath taught me that it sufficeth not a childe to haue a good conceit of his Father vnlesse he defend his quarrell and that it is not enough for a souldier to loue his Captaine if hee fight not vnder his ensigne and that shee is but a strumpet who vnder pretence of keeping her hart to her husband prostitutes her body to strangers as also that it is the propertie
of Bastard children to be afraide to call themselues by the name of their father we are vnworthie the seruice of so great a King if we be ashamed to weare his Liuery for such a base seruant can neuer serue so rich a master In a word I haue considered that God punisheth no sinners more seuerely in his wrath then Rom. 1. 18. such as withhold his truth in vnrighteousnesse and I haue oft trembled at the hearing of these words spoken by Iesus Christ to the Church of Laodicea Reu. 3. 15. 16. I would thou wert either cold or hot but because thou art neither cold nor hot but luke-warme I will spew thee out of my mouth And thence it is that I haue bin terrified with that horrible threat which God pronounceth in Apoc. 21. against such as feare man more then God and the seruant rather then the Maister for not onely to vnbeleeuers abominable murtherers whoremongers sorcerers Idolaters and all lyars But also vnto the fearefull is reserued that Reu. 21. 8. lake of fire and brimstone which is the second death Nay were it that God threatned vs not at all with such terrible punishments yet ought wee to be ashamed hauing receiued so many mercies from him to repay him with so horrible ingratitude it being monstrous that such who make Conscience to steale from other men their goods should yet dare to defile themselues with sacriledge For there is not a worse sacriledge then to rob God of his glory and he is worthie to be branded for a double dealer who denies vnto God that iust defence of his cause which he owes vnto him This is it then I haue considered with my selfe Iesus Christ is not ashamed to call me his brother Heb. 2. 11. and should I be ashamed to confesse my selfe to be his seruant He hath not spared to shed his bloud for me and should I spare to speake for his truth He died for my saluation and should I not liue to his glory I concluded then that seeing he meant to glorifie my soule and bodie in heauen it is just and reasonable that in soule and bodie I glorifie him on earth according to the exhortion of the Apostle Ye are bought for a price glorifie God then in 1 Cor. 6. 20. your bodie and in your spirit for they are Gods And yet I must tell you that God hath not setled me in this resolution but through many conflicts For the flesh to weaken my saith was readie to rocke Iud. 16. 15. me asleepe in her lap and this flesh a sworne enemie that shee might still retaine me in her bonds and hinder me from ascending the mountaine of saluation caused me to looke backe towards those Gen. 19. 2â— worldly profits which I was to abandon she told me that I should breake the necke of all my Fortunes as they are wont now adayes to speake and should imprison my selfe within the den of perpetuall ignominie this obiection I confesse somewhat the more daunted me being now come to those yeares which naturally long for delights and thirst after prayses the progresse in my studies also hauing raised me vpon the steps which lead to honours whereunto the fauour of my friends seemed to haue made a way open for me But againe I thought that this was a sleight of the great Harlot which to retaine me still in the filthinesse of her abominations meant euen like Potiphars wife who inticed Ioseph to commit adultery with her to hold me by the cloke through the consideration of earthly commodities and therefore I chose rather to leaue my cloke with Ioseph then to forsake mine innocencie or to make any breach in my Conscience I considered that all the riches and honours of this world are turned to wormewood to him that feares not God and that all the pleasures of the flesh are but like to the Bees which haue honey in their mouth but stings in their tayle the beginning seemes pleasing but the end lamentable for after a short laughter and a few fond delights in this life followes eternall death where shall be endlesse weeping and gnashing of teeth I also considered that God hauing created man to be Lord of the whole world man should not yeeld himselfe as a vassall or slaue to such vile creatures That the whole world is not a portion worthy of the children of this great King That God hath not indewed me with an immortall soule to be intangled in the things which haue but onely the dignitie to be mortall That my soule being of an heauenly nature ought to mount aboue all these terrestrial things and to aspire to those things that are aboue In a word I concluded that I should make but an ill match of it to win the whole world if for Man 8. 38. it I should lose my soule and that it would proue but a meane comfort to goe to hell laden with many Titâ—es For this cause I gaue my selfe to meditate on the saying of Christ Thou carest and art troubled about Luke 10. 41. many things but one thing is needfull I gaue heed likewise to the exhortation of our Sauiour in S. Mathew Chap. 6. First seeke the kingdome of God Mat. 6. 33. and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be added vnto you And that of S. Iohn Labour not for Iohn 6. 27. the meate that perisheth but for that which endureth to eternall life I tasted also the vertue of Pauls cordiall words 1 Tim. 6 Godlinesse with contentment 2 Tiâ— 6. 7. is great gaine For we brought nothing into this world and it is certaine we shall carrie nothing out Therefore hauing food and rayment let vs therewith be content And because Examples haue often the force of instructions I set before me the Prophet Moses Heb. 11. 24. 25. 26. Who being come to age refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season Esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt for he had an eye to the recompence of reward I mused on the writings of Dauid wherein he glorieth more that hee was Gods seruant then that hee was King of Israell preferring the house of God before his Palace Royall As also I thought on the saying of that excellent Prince the Emperour Theodosius who preferred his being a Citizen in the house of God before all the glory of his Empire But aboue all me thought I was wonderfully rauished in considering the Apostle S. Paul who had bin brought vp at the feete of Gamaliel who vnderstood the secret of Sciences and spake the language of Angels who had whereof to boast as concerning the flesh hauing all the aduantages his Nation afforded and yet he cryeth out Phil. 3. That which was Phil. 3. 7. â— â— gaine vnto me I esteemed losse for Christ Yea I haue counted all
on by the hand of his grace and strengthened my weakenesse to hearken to the words of our Sauiour Who so loueth father or mother more then me is Mat. 10. 37. not worthie of me As also to that answere which he made him which said I will follow thee Lord Luke 9. 61. but first giue me leaue to take leaue of those that are at mine house None that putteth his hand to the plough Verse 6â— and looketh backe is fit for the kingdome of God Then I considered that God called me to the same condition vnto which he called the Father of the faithfull Goe out of the countrie and from Gen. 12. 1. thy kindred and from thy Fathers house to goe into a countrie which I will shew thee I thought that if I was bound to respect the father of my body I was much more bound to respect the Father of my spirit and that it was better to obey God then men Act. 4. 19. And the better to alay this bitternes I comforted my selfe the sweetnes of the gracious promises of my good God I will receiue you and will be 2 Cor. 6. 18. a father vnto you and you shal be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almighty 2. Cor. 6. Whence I came to conclude thus with my selfe I forsake my fathers house but I enter into the house of God I estrange my selfe from my naturall parents but I enter into that high and noble alliance and spirituall kindred which is named in heauen and in earth of which Iesus Christ is the head When Ephes 3. 15. Psal 27. 10. my father and my mother forsake me the Lord will gather me vp Add also that with this consolation I comforted my selfe thus namely that I entred not into a Church which vnder pretence of piety teacheth me to cast off the bands of naturall respects and dutie but which commands all Christians to nourish within them the cordial affections of true Exod. 20. charitie instructing children to honour their father and mother in all things in the Lord. The Ephes 6. honour and loue which I owe you are too fast engraued in my breast to be blotted out The bands wherwith I am knit vnto you are too strong to be broken and my desire to acknowledge your fauours shall neuer die in me till I die Now I nothing doubt but you will witnes with me how blamelesse my conuersation was during the time I conuersed amongst you I was also inflamed with a most ardent affection to make it appeare vnto you that it was neither rashnes nor lightnes which caused mee to change Religion But I onely suffered my selfe to be vanquished by the power of truth the motions of Gods holy Spirit to which purpose you know I endeuoured my selfe in your presence to maintaine this truth agaiust such Doctors as you approued of which I often did in particuler conferences hauing learned that God perfects his prayse by the mouth of babes Mat. 11. 25. and perfects his power in our weakenesse For as God hides his secrets from the wise and prudent reueales 2 Cor. 12. 9. them vnto little ones So hath the Truth greater Mat. 11. 25. force in the mouth of a childe then a lye in the mouth of all the Doctors in the worlde But the miseries of these times not permitting me to enter into such disputes without exposing my person to manifest danger and not minding to enter into the Church of GOD through trouble As also that disputations now adayes are rather lowd then fruitfull because they dispute onely to dispute striuing rather for victory then truth I thought it euery way better and more to edification to set downe my reasons of this my alteration and change by writing to which the grace of God assisting me I will without ceasing endeuour now that God of his mercy hath giuen mee to arriue in such a place where it is lawfull both to speake and write the truth For I hold my selfe still bound to giue you an account of my proceedings and I should thinke my selfe happy if this little light which God hath communicated vnto me might something enlighten your darkenesse then should I willingly yeelde my Spirit to God that gaue it if I might see you with my selfe walking the way to life and happinesse In expectation whereof I beseech the great God and father of mercies that hee will make vs all mind one and the same thing in Christ that he will replenish you with the ioyes and comforts of his holy Spirit granting vs all the grace that after wee haue glorified him a little while heere on earth wee may be glorified with him for euer in heauen euen with that glory which hee hath prepared for vs before the foundation of the world So prayeth he who craues that you will alwayes beleeue it euen vnto the altar Your most humble most affectionate and most obedient Sonne de VRILLAC From SEDAN this 3. of August 1621.