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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

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

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

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

neuerthelesse fruitlesse 1. Cor. 14. 13. The Church of Rome forbiddeth praying in the Church in any other language then in Latine wherein the greater part of the people and many of of the Priests themselues doe vnderstand nothing therefore their intelligence must of necessitie bee fruitlesse The doctrine Apostolical holdes That mariage is honorable amongst all and the bed vndefiled but whoremongers and adulterers God will iudge Heb. 13. 4. And that To auoide fornication let euery man haue his wife and let euery woman haue her own husband 1. Cor. 7. 2. That the Bishoppe should be the husband of one wife and the Deacon likewise 1. Tim 3. 2. 8. Hee pronounceth them also Apostates from the faith abusers lyers and hypocrites as shall forbid mariage 1. Tim. 4. 1. 2. 3. The Romane doctrine saith that mariage is pollution approuing and allowing the opinion of one of her Popes Siricius who qualifying the case in this maner prohibited and forbad mariage to Bishops Priestes and Deacons tolerating notorious whoredomes to the whole worlde and permitting publick Stewes or Burdelles that daily pay trybute therefore to the Pope By all these Antitheses we may easily iudge the difference that is betweene the doctrine of Christ and that of the Romane Church and by these meanes discerning it to bee a Church without God execrable and accursed thinke it meete that all such as woulde bee saued shoulde separate themselues from it Now after shee had thus transgressed against the commandements of God and instituted others quite contrarie to them in their places After she hath renounced the doctrine of the Sonne of God deliuered by his Apostles and caused in their steede the traditions and constitutions of men meerely opposite to them all to be wholly embraced and receiued There then remained no more but to make a breach of the Sacraments which our Lord Iesus did leaue to his Church to confirme and seale by them in the hearts of the faithfull the truth of his promises and vnder the signes of visible thinges to exhibite and giue them intirely all his best blessings Now if shee shewed her selfe so audacious and bolde in the two former points it will appeare that she hath declared her selfe no lesse presumptuous and headstrong in this third For ouer and aboue her annihilating the Sacraments especially that of the Lords Supper abolishing the signes without which it can be no Sacrament three things being required in all Sacraments to wit the word the signe and the thing signified She hath contaminated and prophaned the same by her additions or diminutions She hath added to the water in Baptisme Salte Spettle Oyle and Creame without any one worde of God to warrant the same She hath cut off from the Laitie as she tearmes them the Cup the moitie of the Sacrament of the Supper and which best representeth vnto vs the death and passion of our Lord which wee ought to remember and the washing of our soules from sinne which we ought to seeke after c. contrarie to his owne expresse worde that saith Drink yee all of this Now God hath most exactly enioyned vs that wee shall haue care of fulfilling what he hath commaunded vs and that we shall not be so bolde as to adde any thing or diminish any thing this was not a temporall commaundement giuen to the Iewes onely for his enduring is eternall and hee addressed the same to his Church euen to the end of the worlde If it were not lawfull to adde to or omit any of the ceremonies ordained by Moses concerning the eating of the Paschal Lamb which was one of the Sacraments to the Iewes why should it bee permitted now on the behalfe of our Sacraments And if any one that misprised the Lawe of Moses dyed the death without any mercie what farre worse torments then doth hee deserue that shall treade the sonne of God vnder his feete The Church of Rome tramples with her foule feete vpon him when shee addeth to and diminisheth from his worde when she despiseth his doctrine and deliuers another when she prophanes his Sacraments and when so enormously shee transgresseth the commaundements of God It followes then that shee is to expect most rigorous punishments and such as will not participate in her plagues must keepe themselues from partaking in her sinnes and least they bee infected to quit themselues of her in due time I adiure then all those in whose soules resides any sparke of pietie of zeale to the glorie of GOD and of affection to their owne saluation that they weighing these reasons and not beleeuing euery spirit but approuing the spirites whether they bee of GOD or no propose to themselues that many false Prophets are come into the world 1. Iohn 4. 1. And forasmuch as by the sacred Scripture which is as a candle set vpon a candlesticke to illuminate all those that enter into the Lords house and whereby all falsities Idolatries blasphemies heresies sacriledges abuses superstitions heerein alreadie specified and infinite other follies and grosse absurdities which the Church of Rome hath conceiued in her crazed braine voide of all wisdome yet after shee hath once infanted them they are nourished brought vp in so greate an estate as they haue almost obscured the true seruice of GOD and euen very neere hand suffocated the whole doctrine of saluation shee may bee easiliest discouered yet notwithstanding shee hath beene so subtile as to forbid the people the reading of them knowing verie well that if they bee read the pot of Roses would be discouered and all the world abandoning her would sende forth an open cry vpon her as after an enraged wolfe that hauing broken the pales of the Churches Parke sought to loose and destroy the poore flock of the Lord. Neuerthelesse shee could not so cunningly prouide for her owne affaires but GOD discouered her parts of shame and laide open her abhominations to the whole worlde for the light of his Gospell now shining euery where all the nookes and corners are wide open and the masque wherewith shee shadowed her deformed countenance hath beene rent off from her face and there is no one if hee bee not wilfully blinde but may see and perceiue her turpitude And yet for all this beeing thus publikely knowne quite contrarie to the imitation of all shamelesse strumpets perceiuing they can no longer bee couered yet shee hath cast downe all shame and contemning all whatsoeuer suffereth her selfe to bee carried into the depth of all iniquitie Shee is become like to her owne Images that haue eyes yet see nothing eares and heare nothing at all Shee hath stopt her eares like the Adder as not willing to heare the voice of her husband who called her to better vnderstanding by the admonitions of such as bemoned her mishappes desired her reconciliation She hath altogither shut her eyes because she would not see the light of trueth taking nothing else more opposite against her hart then the bright splendour thereof Beeing no way

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