this kingdom forasmuch as in them men are contēt for the feeding of their soules with the Milke which distilleth from the pure brests of the chaste Spouse of our Lorde Iesus Christ to wit the canonicall writ of the old and new Testament wherein is not admitted any article of Faith which is not grounded in the expresse text or by necessary consequence of the holy Scriptures and this is the true and essentiall marke of the church to be a sound piller and faithfull keeper of the worde of God which is truth O father of light and fountaine of all goodnesse to thee I now lift vp my hands my eyes and my hart and beseech thee in the name of thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde that thou pardon me my faults of the time of my youth ignorance past and I yeeld thee thankes for the knowledge which thou hast giuen me of thy truth and I pray thee that thou continue fortifie and encrease me therein and also that thou communicate the same to those which yet are plunged in the sinke of Popish Idolatrie and Superstition to the end that they speedely forsake the great Riuers of Babylon which will turne into a Sea of fire and Brimstone to burne eternally those which perseuer in the seruice and the worshipping of the beast and that they may retire themselues into Sion vnto the Brookes of Siloe which runne gentilly which are made a fountaine of water springing to life euerlasting to those which drinke thereof And you which are hearers and beholders of this my declaration I beseech you by the intrailes of the Christian charitie which is in you that you will ioyne your prayers with mine to the eternall to the end that he defende me with constancie and perseuerance in the holye conuersion and resolution which he hath giuen me for it is he which worketh in vs the desire and perfection according to his good pleasure as he to whome the creation preseruation and the conducting of all things doe eternally appertaine Amen Signed Theuenot The copie of a Letter from Mounsieur Clemencean Minister of the Church at Poitiers To Monsyeur De la Vergne chosen in the election of Poitiers being this present at Paris SIR seeing that you doe me the fauour to make mee pertaker of the generall newes which you learne in the place where you are it is also my dutye to aduertise you frō hence of such matters as are of worthe as is that of the conuersion of a Curate of one of the parishes in this citty who on Sonday last made a publicke abiuration of Papistrie and profession of the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ in the place where we had assembled our selues at the end of the preaching to the great contentment of all honest men which were hearers of his declaratiō all which for the most part did shed aboundance of teares for ioy but if we did reioyce and were comforted the Papists to the contrary are greatly troubled and discontent The good is that this man had caused the bell to be rung to Masse in his Parish and his Parishioners stayed for him till noone but they might haue beene there till this time if they had still stayed for him Before that time he was in good reputation amongst them both in reguarde of his seruice and also in regarde of his life but now they say the worste of him that they can Hee is your countriman to wit of Mont-Morillion it is three yeare ago that he was Curate of the parish of S. Sauin in this city a moneth since he conferred sixe or seuen times with me the most secretly that he could I found that he had a good wit and a good vnderstanding of the Latin toung in trauelling as he reporteth himself thereto disposed he may do good I send you his declaration if wee had Printers that were honest men and liberty to do it in this place we would haue had it Imprinted you are in a place where it may be that it may be done and it cannot be but a great edification of the Churches of the Lord. I am of opinion that God will draw fruite there hence for his Church I will also tell you that yesterday an honest man came and aduertised me that an other Curate of one of the most principall parishes in this citty had sayd vnto one of our friends that his conscience did summon him to doe the like and that there were aboue fiftie of his profession in this citty of his minde God giue them the power to performe it to his glory and their saluation as I praye him to preserue vs long in health and prosperity and humbly kisse your hands resting euer Your most humble and affectionate Seruant I. Clemenceau From Poitiers the 29. of Nouember 1600. A christian declaration of Sir Francis Breton a Monke of the order of the Celestins publikely made in the reformed Church of Vendosme on Sunday the 28. of Ianuarie 1601. IF it be so that there is ioye in heauen in the Church triumphant at the conuersion of a sinner I no waye doubt of this present company which is heere assembled to heere the word of the Lord to the end to recite his praises but that this company will likewise reioyce in giuing thankes to God when they shall vnderstand the benefit and grace which it hath pleased the Lorde to bestow vpon me to wit for hauing drawne me out of the darkenesse of ignorance and calling me to the knowledge of the truth of his holy Gospell opening the eyes of my vnderstanding and taking from me the vaile of supersticion wherewith I haue long beene blinded I now yeeld thankes to God for that he hath not punished me with the law of rigor as he punished our first parents to wit Adam and Eue and likewise the serpent who was the author of the offence for he inflicted vpon the serpent for his punishment that from thencefoorth he shoulde creepe vpon his belly and should neuer haue any other thing to liue of but of the earth And to the woman for giuing eare vnto him that shee should loose the priuiledge to be companion and equall with her husband being appointed to be vnder his powre and rule moreouer that with paine she shoulde beare her children as for Adam he was banished and cast out of the earthly Paradice beeing said vnto him that in the sweate of his browes he shoulde eate his bread But he now no more sheweth himselfe to be the God of vengeance but rather the God of mercy and consolation whose properties is to haue pity to pardon which he hath shewed in my behalfe Well then assuring my selfe of his infallible promises promising well to giue recompense to those which go to worke in his vinyard at the eleuenth houre of the day as to those which haue wrought all the day and also that the sonne of man came to seeke and saue that which was gone astraye and lost of which number
thy good pleasure alwaies rather to vse mercy then iustice to be gratious in shewing fauour not furye stretch forth thy hand draw them vnto thee teach them sith it is thy will that all may come to the knowledge of saluation Imprint in their mindes a desire to sound the depth of thy holy Scriptures Let the discretion of thy alsearching spirit guide them to gather in these gardens the flowers of that Soueraigne good the foode of their soules the fit and effectual hearbs for the phisicke of their spirituall infirmities the plants that are a Soueraigne Antidote against death the Sacrament of eternitie the certaine pledge of felicity Let them touch no more the tree of knowing good and euill although his outwarde beautie doth cloake his inwarde poyson And as thy sacred word diuinely inspired shall be an assured guide to all people desirous to reiect an vntruth beeing the Organe of perdition for to receiue the Euangelicall truth the power of God for the saluation of all beleeuers manifesting in her brightnesse the splendour of thy incorruptible heritage by the selfe same reason let it make known vnto theÌ„ that there is essentiall conformitie between the doctrine of the Church reformed and thy true church a substantiall discord betweene thine and that which is announced by the Roman Bishoppe or his adherents and consequently that this leadeth to damnation and the other to permanent happynesse And certainely as the glory of our Sauiour is vnseparably conioyned with the saluation of his elected and chosen creatures honouring and crowning with inesteemable benefits those that honour him So likewise that is the true and sincere Religion opening the waye to saluation which addresseth all her documents and exercises purely and simply to the glory of the almighty and contrarywise that religion is false and ruinous which seeketh the glory of creatures honoring them with that which onely belongeth to the liuing God who giues not his glory to any other By this rule the knowledge of the wise on earth is condemned and accused of vanity Rom. 1.21.25 for that hauing knowne God they haue not glorified him as God and haue not yeelded him due thankes but are become vaine in their discourses and their hart voyde of vnderstanding hath beene filled with darkenesse and tearming themselues wise are become fooles and haue changed the glory of God immortall into the likenesse and image of man By reason whereof they haue beene giuen vp to their owne harts lustes to filthinesse and the defyling of their owne bodies as hauing changed the truth of God into falshoode worshipped and serued the creature and haue forsaken the Creator who is blessed and praysed both now and for euer Amen By this rule and generall Maxime our Sauiour in Saint Iohn Chap. 5. vers 39. and after confirmes the will of his act wherof see vers 16.17.30 against the deceipts fallacies of the Iewes Search the Scriptures diligently for in them yee thinke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me But yee will not come to me that yee may haue life I seeke not glory of men I am come in my fathers name and yee receiue me not if another shall come in his owne name him wil yee receiue How can yee beleeue which receiue honour one of another and seeke not the honour that commeth from God alone And againe in the 12. Chap. vers 43. They haue loued the glory of men more then the praise of God By this rule the Apostle Gal. 1. vers 10. proueth that his preaching came down froÌ„ heaueÌ„ to the confusioÌ„ of vaine discourses and false Apostles Doe I preach mans doctrine or Gods For if I should yet please men I were not the seruant of Christ To bee short this principle is so cleere so true so authorised that it needeth not any more witnesses out of the scriptures it being more cleare and transparent then the Noone-day that the true and perfect religion is marked and knowne by this that shee seeketh absolutelie the glory of the creator of heauen and earth and that religion is false and abhominable that doth the contrarie And that the religion reformed is of the first degree and that of the Roman Church of the second the conference ensuing doth briefely set down And to tell the truth who is so blind that seeth not that the true Christians doe professe that first one onely God must bee called vpon Secondly that from him alone all maner of saluation and deliuerance must be expected Thirdly that his mercy defaceth all our sinnes Fourthly that the sacrifice of the vndefiled Lambe offered vpon the crosse taketh away condemnation Fiftly that his iustice redeemeth vs from the second death and his resurrection leadeth his Saintes into the right waye of eternall life Sixtly that his most blessed worde contayneth all manner of secrets necessarye for our welfare and happinesse Seauenthlye that workes cannot merrite euerlasting felicitye Eightlie that the most righteous and perfectest men cannot produce workes of supererogation as if it were in their power not onely to accomplish all iustice commaunded but also more than is required Ninthly that God must be worshipped in spirite and trueth Tenthly that the glorious body of Christ sits at the right hand of his father Brieflie all those that stedfastly beleeue this doctrine do they not rightly attribute all glorie to his Soueraigne maiestie Prayer to â—aiâ—â— And contrariwise the Papists dishonour him who first call vpon Angels Saints and Ladies Secondly they hope from them succours and helpe in their perils and necessities Thirdlie they promise to themselues remission of sinnes through the indulgences from the Bishop of Rome Fourthly they mingle the bloud of Martires with the bloud of Christ thinking his not sufficient Fiftlie they trust more in the merits of Saints or mortall creatures then in the obedience of the sonne of the eternall Sixtly they are not contented with the sacred letters of reconcilation but to supplie their want as they fondly imagine they adde the vaine sufficiencie of their vnwritten traditions Vnwritten Traditions IustificatioÌ„ by workes Seauenthly they presume of their workes for their iustification before the throane of Gods supreame iustice and doe further commit manie things repugnant to Gods heauenly will which notwithstanding is the onely rule of righteousnesse Eightly Workes of supererogation they thinke to be more wise than the Master of Masters when they doe more and aboue his commandements in their actions of supererogation Ninthly Worshiping of Images they encline and bowe themselues to the images of Creatures contrary to the lawe and they serue God after a sensuall and carnall manner prohibited by his worde without whose warrant euery worke is done without faith by consequence a most abhominable sinne Tenthly Transubstantiation they fasten the pretious body of Christ to bread and wine subiect after their consecration to a thousand corruptions and abuses and altogether farre from his excellencie We omit
consolation which they can get by the considering of their merits and good workes in the last breath of this life By and by followeth the last saluing or vnction as they call it done by a Priest who washeth and purgeth with an holyed and consecrated Oyle the poore sick man of his sinnes then come the waxen Candels which burne day and night before the graue the ringing of Bels Masses Vigiles De prefundis Requiescant in pace and such like Ape-play These things are rather vnto them Needels to prick their consciences seeking consolation in things which are of no valour in steede of taking their refuge to the blood of Christ which purgeth vs of all our sinnes as S. Peter saith 1. Epist 1. verse 18. And thus is the common people seduced and brought to their euerlasting perdition by these deceiuers and seducers of soules beholde this is the sweete consolation which they haue to weapon themselues against the battle of death and Sathan Beholde this is the rest and peace of their consciences in the end of their liues Besides this vnbeleefe and diffidence wherwith they are tormented being vncertaine of their owne saluation they see nothing but paine and torments prepared for them being transmitted soone after death to a Purgatorie which is the more rediculous because it can be found no where for to doe their penance and repent to the end that the poore soules which haue not merited enough in this worlde should suffer there for a certaine time the paines of Purgatorie being roasted in a fire the one more the other lesse for to come at last to heauen and deserue eternall saluation But for to discouer somewhat better their errors and abuses The sinne of Romish Doctors how shall the Doctors of the Romish Church be able to excuse themselues before God seeing they turne not onely the people from the true worshipping of God but commaund them also to worship creatures and take their recourse to Saints and Saintesses to be mediators betweene God and them in all their necessities and defects A doctrine flatte contrarie to the holy Scriptures for examine the holy Scripture from lease to lease from the beginning to the end you shall finde no commaundement to do it nor promise nor example of any that haue done it neither in the olde nor new Testament as those of the Romish Church do who being infected with plague take their recourse with prayer to Saint Andrew or to Saint Rocquis being in tempest in feare of Shipwracke they take recourse to Saint Nicholas or Saint Clemens and so foorth according to the diseases or euils which come vpon them And is not this it that the Scripture condemns showing as though it were with a finger we must inuocate and worship The Prophet Dauid in his 18. Psalme verse 2. saith The Lord is my rocke and my fortresse and he that deliuereth me my God and my strength in him will I trust my shielde the horne also of my saluation and my refuge And in the 3. Psalme verse 5. I layde me downe and slept and rose vp againe for the Lord sustained me I will not be afraide for ten thousand of the people Besides these are yet innumerable places of Scripture propounded vnto vs to demonstrate that we must not trust vpon the might and arme of man nor looke for any helpe of creatures but that we must take our course vnto God onely who can doth and will deliuer vs from all euils But is not this an impudencie say they and too great a boldnesse to appeare so before God without crauing first the meanes or intercession of some Saint I would faine that they should answer me whether it be presumption or boldnesse to obey vnto God and to follow his commaundement I thinke not that they be so impudent but they must confesse so much Considering then that we haue this commaundement in the holy Scripture that in all necessities we must take our refuge to God with a true and liuely faith and with a sure and vndoubted assurance to obtaine that which we pray for at his hands as clearely is written in the 50. Psalme of the Prophet Dauid verse 15. Call vpon me in the day of trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And the Apostle Hebrew 4. verse 16. Let vs goe boldly therefore vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of neede And if we seeke a mediator betweene vs and the Father we must not runne to Saints for Christ dyed for vs yea more he is risen and sitteth at the right hand of God and prayes for vs which the Apostle explicates in the 8. to the Roma 24. ver For we are saued by hope but hope that is seene is not hope for how can a man hope for that which he seeth and in Hebrew 9. vers 24. For Christ is not entred into the holy places that are made with hands which are similitudes of the true Sanctuarie but is entred into very heauen to appeare now in the sight of God for vs. We must therefore goe to him in all our necessities by him shall we obtaine mercy he is to be breefe our aduocate by the father offering vnto him our prayers Let vs therefore not runne to creatures and call vpon them in our neede Let vs not robbe God of his honour onely due vnto him to deferre the same to anye other but let vs follow that rule of well praying which Christ teacheth vs Matth. 6. Let vs in all suretie by the vertue of the Mediation of our Sauiour Iesus Christ go to God our Father trusting assuredly that nothing shall faile vs if we faile not in our dutie God is true in his promises to whome I will take my refuge Concluding therefore my rehearse I will giue him praise and thankes for all his exceeding great benefites which I confesse to haue receiued from his gracious mercie that he hath brought me that was gone astray from the right way of saluation was departed from his tabernacle to his Church clearing the eyes of my vnderstanding for to enioy the light of his holy Gospell and the trueth of his holy worde and to renounce to all errors and superstitions of the children of darkenesse in the which hetherto I haue beene smothered I confesse heere before God and his holy congregation that with a sincere vpright mind and hart I forsake from henceforward all Popery and their superstitious Apostaticall blasphemous doctrine and abhominable damnable errors which they exercise yet daily in the which I haue liued too long a time feeling my selfe now inuited to the salutary knowledge of the trueth Therefore I promise and protest before God and his whole congregation to desire to liue and to dye in the faith of the reformed Churches where the trueth of Gods word is purely preached and the Sacraments faithfully administerd praying all thirsting soules according to my example to their good wel-fare and saluation to gather themselues in all humility of hart to the true flocke of that great sheepheard whosoeuer feele a sparke of truth let him no longer be transported by all windes of humane traditions to the end that the kingdome of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ more and more increasing we also altogether at last may be congregated to the ioyes of eternal life through Iesus Christ our lord to whome with the father and the holy Ghost bee praise and thanksgiuing for euermore Amen We subscribed testifie this declaration to haue beene done publickly the 3. of Iune 1601. after the sermon in the French Church within the Citty of Leyden by Lowys du Bois of late Priest and preacher of the order of S. Francis in the citty of Dunkerke Lucas Tulcat the Father Lucas Tulcat the Sonne
that they are thus hardely dealt withall contrary to all reason and equitye of conscience In some of them I haue found true simplicity ioyned with modesty the sweetenesse of their demeanure and manye other vertues which are the true notes and infallible effects of a right Christian by meanes wherof I am not nor ought to giue any credit to the detractions or vncharitable speeches of the world For my conscience hath brought me back to this point that the trueth of Religion depends not of mens conuersation but of the will of one onely God which by his word he hath made manifest vnto vs. I pray the brethren of my Order and also all other to consider all these reasons I haue not forsaken them to iniurye or wrong them in any point nor to bring any scandall vnto them If I coulde haue remained among them with tranquillity of conscience If I did not thinke to offend God by continuing in this profession wherein I haue beene norished so many yeares surely I had yet beene with them Brethren it is not my will nor intention to offend you I perswade my selfe likewise that there is none can iustly reproue me of my comportment and behauiour I was neuer culpable of drunkennesse of adultery or any other such misdemeanour I was no prophane person among you but haue shewed my selfe zealous in maintayning and aduancing your order You know that through my diligence and care two of your decayed and ruinated Monasteries haue beene reedified the one neere Troye in Campane the other in the country of Mayne I haue followed your businesses and affaires in all trauaile and vigilancie and I know you are not ignorant how that I haue had issue to your contentment I haue so well demeaned my selfe among you that I purchased vnto you many rents yea and forgiuen you some Wherefore I beseech you and exhort you in Gods name and with all the affection of my will that with a spirite of meekenesse and feare of God you doe examine if I haue not done holyly and religiously to laye holde vpon the true word of God directed thereunto by his spirite And if you finde that it was not my duetie to haue done otherwise then that you would rather take the selfe same resolution in hand and following my steps direct your course to the hauen of eternall life whereunto I hope to come with all the true faithfull and elect then to be moued against me and to slaunder Before my departure I would gladly haue laide open my deliberation and the reasons whereon I grounded my selfe I would haue exhorted you to take in hand the same resolution with me I would haue imbraced you and witnessed that I desire all manner of good vnto you but the most part may then imagin to what great daunger I had exposed my selfe and the small hope left me to haue profit therein O my Lord Iesus confirme in me this resolution suffer me not to yeeld vnto the assaults combats which are or may be made against me helpe my vnbeliefe increase the faith within me make me conceiue that assurance of Abraham who beleeued in hope against hope arme me with thy promises deliuer me from the snares of my cruel enimies make me good Lord in effect to feele that thou art with me wilt be as thou hast assured Abraham my most liberall guerdon I seeke my saluation giue me Lord Iesus an assured place of retrait in the holy Ierusalem spare me in the temptations of the worlde but if it shall please thee to exercise me therein fill me I beseech thee with the spirit of constancy to the end that finally hauing carried away the victory I may enter into Paradice with thy most happy seruants Amen He forsaketh not the church that with his body goeth out from her Chrisost in Math. hoâ—â— 46. but he that with his spirit and minde renounceth the foundations of Ecclesiastical truth leaueth her We be gone out froÌ„ her with our body but they from vs with their spirit we haue left with them the foundations of the walles but they with vs the foundations of the Scriptures we haue left and gone away from them according to the apparances of men they froÌ„ vs according to the iudgemeÌ„t of God therfore the ChristiaÌ„s corporal do persecute trouble vs that are spirituall But to theÌ„ is properly addressed that which the lord saith O Hierusalem Hierusalem thou that killest the Prophets c. Reade saith S. Ierome the Apocalips Hieron ad Marcel viduam and consider that which is there written of the womaÌ„ clothed in Scarlet with blasphemy written vpon her forehead of the seauen Mountaines or hils of the great waters of the miserable end of Babilon This is that rocke of Trapeius so many times beaten with thunder from God for that it was displeasyng in his eyes Come out from among them my people sayth the Lord that you be not partakers of her sinnes and wounds flye from Babilon let euery one saue his soule for shee is fallen shee is fallen and is becme the hachitation of Diuelles and a refuge of vncleane spirits The declaration and conuersion of Maister Iohn Colleij sometimes a Preacher a Caputchin and a Gardian of the Couent of Saint Omer publikly by him made in the Church of Sedan on Sunday the 4. of March 1601. THE Kingly Prophet or rather our Sauiour Iesus Christ vnder the figure of Dauid most deare brethren in the 22. Psal hauing prayed the almighty to deliuer his life from the sworde his desolate soule from the power of the dogge from the Lyons mouth from among the hornes of Vnicornes doth promise if he heare him to declare his holy name to the brethren to praise him in the middest of the great congregation and to make his vowes vnto him in the presence of those that feare him If the sonne of God himselfe hath vouchsafed to make this vowe how much more am I bound being a miserable sinner and hauing obtayned of Gods eternall bounty my spirituall deliuerance to declare and exalt the name of the euer-liuing God among you my brethren to render vnto him my vowes in this great congregation and assembly of you which feare the Lord to the end that those who heretofore haue receiued the like grace as my selfe hauing beene drawne out of darkenesse and brought into the true light may haue matter and occasion to remember the benefit by them receiued from God and therefore yeeld vnto him innumerable thankes alwayes laying before themselues that as God is a most liberall bestower of his benefits so hee is a most seuere exactour in expecting thankes for the same which doubtlesse is the true meane to obtaine the continuance and encrease ingratitude being nothing else but an obstacle that hindreth the streames of his flowing mercie And deare brethreÌ„ in the Lord I make no doubt but that many of you are throughly acquainted with my former conuersation profession and likwise with my
keeping of sheepe when the Lorde appeared to him in a burning bush making him his Ambassador and Coronell ouer the children of Israell Hee was all alone in the Mount Sinai farre from dignities or ambitious desires when he spake with the Almighty and receiued of him his law Exod. 19. Esai was alone when he had a vision of the Lorde of hostes the Seraphins with their winges couering themselues Helias Elizeus and the sonnes of the Prophets walked alone within the desart conuersing with God triumphing ouer the world ritches ambitions and carnall forces Others of whome saith Saint Paule to the Hebrewes 11. the world was not worthy conuersed in mountaines and caues of the earth What meaneth it that God hath called many of his seruantes from their country and their Parentes but that those who are of the worlde are not worthye of them whome GOD loueth They are brought from the house of their fathers into strange countries there to see and behoulde great misteries In the wildernesse John Baptist was he of whome many yeere before Esay had prophecied Chap. 4. that hee was to bee a voyce that shoulde preach in the desart And Saint John the Euangelist walked through the I le of Patmos when God reuealed vnto him the Apocalips Iohn Chap. 1. The Enuch of Candacis trauailed through the kingdome of Ethiopia and comming from Ierusalem Saint Phillip appeared vnto him who declared the holy Scripture vnto him baptised him and instructed him in matters touching faith as saith Saint Luke Actes 6. Hee learned more in an houre being farre from his countrey then in all his life tyme continuing at home And I may truely saye asmuch For so long as I conuersed at home in my countrey I neuer knewe ought else sauing a company of traditions and humane inuentions which at the day of iudgement would haue cast me into despaire and perdition but so soone as I conueyed my selfe to the Gospell vnder the winges of grace farre from my familiars I learned more in a day then in all my life time before For that as Saint Augustine saith The greatest knowledge is to learne how to be saued These are the true meanes to know the trueth videlicet to be drawne from Popery from Cardinals Patriarkes Bishops Abbots Priors and all their familiarities as depraued people and vnworthy the person of a true Christian So much doth Christ Iesus himselfe teach vs when he forbare to haue to do with temporal riches dignities but conueyed himselfe into solitary places farre from his greatest friends And S. Mathew in his 4. chapter saith He was accompanied with the holy Ghost in goimg from the citty to the desert Thereby noting vnto vs that it is the holy Ghost that retireth vs from citties from ambitions and other dignities and contrariwise it is the deuill that inticeth vs and leadeth vs to the citties and Papisticall dignities and such like worldly affaires The selfe same Euangelist reciteth that the deuill did accompany Iesus Christe when he went into the cittie to the end to trie if he could cause him to fall from the pinnacle of the Temple because his office is to procure mens fall through prosperities greatnesse and ambitions to the ende to burie them in eternall perdition This doth the Scripture make knowne vnto vs when it teacheth that the children of Israell lest the Mount Sinai and came to the Toumbes and Sepulchers of desire and concupisence By the Mount Sinai let vs vnderstand the grace of God by these Iewes those that forsake the high Mount and giue themselues to the lawe which giue commodities for a short life but not able to giue vs a neuer-fading glory For he that hath no hope in grace commonly with his workes commeth to dispaire fearing them to be vnsufficient to saue him as in truth they are Therefore being contemplatiue vpon the earth we are to conuerse in the heauens being dead to the world yet liuing in Iesus Christ we must say with the Apostle Saint Paul I liue and liue not But Christ liueth in mee Hence it comes that Jeremie Ier. 9.2 the light of the Israelites said Oh that I had in the wildernesse a cottage of wayfaring men that I might forsake my people And this spake the Prophet in declaring his will and giuing vs to vnderstand that it behoueth vs to renounce all ambitious glorye and to imbrace Iesus Christ feruently who will bee the true peace in this worlde a guerdon and crowne in the other with a happy contentment of felicity to all beleeuers in the trueth of his promises hoping in his bounty and power liuing according to the equity and righteousnesse of his law which is a sweete shower comming from his no lesse admirable then eternall holynesse and iustice Fynally if any one bee desirous to know what my parents were and the publicke charges which I haue exercised among the Papists before my conuersion I will briefely satisfie them not to boast or bragge thereof but to the end to beate downe euery slaunder that may arise whereunto the faithfull are most subiest My Father was called Melchior Roman a Fidalgo that is to say a Gentleman and the mother of my Father Ferrer of the villages of Frague and Caspe in the kingdome of Arragon My mother was called Isabell Roman of the Baylies of Arragon sufficiently renouned and knowne For from those are issued Saint Roman a Martyr and souldier a Cardinall named Roman and S. Vincent Ferrer whose body is againe superstitiously worshipped in Brittain S. Romain Bishoppe of Balbastre where he is worshipped with idolatry Such canonizations do sufficiently expresse my race and therefore I thinke it needlesse to speake any more in that behalfe As for my charge accompanying the Inquisitour Xamora I sawe at Saragoussa a vertuous personage burned for complaining of religion who as well by his pregnant arguments and doctrine as his constancy of martyrdome perswaded me to forsake the errours of Papistry This occasion transported me into Fraunce and beeing arriued in the prouince of Thoulouse I was very kindly receiued into the couent of Agen and afterward a Chapter being held in an I le in Dodon Peter Capdeuile being Prouinciall President there I was by the consent of them all elected Proctor prouinciall to go to Rome as appeareth by a Letter beginning Nos infra signati c. When I came from Rome and had finished my affaires there the Prouinciall made me his visitor and prouinciall vicar as it may appeare by a Letter the beginning whereof is Nos qui infra c. And in the end seeing and well liking my conuersation they made me Cōfessor of the Gentlewomen of the little Chappell of Agen. But now the Almighty and Father of light be euer praised for that through the grace of his holy spirit he hath opened the eyes of my minde displayed the corruptions of Papistrie made knowne vnto me where I should finde the peace of my conscience and trueth of my soules saluation I render
vnto his diuine maiestie eternall thankes aboue all other benefits of his large liberality bestowed vpon me for this my conuersion protesting to employ the grace and guifts it hath pleased his omnipotencie to endue me withall to the glorious praise of his Maiestie the edification of his Church there where his word is purely preached his holy Sacraments sincerely administred according to the Lords institution And here I protest vtterly to renouÌ„ce papistry the Masse errors and other fond superstitions and am disposed to spend my bloud and life for the maintenance of Gods word which teacheth a perfect way to my saluation And therefore according to my example I exhort all manner of people desirous of their saluation to giue themselues to the vnderstanding of the truth to contemne the worlde not to feare aduersitie to preferre the excellent ioy of eternity and the glory of the celestiall kingdome before all commodities and worldly vanities with a reuerent feare that if they despise the voice and counsell of our Sauiour hardening themselues in their wickednesse there will be no more place giuen to them for to repent in but shall contrariwise insteed of their present pleasures vanities and soone fading pastimes endure most horrible and fearefull torments in a place of darknesse where there is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth Now God for his grace giue vs some sparkes of his heauenly knowledge that thereby knowing the shortnesse vncertaintie and calamitie of this present life we may seeke to aduance and set foorth his glorye in the waye of righteousnesse which leadeth vs to his kingdome So be it Amen In die mandauit Dominus misericordiam suam Et nocte canticum eius Psal 41. Manus supra globum O Dextra tenet coelum manus altera sustinet orbem Vt me sancta leuat sic grauis ista premit Sidera perlegerem semper diuûmque cohortes Me nisi natorum sollicitaret amor H Lux vera Iohannes 8. Illuminat tenebras meas Psal 29. Splendor eius Abacuck 5. Deti depende mi sâ—r de tu luzmi resplendor mivalor detu valor Of thee dependeth my being of thy light my brightnesse my valour of thy valour MELCHIOR ROMAN A Christian declaration made viua voce in the reformed Churches of Tours and Fraisneau the 17. and 24. dayes of September being Sondayes by Maister Iohn Norman sometimes ordinary Preacher at Mastas and Sub-prior of Marestay 1600. Come out of Babylon my people to the end yee be not partakers of her sinnes Apoc. 18. IT is ordinarilye seene that hee who enterpriseth to trauell into a farre countrey or region and being still vrged with a continuall desire to make a speedy returne into his owne natiue countrey feareth not eftsoones to trauell in the night time But in the end continuing his iourney and chauncing to light vpon two seuerall pathes not knowing which of them to take I referre to your iudgement in what great perplexity he is detained But if by some diuine assistance he meete with any that can and dooth set him againe into the right way you shall straight way see him leape for ioy acknowledging himselfe vnspeakeably bound vnto him who hath beene the cause and meane of that so great a benefit euen so my soule hauing taken her beginning from the celestiall countrey being placed in this exile like a straÌ„ger Psalm 19. Hebr. 11. marching with her prison the body in this world a world say I couered with thick fogs of death a world of misery where there is no order but a perpetuall horror and againe she finding two diuers wayes diuersly leading the one broad Iob. 10. Math. 7. Luke 18. the other narrowe hath rather followed that which conducted to perditioÌ„ forsaking the true path which was to be traced for the attaining heauen the place of her first beeing But in the end the spirit of God darting one of the beames of his holy inspirations on my poore soule and taking off the vayle that couered her eyes hath brought her to the light of an holye knowledge of the way of saluation O admirable bounty of our God! I remember the Parable our Sauiour vsed in the Gospell Luke 15. Math. 28. saying What man of you hauing a hundred sheepe if hee lose one of them doth not leaue 99. in the wildernesse and goe after that which is lost vntill he do finde it and when he hath found it he layeth it on his shoulders with ioy and when he commeth home he calleth together his friends and neighbors saying vnto them Reioyce with me for I haue found the sheepe which was lost Euen so O God my soule hauing too long gone astray loe now with diligence thou hast sought after her to ioyne her to the flocke of thy poore faithfull in such sort that for so great a benefit of my conuersion as it is one of the excellentest which it hath pleased God to bestowe vpon me so willingly I confesse and acknowledge my selfe vnable to render him condigne thankes for so great a good Alas what would it haue auailed mee that the welbeloued sonne of GOD Iesus Christ embrasing the godly vertue of humilitie hauing taken vpon him an humaine body vouchsafed to goe vnder the forme of a seruant and the iust for the vniust endured the ignominious death of the crosse Math. 20. Phillip 2. for the reconciliation of man to God his Father And what would it haue profited me say I secluded from so great a good turne wallowing in spirituall fornication in that vnchaste Babell not acquainted with the pure trueth of the Gospell And seeing that with greater facilitie I could not attaine to the excellent riches of Gods grace but through faith how had it beene possible for mee to attaine thereunto since I had but an ideall and imaginarie faith in steade of a faith able to apprehend the true foundation which is Iesus Christ vppon whome the faithfull are to set the building of their saluation Loe nowe thankes bee to GOD you see mee vnmasked from the fraudulent embracementes of the strumpet Babell which is the Nurserye of all impietie Beholde I am loose from the dangerous labyrinth of Papisticall errours errours say I so abhominable that there is none hauing neuer so little feeling of faith but detesteth and abhorreth them I will deduce some of them vnto you First see howe shameleslye the Papisticall Priests dare vse the tearmes of speech Qui creauit me dedit mihi crearese he that created me Gabriel Bial hec verba Barnardi resensel lect 4. in exposcanonis missa Scholemens speeches gaue me power to create him qui creauit me sine me creatur mediante me hee that created me without me is created by my meanes Is not this a manyfest ouerthrowing of the doctrine touching the trueth of the humaine nature of our Sauiour Iesus Christ who hath one body and one soule and not two bodyes as their wordes inferre For by this their reconing Iesus Christ shall haue one
where the sonne of perdition that damnable Antichrist will forsooth haue a part with the Lorde whose Lieutenant he calleth himselfe in his house in his kingdome and Empire which is his Church O blasphemie O abhomination whose defence I haue too long but in vaine obstinately taken in hand for the maintenance whereof I haue often employed my tongue in the good townes of this kingdome and namely in this wherein I now am But if it shall please God to sanctifie my wish and blesse my labours whereas heretofore I haue vsed my vocall instrument as a pipe for the furthering of lyes and fallacies of Satan I will now vse it as a neuer-wearied trumpet for the publishing the truth of the Gospell to proclaime the Lordes will in all places where his voyce shall call me And by meanes of his good grace neither feare nor hope promises nor threates shall make me to departe from this holy resolution and protestation which I now make vz. to liue and dye in the faith and religious beliefe of the reformed Churches of this kingdome I know very well that I must walke vpon thornes and sight with great difficulties which will take holde on me to stoppe this my happie course I know that the enemies of my saluation being growne desperate at this my conuersion will frame a world of slaunders thereby to make me odious to Gods true Church and to make my profession suspected Yea it may so come to passe that the diuell will euen make vse of some that saye they are my friends thereby to shake cracke my constancie through vaine promises but whatsoeuer they do they shal preuaile nothing For there are two points that fortifie me against their furious assaults The one is that slaunder doth sufficiently shew it selfe to be a lie so that being opposed to innocencie it melteth away like snowe before the sun The other is that seeing I am in gods owne house which is an vnconquerable citty a fortresse that is out of danger for shaking vndermining or scaling I neede not feare their force or surprise being assured that the Lord will breake their vnrighteous designements and make their attempts as vaine as the rebellious waues that beate themselues against the foote of a great rock which do make a huge noyse and rage in vaine yea the end of their furious menaces shall be naught else but froth God through his infinite bounty and mercy strengthen me and finish the worke which he hath begun in me giuing mee grace to liue and dye in his house and in his Church Amen Amen Amen Whereunto all the people there assembled with one voyce and the greatest part weeping for ioy answered alowde Amen The ninth of January 1600. The Conuersion of Maister Anthonie Ginestet borne at Lautreck in Albigeois sometimes a confessor religious Priest of the pretended order of Saint Francis according to his protestation made the 22. of October 1600. in the Church of Bragerak together with that of Signeur Lewis of Caransie borne in the towne of Angoulesme heretofore a Priest as may appeare by their Letters LET the Papistes glory in the magnificence of their Churches artificially built with curious stones brought frō strange places Let them bragge of the building of their Altars proudly adorned Let thē triumphe in their vaults guilded Adorning of Alters Churches no lesse azured Let them exalt their ecchoing musick the picturing sculpture of their images let them wonder at the greatnes of the sundry orders of their sacrifices glittering in cloth of golde silke scarlet hung about with precious stones in stately pomp As for vs illuminated with the sacred life of the diuine trueth we esteeme all this and the like brauery as a thing of naught a perishable vanity vnworthy of true religion vncapable of leading to saluation in such sort that those who are busied or rather abused by such worldly inticements do leaue behind the principle of piety and spirituall worshippe And to iudge truly those who are dazeld with such an appearance doe onely feede their outward sense not at all vnderstanding the ritch ornaments or rather celestiall enrichments of the city of the liuing God For the wisedome of the children of this world is abhominable folly before the Soueraigne onely wise God That which man seely creature doth vndiscretly admire is ougly and execrable before the eyes of the eternall and that which the foole swolne in ignorance contemneth is certainely great and admirable The faithfull hereof haue dayly experience to their vnspeakeable comfort And with them wee thrice happy at this present doe enioy full matter of solace and gratious delectations hauing our eyes cleared with the beams of the eternal sonne of iustice so that we may contemplate in the house of God through this influence of supreame grace or at least the illumination of the celestiall light the most sweet felicities of his face the word of life the excellēce of the Sacramēts the efficacie of the exercises of piety the perfections of a liuely faith the vertues of the holy ghost and other infinite blessings inspired from heauen into the elect in the misticall society of the body of Christ which are as christalline mirrours conteyning a quickning brightnesse of the bounty fauour beatitude eternity power mercy wisdome and heauenly life in steede of the horrour of darkenesse of hellish torments of the terrors of the second death wherinto the error of humane inuentions do throw vs headlong with a perpetuall despayre Now as the Apostle 2. Corin. 3. prophecieth of the issue of the children of Israel saying Vntil this day the vaile did couer their harts when Moses was read vnto them but when they shal be conuerted to the Lord the vaile shal be taken away euen so all we who do behold as it were in a glasse which is the Gospel of grace the glory of the Lord plainly be transformed into the selfe fame Image frō glory into glory through the effectual aide of the holy Ghost And our earnest desire is that those who are floting and as it were bandied to and fro with sundry opinions of the vaine and not true Phylosopie would meditate hereupon that they would ascend into the moūt Sion that they would taste of her sauorous fruite of life and would drinke of the delicious waters of her fountaines of immortality forsaking the venomous Cisterns of the desert of the world a desert not of sinne but a desert of iustice a desert not of transitory goods but a desert of wholesome graces To this effect we from the bottome of our heartes make our humble petitions to the most high the inward compassions of our soules making our eyes melt into fountaines our better partes yeelding forth vnspeakable dolors considering in this Theatre of the worlde that the greatest multitude by the violēt stormes of seduction be enticed and rauished to be trayned finally to be throwne headlong into perdition But O father of light seeing it is
the Sacrificer is preferred before the sacrifice as we may see Genes 4.4 where the holy ghost witnesseth that the Lord had first respect to Abel and then to his offering This then being granted and therewithall considering that in the Romish Church the Masse priest is reputed a Sacrificer Popish priest better then Christ Christ Iesus the sacrifice it must hereupon needes followe that the Romish priests beeing but mortall and sinfull men and by nature altogether estranged from God are preferred before him in whome there is found no guile nor sinne 1. Pet. 2.22 1. Pet 1.19 euen before that vnspotted Lambe the true son of God by nature Iesus Christ Oh intollerable blasphemy neuer vsed among the Turkes And to the end none may be ignorant of such a foolish impudencie note I pray you but that which may be seene whē in their Masse they mūble out these words Supraque proprio ac sereno vultu respicere digneris accepta habere Hebr. 9. 1. Iohn 1 Math. 3. sicuti munera pueri tui iusti Abel Wherein there are two propositiōs in the first the Priest becomes a Mediator for the Soueraigne Mediator Priest a mediator for Christ of whom the father saith this is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased for you must alwaies suppose as the Church of Rome doth that the true body of the sonne of God is present in the host as it was in his transfiguration and in his Baptisme in the Iordan In the second he compareth Iesus Christ to the sacrifice of Abel By meanes whereof as aforesaid the Priest shall be more pleasing and acceptable to God then Christ Iesus himselfe who likewise by this meanes shall be robbed aswell of his office as of his Sacerdotall dignity What mans eares that bee attentiue to any wholesome doctrine and stirred vp with the affection of a Christian zeale can endure and suffer the eccho of so harsh and horrible a speech What soule is there which is desirous to aspire come to her true scope felicity Math. 17 through the true and sacred mediator Christ Iesus Math. 23. Deut. 18. Esai 11. that can permit his excellencies and dignities to be so trampled vnderfoote The Church of Rome is not content to banish Christ out of the sanctuary whereas the Iewes haue cast him onely out of the Synagogue but goeth on further and taketh from him his pastorall robe which appertaineth and belongeth vnto him alone as it may euidently appeare in many places of the holy Scripture wherein he is promised and recommended for a Doctor and maister giuing lawes and precepts against which or besides which as proceeding from a most wise maister none of his desciples dare thrust themselues in for their alteration This Maxim against which the very heathens dare not dispute declareth sufficiently that he who is a meanes for conducting mē to the Soueraigne good must also by his instructions and precepts lay open the way and assured meanes for the attayning thereunto The Church of Rome yet notwithstanding vsurpeth and chalengeth to her selfe the Soueraigne authority of iudging such like instructions accuseth them of insufficiency Popes Doctrine as not able to shew the way leading to eternall life which surely is nothing els but an accusing of the author himselfe Christ Iesus the son of God Nay she yet goeth beyond and farre surmounteth the said precepts as well in the vertue of her word not written as of her traditions together with an Iliad of inuensions rather diabolicall then deuine or humane And moreouer she teacheth doctrine cleane contrary to Gods truth as may be noted in these few examples Iesus Christ forbiddeth any of his desciples to desire preheminence ouer the other The Church of Rome hath a counterpoise Math. 24. for she constituteth one in authority aboue all the Bishops in the worlde Christ Iesus will that his Church take her firme foundation vpon this that he is Christ the sonne of the liuing God Math. 16.16.18 who suffereth not the gates of hell to preuaile against her Chruch not built vpō Peter for that she is grounded vppon a sure rocke which is Christ The Church of Rome will builde her vpon a rocke which like vnto man is subiect to fall awaye and come to ruine I meane during the life of S. Peter as may be seene how the flouds of misbeleiefe and riuers of infidelity haue had great power ouer her and brought her flat vpon the ground Carued Images To be short all the doctrine of our saluation as well in the olde as new Testament forbiddeth vs to draw or paint any images or statutes in matter of religion yet notwithstanding the Church of Rome obstinatly alloweth them will haue them and commaund them Finally in conferring the one with the other you may see as it were in a glasse that Belial is no more contrary to Christe falshood to truth darknesse to light vice to vertue then the doctrine of the Church of Rome to that of the Mediator and accessor to the Soueraigne good Beholde then Christ Iesus in the Romane Church deuested of his doctorall robe Now remaines the third and last dignity of his vnction that is to say that he is King hauing all power both in heauen earth as it is proued by diuerse places of the holy Scripture namely in the 49. of Genes in the person of Iuda in the 11. of Esay in the 31. of Ieremy Psal 2. Psal 110. Mathew 23. of the which he is likewise dispossed in the Church of Rome For whosoeuer saith that he hath both spirituall and temporall power to gouerne the Church Triumphant and Militant to doe with them according to his pleasure he doth surely take vpon him the true domination of Christ who saith I giue the water of life and who so shall drinke thereof Iohn 4.10 shall neuer haue thirst by which speciall passion of thirst he comprehendeth all other spiritually by the figure Synedoche This is that which the Apostle expoundeth and the Euangelist in the Apocalips speaking of Saints who haue washed their robes in the bloude of the Lambe Apoc. 21. and doe no more taste of lamentations sorrowes or any other kinde of passions or torment It beelongeth therefore onely to the vndefiled Lambe who giueth the water of life to make and canonize true Saints But the Pope who is the head of the Church of Rome taketh vppon him authoritye and power to create Saints and canonize them hee enrouleth in the booke of heauen such as he will and when it is his good pleasure hee maketh them to raigne with Christ Iesus in the like title and degree as himselfe he vaunteth to haue power ouer Angels to command them nay which is more one of his bookes named Stella Clericorum dooth affirme that the meanest Priest among them Pope aboue the Angels is greater in dignity then the holy Virgin and all the Angels How much greater
then is the Creator of Priests viz. the Pope Oh shamelesse vanity Non Stygius tentaret Orcus quod audent effrenes monachi Againe euery one may easilye know what authority he taketh in the Church Militant excommunicating some anathematizing others he taketh the temporall sword hee pulleth downe kinges and Monarches from their thrones he setteth his foote vpon their necks and commonlye makes them kisse his pantable I omit to speake of the excessiue dignities attributed vnto him by his owne Canons Decrees Decretals Clementines being truely extrauagant from all truth as likewise a thousand more points of doctrine issuing out of these three principals That Christ Iesus is deuested of his office of Sacrificer in the Roman Church that his office of Doctorship is taken frō him that his gouernement in heauen and earth is vsurped from him Now seeing these offices are necessary adiacents to the Soueraigne good that the Church of Rome diuorceth them from the Mediator it must needes be that she doth not seeke the Soueraigne good but rather shuns and flyes from it Hence therfore it comes brethren that I haue renounced Papistry and doe purpose carefully and with labour to seeke the right pathes leading to the Soueraigne good wherwith the Church of Rome is not acquainted And for this purpose I haue abiured and do now abiure al her doctrine as blasphemous Apostaticall superstitious and as farre from Christianity as she is from the true ende and scope of mans creation which is the Soueraigne good And finally aboue all other graces wherewith God of his mercy hath made me pertaker I yeelde him most humble thankes for these two which are farre beyond compare of all others videlicet that hee hath shewed vnto mee through the light of the holye Ghost the natural brightnesse of his holy truth that the clearenesse thereof causeth his beames to shine in the Churches of this kingdome reformed both in faith and doctrine according to the purenesse and sincerity of his holy Gospell The confession of whose faith I will not onely seale with pen and inke vpon paper but also if neede be against tyrants with my bloud vpon this base Territority In which reformed Church I protest to dye and finish my dayes praying the Lord Almighty and onely wise who hath called me to the knowledge of his truth that he will establish ratifie this vocation of me and make me to feele and perceiue the full effects of his eternall election and further that of his mercye he will strengthen and assist me against all assaults and temptations that may present themselues before me And to conclude I hartily beseech this Church to make mee pertaker of her holy praiers as I will in like sort be euer mindefull as well to powre forth prayers to the eternall for her long prosperous continuance as also for those that are of the like faith in Iesus Christ To whom with the father and holy Ghost bee giuen all honour and glory both now and for euer Amen So Signed De Beauvall We the Pastoures and Elders of the reformed Church of Saint Amand L' Alher in Bourbony doe certifie that this day being the 16. of Iuly 1600. Maister Edmond de Beauval heretofore a Iesuite hath made a publicke abiuration of all the Papisticall Idolatries wherin he had bin norished and instructed protesting to liue euer hereafter as the reformed Churches of this kingdom do require according to a solemne promise by him made in an assembly of some Pastours Elders aswell of this said Church as others hereabout held at Belt in the house of the Lord of the said place the fourth day of this month and hath signed his confession of the faith of the reformed Churches of this kingdome In witnesse whereof we whose names are here vnder written haue giuen him this present Testimony to the end that he may be knowne in those places where he shall come for a mēber of the true Church Yeouen at S. Amand the day and yeare aboue written Signed Iamet Pastor of the said Church Perrinet an Elder Maget an Elder Perrimet Iudge in the said place Deueras De Foulenay Daniard Limosin Ieneueau Gaillard The declaration of Leonard Theuenot heretofore Priest and Curat of the Parish of S. Sauin in the Citie of Poitiers publickly pronounced in the Church of Poitiers aforesaid at the end of the exhortation on Sunday the 26. of Nouemb. 1600. I Am heere before God the Father the Sonne and the Holy-ghost and the elect Angels this Christiā assembly summarily to declare what I haue been in time past in what minde I am at this present wherto by the meanes of my God I aspire in time to come I am borne and was bred vp vntill this present in the Church which is called Romane where I sucked from the vncleane dugs of the impudent Babel and was one of her fauoured Nurse children euen to the obteyning the marke of the beast to be aduanced to the Priest-hood and sacrifizing of humane inuētion which I haue vsed for the space of fiue yeares I was soothed vp and I beleeued it that I was in Bethell that is to say in the house of God which is the Church the which he which hath not for his Mother cannot haue God for his Father as S. Cyprian and S. Augustin apostolically doe teach But some dayes since that it hath pleased God by his holy Spirit to awaken and with-drawe my soule from the letarge wherewith it was possessed working inwardly in me and there stirring vp and executing a great desire to reade the holy Scriptures to conferre of that which concerneth eternall saluation especially with the pastour of this church I perceiued and acknowledged that I was in Bethauen that is to say in the house of Iniquitie of corruption and of abhomination where the puritie of the word of God is defiled the sinceritie and truth of the Sacraments corrupted and the holy commandements of God by mens traditions are brought to nothing and haue euer since continually heard a voyce soūding in the eares of my conscience saying vnto me Depart frō Babilon get thee out of the middest of her for feare that continuing in participating in her sinnes thou receiue of her punishment Now to obey this voyce which the holy scriptures teach me to be of the Spirit of God I am retired into this place to you which I acknowledge to be of the sheepfolde of our Lord Iesus Christ for as you heare his voyce and will not giue eare to strangers and mercenaries I protest that I do abhorre and detest the Romish Idolatries and Superstitions and do renounce the Pope whome I acknowledge to be the sonne of perdition the man of sinne described by Saint Paul 2. to the Thessaloni 2. and the papacie Pope is Antichrist which is the great whore described in the Apocalips And that I desire to liue and to dye in the confession and profession of the faith of the reformed churches of