reading some bookes intreating of Religion and such as handle matters now in controuersie I haue bestowed some time in reading and examining the places of holy Scripture whereof Saint Paule speaketh 2. Tim. 3. that the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiratinn of God and profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes Iohn 5.39 Esay 8. whereof he also beareth record that the Scripture is of power to make vs become wise to saluation through faith in our Lorde Iesus Christ It is shee as I said before to whome our Sauiour Christ sendes vs as also the Prophet Esay when he vseth these wordes Romish seruice To the lawe and to the testimony if they speake not according to this worde it is because there is no light in them there haue I found seeking her opinion and aduice touching the seruice and doctrine maintained in the Romane Church which shee in no wise approoues but contrariwise in expresse wordes condemnes it I haue not disdayned to peruse the auncient fathers and doctors of the Christian Church whome the Romane Church ordinarilye vse for a buckler against those of the religion their owne wordes doe make mee know that their bookes serue not so much to confirme the seruices in the Church of Rome as to destroy them One thing hath exceedingly mooued me that is the Masse and prayers vsed in the Romane Church Masse which beare witnesse against themselues hauing many traces and reliques of the auntient doctrine of the primitiue Church which was in the Apostles time And to shew that I do not speake this at randome I will produce some witnesses aswell out of the holy Scriptures and auntient fathers as out of that which is contained in the Masse and in the seruice of the Church of Rome The principall controuersie at this day is concerning the pure seruice of God Those of the Church of Rome and in generall all the religious thereof do fully esteeme and conceiue it to consit in praying to Saints and Ladies Praying to Saints to honour and serue them nay which is more to present themselues before their images and there yeeld vp their offerings and deuotions God speaketh so plainely by his first commaundement to worship and serue him onely Exod. 20. Math. 4. Deut. 6. Esay 48. Exod. 20. that it is easilie seene how hee condemneth all seruice in the Romane Church And heereunto I adde his protestation made by Esay Not to giue his glory to another his declaration else where that he is iealous of his honour What can there be more expresse against all the seruices of images then the prohibition by the second commaundement Against Images not to make any image nor the likenesse of any thing not to bowe downe to it and worshippe it I shoulde neuer haue done if I shoulde rehearse all the passages of holye Scripture which are against images and the seruice of them Haba 2. Ierem. 10. they are called vanity teachers of falshoode and those that shall serue them are threatned to be brought to confusion The other great contention at this day is touching the transubstantiation and worshipping of the host TransubstantiatioÌ„ They perswade themselues in the Church of Rome that the bread and wine of the Masse after their consecration is no more bread and wine but the true and naturall bodie of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and thereuppon they forge that the substaunce of breade and wine must not be there any more sought for vnder these apparances of bread and wine Christ Iesus is there really all whole both God and man in his owne proper substance and therefore they teach men to bow downe themselues and worship this bread and this wine wherein doubtlesse they commit a great Idolaty if Christ Iesus be not there Act. 3.22 Acts. 3.20 Iohn 12.8 Mat 28.5.6 Mar. 24.23 Mar. 13.21 Luke 17. Ma. 24.27 as they would haue it beleeued And I pray you what meane so many places of the holy Scripture which testifie that Christ Jesus is ascended vp into heauen that from thence he shall not come vntil he commeth to iudge the quicke and the dead that the heauens do containe him vntill the day that all things shal be restored that we shall haue the poore alwayes with vs but him we shall not haue alwaies that wee must not follow those that shall say Christ is heere Christ is there that he shall come like lightning that goeth from the east towards the west The Apostle Saint Paul names bread and cuppe the bread wine in the celebration of the supper Whosoeuer shall eate of this bread 1. Cor. 11. saith he and drinke of this cuppe c. Our Sauiour Christ Iesus after the communication of his supper Math. 26. Marke 14.22.23.24 Luk. 22.19 Iohn 4.14 nameth the cuppe which he had ministred to his Apostles the fruite of the Vine I will drinke no more saith he of this fruite of the vine hee himselfe requires it at the hands of his worshippers Who worship the father in spirit truth places wholy contrary to the doctrine of transubstantiation and adoration of the host 1. Cor. 10.16.17 I know well that the breade of the supper is called the body of Christ and the wine also the bloud of Christ but notwithstanding I note on the other side that the same bread is called the communion in the body of Chrost the wine is called the bloud of Christ but it is also named the communion of the bloud of Christ and the new Testament in the blood of Christ Which places teach vs that we must not alwaies take the words in the foote of the letter nor vnderstaÌ„d that the bread wine of the supper be not more bread and wine in their substance but as bread is called the communion in the body of Christ the wine the communion and new testament in the bloud of Christ for because they represent vnto vs our coÌ„munion in the body bloud of Christ the new testament in the same bloud of Christ and moreouer the bread and wine of the Lordes supper represent vnto vs the body and bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ August in prolog tract Psalm 3. Tertulâ—adu Marcio lib. 4. chap. 40. Et lib. 3. Cotra eunde cap. 19. as S. Augustine and Tertullian name them the one a signe the other a figure of the body and bloud of Christ And this was the reason when Christ instituting his supper hath saide of breade This is my bodye and of wine This cuppe is my bloud Hence it comes that the auntient Church as the wordes of the Masse giues vs to vnderstand when they came to the communication of the supper vsed this exhortation sursum corda therby aduertising the faithfull to lift vp their harts aboue the visible things of the Sacrament and to imbrace Christ Iesus
therefore resolued vvith himselfe to leaue the same and to giue himselfe vnto the fellovvship of the doctrine of the Gospell And came from Prage this yeare about Sexagesimae vnto our most gracious Prince and Lord to Dresden and vpon his graces further appointment likevvise came hither to Wittenberge and presently tolde vs of his purpose to ioyne himselfe vnto our Churches according as he should be best directed vvherevnto vve vvished him Gods blessing and furtherance and also receiued him vvillingly And for that he had heretofore a good vvhile vsed publiquely to Preach himselfe thought it very expedient by preaching to condemne such euident errors vvhich he did vvith a vvell meditated Sermon and great descretion from his heart This recātation was solemnly made before a great auditory of all sorts vpon the day Misericordias Domini this yeare in the Parish Church before a great congregation consisting of the vniuersitie and Schollers out of all Countries together vvith the vvhole company of Cittizens and Commons And after the Sermon ended he confirmed this his confession vvith prayer and the Lords Supper VVherefore vve humbly thanke the Eternall for that he daily graciously calleth his poore strayed sheepe vnto his heauenly kingdome and doe further beseech Almighty God our heauenly Father to vouchsafe by the vvorking of his holy Spirit fatherly to strengthen and confirme this Godefrid in the knovvne trueth mercifully to reduce other strayed sheepe vnto his sheepefould also to direct and gouerne his people and to confound the Romane Antichrists raging kingdome euen for his beloued Sonne Jesus Christ our Lord his sake Amen At Wittenberg the fift of May. 1601. By the Senior and other Doctors of Diuinitie there A Recantation done on the second Sonday after Easter called there Misericordias Domini vpon the Gospell for the day IOHN 10. ver 11. to 17. Iesus spake vnto the Iewes I am that good shepheard the good shepheard giueth his life for the sheepe But an hireling and he that is not the shepheard neither the sheepe are his owne seeth the Woolfe comming and he leaueth the sheepe and fleeth and the Woolfe catcheth them and scattereth the sheepe So the hireling fleeth because he is an hireling and careth not for the sheepe I am that good shepheard and know mine and am knowne of mine As the Father knoweth me so knowe I the Father and I lay downe my life for my sheepe Other sheepe I haue also which are not of this fould them also must J bring and they shall heare my voice and there shall be one sheepefould BEloued and elect in the Lorde Christ we reade in the Booke of the Chronicles of the Kings how that Almightie God did fight for his people and slue a great multitude of the enemies 2. Chro. 20. and obtained the victorie and got thereby such a huge spoile and bootie that in three whole dayes they could not carrie all the same away but in the fourth day they went into the Valley of Blessing Christ by his bitter sufferings hath subdued all our enemies and made vs to reioyce by giuing vs inwarde peace and there praised the Lord. Now hethervnto beloued your well affected mindes haue sufficiently heard how great a combate Iesus Christ hath sustained for vs the like whereof was neuer heard nor the like bootie was euer brought vnto the people of God This was done on Passion Friday past on which day the Sonne of God through his bitter sufferings ouercame and vtterly threwe to the ground all the enemies of mankinde whereby there is giuen vnto vs such a bootie of the which we may reioyce for euer As also the Prophet Esay saith in his 9. chap. ver 3. They haue reioyced before thee according to the ioye in Haruest and as men reioyce when they deuide the spoile Such glorious ioye haue we heard and found vpon the holy Easter day when Christ victoriously rose againe from the dead Now what this booke is that we haue herehence receiued was declared and taught vnto vs the last Sonday namely that peace which Christ thrise wished his Disciples Peace be with you to shew that through his sufferings death and resurrection now from henceforth all is become peaceable Let this therefore now stand still before vs that we like vnto the antient people of God hasten vs vnto the valley of blessing lawde honor and praise the worlds Sauiour Man soone forgetteth Gods benefits and therefore must often be put in minde thereof and neuer forget so great and vnspeakeable a benefit But because man forgetteth nothing more nor sooner then benefits the whole Christian Church hath set before vs this day such a Gospell in which is brought againe vnto our mindes the great loue and mercy of our most dearest shepheard Christ as namely how that he gaue his life vnto death for vs straied sheepe Seeing therefore I haue hethervnto beene a Fryer and stuck in the manifolde errors of Poperie but am now by the giuen grace of God come vnto the light of the trueth I will ground this my Recantation vpon this dayes Gospell 3. partes and deuide the same into three parts 1. First for that this present Sonday is in Christendome called Misericordias Domini the mercies of the Lord I will speake of the great mercy of God contained in these wordes I am that good sheepheard and giue my life for my sheepe 2. Secondly how God ordinarily bringeth the straied sheepe and sinners vnto his sheepefould seeing Christ saith He hath yet other sheepe which he must bring hithervnto 3. Thirdly how we ought to heare the true shepheard Christ his voyce and therein shew the errors of Poperie which are to be auoided as the very voyce of Antichrist Now the good and mercifull God assist vs herein with his diuine grace Amen 1. Part. Wherein Gods great mercies are set forth It is not without cause that the holy Apostle S. Paule 2. Cor. 1. vers 3. calleth Almightie God The Father of mercies and God of all comfort And Ephes 2.4 A God which is riche in mercie Without all controuersie Paul had some cause giuen him why he gaue God such a notable and glorious title yea surely there was good cause giuen him for he was a blasphemer and a persecutor but yet acknowledgeth he was receiued of God to mercy 1. Timoth. 1.13 Not onely that God had of his mercie forgiuen his sinnes but also had aduanced him to a notable Apostle and Preacher of his holy Gospell Dauid likewise exceedinglye commendeth Gods mercie but not without cause for he was an adulterer and a murtherer and yet God did not onely remit him his sinne but did also establish his kingdome in peace And therefore he iustly saith Psal 33.5 Benignitate or as the common translation Misericordia Domini pleci est terra The earth is full of the goodnesse or mercie of the Lord. And in the 145. Psalm ver 9. His mercies are ouer all his workes But such mercie goeth not
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
out of the aboue alleaged places of Christ and Paul that either the Lord Christ or Paul in the same euer ordained or cōfirmed the Masse An exhortation vnto all to auoid Poperie but the Lords Supper as we faithful Christians dayly vse Let this also suffice to be said of the third part Wherefore I exhorte all people but especially louing parents that they wil faythfully admonish and warne their children to flie from poperie as from Sathan For I am well perswaded these fewe yet fearefull errours will giue them iust occasion to take heede of Poperie and thus hath our louing mercifull God of his great mercie sought me found me and pulled me his vnworthy seruant although I were then no seruant but a persecutor no sheepe but a wolfe no shepheard but a destroyer of the sheepe out of popery that I may now ioyfully sing and say with the prophet Dauid The snare is broken and I am deliuered the Lord was my helper Here hence thē vpō the knowledge of such errors The Authors thāks giuing and prayer seeing that thou O God father of mercies hast opened my eyes and lightened my vnderstanding that I might know them to be such errours also hast giuen me a hart not to contend with thee I praise thanke thee through thy sonne Iesus Christ And I also beseech thee father of mercies through thy sonne Iesus Christ thou wouldest graciously forgiue me all my sins abhominations and Idolatries which I haue done and accustomed my selfe vnto in popery agaynst the cleare light of thy holy worde these twentie yeeres euen for thy beloued sonne Iesus Christ his merites for I did it ignorantly I intreate thee likewise Father of mercie thou wouldest of thy like grace and goodnes mercifully keepe and preserue me in this knowne truth strengthen me as thou didest strengthen thy seruant Paul when he put the Iewes to rebuke And I pray no lesse the whole Christian Church His request to the congregation to remember me in their prayers that our mercifull good God moued by the prayers of honest and faythfull Christians may keepe me the more graciously and make me strong and sure in this my knowledge And hereupon I Godfride Rabin He proueth this his recantation to be sincere protest and witnesse before the eyes of thy bottomlesse mercie before thee Iesus Christ my alone sauiour and redeemer before thee God the holy spirit who in Baptisme sanctified me to be a Christian and before you as a Christian congregation that by Gods gracious assistance I will not depart from this pure doctrine and knowne trueth neyther through ioy nor sorrow neyther through hunger nor miserie neyther through good nor ill successe But as before I haue sayd will abide constant to my end whereunto God assist me with his holy Gospell Moreouer I doe Anathematice and cursse that blasphemous poperie with all other sectes and heresies which fight and striue euer more and more agaynst Gods worde Amen The Declaration of Symon Palory of Richeleieu heretofore Prior and prouinciall in the pretended order of the Holy Crosse according to the protestation by him made in the reformed church of Caen the 11. of March 1601. 1. Cor. 4.6 Presume not to knovve aboue that vvhich is vvritten I Make no question but many will be offended at this my change I do foresee that many likewise will speake opprobriouslie and iniuriouslie of me and therefore I thought it not amisse to make known vnto you all what my profession hath bin vntill this present and the motiues that haue stirred me to take this resolution in hand It is about 18. or 20. yeares that I haue liued in the order of the Holy-Crosse which profession I haue not left for any lightnesse or humorous conceit God is my witnesse for before I tooke this holy resolution vpon me I haue indured manie combates in my selfe I haue wel pondered and foreseene the dangers and inconueniences whereinto I might fall I haue seene that according to the world I am sufficiently furnisht wherwith to liue at pleasure and therein to spend the residue of my daies and forsaking the same I haue likwise foreseene necessitie and much vnquietnes Neither am I entred into this happie resolution through any discontentment receiued by any of these of my order I haue Letters testimoniall from our Generall which sufficientlie testifie how I was honoured and beloued of those of my order but I must now come to vnfolde vnto you that which hath awaked me in the prime of my pleasures I haue throughly considered in my selfe the great contentions that haue beene and yet are in Christendom touching religion I haue cast the eyes of my minde vpon that mortal hatred which the greatest part of the world and those too that are the greatest personages do beare to true religion and the professors thereof I haue laid before me the sharpe and greeuous persecutions exercised against them and on the other side I cannot forget their constancie firme resolutiō to maintaine that which makes them so odious among so many assaults and dangerous trials cōtrarie to mans nature which seeks after naught els but rest and that which may bring him solace and pleasure This consideration makes me suspect that it is more then a humane spirit that awakes in them these heauenly motions so smally acceptable to the flesh I here the voyce of the Lorde speaking by his holie Apostle Try all things but retaine that which is good 1 Thes 5. Iohn 5. Act. 17. I here our Sauiour Christ commanding vs to found the Scripture the example of the faithfull of Berea who examined the Scriptures to see if that which S. Paule preached was answerable thereunto comes into my memory I behold how it was a question of eternall saluation and deserued in good earnest to be thought vpon I confesse freely that in comming and going from place to place for the execution of my charge of prouinciall I haue communicated with some of the religion aswell Ministers as others I haue seene and haue bin constrained to confesse that al maner seruices are not acceptable in Gods sight Ierem. 7. Es 29.13 Math. 15.8.29 Colos 1. He condemneth by his Prophet Esay and by our Sauiour Iesus Christ in S. Mathew the commandements and traditions of men he reiecteth by Saint Paule to the Colloss voluntary seruices what apparaunce or shew so euer they haue of deuotion He forbiddeth vs in Deuteronomie Deut. 4. to do that which shall seeme good in our owne sight and enioyneth vs to do onely that which he commaundeth vs neither to adde nor diminish his word he cryeth vnto vs by his Prophet Who hath required that at your hands Such and an infinite number of other like places of Scripture haue induced me to learne whether my profession were of Gods institution or if God were the author of those seruices which now beare greatest sway in the middest of the Roman Church I haue busied my selfe in
become fountaines our harts to yeld forth vnspeakable sighes considering in the theater of the world the great multitude which through the whirlewinde of sedition is rauished drawne and caried headlong into the gulfe of perdition But O father of light seeing it is thy maner rather to vse mercy then iustice that thy will and pleasure is to vse fauour not fury and that thou doest not desire the death of a sinner but that rather he turne to thee and liue stretch forth thy hand ouer them drawe them to thee teach them sith thy good pleasure is that all shoulde come to the knowledge of saluation Imprint in their soules a desire to founde thy holy Scriptures and let the discretion of thy holy spirite leade them togather in these gardens fit and necessarye hearbs for the physick of their spirituall infirmities the foode of their soules the sacrament of eternity the certayne pledge of felicity But as for me O father and most good God what shall I render vnto thee for those thy exceeding blessings bestowed vppon mee for like a good sheepeheard thou hast sought after my soule beeing a poore wandering sheepe and hauing layde her vpon thy shoulders hast brought her backe to thy euangelicall sheepefould to ioyne her to the flocke of thy true faithfull thou hast vnmasked her eyes layd open to her the abuses of Papistry made knowne to her where she should finde her rest and tranquillity the trueth of her saluation thou hast forgiuen me all my sinnes and healed me of all my infirmities thou hast saued my life from the pit thou hast crowned me with mercy and pitty and satisfied me with all good things Psal 130. so that through this my conuersion and this change by the power of my Creator I am made young and lusty as an Eagle what shall I then giue vnto the Lord for al the good which he hath done me Surely my deare brethren euen as I esteeme and holde this to be the chiefest most excellent benefit among all those wherwith it hath pleased God of his vncomparable bounty and heauenly mercy to make me pertaker so willingly I do acknowledge confesse my selfe vnable to render any thing comparable to so great a good yet notwithstanding among all those that are bound to yeilde harty thankes to God I do acknowledge my selfe at this time most of all indebted For alas without this benefit what profit should I haue receiued of all the fauours which came from him but condemnation ruine confusion What would it haue auailed me that the welbeloued son of God Christ Iesus who became obedient to his father endured the ignominious death of the Crosse for my reconcilation to God his father if I had beene depriued of so great a benefit if I had continued stil in that spirituall fornication wherin I was altogether ignorant of the pure trueth of the Gospel What vtility I pray you to see my selfe created after Gods Image and yet to haue borne the portrature character of beast What profit to haue had the eyes of my bodie open to the outward light and those of my soule debarred of the inward brightnesse and besieged with the darkenesse of infidelitie Arise then my soule and praise the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name praise the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits let his praise be alwayes in thy mouth to the end the meeke and gentle may here it and reioyce Psal 103. O praise the Lorde with me and let vs magnifie his name together I sought the Lord and he hard me ye he deliuered me out of all my feare Psal 34. Iob did curse the day of his temporall birth in this miserable world but I ought to blesse the day of my spirituall regeneration to eternall life for that the God of all mercy and consolation hath caused to appeare in me the effects of his eternall election acknowledging me for his child of adoption and for a lawfull heire of that great and eternall kingdome purchased for the elect through the perfect obedience of Christ Iesus their brother And as at this time I haue abiured that strumpet and her fornication so now I promise and protest before God and his Church hence forth with all my power to liue and dye in the faith of the Churches reformed where I see the Gospell purely preached and the Sacraments faithfully administred the confessiō of whose faith I wil seale not only with pen and Inke vpon paper but also through the effusion of my owne bloud if need be and this I fully purpose to do through the grace of almighty God who hath called me to this resolution and whome with all the powers of my soule I do entirely beseech to ratifie his vocation in me finally to make me feele the full effects of his election that he would likewise fortifie and assist me against all assaults and attempts that may be presented against me seruing me insteede of a strong and inuincible buckler in all dangers both spirituall and corporall I earnestly beseech the present congregatiō of the faithfull to receiue me into their number to the ende that after I haue fought a good fight with them in this church militant I may after my departure hence raigne with them in the triumphant So be it Amen Iohn Colleij The Conuersion of Signeur Melchior Roman a Spaniard sometimes Proctor of the order of Iacobins at Rome for the prouince of Thoulouse which he hath publickly protested in the reformed Church of Bragerak the 27. of August 1600. being Sunday THE holy Scripture telleth vs that the good Jacob seeing himselfe deceiued by Laban who the more he serued him the lesse was recompensed receiuing nought else but ingratitude and iniuries went into the lande of promise carrying away with him all his riches which so soone as Laban vnderstood he came to seeke him in the Mount Galaad and searched or visited all that which Iacob had caryed away where he found nothing that was his And afterwardes they made an agreement betweene them that from thence foorth the one should not come towardes the other to doe him hurt and for a token heere of they named this Mountaine Galaad which is to say the hill of Testimonie Saint Ierome saith and also Pagnine that Laban signifieth whitenesse and Philo the Hebrew that this word Laban signifieth colour so that whether it be in the one or other signification it representeth an accidentall and inconstant thing Who is this Laban A deceiuer a traitor and an vngratefull person who hath so oftentimes deceiued Iacob What is this cursed wretch who hath onely the apparance of good but no solide nor constant good indeed It is euen this papistrie and Sophistrie which we see in these tromperies and deceipts of riches and vnder the title of holinesse of obedience of pouerty of fastings and fained disciplines leadeth many to despaire Surely it is a worke of great pietie to flye
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
shall be in heauen for one sinner that conuerteth more then for ninetie and nine iust men which neede none amendment of life The Dedication To the reuerend Ministers Elders and Deacons of the French congregation in Middelborough Lowys du Bois vvisheth peace and saluation HOnorable brethereÌ„ the desire which I haue to testifie how much I esteeme my selfe beholding vnto your worships because when I came first out of he bottomelesse pitte of darkenesse yee haue not onely receiued me very friendly but also entertained hether to with your liberality This desire moueth me to giue vnto your worship not any thing worthy for such a benefit but that which I can onely giue at this present beseeching your worship to regard more the affection of the giuer then the smalnesse of the gift I send vnto you my reclamation from Poperie done publickelie in the citty of Leyden out of the which God by his infinit mercy hath brought me vnto a sound resolution and confession of the true religion for to liue and dye in it God which hath begun his worke in me accomplish the same also and giue vnto your honourable bretheren daylie increase in scripture and corporall giftes and by the same grace bestowed on me to call those which are yet drowned in the impurities of Poperie and liue in the middest of a Babilonicall confusion Leyden the 14. of Iune 1601. Your honours most humble seruant Lowys du Bois The Conuerssion of Lowys du Bois I Stand heere in the presence of God the father and his electe Angels and of this Christian congregation for to declare briefly what I haue beene in times past and of what minde and inclynation I am at this present and whereunto I hope to come by the grace of God Beeing now departed from the abuse of Popery which are an Aâ—ysme of impietie by which the name of God is so villanously prophaned and so sinfullie attributed vnto idols Beholde the reason why I am gone out of this daungerous labyrinth of damnable errors and there is no body hauing onely a smacke of knowledge of the trueth but he will with all his hart flie from the same and abhor it according to that excellent admonition giuen by the holy Euangelist Iohn in his Reuelation the 18. vers 4. Go out of her my people that ye be not pertakers of her sinnes and that yee receiue not of her plagues c. And euen as God in this spirituall Babilon and vnder this kingdome of Antechrist hath alwayes kept his elect so he doth drawe the same in conuenient time out of this pit of damnation darkenesse errour and ignorance for to bring them vnto him Such a one am I at this present by the grace of my God which hath opened mine eyes for to vnderstand the falshood and infidelitie of the Romish Church The authors institution of former life in the which I haue been nourished instructed amgoÌ„st the sect most superstitious order of S. Francis as one of the chiefest fauorites did exercise the office of a Priest offering the abhominable sacrifice in that Sinagogue notwithstaÌ„ding my hart being yet hardned my vnderstaÌ„ding vayled with ignorance I esteemed my selfe to be in the house of God and in the middest of his church and the wayes leading into damnation seemed vnto me good and vpright But now by the grace of God our Father who according to the great riches of his bountifull grace as the Apostle testified in the 2. Ephe. 2.7 The authors conuersion Chap. to the Ephesi and by the inward motion of his fauour hath so graciously drawne me out of the pit of ignorance to his knowledge mine eyes beeing opened and my vnderstanding enlightened I consider now how farre I was gone astray from the way of saluation beeing so zealous in the tradition and ordinances of the fathers with the Apostle S. Paule before his conuersion Gala. 1.14 The practise of Poperie is fained deuotion and an Ape play as he himselfe telleth in the first to the Galathians being in a house full of iniquitie and vncleanenesse where the truth of Gods word lies vnder foote although they seeme to maintaine the bookes comprehended in the olde and new Testament for to blinde so the eyes of the common and simple people the which the meane-while they doe occupie with humaine traditions which not onely are not to be found in the scripture which is the onely rule of trueth but are quite contrary and repugnant to the same making them to beleeue that it is sufficient if they continue sometimes religiously in their Ape-play ceremonies and church customes as there is the sweete singing in the Masse vespers and mattines not permitting that the mysteries of saluation conteyned in the scriptures should be vnderstood of euery one but that all should be plaide in an vnknowne speech fearing that Gods word being translated into the common language might bring full knowledge and vnderstanding to euery one therefore also they do forbid that no body should be so bolde as to reade the Bible and to haue it in their houses holding them for heretickes and suspect men which keepe it by them so bridle them with threatnings of imprisonment and of death in the name and by the commandement of the Pope The Popes part who being partly by deceit partly by more Barbarous tyranny by little and little crept into the middest of the Church boasteth himselfe to be O monstrous blasphemy the Vicar of Iesus Christ and the head of his Church sitting as God in the Temple of God as it is written 2. 2. Thes 2.4 Thess 2. robbing vnshamefully and attributing to himselfe the honour which the holy Scripture onely describeth to Iesus Christ the true head of his elect Eph. 4. 5. Col. 1. 2. in the 4. and 5. to the Ephesians and in the first and second to the Collossians vsurping not onely authoritie and violence against all right and reason ouer all the Monarkes and Princes of the earth so that they must submit their neckes vnder his feete The Princes slauery and are constrained with more then seruile seruitude and bondage to kisse the soule of his Pantoffles but also although it be vntollerable before God and men doth endeuour and seeke to gouerne most cruelly the poore soules and consciences of men 2. Cor. 1.8 contrary to the saying of the Apostle 2. Cor. 1. vers 8. charging them with innumerable burthens of humaine traditions and triflings excommunicating some men and some condemning by anathema forgiuing sinnes with full authoritie canonizing the Saints arrogating to himselfe power aboue the Angels Pope aboue Angels to commaund and to vse them for his messengers and according to the same authoritie accompanied with more then godly wisdome as he boasted doth teach and instruct his flock deliuering vnto them the right scense and meaning of the holy scriptures as the onely and supreame interpretor of the same leading them in all truth The
not vnto Simon Peter but Simon Magus of whom is spoken in the 8. chap. of the Acts and treade vnder feete the sacrifice of Christ by the damned sacrifice of the Masse The Masse a damned Masse I name it damned and with good reason for if Satan in any article sheweth himselfe impudent deceitfull and malicious it is in this point For what is the Masse but a manyfest and damnable prophanation of the merites of Iesus Christ yea such a prophanation whereby not onely the body of our Lord Iesus Christ is againe here on earth killed being neuerthelesse ascēdid into heauen glorified by God his father and placed to his right hand commeth to be broken of a man as being comprehended in a peece of dowe but also the greatnesse the full satifaction the vertue the eternity of his merites are vtterly reiected The scripture to the contrary teacheth vs manifestly to fly such a monster of errors admonishing vs that we obtaine onely by the blood shedding of our Lord Iesus Christ once done at the Crosse saluation and not by the damned sacrifice of a priest who offers againe and teares in peeces as a cruell hang-man the body of our Lord Iesus Christ that it is by his onely sacrifice done for vs as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 1.30 But ye are of him in Christ Iesus who of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption That according as it is written he that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord Whereof the Apostle testifieth in the 9. to the Hebrewes making a comparison betweene the sacrifices of the olde Testament with the sacrifice of our Lorde Iesus Christ shewing the difference of the one to the other opposing the imperfection and mutability of the one for they were renewed euery yeare to the perfection of the eternity of the sacrifice of our Lord Iesus Christ And therefore reade the new Testament ouer and ouer you shall finde no where one word I say not onely of the Masse which is an inuention of Satan but neither of any Propetiatory sacrifices of what kinde soeuer they be but of the onely sacrifice of Iesus Christ Psal 110.4 who being anoynted of God his father to bee an eternall priest according to the order of Melchizedeck hath voluntarily giuen ouer himselfe vnto the death and for euer reconciled vs with God the father If then the matter be thus cleare what shall our Docters reply to maintaine their Masse which is vtterly conuicted by these places of the holy Scripture for they cannot hold the words of the Apostle for trueth vnlesse they accuse themselues of this their abuse the reason is euident for if the Leuiticall sacrifices haue beene vnperfect and not sufficient to wash away the sinnes of the children of Israel because it was necessary to iterate renew them often how much the more shall the Sacrifice of our Lord Iesus Christ bee of small estimation before God his father when not onely euery yeare but also euery day yea almost euery houre it must needes by a priest be itterated and renewed And loe this is the doctrine of that great vicar of Iesus Christ of his Bishops and Supposts or Cardinals c. Consider once the substance of this faire sacrifice which is figured in the Masse but why do I call it a sacrifice seeing it is nothing els but a manifest deuision of Christ and his merites for as the Apostle saith Heb. 7.22 Where no shedding of blood is there is no sacrifice Marke once briefly the doctrine wherewith they nourish the people when they speake concerning saluation they keepe them depending on their tradition and merits of men where the scripture contrariwise testifieth most euidently that we cannot please God in any sort of our selues or by our merits but that we obtaine saluation onely by faith that it is his pure goodnesse as we read in the 3.4.5 and 10. chap. to the Romanes and in the 2. 3. to the Ephesians where the Apostle excludeth cleerely all these commeritors when he sayes By grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Not of workes least any man should boast himselfe in the 3. to the Phillipians vers 8. I esteeme saith the Apostle speaking of his owne person hauing thousand times more reason to boast of perfection and holinesse of his workes then our Papists haue now a dayes I esteeme saith hee all things but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I haue counted all things losse and doe iudge them to be doung that I might winne Christ Shall we desire a cleare and manifest testimony for to humble our selues before God and so to lift vp our harts vnto God for to craue mercy from him But the wickednesse of the Romish cleargy is so great and the poore people is so blinded that they neuer examine themselues and the vnworthinesse of their merrites which be not at all yea insteed that they should cry out with the Prophet Dauid in his 143. Psalm vers 2. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified they flatter themselues bring to an account before God their merrites and worthinesses to be saued by them or at least partly Wherein we haue to marke the great deceitfulnesse of Satan who knowing our sicknesse and our weaker part and obseruing that men by nature is giuen to an idle presumption pleasing of themselues and that man flatters commonly himselfe he propounds vnto him his merrites and good workes to this end that putting his confidence on the same hee might forget to imbrace the grace of God which saueth vs in Iesus Christ and therefore if any doctrine be mingled with the deceite of Satan Iustification by merrits the deuills Doctrine it is this doctrine namely of the iustification of the poore sinner before God for if he could once take away the trueth of this Doctrine which is the foundation of our saluation he might soone come to the ende of his purpose and intent seeing that without this there is no more any life for the poore sinner no mercy no couenant no promise but in a word eternall damnation if we will trust in any manner on our selues or haue opinion onely of any merrite The death of Papists a good thing to obserue From whence I pray you come so many sobs so much weeping so many teares and to be short such an vnbeliefe and incertitude of saluation in the article of death not only amongst the common people but also amongst the Priest and teachers yea such a despaire that they condemne themselues hauing no feeling of the salutary grace of God is not the reason because they considering and diligently examining their owne workes finde nothing that can subsist before such a iust iudge Surelye it is so for they are all but infirmities and stinking pollutions And this is the