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
alone ouer one people and such mercy is not promised alone vnto one Nation Gods mercie cōmeth vnto all nations and sortes of people Cittie or Towne but it goeth ouer all mankinde The which Moses with great and feruent earnestnesse prooueth saying Exod. 34.6.7 The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slowe to anger and aboundant in goodnesse and trueth reseruing mercie for thousands that is without end As also God himselfe saith againe Deut. 5.9.10 I am the Lord thy God and shew mercie vnto many thousands In the second Booke of Samuel chap. 14. ver 14. the mercie of God is mightily declared by a notable speech Though God spare none that sinneth yet he appointeth means for the elects conuersion so receiueth to mercy the truely penitent A comfort to all afflicted consciences where the widow of Tekoah dealing with Dauid concerning Absolon whom Dauid for the murther he committed had banished amongst other things said thus God doth not spare any person yet doth he appoint meanes not to cast out from him him that is expelled But what are there any examples ready at hand whereby it may appeare to be so For otherwise surely the holy Scripture should be but of small accoumpt with afflicted and wounded consciences if it did but onely comfort vs with bare words without setting before vs any one example on whom God had also shewed his mercy But the holy Ghost hath besides the Scripture also set men before vs on whome we may cleerely see the exceeding great mercie of God Adam is iustly the first to be accompted of seeing also he was the first that was ouercome by Sathan and driuen from obedience to disobedience from the trueth to lyes for yet God would not that Adam should altogether perish but bethought him how Adam might be brought againe which was thus done After that Adam had perfected his sinne When soeuer man feeleth any motion or heareth any thing condemning his sinne it is of God that hee should repēt which he refusing casteth God off whatsoeuer he be he hid himselfe and then God asked Adam where art thou which God asked not as if he had not knowne where Adam was or sawe him not seeing there is no man that can hide himselfe from the sight of God but God therefore asketh that Adam should haue discended into himselfe and acknowledged his sinne and as after Dauid did should haue said Peccaui I haue sinned and should haue called vpon the mercy of God for grace and forgiuenesse Which because he did not but much more went about to hide excuse and extenuate his sinne God thrust him out of Paradise into the valley of miserie amongst all kinde of crosses sorrowe and trouble and yet that Adam might not altogether perish and dispaire vnder his crosse sufferings and sorrowes God doth forthwith vouchsafe him a most comfortable promise as namely that he would raise out of the woman a meanes and mediator which should helpe him and all his posteritie againe out of that miserie and breake the Serpents head The like occasion of bethinking himselfe gaue God to Caine Gens 4. whom also Satan had perswaded to murder for God notwithstanding dealt fauourablye with him to the end he might acknowledge his sinne and intreate for grace and pardon but in the end because he would not thus doe but onely say coldely his sinne was greater then might be forgiuen him he was through his owne fault temporally and eternally cast away and condemned God deliberateth much before he punisheth What a notable communication had God with Abraham before he ouerthrew the sinfull citties Sodom and Gomorrha Gen. 18. God accorded and yeelded so farre vnto Abraham that if they might haue found in those citties but ten righteous persons he would haue spared them What should I speake how God stood in contention deliberating with the holy man Moses concerning the stiffe-necked Iewes that he once said to Moses Exod. 32.10 Dimitte me Now let me alone that my wrath may waxe hote against them and consume them And what can with-holde God why he should not forthwith seuerely punish sinne but euen his mercy Examples whereof if the time would permit there might be manie alleadged But vnto any one euen of meane vnderstanding these alleadged may suffice where-hence he may aboundantlye learne how our good and mercifull God euen from the beginning vnto this present and will also hould and continue the same rule as long as the world indures according to his naturall mercie hath euer at all times so louingly and earnestly bethought him before he hath wholy ouerthrowne and destroyed any poore sinner As also the Lord Christ giues the same to vnderstand by the example of the vnfruitfull Figtree Luke the 13. Well and iustly therefore is it said by the Wiseman in the 11. chapter of his booke of Wisdome vers 20.21 Lord thou hast mercie vpon all for thou hast power of all things and makest as though thou sawest not the sinnes of men because they should amend For thou louest all the things that are and hatest none of them whome thou hast made And presently after in the last verse But thou sparest all for they are thine O Lord which art the louer of soules And againe Christ saith Math. 18.14 Man not repenting prouoketh God and procureth his assured wrath It is not the will of our Father which is in heauen that any of his little ones should perish And the holy Apostle S. Paul saith thus Rom. 2. ver 3.4.5 O thou man knowest thou not that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance But thou after thine hardnesse and heart that cannot repent heapest vp as a treasure vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath Consider it with thy selfe thou Christian hart and thinke vpon it well how oft hast thou giuen thy selfe lewdly and wilfully to any notorious sinne as to adultery All sinne seperateth vs from God or otherwise to any kinde of whoredome to theft murther blaspheming of God and to such other heauie sinnes which as the Scripture witnesse seperate vs from God so that God hath had iust cause euen in the dooing of that thy sinne to haue cast thee aliue into hell But now notwithstanding thou abidest yet and liuest yet Gods mercies for our preseruation are dayly renued and God hath not as yet reuenged himselfe vpon thee And wherefore not I pray thee where marke and obserue vpon what occasion the Prophet Ieremie saith in his Lamentations Lamen 3. ver 22.23 It is the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions faile not but are renued euery morning It is much saide and nature also teacheth that parents loue their children exceedingly and therefore sometimes are very slowe and lothe to take the rodde although the children haue well deserued it Gods mercie in part set forth by the loue of parents to their children although indeed there be no comparison therein for their loue preuaileth herein But what
of the minde in the elect as through the efficacie of faith which is a presence of things absent a vision of things inuisible an hypostasis of the misteries of eternall saluation Loe this is the truth of this sacrament contrary to mans tradition But time will no more suffer me to repeate the erronious absurdities of this tradition Purgatory Now of Purgatory which they dote vpon it is contrary to the washing and purging of Christ his precious bloud shed vpon the crosse applyed through vertue and secret operation of the spirit and receiued through a liuely faith But these are but Monkish absurdities to imagyne that the vnspeakable dignity of the Sacrifice of Christ is not perfectly able to blot out our offences to reconcile soules vnto God and to iustyfie before the throne of iustice it is surely a great deminyshing of his mercy grace vnspeakeable fauour a too much eclypsing of the inmatchable glory of the Ocean of his compassions I leaue behinde for breuity sake a Chaos of like errours most humbly beseeching the Lord to haue mercy vpon the ignorant to enlighten thē in his knowledge and to confound those that maliciously warre against the truth I will be no longer a captiue in Babilon thus to haue no remembrance of Sion nor remember my selfe And for that I cannot sing the Lords song in a strange land in this pernicious Babilon nor vpon her bankes which do ouerflow with abhominations I will make riuers of mine eyes with a sweete remembrance and contemplation of the spirytuall Ierusalem notwithstandyng all aduersityes which clense vs from vitious imaginations from all superstitions and idolatryes and to the ende I may worship one onely GOD and beleeue in his gospell renouncing all humane inuentions which faith is gyuen vnto vs by the holy ghost through the preaching of the holy Gospell as it is witten in Saint Iohn 3. Mathew Chap. 16. To the Romans Chap. 10. and in the Actes Chap. 16. and in many other places which to shun prolixity wee will not now name This profit therefore commeth of tribulations And surely I may well say that which I my selfe haue experimented a few dayes past wherein I was tormented with an infinite number of imaginations caused in respect of the absence of my parents to see my selfe in a strange countrey to here the Papistes murmure and ordinarily speake against me with threats and slaunders but howsoeuer I did pray vnto the Lord for those that persecuted me and for mine owne comfort and consolation for it was the true meane to fortifie me the more in the trueth of the Gospell as at this present I do with my eyes behold fresh comforts and new effects of the holy ghost in my soule bidding me perseuer in the obedience of the worde of life This was the purpose of Esay who saide O Lord in tribulations we will seeke thee and of the Prophet Dauid Fill their faces with shame and reproch then they will seeke thy mercifull name By the mouth of the Prophet Osee saith GOD himselfe In their troubles and anguishes they shall rise vp and acknowledge me By Ezechiell My Zeale shall be taken from thee and J will cease and will no more be angry with thee God giueth vs manifestly to vnderstand in this place that hee is angrye the more with vs when hee doth not punish and chastice vs with tribulations for then he sheweth not the loue he beareth vnto vs. Saint Iohn saith in the Apocal chap. 3. that those whom he loueth he chastiseth a great consolation doubtlesse Esay Chap. 43. When thou shalt passe through the waters the riuers shall not couer thee and when thou shalt tread vpon the fier it shall not burne thee This is represented vnto vs in Exodus 14. when the Hebrewes passed through the red sea in Daniel 3. when the young men of Babilon were cast into the burning flames God could well haue hindred them from casting the three innocent young men into the fire but he the more to shew his mighty glory and for the saluation of his own people suffered them to be throwne into the fier without receiuing any dammage or hurt In like maner the Lord doth shew greater mercy vnto me in chastising me with tribulations giuing me patience and spirituall strength then if he had deliuered me from the outragious ignominies and aduersities aboue said For I well knew that when I was in tranquillity and rest he had as it were forgotten me but so soone as hee laide his crosse vpon me I knew that I was his creature bought with the inestimable price of his owne bloud who hath iustified me through his vnmeasurable mercy and heauenly grace Thus much dooth the scripture teach vs when it saith that the King of Babilon saw three young men walke in the middest of the fiery flames singing praises vnto God that they were accompanied with an other resembling the sonne of God For tribulation taken with patience procureth God to come to vs and be our defender being free and loose from papisticall dignities and ambitions who with inuentions of rich Altars beautified with idolles of golde and siluer with many thousands of other superstitions doe hinder men from attaining to the true knowledge of the Gospell or grace The imitation of the Apostles Actes 5. causeth wise men to reioyce in their afflictions standing in great feare of prosperity Saint Ierome compareth tribulation to Jonas his whale when others thought she swallowed him vp to kill him she swallowed him vp to saue him Saint Gregory saith that like as perfumes layd vpon coles declare their force and good smell so men doe shew the fortitude of their vertues passing through the flouds of aduersity Saint Barnard saith that as woll is to be carded wherwith fine and pure cloth is to be made so must the life of the iust bee tormented to the end their knowledge prooue more excellent Saint Chrisostome saith that vertue surmounteth in patiently abiding that affection is the true hauen of heauen Saint Gregory prooues it God himselfe in Saint Mat. Chap. 7. saith that the way that leadeth to life is straight narrow but that which leadeth to death is very large thereby meaning to inferre that those who would obtaine glory must first passe through many tempests difficulties And surely it will be an vnspeakable contentment vnto vs if wee consider that those passages are by Iesus Christ who is the way of glory and let vs not wonder if they be set with thornes but rather thinke and consider of him who hath first passed them and whither hee at last resorted In the booke of Wisdome it is written that the Lorde had made knowne the right way together with his kingdome vnto the iust O Lorde I beseech thee at this present to shewe me the right way that I erre not For I doe stedfastly beleeue that Iesus Christe liuing in mee abolisheth the curse of the lawe condemneth sinne mortifieth death he alone is peace
THE Confession and publike recantation of thirteene learned personages lately conuerted in France Germanie and the Lowe-Countreys from Poperie to the Churches reformed wherein they haue zealously and learnedly set dovvne the reasons that moued them therevnto ¶ The names and degrees of the Conuerts 1. Godefrid Rahin Fryer and Preacher in Prage at S. Thomas on the little side 2. Simon Palory Prior Prouinciall of the order of the Holy crosse 3. Iohn Colleij a Caputchin and Guardian of S. Omer 4. Melchior Roman a Spaniard Proctor for the Iacobins at Rome 5. Iohn Norman Sub-prior of Marestay a Preacher 6. Father Abraham Prior of Carmes in Arles 7. Antony Ginestet a confessor of the order of S. Francis 8. Signeur Lewis of Câ—ransy a Priest 9. Father Edmon a Iesuite Doctor of Diuinity 10. Leonard Theuenot Curat of S. Sauin 11. Sir Francis a Monke of the order of the Celestins 12. Francis Goupil Angeuin a Fryer in the couent of Chastean Roux 13. Lewys du Boys Priest of S. Francis order in Dunkerke Translated out of the French and Dutch Printed copies by I. M. Imprinted at London for G. P. and are to be solde at the signe of the Bible in Paules Church-yard 1602. A Christian Recantation preached by the reuerend GODEFRID RABEN in English Crowe who had beene an Augustine Fryer and Preacher in Prage at S. Thomas on the little side VVherein he biddeth the Romaine Popedome farevvell recanteth freely and openly the same superstition and Antichristian abhominations in vvhich he had before bin nusled and gaue himselfe to the Protestant Churches of the Augsburgisher confession made in the Parish Church at Wittemberg on Sonday called Misericordias Domini 1601. Then published for the benefit of all well affected Christians together with a Preface made by the facultie of Diuinitie at VVittemberg and Printed at Magdeburg by Iohn Franck the same 1601. And now faithfully translated according to the said high Dutch coppy with an addition of the verses in all the alledged Scriptures and Marginall notes by I. M. A Preface vnto the Christian Reader FOr the space of certaine yeares hethervnto If men be not well grounded nor haue conscience they will in time of persecutioÌ„ be easily drawne froÌ„ the trueth euen euer since the Papists in Stiria Carinthia and Carnira haue begun againe vvith might and maine as enemies to persecute the Gospell vve haue had grieuous experience in vvhat sort manie people some for fauor of their Gouernors feare to be driuen froÌ„ their great lands and honor some for loue of their earthly countrey vvealth and goods some of foresight and pride desirous to be thought more vvise then others and some also of simplicitie and feare haue falne from the knovvne trueth of the holy Gospell and haue imbraced the palpable Idolatrous errors of cursed Romish Poperie For then by reason of such bloodshedding many godly hearts vvere greatly offended because they savve Gods cleare and pure vvord In persecution God trieth and strengthneth his children contained in the Bible must indure to be openly proclaimed accompted by many simple soules for heresie and horrible errors vvhere hence also vvas occasioned of euery side much doubting of the doctrine vvhereby also the blinde Papists conceiued vnto themselues a vaine hope that thence forvvard the Popes Antichristian kingdom vvas set vp againe on foote that his condemned hypocrisie Idolatrie blasphemous doctrine should be againe of most esteemed and receiued for pure holinesse But the eternall good God according to his comfortable promise hath not forgotten his beloued Church in this her heauinesse God onely able to rule the conscience If the scriptures were freely permitted vnto all to read many in Poperie would see the trueâ—â— but by the strength of his holy Spirit hath granted vnto many as vvell in high and great accompt as in lovve and meane estate a cheerefull constant heart vnto Gods truth so that their saith is tryed and increased by his firie ouen of temptation made knovvne vnto all men Besides vvhereas the vvretched and obdurated Papists thought most men vvould haue become Papists againe God to the contrary hath declared that he is Lord ouer the conscience and not the Pope and his rablement seeing that at all times he hath enlightned some peoples hearts that they haue knovvne openly confessed the truth And it vvould be much more done if the holy Scripture of vvhich the Papists as lucifugae scripturaruÌ„ and hypocriticall shunners of the light are afraide vvere permitted vnto euery one to read As also it is come to passe that a fevv dayes since there came vnto vs from Prage the reuerend learned man Godefridus Coruinus borne at Newstat on the Riuer of Sahl in Franconia vvho vvas an Augustine Fryer and an appointed Preacher of the same order amongst the Papists in the Prouince of Bauaria vvhich vvorke of God is so much the more to be admired seeing the doctrine of the Gospell had neuer greater enemies then euen those called in Poperie spirituall namely the Fryers Schoole-diuines Iesuites Bishops and such like yet hath God also euen in the great disordered and spoiled Fryers-order his number vvhome he sometimes bringeth vnto his sheepe-fould And as he in former time out of Paule a blasphemer and a persecutor made a Christian and an Apostle so he mercifully vsed Doctor Luther an Augustine Fryer for a generall reformation of all Friery orders This Godefridus vvas in the yeare of Christ 1582. Dominica Reminiscere This conuert was a great preacher amongst his order and therein esteemed aboue others by the people brought by his Parents vvho vvere driuen therevnto by pouertie vnto the Augustine Fryerie at Wirtzburg about the 18. yeare of his age Tvvo yeares after Anno. 1584. the sixt of May he professed and made his vovv Three yeares after that Anno. 1587. on Saterday before Iudica he vvas made a Priest at Freisingen in Bauaria and presently therevpon feria tertia Pascatos sung his first Masse solemnly vnto the Fryers in the Augustine Fryerie And because God had indued him vvith a speciall gift of Preaching Anno. 1593. he vvas appointed to be a common and ordinarie Preacher of the Augustine Fryers as his especiall Letters testimoniall doe declare and hath novv certaine yeares since exercised himselfe in Preaching at Prage vvherein he vvas also praised aboue others beloued and esteemed of But being diligent in reading the Scriptures the longer he read the more he found that Poperie might in no sorte be made like therevnto Poperie grounded either vpon no Scripture or vpon strained glosses but that the Papists erronious doctrine for the most parte vvas grounded vpon no Scripture at all and part againe onely vpon strained glosses of certaine places he began to doubt of the vvhole cause And as he more earnestly sought after the trueth he found at the last that he might no more vvith a good conscience deliuer vnto Gods congregation the apparant errors of the Papists and
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
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