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A69250 Newes from France containing tvvo declarations of two new conuerts from the Church of Rome to the reformed churches of France: the former made by Master M. du Tertrf [sic], Lord de la Motthe Luyne, late preacher amongst the order of the Capucins vnder the name of F. Firmin, &c. at Saumur on the 27. of May last: the latter by the Marquise Boniuet, Lord of Creuecœur, &c. at Rochell on the seuenth of August last. Both translated out of the seuerall French copies into English by E.M. of Christ-Church in Oxford. Whereunto is added an English letter sent from Paris by an English gentleman to his friend in England, touching the late surprisall and imprisonment of the Prince of Conde, which happened on the 22. of August last.; Declaration and manifestation, of the chiefe reasons and motives of the conversion of Master M. du Tertre, Lord de la Motthe Luyne. Bonnivet, Henri Marc de Gouffier, Marquis de, d. 1589. Declaration de Henri-Marc de Gouffier. aut; Meetkerke, Edward, 1590-1657, attributed name. 1616 (1616) STC 7372; ESTC S117179 43,123 84

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beholden and indebted to them whence it is not very hard to consider acknowledge and iudge whether the true humilitie which is essentiall to Christianitie and so beseeming it yea the fairest and richest ornament of a true beleeuer can be in them who not onely maintaine and wilfully defend such a doctrine but doe glory therein and doe oppugne and persecute euen to the fire and bloud those which on the contrary forsaking themselues and all that can come from their owne strength and merits haue no other refuge prop foundation and assurance for their eternall saluation then in the meere bountie grace mercy and free pardon of God in Iesus Christ his Sonne his merit and intercession Hee should neuer haue done that would relate shew and set to view all the abuses and errours touching the points of faith necessary to saluation Gather only and iudge out of that little which the shortnesse of the time this discourse giues me leaue to speake whether the first ground and foundation of saluation premised and supposed to wit a true faith and beleefe in Iesus Christ such as the Scripture declareth and requireth of vs is and can bee found in your Church in which is taught and preached a doctrine so diametrally contrary and opposite to it yea against all reason and whether I haue had iust cause and occasion to withdraw my selfe from thence and you also are bound to doe the like in case that you and I desire to worke out our saluation But that which is worse and more to be lamented euen with teares of bloud if it were possible is that for the most part amongst those of your Church there is no more any faith or law or God or religion at all but by a lamentable euent permitted notwithstanding by Gods prouidence for the iust punishment of their deserts are fallen into a grosse ignorance of matters of God I will not say into Atheisme and is fulfilled in them compleatly and in all points that which the Apostle S. Paul hath sometimes spoken of the Gentiles Pagans and Idolaters in the first to the Romans namely that hauing knowne God they glorified him not as God neither were thankfull but became vaine in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened professing themselues to be wise they became fooles and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to a corruptible man c. And who then would not withdraw himselfe from men so blinded and giuen ouer to errour and the darkenesse of ignorance Now if their faith be such or for to speak aright more properly their vnbeliefe so great what can bee hoped and looked for of the other I meane of the manners of their life indeede it is very likely that such as is the doctrine such will be the life and manners namely peruerted and corrupted c. And this is it which now in order I am to shew to you and set to your view Let vs begin with charity the loue and affection towardes God and our neighbour the true ground of all Christianity and the second firme and assured foundation of eternall saluation as wee haue said and declared before As for the first the true testimony the certaine and vndoubted proofe thereof amongst many that might be giuen and alleaged is an heartie and louing zeale and affection to his honour worship and seruice and to the true obseruing of his lawes and ordinances and the entire and perfect fulfilling of his holy will as farre as our weakenes and frailtie can suffer vs and the estate and condition of our corrupt and infected nature can permit and beare it If you loue mee saith our Sauiour speaking of this loue to his Apostles and Disciples and to vs in their persons and in the 14. of S. Iohn keepe my commandements He that hath my commandements and keepes them hee it is that loues mee And this hee repeats many and diuers times and amongst others that well beloued and fauoured Disciple in the second Chapter of his first Catholike Epistle confirmes it He that keepes his word the loue of God saith he is truely accomplished and perfected in him As on the contrary the true and infallible signe of the want the defect of the loue of God is not to care for to keepe and obserue his lawes and precepts as besides reason it selfe which is cleere and plaine for it our Sauiour in the same place before alleaged of the Euangelist Saint Iohn doth say Hee that loueth mee not saith he doth not keepe my words and the same Saint Iohn in the fore-cited places He that saith I haue knowne him and yet doth not keep his precepts and commandements he liar and the truth is not in him As for Gods honour worship and seruice it is double and of two sorts externall outward and of the body such as he prescriheth vnto vs in his word namely that Liturgy or outward and publike seruice wherewith hee will be honoured euen publikely in his Church consisting of the duties of piety and the externall actions of religion which doe shew and testifie some humilitie deiection submission affection and acknowledgement of the minde towards his diuine maiesty Internall inward in the soule and inmost part of the minde by a true acknowledging of his immense and infinite excellence perfection and greatnesse and of the sundry and innumerable obligations wee owe him with an humble submission a most deiected humilitie and low deiection before his supreame maiesty honouring adoring fearing respecting cherishing and louing him with all the strength and power of our soules the faculties of our mindes and the affections of our hearts as our onely blisse and chiefe master and Lord from whom we hold by meere dependance and free bountifull and liberall communication all what wee are what wee haue and what wee can at any time challenge looke and hope for both in this life and in the other referring in the meane time and giuing ouer our selues and all what belongs to vs or concernes vs our liues persons goods health honours affaires and other the like wholly to his diuine prouidence to the end that he may do with them as he shall thinke fitting and according to his pleasure and sacred will as belonging wholly to him with a true confidence certain firme hope and an vndoubted assurance of his diuine goodnesse infinite mercy and promises of saluation and this is the chiefe honour worship and seruice that God wishes desires and demaunds of vs as sheweth very wel the Sonne of God himselfe Iesus Christ our Sauiour answering to the question of the Samaritan woman The true worshippers saith he shall worship the Father in spirit and truth and such are those he desires demands and seekes after And hee giueth the reason thereof Because God is a spirit therfore his worship ought to be spirituall internall and in the truth of the heart answerable to his nature by so much more noble
excellent perfect and compleate then the externall and corporal by how much the soule surpasseth and exceedeth the body in excellent perfection and noblenesse free vnuiolable in the libertie and power of euery one and such as cannot be hindered as the externall and corporall by any indeauour or change whatsoeuer For hee that is lame of his whole body hee that lies in his bed grieuously and mortally sicke hee that is clogged with irons both on hands and feet and kept prisoner in the bottome of an obscure and darke dungeon hindered from making or shewing any signe of outward seruice and corporall reuerence may haue his heart and soule lifted vp and deuoted vnto God and may serue honour and worship him spiritually as did Ionas in the belly of the Whale and in the deepe of the waters and bottome of the sea Manasses in his prison the diseased with the palsye in his bed and couch and the good theefe hauing all the members and parts of his body fast bound and tied This being as the cause and the mother which bringeth foorth and ingendereth the outward and bodily which is as it were the scum which arises and proceeds from the boyling of the fire of the inward and spirituall deuotion to be short this of it selfe alone is good and perfect retaining and carrying with it his worth and value yea and in necessitie sufficient But the outward and corporall is so farre from being alone good and sufficient that it is rather a delusion and Mascarado it is that hypocrisie so much cryed out vpon blamed and condemned by the Sonne of God our Sauiour in those who with their strange behauiour and countenance and with some gestures actions and ceremonies doe thinke they can flatter God and discharge their dutie towards him doing it onely with the tip and end of the tongue with their mouth and edge of their lips without any heart deuotion affection or spirit This people saith he honoureth me with their lippes but their heart and spirit is farre from mee This is iust so as the Iewes did who at the passion of our Sauiour did kneele before him saluted him King and Prophet but in derision and mockery Now who knowes not how far the most part those of your Church are remooued but what do I say almost quite depriued and disrobed of that heartie and louing zeale and affection to the obseruing of Gods lawes and commandements to the fulfilling of his sacred will and to the true worshippe and seruice which hee desires demaunds and seekes at our hands daily experience makes vs see it with our eye and touch it with the finger and indeede we should bee quite void both of eyes and vnderstanding if wee did neither see nor perceiue it it is the least of their thoughts and the least of their cares whereof they make no esteeme no reckoning preferring the edicts commandements and ordinances of a mortall fraile and perishable man to those of that supreame and diuine maiestie of that glorious eternall and almighty monarch yea esteeming lesse of these then of their owne irregular passions and affections corrupted appetites filthy concupiscences and insatiable desires and for the most part standing vpon and contenting themselues with the onely meere externall and corporall honor worship and seruice with vsing strange behauiour and ceremonies making faces offering of cierges being present at Masses offices and seruices rightly diuiding their beads running ouer their houres saying the seuen Psalmes the prayers for the deceased vttering many words and vocall prayers babbling and muttering them all the day long in an vnknowne language and words not vnderstood without deuotion without attention without affection of the heart the wil or the minde speedily postingly with hast and onely for fashion sake neuer or very seldome lifting vp their mindes to the consideration of the excellent greatnesse and diuine perfection of that supreame maiesty or of their owne vilenesse basenesse worthlesnesse and nullity in comparison to him and to the innumerable obligations they owe him for to bring foorth the actions of deepe humility and lowe subiection of true and hearty and inward acknowledgement of the feruent and ardent loue of the honour respect and high reuerence they beare to the God of bountie and King of infinite glory greatnes and maiesty with an intire forsaking of our selues and totally and perfectly submitting vs to his diuine prouidence disposition and will which notwithstanding is the true honour worship and seruice as I haue already sayd that he wills demaunds and seekes at our hands and that alone is pleasing and acceptable vnto him him and not onely haue not any true confidence certaine and firme hope and in fallible assurance in his diuine goodnesse and infinite mercies and promises of saluation or any refuge to him in their necessities but euen rather doe blame reprehend and condemne on the contrary such as doe so at the least your Doctors giuing by a blasphemy no lesse horrible and detestable then worthy of all manner of punishment to this holy heartie and firme confidence and assurance in the bounty and mercy of God the name and title of diuillish pride and presumption And they goe themselues mistrustfully and send likewise others in the troublesome chances that happen and come vpon them to others besides him for to be guarded freed and deliuered there-from expresly against the Scripture and the plaine words of our Sauiour by which hee inuiteth vs so louingly to betake our selues vnto him when wee shall feele our selues wearied and heauy laden with affliction and anguish with a certaine and assured promise to ease vs imagining the whilest and thinking that by the meanes of this meerely externall worship they are not onely quitted and discharged and that they haue well and fully satisfied their dutie towards God but also that for it he is beholden to them and remaines in their debt No no this is not that which he requires demands and seekes of them but rather their spirits and the affections of their hearts God is a spirit saith our Sauiour and hee that will serue honour and worship him he must doe it in spirit and truth of heart and such are those whom he seekes demands and lookes after He is so farre from being pleased and delighted with this outward and meerely corporall honour seruice and worship that on the contrary he detests and hates it and infinitely and extremely abhorres it as we haue said But how indeed can he like it being without heart affection deuotion or attention of the minde which is that which he loues cherishes commends and esteemes most in all of vs And besides it being for the most part nothing but a meere humane inuention not onely without his expresse word and commandement who notwithstanding ought not to bee serued at the pleasure and discretion of men but according to his will reuealed and manifested in his said word but also expresly and formally contrary to it as is the Masse
and that which depends thereof the inuocation of Saints praier in a language not common nor vnderstood and other the like And now let them freely goe boasting that they haue the loue of God No no saith our Sauiour he that keepes not my words hee loues me not Hee that keepes not the precepts and commandements of God saith S. Iohn he is a lier and the truth is not in him And then how can they loue him when they giue him not the honour the worship and true seruice which they owe him and which hee wils requires and demands of them but doe almost wholly alter corrupt and destroy it and in stead of the truth offer and present vnto him only a meere dead body and apparition Now he that hath not in him and is deuoid of the loue of God how shall he loue and make much of his neighbour No no saith S. Iohn if a man say I loue God and hateth his brother he is a lier why so For as he addeth hee that loueth not his brother whom hee hath seene how can he loue God whom he hath not seene It is impossible and hee thus concludes This commandement haue we from him that hee who loueth God loue his brother also The loue of our neighbour saith the Moralist S. Gregorie is produced and brought foorth by the loue of God and the loue of God is nourished and maintained by the loue of our neighbour and truly he that is negligent and carelesse in louing his neighbour and Christian brother knowes not how hee ought to loue God nay loues him not at all I neede not striue and stand much vpon the proofe and testimonie of this truth in the most part of them of your Church it is knowne and appeareth well enough of it selfe without labouring to bring it to light the Sun and the light being not more visible then this is cleere and manifest that there is no more any loue charitie affection good-will vnion and concord amongst them there is nothing but diuisions dissensions partialitie enuie iealousie murmurs detractions slanders riots disputes bloudy hatred and mortall rancour of the one against the other no agreement no accord no proportion no respect and relation of pietie or compassion towards the afflicted no charitable assistance in the behalfe of the poore and needie in no wise at all And if so be that some of them as there are alwayes some particular honest and charitable men and we must ingenuously confesse it and giue them this commendation and testimonie for the truth that giue and impart some of their goods and reuenewes it will be to no good purpose rather for to found and cause to be said some Masses seruices and offices and sing leero wayes that I may so say and celebrated in poast-haste and for a fashion without any pietie deuotion affection and attention of the heart and minde whatsoeuer but with a thousand irreuerent insolencies distractions and wanderings of the minde with bad thoughts being rather horrible and detestable blasphemies then praiers and orizons acceptable to God for to build Chappels Monasteries and Couents to feede and make fat the lazie bellies of Monkes Religious and other voluntarie poore men idle droanes and vnfit to doe any good but to dine make good cheere and sleepe for their ease then to maintaine and releeue the truly poore needie and shame faste members of Iesus Christ who die of hunger either at their gates or within their houses without hauing any care pittie or compassion of them they thinking being perswaded and making themselues beleeue that they are discharged and haue well done in regard of their dutie and obligation towards God when they haue filled the wallets and bottles and with good and daintie messes couered and furnished the tables of the Capucins Recollects and other the like begging Friers the true theeues of almes and deuourers of the substance due to the truly poore and needie whereof they shall giue both the one and the other a most strict account to God and shall be most seuerely and grieuously punished And if that sometimes which notwithstanding happens but seldome they doe any good and bestow their charitable assistance vpon the truly poore and needy vpon the diseased vpon prisoners and such like yet it is alwayes ioyned with this leauen that marres makes sowre and corrupts the whole lumpe namely with an opinion and beleefe of meriting and of making God by the meanes of these things indebted to them whereas wee ought simply to exercise the workes of charitie pietie and mercy out of a pure and simple affection and compassion towards our neighbour and for to testifie our loue and gratitude towards God for the infinite fauours and benefits that wee haue receiued and doe daily receiue from him Now all what is before said being thus wherein I pray you can they testifie their loue towards God their zeale and affection to the obseruing of his lawes commandements and precepts seeing that that being the first chiefe and as it were fundamentall in respect of all the rest yet they doe not obserue it But what doe I say nay they thinke not once of it nor at all care for it By what can we know that they are the Disciples of our Sauiour seeing that as himselfe witnesseth this is the first marke and chiefe token whereby to know them yea to put a distinction betweene the good and the bad the elect and reprobate the children of God and of the Deuill as saith great S. Austin and S. Iohn confirmes it in the third chapter of his first Epistle Hereby are manifested the children of God and the children of the Deuill whosoeuer doth not righteousnesse and loueth not his neighbour and Christian brother is not of God and consequently of the Deuill Iudge then what they are and you also consequently and whether I haue had iust cause to withdraw my selfe from you for to vnite and ioyne my selfe with the children of God with the children of light with the elect and predestinated But these two chiefe and fundamentall grounds of religion and saluation being cast on ground what will become of the rest of the edifice and building I meane of those heauenly and diuine virtues that are needfull and requisite to the perfection of a good Christian It must needs be that they also fall downe and that in their stead doe succeede and bee erected a body of all vices and sinnes whereunto we see that the greater part amongst you doe apply and giue themselues ouer The remainder of that which S. Paul had said of the Gentiles in the place before alleaged of the Epistle to the Romans being truly fulfilled in them For this cause God gaue them vp to vile affections for euen c. But wee need not wonder at it seeing that those of whom you ought to receiue the precepts and doctrines of saluation and who ought to be vnto you as lights and lampes for to guide and