parts and by the space of foure yeares what by trauells what by conference what by studying in the Colledges of Jesuites made my selfe as able as I could to defend Poperie and oppose true Religion and when I returned home did what I could to pervert others and to confirme them that were seduced and convoyed Jesuits oftentimes where their purpose was to further their designes sometimes beeing disaguised with them for feare of discouerie to the hurt of many Souls the Lord forgiue mee for whose cause I doe write this my declaration if possiblie it comming to their handes might bee a meane to cause them considder their wayes and repent and forsake their Idols and turne to seeke the Lord Jesus who will teach all them James 1. 5 John 14 16. the true way who seekes the same by prayer of God through Christ alone and so the woundes might bee healed in Gods mercie which I helped to giue these Souls in my blind zeale the recouerie againe of whose Souls without any detriment to their bodilie estate worldly is and shall bee euer my desire only the Lord giue them Repentance and make my Repentance dayly more fruitfull that J may bee as truelie zealous for the trueth as euer I was blinde forward against the same CHAP 2. The Iustice of God giuing those ouer to beleeue lyes who will not learne the trueth TO show then the whole matter from the beginning to the glory of God and edification of all who pleases to peruse these presentes without prejudice J was brought vp in the Colledge of Glasgow and did passe my course vnder learned godly Masters who did their diligence to instruct both me and others in human Learning and Religion as time wold suffer but I in my youthlinesse did not lay Religion to heart and therfore was justly punished thereafter for within halfe an yeere after I ended my course in the Colledge I was infected with the errours of Poperie so iust a thing it is with God to punishe the neglect of trueth with giuing ouer to errour that they may belieue lyes who will not take paines to vnderstand the trueth for an Papist of my acquaintance who had beene out of the Countrie a Scholler sharpe enough began to deale with mee and put mee in question and doubt concerning the Religion professed in Scotland so much the more easilie as I vnderstood it not at that time Then when J should haue sought satisfaction of my doubts at those who vnderstood the trueth before J had giuen any more eare to him that seduced mee J lent my eare still and gaue credite to all that hee spake without examination according to the Scriptures so dangerous a matter is it to admit any grounds of Religion without trying them by the rule of Gods Word whether they bee divine or not and so he possessed mee what by himselfe what by Books what by conference with Priests and others of these erroneous positions following First that the Romane Church was the mother Church only true Catholicke and Apostolicke 2. That the Scriptures did not containe all things needfull for Saluation but was an vnperfect rule of Religion 3. And that traditions must bee ioyned therewith which were of equall authoritie with the Scripture 4. That the Scripture was obscure and dangerous to be read by laickes 5. That to the Church of Rome belonged to giue the sense of it and that their exposition was as good as Scripture 6. That the Church of Rome was iudge of all contraversies of Religion 7. That the Church of Rome could not erre 8. That Saint Peter was Pope of Rome 9. And that all the Popes since were his lawfull successours Christs Vicars heads of the Church and had authoritie aboue the Scriptures and that he bare the Keyes of Heauen and could not erre in doctrine and no Saluation without the Roman Church for any Soule and such like Those grounds I drunke in supposing them all to bee true wherevpon my minde was casten open to belieue euery thing which they commanded mee to belieue and whatsoeuer the Church did belieue without any further examination So J was receiued amongst Papists and admitted to their Masse heere at home Then beeing desirous to haue further insight in the Romish Religion J went ouer to France and stayed there a season conversing with Jesuits in their Colledges Therafter J went to Rome to the head spring of that Religion and stayed there some eight Monthes but was forced to leaue it through sicknesse and retiering to West-Flanders J stayed in a seminarie and studied in a Colledge of Jesuites some two yeares all which time I remained obedient to all their injunctions giuen vnto mee and albeit many things occurred in my trauells which perplexed my minde making me doubt of the course I was entered into yet I smothred all downe by the weight of these groundes which J had laid downe in the beginning and namelie of this that the Church of Rome could not erre CHAP. 3. The power of Delusion I Obserued their Church-men of greatest account and Wisedome among them to lay heauie burthens and grieuous to bee borne vpon others but they themselues tooke litle paines in the businesse They professed for the most parte voluntarie pouertie one by one but the yearely Rents and common Purse whereof euery man was furnished as he had to doe was verie rich I saw some of their Orders liue by begging and Almes who would shortly haue forsaken the craft if there had beene any danger in that course either of hunger or cold more than they pleased to take vpon themselues and make show of Yet I thought their Church coulde not erre They professed to bee so retired from the Worlde as they could thinke of nothing but Heauen and yet tooke the most wittie courses that could bee to vnderstand all mens effaires designes and disposition and then made use of them all as best serued their owne ends They professed humilitie but laboured in effect to bee in honour and estimation by all and were as impatient to bee despysed as any man their speciall paines beeing imployed to bring moe and moe vnder their subiection vnder pretence of making them religious Yet J thought still their Church could not erre I saw the Pope who calls himselfe Peters successour and his Cardinals busked in the greatest riches and worldly honour that can bee in the Earth and in the meane time casting the glory of the Apostles the preaching of the Gospell at their heeles as vnbeseeming their Grandour When the Pope came abroad hee was carried in a gorgeous Chaire vpon foure mens shoulders and all men as he went by kneeled direct to the ground in effect adored him as one invested with Christs power and preheminence in the earth and owner of Christs honour in the World as his Legat and Lieutenant and so I honoured him amongs others my selfe And yet I thought all well for this presumption that the Church could not erre I saw the Church
no fewer than these that were enioyned For they teach that in baptism our sins are forgiuen vs by the merits and satisfaction of Christ allanerly but the sins committed after baptisme be taken away and expiat by our own satisfactions but the Apostle sayth That as the wage sin is death so the gift of God is life eternall throgh Iesus Christ Rom. 6. 23. our Lord. Heauen then is Gods free gift through Christ and not our deseruing Neither can it be considered how Christs obedience is properly a satisfaction and yet either requireth or admitteth our satisfaction Besids their owne extravagant fayth that one drop of Christs blood is sufficient to saue the whole World what necessitie or place then is for our satisfaction in our Saluation They will not receaue the Kingdom of Heaven after this manner but as a iust debt to the which God of justice is bund and obliged to them not only for the merits of Christ but also for the merits of their owne works which hath an equal worth answerable to the Kingdome of Heauen J passe by here their selling of Masses their baptising of Bells baptism being a Sacrament of the new couenant only and no wayes belonging to senslesse creaturs their scrotching fire of Purgatory as hot as hell wherein the Souls of the godly dying in the Lord are tortured before they come to Heauen till such time as the punishment due to their veniall sin in that continuall torture bee ended And yet the Scritpure tels vs Blessed are the dead that Revel 14 13. die in the Lord for so sayeth the Sprit they rest from their labours and their works follow them Fearefull should their rest bee if dieing in the Lord with some little thing vnsatisfied as they affirme they shuld be cast in the torture as hot as hells fire And heere is to be obserued the mercilesse dealing of their father the Pope who hauing power to relieue soules when he pleases yet suffers many thousands to be tortured there still till he or his receaue money for their deliuerance And thus much shortly for the third part whereof I promised to speake CHAP. 16. The cunning dealing of Romish Emissaries in seducing and disputing NOw being forced here to acknowledge the foresaid false grounds of the Romish Religion which in my miscarying J laide downe as true to haue beene the beginning of all this mischiefe and hauing my mind ouercharged with the filthinesse and loathsomnes thereof to testifie the vnfained forsaking of them all the filthynes of their superstition J must add some things by way of conclusion for the loue I carry to my Country the trueth of that Religion which is allowed of God albeit J know it will incense sundry against mee I would aduertise young Schollers and others whether at home or abroad to bee warre of the Jesuite his cunning dealing with other their Emissaries such as are seminarie Priests Friers c. whether hee come directly to seduce you or come occasionally to disput with you If hee haue a purpose to seduce you hee will first make choyse of some catholicke of your acquaintance who hath best credite of you and most respected by you him he will instruct how to handle you and will put his owne speaches and arguments in his mouth if you hearken giue eare and make hopes you may bee theirs an offer will bee made to you to speak with a Father or learned man and so you and and he shall come to conference If hee can not finde a fit person to deale with you then hee will come openly to you if he be where he may professe himselfe if not he will come vnder the habite of a Gentleman or burgesse of a Towne or Countryman as best fits his purpose as it were by occasion falling in your company will talke of any purpose till hee take you vp and as he hath time to stay or to bee with you so will he worke ordinarily hee will blame all our professours for few good works and open euill liues of the great many this at once he will turne vpon the Religion But stumble not you for this for the Religion of the Jewes was good when the Prophet complaines that Faith and trueth was Psal 12. departed from the children of men The Lords word which is our Religion condemnes the sins of professours more than they can condemne the same They will obiect the liues of Ministers what they please to speak of them and they haue in readinesse some examples and instances in print or writ or in their memorie but stumble not you at this for they doe injurie to the Ministers when they blame all for the fault of some and again they doe iniury to Gods word when they prease to blame the trueth for the teachers fault One of the twelue Apostles was a Devill what was the Apostles or the Apostleship the worse and yet when all is said if their closters were as open as Ministers conversation they should mak litle talke in this poynt They will tell thee of the ignorance and want of Learning among Ministers be not you troubled for this they are learned enough that know Iesus Christ rightly and can teach him soundly learning is not the glory of our Religion but trueth and yet thogh I somtime thoght so and said so as they doe yet I found it otherwise when I mette with the Ministers Yocke with the Ministers when they will so farre as J know they will ruse themself litle for the want of learning They will obiect they haue no warrandable calling but vrge you them to iustifie the calling of their chiefe pillars Popes Cardinals and Prelates whose office and entrie in their office God neuer ordained in his worde Ministers calling goes not by succession but by election Their office is prescrived in the word their entrie and qualification Let euery one justifie as he is challanged so much as may bee seene of men is alwayes nearer the rule of the Apostles than any of their calling They will obiect the noveltie of this Religion and will aske for succession of Pastours in our Church But answer you that they slander you vniustly for novelty whose doctrin was taught by Christ and his Apostles and recommended to after ages Where the Catholick Church and true sheep of Christ vvho heard his voyce and fled sequestrating themselues from strangers were there was our Church particular professours names is no poynt of saluation What manamong ten thousand can shew his naturall pedegree from the seventh generation shal a man be questioned of the trueth of his humanity if he cannot deduce his genealogie from Adam or Noah Albeit the Protestants can bee able to show continuance of their doctrine by the lyne and catalogue of the witnesses the truth through all ages from Christs vnto our time If this obiection were of any worth wee might use it against their Church and they could not deduce from Christ or the Apostles
men take direct courses that the common-People should never vnderstand what they or themselues were doing for their Masses and publick services all was done in an vnknown language to the People and for their ordinare Prayers they inioyned for the most part to say them in Latine though they vnderstood not the same Indeed heere in Scotland because such proceeding hath giuen distaste to sundrie by appearance libertie is giuen to those who please to haue them in the vulgare language else where J haue not seene this so ordinarly practised Next by all meanes they laboured that the common-People either had not the Bible in their vulgare language or else that they red it not or if any read it that they should not presume to take any part of it in any sense contrare to the doctrine and practise of the Roman Church but instead thereof J saw they filled their heads and hands with Jmages and Beads Agnus Deis meddals and reliques and bookes of Prayer to this Saint and to that Saint and the office of our Lady as they call the Virgine Mary and the legends of such and such miracles done by Saints departed as they alledge Such stuffe as these a man trauelling will finde in mens houses but seldome or neuer the Bible and oftner mention will he heare of the Virgine Mary than of our Lord and Sauiour and the fairest Churches and Chappels you shall finde dedicate to the Virgine Mary and to Saint Peter and Saint Paul others some hee some shee Saints to whose Chapells and Churches you shall finde dayly numbers going in Pilgrimage or visitation and offering their offerings and Prayers before such an Altar to one Saint to keepe them from the Pest to another to keepe them from the Ague to this Saint for their Kyne to that Saint for their Horses in such varietie as I cannot number for there are particulare Saintes for all diseases whom to at seuerall times by Prayers and offerings ordinarly they haue their recourse to bee helped Yet I thought all well thinking the Romish Church could not erre At Rome it selfe I remarked a Church whose Patrone if I remember is commonly called in vulgare speach Saint Aloy and hath power as they say to heale Horses or keep them from their diseases To this Church once in the yeere all the Horses of Rome the Popes horses and Cardinals Counsellours and Citizens horses are brought and when they come to the Fount where the holy water stands I saw one of the Priests sprinkle holy water on the horse forehead and another Priest receiue the offering that vseth to be giuen at that time by which meanes that Church and all these that waite vpon it are vpholden and thus it is done in other places and for seuerall diseases of men and beastes All this J approued supposing the Church of Rome could not erre Neither doe I speake these things without pittie of the estate of the poore Soules so abused for J my selfe who had seene better thinges and should haue had better vnderstanding as a scholler by tying my selfe without further warrand to beleeue as the Church beleeues and beleeuing the Church of Rome could not erre for that time allowed or forced my minde to allow of all these abominable Idolatries and multitude of false Gods and was as busie to pray to all the Saints as any man and said my Prayers Pater noster Ave Marie and Confiteor vpon my beids as carefully as the most ignorant old Wife among them J keeped constantly the Matines and Vespers and Salute said the office of the dead my long letanies and my 〈◊〉 I approued their making of holy water consecrating of meddals beads Agnus Deis c. Also that there was some divine vertue in making the signe of the Crosse before my breast for expelling the Deuill for the time from me I beleeued I was as cleane as glasse when the Priest did shrive and absolve mee I haue come with others to meete a procession of sundrie sorts of Church men carying a consecrated hostie which they did relate was Christ himselfe carried throughout the streetes J haue fallen downe before it worshiped and adored it with many others supposing it was Christ bodilie present when I was present at Masse I did the same vpon the same presumption J beheld the bread of the hostie before it was consecrate as they call it I beheld it when it was consecrated and when it was lifted vp I saw bread as clearly as J saw the Priests hand that held it vp J opened my mouth and the Priest put it in my mouth I saw btead with my eyes I smelled it J felt it I tasted and discerned it as sensiblie as ever I did bread in my life yet I beleeued that it was not bread but Iesus Christ corporally present put in my mouth and going downe my bellie though all senses which God hath euer made the faithfull witnesses of all miraculous changes whereof we read in Scripture did testifie the contrare I gaue them all the lye because I beleeued as the Church beleeued and belieued that the Church of Rome could not erre Thus I who would not beleeue the Trueth was giuen ouer to such fearefull superstition and strong delusion that J might beleeue lyes CHAP. 4. No end in erring except the Lord reclaime THese things were common to mee and all others of the Romish Religion but J went yet further than the common course and was yet more besotted by this delusion for I haue beene clark to the masse helped the Preist to the saying of it lifting the masse Booke now from the right hand to the left now from the left to the right backe againe Now kneeling now standing now bowing and bending the body now knocking on my breast now making the signe of the crosse at the eleuation I haue born vp the Priests taile with the one hand hauing a burning torch in the other hand sometimes giuing him Wine and water in a Chalice sometimes one thing sometimes another as such like service did require I entred my self yet further in their snare and became one of the sodalitie of our Lady This sodalitie tyes none to any Ecclesiasticall order for therein with their approbation all Rankes of Persons may be so they use their particular devotion to our Lady which is an ordour wherein especiallie all devout students in Colledges by a solemne oath and invocation of the Virgine Mary are tyed to vse speciall deuotion all their dayes to her and to defend her name where euer they come and to depend vpon her as their Lady Patronesse and lady aduocate with God for them O fearefull Idolatrie and yet I swalowed it then beleeuing as the Church beleeued and that she could not erre and obeying as diuine truth what their Church commanded Last of all J was in tearmes with the Iesuits to haue rendred my self of that order and to haue taken on their threefold vow the third whereof which is of a blind
which means they not only bring peoples mindes in a seruile subjection to themselues for none can haue more Commandement ouer one than their Father confessour but also by their intelligencing this way make the Pope their Monarch dreadfull to all Kings of the Earth for he will doe more by a syde Cloake and a sharp knife in one houre than the mightiest Prince in the Earth will doe by fourtie thousand armed men in a long time yet hee should doe lesse harme if hee were lesse dred for when men are more feared to grieue the Pope than God what wonder the Lord let him bee a scourge to them This their strong sort of Gouernement more wittilie deuised than euer the old Senate disposed the ruling of the conquered Prouinces or conquering of new they second with the extreame show and externall luster of holinesse and Religion For the multitude of Religious Orders with houses and Closters and persons in them with the pretense of their single and chast life the multitude of Religious exercises Canonicke houres fastes Feastes holy dayes the multitude of Altars Jmages and rich Ornaments of their Churches the multitude of all sort of Ceremonies that may carry appearance of Diuinitie The multitude of poore people enduring pennance going in Pilgrimage the wonderfull mercilesnesse of poore tormented consciences scourging themselues openlie in their streetes with their faces couered at the direction sometimes of their confessour sometimes voluntarlie supposing this way to doe away their sinnes and pacifie Gods wrath and their owne perplexed conscience together with the profession of the common grounds of Christianitie which Papists makes show of so astonishes the mindes of the simple people so rauishes and amazes ignorant on-lookers so inchants and so bewitches the multitude that they cannot thinke but God will be as well pleased with such follies as they are themselves not knowing what is pleasant to him by his own Word or that will-worship though neuer so specious is abominable to him Then to back and beamfill all comes in their seminarie Priests and preaching Friers and the late ordour of the Jesuits by all their powerfull persuasion to presse the receauing of the grounds of Roman Religion vpon men and by a shew of Philosophy and the Wisedome of this Worlde that comes to nought and the opposition of science falsly so called the instruments whereby Sathan opposed the Apostles of old they striue to make all seeme good that the Roman Church doeth and that all is euill that they doe not But where shall all the riches bee gotten to vphold such a statelie Monarchie as this and so many seruants of that state for answere they haue so many points of gain full doctrine as first of the merit of good works supererogation of the merites of Saints which furnisheth the treasure of the Church of Rome among which goode workes especiallie Almes this must be held for a principle that those who haue wealth cannot doe a more meritorious worke to purchase heauen by than by largelie bestowing vpon religious men and their maintainance Secondly the Doctrine of pennance and of indulgence and satisfaction which sometime rendred the Sea of Rome a great deale more than now it doeth and yet brings hudge moneyes to that Sea Thirdly the doctrine of purgatorie nothing inferiour to any of the former for these who could not be enduced to giue thē any thing largely in the time of their life at the time of their death for feare of Purgatory to the end that they may win out of Purgatorie fire soone by the vertue of Soul masses religious mens devotiō will be willing to mortify or leaue in Legacie what their Fatherconfessor thinks expedient and that of the readiest Fourthlie the straite vrging the thre-fold vow of single life povertie Canonicall obedience vpon all them whom they can persuade to rander themselfe religious For by this meanes the seuerall Religious ordours but especially the Jesuites if they can by any meanes persuade a man of wealth or a rich burges heire a Noble mans son or an heritour of Lands as they persuade too too many to bee of their ordours then hee renounces all his means to bee disposed vpon by the superiour of the ordour and hee himselfe with the rest professes pouertie and liues vpon the common Purse or his purchase if hee be sent out or imployed in seruice These and many moe means vnsearchable they haue of drawing in Rents moyons to themself beside offrings to Altars extraordinary masse Casualitie at burials and such lik In al which things and sindrie other poynts both of practise and doctrine they will bee sparing in any part where they are seeking to make conquest as in Scotland or England or Ireland for feare to lose their prey but when and where they are settled any man that trauells if he please may try the trueth whether it bee not as J say and more for I will bee sparing to speake all lest I should see me to taxe particular persons rather than to seeke the furtherance of the true and disgrace of counterfeit Religion CHAP. 8. That the Scriptures imperfection and obscuritie is wrongfully alledged by Papists THus hauing at length discouered the main pillar of Popedome with some of their humane policies for vpholding the same I wil speake shortly a worde or two against the imperfection obscuritie which they alledge of the Scripture This saying is so blasphen ous against God the author of the Scripture Let the Lord 2 Tim. 3. 15. 16. 17. Ioh 5. 39. answere for himself By his Apostle All Scripture is giuen by diuine inspiration c. That the man of God may be made perfect throughly furnished vnto all good works And by his sonne who hath giuen Commandement to those who thinks to haue eternall life to search the Scriptures Jf thou will obey this command constantly praying to God for knowledge dayly the Lord shall show thee in reading of it that they are his enemies who haue so disgraced his writings wherefore I would persuade young Schollers and others of young yeeres to drink in the knowledge of the Scriptures and neuer to quite the light thereof which the Lord hath appointed to direct vs. Wee haue also a more sure Word of Prophesie whereunto yee doe 2 Pet. 1. 19. well that yee take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a dark place c. Next when doubts of Religion are casten in their minde the not running to God by Prayer as the fountaine of Religion and to such Godly and truelie learned men who are content that all they say bee examined according to the Scripture is a speciall cause of provocation of God to giue them ouer to belieue lyes who thus despysing the right meanes and loue of the trueth will not goe to law and testimonies Isaiah 8. 20 1. Tim. 4. 1. Rom. 1. 21. as God directeth them But giues eare to seducing Spirites and doctrine of Deuills as the Apostle calles them