An epistle sent by Monsievr de Vrillac, advocate in the Parliament of Paris; to Monsievr de Vrillac his father, vpon the occasion of his conuersion. Faithfully translated into English, accoriding to the French copie; By C.C.

AN EPISTLE SENT BY MONSIEVR de VRILLAC, ADVOCATE IN the Parliament of PARIS, To Monſieur de Vrillac his Fa ther, vpon the occaſion of his Conuerſion.

MOſt deare, and my moſt honoured Father and Mother, I ſay the truth in Chriſt I lie not, my Conſcience bearing me witneſſe, that I haue continuall ſorrow and griefe in my heart, that I muſt forſake you, as touching the world: my griefe being the more for that I know how much my eſtranging my ſelfe from you, will breed you ſorrow and affliction. But this hope haue I in God, that your ſorrow ſhall be turned into ioy, and your affliction into conſolation, when your wiſedomes (void of paſſion, and worldly reſpects) ſhall conſider, that the voyage which ſeparates me from you, is to bring me neerer to God, and to ſet my Conſcience at reſt and quiet.

For I may no longer conceale it from you, that by the often reading and ſerious meditation of the holy Scriptures, together with calling vpon the name of God, the Lord hath ſhewed me that mercie, to ſee on the one ſide the new corrupt errors, ſuperſtitions, and hereſies of the Roman Church, and on the other ſide, the pure truth, taught in thoſe Churches that are purged from the nouelty of Popery, and reformed according to the true Antiquitie of the Apoſtles and Prophets.

Which knowledge I confeſſe I haue for ſome time held as captiue vnder feare, ſuffering my ſelfe vnwiſely to be carried away with their opinion, who thinke it ſafeſt to ſway with the time, to beleeue with the Doctors, and to liue with the multitude; to giue the heart to God, and the body to the world. I was dumbe, and ſayd nothing, I kept ſilence, Pſal. 39. 2. 3. euen from good: but my anguiſh increaſed, my heart waxed hot within me, and the fire kindled in my meditation, wherefore I ſpeake with my tongue.

For if heretofore the ſonne of King Croeſus beganne to ſpeake, ſeeing his Father in danger: Who will thinke it ſtrange, to ſee my tongue looſed in a ſubiect, where it haſtens to ſet forth the glory of God my eternall Father, and the ſaluation of mine owne ſoule?

For, With the heart we beleeue, but with the mouth Rom. 10. •• wee confeſſe to ſaluation: for which cauſe Ieſus Chriſt ſaith, That whoſoeuer ſhall confeſſe him before Mat. 10. 32. 33 men, he will confeſſe him before his Father which is in heauen; But whoſoeuer ſhall deny him before men, him will he deny before his Father which is in heauen. And the Apoſtle alſo ſaith; Come out from amongſt them 2 Cor. 6. 17. (meaning from Idolaters) and ſeparate your ſelues, and touch no vncleane thing. And the Spirit of God Apoc. 18. Goe out of Babylon my people, left yee partake of her ſins, and that yee receiue not of her plagues.

God will haue no ſocietie with Satan, nor Communion with the world; he will not with the harlot haue his childe diuided; he will haue all, or 1 King. 3. 26. nothing. For what hath righteouſneſſe to doe with iniquitie? And what communion hath light with 2 Cor. 6. 14. darkeneſſe? Or what agreement hath Chriſt with Belial? Or what portion hath the beleeuer with the Infidel? Or the Temple of God with Idols?

And here I called that to minde which God heretofore ſaid vnto the Iſraelites, by the mouth of the Prophet Eliah, How long halt ye betweene two 1 King. 18. opinions? If God be God follow him, but if Baal, follow him. I haue aduiſedly conſidered of what great validitie that Maxime, of our Sauiour is▪ That it is Mat. 6. 24. impoſſible to ſerue two maſters; and haue often called that to minde which we reade Mat. 11. That the kingdome of heauen ſuffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

I haue often conſidered that God will haue his children marked, not onely with an inward ſeale, Ephe. 1. 13. but alſo with the marke of an outward profeſſion, and that is the cauſe why in the 1. booke of Kings, 1 King. 19. 18. Chapter 19. God ſaith hee had reſerued to himſelfe ſeuen thouſand men (not onely who had not beleeued in the Idolatries of Baal, but) who had not bowed the knee to Baal, nor kiſſed him. And in the ſeuenth Chapter of th' Apocalyps, v. 3. Iohn Reu. 7. 3. beheld in a Viſion an Angel, hauing the ſeale of the liuing God, to marke the ſeruants of God in their foreheads: teaching vs therein, that if wee will be reputed the ſeruants of Ieſus Chriſt, wee muſt openly make profeſſion of the Truth, the which himſelfe teacheth vs in S. Iohn. If any one Iohn 12. 26. ſerueth me, let him follow me. For he that is not with me, is againſt me, and he that gathereth not with me, Mat. 12. 30. ſcattereth.

I haue alſo often thought with my ſelfe that the Deuill demanded nothing of Ieſus Chriſt, but what the worldly wiſe giue vnto him. For the Deuill hauing ſhewed Ieſus Chriſt all the kingdomes of the world, and the glory thereof, ſaith, All theſe Mat. 4. 8. things will I giue thee (not if thou beleeue in me, but) if thou ſhalt fall downe and worſhip me. Nabuchadnezar required nothing of thoſe three worthies which were caſt into the fiery Furnace, but Dan. 3. 15. outwardly to worſhip his Image; and the greateſt tyrants not being able to diſcerne the thoughts of the heart, content themſelues with the bodie and the tongue.

Yea, I thought, that if it ſufficed to beleeue the truth, without making profeſſion of it, in vaine ſhould ſo many Martyrs haue maintained it before their Iudges, and confeſſed it in the very flames, ſigned with their bloud, and ſealed with their death.

And ſeeing the Church on earth, is like vnto Iſrael in Egypt, and Daniel in the Lyons den, and that in the eyes of the world, it is nothing but weakneſſe, and as it were a few Lambes in the midſt of a multitude of Wolues, if it ſhould conforme it ſelfe to the times, there would neuer bee any Church. And in withdrawing our ſelues from the houſe of God, we ſhall not onely run into the Temples of Papiſts, but alſo into the Temples of Mahomet, ſaying by way of excuſe, yet I beleeue it not.

Reaſon it ſelfe hath taught me, that it ſufficeth not a childe to haue a good conceit of his Father, vnleſſe he defend his quarrell, and that it is not enough for a ſouldier to loue his Captaine, if hee fight not vnder his enſigne, and that ſhee is but a ſtrumpet, who vnder pretence of keeping her hart to her husband, proſtitutes her body to ſtrangers; as alſo that it is the propertie of Baſtard children to be afraide to call themſelues by the name of their father: we are vnworthie the ſeruice of ſo great a King, if we be aſhamed to weare his Liuery, for ſuch a baſe ſeruant can neuer ſerue ſo rich a maſter.

In a word, I haue conſidered, that God puniſheth no ſinners more ſeuerely in his wrath, then Rom. 1. 18. ſuch as withhold his truth in vnrighteouſneſſe, and I haue oft trembled at the hearing of theſe words ſpoken by Ieſus Chriſt to the Church of Laodicea, Reu. 3. 15. 16. I would thou wert either cold or hot; but becauſe thou art neither cold nor hot, but luke-warme, I will ſpew thee out of my mouth. And thence it is, that I haue bin terrified with that horrible threat which God pronounceth in Apoc. 21. againſt ſuch as feare man more then God, and the ſeruant, rather then the Maiſter, for not onely to vnbeleeuers, abominable, murtherers, whoremongers, ſorcerers, Idolaters, and all lyars, But alſo vnto the fearefull, is reſerued that Reu. 21. 8. lake of fire and brimſtone, which is the ſecond death. Nay, were it that God threatned vs not at all with ſuch terrible puniſhments, yet ought wee to be aſhamed, hauing receiued ſo many mercies from him, to repay him with ſo horrible ingratitude; it being monſtrous, that ſuch who make Conſcience to ſteale from other men their goods, ſhould yet dare to defile themſelues with ſacriledge.

For there is not a worſe ſacriledge, then to rob God of his glory, and he is worthie to be branded for a double dealer, who denies vnto God that iuſt defence of his cauſe which he owes vnto him.

This is it then I haue conſidered with my ſelfe: Ieſus Chriſt is not aſhamed to call me his brother, Heb. 2. 11. and ſhould I be aſhamed to confeſſe my ſelfe to be his ſeruant? He hath not ſpared to ſhed his bloud for me, and ſhould I ſpare to ſpeake for his truth? He died for my ſaluation, and ſhould I not liue to his glory?

I concluded then, that ſeeing he meant to glorifie my ſoule and bodie in heauen, it is juſt and reaſonable, that in ſoule and bodie I glorifie him on earth: according to the exhortion of the Apoſtle▪ Ye are bought for a price, glorifie God then in 1 Cor. 6. 20. your bodie, and in your spirit, for they are Gods. And yet I muſt tell you that God hath not ſetled me in this reſolution, but through many conflicts. For the fleſh to weaken my ſaith, was readie to rocke Iud. 16. 15. me aſleepe in her lap: and this fleſh, a ſworne enemie, that ſhee might ſtill retaine me in her bonds, and hinder me from aſcending the mountaine of ſaluation, cauſed me to looke backe towards thoſe Gen. 19. 2 • . worldly profits which I was to abandon: ſhe told me that I ſhould breake the necke of all my Fortunes (as they are wont now adayes to ſpeake) and ſhould impriſon my ſelfe within the den of perpetuall ignominie, & this obiection I confeſſe ſomewhat the more daunted me, being now come to thoſe yeares which naturally long for delights and thirſt after prayſes; the progreſſe in my ſtudies alſo hauing raiſed me vpon the ſteps which lead to honours, whereunto the fauour of my friends ſeemed to haue made a way open for me.

But againe I thought, that this was a ſleight of the great Harlot, which to retaine me ſtill in the filthineſſe of her abominations, meant (euen like Potiphars wife, who inticed Ioſeph to commit adultery with her) to hold me by the cloke, through the conſideration of earthly commodities; and therefore I choſe rather to leaue my cloke with Ioſeph, then to forſake mine innocencie, or to make any breach in my Conſcience.

I conſidered, that all the riches and honours of this world, are turned to wormewood, to him that feares not God, and that all the pleaſures of the fleſh, are but like to the Bees, which haue honey in their mouth, but ſtings in their tayle: the beginning ſeemes pleaſing, but the end lamentable, for after a ſhort laughter, and a few fond delights in this life, followes eternall death, where ſhall be endleſſe weeping and gnaſhing of teeth.

I alſo conſidered, that God hauing created man, to be Lord of the whole world, man ſhould not yeeld himſelfe as a vaſſall or ſlaue to ſuch vile creatures; That the whole world is not a portion worthy of the children of this great King: That God hath not indewed me with an immortall ſoule to be intangled in the things, which haue but onely the dignitie to be mortall: That my ſoule being of an heauenly nature, ought to mount aboue all theſe terreſtrial things, and to aſpire to thoſe things that are aboue.

In a word, I concluded that I ſhould make but an ill match of it, to win the whole world, if for Man. 8. 38. it I ſhould loſe my ſoule, and that it would proue but a meane comfort to goe to hell, laden with many Tit • es.

For this cauſe I gaue my ſelfe to meditate on the ſaying of Chriſt, Thou careſt and art troubled about Luke 10. 41. many things, but one thing is needfull: I gaue heed likewiſe to the exhortation of our Sauiour in S. Mathew, Chap. 6. Firſt ſeeke the kingdome of God, Mat. 6. 33. and his righteouſneſſe, and all theſe things ſhall be added vnto you. And that of S. Iohn, Labour not for Iohn 6. 27. the meate that periſheth, but for that which endureth to eternall life. I taſted alſo the vertue of Pauls cordiall words, 1 Tim. 6, Godlineſſe with contentment 2 Ti • . 6. 7. is great gaine. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certaine we ſhall carrie nothing out. Therefore hauing food and rayment, let vs therewith be content.

And becauſe Examples haue often the force of inſtructions, I ſet before me the Prophet Moſes, Heb. 11. 24. 25. 26. Who being come to age, refuſed to be called the ſonne of Pharaohs daughter: chooſing rather to ſuffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleaſures of ſinne for a ſeaſon. Eſteeming the rebuke of Chriſt greater riches, then the treaſures of Egypt, for he had an eye to the recompence of reward. I muſed on the writings of Dauid, wherein he glorieth more, that hee was Gods ſeruant, then that hee was King of Iſraell, preferring the houſe of God, before his Palace Royall. As alſo I thought on the ſaying of that excellent Prince, the Emperour Theodoſius, who preferred his being a Citizen in the houſe of God, before all the glory of his Empire. But aboue all me thought I was wonderfully rauiſhed in conſidering the Apoſtle S. Paul, who had bin brought vp at the feete of Gamaliel, who vnderſtood the ſecret of Sciences, and ſpake the language of Angels; who had whereof to boaſt as concerning the fleſh, hauing all the aduantages his Nation afforded, and yet he cryeth out, Phil. 3. That which was Phil. 3. 7. • . • . gaine vnto me, I eſteemed loſſe for Chriſt; Yea, I haue counted all things to be loſſe vnto me for the excellent knowledge of Ieſus Chriſt my Lord. For whoſe ſake I haue depriued my ſelfe of all things, and doe iudge them to be dung, that I may winne Chriſt. The like is ſayd of all the Apoſtles, who vſe this ſpeech to Chriſt▪ We haue leſt all, and followed thee. Mat. 19. •• .

And that which moſt comforted me, was the anſwere of our Sauiour, Verily I ſay vnto you, that whoſoeuer hath forſaken houſes, or brethren, or ſiſters, or father, or mother for my ſake, and the Goſpels, ſhall receiue an hundred folde as much, and ſhall inherite eternall life.

And therefore euen as the Apoſtles forſooke their Nets to follow Ieſus Chriſt; I alſo put from me theſe vaine cares, and the deceitfull hopes which intangled my minde, and with the royall Prophet I concluded, O Lord, thou art my portion, Pſal. 119. 55. I haue determined to keepe thy law. And that as Chriſt ſaith, Thoſe are bleſſed which heare the Luke 11. 28. word of God and keepe it; As alſo with Mary, I haue choſen the good part, which ſhall not bee taken Luke 10. 42. from me. I ſayd in my ſelfe, what though I poſſeſſe not great things here on earth, yet ſhall I bee rich in thee, and an inheritour of the kingdome, which God hath promiſed to thoſe that loue him; I ſhall poſſeſſe that pearle of inualuable price, to wit, the knowledge of the Goſpell, and the graces of the Spirit, I ſhall be adorned with Ieſus Chriſt, the riches of Iſrael, and the glory of our hope. And I ſhall obtaine a treaſure in heauen, where the moth corrupteth nor, and where theeues neither breake Mat. 6. 20. through, nor ſteale; If I lacke honor among mortall men, God will ſingle me out as among his Mal. 3. 17. 1 Pet. 2. 9. moſt precious Iewels; I ſhall enter into the royall Prieſthood, and I may boaſt, that I am deſcended of the moſt auncient nobilitie that may be, ſeeing the titles of Gods houſe and familie are more auncient then heauen and earth: and if I forſake worldly pleaſures, I ſhall haue ſpirituall gladnes; I ſhall reioyce in God my Sauiour, with a Ioy vnſpeakeable 1 Pet. 1. 8. and glorious: and as Dauid taking his flight into the Deſerts, comforted himſelfe in the expectation of the kingdome which God had promiſed him; ſo, will I comfort my ſelfe in looking for thoſe eternall felicities, which God hath reſerued for me among the Angels. To be ſhort, if with Ieſus Chriſt I haue not whereon to reſt my head, I will reioyce that in Ieſus Chriſt I haue peace of Conſcience: that God is the portion of Pſal. 16. 5. mine heritage, and of my Cup alwayes. O Lord Pſal. 84. 1. of hoſts, how amiable are thy dwelling places! my foule ceaſeth not, greatly to long, yea, euen fainteth for the courts of the Lord, my heart and my fleſh reioyce in the liuing God. For a day in thy Verſe 10. Courts, is better then a thouſand elſe-where, I had rather be a doore-keeper in the houſe of my God, then to dwell in the tents of wickedneſſe.

Now if my fleſh were loth to forſake her commodities, ſhee thought it yet more ſtrange to betake her ſelfe vnto ſuch an vnpleaſing condition: ſhee thought it folly and madneſſe to enter into a path all paued with thornes, and filled with afflictions: ſhe ſet before me the reproch of the Goſpell, but eſpecially in theſe woefull times, in which pietie is hereſie, and wherein it is counted a diſhonour to ſerue Chriſt. But according to the Apoſtles example, I ſhooke off this Viper, without Act. 28. taking any hurt, I beleeued that I ought to contemne this contempt, according to the ſaying of the Apoſtle, I am not aſhamed of the Goſpell of Rom. 1. 1 • . Chriſt, ſeeing it is the power of God to ſaluation to all that beleeue. I thought it better to ſhare with Gods children in the words reproach, then to be had in execration before God and his Angels, and willingly to be made the ofſcouring of the earth, ſeeing ſo I might be made heauens delight.

I thought it folly to imagine I ſhould reape, before I had ſowed, to ouercome without conflict, and to be crowned, before I had run my race to the end, and that it is impoſſible to partake of the excellencie of Chriſts croſſe, without feeling the weight of it, ſeeing the paſchall Lambe was to be Exod. 12. 8. eaten with ſoure herbs, and the bread of the Lord, like that of Boaz, muſt be eaten with dipping it in Ruth. 2. vineger.

I conſider, that ſeeing the kingdome of Ieſus Chriſt is not of this world, it were extreame foliſhnes in me, to ſeeke the world in his kingdome, or to thinke of reſt in his kingdome, who is the enemie of our Father, or not to make profeſſion of the Goſpell til perſecutions be ended, or to ſet before vs Ieſus Chriſt without his Croſſe, or a Goſpell without reproach. To tarry till God had traced out a new way to heauen, and till the worlde and Satan ſhould ceaſe to bee; for the enmitie of the old Serpent, which began in the earthly Paradice, Gen. 3. will neuer haue an ende, till wee become to the heauenly,

I alſo thought that ther is no afflictiō for the Goſpell which Ieſus Chriſt hath not fore-told, & that ſuch as are enrolled for ſeruants in his armie, muſt accept it vpon condition, that whoſoeuer will come Luke 9. 23. after me, muſt deny himſelfe, and take vp his Croſſe, and follow me. Ieſus Chriſt tels vs that if we will enter Mat. 7. 23. into life eternall, wee muſt paſſe through the ſtraight gate, and this is that aduantage which in this life he tels his Apoſtle he muſt take for his patrimonie, I will ſhew him how many things hee muſt ſuffer for my ſake. A leſſon which the Apoſtle ſets vs Act. 9. 16. al to take out, ſaying; By many afflictions we muſt enter Act. 14. 22. into the kingdome of heauen, and 2. Tim. 3. All that 2 Tim. 3. 12. will liue godly in Chriſt Ieſus, muſt ſuffer perſecution.

I ſhake of delicacie, when I caſt mine eyes vpon Daniel, who choſe rather to be caſt into the Lyons den, then to giue ouer lifting vp his hands to heauen: vpon thoſe three worthies, who choſe rather to bee expoſed to the mercy of the fiery furnace, then to bow before an Idol, and vppon ſo many cloudes of witneſſes, who were willing rather to ſhed their blood, then defile themſelues with Idolatrie.

And aboue all I was aſtonied in beholding Ieſus Heb. 12. 2. Chriſt the author and finiſher of our faith who for the ioy that was ſet before him endured the croſſe, and deſpiſed the ſhame: For, the ſeruant is not greater then his Iohn 13. 16. maſter, nor the Ambaſſader greater then hee that ſent him. Seeing our head was crowned with thornes, and was offered vinegar to drinke, all ſtreaming ouer with blood, what a vile ſhame is it for vs his members, to deſire the enioying of all our liberties heere below in this corruptible world, or to lie ſucking at the breaſts of the poyſonful ſweets ther of yea, for as much as Ieſus Chriſt hath ſuffered ſo much for our ſaluation, is it not iuſt & equall that wee prepare our ſelues to ſuffer for his glory, according to that exhortation of the Apoſtle let vs Heb. 13. 13. goe forth out of the campe, bearing his reproach?

For I alſo thought, that to eſcape a theefe in the way, I ought not to caſt my ſelf headlong into infinite and ineuitable miſeries. For what corzie is more ſencible and intollerable, then that of an euill conſcience? yea, all the tortures in this life, are but light flea-bitings in reſpect of thoſe eternal puniſhments, wherewith God will puniſh thoſe, who worſhip the beaſt & his Image, and whoſoeuer they Reu. 14. 9. 10. be that receiue the marke of the beaſt in their foreheads.

But that which did yet fortifie mee moſt of all, was the conſolation which the Apoſtle giues vs, ſaying in his Epiſtle to the Romanes: That all Rom. 8. 28. thinges worke together for good to thoſe that loue God. That by afflictions, we are made conformable to the Image Ver. 29. of the Sonne of God: and that all our ſufferings Rom. 8. 18. of this preſent life, being well weighed, are not worthie of the glory which is to come, and ſhall in due time bee reuealed vnto vs, For our light affliction which is but 2 Cor. 4. 17. for a moment, works in vs a farre more excellent and eternall weight of glory, whilſt wee looke vpon, not the things which are ſeene, but on the things which are not ſeene, which are eternall. For thoſe who are come out of Reu. 7. 14. great tribulation, and haue waſhed their long robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lambe, that ſtand Verſe 15. before the throne of God, and ſerue him day and night in his Temple, ſhall haue no more hunger, nor thirſt, 16. the ſunne ſhall not light vpon them, nor any heat, for the Lambe which is in the midſt of the throne, ſhall feede 17. them, and leade them to the fountaines of liuing waters, and God ſhall wipe away all teares from their eyes. That was it which cauſed me to change my note, and to thinke nothing ſweeter then the waters of Mara, when Chriſt our true Moſes caſts into them the wood of his Croſſe, aſſuring vs of the m • rit of his death and paſſion: yea, I dare ſay, that afflictions for the name of Chriſt doe bring with them more true ioy and comfort to the faithfull ſoule, then the whole world furniſhed with all her contentments to a prophane wretch. And therefore Chriſt ſaith, Bleſſed are they who are perſecuted for Mat. 5. 10. righteouſneſſe ſake, for theirs is the kingdome of heauen. Bleſſed are ye when men reuile you, and perſecute Verſe 11. you and ſhall ſay all manner of euill ſaying againſt you falſely, for my names ſake, reioyce and be glad, for great 12. is your reward in heauen, for ſo perſecuted they the Prophets which were before you. That is it which Saint Iames alſo ſaith in his Epiſtle, My brethren Iam. 1. 2. thinke it perfect ioy when you fall into diuers temptations. And that likewiſe of S. Peter, reioyce in as 1 Pet. 4. 13. much as yee are partakers of Chriſts ſufferings, that when his glory ſhall appeare, yee may be glad and reioyce: If ye be railed vpon for the name of Chriſt, bleſſed are ye, for the ſpirit of glory and of God reſteth vpon you. Thence it is that the Apoſtles in the Acts went away reioycing, that they Act. 5. 41. were counted worthie to ſuffer rebuke for the name of Ieſus Chriſt. And that the Apoſtle Saint Paul who had been rapt vp into the third heauen, and had heard words which are vnexpreſſable, which is not poſſible for man to vtter, choſe yet rather to reioyce in his ſufferings. The ioy which he for a time poſſeſſed among the Angels, being no let vnto him to reioyce in the middeſt of the Martyrs. I take pleaſure (ſaith he) in reproches, in 2 Cor. 12. 10. neceſſities, in perſecutions, in anguiſhes for Chriſt, for when I am weake, then I am ſtrong. From thence it came, that out of the middeſt of his moſt inward paſſions, he cries out, I am filled with conſolation, 2 Cor. 7. 4. I am full with ioy more and more in all our affliction, for full well he knew, that it is freely giuen vs for Phil. 1. 29. Chriſt, not onely to bel • eue in him, but alſo to ſuffer for his ſake.

And therefore according to Chriſt his exhortation, I beleeued that I ought not to feare thoſe Mat. 10. 28. who hauing killed the bodie, can doe no more, but to feare him rather, who can deſtroy both bodie and ſoule in hell fire, and that, if the ſufferings 2 Cor. 1. 5. of Chriſt abound in vs, the conſolations of Chriſt ſhall abound in vs alſo. If we die with Chriſt, that 2 Tim. 2. 12. we ſhall alſo liue with him. That if we ſuffer with him, we ſhall alſo raigne with him. And that if Mar. 8. 35. any will ſaue his life, he ſhall loſe it, and whoſoeuer ſhall loſe his life for Chriſts ſake, and the Goſpels, he ſhall ſaue it.

And no maruaile if neither the threats nor promiſes of the world preuailed with me, to hinder me from giuing glory to God, ſeeing the world can promiſe nothing which is more excellent then the kingdome of heauen, nor threaten any thing more terrible then the paines of hell: But as with a ſtedſaſt eye I looked vpon the world, which I now forſake, and the croſſe which I embrace: ſoon the other ſide, when I come to caſt mine eyes vpon you (moſt honoured Father and Mother) and to ſet before me your tender affections, and paternall loues; whilſt I call to minde with what mildneſſe you brought me vp; what care you had of my education, ſparing no coſt to inſtruct me in the knowledge of good letters, framing my mind to the loue of vertue: and then againe, when I thought how much affliction and diſcomfort my departing would bring vnto you in following a Religion, the excellencie whereof you yet diſcerne not.

All theſe things I ſay well weighed, ſo wrought vpon mine affections, that it hath cauſed floods of teares to fall from mine eyes, and to be brought as it were to nothing, for the truth is, my loue towardes you is ſo ardent and reſpectiue, that if it were but to endure any temporall puniſhments, I had rather ſuffer a thouſand torments and tortures, then to breed you the leſt diſcontentment: yea, I ingenuouſly confeſſe, that this conſideration ſo farre preuailed with me, that it had in a manner ſtayed me from proceeding on in this faire path, wherein I now walke, if God (hauing compaſſion of mine infirmitie) had not drawne me on by the hand of his grace, and ſtrengthened my weakeneſſe, to hearken to the words of our Sauiour; Who ſo loueth father or mother more then me, is Mat. 10. 37. not worthie of me: As alſo to that anſwere which he made him which ſaid, I will follow thee Lord, Luke 9. 61. but firſt giue me leaue to take leaue of thoſe that are at mine houſe; None that putteth his hand to the plough, Verſe 6 • . and looketh backe, is fit for the kingdome of God.

Then I conſidered, that God called me to the ſame condition vnto which he called the Father of the faithfull, Goe out of the countrie, and from Gen. 12. 1. thy kindred, and from thy Fathers houſe, to goe into a countrie which I will ſhew thee.

I thought that, if I was bound to reſpect the father of my body, I was much more bound to reſpect the Father of my ſpirit, and that it was better to obey God then men. Act. 4. 19.

And the better to alay this bitternes, I comforted my ſelfe the ſweetnes of the gracious promiſes of my good God, I will receiue you, and will be 2 Cor. 6. 18. a father vnto you, and you ſhalbe my ſonnes, and daughters, ſaith the Lord Almighty, 2. Cor. 6. Whence I came to conclude thus with my ſelfe, I forſake my fathers houſe, but I enter into the houſe of God, I eſtrange my ſelfe from my naturall parents but I enter into that high and noble alliance and ſpirituall kindred which is named in heauen and in earth, of which Ieſus Chriſt is the head. When Epheſ. 3. 15. Pſal. 27. 10. my father and my mother forſake me, the Lord will gather me vp. Add alſo, that with this conſolation I comforted my ſelfe thus, namely, that I entred not into a Church which vnder pretence of piety teacheth me to caſt off the bands of naturall reſpects and dutie, but which commands all Chriſtians to nouriſh within them the cordial affections of true Exod. 20. charitie inſtructing children to honour their father and mother in all things, in the Lord. The Epheſ. 6. honour and loue which I owe you, are too faſt engraued in my breaſt, to be blotted out. The bands wherwith I am knit vnto you, are too ſtrong to be broken, and my deſire to acknowledge your fauours ſhall neuer die in me, till I die.

Now I nothing doubt but you will witnes with me how blameleſſe my conuerſation was during the time I conuerſed amongſt you, I was alſo inflamed with a moſt ardent affection to make it appeare vnto you, that it was neither raſhnes nor lightnes, which cauſed mee to change Religion. But I onely ſuffered my ſelfe to be vanquiſhed by the power of truth, & the motions of Gods holy Spirit: to which purpoſe you know I endeuoured my ſelfe in your preſence to maintaine this truth agaiuſt ſuch Doctors as you approued of, (which I often did in particuler conferences (hauing learned, that God perfects his prayſe by the mouth of babes Mat. 11. 25. and perfects his power in our weakeneſſe. For as God hides his ſecrets from the wiſe and prudent, & reueales 2 Cor. 12. 9. them vnto little ones, So hath the Truth greater Mat. 11. 25. force in the mouth of a childe, then a lye in the mouth of all the Doctors in the worlde. But the miſeries of theſe times not permitting me to enter into ſuch diſputes, without expoſing my perſon to manifeſt danger, and not minding to enter into the Church of GOD through trouble: As alſo that diſputations now adayes are rather lowd then fruitfull: becauſe they diſpute onely to diſpute, ſtriuing rather for victory then truth, I thought it euery way better, and more to edification, to ſet downe my reaſons of this my alteration and change by writing: to which the grace of God aſſiſting me, I will without ceaſing endeuour, now that God of his mercy hath giuen mee to arriue in ſuch a place, where it is lawfull both to ſpeake and write the truth. For I hold my ſelfe ſtill bound to giue you an account of my proceedings, and I ſhould thinke my ſelfe happy, if this little light which God hath communicated vnto me, might ſomething enlighten your darkeneſſe, then ſhould I willingly yeelde my Spirit to God that gaue it, if I might ſee you with my ſelfe walking the way to life and happineſſe.

In expectation whereof I beſeech the great God and father of mercies, that hee will make vs all mind one and the ſame thing in Chriſt, that he will repleniſh you with the ioyes and comforts of his holy Spirit, granting vs all the grace, that after wee haue glorified him a little while heere on earth, wee may be glorified with him for euer in heauen, euen with that glory which hee hath prepared for vs before the foundation of the world.

So prayeth he who craues that you will alwayes beleeue it, euen vnto the altar.

Your moſt humble, moſt affectionate, and moſt obedient Sonne, de VRILLAC. From SEDAN, this 3. of Auguſt, 1621.