A DECLARATION and manifestation of the chiefe cau­ses and motiues which haue moued and induced M^r. M. de TERTRE Lord de la MOTTHE LVYNE, to withdraw himselfe from the Romish Church: Directed to those of the Church of ROME.

THe most cleare actions of men (e­uen of the most famous and illu­strious in vertues, perfections, and most commendable qualities) are subiect to shadowes, and their workes exposed to the foolish and rash examination, search, censure, and iudgement euen of the common people.

When you heard of, knew, and saw my departure, God knowes what sinister opinions I ran into in regard of many amongst you; some taking my designe to be but a lightnesse, inconstancie, and inconsideratenesse of minde; others thinking it to haue proceeded from a matter and occasion of disquietnesse and discontent receiued from them, from whom I am departed; o­thers from a desire of greater libertie and more licen­tious life; and many other the like: but all in generall [Page 2] esteeming it a manifest disloyaltie and notorious treacherousnesse to your societie and company.

I could neuer haue thought (and yet lesse belee­ued) that the actions of a worme of the earth, of one so poore and wretched as I am, should haue beene gathered vp with such a throng: but sithence that by the manifest prouidence of God they are fallen into this debate,1 Pet. 3. v. 15. Matth. 10 33. I am most willing and content to render and giue an account of them, as S. Peter commands me, or rather Iesus Christ, who would disclaime me be­fore his heauenly Father, if I did not confesse him (in the truth) ingenuously before men.

I sweare therefore and protest before the most holy Trinitie (to whom al things are knowne and manifest, which soundeth my very reines, which seeth and pier­ceth euen to the inmost and most secret part of my heart and thought of my soule) that this my change hath no other aime, and tends purely and simply to no other end, then to the glory of my God, and the assurance of my saluation: for which two things I doe not nor will euer refuse, in regard of men, either shame, or confusion, or pouertie, or dishonour, or martyrdome whatsoeuer, though armed with the most cruell and sensible prickings of all the punish­ments and torments that at any time were felt by any reasonable creature. And if I haue any other intent, I pray my God that hee will make an exemplary ven­geance of my hypocrisie, and punish and chasten me most seuerely, if he knoweth and can finde out that I speake not the truth, and that my words doe disagree and differ from the thoughts of my soule and feeling of my heart.

[Page 3]I am now come to the 32. yeare of mine age, or thereabouts; and though it hath beene with much paines, wearisomnesse, and trauell, partly in my stu­dies, and partly in my other publike or priuate busi­nesses, yet I doe not thinke (thankes to Gods bountie) that I euer did weare in my countenance and fore­head any marke whatsoeuer, which might make mee blush for shame, or hinder mee from going with my head lifted vp aloft. I haue not lost with that little ex­perience which I haue gotten in the world, the desire of going on and ending my life in the same bed of ho­nour and state of innocencie, for to prostitute that so lightly, which I haue kept and maintained so dearely and with so much care. And how weake soeuer I am in body and minde, yet the lightnesse, inconsiderate­nesse, and inconstancie, which some closely obiect vnto me and reproach mee withall, hath not as yet (God be thanked) so farre possessed my braines, as that any one should haue seene from thence to issue the effects of follie; and I hope that his goodnesse will not derelinquish or leaue me to that wretched and la­mentable extremitie. As for the matter and occasion of discontent, which some others produce and lay abroad, I should be to blame, and should lie, if I should complaine thereof; it being true (and I must needs auouch and confesse it ingenuously) that I haue beene but too much beloued, cherished, and honou­red in that state wherein I was, and as much or more aduanced then I could haue desired, wished, or chal­lenged, hauing beene put to the studie of Philosophie and Diuinitie euen sooner then their customes, sta­tutes and ordinances could well allow of and permit, [Page 4] hauing also beene made Priest precisely at the time permitted and appointed, and eftsoones admitted and preferred to the office of preaching, which I haue be­gun to exercise from my 25. yeare, and alwayes since continued at Burges, Bloys, in this City, Tours, Angiers, Chasteaugontier, Laval, Mayenne, le Mans, Alenson, Rhe­don, and other such like wel knowne townes of France, with all kinde of contentment and satisfaction (thanks be to God) being welcome to all, and vnderstood by euery one. As for the libertie and a more licentious life, which others last of all doe obiect vnto me, God knowes and is my record (and experience also can wit­nesse it, and giue an assured proofe thereof) that I haue had nothing lesse in my minde and thought then that, but rather on the contrary it was the desire of a more retired, solitary, peaceable and quiet life, and for to put an end to those poastings and vagaries, which are ordinary and essentiall to men of that estate and condition, who like Daedalus his images are in a perpetuall stirring, motion, and agitation. But if that had beene the cause, I neede not to haue come out from thence where I was, such occasions and oppor­tunities offering and presenting themselues daily vnto me (as well as to others, yea a thousand times more) if I would haue taken and accepted them as well as they. But God by his infinite goodnesse and mercy hath kept and preserued mee euen against these en­counters, wherein the strongest and perfectest in shew haue shamefully yeelded and foulely fallen.

I would not therefore so play with my selfe, and and out of an humour (as it were) change my Religi­on, if that I had not some sound cause and ground for [Page 5] it, it being otherwise very easie for me (if I had willed) to keepe my wonted manner of life, and to keepe my selfe (so doing) from so many blowes of the tongue, from wry lookes, from pricking suspicions, which I haue (in truth) to the quicke felt, and doe yet feele in good earnest. But there is no remedy: I must resolue with my selfe to swallow downe by little and little this cup of bitternesse for the loue of our Sauiour,Heb. 12.2. who (saith S. Paul) when he could, and it was free vn­to him, to stay aboue in heauen in the same glory, fe­licitie, and happinesse with his Father, waited on and adored by the highest Spirits and Angelicall powers, not only abased and emptied himselfe, humbling him­selfe so farre, as to cloath himselfe with the weaknesse and infirmitie of our nature, and to take vpon him the forme of a seruant and slaue, yea enen was resolued willingly to suffer and endure the infamous and pain­full death and punishment of the Crosse, and indeede endured it, without hauing any regard, or caring at all for the shame, ignominie, confusion, and reproach which was to ensue thereupon; it being enough to him that it was for our sakes, to deliuer and enfran­chise vs from the power of the deuill, sinne, and hell, and to bring vs againe into fauour with his eternall Father, and into the possession of the kingdome of heauen, lost by the sinne and offence of our parents. Adde hereunto that which himselfe saith,Matth. 9 10. The Disciple is not aboue his master, nor the seruant aboue his Lord. If they haue called the master of the house Beelsebub,Io. 24 25. how much more them of the houshold? If they haue persecuted me, how much more will they persecute you also? Vers. 37.38. He that loueth father or mother more then me, is not worthy of me. [Page 6] He that taketh not his Crosse and followeth me, is not wor­thy of me. He that loueth his soule, shall lose it; and he that hateth it in this life for my sake, shall keepe it in the life euer­lasting. And if it were so (as thankes be to God it is not) that I should be vncertaine and ignorant of what I owe to my conscience in this behalfe, I would then striue to couer againe and hide my straying with ex­cuses and repentances, which I am sure would not be denied me, but rather would be receiued willingly, and with all kinde of ioy, contentment, and cheere­fulnesse, with open both armes and hearts, as it hath beene sufficiently testified vnto mee by those instant searches, affectionate pursuits, and truly charitable offers, and I cannot but acknowledge and confesse it ingenuously; at the least if their intent were answera­ble to their words, which those of that state and con­dition haue vsed and often reiterated vnto me, both by themselues, and by third persons interposed.

What doe I then? And by your fauour I doe pray you (you which take the paines and the patience to reade these draughts of my penne, or rather of my soule) to thinke on mee with as much attention, as I my selfe haue thought of it, and to weigh my reasons with the iust balance of reason it selfe, and then I am certaine and assured that you will iudge and finde me as farre from hastinesse, precipitation, inconstancie, inconsideratenesse of minde, and other such like things, which many amongst you, yea it may be your selues doe obiect vnto me and reproach me withall, as I am neere to the truth.

My change and my departure doe seeme strange to you, I desire it. I can doe nothing in it, much lesse hin­der [Page 7] and stop the readinesse of your mindes. But if it please you to stay a while with mee, I shall it may be make this change more familiar vnto you. For it first of all it be strange vnto you, because that euery alte­ration and change of religion is simply so of it selfe, and that we ought to end in that wherein we haue be­gun; what then I pray will become of those among the Iewes, Turkes, the men of Iapan, of Margaia, and other barbarous and strange nations, which haue changed and daily doe change their owne religion, and that of their fathers, in the which they had beene nurtured and brought vp, for to make themselues Christians, to wed themselues to the law and faith of our Sauiour, and to professe his religion? If it be, be­cause that more particularly and specially it is ill done to depart from your company, you might haue right therein, if you or your Doctors could enlighten or ease me in this doubt. But I thinke that you and they would be troubled as much to doe that, as to proue, shew, and make it plaine vnto me, that yours is more worth and truer then that which I haue embraced, the which notwithstanding would be wholly and al­together requisite and necessary to that proofe.

From whence then (you will say vnto me) commeth this so sudden a change? From the speciall and singu­lar grace of God, and from the particular knowledge which it hath pleased his goodnesse to giue me, for to depart from the disorders, abuses, and errours of your Church, as well in matter of faith and doctrine, as of manners. It is very long since I began to know and take notice of them; finding it very strange, ridicu­lous, without reason, nay against all reason both di­uine [Page 8] and humane, and not being able to comprehend and conceiue,Bellar. caeterique omnes vna voce & communi consensu. 1. How the holy Scriptures (and the Spirit of God speaking in them) were not the certaine and infallible rule of faith, but rather men which are blinde, ignorant, and faultie of their owne nature: 2. That they were obscure, doubtfull, vnperfect, alto­gether insufficient to saluation: 3. That of themselues without traditions they were not so necessary, and that the traditions of themselues purely and simply (without the said Scriptures) were absolutely neces­sary: 4. How the substance of bread and wine were changed and conuerted into the substance of the bo­dy and bloud of Iesus Christ: 5. How the humanitie of our Sauiour in the same Sacrament was substanti­ally present almost euery where, or at least was really in almost infinite, distinct, and seuered places in one and the same instant: 6. How the Masse was a true, proper, reall, and substantiall sacrifice, in the which the body of Christ in his owne essence, substance, and nature and proper person, was againe offered, immo­lated and sacrificed by the hands of the Priest to the euerlasting Father, for the expiation of our faults, sinnes and offences: 7. How there was a Purgatorie and set place wherein the soules of the faithfull after this life were detained for the satisfaction of their crimes: 8. How the said soules could be helped by the suffrages of the liuing, as by praiers, cries, almes, and other the like, but especially by applying of Mas­ses and Papall Indulgences: 9. How there was in the Church a treasure composed of the superfluous me­rits of the Virgin, of the Saints, &c. which could bee applied to the liuing and to the dead for a satisfaction [Page 9] and remission of their faults and offences: 10. And that this application belonged and was proper to the Pope alone, who might dispose thereof as should seeme good vnto him, and deliuer by the meanes thereof the soules detained in this pretended Purga­torie at his will and pleasure: 11. How Iesus Christ was not alone the only sufficient Mediator, Intercessor, and Aduocate for vs to his euerlasting Father: and that for this purpose we ought to resort and haue our refuge to the Saints and blessed ones: and that a thousand other such like things which you beleeue, and your Doctors teach and preach, ought to be held for Arti­cles of faith, there not being any trace or ground of them in the sacred Scripture, the true rule of that which ought to be beleeued and done. Not being able (I say) to perswade my selfe that that was the true Church, in the which the true faith and the doctrine of the Gospell was held and taught, wherein the man­ners, life and actions were so contrary and opposite vnto them, and the corruption so great and vniuer­sally diffused and extended throughout. But those were but small, light, and vaine Ideaes, which went no farther by reason of the negligence (as I beleeue) in the which the watchings which I bestowed on my studies and other businesses kept me asleepe: as also by reason of the age whereof I was, which for that time did not giue me more liuely conceits thereof for want of some body that might haue heartened them on farther, as indeed I was bred in the midst of them who beleeued and did the quite contrary. Thus did my simplicitie hatch my ignorance, wherein I liued fiue or six whole yeers since this first glimpse of light, [Page 10] which did kindle in my soule and heart this desire and affection of the truth, and to returne to this first spring and originall of the faith and manners of the Apostles and Disciples of the Sonne of God our Sauiour, yet of that very Sauiour, from whom by processe of time euen your Church hath swarued. At the end of which yeeres finally it hath pleased that supreme goodnesse and maiestie (which doth impart and communicate his graces and fauours to whom he thinkes good, yea oftentimes to least worthy and capable subiects, and makes the splendor of his euerlasting light to cast his beames on those soules that are deepest plunged into the obscuritie of darknesse) to poure out on mine the amplitude and greatnesse of his heauenly and diuine benedictions, and to make mee to see abundantly, purely and to the full, in their owne essence and natu­rall day, both the truth and falshood, and to harden, strengthen and encourage my minde for to embrace valorously the one, and to reiect the other, against all the obiects and representations of humane reason, the attractiue and alluring perswasions of nature, the impetuous assaults of flesh and bloud, and the strong suggestions and temptations of the deuill, and the fu­rious and bloudy combats of hell. Whereupon I am and shall alwayes be obliged vnto him, ouer and aboue all the obligations which I owe vnto him al­ready in number almost infinite: and I doe blesse, praise, & wil praise him to al eternitie, yea all the holy Angels of heauen and iust men of the earth, which (whereas the enuious, hatefull, and ill willers haue their foreheads wrinkled) will be glad for me and re­ioyce at my departure and conuension. This my [Page 11] change then hath no other scope, and aimeth purely and simply (as I haue already said) at nothing but the glory of my God, and the assurance of my saluation, which I haue truly found out, and sweare and protest that I could not haue attained vnto and wrought out in that state wherein I was: vnderstand, I pray you, and hearken to the reasons thereof. The two grounds and foundations of all Christian religion, and conse­quently of euerlasting saluation, are faith and chari­tie, without which neither one nor the other can re­maine and continue standing: faith (I say) in Christ,Faith. He that beleeues in me (saith he) shall not come into iudge­ment; but he that beleeueth not, is already condemned. Not any faith whatsoeuer, but such as God and the holy Scripture doe demand and require of vs, not lan­guishing, dead, grounded on humane inuentions and traditions, but purely and simply on Gods word, ani­mated and quickned by the spirit of grace, accompa­nied with good workes. Charitie, not fained,Charitie. dissem­bled, in shew only, but as the Apostle saith, procee­ding from a pure and cleane heart, from a good con­science, from an vnfained faith, and a loyaltie not counterfeted.

The same S. Paul speaking of the first in the 1. Epist. to the Corinthians, Vers. 10.11.12. chap. 3. saith it clearely and in very expresse termes: According to the grace of God which is giuen vnto me, as a wise master-builder, I haue (saith he) laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let euery man take heede how he buildeth thereupon: for other foundation can no man lay then that is laid, which is Iesus Christ. Now if any man build vpon this foundation gold, siluer, &c. Where you see cleerely how vnder [Page 12] the metaphore and comparison of a materiall edifice and building (which that it may be firme, sound, and lasting, hath necessarily neede of a good strong foun­dation of firme and hard stones, laid very farre and deepe in the ground) he declareth, signifieth, and gi­ueth cleerely to vnderstand, that the true faith and be­leefe in Iesus Christ our Sauiour (such as he teacheth and sheweth vs in his writings) is the true, sure, and onely foundation, and the solid and setled ground­worke of all Christian religion, and consequently by a necessary sequele, of euerlasting saluation, according to my proposition, which for this first point remaines enough by this place and sufficiently proued. As also no man doth deny it and call it in question, but all ge­nerally doe admit and receiue it for a certaine and as­sured ground.

Let vs come to the proofe of the second point thereof, to wit, of Charitie: I had need of more time then the shortnesse of this discourse can affoord mee, for to relate all the places of holy Scripture making for this purpose. That namely is manifest and cleare by the very words of our Sauiour, when as being as­ked of that Doctour of the Law,Matth. 22. or Scribe and Phari­sie, which was the first, the greatest and chiefe com­mandement thereof, and hauing made answer that it was to loue God with all his heart, with all his soule, &c. and his neighbour as himselfe, he addeth, that in these two points were comprised and contained, clo­sed and shut vp the whole Law and the Prophets, and consequently by a necessary sequele and infallible conclusion, all religion grounded and saluation esta­blished, as on two solid and firme foundations, with­out [Page 13] the which neither one nor the other (as I haue al­ready said) can remaine and continue standing.

Now let vs see whether those two grounds and ba­ses of saluation be or can be found in your Church, and in the state and condition from whence I am de­parted, to the end that from thence you may know and iudge, whether I haue had iust cause and lawfull occasion to doe this or no; and that the tongues that make themselues malicious and slanderous, may cease from their calumnious assaults and pursuits. And to begin with the faith and beleefe in Iesus Christ:How the Pa­pists faile in matters of faith. wee haue amongst many others three things to be consi­dered in him; 1. his person, 2. his charge and offices, 3. the singular graces, fauours and benefits which hee hath conferred on vs, and wee haue receiued from him.

As for his person,1. About Christs person. it is a matter of alike faith and beleefe, equally grounded in the holy Scripture, and acknowledged, approued, and confessed by all, that he is very God and very man; God, begotten from all eternitie, of the proper substance, essence, and nature of his eternall Father, yea the very same perfectly and in all points, equally God as he is: Man, concei­ued, in time produced, and begotten within the chaste entrailes of the proper substance of the Virgin Mary, by the working of the holy Ghost, of the seede of Abraham and Dauid according to the flesh, truly man as we are, subiect to the same and altogether alike in­firmities, except sinne and ignorance. Now although your Doctours directly and openly doe not beate downe and destroy these two things in the Sonne of God our Sauiour; yet so it is notwithstanding that by [Page 14] manner of consequence and necessary sequele, they take from him, rob him of, and carry away at the least his humanitie, when as they say (and it is their com­mon doctrine and vniuersall beleefe) that in the Sa­crament of the Eucharist, by the meanes which they call (and they haue forged and inuented it for them­selues but of late times) of transubstantiation, the sub­stance of bread and wine is conuerted and changed (they are the proper words of the Councell of Trent in the first and second Canon of the fourth chapter, and of all your Doctours in dependance thereof) into the body and bloud of Iesus Christ; which is properly and to speake truly, to ouerthrow topsie turuie and de­stroy the truth of the incarnation and humanitie of our Sauiour, and to giue him a body not taken and drawne from the substance of the Virgin, made and begotten by the seede of Abraham and Dauid accor­ding to the flesh, following the promise which had beene made them thereof by that supreme maiestie long time before; but from the substance of the bread, and by a necessary consequence and infallible conclusion, no longer any true body or a naturall man, but a morsell of paste, a peece of the ouen: hor­rible and accursed blasphemie! but yet farre more when as they affirme, auouch, and wilfully maintaine, that the same humanitie of Christ (in the same Sacra­ment) is substantially present almost euery where: or at least is really and corporally in almost infinite di­stinct and seuered places in one and the same instant.

So Bellarmine in his controuersies of the Eucharist, and after him all the others in a row; which is pro­perly to make the body of Christ no longer a true bo­dy, [Page 15] but to speake plainly, an immense and infinite God, contrary both to the truth of his humane na­ture, and to the testimonie of all the holy Scriptures and reason it selfe. For what body would that be, which wanteth his naturall greatnesse and stature, which can neither be felt, handled, nor seene, &c. which occupieth and filleth almost infinite places di­stant and farre asunder in one and the same instant, as we haue already said? Thus doe you see that your Church doth oppose and destroy his holy and sacred person, and the humanitie of our Sauiour, and turneth topsie turuie (as much as in her lieth) this ground of our saluation, whereas in lieu of the true body of Christ, shee offereth, presenteth, and giueth you an idle vision, and a very apparition. But this is enough on this matter.

Let vs now come to his charges and offices:2. About his offices. They are many and in great number, but may notwithstan­ding all be reduced to these three principall, of Pro­phet, of King, of high Priest: A Prophet,As he is a Pro­phet. who like another Moses, yea better then he and more perfectly many thousand times, and without compare, nay then all the other Prophets, hath both by himselfe and by his Apostles and Disciples foretold, denounced and declared the will of his eternall Father, the lawes, precepts and ordinances, which he required and wil­led vs to obserue. So had the foresaid Moses a long time before foretold, when as being neere to his end, and vpon the finishing of his dayes, turning himselfe to the children and people of Israel, and comforting them in the behalfe of his departure,Deut. 18. [...]5. he did warrant them and promised that God would raise vp vnto them a [Page 14] [...] [Page 15] [...] [Page 16] Prophet from the midst of them, of their brethren, &c. And the Apostle in the first to the Hebrewes saith ex­presly, that God hauing in times past at sundry times and in sundry and diners manners spoken to the Fathers by the Prophets, hath spoken to vs in our dayes by his welbeloued Sonne, &c. And a thousand other the like testimonies of Scripture, which I omit of purpose not to wearie you.Scriptures in­sufficient ac­cording to the Papists. Beliarm. disputa­tione seu contro­uersia 1. de verbo Dei scripto & non scripto, totis 4 libris, tom. 1. & praecipue li 3. cap. 1. cap. 2. & cap. 4. lib. 4. ca 2. cap. 4. & 12. Now those of your Church doe denie vnto him this honourable charge and office, when as they say, hold and maintaine, that the holy Scripture is ob­scure, ambiguous, vnperfect, insufficient to saluation: That there is nothing in it heauenly and diuine, which can binde vs to beleeue that which is contained there­in: That that which the Apostles and Prophets haue giuen vs and left in writing, they did it not as being driuen thereunto by any particular and speciall com­mandement, or inspiration from God, but by contin­gent occasions and accidentall causes: That its proper principall and last end is not to be and to stand for a rule of faith, but only for a certaine vsefull and profi­table recommendation to the keeping and obseruing of the doctrine proceeding from the preaching of the Gospell, &c. And that not contenting themselues with this heauenly doctrine, by the meanes whereof the Sonne of God our Sauiour hath giuen and left vn­to vs both by his liuing voice, and by the Apostles and Prophets, as it were by his owne hands, all that is re­quisite and needfull to saluation, and to the perfection which hee willeth,Deuter. 4. Apocal. vlt. Ad Galat. 1. requireth and demandeth of vs, they adde to this heauenly and diuine written word (contrary to the expresse prohibition which is giuen of it in many places therein, where an Anathema is [Page 17] pronounced, and a curse thundered out against those that shall be so daring, bold and shamelesse, as to vn­dertake it) they adde vnto it (I say) as being insuffici­ent, another not written, to wit, an infinite number of humane constitutions, traditions, and inuentions. To the which (although for the most part vncertaine,Concil. Triden­tin. sess. 4. De­cret. 1. obscure, and contrary among themselues) they will haue vs to giue the like credit and beleefe, and carry towards them the same and altogether equall deuo­tion with the word of God, nay farre greater, seeing they hold and teach, as I haue said heretofore, that of it selfe alone, without the said traditions, the Scripture is not so necessary, and neither can nor ought to serue for a rule of faith: and the traditions alone of them­selues purely and simply, without the said Scripture, ought to be and absolutely are so. Which while they doe, what is this else, but to reiect and impudently re­fuse to admit, receiue and acknowledge the Sonne of God Iesus Christ our Sauiour (in whom, Coloss as the Apo­stle saith, are laid vp all the treasures of the diuine know­ledge and wisdome of the Father) for their true Prophet and Law-giuer? or at the least to thinke him vnfit, in­sufficient, who neither knew, nor could (but what say I? nay malicious, who would not) declare and giue vs to vnderstand the will of his Father, and his purpose concerning the seruice and obedience which hee would haue, and which we ought to render him; yea most vniust, to tie and binde vs (and that on paine of eternall death and destruction) to obserue a law which he had not made knowne vnto vs. Which are three blasphemies none of them lesse damnable then the other, the which notwithstanding (before you [Page 18] perceiue or thinke of it) your Doctours and Prelates doe make you lamentably run into, by this false, per­uerse, and wicked doctrine which they set before you to beleeue, two-fold worse then you, yea three-fold, and an hundred-fold, who therefore also shall be pu­nished for it a thousand times more grieuously.

As hee is a King.A King and Pastor ordained of God, and establish­ed ouer his Church, for to feede, order, guide and go­uerne it by his diuine spirit, as a soueraigne Monarke, head and Pastor thereof; and to keepe, maintaine, conserue and defend it against all his enemies visible and inuisible, by his almighty arme and his strong and forcible hand, and to make her finally arise and come to the hauen of euerlasting saluation, of felicitie and blisse.Psal. 1. I haue beene (saith he himselfe through the mouth of his ancestor and grandfather Dauid) anoin­ted and consecrated King by him, to wit, his eternall Father, vpon his holy hill of Sion. In Esay 16. Ierem. 23. in S. Luke 1. He shall raigne (saith the Archangell to the Virgin) ouer the house of Iacob for euer, and of his king­dome there shall be none end. And he himselfe last of all in S. Matthew 28. speaking to his Disciples after his glorious and triumphant resurrection, did ascertaine and assure them, that all power was giuen him both in heauen and in earth. And in a thousand more places and passages of the Scripture he is called, and himselfe also stiles himselfe by the title of Pastour. Now those of your Church doe depriue and disrobe him of these honourable charges and glorious offices,The Pope head of the Church accor­ding to Papists. for to make them ouer to a mortall, fraile and perishable man, whom they admit and receiue into his place, acknow­ledging him for their soueraigne chiefe Pastour and [Page 19] Gouernour, as if this King of infinite glory and ma­iestie, and true Shepheard of our soules, were not able and sufficient for to feede, order, guide and gouerne them, attributing and transferring by a horrible and detestable blasphemie to him, the titles, qualities, and conditions, which befit and pertaine to the Sauiour only, as he is the Bridegroome, vniuersall Head and Pastour of the Church, &c. which is nothing else, to speake properly and truly, but to plucke and driue away Christ from his kingly seat and throne, and to set therein another, to take from his head the crowne and Miter, and out of his hands the Scepter, for to giue them to the Pope. For if he be head of the Church, Christ shall be so no longer, else shee would be defor­med, monstrous, and two-headed. If all power hath beene giuen vnto him in heauen and in earth, as hee impudently boasteth, then truly it will altogether be taken away from Christ: for as Alexander said very well to Darius (as learned Plutarch reporteth and wit­nesseth) euen as the heauen is enlightned but by one Sunne, from whom all the other starres and planets receiue and keepe alike (by meere and simple depen­dance and communication) their light and splendour, and there cannot be two of them: in like manner in a kingdome there can be but one King, and there can­not be suffered to be two; otherwise the Royaltie would be imperfect, and the Empire subiect to perpe­tuall troubles and continuall warres, and would quickly beginne to fall to decay and vtter ruine. To be short, if the Pope be the generall, only, and vniuer­sall Pastour and Bishop of the Church, to whom the Sonne of God hath giuen and committed all his au­thoritie, [Page 20] care and diligence, in ruling, gouerning, or­dering, disposing, establishing of lawes, and setting downe rules to the consciences, with a bond of yeel­ding to him all obedience and submission as to him­selfe; what then hath he more to busie himselfe with­all here below in his Church? Truly hee hath vtterly depriued himselfe of his kingdome, and disrobed him­selfe of his pastorall office and charge, hee is now no longer any thing else in their reckoning, but a meere cypher and o in Arithmeticke; which is a blasphemie, not only to say, but euen to thinke: the which not­withstanding these wretches make you to commit and vtter, though you thinke not or neglect to haue regard of it. But to what a pitifull and deplored state would the Church be brought, hauing for her chiefe Pastours and vniuersall Gouernours men that of their nature are weake, feeble, wretched and blinde, who scarce are fit to rule, guide and gouerne themselues, their workes and actions? From thence it is that are sprung and haue had their source, so many disorders, irregularities, and Corruptions in your Church, as is to be seene at this day. But it is no wonder: for as Ie­sus Christ our Sauiour saith very fitly,Matth. 15. Luk. 6. If the blinde will vndertake to guide and direct other blinde men in their way, what can be hoped and looked for, but that they shall stumble on their faces to the ground, and finally all of them haue a deadly downefall? No no, there are no others besides that soueraigne King and glorious Monarke, the eternall, almighty, and diuine Gouer­nour and Shepheard of our soules, who can only rule the whole body of the Church, haue an eye ouer all, giue order for all things, as being wholly wise, cleere­sighted [Page 21] & prouident, yea Wisdome and Prouidence it selfe, by the meanes whereof the eternal Father doth gouerne, guide, and dispose of all things.1. Pet. 2.25. It is he who is the true shepheard and bishop of our soules; saith Saint Peter, The Lieutenant generall, and vice-roy of God his Father, saith Saint Matthew, Matt. 26. Who hath giuen him all po­wer, authority, and might in heauen and in earth; And ha­uing brought all things vnder his feet, saith Saint Paul, Ephes. 1. hath set him ouer all things, for to be head to his Church.

A true and soueraigne Priest after the order of Mel­chizedeck, As he is a Priest. anointed and consecrated by the eternall Father before all worlds.Psal. 110. The Lord hath sworne (saith the kingly Prophet speaking to this purpose) and will not repent him, Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchizedeck. (The Apostle S. Paul confirmes and re­peats this many and diuerse times in the Epistle to the Hebrewes, 5.7.8.9.10.) For to offer vp to him in time according to the office and duty of the high Priest, his precious body and bloud, his sacred and spotlesse flesh vpon the altar of the Crosse, as a pleasing sweet smel­ling and acceptable sacrifice to his diuine Maiesty, iustly prouoked against vs for our crimes and offen­ces, for to asswage and appease him to reconcile vs with him, to deliuer and set vs free from the power of the Diuell, and from the writ, whereby wee were bound ouer to euerlasting paines & torments of hell, and to bring vs againe gloriously to the happy fruiti­on of the kingdome of heauen: In the Ps. 65. Esa. 33. in the first of S. Peter, 23. to the Rom. 3. Heb. 10. and a thousand the like. Hence it is that he is called and stiled by the same Apostle, our Saluation, Redemp­tion, Sanctification, &c. For to offer vnto him, I say, [Page 22] according to the forenamed duty and office of the High-Priests, prayers, supplications, and requests continually to intercede for vs, and to stand vs in stead of an Aduocate towards his diuine Maiesty, Ier. 30. Zachar. 1. Rom. 3.5.8. Ephes. 2. Hebr. 7.8.9.18. Ioh. 4. This he doth effect and accomplish very faith­fully, and will continue so to doe vnto the end and consummation of the world. Now your Church doth take from him,Christs passion and satisfactiō, vnsufficient according to the Papists. and carries away the one and the other of his charges and offices, after many waies and manners, but especially in two.

First, when as she presumes to reiterate this Sacra­mēt, & doth fondly imagine, that she offers vp again e­uery day at the Masse, the body of Iesus Christ for the sinnes and saluation of the liuing & dead: by meanes wherof the anger and wrath of the eternal father is as­swaged and appeased, and men find and obtaine mer­cy; so that with you the Masse is a propitiatory, and impetratorie sacrifice. Whence it followes plainely, that that first oblation and sacrifice of our Sauiour, made on the tree of the Crosse, by the effusion of his precious and diuine bloud, was not sufficient but wholly imperfect? as the Apostle to the Hebrewes, 7.10. argueth and gathereth very well from the ancient sacrifices of the old Law, the which because they had not the force and efficacy fully to wipe away sinnes, were therefore reiterated many and sundry times, but the sacrifice of the Sonne of God hauing had that ver­tue, power, and efficacy: hence it is that it ought in no waies to be reiterated and offered vp againe, hauing beene more then able and sufficient, euen the first time to blot out and to quit the sinnes of the whole world, [Page 23] yea of a thousand worlds, if so many there had beene. This notwithstanding your Church denies by those pretended imaginary,The sacrifice of the Masse. vnbloudy (as she calls them) ob­lations and sacrifices, which she repeateth euery day, shewing enough thereby that shee doth not beleeue the first to haue beene sufficient, impairing in this manner the authority, credit, and dignity of this only High-Priest, according to the order of Melchizedeck. Read I beseech you, and take paines to consider heed­fully, the 7.9. & 10. of the Epistle to the Hebrewes, and you shall see more cleerely, how your faith and be­liefe in this matter and doctrine of your Church, is farre different and contrary, to that of the Apostle Saint Paul, and of the first beleeuers of the primitiue Church.

Secondly,Mediation and intercession of Saints for vs. shee taketh from him the office and charge of mediatour, &c. when as to his disparage­ment she sets, and appoints almost an infinite number betweene God and men, the Virgin, Saint Peter, &c. the which she commands to be called vpon, and tea­ches that reciprocally they vnderstand our prayers, and make intercession for vs to his diuine Maiesty, &c. Now if this were true, it would follow thence by a ne­cessary consequence that Iesus Christ our Sauiour, were not alone the only and sufficient Mediatour, In­tercessour, and Aduocate for men towards his Father, which not only is most false, but altogether blasphe­mous, directlie against the Scriptures, in the fore-al­leaged places to the Hebrewes, 7. and 10. and a thou­sand other the like, all which I omit of purpose (as also a more ample proofe of this truth) because the time vrges me, and the shortnesse of this discourse forces [Page 24] compels mee to passe it by in silence, and to come to the third thing, which I haue said is to bee conside­red in Iesus Christ our Sauiour, to wit, his singular and not to bee equalled benefits, and graces, and fauours, which so louingly hee hath communicated vnto vs, and wee haue receiued from him in so great abun­dance, that so I may shew, and make plaine vnto you, how your Church, and your Prelates and Doctours, and you with them, doe likewise erre and faile greatly and fouly therein, and in the humble, hearty, and lo­uing acknowledgement, which we ought to haue to­wards that bountifull Lord.

His offices are many and in a great number, as I haue said (yea almost infinite, and hee would neuer haue done, that will recount them and stand vpon each of them in particular) but they may all notwithstan­ding be reduced to these two specials and particulars; which he hath purchased vs by his death and passion, and merited by the effusion of his precious bloud, our Iustification and Sanctification, which God promiseth to his people in that new couenant, which he foretel­leth by Ieremy, 31. and 32. that hee was to make with them, rehearsed by the Apostle to the Hebrewes, 8. and the 10. Behold (saith the Lord) I will make with the house of Israel, and with the house of Iuda, a new Coue­nant; which is this: I will put my Law in their vnderstan­ding, and will write it in their hearts; (there is sanctifica­tion) and I will forgiue their vnrighteousnesse, and I will remember their iniquities, and sinnes no more; There is Iustification.

[...]ustification.The first then of these benefits is our iustification, which is the meerely free remission & pardon which [Page 25] God giues vs of all our offences and sinnes: witnesse S. Paul, Rom. 4. who following Dauid, Psalm. 32. doth place the iustification and happinesse of man in this remission, as also Dauid denounceth the happinesse and blisse of that man to whom God imputeth righ­teousnesse without workes, &c. This pardon is got­ten and deserued for vs by the merit of Iesus Christ our Sauiour, in as much as he offering himselfe for an offe­ring and sacrifice of good and sweet sauour to his Fa­ther on the tree of the Crosse, hee hath thereby fully satisfied his diuine iustice for all our sinnes, as S. Paul teacheth vs, Rom. 3.23. and 24. Being iustified freely, &c. and S. Iohn in his first generall Epistle 1.7. The bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne. And in the second chapter, verse 2. For he is the propitiation for our sinnes. This benefit of iustification is communicated by God, through the free imputation of the merits of our Sauiour, to the true beleeuers apprehending and receiuing them through a true and liuely faith wor­king by charitie, as the Apostle teacheth vs to the Rom. 3.28. Therefore wee conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law. And in the fift chapter, verse 1. Therefore being iustified by faith, wee haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. There is iustification by faith. And as for the imputation of the merit of Christ, hee sheweth it there also in the fourth chapter, when as telling how God had impu­ted to Abraham his faith for righteousnesse, hee ad­deth, Now in that, that this was imputed to him for righ­teousnesse, &c. This faith is not an idle imagination, or false illusion and perswasion, or fantasticall specula­tion in the beleeuers braine (as your Doctors doe slan­derously [Page 26] say) but an holy assurance and firme confi­dence in the bounty and mercy of God, by the which we beleeue that according to the truth of his infalli­ble promises hee will be gracious and mercifull vnto vs in Iesus Christ his Sonne, freely for his sake pardo­ning vs all our faults. Such a beleefe is not idle nor fruitlesse in those who haue it, but fructifieth vnto all manner of good workes, righteousnesse, godlinesse, holinesse, loue, &c. Not for to merit and obtaine that pardon, which is already wholly gotten; but for to shew towards God that we acknowledge this so vn­estimable a benefit. This faith is not from our selues, but is a speciall gift of God, who hath giuen vs freely through his Sonne not onely to beleeue in him, but also to suffer for his sake, as saith S. Paul, Philip. 1.29.

Sanctification.God hauing thus iustified vs freely through faith in his Son, he sanctifieth vs also through his spirit, which is the second benefit that wee haue obserued to be gotten for vs in Iesus Christ, and which he hath me­rited and obtained for vs by his death, as we haue said: and doth bestow it vpon vs by the vertue and efficacie of his Spirit of regeneration and sanctification, by the which mortifying daily more and more the naturall corruption in which we all are borne, he makes vs by little and little to renounce and to die to all sinne, for to liue to righteousnesse and holinesse all the dayes of our life, vntill that in the end he doe sanctifie vs fully, when as after this life hee shall receiue vs into that other, in his heauenly glory. This is briefly that which concernes these two great benefits of our Lord, ac­cordingly as the Scripture and Gods holy word doe shew and teach vs.

[Page 27]It is a pitifull thing to see after how many sorts and manners Satan hath lamentably spoiled, sophistica­ted, falsified, peruerted, and corrupted in your Church, by your Pastors and Doctors, this doctrine being so wholsome and full of comfort touching these two benefits of Iesus Christ our Sauiour: first,How Papists erre about iustification. by ex­tenuating as much as they could, and can, the great­nesse of these graces and fauours: secondly, by taking from him and robbing him of all what they can, for to attribute it to the merits either of themselues, or of others, and to their owne satisfactions and papall In­dulgences. They extenuate the greatnesse of grace two wayes: first, by lessening and diminishing the greatnesse of our offence and sinne; secondly, by de­basing the excellencie and perfection of Christs me­rit. They doe lessen and diminish the greatnesse of sinne; first, in denying that originall sinne deserues eternall death, contrary to that which the Apostle teacheth vs to the Rom. 6.23. that the wages of sinne is death; and to the threatning of the Law, which sounds thus, Cursed is he, whosoeuer doth not continue and perse­uere to obserue all things written and deliuered in the booke of the Law. Secondly, by their distinction of sinnes, veniall and mortall, teaching that there are some pettie sinnes which doe not deserue eternall death and dam­nation, but rather pardon, which is directly against that very sentence of S. Paul, that the wages of sinne is death; and that menace of the Law, Cursed is hee, &c. They debase the excellencie of Christs merit, when they teach: first, that he hath not satisfied for those sinnes and offences which they call veniall, but onely for those that are mortall, contrary to that which Saint [Page 28] Iohn hath in his first Catholike Epistle, chap. 1.7. That the bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne. Se­condly, that as for mortall sinnes, he hath only chan­ged the eternall into a temporall punishment, which is by them affirmed and maintained, not onely with­out any ground vpon the holy Scripture, but also is much repugnant to the goodnesse and mercy of God, who in so doing would pardon but by halfes. Thirdly, that by the death of Iesus Christ wee obtaine only re­mission of the guilt, and not of the punishment, which is as much, as openly to mocke with God, and to disa­null altogether the merit of our Lord: for what is it, I pray you, to remit and pardon the guilt, but not the punishment? As if a Master should say to his seruant, a Lord to his subiect, a King to his vassall, that had grie­uously wronged and offended him, Goe thy wayes, I pardon and forgiue thee thy fault, but I will punish thee howsoeuer when I see time for that that thou hast done, according as thou deseruest. What pardon would that be? nay would it not rather be a mocking of him? It is euen so with God according to them. They doe take from Iesus Christ, and rob him as much as in them lieth, of the glory of his merit, for to attri­bute it to the merits of another, when as refusing the true pardon of God by faith in the bloud of his sonne, they will themselues deserue of God by the power of their workes this pardon, and the fruition of life euer­lasting: wherein they doe iust like a wicked malefa­ctor, who being in the hands and power of his Iudge ready to be executed, would refuse the grace and par­don of his Prince, and would make no vse of it, but would thinke that hee could merit, yea would stifly [Page 29] maintaine, that hee had iustly merited by his good deeds both his freedome and the expiation of the pu­nishment which was prepared and made ready for him, and to be one of the chiefe officers and best fur­nished houshold-seruants of his Lord: wherein be­sides the intolerable arrogance whereof they cannot (nor you) cleare themselues, they fall into a grosse, foule, and palpable ignorance; first, in that they thinke that they can of themselues doe any worthy thing, and such as can deserue at Gods hands that which they thinke they doe deserue, although not­withstanding it stands so, that of our selues, as of our selues, we are not able to thinke any thing, but all our abili­tie is and proceeds from God, as speaketh the Apostle in the second to the Corinthians, chap. 3. yea euen all the most iust actions of man, which God worketh in him through his grace, are so marred, infected and tainted with our naturall corruption, that they are all (as saith Esay 64.) as a menstruous cloth. Secondly, when as (for a refuge) they say that those good workes which they doe, are not from themselues, but from the grace of God working in them: for it is little to the purpose for to presume to merit of him by such workes; it is as if a vassall, that had receiued as a free gift from his chiefe Lord al the goods that he possesseth, would challenge to merit of him yet more then he hath receiued, for hauing giuen him some apple, peare, or other fruit, which he had gathered vpon these grounds: there being farre lesse proportion betweene all the good that we doe through the grace of God, and the remis­sion of our sins or life euerlasting, which they thinke and pretend to merit by their workes, then there is [Page 30] betweene an apple and many large possessions. For to merit, it is required that there be a proportion be­tweene that which we doe or giue, and that which we challenge thereby to merit: it is also required, that that whereby we doe merit, do come from our selues, and be not giuen vs by him from whom wee pretend to merit: for to merit by grace, it is to merit without merit, it is not to merit at all, it is to renounce all me­rit; grace and merit being in such sort opposed a­mongst themselues, that they can by no meanes stand together:Rom. 11.6. for if it be by workes (saith the Apostle) then is it no longer by grace; if it be by grace, then is it not by workes, else grace is no longer grace. This spirituall pride is seene yet more cleerely herein,Against works of supereroga­tion. that not being con­tent to merit pardon and Paradise through good workes commanded by God, they thinke and pre­tend to merit yet somewhat ouer by their workes not commanded, which they haue forged for themselues, of supererogation, as they call it: a name that witnes­seth throughly their pride, whereby they thinke that they bestow vpon God somewhat ouer and aboue that which he requires and demands at their hands, or then they are bound to giue him: as if God asking and requiring of vs that wee should loue him with all our heart, with all our soule, force and strength, and our neighbour as our selues, which is the vpshot of the whole Law, we could doe any thing beyond that. And yet what ar these goodly workes of supereroga­tion, that are of so great a merit? They will come to this, to weare a frocke, an habit, a cord, the sandals of a Monke, a Capuchin, &c. to goe bare-footed, not to weare a shirt, to vse the discipline and chasten the [Page 31] body, to vse an haire-cloth, to weare the cord of S. Francis, Dominicke, &c. to be of the brotherhood of the Rosarie, of the Beades, &c. and other the like workes, in truth not commanded nor appointed by God, but of which also one day iustly and with good right he will say, Who hath required this at your hands? Esay 1.12. In vaine doe they honour me with their workes, and their feare towards me is an humane commandement inuented by men. And yet notwithstanding what is it that they make account of, or commend in your Church, but these workes of supererogation? Is it not therein that you put all the marrow and iuice of pietie, deuotion, perfection, holinesse, and seruice of God? And what doe you make (for the most part) of all the workes commanded and ordained by God, in respect of those which men haue inuented, but hay and chaffe, which no man regardeth? 2. They rob Christ of the glory of his merit, in that they teach that wee must our selues satisfie for the temporall punishment of our sinnes and offences, our Sauiour hauing (by their saying) onely taken away the eternitie thereof.Against Pur­gatorie. Whereupon they haue deuised and kindled in their braine the imagina­rie fire of Purgatorie, which they set in the very next place, and as it were in the suburbs of hell, for therein after this life to satisfie in our owne persons the iustice of God for our sinnes, as if the bloud of Iesus Christ, which cleanseth vs from all sinne, were not a soape and lye (as it were) strong enough for to wash away all this filth, and that we needed another scouring more rugged and purgatiue, of fire altogether as hot and violent (say they) as hell-fire it selfe; for they must needs know much certaine and assured newes thereof [Page 32] in particular, by the relation of so many soules as re­turne from thence, as they say. But to what end, I pray you? Is it for to haue Masses sung, for to haue seruices and obits said for the dead for their deliuerie from this so boiling a fire? Alas poore fooles, that suffer your selues to be deceiued and cousened by these tales, fa­bles, and gulleries, and to be muffled by these weake terrours and humane inuentions! No, no: it is for to fill their purse and belly, and to make good cheere at your cost, and vnder the name and pretence of the poore deceased. But though it were true, that there were such a fire and place appoinred by diuine iustice for the satisfaction of sinnes after this life, (whereof notwithstanding wee haue not, nor can they produce any true, sound and cleere ground and testimonie in the Scripture) is there any thing amongst all those which they giue and offer you for to deliuer you, yea also for to keepe you quite from the comming there­in, such as are anniuersarie Masses and obits, testamen­tarie legacies and foundations, &c? Is there, I say, any of these things, yea any other that might possibly be deuised or imagined, which can counterpoise the greatnesse of these torments which they faigne to be in this pretended and supposed Purgatorie? Truly if that which the Deuill maliciously said of the holy man Iob, be true, though spoken by him to a very bad end, Skinne for skinne, and all that a man hath he will giue for his life; how much more shall it be true in this re­spect, and what will not men giue for to free them­selues from such a fire, and to redeeme themselues from such torments, if possibly it could bee done? Truly they wo [...] giue all their goods euen to their [Page 33] very shirt, yea euen to their skinne. And thus it is, and vnder this faire cloake and pretence, that they co­sen folkes, and deceiue and abuse poore silly people, squeesing out and drawing to themselues all their goods and substance, for to make their owne hearts merry withall, and to make their flesh-pot to boile. An horrible wickednesse; beyond all comparison, and more then detestable mischiefe and impietie! for to make way for their auarice and gluttonie, vnder pre­tence of pietie, deuotion, and compassion towards the deceased. No, no: if it were so (as I haue said be­fore, which notwithstanding is not) that this Purga­torie and the fire thereof were true, nothing of this world, nor any humane action would be able and suf­ficient to bring deliuerance and freedome, and to counteruaile the paines and torments; and we ought therein (as saith our Sauiour, but to another sense then they vrge and alleage him for) to satisfie the ri­gour of Gods iustice euen to the vtmost farthing, and to the smallest fault, before we should come out from thence: which notwithstanding would sauour rather of a cruell Tyrant, then of a louing, pitifull, bounti­full and compassionate God, such a one as ours is. But to their account, they doe deliuer themselues yet more easily, and at a cheaper rate then the aforesaid, by meanes of the Popes Indulgences and Pardons, by wearing a paire of Beades, or an hallowed Medaill, and saying three Pater-nosters, or some such other the like meere fooleries, bables, and inuentions procee­ding out of the forge and shop of some superstitious braine, or rather couetous and desirous of gold and siluer, very fit in truth and conuenient for to helpe to­wards [Page 34] the charges and expences of the Popes Court, and of other Ecclesiasticall persons his deputies. But (as I haue said) an impious wickednesse and detestable impietie, nay, an horrible and execrable blasphemie, thus to disrobe and depriue Iesus Christ of the glory of his merit, and to imagine by such meanes to satisfie the rigour of Gods iustice, better then by the effectu­all and diuine vertue of his precious bloud, shed for the sinnes not only of the whole world, but of an hun­dred, yea of a thousand, if so many there were. I giue leaue to all truly Christian and religious soules, desi­rous of their owne saluation and zeale to the honour and glory of their Sauiour, to thinke well of it, and to iudge whether this be to giue him the entire glory of our saluation, and whether he be well assured, leaning and being built vpon such foundations.

The time would faile me, if I discouer, and my heart would ake and pant at the sight of all the filth and abo­minations that are couered and hidden vnder this cloake of merits and satisfactions, which are taught and preached in your Church, farre more then the grace, goodnesse, mercy, and free pardon of God; yea by the which merits and satisfactions this grace, good­nesse, mercy, and free pardon of God, and the merits of Iesus Christ are not onely darkned and disfigured, but quite defaced and altogether abolished, as much at least as in them lieth. Let that which hath beene said be enough, and suffice for this time, for to shew and make you to see how the benefit of our iustificati­on by Christ Iesus our Sauiour, is set as it were at naught by the doctrine of your men. Let vs now come to the benefit of sanctification, which hee hath like­wise [Page 35] (as I haue already said,How Papists erre about san­ctification. and repeated twice or thrice) obtained and merited for vs by his death and passion, and by the effusion of his pretious and diuine bloud. This is no lesse peruerted, corrupted and abo­lished, then the former. For in stead of acknowledging with the Scripture (which teacheth it vs) that of our owne nature, being dead in our sins, vnable to frame euen a good thought, and bring forth of our selues any good thing, by reason that the whole imagination of mans heart is set vpon nothing but euill at all times euen from his youth; God hereupon doth baptise vs not onely with water, but principally with the holy Ghost, by the which correcting and mortifying by lit­tle and little the corruption of our nature, infected with the sinne which we bring with vs from the belly of our mother, of vnbeleeuers, impenitent, rebelli­ous, wilfull, and disobedient to his commandements and precepts, such as wee are of our selues and of our owne nature, he makes vs to beleeue his truth, takes from vs the hardnesse of our hearts, makes vs flexible and pliable vnder the yoake of his lawes, and of his obedience, that so renouncing all vnfruitfull workes of sinne and darknesse, we may liue as true children of light in righteousnesse and true holinesse: in stead (I say) of acknowledging, teaching, and carefully vrging this, they doe the quite contrary, 1. extenuating (as I haue already said) and diminishing as farre as they are able, this naturall corruption and originall sinne which is in vs, saying that it is but a light infirmitie, spirituall languor, and weaknesse of nature, which makes vs indeed backward and slow in good, but not dead to all good, and quicke and ready to all euill: [Page 36] 2. attributing to the water, salt and spittle, and other such like things of baptisme, the mortification of that naturall corruption in vs, and not rather to the merit of Iesus Christ our Sauiour, and to the power and effi­cacie of his death and passion: 3. in that, that seeming to acknowledge the grace of God to be necessary for the healing of this euill, yet in effect they doe quite disanull this,Free-will. and attribute it to themselues, and to the force and power of their free-will: 1. in that they imagine that in man, by the force and power of his nature, there are some preparatiues and dispositions to receiue this grace, and consequently that there are in him certaine merits of congruitie; so that with them the cause why God offereth and presenteth his grace to one and not to another, is because the one is well prepared, (of himselfe, you must vnderstand, and not by the grace of God, seeing he prepares and disposes himselfe for to receiue it) and the other is not: as if man being so miserably corrupted as hee is, could of himselfe doe any thing that might deserue grace de congruo, as they speake, that is, might binde God by way of honestie and conueniencie, to bestow vpon him his grace: 2. in that they make this grace to bee such, as that all the vertue and efficacie thereof de­pends wholly vpon the libertie of man, which in effect is to make this grace idle and vnprofitable: for how can any man call that medicine sufficient, and effectual for the healing of a maladie, which can doe no good without one certaine ingredient? Now do they make the grace of God like to this medicine; it can doe no­thing (as they say) nor worke in vs without the force and vertue of our free-will, which is the chiefe ingre­dient, [Page 37] according to them, which giueth force and effi­cacie to this spiritual medicine. Is this to recommend the grace of God vnto vs, or to exalt it, and is it not ra­ther to exalt man and his abilitie? Is not this to take from God for to giue to man? to rob the Creator for to couer, decke, and enrich the creature? Thus you see that those of your Church (especially your Doctours, directours and Prelates) like to children of a peruerse, neglectfull, and vngratefull nature, with a presumpti­on that shuts to their heart and puffes vp their spirit, they hate nothing so much, as to acknowledge, auouch and confesse their fault, passe condemnation vpon it, cry for mercy, aske pardon, and acknowledge that all their good and eternall happinesse consists in the goodnesse, mercy, grace, and meerely free pardon of God: but doe extenuate as much as they can their fault and offence, doe plucke downe grace, and abo­lish as much as in them lieth all pardon, that so they may not seeme to be beholden to God; they do preach and extoll the greatnesse of their merits, by the which they pretend to make God 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, [Page 38] 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, Vers. 21.22. 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 [Page 39] 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,Charity to­wards God & our neighbour. 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 [Page 40] 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.

Gods worship externall.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. 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 [Page 41] 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,Iohn 4. 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 [Page 42] 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, Esay 29. 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 [Page 43] derision and mockery:How Papists offend in both these worships. 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 [Page 44] 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 [Page 45] 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, Ioh. 4. 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, [Page 46] 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, Ioh 14.24. and the truth is not in him. And then how can they loue him,Eiusdem 2.4. 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?

How Papists want true cha­ritie toward their neigh­bour.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, 1.4.20. 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 [Page 47] 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 [Page 48] 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 [Page 49] for it. By what can we know that they are the Disci­ples of our Sauiour?Ioh 13.35. 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, Vers. 26. for euen, &c.

But wee need not wonder at it, seeing that those of whom you ought to receiue the precepts and do­ctrines [Page 50] of saluation, and who ought to be vnto you as lights and lampes for to guide and leade you thorow the obscure darknesse of this mortall life, into the way of virtue and heauenly felicitie, I meane the Pastours and Prelates amongst you, men that are dedicated, de­uoted, and consecrated to Gods worship, are they that are your stumbling blockes, and stones of offence, and thrust and carry you by their bad examples, per­uerse and corrupt actions, disordered and irregular life, to the like enormities. It is a thing too well knowne, auouched and confessed, so that wee neede not stay nor stand any longer vpon the proofe thereof. As also it would be but a wronging of chast eares, of­fending heauen, and infecting the aire by those abo­minable stenches, filths, villanies, and pollutions more then infectious, deseruing rather to be couered and buried vnder the tombe of eternall obliuion, then to bee vented foorth and brought to light for to see the day.

But yet I doubt that you will bring me (for an ex­cuse and honest cloake of these horrible and detesta­ble impieties, and for an argument of my pretended and obiected wickednesse and leuitie of minde) the religious pietie, deuotion of minde, perfection of manners, complement of virtues, and holinesse of life, of those of the company and condition from which I am departed, and haue withdrawne and sequestred my selfe; and although that what is said of those before be true, yet these being such (as all the world belee­ueth, and the outward appearance testifieth and beares record of as much) I had no lawfull pretence and occasion to doe what I haue done, seeing I might [Page 51] with facilitie and ease (though elsewhere hardly) worke out my saluation in that estate and condition, which is so perfect and compleat, and so farre distant and remoued from the enormities and irregularities of all the rest of your Church.

This is that whereunto now I should neede to an­swer in witnesse of the truth, in defence of my owne innocence, and for the simple peoples sake, who suffer themselues to be deceiued by these faire shewes, out­ward appearances, fained and dissembled perfections and holines, to the end that I might enlighten them, bring them out of errour, and make them to see the truth in his owne and natural brightnesse. But because the shortnesse of this small declaration cannot suffer me to stand vpon it sufficiently,Against the or­ders of Friers, and namely Capucins. and so long as it would be expedient and needfull, I referre that part to ano­ther Treatise and particular discourse, which I will set out shortly (if God permit) wherin I will cause plainly to bee seene by the eye, and to bee touched with the finger of all the world, that which is the truth of it. In the meane time I say in grosse and generall tearmes, that these are things disguised, and full of mysteries, being not the same within which they are without, like to Sacraments and Parables. The world sees only the crust, the barke and the skinne, and lookes no fur­ther into it; whereupon it is and continues still couse­ned and deceiued. That sad and demure countenance, that pale face, that lumpish visage, that ragged beha­uiour, that hollow and low looke, those frowning browes, are but as a faire out-side, a counterfeited stone, and a good face set vpon a bad pranke; as a Tra­gicke shew, wherein the King oftentimes counterfets [Page 52] the begger, the wise man the foole, the proud the humble, the rich the poore; but within and in truth it goes quite otherwise. Vnder that course cloth, that browne and gray habit, that rugged and contempti­ble garment, how much pride, vanitie, ambition, co­uetousnesse, desire and affection to honour and glory, how much presumption, good thoughts and opinions of themselues, contempt and rash iudging of others, how much enuie, iealousie, hatred and rancour, and such like, are there couered and hidden? It cannot be conceiued and vnfolded, nay it is incredible, and be­yond all imagination to those who haue not the triall and practise thereof. They are very like to the tents of Arabia, and the pauilions of Salomon, all blacke with­out, couered with the furres and dirtie skinnes of dead beasts, vgly to behold, for raine, dust and filth: but within all ouer gilded, flourished, shining with preci­ous stones, full of aromaticall odours; I meane, filled with pride, vanitie, presumption, arrogancie, and such like. But yet more fitly and more to our purpose may they be compared to the Gods of the Egyptians: without were they ingrauen with imbossements, with inlaying, guilded, carued, enammelled, and inlaide with diuers colours, there could nothing be found so faire, pleasing and acceptable; all the world did wor­ship them, did reuerence vnto them, kneeled before them, did offer and sacrifice to them all the fairest, richest, and most precious things they had: but with­in were nothing but hay, chaffe, and filth, a neast for toads, adders, and serpents. Euen so it is with these men without, and to the outward appearance they seeme to be milde, courteous, affable, peaceable, mo­dest, [Page 53] treatable, bountifull, humble; euen mildenesse and goodnesse it selfe, &c. Clothed with coarse and base cloth, with a contemptible habit, without shirts, without hosen, or shooes, with a mortified looke, and an orderly pace, &c. and there is nothing so goodlie and perfect in show, they seeme to be young Saints, I I will not say little gods: All the world respects, ho­nours, and worships them (if I may so speake) does reuerence vnto them, bends the knee before them, yea offereth and sacrificeth vnto them the fairest, fat­test, and best of all their goods and substance; but as for the inward, and that which is within, O! what a store of dirt, filth, and villanie is therein! There is no­thing (as I haue said) but pride, vanitie, ambition, proud presumption, arrogance, enuy, iealousie, and a thousand other such like wickednesses and mischiefes, altogether incomparable, vnconceiuable, yea (as I haue saide) incredible and beyond all thought, to those that haue not the triall and practise hereof. I de­sire no other witnesses thereof, then their owne con­sciences, they know how it stands with them, and wil acknowledge, I am sure, and ingenuously confesse (at least in their soules) that what I say is true: But what? I doe not say the tenth part of it, no not the hundreth of what might be said: and the wisest, the most consci­onable, and honest men amongst them (for there are yet some such amongst them, and we must giue them this commendation, and confession to the truth) doe not conceale this; but doe say with a loud and cleere voyce, and affirme amongst them, that if men did know and take them to be such as they are, in stead of white loaues and wine, wherewith they fill their wal­lets [Page 54] and bottles, they would fling stones and flints at their heads, and throw them head-long into the water.

We will speake and discourse hereof, God willing, another time more particularly and at large, to the end (as I haue said) that I might enlighten those sim­ple folkes, that suffer themselues to be deceiued vnder these faire shewes and appearances, and fained and dissembled perfection and societie, and to make them to see the truth in his naturall brightnesse.

Now all what before hath beene said, being as it is, and that no man as I thinke, of iudgement and reason, and that will neuer so little open his eyes to the light, can be ignorant heereof, or call it in question, or ho­nestly deny it: Iudge, (and that I pray you, without trouble and passion, but with a quiet and settled minde, and in the serenitie of your conscience;) Iudge, I say, whether I haue had any iust matter and occasion, to doe what I haue done, desiring to worke out my saluation. And whether it bee without cause that I haue separated and withdrawne my selfe from you and your company; for to vnite and ioyne my selfe to the societie of the faithfull and true Disciples of our Sauiour, and to the true Church, without the which there is no hope of saluation. And I am certaine and assured (as I haue told you in the beginning) that you shall finde me as farre remoued from hastinesse, precipitation, inconstancie, and inconsideratenesse of minde, and other the like things, which inconside­rately and in somewhat too hot a moode you haue obiected to me, as I come neere to the truth.

Now may it please Gods supreme Maiestie to en­lighten [Page] lighten your mindes with the m [...]de and p [...]ing beame of his diuine light, for to dispose you so, that you may know it, and with mee participate of the grace, fauour, and heauenly benediction, wherewith it hath pleased his goodnesse and pure mercy, without any merit of mine, to preuent me, satiate, and fill mee so sweetly: this I desire of him with all mine heart, and as farre as the desires and affections of my soule can attaine vnto; as also, that he will strengthen, confirme, and encourage daily more and more my spirit, that I may against all the endeuours and assaults of men, of the deuill and hell, continue, perseuere, and die holily in this happy vocation. So bee it.

Soli Deo Gloria.