¶A LAMENTABLE discourse of the fall of Hughe Sureau (commonly called Du Rosier) from the truth: & his shamefull offence to the church togither with confession of his faulte, penitent submissiō & remorse. Seruing for a notable example to al the world of the fraieltie & vntowardnesse of man, & of the great and vnmeasurable mercie of God to his Chosen.
¶Imprinted at London for Lucas Harison, and George Bishoppe. 1573.
¶THE TRANSLATOVR TO THE READER.
AS of all the blessinges that vve receue here in earth there is none that doth so liuely expresse Gods inward fauour towardes man as cōuersion from sinne, so truely there is none so dreadful a signe of his heauy reuenge as falling from fayth. Mark but the history of the people of Israel and you shall finde that ther falling frō the lawe of God, as it was the greatest sin which they cōmitted, so was it the greatest plague that euer they had. Their sickenes and pestilence was nothing, their dearth and famine was nothing, the losse that they endured by warre was nothing, their captiuity and death was nothing in comparison of reuolting from God, who had chosen them for his people. This was a plague of al plagues. Likewise if we consider of Gods benefites towards them, neither their deliueraunce out of the land of Egipt, neither their safe conduct into the land of promise, neither their well gouerned common wealth, nor all the victories obteyned ageinst their enemies may ons [Page] be compared with that, that it pleased him to turne their hartes from sinne and Idolatry to the trewe honoring of his name. This was a blessing of al blessings. So that in these two poyntes chiefly, is set foorth vnto vs both Gods iustice and mercy. His mercy in cōuerting vs from sinne, his iustice in leauing vs to our selues. And surely there are perilous examples of renouncing and denying a professed treuth. The tragicall histories of Frauncis Speyra and Iudge Hales are able to make a christiā cō sciēce to tremble. No doubte it is cōmonly sene (& it is a iust plague) that who so with his mouth belieth his conscience, the same with his hand destroyeth him selfe. Here I deny not but that God hath his secrete working beyond the reason and capacitie of man, as by the pitifull discourse of this booke may easely appeare. This mans fal was great, his fact was detestable, his mouth blasphemous, his hart trayterous and iniurious to the blud of Christ: yet notwithstanding al this, did not God suffer him to sincke down into the pitte of dispeire, but did rayse him vp ageine by the operation of his holy spirite. Vndoutedly this is a [Page] rare exaumple, like vnto the which many haue not ben seene in the church of God. Therfore I would wish all such as are called to the testimony of the trewth, to beware how grounding hereuppon, they do tempt god in hope of the like fauour. Let that hel and torment of conscience which they do here plainely see in this man terrify thē likewise frō denying the trewth
He was sometime one of the chief ministers of the reformed church in Orleance, and because I knew him my self and haue hard him preach ther sundry times, I was the more willing at my frendes request to putte his booke into english, hoping that all Christen men will reioyce as much at his penitent conuersion, as they haue cause to be grieued at his reuolt. I doubt not but there are that will scoffe at this matter and saye that he can not be of a sounde religion that hath turned his coate so ofte. Of what religion then are these our men, that haue turned alwayes with the time? Let al turners with tyme learne of this man to returne a right. It may be that some seke to shew now a more stedfastnes in error then in deed they haue▪ to gaine therby the credite [Page] of constancy. But alas, it can not be called constancy to abyde in euil, to continew in Idolatry, to stick fast in ignorance. This is obstinacy. They shall neuer be accused of wauering that come out of Babel to dwell in Sion. If this poore man had abidden still in the waye of perdition renouncing Christes veritie, and betraying of Christians to Romish wolues, oh, what a heauy damnatiō had he procured to him self: but God in his rich mercy hath better prouided for this loste sheepe. Let all those therefore which are touched in harte with the care of gods trewth, and do bewayle the ruinous decayes of Ierusalem iudge rightle hereof. To conclude we may all see in this booke the liuely paterne of a trewe remorse, here may we see how Saul doeth become Paul. VVhy should not the teares and mourning of Peter argue and declare the conuersion of Peter? remember what a worthi father of our time (when he came to the Fyre to be brent) did to his hand that had subscribed to vntrewth. The like maye wee hope of thys man, Cranmer that when tyme shall serue, he vvill make both hand and tongue, body & life, [Page] yea and all that he hath to feele the smart of that his deloyaulty. Therefore (good Reader) be not hasty in condemning others, but pray to God to strengthen thy selfe that thou mayest not fall, and if thou doe fall that thou mayest ryse agayne, to the glorye of GOD, the edifying of hys Church, and thyne owne saluation.
AMEN.
¶Hugh Suriaus fall and penitent Submission.
THe church of Christe hath had this custome of all antiquitie, y e the actes of Martyrs haue ben faithfully set down in writing, & namely their death, their confession of fayth, their disputing & refutation of the doctrine of the aduersaries. The reading of such histories did serue to confirme the faythfull in the faith, & to stirre them vp to the imitacion of the cōstancy & vertue of those personages. As we reade y e same to haue ben obserued by S. Luke in the narration of S. Stephens death: & of all the other persecutions done sens against the church, the selfe same diligence hath ben followed euen till our time: wherin our Lorde hath had worthy members a great nūbre that haue for his name sake suffered death, & namely in our countrey of, Fraunce, first by forme & order of iustice, and by sentence of the Iudge to the [...]ath of fyre the most cruell & horrible y t may be deuised, then afterward by murders committed without controlement, & last of al by y e vnnatural slaughters lately [Page] executed through out y e whole Realm, wherof the trwe & faithful histories shal in tyme to come beare witnesse, signifying to posteritie how God hauing at the first but cropt as it wer certain first fruts of his field, thought good now in these later dayes to make a great and plentifull haruest of his chosen. In lyke case if ther haue ben any treason, reuolt, or notable breach of fayth committed by any one during the tyme of those persecutions, men haue not ben slacke in noting such accidences, to serue for an admonition to the faythful to consider with them selues and to tremble at the dreadfull iudgements of God, especially when those that committe such faults be publike persons, and in some respect notable. The fal of whom as it is a proofe of a horrible vengeāce of God through the which they haue ben abandoned, so is it a very violent temptacion to shake the weake consciences and therewithall to draw a great multitude to the same perdition. And no doubt the rage of the cruell enemies doth not geue so dangerous a woūd to y e flock of Christ, as doth such treachery and infidelitie. [Page] Moreouer if ther haue ben ani one of the church, that hath by gods grace preuēted the hands of the murderers that he hath not fallen into them, or if ther haue ben any apprehended and yet escaped thens without hauing eyther suffered or committed any euil, the fauour of god in that his deliuerance ought not to be buried in silēce, but to be published to assure others to put their confidence in him that can drawe fourth his owne out of all perills, as much as he knowes to be expediēt for him so to doe. Of these thrée sortes, there are at this day many examples in the extreame calamity of the present persecution full of crueltie and falsehood, wherof in tyme the trewth shall be knowen & published. But as for me, I hauing ben of that miserable and pestilent secte thorough my fall & offenciue denyall, wherin I laye wallowing a long tyme: now after that God hath geuen me grace to come again to my right witts, I will my selfe be the historiographer of the detestable cryme that I haue committed, describing it according to the trewth and as it happened: then afterward noting the [Page] circumstances, I wil assaye to make confession of the enormitie and grieuousnes therof as much as in me shal be possible. Finally whē ye shal set before your eyes this writing (Dearly beloued brethren and readers of this pitifull discourse) I beséeche you that through christian compassion ye doe helpe me to féele to the quicke such an offence, and, in as muche as good may be drawen from euill, that ye doe take instruction by my example.
I was then abyding in Fraunce in a small congregation not passing a dayes iourney from Paris, wher being aduertysed of the slaughter within the said citie. I tooke deliberation foure dayes after to saue my selfe out of the Realme. And casting with my self the difficulties & dangers that ther should be to passe, I determined after a sort to counterfet y e papist, by the badge that was worn in the hatts, by gesture & countenaunce as much as I should see my selfe [...]ged therunto by necessitie. The morow after being come to the next town, The white Cr [...]sse. I was demaunded who I was, wherwith finding my self wonderfully amased, I had not the memory to [Page] speake that which before I had premeditated, but making an answere without head or foote, they had me in suspicion: & the Iudge examyning me by othe what I was, forthwith without ought disguising I fréely cōfessed the whole. By y e meanes wherof being clapt in prison, I toke this resolution to suffer any kinde of death y e they shold lay vppon me, and I felt some peace & rest in my conscience if I did defend the trewth of the Gospell wherof I was most assured. Although I had euen than my head busyed with certeyne cogitacions touching the personall succession of the Romish church, wherof I then disputed against some that wer ther presēt, & the trewth had alwaies the victorie against falsehod. But this boldnes of mine was but a puffe that did not cōtinew lōg. For being all alone I began to discourse with my self touching the grieuousnes of the persecution then befallen, & I founde the same to be farre beyond all the former. For I alwayes toke the calamities of the tyme past to be but visitations and roddes wherwithall God did purge his church, and had euer iudged them to bée [Page] assured marks of y e children of God. But because that in this last ther did appeare as it were a ruyne and vtter distruction of the whole without any appearance or hope of restablishment, I began to valew it at none other rate then a playne testimony of gods wrath and indignation, as if he had by this meanes declared, that he did detest and condemne y e profession and exercyse of our Religion, for that he had so often turned againe to stryke vs, yea & finally so to ouerthrow vs, as if he were willing wholly to destroy and roote out this cōgregation, & fauour that of Rome. By this meanes I began to giue strēgth to this temptation of Sathan, and the flesh desyring to saue it self from the present danger got the vpper hand. In so much that I did straight way conclude with my selfe to acknowledge and auow the church of Rome for the trew church, wherinto I did desire to be receued. The which I did declare the same daye to the Iudge, imagening that without delay I should be set at lybertie, which being obtayned I wold withdraw my selfe with all spéede out of the Realme, to kéepe me [Page] solitary, and to apply my selfe to do what I could to passe away y e rest of my tyme. In the same prison ther were others of y e Religion, vnto whom I gaue counsell to do the lyke, alleging to them that the Romish church was the auncient church whens we wer departed, and wherunto we ought to returne, with many other deuises tending to the same end. Who consenting to my cursed allurements & suggestions made the same protestations to the Iudge, and not long after they were deliuered, yet not content with y t which I had done and sayde, to shew that I did it with hart and good will, I wrote to the chief of my congregation, and farther, to them of myne owne famyly, exhorting them to betake them selues to popery, & to be assistant at the seruice there, as I for my parte minded to be. And to the ende that this Metamorphosis or change happened in my person, should not astonish them, I declared that I had reasons to moue me therunto, wherof some I did set down in writing, as well in the said letters, as in a certayn scrole that I presented to the Iudge. Now thought I verely [Page] that betwixt that and the morrow after, I should be let out of prison to goe wher I would, but it happened quite otherwise. For the Iudge hauing geuen intelligence how I was taken, and of the great and manifest signes of my conuersion and returne to the catholike church (as they terme it) kept me vntil he hard newes frō the Court, whens he receiued letters of the King, who gaue him commaundement to send me to him to be an instrumēt & to serue to perswade y e King of Nauarra and the prince of Conde to renounce the religion wherein they had ben brought vp, with a protestation to follow the faith and doctrine of Rome, and to acknowledge the Pope for head. This newes being brought, I was very sory when I sawe my selfe frustrate of myne intent, knowing that I muste now play a part on the greatest stage in all Fraunce, to confesse and defend infinite things which I had heretofore by word of mouth and writing condemned, yea and did yet condemne in my hart. Notwithstanding hauing already made the first breach into my cōscience, by the [Page] which Sathan had made his entrey, I left him the full & peaceable possession of y e whole, minding now to doe al thinges wholy to the lyking of men, laying asyde the reuerence of God, and the respect of his glory.
Being brought to Paris and presented before the King, I declared the selfe same abouesayd, auowing the Romish church to be the trew church, and sundry dayes together in the presence of y e king of Nauarra and the prince of Conde I maynteyned y e same cause agreing with the Sorbonists in that point principally, and refelling that which some of the king of Nauarra his officers (men fearing God) did alledge to the contrarie, that the Reformed church was the trew church, and their religion the trew religion. Furthermore touching the controuersies and points of doctrine commenly debated, in some I spake lewdly and against myne owne conscience, euen as they are taught in popery: of other some, (as principally of y e Masse, the oblation, and the presence of Christs body) I made some doubt and contradiction, being vrged [Page] therto by the force of the trewth: but immediatly I let go and abandoned all y t euer I had truely spoken & by a false collusion I suffered them to cōclude as they wold them selues, hauing beside that serued therin ageinst myne owne cōscience, for a miserable instrument to lead those young Princes to goe to Masse, & by that means to worship a false God, & to tread vnder their féete y e only sacrifice of Christ his death. And sithens I haue fallen in hand with this conference and disputation, I wil giue you good aduertisement of an edict published in the name of y e king of Nauarra, for that they haue not bene contented ther to Chronycle my name & calling, but they haue followed therin y e custome of the Papists, who can not simply recyte that which is happened without some addition. For there it is sayed that ther were certeyne other ministers of the Citie of Orleance, that dyd ioyntly confesse with me them selues to be vanquished by the force of the Popishe Doctors argumentes, in so muche that they should renounce and forsake the doctrine before tyme preached to the reformed [Page] Churches in Fraunce. Which I doe testify and maynteyne to you to be false: for there was neuer any but my self. The other Ministers of the sayd congregation were better assisted of God, then to haue committed such an offence. Being then these twoo Princes through my false perswasions drawen in a short space to the profession of Poperye, with the submissions to the same required, I abode a certeine tyme at Paris, during the which I was lead vp and downe (as a byrde to y e call) to certeyne noble Ladyes and Gentlewomen of the religion, who not long before had hard me preache the word of God, or els had knowen mée in particuler communication to haue exhorted thē to perseuer in the doctryne of the gospel, who were al maruelously abashed to sée me thus transformed into an other shape, & they could not be perswaded that in that which they vnderstoode of mée. I spake as I thought. Neuerthelesse I tolde them all indifferently that I spake euen as I did beléeue in my hart touching the opinion so stifly maynteyned of me, that the Romish Church was the Catholyke [Page] Church beside other poyntes y e do depend therof. And not cōtent to serue their turn at all assayes that did thus employe mée here and there. I went of myne owne accord to diuers of myne acquayntance or els to those that them selues did séeke me or by fortune mette with mée: to whom generally I gaue this counsel to acknowledge this Church, albeit that I did graūt her to be full of superstitions and errors so that shée had more then néede of a reformation: with sundry such other counselles of false Nicodemites and Temporizers or (to speake vprightly) of ypocrits and enemyes to God by outward profession. And when I founde any displeased with them selues for the faute that they had commited to their great grief, I dyd by and by laye before them the foresayde reasons lulling them a sléepe therwithall and laying Pillows vnder their elbows as sayeth the Prophet Ezechiel. Namely I went one day of purpose to a certeyne good and vertuous Lady fearing god, and to her daughter boothe nobly descended. To conclude, I left no body with whō I might talke familiarly y t I did not corrupt [Page] w t this pernicious counsell: saying that albeit the body of the Lord be not in that which is shewed at y e masse, yet notwithstanding y t on might lawfully knele downe to it, because there is a certeyne remnant and trace of the trewe Sacrament of that precious body: and that in beholding y e Sacrament (although it differ farre from the institution of Christ, & the administratiō of the auncient church) it suffiseth to lift vp our hatts to heauen, in which place only is the trewe liuing body where our Lord [...]deth reigne & sitteth at the right hand of God his father. Thus in this place did I moderate al absurdities, and went about to playster this old ruinous buylding of popery, to make there appeare a certeine likelyhoode of a goodly tabernacle. And so I did entyce ageinst my conscience al those that I could to goe to masse the very heape of all Idolatry and renouncing of Iesus Christ; yea & I wrote letters to Madame de Buillon at Sodan by the commaundement of the Duke Montpensier her father to drawe her to the same opinion: making her a sorowfull and simple recompence▪ for the [Page] curtisy & liberality receiued at hir hands as wel by me as by diuers others during y e troubles of the yeare of our Lord God 1568. And albeit that I felt in my selfe the condemnation of myne owne conscience, for the poynts now a dayes in controuersie, and that no reasons could content me to approue the doctrine ceremonyes and exercise of the popish religion, and, [...] that diuers persons had ben so bolde to reprooue me of my faultes, to represent the iudgements of God before myne eyes, to cyte me before the tribunall seate of Iesus Christ where all men must appeare: yet notwithstāding I was therwith [...] sléepe, that I mynded not to make my abode any wher but at Paris: now and then ther came vppon me a certeyne grief of mynd to thinke of that which was past with y e remēbraūce of the inuocation and seruice of God of the pure administratiō of the sacraments the preachyng of the word, and diligent practise of discipline, and I made comparison therof with the life, cōuersation and exercyse of the Priests and Monkes. But I was so wholy in the possession of the [Page] Prince of this world, that I smothered vp this fyre which vppon euery occasion did thus enkindle within me, laying before my self this reason emongst others, that they of the Church were so offended at this acte of myne, that they would neuer receiue me ageyne into their society. And if I had ben let alone in some priuate estate wher I might haue found my self occupied, there is no doubte but I had abode euen til this houre moyling in that filth. For after y e first heat of desire (wher with I had ben thrust forward to yéelde my selfe to popery) was some thing cooled, I began fourthwith to féele this inward warre within my selfe, especially when I was employed towards any body to bring him home ageyne (as they terme it): But if I had remained a while by my selfe, I did by little and little kill and weare awaye that worme of my cō science. Wherfore the very way and vndoubted means to make me bethink my self was when the said Duke Montpensier did send me the tewsday the fourth of Nouembre with Maldonat a Iesuite to go to Sedan to bring his daughter Madam [Page] de Buillon, home to the obedience of of the Pope. For abiding with a certeine Gentleman on the borders of y e Realme, whilest Maldonat was a disputing at Sedan, I receiued letters aduertisements and aduise of my frindes that I shoulde withdrawe my selfe towards them, haue an eye to myne owne safegarde, and not continewe held in that maner within the pawes of Sathan: As for them they dyd offer me all the meanes and assistaunce they could possibly to drawe mée oute of that cursed srinking puddle wherein I was be myred. Then began I more liuely to wake out of this dead sléepe and this lethargie of my sens, I began to bewayle the holy house of my father with the christian entertaynement that his seruants doo receiue ther, too acknowledge my wretchednesse and vyle ingratitude, in that I had cast of and abandoned that holy and comfortable nourishment which I my selfe sometime had distributed to others. Notwithstanding, because I had left my wife and children in Fraunce, I thought in néedefull to returne thither ageyne to sée whether I could get them [Page] thence, and chiefly for that I had left my wife extreame sicke. Therefore tarying til Maldonat were come ageyne, I resolued to putte this deliberation in execution. But he being returned gaue me to vnderstand that the Earle of Retz had sent for him & me with him to come to Mets. Which was to mée a grieuous delaye wherby my enterprise was stayed. Thither must I go then to turne y e pore faithfull Christians oute of the right waye to saluatiō. To the which place being come I spake once opēly as I was cōmaunded to declare to thē (as I had done els wher) that the Romish Church was that wherin we ought to setlte our selues & abyde. The rest of the tyme that we were there I harkened to the Sermons of the Iesuite who labored hard to prooue the sacrifyse of the Masse and Purgatory, to learne if he taught any new thing. I hard another also named Maurus who preached of the inuocation of Saintes and worshipping of Images. But I was so farre of frō being brought to beléeue any whit of these thinges for oughte that they did saye, that cleane contrary I was farther of then euer: [Page] because I did clearely perceyue with what violence and boldnes they did wrest and falsefy the scriptures, as by Gods grace, I shall make knowen heareafter, hauing to that ende gathered theyr proofes and allegations by note in my memory. Now the fryday being y e xix. of December, the Earle being come home from a Iourney that hée had made, gaue vs to vnderstand that we must depart the morrow after, which was the houre that I desired aboue al thinges, for the causes alleged. But the same day a little before y e gates were shut, letters were broughte me whereby I was aduertysed that my wyfe & children were out of the Realme, that I should looke to my self and beware howe I did returne thither where I had nothing to doe. Hereuppon I considered that it was not without the singuler prouidence of God that such aduertisement was come euen as I would wishe, and that I ought not to let slippe such an occasion. Therfore after I had prayed to God at night for the danger that was in suche an enterprise, y e morrow after accordyng to the meanes that God had offered mée [Page] vppon the sodayne, I set forth about nine of the clocke in the morning without being knowen, stayed or caught ageyne, albeit there were men sent after mée. By this meanes GOD hauing drawen mée thense hath in the end conducted me into this citie making an end of the ouerlong abode which I made in the middest of Idolatry. Heidelberg.
Behold my brethren the tragicall and miserable discourse of my fall, treachery, and rebellion ageynst my God, wherein there are so many circumstances y t make it offensiue and detestable, that whē they are now presented before myne eyes, I doe not thinke all my whole lyfe sufficient to acknowledge and comprehend the same as it ought to bée. There is not any one at this daye among so many thousands y e doe ageynst their conscience honor to that Idole, but he ought to confesse that he doeth offend god horribly in dishonoring hym by that means, and in worshipping the creature in steade of the creator. And although there bée none but maye allege weakenesse and infirmitye in thys acte, (and in déede it is not [Page] likely but that many doe beléeue in their hart that which they are compelled to doo outwardly) yet notwithstanding y t their allegatiō can not serue for an excuse, but rather for their condemnation & reproch, because it is to sette God behind himself, to loue more this transsitory life than the glory of God, it is to feare those that can kill the body, and not him that can caste both body and soule into euerlasting fire. To cōclude, it is plainly to renounce Iesus Christ before that ouerthwart & bastard generation. What may one saye of mée then, who haue not only ben of the Church of God, a partaker of those gracious blessings that are there distributed, but also haue therin borne the most honorable rancke, preaching the gospell there more then ten yeare, that haue ben of on of the goodliest congregatiōs of al Fraūce, the which within this foure or fiue yeare hath not ceased to furnish to God an innumerable multitude of witnesses, by y e murders & bluddy flaughters so often cō mitted wherof the inhabytants haue yet their handes died and their hartes swilled with innocent blud? Alas what imaginations [Page] should now enter into y e minds of those poore wretches y t yet remayne, whē they shal hear of this y t I haue done? Is it not as if I did condemne y e cause for y t which so many godly men haue suffered? what a trouble of conscience haue I putte into the hartes of those y t did before time cōfort them selues vppon y e death of their Parentes and frinds praysing god, who had done them this honour to suffer for his name? Now are they grieuously tempted to mistrust the vprightnesse of the cause, because they can not bée resolued on the opiniō that men ought to haue of the honorable death that so many godly Martyrs haue abiden through the crueltie of Antichrist & his Supposts. Héere behold an inestimable iniury done to the dead (of whom the memory ought to be blessed for euer) to the liuing, & to Christ him self for whose treuth they haue shead their blud. And if I had long abidden emprisonment, honger, darkenes and rough handeling, & that to conclude this frayle flesh ouerwhelmed with so many miseries, had made the spirit to yelde & stoupe to such persecution, it might wel haue sauered [Page] of some humane fraylty, to haue moued compassion thereof. But I at the very first rumour of the slaughter resolued to saue this myserable lyfe to dissemble yea & to renounce the treuth. Trew it is y t not long before my minde was something disquieted touching the personall succession of the Church. In so much that I stode in doubte whether it were not a dangerous matter, to depart frō y e church of Rome in the which I founde this succession. Neuerthelesse this is the trewth, that as sone as I had intelligence of that which was bruted, the feare of death, the loue of this lyfe and commodities therof seruing their turne of this my trouble of mind, caused me to yeld more force thervnto then the thing required: Insomuch that I was cleane out of tast with that doctryne in generall, which for al that, I neither did nor could doubt of. But I lost all will and inclination to confesse and maynteine the same: And albeit that I had rather haue escaped out of y e Realme (as in déede I had prepared my selfe ther vnto) thā to haue stayed ther any longer, & y t of myne own méere disposition without [Page] any maner of cōpulsion, I had neuer the affection to bend my selfe against the doctryne: Yet notwithstanding I was vtterly discouraged to take in hande the defence of the same, & I rather tooke this resolution, to doe what soeuer was offered me at the instant to cleare me of al suspectiō euery wher wher I shuld passe. So the great and righteous Iudge did not fayle on his part to handle me thereafter. For hauing ben so many yeares together taught by him the nature of the Gospell of his sonne, which is called the word of the crosse, it had ben my part, to haue ben y e more and more assured of my vocation, and of the trewth of his Church, because I sawe the crosse continew still, and the persecutions to grow dayly more violent. But perceyuing the affliction to excéede the measure that I would haue prescribed to GOD, I fell to doubte, not of the doctryne in it selfe, but of the Church in the respect of the personall succession. For this cause GOD did iustly deliuer me to the desyer of myne owne harte, to committe a faulte not onely foule and detestable, [Page] but also cleane sounding ageynst reason and mans iudgement: that is to say: to immagine I had some reason not to confesse a trewth whereof I was fully perswaded. Others that fal by infirmity doe acknowledge that they doe ageynst that they ought to do, in inpugning & deniyng a knowen and vndoubted trewth, but I toke it to be a pointe requisite in my self to speake ageynst mine owne conscience, and ageinst y e assured knowledge of mine owne harte. Thus in the iudgement of God those that thinke them selues wyse are prooued fooles: neither did god in this beginning suffer mée to scape awaye so lightly, but sithens I would néedes dally with him, thinking that I should be easely set at liberty, he payed me the iust reward of my first leudnes and treachery, punishing y e former offense by later enormities as ye haue vnderstoode. The first prancke of my deloyaulty was that I did shewe my selfe not a hyreling that doeth Abandon hys charge when hée séeth the Woulphe come, but I was my selfe a Woulphe yea & a rauening Woulphe, scatering and dissipating mine own propre [Page] flock. For I wrote immediatly to the principalls of that assembly where I had ben, admonishing them to acknowledge, & follow the church of Rome: I dyd the lyke to myne owne famyly which I had before instructed in the feare of God: and my little children consecrated to Iesus Christ, were by this meanes plonged in the popish filthy polutions, to prostrate them selues before the Idole of Idoles. Being thus foundred in this first quagmyre, I ceased not to wade from euill to worsse: and after I had betrayed myne owne flocke, myne owne flesh and bones, and the little young imps that God had geuen me, no maruell, if I played so lamentable parts towards others. Neyther then did this false dealing of myne kéepe it selfe within these bounds. For I was brought to Paris to be tyed as a carthorse to the Charet wher Sathan sate in triumph ageinst the mēbers of Iesu Christ bringing them after him conquered and captiues. These two young princes buds of the flower de Luce royall, vertuously and faythfully instructed in the doctrine of the trewth, consecrated to the glory of [Page] God, called to be nurces of the Church, of whome she might one day hope for some comfort & perfection, wer by me diuerted from the trew reformed Church, brought (as touching their persōs) to go to Masse, and consequently to set vp ageyne & restablish that cursed Idolatry within the places and lymits of their dominion & seigneury. To be short, they were by me deliuered vp as it wer, to the tyrannical clutches & grypes of Antichrist, to sweare obedience to him, and to make war ageinst the children of God. For although they had great occasions to shrink: considering the murders that they sawe committed, the practises that wer vsed to terrefy thē: and although that the brute was already spread that they went to Masse, yet had they continewed pure and constant vntil my arriuall. Wherfore ther is no doubt, but that my tongue trayterous & vntrew to my God did more preuayle with them, then all the threates, dangers, and horrible slaughters which they hard and sawe dayly before theyr eyes: whereof also, if they be now wholly changed with a willing mynde to persecute the Gospell, [Page] (which God forbid) I am alas the principal cause. If they do y t which they do ageynst their will, they may chiefly laye the faute in me, for that payne and anguish of mynde wherewith they be tormented.
Touching this poynte be ye aduertysed, (ye that reade this) to praye to GOD for those personages, that it will please him to take pytie vpon them, and when he séeth good to repayre that inestimable losse. In the meane season, I was not without remorse and trouble in my conscience, séeinge the pytteous woorke that was a building, whereof I was an instrument, or rather seing the ruine and subuersion of the Churche, where I my selfe gaue the greatest blowes to ouerthrowe it. And manye tymes there came to my memory a verse of a certeyn poet alleadged by Tertulian: Vs (que) ad eòne morj miserum est? I felt my selfe mooued with heauenly inspirations to mainteyn gods trewth. I dyd after a sorte consider of the wounde that was made by my meanes, some tymes the force of reason and trewth did pricke me forewarde to [Page] speake against the doctors of Sorbona in certeyne points: but the same vanished away immediatly, because that I had already passed furth to the chiefest difficultie, hauing a vowed theirs for the trewe Church. And certenly I remember that being often pressed with my selfe, & féeling a kinde of conuiction in that I dyd let passe so many false things ageinst the trewth, at night I prayed to God that he would not suffer me to liue to the day folowing, forséeing that the morrow after I should yet be driuen to consent and agrée to many things which I thought and knew to be false, but this was not a well ordered prayer because I should rather haue craued his spirit of strength & magnanimitie to susteyne and defende that which he had reuealed to me to be trewe, & referre to him the issue and falling out of the whole. Neyther was I hard of him, but was still abyding in y e middest of the enemies of his poore afflicted Church, being forced to heare the scoffes and iestes that they did spewe out, laughing at the present affliction, as dyd the Id [...]means when they reioysed at the destruction of [Page] Ierusalem. Thus went I cleane depriued of all sens & féeling to enure my selfe lyke a brute, beast with this most mischeuous & accursed haūt. The murderers haue killed the bodies with their most cruel hād▪ but in the meane tyme the soules are escaped and passed from trauel to rest. But I haue ben a murderer of soules subuerting the fayth of many through my word, and taking from their vnderstanding the iudgemēt & knowledge of the euill which they went about to doe. And besyde those that haue hard me speak with myne own propre mouth, there are infinite others y t may haue read that which I had sundry tymes written touching the same, the copies wherof were spread all abroade, amplyfied with prety gloses and additions, wher I had not written playn enough to the contenting of the papists, as I my self haue both séene and perceyued. And those that haue not read them might therof be informed by others: In such sort that I can not expresse nor cōprehend how great a ruine and decay hath ensued of this my fal▪ From al the which mishaps one only death had at one instant preserued me if [Page] I had abyden it after the example of so many poore shéepe of Iesus Christ layed furth to the slaughter without mercie. Such a death had béen precious before God, honorable for me and myne, and of a good sauour to the congregation of the Lorde. And yet for any thing that I haue done I shall not escape death, which shall come at the houre and in the maner that God hath appoynted it after I haue lyued in ignomyny in the sight of all good men. Wherfore when I consider all the circumstances, I can hardlye pycke out an example to be ballanced with this acte of myne. Sainct Peter did renounce Christ, but it was in his first weaknesse before he was yet fortyfied, whereas I ought to haue ben a leader and a captain, considering how long I had ben called to the seruice of God. Saint Peter at the instant withdrew him selfe and went out to wéepe: as for me I was in a good way to haue continewed all my lyfe long in the botomlesse pitte of perdition. Sainct Paule did persecute the Church of God, but it was in ignoraunce and through an vnaduised zeale, hauing not the fayth, [Page] wheras I did put my helping hand to the réedifying of that which before I had pulled downe, declaring my selfe a sinfull transgressour. Iohn Marke left of his labour and the voyage that he hadde in hands, for the which Sainct Paul did not thinke it reasonable that hée should be afterwarde employed. Demas forsoke his vocation for the loue and desyre of this present worlde. But none of these did for all that persecute the trewth as I haue done. Touching the facte I finde but one comparable to my selfe, and that is he that layed his head together with y e sacryficers and tooke money of them to be traye and make sale of the innocent blud as he confessed himself. Euen so did I acquainte my selfe with such kinde of people the very successors of the Pharyseyes, sweare my selfe into the hands of the byshop, and receyued the hyre of vntrewth as did Balaam, with a promise of a yearely pension in time to come.
Briefly, I sée my self paynted out in that which Sainct Peter sayeth: that this man hath ben the leader of thē that haue taken Iesus, who (sayth hée) was [Page] accompted in the numbre of vs, and had receyued his parte of the administration of his word▪ Sée here then (my brethren) on part of those enormities that I do note in mi reuolt. I did not only giue occasiō to men to yelde to the infirmitie of y e flesh, but more then that I did fill the consciences of y e well affectioned with scrupelous vexatiōs, of the weake with troublesome offences, to make them fall neuer to ryse ageyne: to the ypocrites I did serue for a maske and cloke to couer them selues, in assisting to those things that they condemned: to the open enemyes I gaue occasion to boast and glorify them selues in exercysing cruelty ageynst the members of Iesu Christ, and to confirme thē selues in an [...] they haue, y t they doe God good se [...]ce, that they aduaunce hys honor, that they mayneteyne the trewe Church when they kill and murder the innocent. I haue offended God almighty, condemned the cause of his sonne Christ, resisted the holy ghost, made sorowful the Aungels of heauē, ben a stumbling block to the Church in earth, boldened and hardened y e wicked in their fury, defiled my [Page] mouth with blasphemy, which was before honored with preaching of the Gospel. Sainct Cyprian excusing him self for y t he had séemed to haue somewhat lightlye established Aurelius reader in the Church, giueth a good reason, that it was very méete & séemely y e the mouth which had confessed Christ in time of persecution, should be employed to reade his word in the Church. Contrariwise I by myne infidelity haue stopped mine own mouth that I might not hereafter speake in the holy assemblyes▪ I beséech you (brethren) that euery one of you doe adde what yée can to this that I haue sayed: which is not hard to doe in so [...] a case. And all you that maye any wayes make mée vnderstand it, spare me [...] to pulle mee downe according to the desert of so haynous a [...]: spurne at the féete y t salte that hath lost his sauor, see how iustly my candlestick is taken from his place. Alas I haue good cause to tremble at y t which our Lord hath denounced, that at y e great day he will be ashamed of those, that are ashamed of him & his word before men. Let my exaumple serue you for a glasse, [Page] and haue a dilygent eye to your selues, you that haue abode vpright till this present, sée that you kéepe preciously that so singuler a benefite that God hath so carefully kept for you: suffer not that vncorruptible crowne to bée taken from you, but constantly finish your course, knowing that he that contineweth to the ende shall be saued. And you alas that are the greatest number, who eyther by myne exaumple are slipte out of the way or by myne occasion confirmed in your reuolt, take héed the Deuil doe not bewitch you, to make you fynde that swéete which is bitter, to call lighte darkenes and darknes light: bu kéepe the séede of the feare of God which is yet remayning in your harts, nurrish and cherish it as a languishing fyre, wayting the meanes to escape out of the captiuity more griouous then that of Egipt, and vsing the same when.. God shal offer them vnto you▪ Especially your grace Syr, that haue receyued thys good and holye instruction from your youth in the trewe knowledge of GOD.
Remember the fayth that was in your [Page] mother and Grandmother Quéenes of Nauarra. And as Sainct Paule doeth by suche exaumples exhort his Timothe, so thinke the same to apperteyne to you, to the end that you may be as well heyre to the fayth of those holy Ladyes, as you haue succéeded them in the Realme. And pardon mée the iniury that I haue done to you: humbly beséeching you in the name of GOD that as I haue ben a pestilent instrument to peruert you, so nowe my exaumple may serue to conuert you to the Lord. You also moste noble Prince, be myndfull of the zeale, godlines, and constancy in trewe religion whereof you haue séene the liuely paterns of your late (of worthy memory) Grandmother, Father and mother: I haue serued you in steade of a wicked spirite and euill counseler, but lette not that which was sayed in tyme of force and violence, beare so much sway and authoritye wyth you, that for the same you should forgette the holye instructions which haue ben gyuen yow by aduised deliberation many years before. [Page] Compare the presente estate whereunto you be now brought receyuing no comfort or edificatiō at al of that which your Amner doeth read or sing before you in his Portesse or Massebooke, with y e when you were present at the holy exhortatiōs and enterpreting of Gods word, where you your self did help to sing prayses vnto his name. And for as muche as manye may be kepte back in this reuolt through the reasons y t they then vnderstood of mée at sundry tymes and in sundry places, or els through certeyne writings that haue ben scattered abroad, touching the trewe Church, and by what markes she oughte to be discerned, by the which at that time I went aboute to conclude that y e Church of Roome deserued this title: I beséech al Christian readers not to stay vppō those reasons so vayne and of so small importaunce. Trew it is that see that time yea and somewhat afore I had be shakē therwithall as I haue confessed. But sens, hauing withdrawē mi self into these parts, I haue learned and found out that they are but abuses and fallacyes easye to bée discouered and refuted, for the which (let [Page] it be graunted that they had greater appearance of sound reasons) yet can not I be excused, but that I did leudly and villenously to refuse to witnesse that treuth with my mouth which I did verely beléeue in my harte, & to exhort those that I could ageinst my cōsciēce to go to Masse, and to yéeld obediēce to Antichrist. Now as I doe by this present writing make open confession of my to too haynous enormity, for a piece of amends and reparation of the offence publikely geuen: so am I determined (God willing) to write of this matter of the Church to take away all doubt and scruple from the wauering cōsciences that be not yet fully resolued, for that they haue hard the sayd reasons. To conclude, being now at full liberty to stick boldly without feare to that Church which in my harte I doe alowe of, I protest before god to recognyse and acknowledge that for the trewe Church whiche hath for the rule of her fayth y e holy scripture of the old & newe Testament, the olde conteyned in the lawe, Psalms, and Prophets (as our Lord him self doeth deuide it) the newe in the writinges of the [Page] Euangelistes and Apostles, anowyng for trewe markes of the Churche not the succession of persones and of menne, but of the Doctryne of the Prophetes and Apostles: Sithens it is manyfest that we can not acknowledge any for the house of GOD, but that which is the piller and staye of the treweth, nor anye to bée of the folde of Christ, but those only that heare hys voyce and follow him: and that shée is the trewe Spouse, that hath Christ for her Spouse: briefely that it is necessary to goe out of that Church wherein one can not abyde wythoute renouncyng of Iesus Christ, and to be shorte without losse of bodye and Soule by dishonoring and offending of GOD.
According whereunto I doe also embrace the confession of Fayth published in the name of the reformed Churches of Fraunce, acknowledging and auowing the same to be a Christian confession by the conformitye and agréement that it hath with the holy Scripturs, and ioyntly the Ecclesiastycall discyplyne to bée the conducte and gouernement [Page] of the people of GOD. Wyth lyke assuraunce I holde and beléeue with all my harte, and confesse as well by mouth as by writyng, that those which for thys reformation haue a fewe yeares sence suffered death, eyther by order of Iustyce, or by the late blouddy murders more cruell then those of the Gotes or Vandales, are trewe and blessed Martyrs of Iesus Christ, dead for hys name, and his holy trewth. And for the commendation and prayse of them, together for their comfort and consolation that are yet liuing, women, children, parentes and frindes, this sentence of Sainct Paule to the Thessalonians maye by good right be applyed: yée are made followers of the congregacions of GOD that are at Iudea in Iesus Christ, because yée haue suffered the selfe same thynges by them of your owne natyon as they dyd by the Ievves. Who likewyse haue kylled the Lorde Iesus and their owne Prophetes, and haue banyshed vs, they please not GOD and are aduersaries to al men, not suffering vs to speak to the [Page] Gentils for their saluation: to the ende that they may dayly heape vp their sins, for the wrath of god is come vppon them to the vttermost.
Wherfore O ye faithful pastors of the Christian Church, Stewards of y e misteries of god, that hath giuen you the word of reconciliation, to the end that ye maye be Ambassadors for Christ, ye that sometymes haue taken me for your fellow in the work of the Lord, continew in that holy vocation, wayting for the rewarde promised in that great day, wherin those that haue instructed many to righteousnes shall shyne lyke stars. God hath preserued the greatest part of you whole and sound, so well, that ye haue not ben at all apprehended, or els ye haue gotten out of the enemyes handes, without any thing done that might séeme vnworthy the conscience of a Christian man. A fewe are fallen and bent ageynst the Gospell, and I miserable wretch was the first in that small numbre. I haue darkned and defaced the beuty and excellency of that heauenly doctrine that I had my selfe sometyme preached. But ye know the assured [Page] foundation wherō it is grounded. Accursed be he that shall announce any cōtrary thing yea were he an Angell in heauen. O ye happy and blessed of God, that haue in your harts the testimony of an vnspotted conscience, to haue walked in sincerity and playnnes: blessed that shal heare at the later daye, enter into the ioye of thy Lord, thow good and faythfull seruant, for that thou hast increased the talents committed to thée, whereas I haue not onely buried in the earth the talent that I had, but haue employed the same in making warre ageynst the trewth. God graunt you the grace to cōtinew and gyue a happy successe to your godly trauells. Assist me with your prayers that the heauenly father may receyue me now that I returne to him after this horrible sliding and reuolt, and pardon me my so grieuous enormity. O Lord almighty and wholy wise, how easy is it for thée to entrappe the crafty in their deceypte. O how thy iudgements be iust and righteous.
Euen so hast thou drawen out of the bottome of my hart that which was ther hyd, not suffering that I should beguylé the world any lenger. For hauing determined to abandō my charge and to slipps thens couertly for certeyne doubts and difficulties that I had in my mynd, to the end to continew as it were a neutre touching thy outward professiō: thou hast iustly cast me of to myne owne sens. By that meanes gyuing more force to myne owne illusions, thē reuerēce to thy word. I am fallen where I well deserued. For in steade of being but a forsaker of the charge where thow haddest placed me, I became a formall enemy, reproouing and cōdemning it: of the other syde being willing to authoryse and alowe the vocation of them that doe teache popish scysmes [Page] and errors, thow diddest cause me to come so neare it, that I was driuen to be better acquaynted with them then I desyred. Such was the punishment y t thou diddest cast vppon thy people in tymes past: who when they wold not kéepe them selues pure frō idolatry after long sufferance, thou diddest in the end deliuer thē vp into thy enemyes hand, who brought them into Babilon, where they were lothed with the fight of false Gods.
But the same did serue this people to take these idoles in such disdayne and horror, that they neuer fell into that faute ageyne, after their returne into Ierusalem. Euen so my GOD graunt me this grace, that the displeasure & grief that I haue of so greate a faute, doe engendre in my soule such a hate and detestation of the euill that I haue committed, that I may bestowe my whole lyfe in lamenting and bewayling the same, crauing thy mercy, to the end that thou mayest forgyue it me. Thou hast brought me meruelous lowe, punishing the pryde wherwith I was fully infected, and the conceyte that I had of my self: as thou [Page] art accustomed, to take from him that hath nothing, euē that which he thinketh to haue. To thée be all glory, and to me confusion of face. Notwithstandinge my God, who hast put in my harte the affectiō to acknowledge the danger of the horrible and euerlasting perditiō, where into I did throw my self hedlong, restore me thy spirite that may comfort me, and gyue me hope of mercy. And in this tyme of extreame affliction, graunt me y e grace to follow the exaumple of thy seruaunt Moyses who chose rather to be afflicted with thy people, then to enioye for a time the pleasures of sinne, estéeming the reproch of Christ to be greater ryches then the treasors of Egypte. Thy Church is at this day straungely oppressed and threatned with an vtter and perpetuall ruyne and destruction: but by thy ayde and assistance I doe mind to accompany her, and to drinke my parte of her afflictions, praying thée to this ende O Lord, to make me féele in what miserable estate they be that doe withdraw them selues towards the enemyes of thy trewth euen then when they thinke themselues [Page] most in thy fauour. Strengthen & maynteine this desyre in me to the end: that if I be once more called to the profession of thy name, I doe abandon my selfe in sacrifyce for that godly quarrell as I am bound. Take compassion of thy poore and desolate Church, and mollefy the strypes wherewithall at this day thou hast stroken her. Appease thy wrath towards thy people, for whom thy deare sonne hath shead his bloud, and with thy spirite fortify those that are at this day vnder the Crosse for thy sacred trewth, giuing them hope ageynst all hope, and making them inuincible ageynst all the assaults and violent enforcements of thy aduersaryes. Amen.