IF so be that pietie and the know­ledge of God were things here­ditarie, and of that nature that they could descend from the pa­rents to the children, as well as doe the goods and possessions of this world; then should not I need at this time to declare what I am, what is my be­leefe, and what God hath put into me: for my bap­tisme, mine education and bringing vp would testifie it; I hauing beene descended from such persons, whereof some haue had the feeling of Gods truth within them, and others the very confidence of pro­fessing it openly. But the publike calamities, which for so many yeeres haue afflicted this estate, haue brought to mee in particular for my part this losse, [Page 2] (more to be lamented then any other) that I could neuer haue a taste of that good affection which pa­rents are wont to beare toward their children; and that those, from whose care I might haue looked for a faithfull instruction in matters of saluation, hauing beene taken out of the miseries of this world, as soone almost as I came vnto it, there was left vnto mee no other light then for the body, and my soule still con­tinued in darknesse and the shadow of death, and that in such manner, that accordingly as I grew in age, so I daily proceeded in errour, and straying from Iesus Christ and his Gospell, I strayed likewise from mine owne happinesse, and had beene likely miserably to continue in that lamentable and deplorable estate euen vnto this day, and so forwards, if God, who know­eth who are his, and whose names hee hath written in his booke of life, had not had pittie of me: and if the good­nesse of him, who sheweth mercy to whom hee sheweth mercy, had not preuented mee, and formally opposed it selfe to the mischiefe which was pleasing vnto me, and to that curse, which being to mee the greatest of all, yet aboue all others was hugged and liked of by my soule. And if the kindnesse of God towards mee hath beene eminent in regard of the thing it selfe, in that he hath vouchsafed to deliuer me from the pow­er of darknesse, for to translate me to the kingdome of his well-beloued sonne; the meanes also which it hath pleased him to vse for to bring to passe this hap­pie effect, are no lesse worth the considering, in that God of the meanes of my totall perdition (atleast as they might seeme likely to bee) hath made as many meanes of my conuersion to him, according as hee is [Page 3] wont to draw sweetnesse out of bitter things for his children, and generally to make all things to turne to the Rom. 8. best for those who are called according to his determined purpose.

It is now twelue yeeres agoe when I was at Rome: (I will say no more) there mine eyes saw wonders, but such as were quite of another nature then those which heretofore the Apostles (being directed and animated by the holy Spirit) brought forth for to au­thorize and confirme the doctrine of grace. And how carefully and industriously soeuer I was nurtu­red in ignorance, and brought vp in the hatred of the Religion, and the loue of Idolatrie, yet I could ne­uer bee hindred from perceiuing that there was a great disproportion betweene the state of those, who at this day doe domineere ouer the Church, and the condition of them, who formerly did feed the flocke of Christ that was committed vnto them. Yet that was scarce any more, then if I should haue beheld the darknesse of the night, without being able to dis­cerne the brightnesse of the day: or if I did beginne to take notice, it was in that manner as men beginne to see at the breake of day. That beginning, how small soeuer it was then, did not continue vnprofitable: the rising of the Sunne drew nigh, the light increa­sed, and was strengthned in mine vnderstanding; the abuses of Poperie appeared vnto me both grosser and more; God left not in mee his worke vnperfect, hee did put me in minde of inquiring a little further, and to be informed truly by himselfe in his owne word, whether of the two Religions that are receiued in this Kingdome might haue the vpper hand in regard [Page 4] of the truth, or had more conformitie vnto this word. This enquirie did make mee to resolue about some three yeeres since, to forsake the seruice which I finde condemned in the Scripture, and to embrace that which I find therein commanded, and to come forth­with out of Babylon, for feare that partaking longer of her knowne crimes, I should bring my selfe into a ma­nifest danger of partaking of her vnknowne plagues. Whilest I had this resolution, which came to me from God, behold on the contrary many considerations, which came from elsewhere: on the one side were presented to mine eyes the lustre, the pompe, the dig­nities, the greatnesse, the hopes of the earth, and with all this ostentation of the glories of the world, as it were a certaine voice well-neere like to that which said sometimes to our Lord, I will giue thee all these things, if thou fall downe and worship mee: on the other side, the pouertie, the miseries, the ruines of houses, the hatred, the contempt, and all what is most able to cause a distaste, which should bee mine assured lot in case of change. These two tentations, the one on the right, and the other on the left hand, did make me sus­pend the effect of that wil which the spirit of God had insinuated into my spirit; I looked behind me a good while, I withheld the truth in vnrighteousnes. I made my Rom. 1. 18. selfe beleeue that by doing much euil I should haue good done vnto me; I fled from the presence of God, but God did make me at length feele that he deceiues himselfe, which thinkes to scape by swiftnesse from before him: he prepared for me a Whale for to swal­low me, but yet not for to destroy me; I was chaste­ned by his hand, and that through the same things [Page 5] in the which I had sinned: he tooke away out of mine hands both that which I had, and that which I had not. And now my hopes were cut off euen at the root, now many things by me possessed were lost for me, now my libertie (more precious then all the rest) was taken from me: but God be praised, who hauing taken from mee so many things, yet hath giuen mee so many, that if hee hath sent mee any euill, it was onely for to send me some good; if he hath made mee poorer, it was for to make mee richer then euer I was before, and that in better riches, in those namely that are the onely true ones: if hee hath made my body to bee cast into prison, it was for to make my soule to come out of thrall: if hee hath suffered mee to fall in­to the hands of such men as hated me, it was for feare that I should fall into his hands, yea into his hands as he is a rigorous Iudge, and yet to the end that I might fall into his hands, as hee is a kinde and mercifull Fa­ther, and that I might learne to my cost (being I could not doe it by the example of others) to feare him, to reuerence him, to giue him the glory, and to consecrate to him whatsoeuer belongs to me, without any reseruation, as I acknowledge my selfe truly and after an infinite number of sorts to be bound to doe, and acknowledge likewise, that it was the pure mercy of God that I was not consumed, because that his compassions did not faile me. And seeing that God hath done mee that fauour, that his word doth serue mee at this day in stead of a lampe for my feet, and of a light for my steps, to this word and to this Scrip­ture, diuinely inspired, I purpose to keepe mee, with­out euer any more repairing to the traditions of men, [Page 6] seeing that God hath giuen Iesus Christ for to be the head to his Church (of the which I am a member) for to bee the onely Mediatour betweene him and men, and our Aduocate towards his Father; for to be the onely Priest for euer, for to haue an euerlasting Priesthood, and for to offer (as hee hath offered) one onely sacrifice for sinnes, for to bee the Lambe of God, whose bloud doth cleanse vs from all sinne, for to sit for euer at the right hand of God, and to be held in the heauen vntill the time of the re-establishing of all things, and vntill that hee shall come from thence for to iudge the quicke and the dead: I acknowledge from henceforth no more (to the preiudice of him) any ministeriall head of the Church on the earth, nor Aduocate, taken from among either men or Angels, nor any Priest sacrificing his body, nor Masse seruing for a propitiatorie sacrifice for the sinnes of the liuing and the dead, nor Purgatorie after this life, nor reall presence of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ in the Sacrament vnder the kindes of bread and wine. And because that the Spirit of God doth teach mee, that no flesh is iustified by the workes of the Law, but only by faith in Iesus Christ, I will no longer forge vnto my selfe any merit of good workes, and much lesse of supererogation; and I will account the good workes of the faithfull to haue beene prepared by God, to the end that wee may walke therein, and will esteeme them to be the way to the Kingdome of heauen, and not the cause of raigning. And it is in this truth, and in the pro­fession thereof, that I desire, and that I promise here before God, his Angels, and his Church, to bee wil­ling to liue and to die, detesting with all mine heart [Page 7] all Idolatries, superstitions and errors, which are con­trary to the confession of faith of the Churches of this Kingdome, and protesting to submit my selfe wholly to that which concernes the order and discipline of the Church. Thus signed, Boniuet.