I Perfitlie knowing, and fullelie assu­ring my soule, that there is no pos­sibilitie of salvation to me, but alla­nerly in the free mercie of GOD, and pre­cious satisfaction of his Sonne my only Saviour, who is able to saue them to the vttermost that come vnto GOD by him, seeing he ever liveth to make interc [...]ssion for them, Heb. 7.25. neither is there sal­vation in any other, Act. 4.12.

2. I renounce and condemne all wor­shipping, or praying to Angels, hee or [Page 8] she Saints, not now excepting the bles­sed Virgin Marie, and conforme to the expresse direction of the Angell to Iohn. Revel. I take me to worship GOD; and as CHRIST, Math. 4.10. commandeth him only to serue, and to pray to my father. Math. 8.9. who is in Heaven, to whom only belongeth religious wor­ship, both of prayer and praise.

3. I renounce and condemne all pray­ers in Latin, or any vnknowne tongue to mee, taking mee heereafter, by the grace of GOD to pray with the Spirit, and with vnderstanding also, 1. Cor. 14.15. and not to mumble and num­ber my prayers according to the order and distinction of beads, which I haue caused breake and destroy, with present and perpetuall thank [...]-giving to GOD therefore

4. I acknowledge with Ieremie 10.14. that a molten image is falshood, they are vanitie and the workes of er­rors: and therefore casting away all those abominations of images, pictures, me­dalles, and pretended reliques: I take [Page 9] me whollie to the pure and plaine Gos­pell of IESUS CHRIST, and his holie Sacraments, wherein the lyuelie picture of CHRIST is, and the most hallowed Crucifixe that I can set before mine eyes, handle with mine hands, or carrie vpon my breast; wherein I rejoice, and ever shall doe, by GODS helpe and assistance, and finds great comfort in the conference and prayers of GODS Ministers, who now resort vnto me frequently: resol­ving by the grace of GOD never there­after to craue, nor admit the company and conference of Priests, and other teach­ers of lyes, guides of idolatrie; which all now I haue forsaken by the light and force of GODS Spirit: and woes mee that I hearkned so long to these seducers.

5. I acknowldge that the bowing downe before images is forbidden by GODS Law, Exod. 20.5. as well as worshipping of them. That images are altogether bruttish and foolish. Ierem. 10.3. I feare them not, for they can doe no evill, neither is it in them to doe good: but forasmuch as there is none [Page 10] like to thee O LORD, thou art great, & thy Name is great in might: Who would not feare thee, O KING of Nations? Ierem. 10.5.6.7.

6. I embrace the holy Scriptures of the old and new Testament, wherein is the perfite rule of faith and maners, acknow­ledging that the writs and judgements of all men should be tryed thereby, and re­duced therevnto, or else altogether reje­cted. And therefore I will curse & reject and cast from me all blasphemous bookes in write or print, (whereof alace I had so many too long) contrare to GODS trueth in these holy Scriptures.

7. I confesse and professe that the Scrip­tures are plaine and pure, being a lampe vnto my feete, and a light vnto my path, Psal. 119.105. in all things necessare for me to know my salvation. And seing CHRISS commandeth vs Ioh. 5.39. to search the Scriptures, and the Bereans are commended for searching the Scriptures dayly, Act. 17.11. I condemne the for­bidding of their translations in vulgare languages, and the reading of them by the [Page 11] people. And from my heart I detest that saying, that ignorance is the mother of devotion; bewailing my former ignorance and stryving more and more to incresse in all spirituall vnderstanding.

8. With Paul. 1 Tim. 4.3. I acknow­ledge the commanding to absteine from meates for conscience sake, to be from se­ducing spirits, and doctrines of devils, for the Kingdome of GOD is not meate and drink, but righteousnesse, peace, and joy in the holy Ghost. Rom. 14.17. Neither doth that which entereth in at the mouth defile a man, but that which proceedes out of the mouth that defiles a man.

9. I acknowledge and belieue, Rom. 3.24. that I am justified freely by GODS grace, through the redemption that is in CHRIST IESUS, without any respect to my workes; whereof I neither can, nor should boast with the proud Pharisee, but with the penitent Publican. I cry to God continuallie to be mercifull to me, who am a miserable sinner, and with S ^t. Paul. the chiefe of sinners, and so I belieue not the satisfaction made by me, but the free [Page 12] remission of sins, perswading my selfe that the wages of sin is death, Rom 6.23. but the gift of GOD is eternall life, through CHRIST IESUS our LORD, and we his litle floke should not feare, seing as our Saviour sayeth, Luke 12.32. It is our Fa­thers pleasure to giue vs a Kingdome, which we could never merit by our selues, or any other creature for vs.

10. I acknowledge no fire after this life that purgeth vs from our sins, and tem­porall punishments, but as in Ioh. 1.7. the blood of IESUS CHRIST his Son purgeth vs from all our sins, without any exception or destruction of sin what-so­ever, and as the soules of the wicked im­mediatly after death goe to hell, so the soules of the godly goe to Heaven.

11. I acknowledge and belieue with S ^t. Paul. 1 Cor. 10.16. that the Cup in the Lords Supper is not the blood, but fi­guratiuely the communion of his bodie. And with Ioh. 6.30. The way how to eate and drink of this body is to belieue in him, and the Doctors, and Cannons of the Roman Church affirmeth the same [Page 13] with vs, for the holy Scripture is full of such maner of speaches; and our Sa­viour himselfe in this same place sayeth that whosoever beleiveth in him shall not thirst, plainely making vs to vnderstand that this thirst is quenched only by be­leiving, and not by the drinking at the mouth: and in Ioh. 6.56. he sayeth, Whosoever eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me and I in him: and in verse 35. Who comes vnto mee shall not hunger, and who beleiveth in mee shall never thirst: So he eateth and drinketh, who commeth vnto me, who beleiveth in me, and abideth in mee. and alitle after, having said, Who belei­veth in me hath eternall life, inferreth thereby that he is the bread of lyfe. Hee is then meate indeed, but for our soules, not for our bodyes; which is to be had by beleiving, not by swallowing. And so expondeth Origen an ancient fa­ther, in his Hom. 12. in Math. this same place. According to the Apostle his exhortation, I am heartly desirous after tryall of my selfe, 1. Cor. 11.18. [Page 14] oft to eate of that bread, and drink of that Cup, and so (as praised be GOD) I latelie did rrceaue that holie Sacra­ment, publicklie in GODS Sanctuarie, vnder both the kynds, for the food of my soule, whereby now I find great peace and comfort.

12. I acknowledge also, and beleiue, that the Masse is not a propitiatorie sa­crifice, but a blasphemous, and idola­trous abomination, altogether deroga­torie to CHRISTS propitiatorie sacri­fice, who once in the end of the world to appeare, came to put away sinne, by that only one sacrifice of himselfe, and who once was offered to beare the sinnes of many, Heb. 9.26.28. and by that one offering, for ever hee hath perfited all them that are sanctified, Heb. 10. v. 14.15.

13. I acknowledge, and beleiue, that the Pope is not CHRISTS Vic­care, nor Peters successour, but hee is that man of sinne, the sonne of perdi­tion, and that ver [...]e great Antichrist de­scribed by S ^t. Paul, 2. Thess. 2. Who [Page 15] will judge all men, whether they bee Kings or subjects, and bee judged of none, and will haue all men vnder paine of damnation to bee subject to him, as their owne supreame Lord, both in spi­rituall and temporall things.

I did also before my conversion after long tryall find some great oddes, and verie remarkable differences betweene the Pastors of the reformed Kirk, and that of the Roman Kirk: And first that the Pastors of the reformed Kirk would bee judged by the word of GOD; but the Pastors of the Roman Kirk would be judges of the word of GOD.

2 The reformed Pastors would bee ruled; but the Roman Kirk would bee the rule themselues, saying, that the Kirk is soveraigne judge of all doubts of faith, and that it can not erre. And so I perceaue in this question: If the Roman Kirk may erre; or if it bee so­veraigne and infallible judge, it must bee that the Roman Kirk shall be judge, and so consequentlie shee shall be both judge and partie.

I haue also observed this difference betweene the two religions, which is, that the reformed Kirk hath no rules that teacheth vices: but the Roman Kirk hath sundrie rules that teacheth men to doe evill, and to disobey GOD. Such is the rule of the councell of Constance, that a man is not bound to keepe any faith and truth to Hereticks. Such is the doctrine, that the Pope may dispense with the expresse Commandeme [...]t of GOD, by dispensing with the Cup in the Sacrament, by dispensing with othes and vowes, in granting permission to a man to man-sweare himselfe, neither yet to performe any wayes that which wee haue promised to GOD. Such are the disobedience of young infants to­wards their fathers and mothers, main­tained & authorized by the Roman Kirk, when a young childe is entred into a closter contrare the will of his father.

Such are also the foundations of pub­lick Bordels, whereby the Pope him­selfe draweth great tribute.

Such are also the revolt of subjects [Page 17] from their Prince, and against them, when it shall please the people to dis­pense with their Oath of alledgeance, which they haue sworne to their King.

I haue found also the plaine text of Scripture in many places most pittiful­ly corrupted, and wrongously perver­ted by the Roman Kirk, and some I remarked most carefully, as followeth.

It is said in the 2 Epist. to the He­brews verse 21. That Iakob worshipped GOD leaning vpon the end of his staffe; but the Byble of the Roman Kirk hath, Iakob worshipped the end of his staffe, thereby to establish the adoration of Creatures.

The lyke [...]orruption is in the Psal. 99. v. 5. Where David sayeth Wor­shippe towards his footstoole: the Roman Bible hath, Worshippe his footstoole: and in Genes. 3. v. 15. GOD said, The seede of the woman should treade downe the head of the Serpent: the Roman Kirk hath, the woman shall bruise the head of the Serpent; that is the Virgin Ma­rie shall bruise downe the head, &c.

Againe in S ^t. Pauls Epist. Rom. 11 6. is cutted off, two lynes being omit­ted: For these are the words of the A­postle, But if it bee of workes it is no more of grace, or else were workes no more workes, which are left out in the vulgare translation.

And where S ^t. Peter sayeth, Heere are two swords: the Roman Kirk most ridicoulouslie expondeth thus, that the Pope hath power over the spirituall and temporall.

And where the Evangelist sayeth, Doe this in rememberance of mee: the Romish Church expoundeth thus, sa­crifice my body in a sacrifice propiti­atorie for the quick and the dead.

And another falshood I remember, is, where our Saviour speaking of the Cuppe in the Sacrament, sayeth, This Cuppe is the new Covenant in my blood which is shed for you: But the Bible of the Romish Church hath into it, This Cuppe is the new Covenant in my blood, which shall bee shed for you, least a man should perceaue that IESVS [Page 19] CHRIST spake of a sacramentall shed­ding of his bloode: For as yet hee had not then really shed his bloode which hee had begunne to shed in his passion.

These and many other falshoods did I many tymes remarke, as they were objected vnto me, yet did I ever mis­regard them, being ever discontented that any should speake to mee of such hereticall opinions, (as I called them) because my ghostly fathers assured mee continually that it was a deadly sinne any wayes to doubt, or to let it so much as once enter into my thought, that ever the Church might or could erre, continually dinging in my eares a warrant out of the Prophet Malachie; cap. 2, verse 8. that the Preists cannot erre, where it is thus read, The Preists lips shall keepe knowledge, and they shall seeke the law at his mouth.

This many yeeres contented mee, till at last in my old dayes GOD so happily moved my heart to heare the trueth of better and sounder instructers, [Page 20] and their warrand, (I praise GOD for it) who sheweth to me that the words of the Prophet are, and ought to bee translated thus, yet men that are ledde with an opinion that the Kirk can not erre will never consider this: The Preists lippes should keepe knowledge: For they that translate thus the words, and that they shall seeke the law at his mouth, they did never intend to shew thereby, that GOD did make heere a promise that so it shall bee for ever, but onely to shew that this it the law and commaadement of GOD, teaching what the Preists and people should doe, and ought to doe, even as in the Com­mandement, Thou shall haue no other GODS but mee: Now I find that the words doe not promise that the Isra­elites should alwayes acknowledge and worshippe IEHOVA the true GOD a­lone, (for as may bee seene in the text within fourtie dayes the event shewed the contrarie) but shew what they ought to doe, but the wordes are a Comman­dement recited, not a promise made: [Page 21] For the words of the fourth verse did show it: Therefore men not partially led may easily perceaue that the tran­slation of the reformed Kirk is most perfect of all, showing not onely the sense and meaning of the law, but also how it did bind the people and Priest, and how they ought to obey it.

By this I thinke it no heresie, and I beleiue with the reformed Kirk that it is GODS holy trueth, that Preists succeeding in the place and office of Aaron and Moses may erre, and haue erred: yea, I thinke it the greatest er­ror of all errors to thinke that a man can not erre, were hee never so holie. I perceaue now Moses Chayre in the which the Scribes and Pharisees did sit, was the seate wherein they were wont to read the law of Moses, and the expositions thereof to the people, for what they there did teach was true, and therefore CHRIST commanded them to obey it. To sitte in Moses Chaire, I vnderstand, is to teach Mo­ses doctrine, but (as the Iewes made [Page 22] GODS law voyd by their owne glosses & traditions) they erred most damnablie, and were no more in Moses Chaire, and so the people were no more bound to obey it. For at that tyme CHRIST himselfe called their doctrine sowre lea­ven, and warned his Disciples to be­ware of it.

I know also, and fimelie now be­lieue, that it was never the purpose of GODS Spirit in that place, or by these wordes to teach, that the Law should alwayes bee taught truelie and infalla­blie by the Priests and Pastors, who succeede Moses or the Apostles in the Church by a continued succession: For that is a falshoode contrare to experience in all ages: That this is most certaine, I desire but any of a contrare opinion to read but the same verie place with an indifferent and vnprejudged minde, which confutes it most evidently: For in reading the same attentiuelie, I find the Priests vnto whom the Prophet there speaketh in these places, were Levits, and directly succeded Aaron in [Page 23] the Preisthood: And yet yee see by the plaine text they were departed out of the way: they caused many fall in the law by their corrupt glosse, and their abuse of the Covenant of Levi, as it appeareth most clearely into the next words following immediatly: Yea, some of them (yee see) had sacrificed to Idolles, which I haue read my selfe in Iosephus historie of these tymes, and therefore the LORD threatneth to cor­rupt their seede by cutting off the male progenie, and to cast the dung of their sacrifices in their faces.

Finally I hope now in the mercie of GOD yet before I die, to heare a hun­dreth sermons in GODS true Kirk: for now my onely joy is my new birth, that by the mercie of my GOD I am regenerate, and of a daughter of dark­nesse and death, that haue beene from my naturall birth, am now made a daughter of light and lyfe in my old age, and my setled peace and comfort is my spirituall marriage with my head [Page 24] and husband the LORD IESUS CHRIST, who hath marryed mee to himselfe in trueth and everlasting compassion, and will take from mee my old corrupt garment, and clothe mee with the white robe of his righteousnesse, so that my nakednesse shall never appeare any more.

Now O LORD my GOD, and gra­cious Father in thy CHRIST, my sweete SAVIOUR, let thy Spirit quicken mee more and more, thy wisdome guide mee, thy grace sanctifie mee, and thy Word instruct me: Let the holy Ghost of whom thy Sonne my SAVIOUR was conceived, beget in mee, and mee in thee, by the immortall seede of thy Word: Let my faith conceaue, my re­pentance honour thee, my loue em­brace thee, my zeale continuallie keepe thee with mee, till the comming againe of thy Sonne for my ever hoped glo­rification: So come vnto mee LORD IESUS, come quicklie, Amen.

Blessed be the LORD, for he hath shew­ed me his mercifull kindnesse. Psal 31.21. [Page 25] Why art thou cast downe my soule, and why art thou disquyeted within mee? hope in GOD, for I shall yet praise him, who is the hope of my Salvation, and my GOD. Psal. 42.11.

AMEN.