AN EPISTLE SENT BY MONSIEUR de VRILLAC, ADVOCATE IN THE PARLIAMENT of PARIS; To MONSIEUR de VRILLAC his FATHER, upon the occasion of his Conversion. Faithfully Translated into English, according to the French Copy; By C. C. LONDON, Printed by I. D. for WILLIAM SHEFFARD, and are to be sold at the sign of the Star under St Peters-Church in Cornhill, and in Popes-head Alley, 1621. AN EPISTLE SENT BY MONSIEUR de VRILLAC, ADVOCATE IN the Parliament of PARIS, To Monsieur de Vrillac his Fa ther, upon the occasion of his Conversion. MOst dear, and my most honoured Father and Mother, I say the truth in Christ I lie not, my Conscience bearing me witness, that I have continual sorrow and grief in my heart, that I must forsake you, as touching the world: my grief being the more for that I know how much my estranging myself from you, will breed you sorrow and affliction. But this hope have I in God, that your sorrow shall be turned into joy, and your affliction into consolation, when your wisdoms (void of passion, and worldly respects) shall consider, that the voyage which separates me from you, is to bring me nearer to God, and to set my Conscience at rest and quiet. For I may no longer conceal it from you, that by the often reading and serious meditation of the holy Scriptures, together with calling upon the name of God, the Lord hath showed me that mercy, to see on the one side the new corrupt errors, superstitions, and heresies of the Roman Church, and on the other side, the pure truth, taught in those Churches that are purged from the novelty of Popery, and reform according to the true Antiquity of the Apostles and Prophets. Which knowledge I confess I have for some time held as captive under fear, suffering myself unwisely to be carried away with their opinion, who think it safest to sway with the time, to believe with the Doctors, and to live with the multitude; to give the heart to God, and the body to the world. I was dumb, and said nothing, I kept silence, Psal. 39 2. 3. even from good: but my anguish increased, my heart waxed hot within me, and the fire kindled in my meditation, wherefore I speak with my tongue. For if heretofore the son of King Croesus began to speak, seeing his Father in danger: Who will think it strange, to see my tongue loosed in a subject, where it hastens to set forth the glory of God my eternal Father, and the salvation of mine own soul? For, With the heart we believe, but with the mouth Rom. 10. ●● we confess to salvation: for which cause jesus Christ saith, That whosoever shall confess him before Mat. 10. 32. 33 men, he will confess him before his Father which is in heaven; But whosoever shall deny him before men, him will he deny before his Father which is in heaven. And the Apostle also saith; Come out from amongst them 2 Cor. 6. 17. (meaning from Idolaters) and separate yourselves, and touch no unclean thing. And the Spirit of God Apoc. 18. Go out of Babylon my people, left ye partake of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. God will have no society with Satan, nor Communion with the world; he will not with the harlot have his child divided; he will have all, or 1 King. 3. 26. nothing. For what hath righteousness to do with iniquity? And what communion hath light with 2 Cor. 6. 14. darkness? Or what agreement hath Christ with Belial? Or what portion hath the believer with the Infidel? Or the Temple of God with Idols? And here I called that to mind which God heretofore said unto the Israelites, by the mouth of the Prophet Eliah, How long halt ye between two 1 King. 18. opinions? If God be God follow him, but if Baal, follow him. I have advisedly considered of what great validity that Maxim, of our Saviour is▪ That it is Mat. 6. 24. impossible to serve two masters; and have often called that to mind which we read Mat. 11. That the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. I have often considered that God will have his children marked, not only with an inward seal, Ephe. 1. 13. but also with the mark of an outward profession, and that is the cause why in the 1. book of Kings, 1 King. 19 18. Chapter 19 God saith he had reserved to himself seven thousand men (not only who had not believed in the Idolatries of Baal, but) who had not bowed the knee to Baal, nor kissed him. And in the seventh Chapter of th' Apocalyps, v. 3. john Reu. 7. 3. beheld in a Vision an Angel, having the seal of the living God, to mark the servants of God in their foreheads: teaching us therein, that if we will be reputed the servants of jesus Christ, we must openly make profession of the Truth, the which himself teacheth us in S. john. If any one john 12. 26. serveth me, let him follow me. For he that is not with me, is against me, and he that gathereth not with me, Mat. 12. 30. scattereth. I have also often thought with myself that the Devil demanded nothing of jesus Christ, but what the worldly wise give unto him. For the Devil having showed jesus Christ all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory thereof, saith, All these Mat. 4. 8. things will I give thee (not if thou believe in me, but) if thou shalt fall down and worship me. Nabuchadnezar required nothing of those three worthies which were cast into the fiery Furnace, but Dan. 3. 15. outwardly to worship his Image; and the greatest tyrants not being able to discern the thoughts of the heart, content themselves with the body and the tongue. Yea, I thought, that if it sufficed to believe the truth, without making profession of it, in vain should so many Martyrs have maintained it before their judges, and confessed it in the very flames, signed with their blood, and sealed with their death. And seeing the Church on earth, is like unto Israel in Egypt, and Daniel in the Lion's den, and that in the eyes of the world, it is nothing but weakness, and as it were a few Lambs in the midst of a multitude of Wolves, if it should conform itself to the times, there would never be any Church. And in withdrawing ourselves from the house of God, we shall not only run into the Temples of Papists, but also into the Temples of Mahomet, saying by way of excuse, yet I believe it not. Reason itself hath taught me, that it sufficeth not a child to have a good conceit of his Father, unless he defend his quarrel, and that it is not enough for a soldier to love his Captain, if he fight not under his ensign, and that she is but a strumpet, who under pretence of keeping her heart to her husband, prostitutes her body to strangers; as also that it is the property of Bastard children to be afraid to call themselves by the name of their father: we are unworthy the service of so great a King, if we be ashamed to wear his Livery, for such a base servant can never serve so rich a master. In a word, I have considered, that God punisheth no sinners more severely in his wrath, than Rom. 1. 18. such as withhold his truth in unrighteousness, and I have oft trembled at the hearing of these words spoken by jesus Christ to the Church of Laodicea, Reu. 3. 15. 16. I would thou wert either cold or hot; but because thou art neither cold nor hot, but lukewarm, I will spew thee out of my mouth. And thence it is, that I have been terrified with that horrible threat which God pronounceth in Apoc. 21. against such as fear man more than God, and the servant, rather than the Master, for not only to unbelievers, abominable, murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, Idolaters, and all liars, But also unto the fearful, is reserved that Reu. 21. 8. lake of fire and brimstone, which is the second death. Nay, were it that God threatened us not at all with such terrible punishments, yet ought we to be ashamed, having received so many mercies from him, to repay him with so horrible ingratitude; it being monstrous, that such who make Conscience to steal from other men their goods, should yet dare to defile themselves with sacrilege. For there is not a worse sacrilege, then to rob God of his glory, and he is worthy to be branded for a double dealer, who denies unto God that just defence of his cause which he owes unto him. This is it then I have considered with myself: jesus Christ is not ashamed to call me his brother, Heb. 2. 11. and should I be ashamed to confess myself to be his servant? He hath not spared to shed his blood for me, and should I spare to speak for his truth? He died for my salvation, and should I not live to his glory? I concluded then, that seeing he meant to glorify my soul and body in heaven, it is just and reasonable, that in soul and body I glorify him on earth: according to the exhortion of the Apostle▪ Ye are bought for a price, glorify God then in 1 Cor. 6. 20. your body, and in your spirit, for they are Gods. And yet I must tell you that God hath not settled me in this resolution, but through many conflicts. For the flesh to weaken my saith, was ready to rock jud. 16. 15. me asleep in her lap: and this flesh, a sworn enemy, that she might still retain me in her bonds, and hinder me from ascending the mountain of salvation, caused me to look back towards those Gen. 19 2●. worldly profits which I was to abandon: she told me that I should break the neck of all my Fortunes (as they are wont now adays to speak) and should imprison myself within the den of perpetual ignominy, & this objection I confess somewhat the more daunted me, being now come to those years which naturally long for delights and thirst after praises; the progress in my studies also having raised me upon the steps which lead to honours, whereunto the favour of my friends seemed to have made a way open for me. But again I thought, that this was a sleight of the great Harlot, which to retain me still in the filthiness of her abominations, meant (even like Potiphars' wife, who enticed joseph to commit adultery with her) to hold me by the cloak, through the consideration of earthly commodities; and therefore I chose rather to leave my cloak with joseph, then to forsake mine innocence, or to make any breach in my Conscience. I considered, that all the riches and honours of this world, are turned to wormwood, to him that fears not God, and that all the pleasures of the flesh, are but like to the Bees, which have honey in their mouth, but stings in their tail: the beginning seems pleasing, but the end lamentable, for after a short laughter, and a few fond delights in this life, follows eternal death, where shall be endless weeping and gnashing of teeth. I also considered, that God having created man, to be Lord of the whole world, man should not yield himself as a vassal or slave to such vile creatures; That the whole world is not a portion worthy of the children of this great King: That God hath not endued me with an immortal soul to be entangled in the things, which have but only the dignity to be mortal: That my soul being of an heavenly nature, aught to mount above all these terrestrial things, and to aspire to those things that are above. In a word, I concluded that I should make but an ill match of it, to win the whole world, if for Man. 8. 38. it I should lose my soul, and that it would prove but a mean comfort to go to hell, laden with many Tit●es. For this cause I gave myself to meditate on the saying of Christ, Thou carest and art troubled about Luke 10. 41. many things, but one thing is needful: I gave heed likewise to the exhortation of our Saviour in S. Matthew, Chap. 6. First seek the kingdom of God, Mat. 6. 33. and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. And that of S. john, Labour not for john 6. 27. the meat that perisheth, but for that which endureth to eternal life. I tasted also the virtue of Paul's cordial words, 1 Tim. 6, Godliness with contentment 2 Ti●. 6. 7. is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we shall carry nothing out. Therefore having food and raiment, let us therewith be content. And because Examples have often the force of instructions, I set before me the Prophet Moses, Heb. 11. 24. 25. 26. Who being come to age, refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter: choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches, than the treasures of Egypt, for he had an eye to the recompense of reward. I mused on the writings of David, wherein he glorieth more, that he was God's servant, then that he was King of Israel, preferring the house of God, before his Palace Royal. As also I thought on the saying of that excellent Prince, the Emperor Theodosius, who preferred his being a Citizen in the house of God, before all the glory of his Empire. But above all me thought I was wonderfully ravished in considering the Apostle S. Paul, who had been brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, who understood the secret of Sciences, and spoke the language of Angels; who had whereof to boast as concerning the flesh, having all the advantages his Nation afforded, and yet he cryeth out, Phil. 3. That which was Phil. 3. 7. ●. ●. gain unto me, I esteemed loss for Christ; Yea, I have counted all things to be loss unto me for the excellent knowledge of jesus Christ my Lord. For whose sake I have deprived myself of all things, and do judge them to be dung, that I may win Christ. The like is said of all the Apostles, who use this speech to Christ▪ We have lest all, and followed thee. Mat. 19 ●●. And that which most comforted me, was the answer of our Saviour, Verily I say unto you, that whosoever hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother for my sake, and the Gospels, shall receive an hundred fold as much, and shall inherit eternal life. And therefore even as the Apostles forsook their Nets to follow jesus Christ; I also put from me these vain cares, and the deceitful hopes which entangled my mind, and with the royal Prophet I concluded, O Lord, thou art my portion, Psal. 119. 55. I have determined to keep thy law. And that as Christ saith, Those are blessed which hear the Luke 11. 28. word of God and keep it; As also with Mary, I have chosen the good part, which shall not be taken Luke 10. 42. from me. I said in myself, what though I possess not great things here on earth, yet shall I be rich in thee, and an inheritor of the kingdom, which God hath promised to those that love him; I shall possess that pearl of invaluable price, to wit, the knowledge of the Gospel, and the graces of the Spirit, I shall be adorned with jesus Christ, the riches of Israel, and the glory of our hope. And I shall obtain a treasure in heaven, where the moth corrupteth nor, and where thiefs neither break Mat. 6. 20. through, nor steal; If I lack honour among mortal men, God will single me out as among his Mal. 3. 17. 1 Pet. 2. 9 most precious jewels; I shall enter into the royal Priesthood, and I may boast, that I am descended of the most ancient nobility that may be, seeing the titles of God's house and family are more ancient than heaven and earth: and if I forsake worldly pleasures, I shall have spiritual gladness; I shall rejoice in God my Saviour, with a joy unspeakable 1 Pet. 1. 8. and glorious: and as David taking his flight into the Deserts, comforted himself in the expectation of the kingdom which God had promised him; so, will I comfort myself in looking for those eternal felicities, which God hath reserved for me among the Angels. To be short, if with jesus Christ I have not whereon to rest my head, I will rejoice that in jesus Christ I have peace of Conscience: that God is the portion of Psal. 16. 5. mine heritage, and of my Cup always. O Lord Psal. 84. 1. of hosts, how amiable are thy dwelling places! my foul ceaseth not, greatly to long, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord, my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God. For a day in thy Verse 10. Courts, is better than a thousand elsewhere, I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, then to dwell in the tents of wickedness. Now if my flesh were loath to forsake her commodities, she thought it yet more strange to betake herself unto such an unpleasing condition: she thought it folly and madness to enter into a path all paved with thorns, and filled with afflictions: she set before me the reproach of the Gospel, but especially in these woeful times, in which piety is heresy, and wherein it is counted a dishonour to serve Christ. But according to the Apostles example, I shaken off this Viper, without Act. 28. taking any hurt, I believed that I ought to contemn this contempt, according to the saying of the Apostle, I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Rom. 1. 1●. Christ, seeing it is the power of God to salvation to all that believe. I thought it better to share with God's children in the words reproach, then to be had in execration before God and his Angels, and willingly to be made the offscouring of the earth, seeing so I might be made heavens delight. I thought it folly to imagine I should reap, before I had sowed, to overcome without conflict, and to be crowned, before I had run my race to the end, and that it is impossible to partake of the excellency of Christ's cross, without feeling the weight of it, seeing the paschal Lamb was to be Exod. 12. 8. eaten with sour herbs, and the bread of the Lord, like that of Boaz, must be eaten with dipping it in Ruth. 2. vinegar. I consider, that seeing the kingdom of jesus Christ is not of this world, it were extreme foolishness in me, to seek the world in his kingdom, or to think of rest in his kingdom, who is the enemy of our Father, or not to make profession of the Gospel till persecutions be ended, or to set before us jesus Christ without his Cross, or a Gospel without reproach. To tarry till God had traced out a new way to heaven, and till the world and Satan should cease to be; for the enmity of the old Serpent, which began in the earthly Paradise, Gen. 3. will never have an end, till we become to the heavenly, I also thought that there is no affliction for the Gospel which jesus Christ hath not foretell, & that such as are enroled for servants in his army, must accept it upon condition, that whosoever will come Luke 9 23. after me, must deny himself, and take up his Cross, and follow me. jesus Christ tells us that if we will enter Mat. 7. 23. into life eternal, we must pass through the strait gate, and this is that advantage which in this life he tells his Apostle he must take for his patrimony, I will show him how many things he must suffer for my sake. A lesson which the Apostle sets us Act. 9 16. all to take out, saying; By many afflictions we must enter Act. 14. 22. into the kingdom of heaven, and 2. Tim. 3. All that 2 Tim. 3. 12. will live godly in Christ jesus, must suffer persecution. I shake of delicacy, when I cast mine eyes upon Daniel, who chose rather to be cast into the Lion's den, then to give over lifting up his hands to heaven: upon those three worthies, who chose rather to be exposed to the mercy of the fiery furnace, then to bow before an Idol, and upon so many clouds of witnesses, who were willing rather to shed their blood, then defile themselves with Idolatry. And above all I was astonished in beholding jesus Heb. 12. 2. Christ the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, and despised the shame: For, the servant is not greater than his john 13. 16. master, nor the Ambassader greater than he that sent him. Seeing our head was crowned with thorns, and was offered vinegar to drink, all streaming over with blood, what a vile shame is it for us his members, to desire the enjoying of all our liberties here below in this corruptible world, or to lie sucking at the breasts of the poysonful sweets there of yea, for as much as jesus Christ hath suffered so much for our salvation, is it not just & equal that we prepare ourselves to suffer for his glory, according to that exhortation of the Apostle let us Heb. 13. 13. go forth out of the camp, bearing his reproach? For I also thought, that to escape a thief in the way, I ought not to cast myself headlong into infinite and inevitable miseries. For what corzie is more sensible and intolerable, then that of an evil conscience? yea, all the tortures in this life, are but light flea-bite in respect of those eternal punishments, wherewith God will punish those, who worship the beast & his Image, and whosoever they Reu. 14. 9 10. be that receive the mark of the beast in their foreheads. But that which did yet fortify me most of all, was the consolation which the Apostle gives us, saying in his Epistle to the Romans: That all Rom. 8. 28. things work together for good to those that love God. That by afflictions, we are made conformable to the Image Ver. 29. of the Son of God: and that all our sufferings Rom. 8. 18. of this present life, being well weighed, are not worthy of the glory which is to come, and shall in due time be revealed unto us, For our light affliction which is but 2 Cor. 4. 17. for a moment, works in us a fare more excellent and eternal weight of glory, whilst we look upon, not the things which are seen, but on the things which are not seen, which are eternal. For those who are come out of Reu. 7. 14. great tribulation, and have washed their long robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, that stand Verse 15. before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his Temple, shall have no more hunger, nor thirst, 16. the sun shall not light upon them, nor any heat, for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed 17. them, and lead them to the fountains of living waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. That was it which caused me to change my note, and to think nothing sweeter than the waters of Mara, when Christ our true Moses casts into them the wood of his Cross, assuring us of the m●rit of his death and passion: yea, I dare say, that afflictions for the name of Christ do bring with them more true joy and comfort to the faithful soul, than the whole world furnished with all her contentments to a profane wretch. And therefore Christ saith, Blessed are they who are persecuted for Mat. 5. 10. righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men revile you, and persecute Verse 11. you and shall say all manner of evil saying against you falsely, for my name's sake, rejoice and be glad, for great 12. is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you. That is it which Saint james also saith in his Epistle, My brethren jam. 1. 2. think it perfect joy when you fall into diverse temptations. And that likewise of S. Peter, rejoice in as 1 Pet. 4. 13. much as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall appear, ye may be glad and rejoice: If ye be railed upon for the name of Christ, blessed are ye, for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you. Thence it is that the Apostles in the Acts went away rejoicing, that they Act. 5. 41. were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of jesus Christ. And that the Apostle Saint Paul who had been rapt up into the third heaven, and had heard words which are unexpressable, which is not possible for man to utter, chose yet rather to rejoice in his sufferings. The joy which he for a time possessed among the Angels, being no let unto him to rejoice in the midst of the Martyrs. I take pleasure (saith he) in reproaches, in 2 Cor. 12. 10. necessities, in persecutions, in anguishes for Christ, for when I am weak, than I am strong. From thence it came, that out of the midst of his most inward passions, he cries out, I am filled with consolation, 2 Cor. 7. 4. I am full with joy more and more in all our affliction, for full well he knew, that it is freely given us for Phil. 1. 29. Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake. And therefore according to Christ his exhortation, I believed that I ought not to fear those Mat. 10. 28. who having killed the body, can do no more, but to fear him rather, who can destroy both body and soul in hell fire, and that, if the sufferings 2 Cor. 1. 5. of Christ abound in us, the consolations of Christ shall abound in us also. If we die with Christ, that 2 Tim. 2. 12. we shall also live with him. That if we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him. And that if Mar. 8. 35. any will save his life, he shall lose it, and whosoever shall lose his life for Christ's sake, and the Gospels, he shall save it. And no marvel if neither the threats nor promises of the world prevailed with me, to hinder me from giving glory to God, seeing the world can promise nothing which is more excellent than the kingdom of heaven, nor threaten any thing more terrible than the pains of hell: But as with a stedsast eye I looked upon the world, which I now forsake, and the cross which I embrace: soon the other side, when I come to cast mine eyes upon you (most honoured Father and Mother) and to set before me your tender affections, and paternal loves; whilst I call to mind with what mildness you brought me up; what care you had of my education, sparing no cost to instruct me in the knowledge of good letters, framing my mind to the love of virtue: and then again, when I thought how much affliction and discomfort my departing would bring unto you in following a Religion, the excellency whereof you yet discern not. All these things I say well weighed, so wrought upon mine affections, that it hath caused floods of tears to fall from mine eyes, and to be brought as it were to nothing, for the truth is, my love towards you is so ardent and respective, that if it were but to endure any temporal punishments, I had rather suffer a thousand torments and tortures, then to breed you the discontentment: yea, I ingenuously confess, that this consideration so fare prevailed with me, that it had in a manner stayed me from proceeding on in this fair path, wherein I now walk, if God (having compassion of mine infirmity) had not drawn me on by the hand of his grace, and strengthened my weakness, to hearken to the words of our Saviour; Who so loveth father or mother more than me, is Mat. 10. 37. not worthy of me: As also to that answer which he made him which said, I will follow thee Lord, Luke 9 61. but first give me leave to take leave of those that are at mine house; None that putteth his hand to the plough, Verse 6●. and looketh back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Then I considered, that God called me to the same condition unto which he called the Father of the faithful, Go out of the country, and from Gen. 12. 1. thy kindred, and from thy Father's house, to go into a country which I will show thee. I thought that, if I was bound to respect the father of my body, I was much more bound to respect the Father of my spirit, and that it was better to obey God then men. Act. 4. 19 And the better to allay this bitterness, I comforted myself the sweetness of the gracious promises of my good God, I will receive you, and will be 2 Cor. 6. 18. a father unto you, and you shallbe my sons, and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty, 2. Cor. 6. Whence I came to conclude thus with myself, I forsake my father's house, but I enter into the house of God, I estrange myself from my natural parents but I enter into that high and noble alliance and spiritual kindred which is named in heaven and in earth, of which jesus Christ is the head. When Ephes. 3. 15. Psal. 27. 10. my father and my mother forsake me, the Lord will gather me up. Add also, that with this consolation I comforted myself thus, namely, that I entered not into a Church which under pretence of piety teacheth me to cast off the bands of natural respects and duty, but which commands all Christians to nourish within them the cordial affections of true Exod. 20. charity instructing children to honour their father and mother in all things, in the Lord. The Ephes. 6. honour and love which I own you, are too fast engraved in my breast, to be blotted out. The bands wherewith I am knit unto you, are too strong to be broken, and my desire to acknowledge your favours shall never die in me, till I die. Now I nothing doubt but you will witness with me how blameless my conversation was during the time I conversed amongst you, I was also inflamed with a most ardent affection to make it appear unto you, that it was neither rashness nor lightness, which caused me to change Religion. But I only suffered myself to be vanquished by the power of truth, & the motions of God's holy Spirit: to which purpose you know I endeavoured myself in your presence to maintain this truth against such Doctors as you approved of, (which I often did in particular conferences (having learned, that God perfects his praise by the mouth of babes Mat. 11. 25. and perfects his power in our weakness. For as God hides his secrets from the wise and prudent, & reveals 2 Cor. 12. 9 them unto little ones, So hath the Truth greater Mat. 11. 25. force in the mouth of a child, than a lie in the mouth of all the Doctors in the world. But the miseries of these times not permitting me to enter into such disputes, without exposing my person to manifest danger, and not minding to enter into the Church of GOD through trouble: As also that disputations now adays are rather loud then fruitful: because they dispute only to dispute, striving rather for victory then truth, I thought it every way better, and more to edification, to set down my reasons of this my alteration and change by writing: to which the grace of God assisting me, I will without ceasing endeavour, now that God of his mercy hath given me to arrive in such a place, where it is lawful both to speak and write the truth. For I hold myself still bound to give you an account of my proceed, and I should think myself happy, if this little light which God hath communicated unto me, might something enlighten your darkness, then should I willingly yield my Spirit to God that gave it, if I might see you with myself walking the way to life and happiness. In expectation whereof I beseech the great God and father of mercies, that he will make us all mind one and the same thing in Christ, that he will replenish you with the joys and comforts of his holy Spirit, granting us all the grace, that after we have glorified him a little while here on earth, we may be glorified with him for ever in heaven, even with that glory which he hath prepared for us before the foundation of the world. So prayeth he who craves that you will always believe it, even unto the altar. Your most humble, most affectionate, and most obedient Son, de VRILLAC. From SEDAN, this 3. of August, 1621.