Protestation, Speech – Letter
THE PROTESTATION OF IOHN WHITE DOCTOR IN DIVINITIE, which he cauſed to be written the day before his death, to the end the Papiſts might understand he departed out of this world, of the ſame opinion and iudgement he maintained both by preaching and writing whileſt he liued.
IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN. I Iohn White Doctor in Diuinitie, weake of body, but of perfect remembrance, being fully perſwaded of Gods louelove and mercy to me, do briefly make this my laſt Will and Teſtament in manner following: Firſt I bequeath my ſoule into the hands of Almightie God, who infuſed it when I was borne, and all the daies of my life hath enriched it with ſuch graces and habits, as hauehave enabled me vntounto the ſeruices whereto he hath called me, of what nature ſoeuer they hauehave bene: And my body to be interred at the pleaſure of my deare and louing brother Maiſter Edward White, where and in what manner he ſhall thinke good.
And touching Religion, and the ſtate and diſpoſition of my conſcience therein, I profeſſe that I depart in peace, beleeuing with a Chriſtian faith all things contained in the Apoſtles Creede, and other Creeds receiued in the Church of England: To whoſe iudgement I perfectly adhere, in the articles of the Deitie, Trinitie, Creation, the fall and Reparation of mankind; Redemption by Chriſt alone, Iuſtification, Faith, and neceſſity of good works, &c. touching the nature and inſtitution of the Church, authoritie of the Scriptures, vſe and number of Sacraments, and doctrine concerning death, and the reſurrection of the dead, and the ſtate of the world to come: And all that which our Church doth vniformly teach againſt the Church of Rome.
And whereas I hauehave theſe twenty yeares paſt, by preaching and writing, publiſhed in two bookes, ingaged my ſelfe againſt Papiſtry, I profeſſe I hauehave done nothing therein againſt my conſcience, but deſire all men to aſſure themſelues, that if any error hauehave eſcaped me, it hath paſſed me through ouerſight; for I alwaies bended my ſelfe to that worke of writing with much humility to God, and ſuch diligence as I was able to vſe; and hauing the bookes alwaies by me, I writ nothing but what I found in antiquity, and in the writings publickly receiued in the Church of Rome it ſelfe. And I do conſtantly auouch, that what I hauehave written is the truth, and hauehave bene the more confirmed therein by the vnconſcionable dealing of my aduerſaries againſt me, when no learned man amongſt them hath encountered me, but onelyonly ſuch as vſe baſe courſes of railing and ſcurrilitie, vnbefitting Chriſtian Religion. The which my writings I commend to my children, praying God they may liue and die therein, without opening their eares vntounto ſeducers: and to all my people to whom I hauehave preached; and generally to all people that hauehave bene acquainted therewith And this my Proteſtation I was deſirous to inſert in my will, wiſhing it were alſo printed in my bookes; nothing doubting but Romiſh Prieſts and their followers, when they ſhall heare of my death (according to a common practiſe of theirs) will be readie enough to diuulge ſome tales or other touching my vncertainty in Religion.
And hauing finiſhed his Will and Teſtament, ſeeing himſelfe almoſt ſpent, he uſed theſe words following:
I am ſcarce able to ſay any more, greater occaſion calles me off, my owne weakeneſſe and more neceſſary meditation with God, breakes me off, and hauehave taken me by the hand; with whom I hope to be ſhortly, hauing a ſtedfaſt perſwaſion, that through faith in Chriſt, I ſhall ſee him, and enioy him, and liue with him for euer. Which he grant of his abundant mercy, who will hauehave mercy on whom he will hauehave merciemercy; and will ſhew compaſſion on whom he will ſhew compaſſion. Amen.
A POSTSCRIPT OF A LETTER WHICH DOCTOR WHITE WRlT to a friend of his, who hauing found comfort thereby, is deſirous it ſhould be printed for the comfort and good of others alſo.
LET him that will liue repoſedly, and die chearfully, heare, pray, meditate, do. Firſt heare Gods word in the Scriptures, and in the pulpit, in the Scriptures daily, and in the pulpit make choiſe of a fit teacher, and ſticke to him; for the practiſe of Gods word giues knowledge, workes holineſſe, breakes downe naturall corruption, and fils with ſtrength and comfort againſt all aſſaults.
Secondly, prayer hath three rules: dayly, without intermiſſion: free, that the mind be vnladen. Go to prayer as you go into the water to ſwim, go not hote in, but take a time, and firſt coole your ſelfe, feeling that the words touch your ſoule. The day I neglect either Gods word or prayer is vnhappie. That God being ſo neare, and within me, I ſhould neither ſpeake to him, nor he to me, that were too much betweene a man and his wife.
Thirdly, meditation is the mod ſoueraigne cure of the ſoule that is. My courſe is this: I miſſe no day but I retire my ſelfe (if I be at home) to my ſtudie, or the field, and there firſt I pray to God to giuegive me a recollected mind; ſecondly, I enter into conſideration of my ſinfull ſtate, and examine my ſelfe, I call for helpe to God; thirdly, I take notice of my paſſion, diſpoſition and inclination, and ſo I come to the knowledge of my ſelfe. Fourthly, I arme my ſelfe by vowes, reſolutions, and prayer, to conquer my, ſelfe as a Citie. Fiftly, I call to mind if anything hath paſſed betweene my neighbour (any other) and me: if I remember any vnkindneſſe offered, or receiued, I waſh it out, I cleare the ſcore, I ſuffer no mans infirmitie to poſſeſſe me with conceit. Sixtly, I enquire after the day of my death in this ſort; firſt I ſet it before my eyes; next I examine whether I be fit, prepared, readie, willing to die: thirdly my cowardly ſoule I encourage, and teach it to looke death in the face: Laſtly I end this point with flying to my Sauiour for helpe, till I become more then a conqueror. I wil with great and tender paſſion, in this point powre out my ſelfe and weakeneſſe to him. Seuenthly I thinke alſo (in the next place) of my worldly ſtate; and if it proſper, I giuegive thankes, and lay humility and compaſſion in my mind: if it be poore, I pray for ſupply, and bethinke me of ſome honeſt and lawfull meanes: (here I remember wife, children, ſeruants, and purpoſe to bring them towards God.)
Fourthly, doing is the life of all; for it is nothing to be religious in ceremonies. Here are foure principall points. Firſt, beware of doing againſt your conſcience. Secondly, omit no occaſion, place, or time, or perſon, if you can do good. Thirdly, follow the good of your owne calling: too many meddle with the good that belongeth to others to do, as Vzzah. Fourthly, the beſt good in the world, is compaſſion, and almes, and comforting in diſtreſſe, as ſickneſſe, &c.
Life is ſhort, the dayes are euill, our company is ſmall, the account is certaine, the comfort vnutterable.
London, Prtnted for William Barret.
End of the text · John White, Protestation (1648)