being unaccustomed to pass without company. But afterward, I confess, I found a new world, and felt so many inward consolations and most sweet visitations from the Father of mercies, as I neither needed nor desired more company, but thought myself most happy when I was most alone, and remembering often that saying of Scipio, recorded by Cicero, Numquam minus solus quam cùm solus-"I was never better accompanied than when I had no company." And methought I did both see and read more of myself, as also of Almighty God, in that solitary darkness (for oftentimes I shut also my windows, for more recollection of my spirits together) than ever I had done before in all the books that I had read over by light. And I found the occasion fit indeed, and very effectual for the two points before mentioned by St. Augustine, Ut cognoscam te, ut cognoscam me—to look into Almighty God's omnipotency, everlasting power, mercy, justice, clemency, severity, benignity, providence, patience, love, and other such like excellences, with the contemplation of all the contraries in myself as of myself, and thereby to exalt him most infinitely, and to debase myself most worthily.

13. These things (I say) the opportunity of that time and place did offer unto me, whereby I might much have profited myself if my diligence had been correspondent thereunto. And therefore, returning to the old man again after the days before mentioned, I could not but confess that I was greatly bound and beholden unto him for the counsel and direction he had given me; and that I found the commodity itself to be such indeed as he had described unto me, or rather more; and that I had seen so much thereby, and conceived such purposes for the order of my life to come, as I hoped, by God's holy grace, that they would stay me from ever sliding back again to my former supine and careless manner of living. And with this I discovered unto him certain further designments of mine for better serving of Almighty God, if he should like thereof, which not being fit to be set down here in this narration, I have thought good to pretermit the same and here to make an end.

14. Wherefore, not to detain thee any longer, good reader, about this my "Search into Matters of Religion," thou hast seen now both the beginning and occasion of my first doubts when I was a Protestant; the prosecution also of the same for attaining some satisfaction and quiet of mind therein, both by other means and by final recourse unto his majesty as head of that church whereof then I was a member. Thou hast seen also the many conferences, and some combats in like manner, which I had with my Lord of Canterbury and other learned men by his appointment, and how I desiring nothing else in the world but some reasonable satisfaction to my doubts and difficulties, I could receive none, but the increase rather of them both by their manner of dealing with me. Whereupon I was forced, as you have seen in this book, to suspect fraud, and that there was no true dealing in the manner of defending opposite parts, but that every side did seek to shift off with sleights and falsehoods, and to bear out their party or faction with what devices soever they might think to be profitable, or available for them.

15. Upon this, being sore troubled in conscience, after some conference with a learned man of the Catholic party in prison, I resolved to make a new search into the principal books written on both sides, beginning first with the Protestants, as Luther, Calvin, Beza, Jewell, Sutcliffe, and sundry others before mentioned; wherein I have shewed how I found so great store of wilful falsities, that must needs be known to be such by the writers (for of these only was my search, and not of bare errors), as I remained wholly confounded at the multitude thereof. And next after this, I having looked into some Catholic books and not finding the like dealing, I thought best to search into those untruths which are objected against Catholic writers by the foresaid Mr. Jewell, in former years, and much more abundantly by Mr. Matthew Sutcliffe in later times; but finding that neither of them, to my judgment, was able to justify any one charge of witting falsity objected by them against the Catholic party, but rather themselves to commit many of that sort in objecting the same to others, I was forced finally, as you have seen, to

change my judgment and yield to the manifest evidence of truth, which I found to be on the Catholic side, and nothing but sleights, shifts, and deceits on the contrary.

16. And this I speak here (good reader) as in the sight of Almighty God, and as in truth of conscience I have found, and no way out of passion or evil affection, or worldly respects; in which each man will easily see how much I do prejudice myself by this new course taken; but that both reason and religion, prudence and all true piety, doth require, that the everlasting salvation of our souls should be preferred before all other human respects whatsoever; which is the true and sincere cause of this my resolution. And this I desire thee, (good Christian reader,) to believe and assure thyself to be most true, as at the last day, when we shall all appear before the tribunal of our Saviour, and all hearts made known, will evidently appear. Christ Jesus make thee partaker of his holy grace, and of the heavenly light of his only saving truth of the Catholic religion! Amen.

THE END OF THE THIRD PART.

A TABLE

OF THE PRINCIPAL MATTERS HANDLED IN THIS BOOK.