“I confess, that the reading of the Holy Scriptures is the source of all sects and parties, as also absolute blasphemy. “I confess, that to invoke the saints, worship the holy father, and bow the knee to them, make pilgrimages to their tombs, clothe them, and burn lights before them, is godly, holy and useful. “I confess, that a priest is much greater than the mother of God: Mary only bore the Lord Christ, and never conceived again; but a Romish priest offers, and forms the Lord Christ, not only as often as he wishes, but in any manner he pleases; yea, he feeds upon him while he chews his bread. “I confess, that it is proper to read masses, to give alms, and to pray for the dead. “I confess, that the Pope of Rome has power to alter the Holy Scripture, to augment or diminish it, according to his own pleasure. “I confess, that the soul will be purified by purgatory after death, and that its deliverance from thence is partly effected by the sacrifice of the mass offered up by the priest. “I acknowledge, that to receive the holy eucharist in one kind, is good and salutary; but, to receive it in both kinds, is heretical and damnable. “I acknowledge, that those who receive the holy communion in one kind, enjoy and eat the whole of Christ, both body and blood, and also his godhead and his bones. “I acknowledge, that there are seven true and effectual sacraments. “I acknowledge, that God is honored by representations of him, and may, by means of them, be known of men. “I acknowledge, that the Holy Virgin Mary is queen of heaven, and governs, together with the Son; and that, according to her will, the Son is obliged to act in all things. “I acknowledge, that the Holy Virgin Mary should be esteemed, both by men and angels, higher than Christ, the Son of God himself. “I acknowledge, that the bones of the saints are possessed of great virtues, on which account they ought to be honored by men, and have chapels built for them. “I acknowledge, that the Roman Catholic faith is unadulterated, godly, saving, and true; but that the Protestant, which I, of my own accord, have abjured, is false, erroneous, blasphemous, accursed, heretical, hurtful; that the Protestant religion is seditious, abominable, forged and devised. Since the Roman Catholic religion is, therefore, throughout, good and salutary, I curse all those who taught me these abominable heresies in both kinds; I curse my parents who educated me in the heretical faith; and, I also curse those who made the Roman Catholic faith so dubious and suspicious to me, as well as those who gave me to drink of the accursed cup; yes, I curse myself, and think myself accursed, because I made myself a partaker of this accursed heretical cup, {11} of which it did not become me to drink. “I acknowledge that the Holy Scripture is imperfect, and is a dead letter, as long as it is not explained by the Pope of Rome; and that the common people ought not to be allowed to read it.