wandring wickedly from the way of truth thinke they serue God and doe well and so they are moued to hatred and malice against those that loue the truth commit diuers murders of soules as the Apostle speakes truly This is that compleat man of sinne which exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God and that oppugneth all truth who sits in the Temple of God that is in the Church shewing himselfe as if hee were God who is come with all falshood and lying for those that perish And forasmuch as he is truly come wee neede no longer expect him for hee is already olde by the permission of God yea he is already in the wayne and his power and authority much diminished for the Lord hath long since slaine this man of sinne with the breath of his mouth by sundry good and godly persons giuing them a power contrary to his and those that loue him and hath brought vnto naught his place and his possessions and diuided this City of Babylon in which all manner of wickednesse is in his full strength and vigour What the workes of Antichrist are THe first worke of Antichrst is to take away the truth and to change it into falsehood and errour and heresie The second to couer falsehood with the truth and to confirme an vntruth by seeming faith and by vertue and to mingle falsehood with things spirituall amongst those people that are subiect vnto him whether it bee by meanes of his Ministers or the Ministerie Now this two-fold manner of proceeding containeth a perfect and most accomplished malice which could not bee in any tyrant or powerfull Potentate from the beginning of the world vntill the time of Antichrist Neither hath Christ had any enemy before this which could so change the way of truth into falsehood or that had power to peruert those that make profession either of the one or the other that is to say of truth or falsehood In such sort that our holy Mother the Church with her true children is trodden vnder-foot especially for the true seruice of God and the Ministery thereof insomuch that shee and her members breake out into those mournefull complaints of the Prophet Ieremy How doeth the Citie fit solitary that was full of people How is shee become a widdow that is destitute of the trueth of her Spouse Shee that was great among the nations because of that power shee had ouer sinne and errour and the Princesse among the Prouinces by that part shee had in the world and the things in the world Mourne and behold with a carefull eye and thou shalt finde all these things accomplished euen in these times For the holy Church is reputed a Synagogue and the Synagogue of the wicked is acknowledged to bee the mother of those that beleeue in God and obey his Lawes Falsehood is Preached for truth wrong for right Iniustice is held for Iustice errour for faith sinne for vertue vanity for verity Obiect But what other workes proceed from these first Answer These that follow The first worke is that hee turneth that seruice and worship which is onely proper and due vnto God to himselfe and his workes and to the poore creature reasonable and vnreasonable sensible and insensible Reasonable as to men hee-Saints and shee-Saints that are departed out of this world Vnreasonable and to Images carrion or reliques His workes are the Sacraments especially the Sacrament of the Eucharist which he adoreth as God and as Iesus Christ seruing things blessed and consecrated and forbidding the worship of the onely God The second worke of Antichrist is that he robbeth Christ of his merit with all the sufficiency of grace righteousnesse regeneration remission of sinnes sanctification confirmation in grace and spirituall nourishment and imputeth and attributeth it to his authority and to the forme of words and to his workes and to Saints and to their intercession and to the fire of Purgatory drawing the people from Christ and his conduct vnto the things aboue-named to the end men should not seeke the things of Christ nor by Christ but trust only to be saued by the works of their hands and not by a liuely faith in God and his Sonne Christ Iesus and his holy Spirit but by the will and workes of Antichrist for so he teacheth that all saluation consisteth in his workes The third worke of Antichrist consisteth in this that he attributeth the renewing by the holy Ghost to an outward dead faith and baptizeth children into that faith and that by it wee haue the Baptisme and the regeneration and therein hee giueth Orders and Sacraments and in it he groundeth all Christianity which is repugnant to the Spirit of God The fourth worke of Antichrist is that hee hath ordained and placed all Religion and Sanctity of the people in the Masse and hath patched together many ceremonies whereof some are Iudaicall some Heathenish some Antichristian To the hearing whereof leading the congregation and the people hee depriues them of their spirituall and Sacramentall food and separateth them from the true Religion and the Commandements of God and withdrawes them from the workes of mercy by his Offertory and by his Masse he setteth the people in a vaine hope The fift worke of Antichrist is that hee doeth all his workes to the end hee may bee seene of men that he may solace himselfe in his vnsatiable auarice that he may make gaine of all things and doe nothing without Simony The sixt worke of Antichrist is that hee giueth way to all open and apparant sinnes without any Ecclesiasticall sentence neither doth hee excommunicate the impenitent The seuenth worke of Antichrist is that hee neither ruleth nor defendeth his vnity by the Word and power of the Spirit of God but by the secular power and hee addeth vnto his ayde things spirituall The eight worke of Antichrist is that hee hateth and persecuteth and putteth to death the members of Christ These are in a manner the principall workes which he doth against the truth for all of them can by no meanes bee written or numbred Let it suffice for this present that wee haue noted the more generall and shall likewise set downe by what workes this iniquity is couered First and principally by an outward confession of Faith whereof the Apostle sayth They confesse they know God with their mouthes but they deny him in their hearts Secondly hee couereth his iniquity by length of time and in that he is maintained by certaine Sages and religious Monkes and Virgins and Nunnes and Widowes and other women of austere life As also by the people without number of whom it is said in the Reuelation And power was giuen vnto him ouer euery Tribe and Language and Nation and all the Inhabitants of the Earth fell downe and worshipped him Thirdly hee couereth his iniquity with the spirituall authority of the Apostles against which the Apostle saith We can doe nothing against the truth and power there is none giuen vs to destruction Fourthly
this sinne and the vengeance that God taketh vpon such a one we reade in the 2. Kings 1.3 that the Angell of the Lord sent vnto Elijah to meete the messengers of Ahaziah and to say vnto them Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the God of Ekron and therefore saith the Lord in that place Thou shalt not come downe from that bed on which thou art gone vp but shalt surely die Saul died because he had disobeyed the commandement of God which he gaue vnto him he regarded it not neither did he hope in the Lord but tooke counsell of Sorcerers for which cause the Lord tooke away his life and transferred his kingdome vnto Dauid the sonne of Ishai Let euery man therefore know that all enchantment or coniuration or charme in writing made to giue remedie to any kind of persons or beasts is of no value but is rather a snare of our ancient aduersarie the diuell by which he entrappeth and deceiueth mankind Here you may see what the Waldenses haue written against Sorcerers out of the word of God It remaineth that we answer vnto that calumnie of Rubis that it is apparent in our times that heresie and sorcerie are inseparably ioyned together in those Cities and Prouinces that haue giuen place vnto heresie He taxeth without all doubt the Citie of Geneua and the States of the Cantons that haue receiued the Gospell without any other shew of proofe but that most commonly in those places Sorcerers are cōdemned to death following the commandement of God which suffereth no Sorcerer to liue He might farre better haue concluded if he had said that in those places where the reformation of Religion was established in our times no man doth either conuerse or hath acquaintance with Sorcerers but so soone as any such is found he is put to death And therefore no man can affirme that to be true except he will say that to burne Sorcerers is to support them and by the authoritie of the word to put them to death be a kind of heresie It is true indeed that in those places heresie and sorcerie are ioyned together where they that make profession to teach the people are for the most part Sorcerers whereof many men haue complained who haue written with a great deale of griefe that which they knew to be put in practise by their Priests and Monks yea by some of the Popes themselues Bodin in his Demon l. 4. c. 6. p. 211. Bodin affirmeth that there are infinite indictments in which it appeareth that the Priests many times are not onely Sorcerers or at least wise that Sorcerers haue intelligence with the Priests but that they are content to say Masses for Sorcerers fitting them with sacrifices consecrating their parchments putting rings vpon their grauen tombes or other the like things vpon their altar or vnder the linnen of the altar when they said Masse Iohn Vuier in his booke of diuels l. 4. chap. 3. fol. 303. Iohn Vuier Phisitian to the Duke of Cleue though he made profession of the Romish religion writes as followeth If the Pastors of the Churches did stop vp the windowes of false doctrines and other impieties they should certainly haue saith he a wholsome preseruatiue for those that are vnder their charge against the subtle practises and impostures of the diuell whereby they that are most vnaduised should not be so often intangled as commonly we see them to the great hurt and detriment of their soules which cometh to passe not onely by the negligence of the Priests whom it most concerneth whose charge it is to looke vnto it but also by their pursuite counsell peruerse doctrine and deceitfull working by which they allure and draw the simple people to haue recourse to vnlawfull remedies as often as they are any way afflicted with sudden long knowne and vnknowne maladies proceeding from naturall causes or from those which are aboue nature which turneth to the great scandall of the Church considering that they make profession to be Ecclesiasticall persons and for the most part they are Priests or Monkes whom men thinke to be such that it is a great wickednesse to haue the least ill thought or opinion of them since they should serue for an example to their flocke and considering they are Doctors and teachers But perhaps saith he these Magicians thinke that this art belongs vnto them by a speciall prerogatiue and that they haue right thereunto by an hereditarie succession because the Priests of Egypt of whom Pithagoras Empedocles Democritus Plato haue learned their Magicke were Negromancers Now I thinke not saith he that they that will take vpon them to defend these Priests and the practise of their enchantments are so audacious as to obiect vnto me diuers Popes of Rome skilfull in the Magicke art affirming that they haue put it in practise to their great profit comfort such as Siluester 2. was Platina in the life of Siluester 2. fol. 218. printed at Paris ann 1551. who as Platina and Nauclerus affirme obtained the Popedome by that meanes and such as Benedict 9. in the yeare one thousand three hundred and two who before was named Theophilact and after Maledictus Iohn Maire in his Historie of the Schismes of the Church saith that all the Popes here spoken of were Sorcerers Magicians and Negromancers because of his wickednesse Such also as was Iohn 20. and Iohn 21. as Cardinall Benno writeth who aided themselues with their familiar friends Laurentius Gratian and Hildebrand all culpable of these enchantments For all the Popes that were after Siluester 2. vnto Gregory 7. who was a great and a famous Magician and who as Benno writeth as oft as it seemed good vnto himselfe would shake his sleeues in such a manner that sparkles of fire should come forth of them whereby he blinded the eyes of the more simple and lesse subtle as if they had bene miracles and signes of sanctitie Such were all these Popes as it is set downe in their liues where you may also reade many execrable examples whereby they wonne women to their loue and were much giuen to offer abhominable sacrifices vnto diuels in forrests and mountaines The Magicians then of our times saith Vuier must not thinke to couer themselues vnder this mantell and pretence But we haue reason to deplore the miseries of these times wherein we can hardly finde any men more wicked and lesse punished then they that do alwayes admonish the simple people that the euils that happen vnto them are sent by the permission of God Moreouer he complaineth that these coniuring Priests dare to vse infinite blasphemies enriched with diuerse crosses figured with their cursed and sacrilegious hands As also of that vse they make of their holy water of their exorcised salt their consecrated tapers at Easter their candles and tapers at Candlemas against the diuell with which he mockes them as also the fumigations of holy
Thus doth the eternall God know when it pleaseth him how out of one and the same stemme to make the light of his mercies to shine from whence heretofore sprang nothing but darknesse Long and many happie yeares may your Honour continue in the same purpose and intent to preserue and to loue that Church for which Christ Iesus died and to dedicate the rest of your dayes to his glory and the edification of those flockes for whom he hath shed his most precious bloud Herein consists all your glory And that your felicitie may spring from hence I begge at Gods hands from the bottome of my heart euen with the same affection which binds me euer to continue Your Honours most humble seruant Iohn Paul Perrin of Lion From Nyons in Dauphiney Ian. 1. THE PREFACE THe Church of God in the world is of higher esteeme then the world it selfe It is the fruition of our Lord Iesus Christ He was crucified for it and without it nothing can be accounted good But as our Redeemer inuiteth vs to enter and to continue therein for our saluation so Satan endeuoureth to make men wander from the right way to their damnation He blindeth them to the end they may take that for the Church that hath but the name thereof holding them in error seducing them by a worldly glorious pompe and so makes them disdaine the true Church principally because it is subiect to persecution in the world wherein they that honour not the Maister cannot cherish the seruants in such sort that not acknowledging any other Church then that which hath triumphed for many ages together in the bloud of those Martyrs whom it hath killed they demand with great importunitie what and in what parts of the world the Chatholicke Church hath bene if that which so long and so peaceably hath obtained the title thereof be not the same Where was it hid say they during the fiue ages last past They are instant vpon vs that at the least we shew them some one in the whole course of so many yeares that hath beleeued that which in our times hath bene so much extolled vnder the name of Reformation This historie of the Christians called Waldenses Albingenses will satisfie those that can reade it without passion For therein appeares that for these last foure hundred and fiftie yeares there haue bene especially in Europe a great number in diuers kingdomes and countries which haue made profession of a religion altogether conformable to the word of God and the doctrine which hath bene receiued in the reformed Churches hauing mourned vnder the darkenesse of Antechrist wherein they shined like precious stones in a dunghill and roses among the thornes They seemed to the world but as abiect men but God beheld them as his children and gaue them eyes to see and eares to heare and an heart to vnderstand the truth And as he made way to his iudgements by leauing those to the spirit of amazednesse that had forsaken his word so he hath made way to his mercies in withdrawing this remainder of his people from the Temples polluted with idolatries causing the sacred inward ministerie of his Spirit to worke in them prouiding them temples and preseruing them from the infection of the externall ministerie defiled with infinite humane inuentions The writings of the said Waldenses and Albingenses which haue bene miraculously preserued vnto this present time make good in this historie the puritie of their religion and iustifie them against the imputations of their aduersaries They make it appeare vnto the world that they haue had for the foundation of their faith the Simbole of the Apostles allowing also of that of Athanasius for the rule of their obedience the eternall law of God for the substance of their prayers the Lords prayer And finally that they haue preserued the Sacraments instituted by our Lord Iesus Christ in the selfe same puritie wherein he first ordained them And also that they haue alwayes liued vnder a good and holy discipline carrying themselues in regard of their manners and conuersation according to the same word which is the rule of their faith And yet neuerthelesse we shall make it appeare that for all these things without which no man can be a true Christian they haue bene cruelly condemned to death banished sacked burnt cursed and persecuted with violence of armes Without reason then is it demanded where the Church was in these ages last past since it appeares that the almost infinite numbers which the Popes for righteousnesse sake haue put to death were the Church how contrarie soeuer to the Church of Rome and the Popes in whatsoeuer they were contrary to the Church of God Now forasmuch as the first point of the truth which these faithfull Martyrs haue maintained concerneth God who is without beginning and without end without whose command there is nothing true or auailable it must necessarily follow that the inuentions of men must giue place when God speaketh especially the truth being as ancient as the lye And we must also acknowledge that they that haue beleeued in former ages in one onely God by Iesus Christ haue bene the true members of the Church making the Catholike Church in what part of the world soeuer they haue bene placed Now it appeares by the doctrine and confession of the faithfull whereof much is spoken in this historie that they haue alwayes put their hope in the liuing God expecting saluation and life by no other meanes but by the Sonne of God If then for these things they haue bene slaughtered what wrong is done vnto those that are guiltie of the same sinnes by those bloudie desires which they haue to banish those out of the world whose mouthes by reason they cannot stop if seeming to seeke the Church in ages past they be sent vnto those faithfull whom such as themselues haue put to death Haue they not rather reason to be thankfull vnto God with vs for that the violent assaults of Satan haue bene alwayes in vaine because the Church hath euer continued in the person of Gods seruants victorious by faith and triumphant by martyrdome which we haue not measured in this historie according to the crueltie of their punishment but the iustice and goodnesse of the cause It will adde much to the glory of God to follow this bloud by the trace gathering together the certaine proofes of the faith and constancie of millions of witnesses who haue sealed the truth with the losse of their owne liues They whose hearts God shall moue to enlarge this historie by the true narration of what hath passed touching this subiect in those places where it hath pleased the Lord to make them grow increase as there is no Kingdome State Principalitie nor almost Citie towne or village in Europe where this innocent bloud hath not bene shed shall adde much to the edification of his Church when many shall contribute to the notice thereof that which God hath done in passed
ages that we may know where and how he hath preserued it In this holy employment we need not doubt of the venome of wicked tongues the scoffes of Atheists and profane persons A stomacke ill affected loues nothing but what is contrary vnto it and the wicked haue nothing in esteeme but what is conformable to their vitious humour If the quippes of the wicked should haue bene an hinderance to the seruice we owe vnto God and to his Church we had giuen ouer this historie before we had written three lines thereof for it hath bene snarled at by diuers vpon the first bruit thereof what then may we thinke they will do when they shall see that they neuer thought we could so truly haue maintained Doubtlesse passion will extort from malignant mindes the suggestions of the malignant in counterchange whereof hauing aduertised thee gentle Reader that in the first page and inscription of this historie thou hast the name the diuision the intention the fruite and the end in a few lines I will pray to the eternall God for those that wrong vs that he would be pleased to make them know the truth and giue vnto vs whom he hath placed and planted in his house after the conflicts of this life that portion which he hath reserued in heauen by his welbeloued Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ to whom be all honour glory and power for euer and euer Amen The names of those Authors cited in this historie that haue bene aduersaries to the Waldenses Albert de Capitaneis Archdeacon of Cremona in his historie of the Waldenses and their originall Alphonsus de Castro B Baronius in his Annals Saint Bernard Bellarmin Bernard de Girard Lord of Haillan Bodin C Carpentras his Boniour Claudius Rubis in his historie of Lion Claudius Seissel The Councell of Latran The Councell of Vaur The Councell of Mompelier The Councell of Thoulouse The Councell of Vienna The Councell of Lion Constitutions of the Emperour Fredericke Barbarossa Constitutions of king Roger. Constitutions of Pope Alexander the third Constitutions of Pope Innocent the third Constitutions of Pope Honorius Constitutions of Pope Gregorie the ninth Constitutions of Pope Alexander the fourth Constitutions of Pope Clement the fourth D Dubrauius E Eccius G Gaspard Bruschius Gualter Monke a Iesuite Guichardin Guido de Perpignan Godefredus Monachus H Hosius History of Languedoc I Iaques de Riberia Iohn Bale Iohn Vuier Iohn le Maire K Krantzius L Lindanus Letters of Pope Iohn 22. Lewis 12. king of France M The Martyrologe Mathew Paris Memorials of the Archbishop of Ambrun Rostain N Noguiers P Paul Languis Paulus Aemylius Platina Peter of the valleys Sernay a Monke Peres Library R Raynerius S The Sea of histories Sigonius Simon Deuoion Statutes of Lewis 9. Statutes of the Earle Remond the last Earle of Thoulouze T Du Thou Thomas Walden Treasury of the histories of France V Vesembecius The names of those Authors cited in this historie that haue made profession of Reformation A Aldegonde B Bullinger C A Catalogue of the witnesses of truth Chassagnon Constans vpon the Reuela E Esrom Rudiger H History of the Martyrs of our times Historie of the estate of the Church Historie of the Churches of France Holagaray his historie of Foix. I The Inuentory of Serres Ioachim Camerarius L Lauatter Lewis Camerarius Luther M Memorials of Hanibal Oliuier Vignaux Georg Morel P La Papoliniere R A Reuiew of the Councell of Trent T Theodor Beza V Viret Vignier in his Historicall Librarie THE HISTORIE OF THE WALDENSES COMMONLY CALLED IN ENGLAND LOLLARDS The first Booke CHAP. I. That God in all times hath raised vp labourers for the gathering together of his Saints At what time Valdo began to teach and with what fruite what he was and all they that from his name are called Waldenses GOD hath neuer left himselfe without witnesses but from time to time he raiseth vp instruments to publish his grace enriching them with necessarie gifts for the edification of his Church giuing them his holy Spirit for their guide and his truth for a rule to the end they may discerne the Church which began in Abel from that which began in Caine As also teaching them to define the Church by the faith and the faith by the Scriptures strengthening them in the middest of their greatest persecutions and making them to know that the crosse is profitable so long as the faithfull change by that meanes earth for heauen and the children of God are not lost when being massacred and cast into the fire by a course of iustice we may find in their bloud and ashes the seed of the Church That which hath bene obserued in allages hath after a more particular manner appeared amongst those Christians that are called Waldenses who were raised in a time when Satan held men in ignorance hauing wrapt the greatest part of those that call themselues Christians in that great sinne of the world I meane Idolatrie Kings and Princes imploying their authoritie for the establishment thereof appointing all those to the slaughter that would exempt themselues from the wounds due vnto Idolaters This was about the yeare of our Lord a thousand one hundred and threescore at what time the punishment of death was inflicted vpon all those that did not beleeue that the words of consecration being pronounced by the Priest the body of our Lord Iesus Christ was in the Hoste vnder the accidents of the bread the roundnesse and whitenesse yea the very bodie as great and as large as it was vpon the crosse the bread vanishing and being transsubstantiated into the flesh of Christ At what time it was likewise enioyned to adore the Hoste to crouch vnto it to bow the knees before it yea it was called God and men did beate their breasts before it and locked it vp in a boxe to worship it as they still vse euen at this day This doctrine being altogether vnknowne to the Apostles who neuer spake word of any such mysterie as also in the Primitiue Church wherein there was neuer any Doctor that taught this expiatorie sacrifice for the liuing and for the dead occasioned many Christians to enter into a detestation thereof chusing rather to suffer a temporall death by resisting such Idolatrie then by consenting thereunto to suffer in hell Peter Valdo a citizen of Lions shewed himselfe most couragious in the opposition of this inuention Guido de Perignan in the flower of Chronicles taxing therewithall diuerse other corruptions which with time crept into the Church of Rome affirming that she had lost the faith of Iesus Christ that she was that whore of Babylon that barren fig-tree which our Sauiour had long before cursed That we were not to obey the Pope in as much as he was not the head of the Church That Monkerie was a stinking carrion and the marke of the Beast That Purgatorie Masses dedication of Temples worshipping of Saints commemoration of the dead were no other then the inuentions of the diuell
baptized as their parents or any other whom God had made charitable in that kind True it is that being constrained for some certaine hundred yeares to suffer their children to be baptized by the Priests of the Church of Rome they deferred the doing thereof as long as they could possibly because they had in detestation those humane inuentions which were added to that holy Sacrament which they held to be but pollutions therof And forasmuch as their Pastors which they called Barbes were many times abroad imployed in the seruice of their Churches they could not haue the Sacrament of Baptisme administred to their infants by their owne Ministers for this cause they kept them long from Baptisme which the Priests perceiuing and taking notice of charged them thereupon with this imposture which not onely their aduersaries haue beleeued but diuerse others who haue well approued of their life and faith in all other points The fifth calumnie was that they adored their Pastors prostrating themselues before them To iustifie the Waldenses from this imposture there needs no more but that the Reader will be pleased to take the paines to reade that which they haue written touching the adoration of one onely God in the exposition that they made in the booke of their doctrine vpon the first Commandement of the Law of God There you shall find that they haue giuen much honour euen to their Pastors as vnto those that keepe the word of Reconciliation entertaining them charitably accompting themselues obliged thereunto for conscience sake but that they euer had any intention to giue that worship to the creature that is onely due vnto the Creator can neuer be made good but by way of calumnie It appeareth by the processe formed by the said Albert against the Waldenses of the Alpes Howsoeuer Albert de Capitaneis their deadly enemie in the Diocesse of Turin would haue extorted from them that they adored their Pastors which he could neuer enforce them to confesse The sixt calumnie was that they maintained that it was not lawfull to sweare at all In their booke intituled the Spirituall Almanacke in the exposition of the third commandement They say and affirme that there are lawfull oathes tending to the honour of God and the edification of our neighbours alledging that place in the 6. Heb. 16. That men sweare by the greater and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife As also they alledge that it was enioyned the people of Israel to sweare by the name of the eternall God Deut. 6.13 and the examples of those oathes that past betweene Abimelec and Isaac Gen. 26.31 and the oath of Iacob Gen. 31.53 The seuenth calumnie was to make them odious to the people as if they had preferred the peace with the Turke before that with the Church the kingdome of Christ affirming that they maintained that the Pope did mortally sinne when he sends an expedition of souldiers with the badge of the crosse vpon their Cassockes or Coatarmour against the Sarazens For their iustification herein we must obserue In the booke of the causes of their separation frō the Church of Rome p. 235 that they complaine not of the enterprise of warre against the Turkes but of those spoiles that the Popes make of the goods of the Church and other diuine graces vnder the pretence thereof abusing the ignorant people with their Buls and Benedictions who too willingly receiue their lies and inuentions buying them at a deare rate As also they thinke hardly of it that the Pope should send out his Croisades his crossed souldiers being strangers to pursue them as heretickes before they be heard or conuinced to be such But they are not the onely men that condemne this auarice which the reuenging spirits of the Popes haue shewed by their Croisades Paulus Langius a Germane Historiographer layes an imputation vpon Leo the tenth Paul Lan. in his Chronicle of France 1513. See the examination of the Councell of Trent lib. 1. c. 5 that he leuied great summes of money vnder a pretence of warre against the Turkes which he bestowed shortly after vpon thirtie Cardinals which he had newly created Guicciardine noteth in his Historie that the selfe same Pope imposed great exactions vpon the people the benefit whereof fell into the lap of his sister Magdalen and that all that leuie of money was but to satisfie the auarice of a woman and that the Bishop of Aremboldo was thought by him a commissarie worthy such an action to put it in execution with all manner of extortion Alexander the fourth conuerted the vow of Hierusalem to the vow of Pouille that is to say A part of Naples whose inhabitants are held very dangerous the vow of reuenge For he gaue power to his Legats to absolue the King of England Henry the third by name dispensing with his vow of the crosse for Hierusalem vpon condition that he should go to Pouille to make warre against Manfred Frederic Emperour not long before It is the Historiographer Math. Paris Math. Paris in his Historie of England See the first booke of the examination of the Councell of Trent cap. 5. In the booke of the causes of their separation frō the Church of Rome p. 125 that setteth downe the complaint that then was made that is to say that the tenths imployed for the succour of the holy Land were taken away and conuerted to the reliefe of Pouille against the Christians The eight calumnie was that they vsed no reuerence towards holy and consecrated places holding that that man sinned not more grieuously that burneth a Church then he that breakes into any other house They say that neither the place nor the chaire make a man the more holy and they haue maintained that they deceiue themselues much that comfort themselues or presume the more because of the dignitie of the place for what place more high then Paradise what place more secure then heauen and yet neuerthelesse man was banished out of Paradise for sinning there and the Angels were throwne from heauen to the end they might be examples to those that came after and to teach them that it is not the place nor the greatnesse nor dignitie thereof that makes a man holy but the innocencie of his life Against the ninth calumnie that is to say that they defend that the Magistrate ought not to condemne any to death they say In the booke of the Waldenses entituled The light of the treasure of faith fol. 214. That it is writtē that we are not to suffer the malefactor to liue and that without correction and discipline doctrine serues to no purpose neither should iudgements be acknowledged nor sinnes punished And therefore iust anger is the mother of discipline and patience without reason the seed of vices and permitteth the wicked to digresse from truth and honestie It appeareth by the complaint they made to the King Ladislaus King of Hungary and Bohemia True
Paul to the Romans The first to the Corinth The 2. to the Corinthians The Epistle to the Galat. The Epist to the Ephesians The Epistle to the Philippians The Epistle to the Colos The first to the Thessal The second to the Thessalonians The first to Timothie The second to Timothie To Titus To Philemon To the Hebrewes The Epistle of S. Iames. The 1. Epistle of S. Peter The second of S. Peter The 1. Epistle of S. Iohn The second of S. Iohn The third of S. Iohn The Epistle of S. Iude. The Reuelation of S. Iohn The bookes aboue named teach thus much that there Article 4 is one God almightie wholly wise and wholly good who hath made all things by his goodnesse For he created Adam according to his owne image and similitude but by the malice of the diuell and the disobedience of Adam sinne entred into the world and we are made sinners in Adam and by Adam That Christ was promised to our forefathers who receiued Article 5 the Law to the end that knowing their sin by the Law and their vnrighteousnesse and insufficiencie they might desire the coming of Christ to the end he might satisfie for their sins and accomplish the Law by himselfe That Christ was borne at the time appointed by God Article 6 his Father that is to say at a time when all iniquitie abounded and not for our good workes sake onely for all were sinners but to the end he might offer his grace and mercie vnto vs. That Christ is our life and truth and peace and iustice Article 7 and Aduocate and Pastor and sacrifice and sacrificer who died for the saluation of all those that beleeue and is raised againe for our iustification Article 8 We do also firmly hold that there is no other mediator and aduocate with God the Father but onely Iesus Christ And as touching the Virgine Marie that she is holy humble and full of grace and so do we beleeue of all the other Saints that they attend in heauen the resurrection of their bodies at the day of iudgement Article 9 We do also beleeue that after this life there are onely two places the one for those that shall be saued the other for the damned which we call Paradise and Hell denying altogether Purgatory as being a dreame of Antechrist and inuented against the truth Article 10 We haue also alwayes beleeued that the inuentions of men are an vnspeakable abomination before God as the feasts and the vigils of Saints holy water the abstaining vpon certaine dayes from flesh and such like but principally the Masses Article 11 We do abhorre all humane inuentions as coming from Antechrist all which bring troubles with them and are preiudiciall to the libertie of the spirit Article 12 We beleeue that the Sacraments are outward signes of holy things or visible formes of inuisible grace and are of opinion that it is good that the faithfull do sometimes vse those signes and visible formes if it may be done But neuerthelesse we beleeue and do hold that the aforesaid faithfull may be saued not receiuing the said signes when they want place or power to vse them Article 13 We do not acknowledge any other Sacrament but Baptisme and the Eucharist Article 14 We do honour the secular power with all subiection obedience promptitude and payment CHAP. XIII Another Confession of the faith of the Waldenses WE beleeue that there is one onely God Art 1 Taken out of the booke of Charles du Moulin de la Mon. de François p. 65. who is a Spirit the Creator of all things the Father of all who is aboue all and in vs all who is to be adored in spirit and truth vpon whom onely we waite and to whom we giue all glorie for our life our nourishment clothing health sicknesse prosperitie aduersitie we loue him as the author of all goodnesse we feare him as knowing our hearts We beleeue that Iesus Christ is the Sonne and image Art 2 of his father that in him dwels the fulnesse of the diuinitie by whom we know the Father who is our mediatour and aduocate and there is no other name vnder heauen giuen vnto men by which we can be saued in whose name onely we call vpon the Father and vse no other prayers but those that are contained in the holy Scriptures or agreeing vnto them in substance We beleeue that the holy Ghost is our Comforter Art 3 proceeding from the Father and the Sonne by whose inspiration we make our prayers being renewed by him who doth all good works in vs and by him we haue knowledge of all truth We beleeue that there is one holy Church which is Art 4 the congregation of all the elect and faithfull which haue bene from the beginning of the world and shall be vnto the end whereof our Lord Iesus Christ is the head the which Church is gouerned by his word and guided by the holy Ghost in which all good Christians ought to remaine for it prayeth without ceassing for all and the word thereof is agreeable vnto God without which no man can be saued Art 5 We hold that the Ministers of the Church ought to be irreprehensible both in life and doctrine otherwise they are to be deposed from their office and other to be substituted in their place And that no man ought to presume to vndertake this honourable calling but onely he which is called of God as Aaron nourishing the flocke of Christ not for dishonest gaine or as hauing any superioritie ouer the Clergie but as being an example to the flocke in word in conuersation in charitie in faith and in chastitie Art 6 We confesse that Kings Princes and Gouernours are ordained and established Ministers of God to whom we are to obey For they carrie the sword for the defence of innocents and the punishment of malefactors and for this cause are we bound to do them honour and to pay tribute From which power and authoritie no man can exempt himselfe as may appeare be the example of our Lord Iesus Christ who refused not to pay tribute not challenging any iurisdiction of temporall power Art 7 We beleeue that in the Sacrament of Baptisme the water is the visible and externall signe which representeth vnto vs that which by the power and vertue of God inuisible so working is within vs that is to say renouation of the spirit and mortification of our members in Iesus Christ by which we are also receiued into the holy congregation of the people of God protesting and declaring before it our faith and change of life Art 8 We hold the holy Sacrament of the table or Supper of our Lord Iesus Christ to be a holy remembrance and thanksgiuing for the benefits which we haue receiued by his death and passion which is to be receiued in faith and charitie examining our selues that so we may eate of that bread and drinke of that cup as it is written in the holy Scripture We
the building of their Couents and dotations of their houses for feare to bee accused of Heresie and not to be estemed zealous for the faith of those holy fathers And the better to entertaine men with an apprehension of these things they sometimes made shewes and brauadoes of their prisoners leading them in triumph at their Processions some being enioyned to whip themselues others to goe couered after the manner of St. Benedicts that is to say with certaine red Cassockes with yellow crosses to signifie that they were such as had been conuinced of some errour and that at the first offence they should afterward commit they were already condemned for Heretickes Others appeared in their shirts bare-foote and bare-headed with a with about their neckes a torch in their hands that being thus prepared and furnished they might giue terror to the beholders to see such persons of all estates and sex brought to so miserable a condition being all forbid to enter into the Church but to stay in the porch or to cast an eye vpon the Hoste when it was shewed by the Priest vntill it was otherwise determined by the Fathers the Inquisitors And for the full accomplishment of the contentment of the said Fathers their accused were exiled for a penance into the holy Land or enrolled for some other expedition against the Turkes or other Infidels leuied by the command of the Pope to serue the Church for a certaine time at their owne charge and in the meane time the said holy Fathers tooke possession of the goods of the poore Pilgrims and that which was worst of all at their returne they must not enquire whether the said Monkes had in their absence any priuate familiarity with their wiues for feare lest they should be condemned for back-sliders impenitent and altogether vnworthy of any fauour Now these violences being executed from the yeer a thousand two hundred and six which was about the time that Dominique erected his Inquisition to the yeere one thousand two hundred twenty eight there was so great a hauock made of poore Christians that the Archbishops of Aix Arles and Narbonne being assembled together at Aingou in the said yeere 1228 at the instance of the said Monkes the Inquisitors to confer with them about diuers difficulties in the execution of their charge had compassion of the misery of a great number that were accused and kept in prison by the said Monkes the Inquisitors saying It is come to our knowledge See the Catal. of the Test of the truth pag. 534. that you haue apprehended so great a number of the Waldenses that it is not only not possible to defray the charge of their nourishment but to prouide lyme and stone to build prisons for them we therefore counsell you say they that you defer a little such imprisonments vntill the Pope may bee aduertised of the great numbers that haue been apprehended and that he doe aduise what pleaseth him to bee done if not there is no reason you should take offence for those that are impenitent and incorigible Vous tuissies or that you should doubt of their relaps or that they should escape away or hauing their liberty should infect others because you may condemne such persons without delay There needs no other proofe then this of the aforesaid Prelats to make it appeare that the number of those whom the Inquisition had deliuered vnto death was very great For touching the question moued by the said Inquisitors whether they that haue frequented the company of the Waldenses and haue receiued the Supper of the Lord with them are to be excused because they say they offended out of ignorance not knowing that they were Waldenses The the answer of the said Prelats was that they were not to be excused Because say they who is so great a stranger as not to know that the Waldenses haue been punished and condemned for these many yeers since and who knoweth not that for a long time they haue been pursued and persecuted at the charge and trauell of Catholikes this pursuit being sealed by so many persons condemned to death if it cannot be called into doubt And yet neuertheles the speech of the said Prelats being conferred with that which George Morell in the yeer a thousand fiue hundred and thirty hath written it would be none of the least wonders that God hath wrought that notwithstanding the bloody persecutions after Waldo his time in the yeere a thousand one hundred sixty George Morel in his memorials pa. 54. there were according to the report of Morel aboue eight hundred thousand persons that made profession of the faith of the said Waldenses As touching the subtleties of the said Inquisitors we should not haue had any knowledge thereof but from such as haue escaped from the Inquisition of Spaine but that it was the will of God that their cunning trickes should not bee so closely hid but that wee had examples thereof euen from themselues Behold then the crafty subtleties of the Inquisitors which serued them for a rule in the framing of their proces against the Waldenses It is not expedient to dispute of matter of faith before lay-people No man shall be held for a penitent man if he accuse not those that he knowes to be such as himselfe He that accuseth not those that are like vnto himself shall be cut off from the Church as a rotten member for feare lest the members that are found should be corrupted by him After that any one hath been deliuered to the secular power great care must bee taken that hee bee not suffered to excuse himselfe or to manifest his innocencie before the people because if be he deliuered to death it is a scandall to the lay-people and if hee make an escape there is danger of his loyalty Good heed must bee taken not to promise life vnto him that is condemned to death before the people considering that an Heretike will neuer suffer himselfe to bee burnt if hee may escape by such promises And if he shall promise to repent before the people if he haue not his life granted vnto him there will arise a scandall amongst them and it will be thought that he is wrongfully put to death Note say they that the Inquisitor ought alwaies to presuppose the fact without any condition and is onely to enquire of the circumstances of the fact as thus how often hast thou confessed thy selfe vnto Heretickes In what chamber of the house haue they layen and the like things The Inquisitor may looke into any booke as if he found there written the life of him that is accused and of all that he enquires of It is necessary to threaten death to the accused if he confesse not and to tell him the fact is too manifest that it is fit he should thinke of his soule and renounce his Heresie for he must die and therefore it shall bee good for him to take patiently whatsoeuer shall light vpon him And if he
that it was time to depart out of Babylon lest wee participate of her plagues This is the people that haue enforced themselues to re-establish the true and pure seruice of God by the power of his word a contemptible people euen as the filth of the world by whom neuerthelesse the eternall God hath wrought wonderfull things restoring and re-establishing by them his Church First in France afterwards as it were from a new Sion causing the riuers of his holy Law and pure doctrine to distill and drop downe vpon the rest of the world gathering together his elect by the preaching of his holy Gospell And that which is most admirable in this so great a worke is that the doctrine which they haue beleeued and preached hath been likewise miraculously preserued amongst them in the middle of all their grieuous and continuall persecutions which they haue suffered for righteousnesse sake As it is also worthy admiration that their aduersaries haue kept a register of the euils which they haue caused them vniustly to suffer It hath been their glory that they haue shed that blood that crieth for vengeance exiled the Church for a limitted time in the wildernesse and made knowne by their Histories that the Dragon hath done but that which was granted vnto him that is to make warre against the Saints but being deliuered from their great tribulation and their robes whitned in the blood of the Lamb they haue been conducted to the liuing fountaines of water and God hath wiped all teares from their eies Lavs Deo Reuelation 21.7 He that ouercommeth shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my sonne FINIS THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE HISTORY OF THE ALBINGENSES CHAP. I. Who the Albingenses were what their beleefe who were comprehended vnder the name of Albingenses at what time and by whom they haue beene instructed in what esteeme their Pastors haue beene by whom and in what Councell condemned how they haue increased what Cities and great Lords haue taken their part For what doctrine the Papists haue hated them and persecuted them to the death THe Albingenses which we are to speake of in this History differ nothing at all from the Waldenses in their beleefe but they are onely so called of the Countrey of Albi where they dwelt and had their first beginning The Popes haue condemned them as Waldenses the Legates haue made warre against them as professing the beleefe of the Waldenses the Monkes Inquisitors haue formed their Proces and Indictments as against Waldenses The people haue persecuted them as being such and themselues haue thought themselues honored by that title vpon the assured knowledge that they had of the puritie of their doctrine Iaques de Riberia in Collectaneis vrbis Tolozae being the selfesame with the Waldenses In respect whereof many Historiographers call them Waldenses Wee therefore will distinguish them not by their beleefe but by the places of their abode and by the particular warres which they haue endured for the space of aboue filtie yeeres Vnder this name wee comprehend all the subiects of the Earles Remonds of Toulouze father and sonne and the subiects of the Earles of Foix and Comminge and all those that haue taken part with them that haue fought for their Religion and suffered the selfesame persecutions They receiued the beleefe of the Waldenses a little after the departure of Waldo from Lion The instruments that were imployed in this worke were Peter Bruis one Henry one Ioseph one Esperon and Arnold Hott of whom they were afterward called Pierrebruisiens or Petrobrusiens Henriciens Iosephists Esperonists and Arnoldists but aboue all the rest Henry and Arnold trauelled in the Countrey of Albi and that with so good successe that in a short time there were found but a few and in some places not any that would goe any more to Masse affirming that the sacrifice of the Masse was onely inuented to enrich the Priests and to make them to be more esteemed in the world as making the Body of Christ by their words and sacrificing him to God the Father for the sinnes of the liuing and of the dead which was an impietie destroying the sacrifice of the Sonne of God and annihilating the merit of his death and passion There were many that gaue eare to their reasons in the diocese of Rhodes Cahors Agen Toulouze and Narbonne Iaques de Riberia in his collections of the Citie of Toulouze because the Doctors that taught amongst the Waldenses were learned men conuersant in the reading of the holy Scriptures whereas on the other side the Priests who studied nothing more than the sacrifices of the Masse and how to receiue their oblations for the dead were altogether ignorant and therefore contemned of the people Pope Alexander the third Claud. de Rubis in his History of the Citie of Lion Lib. 3. pa. 269. being much mooued with anger because he saw many great Prouinces to shake off the yoke of the Romish Church and to dispence with their obedience condemned them for Heretikes in the Councell of Latran Neuerthelesse they were in such a manner multiplied 1200. that in the yeere 1200 they possessed the Cities of Toulouze Apamies Montauban Villemur Saint Antonin Hologaray in his History of Foix. Puech Laurence Castres Lambes Carcassonne Beziers Narbonne Beaucaire Auignon Tarascon the Count Venecin and in Dauphine Crest Arnaud and Monteil Amar. And which is more they had many great Lords who tooke part with them that is to say the Earle Remond of Toulouze Remond Earle of Foix the Vicount of Beziers Gaston Lord of Bearne the Earle of Carmain the Earle of Bigorre the Lady of Lauaur and diuers others of whom we shall make mention in their due place And besides all these the Kings of Aragon and of England haue many times defended their Earle Remond of Toulouze The doctrines that thy maintained against the Church of Rome were these 1 That the Romish Church is not the holy Church and Spouse of Christ but a Church watered with the Doctrine of Deuils That Babylon which Saint Iohn hath described in the Apocalypse the mother of fornications and abominations couered with the bloud of Saints 2 That the Masse was not instituted by Christ nor by his Apostles but that it is the inuention of men 3 That the prayers of the liuing profit not the dead 4 That Purgatorie maintained in the Church of Rome was a humane inuention to glut and satisfie the couetousnesse of the Priests 5 That Saints are not to be praied vnto 6 That Transubstantiation is the inuention of men and an erroneous doctrine And that the adoration of the Bread is a manifest Idolatry And that therefore they were to forsake the Church of Rome wherein the contrary was affirmed and taught because a man may not bee present at the Masses where Idolatry is practised nor attaine saluation by any other meanes than by Iesus Christ nor transferre vnto the creatures the
the aforesaid businesse which was to bring him backe againe to the beginning of all his misery The Earle Simon pressed the Legat to proceed in the fact of the Earle Remond either to absolue or to condemne him to the end he might know whether he should hold him for a friend or for an enemie of the Pope and of the Church to be at peace with him or to make war against him The Legat Milon commanded him to appeare in his owne person because he would know once for all Chass lib. 3. pag. 129. how he and his subiects liued with them that is to say with the Earle Simon and the Church The Earle Remond answered that neither he nor his Subiects had any thing to doe with them that he had made his agreement and reconciliation with the Pope which the Legat could not be ignorant of to whom he had shewed the Bulles and therefore hee intreated them to forbeare any farther to disquiet him The Earle Simon and the Legat writ vnto him againe that it was very necessary that he should make repaire vnto him to fulfill the contents of the Bulles He answered that he had rather take the paines to goe to king Philip of France and to the Emperor yea to Rome to the Pope himselfe to complaine of the wronges they did vnto him than to put himselfe any more into their hands When the Legat saw that he could not winne him by Letters he resolued to play the fox and to winne him by subtleties They sent vnto him Folquet Bishop of Toulouze and instructed him how hee should cary himselfe to deceiue him This was a capable instrument for the premeditated treason He went therefore to the Earle Remond insinuated himselfe into his fauour with fained protestations of his desire to serue him and his great griefe to see so little loue betwixt the Legat and himselfe wishing that it were in his power to stand him in any steed therein though with the losse of his owne bloud and offering vnto him all loue and assistance That he had far greater reason to procure the preseruation of his good than any other person whatsoeuer That he would aduise him as a friend to take from the Legat all pretence of suspition That when he had once shewed himselfe confident of him they would no longer doubt of his fidelitie and that euen now a faire occasion was offered to binde the Legat and the Earle Simon vnto him and that was that whereas he knew they were shortly to come to Toulouze if he would offer vnto them his Castle Narbonnes to lodge in it would be an excellent testimony of that confidence hee had in them and binde them to loue him The Earle Remond being thus gulled by this Bishop offered them his castle They accepted thereof and presently placed therein a great garrison The word was no sooner slipt the Earles mouth but he was sure he should repent it but it was now too late to recall it He cursed his owne imprudency and his friends and subiects his too great facility for he saw them incontinently to fortifie his Castle that it might serue them for a canesson and bridle for his owne subiects As also from the time of their entrance into that place he found that they grew bold to speake all the ill they could of the Earle Remond and that with open mouth saying that he had mocked the Pope giuing him to vnderstand that which was false and promising that which he would neuer performe insomuch that he was as great an heretike as he was before his abiuration That in the ruine and punishment of the Earle Remond the destruction of the Albingenses did consist but on the contrary though the ground were couered with the dead bodies of the Albingenses if the Earle Remond should remaine they would alwaies bud and spring vp againe and therefore it was resolued to exterminate and vtterly to destroy the house of Remond from the bottome to the top But when men purpose that which God hath otherwise disposed they come many times short So it was with the Earle Simon who was frustrated of this hope by the sudden vnexpected death of the Legat Milon which changed the face of the affaires of the said Earle Milon for he was faine to spend many yeares in the ruinating of that house of the Earle Remond and his adherents which hee had promised to doe in a few daies CHAP. VIII Theodosius succeedeth the Legat Milon proceedeth against the Earle Remond excommunicateth him and frames very violent articles against him The Earle Remond retireth himselfe from St. Giles and Arles with the king of Aragon lest they should be apprehended by the Legat Simon besiegeth Montferrand Baudoin reuolteth The king of Aragon allieth himselfe with the Earle Simon 1211. IN the yeere of our Lord 1211. Thodize gaue the Earle Remond to vnderstand that he should haue what was iust and right touching his affaires and with faire words perswaded him to come to St. Giles Being there he ript vp the businesse touching the murder of the Monke Frier Peter de Chasteauneuf from the beginning without consideration of any precedent iustification and excommunicated the said Earle Remond not as being guilty of the death of the said Monke but because he had not driuen the Albingenses out of his countrey as he was bound by promise The Earle Remond hauing felt the blast of the said excommunication retired himselfe to Toulouze not speaking a word before the Legat had meanes to publish the sentence The Bishop of Toulouze knowing hee was excommunicated sent one to certifie vnto him that hee was to depart out of the citie of Toulouze so long as the Masse was singing because he might not say Masse there being an excommunicated person within the citie The Earle Remond being much moued with the audacious boldnesse of the Bishop sent a Gentleman one of his followers to tell him that hee was to depart and that speedily out of his territories vpon paine of his life The Bishop departed and sent to the Prouost of the Cathedrall Church and to the Canons that they were to depart with them and that with the Crosse and the Banner and the Hoast and for the greater deuotion they should goe barefoot and in procession In this equipage they arriued at the Armie of the Legat where they were receiued as Martyrs persecuted for the Masse euen with teares of the Pilgrims and the generall applause of euery one The Legat thought now that he had sufficient cause to prosecute the Earle Remond as a relapse and impenitent man but yet he desired much to get hold of him because if he could once apprehend him hee would quickly make him to conclude that businesse as the Earle of Beziers did To this purpose hee flattered him by Letters full of testimonies of his great loue towards him by this meanes drew him once againe to Arles The Earle entreated the King of Aragon that he would be there to hinder
in the 4. to the Ephes There is one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and one Father of all And Saint Iohn 1. Epist 5.7 There are three that beare record in heauen the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one And in the Gospel by Saint Iohn it is said Chap. 17.11 That the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost are one when our Sauiour saith That they may be one as we are one Againe wee must beleeue that this holy Trinitie hath created all things visible and that he is Lord of all things celestiall terrestriall and infernall as it is said in Saint Iohn Chap. 1.3 All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made And in the Reuelation it is said Chap 4.11 Thou art worthy O Lord to receiue glory for thou hast created all things the heauens the earth and the sea and the fountaines of water And the Prophet Dauid saith And thou O Lord hast founded the earth in the beginning and the heauens are the workes of thy hands And againe The heauens are framed by the word of the Lord and all the powers thereof by the breath of his mouth All these and diuers other testimonies and reasons drawne from the Scriptures doe affirme that God created all things of nothing whatsoeuer they be Againe we must beleeue that God the Father hath sent his Sonne from heauen vnto earth and that for our sakes hee hath taken vpon him our flesh in the wombe of the Virgin Mary for our saluation as the Prophet Esay speaketh Chap. 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall conceiue and beare a Sonne and his name shall be Emanuell which is God with vs. And the Lord saith in the Gospel that this hath beene accomplished saying I am come from my Father into the world and againe I haue left the world and goe to my Father And againe Saint Iohn saith Chap. 1.14 The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst vs. And in the first Epistle of Iohn 5.20 Wee know that the Sonne of God is come and that hee hath taken our flesh vpon him for vs and is raised againe from death for vs and hath giuen vs vnderstanding that wee may know him that is true and wee are in him that is true euen in his Sonne Iesus Christ This is the true God and eternall life And in the fourth to the Galatians 4. When the fulnesse of time was come God sent foorth his Sonne made of a woman made vnder the Law to redeeme them that were vnder the Law who by the commandement of God the Father and his owne free will was lifted vp vpon the altar of the crosse and crucified and hath redeemed mankinde with his owne blood which hauing accomplished he arose from death the third day hauing dispersed in the world a light euerlasting like a new sunne that is the glory of the resurrection and heauenly inheritance which the same Sonne of God hath promised to giue to all those that in faith serue him For ascending vp vnto heauen the fortieth day after his resurrection and the tenth after his assention hee sent the holy Ghost from heauen to comfort his Apostles and to replenish his Church with the same Spirit We must beleeue that the same God hath chosen vnto himselfe a glorious Church without spot or wrinckle or such like thing as Saint Paul speaketh to the end it should be holy and vndefiled according to the commandement of the Almighty Be ye holy for I am holy And in the fift of Saint Matthew Be yee perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect for nothing that doth commit abomination shall enter into the Kingdome of God but onely they that are written in the Booke of life as it is sayd in the Reuelation We must beleeue the generall resurrection of which our Sauiour speaketh in the Gospell of Saint Iohn The houre shall come when all they that are in their graues shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that haue done euill to the resurrection of Iudgement And Saint Paul saith in the first to the Corinthians that all shall arise and all shall be changed And Iob saith Chap. 19.25 I know that my Redeemer liueth and that hee shall stand at the latter day vpon the earth and though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my selfe and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reines be consumed within mee Wee must beleeue the generall Iudgement vpon all the children of Adam as the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament doe affirme As our Sauiour promiseth in the 25. of Matth. 31. When the Sonne of man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall hee sit vpon the throne of his glory and before him shall bee gathered all nations and hee shall separate them one from another as a shepheard diuideth his sheepe from the goates and hee shall set the sheepe on his right hand and the goates on the left And Iude in his Epistle Vers 15. Behold the Lord commeth with ten thousand of his Saints to execute iudgement vpon all And the Prophet Esay saith The Lord commeth in iudgement with the Ancients of his people and with his yong men also These things are set downe in the Old and New Testament and especially the foure Euangelists and the Prophets witnesse it in many places CHAP. V. An Exposition of the Waldenses and Albingenses vpon the Lords Prayer Taken out of a Booke of the Waldenses intituled The treasure of faith SAint Augustine being requested by a spirituall Daughter of his to teach her to pray hath thus said and written That multitudes of words are not necessary in prayer But to pray much is to be feruent in prayer And therefore to be long in prayer is to present things necessary in superfluous words To pray much is to solicit that we pray for with a seemely decency and affection of heart which is better done by teares then by words because God who seeth the secrets of our heart is more moued with a deepe grone or sigh by plaints and teares that come from the heart then by a thousand words But many there are in these dayes that resemble the Pagans to whom Christ would not haue his Disciples to be like for they thinke and beleeue that they shall bee the rather heard for their many words in their prayers whereby it comes to passe that they loose much time vnder a pretence of prayer Iob saith besides experience makes it good that a man is neuer in the same estate in this life but hee is now disposed to doe one thing and presently to doe another And therefore there is no man that can keepe his minde his spirit bent and attentiue to prayer a whole day or a whole night together except God giue the especiall assistance of his grace And if a man hath
not his heart setled vpon that which he speaketh he looseth his time because hee prayes in vaine and his soule is troubled and his minde wandring another way And therefore God hath appointed to his seruants other exercises vertuous spirituall and corporall wherein a man may ordinarily exercise himselfe sometimes in one sometimes in another either for themselues or their Neighbours hauing their hearts lifted vp vnto God with all their power in such sort that they may not bee idle And therefore that man that liues well according to the will of God and the Doctrine of his Saints prayeth alwayes For euery good worke is a good prayer vnto God And as for thou that readest know that all the prayers of the old and new Testament doe agree with this and that no prayer can be pleasing vnto God that hath not a reference some way or other vnto this And therefore euery Christian ought to apply himselfe to vnderstand and to learne this prayer which Christ himselfe hath taught with his owne mouth Now it is necessary that he that is heard of God be agreeable vnto him and know those benefits hee hath receiued from him For ingratitude is a winde that dryeth vp the Fountaine of the mercy and compassion of our God And therefore if thou wilt pray or aske any thing at Gods hand thinke with thy selfe before thou aske what and how great benefits thou hast receiued from him and if thou canst not call them all to minde yet at the least forget not to beg that grace that thou mayest be bold to call him Father And thinke and know in how diuers a manner he is thy Father for hee is the Father of all Creatures generally by creation for he hath created them all He is a Father by distribution for he hath ordained them and disposed them all in his due place as being very good By preseruation for he hath preserued all Creatures that they faile not in their kinde amongst which his Creatures thou art one And besides hee is the Father of mankind by redemption for hee hath bought him with the precious bloud of his Sonne the Lambe without spot By instruction for he hath taught him by his Prophets by his Sonne and by his Apostles and Doctors and that after a diuers manner the way to returne into Paradice from whence wee were driuen by the sinne of our first Father Adam By chastisement for he chastiseth and correcteth vs in this life diuers wayes to the end wee may returne vnto him and not be condemned eternally in another life Lo teo nom sia sanctifica Hallowed be thy Name THy Name amiable to Christians and fearefull to the Iewes to Paynims and to the wicked Of this name saith the Prophet O Lord thy Name is admirable and wonderfull O our Father which art in Heauen we humbly beseech thee that thy Name which is holy be sanctified in vs by purity of heart by the contempt of the flesh and the world and that by an assured perseuerance of thy loue wee may be holy as thy name is holy which we beare and by which wee are called Christians For which cause let it be and dwell alwayes in vs that wee may addict our selues to holinesse and righteousnesse Lo teo regne vegne Thy Kingdome come YOu must vnderstand that God the Father hath two Kingdomes the one of glory life eternall the other of grace the life Christian And these two Kingdomes are ioyned together in such manner that betwixt them there is no middle but the point of death But according to the order of diuine Iustice the Kingdome of grace is before the Kingdome of glory And therefore they that liue in the Kingdome of grace by which we are to passe if wee will enter the Kingdome of glory without doubt they shall raigne in the Kingdome of glory and no man can reigne there by any other meanes And therefore Christ our Lord saith vnto his Disciples Seeke first the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof that is the Kingdome of grace and vertue as Faith Hope Charity and the rest But forasmuch as you cannot performe this of your selues without the heauenly grace beg it at Gods hands saying O our Father which art in Heauen thy Kingdome come that is to say the loue of vertue and the hatred of the World La toa volunta sia faita enaimi es faita en cel fia faita en terra Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heauen A Man cannot affect desire or doe any better thing in this life then to endeuour with all his wit and vnderstanding and with all his heart to doe the will of God as the Angels doe it in Heauen Now to doe the will of God is to renounce himselfe that is to say his owne proper will and to dispose and employ that which is in his owne soule and heart or that is without him in things temporall according to the Law of God and the Doctrine of the Gospell of Christ Iesus And to be well content with whatsoeuer it shall please God to doe or permit both in aduersity and prosperity Many there are who thinke they are to be excused because they know not the will of God But these men deceiue themselues For the will of God is written and plainely manifested and proued by the word of God which they will not reade or vnderstand And therefore saith the Apostle Conforme not your selues vnto those that loue the World but be reformed and renewed in the truth of your vnderstanding to the end you may know what is the will of God And againe this is the will of God euen your sanctification There is no worke that is little if it be done with a willing and feruent affection And our Sauiour teacheth his Disciples both by words and examples that the will of God must be done not theirs saying I am come into the world not to doe my will but to doe the will of my Father who hath sent me Againe being neere his passion and seeing the torments of death which he was to endure as he was man he cryed out O my Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me but yet not my will but thy will be done To be briefe we must thus pray in all our affaires O our Father which art in Heauen Thy will be done in vs by vs and of vs in Earth as it is done by the Angels in Heauen without idlenesse continually without fault vprightly without humane desire doing that which is good leading a vertuous and a pure life obeying our superiours and contemning this World Dona nos lo nostre pan quotidien enchoi Giue vs this day our daily bread WEe may heere vnderstand two kinds of bread Corporall and Spirituall By Corporall bread wee are to vnderstand our meates and drinkes and clothing and all things necessary for the body without which we cannot liue naturally The Spirituall Bread is the Word of God the Body
dissemble without some defect of charity what they had found in them worthy reprehension And that was that they yeelded to much to their infirmities since that hauing once knowne the truth they neuerthelesse frequented Papisticall Churches being present at those idolatries which they condemned basely prophaning and polluting themselues that wee are not onely certainly to beleeue with the heart but wee must likewise make confession with our mouth to saluation Moreouer they told them of another fault which they had taken notice of and that was that they were too carefull in heaping vp gold and siluer for though the end were good that is to helpe and comfort them in time of persecution yet forasmuch as euery day brought with it affliction enough and that such cares are not befitting those that are to looke only before them and to lay vp a treasure in heauen they condemned that which was superabundant in them and which in the end they would principally rely vpon Joachimê° Cam. in Hist de Ecclesijs fratrum in Bohemia Morauia p. 105 The Waldenses of Austria did heartly thanke them intreating them to continue this holy affection towards them and for their part to doe their best endeauour to further their communion and to appoint a day and place of meeting and conference for they hauing a long time knowne those their defects which they had taken notice of as yet they had not power to prouide conuenient remedies for the same but their hope was that being altogether they should be able better to resolue with themselues as also touching many other points of greatest moment Now when it was euen vpon the point to send to the place where they had agreed to meete and to assemble themselues they began to doubt that the businesse might be discouered and it might be dangerous to all of them And besides that they considered with themselues that they had been supported notwithstanding their assemblies and beliefe were sufficiently knowne and therefore they should put themselues into extreame danger if they should ioyne themselues with other people These considerations made their former designes and purposes of their mutuall communications to vanish away as also in the yeere following that is 1468. in the yeere one thousand foure hundred siixty eight the persecution increased against the said Waldenses of Austria for there were burnt a great number at Vienna Among others the History makes mention of one Steuen an ancient man who being there burnt confirmed many with his constancy They that would escape this persecution retired themselues into the coast of Brandebourg where they stayed not long being also there exposed to fire and sword Amongst those there was one named Tertor Ioach. Cam. in hist de Ecclesijs fratrum in Bohemia Morauia p. 117. that retired himselfe into Bohemia where hee ioined himselfe to the Churches of the Hussites and finding that a man might there remaine in peace both of body and soule he returned into his Country and perswaded many to goe to Bohemia and to inhabit there who were louingly entertained and after that time there haue been no assemblies of the Waldenses in particular but they haue ioyned themselues vnto the Churches of the Hussites CHAP. XI Of the Waldenses inhabiting in Germany and the persecutions that there they suffered whereof we haue the proofes NOtwithstanding that incontinently after that Peter Walde with those that followed him came into Germany there was so great a persecution along vpon the Rhine by the incitement and instigation of the Archbishops of Mayence and Strasbourg that there were burnt in one day in one fire Dubranius in the history of Bohemia to the number of eighteene yet wee find that in the time of the Emperor Frederic the second about the yeere one thousand two hundred and thirteene Germany and especially Alsatia was full of the VValdenses The searchers were so diligent and exact Coistans vpon the Reuel that they were inforced to disperse themselues into other places to auoide the persecution This flight turned to the great benefit of the Church because hereby many learned Teachers were scattered here and there to make knowne vnto the world the purity of their Religion 1230. In the yeere one thousand two hundred thirty a certaine Inquisitor named Conrad de Marpurg Vignier in the 1. part of his Bibli Historiale was ordained by the Pope Superintendent of the Inquisition He exercised this charge with extreame cruelty against all sorts of persons without any respect euen of the Priests themselues Trithem in Chron. Hirsaugiensi Godefridus Mon. in Annalibus whose bodies and goods he confiscated He tried men with a hot iron saying that they that could hold an iron red hot in their hands and not be burnt were good Christians but on the contrary if they felt the fire he deliuered them to the secular power In these times the Waldenses had in the Diocesse of Treues many Schooles wherein they caused their children to be instructed in their beliefe and notwithstanding all the Inquisitions persecutions executed vpon their flockes yet they aduentured to preach Krautz in Metropol l. 8. § 18 in Saxon l. 8. ca. 16. calling their assemblies by the sound of a bell maintaining in publica statione saith the Historiographer publikly that the Pope was an hereticke his Prelates Simonaicall and seducers of the people That the truth was not preached but amongst them and that had not they come amongst them to teach God before he would haue suffered their faith to perish would haue raised others euen the stones themselues to enlighten his Church by the preaching of the word Vntill these times say they our Preachers haue buried the truth and preached lyes we on the contrary preach the truth and bury falshood and lyes and lastly we offer not a feined remission inuented by the Pope but by God alone and according to our vocation Mathew Paris an English writer obserueth 1220. Math. Paris in Henry 3. anno 1220. that about the yeere 1220 there were a great number in a part of Germany that tooke armes where the Waldenses were cut in peeces being surprised in a place of great disadvantage hauing on the one side a marish ground and on the other the sea in such sort that it was impossible for them to escape 1330. Vignier in his third part of his Historicall Biblio in the yeere 1330. About the yeer 1330 they were strangely vexed in many parts of Germanie by a certaine Iacobin Monke Inquisitor named Echard but after many cruelties executed vpon them as hee pressed the Waldenses to discouer vnto him the reasons for which they were seperated from the Church of Rome being vanquished in his owne conscience and acknowledging those defects and corruptions which they alleaged to be in the Church of Rome to bee true and not being able to disproue the points of their beliefe by the word of God he gaue glory vnto God and confessing
that the truth had ouercome him hee became a member of that Church which hee had a long time before persecuted to the death The other Inquisitors being aduertised of this alteration were much displeased and they sent presently so many after him that in the end hee was apprehended and brought to Heidelberg where he was burnt maintaining that it was iniustice and wrong to condemne so many good men to death for the righteousnesse of Christ against the inuentions of Antichrist 1391. Krautzin Metrop l. 8. p. 18. in Sax. l. 8. cap. 16. In the yeere 1391 the Monkes Inquisitors tooke in Soxony and Pomerania foure hundred forty three VValdenses who all confessed that they had been instructed in that beliefe for a long time by their ancestors and that their teachers came from Bohemia 1457. In the yeere one thousand foure fifty seuen the Monkes Inquisitors of the Diocesse of Eisten in Germany discouered many VValdenses which they put to death They had amongst them twelue Pastors that instructed them We must not ouerpasse the thirty fiue Burgesses of Mayence that were burned in the Towne of Bingue because they were knowne to be of the beliefe of the VValdenses nor the fourescore which the Bishop of Strasbourg caused to be burnt in one fire nor that which Trithemius recounts that they confessed in in those times that the number of VValdenses was so great that they could goe from Cologne to Milan and lodge themselues with hostes of their owne profession and that they had signes vpon their houses and gates whereby the might know them But the most excellent instrument amongst them that God imployed in his seruice was one Raynard Lollard who at the first was a Franciscan Monke and an enemy of the VValdenses but yet a man carried with a sanctified desire to finde the way of saluation wherein he had so profited that his aduersaries themselues were constrained to commend him Iohn le Maire in the 3. part of the diff of Schismes in the 24. scisme For Iohn le Maire puts him in the ranke of those holy men that haue foretold by diuine reuellation many things that haue come to passe in his time This worthy man taught the doctrine of the VValdenses was apprehended in Germany by the Monkes Inquisitors and being deliuered to the secular power was burnt at Cologne This man hath writ a Commentary vpon the Apocalipse where hee hath set downe many things that are spoken of the Romane Antichrist This was he of whom the faithfull in England were called Lollards where he taught witnesse that Towre in London which at this present is called by his name Lollards Tower where the faithfull that professed his Religion were imprisoned CHAP. XII Of the VValdenses that haue been persecuted in England ENgland hath been one of the first places that hath been honoured for receiuing the Gospell for not long after that VValdo departed from Lion there were many condemned to death as VValdenses that is to say eleuen yeeres after the dispersion of the VValdenses of the Citty of Lion For Waldo departed out of Lion 1163. Math. Paris in his History of England the said yeere 1174. in the yeere one thousand one hundred sixty three and Mathew Paris reports that the Monkes Inquisitors caused some of the Waldenses to be burnt in England in the yeere 1174. And Iohn Bale makes mention of a certaine man that was burnt at London in the yeere 1210 that was charged with no other matter 1210. Iohn Basle in the Chronicles of London Thomas Walden in his sixt volume of things sacramentall tit 12. chap. 10. then that hee professed the Religion of the Waldenses Thomas Walden an English man hath writ that in the time of Henry the second the Waldenses were grieuously persecuted and that they were called Publicans And as for those in whom they found not cause enough to condemne vnto death they marked them in forhead with a burning key to the end they might be knowne of euery man This beliefe of the Waldenses was better known in the time of the wars against the Albingenses insomuch that as le Sieur de la Popeliniere hath well obserued the proximity of the lands and possessions of the Earle Remod of TholouZe La Popiliniere in his History of France l. 1. with Guienne then possessed by the English and the aliance of the King of England brother in law of the said Remond made the way more easie to the English not onely to succour one another in their wars but also to take knowledge of the beliefe of the said Albingenses which was no other but that of the Waldenses to the end that they might support them though the violence were vniust and extreame against those whom the English were many times constrained to defend against those who vnder the pretence of Religion inuaded his lands Frier Rainard Lollard was then the most powerfull instrument which God vsed by exhortations and sound reasons to giue knowledged to the English of the doctrine for which the VValdenses were deliuered to death This doctrine was receiued by Wicklif as it is noted in the Booke of the Beginning and confession of the Churches of Bohemia who thereby obtained much helpe for the increase of his knowledge in the truth He was a renowned Theologian in the Vniuersity of Oxford and parson of the parish of Luterworth in the Diocesse of Lincolne an eloquent man and profound Scholler He won the hearts of many English euen of most honorable of the land as the Duke of Lancaster vncle to King Richard Henry Percy Lewes Gifford and the Chancellor the Earle of Salisbury By the fauour of of these great personages the doctrine of the VValdenses or of Wicklif tooke footing and had free passage in England vntill Gregory the eleuenth persecuted those that receiued it with allowance by meanes of his Monkes the Inquisitors the fiers being kindled in England for many yeeres to stay the course thereof but it was all in vaine for it hath been maintained there maugre Antichrist vntill his yoke was wholly shaken off True it is that the bones of Wicklif were dis-interred aboue thirty yeeres after his death and condemned to be burnt with such bookes as his aduersaries could recouer but he had before enlightned so great a number that it was beyond the power of his enemies altogether to depriue the Church of them For by how much the more they indeauoured to hinder the reading and knowledge of them by horrible threats and death it selfe the more were the affections of many sharpned to reade them with greater ardency It is likewise said that a certaine Scholler hauing carried into Bohemia one of the books of the said Wicklif intituled His Vniuersals and deliuering it to Iohn Hus he gathered that knowledge from it that made him admirable in Bohemia and edified all those who together with him did very willingly free themselues from the seruile yoke of the Church of Rome Lib. de