bought vs with his precious bloud bee all honour and glory for euer and euer So be it FINIS THE THIRD PART OF THE HISTORIE OF THE WALDENSES AND ALBINGENSES THE FIRST BOOKE Contayning the Doctrine and Discipline that hath beene common amongst them The Catechisme or manner of instructing their Children which the Waldenses and Albingenses haue vsed in manner of a Dialogue where the Pastor asketh the question and the Childe answereth set down iointly in their owne proper Language in the French Copy for the more Authority CHAPTER I. The learned Reader desirous to see the Originall may haue recourse to the French Booke where it is faithfully set forth in their owne old Language Lo. Barba Si tu fosses demanda qui sies tu Respond L'Enfant Creatura de dio rational mortal c. The Pastor Question WHat art thou Answer A creature of God reasonable and mortall Q. Why hath God created thee A. To the end I should know and serue him and that I might be saued by his grace Q. In what doth thy saluation consist A. In three essentiall vertues which doe necessarily belong to saluation Q. Which be they A. Faith Hope and Charity Q. How dost thou proue it A. The Apostle saith in the 1 Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 13.13 These three things remaine Faith Hope and Charity Q. What is Faith A. According to the Apostle Heb. 11.1 It is the substance of things hoped for the euidence of things not seene Q. How many kindes of Faith are there A. There are two sorts of Faith that is a liuely and a dead Faith Q. What is a liuely Faith A. That which worketh by Charity Q. What is a dead Faith A. According to Saint Iames That Faith which is without workes is dead Againe Faith is nothing without workes Or a dead faith is to beleeue there is a God and to beleeue those things concerning God and not to beleeue in God Q. What is thy Faith A. The true Catholike and Apostolike Faith Q. What is that A. It is that which in the Apostles Symbole is diuided into twelue Articles Q. What is that Symbole A. I beleeue in God the Father Almighty c. Q. By what meanes canst thou know that thou beleeuest in God A. By this Because I know that I haue giuen my selfe to the obseruation of the Commandements of God Q. How many Commandements of God are there A. Ten as it appeareth in Exodus and Deuteronomy Q. Which are they A. Hearken O Israel I am the Lord thy God Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in Heauen c. Q. Vpon what doe all these Commandements depend A. Vpon the two great Commandements that is to say Thou shalt loue God aboue all things and thy Neighbour as thy selfe Q. What is the foundation of these Commandements by which euery one ought to enter into life without which foundation no man can worthily fulfill the Commandements A. Our Lord Iesus Christ of whom the Apostle saith in the first to the Corinthians None can lay any other foundation but that which is laid euen Iesus Christ Q. By what meanes may a man attaine to this foundation A. By Faith So saith Saint Peter 1 Epist 2.6 Behold I lay in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect precious and he that beleeueth in him shall not be confounded And our Sauiour saith Hee that beleeueth in me shall haue eternall life Q. How doest thou know that thou beleeuest A. Because I know him to bee true God and true man who was borne suffered c. for my redemption and Iustification and that Houe him and desire to fulfill his Commandements Q. By what meanes may a man attaine to the Essentiall vertues that is to say Faith Hope and Charity A. By the gifts of the holy Ghost Q. Doest thou beleeue in the holy Ghost A. I doe beleeue For the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne and is a person of the Trinity and according to the Diuinity is equall with the Father and the Sonne Q. Doest thou beleeue God the Father God the Sonne God the holy Ghost to be three Persons Then there are three Gods A. No there are not three Q. But yet thou hast named three A. That was by reason of the difference of the Persons not of the Essence of the Diuinity For though there be three Persons yet there is but one Essence Q. After what manner doest thou adore and serue that God in whom thou beleeuest A. I adore him by an exterior and interior adoration Exterior by the bowing of the knees the lifting vp of the hands the inclination of the body with hymnes and spirituall songs fasting inuocation but inwardly by a holy affection a will ready to doe what hee pleaseth and I serue him by Faith Hope Charity in his Commandements Q. Doest thou adore and serue any other thing as God A. No. Q. Wherefore A. Because of his Commandement whereby hee hath straightly commanded saying Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue As also I will not giue my glory to another Againe I liue saith the Lord Euery knee shall bow vnto me And Christ Iesus saith There shall be true worshippers who shall worship the Father in spirit and truth and the Angell would not be adored by Saint Iohn nor Saint Peter by Cornelius Q. After what manner doest thou pray A. I pray according to that Prayer that was taught vs by the Sonne of God Our Father which art in Heauen c. Q. Which is the other substantiall vertue belonging of necessity to saluation A. It is Charity Q. What is Charity A. It is a gist of the holy Ghost whereby the soule is reformed in will illuminated by Faith whereby I beleeue all that I ought to beleeue and hope whatsoeuer I ought to hope Q. Doest thou beleeue in the holy Church A. No for that is a creature but I beleeue there is a Church Q. What is that thou beleeuest touching the holy Church A. I say that the Church is considered after a twofold manner the one in it substance the other in it Ministery Considered in it substance by the Church we vnderstand the holy Catholike Church which containeth all the Elect of God from the beginning of the World to the end in the grace of God by the merit of Christ assembled by the holy Ghost ordained from the beginning to eternall life the names and number of whom is known onely to God who hath elected them And lastly in this Church there remaineth no excommunicated person But the Church considered according to the veritie of the Ministery are the Ministers of Christ with the people subiect vnto them or committed to their charge vsing their Ministery by Faith Hope and Charity Q. By what markes doest thou know the Church of Christ A. By fit and conuenient Ministers and by the people
into a Sepulcher that he that by his valour had restored all his Subiects to their houses Holaga pag. 164 and their Citie to it former greatnesse he whose death they lamented as a Father should be cast out like a Dogge It is neither true nor hath it any resemblance of truth that they should deny him this last office of charitie which they haue not refused to bestow vpon their greatest enemies for it was neuer heard of that the Albingenses haue denied sepulture vnto any As touching the Earle of Foix Remond he was a Prince of whom the Historie giues this testimony that he was a Patron of Iustice clemency prudence valour magnanimitie patience and continency a good Warriour a good Husband a good Father a good House-keeper a good Iusticer worthy to haue his name honoured and his vertues remembred throughout all generations When this good Prince saw that he was to change the earth for heauen he defied death with an assured constant carriage and tooke comfort in forsaking the world and the vanities thereof and calling his sonne Roger vnto him hee exhorted him to serue God to liue vertuously to gouerne his people like a Father vnder the obedience of his Lawes and so gaue vp the ghost His Wife the Lady Philippe of Moncade followed him shortly after not without suspition of poyson by some domesticall enemy of the Albingenses whose religion she professed with all deuotion A Princesse of a great and admirable prouidence faith constancy and loyaltie She vttered before her death many excellent sentences full of edification as well in the Castilian tongue as the French in contempt of death which she receiued with a maruellous grace fortifying her speeches with most Christian consolations to the great comfort and edification of all that were present and in this estate she changed her life All these deaths made a great alteration in the wars of the Albingenses both on the one side and the other CHAP. V. Almaric of Montfort restored to King Lewis the eight the conquered Countries of the Albingenses the siege of Auignon the King appointeth a Gouernor in Languedoc The warre continues against the Albingenses Toulouze is besieged a treatie of peace with the Earle Remond and the Toulouzains ALmaric of Montfort had not the fortune of his Father in the warres of the Albingenses For he had neither King Philip Auguste who permitted the leuie of the Pilgrims nor Pope Innocent the third to appoint them Moreouer there was neither Citie nor Village in France where there were not widowes and fatherlesse children by reason of the passed warres of the Albingenses And besides all this the Prelats were many times put into great feares by those cruell combats that were ordinarily made and many of them left behinde them their Miters and some Abbots their Crosses The speech of the expeditions of the Crosse was not so common This was the cause why Almaric did not long enioy his conquered Countries wherewith being much afflicted hee went into France Inuentory of Serres in the life of Lewis the eight and deliuered vp vnto Lewis the eight of that name King of France all the right that he had to the said Countries which the Pope the Councels of Vaur Montpelier and Lotran had granted vnto him and in recompence thereof King Lewis created him Constable of France 1224. in the yeare 1224. To put himselfe into possession King Lewis the eight came into Languedoc and comming to the gates of Auignon he was denied entrance because professing the Religion of the Albingenses they had beene excommunicated and giuen by the Pope to the first Conquerour for then Auignon was no chiefe Citie of the Earldome of Venessin as at this present but belonged to the King of Naples and Sicily The King being much moued with this deniall resolued to besiege it which continued for the space of eight moneths in the end whereof they yeelded themselues about Whitsontide in the yeare 1225. 1225. During this siege almost all the cities of Languedoc acknowledged the king of France by the mediation of Mr. Amelin Archbishop of Narbonne The King established for Gouernour in Languedoc Imbert de Beauieu and tooke his way to France but hee died by the way at Montpensier in September in the yeare 1226. The young Remond Earle of Toulouze was bound by promise to the king to goe to receiue his absolution of Pope Honorius and afterwards he should giue him peaceable possession of all his lands but the death of the king in the meane time happening he saw the Realme of France in the hands of king Lewis a childe and in his minority and the regency in the power and gouernment of his mother Hee thought that hauing to deale with an infant king and a woman regent he might recouer by force that which he had quit himselfe of by agreement He therefore resolued to take armes being encouraged thereunto by the succours of the Albingenses his subjects who were in great hope to maintaine their part in strength and vigor during the Non-age of the King of France but they were deceiued in their proiect For though Lewis the ninth were in his ninoritie yet he was so happie as to haue a wise and a prudent mother if euer there were any For King Lewis the eighth before his death had appointed her the Tutrix or Gardianesse of his sonne and Regent of the Realme knowing very well her great capacity and sufficiency Besides Imbert de Beauieu maintained the authority of the king in Languedoc tooke armes and made opposition against the Earle Remond and the Albingenses The Queene sent him diuers troopes The History of Languedoc sol 31. by the helpe whereof he recouered the Castle de Bonteque neare to Toulouze which was a great hinderance to Imbert and his portizans All the Albingenses that were found within the Castle were put to death and a certaine Deacon with others that would not abiure their Religion by the commandement of the said Imbert Amel the Popes Legat and the aduise of Guyon Bishop of Carcassonne they were burnt aliue 1227. in the yeare 1227. suffring death with admirable constancy The more the persecution increased the more the number of the Albingenses multiplied which Imber of Beauieu perceiuing he went to the Court to let them vnderstand that without succours he could no longer defend the countrey and the places newly annexed to the Crowne and patrimony of France against the Albingenses and the Earle Remond In the meane time whilest he was absent the Earle Remond tooke the Castle Sarrazin one of the strongest places that Imbert had in his keeping and holding the field did much hurt to his enemies Imbert came from France 1228. at the spring of the yeare one thousand two hundred twenty eight accompanied with a great Armie of the Crosse in which there was the Archbishop of Bourges the Archbishop of Aouch and of Burdeaux euery one with the Pilgrims of their iurisdiction The Earle
desperate men vntill he knew the pietie and truth of their beleefe by their owne confessions and writings whereby he perceiued that these good and honest men were much wronged and that the Pope had condemned them for heretikes being rather worthie of the praise that is due to Saints and Martyrs And that he had found in the said Waldenses one thing worthy admiration and to be obserued as a miracle neuer heard of in the Church of Rome namely that the said Waldenses hauing abandoned all humane learning gaue them selues wholly to the vtmost of their power to the meditation of the law of God day night and that they were very expert in the Scriptures and well exercised in them and that contrarily they whom we call our great Maisters in the Papacy made so light account of the Scriptures glorying neuerthelesse in the title thereof that there were some amongst them that had scarce seene the Bible Hauing also read the confession of the Waldenses he said that he did thanke God for that great light that it had pleased God to impart vnto them taking great comfort with them for that all occasion of suspition amongst them whereby one was suspected to the other of heresie was taken away and that they were knit so close together as that they were all sheepe of one fold vnder the onely Pastor and Bishop of our soules who is blessed for euer Oecolampadius writ vnto the Waldenses of Prouence in the yeare a thousand fiue hundred and thirtie this letter following This letter is found in the book of George Morel pastor of the Waldenses touching the conference which he had with Oecolamp and Martin Bucer WE haue vnderstood with a great dedle of contentment by your faithfull Pastor George Morel what your faith and religion is and with what termes you speake thereof We therefore yeeld humble and heartie thanks to our mercifull Father who hath called you to so great light in this age euen in the middest of those obscure darknesses which are spread throughout the whole world and the vnlimited power of Antichrist And therefore we acknowledge and confesse that Christ is in you for which we loue you as brethren And I would to God we had power and abilitie to make you feele that in effect which we shall be readie to do for you yea though it be in matters of greatest difficultie We would not that you should take that which we write to proceed out of any pride or attributing to our selues any superioritie but out of that brotherly loue and charitie we beare towards you The Father of our Lord Iesus Christ hath imparted vnto you an excellent knowledge of his truth more then to many other people and hath blessed you with a spirituall benediction So that if you persist in his grace he hath in store greater treasures for you which he will enrich you withall and make you perfect that you may grow to the full measure of the inheritance of Christ The subscription of the letter is Oecolampadius wisheth the grace of God the Father by his Sonne Iesus Christ and his holy Spirit to his welbeloued brethren in Christ which they call Waldenses Martin Bucer writ vnto them at the same time this letter following BLessed be the Lord God and our louing Father who hath preserued you to this present time in so great knowledge of his truth and who hath now inspired you in the search thereof hauing made you capable and fit to do it Behold now what the nature of true faith is which is that so soone as it knowes in part any sparke of the diuine light it preserueth carefully the things that are giuen vnto it of God Saint Paul is an example vnto vs who in all his Epistles shewes the great care that he hath had to procure the glorie of God And doubtlesse if we pray with a good heart that the name of God be sanctified and his kingdome may come we shall prosecute nothing with such diligence as the establishment of the truth where it is not and the aduancement thereof where it is alreadie planted The rest of this letter is hereafter in the booke of the persecutions of the Waldenses Vigneaux in his Memorials of the Waldenses fol. 4. One onely thing doth especially grieue vs that our imployments at this time are such about other affaires that we haue no leisure to answer you at large as we desire c. Le Sieur de Vigneaux who was a Pastor of the Waldenses in the vallies of Piemont hath written a Treatise of their life manners and religion to whom he giues this testimonie that they were a people of a holy and godly life and conuersation well gouerned great enemies to vice but especially their Barbes for so they called their Pastors And speaking of those of his owne time he saith We liue in peace in these vallies of Piemont and in loue amitie one with another we haue commerce together neuer marrying our sonnes to the daughters of those of the Church of Rome or our daughters to their sonnes yea our manners and customes please them so well that such as are masters and call themselues Catholickes desire to chuse their men seruants and maid-seruants rather from amongst vs then themselues And they come also from farre to seeke nurses for their children amongst vs finding in ours more fidelitie then in their owne And as touching the doctrine for which the Waldenses haue bene persecuted It appeareth by the Historie of the Estate of the Church p. 337. they do affirme saith he that we are to beleeue the Scriptures onely in that which concerneth our saluation not any way depending vpon men That the Scriptures containe in them whatsoeuer is necessary to saluation and that we are not to beleeue any thing but what God hath commanded vs. That we haue one onely Mediatour and therefore we are not to inuocate Saints That there is no Purgatory but all such as are iustified by Christ go to eternall life They approue of two Sacraments Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. They affirme that all Masses are damnable especially those that are said for the dead and therefore are to be abolished That all humane traditions are to be reiected as not being necessary to saluation That singing and often rehearsall of diuine Seruice fasts tyed to certaine dayes superfluous feasts difference of meates so many degrees and orders of Friers Monks and Nuns so many benedictions and consecrations of creatures vowes pilgrimages and the whole confusion and great number of ceremonies heretofore inuented are to be abolished They deny the supremacie of the Pope and especially that power that he vsurpeth ouer ciuill gouernment and they admit of no other degrees then Bishops Priests and Deacons That the Sea of Rome is the true Babylon and that the Pope is the fountaine of all the euils in these dayes That the marriage of Priests is good and necessary That they that heare the word of God and
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 Art 4. that there 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 Art 5. who receiued 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 his Father that is to say Art 6. 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 Art 7. and iustice 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 We do also firmly hold Art 8. 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 We do also beleeue thaâ—â—â—â—er this life Art 9. 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 We haue also alwayes beleeued Art 10. 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 We do abhorre all humane inuentions Art 11. as coming from Antechrist all which bring troubles with them and are preiudiciall to the libertie of the spirit We beleeue that the Sacraments are outward signes of holy things Art 12. 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 We do not acknowledge any other Sacrament but Baptisme and the Eucharist Art 13. We do honour the secular power Art 14. 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. des 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 of his father Art 2. 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 Art 4. which is 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 We hold that the Ministers of the Church ought to be irreprehensible both in life and doctrine Art 5. 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 We confesse that Kings Art 6. 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 We beleeue Art 7. 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 We hold the holy Sacrament of the table or Supper of our Lord Iesus Christ Art 8. 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 confesse that mariage is good and honourable Art 9. holy and instituted of God which ought
resolued to order their Churches in such sort that that exercise which was before performed in couert might be knowne of euery one and that their Pastors should preach the Gospell openly that is to say without any apprehension of persecutions that might happen vnto them His Highnesse was speedily aduertised of this change and much moued therewith in such sort that hee commanded one Pantaleon Bersor to speed himselfe into the said Valleys with his troopes of men which hee so readily performed that before the people were aware of it hee was entred their Valleys with fiue hundred men part on foot and part on horsebacke ransaking pillaging and wasting whatsoeuer was before them The people leauing their plough and tillage put themselues into their passages and with their slings charged their enemies with such violence that they were constrained to flie and to abandon their prey many of them remaining dead vpon the ground This newes came presently to his Highnesse being likewise told him that experience had taught them before that it was not the way to reclaime and subdue these people by armes the places of their habitation being so fauourable vnto them they knowing better the straites and passages of the Country then the assaiâ—â—nts and therefore there was nothing to bee gotten when the skin of one of the Waldenses must bee bought with the losse of the liues of a dosen of his other Subiects Hee thought it therefore not good to molest them any more by armes but onely that they should be taken by retaile one by one as they came into Piedmont and examplary iustice executed vpon them if they changed not their beliefe that so by little and little they might be destroyed to the astonishment of all others that dwell in the said Valleys and so their ruine might be procured insensibly and without the danger of any other the Princes Subiects All this hindred not but that they still persisted in their resolution And to end that all things might bee done in order amongst them they assembled themselues together out of all their Valleys to Angrongne in the yeere one thousand fiue hundred thirty fiue 1535. and the twelfth of September that is to say all the heads of euery families with their Pastors where by of them it was certified that their brethren the Waldenses of Prouence and Dauphine had sent into Germany their Pastors George Morell and Peter Masson to confer with Oecolampadius Bucer and other the seruants of God who there preached the Gospell touching the beliefe which they haue had from the father to the sonne time out of minde that they had found that God had been very mercifull and gratious vnto vs in that he hath preserued vs vndefiled in the middest of so many Idolatries and superstitions which haue infected all Christendome in the ages past vnder the tyranny of Antichrist of Rome They haue encouraged vs by holy aduertisements and reasons giuen This admonition or remonstrance giuen by Oecolamp and Bucer to George Morrel and Pet. Masson is in the Memor of the said Morel fol. 5. and exhorted vs not to bury those talents which God hath imparted vnto vs finding it an euill thing that we haue so long delayed the time to make publike profession of adhearing to the Gospell and causing it to be preached in the eares and to the knowledge of euery one leauing the euents vnto God of whatsoeuer it shall please him shall fall vpon vs by procuring his glory and the aduancement of the Kingdome of his Sonne And afterwards hauing read the letters of the said Oecolampadius and Bucer which were sent vnto them as to their Brethren the Waldenses of Prouence and Dauphine the Propositions or Articles following were ordered reade and approued signed and sworne to by all the assistants with one minde and consent to conserue obserue beleeue and retaine amongst them inuiolably without any contradiction as being conformable to the doctrine which hath been taught them from the father to the sonne for these many hundred yeeres and taken out of the word of God ARTICLE I. That Diuine Seruice cannot bee done but in spirit and in truth For God is a spirit and whosoeuer will pray vnto him must pray in spirit II. All that haue been or shall be saued haue been chosen of God before all worlds III. They that are saued cannot but be saued IV. Whosoeuer holdeth free-Will denieth wholly the Predestination and the grace of God V. No worke is called good but that which is commanded by God and no worke is euill but that which is forbidden by God VI. A Christian may sweare by the name of God not any way contradicting that which is written in the fift Chapter by Saint Matthew prouided that hee that sweareth take not the name of the Lord in vaine Now that man sweareth not in vaine whose oath redoundeth to the glory of God and the good of his neighbour Also a man may sweare in iudgement because he that beares the office of a Magistrate be he Christian or infidell hath the power of God VII Auricular Confession is not commanded of God and it is concluded according to the holy Scriptures that the true confession of a Christian consisteth in confessing himselfe to one onely God to whom belongs honour and glory There is another kinde of confession which is when as a man reconcileth himselfe vnto his neighbour whereof mention is made in the fift of Saint Matthew The third manner of Confession is when as man hath sinned publikly an all men take notice of it so he confesse and acknowledge the fault publikely VIII We must cease vpon the Lords day from all our labours as being zealous of the honor and glory of God for the better exercise of our charity towards our neighbours and our better attendance to the hearing of the word of God IX It is not lawfull for a Christian to reuenge himselfe vpon his enemy in any manner whatsoeuer X. A Christian may exercise the office of a Magistrate ouer Christians XI There is no certaine time determined for the fast of a Christian and it doth appeare in the word of God that the Lord hath commanded or appointed certaine daies XII Marriage is not forbidden any man of what quality or condition soeuer he be XIII Whosoeuer forbiddeth marriage teacheth a diabolicall doctrine XIIII He that hath not the gift of continency is bound to marry XV. The ministers of the word of God ought not to be changed from place to place except it be for the great benefit of the Church XVI It is not a thing repugnant to the Apostolicall communion that the ministers should possesse any thing in particular to prouide for the maintenance of their families XVII Touching the matter of the Sacraments it hath been concluded by the holy Scriptures that we haue but two Sacramental signes the which Christ Iesus hath left vnto vs the one is Baptisme the other the Eucharist which wee receiue to shew what our perseuerance in
themselues to bee Merchants and of their Religion to the dishonour of God hee thought it would be a fault in himselfe if he should make no reply to those blaspemies that he heard He therefore answered the party that held this discourse in fauour of his Religion And what saith he that had been reprehended by Copin are you a Waldensian He answered Yea. And doe you not belieue that God is in the Hoste No saith Copin Fie vpon you replies the other what a false Religion is yours My Religion saith Copin is as true as it is true that God is God and as I am sure I shall die The next morrow Copin was called before the Bishop of Ast who told him that he had been aduertised of certaine scandalous discourses and opinions which but the day before hee held in the euening at his lodging and that hee must acknowledge the offence if he would obtaine pardon otherwise he would take order for his punishment Copin answered that he had been prouoked thereunto and howsoeuer he had said nothing that he would not maintaine with the danger of his owne life that hee had some goods in the world and a wife and children but he had lost the affection he bare vnto those things neither were they deare vnto him to the preiudice of his conscience And as touching his behauiour saith he if it would please the Bishop to enquire of the Merchants of Ast who all knew him whether he were an honest man they would all witnesse for him that he had neuer wronged any man In that whole time he had traded and conuersed with them and that being a Merchant he was to be dismissed for that cause for which he was then in that place that is for trafficke and therefore not to bee molested That if Iewes and Turkes were permitted to come to Faires and to trafficke throughout all Piedmont much more should he be permitted who was a Christian especially since that in that discourse of Religion he did but answere to a question moued vnto him and that it was lawfull for any man to answere and to giue a reason of his faith to whom and in what place soeuer euen by vertue of that treaty and agreement betweene the Waldenses of the Valleys and his Highnesse which forbids them to broach new opinions but takes not from them the liberty to answere to whomsoeuer shall aske any questions of them The Bishop harkened not at all to these allegations but gaue commandement that he should bee sent to prison The morrow after the Bishops Secretary came to visit Copin and making great profession of loue towards him he said vnto him that hee would haue him know as from his friend that if he did not acknowledge his fault he would be in great danger of his life Copin answered him that his life was in the hands of God and he would neuer desire to preserue it to the preiudice of his glory and forasmuch as he had but two or three paces to walke in his iourney to heauen his hearty prayer vnto God was that he would be pleased to giue him the grace not to turne back Some few daies after he was examined by a Monke Inquisitor in the presence of the Bishop who tormented him a long time with sweet and gentle perswasions endeauouring to winne him by faire words to the abiuration of his beliefe but Copin alwaies conuinced him by the word of God alleadging vnto him that if he should be ashamed of Christ Iesus or deny him before men Christ would be ashamed of him and deny him before his Father in heauen The Monke ended his disputation with these and the like threatning speeches Goe thou waies thou cursed Lutheran to all the diuels in hell and when thou shalt be tormented by those vncleane spirits thou wilt remember those good and holy counsels which we haue giuen thee to bring thee to saluation but thou haddest rather go to hell then to reconcile thy self to our holy mother the Church It is long agoe saith Copin that I was reconciled to our mother the Church After many violent incounters they caused his wife and a sonne of his to come vnto him promising him liberty and to depart with them if hee would amend his fault by confessing it They suffered his said wife and sonne to sup with him in prison which time he spent in exhorting them to patience the wife for that shee should want a husband the childe a father but yet should assure themselues that God would be their father and more then a husband and for his owne part he was not bound to loue either wife or children more then Christ that they should hold it to be no small happinesse that it hath pleased God to do him that honour as to be a witnesse vnto his truth with the losse of his life and that he hoped that God would be so fauourable vnto him as to giue him strength to endure all manner of torments for his glory He committed to the care and charge of his wife his sonne and his daughter which they had in marriage enioyning her to bring them vp in the feare of God He commanded his sonne to obey his mother for so he should drawe downe vpon him the blessing of God he prayed them to pray for him that God would be pleased to strengthen him against all temptations and so hauing blessed his sonne and taken leaue of his wife they were dismissed out of prison and he locked vp where he was before His wife and child shedding fountaines of teares and crying out in such a lamentable manner as would haue moued the hardest hearts to compassion This good man not being content with what he had said vnto them by word of mouth writ vnto her this Lettre following the originall Copy whereof shee deliuered vnto vs written and signed with the hand of the said Copin the superscription whereof was this To my louing Companion Susan Copin At the Tower of Lucerna MOst deare Companion I haue receiued much comfort by your comming into this place and so much the more by how much the lesse I expected it And I thinke it was some comfort to your selfe that you had the meanes to sup with me as it came to passe but yesterday being the fifteenth of September in the yeere 1601 being Saterday I know not the cause why this was permitted but all things are in the hand of God and whatsoeuer were the cause I doe not thinke we-shall euer eate together againe And therefore pray vnto God to be your comforter and put your trust in him who hath promised neuer to forsake those that trust in him You are wise and therefore gouerne our house in such sort that you keepe our children Samuell and Martha in obedience whom I command by that authority that God hath giuen me to be faithfull and obedient vnto you for then God will blesse them For the rest be not grieued concerning my selfe for if God haue
to Capito and Martin Bucer at Strasbourg and to Berthand Haller at Berne to conferre with them about matters touching their Religion and to haue their aduice and counsell about many points wherein they desired to be better satisfied The Letters which Oecolampadius and Bucer sent vnto them are set downe at length in the first Booke of this History the Sixt Chapter where I endeauoured to make it appeare vnto the world that many great personages amongst them that made profession of reformation haue giuen testimony of their piety and probity which is the reason why we insert them not againe in this discourse onely we will produce those of the Waldenses in their own language and afterwards in English Salut a Monseignor Oecolampadio CAr moti racontant asona a nostras oreillas que aquel que po totas cosas c. The Letter of the Waldenses of Prouence to Mr. Oecolampadius Health to Master Oecolampadius FOrasmuch as diuers haue giuen vs to vnderstand and the report is come vnto our eares that he that is able to doe all things hath replenished you with the blessings of his holy Spirit as it well appeares by the fruites we who liue farre distant from you haue thought good to haue recourse vnto you and with ioyfull hearts we hope and trust that the holy Ghost will illuminate vs by your meanes and will satisfie vs concerning many things whereof we are now in doubt and are hidden from vs because of our ignorance and negligence and as it is to be feared to our great hinderance and the people whom we teach with great insufficiency For that you may know at once how matters stand Wee such as we are weake instructers of this little flocke haue remained for aboue foure hundred yeeres in the middest of sharpe and cruell thornes and yet in the meane time not without the great fauour of Christ as all the faithfull can easily testifie for this people hath many times been deliuered by the fauour and mercy of God being gored and tormented by the said thornes And therefore we come vnto you to be counselled and confirmed in our weaknesse They writ another Letter to the same purpose to Martin Bucer the which for breuities sake we omit wherein they relate that they had addressed themselues for the selfe same cause to their brethren of Newcastle Morat and Berne which shewes how carefull the Waldenses were to seeke out all manner of meanes that their vnderstandings might be enlightned in the mysteries of piety for the saluation of their soules especially seeing that then they sought the meanes to aduance and order their Church in the open view of the world when the fires were kindled throughout all France against those of the same Religion that they were who in those times were called Lutherans The greater therefore that their zeale was the more they stirred vp their enemies against them and plunged themselues into the greater dangers But as all are not victorious by faith but there are alwaies some weake who take counsell of the flesh and perswade themselues without reason that they can crooch and bow themselues in those places where God is offended by idolatry and yet keepe the heart pure and neate vnto God Oecolampadius from thence takes occasion to write that which followeth to be deliuered to those dissemblers which walke not with an vpright foote before God The Letter of Oecolampadius written to the VValdenses of Prouence who thought they could serue God by prostituting their bodies before Popish Idols Written in the yeere 1530. Oecolampadius desires the grace of God the Father by his Sonne Iesus Christ and his holy Spirit to his well-beloued Brethren in Christ who are called VValdenses WEe vnderstand that the feare of persecution hath made you to dissemble in your faith and that you hide it Now we beleeue with the heart to righteousnesse and confesse with the mouth to saluation but they that feare to confesse Christ before the world shall not bee receiued by God the Father For our God is truth without any dissimulation and as he is a iealous God he cannot endure that they that are his should ioyne together vnder the yoake of Antichrist for there is no communiō of Christ with Belial And if you communicate with the infidels in going to their abominable Masses you cannot but perceiue their blasphemies against the death and passion of Christ For when they glory in themselues that by the meanes of such sacrifice they satisfie God for the sinnes of the liuing and the dead what can follow but that Iesus Christ hath not sufficiently satisfied by the sacrifice of his death and passion and consequently that Christ is not Iesus that is a Sauiour and that he died for you in vaine If then we haue communion at this impure table we declare our selues to be one body with the wicked how irkesome so euer it be vnto vs. And when we say Amen to their prayers doe we not deny Christ What death should we not rather chuse What paine and torment should we not rather suffer Nay into what hell ought we not rather to plunge our selues then to witnesse by our presence that we consent vnto the blasphemies of the wicked I know that your weaknesse is great but it is necessary that they that haue learned that they are bought by the blood of Christ should be more couragious and alwaies feare him that can cast both body and soule into hell And what shall it suffice vs to haue a care of this life onely shall that be more precious vnto vs then that of Christ And are we contented to haue tasted the delights of this world onely Crownes are prepared for vs and shall we turne backe againe And who will beleeue that our faith hath been true if it faile and faint in the heat of persecution Let vs therefore pray vnto God to increase our faith For certainly it shall be better for vs to die then to be ouercome by temptations And therefore brethren we exhort you to diue into the bottome of this businesse For if it to be lawfull to hide our faith vnder Antichrist it shall be likewise lawfull to hide it vnder the Empire of the Turke and with Dioclesian to adore Iupiter and Venus nay it had been lawfull for Tobit to adore the calfe in Bethel And what then shall our faith towards God be If we honour not God as we should and if our life be nothing but Hipocricy and dissimulation he will spew vs out of his mouth as being neither hot nor cold And how doe we glorifie our Lord in the middest of our tribulations if we deny him Brethren it is not lawfull for vs to looke backe when our hand is at the plough neither is it lawfull to giue eare to our wiues entising vs to euill that is to say to our flesh which notwithstanding it indure many things in this world yet in the hauen it suffereth shipwracke These godly admonitions preuailed much for the
saued by the ayde and assistance of our Lord wee ioyne our selues to the truth of Christ and of his Spouse how little soeuer it be in the eye of the world so farre foorth as our vnderstanding shall direct vs. And therefore we haue determined with our selues to make knowne to the world what are the causes of our departure and what our congregation is to the end that if the Lord shall giue the knowledge of the selfe-same truth they that haue receiued it should loue it together with our selues And that if peraduenture they be not sufficiently illuminated they may receiue comfort and assistance by this meanes and be watered by the dew of heauen And if this grace bee giuen more abundantly and in a higher measure to any other wee desire in all humility to bee better instructed by him intreating our faults and defects may bee amended These things then that follow are the causes of our separation Be it knowne to all in generall and euery particular person that the cause of our separation is for the essentiall verity of Faith and the ministeriall The Essentiall verity of Faith is the inward knowledge of one true God and the vnity of Essence in three persons which knowledge flesh and bloud hath not giuen As also for the decent and conuenient seruice due to one onely God for the loue thereof aboue all things for sanctification and the honour thereof aboue all things and aboue all names for a liuely hope by Christ in God for regeneration and inward renouation by faith hope and charity for the merit of Iesus Christ with all sufficiency of grace and righteousnesse for the participation or communion with all the Elect for remission of sinnes for holy conuersation and for the faithfull accomplishment of all the Commandements in the faith of Christ for true repentance for perseuerance vnto the end and for life euerlasting The Ministeriall verities are these The outward Congregation of Ministers with the people subiect in place time and truth by the ministry of the truth aboue mentioned directing establishing and preseruing the Church the said Ministers by faith and an integrity of life shewing themselues obedient and giuing themselues couragiously to the practise and vsuall cariage of our Sauiour ouer the flocke The things which the Ministers are bound to doe for the seruice of the people are these The Euangelicall Word the Sacraments annexed to the Word which certifie what the intention and vnderstanding hath beene confirme the hope in Christ and in the faithfull the ministeriall communion of all things by the Essentiall verity And if there be any other ministeriall things they may all bee referred to the abouenamed But of these singular verities some are essentially necessary to the saluation of man others conditionally They are contained in the twelue Articles of our Faith and in diuers writings of the Apostles For Antichrist hath long since raigned in the Church by diuine permission The errours and impurities of Antichrist are these that is to say diuers and innumerable Idolatries against the Commandements of God and of Christ by a seruice giuen to the creature and not to the Creator visible and inuisible corporall and spirituall vnderstanding or sensible naturall or made and framed by some art and vnder the name of Christ or hee-saints or shee-saints or reliques which creature is serued by faith by hope by gestures by prayers by pilgrimages by almes-deeds by offerings and sacrifices of great charge The which creature they serue adore honor after a diuers manner with songs orations solemnities and celebrations of Masses vespers complines to the selfe-same creatures with prayer bookes for certaine houres vigils feasts purchasing of grace which is essentially in one onely God and in Iesus Christ meritoriously and is obtained by faith onely and by the holy Ghost For there is no other cause of Idolatry then the false opinion of grace of truth of authority inuocation intercession which this Antichrist hath taken from God and attributed it to his ceremonies authorities the workes of his hands and to Saints and to Purgatory And this iniquity of Antichrist is directly against the first Article of our Faith and the first Commandement of the Law In like sort the disorderly loue of the World which is in Antichrist is that from whence doe spring all the sinnes and wickednesse that is in the Church in those that are the Leaders and Rulers and Officers thereof who sinne without controlement against the truth of faith and the knowledge of God the Father witnesse Saint Iohn who saith He that sinneth knoweth not God for if any man loue the world the charity of the Father is not in him The second iniquity of Antichrist consists in the hope which he giueth of pardon grace righteousnesse truth and eternall life as not being in Christ or in God by Christ but in men liuing and dead in authorities ecclesiasticall ceremonies in benedictions sacrifices prayers and other things aboue mentioned not by true faith which brings forth repentance by charity and a departure from euill and cleauing to that which is good Now Antichrist teacheth vs not to place our hope and confidence in such things that is to say regeneration spirituall confirmation or communion the remission of sinnes sanctification eternall life but to hope in his Sacraments and his wicked Simony by which the people are abused in such sort that they make sale of all things and inuent many ordinances old and new to bring siluer into their chests promising that if any man doe this or that hee shall obtaine grace and life And this double iniquity is called in Scriptures adultery and fornication And therefore such Ministers as leade the brutish people into these errours are called the Apocalipticall Whore And this iniquity is against the second Article and the second and third Commandement The third iniquity of Antichrist consisteth in this that he hath inuented besides those aboue-named other false religions and orders and Monasteries giuing hope to obtaine grace by building oratories for Saints as also by deuout and frequent hearing of the Masse by the receiuing the Sacrament by Confession though seldome with a contrite heart by satisfaction by fastings and emptying the purse by professing himselfe a member of the Church of Rome by making vowes and giuing themselues to orders of Capouches and Cowles which against all truth they affirme that men are bound vnto And this iniquity of Antichrist is directly against the eight Article of our Beliefe I beleeve in the holy Ghost The fourth iniquity of Antichrist consisteth in this that notwithstanding hee bee the fourth Beast described by Daniel and the Apocalipticall whore hee neuerthelesse adorneth himselfe with authority power dignity offices Scriptures and compareth himselfe and maketh himselfe equall to the true and holy Mother the Church in which there is saluation Ministerially and not elsewhere in which there is the truth of life and Doctrine and of the Sacraments For if he should not thus couer