is one Trinitie as it is written in the Law Deut. 64. Heare O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. And the Prophet Esay I am Lord and there is none other neither is there any God but I And Saint Paul in the 4. to the Ephes There is one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and one Father of all And Saint Iohn â— 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. â— 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 beleene 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 especialâ—y 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
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 reserned 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 Rayncrius 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 all ages 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 Guido de Perignan in the flower of Chronicles Peter Valdo a citizen of Lions shewed himselfe most couragious in the opposition of this inuention 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 and the snares of Auarice Valdo was so much the more attentiuely hearkned vnto See the Sea of Histories fol. 203. Claud. Rubis in his historie of the Cine of Lions p. 269. because he was in high esteeme
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
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
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
honoureth and serueth more then GOD that vnto him is God And therefore saith Saint Chrysostome vpon Mathew The euill to which a man is a seruant is to him a God So that if any man shall say I cannot know whether I loue more or lesse GOD or the thing God forbids mee to loue let him know that what a man loues least in a case of necessity is that which he is most willing to loose and that which he loues is that which he keepeth and preserueth As it is the manner of Merchants to doe if when they are in danger of drowning they willingly cast their Merchandize into the Sea to saue their liues they loue their liues better then their Merchandize So thinke thou with thy selfe that if vpon any occasion thou hadst rather loose thy temporall things or receiue any losse or hinderance in them as in thy Money thy Houses thy Cattell thy Wife thy Children yea thine owne body then commit any sinne by which thou must loose God then doubtlesse thou louest God more then all things aboue mentioned But contrarily if thou haddest rather sinne then loose these temporall things then certainly thou doest adore and serue these things more then God and thou art an Idolater And this doth our Sauiour affirme in the Gospell saying If any man come vnto me The rest touching this Commandement is before in the 1. Booke of the History of the Waldendes Chap. 4. and hateth not his Father and his Mother his Wife and Children his Brothers and Sisters yea and his owne soule hee cannot be my Disciple All such offend against this Commandement c. An Exposition of the 2. Commandement Tu ne te fer as image taillee c. Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image c. THou shalt make thee no Image cut out of stone or wood or any other thing which may be cut into any figure or picture or in any other manner whatsoeuer that is in Heauen aboue as the Angels the Sunne the Moone the Starres nor in the Earth beneath as Men and other Creatures as the Aegyptians doe nor in the waters as the Fish For the Philistines serued Dagon which was an Idol which had a head like a Fish Nor vnder the Earth as the Diuels as they of Acheron who worshipped Beelzebub Thou shalt not worship them by doing them outward reuerence nor serue them with inward reuerence Neither shalt thou doe any worke that may tend to the honour and reuerence of them So hee manifestly forbiddeth to make any grauen Image of any thing to the end to serue and adore it And therefore it is wonderfull that there are some that frame vnto themselues Figures and Images and attribute vnto them by their ignorance and against the Commandement of God the honour and reuerence which belongeth to one onely God Obiect But there are some that say that Images are Lay-mens Bookes who not being able to reade in Bookes may see that vpon a wall which they cannot reade Answer To whom wee may answer that the Lord saith to his Disciples in the fift Chapter of Saint Matthew Ye are the salt of the Earth the light of the World For the life and conuersation of the Pastors ought to be the Booke of their Flockes And if a man should grant that they are Bookes yet they are false and ill written For if Lay-people shall take example by those Images and figures of the liues of Saints it is most certaine that it is impossible For the Virgin Mary was an example of humility pouerty and chastity and they adorne her Image rather with vestments of pride then humility So that the Lay-people doe not reade in their habits humility but pride and auarice if they conforme themselues to the said Bookes corrupted and ill written For the Priests and the people in these dayes are couetous proud and luxurious and therefore they cause their Images to be pictured like themselues And therefore saith Dauid Thou thinkest foolishly that I am like vnto thee Obiect But there are others that say We worship the visible Images in honour of the inuisible God Answer This is false For if wee will truly honour the Image of GOD by doing good vnto men we serue and honour the Image of GOD For the Image of GOD is in euery man but the resemblance or likenesse of God is not in all but onely in those where the thought is pure and the soule humble But if we will truly honour God wee giue place vnto the truth that is to say wee doe good vnto men that are made after the Image of God we doe honour vnto God when we giue meate to those that hunger drink to those that thirst cloath to those that are naked And therefore what honour doe wee giue vnto God when we serue him in a stock or a stone when we adore idle Figures without soules as if there were some diuinity in them and contemne man who is the true Image of God Saint Chrysostome vpon Mathew saith That the Image of God cannot be painted or pictured in gold but figured in man The Money of Caesar is gold but the money of God is man And therefore if the Iewes were commanded vnder the Law that they should destroy all the figures and Images and addict themselues to one onely God as it is written in the first Booke of the Kings But Samuel said to all the House of Israel If you turne vnto the Lord with all your heart and remoue from you all your strange Gods and keepe your heart vnto the Lord and serue him onely he will deliuer you from the hands of the Philistines Much lesse then ought Christians to depend vpon such signes and Images which the Iewes did not but they ought rather to lift vp their affections vnto Christ who sitteth at the right hand of God An Exposition of the 3. Commandement Tu ne prendr as point le nom du Seigneur ton Dieu en vain c. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine c. IN this Commandement we are forbidden to sweare falsly vainely and by custome as it is written Leuit. 19. The man that is accustomed to sweare shall bee filled with iniquity and the plague shall not depart from his house An oath confesseth God to know the truth and it is to confirme a thing doubtfull for an oath is an act of Gods seruice and therefore they that sweare by the Elements doe sinne This is the reason why Christ Iesus forbiddeth vs to sweare by any thing neither by the heauen nor by the earth or any thing else but that our speech bee Yea yea and No no and whatsoeuer is otherwise is sinne And Saint Iames in the fift Chapter of his Epistle saith Aboue all things my brethren sweare not neither by heauen neither by the earth neither by any other oath lest ye fall into condemnation An Exposition of the 4. Commandement Souuienne toy du iour
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 blond 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 sia 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 quotidian enchoi Giue vs this day our daily bread WEe may beere vnderstand two kinds of
and that not so as that it should not bee sufficient but in such a maner as that there should not remaine therein any vncleannesse but that it should bee a glorious Church in such sort that there should bee therein neither spot nor wrinckle nor any such thing but that it should bee holy and vndefiled And this testimony of washing the Spouse of Christ in his Blood is not onely currant heere vpon earth but in heauen too by those that haue obtained the actuall washing of whom it is said in the Reuelation Chap. 7. These are they which came out of great tribulation and haue washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lambe Therefore are they before the Throne of God and serue him day and night Thus you see how many purgings may be gathered out of the Scriptures to prooue that they that trauell in this life are heere purged of their sinnes In the third place we thinke it a great deale the surer way that euery man doe so liue in this present world that hee may haue no need afterwards of any purgation For it is a great deale better to doe good in this present life then afterwards to hope for an vncertaine helpe And it is a surer course that what good a man hopes shall be done vnto him by others after his death he doe it himselfe whilst he liueth being a more happy thing to depart a free-man then to seeke his liberty after he is bound Moreouer besides that which hath beene hitherto spoken we say that there is no place in Scripture to be found nor amongst the Doctours grounded vpon the Scriptures that doth make good vnto vs that the faithfull are any way bound by any necessity to beleeue or publikely to confesse as an Article of their faith that there is any such place as Purgatory after this life wherein after the ascension of Christ into Heauen the soules especially of those that shall be saued not hauing satisfied in this life for their sinnes endure sensible paines when they are departed of their bodies and thereby are purged of which soules some depart out of Purgatory sooner some later then others and some a little before others at the day of Iudgement And first as touching the Scriptures no man can prooue it by them For it is manifest that if a man shall reade the whole Law he shall neuer finde therein any one place of Scripture that bindeth a Christian necessarily to beleeue as an Article of his faith that there is after this life any place called Purgatory as some doe affirme And there is no place in the whole Volume of the Booke of God which doth so much as name it neither was there euer any soule found that hath entred the same Purgatory and came out againe There is no man bound therefore to beleeue it or to hold it to be an Article of our faith For confirmation heereof Saint Augustine in his Booke intituled A thousand words writes thus We beleeue according to the Catholike faith and diuine authority that the Kingdome of heauen is the first place wherein Baptisme is receiued The second is that wherein such as are excommunicates and strangers to the Faith of Christ endure euerlasting torments As for a third place we are altogether ignorant of any neither doe wee finde it in the Scriptures The same Saint Augustine in the same place vpon these words They shall not inherite the kingdome of God writeth thus O my brethren let no man deceiue himselfe for there are onely two places and a third is not to be found For hee that deserueth not to reigne with Christ shall without all doubt perish with the deuill And to this purpose Saint Chrysostome writing vpon those words in the 12. by Saint Matthew The Kingdome of heauen is like vnto a man that is an housholder saith thus The man that is the father of the family is Christ vnto whom heauen and earth are as a house but his families are celestiall and terrestriall for whom he buildeth a house with three Chambers that is hell heauen and earth The Combatants are they that dwell vpon the earth the vanquished in hell and the Conquerours in heauen Let vs saith hee that are in the middle roome take heed wee descend not to those that are in hell but rather mount vpward to those that are in heauen By these authorities you may plainely see that there are onely two certaine places after the ascension of Christ into heauen into which the soules departed out of their bodies doe goe and that there is no third place neither can it be found in the Scriptures And therefore forasmuch as in the whole Law of God there is no expresse mention of any such place as Purgatory is and the Apostles haue giuen vs no instructions touching the same and the Primatiue Church gouerned by the Apostles according to the Gospell haue left vs no Ordinances or Commandements but that Pope Pelagius fiue hundred fiftie eight yeeres after Christ did ordayne as wee may reade that the dead should bee remembred in the Masse it followeth that since there is no expresse proofe thereof in the Law of God there is no necessity to beleeue the sayd Purgatory as an Article of our faith or that there is any such place after this life But heere is matter of doubt because men in these dayes are strangely affected to the helpe and ayde of the dead notwithstanding that in all the Scripture there be nothing expresly taught except in the Booke of Macchabees which is no part of the Old Testament nor Canonicall And that neither Christ nor the Prophets nor the Apostles nor the Saints neere their time haue euer taught to pray for the dead but haue rather carefully taught that the people that liue vnblameably shall bee Saints And therefore answering to the doubt aboue-mentioned wee say that the principall cause of this doting affection proceedeth from the deceit and trumperies and auarice of the Priests who haue not taught the people as the Prophets of Christ nor as his Apostles to liue well but to offer much and to place their hope of deliuerance and happinesse in Purgatory CHAP. III. Of the Inuocation of Saints WEe are now to speake of prayer vnto Saints which certaine great Masters with their followers preach vnto the people extolling and publishing it with great diligence as an Article of their Faith affirming that the Saints that are in their celestiall Countrey are to be prayed vnto by vs in the selfe same manner as the Priests were accustomed to doe and other of the people by their instruction enioyning them many other things as helpes to their Inuocation By which Inuocation authorization and magnification the people carnally erroneously beleeue it Imagining that as it is the manner and practice before earthly Kings when they are angry that such as are not in choller should intercede for them and pacifie their anger so the people thinke it is so with God