the Severity of Discipline which the Church granted at the request of the Martyrs At this day they call Indulgence the relaxation of the Justice of God which he grants as they suppose in considerations of the Merits and Sufferings of the Martyrs who suffered more than was necessary for themselves To conclude they have changed the Consideration and Respect which they had for the Intercessions of Confessors and Martyrs into Merits and Works of Supererogation The Church did retard the rigor of her Law against Sinners because of the esteem which she had for those that suffered for the Name of Jesus Christ At this day they grant Indulgences by the application of the Merit of those which have suffered too much either by involuntary Persecutions or by chosen and voluntary Mortifications But hear how the same S. Cyprian speaks very aptly concerning one of these Confessors named Lucian who carried himself too haughtily and desired too earnestly that they should have respect to his Letters of Intercession * Epist 34. The Lord Jesus Christ hath said that we must Baptize Nations in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and that all Sins past are forgiven in Baptism But this man that is to say the Confessor Lucian knowing neither the Law nor the Commandments commands that we give Peace and pardon Sins in the Name of S. Paul not considering that they are not the Martyrs who make the Gospel but that it is the Gospel which makes the Martyrs Therefore at that time they did not alledge the Threats of S. Paul S. Peter the Martyrs and Confessors as the reasons for which they granted Indulgences that is to say the relaxation of the Discipline of the Church In the same Age that is to say the third they will produce unto you the word Confession and the terms of being on their knees at the feet of their Priests And they will not fail to find for you there the Auricular Confession practised at this day but there is nothing more false For those which dazle your Eyes thereby do very well know that the Greek word which signifies Confession was not at that time any secret Confession But the whole Act or Actions of publick Penance were so called And if at that Age Penitents were seen at the feet of Papists this was not done in secret and in a place appointed for the receiving Confessions where they acknowledged all their Sins in the Ear of the Priest But in Churches and in publick that they might be admitted by Prayer and imposition of hands either to Penance or to the Peace of the Church It was so certainly a publick Action that the Pagans took occasion from thence to accuse the Christians of adoring the shameful parts of their Priests This Confession was made in publick with Sack-cloth Ashes and Tears begging the Prayers and Assistance of all Christians This may be seen fully explicated in the Ninth and Tenth Chapters of Tertullian's Book of Repentance A Point of Controversie Concerning the Vnity of the Church that it is not in the Church of Rome and that we are not departed from it WHen a City is besieged and assaulted of all sides those that have a desire to defend it would be every where at the same time but they cannot which is their trouble My Brethren we have the trouble at this day you are besieged you are attack'd at an hundred places they batter you by a thousand wicked Reasons we would be every where and defend you on all sides but whilst we endeavour to defend you on one side they deceive and ruine you on another The rash and bold adventure of the Bishop of Meaux who hath told you in his Pastoral Letter That from the Apostles days to his no alteration has happened in the Doctrine of the Church hath engaged us that we may confound him to make you perceive the essential Changes which have been introduced both in its Doctrine and Worship at least in the first five Ages to the end that from thence you may judg of all the rest But whilst we pursue this design which cannot presently be executed I understand that they seduce you by the Sophisms of the Church of its Unity Visibility and the horror of Schism And that which grieves us most is that by the Letters which come or are communicated to us we see that the most part of you who are willing at any rate whatsoever to be at ease and rest where they are do also endeavour to possess themselves of and obstinately to maintain these wicked Reasons and it may be that one of you will know himself in the following words All the World reasons concerning Religion agreeably to their own Light and Passions But the Questions which do most trouble and confound it are these 1. The positive separation which our Fathers made 'T is said that we ought to suffer without separating from the Communion of the Church that the Abuses introduced by Governors may not be imputed to Believers But the Scriptures that make mention of the Heresies that must arrive in the Church do not command Separation for the sake of them On the contrary they exhort us mutually to bear with one another they say that Wood Hay and Stubble may be built on that foundation which is Christ Jesus and that he alone will separate one from the other that the good Grain and the Chaff shall be separated at the last day but we must let them grow together till then Behold exactly the Religion 1. Of our revolted Ministers There has been sent unto us an Account of a Conference which Cheyron an Apostate Minister of the City of Nismes had with the famous Confessor called Mr. Matthew an Advocate of Duras who is in the Town of Constance at Aggues-Mortes that which this Wretch says is the same with what hath been written and you have read 2. 'T is also the Religion of all those which have any understanding or illuminations they cannot but see that the Church of Rome is extremely corrupt But the question is say they whether we ought to separate from it because of its Corruptions yea they say we ought to bear them and add further after all there is but one true Church and although it be corrupt it is nevertheless the Church and we must endure its Diseases and Imperfections The Poyson of this illusion is so eating and dangerous that we have reason to fear that it continues long upon your Minds it will penetrate into them and totally corrupt them and so whilst we are pursuing other Subjects your hearts will be poysoned by this mischievous Sophism in that manner and to that degree that you will never recover This is it which obliges us to return to the Bishop of Meaux's Letter sooner than we intended Nevertheless without forsaking the subject matter we are upon for we will endeavour to intermix things in such a manner that in every one of our following
corrupt and defiled in its most noble Parts Do you believe that those Illustrious Confessours which fill the Prisons and the Gallies and whom you yourselves admire do you believe I say according to them there is a necessity of joyning yourselves to Popery They have found ways of dispensing with this necessity But your necessity of joyning yourselves unto it comes from the love and adherence that you have for your Estates your Ease and your Lives An unhappy Necessity which has not its original in Charity but in Covetuousness in the Name of God take heed of it But you say we cannot find any publick Worship more pure and more holy I answer It is not always necessary to adhere to publick Worship whatever it be The Martyrs and Confessours of Jesus Christ served him after a more grateful manner although their Worship were not only private but hidden but covered in the darkness of a deep Prison although you cannot assemble your selves to pray unto God with your Brethren you have your Closets of which you may make Churches and your Hearts of which you may make Sanctuaries and Altars This necessity of Adherence to publick Worship is another Illusion made by your love of the World 'T is better saith one that hath written to us to adhere to a corrupt Worship than to live without Religion What lewd Morality it this Those seven thousand men which were so hidden that Elijah knew nothing of them had they therefore no Religion because they did not adhere to the publick Worship of Baal which was intermixed with that of the true God To refuse to participate in an Idolatrous Worship is to be truely Religious to adhere to a Worship which is known to be full of Superstition and Impurities is to have no Religion at all In conclusion you come to the example of our Fathers The example of our Fathers say you before the Reformation proves clearly that we may secure our Salvation in the Roman Communion though we adhere even to the publick Worship Whatever men say 't is inconceivable that men born and bred up in a Religion and which never heard any thing said of any other Doctrine and who lived and died without protesting against the Doctrines of their Church should never partake in the Worship thereof Would to God you would stay yourselves on the examples of your Fathers and Grand-fathers without ascending so high as your Ancestours When you have done all that you can you will not save them all you will find among them by ascending a great number which worshipped Devils and the Idols of the Pagans you must necessarily leave them to the sad Judgments of God. This example of your Fathers which were saved in the Church of Rome is a subject which comes to us often and from all parts 't is the universal Illusion 't is the Pillow on which you all lay yourselves to sleep Many of your Ancient Pastors have endeavoured to dispute this unhappy Illusion this would be a large Chapter if we should say all that may be said concerning it but I do not think it necessary therefore I will say but two or three important things about it First The first is That we do willingly confess That before the Reformation there were persons saved in the Roman Communion About two hundred Years agone there were no Communions in the World which were not corrupt at least no considerable Communions or Societies It must needs be that God had his Elect there for he never leaves the World without them Do not fear least we should send you to find these Elect among the Waldenses Abbigenses Wicklefists and Hussites these were Fore-runners and like Mornings which went before the Sun of Reformation but these Societies did not continue nor did they make a Figure great enough in the World to include all the Elect there Secondly But on the subject of those men which were saved in corrupt Communions before our Reformation know first That we must not almost at all seek them among the Adult Of a thousand Children that are born there is not the tenth part of them that attain to the Age of Reason now all Children born in the Popish Communion are saved dying before the Age of Reason because they have part in the advantage of the general Covenant of Christianity which is preserved in Popery and they have no part in the Corruptions which have been added thereto for persons have no part in the Errours which corrupt the Covenant but when they know receive or tollerate them Behold therefore nine hundred of a thousand which were saved in the most corrupt times Now when God has nine hundred Elect among a thousand men we cannot say he has left the World without Elect persons and that Christianity remained uprofitable there were therefore always a great number of Elect persons in the Roman Communion Thirdly But after all it must be known That among the Adult the number of those of whose Salvation we might well presume in the times preceeding our Reformation is so small that we may well be amazed to think of it for Histories do represent the Corruption not only of Worship but also of Manners so horrible and universal that a man knows not where to fix his eyes to find a person that might be saved The Clergy were overflown with Debauchery the Monks were Assemblies of profligate Persons and Hypocrites the Houses of Nuns were filthy Bawdy-houses The People suffered themselves to be born away by the torrent and examples of their Guides the devout People scarcely knew the difference between the Creator and the Creature and their Piety spent itself in Superstitions which are even a horrour to the wiser Doctors of the Roman Church at this day Fourthly Nevertheless let us suppose that among all these there were some Elect and some saved I do maintain that it was absolutely by Miracle I say by Miracle in the litteral sence of the word and without figure As a man which lives in a hideous Mire sunk over head and ears lives there by a Miracle For the Roman Communion is damnable that is a certain point Men are saved there 't is because the Promise of God cannot be in vain and he cannot be without Children but the time of Miracles doth not continue always and we do not find ourselves obliged to explicate unto you the manner of Miracles for we do not know by that alone that these are Miracles And 't is to you my Brethren a prodigious rashness to re-plung yourselves in a Communion where your Fathers did not live but by Miracle in hopes that naturally you shall live there 'T is just as if the Jews at this day should run head-long into the Red-sea in hopes to pass well through it because their Ancestours did heretofore go through it without danger God hath ways of withdrawing those that are his from a Spirit of Lyes and Superstition whilst they live or at least at their death which we do
mouth because he sees some Fruits useful for nourishment swim in this slime can he live thereby Yea suppose that he eats of these Fruits if at the same time he eats this corrupt slime will he die e're a whit the less If this man finds an Art to separate the slime from the nourishments which swim there so that he take nothing but the nourishments I do confess that he may live In like manner if a Christian can live in the Roman Communion and separate the good from the bad he may be saved But this is that which we do maintain to be impossible at this time for the adult These corrupt and dirty Communions are therefore saving to those alone who partake in Christianity without any participation in the corruption thereof For example We ought not to call in doubt the salvation of Infants which die in the Church of Rome for they have eaten the Egg God hath communicated to them his Grace by their Baptism or their Birth because they were born within the borders of Christianity As for the adult if they can eat the Egg and not swallow the Dung if they can partake in pure Christianity without taking part in its corruption they may I do confess live and be saved in that Communion But this is the difficulty or rather impossibility Who is he that can live in the Roman Communion without assisting at the false Sacrifice of the Mass without worshipping Bread consenting to the Invocation of Saints and the Worship of Images This is enough at present to disabuse our unhappy Indifferents who would very falsly perswade themselves that they may be saved in the Estate wherein they are FOR News we give you this day a Letter which will teach you the Constancy of some of our Confessors of Dauphine We have yet in Dauphine some Illustrious Persons which maintain the Cause of God in the midst of their Enemies There is Mr. de l' Alo of the House of Epheluche a Counsellor in the Parliament of Dauphine who being at Paris in 1685. and refusing to change his Religion was banished with Madam his Wife into a paltry Village where he could not get so much as one person that would serve him for his money After that they had been kept there some months Madam de l'Alo fell into very great indispositions they sent her into Dauphine and removed Mr. de l'Alo to the Castle of Trompette where he was confined within four Walls without suffering him to have any other society than that of a Monk who went every day to torment him after a thousand ways and when he could gain nothing he left him and said to him He must make himself ready to be transported to the Pyrenees This is it that he wrote to one of the Gentlemen his Brethren about six months since testifying to him That he reckoned all that he had suffered as nothing or any thing that he could suffer and that he would never abandon the Faith which he had professed to that moment Monsieur the Marquiss of Pierre also a Counsellor in the Parliament of Grenoble is one of our most Illustrious Confessors he was extreamly famous in his Religion as well as in his Employ so that his Zeal went an equal pace with his Knowledge and both the one and the other hath gained him great Reputation among his Brethren The Court which fear'd he might confirm them if he were suffered among them commanded him to render himself at Paris by a Letter under the Privy Sign which they sent him a little before the Dragoons came into that Province This Lord who was not conscious to himself of any fault and who had long before prepared himself to suffer not only the loss of his Office and of all his Goods and to beg from door to door with Madam his Wife and the Gentlemen his Sons but also to lose his Head upon a Scaffold yea to be burnt alive rather than betray his Saviour yea to be burnt alive rather than betray his Saviour as he said in these very words to a Pastor of his Province It was to him who gave us this Intelligence about three weeks before he received that Letter under the Privy-Sign He was in that generous resolution when he went for Paris in the month of August with one of the Gentlemen his Sons Arriving at Paris he addressed himself to the Ministers of State to know the cause of that Summons that they had given him But they said nothing to him He abode at Paris about six months without having any thing said to him at the last they proposed to him to change his Religion he refused it They took from him Monsieur his Son who was all his comfort and said to him that the King would have him brought up in the Roman Catholick Religion This was the most smart stroak of all the rest He resolved to depart from Paris he went thence with Mr. de Vic and some other Gentlemen They were arrested at Laudrecy the other for â—ear changed their Religion Mr. de la Pierre would not do so There was an Order from the King to convey him to the Citadel of Cambray and thither he was conveyed A Counsellor of the Parliament of Tournay had a Commission to examine him and to make his Process He answered him always with a perfect freedom of mind and unmovable firmness The Commissary told him that he deserved the Gallies for attempting to go out of the Realm without leave and that he could not hinder his condemnation He answered him That he was ready not only to go to the Gallies but also to death We have not yet learnt that he hath been condemned He continues a Prisoner but always stout and firm We must put in the Rank of our Illustrious Confessors Madam de Bardonnanche Wife of a Counsellor in the Parliament of that Name and Vicountess of Trienes in Dauphine This Lady who was formerly distinguished by her great Knowledge above all in Piety and by her Eminent Vertues as well as by her great Quality is now distinguished after another manner in these last Tryals About four years since she saw that revolt of her Husband which she testified by a great Grief Since that they took from her one of her Daughters to bring her up in the new Religion of her Father she was more wounded for this then for the loss of her Husband In fine she saw the last and great Desolation of our Churches But all this hath not the least moved her nor frighted her in any sort When that the Dragoons had put all into Dispair in her Country and the rest of the Province she boldly exhorted every one to be firm and as a Pastor of her acquaintance it was he who wrote her Story bad her to think of departing out of the Kingdom because she saw her self unprofitable there the Edict of Nantes was not revoked She wrote to him that she must not be one of those Mercenaries who seeing
up and formed neither have nor can have this priviledge of being always necessarily visible For Experience makes us see that God permits that they perish wholly For Example the great Churches of Africa of Carthage and Numidia c. where were the Cyprians the Augustines the Saintes Fulgentii that is to say the prime Lights of the Church These Churches say I are not at all therefore they are not visible and perpetual Visibility was not affixed unto them At present consider you that the defect of Visibility may be found in a particular Church for one of these two reasons either because she is no longer or because she is not yet the Churches of Africa are invisible because they are no more and the Protestant Churches were invisible two hundred years ago because they were not yet Understand I intreat you the folly of the Objection which they make unto you by this The true Church is always visible the Church of St. Austine and St. Cyprian is no longer visible therefore the Church of St. Cyprian and St. Augustine was not the true Church Can any thing be more foolish and ridiculous than this You very well understand what you ought to answer when the Church of St. Austine was in the World it was visible and it was then the true Church but after it was extinct and abolished by the Invasions of the Saracens and the Moors how can you wish or desire it should be visible So when they tell you The true Church is always visible now the Church of Luther and Calvin was not visible two hundred years ago therefore it is not the true Church You can answer that a man can say nothing more absurd and that a Church is far enough from being visible when as yet it is not Ah on that occasion they will say to you the novelty of your Church is a proof of the falseness thereof For a new Church cannot be a true Church Another Absurdity The Church of China erected by the Roman Missions is about a hundred years since I reason against that as they reason against us A new Church which was not visible a hundred years since cannot be a true Church for the Church is ancient and always visible now the Church of China is new and was not existent a hundred years ago therefore it is not a true Church I desire that they would tell me the difference unless it be that the Church of China newly came out of the bosom of Paganism and that ours is newly come out of the bosom of Antichristianism He must be a little cracked in the crown not to perceive by this example that the new erection of a particular Church ought to be no prejudice unto it Nothing can prejudice it but new Doctrine If a new Society which teaches a new Doctrine doth arise then in a new Church and in that case is worth nothing But they will say Behold exactly your own state and case you are a new Church that teach new things That 's the question that 's it which we deny and which must be examined to know whether we teach new things We must therefore come to the Foundation to see if we teach the ancient Religion of Christ and his Apostles and not ridiculously amuse our selves in wrangling about circumstances concerning a new Church of new Establishment of perpetual Visibility c. for if we teach the true and ancient Religion of Jesus Christ all that they say of these things are Illusions And if on the contrary our Doctrine be not that of Jesus Christ and his Apostles though we were as old as the World and had been always as visible as the Sun we should be nevertheless a false Church This is that therefore which I will stand to that we are not to search the character of perpetual Visibility in any particular Church forasmuch as it agrees only to Christianity in general and the Church Universal Before our Reformation the Church was not visible in our Society which did not yet exist but it was visible in the Greek Church in the Armâ—nian Cophti Abyssin and Aethiopian Churches because all these preserved Christianity intire in the three Creeds When we came into the World the Church became visible in our Society as it was before in others with this difference that the Church and Christianity were visible before our Reformation as the Egg whereof we have spoken was visible in the midst of that dirty unclean and filthy water in which it swam and that in our Church Christianity and the Church are there visible as the Sun dis-engaged from dark clouds and fogs My Brethren if you take pains to read and meditate deeply and more than once upon what I have said unto you I tell you frankly I shall no more fear on your behalf the Sophism concerning perpetual Visibility WHatsoever desire we have to give you the News of our Martyrs for this time they must give place to certain Prodigies more significant than any ever happened before The first shall be that which is come from St. Malo attested by a Letter from the Vicar-General of that Bishoprick The Copy of a Letter from Monsieur Simon Doctor of the Sorborn Arch-deacon of Rinan Channon Penitentiary and Vicar-General of the Bishoprick of St. Malo the sixth of July 1687. I Wrote to you the last Post my dear Monsieur but how can I forbear to tell you of a late Accident which you will hear of by the publique Relations Behold a small Extract of it which I draw in haste Upon Thursday last being the third of this Month the Thunder after a very small noise in the borders of this City fell upon our Church by the Steeple killed a young Man which toll'd the Bell in the Belfery fell into the Seat of the Quire or Singing-men broke all the lower part of the Crucifix in divers pieces and left the Image hanging by its hands it fell among the Musicians which sung and answered at a Mass in Musick that Monsieur de Sales celebrated at the Altar of St. Julien it smote down the said Sieur de Sales with the Deacons and Sub-deacons who were some time without knowledge overturned the consecrated Calice which stood upon the Altar on the Ground and on the Garments of the Priests The same thing happened at the Altar of St. Peter at the entrance of the Quire A Priest being at the Post-communion saw in an instant in a Chalice which fell not one part of the Blood of our Lord consumed the rest sprinkled upon the Ornaments of the Priests and upon the Linnen of the Altar Monsieur Lagons being at the Credo of the Mass at the Altar of St. Malo was thrown upon his back and there the Sacrifice ceased The Thunder broke many parts of the Vestrie burnt the Altar-cloaths and left a mark upon the Pattin as if it had been shot with a Pistol it left many other marks upon the edge of the Chalice In the Quire one named
flames before they gave up the ghost they were made to live by skill and art in the most cruel torments sometimes many days and sometimes many weeks together and never did one word of murmuring or impatience escape from them they prayed for their Hangmen they gave Thanks to God they sung his Praises and to their last breath called upon his Name When they tell you at this day If your Religion were true you would adhere more closely unto it answer them If our Religion had been false they had never had so invincible an Adherence to it and so strong a Passion for it nor had they ever suffered death for the defence of it or if there have been some heady persons that have maintained their Opinions with obstinacy even to punishment and death their pains and death hath not been accompanied with an humility so profound a patience so exemplary a love and sweetness so perfect a zeal so ardent a piety so pure and undefiled a submission so entire a joy so firm solid bright and shining The Spirit of Lies and Delusions doth not produce such effects These are the Characters of the Spirit of God they are the effects of Grace and of that Grace that is not given to Reprobates and Martyrs of falshood and imposture My Brethren these Objects are at a distance they are behind you and you will find some difficulty in reflecting on them but you will find none in considering those that are before your eyes they are sufficient to defend you against the scandal of that Facility wherewith they reproach you and wherewith they affirm that your Brethren have forsaken their Religion Oppose thereunto above one hundred thousand persons that have left the Realm within the space of one year last past without counting almost as many more that have forsaken it within twenty years that this Persecution hath continued tho not in its height and rage There are among them those that have forsaken all those things which are called Goods Honours Ease and the convenient Accommodations of Life certainly they did not find it a thing so easie to enter with a satisfied mind into the bosom of the Roman Church Oppose thereunto more than forty thousand Prisoners that are in the Goals and Cloisters of the Realm which chuse to suffer all sorts of miseries and calamities there rather than to embrace the Popish Religion Oppose thereunto Persons of Quality such are the Marquess of Bordage condemned to the Galleys and afterwards to perpetual Imprisonment the Marquess of Musse who every day expects the same condemnation the Marquess of Rochegade and the Gentlemen his Sons the Marquess of Cagni Monsieur Beringhen and all his Family the Marquess of Lunge the Marquess of the Isle of Gast who is in the Citadel of Anger 's and an infinite number of other Gentlemen who prefer the Galleys or a Prison before the pleasure to which the Bishop of Meaux invites them that is of rejoining themselves to that Church in which their Fathers served God. Oppose thereunto a considerable number of Martyrs and Confessors whereof some are in Dungeons that are really the Images of Hell they being deep obscure dark and a hundred feet under ground such are the Reformed of Diepe Haure and other places which are in the Prisons of Aumale of whom we shall be able to tell you particular stories at some other time Add to these more than six hundred persons that are now actually in the Galleys for their Religion This is no hyperbolical Computation but one made by a Roman Catholick a maritime Officer now living at Marseilles we have his Letter and without naming him we shall be able to produce it at a convenient season behold a line or two thereof at present Here are six hundred Gally-slaves of the Religion called Protestant who by their patience move compassion from the most hard-hearted and unpitiful of their Officers The number of them must needs be augmented since that time for the Letter was dated from Marseilles the 27th of June 1686. that is to say more than two months since and without doubt there are more arrived there 'T is newly reported that at this time there are to the number of two thousand some say four thousand in that miserable state and case The famous Monsieur Lewis of Marolles Advocate of Stemenehaud was not then arrived there for he parted not from Paris with the other Prisoners under the same condemnation with himself till the 20th of July and came not to Dijon till the 30th of the same Month from whence at last he arrived at Marseilles laden with a Chain of fifty pound weight about his neck and a violent Fever which never left him during the time of that sad Journey He is a Confessor of Jesus Christ which all Paris beheld at the ‖ Tournello loaden with Chains of an extraordinary weight A Court of Judicature in Paris and also a Prison and preaching in the midst of his Irons All France have their eyes turned upon him as on the greatest example of Courage Piety and tenderness of Conscience that this Age hath seen We shall one day give you the History of his Confession and make you to understand his Sentiments by his own Letters where you will see the Spirit and Character of the ancient Martyrs He is one of our most illustrious Confessors but he is not alone God raises up others every day as you shall learn hereafter The same Sea-Officer that wrote from Marseilles that there were already six hundred Gally-slaves of the Reformed Religion there adds 'T is fifteen days since that Monsieur de Lezan a Gentleman of Quality was condemned to the Gallies being accused and convicted of having been at a Meeting The day after many persons were put to the Rack to oblige them to accuse some men of Name These unhappy Wretches endured both the ordinary and extraordinary Rack with such a constancy as affrighted the Judges and softned the Spirit of the Hangman to that degree that the chief Magistrate was forced to stand over him with a Cane to oblige him to turn the Wheel Behold here truth in matters of fact which can never be doubted seeing they are attested by a person of a contrary Religion who is upon the place and in the Country where these cruelties are committed Behold Confessors which make it apparent that the Church of Rome does not find it a thing so facile as the Bishop of Meaux reports it to cause the Reformed to enter into their Communion Behold Examples of Constancy that are worthy of your most attentive Consideration Death is more easie to be endured than the ordinary and extraordinary Rack and those illustrious Confessors do well deserve the Title of Martyrs But will you oppose to that Facility which your Converters find and whereof they make an Argument to draw you into the Roman Religion will you I say oppose to your Seducers Martyrs in all forms Oppose to them Monsieur Teissier
naturally it cannot happen that a person should be on those Instruments of Torment without feeling very great pains But 't is a Miracle which hath a hundred and a hundred Examples in the History of the Martyrs both of the ancient Church and that of the Reformation They bring back our Martyr to the place where he was to prepare himself for death he dined because they would have it so and whilst he was eating he said to those that gave him his meat very calmly Others eat to live and I eat to die this is the last Repast that I shall take upon earth but against the Evening there is prepared a Banquet in the Heavens to which I am invited and whither I shall be conducted by the Angels These happy Spirits will suddenly remove me to make me partaker with them of the Delights of Paradise The rest of the day they let loose upon him many Monks who received no other Fruits of their Assaults but disappointment and confusion Amidst all those Distractions into which they endeavoured to cast him he employed himself in singing of Psalms in lifting up his Soul to God and presenting fervent Prayers to him About the Evening as he went forth of the Prison to go to Execution two Monks drew near to him saying We are here to accompany and comfort you He answered them I have no need of you I have a Comforter that is more faithful and which is within me for my Consolation I have a Guard of Angels round about my Person and which have assured me they will be with me to my last Breath He marched toward the place of Execution with an appearance of satisfaction and tranquillity of Spirit visible to all the Spectators and having observed some of our Brethren that were fallen pouring out floods of tears while they saluted him said to them Weep not for me but weep for your selves I shall be soon out of Sufferings and far from this Vale of Tears but I see and leave you there In the name of God recover and repent and he will have pity upon you When he was in a place and distance that he could see the Gibbet where he was to end his Combat he cryed out with transport of Joy Be strong be strong this is the place which I long since proposed to my self and for which God himself hath prepared me how welcome doth this place appear to me I there see the Heavens open to receive me and Angels coming to accompany me thither He would afterward have sung a Psalm as he drew near to the Gibbet but the Judges which saw that the Crowd was moved and pierced by the signs and tokens of his constancy imposed silence on him and forbad him to sing He obeyed because they constrained him and arriving to the Foot of the Ladder he said Oh how welcome is this Ladder to me sine it must serve me as a step to finish my course and mount to Heaven They permitted him to say his Prayers at the Foot of the Ladder And when he was ascended he saw Monks ascending after him which obliged him to repel them saying Retire I have told you and I tell you again I have no need of your succor I receive enough from my God to enable me to take the last step of my Journey He would have gone on and given a Reason of his Faith to that innumerable Crowd of People above which he was raised But they feared the effect of a Sermon preached from such a Pulpit and by such a Preacher They well foresaw that he would speak and therefore had set round about the Gibbet many Drums which they appointed to be beaten at once 'T is a new kind of Gag which is not altogether so frightful as that of another kind but produces the same effect The Spirit of Hell is always the same and hath always the same fears He hath often felt the force of those Preachers which preach from Gibbets and out of the Piles of Wood he fears their Eloquence and judges it most safe to impose silence on them Our Martyr therefore speaks not but for himself but his Countenance his Eyes his Hands bespeak his Courage his Faith and Constancy and this Language was so effectual that the Village of Beaucaire altho wholly plunged in darkness and prejudices for Popery was moved thereby in an extraordinary manner I do very earnestly wish that three or four sorts of persons would make Reflections on this death 1. The Enemies of Truth Is it possible that they cannot observe therein the Character of true Religion I do conjure them to consider what most resembles Jesus Christ and his Apostles whether a Man that dies as we have seen this young Man die or persons which cause him to die for his Religion and because he would not renounce it 2. I set this Object before the Eyes of the new Converts who being seduced either by their Passions or Illusions behold the Religion which they have left as abominable and such wherein the Spirit of God is not to be found can they well persuade themselves that so much Courage so much Piety so much Constancy so much Moderation so much Sweetness doth proceed from him who is the Father of Lies and the Fountain of Abominations If it be the Spirit of God which produces these miraculous effects in our Martyrs then our Religion is not deprived of it then God has not forsaken us then we are not out of his Church out of which there is neither Grace nor Holy Spirit To conclude I demand here the attention of the weak of those Men who bless themselves because they yet preserve the Truth in their Hearts and which perswade themselves that the Fault which they have committed in subscribing is very light I demand of them are not you obliged to do what this Martyr has done Has he given to God more than he owed him Who is he that is not obliged to seal and confirm the Truth by his Sufferings You have withdrawn your selves from paying that which you have received from God in the opportunities which he has offered you And you have withdrawn your selves by a faulty weakness and negligence by a lye both of Heart and Hand In what estate should we be if God had not left us a Remnant We should be like unto Sodom and Gomorrah we should not have had one Martyr i. e. one Witness of the Truth of our Lord Jesus You will say all are not capable of suffering Martyrdom At least confess then that you are in this respect in a great degree of Imperfection and that your Fault is great Don't justifie your selves at all recover your selves by Repentance if you would that God should pardon you I have given you the History of the Vigor which our Brethren of Languedoc have had to continue their Assemblies without interruption and thereby expose themselves to Martyrdom and Death with design to convince you of that which I have proved in
credulous even to blindness to believe it Therefore if I can prove that the Scripture says nothing at all for the establishment of Popery I have gained my Cause at least for the first Age in which I now am and have proved sufficiently that Popery was then unknown Let us proceed to some of its Articles The Sacrifice of the Mass makes a great figure in the Roman Religion and holds a principal place there It is the Idol for which they have the greatest jealousie We cannot better understand what hath been the Opinion and Sentiment of the Church in all Ages concerning it than from the Ceremonies Actions and Words which have been practised in the Celebration of the Eucharist To search the Sacrifice of the Mass in the Old Testament as the Papists do is an extravagance that hath no example for the Old Testament speaks only of the Worship and Ceremonies of the ancient Religion To search it in other Texts of the New Testament than those which teach us the manner of its Celebration is to search it where naturally it ought not to be found It is therefore precisely in the Institution of that Sacrifice that we must find the Nature of it Now the Evangelists and St. Paul tell us with one consent that what Christ Jesus did in that memorable Action is there The night in which he was betrayed he took Bread he blessed it brake it and gave it to his Disciples saying take eat this is my Body Afterwards he took the Cup blessed it also and said this Cup is the New Testament in my Blood which is shed for you drink ye all of it take and divide it among your selves do this in remembrance of me In fine they sung a Hymn that certain Psalms according to the Custom of the Jews They arose and so the Ceremony was ended On that I beseech you my Brethren call to witness the Consciences of your Persecutors and Converters and enquire a little of them what there is in it that can have any resemblance with the Mass Where is the Gradual the Introit the Canon the Ite Missa est But you will say these are but indifferent Ceremonies which may be added It is a great question whether they might be added yea or no. Nevertheless let us let that Point alone at present Let them shew you at least what is essential therein Where is the Oblation Where is the Elevation Where is the Adoration Where is the Genuflection Where is the Sacrifice and presentation of the Victim Jesus Christ took Bread and gave it to his Disciples saying this is my Body In the Roman Church these words are not said to the Communicant they are said at the Consecration a long time before the Communion Jesus Christ gave Bread to his Disciples to be eaten without Cremony or Mystery They were sitting or rather lying upon Beds at a Table as the manner of the Ancients was It was a prodigious stupidity in the Disciples not to cast themselves on the ground and Adore the great Miracle of Transubstantiation and the Real Presence of Jesus Christ lying hid under the Species of Bread and Wine whilst they bore him in their own proper Hands These ignorant persons so prone to admiration who Adored Christ Jesus when he appeased a storm at Sea which was an action assuredly that a Spirit of a Nature infinitely inferior to God could do would they not have Adored him when he did a Work so great as the Creation of the World. But if the Disciples were so stupid as not to Adore this Mistery would Jesus Christ be so negligent as to suffer them in this state of impiety and indevotion It was that which the Disciples did or rather did not do Hath it any thing in Commune with the Service of the Roman Church with that Action by which the Host is lifted up that it may be Adored with that Worship that all the World give to it by kissing the ground at the sight thereof with the Custom of carrying it in Pomp about the Streets that it may be Adored Press your Converters and enquire of them did the Apostles Adore it If they say yea ask them why they continued sitting and why they never said one word of it If they confess that they did not Adore ask them why they will constrain you to do it Why do you desire that we should do more than the Apostles And as to the Oblation and Sacrifice where are they The Oblation of the Victim cannot be made till after the Transubstantiation after that the Body of Christ is made present by Consecration after these words This is my Body Now after these words Jesus Christ presented nothing to God he presented to his Disciples yea he did not pronounce those words This is my Body but as he was giving the Bread to his Disciples The Oblation therefore is not necessary the Sacrifice is not essential for Christ Jesus did not practise it Stay not there Press these Doctors to tell you whether Christ Sacrificed himself in the first Institution of the Sacrament of the Eucharist You will see them perplexed if they say that he Sacrificed himself Ask them why he Sacrificed himself upon the Cross the next day The first Sacrifice of his Body which he made by breaking the Bread was it not Propitiatory for the sins of the Living and the Dead Behold then the sins of Men expiated before his Death and therefore there was no need of his Death to make that expiation The Sacrifice of the Mass is at this day says Monsieur de Meaux a Sacrifice of Commemoration Now the Sacrifice which Jesus Christ offered in the first Eucharist was no Sacrifice of Commemoration for we do not Commemorate a future event and a thing which is not yet come to pass so that the Sacrifice which is at this day made is not the same thing with that which was made by Jesus Christ in the first Eucharist The Sacrifice of the Mass is the Sacrifice of the Flesh of our Lord bruised and his Blood poured out but in the first Eucharist the Flesh of Christ was not broken nor his blood spilt So that Christ Sacrificed that which yet was not and presented an Oblation under a relation under which he did not yet subsist There be certainly a thousand absurdities in saying that Jesus Christ Sacrificed himself in the first Eucharist many Papists have acknowledged it If your Converters have as much sincerity as many of their Doctors have had to confess that Jesus Christ did not Sacrifice in the first Eucharist demand of them by what right they Sacrifice at this day For they ought not to do any more than Christ did And he has not commanded them in saying do this to do any thing but what he himself did So that if he did not Sacrifice he hath not commanded them to Sacrifice afterward Therefore it ought to remain certain that in the first Age the Sacrifice of the Mass as well as
from Judaism but bred up in the Schools of the Greeks having suck'd the Spirit of Fables and Lies wherewith those two Nations are justly reproached forged the Oracles which he attributes to the Sybils he caused to enter there as Oracles of those ancient Prophetesses all that which he believed proper to support the Christian Religion and render it plausible to the Pagans The better to persuade the Greeks he there mingled their Fables and to please the Philosophers he entered their Dreams there making himself all things to all Men that he might gain some Among other Philosophick Dreams he inserts two in his Work The first was drawn from the Platonick Philosophy 'T was that there was a certain separate place into which he pretended the Souls of the Faithful were carried after death and where they were lodged till the Day of Judgment without enjoying the happy vision of God. The other was this that at the end of the World there would be a great Fire through which all Men must pass that should be saved An imagination which seems to have some likeness to the Stoick Philosophy which teaches that the World would be burnt after which it would return into the State wherein it was at the beginning and in a continual vicissitude pass through the same Revolutions and Changes Or rather 't is taken from what the Holy Scripture says that the World at last must be burnt by Fire We are not able to say how these two Opinions the one concerâ—â—ng the separate state of Souls and the other concerning the Torrent of Fire through which they ought to pass did readily diffuse themselves among those which had any Learning and read any thing besides the Sacred Volumes The Ancients good Men and credulous being ravished to find Books under the name of Pagan Prophesies which foretold the coming of Jesus Christ his Names his Passion the Circumstances of his Birth of his Life Death and Resurrection much more clearly than the true Prophets embraced with greediness what they found in these false Prophesies Justin Martyr who wrote well nigh in the same time that these false Oracles were forged falls into the persuasion that Souls after death are in a separate place where even in some sort they are subject to the Power and Persecution of the Devil From thence it comes to pass that he said it was the Devil that caused the true Samuel to ascend by the Charms of the Witch of Endor ‖ Dial. cum Tryph. For which reason says he when a person is near death you ought to pray that his Soul don't fall under such a power S. Ireneus Bishop of Lyons the most considerable Writer of this second Age was of the same opinion concerning this separate place where all Souls must be inclosed until the Day of Judgment without seeing the Face of God. * Advers Haeres lib. 5. He calls this place Paradise whither Enoch and Elias were transported but he also calls it Hades Hell and a place invisible Note that this Opinion is universally at this day rejected by the Papists and passes among them for an Error Pope John XXII having been accused to be of this Persuasion there was a terrible noise about it and he was forced to retract it Now this Opinion is the original of Purgatory For as we shall see afterward this place changes by little and little its-nature until at length they made of it a place of Torments and Punishments for the purging of Souls This separate state produced a little while after Prayer for the Dead which we shall see had its original about the beginning of the third Age. But whereof nevertheless we see nothing in the second unless it be towards its end On the contrary Justin Martyr tells us that we must pray for dying Souls to the end that in the place of their Separation they fall not under the Power of Devils He would not have failed to have added that we must pray for Souls after death to the end that we might draw them from under the power of Devils if Prayers for the dead had then been in use On the Subject of this praying for the Dead whereof they make such great boasts in Antiquity tell them these three things 1. That it was not in use in the first and second Age. 2. That the Reason why they began to pray for the Dead is very different from that which causes Prayers for them at this day At this day 't is to draw them from Purgatory then it was to the end that in the terrestrial Paradise or other place of Separation where they were God would increase their rest and joy for it was believed that they were there in the beginning of Happiness 3. To conclude tell them that these Prayers for the Dead are no important business in Religion and that they are not the Reason of our Separation After that press them to shew you in the second Age the least footsteps of this place of Torments whither penitent Souls must go after Death to pay the remainder of those punishments which they could not satisfie during their life Demand proofs from them that in this Age the Church prayed for Souls that they might quickly get out of torment and you will see them forced to confess that there are none I come to the Worship and Adoration of Creatures such as are Relicks Images the Blessed Virgin Saints and Angels They treat this as a small business we shall have occasion to prove to you one day that without running into any extravagance 't is a Pagan Idolatry But for the present we will content our selves to shew you that we do not find the least footsteps of these worships in the second Age wherein we now are If they did invoke Saints the Blessed Virgin and Angels if they had Images if they did kiss and adore Relicks let them shew it you let them cause you to read one Author that speaks of it Bellarmine hath the impudence to produce the words of Justin Martyr to prove the Worship of Angels We adore and venerate the Father and the Son which is come to us from him who hath taught us both us and others which follow him and the Army of good Angels by the Spirit of Prophecy c. Apol. 2. He refers the word we adored to that of Angels as if the design of Justin Martyr had been to say that they adored Angels Whereas he ought to refer Angels to the word teach his Sense being that Jesus Christ hath taught the Angels as well as us the Mystery of the Gospel according to what S. Paul says To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God Eph. 3.10 It is so clear that this is the Sense of S. Justin that at this day none of your new Doctors dare quote these words to prove that they worshiped Angels in the second Age. This passage being
Religious Worship and this is that which the Ancient Christians call here to communicate with the body of the Martyr that is to say assemble where he was buryed Pray to God and Celebrate the Mysteries of the Christian Religion in the same place and even over the Tomb of the Martyr In this there is nothing Criminal all is done with a good meaning Nevertheless we shall see how insensibly all did degenerate into Superstition It does not appear that either they Prayed to Polycarpus or that they Prayed for him on the day Consecrated to his memory but we shall see in the third Age they Prayed for the Martyrs and in the fourth Age they Prayed to them Give attention to this passage I earnestly intreat you As to what appertains to Images I think I shall do a thing of great advantage if I prove that the Christian Church had none in their Temples in the second Age for it will appear by the Ages following that they had all sorts of Images even out of Temples in the greatest abhorrence Fasts Lent Abstinence from certain Meats and other Mortifications of like kind which makes so great a part of the Roman Religion which dazle the Eyes of some of our New Converts were intirely unknown in the second Age. We there see and observe Prayers and Fasts very often but there is nothing Read which may make us suspect that they were affixed to certain days of the week or certain months of the year all the days of Prayer except the Lords day were almost always days of Fasting But it was by accident because the Fasting of the New Testament was often joyned with Prayer that the Ancient Christians made it a duty to Fast on days of Prayer But it was a thing unheard of precisely to make Devotion to consist of Fasting without any respect to Prayer and those that do affirm it was the use of the Primitive Church must prove it Now we are certain that they cannot find any proof thereof in the Writings of the second Age. And as to what remains as we shall make it appear by the clearest evidence that the Popish Fasts were unknown in the third Age it will appear by consequence that they were of no use in the second only it appears that they prepared for the Communion of Easter by a Fast of two days St. Ireneus writ to Victor Bishop of Rome on occasion of the Controversie touching the day on which they ought to Celebrate Easter * Euseb Hist Eccles lib. 5. cap. 24. is not only disputed concerning Easter-day but also concerning the form of the Fasts antecedent thereto for some think they ought not to Fast but one day others two others more and others measure their Fast-day by the space of twenty four hours night and day and this diversity in the observation of the Fast had not its being in our Age but hath begun from the time of our Fathers who by negligence simplicity and ignorance have suffered this custom to slip in Nevertheless they lived in peace with each other and we retain it to this day Observe well it is not Lent but the beginning and original thereof These forty hours of Fast are greatned and grown up to forty days So it is that the most innocent practices have been the original of Superstition so dangerous is it to make Innovations although they seem without hazardous consequence let them shew you other solemn Fasts besides this in the second Age. It remains that we speak a word concerning the Pope and the prodigious Authority he arrogates to himself It is a Capital affair in Popery he is the Principle of Unity he is the Centre unto which your Converters tell you you ought to be united if you will be saved God knows what they think of it but we defie them to shew you that the Church of Rome had then any Superiority over other Churches We may assure you without rashness that the most part of the Churches which were in the extreme Parts of Asia scarce knew whether there were any such thing as a Church of Rome they neither knew the name of its Bishop nor the form of its Government nor Customs and therefore were far enough from being subject to its Orders and Decrees We may also assure you there were also Christians in Persia and in the farthest parts of the East which knew not whether there were a Roman Church in the World. Send your Converters to the famous de Launy Doctor of the Sorbonne who makes appear with sufficient clearness and evidence the independence of other Churches and the few bonds and ties that they had with Rome by proving that the adherence they had to the Roman Seat was not accounted necessary in any Age of the ancient Church They produce to you in the second Age Victor who cut off from his Communion the Churches of Asia on occasion of the Controversie about Easter-Day But you ought to understand that this was an attempt without example and which had no effect but was despised of all the World. And besides this was no right that was particular to the Bishop of Rome for other Churches pretended to have that right of cutting off other Churches from their Communion as well as that of Rome Moreover the nearer the Churches of the World were to Rome the more respect and consideration they had for the Church which was there The Churches which were without the Bounds of the Roman Empire scarce knew that there was a Church at Rome The Provinces at a distance from Italy such were Asia and Africa beheld her so far off that they scarce knew either her Customs or her Doctrine nor did they think themselves under any obligation to be instructed in them or to follow them And therefore they continued a long time to celebrate Easter with the Jews and to rebaptize Hereticks without any regard to the Decisions of Victor and Stephen Bishops of Rome The Churches of France which beheld her near at hand had her in greater value and estimation because they were smitten and amazed not at the Majesty of the Church but at the Majesty of the Empire which had its Seat at Rome This is it which made Ireneus Bishop of Lions to say That it was necessary that the whole Church should travel to the Church of Rome because of its more powerful principality That is to say because it was the Seat of the Empire that all Nations come thither and that Christians were found there of all the Provinces of the Empire from whose Mouths might be learn'd what was that Faith which was scattered all over the Earth Behold what was the Christianity of the second Age. And behold the Additions that we find there which afterward was the Seed of Superstition and Idolatry First of all they mingled Water with the Wine in the Eucharist which was not used in the time of the Apostles 2. They carried the Sacrament to the absent which was not usual
had heard the Voices they told me it seemed to them it was from the place called the Posterle I told them I came from thence and that I had heard those Voices in the Air and that it seemed to me that they came from that side the New Mill stood and both they and I agreed with one consent that they were in the Air and that they never had heard Voices so pleasant and charming My Father being a Neighbor of the said Mademoiselle des Pagnou and those other Women being at the Gate two hours after midnight with a Marshal named Maresque a Papist of the Town of Lembege of the Quarter of Bilbil which belongs to the Partement of Navarre my Father I say who had changed his Religion about two years and half since inquiring of these Women if they had heard the singing of Psalms They answered Yea. And I too said my Father And Maresque the Marshal replyed he had never heard better singing let Men say what they will for my part said he I am persuaded that it is a true singing of Psalms The said Monsieur Poey my Father and the said Maresque came from a place called De Part near to Orthez And I add that I have heard a Prohibition published to all sorts of persons at the sound of a Trumpet by the Cryer of the City called Monleres containing that none were to go out at night to hear the singing of Psalms under the penalty of Imprisonment In witness whereof I have signed the present Certificate as it was desired of me Given November 22 1686. Signed Peter Mauperg of Orthez in Bearn aged twenty three years One named Monsieur Bergerit hath declared under his Signet this which follows About the month of September last being in my Mothers House she told me that the Evening before they had heard singing of Psalms in the Air. I believ'd nothing thereof but went away to Bed because I was weary this was about eight at night about half an hour after some of the Neighbors came to the House to inquire whether I were so great a fool to sing Psalms considering the strict Prohibition had been made thereof and at the same instant my Mother entered into the Chamber to awake and tell me that Psalms were sung in the Air. I awoke and awaking heard this singing of Psalms and thought it had been in the Garden belonging to the House I arose and went forth into the street Montcade at Orthez where all the Neighborhood were gathered together and they heard the singing of Psalms repeated two or three several times Signed Bergerit A person named John de la Bordette hath declared under his Signet this which follows About the month of September last being in my House at Orthez the place of my Habitation and having heard that it was said that Psalms were sung I went out into the street about eight in the Evening to see and hear what was said and done and I heard in the Air Voices which formed a Vocal Musick perfectly like to the singing of Psalms Nevertheless without being able to distinguish what Psalm it was Of the of this same thing many persons of the Neighbourhood were witnesses Another time as I was at the Wine Press amidst the Vines above ten in the evening I heard the same thing with many other persons Signed John De la Bordette A Damosel called Mademoiselle Deformalagues hath declared under her Signet in these words I underwritten do declare in the presence of God that being at Orthez in Biar the place of my Habitation I heard clearly at three several times on the month of October last this which follows On a Friday in the said month of October about 8 or 9 at night being in my Chamber some Neighbours called me with earnestness saying that I must hasten to hear the Angels singing Psalms I hastily went out of the House and being arrived at the Street called St. Gille I there found a great number of people which had ran together from all parts to hear this Heavenly Musick And at that instant my Ears were smitten with a Melody so ravishing that I never heard any thing like it I could very well discern the Air and Tune of our Psalms which were sung admirably well I heard many persons say they heard distinctly the first verse of the 42. Psalm Like as the hart doth breach and bray There were others that confirmed the same and assured us moreover that they had heard the whole Psalm Sung. For my part I do acknowledg that I could not distinguish the words I only heard a charming Musick which represented to me a great number of Voices that agreed exceeding well There was one that raised his Voice above the rest and made himself observed when the rest had done After I had heard a long while this Melody with ravishment I perceived that these Voices drew off and abated by little and little until they were insensibly lost in the Air. The same evening being on my return and near the Gate of my House with many of my Neighbours as we discoursed together of the marvellous things that we had heard behold all of a sudden the same Voices which we had heard some hours before striking again our Ears with great pleasure they filled us anew with ravishment for the space of one quarter of an hour after which this Melody withdrew as it had done at the first The Tuesday following being at the door of my House with one of my Relations at Evening we both heard a great number of Voices in the Air which resounded with strength and made themselves heard with the greatest clearness hearing this melodious singing I ran hastily to the Lodgings of a Popish Physician who dwelt in my House and was that year one of the Magistrates of Orthez to the end that he himself might hear this wonderful Melody He followed me to hear what it was The singing founded clearly the night being calm and serene but he pretended to hear nothing A while after the Voices reinforced themselves and then having pressed this Magistrate to tell me if he heard the singing he could no longer dissemble the truth It is true said he in the presence of all the world I hear very lovely singing I think I hear the Voice of such an one and such an one naming several persons in Orthez which sung exceeding well to this I replyed Monsieur if Men hold their peace the very stones will speak but he as if he had been troubled at the confession he had made complains that alas I observe here a crafty wile of the Devil he causes these Voices to be heard in the Air to keep the World in error and hinder this poor people from Converting and embracing the Catholick Faith. Whereupon I inquired if he had ever heard that the Devil sung the praises of God he smiled and retired hastily to his Lodgings nevertheless we bless God for the favor that he hath done us in
given a Copy to the said Monsieur Ricottier that to maintain us in our Priviledges and prevent the Dissipation of our Flocks they offer not only to Interceed for us but also in case of Refusal to bear Arms into this Province if we promise them and give them assurance to put into their hands all the Cities and places whereof we can dispose The Society approving the care of the said Messieurs Ricottier and Vignier After having all promised by Oath made to GOD not to reveal a Secret of this importance return Thanks to the said Monsieur Durel for what be had already done to make it successful and do intreat him to go a soon as he can and know what Assurances they desire and promise on our part that we shall give all those that are possible and as a Pledge thereof they have drawn up the present Act which shall be dispatcht to him to this end and purpose and the Original put into the hands of the said Vignier to be secretly and faithfully kept there until the business can be executed to the Glory of GOD and the Comfort of our poor afflicted Congregations c. Signed Ricottier Moderator E. Durel Assistant J. Asimont Chosen to Collect the Acts. J. Meysonnet Secretary There are no attempts imaginable which the Priest Soulier doth not make to defend this false Piece But we see that God doth strike these Impostors with a Spirit of Blindness so that they stumble in places where it were easie for them to be upon their guard The Work hath appeared in publick a long time since and we were advertised from France that this part thereof was envenomed leud and worthy that we should make the Injury and Reproach thereof fall upon its Author But the Calvinists of Holland of whom Monsieur Soulier speaks with so much contempt have so little esteem for his Works that they did not put themselves to the trouble of obtaining this And the Printers of Holland who print all things at are saleable did not think that the Sale of the History of Calvinism would pay the charge of the Press The reason therefore why we Anwer to it so late is because we could not recover any Copy thereof at last we resolved to obtain it by an Express otherwise it had never passed our Frontiers We have therefore seen and read it and have judged that the Conspiracy of Montpazier did indeed deserve that we should reply to it But before we defend our Arguments for the Falshood thereof and produce new ones 't is necessary once more that you know who the Priest Soulier is that you may also know of what weight his Authority is but I choose rather that you know it from the mouth of one of his Brethren than from ours for which reason we shall here produce a Letter which Monsieur Le Feure a Doctor of the Sorbonne did write to one of his Friends concerning this Gentleman and this since the History of the Birth Progress Decay and Ruine of Calvinism appeared in the World. A Letter of Monsieur Le Ferre Doctor of the Sorbonne to Monsieur de M. concerning Monsieur Soulier the Priest. I Must confess faithfully Monsieur that I have always believed that a politick Dissimulation of those Resentments which a man cannot discover without prejudice to his interest was not the Vice of our Nation and that it ought to be the horrour of men of the Character which we bear I speak of Resentments which are believed just and whose end is the Defence of Truth and not a Chimera of Reputation or false worldly Honour I have been hitherto and am yet perswaded that 't is to be an Enemy to Truth to suffer it to be oppressed then when there is reason to fear that a man shall draw upon himself the Persecution of those which oppose it for I have made to myself a Rule of that ancient Maxim of the Fathers of the Church Let us be Banished so the Truth be Preached Behold Monsieur the only reason why I have had so few Contests with persons of eminent Merit so that the Priest Soulier had passed in silence if he had not observed a quite opposite conduct Judge thereof Monsieur by the following History in the Year 1681 the learned Jesuit Father Mesnier being chosen by the Clergy for their Agent-General and Counsel to the Syndicks of the Diocess of this Kingdom prosecuting the Destruction of the Temples of those of the Reformed Religion built contrary to the Edicts published a Collection about those matters printed at Paris by Monsieur Leonard Bookseller to the Clergy In the time of this Impression Monsieur Soulier published a little Work where by way of Essary he accuses the Syndecks of Ignorance as having suffered the Preservation of many Churches which ought to have been destroyed The Father Mesnier seeing that this blow would fall directly upon him thought himself obliged to refute this Dream of Monsieur Soulier he therefore employs about twenty of the last Pages of his Book to convince this Monsieur of Ignorance He concludes them by accusing him of Falshood of Calumnie and of being a person that at most knew no more than to Read and Write and sending him to the exercise of his first Trade and Employment Monsieur Soulier saw and dissembled the thing from 1681 until the end of this Year 1686 that is to say near six Years Why did he keep silence so long and why speaks he now after he had been so long dumb Think of it what you please Monsieur but behold that which I think most reasonable concerning it The Father Mesnier was alive and is now dead Soulier owed to him what he knew in the matter of Edicts against those of the Reformed Protestant Religion which he hath dressed over again to give a tast of them to the World. The Father Mesnier made use of him to be a Servant and a Scribe and he is not the first who from the Servant of an Author is become an Author himself The Servants of Physitians do every day steal the Secrets of their Masters The Father Mesnier is therefore dead and Monsieur Soulier hath filled up his place in a very short space of time The Revocation of the Edict of Nants followed by the Destruction of the Churches of those of the Reformed Protestant Religion having rendered his pretended Employment much more unprofitable than the Work which he reproaches me for sending into the World a little too late nevertheless being puffed up with his new Place and Preferment he was not able to endure any longer to be accused of Ignorance But why does he fall upon me 'T is because I being necessarily engaged to take part in the business contested by Father Mesnier and him I put myself on the side of the Master against the Servant and to save myself the labour of confuting Soulier I said that it had been done by Father Mesnier Yea I had the Charity not to name Soulier when I said as
a simple Historian in the 208th Page of the second Part of my Colection That this Father knowing what had been his first Employment counselled him to explain that Greek of Aristophanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is expressed by another Proverb Let not the Shooemaker go beyond his Last Nevertheless Monsieur Soulier fears not to advance by the blackest Calumnie which can be imagined in the 678th Page of his Book That I have exceeded in that which is most gross what all the Protestant Writers have published against him Where is Faith where is Conscience The Father Mesnier which I have transcribed in the Chapter concerning Monsieur Soulier doing him the same favour in a multitude of heads wherein he is accused by this Father Is he a Protestant I could sooner have pardoned him if he had only dissembled that the Father Mesnier is the Author of the Evil which I have done him Dogs bite the Staff wherewithal we strike them But that he makes me the Eccho of the Protestants in the contempt which they put upon him when I plaid the good Husband in what concerned his Reputation by treating him less ill than those of our Religion which know him better than I this is that which cannot be endured I do nevertheless affirm Monsieur that I find my self all at once disarmed when I think that there is nothing of Merit or Honour to be gotten by such an Adversary He boasts at this day that he hath studied the business of Edicts thirty Years and in his Work of 1681 he confesses as Father Mesnier reproaches to him that he had never seen those that Henry the Fourth had granted to the Cities of the League whereof nevertheless he was willing to make use against the Syndicks and the Censors of the Diocess of the Kingdom Who will not despise an Adversary which proves that I have not the least knowledge of the Affairs of those of the Protestant Reformed Religion because I have quoted a National Synod held at Loudun And to maintain this false Accusation he says Page the 681 of his Book That if I had only read the first leaf of the Ecclesiastical Discipline of those of the Reformed Religion I should have found in the Table of the National Synods of those of that Religion that there war never any held at Loudun For if there were never any held at Loudun why did he write in the 63 Page of his New Bernard this which follows in express terms The twelfth Article of the National Synod held at Loudun the 5th of April 1596 c This was pitty but there is more in the case This Doctor in point of Tables of Books this man conversant in the matter of Edicts for these thirty Years knows not that in the Year 1659 there was a National Synod of those of the Reformed Protestant Religion held at Loudun by the permission of his Majesty A man is therefore Ignorant according to this unlearned Author because he knows that which is arid is not ignorant of it or because he doth not fain himself ignorant thereof as he doth After this is he to be believed when he says I have transcribed or copied him My Work contains 800 Pages and he accuses me to have Abridged the biggest and the most considerable of his Books in the fifteen first Never was falshood published with so little colour I make the Publick Judge thereof and if I have any thing wherewith to reproach myself it will be that I was not willing to see the faults of his Works that I might not be obliged to reprove them I have said for example in the twelfth Page of my Work that Peter Mengin was burnt at Meaux with thirteen of his Companions by a Decree of the Parliament of Paris he says in the ninth Page of his History of Edicts of Pacification that he was burnt with fourteen of his Companions which is contrary to the Decree which takes notice of no more but thirteen and those mentioned by their Names and Sirnames I could produce a hundred faults of like nature but to what good purpose would It be An Author like him who fears not to give the Lie to the Clergy of France and to some of its illustrious Members bears so visible a Character of Malice in the opinion of all honest men that if they would pray for him it is that the Clergy might double his Pension to put him to sitlence Behold the proof of what I affirm Authors of the Reformed Protestant Religion having maintained in their Works that the Edict of Nantes was granted to their Fathers as an acknowledgment of the Service they had done for the State Monsieur Soulier in his History of Calvinism says That it was the strangest Paradox that ever was published it being not true that they had obtained this Edict by their Services Nevertheless the General Assembly of France held at Paris in the Years 1655 and 1656 in a Session where Cardinal Mazarine sat President did acknowledge that King Henry the Fourth coming out of the bosom of Heresie * * Page 152 of the Verbal Process of this Assembly and being willing to acknowledge the Services which had been done him by those of that Party granted them the Edict of Nantes And the late Monsieur de Perefixe ††History of Henry the Great p. 223. of the Paris Edition in 1662. Archbishop of Paris speaks of him in these words Henry the Fourth with all his Prudence had scarce enough to govern himself in such manner that the Catholicks and the Pope might be content with his Conduct and that the Hugenots might have no cause of Fear or Division his Duty and Conscience inclined him to the assistance of the former but Reason of State and the great Obligations he had to the latter would not permit him to make them desperate Therefore to keep a necessary temperament he granted them an Edict larger than those which went before which is called the Edict of Nantes After this Monsieur will you not think me dispensed withal for answering more at large to the Dreams and Dotages of Monsieur Soulier 'T was six Years since that Father Mesnier reproacht to him That he understood not Latine and that he had scarce wit enough to Write and Read He ought at least to have applied himself thereto sine that time but he hath neglected to do it and labours himself to revive the old French Proverb 'T is a brave thing for a Priest to know how to Read and Write Behold some proofs thereof He writes in Page the 632 of his last Book Je plaidè ces affaires it ought to have been written Je plaidai at the 678 J ' y âjoutè j'en donnè instead of saying J ' y ajoutai j'en donnai the same place he hath written Plagieres instead of Plagiaires you will find a hundred of this kind But behold enough to justifie me against so feeble an Enemy Let him write till Dooms-day
because that he well saw that his only Son would be forced to follow that Religion in which he began to be engaged he prayed God to take his Son out of the World and that he might see him die before he died himself Two days after the Son fell sick and in two days he died in the presence of his Father and the Father himself died the day after rendring a thousand Thanks to God that he had heard his Prayer and that he had taken them both out of this World to give them a better Life I learnt this Story from St. Maixent the 10th of August 1684. from two persons worthy of credit viz. the Husband and Wife who had a Child nursed by the Wife of the said Bardon he which made me the Report of this Matter is called Mr. Lavergnac Master of the Grange of the Village of Luzignan in Poitou a person of good credit and full of zeal for Religion his Wife also being present In the Year 1685. the 20th of January a Woman of Jonzac in Saintonge called Susan de Lisle the Wife of Boynard a Glover being with Child as she was in her House sitting upon a Settle by the Window rising up she felt that her Child stretcht it self in her Womb and at the same time she heard it utter a very extraordinary cry and a little after this Infant having again moved it self cried out about a quarter of an Hour with the true Voice of an Infant whereupon the Mother was much frighted and called some persons to help her she having then no body with her but her own Daughter about nine Years old who having plainly heard this cry said to her Mother my little Brothâ—r crys in in your belly this Child was born three Months and nineteen Days after this it was baptized at Linieres by Mr. Couyer Pastor of the said place and was a very vigorous Child and grew in six Months time twice as much as it ought to do We have learnt this story from Liniers from the mouth of the Mother of this Woman and from the Daughter which was present and from the Husband of the God-mother of the Child From Martinique the 24th of May 1687. MOnsieur Poysonnel who commanded a Frigate from Marseille which had taken two hundred Maids and Women and almost as many Gally slaves to bring hither was lost three days since as he was coming into this Town The whole number of persons which were on board the Vessel were 320 and were all drowned as 't is said excepting 30 of the Soldiers and Mariners This was by the imprudence of the Pilots God hath given rest to these poor miserable Creatures This Note teacheth us the sad and glorious end of the Confessors which we spake of to you Others write that this Shipwreck was by command because the Wind was very fair to bring them into the Haven of the Isle and that all the Soldiers and Mariners were saved As for me I will not prejudice the Spirits of men concerning this Fact it being an Action so enormous This is certain that God was pleased to deliver these blessed Confessors and snatch them from the cruel slavery which they had prepared for them August 1. 1687. The Twenty fourth PASTORAL LETTER That the Church of Rome is not visible and that she has no mark which makes her visible A confutation of those Means whereof Mr. Nicholas pretends to serve himself to make his Church visible Dear Brethren in our Lord Grace and Peace be given to you from our God and Saviour Jesus Christ BEfore we pass to another part of the Controversie about the Church and leave the Question concerning its perpetual visibility and after examination of the visibility of the Church in general 't is needful that we take cognizance of the visibility of the Roman Church in particular 'T is needful that you say to your Converters since 't is so that the Church is always visible and that you are the Church help us to see her in and by what is the Roman Church visible If they shew you great Churches full of Men that pray and adore which hear Vespers and Mattins who prostrate themselves before Wafers and Images you will answer this is not to shew me the Church For if I were at Constantinople a Turk would shew me his Mosques all full of Worshippers which cry there is but one God and Mahomet is his Prophet Tell them If you please to go to London I will shew you the Church in England as you shew it me in France I will shew you great Churches full of men which pray and adore which prostrate themselves before God who pray and understand what they pray for 'T is unavoidable therefore that you shew me not Men and heaps of Stones which are called Churches but sensible and visible marks that Popery is the true Religion of Jesus Christ and that the Church of Rome is the true Church Add to this that the marks which they give you ought to be suitable to your capacity i. e. the capacity of plain persons and without learning For the space of twelve or fifteen Years the Popish Doctors of France have changed the Controversie this way The business is not to instruct the learned 't is acknowledged on both sides that the multitude and greater part of the Church is composed of men without learning and of plain people which must be saved as well as the more able From henceforth therefore it is necessary to furnish a means to the common people to inform them of the truth in matters of controversie and a means altogether suitable to their weakness Particularly in this Controversie Whether the Church of Rome hath certain and evident marks of her truth which make her visible For 't is an important Affair and which the weakest ought to understand It is certain that a Church cannot be visible in quality of a Church by any other means than what they call her marks of this we are at an agreement We must therefore see whether the Church of Rome hath those marks which may make the weakest perceive she is a true Church I will not here ingage you in that Labyrinth of Disputes which the Doctors of the Church of Rome have formed about the marks of that Church 'T is their manner to bury the truth under a prodigious heap of useless words and obscure questions I will not examine the sixteen marks which Bellarmine has given nor the forty which others have produced You cannot read those Books nor are they those which they put into your hands and since that time they are become more able in Sophistry Mr. Nicholas who is the last that hath laboured on this Subject has employed three Chapters to prove that the Church of Rome is very visible even to the most weak and plain In the first of these three Chapters he says * Chap. 17 18 19 of the 1st Book The Reformed convinced of Schism That a man may
advantage upon the Abyssines because they were very ignorant But King Claudias interposing therein had almost as much advantage on the Missionaries of Portugal as they had on the Ecclesiasticks of Aethiopia because he was without comparison the most able man of his Kingdom as well in Divinity as in the Art of Government Oviedo seeing that he got nothing by these ways resolved to employ those which were more violent He left the Court to testifie his displeasure and published a Writing injurious to the Abyssine Church in which he accused it of many Heresies and forbad the Portugese to have any Communion with it The King was angry also on his part but a little while after he was slain in a Battel and left his Brother Adamus Saghed Successor to his Realm This Prince used more rigour against Oviedo and his Companions he revoked all those Acts of Grace which his Predecessors had granted to them He forbad them upon pain of death to trouble his Estates by their new Gospel The Bishop withdrew to Fremone upon the Frontiers of the Kingdom and there abode thirty years with the Portugese under the Title of the Patriarch of the Abyssines which he took after the death of John Barrett Adam Saghed died and his Son Malec Saghed succeeded him He treated the Portugese more kindly and they being reformed by the correction they had received acted more wisely and with greater moderation Nevertheless this Mission was extinct because they had no way of sending Successors the Turks having possessed the Ports of the Red-Sea which gave admission into Aethiopia And the Portugese which would have converted all the Nation were found without Priests to give them the Communion But in the beginning of this Age in the year 1604. a Jesuit named Peter Pais was more happy than all those who had preceded them He entered into Aethiopia and made himself admired by an Ability which although it were but very indifferent seemed extraordinary among people which knew nothing He came to the Court of Zadengel who was then King of Aethiopia and managed him so well that he obtained an express Promise from him that he would submit to the Pope and the Religion of the Romans This Prince began with an Ordinance which forbad the observation of Saturday or the Sabbath which the Abyssines venerate as the Lord's Day The Great Men of the Realm being provoked by this Enterprize conspired against him and slew him after a Battel in which he was not successful Behold already the death of one King which Papery caused in Aethiopia This death cost the Jesuit Converters nothing on the contrary they found in Susneus the Successor of Zadengel a Protector much more proper to make the Minister of their Violence Susneus permitted himself to be managed by these Missionaries of Portugal in such a manner that they prevailed with him to declare openly that he would change the Religion of the Country and submit the Abyssine Church to the Pope He wrote concerning it to Clement the Eighth and to Philip King of Spain who was then also King of Portugal Many Great Lords of the Court and Officers of the Army out of complaisance to their King embraced the Religion of the Romans and communicated with them Susneus having received many kind Letters from Paul the Fifth writ to him again another Letter dated the 31th of January 1613. by which he acknowledges him for Pastor of the Universal Church and desires his assistance to confirm his Religion This Prince guided by the Jesuits to the end that they might do things a little in form caused many Conferences to be held upon the Question of the two Natures in Christ Jesus For the Aethiopians following the Schism of Eutyches acknowledge in him but one But the truth is there is at this day nothing but a dispute of words thereon for the Eutychians acknowledge the Divinity and Humanity in Christ Jesus but it pleases them to say this Union makes but one Nature compounded of two as the Body and Soul in Man make but one Compound so that 't is certain that we may very well give our selves indulgence therein but 't is not of the Spirit of Popery to tollerate any thing The King at the sollicitations of the Jesuits made an Edict by which he ordained That henceforward they should believe two Natures in Christ Jesus The Abyssine Monks which fell in the Dispute sustained themselves in their ignorance with obstinacy in their Opinion but one of them having spoken a little too freely was brought before the King and was beaten with a stirrup-leather Behold the Spirit of Popery which began to discover it self without disguise This first Violence awakened their sleeping Spirits Simeon the Metropolitan of the Abyssines came to Court he complains That without consulting him they had done such things upon Religion The King answered That for his satisfaction there should yet be a Conference on that subject The consequence was that after the Conference the Jesuits obtained an Edict by which it was forbidden on pain of death to say there was but one Nature in Christ Jesus This frightful Decree was a clap of Thunder which seemed to reduce the whole Empire of the Abyssines into powder and Aethiopia knew then by experience what Evils the Spirit of Popery drew along with it all the Realm was alarmed and the most moderate lost their moderation and considered that in truth the Controversie about two Natures in Christ in the estate in which now it was was of no importance but that such a severity was unheard of in Aethiopia since the times of the Apostles and that it was wholly opposite to the nature of the Christian Religion for which Religion they concluded they must not suffer such Violence Jamanaxus Brother by the Mothers side of the Emperour puts himself at the head of a very powerful Confederation into which many great Lords entered with all the Church-men and a great part of the People The Metropolitan Simeon who strove less against the two Natures in Jesus Christ than for his Dignity which they would have taken from him in favour of him whom it should please the Pope to name excommunicated all those which followed the Religion of the Franks for so they call the Religion of the Romans This boldness caused some fear to the Emperour he grew a little moderate and made another Edict in which he gave Liberty of Conscience to all his Subjects and in all appearance he had continued so to do if he had followed his own Inclinations But at the instigation of the Jesuits he returned to more violent Counsels The Queen-Mother the Metropolitan the Church-men and the Monks threw themselves at his feet in favour of the ancient Religion but he rejected them all with violence so that there was no more hopes of Peace Jamanaxus the King's Brother Elias his Son-in-Law Governour of the Province of Tygris with a great Party resolved to oppose the Violence by force The Metropolitan
renews his Excommunications the Sword-men take Arms Aelius commands all the Portugese to go out of the Province whereof he was Governour they came to blows The Party of the King and the Jesuits was the stronger Aelius was slain Simeon the Metropolitan was taken whom they beheaded they made a great Butchery among the People but Jamanaxus was pardoned Behold already how much Bloud hath been shed by Popery But things will not continue there The Jesuits and their King puft up with the success of their Victory proceed to a new Reformation The Prince forbad them the observation of the Saturday-Sabbath and commanded that they should labour on that day upon the penalty of confiscating their Goods for the second Offence 'T is indeed an affair sufficiently small about which it were very possible to have given a tolleration but Popery understands not the meaning of that word they severely chastised for an Example one named Buc a person very eminent in the Kingdom for his Military Employments This new severity gave occasion of a revolt to one named Jonael Vice-Roy of Bageindra All the Court the women and the Favourites interposed in this affair a little to soften and bend the Spirit of the King but the Jesuits prevailed upon him He would not comply with their Perswasions So they came a second time to war Jonael was beaten many times and withdrew from the Kingdom This did not affright others Those of the Province of Damos took Arms for the ancient Religion The Hermites which are there in great abundance were willing to signalize themselves in this Holy War. Nevertheless their Party was beaten but there was great effusion of Bloud on both sides Behold the ordinary Methods by which Popery arrives at Empire After these repeated Victories which cost the King of Aethiopia great part of his Subjects he accomplished his design The Jesuites by his Authority intirely overturned the Religion and Church of the Abyssines all gave way either to seduction or violence They swore Fidelity and Obedience to Urban the Eighth the Pope sent there a Roman Patriarch all those who would not obey were severely chastised The new Patriarch passed through the Kingdom baptizing and confirming an infinite number of persons They established Seminaries of the Children of the Abyssines and Portuguese In one word Popery by its ordinary ways which are violence and the sword became master of all Abyssinia One named Tecla Georgius another Son-in-law of the King put himself at the head of the Malecontents which were in great number but the fortune of the Jesuites did yet accompany the King in this Affair Tecla Georgius was slain and his Sister hanged on a Tree because she had spoken a little too freely against the Rites of the Latine Church The Patriarch Alphonsus Mendez a Jesuit knew not how to use his good Fortune but believing that henceforward he might abandon himself without constraint to that spirit of Tyranny which hath its seat at Rome ill intreated all the great Men of the Court excommunicated the prime Officers of the Kingdom for things which were not Ecclesiastical he domineer'd over all with so much insolence that at length the King himself and all the Courtiers opened their eyes upon the conduct of these new Tyrants Rebellions were renewed in most part of the Provinces Battels were fought and blood spilt under the Authority of the King who was still abused by Popery But a certain person called Ras Seelax a great Favourite of the King 's and a great Protecter of Popery having lost his Reputation the Affairs of the Jesuites and Popery sunk and fell into decay thereby The King being tired by the Troubles which these new Evangelists brought to him every day by their Rigours and seeing that the Hydra of Rebellion after it lost one head found a hundred began very much to abate of his rigour and granted liberty to whosoever would use it to preserve and observe the ancient Religion This goodness of the Prince which agreed very well with natural Equity displeased these imperious Masters they made violent opposition thereunto but favour continued no longer on their side the same Prince which had abolished the ancient Religion doth re-establish it or rather permits that it should be re-established after ten or twelve years interruption Susneus dies a little while after This Protector of the Religion newly established being dead Popery tumbled with haste and violence towards ruine They repaid to the Jesuites the cruelty they had used they took away their Churches and Goods and drove them out of the Kingdom They tried all ways they set their Friends and Creatures on work they intreated they desired the help of Arms and Souldiers from Goa for their Defence but all to no purpose The Patriarch Alphonsus Mendez was put into the hands of the Turks from whence he was redeemed with Money but his Companions the Jesuites Almeyda Father Hyacynthus Lewis Cardyra and many others were hanged as Disturbers of the publick Peace The Congregation for the Propagation of Faith were willing to attempt the Recovery of this brave Kingdom which they had lost they send six Capuchines to try if they could pass once again into Aethiopia but two of them died by the hand of the Cafres two were stoned in Aethiopia the other two returned without doing any thing In conclusion three other Capuchines were willing to make another attempt they came ashore at Suaquene a Port of the Red-sea possessed by the Turks from thence they wrote to the King of Aethiopia as if it had been a thing grateful to him that they were there ready to pass into his Country as soon as he should furnish them with necessary Accommodations For answer Basilides who was then King of Aethiopia after his Father Susneus writ to the Turkish Bassa who commanded the place that he would do him the kindness to send him the Heads of those three Franks This was done they cut off their heads they flead off their skins which they filled with Hay and sent them to Basilides So these poor miserable Wretches bore the punishment of all the Blood which the Jesuites and Popery had shed in the Kingdom of the Abyssines This History as it seems to me is very proper to shew that in all places as well as in all Ages the spirit of Popery is the occasion of Trouble Confusion Tyranny and Persecution and God did permit that Popery should prosecute its usual methods in Aethiopia as elsewhere to hinder the Abyssine Church from continuing under the Papal Tyranny For if these Emissaries of the Court of Rome had proceeded with more Moderation and spared Blood and offered no Violence to the Consciences of men without doubt Popery had this day been regnant among the Abyssines The Liberty of the Reformed Churches of Hungary was established upon very good Foundations the Kings of that Country had granted to the Protestants divers Declarations by which the exercise of the Reformed Religion was permitted in all places On