1544.

Pope

Francis I. received a Commiffion against them, to examine the Waldenfes in the Diocefe of Aix in ProPaul III. Vence, Arles and Salon. As alfo when they were reftored into the faid Province in 1228, when the Archbishops of Aix, Arles, and Narbonne met together at Avignon to give their Advice to the Inquifitors about the Business of the Waldenfes, who then faid, that the Inquifitors had taken and apprehended fo vaft a number of them, that they were not only at a lofs to provide Food for their Subfiftance, but also to procure Lime and Stone enough to build Prifons for them. It is certain that the Waldenfes of Provence, dwelling, as it were, at the Gates of the Pope's Palace, and round about Avignon, were not then forgotten But becaufe we find no particular Writings which manifeft and make a Proof of the faid Perfecutions, we will infert nothing here, but that which we have fufficient and evident proof of.

The first Perfecution which Hiftory gives us an Account of, is that in the Reign of Lewis XII. about the year 1506. It fell out thus: This good King having been informed, that in Provence there was a certain People, who lived not according to the Ordinances of the Church of Rome; but were wicked and profligate Wretches, committing all manner of Impieties and Villanies, the remembrance of which ftruck an horror into Men's Hearts, and were fuch with which the Primitive Chriftians had been charged; he left it to the Parliament of Provence to take Cognizance thereof, and to punish them according to their deferts. Which Orders the faid Parliament having diligently put in execution, fo foon as he understood that feveral innocent Perfons were put to death, he put a stop to the Proceedings of the faid Parliament, and would not suffer the Profe

Profecutions to be continued, till fuch time as he Francis I. could certainly be informed, what manner of 1544Pope People thofe were, who had been reprefented to Paul III. him as fuch wicked and impious Wretches. To that purpose he fent Monfieur Adam Fumée, Mater of his Requests, who brought him back word, that the Information, which had been given him concerning the Waldenfes of Provence, was notoriously falfe; for they were not any ways guilty either of Sorcery or Adultery, but lived like honeft Men, doing no hurt or injury to any Man; that they caused their Children to be baptized, and taught them the Articles of the Creed and the Commandments of God; that they carefully observed the Lord's-Day; and that the Word of God was purely expounded unto them. One Parvi a Jacobin Monk, Confeffor to the King, teftified alfo as much. He had been joined in Commiffion by the King, with the faid Master of Requefts; which the King having heard, he declared with an Oath, that they were more pious, honeft and religious Perfons than himself, and his Catholick Subjects.

That Perfecution being ftayed, and reftrained XXIX. by Lewis XII. they continued unmolested till Their MefSage to the Reign of Francis I. and when there was a Oolamtalk in France, about the Reformation in Mat- padius. ters of Religion, they fent two of their Barbes or Paftors, namely, George Morel of Fraffiniere in Dauphiné, and Peter Maffon of Burgundy, to John Ecolampadius, Minifter of Bafil, to Capito, and Martin Bucer at Strafbourg, and to Richard Haller at Bern, to confer with them. about their Religion, and to afk their Advice and Counfel, about feveral Points, in which they defired to be inftructed. This was done in the year 1530.

Eco

Francis I.

1544 Fope Paul III.

Ecolampadius wrote to them the following

Letter.

And Oeco-"

lampa

them.

W

you

of

E have learnt with great fatisfaction, by your faithful Paftor George Morel, the ,, nature of your Faith and Religion, and in what dius's Let- Terms declare it. Therefore we thank our ters to moft merciful Father, who hath called you to fo great a Light in this Age, even amidst the thick Clouds of Ignorance, which have spread ,, themselves throughout the World, and notwithstanding the extravagant power Antichrist. And therefore we acknowledge that Chrift is in you; for which cause we love ,, you like Brethren, and would to God we were able to make you fenfible in effect, of that which we shall be ready to do for you, though it were to be done with the utmost difficulty. Finally, we defire, that what we write, may ,, not be looked upon as if through Pride we affumed any fuperiority to ourselves (z), but out of that Brotherly Love and Charity we ,, bear towards you. The Father of our Lord J. C. hath imparted to you an excellent knowledge in his Truth, more than to many other People, and hath bleffed you with a Spiritual Benediction. So that if you perfift in his Grace, he hath much greater Treasures with which he can enrich you, and make you perfect, according to your Advancement in the measure of the Inheritance of Chrift."

This Letter is fubfcribed thus, ŒEcolampadius prays to the Holy Ghoft, for the Grace of God the Father, through his Son Jefus Chrift, to the well-beloved Brethren in Chrift called Waldenfes.

Be

(x) He meant the following Letter he wrote to them in the fame year.

Befides this Letter, he wrote to them another, on Francis I. the Queftion, whether it was lawful to diffemble 1544. Pope his Religion, and to bow before Popish Idols, Paul III. and which for the matter's fake I fhall infert here. Ecolampadius defires the Grace of God, through J. C. his Son, and the Holy Ghoft, for his well-beloved Brethren in Chrift, called Waldenfes.

Wi

E understand that the fear of Perfecution hath caufed you to conceal and diffemble your Faith. Now with the Heart ,, we believe unto Righteoufnefs, and with the Mouth, Confeffion is made unto Salvation; ,, but those who are afraid to confefs Chrift before the World, fuch fhall find no Reception from God the Father. For our God is Truth without any Diffimulation; and as he is a zealous God, he cannot endure that any of his Servants should take upon them the yoke of ,, Antichrist; for there is no Fellowship or Communion with Chrift and Belial: And if ,, you communicate with Infidels, by going to „, their abominable Maffes, you will there hear ,, Blafphemies against the Death and Passion of ,, Chrift: For when they boaft, that by the ,, means of fuch Sacrifices, they make fatisfaction ,, to God for the Sins of both the living and the dead; what naturally follows from thence, but that J. Chrift hath not made fufficient Ex,, piation, and Satisfaction by his Death and Paffion, and confequently that Chrift is no Jefus, that is, no Saviour, and that he died for us in ,, vain? If we participate of that impure Table, we declare ourselves to be of one and the fame ,, body with the wicked, although it be never fo ,, much against our Will and Inclination. And

when we fay Amen to their Prayers, do we

Francis I. ,, not deny Chrift? What death ought we not 1544. ,, to undergo? What torture and torment ought Pope Paul III.,, we not rather to endure? Nay, into what Abyss of Woe and Mifery ought we not rather to plunge ourselves, than by our Prefence to teftify our Confent to, and Approbation of the Blafphemies of the Wicked? I know that your ,, Infirmity is great, but those who have been ,, taught, that they were redeemed by the Blood of Chrift, ought to be more couragious, and always to fear and ftand in awe of him, who can caft both Body and Soul into Hell. And ,, what? Is it enough for us to have preserved this Life alone? Shall this be more precious to us than that of Chrift? And are we fatisfied with having enjoyed the delights of Sin, and the pleafures of this World? Are there not Crowns laid before us, and fhall we flinch back and recoil! And who will believe that our Faith was ever true, and fincere, fhould it want Zeal and Ardour in the time of Perfecution? We befeech the Lord to increase your Faith. And certainly it is better for us to lofe ,, our Lives, than to be conquered and over,, come by Temptations, And therefore, Bre,, thren, we advife you thoroughly to weigh and confider the Bufinefs, for if it be LAWFUL TO CONCEAL OUR FAITH under the Tyranny of Antichrift; it will be as lawful fo to do under that of the Turk, and ,, with Dioclefian to worship a Jupiter, or Venus. It would then have been lawful for Tobit to worfhip the Calf in Bethel. And what then will become of our Faith towards God? If we do not pay to God that honour which belongs. to him, and if our Life be nothing else, but ,, Hypocrify and Diffimulation, he will fpew us ,, up like bafe and lukewarm Wretches. And