Luthers fore-runners: or, A cloud of witnesses, deposing for the Protestant faith. Gathered together in the historie of the Waldenses: who for diuers hundred yeares before Luther successiuely opposed popery, professed the truth of the Gospell, and sealed it with their bloud ... Diuided into three parts. The first concernes their originall beginning ... The second containes the historie of the Waldenses called Albingenses. The third concerneth the doctrine and discipline which hath bene common amongst them, and the confutation of the doctrine of their aduersaries. All which hath bene faithfully collected out of the authors named in the page following the preface, by I.P.P. L. Translated out of French by Samson Lennard.

CHAP. VI. Testimonies giuen of the Waldenses by many great persona∣ges that haue made profession of the reformed religion.

THeodor Beza calleth the Waldenses the seed of the most pure ancient Christian Church, which was miraculously preserued in the middest of the darknesse and errours which haue bene hatched by Satan in these latter times.

Constans vpon the Reuelation, sheweth that the refor∣matiō of the Church in the Westerne parts of the world began in France, by the meanes of Waldo, and that from this source it spread it selfe through the rest of Europe.

Bullinger speakes thus of the Waldenses, VVhat should we say (saith he) that aboue foure hundred yeares since, throughout France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Bohemia, and other countries and kingdomes of the world, the Wal∣denses haue made profession of the Gospell of Christ

Iesus, and in many their writings and continuall prea∣chings accused the Pope to be the true Antichrist of whom the Apostle Saint Iohn had prophesied, and there∣fore we were to flie from him. These people being tor∣tured with diuerse most cruell torments, haue with vn∣speakable constancie giuen testimony of their faith by glorious martyrdomes, and the like they suffer euen at this very day. It is beyond the power of man to banish them or to roote them out, notwithstanding it haue bene often attempted by most mightie kings and Prin∣ces stirred vp by the Pope, but it is God (saith he) that hath hindred all their violent outrages. Luther confessed that he hated the Waldenses as desperate men, vntill he knew the pietie and truth of their beleefe by their owne confessions and writings, whereby he perceiued that these good and honest men were much wronged, and that the Pope had condemned them for heretikes, being rather worthie of the praise that is due to Saints and Mar∣tyrs: And that he had found in the said Waldenses one thing worthy admiration, and to be obserued as a mira∣cle neuer heard of in the Church of Rome, namely, that the said Waldenses hauing abandoned all humane lear∣ning, gaue them selues wholly, to the vtmost of their power, to the meditation of the law of God day & night, and that they were very expert in the Scriptures, and well exercised in them; and that contrarily they whom we call our great Maisters in the Papacy, made so light account of the Scriptures (glorying neuerthelesse in the title thereof) that there were some amongst them, that had scarce seene the Bible.

Hauing also read the confession of the Waldenses, he said that he did thanke God for that great light that it had pleased God to impart vnto them, taking great com∣fort

with them, for that all occasion of suspition amongst them whereby one was suspected to the other of heresie, was taken away, and that they were knit so close toge∣ther, as that they were all sheepe of one fold, vnder the onely Pastor and Bishop of our soules, who is blessed for euer.

Occolampadius writ vnto the Waldenses of Prouence, in the yeare a thousand fiue hundred and thirtie, this letter following.

WE haue vnderstood with a great deale of content∣ment by your faithfull Pastor George Morel, what your faith and religion is, and with what termes you speake thereof. We therefore yeeld humble and heartie thanks to our mercifull Father, who hath called you to so great light in this age, euen in the middest of those obscure darknesses which are spread throughout the whole world, and the vnlimited power of Antichrist. And therefore we acknowledge and confesse that Christ is in you, for which we loue you as bre∣thren. And I would to God we had power and abilitie to make you feele that in effect which we shall be readie to do for you, yea though it be in matters of greatest difficultie. We would not that you should take that which we write to proceed out of any pride, or attributing to our selues any superioritie, but out of that brotherly loue and charitie we beare towards you. The Father of our Lord Iesus Christ hath imparted vnto you an excellent knowledge of his truth, more then to many other people, and hath blessed you with a spirituall benedi∣ction. So that if you persist in his grace, he hath in store grea∣ter treasures for you, which he will enrich you withall, and make you perfect, that you may grow to the full measure of the inheritance of Christ.

The subscription of the letter is, Oecolampaedius wisheth the grace of God the Father, by his Sonne Iesus Christ, and his holy Spirit, to his welbeloued brethren in Christ, which they call Waldenses.

Martin Bucer writ vnto them at the same time this letter following.

BLessed be the Lord God and our louing Father, who hath preserued you to this present time in so great knowledge of his truth, and who hath now inspired you in the search thereof, hauing made you capable and fit to do it. Behold now what the nature of true faith is, which is, that so soone as it knowes in part any sparke of the diuine light, it preserueth carefully the things that are giuen vnto it of God. Saint Paul is an example vnto vs, who in all his Epistles shewes the great care that he hath had to procure the glorie of God. And doubtlesse if we pray with a good heart, that the name of God be sanctified, and his kingdome may come, we shall prosecute nothing with such diligence as the establishment of the truth where it is not, and the ad∣uancement thereof where it is alreadie planted. One onely thing doth especially grieue vs, that our imployments at this time are such about other affaires, that we haue no leisure to answer you at large as we desire, &c.

Le Sieur de Vigneaux who was a Pastor of the Walden∣ses in the vallies of Piemont, hath written a Treatise of their life, manners, and religion, to whom he giues this testimonie, that they were a people of a holy and godly life and conuersation, well gouerned, great enemies to vice, but especially their Barbes, for so they called their Pastors. And speaking of those of his owne time, he saith:

We liue in peace in these vallies of Piemont, and in loue & amitie one with another, we haue commerce together, neuer marrying our sonnes to the daughters of those of the Church of Rome, or our daughters to their sonnes; yea our manners and customes please them so well, that such as are masters and call themselues Catholickes, de∣sire to chuse their men seruants and maid-seruants rather from amongst vs then themselues. And they come also from farre to seeke nurses for their children amongst vs, finding in ours more fidelitie then in their owne.

And as touching the doctrine for which the Waldenses haue bene persecuted, they do affirme (saith he) that we are to beleeue the Scriptures onely in that which con∣cerneth our saluation, not any way depending vpon men. That the Scriptures containe in them whatsoeuer is necessary to saluation, and that we are not to beleeue any thing but what God hath commanded vs.

That we haue one onely Mediatour, and therefore we are not to inuocate Saints.

That there is no Purgatory, but all such as are iustified by Christ go to eternall life.

They approue of two Sacraments, Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord.

They affirme that all Masses are damnable, especially those that are said for the dead, and therefore are to be a∣bolished.

That all humane traditions are to be reiected, as not being necessary to saluation.

That singing and often rehearsall of diuine Seruice, fasts tyed to certaine dayes, superfluous feasts, difference of meates, so many degrees and orders of Friers, Monks, and Nuns, so many benedictions and consecrations of creatures vowes, pilgrimages, and the whole confusion

and great number of ceremonies heretofore inuented, are to be abolished.

They deny the supremacie of the Pope, and especially that power that he vsurpeth ouer ciuill gouernment; and they admit of no other degrees, then Bishops, Priests, and Deacons.

That the Sea of Rome is the true Babylon, and that the Pope is the fountaine of all the euils in these dayes.

That the marriage of Priests is good and necessary.

That they that heare the word of God, and haue the true knowledge thereof, are the true Church, vnto which Christ Iesus hath deliuered the keyes, to let in the flocke, and to chase away the wolues.

Behold here (saith Vinaux) the doctrine of the Wal∣denses, which the enemies of the truth haue impugned, and for which in those times they persecuted them, as their enemies themselues do witnesse.

Viret speakes of the Waldenses as followeth. The Pa∣pists (saith he) haue imposed great crimes, and that very wrongfully, vpon those ancient faithfull people, com∣monly called Waldenses, or the poore people of Lions, frō Waldo whose doctrine they followed, by which they make it appeare that the Pope is Antichrist, and that his do∣ctrine is nothing else but humane traditions, contrary to the doctrine of Christ Iesus. For which cause they haue dealt against them, as the ancient Painims did against the Christians, accusing them that they killed their owne children in their assemblies.

The Author of the Historie of the reformed Churches in France writeth thus. The Waldenses (saith he) time out of mind haue opposed themselues against the abuses of the Church of Rome, and haue in such sort bene persecu∣ted, not by the sword of the word of God, but by all kind

of violence and crueltie, as also by a million of calumnies and false accusations, that they haue bene enforced to disperse themselues into what parts of the world they could, wandring through desart places like poore sauage beasts, the Lord neuerthelesse preseruing the remnant of them, in such sort, that notwithstanding the fury of the whole world, they were still preserued in three coun∣tries farre distant one from the other, that is, Cala∣bria, Bohemia, and Piemont, with the bordering parts thereabout, from whence they haue bene dispersed into the quarters of Prouence, about two hundred & seuentie yeares since. And as touching their religion, they haue alwayes auoyded the Papall superstition. For which cause they haue bene alwayes vexed by the Bishops and Inqui∣sitors, abusing the power of secular iustice, in such sort, that it is an euident miracle of God that they should be able to continue.

Iohn Chassagnon writes as followeth. It is written of the Waldenses (saith he) that they reiected all the traditions and ordinances of the Church of Rome, as vnprofitable and superstitious, and that they made no great account of their Clergie and Prelates. And for this cause being excommunicated and chased out of the countrey, they dispersed themselues into many and diuerse places, as in∣to Dauphiney, Prouence, Languedoc, Piemont, Calabria, Bo∣hemia, England, and other places. Some haue written that one part of the Waldenses retired themselues into Lom∣bardie, where they multiplyed in such a manner, that their doctrine was dispersed throughout all Italie, and came as farre as Sicile. Neuerthelesse in this great dispersion, they alwayes kept themselues in vnion and fraternitie for the space of foure hundred yeares, liuing in great sinceritie and the feare of God.

The Author of the Historie of the State of the Church writes of them thus. After that Waldo (saith he) and his followers were driuen out of Lions, one part of them reti∣red to Lombardie, where they multiplied in such a man∣ner, that their doctrine began to disperse it selfe into Ita∣lie, and came into Sicile, as the Patents of Fredericke the second, giuen out against them whilest he reigned, do witnesse.

Vesembecius saith, that when the Pope and his catch-poles saw that the Romane Hierarchie receiued great de∣triment by meanes of the Waldenses, insomuch that there were certaine Princes that had taken their defence, a∣mongst whom was the King of Aragon, and the Earles of Toulouze, in those dayes puissant Princes in France, they began to oppresse them vpon most vniust occasions, bringing them into hatred with the people, and especially of Kings, to the end that by this meanes they might be vtterly exterminated.

Vignier makes mention of the Waldenses in his Histo∣rical Bibliotheke, and saith, that they haue endured many long and grieuous persecutions, and yet notwithstanding there was neuer any thing that could hinder them from retaining that doctrine which they had receiued from the Waldenses, deliuering it (as it were) from hand to hand vnto their children.

Hologaray affirmes, that the Waldenses and Albigenses were of a contrary opinion to the Bishop of Rome in all those maximes or principles that were publickly prea∣ched & commanded by his authoritie, that is, that were inuented by him, and contrary to the word of God. And he witnesseth withall, that there were amongst them wise men, and very learned, and sufficient to defend their be∣liefe against the Monkes.

Mathias Illyricus writes, that he finds by the writings of Waldo, which lay by him in certaine ancient parch∣ments, that Waldo was a learned man, and that he did not cause the bookes of the Bible to be translated into the vulgar tongue, but that he tooke paines therein him∣selfe.

It is most certaine, that the aduersaries of Waldo and the Waldenses, make no great account of these aboue na∣med testimonies, because they hold them to be both of one and the same ranke and order, both the witnesses and those to whom they beare witnesse, that is, all for here∣ticks: but this Historie is not onely for the enemies of the truth, but to the end the louers thereof may see that that which is here produced, doth not intend onely our owne particular commendations, but to shew that there haue bene before vs certaine great personages, whose memo∣rie they reuerence that haue spoken of the Waldenses as of the true Sacraments of God, who haue maintained the truth with the losse of their liues, and earnestly desi∣red in their times to see the reformation we enioy in ours.

And as le Sieur de S. Aldegonde saith, the occasion why they were condemned for heretickes, was no other but because they maintained that the Masse was an im∣pious corruption of the holy Supper of the Lord.

That the Hoste was an idoll forged by men.

That the Church of Rome was wholly adulterated and corrupted, and full of infidelitie and idolatrie.

That the traditions of the Church were but supersti∣tions and humane inuentions.

That the Pope was not the head of the Church, and for other points of this nature.

And as the said Aldegonde obserues, it was a great

worke of God, that how diligent soeuer the Popes with their Clergie haue bene, vsing likewise the assistance of secular Princes and magistrates, to roote them out, yet they could neuer do it, neither by proscriptions, nor ba∣nishments, nor excommunications, nor publications of their Bulles, nor Indulgences and Pardons to all those that shall make warre against them: nor by any manner of torments, fire, flames, gibets, or other cruell effusion of bloud, could they euer hinder the current of their do∣ctrine, but it hath spread it selfe almost into all the corners of the earth.

This hath le Sieur de Saint Aldegonde writ of the Wal∣denses. But forasmuch as doubt may be made, whether we haue in these dayes any proofes in the world of their beleefe, it is necessary that we produce hereabouts an inuentorie of bookes which they haue left vnto vs, to the end that when there shall be any question of their do∣ctrine, euery one may vnderstand what the writings are out of which we haue gathered that which they taught.

Notes

• Beza in his hi∣storie of worthy men.
• Const. vpon the Apocalypse.
• Bullinger in the Preface of his sermons vpon the Reuelation.
• Vesembecius in his Oration of the Waldenses.
• This letter is found in the book of George Morel, pastor of the Waldenses touching the conference which he had with Oecolamp. and Martin Bu∣cer.
• The rest of this letter is hereaf∣ter in the booke of the persecu∣tions of the Waldenses.

  Vigneaux in his Memorials of the Waldenses. fol. 4.
• It appeareth by the Historie of the Estate of the Church. p. 337.
• Viret of the true & false religion. lib. 4. chap. 13. p. 249.
• The Ecclesiasti∣call History of the reformed Churches of France. tom. 1. lib. 1. p. 35.
• Iohn Chassagnon in his Historie of the Albigeois. p. 25.
• The Historie of the Estate of the Church. p. 336.
• Vesemb. in his oration of the Waldenses p. 3.
• Vignier in his Historicall Bi∣bliothec. p. 130.
• Hologaray in his History of Foix p. 120. 121.
• Math. Illyricus in his Catal. of the witnesses of the truth. p. 134.
• In the first table of his differen∣ces, the third part. p. 150.