A TRUE RELATION Of what hath been Tranſacted in behalf of thoſe of the Reformed Religion, During the TREATY OF PEACE AT RESWICK. WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE Preſent Perſecution in France.
LONDON, Printed for Sam. Lowndes over-againſt Exeter-Exchange in the Strand, and to be Sold by E. Whitlock near Stationers-Hall. 1698.
HE is a great Stranger in the World, who doth not know how Kind, Generous, and Charitable, Your Lordſhip has been to all the French Refugees in General, and in a Special Manner to many of them, whom You have put in an Honourable Way of Serving at once His Majeſty, Your Lordſhip, and Themſelves. And, indeed, My Lord, the Nobleneſs of Your Birth is Supported by the Greatneſs, and Solidity of Your Virtues; The Greatneſs of Your Titles and Dignities Adorned with an Unparallel'd Conduct and Undaunted Courage; Your Conduct and Courage united to a Tender and Compaſſionate Generoſity towards the Unfortunate; and all theſe Indowments attended with a ſteady and unweaned Conſtancy, which is the Proper Character of Great Souls.
And therefore, My Lord, the true Account of the Preſent Sufferings of the Proteſtants in France, which I give to this Nation, will, I hope, obtain a Favourable Audience and Reception from Your Lordſhip, and You will undoubtedly Pity their Lamentable Caſe, as well as be Pleaſed to vouchſafe the Continuance of Your Protection to thoſe who have both the Honour and Happineſs of being already ſheltered under it. I am, My Lord, one of thoſe who have obtained a great Share in Your Generous Liberality, and am very glad to have this Opportunity to Acknowledge Publickly, how much I do Reſpect Your Perſon, Eſteem Your Virtues, and am Thankful for Your many Favours, which I find my ſelf under an impoſſibility of Anſwering any other way than by being as long as I live,
A Little Book needs no Preface, nor a good one any Commendation; The former carries an Excuſe in its Brevity, and the other's own Worth will ſufficiently recommend it to the Judicious. The Papers which we here preſent to the Publick have a juſt Title to both theſe Characters, as containing in a little room many important Tranſactions and Circumſtances relating to the French Proteſtants, which the World has not hitherto been acquainted with; ſo that a true Engliſhman will not think an hour or two miſpent to be informed as well of the ſeveral Motions that were made at Reſwick, though without ſucceſs, by Perſons of great Zeal and no leſs Ability, for the Relief of the French Proteſtant Church, as of the lamentable Condition ſhe hath lain under ever ſince the Peace, by a moſt Violent and Barbarous Perſecution. And therefore he will not take it amiſs, if we give him before-hand an Abſtract of theſe Papers, with the Deſign of the Reverend and Learned Author in their Publication, which is to relate the paſt, and preſent Condition of the Proteſtants in France, and to give them ſome good Advices for their future Deportment.
As to the time paſt, he informs the Proteſtants, as well thoſe who are now perſecuted in France, as thoſe who are diſperſed for Chriſt's Name over the face of the whole Earth, (and who expected that the end of the War would have put a Period to their Miſeries) that the Proteſtant Princes, and the States, and all thoſe who could either by the Eminence of their Stations, or Learning, or Zeal be uſeful to them, have done what they could towards their Deliverance and Comfort. And by this faithful Relation, he undeceives them of the Error they were in, viz. That thoſe who could and ought to have relieved them, had quite forſaken them, and only minded their own Concerns, but neglected theirs. He tells them, that one muſt not meaſure the Conduct of an Affair by the Event, but by the Integrity and Induſtry of the Perſons imployed in it. If, when thus qualified, they do not ſpeed, they are not to be blamed for it, but rather we ought to be Thankful for what they have done already, and had a deſire to have done further. And if God Almighty did not think fit to bleſs them with ſucceſs in the Management of a good Cauſe, we muſt ſubmit to his Will, poſſeſs our Souls in patience, and conclude, that it is now the Hour of the Papiſts, and the Power of Darkneſs.
As to the preſent time, the Author makes a ſad, but true Repreſentation of the Barbarous Perſecution which rages now in France; and the ſeveral Inſtances he gives of the Inhumanity of the Papiſts on one hand, and of the unparallel'd Sufferings of theſe poor Proteſtants on the other, do plainly diſcover, that Popery is in this Particular, worſe than the Heathen Religion, and that they have outdone the Pagan Emperors, and even the Ferity of the wild Beaſts in the Amphitheaters.
The principal End of this Diſcourſe is, firſt to acquaint all thoſe who being grown weary of their long Exile, may have a mind to return into France, what welcome they are like to expect there: Our Author clearly demonſtrates, that unleſs they fully reſolve to turn Papiſts, they ought by no means to expoſe themſelves to the unavoidable danger of ſo great and certain a Temptaion.
Secondly, The Author's Aim is, to Confute thoſe Papiſts, who either for ſhame, or becauſe they have received ſome ſecret Order ſo to do, make it their buſineſs to give out in all Proteſtant Countreys, and chiefly here in England, that there is no ſuch thing as a Perſecution in France, and that the Proteſtants are not moleſted there, but on the contrary, permitted to live quietly. But what Monſtrous Impudence is this, to give the Lie not only to Thouſands of Travellers, and many of them Perſons of Quality, who are every day Eye-witneſſes of theſe new Cruelties, as well as Abhorrers of thoſe Miſcreants that execute them; but alſo to ſeveral rigorous Declarations of their own King, iſſued out ſince the Peace againſt the French Proteſtants ſtill in his Kingdom. Is it Shame that prompts them to it? if it be ſo, then their groundleſs denial argues in them a tacit Horror and Condemnation of theſe Proceedings. A Highwayman doth not uſe to Confeſs, but rather deny his Crimes, though evidently proved againſt him. But the Myſtery of their Policy is this; The French Court is very unwilling to loſe ſo many Subjects, witneſs the Bills that were ſet up at the Doors of ſeveral French Churches in London, whereby the Refugees were invited to apply themſelves to the French Ambaſſador, and promiſed that they ſhould have Paſſes gratis, and be furniſhed with Money to carry them home. This was not done, you may be ſure, by Proteſtants, but by Papiſts. The Council of Perſecution is jealous of the Kindneſs and Charity of the Proteſtant States to the Refugees, and fears that their uſual Benevolence and Fellow-feeling will be a prevalent Encouragement to thoſe who lie now under the Croſs to come over to them and that Thouſands will make their eſcape, though the Paſſes be never ſo ſtrictly guarded. To prevent this loſs, as well as to recover the old Refugees, they have ordered it to be given out every where, that all this Report of a new Perſecution which the French Proteſtants Complain againſt, is a meer trick and ſham without any ground of Truth in it. Hoping thereby to incite the Hatred of all Proteſtant People againſt them; to ſtop the Charitable Benevolence of all Rank and Qualities, and conſequently to conſtrain them by Hunger to return home: But, How can ſuch a notorious Falſity gain any Credit? No matter for that. Politicians will do what they think may ſerve their turn, if they get no Advantage, they are ſure to loſe nothing by the Impoſture. 'Tis poſſible, they may miſcarry, but 'tis poſſible they may ſucceed too, and they will have this Satisfaction, that if the Event doth not anſwer their Endeavours and Expectations, they have no Reaſon to Blame themſelves for any neglect on their part: Though the Popiſh Emiſſaries are not ignorant, that the Proteſtant Princes and Great Men know as well as the Perſecutors themſelves, how ſeverely the French Proteſtants are uſed, ſince the Peace; nevertheleſs, they muſt try, both by a flat denial of the Fact, and by repreſenting the Refugees as Impoſtors, to render them odious to all, and chiefly to the common and illiterate People, who not being ſo well able to examine the Truth, may give Credit to what is unanimouſly ſaid againſt them, by ſo many Papiſts, and in ſo many different Places. From whence it may follow, that either they will hate and fall upon them, or elſe be hereafter as hard to them, as hitherto they have been kind and charitable. In ſhort, if they cannot compaſs their whole Deſign, they hope to effect it in ſome part, and to do at leaſt, a conſiderable prejudice to ſome, if not to all of the Refugees, and conſtrain them by that means to return into the French King's Dominions. But the French Refugees hope, that thoſe who have never been abroad, and have not ſo good Intelligence of the new Perſecution, as Perſons of greater Rank and better Ʋnderſtanding, will more narrowly inquire into their Affair, from the many Travellers of their own Country, as well as of others of unqueſtionable Credit; and then we doubt not but that their grievous Sufferings, and unſpotted Innocence, will as plainly appear, as the Cruelty, Malice, and Impudence of the Popiſh Emiſſaries; And conſequently, all good Proteſtants every where, and particularly here in England, will be ſo far from hating, and withdrawing their Charity from the French Refugees, that on the contrary, they will both Abhor the Inhumanity and Slanders of the Papiſts, and pity the lamentable Condition of their Brethren, increaſe their Benevolence and Charity, even as the Papiſts increaſe their Fierceneſs; and laſtly, that they will continue to invite and receive kindly all thoſe who may hereafter be caſt upon their Shores. Nay, We hope, that neither the great number of thoſe who are already come, and may hereafter come over unto them, nor the ſad proſpect of their long Exile, will in the leaſt damp their Liberality, but rather make it abound more and more. Theſe are the true and genuine Fruits of Chriſtian Charity, to the practice whereof, our Zealous Author doth ſo Pathetically Exhort in the latter part of his Second Letter, all Proteſtants of what Nation and Quality ſoever, as the only way for them to demonſtrate, that as the Character of Popery conſiſts in forcing Conſciences, Slandering, Lying, Tormenting, and Killing; ſo that of true Chriſtians and Proteſtants is to be ſeen in their practiſing thoſe many Precepts of Humanity, and Charity, which are ſo often Inculcated in the Holy Scripture, the Rule both of our Faith, and of our good Life, and without which no body can pretend to Chriſtianity, much leſs to the great Rewards that are chiefly promiſed to thoſe who are Long-Suffering, Meek and Charitable, particularly in perſecuting times, which call for a more than ordinary Liberality, and a ſteddy perſeverance in the ſame; as you may ſee, 2 Cor. 8, 9. Matth. 25.34, 40. And let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due ſeaſon we ſhall reap, if we faint not; as we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all Men, and ſpecially unto them that are of the houſhold of Faith, Gal. 6.9, 10. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work, and labour of love, which ye have ſhewed towards his name, in that ye have miniſtred to the Saints, and do Miniſter, Heb. 6.10. Let brotherly love continue, be not forgetful to entertain Strangers, for thereby ſome have entertained Angels unawares, Heb. 13.1, 2. As to the time to come, our Author preſcribes to the Perſecuted Proteſtants, the Manner how they ought to behave themſelves; firſt, towards their Perſecutors, by loving them with a Love of Charity, though not of Eſteem, and by avoiding both their Company and Snares: And fecondly, Towards God, by an abſolute Submiſſion to his Will, without Murmuring againſt it. Next, He Cenſures them for their Neglect, Lukewarmneſs, Ill Lives, and Inſenſibility under the heavy hand of God; and Exhorts them to a ſpeedy Converſion and ſincere Repentance, without which they muſt not expect any Deliverance, whereas with it, they will put themſelves in a Condition to hope for it: It being certain, That when a Man's ways pleaſe the Lord, he maketh even his Enemies to be at Peace with him, Prov. 16.7. And when his People hath been driven. out of their Native Country, and ſcattered over the face of the whole Earth for their Sins, if they return unto the Lord their God, then the Lord will return and gather them from all Nations, whither the Lord their God had ſcattered them, Deut. 30.3. Theſe Exhortations are followed with this Comfortable Promiſe, That God Almighty will never permit the total Ruin of the Reformed Religion in France: Then he proceeds to ſhew, That the Romiſh Church is in a worſe Condition, and conſequently more likely to be ſooner Deſtroyed than that of the Proteſtants; and demonſtrates, that they may prevent their Ruine, by Patience and Conſtancy in their Sufferings, and by their often meeting together. At laſt, He gives them good and charitable Advices, in order to keep their Children from Popery; and concludes with a fervent and excellent Prayer, wholly taken out of the Holy Scripture, which may ſerve as a Form to the Afflicted Church.
When we began this Preface, we had a mind to do for the end of it, theſe two Things; Firſt, To ſet down at length all the Declarations iſſued out, and the particular Orders ſent to the Intendants of Provinces againſt the French Proteſtants ſince the Peace. And ſecondly, To ſhew the ſpeedy and ſevere Execution of them by ſeveral Particulars, which prove to the full the Violences, Outrages and Murthers committed upon the Reformed, and eſpecially the Barbarous Ʋſage of almoſt 300 of them who have been ſent to the Gallies upon account of Religion, but becauſe the mentioning of all theſe Particulars, would have Swolln theſe Papers into a bigger Bulk than it was intended at firſt, we are conſtrained to put off the Execution of our Deſign to another opportunity; and beſides we muſt conſider, that we are not Writing a Book, but a Preface.
PAge 13. line 32. after Ratification, read of Peace, p. 14. l. 2. r. which we are not concerned in, l. 16. dele who was, l. 31. r. which calls her ſelf, p. 24. l. 18. r. have done, p. 25. l. 27. r. Cevennes, p. 27. l. 7. after France, r. made many Martyrs, p. 28. l. 10. dele yet, p. 30. l. 13. dele their, l. 14. r. as many uſe to do, p. 40. l. 22. r. all in vain. p. 41. l. 32. r. of the Perſecutors, p. 43. l. 31. after Church, r. Newremberg, p. 48. l. 4. r. may expect, p. 60. l. 30. r. righteouſneſſes.
YOU may juſtly wonder, dear Brethren, that having openly profeſſed for ſome years paſt, how great a ſhare we bore in your Sufferings, you have not of late heard any thing from us; particularly this laſt year, wherein the Peace, Europe now ſeems to enjoy, hath been tranſacting. We have been told indeed you expected very much from us, and lookt upon thoſe of your Brethren, whom God's Providence hath ſettled in the neighbourhood of that Place, wherein the moſt important Affairs were tranſacted, as your Agents, who for many Reaſons were engaged to omit nothing that might contribute either to your Deliverance, or your Comfort; and therefore they were obliged to give you a faithful Account how far they had diſcharged the Commiſſion, which you had either expresſly or tacitly given them. We had certainly reſolved to do it long ſince; but were hindred, and kept ſilent for ſeveral Reaſons; chiefly for fear of preventing the good Effects of ſome ſecret Reſolution or other, which our Perſecutors might have made of abating their Fury, and moderating their exceſs of Cruelty; as they had all the Reaſon in the World to do it, ſo we had juſt cauſe to think, they would at laſt hearken to ſome of thoſe Remonſtrances, which from all parts of Europe were thus addreſſed unto them:What blind Rage puſhes you forwards to ruine a great Kingdom; to baniſh out of it by your Barbarity, thoſe who have never acted any thing, but for its advantage; to diſoblige ſo many of the Allies, who had no other End in Fighting with you, but the procuring a ſolid Peace; to ſhew ſuch implacable Hatred againſt a Religion, the Profeſſors whereof have been for theſe Hundred years the Glory of your Crown; to inſtill into and foment an immortal Jealouſie in the Minds of thoſe Proteſtants with whom you would be glad to live peaceably? How can one rely upon the Word of thoſe who break the moſt Sacred Promiſes, and the Laws which they had Sworn to with the greateſt Solemnity? Will2 you be more faithful to your Friends, than to your own Children? Do you think that an Opportunity will not ſome day or other offer it ſelf to expreſs our Reſentments of ſuch a Contempt?
But all theſe Remonſtrances have been to no purpoſe, nay they have not ſo much as vouchſafed to hear them; in the mean while we kept ſilence that theſe formentioned Complaints being offered without any interruption, might be the better heard. We were afraid, leſt a Word taken in a contrary ſenſe, might either give occaſion, or at leaſt be made uſe of, as a colour to prevent the Effects, of what they called good Secret Intentions. But there is not now any Reaſon for us to hold our peace any longer, ſeeing we are Eye-Witneſſes of the ill Conſequences of a Peace ſo pernicious to the Church; it is high time for us to inform you, both of what we have already, and further had a mind to have done both for the Comfort of the Reformed Church in general, and your Repoſe in particular. Know then, dear Brethren, that nothing has been omitted, which might either put a ſtop to, or allay the preſent Perſecutions of the Church; and in order thereto, be pleaſed to obſerve, that the Foundation of this great Work, they had a mind to build upon, hath been laid above theſe Ten years; for they have made uſe of every Moment, and Opportunity, that might be moſt ſeaſonable to move the Proteſtant Princes and States to the moſt tender Compaſſion, and prevail upon them to contribute to the Eaſe and Relief of the Afflicted Church; eſpecially in the year 1688, in which happened the Revolution of England. As it was very eaſie to foreſee that ſo great a Turn would be attended with Conſequences of the higheſt importance, ſo they endeavoured to improve it to the beſt advantage, and prepared aforehand all things in order to another kind of Revolution. Accordingly, their firſt Eſſays ſucceeded as well as one could wiſh; the Princes who had an hand in this extraordinary Event, did expresſly promiſe, they would ſacrifice all things, even their own Lives for the good of the Church; They were pleaſed not only to ſay ſo, but more than that, they gave it under their Hands. Since the time of this Promiſe ſo much valued by us, every, even the leaſt Opportunity hath been improved to the keeping up of ſo great a Zeal: This was chiefly done in the year 1694, when the Famine raged in France; it was thought that the Government of that Kingdom would pity the Caſe of ſo many Wretches ſtarving before their Eyes, and Court Europe to a Peace in behalf of their own Subjects of both Religions. Upon this, new Motions were made, which had as good ſucceſs as the former; The Protectors of the Proteſtant Religion gave freſh Aſſurances, that they would uſe their utmoſt Intereſt to promote this great Work, and ordered Memoirs at that very time to be drawn for it. The famous Author of that Excellent Hiſtory of the Edict of Nantes, was particularly choſen for that purpoſe; with what Succeſs he diſcharged that3 Employment, he may perhaps himſelf one day inform you of. But as we were ſtrictly injoined to keep the whole Affair private, ſo it was communicated but to few Perſons, who religiouſly concealed it; there were among them ſeveral of great Quality, and many Zealous Members of high Courts. Perhaps it might have been wiſhed, that the ſecret had been kept a little longer, but it broke out when they began to diſcourſe publickly about the Peace. One of the moſt conſiderable Refugees, a Counſellor of the ſupreme Court of Paris, was informed by one of the chief Members of the Republick of Holland, that it was high time for us to look after our Concerns; he had often promiſed to give us timely warning, he was as good as his Word; and the Perſon who received it, ſet himſelf about drawing up the Memoirs they had deſired of him, after having firſt diſcourſed it with thoſe whom he thought fit: God hath taken him ſince into his reſt: The Memoirs he had drawn proved very good, and ſo well digeſted, that there was nothing either wanting or ſuperfluous in them; and ſo there were Two Perſons who prepared theſe Inſtructions. And though they did not act jointly, or communicate their Work one to another, nevertheleſs the things they laid down agreed exactly, becauſe Truth and Right are conſtantly the ſame, and cannot vary. We deſire you to take notice, that thoſe amongſt us, who have taken care of the Publick Cauſe, have not done it of their own Heads, but were impower'd by the Permiſſion, nay, by a ſpecial Order of their Superiors; and ſo you are not to impute the ill Succeſs, to the Imprudence of thoſe who might have meddled with theſe Material Affairs without any Power and Warrant ſo to do. The Inſtructions then, I ſay, were well drawn, and exhibited in due time, for they were delivered a little before the Conferences about the Peace begun at Reſwick. The ill Succeſs muſt be laid, neither upon theſe Inſtructions, nor upon the Authors of them, nor upon the Sollicitors, nor upon the Sollicitations themſelves, which were made by the moſt Eminent Refugees, and that, with a great deal of Zeal and Conduct; ſeeing they have obeyed the Advices of thoſe Superiors, by whom they were to be directed, and who ſet us upon uniting together all the Proteſtant Powers of both Communions, that of Augsburg, and that of Geneva. We muſt plainly tell you, that we had almoſt no other Reaſon for our undertaking theſe our Sollicitations, but to pay our Duty to Truth and Juſtice, though with a ſlender proſpect of Succeſs; for we ſaw well enough, that the Authors of our Miſeries were fully reſolved not to leſſen them in the leaſt, and that our Friends and Protectors were not able to give Laws to a Prince who is a Perſecutor out of an Erroneous Conſcience; but we ought however to act after ſuch a way, as you ſhould have no reaſon to blame our Conduct in the leaſt.
4This is the Conſideration we often repreſented to the Proteſtant Plenipotentiaries, who were pleaſed to give us ſeveral favourable Hearings; and we begg'd them many times, to put us in a Condition to acquaint you, that the Proteſtant Princes had done their utmoſt towards the leſſening of your Miſeries, and the recovering of your Liberties; ſome of them did very Nobly, and with all the Marks of Sincerity, promiſe us to do it. However, after having as well as we could diſpoſed the Embaſſadors of the Princes of our Communion in our favour, we endeavoured, purſuant to their Advice, to bring both Communions ſeparated from the Church of Rome to an agreement, not for ſuch an union as it was reported abroad we have ſo often deſired, but only to prevail with them to concur, and join their good Endeavours to obtain from the Moſt Chriſtian King an abatement of the Perſecution. We plainly diſcovered in every Member of the Auſgburg Communion, not only a tender Compaſſion for our Sufferings, but alſo very favourable Intentions towards us; they were very ſenſible it concerned them as well as us. We made bold to repreſent unto them, that if the Proteſtant Princes did not ſtir up their Zeal, they would ſee the great Work of the Reformation, that had coſt their Illuſtrious Anceſtors a great deal of Sweat and Blood, quite ruined under their Hands. We deſired them to conſider, how much Popery had in this Age incroached upon the true Religion. We expoſed to their View the Churches of Bohemia and Auſtria quite deſtroyed, thoſe of Hungary in extream diſtreſs, thoſe of the Palatinate devolved to a Popiſh Prince; The City and Church of Strasburg in the power of a Zealous Popiſh King; The Church of England, who had lately ſeen her ſelf upon the brink of ruine, by the Conſpiracy of two Kings; and laſtly, the Electorſhip of Saxony, now in the hands of a Prince who lately changed his Religion to purchaſe the Crown of Poland. We begg'd them to obſerve, that by adding the Ruine of the French Church to the former Loſſes, it was evident that the true Religion was expoſed to the greateſt danger more than ever. We told them, it was high time for them to look out for the fitteſt Methods to ſtop the ſucceſsful progreſs of Popery, and to raiſe a Bank againſt the fierceneſs of Perſecution; That there was as yet ſome hopes to ſave the reſt, and recover either the whole, or ſome parts of our Loſſes; That the Proteſtant Religion, as weak as it was, was ſtrong enough to counterpoiſe all the united Forces of Popery. The Moſt Potent King of England, the High and Mighty States of Holland, the Moſt Serene Elector of Brandenburg, the Landgrave of Heſſe, the Kings of Sueden and Denmark, many Princes and Free Towns of Germany, the Cantons of Swiſſerland and their Allies; all theſe, I ſay, make up a Body able to compel others to hearken to their Demands, ſince they are able when they pleaſe to keep them in awe.
5There was not one among theſe Plenipotentiaries to whom we repreſented theſe Arguments, but did acknowledge the Equity of our Requeſts, and the ſolidity of our Reaſons; They did both promiſe and act, for they agreed to Name Seven or eight Perſons to draw up their Demands. We did what we could to have this Buſineſs Negotiated, ſo as not to be ſatisfied with a bare Interceſſion, from which we ſaw we could reap but ſmall advantage. We did repreſent, that in the Treaties of Weſtphalia at Munſter and Oſnabruck, the Affairs of Religion had been treated of; That the French King himſelf had acted in behalf of the Proteſtant Princes of Germany, that the Houſe of Auſtria ſhould reſtore what they had taken from them. We did alledge twenty Preſidents of Subjects, who being protected by other Princes, had treated with their own. We ſaid indeed, that although the preſent War, was not properly a War of Religion, Religion however had done all, becauſe England and Holland had not made ſo powerful a League, but for the preſervation of their Religion as well as their Liberties, for they had underſtood that they bore an ill will againſt both; and therefore, ſaid we, ſince Religion hath under other pretences armed the Proteſtant Princes, it is not reaſonable that Religion ſhould be forſaken in this Treaty of Peace; We added, That the ſaid Proteſtant Princes had a right to demand their being reimburſed for the vaſt Charges they had been at in this War, and for the Blood of ſo many Subjects whom they had loſt in it; That it was not fit that the Proteſtant Princes ſhould have no ſatisfaction for the Money they had advanced towards carrying on the War, in which they had ſpent four times as much as the Roman Catholicks; To the King of Spain they would have Catalonia, Luxemburg, Heinant, and part of Flanders to be reſtored; To the Duke of Lorrain his Dukedom; To the Emperor Philipsburg and Friburg; To the Prince Palatine the Palatinate; To the Empire many Places upon and on this ſide the Rhine; all this put together made up a Kingdom of Reſtitutions. England as well as the States of Holland ſued for nothing, and ſo it was but reaſonable they ſhould procure the Proteſtant Religion ſome advantage, ſince this was the only concern they had in the preſent Caſe.
It ſeemed to us they could oppoſe nothing to all this, but their uſual Anſwer, viz. The impoſſibility of making the beſt of all theſe good Reaſons in the preſent Juncture of Affairs: To this we were ſain to ſubmit. But you will ſee however by what we have ſaid, that we did not omit any thing neceſſary to perſwade the Plenipotentiaries into a neceſſity of Negociating our Reſtauration. When we perceived it could not go that way, we were forced to have recourſe to a bare Interceſſion, and endeavoured that it ſhould be at leaſt powerful, urgent, unanimous, and drawn after ſuch a manner, as might be beſt able to anſwer our End. In ſhort, after many6 Conferences among theſe Gentlemen upon the Matter, they agreed to Word their Interceſſion after the Form you may have already ſeen, and may ſee here, as follows.
WE the Confederates of the Proteſtant Religion Conſidering the Calamities many of the Subjects of his Moſt Chriſtian Majeſty, profeſſing the ſame Religion with us, have ſuffer'd, and ſtill do ſuffer upon the account only of ſerving God, according to the Dictates of their Conſcience: A Liberty the ſaid diſtreſſed Subjects might reaſonably hope for by the Law of God, by the Precepts of Charity, and eſpecially by the Laws of France, confirmed by his Moſt Chriſtian Majeſty, and which they are to enjoy as good and faithful Subjects, who have conſtantly kept themſelves within the bounds of their Duty and Allegiance to their Sovereigns.
The ſaid Allies moved by theſe Motives of Juſtice and Compaſſion, are ſo much the more concerned for theſe Afflicted People, by how much the more that the Miſeries they ſuffer continuing ſtill, ſince the Peace has been re-eſtabliſh'd, might be imputed to the hatred of his Moſt Chriſtian Majeſty againſt all the Proteſtants in general, a Conſideration which would mightily diſquiet the Princes of that Religion, who hope by the Peace to live in Amity, and keep a good Correſpendence with his Moſt Chriſtian Majeſty; and therefore it concerns them alſo, to know, what will become of ſo many of the ſaid Subjects of France, who have forſaken their Native Country, and fled into the Dominions of the ſaid Proteſtant Confederates for ſhelter, to the end that they may incourage them after the Peace to return home, if they can do it with freedom and a good Conſcience. Therefore the Embaſſadors and Plenipotentiaries of the ſaid Allies of the Proteſtant Religion, having full Power to Treat about a General Peace, think themſelves obliged to recommend earneſtly, in the Name of their reſpective Sovereigns and Maſters, to their Excellencies the Embaſſadors of his Moſt Chriſtian Majeſty; having alſo entreated his Excellency the Mediator to contribute his good Offices thereto, that that Eaſe which this Diſtreſſed People have a long time moſt paſſionately deſired be granted them, and they may be reeſtabliſh'd in their Rights, Immunities, and Priviledges in Point of Religion, in order to enjoy a full Liberty of Conſcience; and that thoſe who are either in Priſons, or otherwiſe detained, be releaſed, and ſet at Liberty, that ſo the ſaid Afflicted Proteſtants may reap their ſhare of the Peace, which Europe is in all probability ſhortly to enjoy.
It cannot be denied but theſe Memoirs are very Good, Judicious, Wiſe, Reſpectful, and yet very preſſing, as much as the Juncture of time could permit. The firſt thing the Miniſters of the Proteſtant Princes did, was to declare, That they did not look on themſelves as two diſtinct Bodies, but that they eſpouſed the Intereſts of the Reformed in France, as of their own Brethren; They repreſented to the French King very nicely, but yet with great plainneſs, how much it concerned him not to reject the joint Interceſſion of the Proteſtant Princes; That this great Concern of his was to give them good grounds to truſt him for the future; To make Peace with ſuch powerful States as England, Holland, the Elector of Brandenburg, the Princes of the Mighty Houſe of Brunſwick, and ſo many Princes and Towns of Germany profeſſing the Proteſtant Religion; and at the ſame time to refuſe them a thing ſo reaſonable, was to renounce all the Maxims of the beſt Policy, and leave in Men's Minds immortal ſeeds of a War, which will break out at the firſt opportunity. Thoſe who truly love the Proteſtant Religion will no doubt remember it; and thoſe who have no great kindneſs for it, will not be ſorry to have a Pretence ready of being angry at, and revenged for thoſe many Affronts they have received from the French Court.
It was a piece of great Prudence and Wiſdom of the Proteſtant Confederates to mention, the Laws of the Kingdom of France confirmed by his Moſt Chriſtian Majeſty, by Virtue whereof the Reformed are to enjoy all the Priviledges granted them, as good and faithful Subjects, who conſtantly kept themſelves within the bounds of their Duty and Allegiance to their Sovereign. This Clauſe fully anſwers the Objection the French had very often made unto them; What authority had they to pretend that the Proteſtant Religion ſhould be re-eſtabliſhed in France, ſeeing moſt part of them would not ſo much as tolerate the Publick Exerciſe of the Catholick Religion; nay, ſaid they, in ſome of the ſaid Proteſtant States, it was Death for one to turn Roman Catholick? To this they prudently reply'd, That they kept the Laws of the Kingdoms and States made either in the firſt Settlement, or Reformation of the ſame; but that on the contrary, the Moſt Chriſtian King by expelling the Reformed, had broke all the Laws of his Kingdom, Laws, I ſay, Fundamental; Laws ſtiled Perpetual and Irrevocable, Laws ratified in all the Supreme Courts of France, received and approved by all the Orders of the State; Laws renewed by all the Predeceſſors and Anceſtors of the Prince who now ſits upon the Throne; and in ſhort, Laws Confirmed by his Majeſty himſelf. This Article of the Allies Demand ſuggeſts another Anſwer, which is this; The Subjects of the Moſt Chriſtian King profeſſing the Reformed Religion, have all along behaved themſelves as good and faithful Subjects, and conſequently have not deſerved to forfeit theſe Priviledges, which Henry the Fourth, and Lewis the Fourteenth himſelf had granted8 them, as a Reward not only of their Fidelity, but of their great Services too; Whereas the Popiſh Subjects in the Reformed Dominions, are as ſo many fierce Lions kept in Chains, who get looſe at every turn, and Plot againſt their Sovereigns, and the Government, as occaſion ſerves. In fine, we muſt obſerve, that in theſe Memoirs, the Allies demand all, not in hope of getting all, but in proſpect at leaſt of obtaining ſomething; for they did not queſtion but the French would wrangle, and maintain their ground with a great deal of Erroneous Zeal; but they thought that by yielding by degrees, ſomething would be granted.
Theſe Memoirs being finiſhed, and the Plenipotentiaries agreed thereupon, the Queſtion was only, how to deliver them into the hands of the French Embaſſadors, but they could not agree about the time, ſome were of Opinion not to have them delivered till after the Peace was ſigned, and their Reaſons for it were ſuch different Motives as need not be related here; and yet we cannot deny but that the fear of delaying, and ſtopping a Peace ſo much wiſh'd for by all, was the chief ſpring of this Motion. This Opinion had carried it, and the Memoirs had been put off till the Signature Ratification of the Peace, had it been made the laſt of Auguſt 1697, as the Allies, and chiefly the Spaniards, required it: But the new Memoirs of the French Embaſſadors, whereby they declared in the Name of their Maſter, that he would take off Strasbourg out of his firſt Offers, and keep that Place in lieu of Barcelona, which he had lately taken; This Propoſal, I ſay, the Germans were frighted at, and that was the Cauſe why the Concluſion of the Treaty was put off to the 20th of September.
This little reſpite we lookt on, as particularly deſigned by God's Providence, to put us upon doing his Cauſe further Service once more, and therefore we waited on the Proteſtant Plenipotentiaries again, and repreſented unto them, that a Memoir in our behalf delivered after the Peace was ſigned, would ſignifie nothing, but make the Perſecutors of France believe they were not ſollicitous for our Concerns, and that the French Court would think ſo too; we went through great oppoſitions upon that Point, but the ſteadineſs of that Noble Lord, who was the chief of the Engliſh Embaſſy, and of the firſt Miniſter in Ordinary of that State, carried it; They were alſo very much ſupported by the Embaſſadors of the Confeſſion of Auſgburg; The Memoirs were then delivered into the Hands of the Mediator, two days before the Peace was ſigned. The French Embaſſadors did abſolutely reject it at firſt, ſaying, they were ſtrictly forbidden by the King their Maſter, either to receive, or give Ear to any ſuch thing: The Chief of that Embaſſy acted very Honourably, but as one that is willing withall to follow exactly his Maſters Orders; The others did not conceal their hatred againſt the Proteſtants, and let us ſee that by obeying their Maſter, they9 did the ſame time gratifie their own Inclinations. The chief of the Embaſſy did not think fit to refuſe obſtinately the Proteſtant Allies this ſmall Courteſy, which could do no hurt to his own Religion; ſo that at laſt he promiſed to ſend the Memoirs to his Maſter; accordingly it was ſent to the French Court, with all the Articles of Peace ſigned by England, Holland, and Spain, and they were in great expectation of an Anſwer to the Memoirs together with the Ratification of the Peace. When the Expreſs was come, they diſcovered that the French King had ſent Orders to his Embaſſadors to pretend the Memoirs had not been ſent, and had through forgetfulneſs been left in the Chief Embaſſador's Pocket. This was their Excuſe to the Mediator, when at the Meſſengers arrival he required an Anſwer to them: However no body gave any credit to it, but look't rather on it as a ſham; for they knew very well that all the Miniſters of Princes are ſo exact, as to omit nothing upon ſuch Occaſions, and that there is no Writing, though never ſo little, nor even of the leaſt importance, but they will take care to tranſmit it to their Maſters; and if the French Embaſſadors had ſo neglected their Duty, they would undoubtedly have loſt their King's Favour; but the Council of France had ſome Reaſons, for not irritating the Proteſtant Allies by a down right denial at a time, when nothing was as yet ratified, and they ſtood in need of every body.
For all this the Mediator would not ſo give over, but urged that the Memoirs ſhould be ſent, if they had not done it already, and that they ſhould require an Anſwer to it, which came at laſt, but a great while after, when all was done, and the Chief of the French Embaſſy departed; The two others pleaſed themſelves with Anſwering in their Maſters Name, That his Majeſties Conſcience could not conſent to re-eſtabliſh a Religion of which he had a very bad Opinion; That he was ſo far from reſtoring the ſaid Religion, that he would not ſo much as ſee in his Dominions any of thoſe Refugees who had fled out of it; That if they had a mind to come back again, he was willing to forgive them, upon condition they ſhould diſcharge all the Duties of good Catholicks; That as to their Eſtates he could not reſtore them, not even to thoſe who ſhould have a mind to return, becauſe he had already given them to others, from whom he did not intend to take them away. No body did wonder at ſuch an Anſwer, nevertheleſs it ſtruck a great many, who could never have believed, but they would at leaſt deal as favourably with the new Subjects of England, Holland, and Brandenburg, as with the old ones; and as it was Lawful for thoſe to go into and come out of France about their own Affairs, they thought the ſame liberty would have been granted to thoſe, who 12 or 15 years ſince had ſheltered themſelves in Foreign Countreys. The ſecond and ſixth Articles of the Treaty with Holland are ſo plain in this Cauſe, that ſeveral Inhabitants of Rouen.10 and other Places had ſent word to their Friends, that by virtue of the Treaty they had liberty to come back and manage their Affairs in France, without any fear of moleſtation. The ſecond Article includes a general Pardon without reſtriction, in behalf of all the Subjects of the Moſt Chriſtian King now in Service of the United-Provinces; for it is there provided by this Article, That the ſaid Perſons, of what Quality and Rank ſoever, may and ſhall re-enter upon, and be fully reſtored to the Poſſeſſion, and peaceable Enjoyment of all their Eſtates and Honours, &c. without any Clauſe excluding Religion. And in the ſixth Article Religion is expreſly named, Thoſe whoſe Goods and Eſtates have been ſerſed upon, and eſcheated upon the account of the ſaid War, their Heirs or Aſſigns, of what Condition and Religion ſoever, ſhall enjoy the ſaid Goods and Eſtates, and take poſſeſſion of them by their own private Authority, without any need of going to Law. The Treaty of Commerce is yet more particular as to the Liberty of the Subjects of theſe two Sovereigns for Going, Coming, Travelling and Trading within all the reſpective Harbours and Towns of each others Dominions: There is not a word in all this importing any Excluſion or Diſtinction between New and Old Subjects; and no body queſtioned, but that ſome Frenchmen who had been Naturalized in Holland, made free of their Towns, and owned as Members of the State, might however enjoy the Priviledges granted to the whole Nation, and to thoſe who many years ago were incorporated into it. So evident did the Caſe appear, as may be ſeen by Letters from Rouen, and other Places, which took this Liberty for granted without any difficulty; ſo that we may ſay, that to deal in this manner, one had need be maſter of that Power the Court of France hath theſe many years aſſumed; which is, to make uſe of all the Treaties for its own Intereſts and Purpoſes, without any regard to Words naturally appointed to ſignifie things. Theſe Articles ſhould undoubtedly have prevented ſuch a denial; but for all that, it was made in peremptory and plain Words.
Upon this flat and evident Refuſal, we were put to a nonplus, and ſaw we had no more to do. 'Tis true an Act of Proteſtation was ſtill to be made againſt this unreaſonable Denial: As the ſad event of this Affair was foreſeen, they had alſo much diſcourſed of ſuch an Act: Many concerned in the thing were for it, but all thoſe who had in France been accuſtomed to Slavery, were ſtill afraid of King Lewis the XIV. though they ought to have look'd then on him, as having laid down his Arms. They ſaid, that the French Court being grown to ſuch a height, eſpecially over her own Subjects, would be offended at ſuch a Proceeding, and conſtrue it as a new Inſtance of Diſobedience and Rebellion. But there is nothing more groundleſs than ſuch a Chimerical Imagination; for we ought not to ſacrifice our Duty to God, out of reſpect to a Court that ſo barbarouſly perſecutes the true Religion. But11 Hope is the laſt thing that dies in Man, thoſe who had left great Eſtates in France could not ſtill forbear hoping, that ſuch as had been faithful to their King, even in Foreign Countreys, would by that means recover his Favour.
This was the chief Reaſon that hindred the moſt Zealous from making the Proteſtation, but the principal ones were theſe; Firſt, Before one can legally Proteſt, he muſt have authority for it, which we then wanted upon many accounts, becauſe the Votes were divided, and it was impoſſible for them to agree on the Matter, and chiefly becauſe we could not keep any Correſpondence and concert Meaſures about it, with you, my Brethren, who live under the Croſs, and whoſe Rights were the chief Buſineſs in hand, as being the greateſt part of us. Beſides, we ſaw no body willing to receive our Proteſtation, the French Embaſſadors into whoſe hands it was to be delivered, were far enough from accepting it, who had with much difficulty received the aboveſaid Petition. But you will ſay, they might put their Proteſtation into the Mediator's hands, true, but 'tis evident he could not approve of that Proteſtation, as not being in due form; for we had not been admitted into the Negociations as Demanding Parties. Our Protectors had thought fit, we ſhould not appear in the Buſineſs, but in their Perſons, and under their Names; and it ſeems a Rule founded upon good Reaſon, that the Proteſtation ought to be made by thoſe only, who preſented the Petition which hath been rejected. Now this was properly their own Buſineſs, and they might after having received an unjuſt denial of ſo reaſonable a Demand, have proteſted, at leaſt, in behalf of the preſervation of all the Rights of the French Reformed Church; and repreſented, that though they did for the preſent deſiſt from any further application, yet they pretended not for all that, that the ſaid leaving off for a time ſhould be conſtrued a total deſiſting, or conſenting to the Moſt Chriſtian King's Will, that they did not intend thereby, that any thing of what was thereupon done, ſhould be in the leaſt prejudicial to the Rights of the Proteſtant Church, which might be reſumed at a better opportunity. Such a Proteſtation had been very reſpectful, and of ſome uſe; and indeed ſome of the moſt conſiderable Members of this Auguſt Aſſembly gave us hopes, that the thing would be done, and acknowledged our Petition to be reaſonable. But others did ſo much oppoſe it, that the bare Propoſal of it could not by any means be offered according to the Rules. The Treaty was haſtened with great precipitation; all were for it, and would not do any thing that might retard its Concluſion: Beſides, they made us believe, that the French King himſelf would mitigate our Miſeries: They ſaid, that ſo great a Prince would not receive Laws from his Neighbours, and eſpecially about a Domeſtick Concern. Some Words ſpoken at random by ſome Frenchmen of12 the Embaſſadors Retinue begot that hope; Others went ſo far as to ſay, Have a little Patience, the King is Gracious. Many alſo of the Proteſtant Embaſſadors and Mediators of this Buſineſs dropt ambiguous Words, which made us believe that we were not to look on our Concerns as wholly deſperate, though no favour has been granted to us in the Treaty of Peace; and ſo they thought it not convenient to diſpell theſe ſmall ſhadows of Hope by a Proteſtation, which they were not in a condition to ſupport and render valid.
But now all is over, theſe hopes are vaniſh'd away, and attended by the moſt terrible and unforeſeen Conſequences imaginable, ſo that we are now reduced to the neceſſity of referring the Publick to that Excellent and Emphatical Proteſtation, which concludes Maſter Claude's laſt Work, Intituled, The Complaints of the Proteſtants, in which are related the Wrongs and Outrages done us in the laſt Perſecution; and in the end you have the Reaſons, why all they have done againſt us, can do no prejudice to the Rights confirmed by ſo many irrevocable Decrees, and a poſſeſſion of them for One hundred years, which are enough to make up three or four Preſcriptions. Since that Work was publiſhed, our Brethren have ſuffered Miſeries beyond Expreſſion, Maſſacres, Puniſhments, Impriſonments, Sentencings to the Galleys, Seiſures of their Goods and Eſtates, and all other ſorts of Calamities. But Maſter Claude's Proteſtation holds as well for what follows, as for what went before, ſeeing it is all a Series of the ſame ill Uſage.
The Account we now give you of what we have done already, and intended further to have done, will not be pleaſing to you, but it ought not to make you diſſatisfied with any body, not with us, who with the moſt ſenſible Affliction we ever felt, have ſeen the World make its Peace, with the excluſion, nay, and to the great prejudice of the Church; but as theſe are our Enemies Triumphs, 'tis needleſs to expoſe them to publick View, the Children of this World are Wiſer in their Generation, than the Children of Light, and an Erroneous Zeal, which is nothing but Rage attended with Ignorance, moves much more violently, and effectually, than Zeal for the Truth. Neither are you to be diſpleaſed at thoſe Princes, whom you have lookt upon as your future Deliverers: We muſt do them juſtice, and confeſs, that how expreſs ſoever their Promiſes were, they ſuppoſed them all along ſubject to Circumſtances; and we cannot deny but that theſe Circumſtances did not prove favourable to us. We may add beſides, they might really have ſhewn a great deal more eagerneſs than they did; but all the Sollicitations of theirs, though never ſo urgent, had been unſucceſsful, becauſe our Adverſary is implacable. The continuance then of your Miſeries is a Diſeaſe without Remedy, this is indeed a very wretched Comfort; but we may perhaps afford you at the end of theſe Papers ſome more effectual Conſolations:13 For we do intend to go on in the Hiſtory of your Calamities, and Relate the Conſequences of this Peace, in reſpect of the afflicted Church only. We ſhall receive Information of the Condition you are now in, and give you ſome Advices of what we think neceſſary to be done by you for the time to come.
TO go on in our Undertaking, we muſt now draw the Picture of the Miſeries of the Reformed Church in France; not for the Information of thoſe who live under Perſecution, (for by ſad Experience they feel their Calamities too, much to be ignorant of them,) But to acquaint the Proteſtant States with them, to ſtir up their Zeal and Pity, and let them know, how neceſſary it is that their Charity ſhould be more and more than ever inflam'd, to releive the multitude of thoſe poor Wretches who will fall under their Care, and to Comfort thoſe who ſhall be detained in the Captivity of Babylon. But where ſhall we find Colours lively enough to draw that Picture? We muſt then be on this occaſion, ſhorter than the matter requires.
When thoſe who hope for the Deliverance of Iſrael, ſaw, how Matters ſtood, and how Mens Minds were affected, they did not expect very much, yet they could not think to ſee what they now do; The moſt Judicious among them were of Opinion, That the French King would by an Ambiguous Declaration allure his Subjects into his Kingdom, and ſtood already upon their own Defence againſt it. But they were not put to any Trouble to avoid that Snare; For the Council of Perſecution thought it more convenient, to let his Deſigns be laid wholly open: This was done by a new Declaration of War Publiſh'd in Paris, ſome weeks after the Ratification with England, Holland and Spain: For ſo one may call the Pyramidal Firework erected in Greve for the Peace, Novemb. 16. 1697. There were Four Fronts14 on the Body, and as many on the Pedeſtal of the Obelisk. All theſe Fronts were filled with lofty and magnificent Inſcriptions, which we are concerned in. But there was one of them deſigned chiefly againſt us, and which we muſt here Examine. Upon one of the Four Fronts of the that Pedeſtal, was repreſented an Hydra, with all her Heads cut off, and this Motto, Audendi ſpes nulla ſuper, that is, There is no more Hope, nor Help left her: And to the end the Affront ſhould be the more Conſpicuous, and without Riddle expoſed to the view of all Europe, they took care to give it this Explanation; Fidelity's Deviſe, ſay they, being an Hydra, the Emblem of Hereſie, with all her Heads lopped off, there is no more hope, nor help left her. And in the Explication of the Deſign, which they have publiſh'd, they ſay, Fidelity is the Daughter of Religion, as Rebellion is conſtantly the miſchievous Product of Hereſie. The Memory of the Calamities ſhe hath brought upon France, will give occaſion to Bleſs for ever the Reign of Lewis the Great, who by his Wiſdom hath eternally baniſh'd out of his Dominions, this Dangerous Enemy of the Loyalty and Piety of the French Nation. The Jeſuit who was Author of this curious piece of Fancy, applauded himſelf for it, as much at leaſt as he did for his Inſcription on the Pyramid erected 9 or 10 years ago in the ſame place, and for the like Ceremony; viz. That twas a Temple Built to the Honour of the Deity of Lewis the Great, Numini Ludovici Magni, &c. Templum. But the Devout People took offence at it, ſo that the Jeſuit thought himſelf obliged to make an Apology for it. This hath been no better reliſh'd by Good Men, and we know for certain, that were not their Mouths ſtopt by fear, they would cry out upon ſuch Extravagancies.
This Man by pretending to repreſent the Reformed Religion in little, hath really drawn the Image of his own Society, which is indeed an Hydra, if ever there was any, come out of Hell to War againſt the Saints. The Beaſt of the Revelation aſcending up out of the Bottomleſs-Pit, is in many Reſpects very like the Infernal Hydra iſſued out of the Poets Fancy. She hath Seven Heads, and Ten Horns; in the laſt Age, God cut off ſeveral of them, but that Society which her ſelf the Society of Jeſus, hath made them ſpring up again. In this hideous Repreſentation, the Jeſuit hath diſcovered the Genius of his Sect, which is Calumny, Lying, Rage, and all the Wicked Deſigns of Popery are lively delineated there. This is ſuch an Abuſe as can never be Exaggerated too much, but we ſhall only make ſome few Remarks upon it.
Firſt, We deſire the Reader to obſerve, what a pitch of Impudence a Jeſuit may come to, when he finds himſelf Countenanced; the Proteſtant Princes and the Moſt Chriſtian King are by the Peace made Freinds again, and on this occaſion he ſhould at leaſt have ſhewn them ſome Reſpect; and in ſo doing, he had not in all probability Deviated from his King's Intention,15 who after the Peace ordered his Ambaſſadors to ſpeak with great Kindneſs and Civility to the Confedetate Princes; But here is a pittiful Pedant, who with a daſh of falſe Wit, makes nothing of Affronting a great number of Crown'd Heads and Soveraigns. He Tranſubſtantiates them into ſo many Heads of Hydra, and for a further Aggravation of the Injury, and his own Purpoſes, he ſets them out as Heads cut off, and lying on the Ground. By what he ſaith, That Rebellion hath conſtantly been the carſed Fruit of Hereſie, 'tis plain he reflects on the Revolution of England, the Event whereof doth Gall him extremely. Nor is he contented to Diſguiſe his Malice, or to lie behind the Curtain of a Riddle; for he has in expreſs Terms laid open his Deſign in the Explication of the Project: Every body knows, ſaith he, that thoſe who were ſo unhappy, as to perſevere willfully in their Errours, and retire into theſe Countries where they are profeſſed, have contributed very much to the Troubles of the laſt War; But one may now confidently ſay, there is no more cauſe to fear, &c. in acknowledgement of this extraordinary benefit we enjoy by his Majeſty's Courage and Conduct, they have put an Hydra with her Heads cut off into the Hands of Fidelity, with th•ſe words, Audend•ſpes nulla ſuper. Thoſe who fled out of France did ſhelter themſelves under the Protection of the Proteſtant Princes, who were very willing to be their Heads: And they are the Hydra's, Heads repreſented by the Author as cut off by the Peace that the King bath lately procured to his People.
The Republick of the United Provinces is counted very mild and indulgent, but for all that, they would not permit ſuch an Affront as this ſhould be put upon a King, a Friend, and an Allie. After the Peace of Breda, and the Campagne of the year 1667. they made a ſtrict ſearch after an Indiſcreet Fellow who was accuſed of cauſing a Medal to be Coined with the Figure of Gideon ſtopping the Sun. What they found out we do not know, but 'tis certain, That the Medal hath never appeared abroad ſince, and perhaps there never was any ſuch.
This Jeſuit, beſides his Impudence, ſhews in this Abuſe a great Stock of Raſhneſs and Indiſcretion: Perhaps he was over-haſty in Celebrating the Funeral, and making the Epitaph of the Reformed Religion: We could eaſily prove by ſeveral Inſtances to the good Fathers, and all thoſe who are led by their Zeal and Example, that their Prophecies and Viſions do not always prove true: Witneſs the Sede a Dextris of the Famous Anthem. Sede a dextris meis donec ponam inimicos tuos Scabellum pedum tuorum, perſequar inimicos tuos, Confringam eos, nee convertar donec deficiant; That is, Sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footſtool, I will purſue them, I will deſtroy them, I will not give over purſuing them till they be quite deſtroyed. This was Solemnly Sung in all the Churches of Paris. They have not made for above theſe Ten years, any Speech, Sermon, Verſes, or Thankſgivings, but they16 have all along ſuppoſed, that Heaven was engaged to Reſtore King James upon the Account of King Lewis XIV. his Piety, who took up Arms to Vindicate this Prince's Quarrel, thus diſpoſſeſſed of his Throne, and puniſh the Uſurper of it. They did not Diſcourſe about the Event as a thing dubious. In the mean time James was ſtill at St. Germains, and William Triumphing in London.
Every Body will be convinced, that there is nothing more improperly applied than this Compariſon; Since King William hath been all along alive, and Calvin's Hereſie is dead and utterly deſtroyed in France. But they would do well to remember, that Sick People do frequently Recover of the moſt dangerous Diſtempers. The Death of King William was ſome years ago believed at Paris, with more Confidence than that of Calviniſm is now; And how many extravagant Fooleries were committed upon that Suppoſition every body knows; but ſome weeks after, they got nothing elſe but Shame and Confuſion by it. We have ſome ground to Hope, that the magnificent Promiſes of the Fathers of the Society will prove ineffectual: VVe ſee young People often get out of apparent Dangers; And this Religion, as young and new as it is, may yet very well be Cured of this violent Diſeaſe. There are many Heads yet behind on this Hydra to be cut off; more than a Million of People muſt be put to Death. And we do not believe, That the Moſt Chriſtian King's Wiſdom and Humanity will ever allow ſuch Executions. They make him in this Pyramid, hold a Diſcourſe not much becoming the Grandſon of Henry IV. Without the help of this Hydra bereft at this day of all her Heads, the Glory of Extirpating Hereſie had continued in the Houſe of Guiſe, and never come to that of Bourbon.
One word more about the Injury the Jeſuiſt does us in that Emblem. 'Tis indeed a great peice of Indiſcretion in him to force us to Recriminate. The Hereſie of Calvin and Luther is the Root of Rebellion. Rebellion, ſaith he, Is the Product of Hereſie: But what is Popery, I pray, and what hath it been all along? Would theſe Gentlemen have us to expoſe to their view at every turn, the Aſſaſſinations committed at the Inſtigation of the Devout and Catholick Cabal, upon King Henry III. and Henry IV. upon William Prince of Orange, and many other great Perſons, upon ſcore of their being either Hereticks, or not Zealous enough, to the liking of the Holy Society? Who can Read without Horrour the Hiſtory of England for theſe Ten years paſt? When we ſee Murtherers upon Murtherers, and Heads cut off ſtill growing up again, and ſupplied by new Aſſaſſinates of every Nation. Theſe are not only Engliſh Jacobites, but French-Men alſo, ſent into the Camp upon that Service, ſuch as Grandval, Dumont, and ſuch like Monſters. There are at this very time, lying in our Goals, Murtherers, who are no Engliſh Men, who are ſo far from loving King James, that on the contrary they perfectly17 deſpiſe and hate him; and who for the Catholick Gang's Sake had devoted themſelves to Murder this Prince, with whom they are reſolved never to be at Peace. There is matter enough to write whole Books upon this Subject, therefore we will lay it aſide. I will only ſay this, in behalf of theſe poor Reformed, whom they diſguiſe in the ſhape of Monſters, the better to repreſent their Cruelty and Rebellion, that Thanks be to God, they have not done any thing in the laſt War that looks like a Treaſonable Attempt.
They are not very much obliged to them for it, will the Jeſuit our Adverſary ſay, they were well enough aſſured, that all their Endeavours had been to no purpoſe: But who does not know, that Revenge is Sweet to thoſe whoſe Patience is tired out, and are not reſtrained from it by the Fear of God? The good Catholicks and Bigots of the Society would have put all, and the Towns of France too, to Fire and Sword, had they been Perſecuted and Tortured, asCruelly as we have been. The Holy Catholick Church under the conduct of Garnet and Oldcorn, two Engliſh Martyrs after the Jeſuitical Faſhion, had in the time of King James I. contrived the Gun-Powder Treaſon, in order to Blow up at once, the King, all the Royal Family, and whole Nation; but they were not dealt with ſo ſeverely as they do now with us.
It did not lie in our power to be ſhorter in complaining of ſo Notorious an Affront. Had the Jeſuit acted as a private Man, we ſhould have taken no notice of him; for this is the way and practice of his Society. But this is an Injury ſupported by publick Authority, and a piece of Baſeneſs attended with all the Evidences of Approbation. 'Tis a great inſtance of Cruelty to perſecute the Unfortunate even to the Scaffold. Comforters are granted even to Malefactors, and 'tis not lawful for any to Revile them at the very place of Execution; But theſe Men, even whilſt they are putting us on the Croſs, add to our Torments the moſt terrible Abuſes. Well then! It ſeems we are appointed to Die, our Heads muſt be taken off without Hope of Redemption. However, let them give us leave to Die with our Innocence about us; This is a Refining upon the implacable Revenge of the Italian, who finds out a way to kill both the Body and Soul of his Enemy: They do intend with the ſame ſtroke to Bereave us at once both of our Honour and our Life.
I deſire you, Dear Brethren, to obſerve, That God's Providence hath over-ruled in this Caſe, in order to Comfort thoſe that are concerned in it, by the conſideration of a wonderful Reſemblance of ours with our Saviour's Sufferings. You are lifted up on a ſhameful Pyramid, as your Lord Jeſus was on a Curſed Croſs. His Puniſhment was the Work of the Scribes and Phariſees, who ſat on the Chair of Moſes. Your Diſgrace is expoſed to the view of all, by theſe Wretches, wicked and ignorant Bigots, who call18 themſelves the Maſters of Chriſt's Chair. Jeſus is Crucified on Mount Calvary, and expoſed Naked to the Sight of all, as a Rebel to his Sovereign, as an Impoſtor making himſelf the Son of God, that he might become a King, and gathering People together to intice them from their Allegiance to Caeſar, and they put over his Head an Inſcription, ſignifying all that; King of the Jews; that is, who had a mind to be ſo, and had moved the Subjects of the Empire to Rebellion: And as for you Poor and Faithful Members of Chriſt, you are Crucified in Greve on the Pyramid, as Hereticks, Rebels, Impoſtors, and Diſturbers of the publick Tranquillity, and Enemies to your Kings: The Figures and Words of the Emblem, are the Title of your Croſs.
Another likeneſs of yours with Chriſt, and his Members, is this: The Ancient Tyrants put Skins of Lions, Tygers, and other Wild Beaſts, on the Primitive Martyrs, to render them thereby more Odious to the People. But now a-days, Wild Beaſts are not horrid enough in the Eyes of your Adverſaries; They fetch out of Hell, a Monſter with a Hundred Heads to Cloth you with all. Nevertheleſs, Let us take Comfort, My Dear Brethren, God hath better Notions, both of us, and our Holy Religion, than they will have the world to conceive; and our Enemies have juſt cauſe to fear, that God judges of them as they would have others to think of you, and will at the laſt day deal with them as Blood-Thirſty Tygers: That will be the day of our Triumph, but it will alſo be a day of Retribution. The Princes of Perſia being jealous of the favour Daniel was in, got Surreptitiouſly from the King's Goodneſs, unjuſt Decrees againſt him. Daniel is indeed caſt into the Den of Lions, but reſpected by them, and in the morning comes ſafe and ſound out of it; and his Accuſers are caſt into it, and the Lions brake all their Bones in pieces before ever they came at the bottom of the Den, and Eat them up: So you will get out of your Anguiſhes, and your Life ſhall be unto you as a Prey; and your Perſecutors ſhall go into a Pit full of Lions, that is, Devouring Devils. We do not wiſh them this dreadful Calamity; on the contrary, we do pray unto God for their Salvation and Converſion, and ſay, Father forgive them, for they don't know what they do. Grant them, O God, true Repentance, whereby they may ſay, Men and Brethren, What ſhall we do to Expiate the Sin of having Crucified the Lord of Glory. But let us finiſh the Picture of our Miſeries.
After ſo terrible a Declaration of renewing the War againſt us, as that of the Pyramid of Greve, we could expect from thence nothing elſe but the moſt Barbarous Hoſtilities. The Firſt of that Kind, which appeared, was the King's Declaration prohibiting his Subjects to ſettle themſelves in Orange, and Exerciſe there the pretended Reformed Religion: This bears date November 23. and the Pyramid November 16. there is betwixt theſe two dates19 but ſeven days difference, they had no mind to allow the Reformed any time to breath, or conceive any hope. This Declaration was back'd by another dated the 13th of January following, which explains, or annuls rather, an Article of the foregoing Declaration, whereby it was lawful for the Kings Subjects to go to Orange, and ſojourn there upon the account of Trading. The Bigots ſaw very well, as they ſuppoſed, that the new Converts would make a very ill uſe of that Clauſe, and often pretend a great deal of Buſineſs in that Town, and therefore they thought fit to Enact. That the new Converts ſhould not go and Trade at Orange, without taking out a Licenſe and a Paſs from the Governors of their reſpective Abodes, and approved of by the Commanders of the Towns in the Neighbourhood of Orange, that is, they put them upon an impoſſibility. The Penalty to be inflicted on thoſe who contrary to the prohibition would preſume to go thither, either to hear Sermons, or perform any Religious Exerciſe whatſoever, is Death; and on thoſe who ſhould take no Paſs, to be ſent forthwith to the Galleys for Life if Men, and Five years Priſon, and Three thouſand Livres Fine, if Women. There are ſome Particulars in this way of Proceeding worthy our Attention, or at leaſt ſome Glances by the way. The Pain of of Death pronounced againſt the New Converts, who going to Orange under pretence of Trading, ſhould aſſiſt at any Congregation of the Inhabitants of that Place, is one of theſe Particulars; and it is ſuch as perhaps the like could not be found in all the Hiſtories, both of Perſecutors and Perſecutions. 'Tis an horrid thing for one to extend his Authority on the Conſcience ſo far as the Dominions of other Sovereigns; it was generally believed that a Criminal had nothing elſe to do to get a ſanctuary, but to remove into Foreign Territories. A Rivulet ſecures an unfortunate Wretch, nay a Parricide; The Mercileſs Creditors of his, and the Avengers of Blood have no more authority to proſecute him, becauſe he is fled into another Juriſdiction; but the Crime of Calviniſm is of ſo high a nature, that nothing can protect it againſt puniſhment. We ſhould be amazed at it, had we not ſeen the French King's Conſuls and Envoys at Lisbon, the Seat of the Inquiſition; at Smyrna and Conſtantinople, which are inhabited by Turks and Infidels, enjoined to proſecute, drive away, and ruine all the French Merchants of the Proteſtant Religion. This kind of Zeal was never ſeen before. Our Aſtoniſhment would not perhaps be ſo great, had this Prohibition been enforced by a Puniſhment leſſer than the Wheel and Gibbet. But this is certain, that all Europe ſtood amazed at that Clauſe.
'Tis eaſie to diſcern, that both Declarations have a double end; Firſt, To deprive the new Converts of the Means of receiving any Comfort or Inſtruction; And Secondly, To ruine the poor Inhabitants of Orange, the ſad Remains of a Barbarous Perſecution. Since they were not diſpatched by the20 Blows of the Dragoons, who forced them to Maſs, their Puniſhment now muſt be to Starve, by being bebarred of all Commerce with their Neighbours. This is ſufficient to undeceive thoſe who believe the King of England Soveraign of Orange hath not done what he could to break off the Yoke of the Reformed in France, he who could not continue Maſter in his own Dominions, would have had much ado to make himſelf Maſter in the Territories of ſuch a Neighbour.
Here is another Particular; The Zeal, make they King Lewis the XIV ſay, we have conſtantly had for the only and true Religion, having excited in us the deſire of ſuppreſſing Hereſy. This is a new way of Expreſſing ones ſelf, in all the Declarations and Decrees formerly publiſhed againſt us, they were pleaſed to deſign us by the Name of R. P. R. that is, Pretended Reformed Religion; but now this Religion is improved to an Hereſie, even in the Declarations ſet out againſt the Proteſtant Princes, to whom they ſhould be more Civil than they are to Subjects. The Declaration is iſſued out under what Title ſoever you pleaſe, but really and defacto againſt the Sovereign of Orange, who is not at all ſubject to the French King; They make no ſcruple to declare him an Heretick, and his Religion a Hereſie, both at Rome, and whereſoever the Bull of Caena Domini is publiſh'd; and in France, where the Deciſions of the Council of Conſtance, one whereof is, That no Faith is to be kept with Hereticks, are ſo much reverenced, any body may eaſily underſtand the Conſequences of ſuch a Declaration, in reſpect to the King of England; but 'tis very well for this Prince, that he is not liable to the Inquiſition, and God hath put him in a Capacity of being able to deal well enough with all thoſe who will not perform what they have promiſed to him.
Here is another Clauſe at which Judicious Men have been mightily ſurpriſed; As all our Deſires had no other Aim, but the Glory of God, and the maintaining of his Church, he has been pleaſ•d to bleſs them hitherto with all the ſucceſs we could wiſh; and we were extreamly pleaſed to ſee, that even the greateſt part of thoſe whoſe Converſion lookt the moſt ſuſpicious, have acknowledged, and ſinc•rely prof•ſſed the true Religion, but as there ſtill remains ſome, &c. 'Tis not a Matter of great Wonder to ſee a King lying under ſo groſs an Ignorance, ſince they have raiſed ſo many Rampiers, and Bulwarks about him, on purpoſe to hinder thereby all the Truths of De jure and De facto, all the Inſtructions, Complaints, Grievances, and all the Objects capable of conveying Light into the Mind, and Equity into the Heart, from having acceſs unto him; but one cannot forbear being aſtoniſhed at the boldneſs of thoſe who impoſe upon that Prince's Credulity, it is ſo far from being true, that the moſt part of the Reformed are termed Papiſts bona fide, that on the contrary the number of thoſe who have been miſled, and continue in the21 Romiſh Religion, by ſome ſlender degree of perſuaſion, is ſo ſmall, that not one in a hundred, and perhaps in a thouſand, could be found. There are ſome Women, and young Girles, who although of the Proteſtant Religion, were filled with a ſort of a Whimſical and Blind Devotion, proceeding rather from the weakneſs of their Underſtanding, than the tenderneſs of their Conſciences: Theſe poor Creatures have let themſelves be deceived by the Pompous outſide of the Romiſh Religion, and by the ſhews of Piety which are to be ſeen chiefly in Nunneries; but theſe being excepted, we can aſſure you, that all Wiſe, Ingenuous, and Judicious Men, are ſtill of the ſame Opinion; only that their averſion againſt Popery is mightily increaſed, ſince the time they ſee it under the Garb of the Dragon. If there are no Proteſtants left, but a few obſtinate People, why then is ſo much care taken before-hand againſt ſo ſmall a number? Why then did ſo many Frenchmen ſay both in Holland and Paris, that if ſome Courſe or other was not taken about it, all the Countrey of Orange would become a Town as big as the Principality it ſelf? Why have the Neighbouring People of Orange been ſo eaſily perſuaded, that Poperty was the true Religion, and the Inhabitants of that Place bewitched with ſuch an unbelief, as to hold out for the ſpace of 10 or 12 years againſt any Inſtruction and Perſecution whatſoever, in ſo much as they returned as ſoon as poſſibly they could to the Reformed Religion? The Biſhop of Orange and his Clergy are indeed Bunglers, in Compariſon with the Biſhops of Montpellier, and Niſmes, &c. who made ſo many ſincere Converts? One muſt confeſs that ſuch overſights afford thoſe who ſuffer Perſecution ſome little ſatisfaction, and a kind of revenge. If it be ſo, that the number of ſtubborn People be ſo inconſiderable, to what purpoſe then do they take ſo great a care to ſhut up the Gates of the Kingdom? Why then do they ſee yet Four or five thouſand of the Reformed at once meeting in one ſingle Precinct of it?
It were to be wiſhed, that the Moſt Chriſtian King would get better information in this Matter, for then he would not ſuffer himſelf to be ſo expoſed as he is in this Declaration, and in that of February the 10th, the Title whereof is this: The Kings Declaration giving leave to thoſe who are gone out of the Kingdom contrary to his Majeſties Command, to return within ſix months, upon Condition of Profeſſing and Exerciſing the Religion of the Catholick, Apoſtolick and Roman Church; wherein they ſet forth, that a great number of thoſe who were ſo unhappy as to be gone into Foreign Dominions, notwithſtanding all the prohibition to the contrary, have deſired to return into their own Country to profeſs the C. A. R. R. and that we out of our accuſtomed Goodneſs to all our Subjects, have granted them particular Licenſes ſo to do, and have been alſo graciouſly pleaſed to grant a general one to all others who deſire the favour. What Equity can one expect, I pray, from a Council who hath either ſo bad Intelligence,22 or ſo little Fidelity? They make the King believe and ſay, a great number of thoſe who departed the Kingdom for the ſake of Religion, deſire to return to Maſs, than which nothing was ever more falſe, with reſpect to his Majeſty be it ſpoken, into whoſe Mouth theſe Impoſtors have put theſe Words. True it is, that thoſe who are called Refugees, did endeavour to get Liberty to return into France, and withdraw their Effects from thence; but 'tis not true, that they have declared, and let the Court know, that they had a mind to come back again into that Kingdom, in order to profeſs the Romiſh Religion; on the contrary, they look on this Calumny as the moſt Barbarous Perſecution they can inflict on them in the Countreys wherein they enjoy a perfect Security; This is to make them to be eſteemed in the Eyes of the World, as Vile Wretches, without Religion, Conſcience, and Honour, who are willing to ſacrifice all the Truths they profeſs, and betray their own Conſciences for the ſake of a little Intereſt I ſay a little Intereſt; for they do not promiſe them ſo much as the Reſtitution of their Goods and Eſtates, which were forfeited, and adjudged to their Relations; To what end then ſhould they return into France? To ſtarve there, and not enjoy ſo much as what is neceſſary to lay their Conſciences aſleep, after they have given them ſuch Mortal Wounds. We know all thoſe who have deſired the Embaſſadors Paſſes to return home, but the number of them is inconſiderable, and there was not any among them dignified and diſtinguiſh'd by any Title or Merit; they are for the moſt part young People of Looſe and Scandalous Lives. We were lately told of a younger Brother of a good Family near Lorrain, who is gone thither, but this Example is ſo extraordinary, that I do not know whether they can find out the like, and were it followed with many more, as the Declaration ſuppoſes, they would not have taken ſo much notice of it.
All theſe Declarations were but the Preliminaries and Skirmiſhes to the greateſt Aſſault that ever Perſecution ſtormed us with. 'Tis true they did not intermit their Hoſtilities, but committed them in the moſt bloody manner even during the Treaty of Peace: Witneſs thoſe who were Hang'd at Poitiers, and St. Maixant, though accuſed of no other Crime but of Praying to God againſt the Commands of the Court. But they were all along willing to flatter themſelves, and believe theſe were the laſt Acts of the Tragedy, and now they ſee that theſe Puniſhments had no other end, but to undeceive us of our vain hopes, as they termed them. The Peace was not yet made with the German Princes, the greateſt part of which are Proteſtants, when they began afreſh, and in good earneſt the fatal War againſt the Reformed Religion. From whence it appears that the French Court hath no regard to the Proteſtant Princes of Germany, and ſtands in fear of no body elſe but of England and Holland; ſhe hath kept a kind of23 Truce with the Reformed till the Ratification of Peace with theſe two Powers; but no ſooner was ſhe ſecured on that ſide, but ſhe took no further notice of the Sollicitations, Demands, Memoirs, and Diſcontents of all the Germans upon the Point of Religion; Witneſs the Articles concerning the re-eſtabliſhment of Religion in the reſtored Countreys, which ſhe would not in the leaſt conſent unto.
The Treaty with the Empire was not yet Signed, much leſs Ratified, but Orders were ſent into all Dioceſes, to make a new Viſit to all the New Converts, and eſpecially to thoſe who did not (as they term it) do their Duty. Accordingly they went from Houſe to Houſe, in order to have them declare what they intended to do for the future; The moſt of them did Courageouſly profeſs, they were reſolved never to go to Maſs any more. The Perſecutors were extreamly enraged at that Anſwer, and reſolved to trie the Patience of the Reformed to the uttermoſt, and in order thereto they ſent them to Priſons, renewed the Prohibitions formerly made againſt going out of the Kingdom, and gave publick notice in all the Seaports, that if any Maſter of a Ship ſhould preſume to receive any Fugitive of ours, he ſhould be puniſhed with the loſs of his Ship, Goods, Liberty, and Life, of what Nation ſoever, Engliſh, Dutch, Dane, Swedes, Dantzickers, and be dealt with without Mercy. They ſent reiterated and ſtrict Orders to all the Governors of the Frontiers to keep the Paſſes with the utmoſt diligence, under ſevere Penalties to be inflicted on thoſe Officers who ſhould neglect their Duty herein. A Decree was publiſhed in Montpellier, enjoining all Perſons whatſoever immediately to give in the Names of the Reformed who either were already, or ſhould hereafter come from Foreign Countreys, in order to have them ſeized and conſtrained to abjure their Religion. If we add to this what we have before-mentioned concerning the Declarations publiſhed, and precautions uſed to hinder the Reformed of Languedoc from going to Orange, on purpoſe to receive any Comfort and Inſtruction there, we muſt confeſs that Meaſures were never better taken in the Council of Hell, nor Prudence more overſtretched, and puſh'd on to damn People infallibly, than theſe are. You ſhall go to Maſs, you ſhall Adore a piece of Bread, you ſay you believe it to be an Idol, 'tis no matter, you muſt for all that Adore; but I ſhall be damn'd in ſo doing, 'tis no matter, that is it we deſire; and to the end you ſhall be ſo, you ſhall find no Gate left open to make your eſcape; You ſhall be ſtript of all you have, and diſpatched out of the way by all kinds of Miſery, 'tis true your Death will be more lingering, but then 'twill be attended with deſpair, and this is what we wiſh for, becauſe you will thereby be more certainly Damned. It is to be feared that thoſe who find ſuch ſure ways of Damning Men, may alſo find as ſure a way to go to Hell themſelves. In this caſe 'tis not one blind Man leading24 another, but a Blind Man dragging one that is clear ſighted into the ſame Pit: If either of them eſcapes, ſurely it will not be he that forceth, but he who ſuffers force.
Having thus ſhut all the Gates upon theſe Wretches, they have drawn the Sword, let looſe the Hounds upon them, and ſet up the Standard of Perſecution againſt them. It is impoſſible for us to relate all particulars, as being too numerous: The publick News inform us of ſome of them, and thoſe Eye-witneſſes who come every day to us, confirm them, and the reſt are to be ſeen in private Letters, which are no Myſtery to any Body, and whereof they give Faithful Copies, and Communicate them to the Supreme Powers, that they may ſee what regard is given to their Interceſſion. The Provinces of Poitou, Guienna, and Languedoc, as the moſt populous, are aſſaulted with greateſt Violence. A Decree was publiſh'd in thoſe Provinces, enjoining Fathers and Mothers to have their Children Baptiz'd at Maſs, within 24 hours, upon pain of forfeiting Five hundred Livres. Formerly they were contented to take away Children one after another, but now they ſweep them away as it were with a Net, 20 or 30 at once, and ſhut them up into Monaſteries as they have at Bourdeaux. The Biſhop of Luſſon in Poitou, ordereth, not only Boys, but all the Girls and Women, from five to forty years of Age, to be taken away by force, and after that to be confined and inſtructed. Upon the New Converts, who do not take their Children along with them to Maſs, they have ſet Fines of 25 Livres for the firſt time, more for the ſecond, and ſo on, to a Bodily Puniſhment. They have lodged Gariſons in all Houſes to levy by force theſe Fines. There are ſome wherein they have Quartered 15 or 20 Soldiers, and allow'd them 5 Groats per head a day; and ſo theſe poor People are ruined both in Body and Eſtate. They have baniſh'd at Rochelles very many of the Chief Inhabitants, and alſo of the Officers in the Admiralty, and Mint, becauſe they refuſed to go to Maſs; and removed them into remote Priſons the better to deprive them of the Comfort, which the Neighbourhood of their Relations and Friends might miniſter to them.
Baville, both Intendant and Tyrant of Languedoc, ſtrives to have in Hiſtory a diſtinguiſh'd place among the moſt Barbarous Miniſters of the Perſecution of Nero and Diocleſian: One may ſay, That now his Heart ſwims in Joy, as well as in Blood. 'Tis impoſſible to relate the Maſſacres he hath committed ſince the year 1685. in Cavennes, Vivarets, and other Diviſions of Languedoc, He is Ingenious to contrive the fitteſt ways to Torment the Innocent, with the moſt horrid Racks and Impriſonments. The Court ſeemed to have curb'd him for a while; but now he has all the Authority poſſible to practice his Cruelty to the full: He diſcharges his Commiſſion extremely well, and by his innumerable Proſcriptions hath reduced that Country to25 ſo ſad a Condition as cannot be expreſſed. He cauſed one Duplan, a young Man, and the laſt of Three Brethren whom he had before ſent to the Gallows, to be Hanged, for Comforting his Brethren, as he was moved by the Holy Spirit. A Nephew and Fellow-Traveller of this Martyr was ſeiſed upon with him, and Sentenced to the Gallies; who therefore complains that he was not thought worthy, as well as his Uncle, to Die for the Name of Jeſus Chriſt; but he will ſoon have occaſion enough to be ſatisfied; for they ſend him into a place, where they will make him ſuffer a thouſand Deaths inſtead of one, and he will every day have opportunity to Glorifie his Saviour by his new Sufferings.
They have planted Gariſons both of Soldiers, and the Militia, in every Dioceſs. Theſe Soldiers Levy the Fines, and under that colour take away whatſoever they find, which you may think amounts to much more than the Fines themſelves. Where they cannot get Buyers for theſe plundered Goods, they let them have Free-Quarters in their Houſes, where they uſe their utmoſt fury upon both Perſons and Goods. They let looſe the Reins to the Rage of theſe Murderers, who may, if they pleaſe, Kill a Proteſtant, or Maim him in any of his Limbs, as Arms, Thigh, Head, without being inquired after: If they make their Complaints, they will not ſo much as hear the Plaintiff. Children are dragged into Churches, and theſe poor Babes do cry and lament at the foot of their Prophane Altars, ſo bitterly, as to Rent the moſt obdurate Heart: But for all that, they are ſoundly beaten in the preſence of that God they will have them Adore. Caſtres, and many other Towns are almoſt depopulated of the Reformed, every Body hath betaken himſelf to flight, and forſook his own Houſe in order to avoid theſe Outrages. But the Perſecutor hath begun to make uſe in Avennes of a way, whereby the flight of theſe poor perſecuted Creatures, will be hereafter rendred uſeleſs. Although the Perſecution is very fierce, the Faithful for all that do not give over Meeting together, and Worſhipping God in Woods and Caves, as they uſed to do in the Primitive Ages of Chriſtianity: As many as can be ſeized on, are deſigned either for the Gallows or Gallies. But if they were all ſent to Priſon, to be put to Death, they would make ſuch a ſlaughter of them, as the very thought of it terrifies the Perſecutors themſelves. Therefore they have thought it more convenient to Decimate theſe poor Martyrs, either to Death or the Gallies, and next to Condemn the others to wander in the Foreſts, and live among Wolves and Wild Beaſts. The accuſed are not only forbidden going into their reſpective Houſes, but they prohibit alſo, any private Perſon, or Corporation whatſoever, to give them any Shelter, Victuals, or Apparel. And ſo you ſee many thouſands, even Noble Women and Virgins, without any help, and periſhing in the greateſt Miſery imaginable. This new kind of26 Cruelty is perhaps without a Parallel in Hiſtory. But if theſe happy Chriſtians are driven into the Company of Savage Beaſts, we have reaſon to hope they will ſind more Humanity among them than among their own Countrymen. It is very obſervable, that theſe new Perſecutions are uſed on purpoſe to inſult the Proteſtant Powers, for the Executioners of theſe Outrages uſe to ſpeak to our People thus; You ſee now, how ſuch an one hath delivered you; This is the fruit of your fine hopes. And who queſtions, but that they have upon this very ſcore increaſed the Perſecution, at the ſame time the Miniſters of the Proteſtant Princes arrived at the French Court? They have taken away by force, before their Eyes, many Women and Virgins, and ſhut them into Nunneries. Till now they had kept ſome Decorum in the chief City of the Realm, where all the Embaſſadors and Miniſters of the Proteſtant Princes reſide; but now they have no regard to it, and have carried away by violence more than three or fourſcore Perſons, on purpoſe to let the Reformed States know, that they are not afraid of them. The Council of Perſecution hath omitted nothing which could defeat the hopes of the Reformed in France. When they ſaw all the Endeavours uſed in their behalf before the concluſion of the Negociations of Reſwick proved ineffectual, they hoped however that they might reap ſome benefit by the Prefence of the Foreign Embaſſadors in Paris; but the Bigot Cabal to undeceive them once for all, ſuborned a falſe Witneſs againſt one of the Chaplains of his Majeſty of Great-Britain, to depoſe, that he had preached in a Citizen's Houſe, and thereupon the Lieutenant Civil, without any regard to the Right of Nations, ſummon'd, and ſent for the Chaplain by one of his Officers. This was an open Violation of the Embaſſador's Priviledges. They knew very well he was a falſe Witneſs, who being not able to controll the Truth, did confeſs his Villany, they begg'd Pardon for it; but no matter, the thing is done, and the intimation legally made, that all thoſe who expected to receive any Conſolation by means of the Proteſtant Embaſſadors were mightily miſtaken. In this Relation all the Matter of Fact is certain and notorious. We know very well, that the French Court gives its Miniſters Orders to charge this Publick Evidence with Falſhood; but I do not know, how they can give the Lie to the Pyramid, the Royal Declarations, the Decrees of the Intendants, and to ſo many Eye-Witneſſes as we have upon the reſpective Places.
We cannot inſiſt any longer on ſuch ſad and doleful Particulars, and therefore we have but juſt touched upon them, but this ſhort glance is enough for our purpoſe, to ſtir up the Compaſſion of all Proteſtants. Now the Compaſſion we deſire, is not ſuch as conſiſts in Words and Complaints, much leſs in Expreſſions as evaporate only in Reproaches, and have no real Effect: 'Tis properly Aſſiſtance and Relief we beg for the Afflicted Church,27 and that not for the French Church only, but alſo for all the Proteſtant Churches of Europe, which are now more fiercely attack'd than ever they have been ſince the Reformation. No ſooner were they born, but there was a Conſpiracy to ſtiffle them in the Cradle; and in order thereto the Antichriſtian Rome became every where a Boutefeu, increaſed the Cruelties of the Inquiſition, ſet up Gibbets, kindled Fires in Spain, Germany, England, and France, many Rivers of Blood, and many horrid Maſſacres in France, and in the Netherlands, under the Reigns of Francis I. H•nry II. Charles IX. and Henry III. all French Kings, and of Philip II. King of Spain. In the beginning of this Age the Proteſtant Church ſound ſome protection, and enjoyed ſome eaſe, whereby ſhe recovered ſtrength; but we muſt alſo confeſs, that ſhe degenerated very much during the time of her tranquility.
God Almighty therefore being juſtly provoked by our Iniquities and Contempt of his Truth, hath about the middle of this laſt Age raiſed up three Princes, great Perſecutors of his Church, viz. Leopold Emperor of Germany, and King of Hungaria, Lewis the XIV, and James the II. There is no queſtion to be made, but that the deſtruction of the Proteſtant Church was reſolved upon by theſe three Princes; The natural, and we may ſay, irreconcilable Enmity between the two Families of France and Auſtria, is no hindrance to ſuch an Agreement, becauſe Popery hath contrived a way for its own preſervation which no other Religion can have, and the Proteſtants are wholly deprived of, that is, the Biſhop of Rome, the Center of a Temporal Union; The ſeveral and diſtinct parts united to that Center need not hold any Correſpondence to adjuſt their Deſigns; they are joined to a common Head, and have nothing elſe to do but to follow its Motions, even at that very time when they are the moſt divided by their Temporal Intereſts.
The Emperor began the Perſecution; He put the Churches of Hungaria and Sileſia to incredible Sufferings. The Publick hath ſeen the Hiſtory of that Perſecution, and chiefly the Relation of the Calamities of thoſe Glorious Confeſſors who were ſent to the Galleys of Naples, and releaſed by the means of the Dutch. Lewis the XIV immediately after the Pyren•an Treaty, formed the Deſign of rooting the Proteſtant Religion out of his Dominions; This Undertaking he durſt not attempt during the Life of Cromwell, who was indeed an Uſurper, and a Parricide too if you will; but who for all that perfectly underſtood, that the true Intereſt of England, and of the Rulers of it, conſiſted in becoming the Head and Protectors of all the Proteſtants in Europe: This was his Maſterpiece of Policy, whereby be kept all Europe in awe. After his Death Charles the II. was re-eſtabliſhed on the Throne of his Anceſtors: This Prince being Educated by a Popiſh Mother in Popiſh Courts, was in his youth prepoſſeſſed againſt the Proteſtant Rel•gion, and many Hereſies increaſed in his Reign. James the II. ſucceeded28 him, and it was chiefly between this Prince and the French King, that the Meaſures for the ruine of the Proteſtant Religion were concerted: No ſooner did the French Court ſee him on the Throne, but ſhe reſolved to give the fatal Blow. K. Charles died in February, and K. James was at the ſame time proclaimed King. His Advancement to the Crown was more firmly Eſtabliſh'd by the Death of the Duke of Monmouth in England, and that of the Earl of Argyle in Scotland. The Edict of Nantes was recall'd in October the ſame year, and every body knows what hath been done ſince. King James, though he was influenced by the ſame Jeſuitical Spirit which ſwayed in both Courts, could not however go on ſo faſt as Lewis the XIV, and yet nevertheleſs he had in three years time promoted his Religion more than Lewis had in thirty five, when unexpectedly it pleaſed God Almighty by a Revolution which ſurpriſed all Europe, to advance William the III. to the Throne of England, and by that means to make the greateſt part of the Deſigns of that Antichriſtian League to prove abortive.
Theſe ſhort and curſory Obſervations have no other Aim, but to make the Proteſtant Princes ſenſible, that there is a Plot on foot for their ruine. The laſt Treaty of Peace with the Emperor confirms this truth, for by a mutual Agreement with the Emperor's Plenipotentiaries they have inſerted an Article, whereby the Proteſtant Princes of Germany are deprived of the Authority of regulating Eccleſiaſtical Affairs in their own Dominions, which had been formerly granted them by the Peace of Paſſaw, and the Treaty of Oſnabruck. Nay they are conſtrained to tolerate the Publick Service of the Romiſh Religion in all the Countreys lately conquered, and now reſtored by France. True it is, that theſe Proteſtant Princes have oppoſed it, but their Oppoſitions are but bare Proteſtations, which will always prove inſignificant, if not ſupported by other Means more effectual. The Popiſh League will every day get ſtrength, and the Proteſtant Party decline, now in one place, now in another; and ſhall we ſtand ſtill unconcerned, and ſee, to the reproach of our Profeſſion, the ruine of the only pure Chriſtianity, which hath coſt us the beſt of our Blood. If they do not awake and exert themſelves in the preſent Circumſtances, the Wrath of God will not fail to awake againſt ſo heinous a Neglect. We will not preſume to preſcribe the Means, proper to prevent the Conſequence; of the League, ſince they are obvious to every body. It will be enough for us to ſay, that it is high time to think on't, and that e're it be long the Diſeaſe will be paſt Remedy. The great Revolution in Europe, which now ſeems near at hand, by the Death of a King leaving no Iſſue to ſucceed him in his vaſt Dominions, will give a fair opportunity to take the fitteſt Meaſures for the Preſervation of the Proteſtant Religion: For whilſt theſe two great Adverſaries of ours ſhall be obliged to employ themſelves in deciding the greateſt Controverſy29 they have had for theſe two hundred years, they may be prevailed upon to let fall their Perſecution, and then the Reformation, if powerfully aſſiſted, may be able to gain ground upon the Common Enemy.
In this general Deſign of protecting and promoting the Reformation, upon which Popery hath in this Age ſo much incroach'd, the Princes and People concerned ought in our Opinion to take a ſpecial care to preſerve the Reformed Religion in France; becauſe they are to look upon it, as the Mother Church of all thoſe, which by a purer Reformation are diſtinguiſhed from the Lutherans. And Hiſtory informs us, that from France the Reformation was brought into the Netherlands, and from thence into the United-Provinces, where it got the upper hand. The defection of Henry the VIII from the Pope made way for it in England, where it made ſome progreſs under Edward the VI, which was ſoon ruined by the Perſecution under Queen Mary. In the mean while the Church of France was reforming, and ſetling her ſelf in the midſt of Fire and Faggots; ſhe held her firſt National Synod under the Reign of Henry the II, a great Perſecutor, and the moſt Abſolute King that ever was in France, till the King now reigning. And ſince it is very true that the Blood of Martyrs is the ſeed of the Church, all the Weſtern Churches muſt needs confeſs, that thoſe of France have laid on them ſuch an Obligation as can never be enough acknowledged; for they have afforded an infinite number of Martyrs, they have had Rivers of Blood ſhed in the Maſſacres committed on them, both in the laſt and this preſent Age, and lived all along under the Croſs; inſomuch as all the Sufferings of all other Churches, are but little in compariſon with thoſe of the Proteſtant Church in France; ſhe is the only Church which hath maintained her ſelf in the midſt of Torments, and been continually fruitful both of great Men and great Examples; and therefore all other Reformed Churches, though under whatever different kinds of Eccleſiaſtical Government, cannot plead any Exemption from acknowledging their Obligation to the French Church, which hath been either their Mother, or at leaſt their Predeceſſor; and conſequently they cannot excuſe themſelves from doing all that lies in their power, both for its Preſervation and Comfort. The moſt proper Means, in our Opinion, to be made uſe of at the preſent, are, to undeceive her of that erroneous and groundleſs Conceit taken up by her, that ſhe is quite forſaken. There are ſtill ſufficient Arguments remaining, to convince her, that though hitherto ſhe hath not been effectually relieved, yet at leaſt a good will to do it has not been wanting. There is nothing in the World can ſo much diſcourage our ſuffering Brethren, as the Opinion, that no body will ſtir any more in their behalf. This the Perſecutors now labour to make them believe. But the Proteſtant Princes and States are neceſſarily obliged to let them ſee the contrary. Not by taking up Arms; for the30 Wars being ſwayed by Humane motives only, are not in all probability the Means deſigned by God's Providence for the reſtauration of his Church. Perhaps God Almighty will in a ſhort time reveal unto us, what he intends to do towards the fulfilling of his purpoſes; in the mean time 'tis our Duty, firſt to turn to the Lord with all our Hearts, of which I ſhall Treat more fully hereafter; and ſecondly to ſtir up our Charity afreſh, of which we muſt ſpeak a Word or two, and ſo conclude.
The Reformed in France have been ſo much caſt down and diſpirited, to ſee themſelves excluded from the benefit of the Peace, that nothing can leſs raiſe their Courage than ſuch extraordinary efforts of Charity, as we ſaw immediately after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes; all the Proteſtant Princes and States did in that Juncture open both their Gates, and the Bowels of their Mercy, to thoſe diſtreſſed People, who in great multitudes quitted their own Habitations juſt as we uſed to do an Enemy's Country; They collected great Sums of Money for them, ſet up Manufactures to help the Tradeſmen to a Livelihood, and ſettled yearly Penſions upon Perſons of Quality. Particularly the moſt Serene the Elector of Brandenburg of Bleſſed Memory, and his moſt Religious Son now Reigning, have ſignalized their Charity in an extraordinary manner; not only by the Colonies they have Eſtabliſh'd in the chief Towns of their Dominions, but chiefly by the Penſions they have allowed all Ages, Sexes, and Conditions; and that with ſo great a liberality as one would think might have lain very heavy upon their Exchequer. But ſince it hath not proved ſo, 'tis an undeniable Inſtance of the greatneſs of their Revenues and Power, as well as of their Charity. We ſhall only add this, that unleſs the ſame Zeal be now re-kindled, the Truth and the Defenders of it will ſuffer mightily; for the Miſeries and the Neceſſities of the Proteſtants are now much greater than they were at that time: The moſt of them when they made their eſcape from France, had ſaved ſome part of their Effects, and lived upon them for ten or twelve years, and waited patiently in hope that the War and the Peace following would better their condition; but now they have ſpent all, and have not ſo much left them as a glimpſe of Hope. So that we ſee the old Refugees lying under ſo great extremity, as they muſt of neceſſity periſh, if not ſpeedily ſupplied with Neceſſaries by the Charity of the Proteſtant States. But what ſhall we ſay of thoſe who ſtill live under the preſſure of their Sufferings, who groan, and long for an opportunity of ſetting themſelves at liberty? The fear of ſtarving puts a ſtop to them, for this is one of the greateſt Temptations one can be expoſed to, and there are but few able to cope with this Idea of the utmoſt Poverty. Notwithſtanding a great many do come every day out of France, and we are told by them, that there are thouſands who have a mind to follow them, as ſoon31 as they hear, that the Proteſtant's Charity is grown as liberal as formerly; and therefore we do earneſtly intreat, and beg all Princes and States, and all private Men, whom God Almighty hath bleſſed with Ability, to be willing and ready to relieve theſe diſtreſſed Brethren, who groan under the heavy burden of Chriſt's Croſs. Theſe new Refugees by their flight will compleat the depopulation of that Kingdom, which is already weakned by ſo many publick Calamities, and continue to bring their Money, Induſtry, Arts and Trades, into theſe Countreys whereinto they will retire, and fill up the places of thoſe Inhabitants the War hath taken away. We eaſily believe, that our Complaints and Prayers will not reach the Ears of thoſe whom we do chiefly intend to perſuade. But at laſt having done what lies in our power, God Almighty out of his Gracious Goodneſs will perform the reſt, and move the Heart of thoſe from whom we may receive any Comfort and Relief.
WE now proceed to the Advices we promiſed you about your Behaviour both towards your Perſecutors, and towards God in theſe your Afflictions, and begin with the Motions, that the ill uſage of your Enemies is apt to beget in you. As the Faithful by becoming Chriſtians, do not ceaſe from being Men; ſo it is very eaſie to apprehend, that your Reſentment muſt needs be ſo much the greater, becauſe you have not been guilty of doing any thing to deſerve theſe Outrages. The Zeal you have conſtantly32 ſhewn for the Houſe of Bourbon, ſince its coming to the Throne, and the eminent Services you have done, eſpecially to the Prince now Reigning, in preſerving his Crown during his Minority, ought to confirm you in the Peaceable Enjoyment of theſe Edicts, which three or four Kings had given and eſtabliſhed as perpetual and irrevocable. One muſt needs be an Angel, to ſee without ſome Emotion and Sorrow, Soldiers coming to ruine your Anceſtors Eſtates, and deſtroy your own Goods, and ſnatch your Children, the deareſt part of your ſelves, out of your Arms. If you are concerned as ye ought to be for the Intereſt of God, you cannot but with great grief ſee his Holy Name Blaſphemed, his Churches raſed to the Ground, his Truths inſolently oppoſed, his Children dealt with like profligate Wretches, and his Miniſters Tortured, Hanged, and Broken upon the Wheel. Nevertheleſs it is very convenient we ſhould give you ſome Directions ſuitable to this Occaſion for your keeping the middle way betwixt two extreams. The firſt Advice we would give is this, That you be not like thoſe indifferent Perſons, who though they are fully convinced that the Romiſh Church is very corrupt, and the Reformed Religion without compariſon the better of the two, can for all that, without any Concernment and Tears, ſee the Enemy burning the Holy Cities of God, that do not avoid keeping Company with the Perſecutors, or ſhew in the leaſt either any Pity towards their Brethren, or any Senſe of their Condition. This they call Moderation, Prudence, and obeying Chriſt's Command to love your Enemies, and to bleſs thoſe which Curſe you. We know very well, Dear Brethren, that you have among you too many of theſe Lukewarm Profeſſors, who are the Nurſery of Apoſtates, and whom our Saviour will ſpue out of his Mouth.
Neither is it to be queſtioned, but that you have alſo a great many in the other Extreme, who ſuffer their Zeal to be accompanied with unruly Paſſions. If theſe Men would throughly examine and know themſelves, perhaps they would find in their own Hearts, at leaſt, as much ſelf-love as love to God. Self-love cannot endure any reſtraint, and a Heart given up to Covetouſneſs, and yet not able wholly to ſhake off the conviction of Truth, and the deſire of Salvation, is under a terrible Diſtemper when ſtript of its Worldly Goods, and is much more concerned upon that account than for the intereſt of the Truth. Hence it is, that we have obſerved among thoſe who have courageouſly forſaken their Native Country, that there were not ſo many Covetouſly minded, as of their kinds of Sinners; and this is the reaſon that induces theſe Worldly Men to continue ſtill under the Yoke, in which condition they think to compound for the guilt which their Conſciences reproach them with, by entertaining in their Hearts thoughts of Wrath and Fury, and venting them in Reproaches and Injuries againſt the Perſecutors as often as they can do it without danger.
33The more dangerous Caſe in theſe two Extreams is that of the Timorous, who know the Truth, and hold it in Unrighteouſneſs; They are not wholly Impious, and would fain be ſaved by the Ways of Righteouſneſs and Truth, but are not willing to part with their Worldly Intereſts for their Salvation. But remember the Oracle, If any love the World, the love of the Father is not in him. Theſe Weak People among you do flatter and deceive themſelves, by comparing themſelves to thoſe wicked Apoſtates who are gone ſo far, as to ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, ſince they perſecute the Truth they have known; but they ſhould conſider, that an Hectic Fever doth kill as well as a Burning one; and it will be a very ſad Comfort to them to be treated like Tyre and Sydon, or Sodom and Gomorrha, that is more tolerably than Bethſaida and Capernaum. Their not parting with the World, and the Society of thoſe who perſecute the Church of God, is an evident Inſtance of great Neglect and want of Zeal. The Prophet Elias was ſo much diſpleaſed with the Enemies of God, that he choſe rather to go and live with Wild Beaſts in the Wilderneſs, than with them, and reproves thoſe who halted between the Lord and Baal, 1 Kings 18. So thoſe Politicians of yours who whiſper in your Ears, and ſay, We are as good Proteſtants as your ſelves are, but, &c. are for the Lord, but pay alſo their Homage to Baal, the Court, the World, and the Maſs. Be aſſured, Brethren, that ſuch People are upon the brink of Eternal Damnation. But you will ſay, they may return when the Church enjoys proſperity. But know that Heaven rejects theſe Men, whom they uſe to call the Swallows of the Church, which come to her in the Spring only, and forſake her in the Winter.
Therefore, we ſay, Brethren, Avoid theſe two Extremes, and follow the middle and ſureſt way; but becauſe a juſt medium is hard to be kept, we will direct you the beſt we can, by deſiring you to obſerve, that there is a Twofold Love, one of Eſteem, and the other of Charity. We are not obliged to love any with the love of Eſteem, but thoſe who deſerve it, that is, who fear God, and are good Chriſtians. We grant, that on this Occaſion Mens Judgment may be miſtaken, for we are well ſatisfied, that our Enemies are worthy neither of our Love nor Eſteem; and therefore we muſt be upon our Guard on that ſide, and incline to the moſt favourable Opinion. But there are ſome Caſes ſo evident, that one cannot be miſtaken in them; as when we ſee plainly ſeveral Impious, Debauched and Atheiſtical Perſons, ſuch Monſters do not in the leaſt deſerve the Homages of Love and Eſteem which we owe to Piety and Holineſs only; and conſequently we muſt avoid their Companies, as Plagues of Society, and Debauchers of Souls, for no body will ever believe, that a Man is Zealous for God and Truth, who entertains ſtrict Friendſhip with his open Enemies.
34But there is another kind of Love, a great deal more Eſſential to Chriſtianity, and that is the love of Charity; This we owe to all, whether Enemies or Friends, good or bad; Enemies of God, or Prophane Idolaters, or Perſecutors; and by the Rules of Charity we are obliged not only to Bleſs them that Curſe us, but to endeavour after their Salvation and Reconciliation with God; and if we muſt communicate unto them our Spiritual Goods, much more our Temporal. If thy enemy be hungry feed him, &c. Rom. 12.20.
You have, Brethren, in theſe general Precepts, the Particulars you muſt follow in reſpect of your Perſecutors. We do not Exhort you to Value and Eſteem them. If they Perſecute you through the inſtigation of a falſe Zeal, they muſt be lookt upon as blind Men, into whoſe Hands they have put a Sword, and who make an ill uſe of the Authority that is given them to deſtroy the Flocks of our Lord. They are Children of Babel, and Idumeans who ſet Jeruſalem on fire, and ſay, Raſe, raſe it, even to the foundation thereof. If they are baſe Miniſters of the fury of Popery, who tell you, If the King had Commanded me to force you to turn Turk, I would do it; could you look, I pray, on ſuch Men, but with a great Contempt and Indignation? They have neither Religion nor Conſcience; and if they have any of the laſt, they give it Mortal Wounds, by ſacrificing it to their Prince, and their own Fortune. Such is the Bigotted Perſecutor of Languedoc, appointed by the Jeſuitical Caball to depopulate the Province of France, moſt inhabited by Reformed: This Man hearing one day the Excuſes of a Gentleman who declared to him his Scruples, and ſaying he could not believe ſuch and ſuch things; anſwered him in a haughty and furious manner, Believe in the Devil, if you will, but you muſt go to Maſs, or, &c. Here is the Character of the Zealots of the Holy Society of Jeſus.
But let your Perſecutors be what they will, you muſt have neither Compliance nor Society with them; becauſe you cannot be long in their Company, but you will hear them railing againſt your Anceſtors, thoſe Martyrs whom you ought to Reverence, and thoſe Truths which you muſt love a great deal more than your Lives. Therefore avoid them, and do nothing whereby they may think that your Zeal and Courage does in the leaſt yield to their Sollicitations.
But here I muſt give you a Caution, That from what hath been ſaid, you muſt by no means infer, that we adviſe you in the leaſt to deny your Perſecutors the lawful Homages you owe them, both as Subjects, and as Chriſtians; for as Subjects you muſt obey them in all things they Command you in the Name and Authority of the Prince, (thoſe you owe to God and your Conſciences only excepted) and as Chriſtians, you muſt pray for them, forgive their Cruel Uſage, be Inſtrumental as much as you can to35 their Converſion, and even aſſiſt them with your Temporal Goods, if they ſtand in need of them: But this laſt Advice is, we think, uſeleſs, ſeeing they are rich, and have got the moſt part of your ſubſtance already.
Proceed we now to your behaviour towards God. The firſt of your Duties is Patience and Submiſſion. There is a God, and an Holy and Wiſe Providence diſpoſing of all Events with an abſolute Power, and a Juſtice which can very rarely be fathomed by us. You do not apprehend, ſay you, the reaſon why God permits his Enemies to triumph ſo long. But is this a matter of wonder, that God is incomprehenſible to you? Will you conclude that he hath no Reaſon in his Proceedings, becauſe you do not comprehend them? Shall you have leſs Reſpect for God than for a Prince, whoſe Wiſdom and Piety are well known to you? for when you ſee him doing ſomething which looks contrary to Equity, you do not uſe immediately to conclude that he hath forgot himſelf, and acts againſt his own Principles and Laws; and yet this Prince may be miſtaken in his Proceedings, and in that caſe you may ſuſpend your Judgment, till either he himſelf, or time diſcovers unto you the lawfulneſs of them; but you muſt never call in queſtion the Wiſdom and Juſtice of God, which are inſeparable from him. David ſilenced himſelf with this reaſon, I became dumb, and opened not my mouth, for it was thy doing, Pſ. 39. v. 10. Jeremiah the Prophet ſhed flouds of Tears upon a Deſolation like yours, ſaying, Who is he that ſaith, and it cometh to paſs, when the Lord commandeth it not? Out of the Mouth of the Moſt High, proceedeth not Evil and Good? Lament. 3. v. 37, 38. Shall there be evil in a City, and the Lord hath not done it? Amos 3.6. The Work of God and Men are ſo twiſted together in our Misfortunes, that we have much ado to diſtinguiſh them; but for all that it muſt be done, and then by a diligent inquiry, you will diſcover that the Work of the Perſecutor is the Work of the Devil, who is our Adverſary from the beginning, and therefore you ought to hate and abhor it; but the Work of God is good, ſeeing he puts you into the Fining Pot, in order to cleanſe and purifie you like Gold, and make your ſincerity and the purity of your Faith to ſhine before Men.
We might here ſet before your Eyes ſeveral Pious Conſiderations, in order to Comfort you in theſe your great Sufferings; but before we undertake it, we would fain be convinced, that you ſtand in need of Conſolation; for we are mightily afraid, you are already too much comforted; we have but too many Inſtances of your Inſenſibleneſs, and that your Sorrow doth not anſwer the terrible Chaſtiſements God hath viſited you with. You live without any publick Exerciſe of your Religion, without Inſtruction, Sermons, Exhortations, and even without Books. And it is made High Treaſon for you to meet together, in order to pray unto God in Woods36 and Hollow-rocks. In the beginning of the former Perſecution, you ſeemed mightily concerned for your Calamities, and in this laſt you have been awaken'd, but alas! you are ſoon fallen again into ſlumber. You think, that it is enough for you to forbear going to Maſs. This we confeſs is ſomething; but there are a great many among you, who are ſo Complaiſant, as to appear in Churches Conſecrated to a falſe Jeſus, whom they turn into an Idol, and to Saints, who are but Creatures. And ſuppoſe that you ſhould be ſo courageous as to refuſe to go to Maſs, would that ſuffice think you to pacifie your Conſciences? by no means. You will ſay perhaps, we cannot publickly ſerve God; but who can hinder you from ſhutting your Houſes on the Sabbath and Holidays, and making them as ſo many little Churches? Why do you not read, and meditate the Word of God? Or, Why ſhould not the Maſter of the Houſe be able to Inſtruct and Edifie his own Family in Private?
We would have you to know, that we take a great care to be well informed of your Behaviour, that we may from time to time give you Advices ſuitable to your Neceſſities. We have been told, indeed, that there are among you ſeveral Wiſe and well ordered Families, which practice the Rules we have juſt now preſcribed you; and therefore we give hearty Thanks to our Gracious Saviour, that we are not as yet like Sodom and Gomorrha, and that he hath reſerved to himſelf a Remnant according to the Election of Grace. But we know very well, that this Remnant is very ſmall in compariſon of the reſt; for we have lately read Letters from the Low-Guienna, and are told by ſome who come over to us, that there is no Piety nor Religion practiſed there, chiefly among the younger People, who ſpend their time in Drinking and Gaming, whilſt the Papiſts are performing their Superſtitious Devotions; and add, that many of them have no knowledge of Chriſtianity: Thoſe who were entruſted with the Care of their Education, have contented themſelves barely to Exhort them not to go to Maſs; and ſo they are not Papiſts, but then they are not Chriſtians. Thus they let the Truth periſh, and your Neglect will contribute to the Ruine of the Church, more than the Violence of your Perſecutors, for if God ſhould Chaſtiſe you, as you deſerve, he would utterly extinguiſh the light of Faith among a People which doth not care for it.
And therefore, 'tis not now our Buſineſs to afford you Comfort, and we muſt forbear doing it till you give evident Proofs of your Godly Sorrow, and ſincere Converſion; in order whereunto, let us intreat you for the preſent to acknowledge, that God is Juſt in his Judgments, and even Merciful in the continuance of your Sufferings; and to make a good uſe of all thoſe places, wherein you are exhorted to a ſpeedy Repentance, in hope of a ſpeedy Deliverance. Let us ſearch, and try our ways, and turn unto the Lord,37 Lament. 3.41. Let the wicked forſake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly Pardon, Iſaiah 55.7. Our Ark is broken in pieces, and our Wrecks float upon all Seas: But let us gather our ſelves about our Noah, our Jeſus, the Author of the Tranquility we hope for, and follow particularly his Example. Did he ever ſlacken his Zeal in his Perſecutions? And when the Houſe of God was become a Den of Thieves, did he not Conſecrate the Wilderneſs by his Holy Prayers? Did he not openly and couragiouſly own himſelf to be the Son of God, before thoſe Unrighteous Judges who Sentenced him to Death? Do you the ſame. If they ask you ſuch Queſtions as theſe, Are you Pretended Reformed, Calviniſts, and ſome of thoſe Hereticks who maintain that the Roman Church is the Spiritual Babylon? Anſwer with a Courage becoming the Diſciples of Jeſus, I am one of thoſe whom you call Pretended Reformed; I am not an Heretick, but Believe in God, ſpeaking in his Holy Scriptures, and Worſhip him, according as my Fathers were Taught by the Prophets and Apoſtles; and look on the Communion, both of the Pope, and his Religion, as very dangerous and inconſiſtent with the intention I have of being ſaved.
But for God's Sake, think Dear Brethren, how much you are obliged to lead a Holy Life, anſwerable to that pure Chriſtianity God hath truſted you withall. We have not taught you a Goſpel Sophiſticated through Philoſophy, Tradition of Men. Superſtitions, Idolatries, and ſuch abominable Maxims of looſe Morals, as the Jeſuits and other Perſecutors uſe to do: You have not learned Chriſt ſo. But what good will that do you, if you have been well inſtructed, but yet live very wickedly? Learn we beſeech you, that a wavering and vicious Faith does as little contribute to ones Salvation, as a Faith defiled with Errours, if you do not Repent, you ſhall likewiſe Periſh.
We grant, you are in a Condition very dangerous to your Salvation: For you ſee on one hand, a Bigotted People compleatly armed, purſuing your Saviour with Swords and Staves; and on the other, Courtiers, who have no more Devotion, than what is requiſite to attend their Prince to Maſs, and to put in Execution his moſt ſevere Orders againſt you. But we know very well, that moſt of them do not Believe in God, and make no ſcruple to commit ſuch Exceſſes, as Sodom and Gomorrha would perhaps abhor. Many of your Convertors are of ſuch a Character as would ſtrike one with horrour. We have already acquainted you with the Diſcourſe of the Intendant of Languedoc, and now will relate that of a Governour of a Place in the ſame Province, as it was communicated to us.
38An Inhabitant of the Hague hath received a Copy of a Letter from Niſmes, containing a Dialogue no leſs dreadful than curious; as follows. The Governor of St. Hippolite, having called the Chiefs of that Town together, Exhorted them to go to M•ſs, by ſuch Reaſons as Soldiers and Good-Fellows uſe to do. Theſe poor People holding their Peace at it, the Governor ſaid unto them, Speak, or give me ſome reaſon or other. One of them Anſwered thus: Well, Sir, ſince you will have us to ſpeak, I'll tell you in the name of all thoſe here preſent, that neither we nor our Children will ever go to Maſs, do with us as you pleaſe, for this is our Reſolution. The Governor reply'd, You are a Company of Wretches; go to Maſs, I ſay, carry your Pſalms thither, and read them till you be tired: Perform in your Houſes all the Exerciſes of your Devotion; and by that means, you may laugh in your ſleeve at the King, his Declarations, the Intendant, my ſelf, and the Curate here preſent, whom you may ſend, if you will, to all the Devils in Hell. Hold, Sir, ſaith the Curate, I had rather they ſhould go to them than my ſelf. They omitted in this Letter many Circumſtances for Brevities ſake: In the end of it is ſaid, That theſe poor People having withdrawn themſelves, have been Fined, and conſtrained to pay it down. You ſee here the Romiſh Church drawn to the Life.
Thus is the Nation framed in which you live, viz. They are ignorant and cruel Bigots on one ſide, and on the other Brutes without Conſcience and Religion; and what way ſoever you turn you ſee nothing but Precipices and Scandals. But ſtill your Duty enjoyns you, to go betwixt theſe two Precipices, by reſiſting the Perſecutions of thoſe who will drag you to Maſs, and to ſeparate your ſelves from thoſe wicked Pleaſures which Bewitch you. The Precepts we give you are but General, but we muſt preſcribe you ſome Particulars, to teach you the way whereby you may diſappoint the Deſigns of the Devil, and all his Agents, and make you know, they are not as yet gone half way in your Total Deſtruction.
Our Enemies have conceived great Hopes of ſeeing their Undertaking to End in the ſpeedy and entire Extirpation of the Reformed Religion in France; but without pretending to Prophecy, we may truly ſay, their Deſign is not ſo near it's Accompliſhment. As God's Providence uſes to put his Church into the Fining Pot, not to Deſtroy, but to Try her; ſo has he put her Enemies upon ſuch means, as are never like to ſucceed. 'Tis now above 30 or 40 years they have been very buſie about finding out ſome infallible Ways to Ruin the Proteſtant Religion in that Kingdom, and have not been able as yet, to determine what Courſe to take. Hence proceed that uncertainty, and indiſcretion of their Conduct, ſince the Pyrenaean Treaty. They were agreed in their General End and Deſign, but knew not how to attain it. The Prefaces of their Declarations and Decrees were commonly ridiculous and contradictory: For under pretence of putting the Edicts in Execution,39 they Enacted ſuch and ſuch things, as indeed, did utterly Deſtroy them. What was Decreed by one Declaration was commonly Annulled by the next: For when they took away any one Privilege from the Reformed, they ſtill confirmed all the others. And theſe Exceptions which they made, ſeemed for the preſent to ſtrengthen the Rules: But ſome Weeks after 'twas quite another thing. Twelve or fifteen Months before the Recalling of the Edict of Nantes, a Decree was iſſued out, whereby the Miniſters were to be Tranſported into other Places, when they had for ſome years ſerved their firſt Pariſhes. And amongſt theſe rare Ordonnances, there were ſome which were to be in force for twenty years; and conſequently, the Edict was at leaſt to laſt to that very time: Nevertheleſs, within a few Months after it was totally Repealed. From hence it is obvious to every body, That our Perſecutors had not yet laid down a certain Scheme of their Proceedings, but lived, as we may ſay, from Hand to Mouth, and advanced, as the emergent Occaſions, or rather as Fancy guided them. Whilſt they were thus floating in theſe uncertain and blind ways, God's Providence hath led them in to take a Courſe which will never proſper with them, But rather end in the entire Ruin of Popery.
Their falſe Prudence hath ſet before them ſeveral means, to chooſe which they pleaſed. The firſt was that of a general Maſſacre. We do not queſtion in the leaſt, but this Method hath been propoſed and debated; and there are ſome pretending to good Intelligence, who gave out, that they were reſolved upon it; and that Diſpatches had been already drawn up, for the Governors, and Intendants of Provinces, and Packets delivered to be ſent out, but that a great Man wiſer and milder than the others, had prevented the Execution of them, and upon his Advice the Expreſſes were ſtopt. This hath been publiſh'd in ſome Books written both in England and in Engliſh: But for our parts, we never believed it to be either true, or indeed probable. True it is, That there is not any Deſign, though never ſo Cruel, never ſo Bloody, but the Bigotted Cabal of Jeſuits and Monks are capable to Contrive: But we are alſo certain, That there is not any Wiſe-Man in the Council of France, but did look on ſuch an Execution with Horror. There are but few Bavilles in that Kingdom, for he who has Maſſacred ſo many private Perſons, would have made no ſcruple of a General Maſſacre: And beſides, the Slaughter of St. Bartholomew ſucceeded ſo ill, that one would think they ſhould have no mind to attempt it a ſecond time.
We have no Reaſon to doubt but it hath been Debated, whether they ſhould Baniſh all the Proteſtants without Exception out of the Kingdom; But thoſe who know that the multitude of Subjects is the Strength of a Nation, did not approve of that Propoſition. In the beginning of this Age, The Council of Spain drove away Twelve hundred thouſand Moors40 and Sarrazins; but they know how much it hath coſt them; For this has given the great ſtroke to their ſuddain Decay and unavoidable Ruine. At laſt, after many Deliberations taken and laid aſide, they reſolved to ſhut up the Reformed, and prohibit their going out of the Kingdom, upon pain of the Gallies, and Forfeiture of their Goods. True it is, That by this means, the Kingdom is not depopulated, but then their Churches are filled with People driven thither with Cudgels, and rendred Prophane and Hypocrites. All the Exerciſes of any Religion, but the Romiſh, are forbidden upon Pain of Death; and by Virtue of this Prohibition, they have Hang'd a great many in Vivares, Cevennes, and other Counties.
It is Evident, That thoſe who thought to extinguiſh the Proteſtant Religion by this Method, have but little Underſtanding, and much leſs Memory. We would fain have them to allege any Preſidents of ſuch Undertakings that have ſucceeded well by the ways they have uſed. There is nothing in the World which takes ſo deep root in the Hearts of Men, as what they call Religion. They have for many years, and without intermiſſion, exerciſed the utmoſt Rigours, and yet have not been able to deſtroy the Religion of thoſe People. Chriſtians have ſuffered in the Eaſt, and under the Turks, almoſt all that one can ſuffer; and for all that, the Chriſtian Religion is yet every where ſpread there. What have they not done in Spain, ſince the Moors loſt their Authority, to extinguiſh Mahometaniſm, but all vain, and altho' they have expelled above a Million, there are ſtill a great many left behind, who by concealing their Belief, provide for their own Security. What Cruelty have they not committed, and ſtill commit in thoſe Countries, where the Inquiſition is eſtabliſhed to Root out the Jews Religion, but ſtill to no purpoſe; And 'tis a Queſtion, Whether one half of the Portugueſes be not ſtill Jews: Nevertheleſs, they go to Maſs, and ſome of them are got into Orders, and enjoy Eccleſiaſtical Dignities; but no ſooner are they got into a free Country, but they openly return to the Jewiſh Profeſſion.
We muſt conclude then, that there is no certain way of Ruining a Religion, but the utter Deſtruction of all thoſe who Profeſs it. By that means the Sarrazens have deſtroyed Chriſtiianity over all the Coaſts of Africa, where formerly there were many and flouriſhing Churches, viz. By cutting off all the Ancient Inhabitants; And by that Method, the Houſe of Auſtria hath almoſt rooted out the Reformation in Bohemia, and the Hereditary Countries. It is true, That without theſe violent Proceedings, Chriſtianity hath by Degrees aboliſhed the Heathen Religion, within the extent of the Roman Empire, both in the Eaſt and Weſt: But this Example muſt not be made a Precedent, becauſe falſe Religions have their Periods as well as the States; they muſt end ſome way or another: But the Cauſe of their41 Ruin is not the Yoke impoſed upon Mens Conſciences, but their own Imperfections. The Ancient Heatheniſm was ſo hideous a maſs of Abſurdities, that 'tis no matter of wonder to ſee it quite Aboliſh'd. On the contrary, we may admire at its ſubſiſting ſo long among Nations ſo Civilized, and Polite as the Greeks and Romans. One would have thought, That Chriſtianity had nothing elſe to do, but to appear in the World to ruin this horrid Syſtem of different Gods, that were often Enemies one of another, and whom the Devil made Men to Worſhip with the moſt unclean and ridiculous Rites. And yet every body knows, How this Religion, as fooliſh and ridiculous as it is, hath held out againſt the Lights of Common Senſe, Reaſon and Faith. And this may ſerve for another inſtance, to prove, How difficult it is to Extirpate Opinions which have taken a deep Root in the Minds of Men by a long Poſſeſſion. What outragious Cruelties have they not uſed in the Spaniſh Netherlands to Extinguiſh the Reformation there? and have not as yet compaſſed their Deſign. Not even ſince the time that the French Court hath added to the Yoke of the Proteſtants. Theſe People have but a ſtep into Holland, which is a Free-Country, but worldly Intereſts keep them ſtill chained to that ſpot of Ground wherein they were Born and Bred. 'Tis true, they ſave themſelves, as much as they can, the trouble of going to Maſs; and if ſometimes they yield, 'tis out of pure Neceſſity: Therefore we ſhall not determine any thing about their Condition. The Queſtion now is not whether they be good Proteſtants or no, and whether they are in the way of Salvation, but however this at leaſt is certain, that they are by no means Papiſts. And conſequently we may be aſſur'd, That the Proteſtant Religion will never go out of France, unleſs the Proteſtants themſelves be gone firſt; ſo that Impriſoning them within the Kingdom is the ſure way to Immortalize their Religion.
From what hath been ſaid, it is manifeſt, that the preſent Perſecution is by no means advantagious to Popery; And by what follows, it will be as evident, That the Romiſh Religion loſes its Authority and Reputation in France, and Peoples Eyes begin to be more and more open every day. Both the Outrages and the Perſecutors, and the Complaints of the Perſecuted, make them very intent upon the great Concern of Religion, which perhaps they never would have troubled their Heads with, had they let things continue as they were a Hundred years ſince. They have taken away from the Proteſtants all their Books, but have not been able to Burn all theſe Books. They are Treaſures which have been diſperſed by our Shipwrack, and Religious Men have had a more favourable opportunity of making advantage of them, becauſe others have not been apprehenſive upon that Account. In ſhort, Let the Cauſe of this be what it will, 'tis certain, that there are whole Cantons and Provinces full of People who earneſtly deſire a Deliverance42 from Popery. We have been well aſſured by honeſt and credible Perſons, that there are great Cities of Threeſcore or Fourſcore Thouſand Inhabitants, whereof one third have ſome knowledge, and very favourable Sentiments of the Truth. This we know for certain, becauſe we ſee for theſe 12 or 15 years, Proſelytes come over to us from Popery, in greater number than ever. We will not deny, but that among theſe Fryers, Prieſts, and Clergymen, who heretofore left the Romiſh Religion, there were but few who were not moved by a Spirit of Libertiniſm; but at preſent the caſe is much altered: For now we have daily come over to us, new Converts of that Character which are very good Men, and have a ſincere and earneſt deſire to work out their Salvation; nay, ſome of them are very Eminent for their Ability and Merit: So that there are now among theſe Proſelytes as few Cheats as there were many heretofore. We are informed by them, that were the Proteſtant States as Zealous for Propagating the Truth as the Papiſts are for their Superſtitions, they would ſee flocking to them, many able and worthy Clergymen. It might be wiſh'd, That the Proteſtant Sovereigns would mind this great Concern, and conſider, how much it would contribute to their Honour, to provide Sanctuaries, and Maintainance for ſo many Learned Men, and who are beſides enlightned by a Supernatural Grace: a Supernatural Grace, I ſay; for one muſt be willfully blind, not to diſcover herein the Finger of God, which rouzes up Conſciences that lay faſt a Sleep, and communicates his Light at the ſame time that the Devil endeavours to ſpread his Darkneſs. But we muſt confeſs, That the great neceſſity theſe Clergymen are threatned with, by forſaking both their Native Country and Religion, is a powerful Temptation, that few are able to overcome. 'Tis indeed a great Affliction to a tender and compaſſionate Man, to be forced to ſend away Perſons of a good Character, and ſincerely Converted, becauſe he is not in a Condition to keep them from Starving: But theſe things may alter, when God Almighty ſhall be pleaſed to move the Hearts of the Higher Powers. All we can do for them is to help them with our Prayers, which God will, we hope, hear in due time.
If we conſider how much Popery is divided, and decays in France, we ſhall the better comprehend the ill Condition it is reduced too, it being crumbled into ſeveral Sects. The Controverſie between the Moliniſtes, and the Janſeniſtes has made a great Noiſe for theſe forty or fifty years; and now a new Sect is riſen up under the Name of Quietiſts; beſides other impious ones, like that of the Socinians, begin to make a conſiderable Body there. We were long ſince well informed, that this wicked Hereſie is ſpread amongſt the moſt famous Societies; and have it from the beſt hand, that the Works of Epiſcopius are diligently peruſed by them, in which one diſcovers firſt a meer Pelagianiſm; and ſecondly, that which the Biſhop of43 Meaux calls a Mitigated Socinianiſm: And all this is made good by one Mr. Vallone, a Prebendary of the Church of St. Geneviefue, and who appears to be a Man of Parts and Merit. He has publiſh'd a Confeſſion of his Faith, and prefixed to it a Letter giving an account of his Converſion; where he tells us, that he choſe rather to be a Fryer of St. Geneviefue, than of St. Bernard. He was not long there, before he diſcovered a Party, which called it ſelf, The Scripturiſts or Little Church, agreeing openly with the Heterodox Opinions of the Socinians, or Believing at leaſt, that in order to be a fine and delicate Wit, one muſt allow a great liberty of Opinion: Theſe are what we call Latitudinarians, according to the Tenents of their Maſters Courcellus and Epiſcopius: And this Cabal was ſpread in all Places, where the Regular Canons of St. Geneviefue had Houſes. The Heads and Chief Members of this Society, were the ſame to the Cabal, as the General, his Aſſiſtant, the Viſitor, Ormeſſac Prior of St. Martin of Ruricourt, the Abbot d'Eſſiat, Polinier, and many others. Mr. Vallone was Informer againſt them, and had very like to have loſt his Life in a hideous Dungeon, into which he was thrown by the General. But at laſt, after having undergone many Trials, finding himſelf countenanced by the Abbot of Urbec, he convinced the Court of the Truth of his Information. Thereupon the French King ſent by the Archbiſhop of Paris, a Letter under his Privy Seal, enjoyning the General Chapter, which was to be held the next day, to chuſe another General, declaring withall, that he did Depoſe the Abbot of St. Geneviefue, and all thoſe who had any hand in the Cauſe of the Accuſer: Their Names were particularly mentioned, and they were Commanded to lay down their Places.
In the ſame Work of Mr. De Vallone, one may ſee a new inſtance of what we have already ſaid concerning the multitude of thoſe who have an inſight into the Truth in the midſt of Popery. A Body torn within by its own Members, and whoſe Corruption is diſcovered by ſo many People hid in its Bowels, ſeems in all probability to draw near its end. Mr. Vallonne's Work was Printed in Germdny, at Swaback, where he made his Abjuration into the hands of Mr. Martel Miniſter of the French Church, whoſe Exerciſes are performed at Swaback. I ſhall conclude this Article, by aſſuring you, that Popery is in France in a worſe condition than ever, for it is only ſupported either by Clergymen who diſcredit it by their Outrageous Perſecutions, or by ſuch Laymen as are of no Religion at all, and ſo far from being Papiſts, that they laugh at all their falſe Myſteries: The number of them is ſo great, both at Court amongſt the Perſons of Quality, and of the better Rank, and even in the Clergy it ſelf, that it cannot be reckoned up. Now there needs but a little Motion of Divine Grace to put them-in the right way; and therefore do not fear the total ruine of the Reformation in France, for it will never come to paſs; God Almighty will undoubtedly44 bring his great Work to an end, but Lewis the Fourteenth will never be able to compleat his.
But do you think, that the hope we give you, either may, or ought to render you remiſs in your Duty? not at all, for firſt, what we ſay unto you, is not an Oracle, or a Prophecy, but only a Conjecture built upon good Grounds. And although it had been plainly revealed to you, you ſhould not for all that have forgot what we have ſo often inculcated, that all Events though foreſeen and decreed by God, are generally Executed by the Concurrence of Second Cauſes; and ſo his Eternal Decrees are ſo far from rendring the Means and Second Cauſes uſeleſs, that on the contrary, they ſuppoſe them neceſſary. God had determined that King Ezechias ſhould live Fifteen years after his Recovery, but ſtill Ezechias was to make uſe of the common Means to preſerve his Life; God who intends the End, includes alſo all that tends, or can tend to the ſame; and therefore you are obliged to do all you can to hinder the Enemies of the true Religion from compaſſing their Deſign. The firſt and chiefeſt Means you muſt uſe, is a vigorous, conſtant, and unanimous Reſiſtance againſt the Sollicitations of your Tempters; They will have you go to Maſs, but you muſt readily anſwer, you will not do it. We muſt plainly tell you, that we are very glad at the News we have received from all places upon that account; True it is, that we obſerve that there is a general fear, and a ſtrong apprehenſion, that the Reformed in France will be put to Trials a great deal more ſevere than the former; but we are aſſured, we have no reaſon to be afraid of their Timidity, ſince they are all reſolved to ſpeak out boldly, and reſiſt even unto Blood. The Trial hath already proved good in many places, for not only Private Perſons, but whole Corporations too have courageouſly declared, they would never follow a Religion they believed very bad, and which they were driven to profeſs. You have already ſeen how the Inhabitants of St. Hyppolite anſwered the Eloquent Sermon of their Governor: 'Tis not in this place only, that they have ſpoken ſo plainly, but in hundreds beſides, in Saintonge, Rochelles, Marennes, La Tremblade, and Aluert. Every body hath read in the extraordinary News of Amſterdam a Relation, which we had in our hands, and have ſeen the Original: There one may find with what Chearfulneſs and Reſpect theſe good People have received the Intendant when he brought the Kings Orders, and made a Speech unto them; but no ſooner had he done it, but the Air rung again with their Unanimous, Courageous, and Exalted Voices, ſaying openly, We had rather die than go to Maſs. Our Brethren went in Crowds to meet the Intendant, dreſſed up in their fineſt Cloaths, like the Sacrifices of old, when they were led to the Altars; but they went thither, as they uſe to go to an Entertainment, and have equally reſiſted both Promiſes and Threatnings. 45The Example of Caſtres is too remarkable to be paſſed by in ſilence; This Town is almoſt inhabited by Reformed. The Intendant Baville, and the Italian Broglio his Aſſiſtant, and Miniſter of his Shameful Cruelties, did believe, that if they could prevail againſt the Faithful of this Place, ſuch an Example would give a fatal Stroke to the whole Reformation throughout the Kingdom, and particularly in that Province. They have omitted nothing in the Exerciſing their Furious Zeal, and employed the moſt terrible Threatnings, Blaſphemies, and Outrages of all kinds to ſignalize it the more. They have ſince the Peace quartered 8 or 900 Soldiers at Caſtres, in the Houſes of the Reformed only, with Orders to have Free Quarters there, to Exerciſe all manner of Cruelty, to plunder and conſume their Goods, and keep their Perſons by Tormeuts from Sleeping, and by Letters under the Kings Privy Seal have baniſh'd all Perſons of any Note who had made themſelves Eminent either by their Zeal, or Freedom of Speech. Alas! we know too well, how eaſily the People fainted in the former Perſecution, and ſunk under Blows, not ſo heavy by far as thoſe of the latter. In the mean time we do not hear, that above ſix or ſeven in that great Church have been ſo baſe as to promiſe to go to Maſs. This Example of Conſtancy hath been followed by the whole Province. That of Poitou hath undergone the ſame Trials, as thoſe of Marennes, La Tremblade, and Alver, did. And every Place has abounded with Examples of the ſame Courage, and this hath been the occaſion of ſo many new Proſciptions, Baniſhments, Impriſonments, and Puniſhments that have been inflicted ſince.
Be ye therefore, Dear Brethren, ſenſible of this, that you are under a great neceſſity to do the like. Firſt, to pay your Lawful Duties to Truth; you cannot forſake it, either by compliance or fear, unleſs you will become guilty of High Treaſon, and the blackeſt Ingratitude towards God, who hath raiſed you up from your fall. Secondly, you muſt do it, in order to expiate thereby that faintheartedneſs wherewith you did generally yield in the firſt Perſecution. You cannot wipe off that Crime, but with Tears of Blood, and muſt riſe up again with a Courage anſwerable to the Cowardlineſs that threw you down. If God hath given you the Grace of a ſincere Repentance, declare it on this preſent Occaſion; Shew your Faith by your good Works; There can be no true Repentance without perſeverance. Peter may deny his Maſter, but no ſooner hath he received Abſolution from him, by ſaying, Peter, loveſt thou me? I know thou loveſt me, feed my Sheep, but that from thenceforward nothing was able to affright him; not even Fire, Croſſes, and Threatnings of Execution could ſhake him any more. You know very well that Relapſes are more dangerous than the Diſeaſes themſelves, and if once you become like thoſe Trees St. Jude ſpeaks of, Twice dead, and plucked up by the Roots, there will be afterwards found no place46 of Repentance. Set the Martyrs of the Primitive Chriſtianity frequently before your Eyes, who being asked the Queſtion, Whether they were Chriſtians, or no? did quickly and chearfully anſwer, Yes; They knew for certain, that they were to go from the Tribunal either to be burnt, or devoured by Wild Beaſts; but for all that they went with the greateſt eagerneſs to receive that Crown of Martyrdom they longed for. Had our Anceſtors wanted this Courage, they had never tranſmitted Chriſtianity to their Poſterity. Beſides theſe general Conſiderations, there is another ſtrong Motive which doth particularly concern you, and that is this, there is no other way in the condition you are now in to abate the Perſecution, and ſave your Church, but this only, if you yield, and go one ſtep back in this new Perſecution, you muſt expect to be dealt with without mercy. But if you appear as unmovable as a Brazen Wall, we know, not meerly by Conjectures, that they will not be ſo hard upon you. The French Government doth not intend to loſe above a Million more of Subjects of the Reformed Religion, which are ſtill in the Kingdom. They are not ignorant, that all thoſe whom they ſhall Murder and Hang are loſt for ever, and alſo, that although they take all the precautions imaginable to prevent any eſcape, an infinite number will nevertheleſs run that hazard. We know this by Experience, for many are already come over to us; ſome have been taken and ſtopt, ſome will be ſo in time to come, and ſome of them will be ſent to the Galleys, and to the Gibbet; but thoſe who ſhall be ſtopt, and Executed to ſerve for an Example, will be loſt to the State, as well, nay much more than thoſe who are gone away; ſince the Exiled may be called home, but the Dead can never be raiſed from the Grave. Be therefore aſſured, that the ſalvation of both you and your Church depends from henceforth on your conſtancy; indure, ſuffer cruel Reproaches, Threatnings, Priſons, Baniſhments; but ſuffer them without fainting, and you will ſoon ſee by Gods Aſſiſtance the end of them all. This is the firſt Advice I had to give you.
A ſecond thing which I will recommend to you, dear Brethren, is, to have Fellowſhip and Correſpondence one with another, for the mutual ſupport of your Zeal and Charity. You are mightily miſtaken, if you preſume you ſhall be able to ſtand up alone, by being retired within your ſelves; This fire raked up under aſhes will be ſoon put out. You are under an indiſpenſable obligation to edifie your Neighbours by your good Works, and conſequently you muſt let your Light ſhine before Men. God abhors the Nicodemites that are aſhamed to make an open profeſſion of his true Worſhip. Your Brethren muſt know you, and you ought to know your Brethren. You are to practiſe what hath been done, as we hear in many places, where the Faithful were ſo courageous and ſucceſsful, as to eſtabliſh among them a kind of Church; for they have ſet over themſelves Rulers,47 Churchwardens and Catechiſts, and by this good order they prevent Scandals, and the total ruine of Truth; and therefore make it your buſineſs to aſſiſt and edifie one another. But how can one do this, will you ſay, do you not know how ſeverely our Meetings are forbidden? Yes, we know it very well; but we hear alſo, that notwithſtanding theſe Prohibitions, many thouſands, even ſeveral times in a week, have met together. 'Tis true ſome loſe their Lives, and ſome their Liberty upon that account; but if you are ſway'd by ſuch Motives, you muſt never think of undertaking any great Action, becauſe no place is exempted from danger. A Soldier muſt not henceforth venture to go up to the Aſſault, nor mount the Breach to repulſe the Enemy, becauſe there many muſt certainly loſe their Lives. If you could once take up a vigorous Reſolution to contemn Death, and to welcome it with Joy, when it may be uſeful to the Salvation of your Brethren, aſſure your ſelves, that they would be ſoon tired with Murdering you. The ancient Chriſtians had the ſame Motives of Fear which you have, they did not queſtion, but no ſooner they ſhould be taken in their Aſſemblies, but that they ſhould be put to a cruel Death. But did you ever hear that they forbore meeting together for that reaſon? Do you not read, that in the time of the moſt ſevere Perſecutions, they met in the night in Foreſts and Caves; and this practice of theirs gave occaſion to the following Malicious Calumnies againſt them, viz. They did aſſemble, ſay they, together by Torch-light, and murdered a Child, with whoſe Blood they kneaded their Communion-Bread, and then did all of them eat of this abominable Food; after which they put out the light, and each of them took hold of the next Woman, either his Mother, or Daughter, or Siſter, with whom they committed ſuch horrible Impurities, as 'tis a ſhame to mention, and of which even the thoughts are to be abhorr'd. They would have wanted a pretence to ſpread ſuch odious Accuſations againſt them, if they had not met by night in hidden and ſubterraneous places. I will require nothing of you, but refer you to your own Conſciences; be Judges your ſelves, whether or no it be not more honourable to imitate the Zeal of the Primitive Chriſtians, than to obey the Council of your Wiſe Politicians. But however, do not let your Prudence render you remiſs in the performance of your Duties, one of the moſt material whereof is, this, we are ſpeaking of, viz. to find out the fitteſt Means to Confer together, and Edifie one another.
Some perhaps will tell you, that the Wiſeſt Courſe would be to ſecure your ſelves by a ſpeedy Retreat; and it is certain, that the ſureſt Expedient for every Private Perſon is to retire to a place of ſafety; but this Matter hath been ſufficiently diſcourſed already, and we have nothing to add unto it, only I'll ſay, that the Execution of this Deſign is, by the Wiles of the Devil, involved in a thouſand Difficulties. The firſt, and perhaps48 the hardeſt thing to be done in this preſent Caſe, is to part with the Fleſh, Ambition, Covetouſneſs, and the Love of Eaſe, wherewith ſo many are intangled. When once you have broke aſunder theſe troubleſome Bonds, you may, till you have a fair opportunity of obeying that Commandment of our Saviour, When they perſecute you in one City, flee ye into another, remember in the mean time to practiſe all the other Counſels we have now given you.
There is another Article wherein you ſtand in great need of being adviſed and aſſiſted, and that is about your Children; They ſnatch them out of your Arms, and will have you carry them to Maſs; If you refuſe to ſend them to be Catechiſed by the Prieſts, they will lay great Penalties upon you to your utter ruine; and when all this is done, they drag theſe poor Children to the feet of the Idol, and force them to kneel, and mind what they ſay and do. The Biſhops and other Clergymen take them away from you, and confine them on purpoſe to teach them their wicked Superſtitions. We hear on this occaſion an unanimous Voice, crying, Men and Brethren, what ſhall we do? This is, perhaps, the cruelleſt Temptation you are expoſed unto, and a Miſchief you ought with the greateſt care in the World to provide a Remedy againſt. Children are the Nurſery of the Church; if you let them be poiſoned by Errour, theſe young Plants will be loſt both to you and to us. Adult Perſons are in a condition to reſiſt Temptation, and preſerve themſelves from the Errours they would inſtil into their Minds; but Children are like White Paper ready to receive any Character, and as ſoft Wax admitting all manner of Impreſſion; Theſe tender Souls, as they grow leſs pliant, contract ſuch a degree of hardneſs, that one cannot blot out what was once imprinted upon them, and truly this is the laſt Shift of your Enemies Hopes. We hear them ſay continually, If we cannot prevail with the Parents, who have contracted long ſince an ill Habit, however we ſhall gain the Children, and in the next Generation Calviniſm will be quite forgot. But God confounds the Wiſe in their own Craftineſs; and how juſtly theſe Meaſures may ſeem to be taken by the Devils ſuggeſtion, we hope they will fail of their expected ſucceſs. But in the mean time 'tis your part to work hard in the taking Meaſures quite contrary: You know very well, that your Children are much leſs yours than God's; and that you muſt give an account of them to him who hath left them to your Cuſtody, and committed their Education to your Care: You will be a great deal more ſeverely puniſhed for neglecting the preſervation of your Childrens Souls, than of your own, becauſe, if you undo your ſelves, you only take away private Men, or at moſt the preſent Generation from the Church; but you ruine and deſtroy all future Generations, and let the Church ſuſtain an irrevocable loſs, if you abandon, and yield your Children57 to that Babylon, who receives them from your Hands for no other end, but to cruſh them in pieces.
The firſt thing you are bound to do for your Children, is to withdraw them both from the Tempters, and Temptations, by putting them in a place of ſecurity, either within, or without the Kingdom. Come out of it? and if you cannot do that, ſend them away whatever it coſt; but you will ſay, here lies the great difficulty, If we remove our Children, they quarter Soldiers upon us, conſume all we have, put us in Priſon, and ſentence us to the Galleys till we produce them. To this, I ſay, Brethren, that if you are not ready to ſuffer chearfully the loſs of your Eſtates, Goods, Liberty, and Life it ſelf for Gods Cauſe, I have no more to ſay to you; I pity you with all my Heart, I lament the dangerous condition of your Souls, and earneſtly pray to God in your behalf; but if you are courageous enough to ſacrifice whatſoever is deareſt to you, it is certain, that you cannot beſtow your ſacrifice better than on this occaſion; for this is the moſt important of all your Duties. We have the Examples of terrible Puniſhments decreed againſt thoſe Fathers who had withdrawn their Children; but ſome of the higher Courts have relieved them from thoſe unjuſt and cruel Sentences, and hearkned to the Voice both of Nature and Piety; and you know not but the like may happen unto you.
But many of you will ſay we are not in a condition to do this, for we have no ſhelter ready for our ſelves or our Children, we are not able to maintain them abroad, and are ſo narrowly watch'd, that 'tis impoſſible for us to take our Children out of ſight for one ſingle day, but they are immediately lookt after. Take heed, dear Brethren, that all theſe Pretences be not ſuggeſted to you by Covetouſneſs, Self-Intereſt, Fear, and Lukewarmneſs. But ſuppoſe all the impoſſibilities you mention to be true; you have yet ſomething elſe to do, which is to keep your Children at home, as long as you can, and be well contented if they let them alone. But if you foreſee that they have an intention to take them away, you muſt prevent them, by ſending them away your ſelves. If their Cruelty doth not proceed ſo far as to ſnatch them from you, be extreamly diligent and careful to give them good Inſtructions, as long as they are under your Tuition and Authority, and put them as ſoon as may be in a condition to anſwer for themſelves. But above all, be not ſo baſe as to carry them to Maſs, or to let them be Cathechiſed by the Prieſts, for in ſo doing you would be no leſs guilty than thoſe unnatural Fathers, who offered up their Innocent Babes to Moloch. If they come into your Houſes, on purpoſe to ſeize on, and drag them to theſe Catechiſms, theſe are ſuch Outrages, as you may, and ought to oppoſe. But if your Oppoſitions prove ineffectual, as you may eaſily imagine they generally will, and you are forced to yield unto them, you50 are then obliged at leaſt, to take all poſſible care to root out theſe bad Diſpoſitions and Errors which they endeavour to plant in their Minds. If you know your Religion well, you cannot be ignorant of the grounds upon which it is founded: Inquire of your Children at their return, what they heard at thoſe Heterodox Catechiſms, and then I ſay root out all that is bad, and improve the good they have been taught. Teach them to believe in God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, one only God in his ſubſtance, having three Eternal Perſons, and of the ſame Eſſence; confirm what they have told them concerning the Incarnation of the ſecond of thoſe three Divine Perſons, who took the Humane Nature in the Virgins Womb, who died in this Nature, roſe again from the Dead, aſcended into Heaven, and will come again to judge both the Quick and the Dead, and take up the good into his Glory, and throw the wicked into Hell. Theſe are the Orthodox Articles believed by the Romiſh Church. Husband and cultivate theſe Seeds they may have caſt into your Children's Souls, but pluck up all the reſt like Tares; create in their Mind an hatred of this Barbarous Stepmother who murders God's Children; this filthy Babylon who deſiles her ſelf by her Spiritual Whoredoms; this corrupt Jeruſalem who makes to her ſelf as many Gods, as ſhe hath Towns and Streets; who ſets up a Bread-God upon her Altars, and orders it to be proclaim'd, It is Commanded, O People, that ye fall down and worſhip, to morrow is a Feaſt to the Lord, theſe be thy Gods, O Iſrael, which brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt. Teach your Children to pray unto God only, to Honour and Reverence the Memory of Saints, to imitate their Virtues, and not to make either Idols of them, by calling upon them, or to commit Abominations in your ways, by falling down before their Images. But we want Books, you will ſay, How ſhall we inſtruct our Children? Have you no Books? You have at leaſt the Bible by you: What! Do you not know that ſo many Papiſts have been theſe laſt years illuminated by the reading of this Book only; and will it not be ſuffieient to keep up in your Houſe a light which is already kindled? Finally, though they be never ſo careful to take away all your Books, you may ſave ſome, and thoſe that are the moſt uſeful and neceſſary are very ſmall, and of little conſequence in the Eyes of your Enemies: You need deſire for this purpoſe, only ſome familiar Inſtructions, ſuch as are to be found in our Catechiſms, and particularly in Mr. Direlincourt's Abridgment of Controverſies, wherein you have the moſt material Texts of Scripture againſt the Church of Rome; Make your Children learn them by Heart, and repeat them ſo often unto them, that they may never forget them. By the Commerce now open with Foreign Countreys, you may furniſh your ſelves with ſuch Books as are neceſſary to your Comfort: We wiſh it may pleaſe Almighty God to put it into the Hearts of ſome of our Brethren, to ſend you ſome good51 Inſtructions in ſingle Sheets, which you may uſe as an Antidote to preſerve your Children's Souls from Corruption. We know very well the Sophiſms and Fallacies of the Romiſh Catechiſts, and what they teach their Catechumens, or young Beginners; and ſo it would not be a difficult matter for you, to provide your ſelves with ſuch Means, as ſhould be able to keep your Children from the Errours they intend to inſtil into them. In theſe ſmall Treatiſes great Learning and Eloquence are not ſo much required, as evident and pertinent Places out of the Holy Scripture, with ſome ſhort and ſubſtantial Reaſons to ſhew the ſtrength of them, and reſtore the Texts which have been alter'd and perverted from their true meaning by the Malicious and Erroneous Interpretations of our Adverſaries.
This is the ſum and ſubſtance of the Advices we promiſed you, we might further inlarge upon them, and add ſeveral others, but ſince we are not in a condition to do all, we refer you to thoſe, who either have already, or ſhall hereafter undertake to Comfort and Inſtruct you; yet without derogating from the Right which all your Miniſters have to ſpeak to you, when they think it fit, we have but one Advice more to give you, which is, to turn to God with an hearty and ſincere Converſion, with great and bitter Weeping, with a ſorrowful Repentance, for ſo many Crying Sins that have drawn Gods Wrath both upon you, and our Church; and, in fine, with frequent, pious, fervent, and reiterated Prayers; and that you may the better underſtand, how your Prayers ſhould in our Opinion be expreſſed, we have drawn up a Form which may ſerve you as a Patern, if you think good.
O Almighty God, Father of all Light and Compaſſion, thou only makeſt the Night and the Day, Proſperity and Adverſity; thou diſpoſeſt all Events with the moſt profound Wiſdom, and perfect Juſtice, thou ſpeakeſt, and the thing is done, thou Commandeſt, and it ſtandeth faſt;Pſ. 33. thy counſel ſtandeth for ever, and the thoughts of thy Heart to all G•nerations, but thou bringeſt the Counſel of the Heathen to nought, and makeſt the Devices of the People of none effect, therefore thy Compaſſions cannot be reckoned up. Pſ. 103.The Lord is merciful and gracious, ſlow to anger, and plenteous in mercy; he will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger for ever; for as the Heaven is high above the Earth, ſo great is his Mercy towards them that fear him. To whom ſhall we go for ſuccour, O Lord, but to thee who haſt the Words of Eternal Life? Of whom ſhould we ask Relief, but of him before whom the moſt Mighty Men are but Duſt and Aſhes?Pſ. 2. he breaketh them with a Rod of Iron, and daſheth them in pieces like a Potters Veſſel. Whom ſhould we implore for Grace and Mercy, but him who is abundant in Mercy and Compaſſion? O great Shepherd of Iſrael,Pſ. 80. who leadeſt us like Sheep, turn us again, ſhew the light of thy Countenance, and we ſhall be whole. Remember the Wonders which thou didſt for this Iſrael, who is now become the Prey of the Nations. This Church was born in Egypt, and had been long detained Captive in Babylon; But thou with a ſtrong and ſtretched out Arm hadſt brought her out of Egypt about two hundred years ago; Thou hadſt tranſplanted this Vine, and ſet it in a very fruitful Hill, and watered it with the Due of Heaven, and nurſed it with the Fatneſs of the Earth; Thou lookedſt that it ſhould bring forth Grapes,Eſai. 5. and it brought forth Wild Grapes; We have been all along barren and unfruitful under the care of this good and mighty Hand;Eſ. 64. We are all as an unclean thing, and all our unrighteouſneſs are as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a Leaf, and our Iniquities like the Wind have taken us away. The ſins of our forefathers faſten us to the Earth,Ezech. 18. for our Fathers have eaten ſowre grapes, and our teeth are ſet on edge. But alas! we are Vipers, Children of Serpents, and hatch'd out of Cockatrice Eggs. We being wicked followers of our Anceſtors Works have corrupted our ſelves, as they have done, and daily increaſed our Corruption. Ezech. 33.Thy Word hath been to us, as a very lovely Song, and we have heard it, according as it pleaſed our Ears, and gratified61 our Senſes. We have been forgetful Hearers;Matth. 11. and they have Piped unto us, and we have not Danced; they have Mourned unto us, and we have not Lamented. We have heard thy Servants, who dedeclared thy word unto us, but have not anſwered by ſuch motions as were agreeable both to their words and thy deſigns. Gen. 6. Iſai. 1.All Fleſh among us had corrupted his way upon Earth; Thou haſt looked down, and the whole Head is ſick, and the whole Heart faint: From the ſole of the Foot even unto the Head, there is no ſoundneſs in it, but Wounds and Bruiſes, and putrifying Sores; they have not been cloſed, neither bound up, neither mollified with Ointment. We, our Fathers, our Children, our Shepherds, our People, have been all as Sheep going aſtray,Pſal. 119. every one wandring in his own way: And therefore thou haſt ſearched us out, and found him who rejoyced in his Carnal Pleaſures, and thoſe who did ſhamefully, and at their Eaſe, lie down under their Vines, and the ſhade of their Fig-Trees. We fell aſleep, and the Enemy, the Philiſtine is fallen upon us; and becauſe thy ſtrength was departed from us,Judg. 16. we remained bound with Cords and Fetters of Braſs. Therefore, O Lord,Dan. 9. Righteouſneſs belongeth unto thee, but unto us, Confuſion of Faces as at this day. We are Dumb, and open not our Mouths,Pſal. 39. becauſe thou didſt it; and we are fully convinced, that the Miſeries we ſuffer, are nothing in compariſon with thoſe we deſerve. But, O Lord God of Vengeances, wilt thou do nothing for thy Self, for thy Glory, and for thy Truth? Be not angry againſt us for ever; but let thy Jealouſie be awakened. See thy Adverſaries who have made thy Zion a Wilderneſs, and thy Jeruſalem a Deſolation. Our Holy,Iſaiah 64. and our beautiful Houſes, where we praiſed thee, are burnt up with Fire, and all our pleaſant things are laid waſte. They are become the habitation of the Owls, and the Voice of the Oſprey frighteth the living, and calls for the dead Inſtead of thy Truths, which were publiſh'd there, they hear nothing but Blaſphemies belch'd contemptuouſly againſt theſe demoliſhed Sanctuaries. We have ſeen Affliction by the Rod of thy Wrath, they have led us, and brought us into darkneſs, but not into light. Jerem. 3.The man whom we called the Anointed of the Lord, and was the breath of our Noſtrils, is turned, and hath turned his Hand againſt us all the day: Our Fleſh and our Skin hath he made old, he hath broken our Bones: He hath compaſſed us with Gall and Travel, and made our Chains heavy: Alſo, when we cry, he ſhutteth his Ear againſt our Prayers. He is unto us as a Bear lying in wait, and as a Lion in ſecret places. The ways of Zion do mourn, becauſe none come to the Solemn Feaſts. Thy Enemies, O God, thy Enemies did rejoyce for their Victory; wilt thou permit54 the wicked to triumph for ever? Pſal. 83.They have taken Counſel againſt thy ſecret ones. They have ſaid, come, and let us root them out, that they be no more a People, and that the name of Iſrael may be no more in remembrance. Pſal. 2.They are, I ſay, Confederate againſt us. The Kings of the Earth, and the Rulers have taken Counſel together againſt the Lord, and againſt his Anointed; let us break, ſaid they, their Bonds aſunder, and caſt away their Cords from us. The Egyptian hath conſpired with Babel, and agreed to make an end of the Family of thy Iſrael. They have taken away the Children of the Daughter of Zion to make them Slaves to the Daughter of Babylon. They drown them into the darkneſs of Egypt, and in the Brooks of the Country of Cham. Alas! We are not now in a Condition to ſay; Behold we, and the Children thou haſt given us to do thy Will, O God: For they take away our Children to Sacrifice them to Moloch, and offer them up to the Idol. They do not kill them, they make them Fat with the Dainties of the Kings Table; but they drag them into Hell with Golden Chains: And ſay,Pſal. 83. Come, Let us root them out, that they be no more a People; and that the Name of Iſrael may be no more in remembrance. Oh, That thou wouldſt bow the Heavens,Iſai. 64. that thou wouldſt come down, that the Mountains might flow down at thy preſence, as when the melting Fire burneth, the Fire cauſeth the Waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine Adverſaries, that the Nations may tremble at thy preſence. Pſal. 68.Let God ariſe, and let his Enemies be ſcattered, do not kill them leſt my People ſhould forget it: But take away their Stony Heart, and give them a Heart of Fleſh. And as for us, turn us, O Lord, and we ſhall be turned,Lament. 3. draw us, that we may run after thee. Mine Eye runneth down with Rivers of Water for the Deſtruction of the Daughter of my People; my Eye trickleth down, and ceaſeth not, without any intermiſſion, till the Lord look down, and behold from Heaven: Mine Eye affecteth mine Heart, becauſe of all the Daughters of my People. The Zeal of thine Houſe hath even eaten me,Pſal. 69. and the rebukes of them that rebuked thee are fallen upon me. Reproach hath broken my Heart, and I am full of heavineſs; And I looked for ſome to take pity, but there was none;Pſal. 121. Job 6. I have lifted up my Eyes unto the Hills to get help. I expected Comfort from Men, but received none. My Brethren have dealt deceitfully, as a Brook, and as the ſtream of Brooks they paſs away, which are blackiſh, by reaſon of the Ice, and wherein the Snow is hid. What time they wax warm they vaniſh: When it is hot, they are conſumed out of their Places: But God forbid I ſhould ever forſake my hope; though thou ſlayeſt me, yet will I truſt in thee. I55 know that my Redeemer liveth,Job 13.15.19. and that he ſhall ſtand at the latter day upon the Earth. The Ruins of Jeruſalem are not for ever. Thou ſhalt ariſe, and have mercy upon Sion. For it is time,Pſal. 102. that thou have Mercy upon her, yea, the time is come: And why? Thy Servants think upon her Stones: and it pitieth them to ſee her in the Duſt. The Lord is my Light, and my Salvation, whom then ſhall I fear? Though an Hoſt of Men were laid againſt me,Pſal. 84. Pſal. 36. Pſal. 23. yet ſhall not my Heart be afraid. For the Lord God is a Sun, and a Shield; with thee is the fountain of Life; in thy Light ſhall we ſee Light. The Lord is my Shepherd, I ſhall not want. Yea, though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy Rod and thy Staff they comfort me: He hath ſeverely ſtruck us with this Shepherd's Staff, becauſe we went out of his ways. But 'tis enough, O Lord, 'tis enough, lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon us. Give us a new Heart, that we may fear thee. Have mercy upon us miſerable Sinners. Our Sins are continually hideous before us. We have vexed thy Holy Spirit;Iſai. 63. therefore thou art turned to be our Enemy. But, O Lord, Let us not go out of thy ways any more, neither let our Heart be hardened from thy fear. Return to us, that we may return to thee. Prevail with him to whom thou haſt ſubmitted us. For King's Hearts are in thy Hand,Prov. 21. as the Rivers of Water; Turn the Counſel of the Achitophel's into fooliſhneſs. And let the deſigns of thoſe who ſeek our Ruin vaniſh away. Call all the Baniſh'd home, and build up again thy deſtroyed Sanctuaries. Say, to the North, Give up, and to the South, Keep not back: That we may be gathered together again under thy Banners, Glorifie thy ſelf for ever and ever, and to thee, only, O King of the World, belong Glory, Strength and Majeſty; Hear us, O Lord, and Grant our Petitions, in the Name and Mediation of thy Son.
All the Thoughts and Expreſſions of this Prayer are taken out of the Holy Scripture. There cannot be Words more powerful to ſpeak to God, than thoſe which God himſelf made uſe of to ſpeak with us. And our deſign in framing it, was to let you underſtand, that the Art of Praying well is learnt only by the ſerious Reading of the Prophets, the Evangeliſts, and Apoſtles. And although you be neither Doctors in Divinity, or Miniſters Conſecrated, you will for all that learn in the Holy Scripture, what thing ſoever is neceſſary for you to Edifie one another, both by devout Prayers, and the moſt powerful Exhortations.
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