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was in the ages past? For it appears that they, whom the popes in almost countless numbers have put to death for righteousness' sake, were the Church; although they were contrary to the Church of Rome, and to the popes, in that alone wherein they were contrary to the Church of God.

Now seeing the first point of the truth which those faithful martyrs have maintained, is concerning God, who is without beginning and without end, and without whose command there is nothing true, nor available; it follows, that human inventions must of necessity give place when God speaketh, truth being more ancient than lies. It must also be acknowledged, that in the former ages, those who believed in one God, through Jesus Christ, have been the true members of the Church, making the Catholic Church, in whatsoever part of the earth they were placed; and it appears from the doctrine and confession of the faithful, whereof much is spoken in this History, that they put their Trust in the living God alone; and expected life and salvation from no other than the Son of God.

If then for those things they have been slaughtered, what injury is done to those, who render themselves guilty of the same sins, by the bloody desires which they have to banish such out of the world, whose mouths they cannot stop with reason-if seeming to seek the Church in ages past, they are sent to the faithful, whom such as themselves have put to death? Ought they not rather to thank God with us, that the endeavours of Satan have been in vain, since the Church of God, in the person of his servants, remains victorious by Faith, and triumphant by Martyrdom? The notion of which we have not formed in this History according to the cruelty of the punishments, but according to the righteousness and goodness of the cause.

It will contribute much to the glory of God, to follow this blood by the track, collecting together the certain

proofs of the faith and constancy of thousands of witnesses, who have sealed the truth with the loss of their lives; for there is no kingdom, state, principality, nor almost city, town, or village in Europe, wherein this innocent blood of Christians hath not been shed.

In this holy occupation we need not doubt the venom of wicked tongues, the scoffs of Atheists, nor the ridicule of profane persons. A stomach ill-affected, loveth nothing but what is contrary to it; neither can the wicked esteem anything, but what is agreeable to their vicious palate. If the malicious torrents of the impious could have put a stop to the service which we owe to God and his Churches, we should have given over this history before we had written three lines of it, for it hath been cavilled at by many upon the first notice of it. What then will they not now do, when they shall see that which they thought we could never truly maintain? Doubtless, passion will extort from malicious souls the suggestions of the malignant; in counterchange for which I will pray to the Lord for those that revile us, that he would make them to know his truth; and that he would grant unto us whom he hath lodged in his house, after the conflicts of this life, the portion which he hath reserved for us in Heaven, through his well-beloved Son our Lord Jesus Christ; to whom be praise, honour, glory and power, for ever and ever. Amen.

JOHN PAUL PERRIN.

OF THE

AUTHORS CITED IN THIS HISTORY.

ADVERSARIES OF THE WALDENSES.

Albert de Capitaneis, Archdeacon of Cremona, in his History of the Waldenses.-Alphonsus de Castro.-Baronius, in his Annals.-Bellarmin.-Bernard.-Bernard de Girard, of Haillan.-Bodin.— Carpentras, in his Boniour.-Claudius Rubis, History of Lyons.— Claudius Seissel.-Council of Lateran.-Council of Lyons.-Council. of Montpelier.-Council of Thoulouse.-Council of Vaur.-Council of Vienna. Constitutions of Frederick Barbarossa Emperor.-Constitutions of King Roger.-Constitutions of Pope Alexander IIIConstitutions of Pope Alexander IV.-Constitutions of Pope Clement IV.-Constitutions of Pope Gregory IX.-Constitutions of Pope Honorius.-Constitutions of Pope Innocent III.-Dubravius.— Eccius. Gaspard Bruschius.-Godofredus Monachus.-Gualters, a Jesuit Monk-Guicciardin.-Guido de Perpignan.-History of Languedoc.-Hosius.-Jaques de Riberia.—John Bale.—John le Maire.— Krantzius.-Letters of Pope John XXII.-Lindanus.-Louis XII. of France.-Martyrology.-Matthew Paris.-Memorials of Rostain, Archbishop of Ambrun.-Noguieres.-Paul Languis.-Paulus Æmylius.-Peres Library.-Peter, Monk of Sernay.-Platina.-Reinerius.-Sea of Histories.---Sigonius.-Simon DeVoion.-Statutes of Louis IX. of France.-Statutes of Remond, last Earl of Thoulouse.-Thuanus, or Du Thou.-Treasury of the Histories of France.-Uvier, John.-Vesembecius.-Walden, Thomas.

PROFESSORS OF THE REFORMATION.

Aldegonde. Beza. -Bullinger.-Camerarius, Joachim.-Camerarius, Louis-Catalogue of the Witnesses of the Truth.-Chassagnon.-Constans upon the Revelation.-History of the Churches of France.— History of the Martyrs of our Times.-History of the State of the Church-Holagary, in his history of Foix.-Inventory of Serres.Lavater. Luther.-Memorial of George Morel.-Memorial of Hannibal Olivier-Memorial of Vignaux.-Papoliniere.-Review of the Council of Trent.-Rudiger Esrom.-Vignier, in his Historical Library.-Viret.

BOOK I.

ORIGIN OF THE WALDENSES, AND THE TESTIMONY GIVEN OF THEIR FAITH AND PROBITY.

The

I. God at all times hath raised up labourers for the Assemblies of his Saints. period when Waldo began to teach, and his success. Who Waldo was, and those Christians who were called Waldenses.-II. The dispersion of Waldo and his disciples was the means which God made use of to spread the doctrine of Waldo almost throughout all Europe.-III. The names which their adversaries applied to the Waldenses, and the crimes of which their enemies maliciously accused them.-IV. The Waldenses are cleared from obloquy by their own writings.-V. Testimony given to the Piety, Probity, and Learning of the Waldenses, by their adversaries.-VI. Testimony concerning the Waldenses by distinguished professors of the Reformed Churches.-VII. Peter Waldo and the Waldenses left Books behind them, which manifest their faith and characters.-VIII. The enemies of the Waldenses acknowledge that their doctrine was agreeable to the religious creed and principles of the Reformation.-IX. Enumeration of the Pastors of the Churches who instructed the Waldenses, during several hundred years, as far as they have come to our knowledge. -X. The Pastors of the Waldensian Churches; their vocation, and the zeal and fidelity with which they fulfilled their charge.-XI. Epistle of pastor Bartholomew Tertian to the Waldensian Churches of Pragela.-XII. Confessions of the faith of the Waldenses.-XIII. The Athanasian Creed in the ancient vernacular Waldensian language.

BOOK II.

HISTORY OF THE WALDENSES; AND OF THEIR VARIOUS DISPERSIONS. I. The adversaries of the Waldenses; the methods, and the time of their persecutions. -II. The Inquisition; and its Inventors. The Subtilty and Cruelty by which the Waldenses thereby were tormented.-III. The Persecutions of the Waldensian Churches in Dauphiny.-IV. The sufferings of the Waldensian Churches in Piedmont.-V. The last Persecutions with which the Waldensian Christians were afflicted who dwelt in the valleys of Maties and Meane, and the Marquisate of Saluces.-VI. The Persecutions of the Waldenses who occupied the New Lands.VII. The Waldenses of Calabria.-VIII. The Waldenses in Provence.-IX. The Waldenses in Bohemia.-X. The Waldenses in Austria.-XI. The Waldenses in Germany.-XII. The Waldenses in England, with their persecutions.-XIII. The Waldenses in Flanders.-XIV. The Waldenses in Poland -XV. Persecution of the Waldenses at Paris.-XVI. The Waldenses in Italy, and their anguish.-XVII. The persecutions of the Waldenses, who were scattered abroad at Constantinople, and Philadelphia; and throughout Bulgaria, Croatia, Dalmatia, Diagonicia, Greece, Livonia, Sarmatia, and Sclavonia.-XVIII. The Waldenses in Spain, and their Persecutions.-XIX. Conclusion of the History of the Waldenses.

BOOK III.

HISTORICAL NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

HISTORY

OF THE

WALDENSES.

BOOK I.

ORIGIN OF THE WALDENSES, AND THE TESTIMONY GIVEN OF THEIR FAITH AND PROBITY.

CHAPTER I.

God at all times hath raised up labourers for the Assemblies of his Saints. The Period when Waldo began to teach, and his success. Who Waldo was; and those Christians who were called Waldenses.

GOD hath never left himself without witness; but from time to time he raises up instruments to publish his grace, enriching them with gifts necessary for the edification of his Church, giving them his Spirit for their guide, and his truth for their rule; whereby they may distinguish the Church begun in Abel, from that which commenced in Cain. He also teaches them to define the Church by faith, and faith by the Holy Scripture. In the midst of the most grievous persecution, he strengthens them, making them to know that the Cross is profitable, even when the faithful by means thereof exchange earth for heaven; for the children of God are not left, when massacred or burned by an unrighteous judgment, since "in the blood of the Martyrs we find the seed of the Church.

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That which may be observed in all ages hath been more particularly remarkable among the Christians called Waldenses, who were raised up at a time when Satan kept men in ignorance; for he had involved the greatest part of those who called themselves Christians in the grand sin of the earth, IDOLATRY; for kings and princes employed their authority for its establishment, Revelations xvii: 12, 13, 17; and put to death all those who would not become Idolaters.

About the year of our Lord 1160, it was made a capital crime for any

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