The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, Introduction 2 · Section 56
SECT. LVI.
Whil'ſt the Miniſters are in exile, their Eyes and Hearts are towards France. There is many a Loadſtone that draws their Affections thitherward. They left behind them many dear Relations, many Chriſtian Friends under great Temptations, and very ſore Tryals. And tho' they cannot viſit them in perſon, and converſe with them mouth to mouth for their edification and mutual comfort, yet they do it by Ink and Paper. Many Paſtoral Letters have been tranſmitted: But, if I am not miſtaken, this was either the firſt, or one of the firſt which was written, tho' a multitude of them have ſince followed.
An Epiſtle to our Brethren groaning under the Captivity of Babylon. For whom we wiſh the Mercy and Peace of our God.
WE have heard with extream Grief, moſt Dear Brethren in our Lord, that great temptation to which you have been expoſed, and thoſe grievous Calamities it hath pleaſed God you ſhould undergo. We have alſo underſtood, but to our far greater Grief, the ſad news of your Weakneſs in yielding to the Temptation. We beſeech you ſeriouſly to reflect upon your ſelves, and to conſider what you have to anſwer unto him, who hath commanded that you ſhould confeſs him before Men, if you would obtain that honour of his Confeſſing and owning you before God and Angels.
How will you be able to ſtand before his Judgment Seat, who hath injoined you to forſake Goods, Poſſeſſions, Wives, Parents and Children for his Names ſake; promiſing you an hundred fold recompence?
Can you tell him, that you have reſiſted unto Blood, ſtriving againſt Sin? Pray what are your Sufferings if compared with thoſe of our Saviour Chriſt Jeſus? Did he ſtart back when he ſaw Death ſtare him in the Face, when he was to be Scourged with Rods, to be Crown'd with Thorns, to be affronted with Spittle, to be pierc'd with Nails, and to be hang'd upon the Croſs? What think you at your reading thoſe words, Bleſſed are thoſe who are perſecuted for Righteouſneſs ſake? You have no ſhare in that Bleſſedneſs. For to avoid Perſecution, you have renounced that Righteouſneſs. What anſwer will you make thoſe holy Apoſtles, who with Tears Preached the Goſpel of the Croſs unto the World, and who all Suffered Martyrdom by the hands of Hangmen, and who prepared all their Diſciples for Perſecution, by telling them, Whoſoever will embrace the truth, and live godly in Chriſt Jeſus, muſt caſt up his accounts of ſuffering Perſecution.
What anſwer will you make our Reformers, who ſpared neither Watches, nor Sweats, nor Blood, to draw us out of Idolatry and Superſtition? What will you ſay unto thoſe bleſſed Martyrs, whoſe Children you are, and who for this very Cauſe, abandon'd by you, endur'd Fires, Priſons, Racks, and the moſt cruel Torments? They were for divers years together buried alive in deep Dungeons, full of Ordures, Toads, and Serpents: and drawn thence, they were driven into the Fire, their Hands and Feet burnt, and being half dead, they were yet pluckt out of thoſe Flames, but it was to increaſe their Tortures. Whilſt they were alive, they ſaw their Bellies burning, and their own Bowels guſhing out. In the midſt of thoſe Torments inſtead of renouncing the Truth of God, they bleſſed his holy Name, and ſang his Praiſes.
What will you ſay unto thoſe great Workmen who with ſuch great travel have erected this glorious Fabrick of Reformation, and which in a moments time you have ſuffered totally to be ruin'd? How can you indure the Reproaches of your glorified Anceſtors, whoſe goods were plunder'd, who were outragiouſly perſecuted, and who notwithſtanding have handed down unto you their Children the purity and verity of the Goſpel? For God's ſake, Dear Brethren, Conſider ſadly your offence with all its aggravations, and cry out in the bitterneſs of the Spirit, Men and Brethren, what ſhall we do?
Undoubtedly your Conſciences, under this hard Bondage, crave our advice, and we freely give it you.
And firſt of all, Beware of that great danger in which your are, you have denied God with your Mouth, do not forſalte him with your Heart. For it oft-times ſo happens, that God delivers them up to a Reprobate ſenſe, who had perfidiouſly betray'd their own Conſciences. And they are ſuch as once ſeemed to love the Truth, but afterwards proceeded to hate it, yea, and at laſt to perſecute it. Two things may produce this Curſed effect.
The firſt is Deſpair. For the Mercy of God being deſpaired of by any Perſon, he doth incontinently hate the truth, yea, and at laſt abhors it. Do not precipitate yourſelves into this Condition. Seriouſly conſider your Sin, but never deſpair of the pardoning grace of God. Your Sin indeed is great. But the Mercy of our Saviour is Infinite. The Lord preſerveth his Elect every where. Yea ſometimes there be ſuch as belong to Zion, even in Babylon, provided they do their endeavour to come out of it, and not to participate in her Sins and Idolatries, leſt they participate in her Plagues.
Beſtir your ſelves then to get out of this Sodom, where your Salvation is in ſo great Jeopardy, and till you can do it, have nothing to do with her Idolatries. How theſe may be avoided we ſhall anon direct you.
A ſecond thing which will render your condition irrecoverable, is a cuſtomary contempt of the Truth. At firſt it may ſeem difficult to you to be preſent at a worſhip ſo contrary unto yours. To ſee brutiſh and Superſtitious Wretches proſtrate themſelves before Images, will create trouble to you. You will ſcarce brook that barbarous Language in which you ſhall hear Litanies ſung to the honour of Creatures, and the great diſhonour of your Creator. You will yet ſuffer more when you muſt be prefent at that which they call the Sacrifice of the Maſs, and where they will force you to give religious adoration to a piece of Bread. However its to be feared, that by degrees you may be inured unto all this, though at preſent you may ſay, For my part I believe nothing of all this, and that's enough. Yet in proceſs of time you may come to find this not very evil, and may count groſs Idolatries but harmleſs Superſtitions, which do neither good nor evil. This way will infallibly lead you to a deſpiſing and hatred of the Truth, and thence infallibly to Hell. And this is that Sin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, which is not pardoned in this, nor ſhall be in the World to come.
Our advice upon the whole is this. Maintain in your Souls, as it well deſerves, a due horrour of Popery. The methods uſed by them to bring you back again unto it, do abundantly contribute hereunto. It muſt needs be the Devils own Religion, that ſerves it ſelf of ſuch kind of tools to build his Houſe. 'Tis the very Character of Hell to force Men to Maſs, by Fire and Sword, by Dragoons, Plunder and Tortures. And none but the Devil would ſpirit Men unto ſuch actions, and they who uſe them, are undoubtedly his proper Imps and Agents.
And that you may keep up your abhorrency of Popery, never forget this, Continually ſet before your Eyes all its Deformities, and never look on them or it through thoſe falſe Glaſſes which the Doctors of Lies do now adays repreſent them to you. You ſee their Temples full of Images, before which they bow down and worſhip, contrary to the expreſs Commandment of God, Thou ſhalt not make unto thy ſelf any graven Image, thou ſhalt not bow down thy ſelf before them. And flatter not your ſelves with this, that poſſibly you may not be obliged thereunto, for the people, with whom you are, do it, and you partake in this their Sin of Idolatry, at leaſtwiſe, if you do not abhor it both with heart and mouth.
Set before you that Idolatrous Worſhip performed unto Creatures, and in particular that Honour, which being due only unto God, is yet nevertheleſs given unto the Mother of our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, and unto Saints, and then remember thoſe dreadful words, As I live, ſaith the Lord, I will not give my glory unto another. And remember alſo, that Idolaters are in the Van of thoſe that ſhall never inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.
Conſider that Sacrifice ordained by their Church, and wherein you muſt adore a bit of Bread. Do not think you ſhall eſcape by this fooliſh ſuggeſtion, We only adore Jeſus Chriſt who is in Heaven. For the Pagan Idolaters might have uſed the ſame plea, That when they kneeled before their Idols, they lifted up their Hearts to the true God.
Never be reconciled with them for that great wrong they do your Souls in robbing you of the Cup, which is but one half of the Sacrament, when as Jeſus Chriſt hath given you the whole of it.
Never accuſtom your ſelves to that barbarous Language which keeps you from underſtanding your Religion, and leaves it only to be gazed at with your eyes. Keep up a perpetual averſion for that vain heap of Pagan and Jewiſh Ceremonies, which are in a direct line of oppoſition to the purity and ſimplicity of Chriſtianity.
But know, 'tis not enough that you deteſt all theſe things with your Heart, you muſt alſo condemn them with your Mouths. Your Judgments herein muſt not be concealed; you muſt be ever and every where ready to confeſs the Truth.
And therefore, as often as you ſhall have occaſion, declare openly, without guile or reſervation, that you abhor that Worſhip unto which you are compelled to be preſent.
Never go to Maſs, unleſs they drag you to it by main force, and whil'ſt they force you to it, declare publickly, that you do not in the leaſt with your heart conſent thereunto; and if by the ſame violence wherewith they brought you to it they keep you at it, yet manifeſt by your Actions, that you have not any belief nor reſpect for thoſe falſe Myſteries.
Keep carefully your Books of Piety, of Devotion, and of Controverſie, and read them with ſingular diligence and attention. Preſerve them by hiding and conveying them from the reach and ſearch of your Perſecutors. Above all, keep as your moſt precious Jewels, the moſt Holy Bible, and ſuffer every thing rather than ſuffer your Bibles to be ſnatcht away from you. Read them daily and with the greateſt devotion.
Concerning your poor Children: 'Tis true, they will be raviſht out of your Arms, and led to the Catechiſtical Exerciſes of the Prieſts, and 'tis to be ſeared this will be done with ſo great violence, that 'twill be impoſſible for you to hinder it; yet as ſoon as they ſhall be returned from them, never fail to deſtroy what thoſe Prieſts have built up.
Inſtruct them in the Truth, and infuſe into their Souls a ſacred abhorrency of the Romiſh Religion: And this you may do by cauſing them to read carefully thoſe places of Holy Scripture which are contrary to it.
Never forget, nor ſpare any pains or expence in procuring from foreign Countries, Books capable of inſtructing and ſtrengthening you, and when as the Prieſts ſhall have robb'd you or your own, cauſe others to be brought you, whatever rates you pay for them.
The poor Country Peaſants, and Mechanicks in Towns and Cities, by reaſon of their ignorance, are expos'd to greateſt dangers. But the ſtrong ought to ſupport the weak, and you muſt earneſtly endeavour each others edification: This you may do as you travel into your Country-houſes, as you walk in the Streets, yea, when as you meet one another in your Shops, there being none by you of the contrary Religion. Supply theſe poor People with Books for their Inſtruction, and exhort them without ceaſing to bear up againſt all diſcouragements, and never to let looſe their hearts unto Idolatry, but contrariwiſe to deteſt and oppoſe it by their diſcourſes.
Maintain a continual Correſpodence among your ſelves, and perfectly know one another, principally thoſe who love the Truth, and mutually incourage one another in your Reſolutions never to forſake it. If you can at any time meet together ſecretly by Night in the Retirements of your Houſes, let it be for the reading of God's Word, and of good Books capable of inſtructing you, but above all for Prayer. Proper Prayers for your condition ſhall be ſent you from foreign Countries.
By reaſon of that commerce and communion you are neceſſitated to hold with the Papiſts endeavour alſo after their Converſion. Who knows but that God may have ordained this ſore Perſecution for this very end, that you ſhould carry the light of the Goſpel into the very boſom of Popery, in order to its deſtruction? But take heed unto your ſelves. For ſhould you be dumb dogs, and diſſemblers, and counterfeit the Papiſts before the Papiſts, God will give you up to a reprobate ſence. So then forbear not ſpeaking unto the Papiſts when you meet them, but entertain them with Diſcourſes of Religion. And ſpeaking to them of the violence offered unto your Conſciences, give them a lively pourtraict of the Deformities of their Religion, and Purity of your own; ſhew them the Vanities and Impurities of their Worſhip, of their Idolatry, and ſottiſh Opinions. And labour powerfully by all means their converſion. And that this may be ſucceſsful, order your Lives with the greateſt accuracy and circumſpection. 'Tis viſible, that the ſinful diſorders and miſcarriages of your Converſations have brought upon you thoſe fearful Judgments from God under which you are now groaning. There was no kind of worldlineſs in which you were not ingag'd, ſuch as rich Houſhold-Goods, Veſſels of Silver, Tapiſtry, Feaſts, Gluttonies, Idle Days, Plays, Paſtimes, Cloth of Silk and Gold, Rings, Pearls and Jewels.
If you be wiſe, your firſt Reformation muſt begin here, all theſe muſt be rejected, ſell your Tapiſtries, your Silver Veſſels, wear the plaineſt Woolſteds, have nothing to do with Silk or Gold at your Feaſts or Repaſts. Every day ſhould be unto us a day of Prayers and Tears, not a feaſting but a faſting day.
Your Indevotion is another ſource of your Afflictions. You have deſpiſed God's holy Word. Family Duties, Family Prayer hath been either neglected or very negligently performed. That you may turn away God's Wrath from you, ſet upon the Religious Performance of theſe Religious Duties; Let them be frequent, prolonged, and with greater fervency.
Let your outward demeanour be exemplary for its great mortification, and this too in the very eyes of your adverſaries; and that you may be known publickly who you are by the modeſty, humility and plainneſs of your Garb, and principally by your Charity and the excellency of your Faith.
Take a ſpecial care of your poor perſecuted Brethren; give liberally towards the charges of their Eſcapeal. All things ſhould now be in common among you, and no perſon ſhould count any thing his own whil'ſt his poor Brother needs it. This is the very ſoul of Chriſtianity, and if you thus beſtow it, God may reſtore again unto you his Goſpel, whereof he hath deprived you.
Thus ordering your Converſations you will be admired by your own Countrymen and Enemies of your Religion; it will prevail with them to hear you favourably, and incline them either to become Converts themſelves, or elſe to favour your Eſcapeal.
Theſe Adviſo's are only Expedients for the preſent, till ſuch time as it ſhall pleaſe God to open you a door of deliverance from the Tyranny you now groan under. And you muſt take the firſt opportunity you can of departing. For don't fool your ſelves with this imagination, that you ſhall be able for any long ſpace of time to keep the Truth of God in the Land of Meſhek. Your Piety will gradually decay. Your Children having never known any other Religion than the Romiſh, will accuſtom themſelves unto it, and never deſire to leave their Country. Wherefore ſpare neither pains, diligence nor coſts, that you may be tranſported into a Land of Liberty. And look not back behind you to carry away what is in your Houſes. Whoſoever looks back again is not meet for the Kingdom of Heaven. And tho' you were ſtript of all in your flight, yet you would be rich enough in having your Souls given you for a Prey. The worſt that can befal you is to die of famine. But is that kind of death more terrible than any other? Can any Death be dreadful to us when the Life of our Souls lies at ſtake; and the Glory of God is concerned?
And yet poſſibly it may never be ſo bad with you. 'Tis our Duty in no wiſe to doubt of God's mercy. Such a thought ſhould never be harbour'd by us. In the very worſt of times God hath been gracious to his People, and they have been relieved in their neceſſities. So that all the hazard you run is but the renouncing the Vanities of this World, or being reduced to work with our hands for our living, or to receive an Alms. The pride of Man's heart can't brook this thought. But 'tis this Pride that muſt be ſubdued; 'tis this Monſter that muſt be brained; 'tis it that hath undone us. We ſhould reckon it our great honour to be debaſed, ſcorned, impoveriſhed and ſtript of all for Chriſt Jeſus. Our Life is very ſhort. No matter how we ſuffer in it. Our great concern ſhould be for Eternity. We live and work for Eternity. My brethren, count it great joy when you fall into divers temptations. And be perſwaded, that you cannot make any other ſatisfaction for your great crime in renouncing with your mouths the Truth of our holy Religion, than by ſacrificing unto God your Eſtate, Eaſe and Comforts, than by offering up your ſelves at laſt for his ſake unto the Sufferings and Miſeries of this Cruel World.
As for thoſe among you who yet ſtand your ground. My dearly beloved Brethren, in the Name of God, look unto the Recompence of Reward promiſed you for your Perſeverance. Look unto the Glory you ſhall receive for having overcome all Difficulties, and retained your Integrity. Let's look unto Jeſus the author and finiſher of our faith, lift up your hands that hang down, and ſtrengthen your feeble knees. Remember, that he endured the Croſs, and deſpiſed the ſhame, and that he expoſed himſelf to the contradiction of ſinners, that he might ſit down at the right hand of God his Father. Conſider, that great cloud of Witneſſes, and perſiſt conſtantly in that Race which is ſet before you. Look unto thoſe Martyrs who live now glorified in Heaven, and in the memory of Men. Remember, that God chaſtiſes all he loves, and that he owns them for his children; be not therefore diſpleaſed with the correction of the Lord. Remember he beſtows a very great honour upon you in calling you out to ſuffer for his Name's ſake. Take patiently the loſs and ſpoiling of your Goods, your Priſons, and Sorrows. The Lord will recompence you for all your hard Labours, and will give a glorious iſſue to all your Conflicts. The Grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt be with you all. Amen.
If you have any charity for your Brethren, you will communicate this Letter among them.