3.6.

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HISTORY

OF THE

REFORMATION in France,

AND OF THE

Reformed CHURCHES in that Kingdom.

FROM

The First Beginnings of the REFORMATION,

TO THE

Repealing of the Edict of NANTZ.

WITH

An ACCOUNT of the late Perfecution of the French Proteftants under Lewis XIV. Extracted out of the beft Authorities.

A WORK never before Published.

Wherein the many Falfifications of the Jefuit Daniel, Author of the Hiftory of France, in Matters relating to Religion, are fet forth in their full Light, and proved by his own Quotations.

By the Reverend

STEPHEN ABEL LAVAL, One of the Minifters of the United Chapels of Caftle-freet and Berwick-street.

In THREE VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

LONDON:

Printed by H. WOODFALL, for the AUTHOR, and fold at his Houfe in Hollen's-ftreet, near Wardour-Street, Sobo. MDCCXXXVII,

110. j. 80.

To the Right Reverend

FATHER in GOD,

HENRY,

Lord Bishop of Dromore.

My LORD,

Y hearty and unfeigned Zeal for the Religion of my Forefathers, and the profound Respect I bear to the Memory of those who first planted it in their Country, have been the chief Reasons that moved me to write the History, which I here take the liberty to dedicate to your Lordship.

REFORMATION has been reprefented as odious in all Parts of the World, and the Emiffaries of Rome have left no Stone unturned, to give its Motives a criminal caft, and render its Maxims hateful and abominable in the eyes of the People, in order to A 2 make

ii

make them believe, bthat Libertinifm dwas the Soul, and Rebellion the strongest Bul wark thereof. But in reality they never inveighed against any Nation more bitterly, and with more fury and violence than they have done against the Proteftants of France. -IT is true, that all sthofe, of what Country foever, who have fhook off the Papal Yoke, are indifcriminately and without exception stiled Hereticks; on account of their refusing to profefs Errors nor lefs hocking than the following would be, viz. That the Part is as great as the Whole: Or, that two and two are either less or more than four Or, that what is finite can partake of the Attributes, and share the incommunicable Qualities of the infinite Being: &c. And be caule they maintain Truths that are as gla sing and palpable as the oppofiter Affertionis to the above Paradoxes.noɔst sdi ya dəridə (19vAGAIN,it is certain, that they change the Reformation with being a new Doctrine, quite unknown toysor uuniverfally rejected by the Church through all the Centuries, that preceded the Age of then Reformers: Though we can easily give an Hiftorical Demonstration, that with regard to the Points tdebated between us and the Church of Rome,(efpecially thofe effentiale Articles, that have occafioneds our feparation,) we teach or practise nothing, but what was believed and practifed by the univerfal Church -ns diasT od 1658 dis to almof -isée Le Laboureur, Additions aux Memoires de Caftelnau,

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liv? 1. ch. 3.

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