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of then firft Seven, and. I might fay of the firft Eight Centuries :ofThat Error, Superftition, and Idolatry having afterwards infenfibly crept into the Church, the true! Chri ftian Doctrine found many illuftrious and generous Protectors in the Prelates, Clergy and People of the Dioceffes of Milan, Turin, Acquitain and Narbon ; who had deli vered it down to their Posterity, known in the Hiftory of the 12th Century, under the Names of Patares, Albigeois and Vaudors. Whereas, on the other hand, it appears from the Teftimony of Hiftory, that Popery is, with regard to thofe controverted Points that caufed our feparation, a modern Doctrine and a downright Mofaic-work: The various Pieces of which were not inlaid all at once, bút at feveral times. For inftance, the Wor fhip of Images, was firfts made a Law to the Church by the fecond Council of Nice,dand in the year 789. Which Council was even afterwards opposed by that of F in the year 794 Indulgences, as they are now understood, and the Office of the Virgin Mary, are not more ancient than the Council of Clermont, that was held in the year 1093. They had, for almoft four hundred tyear's together, difputed on the Nature of the Sacrament of our Lord's Supper, when sin the Council of Latran held in the year, -12157 Innocent the Third determined that Question) and made Tranfubftantiation an Article of Faith. Before the Tenth Century2 the Holy Scripture was read and DiA 3 Edɔ vine

vine Service celebrated in the vulgar Tongue, as appears from the feveral Tranflations we have of the Scripture that were then made in the living Languages of Europe. The taking away of the Chalice," is only from the Council of of Conftance held in the 15th Century, not to mention a Croud of new Articles that were added by the Council of fo that the

Trent, held in the Shaving any

Church, far from

ground to glory in, having preferved Religion fo pure, as it was in the time of Clovis the firft Chriftian King of France, is indeed very far from having kept it in so true and genuine a State as it was in the time of Charlemaign, who reigned about 300 years after. Of this every one must be convinced, who will compare the History of the Church in thefe different Agesond bo

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BUT

But befides thofe general Imputations they, without diftinction, faften on all Proteftants; they lay many particular Charges on thofe of France, with regard to their Origine, Principles and Conduct. Conduct VBOL.

IN their Opinion the Reformed Religion in France, that fatal Infection that spread it Jelf, (it is Father Daniel fpeaks thus) by degrees over all Parts of the Kingdom, owes its fro or to a few defpicable Names, that are mentioned in Hiftory for no other purpole, but to make that new Religion's Ori

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gin to be known. This he fays he fays immediate

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ly after having Mr. Pavanes, who for Religion's fake was burned alive at

mentioned

Paris in the year 1525 He pretends, that he was a Clothiers and that Luther and his Disciples made use of People of that Rank to carry on their Undertakings in France. M. De Beze, who was almoft his Contem porary, fays, that he was a young but lear ed Man, whom Briçonnet the Bishop of Meaux had perfuaded to come, into his Diocese. question blod togaT

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OUR good Jefuit, however, forgets that in the foregoing Paragraph, relating to what had paffed at Meaux in at Meaux in the year 1522, (that is, three years before the Martyrdom of Payanes) he has faid, that the abovementioned Bishop had a Correfpondence with Doctor James Le Fevre, whom the Faculty of Paris had cut off from its Body, on account of his Errors; that the Bishop had called him near him, with William Farel, and Arnauld and Gerard Rouffel, as being People of uncommon Wir, and Literature. They were, fays he, already corrupt in their Doctrine, and they perverted many others in his Diocefs. Now compare what he fays here, with what he has advanced in the foregoing Paragraph of

Just LE Fevre or Fabri, was a Doctor: Afterwards he was one of the Minifters of Marguerite Queen of Navarr, and died at the Court of that Princefs, full of days, and laden with the Honours the had beftowed she upon him. William Farrel was a Man of great Senfe and Learning; he carried the Reformation to Geneva, Arnauld and Ge

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rard

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rard Rouffel, were alfo very ingenious, and Men of Letters. Gerard, who afterwards was Bishop of Oleron, contributed much to the Progress of the Reformation in the States of the King of Navarr, on this fide the Pyrenées; and converted almost all the Royal Family of Navarr; the Refult of which Event, fays Daniel, proved very fatal even to France itself. tovrst noiilɔЯ neift

THE honeft Jefuit did certainlyi dote, thus to mention Men fo eminent for their Merit; whom the Bishop of Meaux had invited to come near him to his Metropolis, who had published their Sentiments there, and even corrupted many others in the fame Diocels, that is, made feveral Converts: The Jefuit, I fay, muft) needs have been afleep, when after Paragraph, be it that immediately following tells us, that a WoollCarder, and a Clothier, one Le Clerchand Pavanes, People whofe Names, he faid, wete for very defpicable, have nevertheless been the Original of the fatal Contagion. Who would not think, that these two Men had been the Inftructors of Doctor LeFevre, of Mr. Farel, and of the two Rouffels;finftead of having been their Difciples He evidently changes the Order of Times; but no Arguments, though ever fo abfurd, sare unfit for fuch as are refolved to betrays the Caufe of Truth. and slgos sldongi yd snot

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MOREOVER, let us fuppofe, that those fo defpicable Names, have as it werel ferved Luther and his Difciples, as their Forlorn181f** Hope,

Hope to purfue their Attempts in France; will it follow, that the Origine of the Reformation in France, which Father Daniel ftiles a fatal Contagion, must be derived from those pretended Deputies of Luther and his Difciples? Are we not rather to derive it from Luther and his Difciples themlelves Was ever the Origine of the Chriftian Religion derived from the Apostles Was it not on the contrary, from Jefus Christ, who had fent them And if fo, whats can fignify that Epithet, despicable Names, made ufe of by Father Daniel

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Bu r let us do more; and grant the good Father whatever he can demand. Let us agree with him, that the Reformation in France owes its Original to fome WoollCarders or Cloth-makers, to one Le Clerc and Pavanes, and other the like defpicable Names? What advantage will that Conceffion of ours be to his Caufe? Let us give his Argument a fyllogiftical Form. Le Clerc, Pavanes, and many others, have maintained Reformation in France, even to the lofs of their Lives: But Le Clerc, Pavanes and the reft were Wooll-Carders, Cloth-makers, and People of very mean Condition; therefore the Reformation they have maintained by the loss of their Lives, is no better than a fatal Contagion. Or whatever is faid or done by ignoble People, by People of no Rank sor Learning is a fatal Contagion; Inow! Le Clerce and Pavanes were People of no Rank Learning or Dignity; therefore, what

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