757THE CONFESSION OF THE WALDENSES. A.D. 1655.
[This Confession belongs to the Calvinistic family, and is in part an abridgment of the Gallican Confession of 1559. It is still in force, or at least highly prized among the Waldenses in Italy. The occasion which called it forth entitles it to special consideration. It was prepared and issued in 1655, together with an appeal to Protestant nations, in consequence of one of the most cruel persecutions which Romish bigotry could inspire. For no other crime but their simple, time-honored faith, the Waldenses in Piedmont were betrayed, outraged, mutilated, massacred, driven into exile, and utterly impoverished by the confiscation of their property and the burning of their villages. (See the frightful pictures of sufferings in the second vol. of Leger, an eye-witness.) The report of these barbarous atrocities roused the indignation of the Christian world. Oliver Cromwell, then Lord Protector of England, ordered a day of humiliation and fasting, sent Sir Samuel Morland as a special commissioner to the Duke of Savoy (Charles Emanuel II.), opened a subscription with £2000 from his private purse, and brought Protestant governments to a sense of their duty, and Roman sovereigns (even the proud bigot Louis XIV.) to a sense of shame. The dispatches were written by his foreign secretary, the great Puritan poet, in classical Latin and in the lofty spirit of his immortal sonnet, composed at that time,
'Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones
Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold.'
Cromwell died too soon to finish this noble work of intervention in behalf of humanity and religious liberty. Of the more than £38,000 then raised by public subscription in England alone for the poor Waldenses, only £22,000 reached them; the remaining £16,333 Charles II. unscrupulously wasted on his private pleasures under the pretext, worthy of a Stuart, that 'he was not bound by any of the engagements of an usurper and tyrant, nor responsible for his debts.' A fit illustration of the spirit of the Restoration.
The Confession was probably composed by Jean Leger, who was at that time the Moderator of the churches in Piedmont, and became afterwards their historian (d. in exile, 'un martyr sans sang,' as pastor at Leyden, about 1684); although he does not say so, and inserts the Confession simply with the remark, 'la derniere confession de leur Foy qu’ils publierent aprés leurs massacres de l’an 1655' (Vol. I. p. 112). It was brought to England by Morland, together with many valuable MSS., which he received from pastors Antoine and Leger, and deposited in the University library at Cambridge, in Aug., 1658.
The French text is found in Leger, Histoire des Églises l’audoises (Leyde, 1669, 2 vols. fol.), Vol. I. pp. 112–116 (where the Athanasian Creed is added in l’audois and French, as a part of their creed taught to the children); in C. U. Haun, Geschichte der Ketzer im Mittelalter, Vol. II. pp. 608–673; Bert (Pastor of La Tour), Livre de Famille (Geneva, 1830). A Latin text, together with an English version, is given in Peyran, An Histor. Defence of the Waldenses or l’audois, with Introd. and Appendixes by Th. Sims (Lond. 1826), pp. 445—456, from the MSS. of Peyran, the Moderator of the Wald. Churches in 1819. The English text alone is printed in Dr. E. Henderson's The l’audois (London, 1845), pp. 251–259, and in William Hazlitt's translation of Dr. Alexis Muston, The Israel of the Alps: a History of the Persecutions of the Waldenses (London, 1852), pp. 300–306. I have taken the French original from Leger, with the old spelling. The English translation of Hazlitt is very imperfect, and has been corrected.
The older Confessions of the Waldenses, published by Perrin, Leger (Vol. I.), and Hahn (Vol. II. p. 647 sqq.), are partly of doubtful origin, and have merely historical interest. See Vol. I. pp. 568 sqq.]
| BRIÈVE CONFESSION DE FOY DES ÉGLISES REFORMÉES DE PIÉMONT. | A BRIEF CONFESSION OF FAITH OF THE REFORMED CHURCHES OF PIEDMONT. |
| Publiée avec leur Manifeste à l’occasion des effroyables massacres de l’an 1655. | Published with their Manifesto on the occasion of the frightful massacres of the year 1655. |
| Parce que nous avons apris que nos Adversaires ne se contentans pas de nous avoir persecutés, et dépoüillés de tous nos biens, pour nous rendre tant plus odieus, vont encore semans beaucoup de faus bruits, qui tendent non seulement à fletrir nos personnes, | Having understood that our adversaries, not contented to have most cruelly persecuted us, and robbed us of all our goods and estates, have yet an intention to render us odious to the world by spreading abroad many false reports, and so not only to defame |
758 | mais sur tout à noircir par des infames calomnies la sainte et salutaire Doctrine, dont nous faisons profession, nous sommes obligés, pour desabuser l’esprit de ceux qui pourraient avoir esté preoccupés de ces sinistres impressions, de faire une briéve Declaration de nôtre Foy, comme nous l’avons fait par le passé et conformement à la Parole de Dieu, afin que tout le monde voye la fausseté de ces Calomnies, et le tort qu’on a de nous haïr, et de nous persecuter pour une Doctrine si innocente. | our persons, but likewise to asperse with most shameful calumnies that holy and wholesome doctrine which we profess, we feel obliged, for the better information of those whose minds may perhaps be preoccupied by sinister opinions, to make a short declaration of our faith, such as we have heretofore professed as conformable to the Word of God; and so every one may see the falsity of those their calumnies, and also how unjustly we are hated and persecuted for a doctrine so innocent. |
| Nous Croyons. | We believe, |
| I. Qu’il y a un seul Dieu, qui est une essence spirituelle, eternelle, infinie, tout sage, tout misericordieuse, et tout juste; en un mot tout parfaite; et qu’il y a trois Personnes en cette seule et simple essence, le Pere, le Fils, et le S. Esprit. | I. That there is one only God, who is a spiritual essence, eternal, infinite, all-wise, all merciful, and all-just, in one word, all-perfect; and that there are three persons in that one only and simple essence: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. |
| II. Que ce Dieu s’est manifesté aux hommes par ses œuvres, tant de la Creation, que de la Providence, et par sa Parole, revelée au commencement par Oracles en diverses sortes, puis redigée par écrit és Livres qu’on appelle l’Escriture Sainte. | II. That this God has manifested himself to men by his works of Creation and Providence, as also by his Word revealed unto us, first by oracles in divers manners, and afterwards by those written books which are called the Holy Scripture. |
| III. Qu’il faut recevoir, comme nous recevons cette Sainte Ecriture pour Divine, et Canonique, c’est-à-dire pour regle de nòtre Foy, et de nòtre vie, et qu’elle est contenüe pleinement és Livres de l’Ancien et du Nouveau Testament: que dans l’Ancien Testament | III. That we ought to receive this Holy Scripture (as we do) for divine and canonical, that is to say, for the constant rule of our faith and life: as also that the same is fully contained in the Old and New Testament; and that by the Old Testament we must understand |
759 | doivent estre compris seulement les Livres que Dieu a commis à l’Église Judaïque, et qu’elle a toûjours approuvé ou reconnü pour Divins, à savoir les cinq Livres de Moise, Josuê, les Juges, Ruth, le 1 et 2 de Samuel, le 1 et 2 des Rois, le 1 et 2 des Chroniques ou Paralipomenon, le 1 d’Esdras, Nehemie, Esther, Job, les Pseaumes, les Proverbes de Salomon, l’Ecclesiaste, le Cantique des Cantiques, les 4 grands Prophetes et les 12 petits: et dans le Nouveau les 4 Evangiles, les Actes des Apôtres, les Epîtres de S. Paul, une aux Romains, deux aux Corinthiens, une aus Galates, une aus Ephesiens, une aux Philippiens, une aux Colossiens [deux aux Thessaloniciens, deux à Timothée, une à Tite, une à Philémon],21602160[Omitted by Leger and Hahn, no doubt inadvertently.] l’Epître aux Hébreux, une de S. Jacques, deux de S. Pierre, trois de S. Jean, une de S. Jude, et l’Apocalypse. | only such books as God did intrust the Jewish Church with, and which that Church has always approved and acknowledged to be from God: namely, the five books of Moses, Joshua, the Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 of Samuel, 1 and 2 of the Kings, 1 and 2 of the Chronicles, one of Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, the Psalms, the Proverbs of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Songs, the four great and the twelve minor Prophets: and the New Testament containing the four gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles of St. Paul—1 to the Romans, 2 to the Corinthians,1 to the Galatians, 1 to the Ephesians, 1 to the Philippians, 1 to the Colossians [2 to the Thessalonians,2 to Timothy, 1 to Titus, 1 to Philemon],21612161[Omitted by Leger and Hahn, no doubt inadvertently.] and the Epistle to the Hebrews; 1 of St. James, 2 of St. Peter, 3 of St. John, 1 of St. Jude, and the Revelation. |
| IV. Que nous reconnaissons la Divinité de ces Livres Sacrés, non seulement par le témoignage de l’Église, mais principalement par l’eternelle et indubitable verité de la Doctrine qui y est contenüe, par l’excellence, sublimité, et majesté du tout Divine qui y paroît, et par l’opération du S. Esprit, | IV. We acknowledge the divinity of these sacred books, not only from the testimony of the Church, but more especially because of the eternal and indubitable truth of the doctrine therein contained, and of that most divine excellency, sublimity, and majesty which appears therein; and because of the operation |
760 | qui nous fait recevoir avec deferance le témoignage que l’Église nous en rend, qui ouvre nos yeux pour découvrir les rayons de la lumiere celeste qui éclatetent en l’Ecriture, et rectifie nôtre goût pour discerner cette viande par la saveur Divine qu’elle a. | of the Holy Spirit, who causes us to receive with reverence the testimony of the Church in that point, who opens our eyes to discover the beams of that celestial light which shines in the Scripture, and corrects our taste to discern the divine savor of that spiritual food. |
| V. Que Dieu a fait toutes choses de rien, par sa volonté toute libre, et par la puissance infinie de sa Parole. | V. That God made all things of nothing by his own free will, and by the infinite power of his Word. |
| VI. Qu’il les conduit et gouverne toutes par sa Providence, ordonnant et adressant tout se qui arrive au monde, sans qu’il soit pourtant ni autheur, ni cause du mal que les créatures font, ou que la coulpe luy en puisse, ou doive en aucune façon estre imputée. | VI. That he governs and rules all by his providence, ordaining and appointing whatsoever happens in this world, without being the author or cause of any evil committed by the creatures, so that the guilt thereof neither can nor ought to be in any way imputed unto him. |
| VII. Que les Anges ayant esté creés purs et saints, il y en a qui sont tombés dans une corruption et perdition irreparable, mais que les autres ont perseveré par un effet de la bonté Divine, qui les a soûtenus et confirmés. | VII. That the angels were all in the beginning created pure and holy, but that some of them have fallen into irreparable corruption and perdition; and that the rest have persevered in their first purity by an effect of divine goodness, which has upheld and confirmed them. |
| VIII. Que l’homme qui avoit esté creé pur et saint, à l’Image de Dieu, s’est privé par sa faute de cét estat bienheureux, donnant ses assentimens aux discours captieus du Diable. | VIII. That man, who was created pure and holy, after the image of God, deprived himself through his own fault of that happy condition by giving credit to the deceitful words of the devil. |
761 | IX. Que l’homme a perdu par sa transgression, la justice et la sainteté qu’il avoit receüe, encourant avec l’indignation de Dieu, la mort et la captivité, sous la puissance de celuy qui a l’empire de la mort, assavoir le Diable, à ce point que son franc arbitre est devenu serf et éclave du peché, tellement que de nature tous les hommes, et Juifs et gentils, sont Enfans d’Ire, tous morts en leurs fautes et pechés, et par conséquant incapables d’avoir aucun bon movement pour le salut, ni même former aucune bonne pensée sans la grace; toutes leurs imaginations et pensées n’estant que mal en tout tems. | IX. That man by his transgression lost that righteousness and holiness which he had received, and thus incurring the wrath of God, became subject to death and bondage, under the dominion of him who has the power of death, that is, the devil; insomuch that our free will has become a servant and a slave to sin: and thus all men, both Jews and Gentiles, are by nature children of wrath, being all dead in their trespasses and sins, and consequently incapable of the least good motion to any thing which concerns their salvation: yea, incapable of one good thought without God’s grace, all their imaginations being wholly evil, and that continually. |
| X. Que toute la posterité d’Adam, est coûpable en luy de sa desobeïssance, infectée de sa corruption, et tombée dans la même calamité jusques aus petits Enfans dés le ventre de leur Mere, d’où vient le nom de Peché orginel. | X. That all the posterity of Adam is guilty in him of his disobedience, infected by his corruption, and fallen into the same calamity with him, even the very infants from their mothers' womb, whence is derived the name of original sin. |
| XI. Que Dieu retire de cette corruption et condamnation, les personnes qu’il a éleües par sa misericorde en son Fils Jesus Christ, y laissant les autres par un droit irreprochable de la liberté et justice. | XI. That God saves from this corruption and condemnation those whom he has chosen [from the foundation of the world, not for any foreseen disposition, faith, or holiness in them, but]21622162[The words in brackets are given by Hazlitt and Henderson (perhaps from Morland), but are not found in the French of Leger and Hahn.] of his |
762 | | mercy in Jesus Christ his Son; passing by all the rest, according to the irreprehensible reason of his freedom and justice. |
| XII. Que Jesus Christ ayant esté ordonné de Dieu, en son decret eternel, pour estre le seul Saveur, et l’unique Chef de son Corps, qui est l’Église, il l’a rachetée par son propre Sang, dans l’accomplissement des tems, et luy offre et communique tous ses benefices par l’Evangile. | XII. That Jesus Christ having been ordained by the eternal decree of God to be the only Saviour and only head of his body which is the Church, he redeemed it with his own blood in the fullness of time, and communicates unto the same all his benefits by means of the gospel. |
| XIII. Qu’il y a deux natures en Jesus Christ, la Divine et l’humaine vrayement en une même personne, sans confusion, sans division, sans separation, sans changement; châque nature gardant ses proprietés distinctes, et que Jesus Christ est vray Dieu et vray homme tout ensemble. | XIII. That there are two natures in Jesus Christ, viz., divine and human, truly united in one and the same person, without confusion, division, separation, or alteration; each nature keeping its own distinct proprieties; and that Jesus Christ is both true God and true man. |
| XIV. Que Dieu a tant aimé le monde, qu’il a donné son Fils pour nous sauver par son obeïssance tres-parfaite, nommement par celle qu’il a montré en souffrant la mort maudite de la Croix, et par les victoires qu’il a remporté sur le Diable, le péché, et la mort. | XIV. That God so loved the world, that is to say, those whom he has chosen out of the world, that he gave his own Son to save us by his most perfect obedience (especially that obedience which he manifested in suffering the cursed death of the cross), and also by his victory over the devil, sin, and death. |
| XV. Que Jesus Christ ayant fait l’entiere expiation de nos pechés par son sacrifice tres-parfait, | XV. That Jesus Christ having made a full expiation for our sins by his most perfect sacrifice once |
763 | une fois offert en la Croix, il ne peut, ni ne doit estre reiteré sous quelque pretexte que ce soit. | offered on the cross, it neither can nor ought to be repeated upon any pretext whatsoever, as they pretend to do in the mass. |
| XVI. Que le Seigneur Jesus nous ayant pleinement reconcilié à Dieu par le Sang de sa Croix, c’est par son seul merite, et non par nos œuvres, que nous sommes absous et justifiés devant luy. | XVI. That the Lord Jesus having fully reconciled us unto God, through the blood of his cross, it is by virtue of his merits only, and not of our works, that we are absolved and justified in his sight. |
| XVII. Que nous avons union avec Jesus Christ, et communion à ses benefices par la Foy, qui s’appuye sur les promesses de vie, qui nous sont faites en son Evangile. | XVII. That we are united to Jesus Christ and made partakers of his benefits by faith, which rests upon those promises of life which are made to us in his gospel. |
| XVIII. Que cette Foy vient de l’operation gracieuse et efficace du S. Esprit, qui éclaire nos ames, et les porte à s’appuyer sur la misericorde de Dieu, pour s’appliquer le merite de Jesus Christ. | XVIII. That this faith is the gracious and efficacious work of the Holy Spirit, who enlightens our souls, and persuades them to lean and rest upon the mercy of God, and so to apply the merits of Jesus Christ. |
| XIX. Que Jesus Christ est nôtre vray et unique Mediateur: non seulement de Redemption, mais aussi d’Intercession, et que par ses merites et sa mediation, nous avons accés au Pere, pour l’invoquer avec la sainte confiance d’estre exaucés, sans qu’il soit besoin d’avoir recours à aucun autre intercesseur que luy. | XIX. That Jesus Christ is our true and only Mediator, not only redeeming us, but also interceding for us, and that by virtue of his merits and intercession we have access unto the Father, to make our supplications unto him, with a holy confidence that he will grant our requests, it being needless to have recourse to any other intercessor besides himself. |
| XX. Que comme Dieu nous promet la regeneration en Jesus | XX. That as God has promised us regeneration in Jesus Christ, so |
764 | Christ, ceus qui sont unis à luy par une vive Foy, doivent s’adonner, et s’adonnent en effét, à bonnes œuvres. | those who are united to him by a living faith ought to apply, and do really apply themselves, unto good works. |
| XXI. Que les bonnes œuvres sont si necessaires aus fideles, qu’ils ne peuvent parvenir au Royaume des Cieux sans les faire, estant vray que Dieu les a preparées afin que nous y cheminoins, qu’ainsi nous devons fuir les vices, et nous adonner aux vertus Chrêtiennes, employant les jûnes et tous autres moyens, qui peuvent nous servir à une chose si sainte. | XXI. That good works are so necessary to the faithful that they can not attain the kingdom of heaven without the same, seeing that God hath prepared them that we should walk therein; and therefore we ought to flee from vice, and apply ourselves to Christian virtues, making use of fasting, and all other means which may conduce to so holy a thing. |
| XXII. Que bien que nos œuvres ne puissent pas meriter, nôtre Seigneur ne laissera pas de les recompenser de la Vie Eternelle, par une continuation misericordieuse de sa grace, et en vertu de la constance immuable des promesses qu’il nous en fait. | XXII. That, although our good works can not merit any thing, yet the Lord will reward or recompense them with eternal life, through the merciful continuation of his grace, and by virtue of the unchangeable constancy of his promises made unto us. |
| XXIII. Que ceux qui possedent la Vie Eternelle en suite de leur Foy, et de leurs bonnes œuvres, doivent estre confiderés comme Saints, et glorifiés, loüés pour leurs vertus, imités en toutes les belles actions de leur vie, mais non adorés, ni invoqués, puis qu'on ne doit prier qu’un seul Dieu par Jesus Christ. | XXIII. That those who are already in the possession of eternal life in consequence of their faith and good works ought to be considered as saints and glorified persons, and to be praised for their virtue and imitated in all good actions of their life, but neither worshiped nor invoked, for God only is to be prayed unto, and that through Jesus Christ. |
| XXIV. Que Dieu s’est recueilli | XXIV. That God has chosen |
765 | une Église dans le monde, pour le salut des hommes, quelle n’a qu’un seul Chef, et fondament, qui est Jesus Christ. | one Church in the world for the salvation of men, and that this Church has one only head and foundation, which is Jesus Christ. |
| XXV. Que cette Église est la compagnie des fideles, qui ayans esté éleus de Dieu, devant la fondation du monde, et appellés par une sainte vocation, s’unissent pour suivre la Parole de Dieu, croyons ce qu’il nous y enseigne, et vivans en sa crainte. | XXV. That this Church is the company of the faithful, who, having been elected by God before the foundation of the world, and called with a holy calling, unite themselves to follow the Word of God, believing whatsoever he teaches them therein, and living in his fear. |
| XXVI. Que cette Église ne peut defaillir, ou estre aneantie, mais qu’elle doit estre perpetuelle. | XXVI. That this Church can not fail, nor be annihilated, but must endure forever [and that all the elect are upheld and preserved by the power of God in such sort that they all persevere in the faith unto the end, and remain united in the holy Church, as so many living members thereof].21632163The words in brackets are not represented in the French text of Leger, and are taken from Henderson and Hazlitt. |
| XXVII. Que tous s’y doivent ranger, et se tenir dans sa communion. | XXVII. That all men ought to join with that Church, and to continue in the communion thereof. |
| XXVIII. Que Dieu ne nous y instruit pas seulement par sa Parole, mais que de plus il a institué des Sacremens pour les joindre à cette Parole, comme des moyens pour nous unir à Jesus Christ, et pour communiquer à ses benefices, et qu’il n’y en a que deux communs à tous les membres de | XXVIII. That God does not only instruct us by his Word, but has also ordained certain sacraments to be joined with it, as means to unite us to Jesus Christ, and to make us partakers of his benefits; and that there are only two of them belonging in common to all the members of the |
766 | l’Église sous le Nouveau Testament, assavoir le Baptéme, et la Sainte Cene. | Church under the New Testament—to wit, Baptism and the Lord's Supper. |
| XXIX. Qu’il a institué celuy du Baptéme pour un témoignage de nôtre adoption, et que nous y sommes lavés de nos pechés au Sang de Jesus Christ, et renouvellés en sainteté de vie. | XXIX. That Christ has instituted the sacrament of Baptism to be a testimony of our adoption, and that therein we are cleansed from our sins by the blood of Jesus Christ, and renewed in holiness of life. |
| XXX. Qu’il a institué celuy de la Sainte Cene ou Eucharistie, pour la nourriture de nôtre ame, afin que par une vraye, et vive Foy, par la vertu incomprehensible du S. Esprit, mangeans effectivement sa Chair, et beuvans son Sang, et nous unissans tres-étroitement et inseparablement à Christ, en luy, et par luy, nous ayons la vie spirituelle et eternelle. | XXX. That he has instituted the Holy Supper, or Eucharist, for the nourishment of our souls, to the end that eating effectually the flesh of Christ, and drinking effectually his blood, by a true and living faith, and by the incomprehensible virtue of the Holy Spirit, and so uniting ourselves most closely and inseparably to Christ, we come to enjoy in him and by him the spiritual and eternal life. |
| Et afin que tout le monde voye clairement nôtre croyance sur ce point, nous adjoûtons icy les mémes termes qui sont couchés en nôtre Priere avant la Communion, dans nôtre liturgie, ou maniere de celebrer la Sainte Cene, et dans nôtre Catechisme public, qui sont pieces qu’on peut voir à la fin de nos Pseaumes: voicy les termes de nôtre Priere: | Now to the end that every one may clearly see what our belief is as to this point, we here insert the very expressions of that prayer which we make use of before the Communion, as they are written in our Liturgy or form of celebrating the Holy Supper, and likewise in our public Catechism, which are to be seen at the end of our Psalms; these are the words of the prayer: |
| 'Et comme nôtre Seigneur non seulement a une fois offert son Corps et son Sang pour la remission de nos pechés, mais aussi nous | 'Seeing our Lord has not only once offered his body and blood for the remission of our sins, but is willing also to communicate the |
767 | les veut communiquer pour nourriture en vie eternelle, fais nous cette grace que de vraye sincerité de cœur, et d’un zele ardant nous recevions de luy un si grand benefice, c’est qu’en certaine Foy nous jouïssions de son Corps et de son Sang, voire de luy entierement,' etc. | same unto us as the food of eternal life, we humbly beseech thee to grant us this grace that in true sincerity of heart and with an ardent zeal we may receive from him, so great a benefit; that is, that we may be made partakers of his body and blood, or rather of his whole self, by a sure and certain faith.' |
| Les termes de nôtre Liturgie sont: 'Premierement donc, croyons à ces promesses, que Jesus Christ qui est la verité même a prononcées de sa bouche, assavoir qu’il nous veut vrayement faire participans de son Corps et de son Sang, afin que nous le possedions entierement en telle sorte qu’il vive en nous, et nous en luy.' | The words of the Liturgy are these: 'Let us then believe first of all the promises which Christ {who is the infallible truth) has pronounced with his own mouth, viz., that he will make us truly partakers of his body and blood, that so we may possess him entirely, in such a manner that he may live in us and we in him.' |
| Ceus de nôtre Catechisme public sont de même en la Section 53. | The words of our Catechism are the same, Nella Dominica 53. |
| XXXI. Qu'il est necessaire que l’Église aye des Pasteurs, jugés biens instruits, et de bonne vie, par ceux qui en ont le droit, tant pour prêcher la Parole de Dieu, que pour administrer les Sacremens, et veiller sur le troupeau de Jesus Christ, suivant les regles d’une bonne et sainte Discipline, conjointement avec les Anciens et Diacres, selon la pratique de l’Église ancienne. | XXXI. That it is necessary the Church should have pastors known by those who are employed for that purpose to be well instructed and of a good life, as well to preach the Word of God as to administer the sacraments, and wait upon the flock of Christ (according to the rules of a good and holy discipline), together with elders and deacons, after the manner of the primitive Church. |
| XXXII. Que Dieu a établi les Rois et les Magistrats, pour la conduite des peuples, et que les | XXXII. That God hath established kings and magistrates to govern the people, and that the |
768 | peuples leur doivent estre sujets et obeïssans en vertu de cét ordre, non seulement pour l’ire, mais pour la conscience, en toutes les choses qui sont conformes à la Parole de Dieu, qui est le Roy des Rois, et Seigneur des Seigneurs. | people ought to be subject and obedient unto them, by virtue of that ordination, not only for fear, but also for conscience' sake, in all things that are conformable to the Word of God, who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. |
| XXXIII. Enfin, qu’il faut recevoir le Symbole des Apôtres, l’Oraison Dominicale, et le Decalogue, comme pieces fondamentales de nôtre creance, et de nos devotions. | XXXIII. Finally, that we ought to receive the symbol of the Apostles, the Lord's Prayer, and the Decalogue as fundamentals of our faith and our devotion. |
| Et pour plus ample declaration de nôtre creance, nous reïterons icy la protestation que nous fimes imprimer l’an 1603 assavoir que nous consentons à la saine Doctrine, avec toutes les Églises Reformées de France, d’Angleterre, du Païs-Bas, d’Allemagne, de Suisse, de Boheme, de Pologne, d’Hongrie, et autres, ainsi qu’elle est exprimée en leur Confession d’Ausbourg, selon la declaration qu’en a donné l’Autheur. Et promettons d’y perseverer Dieu aidant, inviolablement en la vie et en la mort, estans prets de signer cette verité eternelle de Dieu de nôtre propre sang, comme l’ont fait nos predecesseurs depuis le tems des Apôtres, particulierement en ces derniers siecles. | And for a more ample declaration of our faith we do here reiterate the same protestation which we caused to be printed in 1603, that is to say, that we do agree in sound doctrine with all the Reformed Churches of France, Great Britain, the Low Countries, Germany, Switzerland, Bohemia, Poland, Hungary, and others, as it is set forth by them in their confessions; as also in the Confession of Augsburg, as it was explained by the author,21642164Viz., the editio variata of 1540, which Calvin subscribed at Strasburg. promising to persevere constantly therein with the help of God, both in life and death, and being ready to subscribe to that eternal truth of God with our own blood, even as our ancestors have done from the days of the Apostles, and especially in these latter ages. |
769 | Et pourtant nous prions bien humblement toutes les Églises Evangeliques et Protestantes, de nous tenir, nonobstant nôtre pauvreté et petitesse, pour vrais membres du corps mystique de Jesus Christ, soufrans pour son Saint Nom; et de nous continuer l’assistance de leurs prieres envers Dieu, et tous autres bons offices de leurs charités, comme nous les avons déja abondamment experimentés, dont nous les remerçions avec toute l’humilité, qui nous est possible, et suplions de tout nôtre cœur le Seigneur qu’il en soit luy même le remunerateur, versant sur elles les plus precieuses benedictions de sa grace et de sa gloire, et en cette vie, et en celle qui est à venir. Amen. | Therefore we humbly entreat all the Evangelical and Protestant Churches, notwithstanding our poverty and lowness, to look upon us as true members of the mystical body of Christ, suffering for his name's sake, and to continue unto us the help of their prayers to God, and all other effects of their charity, as we have heretofore abundantly experienced, for which we return them our most humble thanks, entreating the Lord with all our heart to be their rewarder, and to pour upon them the most precious blessings of grace and glory, both in this life and in that which is to come. Amen. |
| ADDITIONS À LA SUS-DITE CONFESSION. | ADDITIONS TO THIS CONFESSION.21652165Omitted by Henderson and Hazlitt. |
| Briéve justification touchant les points, ou articles de Foy, que nous imputent les Docteurs de Rome, en commun avec toutes les Églises Reformées. Nous accusans de croire, | Brief justification concerning the points or articles of faith which the doctors of Rome impute to us and to all the Reformed Churches. They accuse as of believing the following articles: |
| 1. Que Dieu soit autheur du Peché. | 1. That God is the author of sin; |
| 2. Que Dieu n’est pas tout Puissant. | 2. That God is not omnipotent; |
| 4.21662166The error in numbering (4 for 3, etc.) is Leger's. Que Jesus Christ s’est desesperé en la Croix. | 3. That Jesus Christ fell into despair upon the cross; |
| 5. Que dans les œuvres du salut, où l’home est mû par l’Esprit de Dieu, il n'y coopere non plus qu’une piece de bois, ou une pierre. | 4. That man, in the work of salvation, where he is moved by the Spirit of God, is no more active than a log or a stone; |
| 6. Qu’en vertu de la Predestination, il n’importe que l’on face bien ou mal. | 5. That, according to our notion on the subject of predestination, it is of no consequence whether we do good or evil; |
770 | 7. Que les bonnes œuvres ne sont pas necessaires au salut. | 6. That good works are not necessary to salvation; |
| 8. Que nous rejettons absolument la Confession des pechés, et la Penitence. | 7. That we entirely reject confession of sins and repentance; |
| 9. Qu’il faut rejetter les Jûnes, et autres mortifications de la chair, pour vivre dans la dissolution. | 8. That fasting and other mortifications of the flesh must be rejected, in order to lead a dissolute life; |
| 10. Que châcun peut expliquer l’Ecriture Sainte comme il luy plait, et selon les inspirations de son esprit particulier. | 9. That any one may explain the Holy Scripture as he pleases, and according to the fanciful suggestions of his own mind; |
| 11. Que l'Église peut de tout defaillir, et estre anneantie. | 10. That the Church can entirely fail and be destroyed; |
| 12. Que le Baptéme n’est d’aucune necessité. | 11. That baptism is not necessary; |
| 13. Que dans le Sacrement de l’Eucharistie, nous n'avons aucune reelle communion avec Jesus Christ, mais seulement en figure. | 12. That in the sacrament of the eucharist we have no communion with Christ in fact, but in a figure only; |
| 14. Qu’on n’est pas obligé d’obeïr aux Magistrats, Rois, Princes, etc. | 13. That obedience is not due to magistrates, kings, princes, etc.; |
| 15. Parce que nous n’invoquons pas la Sainte Vierge, et les hommes déja glorifiés, on nous accuse de les mépriser, au lieu que nous les publions bienheureus, dignes, et de loüange, et d’imitation, et tenons sur tout la Sainte Vierge Bienheureuse entre toutes les Femmes. | 14. That we despise, because we do not invoke, the most holy Virgin and glorified saints; while in fact we pronounce them blessed and worthy both of praise and imitation, and hold above all the holy Virgin Mary to be 'blessed amongst women.' |
| Or tous ces Chefs qui nous sont ainsi malicieusement imputés, bien loin de les croire ou enseigner parmi nous, que nous les tenons pour heretiques et damnables, et denonçons de tout nôtre cœur anatheme contre quiconaue les voudroit soûtenir. | All these articles maliciously imputed to us, far from believing or teaching them, we hold to be heretical and damnable, and we denounce from all our heart every one who would maintain them. |