will certainly deem the Fourteen well worthy of such poor crown as man can award to his devoted brother. And the friends of the Fourteen themselves, who sought not worldly happiness, but truth, and the glory of Another, must be content if we rank with them many also whose thoughts were not as theirs. The Strasburg and Geneva liturgy of that time, (whereof complete monuments remain, which also Meaux almost certainly used), was simple, elevated, severe, and agreeable to good conduct. We need not laboriously ascertain how far these thinkers were accomplished in primitive, orthodox according to mediæval, or prophetic of modern theology; whether they reasoned correctly as to Substance and Appearance; Spiritual Presence; Free Will, Predestination, or Causation; Justification, Faith, Grace, Works, and Sacrifice; the episcopal Laying on of hands; or as to the critical problems of Revelation, Tradition, Inspiration, and Writing. Their aim we must perceive to have been, in most black times, a moral and a spiritual aim; their worship aspiring and reflective; their conduct blameless and heroic. The firm constancy to their faith and friends, fitting sequel to the courage they showed in organizing this church, must be commended by any one that reads their story. These last are some of the prime virtues, then illustrated at the rack and stake in many countries, and, though not of course approved in every period of history, yet generally admired by humane persons. There is some danger of that brave conduct being minimized and disparaged by our own ungrateful age, which, so fully benefiting by it, has itself had no pressing need to practise it. We meanly regard even devoted men of action with an eye askance, pretend to analyse their aims, and almost demand that a hero of the past should be also a philosopher of to-day. Let it be that the long-silent "Fourteen" died for religious faith. We have to seek about in their strong hearts for a sentiment easy of comprehension to the uncontrolled minds of the nineteenth century. As, then, the intent fixing of the eyes on some spot in the heavens seems to bring an unseen and lesser star into the edge of our view, so those men of Meaux, in the strenuous pursuit of their convictions, may have dimly perceived that pale illumination, wherein we wantonly exult to-day, as if we had ourselves discovered, not inherited, intellectual and religious liberty. To you, for whom the following accounts have been collated, the fate of Étienne Mangin must be particularly touching. He was cut off in the pursuit of that "Reformed Religion for which he is said to have gone to Meaux. Of its definite establishment there he was a regulator or moderator, exhibiting, if we may judge from consequences, such discretion only as would agree with firm principles and with courage. We will hope that his and his companions' conduct, doubtless honoured by generous opponents and by any that learn this history, may far in the future be remembered, as an example of lofty fortitude, by the posterity of your own little Étienne. I am greatly obliged to you for having pointed out a short passage in an old book, which has opened to me a view of so much interest; and remain, Elmcrofts, Ripon, 1894. Your sincere friend, HERBERT M. BOWER. VOL. V.-NO. I. с Translations. Translation of a Chapter from Jean Crespin's (1) Actiones et Monimenta Martyrum (MDLX) (Folio 117, verso. etc.) Meaux illu THE PERSECUTION OF THE MELDENSES. The remarkable confession of Gospel doctrine, and persecution of the faithful among the Meldenses, of whom fourteen suffered the extreme punishment of burning. Among the many cities of the kingdom of France, which minated by were by the word of God made sharers and partakers in the Gospel. heavenly grace, the town of Meaux (2) should be given the Briçonnet, first place.(3) It is situated in Brie on the river Marne at a distance of ten leagues from Paris. Very few communities will be found in which, though under the unholy tyranny of Antichrist, so great faith was shown in proclaiming the truth of God's word; such zeal and fervour in its acceptance; such vigour in its growth; and where, after a very rapid expansion, it was established and defended with so much firmness. Now the mode by which the Lord enlightened this city, whither hardly any other (*) kind of men resort save artisans and mechanics, was of this nature. Guillaume Briçonnet (5) was Bishop there, a man of the highest literary training. At that time he was fired indeed with a praiseworthy zeal both for learning the truth and for imparting it to others. When he was first made Bishop he duly visited the churches of his diocese and discharged the duties of inspection as a true pastor should.(6) He thus found that the people were quite without the knowledge of God,(7) for their teaching by the Franciscans and other mendicant friars consisted solely of matters pertinent to their cloister and to the filling of the ciscans for belly () On discovering the impostures and tricks of these, The Franthe Bishop's heart was deeply moved with a holy zeal. He bidden to withdrew from them the right to preach anywhere in his preach. diocese, () and replaced them by calling in other men, whose probity of life was as thoroughly established as their learning and understanding in holy things. Among these were: Jaques Lefèvre of Etaples, (10) Michel d'Arande, (11) Martial,(12) and Gerard Roussel.(13) The faith and diligence of these men assisted the extraordinary zeal and fervour of the Bishop, who was himself at that time actively spreading the truth of God, and indeed spared no expense in the preparation of books that might be conducive to this end.(14) The knowledge of the Gospel was thus propagated far and wide. The brilliant fame of this great and comfortable work of God sounded through all France.(15) To some it came as the sweet breath of life, while others found it instead a stumbling block and offence.(16) However, in this church the seed sown began to flourish daily more and more. It yielded the richest fruit to the consolation and well-being of the elect. But at last Satan, prince of darkness, and the greatest foe to this wholesome light, perceiving that the ruin of his kingdom was imminent, called to action his familiar slaves. These were certainly the Franciscans. They summoned Bishop Briçonnet to judgment before the supreme Court (17) on a charge of heresy.(18) The doctors of the Sorbonne and other enemies of the truth readily joined their party. With such instruments to his hand Satan quickly conquered the Briçonnet's faith of the Bishop; and, after attaining his defection, defection attacked the rest with all the more power. These however from the Gospel. (19) he found more firm and constant in the faith. Some of them were burnt, and among their number that man of whom we treated at the end of the first book. This Jaques Pavanes (2) began to teach the truth with such fervency of soul that he Pavanes. was the first to suffer death by fire in Paris. The chief ground for this punishment was his advocacy of that doctrine concerning the Supper which but few then recognized. Others were scourged, exposed with ignominy in a public place, or sent into exile, and cast out of the kingdom itself.(21) In a of the people word the enemies of the Gospel would never cease their work till of Meaux. all liberty to preach the truth should be taken away, till that wholesome understanding should be crushed, that lately risen light extinguished. Indeed no sooner had the Franciscans succeeded by persistent effort and bold scheming in the re-establishment of their accustomed assemblies, than they Jaques Persecution Secret ful. began over again to thrust on the people their familiar falsehoods. Nevertheless, thorough and complete as were their attempts, they did not so far succeed as to eradicate the truth from those many hearts wherein its knowledge was fixed and imprinted; they could not wipe it out. Pious men in whose souls the fear of God along with that knowledge had found a home, saw clearly enough that the truth was banished from public places, as well as liberty to worship God in a simple worship.(22) They therefore began to hold among themselves assemblies secret assemblies, following the example of the prophets under of the faith- Ahab's rule, and of those Christians who in the infant days of the church were forced by horrible persecutions to seek out hidden places of worship. So these men acting in the fear of God would meet together, sometimes at a house, again in some retired valley or cave, or indeed in the very thickets and forests, as the means and opportunity offered. At any such meeting or assemblage, that one among them who, they thought, had most knowledge and training in the holy Scripture, would comfort the others, giving them instruction and exhortation from the Divine word. When this office was performed they would then all join in cordial and fervent prayer to God. And there was continually nourished and fostered among them the hope that all France (23) would soon receive the Gospel and throw off the impious and wicked tyranny of Anti-christ. However, after long waiting, they came to see that the time was still far distant (24) when religion should be again cleansed of her impurities, and that on the other hand the foul superstitions and abominations introduced by the Pope daily grew and were more confirmed in the Church. Therefore very many of the more fervent in spirit, who, from their first reception of the doctrine, had kept themselves quite pure and undefiled from all idolatry of Masses, resolved in the year 1546 to establish among themselves a small and dutiful church on a certain model. They were impelled to this course mainly by the example of a French church which had been excellently established at Strasburg,(25) and was at that time famous far and wide for its religion. Some of them therefore visited this church, and carefully enquired into it. (25a) The chief authors and regulators of this Mangin and undertaking were: Estienne Mangin, (26) a very good man of advanced years; and Pierre LeClerc, (27) by skill and profession a carder, but exceedingly well versed in sacred literature, at least so far as it was treated in the French language. These men with some forty or fifty others took A small church founded at Meaux. Le Clerc. |