An Inquiry into the History and Theology of the Ancient Vallenses and Albigenses

1. Now, that all who profess the name of Christ do not belong to that Church which alone is interested in the promises of Christ is acknowledged, or rather indeed firmly maintained, by none more vehemently than by the Romanists themselves.

Hence, of all people, they can have no right to object if, to the exclusion of various other professed Christians, one particular Church is pointed out as the depository and proprietor of Christ’s promises; for, in truth, they make precisely this exclusive claim on behalf of their own Communion, contending that the promises have

He advances a step beyond it: and, with a considerable measure of triumph, proposes to the French Protestants a question that he evidently deems altogether unanswerable:

"My brothers, give glory to God. When your Reformation began, was there—I do not say any Church (for it is already quite certain there was none), but at least was there a single man who, in joining Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, or whomever you like, said to him upon joining: 'I have always believed as you do; I have never believed in the Mass, nor in the Pope, nor in the dogmas that you reject in the Roman Church?' My dear brothers, think about it well, has anyone ever named for you a single man who joined your Reformation in this way? Will you find such a person in your annals, where you have gathered as much as you could of anything that might justify you against the reproach of novelty, which was the most pressing and the most original: "Mes frères, donnez gloire à Dieu. Quand on a commencé votre Réforme, y avoit-il, je ne dis pas quelque Eglise (car il est déjà bien certain qu'il n'y avoit aucune), mais du moins y avoit-il un seul homme, qui en se joignant à Luther, à Zuingle, à Calvin, à qui vous voudrez, lui ait dit en s'y joignant: 'J'ai toujours crû comme vous; je n'ai jamais crû ni à la messe, ni au Pape, ni aux dogmes que vous reprenez dans l'Eglise Romaine?' Mes chers frères, pensez-y bien, vous a-t-on jamais nommé un seul homme qui se soit joint de cette sorte à votre Réforme? En trouverez-vous quelqu'un dans vos annales, où l'on a ramassé autant qu'on a pû tout ce qui pouvoit vous justifier contre le reproche de la nouveauté, qui étoit le plus pressant et le plus sensible?"