Confession Of Jacques D’Auchy, Made Before The Commissary And The Inquisitor.

He looked at me sharply and said to me: “Why do you think so?” Jac. “Because, my lord, Christ calls his people sheep and lambs; and it is the nature of a flock of sheep, that if they see any beast approaching, and perceive that it is a wolf, they all flee, yea, though they were a thousand of them against one wolf, and they do not pursue the wolf, to devour him, and to shed his blood; but they who boast of being the flock of Christ, do the very opposite; whence do they get this nature?” Inq. “This comparison is good for nothing, and the allegations are useless: for it does not obtain with the flock of Christ, as with a flock of sheep.”

Seeing that he rejected this, I asked him: “Is it not necessary that the children of God should be born of God, as John testifies? (John 1:13) and must they not be of such a nature and disposition as their Father and Lord?” Inq. “Yes, but why?” 582 Jac. “Because it is written that the Son of God was led as a lamb or sheep to the slaughter, and opened not his mouth; hence his children must be of such a nature, since they are born of God.” Isaiah 53:7; Luke 8:32. Inq. “This! it had to come so.” Jac. “Why?” Inq. “That the Scriptures might be fulfilled.” Jac. “Thus it must also be with regard to his children, in order that the Scripture may be fulfilled.” Inq. “What Scripture?” Jac. “This: ‘If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord.’ ” Inq. “This he said to his apostles.” Jac. “I understand it as having been spoken by him of all his children, and as having been written for our instruction.” Inq. “No, no, my son; you must understand that the apostles were sent to proclaim and preach the gospel to every creature, and the Lord predicted that much suffering should come upon them, and that they should be put to death; but after they had gained a prince to the faith, they had rest, and might well put to death the heretics in their country.” Jac. “My lord, the Scriptures do not say this, nor can I conceive that it can be the nature of a lamb, to kill and devour a wolf; for you people say that you are the flock of Christ, and that we are ravening wolves, and you put us to death; this does not seem right to me.”