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and bigotted to the church of Rome in other refpects, (8) yet inveighed loudly against the corruption of the clergy, and the pride and tyranny of the popes, faying that they were the minifters of Christ and served Antichrift, that nothing remained but that the man of fin. should be revealed, that the beast in the Apocalyps occupied St. Peter's chair, with other expreffions to the fame effect. While our King Richard I. was at Meflina, in Sicily, going upon his expedition to the holy land, he (9) fent for the famous abbot Joachim of Calabria, and heard him with much fatisfaction explain the Apocalyps, and difcourfe of Antichrift. He faid that Antichrift

was already born in the city of Rome, and that he would be advanced to the apoftolical chair, and exalted above all that is called God or is worshipped. So that fome true notion of Antichrift began to fpread even among the members of the church of Rome; and no wonder it prevailed among thofe, who more directly oppofed the doctrins of that church. Peter de Bruis and Henry his disciple (1) taught in feveral parts of France, that the body and blood of Chrift were not offered in ⚫ the theatrical mafs; that the doctrin of the change of the fubftances in the facrament is falfe; that facrifices, that is maffes, prayers, alms; and other works of the living for the dead, are foolish and impious, and profit them nothing; that priefts and monks ought rather to marry than to burn; that croffes are not to be adored, or venerated, and fo many croffes, ferving to fuper

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(8) Spanhem. ibid. Uffer de Chriftian. Ecclef, fucceffione et ftatu. Cap. 7. Sect. 5, 6.

(9) Rogeri de Hoveden Annal, Pars Pofterior p. 681, Edit, Francof. 1601. Jam natus eft in civitate Romana, et in fede apoftolica fublimabitur, &c. Collier's Ecclef. Hift. B, 6. p. 401.

(1) Corpus et fanguinem Chrifti in theatrica miffa non offerri, Doctrinam de fpeciebus facramenti, ipfis Dimirum fubftantiis mutatis, effe falfam. Sacrificia, id eft miffas, oratiomes, eleemofynas, et reliqua viyorum

opera pro defunctis, effe ftultitiam et impietatem, nihilque eis prodeffe. Sacerdotes et monachos debere uxores potius ducere, quam comburi. Cruces non adorandas aut venerandas: et tot cruces fuperftitioni fervientes, potius amovendas quam retinendas, &c. Hift. Ecclef. Magdeburg. Vol. 3. Cent. XII. Cap. 5. p. 331. &c. Edit. Bafil. 1624. Spanhem. ibid. Cap. 7. Sect. 2. Dupin. XII. Siecle. Chap. 6. Allix's Remarks upon the ancient churches of the Albigenfes. Chap, 14,

ftition,

ftition, ought rather to be removed than retained :' and they both were martyrs, the one being burnt, and the other imprifoned for life, on account of their doctrins. Other herefies were laid to their charge, and their own writings are not extant to fpeak for them; but these things they taught and profeffed, their enemies themfelves being judges, Arnold of Brescia (2) held opinions contrary to thofe of the church concerning the facrament, and preached mightily againft the temporal power and jurifdiction of the pope and the clergy; for which he was burnt at Rome in the year 1155, and his afhes were thrown into the Tyber, to prevent the people from expreffing any veneration for his relics. But the true witneffes, and as I may fay the proteftants of this age, were the Waldenfes and Albigenfes, who began to be famous at this time, and being difperfed into various places were diftinguished by various appellations. Their firft and proper name feemeth to have been Vallenfes, or inhabitants of the valleys; and fo faith (3) one of the oldeft writers, Ebrard of Bethune who wrote in the year 1212; They call themfelves Fallenfes, because they

abide in the valley of tears,' alluding to their fituation in the valleys of Piedmont. They were called Albigenfes. from Alby a city in the fouthern parts of France, where alfo great numbers of them were fituated. They were afterwards denominated Valdenfes or Waldenfes from Peter Valdo or Waldo a rich citizen of Lyons, and a confiderable leader of the feet. From Lyons too they were called Leonifts and Cathari from the profeffed purity of their life and doctrin, as others fince haye had the name of Puritans. As there was a variety of names, fo there might be fome diverfity of opinions among them; but that they were not guilty of Manicheifm and other abominable herefies, which have been charged upon them, is certain and evident from all the remains of their creeds, confeffions, and writings. Their opinions

(2) Otho Frifing de Geftis Frederici. Lib. 1. Spanhem. ibid. Cap. 7. Sect. 4. Dupin. ibid. Allix's Remarks on the ancient church of Piedmont. Chap. 18.

(3) Vallenfes fe appellant, eo quod in valle lachrymarum maneant. Ebrard. Beth. Antiheref. Cap. 25, Uffer. ibid. Cap. 8. Sect. 4. "Allix. ibid.

(4) are

(4) are thus recited from an old manufcript by the Centuriators of Magdeburgh.

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In articles of faith the authority of the holy fcriptare is the higheft, aud for that reafon it is the rule of judg ing; fo that whatsoever agreeth not with the word of God, is defervedly to be rejected and avoided.

The decrees of fathers and councils are so far to be approved, as they agree with the word of God.

The reading and knowlege of the holy fcriptures is free and necellary for all men, the laity as well as the clergy; yea and the writings of the prophets and apoftles are to be read rather than the comments of men. The facraments of the church of Chrift are two, bap⚫tism and the fupper of the Lord.

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The receiving in both kinds for priefts and people was inftituted by Chrift.

(4) In articulis fidei fummam effe facræ fcripturæ authoritatem, eamque ob caufam effe illam normam judicandi; ut quicquid cum verbo Dei non congruat, merito fit repudiandum et fugiendum.

Patrum et conciliorum dogmata catenus probanda, quatenus cum verbo Dei conveniunt.

Sacrarum fcripturarum lectionem et cognitionem, omnibus hominibus, tum laicis, tum facratis viris, liberam et neceffariam effe; imo potius prophetarum et apoftolorum monumenta legenda effe, quam hominum com

menta.

Duo effe ecclefiæ Chrifti facramenta, baptifmum et coenam Domini.

Utriufque fpeciei ufum, pro facerdotibus et laicis, a Christo inftitutum effe.

Miffas effe impias; ac furorem effe, pro mortuis miflificare."

Purgatorium effe figmentum hominum; credentes enim, in vitam æternam, non credentes autem, in damnationem æternam venire. Sanctorum mortuorum invocationes et cultum, effe idololatriam.

Romanam ecclefiam effe meretricem Babylonicam.

randum; quia fint lupi ecclefiæ Christi.

Papam non habere primatum fuper omnes ecclefias Chrifti, nec habere poteftatem utriufque gladii.

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Ecclefiam Chrifti effe, quæ fincerum Christi verbum audiat, et facramentis ab ipfo inftitutis utatur, ubicunque locorum ea exfiftat.

Vota effe hominum figmenta, Sodomam nutrientia.

Tot ordines effe tot characteres beftiæ.

Monochatum effe cadaver foetidum. Templorum tot fuperftitiofas dedicationes, memorias mortuorum, benedictiones creaturarum, peregrinationes, tot coacta jejunia, tot fefta fuperflua, perpetuos iftos hominum indoctorum boatus, ac reliquarum ceremoniarum obfervationes, verbi doctrinam et inftitutionem manifefte impedientes, effe inventiones diabolicas.

Conjugium facerdotum effe licitum et neceffarium.

Hæc ex antiquo manufcripto libro proferimus. Hift. ecclef. Magdeburg, Vol. 3. Cent. XII. Cap. 8. p. 548, 549. Edit. Bafil. 1624. See alfo the Confeffion of the faith of the Waldenfes in Perrin's Hift. B. 1, Chap

Papæ et epifcopis non obtempe- 12, &c.

Maffes

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Maffes are impious; and it is madness to fay maffes for the dead.

Purgatory is an invention of men; for they who believe, go into eternal life, they who believe not, into eternal damnation.

The invocating and worshipping of dead faints is 'idolatry.

The church of Rome is the whore of Babylon. 'We must not obey the pope and bifhops; because they are the wolves of the church of Chrift.

'The pope hath not the primacy over all the churches ⚫ of Chrift, neither hath he the power of both fwords. 'That is the church of Chrift which heareth the fincere word of Chrift, and ufeth the facraments inftituted by him, in what place foever it exist.

Vows of celibacy are inventions of men, and occafions of Sodomy.

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So many orders are fo many characters of the beaft.
Monkery is a ftinking carcafs.

So many fuperftitious dedications of churches, com'memorations of the dead, benedictions of creatures, pilgrimages, fo many forced fastings, fo many fuperfluous feftivals, thofe perpetual bellowings (meaning the finging and chaunting) of unlearned men, and the ob'fervations of the other ceremonies, manifeftly hindering the teaching and learning of the word, are diaboli'cal inventions.

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The marriage of priefts is lawful and neceffary.'

Much hath been written in cenfure and commendation of this fect both by enemies and friends, by papifts and proteftants. If they have been grofsly mifreprefented and vilified on one fide, they have been amply vindicated and juftified on the other; but I will only produce the teftimonies of three witneffes concerning them, whom both fides must allow to be unexceptionable, Reinerius, Thuanus, and Mezeray. Reinerius (5) florifhed about

(5) Inter omnes fectas, quæ adhuc funt vel fuerunt, non eft perniciofior ecclefiæ quam Leoniftarum. Et hoc tribus de caufis. Prima eft, quia eft

the

diuturnior; aliqui enim dicunt, quod duraverit a tempore Sylveftri; aliqui, a tempore apoftolorum. Secundia, quia eft generalior; fere enim nulla eft terra,

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the year 1954; and his teftimony is the more remarkable, as he was a Dominican, and inquifitor general, Among all the fects, which ftill are or have been, there is not any more pernicious to the church than that of "the Leonifts. And this for three reafons. The firft is, because it is older; for fome fay that it hath indured from the time of pope Sylvefter; others, from the time of the apoftles. The fecond, because it is more general; for there is fcarce any country wherein this fect is not. The third, because when all other fects beget horror in the hearers by the outrageoufnefs "of their blafphemies against God, this of the Leonifts hath a great fhow of piety; because they live juftly before men, and believe all things rightly concerning God, and all the articles which are contained in the creed; only they blafpheme the church of Rome and the clergy; whom the multitude of the laity is easy to believe. The credit of Thuanus as an hiftorian is too well established to need any recommendation; and he

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in qua hæc fecta non fit. Tertia, quia

cum

omnes aliæ fectæ immanitate blafphemiarum in Deum audientibus horrorem inducant, hæc Leoniftarum magnam habet fpeciem pietatis; eo quod coram hominibus jufte vivant, et bene omnia de Deo credant, et omnes articulos qui in fymbolo continentur; folummodo Romanam ecclefiam blafphemant et clerum; cui multitudo laicorum facilis eft ad creden. dum. Reiner. contra Hæret. Cap. 4. P. 54. Edit. Ingolft. 1613. Uffer. ibid. Cap. 6. Sect. 11. Cap. 8. Sect. 1. Cave Hift. Litt. Vol. 2. ad ann. 1244. P. 302. Ufher hath added other remarkable teftimonies concerning the morals of the Waldenfes and their followers. Pontificius quidam inquifitor [Rerum Bohem. Script. a Frehero edit. p. 231.] Leoniftarum five Waldenfium mores defcripturus, hujufmodi utitur præfatiuncula: Cognofcuntur bæretici per mores et verba. Sunt enim in moribus compofiti, et modefti; fuperbiam in veftibus non habent, &c. Miferrima profecto tempora in quibus compofiti et modefti mores hæreticorum baberentur infignia. De iifdem Claudius Seyfillius archiepifcopus Tauri

nenfis; [Seyfil. tract. adverfus errores et fectam Waldenfium. Edit. Paris. Ann. 1520. fol. 9.] Nonnibil etiam ad borum Valdenfium confirmandam tolerandamque fectam confert, quod præter hæc quæ contra fidem religionemque noftram affumunt, in reliquis ferme puriorem quam cæteri Chriftiani vitam agunt. Non enim nifi coacti jurant, raroque nomen Dei in vanum proferunt, promiffaque fua bona fide implent, et in paupertate pars maxima degentes, apoftolicam vitam doctrinamque Jervare fe folus proteftantur: ob idque poteftatem ecclefie apud fe, velut innoxios et veros Chrifti difcipulos, refidere affirmant; pro cujus fide religioneque in egeftate vivere, et a nobis perfecutionem pati, pulchrum et gloriofum ducunt. Fratribus Bohemis, Waldenfium foboli, non diffimile perhibuit teftimonium, qui fidei ipforum fuit inimiciffimus, Jacobus Liclenftenius Dominicanus. [Citatus a Joachim Camerario de Ecclef. Fratr. Bohem.] Dico (inquit) quod in moribus et vita boni funt, veraces in fermone, in caritate fraterna unanimes. Sed files eorum eft incorrigibilis et peffima, ut patuit in traftatu meo. Uffer. Cap. 6. Sect. 15.

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