the fame effect. While our King Richard I was at Meffina in Sicily, going upon his expedition to the holy land, he (9) fent for the famous abbat 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 some true notion of Antichrift began to spread even among the members of the church of Rome; and no wonder that it prevailed among thofe, who more directly oppofed the doctrins of thatchurch. Peter de Bruis and Henry his difciple (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 (9) Rogeri de Hóveden Annal. Pars Pofterior p. 681. Edit. Francof. 16c1. Jam natus eft in civitate Romana, et in fede apoftolica fublimabitur, &c. Collier's Ecclef. Hift. B. 6. p. 491. (1) Corpus & fanguinem Chrifti in theatrica miffa non offerri. Doctrinam de fpecie to bus facramenti, ipfis nimirum fubftantiis mutatis, effe falfam. Sacrificia, id eft miffas, orationes, eleemofynas, et reliqua vivorum opera pro defunctis, effe ftultitiam et impietatem, nihilque eis prodeffe. Sacerdotes et monachos debere uxores potius ducere, quam comburi.. Cruces to be adored, or venerated, and fo many. 'croffes, ferving to fuperftition, 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 speak for them; but these things they taught and profeffed, their enemies themfelves being judges. Arnold of Brefcia (2) held opinions contrary to thofe of the church. concerning the facrament, and preached mightily against the temporal power and jurisdiction 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 in various places were distinguished by various appellations. Their first and proper name feemeth to have been Vallenfes, 1 Cruces non adorandas aut venerandas: et tot cruces fuper fitioni 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. Se&. 2. Dupin. XII. Siecle. Chap, 6, Allix's Remarks upon the ancient churches of the Albigenfes. Chap. 14. (2) Otho Frifing de Gettis Frederici. Lib. 1. Spanhem. ibid. Cap. 7. Sect. 4. Dupin, ibid. Allix's Remarks on the ancient church of Piedmont. Chap. 18. (3) Vallenfes Vallenfes, or inhabitants of the valleys; and fo faith (3) one of the oldeft writers, Ebrard of Bethune who wrote in the year 1212; 3 They call themselves Vallenfes, 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 fect. From Lyons too they were called Leonifts, and Cathari from the profeffed purity of their life and doctrin, as others fince have had the name of Puritans. As there was a variety. (3) Vallenfes fe appellant, eo quod in valle lachrymarum maneant. Ebrard. Beth. Antihæres. Cap. 25. Uffer. ibid. Cap. 8. Sect. 4. Allix. ibid. (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 & conciliorum dogmata eatenus probanda, quatenus cum verbo Dei conveniunt. Sacrarum fcripturarum lectionem & cognitionem, omnibus hominibus, tum laicis, tum facratis viris, liberam & ncceffariam effe; imo potius pro of phetarum & apoftolorum monumenta legenda effe, quam homi num commenta. Duo effe ecclefiæ Chrifti facramenta, baptifmum et cænam Domini. Utriufque fpeciei ufum, pro facerdotibus & laicis, a Chrifto inftitutum effe. Miffas effe impias; ac furorem effe, pro mortuis miffificare. Purgatorium efle figmentum hominum; credentes enim, in vitam æternam, non credentes autem, in damnationem æternam venire. San&torum mortuorum invocationes et cultum, effe idololatriam. Romanam ecclefiam effe me. retricem of names, so there might be fome diversity of opinions among them; but that they were not guilty of Manicheism 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 (4) are thus recited from an old manuscript by the Centuriators of Magdeburg. 6 In articles of faith the authority of the holy fcripture is the higheft, and for that 'reafon it is the rule of judging; fo that whatsoever agreeth not with the word of God, is defervedly to be rejected and avoided. The decrees of fathers and councils are fo far to be approved, as they agree with the 'word of God. retricem Babylonicam, Papæ et epifcopis non obtemperandum; quia fint lupi ecclefiæ Chrifti. Papam non habere primatum fuper omnes ecclefias Chrifti, nec habere poteftatem utriufque gladii. Ecclefiam Chrifti effe, quæ fincerum Chrifti verbum audiat, et facramentis ab ipfo inftitutis utatur, ubicunque locorum ea exfiftat. Vota effe hominum figmenta, Sodomam nutrientia. Tot ordines effe tot characteres beftiæ. • The dedicationes, memorias mortuorum, benedictiones creaturarum, peregrinationes, tot coacta jejunia, tot fefta fuperflua, per-, petuos 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, 49. Edit. Bafil.' 1624. See alfo the Confeffion Monochatum effe cadaver of the faith of the Waldenfes in Perrin's Hift. B. 1. Chap. 12 &c. fætidum. (5) Inter The reading and knowlege of the holy fcriptures is free and neceffary 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, baptism and the supper of the Lord. The receiving in both kinds for priefts and people was instituted by Christ. '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 bishops;' 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 6 power of both fwords. "That is the church of Chrift which heareth the fincere word of Chrift, and ufeth the fa*craments instituted by him, in what place foever it exist. • Vows (5) Inter omnes fectas, quæ perniciofior ecclefiæ quam Leo, adhuc funt vel fuerunt, non eft niftarum, Et học tribus de caufis. |
