Ofith in London, (7) hath the honor of being the first who was burnt for herefy in England; which was done in the reign of Henry IV, at the beginning of this century. A few years afterwards Thomas Badby (8) was convicted of herefy, and also ordered to be burnt in Smithfield. Henry prince of Wales was present at his execution: and the poor man showing very fenfible figns of the torment he indured, the prince out of compaffion commanded the fire to be removed, and promised him pardon and a penfion for life, provided he would retract his errors. But Badby being come to himself, refolutely rejected this offer; he chofe rather to die with a good, than to live with an evil confcience; and fo the fire was kindled again, and he was confumed to ashes. In the next . reign Sir John Oldcastle, baron of Cobham, (9) was profecuted for being the principal patron and abetter of the Lollards. Being examined before the archbishop of Canterbury, he declared against tranfubftantiation, penances, the worshipping of the crofs, the power of the keys; and afferted that the pope was Antichrist and the head of that body, the bishops were the (7) Fox, Burnet's Hift. of the Ref. B.1. Collier's Ecclef. Hift. B. 7. p. 617. &c, Rapin, &c. members, (8) Walfingham, Rapin, Collier ibid. p. 629. &c. &c.. (9) Walfingham, Rapin, Cal members, and the friers the hinder parts of the antichriftian fociety. He was therefore pronounced a heretic convict, aud delivered over to the fecular power. But before the day fixed for his execution he escaped out of prifon; and being charged by his enemies with endevoring to make an infurrection, he was outlawed for high treason; and being taken afterwards, he was hanged as a traitor, and burnt hanging as an heretic, being the first nobleman in England who fuffered death for the cause of religion. It was the great blot and ftain of Henry the fifth's reign and character, that while he was carrying the glory of the English arms abroad, he was still perfecuting the poor Lollards at home. But notwithstanding these perfecutions, and the fevereft laws and proclamations against them, their numbers ftill increased, not only among the people, but even in parlament, not only in England, but even in foreign countries, and efpecially in Bohemia. For there (1) John Hufs and Jerome of Prague having received Wickliff's books, advanced and propagated the fame doctrins; for which they were both condemned to the flames, and fuffered death with the lier ibid. p. 632. &c. &c. (1)Spanhemii Hift.Chriftian. Sæc. XV. Cap. 6 & 7. Dupin Siecle XV. Chap. 7. Lenfant (2) Uffer the most heroic fortitude. It was a moft unjuft fentence, contrary to all faith and the fo lemn engagement of a fafe conduct, and drew after it the most fatal confequences. For out of their afhes a civil war was kindled; the Bohemians revolted against the emperor, and maintained and defended their opinions by arms as well as by arguments. What the opinions generally received among the Bohemians were, we may learn with fome exactness from one, who had opportunities of being well informed by living and converfing fome time among them, and was far from being prejudiced in their favor, Æneas Sylvius, who being afterwards chofen (2) Uffer de Chriftian. Ec clef. fucceffione et ftatu. Cap. 6. Sect. 16. Allix's Remarks upon the ancient church of Piedmont. Chap. 22. Æneas Sylv. Hift. Bohem. Cap. 35. Romanum præfulem reliquis epifcopis parem effe. Inter facerdotes nullum difcrimen; prefbyterum non dignitatem, fed vitæ meritum efficere potiorem. Animas e corporibus excedentes, aut in æternas e vestigio pænas mergi, aut perpetua confequi guadia. Purgatorium ignem nullum inveniri. Vanum effe orare pro mortuis, et avaritiæ facerdotalis in ventum. Dei et fanctorum imagines delendas. Aquarum palmarumque benedictiones irridendas. Mendicantium religiones malos dæmonas inveniffe. Sacerdotes pauperes effe debere,folâ contentos eleemofynâ. Liberam cuique prædicationem verbi Dei patere. Nullum capitale peccatum, quantumvis majoris mali vitandi gratia, tolerandum, Qui mortalis culpæ reus fit, eum neque feculari, neque ecclefiaftica dignitate potiri, neque parendum ei. Confirmationem,quam chrifmate pontifices inducunt, et extremam un&tionem inter ecclefiæ facramenta minimé contineri. Auri chofen pope affumed the name of Pius II. These then were (2) their opinions according to him, who, we may be certain, would not represent them better, if he would not reprefent them worse, than they were in reality. The pope of Rome is equal with other • bishops. Among priests there is no difference; not dignity, but merit giveth the preference. Souls departing out of bodies, are immediately either plunged into eternal punishments, or attain eternal joys. There is no purgatory fire. Auricularem confeffionem nugacem effe; fufficere fua quemque Deo in cubili fuo conqueri peccata. Baptifma fluvialis undæ, nullâ interjectâ facri olei mixturâ recipiendum. Coemiteriorum inanem ufum, quæftus caufâ repertum; quacunque tegantur tellure humana corpóra, nihil distare. Templum Dei latè patentis ipfum mundum effe; coarctare majeftatem ejus, qui ecclefias, monafteria, oratoriaque confruunt, tanquam propitior in eis divina bonitas inveniatur. Sacerdotales veftes, altariam Ornamenta, pallas, corporalia, alices, patinas, vafaque hujuf modi nil habere momenti. "It Sacerdotem quocunque loco, quocunque tempore facrum Chrifti corpus conficere poffe, petentibufque miniftrare; sufficere, fi verba facramentalia tantum dicat. Suffragia fan&torum in cælis cum Chrifto regnantium fruftra impetrari, quæ juvare non poffunt. In canonicis horis cantandis dicendifque fruftra tempus teri. Nulla die ab opere ceffandum, nifi quæ Dominica nunc appellatur. Celebritates fanctorum prorfus rejiciendas. Jejuniis quoque ab ecclefiis inftitutis, nihil ineffe meritis It is vain to pray for the dead, and an invention of priestly covetousness. The images of God and the faints ought to be destroyed. • The bleffing of water and palm branches is rididulous. The religion of the mendicants was invented by evil demons. Priefts ought to be poor, content with alms ⚫ alone. Every one hath free liberty to preach the word of God. No capital fin ought to be tolerated, altho' ⚫ for the fake of avoiding a greater evil. He who is guilty of mortal fin ought not to enjoy any fecular or ecclefiaftical dignity, nor is he to be obeyed. Confirmation, which the bifhops celebrate with anointing, and extreme unction, are by no means contained among the facraments of ⚫ the church. • Auricular confeffion is trifling; it is fufficient for every one in his chamber to confefs ⚫ his fins unto God. Baptifm ought to be celebrated without any mixture of holy oil. The use of church-yards is vain, invented for the fake of gain; in whatsoever ground human |
