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Chap. 2.

Peter Waldo.

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a great blessing to the Valdenses: though it is uncertain whether Peter ever visited them or not, yet it is clear many of his followers did, and carried with them the translation of the word of life. From Dauphiny he was driven into Picardy; this also contributed to his success -in every place the Holy Ghost gave witness to the truths he taught, and the holy life he pursued.

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The success of Waldo exposed him and his followers to great persecution. So numerous were his disciples in Picardy that they attracted the notice of Philip Augustus, one of the most prudent and sagacious princes which France ever saw." But prudence and sagacity have nothing to do in the conduct of a prince when he is blinded by religious prejudice, and devoted to the see of Rome. Thus it was with Philip, and the poor Waldenses felt the power of his arm. Though the best and most quiet of his subjects, yet he brought his soldiers against them, destroyed their houses, desolated their towns, and drove multitudes of them into Flanders, and even with fire and sword followed them thither also. To escape the fury of the enemy, Waldo fled into Ger many, and at last settled in Bohemia, where he ended his days in peace about the year 1179, after a career of near twenty years, during which time he saw a great part of Europe enlightened by his means.

The doctrines taught by Waldo appear to be the grand principles on which stands the Reformation. The leading truths he taught, were, The sole sufficiency of scripture in opposition to all human tradition-the atonement of Christ-the influence of the Spirit in renewing and sanctifying believers. As to things of less moment, striet uniformity was not maintained. Some of the Waldenses received and some rejected, infant baptism. The church officers were divided into three classes, such

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Waldenses.

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as bishops, presbyters and deacons, though not always exactly so denominated. The support of their pastors was as the eircumstances of the times would allow; to work with their own hands was often necessary, but never formed an article of discipline.

Testimonies in favour of the Waldenses may be obtained innumerable, even from their enemies. From this ample and unequivocal store of evidence a short quotation or two must suffice. A pontifical inquisitor says, these "Heretics are known by their manners, in behaviour they are composed and modest, and no pride appears in their apparel." By other popish writers it is said, "It much strengthens the Waldenses that, their heresy excepted, they generally live a purer life than other Christians.-In morals and life they are good, true in words, unanimous in brotherly love, but their faith is incorrigible and vile."—" They can all read and write; you scarce find a boy among them who cannot give an intelligent account of the faith which they profess. They pay tribute with a good conscience, and the obligation of this duty is peculiarly noted in the confession of their faith."

A variety of cireumstances contributed to form the followers of Peter Waldo into one body with the origin. al Valdenses or inhabitants of the vallies. That Peter derived his opinions from the same source as they did is very clear, and some have thought his surname, Valdo, or Waldo, was given him from his having embraced their views, and that he was rather their disciple, than they his. Be all this as it may, in subsequent ages they are one people, and are denominated WALDENSES, as were also many others who embraced any tenets against the prevailing superstition.

It is evident that the Waldensian churches were made

Chap. 2.

Waldenses.

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up of various sects, holding a variety of opinions on church government and discipline, but what is their glory they seem to preserve a harmony beyond what is attained in much later ages. They suffer not the non-essential points of doctrine and worship to break up and destroy the essential bonds of affection and discipline. Thus they become an example of patience and forbearance, of purity and of love, which the sects of more modern ages would do well to imitate. And why may not Christians of modern times more closely imitate these Waldenses. We profess to have more light, greater advantages, and to aim at higher attainments in religion; we even profess to admire these good people, and yet how few of us imitate their highest excellencies. They walked in love, they were not a sect, but a great body of Christians in one communion, made up of many sects; or rather all sectaries were lost in one fellowship. They contended for the faith, this was Christianity-to contend for mere forms they conceived to be bigotry.

THIRTEENTH CENTURY.

CHAPTER I.

The Church of Rome-Mendicant Orders-Inquisition -Institution of the Jubilee.

To pursue the history of the popedom is to attend a train of events as foreign to the operations of Christianity as the exploits of Julius Cæsar are to the ministry of Jesus Christ. The chief employment of the Roman pontiff lies in raising and setting forward crusading armies, in creating monarchs, or deposing those created by others, in levying tributes, in giving laws, in forming intrigues, in sowing sedition, and in every work characteristic of this depraved world, and of the world below; and yet all under the holy and venerable name of Christianity.

A very singular instance of papal usurpation and arrogance we have in the history of John, king of England. Innocent the Third had imposed Langton as archbishop of Canterbury, contrary to the will of the king, and to the election of another appointed in a legal way. This Langton was a creature of the pope, and it was the sovereign will of his holiness that he should, contrary to all law and rule, be acknowledged in the see. To this John peremptorily objected, set the pope at defiance, and proceeded to discover his wrath against the Roman father, by most severely proceeding against all his children in England, who had appeared at all influenced by

Chap. 1.

Papal Domination.

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the pope in the choice of Langton. Innocent at first attempted to gain John over by lenitive measures; he wrote to him a conciliatory letter, attended with some precious symbols or relics from the sacred treasures of the church. But John was not thus to be pacified; he proceeded to greater violence, and the pope in return was not wanting in measures equally strong and decisive. The whole kingdom was laid under a papal interdict, the consequence of which was, "The nation was of a sudden deprived of all exterior exercises of religion; the altars were despoiled of their ornaments; the crosses, the reliques, the images, the statues of the saints, were laid on the ground; and as if the air itself was profaned, and might pollute them by its contact, the priests earefully covered them up even from their own approach and veneration. The use of bells entirely ceased in all the churches, the bells were removed from the steeples, and laid in the ground, with other sacred utensils. Mass was celebrated with the doors shut, and none but the priests were admitted to that holy institution. The laity partook of no religious rite except baptism to newborn infants, and the communion to the dying. The dead were not interred in consecrated ground; they were thrown into ditches, or buried in common fields, and their obsequies were not attended with prayer or any hallowed ceremony. Marriage was celebrated in the church-yard; and that every action in life might bear the marks of this dreadful situation, the people were prohibited the use of meat as in Lent; were debarred from all pleasures; were forbidden even to salute each other, or so much as to shave their beards Every circumstance carried symptoms of the deepest distress, and of the most immediate apprehension of divine vengeance and indignation."-(HUME.)

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