were and still are, there is none more pernicious for the church than
the sect of the Lyonists (thus he calls the Waldenses), and this for
three reasons.
“_Firstly_, because it is the most ancient; for, some say that it has
existed from the time of Sylvester; others say, from the time of the
apostles.
“_Secondly_, because it is more general (that is, more widely diffused)
than other sects; for there is no country where this sect is not found.
“_Thirdly_, because, whereas all other sects, by their abominable
blasphemies against God, cause those who hear them, to loathe their
belief, this sect, on the other hand, has a great semblance of
godliness, because they lead a godly life before men, have a true
belief in all things concerning God, and hold correct views in regard
to all the twelve articles of the faith; only they condemn the Roman
church and the clergy, in which the unlearned too readily credit them.”
In the fifth chapter he says that their doctrine can be brought under
these three heads: 1. Invectives against the Roman church and her
institutions. 2. Errors against the sacraments and the saints. 3.
Rejection of all church usages.
He then specifies their doctrine in the following manner:
1. That the Roman church is not the church of Christ, but the church of
malediction; and that she decayed in the time of Sylvester, when the
poison of temporal riches insinuated itself.
2. That all sins and defects are in the Roman church, and that they
(the Waldenses) alone live holily.
3. That almost no one observes the doctrine of the holy Gospel, except
they (the Waldenses).
4. That they, in truth, are poor in spirit, and suffer persecution for
righteousness and faith’s sake.
5. That they are the church of Jesus Christ.
6. That the Roman church is the whore described in John’s Revelation.
7. That they contemn all the statutes of the (Roman) church, because of
their multiplicity and laboriousness.
8. That the Pope is the head of all errors.
9. That the prelates are scribes, and the religions, or members of
orders, Pharisees.
10. That the popes and bishops, with respect to the wars they carry on,
are murderers. (This article is treated of in another place.)
11. That God alone is to be obeyed, and not the prelates.
12. That one is not greater than another (before the Lord), but that
all are brethren. Matt. 23.
13. That no one may bow his knees before the priests; because the angel
said to John, “See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow servant.” Rev.
22:9.
14. That men should not give tithes (to the papistic clergy), because
it was not customary formerly to give tithes to the church.
15. That the clergy ought not to have property of their own; because
it is written, “The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi,
shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel ... the Lord is their
inheritance, as he hath said unto them.” Deut. 18.
16. That the inmates of monasteries ought not to have prebends.
17. That bishops are not entitled to the regalia; these being things
which are the prerogative of kings and rulers.
18. That no churches and monasteries ought to be founded and endowed.
19. That wills ought not to be drawn up by ecclesiastical persons.
20. They reject the clergy, on account of their idleness, and because
they do not labor with their hands, as the apostles did.
21. They reject the names, pope and bishop.
22. They will not admit that any one should be compelled to the faith.
23. They reject all ecclesiastical (papistic) offices, and pay little
regard to ecclesiastical privileges.
24. They do not admit, that churches and ecclesiastical persons should
be exempt from the power and punishment of the secular authorities,
for, under that cover of liberty the clergy used to do as they pleased.
25. They hold in contempt councils, synods, and all (papistic)
ecclesiastical assemblies.
26. They say, that all human rules respecting persons in orders, are
Pharisaical institutions.
These and various other articles respecting the belief of the
Waldenses, all directed against the Pope, the clergy, and the whole
Roman church, were found in an old parchment written three hundred
years ago, and ascribed to Reinerius. It was afterwards followed by
various authors. See _Balth. Lyd. 3, Tract of the Waldens., page 84,
col. 1_, and _page 85, cols. 1, 2. A. Mell., 2d book, fol. 430, col. 4,
fol. 431, cols. 1–4. Bapt. Hist., pages 616, 617, 618. P. J. Twisck,
Chron., page 451, col. 2._ Also, _Nicol. Eymeric._, printed at Rome, A.
D. 1585.
THE CONFESSIONS OF THE WALDENSES, OR THEIR OWN CREEDS.
Since the Waldenses were very ancient, and were spread over very
many parts of the world, it came that they, from time to time were
compelled, by the demand of those with and among whom they lived, to
give an account of their faith; hence it is, that different creeds of
the Waldenses were made and are still extant. However, it is not our
intention, to relate them all, but simply to present to you one or two,
which have been celebrated from ancient times, and are judged to be of
the best.
Jean Paul Perrin Lionnoys, in his _History of the Waldenses_,
translated from the French into Dutch, by _J. M. V., first part, first
book, page 43_, makes mention of a certain confession of the Waldenses,
in which they speak of various matters of faith, particularly of the
holy Scriptures. It reads thus:
_Article I._ We believe and hold fast all that is contained in the
twelve articles of the Apostolic Creed; and regard as error all that
differs therefrom, and does not agree with said twelve articles.
_Article II._ We believe that there is one God, the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Ghost.
_Article III._ We confess and hold as holy canonical Scriptures, the
books of the Holy Bible, namely these: The five books of Moses, called
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. The books of Joshua,
Judges, Ruth. The historical books, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2
Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. The didactic
books, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, The Song of Solomon. The
greater prophesies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel. The lesser
prophets, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk,
Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.
Then follow the books of the Apocrypha, which were not received by the
Hebrews; hence we read them, as Jerome says, in the preface to the
Proverbs, for the edification of the people, but not for the purpose
of confirming church doctrines. They are: 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, Tobit,
Judith, Wisdom; Ecclesiasticus, or Jesus Sirach; Baruch, with the
letter of Jeremiah; the additions to the book of Esther, from the tenth
chapter to the end; the Song of the Three Men in the Fiery Furnace;
the History of Susanna; of the Dragon at Babel; the three books of the
Maccabees.
Then follow the books of the New Testament. The Gospels, by Matthew,
Mark, Luke, John. The Acts of the Apostles. The epistles of Paul,
Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians,
Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy,
2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John.
(How it comes that 3 John is not mentioned, we do not know). The
epistle of Jude, the Revelation of John.
_Article IV._ The aforementioned books teach this: That there is one
God, who is omnipotent, all-wise, and alone good, who has created
all things according to his goodness; for he created Adam after his
image and likeness; but that, through the envy of the devil and the
disobedience of Adam, sin came into the world, and that we are sinners
in and through Adam.
_Article V._ That Christ was promised to the fathers, who received
the law, that by it they might know their sin, unrighteousness and
unfitness, and long for the coming of Christ; to which end he atoned
for sin and himself fulfilled the law.
_Article VI._ That Christ was born at the time appointed by his Father;
namely, when all manner of wickedness abounded; and this not for the
good works’ sake, for they were all sinners; but to show us grace and
mercy, as being the true and faithful one.
_Article VII._ That Christ is our Way, Truth, Peace, Righteousness,
Shepherd, Advocate, Sacrifice, and High Priest; who died for the
salvation of them that believe, and was raised for our justification.
_Article VIII._ And, consequently, we maintain, that there is no other
mediator and advocate with God the Father, than Jesus Christ. But as
regards the virgin Mary, we hold, that she was holy, humble, and full
of grace; likewise we believe of all the other saints, that they ...
wait for the resurrection of their bodies in the day of judgment.
_Article IX._ We believe that after this life there are but two places;
the one for the blessed, the other for the damned; and utterly deny
purgatory, which is a dream and invention of antichrist against truth.
_Article X._ We have likewise always believed, that all human
inventions are an unspeakable abomination before God; such as feast
days, vigils of the saints, the so-called holy water, abstaining from
flesh on certain days, and like things, especially masses.
_Article XI._ We abhor all human inventions, as proceeding from
antichrist, and which carry with them destruction, and prevent the
freedom of the spirit.
_Article XII._ We believe that the sacraments are signs of holy things,
or visible representations of invisible grace; and deem it well,
that believers should from time to time use these visible signs or
representations, when it is possible for them to do so; nevertheless,
we also believe and hold, that said believers can be saved, though
they do not receive these signs; that is, when they have no place or
opportunity where to receive or use them.
_Article XIII._ We have never confessed that there is any other
sacrament than baptism and the Supper.
_Article XIV._ We must honor the secular authorities with subjection,
obedience, willingness, and taxes.
_The above fourteen articles are extracted from the book called by the
Waldenses, “The Spiritual Almanac,” and from the “Memoirs of George
Morel.” Also, “Hist. of the Waldens.,” 1st part, 1st book, cap. 12,
pages 43–48._
As regards said articles, they are wholesome and good, if observed in
simplicity; hence we will leave them and proceed to another confession,
of said Waldenses and Albigenses, drawn up by those of Merindol and
Cabriere, and sent to the King of France. The same was publicly read,
as A. Mellinus informs us, in the King’s Parliament at Paris, and its
contents are, word for word, as follows.
CONFESSION OF THE WALDENSES AND ALBIGENSES, DRAWN UP BY THOSE OF
MERINDOL AND CABRIERE, AND SENT TO THE KING OF FRANCE.
I. We believe that there is but one God, who is a Spirit, and the
Creator of all things, the Father of all, over and through or in all,
in us all; who is to be worshiped in spirit and in truth; to whom alone
we look, as the Giver of life, raiment and food, as well as of health
and sickness, prosperity and adversity; him we love as the author of
all good, and fear him as the discerner of our hearts.
II. We believe, that Jesus Christ is the Son and the image of the
Father, in whom dwells all the fullness of the Godhead; by whom we know
the Father; who is our Mediator and Advocate; and there is no other
name under heaven given unto men, whereby we may be saved. In his name
alone we worship the Father, and pour out no prayers before God, save
those contained in the holy Scriptures, or which fully agree with the
sense of the same.
III. We believe, that we have the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, who
proceeds from the Father and the Son; by whose inspiration we pray, and
through whose effectual operation we are regenerated. This Holy Ghost
operates in us all good works, and by him we are led into all truth.
IV. We believe in a holy church, the congregation of all the elect
(believers) of God, from the foundation (or beginning) of the world
unto the end; the head of this church is our Lord Jesus Christ. This
Church is governed by the word of God, and led by the Holy Ghost. All
true Christians are bound to live in her; for she prays without ceasing
for all, being acceptable to God, who is her refuge, and out of which
church there is no salvation.
V. It is an established rule with us, that the ministers of the church,
namely, the bishops and the pastors, must be blameless in manner and
doctrine; and if not, that they must be removed, and others put in
their stead, who do better fill their place and office. No one takes
unto himself this honor, unless he is called of God, like Aaron;
feeding the flock of God, not greedy of filthy lucre, nor lording it
over his church; but, with a willing mind, setting a good example to
the godly, in word, intercourse, love, faith, and purity.
VI. We believe, that kings, princes, and magistrates are ordained by
the Lord as his ministers, to whom obedience ought to be rendered; for
they bear the sword, to protect the innocent, and punish the evil;
hence we are in duty bound to show them all proper honor, and to pay
tribute; and no one can evade this subjection, if he would be called
a Christian, according to the example of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ, for he paid tribute; but exercised no temporal jurisdiction or
dominion, drawing the sword of the heavenly word in the state of his
humiliation.
The last clause is translated by _J. M. V._, in _Hist. Wald._, thus:
Who himself would pay tribute, but was not willing to accept of worldly
dominion.
VII. We believe, that the water in the sacrament of baptism is an
external, visible sign, representing to us that which the power of God
works within us, namely, the renewing of the Spirit, and the mortifying
of our flesh in Christ Jesus, by whom we also become members of the
holy church; in which church we show forth the confession of our faith,
and the reformation of our life.
VIII. We believe, that the holy sacrament of the communion, or of the
Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ, is a holy memorial and, a thanksgiving
for the benefits bestowed upon us through the death of Christ; which we
all ought to observe and celebrate in the congregation of the godly, in
faith, love, and self-examination; and that in thus receiving the bread
and the cup, we also become partakers of the body and blood of Christ,
as we are taught in the holy Scriptures.
IX. We confess, that marriage is good, honorable and holy, yea,
instituted by God himself, and that therefore no one ought to be
prohibited from marrying, unless the word of God intervene.
X. We believe, that the godly and godfearing ought to conduct
themselves praiseworthily before God, keeping themselves engaged in
good works, which God has ordained that they should walk therein; these
works are: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, piety, modesty,
temperance, and other good works commanded in the Scriptures.
XI. On the other hand, we confess, that we must beware of false
prophets, whose aim is, to draw the people away from the religious
worship which we owe to the Lord our God alone, and to cause them to
adhere to the creatures, and put one’s confidence in them; to neglect
the good works commanded us in the holy Scriptures, and to follow the
fables of men.
XII. We hold the Old and the New Testament as the rule of our faith,
and follow the Symbol or Creed of the Apostles. If any one be found who
says that we confess another doctrine, we shall show, if permitted to
do it legally before the regular judges, that he is greatly in error
and deceives others.
_The above Confession of the Waldenses and Albigenses is taken from
Carolus du Moulin’s book of the Monarchy of the French, p. 65. A.
Mell., 2d book, fol. 446, col. 1, 2, 3, from Joh. Crespin. Acta Mart.,
lib. 3. Lancelot du Voisin Poplin. Poplinerii Hist. Franc., lib. 1,
edition 1585, fol 26. Joach. Camer. Hist. Narrat., p. 565. To be found
in Car. Molin’s book, De Manarchia Francorum, in the third volume of
his works, edition Paris, A. D. 1612, part 2, pp. 578, 579, 616, 617.
Also, Jean Paul Perrin, Hist. of the Wald., 1st part, 1st book, cap.
13, pp. 49, 50._
Abraham Mellinus, having noted said confession, in his large work,
says: “Thus far extends the confession of faith of the Waldenses and
Albigenses, from whom those of Merindol and Cabriere have sprung; which
confession we have placed at the close of the twelfth, and in the
beginning of the thirteenth century, in order to anticipate and refute
all the shameful doctrines which have been unjustly imputed, not only
to the Waldenses, as has appeared above, but, particularly, also to the
Albigenses, as though they had been Manicheans.” _Hist. Mart., 2d book,
fol. 446, col. 4._
But who cannot see from the above confession of faith, that it
does not differ in substance from the confession of the Baptists?
notwithstanding A. Mellinus endeavors to draw them to the Calvinists
or so-called Reformed. For, to speak of but a few points, just look at
their confession in the article concerning God; what do the Waldenses
say there? “We believe,” say they, “that there is but one God, who is a
Spirit, the Creator of all things, the Father of all, over and through
or in all things, in us all, who is to be worshiped in spirit and in
truth.” Here certainly no mention is made of three self-existent,
separate persons in the Divine Being. However, by the confession of
the Waldenses in this point, the truth of Father, Son and Holy Ghost
constituting the one God, is not excluded; neither is this done in any
way by the Baptists.
Besides the preceding, consider the article concerning the Son of
God, or of the incarnation of Christ. What is the confession of the
Waldenses in this respect? “We believe,” say they, “that Jesus Christ
is the Son and image of the Father, in whom dwells all the fullness of
the Godhead, by whom we know the Father.” Certainly, nothing is said
here, that the eternal Son of God took his whole humanity, consisting
of body and soul, from the substance of the virgin Mary, and that this
assumed humanity died for us, but that the true, eternal Son of God
remained alive, as the Calvinists say; but as the apostle says: “He
(the man Christ) is the image of the invisible God,” Col. 1:15; and
again: “In him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily,” Col.
2:9, as is also declared in the confession of the Anabaptists.
Further, observe the article of the Waldenses respecting the office
of authority. “We confess,” say they, “that kings, princes, and
magistrates are ordained by the Lord as his ministers, unto whom
obedience ought to be rendered.” But what do they add by way of
explanation, that a Christian may fill such an office, as the
Calvinistic church says? O no; but they say (that we must submit to
it) according to the example of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; for
he paid tribute, but exercised no temporal jurisdiction or dominion,
drawing the sword of the heavenly word in the state of his humiliation;
even as also the Anabaptists confess.
Continuing, notice their article respecting baptism. “We believe,”
say they, “that the water in the sacrament of baptism is an external,
visible sign, representing to us that which the power of God works
within us, namely, the renewing of the spirit and the mortifying of
our flesh in Christ Jesus, by whom we also become members of the holy
church, in which church we show forth the confession of our faith and
the reformation of our life.” Now, notice; is there a single word
said in this whole article, about infant baptism, which latter is
nevertheless so strenuously maintained at the present day, by the
Calvinistic church? O no; but the contrary is sufficiently expressed,
when it is said: “That the water in the sacrament of baptism is an
external, visible sign, representing to us that which the power of God
works within us, namely, the renewing.” For, who does not know, that
infants have no knowledge of this external, visible sign? much less,
that they should understand, that said sign represents to them that
which the power of God should work within them, namely, the renewing?
And, to be brief, how can infants, who have never walked in the old
life, be sealed, by baptism, unto a new life? In said article it is
also said, “That baptism signifies the mortifying of the flesh.” But
how can children be reminded by baptism, that they must mortify the
flesh, who, before baptism, never lived after the flesh? Hence it
follows, that the Waldenses, in this article, did not once, it appears,
think of infant baptism.
Then, A. Mellinus presents certain doctrinal points which, for the most
part unjustly, he says, were imputed, by their adversaries, to the
Albigenses, and, consequently, also to the Waldenses, since they were
one people; they consisted of twenty-eight articles, the first half, or
first fourteen of which, he promptly rejects, saying, after presenting
them: “These are the chief articles with which the Albigenses are
charged by the papists; the first fourteen have been willfully
fabricated, and falsely imputed to them, by their adversaries (which,
we will not dispute); the other fourteen they have, for the most part,
in common with the Waldenses, as well as with us.”
But, beloved reader, what are the contents of these last fourteen
articles which A. Mellinus seems to admit so unequivocally? First of
all, the first article (the fifteenth if we count the preceding ones),
attracts our attention. “They (the Waldenses) overthrow,” says their
accuser, “all the sacraments of the Roman Catholic church, and totally
reject holy baptism (that is, the baptism of infants, for at that time
nothing but infant baptism was known in the Roman church) as useless
and unnecessary; and say that the external water of holy baptism
differs in no respect from the water in the rivers.”
Coming to the article concerning the swearing of oaths, which, reckoned
with the preceding, is the twenty-sixth, it is expressly stated there:
“They teach that it is utterly unlawful to swear.” _A. Mell., same
book, fol. 447, col. 1._
Here it is to be observed, that if these last articles, respecting
baptism and the swearing of oaths are justly imputed to the Waldenses,
which has previously been proved to be true, and is also admitted here
by A. Mellinus; whether those who made this confession, can justly be
reckoned with the Calvinistic church, which, as regards said articles,
has quite a different confession; or whether they may be reckoned
with the church of the Anabaptists, who, as far as these articles are
concerned, agree with their confession; namely, that infant baptism is
useless, and that we ought not to swear in any wise.
As regards the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ, the office of
authority, and other points, it has been said above, that the Waldenses
and Albigenses did not differ from, but much rather, agreed with, the
Anabaptistic Christians.
SOME MORAL PRECEPTS LEFT BY THE WALDENSES TO THE CHURCHES.
We turn again to Jean Paul Perrin, whose testimony regarding matters of
the faith of the Waldenses has, from of old, been very highly esteemed.
Among other things, he gives an account of the precepts which they
left for the building up of a virtuous life; in regard to which, the
following is designed to promote a virtuous and godfearing deportment
towards those that are without. In the _History of the Waldenses
and Albigenses, 3d part, 1st book, 10th chapter, page 153_, we read
literally, in the Waldensian and in the English [_Dutch_, the original
says] tongue, as follows:
_En qual modo le poble se de aver a aquilli guae son
de fora?_
“How shall our intercourse be with those that are
without?”
1. _Non amar lo mond._
We must not love the world.
2. _Fugir la mala consortia._
We must shun evil company.
3. _Si es possible aver paz cum fuit._
We must, if possible, live in peace with all men.
4. _Non contendre en judici._
We must not go to law.
5. _Non veniar si meseine._
We must not avenge ourselves.
6. _Amar li ennemic._
We must love our enemies.
7. _Voler sustenir trabails, calomnias, menasas,
reprovance, vergognas, eriurias, & totas generations
de tormens per la verita._
We must willingly bear labor, calumny,
threats, rejection, shame, injuries, and all kinds of
torment, for the truth’s sake.