ON THE

FOEDERAL TRANSACTIONS

1

WHICH OBTAINED IN THE

REFORMED CHURCHES ABROAD.

D

1

URING the reign of Antichrist, the Witnesses of Jesus prophefied in sackcloth, and were driven into corners; nevertheless he still referved unto himself a feed to do him service in the world. It were a task sufficiently worth while, to attend unto their Teftimony, on the one hand; and unto. the image of divine ordinances, which the Man of Sin substituted in the place of Chrift's institutions, on the other hand: As also to trace this corruption unto its genuine fource; but these things require more room than can be spared in this treatise.-I. I shall furvey the Testimony of the Waldenfes and Bohemian brethren, who were a noble prelude of the Reformation.-II. I shall specify some of the most remarkable Federal Tranfactions which gbtained in the Reformed Churches themselves. FIRST,

:

FIRST, I shall survey the TESTIMONY of the Waldenfes and Bohemian brethren. The origin of the former has been involved in much obfcurity among ecclefiaftic hiftorians: And a variety of circumstances have precluded me from investigating it with that care which the subject demands. I shall follow the narrative of Archbishop USHER, who understood the fubject as well as any man in his own, or our age; along with the account of F. Spanheim, F. F. and fuch authors as the reader shall find referred to in the notes. The most certain monuments respecting them, find them, in the twelfth century, associated under PETER WALDO, a wealthy merchant of Lyons, who gave up his secular employment and commenced Divine, who tranflated, or caused to be tranflated, the holy Scriptures into the vulgar language; that is, both the Old and New Testament. This is a fufficient refutation of the Popish calumny, by which they are accused of the errors of the Manichees, in reprobating the Old Testament: Yea, a certain inquifitor acknowlegeth, that "the vulgar among them had the greater part of the Old and New Testaments by heart *." I find two fummaries of their faith preferved by USHER: One of them directed against the Church of Rome, and the other against the abominations of the Manichees, as in favour of the whole Christian system. According to

* REINERUS De Harefi Waldenfium, cap. iii.

the

the history of Eneas Sylvius, in USHER *, the doctrines of this church are,

"THE Pope of Rome is on a level with every other bithop.

THERE is no difference among Priefts; and Prefbyters are not of different degrees, on account of dignity in office; but only of usefulness and purity of life.

- WHEN fouls depart out of their bodies, they go immediately, either into eternal punisliment or eternal joy.

THERE is no such thing as the fire of Purgatory.

PRAYER for the dead is vanity; and the mere invention of facerdotal avarice.

IMAGES of God and Saints are to be demolished.

THE benedictions of Water and Palm-trees. are mere folly.

THE Devils invented the Religion of the Mendicants.

PRIESTS should not be rich; but content with the contributions of the people.

EVERY person should have access to the free preaching of the Gospel.

No Sin ought to be tolerated, though for avoiding greater evil.

He who is guilty of any capital offence

ought to enjoy neither Secular nor Ecclefiaftic Dignity, neither ought he to be obeyed.

POPISH Confirmation, Chrism, Extrenie Unction, are by no means facraments.

AURICULAR CONFESSION is mere trifling: It is enough for perfons to confess their fins to God, in their closets.

BAPTISM to be received by water, without the mixture of oil.

CONSECRATED Burial-places are vain; being invented merely for the fake of gain : And it is of no importance what kind of dust cover the human body after it is dead.

THE Temple of the Omnipresent God is the whole world; and they limit his Majesty, who confine his prefence to confecrated churches, monafteries, and oratories, which they build unto him; as if the divine goodness may be found more propitious in them than any where else.

SACERDOTAL Vestments and Veffels are of no ufe.

A PRIEST may confecrate the facranient of Christ's Body at any time, and in any place; and it is fufficient to say the words of institution.

THE Prayers of such Saints as are reigning with Christ in heaven are fought in vain; nei ther can they help, in any cafe.

IT is mere fpending of time to chant Prayers in certain canonical hours, and at other times to neglect that duty.

THERE

THERE is no day in which perfons should cease from labour, but the Lord's Day.

THE Feasts of the Saints are to be rejected. THE Fafts appointed by the Church have no merit *."

:

THE ancient monuments, collected by the Centuriators Madeburgienfes, add to the above

"THE highest authority, in Articles of Faith, is in the holy Scriptures; for which cause they are to be the rule of judginent, and whatever does not agree with them muft be rejected.

FATHERS and Councils are to be approved of only as far as they agree with the word of

God.

THE Reading and Knowledge of the holy Scriptures belong unto all men, whether priest or people; and it is not only free, but neceffa ry; yea, they ought rather to read the Apostles and Prophets than the commentaries of men on them.

THERE are only two Sacraments in the Church of Christ; namely, Baptifm and the Lord's Supper: Christ instituted both kinds (both the bread and wine) for the use of both prieft and people.

* USHER De Successione Chriftianaruin Eccl. p. 189.

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