Thieleman J. van Braght · 36 of 210
Twelfth Century · Part 2
"When he had thus for some time, done muchgood to the poor, and was becoming the longer the more zealous to learn, as well as to teach others, the people also came to him more and more; he therefore began to present to them, not his own ideas, but the holy Scriptures, and to expound and explain the same in the common French language.
"But the bishop and the prelates, who, as Christ says, have the key of heaven, and yet do not go in themselves, nor will suffer bthers to enter, were greatly vexed that this (in their opinion) unlearned and common man, should bring the holy Scriptures into the vernacular langdage, and expound the same, and that already great numbers came into his house, whom he instructed and admonished.
"However, he was greatly in earnest, to promote both the honor of God and the salvation of men; and the people were so eager for the Word of God, which, in the churches, was not preached pure, nor publicly, that they could not be turned away by the command of these papistic and high priests; hence, both the teacher and those taught said, that one ought to obey God rather than men.
"Waldo therefore resolved, notwithstanding the commands of the wicked, to sustain the hungry Christians not only with his temporal living, which, owing to the liberal distribution, decreased day by day, but also with the Word of God, and good instructions and admonitions; and since the prelates, by tyranny and unchristian decrees, sought to suppress and exterminate the simDle and true Dreaching of the Word of God, sufficient reason was thus given to Waldo and his adherents, to inquire the more diligently into the religion and intentions of the priests, and to speak the more boldly against them.
"The contest with the priests becoming the longer the more violent, more confusions and superstitions were discovered in the papistic religion, and attacked. At this time Waldo also read, in the vernacular, certain testimonies from the writings of the fathers, with which he defended his own not only with the holy Scriptures, but also with the testimonies of the ancients, against the enemies of the truth.
"When the bishop with his papistic and scribes saw with what constancy Waldo and his adherents taught the Word of God, and were pained, that their own infamy, ignorance, and fickleness in doctrine, and other adsurdities, were attacked by Waldo and his followers, they excommunicated them one and all. Not long afterwards, perceiving that also by excommunication they could not be deterred from their purpose, they relegated them into misery, persecuted them with imprisonment, the sword, and fire, and treated them very atrociously, in order that they might be compelled, on account of the existing distress and danger, to remove from Lyons and disperse into various countries.
"It is presumable, that the congregations of Waldo, or some of them, whom he taught at Lyons, were there for four or five years, until they were utterly driven away from that city; for Waldo was a man of powerful abilities, and is said to have had many relatives, and, hence, could not be checked or suppressed in a trice; besides, he did not immediately, at the beginning, attack the priests of the pope.
"Finally, these godly people were proceeded against with great fury, throughout Christendom; they were sent hither and thither by the inquisitors; for which we have to thank those atrocious wolves that go about in sheep's clothing, and call themselves monks." Bapt. Hist., pages 601-4, front Matt. Flacc.
Claude de Rubis relates, that Waldo and his followers were completely expelled from Lyons; while Albert de Capitaneis says, that they could not be expelled entirely. We have not been able to ascertain anything further about this first persecution, save that the Waldenses, so called after Waldo, after escaping from Lyons, followed him, and then dispersed, in different bands, into various countries. Balthas. Lydius, History of the Waldenses, printed at Dortrecht, 1624, 1st book of the first part, cap. 1, page 3, col. 1, front Claud. de Rub. Hist., p. 269. Albert de Cap., book of the origin of the Waldenses, page 1.
NOTE. Peter Blesensus, a learned man, well known by his writings, taught, A. D. 1167, that Rome was the true Babylon of which John has prophesied; that the.officials of the Roman court were genuine harpies, and the priests, true calves of Bethel, priests of Baal, Egyptian idols, and that at Rome everything could be had for money. Chron. van den Onderg., page 479, col. 1, from Merula, fol. 767.
About A. D. 1170. For the year 1160, we gave an account of Peter Waldo and his , as well as of his having brought many who sat in the darkness of popery, to the light of the holy Gospel. It is stated of these people, that in doctrine, faith, and life they were like the Apostolics, of whom we made mention for the year 1155, and stated, that they were opposed to infant baptism, purgatory, etc. The rise of these people, called Waldenses and Albigenses, is fixed about A. D. 1170, that is, ten years after Peter Waldo began to teach them; which matters shall hereafter be treated more fully and circumstantially. Compare Bapt. Hist., page 599, with Nietigh., page. 85; also, Introduction to the Martyrs" Mirror, fol. 50, col. 1, 2, (although the principal rising of said people is there fixed A. D. 1176) from Bar. in Chron., A. D. 1176, num. 1, 2, 3.
NOTE. It appears from several ancient writers, that the Waldenses, or, at least, people who held the same belief, existed long before the year 1170, yea, before 1160; seeing that already in the year 1160 they had increased to such an extent, that they were summoned to Rome before a synod, and were condemned there as obstinate heretics. Johan. de Oppido. The same occurred A. D. 1164, in the synod of Tours, Bapt. Hist., p. 676. Hence, when their beginning is fixed A. D. 1170, this must not be understood Of their origin, but of their rising, progress, and greatest prosperity.
OF THE DISPERSION AND THE VARIOUS NAMES OF
THE WALDENSES, OR FOLLOWERS OF PETER
WALDO
When Peter Waldo with his adherents, through the cruel hatred of the papists, had to leave the city of Lyons, on account of his faith, they became distributed and scattered into different parts of the world, and, hence, received various appellations, with regard to the places where they resided, as well as with regard to their faith, and to the accusations brought against them, especially by the Romanists.
In the History of the Waldenses, by D. Balthasar Lydius, 1st book of the first part, cap. 3, page 4, col. 2, and page 5, col. 1, the following account is found of the various names of said people
"They, in the first place, called them Waldenses, after Waldo, who was a citizen of Lyons: and, after the district of Albi, they called them Albigenses.
' , And because those who adhered to the doctrine of Waldo, left Lyons, stripped of all human means, having had to leave behind the most of their goods, they were derisively called, The Poor Men of Lyons."
"In Dauphine they were by way of derision called Chaignards, that is, Dogs.
"Also because a part of them crossed the Alps, they were called Transnwntani.
"After Joseph, one of Waldo's disciples who preached in the bishopric of Dije, Lower Dauphine, they were called Josephists.
"In England they were called Lollards, after Lollardus, one of those who preached there.
"After two priests, Henry and Esperon, who taught the doctrine of Waldo in Languedoc, they were called Henricians and Esperonists.
"After Arnold, one of their pastors or teachers, who preached in Albigeois, they were called Arnoldists.
"In Province they were called, in an unknown tongue, Siccars.
"In Italy they were called Fratricellii, that is, Little Brothers, because they lived like brothers in true unity.
"Also, as they observed no other day of rest or holiday, than Sunday, they were styled Insabbathi or Insabbathas, that is, Sabbathless, or not observing .
"Because they were continually subject to, and underwent sufferings, they were called Patarins or Patariens, that is, Suferers, from the Latin word pati, to suffer.
"Because they, as poor wanderers, fled and traveled from country to country, they were termed Passagenes, that is, Travelers or Vagrants.
"In Germany they were called Gazares, which signifies, Accursed and Abominable; but thus the pope of Rome has always been accustomed to call those who oppose the Roman faith.
"In Flanders they were called Turilu¢ini, that is, Dwellers with Wolves, because, on account of persecution, they were often compelled to hide and live in wildernesses and forests, in close proximity t0 Wolves.
"Sometimes they were named after the region or district where they lived, as Albigenses, from Albi; Toulousians, from Toulouse; Lombards, from Lombardy; Picards, from Picardy; Lyonists, from Lyons; Bohemians, from Bohemia."
Thereafter, the origin and cause of said names, according to Jean Paul Perrin Lyonnois, who has noted the same, is further explained by D. Balthasar Lydius, in his treatise on the Various names of the Waldenses, 3d chapter of Perrin, from page 48, col. 1, to page 82, col. 2; in which the true innocence and unrightness of said people, though they were sometimes called bad names, is demonstrated in all simplicity and clearness.
But that nothing may be wanting here, we will, for additional information, subjoin several other names of the Waldenses, passed over by B. Lydius (from J. P. Perrin), but mentioned by Abr. Mellinus, in his History of the Persecutions and Martyrs, for A. D. 1619, fol. 449, col. 3, 4, by misprint, but, properly, fol. 439, col. 3, 4, and some of them, further exnlained. For, among other thins, he writes there, that said people were also "called Catharists, that is, Heretics, because they were called heretics by their opponents.
"They were called , because they were compared by the Romanists to or open sinners.
"From the Latin word lolium, signifying weed, they were called Lollards; though, as stated above, this name was also given them from Lollardus, a teacher; however, they were likened to lolium, a weed that grows among the corn, because they, (the papists said) ought to be rooted out like the tares from among the corn; this name they also retained in Germany, Sarmatia, Livonio," etc.
"They were called Runcari because they lived near Runcalia, not far from Piacenza.
"They were called Barrini, from Mount Barrio of Barian, a place in the district of Crema, in Italy. Also Cotterellos, because they lived on the mountains known as the Cottian Alps. They were also called Comists, because they lived in the city of Como, in Italy.
"In Germany they were called Grubenheimer, that is, Cave dwellers, because necessity compelled them to live underground, in pits and caves.
"In France they were termed Texerants, that is, Weavers, because there were many weavers among them."
These and similar names have been given the Waldenses in former times; which we have deemed necessary to notice briefly, in order that the readers, in the sequel of our history, whenever these or similar persons are spoken of, may know who and of what belief they were.
OF THE WALDENSES WHO IN ALL RESPECTS WERE
OF ONE BELIEF WITH THE BAPTISTS (ALSO
CALLED ANABAPTISTS); OF WHOM WE
SHALL SPEAK THROUGHOUT OUR
ACCOUNT
Although Peter Waldo, from whom the Waldenses derived their name, was enkindled with a true zeal for the divine and evangelical truth; yea, so that in the beginning very many, through his doctrine and life, burned as with a heavenly fire, and were zealous with him for God and the pure truth; yet not all remained steadfast in the truth; which appears to have been caused from their being dispersed into different countries and becoming separated from one another, by reason of the persecutions.
Some were also called Waldenses though they had no fellowship with them, and never were true brethren with these people.
Others, though they had once been members of that church, had joined themselves to others, thus forsaking, either from fear of death, or for some other reason, their former confession, especially in the article of the and patience of Jesus.
Others, notwithstanding that they filled offices. vea, even engaged in war, were sometimes. though perversely, as shall be shown in the proper place, called Waldenses or Albigenses; only (as can be inferred) for the reason, that some Waldenses or Albigenses lived under their protection, who were tolerated by connivance, or otherwise countenanced by them.
We shall therefore pass over all those concerning whom there is evidence that they only bore the name of Waldenses, but were not such in deed; and turn to those of whom ancient history testifies that they confirmed the name by the deed in faith as well as in doctrine.
Sebastian Franck, in Chron. van de Ord. en Sect. tier Rom., fol. 153, col. 3, writes, that the Waldenses were divided into two, or, as some maintain, three divisions, one of which, in all points, held the same tenets with the Anabaptists (Baptists), having all things in common. They baptize no infants, and do not believe at all in the presence of the Lord's body in the . A little before this, he says: "They invoke no or creatures, but only God. They do not swear at all, yea, they regard this as improper for a Christian. They also have no images, and do not bow before or worship them. They allege, that the ought not to be worshiped, but Christ, at the right hand of His Father, and God, in Spirit and in truth. They suffer no beggars among them, but help and assist each other as brethren." See concerning them, Seb. Franck, Chron. Rom. Ketter, fol. 121, col. 2. Introduction, page 50, col. 2. H. Mont. Nietigh., page 86, Jac. du Bois contra Montanum, page 158.
These are the true Waldenses, whom we have chosen, and who shall be the aim of our whole account.
HOW THE WALDENSES WERE CALLED ANABAPTIST
BY THE ROMANISTS THEMSELVES
This is stated by Jacob Mehrning in different places. after he has declared, upon the testimony of ancient writers, that they were called by the peculiar names of those who were previously already termed Anabaptists. "From Berengarius," says he, (Ba¢t. Hist., page 666), "they were called Berenearians; from Peter de Bruis, Petrobrusians; from Henry. Henricians; from the apostles, Apostolics; from Peter Waldo, Waldenses, and so forth. Among us Germans," he writes (p¢. 695, 696), "the papist, Lutheran, and pedobaptists hill contemptuously call them Anabaptists; in the Netherlands they are called Mennists, from Menno Simons. one of their principal teachers."
Thus, according to this testimony, the ancient Waldenses agreed in faith not only with Berengarius, Peter Bruis, Henry Tholossanus, and the Apostolics, of whom we have given an account before; but also with the Mennonites or Baptists of the present day, who by nearly all the rest in socalled Christendom are stigmatized with the contemptuous appellation of Anabaitists, even as their former brethren, the above mentioned waldo were called by those from whom they were separated, namely, the papists.
On pages 677 and 678, these Waldenses are several times called Anabaptists, with the statement, that long before the time of John Huss, they lived in Poland and Bohemia, as well as in France, as is noted in that place. From Hagecus, Dubravius, Micchovius, Cromerus, Jacob Usserius, Jounetus, M. Glaneus, Keyser's Car. Edict.
It is true, that by some of said papistic authors these people are represented in a very bad light, with regard to their faith, as well as their life; however, the writer of the History of Baptism refutes said representation, saying (p. 679, from M. Flaccius and Cent. Magd.), that they were slandered by their accusers, and that in doctrine and life they were very pious, orthodox, and godly Christians.
Although we might stop here, as having sufficiently proved, that the ancient Waldenses were one people with the Baptists of the present day, yet, since this is a much assailed point, we will add, for further confirmation, a few more testimonies from papistic writers. Abbot Peter Cluniacensis, in the first article of Peter Bruis and Henry Tholossanus, makes mention of the belief of the Waldenses, and says, that "they (with said two men) denied that infants in the years of their irrationality can be saved by the baptism of Christ, and maintained, that the faith of another cannot help them, because they cannot use their own faith." Hence, they said: "Though the infants are baptized by the papists, yet, since they cannot believe, their infancy preventing them, they are by no means saved by baptism. But we choose a proper time of faith, and do not rebaptize men, as is alleged against us, since they know their God, and are prepared to believe on Him; but we then baptize them aright, lest it might be said, that they are rightly baptized, who, though baptized in infancy, are not baptized with the baptism by which sin is washed away." This the Waldenses are wont to say, says the writer. Bapt. Hist., page 687.
The writer of the History of Baptism makes the following comments on the twelfth of the Magdeburg Centuries, ¢Q. 428, 429: "Concerning the origin of the Waldenses, who sprung from Peter Waldo, Mellinus relates all that has been given above from Flaccius. Hence it came, that all his disciples, followers and adherents were at that time called Anabaptists by the malicious papists; and also, Poor Men of Lyons, of which name they needed not to be ashamed for Christ's sake, who also, for our sakes, became poor, that through His poverty He might make us rich. But when they subsequently, through persecution, became dispersed from France into other countries, as England, Poland, Livonia, etc., other names were given them." B. H., ¢. 695.
Here it is expressly stated that the Waldenses, from ancient times were designated by the papists by the name of ~nahantists • doubtless because they baptized those who had been baptized in their infancy again, or, at least, aright, afterwards, when they had attained to the faith; for these are words of the Waldenses themselves, as has been shown above. Moreover, that said people were scattered from France not only into England, Poland, and Livonia, but also into many other countries, yea, almost over the whole known world, has previously been proved in part, and shall hereafter, if necessary, be demonstrated still more fully.
Ba¢t. Hist., page 710. D. Vicecomes (lib. 2, cap. 2), gives evidence from, Bernhard, that the Waldenses were anabaptists, as the ungodly now call the Christian baptists (the Baptists), who did not believe in infant baptism.
It is certainly clearly and plainly said, that the Waldenses were anabaptists, or, at least, that they were called by that name; the reason why is also shown, namely, because they, like the Baptists of the present day, did not believe in infant baptism.
Jacob Mehrning, having noted that the Waldenses were called anabaptists, says (¢. 696)
"But their right, proper, and true name is, and should be, by rights, Christians and Christianba¢tists; because they, according to the command and of Christ, baptized none but those who, according to Christ's baptismal , know Christ from His holy Gospel, believe on Him, and upon such faith, are rightly baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the ."
VARIOUS TESTIMONIES THAT THE WALDENSES RE
JECTED INFANT BAPTISM
In Jacob Mehrning's History of Baptism there is introduced the testimony of Reinerius, in former times a priest of the order of Dominicans, who lived in and about the time of the rise of the Waldenses, and who gives the following with regard to their belief: "T~ey (the Waldenses) say, that the washing of baptism given to infants is of no use." See concerning this, Bibliotheca Patrum, Tom. 13, page 300. Also, H. Montan. Nietigh., page 86, which also agrees with the confession that jean Paul Perrin relates in his History of the Waldenses, art. 7.
On pages 618 and 619, several articles are quoted from a very ancient book, which, in papistic manner, are to them as errors, though they spoke correctly and according to truth with regard to them.
1. They reject all the of the church (that is, as they were administered according to the Romish custom).
2. Of the of holy baptism they say, that the questions of the catechism .are put in vain [that is, to infants, who do not comprehend such questions, and do not have the ability to reply to them; whereby they sufficiently rejected infant baptism, which it was not customary to administer without putting said questions to the unintelligent infants.]
3. That the absolution which is pronounced over infants (at baptism) is useless.
4. That the sponsors (who were accustomed to recite the creed as out of the child's mouth) do not understand what they answer to the priests.
By the fourth as well as the third article, not only is infant baptism itself abolished, but also its appurtenances of absolution and sponsors are derided and declared a vain, useless, and ridiculous performance. But in the first article already, where it is said, that they rejected all the of the (Roman) church, among which infant baptism was not one of the least, but one of the chief ones; it is plainly taught, that they did not believe at all in infant baptism, but like other ancient papal institutions, trampled it under their feet and rejected it.
From said ancient book, which is ascribed to Reinerius, the Waldenses are charged with various other things respecting their faith; of which, in the ninth and tenth charge, the following is said with reference to baptism (page 629, art. 9): "As regards baptism, some (he means the Waldenses) err, saying: `Infants are not saved by baptism, Mark 16:16. But he that believes and is baptized, shall be saved; but the child does not believe, and, hence, is not saved (by baptism).' Thereupon the priest Reinerius replies: `The child is baptized upon the faith of the parents;' ergo."
Art. 10 confirms the preceding; only it treats also of something more, namely, of the imposition of hands, which was customarily done among the Waldenses, at baptism, to the adult candidates. They also reprove therein the practice which the priests had, of interrogating the sponsors who would come with children to baptism, in an unknown tongue, to which the sponsors then replied, without knowing, however, what they had been asked. This the Waldenses also take as a reason for rejecting infant baptism and the pedobaptistic superstitions. However, to this, said Reinerius replies: "Suffer little children to come unto me." Matt. 19.
On page 733, de Centuria XIII, cap. 5, fol. 216, 217, it is stated from Cesarius, that the Waldenses and Albigenses rejected baptism and said that baptism possessed no virtue and was of no use; which they understood of infant baptism, which is administered without doctrine and faith; for otherwise the Waldenses esteemed the baptism of Christ, which is administered according to his , very highly.
P. J. Twisck, beginning to write of the Waldenses for the year 1100, calls them by the name of Brethren, and says that they opposed infant baptism. His words are these: "It is evident from the writers, that in these times and shortly after, there existed the Waldensian or Albigensian Brethren, who opposed the papal errors and infant baptism." Chron.. baae 423, col. 1.
This is confirmed by the writers of the Introduction to the Martyrs' Mirror, page 50, eol. 1, who say, With, or from, Baronius, that among other things they held that infant baptism is not necessary to salvation.
We finally come to the testimony of jean Paul Perrin Lionnoys, who, according to the translation of B. Lydius, also confirms the foregoing, although the translator, Lydius, as well as J. M. V., after the manner of pedobaptists has endeavored to give said belief of the Waldenses a different appearance; however, it will appear sufficiently from the matter itself, who has been the more honest, the author or the translator. We will therefore enter upon our work and commit this to the judgment of the reader.
In the third chapter of the first book of the His;tory of the Waldenses, various things of which the papists accused the Waldenses are related, some of which were true, and some false. Among them, mention is made of their views against infant baptism, which is expressed in these words: "The fourth calumny was, that they rejected infant baptism." Lib. 1, part 1, Hist. Waldenses, cap. 3, page 6, col. 1, from St. Bernh., Horn. 66 on Cant.
These things, B. Lydius (page 10) endeavors to refute, as though the Waldenses deferred the baptism of their children, not in consequence of their belief, but from necessity through want of teachers; in which he agrees with his colleague, Abraham Mellinus, preacher of the , in St. Anthony's Polder; who, remarking that various writers testify that the Waldenses left their children unbaptized, says (Hist. Mart. 435, col. 3)
"That the children of the Waldenses often got to be rather old, before they could receive baptism, was not a voluntary matter on their part, but was owing to the lack of teachers; for the harvest among them was great, but the laborers few, who could administer the , especially baptism, which they held in great esteem. Hence, as their ministers were frequently scattered far and wide, through the violence of persecution, or had gone into other countries to preach, they were often compelled to postpone the baptism of their children, .and thus it happened that their children not seldom got to be almost of age, before they could obtain baptism." Thus far, A. Mellinus.
But who does not see, that this is only a fabrication, yea, an artifice, by which not only Lydius, but also Mellinus, both strong , seek to force it upon the Waldenses that they omitted infant baptism not as a matter of faith, but of necessity. For, that they needed not to omit it from necessity, or through want of teachers who administered baptism, if, otherwise they had held infant baptism to be right, appears from various authors; for they had their churches, which could not well be without teachers, not only in kingdoms, principalities, earldoms, and provinces, but even in nearly every city, as we shall show more, fullyin the proper place. Who, then, can believe, that they from necessity, through want of teachers, left their children unbaptized, yea, suffered them to grow up until they became of age, without baptism?
It is evident, therefore, that they did not leave their children unbaptized from necessity or through want of teachers, but because of their belief; as holding that baptism without faith could not conduce to salvation, as is manifest from the confessions which they professed in those times already. Thus both B. Lydius and A. Mellinus have committed no small blunder, in endeavoring to force infant baptism upon the Waldenses, of which they apparently never thought in such a light, and to deprive them of baptism upon faith, which they had confessed so many times.
But, as the compass, though its point be turned East, West, or South, ultimately returns to North; so it is also with the truth: though she be forced from her proper place, she will eventually return to it. This is the case here; for, said translator, who first intended to prove, that the Waldenses administered baptism not only upon faith, but also without faith, to infants, states in another place, that it was always administered with faith and . For, what else is indicated by the words, that they received the (that is, not only the Supper, but also baptism) with.faith and , and this invariably? as is stated in the first book of the third part of the History of the Waldenses, cap. 9, page 138, col. 1, art. 8.
If, then, not only the second, but also the first , as it is called, namely baptism, is received with faith and , it cannot be said that it was administered to infants, seeing these have neither knowledge nor ability either to believe, or to manifest , and, hence, lack the whole foundation upon which baptism was administered by the Waldenses.
In the tract of the Waldenses, as to which are the works of antichrist, several reproaches against the pope of Rome and the Roman church are treated of; among other things, it is said, after the second article has been treated: "The third work of antichrist consists in this, that he ascribes the renewing of the to the external, dead faith (namely, to the creed which the sponsors used to recite at baptism, as from the mouth of the children), and that he baptizes the children in that faith, pretending that by it baptism and rezeneration must be obtained." History of the Waldenses, 3d book, 3d part. Tract aqainst Antichrist, Art. 3, page 162, eol. 1, page 163, col. 2.
In another place there is quoted, from Reinerius, this accusation against the Waldenses: "They also censure many things in the (papal) , and say that the baptism of infants is of no avail to them." B. Lydius, Tractaet van de Kerke, page 86, col. 1.
Having, then, sufficiently proved, that the true Waldenses were not only called Anabaptists, but that thev also actnallv reiected infant baptism. we will proceed to other articles of their doctrine, which they had in common with the present Baptists.*
THE BELIEF OF THE ANCIENT WALDENSES RE;
SPECTING THE OFFICE OF THE SECULAR
AUTHORITY
It is altogether manifest, that the true Waldenses, in their beginning as well as in their progress, did not accept of secular power and authority, but forsook, yea, fled from it. This appears, in the first place, from those who were the originators, or at least, no insignificant representatives of their religion, namely, Peter Waldo and John of Lyons, both of them influential and very wealthy men, who voluntarily abandoned their riches, and taught their followers to do likewise to resign not only authority, but also the means which furnished occasion thereto, and to be content with such things as might be needful to them for a modest and sober manner of life. For this reason they were called not only Waldenses, but also Poor Men of Lyons. See Bapt. Hist., page 599. H. Mont., page 85.