252 Thomas à Becket. Cent. 12. serves a place among the faithful servants of Jesus. For want of a more deeided and unequivocal witness. some historians have brought forward Bernard. Indeed the writings of this man, in a great variety, speak the language of a truly evangelical and experimental Christian; but it is to be feared that all this good was borrowed, or what is worse, stolen; for his practice gave all his profession the lie. Bernard could work miracles, burn heretics, promise success in the name of God to the crusades, and in every thing he sought the aggrandizement of the papal see. In Bernard the famous Abelard* found a formidable antagonist: which, in a moral point of view, was the best man, is difficult to say. So desirable was the papal chair, that great was the struggling among the cardinals for the possession of it, and often it happened that two rival popes, at the same time, were elected to it. Peace never reigned long amid furious ecclesiastics. seeking every one his gain from his quarter; and it is really wonderful how the papacy managed to keep all the temporal powers united to its interest. A striking instance of the domination of the Roman bishop, and the servile imbecility of an English monarch, we have in the matter of Thomas à Becket, archbishop of Canterbury. Henry the Second making some regulations in his kingdom, by which he was supposed to infringe upon the prerogatives of the elergy, Becket took fire, and in the most insolent and arrogant manner opposed the king. Some of the courtiers, incensed at the temerity of the priest, resolved upon vengeance, which they effected by assassinating him while This is the Abelard exhibited by Pope in his poetical writings. Chap. 1. The Carmelites. 253 before the altar at evening prayers. The blame of this murder was of course cast upon Henry, and after long debate, the king was obliged to humble, by submitting to a severe flagellation, performed by the monks at Becket's tomb, and to acknowledge himself and successors the most humble servants of the pope. In this century great addition was made to the monkish orders, a class of reputed churchmen, already overgrown, and by far the vilest of mankind. But these mightily assisted St. Peter, and therefore their increase and support were a matter of great moment. A particular account of these several orders would be foreign to the purpose in hand. The institution of the Carmelites is worthy of notice, only to shew the sad spirit of the times. These boasted of the prophet Elijah as their founder, and asserted that Jonah, Micaiah, Elisha, Obadiah, were of the monastery of Carmel, and that Obadiah's wife was the first abbess. The bald head of Elisha too was called in to sanetion the practice of shaving the crown. How exceedingly low must have been the state of the human mind, when such gross impositions and stupid inventions, could pass for the religion of Jesus Christ! Rites and ceremonies, by this time, were enormous; the list of canonized saints was swelled to an amazing bulk, and the Virgin Mary had so obtained with the people, that the worship of God and the gospel of Jesus were out of sight, and out of mind. X CHAPTER II. Oppositions to the prevailing Superstitions-Catheri THINGS were now carried to such a pitch by the church lords, that no sober enlightened mind could look on, without sighing for reformation. The abominations of the catholic church were too prevalent, and too obvious to be any longer borne by men of piety and honesty: thus all who would have an opinion of their own were under the necessity of becoming reformers and protestants. Not that we can justify, upon the principles of the New Testament, all and every thing advanced by those who opposed the prevailing superstitions; nor is it indeed likely, that men just emerging out of such thick darkness should be able to discern objects around them with all that clearness common to those in the habit of using their visive faculties in open daylight. Hence we shall find it necessary to exercise our candour while we attend to the various sentiments of those who waxed bold enough to dispute with holy father, and ventured to assert their right to think, and to think differently too, from the keepers of the keys of both future worlds. This period brought into notice a sect called Massalians or Euchites, both of which names signify praying persons. These declared against the formality and willworship of the day, and gave themselves up to a retired and contemplative life. Whether these were a branch of the Mystics, or of the Paulicians, or of both combin Chap. 2. Peter de Bruys. 255 ed is difficult to determine. They were charged by their enemies with holding dangerous errors: but it seems most probable that their greatest error lay in a deep-rooted dislike to the papacy. As these different seets saw fit to dissent from the church catholic, so they on their own principles had an equal right to dissent from each other. From the Euchites sprang another branch of troubles to the priestly government, called Bogomiles, or crying for merey. Basilius, the leader of this sect, was put to death for his reputed heresies; but whether his doctrine was as dangerous as enemies represent, is hard to say, for the judgment of the papal authority is a poor criterion. The Catheri, or Puritans, distinguished themselves by two grand testimonies to their honour; the soundness of their doctrines, and the purity of their lives: but they were avowed protesters against the popedom, for which they felt the power and the fury of St. Bernard, and of others round the papal chair. Some of this sect suffered severely in England. By the order of Henry the Second, they were burned in the forehead with a hot iron, whipped through Oxford, had their clothes cut off by their girdles, and turned into the opeu fields, uone being allowed to succour them, they perished with cold and hunger. Peter de Bruys, in Provence, appeared at the head of another sect, who after him were called Petrobrusians. Peter lost his life in the propagation of his doctrines; but his followers were not thereby silenced; they continued to exclaim against popery, purgatory, transubstantiation, and other like innovations. Many others might be noticed, some more pure, and some more corrupt, in their sentiments, who inveighed against the ruling abominations; but the most remark 256 Peter Waldo. Cent. 12. able, and worthy of a place in this chapter, was the renowned PETER WALDO, a very respectable citizen and opulent merchant of Lyons. His conversion to God was occasioned by the sudden death of a friend, upon which he betook himself to the study of the scriptures: finding in them the way of salvation, he longed to be the instrument of teaching others also; but the saered word was locked up from the common people in an unknown tongue. This unhappy circumstance Waldo resolved to remove as far as his influence might reach. Accordingly, with the help of a priest, he produced a French translation of the four gospels, and some other books of the New Testament. This work not only contributed greatly to confirm him in his hatred to the papal system, but also gave him an enlarged opportunity of instructing others. He relinquished his profession as a merchant, and distributed his wealth among the poor. Devoting himself to the ministry of the word, disciples soon flocked around him, and congregations were formed. The archbishop of Lyons becoming uneasy by these attempts of the reformer, forbad him to teach and to preach any more, on pain of excommunication; but Waldo's heart was in the work, and the hearts of many others, through his medium, were brought under a like bias. He therefore resolutely held on his way, and through: the instrumentality of this great man, numerous societies were formed in various parts of the kingdom. After such indefatigable labour for the space of three years, Lyons was no longer a place of safety. Waldo fled into Dauphiny, and many of his adherents with him; so that by the means of persecution, as in old times, the word of the Lord was abundantly more extended and propagated. The contiguity of Dauphiny to the vallies of Piedmont rendered the escape of this apostle thither |