mittee, where a cle
and influence wa

is a holy man of God; there is a reality in religion."

were called

Wherefore, brethren, walk as judiced again ple.

"becometh the gospel of Christ,"

of this

remembering that he gave him- neighbo cie

self for us, that he might redeem
unto himself a peculiar people,
zealous of good works."
out your own salvation with fear
and trembling; for it is God

do all
imped

the government they believed it to according to apose, in bishops, elders, ns; but they denied se officers were to be exabove their brethren; afning, that they, like the apos

"Work pag

there

p

that worketh in you to will antles, should be unlettered, not to do of his own good pleasu "And ye, beloved, buildir yourselves on your mo faith, praying in the He keep yourselves in God, looking for our Lord Jesus C nal life." Whitchurch, S

rich, nor powerful; but earning

the their support by any secular emNether-ployment, or by daily labour.

RELIGI

To the

ST

low

ab'

R

p

was

"From this history of the old

es ofther points of be- Dutch Waldenses, as they existed

Waldenses,

od to adhere red scriptures,

they

in the twelfth century, and from

only to the the doctrines they held at that

res rejecting the time, and during the following thority of the fathers, and ec- centuries, we see what a striking desoustical synods, and of the similarity there existed between

and owning no

Pope;
ative of Christ on

represent

earth.

They

them and the ancient and later Dutch Baptists, whose existence

mus, Verdussen, Cligny, and

"In the beginning of the six

maintained, that all the brethren and doctrines are so well known. were equal; and that each had a It must, however, be admitted, right to exhort for edification, that there is no reference to bapand to reprove another in the tism in any of the confessions of stantiation and confession to a theless it is indisputable that the church. They rejected transub-faith of the Waldenses. Neverpriest, declaring that salvation Dutch Waldenses rejected the only to be obtained by faith baptism of children, and applied would not purchase salvation; This is maintained by Hieronyin Christ; and that good works the ordinance to adults alone. the confirmation and evidence of other Roman catholic writers. but that works were necessary as faith, and as obedience to the will of God. Religion, they said, teenth century, the Dutch Walwas not confined to time or place; denses, or as they were then but that it was proper to meet on called, the Anabaptists, perceivthe first day of the week to ho-ing that many learned men exnour God; it was duty to preach posed the ignorance, errors, and and hear the pure gospel, to ho- superstition of the people, no nour the Saviour, (but not to do longer hid themselves, but began homage to saints,) to observe the dissemination of purer reliboth the sacraments, &c. They gious knowledge, that they might professed to adhere rigidly to the annihilate, as far as possible, the scheme of christian morals laid power of the Romish superstition. down by our Saviour in his ser- They were so successful in drawmon on the mount; hence they ing persons to baptism from the judged it to be improper to bear Roman communion, that the civil arms; to resist injustice even by rulers issued strict orders against a legal process, or to take an their persons; who, however, still

oath. From this they were called the yea and nay people.

of the twelfth century, fled into
Flanders, and into the provinces
of Holland and Zealand, where
they lived simple and exemplary
lives, in the villages as farmers,
and in the towns by trades and
various handicraft labours, free
from the charge of any gross im-
moralities, and professing the
most pure and simple principles,
which they exemplified in a holy
conversation. They were there-
fore in existence long before the
reformed church in the Nether-ployment, or by daily labour.
lands.

Respecting the government of the church, they believed it to be invested, according to apostolic example, in bishops, elders, and deacons; but they denied that these officers were to be exalted above their brethren; affirming, that they, like the apostles, should be unlettered, not rich, nor powerful; but earning their support by any secular em

"From this history of the old Dutch Waldenses, as they existed in the twelfth century, and from the doctrines they held at that time, and during the following centuries, we see what a striking similarity there existed between them and the ancient and later Dutch Baptists, whose existence and doctrines are so well known. It must, however, be admitted, that there is no reference to baptism in any of the confessions of

theless it is indisputable that the Dutch Waldenses rejected the baptism of children, and applied the ordinance to adults alone. This is maintained by Hieronymus, Verdussen, Cligny, and other Roman catholic writers.

"Besides other points of belief among the Waldenses, they professed to adhere only to the sacred scriptures, rejecting the authority of the fathers, and ecclesiastical synods, and of the Pope; and owning no represent ative of Christ on earth. They maintained, that all the brethren were equal; and that each had a right to exhort for edification, and to reprove another in the church. They rejected transub-faith of the Waldenses. Neverstantiation and confession to a priest, declaring that salvation was only to be obtained by faith in Christ; and that good works would not purchase salvation; but that works were necessary as the confirmation and evidence of faith, and as obedience to the will of God. Religion, they said, was not confined to time or place; but that it was proper to meet on the first day of the week to ho-ing that many learned men exnour God; it was duty to preach and hear the pure gospel, to honour the Saviour, (but not to do homage to saints,) to observe both the sacraments, &c. They professed to adhere rigidly to the scheme of christian morals laid down by our Saviour in his sermon on the mount; hence they judged it to be improper to bear arms; to resist injustice even by a legal process, or to take an

"In the beginning of the sixteenth century, the Dutch Waldenses, or as they were then called, the Anabaptists, perceiv

posed the ignorance, errors, and superstition of the people, no longer hid themselves, but began the dissemination of purer religious knowledge, that they might annihilate, as far as possible, the power of the Romish superstition. They were so successful in drawing persons to baptism from the Roman communion, that the civil rulers issued strict orders against their persons; who, however, still

multiplied, till they were at length | amongst them; the one distinjoined in this opposition to Rome guished by the name of the perby other reformers. This was fect, and the other of the imperbefore even the name of Luther was known as a reformer.

fect. The former professed to
have a community of goods, so
that none should be rich while
the others were poor. Some car-
ried the principle so far, that
they sometimes suffered from
want and nakedness. The im-
perfect lived less strictly, and
indulged in a greater intercourse
with mankind. Both these sects'

Switzerland, and Holland.
"Fanatical persons among the
followers of Luther and Zuing-

"Had the Anabaptists at that time possessed men truly learned, how great must have been the harvest arising from the good seed which they then sowed! From their communion would probably have arisen, and that much earlier than it did, all that light which now beams upon Eu-were spread all over Germany, rope. But there was not one person among them qualified to become a reformer of the Roman church; not one who possessedlius, took advantage of the simsufficient learning to obtain that influence as a writer, as that he might be looked up to as a universal guide. For since the twelfth century, not one person distinguished for learning had appeared amongst them. The renowned Peter Walden, known in their history, may be considered as the first and the last individual among them who was eminently learned: hence they were despised by the Romish church. They were in fact little known: they lived in retirement, cultivating only those virtues which distinguished them as good "It is certain, that these worcitizens, and as a pure christian thy Anabaptists, or, who may community. They have this lat-be better called Baptists, were ter testimony from very early Roman catholic writers, who were willing to do homage to the

truth.

"From hence it will appear, how greatly the Dutch Waldenses, or the so called Anabaptists, would rejoice when Luther and his followers began the Reformation: they avowed their approbation of it, praising God that he had raised up brethren with whom they might unite in the essential points of the gospel.

"There were then two sects

plicity of many of the first sect, called the perfect, and urged them to assist in acts of outrage and insurrection. Among the followers of Luther thus acting were Storck and Muntzer; and among those of Zuinglius were Lodowyk, Hetzer, B. Hubmer, and others. By far the greater part of the first sect, (the perfect,) and the whole of the second, were certainly the most pious christians the church ever saw, and the worthiest citizens the state ever had.-History removes every doubt upon this subject.

found in great numbers in the Netherlands, not only in Holland, Friezland, Groningen, but especially in Flanders; consequently in those provinces wherein we have related that the Waldenses, their ancestors, had established themselves in and after the twelfth century.

"And here they had the good fortune, in the year 1536, that their scattered community obtained a regular state of church order, separate from all Dutch and German protestants, who at

indebted to a most liberal work, the first volume of which was published at Breda in the year 1819, written by two clergymen of the reformed church in Holland, and holding the highest offices in that church, viz. Dr. Ypeij, principal Teacher of The

that time had not been formed into one body by any bonds of unity. This advantage was procured them by the sensible management of a Friezland protestant, Menno Simon, born at Witmarsum, and who had formerly been a popish priest. This learned, wise, and prudent manology at Groningen, and the Rev. was chosen by them as their leader, that they might, by his paternal efforts, in the eyes of all christendom, be cleared from that blame which some of them had incurred. This object was accomplished accordingly: some of the perfectionists he reclaimed to order, and others he excluded, and gave up to the contempt of their brethren. He purified also the religious doctrines of the Baptists.

J. J. Dermont, Secretary to the Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church, Preacher at the Hague, and Chaplain to the King of the Netherlands. "The translation (says Mr. Ward) is not verbal, but to the meaning of the authors I believe my friend Mr. Angus has rigidly adhered."

(To be continued.)

QUERY.

To the Editor of the Baptist Magazine.

IN your number for June, there is an article complaining of the non-attendance of church members and others, on public worship in the afternoon of the Lord's-day. This is, no doubt, an increasing practice: but would it not tend to check it if our churches were weekly to observe in the after part of the day, the Lord's Supper, making the Eucharist what it seems to have been, at its institution, a leading part of the service? The writer of this is not what is called a Sandemanian, and he would be

"We have now seen, that the Baptists, who were formerly called Anabaptists, and in later times Mennonites, were the original Waldenses; and who have long, in the history of the church, received the honour of that origin. On this account, the Baptists may be considered as the only christian community which has stood since the times of the apostles; and as a christian society which has preserved pure the doctrines of the gospel through all ages. The perfectly correct external and internal economy of the Baptist denomination tends to confirm the truth, disputed by the Romish church, that the reformation brought about in the sixteenth century was in the high-far from making uniformity of est degree necessary; and at the same time goes to refute the erroneous notion of the catholics, that their communion is the most ancient."

For the above account we are

opinion as to weekly communion a term of church fellowship; yet it strikes him, that a return to what is generally allowed to have been the practice of the first churches, would be attended with many advantages. Begging the opinion

* See our life of that eminent Divine, of your correspondents, he re

vol. x. year 1818, p. 361.

mains,

Lector.