Of the Views of the Waldenses Against Nearly All Articles of the Roman Church

Reinerius, who has written against the Waldenses, gives the following testimony concerning them, as the Jesuits confess in their own print.

Chapter 2, Ingolstadt edition, page 54. "Among all the sects that ever were and still are, there is none more harmful to the church than the sect of the Lyonists (this is what he calls the Waldenses), and this for three reasons.

"First, 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.

"Second, because it is more general (that is, more widely spread) than other sects; for there is no country where this sect is not found.

"Third, because, while all other sects, by their abominable blasphemies against God, make those who hear them loathe their belief, this sect, on the other hand, has a great appearance of godliness, since they lead a godly life before men, have a true belief in all things concerning God, and hold correct views about all twelve articles of the faith; only they condemn the Roman church and the clergy, and in this the unlearned too readily believe them."

In the fifth chapter he says that their doctrine can be brought under these three heads: 1. Attacks against the Roman church and her institutions. 2. Errors against the sacraments and the saints. 3. Rejection of all church customs.

He then states their doctrine in the following manner

1. That the Roman church is not the church of Christ, but the church of the curse; and that she fell into decay in the time of Sylvester, when the poison of earthly riches crept into her.

2. That all sins and faults are in the Roman church, and that they (the Waldenses) alone live holy lives.

3. That almost no one keeps the doctrine of the holy Gospel except they (the Waldenses).

4. That they truly are poor in spirit, and suffer persecution for the sake of righteousness and of faith.

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 condemn all the statutes of the (Roman) church, because there are so many of them and they are so burdensome.

8. That the pope is the head of all errors.

9. That the prelates are scribes, and the religious, or members of orders, are Pharisees.

10. That the popes and bishops, with respect to the wars they carry on, are murderers. (This article is dealt with 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 brothers. Matthew 23.

13. That no one may bow his knees before the priests; because the angel said to John, "See that you do not do it, for I am your fellow servant." Revelation 22, verse 9.

14. That men should not give tithes (to the papistic clergy), because in earlier times it was not the custom 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 or inheritance with Israel . . . the Lord is their inheritance, as he has said to them." Deuteronomy 18.

16. That the inmates of monasteries ought not to have prebends.

17. That bishops are not entitled to the regalia, these being things that belong by right to 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 because of their idleness, and because they do not work with their hands, as the apostles did.

21. They reject the names pope and bishop.

22. They will not grant that anyone should be compelled to the faith.

23. They reject all ecclesiastical (papistic) offices, and pay little regard to ecclesiastical privileges.

24. They do not grant 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 concerning persons in orders are Pharisaical institutions:

These and various other articles concerning 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 Waldenses, page 84, column 1, and page 85, columns 1, 2. A. Mell., 2nd book, folio 430, column 4, folio 431, columns 1 to 4. Bapt. Hist., pages 616, 617, 618. P. J. Twisck, Chron., page 451, column 2. At n Nicol. Eymeric., printed at Rome, in the year 1585. [n387-1]