THE faith of the primitive Chriftians confidered as a
lively operative one.-An apoftacy fucceeded, in
which that was loft.-That apoftacy was brought
on, and the Chriftian religion corrupted by the
pretended vicars and representatives of Christ Jesus.
-The ground of the apoftacy, the corruption of
human nature, and particularly pride, fomented by
riches and large revenues annexed to the church.
The pride and policy of the pope and his
minifters exemplified in their arrogating the name
and power of the church to themselves, in enjoin-
ing celibacy to those called the clergy.-The bifhop
of Rome's affuming a fupremacy over all other
bishops; his claiming the fupreme direction over
univerfities, and the power of licensing books, and
his fetting up a dominion over kings and emperors;
his extreme and peculiar cruelty, and his monstrous
covetoufnefs fhewn.-A fhort sketch of the popish
corruptions, of the primitive difcipline and doctrine,
whilft a time of grofs ignorance prevailed.
In the most dark and ignorant ages a faithful few were
preserved, who teftified against the prevailing cor-
ruptions of the times, fome of which are specified,
as Claudius Bishop of Turin, Petrus de Bruis,
Henricus ex Monacho, Hildegardis and Bridget,
two propheteffes, Waldo, from whom the Wal-
denfes, Jolin Wickliff, Walter Brute, John Hus,
Jerom of Prague, Luther, Zuinglius, Melancton,
Ecolampadius, and others; Tindal's tranflation
of the Bible, and the remarkable oppofition of the
clergy to it; the progrefs of the reformation gra.
dual; the defects of the reformation traced in fome