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 reprefentatives of Christ Jefus.
-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 thofe called the clergy.-The bishop
of Rome's affuming a fupremacy over all other
bifhops; 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 monftrous
covetoufnefs fhewn.-A fhort sketch of the popifh
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, John 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