the Valleys, long before his time; and it is probable he derived his name from them, not they from him. As early as the sixth century, indeed, there appear to have been many who had separated from the Romish communion, in doctrine and discipline, and had settled in the Alpine valleys of Piedmont, and in Dauphiny. To this effect is the constantly asserted tradition of the later Waldenses themselves, as reported by the Romish writers. Thus Reinerius, the famous Inquisitor, who wrote about the year 1250, says, “Of all heretical sects, that are or have been, none is more pernicious than that of the Leonists, (or Waldenses), first from its superior antiquity; for some say, it has lasted from the time of Sylvester; others from that of the Apostles." Afterwards, Pilichdorf, another Romish writer, thus repeats the tradition: "The sons of iniquity say falsely, before simple men, that their sect has endured from the time of Pope Sylvester, when the Church began to have possessions." So also writes Claude, the Archbishop of Turin, (in 1500): "Some of the heretics pretend that the sect has lasted from the times of Constantine the Great; and that, under one Leo, execrating the avarice of the then Pope Sylvester, they made the choice to live by themselves in simplicity and seclusion; also, that there had been transmitted from them the rule of Apostolic life to the present time." Other authors make similar declarations respecting them; from all which it appears that the Waldenses believed that they had existed as a Church from the time of the Apostles, and had inhabited their valleys from the days of Pope Sylvester. This is a remarkable tradition, which seems worthy of belief, though uncorroborated by any contemporary history. That they should have separated from the dominant visible Church in the time of Pope Sylvester, is what we might have expected from our knowledge of its corruptions and growing apostasy; as well as from the intimations of prophecy, that the witnesses of Jesus should be distinct as a church (or candlestick) from the world around them. The pontificate of Pope Sylvester lasted from 314 to 335:-consequently he lived in the very year 328, which has been assigned, I think upon sufficient grounds, as the commencement of the 1260 years of the witnesses prophesying in sackcloth; and it was in his days that the church obtained from the Emperor Constantine that wealth and influence which so fearfully accelerated its corruption. So that we have here a singular instance of tradition corroborating the deductions of history and of prophecy; while history, on the other hand, strengthens our belief in the tradition. The doctrines of the Waldenses are set forth in a remarkable and genuine document, the "Noble Lesson," which was written about the year 1170. It also contains allusions to their labours and sufferings. "Now after the Apostles," it says, "were certain teachers who shewed the way of Jesus Christ our Saviour. These are found to the present time, but are manifest to only few people. They greatly wish to shew the way of Jesus Christ, but they are so persecuted, that they can do only little." They suffered punishment through the "lies and deceit" of their enemies. "But," it is added, "he who is thus persecuted strengthens himself greatly through the fear of the Lord." Here we perceive that the witnesses were indeed prophesying in sackcloth! About this time they were joined by Peter Waldo, who distributed his wealth to the poor, gave himself to the preaching of the Gospel, and disseminated a translation of the Scriptures among the people. Soon afterwards, in consequence of severe persecution, scattered bands of Waldenses and Leonists (as they were also called) went every where preaching the Gospel with astonishing success. Before the end of the twelfth century, they had formed Churches in Spain, Italy, France, Flanders, Germany and Bohemia -in which latter country Peter Waldo finished his truly apostolical career. The manner in which they conducted their missionary operations is related by the Inquisitor Reinerius. "The heretics," he says, "craftily devise how they may introduce themselves to the acquaintance of the noble and great. They exhibit to ladies and gentlemen tempting wares: and if asked, Have you any thing more to sell? he answers, I have more precious gems than these, and I will give them you, if you will not betray me to the clergy. Having received ..... security, he says, I have one brilliant gem from God, whereby men may have the knowledge of God. I have another, which shines so that it kindles the love of God in the heart of him who possesses it; and so of the others. He speaks metaphorically. He then recites some devout chapter. He also draws a comparison between the Romish Church and his own sect.. He says, there is hardly a teacher among the Catholics that knows by heart three connected chapters of the New Testament, but among us there is scarce a man or woman who cannot repeat the text in the Vulgar tongue. And because we have the true faith of Christ and teach a holy life and doctrine, these Scribes and Pharisees (the Clergy and Monks) without cause persecute us to death, as they did Christ.... With these and other sayings the hearer is turned away from the Catholic faith, being seduced by their errors."-Another enemy, Lucas de Tuy, in 1230, says of them, "With unheard of wickedness they wrote Tracts and scattered them in mountain paths, that the shepherds might find and read them. They contained many Catholic truths, mixed with heretical statements;" and "even simple priests read the papers with great reverence," and "many were deceived." Thus the witnesses continued to testify for Jesus. But it is added, "when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them." This war is referred to in the 7th chapter of Daniel, and also in the 13th of the Apocalypse, and again in the 17th, where the woman, "drunken with the blood of the saints," is represented as riding on the beast. On comparing these passages with the 12th of Revelation, we find the origin of this war attributed to the wrath of the Dragon—" that old serpent called the Devil and Satan." He was permitted to stir the powers of Christendom against the remnant who had "the testimony of Jesus Christ." This however did not take place after "they had finished their testimony "- -as is clear from the context: but, as the expression may be rendered-"when they shall be completing their testimony." They continued to testify for Jesus, and against the corruptions of the visible Church, until they had up U finished their course of 1260 years of prophesying in sackcloth :"loving not their lives unto the death," for they knew that "great would be their reward in heaven." "Cheer thy chosen witnesses, O Jesus, Who thy dying love proclaim; LECTURE X. THE WAR OF THE BEAST AGAINST THE WITNESSES.-THEIR DEATH.THEIR RESURRECTION.-THEIR ASCENSION.-THE EARTHQUAKE. FALL OF THE TENTH PART OF THE CITY. THE SEVEN CHILIADS. THE prophesying of Christ's "two witnesses" during a period of 1260 years, has already occupied our attention. The witnesses, it was observed, were the faithful servants of God, who had separated themselves from the apostatized visible Church, and were more especially known in the east by the name of Paulicians, and in the west by that of Waldenses. The commencement of the days of their prophesying was in the year 328,-for then, as is evident from history, Christianity began to be Paganized, and the "outer court was given to the Gentiles;"—that is, men who were no better than heathens, in heart as in practice, were now admitted into the Church, taking the place of the true worshippers, and corrupting the simplicity of the Gospel with idolatrous rites and ceremonies. This was the result chiefly of the patronage of the Church by the Emperor Constantine, during the pontificate of Pope Sylvester. To that early period the Waldenses themselves assign their origin. From that time onward they continued as a distinct Church to witness for Jesus-enduring persecution, yet labouring for the spread of the Gospel. In this they were eminently successful; especially in the eleventh century, under Peter Waldo, when they formed churches in Italy, France, Spain, Flanders and Germany, and Bohemia. Their success excited the bitter hostility of the Papal Church, which now, under the figure of the Wild Beast from the Abyss, |