iv. 3,) who in this exactly follows his advice to Timothy, about

vain questions, doubtful disputes, and opposition of science. Let us see how this moderation and purity of manners continued.

[47] Constit. Clem Rom. l. 1, chap. 2.

VII. Machiavel,[48] no mean author, in his Disputations, assures us, "That the first promoters of Christianity were so diligent in rooting out the vanities and superstitions of the Gentiles, that they commanded all such poets' and historians' books, who commended anything of the Gentile conversation or worship, to be burned;" but that zeal is evidently extinguished, and those follies revived among the professors of the religion of Jesus.

[48] Mach. Dis. l. 2, chap. 5.

VIII. Tertullian,[49] Chrysostom, Theophylact, Gregory Nazianzene, upon these words of Christ, "But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment:" (Mat. xii. 36:) thus reflect upon vain discourse: "These words mean," saith Tertullian, "of all vain and superfluous speech, more talk than is necessary." Says Chrysostom, "of such words as are not convenient or profitable, but move immodestly." Says Theophylact, "of all lies, calumnies, all inordinate and ridiculous speeches." Says Gregory, "such words men shall account for, which want that profit ever redounding from modest discourses, and that are seldom uttered from any preceding necessity or cause; things frivolous, fables, old wives' tales." All which sufficiently reprehend the plays, poetry, and romances of the times, of great folly, vanity, and sin.

[49] Tert. lib. de Patien. Chrysost.

IX. Gregory, and this a father of the church, a very extraordinary man, was so zealous for the simplicity and purity of the mind, language, and lives of the Christians of his time, that he suppressed several Greek authors, as Menander, Diphilus, Apollodorus, Philemon, Alexis, Sappho, and others, which were the recreations of the vain Gentiles: thus Cardan. Hear his judgment of fine clothes, none of the least part of the luxury and vanity of the age. "There be some," saith he, "are of opinion, that the wearing of precious and sumptuous apparel is no sin; which if it were no fault, the Divine word would never have so punctually expressed, nor historically related, how the rich man, that was tormented in hell, was clothed in purple and silk: whence we may note, that, touching the matter or subject of attire, human curiosity availeth highly. The first substance of our garments was very mean, to wit, skins, with wool; when it is we read, God made Adam and his wife coats of skins; that is, of skins of dead beasts. Afterwards, to see the growing pride and vanity of men and women, they came to pure wool, because lighter; after that to flax: then to dung and ordure of worms, to wit, silk; lastly, to gold and silver, and precious stones, which excess of apparel highly displeased God: for instance whereof, which the very Pagans themselves observed, we read that the very first among the Romans that ever wore purple was struck with a thunder-bolt, and so died suddenly for a terror to all succeeding times, that none should attempt to live proudly in precious attire." This was the sense of Gregory Nazianzene, that ancient Christian writer, who wore commonly a poor coat, like to a frock; so did Justin Martyr, Jerome, and Austin, as their best robe.

X. Ambrose, called a father, who was lieutenant to the province and city of Milan, and upon his discreet appeasing the multitude, disordered upon some difference amongst them about electing a bishop, was by their uniform consent chosen himself: although this person, of all others, might have been thought to plead for the accustomed recreations, especially not having been long a Christian, for he was a Catechumen, or one but lately instructed, at the time of his being elected; yet doth he in so many words determine the matter thus: "Plays ought not to be known by Christians;" then not made, heard, and defended by Christians; or they must be none that do so.

XI. Augustine,[50] more famous for his many books, and knowledge in church affairs, whose sentences are oracles with some, gives this as his opinion of plays, and the like recreations, that they were more pernicious and abominable than those idolatrous sacrifices, which were offered in honour of the pagan gods. Doubtless he thought the one not so offensive to reason and the impressions divinity hath made on every understanding, as the other were very pleasant to the senses, and therefore apt to steal away the mind from better things; for it was his maxim,[51] that everything a man doth, is either a hindrance or furtherance to good. This would be esteemed intolerable doctrine in a poor Quaker, yet will the Quaker rejoice, if it be esteemed and followed as good doctrine in Augustine.

[50] August. de Civit. Dei. l. ii. c. 7.

[51] De ira Dei. l. 9, c. 7.

XII. The council of Carthage, though times began to look somewhat mistier, and the purity and spirituality of religion to be much declined by the professors of Christianity; yet there was so much zeal left against the worst part of Heathenism, that I find an express canon against the reading of vain books and comedies of the Gentiles, lest the minds of the people should be defiled by them. But this age either hath no such canon, or executeth it not, to the shame of their profession.

XIII. Cardan more particularly relateth,[52] how even Gregory the Great was so zealous of preserving purity of manners among Christians, who lived almost two hundred years after the Carthaginian council, that he caused many Latin authors to be burned, as vain and lascivious; as Cæcilianus, Affranius, Navius, Licinus, Ennius, Attilius, Victor, Lucian's Dialogues; nor did Plautus, Martial, and Terence, so much in request both in the schools and academies of the land, escape their honest zeal, although the multitude of copies so far frustrated their good intentions, as that they are multiplied of late.

[52] Cardan de Sapient. l. 2.

XIV. Gratian also[53] had such like passages as these, "We see that the priests of the Lord, neglecting the gospel and the prophets, read comedies or play-books, and sing love verses, and read Virgil," a book in which are some good expressions. Strange! that these things should have been so sincerely censured of old, and that persons whose names are had in so much reverence, should repute these their censures the constructions of Christ's precepts, and the natural consequences of the Christian doctrine; and yet that they should be so far neglected of this age, as not to be judged worthy an imitation. But pray let us hear what doctrine the Waldenses teach in this affair.

[53] Jac. Laurentio de lib. Gentil. p. 40, 41.

XV. The Waldenses[54] were a people so called from one Peter Waldo, a citizen of Lyons in France, in the year 1160, who inhabited Piedmont, elsewhere called Albigenses, from Albi, a city of Languedoc in France; Lollards in England, from one Reynard Lollard, who some time after came into these parts, and preached boldly against the idolatries, superstitions, and vain conversation of the inhabitants of this island. They had many other names, as Arnoldists, Esperonists, Henricians, Siccars, Insabaches, Paterenians, Turlupins, Lyonists, Fraticelli, Hussites, Bohemians (still the same;) but finally, by their enemies, damnable heretics, though by the Protestants, the true church of Christ. And to omit many testimonies, I will instance only in Bishop Usher, who in his discourse of the succession of the Christian church, defends them not only as true reformers, but makes the succession of the Protestant church to be mainly evincible from their antiquity. I shall forbear all the circumstances and principles they held, or in which he strongly defends them against the cruelty and ignorance of their adversaries, particularly Rainerius, Rubis, Capetaneis, &c. only what they held concerning our present subject of apparel and recreations, I cannot be so injurious to the truth, their self-denial, the good of others, at whose reformation I aim, and my own discourse, as to omit it. And therefore I shall proceed to allege their faith and practice in these matters, however esteemed but of a trifling importance, by the loose, wanton, and carnal minded of this generation, whose feeling is lost by the enjoyment of their inordinate desires, and that think it a high state of Christianity to be no better than the beasts that perish, namely, in not being excessive in Newgate and mere kennel enormities. That these ancient reformers had another sense of these things, and that they made the conversation of the gospel of a crucified Jesus to intend and require another sort of life, than what is used by almost all those who account themselves members of his church, I shall show out of their own doctrines, as found in their most authentic histories.

[54] XII. Cap. Hist. de orig. Walden. Vignia Hist. Bibl. p. 130. Dubran Hist. Bohem. 14. Thuan. in Hist. sui. temp. p. 458. Mat. Paris Hist. of Eng. Angl. 1174; Bellar. tom. 2, lib. 1, cap. 26, co. 86. Ecchius. com. loc. c. 28. Apl. l. 6. con. Hieret. p. 99.

XVI. To be brief, in their exposition upon the Lord's prayer, that part of it which speaks thus, "Give us this day our daily bread:"[55] where, next to that spiritual bread, which they make it to be the duty of all to seek more than life, they come positively to deny the praying for more than is requisite for outward necessities, or that it is lawful to use more; condemning all superfluity and excess, out of fashion, pride, or wantonness, not only of bread, but all outward things, which they judge to be thereby comprehended; using Ezekiel's words,[56] (Ezek. xvi. 45,) that fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness were the cause of the wickedness and the abominations of Sodom, for which God by fire destroyed them off the earth. Whereupon they conclude with an ancient father of the primitive church, after this manner, that costly apparel, superfluity in diet, as three dishes when one will serve, play, idleness, and sleep, fatten the body, nourish luxury, weaken the spirit, and lead the soul unto death; "But," say they, "a spare diet, labour, short sleep, plain and mean garments, help to purify the soul, tame the body, mortify the lusts of the flesh, and comfort the spirit." So severe were they, that, in the chapter of the instructions of their children,[57] they would not suffer them to converse with those of strange places or principles, whose conversation was gaming, plays, and the like wanton recreations; but especially concerning young women. "A man," say they, "must have a great care of his daughter. Hast thou daughters? Keep them within to wholesome things; see they wander not; for Dinah, Jacob's daughter, was corrupted by being seen of strangers." They affirm no better to be the general event of such conversation.

[55] Jo. Paul. Per. Hist. Wald. l. 1. in p. 37, 38. Dona nos le nostre pan quotidian. en choi. Memor. Morrel. Vign. Mem. f. 7.

[56] Thesaur. fed. Ap. Wald.

[57] Thesaur. fed. Ap. Wald. l. 2, c. 3. Lifill. sign. nassion ali patrons carnals de non esser rendus, &c.

To which I shall add their judgment and practice concerning taverns,[58] public houses for treats and pleasures, with which the land swarms in our days.

[58] Ibid. l. 2, c. 3.

XVII. "A tavern is the fountain of sin,[59] the school of the devil; it works wonders fitting the place. It is the custom of God to show his power in his church, and to work miracles; that is to say, to give sight to the spiritually blind, to make the lame to leap, the dumb to sing, the deaf to hear: but the devil doth quite contrary to all these in taverns, and the like places of pleasure. For when the drunkard goes to the tavern, he goes upright: but when he comes forth, he cannot go at all; he has lost his sight, speech, and hearing too." "The lectures that are read in this school of the devil," say these poor Waldenses, and first reformers, "are gluttonies, oaths, perjuries, lyings, blasphemies, flatteries, and divers other wicked villanies and pernicious effects, by which the heart is withdrawn further and further from God." And, as the book of Ecclesiasticus saith, the taverner shall not be freed from sin.

[59] La taverna de maisons de pleisirs es fontana de pecca e schola del diavolo, &c.

But above other recreations, do but seriously observe, of what danger and ill consequence these first reformers thought dancing, music, and the like pastimes to be, which are the greatest divertisements of the times, viz.:

XVIII. "Dancing is the devil's procession,[60] and he that entereth into a dance entereth into his procession, the devil is the guide, the middle, and the end of the dance; as many paces as man maketh in dancing, so many paces doth he make to go to hell.[61] A man sinneth in dancing divers ways, for all his steps are numbered, in his touch, in his ornaments, in his hearing, sight, speech, and other vanities. And therefore we will prove, first by the Scripture, and afterwards by divers other reasons, how wicked a thing it is to dance. The first testimony that we will produce is that which we read in the gospel, where it is said, it pleased Herod so well, that it cost John Baptist his life. (Mark, vi. 22-28; Exodus, xxxii. 4-7, 19.) The second is in Exodus, when Moses, coming near to the congregation, saw the calf, he cast the tables from him, and broke them at the foot of the mountain; and afterwards it cost three thousand of their lives. Besides, the ornaments which women wear in their dances, are as crowns for many victories which the devil hath got against the children of God: for the devil hath not only one sword in the dance, but as many as there are beautiful and well-adorned persons in the dance; for the words of a woman are a glittering sword. And therefore that place is much to be feared wherein the enemy hath so many swords, since that only one sword of his may be justly feared. Again, the devil in this place strikes with a sharpened sword; for women, who make it acceptable, come not willingly to the dance, if they be not painted and adorned; which painting and ornament is as a whetstone on which the devil sharpeneth his sword.--They that deck and adorn their daughters, are like those that put dry wood to the fire, to the end it may burn the better: for such women kindle the fire of luxury in the hearts of men. As Sampson's foxes fired the Philistines' corn, so these women, they have fire in their faces, and in their gestures and actions, their glances and wanton words, by which they consume the goods of men." They proceed, "The devil in the dance useth the strongest armour that he hath: for his most powerful arms are women; which is made plain unto us, in that the devil made choice of the woman to deceive the first man; so did Balaam, that the children of Israel might be rejected of God. By a woman he made Sampson, David, and Absalom to sin. The devil tempteth men by women three manner of ways; that is, by the touch, by the eye, by the ear; by these three means he tempteth foolish men to dancing, by touching their hands, beholding their beauty, hearing their songs and music."--Again, "They that dance break that promise and agreement they have made with God in baptism, when their godfathers promise for them, that they shall renounce the devil and all his pomp; for dancing is the pomp of the devil; and he that danceth maintaineth his pomp, and singeth his mass. For the woman that singeth in the dance is the prioress, or chief of the devil, and those that answer are the clerks, and the beholders are the parishioners, and the music are the bells, and the fiddlers the ministers of the devil. For, as when hogs are strayed, if the hogherd call one, all assemble themselves together; so the devil causeth one woman to sing in the dance, or to play on some instrument, and presently gather all the dancers together."--Again, "In a dance, a man breaks the ten commandments of God: as first, Thou shalt have no other God but me, &c., for in dancing, a man serves that person whom he most desires to serve, after whom goes his heart; and therefore Jerome saith, 'Every man's god is that he serves and loves best;'[62] and that he loves best which his thoughts wander and gad most after. He sins against the second commandment when he makes an idol of that he loves. Against the third, in that oaths, and frivolously using God's name, are frequently among dancers. Against the fourth, for that by dancing the sabbath-day is profaned. Against the fifth, for in the dance parents are many times dishonoured, since thereby many bargains are made without their counsel. Against the sixth, a man kills in dancing, for every one that sets about to please another, he kills the soul as oft as he persuades unto lust. Against the seventh, for the party that danceth, be it male or female, committeth adultery with the party they lust after; for he that looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart. Against the eighth, a man sins in dancing when he withdraweth the heart of another from God. Against the ninth, when in dancing he speaks falsely against the truth, and for some little honour, or secret lascivious end, denies what is true, or affirms what is false. Against the tenth, when women affect the ornaments of others, and men covet the wives, daughters, and servants of their neighbours, which undeniably attends all such plays and sports."--Again, "A man may prove how great an evil dancing is, by the multitude of sins that accompany those that dance; for they dance without measure or number;" "And therefore," saith Augustine,[63] "the miserable dancer knows not, that as many paces as he makes in dancing, so many leaps he makes to hell. They sin in their ornaments after a five-fold manner: First, by being proud thereof. Secondly, by inflaming the hearts of those that behold them. Thirdly, when they make those ashamed that have not the like ornaments, giving them occasion to covet the like. Fourthly, by making women importunate in demanding the like ornaments of their husbands: and, Fifthly, when they cannot obtain them of their husbands, they seek to get them elsewhere by sin. They sin by singing and playing on instruments; for their songs bewitch the hearts of those that hear them with temporal delight, forgetting God; uttering nothing in their songs but lies and vanities; and the very motion of the body which is used in dancing, gives testimony enough of evil.--Thus, you see that dancing is the devil's procession, and he that enters into a dance, enters into the devil's procession. Of dancing, the devil is the guide, the middle, and the end; and he that entereth a good and wise man into the dance, if it can be that such an one is either good or wise, cometh forth a corrupt and wicked man: Sarah, that holy woman, was none of these."[64] Behold the apprehensions of those good old reformers, touching those things that are so much in practice and reputation in these times, with such as profess their religion: thus far verbatim. But I cannot leave off here, till I have yet added the conclusion of their catechism and direction, and some passages out of one of their pastor's letters, fit to the present occasion.

[60] La bal es la proces. del diavol, e qui intra en la bal, &c.

[61] Sp. Alm. fol. 50-54.

[62] Jerom. in dec. int. oper.

[63] August. de Civit. Dei.

[64] August. l. 2.

They conclude with this direction, namely, how to rule their bodies,[65] and live in this world as becomes the children of God. Not to serve the mortal desires of the flesh. To keep their members, that they be not arms of iniquity and vanity. To rule their outward senses. To subject the body to the soul. To mortify their members. To fly idleness. To observe a sobriety and measure in eating and drinking, in their words and cares of this life. To do works of mercy. To live a moral or just life by faith. To fight against the desires. To mortify the works of the flesh. To give themselves to the exercise of religion. To confer together touching the will of God: to examine diligently the conscience. To purge and amend, and pacify the spirit.

[65] Concl. p. 68. Encaren qual manier fidel debian regir li ler Corps: non servali desirier mort. &c.

To which I add the epistle of one of their pastors, as I find it recorded amongst other matters relating to these poor afflicted people.

XIX. An epistle of pastor Bartholomew Tertian, written to the Waldensian churches of the valley of Pragela, thus translated:

"JESUS BE WITH YOU.

"To all our faithful and well beloved brethren in christ jesus,[66] health and salvation be with you all: amen! these are to put you in remembrance, and to admonish you, my brethren, hereby acquitting myself of that duty which i owe unto you all, in the behalf of god, principally touching the care of your souls' salvation, according to that light of the truth, which the most high god hath bestowed on us, that it would please every one of you to maintain, increase, and nourish, to the utmost of your power, without diminution, those good beginnings and examples which have been left unto us by our forefathers, whereof we are no ways worthy. for it would little profit us to have been renewed by the fatherly visitation, and the light which hath been given us of god, if we give ourselves to worldly, carnal conversations, which are diabolical; abandoning the principle which is of god, and the salvation of our souls, for this short and temporal life. for the lord saith, 'what doth it profit a man to gain the whole world, and to lose his own soul?' for it would be better for us never to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to do the contrary. let me therefore intreat you, by the love of god, that you decrease not, or look back; but rather increase the charity, fear, and obedience, which is due unto god, and to yourselves, amongst yourselves; and stand fast in all these good principles, which you have heard and understood of god, by our means: and that you would remove from amongst you all vain conversation and evil surmises, troubling the peace, the love, the concord, and whatsoever would indispose or deaden your minds to the service of god, your own salvation, and the administration of the truth, if you desire that god should be merciful to you in your goods temporal and spiritual: for you can do nothing without him; and if you desire to be heirs of his glory, do that which he commandeth: if you would enter into life, keep my commandments. (matt. xix. 17.)

[66] hist. wald. l. 4, c. 11, p. 55-57.

"likewise be careful that there be not nourished among you any sports, gluttony, whoredom, dancings, nor any lewdness, nor riot, nor questions, nor deceits, nor usury, nor discords; nor support nor entertain any persons of a wicked conversation, or that give any scandal or ill example amongst you; but let charity and fidelity reign amongst you, and all good example; doing to one another as every one desires should be done unto him; for otherwise it is impossible that any should be saved, or can have the grace of god, or be good men in this world, or have glory in another. and therefore, if you hope and desire to possess eternal life, to live in esteem and credit, and to prosper in this world, in your goods temporal and spiritual, purge yourselves from all disorderly ways, to the end that god may be always with you, who forsakes not those that trust in him. but know this for certain, that god heareth not, nor dwelleth with sinners, nor in the soul that is given unto wickedness, nor in the man that is subject to sin. and therefore let every one cleanse the ways of his heart, and fly the danger, if he would not perish therein. i have no other things at this present, but that you would put in practice these things; and the god of peace be with you all, and go along with us, and be present among us in our sincere, humble, and fervent prayers, and that he will be pleased to save all those his faithful, that trust in christ jesus.

"entirely yours, ready to do you service in all things possible, according to the will of god.

"bartholomew tertian."

XX. Behold the life and doctrine, instruction and practice, of the ancient Waldenses.[67] How harmless, how plain, how laborious, how exceeding serious and heavenly in their conversations! These were the men, women, aye children too, who, for above five hundred years, have valiantly, but passively maintained a cruel war, at the expense of their own innocent blood, against the unheard of cruelties and severities of several princes, nuncios, and bishops; but above all, of certain cruel inquisitors, of whom their historians report, that they held it was a greater evil to conceal a heretic than to be guilty of perjury; and for a clergyman to marry a wife than to keep a whore. In short, to dissent, though never so conscientiously, was worse than open immorality. It was against the like adversaries these poor Waldenses fought, by sufferings throughout the nations, by prisons, confiscations, banishments,[68] wandering from hill to valley, from den to cave; being mocked, whipped, racked, thrown from rocks and towers, driven on mountains,[69] and in one night thousands perished by excessive frost and snow, smothered in caves, starved, imprisoned, ripped up, hanged, dismembered, rifled, plundered, strangled, broiled, roasted, burned; and whatsoever could be invented to ruin men, women, and children. These Waldenses, you Protestants pretend to be your ancestors: from them, you say, you have your religion; and often, like the Jews of the prophets, are you building their praises in your discourses: but, O look back, I beseech you, how unlike are you to these afflicted pilgrims! What resemblance is there of their life in yours? Did they help to purchase and preserve you a liberty and religion, can you think, at the loss of all that was dear to them, that you might pass away your days and years in pride, wantonness, and vanity? What proportion bears your excess with their temperance;[70] your gaudiness with their plainness; your luxury and flesh-pleasing conversations with their simplicity and self-denial? But are you not got into that spirit and nature they condemned in their day; into that carnality and worldly mindedness they reproved in their persecutors, nay, into a strain of persecution too, which you seem to hide under a cloak of reformation? How can you hope to refute their persecutors whose worst part perhaps was their cruelty, that turn persecutors yourselves? What have you besides their good words, that is like them? And do you think that words will send off the blows of eternal vengeance? That a little by-rote babble, though of never so good expressions in themselves, shall serve your turn at the great day? No, from God I tell you, that whilst you live in the wantonness, pride, and luxury of the world, pleasing and fulfilling the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, (1 John,