Page 327

His letters we regard as having been done from carefulness, lest any might be seduced or brought into error by them. This will satisfy the well-disposed, who, imitating the bee, will extract honey, instead of gall, from it.

SAME YEAR AS ABOVE, A. D. 1400

The universities of Prague in Bohemia, Oxford in England, and Paris in France, wrote against the apostasy of the Roman church, and demanded a reformation, saying that the scandalous life of the pope and the cardinals could not be tolerated; that the popes and cardinals were liable to err, and had frequently erred; and that the blessed Son of God, though having suffered much from the synagogue of the Jews, had to suffer much more from the princes of the papal synagogue. Concerning similar censures, read the books of Ulric of Hutten, the Frankish knight, printed A. D. 1520.

SAME YEAR AS ABOVE, A. D. 1400

John Tauler, a German divine, said, at this time, in his book of sermons, "Our prelates (he means the rulers of the Roman church), are blind, and leaders of the blind; and it is to be feared that they both together will be condemned.";

He also spoke much of the persecution, tribulation, hardship, and suffering, a Christian must expect here; but did not say that one should inflict sufferings one upon another.

Read all his sermons, but particularly the 11th, 15th and 31st chapters in his book, where he treats of suffering; also the first-mentioned author, in the place indicated.

NoTE.-That John Tauler was a very pious and highly educated man, appears from very many testimonies given concerning him. Truly, he was as a flaming torch in his time, to lighten up, by his doctrine as well as his life, the dark night of perversely religious popery. But if he still erred in anything, which may easily have been the case, it is all overbalanced by his virtue and learning. Nevertheless, we could not defend errors, neither in him nor in others. Our love must never be so blind as to hinder us from seeing a blemish (if there is any) in what we love. But he who has not lived so that his errors are apparent, should, herein, if he is otherwise well disposed, be borne with; and this the more, when he has to live among so disorderly a people, as popery was then composed of, and can obtain no other liberty. Such was John Tauler, and as such we will recognize him. Our love will and shall bear his weakness. Hence, dismissing this, we will turn to the pious witnesses of the Lord, who laid down their dear lives for the truth which they confessed.

AN ACCOUNT OF THE HOLY BAPTISM IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY: SUMMARY OF BAPTISM IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY

[In the beginning of this century, the decree Statutum ex Oficio, of King Henry IV, of England, published against the Wickliffites, is mentioned.

Thereupon follows a recital of fifteen articles of said Wickliffites, which by the inquisition were laid before them, for recantation; the twelfth article of which declares, that a child, though it die unbaptized, will be saved; and the thirteenth article, that neither the pope, nor the prelates, nor any ordinary, can compel any one to swear; the other articles are against the superstitions of the Roman church.

Another article charged against these people, namely: that if they had an infant, they would not have it baptized by the hands of a priest in church.

William Thorpe is charged with five articles, the last of which is: That he taught that one ought not to swear.