ment VI.* This controversy was renewed at Brixen, in 1462, by James à Marchia, a celebrated Franciscan, who maintained publicly, in one of his sermons, that the blood which Christ shed upon the cross, did not belong to the divine nature, and of consequence was not to be considered as an object of divine and immediate worship. The Dominicans rejected this doctrine, and adopted with such zeal the opposite side of the question, that Jaines of Brixen, who performed the office of inquisitor, called the Franciscan before his tribunal, and accused him of heresy. Pope Pius II., having made several ineffectual attempts to suppress this controversy, was at last persuaded to submit the affair to the examination and judgment of a select number of able divines. But many obstacles arose to prevent a final decision, among which we may reckon, as the principal, the influence and authority of the contending orders, each of which had embarked with zeal in the cause of their respective champions. Hence, after much altercation and chicane, the pontiff thought proper to impose silence on both the parties in this miserable dispute, in 1464; declaring, at the same time, that "both sides of the question might be lawfully maintained until Christ's vicar upon earth should find leisure and opportunity for examining the matter, and determining on which side the truth lay." This leisure and opportunity have not yet been offered to the pontiffs.† CHAPTER IV. Concerning the Rites and Ceremonies that were used in the Church during this Century. J. THE state of religious ceremonies among the Greeks may be learned from the book of Simeon of Thessalonica, concerning Rites and Heresies, from which it appears, that the substance of religion was lost among that people; that a splendid shadow of pomp and vanity was substituted in its place by the rulers of the church; and that all the branches of divine worship were ordered in such a manner as to strike the imaginations, and captivate the senses of the multitude. They pretended, indeed, to allege several reasons for multiplying, as they did, the external rites and institutions of religion, and throwing over the whole of divine worship such a pompous garb of worldly splendour. But in these reasons, and in all their explications of this gaudy ritual, subtlety and invention are more apparent than truth or good sense. The origin of these multiplied rites, that cast a cloud over the native beauty and lustre of religion, is often obscure, and frequently dishonourable; and such as, by force of ill-applied genius and invention, have endeavoured to derive honour to these ceremonies from the circumstances that gave occasion to them, have failed egregiously in this desperate attempt. The deceit is too palpable to seduce any mind that is void of prejudice, and capable of attention. *Luc. Wadding, Annal. Minor. tom. viii. p. 58. Jac. Echardi Scriptor. Prædicator. tom. i. p. 650. † Wadding, Annal. Minor. tom. xiii. p. 205.-Nat. Alexander, Hist. Eccles. Sæc. XV. J. A. Fabricius has given an account of the contents of this book in his Biblioth. Græca, vol. xiv. II. Though the more rational and judicious of the Roman pontiffs complained of the mul tiplicity of ceremonies, festivals, temples, and the like, and did not seem unwilling to have this enormous mass diminished, they nevertheless distinguished, every one his own pontificate, by some new institution, and thought it their duty to perpetuate their fame by some new edict of this nature. Thus Calixtus III., to immortalize the remembrance of the deliverance of Belgrade from the powerful arms of Mohammed II., who had been obliged to raise the siege of that city, ordered, in 1456, the festival in honour of the transfiguration of Christ (which had been celebrated in some places by private authority before this period) to be religiously observed throughout the western world. And Sixtus IV., in 1476, granted indulgences, by a particular edict, to all those who should devoutly celebrate an an nual festival in honour of the immaculate conception of the blessed Virgin, with respect to which none of the Roman pontiffs before him had thought proper to make any express declaration, or any positive appointment.* The other additions that were made to the Roman ritual, relating to the worship of the Virgin Mary, public and private prayers, the traffic of indulgences, and other things of that nature, are of too little importance to deserve an exact and circumstantial enumeration. We need not such a particular detail to convince us, that in this century religion was reduced to mere show, to a show composed of pompous absurdities and splendid trifles. CHAPTER V. Concerning the Heresies, Sects, and Divisions, that troubled the Church during this Century. I. NEITHER the severe edicts of pontiffs and emperors, nor the barbarity and vigilance of unrelenting inquisitors, could extirpate the remains of the ancient heresies, or prevent the rise of new sects. We have already seen the Franciscan order at open war with the church of Rome. In Bosnia, and the adjacent countries, the Manichæans or Paulicians, who were the same with the sect named Catharists in Italy, propagated their doctrines with confidence, and held their religious assemblies with impunity. It is true, indeed, that the great protector of the Manichæans, Stephen Thomascus, king of Bosnia, abjured their errors, received baptism by the ministry of John Car vaial, a Roman cardinal, and, in consequence thereof, expelled those heretics from his dominions. But it is also certain, that he after wards changed his mind; and it is well known, that, toward the conclusion of this century, the Manichæans inhabited Bosnia, Servia, and the neighbouring provinces. The Waldenses also still subsisted in several European provinces, more especially in Pomerania, Brandenburg, the district of Magdeburgh, and Thuringia, where they had a considerable number of friends and followers. It appears, however, from authentic records not yet pub *See Volaterrani Comment. Urbani, lib. viii. p 289.-Eneas Sylvius de Statu Europæ sub Frederico III. cap. x. in Freheri Scriptor. Rerum Germanica: tom. ii. p. 104 lished, that a great part of the adherents of || parts adjacent.' These tenets could not but this unfortunate sect, in the countries now mentioned, were discovered by the inquisitors, and delivered over by them to the civil magistrates, who committed them to the flames. cast a deserved reproach upon this absurd soct; and though in their religious assemblies nothing passed that was contrary to the rules of vir tue, yet they were universally suspected of the most scandalous incontinence, and of the most lascivious practices. Ziska, the austere general of the Hussites, gave credit to these suspicions, and to the rumours they occasioned; and, falling upon this miserable sect in 1421, rest to the flames, which dreadful punishment they sustained with the most cheerful fortitude, and also with a contempt of death that was peculiar to their sect, and which they possessed in a degree that seems to surpass credibility.* Among the various titles by which these ex travagant enthusiasts were distinguished, that of Adamite was one; and it was given them on account of their being so studious to imitate the state of innocence in which the first man was created. The ignominious term of Beg sect of which we now treat, was afterwards applied to the Hussites, and to all the Bohemians who opposed the tyranny of the Romish church. All these were called by their enemies, and indeed by the multitude in general, Picard friars. III. A new sect, which made a great noise, and infected the multitude with the contagion of its enthusiasm, arose about the beginning of this century. A priest whose name is not known, descended from the Alps,† arrayed in a white garment, and accompanied with a pro II. The Brethren and Sisters of the free spirit (who were called in Germany Beghards or Schwestriones, and in France Turlupins, and whose distinctive character was a species of mysticism that bordered upon phrenzy) wandered about in a secret and disguised man-he put some to the sword, and condemned the ner in various parts of France, Germany, and Flanders, and particularly in Suabia and Switzerland, where they spread the contagion of their enthusiasm, and caught the unwary in their snares. The search, however, that was made after them, was so strict and well conducted, that few of the teachers and chiefs of this fanatical sect escaped the hands of the inquisitors.* When the war between the Hussites and the votaries of Rome broke out in Bohemia, in 1418, a troop of these fanatics, headed by a person whose name was John, re-hards, or Picards, at first peculiar to the small paired thither and held secret assemblies, first at Prague, and afterwards in different places, whence they at length retired to a certain island, where they were less exposed to the notice of their enemies. It was, as we have already had occasion to observe, one of the leading principles of this sect, that the tender mstincts of nature, with that bashfulness and modesty which generally accompany them, were evident marks of inherent corruption, and showed, that the mind was not sufficiently purified or rendered conformable to the divine nature, whence it derived its origin. And they alone were deemed perfect by these fanatics, and supposed to be united to the Supreme Being, who could behold without any emotion, the naked bodies of the sex to which they did not belong, and who, in imitation of what was practised before the fall by our first parents, went entirely naked, and conversed familiarly in this manner with males and females, without feeling any of the tender propensities of nature. Hence it was that the Beghards (whom the Bohemians, by a change in the pronunciation of that word, called Picards,) when they came into their religious assemblies, and were present at the celebration of divine worship, appeared without any veil or covering whatever. They had also constantly in their mouths a maxim, which, indeed, was very suitable to the genius of the religion they professed; namely,' that they were not free (i. e. sufficiently extricated from the shackles of the body) who made use of garments, particularly Theodoric de Niem tells us, that the sect such garments as covered the thighs and the caine from Scotland, and that its leader gave himself out for the prophet Elias. Sigonius and Platina in*Felix Malleolus (whose German name is Ham- form us, that this enthusiast came from France; tha. merlein) in his account of the Lollards, subjoined to he had white apparel, carried in his aspect the greathis book contra validos Mendicantes, i. e. against the est modesty, and seduced prodigious numbers of peo. sturdy Beggars, has given us a list, though a very ple of both sexes, and of all ages; that his followers, imperfect one, of the Beghards who were committed (called penitents,) among whom were several cardı. to the flames in Switzerland and the adjacent nals and priests, were clothed in white linen down countries, during this century. This author, in his to their heels, with caps, which covered their whole books against the Beghards and Lollards, has (either faces, except their eyes; that they went in troops of through design, or by a mistake founded on the amten, twenty, and forty thousand persons, from one biguity of the terms) confounded three different city to another, calling out for mercy, and singing classes of persons, who were usually known by the hymns; that wherever they came they were received appellations of Beghards and Lollards; as, 1st, the with great hospitality, and made innumerable prose. Tertiaries, or third order of the more austere Fran-lytes; that they fasted, or lived upon bread and water, ciscans; 2dly, the Brethren of the free spirit; and, 3dly, the Ce lite or Alexian friars. Many writers have fallen into the same error. * See the Historia Fratrum Bohemorum. MS. lib. ii. sect. Ixxvi. by Lasitius, who proves, in a satisfactory and circumstantial manner, that the Hussiter and the Bohemian Brethren were entirely distinct from these Picards, and had nothing in common with them. The other authors who have written upor this subject are honourably mentioned by Isaac de Beausobre in his Dissertation sur les Adamites de Boheme, subjoined to L'Enfant's Histoire de la Gu erre des Hussites. This learned author has taken Adamites, whom he supposes to have been the same great pains to justify the Picards, or Bohemian with the Waldenses, and a set of men eminent for their piety, whom their enemies loaded with the endeavouring to wash the Ethiopian white; for it most groundless accusations. But this is manifestly may be demonstrated, by the most unexceptionable and authentic records, that the account I have given of the matter is true. The researches I have made, civil and religious history of these times, entitle me and the knowledge they have procured me of the perhaps to more credit in such a point as this, than the laborious author from whom I differ, who was not profoundly acquainted with the history of prejudice and partiality. the middle ages, and was by no means exempt from during the time of their pilgrimage, which continued generally nine or ten days. See Annal. Medior, ap Muratori.-Niem, lib. ii. cap. xvi. digious number of persons of both sexes, who || dispensation of grace and of spiritual liberty after the example of their chief, were also was to be promulgated to mortals by the Holy clothed in white linen, whence they were dis- Ghost. It must however be acknowledged, on tinguished by the name of Fratres Albali, i. e. the other hand, that their absurdities were White Brethren. This enthusiastic multitude mingled with several opinions, which showed, went in a kind of procession through several that they were not totally void of understandprovinces, following a cross, which their leader ing; for they maintained, among other things held erected like a standard, and, by the strik- Ist, That Christ alone had merited eterna. ing appearance of their sanctity and devotion, life and felicity for the human race, and that captivated to such a degree the minds of the therefore men could not acquire this inestima people wherever they went, that persons of all ble privilege by their own actions alone; 2dly, ranks and orders flocked in crowds to augment That the priests, to whom the people confessed their number. The new chief exhorted his their transgressions, had not the power of abfollowers to appease the anger of an incensed solving them, but that it was Christ alone in Deity, emaciated his body by voluntary acts whom this authority was vested; and 3dly, of mortification and penance, endeavoured to That voluntary penance and mortification were persuade the Christian nations to renew the not necessary to salvation." These proposiwar against the infidels in Palestine, and pre- tions, however, and some others, were declared tended, that he was favoured with divine vis- heretical by Peter d'Ailly, bishop of Cambray, ions, which instructed him in the will and in who obliged William of Hildenissen to abjure the secrets of Heaven. Boniface IX. appre-them, and opposed with the greatest vehe hending that this enthusiast or impostor con- mence and success the progress of this sect. cealed insidious and ambitious views,* ordered him to be seized and committed to the flames; upon which his followers were dispersed, and his sect entirely extinguished. Whether a punishment so severe was inflicted with reason and justice, is a point that has been debated, and yet remains uncertain; for several writers of great credit and authority maintain the innocence of the sectary, while others assert that he was convicted of the most enormous crimes. * V. The sect of the Flagellantes, or Whippers, continued to excite commotions in Germany, more especially in Thuringia and the Lower Saxony; but these fanatics were very different from the ancient heretics of the same name, who ran wildly in troops through va rious provinces. The new Whippers rejected not only the sacraments, but also every branch of external worship, and placed their only hopes of salvation in faith and flagellation; to IV. In the year 1411, a sect was discovered which they added some strange doctrines conin the Netherlands, and more especially at cerning the evil spirit, and other matters, which Brussels, which owed its origin to an illiterate are not explained in history with sufficient per man, whose name was Ægidius Cantor, and to spicuity. The person that appeared at the William of Hildenissen, a Carmelite monk; head of this sect in Thuringia was Conrac and whose members were distinguished by the Schmidt; and he was committed to the flames, title of Men of Understanding. There were with many of his followers,† in 1414, by many things reprehensible in the doctrine of this Schonefeld, who was, at that time, inquisitor sect, which seemed to be chiefly derived from in Germany, and rendered his name famous the theology of the Mystics. For they pretend- by his industry and zeal in the extirpation of ed to be honoured with celestial visions; de- heresy. Nicolas Schaden suffered at Quednied that any could arrive at a perfect know-linburgh for his attachment to this sect; and, ledge of the Holy Scriptures, without the extraordinary succours of a divine illumination; declared the approach of a new revelation from heaven, more complete and perfect than the Gospel of Christ; maintained, that the resurrection was already accomplished in the person of Jesus, and that no other resurrection was to be expected; affirmed, that the inward man was not defiled by the outward actions, whatever they were; that the pains of hell were to have an end, and that not only all mankind, but even the devils themselves, were to return to God, and be made partakers of eternal felicity. This sect seems to have been a branch of that of the Brethren and Sisters of the free spirit; since they declared, that a new What Dr. Mosheim hints but obscurely here, is explained by Sigonius and Platina, who tell us, that the pilgrims, mentioned in the preceding note, stopped at Viterbo, and that Boniface, fearing that the priest who headed them might endeavour by their assis tance to seize the pontificate, sent a body of troops thither, who apprehended the false prophet, and carried him to Rome, where he was burned. † See L'Enfant, Hist. du Concile de Pise, tom. i. p. 102.-Poggi, Hist. Florentina, lib. iii. p. 122.-Marc. Anton. Sabellicus in Enneadibus Rhapsodiæ His. Enucad. ix lih ix. t. ii. op. p. 839, pub. at Basil in 1560. though Berthold Schade, who was seized at Halberstadt in 1481, escaped death, as appears most probable, by abjuring their doctrine,‡ we find in the records of these unhappy times a numerous list of the Flagellantes, whom the German inquisitors devoted to the flames. Baluz. Miscellan. tom. ii. p. 277. * See the records of this transaction in Steph. † Excerpta Monachi Pernensis, in Jo. Burch. Menkenii Scriptor. Rerum Germanicar. tom. ii. p. 1521.Chron. Monaster. in Anton. Matthæi Analect. vet Ævi, tom. v. p. 71.-Chron. Magdeb. in Meibomii Scriptor. Rerum German. tom. ii. p. 362.-From sixteen articles of faith adopted by this sect, which were committed to writing by a certain inquisitor of Brandenberg in the year 1411, and which Conrad Schmidt is said to have taken from 'the papers of Walkenried, we may derive a tolerable idea of their doctrine, of which the substance is as follows:"That the opinions adopted by the Roman church with respect to the efficacy of the sacraments, the flames of purgatory, praying for the dead, and several other points, are entirely false and groundless; and that the person who believes what is contained in the Apostles' Creed, repeats frequently the Lord's prayer and the Ave Maria, and at certain times lashes his body severely, as a voluntary punishment for the transgressions he has committed, shall obtain eternal salvation." See the account of this matter, which is given by the learned Jo. Ernest Kappius in his Relat. de re bus Theologicis Antiquis et Nc is in. 1747, p. 475. |