poetry in the Waldensian tongue, wherein are these treatises following: A prayer entitled, New Comfort. A rhythm of the four sorts of seeds mentioned in the gospel. Another entitled La Barque. And one called The Noble Lesson, of which le Sieur de St. Aldegande makes mention.

"We have also an excellent treatise entitled "Vergier de Consolation,' containing many good instructions confirmed by the Scriptures, and divers authorities of the ancients. Also an old treatise in parchment, entitled 'Of the Church,' and another called The Treasury and Light of Faith.' Also a book entitled The Spiritual Almanack.' Also a book in parchment Of the means to separate things precious, from the base and contemptible, that is to say, virtues from vices.'

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"Also the book of George Morel, wherein are continued all the questions which George Morel and Peter Mascon moved to Oecolampadius and Bucer, touching religion, and the answers of the said parties."

This list will be perused with interest by the friends of religious tracts in the present day. Some of these works have never been published in England, but are still preserved abroad, as manuscripts, in the library of Geneva. Others of them will be found printed in the volume of Leger's history.

Some of the pastors of the middle ages are also enumerated by the same historian. Bartholomew of Carcassonne, who travelled among

the churches in Hungary and Dalmatia, and was called their bishop, has been particularly noticed by Matthew Paris. Belazinanza of Verona, and John de Lugio were famous teachers in 1250. Arneld, Esperon, and Joseph, are thought by Perrin to have been disciples of Peter Waldo. They communicated his instructions to others, who were called after them Arneldists, Esperonists, and Josephists. Other writers consider them, with more probability as independent teachers, at a more early period.

Of the following little is known, excepting their names

Others of later date are referred to by Gilles and Leger.

That celebrated compendium of the doctrine of the Waldenses, called the "Noble Lesson,"

appears to have been written during the twelfth century. There was a belief among the early Christians, already mentioned, founded on Rev. xx. 7, that after the gospel had been preached for 1000 years, Satan was to be loosed, wickedness would increase, and the end of the world be at hand. To this view, the following passage refers, at the opening of the treatise :

Oh! brethren, hear a noble lesson,
We ought always to watch and pray,
For we see this world is near its end.

We ought to be earnest in doing good works,
For we see this world is coming to an end.
Eleven hundred years are fully completed

Since it was written, the end of all things is at hand,
We daily see the signs of this accomplishment,

In the increase of evil and the decrease of good;
These are the perils that the Scripture mentions,

Which the evangelists have recounted and St. Paul has written,
That no man living knows when the end will come.

Very ancient manuscripts are still in existence, which contain copies of this work, more or less perfect. There is also another manuscript, dated 1120, containing several sermons by the pastors of the valleys, containing

Antichrist, Purgatory, the Invocation of Saints, and the Sacraments." These, with other valuable works, were brought from Piedmont to England, by Morland, in the latter part of the seventeenth century, and were placed in the University of Cambridge. They give further proof of the antiquity of the churches of the Vaudois. In another passage of the "Noble Lesson," that name is mentioned as a term of reproach, frequently applied to all sincere, upright men.

"After the Apostles, there were certain teachers, who showed the way of Jesus Christ our Saviour. And some of these are found, ev.n at this present time, but they are known to very few.

They greatly desire to point out the way of Jesus Christ.

But are so persecuted, that they can do but little.

So blinded by error are the false Christians, and especially the pastors.

For they persecute and kill those who are better than themselves. Nevertheless, the Scripture says, and we may see it,

That if a person loves those who are good, he will wish to love God, and to fear Jesus Christ:

And that he will neither curse, nor swear, nor lie, nor commit adultery, nor kill, nor defraud his neighbour,

Neither will he take revenge of his enemies.

Now such a one they say is a VAUDES, and deserves to be put to death. And they find occasion, by lies and deceit, to take from him what he has earned by fair dealing."

It appears from old English writers that the name of Lollard in our own land, was as readily applied to those who reproved sin in their neighbours.

The conclusion of the "Noble Lesson" is very striking:

"We have only to imitate Jesus Christ, and to do his pleasure, And to keep firmly that which he has command d,

And to be well advised when Antichrist shall come,

That we may give no credence to his doings or to his sayings.
But according to Scripture, there are many Antichrists,
For all who are contrary to Christ are Antichrist.

Many signs and great wonders shall be from this time forward, to the day of judgment.

The heaven and the earth shall burn, and all the living shall die, Then all shall rise again to life everlasting.

Every building shall be laid prostrate, and then shall be the last judgment, when God shall separate his people, as it is written. Then shall he say to the wicked, Depart from me, ye accursed, etc. May it please the Lord, who formed the world, that we may be of the number of his elect to stand in his courts."

It is said by a Christian descended from the ancient inhabitants of the valleys, "What was the difference between the Waldenses and the

Protestants? None, except that which existed between the labourers in the parable, spoken by our Lord. The Waldenses were early called into the vineyard, the Protestant reformers at a later period, but all were called by the same Master. The church of Christ, when first founded by the apostles, resembled a pillar of pure spotless marble. But by degrees, the Romish church succeeded in driving a nail into this marble, once so fair and undefiled, and she used this nail to hang on it a priestly robe; then another, and many more nails were added, on which were placed mitres and rosaries, images and amulets, and finally a triple crown, towering above the rest. Thus the whole pillar was covered, and the people entirely lost sight of it. They saw only the hangings, and forgot the building which they served to conceal. But God raised up the courageous reformers, and made them strong to pluck out these nails, and pull down what was suspended to them, and thus the pillar of the truth was once more made manifest to a wondering world. The same column existed in the times of the Waldenses, and in ours, and the only difference between them and ourselves is, that we may still trace the print of the nails, which did not exist in the first ages of Christianity."

Walter Mapes describes the examination of two of their teachers before the council of Rome, in the year 1179. He speaks of them as called Valdesians, or the poor men of Lyons,