SUMMARY OF THE DOCTRINE OF WHICH THEY WERE ACCUSED.

The doctrines with which they were charged, consisted of the following points (from Abr. Mellinus,161 2d book, fol. 440): “That their belief concerning the sacraments, of baptism and the Supper, as well as respecting marriage, was different from what had been decreed by the Roman church, whom they called the whore of Babylon, because she had forsaken the true faith in Christ; they said that she was like the barren fig-tree which our Lord Jesus Christ cursed. They also said that the Pope and the bishops must not be obeyed when they command anything that is contrary to the word of God; also, that monachism was a stinking carrion, also, that all monastic vows are vain and useless, yea, that they foster lasciviousness; also, that all the orders and degrees of the priestly dignity are marks of the great beast; also, that purgatory, masses, church consecrations, worship of the saints, anniversaries for the dead, etc., are genuine inventions of the devil.”

“These,” says Mellinus, “were about the principal articles which the fathers of the Oxford council could not brook, and on account of which they scourged and banished them out of their country, yea, let them freeze to death.”

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