with peculiar marks of rage and enormity in the years 1655, 1656, and 1696, and seemed to portend nothing less than the total extinction of that unhappy nation. The most horrid scenes of violence and bloodshed were exhibited in

criminal inventions of sordid avarice. They looked upon the prayers and other ceremonies that were instituted in behalf of the dead, as vain, useless, and absurd, and denied the existence of departed souls in an intermediate state of purification; affirming, this theatre of papal tyranny; that they were immediately, upon and the few Waldenses that surtheir separation from the body, vived were indebted for their exreceived into heaven, or thrust istence and support to the interdown to hell. These and other cession made for them by the tenets of a like nature composed English and Dutch governments, the system of doctrine propagated and also by the Swiss cantons, by the Waldenses. It is also said, who solicited the clemency of the that several of the Waldenses de- duke of Savoy on their behalf. nied the obligation of infant baptism, and that others rejected water baptism entirely; but Wall has laboured to prove that infant baptism was generally practised among them.

WATCHERS. See ACOEMETÆ. WATCHFULNESS, vigilance, or care to avoid surrounding enemies and dangers. We are to watch against the insinuations of Satan; the allurements of the Their rules of practice were ex-world; the deceitfulness of our tremely austere; for they adopted hearts; the doctrines of the erroas the model of their moral disci-neous; and, indeed, against every pline the sermon of Christ on the thing that would prove inimical Mount, which they interpreted to our best interests. We are to and explained in the most rigor-exercise this duty at all times, in ous and literal manner; and conse- all places, and under all circumquently prohibited and condemn-stances, 1st Cor. xvi, 13. Luke xii, ed in their society all wars, and 37. suits of law, and all attempts to- WATERLANDIANS, a sect wards the acquisition of wealth; of Anabaptists in Holland. They the inflicting of capital punish-are thus called in distinction from ments, self-defence against unjust violence, and oaths of all kinds. During the greatest part of the seventeenth century, those of them who lived in the vallies of Piedmont, and who had embraced the doctrine, discipline, and worship of the church of Geneva, were oppressed and persecuted in the most barbarous and inhuman manner by the ministers of Rome. This persecution was carried on

the Flemingians, or Flandrians, and likewise because they consisted at first of the inhabitants of a district in North Holland, called Waterland. The Flemingians were called the fine or rigid, and the Waterlandians, the gross or moderate Anabaptists. The former observe, with the most religious accuracy and veneration, the ancient doctrine and discipline of the purer sort of Anabaptists; the

latter depart much more from the to believe all the points of doctrine primitive sentiments and manners contained in their public Confesof their sect, and approach nearersion of Faith.

to the Protestant churches. These WESTMINSTER ASSEMlatter, however, are divided into BLY, a name given to the synod of two distinct sects, the Water-divines called by parliament in the landers and the Frieslanders; but reign of Charles I, for the purpose this difference, it is said, merely of settling the government, liturrespects their place of abode.gy, and doctrine of the church of Neither party have any bishops, England. They were confined in but only presbyters and deacons. their debates to such things as the Each congregation is independent parliament proposed. Some counof all foreign jurisdiction, having ties had two members, and some its own court of government, but one. And because they would composed of the presbyters and seem impartial, and give each pardeacons. But, the supreme power ty the liberty to speak, they chose being in the hands of the people, many of the most learned episcopal nothing of importance can be divines; but few of them came, transacted without their consent. because it was not a legal convoTheir presbyters are generally cation, the king having declared men of learning; and they have a against it. The divines were men public professor at Amsterdam for of eminent learning and godliness, instructing their youth in the dif- ministerial abilities, and fidelity. ferent branches of erudition, sa- Many lords and commons were cred and profane. About 1664, joined with them, to see that they the Waterlanders were split into did not go beyond their commisthe two factions of the Galenists, sion. Six or seven Independents and the Apostoolians. Galen were also added to them, that all Abraham Haan, doctor of physic, sides might be heard. This asand pastor of the Mennonites at sembly first met July 1, 1643, in Amsterdam, a man of uncommon Henry the Seventh's Chapel. The penetration and eloquence, in- most remarkable hints concerning clined towards the Arian and So- their debates are to be found in cinian tenets, and insisted for the the Life of Dr. Lightfoot, before reception of all such into their his works, in folio, and in the church fellowship as acknowledg- Preface to his Remains, in octavo. ed the divine authority of the See also the Assembly's Confession scriptures, and led virtuous lives. of Faith; Neal's Hist. of the PuHe and his followers renounced ritans; and article DIRECTORY, the designation of the Mennonites. in this work. There is a publicaThey were with great zeal oppos-tion which is commonly, but uned by Samuel Apostool, another justly, ascribed to this assembly, physician and eminent pastor at viz. The Annotations on the Bible. Amsterdam, who, with his fol-The truth is, the same parliament lowers, admitted none to their that called the assembly, employcommunion but such as professed "ed the authors of that work, and

several of them were members of to be abolished, and that a new the assembly. law, enjoining the baptism of blood WHIPPERS, or FLAGEL- to be administered by whipping, LANTES, a set of wild fanatics, who was to be substituted in its place: chastised and disciplined them-upon which Clement VII, by an selves with whips in public. It had injudicious as well as unrighteous its rise in Italy in the year 1260: policy, thundered out anathemas its author was one Rainier, a her-against the Whippers, who were mit; and it was propagated from burnt by the inquisitors in several hence through almost all the coun-places: but they were not easily tries of Europe. A great number of extirpated. They appeared again persons, of all ages and sexes, made in Thuringia and Lower Saxony processions, walking two by two, in the fifteenth century, and rewith their shoulders bare, which jected not only the sacraments, they whipped till the blood ran but every branch of external down, in order to obtain mercy worship; and placed their only from God, and appease his indig- hopes of salvation in faith and nation against the wickedness of the whipping, to which they added age. They were then called the De-other strange doctrines concerning vout; and, having established a su-evil spirits. Their leader, Conrad perior, he was called the General of Schmidt, and many others, were the Devotion. Though the primi- committed to the flames by Gertive Whippers were exemplary in man inquisitors in and after the point of morals, yet they were join-year 1414. ed by a turbulent rabble, who were infected with the most ridiculous and impious opinions: so that the emperors and pontiffs thought proper to put an end to this religious frenzy, by declaring all devout whipping contrary to the Divine law, and prejudicial to the soul's eternal interest.

WHITE BRETHREN. See BRETHREN WHITE.

WHITSUNDAY, a solemn festivial of the Christian church, observed on the fiftieth day after Easter, in memory of the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the apostles in the visible appearance of fiery cloven tongues,and of those miraculous powers which were then conferred upon them.

However, this sect revived in Germany towards the middle of the next century, and, rambling It is called Whitsunday or through many provinces, occa-White-sunday, because this being sioned great disturbances. They one of the stated times for baptism held, among other things, that in the ancient church, those who whipping was of equal virtue with were baptized put on white garbaptism and the other sacraments; that the forgiveness of all sins was to be obtained by it from God without the merits of Jesus Christ; that the old law of Christ was soon VOL. II.

ments, as types of that spiritual purity they received in baptism. As the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the apostles happened on that day which the Jews called Pen 3 Q

name of Pentecost among the Christians.

tecost, this festival retained they would probably have enabled him to establish: they were evidently the foundation of the subsequent reformation.

WILHELMINIANS, a denomination in the 13th century, so called from Wilhelmina, a Bohemian woman, who resided in the ter

large number that the Holy Ghost was become incarnate in her person for the salvation of a great part of mankind. According to her doctrines none were saved by the

Christians, while the Jews, Saracens, and unworthy Christians, were to obtain salvation through the Holy Spirit which dwelt inher, and that, in consequence thereof, all which happened in Christ during his appearance upon earth in the human nature was to be exactly renewed in her person, or rather in that of the Holy Ghost, which was united to her.

WICKEDNESS. See SIN. WICKLIFFITES, the followers of the famous John Wickliffe, called "the first reformer," who was born in Yorkshire in the year 1324. He attacked the jurisdic-ritory of Milan. She persuaded a tion of the pope and the bishops. He was for this twice summoned to a council at Lambeth, to give an account of his doctrines; but, being countenanced by the duke of Lancaster, was both times dis-blood of Jesus but true and pious missed without condemnation. Wickliffe, therefore, continued to spread his new principles as usual, adding to them doctrines still more alarming; by which he drew after him a great number of disciples. Upon this, William Courtney, abp. of Canterbury, called another council in 1382, which condemned 24 propositions of Wickliffe and his disciples, and obtained a declaration of Richard II against WILL, that faculty of the soul all who should preach them: but by which it chooses or refuses any while these proceedings were agi- thing offered to it. When man tating, Wickliffe died at Lutter- was created, he had liberty and worth, leaving many works behind power to do what was pleasing in him for the establishment of his the sight of God; but by the fall, doctrines. He was buried in his he lost all ability of will to any own church, at Lutterworth, in spiritual good; nor has he any will Leicestershire, where his bones to that which is good until Divine were suffered to rest in peace till grace enlightens the understandthe year 1428, when, by an ordering, and changes the heart. "The from the pope, they were taken up nature of the will, indeed, is in itand burnt. Wickliffe was doubt-self indisputedly free. Will, as less a very extraordinary man, will, must be so, or there is no considering the times in which he such faculty; but the human will, lived. He discovered the absurdi-being finite, hath a necessary ties and impositions of the church of Rome, and had the honesty and resolution to promulgate his opinions, which a little more support

bound, which indeed so far may be said to confine it, because it cannot act beyond it; yet within the extent of its capacity it ne

cessarily is and ever will be spon- changeable, and must certainly