money, which another takes pain with,
improves, and runs the hazard of in
trade, as it is to receive rent for our land
which another takes pain with, improves,
but runs the hazard of in husbandry.

VULGATE, a very ancient transla-
tion of the Bible, and the only one ac-
knowledged by the church of Rome to
be authentic. See BIBLE, No. 32.

W.

spicuous in the whole of their conduct
and conversation, appeared so engaging
to all such as had any sense of true
piety, that the number of their follow-
ers daily increased. They accordingly
formed religious assemblies, first in
France, and afterwards in Lombardy;
from whence they propagated their sect
throughout the other provinces of Eu-
rope with incredible rapidity, and with
such invincible fortitude, that neither
fire nor sword, nor the most cruel in-
ventions of merciless persecution, could
damp their zeal, or entirely ruin their

cause.

WALDENSES, or VALDENSES, a ||
sect of reformers, who made their first
appearance about the year 1160. They
were most numerous about the valleys
of Piedmont; and hence, some say, they
were called Valdenses, or Vaudois, and
not from Peter Valdo, as others suppose.
Mosheim, however, gives this account
of them he says, that Peter, an opu-
lent merchant of Lyons, surnamed Val-
densis, or Validisius, from Vaux, or
Waldum, a town in the marquisate of
Lyons, being extremely zealous for the
advancement of true piety and Chris-
tian knowledge, employed a certain
priest, called Stephanus de Evisa, about The attempts of Peter Waldus and
the year 1160, in translating, from La- his followers were neither employed
tin into French, the four Gospels, with nor designed to introduce new doctrines
other books of holy Scripture, and the into the church, nor to propose new ar-
most remarkable sentences of the an- ticles of faith to Christians. All they
cient doctors, which were so highly es- aimed at was, to reduce the form of
teemed in this century. But no sooner ecclesiastical government, and the man-
had he perused these sacred books with ners both of the clergy and people, to
a proper degree of attention, than he that amiable simplicity and primitive
perceived that the religion which was sanctity that characterized the apostolic
now taught in the Roman church, dif- || ages, and which appear so strongly re-
fered totally from that which was ori- commended in the precepts and in-
ginally inculcated by Christ and his junctions of the Divine Author of our
apostles. Struck with this glaring con- holy religion. In consequence of this
tradiction between the doctrines of the design, they complained that the Ro-
pontiffs and the truths of the Gospel, man church had degenerated, under
and animated with zeal, he abandoned Constantine the Great, from its primi-
his mercantile vocation, distributed his | tive purity and sanctity. They denied
riches among the poor (whence the the supremacy of the Roman pontiff,
Waldenses were called poor men of Ly- and maintained that the rulers and mi-
ons,) and forming an association with nisters of the church were obliged, by
other pious men who had adopted his their vocation, to imitate the poverty
sentiments and his turn of devotion, he of the apostles, and to procure for them-
began, in the year 1180, to assume the selves a subsistence by the work of their
quality of a public teacher, and to in-hands. They considered every Chris-
struct the multitude in the doctrines and
precepts of Christianity.

Soon after Peter had assumed the ex-
ercise of his ministry, the archbishop
of Lyons, and the other rulers of the
church in that province, vigorously op-
posed him. However, their opposition
was unsuccessful; for the purity and
simplicity of that religion which these
good men taught, the spotless inno.
cence that shone forth in their lives and
actions, and the noble contempt of
riches and honours which was con-

||

tian as, in certain measure, qualified
and authorised to instruct, exhort and
confirm the brethren in their Christian
course; and demanded the restoration
of the ancient penitential discipline of
the church, i. e. the expiation of trans-
gressions by prayer, fasting, and alms,
which the new-invented doctrine of in-
dulgences had almost totally abolished.
They at the same time affirmed, that
every pious Christian was qualified and
entitled to prescribe to the penitent the
kind or degree of satisfaction or expia-

the Scriptures, and led virtuous lives. He and his followers renounced the designation of the Mennonites. They were with great zeal opposed by Samuel Apostool, another physician and eminent pastor at Amsterdam, who, with his followers, admitted none to their communion but such as professed to believe all the points of doctrine contained in their public Confession of Faith.

WEDNESDAY, ASH. The first day of Lent, when, in the primitive church, notorious sinners were put to open penance thus: They appeared at the church door barefooted, and clothed in sackcloth, where, being examined, their discipline was proportioned according to their offences; after which, being brought into the church, the bishop singing the seven penitential psalms, they prostrated themselves, and with tears begged absolution; the whole congregation having ashes on their heads, to signify, that they were both mortal and deserved to be burnt to

ashes for their sins.

WHIPPERS, or FLAGELLANTES, a sect of wild fanatics, who chastised and disciplined themselves with whips in public. It had its rise in Italy in the year 1260: its author was one Rainer, a hermit; and it was propagated from hence through almost all the countries of Europe. A great number of persons, of all ages and sexes, made processions, walking two by two, with their shoulders bare, which they whipped till the blood ran down, in order to obtain mercy from God, and appease his indignation against the wickedness of the age. They were then called the Devout; and having established a superior, he was called General of the Devotion. Though the primitive Whippers were exemplary in point of morals, yet they were joined 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 in

terest.

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY, a name given to the synod of divines call- However, this sect revived in Gered by parliament in the reign of Charles many towards the middle of the next I. for the purpose of settling the go- century, and, rambling through many vernment, liturgy, and doctrine of the provinces, occasioned great disturbances. church of England. They were confined They held, among other things, that in their debates to such things as the whipping was of equal virtue with bapparliament proposed. Some counties tism, and the other sacraments; that the had two members, and some but one. forgiveness of all sins was to be obtained And because they would seem impar- by it from God without the merits of tial, and give each party the liberty to Jesus Christ; that the old law of Christ speak, they chose many of the most was soon to be abolished, and that a new learned episcopal divines; but few of law, enjoining the baptism of blood to be them came, because it was not a legal administered by whipping, was to be convocation, the king having declared substituted in its place: upon which against it. The divines were men of Clement VII. by an injudicious as well eminent learning and godliness, minis- as unrighteous policy, thundered out terial abilities, and fidelity. Many lords || anathemas against the Whippers, who and commons were joined with them, to were burnt by the inquisitors in several see that they did not go beyond their places: but they were not easily extircommission. Six or seven Independents pated. They appeared again in Thuwere also added to them, that all sides ringia and Lower Saxony in the fifteenth might be heard. This assembly first century, and rejected not only the samet, July 1, 1643, in Henry the Seventh's craments, but every branch of external Chapel. The most remarkable hints worship; and placed their only hopes concerning their debates are to be found of in the Life of Dr. Lightfoot, before his works, in folio, and in the Preface to his Remains, in octavo. See also the Assembly's Confession of Faith; Neal's Hist. of the Puritans; and article DiRECTORY in this work. There is a publication, which is commonly but unjustly ascribed to this assembly, viz. The Annotations on the Bible. Tre truth is, the same parliament that called the assembly, employed the authors of that work, and several of them were members of the assembly.

salvation in faith and whipping, to which they added other strange doctrines concerning evil spirits. Their leader, Conrad Schmidt, and many others, were committed to the flames by German inquisitors, in and after the year 1414.

WHITE BRETHREN. See BRETHREN WHITE.

WHITSUNDAY, a solemn festival 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 mi- || Jews, Saracens, and unworthy Chrisraculous powers which were then con- tians, were to obtain salvation through ferred upon them. the Holy Spirit which dwelt in her, 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.

It is called Whitsunday or WhiteSunday, because this being one of the stated times for baptism in the ancient church, those who were baptised put on white garments, 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 Pentecost, this festival retained the name of Pentecost among the Christians.

WILKINSONIANS, the followers of Jemima Wilkinson, who was born in Cumberland in America. In October 1776, she asserted that she was taken sick, and actually died, and that her soul went to heaven, where it still continues. Soon after, her body was reanimated with the spirit and power of Christ, upon which she set up as a public teacher; and declared she had an immediate revelation for all she delivered, and was arrived to a state of absolute perfection. It is also said she pretended to foretel future events, to discern the secrets of the heart, and to have the power of healing diseases: and if any person who had made application to her was not healed, she attributed it to his want of faith. She assert

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 jurisdiction 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 dismissed without condemnation. Wickliffe, therefore, continued || to spread his new principles as usual, adding to them doctrines still more alarming; by which he drew after himed that those who refused to believe a great number of disciples. Upon these exalted things concerning her, this, William Courtney, abp. of Can-will be in the state of the unbelieving terbury, called another council in 1382, which condemned 24 propositions of Wickliffe and his disciples, and obtained a declaration of Richard II. against all who should preach them: but while these proceedings were agitating, Wickliffe died at Lutterworth, leaving many works behind him for the establishment of his doctrines. He was buried in his own church, at Lutterworth, in Leicestershire, where his bones were suffered to rest in peace till the year 1428, when, by an order from the pope, they were taken up and burnt. Wickliffe was doubtless a very extraordinary man, considering the times in which he lived. He discovered the absurdities and impositions of the church of Rome, and had the honesty and resolution to promulgate his opinions, which a little more support 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 territory of Milan. She persuaded a 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 blood of Jesus but true and pious Christians; while the

Jews, who rejected the council of God against themselves; and she told her hearers that was the eleventh hour, and the last call of mercy that ever should be granted them: for she heard an inquiry in heaven, saying, "Who will go and preach to a dying world?" or words to that import; and she said she answered, "Here am I-send me;" and that she left the realms of light and glory, and the company of the heavenly host, who are continually praising and worshipping God, in order to descend upon earth, and pass through many sufferings and trials for the happiness of mankind. She assumed the title of the universal friend of mankind; hence her followers distinguished themselves by the name of Friends.

WILL, that faculty of the soul by which it chooses or refuses any thing offered to it. When man was created, he had liberty and power to do what was pleasing in the sight of God; but by the fall, he lost all ability of will to any spiritual good; nor has he any will to that which is good until divine grace enlightens the understanding and changes the heart. "The nature of the will, indeed, is in itself indisputably free. Will, as will, must be so, or there is no such faculty; but the human will, being finite, hath a necessary bound, which indeed so far may be said to con