II. Evidences Offered for Antiquity of the Waldenses

In examining the question of the antiquity of the origin, and the apostolicity of the faith of the Waldenses, we find that a fourfold body of evidence is advanced.PFF1 939.1

1. Admissions of Papal enemies as to their claim to antiquity.PFF1 939.2

2. Claims of Waldensian leaders to antiquity.PFF1 939.3

3. Evidences of connection with noncomformists of northern Italy between the fourth and twelfth centuries.PFF1 939.4

4. Witness of Protestant Reformers.PFF1 939.5

Space limitations permit drafting but briefly upon the evidence of the first three of these four fields at this point. The fourth is not source material, but is dependent upon earlier evidence. Concerning the first two, Morland says:PFF1 939.6

“True it is, That a great part of the most ancient Records, and Authentick Pieces, treating of, and discovering the Antiquity of those Churches, have been industriously sought after, and committed to the flames, by their bloudy Persecutors, in the Years 1559, and 1560, that so the truth of their affairs might lie for ever smother’d under those ashes, and be buried in perpetual silence; nevertheless God has been so gracious to his Church, both in preserving, as it were by miracle, many Authentick Pieces relating to this particular, compiled and written by the ancient Inhabitants in their own proper Language, as also by suffering even the most eminent and bitter of their Adversaries, ever and anon unwarily to let fall many remarkable passages to this purpose, in those very Writings which they composed expressly against them; That by the help of these two Mediums, it will be easie to produce such Arguments for the antiquity of that Religion, which both they and we at this day profess, as are sufficient to convince any sober person, who does not wilfully shut his eyes against a noon-day truth.” ^{11Morland, op. cit., p. 8.}PFF1 939.7