A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS THE HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, from the birth of Christ to the 18th Century: including the very interesting account of the Waldenses and Albigenses By William Jones (1762-1843) First Edition 1812 Fourth Edition 1819 Fifth Edition 1826 Catholic authorities burning a separatist Christian in the fifteenth century CONTENTS INTRODUCTION The state of the world at the time of Christ's birth The state of the Jewish nation at the time of Christ's birth file:///C|/Documents and Settings/gnash/My Documents/Bapti...h/The History of the Christian Church by William Jones.htm (1 of 3)6/6/2007 2:26:16 PM A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS RISE OF CHRISTIANITY From the birth to the death of Christ From Christ’s resurrection to the promulgation of the Gospel From the first preaching of the gospel to return of Paul and Barnabas Paul’s second and third journies From Paul’s arrival at Jerusalem to the period of his death From the time of Paul’s decease to the end of the first century, A.D. 66-98 FROM END OF FIRST CENTURY TO CONSTANTINE THE GREAT, A.D. 98-306 State of Christianity under the reign of emperor Trajan, A.D. 98-117 Christianity under the reigns of Adrian and the Antonines, A.D. 117-180 From the death of Marcus Aurelius to Constantine, A.D. 180-306 Reflections on the History of Christianity during the first three centuries FROM CONSTANTINE TO THE RISE OF THE WALDENSES, A.D. 306-800 Constantine the Great, A.D. 306-337 From death of Constantine to end of fourth century, A.D. 337-400 From beginning of the fifth century to the establishment of the popes, A.D. 401-606 Continued--The Gothic invasion, Sacking of Rome, Settlement of the Barbarians in Europe The rise of the Waldenses--Mahometanism--the Paulicians A.D. 606-800 FROM THE NINTH TO THE END OF THE TWELFTH CENTURY, A.D. 800-1200 Valleys of the Piedmont, and of the Pyrenees, with account of Claude of Turin View of the Catholic church from the ninth to the twelfth century Peter Waldo--Cathari in Germany--Waldenses in England--Arnold--Paterines, A.D. 840-1160 History of the Crusades for the recovery of the Holy Land, A.D. 1096-1270 HISTORY OF THE WALDENSES AND ALBIGENSES, A.D. 1160-1368 Etymology of the Terms Waldenses and Albigenses--Waldo--Pope Lucius III View of the doctrinal sentiments of the Waldenses, according to their adversaries Waldensian sentiments and practices, collected from their own writings Additional testimonies from the writings of both friends and foes The rise and establishment of the Inquisition--Edicts of Frederic II History of the persecutions of the Albigenses in France during 13th century State of the Waldenses, A.D. 1220-1350 file:///C|/Documents and Settings/gnash/My Documents/Bapti...h/The History of the Christian Church by William Jones.htm (2 of 3)6/6/2007 2:26:16 PM A HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS Religion in England and Bohemia in the 13th and 14th centuries--Wickliffe--Lollards--Huss-- Jerome--Bohemian Brethren HISTORY OF THE WALDENSES CONTINUED, A.D. 1350-1700 History of the Waldenses from Wickliffe to the rise of Luther, A.D. 1350-1500 History of the Waldenses in first half of the 16th century, A.D. 1500-1550 Rome and the Inquisition in the 16th century--Spain--Netherlands History of Waldenses in last half of 16th century, A.D. 1551-1600 History of the Waldensian sufferings, A.D. 1600-1665 Assistance by England--King of France--Duke of Savoy--etc. Proceedings against them in Poland--Appeal to the English nation--Catholic cruelties Waldensian history concluded file:///C|/Documents and Settings/gnash/My Documents/Bapti...h/The History of the Christian Church by William Jones.htm (3 of 3)6/6/2007 2:26:16 PM THE LIFE OF WILLIAM JONES THE HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, from the birth of Christ to the 18th Century: including the very interesting account of the Waldenses and Albigenses By William Jones First Edition 1812 Fourth Edition 1819 Fifth Edition 1826 [Table of Contents for "A History of the Christian Church" by William Jones] file:///C|/Documents and Settings/gnash/My Documents/Baptis...ional Histories/History of the Christian Church/jones01.htm (1 of 13)6/6/2007 2:27:01 PM THE LIFE OF WILLIAM JONES THE LIFE OF WILLIAM JONES (1762-1846) Rev. William Jones was born in the county of Denbigh, in Wales, June 17, 1762. When young he removed to Poulton, in Cheshire, where he received a classical education. In October, 1786, he was baptized by the Rev. Archibald McLean, of Edinburgh, then on a visit to Chester, in the river Dee. In 1793 he established himself in Liverpool as a wholesale bookseller and publisher. In that city he began to hold meetings in his own spacious drawing-room, at first for his own family, for prayer, praise, reading the Scriptures, exhortation, and file:///C|/Documents and Settings/gnash/My Documents/Baptis...ional Histories/History of the Christian Church/jones01.htm (2 of 13)6/6/2007 2:27:01 PM THE LIFE OF WILLIAM JONES exposition. These assemblies were speedily frequently by neighbors and others, and soon they were transferred to a chapel, when a church was formed, and Mr. D.S. Wylie and Mr. Jones were appointed pastors. Mr. Jones left Liverpool for London, and in 1812, soon after he went to the metropolis, he began his "History of the Waldenses and Albigenses." In 1815 he started the New Evangelical Magazine, in London; this periodical, subsequently called the New Baptist Magazine, was conducted by Mr. Jones with great success for eleven years. He spent three years in preparing a "Dictionary of the Sacred Writings," the first edition of which, consisting of 2000 copies, was quickly sold. His Church History, of which his "History of the Waldenses and Albigenses" is not quite a half, is a work highly creditable to the research and candor of its author and worthy of a conspicuous place in every Baptist library. Mr. Jones was the author of biographies of Rowland Hill, Edward Irving, Adam Clark, and of several other works. He was a writer of great industry and conscientiousness; and in the latter part of his life his works were very popular among Baptists. In 1843, when his means were very limited, the queen offered him a place in the Charterhouse, where all his wants would be cared for during the rest of his life; but, as the acceptance of it required him to become an Episcopalian, he declined the royal offer. The queen on learning the fact ordered £60 to be paid Mr. Jones in three annual installments. He died in January, 1846. _____________________________ In his classic The History of Romanism (1853), John Dowling gave the following testimony to Jones' church history: "This valuable work is very full on the subject of the Waldenses. It was originally written as a 'History of the Waldenses,' and afterward enlarged, and republished under the title of a 'History of the Church'" (Dowling, p. 585, f. 2). IS WILLIAM JONES’ HISTORY OF THE WALDENSES ACCURATE? The following extract from The Western Baptist Review (Vol. IV. No. 5, Frankfort, Ky., January, 1849) examines the charge which has been made by pedobaptists that William Jones’ history is inaccurate in its portrayal of the Waldenses -- file:///C|/Documents and Settings/gnash/My Documents/Baptis...ional Histories/History of the Christian Church/jones01.htm (3 of 13)6/6/2007 2:27:01 PM THE LIFE OF WILLIAM JONES Jean Paul Perrin was a Pedo-baptist--a French Presbyterian--who flourished about the beginning of the seventeenth century. He was anxious to make it appear that the Waldenses were Pedo-baptists and Presbyterians. He admits that they were charged with being opposed to infant baptism; that this accusation was brought against them at the very beginning of their career, and was reiterated all the time of their persecutions. He denies its truth, and pronounces the charge a calumny. He remarks: "The fourth calumny was concerning baptism, which it is said they denied to infants. From this imputation they quit themselves as follows: ‘Neither is the time or place appointed for those who must be baptized; but charity, and the edification of the Church and Congregation, ought to be the rule in this matter;-- yet, notwithstanding, we bring our children to be baptized; which they ought to do to whom they are nearest related; as are their parents, or those whom God hath inspired with such a charity’" [Ut Supra]. If the charge that the Waldenses denied infant baptism be a "calumny," it was one of the full six hundred years standing when Perrin wrote his history; and during that time was repeated and published in every generation, as we shall show hereafter. Why then did not our author show from some accredited document that it was untrue? He quotes here from a work called the "Spiritual Almanac," of very questionable authority, to say the best of it-of which no one knows either the date or author! There are abundance of their writings put forth when they were persecuted in consequence of this charge--writings of undoubted antiquity and genuineness-which do not deny this charge, as will be fully shown in due time. These are the documents that should be appealed to. If the charge was false and injurious, in these documents it would have been so declared. But they contain no denial and make no complaint of misrepresentation on this point.