Account of Holy Baptism in the Sixteenth Century

Articles of Divine Worship practiced in those times.

[The controversy of the so-called clergy was the cause, in this century, that the Anabaptists increased all the more, which forms the beginning of this account.

Meanwhile the difference is shown between the old Waldenses and the apostate Hussites regarding the article of holy baptism.

The Waldenses in Hungary were now, in the year 1507, greatly persecuted, and it is stated of them that they led an innocent life. It is also declared that in their confession, which they delivered this year, as well as in their defense in the year 1508, nothing at all is said about infant baptism.

Ludovicus Vives is brought in, for the year 1521, who, commenting on Augustine, says that formerly adults alone were admitted to baptism, and that even in his time this practice was still kept up in some cities of Italy.

Two articles of the old Waldenses are related, one of which is against the pope, the other on holy baptism.

For the year 1540, mention is made of the churches in Thessalonica, which were said to have remained unchanged in faith from the time of the apostles, and to agree with the Anabaptists. From two different authors, particulars confirming the matter of these Thessalonian churches are given, out of the testimony of other writers and trustworthy memoirs.

In a note it is shown that in Thessalonica alone the Christians have more than thirty churches, or meetinghouses, while the Turks have only three.

D. Vicecomes mentions the time when the Thessalonian Christians administered baptism.

We then go on to some confessors who lived and were put to death in the time of our fathers, and to some good and wholesome testimonies on this article left by them: Thomas van Imbroeck, in the year 1558; Jacob de Roore, in the year 1569; John Wouters van Kuyck, in the year 1572; Christian Gastayger, in the year 1586; Bartholomew Panten, in the year 1592. [n523-1] Finally, at about the year 1600, an entire confession of faith follows, such as has been believed and practiced for many years by those called Mennists.

With this we conclude the whole account of holy baptism and Christian worship in those times.]

It is now our purpose to fulfill the promise we made in the preceding part, and it is for this that we have come here, namely, to show that in this century also the distinguishing mark of the believers, that is, baptism according to the institution of Christ, was correctly taught, practiced and maintained by those who may be called orthodox believers. This was so even though that article had to suffer much opposition, violence and molestation, and this not only from the papists (who, however, have nearly always opposed it), but also from other persuasions who had loathed the doctrine of the papists on many other points, and who with fear and terror had fled from the Roman church as from a confused Babel.

However, all this, instead of obscuring the truth, only made it shine and be glorified the more, just as gold set against copper, the mountain's height against the deep valley, and the light of day against the darkness of night, can be told apart the more plainly, and the praiseworthy is commended and the contemptible despised. This was the case at that time, not only with the truth that was assailed, but also with those who defended it, as will be related and proven in what follows.

Jacob Mehrning's History of Baptism, where it mentions the sixteenth century, that is, the time from the year 1500 until the year 1600, begins with these words. Page 772. "At this time there arose, principally in Germany, a most severe persecution against the old Waldenses and their followers, through the violent controversy of the so-called clergy, and the disputations waged against them by the pens of the learned." [The Waldenses], however, as a result of this gained far more Anabaptists (namely, Baptists) than had ever been seen before in any country.

This shows that the old orthodox Waldenses existed at this time too, in spite of the severe persecutions; indeed, so much so that they now increased more than ever before.

But this was also the century in which Luther in Germany, Zwingli in Switzerland, and afterward Calvin in France began to reform the Roman church, and to deny and oppose the supposed power of the Roman pope and many papal superstitions, contending against them with the authority of God's holy Word. However, in order to avoid too much dissatisfaction, as it seems, they remained in agreement with the Roman church in the matter of infant baptism, though they gave up many of the things which the papists observe at the baptism of infants, such as the salt, the spittle, the exorcism, and the like.

They have also retained, together with the papists, the swearing of oaths, the office of secular authority, war against enemies, and sometimes also against each other, and so on. From these things the old Waldenses had purified themselves, and they would have no communion with any who would practice them. So we will leave them and turn to our fellow believers.

It is true that already before the beginning of this century some of the Waldenses had united with the Hussites, apparently trusting that along with the doctrine these would also follow the meekness of their former teacher, John Huss. But when these Hussites would keep infant baptism, and would avenge the death of their teacher, indeed, began to wage a bloody war against those who had put him to death, those who had united with them found themselves greatly deceived and left them, not daring to trust their salvation with such people. Some, however, though few, remained with them. Thus the Waldenses returned for the most part to their old brothers, but the Hussites were received by the Lutherans, Zwinglians and Calvinists, who together with them approved of infant baptism and war.

But since some Waldenses had united with the Hussites before the apostasy of the latter, and some, though few, had still remained with them, it came about that these Hussites received, though wrongly, the name of Waldenses. From this it arose that they had a mixed confession of faith, which was partly in agreement with the old confession of the Waldenses, and partly adulterated with innovations, or human institutions. For example, the article of the holy baptism of these Hussites reads as follows: "The faith which God has given us constrains us to believe and confess such things regarding baptism, which is the first sacrament.

Whoever, now, in adult age has come to believe through the hearing of the Word of God, by which, being born again and enlightened in his soul, he has received power, such a one is bound to be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, into the unity of the holy church, by an outward washing of water, in token of his inward purification obtained through faith."

(So far this article agrees with the confession of the old Waldenses, but what follows it is held to have been added by these Hussites.)

"This confession of ours extends also to infants, who, according to the command of the apostles, as Dionysius writes, must be baptized, and afterwards, through the wise direction of their sponsors, who are taught in the law of Christ, be guided, or urged and trained, to the life of faith, that is, to practice the faith worthily."

We see here a great departure of these Hussites, who have added to the old rule of the Waldenses, which is confirmed by the authority of holy Scripture (namely, to baptize upon faith), a new rule, namely, to baptize infants also; and to prove this they bring forward not the testimony of Christ or His holy apostles, but of one Dionysius, who never was an apostle or teacher of Christ, but a fallible man.

And still the preacher Mellinus would have the readers of his book believe, second book, page 614, column 3, that this last part was also the confession of the Waldenses; but the contrary is plain, as stated before. Indeed, according to his own account, folio 446, column 1, the Waldenses, in the year 1544, forty years after the Hussites, whom he calls Bohemian brothers, had made the above article, issued a confession and delivered it in the parliament of the King of France, in which, where they speak of baptism, they make no mention at all of any baptizing of infants; but the work of the Hussites, according to the account of this preacher, is said to have originated in the year 1504. Compare folio 611, column 1, with folio 614, column 3.

In the Year 1507 "In this year," writes P. J. Twisck, "the Vaudois, Waldenses, or believers were cruelly persecuted in Hungary, and delivered the confession of their faith, together with an apology, to Uladislaus, King of Bohemia, refuting the slanders of their enemies, and proving that they had not separated from the Roman church without good reasons. Of these people, papist writers themselves confess that they led an innocent and godly life, though they nevertheless cruelly sought to kill and exterminate them." Chron., page 930, column 2, from Henr. Boxh., folio 27.

NOTE. Concerning the confession which the aforementioned Waldenses delivered to King Uladislaus in the year 1507, as well as their defense which they delivered in the year 1508, nothing at all is said in them about infant baptism, though that would have been the proper time to explain themselves on this point. See A. Mell., folio 616, columns 1 to 4, and folio 617, columns 1 to 3. As for their confession of the year 1504, which was corrupted, or adulterated with human institutions, by the Hussites, we have already spoken of it.

In the year 1521. One Ludovicus Vives, of Valencia, commenting on the words of Augustine in the 27th chapter of the first book of the City of God: With what admonition we address the baptized, says "So that no one may be misled by this passage, [I would state that] formerly no one was admitted to holy baptism except one who had come to his years, and himself understood what the holy water signified, and desired to be washed with it; indeed, when he had desired it a second time or oftener."

This same Vives, in the same place, further declares: "I understand that in some cities of Italy the ancient custom is, to a great extent, still observed."

By this he indicates that in his time, as well as before it, many there did not practice infant baptism, which is the purpose for which we have brought forward this passage.

"These apparently were," says H. Montanus, who has noted this, "a remnant from the Waldenses, who were also scattered into different parts of Italy." Nietigh., page 89.

He then states that in the year 1544 they delivered their confession of faith to Francis the First, King of France, but that the following year this king, through Minerius, miserably fell upon them and exterminated them, according to the sentence pronounced against them five years before, at Aix, in the court of Provence, not far from Italy.

Their faith is further described in this way: "That they, according to their ancient custom, did not recognize the Pope of Rome, and had always had a pure religion."

Concerning baptism, they professed: "That it is an outward visible sign, which signifies to us the renewing of the Spirit, and the putting to death of the members." This confession, in substance, fully agrees with the one which we related before from Jean Paul Perrin, and also with what Reinerius notes among the articles of their confession, as these were in his time, saying: "That they deemed infant baptism useless." Mont., Nietigh., page 90.

We could go on at length and give more particulars about the Waldenses, in confirmation of the faith which they had in common with us, and also that they confessed that faith until the times of the last martyrs, indeed, that some of those martyrs came from among them. But since it is not our purpose to fill this book with words, but only to give the pith of the matter, which we think we have done, we will leave it as it is, referring it to the judgment of the intelligent and impartial reader.

Before we leave this, we would state that mention is made, in this century, not only of the Waldenses, but also of certain churches in Thessalonica, in Greece, which are declared to have remained unchanged in faith from the time of Christ, and to agree in faith and practice with the Anabaptist churches in Switzerland. I will quote word for word the account which I have found about this, in a certain tract entitled: The Spectacles, by which the Anabaptists of one faith may see, and so on, by a lover of the truth, J. S., printed at Harlem, by Hans Passchiers, van Wesbusch, in the year 1630.

In the preface, page 10, we read: "Since, my beloved, all the truly godly have a sincere joy and the greatest delight [to know] that many godly people are found upon earth, it has seemed good to me to acquaint you with a brief testimony that has fallen into my hands: How, in the year 1540, or a little before, certain persons were brought captive by the Turks, from Moravia, to Thessalonica, in Turkey, and sold as slaves; which slaves there became acquainted with the (Thessalonian) Christians. Observing their life and conversation, they said to these Thessalonians that in Moravia there lived a people who were like them in life and conversation, and were called Anabaptists, which kindled in the Thessalonians a zeal to examine the truth of the matter; and it further happened, as the testimony states," and so on.

NOTE. Besides what we have noted concerning the churches at Thessalonica, Balthasar Lydius gives this account: "We will first speak of the Greek churches, which, in great numbers, are under the dominion of the Grand Turk; for in the city of Thessalonica, now called Salonick by the Turks, the Christians or Greeks have more than thirty churches, while the Turks, on the other hand, have only three; and so it is in other places in the neighborhood. These churches do not recognize the pope as the general head of the church. This appears from the book of Nilus. Balth. Lydii, third Tract of the Waldenses, chapter 33, column 1. Nilus de Primatu Papa, pages 48 and 51, Wechel edition, in the year 1608.

On page 42 of the book referred to above, we read: Brief account how, through some Moravians who had been captured by the Turks and had come to Thessalonica, in Turkey, the Christians at Thessalonica obtained information that in Moravia there lived fellow believers of theirs, who were there called Anabaptists; and how, in order to ascertain the truth of the matter, they sent three of their brothers to Moravia, in Germany.

"I, the undersigned, testify that in Moravia there lived with me, for the space of three years, a man of our brothers, about a hundred years old, named Leonard Knar, who related to me that in his time, when he was a servant in the common house of the common church at Popitz, under the steward, Hans Fuhrman, three brothers of the church of Thessalonica were sent to Germany to inquire after their fellow believers, who, as they had learned from the prisoners, as stated above, were living in Moravia.

"They first came to Nickelsburg, on the frontier of Hungary, where they went to a priest and inquired after this people. He entered a carriage and rode with these three men to Pausrom, to those who are there called Hutterites, and in the Netherlands, Moravians.

"Having well examined their life and conversation, they discussed with them, in the Latin language, in which they were well versed, all the articles of the faith, but found that in three principal articles they did not agree: namely, first, in shunning, as this article was maintained by the Hutterites; secondly, in the community of goods, which with them consists in practice more in dominion and servitude than in equality; thirdly, that they withhold from those who fall away from their communion and leave them the property which they brought in. Because of this these three men parted from them with tears in their eyes, since they had made such a difficult and laborious journey in vain.

"The same priest then brought them, in the same place (Pausrom), to the Schwitzer church, who derive their name from Hans Schwitzer, who, through one of their brothers named John Peck (who, with Hans Fuhrman and twelve other persons, had lain in prison for nine years in the castle Passau on the Danube, in Bavaria, for the testimony of the faith), discussed in Latin all the articles of their faith. They agreed well in all points, and because of this, being mutually filled with great joy, they acknowledged each other as dear brothers, and in token of it commemorated the Lord's Supper together, with great gladness, confessing themselves the true church of God. They stated further that the church of God at Thessalonica had remained unchanged in faith from the time of the apostles, and that they still preserved in good condition the letters which the apostle Paul wrote to them with his own hands.

"All this having taken place, they parted in peace, and having commended each other, with tears and the kiss of love, into the keeping of the Lord, the brothers journeyed back to Thessalonica.

"One of them, who was a tailor by trade, left his shears as a memento in the church at Pausrom.

"This history is not only known to me, but is generally known, not only in Moravia, but also in the upper Palatinate."

The father of this Leonard Knar, who saw and related all this, was elder among the Anabaptists there, who now consist of two principal divisions, namely, the Hutterites, here in the Netherlands called Moravians, and the Schwitzers, here in the Netherlands called Germans, but who were then still one people. This Elder Leonard Knar ministered to these people in baptism, the Supper and intercessions, according to the doctrine of the apostles.

As Leonard was well acquainted with John Peck, the latter related to Leonard by word of mouth all that he had discussed with the brothers from Thessalonica.

We mentioned before that Hans Fuhrman and John Peck, together with twelve other persons, lay imprisoned for nine years in the castle of Passau. From this long confinement they were released through bail furnished by a certain lord of Jamits, who traveled about a hundred miles to release the prisoners by becoming bondsman for them. He had in his town of Jamits a large society of these people living under his protection. [n523-2]

To the above account the following testimony is given, signed in these words:

"By me, Jacob Meyster, resident at Amsterdam, fled from Moravia to Poland in the year 1620; from there, in the year 1626, to Stettin, in Pomerania, and in the year 1627, to Amsterdam. I acknowledge that this account of Leonard Knar is as related."

Of these things, Jacob Mehrning, of Holstein, gives this account: "Thus we have information that even at the present day there are brothers and Christians at Thessalonica who agree with the Mennists in all articles of religion, also in baptism; two of whom were, in the time of our fathers, still with the brothers in Moravia, and then also in the Netherlands, and communed with the brothers, who expressly declared that they still preserved in good condition, at Thessalonica, the originals of Saint Paul's two epistles to the Thessalonians. Likewise, that many of their brothers were still living, scattered here and there in Ethiopia, Greece and other oriental countries, as well as other Christians who, like them, were preserved by God, and remained in the same doctrine, and the true practice of baptism, constantly from the beginning of the apostles to this time. Bapt. Hist., page 739.

D. Vicecomes, book 1, chapter 23, quotes from Nicephorus Callistus that in Thessalia baptism was administered only at Easter, and for this reason many died without baptism.

This harmonizes quite well with the foregoing, namely, that the Thessalonian churches were not accustomed, or at least did not deem it necessary, to baptize infants, seeing that they waited a whole year with baptism. On the other hand, those who consider infant baptism necessary frequently dare not postpone it one month, one week, indeed, sometimes not one day, because of the uncertainty of the infant's life. So they appoint no definite time for infant baptism, and likewise, if necessity requires it, no definite persons, so much so that the papists and also the Lutherans allow not only priests or teachers, but also laymen, indeed, women, to baptize, so that no child may die unbaptized. Anthon. Jac., Babel der Kinderdoopers, printed in the year 1626, page 107, 8th chapter, question 5, from Bellarm. de Baptism, column 307. [n523-3]

But that the Thessalonian churches had the custom of baptizing only at Easter, that is, once a year, came about, as may be inferred, because they deemed it necessary first to instruct the persons for a long time, almost a year, and to teach them the faith, before they might be baptized, as has been shown from Rupert Tuiciensis, for the year 1124.

NOTE. Although we might close our account of Holy Baptism here, since not only this article, but all that further belongs to it, has been sufficiently shown, and the known martyrs of our faith and their confessions have been plainly presented in our old book of the martyrs long before this time, indeed, already in the year 1524, we will nevertheless, in order to satisfy the critical, if that be possible, go on to bring this article to the end of this century, in which the confessions of the martyrs will be of no small service to us, as will appear.