Confession of Thomas van Imbroeck

In the year 1558. At this time a God fearing and pious hero of Jesus Christ, named Thomas van Imbroeck, made a most excellent and explicit confession of Holy Baptism, and also a refutation of the opponents, which he delivered to the lords of Cologne, where he was imprisoned for the faith. It reads as follows:

I believe and confess that there is a Christian baptism, which must take place externally and internally; internally with the Holy Ghost and with fire, externally with water; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

Internal baptism is given by Christ to the penitent, as John the Baptist said: "I indeed baptize you with water to repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I; whose shoes I am not worthy to carry; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." Matthew 3, verse 11; Mark 1, verse 8.

Christ confirms these words when He says to His disciples, "That they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, He says, you have heard from me. For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days from now." And this promise was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. Acts 1, verses 4 and 5; Acts 2, and so on.

So also the house of Cornelius was baptized when they believed what Peter spoke: they received the Holy Ghost, and all spoke with tongues, and magnified God. Acts 10, verses 44 and 46.

But the external baptism of water, which is a witness of the spiritual baptism, and an indication of true repentance, and a sign of faith in Jesus Christ, is administered, by the command of the Almighty Father, and His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, and in the name of the only God, by a true servant of the Lord, to those who have repented and reformed, believe the Gospel,* confess their faith and desire baptism, willingly offer themselves up to God, and yield themselves servants to righteousness, indeed, to the service of God, and the communion of Jesus Christ and all the saints.

This is fully comprehended and contained in the words which Christ speaks to His disciples: "Go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you." Matthew 28, verses 19 and 20. In Mark we read this: "Go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he who does not believe shall be damned." Mark 16, verses 15 and 16.

These words of Christ fully contain the ordination and institution of Christian baptism, and all that belongs to it; for Christ, who is the eternal wisdom of the Father, has expressly and completely commanded it so. Now, since He is the Light and the Savior of the world, we find in this command that teaching and believing must come before baptism. John 8, verse 12; John 3, verse 17.

The Scriptures cannot be broken, and we are not to take away from, or add to, the Word of God; indeed, not even the smallest tittle or letter of the Gospel may be changed. Therefore the ordinance of the Lord concerning baptism must remain unaltered; for it is the Word of God, which remains forever. Deuteronomy 4, verse 2; Matthew 5, verse 18; John 10, verse 35.

Therefore the words of Christ declare that teaching must take place before and after baptism, so that the person baptized may use diligence to observe, after baptism, the Gospel (which was presented to him before baptism), and all things commanded him; for he is no longer lord over himself; but, as a bride surrenders herself to her bridegroom, so he, after receiving baptism, surrenders himself to Christ, and loses his will, is resigned in all things, without name, without will, but leaving the name to Christ, and letting Him reign in him. For this is the meaning of baptism, that the Christian's life is nothing but pure dying and suffering; because we are like the image of Christ, and, baptized with Him, must die and suffer, if we would reign and live with Him. Romans 6, verse 4.

With this ordinance of Christ the apostles also agree, as faithful stewards and dispensers of the manifold grace of God; for so did Peter and the other disciples preach the Gospel at Jerusalem, and those who heard it were pricked in their heart by the Word, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: "Men and brothers, what shall we do? [n524-1]

Then Peter said to them: Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost " (Acts 2, verses 37 and 38). So did Philip also, when he explained the Scripture to the eunuch. And the latter, when he had accepted it, said: " What hinders me from being baptized? Philip answered: If you believe with all your heart, you may." Acts 8, verses 35 to 37. So also those of Samaria were baptized, when they believed the words of Philip. Verse 12.

Again, when Peter preached Christ to the house of Cornelius, and spoke the word of life, the Holy Ghost fell on all those who heard the word. "Then Peter said: Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord." Acts 10, verses 44, 47 and 48.

So Paul also found certain disciples at Ephesus, to whom he said: "Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? They answered: We have not so much as heard whether there is any Holy Ghost. Then Paul said: To what then were you baptized? They said: To John's baptism. Paul said: John truly baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus:" So we read in the 19th chapter of Acts.

So Paul himself also, when he had been struck down on the way by the Lord, and had heard at Damascus, by the command of the Lord, from Ananias, what he should do; had received his sight again, and was filled with the Holy Ghost, in short, had become a chosen vessel and a fit instrument, was baptized, and called on the name of the Lord; as Luke writes, Acts 9, verse 18.

From these and other passages it is evident that the apostles first taught, and that from teaching follow repentance and faith. For how shall they believe, says Paul, without hearing? Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Romans 10, verse 17. Therefore penitent faith is confessed and, so to speak, sealed by Christian baptism. For after baptism a constantly good and godly life should follow;* this is the true ordinance of the Lord Jesus Christ, and His apostles, as you may read everywhere throughout the Acts of the Apostles.

Lastly, as the apostles established the church of God through the Gospel, so they all with one accord declare in their epistles the foundation of Christ spoken of above. For Paul says this to the Romans

"Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that just as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that from now on we should not serve sin. For he who is dead is freed from sin" (Romans 6, verses 3 to 7). [n524-2]

With these words Paul tells us what the baptism of believers signifies, namely, the dying of the flesh, or mortifying of the old Adam, the burying of sin, the putting off of the sinful flesh, and the resurrection of the new man and life; and this for this reason: since Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead for our justification, and we, through the spirit of faith, have been incorporated or grafted into Him, and so have become entitled to the merits of His death, indeed, are made partakers of all that is His, and thus, in and through hope, are confirmed in His fellowship (to which we are called through grace); therefore we must also, for His name's sake, die to sin,* bury it, and live to righteousness, that we may be a true branch on the vine.

In this way the apostle Paul speaks also to the Colossians: "You are complete in him, who is the head of all principality and power: in whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with him in baptism, in which also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who has raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with him." Chapter 2, verses 10 to 13, compared with Ephesians 2, verses 4 to 6.

These words, in the first place, declare that circumcision is not a figure of baptism, but of the circumcision of Christ, which is not done on the foreskin of the flesh, but on that of the heart, not with hands, nor with a knife of stone, but without hands, through the Word of God, in the Spirit.

These words of Paul sufficiently show that in baptism the past life must be buried with Christ, and, through faith, rise to a new life; for the outward sign alone is of no value in the sight of God, but faith, the new birth, a true Christian life; by these, man is united with God, incorporated into Christ Jesus, and becomes a partaker of the Holy Ghost.

Therefore external baptism does not lead to salvation, if the internal baptism is lacking, namely, the transformation and renewing of the mind. Once more Paul says to the Galatians: "For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3, verses 26 and 27).

I hope that my lords will reflect a little on these excellent and explicit words; for when viewed aright, they are easily understood. [n524-3] Just as a man who is naked hides himself and would not be seen because he is ashamed of his nakedness; but when he has covered his shame, he comes forth without hesitation. So it was also with Adam; when God called him, he hid himself, and said

"Lord, I am naked." Nevertheless, he had covered himself with a fig leaf; but it did him no good; for the Lord could well see his shame, that is, his sin. Genesis 3.

But when he knew himself, God clothed him with skins, which signified the sign of the grace of Christ. Now when he had the skin on, his nakedness was no longer seen. So it is also with Christians; when they have put on the coat of skins (Christ), our sin is seen no longer, and the garment which we have on is plain to all. Compare Genesis 3, verse 21 with Galatians 3, verse 27. Therefore he who is baptized aright has put on Christ, and nothing is seen on him but Christ and the life of Christ. So Paul says to the Ephesians: "Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word" (Ephesians 5, verses 25 and 26).

Here we plainly see that the washing of water is joined to the word; for no one is cleansed by the washing of water, but by the word; as the Lord says: "Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken to you" (John 15, verse 3).

In another place Paul calls baptism a washing of regeneration, Titus 3, verse 5, because baptism represents regeneration; just as circumcision is called a covenant, because it represented a covenant. So also the paschal lamb is called pascha, that is, a passing over, though it was simply a memorial of the passover. So baptism is called a washing of regeneration, because it belongs to the regenerated children of God, who are born of incorruptible seed, namely, the living Word of God, or, as James says: "Who are regenerated by the will of God, by the word of truth." First Peter 1, verse 23; James 1, verse 18.

Still another point is also to be considered here, that the apostles say, We must be regenerated by the Word, that is, through the preaching of the Gospel. But by what will those who say that children are regenerated prove this? since with them neither preaching nor word has any place.

Finally, Peter also says in his epistle: "When once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. The like figure to which even baptism does also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (First Peter 3, verses 20 and 21).

From the words of Peter we see that baptism is represented by the flood, through which God punished the whole world; but Noah, with his house, whom God deemed righteous, was preserved in the ark from the water; just as Israel passed dry shod through the Red Sea, and were thus delivered from their enemies; but Pharaoh with his entire host was drowned in it, so that not a single one escaped. First Corinthians 10, verses 1 and 2.

So it is with all the works of God; that which is life for the pious is death for the ungodly, as Paul testifies with these words: "We are to God a sweet savor of Christ, in those who are saved, and in those who perish: to the one we are the savor of death to death; and to the other the savor of life to life" (Second Corinthians 2, verses 15 and 16).

But in order to understand the figure of the flood aright, we must consider Noah as the antitype of Christ; his house the antitype of believers; the ark, of the church; and the flood, of baptism. For just as Noah, in his time, was a preacher of righteousness, so also Christ was a true preacher of righteousness, who came forth from God, and came into the world. And as Noah prepared the ark, to preserve his household, so Christ prepared the spiritual ark, namely His church, built by the apostles, as wise master builders, to preserve His children and His household, of whom He Himself says

"Behold, I and the children which God has given me." And as through the flood all flesh was destroyed and perished, so must also, through baptism, all carnal lusts and desires be destroyed and perish. And as only a few, that is, eight souls, were preserved in the time of Noah, so it is also with men at this present time. Though it is proclaimed to them, and the light shines forth clearly, still they love darkness rather than light; hence there are so few who truly believe, and are brought over from the past life into a spiritual life, that they may enter into the church of Christ, and thus be baptized to the dying of the flesh, and the resurrection to a new life.

For Christ Himself says that there are but few who find the true way; "for many are called, but few chosen;" few believe, and few shall be saved. Luke 13, verse 24; Matthew 20, verse 16. As Luke also says [n524-5]

"Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18, verse 8).

For, noble sir, and servant of God, I appeal to you, whether it is not now as it was in the time of Noah? They build; they plant; they buy one field after another; they feast; they drink; they marry, and are given in marriage; and all this without the fear of God; and those who do this are well known, indeed, all corners of the world are full of abominations and idolatry. May the Lord convert them all, Amen. Luke 17, verses 26 and 27; Matthew 24, verses 37 and 38.

The reason why they live without the fear of God, and without care, is that they have no example. They console themselves only with this, namely: I am a Christian; for I am baptized. So they speak, thinking that it is enough if one is only baptized; but they know little what baptism signifies; for they have not yet drunk of the living fountain of which Jeremiah speaks; but they drink of the wells which they have dug themselves; "For they have forsaken the true fountain, says the Lord" (Jeremiah 2, verse 13).

So it is now also with baptism, as I have sufficiently shown above, that believers only are to be baptized. But now the command of Christ is ignored, and those who dig or devise a well, or a baptism, of their own are received; and thus is fulfilled what Christ says: "Thus have you made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition" (Matthew 15, verse 6).

Still more might be shown from the Scriptures; for Paul writes very clearly to the Hebrews concerning the preparation of Christians, declaring that those who would receive this Christian ordinance must first learn the principles of the Christian doctrine, namely, repentance from dead works, then faith in God, and then baptism. Hebrews 6, verse 1.

I fear it might become tedious to my noble lord and servant of God; therefore I will make it as brief as possible.

Now, since there are many who believe that children who die without baptism are damned, as the priests also maintain, we will, by the grace of God, give a brief answer to our opponents, so that my lords may be relieved on this point