# Summary Of Baptism In The Fourteenth Century. · Page 1 of 2

[Previous page: AN ACCOUNT OF THE HOLY BAPTISM IN THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY.](/en/stories/mm-an-account-of-the-holy-baptism-in-the-fourteenth-century/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: SUMMARY OF BAPTISM IN THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY.](/en/stories/mm-summary-of-baptism-in-the-fourteenth-century/part-2/)

[The beginning is of the congregations or churches
of the Waldenses; concerning whom it is shown that
they existed not only in this century, but long before
and after, teaching that the baptism of infants is of
no avail.

The seventh article of the confession of the faith
of the Waldenses, touching baptism, is presented;
which treats of their confessing the faith, and change
of life.

The belief of Dulcinus and his wife Margaret adduced,
of whom the papists say, that they were exactly
like the Waldenses.

For the year 1315, persons are introduced, whom
the papists regarded as heretics, because they held
a belief different from that of the Roman church; of
which two articles are presented: 1. of baptism;
2. of the swearing of oaths; which is further explained
by us. For the year 1218 there is also
shown, by way of censure, the confession of the papists.

Certain pious people, called apostate Minorite
friars present themselves, who are accused, by Pope
John XXII., of five articles, one of which is against
the swearing of oaths, and the other four against the
papal church and her clergy.

Mention is made, for the years 1319, 1330, and
1365, of the Waldenses, whose confession of faith
has, in preceding centuries, been shown not to militate
against that of the Anabaptists; a representation
of the severity with which the papists then proceeded
against them.

John Wickliffe, A. D. 1370 adduces among other
things, a certain article, declared to militate against
infant baptism; also an article against the swearing
of oaths, etc.

For the years 1372 and 1373, mention is made of
certain people, who, by John Tilius, are called Turilupins,
but by others are declared to have been
true Waldenses.

Judicial proceedings (A. D. 1390) instituted
against the Waldenses, in the countries on the Baltic
Sea; with the statement that people of this profession
existed in the Saxon countries full two hundred
years before the time of John Huss.

Walter Brute confesses, A. D. 1392, that it is not
lawful in any case, to swear, neither by the Creator,
nor by the creatures. He also makes a good confession
regarding baptism. This is also called the
doctrine of W. Swinderby.

J. Mehrning cites a very ancient confession of
faith of the Waldenses, which he has had in his own
hands; in which it is declared that in the beginning
of Christianity no infants were baptized.

Cursory notice of the Thessalian brethren, who
agree with the so-called Mennists in all articles of
religion; also, of the custom in Thessalia, of baptizing
on Whitsuntide; and how Charles, Bishop of
Milan, exhorted the teachers, diligently to expound
the mystery of baptism to the hearers in order that
the confession of the Christian name might become
them.

St. Barnabas preaching the holy Gospel at Milan,
baptizes in running water. Thereupon mention is
made, in a note, for A. D. 1394, of certain people
in Bohemia, who sided with the Anabaptists. This
is the conclusion.]

“That the church of the Waldenses,” says Jacob
Mehrning, “after her origin in France and her violent
persecution in that country, spread far and
wide into Bohemia, Poland, Lombardy, Germany,
the Netherlands, and elsewhere, and remained there
from the twelfth century until the year 1545 (as is
310
recorded in Bibliotheca Patrum, Tom. 15, p. 300),
teaching the invalidity of infant baptism, is testified
to by the histories adduced in the preceding centuries,
and may be seen in Sleidanus Comment. 16,
Jac. Mehrn., Bapt. Hist., page 737, and H. Mont.
Nietigh., page 86.”

Continuing, J. Mehrning in said place, gives an
account of the article of baptism from the confession
of faith of the Waldenses, saying: “J. Paul Perrin
of Lyons, in his history of the Waldenses, relates
their confession, the seventh article of which is as
follows: ‘We believe that in the sacrament of baptism
the water is the external and visible sign of the
invisible power of God, working in us the renewing
of the spirit and the mortifying of our members in
Christ Jesus; by which also we are received into the
holy congregation of the people of God, testifying
and declaring, before the same, our faith and a
change of life.’ ” Concerning this, see also H. Mont.
Nietigh., page 86, extracted from Charles du Meulin’s
book of the Monarchy of the French, page 65.

Who does not see that in this place the Waldenses
expressly say that in baptism they testify
and declare before God, their faith and change of
life? which was well observed afterwards by Jacob
du Bois, preacher of the Calvinists at Leyden,
though he endeavored to obscure it by his expositions,
Contra Montanum, printed A. D. 1648,
pages 162, 163; but the truth of the command of
Christ: “He that believeth and is baptized, shall be
saved” (Mark 16:16), is stronger and prevails.



## Original source

[Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#Page_310)

[Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855)

[Previous page: AN ACCOUNT OF THE HOLY BAPTISM IN THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY.](/en/stories/mm-an-account-of-the-holy-baptism-in-the-fourteenth-century/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: SUMMARY OF BAPTISM IN THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY.](/en/stories/mm-summary-of-baptism-in-the-fourteenth-century/part-2/)

---

Page: https://history.truechristian.church/en/stories/mm-summary-of-baptism-in-the-fourteenth-century/

[Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+Summary+Of+Baptism+In+The+Fourteenth+Century.+%C2%B7+Page+1+of+2&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0ASummary+Of+Baptism+In+The+Fourteenth+Century.+%C2%B7+Page+1+of+2%0A%0APage%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fen%2Fstories%2Fmm-summary-of-baptism-in-the-fourteenth-century%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-summary-of-baptism-in-the-fourteenth-century%0A%0ADate+currently+shown%3A+14th+century+%28source+section%29%0A%0A%23%23+Correction+or+addition%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Sources+and+evidence%0APlease+include+book%2Fpage+references%2C+archive+links%2C+or+first-hand+documentation.%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Image+credit+%28if+applicable%29%0ACreator%2C+source%2C+and+permission+or+public-domain+basis.%0A%0A%0A%0ASubmitted+for+review%3B+this+issue+does+not+publish+changes+automatically.)