# Summary Of Baptism In The Sixteenth Century.

16th century (source section) · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: SUMMARY OF BAPTISM IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY.

Century of containing source section; exact event date not assigned

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

In the meantime, the difference is shown, between
the old Waldenses and the apostate Hussites,
respecting the article of holy baptism.

The Waldenses in Hungary were now, in the year
1507, greatly persecuted; concerning whom it is
stated, that they led an innocent life; and 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 introduced, for the year 1521,
who, commenting on Augustine, says: That formerly
the adults alone were admitted to baptism,
and that even in his time said practice was still
maintained 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, who were said to have
remained unchanged in faith from the time of the
apostles, and agree with the Anabaptists. From
two different authors particulars corroborating the
matter of said Thessalonian churches are given;
from the testimony of other writers and credible
memoirs.

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

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

We then proceed to some confessors who lived
and were put to death in the time of our fathers;
some good and wholesome testimonies regarding
this article, left by them as Thomas van Imbroeck,
A. D. 1558; Jacob de Roore, A. D. 1569; John
Wouters van Kuyck, A. D. 1572, Christian Gastayger,
A. D. 1586; Bartholomew Panten, A. D. 1592.
Finally, about A. D. 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 to this end have
come here, namely, to show also in this century,
that the distinguishing mark of the believers, that is,
baptism according to the institution of Christ, was
at this time also correctly taught, practiced and
352
maintained, by those who may be called orthodox
believers; notwithstanding said 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 abhorred the doctrine of the papists
in many other points, and with fear and terror
had fled from the Roman church, as from a confused
Babel.

However, all this, instead of obscuring the truth,
tended only to illuminate and glorify it the more,
just as gold when contrasted with copper, the
mountain’s height with the deep valley, and the
light of day with the darkness of night, can be distinguished
the more plainly; also the praiseworthy
commended, and the contemptible contemned.
This was the case at that time, not only with the
assailed truth, but also with those who defended it,
as shall be related and proven in the sequel.

Jacob Mehrning’s History of Baptism, making
mention of the sixteenth century, that is the time
from A. D. 1500 until A. D. 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] in consequence
of this, however, gained far more Anabaptists
(namely Baptists), than there had ever before,
in any country, been seen.

This indicates that the old orthodox Waldenses,
notwithstanding the severe persecutions, existed also
at this time, yea, insomuch that now they increased
more than ever before.

But this was also the century in which Luther in
Germany, Zwingli in Switzerland, and afterwards
Calvin in France, began to reform the Roman
church; and to deny, oppose and contend with the
authority of God’s holy word against the supposed
power of the Roman Pope, and many papal superstitions,
however, in order to avoid too great dissatisfaction,
as it seems, they remained in the matter of
infant baptism, in agreement with the Roman
church, though they abandoned many incidents
which the papists observe at the baptism of infants,
such as the salt, spittle, exorcism, and the like.

They also have retained with the papists, the
swearing of oaths, the office of secular authority, war
against enemies, and sometimes also against each
other, etc., of which things the old Waldenses had
purified themselves, and would have no communion
with any who would practice these things. Hence,
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 in the confidence, that with
the doctrine, these would also follow the meekness
of their former teacher, John Huss. But when said
Hussites would retain infant baptism, and avenge
the death of their teacher, yea, 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 brethren,
but the Hussites were received by the Lutherans,
Zwinglians and Calvinists, who, 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
that said Hussites received, though erroneously, the
name of Waldenses. Hence it originated, that they
had a mixed confession of faith, which was partly
conformable to 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 respecting baptism,
which is the first sacrament: whoever, now, in adult
age, has become believing through the hearing of
the word of God, by which he, being regenerated
and enlightened in his soul, has received power, such
an 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 external washing of water,
in token of his inward purification obtained through
faith.”

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

“This our confession 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 worthily
practice the faith.”

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 also infants, and for proof of this,
adduce 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 make the
readers of his book believe, 2d book, page 614,
col. 3, that this last part was also the confession of
the Waldenses; but the contrary is evident, as previously
stated; yea, according to his own account,
fol. 446, col. 1, the Waldenses, A. D. 1544, forty
years after the Hussites, whom he calls Bohemian
brethren, made the above article, issued a confession
and delivered it in the parliament of the King
of France, in which, where speaking of baptism,
they make no mention at all of any baptizing of infants;
but the work of the Hussites, according to
the account of said preacher, is said to have originated
A. D. 1504. Compare fol. 611, col. 1, with
fol. 614, col. 3.

A. D. 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 calumnies
of their enemies, and proving that they had not
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separated from the Roman church without good
reasons. Of these people, papistic writers themselves
confess, that they led an innocent and pious
life, though they nevertheless cruelly sought to kill
and exterminate them.” Chron., page 930, col. 2,
from Henr. Boxh., fol. 27.

Note.—Touching the confession which the aforementioned
Waldenses, A. D. 1507, delivered to
King Uladislaus, as well as their defense which they
delivered A. D. 1508, nothing at all is therein said
of infant baptism, though that would have been the
proper time to explain themselves in this respect.
See A. Mell., fol. 616, col. 1–4, and fol. 617,
col. 1–3. As to their confession of the year 1504,
which was corrupted or adulterated with human
institutions, by the Hussites, we have already
spoken.

A. D. 1521.—One Ludovicus Vives, of Valencia,
commenting on the words of Augustine, in the 27th
chapter of the 1st book of the City of God: With
what admonition we address the baptized, says:
“That no one be mislead by this passage, [I would
state, that] no one was formerly admitted to holy
baptism, save he who had attained his years, and
understood himself what the holy water signified,
and desired to be washed with it; yea, when he
desired it a second time or oftener.”

Said 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 at, as well as before his
time, many there did not practice infant baptism;
which is the purpose for which we have adduced
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 I., King of
France, but that the following year, said King,
through Minerius, miserably fell upon and exterminated
them, in accordance with the sentence pronounced
against them five years previously, at Aix,
in the court of Provence, not far from Italy.

Their faith is further thus described: “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 external visible sign, which signifies to us
the renewing of the Spirit, and the mortifying of
the members.” This confession, in substance, fully
agrees with the one which we previously related
from Jean Paul Perrin, as also, with what Reinerius
admonishes, 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 expatiate and give more particulars,
touching the Waldenses, in confirmation of the
faith which they had in common with us, as also,
that they confessed said faith until the times of the
last martyrs, yea, also, that some of those martyrs
proceeded from them; but as 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 Anabaptistic
churches, in Switzerland. I will quote the account
verbatim, which I have found in regard to this, in
a certain tract entitled: The Spectacles, by which the
Anabaptists of one faith may see, etc., by a lover of
the truth, J. S., printed at Harlem, by Hans Passchiers,
van Wesbusch, A. D. 1630.

In the preface, page 10, we read: “Since, my
beloved, all the truly pious have a sincere joy and
the greatest delight [to know], that many pious
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,” etc.

Note.—Besides what we have noted concerning
the churches at Thessalonica, Balthasar Lydius
gives this account: “We will first speak of the
Greek churches, who, in great numbers, are under
the dominion of the Grand Turk; for in the city of
Thessalonica, by the Turks now called Salonick,
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
vicinity. These churches do not recognize the Pope
as the general head of the church.” This appears
from the book of Nilus. Balth Lydii, 3. Tract. of
the Waldenses, p. 33, col. 1. Nilus de Primatu
Papa, p. 48, 51 edit., Wechel, A. D., 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 brethren
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 brethren, 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 stewart, Hans
Fuhrman, three brethren of the church of Thessalonica
were sent to Germany to inquire after their fellow
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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 Huterites, 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 accord; namely, first in shunning, as this
article was maintained by the Huterites; secondly,
in the community of goods, which virtually consists
with them 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, on account of
which these three men parted from them with tears
in their eyes, because they had performed such a
difficult and laborious journey in vain.

“The same priest then brought them in same
place (Pausrom), to the Schwitzer church, who derive
their name from Hans Schwitzer, who, through
one of their brethren, 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, on account of which they
being mutually filled with great joy, acknowledged
each other as dear brethren, and in token thereof,
commemorated together the Lord’s Supper, 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 brethren 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 Huterites, here in the Netherlands called
Moravians, and the Schwitzers here in the Netherlands
called Germans, but who were then yet 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 orally related to Leonard all that he had
discussed with the brethren 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 thirty-six leagues to release the prisoners
by becoming bondsmen for them. He had in
his town Jamits, a large society of these people living
under his protection.

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

“By me, Jacob Meyster, resident at Amsterdam,
fled from Moravia, to Poland, A. D. 1620; thence
A. D. 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 brethren and
Christians at Thessalonica, who agree with the Mennists
in all articles of religion, also in baptism, two
of whom were yet in the time of our fathers, with
the brethren in Moravia, and then also in the Netherlands,
and communed with the brethren, who
expressly declared that they still preserved in good
condition, at Thessalonica, the originals of St. Paul’s
two epistles to the Thessalonians. Likewise, that
many of their brethren 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., p. 739.

D. Vicecomes, lib. 1, cap. 23, quotes from Nicephorus
Callistus, that in Thessalia baptism was
administered only at Easter; on which account 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 they waited with baptism a
whole year; on the other hand, those who consider
infant baptism necessary, frequently dare not postpone
it one month, one week, yea, sometimes not
one day, on account of the uncertainty of the infant’s
life; so that they appoint no definite time for
infant baptism, as also, if necessity requires it, no
definite persons; so much that the papists as also
the Lutherans allow not only priests or teachers,
but also laymen, yea, women to baptize, so that no
child may die unbaptized. Anthon. Jac. Babel der
Kinderdoopers, printed A. D. 1626, p. 107, 8th
chapter, quest. 5, from Bellarm de Baptism, col. 307.

But that the Thessalonian churches had the custom
of baptizing only on Easter, that is, once a year
came 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.—Notwithstanding we might herewith close
our account of Holy Baptism, 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; yea, already in the year 1524, we nevertheless,
in order to satisfy, if this be possible, the
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critical, will proceed to bring this article to the end
of this century, in which the confessions of the martyrs
will render us no small service, as will appear.





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