# That They Nevertheless Professed A Good Confession.

15th century (source section) · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: THAT THEY NEVERTHELESS PROFESSED A GOOD CONFESSION.

Century of containing source section; exact event date not assigned

Nevertheless, these Taborites, because of their
aversion to war and the superstitions, had separated
from the Hussites, and also truly held in those
times, as cannot be inferred otherwise, the true confession
of the Waldenses, although, as it is thought,
some endeavored to force in infant baptism among
them; however, their confession in regard to this
article, delivered in the year 1431, at Prague, in Bohemia,
to M. John Rockenzahn, makes no mention
at all of it, yea, they employ such expressions
therein as is utterly impossible to apply to infant
baptism.

In J. Mehrning’s History of Baptism, p. 611,
we read these words: “I have before me the confession
of the Taborites, drawn up A. D. 1431,
which in all respects agrees with our doctrine, and
which I intend to have printed at the proper time.”

Concerning the difference between the Hussites
proper and Taborites, who were united with them,
D. Balthazar Lydius gives this explanation: “The
followers of John Huss were divided into two sects,
the one called Praguers, the other Taborites; of
whom the Taborites were the stricter. Tract entitled:
‘Where the church was before the year 1160,
or before the time of the Waldenses;’ printed in
the year 1624, p. 25.”

Their confession is as follows: “First, concerning
the sacrament of baptism,—which is the first
sacrament by which God imparts, especially the
first sacramental grace, if we are spiritually regenerated;
because it is a sign of the spiritual regeneration
proceeding from God,—we hold, according to the
tenor of the holy Scriptures, and sincerely confess
from the heart, that the sacrament of baptism is the
ablution of man, performed by another with water,
who pronounces the words prescribed by Christ,
which effectually signify the ablution of the soul
from sin, which is expressly founded in the Gospel;
for Christ, with words as well as by deed, taught
that those who believe in him should be thus baptized.
He taught this with words when he said
to the apostles: ‘Go ye therefore and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.’ Matthew,
23:19. He taught it by deed when he himself
was baptized by John, in Jordan. Matt. 3. Bapt.
Hist., second part, pp. 743, 744, from B. Lyd.
Wald., pp. 10, 11.

A. D. 1431.—At this time, also Scotland, though
otherwise very superstitious, experienced no inconsiderable
reformation in the true worship of God,
which was effected by various persons zealous for
the honor of God and the welfare of his church. So
that some resolved and endeavored to reform not
only the article of baptism, which was shamefully,
and not less to the detriment of many innocent
souls, abused by the Roman church, but also
various other articles which, from sheer superstition,
were maintained by them according to human opinion.
They were determined to retain the good, and
abolish the evil.

Among those who at this time undertook the
reformation of the same, one Paul Craus is especially
mentioned, who also opposed auricular confession,
the invocation of the saints, the idolatrous
sacrament, etc. For this he was condemned as a
heretic; but how he finally ended will be shown
at the right time and place. Compare the account
in the fifteenth book van den Ondergang, p. 796,
col. 1, with Vinc. Cal., fol. 368, Georg. Pac. c. 11.
Herm. Mod., fol. 274.

Note.—Whether this Paul Craus was fully enlightened
in all other articles pertaining to the worship
of God, we cannot definitely prove; even as, on
the other hand, we have found nothing which might
tend to derogate his belief; though we have sought
in good faith for that which would be derogatory to
him; as well as for that which would make him
acceptable; hence we have deemed it well to accord
also to him a place among the good confessors
of the evangelical truth.

A. D. 1455.—About this time there were many
Waldenses (erroneously called Wandois) in Germany,
in the bishopric of Reichstadt, of whose
orthodox confession an account was given for the
year 1170. They had among them twelve preachers,
or teachers, of their religion, who, each in
his district, went out secretly, on account of the
severe persecution, to preach. P. J. Twisck, Chron.,
p. 829, col. 2, from Henr. Boxh., fol. 27.

Note.—A. D. 1460.—At this time Roderic
Simotensus severely reproved the human institutions
and abuses of the papists, such as excommunication,
fasts, feasts, auricular confession, and the
mass, as appears from his book, entitled The Mirror
326
of Human Life. Chron., van den Ondergang,
p. 835, col. 1.

Again, same year as above; Nicholas Siculus said
at this time, that a believing person who rightly
adduces the holy Scripture should be believed more
than the Pope, and a whole council that rejects the
holy Scripture. He further said, that a council may
err; also, that some of the popes lived as though
they did not believe that there would be a resurrection
of the flesh after this life. See the aforementioned
chronicle, in the place indicated, taken from
Joh. Munst., fol. 190.

Also, same year, Dionys. Rickel, a learned man,
said that in the primitive church the Sacrament (or
Supper) was given to believers under both forms,
that is, with bread and wine; to which the Roman
church acted contrary at this time. Compare the
author first indicated with Joh. Fabr., fol. 164.

A. D. 1465.—Nicholas Casanus now vehemently
attacked the Pope with the word of God; he called
him antichrist, rejected human institutions, etc. In
his book on the Peace of the Faith, compared with
P. J. Twisck, Chron. page 841, col. 1.

A. D. 1467.—Anthony Rosellus, an Italian doctor,
writes that the Pope is not to be regarded as the
lord of the world; that he neither can nor ought
to command the Emperor; that he neither may nor
ought to wield the secular sword. P. J. Twisck,
Chron. page 845, from Joh. Munst., fol. 295.

A. D. 1470.—At this time a book was issued,
entitled Spiegel des heiligen kercken-Regements,
without the name of the author, in which particularly
the mendicant monks and the Pope were
censured. The author adduces Anthony the Hermit,
and says that the monks have departed from the
word of God, and, from hypocrisy, have adopted
all sorts of human institutions. Catal. Test. Verit.,
fol. 884, compared with P. J. Twisck, page 847,
col. 2.

A. D. 1471.—At this time, says a celebrated author,
there were not very many Waldenses in Bohemia,
on account of the violent persecution; but in
Austria there were still some, who had also been
dispersed for the most part, through the cruelty
of the torments, and the terror of persecution.

But how they were afterwards united, as it is alleged,
by one Peter Textor, or (as Mellinus explains),
Peter the Weaver, in the city of Landskron,
in Bohemia, with the Moravian and Bohemian brethren;
so that they subsequently held no separate
church meetings, save only with the Bohemian and
Moravian brethren, is described by Mellinus, in the
second book of the Persecutions, fol. 592, col. 4,
and fol. 593, col. 1.

Note.—The Bohemian brethren must here not
be understood to mean the Hussites, to whom the
name of Bohemian brethren was also given; unless it
be said that the Waldenses had separated from them.

But that notwithstanding this opinion of Mellinus,
many Waldenses still remained scattered and persecuted
in Germany and France, as well as elsewhere,
who, unchanged in faith and worship, endeavored
steadfastly to serve their Savior according to the
rule of Christ and his holy apostles, appears from
various other authors. Yea, Mellinus, as though he
had forgotten himself, writes that A. D. 1475, in the
bishopric of Eichstaedt, in Germany, a great number
of Christians were discovered and apprehended, who
professed the doctrine of the Waldenses. Second
book, fol. 590, col. 4. Yea, that even sixty-nine years
afterwards, namely A. D. 1544, the Waldenses of
Merindol and Cabriere delivered a confession of faith,
at Paris in the parliament, to the King of France, in
defense of their innocence. Same book, fol. 446,
col. 1, 2, etc.

Moreover, that said confession does not militate
against, but well agrees with, that of the Anabaptists,
may be found in the same place.

Note.—A. D. 1472.—J. Guitode, . . . now greatly
reproved the Papal haughtiness and idolatry; the
running of pilgrims after images, and miracles invented
by avarice. He undisguisedly said that they
were viceregents, not of Christ, but of antichrist;
yea, that they were possessed with the presumptuousness
and pride of lucifer. Chron. van den Ondergang,
page 852, from Catal. Test. Verit., 883.

A. D. 1481.—It is stated that in this year King
Matthias, on the solicitation of some evil-disposed
persons, issued a decree against the Moravians or
Moravian brethren. Large Book of Christian Martyrs,
fol. 597, col. 2, from Joach Camer. Narr. Hist.
Boh., page 118.

These Moravian brethren are called Old Waldenses
by Jacob Mehrning, who also shows that various
excellent and learned men reckoned among
the Anabaptists proceeded from them. His words
are: “From among these Bohemian and Moravian
Old Waldenses afterwards several excellent men proceeded;
as, among others, Hans Koch and Leonhard
Meister, who were both put to death at Augsburg,
A. D. 1527. Also, the very learned Michael Sattler,
who ministered to his church, A. D. 1527, at Horb,
in Germany. Also, Leonhard Keyser, who, in the
year 1529, was martyred in Bavaria; to whom, while
in prison, Dr. Luther addressed letters of consolation,
although he (Keyser) did not agree with Luther
in regard to infant baptism.” Bapt. Hist., 2d part,
page 748.





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