Part 15

These words as it appears are taken from the address of the prophet Jeremiah to the Israelites who were in bondage, in Babylon, saying as in a hasty and affrighted voice: “Flee out of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul; be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the Lord’s vengeance; he will render unto her a recompense.” Jer. 51:6.

In like manner men must also hastily come out of the spiritual Babel, out of the confusion and many corrupt, human forms of worship and vanities of the world. “Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” Acts 2:40. “The Lord give thee understanding in all things.” 2 Tim. 2:7. POEMS IN THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE.

THE HOLY MARTYRS OF THE NEW COVENANT.

_To all charitably inclined Anabaptists and non-resistant Christians_:

_=Rechtsinnige!= die Christum hebt beleden Te volgen in een ware ootmoedigheydt; En die ter noodt den kruys-bergh wilt betreden, Die vol en dicht van scherpe doornen leydt; Vertoeft, en siet nu, in dees jammer-blaren, Wat ach, een wee, een weerloos Christen naeckt, Wanneer sijn ziel met Christo soeckt te paren, En, door’t geloof, na’t eeuwigh leven haeckt. Al siet gy u geloofs-genooten swerven, Om Christi naem, met kommer, angst en pijn, Verlaten van haer huysgesin, en erven, En dolen, in een woest landt, en woestijn, En waer sy zijn, als vluchtelingen, woonen: Dewijl men haer een vast verblijf ontseydt, En vyer, en swaerdt, en galgh, en radt gaet toonen, Met grimmigheydt tot hare doodt bereydt; Laet daerom niet u vyer’ge liefd’ verkoelen, Al waeyt den Noorden windt,[73] van kruys en smaedt, Maer scherper wilt na’t faligh leven doelen, En op gebeen u ziel tot Godt verlaet: Want als de rose en lelye[74] in de doornen Opwassen, en alsoo omcingelt staen; Soo Christi Kerck, en lieve uytverkoornen, Met druck en angst, oock somtijdls zijn belaen. Maer of al schoon, ’t welck wonder schijnt, een moeder Het eenigh kindt, van haer gebaerdt, vergat; So blijft nochtans de Heer ons ziel-behoeder In eeuwigheydt, ons kroone, eer en schat. De waerdigheydt van alles dat magh blijcken, En’t beste dat een mensch op aerden heeft; Sachtmoedige! is geensins te gelijcken By d’heerlijckheydt[75] van die hier deughtsaem leeft. Self Godes Soon, sijns Vaders wel-behagen, Die al’t geschep in eygendom geniet; Heeft, in veel smaedt, een doorne kroon gedragen, En van sijn volck onlijdelijck verdriet. Die heeft u voor-gegaen, en veel geleden, Ja aen het kruys de seer vervloeckte doodt, Wilt hem dan op den Martel-wegh na treden, En achten niet het lijden, druck, en noodt. Want als gy hebt des werelts smaedt, en schanden, En sonden-drift, verwonnen heldelijck; Dan sult gy in het saligh leven landen, En wesen by Godts Helden meldelijck:[76] Wanneer haer Godt, met sael’ge glory-meyen, En eeuw’ge vreught, en rijckdom, eer, en prael, Sal in’t Palleys der Heem’len binnen leyen, En wesen self haer loon, en bly onthael: Om dat sy t’saem de werelt niet en achten, En haer geloof bezegelden met bloedt: Een grondt, en steun, daer op gy meught verwachten Het Koningrijck vol eeuwigh blijvend goedt. Daerom, o Heer! leert ons ons doen besinnen, Door middel van het Nieuw’ Verbondt, u Woordt; Dat wy u doch lot aen de doodt beminnen, En’s werelts korte vreught ons niet bekoordt; Want eeuwigh is soo lang! ja is onendigh! En valt te bang, voor die gy uyt den Throon Van u genade stoot. Versterckt inwendigh Het Christ-geloof, en zijt ons Schildt, en Loon, Behoedt oock voor ziel-schadelijcke tijden =D’Hooghmogende= van’t Vrye Nederlandt; Die’t Helsch geblaeck en weerloos Christen lijden Nie’t dulden, reyckt altijdt u vrede-handt: Op dat wy doch, als ware Christen rancken, Hier onder haer Gebiedt, seer vryelijck, U met veel vrucht, en vollen wasdom dancken, Tot glory van u Hemelsch Koningrijck._

[73] Song of Solomon 4:16.

[74] Song of Solomon 2.

[75] Rom. 8:18.

[76] Rev. 3:5.

_Non est mortale quod opto._

SONNET.

_Wanneer Ierusalem, door’s vyandts swaert en degen, Seer deerlijck was verwoest; en’t ed’le Iacobs zaet (’t Welck, als doorloutert gout, uytblonck met veel cieraet) Gewentelt lagh in’t bloedt, en deerelijck verslegen; Stracks Ieremias sulcks neemt in sijn overwegen.[77] Dat soo de slaende bandt des vyandts henen gaet: Hy treurt, dat selfs den rouw hem in’t gebeente slaet: En is in asch, en stof, al weenende, gelegen. Vreed-lievende! die oock ket moort-gewelt aensiet, Dat in den Wijnbergh Gods, van oudts af, is geschiet; Wie smeeckt de Heere niet, met t’saem-gevouwe handen: O Heer! die donck’re wolck van’t Christendom af drijft; So niet: ons Christ-geloof dan in de hope stijft, Dat’t hert ons niet vertsaeght in’t worgen, moorden, branden._

[77] Lamentations 1:1.

_Iustus ex fide vivet._

ON THE BLOODY THEATRE OF THE ANABAPTISTS OR NON-RESISTANT CHRISTIANS.

_To my brother T. J. van Braght:_

_Een Hemelsvyer, van lust en yver, holp de snaren Van David aen den galm, van een bedroeft accoort: Wanneer den angst des doodts, uyt Zion, wiert gehoort, Dat hy sijn’s herten rouw, in Psalmen ging verklaren.[78] Soo sagh ick ’t yver-vyer, o Broeder! uyt u varen, Als gy de Martelaers van ’t Nieuw Verbondt bracht voort: Self, op die tijdt, wanneer door[79] sieckt’, het klaeghlijck woort Tot u quam: ’t Schijnt ghy sterft, wilt moeyt’ en yver sparen. Maer hebt, des niettemin, dit bloedigh offer-werck, Met krancke, en swacke leen, ten dienste van Gods Kerck, Door onvermoeyde vlijt, en yver, dus beschreven. Derhalven, wie gy zijt, die Christum onsen Heer Wilt volgen, in sijn woort, en Goddelijcke leer; Wort door dit lesen doch tot ware deught gedreven._

[78] Of the desolation of Jerusalem, David in his Lamentation sung: “O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple they have defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.” Ps. 79:1.

“By the rivers of Babylon there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. We hung our harps on the willows in the midst thereof.” Ps. 137:1,2.

[79] In 1659 the hand of God was laid heavily upon my brother, in that he was visited with a severe sickness, so that to all appearance, it seemed that he would not recover.

_P. van Braght._

FIRST PART.

THE BLOODY THEATRE

--OR--

MARTYRS MIRROR

--OF THE--

ANABAPTISTS OR DEFENSELESS CHRISTIANS, WHO SUFFERED AND WERE SLAIN FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, THEIR SAVIOR, FROM THE TIME OF CHRIST UNTIL THE YEAR A. D. 1660.

AN ACCOUNT OF THE HOLY BAPTISM OF THE MARTYRS IN THE FIRST CENTURY,

That is, from the first year of the ministry of Jesus Christ to the year 100.

SUMMARY OF THE BAPTISM IN THE FIRST CENTURY.

[We have begun with the baptism of John, who in Holy Scripture is properly called _the Baptist_, because he was the first and chief one who truly administered baptism with all that pertains to it; concerning which we have noted the time, place, persons, etc. From there we proceeded to Christ and the command which he gave concerning baptism; thence to the apostles, and how they fulfilled Christ’s command. But, since the apostles who wrote of baptism did not live to the close of this century, we, in order to accomplish our design, resorted to the fathers who lived shortly after the apostles, and wrote on baptism; and thus the first century is concluded with their testimony.]

We shall begin to give an account, from century to century, up to the present day, or at least, to the time of our fathers, how that the true baptism upon faith, with rejection of infant baptism, has always obtained, and been practiced, according as it was possible, by the true church of God, or at least, by some of the orthodox believers, according to the freedom, or the oppression prevailing at any particular time; and that this same faith, on account of which the world calls us Anabaptists, was begun by God, through John, was confirmed by Christ, and propagated and maintained by the apostles as well as by their successors, till the time of our fathers; together with an account of the persons who suffered for that faith.

Coming, then, to the article of baptism we shall thus begin and finish the subject: In the first century, embracing chiefly the time of Christ and his holy apostles, we shall place, not by inferences, but through express words, that which Holy Scripture has to say in regard to it, as being the foundation of the matter, and afterwards, that which is recorded by trustworthy authors.

CONCERNING THE BAPTISM OF JOHN.

The holy evangelists tell us the time, place and manner of the same. Luke writes, chap. 3:1–3: “Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” Matt. 3:1,2: “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Verse 11: “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance.” Acts 19:4, Paul said: “John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

THE PERSONS JOHN BAPTIZED.

Matt. 3:5–9: “Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” Luke 7:29,30: “And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.” John 3:23: “And John also was baptizing in Enon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.”

HOW, AMONG OTHERS, HE BAPTIZED ALSO JESUS, THE SON OF GOD.

Matt. 3:13–17: “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” See further, concerning this: Mark 1:9–11; Luke 3:21–23.

HOW CHRIST BAPTIZED THROUGH HIS DISCIPLES.

John 3:22: “After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.” Chap. 4:1–3: “When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples), he left Judea, and departed again into Galilee.”

HOW CHRIST COMMANDED BAPTISM TO HIS DISCIPLES, BEFORE HIS ASCENSION.

Matt. 28:18–20: “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach (or make disciples of) 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 whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Mark 16:15,16: “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

HOW THE APOSTLES EXECUTED THIS COMMAND OF CHRIST TO TEACH AND BAPTIZE, AFTER THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST.

Acts 2:37,38: “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.”

Verses 41,42: “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized; and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Acts 8:12,13: “But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip.”

Verses 36–39: “And as they (namely Philip and the Ethiopian) went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.” And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.”

Acts 9:17,18: “And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.”

Acts 10:46–48: “For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.”

Acts 16:13–15: “And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshiped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.”

Verse 40: “And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.”

Acts 16:29–34: “Then he (namely the keeper of the prison) called for a light, and sprang in (the prison), and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And he led them into his house, and seated them at the table, and rejoiced with all his house, that he believed in God, or (as the latest translators say), he rejoiced, that he and all his house believed in God.”

Acts 18:8: “Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.”

1 Cor. 1:14–16: “I thank God (says Paul) that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Gaius; lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas; besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.”

Compare this with 1 Cor. 16:15,16: “I beseech you, brethren (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints), that ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboreth.”

WHAT TESTIMONY THE HOLY APOSTLES HAVE GIVEN IN THEIR EPISTLES, CONCERNING BAPTISM.

1. _That it signifies the burying of sins, and the resurrection into a new life._

Rom. 6:3,4: “Know ye not, that so 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 like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”[80]

[80] He that is to have his sin buried through baptism, must first have died unto it through repentance; and he that is to rise into, or walk in, the new life, must first have been or walked in, an old life; this is incontrovertible, but whether it applies to infants, let the reader judge.

NOTE.--To the foregoing belongs also the passage, Tit. 3:5, where baptism is called, “the washing of regeneration,” and Eph. 5:26, “the washing of water by the word.”

2. _That through faith we become children of God, and through baptism put on Christ._[81]

[81] It appears, therefore, that none were baptized in Galatia, but those who had put on Christ. Concerning this putting on of Christ, see Rom. 13:14.

Gal. 3:26,27: “For ye 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.”

3. _That as the ark with eight souls was preserved in the water, so also believing baptized Christians are preserved or saved in baptism through the answer of a good conscience._

1 Pet. 3:20,21: “When once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.[82] The like figure whereunto baptism doth also now save us, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God).”

[82] In the ark, which was preserved through, or, properly speaking, in the water, there were none but believing and obedient persons, eight in number, namely, Noah and his wife, with their three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and their three wives, eight persons in all: likewise, none but believing and obedient persons belong in the church of Christ, which is compared to the ark, and which must be preserved through or in baptism.

MOREOVER, THE CONDITIONS REQUIRED IN, AT, AND ABOUT BAPTISM, INDICATE SUFFICIENTLY, THAT IT WAS NOT ADMINISTERED TO CHILDREN, BUT TO PERSONS OF UNDERSTANDING.

In order to receive baptism in a worthy and true manner, there are required sorrow and repentance of sins, accompanied with a confession of the same. Matt. 3:6, we read: “And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.”

Besides this, it is required that we should bear good fruits. “Bring forth therefore,” says John, to those who desired to be baptized, “fruits meet for repentance.” Matt. 3:8; or, according to Biestken’s translation: “Do genuine fruits of repentance.”

Mark 16:16, it is also required, that we believe, yea, that we believe with the heart. Acts 8:37.

In short, repentance or conversion, and baptism are joined together, Matt. 3:6,11; as also, teaching, believing, and baptizing, Mark 16:15,16. Confession and baptism went hand in hand with the Ethiopian, Acts 8:37. Baptism is a burying of the old man, and a sign of resurrection into a new life, Rom. 6:3,4; a putting on of Christ, Gal. 3:27; and the answer of a good conscience toward God. 1 Pet. 3:21.

These and other conditions required in baptism cannot exist in infants, who know neither good nor evil, cannot discern between the right hand and the left hand, and do as children do, Deut. 1:39; Jon. 4:11; 1 Cor. 13:11.

Here we might adduce much more, but since it is not our purpose to dispute about this point, but simply to show from the unadorned testimonies of the holy evangelists and apostles, that baptism was administered in the first century only to adult (that is, penitent and believing) persons, we shall leave this subject, and proceed to give an account of those who, according to history, have, either by word or by deed, maintained this doctrine.

OF THE TESTIMONY OF THE FATHERS CONCERNING THIS ARTICLE; WHO LIVED FROM THE DECEASE OF THE APOSTLES TO THE END OF THE FIRST CENTURY.

Although we might entirely conclude this first century as touching baptism upon faith, with the testimony of Holy Scripture, we, so as not to appear deficient, nevertheless deem it expedient, to add the testimonies of the fathers, till the end of this century.

_About the year 52._--_Jac. Mehrn. Bapt. hist. pag. 578. from Simon Metaphrastes, D. Vicecomes_ records the following incident (_lib. 1. cap. 4. in the life of St. Auxibius_): When St. Mark, the apostle of Christ, saw that Auxibius had a desire for Christ, and that he was believing and instructed, he descended with him into a pool and baptized him. This is the first example of which we read in history, outside of Holy Scripture, of those who were incorporated into the church of Christ, through baptism upon faith.

_About the year 60._--In, or very near this time, it is recorded, even by several papistic writers, that there were such people and such a sect as were afterwards designated by the name, _The Poor of Lyons, Waldenses, Albigenses_, who were also called _Anabaptists_, or _Baptists_, on account of the like faith which they had in common; as shall be shown hereafter. Therefore the papists complain of their being considered of such high antiquity; for some say that they existed in the time of Sylvester, A. D. 315, and others assert, with more justness, too, in the time of the apostles. _Baptism, histor. pag. 615_, from a very old book. Also, _pag. 670 and pag. 682. from Flaccius_. Also, _D. Balthazar Lydius_ (though he misinterprets their doctrine) in the tract, “Where the church was before the year 1160,” printed at _Dort, A. 1624. pag. 2. col. 1. from Reynerius Priester_.

_About the year 68._--It is stated that in the time of Nero, two daughters of Valentinian, a Christian at Aquileia, who had been brought up by their father in the Christian faith and the fear of God, were instructed by the priest or teacher Hermagoras, and baptized at a running water. See _De gantsch klare en grondige bewijsinge van den Doop_, printed _A. D. [15] 81. letter Bv._

_About the year 70._--In or about the time of the death of the apostle Peter is placed the bishop or teacher Linus, of whom it is testified that he baptized, after preceding instruction, the son of Perpetua, a Christian woman. See the above. Also, _Kort verhael van den loop der werelt, by F. H. H._, printed at _Franeker, A. 1611. pag. 47._