1

this cafe. That the Papifts flandered them in fome things, we doubt not, but in saying, That they were for Believers Baptifm, and against Infants Baptifm, in this they fpake truly, as appears from Luthers Teftimony, which Proteftants will receive. So that we need feek: for bo farther evidence, as I conceive, to prove that the Waldenfes were of this Sect or fort of People, called Anabaptifts.

The truth is, this Sect was antiently spread into many Nations, and had been great fufferers amongst the Rapifts whereever they were found: And a little before the Infurrection at Munster, and about the fame time, they were under Cruel Perfecution, not from the Papifls only, but from the Proteftants allo; as may be ften at large in The Bloody Theater &c.

124

Anno 1528. Seven Dutch Anabaptifts ( as they are called) that came over with Ann of Cleve, were ap prehended and imprifoned, of whom five recanted, and two of them, a Man and a Woman, were burnt in Smithfield. Stows Chron. 576.

The fame Year Hans Shaeffer and Leonard Freek, for oppofing Infants Baptifm, were. beheaded at Schwas in Germany, and Leopold Snyder at Aufburg for: the fame. At Salisburg 18. Perfons of the fame Faith were burnt, and 25. at Walifen, the fame Year.

Anno 1529. Twenty of them.were put to death in the Palatinate, and 350 at Alte in Germany, the Men for the most part beheaded, and the Women drow ned.

Anno 1533. Hugh Crane and Margaret his wife, with two more, were Martyred at Harlem. The Woman was drowned, the three Men were chained to a Poft, and roafted by a fire at a diftance till they dyed. This was the very fame Year that the rifing was at Munfter.

Like

Likewife in the Proteftant Cantons in Switzerland,they were used as hardly, about the fame time.

Anno 1526. One Felix Mentz a Baptift Minifter was drowned at Zurick.

Anno 1530. Two of the Baptized Brethren were burnt.

Anno 1531. Six more of the Congregation of Bap sifts, were Martyred in the fame Place.

And in the year 1533. (the fame Year that the troubles brake out at Munster,) two Perfons, Lodwick Teft and Cathe rine Harngen, were burnt alfo in the fame Place.

Perhaps the confideration of thofe Cruel Executions, not only from the Papifts, but from the Proteftants allo, might put fome impatient Men, (who had forgotten the wholfom Counfel, of St. Fames, Chap. s. verle 6, 7, 8.) upon a project of delivering themfelves by the Sword, as the Bagauds did in the raging Perfecution of Dioclefian, under the Conduct of their two Captains, Amandus and Elianus. But they had better fuffered pa tiently: For God gave them into the Hands of their Enemies and they have left an ill favour behind them, and fo it befell to thofe Heady Men at Munster.

Now I hope what hath been faid will be allowed for full proof, That our perfwafion was not founded in Blood about the year 1533. as Mr. Eratt too boldly affirms, but has had a being ever fince the Apoítles days, tho for fundry Caufes they have been called by feveral Names.

And forafmuch as many Godly People were perfwaded as we are, in the cafe of Baptifm, Hundreds of Years before thofe Masters of mifrule difturbed Mun

fter, and multitudes of the fame Perfwafion, in divers Countrys, that were good Chriftians at the fame time: it muft needs be a more than ordinary prejudice, and lit tle less than Devilish malice, to charge the Errours and Misdemeanors of thofe unhappy Men, upon all that are one with them only or chiefly in the Cafe of Baptifm, and are as clear of their abominations, as those that cry out the most against them, and whofe Lives and Doctrines are a continued Refutation of those calumnies.

Sure no good Reafon can be fhewed why the Anabap tifts, fo called in England, who are good Men, fhould not be thought to descend from fome of thofe good Men of that name in Bohemia, Upper and Lower Germany, rather than from the bad Men of that name that were at Munfter, feeing they refemble them moft both in Life and Doctrine.

But if there had been no worthier Anabaptifts to follow, than those Routed, Ruined, and Difgraced Fellows at Munfter, certainly they must be under a ftrange infatuation that fhould follow them,and I am of Opinion, that the Sect would have been extinguished with them, and ceased for ever.

I have infifted upon this point the more largely, becaufe Mr. Eratt infifts upon it fo very much, to the intent that I may, if poffible, at once filence for ever the Clamours, and remove the prejudices that arife from the diforders of a few Anabaptifts, fo called, in Germany, (fuppofing they were as vile as their Enemies report them to be,) that their evils may not be imputed to innocent Men. Whether I have effected my defign, I cannot be fure: my Confcience affures me, that I have done my endeavour faithfully, fo I eave Ithe iffue to God.

However, if I think right, what I have urged carries evidence along with it; for, to use Mr. Erratts ex

pref.

preffion, there is matter of Fact, which cannot be denyed, and if this would not fuffice to fhew the. Antiquity of this Sect, we might produce much more evidence from Humane Teftimonies; yea from Adverfaries.

But we think it fufficient, that we can prove all that we teach by the infallible Record of Gods Word, and if all Hiftories and Monuments of Antiquity had been overlaid, loft, or burnt, as many have been, fo that we had never been able to fhew from any Book but the Bible, that there were ever any of our 'Perswafion in the World, till within a few Years, yet we should think that Book enough to prove the Antiquity of our Perfwafion, that we are not a new Sect, feeing we can make it appear by that one Book, that our Perfwafion is as old as Chrift and his Apoftles.

And on the contrary, if we could fhew from ap. proved Hiftory, That multitudes in all Ages and Nations fince the Apostles days have been of our Perfwafion, yet if we could not prove by the Word of God, that our Perfwafion is true, it would fignify very little. There fore in the next place, we fhall Demonftrate that our Doctrine is according to the Holy Scriptures, The Standard of Truth, as Mr. Eratt calls them.

CHA P. II.

Sheweth, that the Doctrine of the Baptized
Church, to whom John Woodward is
joyned, is according to
the Scrip-

tures.

I

Heartily rejoyce to find Mr. Eratt breathing after Scripture Truth in a Letter to Peter Fofter, his words are thefe. Now that the blessed Jefus would pleafe, by his boly Spirit, 10 open (peedily, the eyes of all that are in errour of what belief or opinion foever to difcern and embrace his Heavenly Truths, as taught in the Sacred Scriptures, I take Gol for a record upon my Soul, is without diffimulation or Hypocrify, the fincere and hearty prayer, &c..

If he had foberly expreffed himself to this purpose, without taking God for a record upon his Soul, I fhould have had as good an opinion of his fincerity as I have now. The expreffion is high, and never ufed but once in the Scripture, that I remember, and that by the fame Apostle Paul, that once upon a fpecial occafion wifhed himself accurfed from Chrift. Yet Charity per fwades me that Mr. Eratt fincerely defires the choice bleffings which he Names, and then we may well enough agree; for we unfeignedly defire, as much as he, That "God would speedily open the eyes of all that are in errour, be it he or we, or whofoever elfe, (of what belief or opinion foever) and fo effectually fubdue our Wills to his will that We may embrace and yield Obedience to his Heavenly Truths, as taught in the Holy Scriptutures, how foever fueh Truth is defpifed or re4proached, and the embracers of it traduced, hated, of E perfe