PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Bloody Theatre, or Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians
Braght, Thieleman J. van (Thieleman Janszoon) · 1,152,781 words · 1675 reading sections
About The Year, A. D. 910.
Here we will let the matter rest, and will take a similar view, and judge in like manner, according to the nature and rule of divine love, also of other persecutions of the Christian believers, of which we may subsequently speak; taking care, however, not to present persecutions concerning which there may be evidence t…
666 wordsSECTION 362About The Year, A. D. 910.
He then assailed those Christians who lived nearest, persecuting them in an atrocious manner, a grievous matter for human nature, but pleasant for the spirit, namely, of those who, through love, were inseparably united to their God and Savior, and, hence, could say with Paul: “Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor p…
344 wordsSECTION 363Summary Of Baptism In The Eleventh Century.
[In the beginning of the eleventh century, the celebrated Anselm is introduced, who declares that baptism is the “fulfilling of all righteousness;” that the baptism of Christ is a “washing of water in the word;” that every one, in his day, was baptized in the name and the faith of God; that believers were then baptized…
753 wordsSECTION 364Summary Of Baptism In The Eleventh Century.
_In Bapt. Hist., page 582_, from _Cent. Magd. XI., cap. 4_, of baptism, Anselm teaches on Matt. 3, that baptism is necessary, and says: “Baptism is a fulfilling of all righteousness; a man may be never so righteous, pious, benevolent, abstemious, and chaste, yet, it avails him nothing, if he lacks the grace of holy bap…
725 wordsSECTION 365Summary Of Baptism In The Eleventh Century.
The sense of the words of Anselm is this: that we must be careful, not to live in sin again after baptism, since the former sins, in which we lived, have died through baptism, and have been laid in the grave as it were, through the death of Christ. Hence, said words can only be applied to the baptism of the believing a…
671 wordsSECTION 366Summary Of Baptism In The Eleventh Century.
As to the twelve Ephesian men, of whom we read, Acts 19:1–5, who had been baptized with the baptism of John, he asserts in his explanation on Matt. 3, that they were re-baptized by Paul, assigning as a reason of this, that the baptism of John could not properly give remission of sins, because the blood of Christ which …
732 wordsSECTION 367Summary Of Baptism In The Eleventh Century.
_About A. D. 1042._--Or almost in the middle of the eleventh century, Buchard of Worms (in Germany) flourished, who makes mention, among other things, of the examinations in the faith, to which it was customary, either in his time or before, to subject the candidates, at baptism. Concerning this, D. Vicecomes (_lib. 2,…
654 wordsSECTION 368Summary Of Baptism In The Eleventh Century.
But though the doctrine of Bruno and Berengarius commenced in the year 1035 and ended about A. D. 1079, as far as these two persons are concerned (for, otherwise it is a doctrine that began with Christ and will end only at the end of the world), yet, said doctrine displayed its greatest power, through these two persons…
703 wordsSECTION 369Summary Of Baptism In The Eleventh Century.
_A. D. 1090._--At this time lived and wrote, it is stated, the teacher and historian Juo, surnamed Carnotensis, from the place Carnuto, where he resided. According to the testimony of ancient writers, he opposed common popery in various points of doctrine, teaching in such a manner concerning the only Mediator, Christ …
746 wordsSECTION 370Summary Of The Martyrs In The Eleventh Century.
All these are things that pertain only to the adult and intelligent, and cannot be comprehended, much less practiced by infants. We will conclude this with the account of P. J. Twisck, who, besides what he has mentioned concerning baptism, briefly notices several other articles which Juo taught contrary to the common …
742 wordsSECTION 371Summary Of The Martyrs In The Eleventh Century.
We will no longer speak by simile; what we mean is this: That there were men in those dark times, who maintained God’s truth, in various points, according to the needs of that time, and bore witness to and sealed it not only with the mouth, but with the deed, yea, with their blood and death. FOURTEEN PERSONS, THE CHIE…
815 wordsSECTION 372Summary Of The Martyrs In The Eleventh Century.
Glaber Radulphus (in _Hist. Gall., lib. 3, cap. 8_), gives a much more circumstantial account of these martyrs, relating not only how this (so called) heresy was discovered, but also how it was brought to Orleans and propagated; which we, in order to be brief, pass by. He mentions, among others, two of these people by…
720 wordsSECTION 373Summary Of The Martyrs In The Eleventh Century.
Everhard Berthuniensis gave to his book the title, _Antiheretisin_, which is equivalent to saying _Against Heretics_, etc.; but the Jesuit Gretserus, when he published said book, called it, _Everhardus contra Waldensen_; as if Everhard had written only against the Waldenses, notwithstanding only the smallest part milit…
723 wordsSECTION 374Summary Of The Martyrs In The Eleventh Century.
It is true that said papistic writer charges them with several other things as belonging to their doctrines, of which we deem it unnecessary to speak here, since Mellinus to whom we referred above, answers all these for us, saying (_2d book, fol. 437_): “All these errors, except that of baptism and of the mass or trans…
690 wordsSECTION 375Summary Of The Martyrs In The Eleventh Century.
Another pious Christian, named Alfuard, after living for a long time secretly, yet leading a pure and holy life among the Normans, could not thus even in secret remain Christ’s own. Because he sought to protect, or to do good to, his enemy, he was slain by his friends, or those at least who ought to have been his frien…
670 wordsSECTION 376Summary Of The Martyrs In The Eleventh Century.
The holy apostle Peter, after his threefold denial of Christ, though this was a dreadful sin, was not rejected by Christ, when he manifested sincere repentance; seeing the Lord afterwards commanded him to feed his lambs and sheep, yea, foretold him that he should be bound, for his name’s sake, and glorify God by his de…
735 wordsSECTION 377Summary Of The Martyrs In The Eleventh Century.
But others, who were his good friends, had a better opinion of him. Among these, the above mentioned Hildebert was not the least; he, as some have observed, composed a very beautiful epitaph upon his death, the last words of which were as follows: “He (Berengarius) was truly a wise man, and, in every respect, perfectly…
509 wordsSECTION 378Summary Of Baptism In The Twelfth Century.
[The last year of the preceding century, namely, A. D. 1100, is introduced here by way of introduction to the following century; in which it is shown, that in and shortly after that time there existed the Waldenses and Albigeois, of whom we shall speak more fully about the middle of this century. For the year 1105, so…
746 wordsSECTION 379Summary Of Baptism In The Twelfth Century.
This shall be shown in the proper place; but first we will speak of the persons who then opposed infant baptism and other Roman superstitions, and, in order to do this systematically, we will begin thus: For A. D. 1100, the last year of the eleventh, or the beginning of the twelfth century, P. J. Twisck gives this acc…
654 wordsSECTION 380Summary Of Baptism In The Twelfth Century.
First of all he establishes, that in order to be truly baptized, faith and confession of the same are required. _Jac. Mehrning, Bapt. Hist., page 659._ Rupert (_lib. 13, on John 18_) says: “Every one that is to be baptized, must first believe and confess, and not until then be baptized, upon (or into) the death of Chr…
657 wordsSECTION 381Summary Of Baptism In The Twelfth Century.
He has respect here to the promise which John gave to those who came to his baptism, saying: “He (Christ) shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire,” Matt. 3:11; John 1:33; which, as everyone knows, is a promise given not to infants, but to adult persons; hence Rupert also has such in view here. This appear…
724 wordsSECTION 382Summary Of Baptism In The Twelfth Century.
“With Rupert,” writes Twisck, “several learned men of the Roman church in this last century agree, as is adduced from their books. John Bohemius says: ‘Formerly it was customary to administer baptism only to those who had previously been instructed in the faith, and who were examined seven times in the weeks preceding …
702 wordsSECTION 383Summary Of Baptism In The Twelfth Century.
_A. D. 1139._--A little before or after this time, as Baronius says, Arnald, a lector, at Brescia, in Italy, taught against infant baptism; as did also Peter Abelard, of whom Arnald had obtained his doctrine, in France. Concerning this much might be related here, but, as we afterwards, in the proper place, shall have t…
660 wordsSECTION 384Summary Of Baptism In The Twelfth Century.
12. That by the bawling church-singing of the priests and monks God is mocked, and not reconciled. 13. That flesh may be eaten on Sunday and other days. 14. That they do not receive all the books of the Old and the New Testaments, namely those which are called _apocryphal_; but the Gospel only. 15. That they believe…
675 wordsSECTION 385Of The Conversion Of Peter Waldo, And The Rise Of The Waldenses, Etc.
M. Matthias Flaccius Illyricus (in his _Catalog. Tesitum Veritatis, between fol. 263, and fol. 277, according to Jac. Mehrning in Bapt. Hist., page 601_), writes: “About A. D. 1160, several of the principal citizens of Lyons were together, conversing on various matters, as is customary in the summer season, in Italy an…
718 wordsSECTION 386Of The Conversion Of Peter Waldo, And The Rise Of The Waldenses, Etc.
“Finally, these godly people were proceeded against with great fury, throughout Christendom; they were sent hither and thither by the inquisitors; for which we have to thank those atrocious wolves that go about in sheep’s clothing, and call themselves monks.” _Bapt. Hist., pages 601–4, from Matt. Flacc._ Claude de Rub…
667 wordsSECTION 387Of The Conversion Of Peter Waldo, And The Rise Of The Waldenses, Etc.
“In Dauphine they were by way of derision called _Chaignards_, that is, _Dogs_. “Also because a part of them crossed the Alps, they were called _Transmontani_. “After Joseph, one of Waldo’s disciples who preached in the bishopric of Dije, Lower Dauphine, they were called _Josephists_. “In England they were called _L…
676 wordsSECTION 388Of The Conversion Of Peter Waldo, And The Rise Of The Waldenses, Etc.
OF THE WALDENSES WHO IN ALL RESPECTS WERE OF ONE BELIEF WITH THE BAPTISTS (ALSO CALLED ANABAPTISTS); OF WHOM WE SHALL SPEAK THROUGHOUT OUR ACCOUNT. Although Peter Waldo, from whom the Waldenses derived their name, was enkindled with a true zeal for the divine and evangelical truth; yea, so that in the beginning very m…
475 wordsSECTION 389How The Waldenses Were Called Anabaptists By The Romanists Themselves.
This is stated by Jacob Mehrning in different places, after he has declared, upon the testimony of ancient writers, that they were called by the peculiar names of those who were previously already termed Anabaptists. “From Berengarius,” says he, (_Bapt. Hist., page 666_), “they were called Berengarians; from Peter de B…
743 wordsSECTION 390Various Testimonies That The Waldenses Rejected Infant Baptism.
_Bapt. Hist., page 710._ D. Vicecomes (_lib. 2, cap. 2_), gives evidence from Bernhard, that the Waldenses were anabaptists, as the ungodly now call the Christian baptists (the Baptists), who did not believe in infant baptism. It is certainly clearly and plainly said, that the Waldenses were anabaptists, or, at least,…
707 wordsSECTION 391Various Testimonies That The Waldenses Rejected Infant Baptism.
On _page 733, de Centuria XIII., cap. 5, fol. 216, 217_, it is stated from Cesarius, that the Waldenses and Albigenses rejected baptism and said that baptism possessed no virtue and was of no use; which they understood of infant baptism, which is administered without doctrine and faith; for otherwise the Waldenses este…
659 wordsSECTION 392Various Testimonies That The Waldenses Rejected Infant Baptism.
It is evident, therefore, that they did not leave their children unbaptized from necessity or through want of teachers, but because of their belief; as holding that baptism without faith could not conduce to salvation, as is manifest from the confessions which they professed in those times already. Thus both B. Lydius …
651 wordsSECTION 393The Views Of The Ancient Waldenses Against War.
To this belongs also, that, though their number was great, they suffered themselves to be martyred like sheep for the slaughter, after their expulsion from Lyons, to which they had not offered the least resistance; concerning which, ancient history affords an abundant evidence, and which, God granting us time, we shall…
667 wordsSECTION 394The Views Of The Ancient Waldenses Against War.
Yea, it seems, that the Waldenses not only held that they themselves might not wage war or kill any one, but that they also denied the right of secular authorities who wished to be called Christians, to kill, even if the persons whom they should put to death were malefactors. Concerning this, we find in _P. J. Twisck’s…
431 wordsSECTION 395The Views Of The Ancient Waldenses Against The Swearing Of Oaths.
In regard to this point the Waldenses were of the same opinion with us, teaching that the fathers of the Old Testament were permitted, when necessity required it, to swear an oath, in or by the name of the Lord; but that for Christians it is quite unlawful, according to the teaching of our Savior, who says: “Ye have he…
652 wordsSECTION 396The Views Of The Ancient Waldenses Against The Swearing Of Oaths.
But, becoming more discreet, he commences to extol that which is expressed in the eighteenth article, relative to the swearing of the Waldenses, above the manner of the papists, saying: “But they (the Waldenses) who have learned from Christ, ‘Let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than th…
667 wordsSECTION 397The Views Of The Ancient Waldenses Against The Swearing Of Oaths.
_Cap. 2, Ingolstadt edition, page 54._ “Among all the sects that ever were and still are, there is none more pernicious for the church than the sect of the Lyonists (thus he calls the Waldenses), and this for three reasons. “_Firstly_, because it is the most ancient; for, some say that it has existed from the time of …
674 wordsSECTION 398The Confessions Of The Waldenses, Or Their Own Creeds.
25. They hold in contempt councils, synods, and all (papistic) ecclesiastical assemblies. 26. They say, that all human rules respecting persons in orders, are Pharisaical institutions. These and various other articles respecting the belief of the Waldenses, all directed against the Pope, the clergy, and the whole Rom…
652 wordsSECTION 399The Confessions Of The Waldenses, Or Their Own Creeds.
_Article V._ That Christ was promised to the fathers, who received the law, that by it they might know their sin, unrighteousness and unfitness, and long for the coming of Christ; to which end he atoned for sin and himself fulfilled the law. _Article VI._ That Christ was born at the time appointed by his Father; namel…
695 wordsSECTION 400The Confessions Of The Waldenses, Or Their Own Creeds.
III. We believe, that we have the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, who proceeds from the Father and the Son; by whose inspiration we pray, and through whose effectual operation we are regenerated. This Holy Ghost operates in us all good works, and by him we are led into all truth. IV. We believe in a holy church, the congre…
668 wordsSECTION 401The Confessions Of The Waldenses, Or Their Own Creeds.
XII. We hold the Old and the New Testament as the rule of our faith, and follow the Symbol or Creed of the Apostles. If any one be found who says that we confess another doctrine, we shall show, if permitted to do it legally before the regular judges, that he is greatly in error and deceives others. _The above Confess…
673 wordsSECTION 402The Confessions Of The Waldenses, Or Their Own Creeds.
Continuing, notice their article respecting baptism. “We believe,” say they, “that the water in the sacrament of baptism is an external, visible sign, representing to us that which the power of God works within us, namely, the renewing of the spirit and the mortifying of our flesh in Christ Jesus, by whom we also becom…
654 wordsSECTION 403Some Moral Precepts Left By The Waldenses To The Churches.
We turn again to Jean Paul Perrin, whose testimony regarding matters of the faith of the Waldenses has, from of old, been very highly esteemed. Among other things, he gives an account of the precepts which they left for the building up of a virtuous life; in regard to which, the following is designed to promote a virtu…
661 wordsSECTION 404Some Moral Precepts Left By The Waldenses To The Churches.
TESTIMONY OF ANCIENT WRITERS, REGARDING THE VIRTUOUS LIFE OF THE WALDENSES. Above all things it is a matter of astonishment, that the most violent opponents of the Waldenses, who accused them the most on account of their faith, could nevertheless find nothing to censure in their life, notwithstanding exceeding attenti…
746 wordsSECTION 405Some Moral Precepts Left By The Waldenses To The Churches.
“But,” says the writer who accuses them, “they lead this kind of life and walk: first, they fast three or four days in the week, living on bread and water unless they have to do very hard work; then the chief among them take care that their subjects appear before them. (If by the terms, _chief_ and _subjects_, there ar…
788 wordsSECTION 406Concerning The Time Of The Waldenses.
Of this, H. Montanus gives this account: “The persuasion of the Waldenses or Lyonites obtained, in France as well as in some cities of Italy, secretly as well as openly, according to the condition of the times, for more than three hundred years, from the year 1170 or 1180 to 1545, as may be seen in _Sleidanus, lib. 16,…
755 wordsSECTION 407Summary Of The Martyrs In The Twelfth Century.
[In the beginning mention is made of this salutary, but bloody century, in which the pious witnesses of the Lord come in multitudes to receive the crown of martyrdom on the battle field of Christ. Four persons, having no good opinion of infant baptism and transubstantiation banished from the bishopric of Treves, A. D.…
685 wordsSECTION 408Summary Of The Martyrs In The Twelfth Century.
FOUR PERSONS, WHO HAD NO GOOD OPINION OF INFANT BAPTISM AND TRANSUBSTANTIATION, BANISHED AS HERETICS, FROM THE BISHOPRIC OF TREVES, A. D. 1105. Here, that which is noted for the year 1105, concerning those who opposed infant baptism in the twelfth century, claims our attention, namely, that then, under the archbishop …
764 wordsSECTION 409Summary Of The Martyrs In The Twelfth Century.
Abraham Mellinus, writing of the belief of Arnald, says: “He also taught quite differently concerning the sacrament of the altar, and (notice), of infant baptism, from that which was taught in the Roman church at that time. He doubtless, in this respect, held the views of Peter de Bruis and Henry of Toulouse (of whom w…
675 wordsSECTION 410Summary Of The Martyrs In The Twelfth Century.
P. J. Twisck gives the following account in his _Chronijck_, for the year 1145: “About this time there were famous in France, Peter Bruis, formerly a priest, and his disciple, Henry of Toulouse; both had been monks, were learned men, and greatly censured the papal errors, sparing neither great nor small. They called th…
706 wordsSECTION 411Summary Of The Martyrs In The Twelfth Century.
Continuing, he shows in what their so-called heresy consisted, saying: “They ridicule us, that we baptize infants; that we implore the intercession of the saints, and the like. It has been found, that they would rather die, than be converted (namely, to the Roman church). Many a time the believers (he means the papists…
672 wordsSECTION 412Summary Of The Doctrine Of Which They Were Accused.
The king, not willing to release or to punish them unheard, convened, on this account, a council at Oxford; where the most learned of the prisoners, namely, Gerard, being solemnly interrogated concerning their religion, answered in the name of all, saying: “That they were Christians, and regarded the doctrine of the ap…
750 wordsSECTION 413Further Observations Touching The Origin And Faith Of These Martyrs.
“For further explanation of this history,” writes Mellinus, “which has been written by a bitter papist, the reader must be reminded to imitate the bee--which extracts honey from the same flower out of which the toad draws poison--and, contemning the bitterness of the words of our adversaries, to pay regard only to the …
798 wordsSECTION 414Further Observations Touching The Origin And Faith Of These Martyrs.
OF THE CONSTANCY OF THESE MARTYRS IN THE FIRE; AND HOW ECBERT MOCKED THEM. Cæsarius of Heisterbach writes, that this took place in the Jewish cemetery, and that Arnold, as he stood with his disciples or fellow-believers in the fire, said: “Remain steadfast in your faith, for this day you shall be with the holy martyr,…
650 wordsSECTION 415Further Observations Touching The Origin And Faith Of These Martyrs.
[164] Master, or sir; a title of the middle ages, equivalent to the modern title of doctor. MANY CHRISTIANS BURNT IN FLANDERS, A. D. 1183, AND VERY MANY PUT TO DEATH IN OTHER PLACES. For the year 1183 we read of many more such people, who were called publicans (of which name we have already spoken) and whom Philip, …
746 wordsSECTION 416Further Observations Touching The Origin And Faith Of These Martyrs.
Thus far, the decree of Pope Lucius. We will now give some explanation of a few strange names that occur in the same. As regards the common names of the Waldenses, of which mention is made in the decree of Lucius, namely, that they were called Catharists, Patarini, Humiliati, Poor Men of Lyons, Passaginians, Josephists…
704 wordsSECTION 417Further Observations Touching The Origin And Faith Of These Martyrs.
“We, however, give these infamous heretics, though above their deserts and against reason, a respite till to morrow, which is All-saints-day, to leave, or to begin leaving, our land. If thereafter any do still remain, we give to each and all of our subjects full authority, to rob and plunder them, to beat them with sti…
651 wordsSECTION 418Further Observations Touching The Origin And Faith Of These Martyrs.
On these words the papistic commentator remarks, in the margin: “Up to this time, no inquisitors had yet been sent or appointed by the Pope.” In the same month, namely on the 21st of April, 1198, twenty days after the writing of the first letter, Pope Innocent III. wrote another letter, not only to the abovementioned …
698 wordsSECTION 419Summary Of Baptism In The Thirteenth Century.
This serves to confirm the preceding narrative. We will now conclude our account of the persecutions which occurred in the twelfth century, and proceed to the thirteenth century. [The thirteenth century is commenced with the thirteenth and last _Centuria_, with which the Magdeburg Centuriators have concluded their Ecc…
750 wordsSECTION 420Summary Of Baptism In The Thirteenth Century.
As regards infant baptism, because the same was much contradicted, yea, utterly rejected, at this time, by the Waldenses and Albigenses, those of the Roman church, in order to provide for this, and to maintain it, ordained various things, called _baptism of necessity_ (private baptism), _baptism by women, baptism by he…
618 wordsSource & rights
Public domain in the USA; original historical text digitized by Project Gutenberg.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.