_A. D. 1284._--At this time the Waldenses, according to Twisck, multiplied more and more in France and other countries of Christendom, though they were sought with craftiness and cruelly persecuted, and even previously every means and all diligence had been employed to utterly extirpate them; which greatly astonished certain bishops of that time, and also certain lawyers of Avignon, in certain consultations held against them, and still extant. _P. J. Twisck, Chron., p. 611, col. 2._
Concerning the form or mode of baptism, Alexander[165] (_p. 4, q. 11, m. 1_), in this century, says: “Baptism shall be administered in confession of faith in the Holy Trinity.” _Jac. Mehr., Bapt. Hist., p. 726._
[165] We will say nothing of this Alexander, but merely speak of his doctrine.
_Centuria 13_, of the _Madgeburg Centuriators, cap. 5, fol. 216, 217_, from Cesarius, states “That the Waldenses and Albigenses rejected baptism at this time, saying that it was inefficacious and useless; which they, as Jacob Mehrning writes, understood of infant baptism, which is administered without instruction and faith; for the Waldenses had a very high regard for the baptism of Christ, as administered according to his ordinance.” _Bapt. Hist., pp. 733, 734._
NOTE.--_A. D. 1287._--Probus, Bishop of Tullo, was at this time so enlightened of God that he not only opposed Pope Honorius IV., but also delivered an excellent oration, in which he freely exposed the errors of the papists. Compare _Catal. Test. fol. 654_, with the 13th book _van den Ondergang, p. 614, col. 1_. _A. D., 1299._--In the year 1299 certain Albigenses and Waldenses, called _Fratricelli_, or _Little Brothers_ (of whose faith and life we have spoken elsewhere), became so odious to Boniface VIII., Pope of Rome, on account of their uprightness, which the papists called falseness, that he declared them heretics; but as we intend elsewhere to speak more fully of their belief and walk among men, we will content ourselves here with merely mentioning them; it being sufficient for us that these people and their doctrine existed until the very close of this century. See in the large _Christen Martelaersboeck_, edition 1619, _fol. 471_, from _Trithem. Chron. Hirsaug._
Proceeding to the close of the century, we will close with the conclusion of Jacob Mehrning, which is a reply to A. Mellinus, who did his best to show that the Waldenses did not well accord with the Anabaptists in the article of baptism. Mehrning replies to him as follows: “Abraham Mellinus (in his large _Nederlandtsch Martelaers_ book) dared to say: ‘The Waldenses would not agree with the so-called Anabaptists in the article of infant baptism.’ But the good man forgets that he himself has adduced testimonies from Bernard, Peter Cluniacensis, and from the Madgeburg Centuries,[166] which refute and condemn this supposed error of the ancient Waldenses, namely, that they should have believed in infant baptism.” _Bapt. Hist, p. 736._
[166] The following words are obscure in the author; hence we experienced difficulty in translating them.--_Van. Braght._