Thus, this witness of Jesus openly, boldly, and unfeignedly declared the truth of God in this matter, according to the testimony of the word of God, and his conscience; to show which has here been our sole aim.
_A. D. 1586._--At Ingolstadt, in Bavaria, one Christian Gasteiger, after suffering much onset and opposition from the Jesuits, was, among other things, also assailed in regard to his belief respecting baptism; since he held that it should be administered to none but the believing and penitent. On a certain day, therefore, there came to him, where he was imprisoned, two of that order, saying. That a child had to be baptized, or it would be damned. But he contradicted them with arguments and the authority of the holy Scriptures. This belief he held fast to the end, since he died thereupon, as shall appear more fully in the account of the martyrs, regarding his death, for the year 1586. Also, in _Mart. Mir., page 886, col. 2_.
_A. D. 1592._--We find, that besides a disputation held against some papists who maintained infant baptism, Bartholomew Panten, a pious brother, also left, before his departure from this world, a testament, as a last farewell, to his little daughter; in which he, among other things, admonishes her, how she, when arriving at maturity, should act with regard to this matter, saying: “My dear child, take this to heart, and when you attain your understanding, my paternal request to you is, to join those who fear God, who are by far the least among all people, but who are nevertheless the true congregation and church of God; who practice their rule according to the ordinance of the Lord, and the practice of the apostles, namely, a baptism which is founded upon faith, and must be received as Christ has commanded, and as is written in Matthew.”
Then, treating of the words of the holy evangelists, respecting the unprepared condition in which the Pharisees came to the baptism of John, and that the latter rebuked them, saying: “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance,” he says by way of explanation: “Here it is to be well understood, that confession is not sufficient, but that also sorrow of heart, and good works, must be evinced. For, all outward actions, without renewing the spirit, cannot please God.” See the beforementioned _Mart. Mirr., p. 924, col. 1_. This matter will be shown more circumstantially in the account of his martyrdom, for the year 1592.
NOTE.--We could have filled this century with a very great number of salutary confessors respecting this article, had we not deemed this unnecessary and to no purpose; for no one who has but a little experience in history, will doubt it; since this was not one of the least points, on account of which an almost countless number of persons lost their lives in the last persecution, early in this century, and throughout to the close.
Now, in order to bring this account to an appropriate conclusion, we deem it not inadvisable, to add here a certain _Confession of Faith_, which very probably, was once contained in the _History of the pious Anabaptist Martyrs_, and is declared to have been the summary of their faith; though it may be (which we would not contradict), that they did not confess all said articles in precisely this form, but maintained more or less in regard to this or that point; which, however, if the true foundation of the same is retained, ought to, according to the nature of love, be borne with; especially in such persons who did not spare their dear lives, but gave them unto death, for their God and Savior. Nevertheless, we do not find that any of them entertained contrary views, much less, that they opposed said confession; which incited us the more to insert it here; hoping that it will be productive of at least some profit or good in these latter sorrowful and perverted times; the more to confirm the steadfast in the faith, as well as to give an occasion to the weak, to prove themselves wherein they have become weak, and how said weakness can be removed.