The final cause of the sending, advent, incarnation, and suffering and death of the only begotten Son of God in this world, was to save sinners (1 Tim. 1:15; Matt. 18:11), or to reconcile the sinful world to God the Father, John 3:17; 1 John 2:2; 2 Cor. 5:19. Hence he is also the only foundation (1 Cor. 3:11), the only door to the Father (John 10), the only way to eternal life (John 14:6), and the only meritorious cause of justification (Acts 13:38; Rom. 3:24), and of eternal salvation; for there is salvation in no other, as the apostle Peter says, neither is there any other name under heaven given among men, whereby they must be saved, than in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12. To him be praise, honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
This was subscribed by twenty ministers of the Anabaptists (who are all well known), in the name of their churches; as of Amsterdam, Haerlem, Leyden, Delft, Rotterdam, Dergoude, Schiedam, Bommel, Blockzijl, etc.
This confession of faith, concerning the articles about God and the incarnation of the Son of God, etc., having been delivered to the deputies of the Court of Holland, produced satisfaction with their High Excellencies, and hence the establishment of greater peace and liberty for the Anabaptists in said country, although to the dissatisfaction of those who, through bitterness, had first endeavored to disturb their peace, and, if they could have succeeded to cause an oppression or persecution of them.
NOTE.--Just in time two manuscript tracts, in the Swiss language, were sent to us, both of them having been sent before this date, from the Swiss parts, to divers churches of our fellow-believers, but principally to those of Amsterdam, at the request and in the name of some of the oppressed brethren; also, in general, of the ministers and elders of the church in the Palatinate and Alsace.
The first was written and completed on the 15th of September 1645, and bears the signature of Jeremiah Mangold.
The second, in the month of February, 1658, by M. Meyli.
These two tracts, both of them written with one design and purpose, and sent to us, shall aid us in the carrying out of the work we have undertaken; namely, to extend the history of the holy martyrs who suffered for our common Christian faith, to this our present time, and bring it to a completion.
In order to do this in the best manner, and to bring these matters (which in one tract are described very diffusely, and in the other, very briefly, and sometimes abruptly), into a convenient form or shape, we shall not grudge the labor of treating them from their first rise, and to follow up the matters chronologically (though they are described indiscriminately), and to indicate each time, in order that no error be made, as to which tract from which we have taken it.
OF THE INAUGURATION OF THE LAST SWISS PERSECUTION; TOGETHER WITH THE CAUSES OF THE SAME, 1635.
The blooming rose of the church of God, in the Swiss countries, had now for about twenty-one years enjoyed tolerable peace; for it appears, that the thorns which before and about the year 1614 had grown up over it for its oppression, were satisfied with the blood of the last named Hans Landis; until, in the year of our Lord 1635, the old hatred of the misnamed Reformed broke out again in those parts, and principally in the city of Zurich, which, already one hundred and ten years previously, namely, A. D. 1525, in the time of Zwingli, when their church was but five years old (as was shown _fol. 80, col. 2_), had commenced with public decrees against the Anabaptists.
This originated principally in the conversion of a certain influential, rich, and respected man in the city of Zurich, named Henry F., who being chosen ensign by the authorities there, found his soul troubled with anguish and distress, and became unwilling to be used in the war, in which he was now to serve; hence seeking advice with the church of the defenseless Christians or Anabaptists, he entered into their covenant, and forsaking war, was there accepted through baptism, and recognized as a dear brother of said church. This, through the instigation of the learned there, was very illy received by the authorities in the aforementioned city; the more so, since he continued to live undisturbed on the borders of their territory, and this right opposite their adversaries, namely, the Roman Catholics.