A MINIATURE HISTORY

OF THE

BAPTISTS.

T may be pleafing to fome of my readers to be pre

I rented with a brief account of the Readers, be pati

a

extract this account from the writings of those who were not of the Baptists' denomination, but rather prejudiced against them.

Here it may be observed, that the religious fect, called Baptifts, have caused the learned world more perplexity and research to decypher their origin, than any other fect of Christians, or, perhaps, than all others. Yes, this research hath baffled all their erudition in ancient story.

It is not difficult to fix the period when one fect of this denomination was first called Petrobrufians, when another was known by the name of Waterlandians, when a third was denominated Mennonites, &c. But the difficulty is this, to afcertain the time, place and medium, by which Chrift's difciples were led to adopt the peculiar fentiment, which is now held by thofe called Baptists, and which distinguishes them from all other denominations.

It may be farther obferved, that if no one, however learned and wife, be able to trace this fect to any beginning fhort of the days of the apoftles, or of Christ, it is poffible that it then arofe. Besides, if all other religious denominations, or the Podobaptifts, who include all which are not Baptists, can be traced to a probable origin

fhort

fhort of the apostles, and the Baptifts cannot be, it af fords ftill more probability, that they might have arifen then.

I wish my readers to indulge me one queftion, and to give me an explicit anfwer. Are you willing to have the origin of the Baptifts fairly explored, and to open your eyes to the light, fhould light be afforded?

You cannot, my Christian readers, unless your minds be unduly fwayed by prejudice, do otherwise than fay Yes. For, though you be not very friendly to the Baptists, you will not deny them what you grant to your worst enemy, liberty to fpeak the truth, and that truth its weight, at least in measure.

It ought to be particularly noted, that my object is not to give the history of a name, but of a principle. I fhall not contend who were firft called Baptifts, Anabap. tifts, Mennonites, or the like; but who have held the peculiar fentiment which is adopted by thofe who are called Baptifts. Wherever we find this principle, there we find the men, the Chriftians, who, had they lived in our day, would be ftyled Baptifts. Nor is the prefent controverfy this, whence came that mode of baptifm, which is practised by all, who are known by the name Baptists. For this mode is granted, generally, if not universally, by all learned and honeft men, to be as ancient as John the Baptist and the apostles. This mode is, indeed, not peculiar to the Baptifts, for the Podobaptifts, for many centuries, practised this mode; and many of them do, to this day, practife immersion.

The peculiar characteristic of the Baptifts is this: They hold, that the ordinance of baptifm is to be administered to adults, or to vifible believers only.

One natural confequence of this principle is, when any

one

one who was baptized, or fprinkled, in his infancy, comes over to the Baptifts' fentiment, they require him to be baptized. Hence they are called Anabaptists. Another very natural confequence is, this fentiment constrains the Baptifts to oppose the baptifm of infants. Hence they are distinguished by the name of Antipodobaptists.

I fhall add one obfervation more, and then proceed to give you a fuccinct history of the Baptifts. The obfervation is this: Whenever and wherever I find perfons, who hold the peculiar, characteristic, fentiment of the Baptifts, I fhall call them by that name. Their history now follows.

I. The origin of the Baptists can be found no where, unless it be conceded, that it was at Jordan, or Enon.

Dr. Mofheim, in his hiftory of the Baptifts, fays, "The true origin of that fect, which acquired the denomination . of the Anabaptifts by their adminiftering anew the rite: of baptifm to those who come over to their communion, and derived that of Mennonites from the famous man to whom they owe the greatest part of their present felicity, is hid in the remote depths of antiquity, and is of confequence extremely difficult to be ascertained."?

Here, Dr. Mofheim, as learned an historian, though : not fo candid a one, as the fcience of letters can boat, bears pofitive teftimony, that the origin of the Baptifts is hidden in the remote depths of antiquity. Nothing is more evident than this; the Dr. either knew not their origin, or was not candid enough to confefs it. At least, we have this conclufion, that he could find their origin no where fhort of the apoftles.

II. A large number of the Baptifts were fcattered, oppreffed, and perfecuted, through many, if not through all, the nations of Europe, before the dawn of the refor

mation under Luther and Calvin. When Luther, feconded by feveral princes of the petty states of Germany, arofe in oppofition to the overgrown ufurpations of the church of Rome, the Baptifts alfo arose from their hiding places. They hoped that what they had been long expecting and praying for was now at the door: the time in which the fufferings of God's people fhould be greatly terminated: but God had not raised Luther's views of réformation to nigh the height the Baptifts were expecting. Their detestation of the Mother of Harlots, owing to their bitter experience of her cruelties, and the clear gofpel light with which they had been favoured above Luther, and their ardent defire to be utterly delivered from her cruel oppreffions, made them wish to carry the reformation farther than God had appointed Luther to accomplish. They were foon disappointed in Luther, and probably did not duly appreciate the reformation which he was inftrumentally ef fecting. It was as might have been expected; the Lutherans and the Baptifts fell out by the way; and Calvin, if not Luther, warmly oppofed them. See Mofheim, Gent. XVI. Chap. iii. Sect. 3, Part 2.

Mofheim, vol. IV. page 427, speaking of the Baptists, fays, "This fect started up all of a fudden, in feveral countries, at the fame point of time, and at the very period when the firft contefts of the reformers with the Roman Pontiffs drew the attention of the world." From this, we have one plain and fair deduction; that the Baptifts were before the reformation under Luther and. Calvin, and therefore did not take their rife frorathe Enthufiafts under Munzer and Storck, or at thattime; or at Munfter.

III. The Huffites, in the fifteenth century, the Wic

lifites,