Martyrs Mirror 390CERTAIN PEASANTS, CALLED APOSTOLICS, PUT TO DEATH FOR MAINTAINING THE DOCTRINE OF THE APOSTLES, NEAR TOULOUSE, IN FRANCE, A. D. 1155

It is stated, that about A. D. 1155 there were in the above part of France, certain simple but truthloving peasants, who, pointing to no other author of their doctrine or belief, than to the apostles, called themselves Apostolics, as though they would say, that their doctrine and belief were derived from the apostles. Bemard,** abbot of Clairvaux, greatly inveighed against them in divers sermons, calling them a sort of despised, boorish rabble, ig

* "War", says the writer; but this signifies violence, vexation, etc.

** "Zealous Bernard," writes Mellinus, "allowed himself to be bribed, and dared to preach and write whatever he heard said.--Second book, fol. 438, col. 2, in the margin.

norant and altogether weak. "They," he says, "are boorish people, idiots, and completely sold; but they must not be dealt with imprudently." "From this it appears," writes Abraham Mellinus, "that they must not have been so very dull and ignorant after all."

In the meantime, Bernard continues to rail against them, after papistic fashion. "Inquire," says he, "for their author; of what sect they are? They will not be able to name any one. But what heresy is there, that has not its author from among men? The Manicheans had Manes as their head and master; the Sabellians had Sabellicus; the Arians, Ariumthe Eunomians, Eunomiumthe Nestorians, Nestorius; likewise every other similar pest had its separate master among men, from which it derived both its origin and name; but what name or title shall be given or accorded to these? None at all," he says, "because they received their heresy neither from nor by men; nevertheless, far be it from us to say that they received it through the revelation of Christ."

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) laid hands on some of them, drew them forth; and being asked concerning their faith, they would not confess their wickedness, but openly protested, that they taught the true godliness, and were ready to die for it. In the meantime, the people that stood by, were not less ready to put them to death: and falling upon them, they made these new heretics martyrs of their own faith."

"Some wonder at this, that, when led forth to death, they were not only joyful, but also patient; but it is to be deplored, that not only secular princes, but also, it is said, some ecclesiastics, yea bishops, who ought much rather to have persecuted them, upheld them for lucre's sake, saying: `Why should we condemn them as heretics, who have not been convinced of heresy, nor have confessed the same?' "

Thus far, Bernard, who was called, The Mellifluent, but who nevertheless poured forth nothing but bitter gall against these people. In Serm. 16 and 66, on Cant. Also, EQist. 240, oldest edition.

From this it is sufciently apparent, writes Mellinus, that they persecuted these poor people unto death, not on account of Manichean doctrines, which Bernard unjustly and covertly imputes to them, but because they opposed the Roman church and her errors. Second book, fol. 438, col. 1, 2.

NOTE. These were the same people of whom we made mention, in our account of those who, in the twelfth century, opposed infant baptism, from Nicholas Sander, who states concerning them

"That they were called Apostolics, because they professed to walk in the footsteps of the apostles, and declared to hold themselves only to the apostolical writings; that they contemned infant baptism, purgatory, praying for the dead, invocation of the saints, swearing of oaths, etc. ; that they accepted no evidence save from the New .Testament; and went joyfully unto death." Nic. Sand., lib. and Histor. Doopsg., A. 8. D. Anth. Jac., fol. 118. H. Montan. Nietigh., page 84. Introduction, page 50, Jacob Mehrning, BaAC/t. Hist., page 599. P. I. Tzeusck, Chron., page 469. B.