Before the transgression of Adam all three substances in the human being‑flesh, soul, and spirit‑were good, Gen. 1:31. For God considered all the things which he /385/ had made and they were very good‑indeed, especially the human being made in the image of God, Gen. 1:31. The three substances were also wholly free to choose good or evil, life or death, heaven or hell. Thus they were originally made good and free also in the recognition, in the capability, and performance of g

The Anabaptist Balthasar Hubmaier gives a personal testimony. He became a priest in the Roman Catholic Church and a leading scholar without ever reading the New Testament directly:

Oecolampad: What I have said, preached, and written I would henceforth also do and prayerfully command others also to do, for your teaching is a wholly new fantasy, begun here and elsewhere in the past two years. Therefore it is suspect.

Zwingli : We let the women also go to the Lord's Supper, but do not read that women were at the Supper of Christ.

Then water baptism follows. Not that the same cleanses the souls but rather the "yes" of a good conscience toward God which preceded inwardly in faith.

Beloved in God: I know and must confess with the prophet Jeremiah that the way of the human being does not lie in his own power; nor does it lie in the power of man to govern his own steps [Jer. 10:23]. The human heart undertakes also to do something for itself, but God directs and controls according to his pleasure. For I had always intended to remain alone in my barrel and cave and not at all to creep out into the light, not that I feared the light, but in order that I migh

Second: Then the Samaritan must come, that is, Christ Jesus. He brings along medicine, namely, wine and oil, which he pours into the wounds of the sinner. Wine: he leads the person to repentance so that he is sorry for his sins. He brings oil, by which he softens his pain and drives it away, and says, "Believe the gospel that clearly shows that I am your physician who has come into this world to make the sinner just and righteous. The gospel teaches also that I am the only gi

His agony of soul became intolerable with a tragedy at the Old Cloister. Some three hundred Anabaptists, who had sought refuge there from persecution, were put to death. Among the dead was Menno's own brother. This event more than any other intensified the inner conflict of his soul, which had been raging for at least four years. He wrote:

Balthasar Hubmaier:

Klaus von Gravneck, an eyewitness, wrote of Sattler's conduct, "All this I saw myself. May God grant us also to testify of Him so bravely and patiently." The events recorded above took place over a two-day period. The sentence was read on May 18. Two days later, on May 20, Sattler was executed.

Martyrdom of Anabaptist Felix Manz: