The Plumb Line of Innocence:

Concerning the Disaster at Münster.

An ornamental woodcut initial 'O' features stylized floral and leafy patterns within a rectangular frame.To fully satisfy the Christian reader and the most simple-hearted concerning the fact that we and our ancestors have always been defenseless Weer-loose defenseless/non-resistant Christians, in which we have remained unchanged as members of one body following our defenseless head (Christ), the following is proven as briefly as possible from the writings of our own parties. This is to completely exonerate us henceforth from all accusations of disobedient rebellion against all magistrates, which some envious people seek to use to martyr our good name, since by God's grace they are prevented from abusing our bodies to that end. To such an end, we bring forward what Menno Simons writes in his treatise to the corrupted sect in his Foundation Book (A. 1539):

,, I do not doubt, whether our dear brothers who a little while ago dealt wrongly against the Lord, because they wanted to protect their faith with weapons, whether they have a gracious God... namely that they have used any weapons, other than patience and God's Word... those ^1 I call my sisters and brothers the sincere and pious, because ^2 they perished in ignorance. But the double-hearted who did not seek God with pure, clean hearts, although they were called sisters and brothers, and the Princes of corruption as within Münster and Amsterdam, those I leave in the Lord's hand, who knows what judgment they deserve... ^3 My elect brothers, but not in Christ Jesus, for those are brothers in Christ Jesus, who remain in His Holy Word... turn away, there has been straying long enough...

Of this, the root cause is found in Johannes Sledanus, namely: that ^4 Martin Luther, being one of the Augustinian order at Wittenberg in 1517, and in 1519 Ulrich Zwingli, a Papist teacher at Zurich, both began to teach against the Pope's deceit. Lib. 1. Following this comes Carlo Stadius at Wittenberg in 1522, who, against Luther's approval, removed the images.

1. This address was as permitted for Menno as it was for Peter (Acts 2:29).
2. One perishes in ignorance; one sins willfully. It seems Menno here agrees with Guido de Bres in his "Wortel" Root, Lib. 1, c. 2. Also H. Bullinger against the Anabaptism: Lib. 2, c. 8. The baptizers at Münster were, in the beginning, no less benevolent, humble, fearful, and estranged from the world than you (modern ones) are, and the content of their teaching was nothing other than yours.
Sled. lib. 10. Many of theirs, fearing the wrath of God, were brought to that by simplicity, and those who were otherwise not willful were compliant to these willful ones: NOTE: these willful ones were the followers of Rotteman, Kollen, Staprede, and Stralen, and they were all Lutheran church preachers: having driven out the Papist and Evangelical ones, one did not only draw the night-preachers, being the peaceful ones, but also the surrounding Anabaptist flocks into the city through Rotman's writings: this appears in Hendr. Dorpius Monasterensem, A. 1536, in his True History, fol. 12. "finally Rotman also became, as mentioned above, an Anabaptist. Yes, all Anabaptists in Münster [regarded him as] supreme preacher and leader, and I think that if there had been more than these factions or sects, he would have accepted them too." NOTE: here the fearful Mennonites were seduced by the willful followers of Rotman, standing on the restitution. Gui. D. B. Lib. 1, r. 2.
3. Acts 2:29. Peter does not call the brothers "in Christ" either.
4. Luther taught until 1531 that the authorities could not be resisted. Anno 25, lib. 5. Sled. The Devil directs such things, not being able to suppress him through the Pope, now he is brought about through these bloodthirsty preachers. Of this he was better instructed by a lawyer in 1531, that it is permitted to rise against the magistrate for the sake of religion.