The Waldensian Confession

PREFACE

than to be oppressed; and [God] himself—fearing for those and protecting a good cause—does not allow them to be utterly trampled by the wicked through secret slander and disparagement. It seemed altogether necessary that their Response original: "Responsio"; refers to the formal written rebuttal from his theological opponents., which was more than bitter and kept for a very long time within the private walls of my Antagonists, should be presented to me while I am still living on this earth.

For indeed, it was sent to me in Lower Saxony from Poland, eighteen years after my earlier work published in Latin, as indicated by the year 1581. This date was assigned only after the inscription or title, with the location and the Printer who printed it being omitted. Attached to the booklet, however, were letters from a certain Pastor, outstanding in learning and virtue, who in a major city in Poland had faithfully taught the Church of the Augsburg Confession The primary confession of faith for the Lutheran Church, originally presented in 1530. for several years amidst unusual dangers.

In these letters, among other things, the following was recorded: "I have suffered many things from those false 'little brothers' original: "Fraterculis." This is a diminutive, mocking play on the name of the "Bohemian Brethren" (Unitas Fratrum), suggesting they are insignificant or hypocritical., whose frauds and deceptions, both in doctrine and in life, I have sharply criticized—not only by voice but often in writing—just as you laudably did by publishing a public book against them. When your book was frequently used by me to oppose them, and they were challenged as to why they did not respond, they were wonderfully confused. However, three years ago, they boasted that they had a response ready at hand, but they did not wish to publish..."