“Fieriness became apparent in some [Anabaptists] who could no longer contain themselves…. They presented themselves as teachers and envoys of God, professing to have been compelled in their hearts by God to baptize, preach and teach…. Among these were Doctor Balthasar Huebmaier, Melchior Rinck, John Hut, John Denck, Louis Haetzer, and Thomas Muenzer….
“Among these, Melchior Hoffmann stood out…. This Melchior was a very fiery and zealous man, a very smooth- tongued speaker who…wrote heatedly against Luther and Zwingli concerning baptism and other articles…. I know of no one who has so much calumniated and damned in his writings, as this Melchior –whereby also we all taught many blasphemies…. All who did not say yes and amen — were ‘devilish and satanic spirits’; ‘godless heretics’; and people ‘damned to eternity’….
