Thieleman J. van Braght · 87 of 210
Old Book of the Martyrs Mirror · Part 25
Priest. "The clothing don't make it." I then told him that their things, as infant baptism, ringing of bells, mass, and all other trumpery, were good for nothing. Upon this he replied that holy baptism of infants was right. I asked where the authorization for it was to be found.
Priest. "In the 16th chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians." .
Adrian. "There it is written: The house of Stephanas are the first in Achaia who addicted themselves to the ministry of the . These certainly could not have been infants; infants cannot addict themselves to the ministry of the , but have themselves to be ministered unto."
He asked us in regard to the jailer and his household, whether there were no infants there.
Ans. "No."
Priest. "How do you know it?"
Adrian. "It is written there: `The jailer rejoiced with all his house, that he had become a believer in Christ Jesus.' Infants cannot rejoice in faith; for they have no faith." Then he was at his wit's end again. He fared likewise in regard to Lydia, the seller of purple.
Priest. "When I was young, my faith was as perfect as it is now."
Adrian. "What did you say then?"
He made no reply. He also said: "When I was born, I had my hand, and was not conscious of it; so also, my faith, which was hid in me; and the which I had was taken away through the of the water which takes place in the font." I asked him whether the water had been crucified for him, or Christ.
Priest. "Christ."
Adrian. "And yet you seek your salvation in the water?" He was silent. Dirk Jans then asked him where it was written that bells ought to be baptized.
Priest. "This is instituted by the holy church." He also asked him concerning the reading of mass. He replied that he had God in the mass, corporeally in flesh and blood. I then told him that he was a deceiver.
Priest. "Did not God say: `Take, eat; this is my body; and drink, this is my blood, and as often as you eat this bread, ye do shew the Lord's death?"'
On this point we had much discussion. I then asked him whether he had read I Tim. 4?
Priest. "Yes."
Thereupon I inquired as to whether he had brought a Testament with him.
Priest. "Yes, here is a Latin Testament."
Adrian. "We have not studied in Latin universities, but in the highly celebrated school of the Gospel, of which the Spirit of God is teacher." John 16:13.
He said he could read it in Dutch. He then read the passage relating to the forbidding to marry, and the commanding to abstain from meats. I Tim. 4:3: I asked him concerning whom this was spoken. He replied that he did not know.
Adrian. "If you are a teacher you ought to know this?"
Priest. "It relates to the end of the world."
Adrian. "It speaks there of the latter times; now do you mean to say that these are not the latter times?"
Upon this he replied nothing, but said that he had not forbidden marriage, nor meats.
We said: "Your father, the pope, has done it, and you exerted yourselves with Haman to obtain mandates to put us and our people to death, and contributed in giving the Emperor ten thousand pounds of silver?"
Priest. "I did not."
Adrian. "Are you Christians? Christians ought not to persecute any one."
Priest. "We do not persecute you."
I then asked him, whether the Christian church persecuted, or suffered persecution.
Priest. "It suffers persecution."
I asked him wherein he suffered persecution, whether we were not the ones that suffer persecution.
Priest. "We suffer persecution from the devil."
We then demanded to know where it was written that we might be put to death for our faith. He replied that it was ordained on account of the evil sects. We said: "We belong to no sect."
Priest. "It is suspected that it might also be the case with you."
Thereupon Dirk Jans said: "Is a man hanged because he is suspected of having stolen; though he has not done so? So neither may we be put to death before we are ."
The priest finally went away. We had silenced him in many things concerning which he had no understanding. I also said that he was one of those who rob God of His glory by their confession, presuming to forgive sins. Herein he was likewise defeated, whereupon he went away. I hope that we shall soon offer up our sacrifice together.
O my dear friends, see that you exercise a care for one another, and walk prudently; because men are so incensed, and make such strenuous efforts to apprehend our brethren, wherever they find them. Hence, walk a little more wisely herein, than some of you do for, dear friends, if the Lord permitted it, they would deal roughly with them if they had them. Therefore, take it in good part; for there are so few laborers in the harvest; hence, take good care of them that are in it. Moreover, dear friends, when you meet to speak of the Word of the Lord, spend not your time in idle talk, and old wives' fables, but exercise yourselves in godliness, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and stand protected in all things; and always give diligence, in honor to build up the spiritual temple until the appearing of the Lord. I Tim. 4:7; Eph. 6:13; I Pet. 2:5. He that is holy let him become holier still; he that is pure, let him become purer still; as Paul writes to the Thessalonians, that they need not that he should write unto them, but he said that they should increase more and more. Rev. 22:11; I Thess. 4:9, 10. Thus also you, my dear brethren. Read the exhortation I have written you, which will no doubt be shown you. Salute all the friends in the Lord, especially our Brother G., who is a faithful minister; all that are in bonds salute him, and they also greet all lovers of the truth. We commend you to the Lord; know, that we are all of good cheer yet; the Lord be praised always.
My dear friends, I must write you yet a little more. The paper was not sufficient before, for, dear friends, paper is a precious article when we are in bonds; but as Habakkuk brought me some more, I write you a few additional lines concerning certain things that occurred in our .imprisonment, which were forgotten before. It happened that the servant who had betrayed me, came to bring us our food. I then asked him .to forgive me, if I had injured him in any way, and thus I often talked to him as kindly as I could, which we are commanded to do. Matt. 5:44. He replied: "You have not injured me, nor have any of your people." My kind words, and the love I manifested, caused him to feel ashamed that he had betrayed me, and that I spoke to him so' affectionately. Rom. 12:20.
A few more things about the priest that came to instruct us. I asked him whether he had faith. "Yes," he replied. .
Adrian. .'.If you should sit here in prison with us for a month, I think you.would deny your faith."
Priest. ."Possibly not."
He then commenced speaking about faith, and said that faith was incomprehensible.
I said: "If faith is incomprehensible, how then can we be saved?" Then he was beaten. Thereupon we touched upon the calling of preachers, and 'the words of Paul, that teachers must be blameless, and following the passage further on, "given to hospitality." I then said: "You would rather' be a guest, than entertain one, and receive strangers;" adding
"If I should come to' your house, would you receive me?"
Priest. ".Possibly."
We also discussed infant baptism, which he would prove by the households. I asked him to whom the Scriptures speak; do they not speak to them that have ears to hear, and hearts to understand?
Priest. "Yes."
I then asked him whether any Scripture belonged to infants.
Priest. "No."
Adrian. "If no Scripture 'belongs to infants, neither does baptism." Then he was caught and had nothing more to say about his infant baptism'. He also, spoke in regard to eating the flesh of Christ, and drinking His blood, how Christ, gave His apostles flesh from His flesh, and blood to drink outwardly.' I then said that he was worse than the Jews.
Priest. "Why?"
Adrian. "The Jews murmured and said: `How can this man give us his flesh to eat?' but you now come and would eat it." "Be assured," said I to the priest, "Christ did not speak this passage in the sense in which you adduce it." In short; he would gladly have retreated, could he have done so honorably, for there was no market for his merchandise.
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SIX PIOUS BRETHREN, NAMELY, LIEVIJN JANS, MEY;
NERT HERMANS, PIETER THYMANS, BEYER
EGBERTS, HENDRICK ANTHONISS, CLAES
GERBRANTS, ALL BURNT ALIVE FOR
THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST,
AT AMSTERDAM, ON THE 6TH
DAY OF AUGUST, A. D. 1552
"The blood of the martyrs," said one of the ancients, "is the seed of the church; the rose grows in and among the thorns; so also the rose of the blooming church of Christ." This appeared in these sore and sorrowful times, when scarcely anything was heard of but slaying, burning, murdering and shedding of the blood of the innocent and defenseless lambs of Christ; so that in that very time far more persons were stirred up to follow them and embrace their faith; than had been slain before. Whole bands so to speak, marched to the spiritual conflict, yea, to the places where nothing but certain death was to be expected. Each was ready to become an offering for God (if He accounted him worthy for it.) Neither fire nor sword was feared for the testimony of the Lord: for they looked to His comforting and, most glorious promises which He has given to the steadfast.
This appeared in the year 1552, in the month of August, in the case of six pious Christians, who, having fled from Babel, betook themselves to the vision of peace, to the spiritual Jerusalem of the true church of God, notwithstanding many assaults and storms were made upon them insomuch that it cost them their lives through the cruel and terrible death by fire.
The circumstances of the case were as follows
Three of them had already through baptism been accepted as members of the church, and the other three were ready for it. In the meantime they were all apprehended, and brought to Amsterdam, where they all made a good confession of that most holy faith, which dwelt in their souls, though the lastmentioned three greatly deplored the one fact, namely, that they were not baptized to which they, if it had been possible,, would have yet attended before their death.
In short, sentence of death was passed upon them all, namely that they should be executed as heretics with fire, that is, in common language, burnt alive; which cruel death they all steadfastly endured, as appears from the following sentence, which we received from the book of criminal sentences of the city, of Amsterdam, just as it was read in the court immediately before their death, and which we shall therefore here adduce as an indubitable attest of the afore mentioned matter.
Sentence o f death o f the ofore mentioned six per
sons, Liev~jn Jans, Meynert Hermans, Pieter
Thymans, Reyer Egberts, Hendrick
Anthoniss, Claes Gerbrants
Whereas Lievijn, son of Jans of Ghent, otherwise called Liefken de Keyser, weaver by trade;
Meynert Hermans of Balch, wood sawyer; Pieter Thymans of Sutphen. formerly cooper, now bookbinder by trade; Reyer Egberts, citizen of this city, Hendrick Anthoniss, of Leyden, both of them weavers; and Claes Gerbrants, native of Wormer, have resorted to the conventicles and gatherings of the Anabaptistical sect, and gone to hear the doctrines of the heads or teachers of said sect, n mely, said Claes Gerbrants the doctrines of Menno Simons, ten years ago, and said Lievijn of Ghent, and all the others, the doctrines of Gillis, of Aix la Chapelle; and forasmuch as they, adhering to the doctrines, errors and heresies promulgated by the aforesaid false teachers, have separated from the faith, obedience and unity of the holy Christian church, and hold pernicious views with regard to the of the holy church, insomuch that the aforesaid Lievijn, Meynert and Pieter, have been rebaptized by said Gillis, of Aixla Chapelle, thus renouncing the baptism which they received in their infancy, and the aforesaid Reyer Egberts, Hendrick Anthoniss, and Claes Gerbrants, likewise renouncing their aforesaid baptism have confessed themselves to be ready for rebaptism, if they can attain to it, all of which is contrary to the holy Christian faith, the of the holy church, and the written laws and decrees of his Imperial Majesty, our gracious lord; and as they moreover, obstinately persist in their unbelief, heresy and errors; therefore, my lords the judges, having heard the demand made by my lord the bailiff, concerning the aforesaid delinquents, together with their confessions, and having duly regarded the circumstances of the aforesaid case, condemn said delinquents to be executed with fire by the executioner, and furthermore declare their property confiscated for the benefit of his Imperial Majesty, as count of Holland and our gracious lord, without derogation or prejudice to the privileges of this city. Done and pronounced in the court, on the 6th day of August, A. D. 1552, in the presence of all the judges, dempto Andries Boelen, by the advice of the Burgomaster.
Concerning the Torturing o f Hendrick An'thoniss
and Reyey Egberts, and when it Occurred
Of these, two were examined by torture, namely, Hendrick Anthoniss, on the 28th of June, and Reyer Egberts on the last of June, 1552.
Thus extracted from the book of criminal sentences, preserved at Amsterdam, in the keeping of the secretary of the city.
N. N.
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PIETER VAN OLMAN, OR VAN WERWIJCK, PUT TO
DEATH AT GHENT, ALSO A LETTER, WHICH
THE SAID PIETER VAN OLMAN, OR VAN
WERWIJCK, WROTE IN PRISON IN
THAT CITY, WHERE HE GAVE HIS
LIFE FOR THE TESTIMONY
of JESUS, A. D. 1552
The abundant and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. and peace be with you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also giveth unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord; for we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. I Cor. 1:3-5; II Cor. 4:17, 18; 5:1-8; Rom. 8:22; Rev. 3:18.
I admonish you, dear brethren and sisters, by the mercies of God, that you will diligently assemble yourselves together, to give each other good instruction in the eternal truth of our Saviour, while you have time; for here we have no continuing city, but we wait for one, and this through patience. Heb. 10:25; 13:14.
Therefore, dear brethren and sisters, take the Word of the Lord well to heart, and understand well what the Lord says, that you may stand fast valiantly, when you are tried; for I tell you, dear brethren, that valiant fighting must be done to a much greater extent than I thought; for they approach us with such subtle questions, and honeyed words, in order that they may catch us in some word, and thus cause us to apostatize. Hence, dear brethren, teach one another well to discern which is the way of the Lord, and the way of the devil, and which is the true worship of God, and the worship of the devil and of idols, and which are the children of the Lord, and the children of the devil; for the children of the Lord are not of this world; hence the world hates them; they all suffer persecution; they are led to death, as sheep for the slaughter, and are hated by all men; they are a prey to all; they have nowhere a certain dwelling place; they are the offscouring of all men; they weep and lament, and the world rejoices; they suffer reproach, because they trust in the living God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: he that doeth is righteous, even as he is righteous; he that committeth sin is of the devil. Therefore, O dear little children, love not the world, neither the things that are in the world; for if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God forever. Jas. 1:27; John 17:16; Ps. 44:22; Isa. 59:15; I Cor. 4:11, 13; Jno. 16:20; I Tim. 4:10; I Jno. 3:10; 2:15-17.
My most beloved, know that I fought a great conflict against the rulers of darkness and false prophets; for they said that one may nevertheless hear,. and be taught by, them, though they do not live according to the commandments of the Lord. I then asked: "Is not he a stranger to the Lord who walks not in his commandments?" They replied: "Yes." Then I said that Christ says (John 10:27): "My sheep hear my voice, and they follow me; but they hear not the voice of strangers, but flee from them:" hence, if I should hear strangers, I would not be of Christ's sheep; for His sheep hear not strangers. ' They replied: "They certainly preach the truth; the word is therefore not diminished." I replied: "John says (I John 2:4): He that saith that he knoweth God, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. Now, if there is no truth in him, how can he speak the truth? Else John must lie. Christ says (Matt. 7:18): A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit. Again (Matt. 12:34): How can ye, being evil, speak good things? Solve this question, and I will believe you." I tell you, though he should take a Testament, and.read it from beginning to end in your church, as the apostles have written it, yet I will prove to them, that they lie. But let a man speak the same words, who walks in the ways of the Lord, and he will speak the truth. If one of your people should preach these words in your temple, with regard to drunkards, adulterers, thieves, murderers, covetous, defamers, evil speakers, etc., and say: Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the virtues of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God; which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy (I Pet. 2:9, 10); if he should speak these words with regard to this wicked people, would he not lie? But if a God fearing man were to speak these words with reference to the God fearing people, he would speak the truth. Again, if you should preach: For thy sake we are led to death, as sheep for the slaughter; would this not also be a lie from you
But a God fearing man would speak the truth.
Thus we had many words, but all to no purpose. I then asked whether the children of the Lord must not all be spiritual. "Yes," he replied. Thereupon I asked, why then they were called spiritual, and the others secular, when they must all be spiritual. This they were not able to explain. I then said
Christ prays not for the world, but for them that are not of the world (John 17:9); now, if you are spiritual, how comes it that you are not all of one mind? for some may only go in gray; are not allowed to handle money, and their shoes must have an opening on the top; others must all go in black; some, again, all in several colors; and others may not eat cooked food, and may not talk with father or mother when they see them; but when they do not see them, they talk with them. I said
"These are all different sects, planted by men, and not by God; therefore they will all be rooted up." Matt. 15:13. To this they did not have much to say. I then said: "Your doctrine is the doctrine of the devil; for all that is done and observed, is contrary to the truth, as Paul says (I Tim. 4:1, 3)
That in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created. Now I see that you teach this; for you forbid to marry, and command to abstain from meats." Then they bade me go away.
Soon after, the Dean of Ronse came, and with him another priest; they assailed me most severely with subtle questions; but the Lord preserved me, so that I was not betrayed. He asked me whether I did not believe that the bread which Christ gave His apostles was the body of Christ, when He said
"Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you?" I replied: "That bread was not the body of Christ, which was broken for us; it was for a memorial." He rejoined: "The bread became changed into His body." But I said, that it was for a memorial, and was not the body itself. They then questioned me in regard to baptism, whether infants did not have to be baptized. I said: "There is nothing written of infant baptism, but of baptism upon faith." Then they said. "Behold, we will prove that infants must be baptized. Does not Christ say, John 3: `Except a man be born again, of water and of the Spirit, he cannot inherit the kingdom of God?"' I said: "This is not spoken to infants, but to those who can hear." But they said: "It is," and would thereby prove and establish infant baptism. Thus we had many words, but agreed in nothing.
Therefore I admonish you, dear brethren and sisters, to instruct one another well in all matters, namely, concerning the Supper, baptism, the of Christ, and in regard to the spiritual children and the children of the world; and walk wisely in the fear of the Lord, and fear not men, though they rage furiously. I also admonish you; dear brethren and sisters, by the love of our Lord, that you will all pray the Lord for me, so that I may stand fast valiantly, when I am tried. I furthermore entreat you, that you will diligently instruct my beloved mother, in all matters, and also my brother, and my wife, if haply they might become . The Lord fill you with His Spirit, Amen. Written in fear on account of the people who were constantly here. The abundant and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
He that feareth the Lord will do good. Sir. 15:1.
THE LAD CORNELIS VAN KULENBURGH, A. D. 1552,
In the year 1552, there was apprehended under the administration of the Count of Kulenburgh, for the testimony of Jesus, a lad called Cornelis; he was kept imprisoned at said place about three years, and then burnt for the truth of Christ. During his, imprisonment he was greatly assailed by priests, monks and prelates, who were gathered in the castle of Kulenburgh. These ministers of said Roman antichrist laid many snares for said youth, to entrap his soul; they inflicted severe tortures upon him, that he should name his fellow believers, and then plied him again with fair promises of this world, herein following the example of their master, Satan, with our Saviour Jesus. But this prisoner, though young in years, yet old in the faith, through the of God valiantly resisted this temptation, on which account he was [condemned to death] * by said count, the latter being constrained to this by the so called spirituals (priests), and his desire to remain a friend of the pope. Jno. 19:12. Thus this pious youth had to pay for it; he was placed at a stake, and while there, the priests yet came to him, and tried to make him apostatize but he chose much rather to die for the name of Jesus, than to depart from the truth; and Was therefore burnt at the stake, thus becoming a partaker of the sufferings of Christ, for which he will be rewarded with everlasting joy, when the great God shall be revealed.
Concerning this, see hymn in History LiedtEoeck.
HERMAN JANS OF SOLLEM, BURNT ALIVE FOR THE
TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, AT AMSTERDAM,
ON THE 16TH OF FEBRUARY, 1553
The distress of this time was very great, and did not cease; insomuch that all who truly left the idol
* As indicated by the brackets, these words are not found in the original, but have been inserted by us, to complete the sense, which has apparently been marred by a typographical, or other, omission. Trans.
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atrous Roman Babel, and turned to the spiritual Jerusalem of the peaceable church of Jesus Christ, were forthwith declared to have forfeited their lives.
This appeared in the beginning of the year 1553, at Amsterdam, in the case of Herman Jans, a nafive of Sollem and a pious,, God fearing novice, who stood prepared to receive baptism on the confession of his faith. Being yet in his first zeal for the divine truth, he was apprehended by the rulers of wickedness, and brought a prisoner to Amsterdam, where he had to suffer much vexation and torment, inflicted upon him for the purpose of drawing him from the faith; but remaining immovable and steadfast, he was sentenced to death,, to be burnt as a heretic; which sentence was publicly read to him in the court, on the 14th day of January, 1553, and also executed on him the same day; as appears from the following sentence, which we, in proof of this matter, have received from the criminal records of the city of Amsterdam. It reads as follows
Sentence o f death o f Herman Jans o f Sollem.
Whereas Herman Jans, a native of Sollem, has frequented the assemblies of the Anabaptists, received their admonition, doctrines and errors, and attended certain conventicles (gatherings), in which, by Gillis of Aix la Chapelle, as also by others, improper things were taught concerning the Scriptures, so that renouncing the baptism administered to him, he has confessed to have desired to receive another baptism, if he should be able to attain it, and also holds pernicious views with regard to the holy of the altar, all of which is contrary to the and the faith of the holy Christian Church, and the written laws and decrees of his Imperial Majesty, our gracious lord; and as he, moreover, obstinately persists in his unbelief, heresy and error, notwithstanding the instruction given him by the truly sent; therefore, my lords the judges, having heard the demand made by my lord the bailiff, concerning the aforesaid Herman Jans, together with the confession of the latter, and having duly regarded the circumstances of the case, condemn said Herman Jans, pursuant to the aforesaid decrees, to be executed with fire by the executioner, and furthermore declare his property confiscated, for the benefit of his Imperial Majesty, as count of Holland. Thus pronounced and executed on the sixteenth day of January, A. D. 1553, in the presence of the bailiff, Pieter Cantert and Joost Buyck, Burgomasters, and all the judges, by the advice of the other two burgomasters.
Thus extracted from the book of criminal sentences of the city of Amsterdam, in the keeping of the secretary there.