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. 1.
Tim. 4:7; Eph. 6:13; 1 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; 1
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. Matthew 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.
SIX PIOUS BRETHREN, NAMELY, LIEVIJN JANS, MEYNERT HERMANS, PIETER
THYMANS, REYER 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 last mentioned 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 aforementioned matter.
_Sentence of death of the aforementioned six persons, Lievijn 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 book-binder 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, namely,
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 sacraments of
the holy church, insomuch that the aforesaid Lievijn, Meynert and
Pieter, have been rebaptized by said Gillis, of Aix-la-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 ordinances 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 of Hendrick Anthoniss and Reyer Egberts, and
when it Occurred_.
Of these, two were examined by torture, namely, Henrick 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.
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 grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ be with you. Grace 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, 1 Cor. 1:3–5; 2 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 Savior, 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
righteousness 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
abideth forever. Jas. 1:27; John 17:16; Ps. 44:22; Is. 59:15; 1 Cor.
4:11,13; Jn. 16:20; 1 Tim. 4:10; 1 John 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 (1 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 (1 Pet. 2:9,10); if
he should speak these words with regard to this wicked people, would
he not lie? But if a godfearing man were to speak these words with
reference to the godfearing 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 godfearing 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 (1 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 incarnation 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 converted. The Lord fill you with his Spirit, Amen.
Written in fear on account of the people who were constantly here. The
abundant grace 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 Savior Jesus.
But this prisoner, though young in years, yet old in the faith, through
the grace of God valiantly resisted this temptation, on which account
he was [condemned to death][257] 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. John 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.
[257] 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._
Concerning this, see hymn in _History Liedt-Boeck._
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 idolatrous 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 native of Sollem and a pious, godfearing 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 of death of Herman Jans of 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 sacrament of the altar, all of which is contrary
to the ordinances 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.
N. N.
FELISTIS JANS, SURNAMED RESINX, BURNT AT AMSTERDAM, FOR THE TESTIMONY
OF JESUS CHRIST, ON THE 16th OF JANUARY, IN THE YEAR 1553.
On the same day, in the same court, and for the same reason, also a
certain maiden, named Felistis Jans, and surnamed Resinx, a native
of Vreden, in Westphalia, was sentenced to the fire, as appears from
the written sentence which we have concerning it, from the original
criminal records of the city of Amsterdam, as also the date when she
was tortured, all of which we could here adduce verbatim; however, to
avoid prolixity, we will briefly extract the substance from it, making
distinct divisions, so that it may be clearly seen upon what her death
was founded.
BRIEF EXTRACT FROM THE SENTENCE OF DEATH OF FELISTIS, DAUGHTER OF JANS,
OR FELISTIS RESINX.
After giving her name, and the place of her nativity, there are
presented first the accusations with which she was charged, comprised
in the following divisions:
1. That she had resorted to the assembly of the sect of the Anabaptists.
2. That she had separated from the obedience and faith of the
(so-called) holy (that is, the Roman) church.
3. That she held pernicious views with regard to the sacrament of the
altar.
4. That she had harbored in her house such persons as she knew to
belong to said sect (that is, to the sect of the so-called Anabaptists).
5. That she had seduced several persons from the obedience of the
(Roman) church, to her belief.
6. That she herself obstinately adhered to the aforementioned
(so-called) errors, refusing to abandon them.
7. That all this was contrary to the ordinances of the holy church, and
the decrees of his Imperial Majesty.
Thereupon follows the conclusion, namely: That for this she should be
executed with fire by the executioner, and that all her property should
be confiscated or forfeited, for the benefit of the Emperor.
Thus pronounced, etc., as above.
Then the time is mentioned, when she was tortured, in regard to which
these words are found: “This Felistis was subjected to the torture or
rack the 2d of January, 1553.”
Extracted from the book of criminal sentences, in the keeping of the
secretary of the city of Amsterdam.
N. N.