Mary. I replied: “This will have to be shown to me.” They said: “He is
of the seed of David.” I said: “That he assumed his flesh and blood
from Mary, this the Scriptures do not say. Read Luke, first chapter,
where the angel said: ‘Thou shalt conceive in thy womb;’ and, further
on, when Mary said: ‘How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? The
angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee,
and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also
that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of
God.’ Consider these words; he says: ‘that holy thing.’ And Paul says
that the first Adam is of the earth, earthy; but the second is the Lord
from heaven. Read in the first epistle to the Corinthians, in the
fifteenth chapter (verse 47), where you can see it clearly. Also, Heb.
10:5, where Paul says: ‘Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he
saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou
prepared me.’ Again, John 16:28, where Christ says that he came forth
from the Father, and came into the world; and many other places, as in
chapters eight and nine. Examine the Scriptures, John’s Gospel, and the
epistles.” He then asked me, whether he took no substance from Mary, in
the way of nursing, etc. I replied that she offered him up; when he had
been brought forth she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him
in a manger. We further find that she cared for him; as when at the age
of twelve years he was lost, they sought him, when they returned from
Jerusalem. It says that they sought him diligently, and sorrowing (Luke
2:48). He then asked, whether she did not suckle him. _Ans._ “Christ
spake (when the woman said: ‘Blessed are the paps which thou hast
sucked): Yea, woman, blessed is he that heareth my word, and keepeth
it.” Luke 11:27,28. _Ques._ “What do you think; tell us your opinion?”
_Ans._ “I must not speak of that concerning which the Scriptures give
me no information; suppositions are of no value.” He also asked me,
whether Christ! was not of the seed of David. I said: “How should he be
of the seed of David; for Christ said himself (when the Pharisees asked
whose son he was, whether he was not the son of David): How then doth
David call him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my
right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call
him Lord, how is he his son?” Matt. 22:42,45. They did not know what to
say. I then said: “I know that he is born out of the seed of David, but
not of the seed of David.” Rom. 1:3.[283] They replied: “Gal. 4:4 it
is written that he was made of a woman.” I said; “It is preposterous,
that a woman should make a child. Do not all the other Scriptures say:
‘Born of a woman?’” He said: “I could show in forty places, that he is
of the seed of David.” But he would not show it. I then said: “If she
conceived him of the Holy Ghost, he cannot be of the seed of David.”
[283] The author of this confession apparently bases his argument
upon a version of the Scriptures in which the preposition,
or prepositions, on which his argument hinges, are different
in signification, at least in his view, from those occupying
corresponding positions in our English translation.--_Trans._
He also asked me, where men went to, when they leave this world. I
replied: “They fall asleep in the Lord, as the Scriptures testify,
namely, the believers.” Acts 7:60. He asked whither the souls went. I
replied: “Paul said that he was willing to fall asleep according to
the flesh, and to be present with the Lord; and thus am I minded.” 2
Cor. 5:8. He then asked where the other souls went to. _Ans._ “The
Scriptures say nothing about it; neither can I say whither they go.”
_Ques._ “What do you think about it? they go somewhere.” _Ans._ “I
leave this to Divine Providence.”
He then asked what I thought of the resurrection of the dead. I
replied: “As is written 1 Corinthians 15:53, where Paul says that this
mortal shall put on immortality, and this corruptible, incorruption,
and that this same body shall rise.” He was unable to reply to this.
He then asked me whither children went that died without baptism. I
said: “Where it pleases God.” He asked whether they were saved. _Ans._
“Christ blessed the children, and said: Of such is the kingdom of
heaven.” Matthew 19:14. _Ques._ “Then you say that they are saved?”
_Ans._ “If they have the kingdom of heaven, they are happy enough.”
_Ques._ “Behold, they are damned, this is clear.” _Ans._ “Read Romans
5:17–19, where it says that as by one man’s disobedience death comes,
so by the obedience of one life comes upon all men.” He further asked
me whether I would not be obedient to the magistracy. _Ans._ “Yes, my
lords, so far as it is not contrary to the command of God; for Peter
says we ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29. He then asked me
whether I would not swear before the lords. _Ans._ “No.” _Ques._ “We
must obey the magistracy; Paul and Peter teach this.” _Ans._ “Christ
says: ‘Swear not at all; neither by thy head, etc.; but let your yea
be yea; and your nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh
of evil.” Matt. 5:34; Jas. 5:12. Also 2 Cor. 1:17. He then asked me
whether we were not bound to tell the truth. _Ans._ “Yes.” _Ques._
“Tell me who your accomplices are?” _Ans._ “To accuse our neighbor is
not the truth; Christ does not teach that.” He then adjured me by Jesus
Christ, the Son of the living God, that I should tell him. I said:
“I care not for your adjuring; it is sorcery.” Then he said that we
were bound to act contrary to the command of God, on account of the
adjuration.
They greatly tormented me with those who brought the man that was sick
of the palsy; they said that his sins were forgiven through the faith
of those who brought him; and that thus it was, through the faith of
father and mother, with infants, in baptism. But he does not say:
through the faith of those who brought him; it simply says: seeing
their faith. Matt. 9:2; Mark 2:5.
I have written this much out of love; if I have not written you truly,
bear with me; but I think I have written according to the Scriptures;
receive it kindly. Farewell. I must affectionately greet the friends
everywhere, requesting that they pray for me. Know that I am of good
cheer, the Lord be praised. The grace of the Lord be with you all. Amen.
ANDRIES LANGEDUL, MATTHEUS POTTEBACKER, AND LAUWERENS VAN DER LEYEN, A.
D. 1559.
[Illustration: APPREHENSION OF ANDRIES LANGEDUL.]
At Antwerp three brethren, named Andries Langedul, Mattheus Pottebacker
and Lauwerens van der Leyen, were apprehended for the truth. Andries
Langedul was apprehended at a time when a meeting had just been held
in his house for the preaching of the word of God. Some one had spied
it out, and thus the Margrave came there just after the congregation
had dispersed, and while Andries was sitting on his porch, reading the
Bible. He arrested him on the spot.
His wife was confined at the time, which the Margrave discovered when
he walked towards the chamber, and saw that the midwife had the child
on her lap; for the woman had just been delivered. Perceiving this, the
Margrave withdrew from the chamber, but apprehended also the women who
had come to assist the woman in her distress, and caused the lying-in
woman to be guarded by some of his servants. But the nurse, vexed at
this, prevented the apprehension of the woman, by entertaining them
very liberally, and plying them with wine, so that the sick woman was,
without their knowledge, conducted, on planks, across a well belonging
to the two neighbors in common, and thus went from her neighbor’s house
to the house of Christian Langedul, her husband’s brother, whose wife
was also confined at that time.
It has not come to our knowledge, on what particular day Andries
Langedul was apprehended, but he offered up his sacrifice with Mattheus
Pottebacker and Lauwerens van der Leyen on Thursday, November the 9th,
A. D. 1559, and this not publicly, but they were beheaded in prison,
in a place where the other prisoners, of whom there were many at that
time, could see it from the windows of their cells.
When Andries knelt down to submit to the sword, he folded his hands,
saying: “Father, into thy hands I commend”--but: “I commend my spirit”
was not finished, the rapid descent of the sword preventing it. Thus
all three were put to death as lambs of Christ for the slaughter.
Lauwerens van der Leyen wrote several letters in prison, the following
of which have come to our hands.
THE FIRST LETTER OF LAUWERENS VAN DER LEYEN.
Grace and peace be unto all the brethren residing at Emden, especially
to my two brothers, and Tonijntgen, Lieven’s wife. May the Lord Jesus
Christ strengthen you and us all, through his divine Spirit. Amen.
I, Lauwerens van der Leyen, imprisoned for the testimony of Jesus
Christ on the 21st of May. On the 22d I confessed my faith before the
_Prometeur_, Mr. Claes; for he came alone, in hopes that I should say
what he wanted to hear; but the Lord kept my lips. Asked, before whom
I had been to confession and to the sacrament on Easter, I replied:
“Before Mr. Lieven Biestman, but not last Easter; for he has been dead
for two or three years.” I was asked: “Do you not believe that God is
in the sacrament in flesh and blood?” I said: “No.” What then do you
think the sacrament to be? “An idol,” I replied. I was asked whether
I did not believe in the Roman church, of which the Pope is the head.
I replied: “No; for I loathe the Roman church, for she is utterly
contrary to the truth; but I believe in the apostolical church, of
which Christ is the head.” What do you think of infant baptism? “I
regard it as worthless and an abuse; for I renounce my first baptism.”
“Then you are not baptized?” I said: “No.” “Is baptism not necessary,
then?” I replied: “Yes, it is necessary to perfection.”
“Why then are you not baptized?” I replied: “I was not good enough
yet.” “Why?” “Because I was too much involved in this world; for I
was, and am still, greatly in debt, and I thought that if I should
be apprehended, people would say that I was a cheat, and thus many
should be offended; for this reason I forbore to receive baptism. But I
consider it good and right, and want to live and die herein; and though
I have not been baptized, the Lord in his mercy will save me, through
his sufferings and precious blood; for I believe all that a Christian
is bound to believe; and herein I will abide, you may do with me what
you please; for I am now in your power.”
I was further asked what I believed concerning the incarnation; whether
I did not believe that Christ came from Mary’s flesh and blood. I said:
“I believe as the Scriptures testify concerning it, John 1 and Luke 1.”
And I stated it at length. Thus it remained, and I had to note it down.
This was the severest assault; it lasted two or three hours.
On the 24th of May the Dean of Ronse and two others came. He approached
me with many fine words, and said: “Lauwerens, you must suffer yourself
to be instructed; it will not do for you to depend upon a few lay men,
who have made stockings for thirty or forty years.” I replied: “Do you
think that I depend upon men? he that trusteth in man is cursed, as the
Scripture says. I put my trust in God alone, and in his living word;
and herein I will abide as long as God grants me life.” Jer. 17:5; 1
Tim. 6:17. But they wanted with many words to show me, that God was in
the sacrament; however, I would not believe it at all. With these words
we parted, having been together at least two hours.
Written in haste, by me, Lauwerens van der Leyen, the 25th of May, A.
D. 1559.
THE SECOND LETTER OF LAUWERENS VAN DER LEYEN.
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, my most beloved brethren and
sisters in the Lord. Know that I was examined, and that the Margrave
wanted to know much from me. I said I wanted to tell him all that
concerned my faith. He said: “You shall tell me all.” I said: “What do
you wish to know?” He asked me: “What do you think of the baptism you
received in your infancy?” I said: “Nothing at all.” He then wanted to
know where it was written that infants should not be baptized. I said:
“Mark 16:16; Matt. 28:19.” Much incensed at me, he asked me: “What
do you think of the seven sacraments?” I replied: “I have never read
anything about it.” This question he repeated twice or three times. I
said: “I have never read about it; but I believe that Christ is sitting
on the right hand of his Father, where I hope to be with him, when the
time will be fulfilled.”
He then asked me concerning auricular confession. I said: “I
acknowledge a confession; but I think nothing of auricular confession;
but I confess daily before my heavenly Father.” This enraged the
Margrave, and he said that he should have me placed to the stake, or
thrown into the water. I told him to do with me as he pleased, since
my flesh was at his disposal. He then told me, that he should send
other learned men. I replied that I already had the faith I wanted
to believe. He said: “You must hearken to them.” I answered: “Though
you cut me limb from limb, I trust I shall not deny the Lord my God.”
Then the Margrave and his Judges were very angry at me; for one of the
latter said, that he should put me on a galley; but I replied: “Do with
me as you please.” Then the Margrave said: “I shall not be so lenient
to him; but we will have him placed to the stake.” I said: “I remind
you of my sentence;” and told him, how, when I was apprehended the last
time, I had been prohibited, on pain of decapitation or the stake, from
singing any hymns, and that I should take care not to be one of such
people. “But” [said I] “I do not say this because I am therefore now
the bolder; for even if I had never previously been prohibited from it,
I should not want to deny my Lord and God.”
The Margrave then asked me: “Does your mother also belong to them?” I
replied: “I wish she did.” And I said: “When I used to gamble and get
drunk, and to follow the world, I was left unmolested; but now that
I truly confess the name of God, I am persecuted; but it is as the
prophet Isaiah says: ‘Truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot
enter; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey.’” Isa.
59:14,15.
One of the Judges then said to me: “Have you also stolen?” I asked him
twice or three times: “Did you ever hear that I did?” but he made no
reply. They then began to speak very suavely to me, and said: “If you
will renounce all that you have said here, we shall tear this paper
in pieces, and show you mercy.” And the Margrave said: “You certainly
know, how your sister fared on this account, whom I caused to be thrown
into the Scheldt.” But I replied that she had died for the truth; and
as regards myself: “I do not want to deny my Lord and God, who created
and made me; I will rather let you do with me whatever you please.”
Then the Margrave said: “Do you think we cannot also read? we, too,
daily read the Scriptures; but these cobblers and tailors want to be
wiser than we are. I am very glad that you have fallen into my hands;
for, doubtless God the Lord sent you into that house, that I might
punish you, so that others should take an example from you.” And he
applied many ugly epithets to me, and said: “You have often eaten
and drank in my house; I am sorry I did not tie up your throat.” And
he asked me: “If you were not a prisoner, would you have yourself
rebaptized?” I said: “If you will release me to-morrow, I will use
diligence to have myself baptized; for this behooves believers.”
He then asked me: Will you confess nothing else?” and interrogated me
concerning princes and lords, and the Pope of Rome. I said: “I hold
God Almighty to be my Supreme Creator, and my King.” Then the Margrave
said: “I have at home a little book, covered with chamois.” I said:
“My lord, that book belonged to me, and if you will read it, you will
therein find what our faith is.” He replied: “They were first published
by the Pope of Rome.” I said: “I do not regard them thus; but it is the
Testament, left us by God for a memorial.” He was enraged at me, and
said: “I wish I had never seen you;” and irefully said: “Begone; for I
and these lords, the judges, came to instruct you; but we shall send
you other learned men.” I thanked him much for the trouble they had
taken.
My dear friends, I did not fear them, no matter however they threatened
me. Luke and Matthew say: Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall
lose it; but he that loseth it for my name’s sake shall find it. Luke
17:33; Matt. 10:39. They thought they were afflicting me greatly;
but I was not afraid of them at all. I hope soon to be released from
this flesh. My dear friends, do not fear them that kill the body, but
fear him who created and made you, and has power to cast you into the
eternal fire of hell. Luke 12:5.
Herewith I commend you to the Lord; and may the mighty hand of God
guide and keep you, my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord. They
also asked me, whether I should be saved, because I had not received
baptism. I replied: “Yes, for I trust that the Lord will have respect
to my willingness, since he had respect to Abraham’s willingness.” Gen.
22:12. Brethren and sisters, pray for me, that with the help of God I
may remain steadfast unto the end. I trust that you regard me as your
brother, though I have not attained to perfection.[284]
[284] Apparently an allusion to the fact of his not having been
baptized.--_Translator._
Written by me, Lauwerens van der Leyen, July the 10th, 1559, at Antwerp.
A BRIEF CONFESSION OF FAITH, AND PART OF THE DISPUTATION WHICH I,
LAUWERENS VAN DER LEYEN, HAD ON THE FOURTH OF JULY, 1559, WITH THE
LORDS OF THE LAW, AT ANTWERP, AND THE DEAN OF RONSE.
(_To relate it all would require too much time._)
A confession of faith, and a confession of the eternal God, who is from
everlasting, and who will abide forever, without beginning and without
end, who is and was; this same only One is an eternal God; and there
is no other; him I confess to be an eternal God, namely, an eternal
Father, and I also confess his only Son to be one with his eternal
Holy Spirit. Thus he is a perfect God, and besides him there is no
other, namely, Father, Son and Holy Ghost. 1 John 5. According to my
belief and the testimony of the holy Scriptures they are one. Amen. The
almighty, eternal God, with his eternal, almighty Son, who is also the
Word of the Father; to this great, incomprehensible, unblamable, and
invisible God, who by his eternal Word made the world, and without him
was not anything made that was made, that is in heaven and upon earth,
the invisible became visible; to this eternal Son, who also is the Word
of the Father, be praise forever and ever. Amen. John 1:1,2; Colossians
1:10.
Of him we want to speak, of this eternal Son, who was with his Father,
and was with him in essence or in divine form, through whom and with
whom he operated from everlasting; for by him the world was made, and
all that is in it, and without him there is not anything made; to
this eternal Son, who is one with his eternal Father, who is from the
beginning of the creation of God (Rev. 3:14), without beginning and
without end, to him be praise and glory forever and ever. Amen.
For when God made man, he created him after his image, and made him
ruler over all things, and gave him a commandment, which he was not to
transgress. But as man was frail, and the devil subtle and cunning, and
deceived man by fair pretenses, the devil induced him to transgress
the faith; and man thus transgressing, sin was brought into the world;
and he was ashamed and hid himself from the face of God, and thus the
curse came upon the whole world; so that God said: Cursed is the ground
for thy sake. And thus man remained under the curse; so that no one
could make atonement for sin, since it was impossible for man, because
he was weak through the flesh, was compassed with infirmities, by sin
or weakness, according to the holy Scriptures. Hence sin could not be
taken away or atoned for by man, because all were subject unto sin. Now
as it was not possible that reconciliation for sin could be made by
man, God promised his eternal Son, even as he often spoke to the people
through the prophets, that he should raise up Jesus, the Savior, whom
he had promised through many generations, as we find written in Matthew
1. These promises were fulfilled from Abraham to Jesse, the father of
David; from David to Jacob, the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary,
the pure virgin, whom God honored, and who also waited for the promise
that the Savior should be raised up, and was not unbelieving when the
angel said to her: Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring
forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and
shall be called the Son of the Highest. Luke 1:31,32. Here we have the
assurance that the promises are fulfilled which he had promised from
generation to generation, Matt. 1, which are now fulfilled in that
generation; hence there is fulfilled the word, Acts 13:22. I have found
David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill
all my will. Of this generation was born the Savior Jesus, the Son of
the most High God, though he existed before; but he was manifested
in the latter days, to redeem us, and to gather those that were
scattered, of whom Paul says that he gave many precious promises in the
Holy Scriptures concerning his son, which was made of the seed of David
according to the flesh; and declared to be the Son of God with power,
according to the Spirit. Romans 1:2,4.
One of the judges said to me: “If Christ is not of Mary’s flesh, then
the promise is not fulfilled yet.” I said: “It is not written that
Christ is of Mary’s flesh.” This Dean said to me: “It is written; you
lie, for it is written: That holy thing which shall be born of thee
shall be called the Son of God. Again: A virgin shall conceive, and
bear a Son. Again: That he was born of the seed of David, according to
the flesh.” I said: “My lords, it is true; but it is not written as
you have said. Hear, my lords, I call you to witness, he has brutally
called me a liar; nevertheless, it is not written thus.” Again he said:
“You lie.” I replied: “If I were disposed to call you a liar, I would
say that you lie yourself.” I said: “My lords, listen: Luke 1:26, etc.
The Angel was sent from God to a virgin espoused to a man whose name
was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary, and
she was a pure virgin. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail,
thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou
among women. Thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son.
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and
the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David, and
of his kingdom there shall be no end. Mary said: How shall this be,
seeing I know not a man? The angel said unto her: The Holy Ghost shall
come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee:
therefore also that holy thing which shall be born shall be called the
Son of God. That which was conceived in her was of the Holy Ghost.
Matt. 1:20. It does not say there, that he is of Mary’s flesh.” One of
the judges again said: “The promise is not fulfilled yet.” I replied:
“It is fulfilled; if you will listen to me, I will tell you.” I then
told him that the Savior and Redeemer came, and suffered much here for
our sakes, even as is written that Christ the Savior himself said: God
so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John
3:16. And thus he came into the world. And he left us an example, that
we should follow his steps. 1 Peter 2:21.