for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus, a brother by the name
of Adriaen, Ol, who, as he could by no temptation or threat, inflicted
upon him by the papists, be caused to apostatize, but remained faithful
to his God, was condemned by those bloodthirsty men. And thus he was
not put to death at said place, for the testimony of Jesus, having
offered up his corruptible body in great steadfastness for a sweet
smelling savor unto God.
To this Adriaen Ol, Jacob the Chandler wrote his nineteenth letter, for
consolation in his imprisonment.
ABRAHAM PICOLET, HENDERICK VAN ETTEN, AND MAEYKEN VAN DER GOES, A. D.
1569.
At Antwerp there was one Abraham Picolet, who was very intimately
acquainted with Henderick van Etten, born at Breda, and a certain
Herman N. Now it happened that as said Henderick intended to go home,
he requested his companion, that they would yet once before his
departure enjoy and rejoice themselves together (walking) by singing
and speaking of the word of the Lord, as a leave-taking from the good
fellowship which they had had together in the Lord. But as there was
a great persecution at that time under the government of the Duke of
Alva, these two young men, while walking in a forest in the vicinity of
Wilrijck, near Antwerp, were apprehended by the Bailiff of Borgerhout,
who searched them, and finding in their possession several books, as,
a New Testament and others, he strictly examined them, and asked them
where they had last been to confession and to the sacrament. Thereupon
Abraham answered, that it had been in Italy. He further asked, how
long ago it had been, whereupon he replied: “Four years.” Learning
these and other things from them, he on the second day of Whitsuntide
brought them prisoners to Antwerp. But as the aforesaid Herman was not
firmly built upon the corner-stone Christ, his building did not stand,
for his sandy foundation could not endure these storms. When examined,
he confessed that he had been to confession and to the sacrament last
Easter, though this was not true. And in order to confirm this, the
parish priest or pastor of St. George’s church testified to it, and by
this means he was released from prison. But the other two, adhering
to their faith, had many conflicts and disputations during their long
imprisonment, with the blind sophists, who went to great pains and
labor to draw them from the truth. But as they fled for refuge to the
captain of the faith they were not forsaken, but their assurance waxed
stronger and stronger, so that they constantly wished for the day of
their deliverance. Rom. 7:24. They were also very diligent, constantly
to edify their neighbors by writing an exhortation, so that by their
letters and steadfastness in the faith they gained some yet in their
bonds. Phil. 10. After they had lain in confinement for a while, the
tyrants, seeing that there was no hope of moving them from the truth,
proceeded further to deprive them of their lives, and as the Bailiff
held his court near the Kroonenburgh gate, he had them brought there
twice before his judges, but this leading to no result, they were put
the third time into a wagon and thus again placed before the judges.
But as they were of good cheer and strong in the faith, Abraham, as he
stepped to the wagon said: “Let no one among you,” says Peter, “suffer
as a thief or robber, or as one that seeks other men’s property; but
if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him
glorify God on this behalf. 1 Pet. 4:15,16.
Henderick spoke very little, yet nothing but boldness could be seen
in him. As they stood before the judges, their sentence was read to
them, namely, that they should be burned alive, When the reading of
the sentence was finished, Abraham said that he thanked the lords for
having been troubled with him, and that he prayed God to enlighten
them. They were then put back into the wagon, and brought to the
prison, where some more godfearing persons were confined, of whom the
Margrave caused a woman to be sentenced to the same death, namely,
Maeyken van der Goes, who valiantly followed her husband, Jasper the
Taschrinckmaecker, who had been offered up before. Thus the tyrants
satisfied their desire on these three lambs for the slaughter, and had
them burned alive the following day, after they had fastened their
tongues out of their mouths with screw-plates to prevent them from
speaking. But in all this they valiantly overcame through Christ, who
was their strength; and went boldly onward with Joshua and Caleb,
to possess the land of promise, to the comfort and strength of many
witnesses who beheld it. After they were burned, the bodies of the
two men were given as food to the birds (Ps. 79:2) on the way from
Wilrijck, because they had been apprehended under that seignioralty.
These two valiant heroes and champions, though they had not yet
received water baptism upon confession of their faith, showed that they
had nevertheless been baptized by Christ with the Holy Ghost and with
fire.
They wrote many letters full of comfort and earnest exhortations,
especially Henderick, who, having formerly been a soldier, exhorted
the brethren much to fight manfully in the spiritual war, to keep
good watch, and to persevere unto the end, in order to receive from
the spiritual captain Jesus Christ, as wages and reward, the crown of
eternal life. But all these letters have remained undiscovered, on
account of the severe persecution; only one by Abraham Picolet has
fallen into our hands, which we have added here for the satisfaction of
the sincere reader.
A LETTER BY ABRAHAM PICOLET, WRITTEN TO HIS SISTERS.
_Love God above all, attend to the word of the Lord, and have your
delight therein. Matt. 22:37; Ps. 1:2._
The abundant great grace and eternal peace of God our heavenly Father,
and the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Father of mercies, and the God
of all comfort may he grant you Christian wisdom, unchanging faith, a
steadfast mind, and a true understanding of the divine word in truth;
this I wish you, my beloved sisters, with all my heart. Amen. Rom. 1:7;
2 Cor. 1:3; Matt. 24:13.
Know, my sisters, that I, Abraham your brother, imprisoned for the
word of God, let your love know, that I receive such strength and
courage from the Lord, that I hope not to depart from him; and since
he does not forsake me, I trust by the help of the Lord, to confess
his divine word before the blind men as long as there is breath in me,
for he helps us remarkably, so that I see and feel it, thanks to him
for the grace which he shows me, poor sinner, for which I can never
sufficiently praise him. Acts 12:3; Rev. 1:9; Heb. 10:38; 13:5; Matthew
10:31; 2 Cor. 2:14; Ps. 37:39. After all proper and friendly greetings,
know, my sisters, that it rejoiced me very often, to have heard from
you, that you also trusted to follow the Lord, to adhere to the eternal
truth all the days of your life, and to serve and fear Christ; for he
is the way, the truth and the life. John 14:6. He that obeys him shall
inherit eternal joy, since he promises eternal joy to them that love
him and keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous,
and his promises are true. 1 John 5:3. Hence, my beloved sisters, since
you know his will, and the great grace which he has given your love,
take heed that you may keep his commandments according to your weak
ability; for he does not require more than that you do what you can. O
dear lambs, believe the Gospel, and walk the narrow way, which is but a
foot wide, and which leads to eternal life; for many shall seek for it,
and shall not be able to get there. Luke 13:24. For not all that cry,
Lord, Lord, shall enter in; but they that do the will of the Father
which is in heaven. Matt. 7:21. My beloved sisters, strive for the
strait gate, namely, eternal life. Since you hear the voice of the Lord
(John 10:27), see that you obey his words, and put off all concerning
the former conversation, namely, the old Adam (Eph. 4:22), that is, the
works of the curse, all uncleanness, evil desires, pride, presumptuous
conceitedness, lying, cheating, strutting and boasting, evil speaking,
guile, hatred, envy, and the like. For, dear lambs, this is idolatry,
and upon such come the wrath and anger of God, and they shall not enter
into the kingdom of heaven, nor inherit the same, but everlasting
destruction and eternal damnation are their part (if they do not become
converted), in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which
is the second death; where there will be only weeping and gnashing of
teeth, and where their worm shall not die, but they shall be tormented
forever and ever. Eph. 5:6; 2 Thess. 1:8,9; Rev. 21:8; Mark 9:46.
O my dear lambs and sisters, depart therefore from evil, for God shall
hold judgment without mercy upon all unbelieving and disobedient men
who have not obeyed the word of the Lord, but rejected and contemned
it, yea, have persecuted and killed them that would fear the Lord. For,
my beloved, God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down
to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved
unto judgment; and spared not the old world, nor Sodom and Gomorrah,
but turning them into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making
them an ensample unto those that commit ungodliness. 2 Pet. 2:4–6.
Therefore, my beloved sisters, let us not be weary in well doing,
though we must suffer a little for the name of the Lord. Blessed are
ye, and rejoice, says Christ, if you suffer for righteousness’ sake:
for great is your reward in heaven. Matt. 5:10,12. For, my beloved
sisters, thus did they to the prophets that were before us. Suffering
and affliction in the flesh are promised to all the godfearing, as the
apostle Paul says: “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall
suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12.
Mark, my beloved, how Christ was treated, who never had sinned,
neither was guile found in his mouth; how he suffered, and all this
for our sakes, who was the Lord of lords, and the King of kings. 1
Peter 2:22; Rev. 19:16. O dear sisters, consider him that endured
such contradiction of sinners against himself, who, when he was
smitten, did not threaten, but committed vengeance to God, who judgeth
righteously. Heb. 12:3; John 18:22; 1 Peter 2:23. And he that was rich,
for our sakes became poor; yea, he left his divine habitation, took
upon him the form of a servant, and became obedient unto death, even
the death of the cross, and was more like a worm, than like a man. 2
Corinthians 8:9; Philip. 2:7,8; Ps. 22:6. Therefore, God hath given
him a name which is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every
knee should bow, of them that are in heaven and on earth. Philip.
2:9,10. The apostle Peter says: “Beloved brethren, forasmuch then as
Christ hath suffered for us, arm yourselves with the same mind; for
hereunto we are called, that we should follow his steps.” 1 Peter 4:1;
2:21. As also Christ says: If they have called the master of the house
Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? If
they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. Matt. 10:25;
John 15:20. Mark, my dear sisters, whether more comes upon us, than
has been promised us. But all these things will they do unto you for
my name’s sake, says Christ. Matt. 10:22; John 15:21. And further: The
time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God
service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not
known the Father, nor me. John 16:2,3. The Lord also says: But these
things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember
that I told you of them. v. 4. See, my dear sisters, thus nothing comes
upon us, than what has been promised us, and what Christ himself had.
Hence we must put off all that is a hindrance to the salvation of our
souls, namely, all the lusts of the flesh, all the works of darkness
(1 John 2:16; Rom. 13:12; Col. 3:8), and follow the crucified Jesus
Christ, our Savior, and obey him; for he that saith that he knoweth
God, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is
not in him; and he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so
to walk, even as Christ walked. 1 John 2:4,6. Mark, my sisters, fear
the Lord, take courage in the word of the Lord, search diligently the
Scriptures, and entreat God the Lord, yea, importune him day and night
with prayer and supplication, and he will grant you to understand and
to do what is necessary for your salvation. As Christ said, that his
Spirit shall teach us, and we shall be taught of the Lord; for of
ourselves we have nothing but all manner of weakness.
Thus, my sisters, pray the Lord, who says: Ask, and ye shall receive;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you; seek, and ye shall find; seek
the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all that you need shall
be added unto you. Matt. 7:7; 6:33. Seek ye the Lord while he may be
found, call ye upon him while he is near; the Lord is so merciful
toward them who seek to fear him (Is. 55:6; Jonah 4:2), my sisters, as
he says himself: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for
I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:28–30); “and his
commandments are not grievous.”
See, my beloved, how the Lord calls us to repentance, hence follow
him; for if one does what he can, the Lord is satisfied. He can well
preserve him that trusts in him. Repent therefore of your sins which
you committed in your ignorance, before you knew the Lord (1 Tim. 1:13;
1 Peter 1:14); mourn and weep to the Lord, and he will have compassion
on you. For the time past of your life may suffice you to have wrought
the will of the Gentiles, when you knew not God, and were very far from
him, when you walked in your lusts, in lasciviousness, in revelings,
banquetings, in strutting and boasting. 1 Peter 4:3. Therefore, my
sisters, since the Lord has revealed his truth to you, see now that
you serve him faithfully, and fear not men, who kill the body; for
after that they have no more power, and all the evil which they can do
us is that they can help us into rest through the great grace of the
Lord. Matthew 10:28; Luke 12:4. Confess Christ before men, and he will
confess you before his Father in heaven, and say: “Come, ye blessed,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
Matt. 10:32; 25:34. Hence be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and
put on the new man, which is created after God. Put away lies, and
speak the truth. Be followers of God, as his chosen children, and walk
in love, in quietness, in kindliness, in gentleness. Eph. 5:1,2. Flee
youthful lusts, and follow righteousness, love and peace, with all them
that call on the Lord out of a pure heart; for the servants of the
Lord must not be contentious or quarrelsome but gentle unto all men. 2
Tim. 2:22,24.
Adorn yourselves then, my sisters, with a chaste conversation. 1 Peter
3:2,3. Be gentle unto all men. Be subject to your Lord, for he shall
most gloriously reward you. Choose rather to suffer a little affliction
with God’s children, than to enjoy a little of the pleasures of this
world for a season; for the end of these is eternal perdition. Heb.
11:25. Let us then help bear the reproach of the Lord; it will through
his great grace be most gloriously rewarded to us, when he will say:
“Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful
over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou
into the joy of thy Lord.” Heb. 13:13; Matt. 25:21.
Mark, my dear sisters, how gloriously it shall then be rewarded to
us. Hence make great haste to fear the Lord; for we live to-day, but
do not know whether we shall live to-morrow. Be therefore watchful to
fear the Lord; take courage; lift up the hands that hang down, and the
feeble knees; and take diligent heed, for we know not when the Lord
will come. Heb. 12:12; Matt. 24:42. The day of the Lord draws nigh; it
comes as a thief in the night, when it is not expected. 1 Thess. 5:2.
Look therefore not to men, for there are few that fear the Lord. Think
how many there were when the whole world perished, and yet there were
but eight who feared the Lord. Also, how many were saved when Sodom and
Gomorrah perished. O think how few entered into the promised land, only
Joshua and Caleb; the rest all perished because of their wickedness
(even as it still goes with many on account of their wickedness), and
because they would not believe God’s words, but resisted, vexed and
persecuted the righteous; and if these will also not repent, they shall
all likewise perish, for all those are for an example to us. Luke 13:3.
Therefore, my dear sisters, take heed that it come not also thus upon
us; for men are punished for sin, as the prophet says: “Your iniquities
have separated between you and your God.” Is. 59:2. Behold, thus men
are condemned for their wickedness and unbelief. Mark 16:16.
O my dear sisters, it is true there does some suffering come upon us
for the name of the Lord; but as the sufferings of Christ abound in
us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Jesus Christ, and this little
suffering is not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be
revealed in us. 2 Cor. 1:5; Rom. 8:18. O dear friends, how delightful
it will be there where the mountains drop with sweet wine, and are
covered with lilies and roses; with all this joy the Lord will fill
his children. 2 Esd. 2:19. Hence let us fear and love the Lord without
wearying; for he that loves God will do good and hate evil. Ps. 34:14.
O dear lambs, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered
into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them
that love him and keep his commandments. 1 Cor. 2:9; 1 John 5:3. O
consider what great joy there will then be for them that have loved
God and confessed him in the world. 2 Esd. 2:47. O that this joy were
rightly considered; I think we would use more diligence to fear the
Lord, and not be afraid of men, that kill the body. O how many there
would be who would follow the Lord’s steps; for he is not willing that
any should perish, but that they should repent, and that he might save
them. 2 Peter 3:9. But it is, my dear sisters, as the prophet says:
With seeing eyes they see not, with hearing ears they hear not, nor do
they understand, for their hearts are hardened, their ears they stop,
and their eyes they cover; lest they should see, or hear, or understand
with their heart. Is. 6:9,10; Matt. 13:14,15; Acts 7:57.
O mark, my dear lambs, whether it is not so also now; they love and
prefer much rather fighting, strutting, boasting, banqueting, drinking,
and to commit all kinds of abominations, than to repent, and that the
Lord might save them. These are cursed children, says the apostle; they
forsake the right way, and what they know naturally, as brute beasts,
in those things they corrupt themselves; they deceive and are deceived.
2 Peter 2:14,15; Jude 10; 2 Tim. 3:13.
O dear lambs, turn from all the lusts of the world, for their damnation
slumbereth not. 2 Peter 2:3. Take heed, now that the Lord has made
known his truth to you, that you obey him, and walk as obedient
children of light, in love and peace. Eph. 1:13; 5:8. Love one another,
and always admonish one another with the word of the Lord. What is
there that surpasses love? (1 Cor. 13) what greater joy can men have,
than to love one another. Always forbear one another, and accept
everything in good part, and the Lord will also love you. Eph. 4:2. Be
kind to one another. Give diligence to fear the Lord, and to search
his divine word. Importune him with supplication and prayer, and fear
not men, who to-day are lords, and to-morrow are eaten by worms. The
Lord will not forsake you, as you can well see in my case, and also in
the case of all those that have feared him with all their heart. The
Lord preserves his own, even as he says: Can a woman forget her child?
though she forget it, yet will he not forget us. Is. 49:15. Nay, who
can pluck these out of his hand whom his Father has given him. John
10:28,29.
O dear sisters, adorn yourselves, and put on the armor. Eph. 6:11. Gird
to your side the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; be well
shod, and have on the armor of righteousness; and put on your head the
helmet of salvation, that you may be able to resist the subtle assaults
of the devil, since he walketh about day and night, as a roaring lion,
seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8. Hence be followers of God; the
Lord will preserve you.
And know, my sisters, that the sixth day of this month, in the
afternoon, I was brought before N. N. (who I heard, certainly came in
the name of the procurator general, or of his subordinates), and before
the jailer and another man, where they were drinking wine at the table.
As I came before them the jailer in the presence of them all, said to
me: “Abraham, you must go before the court on Tuesday.” His wife, who
was also present with them that served at the table, said: “They have
three weeks respite.” The jailer said: “Because the Duke of Alva is
coming here, they must go through.” He did most of the speaking. I said
that I was very well satisfied with it. He asked me whether I was well
satisfied. I replied: “Yes, if it is the Lord’s will, I am quite well
satisfied.” They asked me, whether I made so little of that at which
Christ so greatly trembled, and said: “Father, if it be possible, take
away this cup from me.” Mark 14:33,36. They further asked me, whether I
did not wish that I were released, and if the doors were open, whether
I would not go out. I said, “Yes,” if they opened the doors I would go
out; but as this was not the case now, that I thanked the Lord for all
that he sends upon me. I also said that he, or they, had no power to
release me without the consent of the Duke of Alva, or the like. They
asked me whether I did not wish to break out. I replied that if I knew
I should bring him into trouble I would have no desire to be out, or
to break out. They said that it would cost him his neck. I said that
if this was the case I did not wish to be out. In the further progress
of our conversation they asked whether they should not be saved, or
something similar. I said: “The apostle John says: He that saith, I
know God, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar.” 1 John 2:4. I
could not properly finish what I wanted to say, for they so interrupted
me, that I do not know myself what answer they gave me. I also said
that the apostle says that whoremongers, drunkards, murderers, liars,
proud, revilers, gluttons, and the like men, shall not inherit the
kingdom of God, and that they have no God. 1 Cor. 6:9,10. They again
interrupted me, for the Lord gave me a mouth to say so much, that they
could not well bear it. They said that what I said was true enough, if
men died therein; but if they had time yet to call upon the Lord for
forgiveness, then, they thought they should yet be saved. I replied
that it was too dangerous a thing to depend upon such a calling; for
frequently such entreaters for forgiveness, when they recover, go into
their old ways; and I opined that they were probably such too. Then
they again interrupted me, and I admonished them, that they should
repent and feel sorry for their sins before they felt the day of their
death approaching. They asked whether we were all saved. I replied,
that the Lord promises salvation to them that do his will, and do not
deny him, though they have to suffer much here for his name. Matt.
7:21. Of such the apostle says: By grace are ye saved. Eph. 2:8. For
though we do all that we can, we are still unprofitable servants, and
must rely upon the grace of God. Luke 17:10; Acts 15:11.