that come upon you for Christ’s sake, for patience is a very good
thing for Christians, for Christ says: “In your patience possess ye
your souls.” Luke 21:19, and Paul likewise says: “For ye have need of
patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive
the promise.” Heb. 10:36. Truly indeed may Paul say that we have need
of patience, which I have proven in my bonds. Paul further says: “Let
us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto
Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was
set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, [and is set down
at the right hand of the throne of God.] For consider him that endured
such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and
faint in your minds.” Heb. 12:1–3.
Behold, dear Jan’s daughter, thus are we exhorted to patience, for
with patience and resignation we can overcome much tribulation and
affliction; but he that is impatient cannot stand in the sufferings
of Christ. Hence Sirach may truly say; “Woe unto those that have
lost patience, and have turned aside into perverse ways! how will it
go with them when the Lord shall visit them?” Sir. 2:14. Dear Jan’s
daughter, take heed to the holy Scriptures, and in “all things approve
yourself as the minister of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in
necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults,
in labors, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by
long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by
the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness
on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil
report and good report: as deceivers and yet true, as unknown and
yet well known; as dying, and, behold we live; as chastened, and not
killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many
rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” 2 Corinthians
6:4–10. See, my most beloved, mark these words, and watch for the
coming of the Lord; for he shall come as a thief in the night; and
always have oil in your lamp and do not suffer it to go out but always
be ready with the wise and good virgins to let the Lord your bridegroom
in; and constantly have a burning light in your hand, and stand with
your loins girded to wait that you may not be surprised; constantly and
at every moment walk as you hope to appear before him, and do not lie
down to sleep with a troubled or gnawing conscience, but purify your
heart before God and your neighbor, and always act and walk according
to the right rule of the Scriptures, for the Scriptures always point to
Christ, and you cannot be confounded, nor deceived, nor err. And if you
do this, the God of peace shall be with you, and abundantly minister
unto you an entrance into eternal life. Rom. 15:33; 2 Pet. 1:10,21.
Hence my dear Jan’s child, be patient in all tribulation and distress
and take for an example the afflictions and long suffering of Christ,
and the prophets, who have spoken to you in the name of the Lord.
“Behold,” says James, “we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard
of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord. Blessed is
the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried he shall receive
the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him”.
James 5:11; 1:12.
Behold, dear Jan’s child, he that overcometh shall inherit all things
and he shall not be hurt of the second death. He that overcometh,
and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the
nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of
a potter shall they be broken to shivers, as Christ has testified of
his father. And to him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in
my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my father in
his throne; to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden
manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name
written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it; he that
overcometh shall inherit all things. Rev. 21:7; 2:11,26,27; 3:21;
2:17: In short, dear Jan’s child, the Scriptures are full of the great
reward of the righteous; hence set your affections on things above, and
not on things on the earth, for they who mind earthly things, their
end is destruction. Col. 3:2; Philip. 3:19. Strive therefore after
imperishable treasures, which thieves cannot steal, namely, after
heavenly riches, which cannot perish, and will endure forever with the
Father.
Let your meditation be in the word of the Lord, day and night concern
yourself in his commandments and statutes, and watch for his coming,
and long for it, and avoid all appearance of evil, and act not as
though you might live many years yet, but walk before the Lord just
as if you were to die immediately. And let the voice or sound of the
angels’ trumpets constantly be in your ears, when the dead shall have
to rise and appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one
may receive according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
2 Cor. 5:10. For the Lord himself, says Paul, shall descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of
God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive
and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet
the Lord in the air; and so shall we be ever with the Lord. 1 Thess.
4:16,17.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words, my most beloved; for
the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the
heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt
with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall
be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved,
what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and
godliness? 2 Peter 3:10:11. Mark well, my dear Jan’s child, what manner
of persons we ought to be, says Peter; let it therefore not grieve us
though we must now suffer much affliction for the name of Christ. If
any man suffer as a Christian, says Peter, let him not be ashamed, but
let him commit his cause to God. For the time is come that judgment
must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what
shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the
righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner
appear? 1 Pet. 4:17,18. The Proverb also says: If the righteous be
recompensed here, how will it go with the sinner? Prov. 11:31. And
if they do these things in a green tree, says Christ, what shall be
done in the dry? Luke 23:31. Behold, my most beloved, if Christ the
eternal truth had to suffer before he entered into the kingdom of his
Father, how much more his members? For he himself says: The servant is
not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also
persecute you; if they have kept my saying they will keep yours also.
But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because
they know not him that sent me. John 15:20,21. And if the righteous
must suffer here, where shall the sinner appear? Wherefore, let them
that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their
souls in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator, says Peter. 1 Pet.
4:19. Thus, my dear Jan’s child, be resigned as much as you can; though
men separate us here, hereafter they shall have no power. Then shall we
stand in great boldness before the face of such as have afflicted us
and they shall say: “These are they whom we so often had in derision,
and a proverb of reproach. We fools have missed the right way, and the
way of truth hath not appeared unto us.” Wis. 5:1.
Charles with his bloody decrees, and all that help to confirm them,
shall then have no more power. The blood-thirsty priests shall then no
more hate the people of God; but we shall live with the Lord forever
and ever, and go in and out as calves of the stall. Mal. 4:2. Then the
great sorrow shall all be forgotten, since it shall be turned into
great joy, which shall never end, for a thousand years shall seem to be
but as one day because of the great joy. 2 Pet. 3:8.
Therefore, my most beloved, comfort yourself with these promises for
he is faithful that promised; and wait for them with patience and long
suffering: and I hope to wait for you under the altar. Hebrews 10:23;
Rev. 6:9,11.
Herewith I will commend you to God, who brought Israel through the Red
Sea, and through the wilderness, till they were in the promised land;
may he bring you into his eternal kingdom. I would from the heart that
I might take you with me, but you must bide the time with patience.
Herewith I write you adieu for this brief span of time, since I do not
intend to write you any more after this; but I hope to speak orally
with you in the throne of heaven.
Adieu, dear wife, a thousand times adieu; acquit yourself valiantly in
the truth, and walk truly in the narrow way, until the Lord comes. I
thank you very much from the heart for the exceedingly great love you
have shown me; in time of need love is appreciated best.
Furthermore, I bid all the friends an earnest farewell, to name them
individually according to the flesh, their number is too great. And
bid my son, Heyndricks Janss, farewell; and tell him to become a good
child; and to fear our dear Lord, for bold and ungodly children shall
not enter into heaven, but go to hell, and that he learn and go to
school, and not run and play with naughty children, but obey his mother
and his grandfather and grandmother, and not learn to speak evil or
lie, for the mouth that lieth slayeth the soul. Wis 1:11. Further,
Lijsbeth Jans, the letters at Delft you may let her keep, and thus you
will have no trouble with them, since she intends to let the readers
read them first, as they write me. I send you with this letter, three
pieces of money, of which each of you shall have one for a medal of
remembrance, you one, my son one, and my daughter one; to my daughter,
however, you may give the smallest one, if you please to do so. You may
excuse the woman from paying for the bed and the cloak, and I thank him
much. Now, my dear Jan’s child, acquit yourself valiantly. I herewith
write you adieu, adieu, dear Jan’s child; be as resigned as you can;
you would have had to resign yourself to it, if I had been lost at sea;
once we must part. You may return home. Pray the Lord for me; I hope
not to forget you. Greet the friends, wherever it is convenient. Adieu,
my dear Jan’s child; you know why I suffer.
Written on the 4th of February, A. D. 1571, by me,
JAN HENDRICKSS.
SOME EXAMINATIONS OF JAN HENDRICKSS.
Since some brethren have requested me to write them something
concerning what the lords have asked me touching my faith, when I
was before them, I can therefore not refuse to write them a little
in regard to the answer which I gave them according to the simple
fisherman’s understanding which the Lord has given me; the Bailiff also
did not ask me very much or very thoroughly, as you will yet hear.
Further, when I had been in confinement forty weeks, on the fifth of
June, A. D. 1570, if I remember rightly, I was taken down the first
time to appear before the lords, and when I entered the sheriff’s hall,
the judges with the Bailiff and also the burgomasters were assembled
there. I uncovered my head and bade them good day, and they did the
same to me. The Bailiff then told me to sit down upon a bench, which I
did, whereupon he asked me how old I was. I said that I did not know it
accurately; “but,” said I “you may write twenty-eight years;” and so it
was written. “Where were you born?” “At Swartawael.” “How long have you
resided in the Haven?” I said: “Five years, counting the time I have
been confined here.” “Yes, that is all the same,” said the Bailiff.
He then asked me why I had not my children baptized. I said: “Because I
have never read that the apostles baptized infants, nor is it found in
the Scriptures.” And so it was written: “Jan Hendrickss has confessed
to us that he has not had his children baptized, and this because he
has never read in the Scriptures that children were baptized.” The
Bailiff then asked me how many children I had, whether I did not have
more than the two whom he had caused to be baptized. I said: “None.”
“How old are the children?” _Ans._ “The older is three years, and the
other about one year.”
Then the Bailiff asked me whether I had been aware that children were
baptized. I said: “Yes, I have seen it myself.” _Ques._ “Why then did
you not have your children baptized? Or are you better or wiser than
your forefathers?” _Ans._ “That I have not had my children baptized,
is because I have never read that infants are baptized.” Then they
said that whole households were baptized. _Ans._ “Whole households are
indeed spoken of, but it is written that they all rejoiced that they
had come to believe in the Lord, which infants can not do.” This some
of the lords admitted. The clerk then asked me where it was forbidden
to baptize infants. I asked him where it was forbidden to throw dice.
He said that it was forbidden enough, but he could not prove it to
me. Then I said: “It is nowhere forbidden; yet every one knows that
it is an evil practice,” and they also admitted that it was not good.
I further said that the Scriptures do not forbid everything that is
evil, and that no one should institute the practice of baptizing
infants, unless he is able to prove it from the Scriptures. The Bailiff
then asked me whether I had had myself baptized. _Ans._ “I had myself
baptized once, and I know of but one baptism. Then the Bailiff asked
me whether I had received more than the baptism administered to me
in my infancy. _Ans._ “I had myself baptized once according to the
Scriptures, the last day of March, ’63.” Then the Bailiff said: “It
was in ’64; you confessed so to me yourself, when I apprehended you.”
“It was in ’63, said I; but I shall not deny it, whether it is a year
more or less.” Then the Bailiff said: “We may have misunderstood
each other;” and he had it written thus: “Jan Hendrickss had himself
baptized the last day of March, ’63, and this according to the
Scriptures.” “Then you were not very old yet,” said the Bailiff. “This
is true, I said.”
He then asked whether I did not know that I was baptized in my infancy,
“I have heard it said,” said I, “but I do not remember it.” “This
indeed I believe” said the Bailiff. “What man was it that baptized
you, and where was he from, and what was his name?” _Ans._ “I did not
ask him what his name was, I had never seen him, nor have I ever seen
him since that time, as far as I know.” This was written exactly as I
confessed it to them. _Ques._ “Where does he reside?” _Ans._ “I do not
know.” _Ques._ “Do you not know where he was from?” _Ans._ “I do not
want to tell you this; I do not wish to name any one.” _Ques._ “Why?”
_Ans._ “Because I do not wish to bring any one into trouble; there are
enough in trouble now, and you have trouble enough with us.” _Ques._
“Was no one present when you were baptized?” _Ans._ “Yes.” _Ques._ “Who
were they and what were their names?” _Ans._ “I do not wish to tell.”
_Ques._ “Where did it occur and in what place?” _Ans._ “In Holland.”
Then the Bailiff said; “Holland is large; in what place?” Then I
said: “Why would you ask me much for the place; if I were to tell you
the place, you would demand to know still more; but I do not wish to
implicate any one.”
Finally I told them the place, and said that it had taken place in
Delfshaven. _Ques._ “In what house.” _Ans._ “I do not wish to tell.”
_Ques._ “What was the name of the people that were in that house?”
_Ans._ “I do not wish to name any one.” _Ques._ “Why are the people in
that house so sacred that they may not be named?” _Ans._ “If you knew
them, you would not leave them in peace; and I do not wish to implicate
any one; you have trouble enough with us.” Then the Bailiff began to
ask how long I had had my wife, and where I had married her. _Ans._
“About five years,” and I told them that I had married her before the
Christian church. _Ques._ “Before what church? you certainly did not
marry her before the church that stands in Delfshaven?” _Ans._ “No.”
And so it was written that I had married her before the Christian
church. _Ques._ “Who was present?” _Ans._ “I do not wish to tell you.”
Then the Bailiff said that I should name the persons, or he would
torture me. _Ans._ “Sir Bailiff, who taught you this?” Then the Bailiff
said that he had power to do thus with me, and threatened me greatly,
and when he heard that I would name no one, he told the clerk to write:
“Jan Hendrickss has confessed to us such and such things (such as I
told them), but he has named no one, and this because he did not wish
to implicate any one;” and so it was written. When the Bailiff had thus
interrogated me, and wished me many miles away, I said to them, “I
would fain be in Hitland.” Then the Bailiff said: “Where is that, where
the busses catch the herring?” “Yes,” “I indeed would that you were
there, said the Bailiff, with all those that are of your persuasion.”
Then one of the lords who, I was told was a burgomaster, wanted to
speak to me concerning baptism, and asked me; If a man should lead a
Christian life, but did not have himself baptized, whether he could not
be saved; whether it would be an obstacle in the way of his salvation?
I replied: “No; else salvation would be by the water; but baptism is a
command of Christ, hence it must be practiced.” Then I think he said,
that it was our view that infants ought not to be baptized, and asked
me when they were to be baptized, and how old they had to be. Thereupon
I replied to him that the Scriptures specify no year, whether they were
twenty, or thirty, or fifty, or a hundred; whenever they repented, and
requested it, it might be done; and so we use it, but not sooner, said
I, and so did Christ teach, and the apostles practice it. Then they
said that at that time it had to be so, that adults were baptized,
but now the infants must be baptized, for then was the beginning or
commencement; this was their pretense. I then asked the burgomaster
whether Christ, Matt. 28 and Mark 16, had not commanded to go and teach
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost; and whether the apostles had not observed the
same, and had first taught the people and then baptized them? This he
admitted; for we find, he said, that about five thousand were baptized
at one time. Thereupon I think I asked him whether he confessed that
adult persons were baptized at that time. “Yes,” he said. “Well then,
we certainly find clearly enough, that the apostles lived more than ten
or twenty years in the world, and they first baptized adult persons,
as you confess yourself; and this had therefore to be done so at that
time, because it was in the beginning: now, since we find that they
lived in the world so long, infants enough must have come into the
world in this long period of years;” this he also acknowledged. Then I
said: “Now show me once where the apostles in this long time baptized
infants; and transferred baptism upon infants; for you say that then
adult persons had to be baptized, but now infants. If the apostles had
wanted to change baptism, or wanted that it should be changed, they
had time enough themselves, for they were long enough in the world,
for Paul says: ‘I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel
of God’” (Acts 20:27); but they could not prove it to me. Then the
oldest judge said that they would prove it to me, but it was not done;
and the same judge said that God created man once, and no more; and he
commanded circumcision to Abraham once and no more; and he commanded
baptism once, and no more. _Ans._ “This is true. Now, if God created
the man Adam once, and no more, and commanded them circumcision once,
and no more, and commanded them baptism once, and no more, and they
observed the same, and did not change it, why then have they changed
baptism from adult persons to infants?” Then they said: “Who has
changed it?” _Ans._ “The Pedobaptists.” Then they told and begged me
to consider the matter well, that it was not a convenient thing to be
burnt. I replied: “I know that well; I have no desire to be burnt--it
is not convenient to be burnt; if I did not know that I am right, I
would rather ignominiously yield; than honorably lose my life; for it
is no small matter to suffer one’s self to be burnt at the stake; I
am not so desirous of death, I would rather keep my life, if it were
God’s will.” “Yes,” said they, “consider it well.” Then the Bailiff
said: “Jan Hendrickss, you have confessed this to us (and he had my
confession read before my eyes, all that I had confessed); now if you
will yield, my lords will do their utmost to procure your release.”
_Ans._ “My lords, I am quite open to conviction; if you can prove
to me that I am wrong, and when I can feel that, I will desist from
that which is evil.” That was well, they said, and they told me to
ask the Lord for grace, that he would grant me a good understanding.
“That I will gladly do,” said I. This lasted about an hour and a half,
whereupon they had me conducted up above again. These are the principal
questions which they asked me, and which I have remembered, and these
are my simple fisherman’s answers which I made, as far as I can
remember, for it was written six weeks after I was before the lords;
for there was a man confined with us, and for this reason we dared not
write, but to write the words exactly as they were spoken, would be
impossible for me, for my memory is weak.
A few days after I was taken below again before my lord the Bailiff
and a young priest, the chaplain of the Old Church, and thus three of
us were in the sheriff’s hall. The priest then began to relate how he
had had a conversation with a man, and that they had had many words
together concerning the holy-Scriptures, and about this burning and
killing, for there had recently four priests been put to death in
the Hague, and the priests had said to one another that there were
many different views in the world concerning the holy Scriptures, and
each died for his belief, and yet there was but one true. This the
priest told me, and said to me that they had many words; and the man
had requested the priest that he should talk with me; so the priest
said. I then asked: “What kind of a man was it?” “He was of your
persuasion,” he said, “a sailor, and a man like you are.” Then it
occurred to me who it was, but he is not of our persuasion, for I had
already heard of him; and thus we fell into an animated conversation,
and the priest asked me, whom I acknowledge as true, for there are
so many persuasions. I said: “What have I to do with another, I have
enough to do with myself.” He asked whether there was more than one
faith that was true. “No,” said I. And there fell very many words,
and the Bailiff listened, and greatly strengthened the priest in what
he said; and whenever I quoted Scripture against them, the priest was
immediately on hand to obscure what I said, so that I could not finish
my remarks, and he frequently said to me: “You are forever coming with
the holy Scriptures.” “Yes,” said I, “with what should I come? I have
nothing else.” “Yes,” said he, “I well know that you always come with
the Scriptures, and much with the passage, 2 Thess. 2:15, where Paul
says: “Mark therefore, dear brethren, and hold the traditions which ye
have been taught, whether by word or epistle.” Mark well the term word;
by that he frequently wanted to prove that there was more Scripture
than was written, which we were also bound to observe, as far as I
could comprehend his assertion, for he frequently made it before I
could really understand it. But it is only a stumbling-block--how can
we observe more than what is written? Their sole aim is to obscure the
understanding of the Scriptures, since they are well aware that with
the Scriptures they will fall short; and they also cannot well bear it
that we quote the Scriptures of the New Testament, for whenever we do
this, their first question is why we quote more from the Testament,
than from other writers, and whereby we know that the Testament is
true; and they then come with many sophistical questions, which are
not edifying, and skip from one thing to another. But when they can
find any Scriptures in the Testament that are on their side, these must
stand, yea, then the word of God must stand forever. For we came to
speak of the breaking of bread, where Paul says: “Take, eat; this is my
body.” 1 Cor. 11:24. This language had to stand just as it was. I asked
him more than once, whether the bread which they gave men was the body
of Christ. He said: “Yes; when we have pronounced the words over it,
it is his flesh and blood, yea, soul and body:” it is the truth what I
write. Thereupon I said: “I have eaten the bread with you people, but
I could not feel in my mouth, that it became flesh, but it remained
bread even as it was.” And we had many words with regard to it. I said
that Christ himself says: “Flesh and blood profit nothing; but the
words that I speak are spirit and life.” John 6:63. He then came with a
sophism, asking whether the flesh of Christ was not good for anything.