we have lived in great luxury and pleasure, or whether we have been
persecuted, imprisoned, tormented, tortured, burnt or beheaded, yes,
what will it matter when it is all over? For then we shall all follow
the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, with a great multitude
of saints, arrayed in fine linen clean and white, palms in our hands,
and crowns upon our heads. O what a glorious work will that be for him
that will be able to endure here unto the end! Hence, my dear brother,
I say with tears, though I write it to you, let us keep good courage;
for in the world, says Christ, ye shall have tribulation: But be of
good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33. So doing let us hold
fast the promise, without wavering; for he is faithful that promised
(Hebrews 10:23); though they say that we have the devil of pride in us,
and that he is too firmly seated in us. But it will be found otherwise,
when that comes what shall come; there is no doubt about it. Though we
are here deprived of our right, when the Judge of judges shall judge,
we shall get it back, I have no doubt at all. Herewith I will commend
you to the Lord, and to the rich word of his grace, who is able to keep
you unto the end. Amen.
Know, Maerten Janss, that the tormentors have been with me all the
week, except one day, and I daily expect their return. Adrian Corneliss
was also here this week, with the chaplain. And on Saturday the
chaplain was here, with a steersman from Egmont, named Jacob Meulenaer,
who wanted to prove to me, that however bad a man was, he might teach
the word of God aright, and save men; yea, though it were the devil,
he might teach men the word of God aright. He took off his cap, and
sat there as though he was about to deliver an exhortation, and made
a speech almost a quarter of an hour long, commencing at the very
beginning. I could not refrain from laughing, whenever I looked at him,
for I thought that his head was out of order. When he had finished,
all three of us fell in a dispute; yet I did not intend to make many
words, but it is difficult for a man to keep silence. Hence when they
perceived that I would not listen to them they assailed me very hard.
The steersman said: Had I been officer, you would not have lain here so
long; he would have made short work with me. He said to the priest: The
lords must put this man to death secretly; he [the devil] was so firmly
seated in me, he said, that he could not come out; and many other ugly
words he said. I said: “The plainer you make it the better I understand
it.” And the chaplain and I had many hard words, and he was greatly
incensed. I said that I did not desire him so any more. He said that
he marveled with Paul, that I had so soon suffered myself to be led to
another gospel, when yet there was no other. I said; “What other gospel
have I accepted?” He said: That I had not been willing to have my
children baptized. “Indeed,” said I, “you have not a single letter of
Scripture that they must be baptized.” Observe, dear brother, his view:
If Paul had ordained it as a command and custom to baptize infants, and
we rejected the same, we had accepted another gospel. I also had some
words with the steersman; what he said was neither rhyme nor reason,
and he was very abusive to me. I said: “Calling names breaks no bones;
one can do it seated as well, and I offered him a chair. He said that
he knew more in one finger, than I in my whole body; and many other
things he said. Farewell, and acquit yourself valiantly; I hope to do
the same. And let us remember each other in our prayers. Take this my
simple letter in good part, for it has been written out of love; and
excuse me for having waited so long before writing, for I have many
visitors, not friends, however, since no one is allowed to come to
me except my father. Write me again, how it is with you, for I hear
nothing but good of you, God be praised.
Written, A. D. 1572, in my bonds, by me,
JAN HENDRICKSS.
ANOTHER LETTER FROM JAN HENDRICKSS TO POUWELS AND AECHTGEN, HIS BROTHER
AND SISTER, FOR AN ADMONITION TO THEM, AND FINALLY FOR A FAREWELL.
The God of all grace, who has called us from the power of darkness into
his eternal kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord, grant you according
to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power by his Spirit
in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that
ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with
all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and
to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be
filled with all the fullness of God. Col. 1:13; Ephesians 3:16–19.
This, I Jan Hendrickss, a poor prisoner for the word of the Lord, at
Delft, wish Pouwels H. and Aechtgen H., for an affectionate salutation
in the Lord. Amen.
Further, after all proper salutation to you, my beloved brother Pouwels
Hendrickss, and Aechtgen Hendrickss, daughter, whom I love much
according to the flesh, and also after the spirit, I inform you, that
I am still valiant and of good cheer in the Lord, as I hope that this
is also the case with you. And as, according to human calculation, my
departure, or time is near at hand, to put off my tabernacle, I cannot
forbear, but must exhort you briefly, out of pure, faithful, brotherly
love, to strive firmly, steadfastly and constantly in the faith once
delivered to the saints, that you may through this faith receive God’s
promises, so that we may meet together under the altar, with the great
number robed in white, who are chosen and redeemed by the blood of the
Lamb out of every kindred and nation under heaven, and have passed
through the world through great tribulation, being burnt, pursued,
beheaded, and the like; therefore are they before the throne of God,
and serve him day and night in his presence. Rev. 7:14,15.
See, dear brother, all these had to drink of this bitter cup, before
they attained their present state; and they all had to walk this
narrow, strait, slippery, and perilous way, and did not love their
lives unto the death, and had to leave everything behind for the
name of the Lord, whether it be lands, sand, house, home, wife, and
children, before they reached this exceedingly glorious state. Yea,
the Son of God himself entered into his Father’s kingdom through great
affliction, being apprehended, mocked, scourged, crucified, and put to
death, so that he said: “I am a worm, and no man.” Psalm 22:6. Hence
let us take these for an example and pattern, lest we become slothful,
drowsy, or faint on the way, and thus be taken captive by the wiles
and snares of Satan, for a man that is asleep is easily caught. But be
fervent in spirit, and seek to be the first in every good work, and
not the least; and beware of the arrows of the devil, which he shoots
in darkness; and pray to God day and night, for it is needful to pray
always, lest we fall into temptation, for he that seeks to murder our
soul neither sleeps nor slumbers, and is constantly walking about us
as a roaring lion. And beware of pride, of spiritual as well as other
pride, for it is the nature of man to be rather high-minded. Let all
envy and hatred, railing and slandering, and all craftiness and malice
be far from you, together with all murmuring of the heart. Covetousness
or rapacity, ambition and selfishness, let these not be found with you,
but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and follow his example in everything,
as well as you can. Have brotherly love, and endeavor to keep the unity
of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Be patient in all tribulation and
affliction that come upon you, and the God of peace will be with you;
for we have great need of patience, as I have proved. For Sirach says:
“Woe to him that has lost patience,” and well may he say so.
In short, conduct yourselves so according to your weakness, that no
one may justly have much to complain of you. And serve the Lord with
all your heart and purpose; incline your thoughts to God, and let your
eyes ever be upon him, even as the eyes of the servant are upon his
master, and the eyes of a maiden upon her mistress. And work out your
salvation with fear and trembling; moreover, think not that you always
fall too short, not doing enough. And do not walk carelessly in the
ways of the Lord, but pass the time of your sojourning here in fear,
for the heedless and careless will soon have squandered all their
substance; but exercise great care for the poor soul which has been
redeemed with a great price, and will live forever, either in heaven
or in hell. Fight valiantly against Satan with his manifold lusts and
desires and false insinuations, and trample his head in pieces under
your feet, with earnest supplication and prayer to God, with diligence
and earnestness, for Satan comes down with great wrath, knowing that
his time is brief. Rev. 12:17. Likewise always remember God’s severe
judgment, and great day that shall come upon all the ungodly. For when
we bear it well in mind, we can the better guard against it, because
it will be most terrible; even as Sirach says: My son, remember your
end, and you will never sin, for according to the Scriptures marvelous
things indeed will take place when the great day of the Lord shall
come; for the Lord himself 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 ever be with the Lord. 1 Thess. 4:16,17. And the
sea shall give up her dead; no one shall then remain hid that shall
not rise again: but every one shall receive in his body according to
that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Rev. 20:13; 2 Cor. 5:10.
Although our body is now placed to the stake, for food for the birds
and beasts (Psalm 79:2), it shall therefore not remain lost, but the
Lord shall raise it up again in due time, and make it like unto the
image of his Son, and then shall we, through his grace, shine forth as
the sun in the kingdom of their Father, whereas the part and lot of all
the ungodly shall be in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.
Philip. 3:21; Matt. 13:43; Rev. 21:8.
Therefore, my dear brethren and sisters, faint not at my tribulation
which I now suffer, but let it be your glory. Eph. 3:13. For, who art
thou, says the Lord by the prophet, that thou shouldest be afraid of
man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass?
Is. 51:12. Christ likewise says: I say unto you my friends, Be not
afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that
they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him,
which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say
unto you, Fear him. Luke 12:4,5. For, my dear brethren and sisters,
it is too wonderful how the Lord can work with his own, which I well
experienced when I was tortured; for they first drew me up by the
pully, and when I was suspended, they scourged me; and when I would
betray no one, they hung a weight to my feet; but as soon as I came up
stairs again, I had but little pain, yea, the next day my limbs were
no worse than if I had helped catch six or seven loads of herring.
Hence keep good courage, and follow me; I hope now to go before you,
and to wait for you under the altar of the Lord, with the marked dead
of the Lord, who are already slain for the name of their God, and lie
and wait for their fellow brethren, that shall be killed yet for the
testimony of the Lord, until the time that the number is fulfilled.
O that we might meet one another there! what great joy it would be
for me, as I hope and have this confidence concerning you, that we
shall yet go in and out there as calves of the stall, and help keep
the eternal Sabbath; then we shall rest from all our great trouble,
misery and torment that have been inflicted upon us, and from the heavy
labor which we have done. To this end make you meet the great Shepherd
of the sheep, who brought us from the dead through the blood of the
everlasting testament. Amen. Hebrews 13:20. For I love your souls with
all my heart, and would fain, that I might take you all before me.
Herewith I will commend you to God, and to the rich word of his grace;
may he keep you unto the end. Amen.
Dear brother and sister, my heart’s great desire of you is, that you
have an eye upon our brothers Cornelis H. and Jacob H., and our sister
Leentgen H., and direct them in the fear of God as much as you can. But
above all, have your eye upon my children, and show them and my wife
as much love as you can; for my glass is almost run out, my watch is
nearly over; day will soon break, for I have already seen the morning
star in the sky. Herewith farewell; I greet Adrian H. and his wife and
all dear friends much; bid my friends many adieus. Dear brother and
sister, take my letter in good part; though I am somewhat solemn in my
letters, it is because I love your souls so much. Written on the 23d of
January 1572. Adieu for a little while, my dear brethren and sisters,
till we meet again; acquit yourselves valiantly, this I pray you. By me,
JAN HENDRICKSS.
SANDER WOUTERSS, OF BOMMEL AND EVERT HENDRICKS, OF WARENDORP, BOTH
BURNT ALIVE FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST AT AMSTERDAM, ON THE 3D
OF SEPTEMBER, A. D. 1575.
The misery of the beloved children of God had not come to an end yet
at this time, since the words spoken by the Lord: “They shall put you
out of the synagogues; yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth
you will think that he doeth God service,” were still being fulfilled,
which, among many other instances, also appeared in the year 1572, on
the third day of September, at Amsterdam, in the case of two pious and
valiant champions of Jesus Christ, named Sander Wouterss, of Bommel and
Evert Hendricks of Warendorp, both of whom at that time, voluntarily
exchanged their life for death, and surrendered it to the Lord as a
burnt sacrifice, the Romanistic rulers effecting this through their
malice, with fiery flames in the place of execution in front of the
city hall at Amsterdam.
But between those who did this, and the others who suffered it, there
shall hereafter be a great difference, when there shall be said to
those who suffered it: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the
kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world,” but to
those who did it (if they have not sincerely been converted from this
wickedness); “Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared
for the devil and his angels,” Matt. 25. O, what an exceeding great
difference! our reason is utterly powerless to grasp this, our mortal
and frail tongue cannot express it.
NOTE.--The sentence of death of the aforementioned two persons was sent
us from the original book of criminal sentences of said city, through
the instrumentality of the clerk of the court there: hence we will add
the same here, just as it reads; in it may be seen how perfidiously the
papistic rulers of that time misinterpreted the good confession of the
pious witnesses of Jesus Christ, and how dreadfully and horribly they
proceeded against and dealt with them.
SENTENCE OF DEATH OF SANDER WOUTERSS OF BOMMEL AND EVERT HENDRICKS OF
WARENDORP.
Whereas it has appeared to my lords of the court that Sander
Wouterss of Bommel and Evert Hendricks of Warendorp, both tailors
and inhabitants of this city, prisoners at present, unmindful of the
obedience which they owed to our mother, the holy church, and to His
Royal Majesty, as their natural lord and prince, and rejecting the
ordinances of the holy church, have for many years past not been
to confession, nor to the holy, worthy sacrament, and have further
dared repeatedly to attend the assembly of the reprobated sect of
the Mennonists, or Anabaptists, and also to permit preaching after
the manner of the aforesaid sect to be done in their houses; and the
aforementioned Sander Wouterss, twelve years ago, and the aforesaid
Evert Hendricks, seven years ago, renouncing and forsaking the
baptism received by them in their infancy from the holy church, have
also suffered themselves to be rebaptized, and afterwards repeatedly
received, the breaking of the bread, according to the manner of the
aforementioned sect; and though they have been repeatedly urged and
admonished, by divers spiritual persons, to forsake the aforementioned
sect, and to return to our mother, the holy church, they nevertheless
refuse to do the same, persisting in their stubbornness and obstinacy,
disturbing by said sect the common peace and welfare of the land,[334]
according to the import of the decrees of His Majesty existing in
regard to this, which crimes, for an example unto others, ought not to
go unpunished; therefore, my lords of the court having heard the demand
of my lord the Bailiff, and having seen the voluntary confession of the
prisoners, and having had regard to their stubbornness and obstinacy,
have condemned, and do condemn by these presents, said prisoners, and
each of them severally, to be executed with fire, according to the
decrees of His Majesty, and declare all their property confiscated
for the benefit of His Majesty aforesaid. Done in court, this 3d of
September 1572, by all the judges, and with the advice of all the
burgomasters, in presence of me the secretary. Signed.
[334] Thus spake also the enemies of the prophet Amos, saying: Amos
hath conspired [against thee in the midst of the house of Israel:]
the land is not able to bear all his words. Amos 7:10. And thus it
was also said of Christ: “He perverts the nation.” Luke 23:2.
W. PIETERSS.
Thus extracted from the book of criminal sentences of the city of
Amsterdam, preserved in the archives of that city.
N. N.
HANS KNEVEL, A. D. 1572.
As is known to many, the world has become so corrupted through the
false teaching of antichrist, and iniquity has, according to the
prediction of Christ (Matt. 24:12), so gained the ascendancy, that the
princes and kings of the earth have become utterly perverted, through
her seductive wine of fornication (Rev. 17:2; 18:3), from their native
reasonable nature, who usually are wont to show some love and mercy
to their own friends and kindred, and also to those who love and do
good to them. This reasonableness seems to have almost ceased in many
princes and rulers of this world, so that in place of their native
reasonableness they are now like irrational beasts, who by nature are
born for taking and slaying. 2 Pet. 2:12; Jude 1:10. This, among many
other instances, appeared also, about the year 1572, in the city of
Antwerp, where they apprehended a pious follower of Christ, by the
name of Hans Knevel. He was a young single man and a cloth-shearer
by trade. The circumstances that led to his imprisonment were as
follows: It happened that one of his chief friends became known to the
margrave and to some one of his servants, whereupon they laid plans to
apprehend him. This plot was made known to Hans Knevel, in his shop
where he worked. He therefore very earnestly warned his friend with
regard to it, and advised him to go away from there, saying that he
would go with him. Thus they went together and took up residence at
Hamburg, where, after residing for a time, Hans Knevel went back to
Antwerp again, there seeking to make a living by selling wool. Hence,
about ten o’clock, the margrave with his servants came into the inn
where he lodged and asked him: “Is not your name Hans Knevel?” He
answered: “Yes.” They said: “You are an Anabaptist; you must go with
us.” And he was also able to tell him, that he had gone from there to
Hamburg with his special friend Steven Janss Dilburgh. And thus he
was confined in a dark dungeon, and on the following Monday brought
before the lords, the margrave, bailiff, two judges, and the clerk of
the criminal court. Now when this friend of God, Hans Knevel, out of
modesty hesitated to sit down immediately, the bailiff said: “Sit down
and do what you are told; you obey your people, you must also obey
us.” When he asked him what he held concerning their infant baptism,
Hans answered that he had read nothing of infant baptism in the New
Testament, hence he could hold nothing concerning it. _Quest._ “Were
you baptized upon your faith?” _Ans._ “Yes.” _Quest._ “How long ago?”
He told them, and that it took place between Chronenburgh and the
Oever. This they wrote down as he understood. _Ques._ “Where have you
attended preaching, and whom have you seen there?” He named to them
several persons, and some who had already been offered up. Thereupon
they said; “You name to us persons that are out of the country, and
such as have been burned; we want to know those who live in this place,
and who are your teachers, ministers, and informants.” And they said
such people as he, the prisoner, was, had no liberty anywhere, and had
to roam about everywhere. Hans replied that also Christ himself had no
liberty anywhere. This they took ill, that he the prisoner sought to
compare himself to Christ. The margrave said: “At Hamburg you people
have no liberty either.” Hans replied: “There, however, they deprive no
one of property and life, as is done here.” _Margrave._ “What do they
do there then.” _Hans_. “They are sent out of the city.” _Margrave._
“Then they have to go into another again.” _Hans._ “Yes, but they shall
not have gone over all the cities of Israel, till their redemption
shall beat the door.” Matt. 10:23. At this they laughed. _Margrave._
“We will send you learned men, and if you will suffer yourself to be
instructed, mercy shall be shown you.” _Hans._ “Yes, you will show me
such mercy that I shall have my head cut off.” _Margrave._ “No, but
we should release you.” _Hans._ “Though it were as you say, you would
love my body, but hate my soul.” _Margrave._ “No, but I love your body,
and still much more your soul, since you are young yet, and have been
brought to it innocently; but if you will not hear; you shall fare like
the rest.”
Hans said that he was well satisfied, and thus they parted. Afterwards
these prisoners of the Lord were for three consecutive days brought
before a priest, who endeavored with all his might to make them believe
his false doctrine, telling them many things concerning their old
custom, which this friend of God did not deem worthy to write to his
friends. The priest especially made many words over Rom. 13, by which
he wanted to justify the murdering and slaying perpetrated by the
Romish church, saying that the magistracy did not bear the sword in
vain, and that it must therefore be obeyed. Hans replied that he was
willing to obey the magistracy in custom, taxes and the like; but that
the priest ought to be ashamed, that he sought to justify their wicked
murdering and burning even by the Scriptures; asking him where Christ
and his apostles had ever done this: He further asked the priest why he
had come to him. The priest answered: “To win your soul.” Hans Knevel
told him, if he sought to win souls, to go around in the city, in the
brothels, the tippling houses, tennis-courts, and to those who shed
so much innocent blood, and to seek to win their souls. His own soul
Christ had already won. Thus this prisoner disputed five different
times with the priest. Afterwards he was put upon the rack several
times; but the Lord his God; in whose grace he trusted, faithfully
succored him according to his promise. When he again appeared before
the lords, he was severely upbraided, why he refused to hear the
learned men whom they had sent. Hans replied: “Your learned men wanted
to make me believe in infant baptism, of which the Scriptures no where
speak; and he offered to show the lords the Scriptures relating to the
true Christian baptism; but the lords did not wish to hear it, claiming
not to understand the matter. Hans asked how they then dared judge such
an important matter, involving body and soul, and which they, according
to their own saying, did not understand.