and with all your soul, and with all your strength and ability, your
name shall be written in the book of life, and you shall be marked
in your forehead with the name of the living God. You shall also
receive a white, shining stone, and upon it a new name written, which
no man knows, save he that receives it. You shall also be arrayed in
garments of pure, white silk, which is the righteousness of the saints.
Moreover, you shall with all the angels of God follow the glorious
Lamb of God in great glory, and live forever and ever. Behold, such
glorious rewards shall they have; he that overcometh shall inherit all
things that God has prepared for his chosen. He shall lead them to the
fountain of living waters, and shall wipe away all tears from their
eyes. Rev. 7:17. Therefore fear God, and always seek to be instructed
by the godfearing, and lay the words of the Lord well to heart, and
keep them as did Mary the mother of the Lord. And always walk with
meekness and humility, for God is pleased with those that are humble
and lowly of heart; for God has cast down the proud from their seats,
but has exalted the humble thereupon; for God resisteth the proud, but
giveth grace to the humble. Luke 1:52; 1 Pet. 5:5.
Therefore humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, and he shall
exalt you in due time; for the proud cannot please God. In Proverbs it
is written: “These things doth the Lord hate: haughty eyes, a lying
tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.” Prov. 6:17. “When pride
cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.” 11:2. A
proud heart is an abomination unto the Lord, and it shall not remain
unpunished. Hence Tobit said to his son: Let not pride rule in your
heart, nor in your words; for it is the beginning of all destruction.
Out of it proceeds all pride, when man apostatizes from God, and
departs with his heart from his Creator; and pride impels to all sin,
and he that is infected with it causes many abominations. Hence the
Lord always rejected pride, and ultimately cast it down. God cast the
proud princes from the throne, and set the humble thereupon; God rooted
out the root of the proud nations, and set and planted the humble in
their stead.
Hence do not think yourself wise, and do not reward evil for evil to
any one, but recompense with good, as Christ teaches, where he says:
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth
for a tooth: but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever
shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if
any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy cloak, let him have
thy coat also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with
him twain.” Matt. 5:38–41. Not, dear child, that we like to be smitten,
or like to lose our cloak when it is taken away from us, that we should
also give the coat, or to go with any one three or four miles against
our will; but this is what the Scriptures teach us; and Christ also
would herewith teach us, in order that we should rightly understand
him, that believers are in no wise permitted to avenge themselves
on any man, however great reason they may have, but must commit the
matter to God, who judges aright. For when some one smites us, we must
rather suffer ourselves to be smitten again, than that we should defend
ourselves, or smite back; and when our cloak is taken away, rather also
let the coat be taken, than that we should take or get the cloak back
by force or by smiting. In short, we must always suffer, but never
inflict suffering upon any one, as the law of nature teaches us. Do
unto thy neighbor as unto thyself.
Hence we are to wish evil to no one, though in the law of Moses the
contrary is written: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine
enemy.” But Christ takes this away; for that was in the law of revenge,
but now we are under grace. Hence we must also show grace, and not
punish, as Christ says: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou
shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love
your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate
you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he
maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good.” Matt. 5:43–45.
Hence, dear child, one may not wish evil to his enemy, much less do him
any evil. And do not hate him, neither avenge yourself, but give place
to wrath; and be slow to wrath, for the wrath of man worketh not the
righteousness of God; but as you would that men should do unto you, so
do to them, and you will fulfill the law of Christ. Rom. 12:19; James
1:19,20; Matt. 7:12.
Further, my dear child, you are in duty bound to hold your mother,
whom you still have, in love and esteem all the days of your life; for
she has had much trouble and care with you, from the time that I have
been married to her; hence you are also bound to love her, as your own
mother. If you part from her to-day or to-morrow, you must heartily
thank her for the motherly love which she has shown you; you ought not
to part from her without many tears, for she has been a good mother to
you. Therefore, though you should live far away from her, write her
a very respectful letter sometime, and if you prosper, you may send
her a friendly gift, by which to remember that you hold her in love
and esteem; this shall be an honor to you. Hence do the best in all
that I command you. And copy or read over frequently my letter, for a
perpetual remembrance of your father; and follow it, and all that is
good and acceptable before God.
Furthermore, my child, yield your heart under the obedience of the
truth. And always be desirous to hear the word of God, and seek,
when you attain to your understanding, to betake yourself among the
church of the living God, and that in this way you may enter into
the ark of the covenant; so that you may be a partaker of all the
heavenly promises with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and all the
prophets and holy apostles of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. Then you
shall at the last day (that shall burn as a fiery oven) be delivered.
For the ungodly shall be dreadfully tormented; they shall weep and
lament forever, for they shall with the dragon, the devil, and all
false prophets, be cast into the fiery lake that shall burn with fire
and brimstone. Watch therefore in the fear of God, that you be not
a partaker of their plagues. For if you to-day or to-morrow attain
to your full age, and your hand is able, remember the poor members
of Christ, in communicating to the poor with such as the Lord grants
you. And whatever you give, give with a willing heart, and not by
constraint, but of a ready mind, for God loveth a cheerful giver, says
the apostle Paul. 2 Cor. 9:7. In Hebrews we read: “To do good and to
communicate forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
Heb. 13:16. And alms cover a multitude of sins. Through fasting,
prayer and alms the Gentile, Cornelius, was acceptable to God, and he
received the promise of salvation; for as water quenches fire, so alms
extinguish sin; and the Lord who holds it will requite it in the time
to come, and when he falls he shall find help. “My child,” says Sirach,
“let not the poor suffer want, and be not hard toward the needy.
Despise not the hungry, and do not grieve the needy in his poverty. Add
not more trouble to a sorrowful heart; and defer not to give to him
that is in need. Reject not the supplication of the afflicted; neither
turn away thy face from a poor man.” Eccl. 3:30,31; 4:1–4.
Therefore assist the poor, so that the Lord may richly bless you. If
you lay this to heart, and do according to it, your light shall arise
as the bright morning star at the beautiful dawn; hence always do well,
and if you love God, keep his commandments. Herewith I will conclude my
letter. I have presented to you that which is best from the word of the
Lord. Water and fire are set before man, namely, life or death. Eccl.
15:16,17; Deut. 30:19. Hence choose life, that you may forever possess
the kingdom of God, with all his chosen saints.
Herewith, my dear child Betgen, I, for this time take a perpetual adieu
of you; commending you to God the heavenly Father, who is the Father of
all orphans, and of all those that fear and love him. And never neglect
or forget diligently to ask God Almighty, and you shall receive of him,
more than you ask, if it is according to his will.
Adieu, my child, if we should see each other no more. I pray the
almighty God and King of kings, that he will govern you by his holy
Spirit, so that I may meet you in the clouds of heaven, where parting
shall be no more, this I pray God by his unfathomable grace and love,
with bended knees and a weeping heart and uplifted hands.
O Lord, hear my prayer, and let it be done, that through the fruit of
my loins thy holy, most worthy and adorable name may be praised now and
forever. Amen.
My child Betgen, if I die, I would like to have your mother give
you, for a perpetual memorial, a Testament, a Dirrick Philips Book
of Fundamentals, a hymn book, and a copy of the book by Jacob de
Keersgieter, which read diligently, for there are many excellent
admonitions contained in them.
By me, your father, who wishes you every thing good. A. D. 1589.
JOOST DE TOLLENAER.
MAEYKEN PICKELEN, A. D. 1590.
That the way which leads to eternal life is strait and narrow, is
shown by the holy Scriptures, and moreover, also many devout children
of God have actually found this to be so; among whom was also a
simple, godfearing woman, by the name of Maeyken Pickelen, who would
no longer live according to the commandments and ordinances of men,
but much rather sought to obey God, and to follow her Leader, Lord,
and Bridegroom, with the oil of love in her vessel, and a burning lamp
in her hand. Hence she could also not remain without temptation, but
experienced that the kingdom of God must be taken by force; for in the
year 1590 she was imprisoned for her faith and the practice of the
evangelical truth, and on this account, after much vexation, torment,
and suffering, she finally had to lose her life, and thus obtained the
martyr’s crown, which the young man (of whom Esdras speaks, 2 Esdras
2:43) shall set upon her head, whereby she shall be permitted to enter
into the eternal, everlasting joy, with all God’s chosen children.
LEONHARD BOLTZINGER, A. D. 1591.
In the year 1591, on a Friday, the 8th of March, Leonhard Boltzinger, a
brother, was executed for the Christian faith, not far from Plunaven,
in Bavaria, after he had been imprisoned twenty-three weeks; for he
had been apprehended there the day before St. Michael’s, in the year
1590, and from there been taken into the town of Brauna, and put into
a dark dungeon. They also tortured him greatly, in order to make him
apostatize from his faith. Once he was drawn up by ropes, and the other
time very miserably stretched on the rack: but he would not depart from
the truth. Ultimately he was taken back from Brauna to Ulba, the place
of his apprehension, where they on the aforesaid Friday led him out to
the place of execution. He greatly rejoiced when he saw that he was
so near his end, though they strenuously urged him to recant; but he
replied: “I stand in the right faith, and therefore, though I had ten
heads for one, I should rather have them cut off one after another,
before I should renounce my faith.
The executioner then beheaded him with the sword and burned his body.
Thus he persevered steadfastly in the love of God, and refused to
separate therefrom, to which end God gave him power, comfort, and
strength, that though his sufferings were severe, he esteemed them so
lightly, as though they had not been sufferings at all; so firm was his
hope of entering into the glory of God, into everlasting joy, that he
did not regard this short and transient tribulation.
GEORGE WANGER, A. D. 1591.
In this same year 1591, on the fifth day of the month of August, George
Wanger, a tailor, was executed for the faith, at Lorenzi, in the
Pusterthal, in the earldom of Tyrol, after he had been confined for
more than a year; for he was apprehended the evening before St. James’
day, in the year 1590. At Lorenzi he was brought into the Bailiff’s
house, and put into a common prison. The next day he was brought before
the Bailiff, judge, clerk, and a priest, where they wanted to know of
him, who had gone out with him, and where he had staid or lodged. But
he answered: “God keep me from this evil; we do not betray our enemies;
should I then betray my friends and dear brethren? by the help of God
I shall not do this, for it is contrary to the love for our neighbor.”
The judge strenuously assailed him with smooth and with hard words; but
the brother said: “I received my sound members from God; to him I will
offer them up again, and this with a good conscience.”
Having been confined long at Lorenzi, and examined three times by the
authorities, he was in the castle of Michelsberg placed upon the rack,
and when he would not, according to their wicked demand, tell what was
contrary to God, his conscience, or neighborly love, he was twice so
tortured, that the marks of it could be seen on him for thirteen weeks.
Having been confined in the castle of Michelsberg about two weeks, he
was, on the sixteenth day of the month of September, taken to Brixen,
and there put in chains in the tower, in which there was much vermin;
scorpions also crawled about his head, on his bed and on the walls; he
could not well turn over, and always had to keep his head covered, on
account of the vermin. During the nineteen weeks that he was imprisoned
at Brixen, his death was announced to him twice, and he was at the same
time earnestly admonished to recant. But he said: “I have no desire to
go to this people to whom you want to drive me; but to amend my life,
if I err, and to exhort others that have not yet amended their life, to
repentance; this I consider a work of God, and will gladly do it, and
keep to God what I promised him in baptism, to my soul’s salvation.”
The priests at Brixen often pestered him in prison with their visits,
and also had him summoned before the vicar or provost of the cathedral,
twice before the commander, ten times also before monks and priests,
nobles and others, and wanted to lead him back to the true church.
But he said: “I have not forsaken the true doctrine, faith, or church
of Christ, but through the grace of God have obtained it, and want to
adhere to it.”
Having been imprisoned at Brixen seven weeks, he was taken back to
Lorenzi, and it was intended to execute him after two nights; but this
was frustrated by the death of the Bishop of Brixen. He was taken back
to Michelsberg, and imprisoned in the castle, until the fifth day of
August, when he was again brought to Lorenzi into the judgment hall,
where the priests held judgment over him, first trying whether they
could not make him apostatize; but when they could not accomplish
that, he was sentenced to death upon the imperial mandate, and it was
read to him, that he had apostatized from the Catholic, Roman Church,
and been baptized again, and had afterwards also sought to bring others
to it, and to seduce them to his heretical sect, as they called it. But
brother George said: “It is no heretical sect, but it is the divine
truth and the true way to the kingdom of God.” He was then led out to
the place of execution, where the commander of Lorenzi again earnestly
admonished him, with smooth words, to recant; he would give him so much
that he should have enough all the days of his life; and would moreover
be surety for him at the last day, if he did wrong in it. But the
brother said: “If I did this, and were to accept you as my surety, and
the devil should first make off with the surety, where should I then
have to go and seek my surety and pledge.” Thus the commander was made
ashamed, and desisted from him.
There were also many people present, some of whom wept. He also
requested that his hands be released a little, that he might lift them
up to God, to thank and praise him, and to ask him, that he would give
him strength to resist the false prophets and evil spirits. Finally he
commended his spirit into the hands of God, and was thus beheaded for
the word of God and his truth.
JACOB PLATSER, A. D. 1591.
In this year 1591, on the nineteenth day of August, the brother Jacob
Platser, a lock-smith, was apprehended at Silgen, in the Pusterthal,
in the earldom of Tyrol, and remained in bonds and imprisonment about
eight weeks, until the fifteenth day of October. When they could not
accomplish their purposes with him, and he would in no wise renounce
that which God had made known to him, nor depart from the truth, he
was, in pursuance with the imperial mandate, sentenced to the sword.
He was then led out to the place of execution, where he offered up
his prayer to God, in which he was of good cheer, to die for the sake
of his truth and the faith. The executioner then beheaded him, and
afterwards buried him. Thus he testified valiantly unto death, to the
word of God and the true faith, to which God gave him his grace and
power.
BARTHOLOMEUS PANTEN, MICHIEL THE WIDOWER, AND KALLEKEN N., A. D. 1592.
In the year 1592, in the month of July, there were apprehended at Ghent
in Flanders, for the practice of the word of God, two brethren and a
sister, named Bartholomeus Panten, Michiel the widower, and Kalleken
N., who suffered much temptation, and were severely examined, by the
priests, the Jesuits, and also by the pensionary, before whom they
freely and fearlessly confessed their faith, to which they adhered
steadfastly without departing from it. Thereupon it happened, that the
sister was released from her bonds and set at liberty. But the brethren
were severely tortured, in order that they should apostatize from their
God, and indicate their fellow-brethren. But God, who does not forsake
his own, but keeps them as the apple of his eye, so succored them, that
they were enabled to adhere steadfastly to him and his word, and to
keep their lips from bringing their neighbor into trouble. Hence they
were finally sentenced to death as heretics, for the testimony of Jesus
Christ, and having first been hanged to the gallows, and strangled,
in the Count’s castle, they were then buried without in the gallows’
field. And as they helped the Lord Jesus Christ bear his reproach, so
they shall also be received up with him into his glory full of honor
and light, to live with him forever in joy and gladness.
We have also added here, for the benefit of the reader, the letters
which Bartholomeus Panten wrote in his bonds.
THE FIRST LETTER FROM BARTHOLOMEUS PANTEN, WRITTEN TO HIS BROTHER
KAREL, RESIDING AT HARLEM.
After an affectionate greeting to you, my beloved brother, without
forgetting your wife and household, I inform you, that through the
grace of the Lord I am well in body; and as regards the spirit, it is
my purpose, by the help of the Lord to adhere to the truth unto the
end, which I also wish you. Further, my beloved brother, I inform you
of the condition in which I now am, that is, that I am now imprisoned
at Ghent, together with another man and a woman, for the testimony
of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the truth of the Gospel, for which the
other man and I have been tortured, and I have unworthily suffered: and
they threatened to inflict still further sufferings on us. But Peter
says: “And be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; but
sanctify the Lord God in your hearts;” since they cannot do to you more
than is permitted them of God. 1 Pet. 3:14,15. And Paul says to the
Corinthians: “For we know that, if our earthly house of this tabernacle
were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands,
eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be
clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: if so be that being
clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle
do groan, being burdened.” 2 Corinthians 5:1–4.
Thus, my dear brother, I see no other way to attain to eternal life
than to bear the cross which God has laid upon us, as Christ says:
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his
cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it:
and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what
is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his
own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matt.
16:24–26. But the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to
be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us, for which
cause, says Paul, we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet
the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which
is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but
at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are
temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. Rom. 8:18; 2
Cor. 4:16–18. Know, that I had temptation from the Jesuits and priests,
and from the pensionary, but by the help of God I have hitherto
resisted all these storms, and hope that he will further help me by his
Spirit and power, without which we are not able to do anything; for of
myself I have nothing but all weakness, misery and imperfection, which
I have lamented with tears before God, praying him, that he would not
enter into judgment with me, without his grace, for there shall no
living soul stand innocent before him.
Herewith I commend you to God, and remember the words of Paul, where
he says: “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that
ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all
lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another
in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace. There is one body, and one Spirit. Eph. 4:1–4. And to the
Colossians: Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any
man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also
do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond
of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the
which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Colossians
3:13–15. And to the Galatians: If we live in the Spirit, let us also
walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain-glory, provoking
one another, envying one another. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in
a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of
meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one
another’s burdens.... For if a man think himself to be something, when
he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own
work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in
another. For every man shall bear his own burden. Gal. 5:25,26; 6:1–5.
Again, in James 5:19,20 we read: Brethren, if any of you do err from
the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he which converteth
the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and
shall hide a multitude of sins. James 5:19,20. And Peter says: Above
all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall
cover the multitude of sins. 1 Pet. 4:8. For John says: “Whosoever
doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his
brother. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that
ye should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one,
and slew his brother.” 1 John 3:10–12.
Hence, my dear brother, be kind and affectionate with one another,
and forgive one another, even as God has forgiven you through Christ.
Paul also says: “Warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded,
support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil
for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among
yourselves, and to all men.”
Herewith, my dear brother, I bid you adieu, if we should see each other
no more.
Written in my bonds, to Karel Panten, my brother, by me,
BARTHOLOMEUS PANTEN.
THE SECOND LETTER FROM BARTHOLOMEUS PANTEN, BEING AN INSTRUCTION FROM
THE WORD OF THE LORD, TO ALL LOVERS OF THE TRUTH; TOGETHER WITH A BRIEF
ACCOUNT OF HIS EXAMINATION.
_As the lily among thorns, so is my love, etc. Canticles 2:2._