Chapter CXXVI: Preface: To Second Part (69)

Thus we had many words. I said that it was written that the Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands, neither is worshiped with men’s hands. Acts 17:24,25. “Yes,” said the priest, “as though he needed any one; for he does not need us, but we need him.” Then he asked me what I held concerning the matter, or the like. I replied that Paul says, 1 Cor. 10:15–18: “I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?” Thus I confess that there is but one communion of Christ, for Paul explains it with a simile, saying: “Behold Israel after the flesh; are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?” “Now, I ask,” I said to them, “what was it that Israel eat, the altar or the sacrifices?” They said: “The sacrifices;” but they said it reluctantly. “That is right,” said I; “yet they were partakers of the altar: so it is also with those who help to break or eat the bread; they eat only bread, and are yet partakers of the body of Christ.” I asked whereby he would maintain his mass. He brought forward the passage, 1 Corinthians 11:24: “This do in remembrance of me.” By this he maintained his mass. “Well, there is nothing said about a mass,” said I. This was his defense of the mass. I asked him whether a man might be apprehended for his faith. He affirmed it. I said: “Paul certainly says: A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject; but he says nothing about apprehending.” Titus 3:10. “It is written,” said the priest, “that the magistracy does not bear the sword in vain.” “Yes,” said I, “for the punishment of the evil, and for the protection of the good; but what evil have I done?” They said: “You have adhered to false doctrine, and attended assemblies that are opposed to the Roman religion, which the king will not tolerate, for he wants to protect his country; for it was seen what those of Munster did; their object was to capture cities, and to deprive the king of his country.” _Ans._ “The Munsterites did wrong; have you heard such things of me? I have never in my life known the Munsterites.” “No; but the Munsterites sprang from you.” “Well then, it would have been time enough for you to apprehend me, when you had heard such things of me; for no one can be burned justly, except he first have done evil himself, and not on account of another.” But the priest strenuously defended the authorities in this; that a man might be apprehended for his faith. I said: “Christ certainly said to his servants, when they wanted to root up the tares, that they should not do it, but that they should let both grow together till the day of harvest.” Matt. 13:30. The priest said: “But one can go and root up the tares along the edge, without injuring the good.” _Ans._ “Christ commands not to do it, but to let it grow.” But the priest constantly charged it upon the magistracy, that the apprehending was their work, just as though the ministers of the Romish church had been without guilt in the matter. I then asked them whether my lord the Bailiff of Delft, who was with us, was a brother and minister in their church. This I asked him many times; but the priest would not give me a clear answer with regard to it, but jumped from one thing to another. However, I did not desist, until he made a definite answer, which he did, but with great reluctance. When the Bailiff saw that we disputed so warmly, he came and stood before us, and listened with close attention; then I pressed the matter only the harder. Finally he said: “Yes.” “Then you acknowledge him as a brother and minister in your church?” “Yes,” said the priest. “Well then, now I desire you to show me where the apostles had magistrates in their church, who protected the faith with fire, water and the sword, as you do.” This he could not prove to me, but came with the passage in Acts 23, where Paul was imprisoned, and more than forty men had vowed neither to eat nor to drink till they should have killed Paul. Paul’s sister’s son hearing this, made it known to Paul, and Paul sent him to the chief captain, that he should tell it to him. And when the chief captain heard it, he said to two other captains, that they should make ready the beasts, and set Paul thereon, and bring him safe unto Felix the Governor; with two hundred soldiers, three-score and ten horsemen, and two hundred spear-men.

Thereupon I replied: “Paul was then a prisoner, and that magistrate was an unbeliever; but show me once where they had magistrates in their church.” “Yes.” said the priest, “if unbelievers did this, how much more believers.” I asked where the apostles had baptized bells. He said: “We do not baptize bells.” “What do you teach them then?” said I. He said that they blessed or exorcised them, if I have remembered his words correctly; “For,” said he, “Satan is much in such things;” and he related how he had reigned in the New Church, and therefore this was done, as he said; and there was a great deal said.

I said to him that I had never read that the apostles had magistrates in the church, who protected their faith with the sword; but that I had read that Paul says: “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world.” Then the priest started up, and asked where this was written. “In Eph. 6:12,” said I. Then he took up his Testament, and looked for it, and having read it he said: “This Paul says of the devil; he is the prince of this world.” I said: “It is the magistracy of this world, who rule the world, for it speaks of principalities and lords of this world.” And there fell many words, the Bailiff listening with attention. The priest said that our faith had not existed long, but that their faith had endured fifteen hundred years, and though whole countries were apostatizing from it, said he, whole countries were being converted in India, and that many great signs and miracles occurred there, even as occurred in the time of Christ, so that the Christians were increasing. Then I said: “Does that occur there, and not here? the church is certainly also here in these lands, and there are pastors in Delft, and in other cities hereabout, as well as there.” He said, it was certainly true. “Yes,” said I, “Pharaoh’s magicians also imitated what Moses did.” “Yes,” said the priest, “that was so, but they did not do such things as occurred there.” Then I said: “Well then, I will adduce to you still more: we read that there was a sorceress, who caused Samuel to come forth from the grave, and Samuel talked with her or with Saul, 1 Sam. 28. “That is true,” said the Bailiff; “I have read that.” Then said I, “Christ himself also says that they shall say: Lord, have we not in thy name cast out devils? But he shall answer them: Depart from me; I know you not.” Matthew 7:22,23. Then the Bailiff said: “Jan Hendrickss does not believe it; do you, Jan Hendrickss?” “No; Sir Bailiff,” said I, there is so much villiany perpetrated.” “Yes,” said the priest, “there has much indeed been done that was not good;” and he related that there had been popes who had not done what was good, but what was wrong. This the priest himself acknowledged; but there was now,” said he, “an old, able man Pope, of whom much good was said, and he confessed that there were bad abuses among them. “Paul says,” said I, “that the old leaven ought to be purged out, and that if any man that is called a brother be a drunkard, or a railer, or a fornicator, with such a one we ought to have nothing to do;” but of this, as it seemed, he had little understanding. “Indeed,” said the Bailiff, “if there were a man who would have to do with another man’s wife, I should not want to have anything to do with him.”

The priest then I think asked me why I had left them? I said that I had indeed heard the priests preach a great deal, very severely censuring popery, but that they did not practice what they preach; that they drank to such an excess as to fight, strike and rave as though they had been madmen, and for this reason I left. This I confessed to him because the Bailiff was present; when there were no lords present, I did not wish to bring up their things. I said: “They always want to instruct us in prison; they ought to set us at liberty, and then instruct us;” but of this nothing was said. And having thus many words together, I asked the Bailiff, saying: “Sir Bailiff, I must ask you something: if I should renounce my faith: however I do not say that I shall do that.” “Well,” said the Bailiff, “I do not say it either, that you do.” “But if I did, would you assure me of my life, and release me:” “This I will not say, but I still say as my lords said, that we will do our best in that respect.” “Yes, Sir Bailiff,” said I, “what would that signify; it has happened that persons have renounced their faith, and were put to death notwithstanding, as has been seen in Delft,” “Yes,” said the Bailiff, “some were also released.” This I had to ask him once, to hear what he would say; for we had talked about it together. Not that we intended to renounce our faith, but to hear what they would say. For it has never been my mind, nor have I ever had any inclination for it; but it afforded me a good reason, when they tormented us to renounce, to give them this for an answer. Why should we renounce our faith? our life is not assured us. We had many words together, but these are the principal things that were said which I have remembered, for my memory is not strong. If I were to write everything, I should require much paper, for it lasted full four hours. In consequence of its lasting so long, my fellow brethren were very sorrowful, for they thought and believed that I had been confined elsewhere away from them.

The Bailiff then rang the bell, and the beadles came. I then said to the priest: “If my lord had not been present, I would not have made so many words with you.” “That I believe,” said the priest. I took off my cap and bade them good evening, and they me. And I said to the pastor and begged him, that if I had spoken any word too hastily, he should excuse me for it. “Yes,” said the Bailiff, “and so do you to him, do you not?” “Yes,” said I: and thus we parted.

It further happened that they confined us all three in separate places, apart from one another, and took away the Bible from us, one which they themselves had let us have, and which the Bailiff had previously consented that we might have; but we remained of very good cheer, the Lord be praised.

On Sunday, the 16th of July, 1570, I was taken down again, and they tied my arms, which they had never done before, for I had gone down with the jailer, fettered together with another. This surprised me much, whereupon the beadles told me, that the priests had required it of the Bailiff. Thus they brought me before two priests, namely, Mr. Maerten, and the pastor of the New Church, who had once before been to see me. When I came to them, I bade them good day, and they returned the salutation. Then they said: “We have visited you once, and now we come again, to see whether you are not more willing to yield, than you were the other time.” I said: “I say as I have already said: If it can be proved to me clearly and expressly, that infants were baptized, I will gladly suffer myself to be instructed:” With this answer they were not well pleased, since they have no Scripture for it. But they asserted that I must suffer myself to be instructed, and that infants had of a long time been baptized in the Christian church; and that it had always been an ordinance; but I held to the proof furnished by the practice of the apostles. They said that we ought to walk in the old paths. “Yes, in the right ones,” said I; “thus it is written.” Jer. 6:16. They had come to instruct me. “Yes,” said I, “I cannot understand it so.” This they did not like to hear, that I could not understand it; and they said: “You want to understand it before you accept it.” “It is written,” said he, “in the prophet Isaiah, that we must first accept it, before we believe it.” “Where is this written?” said I. “I do not know,” said the priest. “Rom. 10:10,” said I, “we read: ‘With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.’ I must certainly believe your things with the heart, if I am to accept them: but now I cannot understand it as you do.” This they would not hear; but if I had soundly assented with the mouth to what they said, whether I had believed it or not, it would have been all right.

They begged me much, that I should suffer my self to be instructed, there was not a day that they did not pray for us. They also frequently said that I had strange views, and that I was damned; if I were not damned, God would not be God, he said; and the Scriptures would not be true; this he often said. To be damned, and to lie in prison, these are not good things, said I; for I said as little to them as I could. But the damning did not hurt me; I let them say on. I said: “If you can prove to me, that infants were baptized, I would like to hear it.” They said that whole households were baptized, and declared that there must have been children there. Ans. That you do not know, for there are households in which are no children; I also do not seek salvation from the water.” When they heard this they were greatly astonished. “Yes,” said I, “you say that all unbaptized children are damned.” “Yes,” said the priest, “they are damned.” “Then the women who give birth to such children are badly off.” “Yes,” said the priest. “Indeed,” said I, “then the water must wash away sin?” “Yes,” said they. _Ans._ “I shall prove to you, that it does not.” I then told them, that in Peter 3:21 it is written: “‘The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also save us, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience.’ And the apostle baptized Simon the sorcerer but the water did not remove his sins, for it is written that he was in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity, though he had been baptized by the apostles.” “You say of Peter,” said the priest, “that he writes this; how do you know if it is true? Did Peter tell you himself? And Simon the sorcerer was a worthless fellow for if the apostles had known that his heart was in this condition, they would rather have bitten their fingers, than pronounced the name of God over him.” _Ans._ “This I admit; but the water did nevertheless not wash away his sins.” And they asserted that I must suffer myself to be instructed, and said that I acted contrary to the Scriptures, for it is written, Matthew 18: If thy brother shall trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he will not hear thee, tell it to the college. “See,” said they “You will not hear us now that we rebuke you; in this you certainly act contrary to the Scriptures.” _Ans._ “What would you teach me then? Would you let me go then, and shun me as a heathen and a publican?” “No, no,” said the priest, “this is your favorite theme, which you always bring up.” (for I had had many words with him in regard to it the last time;) but to let me go was not in their power, he said. _Ans._ “Christ certainly says, when they are reproved, and will not hear, they are to be shunned, and not apprehended. And Paul also says: A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject. Tit. 3:10. And now I will not hear you, hence you ought to let me go.” But they did not listen to this that was the magistracy’s business, they said. _Ans._ “You certainly have a faith; show me once where the apostles had magistrates in their church.

Then the priest said that Peter had killed two persons. _Ans._ “You cannot prove that to me, neither by word nor deed.” Then he read from a German Testament, that Ananias and his wife sold their possessions; and did not bring all and lay it at the apostles’ feet, but kept back a part of it. Then Peter said: Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and gave up the ghost. Three hours after his wife came, and Peter asked her too, whether they had sold the land for so much. She said: Yea. Peter said to her: How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet and yielded up the ghost. Acts 5. When he had read, I said: “Who can say that Peter did it, for it reads that when they heard these words they gave up the ghost.” We had many words which I have partly forgotten; they begged me to suffer myself to be instructed. “Well,” said I, “I can not understand it so.” To this they would not listen, that I would first understand it, before I accepted it; and they said that their faith had always existed for fifteen hundred years; they would show to me from year to year, how their church had been built up, and they named to me many of their teachers or bishops, Augustine and others; how it first came from Spain into France, whence St. Willeboort brought it into these countries; and many other things did they tell me. And though whole countries apostatized from them, there were large countries again that adopted their faith, as for instance in India, where the Lord did great signs, so that there were persons who in one month learned another language, and accepted the faith, and even preached within one month; and many other things they told me. I asked whether that country was large. They said: “As large as Spain, France, Germany and this country taken together.” Thus their faith had always existed, and could not perish, for Christ had said: “I will be with you unto the end of the world;” but our faith had not existed so long; for [said they] you can not prove to us, that your church has always existed. “I know,” said the priest, “that you will name to me five or six persons.” Then I said; It would have been much better, if he had heard Micaiah, than the four hundred false prophets. (The king of Judah, 1 Kings, 22.) They tried hard to draw me out, as to whether I was baptized, but the Lord kept my lips, and I did not tell them. They had heard it said, they told me. I asked whether they had heard me say it. They said: “No.” I replied: “I do not want to tell you either.” They said: “We do not wish to know it.”

And when they found that I would not listen to them, they told me time and again that I was damned, and that I was a murderer of souls, that I had murdered many souls, and they had heard it said that I had caused many to apostatize from the Roman church. I said: “I have murdered no one’s soul.” He said: “You say that we are murderers ourselves.” I said: “You have not heard me say that.” They told me to consider the matter, and if I desired it, they would come again. Thus we parted amicably.

These are the principal points of our conversation, for it lasted about two hours. I should not be able to write the whole of it, for I can not remember it, and it would be impossible for me to give the exact conversation, without leaving out or adding to it.

Written by me, JAN HENDRICKSS.

ANOTHER LETTER BY JAN HENDRICKSS, TO MAERTEN JANSS, HIS FELLOW-PRISONER.

The eternal God of all grace, who has called us with a heavenly calling, from the power of Satan into his eternal, marvelous kingdom, strengthen and confirm you, my brother Maerten Janss, with his holy word, and give you the power of the Spirit, that you may be able to resist all the wicked wiles of the Evil One, whether through himself, or through his emissaries, so that you may be able to stand in this grace; and grant you and me a valiant faith, firmly rooted and grounded, that you may neither be moved nor cast down by the great tempest of false doctrine. This, I Jan Hendrickss, your weak fellow-brother in imprisonment, tribulation and affliction, wish Maerten Janss, my dear brother, in his bonds and imprisonment, as a friendly salutation in the Lord, for the refreshing of your mind. Amen.

Further, my dear brother, I inform you, that I am still of good cheer in the Lord, and my heart and mind have still no other purpose than to fear him, and to adhere to his holy word, according to my great weakness, with the help of God. Without whose assistance I am utterly powerless to perform the same. Thus I hope and am confident in my heart, that it is also with you. I furthermore thank you much for the comforting letters you have sent me to refresh and console me in my tribulation, and that you still remember me in your prayers, which I also do for you, that we may help each other fight in this great conflict, which we now have with the great red dragon, which draws the third part of the stars from heaven with his tail. Revelation 12:3,4. When I read your letters, it was no sorrow for me to hear that you were of such good cheer and courage in the Lord, but it rejoiced my spirit. Hence, my dear brother, let us take good heed to, and well consider, the teaching and admonition of Paul, where he says: “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, rooted and built up in him.” Col. 2:6,7. Mark, dear brother, it is needful that we attend to these words and admonition of Paul. For since we have put on Christ by baptism, and have become members of his body, let us walk in him, rooted and built up in him, and firmly abide in him, even as he says: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” John 15:4–6. Mark, dear brother, how well it is with him that is in Christ, and Christ in him: but he who has no consciousness of Christ, is like a branch that is cut off and withered, which receives no sap or strength, nor the nature of the stem of the vine.

Dear brother, let us now earnestly consider the matter, whether this is not the case with men. Let us therefore abound in him with thanksgiving, and by him offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, that we be not spoiled through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Heb. 13:15; Col. 2:8. “For it is now an evil time, a time that searches and tries Christians, whether they are firmly rooted and built in the faith. For when a woman has conceived, and the time of her delivery is drawing nigh, before she is delivered, great pain comes upon her, which is the forerunner and sign of her impending delivery; but when she is delivered, she soon forgets the great pain, because she has gotten a child.

Behold, my dear brother, thus it is also with us now; the great temptation and vexation, conflicts without, and fears within, which happen to us daily, these are our pains which precede delivery, whereby we may perceive, that the time of delivery is fast approaching; but as soon as we are delivered, then we shall remember it no more; namely, when we shall have put off this tabernacle, the mortal clothing, that shall be the last of our pain; then we may say: O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 15:55–57. Then shall the last enemy, death, be conquered. Then shall we no more weep, mourn, or lament; all torment, pain and affliction shall then have passed, like a vapor, that endures for a little time. Then we shall no more be tormented or tempted, apprehended or hunted; but we shall rest from our heavy labor, and help keep the eternal day of rest, with many thousand saints under the altar, who are chosen out of every kindred and nation, who have also sealed the word of God with their blood, and have passed through the world through many great tribulations, and not loved their lives above their Creator unto the death. Rev. 14:13; 7:14; 12:11.

Behold my dear brother Maerten Janss, what will it matter then, whether 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.”