MARTYRS MIRROR

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THE FOURTH LETTER FROM MAERTEN VAN DER
STRATEN, TO ANNA SERVAES

I, Maerten van der Straten, your unworthy friend and brother, wish you, my beloved, dear sister in the Lord, Anna Servaes, much grace and mercy from God our heavenly Father; and may the love of His Son be in you as a burning fire, that you may become perfect unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, and bearing good fruits, as a tree planted by the rivers of water, so that you may be numbered among the royal priesthood, the peculiar people, which God, according to the writings of Moses, bore on eagle's wings; so that you, when the land shall again be divided to Israel, may possess an inheritance full of joy, for ever and ever. Amen. Eph. 4:13; I Pet. 2:12; Ps. 1:3; I Pet. 2:9; Deut. 32:11.

A cordial, fond and affectionate greeting to you, my dear and much beloved sister in the Lord, Anna Servaes, whom I love with a pure love out of a pure heart, of which God be my judge, who, according to the word of Jeremiah, tries men's hearts and reins. Further, after all proper and Christian salutation, let me, please, inform your love, that I and my dear wife are in tolerably good health according to the flesh, and according to the spirit we hope by God's assistance to keep the covenant which we once made with the Lord our God, when we bowed our knees before Him and His glorious majesty. Yes, we moreover trust that also you are well in soul and body, ready to perform your journey to Bethel, and to prophesy against Jeroboam and his altar. I Kings 13:1. To this end, may you and we all be strengthened by the only and eternal, almighty God, whose tabernacle is on high, and who lives far above all heavens, in a light which, according to the words of Paul (I Tim. 6:16), no man can approach unto; that we may fear and love Him above all.

For He is a jealous God, who would dwell alone in man's heart; for thereunto we have been delivered out of the hand of our enemies, and from them that hate us, that we should fear and serve Him without fear, in true righteousness and holiness, all the days of our lives, as good and faithful servants, seeking the praise of God, and, with Paul, counting our gain loss for Christ's sake, lead ing a chaste, honorable life, and setting up an ensign for the nations, that we may not make the blind to wander out of the way, but that we, according to the words of Peter, through a modest and good conversation, may win the unbelieving without the Word; which Christ also teaches us in the Gospel, saying, "Let your light shine before men, that they may behold your good conversation, and glorify God our Father in the day of visitation." Ex. 20:5; II Cor. 6:16; Luke 1:74, 75; Phil. 3:7; Isa. 11:12; Deut. 27:18; I Pet. 3:1, 2; Matt. 5:16; I Pet. 2:12. Hence, O my dear and much beloved sister in the Lord, let us with all humility follow the Lord's footsteps, that in every respect we may adorn the doctrine of the Gospel, shining as a bright morning star among this evil and perverse generation; then shall the King, as David writes, greatly desire our beauty. Ps. 45:11.

Hence, O love, let us each seek to be the chiefest in virtue, and patiently wait for the Lord, our Comfort, who alone can help us, as David says, "I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God." Ps. 40:1-3. Therefore, O dear lamb, let us thank the Lord, and pray that we may not be caught through our tongue, saying with Jesus Sirach, "O Lord God, Father and Lord of my life, let me not fall among the slanderers, and perish among them. Oh, that I could bridle my thoughts, and discipline my heart with the word of God, and that I might not spare myself, if I erred, lest I should cause sin, and create great error, and commit much evil, and perish before my enemies, and become their sport.

Hence, O dear sister, let us seek God's face day and night with tears, that we may not perish with the wicked under the wrath of God, but that we may continue obedient in Christ unto the end of our lives, so that we may be saved in the day of the Lord, which, according to the words of Christ, shall come as a thief in the night; in the which according to Peter's writing, the heavens shall be dissolved with fire, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. And if all these things are to come to pass, O how ought we to be meet and adorned with a good, chaste and holy conversation!

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it now begin at us, and if the righteous shall scarcely be written in the book of life, what shall the end of the ungodly be? Matt. 24:42, 43; II Pet. 3:10-12; I Pet. 4:17, 18. Oh, well may I sigh and say with Solomon, "O Lord, wink at the multitude of my sins." Wisd. 11:23. Hence we may also with David say, "O Lord, enter not into judgment with us, or, thou, O Lord, shalt be justified. And render us not according to our deeds, neither reward us according to our works, nor chasten us, O, Lord, in thine anger, but be merciful unto us, O Lord, according to thy goodness, which is great." Ps.143:6; 6:1, 2. Therefore, O dear lamb, let us cleave to the Lord with prayer and supplication, with a broken heart and contrite spirit, that we may be saved, not through our merits, but through the grace of God, and thus live with the Lord in His eternal kingdom.

Further, my dear sister, I do not, because of my small gift, know much more to write you, but commend you to the Lord, and to the rich, comforting Word of His grace. I moreover pray you to excuse the plain, simple letter which I, your unworthy servant, have written, who am the weakest in Israel, yea, not worthy to unloose your shoe's latchet; however, I yet trust in the grace of God.

Furthermore, my dear sister, greet your dear husband, and also the acquaintances, in my name. My dear wife also greets you both, and the acquaintances much. There also greet you much, Adriaen, Grietgen, Hansken, and Dingentgen; and all of us prisoners jointly request of you, that you will diligently pray the Lord for us. Nothing more. Farewell, and do the best in the beginning and in the end.

Written in my bonds, by me, your weak brother . and servant, as much as I am able.

MAERTEN VAN DER STRATEN.

 

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THE FIFTH LETTER OF MAERTEN VAN DER,STRATEN, ,
TO SERVAES JANSS

I, Maerten van der Straten, imprisoned for the Word of the Lord, wish you my dear and much beloved brother in the Lord, Servaes Janss, much grace and mercy from God our heavenly Father, and also to all that have been redeemed from the earth, and cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to the word of the prophet, bore our reproach, took upon Him our sins, and restored to us that which He had not taken away, that He might deliver us from this present evil world; according to the will of God His Father; to whom be glory, power and honor forever and ever. Amen.

Out of a fond heart a loving greeting to'you, my beloved, dear friend and brother in the Lord, whom I love according to the peculiar privilege of Israel, this the Lord knows, who according to the words of Jeremiah, tries men's hearts and reins, and according to David, knows men's thoughts when they are yet afar off. Jer. 17:10; Ps. 139:2.

Further, after all proper and Christian salutation, let me, please, inform your love, that I, the Lord be praised forever, am in tolerably good health according to the flesh, and according to the spirit my mind is still fixed to serve God all the days of my life. I have moreover the undoubted confidence concerning you, that you are also well in soul and body, ready to keep the covenant which you once made with the Lord our God, when you bowed your knees before God and His glorious majesty; may this only, eternal, and only wise God, endow you, according to the word of the prophet(Joel 2:28), with His Holy Spirit, that you, led by Him, may lead a good and chaste conversation among the Gentiles, as Christ teaches us in the Gospel, saying, "Let your light so shine before men, that they beholding your good conversation, may glorify God your Father."

Hence, O my dear brother, let us, according to the writing of the apostle, diligently strive to be the chiefest in virtue; as Paul also says, that we should approve ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings, by pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the Word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed: For God can wound, and heal again, as is written in the Book of Kings, "The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up." Tit. 3:8; 11 Cor. 6:4-9; Deut. 32:39; 1 Sam. 2:6.

Hence, O my dear brother, if you be visited at any time, out of bonds as well as in, be not grieved, nor, become weary in the way of the Lord, though it is narrow and straight; for it is better to suffer affliction for a little time with .God's children, than to possess all the, treasures of Egypt; for though man, as Christ says, should gain the world, and lose his own soul, O what would he have then,. that he could give in exchange for it? Heb. 11:25, 26; Matt. 16:26.

Therefore, O my dear brother, let us seek the kingdom of God above all things, and let us not follow after that which is earthly, as is written in the epistle to the Colossians, by the holy apostle Paul, where he says, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth, For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.", Col. 3:1-4. For it is a faithful saying, "If we suffer with Christ, we shall also reign with him." II Tim. 2:12. Hence let us not be weary in well doing, for according to Paul's writing, in due season we shall reap a most abundant harvest. Galatians 6:9. 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. II Cor. 4:17,18.

Hence, O my dear brother, let us help the author of our faith, the Lord Jesus Christ, bear all His reproach, and let us, as Paul says, follow after holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Heb. 12:14. And let us seek the Lord with tears, while He may be found, and let us bring forth genuine fruits of repentance, that the tower of Siloam may not fall upon us, for we have done evil long enough before the Lord. Isa. 55:6; Luke 13:4. Hence let us now, as Paul says, use our members, which we have heretofore used from iniquity, unto iniquity, still more abundantly from righteousness unto righteousness. And let us, moreover, praise the Lord, because He has revealed to us the pearl of great price that lies in the field, and is yet still hid from so many. Matt. 13:46. Therefore, O my dear brother, let us now, as good and faithful servants, put our talent out upon usury, that, when our dear Lord comes, we may have gained something, and may hear the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful in a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things

enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Matt. 25:23. Thus, my dear, let us diligently look before us, and watch circumspectly, that we do not defile our wedding garment, but may much rather be adorned with the five wise virgins; with the oil of love in our lamps, so that we, when our Bridegroom comes, may enter in with Him into His eternal kingdom, where, according to the word of Isaiah, and of the apostle, incomprehensible joy and gladness shall endure forever. Amen.

Further, my dear brother, I do not know, because of my small gift, much more to write you, but commend you to the only, eternal, almighty God, who according to the word of Isaiah, hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance; that he may keep you, so that you may receive a crown of glory. Isa. 40:12; I Pet. 5:4.

Furthermore, my dear brother, I pray you, that you will excuse this simple letter which I, unworthy one, have written, for it were better that you would write to me; but in order to fulfill your request I could not forbear to do it.

Greet your dear wife, and also the acquaintances in my name. Beliken van der Straten, my dear wife, also greets you and Tanneken much, and also the acquaintances. Further, all of us prisoners greet you from the heart. Pray the Lord diligently for us. Nothing more. Farewell, and do the best.

To your benefit as much as lieth in me, by me your weak brother and servant.

MAERTEN VAN DER STRATEN.

 

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THE SIXTH LETTER FROM MAERTEN VAN DER
STRATEN, AND BELIKEN HIS WIFE, TO
ADAM V. L. AND HIS WIFE

I, Maerten van der Straten, and Beliken van der Straten, my most dearly beloved wife., both of us prisoners for the word of the Lord, wish our very dear brother and sister much grace and mercy from God our heavenly Father, who dwells on high, in alight unto which, as Paul writes, no man can approach. We moreover wish, that you may have the love of His Son, that you may be a light for them that sit in darkness, and that you may shine as a bright morning star among the blind that err in the way, so that you may hereafter, as Isaiah writes, behold the King in His beauty, and meet with that perfect and unspeakable joy and gladness that shall endure forever and ever. This we wish our dear friends in the Lord, with all the strength of our souls, out of an affectionate heart.

A: cordial, loving greeting to you our very dear brother Adam V. L., and to Mariken, your very dear wife. We two prisoners, as said above, love you, as Paul says, with a godly love, and out of a pure heart as Peter writes; this the Almighty Lord knows, who penetrates every thing with eyes which are as a flame of fire.

Further, after all proper and Christian salutation, let me, please, inform your love, that I and my dearly beloved lamb, whose hand I took with tears of joy are still, the Lord be praised forever, in tolerably good health according to the flesh, and according to the spirit, God be praised, our mind is still fixed, by the help of the Lord to prefer with Eleazar, an honorable death to an ignominious life. But, dear brother and sister in the Lord, we are also confident beyond a doubt, that you both are well in soul and body, ready to keep the covenant you made with Almighty God, concerning which we are exhorted by Moses, that we should always be mindful of the covenant which we once made with the Lord of lords. Deut. 4:9. And Paul instructs us still more fully, that we are to call to remembrance the day in which we were illuminated. Heb. 10:32. The merciful King, and God of gods, who. according to the word of the prophet, in time of need gives bread, and in thirst water, and in the day of tribulation forgives sin, may strengthen and confirm you and us all with His Holy Spirit, that we, as Luke writes, may serve Him in true righteousness and holiness all the days of our lives.

And let us, O dear friends, always have the Lord before our eyes, even as David, who says, "I have set the Lord always before me." Ps. 16:8. And again he says, "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock." 27:4, 5. Hence, dear friends, let us always seek the face of the Lord with humility, and take good heed to our vocation, redeeming the time, because the days are evil, as Paul says (Eph. 4:1; 5:16); for the tongues of the builders of the tower of Babel have come to disagree. For David says, "Violence and strife are in the- city. Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it. Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets." Ps. 55:9-11. And, as the prophet says, "They fear not God; for they lay their hands on his peaceable ones, and break his covenant," verses 19, 20.

"Their mouth," as David says,"is smoother than butter, but they have war in their hearts: their words were softer than oil, yet are they drawn swords," verse 21. Hence, O dearly beloved friends, let us always watch circumspectly in the spirit, and fear our God from the heart, and cleave to Him with prayer and supplication, even as the royal prophet David says, "As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice," verses 16, 17.

Thus, dear friends when you are distressed, call upon the Lord, and do not let the waters of Marah (Ex. 15:23) become too bitter for you, but remember, that according to Paul's words we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Even as also Christ teaches us in the Gospel, saying, "The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." Matt. 11:12. Hence, dear brother and sister, let us willingly bear our cross, and give our back to the smiters, and not regard it however great the heat of the sun, for the servant is not above his master or lord; for if they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of His household? Matt. 10:25.

For Peter teaches us saying, "Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries," I Pet. 4:1-3.

Hence, O dear friends, let us no longer live according to the wisdom of the flesh, to indulge its lusts, but let us walk, as Paul writes, only as becomes the Gospel, and do not let us be unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what similarity or fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are, says Paul, the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Phil. 1:27; I I Cor. 6:14-18.

Therefore, O my dear brother and sister, let us serve the Lord with a faithful heart, and refrain our foot from every evil way, and let us lead a chasteand pure conversation among the Gentiles, that we, as Paul writes, may not give the slanderer an occasion to speak evil; but let us in all things seek the glory of the Lord with a simple heart, so that we, according to the word of Paul, may adorn the Gospel by good works. Tit. 2:8, 10. Hence, O dear friends, be not weary in well doing; for what you now sow in tears, that shall you in due season, as Paul writes, reap with joy in great abundance. Hence let us with fasting and weeping entreat the Lord, that we may be able to withstand in the evil day, so that we may live with Him forever and ever. Amen. John 3:8; Eph. 6:13.

Further, my beloved friends, we do not know much more to write you for this time, because of the simplicity of our understanding; but We commend you to the Lord, and to the word full of consolation, and bid you adieu.

I Maerten van der Straten, and Beliken van der Straten, my love, have written this little out of affection and according to your request, and we beg you to accept it in good part. We also request the aid of your prayers.

Farewell; greet the acquaintances in our name, we thank you for all the good you have shown us. Adriaen also greets you much; and also Hansken, Margriet and Lou greet you much; Dingentgen and we all jointly request you to pray for us. Nothing more, but do the best first and last.

From us your dear friends,

MAERTEN AND BELIKEN VAN DER STRATEN.

 

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SANDER WOUTERSS, OF BAMMEL 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 andEvert 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. Oh, what an exceeding great difterencel 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.

 

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WILLEM DE RIJCKER, AND CHRISTOFFEL FIERENS, A. D. 1572

At Meenen, in Flanders, on the 5th of December, A. D. 1572, there were sentenced to death as heretics, two pious witnesses of God, named Willem de Rijcker and Christoffel Fierens. When they were brought out to die, they came fearlessly, like two sheep for the slaughter. A brother said to Willem, "Dear brother, strive valiantly for the truth." And a sister also cried, "O yes, dear brethren, strive valiantly." Christoffel said, "O men, think of your salvation; for this is the way of truth unto life." They were quickly conducted to the hut, without being able to speak much; but they cried to God for help and assistance, and said, "What we suffer is for the right truth." Christoffel also said, "Sell your clothes, and buy Testaments; attend therein to the words of God: for therein you will find life; and fear not them that kill the body, but fear him that hath power to cast soul and body into hell."

He also thanked God, that He had permitted him to see this day, for which he had so greatly longed, and said further, "These members, which Thou, O Lord hast given me, I will gladly deliver up again for Thy doctrine." Willem said, "I have been in many perils by sea and by land, and God has always helped me; hence I trust that He will also not leave me in this extremity, but succor me unto death." They then offered up their prayer to God, in which they said with Stephen, "O Lord, forgive them what they do unto us, and do not lay this sin to their charge." Willem then said, "I have now with Paul fought a good fight, kept the faith, finished my course," etc. Finally they cried, "O heavenly Father, into Thy hands we commend our spirits."

Many other words were spoken, which have partly been forgotten, and it would also take too long to write them all. The executioner then asked, whether they were ready; whereupon Christoffel replied, "Yes, my dear friend." While Christoflel was being strangled, Willem cried, "O dear friends, my brother is now forbidden to speak." After that he cried once more to the Lord, and then also inherited the crown of life. Thus did these two die for the name of the Lord, being first strangled, and then burnt, after Willem had been confined in prison for more than twenty-two months; and thus they became heirs of the promised land, in which all those that here lay down their lives for the word of God shall find it again.

During the time that Willem was imprisoned, one Cornelis van Eeckhoute was burgomaster at Meenen, who would very gladly have seen him released; he therefore sought to persuade the priest and others, that he [Willem] was half-wetted, whereupon Willem was examined once, and his views asked respecting purgatory. Willem answered that he had once lived in a convent, where on Saturday always meat and other things were cooked for Sunday, and that the monks, sweeping together the fire by which they had cooked, called it purgatory.* Then the burgomaster said, "Do you see my lords, by this you may perceive that the man is only half-witted, for these are not the words of a reasonable man." But Willem said that he did not want to be released from prison as halfwitted, but that they should ask him concerning his faith, and that he should confess it to them reasonably enough.

Thereupon he had to remain in confinement, and was finally, as already stated, sentenced to death, this burgomaster pronouncing the sentence. This man, some time after, driven away through war, fled to Bruges, where he, however rich he was, had to live very frugally, and nearly all the time borrow money to defray his household expenses, which when it became too great a vexation for him, he resolved to go home to Meenen, but he died very suddenly on the way.

 

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JAN SMIT, A. D. 1572

About the year 1572 there was also another pious, God-fearing brother, named Jan Smit, a native of the country of Marck, but at that time residing in North Holland, near Munnekendam; he was afterwards brought a prisoner to Munnekendam, for the testimony of Jesus. But when after a certain time Munnekendam was taken by the Protestants, he was released by one of their captains. When subsequently engaged in a boat, on the Zuyder Zee, he was again apprehended by a Spanish captain, and brought to Amsterdam. There he remained in confinement, until it was determined, that these prisoners should be used as oarsmen on the Haarlem Lake, against those of Haarlem. But when this pious Jan Smit came to the place where he was to row, he declared that he did not feel free in his conscience, thus to row, seeing he had no enemies; they might deal with him according to their pleasure.

Thereupon he was brought into the camp before Haarlem, where he was sharply examined in the faith, and found to be of the Mennonistic religion. And as examinations and severe threats could not move him to apostatize, since he was founded upon the firm Rock, and therefore overcame all by faith, Don Frederick, son of the Duke of Alva, sentenced him, there to be suspended by one leg to the gallows, which was done, till death ensued. And thus this hero and soldier of Jesus Christ, by saving faith overcome the world, sin, flesh and blood, and all tyrants, and, through God's grace, obtained the crown of eternal glory.

This account we received from old Simon Fijtsoon, teacher [minister?] and elder of the church of Tessel. He declares that this Jan Smit was his special friend.

 

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PIERIJNTGEN LOOSVELDT, OR NECKERS, A. D. 1572

At the close of the year 1572, there was apprehended at Meenen, in Flanders, for the truth and the Word of God, a spinster, about forty-three years old, named Pierijntgen Loosveldt, or Neckers. While kindly ministering to a sick person, she was walking out at a certain time, when she met the chief bailiff, Joncker Jan de Carmago, who apprehended her, and asked where she resided. She pleasantly replied that she did not live very far off, and gave him the fairest words, in order to be released. But it was all of no avail; she had to go to prison, and on the second day, when she had not had much time for consideration, she was summoned before the lords, and examined concerning her faith, which she freely confessed.

In the first place she was accused that she had attended imroper assemblies, contrary to the emperor's decree. But Pierijntgen held that she had used diligence to follow Christ, and to shun the evil, and go out from them, and join the good, knowing that Christ says, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Matt. 18:20. And these assemblies she could not forsake, though it should cost her her life.

In the second place she was asked whether she had not had herself rebaptized. She confessed that she had suffered herself to be baptized according to the command of Christ, which they considered Anabaptism, not at all regarding the instance of the disciples who, though they had received John's baptism, did nevertheless, after they had heard the preaching of Paul, suffer themselves also to be baptized in the name of Jesus. And that one must first believe on Jesus Christ, and be baptized upon such faith, according to the teaching of the Scriptures, which also say, that baptism is a burial of sin and the answer of a good conscience.

When they asked her, who was present when she was baptized, she did not confess it, however hard she was threatened.

In the third place they asked her, whether she did not regard the priests as the vicars of Christ, who had power to forgive sin; and that whatever they bound or loosed had to remain bound or loosed. But she could not confess that they are such vicars of Christ who are not minded as He is; for He is the true Shepherd, who laid down His life for His sheep, while the priests do the. very opposite. He is the true Mediator between God and men (I Tim. 2:5) , and His Father's vicar. He is the open, clear Fountain (Zech. 13:1), who calls to Him all those who are burdened and laden with sin. He is the true pool with five entrances, of which John tells (John 5:2), and all who truly repent shall receive the forgiveness of their sins. Luke 24:47. No one was found worthy to open the book with seven seals, but the Lamb Jesus Christ. Rev. 5:1. He is the right door; it is of no avail whether any one will open or shut, the ungodly must remain without. John 10:9; Rev. 22:15.

In the fourth place she was asked, whether she did not confess that the body of Christ was in the sacrament or wafer, when the priest had pronounced the words over it, and consecrated it in the mass. But she could regard the mass, with all that pertained to it, for nothing more than a plant, planted by men, which God should root up. Matt. 15:13. But she confessed that Christ had left us the Supper to be observed in remembrance of Him, according to Paul's doctrine, and thereby to shew the Lord's death. I Cor. 11:25, 26.

In the fifth place she was also asked whether she did not confess that infant baptism was necessary for salvation, and for the washing away of the original sin which has adhered to us from Adam. But her confession was, that one could receive but one baptism, and that only they are worthy of it who forsake sin, or repent, and believe in the name of Jesus Christ; and that it was also not a washing away of sin, but the answer of a good conscience, and that the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin. Ephesians 4:5; Acts 2:38; I Pet. 3:21; I John 1:7.

In the sixth place she was asked whether she did not believe that Christ had assumed His flesh from Mary. But she confessed that He was from above, and had come down from the Father; that the Word had become flesh, even as John says, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life." And as He Himself says, that He is the bread which came down from heaven. That He was also the only reconciler, redeemer and advocate. To investigate further, was not necessary to her salvation. John 8:23; 1:14; I John 1:1; John 6:31; Rom. 5:10; I John 2:1.

In the seventh place she was also asked whether she did not confess that three persons constituted one true God. Thereupon she confessed that there were three names in one Divine Being, namely, Father, Son and Holy Ghost. But the Father who sent the Son she could not regard as a person; for the heaven is His throne, and the earth is His footstool; Christ also calls Him a Spirit, and a spirit, He says, has neither flesh nor bones. The Holy Ghost, who manifested Himself upon Christ in the form of a dove, and upon the apostles in the form of tongues of fire, and sat upon each of then, Him she could also not understand to be a person. But the Son, who became man for us, was visible, palpable and passive, walked much among the Jews, did many signs, suffered hunger and thirst, wept, etc., Him she could indeed confess to be a person. I John 4:9; Isa. 66:1; John 4:24; Luke 24:39; Matt. 3:16; Acts 2:3; Matt. 17:12; 11:5; 21:19; John 19:28; Luke 19:41.

 

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Continued...

In the eighth place they asked her, whether one might not swear, or take an oath, before the authorities, to defend justice and establish the truth, but she esteemed Christ's commandment more than that of men; for He teaches, "I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." Matt. 5:34-37.

In the ninth place it was told her that good works did avail, also for them that had died. But she asserted that neither soul-masses, obsequies, pilgrimages, the burning of tapers, nor anything else could help or benefit the dead; for the Scripture says, "If the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be." Eccl. 11:3. Christ also tells of ten virgins, of whom the five who had wisely kept theirlamps burning, and provided their vessels with oil, went in with Him; but the others, who had neglected their time, had to remain without. Even as the angel said, that hereafter time shall be no longer. Rev. 10:6.

In the tenth place she was asked whether the saints had not ascended up to heaven. But she confessed that no one has ascended up to heaven, but Christ our Protector and Saviour, not even Mary His mother; but that they all rest in the hand of God, waiting for the judgment of the last day. John 3:13; Acts 1:10; W isd. 3:1. As the Scripture says, that the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of God, and they that have done good shall enter in unto life eternal, but the ungodly into eternal damnation. John 5:28, 29. The resurrection is for both the just and the unjust, as Paul says: We must all appear before the judgment seat of the Lord, to be rewarded according to our works. Acts 24:15; II Cor. 5:10. We also read of the souls of the righteous that are under the altar, and wait till the number of their brethren shall be fulfilled. Rev. 6:9, 11.

After she had thus been most rigidly examined, they sought through the learned of this world to instruct her for the purpose of causing her to recant; but when neither entreaties or threats could move her, but she declared herself willing rather to die, than to apostatize, she had to go upon the rack stripped of everything but an apron. There she was severely racked, with a stick in her mouth, so that her teeth broke in pieces; but she would not recant, nor betray any of her fellow members. And when she requested that the torture be discontinued, the burgomaster said, that she should recant and confess. But God kept her lips, and helped her so that she was released from the torture; for she would rather with old Eleazar die this temporal death, than by denying Christ forfeit His eternal kingdom. Divers times they threatened her with death, but this could not intimidate her.

Sometimes she feared that, because she was very sad, she might not be able to refrain from weeping when she should be led to death; hence she turned to God in prayer, who did not leave her prayer unheard, for when she received the intelligence, that she should have to die, her heart was especially filled with joy and good cheer. On the morning when she was to die, the bailiff asked her, whether she had not yet considered the matter. But she said, "He that would obtain the precious prize that is set before us, must run without ceasing." I Cor. 9:24. She was then brought into court, and sentenced to death. In her sentence the foregoing ten articles were read to her charge, and that she therefore, and because of her obstinacy, should be burned as a heretic. This did not make her despondent, but she thanked the Lord, and wished them grace from God, that they might turn from idolatry to the true worship of God. I Thess. 1:9.

When she came out and went forth to death, she said to the people, "Go, buy Testaments, and read therein, that you may find why I am sentenced to death, and have to die." Thereupon the executioner, greatly incensed, and threatening to strike her, told her to be silent, and without saying much more she went into the hut, where the executioner hastened his work, and commending her spirit into the hands of God, she was burned, on the eve of Epiphany 1573, and prepared herself to go forth with the wise virgins, to meet the Bridegroom.

The burgomaster, or president of the court, at Meenen, named Jan de Drijver, who had pronounced the sentence on Pierijntgen, was afterwards severely punished of God; his flesh decayed, so that in consequence of it one ear dropped from his head, and he died a most miserable death.

 

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MICHIEL VAN BRUYSSEL, AND BARBERKEN HIS
WIFE, A. D. 1573

About the year 1573, there were imprisoned for the testimony of Jesus, at Ghent, in Flanders, Michiel van Bruyssel and Barberken his wife. Because they were not of the world, but had by God been chosen out of the world, therefore the world, which only loves its own, hated, persecuted and oppressed them. But they, as wise builders, had built their foundation upon the cornerstone Christ Jesus, who was able to keep their treasure until the day of their redemption. Thus they, after manifold temptations and trials of their faith, were, by the blinded, God-opposing papists, put to death, not on account of any evil deed, but only for the obedience of the truth of Jesus Christ. Michiel van Bruyssel was burned in the Friday Market, and Barberken his wife was beheaded with the sword, in the count's castle. And thus they remained faithful unto death to their Redeemer and Saviour; hence they shall receive an eternal and glorious kingdom, and a beautiful crown, from the hand of the Lord, which no one shall be able to take away from them.

JAN VAN ACKEREN, A. D. 1573

After manifold persecution, murdering and burning of the Christians, there also fell into the hands of the tyrants, in the city of Antwerp a valiant hero and soldier of Jesus Christ, named Jan van Ackeren born near Ypres. The sole cause of his apprehension was, that he in accordance with the counsel of God, had separated from the wicked world and all her false worship militating against the Word of God and had yielded his body and spirit under the banner and obedience of Christ. And as the light does not unite and mingle with darkness; but is hated and persecuted by the latter, therefore the rulers of darkness examined and tried said sheep of Christ, with severe imprisonment and many sore tortures. And as he could by no means be brought to apostatize, since he was founded upon the Rock he was put to death by fire at said place, suffering it with great steadfastness. And thus he testifiedand confirmed the belief of the truth with his death and blood, and trod the wine press of suffering with Christ. Hence he was not rejected as a bastard, but much rather, through grace, acknowledged and received as an acceptable son by Christ, into his eternal inheritance, where he with all God's chosen, shall live and reign forever and ever.

This friend of Christ sent several letters from his prison, but they did not come to our hands.

 

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G. KLEERMAECKER, WITH SIJNTGEN VAN ROUS
SELARE AND MAEYKEN GOSENS, PUT TO
DEATH FOR THE TRUTH, AT ANTWERP,
A. D. 1573

A letter from G. Kleeymaecker, imprisoned at Antwerp with Sijntgen van Rousselare, wife of Jeronymus, where they laid down their lives for the truth

The abundant grace of God, the great love and mercy of His Son, and the power, operation and illumination of the Holy Ghost, this, my very dear and beloved sister in the Lord, I wish you as a cordial and affectionate greeting, whereby we, unworthy ones, are born anew of God, to serve the Lord in righteousness and holiness, to the praise of the Lord and to the salvation of our souls. Hereunto fit, strengthen and confirm us, the Lord, the Father of all mercy, to whom alone be praise, glory, and honor, forever and ever. Amen.
After this salutation, my very dear and beloved sister in the Lord, I inform you, that I am, the Lord be praised forever, still tolerably well according to the flesh, and also as regards the mind; and I trust by the grace of God to go with our true Captain, Joshua to the promised land (which has been promised us unworthy ones out of grace, and shown us through faith) hoping and trusting by the grace of God to pass unharmed over Jordan; yet I would from the depth of my heart, that my mind were more valiant for it.

Further, my very dear and beloved sister, I inform you, that at the visit my heart was greatly rejoiced by you, because I saw your great joy and gladness in the Lord, your complete self-renunciation, and the resignation of your heart and mind, in the Lord, for which we cannot thank and praise the Lord enough, that He has given you such a treasure in earthen vessels, that you do not want to forsake the Lord, for neither life nor death, nor for any torment which the tyrants might inflict upon you my very dear and beloved sister in the Lord. The Lord, the God of all grace, strengthen and confirm you unto the end, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness in you, and the work of faith with power, that the name of our dear Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and that you may fight the good fight of faith; and lay hold on eternal life, whereunto we are called, if we hold the beginning of the Christian life steadfast unto the end.

II Thess.1:11,12; I Tim. 6:12; Heb. 3:14. For, dear sister in the Lord, if we properly consider the life of Christ, we find nothing but tribulation, suffering and distress. He who was the Lord of lords, for our sakes left His Father's kingdom; He came into the world, to call our guilt upon Him, and paid the debt with His bitter suffering and death on the tree of the cross, leaving us in all things an example, as the apostle says, that we should follow His steps, who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth; who when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered He threatened not; but committed. Himself to Him that judgeth righteously: who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. And in another place the apostle says, "Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." Heb. 12:3. And thus also the prophet utters his complaint for him saying, "I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head." Ps. 22:6, 7. In still another place Isaiah says, "He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid, as it were, our faces from him . . . . He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth." Isa. 53:2, 3, 7.

Besides this, my much beloved sister in the Lord, consider Christ's entire life how He begun, lived, and, ended it; you will find nothing but suffering, humiliation, misery and contempt, which He suffered for our sakes in humility, so that the apostle says of the Lord, that in the days of His flesh He offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto God who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because He honored God. Heb. 5:7. Hence, my dear sister in the Lord, this beginning of the Christian life must abide with us unto the end, as said before, and we shall then also be partakers of Him, and with all God's children inherit His kingdom through grace, for which reason He went hence to prepare us a place there, even as He says, "I go to your and my Father, to prepare a place for you; and if I go, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also," John 20:17; 14:3. Therefore, my dear sister in the Lord, though our God does now hide His face from us for a little while, yet will He gather us again with everlasting kindness, as the prophet says, "I will lead you into mine house, and give you a place within my walls, and a name better than of sons and of daughters; yea, I will give you an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

Yea, he will lay our stones with fair colors, and lay our foundations with sapphires, and will make our windows of crystal and our gates of carbuncles." Isa. 54:7, 8; 56:5; 54:11, 12."Yea, there is a city built," says John,"of pure gold, where, my very dear sister in the Lord, you shall see the King in his beauty, whose head is as the finest gold, and his locks are curled and black as a raven; his eyes are as the eyes of doves; his cheeks are as growing beds of spices of the apothecary; his hands are as gold rings set with turquoises, his body is as pure ivory. His legs are as pillars of marble set upon sockets of gold; his mouth is sweet, and his word is lovely." Rev. 21:18; Cant. 5:11-16. In short, we shall find more there, than it is possible to tell us or to describe.

See, my dear sister in the Lord, suich as our Friend and Bridegroom; hence rejoice, you betrothed of the Lord, for He that has chosen you from among many thousands is fairer than all the children of men.

Therefore, my dear sister in the Lord, adorn yourself with the fine linen of righteousness (Revelation 19:8) in honor of your Bridegroom until the days of tribulation shall be at an end, and the Lord shall turn again the captivity of Zion, and wipe away all tears from your eyes, and make perfect our joy, so that for our mourning and sighing we shall sing as in the night of a glorious feast, and shall, with the hundred and forty-four thousand virgins, that were redeemed from the earth, stand before the throne of God, having the name of our God written in our foreheads, having harps in our hands, and singing a new song. Rev. 7:4; 14:1-4.

Behold, dear sister, this our enemies shall see and be confounded, who now say to us, "Where is your God?" Our eyes shall then behold them trodden down as mire in the streets, and be ashes under the feet of the righteous. Mal. 4:3. Hence, dear sister in the Lord, let us be sincere in love, and obtain the victory in the Christian's conflict; to him that overcometh He will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Rev. 2:7. This grant us the only wise God, the Father of grace and mercy, who alone has power in heaven and on earth, that we, justified through His grace, may become heirs of eternal life. Unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think, to Him alone be praise, glory and honor, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20, 21.

Faithful is He, who also will do it, according to His promise; for I am God, He says by the prophet Malachi, and change not, namely, in His promises. I Thess. 5:24; Mal. 3:6.

Herewith, my very dear and beloved sister in the Lord, I will commend you to the Lord, and to the rich Word of His grace. Adieu, adieu, if we should see each other's face no more in this world, yet I hope that we shall see each other in eternity with our God, where parting will be no more. Once more, adieu, and take my simple letter in good part, this I humbly pray: and if I have in anything
written too little or too much, I beg you to excuse me for it. Herewith I cordially salute you and also my wife cordially greets you with the peace of the Lord; and Sanderijntgen, and another maiden from Zealand, named Magdaleentgen, also greet you most cordially. I ask you very kindly, my dear sister, let me have a letter from you, for this will be very welcome to me and more agreeable than I can write you. Farewell.

By me your weak brother and servant, to the utmost of my ability.

G. KLEERMAECKER, V. S. B.

 

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A LETTER FROM SIJNTGEN VAN ROUSSELARE

Grace and peace. Written at Antwerp, in prison, I, Sijntgen, who am unworthy, am imprisoned for the testimony of the Lord, and daily expecting my sentence; the Lord grant us, that we may offer up our sacrifice to His praise and glory; and to the salvation of our souls. Amen.

The great grace and mercy of God the Father, and the great love of the Son, and the power of the Holy Ghost, confirm you, my very dear sister in the Lord, and us, unto the end, that we may be found worthy in the day of the Lord, through grace to receive the beautiful promises, when the Lord shall say, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Oh, what great joy will then be prepared for us, if we only hold the beginning of the Christian life steadfast unto the end; hereunto confirm us the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, whose power is great, even as the prophet declares, that with His three fingers He encircles the whole earth; and unto His name every knee must bow in heaven and earth, and every tongue must praise Him; the Lord of hosts is His name, the Lord Sabaoth, the Mighty One in Israel, for whose name we are imprisoned here; to Him alone be praise and glory, forever and ever. Amen. Isa. 40:12; 45:23; 54:5.

For He has created and made heaven and earth out of nothing. This same bleeding, naked, crucified Christ I wish you, my very dear sister in the Lord, as an affectionate and Christian greeting; may He keep and comfort you in all affliction that may come upon you and us for His name. After all loving and Christian salutation, I inform you, my dear lamb and sister in the Lord, that my mind is still determined (eternal praise and glory to the Lord for His grace) as it was when I unworthily bowed my knees before the Lord, thereby showing that I desired to obey Him in every thing, in affliction as well as in joy, even as the apostle also admonishes us, that it is given unto us not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for Him. O my dear sister in the Lord, the servant is not above his Lord, nor the disciple above his master, and Christ has also told us, "The world shall rejoice, and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy." And further, "Ye shallweep and lament, but the world shall rejoice, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:20, 33.

And our faith is the victory that overcometh the world, by which we must overcome princes and magistrates, through the grace of the Lord. I John 5:4. O my dear sister in the Lord, it is true, we are here as sheep for the slaughter; but in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us, as the apostle says, "Who shall separate us from the love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or peril, or sword? As is written." Rom. 8:35.
O my dear lamb, He is such a faithful King whom we serve; He will not forsake us but assist us in water, sword and fire: for He says by the prophet Isaiah, "Though a mother should forsake her own child, yet will I not forsake thee, but keep thee as the apple of mine eye." Isa. 49:15; Zech. 2:8.

O my dear sister, this is for us a glorious comfort in our present tribulation, and distress, which is temporal and light, says the apostle, and worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we look not at the things which are temporal, but at the things which are eternal; for eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, the things that God hath prepared for them that love Him. II Cor. 4:17, 18; I Cor. 2:9. O my dear siser in the Lord, let us choose much rather to suffer affliction with the children of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, and let us esteem the reproach of Christ great riches, and with the prophet David, much rather go into the holy sanctuary of the Lord, than in the path of the ungodly, for though he flourishes here, he must perish, for the wise man says that the hope of the ungodly is like dried thistledown. Wisd. 5:14.

But we, dear sister in the Lord, have a sure hope; though here in the sight of the unwise we seem to die, we know that we shall live forever, for it is written: They that here sow in tears shall reap with everlasting joy and gladness, and bring their sheaves into God's garner. Wisd. 3:2; Ps. 126:5, 6. O my dear sister in the Lord, when this mortal shall put on immortality, how gloriously we shall then be crowned with glorious joy, for then our joy shall not be taken from us. I Cor. 15:53; II Esd. 2:45. O my dear lamb and sister in the Lord, let us freely trust in our King, for His promises will not fail, for He will not put us off, as do these carnal lords, all of which passes away, but He will out of grace give us life eternal.

O my sister in the Lord, my desire is, to go and rest under the altar, with all my dear brethren and sisters who freely delivered up their lives unto the death, and are resting under the altar; I hope that we shall soon come to them, for we are of good courage here, by the grace of the Lord, to take, with Caleb and Joshua, the promised land. Though our enemies are many, we hope to devour them like bread, for we have overcome nearly all our enemies, but now we have before us the greatest or last enemy, which is death, but we have a strong comfort, which is the God of Jacob, who gives us strength when the need is greatest; though the billows then come against us, we hope as David says, by our God to leap over a wall, and with Paul to say, "I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me;" and we hope thus to press through, even as Christ says: Strive to enter in at straight gate, for narrow is the way which leadeth unto eternal life. And Christ further says that the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. Num. 14:9; I Cor. 15:26; Ps. 18:29; Phil. 4:13; Luke 13:24; Matthew 7:14; 11:12.

O my dear sister in the Lord, when flesh and blood must remain on the posts and stakes, then is the time of the severest conflict, for Satan also well knew to say this, when he tempted God-fearing job. Job 2:4, 5. When flesh and blood are touched, then the true faith is tried as gold in the furnace and then we must strive lawfully, to obtain through grace, the crown of eternal life, for it is written
Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation. And I will not blot out his name out of the book of life. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and I will lead him to the fountain of living water. I Pet. 1:7; II Tim. 2:5; I Cor. 9:25; Rev. 3:10, 5, 12.

O my dear sister in the Lord, what glorious promises are given us, if we only endure steadfast unto the end. To this end, may the Lord grant us and you His grace, that we may help sing the new song in Zion, with the hundred and forty-four thousand, which were not defiled with women: for they are virgins, because they did not commit whoredom with the daughters of Babylon. Rev. 14:3, 4. Herewith I will commend you, my dear sister, to the Lord and to the Word of His grace, which is able to keep you and us unto eternal life. And I herewith take leave from you, and bid you adieu on this earth, till we meet where parting will be no more, where the streets are of pure gold, and the gates of pearls and precious stones. Rev. 21. Adieu, adieu, my dear sister in the Lord.

Written by me, Sijntgen van Rousselare wife of Jeronymus, your weak sister in the Lord; take my simple letter in good part, since it has been written out of true love; for my gift is not very great. And greet with the peace of the Lord, in my name your people where you live and all dear friends, known and unknown, especially your brother and sister Passchier my familiar acquaintances. My fellow prisoners greet your love cordially with the peace of the Lord. Pray the Lord heartily for us; we will most gladly do the same for you according to our weak ability. And let us always persevere steadfastly, that no one may take our crown, but that we may with the wise virgins enter into joyful rest. Amen.

SIJNTGEN VAN ROUSSELARE.

 

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FRANCOYS VAN LEUVEN, HANSKEN VAN OUDEN
AERDEN AND GRIETGEN VAN SLUYS, IN THE
YEAR 1573

In, the year 1573, there were put to death at Ghet in Flanders, for the genuine faith of the truth, and for following Christ, Francoys van Leuven (the son of Willem van Leuven, separately mentioned in this book), the uncle of Jan Doom; Hansken van Oudenaerden, born at Geertsberge; and Grietgen van Sluys, born at Tielt, in Guelderland. These were at said place, by the envious and bloodthirsty generation of Cain, and not of Judah, put to death most ignominiously, as not worthy to be tolerated upon the earth, not on account of any misdeed, but only because they, according to the command of the eternal God, had separated from this corrupt world, which lies in inhuman wickedness, and sought, according to their weak ability, to follow Christ in the regeneration; and as the light can have no fellowship with darkness, this tyranny was inflicted upon them by the rulers of darkness, because they held the genuine faith of the truth, and thus they became partakers of the sufferings of Christ, wherefore they shall also with Christ, when His glory shall be revealed, receive great joy and gladness, and enjoy the same forever. I Peter. 4:13.

LIPPIJNTGEN STAYAERTS, SIJNTGEN BARNINGE, OR
LAME SIJNTGEN, A. D. 1573

In the same year there were imprisoned at Ghent, in Flanders, for the truth of the holy Gospel, Lippijntgen Stayaerts, a native of Ghent; and Sijntgen Barninge, called Lame Sijntgen, born at Kortrijck in Flanders. As these had also betaken themselves into the way of righteousness, under the banner of their only and eternal Shepherd Christ Jesus, the ministers of antichrist inflicted upon them the same treatment which their Captain Himself had met with, and which He had also foretold and promised His followers: not to be loved and highly esteemed by the world but the very opposite, namely, hatred, tribulation, crosses, persecution and death.

Thus it happened, after manifold trials and temptations which they suffered for Christ's sake, that they were sentenced to death by the rulers of darkness, and beheaded with the sword in the court's castle. And as Sijntgen was lame, she was carried upon the scaffold in a chair, and as she held up her folded hands rather high, a brother (named Natanael de Tollenaer, a brother of Joost de Tollenaer) cried, "Lamb, look out for your bands;" and so they also cut off her two thumbs. Thus they did not love their lives unto death, but willingly delivered up their earthly house for the heavenly; hence there is prepared for them a building of God, a house which, in unspeakable glory, shall endure forever in heaven. II Corinthians 5:1.

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MAEYKEN VAN DEVENTER, PUT TO DEATH FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, AT ROTTERDAM IN HOLLAND, A. D. 1573

Not only those of the city of Ghent, in Flanders, of whom we have just spoken, but also those of Rotterdam, in Holland, again imbrued their hands at this time in the blood of the saints. This appeared in the case of a very pious and God-fearing heroine of Jesus Christ, who, a native of Deventer according to the flesh, was nevertheless from the heavenly Jerusalem, born again of God; whose name here upon earth was Maeyken van Deventer, while her inward and spiritual name was known only to God, and recorded in the secret book of God's perpetual remembrance.

She was apprehended for her saving faith, in the city of Rotterdam, in Holland, without any fear from the neighboring cities, as -the city of Dortrecht had already a year before, under the reign of the Prince of Orange, William I, capitulated, no longer to shed innocent blood on -. -count of the faith; which had taken place in July, A. D. 1572, while this occurred about the middle of the year 1573.

They did not stop at imprisonment, but proceeded further with her, so that when she could not be turned from her steadfast and true faith, sentence of death was speedily pronounced upon her, that she should be put to death, as an immovable and obstinate heretic. O God, how couldst Thou tolerate it!

This sentence was speedily executed on her by the executioner, so that, having commended her soul into the hands of God, she left her body upon earth as a prey.

Observations concerning the death sentence of
Maeyken van Deventer

We have taken much trouble, to obtain, if possible, the death sentence of this pious woman Maeyken van Deventer, as well as of others of our dear fellow believers that were put to death at Rotterdam; but we have been informed by the secretary there, who searched for it, that in the year 1600, just fifty-nine years ago, there was a great fire in the city hall, whereby the examinations and death sentences of said martyrs were all burned, together with all that had been recorded with regard to this, previous to the year 1600, as we also, for the year1572, showed to have occurred at Breda; certainly a lamentable matter, which might cause to pass into oblivion that which we ought constantly to remember, namely, the steadfast death of the saints. To prevent such oblivion, we have deemed it necessary to notice this matter more fully than has ever before been done. This by way of notice.

 

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A TESTAMENT MADE BY MAEYKEN VAN DEVENTER
FOR HER CHILDREN

My children according to the flesh, but, alas! not according to the spirit, here is a testament, which I, your mother, leave you, namely, Albert, Johan, Egbert, Truyken, my dear children. The Lord bless you, as Isaac blessed his son Jacob, that he should be a ruler over his brethren. My children in the flesh, I must leave you young; may the Most High permit us to meet in the world to come, which shall be done before long by the Father, who will paternally bless us with His most holy name. This I expect from day to day, that, when it pleases the Lord, I may offer up my life and body for His holy name's sake, and I trust that this will not be deferred, and that the good Lord will not forget me any longer. When you hear this, sorrow not, as the world does, which has no hope, or knows not where they shall be; but thank the Most High, that you had a mother who was found worthy to shed her blood for the name of the Lord, and who, through His great grace and mercy, may be counted as a witness or martyr. Hence, my children, respect this testament which I leave you.

I cannot leave you gold or silver, nor can I give you treasures of this world, as the world gives to her children; for this I did not take with me, but left it to your carnal father; and this I also did not seek, but I sought the eternal riches, which are imperishable. Do you also seek this way, and you shall live forever; and follow this testament and the instruction which I here write you. Even as Christ Jesus our forerunner left such to us for an everlasting testament, and sealed it with His blood; such a testament I also leave you, and will likewise seal the same with my blood, even as the blessed Jesus did. My children, do not set at naught or lightly esteem this; be not heedless: it is better than gold, for it will save your souls. If you do what I write you, you shall see me again in great glory, and you shall be as kings and queens; but you must keep yourselves from this corruptible world, for it shall pass away with all its lusts.

Hear, my children, the instruction of your mother, and incline your hearts to understanding, and open your ears to hear the words of my mouth, for I seek the salvation of your souls; believe me, and no one else, that you may come to me and live forever. Behold, my children, I hold before you the way of my Bridegroom, and our forerunner, Christ Jesus, who went before me, which leads to the truth, as the Lord has commanded me; and behold, I take up my cross, and follow the Saviour of the whole world.

Do so, too, my children; I shall go before you, without looking backfor this is the way of the prophets and.. martyrs, and behold, I shall now drink the cup which they., drank. I now go the way which Christ Jesus, the Lord full of all grace and truth; who laid down His life for His sheep, went; this cup I must drink, as Christ says, "I have a cup to drink of, and a,baptism to be baptized with;, and how am I straitened till it be, accomplished,l" klatthew 20:22; Luke 12:50. And having thus passed. through, He calls His sheep, and his sheep hear His. voice, and .follow Him whithersoever Ile. goes, for this is the way to the living fountain; this way went the .priestly kings coining from the rising of the sun, as is written in Revelation (Rev. 16:12 ), and entered into eternity.

And behold; they had to drink of this cup, and to go this way, who are now under the altar, crying and saying, "Lord almighty Father, how long dost thou not avenge our blood on then that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given them, and it was answered unto them: Bear yet for a little season, till the number of your brethren that shall also be killed yet for the testimony of Jesus Christ be fulfilled." Rev. 6:9-11. These also drank of the cup, and ascended up to enjoy the eternal Sabbath of the Lord. And of this cup also those had to drink who are crowned, have palms in their hands, and are clothed in white. Yea, this is also the. way trod by. the four and twenty elders that. stand before the throne of God, and cast their crowns from their heads, and their harps before the throne of the Lamb, and falling down upon their faces, .say;"O God, to thee alone be praise, honor and glory, power and strength, forever and ever.

Lord almighty God, who wilt speedily avenge the blood of thy servants and ministers, thine be the victory; magnified by thy name, which is, and which was, and which is to come." Rev. 4:10, 11. This way also walked the marked of the Lord, who had the mark in their foreheads, who were chosen out of all the kindreds of men, who were not defiled with women, but follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. 7:3; 14:3, 4. Behold, these had tp drink the bitter cup, and also all those that are still lacking of the number and fulfillment of Zion, which is the bride of the Lainb, and the new Jerusalem, which shall descend out of heaven, in which city and throne the glory of the great King shall be revealed and seen, when the marriage feast shall be kept and celebrated in the'day of the high and; holy Sabaoth, the Lord their God, which is the day of their rest -and joy, 6:11; 21:10.

Behold, all these first ,suffered the judgment in their flesh, and had to hear the punishment of this world,' for 'Jesus Christ -wa's the first one, as is written"The Lamb -.slain"from the foundation of the world;" and Paul says, that whom; He did foreknow He also did predestinate to be conformed to the linage of His Son. Rev. 13:8; Roin. 8:29. Christ our Saviour also says, that the servant is not better than his lord, nor the disciple above his master; lint it is enough for the disciple, that he be as his master. Matthew 10:24, 25. This also Peter declares to us, who says that the time is. come that judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it first begin at God's elect, what shall the end be of them that have not believed the Gospel of God?and if the righteous scarcely be Saved, where shall the unrighteous appear? I Pet. 4:17, 18.

Hence, my dear children, press through the strait gate, for strait and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it, and still less that walk it; but wide and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that walk therein. Matt. 7:13, 14.

Therefore, my children, heed the chastening and instruction of the Lord, and bow your shoulders under His yoke and easy burden, and bear it patiently from your, youth, thanking Him with great honor, for He receives no sons whom He does 'not chasten, for if you forsake chastisement after this manner, whereof we all are become partakers, you are not children, but bastards, and you shall be cast out of your Father's inheritance. Heb. 12:6.

Hence, my dear children, gird your loins, and follow Christ, and neither fear nor rest till you have found this way. And search the Scriptures:'they shall show you the way of life, for the angel says, to Esdras, "Behold, a city is builded, and set upon a broad field, and is full of all good things: tli.~ entrance thereof is narrow, and set in a dangerous place to fall, like' as if there were a fire on the right hand, and on the left a deep water: and one only path between them both, even between the fire and the water, so small that there could but one main go there at once. If this city now were given unto a man for an inheritance, if he never shall pass the danger set before it, how shall he receive this inlieritance?" Behold; my children, this way has no retreats; there are also no byways, that lie on the right hand or on the left; this is the: way which is found by so few, and trod by still fewer; yea, there are indeed some that-see it who well know that this is the way unto life, but it is too hard for them; it hurts them far too much.

Therefore, my children, regard not the great multitude, neither walk in their ways; refrain your feet from their path, for they go to hell, even as sheep to the, slaughter, as the prophet Isaiah tells us saying, "Hell hath opened wide her mouth, that there may enter in the princes of the earth, and the common people." For it is a people of no understanding; therefore he that made them Will not have mercy on them. Prov. 1:15; Isa. 59:7; 5:14; 27:11.

 

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Continued...

But, my children, remember what I write, and wherever you hear that there is a plain, rejected little flock, that is despised and cast out by this world.; join them; and wherever you hear of the cross, of Christ, depart not away. But flee the shadow of this world, go to God; fear Him alone; keep; His commandments; remember all His words to"do after them; write them upon the tables of your heart; and bind them on your forehead, and speak of His statutes night and day, and you shall be a pleasant branch in the garden of the Lord, yea, a beloved plant growing up in Zion.

My children, call the fear of the Lord your Father, and wisdom and understanding shall be your mother. If you do this, my c'_:ildren, the Lord shall bless you, and sanctify your body for His service that His name, may be sanctified through you, and magnified to His glory. Confess Him before men, that He may also confess you before His heavenly Father. Yea, forsake your life, my children, rather than that you should depart from the truth. And follow me; I go before you as a valiant soldieress, who is prepared for the war or conflict of the Lord, that I may deliver up my life for the name of the Lord. My children, I, your mother, the instrument whereby you have been brought into this sorrowful world, desire your salvation.

Believe me what I write you and have left you, and no one else, except what they say agrees with the holy Scriptures. If you do this, you shall come to me, and I to you. If you lose your body, which is of the earth, the Lord has prepared you a better in heaven. Hence, my children, strive valiantly unto death for the truth and for righteousness, and arm yourselves with the armor of God, that you may be found valiant Israelites; trample down the world and all unrighteousness that is therein; love or seek only that which is above, and remember that you are not of the world, even as your Lord and Master was also not of the world. John 15:19; 17:16. And be diligent, that you too may be found disciples; whatsoever you shall ask then, shall be done unto you; for no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost, for the true worshipers shall worship God in Spirit and in truth; for these Christ prayed, and not for the world, for when the world prays, it calls upon the devil, and they desire that his will be done in them. John 15:7; I Cor. 12:3; John 4 23; 17:9.

Hence, my dear children, do not become conformed to it; flee from it, and have no fellowship with it. Rom. 12:2; Eph. 5:11. Regard not what is fair to the eyes, for it is all vanity; seek only those things which are above, and set your affection on things above, and not on things on the earth Col. 3:1, 2. Let your eyes ever look to the Lord and always labor with prayer and supplication, that you may ever be with Him in heart. Heb. 12:2. Let your laughter be turned to weeping, for we are pilgrims here upon earth; and let there be nothing in this world, which can rejoice you, for it is all vanity, and passes away. Jas. 4:9; I Peter 2:11; II Cor. 4:18. Beware of covetousness with regard to earthly riches, for this is the true foundation of perdition. Luke 12:15; I Tim. 6:9. Re member me. The Lord cause you to walk in His fear, and fill you with His Holy Spirit and sanctify your understanding and mind. My children, be circumspect in all your conversation, and whatsoever you do, therein let the name of the Lord be praised and blessed. Col. 3:17.

And guard, yourlips, that you may riot take the name of God into your mouth in vain, for this is a great unrecognized sin; and do not use the name of God, except you do it with great reverence, with bended knees and with uncovered head, or it will be accounted ill to you. Ex. 20:7. Pray God that you may learn to know Him, and be not ashamed to confess and honor Him, who can save your souls; for the Lord will not tolerate that His people deny Him, for it is enough that the world dishonors and denies Him; hence let us honor, praise and glorify His holy name with the whole heart, for it is written, that whosoever takes the name of the Lord in vain is worthy of death.

Therefore, my children, love your neighbor heartily, and this with a liberal heart. Let the light of the Gospel shine in you. II Cor. 4:4. Deal your bread to the hungry, clothe the naked, and do not suffer anything to remain with you double, since there are enough that lack. Isa. 58:7. And whatsoever the Lord grants you, that possess with thankfulness, not only for yourselves, but also for your neighbor, and seek not your own profit, but that of your neighbor. In short, my children, let your life be conformed to the Gospel of Christ. And the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, that your whole spirit, soul and body may be found blameless unto the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory, power and majesty forever and ever. Amen. Heb. 13:20, 21; I Thessalonians 5:23.


A PRAYER BY SAID MAEYKEN VAN DEVENTER

O holy Father, sanctify the children of Thy handmaiden in Thy truth, and keep them from all evil, and from all unrighteousness, for Thy holy name's sake. O Almighty Father, I commend them unto You, since they are Thy creatures;.care for them, for they are Thy handiwork; so that they may walk in Thy paths. Amen.

 

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FIVE PIOUS CHRISTIANS, HANS VAN MUNSTDORP AND JANNEKEN MUNSTDORP. HIS WIFE, TOGETHER WITH MARIKEN, LIJSKEN, AND MAEYKEN, ALL BURNED TOGETHER AT STAKES, AT ANTWERP; IN THE YEAR 1573

The awful murderer's den of the city of Antwerp, though full of stakes, slain bodies, and the ashes of the saints, was at this time not yet sated with the many massacres that were perpetrated:for the sake of the true faith on the innocent sheep of Christ. This appeared also in the case of five pious Christians, namely, Hans van Munstdorp and Janneken Munstdorp his wife, together .with Mariken, Lijsken and .Maeyken. These were; about the year 1573 while they were gathered to hear the Word of God, apprehended together and con, fined in the prison at Antwerp.But when they could in no manner be turned from the steadfastness of their faith, notwithstanding many terrible threats, disputations with worldly, learned men, and other means were used against them, it was determined to put them all to death, and this not in an easy or short manner, but by fire, till life' in them, should be extinct.

This was first put into execution on Hans van Munstd6ip, who, about the month of September of the aforesaid year, was taken out of the fold, away from the other four, as a sheep for the slaughter, and; according to the sentence passed, put to death with a huge fire, which severe and grievous death he steadfastly endured, with a heart full of good cheer:

The reason why the other four persons were not put to death with him, was chiefly because his wife Janneken Munstdorp was very far advanced in pregnancy, and was soon to be delivered, which

took place shortly after her dear husband was burnt. She was delivered of a little daughter, whom she, since she was now also soon to die, named, after her own name, Janneken, and made great haste to get the child (before the priests should lay hands on it) to the friends, to whom she heartily commended it, and also wrote a testament full of excellent instructions to this little daughter, when she was about a month old, which testarnent the friends preserved for her.

When the time of her offering up was at hand, so that she was sentenced on the 6th of October, to follow her husband by a like death; which message also the other three women, namely, Mariken, Lijskeiz, and Maeyken, received, for which they joyfully and willingly prepared themselves, longing for the hour of their redemption.

This sentence was executed on them at the time and hour appointed, when they offered up to the Lord a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable, for which they shall hereafter be exempt from eternal fire, and permitted to enter into the blessed enjoyment in the paradise of God. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is .in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Revelation 7:16, 17.

With regard to these sacrificed friends, see a hymn in the Rotterdam Hymnal, beginning

Och vrienden al to samen, hoort, Hoe wy op Bainis-dagh waren verstoort, etc.

NOTE--It appears to us from all the circumstances, that one of these women, who is called Maeyken, bore the surname Wens, and that she is the same martyress that has been previously, noticed, as we have also stated in that place.

 

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A LETTER WHICH HANS VAN MUNSTDORP WROTE
TO HIS WIFE, WHEN THEY WERE BOTH IN
BONDS IN THE PRISON AT ANTWERP, FOR
THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST

An affectionate greeting to you my beloved wife whom I love from the heart, and greatly cherish above every other creature, and must now forsake for the truth, for the sake of which we must count all things loss, and love Him above all. I hope, though men separate us here, that the Lord will again join us together in His eternal kingdom, where no one will be able to part us, and we shall reign forever in the heavenly abode. Hence I inform you, my beloved wife, that my mind is still unwaveringly fixed to adhere to the eternal truth. [I hope] by the grace of the Lord, that this is also the purpose of your mind, which I would be rejoiced to hear. I herewith exhort you my beloved lamb, with the apostle: As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith, and suffer yourself not to be moved from your purpose through philosophy or vain deceit of men, whereby they seek to seduce the hearts of the simple, showing them in fair colors the apple of pleasure, whereby they are deceived, even as there are some here, as you know. Pierijntgen has also tasted of the apple, as I understand; hence, my faithful lamb, take heed and lust not after evil things. I Cor. 10:6. And look not back with Lot's wife, lest you become like her. Gen. 19:26.

Remember the word of the Lord, "No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." Luke 9:62. Hence, my beloved lamb, always remember, as the prophet says, the crown, which shall come in the end, and of the vengeance that shall come upon the ungodly. The prophet says, "Woe to the rebellious children that forsake the Lord, the fountain of life; woe unto them for they that depart from him shall be written in the earth." Isa. 30:1; Jer. 17:13. Hence, my beloved, hearken not to them, for their work shall be found wood, straw, and stubble in the day of vengeance, and it shall be burned with fire, as is written. I Cor. 3:12, 13. Therefore, my beloved lamb, whom I so affectionately love and cherish as my own soul, persevere steadfastly, this I pray you, till you are taken away, as I trust you will do. And do not regard flesh or blood, for it must all pass away. Though we have here a rejected and vile body, the Lord shall fashion it like unto His own glorious body, on condition that we adhere to the truth unto death. Phil. 3:21; Rev. 2:10. Take this in good part. Always remember the eternal riches. I herewith greet you in the Lord, out of cordial love, and also your companions; rejoice one another in the Lord, be glad in the lions' den, and trust in the God of Daniel.

Herewith adieu and farewell. Bide the time with patience; be patient in the conflict, and rejoice in hope. Let me know, if you can, whether you havereceived it. Always remember me kindly in your fervent prayers. I hope also not to forget you, whom I would carry in my heart, if it were possible. This butter, it seems to me came from Grietgen Wevels. I greet you most cordially therewith. Adieu and farewell, my lamb, my love; adieu and farewell, to all that fear God; adieu and farewell, until the marriage of the Lamb in the New Jerusalem. Be valiant and of good cheer; cast the troubles that assail you upon the Lord, and He will not forsake you; cleave to Him, and you will not fall. Love God above all; have love and truth; love your salvation, and keep your promises to the Lord.

NOTE.-Through a certain good friend a very affectionate and consolatory testament of Janneken Munstdorp, the wife of Hans van Munstdorp, has been put into our hands, which she wrote in prison at Antwerp, after the offering up of her husband, when she was in daily expectation of death, to her dear little daughter-to whom she had given birth in prison, and who was now only about a month old-for a perpetual remembrance, farewell, and adieu from this evil world. It reads as follows

[TESTAMENT] WRITTEN TO JANNEKEN MY OWN DEAREST DAUGHTER, WHILE I WAS (UNWOR THILY) CONFINED FOR THE LORD'S SAKE, IN PRISON, AT ANTWERP, A. D. 1573

The true love of God and wisdom of the Father strengthen you in virtue, my dearest child.; the Lord of heaven and earth, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the Lord in Israel, keep you in His virtue, and strengthen and confirm your understanding in His truth. My dear little child, I commend you to the Almighty, great and terrible God, who only is wise, that He will keep you, and let you grow up in His fear, or that He will take you home in your youth, this is my heart's request of the Lord: you who are yet so young, and whom I must leave here in this wicked, evil, perverse world.

Since, then, the Lord has so ordered and foreordained it, that I must leave you here, and you are here deprived of father and mother, I will commend you to the Lord; let Him do with you according to His holy will. He will govern you. and be a Father to you, so that you shall have no lack here, if you only fear God; for He will be the Father of the orphans and the Protector of the widows.

Hence, my dear lamb, I who am imprisoned and bound here for the Lord's sake, can help you in no other way; I had to leave your father for the Lord's sake, and could keep him only a short time. We were permitted to live together only half a year, after which we were apprehended, because we sought the salvation of our souls. They took him from me, not knowing my condition, and I had to remain in imprisonment, and see him go before me; and it was a great grief to him, that I had to remain here in prison. And now that I have abided the time, and borne you under my heart with great sorrow for nine months, and given birth to you here in prison, in great pain, they have taken you from me. Here I lie, expecting death every morning, and shall now soon follow your dear father. And I, your dear mother, write you, my dearest child, something for a remembrance, that you will thereby remember your dear father and your dear mother.

Since I am now delivered up to death, and must leave you here alone, I must through these lines cause you to remember, that when you have attained your understanding, you endeavor to fear God, and see and examine why and for whose name we both died; and be not ashamed to confess us before the world, for you must know that it is not for the sake of any evil. Hence be not ashamed of us; it is the way which the prophets and the apostles went, and the narrow way which leads into eternal life, for there shall no other way be found by which to be saved.

Hence, my young lamb, for whose sake I still have, and have had, great sorrow, seek, when you have attained your understanding, this narrow way, though there is sometimes much danger in it according to the flesh, as we may see and read, if we diligently examine and read the Scriptures, that much is said concerning the cross of Christ. And there are many in this world who are enemies of the cross, who seek to be free from it among the world, and to escape it. But, my dear child, if we would with Christ seek and inherit salvation, we must also help bear His cross; and this is the cross which He would have us bear: to follow His footsteps, and to help bear His reproach; for Christ Himself says, "Ye shall be persecuted, killed, and dispersed for my name's sake." Yea, He Himself went before us in this way of reproach, and left us an example, that we should follow His steps; for, for His sake all must be forsaken, father, mother, sister, brother, husband, child, yea, one's own life.

 

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Continued...

I must now also forsake all this for the Lord's sake, which the world is not worthy to suffer; for if we had continued in the world, we would have had no trouble. For when we were one with the world and practiced idolatry, and loved all manner of unrighteousness, we could live at peace with the world; but when we desired to fear God, and to shun such improper ways, well knowing that this could not please God, wherefore we sought to shun all this, and turned from idolatry to the worship of the living God, and sought here in quietness and gentleness to practice our ~3ith, then they did not leave us in peace; then our blood was sought; then we had to be a prey to everyone, and become a spectacle to all the world. They seek here to murder and to burn us; we are placed at posts and stakes, and our flesh is given as food to the worms.

Thus, my dear child, it is now fulfilled in your dear father and mother. It was indeed prophesied to us beforehand, that this was awaiting us; but not everyone is chosen hereunto, nor expects it; theLord has chosen us hereunto. Hence, when you have attained your understanding, follow this example of your father and mother. And, my dear child, this is my request of you, since you are still very little and young; I wrote this when you were but one month old. As I am soon now to offer up my sacrifice, by the help of the Lord, I leave you this, "That you fulfill my request, always uniting with them that fear God; and do not regard the pomp and boasting of the world, nor the great multitude, whose way leads to the abyss of hell, but look at the little flock of Israelites, who have no freedom anywhere, and must always flee from one land to the other, as Abraham did; that you may hereafter obtain your fatherland; for if you seek your salvation, it is easy to perceive which is the way that leads to life, or the way that leads into hell. Above all things, seek the kingdom of heaven and His righteousness; and whatever you need besides shall be added unto you. Matt. 6:33."

Further, my dear child, I pray you, that wherever you live when you are grown up, and begin to have understanding, you conduct yourself well and honestly, so that no one need have cause to complain of you. And always be faithful, taking good heed not to wrong any one. Learn to carry your hands always uprightly, and see that you like to work, for Paul says, "If any will not work, neither shall he eat." II Thess. 3:10. And Peter says, "He that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil." I Pet. 3:10.

Hence, my dear Janneken, do not accustom your mouth to filthy talk, nor to ugly words that are not proper, nor to lies; for a liar has no part in the kingdom of heaven; for it is written, "The mouth that lieth slayeth the soul." Hence beware of this, and run not in the street as other bad children do; rather take up a book, and learn to seek there that which concerns your salvation.

And where you have your home, obey those whose bread you eat. If they speak evil, do you speak well. And learn always to love to be doing something; and do not think yourself too good for any thing, nor exalt yourself, but condescend to the lowly, and always honor the aged wherever you are.

I leave you here; Oh, that it had pleased the Lord, that I might have brought you up; I should so gladly have done my best with respect to it; but it seems that it is not the Lord's will. And though it had not come thus, and I had remained with you for a time, the Lord could still take me from you, and then, too, you should have to be without me, even as it has now gone with your father and myself, that we could live together but so short a time, when we were so well joined since the Lord had so well mated us, that we would not have forsaken each other for the whole world, and yet we had to leave each other for the Lord's sake. So I must also leave you here, my dearest lamb; the Lord that created and made you now takes me from you, it is His holy will.

I must now pass through this narrow way which the prophets and martyrs of Christ passed through, and many thousands who put off the mortal clothing; who died here ,.for Christ, and now they wait under, the altar till their number shall be fulfilled, of which number your dear father is one. And I am now on the point of following him, .for I am delivered up to death, as,. it appears in .the eyes of- man; but if it were not the will of the Lord (though it seems that I am delivered up to death), He could yet easily; deliver me out of their hands and give me back to, you, my child. Even as the Lord returned to -Abraham his son Isaac, so He could still easily do it; He is still the same God that delivered Daniel out of the lion's, den, and the three young men out of ahe fiery furnace; He could still easily deliver me out of the hands of man.

Now, my child, if this be not. so, I know, that He is faithful and faithfully:keeps His promise. Thus, my poor orphan child, always be resigned; though I and your father are now taken from you; know that you have a Father in heaven, who will doubtless well provide for you: And when you are old enough, give diligence to learn to read and write, since it is very convenient, and most profitable in this distress, for him that;fears God, that you may sometimes read this letter; a~s also the other letters, which your father left you;, do: read them, and remember us both thereby. Dear Janneken, we have not left you much of this world's goods, and I have now not much to give you, but what I have I give you.

However, we. leave you a good example to fear God, which is better than much of the temporal, goods of this world. ,Only: follow us, and you shall have wealth enough; true, you are poor here, but you shall possess much wealth, if you only fear God and shun sin. As the apostle says to the Hebrews, "My son despise. not thou the chastening of the Lord;for they that would be without chastisement are bastards, and not sons or heirs." Heb. 12:5. Hence, my dear lamb, cease not, because of the cross, to fear God, for a Christian is not made meet except by much tribulation and persecution upon this world, and we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God; for Paul says, "All that will live godly.in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." II Tim. 3:12. And Christ says, "He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me; As not worthy of me; for the servant is not better than his lord, nor the disciple above his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household." Matt. 10:38, 24, 25:

If they have persecuted' the Lord, they will also persecute us; if they have, hated Him, they will also hate us; and this they do ,because they have not known my Father, nor me, says the Almighty Lord. For His kingdom:was not of this world; had His kingdom been of this, world, the world would have loved Him; but because His .kingdom was not. of this, world; therefore the world hated Him.' So it also is now,: since our, kingdom is not of this world, the world will hate,us; but it is better for us to be despised here by the world, than Ahat we should hereafter have to mourn forever. But they that will not taste the bitter here; can hereafter not expect eternal life; for we know that Paul says, .that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall be persecuted and be a prey to everyone. .

Thus, my dear child, this way the prophets and apostles and many thousands of other God-fearing persons went before us, for an example unto us; and Christ Himself did not spare Himself for us, but delivered up Himself unto death for our sakes -how then .should He not give us all things? Hence, my dearest lamb, seek to follow this way, this I pray you, as much as you value your salvation; for this is the only way which leads to eternal life, yea, there is no other way by which we can be saved than only through Jesus Christ, as Paul says, "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (I Cor. 3:11); by whose, stripes we are healed, and through whose blood we have been dearly purchased; for we have not been bought with gold or silver, but through His bitter death, and His precious blood which He shed for us. And we were as erring sheep in this world, but now ate we redeemed through His precious and dear blood, and He has now: called us to be heirs and first-fruits of Christ.

All those that have died unto sin, and amended their lives, and are thus risen with Christ into newness.of life, these no- longer desire to live to themselves, but their life belongs to the Lord; if they live, they live to the Lord; if they die, they, die unto the Lord; they are so resigned that whether they live or die, they belong to the Lord. For, my dear lamb, what shall it avail them that Christ died, who still continue in their sins, and do not turn from this improper life in which they are still sunk, .as, drunkards, murderers, adulterers, idolaters, liars, backbiters, or railers, who cannot please God, whose works proceed only from the devil, all of which the Lord prohibits and says that except they amend their lives, they shall not inherit the kingdom of God? and it shall avail them nothing that He died, if they will not repent.

They would sin upon the grace of God, but they say not that He is just; He is indeed merciful, .but He is also just; we may, not sin upon His grace. Though we do our best to fear the Lord, and to renounce ourselves according to our ability, yea, though we did all that He commands us, which we are far from doing, we should only do that which is commanded us; we must yet confess that we are,unprofitable servants and have not merited anything,.but are guilty of eternal death. If He were -not merciful, we could not be saved; hence we may not sin upon His grace, but always strive according to our ability to follow that which he commands us.

 

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Continued...

My dear lamb; we can merit nothing, but must through grace inherit salvation; hence always endeayor to fear God, for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and he that fears the Lord will do good, and it will be well with him in this world and in that which is to come. And always join those that seek to fear the Lord from the heart, and be not conformed to the world, to do as she does, nor walk in any improper course of life; for the world shall pass away, and all the nations that serve her shall perish with her. Nor have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them; and be transformed by the renewing of your life, that you may show forth the virtues in which God has called you.

O my dearest lamb, that you might know the truth when you have attained your understanding, and that you might follow your dear father and mother, who went before you; for your dear father demonstrated with his blood that it is the genuine truth, and I also hope to attest the same with my blood, though flesh and blood must remain on the posts and on the stake, well knowing that we shall meet hereafter. Do you also follow us my dear lamb, that you too may come where we shall be, and that we may find one another there, where the Lord shall say, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning."

Then our joy shall not be taken from us. Though they have separated us here, so that we are taken from you, and must go before you, know that it was the Lord's will; if it had been His pleasure, He could easily have ordered it otherwise.

Hence, my dear child, be content; He knows what He has determined concerning you, that I must leave you here. Always be honorable and courteous toward all men, and let your modesty be manifest to all men when you have attained to your understanding.

I leave you here among my friends; I hope that my father, and my step-mother, and my brothers, and my sisters will do the best with you as long as they live. Be subject and obedient to them in every thing, so far as it is not contrary to God. I leave you what comes from my mother's death, namely, thirty guilders and over; I do not know how much it is, since I have been long imprisoned here, and do not know what it has all cost. But I hope that Grietge, my dear sister, who has shown me so much friendship, will do her best to give you what belongs to you. And as to what may come to you from your father, I do not know, since I can learn nothing about his parents, because it is so far from here; if they should inquire after you, my friends may do the best in the matter.

And now, Janneken, my dear lamb, who are yet very little and young, I leave you this letter, together with a gold real, which I had with me in prison, and this I leave you for a perpetual adieu, and for a testament; that you may remember me by it, as also by this letter. Read it, when you have understanding, and keep it as long as you live in remembrance of me and of your father, if peradventure you might be edified by it. And I herewith bid you adieu, my dear Janneken Munstdorp,and kiss you heartily, my dear lamb, with a perpetual kiss of peace. Follow me and your father, and be not ashamed to confess us before the world, for we were not ashamed to confess our faith before the world, and this adulterous generation; hence I pray you, that you be not ashamed to confess our faith, since it is the true evangelical faith, an other than which shall never be found.

Let it be your glory, that we did not die for any evil doing, and strive to do likewise, though they should also seek to kill you. And on no account cease to love God above all, for no one can prevent you from fearing God. If you follow that which is good, and seek peace, and ensue it, you shall receive the crown of eternal life; this crown I wish you and the crucified, bleeding, naked, despised, rejected and slain Jesus Christ for your bridegroom.

This I wish you for a perpetual testament, and for a perpetual adieu and farewell my dearest lamb.

Remember thereby your dear father, and me, your dear mother, who have written this with my own hand, for your edification; and always keep this gold real with you, with this letter, for a perpetual testament: I herewith bid you adieu and farewell; I hope to seal this letter with my blood at the stake.

I herewith commend you to the Lord, and to the comforting Word of His grace, and bid you adieu once more. I hope to wait for you; follow me, my dearest child.

Once more, adieu, my dearest upon earth; adieu, and nothing more; adieu, follow me; adieu and farewell.

Written on the 10th of August, A. D. 1573, at Antwerp.

This is the testament which I wrote in prison for my daughter Janneken, whom I bore and gave birth to here in my bonds.

By me your dearest mother, imprisoned for the Lord's sake.

JANNEKEN MUNSTDORP.

NOTE.-With this testament we also received a letter which the same Janneken van Munstdorp wrote to her dear father and mother, who, as it seems, had not yet come to the true faith; who are by her exhorted to the best, and to whom she in the meantime commends her little child.

 

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COPY OF A LETTER BY JANNEKEN MUNSTDORP'S
OWN HAND, WRITTEN AT ANTWERP IN PRISON
TO HER FATHER AND MOTHER, ON THE 19TH
OF SEPTEMBER, A. D. 1573

My dear father and my dear mother, I wish you a true understanding, and a contrite spirit in your hearts, to fear God, for an affectionate greeting.

After all cordial and proper salutation, I now leave you my dear and most affectionately beloved father and dear, beloved mother, without forgetting all my dear brothers and sisters, whom I must now leave for the Lord's sake, and I expect not to see your faces any more in this world, because I am imprisoned and bound here, and this for the Lord's sake, and am daily expecting to be sentenced to death.

Hence, my dear father, since the Lord through His great grace has still given me time to write you a little, I am prompted to inform you concerning my bodily health; hence I write to you, that I am still tolerably well according to the flesh, and after the spirit I am still determined to adhere to the living, almighty, eternal God, and not to depart from Him for any tortures which they may inflict upon me, for it is written, "Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven." Hence I know that this God will deliver me out of all this sorrow, if I only remain faithful to Him, and seek no other God beside Him; I therefore hope that He will help me finish the good work begun by Him in me, that His name through me may be praised.

Hence, my dear father and mother, I would from the heart that it were also with you according to the spirit, as it is still with me at this present time

it would be a great joy to me, if you should yet come to fear the Lord. Oh, that you might yet at the last hour work in the Lord's vineyard; though you seem to be free, and are not imprisoned, you are not certain of a single hour as to how long you will live.

Therefore, my love, you also are commanded to watch, for in the last day you will have no excuse that you can make, that you did not know which is the narrow way that leads to eternal life, of which Esdras speaks, on the one side of which there is water, and on the other side fire; and there are many that know this way, but few that walk it.

Thus, dear father and mother, water and fire are set before us, and we may choose which we will, life or death. Hence, dear father, we have here in this life sought the salvation of our souls, that we may exchange this death for eternal life, this corruptible for the incorruptible; for the sufferings of this world are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed to us. Though we are here robbed of all men, and accounted as a sport and spectacle to all the world, they shall yet have to confess in the last day that they shed the innocent blood; they shall then see whom they have pierced. Though we are here accounted poor, we shall yet have much wealth, if we fear God and shun sin.

Hence, my dear father and mother, though you must now sometimes hear that I am imprisoned for a base sect, or heretical doctrine, which I presume is said and has been said,-many things are said about us, which are not true,-you well know that it is not for any evil, but that it is only for the sake of our salvation. Though we are despised here, it is nevertheless the genuine truth, and there shall never any other be found; I have sought nothing else herein.

If I did not want to be saved, I should seek an easy life as gladly as others; for he that would fearGod must expect all these, tribulation, suffering, bonds, and imprisonment, and we can nowhere have a free place; for it is given unto us not only to believe in God, but also to suffer for His name. Hence, my dear father and mother, though I must here die for Christ's sake, and men say all manner of evil about me, let it not cause you sorrow; for if they have called the Lord Beelzebub, how much more them that believe in Him? Hence be not surprised, and only deal kindly with my little child, which I bore and gave birth to in great sorrow here in my bonds, which I love as my own soul, so that I can not write of it without tears, when I think of my dear husband, of whom I bore it, and that I must now leave it here.

But the Lord knows why He has so ordered it that I had to leave here a little orphan child. I commend it to you, and to Him who created and made it; I trust that He will not suffer it to be wronged, though it is here deprived of father and mother. The Lord well knows how I bore it, and for whose sake it was; hence, exercise a parental care for it, my dear father and you dear mother; as long as you live show the love which you bear to me to my dear child; he that loves the tree, will also love the branches.

Oh, oh I that the Lord would take it, what a great joy it would be to me, since I mutt die. O that it had been the will of the Lord, that I could yet have brought it up, in what great regard I should have held it for my dear husband's sake; though I should have suffered want with it, I should not have parted with it; but the will of the Lord be done. I am possibly not fit to offer up a sacrifice to the Lord; He has perhaps some purpose with me, that He still suffers me to be confined here. I did not think that I would remain in confinement here so long. Hence, dear father, I was much afraid of long imprisonment, and it has now come upon me, which greatly grieves me, as I well know that the expense here is very great, and that I am a great burden to my sister; for she has great trouble and expense here, though I know that she does it gladly from the heart.

But, my dear father, I know that her ability is not great, and yet I do not know how to thank her fully for it, nor have I ever merited from her, what she has shown and given me; for she has shown her love in time of need-one sometimes has friends indeed, till he needs them. In time of need one will know his friends. Oh, that I had been taken away at the first, that you would not have needed to have any expense on my account. But, my dear father and mother, I hope that you will not leave me in need; I hope that you will help my sister in paying for the board, though I wrote you in the letter, that it should remain, that you should keep it for my child.

My father, you might well think that we did not have much to live on, since we did not have much when we were married, and our married life did not last long. Therefore I thought that you should keep that which was, though it is not much, for my child; and since you wrote that my sister would care for me, I thought that you were helping me therein, though my sister has done her best to help me, and I know that it is a great burden for her. And they have given me much, that I should not go into the dungeon, which I was willing to do, because it lasts so long, and the expense here is so great, though one is also not confined without expense in the dungeon, in which one also can not see; hence they do not wish to leave me in want, nor to let me go into the dungeon because of the money.

Further, dear father, I inform you that I sent letters with Hans van der Dam, but I have not yet received an answer. If I am taken hence, snake inquiries whether there is still anything left; it would come my child in good stead. I also wrote my child a testament, to remember me and its father by it. When it attains to the years of understanding, and you are still alive, cause it to read the same sometimes, that it may know why its father and mother died. Further, dear father, I know nothing special to write you; but if I should write you no more, and I should soon enter on my journey, write me a letter speedily, how it is with you and my child; and if you should hear from Hans, have my brother Passchier write a letter to send to his father.

Nothing special for this time, but I herewith take leave and farewell from you my dear father and mother, and from all my dear brothers and sisters; and for my sake do not forget my dear child; always remember me by it. Once more adieu; greet my lady very heartily, and tell her I thank her much for all the favor she has shown me; the Lord will leave no good deed unrewarded. Herewith farewell; kiss my child for me, and often visit it. And greet Pleuntjen and Lieven most cordially in my name, and tell them that I request them to do the best with the child, for I have the confidence concerning them that they love it for my sake, for it is a pledge of love, which I love more than all else that is upon the earth. I hope now soon to follow my husband, if it is the Lord's will. Oh, that I might have died with him, to obtain the kingdom of God together with him. Herewith farewell, my dear father and mother; I commend you to God.

By me, your dear daughter, imprisoned at Antwerp for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

JANNEKEN MUNSTDORP.