Part 205
The unfathomable and abundant great grace and mercy of God our heavenly Father, given and bestowed upon us through Jesus Christ the Son of the true and living God, and Jesus Christ, with all his humility, meekness, and great holiness, yea, the great power, consolation and full joy of the Holy Ghost, this we wish you from the depth of our soul, and with all the strength of our heart, our dear and much beloved chosen sister in the Lord, together with all that fear and love the Lord, and call on him out of a pure heart. This is our perpetual, blessed wish, yea, holy salutation; may the Lord grant you this our blessed wish and holy salutation, and make you wise in that which is good, and simple in that which is evil; so that you may be found upright and perfect, fearing God, and eschewing evil. Amen.
Further, dear and much beloved chosen sister in the Lord, we wish you and also us, and all men, the eternal, great and blessed treasure to which Christ compares the kingdom of heaven; which a man found and hid, and for joy over it went and sold all that he had, and bought that field. Yes dear sister in the Lord, let us also be minded as he was that had found the treasure, since the treasure is now also revealed to us, through Jesus Christ the Son of God. let us also hide it, and this with great diligence, with prayer, supplication and fasting in the Spirit to God, for where there is a treasure, the thieves and murderers seek to get it; hence let us take good heed that it be not taken from us, and let us go in righteousness and peace, and with great joy and gladness, in the Holy Ghost; for the kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Rom. 14:17. Hence let us thus go on, since to us is revealed the treasure that lies hidden in the field before so many. Let us therefore be diligent, yes, dear sister; let us go on, and with great steadfastness in meekness follow the infallible truth Jesus Christ; for he is the way, the truth, and the life. Hence let us always follow him, and let us thus go on until the time that we have forsaken and sold everything, and let us then buy the field in which the treasure is hid; for he that does not forsake everything, says Christ, is not worthy of me. For if it were hid in a great, broad field many would come and seek for it, but only one would find the treasure; so also the good and blessed treasure, Jesus Christ the Son of God, lies hid in the field of the holy Scriptures, and many indeed come and seek for it, but only one finds the same; namely, all the members that are in the body of which Jesus Christ is the head, have found the treasure Jesus Christ, with all his graces and merits, and also eternal life. They now may well greatly rejoice in the Holy Ghost, that they have found the great, beautiful, and holy treasure (Jesus Christ), and say with the prophet: The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; the Lord is the portion of my inheritance: therefore I will not fear; though my flesh and my heart fail, thou, O Lord, art the strength of my heart, and my portion forever; yea, the Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I hope in him. Ps. 16:6,5; 73:26; Lam. 3:24.
Therefore my dear and much beloved chosen sister in the Lord, let us go on with a valiant, firm and strong confidence, and with great humility and meekness of heart, and with a great desire after our holy and blessed treasure (Jesus Christ); and the Lord shall desire our beauty, and when the Lord shall come with his mighty angels, and with the sound of the trumpet, in the clouds, to reward every man according to his works, then shall the elect be gathered together from the four winds of heaven, and they shall, as sheep, be set on his right hand, and the ungodly, as goats, on the left; then shall we hear the sweet and blessed words: Come, ye blessed, inherit the kingdom of my Father, prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 2 Thess. 1:7; Matt. 16:27; 24:30,31; 25:33,34. Then we shall enter into the great, beautiful and imperishable glory of the Lord, where we shall be in great glory and unspeakable, great and eternal joy, and thus forever be with the Lord of lords, King of kings, God of gods, and Father of fathers, and praise, thank, glorify, honor and sanctify him, for Holy, holy, is the holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come, Rev. 4:8. But to them on the left hand he shall say: Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for you and the devil; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Hence, O dear and much beloved in the Lord, let us take good heed, that we do not sleep in sin, lest our treasure be taken; for when people sleep, thieves go and rob them. But let us watch and pray and adorn ourselves as the five wise virgins, who had oil in their lamps; so that when the bridegroom comes, we may enter in to his glorious and imperishable marriage, where the Lord will be praised forever, for it is a good thing to sing praises to our God.
Herewith I commend you to the Lord, and to the rich word of his grace. Amen. Always remember us in your holy prayers to God, as Paul says: Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them. Heb. 13:2. For we also remember you for the best in our prayers, according to our weak ability, for it is written: All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Matt. 7:12.
Written out of great brotherly love, and sent by us three prisoners for the word and the holy name of the Lord, to you our dear and much beloved sister in the Lord. Amen.
BARBELKEN GOETHALS, AND SAERKEN VAN DUERHOVE, A. D. 1570.
At Ghent, in Flanders, there were imprisoned for their faith, two pious sisters, named Barbelken Goethals and Saerken van Duerhove. While confined in the convent of St. Peter, they had to resist many temptations, sufferings and vexations; but adhering nevertheless steadfastly to the divine truth, they were finally sentenced to death as heretics, and, on the 21st of November, 1570, burnt without Ghent, in consequence of which they are delivered, and shall remain so forever, from the eternal and unquenchable fire of hell.
HERE FOLLOWS A LETTER WHICH BARBELKEN GOETHALS WROTE IN PRISON, AND SENT TO JASPER N., ONE OF HER FELLOW BELIEVERS.
The abundant and unfathomable great grace peace and mercy of God our heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ, his only and eternal dear and beloved Son, by whom we are redeemed and loosed from the chains of hell and the shadows of death, and reconciled through his precious blood alone; him I wish you, my dearest brother in the Lord, as the preserver of your soul; and that he would comfort you with the great consolation, joy, and gladness of the Holy Ghost, in all that may befall you yet for the true testimony of our dear Lord Jesus Christ. To this God who only is wise, be praise, glory, honor, power, strength and might, forever and ever. Amen.
After all proper, cordial and friendly salutations to you, Jasper, my dearest brother in the Lord, whom I love with godly love in the truth (2 John 1), and this for the truth’s sake, O, this the Lord knows, to whom all hearts are known, O my dear and much beloved brother in the Lord, know that it is still my purpose to fear our dear Lord from the depth of my heart, according to my weakness, all the days of my life, and hope by the help of the Lord never to separate from the truth; not for anything that is in the world, neither for riches, silver or gold, do I hope by his grace, to apostatize from our dear Lord, to which end may the almighty God strengthen me, this I pray him. O my dearest brother in the Lord, I would far rather with Susanna fall into the hands of men, than to sin in the sight of the Lord; for the pure and undefiled Susanna said: “If I do this thing, it is death unto me: and if I do it not, I cannot escape your hands. It is better for me to fall into the hands of men, and not to do it, than to sin in the sight of the Lord.” Susanna 22, 23. I likewise well know, that if I forsake the truth death is unto me; but, oh no! this I hope by the grace of the Lord never to do; but it is much better for me also to fall into the hands of men, than that I should forsake the Lord my God. Oh no, my dearest brother in the Lord! O let us never depart from the truth of the Lord, for so many beautiful promises are promised us, and if we continue steadfast unto death we shall be saved. O my much beloved, dear brother in the Lord, O if we may only be saved, that is enough; which I hope by his great grace, if we continue in his word, we shall; for he is faithful that promised, who also will do it; for he says by his pious prophet Isaiah, comforting his own: Though a mother forget her own child, which she herself has brought forth, yet will I not forget thee. Isa. 49:15. Therefore, my affectionately beloved brother in the Lord, behold, how faithfully our dear Lord comforts us; hence, dear and beloved in the Lord, let us be of good courage, and willingly labor, for it (our labor) will not be in vain in the Lord. 1 Cor. 15:58. Hence I am valiant and bold, to the Lord be praise and glory, now and forever, who so faithfully succors me according to his promise, O who should not fear such a God, who so preserves his tender branches; and I also trust valiantly in my Lord and God, that he will preserve me where I am, and, if it be his will, deliver me out of this murderer’s den.
Hence, O my dearest and much beloved brother in Christ Jesus, let us have good courage, though we meet with more adversity than the world. O let us look unto Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, how he went before us in much suffering and reproach. And all the holy prophets, O let us look to them, how they went before us, through so much tribulation, yea, in destitution and affliction; of whom the world was not worthy. For if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned; but now they desired a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God. Heb. 11. Thus, O Jasper, my most affectionately beloved brother in the Lord, God will also not be ashamed to be called our God, if we continue faithfully in his truth, and do not again lay the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God. Hebrews 6:1. O no, O no, my dearest brother in the Lord, let us not again lay the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God; but let us hold fast the faith which we have in Christ our dear Lord. O I hope by the help of God to hold fast the faith which I have in Christ Jesus; nor shall, the Lord helping me, any man separate me from the love of God, as also Paul says: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom. 8:35–39. Therefore, my dearest, beloved brother in the Lord, let us be of good courage in the Lord; for they can not hurt a hair of our head without the will of our Father. Luke 12:7.
O Jasper, my dear and beloved brother in the Lord, I am of such good cheer, the Lord be praised, that I should never be able to describe the joy which I feel in my heart. O what courage I have to fight against the princes and rulers of darkness; I think that I could say with David: “I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.” Ps. 3:6. O what joy I have; praise, glory and honor be to God forever for the great joy that he gives me. O my dearest brother, rejoice with me, and let it strengthen you, as I hope that it will. Thus I have briefly written to my dearest brother in Christ Jesus, with the small gift that I have received through the grace of the Lord. Herewith I will commend you to our dear Lord, and to the rich word of his grace. I take leave, and say: Adieu, adieu, adieu, farewell, farewell, farewell, my dearest brother in the Lord, till we meet again. Though we must part here, and be separated by men, I hope that we shall meet again where men can part us no more.
O Jasper, my dearest brother in the Lord, acquit yourself valiantly unto the end in the word of God; I hope to do the same. Again I say: Adieu, adieu! farewell, farewell! we must now part. O I beseech you most affectionately, to receive my simple letter in good part, as I hope you will, since I have done it out of pure love. Written in bonds by me, your weak sister in the Lord, who lies in bonds in St. Peter’s, for the true testimony of Jesus Christ. Keep this letter in remembrance of me; I hope to seal it with my blood. Always fear God, but not men.
BARBELKEN GOETHALS.
TEN PERSONS, MEN AS WELL AS WOMEN, BURNED FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, AT DORDRECHT, ABOUT THE YEAR 1570.
Ancient and credible memoirs tell us as indubitable facts, that about the year of our Lord 1570, two very devout persons, a man and a woman, whose names we have not been able to ascertain, were sought for by the bailiff of the city of Dordrecht, because they were called Anabaptists, and finally found in the Marienbon street of said city, in a house from which was suspended the sign of a boot. As they steadfastly adhered to their faith, both were shortly after burnt in the market field, beyond the scales, where then was the place of execution.
Also, that seven others, men as well as women, of the same religion, who had come from Breda,[326] when they could by no means be moved therefrom, suffered like punishment, namely, by fire, until death ensued; which took place in the plain, not far from the Menne bridge, beyond the powder magazine being the other place of execution.
[326] Of these martyrs from Breda mention seems to be made also in one of the letters of Jan Wouterss van Kuyck.
About the end of the year, namely, in the month of November, when that great and terrible flood, that came on All-saints-day (of which almost every one knows something) had come to an end, it is stated, that a certain Anabaptist widow in the Armetij street was taken from a room at the side of a stairway by the bailiff and the stadtholder; which widow some time afterwards, as she would not apostatize from her faith, also had to die in the flames.
We made search for the examinations and death sentences of the aforementioned persons, in the ordinary’s criminal city records of that time, but did not find them, nor of J. W. van Kuyck and Adriaentgen Jans van Molenaersgraef, who were put to death two years afterwards; though there were several living witnesses of it in our time, who saw the death of said persons, together with all the circumstances. This being the case it appears that the papists were ashamed to put the court proceedings and death sentences of said persons into the city records, since it seemed that the country and at the same time also this city should before long change government and religion, which about two years afterwards was accomplished through the coming of William I., prince of Orange; and thus the constraint over the faith and conscience ceased at the same time, at said place.
_Further Observation._--As regards the persons who then (in the year 1570) sat in court, and administered justice, they were, according to the record of Johan van Beverwijck, in his Register of the Magistracy of Dordrecht, as follows:
Adriaen van Bleyenbergh Adriaenss, Bailiff of said city, who had entered on his office in the year 1549, and completed his time in the year 1571.
Arent van der Mijle Sir Corneliss, Burgomaster of the community.
Together with nine judges: Gijsbrecht van Haerlem Jans; Cornelis van Diemen Jacobss; Huybrecht Jonge Adriaenss; Jan van Slingelandt Sir Ottenss; Wourick van Drenkwaert Sir Wilmss; Jan Janss Elandtss; Bondewijn Heerman Gijsbrechtss; Dierick van Beverwijck Sir Philips; Cornelis van Mosyenbroeck Sir Corneliss.
However, whether they all concurred in this sentence, or only some of them, is not known to us.
JELIS CLAVERSS, LIJSABET, WIFE OF CLAES DE VRIES, NELLEKEN JASPERS, AND WITH THEM THIRTY-THREE OTHER PERSONS, A. D. 1571.
In the year 1571, thirty-six persons were apprehended at Antwerp, in Brabant, for the truth of the holy Gospel of Christ and following the same. Among them were Jelis Claverss, Lijsabet, wife of Claes de Vries, and Nelleken Jaspers, whom we think to have also been among this number, which comprised six men and thirty women, some of whom were burnt, and some suffered drowning with great constancy. But said Lijsabet died with a screw in her mouth, by which she was prevented from speaking, that she should not tell the spectators how innocently she died; in which deed the monks and priests more than filled up the measure of their forefathers, the blood-thirsty Pharisees; for they stopped only their own ears, that the truth should not be told them by Stephen, the worthy man of God; these new Pharisees, the monks, on the other hand, caused screws to be put on the tongues of these pious and faithful witnesses of God, and the tip of the tongue touched with a red hot iron, that the swelling should prevent it from slipping out. Thus these pious persons [were put to death] not on account of any crime or uproar or fraud, nor for any heresy, but only because they had gone out of Babylon, and united with Christ, herein following the teaching of the Holy Ghost. 2 Cor. 6:17. Hence they valiantly contended for the belief of the truth, and shall, from the Prince of truth, through grace, for this short, little labor, receive the crown of eternal glory, and enjoy it forever.
The above mentioned Nelleken Jaspers was a girl of seventeen years, whose memory has been much sung on the street, in these countries. She was confined in prison for about a year, so that she was about eighteen years old when she died. During her imprisonment she suffered severe temptations, by way of threats of a terrible death as well as by fair promise of an advantageous marriage, and the like. But even as Christ, her captain, had repelled and vanquished all temptations of the enemy, so also this young heroine faithfully followed unto death the footsteps of her bridegroom Christ Jesus, and continued steadfast unto death, and, through the grace of God, received the end of the faith, which is the salvation of the soul. 1 Pet. 1:9. Though some would claim Nelleken Jaspers for the Protestant religion (as they also unjustly do concerning Anneken van den Howe, who was buried alive without Brussels), this is nevertheless utterly in vain, seeing, that when this was recorded, credible persons were still living who knew better, testifying that she died in one and the same faith with these pious confessors (called Mennists). This appears also from Joost Verkindert’s letter on the 20th of June, where she is described as of like faith with Joost and Lauwerens Andries, who greet the brethren with the peace of the Lord.
DIRCK MIEUWESS, A. D. 1571.
After much persecution, murdering and burning of the true followers of Christ, there was apprehended at Vlissingen in Zealand, also a pious brother named Dirck Mieuwess, and after long imprisonment the bailiff and jailer permitted him to render them certain services for the benefits of their households, in consequence of which he, together with some of his fellow-prisoners, was frequently allowed to leave the prison. Hence, when a favorable opportunity presented itself, some of the prisoners escaped and advised said Dirck Mieuwess to flee with them, which this friend of Christ refused to do, fearing that thereby the jailer, who had permitted him to go out, should get into trouble. Thus remaining in imprisonment, he, on the 6th of March, 1570, before Easter, was sentenced to be tortured on the rack, and the following year, namely, A. D. 1571, on the 8th of May, he was burned at said place, evincing great steadfastness, and offered up his temporal and corruptible body as a sweet-smelling savor unto the Lord of heaven and earth; not suffering as a thief or murderer, nor as one that seeks other peoples’ property, but only for the truth of Christ, and a good conscience. 1 Pet. 2:19. Hence there are sure to him the promises of Christ, who has said: “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 5:10.
ANNEKEN HEYNDRICKS, A. D. 1571.
In the year 1571, there was burnt alive, at Amsterdam in Holland, for the testimony of Jesus, a woman named Anneken Heyndricks, aged about fifty-three years. Having come from Friesland to Amsterdam, she was betrayed by her neighbor, the under-bailiff, who entered her house, in order to apprehend her. She said to him with a meek spirit: “Neighbor Evert, what is your wish? if you seek me, you can easily find me; here I am at your service.” This Judas the traitor said: “Surrender, in the name of the King.” And he bound Anneken with a rope, and led her along with him, as Judas and the scribes had done with our predecessor, Jesus. When they had arrived on the Dam, Anneken said, that they should not hesitate to look at her, since she was neither a harlot nor a thief, but a prisoner for the name of Jesus. After arriving in prison, she thanked and praised her Lord and Creator with an humble heart, for counting her worthy to suffer for his name’s sake. And she boldly confessed her faith before Pieter the Bailiff and the other lords. They greatly tormented her with Baal’s priests, in order to cause her to apostatize; but through the grace of God she valiantly resisted it. This greatly astonished the bailiff, that she did not pay more regard to his spiritual lords, and he said to Anneken: “Sir Albert, our chaplain, is such a holy fellow, that he ought to be mounted in fine gold; and you will not hear him, but make sport of him; hence you must die in your sins, so far are you strayed from God.”