PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Bloody Theatre, or Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians
Braght, Thieleman J. van (Thieleman Janszoon) · 1,152,781 words · 1675 reading sections
Jan Jans Brant, A. D. 1559.
In the year 1559, on the 9th of November, it happened that a brother by the name of Jan Jans Brant, was apprehended for following Christ and the gospel, at Geervliet, in South Holland. When he was examined by the learned, he steadfastly adhered to his faith, and confessed it freely, saying further: “This is the true wa…
255 wordsSECTION 902Trijnken Keuts, A. D. 1559.
Trijnken Keuts was a widow who lived in the city of Maestricht. Having come to the knowledge of the divine truth through the holy gospel, she in her simplicity laid the matter to heart, and continued day and night in earnest prayer, until the Lord further enlightened her with the clear, shining light of his divine grac…
678 wordsSECTION 903Adriaen Pan And His Wife, A. D. 1559.
But those who condemned them to death, must therefore expect from the Lord the severe judgment that shall come upon them on this account. Matt. 7:2. In this year also three other sisters, namely, Betgen, Neelken, and Mariken Franss, were apprehended at Antwerp, for living according to their faith in God, and as they, …
652 wordsSECTION 904Adriaen Pan And His Wife, A. D. 1559.
For we had not expected them yet, and had packed our things, intending to depart soon; but the Lord ordered it otherwise, praised be he forever. As they were busily engaged in plundering, I would fain have sung: _Noyt meerder vreught in my en was, dan nu is in desen tijden._[281] But I restrained myself from singing, b…
683 wordsSECTION 905Adriaen Pan.
Greet the dear friends much, with whom we are acquainted, or who inquire after us. Farewell! Written by me, HANS DE VETTE, AND ELEVEN OTHERS, PUT TO DEATH FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, AT GHENT, IN FLANDERS, A. D. 1559. _A confession written by Hans de Vette, at Ghent, where he was imprisoned with eleven others…
910 wordsSECTION 906Adriaen Pan.
He then asked me what I thought of the seven sacraments, part of which he named to me. I replied that I considered them utterly worthless, because of all the abominable idolatry observed by them; but since the Lord has commanded us to confess his name before men, I said that I would confess my faith to him. He said tha…
676 wordsSECTION 907Adriaen Pan.
He thereupon told me that he was not thus present in the sacrament, but that it was in spiritual substance, and that I did not understand the matter; but that this argument had been established many centuries before my time; for when Christ held his supper he said, he took the bread and gave it to his disciples, and sa…
733 wordsSECTION 908Adriaen Pan.
He then said that Christ was of the seed of the woman. But I told him, that women had no seed themselves: for as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman. 1 Cor. 11:12. Then he said that he was of Mary’s substance and blood. But I replied that Christ said to the Jews, that he was from above, but th…
659 wordsSECTION 909Adriaen Pan.
The Dean also asked me whether we did not pray for him. I said: “Yes.” “What do you people call me?” said he; “Do you call me Saul?” I replied: “I have sometimes heard you called the Inquisitor (they all laughed); sometimes the Dean of Ronse.” He said: “That is my name.” We had many more words yet; however partly from …
627 wordsSECTION 910A Letter From Maeyken De Korte.
My dear sister, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be fruitful in all longsuffering and holiness, to wait for him with patience; for he shall come quickly, and bring his reward with him; he is faithful that promised, who also will do it. 2 Thess. 3:1; Rev. 22:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:25. It i…
851 wordsSECTION 911A Letter From Maeyken De Korte.
I commend you to the Lord, and to the word of his grace; greet Andries, and Mattheus. I greet you both; greet Lauwerens, and Hans; greet Adriaen much, and Lauwerens’ wife, and the wife of Lauwerens the broom-maker, and Hansken’s wife. A TESTAMENT WRITTEN BY JELIS BERNAERTS TO HIS WIFE, WHEN HE LAY IN PRISON AT ANTWERP…
824 wordsSECTION 912A Letter From Maeyken De Korte.
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a [little] while, (mark, he says: A little while) make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you in that which you have accepted, namely, the faith in him, and his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lor…
754 wordsSECTION 913A Letter From Maeyken De Korte.
And now, my most beloved, are we the people which God chose before the foundation of the world, and made a better testament with us, than he made with Israel, who daily had to offer up sacrifice for sins, by which they could nevertheless not atone? Eph. 1:4; Heb. 7:22,27. For burnt offerings and offering for sin he wou…
795 wordsSECTION 914A Letter From Maeyken De Korte.
Therefore, my most beloved, see that you remain faithful; for you are still in the wilderness, where you must be proved yet, even as Israel was proved in the wilderness forty years, that God might make manifest thereby, what was in their hearts. Hence know that all perished who did not remain steadfast, and that they c…
713 wordsSECTION 915A Letter Written By Jelis Bernaerts To His Wife.
Written in my bonds, on Monday, by me, Jelis Bernaerts, your dear husband. Grace and peace from God the Father, which has come to us through Jesus Christ his only begotten Son, our Lord. May he comfort you in all your tribulation by the power of the Holy Spirit, which spirit is the comforter of all the afflicted, and…
736 wordsSECTION 916A Letter Written By Jelis Bernaerts To His Wife.
If we are children, we are also heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Rom. 8:17,18. And Christ says: “Ver…
553 wordsSECTION 917Another Letter Of Jelis Bernaerts To His Wife.
The grace and peace from God the Father, and the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, by which Spirit we are all baptized into one body, of which Christ is the Head, and we members together, flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone, and he is the Savior of his body, and the gates of he…
942 wordsSECTION 918Another Letter Of Jelis Bernaerts To His Wife.
Thus, my most beloved, let us not fear; God is our Leader; and if God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, th…
1,145 wordsSECTION 919Another Letter Of Jelis Bernaerts To His Wife.
Afterwards I was brought before him again, when another was with him. He wanted to dispute much about the sacrament, baptism and incarnation. But I said: “You would not let me defend it, when I was with you the last time; hence I do not want to speak with you now.” He was not satisfied with this, and said he should com…
556 wordsSECTION 920Jan Bosch Of Bergh, Or Jan Durps, A. D. 1559.
This Jan Bosch, commonly called Jan Durps, was a pious, honorable man, and a linen-weaver by trade. He lived at Maestricht, and though the divine knowledge of the truth was greatly estranged and obscured, the light of divine grace appeared unto him, and the true evangelical truth was presented to him, and he thus joine…
718 wordsSECTION 921Jan Bosch Of Bergh, Or Jan Durps, A. D. 1559.
HANS VERMEERSCH, ALSO CALLED HANS VAN MAES, PUT TO DEATH AT WAESTEN, IN FLANDERS, FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, A. D. 1559. _Confession of Hans Vermeersch, written by him while imprisoned at Waesten in Flanders A. D. 1559._ In October A. D. 1559, I was brought before the inquisitor to confess my faith before him…
1,146 wordsSECTION 922Jan Bosch Of Bergh, Or Jan Durps, A. D. 1559.
They also asked me whether I did not believe in God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost: three persons, and one true God. I said: “I find but one person in the Scriptures.” They asked me who it was. I said: “Christ, who was seen and heard; but the Father no one has ever seen. Who then can say what person it is?…
778 wordsSECTION 923Jan Bosch Of Bergh, Or Jan Durps, A. D. 1559.
[283] The author of this confession apparently bases his argument upon a version of the Scriptures in which the preposition, or prepositions, on which his argument hinges, are different in signification, at least in his view, from those occupying corresponding positions in our English translation.--_Trans._ He als…
660 wordsSECTION 924Jan Bosch Of Bergh, Or Jan Durps, A. D. 1559.
[Illustration: APPREHENSION OF ANDRIES LANGEDUL.] At Antwerp three brethren, named Andries Langedul, Mattheus Pottebacker and Lauwerens van der Leyen, were apprehended for the truth. Andries Langedul was apprehended at a time when a meeting had just been held in his house for the preaching of the word of God. Some one…
362 wordsSECTION 925The First Letter Of Lauwerens Van Der Leyen.
Grace and peace be unto all the brethren residing at Emden, especially to my two brothers, and Tonijntgen, Lieven’s wife. May the Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and us all, through his divine Spirit. Amen. I, Lauwerens van der Leyen, imprisoned for the testimony of Jesus Christ on the 21st of May. On the 22d I confe…
593 wordsSECTION 926The Second Letter Of Lauwerens Van Der Leyen.
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, my most beloved brethren and sisters in the Lord. Know that I was examined, and that the Margrave wanted to know much from me. I said I wanted to tell him all that concerned my faith. He said: “You shall tell me all.” I said: “What do you wish to know?” He asked me: “What do you …
758 wordsSECTION 927The Second Letter Of Lauwerens Van Der Leyen.
He then asked me: Will you confess nothing else?” and interrogated me concerning princes and lords, and the Pope of Rome. I said: “I hold God Almighty to be my Supreme Creator, and my King.” Then the Margrave said: “I have at home a little book, covered with chamois.” I said: “My lord, that book belonged to me, and if …
710 wordsSECTION 928The Second Letter Of Lauwerens Van Der Leyen.
For when God made man, he created him after his image, and made him ruler over all things, and gave him a commandment, which he was not to transgress. But as man was frail, and the devil subtle and cunning, and deceived man by fair pretenses, the devil induced him to transgress the faith; and man thus transgressing, si…
877 wordsSECTION 929The Second Letter Of Lauwerens Van Der Leyen.
Again Zachariah truly said: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: that we should be saved from our enemies, an…
708 wordsSECTION 930The Second Letter Of Lauwerens Van Der Leyen.
O subtle devil, thought I in my heart, and told them that the holy Scriptures were given through the Holy Ghost, and not without him, since Paul says: I will not dare speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the gentiles obedient, by word and deed. Rom. 15:18. And, as the apostle Peter …
1,054 wordsSECTION 931The Second Letter Of Lauwerens Van Der Leyen.
They asked me concerning the sacrament of the altar. I told them that I found nothing written about it; but of a supper which the Lord observed with his apostles, when the time had come that he was to fulfill that for which he had come, that it might be fulfilled which was written of him, and that he should return to w…
674 wordsSECTION 932Third Letter Of Lauwerens Van Der Leyen.
The peace of the Lord be with you. Amen. Grace be to you; and peace, from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. A most affectionate greet…
449 wordsSECTION 933Fourth Letter Of Lauwerens Van Der Leyen.
The peace of the Lord be with you. Amen. Grace and peace be with you, from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any…
686 wordsSECTION 934Peter Of Spain, Gomer The Mason, And Jacob The Goldsmith, A. D. 1560.
Written the 25th of October, A. D. 1559, by me, Lauwerens van der Leyen, imprisoned at Antwerp for the testimony of Christ. NOTE--The very severe decree of Emperor Charles V., made in September A. D. 1550, and renewed and confirmed six years afterwards by Philip II., King of Spain, against the Baptists (as we have cir…
505 wordsSECTION 935Lenaert Plovier, Janneken And Maeyken Of Aix-La-Chapelle, A. D. 1560.
A. D. 1560, also three imprisoned sisters, namely, Deaf Betgen, Betgen of Ghent, and Lijsken Smits, were sentenced to death and drowned in a tub, in the city of Antwerp, because they could not be brought from the truth and the love of their Savior. There was a pious man named Lenaert Plovier, about thirty-six years of…
702 wordsSECTION 936A Letter From Lenaert Plovier To His Wife.
This was written by the son of the aforesaid Lenaert, and testified to be true. Dear and much beloved wife Maeyken, after affectionate greeting, know that I am still of good cheer, and that I am also well according to the flesh, which I hope is the case also with you and those with you. But I should like to hear that …
884 wordsSECTION 937A Letter From Lenaert Plovier To His Wife.
A TESTAMENT OF LENAERT PLOVIER, WHICH HE LEFT HIS CHILDREN, WHILE IMPRISONED FOR THE WORD OF THE LORD, AT ANTWERP, WHERE HE LAID DOWN HIS LIFE IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR 1560. Dear and much beloved children N., aged, etc., when your father was taken from you, it was not for any crime, but for the testimony of Jesus,…
1,120 wordsSECTION 938A Letter From Lenaert Plovier To His Wife.
Yes, dear children, behold what beautiful promises are given to those who overcome. Hence, fear not men, who can afflict us here for a short time only; for after this tribulation we shall rest from all our labors, under the altar, with those who were also slain for the word of God, and shall appear with many thousand s…
262 wordsSECTION 939Nicholas Felbinger And John Leytner, In The Year 1560.
In the year 1560 brother Nicholas Felbinger, or Schlosser, a willing minister of the word of God, who was on trial yet, was apprehended, with another brother by the name of John Leytner, not far from Neumarkt, in Bavaria, where they had come on the first day after Judica,[285] in Lent, on their flight on account of the…
699 wordsSECTION 940Joris And Joachim, A. D. 1560.
John Leytner, whom the executioner proceeded to execute first, said to Nicholas: “Dear brother, if my death should terrify you, go forward first, and I will wait for the last.” But brother Nicholas said: “O no, O no; I do not dread it.” And thus John valiantly offered his neck to the sword, and was beheaded, Nicholas b…
574 wordsSECTION 941Willem De Kleermaecker, A. D. 1560.
In the year 1560 a brother named Willem de Kleermaecker was apprehended for the truth, and sentenced to death, at Antwerp. Having been brought into the court, he was asked by the Bailiff, whether he was rebaptized. He replied: “Why do you ask concerning my baptism, and not regarding my life and faith; then you could p…
323 wordsSECTION 942John Korbmacher, George Raeck And Eustace Kuter, A. D. 1560.
In the same year, on the first Friday after St. Martin’s day, brother John Korbmacher, a minister of the word of God and of his church (who was frequently sent out into the work of the Lord), was apprehended for the faith and the word of God, near Rosenhaus, in Bavaria, together with George Raeck, a deacon, and another…
745 wordsSECTION 943John Korbmacher, George Raeck And Eustace Kuter, A. D. 1560.
Their sentence was then read, in which, among others, these articles were particularly mentioned. First: They do not believe that the holy body of Jesus Christ is in the sacrament, but observe the Supper as Christ observed it with his disciples. Secondly: They do not believe in infant baptism, but in the baptism of adu…
301 wordsSECTION 944Soetgen Van Den Houte, And Martha, A. D. 1560.
At this time also a pious woman named Soetgen van den Houte fell into the hands of the persecutors of the truth, so that after severe assaults and imprisonment she testified and confirmed the faith of the ever enduring truth with her death and blood, on the 27th of November, 1560, in the city of Ghent; and with her ano…
709 wordsSECTION 945Soetgen Van Den Houte, And Martha, A. D. 1560.
My dear children, keep this in your hearts; my dear lambs, guard your tongue, that it speak no evil; neither practice deceit with your lips; nor be guilty of backbiting, for thereby come contention and strife; but Paul teaches us, to live peaceably with all men if it be possible. 1 Pet. 3:10; Romans 12:18. My most bel…
708 wordsSECTION 946Soetgen Van Den Houte, And Martha, A. D. 1560.
Hence, my dear children, take an example from this, and always go on in the ways of the Lord with sobriety and thankfulness, as you have heard me read of Daniel, of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who were selected by the King of Babylon, to be nourished with the same wine and meat which the King drank and ate at his t…
902 wordsSECTION 947Soetgen Van Den Houte, And Martha, A. D. 1560.
See, my most beloved, this is the better part and reward of all those who fear the Lord, walk in his ways and keep his commandments. These are they to whom the Lord says: Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye few men of Israel: I will not leave you orphans; but I will be your God, and ye shall be my people; and I will keep…
758 wordsSECTION 948Soetgen Van Den Houte, And Martha, A. D. 1560.
Love your enemies, and pray for those who speak evil of you, and afflict you. Rather suffer wrong, than that you should grieve another; rather suffer affliction than that you should afflict another; rather be reproached, than that you should reproach another; rather be slandered, than that you should slander another; r…
654 wordsSECTION 949Soetgen Van Den Houte, And Martha, A. D. 1560.
Hence, he is not wise who sets his heart upon anything that is perishable, since we have no assurance of it for an hour; we must leave it all behind; therefore, grieve not, though what we had is scattered or lost, as the prophet says: We are a prey to every one. Is. 59:15. Hence you are to thank the Lord yet, that he l…
717 wordsSECTION 950Soetgen Van Den Houte, And Martha, A. D. 1560.
Yea, those who thus humble themselves before the Lord, and do not think themselves to be something before God, and before men, them shall God exalt and enrich with heavenly riches. Matt. 23:12. Remember how Christ chose humility, when he left the glory of his Father and descended into the lower parts of the earth. From…
677 wordsSECTION 951Joost Joosten, Burnt At Veer, In Zealand, A. D. 1560.
Herewith I will commend you to the Lord, and to the word of his grace. This is my last farewell, my dear lambs; always remember each other in love; diligently learn to read and write, and obey every one in that which is good. When your brother David and Tanneken come to you, greet one another with a friendly kiss of pe…
469 wordsSECTION 952Joos Verbeeck, A. D. 1561.
At Honschote, in Flanders, there was apprehended for the truth, in the year 1561, a brother named Koolaert the cooper, who, after freely confessing his faith, was taken to Wijnoxberge, and as he also there, notwithstanding the tortures inflicted upon him, would depart neither to the right nor to the left, he was senten…
685 wordsSECTION 953Julius Klampherer, A. D. 1561.
A BRIEF LETTER FROM JOOS VERBEECK, WRITTEN IN PRISON AT ANTWERP, TO HIS WIFE. Grace and mercy from God our heavenly Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, be to my dear wife and sister in the Lord, for an affectionate greeting, all the days of your life, in the true earnestness of the Holy Ghost. Amen. I greet you and al…
667 wordsSECTION 954Julius Klampherer, A. D. 1561.
As they thus arrived with great noise, Stijntgen Potvliets (who was pregnant) ran out of the house first, and was apprehended. Karel N. also ran out at the door, and master Klaas (who was a great persecutor, and fellow helper of the inquisitor) pursued him, struck at him with a bare sword, and though Karel was wounded …
666 wordsSECTION 955Julius Klampherer, A. D. 1561.
They were brought out with their arms tied together, and coming to the place where they were to be offered up, they fell down upon their knees, and prayed to God. When they had arisen, the executioner asked their forgiveness for what he was about to do, and they kindly forgave him, according to the teaching of Christ. …
585 wordsSECTION 956John Schut, A. D. 1561.
About this time Orvel, Jan and Pleun were severally apprehended for the truth, at Cologne, and as they steadfastly confessed the truth, and could not be moved by any kind of torture or crafty seduction, but remained faithful, they were finally taken out on the Rhine, and drowned, having commended their souls into the h…
664 wordsSECTION 957John Schut, A. D. 1561.
4. They asked him concerning their magistracy, whether they were not of God. He replied: “Yes, for the protection of the pious, and the punishment of evil-doers; they are ordained of God to rule their dominions in peace.” 5. They asked him what he held in regard to marriage. He replied that a man and a woman are unite…
706 wordsSECTION 958John Schut, A. D. 1561.
Jelis and Hansken Parmentier each sang a hymn for joy. On St. Martin’s day they were brought before the lords, where they boldly confessed their faith, as also, that they had been baptized aright according to the command of Christ. These ten brethren and two sisters remained in prison for about thirty days, where they…
303 wordsSECTION 959Jan Hulle, At Ypres, A. D. 1561.
As it is found that the wolf will generally follow his innate ravenous nature, and therefore the sheep can make no firm compact with him, but stand in constant danger of being devoured by him, so it appeared in the year 1561 in the city of Ypres, in Flanders, where a godfearing lamb of Jesus Christ, namely, an old man …
528 wordsSECTION 960Jelis Strings, With Pieter And Jelis Potvliet, A. D. 1562.
Shortly after, also an imprisoned brother named Guljame van Dale, who adhered so firmly to the truth and love of God that he feared no pain, suffering, fire or sword, had, for following Christ (whom he thanked that he had made them worthy for it), to taste bitter death, at Ghent. Hence Christ shall exalt him, and give …
677 wordsSource & rights
Public domain in the USA; original historical text digitized by Project Gutenberg.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.