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
Second Confession,
And we also further confess that then the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon be changed into blood, the stars shall fall from heaven, and the earth and all that is therein shall be burned with fire; and then shall the irrevocable sentence of the Greatest King be executed…
578 wordsSECTION 62I. Of God And The Creation Of All Things.
Drawn up at Dort, at a certain peace convention on the 21st of April, 1632, being a statement of the chief articles of our general Christian faith, as the same are taught and practiced throughout in our church. Since we find it testified that without faith it is impossible to please God, and that he that would come to…
444 wordsSECTION 63Iii. Of The Restoration Of Man Through The Promise Of The Coming Christ.
We believe and confess, according to the holy Scriptures, that these our first parents, Adam and Eve, did not continue long in this glorious state in which they were created, but that they, seduced by the subtlety and deceit of the serpent, and the envy of the devil, transgressed the high commandment of God and became …
757 wordsSECTION 64Iii. Of The Restoration Of Man Through The Promise Of The Coming Christ.
But as to how and in what manner this precious body was prepared, and how the Word became flesh, and he himself man, in regard to this we content ourselves with the statement pertaining to this matter which the worthy evangelists have left us in their accounts, according to which we confess with all the saints, that he…
538 wordsSECTION 65Vii. Of Holy Baptism.
We believe and confess, that, since the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth, and, therefore, prone to all unrighteousness, sin, and wickedness, the first lesson of the precious New Testament of the Son of God is repentance and reformation of life, and that, therefore, those who have ears to hear, and hear…
365 wordsSECTION 66Viii. Of The Church Of Christ.
We believe in, and confess a visible church of God, namely, those who, as has been said before, truly repent and believe, and are rightly baptized; who are one with God in heaven, and rightly incorporated into the communion of the saints here on earth. These we confess to be the chosen generation, the royal priesthood,…
781 wordsSECTION 67X. Of The Holy Supper.
That they should also see diligently to it, particularly each among his own over whom he has the oversight, that all places be well provided with deacons (to look after and care for the poor), who may receive the contributions and alms, in order to dispense them faithfully and with all propriety to the poor and needy s…
408 wordsSECTION 68Xii. Of The State Of Matrimony.
We also confess a washing of the saints’ feet, as the Lord Christ not only instituted, enjoined and commanded it, but himself, although he was their Lord and Master, washed his apostles’ feet, thereby giving an example that they should likewise wash one another’s feet, and do as he had done unto them; which they accord…
383 wordsSECTION 69Xiv. Of Revenge.
We believe and confess that God has ordained power and authority, and set them to punish the evil, and protect the good, to govern the world, and maintain countries and cities, with their subjects, in good order and regulation; and that we, therefore, may not despise, revile or resist the same, but must acknowledge and…
457 wordsSECTION 70Xvi. Of The Ecclesiastical Ban, Or Separation From The Church.
Concerning the Swearing of Oaths we believe and confess, that the Lord Christ has set aside and forbidden, the same to his disciples, that they should not swear at all, but that yea should be yea, and nay, nay; from which we understand that all oaths, high and low, are forbidden, and that instead of them we are to conf…
475 wordsSECTION 71Xvii. Of Shunning The Separated.
Concerning the withdrawing from, or shunning the separated, we believe and confess, that if any one, either through his wicked life or perverted doctrine, has so far fallen that he is separated from God, and, consequently, also separated and punished by the church, the same must, according to the doctrine of Christ and…
278 wordsSECTION 72Xviii. Of The Resurrection Of The Dead, And The Last Judgment.
Finally, concerning the resurrection of the dead, we confess with the mouth, and believe with the heart, according to Scripture, that in the last day all men who shall then have died, and fallen asleep, shall be awaked and quickened, and shall rise again, through the incomprehensible power of God; and that they, togeth…
658 wordsSECTION 73Xviii. Of The Resurrection Of The Dead, And The Last Judgment.
GORCUM. _Jacob van der Heyde Sebrechts._ _Jan Jansz V. K._ AERNHEM. _Cornelis Jansz._ _Dirck Reuderson._ Besides that the last mentioned confession was received by so many churches, and signed by their leaders, as has been shown, also all the churches in Alsace and in the Palatinate, in Germany, afterwards unanimousl…
698 wordsSECTION 74Xviii. Of The Resurrection Of The Dead, And The Last Judgment.
Hymeneus and Alexander, who concerning faith made shipwreck, and were full of blasphemies, wherefore they were put away from the church by Paul, and delivered unto Satan. 1 Tim. 1:19,20. Phygellus and Hermogenes, who with the greater number of those in Asia, were turned away from Paul, and, consequently, also from the…
650 wordsSECTION 75Xviii. Of The Resurrection Of The Dead, And The Last Judgment.
Continually, he adds this declaration for further instruction: “The time will come when they” (namely, certain members of the Christian church) “will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and …
497 wordsSECTION 76Reply To The First Passage.
But, in order to maintain the aforementioned succession, the Papists are accustomed to say, that they do not reckon the same from the antiquity of some erring spirits who were before, in, or after the time of the apostles; but from the church of Christ itself, and from Peter, whom they styled the prince of the apostles…
655 wordsSECTION 77Reply To The First Passage.
Therefore he admonishes the believers, to build themselves, as living stones, to a spiritual house, upon the foundation which is laid--Christ. Verse 5. Paul confirms this, when he says: “Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ,” 1 Cor. 3:11. In another place he calls him the foundation…
566 wordsSECTION 78Reply To The Second Passage.
The second passage is taken from Matt. 16:19: “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” But this does not in the least tend to prove that church discipline or the p…
656 wordsSECTION 79Reply To The Third Passage.
The third passage (or argument) is taken from John 21:15–17, where the Lord asked Peter three times, whether he loved him, and Peter answered each time: “Yea, Lord, I love thee;” to which the Lord replied, three times: “Feed my lambs;” “Watch my sheep,” etc. Some among the Papists, in order to maintain the supremacy o…
686 wordsSECTION 80Reply To The Third Passage.
Again, he said to them all: “Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.” Acts 1:8. It follows therefore, that in the matter of watching over, and feeding, the sheep of Christ, that is, in preaching the holy Gospel, and taking care of th…
652 wordsSECTION 81Reply To The Third Passage.
That Paul was there much earlier and longer, appears from all the circumstances of the Acts of the apostles; for while Peter was preaching at Cesarea, Antioch, Jerusalem, and in other places, Paul was brought to Rome, and, having arrived there, “dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came i…
669 wordsSECTION 82Reply To The Third Passage.
But why does he not commend Peter as having visited him in his bonds? or, if Peter was there and did not do so, but was ashamed of his chain, why does he not complain, that so great a man, who ought to have had been a leader unto others, was so negligent therein? Doubtless, if Peter had been in the city at that time, …
737 wordsSECTION 83Reply To The Third Passage.
Besides the six arguments mentioned, proving that during the time Paul was imprisoned under Nero, Peter was not at Rome, as far as the testimony of Holy Scriptures go in regard to this, there follow various circumstances showing (by like virtue of Holy Scripture), _that also during the time Paul was out of prison, Pete…
741 wordsSECTION 84Reply To The Third Passage.
_Seventh Circumstance._--At the end of the first epistle of Peter, namely 1 Pet. 5:13, are these words: “The church that is at Babylon, elected ... saluteth you.” How could Peter send a salutation from the church at Babylon, unless he was with it in Babylon at that time? But if he was in Babylon, he was not at Rome, u…
716 wordsSECTION 85Reply To The Third Passage.
Concerning the length of time he was bishop, there is not less disagreement; as also in regard to how long he was absent from his bishopric sojourning in other places. Cortesius writes of eighteen years, Onuphrius of seven years; but the general opinion among them is, that he sat twenty-five years upon the chair govern…
649 wordsSECTION 86Of The Election Of The Pope; And Of Such As Have Usurped The Chair.
In the introduction to the _Martyrs Mirror_ (edition of 1631, fol. 25, 26, 27) mention is made from Cardinal Baronius (we have looked into his history, and found it to be so at the place referred to), of various popes who ran of themselves, without lawful election or mission; and also of some who usurped the chair, wit…
658 wordsSECTION 87Of The Election Of The Pope; And Of Such As Have Usurped The Chair.
Thus John XXIV., having come to Bononia with many soldiers, threatened all the cardinals severely, if they would elect a pope who would not please him. When many had been nominated to him, and he would assent to none of them, he was finally requested to state whom he would elect thereto. He replied: “Give me Peter’s ro…
742 wordsSECTION 88Of The Election Of The Pope; And Of Such As Have Usurped The Chair.
For now, as Baronius writes, many monsters were thrust into this chair as popes; which continued throughout this whole century, yea, for a hundred and fifty years, namely from the year 900 to about the year 1049, when the German Ottoes, who occupied the imperial throne, interposed between both, although they, not less …
727 wordsSECTION 89Of The Election Of The Pope; And Of Such As Have Usurped The Chair.
With regard to the aforesaid matters, the writer of the Introduction mentioned says (_Fol. 27. col. 2_): “This being taken into consideration, we say, that it is not true that they, namely the Romanists, have an uninterrupted succession from the days of the apostles to the present time, as they would make the people be…
699 wordsSECTION 90Of The Election Of The Pope; And Of Such As Have Usurped The Chair.
“In brief, the emperor exerted himself with great diligence, and traveled three years through Europe, to exterminate this shameful and pernicious strife and discord which prevailed in Christendom. Having, therefore, rejected these three schismatic popes, he brought it about, that Otto Columnius was made Pope by common …
667 wordsSECTION 91How The Roman Chair Stood Vacant.
As great as was at times the inordinate desire manifested by some for the possession of the chair of papal dominion, so great was at other times the negligence and aversion as regards the promotion of the same cause;[61] for it occasionally happened that the chair stood vacant for a considerable time, in consequence of…
706 wordsSECTION 92Of The Ungodly Life And Disorderly Conduct Of Some Of The Popes.
After the death of Pope Nicholas I. (the 108th in the Register), information is obtained from Platina, according to the account of various other authors, relative to the condition of the Roman church at that time; namely, that she had no pope or head, for eight years, seven months and nine days. Compare _Plat. Reg. Pap…
691 wordsSECTION 93Of The Ungodly Life And Disorderly Conduct Of Some Of The Popes.
Concerning the simony or sacrilege of some popes, a brief account is given from Platina and other papistic writers, in the _Chronijk van den Ondergang, 9th Book, for the year 828. p. 281. col. 2._ and _p. 282. col. 1._ The writer of said chronicle, having related the complaint of the king of France about the revenue of…
787 wordsSECTION 94Of The Divine Judgments And Punishments Visited Upon Some Of The Popes.
The divine vengeance for great misdeeds is sometimes carried out in this life, and sometimes reserved for the life to come.[64] The vengeance which is inflicted in this life, is sometimes executed immediately by God himself; at other times he uses means--either the elements, or things composed of the elements, yet with…
683 wordsSECTION 95Conclusion Of The Matters Here Related.
[69] Many more such examples might be related here, but, since by these few our aim is sufficiently understood, we deem it unnecessary to enter more deeply into this subject, and shall, therefore, let this suffice. We will now take leave of the popes, and let them pass. It is enough for us to know, that their succe…
747 wordsSECTION 96The Holy Martyrs Of The New Covenant.
NOTE.--“Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her sins.” Rev. 18:4. These words as it appears are taken from the address of the prophet Jeremiah to the Israelites who were in bondage, in Babylon, saying as in a hasty and affrighted voice: “Flee out of Babylon, and…
651 wordsSECTION 97On The Bloody Theatre Of The Anabaptists Or Non-Resistant Christians.
[73] Song of Solomon 4:16. [74] Song of Solomon 2. [75] Rom. 8:18. [76] Rev. 3:5. _Non est mortale quod opto._ _Wanneer Ierusalem, door’s vyandts swaert en degen, Seer deerlijck was verwoest; en’t ed’le Iacobs zaet (’t Welck, als doorloutert gout, uytblonck met veel cieraet) Gewentelt lagh in’t bloedt, en deere…
395 wordsSECTION 98Summary Of The Baptism In The First Century.
[Illustration: THE BLOODY THEATRE OR MARTYRS’ MIRROR OF THE NON-RESISTANT ANABAPTISTS BY THIELEM J. V. BRAGHT 1660.-1886.] ANABAPTISTS OR DEFENSELESS CHRISTIANS, WHO SUFFERED AND WERE SLAIN FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, THEIR SAVIOR, FROM THE TIME OF CHRIST UNTIL THE YEAR A. D. 1660. That is, from the first year…
375 wordsSECTION 99The Persons John Baptized.
The holy evangelists tell us the time, place and manner of the same. Luke writes, chap. 3:1–3: “Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the…
338 wordsSECTION 100How Christ Commanded Baptism To His Disciples, Before His Ascension.
Matt. 3:13–17: “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And J…
662 wordsSECTION 101How Christ Commanded Baptism To His Disciples, Before His Ascension.
Acts 10:46–48: “For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.” Acts 16:13–15: “And on the sabbath we went out of t…
676 wordsSECTION 102How Christ Commanded Baptism To His Disciples, Before His Ascension.
Gal. 3:26,27: “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” 3. _That as the ark with eight souls was preserved in the water, so also believing baptized Christians are preserved or saved in baptism through the answer of a good con…
678 wordsSECTION 103How Christ Commanded Baptism To His Disciples, Before His Ascension.
_About the year 60._--In, or very near this time, it is recorded, even by several papistic writers, that there were such people and such a sect as were afterwards designated by the name, _The Poor of Lyons, Waldenses, Albigenses_, who were also called _Anabaptists_, or _Baptists_, on account of the like faith which the…
660 wordsSECTION 104How Christ Commanded Baptism To His Disciples, Before His Ascension.
_In the year 95._--It is here recorded that Clemens, the fourth bishop of the church at Rome, ordained: That the heretics’ baptism is neither to be supported nor accepted; therefore, he that has received baptism in conformity with the truth of the church, shall not be rebaptized; but he who does not rebaptize the uncle…
536 wordsSECTION 105Summary Of The Martyrs Of The First Century.
This first century did not pass without the shedding of much blood of the saints; for, since Jesus Christ himself, the Leader of all true believers, was subject to it, it was just, that his members should follow in the same path; yet John died before Christ. But after the death of Christ, the fire of persecution raged …
259 wordsSECTION 106Jesus Christ The Son Of God Crucified At Jerusalem.
[Illustration: CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS CHRIST.] About three thousand, nine hundred and seventy years after the creation of the world, in the forty-second year of the reign of Augustus, the second Roman emperor, when the whole world was at peace, Jesus Christ was born of the virgin Mary, in the little town of Bethlehem, b…
702 wordsSECTION 107Jesus Christ The Son Of God Crucified At Jerusalem.
Thereupon Pilate took Jesus into the judgment hall, and, having examined him, said, that he found no cause of death in him. Therefore he sought a means to release him; moreover, in order to move the Jews to pity on account of his innocence, he caused him (though against his conscience) to be terribly scourged, crowned …
665 wordsSECTION 108Jesus Christ The Son Of God Crucified At Jerusalem.
[Illustration: BEHEADING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.] This John, surnamed the Baptist, because he was ordained of God to baptize the penitent, was the son of the priest Zacharias, and his wife Elisabeth; whose name was made known to his parents through the angel of God, before he was born. Luke 1:5,13. When he was about thi…
656 wordsSECTION 109Jesus Christ The Son Of God Crucified At Jerusalem.
Thereupon, not only when these messengers came, but also on many other occasions, Christ testified of the greatness and worthiness of John the Baptist; namely, that he was the true spiritual Elias, a burning and shining light, the greatest prophet among all those born of women. Matt. 11:14; John 5:35; Luke 7:28. Time …
798 wordsSECTION 110Jesus Christ The Son Of God Crucified At Jerusalem.
Then said the high priest to him, Are these things so? Thereupon, this godfearing man explained himself and answered with many reasons; he, moreover, adduced, as if with a heavenly tongue, and with incontrovertible reasons, many scriptures of the Old Testament, to show that Christ is the true Messiah, and that the Gosp…
652 wordsSECTION 111Jesus Christ The Son Of God Crucified At Jerusalem.
From there, as some relate, he went to Spain; but, meeting with little success, he returned to Judea, where, it is said, he was opposed by Hermogenes, a sorcerer. But as Abdias, bishop of Babylon, and others, relate many things of him, which seem to be altogether fictitious, we shall not mention them. _Petr. de nat. li…
662 wordsSECTION 112Jesus Christ The Son Of God Crucified At Jerusalem.
After the distribution of the countries, he taught several years in Scythia, where he planted many churches; and since Syria and the upper part of Asia fell to his particular share, he laid the foundations of faith in many of these cities. _Pet. de Nat. lib. 4. cap. 107. Nic. lib. 2. cap. 39._ Finally he came to Phryg…
688 wordsSECTION 113Jesus Christ The Son Of God Crucified At Jerusalem.
On account of this testimony of James, the multitude of the people praised God, and magnified the name of Christ. Then cried the enemies of the truth, O, the Just also has erred; let us take him away, for he is unprofitable. They accordingly cast him down, and stoned him. But as he was not killed by the fall and the st…
700 wordsSECTION 114Jesus Christ The Son Of God Crucified At Jerusalem.
Afterwards, when certain men came from Judea, and troubled the brethren, saying, “Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved,” he and his aforementioned companion vigorously opposed them, according to the teaching of the holy gospel; wherefore he and several other pious men were appointed to…
650 wordsSECTION 115Jesus Christ The Son Of God Crucified At Jerusalem.
Then he journeyed to Africa, filling Lybia, Marmorica, Ammonica, and Pentapolis with the doctrine of the holy gospel. Finally he remained several years at Alexandria, where he made his abode. _Nic. lib. 2. cap. 43. Athan. in Synopsi._ Concerning the end of his life, Gelasius states, that he died there as a martyr. _Co…
413 wordsSECTION 116The First Persecution Of The Christians, Under Nero, Anno 66.
When the Jews were deprived of their power, by the heathen, and their time was past, in which they had persecuted and slain the saints of God, the Lord God nevertheless suffered his church to be visited by the refining fire of persecution, namely, through the power of the heathen; of whom the Emperor Nero was the first…
823 wordsSECTION 117The First Persecution Of The Christians, Under Nero, Anno 66.
[84] We quote Tacitus according to the annotation of John Gysius in _Hist. Mart. fol. 6. col. 2._, from which the translation of John Fenacolius differs greatly. Thus Tacitus, a Roman himself, has sufficiently confessed, in spite of himself, as J. Gysius writes, that the Christians were innocent of the burning of Ro…
706 wordsSECTION 118The First Persecution Of The Christians, Under Nero, Anno 66.
SIMON PETER, THE HOLY APOSTLE, CRUCIFIED WITH HIS HEAD DOWNWARD, UNDER EMPEROR NERO, A. D. 69. [Illustration: PETER CRUCIFIED AT ROME.] Simon Jona, afterwards called Cephas in Syriac, but Petros or Petrus in Greek, was the brother of Andrew, a native of Bethsaida in Galilee, and a fisherman by occupation. He had his …
652 wordsSECTION 119The First Persecution Of The Christians, Under Nero, Anno 66.
This was verified in him, for shortly afterwards he and John, his fellow-helper, were brought before the Jewish council in Jerusalem, and severely threatened, to desist preaching in the name of Jesus; to which they both boldly replied, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judg…
698 wordsSECTION 120The First Persecution Of The Christians, Under Nero, Anno 66.
Respecting his early training, he was diligently instructed by the wise Gamaliel, in the law of the fathers; in which he became so proficient, that there were but few things in the entire Old Testament, with which he was not acquainted. Gal. 1:14. He lived blamelessly, according to the law of Moses and the holy prophe…
721 wordsSource & rights
Public domain in the USA; original historical text digitized by Project Gutenberg.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.