_Concerning the Torturing of Hendrick Anthoniss and Reyer Egberts, and when it Occurred_.
Of these, two were examined by torture, namely, Henrick Anthoniss, on the 28th of June, and Reyer Egberts on the last of June, 1552.
Thus extracted from the book of criminal sentences, preserved at Amsterdam, in the keeping of the secretary of the city.
PIETER VAN OLMAN, OR VAN WERWIJCK, PUT TO DEATH AT GHENT. ALSO A LETTER, WHICH THE SAID PIETER VAN OLMAN, OR VAN WERWIJCK, WROTE IN PRISON IN THAT CITY, WHERE HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS, A. D. 1552.
The abundant grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Grace and peace be with you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who is 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 which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 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. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also giveth unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord; for we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord, 1 Cor. 1:3–5; 2 Cor. 4:17,18; 5:1–8. Rom. 8:22; Rev. 3:18.
I admonish you, dear brethren and sisters, by the mercies of God, that you will diligently assemble yourselves together, to give each other good instruction in the eternal truth of our Savior, while you have time; for here we have no continuing city, but we wait for one, and this through patience. Heb. 10:25; 13:14.
Therefore, dear brethren and sisters, take the word of the Lord well to heart, and understand well what the Lord says, that you may stand fast valiantly, when you are tried; for I tell you, dear brethren, that valiant fighting must be done to a much greater extent than I thought; for they approach us with such subtle questions, and honeyed words, in order that they may catch us in some word, and thus cause us to apostatize. Hence, dear brethren, teach one another well to discern which is the way of the Lord, and the way of the devil, and which is the true worship of God, and the worship of the devil and of idols, and which are the children of the Lord, and the children of the devil; for the children of the Lord are not of this world; hence the world hates them; they all suffer persecution; they are led to death, as sheep for the slaughter, and are hated by all men; they are a prey to all; they have nowhere a certain dwelling-place; they are the offscouring of all men; they weep and lament, and the world rejoices; they suffer reproach, because they trust in the living God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous; he that committeth sin is of the devil. Therefore, O dear little children, love not the world, neither the things that are in the world; for if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. Jas. 1:27; John 17:16; Ps. 44:22; Is. 59:15; 1 Cor. 4:11,13; Jn. 16:20; 1 Tim. 4:10; 1 John 3:10; 2:15–17.