Thieleman J. van Braght · 133 of 210

Old Book of the Martyrs Mirror · Part 71

The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire. Matt. 13:41, 42. Then shall the Lord say unto them on His left hand

"Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was a hungered, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink." Matt. 25:41, 42. Behold, my dear children, thus shall it then go with those who do not now while it is time, regard this, being rich, filled and merry. For Christ says: "Woe unto you that are rich, for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you!" Luke 6:24-26. When they lived, says Esdras, and received God's benefits they did not regard it; they despised his counsel while they had yet liberty, and contemned repentance; therefore they must know it after death by torment. II Esd. 9:10-12. While we lived and committed iniquity, we considered not that we should suffer for it after death. 7:56. For the wages of sin is death. Rom. 6:23. But, after thy hardness and impenitent heart, thou treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds; to them who by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory, and honor, and immortality, eternal life; but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil. Rom. 2:5-9.

Understand again, my dear children, into what great danger our evil flesh plunges us here, slaying the soul. The lust and works of the flesh cause eternal sorrow and loss of heaven. As Paul says

"Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Now the works of the flesh are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, evil lusts" (read to the end of the seventeen points mentioned). And he says that they which do such things shall not inherit or possess the kingdom of God. Gal. 5:,16; I Cor. 6:9. Then it shall not be possible for any one to be spared from the vengeance of God, whether he know God, or whether he know Him not; if he has been disobedient to the Gospel, he must bear the severity of God. For Paul says: "When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; [mark] who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe." II Thess. 1:7-10.

To disobey the Gospel, is worthy of no small punishment; for he that, in the sight of two or three witnesses, transgressed the law of Moses (which is inferior to the Gospel in its saving power and operation, Rom. 8:3), had to die without mercy, says Paul, of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? Heb. 10:29. These must expect a terrible judgment, and the cruelty of the fire, which shall devour the adversaries. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God; for God is a consuming fire. 10:31; 12:9. We know Him that hath said, "Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense." 10:30. See, since the Gospel is great of value and rich in saving power, therefore, on the other hand, the refusing, abusing, despising and transgressing of the same, is as much the greater crime and ingratitude, and deserving of sorer punishment, as Paul says, concerning Christ

"See that ye refuse not him that speaketh; for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: whose voice then shook the earth." Heb. 12:25, 26.

O my children, therefore this time of the Gospel, in which we now are, is a very precious, valuable and acceptable time, as also the Lord Himself frequently declares in the Gospel, as: "Had such mighty works been done in Tyre and Sidon. Why do ye not discern this acceptable time for you? Blessed are the ayes which see the things that ye see." Luke 10:23. Jesus says: "Jerusalem shall be destroyed [on account of her sins]; because they did not know the time of their visitation." Luke 19:44.

O my dear children, learn to discern good from evil; learn to know the wicked world, who think that they are holy men, Christians and believers in God, but are the synagogue of Satan (Rev. 2:9); which is evident from their whole spirit, life, and their wickedness; who because of their wickedness cannot bear, or tolerate among them, the lustre of the pious. But the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the evil and unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished; but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness. What God intends to do with such, He has typified and shown to us by sinners of former times [as we read]: "For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment, and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly." II Pet. 2:4-6.

Understand here, that God spares neither the angels, nor the whole world, because they were great in number or highly esteemed and chosen; and thus it has often gone with great numbers, for the ungodly are not the better for being many. As also Sirach well says: "Rely not upon this that the multitude of those with whom thou doest evil is great, but remember that punishment is not far from thee. Therefore humble thyself from the heart, for the vengeance of the ungodly is fire and worms." Sirach 7:17, 18. For as one that cometh nigh wild beasts, and is torn by them, so it also goes with him that attacheth himself to the ungodly, and mingleth in their sins. 12:13, 14. One child that fears the Lord is more acceptable to Him than a thousand that are ungodly. Hence let no one depend upon this that his companions in wickedness are many nor upon boasting of the mercy of God, before thy repentance; for when the fire of the punishment of God is kindled, it consumes all the wicked, great and small. Behold, the fire burned up the whole congregation of the ungodly; and wrath was kindled over the unbelieving. He spared not the old giants who perished with their strength. Neither did He spare those among whom Lot sojourned, but condemned them because of their pride, and destroyed the whole land without mercy, who had transgressed all bounds in sinning. Thus He took away six hundred thousand, because they were disobedient. How then should a single one that is disobedient escape unpunished? For though He is merciful, yet also wrath is with Him. He can be appeased, but He also fearfully punishes. As His mercy is great, so is also His correction; He judgeth a man according to his works. The ungodly shall not escape with his spoils, and the patience of the godly shall not be frustrated. Behold, before God a great multitude is of little avail. He that sinneth must die. For every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. Prov. 16:5. The strength of the ungodly is like a heap of tow which is consumed with fire. The way of sinners is made plain with stones (it is true), but at the end thereof is the pit of hell. Sir. 21:9,

10. Hell also hath opened wide her mouth, to receive great and small, prince and multitude. Isa. 5:14. Many be called, but few chosen: Wide is the gate, and broad the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which walk in it. I further say': "The great majority will be damned and lost. This is too clear to be denied." II Esd. 8:3.

Dear children, he that does not fear or believe God, does not regard these awful assurances and sure threats, as also the Scripture says: "Such threatening is too far off, and when a wicked man heareth it, he yet cleaveth to his folly and error." How truly does Solomon say: "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God. Eccl. 8:11, 12. I have long time holden my peace, says the Lord; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once. Isa. 42:14. When a child is about to be brought forth, the pains of travail slack not a moment; even so shall not the plagues be slack to come upon the earth; the world shall mourn, and sorrow shall come upon it. II Esd. 16:38, 39.

Oh, happy he who always fears; but he whose heart is hardened shall fall into misfortune, as has been sufficiently heard. Mark here the longsuffering of God toward sinners; but He nevertheless eventually punished them. How truly does Paul say: "God is not mocked." Thinkest thou that I shall always hold my peace, saith the Lord, that thou dost not fear me at all? But I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works, that they are unprofitable. Then when thou shalt cry, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them away, and vanity shall take them. Isa. 57:13. The holy Scriptures do justly call our God a consuming fire. As to what fire this is, read Isa. 10:16; Joel 2:3; Nah. 3:15; Zech. 11:1. Manasses truly says

"O God, thine angry threatening toward sinners is importable." Man. verse 5. Nahum speaks thus of the fierceness of the wrath of God: "The mountains quake before him, and the hills fear. The earth shaketh before him, yea, the whole circuit of the earth, and all that dwell therein. Who can stand before his indignation? And who can abide before his anger? His fury burneth like fire, and the rocks burst in pieces before him." Nahum 1:5, 6. Micah says: "The Lord cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place. For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel." Mic. 1:3-5.

Oh, who could write enough of such scripture admonitions! Truly, my dear children, behold, he that recognizes the holy Scriptures, the Bible, as the sure word, testimony, word and sentence of God, and considers well worthy of belief what is written in the same concerning God, and especially regarding His faithful warning against all sin, the promised recompense for transgression, exemplified in His punishment of sin as exhibited in many, together with all His strict and solemn oaths in which He has denied His kingdom to the impenitent, as has already been mentioned here in part, and will yet briefly be pointed out; such a man, I say, may well tremble before God, and with David the skin and hair of his head may shudder. And if there be but one spark of the fear of God, and faith in His Word, in his inmost heart, his laughter may and must turn into weeping till he obtains peace instead of enmity with God. In the first place I will speak of God's warning against sin.

But, my dear lambs, I am deprived of time further to complete my purpose and intention. This however was almost finished, but I intended to improve it and to copy it in a far more legible and better form. However, it is now done, and I must and will now disengage myself, and prepare to die, as I think, in four days. And, behold, my dear children, I rejoice in this, and am of good cheer in the Lord, and trust not to spare my body for the truth, but to present it in worship as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God. And I trust by the grace of God, that I have been to you, my dear children, a father who have set you a good example, in my life and death. When you attain to the years of understanding, think thoroughly on it and so follow Christ with me, as He has gone before us, in all suffering and holiness; and we shall meet again, and this in eternal joy and in the kingdom of heaven, forever.

My dear children, though you do not live together, love one another the more ardently, and show your love in whatever way you can, as by greetings and instructive letters to one another. Make copies of this little book, so that each of you three children may have one.

I first send it to you my dear son Alewijn Hendricks, because you are the oldest. Remember what I have written for your instruction; communicate it also to your little sisters. Farewell now, an eternal farewell, my three little orphans.

Written by me, your dear father,

HENDRICK ALEWIJNS.

HERE FOLLOWS A LETTER WRITTEN BY HANS MA;

RIJNS, WHICH HE SENT FROM HIS PRISON TO

HIS BELOVED BRETHREN AND SISTERS

Always have God before your eyes.

Grace, peace and joy from God our heavenly Father, wisdom, righteousness and truth, through Christ Jesus His beloved Son our Lord and Saviour; together with the comfort and illumination of the Holy Ghost; these I wish you, much beloved brethren and sisters in the Lord, as a friendly greeting and eternal adieu in this sad world, where nothing is to be found but every sorrow of heart. I trust to go and rest, with all the elect saints of God, under the altar, and hope to wait for you there: to this end may the Lord grant us His grace, and may He keep me, miserable sinner, unto the end, as I hope and trust He will do. Amen.

Know, much beloved brethren and sisters in the Lord, that we are all well yet, the Lord be praised; and it is still the purpose of us all, to adhere to the holy truth of the Lord all the days of our life, for which we can never fully thank the Lord. O dear brethren and sisters, how could we fully thank Him, that He so loves me unworthy one! I hope by His grace, that I shall suffer for His holy name, and I trust to hear with all the beloved saints of God: "Come, ye blessed of my Father and inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Matt. 25:34. O dear brethren and sisters, what beautiful promises are given to them that overcome: "That they shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father; that they shall be of the household of God; that they shall eat of the hidden manna, and of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." Rev. 3:12; Matthew 13:43; Eph. 2:19; Rev. 2:17; 2:7.

O why should I write you much; I hope and trust, that you yourselves are all taught of God. Hence, dear brethren and sisters, I know of nothing special to write you, save that we should always take heed well to keep that which is committed to our trust, that no man take our crown, for Peter says: "The devil walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith." I Tim. 6:20; Rev. 3:11; I Peter 5:8. O we shall be well rewarded, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end. Herewith I will commend you all unto the Lord, and to the rich Word of His grace, which is able to build us all up for His heavenly kingdom. Amen. And I kindly pray you, also to see to my child a little as much as you can. I have also requested this of the sister at Vlissingen, and of Christian. You may advise together as is best; for I must now part from it, so that I cannot take care of it. But I am heartily satisfied with this, and am ready to forsake not only wife and child, but also body and life, if the Lord will only keep me, as He has hitherto done, and will yet do. O dear brethren and sisters, we are all of such good cheer. I and Hendrick and Gerrit greet you all much. Greet Hendrick and Maeyken much in my name, and Adrian and Gerrit Coelemey, and your companion Lieven, and Huybert; further, Yde and her husband, and Jacob Wit, and the rest of the brethren, and to all whom it is convenient to greet. Bid them all farewell in my name. Written on the third of February, in the year 1569, after I have been advised of my sentence. Farewell altogether, and be valiant always. I trust that we shall see one another again. Communicate to Geertgen occasionally something of the profit, as seems best to you; and do with her what is best, this I earnestly ask of you.

By me, Hans Marijns, your unworthy brother in the Lord, with what is in my ability for your best, for this time.

ANPLEUNIS VAN DEN BERGE, A. D. 1569

This Anpleunis van den Berge, because he had permitted, in the year 1556, that the Word of God was truly and openly preached on his land, and that he had lodged some of the brethren, had to leave his own house and property, and conceal himself, and sojourn with other good friends (so severe was then the persecution against the Christians), until, finally, while walking on the road, he was apprehended, and this only because one who saw him walking, said: "There goes the man who permitted preaching on his land." And though he offered to give to the officer that apprehended him his purse containing fifty pounds Flemish, if he would let him go, he was nevertheless taken along into prison at Kortrijk, where he, after a bold confession of his faith, was very severely tortured, by scourging as well as otherwise; but as he would in no wise apostatize from his faith, or implicate any of his fellow members, he was finally sentenced to death, and burned, in the year 1569, thus obtaining a house and inheritance which shall never be taken from him. II Cor. 5:1.

JASPER DEN TASCHRINKMAKER, A. D. 1569

At Antwerp, about the year 1569, there was apprehended a brother, named jasper den Taschrinkmaker, who, when he was examined concerning his faith, boldly confessed it, and would allow no entreaties, threats or tortures to swerve him from it, so that because of his steadfastness he was sentenced to death as a heretic, and offered up his sacrifice by fire. Hence the eternal fire shall not destroy that which he has built upon the foundation Jesus Christ.

DIRK ANOOT AND WILLEM DE ZAGER, IN THE

YEAR 1569

When the Duke of Alba tyrannized with great violence against the Gospel, as Antiochus against the law, II Macc. 7, there were brought prisoners into Ypres, in Flanders, in the year 1569, one Dirk Anoot, of Westvleteren, and one named Willem, a woodsawyer, who, as they could in no wise be drawn from the truth by tribulation, fear, or any suffering inflicted upon them, were finally condemned and sentenced by the fire, and were then brought into the marketplace, before the city hall, with a stick fastened in their mouth, that they should not speak. There each was placed at a stake and burned. Thus they, as those who did not love their life, but delivered it up for the Gospel, offered up their bodies as a burnt sacrifice unto God, their Lord.

TANNEKEN VAN DER MEULEN, JAECXKEN VAN

HUSSELE, AND JAECXKEN TEERLINGS, IN

THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1569

At Ghent in Flanders also three sisters were apprehended on account of the faith, namely Tanneken van der Meulen, Jaecxken van Hussele, and Jaecxken Teerlings, who had to leave, for, the Lord's sake, five little children, whom she ommended to a faithful keeper and Provider, since she had to help her two imprisoned fellow sisters contend for His name, in which all three of them evinced such manful courage unto death, that even the tyrants were amazed at it, who shall be still more amazed, when they shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and see that these with all the children of God shall be taken up into everlasting joy and gladness, while they themselves standing on the left hand will have to go into everlasting sorrow, and that the time of repentance shall then be utterly taken away from them.

JOOST GOETHALS, ROELANDT AND PIETER STAY;

ERT, JANNEKEN ROELANDS AND JA14NEXEN

DE JONCKHEERE, IN THE YEAR 1569

In the year 1569, at Ghent,, in Flanders, there were apprehended for the faith, three brethren and two sisters, namely, Joost Goethals, Roelandt and Pieter Stayert, Janneken Roelands and Janneken de Jonckheere. These had to resist many examinations, trials and temptations, but remained valiant in everything unto death, so that they were tried as gold in the fire; nor did that fail which they had built upon the cornerstone Christ; wherefore they shall, for having been faithful here over a few things, be made rulers with the good and faithful servant over many things, and enter into heaven into the joy of their Lord. Matt. 25:23.

CHRISTOFFEL BUYZE, LAURENS VAN RENTERGEN,

JOOST MEERSSENIER, AND GRIETGEN BAETS

Not long after the above there were also apprehended at Ghent three brethren and one sister, namely, Christoffel Buyze, Laurens van Rentergen, Joost Meerssenier, and Grietgen Baets. These, in order to follow Christ, gladly took up His cross, and had to suffer much reproach, temptation, and pain in the narrow way; but in all this they courageously persevered, and could in no wise be induced to apostatize, so that they finally had to lay down their lives for the name of Christ, and with Him press through the strait gate, in order that they might take the kingdom of God by force, where they in the new Jerusalem, shall have Him for an everlasting light, and shall with all those who have valiantly contended for the truth, live in everlasting and imperishable joy.

----

----

OLD PIETER, JAN WAITIER, JAN VAN RAES, WOU;

TER DENIJS, FRANCAIS THE CARPENTER, AND

KALLEKEN, THE WIDOW OF ANPLEUNIS

VAN DEN BERGE

As the Jews did to the Shepherd, so their successors do still to His sheep, which was evident in the year 1569, when they, having come from Kortrijck to Meenen, apprehended there a brother named old Pieter; but not yet satisfied with this, they returned on the Friday before Easter, in the night, and apprehended Jan Watier, Jan van Raes, Wouter Demjs, Francais the Carpenter, and Kalleken, the widow of Anpleunis van den Berge (which latter had previously been offered up). These were so tightly bound that it was pitiful to behold. Jan Wader said: "If there is any one here from Komen, greet my wife, and tell her to fear God." These were then conducted to Kortrijck, where they lay for three weeks, so closely guarded that no one could come to them, to comfort or speak to them. They were also very severely tortured, in order that they should mention others; but God kept their lips. The old man, Jan van Raes, was put on the rack twice, but he nevertheless betrayed no one. When Jan Watier was led back to prison, it was a lamentable sight to behold how he had been tortured, all his limbs appearing to have been broken.

When they were led to the court, they said: "Now truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter." Isa. 59:14. There they (the five brethren and one sister) comforted and cheered one another with the Word of God. I Thess. 4:18, There the innocent were sentenced to be burned, and delivered to the hangman or executioner. Longing for their Father's land, to be in peace with Him forever, they boldly came forth, and Pieter sighed and cast up his eyes, saying: "O Lord, succor Thy servant, and strengthen him in his last extremity; and do not account this as sin to them, but convert them; for they know not what they do." Jan Watier said to the lords: "If we have done amiss to you in anything, do forgive us; we gladly forgive you all that you have .done amiss to us; but let the innocent blood you have shed satisfy you, and do not shed any more." Pieter said to the people: "If you would enter into life, seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all that you further need shall be added unto you." Matt. 6:33. He further said: "This is the strait gate by which we enter in; here we are going home, where we shall be this evening." Wouter Denijs said: "O Lord, reprove them with the hammer of thy divine word, that they may perceive, whom they have pierced, and be converted." John 19:37. Pieter again said: "These members, which God has given me, I will gladly surrender for his honor; for hereafter, when I rise, he shall give them to me again." II Macc. 7:11.

When they had all finished their prayer, and were standing bound at the stakes, they confidently exclaimed: "O heavenly Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." Thus all these six friends passed through the conflict, as faithful regenerated children of God, and elect sheep of Christ, who remained steadfast unto the end, and with their sacrifice took their blessed departure out of this world.

Wouter Denijs also wrote several letters from prison, three of which have come into our hands, and follow here.

THE FIRST LETTER OF WOUTER DENIJS, TO

HIS WIFE

A cordial greeting to you, my beloved wife and children, and to father, and to my brothers, sisters and all my friends according to the flesh, and to all that are known to me, who fear God from a pure heart. This fear, from a pure heart, may the Almighty God grant you through His Son Jesus Christ.

My beloved wife, and my children, whom I love next to God, lay this to heart, for I have written it with great diligence. Behold, I think (and know nothing to the contrary) that you will receive nothing further from me; hence if you would be saved let my words abide in your ears, I therefore pray you from the depths of my heart, through Jesus Christ, always to instruct and admonish my and your children with great diligence in the fear of _ God, as ..long as the Lord will let you remain together. I further request you, always to restrain them, lest they rule over you. You have such a striking example in some whom I will not mention here, not deeming it best; but I will let it be as it is everyone will give an account of himself. Romans 14:12. Therefore, my dear and beloved, I pray you for Christ's sake, to walk in the fear of the Lord; and use more diligence in seeking your salvation, than you have hitherto done; and be not ashamed to ask questions in matters pertaining to salvation, but let us be ashamed before the Lord of our misery and nakedness; for when the Lord visits us, everyone would like to be found glorious and spotless, and blameless in weakness. For when one gets into bonds, it is such a blessed thing to have peace in one's conscience; or even if one should be laid upon his death bed. Hence Peter admonishes us: "Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator." I Peter 4:19. And the apostle exhorts us that every one should seek to excel in good works. Tit. 3:8. Abd Christ says in His Gospel: "He that forsaketh not lands and house, father and mother, wife and children, yea, his own life, is not worthy to be my disciple." Luke 14:26.