The Bloody Theatre, or Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians / who baptized only upon confession of faith, and who suffered and died for the testimony of Jesus, their savior, from the time of Christ to the year A.D. 1660

by Thieleman J. van Braght

Hansken van den Wege.

Imprisoned for the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ.

THE THIRD LETTER OF HANSKEN VAN DEN WEGE.

My blessed wish, holy salutation and perpetual memorial to you, Claerken, my dear sister, is, that you may live holy, and die happy, and that you may arise with a holy body, acceptable to the Lord, to the salvation of your soul, and also to the praise and honor of the eternal and almighty God of heaven and earth, to whose name be eternal praise, glory and honor, now and forever. Amen.

O dear and much beloved chosen sister, I wish you from the depth of my heart, and the inmost of my soul, much grace and mercy from God our heavenly Father, who is true and almighty, of whom are all things, and this through Jesus Christ our Lord, the Son of the true and living God, by whom are all things, who is the Savior of the world, and especially of those that believe; for he is our High Priest, Prince, Reconciler, and Savior, by his death and precious blood, which he once shed for us; and this with great humility and meekness, in holiness and peace; together with the great power, consolation and full joy of the Holy Ghost. O yes, dear sister, may the Holy Ghost who is the supreme comfort of our afflicted conscience, impel and guide you into all truth. O Claerken, dear sister, strive for this, and purify yourself thereto, that you may be a member in the body of the Lord, and a stone in his temple; and so humble yourself now, that it may be seen and perceived in you, that you now humble your flesh and spirit, so that the Holy Ghost may dwell in you; and that you also show forth the nature of him that dwells in you, by great gentleness, mercy, love and peace toward all men, not being quarrelsome, not clamorous, not cursing, not puffed up, nor proud, not minded to worship idols, nor to hearken after the commandments of men, and also not greedy of filthy lucre, which has to be left behind. O yes, Claerken, dear sister, flee all these abominations and evil things, and moreover, all that are like them. O yes, shun them, as you would shun snakes and serpents; for if you come too near you will be bitten by them so that no man can heal you. Sir. 21:2. Hence, dear sister, separate from all these abominations, and touch not the unclean thing; but strive to be found excelling in good works, so that you may be fit for the Spirit of God to dwell in you; and may at all times bring forth the fruit of the Spirit; for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth. Eph. 5:9. Yea, strive for the kingdom of heaven, which is righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, (Rom. 14:17). Amen.

And I greet my dear and much beloved chosen mother, who is also my dearest sister in the Lord, very cordially and affectionately; yea, I greet you, O dear mother, with all the strength of my heart, and I wish you always and forever Jesus Christ, the Son of the most high God, that he may, with his great power, by which all things are made, uphold you in the true way, that leads to life eternal, yea, to the new Jerusalem, where the streets are of pure gold, so that you may enter in there, through his great grace, and thus be forever saved, and live in eternal, great joy and rest, and triumph and reign forever with the Lord of lords, and forever praise, glorify, and honor his great, high and holy name; for glory be to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men. Herewith I commend you forever to the only and almighty Lord, and to the eternal words of his grace. Amen.

Adieu, adieu, dear mother, dear mother, farewell, farewell; O yes, blessed, blessed. Amen, amen.

THE FOURTH LETTER OF HANSKEN VAN DEN WEGE.

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.