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

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,” etc. John 3:16; Rom. 5:8.

“For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son,” etc. Rom. 5:10; Heb. 5:9.

“If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all,” etc. Rom. 8:31,32; 1 John 3:16.

“Ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Pet. 1:18,19.

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” 1 John 4:9.

ARTICLE XVI.

Of the life, suffering, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, and of his again receiving his glory with his Father. Of this we confess: That the Lord Jesus, in the time of his humiliation in the flesh, being about thirty-three years, did not only with words, but also by works and deeds, set us a holy, godly example, to be looked to as the Captain of the faith, by all believers, and followed in the regeneration; for in his youth he was subject to his father and mother. And when his time was fulfilled, he entered in full obedience toward his heavenly Father, on the office and ministry imposed upon him, proclaimed unto them his Father’s good pleasure, made the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak, the blind to see, cleansed the lepers, cast out devils, raised the dead from their graves, forgave men their sins, and promised eternal life to those who believe in him.

These things Christ did not do in the same manner and form as his apostles and others, who performed miracles through a power and gift only received, which had been conferred upon and given them by Christ. But such was not the case with Christ; for he himself had all power in heaven and earth; so that he said to the two blind men: “Believe ye that I am able to do this?” And further: “That ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins.” And still further: “I will raise them up at the last day; and I give unto them eternal life.”

Thus the Lord Jesus completely fulfilled and accomplished the works of his Father, and shone as a clear heavenly light into this dark world, convincing the same of her evil works, and pointing them out to her; by which he incurred the hatred of the blinded scribes and Pharisees, who did not know the light of truth, and who, from hatred and envy, censured him for all these divine deeds, attributing them to the devil; and thus they delivered this innocent one into the hands of the unbelieving heathen, Pontius Pilate. They also examined this dumb Lamb with many severe threats, mocked him, spat in his face, smote him with their fists, scourged him, wounded his head with a crown of thorns, and finally stripped him and stretched him naked on the cross, nailed his hands and feet thereon, and thus suspended him, as the Prince and Captain of all malefactors, between two murderers. In his bitter thirst they gave him vinegar to drink, mixed with gall; they pierced his side with a spear, so that blood and water flowed out therefrom. Thus he gave up the ghost with a loud voice, commending it into the hands of his Father. And when he had died, heaven and earth were convulsed by this precious death and resurrection; so that the sun lost his brightness, and darkness came over all the earth; the earth quaked; the vail of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and many bodies of the saints arose from their graves, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

And as in the time of his flesh, suffering and death, he showed that he had become man, so he also showed herein that this very man was also true God with his Father; and that he had the keys of the power of death and hell, that he could again raise up the broken temple of his body in three days, and had the power to lay down his life, and to take it up again; so that it was impossible, that he should be held by death, or that his holy flesh should see corruption, but rose triumphantly from the dead, on the third day, by the glory of the Father, revealed himself to his apostles and others, and miraculously appeared unto them, as they were assembled with doors closed, ate and drank with them, and for forty days spake with them of many things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Then, in the presence of the apostles, he was taken up to heaven by a cloud, and sat down on the right hand of his Almighty Father in heaven.