In the year 1540, Brother Hans Simeraver was imprisoned for the divine truth, at Schwatz, in the valley of the Inn; but as they could not draw him from his faith, nor convince him with the holy Scriptures, they delivered him to their high priest, the executioner, who had to lead him out and conquer him. Thus he was executed with the sword, and sealed his faith in God with his blood, thus resisting unto blood, or striving against sin and the abomination of desolation. Heb. 12:4; Matt. 24:15. Therefore he shall also, on Mount Sion, among the great number of those who testified to and confessed the name of God in the world, receive a palm in his hands, and be crowned with the unfading crown of life. 2 Esdr. 2:45; 2 Tim. 4:8.
WALTER OF STOELWIJK, A. D. 1541.
On the eleventh of February, A. D. 1538, another pious and faithful brother, named Walter of Stoelwijk, at Vilvoorden, in Brabant, fell into the hands of the ravening wolves (Matt. 7:15), and had to suffer much for the truth, from these envious papists. But he, as a wise builder, had founded his house upon the firm and immovable rock, Christ Jesus; and therefore remained steadfast in all these great trials, though he had to suffer cruel imprisonment for three years, and much severe and tyrannous examining and torturing from these blood-thirsty men. Finally, on the 24th of March, in the year 1541, he was sentenced and burned at said place. Thus he remained faithful to his Lord and Creator unto death, and steadfastly confirmed with his death and blood the genuine faith of the truth, and his unwavering, living hope. He shall therefore, as an obedient sheep, also hear the voice of the great Shepherd of the sheep saying to him: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” John 10:3; Heb. 13:20; Matt. 25:34.
A LETTER WRITTEN BY SAID WALTER OF STOELWIJK, TREATING OF THE SUFFERING AND THE GLORY OF CHRISTIANS.
Grace, peace, and mercy from God our heavenly Father, and from Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, be with all those who live godly in Christ Jesus, and therefore suffer persecution, to the glory and praise of the true God, to the trial of their faith, and the eternal salvation of their souls. Amen. Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:3; 2 Tim. 3:12.
Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his unfathomable grace and mercy hath called us out of darkness unto his marvelous light, and still daily lets his face shine upon us, that we may know his way on the earth, and his salvation among the Gentiles. Yea, blessed, praised, and glorified be God our most blessed Lord and most merciful Father, who, through his unspeakable goodness, and not through the merits of our works, has chosen us, through Jesus Christ, to be his children, that we should be heirs of his eternal kingdom, and inherit all things as true children and heirs of God; children of God and joint heirs with Christ, if we do the will of God our heavenly Father, that we may be glorified with him, and enter into his glory. Tit. 3:5; 2 Tim. 1:9; Eph. 2:6; Rom. 8:17. For it is true what Christ says: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Matt. 7:21. Now it is the will of our heavenly Father, that we deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus Christ.
In the first place, we must deny ourselves; that is, we must forsake our own will, and surrender ourselves wholly to Jesus Christ, so that according, to the words of the apostle, we live no more unto ourselves, but unto Jesus Christ, who died for us, that he may be Lord both of the dead and living, and that no one shall live unto himself, but unto him who died for him, and rose again. O Lord God, how few there are who are willing thus to deny themselves, and desire only to do the will of God; yea, how many do not yet know which is the true will of God, but hold to the doctrine and commandments of the Roman Pope and antichrist, and are in such a condition, that they do not know Jesus Christ. To these, the Almighty God, according to the pleasure of his will, must open the eyes of their understanding, with the radiance of his grace, that they may emerge from this blindness into the true light, and know with all the saints, what is the delusion and sorcery of the Babylonian whore (Rev. 18:2), and that the teachings and commandments of Christ Jesus alone are to be kept, yea, that we must follow and preserve only the teachings and commandments of Christ Jesus, and that we may in no wise live according to our own will, but are to consider that Christ Jesus himself did not his own will, but the will of his Father, who sent him; which was done and written for our admonition and instruction, that we should not fulfill our own will, which, because of the innate wickedness of our cursed nature, is prone to evil; but the acceptable and perfect will of God, so that we may pray aright, as Christ has taught us, saying: Heavenly Father, thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Matt. 6:9,10. How many there are who do not say this with a good heart, but with false lips, even as Judas said to Christ: “Hail, Master” (Matt. 26:49; Mark 14:45; Luke 22:47), at the same time betraying him; so they say with the mouth, that God’s will is to be done; while at the same time all their thoughts and works are contrary to the will of God. These are those real false Christians who say to Christ Jesus: “Lord, Lord,” and yet do not what he has commanded them. These are the true Pharisees, the hypocritical saints, who honor God with their lips, while their heart is far from him. These are the true unbelievers of whom St. Paul says that with their words they profess to know God, but in works deny him, so that they are abominable to the Lord, because they are disobedient to him, and reprobate unto every good work. Yea, these are the true hypocrites, the disciples of deceitful Satan, who have learned from their master, to disguise their inward craftiness, and outwardly to adorn themselves with a beautiful appearance. Such hypocrites the Lord will forever curse and cast out, and say to them: “Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity; I know you not.” Matt. 7:23; Ps. 6:8. But he will bless the pious Christians and bless and glorify the good and true disciples of Jesus Christ, who deny themselves, and have surrendered themselves unto the will of God, which is the true beginning of the Christian life, and without which life can not be begun.
In the second place, we must take up our cross, namely prepare ourselves for suffering, according to the teaching of Jesus Syrach, who says: “My son, if thou come to serve the Lord, prepare thy soul for temptation. Set thy heart aright, and constantly endure, and make not haste in time of trouble. Cleave unto him, and depart not away, that thou mayest be increased at thy last end. Whatsoever is brought upon thee, take cheerfully, and be patient when thou art changed to a low estate. For gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity.” Sir. 2:1–5; Wis. 3:6. With this accords also what Paul says: “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Tim. 3:12. Yea Christ himself says to his apostles: “Ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.” Mark 13:13. From all these words it must incontrovertibly follow, that all servants of God, all godly men, all disciples of Jesus Christ, must suffer persecution for his name’s sake; and be tried through manifold temptations.
Therefore it is an awful blindness, that men boast of the Gospel and Christianity, and know what belongs to a Christian life, but, alas! they have the least thought of suffering anything for the name of Christ Jesus; yea, though they know and confess that all the works which take place in papal desolation are evil, and nothing but blasphemy against God, yet have they fellowship therewith, and commit the most shameful idolatry, in order that they may avoid and escape the cross,—in which cross all pious Christians may glory (Gal. 6:14)—and still they want to be considered good Christians. O what wicked servants! O what wicked disciples! Wicked servants we say, because they would be above their Lord Jesus Christ; wicked disciples we say, since they reject and contemn the doctrine of their Master Jesus Christ. O people, people, mockers of the living God! who think to deceive God with your dissimulation, and to pay him with words, unmindful of the words of Paul, namely: that the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power! 1 Cor. 4:20. O people true hypocrites! who fancy that they serve Christ, but how far are they from glorying with Paul, the pious and faithful minister of Christ, only in the cross of Christ! Gal. 6:14. O miserable people, who would rather now live for a little season in peace and voluptuousness with the Babylonian whore, and afterwards be tormented with her in everlasting pain, than suffer with Christ Jesus for a little while, and thus enter into eternal glory!
Ah! the true saints and servants of God did differently; they would rather suffer death, than transgress the commandment of God. Pious Joseph would rather go to prison; yea, into death, than offend the Lord his God, and commit adultery with the adulterous woman. Gen. 39:8. Moses, the ardent and jealous lover of God, through his faith, chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to live in carnal and worldly lusts with the Egyptians; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt; for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. Ex. 2:11; Heb. 11:25. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego feared God the Lord more than all the torments of the tyrannous King, and would rather die a temporal death, and adhere to their God, than deny him. Dan. 3:16. Daniel who was rich in spirit and strong in faith, did not shrink from the den of lions, in which he would rather be cast, than worship any strange God. Dan. 6. The pious Tobit would rather transgress the commandment of the King at the peril of his life, than to forsake God his Lord; wherefore he also commanded his son, to fear God all his life, and never to let his will be set to sin, or to transgress the commandments of God his Lord. Tobit 1:18; 4:5. Eleazar, the pious Israelite would rather die for the law of God, than act contrary to it; yea, than to dissimulate once, and thus cause offense in Israel. The mother and her seven sons were so ardent in the love of God, that they were not afraid of all the tyranny of the wicked King, nor would they act contrary to the law of God, but much rather suffer a severe death for it. 2 Mac. 7. Yea, how many saints and witnesses of Jesus Christ are still hated, persecuted and slain by the Babylonian whore, because they will not drink of the wine of her fornication, or have fellowship with her idolatrous works.