Betake yourselves now to the Lord, for now is the right time; and let not the world confound you, lest you be deceived. Watch, you that are on the ocean, lest you perish; believe in the Lord with all your heart, and you will weather the tempest. May the King of kings, to whom all things are known, uphold us with his mighty hand, that we may on account of no adversity depart from him, but may faithfully adhere to his word even unto death. Hereby I will gladly resign my life at this time, and enter this narrow way through Christ; by his help I will gladly bear his yoke, and in this yoke alone pull my plow. O God, that I might be so fortunate as to see the work begun in me brought to such a happy end, to the salvation of my soul and to thy glory, and this solely through thy power—richer or more highly exalted as a mortal I could not become! I should praise and magnify thee for it through Christ thy Son. Dear brethren and sisters, I have written this in my severe imprisonment, and give it to you for an admonition. I George Friesen have composed this in the night, while others slept; I hope that daylight will soon shine brightly. O Lord that thou wouldest speedily come to me in prison, deliver me from my chains, and free me from my bonds, and protect me from the wicked—O then I should stand well before thee! My brethren, if you would rejoice in the spirit, and herein understand me thoroughly, then beware of sin, and you will see clearly. And if you would spiritually understand the divine law, go to the Lord, and he will help you in it.
MARTIJNTGEN AELMEERS, A. D. 1562.
In the year 1562 there was apprehended at Honschote, in Flanders, a young girl named Martijntgen Helmeers, of Steenwijcke, because she had been baptized upon her faith, and ordered her walk and conversation according to the doctrine of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
After great steadfastness she was sentenced to death, and burnt, and thus offered up to God an acceptable, living sacrifice, and escaped the torment of eternal fire.
NIKASEN VAN AELMEERS, A. D. 1562.
The same year, Nikasen Aelmeers, the brother of the aforementioned Martijntgen, was apprehended for the faith and the divine truth, at Bruges in Flanders, and when no pain or torture could draw him from his faith, he was condemned and burnt, as a true witness of our Lord Jesus Christ.
KAREL VAN DEN VELDE, WITH PROENTGEN HIS WIFE, FRANCHOYS DE SWARTE, WITH KLAESKEN HIS WIFE, JASPER THE SHOEMAKER, CHARLO DE WAEL, AND MARTIJNE AMARE, IN THE YEAR 1562.
In the year 1562, there were apprehended at Honschote in Flanders, for the testimony of the truth, seven persons, namely, Karel van den Velde, of Ghent, with Proentgen his wife, Franchoys de Swarte, of Belle, with Klaesken his wife, Jasper the shoemaker, Charlo, a lad, and Martijntgen Amare, a young maiden, all of whom steadfastly adhered to the truth and the word of God. Five of them, namely, the four male persons and the girl, were very soon after their apprehension burnt for their faith; but the two women, sisters, were sometime afterwards secretly drowned in a tub. One of the women, when she saw that they intended to put her to death secretly, complained of it, since she would have preferred publicly to testify to the truth with her death; whereupon her sister said: “It is all the same, for God sees it; he will reward us, and avenge our wrongs.” 2 Chron. 16:9; Rev. 6:10.
Thus they all passed through the conflict as valiant heroes, and obtained leave to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Rev. 2:7.