In the year 1568, at Ghent, in Flanders, also four brethren were apprehended, namely, Jan de Smit, Daniel de Paeu, Daniel van Vooren and Passchier Weyns, who boldly confessed their faith and all the articles in regard to which they were examined, and were not ashamed of God and his word, but valiantly and undauntedly contended for the truth accepted and apprehended; against all that withstood them, unwaveringly even unto death, which they therefore tasted, as valiant soldiers; first, Jan de Smit, and shortly after, the other three. But they obtained to live forever where the new wine will be given them to drink in the Father’s kingdom.
VALERIUS SCHOOLMASTER MARTYRED, A. D. 1568.
A. D. 1568, a godfearing, pious brother, called Valerius Schoolmaster, having in his time exercised the functions of schoolteacher at Hoorn, in Holland, and at Middelburgh in Zealand, was apprehended for the testimony of Jesus, at Brouwershaven, in Zealand. He was a zealous follower of Christ, and would not hide the talent he had received in the earth, but put it with great diligence out upon usury; so that in paths and highways, wherever he saw a fit opportunity, he exhorted the people with the word of God, threatening the sinner with the terrible punishment and vengeance which at the speedy appearance of Christ from heaven will fall upon all ungodliness; and, again, comforting the penitent with the great and glorious promises and rewards which the Lord God at the end of the world will give to all believers. In consequence of this he incurred the displeasure of benighted men, who can neither hear nor endure the light of the Gospel, so that once he was put in bonds at Goes, in Zealand, but was released again, keeping his faith. Finally, however, he was apprehended at Brouwershaven, in the district of Zierickzee, where he suffered many assaults and long imprisonment, but by the grace of God, overcame everything, and attested and sealed the faith of the truth with his death and blood, and thus, through grace, obtained the crown of eternal life.
He also was not idle during the time of his imprisonment, but wrote two excellent little books, well worth reading, and sent them from prison. The first is entitled, Of the Decrease and Decay of the Apostolical Church; and Of the Rise of Antichrist, and how the Light of the Gospel is obscured by him. Written in the sixtieth week of his imprisonment; together with an earnest exhortation to apostates from the word of God, that they may seek the grace of the Almighty betimes, while he is yet to be found.
The other book bears the title, The Proof of Faith; in which he teaches with great earnestness, to count this world and all visible things nothing but mere loss and dung, so only Christ be won. Wherefore he exhorts all believers, to become poor for Christ’s sake, and to expect riches hereafter with God in heaven. Hence he greatly commends the poverty and piety still remaining in Menno Simon’s S. G., and says that herein he puts to blush many others. We have therefore added here, for his remembrance, the first part of said book, that by this little the reader may judge of all the remainder, which would be too long to adduce here in full. He wrote it the fourteenth week of his imprisonment. Read it with attention.
“Natural, impartial reader or hearer, who have any understanding, you may well know and imagine that a man that is so depraved and wicked, and has done so much evil, as to insure his death, in case he were apprehended, ought to be afraid of committing any more evil, lest at last he be apprehended and put to death. But if he do not cease from evil he may at last be apprehended for his crimes. Then, when imprisoned, he may reflect and concern himself night and day, how he may escape or obtain his liberty, whether by strategy, violence or breaking out—and all this, that he might prolong his uncertain life for a little while, which, though he should escape, he must ultimately relinquish. And if a poor prisoner cannot help himself, he may consider whether some good friend cannot assist him. And if his friend fail him, he may meditate whether the judges might not be merciful to him, at whose feet he may fall, and implore them to spare him in mercy; moreover, he may promise thoroughly to reform, and that he will commit such or like misdeeds no more all the days of his life. And when the prisoner has done this much, yea, all that he knows to do, and all his plans, and everything else, prove of no avail, he may in desperation give up all courage. And when he sees the monk coming, he may become greatly alarmed, knowing that his confessor (who with lies and vain consolation may promise him eternal life, thereby seeking to assure his soul) is the harbinger of his death; and when the doomed man hears the court pronounce his sentence of death, he may become still more afraid and dismayed. And when at last he is led to death, and beholds the instrument of his death, the gallows, wheel, stake, or water, he may most of all fear and quake, so seized with mortal dread and horror as though he were dead while still living, unless he be assured by the priests or some other liars, of his salvation, in which case he might be of good cheer—one in this way, another in another way. And if some one should bring to this doomed criminal under the sword or at the stake, good news assuring him of his life, and tell him to arise and he himself should kneel down in the malefactor’s stead, how joyfully should the latter with gratitude accept his transient life! But Christ, who gives redemption and eternal life by his death, few are willing gratefully to accept aright and unto repentance. John 3:16; Col. 1:14; Is. 53:4.
“Now, suppose that the doomed criminal were a filthy, unclean harlot, imprisoned for a crime, or for having herself alone committed (if it were possible) all the wickednesses and sins ever perpetrated by the whole world, for which she were condemned to the most shameful death that could be devised; and the King should send his only, beloved son from his kingdom and glory into great poverty, imprisonment, suffering and an innocent death, in the stead of the unclean harlot, who by all manner of contempt and evil-doing had angered the King, and merited death a thousand times, but is now nevertheless, out of grace, through the death of the King’s son (on condition of her amending) reconciled to the King, made at peace with him, liberated from prison, and delivered from death, and remains alive, a partaker and heir of all the riches of the King; ought she not to accept this great love and grace, love the King, amend her ways, and be greatly afraid of vexing the King any more all her life, who cleansed her, forgave all her evil deeds, paid all her debts, espoused her as his beloved queen, exalted her into his glory, and protected her as himself from all enemies? But if she should not amend (according to her promise), should again anger the King, and do worse than before, were this not great ingratitude, worthy of sorer punishment than before? Hereby we may prove ourselves, whether we that are redeemed through the grace of God, also keep the promise of amendment. And though all this were to happen thus, a thing which was never heard of or seen, nor ever occurred; yet, since it were but temporal and of short duration, it is not an adequate comparison to that which is eternal and intransient, namely, the love of God, which has come to us through Christ his beloved Son.
“For God so loved the condemned world, his enemy, steeped as it was in sin, and lying in wickedness, that he spared not his only Son, but sent him from his glory in heaven, and delivered him up to the ignominious and cursed death of the cross, that whosoever believeth, should not perish or be condemned, but, through the love, mercy and grace made manifest through Christ, be acquitted, blessed, redeemed, cleansed from sin, protected from the wrath to come, wooed, wedded and exalted as his chosen bride, obedient wife (Hos. 2:20), and glorious queen, and his eternal and imperishable kingdom, and live with joy unspeakable; whereas we were so unclean in our sins, polluted in our blood, no one attending to us (Ezek. 16), taken captive by the devil at his will, and sentenced by God, according to his justice, to eternal death and damnation.
“Now let us well consider and advise with ourselves, according to the simile of the criminal, imprisoned harlot under the sword or at the stake. Let us well examine ourselves, whether we have risen from our sins, amended, and still daily amend, and whether we have rightly accepted, by the faith which worketh by love, this love, grace and redemption of God, made manifest through Christ, and whether we in return love God, keep his commandments, and are afraid of offending him.
“The world was by nature corrupted by sin, and judged or sentenced to condemnation, so that Christ did not come to judge or to condemn that which was already judged, but to redeem from judgment and condemnation all those who rightly, by faith, accept his grace (Tit. 2:11), that is, those who die unto and forsake their sinful life, repent and amend; in a word, those who are born again, and live after the Spirit (John 3; Rom. 8), as the Scriptures abundantly testify in many places.