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. 1660Braght, Thieleman J. van (Thieleman Janszoon)
History
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
Braght, Thieleman J. van (Thieleman Janszoon)
Anabaptists -- Europe -- Biography; Christian martyrs -- Biography; Persecution
Maximus said to his servants: “Bring vinegar mixed with salt, and pour
it into his nostrils.”
NOTE.--Here a whole leaf is wanting in the original, namely, of the
tortures which Tharacus, Probus, and Andronicus suffered in the second
examination on the rack; however, concerning Andronicus the following
additional was found.
The Proconsul said (namely, to Andronicus): “All this nonsense can
avail thee nothing. But come, and sacrifice to the gods, that thou
mayest not perish under the punishment.”
Andronicus replied: “It is the same that thou hast heard the first and
the second time; for I am not a child, to be moved or turned by words.”
The President said: “You shall nevertheless neither conquer me, nor
despise my tribunal.”
Andronicus answered: “We do not conquer thee, but our Lord Jesus Christ
strengthens us.”
The President said: “The next time we hold court over these men, let
other modes of torture be put in practice. In the meantime put him
(Andronicus) in irons, and keep him in prison until tomorrow, and let
no one see him.”
THE THREE MARTYRS EXAMINED ON THE RACK THE THIRD TIME.
The President said: “Call the ungodly Christians in.” Demetrius, the
centurion, answered: “Here I am.”
_Tharacus brought forth first._--When he had brought forth Tharacus,
the Proconsul said: “Dost thou still despise imprisonment, bonds,
punishments, and tortures? Follow my advice, O Tharacus, and abandon
this confession, which profits thee nothing. Rather sacrifice to the
gods, by whom all things exist.”
Tharacus answered: “Woe shall come upon them. Thou thinkest that the
world is governed by them; whereas they are destined for eternal fire;
and not they only, but all those also who serve them.”
The President said: “And dost thou not yet desist, thou impious
blasphemer! or thinkest thou not that for thy rash words I should cause
thee to be instantly beheaded?”
Tharacus replied: “Then I would not die a lingering death, but a short
one. But let me have a long conflict, that in the meantime my faith in
the Lord may grow and increase.”
The President said: “Thou and thy fellow-prisoners must die according
to the laws.”
Tharacus answered: “What thou sayest is an evidence of thy ignorance;
for those who do evil die justly; but we who know of no evil, that is,
who have committed nothing worthy of death before men, but suffer for
the Lord, expect with confident hope the heavenly reward from the Lord.”
The Proconsul said: “Thou accursed miscreant! what reward have ye to
expect, seeing you die for your wickedness?”
Tharacus replied: “It is not lawful for thee to inquire into, or to
ask, what reward the Lord has laid up for us in heaven; and therefore
we patiently suffer the wrath of thy madness.”
The President said: “Darest thou thus address me, thou accursed [one],
as though thou wert mine equal?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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