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
Probus replied: “Neither the fire, nor the torments, nor thy father,
Satan, can turn the servant of God from his confession.”
The President said to his servants: “Let sharp nails be heated, and put
them into his hands.”
Probus answered as he suffered this: “I thank thee, O Lord, that thou
hast made my hands worthy, to suffer for thy name.”
The President said: “The many torments have deprived thee of thy mind.”
Probus replied: “The great power which thou hast, has not only made
thee a fool, but also blind; for thou knowest not what thou art doing.”
The President said: “Thou who hast been tormented on thy whole body
excepting the eyes, darest thou speak thus to me?” “Pinch his eyes,”
said he to the executioners, “that he may gradually become blind.”
When this had been done, Probus said: “Behold, thou has also deprived
me of my bodily eyes, but thou shalt never be permitted to destroy the
eyes of my faith.”
The President said: “Dost thou think thou wilt survive all these
torments, or that thus thou shalt die happy?”
Probus answered: “Fighting thus, I gradually approach the end, so that
I may finish my good and perfect confession, and be put to death by you
without mercy.”
The President said: “Take him away, bind him, put him in prison, and
let none of his companions come near him, to praise him for having
continued so steadfast in his wickedness. He, too, shall be cast before
the wild beasts at the next show.”
_Andronicus put to the rack._--Then said the President: “Let Andronicus
come forth.”
Demetrius, the captain, said: “He is already here.”
The President said to Andronicus: “Have at least compassion on thy
youth, if thou hast prudently advised with thyself to reverence the
gods: consent and sacrifice to the gods, that thou mayest be released.”
Andronicus answered: “May God never suffer thee, O tyrant, that I
do aught against the law of God. Thou shalt never shake my good
confession, which I have founded upon my Lord. Here I stand ready, for
thee to make manifest on me thy hardness.”
The President said: “Methinks, thou art raving, and possessed of the
devil.”
Andronicus replied: “If I had the devil in me, I should obey thee; but
because I confess the Lord, I do not submit to the commands of the
devil. But hast not thou the devil in thee? For, being deceived by the
devil, thou doest the works of the devil.”
The President said to the Executioners: “Make bundles of paper, and put
fire upon his body.”
When this was done, Andronicus said: “Though I burn from head to foot,
the spirit nevertheless is alive in me. Thou shalt not conquer me; for
the Lord, whom I serve is with me.”
The President said: “Thou madman! how long wilt thou remain thus
obstinate? Seek at least to die upon thy bed.”
Andronicus answered: “As long as I live, I shall overcome thy
wickedness.”
The President said: “Heat the branding-irons red-hot again, and put
them between his fingers.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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