# Jan Thielemans And Job Jans, Burnt To Death For The Testimony Of Jesus Christ, In The Hague, In Holland, In The Year 1568.

1568 · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: JAN THIELEMANS AND JOB JANS, BURNT TO DEATH FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, IN THE HAGUE, IN HOLLAND, IN THE YEAR 1568.

Source heading; not independently verified

Hands were now laid in the Hague, on the
beloved friends of the Lord, so that they did not
hesitate to deprive them of their lives with flaming
fire.

This became apparent in the case of two very
pious and godfearing men, one of whom was named
Jan Thielemans, the other Job Jans. To both of
them, at that place, because they faithfully adhered
to the Lord their God, and could by no torture be
moved from the steadfastness of their faith, their
sentence of death was read in court, namely, that,
in pursuance with the decrees of the Emperor, and
the King of Spain (who called himself Count of
Holland), they should be put to death with fire as
heretics; which was executed on the 18th of December,
A. D. 1568, on both of them, after they had
committed their souls into the hands of God.

Further observation, concerning the death sentences
of the aforementioned martyrs.

We have this year, 1659, on this occasion,
through some of our friends in the Hague, requested
by way of authenticated copy, the use of the proceedings
of the court, from the criminal records of
the year 1568, but especially of the death sentences
of the aforementioned martyrs (as recorded by the
papists), which, as appears, are still extant in the
original; but as A. D. 1648 peace was made with
Spain, with condition of forgiving each other all
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previous wrongs, and consequently, to mention
them no more, the actuary was afraid to make out
a copy of these particulars, as well as concerning
others of our fellow believers that were put to death
during the papistical reign, fearing it might tend to
their reproach, and prove detrimental to the peace
concluded.

This aim of the actuary was not bad, since it
springs from carefulness in regard to a matter of
great importance; but in the meantime these holy
martyrs must suffer abridgment, since their matters,
which otherwise necessarily (even out of the mouth
of their adversaries, might be made known to every
one), must thereby remain hid. This by way of notice.

The first letter which Jan Thielemans wrote in
prison.

I wish you, my dear friends, grace and peace
from God the heavenly father, through Jesus Christ
his dear Son our Lord, as a friendly greeting.
Amen.

Further, after all good and proper greetings that
are Christian-like, I, in my unworthiness, have felt
greatly prompted in my spirit, to write you something
yet, since I cannot orally converse with you
all; seeing I had laid the first foundation in some of
you (1 Cor. 3:10), and, according to my humble
gift, withheld nothing from you, and though I am
now removed from you, I have nevertheless, because
of the great love which we in great fellowship
and peace have mutually had, remembered you in
my last adieu with a little draught out of my rivulet,
from which I have poured out for you; yet not I,
but the grace of God through me. For thus it is
written, Gen. 17, that God spake to our father
Abraham, saying: “I am the Almighty God; walk
before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make
my covenant between me, and thee, and will multiply
thee accordingly, so that kings shall come out of
thee. And I will give unto thy seed the land of
Canaan for an inheritance. And this is my covenant
which I will make with you: Every man-child ye
shall circumcise.” Thus Abraham believed God,
and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and
he was called the Friend of God. James 2:23. So
God then gave Abraham a son, who was called
Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob and Jacob begat the
twelve patriarchs. And the Patriarchs envied Joseph,
and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty
pieces of silver. The Ishmaelites sold him into
Egypt; but God was with him, and he found favor
in the sight of king Pharaoh, and became governor
over the land of Egypt. And it happened that
there came a dearth over Egypt, so that Jacob and
his sons found no sustenance. And they heard that
corn was sold in Egypt. Hence Jacob sent out his
sons the first time; and the second time Joseph was
made known to his brethren; and Joseph’s kindred
was made known unto Pharaoh. And Joseph sent
for his father Jacob. And Jacob went down into
Egypt, and with him threescore and fifteen souls;
and he dwelt in Egypt, and he and his sons died
there. Acts 7:4, etc.

Now when the people began to multiply, there
arose another king, who oppressed the people of
Israel, and commanded that the young children
should be cast away. Mark well, my good friends,
how did the children of Israel get into this distress,
great misery and sorrow, on account of which
they lamented and groaned to God? who had
brought them into this? It was their father Jacob
that had done it; yet with God Almighty the promise
remained as firm as ever, which he had made to
our father Abraham, namely, that his seed should
inherit the land of Canaan; but now they were in
great affliction. Now, what did all those inherit
that were born there? the good and faithful land of
promise? No, but they inherited bondage under
the cruel King Pharaoh, and still found themselves
in the land of Egypt; this is certainly the truth.

Consider now this age of the world, and those
who are at the present day born unto the world; if
they ascertain it from the Scriptures, who brought
them into the world? Adam their father. So they
now still find themselves in the spiritual dark Egypt,
under Pharaoh, the devil. Mark now, my good
friends, what they inherit, and how they boast in
vain. They inherit a naked body when they are
born, without raiment and food; for if they inherited
raiment and food, there would not so many people
go naked and suffer hunger. But now excellent
and thankworthy gifts are proffered by the Lord.
But if we will not use these excellent means according
to the rule and truth of Christ, in order to get to
the spiritual promised land, we must remain without;
even as there are many who do not use the
means for obtaining food and clothing, and must
therefore go without them, suffer cold and hunger:
thus, my good friends, it will also go with all those
who here vainly boast of the kingdom of God.

I will now return to my previous theme. Consider
now Israel, who were dwelling in Egypt; they began
greatly to multiply, and wax mighty, and numbered
six hundred thousand men. This great power was
nevertheless beaten and compelled to labor by King
Pharaoh. They groaned and complained, and
though there was such a great multitude of them,
yet it was not possible for them to get out of the
country, and enter into the land of which they were
to be heirs, as God had promised Abraham. Thus,
also, my friends, it is impossible for man to get out
of spiritual Egypt, and to be delivered from King
Pharaoh, namely, the devil, in order to enter into
the spiritual country, namely, the kingdom of God;
for men universally inherit a depraved nature, and
in accordance with it they act, and live after the
flesh, wherefore they die, and do not inherit the
kingdom of God. Now, my dear friends, when they
were thus in Egypt, and had dwelt there four hundred
and thirty years, and complained, groaned
and sighed, it came before the Lord. And the Lord
God Almighty remembered his covenant which he
had firmly made with our Father Abraham, and
God raised up and chose a man named Moses. Behold,
my good friends, through this man God intended
to deliver all the people, and he did many
wonderful signs and mighty works before the king
of Egypt, as we may read. Finally this Moses
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brought them out by the mighty hand of God; but
before they left the country, Moses went many times
to Pharaoh and said: Thus saith the Lord God of
Israel, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
But Pharaoh said: Who is the Lord, that I should
let the people go? I will not let the people go.
Now, even as the people that were in Egypt could
not serve the Lord, unless they left Egypt and journeyed
towards the promised land, so can now those
likewise not serve the Lord, who are in the spiritual
Egypt; for one cannot serve two masters at once;
one must leave Pharaoh and Egypt; for Pharaoh
dwells in Egypt, but the Lord God dwells in the
spiritual promised land. My kind friends can now
easily perceive that it is the truth what I write, that
one must leave the spiritual Egypt, even as Moses
by the mighty hand of God delivered the people out
of Egypt, from which they went out in one day,
and came to the sea, whither Pharaoh with his servants
pursued them, thinking that they could not
escape out of the country. But little did they know
that the Lord was with the children of Israel; for
Pharaoh thought to smite them. But the Lord
divided the sea, so that the waters stood like walls.
And thus Moses and the people of God passed
through, but Pharaoh with all his servants remained
in the sea, so that not one of them escaped to go
and tell the tale in Egypt. Thus also, my dearest,
when men want to serve God, then they forsake
Egypt and Pharaoh, and when Pharaoh sees this, he
bestirs him with his servants. But the spiritual
Moses has gone before his people, and helps them
through the sea, namely, through the wilderness of
this world, and Pharaoh and his servants diligently
pursue to the end, which is death.

Furthermore, my friends, when Moses had now
succeeded in bringing them across the sea, they saw
their pursuers drown before their eyes. Then they
rejoiced greatly, and with songs thanked God, who
had so mightily helped them. They were, however,
not yet in the promised land, but on the way to the
same. And Moses their leader went before them,
and brought them to Mount Sinai; and he, the
faithful servant of the Lord, went up into the mount
and there received the law of the Lord, which was
written with the finger of God in two tables of
stone. When Moses had received these two tables
of stone from the hand of the Lord, to lay them before
the people, that they should do according to
them, for now the service of the Lord commenced;
and as yet they had received no ordinance from
God, save circumcision; hence, if they were now to
serve God, they must also have the commandments,
the Lord said to Moses: “Go, get thee down from
the mount; for the people have corrupted themselves.”
Ex. 32:7. Now when Moses went down
from the mount, and saw the people dancing around
the calf, rejoicing in the work of their hands, he cast
down the two tables of stone and brake them
beneath the mount, and with a grieved heart addressed
Aaron, saying: What hast thou done, that
thou has brought this people to so great a sin?
Aaron excused himself before Moses, and said: My
lord, thou knowest that this people is a stiffnecked
people. They fell upon me and I demanded of them
their golden earrings, and other gold; and I received
it from their hands, and fashioned it with a graving
tool, and hence this calf came. Moses took the
calf, and ground it to powder, and strewed it upon
the water, and made the children of Israel drink of
it. And Moses addressed the Levites, and said to
them: “Put every man his sword by his side, and
go in and out from gate to gate throughout the
camp, and slay every man his brother, and every
man his companion, and every man his neighbor.”
And there fell three thousand men. Behold now,
my dear kind friends, these three thousand had left
Egypt and Pharaoh, and were gone out of it, in order
that they should possess the goodly land; now
if they had boasted themselves of the goodly land
(promised by God to Abraham and his seed), would
it not have been vain boasting? Certainly.

And Korah, Dathan and Abiram, with two hundred
and fifty others, who offered incense before the
Lord, perished from the multitude, together with
fourteen thousand and seven hundred that murmured
against Moses, and said: “Ye have killed
the people of the Lord.” Num. 16.

See, my good friends, they claimed to be the
people of God, though they were not it; and again,
Moses the faithful servant of the Lord was said to
have done it, though it was not he, but their own
sins that did it. And if the truth had been told, it
would also have been so said; but the truth is also
now at the present day often perverted, and things
are asserted to be true when they are not. Again, if
the twenty-four thousand whoremongers (Numbers
25:1), together with three thousand more and many
others, who all perished in the wilderness because
of their sins and transgressions, had all greatly
boasted themselves of the goodly land, would this
not have been vain boasting? Certainly. Hence, it
is vain to boast of one’s self; but to boast according
to the truth is right. For Moses said to
them: Hear, O Israel: Thou shalt love the Lord
thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy might.
These words which I command thee this day, shall
be in thine heart: and thou shalt write them upon
the posts of thy doors; talk of them when thou
walkest by the way with thy children; and let them
be for a memorial in thine hand. Deut. 6:4, etc.
Thus Moses strictly exhorted the people, and most
diligently presented the law of the Lord to them;
and the people said: Yea, but did not do it.

Hence, my good friends, take heed, lest there
be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief [in departing
from the living God]. But exhort one another
daily while it is called to-day; lest any of you
be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For
ye are made partakers of Christ, if ye hold the beginning
of your confidence steadfast unto the end.
Therefore, to-day if ye will hear his voice, harden
not your hearts, as in the provocation, when he was
grieved forty years with that generation, and sware
in his wrath, that they should not enter into his
rest. Heb. 3. Therefore, my good friends, let us
give the more earnest heed to the things which we
have heard, lest at any time we should let them
slip. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast,
and every transgression and disobedience received
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a just recompense of reward; how shall we
escape, if we neglect so great salvation? 2:1–3.
Let us therefore fear the Lord, that we may enter
into his rest, and that none of us remain without.
For unto us was the Gospel preached, as well as
unto them: but the word preached did not profit
them, not being mixed with faith in them. 4:1,2.
Thus, my good friends, it does not profit to hear
the word of God, if it is not mixed with faith; for
unto them that believe, as the Scripture says, the
kingdom of God is promised by the mouth of Jesus.
Hence let us not neglect the grace of God, who
says: “I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in
the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold,
now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day
of salvation”—which is neglected by many. Hebrews
12:15; 2 Cor. 6:1,2.

Therefore let us in all things approve ourselves
as the ministers of God, serving him all the days
of our lives in holiness and righteousness, which are
acceptable before him. Hence I say with Paul: Lift
up the hands which hang down, and the feeble
knees; that ye stumble not, as do the lame; but
make straight paths for your feet; for I fear that
there are now many lame, and many hands which
hang down. Therefore follow peace and holiness,
without which no man shall see the Lord. Hebrews
12:12,13. I beseech you therefore, my good
friends, by the mercies of God, that ye present your
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed
to this world: but be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is
that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.
Rom. 12:1,2. Hence, remember the words which
were formerly spoken to you in the name of the
Lord: Therefore abide in that which you have
heard from the beginning. If you abide in that
which you have heard from the beginning, you
shall continue in the Father and in the Son. And
this is his promise, even eternal life. 1 John 2:24,25.
For we have a sure word of prophecy, whereunto
ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that
shineth in a dark place, until the daystar arise in
your hearts. 2 Pet. 1:19.

My dear friends, what a dark place it was formerly
with you, when the light was hid from you;
and what dark places there are still; but you have
obtained mercy. Hence Jesus Christ says in the
Gospel: I am come a light into the world, that
whosoever believeth on me should not abide in
darkness. And if any man hear my words, and
believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to
judge the world, but to save the world. He that
rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one
that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the
same shall judge him in the last day. For I have
not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent
me, he gave me a commandment, what I should
say, and what I should speak. And I know that
his commandment is life everlasting. Jn. 12:46–50.

Hence it is our concern that we through the
cordial grace of our Lord Jesus Christ may receive
the same at his hand; for the Lord also is concerned
to have a people that fear and love him.
And this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments;
and his commandments are not grievous,
to them that love him. 1 John 5:3. Therefore,
the law of commandments is good, and will abide
forever; he that receives it, shall obtain life; but he
that receives it not shall obtain death.

Hence, my friends, be mindful of the Lord our
God all your days, and let not your will be set to
sin, or to transgress the commandments of the Lord
our God (Tob. 4:5); for he has commanded the
people to come, charging them, when they came,
what they should do, that they might live; and
what they should observe, that they might not be
tormented. But they have rejected his laws; therefore
they shall also be in great misery, who have
abused his ways. Though he gave them an appointed
time, they understood it not, to show repentance;
and must therefore know it after death
in torment. 2 Esd. 9:9. For, for this cause was
the gospel preached also to them that are dead,
that they might be judged according to men in
the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
1 Pet. 4:6. Therefore, the hour is now come, that
the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God:
and they that hear shall live. And there shall an
hour come, when the dead that are in the grave
shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they
that have done good shall rise unto life eternal; and
they that have done evil shall rise also, however,
not unto life, but unto damnation. John 5:25, etc.
Hence, my good friends, look to yourselves, that
you lose not those things which you have wrought,
but that you may receive a full reward. For whosoever
transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine
of Christ, hath not God. But he that abideth in the
doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the
Son. 2 John 8:9. “Ye are of God, little children,
[and have overcome them:] because greater is he
that is in you, than he that is in the world. They
are of the world: therefore speak they of the world,
and the world heareth them. We are of God; he
that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God
heareth not us.” 1 John 4:4–6.

Thus, my good friends, I have written you a little,
and now begin to draw to a close with my letter;
for we have little time for writing, since there are
so many people coming and going. Openly I dare
not write; so that I sometimes can scarcely write
a line in solitude. Hence excuse me, in case there
be any blunders. Thus, my dear friends, I have
written you a little, because I felt prompted in my
mind to do this, and could find no rest.

Herewith I will commend you to the Lord, and
to the word of his grace, which is able to build you
up, and to give you an inheritance among all them
which are sanctified. And remember me, your poor
unworthy brother, in your prayers, that I may finish
this to the praise of the Lord, and to your confirmation;
so that my soul may find rest with the
Lord; for I, in my insignificance and unworthiness,
do not forget you here, where I also entreat the
Lord. Furthermore, I greet you all especially much
with the salutation of our dear Lord Jesus Christ
when he, having been removed by wicked men from
his disciples, for a little while, returned to them (as
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they sat with doors closed) and said: “Peace be
unto you all.” John 20:19. Thus I also say: Have
peace with one another, and the Lord will be with
you. 2 Cor. 13:11.





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