# Hans Landis, A. D. 1614.

1614 · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: HANS LANDIS, A. D. 1614.

Source heading; not independently verified

That the bloody constraint or dominion over
the consciences of men still obtains, is a sad thing,
and especially is it to be deplored, that those who
boast of being, more than others, followers of the
defenseless Lamb, have not more the nature of the
lamb, but much rather that of wolves in them. It
certainly cannot stand as an excuse, that such a
course is conducive to the maintenance of purity of
the church; but it appears to be a hot zeal to weed
out the tares (or what they judge to be tares);
whereas the servants of the lord, when their zeal
urged them to root out the tares, did not venture to
do it: but asked permission, and when they were
forbidden to do it, they forbore. If these would also
ask, or examine the law book of their Lord, they
would find there, that the Shepherd does not teach
his flock to devour, but sends them as sheep among
wolves; that it is also not his will, that the erring
should be destroyed, but that they should be guided
into the true way; and that he also does not desire
the death of the sinner, but that he should repent
and live. And many other similar doctrines, all of
which tend to the salvation and not the destruction
of men. But it is very evident that there is still a
veil before their hearts, so that they cannot understand
this; or that a frantic zeal has inflamed their
hearts to such blood-thirst, that they cannot tolerate
it, that any one should walk the way to heaven in
any other manner than just as they have chosen it,
and in which they want to compel every one to
walk, as was seen in the year 1614, at Zurich, in
Switzerland, in the case of a pious witness of the divine
truth, named Hans Landis, a teacher and minister
of the gospel of Christ, who had gone up the
river Rhine, where he had his place of residence, to
feed and refresh with the word of the Lord some
souls that were hungering and thirsting for righteousness.

When the council at Zurich learned of this, they,
instigated by the disposition of the envious scribes
and Pharisees, could not tolerate this, but instantly
caused it to be forbidden him, as though they had
thought thereby to hinder the true progress of the
word of the gospel. But he, who knew with Peter,
that we must obey God’s commands more than the
commandments of men, had such love to the truth,
and to the young suckling’s on Zion’s breasts, that
no human threats could induce him to forbear feeding
them with the true food of the soul. Hence the
enviers of the same apprehended him, and sent him
ironed from Zurich to Solothurm, to the papists,
expecting that he should forthwith be sent to sea or
upon the galleys; but through the help of good-hearted
people he was there released; but subsequently
apprehended again and taken to Zurich,
where he was rigorously examined concerning his
doctrine, and when he would in no wise desist from
his godly purpose or from his faith, they showed in
him, that their decree of eighty-four years previous
was not yet forgotten, neither had the spirit of it
died of old age; for, according to the import of the
same, they sentenced him from life to death, and
hence, in the month of September of the aforesaid
year, 1614, for the sake of the truth he was beheaded
as a true follower of Christ. Which they
nevertheless would not acknowledge, but pretended,
and persuaded the common people, to deceive
them, that he was not punished and put to death
for his religion, but for his obstinacy and disobedience
to the authorities.

In this they evinced their old nature of Pharisees;
who, when they condemned to death the innocent
Lamb, the Savior of us all, did not say that it was
for his virtuous doctrine by which he converted man
to God, but that he had to die for his blasphemy.
And this is the nature of all tyrants, to heap upon
the innocent, besides sufferings and death, also false
accusations. But when the last day of judgment
shall come, when they must also expect and shall
receive a sentence for their inconsiderate sentences,
and shall lament in amazement: “Behold, these
whom we once had in derision, and a proverb of
reproach, how are they now exalted;” then they
shall too late repent of their wicked course, and lament
it forever with gnashing of teeth.

But on the other hand, this pious martyr and
witness of God, and all the righteous that are still
under the altar and wait for the fulfillment of the
number of their brethren who shall also make their
robes white in the blood of the Lamb, shall receive
a glorious reward, and shall then together, in shining
raiment, with great boldness, as valiant heroes
and confessors of Christ, with the wise virgins, be
admitted by the Bridegroom to his marriage, where
they shall enjoy eternal happiness, and possess the
kingdom of the Father, prepared for them from the
beginning. Amen.

1046





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