# Preface to Second Part.

Date not assigned · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: Preface to Second Part.



Christian Reader:

In this our address we shall present to you nothing
new or uncommon, but that which in former
times a certain lover of the holy and blessed martyrs
communicated to his cotemporaries, for general
edification, concerning the faith and steadfast death
of many of them; except a few passages in the
beginning, and also a little further on (which do not
properly belong here, and to which we have affixed
certain marks to prevent mistakes.) These we have
omitted here, and added, in brackets [], something
of our own, concerning which we stand ready to
give an answer if required.

Having concluded a certain censure concerning
those of Horn, the above writer speaks thus of the
immovable confidence of the pious confessors of
Jesus Christ:

“We are fully confident that all these witnesses
were unanimous in regard to the essential articles of
faith; they all believed in the one eternal, true God,
the Father, and in his only Son, Jesus Christ, our
Lord and Savior. They all had respect to the sacrifice
of the unspotted Lamb, in whom the Father
had placed the reconciliation of our sins. They committed,
yea, by the covenant of baptism, obligated
themselves to serve this Lord, whom the Father
had ordained as their teacher and law-giver. They
waited for the blessed resurrection and glorious
recompense promised to all those who, through the
grace of the Spirit, in the race of the Christian vocation,
earnestly and steadfastly run for the prize set
before them. They certainly, which is the most important,
showed by their deeds, that they had not
only a lip faith, and literal knowledge, which is
found only in the brains of men, but an effectual and
true faith, which, dwelling also in the heart and
mind, is inspired by love, and through which they,
according to the example of the saints, conquered
all things.”

Proceeding to the sufferings of the martyrs, he
says:

“Contemplate the suffering which these pious
martyrs endured, and how wonderfully God wrought
with them; how manfully, constantly and patiently
they fought, through the effective and ardent love
of God, confirming the truth of what is said in
Cant. 8:6, namely, that ‘Love is strong as death,
and jealousy cruel as the grave.’ For, here you see
as in a mirror, that neither conjugal longing and
love, nor parental affection and solicitude, nor the
desirable company of near and confiding friends,
nor anything which God has put into his creatures,
for the delight of man, could move or restrain these
heroes; but that they, contemning all this, and
separating from wife, children, relatives and friends,
house and property, they gave themselves up to severe
bonds and imprisonment, to every adversity
and hardship, to cruel tortures and martyrdom, undaunted
by the threats of the most awful death on
the one hand, and unmoved by the many fair promises,
to forsake the wholesome truth, the love of
God, and the blessed hope on the other; so that
they could freely say with the holy apostle Paul:
‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or
famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?’ Romans
8:35. But they found and showed it to be true that
according to the testimony of the apostle, neither
death, nor life, nor things present, nor things to
come, shall be able to separate us from the love of
God, which is in Christ Jesus. Verses 38 and 39.
Through this love they overcame all things, and
performed glorious deeds beyond the power of man.
Weak women exhibited more than manly strength.
Maidens and young men in the bloom of youth
were enabled, by the help of God, to despise the
alluring world, with all her fair and great promises;
and these young and tender branches, by faith and
patience, conquered the mighty of this world; the
simple and unlearned confounded the sage doctors;
so that these, silenced frequently through the truth,
disputed with threats of fire and sword, and, though
in vain, defended themselves thereby; manifesting
in this manner their impotence and malice. Christ
strikingly fulfilled in them the promise made to his
disciples, Matt. 10:19, namely, that he would give
unto them what they should speak in that hour
when they should be brought before kings and governors.
In sight of scaffolds and wheels, of fire and
sword, they fearlessly confessed the truth, so that
the judges and inquisitors were sometimes astonished,
sometimes confounded, and sometimes enraged
and startled. Of this boldness, the martyrs
themselves boasted in their letters, thanking God,
for, knowing their own weakness, they experienced
the strength of God in the cross, so that they could
take upon themselves with a composed, yea, with a
joyful mind, that from which human nature beyond
measure seemed to recoil and flee. Yea, they were
344
filled with such an exuberant and great joy, begotten
in them through the unhindered contemplation of
the heavenly glory in faith and hope, that they
would have preferred no royal banquet to this parting
feast.

They were endowed with such strength that even
cruel and inhuman torture could not extort from
them the names of their fellow brethren, so that,
filled with divine and brotherly love, they sacrificed
their bodies for their fellow believers. The brotherhood
in general was thereby so enkindled with zeal
and love, that each, despising the earthly and regarding
the heavenly, prepared his heart for the
sufferings to which his brethren were subjected, and
by which he himself was daily threatened. They
shunned no danger, in the way of sheltering their
fellow believers, visiting them in prison, calling
boldly to them in the place of execution, and comforting
and strengthening them with words of
Scripture. The tyrants found themselves deceived
in their design; they thought they could cause these
Christians to apostatize; they put them into assurance
of their salvation; they supposed they could
destroy and extirpate those who opposed them,
but, on the contrary, they raised up more opponents;
for many of the spectators, at the said spectacle
of killing people, who were harmless and of
good name and report, yea, who would rather die
than do ought by which they supposed to offend
God, were thereby brought to reflection, and thus
to investigation, and ultimately to conversion.

Besides these noble examples of love, patience
and constancy, we find in their writings many devout
lessons, edifying teachings and comforting admonitions,
written in dark prisons, hurried and negligently
indeed, and on account of inconvenience
and with poor materials, but sealed with the most
glorious mark, their own blood. Then the words
have power and weight, when their truth is confirmed
and attested by the deed. Seneca, in his epistles,
censures philosophising with words, and not with
life, as something shameful. Here you find words
which devotion has penned, which the pressure of
suffering has extorted from the inmost of the heart;
words which have not been warped or bent by
worldly considerations or carnal passions; but which
were sincerely and unfeignedly spoken to their
friends, at the end of life, as a last will, and confirmed
with death. Husbands in tribulation consoled
their wives, admonished them to godliness, and incited
them to steadfastness. Parents gave useful instructions
to their children, presented to them the
changeableness, vanity and perishableness of visible
things; they taught, counseled and commanded
them to forsake the world and the lusts thereof, and
to cleave to and alone serve God, the supreme and
only good. You perceive here how they were sometimes
assaulted with many temptations and enticements,
not only of wicked men, but of the devil;
how the enemy of souls, bringing them upon the
pinnacle of the temple, as it were, showed them the
splendor and glory of this world, in order to entice
them to worship this; Matt. 4:5,8. How he sometimes,
with the terror of impending suffering, assailed
the soul with fearfulness, and how, by false
imaginations, he endeavored to bring the minds to
apostasy, despondency and despair; which these
pious heroes, arming themselves with watching and
constant prayer to God, valiantly overcame, fighting
manfully through all temptations, promises and
threats, even unto death, and gaining the victory.

Now, even as the reading of, and meditating
upon, the pious fathers, is very profitable in every
case, so these persons stand as instructive and consoling
examples, for all who are visited with crosses
and temptations. Here manifest themselves shining
beacons of living faith, of sure hope, and ardent
love. Here is seen the positiveness of God’s promises,
in fearless and joyful hearts, in the midst of
suffering. Matt. 10:19. Here is the steadfastness
of the saints, whom Christ crowns with salvation.
Matt. 24:13. It is true, by the worldly-minded they
are accounted as filth and offscouring (1 Cor. 4:13),
and their actions stigmatized as sheer folly and madness;
but they comfort themselves in God, and rely
on his promises. They have learned that the cross
must thus be taken up, if one would be worthy of
Christ. Matt. 10:38. They know that they are strangers
and pilgrims in this world, 1 Pet. 2:11, and remember
the words of their Master, who says: “If
ye were of the world, the world would love his own;
but because ye are not of the world, therefore the
world hateth you.” John 15:19. They are confident
that if they lose their life here, they shall find
it again hereafter. Matt. 10:39. They believe that
we must confess the name of Christ, if we would
have him confess us before his heavenly Father.
Matt. 10:32. They know that their Lord and Master
suffered himself, leaving us an example that we
should follow his steps; who was thus minded, that
when he was reviled, he reviled not again, and
when he suffered, threatened not, but prayed for his
enemies. 1 Peter 2:21,23. They hold that if they
would reign with Christ, they must here suffer with
him. 2 Tim. 2:12. They are mindful of the words
of Christ, that the servant is not greater than
his master, Matt. 10:24, and that therefore, as
Christ suffered, they must arm themselves with the
same mind. 1 Peter 4:1. They know themselves
to be defenseless sheep, a prey to the devouring
wolves. But they do not fear them, who can kill
only the body, but him who holds body and soul in
his hand. Matt. 10:28. They learned long ago that
all that will live godly shall suffer persecution.
2 Tim. 3:12. Christ foretold them that they should
be hated of all men for his name’s sake, yea, should
be delivered into tribulation, and be killed; and
what is still more, that those killing them should
think that they do God service. Hence, they think
it not strange when they are tried by suffering; but
rejoice that they are partakers of the sufferings of
Christ, knowing that, when his glory shall be revealed,
they shall also rejoice with him. 1 Peter
4:12,13. They glory in tribulation (Rom. 5:3),
believing that thereby their faith is tried and refined.
1 Pet. 1:7. They experience that patient suffering
begets a glad and constant hope, and that the cross,
which to those who perish, is foolishness, is to them
the power of God unto salvation (1 Cor. 1:18), and
esteem it as the grace of God, when for conscience
345
they suffer wrongfully. 1 Pet. 2:19. And though
they be troubled, persecuted and cast down here,
yet they are not in despair, forsaken, or destroyed;
but with holy Paul, they always bear about in their
bodies, the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life
also of the Lord Jesus might be made manifest
in their bodies. 2 Cor. 4:8–11. They feel in the
abounding of the sufferings of Christ, an abounding
consolation through Christ. 2 Cor. 1:5. They believe
that the sufferings of this present time are not
worthy to be compared with the future glory.
Rom. 8:18. Hence they arm themselves for tribulation
and suffering, as true heroes of their captain,
Jesus Christ. They have before them a great
brotherhood, who finished their course in this way.
Cain could not bear his brother’s piety and favor
with God, and slew him. Gen. 4:8. Violence and
oppression ruled the first world. Gen. 6:13. Pious
Lot had to be the sport and lust of the Sodomites.
Gen. 19. David had to flee before Saul. The
prophet Isaiah lamented already in his time that he
who departed from evil had to be everyone’s prey
and derision. Many holy prophets and men of God
had to endure persecution and martyrdom from the
wicked, as holy Zacharias, Amos, Micah, Jeremiah,
Daniel, and the three young men, Eleazar, the
mother with her seven sons, and others, who need
not be mentioned, since the time and age of the
New Testament, furnish abundant material in this
respect. John, the forerunner of Jesus, had to offer
his neck to the sword, in prison. Matt. 14:10. Our
captain of the faith, Jesus Christ, had to enter into
his glory through much derision, ignominy and
suffering, and ultimately through the most shameful
death of the cross. His apostles and disciples, as the
chronicles state, followed their Master. Peter and
Paul were put to death by Emperor Nero. James,
the brother of John, was killed with the sword by
Herod. Acts 12:2. Matthew was nailed to the
earth, in India. Bartholomew was flayed. Andrew
was crucified. Thomas was thrust through with
darts. Philip was nailed to a cross, and then stoned
to death. Simon Zelotes was scourged and crucified.
James, the son of Alpheus, was cast down
from the temple, at Jerusalem, and then beaten to
death with sticks. Judas Thaddeus was killed, in
Persia, by wicked heathen priests. Matthias also obtained
the martyr’s crown. Mark, the evangelist,
was dragged about by a cord around his neck, at
Alexandria, till he died. John, the apostle, banished
in the island of Patmos, adorned the Gospel
with suffering [as is circumstantially recorded in the
first book, first century, in the account of the martyrs].
This was the way of the holy prophets. This
is the path which our Savior and his messengers,
and afterwards many disciples, trod. Polycarp, the
disciple of John, was burnt alive at Smyrna. Ignatius,
bishop of Antioch, was torn by wild beasts [as
is stated in the second century]. Even the Roman
bishops, in the first three hundred years, were
mostly all martyred, and subjected, with the common
Christians, to persecution by the heathen Emperors
[these, however, we commit to God]. Under
the Emperor Diocletian, there was such an awful
persecution that it seemed as though the Christian
name would be utterly extirpated; so that the first
churches at the time of Emperor Constantine were
so accustomed to persecution, that they deliberately
prepared themselves for suffering.

Since, then, the godfearing who are visited with
the cross, have so many holy martyrs as predecessors;
and since the cross is foretold them; yea, since
such glorious promises are given to those who
suffer, it is a little thing for them that they, who
gladly acknowledge themselves soldiers under the
bloody banner of Christ, are therefore aspersed and
ridiculed as fools. The Christian reader may here
perceive and firmly conclude that the cross is also
the ensign of those who serve and follow Jesus
Christ, the captain of the faith; and that, on the
contrary, those who afflict others with crosses and
sufferings, do not belong to this captain, but are under
another leader. For the true Christians have
never persecuted the innocent, but were always
persecuted themselves; and in the primitive church,
even in the time of Constantine, when the bishops
began to rise a little higher in the world, and were
protected by the Emperor, it was considered an
abomination to persecute any one; they, however,
suffered persecution themselves. It was then deemed
such a detestable thing, to put to death or persecute
any one for heresy, that Bishop Ithacius was excommunicated
and separated from the church, because
he, through the tyrant Maximus, had brought
about the death of Priscilian, the heretic; as the
Roman cardinal, Cesar Baronius, very plainly describes
in his church history, for the year 385.

He also states further, that it is utterly incompatible
with the meekness of a pastor. Again, that
none of the holy fathers even commended it, that
an ecclesiastic should seek to bring a heretic to his
death. So that, according to him, St. Martin would
have no fellowship with the aforesaid Ithacius or
his adherents, because their hands were stained with
the blood of Priscilian. And though, induced by
the threats of the tyrant Maximus, St. Martin
feigned to have fellowship for an hour with Ithacius,
he nevertheless subsequently manifested great regret
for it, since he felt that in consequence of his
dissimulation, the gift of healing was partly taken
from him.

From this it is clearly manifest, how falsely they
boast of being the successors of Christ and his apostles,
and of the primitive church, who have so
abominably stained their hands with the blood of
innocent people, people who only confessed and
practiced the Gospel according to the full dictates
of their conscience; yea, concerning whom the tyrants
themselves frequently testified, that their life
was pious; that they would not willingly lie, or
speak against their conscience; and that they were
not apprehended on account of any misdeeds, but
only because they did not obey the mother, the holy
church, and the decree of the Emperor. It is so
far from such being the true and apostolical church,
that there is no surer mark of the false and antichristian
church, than the killing of heretics, or
rather, so-called heretics; for however abominable
heresy may be, this is the most abominable of all.
For what indeed is more opposed to the peaceable,
346
meek, merciful, forgiving, and revengeless character
of Christ, than to persecute any one for his faith?
What can we conceive of that militates more against
the holy laws and commandments of Christ, which
chiefly consist in love, peace, humility, meekness,
lowliness, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, etc. If
Christians are called (as they do) to requite hatred
with love, evil with good, cursing with blessing;
yea, must they, according to the doctrine of Christ,
pray for them who oppress and persecute them;
how, then, is it possible that they can remain Christians
and themselves oppress and persecute others
who have never laid a straw in their way? Can we
believe, that any trace, yea, any true knowledge
of the spirit and word of Christ remains where there
is such a direct antichristian disposition and action?
If, according to Christ, false prophets are to be
known and judged from their fruits (Matt. 7:16),
there can be nothing by which they may, more
readily, be distinguished, than from their persecuting
others; for they are witnesses unto themselves,
as Christ said to the Pharisees, that they are
the children of them who killed the true prophets,
and who fill up the measure of their fathers. Our
Savior compares them to serpents and a generation
of vipers, who cannot escape the damnation of hell.
Matt. 23:31–33. The disciples of Christ, who still
entertained the hope of the establishing of an external
and carnal Israel, asked their Lord, whether
they should, according to the example of Elias,
command fire to come down from heaven, upon
those who did not receive him. Whereupon Christ
earnestly rebuked them, saying: “Ye know not
what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of
man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save
them.” Luke 9:54–56. But these heretic-killers,
who boast of being the vice-regents and followers
of Christ, yea, doctors of divinity, dare, not only
without asking Christ, but even against his express
prohibition and example, whet the sword, and stir
up the fire, not to murder those who refuse to receive
Christ, but those who are ready to adhere to
and follow him even unto death. By this they clearly
indicate, first, that they are governed and impelled
by the spirit not of Christ, but of the devil (who was
a murderer from the beginning, John 8:44); and,
secondly, that they do not come like Christ and his
followers, to save men’s souls, but to destroy them;
since they kill not only the bodies of the innocent,
thus dishonoring the image which is created after
God (Gen. 5:1), and making themselves guilty of the
mortal sin of blood-shedding (Gen. 9:6) but, O
awful deed! they purposely and as much as lies in
their power, also endeavor to kill their souls, whom,
being considered by them in a state of damnation,
they suddenly cut off from the time of repentance.
Matt. 26:52. They would presumptuously teach
Christ, the perfect wisdom; for he deemed it well,
and commanded his disciples, to let the tares grow
until the harvest, lest they should root up the wheat
with the tares, but these teach and do the opposite.
Weeding contrary to the command of Christ, they
root up not only the tares, but, passing by bad, unchaste,
extravagant, pompous, avaricious, mendacious,
deceitful, envious, hateful, and vindictive
men, they also, from the field of the world, root out
the purest grain.

They usurp the office of the Most High, and
would command and compel the souls who are not
under them, but under the sceptre of Jesus Christ
(Matt. 10:28); yea, they set themselves not only
beside, but above the Divine Majesty, demanding
that men should obey them rather than God. God
has commanded that we should serve him with all
our hearts (Deut. 6:5), but these prohibit men from
serving God in this manner, and constrain them
contrary to the convictions of their consciences to
follow their laws and institutions. Matt. 21:37.
Christ constrained the people to conversion, by
words of admonition, persuasion and reproof, and
of those who were offended at his doctrine, he only
said: “Let them alone: they be blind leaders.”
Matt. 15:14. But these compel with fire and sword,
so that they deliver to the executioner those who
embrace the doctrine of Christ according to all their
ability, and do not feel themselves at liberty to
follow these blind leaders; bringing them into a
strait, where they cannot without danger, escape
either to the right or to the left; for, if they obey
these, they fall into the hands of God; and if they
adhere to God, they cannot escape the cruelty of
these men.

Now, in order to give a semblance and gloss to
their unchristian and ungodly punishments of heretics,
they befoul these pious people with the stain
of disobedience, and, washing their hands, as it
were, from innocent blood, lay the guilt upon the
edicts, which, however, were devised, and are daily
executed, through their bloody advice and instigation.
But, pray, who has given them power to
make edicts against souls and consciences, to reign
thereby in the kingdom of Christ, in which they
themselves can be but subjects and servants? Will
this excuse them? By no means. The Jews who
sought to bring the innocent Jesus to death, also
said like these: “We have a law, and by our law
he ought to die.” John 19:7. They know, or ought
to know, that at the tribunal of Christ judgment
will be rendered, not according to human edicts,
but according to the divine word. “The word that
I have spoken,” said the Lord, “the same shall
judge him in the last day,” (John 12:48), and,
therefore, every one is necessarily bound more to
the law of Christ, than to their laws and edicts; yea,
an account will have to be given of these edicts, at
that tribunal, and that whereby they sentenced the
innocent wrongfully to death, will then justly aggravate
their own sentence. What will they offer as an
excuse, when an account will be demanded of them,
why they exercised such blood-thirsty tyranny over
souls? why they wrested the sceptre out of the hand
of Christ, and usurped his seat? why they made
themselves masters in that kingdom in which they,
as servants, must themselves give an account of
their actions? why they, as evil servants, treated
and beat their fellow servants so cruelly; though he
(Christ) had warned and threatened, to cut such
asunder, and to appoint them their portion with the
hypocrites, where there is weeping and gnashing
of teeth (Matt. 24:45,51)? why they did not consider,
347
that those shall have judgment without mercy,
who have showed no mercy (Jas. 2:13)? What
terror, what anxious remorse and fleeing will it
cause when, to convict them of their wickedness,
there shall come forth those whom they fettered,
chained, beat, killed and martyred, whom they then
accounted fools and madmen, and whom they now
behold in such great glory and esteem with God.

In that day, when all hidden things must come
to light, such empty and artificial excuses will not
avail. Hence, now is the time to consider how unchristian
it is, to persecute Christians; how much
deserving of death it is, to shed innocent blood;
how culpable it is, to dishonor the image of God;
how perverse and vain it is, to fight against spiritual
truth with carnal weapons; how unnatural and
unreasonable it is, to do unto another that which we
would not have done to ourselves, and who of all
would like to be forced in the convictions of his
conscience. How presumptuous it is, to usurp the
seat of God, and to wish to rule over the conscience,
whereas Christ commanded, to render unto Cesar
the things which are Cesar’s, and unto God the
things that are God’s. Matt. 22:21. They should
bear in mind, that Christ prayed for his persecutors,
and learn from it, how unbecoming it is, that those
who would be Christians, persecute others, who pray
for them. Luke 23:34; 1 Pet. 2:19. They should
contemplate, how great an evil it is, to compel any
one’s conscience by the terrors of fire, rope and
sword, when Paul so strictly forbids to wound the
weak conscience of the brethren. Rom. 14:15. They
should remember, that, since the holy apostle commands
no greater punishment for heretics, than to
shun them, they also need, yea may, use no greater.
Tit. 3:10. Surely, if they would well examine themselves,
they would not so readily proceed to condemn,
but would suffer themselves to be restrained,
since Christ declares that with what measure we
mete, it shall be measured to us again. Matt. 7:2.
They would fear, if they knew themselves aright,
that in condemning another they might condemn
themselves; since it might easily be the case, that
before God the judge was as culpable as the one
judged.

They further produce, in defense of, or, rather
as an excuse for, the punishments of heretics, these
reasons: 1. Thereby to bring and compel them to
conversion. 2. That their heresy might not propagate
itself, and pollute others. 3. To prevent rebellion.
As regards the first, it is the duty of every
Christian, to promote the salvation of his neighbor
as much as is possible. But how is this to be done?
by external compulsion with fire and sword? Impossible;
this touches and affects the body, but not
the conscience, which must not be compelled, but
led and instructed. The word of God is the sword
with which all error and heresy must be cut down.
If the supposed error cannot be conquered with the
power of truth, swords will be dull before it. And
though a man, through dread of suffering, renounce
his belief with the mouth, yet will he not do it with
the heart; and thus, instead of converted Christians,
dissembling hypocrites are made. But if a man remain
steadfast, and is put to death, how can this
tend to his conversion, since every means of conversion
is taken away? For, one of two things is
certain: if he is a damnable heretic, he is cast down
into hell; but if he is not, a saved Christian is put
to death; choose whichever you please and an
abominable crime is committed. What is it then,
that urges them thus to promote any one’s conversion?
what binds them to this? who enjoins it
upon them? who advises them to it? yea, who gives
them permission to do it? and which of the apostles
has set such an example? Truly, such reasons are
but fig leaves and covers with which they seek to
hide their shame and wickedness. They pretend
that they aim at the conversion of men, but in fact
seek to secure their own pleasure, honor and lust,
in order thus to exercise undisputed despotism in
the kingdom of God. So far is this from being the
case, that any one’s conversion is promoted thereby,
that on the contrary, all impartial persons conceive
an aversion against them; so that even the good,
(if any good remains, or can be found, in the persecutors),
is rendered suspicious; yea, entirely destroyed,
inasmuch as their words, however entreating
and flattering they may be, can obtain no
entrance or credit, neither do they deserve it. For,
who would expect to learn anything godly or Christian
from those who are pregnant with murder, and
whose hands are stained with innocent blood? “Do
men gather grapes of thorns?” Matt. 7:16.

As to the second, it is so far from the fact that
supposed heresy should be checked by tyranny,
that it is almost always spread by it; for, when hands
are laid on people whose life is blameless and pious,
and they are imprisoned, tortured and subjected to
a painful death, only for the name of Christ, and
because they, as they openly confess, dare consent
to nothing contrary to their conscience,—this produces
reflection and attention in all impartial minds,
who, on investigating the matter, discover the innocence
of the persons accused and persecuted, and
thus conceive an aversion to such degenerate Christians,
who persecute others, and associate themselves
with those who so valiantly bear the cross of Christ,
as examples abundantly testify; which verifies what
an ancient father has said: The blood of the martyrs
is the seed of the church. When the tyranny of
popery was at its height, apostasy from it was
greatest, for martyrdoms are effectual sermons,
which touch the heart, and awaken the slumbering
eyes; nor is this strange, for he that has a little
knowledge of the Christian religion, and is not
utterly blinded by malignant partiality comes easily
to believe that the persecutors must be heretics
themselves, since Christ and his disciples never
persecuted any one, but always suffered persecution
themselves. They easily perceive, that these cruel
men are not innocent, meek and defenseless sheep,
to which Christ compares his followers, but much
rather ravening wolves, which have crept into the
fold of Christ, and devour the sheep. John 10:1.
The plain and pure truth, confirmed by an innocent
life, is the means to overcome error and falsehood;
they who depart from this to carnal weapons, betray
themselves, and disclose their injustice and impotence;
for, since they cannot prevail against the
348
truth, they endeavor, by exterminating and crushing
the persons, also to exterminate and crush the
truth. From all this it appears, how empty an excuse
they seize to defend their tyranny, and what
frail weapons they employ, to uphold the delusion.
But it is a purely fictitious excuse, with which to
disguise their purpose, and to attire in a strange
dress the ugliness which cruelty presents to every
eye, and, through deception, to make it pleasing
to one another. They pretend to be zealous for the
salvation of the people, but, in fact, endeavor to
propagate their own kingdom of lies; and if aught
rises in opposition to it, they seek to subdue it with
the arm of flesh. The Pharisees, in the time of
Christ, objected to Christ for the same reason,
namely, that he was perverting the people. Luke
23:2. Their self-love and thirst for political power
begat in them a bitter hatred and envy against our
Savior, on account of which they sought to bring
him to death. This they cover; of this they are
silent. They cry, as though they were filled with
a godly zeal: “This fellow perverts the nation;”
though they, as well as these sought to seduce the
people from Christ, the truth, to their own lies.

As regards the accusation of rebellion, this also
is not an invention of yesterday or to-day. He
(Christ), said the Pharisees, stirreth up the people
with his doctrine; whereas they stirred up the people
against Christ, who preached nothing but peace,
love, humility, meekness, and the like, and whose
life and actions were nothing but an overflowing
fountain of kindness, benevolence and mercy. Thus
did they stain, without a shadow of evidence, with
the slander of rebellion, people who lived in all
simplicity and integrity, and made open confession,
that they were bound by the law and example of
Christ, to live without revenge, and exercise a forgiving
spirit towards every one, yea, to love those
that hate them, and to do good to their enemies.
He that examines the history of the Netherlands
and Germany, for the last sixty years, will find that
rebellion, contention, and dissension, yea, alienations
and destruction of countries and cities, have
been caused by persecution on account of religious
differences; for religious zeal cannot be cut off with
the sword, nor consumed by fire. On the contrary,
it is evident, and confirmed by present practice,
that many and various religious persuasions can live
together peaceably and quietly, and that the cities
and countries where liberty of conscience is maintained,
have prospered, and experienced the special
blessing of God. Hence, also, the H. M. Lords
States of these countries, seeing the great mistakes
of the King of Spain, have never been willing to
follow in his steps, but expressly declare, as appears
from the records of the Treaty of Peace at Cologne,
page 38, “That religion does not concern men, but
God, and that the King owed obedience to it as
well as the subject.” They declare to have found
by experience, that force and weapons are of little
value for the spreading and preservation of religion;
and that, even as they would not have that violence
should be done to their consciences, so it does not
well accord with the law of God, for them to do
violence to the consciences of others. Again on
page 54, it is declared: “That the Christian religion
is a great mystery, and that for the promotion of
the same, God does not use wicked soldiers, nor
bows or swords.” Again on page 57: “We have
learned that the government of souls and consciences
concerns God alone; and that he is the true avenger
of violated or dishonored religion.” And though
some, forgetful of their own cross, or that of their
ancestors, incited to a revival of the abolished slavery,
yet their E. E. never lent a willing ear to it,
nor suffered themselves to be blind executors of
such partial and pernicious counselors, who thereby
sought to build and establish more their own kingdom,
than the kingdom of Christ. But, through
the goodness of God, we still have at the present
day, authorities under whose protection we can lead
a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and
honesty, 1 Tim. 2:2; can meet and assemble without
molestation; preach and hear the word of God;
use the sacraments as instituted by God, and openly
practice our divine worship; for which kind privilege
all subjects and Christian believers are under
great obligations, to reverently show all gratitude
to their authorities, high as well as low, to faithfully
obey them, to honestly pay customs and taxes,
and to pray earnestly and constantly to God, for
the welfare of their persons and government, in order
that this favor may descend from us to our children
and posterity. We must also greatly thank the
Lord for it, and magnify his name by a holy life,
constantly seeking, more and more, to evince virtue
from our faith, and to shine by good works in this
benighted world. We must see well to it, that we
do not neglect or abuse this time of grace, 2 Cor.
6:1; for if we employ it badly, and use liberty as
an occasion to commit sin, it will undoubtedly
happen to us as it did to Israel, who, having waxed
fat and strong, departed from God, and was therefore
again cast into distress and misery, until necessity
compelled them to seek God. Deut. 32:15.
O how many there are, it is to be feared, who with
Demas have loved the world again! 2 Tim. 4:10.
How many there are, who, having forsaken their
first zeal and love, have become cold and slothful
in their devotions!

In former times, in the times of the cross, when
men could assemble only under peril of their lives,
our zeal drove us in the night and at unseasonable
times, into nooks and corners, and into fields and
woods. How precious was then one hour which
could be employed in stirring up and establishing
one another in godliness. How the souls then
thirsted and hungered after divine food. How
pleasantly then tasted the words of godliness. Men
did not ask for ingenious or flowery sermons; but
hunger devoured all that was presented. Then soul
treasure was diligently sought, since bodily possessions
could give but little comfort. Then heavenly
riches were sought for above all things; for earthly
possessions were altogether insecure. But how is
it now? Temporal avocations have the preference
throughout; the oxen must first be proven, and the
field be inspected, before one can come to the
heavenly marriage, Luke 14:18,19. Simplicity is
changed into pomp and ostentation. Possessions
349
have increased, but in the soul there is leanness.
Clothes have become costly, but the inward ornament
has perished. Love has waxed cold, and has
diminished, but contentions have increased. Do
you suppose that God will always behold this with
the same longsuffering? Think ye, that he will
never once use his uplifted rod? He that did not
spare Israel, when they departed from him; he that
did not pass David by, when he sinned through
fleshly lust; he who did not spare Solomon, when
he turned his eyes to strange women, and fell into
idolatry with them, shall he spare those who, through
love of the world and the practice of sin, have so
greatly departed from him? He often delivered
Israel from one tyrant to another, that they might
learn to know him, and reform. He chastised them
as a father, that they might not serve him with a
divided heart, as in the time of Elijah, but that they
might serve him alone, 1 Kings 18:21. He delivered
Amaziah, the King of Judah, into the hands
of his enemies, because he did not serve God with
a perfect heart. 2 Chron. 25:2. Now, examine your
heart; whether it is not divided; whether you do
not seek to serve Christ and the world at the same
time; how feebly you hear and consider the word
of God, since your thoughts are entangled in earthly
vanities; how seldom and how slothfully the works
of godliness are practiced; and how busy and zealous
you are throughout in amassing money and
property, and in feasting yourself on pleasure. It is
true, you have cast away the dumb, wooden idols,
but examine now, whether the idol of riches and
avarice is not set up in your heart. Eph. 5:5;
1 Tim. 6:10. Plow through the inmost depths of
your heart, and see whither most of your inclinations
and desires tend; whether, easily satisfied here,
they penetrate the clouds, and have their conversation
in heaven, or, whether digging with insatiable
desire into the earth, you seek to increase your
riches and to add house to house, and farm to farm;
whether Christ in heaven is your supreme treasure,
or whether your treasure is here, against which
Christ so earnestly warns his disciples. Matt. 6:19.
If you would make a test of this, study attentively
your intentions and thoughts in every occurrence;
consider once, how great a love you have for riches;
how much confidence you place in them; how greatly
troubled you are with a heathenish solicitude for the
future; how anxious and despondent you are when
bad times and misfortunes threaten, and how securely
you live when sailing before the wind; how
reluctant and miserable your love for your possessions
renders you in the giving of alms; how great
contention and how many law suits you would
rather engage in, than give up your right, and
suffer damage; how soon joy and sleep forsake you,
when losses and misfortunes befall you; how much
time earthly contemplations detract from your
proper devotions; how feeble and spiritless they
render your prayers; how deep the abundance of
your treasures sinks you into sensuality; how much
you are pleased with yourself on this account, and
exalt yourself above others; finally, how painfully
you part from them, and how sadly you will bid
them adieu on your death-bed. Let this serve as a
test, I say, and examine yourself, and you will discover
at the same time, what you love and serve
most, and how much or little you have “crucified
the flesh with the lusts thereof.” Gal. 5:24. For,
though outward persecutions now and then cease,
yet every Christian is called to sufferings and conflicts;
each must take up his cross and follow Christ;
each must live, not after the flesh, but after the
Spirit; each must suffer in the flesh, that he may
cease from sin. Matt. 10:38; Rom. 8:1; 1 Pet. 4:1.
If you then find, that the time of freedom [from
persecution] has given liberty and room to your
lusts, persecute yourself, crucify and put yourself
to death, and offer up soul and body to God.

In times of persecution, words and colloquies consisted
in edifying instructions, and awakenings to
godliness, magnifying of the name of God, mutual
consolations in suffering, exhortations and incitations
to constancy, and recommendations of eternal
salvation. Examine once, whether at this time you
have not lent your tongue to please frivolous,
worldly men with vain and useless talk; whether
thereby you did not only not promote godliness,
but were also a hindrance and injury to it; whether
you did not defame your neighbor’s good name
and reputation; and whether your tongue has not
by lying and deceit ministered to avarice. In times
of the cross, the time was spent in godly exercises,
in consoling and edifying one another, in visiting
those in prison, and in preparing for suffering by
devout meditations. Consider once, on what you
have bestowed the precious time; how much of it
has been squandered in voluptuousness and vanity;
how much has been wasted in disputes and quarrels;
how much has been lost by needless anxiety and
labor; and how little has remained for devotion.
No doubt, you will find, that the absence of the
chastening rod has rendered men impious and without
reverence, and that “the lust of the flesh, the
lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” have usurped
the place of piety and humility. But the most dangerous
of all is, that but few examine themselves;
but few sigh over themselves. Without knowing it,
many are poor, naked and blind, who with those of
Laodicea think that they are rich and have everything
in abundance, Rev. 3:17; but it is a wealth
with which God is not pleased, and by which the
spiritual riches, which consist in faith and love, in a
living hope and a good conscience, are diminished.
See in the writings of the martyrs, how their life
was, how their suffering, how their constancy. It
was the will of God, that the children of Israel
should remember the ways of their fathers, and the
instruction of wisdom concealed therein; for they
are all, ancestry and posterity, taken as one body.
Deut. 8:2. Frequently it is said through the prophets:
I have brought thee out of the land of Egypt;
though this had been done to their forefathers.
Micah 6:4; Ps. 81:10; Hos. 11:1. Examine your
ways, and compare them with theirs, and see whether
the love of the world has not blinded your eyes, and
led them away from God. Many, when they could
not use the world, turned of necessity to God, as
their nearest refuge; but as soon as a little breathing
time set in, they again began to lean towards the
350
world; the parents became rich, the children luxurious
and wanton; the world caressed them, and
in course of time they became respected and lifted
up; the reproach of the cross was relinquished, and
the honor of this world stepped into its place. And
this, in the first church was the reason why God
permitted a most awful persecution to come in the
time of Emperor Diocletian, that his children might
be chastised thereby, who already began to join
in with the common world. Eus., lib. 8, cap. 1.
Hence, we must see well to it, that we do not incur
like guilt, lest there come upon us what came upon
them; for no one fares worse in such times, than
he who has not made good use of his time; such
an one will then be visited with woe, distress and
misery; but to them that love God, all things work
together for good; they are purified and tried by
the refining fire; hence it is necessary that God at
times purge his threshing-floor with his fan, that
the tares may not get the upperhand, to its own
destruction. But we only have to ask his divine
goodness, to chastise us as a father, and draw us by
his love, moving our hearts and minds to himward,
in order that we may lead a godly and holy life,
in all love, peaceableness, kindness, and long-suffering;
not easily complaining of or grudging against
one another, but bearing in patience one another’s
infirmities, and bettering each other by good instructions;
fleeing and avoiding all offenses, contention
and dissension, separations and schisms,
which cause insufferable and damnable discord;
striving for peace; and seeking to heal, and restore
to unity, quiet and peace, that which is broken and
ruined, rent and torn asunder by the subtlety of the
devil, and blind ignorance, and scattered into various
factions, to the great offense and stumbling-block
of many. If we do this, we shall cause the
blessing and presence of God to be with us. Col.
3:12; 1 Pet. 4:8; James 5:9.

In the meantime, let us constantly adhere to God,
always pray for an increase of wisdom and divine
knowledge, and run with patience the race that
is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and
finisher of our faith, Heb. 12:1,2; for we have the
same conflict which David had in his time, and Job,
and all the prophets, and Christ and his apostles,
together with all the pious followers in the first
church, as also before and in our time. They all
had to overcome the world; so do we; they all had
to deny themselves; so do we; one crown is to be
gained, and the same kingdom is to be inherited.
Heb. 12:28. The times also, are just the same; but
the different life makes them different; however, all
inequality must ultimately merge in the equality of
God. In order to make his followers partakers of
this equality and unity, Christ prayed, that they
might be one with him and the Father. John 17:20.
This was also the sole aim of the apostles; to this,
as the eternal, supreme treasure, they exhorted
every one; “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision
availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but
a new creature. And as many as walk according
to this rule, peace be on them, and upon the Israel
of God. Amen.” Gal. 6:15,16.

Written out of love, to edification and amendment.

351

THE BLOODY THEATRE

—OR—

MARTYRS MIRROR

—OF THE—

ANABAPTISTS OR DEFENSELESS CHRISTIANS,
who baptized only upon Confession of Faith, and who suffered and died for the testimony of Jesus, their
Savior, in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, that is, from A. D. 1500 to A. D. 1660.—Being
an Enlargement of the preceding Martyrs Mirror, augmented from many authentic
Chronicles, Memoirs and Testimonies; together with an Account of The Holy
Baptism, and other Articles of Divine Worship practiced in those times.

![Illustration from Martyrs’ Mirror](/sources/martyrs-mirror/images/i0109.jpg)



---

Page: http://history.truechristian.church/stories/mm-preface-to-second-part/

[Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+Preface+to+Second+Part.&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0APreface+to+Second+Part.%0A%0APage%3A+http%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fstories%2Fmm-preface-to-second-part%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-preface-to-second-part%0A%0A%23%23+Correction+or+addition%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Sources+and+evidence%0APlease+include+book%2Fpage+references%2C+archive+links%2C+or+first-hand+documentation.%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Image+credit+%28if+applicable%29%0ACreator%2C+source%2C+and+permission+or+public-domain+basis.%0A%0A%0A%0ASubmitted+for+review%3B+this+issue+does+not+publish+changes+automatically.)