Martyrs Mirror 718HOW LIJSKEN,, JEROME'S WIFE, VALIANTLY FOUGHT, AND CONFESSED THE GROUND OF HER FAITH BEFORE ALL THE PEOPLE, REMAINING STEADFAST UNTO THE END; AND HOW THEY BY NIGHT PUT HER INTO A BAG, AND THREW HER INTO THE SCHELDT, SHE THUS SEALING HER FAITH WITH HER DEATH

Lijsken, our sister, who was in bonds for a long time, fulfilled the time of her sojourning, continuing most perfectly and steadfastly in the Word of the Lord unto the end, the Lord be praised forever, and confessed her faith very frankly and unfeignedly, in the court, before the authorities and the common people. In the first place, they questioned her concerning baptism, to which she replied: "I know but one baptism, which Christ and His saints practiced and left us."

"What do you think of infant baptism?" asked the bailiff?

Lijsken answered: "That it is nothing but infant baptism, and a human institution."

The lords then arose and put their heads together. In the meantime Lijsken clearly confessed and explained the ground of her faith to the people. Thereupon they passed sentence upon her. Lijsken thus addressed herself to the judges

"You are judges now, but the time will come when you shall wish that you had been shepherds,* for there is a Judge and Lord over us all, who will judge you in due time; `but we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world."' Wisd. 5 ; Ps. 7:11 ; Eph. 6:1 .2. The lords therefore said: "Take her out of the court."

* In Dutch "Schaepheaderen," signifying the most menial occupation. Trans.

The people then ran together in great crowds to see her. Lijsken boldly said to them: "Be it known to you, that I do not:suffer for .theft, murder, or any other evil deed, but solely for the incorruptible Word of God." Thereupon they came to the Bargkerk,* when she said: "O thou den of thieves ( Matthew 21:13 ), how many a soul is murdered in thee!" As she was thus going along between the servants, though not led by them, the latter said [to the people]: "Arise, make room." Then Li j sken said: "They do not hinder me; they may look on me, and take an example from me, all who love the word of the Lord." Phil. 3:17 :

Speaking on, she went back into prison. The common people were greatly agitated, but the friends rejoiced. Hence, in the afternoon, some of our friends went to the prison to visit her, much other people also coming. The friends. talked a little with her, and said: "It is well that you suffer only for well doing, and not: for any evil deed." I Pet. 2:20 . But she had to avoid them, on account of the other people that were in the prison. She spoke boldly and valiantly to the people, and sang a beautiful hymn, so that the people were greatly astonished. Two monks came, to torment her yet, and the three were locked together in a room. Lijsken utterly refused to listen to them. Once the door of the room was opened, much people standing before it, and Lijsken came and stood in the door, and said to the monks: "Go away, until you are sent for. ; for I will not listen to you; if I had been content with your leaven, I should not have come to this:" The three were again locked into the room, and the erring spirits or stars ( I John 4:1 ; Jude 13 ) made another attempt with their false and deadly poison; but, God be praised, Lijsken was undaunted and of good cheer, and commenced singing a hymn in the presence of the monks. One oAPS the friends present said: "Sister; fight valiantly:" When they [the monks], heard this, they were very angry, and said: "There is another of her people, who encourages her, whom it were better to burn than her. Thus they went away in a rage; for their voice was strange, and they were not heard there." John 10:5 .

Lijsken was then shut up alone in the room, which fronted the street, where she used to sit; and no one could get to her, save he that had the keys. When the monks came out into the street, to go away, some friends who were there asked them "Will she not be converted?" The monks replied "No; for there was one of her people there, whom she preferred to hear." Towards evening, the Lord granted, that one of the friends came to the place where Lijsken sat, and conversed with her a long time, so that the people in the street began to hear it, and all looked up to the place where the friend was, so that some who were with him became uneasy, and told him to go away; but he replied: "I must first bid her adieu." He then said: "Arise,

* Name of a church.

sister, show yourself, and look out at the window." She immediately did so, and as she looked out upon the people standing in the street, some friends who were among the crowd, also called out, saying; "Dear sister, fight valiantly; for the crown of life is set before you." She then said to the people: "Drunkards, whoremongers, adulterers, all these are tolerated; they indeed read and speak of the Scriptures; but they that live and walk according to the will of God, are troubled, .oppressed, persecuted and put to death." II Tim. 3:12 ; John 16:2 . And forthwith she began to sing: "Behold, what poor sheep we are," etc. Rom. 8:36 . Before the hymn was finished, the lords came with the servants into the prison. Some friends said: "Just finish it, Lijsken." But before she could finish the hymn, they drew her away from the window, and evening approaching, she was seen no more. Saturday morning we rose early, some before daylight, others at day break, to see the marriage which we thought should come off. But the crafty murderers had anticipated us; .we had. slept too long; for they had perpetrated their murderous work between three and four o'clock. They took the lamb to the Scheldt, thrust her into a bag, and drowned her, before the people arrived, so that but few witnessed it. There were some, however, who saw that she went boldly unto death, and valiantly said: "Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit." Thus she was delivered up, and departed, to the praise of the Lord. ; so that through the grace of God it moved much .people. When the people arrived, and learned that she was dead already, it caused a great commotion among them, and as much sorrow as though she had been publicly executed; for they said: "Thieves and murderers are brought publicly before all men." Thus their perfidy became the more widely known. Some plain people asked

"Why must this people die? for many give a good testimony of them." Some friends who were there openly said to the people: "The reason is, that they obey the commands of God more than that of the Emperor, or of men, because they have sincerely turned to the Lord their God; from lies to the truth, from darkness to light, from unrighteousness to righteousness, from unbelief to the true faith; have thus amended their life, and, after becoming true believers, been baptized according to the command of Christ, and the practice of His apostles." They moreover showed to the people from the Word of God, that the papists are those of whom the apostle Paul prophesied; that is, the seducing spirits., who teach the doctrines of devils; and also, that the righteous had to suffer from the beginning, from the time of Abel until now, even as Christ also had to suffer, and thus enter into the glory of His Father, leaving us an example, that we should follow His steps; "for all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." I Timothy 4:1 ; Luke 24:26 ; I Pet. 2:21 ; II Tim. 3:12 .