Jan Jans Brant, in the Year 1559

In the year 1559, on the 9th of November, it happened that a brother named Jan Jans Brant was arrested for following Christ and the Gospel, at Geervliet, in South Holland. When he was examined by the learned men, he held steadfastly to his faith, and confessed it freely, saying further: [n815-1] "This is the true way to eternal life, which is found by so few, and walked by a still smaller number; for it is too narrow for them, and would cause their flesh too much pain." Because of these and similar words, they became more embittered against him than against any criminal, so that they would have put him to death within two weeks, had his life not been spared a little longer through the pleading of certain persons, so that in all he lay in prison one month. Afterwards they sentenced him to be drowned in a sack, for which he was well prepared. The executioner tied him into a sack, and cast them from the high Hofbrugh.* The sack burst open, and the executioner struck him on the body with a stick, so that he called from the water: "Oh, how you murder me!" Many were moved to pity that he had to die so miserably. So he offered up his sacrifice, and rests now from his labor, and is awaiting the glorious Sabbath spoken of in Isaiah, indeed, the rest with Christ in Paradise. Philippians 2, verse 17; Revelation 14, verse 13; Luke 23, verse 42.