Joos Verbeeck, in the Year 1561

On the 7th of June 1561 the margrave of Antwerp went out with a large retinue, well armed with sticks and staves, and they arrested Joos Verbeeck, a minister of the Word of God and of His church. On the 9th he was examined. He confessed his faith very freely, and his ministry as well, which the margrave and the lords made much sport of. He was also very severely tortured; but God kept his lips in everything, so that he accused no one. Although he was treated so mercilessly that a rope broke in two on his body, and in four days he had to go to the rack twice, and was once whipped until his blood flowed, he bore it all patiently. One thing, however, he greatly lamented: that they had broken his right hand, or crippled it by torture, so that he could not write.

On the 20th day of the month he was brought into court, where the bailiff asked him whether he had been rebaptized. He answered: "Ask me for my faith, which I confessed in prison before the lords and the margrave." The bailiff then asked him what he thought of infant baptism. He said: "I confessed that it is not of God, but a human institution." The bailiff asked again whether he had been rebaptized, and said: "Say yes or no; for I know you will not lie; therefore, tell me the truth." He said: "I was baptized upon my faith, as Christ teaches." Matthew 28; Mark 16.

Having confessed his faith, his baptism and his doctrine, he could not well say much more. The lords settled his sentence, while he in the meantime said to the people: "Dear citizens, I have lived here eleven years, and no one can complain of me, since I have never wronged anyone, and my life and doctrine agree with the Word of God." "That is true," exclaimed a brother; on hearing this, the thief catchers got up and searched for his brother, but did not find him.

Joos said: "Oh, that I might defend myself publicly against the priests who came to me in prison, as Paul could do before Agrippa; but we are forbidden to speak." Acts 26, verse 2.

Coming out of the court, he said: "He who delivered Daniel out of the den of lions will also preserve me; for what I suffer is for the name of the Lord, and not for doing evil."

"That is true," cried a brother; and others cried: "Fight valiantly, dear brother." Joos boldly and cheerfully said: "Dear citizens, this is how all the children of God must suffer; this way was trodden by the saints of God, the prophets, and so many pious men."

When he came up to the little house, indeed, when he stood before the door of the hut in which he was to offer up his burnt sacrifice, he lifted his eyes up to heaven, saying: "O holy Father, help Your servant in this extremity." The executioner's servant wanted to thrust a gag into his mouth, to keep him from speaking; but even so he did not keep silent, for he was heard to cry out: "O Lord, You Son of David, have compassion on me."

The executioner performed his task, trembling with fear. When the fire was kindled, Joos cried: "O heavenly Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit. O Lord of hosts, who separated me from my mother's womb, help Your servant in this last extremity, since I suffer for Your name." Jeremiah 1, verse 5; Galatians 1, verse 15. Once more he cried: "O heavenly Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit." And with this he quietly offered up a fiery sacrifice, as an example and pattern to us all.