Hymn of an Ancient Baptist Martyr

 

Hymn of an Ancient Baptist Martyr February 17, 2021 Read on Website Baptists of old loved to sing. Their songs and hymns were sacred in character and biblical in doctrine. They put entire sermons or Bible stories or histories of martyrdom into song. Some of their hymns had 45 stanzas! Balthasar Hübmaier’s hymn “A Song in Praise of God’s Word” is 18 stanzas and covers the whole Bible from Adam to Christ. Every stanza ends with “God’s Word stands sure for ever.” We found that the English translation to this hymn can be sung to the tune of the Common Meter (“Our God Our Help in Ages Past”). Hübmaier (1480-1528) was a very learned and eloquent preacher who began his ministry as a Catholic. He was a student of Johann Eck, the Catholic theologian who debated Martin Luther. He obtained a Doctor of Theology degree in 1513 from the University of Ingolstadt and became professor of theology there. Afterward he was made the chief priest at the cathedral in Regensburg. There he preached against the Jews and had them driven from the city and their synagogue destroyed. A Catholic chapel dedicated to Mary was built on the site. By 1522, he was preaching against Rome. He was associated briefly with Ulrich Zwingli in Zurich, Switzerland, but he desired to follow the Bible in all matters. He rejected infant baptism and in 1525 he was baptized upon personal profession of faith in Christ. He then baptized 300 of his converts and followers. At first, he defended pouring, but he soon adopted the biblical practice of immersion. He wrote powerful books in defense of the faith. One was a defense of believer’s baptism. He said, “The command is to baptize those who believe. To baptize those who do not believe, therefore, is forbidden.” Hübmaier, like other Baptists of that day, understood the necessity of liberty of conscience. In 1524, he wrote a tract entitled “Concerning Heretics and Those That Burn Them” in which he protested against the persecuting Catholics and Protestants: “The burning of heretics cannot be justified by the Scripture. Christ Himself teaches that the tares should be allowed to grow with the wheat. He did not come to burn, or to murder, but to give life, and that more abundantly. We should, therefore, pray and hope for improvement in men as long as they live. If they cannot be convinced by appeals to reason, or the Word of God, they should be let alone. One cannot be made to see his errors either by fire or sword. But if it is a crime to burn those who scornfully reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ, how much more it is a crime to burn the true expounders and exemplars of the Word of God. Such an apparent zeal for God, the welfare of the soul, and the honor of the church is a deception. Indeed to every one it must be evident that the burning of heretics is a device of Satan” (cited by John Christian). Hübmaier also translated portions of the New Testament. These and his books were put on Rome’s Index of Prohibited Books. He was a strong preacher and debater. The defenders of infant baptism found support in Luke 18:15-17, in which Christ blessed the children and said, “Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” When this was mentioned during a debate with Protestant leader Œcolampadius in Basel, Switzerland, Hubmaier sagely replied, “Tell me, were the infants our Lord loved, embraced, and blessed, previously baptized or not? If yes: you throw away your argument against those who keep them back from baptism. If not am I to understand that Christ calls, embraces and loves unbaptized children? What need have they, then, of baptism?” Following is an example from a debate with Zwingli: Zwingli. “There are many things besides infant baptism, not expressly mentioned in the Bible, not against God.” Hübmaier. “Be still, Zwingli, or the Catholic, Faber, will hear you. That is what he said to you, but you demanded a plain passage from him.” Hübmaier was arrested and thrown into prison by the Zurich Protestants in January 1526 in the dead of winter and kept there for four long months. His appeal to his old friend Zwingli was ignored. His wife also was in prison. He had just gotten over a sickness that was almost unto death. His health was broken. In this miserable, distressing condition, he was tortured on the rack by the pitiless Protestant authorities, and on April 6, 1526, the broken man agreed to recant his beliefs. The people of Zurich were summoned to the cathedral to hear the recantation of this well-known Baptist preacher. Zwingli first preached a sermon against the “heretics.” Then every eye turned to Hübmaier, who walked forward to read the recantation. As he began to do so in a trembling voice, he broke down weeping. As he swayed to and fro in agony, he was suddenly strengthened by the Lord. He shouted, “INFANT BAPTISM IS NOT OF GOD, AND MEN MUST BE BAPTIZED BY FAITH IN CHRIST!” Pandemonium broke out! Some screamed against him while others shouted applause. The Zurich authorities quickly took him back to the dungeon. There he wrote these blessed words of prayer to God: “O, immortal God, this is my faith. I confess it with heart and mouth, and have testified it publicly before the Church in baptism. I faithfully pray thee graciously keep me in it until my end, and should I be forced from it out of mortal fear and timidity, by tyranny, torture, sword, fire or water, I now appeal to thee. O, my compassionate Father, raise me up again by the grace of thy Holy Spirit, and suffer me not to depart without this faith. This, I pray thee from the bottom of my heart, through Jesus Christ, thy most beloved Son, our Lord and Saviour. Father, in thee do I put my Trust, let me never be ashamed.” About the middle of 1526, he escaped prison with the assistance of some friends and became associated with the Baptist preachers in Augsburg, Germany. He baptized Hans Denk, the pastor of the Augsburg Church, and he participated in the Baptist preacher’s convention there in 1527. Hübmaier traveled widely in Central and Western Europe, always under threat of arrest by the ecclesiastical authorities. His preaching was particularly blessed in Moravia, where 6,000 converts were baptized in one year. Hübmaier was arrested in 1528 and sent to Vienna. On March 1, he was burned to death at the stake, dying unwavering in the biblical faith that he had preached. As he prepared to face the fire, his wife exhorted him to remain steadfast in Christ. His beard and hair caught fire and as he cried out, “O Jesus, Jesus,” he died in the smoke and flames. Eight days later, the faithful wife joined her husband in Glory when she was drowned by the cruel persecutors. A heavy stone was tied around her neck and she was thrown from a bridge into the Danube River. Hübmaier’s motto was “Truth is immortal.” Balthasar Hübmaier’s hymn “A Song in Praise of God’s Word” (can be sung to the tune of “Our God Our Help in Ages Past”)-- Rejoice, rejoice, ye Christians all, And break forth into singing! Since far and wide on every side The word of God is ringing. And well we know, no human foe Our souls from Christ can sever; For to the base, and men of grace, God's word stands sure for ever. O Adam, Adam, first of men, What future did fate send you? After your fall in Paradise How did your God befriend you? His holy word from him you heard, That word which faileth never, To tend'rest age, to hoary sage, God's word stands sure for ever. O Noah, Noah, man of God, Thy God hath thee selected And sworn to thee an oath, since thou His word hast not rejected: "With flood again to drown all men My wrath shall hasten never"; To swollen pelf, to want itself, [pelf is wealth] God's word stands sure for ever. And Abraham believed his God, And so, for his devotion, His faith became his righteousness, His seed like sands of ocean. Thus has God done for every one, Who trust him perish never; To every one who builds thereon God's word stands sure for ever. And Lot, devout, God-fearing man, Two angels came to find him, And lead him out from Sodom safe, Nor should he look behind him. God's fiery flood therein withstood No living thing whatever; All men, like Lot, must pay their scot, God's word stands sure for ever. O David, David, king and lord, A man of God's own choosing, God's truth he hid within his heart Beyond all fear of losing. From David's seed Christ should proceed, He swore who changeth never; In heaven and on earth the same God's word stands sure for ever. Jesus the Christ, of Mary born And of the Holy Spirit, What all the prophets promisèd We shall in him inherit. "Hear him," the call of God to all, To save us his endeavour; To him all praise and honour raise— God's word stands sure for ever. Now hear, now hear, and mark with care What else for us is written, And learn from his new Covenant What more to do we're bidden. And what of old has been foretold Of Christ our Lord and Saviour; To latest hour, in vaster power, God's word stands sure for ever. Matthew, the first evangelist, From Roman service taken, Has now become chief counsellor And has his sins forsaken; Hears Jesus call, who says to all, "Follow with best endeavour." In ample fame, always the same, God's word stands sure for ever. And Mark, yes, Mark, the second is, And richly he has taught us The knowledge of that mighty power Wherewith our Lord has brought us To faith in God, to which is owed All goodness whatsoever; For all men's tears, for all men's jeers, God's word stands sure for ever. Luke also follows in the train And tells the gospel story: The wondrous works of Christ, and how From heaven the God of glory To men undone has sent his Son That men might perish never; Believe we must, or bite the dust, God's word stands sure for ever. And John, the fourth evangelist, A youth of wondrous beauty, Reveals to us the Word divine And teaches us our duty. With faith and love your calling prove And seek no other lever; It gives no aid to hoe or spade, But God's word stands for ever. And Saul, God's chosen vessel he, His early sin repented: He stormed and strove against the saints As if he were demented. In vain the age 'gainst us shall rage, Our souls from Christ to sever; In time of ill our stronghold still, God's word stands sure for ever. O Paul, O Paul, what fruit of all Thy writings in their season! The truth thou hast declared shall stand Against all human reason. Sin is o'erthrown by faith alone, And, though the great and clever Were all employed to make it void, God's word stands sure for ever. And Peter, Jude, and James, all three Do follow in this teaching; Repentance and confession they Through Christ our Lord are preaching In him men must put all their trust, Or they shall see God never; The wolf may tear, the lion, bear,— God's word stands sure for ever. Ah, man, blind man, now hear the word, Make sure your state and calling; Believe the Scripture is the power By which we're kept from falling. Your valued lore at once give o'er, Renounce your vain endeavour; This shows the way, no longer stray, God's word stands sure for ever. O Jesus Christ, thou Son of God, Let us not lack thy favour, For what shall be our just reward If the salt shall lose its savour? With angry flame to efface thy name In vain shall men endeavour; Not for a day, the same for aye, God's word stands sure for ever. Praise God, praise God in unity, Ye Christian people sweetly, That he his word has spread abroad— His word, his work completely. No human hand can him withstand, No name how high soever; And sing we then our glad Amen! God's word stands sure for ever. (Balthasar Hübmaier, “A Song in Praise of God’s Word”) Share, Print or View this report Free eBook Softcover Book Available 21 Steps to a Stronger Church for the 21st Century Information Valuable Resources O Timothy Magazine Sermon and Conference Audio Conference and Preaching Video

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Exodus 25:1–Exodus 27:19

 25 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.

3 And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,

4 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair,

5 And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood,

6 Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,

7 Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.

8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

9 According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.

10 And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

11 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.

12 And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it.

13 And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.

14 And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.

15 The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.

16 And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.

17 And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.

18 And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.

19 And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.

20 And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.

21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.

22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

23 Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

24 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about.

25 And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about.

26 And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof.

27 Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table.

28 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them.

29 And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them.

30 And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway.

31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.

32 And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:

33 Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick.

34 And in the candlesticks shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers.

35 And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick.

36 Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold.

37 And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.

38 And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold.

39 Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels.

40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.

26 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.

2 The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure.

3 The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another.

4 And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second.

5 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second; that the loops may take hold one of another.

6 And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle.

7 And thou shalt make curtains of goats' hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make.

8 The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure.

9 And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle.

10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second.

11 And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put the taches into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one.

12 And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle.

13 And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it.

14 And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers' skins.

15 And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up.

16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one board.

17 Two tenons shall there be in one board, set in order one against another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle.

18 And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side southward.

19 And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons.

20 And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards:

21 And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.

22 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards.

23 And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides.

24 And they shall be coupled together beneath, and they shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners.

25 And they shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.

26 And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,

27 And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the two sides westward.

28 And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall reach from end to end.

29 And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold.

30 And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount.

31 And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:

32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver.

33 And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.

34 And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.

35 And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side.

36 And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework.

37 And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.

27 And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits.

2 And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass.

3 And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass.

4 And thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four brasen rings in the four corners thereof.

5 And thou shalt put it under the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst of the altar.

6 And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with brass.

7 And the staves shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it.

8 Hollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it was shewed thee in the mount, so shall they make it.

9 And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen of an hundred cubits long for one side:

10 And the twenty pillars thereof and their twenty sockets shall be of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.

11 And likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings of an hundred cubits long, and his twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.

12 And for the breadth of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits: their pillars ten, and their sockets ten.

13 And the breadth of the court on the east side eastward shall be fifty cubits.

14 The hangings of one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.

15 And on the other side shall be hangings fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.

16 And for the gate of the court shall be an hanging of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework: and their pillars shall be four, and their sockets four.

17 All the pillars round about the court shall be filleted with silver; their hooks shall be of silver, and their sockets of brass.

18 The length of the court shall be an hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty every where, and the height five cubits of fine twined linen, and their sockets of brass.

19 All the vessels of the tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court, shall be of brass.