Part 247
I hope to explain to you, dear brother, the cause of my imprisonment, so that you may not grieve, but rejoice, and thank the Lord for it. I thank the Lord, that he has opened my dark eyes, and looked upon me with the eyes of his mercy, when I was sunk in sin, yea, expected nothing but eternal death and damnation; yea, I was without God in the world, and I lived in sins innumerable, which were an abomination before the eyes of God, so that if God entered into judgment with me, I could not stand in his sight, but should pass away like dust before the wind, because of my innumerable sins. Ps. 143:2; 1:5. But the Lord who through his unspeakable love, out of grace, caused to be proclaimed to me, by his servants, his word, concerning his Son Christ Jesus, that whosoever believeth in him, should have eternal life. John 3:15. Hence I heard that there was no means to obtain salvation, but through his Son Christ Jesus, who died the death for our sins, and shed his blood for us, for the washing away of our unrighteousness, even as John says: That the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all our sins. Acts 13:38; 1 Cor. 15:3; Eph. 1:7; 1 John 1:7. And when I heard the words of Christ: Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest; I, poor man, laden with sins and innumerable wickednesses, made my complaint to Christ, bewailed my sins, and he forgave and remitted them to me through his shed blood, when I confessed them before him. Matthew 11:28; Ps. 32:5. Thus, dear brother, I forsook my sins, from day to day, according to my ability, and sought to walk the narrow way, and separated myself from the wicked, perverse world, and sought to please Christ, yet not as I would, for I constantly felt the Spirit striving against the flesh, as Paul says, Gal. 5:17. And Job says that man’s life upon earth is nothing but a constant warfare. Job 7:1. Thus, dear brother, I sought to please the Lord, and not the world, which the enemy could not endure any longer, who hates all that is good, and cannot endure it, but seeks to quench it. He has shown, and still shows, his power also on me, but has not been able to do any more, than the Lord permits him; yea, when he has done all, he can but kill the body, but over the soul he has no power, for the Lord gives us strength through his Holy Spirit, to resist it. Matt. 10:28; Eph. 3:16; 1 Pet. 5:9. Hence, dear brother, my imprisonment is not for any evil, but for the truth, and for the confession of the holy word of the Lord. Hence rejoice therein, that the Lord counts me worthy to suffer for his name, and to offer up my body to the praise of his holy name. Acts 5:41. Think that it has been thus with all God’s righteous ones, from the beginning of the world till the present day. Hence, my brother, be resigned to the work of the Lord, for thus it went with Christ our Captain. If they have done this to the Lord, how will it be with his followers? for Christ says: “The servant is not greater than his lord, neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.” John 13:16. Hence I hope by the grace of the Lord, that he shall give me strength through his Holy Spirit, to confess his word and truth as long as there is breath in my mouth, even as I have hitherto done unto this hour; hence I expect now nothing else than my sentence, to be placed at the stake in the market place, to be burnt there. Comfort yourself herein, and thank the Lord for it, that he counts me worthy to suffer for his name. Thus I have now briefly written the cause of my imprisonment, that you might the better console yourself herein, and not give ear or belief to every evil tongue, as I hope mother will write you. If in any wise possible I hope to write you my faith, if I get paper; and if I should not, I hope that mother will write it to you, so that you will not grieve, as though I died in unbelief, as Satan may pretend, and as may possibly also have been written to you; but I pray you give no ear or belief to it, for that for which I suffer is the genuine truth and the true faith in Christ Jesus, since Christ and his apostles taught it, of which Paul says: Though an angel from heaven should come, and teach you otherwise, than I have taught you, let him be accursed. Gal. 1:8. Thus, dear brother, I would write you more, but I have no more paper now. Farewell, the Lord be with you; and I greet you, dear brother, with a holy kiss, for I think that you will see my face no more.
By me, your brother, who is imprisoned for the testimony of God, and for the holy word and truth of the Lord.
HANS BRET.
ANOTHER LETTER FROM HANS BRET, WRITTEN TO HIS BELOVED MOTHER, THE 19TH OF JULY 1576.
The unspeakable grace, peace and mercy of God our heavenly Father, who is a Father full of grace and truth, through the bitter suffering and death of our only Savior Christ Jesus, who washed and cleansed us from all our sins and unrighteousnesses; the power of the Holy Ghost, for the increase of your faith, to resist all the enemies of truth; this I wish you, my affectionately beloved mother, for the salvation of your soul. Amen.
My dearest mother, whom I love from the heart; my chosen mother, who gave birth to me in pain and anguish, from whose body I came forth; I, your son, who am now confined at Antwerp, in prison, for the word of truth, commend myself to you from the bottom of my heart, and thank you, my dear mother, for the great benefits you have shown me from the beginning of my existence until the present day, that you have cared for my necessities, and are still caring for me. But especially do I thank you, my dearest mother, that through the comforting letter you wrote me, you exercise a care for the salvation of my soul.
O, when I began to read the letter, and understood that it was from you, my mother, then my tears began to flow, so that I could hardly finish reading the letter, because of the many tears that flowed from my eyes; for I had thought that I should hear from you no more. I was so rejoiced by your consoling instruction, and that you followed the example of Tobit, who also gave instruction to his son.
O I thank, yes, I thank you, my dear mother, that you thus exhort me to steadfastness and boldness, to confess the name of Christ, which I hope to do by the help of the Lord, who alone is my helper and my strength, to resist the principalities and powers of this world, the spirits of the air, as Paul says (Eph. 6:12), yea, these priests of Jezebel, who thirst for the blood of the righteous that walk in the ways of the Lord, who, according to the word of Christ, seek to walk the narrow way, and to forsake their own life, as also, sin, unrighteousnesses and carnal lusts, and seek to please the Lord in righteousness, according to the will of God, in holiness. 1 Thess. 4:3. These are rejected, despised, and persecuted, yea, imprisoned; their end is to be killed, because they seek to walk the way in such a manner, that they may please the Lord. Hence Esdras says: The way is narrow, and cannot be walked without danger. 2 Esd. 7:8. This we may well consider.
Behold, there were two brothers in the world, namely, Cain and Abel. Abel sought to walk the narrow way and to please the Lord with his offering, with which the Lord was pleased and had respect to it, because he and his offering were good. Cain sacrificed to the Lord, but his offering did not please the Lord, because he was evil; hence the Lord had not respect to his offering. Then Cain was angry at his brother Abel, and slew him. 1 John 3:12.
Consider Lot in Sodom, how they assailed his house through their wickedness, and wanted to commit fornication with the angels that had entered into his house. Again, Abraham had to forsake his country, and went to sojourn in a strange country, where he was a stranger, and had to live in tents. Again, behold Isaac, who walked in the ways of his father Abraham, and served the Lord; he was hated by the Philistines; for they went and stopped the well which his father Abraham had digged; yea, that was not enough yet, but King Abimelech commanded him to leave his dwelling place. Genesis 26:14.
Jacob was hated and persecuted by his brother Esau, who also sought to kill him.
Joseph was by his brethren cast into a pit, and sold to the Ishmaelites; and chose rather to flee from the wife of the captain of the guard, leaving his mantle behind than to comply with her desire.
So, dear mother, I will also rather lose my life, than do what they command. The children of Israel were also afflicted. If I were to tell further all that happened to all God’s prophets, I fear my paper should not suffice; such and similar examples, namely, concerning Christ, the author of faith, how he was persecuted in this life; yea, he had hardly been born, when his mother Mary had to flee with him. She nourished him up in poverty, yea, he was in poverty, for he himself says: “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” Matthew 8:20. Behold, how it further went with him: they crucified him; his feet and hands were pierced; the gave him vinegar and gall to drink; and his side was pierced with a spear, from which flowed blood and water.
Observe, thus it went with our Captain Christ Jesus; thus he concluded his days in poverty and with reproach, was scourged, beaten, mocked, and crowned on his head with a crown of thorns. O I cannot sufficiently tell all that he suffered for us poor men, to save us and yet these Pharisees are not ashamed to rob his honor, saying that we are saved by baptism; whereas the Lord Christ sanctifies and cleanseth from sin. O how sad it makes me when I hear this; the Lord forgive them. Yea, if Christ were here now, they would kill him yet.
Thus we have an example in our Captain Christ, yea, in his dear apostles. Paul too, suffered much for the name of Christ. Consider how many others yet have suffered since the time of Christ and the apostles, unto the present day.
Since, then, my beloved mother, so many have suffered, and we are compassed about, as Paul says, with so great a cloud of witnesses; I say with Paul: I rejoice in my sufferings which I endure for Christ’s sake. Heb. 12:1; Col. 1:24. Hence rejoice also, that Christ wants me, your son, to whom you have given birth, a poor, unworthy man, worthy to suffer for his holy name, so that I long to be delivered from this flesh, and to be with Christ, in whom I now believe, yet not see; but then I shall behold him; and partake of the joy which the heart of man has never conceived of, neither can tongue express the great joy that is prepared for the good. They shall be clothed in fine, white linen; they shall be crowned with the crown of eternal life; they shall sit upon Mount Sion, and sing the new song, so that I may say as David says: “A day with the Lord is better than a thousand in joy and gladness here.” Rom. 7:24; Luke 23:42; 1 Pet. 1:8; 1 John 3:2; Rev. 19:8; 2:10; 1 Esd. 2:42; Psalms 84:10.
O dear mother, who would now want to remain here, when such joy is prepared for the good, which shall last forever. There we shall neither hunger nor thirst any more, there we shall feel neither heat nor cold, so that I may say with Paul: I reckon the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Rom. 8:18.
Hence, then, dear mother, in consideration of this, I need not think it strange, though I suffer for the name of Christ, for his word and truth; since all God’s righteous ones, from the beginning of the world have suffered. Hence Peter says: “Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, which means tribulation, affliction and persecution.” 1 Pet. 4:12. For the prophet David says: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” Ps. 34:20. Paul well says: “That we must through much tribulation and affliction enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Acts 14:22.
Behold, my dear mother, what consolation we have, so that when it pleases the Lord to try our faith, that we should not be grieved in the trial; for he says: “Unto us it is given not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for his sake.” Philip. 1:29. Paul, who cared well for the flock of Christ, did not forbear to reveal to those who wanted to walk according to Christ’s ways, and tread the narrow way trod by few, that they must suffer persecution, in order that when affliction, tribulation, persecution or reproach comes, we should not think it strange. 2 Tim. 3:12.
Hence Christ also says: In the world ye shall have tribulation; and comforts his disciples, in order that they should not be grieved in the tribulation, and says: “Be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. He also teaches his disciples, that they should not fear tribulation or reproach; for when they, namely, the rulers of this world, have done all, they can but kill the body, but the soul they cannot harm. But he teaches us whom we shall fear, namely, him that hath power to cast soul and body into the eternal fire, which shall burn forever, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Luke 12:4,5; Matt. 22:13.
O how sorrowful shall they then be, that have feared the kings and princes of this world more than the Lord, who is the Lord of lords, the God of gods, the King of kings, who, as David says, can make and crush the heart of the kings and princes of this world like potsherds. 1 Tim. 6:15. Why then should we fear? for the Lord says by the prophet Zechariah: “He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye.” 2:8.
Consider what Christ says; He that rejecteth or despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me. Luke 10:17. Again Christ says: Blessed is he that is despised for my sake; for great is his reward in heaven. Matt. 5:11,12.
Hence, my dearest mother, comfort yourself with these and similar words of Christ, and rejoice with me, and thank and praise the Lord, that you are counted worthy to be persecuted for his name. Follow now the advice of Paul: be patient in tribulation, and continue instant in prayer. Philip. 4:4; Romans 12:12; Thess. 5:17.
Remember the consolation of Moses, with which he comforted the children of Israel, saying: “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Deut. 31:6. Hence, my mother, though our enemies are many, and I am here in the midst of the hand of the enemy, yet I will say with the prophet David: “Lord, now thou art with me, and art my helper, I will not fear, though I were compassed by many thousands.” Again with the prophet David: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? Though death should come upon me, I will not fear; for the Lord is ever with me to strengthen me.” And again: “He is my fortress; I will not fear, though the earth be removed, and the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.” Ps. 27:1; 23:4; 18:3; 46:2.
Thus, my dear mother; press with me, by force, through the straight gate; that is, through affliction and persecution, for Christ says: “The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” Matt. 11:12. I also hope to take it by force, through the strength which the Lord gives me to resist the cruelty of these fell lions, that are not satisfied with the blood of the righteous, but seek, through their subtle words and fair speeches, yea, with invented lies, (according to the advice of their father the devil, as Christ says; for he was a murderer and deceiver from the beginning of the world), to devour and slay their souls, and to deprive them of their inheritance, namely, of eternal life, which they obtained through the shed blood of Christ our only Savior. John 20:31. But the Lord be forever praised and thanked, that he keeps and delivers us, so that they cannot harm our souls; for when they have done all that they can do, they have no more power than to take this temporal life, which I gladly resign for Christ’s sake, for I know and doubt not that the Lord shall give me a better, which he promises to all the good that have not been ashamed to confess his word and truth before this adulterous generation. Hence Christ says: “He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it again.” Matt. 10:39. Not a life that shall perish, but that will endure forever, an incorruptible life, a life that shall endure forever in joy. Therefore my dear mother, my soul longs for this life; though flesh and blood should remain at the stake, yet I regard it not; rather than that I should suffer myself to be spoiled of my inheritance, namely, eternal life, for a little of temporal life. Oh no! God forbid; for I now regard not this visible, but the invisible, the eternal and imperishable.
O my chosen mother, think not that there is aught that might rob me of my salvation, for Paul says; Who can separate us from the love of God? Neither hell, the devil, nor death. Christ has conquered all, so that I may say: O hell, where is thy pain? O death, where is thy power? Christ has vanquished death; Christ has bruised Satan’s head, so that he can but bite the heel, which he indeed does, but that is of no account. Who therefore, says Paul, can lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is Christ that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died. Rom. 8:35; Heb. 2:14; Rom. 8:33,34.
Hence, my dear mother, be armed with me, and all God’s righteous ones, as Paul says, with the armor of God on your body, the helmet of salvation upon your head, and the sword of the Spirit in your hand; and above all, take the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one, for the prophet says: Be of good courage; you shall at last climb upon the devil’s shoulders. Eph. 6:13; Bar. 4:25.
Therefore my mother, if you should hear any thing of me that is not true--for the devil is crafty, and deals much in lies, to grieve the righteous--do not hearken to it; as I also trust that you will not: for my mind is unchanged, for which I thank the living God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and to his name be praise for ever and ever, through his only Son Jesus Christ our Savior, who strengthens me, poor, unworthy, despised man with his Holy Spirit, to resist all the enemies of the truth, who seek to spoil me of my salvation (Col. 2:8), for which they have no power, for the Lord is my strength, as the prophet says: He is my song; I shall with joy draw water out of the well of the Savior. Is. 12:2,3. Again the Lord says by the prophet Isaiah; I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not: I will help thee. Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye few men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy Redeemer. Is. 41:13,14. Of whom should we be afraid, for the Lord hath said it. Therefore, my mother, take courage with me, to overcome, like Joshua and Caleb, the great and strong giants, the princes of this world, and not to fear them, and thus to take the promised land, the kingdom of heaven. Of whom should I be afraid, when we have this glorious consolation, that they that trust in the Lord, shall not be ashamed, for the prophet says that the Lord will not forsake the righteous even unto death; yea, the Lord says by the prophet Isaiah: “Can a mother forget her child, that she should not have compassion on the fruit of her womb? and though she forget, yet will I not forget thee; for I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands, saith the Lord.” Ps. 25:3; Is. 49:15,16. Remember, again, how the Lord speaks by the prophet Malachi, saying: The Lord has a book of remembrance before him, in which he has written all them that fear him, and he shall deliver their souls from death. Mal. 3:16. Happy are those then, that have feared the Lord, for David says: “Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord.” They who then have not been ashamed to walk in the ways of the Lord, their names are recorded in heaven in the book of life. Luke 10:20. Hence rejoice with me, my mother; I should like to write you still more, that you would always walk in the ways of the Lord, and never depart therefrom, and bring many to the knowledge of the truth, but my paper is failing me. I pray you, my dear and beloved mother, take this little knowledge and simple writing from me in good part, for I write you out of love, and impart to you of this little gift which the Lord, through his unspeakable grace, has given me, unworthy man.
You further write me in your consoling letter, whether I have any lack of the necessaries of life. O no, I have enough, the Lord be thanked. You also write in your letter, that if I desired you, I should write so, and you should come, though you had to pay for it with your blood. O my dear mother, why should I desire this; I shall never desire it, for you could not help me. For my refuge is the Lord alone; he is my helper; he it is that gives me strength to overcome and to go to battle valiantly. Hence, my mother, walk prudently, for they are cruel to shed the innocent blood. However, they can do no more than the Lord permits them. If I were to write more concerning it, my paper should not suffice, for I intend to relate to you yet, that I have been twice more with the priests since I wrote the letter to you, so that in all I have been before the priests four times; but twice I wrote you a little; hence I also hope to write you a little now. The third time I spoke with the Dean, but mostly against the inquisitor, for he wants to be master; his name is Pardo. We talked much of the Supper, and there was present a Bailiff, the new one, and a man that could speak English. I heard Pardo talk much of the Supper, which was contrary to the word of the Lord; and he asked me, whether it was not true that Christ gave his apostles his own body, and that his disciples ate it. I said that he gave his disciples bread, and what they ate was bread; and that he gave his disciples wine, and what they drank was wine, and not changed, as you say.
I showed them how it was to be understood, both the bread and the wine; I would repeat it here, but my paper would give out. We then spoke of the baptism of infants; I said that he should show to me with the Scriptures, that Christ taught to baptize infants, and that the apostles followed or practiced it. They said: Christ said and taught, John 3:5: “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” I said: “Christ there did not speak of water baptism, but Christ teaches of baptism in Matthew 28 and Mark 16,” and I told them the text.
Then the man said: “A fool cannot believe; hence he cannot be baptized; he is therefore damned.” I said: “Christ says not: Go teach fools. I ask you,” said I, “whether a fool can be taught?” He answered: “No.” He then asked me, whether the fool was damned. I said: “I may judge no one; I leave the fool in the hands of the Lord.” Thus, to be brief, the man asked me whether I had been in England. I said: “Yes.” “What sort of people,” said he, “were those that were put to death?” I said: “I believe that they were Menno’s people.” He said: “No,” and that they were Puritans. I said: “No.” He said that I was of that people, that I was also a Puritan. I said that I did not know them; that it was the first that I heard of it. I said that he should tell me, what sort of a people it was, and what kind of a faith they have. But he would not tell me that. They said more, but it would take too long to relate it.