A Letter Of Consolation And Admonition, Written In Prison By Dirk Pieters Smuel, Deceased, Who Was Burnt Alive At Amsterdam, In Holland, For The Name And Testimony Of Jesus; To All Lovers Of The Evangelical Truth, A. D. 1546.

“No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son . . . he hath declared him.” John 1:18. Stephen said: “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.” Acts 7:56. “At the appearing of Jesus Christ; whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” 1 Pet. 1:7–9. I say that it is great presumption for men to undertake to say that they handle God. For John, concerning whom the Lord himself declared, that a greater was not born of women, than John the Baptist, did not consider himself worthy to unloose the latchet of his shoes.248

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. But this is my belief: That to those who through faith in Christ Jesus are dead from the rudiments of the world (Col. 2:20), and have crucified the flesh with its evil affections and lusts (Galatians 5:24). Christ left the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of his death, that they should show the Lord’s death till he come (1 Cor. 11:25,26), as Paul says: “I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What say I then? that the idol is anything, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything? But I say, that the things which the gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils; ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.”249 1 Cor. 10:15–21.

End of these letters, translated and finished the 12th of January A. D. 1614.