# Another Letter From Hans Bret, Written To His Beloved Mother, The 19th Of July 1576. · Page 2 of 6

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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
991
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.



## Original source

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[Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855)

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