Confession Of A Woman Called Claesken, Who Laid Down Her Life For The Testimony Of Jesus, A. D. 1559.

When I came before him again, he said: “Claesken, to what conclusion have you come?” Cl. “I have concluded to adhere to that to which the Lord has called me.” Matt. 20:1. Inq. “The devil has called you, who transforms himself into an angel of light in you people.”

When he examined me the sixth time, he asked me: “When Christ held his supper with his apostles, did he not give them his flesh to eat, and his blood to drink.” Cl. “He gave them bread and wine, and he gave them his body for redemption.” Inq. “Christ certainly clearly says: ‘Take, eat; this is my flesh;’ you certainly cannot contradict this.” Cl. “Paul says: ‘I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread: and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave it to his apostles, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.’ 1 Cor. 11:23–26. Thus Christ left us his supper, that we should remember his death by it, that he gave his body and shed his blood for us. This supper I want to hold with the people of God, and no other.”

He held to his twaddle: that we must eat Christ’s flesh, and drink his blood, since this were clearly implied by the words of Christ and of Paul.

Cl. “Since the words are so plain, I can well understand them; but it is as Paul says: that those who do not turn to the Lord, have a vail before their hearts; but those who turn to the Lord, from their hearts the vail is taken away. 2 Cor. 3:14–16. We have turned to the Lord; nothing is hid to us.” Inq. “In the 6th chapter of John (verse 53) Christ also clearly says that we must eat his flesh, and drink his blood.” Cl. “It is also written there: ‘Then the Jews murmured, and said: How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Christ said: Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, ye have no life in you.’ Again, he says: ‘Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life.’ He also said: ‘Flesh and blood profit nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.’ Those who believe in God, and walk in all righteousness, they are temples of God, in whom God will dwell and walk, as Paul testifies.” 2 Cor. 6:16.

When he examined me the seventh time, he said: “Do you not believe that the apostles ate the flesh of Christ?” Cl. “Christ took the bread, gave thanks, brake it, and gave it to his disciples, and his body he gave for their redemption.” Inq. “Do you not believe otherwise?” Cl. “I do not believe otherwise than Christ has spoken.” Inq. “Then I declare unto you, that I am clear of your blood; your blood be upon your own head.” Cl. “I am well satisfied with this.” Inq. “Herewith I commit you to the lord.”

He afterwards examined me once more, and asked me: “Do you not yet believe that the apostles ate the flesh of Christ?” Cl. “I have told you.” Inq. “Tell it now.” Cl. “I will not tell it again.” Inq. “Do you still persist in your views respecting baptism?” Cl. “You certainly well know that the penitent ought to be baptized.” Inq. “This is true 590 enough, if for instance a Jew comes, who is not baptized yet. Are you still of the same opinion in regard to infant baptism?” Cl. “Yes.” Inq. “Do you not believe otherwise?” Cl. “I do not believe otherwise than Christ has commanded.” Inq. “Then I declare unto you, that you will be tormented forever in the abyss of hell.” Cl. “How dare you judge me so awfully, seeing judgment belongs to the Lord alone? Acts 17:31. I am not terrified by this; I know better, when the day of the Lord comes, it will be found different.”

I then asked him: “What does my husband say?” Inq. “Your husband also still persists in his views; may the Lord enlighten you.” Cl. “We are already enlightened, the Lord be praised.”

Concerning my baptism he did not say much, nor about infant baptism; but the whole of his talk was that we must eat the flesh of Christ, and drink his blood, and that this had been instituted fifteen hundred years ago, and that I was simple and had hardly once read the Testament through. I said: “Do you think that we run on uncertainties? We are not ignorant of the contents of the New Testament. We forsake our dear children, whom I would not forsake for the whole world, and we stake upon it all that we have—should we run on uncertainties yet? we seek nothing but our salvation; you certainly cannot prove to us by the Scriptures, that we practice and believe one tittle against the word of the Lord.” But he only said that we had all from the devil, and that we were possessed of the devil of pride. I said: “We know that the proud are cast down from their seats.” Luke 1:52. He talked so long, that he sometimes already fancied that I would heed him; hence I had to speak now and then, because I did not want him to think this; I could not bear to hear him speak so awfully against the truth.