Confession Of Claes De Praet Who For The Testimony Of Jesus Christ, And His Word Was Imprisoned And Burnt At Ghent, And Laid Down His Life As A Burnt Offering Unto The Lord A. D. 1556.

Having been confined about seven weeks, I was called down and led into a room, where sat the Dean of Ronse, with his clerk, and another person. The Dean told me to be seated, and I took a seat forward at the table, beside him, whereupon he gave me a long lecture, to which I listened. He said that it was impossible to please God without faith, and that he that did not believe was damned. Finally he asked me: “Why did you allow yourself to be thus seduced, and led into error, and apostatize from the holy church?” I replied: “Since it is written that it is impossible to please God without faith, I was diligent in examining the faith, and asking God to strengthen me in it, through his grace and mercy. This he has done abundantly, and I want to keep it faithfully unto his praise, and not to forsake it on account of any suffering, nor for aught that is in the world.”

Dean. “You think you have the faith, but you have departed from it. And that you people are so bold and of good cheer even unto death, is all owing to the devil, who can transform himself into an angel of light. Hence, when you read the Scriptures, you were instructed by some poor, simple tradesman, who taught you the same according to his reason; therefore you are now deceived. You should have let those teach you, who have received the true doctrine, the ministers of the holy church, that is, the pastors.” Claes. “Are they the ones that have received the true doctrine?” Dean. “Yes.” Claes. “Why, then, do they live the life of devils, as may be seen?” Dean. “What does that concern you? It is written, Matt. 23: ‘Do after their commandments, but not after their works.’ ” Claes. “Are you, then, the scribes and Pharisees, of whom Matthew has written?” Dean. “Yes.” Claes. “Then all the woes come upon you, that follow further on, in said chapter.” Dean. “No, they do not.”

We had much additional discussion yet, with reference to this. He would have liked to engage me in a disputation concerning the articles of faith; but I would not enter into one, confining myself to the asking of such questions. The man was willing in speaking, and very mild, and wanted attention to be given to what he said, and also gave good attention himself. And I thought: “I have heard so long and so much of this man, that he persecutes and troubles the church so greatly; I must see now, how he will prove it with the Scriptures, when I speak with him; for I don’t know that I have ever seen him.”

I asked him, where he found it written, that he should run so bloodthirstily after innocent blood, which no one could accuse of any crime. Dean. “My friend, I don’t run after or seek the blood of any one.” Claes. “You send out your servants for that purpose.” Dean. “I do not, my friend.” Claes. “Do you persecute no one, then?” Dean. “No, my friend.” Claes. “Have you no mandates either, by which you cause it to be done?” Dean. “No, my friend.” Claes. “You have certainly delivered to the law my fellow-brethren who fell into your hands, and remained steadfast in the faith; this has been manifest to all the world.” Dean. “I don’t do this, my friend.” Claes. “Why do you come and sit with the Judges, and have so much to say, if you don’t concern yourself about the matter? One by hearing you talk, would think you had no hand in it.” Dean. “No, my friend;” and he rubbed his hands together. Claes. “Who then does it?” Dean. “The secular, or the lord who has received the sword.”

We had yet much more discussion on this subject, so that he did not know which way to turn. He asked from Deut. 17:12, upon which passage he founded it, that the priests had the authority, etc. I told him that that was under the law of revenge, but that now we were under the law of grace. Exodus 21:23; Rom. 6:14. And I asked him, how he dared do something which the Lord had forbidden, namely, concerning the tares, Matt. 13:30, that 536 both the wheat and the tares should be suffered to grow together. I asked him which of the two I was, that I must certainly be either the wheat or the tares? Dean. “You are the tares.” Claes. “Why don’t you let me grow until the day of harvest?” Dean. “What the lord of the field commanded his servants was for the reason, that they should not spoil the wheat by pulling up the tares. But I can go along the edges, and here and there pluck out a handful or two, yea, sometimes, six, eight, ten, twelve, yea, now and then a hundred or two, without spoiling the wheat.” Claes. “Then you are wiser than the servants of the Lord.” Dean. “I can certainly well do this.” Claes. “When I held with the priests, and walked according to your will, was I a good blade?” Dean. “Yes.” Claes. “Am I now a bad blade?” Dean. “Yes.” Claes. “Well, then, if I am a bad blade, according to your own words, you have yourselves spoiled me, and others, who have gone before, by your plucking, and yet you say that you can do it so well. O you miserable plucker, that you are, when you plucked the four blades of Lier, in the Verle place, five years ago, when you stood on the scaffold, and preached, and the people said: “Antichrist preaches.” It was then that I began to investigate, what faith it was for which those people died so boldly there; and I examined the scripture which you quoted from 2 Tim. 2 and 3. And I found that I had to separate from such a people as is plainly enough spoken of there, with regard to you; and I separated from such a multitude, and do so yet. What becomes now of you and your plucking, poor plucker; the more you pluck, the more you spoil; according to your own words, it were better if you would stop.” And I told him a great deal from the Scriptures, so that he was ashamed, and knew not what to answer.