DIVERS EXAMINATIONS OF REYTSE AYSESS BEFORE THE COMMISSARY, PASTORS, PRIESTS, BISHOPS, AND OTHERS.

On the sixth day they brought me before the commissary, and in going thither there met me an old man, who bade me “good evening.” I returned the compliment, however was frightened when I saw him. But he said to me: “You have a bad commissary”; and he conversed much more with me, and instructed me how I should answer the commissary; and so I went in.

The commissary bade me “Good day,” and I wished him the same. He then asked me: “What is your business here?” I replied: “I have been brought here against my will.” He further asked what I believed. Ans. “I believe in God Almighty; and that there is but one Lord, one faith, and one baptism, by which we can be saved.” He said that he also believed that, but that I was seduced. I said: “Is God then a seducer?” Commissary. “No; but you have been seduced by Menno and other seducers.” I said that I did not rely on men, but on the word of the Lord. He said that I should suffer myself to be instructed by the holy Catholic Church, since God himself had ordained apostles, doctors [teachers] and pastors. I said that I believed nothing but the word of God and the New Testament. He then asked me, whether I was baptized. I said: “Yes, upon my faith, as Christ has commanded.” He then made a long speech, that Christ had received flesh and blood from Mary, and that I must believe this; and many other words we had together. He then asked me, when I had been to confession and the sacrament the last time. I replied: “Never in my life;” and many other remarks we had together. Thus he admonished me, that I should suffer myself to be instructed by the holy Church, and then he went away. This occurred on Friday.

After I had been in confinement six weeks and a half, they took me to the Poorte, where was the pastor of Nyehoof (who was pastor of Enchuysen) with an advocate. These asked me on what I had determined. I said that I would adhere to the word of the Lord. They then produced a letter, in which was written all that I had confessed. Thereupon they asked me, whether I considered the church of the Mennists a true church. I said: “You call it so, but I regard it as the true church of God.” This they wrote down. Then they asked me, whether I was baptized upon my faith. I said: “Yes.” They also asked me whether I had not been baptized in my infancy. I said: “Yes; but that was no baptism as Christ commanded, for Christ taught to repent, amend, and then to be baptized for the remission of sins. See, so I was baptized.” Then they said that infants were born in original sin; hence they had to be cleansed by baptism. I replied: “Christ has redeemed us from the fall and transgression of Adam; hence he says himself, that to the children belongs the kingdom of heaven.” They said: “Yes, those were circumcised children.” Then they asked whether I had been in the church of the Mennists. I replied that I had been in the church of God. This they wrote down. Ques. “What do you hold concerning the Roman church?” Ans. “Nothing.” Ques. “What do you hold touching the sacrament?” Ans. “I have never in all my life read of a sacrament, but of the Lord’s Supper; and this I indeed want to observe, as Christ has commanded it; but of yours I think nothing.” Ques. “Do you believe that God is almighty?” I said: “Yes.” “And whether God therefore should not come into the bread which they break?” Ans. “This I never believed.” They also asked whether I did not believe that Christ had received flesh and blood from Mary. I briefly said that I did not believe it. These are principally the articles which they asked me, and they noted down every thing. I then asked the priest: “If I should fulfill your will, would you be willing to be responsible for my soul?” He said: “Yes, for you and the whole world.” I said that this was as the apostle says: While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption (2 Peter 2:19). He said that this was not spoken to them. And after some more conversation which we had, they told me to go, and we bade one another adieu for this time.

After I had been in prison seven weeks, I was again taken to the Poorte, into a large hall, where were three priests, one of whom was the one of Nyehoof, with whom I have often been; the other was a Friesian. These asked me what I had determined on. I replied that by the help of God I would adhere to the word of the Lord. He said that it was not the word of God, and that I was seduced; he was sorry, because we were both Friesans; “for,” said he, “when one has temporal matters on hand that he does not understand, he seeks advice from those that are wise and knowing in such matters, and suffers himself to be instructed; hence it is necessary that one also suffer himself to be instructed by wise men of the holy Church, in matters from which depends eternal salvation.” Ans. “Whoever rightly instructs me with the word of the Lord, him I will gladly hear; but by your instruction I should 945 be seduced.” They said that I was already seduced; but if I would suffer myself to be instructed by the holy Church, they would pledge their souls for me at the last day. I replied that they should have enough to do with their own souls. But with them it was a settled thing, that I was seduced. So we finally came to infant baptism.