Several Letters Written In Prison, By Adrian Corneliss, Including A Prayer, An Admonition, And A Confession Of Adrian Corneliss, Glazier, Who Was Imprisoned At Leyden, And Also Put To Death There For The Testimony Of Jesus, In The Year Of Our Lord, 1552.

O my dear friends, a thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill; hence, beware, lest you be deceived by them, and thus fall from your own steadfastness. John 10:10; 2 Pet. 3:17. Therefore, hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown; and let him that standeth take heed lest he fall; for what hast thou that thou didst not receive? for every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Rev. 3:11; 1 Cor. 10:12; 4:7; James 1:17.

Therefore, exhort one another daily, my dear friends, the more so, as the day of Christ is at hand, and while it is called to-day. Heb. 3:13. And see that you care for one another; and, my dear friends, when you assemble together, make not many inquiries concerning others, or as to where each particular one lives: in such things be ignorant, and in malice be children; but in understanding be old and hoary, and keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom, 1 Corinthians 14:20; Micah 7:5. My dear friends, if you have understanding, answer your neighbor; if not, lay your hand upon your mouth, lest you be caught in an unseemly word, and put to shame. Sir. 5:12. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, and may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Eph. 4:29,30.

My dear friends, herewith I hope to take leave. Do not take it amiss that I have written you a little; I hope it will tend to edification; I have done my diligence with the little gift the Lord has given me.

By me, Adrian Corneliss, glazier, your unworthy brother, who am not meet to be called a brother. 1 Cor. 15:9. Written in my imprisonment, sitting in the stocks, with two fellow-companions, and one who is separately confined, and two sisters that are below us. We wait daily for the redemption of our body; and our pilgrimage, I trust, is half finished. I hope that we shall soon have completed the rest.

We commend you to the Lord, dear brethren. Remember the prisoners; we remember you in our prayers. Heb. 13:3. Salute all lovers of the only salvation by name; the times are too perilous now, to mention them; hence we must govern ourselves accordingly.

Let me inform you, how it went with us in our last time. When we were to be offered up on Monday, a priest came to us on Sunday, who talked to us, and said: “You have to die.”

Answer. “Thus did also the Jews, who said: We have a law, and by our law you must die. So must we also, as the decree of the Emperor shows.” But we asked the priest, whether their things were right.

He replied: “Not all; for we have also abuses in our church.”

We then said: “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” 1 Cor. 5:6.

He replied; “It has to be leavened.”

By this we may perceive that their things are not good. But beware of such; for they are not sent from God. Jer. 14:15. Salute all lovers of the divine word.

Confession of Adrian Corneliss before the magistrate and the priests, together with an account of the manner of his apprehension.

My dearly beloved brethren and sisters, to the twelve tribes which are scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, with all that call on the Lord out of a pure heart, in their and in our places, greeting. Jas. 1:1; 1 Pet. 1:1; 1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Tim. 2:22. I must yet write to you a little, hoping herewith to take my leave. Let me tell you how it went in my imprisonment. I had come to Leyden, and there conversing with a brother, we wondered how it came that they kept our friends confined so long. We therefore agreed that I should go and see Jan of Delft, the Bailiff’s servant, and ask him, how it stood with the prisoners, and whether they would not soon be offered 511 up. He replied: “I hear nothing at all concerning it.” I then said: “This long imprisonment gives you much trouble.”

Jan. “I would be well satisfied to see it come to an end soon.”

Adrian. “You can hardly get away any more.”

Jan. “Yes, that is so.”

Adrian. “You ought to have some rest.”

Jan. “It would soon be time.”

Adrian. “Jan Jans, I should like to have a little conversation with you about certain things.”

Jan. “I have something to do yet; I shall speak with you; just wait here a little while for me.”