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.

Adrian. “I am willing to be instructed with the word of the Lord.”

Bailiff. “Well said.”

Adrian. “I will not speak with them except in the presence of the court, and of those that are imprisoned with me.”

This did not please them, and they went away, the bailiff leaving immediately for Delft.

Three weeks after this, the bailiff came into the prison where we three in number, were sitting, and asked us whether we were not almost beginning to get tired of it. We said: “No.” I then said: James says: “Take it for an example of suffering affliction.” James 5:10. It surprised them greatly that we minded it so little. I then said to the Bailiff: “As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.” 2 Corinthians 1:5.

Bailiff. “I should think it would weary you?”

Adrian. “Don’t you also begin to get weary of shedding this blood?”

He did not reply. Thereupon he asked whether they should send us learned men. We replied: “We are always willing to be instructed with the words of the Lord.”

Bailiff. “You will not be instructed otherwise than with the word of the Lord?”

Ans. “We are always willing to give our faith for a better one, that it may not be said that we are obstinate; and our adversaries ought to do the same.”

Bailiff. “That is so; suffer yourselves to be instructed, perhaps your stay here is but brief?”

Adrian. “You do not know whether your stay here will be long. Though we are now as forsaken, the Lord will soon be gracious to us.”

With this it rested. He then said: “We shall send you some one.” We called to him, as he descended the stairs, that he should bring a Bible or Testament with him.

In the afternoon there came a priest with two servants; he advanced in fine style and laid out his wares, thinking to sell something, and his words were full of suavity. And when one of us spoke, he had much to say. Thereupon I said that the Lord had warned us of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of them that go in long clothing.

Priest. “The clothing don’t make it.” I then told him that their things, as infant baptism, ringing of bells, mass, and all other trumpery, were good for nothing. Upon this he replied that holy baptism of infants was right. I asked where the authorization for it was to be found.

Priest. “In the 16th chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians.”

Adrian. “There it is written: The house of Stephanas are the first in Achaia who addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints. These certainly could not have been infants; infants cannot addict themselves to the ministry of the saints, but have themselves to be ministered unto.”

He asked us in regard to the jailer and his household, whether there were no infants there.

Ans. “No.”

Priest. “How do you know it?”

Adrian. “It is written there: The jailer rejoiced with all his house, that he had become a believer in Christ Jesus. Infants cannot rejoice in faith; for they have no faith.” Then he was at his wit’s end again. He fared likewise in regard to Lydia, the seller of purple.

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Priest. “When I was young, my faith was as perfect as it is now.”

Adrian. “What did you say then?”

He made no reply. He also said: “When I was born, I had my hand, and was not conscious of it; so also, my faith, which was hid in me; and the original sin which I had was taken away through the regeneration of the water which takes place in the font.” I asked him whether the water had been crucified for him, or Christ.

Priest. “Christ.”

Adrian. “And yet you seek your salvation in the water?” He was silent. Dirk Jans then asked him where it was written that bells ought to be baptized.

Priest. “This is instituted by the holy church.” He also asked him concerning the reading of mass. He replied that he had God in the mass, corporeally in flesh and blood. I then told him that he was a deceiver.

Priest. “Did not God say: ‘Take, eat; this is my body; and drink, this is my blood, and as often as you eat this bread, ye do shew the Lord’s death?’ ”

On this point we had much discussion. I then asked him whether he had read 1 Tim. 4?

Priest. “Yes.”

Thereupon I inquired as to whether he had brought a Testament with him.

Priest. “Yes, here is a Latin Testament.”

Adrian. “We have not studied in Latin universities, but in the highly celebrated school of the gospel, of which the Spirit of God is teacher.” John 16:13.