The First Letter Of Hans Bret, Written On Monday After Whitsuntide, A. D. 1576, At Antwerp, In Prison, To His Dear And Beloved Mother.

My mother, I would write you more for your consolation, but I hope that you are better comforted of the Lord, than I should be able to comfort you with my writing; and I also forbear so that you may learn something about how it goes with our imprisonment, for otherwise my paper would not suffice. For I presume that you greatly desire to hear it, even as I desire to hear from you, as to how you are. I hope that you, as also all of you, are well, both according to body and soul, for which I pray the Lord, and remember all of you in my prayer to the Lord. Remember also, in your prayers, us poor prisoners according to the flesh, but rich according to the spirit, as I also hope to remember you, for James says that the prayer of the righteous avails much (James 5:16); that we may finish our conflict with joy, for we have to strive not only against flesh and blood, or the priests of Jezebel, but against invisible spirits, namely the enemy, who always seeks to hinder and quench that which is good, with deception and lies; yea, I fear that you will hear, or have already heard, through the great falsehoods which the enemy of the truth is spreading, that I wanted to listen to the priests. Yes, they do not hesitate to tell great falsehoods here in this prison, for they went twice in one day to N., and told her that I wanted to listen to the priests; yea, the great priest, the Dean, was not ashamed to speak abominable falsehoods to N., in order to rob her, by deception and lies, of her salvation, with these words: “Your servant wants to hearken to us, and to repent;” and other like words which Satan (who was a liar from the beginning) knows how to use; so that she has to endure no small conflict, from the priests, as well as from her brother, who causes her great conflict. As regards N., her friends exert themselves very greatly to procure her release; but in what manner, I do not know. I have exhorted her that she should take heed, which to rehearse here would be too long. She has told me, that her mind is unchanged, and that she does not want to be ashamed of the truth.

Touching N., I know so far nothing but good, and that her mind is all right, the Lord be thanked; for she longs with me only for the day of our deliverance from this flesh, and to offer up our sacrifice. For yesterday evening, which was Whitsuntide-evening, about eleven o’clock I spoke with N.; 987 then she was somewhat grieved, because she had said to the priests, that she would listen to them in whatever agreed with the word of God; because she thought that the priests had thereby gotten some occasion to say of her that she wanted to hearken to them. Hence I comforted her about this, and told her that I myself should say it, and that there was nothing evil in it, since their abominable idolatry is contrary to the word of God, and can never agree with it, for there is a great difference between darkness and light. Is. 5:20; 2 Corinthians 6:14. And as regards myself, I thank the good God, who beholds me, unworthy man, with his eyes of mercy, and gives me strength by his Holy Spirit, to confess his word and truth before this adulterous generation; yea, who counts me, poor miserable man, worthy that I am to offer up my body to him, to the praise of his holy name. Phil. 2:17. O my mother, thank and praise, with me, the good God, who looks upon me, unworthy man, with his eyes of mercy, through his Son Christ Jesus; who shows me so many benefits. How shall I be able sufficiently to praise and glorify him for the unspeakable grace and mercy that he is showing to meward, here in this lions’ den. Thank now the Lord with me for his goodness which he shows us through his Son Christ Jesus, for which praise be to him now and forever. Amen.

I hope now to write you a little, relating very briefly how my examination by the priests passed off.

The first time that I spoke with the priests, which according to my recollection, was about eight days before Whitsuntide, there came the Dean, that great, large priest, with another priest, whom we are wont to call the inquisitor (my master knows him well), and who cries and storms the most. We talked for a long time, and I reproved their idolatry, as much as the Lord by his Holy Spirit gave me utterance. Hence this priest began to speak of the Supper, and asked me, whether that was not the real body which Christ gave to his disciples, and his blood. I said: “No.” Then the priest began to clamor and to rave, and talked very abusively, saying that it were better if I had concerned myself with making my confectionery, or selling groceries, than with the Scriptures. I said: “I may concern myself with reading the Scriptures, for Christ says: Search the Scriptures; for they are they which testify of me.” John 5:39. Then the Dean said: “Hear those who have studied the Scriptures all their life.” “Yes,” said I, “they study amiss.” “I ask you,” I said, “where did Paul study or go to college? show me this with the Scriptures.” “Did he not?” “No.” “Did he not go to Ananias?” said the Dean. “Yes; but he did not study there.” Then he began again to talk abusively, and they said that the devil had me by the throat. Matt. 12:24.