O dear friends, fear not, neither be surprised, when you are tried by manifold temptations which may come upon a Christian, and also do come upon him in bonds and imprisonment, as I now find, it is grievous according to the flesh, but very light according to the spirit, for it is the power of God. This I have experienced in these bonds, that the Lord is with those that seek and fear him from the heart. Hence, my dear friends, who have received like faith with me, fear the Lord from the heart, that if it should be the Lord’s will to have you here in such bonds or imprisonment, you may be able to withstand, for they employ much craftiness and subtlety, to draw us away from the truth, and they know how to exalt lies, and abolish truth, with feigned words of their own devising: sometimes with very gentle words, and sometimes with harsh ones, by which they think to weaken and discourage one, as they have done with me. And also Satan, as Peter says, walketh about us as a roaring lion, seeking where he can devour us; so he has also assailed me, but the Lord has hitherto kept me, for which I thank him. But Satan once assailed me with a temptation which I must write to you, to show you how crafty the evil One is. I once spake with a priest, who reviled us and said that they sang the psalms of David, while we sang hymns which men had made. And when I came back into prison, the tempter very craftily assailed me, that it was true, that we did sing hymns which men had made. And I was grieved that I should suffer, and it might be wrong, and I was still young in years, and it grieved me much. Finally I thought: I know better; I know that the hymns are made from the holy Scriptures, and that it is right; if I could do according to them, I should be saved. Then I reflected on the priest’s walk, and on their faith, and on the things which they had spoken against the holy Scriptures, which are lies, and I entreated the Lord, and it entered my mind no more. Hence, dear friends, Satan is very crafty; but we must always pray the Lord in every assault which he makes upon us, in manifold temptations, for the almighty, eternal, merciful God will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, as he has spoken (1 Cor. 10:13); for he is our Captain, our Champion in all our distress. And do not fear though they place me at the stake, and burn me; but be strengthened thereby, that the Lord is still so powerful in his works; and always fear him, and praise him, and thank him, now and forever. Amen.

I further thank those who sent me that book, for it delighted and rejoiced me much in the Lord; and I commend all of you who fear him to the Lord.

ANOTHER CONFESSION OF REYTSE AYSESS, MADE BEFORE THE COMMISSARY.

After I had been imprisoned nineteen weeks, I was brought before the commissary of the royal court, who first demanded an oath of me, that I should tell the truth. I said: “The Lord has forbidden us to swear in any wise; hence I do not want to take an oath.” Then he said that I should answer to his questions with yes and no. I said: “I do not want to do this, for you might ask me something which it would not be proper for me to tell; hence I must first hear what you want to ask me.” He then first asked me my age. I answered: “Twenty-four or five years.” He wrote it down. He further asked where I was born, where I had last resided, and how many children I had. I said: “One.” Com. “How old is it?” Reytse. “Half a year.” Com. “Is it baptized?” Reytse. “No, not that I know.” Com. “What is the reason that it has not been done?” Reytse. “Because it is not commanded in the holy Scriptures.” Com. “Are you baptized?” Reytse. “Yes, upon my faith, as Christ has commanded.” Com. “Were you not baptized in your infancy?” Reytse. “Yes, but I do not recognize that as a scriptural baptism.”

He wrote it all down. He asked me who the one was that had baptized me, where it had taken place, and who and how many had been at my father’s house. I said: “I do not want to tell you this; I hope you will not ask me concerning it. If you thirst so much for the blood and life of men, you have me in your hands; do with me according to your pleasure, I shall by the help of the Lord freely offer my neck for it; but I hope of your grace, that you will not question me so severely in regard to it. He said they should indeed question me more severely yet; hence you better tell me voluntarily, than involuntarily. I said: “The Lord my God will keep me, for this I trust his grace.” And after he had written down everything, he told me to go.

A LETTER FROM REYTSE AYSESS, WRITTEN TO HIS FATHER.

Dear father, some time when it suits you, write me something concerning your intentions or purpose, as to where you intend to live, and how your temporal affairs stand, also in regard to my sister, and also some consolation, for this rejoices me much.

I further inform you that there are now two other prisoners with me; they are old men, and we agree tolerably well; for they have been confined with me for about a month, and we have spoken somewhat of the way of the Lord. They are willing to exchange that which they have for something better, and they think that they need salvation as much as I do. They have indeed formed the good resolve, to live no more unto sin, but to be transformed into newness of life, which I am glad to hear; but God knows the heart. I further let you know that one evening the colonel’s wife came before the prison, just as we were about to be fed. She therefore first asked how many prisoners there were here. They told her. Then she asked what their crimes were. Then one excused himself, as best he could. She then asked me, what my crime was. I said that my crime for which they held me was not very great. She had heard of me, and said I should suffer myself to be instructed by those who were wiser than I. I said, I would suffer myself to be instructed with that which was right. She further said that people said that I did not believe in the Father, nor in the Son, and also not in the Holy Ghost; which I earnestly contradicted, and said that I thought much thereof, and that my faith was resting thereon, and that if I did not believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, I should not be worthy to live. Then she inquired what it really was. The castellan’s son said that I did not believe in the mass. Then she became angry, and I said that I did not believe in the ordinances of men, as, namely, infant baptism, and their sacrament—that the blessed Lord was not present in it, but I believed that he was in the throne of eternal life. She became angry and said that if their were no executioner, she would rather put me to death herself, than that I should live. And she gave the two prisoners that are with me seven stivers, and forbade them to give me anything of it, and warned them, that they should not allow themselves to be seduced by me, and went away. Furthermore, dear father, deliver to my wife, at the first opportunity, the letter which I have written her, and exhort her to that which is good, this I affectionately pray you, and all my dear friends; my dear old mother above all, and my two sisters, and my young brother, that he conduct himself well, when he gets a little more understanding; and also my poor child, for whose poor soul I am so greatly concerned, that it may please the Lord. But I hope the Lord will take it into his kingdom, before it commits sin. Walk in love. Eph. 5:2. Further, dear father, I would desire a Testament, if you could send me one; for I have had our brother’s Testament for a very long time, and he needs it himself, and has it now again.

Written in my bonds, by me, your dear son.

Reytse Aysess.