ANOTHER LETTER FROM HANS BRET, WRITTEN FROM A DARK PIT INTO WHICH HE HAD BEEN CAST, AND SENT TO ONE OF THE SISTERS IN THE FAITH, ON A SUNDAY IN AUGUST, 1576.
Grace and peace from God our dear heavenly Father, full of grace and truth, rich in mercy and loving kindness, through the bitter suffering and death of his only Son Christ Jesus, who loved us, and washed us in his blood, from all our sins and iniquities that we have done; the power of the Holy Ghost, to strengthen you in the belief of the truth, which the Lord through his unspeakable grace and mercy has revealed to you: this I, your weak brother, wish you from all the heart, to the salvation of your soul. Amen.
Affectionately beloved sister in Christ Jesus, whom I love from the heart, I cannot refrain from writing you this brief letter, here in this pit into which I have been cast, without any light except the light of the candle.
Hence, I herewith bid you adieu, if I should write you no more, which is known to our dear heavenly Father.
I further inform you, my beloved friend, that by his divine help, I want to keep the covenant that I have made with my God, and wait for the coming of our Bridegroom Christ Jesus, that when he comes, I may enter in with him to the marriage, and be for ever in joy. O dear sister, I cannot sufficiently praise or thank our God for his unspeakable mercy, that he succors and strengthens me here in this pit into which I have been cast for the word of truth.
Dear sister, remember me poor prisoner in your prayers to God, as I hope that you also do; that it may please him to deliver me soon out of this flesh, so that I may offer up my sacrifice to the praise of his holy name and to the salvation of my soul, so that these enemies may be confounded in their purpose, who think to rob me of my inheritance, through this pit into which they have now cast me; but thanks be to the Lord that succors me in my distress, and is my only helper, to whom I fly for refuge, for Paul says that he is faithful and true, and will not lay upon us more than we are able to bear. Col. 1:12; Ps. 46:1; 1 Cor. 10:13.
Hence, dear sister, always remember your poor, weak brother to the Lord, for the prayer of the righteous avails much.
O dear sister, these cruel wolves have taken from me all my letters which you have sent me, pens, ink, and paper, altogether, and also a few things that I had written myself. Also two letters, one which I had written to my dearest brother H., and another, almost finished, to my brother Willem, and besides one thing and another; but I hope not that any trouble will arise from it.
The fact of our writing was disclosed by one that was confined with me; if I were to write you all of it, my paper would give out. This paper I have received since, from the man that was confined with me in this pit.
Thus, I have been confined here ten days; how much longer I am to remain here, is known to our dear Lord. I was confined here, according to my recollection, on a Friday night, the 27th or 28th of July.