Another Letter from Raphel van den Velde, Written to his Wife

I, Raphel, imprisoned for the truth, wish my dear wife, beloved in God (who next to God is the dearest of all that I know; indeed, if I could help you, even by dying, I would so gladly do it; and my dear son, I wish you, my love, as you wish me in your letter), a steadfast mind in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, an ardent love of God, and invincible strength from God our heavenly. Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, so that you may overcome all your enemies, and keep moderation in your tribulation, so that you will not grieve more or further than godly sorrow goes, as I hope that you will also do, and willingly be resigned in everything in which God tries you, so that you may receive the crown of life from the hand of the Lord. This is my heartfelt prayer and great petition to God for you, my dearest love on earth; may Almighty God grant His great mercy to it. Amen.

After all affectionate greeting and respect to you, my dear wife, beloved in God, let me inform you that my mind is unchanged and resigned in God, to serve the Lord, to testify to the truth, and to suffer for His holy and high name everything that comes upon me on His account; and I do not fear in the least. The Lord be praised and glorified for His grace.

On Monday afternoon, from soon after three until about six o'clock, as I think, I was with three priests, who wanted to tell me so much; but I first made them confess their faith, since they had come to instruct me. Then they began to confess some things about infant baptism, about the incarnation of Christ, and about their host or wafer, that Christ (after the words were pronounced) was present there in flesh and blood, just as He was when they ate the supper. When they were to prove it with the Scriptures, they were in difficulty, for I insisted so firmly, and would not leave a single point before they had proved it to me with all that they could; and when they had proved it all, I went and confounded them with their own words, so that at times they blushed and did not know what they had better say, so that it seemed to me that they finally became afraid to speak with me any more. And now and then all three of them talked, and then I sometimes forgot what had been said before. Then I said, "I am not good at disputing; my memory is too poor." Then one of them said: "Yet I think that it is reasonably good;" and he looked at me sharply. Well, my love, we will let it rest here for this time; for if I were to write you all that has happened to me, I think I would fill six sheets of paper; the Lord be thanked, who always helps His followers. This new president is so bloodthirsty and severe with us; he has all of us confined separately, one here and another there, and we can hardly leave our cage long enough to attend to the calls of nature; and no one is allowed to come to us. And I have understood that we will not be confined long, which I would gladly see come true, for the long confinement is too wearisome, always alone; but the Lord be thanked, the time has not been very tiresome yet to either me or Jeronymus, my brother and fellow prisoner, for it surprises us when we think that we have been confined eight days already. And I hope that the Lord will comfort us further, and not forsake us. Adieu, adieu, until another time. Farewell.