Pieter van Olman, or van Werwijck

The abundant grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Grace and peace be with you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, by the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. For our light affliction, which lasts only a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our house which is from heaven, if indeed, being clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tabernacle groan, being burdened; not that we would be unclothed, but clothed, so that mortality might be swallowed up by life. Now he who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also gives us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord; for we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. First Corinthians 1, verses 3 to 5; Second Corinthians 4, verses 17 and 18; Second Corinthians 5, verses 1 to 8; Romans 8, verse 22; Revelation 3, verse 18.

I admonish you, dear brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, that you will diligently assemble yourselves together, to give each other good instruction in the eternal truth of our Savior, while you have time; for here we have no continuing city, but we wait for one, and this through patience. Hebrews 10, verse 25; Hebrews 13, verse 14.

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, take the Word of the Lord well to heart, and understand well what the Lord says, so that you may stand fast valiantly when you are tried; for I tell you, dear brothers, that valiant fighting must be done to a much greater extent than I thought; for they approach us with such subtle questions, and honeyed words, in order that they may catch us in some word, and so cause us to apostatize. So then, dear brothers, teach one another well to discern which is the way of the Lord, and the way of the devil, and which is the true worship of God, and the worship of the devil and of idols, and which are the children of the Lord, and the children of the devil; for the children of the Lord are not of this world, and so the world hates them; they all suffer persecution; they are led to death, as sheep for the slaughter, and are hated by all men; they are a prey to all; they have nowhere a certain dwelling place; they are the offscouring of all men; they weep and lament, and the world rejoices; they suffer reproach, because they trust in the living God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: he who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous; he who commits sin is of the devil. Therefore, O dear little children, do not love the world, nor the things that are in the world; for if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever. James 1, verse 27; John 17, verse 16; Psalm 44, verse 22; Isaiah 59, verse 15; First Corinthians 4, verses 11 and 13; John 16, verse 20; First Timothy 4, verse 10; First John 3, verse 10; First John 2, verses 15 to 17.

My most beloved, know that I fought a great conflict against the rulers of darkness and false prophets; for they said that one may nevertheless hear them, and be taught by them, though they do not live according to the commandments of the Lord. I then asked: "Is not he a stranger to the Lord who does not walk in his commandments?" They replied: "Yes." Then I said that Christ says (John 10, verse 27): "My sheep hear my voice, and they follow me; but they do not hear the voice of strangers, but flee from them:" so then, if I should hear strangers, I would not be of Christ's sheep; for His sheep do not hear strangers. They replied: "They certainly preach the truth; the word is therefore not diminished." I replied: "John says (First John 2, verse 4): He who says that he knows God, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. Now, if there is no truth in him, how can he speak the truth? Otherwise John must lie. Christ says (Matthew 7, verse 18): A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit. Again (Matthew 12, verse 34): How can you, being evil, speak good things? Solve this question, and I will believe you." I tell you, though he should take a Testament, and read it from beginning to end in your church, as the apostles have written it, yet I will prove to them that they lie. But let a man speak the same words who walks in the ways of the Lord, and he will speak the truth. If one of your people should preach these words in your temple, with regard to drunkards, adulterers, thieves, murderers, covetous, defamers, evil speakers, and so on, and say: You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the virtues of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; who in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God; who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy (First Peter 2, verses 9 and 10); if he should speak these words with regard to this wicked people, would he not lie? But if a God-fearing man were to speak these words with reference to the God-fearing people, he would speak the truth. Again, if you should preach: For your sake we are led to death, as sheep for the slaughter; would this not also be a lie from you?

But a God-fearing man would speak the truth.

Thus we had many words, but all to no purpose. I then asked whether the children of the Lord must not all be spiritual. "Yes," he replied. Then I asked why they were then called spiritual, and the others secular, when they must all be spiritual. This they were not able to explain. I then said:

Christ does not pray for the world, but for those who are not of the world (John 17, verse 9); now, if you are spiritual, how does it come that you are not all of one mind? For some may only go in gray; they are not allowed to handle money, and their shoes must have an opening on the top; others must all go in black; some, again, all in several colors; and others may not eat cooked food, and may not talk with father or mother when they see them; but when they do not see them, they talk with them. I said:

"These are all different sects, planted by men, and not by God; therefore they will all be rooted up." Matthew 15, verse 13. To this they did not have much to say. I then said: "Your doctrine is the doctrine of the devil; for all that is done and observed is contrary to the truth, as Paul says (First Timothy 4, verses 1 and 3):

That in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God has created. Now I see that you teach this; for you forbid to marry, and command to abstain from meats." Then they told me to go away.

Soon after, the Dean of Ronse came, and with him another priest; they assailed me most severely with subtle questions; but the Lord preserved me, so that I was not betrayed. He asked me whether I did not believe that the bread which Christ gave His apostles was the body of Christ, when He said:

"Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you?" I replied: "That bread was not the body of Christ, which was broken for us; it was for a memorial." He answered: "The bread was changed into His body." But I said that it was for a memorial, and was not the body itself. They then questioned me in regard to baptism, whether infants did not have to be baptized. I said: "There is nothing written of infant baptism, but of baptism upon faith." Then they said: "Behold, we will prove that infants must be baptized. Does not Christ say, John 3: 'Unless a man is born again, of water and of the Spirit, he cannot inherit the kingdom of God'?" I said: "This is not spoken to infants, but to those who can hear." But they said: "It is," and would in this way prove and establish infant baptism. Thus we had many words, but agreed in nothing.

Therefore I admonish you, dear brothers and sisters, to instruct one another well in all matters, namely, concerning the Supper, baptism, the incarnation of Christ, and in regard to the spiritual children and the children of the world; and walk wisely in the fear of the Lord, and do not fear men, though they rage furiously. I also admonish you, dear brothers and sisters, by the love of our Lord, that you will all pray to the Lord for me, so that I may stand fast valiantly when I am tried. I further entreat you to diligently instruct my beloved mother in all matters, and also my brother, and my wife, if perhaps they might become converted. The Lord fill you with His Spirit, Amen. Written in fear on account of the people who were constantly here. The abundant grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

He who fears the Lord will do good. Sirach 15, verse 1.