The First Letter of Lauwerens van der Leyen

Grace and peace to all the brothers and sisters living at Emden, especially to my two brothers, and Tonijntgen, Lieven's wife. May the Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and us all, through His divine Spirit. Amen.

I, Lauwerens van der Leyen, was imprisoned for the testimony of Jesus Christ on the 21st of May. On the 22nd I confessed my faith before the Prometeur, Mr. Claes. He came alone, hoping that I would say what he wanted to hear, but the Lord kept my lips. Asked before whom I had been to confession and to the sacrament on Easter, I replied: "Before Mr. Lieven Biestman, but not last Easter, for he has been dead two or three years." I was asked: "Do you not believe that God is in the sacrament in flesh and blood?" I said: "No." "What then do you think the sacrament to be?" "An idol," I replied. I was asked whether I did not believe in the Roman church, of which the pope is the head. I replied: "No, for I loathe the Roman church, because she is utterly contrary to the truth, but I believe in the apostolic church, of which Christ is the head." "What do you think of infant baptism?" "I regard it as worthless and an abuse, for I renounce my first baptism." "Then you are not baptized?" I said: "No." "Is baptism not necessary, then?" I replied: "Yes, it is necessary to perfection."

"Why then are you not baptized?" I replied: "I was not good enough yet." "Why?" "Because I was too much involved in this world. I was, and still am, greatly in debt, and I thought that if I should be arrested, people would say that I was a cheat, and so many would be offended. For this reason I refrained from receiving baptism. But I consider it good and right, and want to live and die in it. Though I have not been baptized, the Lord in His mercy will save me, through His sufferings and precious blood, for I believe all that a Christian is bound to believe. In this I will abide. You may do with me what you please, for I am now in your power."

I was further asked what I believed concerning the incarnation, whether I did not believe that Christ came from Mary's flesh and blood. I said:

"I believe as the Scriptures testify concerning it, John, chapter 1, and Luke, chapter 1." And I stated it at length. So it remained, and I had to write it down. This was the severest assault. It lasted two or three hours.

On the 24th of May the Dean of Ronse and two others came. He approached me with many fine words, and said: "Lauwerens, you must allow yourself to be instructed. It will not do for you to depend on a few laymen, who have made stockings for thirty or forty years." I replied: "Do you think that I depend on men? He who trusts in man is cursed, as the Scripture says. I put my trust in God alone, and in His living Word, and in this I will abide as long as God grants me life." Jeremiah 17, verse 5; First Timothy 6, verse 17. But with many words they wanted to show me that God was in the sacrament. However, I would not believe it at all. With these words we parted, having been together at least two hours.

Written in haste, by me, Lauwerens van der Leyen, the 25th of May, in the year 1559.