[278] Den Kerck-gang.
At one time there were also two monks with him, who were to instruct me. They had but little to say, only that we were people of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Tim. 6:5; 2 Tim. 3:7,8. I replied: “When the day of the Lord will come, you will find it to be otherwise; take heed lest you then be of those who will say: ‘These are they whom we had in derision; behold, how they are now numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the saints.’ Wis. 5:3,5. Then they said: “Behold, she judges us.” I replied: “I do not judge you; but I tell you to take heed unto yourselves. Now our life is accounted madness, and our end to be without honor; but when the day of the Lord comes, it will be found quite different.” The sum of the matter was, that I had a devil, and was deceived. I said: “Is Christ then a deceiver?” He replied: “No; Christ is no deceiver.” I said: “Then I am not deceived; I neither seek nor desire anything else than to fear the Lord with all my heart, and (knowingly) not to transgress one tittle of his commandments.” After he had talked to me still further, he said: “I can tell you nothing else; you may consider the matter.” I replied: “I need not consider it otherwise; I know full well that I hold the truth.”
When I came before him again, he said: “Claesken, to what conclusion have you come?” _Cl._ “I have concluded to adhere to that to which the Lord has called me.” Matt. 20:1. _Inq._ “The devil has called you, who transforms himself into an angel of light in you people.” When he examined me the sixth time, he asked me: “When Christ held his supper with his apostles, did he not give them his flesh to eat, and his blood to drink.” _Cl._ “He gave them bread and wine, and he gave them his body for redemption.” _Inq._ “Christ certainly clearly says: ‘Take, eat; this is my flesh;’ you certainly cannot contradict this.” _Cl._ “Paul says: ‘I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread: and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave it to his apostles, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.’ 1 Cor. 11:23–26. Thus Christ left us his supper, that we should remember his death by it, that he gave his body and shed his blood for us. This supper I want to hold with the people of God, and no other.”
He held to his twaddle: that we must eat Christ’s flesh, and drink his blood, since this were clearly implied by the words of Christ and of Paul.
_Cl._ “Since the words are so plain, I can well understand them; but it is as Paul says: that those who do not turn to the Lord, have a vail before their hearts; but those who turn to the Lord, from their hearts the vail is taken away. 2 Cor. 3:14–16. We have turned to the Lord; nothing is hid to us.” _Inq._ “In the 6th chapter of John (verse 53) Christ also clearly says that we must eat his flesh, and drink his blood.” _Cl._ “It is also written there: ‘Then the Jews murmured, and said: How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Christ said: Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, ye have no life in you.’ Again, he says: ‘Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life.’ He also said: ‘Flesh and blood profit nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.’ Those who believe in God, and walk in all righteousness, they are temples of God, in whom God will dwell and walk, as Paul testifies.” 2 Cor. 6:16.