Thieleman J. van Braght · 124 of 210

Old Book of the Martyrs Mirror · Part 62

This is my testament, my dear and much beloved Tanneken. In parting, let me tell you, that my mind is still unchanged in the Lord, namely, I, unworthy one, am determined to bear testimony to the Lord, and to seal the same with my blood, in token that it is the truth; nor do I know any other way to be saved through grace, for a witness to the world, to the honor of God, and to the salvation of our souls. Amen.

Cornelis, Mattheus, and Christian are also thus minded. Entreat the Lord for us all, that He would help us finish the good work by Him begun in us, to His honor and to the salvation of our souls. Amen.

Pray the Lord for us all, and remember the prisoners, as being imprisoned with them. All four of us heartily greet you and them that live in the same house with you, with the peace of the Lord.

No more for the present; excuse my letter, for my mind is not in the best condition for writing. Herewith I commend you to God, and to the rich Word of His grace. Amen.

By me, Hans Symons, your husband in the Lord, confined in prison at Antwerp.

A LETTER OF HANS SYMONS, WHICH HE WROTE

IN PRISON AT ANTWERP, WHERE HE, WITH

THREE OTHERS WAS BURNT, ON THE

13TH OF SEPTEMBER, 1567

Grace and peace be unto you from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforted us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also .aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted or comforted, it is all for our good, and for our salvation. II C'or. 1:3-6. This I wish you, my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, Vincent, Kaerle, Willem, and Hans Symons, and Tanneken, Vincent's wife, as a heartfelt greeting in the Lord. And brethren and sisters in general, I write this that you may remember me, what tribulation and distress I suffered in Antwerp for the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ; and because the time has come that I must part from you all. Amen.

Further, my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, and coworkers and followers of the Gospel, whom God has shown great mercy in this world, in that He, out of grace, revealed His will. Hence, dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, I beseech you from the depth of my heart, that you receive not the grace of God in vain, for He says: "I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee." Therefore, dear brethren, let us not give offense to any one, that our ministry be not blamed; but let us approve ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in necessities and distresses. II Cor. 6:1-4. Hence, dear brethren, accept this as a sincere request from me, that you take heed to your calling, wherein you are called to holiness, for He says: "Be ye holy; for I am holy." I Pet. 1:16. And I pray you, that you show love to one another all the days of your life, for Christ says: "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." John 13:35. If any prosper more than others, let one assist the other, and do not become alienated from one another, lest one be grieved on account of another; but exhort one another with the law of the Lord when ye come together, and always remember the days when you were illuminated how zealous we all were when we came together, to speak of the great benefits which God has bestowed upon us, in that He has called us from the power of darkness into His marvelous light, which is kindled in our hearts, so that we have surrendered ourselves to serve the Lord all the days of our life, and no more to live to ourselves. Heb. 10:32; I Pet. 2:9; Romans 14:7.

O dear brethren and sisters, always write the law of the Lord into your hearts, and keep Him ever before your eyes, and serve Him faithfully unto the end of your lives; for if there is anything that is not clear, be it ever so small, in which the conscience is troubled, Satan produces, by way of accusation, all he can produce, in order that he may at least lead astray or trouble us; however, he frequently has cause, for we all sin in many things, as James says. Rev. 12:10; Jas. 3:2.

Therefore, dear brethren and sisters, awake, and make straight paths for your feet, that you may always be prepared for the Gospel of peace, which calls us only to peace, for.beautiful are the feet of them that fear the Lord. Eph. 5:14; Heb. 12:13; Eph. 6:15; Rom. 10:15. Never separate from the church of the Lord; for it is the body of Christ, and He is the Saviour of His body. And though sometimes there are some in it who do not truly follow the Lord, think: "Lord, I have no right to sin, too, because another sins, since the Lord has no pleasure in the multitude of sin, but that everyone turn from his evil way, and he shall live." And I pray you and all the brethren and sisters in the Lord, that they do not think it a small thing to grieve their neighbor, whether by word or deed, or by the putting on of apparel. We can avoid this sometimes, but we will not, caring not that our neighbor is troubled thereby.

O dear brethren, when one is apprehended or put into bonds, or the Lord takes us from this world, it greatly troubles our conscience. And our stay here is so brief; hence prepare well your lamps, that when the bridegroom comes, you will not have to go for oil, for the doors will then be shut. What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what will you give in exchange for your soul? Matt. 16:2:1. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, but sanctify God in your hearts, and give thanks unto the Father, who has made you meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. Rom. 6:12; I Pet. 3:15; Col. 1:12. O dear brethren, how true and certain we daily find it to be, that it is the truth for which we must suffer, of which I am becoming convinced more and more every day, though I never doubted that it was the truth.

O dear brethren and sisters, continue herein unto the end, and you will prosper; and do not suffer yourselves to be deceived through philosophy, or vain deceit; through vain pomp and subtle inventions; for men are soon corrupted from their simplicity which they have in Christ, for it is a great grace which we have received from God, that the truth is revealed to us, which is hid from so many thousands. Col. 2:8; II Cor. 11:3; Eph. 1:9. Hence, my dear brethren and sisters, think now of us, how many tortures we have endured, how many sighs we have spent, how much weeping and supplicating to God we have done., with strong crying and tears unto Him for help, that you might be able to keep unto the end the faith wherein you stand.

O dear brethren, it is so hard for us, and the cup which we must drink is so bitter. O how am I straightened till the child is born I These woes are so bitter, dear brethren; I speak the truth; it is impossible to make any one believe what pain it is to bring forth a child, except him who has experienced it; however, when it is born, then the pain is remembered no more. Thus it is also with me and my fellow prisoners; we are now in the throes of travail, many a heart grief fills us with anguish, and we must cry to God for help. And He comforts us, for He is a God of comfort, who can comfort all troubled hearts, as He also does. But I hope that we shall soon have brought forth; then we shall remember the anguish and distress no more, and all the tears, that now ofttimes course down our cheeks, so that at times we almost, with David, water our bed with our tears, will be wiped away; for He is faithful that promised it us, and will also keep it. We comfort one another much with the Lord's promises. John 16:21; Isa. 26:17; II Cor. 1:3, 4; Ps. 6:6; Isa. 25:8; I Thess. 5:24.

Therefore, dear brethren and sisters, exhort one another daily, and be subject to one another in love. And I pray you, dear brethren and brothers in law in the Lord, I pray you, exercise good care over my sisters, for you are placed over them; the watch over them is committed to you. Dear brothers, live with them according to knowledge, as I also trust you will do. I commend them to you. from the heart. And you sisters in the Lord, and according to the flesh, I pray you from my inmost soul, in my bonds, which I suffer for Christ's sake, that you bear with all modesty your husbands, whom the Lord and His church have given you, that you should live with them in all subjection and obedience. It well becomes women to honor their husbands, for a woman of understanding is the crown of her husband, and the wife is honored through the husband, and the husband through the wife. Therefore I entreat you, dear sisters, assist your husbands with all willingness, lest you discourage them. Oh, if the wife knew what trouble and grief she can cause her husband in his work, she would shun to do it as she would shun poison; for the wife can cause her husband to consume soul and body in his labor. Encourage each other in spiritual and temporal matters, and always shun whatever might give rise to trouble, for Satan is wily; he is satisfied with any means by which he can cause contention; he walks about man, as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Hence I beseech you for the Lord's sake, lay to heart what I write you with sighing; I do it because I love you all in my heart, and also all them that fear the Lord. I say with Moses: "I would rather suffer affliction with the children of God, than enjoy the pleasures of sin." Always associate with those who fear the Lord, and pray, lest Satan take you unawares; for when it is least expected, the Lord comes, as I and my fellow prisoners can testify. I trust the Lord has thus ordered it with us. We are now in it; may the Almiehty God help us through, as I trust He will do. Help pray the Lord for us; for the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous avails much. Acts, 12:5; Jas. 5:16. I beseech you, my dear brethren and sisters, take heed unto yourselves; the time is short, and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Lord. I Cor. 7:29; Heb. 10:31. Call to remembrance the day when you were illuminated, how ardent we were in the law of God, to walk in it. v. 32. I hope you are better instructed in everything, than I can write. And above all, I pray you. keep the Lord before your eyes above all else. and love one another ferventlv thereby men shall know that you are children of the Most High, for love abides forever, it never perishes. John 13:35; I Cor. 13:13, 8. Be hosnitable, remember them that are in bonds, comfort the sorrowing, remember the poor, each according to his circumstances. Oh, it gives such peace to the conscience. I wish indeed I had done much more. Heb. 13:2. 3; II Cor. 1:4.

Herewith I commend you all to the eternal, Almighty God; may He comfort, strengthen and stablish you all, and us poor, forsaken sheep, deprived of all men, unto the end of our lives; for it lies not in the beginning, nor in the middle, but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. Matt. 24:13. Behold, dear brethren, I go before, and hope to wait for you under the altar, where they cry: "Lord, Lord, when wilt thou avenge the blood of thy saints?" Rev. 6:9, 10. But the Lord will shorten the days for His elect's sake; and then will He clothe them in white raiment, and wipe away all tears from their eyes, and they will see sorrow no more, for it has never entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for them that love Him. Matt. 24:22; Rev. 3:5; I Cor. 2:9. Herewith I bid you all a final adieu in this world, and thank you all for the good intercourse I have had with you in my life. And wherein I have grieved you, or any one else, forgive me; I am heartily sorry for it. I hope and trust to God that He has forgiven it me; and if there be any one who has wronged me, I forgive him from the bottom of my heart, no matter who he be. We four, Hans, Cornelis, Mattheus, and Christian, in bonds for the testimony of Jesus, greet you and all that fear the Lord with His peace. Amen.

The mighty God keep you all from evil. Greet my mother, Charles and his wife; and Maeyken, who took care of my wife. Adieu to you all. This is my testament to you all, Vincent, Kaerle, Neelken, Willem, Hans, to each with his wife.

By me, Hans Symons, your dear brother, imprisoned at Antwerp for the testimony of Jesus.

A LETTER WRITTEN BY CORNELIS THE SHOEMAKER,

TO HIS WIFE WHILE IN BONDS. HE WAS AFTER;

WARDS BURNED WITH THREE OTHERS,

SEALING THIS LETTER WITH HIS BLOOD,

IN THE GREAT MARKETPLACE AT

ANTWERP, THE 13TH OF SEP;

TEMBER, 1567

The grace and mercy of God the Father, the love of the Son, and the communion and peace of the Holy Ghost, who is sent us from the Father, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the comfort of all true and faithful children of God; by whom we are led, taught and healed; the same keep your heart, understanding and mind in Christ Jesus, to the praise and glory of His heavenly Father, to the salvation of your troubled soul, and to the protection of all the brethren and sisters that fear and love the Lord. This I wish you, my affectionately and much beloved wife, as a heartfelt greeting.

My dearest wife, whom I wedded before God and His church, and took to wife according to the ordinance of the Lord, I wish you comfort, joy and gladness in all your great sorrow which has now come upon you through my bonds and imprisonment. O my dear wife, I most earnestly pray the Lord for you, that He would comfort you, since I well know. my dear lamb that vn» are very cnrrowful on my account. But I pray you, lay your grief aside, if possible, for a little while, and comfort yourself with the Author of the faith, and look to Jesus the Finisher. Heb. 12:2. Walk henceforth in all righteousness; make good use of the time of grace, and always remember what great grace the Lord has shown you; and bear in mind what a faithful God you serve, who will not forsake you. Rom. 6:13; Eph. 2:7; I Cor. 1:9.

O my most beloved iamb, I cannot fully praise or thank the Lord for all the great power and strength which He gives me in all my distress. Isa. 40:29. He is so faithful a God, He gives me such courage, so that I may say with Paul: "Who shall separate us from the love of God? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Rom. 8:35;39.

O my dear wife, I pray and exhort you, be patient in your tribulation, continue instant in prayer, and always remember the beautiful promises which are so abundantly promised us in the Scriptures, if we persevere unto the end. Matthew 10:22.

Oh, let us well guard the treasure given us, so that no man may by any means deprive us of it. Hence continue steadfastly, and faint not; for though the outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, for these are eternal. II Corinthians 4:7, 16-18.

Hence, my dear and much beloved wife, do not cease to serve the Lord your God with all your heart, and to follow His footsteps. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, and that we shall be clothed with it: if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now 'He that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. II Cor. 5:1-5.

O my dear wife, since we shall put off the flesh, and inherit such a dwelling, let us walk fearlessly in faith before God and His church, and purpose not to depart from the Lord, nor to separate from His love--which He has shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost on account of any affliction or tribulation; then He can succor and comfort you in your request, when you are deprived of all human help and comfort; since He comes to the help of those.who forsake their own selves, and of the despairing, for He dwells and will dwell alone in the hearts of men, and would not have us serve any one besides Him.

Thus, my dear sheep, be firmly founded and built up in Him, as you are taught, and let love grow and increase in all righteousness and holiness, which avail and are acceptable before God; and always give diligence to excel in virtue, and look not to the walk of the idle and heedless, but consider them that live conformably to the doctrine of Christ; have your intercourse always with them, so that you run neither too high nor too low, nor too wide nor too long; for many go astray because one looks to the other, whereby they sometimes wax cold.

Therefore, my dear and much beloved wife, always seek those things which are above, and let yor.r mind constantly be fixed on the things which are not seen; put off the old man, and put on the new man, and deny ungodliness and worldly lusts; be transformed by the renewing of your mind, and you will have part in the resurrection. Col. 3:1; II Cor. 4:18; Col. 3:9, 10; Tit. 2:12; Rom. 12:2; Luke 20:35. Hence know that you must first have crucified the old man, so that the body of sin 'nay cease. And be not weary in well doing, since your labor will not be in vain. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end. Heb. 3:14.

Hence, my dear wife, suffer not yourself to be moved from your purpose or faith, for it is, the true grace of God wherein we stand. "For though an angel should come," says Paul, "and teach you anything else than what has been.preached unto you, let him be accursed." Gal. 1:8. Neither fear such men as would draw you away from.this doctrine; for they will perish like grass; nor can they do anything without. God's permission. Therefore fear God and humble yourself under Him, for He is honored of the lowly; always condescend to men of low estate, and you will be great in the eyes of God; think not yourself .to be something, lest you deceive; always forsake your own self, and regard not what men may do unto you, though you be wronged; for it is acceptable with God, if a man for conscience' sake gets into grief, suffering wrongfully. Hence be patient in all that comes upon you for the Lord's sake, so that you may be a partaker of Christ's sufferings, and thus inherit His promise; for the time that reproach must be suffered here is short, compared with the joy which shall be revealed _in us in the last time; for though we have a miserable life here, we shall enjoy much good hereafter; we are accounted here as dying, but we enter into certain rest and peace. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. I Corinthians 15:43, 44. Therefore our house of this tabernacle must be dissolved, if we want to obtain the house prepared us of God. Hence fear not them that kill the body; for they cannot harm the soul. Let us therefore not grieve because of the work of the Lord, but as Christ says, rejoice and be glad therein, for it shall be rewarded you in heaven: and, as Peter says, Praise and glorify the Lord in this matter. Matt. 5:12; 1 Pet. 3:15; 4:16.

O my dear lamb, this is not said, that we should grieve. Thus, be patient in your tribulation and sufferings; for Paul says that all things work together for good to them that love God; hence I trust to the Lord, that it will conduce to your good. Therefore receive willingly from the hand of the Lord the sufferings and afflictions He sends you, for He will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able to bear. Thus, bear patiently Christ's sufferings; for all that are without chastisements are bastards, and not children. Heb. 12:8. James says: "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which God hath promised to them that love him." James 1:12.

Thus, my dear wife, follow Christ, and take up your cross with patience and joy, and follow Him all the days of your life, for He had to suffer so much for our sakes, to save us. Therefore let us suffer for His sake; since it is our hour, let us joyfully contend for the crown of life, which is prepared for us and them that fear and love the Lord. Hence let us be satisfied in Him, and take our cross upon us with joyfulness and patience, and wait, with firm confidence for the promises which He has made us, and that we may be crowned upon Mount Sion, and adorned with palms, and may follow the Lamb. I I Esdras 2:42; Rev. 14:4.

Thus, strengthen yourself, and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ in the eternal life. "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen." Jude 24, 25.

See, my dear wife and sister in the Lord, since I can no longer serve you with my presence, I have written you a little to comfort you; and this for a memorial or testament, that thereby you may remember me, how I walked before you. I hope to seal this letter with my blood, that it is the truth; and for this I, want to lay down my life, to the praise of the Lord , and to the edification of all who fear the Lord from the heart. I commit you to the Lord and to the Word of His grace, that He would keep you in all righteousness and truth. And though we must separate, yet I know and firmly trust the Lord, that we shall be together in the life eternal. I hope that you will always so order and regulate your way all the days of your life, that you may obtain salvation.

Herewith I bid you adieu, my dear lamb; adieu till in eternity. Adieu and farewell to all that fear the Lord: Pray the Lord for all four of us, that we may offer up unto Him an acceptable sacrifice, so that our souls may be saved forever; to this end may God the Lord give His grace. Amen.

Written by me, Cornelis the shoemaker, imprisoned for the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ.

JACQUES MESDAGH, WILLEM AERTS, JOGS KAS;

TEEL, AND KAREL, A. D. 1567

This Jacques Mesdagh was apprehended (with three others; as he writes) on the lst of March, 1566, and was afterwards, on the 8th of November, 1567, burnt with three others, for the Word of God, at Kortrijck, in Flanders, in the marketplace before the city hall, having been confined, with iron fetters on his feet, for more than twenty months. He was from Capelle, to Poele, a league and a ,half from Ypres. With him died a young single man, named Willem Aerts, and two other men, one of whom was Joos Kasteel, from the vicinity of Kortrijck, and. the name of the other was Karel, All four were of very good cheer and valiantly testified to the truth, and confirmed it with their death.

A LETTER FROM JACQUES MESDAGH

I, Jacques Mesdagh, imprisoned at Kortrijck for the Word of God and the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ, apprehended the 1st of March, 1566; wish you my dearest and much beloved chosen sister, from the bottom of my heart and from my inmost soul, that you may always prosper, and be'well in soul and body; and grace, mercy, peace, joy, love, a living spiritual hope, a true evangelical mind and trust, a true unfeigned faith which works by love, and the illumination, comfort and communion of the Holy Ghost, be unto you as a grace from God the heavenly Father, and through our Lord Jesus, by whom this grace has come to us; for Paul says: "The grace of God [that bringeth salvation] hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works" (Tit. 2:11-14). For He came and preached the Gospel of peace to us who were afar off, and to them that were nigh. Therefore we are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, whom the builders rejected (Eph. 2:17, 19, 20; Matt. 21:42); who His own self bare our sins, in His own body, on the tree, that we, being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes we were healed. For we were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be praise, glory and dominion, and thanks for ever and ever. Amen. I Peter 2:24, 25; I Tim: 6:15; Revelation 1:5, 6.

This I wish you, my dearest chosen sister in Jesus Christ our Saviour, whom I love from the depth of my heart and from my inmost soul, as an affectionate and friendly greeting, and for a perpetual remembrance, my dear lamb, since it may easily happen that we shall soon have to separate here; for it seems that the abominable beast thirsts greatly for our blood. Rev. 13:1. But I hope that though we must now separate here for the Lord's name, we shall nevertheless hereafter meet together in life eternal, where there will be nothing but joy and gladness, which will endure for ever and ever; there tyrants will not be able to separate or harm us; for when they have killed the body, they have no more that they can do, as Christ Himself says. Luke 12:4.