Thieleman J. van Braght · 158 of 210

Old Book of the Martyrs Mirror · Part 96

Of the salvation of you all. Written with many scalding tears. This I pray you, my dearest wife, that you will remain an honorable and quiet widow. Do not take this amiss from me; true, it is my advice, but therefore no command; but I seek it for the greater assurance of your salvation.

Oh, how often has this happened, that widows whose husbands went before so valiantly, and so courageously gave their lives for the truth, by marrying again, have subjected themselves to many sorrows, some of them fallen into perdition, and some of them gone through life in great sorrow, sighing over those whom they now have. Hence, my dear lamb, I repeat it, think of the words of the apostle: "The time is short; I would fain spare you. For he would fain have wished, that all men had been even as he himself, seeing that through marriage much trouble comes into the flesh." I Cor. 7:28, 29, 7. However, everyone has his particular gift, the one this, the other that; but do what you will, only that it be done in the Lord. v. 39. But I hope and trust in my God, that He will firmly keep you together with my three lambs, and preserve you, that you may not be taken; and not suffer you, my dearest wife, to be tempted above that you are.able; for God knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, but to reserve the wicked and ungodly unto the day of judgment to be punished. I Cor. 10:13; II Pet. 2:9.

Hence,, my dear lamb, I will commend you to the Lord, our God and helper in distress, and further to His holy church; may they together open their fatherly heart over you, my poor widow and young orphans. I further desire, my dear wife, that wherever it is convenient you greet the Godfearing brethren and sisters much in my name with the peace of the Lord; and tell them, that I greatly desire of them all, that they remember us poor prisoners as their fellow brethren, and will help pray and supplicate to God, that we may wage the Lord's war, and [that He may] also help us to gain the victory, so that we may finish it to His praise and to our salvation; and bid them all adieu in our name, if perhaps I can write no more. And to you, my dear wife, my flesh and my blood, I will also say adieu; adieu, my helper in distress; adieu, my faithful friend on earth. The Lord be praised, that gave you to me; you, my lamb, who have always comforted me in my tribulation. Adieu, my Susanneken, my Abrahamken, my Isaaken; adieu, Janneken; my dearest love upon earth, who have borne me six children, with three of whom I hope soon to be at rest.

The almighty God, to whom nothing is impossible, but whose power is equal to everything, keep you, my chosen wife, with the other three innocent lambs, unto His eternal life. O my lamb, my Janneken Verstralen, may the almighty God grant us, my love, that we may with our children come to the Lord, to rejoice together before the throne of the Lamb and the Majesty of our God. Amen.

May God keep you, my dear wife, in the simplicity of doves, the innocence of children, and the prudence of serpents, and bring you to His eternal inheritance. I commend you to the Lord, and to the rich Word of His grace. By me, your husband, Hendrick Verstralen, bound for the eternal truth, at Rijpermonde, with fetters on my legs.

Maeyken greets you and all the God fearing much with the peace of the Lord. Oh, greet the household at D. much in our name; I very affectionately desire to ask the old mother and her daughters, that they immediately gird up their loins with the girdle of truth, and put on the shoes of the Gospel, to enter into the camp of God, to the church, where now the Lord's war is waged. Come immediately, my dear old mother, with your young daughters, to bear the baggage of the Captain of our faith, namely, the knapsack of love, in which is the helmet of salvation, with a beautiful plume called faith and firm trust. Cover them with the mantle of righteousness, so that the beautiful helmet of salvation may not rust, and the plume not become soiled, that is, that your faith and trust towards God may not fail, and.you remain behind with the fainthearted and fearful. Though you see that all the tempests, storms and heavy rains fall upon the righteous, remember, my dear lamb, that all the God fearing must have themselves enlisted, and become soldiers under the bloody banner which Christ Jesus our chief Captain has borne in the midst of His saints, and under whose banner I now stand by the grace of God, and hope to fight valiantly together with Him, and to strive lawfully, as long as I can stand on my feet, and there is breath in me.

Herewith I will bid you adieu, my dear friends D. and P., and the daughters, and commend you to God, and to the Word of His grace, hoping that you will follow. Adieu, my dear friends, at whose table I ate bread with joy for the last time, and we sang a hymn to the honour of God. Adieu, my dear friends, in hope that we shall eat bread together in the kingdom of God, and drink the oil of joy and the new wine.

By me Hendrick Verstralen, in bonds for the testimony of the truth, on Palm Sunday, A. D. 1571. HENDRICK VERSTRALEN.

A LETTER FROM HENDRICK VERSTRALEN, WRITTEN

TO HIS BRETHREN AND SISTERS

We prisoners and bound in the Lord for the eternal truth's sake, Hendrick Verstralen and Maeyken Deynoots, your very weak brother and sister in the Lord, wish our very dear and affectionately beloved brethren and sisters, who in the Lord stand in like faith with us, and are gone out from Babylon, no more to touch the unclean thing, nor to be yoked together any more with unbelievers, but are come unto Jerusalem, into the church of the living God, there to serve the Lord your God, around the slaughter house, where some of you are still spared, as the prophet Jeremiah says (Jer. 11:19), to be baptized; much consolation, gladness and joy in all your hearts, from God our heavenly Father, and this through Jesus Christ His only, eternal begotten Son, full of grace and truth, through this our High Priest and mercy seat, who offered Himself to God His Father for us, on the tree of the cross, that through His death He might prepare us the entrance to eternal life. Through this innocent and spotless Lamb, that took away our sins, we bow the knee of our heart day and night before God our heavenly Father, that He would spread His peace among you as a river, and confirm you, my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, with His Holy Spirit, that you may be strengthened in the inner man, and keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and love (Eph. 4:3), so that we, my dear brethren and sisters, who are bought and redeemed with the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, may together serve the Lord in holiness and righteousness acceptably before Him, as long as we are in this tabernacle. Amen.

O thou camp of the Lord, thou city of the living God, may the Lord set watchmen everywhere on thy walls, that never hold their peace day nor night (Isa. 62:6); but that thy teachers may, as David says, be filled with much blessing, and gain one victory after another, so that the vineyard of the Lord may be planted, and thou Jerusalem be built, thou temple of the Lord, though in a sorrowful time. Let every one gird his sword to his side, and let him build with the one hand, and with the other let him hold the spear, so that the enemies who would prevent our working may be repelled, so that Zion alone may be shown prepared. my dear brethren and sisters, we wish you from God, that you may be built together a spiritual house and habitation of God; that God's law may be written in all your hearts, and His commandment be in your mind, and you thus remain sons and daughters of God in whom He may dwell and walk: that He would keep you, that you will never touch the unclean thing, but may approve yourselves in all things as ministers of God, so that the name of the Lord may be praised from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same. O brethren and sisters, that your light may arise as the morning star, and you remain a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a peculiar people, so that you, dear brethren and sisters, may everywhere lift up holy hands to God, and offer up to Him ..ie fruit of your lips, spiritual sacrifices, so that the vial of the Lord may be filled with incense from the prayers of the saints. I Tim. 2:8; Heb. 13:15; Rev. 5:8. O thou bride of the Lamb, who from love of your Bridegroom Christ must be zealous unto death, and bring forth the fruits of righteousness with many sorrows and pains, and be sick of love to Him; may the Lord our God lay His left hand under your head, and embrace you with His right hand (Cant. 2:6), thou Eve regenerated by Christ your husband through the incorruptible seed of the living Word of God nroceeditw from the fatherlv heart _ n thou beautiful daughter of the almighty Father, who are now presented to His Son Jesus, the Lord from heaven, and through faith in Him shalt have eternal life; may the eternal, almighty Father richly pour out upon you His blessing and the power of the Holy Ghost, and make you fruitful and fit for every good work, so that you may win His Son Jesus many sons and daughters, that His winepress may soon be filled through the number of His saints (Rev. 6:11), and you may thus the sooner see the destruction of our enemies, who are innumerably many, and have bent our back, and walk over us as over a street, and reward us evil for good, because they cannot build with us on the spiritual house of the Lord, because they are uncircumcised of heart and carnally minded. Against these our enemies, may God arm us and you, my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, with the armor of righteousness, [and grant] that we may be shod with the Gospel of peace, and our loins be girt about with truth, always having the two edged sword of the Spirit at our side, thus preserving our helmet of salvation with the shield of faith, guarding the knapsack of love, and thus following the Captain of our faith, as Christian soldiers, boldly waging the war of the Lord, under the bloody banner of Christ; so that we, our dear brethren and sisters, may through the grace of God gain the victory of a good fight in godly conflict, and obtain the crown of eternal life. Amen.

We prisoners in the Lord, and bound for the eternal truth's sake and the testimony of Jesus, Maeyken Deynoots, and Hendrick Verstralen, herewith greet all our brethren and sisters in the Lord, and send you this brief letter from the depth of our heart, as our last adieu; hereby taking affectionate leave from all dear brethren and sisters, especially those of you who are known to us, and have shown us much good by your consoling 'exhortations, in our tribulation, where we are imprisoned for the eternal truth's sake. Hence we again entreat all you beloved who shall see our letter, or hear it read, before we are out of the flesh, that you will help us heartily to beseech the Lord, that we may overcome even unto death, to the praise and glory of the almighty God, and to our salvation, and to your boast in the day of Christ. Phil. 2:16. Adieu, all my dear brethren and sisters. Adieu, all that love the Lord and His appearing. Adieu, H. P. H. de R. and D. P. and Adam and his wife, and B. P. and S. and J. van H., our faithful helpers in distress. Adieu, K. and L. B. and M. S. and G. and her sister Janneken. Dear friends, lay it to heart to pray to God for us, for we ask it of you with tears. H. de R., I pray you greet much in my name with the peace of the Lord, for an adieu, L. de C., and your servant maid and your friend C., and all my dear brethren. Oh, that God would grant that the two Abrahams might each make a Sarah out of their rib; this is my heart's wish. Bid them adieu too, Grietjen and Judith. Adieu T. de S. and your wife. our L. S. G.

as I may boldly call you; my dear brother, my dear friend, adieu; however, I hope to remember you yet, if it is possible. Acquit yourself valiantly.

Written on St. Georges day, A. D. 1571.

A LETTER WHICH MAEYKEN DEYNOOTS WROTE TO

HER BRETHREN AND SISTERS, WHILE IMPRIS;

ONED, IN THE YEAR 1571, AT RIJPERMONDE,

WHERE SHE ALSO HAD TO LAY DOWN HER

LIFE FOR THE TRUTH'S SAKE

The abundant grace and mercy of God our heavenly Father, through His only, eternally begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who offered up Himself for us to God His heavenly Father, as a propitiation for our sins, that He might deliver us from the future wrath that shall come upon all them that have not obeyed the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction (II Thess. 1:8); but may wisdom, power, and the consolation of the Holy Ghost, which proceeds from both the Father and the Son, this only eternal and almighty God, by whom every good and perfect gift is given, always abide with us and you, my dear brethren and sisters, so that He may through grace make us all together fit through Himself, that we may be found worthy in the day of His coming. Amen. Luke 21:36.

My affectionately beloved brethren and sisters in the Lord, I wish you from the depth of my heart, for an adieu, that you may always prosper in soul and body. I Maeyken, your weak sister in the Lord, thank you from the very depth of my heart for the great love that you are showing us; I wish before God, that the same may also be done to you in distress, my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord. Excuse me, that I do not write more with my own hand; for I am very unskilled therein. However, I did not deem it to be necessary; for Hendrick, our dear brother, my fellow prisoner in the Lord, has done it so well for us both; I wish you the same before God, my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord. Let it seem to you as though I had written it; my heart's wish is, that we may seal it with our blood, to the praise and glory of the holy name of the Lord, and to the salvation of our souls. With my own hand I bid adieu to all my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord. Adieu; always adhere valiantly to the eternal truth. Adieu. Pray the Lord for us; I pray day and night for you in my weakness. Adieu, G. C. N. T. and your wives. Adieu, B. J. B. P., my dear sisters. Adieu, Andries M. Adieu, adieu; receive this in good part.

ANOTHER LETTER FROM MAEYKEN DEYNOOTS, TO

HER BROTHER AND SISTER

I prisoner of the Lord salute you from the inmost of my heart, my very dear and affectionately beloved brother and sister J. and Andries who are now in great tribulation and sorrow on account of the sad parting. Oh, be patient in all your tribulation, continuing instant in prayer, and rejoicing in hope, which maketh not ashamed, my dear brother and sister in the Lord. Uh, it is a good thing to be patient, and wait for the help of the Lord; for he that fears God is comforted after temptation, and after chastisement he finds favor. The Lord does hide His face for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will He have mercy on us. Isa. 54:8. Hence, my dear sister Janneken, console yourself with the Lord's holy Word; though you are now as it were a forsaken and heartstricken wife, it is but a little while, and your sorrow shall be turned into everlasting joy; for thy maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall He be called, verse 5. O you warrioress of God, contend valiantly against your flesh and blood, and continue steadfast unto death, and there shall be given you the crown of eternal life, with full joy, which no man shall take from you. Andries, my dear brother, that you parted from us with great sorrow, and that you desire to be with us, this you must commit to the Lord, for everything must have its due time. They did not lack the power, when they said to me: "Woman, you must come with us." I said: "In the name of the Lord." They greatly desired you. I Said: "If it were the Lord's will, you would get him." I went again very willingly; then I saluted our dear brethren with the kiss of peace, since love impelled me to it. I believe my brother and fellow prisoner has informed you how it further went, and of the proceedings with us, as far as known to him; I cannot write anything concerning it, for want of paper. My dear brother and sister, I thank you heartily for your good exhortation, faithful warning, and sweet consolation, and wish before God, that the same may be done to you in your distress. I read it with many tears, and time and again thanked the Lord, who through His great grace remembers His poor, weak, imprisoned and bound children, and does not forget them. Comfort and admonish one another with the same words, nay dear brother and sister in the Lord, and kiss one another once for me; I hope to do as you said. Herewith I will commend you to the Lord, and to the comforting Word of His grace, and herewith bid adieu to all dear brethren and sisters in the Lord; I know of no one that is known to me, whether he be far or near, of whom I do not think. Adieu with an inward holy kiss of love and peace. Adieu, and pray the Lord for us; I pray day and night for you. Adieu, my dear brethren and sisters. Adieu, adieu, adieu, with tears: adieu, keep firmly on, till you are taken hence. This adieu I write to you all. Excuse this simple letter.

Written by me your weak sister in the Lord, in the castle of Rijpermonde where I am imprisoned and bound with iron chains or fetters, for the eternal truth's sake. I long for the day when I shall offer up my sacrifice; however, I hope to wait for it with patience. A. D. 1571.

maeyken deynoots.

ADRIAEN JANSS HOEDEMAECKER, AND JELIS DE

BACKER, BOTH BURNT ALIVE AT THE SAME STAKE,

FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS, IN RIJSSEL,

A. D. 1570. THREE LETTERS OF ADRIAEN

JANSS. HOEDEMAECKER, WRITTEN IN

PRISON AT RIJSSEL

The first letter from Adriaen Janss Hoedemaecker,

to his wif e

The love of God the Father, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you my dear wife and sister in the Lord, now and forever; this I wish you from the depth of my heart as an affectionate salutation. Amen. After this good wish of my heart and Christian salutation, let me inform you, my dear and in God beloved wife how it still stands with me, that I am still well content and of good cheer, the Lord be praised for His grace which He shows me, and I hope by His grace, that He will help and keep me unto the end, since with Jeremiah, I have committed to Him my cause against my adversaries, who are set against me and against the Lord, since I am imprisoned for the name of the Lord, because with the prodigal son, I have arisen to confess my guilt before my God, against whom I have sinned and transgressed, who graciously received me, when I sought and entreated Him with tears. And for this reason they persecute and gainsay us, because we have received mercy from God, as the Lord has spoken and declared, saying: "If ye were of the world, the world would love you, but because I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." John 15:19. Mark, my dear wife, the words of our Lord, what is the reason that we are hated; so that in the time of hatred and persecution we may comfort ourselves with the grace of the Lord, as also the apostle Peter testifies, saying: "Because we no longer run with them to that excess of riot, as are lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries." I Peter 4:3, 4. Therefore does the world speak evil of you : therefore say they as is written in the Book of Wisdom: "Let us lie in wait for the righteous; for his life is not like other men's, his ways are of an other fashion; he declares our ways to be sin, and avoids us like filth; therefore he is grievous unto us; we will torment and examine him with despitefulness, that we may,know his meekness, and prove his patience, and let us condemn him with the most shameful death." Wisd. 2:12. This has ever been the reason: why the righteous have been evil spoken of, envied, persecuted, despoiled of their goods, cast into prisons and bonds, drowned, beheaded, and burned, as we may first read concerning Abel, as John testifies with these words: "Let us love one another, not as Cain, who was of that wicked one. and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous." I John 3:12. Hence the apostle says

"Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you." v. 13. Christ declared to the Jews: "Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of these do ye stone me?" John 10:32. Hence, my dear, beloved wife, it will not fail, as the apostle says, that all who will live godly in Christ Jesus will have to suffer persecution; for evil men and seducers always wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. II Tim. 3:12, 13. Hence, the righteous may always prepare themselves for suffering and tribulation; for they are led forth unto death as sheep for the slaughter; we that live are constantly delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, and are always in peril to die every day for our glorying which we have in Christ Jesus our Lord. We may therefore well prepare ourselves for suffering, even as the Lord told His apostles: "In the world ye shall have tribulation; yea, the World shall rejoice, but ye shall weep and be sorrowful; for a woman that is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come." John 16:33. Thus we must also bring forth Christ with sorrow in this world. Therefore the apostles strengthened and encouraged the churches, that they must with tribulation and suffering enter into the kingdom of God, even as our head Christ went before, as is written concerning Him in the prophets. For the kingdom of God suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force (Matt, 11:12), as I now experience myself; for we did indeed formerly have some temptations such as are common to man, but now we must strive unto blood. I Cor. 10:13; Heb. 12:4. For I may now well say with the apostle, that I bear in my body the marks of the Lord. Gal. 6:17. For they have scourged me three times, until the blood flowed, and this that I should betray my fellow brethren; but the Lord by His grace kept my lips. I was suspended by my hands so that I did not touch the ground. Yea, my dear beloved wife, I was seized with great fear so that I could hardly stand it, when they scourged me the third time; hence I thought of the words of the apostle who says: "The Lord will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able." I Cor. 10:13. Then they desisted though they threatened to torture me; and they said that they would rend my limbs asunder, or I should tell them who had associated with me, and who were my fellow brethren; but the Lord did not let them have their will this time; what they will do yet, the Lord knows, for to Him every thing is known.

My dear and in God beloved wife, faint not at my tribulation, which ought to be a comfort to you, that the Lord has called me hereunto, that He wants to magnify His name by me, and that I am counted worthy to suffer shame for His name, and to seal His Word with my blood before this wicked and adulterous generation. I hope to go before you in truth, and before all my dear brethren and sisters who still walk in like peril; that they may take an example from me, not in anywise to forsake the Lord in tribulation, but firmly to cleave to Him, who (though He is great), will not forsake His own in distress who trust in Him, and serve Him in truth; for His eyes are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry, yea, the Lord is the strength of the righteous in the time of trouble. Psalm 34:15; 37:49.

Herewith I will commend my dear and in God beloved wife to the Lord, who is able to keep your treasure, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. Acts 20:32. Adieu, my dear wife, whom I love in truth, adieu. For I suspect that the parting is close at hand; for I wait from day to day for the redemption of my body, and to enter into godly rest to my fellow brethren that were also slain for the truth. Rev. 6:11.

Greet the brethren and sisters in my name with the peace of the Lord.

Written in my bonds, by me,

ADRIAEN JANSS,

Unworthy prisoner in the Lord.

The second letter from Adriaen Janss Hoede;

maecker to his wife

I, Adriaen Janns, imprisoned at Rijssel for the name of our Lord, and the testimony of my conscience, wish my dear and in God beloved wife, much grace, mercy and peace, from God the heavenly Father, who is the true Father in heaven and earth; that He would grant you to be strengthened with might by His Spirit, and Christ to dwell, in your hearts, and to be rooted in through love. Eph. 3:14. This I wish you, together with the consolation of the Holy Spirit, as a Christian salutation and affectionate adieu.

Furthermore, after all proper and Christian salutation, I hereby inform you my dear wife in the Lord, that J am well content, and have a good conscience, the Lord be praised forever for His grace, who has kept me in His grace until this hour, and I hope that through His grace He will keep me unto the end, according to His promise, for He says

"Though a mother forsake her child, yet will I not forsake thee." Isa. 49:15. Yea, the Lord says: "I will not leave you comfortless." Herewith, my dear wife, I comfort myself when I am tempted. I further cannot conceal from my dear wife the many tears which I shed when I think of your sorrow, which I presume you have on my account, because we must now give up our Christian fellowship which we have had together by faith. Yes, my dear and beloved wife in the Lord, to every thing, says Solomon, there is a time: "A time to meet, and a time to part." Eccl. 3:1. Hence my dear wife in the Lord, what more godly parting can there be than for the name of the Lord; and though we now must part, I hope that I shall go before you, and that you will also follow to that place where there will be no more parting, for there we shall ever be with the Lord. I Thess. 4:17. Herewith you may comfort yourself, even as the apostle Paul comforted the church at Thessalonica. I further beseech and exhort you by the mercies of God, that you take heed unto the vocation in which the Lord has called you, and that you walk as you have received the Lord, with all humility and meekness, and walk in the love of God, and of your neighbor, Eph. 4:1; Col. 2:6. Always remember the poor saints where you live; give according to what the Lord has bestowed upon you; continue also in prayer day and night: adhere firmly to the doctrine of Christ, and whatsoever you have heard and received let it abide in you; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. II Corinthians 12:11. And remember me as long as I am here; I hope not to forget you as long as I am in this tabernacle, with my prayers to God. Though with my body I am absent from you I am nevertheless present with the spirit and remember you with tears.