Lord Jesus Christ, be patient in your tribulation, that you be not
found as one who would fight against God, but rather say with Mary:
Behold, Lord, be it unto me according to thy will. Luke 1:38, For at
the very hour of meeting, the hour of separating was known to the
Lord, and he in his fatherly mercy has foreseen and chosen you, also
to suffer tribulation and pain now for his name’s sake. And though, my
chosen lamb, I now experience greater joy, because my pilgrimage has
come to a close; yet I beseech you, be of good cheer in the Lord, and
receive it in patience and sorrow. Humble your heart, and endure it.
Sir. 2:2. O I know that your grief is very great. O if it were God’s
will, and I might die for you, yea though I were to taste a two-fold
death for you, I should not shrink from it, since it does not come hard
to me. O then I should certainly have the assurance that you should not
be deceived by strange lovers (Jer. 2:25), nor by the noon-day devil,
nor by your own flesh; however, I trust nevertheless from the bottom of
my heart, that you will follow the footsteps of my faith, that is, to
adhere to the truth unto the end. O, the reason of my writing and my
last and great request is, that you adhere to what God, out of great
grace has given you. O do not yield nor waver on account of your great
grief, or because of any conflict that may arise, not known to you as
yet; but in all your concerns pray with confidence to God the merciful
dear Father; he will not forsake you, I am sure of it. Eph. 6:18. And
though, my dear chosen lamb, we shall now be separated for a little
while, we shall meet each other again hereafter in the resurrection of
the dead, and shall forever be with the Lord. 1 Thess. 4:17. O then our
small sorrow shall be changed into eternal, unspeakable joy, and all
tears shall be wiped away from our eyes, and we shall hear the words:
“Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared from the
foundation of the world.” Is. 25:8; Rev. 7:17; Matt. 25:34. O my dear
lamb, comfort yourself with these promises, and with the words of the
Gospel, where Christ himself says: Blessed are they that weep now;
for they shall be comforted. But woe unto them that laugh now, for
they shall weep. For the time shall come when they shall cry out: O
ye mountains and hills, fall on us, and cover us from the face of the
Lord. Matt. 4:5; Luke 6:25; Hos. 10:7.
O then it will be at an end with all our persecutors, executioners,
and rackers, and with all destroyers; yea, then shall be fulfilled the
word of the prophet Isaiah, where he says: O ye destroyers, think ye
that ye shall not also be destroyed? and ye despisers, think ye that ye
shall not also be despised? When ye shall have made an end to destroy
an end shall also be made with you. Is. 33:1. But unto you, my flesh,
my blood, and unto me, and all saints, shall the Sun of righteousness
arise, and happiness and eternal prosperity shall encompass us. O my
dear sheep, [flock], how gladly would I comfort you and come to your
aid in your tribulation; but it cannot be at this time. But I sincerely
pray you, remember my words which I spoke to you in times past, and
follow them, this I pray you, and let them be a perpetual foundation
stone. Further, I cordially entreat you, and this for the eternal
salvation of your soul, that you live in quiet and bring up your child
(my own offspring), in the fear of the Lord, as I trust you will. Once
more, my dearest, chosen lamb, I entreat you from the bottom of my
heart, and my inmost soul, remember frequently what I said to you in
times past, and also wrote in some measure, namely, that you adhere
all the days of your life to that which you voluntarily so willingly
accepted, since it is the true ground, foundation, and way to eternal
life. O there shall never be found another, than this way of the cross,
and if it should be withal the will of your merciful, dear Father,
to prove you with his fatherly rod of the cross, that is, with bonds
or imprisonment, I pray you for the sake of the eternal salvation of
your soul that you will not fear our enemies; for it is impossible to
write or express, how God the merciful, dear Father comforts those who
have entirely committed themselves to the Lord; so that I should not
have thought that I could have such a heart and mind, so that I almost
wondered how they could depart from the word of God; but they forgat
the comfort of the future glory, and became heedless, and the oil of
righteousness and love failed their earthen vessels. Matt. 13:43; 25:3.
Hence, my faithful, dearest flesh and blood, be warned, that you may
not, through slothfulness and heedlessness, find yourself deceived with
the heedless, foolish virgins. Therefore be watchful in the spirit, and
give diligence still from day to day, to put off more and more (Eph.
4:22); for, my dear lamb, it is necessary that you watch, since not all
shall enter into the promised land, who have gone out of this present
spiritual Egypt and Sodom; and this because of the power and might of
the old serpent, who does not rest nor pause day or night, but goes
around the camp, seeking whom he may find drowsy; whom resist stoutly
in the faith take upon yourself a valiant and believing heart.
Furthermore, dearly beloved lamb, it is my request that you conform
to all humility, and be little in your own eyes, and mind not high
things, but condescend to men of low estate. Rom. 12:16. Always be
ready and anxious to hear the word of God, and remember the words of
Christ: “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there
am I in the midst of them.” Matt. 18:20. O my dear lamb, have fervent
love for the church of God, and forget not to communicate of that which
the merciful, dear Father has given you. Remember that mercy glorieth
against judgment, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Jas.
2:13; Hebrews 13:16. But I know, my beloved lamb, and have confidence
in you, that you will herein follow the teaching of our dear Lord Jesus
Christ. Matt. 6:1. Herewith, my dearest, I take farewell and leave from
you, my flesh and blood, on this earth, and commend you into the hands
of Almighty God, our Savior, Jesus Christ, who is able to preserve and
build up you and your child (Acts 20:32), and to strengthen you in
every distress, even as he is faithful, and will do it, if you, my dear
lamb, only continue in his statutes and laws, and do not become weary
in the way of the cross, though it be full of anxiety and hardship for
you. O that you, my dear lamb, could take courage and praise and thank
your God, that you are found worthy also to suffer for his name. O
think of the words of the wise man where he says: Having been a little
chastised, we shall be greatly rewarded; for God trieth his chosen as
gold in the furnace. Wis. 3:5,6.
Therefore, my dearly beloved lamb, let the trying of your faith work
patience, and let patience have her perfect work (Jas. 1:3,4), and
remember the words of the wise man: A patient man is better than a
strong man; and he that ruleth his spirit (mark) than he that taketh a
city. Prov. 16:32. Further, the prophet Jeremiah says: It is good and
a great thing, to be patient, and that one that is forsaken wait for
help of the Lord. Lam. 3:36. Hence possess your souls in patience for a
little while yet, this I beseech you from my inmost heart. Luke 21:19.
O my dearly beloved lamb, once more I entreat you, acquit yourself
valiantly. O if you love me (as you abundantly do), follow the
footsteps of my faith; for the time is fulfilled, the days are spent,
my years are ended which I lived in this wilderness amidst many
dangers. I have not run or fought as uncertainly; hence I rejoice in
the spirit, that God the merciful dear Father has been with me, so
that I have fought the fight, and finished my course. Henceforth there
is laid up for me the crown of eternal life which God, the merciful,
dear Father, shall give me, and not to me only, but unto all them also
that love his appearing. 1 Cor. 9:26; 2 Tim. 4:7,8. And I shall now
enter into the precious land, which I have tasted and seen by faith,
wherefore my inner man, has a desire for it, so that I am not afraid
of my enemies, nor shrink back from Jordan, which though it is most
terrible to behold in the eyes of some, we are certain and assured that
our faithful God of Israel will be with us, and will make it ready
with his strong arm, so that we shall pass through unharmed, and thus
encourage the young valiant Israelites. In short, to all who want to
fear God from the heart we are, through the grace of God, a savor unto
eternal life; and those who hate us, a savor of death. 2 Corinthians
2:16. Adieu, my flesh, my blood; under the altar I hope to wait for you
all. Rev. 6:9. Let my blood be a perpetual testament and memorial unto
you. Farewell, until we meet in eternity. Amen.
O keep valiantly, I pray you in the way of righteousness; for I testify
unto you with my blood, before God and his angels, that it is the true
road and highway, yea, the true grace of our God, on and in which you
stand. 1 Pet. 5:12. The grace of God be with you. Amen. The 24th of
October, five o’clock A.M., A. D. 1564.
ANOTHER LETTER FROM MR. JELIS MATTHIJSS TO HIS WIFE.
My dearly beloved chosen wife and sister in the Lord, I wish you folks
much strength and comfort from God the merciful dear Father, through
the consolation of the Holy Ghost, whereby he comforts all afflicted,
sorrowing hearts that are oppressed for his testimony, even as is the
case with you at this present time, so that it troubles you greatly
though you have been so much taught by the Holy Ghost, that you well
know that it is the will of our Lord and Master to whom we have
bowed our knees, to serve and be faithful to him in every distress,
tribulation and temptation; for he has chosen and called us both to the
end that we should keep his name amidst much tribulation and pain, and
should not become weary of these few stripes and fatherly chastenings
(Job 5:17); for thereby he makes us true heirs of his heavenly kingdom,
if we receive them in resignation and patience, and are exercised
thereby; to which may the merciful, dear Father strengthen us with the
power of his Holy Spirit. Amen.
Further, my dearly beloved wife, since I presume that your heart is
much troubled and sorrowful on my account, and you, as I believe, would
like to hear and know how it is with me, I cannot forbear to write you
a little about how it went with us. I did write to you on our last
night (as I thought), and asked the bailiff whether I might write a
little yet to my poor, sorrowing wife. He said, “yes.” But we were not
allowed to go up stairs again, and had to remain in the kitchen; and
Huyge would not consent to my writing, except he might hold it, and
hand it to the bailiff, as I think he has done; yet I hope that you
will yet get it. Further, my dear lamb, know, first of all that my
purpose is still unchanged, and I am ready to await in patience all
that God the merciful, dear Father and the enemies of the truth will
impose upon me. Further know, you folks, that we had not heard of any
trouble of the flesh; but in the evening, about nine o’clock, Huyge
came up stairs with his wife, saying: “Mr. Jelis and Willeboort, come
down; there is somebody that wants to speak with you.” Then our women,
especially Maeyken, began to cry and weep greatly. I asked him whether
we were not to come up again, to which he gave me but little reply.
Hence I immediately divested myself of my cassock, and put on my old
jacket. I then kissed my blood, namely, the child, took off my hat, and
briefly addressed myself to God, the merciful, dear Father, that he
would preserve the child all the days of its life; my heart experienced
some sadness over it, but it did not last long. When I came down, the
stadtholder was standing there, and a short time afterwards also the
bailiff came, and catching sight of me said: “Well, Mr. Jelis, the
time has come,” or some such words. I then stepped up to him a little
closer, my heart being quite joyful, and said to him in a very friendly
manner: “My lord, I have known you for eight or ten years, and looked
upon you as an honest man; how comes it that you want to take us in
this manner by surprise? We certainly have not heard a word of it.”
He replied: “There is time enough; it will not be yet; but make
yourselves ready for to-morrow at five o’clock.” I then exchanged a few
more words with him, saying: “O man, man, what a great burden you put
upon yourself; I would from my heart, that you were not a judge over
us, not however for our flesh’s sake, for we are of very good cheer as
regards that;” and I took up a tankard that stood there, and drank his
health. When he had gone away, I began to write, and wrote until about
five o’clock, when he returned and gave orders that the servants should
take us up; and as to how it went up in the city hall, you probably
have heard. When we came away from there, we were both locked up in a
room, and as I was fettered, I could not write to you.
I inform you further, that the next day, that is, this morning, the
bailiff and the stadtholder summoned us down, and brought us both into
a separate subterranean dungeon, which was very dark, and they had also
darkened the window. They said: “You will have to remain here until it
will be otherwise.” The stadtholder said: “We are all mortal, we do not
know ourselves when we are to die.” I said nothing. When I stood in the
dungeon, the bailiff looked at me, and I cast my eyes up heavenward,
and said: “O God, preserve us,” or such a word or two.
It seemed as though the bailiff wanted to say: “Yes, it comes through
you;” however, he did not give utterance to it, and went away with the
other, and our God was not far from us, with the consolation of his
Holy Spirit, and made my heart joyful, so that I could not refrain from
singing a hymn.
In the afternoon we were given a bit of a candle, and I commenced to
write this, which I should have liked to send to you before night, but
I was not able to do so; hence accept it in love.
O my affectionately beloved lamb, I think our hour is fast approaching;
for it seems that the ruler of this world will come this night.
Hence I beseech you by the bleeding wounds of our dear Lord Jesus
Christ, and for the sake of the eternal salvation of your soul, that
you will never let it leave your heart, how I walked before you;
and when my blood--which I hope you will bring up in the fear of
God--has attained to years of understanding, admonish him with it,
and do you, my most beloved, not forget it either; but let my blood
be a perpetual testament and memorial to you, how I, according to
my feeble ability, have been an example to you. Still, I would that
I had been able to walk more holily and blamelessly before you; but
you know that according to my feeble ability I sought to please the
Lord, and, according to my weakness, walked with boldness in the way
of the cross, which it is my heart’s desire, that also you will do;
and do not forsake it; but it is my fatherly entreaty, that you give
more diligence to make your holy calling and election surer and surer;
for the day of the Lord is not far off, in which he will reward every
one according to his works. Then, my faithful lamb, he will find the
lukewarm slothful and heedless, who now bear the name of Christians,
and do indeed bear the vessels, but have not the oil of love and
righteousness in them. Hence, my flesh, my blood, I entreat you kindly,
not to regard the lukewarm, slothful, heedless, and fearful; but prove
yourself, and daily examine yourself, whether you are truly walking
in the faith of the Son of God. If you thus examine yourself, you may
prove and know what is yet necessary for you to put off. 2 Corinthians
13:5.
O always strive for humility, since a humble heart is in the best
condition for self-examination; for such an one constantly bewails his
weakness and insignificance before the Lord, fearing lest at last he
might yet come to shame in this perilous, fearful time, through the
manifold and subtle snares and nets; wherefore such a regenerate child
of God has a heartfelt desire to be at home, and to be delivered from
this miserable, spotted garment of the flesh, knowing full well that
he is walking amidst great, perils; hence he rejoices when he hears
of the cross of Christ; he is not minded, lightly to flee before the
ungodly, except when necessity demands it. But the lukewarm, slothful
and heedless, who sometimes think that they are rich enough, and have
need of nothing, they in the meanwhile, as soon as they hear aught
that the ungodly only form a compact to extirpate the righteous, are
greatly disconcerted or are more fainthearted, and this sometimes is
not yet all, but they come to their neighbor, whose heart they ought to
encourage, and make him fainthearted too.
But you, my faithful lamb, be courageous, this I heartily entreat
you, and look not to the aforementioned, nor to those who now
so unfaithfully depart from the Lord, whether through cross, or
persecution, or false doctrine. O, if they previously had daily
examined themselves, and had had a taste for heavenly things, they
would not have suffered themselves to be deceived so easily, or have
dreaded the cross so much; but they would heartily desire to confess
the name of their God among this wicked and perverse generation, and
entreat their Lord from their hearts, that they might be strangers in
the land, to the praise of their God, and the edification of their
neighbor.
Further, my dear, faithful, beloved, and chosen wife, whose soul I love
as dearly as my own, it is yet my Christian and fatherly request, that
you will take care all the days of your life, that you may come to the
place where I shall soon be, so that we may not be separated in the
eternal habitations. O that it might be God’s holy will and pleasure,
and be possible, that I might drink the cup of bitterness for you. Yea,
though it were thrice, I think I would most willingly do it, from the
heart, so that you might also be saved.
O then I should accept my departure with a still much more joyful
heart, and should certainly have no apprehension that you should ever
be moved from the simplicity of our dear Lord Jesus Christ; however,
I feel no apprehension, as long as you continue as I now leave you;
for you fear the judgment of the ungodly. Hence I desire with Sirach,
that you remember in all your undertakings what he says, namely: My
son, whatsoever thou takest in hand, remember the end, and thou shalt
never sin (Sir. 7:36), namely, such sins as could keep you out of God’s
kingdom; for as regards your daily frailties and mis-steps before God,
they will not condemn you or bar you out, for with reference to this
the holy apostle John says: If any man sin, we have an advocate with
God the Father, who maketh intercession for us, which is Christ Jesus,
the high priest, who entered in, namely, into the holy of holies, and
made an eternal offering and atonement for his people and generation,
and sat down on the right hand of God his Father, as an advocate and
intercessor for our daily stumblings and fallings, as the apostles
say. 1 John 2:1; Rom. 8:34; Hebrews 9:12; Ps. 110:1; Col. 3:1. See,
my faithful and dearly beloved lamb, to this intercessor and advocate
I direct you, and not to the deceased saints, as the blind leaders of
this world do.
Therefore, flee to him for refuge in your great distress; remember
that his ear is not heavy that he cannot hear you, and his hand
not shortened that he cannot help you; for his eyes are upon his
saints (Ps. 34:15), whom he has so dearly purchased with his own
precious blood; and he listens to their calling, sighing and crying:
for he calls those blessed already, who here weep and suffer for
righteousness’ sake, of whom you are one now. Matt. 5:4. Hence, O my
flesh, my blood, comfort yourself with these promises, this I pray you;
for those who sow here in tears, shall hereafter reap in great joy.
Ps. 126:5. O, therefore do not think, my dear lamb, that the tears
you now weep will have been wept in vain; for they have already come
before the face of the Lord. Hence, be patient yet for a short time,
this I entreat you; for he will not have you here long, I hope, but
will also take you away from the evil to come, and bring you to sure
rest in his chamber, as the prophet Isaiah (57:1,2) says. Because you,
according to your feeble ability, desire to walk uprightly unto the
end, to which may the merciful, dear Father help you, through the help
and power of his Holy Spirit; faithful is he who will doubtless do it.
1 Thess. 5:24. Further, my dear, chosen and beloved wife and sister in
the Lord, as I cannot yet draw my fatherly and solicitous heart away
from you, but would so gladly from my inmost soul, present you, in and
according to your weakness, perfect and blameless before God, it is my
humble and kindly request, that you will sincerely love your neighbor,
and always remember the poor saints of the household of God, even as
you have hitherto had such a disposition. Let your love herein not
grow less, but much rather increase. Always remember Christ’s words,
where he says: “The poor ye will always have with you.” Matt. 26:11.
And it is manifest that there are always poor among or in the house
of God. Heb. 3:6. Bear in mind that it is a great and acceptable work
before the Lord; wherefore Sirach says that the alms of a man is as a
purse on the way with him; and it will spare him in the judgment. Yea,
it blotteth out sin, and covereth the multitude thereof: for mercy
glorieth against judgment, says James. 2:13. Hence, give diligence also
in this, as I am confident you will; and though there is no necessity
for writing you this, yet I hope it will tend to your best interests,
so that after my departure you will not grow slack. I furthermore,
entreat you yet, my dearly beloved lamb, that you will always associate
with the pious, that you may attain to greater piety and discretion.
And desire the reasonable, sincere milk, namely, to hear the word of
God, that you may thereby grow and increase in every good work. 1 Peter
2:2. And live in quietness (you know what I mean); this I earnestly
entreat you; and wait for the day of your redemption, which, perhaps,
is not far off. Herewith I will take my leave and eternal adieu from
you, my flesh, my blood, and humbly entreat you once more, for the sake
of the eternal salvation of your soul, and by all the great love that
you have ever had to me, that after my departure you will be mindful of
my writing, and heartfelt entreating and admonishing; whether done by
writing or orally; and do not let it remain with you as a dead letter
or a fable, but make frequent use of it as a prescription tending to
your health, and keep it in the strong box of your heart as a perpetual
treasure and memorial; for it will bring you more profit than many
pieces of fine gold and silver. O the time is approaching rapidly,
and I will therefore cease writing and everything else; hence it is
my affectionate request, if you love me and the eternal salvation of
your soul, fulfill my request, according to your feeble ability, and
depart neither to the right nor to the left, whether through the cross
of bonds or imprisonment, or any other cause; and if God, the merciful,
dear Father makes you worthy to suffer for his name, be not afraid; for
I should never have thought that bonds and imprisonment could cause so
little conflict to one that has renounced himself, and has a heartfelt
desire to be at home; hence, fear them not. Now, my affectionately
beloved, chosen lamb, and dear sister in the Lord, my time is
fulfilled, the days are spent, the years are finished; I have fought a
good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith (2 Tim.
4:7); so that my enemies who set themselves against me have been put to
shame (Psalm 53:5); for through my God I have gained the victory, who
has delivered me out of the jaws of the lions and the mouth of hell,
and shall also deliver me from every evil (2 Tim. 4:17,18), and save me
at his coming, and give me the true promised land, which I have seen by
faith, and tasted of its fruits, wherefore I have a heartfelt longing
for it. O assist me to thank and praise the merciful, dear Father,
that I have safely come through the wilderness of this evil, wicked
and perverse world, and am now standing before Jordan, through which
only I have yet to pass. Though it is somewhat terrible to behold, yet
I do not fear it at all, for I am sure that my God will succor me, and
make me ready, so that I shall pass through it safely and unharmed; for
faithful is he that promised it to me, and he will never leave me, nor
forsake me, so that I may boldly say: The Lord is with me; I fear not
what man may do unto me. Ps. 56:4; Heb. 13:5,6. They have come for me.
JAN GERRITS, BURNT AT THE HAGUE, FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, THE
15TH DAY OF DECEMBER, A. D. 1564.
_A testament by Jan Gerrits, made while imprisoned at the Hague for the
testimony of Jesus Christ, in December, A. D. 1564._
Grace and peace from God the heavenly Father, and his Son Jesus Christ,
be with you. Amen.
My dearest and much beloved brethren and sisters in the Lord, I
inform you that I have received your communication, which I have read
with great joy; for its object is, in the first place, to incite to
steadfastness in the faith, and to a perfect end, and this through
Jesus Christ, wherefore I entreat the heavenly Father with all my
heart and mind, that not only I, but all the godfearing may attain to
an upright end, according to the will of God, as I hope. For I have
suffered stripes and great pain, and this, according to the words of
John, for the brethren. 1 John 3:16. I desire to suffer not only this,
but also, if it is the will of God, to die for his name, word and
truth, no matter what kind of a death it may be; for I should not have
thought that it should last so long; but as not a hair of my head can
be hurt, without the Lord’s permission, I want to await the end with
him, in patience, as behooves a Christian.
Therefore, my much beloved brethren and sisters, it is my heartfelt
request that you and all the godfearing will entreat the Lord for me
your weak brother, that I may receive the end of my faith; for the
prayer of the righteous avails much, and is effectual. 1 Peter 1:9.
They use every artifice to rob me of the beautiful treasure which I
have received from God; but I trust to the Lord, that he will preserve
me.