and by the authority of the king are to be my judges and examiners,
and are present here, give audience to me, the condemned, Hendrick
Alewijns, now ready here for the torture, through your sentence.
Behold, I find myself inwardly constrained, and incessantly urged,
not to neglect to point out and make known to you all the outrages
committed by you on me and those like me, who are innocent of wicked
crimes and have not merited legal punishment.
In the first place, let it be clearly, sacredly and Scripturally
shown, announced and declared to you, that our, or my matters, are not
misdeeds or crimes, but a law of God, matters of faith, and of the
spirit; hence they ought to and must be judged spiritually and with the
spirit, for a natural man cannot comprehend them; they are foolishness
to him. 1 Corinthians 2:14. Consider this freely and thoroughly.
In the second place, a Christian must be charged with articles of
faith, and with the Scriptures, without being notorious for rebellious
deeds of the flesh, as I am not, God be praised for it, that I am not
under the punishment of justice, but entitled to protection and praise
from the same. Rom. 13:3. Also, that the man of God who seeks in such
simplicity the kingdom, honor and praise of God, is not amenable to
your justice in matters of doctrine and worship. Concerning this you
have doctrine and examples enough. But one must be subject to the
authorities in good works. Tit. 3:1. Justiciary power is given of God
only for the punishment of the wicked and the praise of the good, and
for the protection of those who do well. The innocent and righteous
slay thou not, says God. Ex. 23:7.
In the third place, there is shown to you clearly and with the
testimony of the holy Scriptures, and this from love and in the spirit
of meekness, the great crime of the tyrants who in this matter of the
innocent, sin against God himself, and in his people touch the apple of
his eye, yea, fight against God, and kick against his goads: likewise
your certain woe, doom and career, in the time to come, when our Lord
and righteous Prince shall sit in judgment, and take all your power
away from you, as is written in Judith: Woe to the nation that rises
up against my kindred; for God will take vengeance on you in the day
of judgment; he will put fire and worms in their flesh, that they
shall be burned, and feel it forever. Judith 16:17. They shall have no
resurrection to eternal life. 2 Macc. 7:14. God will not spare them.
2 Esdr. 15:25. They shall groan and be terrified and amazed at the
appearing of the children of God, seeing their glory, and shall say:
These are they whom we distressed, oppressed, and deprived them, as
being mad, erring spirits, of honor, possessions and life. And further:
The wicked troubleth the righteous; he draws out his sword, and bends
his bow. But the Lord laugheth at him; for he seeth that his day is
coming; he helpeth the poor and needy. He slayeth the righteous; but
his sword shall enter into his own heart, and his bow shall be broken
in pieces. Ps. 37:12.
Christ himself reproves, condemns and threatens all these blood-guilty
ones, saying: How can ye escape the damnation of hell? Matt. 23:33.
Thus also St. James reproves and laments most grievously, that they
have condemned and killed the just, who did not resist them. Jas. 5:6.
Not in vain it is written in Isaiah: Woe to you spoilers! Think ye that
ye shall not also be spoiled? And ye despisers! Think ye that ye shall
not also be despised? When ye shall have made an end of spoiling and
despising, ye shall also be spoiled and despised, saith the Lord. Is.
33:1. Therefore, my lords, let it engage your hearty consideration;
for it is not I that have written it. Like Gamaliel (Acts 5:35), let
me, weak man, who am nevertheless a witness of the word, and truth of
God, give you a friendly warning. This vengeance of God was understood
and experienced by the cruel king and mighty tyrant, and he felt that
it is an evil thing to touch the people of God, because of the help of
their God, whose vengeance no one can escape, if any wrong is done to
his people. 3 Macc. 1. This order he sent in great haste to all his
governors: Desist from this people. Holofernes would not understand nor
believe this instruction and warning of the wise Achior. Judith 5.
My lords, accept in good part this my favor to you. I have not done
it in order to be absolved from the sentence pronounced, which is not
customary, and hardly in your power, and you yet remain the friend of
the world and the King, which you are determined at any rate to remain.
James 4:4; John 19:12. But I pray you nevertheless, to deal mercifully
with me, however, as far as is consistent with the proper course of
the sentence imposed by you, and as you can answer for it at court. It
is better that I suffer, than you; for I know why I suffer. I suffer
for a good conscience toward God, and this is acceptable with God;
and I am a partaker of Christ’s sufferings. 1 Pet. 2:19; 4:13. I am
tortured in order to make me speak contrary to the great commandment of
love (Matt. 22:38); but love doeth no evil; love endureth all things,
beareth all things, and doth not become weary. 1 Cor. 13:7. O my lords,
think whether it is not so. The wicked can appease you with lies, and
say no when it is yes, and yes when it is no; but we can only suffer
and speak the truth. Have compassion therefore; yea, as you would that
it shall be done unto you when my Judge will come, when you will be
greatly afraid, and stand in need of help. May God forgive you all
wrong against me, as I forgive you, and as I would have it done to me
in regard to all my sins. Amen.
O wise counsel of Gamaliel! where art thou heeded now? In this the
children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever
doeth not righteousness is not of God. 1 John 3:10. “Wide is the gate,
and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be
which go in thereat.” Matt. 7:13.
A FATHERLY FAREWELL, TESTAMENT AND VERY CAREFUL SCRIPTURAL INSTRUCTION
BY HENDRICK ALEWIJNS TO HIS CHILDREN.
ARTICLE I.
_The paternal farewell, testament and an earnest scriptural instruction
from Hendrick Alewijns to his children._
Hear me, your father, O my own, well-disposed, dear and greatly
afflicted orphans, my three motherless and soon also fatherless
children, of ten, eight, and six years, deprived of me, and without
property, alas, O God! Once more I tell you, O my dear children,
from one dear mother I received and kept you all; who most solemnly
charged me at her end, as also the holy Scriptures teach and enjoin
me concerning you, that I should, as becomes a father, bring you up
in divine instruction (Eph. 6:4), to be good and orderly children
and men of God, which I have hitherto, as became me, done with great
carefulness and earnestness, but have not yet completed it. And behold,
now my labor is taken away, and I cannot under these circumstances
further fulfill towards you my fatherly love and debt of discipline.
I have therefore now faithfully commended you henceforward to the God
of heaven and to my fellow-believers, the friends; and I am fully
confident that you will be well, very well, taken care of, out of love,
for God’s sake and mine.
Be subject most obediently, as dear children, to the friends, and
you will endear yourselves to them all. I have charged them with the
guardianship over you, as though they were your parents; hence be very
obedient; fear words, and you will not need stripes. Otherwise you will
have to be beaten and chastised much, as the holy Scriptures require
and teach, of which I shall write more explicitly hereafter.
My dear little children, it is true, it is true I say, you are yet too
childish, the oldest as well as the youngest, to understand the holy
Bible, and also that which I shall teach here; but I hope you will
delight in reading in it frequently, and to have others read it to you.
I also trust that your understanding will increase from day to day
and that you will yourselves discern good and evil, and will wisely
learn to know who are the true believers, and who the unbelievers;
which are the children of God, and which are the children of the devil
and the world; who bear the name of Christ justly, and who unjustly.
I therefore write in this hope, and to acquit myself of the duty of
fatherly instruction, which is still to be discharged towards you,
and to the fulfillment of which much is lacking on my part, since I
am taken away from you too soon, fully to discharge it. Nevertheless,
I cannot forbear, through love, to offer and send you this from afar,
my dear children, if peradventure I must shortly go with David the way
of all this mortal earth. 1 Kings 2:2. Hence I instruct, enjoin, and
counsel you after my departure, as many patriarchs and holy fathers
did to their children, that you will be of good cheer and courage in
patience, and that you will follow the ways, commandments, laws, and
ordinances of the Lord, and do his whole will. Always do what is right
and good; love honesty, modesty, courtesy, shame-facedness, virtue,
praise (Phil. 4:8); and whatsoever is Christian-like and of good
report, that do and think on it, and you will be holy and Christians.
Then you shall have everlasting life and the beautiful heaven, that
you may be with God and his angelic host, with all the elect of God,
in eternal rest and joy of your souls; and you shall then not have to
fear the second death, the fiery lake, eternal fire, the wages of sin,
disinheritance from Christ’s kingdom, or exclusion by Christ. Matt.
25:10.
My dear children, lay this to heart. As soon as your little
understanding can comprehend it, think of returning from the old
rebellious man into the new man (Matt. 18:3); of the heavenly
regeneration of water and of the Spirit (John 3:35); of the grace of
God and improving the right time (2 Corinthians 6:1,2); of living
peaceably with all men, if it be justly possible and lying in you
(for the other half of peace lies with the other party); and also
of holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord, or enter into
Christ’s kingdom. Rom. 12:18; Hebrews 12:14.
This, my dear children, is my careful counsel and command to you, after
my decease.
ARTICLE II.
_The first foundation of virtue, or instruction concerning the
beginning of wisdom in childhood.--Government of children._
Behold, my dear children, since you are still children in
understanding, young in years, and little fitted for the knowledge of
God, I now show you for the first, how you may attain to the foundation
of virtue, and the beginning of wisdom, that is: Give good audience,
and cry earnestly for wisdom, and ask for it; and gladly receive all
good instruction from those who advise you for the best. For, behold,
thus Sirach teaches: Keep only with such as fear God, whom thou knowest
to keep God’s commandments, who are minded as thou art, who have
compassion on thee, if thou stumble; and abide by their counsel (he
says, abide by their counsel), for thou shalt find no more faithful
counsel, and such an one can often see something better than seven
watchmen that sit above in a high tower. Sir. 37:12. Again: The true
beginning of wisdom is the desire of discipline. Wis. 6:17. And again:
Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof
is brutish. Prov. 12:1. Again: The ears that heareth the reproof of
life abideth among the wise. And he that refuseth correction despiseth
his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.
15:31,32. Moreover: He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction:
but he that refuseth reproof erreth. 10:17. Again: A reproof entereth
more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool. 17:10.
Behold, my dear children, open your ears, and receive instruction, and
you shall become wise and honorable; if not, you must remain unwise,
ungodly, worldly and in error, as follows here: Poverty and shame shall
be to him that refuseth instruction; but he that regardeth reproof
shall be honored. 13:18.
Again: He that hateth to be reproved is already in the way of the
ungodly. Sir. 21:6. Again: An ungodly man will not be reproved, but
excuseth himself by the example of others in what he doeth. 32:17.
Behold, my dear children, what excellent instructions these are. Here
you hear good counsel, how you can attain to virtue. And this you can
do without many stripes of the rod, if you but attend to words, and
fear your people in all they command you. Be very obedient to the
people with whom you live, and beware of your innate evil nature, your
wildness, your foolishness and childishness. Abandon that for which
you are chastised; else you will have to be severely beaten without
ceasing; for this belongs to foolish, froward and disobedient children,
as follows here:
Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction
shall drive it far from him. Prov. 22:15. The rod and reproof give
wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
29:15. Again: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is
old, he will not depart from it.” 22:6. “Withhold not correction from
the child; for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou
shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.”
23:13,14. Again: “Hast thou children? instruct them, and bow down their
neck from their youth. Hast thou daughters? have a care of their body,
and do not spoil them.” Sir. 7:23,24. “He that loveth his son causeth
him oft to feel the rod, that he may have joy of him in the end. He
that chastiseth his son, shall have joy in him, and shall rejoice in
him among his acquaintance.” 30:1,2.
Behold, my children, this is what is said with regard to disobedient
children. Thus must children be brought up by godfearing parents, the
good with words, the evil with rods. Thus did Tobit with his son; thus
was Susannah from her youth brought up in the fear of God; and to
Abraham it was counted for righteousness that he should admonish his
children to the fear of God after him. Sus. 2; Tob. 1:9; Gen. 18:19.
In short, this is the conclusion: Children, obey your parents in all
things: for this is well-pleasing unto the Lord. And, ye parents, be
not bitter against them, lest they become dull, shy, or discouraged.
Col. 3:20,21; Eph. 6:1.
See, my dear children, learn here what is becoming to you; see here,
with what heavy duty of instruction and correction Christian parents
are charged with regard to their children.
Those who neglect their children in regard to this discipline, and
are too indulgent toward them, may remember the terrible example of
evil recompense exhibited in Eli, the priest, who for this reason, by
the hand of God, fell from off his seat backward, and brake his neck.
1 Sam. 4:18. Hence it is a grievous matter badly to bring up froward
children, concerning which Sirach says: He that is too indulgent with
his child lamenteth his stripes, and is terrified as often as he cries.
A wanton child becometh willful, like a wild horse. Cocker thy child
and he shall make thee afraid: play with him, and he will bring thee
to heaviness. Laugh not with him, lest thou have sorrow with him, and
lest thou gnash thy teeth in the end. Give him no liberty in his youth,
and wink not at his follies. Bow down his neck while he is young, and
beat him on the sides (he says beat him on the sides) while he is a
child, lest he wax stubborn, and be disobedient unto thee. Instruct thy
child, and suffer him not to go idle, lest thou be brought to shame
through him. Sirach 30:7–13. Behold, what a solemn charge the believer
has concerning his children, and also those that are committed to him
as his own children. Hence, dear lambs, endure kind correction, and be
afraid of words, and you will not have to suffer this severe cruelty:
otherwise you must suffer it, as has been heard.
Behold, my children, in these holy instructions in correction I acquit
myself of my duty towards you; and in all this I admonish you not only
in your youth, but also in your riper years, to give ear to the advice
of the wise and pious, and always to love the Christians, God’s dear
children, the holy church, which by all men is considered a heresy,
because they so firmly hope in the living God. Acts 24:14. Learn to
know early in the Scriptures this living God of them that believe; for,
says the apostle Paul, he that cometh to God must believe that there is
a God, and that he will greatly reward those who, through the strait
gate, seek him with such hardships, on the narrow way of tribulation. 1
Tim. 4:10; Heb. 11:6.
ARTICLE III.
_Brief instruction concerning God, to learn to know him by his
written name, glory, handiwork, wonderful deeds, voice, omnipotence,
omniscience, by his being the terrible enemy of his enemies, and the
faithful succorer of the pious, etc._
Mark, beloved, my simple children, this in the God of your father, the
God of all the faithful, from the beginning of the world until now, the
God of Abel, the God of Noah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Israel,
the God of Jesus Christ, and of all the saints. And this is the God
that is not made or worshiped by any man or by human hands, but the God
that was from everlasting and before all things, and shall be forever,
the God of whom and by whom all things are created and made, yea,
heaven, earth, sea, and all the works that therein are, were made by
his word, Spirit and omnipotence. This our God is good to the good, and
very terrible to his enemies. His power extends over all kingdoms and
kings, and he is the Lord of lords. There is none like unto him. Thou
art great, and thy name is great, and thou canst show it by the deed.
Who should not fear thee, thou king of the heathen? Thou shouldest
certainly be obeyed. His name is Governor, Lord, Lord Sabaoth, the
God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Israel, and of the fathers; this is his
name. His name is Wonderful, Counsellor, Power, Giant, the everlasting
Father, the Prince of Peace, his government abideth upon him forever.
Is. 9:6,7. His name is Immanuel, that is, God with us. 7:14. It is not
possible fully to express his name; hence, for the completion of his
impossible, unmentionable, inexpressible exalted name, he is further
called Jehova, Shadai, Addonai, and by other names. Besides his general
appellations, he is also called: Righteous, Merciful, Gracious God,
Truth, Light, Right Hand, Holy consuming Fire.
See, my dear children, here you have heard of your father’s God, of
his eternity without beginning and without end, and of his glorious
and exalted names in the Holy Scriptures. There follows further now,
of his glorious, incomprehensible, unmeasurable greatness, glory and
the invisibleness of his divine shape, form and image; for God is a
Spirit. Think, how great he must be: heaven is the throne and the earth
his footstool. Acts 7:49. He sees, hears, and is, everywhere, and in
all places; for thus he says through Jeremiah: “Am I a God at hand,
and not afar off? Can any hide himself in secret, places that I shall
not see him? Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.” Jeremiah
23:23,24. And in another place the Scripture declares: “He spanneth
heaven with his three fingers.” Is. 40:12. When he walks, the mountains
tremble, and the foundations of the earth quake. When he manifests
himself, or permits himself to be heard, he causes fear and terror to
come upon all men, as we read in Ex. 3, that the thorn-bush seemed to
burn as a flame of fire, when he called Moses to him, to make him a
prince over Israel, to lead them out of Egypt. And again, when Moses,
while receiving the law of God, spoke with God on mount Sinai, the
mount smoked, because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and the smoke
thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked
greatly. And the voice of the trumpet waxed louder and louder, with
thunders and lightnings, which frightened the people. And also Moses
was terrified, and trembled. No one was permitted to touch the mount;
no one could endure his voice, save Moses, however, with fear. Ex. 19.
Thus does God show himself, says Moses, that his fear should be before
your eyes, and you might not sin. Well may Moses say: “The Lord your
God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a
terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward.” Deut. 10:17.
Behold, my dear children, this great God alone is worthy to be feared,
who can kill soul and body. Sirach says: The whole heaven everywhere,
the sea and the earth tremble; mountain and valley quake, when he
visiteth them; and shall he not see thy heart? Sir. 16:18.
Again: God is witness of all thoughts, and knoweth the conscience of
every heart, and heareth every word. For the circuit of the world is
full of the Spirit of the Lord (he says that the circuit of the world
is full of the Spirit of the Lord), and he that knoweth the voice
is everywhere; therefore he that speaketh unrighteous things cannot
be hid. Wis. 1:6. Yea, my dear children, he knows who serves him in
appearance and in the sight of the eyes, and who with a sincere heart.
For the wisdom of God is great, and he is mighty, says Sirach, and
beholdeth all things; and his eyes are upon them that fear him, and he
knoweth well, what is done in righteousness, and what is hypocrisy.
Sir. 14:18. I say he is worthy that men should fear him, keep his
commandments, love him, be very small and humble before him, and this
is what he requires of his people. Read Mic. 6, the law of Moses, and
the Gospel of Christ. For he would have obedience, and not the pomp and
deceitful semblance of sacrifices, as is exemplified in Saul, 1 Sam.
15:22. “Will ye not fear me, saith the Lord, who have placed the sand
for the bound of the sea, that it cannot pass it?” Jeremiah 5:22.
Ah, ah, dear children, how good is this fear of the Lord, for it is
the beginning of wisdom. It is the root of wisdom, and its branches
flourish forever. Wis. 1:20.
This fear of the Lord driveth out sin; for he that is without fear
cannot be justified. Wis. 1:21. For by the fear of the Lord men depart
from evil. Proverbs 16:6. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to
depart from the snares of death, 14:27. For those that fear the Lord,
my children, walk in the right way; but he that feareth him not, or
despiseth him, departeth from his way. 14:2.
Hereby, and by the vain boasting or thinking of having the fear of God,
you may perceive the fear of God, and know those who fear him [and them
that fear him not].
Read who are the truly godfearing; Ps. 1:2; 119:120; Sir. 2:17; 15:1;
16:2. Therefore, the fear of God is the sum and conclusion of all
books. Read Eccl. 12:13. And as you have now heard of the great glory
of God, which is well worthy that men should fear him on account of it,
so I will now briefly show that he is also a most awful, terrible and
inexorably stern avenger and enemy towards his enemies; and, on the
other hand, a faithful succorer of his afflicted friends, as is written
in Exodus: “I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity
of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation
of them that hate me.” And again: “Shewing mercy unto thousands of them
that love me, and keep my commandments.” Exodus 20:5,6.