afflicted the children of Israel; how God afflicted the Egyptians in
return, visiting their land with manifold plagues. Ultimately, how God
delivered his people out of it, made a dry passage through the Red
Sea, separated and protected them from Pharaoh by the dark pillar of
cloud, and terrified Pharaoh and his host with a heavenly noise in the
air, and drowned them all in the Red Sea, as a God of great power. Now
when Israel had passed through the Red Sea, and was in the wilderness,
king Amalek came to afflict them, whom God himself resisted, however,
through Joshua, and the enemy and his people were discomfited and
destroyed. Thus, again, in the days of Joshua, God fought with
hailstones, and Israel with the sword; and sun and moon for their
benefit stood still the whole day, as long as the battle lasted. Josh.
10. Yea, God also fought from heaven against Sisera, and the stars in
their courses fought. Judg. 5:20. Again, at another time, when Samaria
was besieged by the Syrians, God fought for Samaria, and terrified the
enemies with a noise in the air, as the noise of chariots, horsemen and
hosts, in the night, so that they fled and left everything behind them.
2 Kings 7:6,7. Thus read also of Zerah the Ethiopian, with his host of
a thousand thousand, of whom not one escaped. 2 Chron. 14:9 Thus also,
the children of Ammon and Moab, from Syria, afflicted Israel; and God
fought for Israel, while Israel stood still and he ordered it so that
the enemies destroyed one another. 2 Chron. 20.
In like manner we read concerning Gideon, that God so ordered it that
the enemies, the Midianites, fell upon one another with their swords,
and destroyed themselves, through the direction of God. Judg. 7:22.
Behold, my dear children, what an awful, inexorable enemy of his
enemies, and faithful and victorious protector of his friends he is;
for when his people went to battle with God’s consent, though they
had neither bows, arrows, shields nor swords, God fought for them
and gained the victory. No one could harm this people, save when
they departed from the commandments of the Lord their God; then God
delivered them into the hand of the enemy. We have a God that helps,
the Lord Sabaoth, who delivers from death; thus extol the saints the
help of God. When the people of God, in former times, were encompassed
and assailed with war, and by wicked nations and kings, and then cried
with confidence to this their God for protection, behold, their God
only sent an angel to their assistance, who was able to direct all, and
turned not away from thousands. Read 2 Kings 19:35; Is. 37:36. Read
further 2 Macc. 11:10. We further read of five angels of God, armed and
upon horses with bridles of gold, and what great execution they did. 2
Macc. 10:29. God sent two angels to Sodom, for the destruction of the
wicked, and the preservation of the good. And other such examples; read
2 Macc. 12; Judg. 7:22; 1 Sam. 14:20; 17:52; 2 Chron. 20:23.
Behold, my dear children, the faithfulness of God towards his people,
and his terribleness to the wicked, as has been heard; and this is only
a moderate portion, much still remains to be told of so many examples
contained in the holy Scriptures, and left for our confirmation, that
we might hope in this God, suffer for his sake, and obey him. However,
it must be understood with a due distinction of times and laws, as
regards the ancient warfares of Israel, the taking of revenge on
enemies, fighting and killing in the time of the law, and previous to
it, which then was done by the will, command, permission, and also,
help, of God, under the Old Testament, but now, in the Gospel and New
Testament, it must not be so, and is now plainly prohibited, by the
word and example of Christ, himself God and the Son of God, whose
word must be heard. Prohibited, I say, plainly and clearly enough,
not by men’s commandments, but by God himself; his people are denied
and forbidden all revenge, and commanded to commit all vengeance unto
God; not to resist evil; to give to him that taketh away the cloak
also the coat, and to turn to him that smiteth thee on thy right cheek
the other also, and the like; yea, to love one’s enemies, to pray for
your persecutors, and to flee from them from one city into another.
Matt. 5:39; Rom. 12:17; 1 Thess. 5:15. And they that are thus afflicted
shall be blessed, and greatly comforted of God, with the promise of
eternal life. In short, not to fight at all, and yet to fight, but
this no longer with iron, steel, stone, wood, or any carnal weapons,
but with spiritual weapons mighty before God. 2 Cor. 10:4. Read, my
children, what weapons and warfare Christians now wield, as is plainly
and very clearly set forth. Eph. 6. Christians have no other warfare
at the present time. For, understand, the prophecy is fulfilled which
said with reference to this time, that such people have beaten their
swords into ploughshares, and their spears into sickles, rest from
their works, and truly observe the spiritual Sabbath. Is. 2:4; Mic.
4:3; Ex. 20:10,11. Hence Christians may now not wage war any more.
However I refer you to ancient warfare and God’s succor, as these are
a demonstration and proof to you of the greatness and the terrible
deeds of God; in order that you may learn to know, fear and obey him
in whose presence the earth shakes, and the mountains tremble; for
the disobedient toward his word, will and commandment shall find no
hiding-place from his face when he shall appear with his angels, in
flames of fire, to execute vengeance on all the disobedient. 2 Esd.
16:9.
Therefore, my children, learn to know and shun sin; for because of sin
souls are damned forever.
ARTICLE IV.
_What sin is, and whereby sin became sin; and what are and will be the
wages of sin, before God, or God’s punishment of sinners hereafter._
What sin is, is clearly shown by the holy Scriptures. The prophet
Samuel said to Saul, when the latter had transgressed the commandment
of the Lord: Disobedience is as the sin (mark, sin) of witchcraft. 1
Sam. 15:23. John says: All unrighteousness is sin. 1 John 5:17. James
says: To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is
sin. Jas. 4:17. (Mark what sin is). Paul says: Whatsoever is not of
faith is sin. Rom. 14:23.
From this and the like, my children, learn to know sin; as Paul says:
By the law is the knowledge of sin. I had not known sin but by the law.
The law causes sin to become exceeding sinful; for when it says: Thou
shalt not covet, sin takes occasion, and works in us all manner of
concupiscence. Rom. 3:20; 7:7,13. From this we also perceive, whereby
sin became sin, namely, by the command and prohibition of God.
Every one who transgresses the things which God has commanded, commits
sin, and it is also called sin, and punished as sin, fully and
abundantly, in both Testaments. The tree of knowledge was not unclean
for Adam, except through the commandment; his transgression was also
called sin. As regards the punishment for this sin, read Gen. 3:14.
The heathen daughters and wives were not unclean for the Jews, save
through the commandment of God, who would not have it. Concerning
the punishment, read Judg. 3; Num. 25. The sanctuary, or ark of God,
which was certainly clean, was not unclean for any tribe, to touch or
bear it, except through the commandment. Num. 4:17. The gods of the
heathen were not unclean for Israel, save through the prohibition and
proscription of God, also the commandment and the punishment. 1 Kings
15.
Behold, thus you can perceive whereby sin becomes sin, namely, through
the commandment, and the transgressing of the commandment; for where no
commandment is, there is no sin, for without the law sin was dead. Rom.
4:15; 7:8. For sin, or sinful action was in the world; but sin is not
imputed when there is no law. Rom. 5:13.
Now, dear children, as soon as you know sin, learn to shun it as you
shun fire; for if you approach sin, it will embrace you; but the stings
and wounds thereof cannot be healed. Sir. 21:2,3.
Therefore, learn now to understand further, what proceeds from sin,
and what are the wages of sin, for these are damnation and death. Rom.
6:23. It is enmity against God, because it is not subject to the law of
God. Rom. 8:7. Hence hear further the terrible, relentless and awful
punishment of God upon sin and sinners, which has ever taken place
and will yet take place. Take heed, my dear children, I counsel you,
as much as you value your souls, to this special, eternal punishment
of sin and sinners. Thus says the Lord: I have long time holden my
peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a
travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once. Who among you, he
says, will give ear to this? Who will hearken and hear for the time
to come? The day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce
anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners
thereof out of it. It is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, and the year
of recompense for the controversy of Zion. And the streams thereof
shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and
the land thereof shall become burning pitch. It shall not be quenched
night nor day. Is. 42:14,23; 13:9; 34:8, etc.
This impending calamity, the punishment and righteous judgment of
God, was announced and promised a very long time; for when Enoch, the
seventh from Adam, was upon earth, he said: Behold, the Lord cometh
with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to
convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds
which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches
which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. Jude 14,15.
Mark, that God threatens and gives sufficient warning before, as he did
to Assur: Woe be unto thee, Assur, thou that hidest the unrighteous
in thee! O thou wicked people, remember what I did unto Sodom and
Gomorrah; whose land lieth in clods of pitch and heaps of ashes; even
so also will I do unto them that hear me not, saith the Almighty Lord.
2 Esd. 2:8,9.
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out
of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and
shall cast them into a furnace of fire. Matt. 13:41,42. Then shall
the Lord say unto them on his left hand: “Depart from me, ye cursed,
into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: for I
was a hungered, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me
no drink.” Matt. 25:41,42. Behold, my dear children, thus shall it
then go with those who do not now while it is time, regard this, being
rich, filled and merry. For Christ says: Woe unto you that are rich,
for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full! for
ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and
weep. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! Luke 6:24–26.
When they lived, says Esdras, and received God’s benefits they did
not regard it; they despised his counsel while they had yet liberty,
and contemned repentance; therefore they must know it after death by
torment. 2 Esd. 9:10–12. While we lived and committed iniquity, we
considered not that we should suffer for it after death. 7:56. For
the wages of sin is death. Rom. 6:23. But, after thy hardness and
impenitent heart, thou treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day
of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will
render to every man according to his deeds; to them who by patient
continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, and honor, and immortality,
eternal life; but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the
truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation and wrath, tribulation and
anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil. Rom. 2:5–9.
Understand again, my dear children, into what great danger our evil
flesh plunges us here, slaying the soul. The lust and works of the
flesh cause eternal sorrow and loss of heaven. As Paul says: Walk in
the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the
flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh;
and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the
things that ye would. Now the works of the flesh are these; adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, evil lusts--(read to the end
of the seventeen points mentioned). And he says that they which do such
things shall not inherit or possess the kingdom of God. Gal. 5:16; 1
Cor. 6:9. Then it shall not be possible for any one to be spared from
the vengeance of God, whether he know God, or whether he know him not;
if he has been disobedient to the Gospel, he must bear the severity of
God. For Paul says: When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven
with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that
know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ;
(mark) who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the
presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall
come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that
believe. 2 Thess. 1:7–10.
To disobey the Gospel, is worthy of no small punishment; for he
that, in the sight of two or three witnesses, transgressed the law
of Moses (which is inferior to the Gospel in its saving power and
operation, Rom. 8:3), had to die without mercy, says Paul, of how much
sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath
trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the
covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done
despite unto the Spirit of grace? Heb. 10:29. These must expect a
terrible judgment, and the cruelty of the fire, which shall devour the
adversaries. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living
God; for God is a consuming fire. 10:31; 12:9. We know him that hath
said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense. 10:30. See, since
the Gospel is great of value and rich in saving power, therefore, on
the other hand, the refusing, abusing, despising and transgressing of
the same, is so much the greater crime and ingratitude, and deserving
of sorer punishment, as Paul says, concerning Christ: “See that ye
refuse not him that speaketh; for if they escaped not who refused him
that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away
from him that speaketh from heaven: whose voice then shook the earth.”
Heb. 12:25,26.
O my children, therefore this time of the Gospel, in which we now are,
is a very precious, valuable and acceptable time, as also the Lord
himself frequently declares in the Gospel: as: Had such mighty works
been done in Tyre and Sidon. Why do ye not discern this acceptable time
for you? Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see. Luke
10:23. Jesus says: Jerusalem shall be destroyed (on account of her
sins); because they did not know the time of their visitation. Luke
19:44.
O my dear children, learn to discern good from evil; learn to know
the wicked world, who think that they are holy men, Christians and
believers in God, but are the synagogue of Satan (Rev. 2:9); which
is evident from their whole spirit, life, and their wickedness; who
because of their wickedness cannot bear, or tolerate among them, the
lustre of the pious. But the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly
out of temptation, and to reserve the evil and unjust unto the day of
judgment to be punished; but chiefly them that walk after the flesh
in the lust of uncleanness. What God intends to do with such, he has
typified and shown to us by sinners of former times [as we read]:
For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to
hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto
judgment, and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth
person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the
world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah
into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example
unto those that after should live ungodly. 2 Pet. 2:4–6.
Understand here, that God spares neither the angels, nor the whole
world, because they were great in number or highly esteemed and chosen;
and thus it has often gone with great numbers, for the ungodly are not
the better for being many. As also Sirach well says: Rely not upon this
that the multitude of those with whom thou doest evil is great, but
remember that punishment is not far from thee. Therefore humble thyself
from the heart, for the vengeance of the ungodly is fire and worms.
Sirach 7:17,18. For as one that cometh nigh wild beasts, and is torn by
them, so it also goes with him that attacheth himself to the ungodly,
and mingleth in their sins. 12:13,14. One child that fears the Lord is
more acceptable to him than a thousand that are ungodly. Hence let no
one depend upon this that his companions in wickedness are many, nor
upon boasting of the mercy of God, before thy repentance; for when the
fire of the punishment of God is kindled, it consumes all the wicked,
great and small. Behold, the fire burned up the whole congregation of
the ungodly; and wrath was kindled over the unbelieving. He spared not
the old giants who perished with their strength. Neither did he spare
those among whom Lot sojourned, but condemned them because of their
pride, and destroyed the whole land without mercy, who had transgressed
all bounds in sinning. Thus he took away six hundred thousand, because
they were disobedient. How then should a single one that is disobedient
escape unpunished? For though he is merciful, yet also wrath is with
him. He can be appeased, but he also fearfully punishes. As his mercy
is great, so is also his correction; he judgeth a man according to his
works. The ungodly shall not escape with his spoils, and the patience
of the godly shall not be frustrated. Behold, before God a great
multitude is of little avail. He that sinneth must die. For every one
that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; though hand join
in hand, he shall not be unpunished. Prov. 16:5. The strength of the
ungodly is like a heap of tow which is consumed with fire. The way of
sinners is made plain with stones (it is true), but at the end thereof
is the pit of hell. Sir. 21:9,10. Hell also hath opened wide her mouth,
to receive great and small, prince and multitude. Is. 5:14. Many be
called, but few chosen. Wide is the gate, and broad the way that
leadeth to destruction, and many there be which walk in it. I further
say: The great majority will be damned and lost. This is too clear to
be denied. 2 Esd. 8:3.
Dear children, he that does not fear or believe God, does not regard
these awful assurances and sure threats, as also the Scripture says:
Such threatening is too far off, and when a wicked man heareth it,
he yet cleaveth to his folly and error. How truly does Solomon say:
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily,
therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged,
yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God. Eccl.
8:11,12. I have long time holden my peace, says the Lord; I have been
still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I
will destroy and devour at once. Is. 42:14. When a child is about to be
brought forth, the pains of travail slack not a moment; even so shall
not the plagues be slack to come upon the earth; the world shall mourn,
and sorrow shall come upon it. 2 Esd. 16:38,39.
O happy he who always fears; but he whose heart is hardened shall
fall into misfortune, as has been sufficiently heard. Mark here the
long-suffering of God toward sinners; but he nevertheless eventually
punished them. How truly does Paul say: God is not mocked. Thinkest
thou that I shall always hold my peace, saith the Lord, that thou dost
not fear me at all? But I will declare thy righteousness, and thy
works, that they are unprofitable. Then when thou shalt cry, let thy
companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them away, and vanity
shall take them, Is. 57:13. The holy Scriptures do justly call our
God a consuming fire. As to what fire this is, read Is. 10:16; Joel
2:3; Nah. 3:15; Zech. 11:1. Manasses truly says: O God, thine angry
threatening toward sinners is importable. Man. verse 5. Nahum speaks
thus of the fierceness of the wrath of God: The mountains quake before
him, and the hills fear. The earth shaketh before him, yea, the whole
circuit of the earth, and all that dwell therein. Who can stand before
his indignation? And who can abide before his anger? His fury burneth
like fire, and the rocks burst in pieces before him. Nahum 1:5,6. Micah
says: The Lord cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and
tread upon the high places of the earth. And the mountains shall be
molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the
fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place. For the
transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of
Israel, Mic. 1:3–5.
O who could write enough of such scripture admonitions! Truly, my dear
children, behold, he that recognizes the holy Scriptures, the Bible,
as the sure word, testimony, word and sentence of God, and considers
well worthy of belief what is written in the same concerning God, and
especially regarding his faithful warning against all sin, the promised
recompense for transgression, exemplified in his punishment of sin as
exhibited in many, together with all his strict and solemn oaths in
which he has denied his kingdom to the impenitent, as has already been
mentioned here in part, and will yet briefly be pointed out; such a
man, I say, may well tremble before God, and with David the skin and
hair of his head may shudder. And if there be but one spark of the fear
of God, and faith in his word, in his inmost heart, his laughter may
and must turn into weeping till he obtains peace instead of enmity with
God. In the first place I will speak of God’s warning against sin.
But, my dear lambs, I am deprived of time further to complete my
purpose and intention. This however was almost finished, but I intended
to improve it and to copy it in a far more legible and better form.
However, it is now done, and I must and will now disengage myself,
and prepare to die, as I think, in four days. And, behold, my dear
children, I rejoice in this, and am of good cheer in the Lord, and
trust not to spare my body for the truth, but to present it in worship
as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God. And I trust by the
grace of God, that I have been to you, my dear children, a father who
have set you a good example, in my life and death. When you attain to
the years of understanding, think thoroughly on it and so follow Christ
with me, as he has gone before us, in all suffering and holiness; and
we shall meet again, and this in eternal joy and in the kingdom of
heaven, forever.
My dear children, though you do not live together, love one another
the more ardently, and show your love in whatever way you can, as by
greetings and instructive letters to one another. Make copies of this
little book, so that each of you three children may have one.
I first send it to you my dear son Alewijn Hendricks, because you
are the oldest. Remember what I have written for your instruction;
communicate it also to your little sisters. Farewell now, an eternal
farewell, my three little orphans.
Written by me, your dear father,
HENDRICK ALEWIJNS.
HERE FOLLOWS A LETTER WRITTEN BY HANS MARIJNS, WHICH HE SENT FROM HIS
PRISON TO HIS BELOVED BRETHREN AND SISTERS.
_Always have God before your eyes._
Grace, peace and joy from God our heavenly Father, wisdom,
righteousness and truth, through Christ Jesus his beloved Son our Lord
and Savior; together with the comfort and illumination of the Holy
Ghost; these I wish you, much beloved brethren and sisters in the Lord,
as a friendly greeting and eternal adieu in this sad world, where
nothing is to be found but every sorrow of heart. I trust to go and
rest, with all the elect saints of God, under the altar, and hope to
wait for you there: to this end may the Lord grant us his grace, and
may he keep me, miserable sinner, unto the end, as I hope and trust he
will do. Amen.
Know, much beloved brethren and sisters in the Lord, that we are all
well yet, the Lord be praised; and it is still the purpose of us all,
to adhere to the holy truth of the Lord all the days of our life, for
which we can never fully thank the Lord. O dear brethren and sisters,
how could we fully thank him, that he so loves me unworthy one! I
hope by his grace, that I shall suffer for his holy name, and I trust
to hear with all the beloved saints of God: “Come, ye blessed of my
Father and inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of
the world.” Matt. 25:34. O dear brethren and sisters, what beautiful
promises are given to them that overcome: That they shall shine forth
as the sun in the kingdom of their Father; that they shall be of the
household of God; that they shall eat of the hidden manna, and of the
tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Rev. 3:12;
Matthew 13:43; Eph. 2:19; Rev. 2:17; 2:7.