of the little flock (Luke 12:32), that our sheaf may be gathered with
all the elect saints of God into one barn for there is a great storm
at hand. O that we were all worthy of the Lord; then we should indeed
have been born at a blessed hour! O I pray the Lord most heartily
for you, to keep you in his holy truth; so that we may hereafter be
crowned with praise and honor. O my beloved, the bringing forth is so
grievous to me; truly indeed does Christ say: “In the world ye shall
have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33. And also, further: “Ye shall weep and lament, but the world
shall rejoice; and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be
turned into joy. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because
her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she
remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the
world.” vs. 20, 21. We have now also much sorrow, and the world is
glad and joyful, and they do not once think how lamentably they are
under the wrath of God, as long as they do not become converted, and
show true repentance before the Lord. How applicable are the words of
Isaiah: Hell hath opened wide her mouth, that there may go in both
their princes and the common people: yea, they go to hell like sheep
to the slaughter. Is. 5:14. May the complaint ascend to the Lord of
heaven, that the false prophets so lamentably seduce the poor blind
people (Ezek. 13:10), and, what is still more, so miserably oppress,
persecute, rob, and make a prey for every one, those who seek to amend
their lives. Truly indeed does Isaiah say: Holy and pious men are taken
away, but no man layeth it to heart. Is. 57:1. Hence, my beloved, let
us not fear men, who must perish like grass; for the moth shall eat
them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool. 51:2,8.
O dear mother, they forbid the reading of the holy Scriptures, while
Christ says and exhorts us: “Search the Scriptures; for in them ye
think ye have eternal life: and they are they that testify of me.” John
5:39. For Paul also says: “Whatsoever things were written beforetime
were written for our learning.” Rom. 15:4. O how hard will it go with
those who so little esteem the Scriptures; they are those that call
good evil, and evil good. Is. 5:20. O that they might once consider,
how grievously they have incurred the wrath of God. I pray the Lord
most heartily, to open the eyes of their understanding, that they may
see against whom they are fighting, that it is against God and the
Lamb; but the Lamb shall overcome them. Rev. 17:14. For Isaiah says:
“Though a mother should forget her child, and forsake the son of her
womb, whom she brought forth herself, yet will I not forsake thee.” Is.
49:15. Yea, the Lord further says through Zechariah: “He that toucheth
you toucheth the apple of mine eye.” Zech. 2:8. And again, Isaiah says:
Fear not, O Jacob; when thou walkest through the fire, I will preserve
thee; and when thou art in the water, it shall not harm thee: for I
the Lord will keep thee. Is. 43:1,2. My beloved, his hand is not yet
shortened; he is still the same God that delivered Israel out of the
land of Egypt, and out of the hand of Pharaoh: who made the Red Sea a
way so that the ransomed of the Lord passed over. He is also still the
same God that fed them for forty years with bread from heaven, as is
written: He fed them with bread from heaven, and with angel’s food.
Psalm 78:25. He is also the same God that preserved Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego in the fiery furnace, and delivered Daniel out of the den
of lions, and many other holy fathers, concerning which an abundance is
written in the Scriptures.
Therefore, my affectionately beloved sister in the Lord, my heart
felt prompted once more to exhort you a little with the word of the
Lord, though you are yourself abundantly taught of him; for Paul says:
“Exhort one another [daily,] while it is called to-day” (Heb. 3:13),
for the Lord cometh as a thief in the night, as you may well perceive
in our case.
Further, dear mother, I thank you for the affectionate love which you
have shown me at all times; yea, even before I obtained your dear
daughter to wife you were always kind to me. I also thank you for the
good intercourse which we have always had together in peace (the Lord
be praised); for I have often rejoiced my soul with you. And now, my
beloved, I commend to you my dear wife and her two little orphans,
desiring that you will help exercise a Christian care over them, and
do not spare the rod on the children. Associate with R. as much as is
possible for you, lest she becomes despondent; for I know that I am
dear to her heart, and that she will therefore sorrow for a long time.
But exhort her to be patient in her tribulation; for every dispensation
of God toward us I hope will turn to the salvation of us all; for the
Lord knows what we need. My beloved, receive this brief exhortation
in good part as a testament, since it is written with a humble heart
and mind. Herewith I will commend you to the crucified, bleeding
Christ Jesus, and to the word of his rich grace. Amen. Adieu, my dear
mother, until another time, if we should here see each other no more.
Lauwerens, my fellow prisoner, and I, greet you and our acquaintances
in the Lord most cordially with the peace of the Lord.
ANOTHER LETTER OF JOOST VERKINDERT, WRITTEN FROM PRISON, TO HIS WIFE,
ON THE 23D OF JULY.
Grace, joy and peace from God the heavenly Father, and our dear Lord
Jesus Christ, who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own
blood; together with the consolation and communion of the Holy Ghost;
this I wish to be constantly multiplied in you, as a friendly greeting,
my beloved wife and sister in the Lord, informing you that I am still
tolerably well according to the flesh; and as regards the spirit, my
mind is still fixed to adhere to the eternal truth by the help of the
Most High, from whom we must expect comfort; for of ourselves we have
not one good thought, but much rather an aversion; for the flesh loves
life, since it is of the earth, and seeks nothing but what is earthly.
But I hope in the goodness and long suffering of God, that he will not
forsake me, but will keep me, according to his promise, as the apple of
his eye. My beloved, we are now put to a very severe test; for at no
previous time was there before us such an opportunity of being released
as there is now. For there are some that got out, who would have been
put to death three weeks ago; but as one of them was confined to his
bed by sickness, their day of execution was postponed, and in the
meantime the pardon helped them out. This pardon is also held out to
us as seductively as possible; they promise to restore to us that of
which we have been despoiled, and, to set us free, provided we should
renounce our second baptism, which we have refused, preferring rather
with old Eleazar, to die honorably, than to live with ignominy (2 Macc.
6:19): praying the almighty Father through Jesus Christ, to keep us in
this purpose, and to preserve us from evil. I also cannot keep from you
what happened to me. On Friday last, about evening, I was taken down
alone, to speak with one of the bishop’s underlings; whom I saluted,
and bade him good evening. He did the same to me, saying: “Good
evening, Joos.” I remained standing with my head uncovered, and he also
took off his cap, and made a long speech, and began greatly to praise
the name of God, since he left his saints the promise to abide with his
church unto the end. Thereupon I asked him, whether the apostles had
put the church in the form and ordinances in which it now stood.
He replied: “Yes, that is as regards the faith; and as touching the
ordinances, these the holy teachers instituted through counsels and
decrees, on account of certain causes that arose, even as it also
happened during the times of the apostles: that all the elders came
together, because contention arose in the church.” Acts 15:6. Then I
said to him, that the Lord had commanded the children of Israel very
strictly neither to take from nor add to the law; and how severely
Saul was punished by the Lord, because he, following his own mind,
had spared the king of the Amalekites, and the best oxen and sheep,
contrary to the command of God. Deut. 4:2; 12:32; 1 Sam. 15. Thereupon
he said: “The Lord had commanded him, to kill them all, and not to
spare them, and for this reason he was punished; but we neither take
from nor add to the faith.” I returned that they were nothing but human
plants. And Christ says: “Every plant which my heavenly Father hath
not planted shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders
of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into
the ditch. Matt. 15:13. Then he said, that plants were not doctrines;
but they are trees, said he, which are called men. I rejoined, that
Christ, Matt. 15, did not speak of trees. He said: “Yes.” I said: “No;”
so that he finally said: “I will let you have it.” He then asked me,
where I had learned the Scriptures, or by whom I had been instructed. I
replied that I had taken my foundation from the Scriptures, as Christ
teaches us, saying: “Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye
have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. (John 5:39.)
Hence, I searched, and asked the Lord for a right understanding and
wisdom.” Then he said: “O we must be instructed.” I said: “We had also
teachers.” He asked of whom our teachers had received understanding.
I asked him in return where the prophets and apostles had received
understanding. He answered, saying: “We are the ancient church, from
the time of Christ to the apostles, who first instituted the holy
church, and established it with many signs and miracles; and from the
apostles to Timothy and Titus, and to all the holy teachers, and thence
to all the holy popes and doctors even to the present day.” And we had
many other words, concerning baptism, which it would take too long to
relate; but we could not agree.
Finally, in parting, he showed me great friendliness, saying: “Dear
Joos, you err, and do not understand the Scriptures.” I said: “My lord,
even as you think that I err, so I think that you err.” He said: “Ask
the Lord for understanding.” I replied, that I did so. Guilliame, the
thief-catcher, was present throughout the whole conversation, and they
were both very deeply moved on my account, as I well perceived; and he
spoke much of the great pardon which had come from King Philip and the
Pope together. In parting, I asked him, whether any one might be put
to death on account of the faith. He answered, saying: “What else is
the magistracy for?” I said: “For the protection of the good, and the
punishment of the evil” (Rom. 13:3). He rejoined: “Peter killed Ananias
and Sapphira” (Acts 5:5,9), and with this some persons came in, so that
this remark received no reply.
Herewith I commend you to the Lord, and to the word of his grace. Greet
W. B. and all his acquaintances in the Lord, in my name, with the peace
of the Lord. Lauwerens, my fellow prisoner, also greets you with the
peace of the Lord.
ANOTHER LETTER OF JOOST VERKINDERT, WRITTEN FROM PRISON, ON THE 1OTH OF
AUGUST, TO HIS BROTHER W. AND I. HIS WIFE.
Grace, joy and peace from God the heavenly Father, and our dear Lord
Jesus Christ, who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own
blood; together with the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, who proceeds
from both the Father and the Son, to comfort all them that are in
tribulation and sorrow for his holy names’ sake. To him be praise,
honor, glory, dominion, power, and majesty, forever and ever. Amen.
This, and other divine virtues I wish you as a friendly greeting,
my very dear beloved brother W., and your dear wife I.; informing
you, that I am still tolerably well according to the time, for which
reason I thank and praise the Lord for his great grace which he shows
me, poor, weak and feeble servant; trusting that also you are well.
Know further, that I learned in my bonds, that Fra. sent word to Jo.
Ca., that he should look to his advantage, and that they would do
likewise. Having received this message, Jo. immediately fell sick,
insomuch that he was paralyzed in one side, and also lost his mind,
so that he took in and received the idol, and, consequently, received
the extreme unction, as a good son of the Romish church, and died the
9th of August, for a perpetual warning to us and all the godfearing.
Oh! my soul was very sad when I heard it. It is just as Christ says:
“Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it.” Luke 17:33.
Hence, dear brother and sister, let us take diligent heed, that we have
not received the grace of God in vain; for now is the accepted time,
now is the day of salvation. Let us therefore not give offense to any
one, but in all things approve ourselves as the ministers of God. 2
Cor. 6:1. Let every one strive to excel in good works; for whatsoever
good a man has done, the same shall he receive twofold from the Lord.
Hence let us always take heed to and follow the words of Christ, where
he says: Fear not them that kill the body; but rather fear him, which
after he hath killed hath power also to cast soul and body into hell.
Luke 12:4,5. Let us stand in awe of and fear him, I say; for before him
ungodliness cannot stand. But few there are that lay it to heart, even
as it has also been from the beginning, as in the time of Noah, when
there were but eight righteous persons. Again, in the time of Sodom,
when there were only three who could stand before the Lord. Likewise
the children of Israel, who were God’s peculiar people; the Lord did
not spare them, but destroyed them in the wilderness, so that of six
hundred thousand only two entered into the promised land, namely Joshua
and Caleb. O my dear brother and sister, how many there are falling
also in the wilderness of this world, though they were also delivered
by the Red Sea, namely, by the blood of Christ. And this need not
surprise us, since the Scriptures testify, that the present world was
created for many men, but the future for few. For it is indeed just as
the angel showed Esdras, namely, a city builded upon a broad field,
full of all good things; the entrance thereof was narrow and steep, as
if there were a fire on the right hand, and on the left a deep water,
so that there was only one narrow path between them both, so small that
but one man could go there at once; which city no man could or might
receive for an inheritance, except he first pass that strait. 2 Esdras
7:6–9. O my brother, now we are on the narrow way, which is strait
indeed, which no one knows better than he that is tried therein; for
we are now under the test; the almighty God grant us his grace, that
we may not be found to be hay, straw and stubble, but gold, silver and
precious stones. 1 Cor. 3:12. O my dear friends, the flesh is indeed
afraid; but when we consider and meditate on the beautiful promises
which are promised to them that overcome and remain steadfast, they
sweeten every pain; for now no chastening for the present, says Paul,
seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth
the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised
thereby. Heb. 12:11.
Thus we must also rapidly bring our days of sorrow to an end; for we
are sometimes as one that is in the throes of travail, and there are so
many grievous woes come upon us, that we would almost seem to perish.
Is. 26:17. Hence pray the Lord for us poor, weak prisoners; we do the
same also for you and all the godfearing. Herewith I will commend you
to the crucified Christ Jesus, and to the word of his grace, bidding
herewith adieu to my dear brethren and sisters. Greet in my name, with
the peace of the Lord, all my acquaintances, and also those not known
by sight, but known before the Lord; and always remember them that are
in bonds, as bound with them. And always persevere steadfastly, so that
we may find one another under the altar. Amen.
ANOTHER LETTER OF JOOST VERKINDERT, WRITTEN TO HIS DEAR WIFE, AND,
GENERALLY, TO ALL BRETHREN AND SISTERS IN THE LORD; IN WHICH AN ACCOUNT
IS GIVEN OF SEVERAL DISPUTATIONS HELD WITH THE BISHOP’S COMMISSARY
CONCERNING THE FAITH.
Grace, joy and peace from God the heavenly Father, and our Lord Jesus
Christ, who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and
hath shined in our hearts, and translated us into the kingdom of his
dear Son; together with the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, who proceeds
from both the Father and the Son, to comfort all them that are in
tribulation and sorrow. To him be praise, honor, glory, dominion,
power, and majesty, forever and ever. Amen.
This I wish you as a friendly greeting, my dear and beloved wife and
sister in the Lord, together with all fellow believers of our most holy
faith; informing you, that our mind is still fixed, to adhere to the
eternal truth, and to the faith once delivered to the saints, trusting
thereby to obtain eternal life, not through our own merits, but through
pure grace, and also because of the hope, that Christ with his faithful
mouth says: Whosoever loseth his life for my sake and the Gospel’s, the
same shall find it hereafter in life eternal. Matt. 10:39; Luke 17:33;
John 12:25.
O my dear brethren and sisters, let every one follow the advice of
Christ, and search the Holy Scriptures; for they are they which testify
of him. John 5:39. And Paul says: Whatsoever things were written
aforetime were written for our learning. Rom. 15:4. And let us not fear
men, which must perish like grass; but let us fear him which, after he
hath killed, hath power also to cast soul and body into hell; fear
him. Is. 51:12; Luke 12:5. For heaven and earth shall pass away, but
his word shall abide forever. Matt. 5:18.
Know further, that on the 17th of August we were both called down to
speak with the bishop’s commissary; and having come down we courteously
greeted him, and bade him good evening. He did likewise, asking: “Joos,
to what conclusion have you come?” I replied: “I pray the Lord night
and day for my greatest salvation, and the more I pray, the greater my
assurance becomes that I have the truth.” He said, that it was true I
was seeking my salvation, but ignorantly, like the Jews, who wanted to
be justified through the law. And, with folded hands, he made a long
speech and highly extolled and thanked the name of God, and of Jesus
Christ, that he had done all things so well, and had given the holy
church so many good ordinances, and promised to abide with it even unto
the end of the world. Then Lauwerens asked, where his church suffered
persecution. He answered: “That was seen three years ago, when some
of our people were killed by the Protestants.” I said: “My lord, if
the authorities did not protect your church with the sword, it would
soon come to nought, for it has no strength.” He said, that it was of
God, and had continued from the time of the apostles to Timothy and
Titus, and thence to all the holy teachers even to the present day. I
asked, whether the apostles had so observed or instituted them [the
ordinances] as they were now used by them. “Yes,” said he, “as regards
the faith.” I said, that they were far from the right way; for I had
previously shown him, that their ordinances were but commandments of
men; and Christ says: “Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not
planted, shall be rooted up. [Let them alone:] they be blind leaders
of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into
the ditch.” Matt. 15:13,14. I showed him, that Israel was forbidden
to follow their own opinions, but were to observe only what the Lord
had commanded; and I told him how severely Saul was punished by the
Lord, because he, following his own mind, had spared the king of the
Amalekites, and the best of the oxen and sheep. He answered, that Saul
did this contrary to the command of the Lord, but they did not; for
it was all instituted on account of certain causes that had arisen in
the church: even as in the time of the apostles; when there were some
that contended, a council was held. Also, that Paul commanded Titus,
to set in order the things which he had left uncompleted (Tit. 1:5);
and other words. Thereupon I told him of the pious king Josiah: that he
did not regard the ancient customs and ceremonies of his forefathers,
but that he destroyed all that had been instituted contrary to the
law, and commanded the law to be observed aright. 2 Kings 23. To this
he had but little to say. I also asked him, saying: “My lord, I am
much surprised, that you do not banish us, as they do in Germany the
Eastern country,[320] and England.” He said: “Whither would you go?
for whithersoever you go there you corrupt and seduce the people.” I
told him, that faith was the gift of God, and also, that not all men
had it. Eph. 2:8. He said: “You did have the faith, but now you have
adopted another”; and he added a simile: that we were like soldiers
that had run away from their lord without a passport, who were nowhere
free. I asked him, whether infant baptism was a taking in into his
church. He said: “Yes.” I asked again, why they did not go to Turkey to
take in children. He answered: “Nay; this does not belong to them, for
they are a rejected people.” I further asked him, by what scriptures
they might put us to death; which he assayed to show with the law; but
I said, that we were under the law of grace, namely, under the Gospel;
and Christ says of the tares, that they should be suffered to grow up
with the wheat until the harvest. Matt. 13:30. “He said we have other
scriptures, that the magistracy has not received the sword in vain”
(Rom. 13:4). I showed him, that the sword was given to the magistracy
for the punishment of the evil, and the protection of the good;
moreover [I said] I have not been disobedient to the magistracy, but
have obeyed it in all according to the power which it has received from
God. And when I had asked him, whether he had no other scriptures, he
said; “Peter slew Ananias and Sapphira.” I said: “With what, and why?”
He replied: “Because they lied.” “That is true,” I said; “for they lied
to the Holy Ghost, and had kept back and said nothing about part of the
price of the land which they had sold.” He said: “Nevertheless, he slew
them with the sword of his mouth.” And though I told him it was done
for evil doing, and without the sword, it was of no avail, he would
therewith prove his point that we might be put to death, and also added
the words of Paul: “I would they were even cut off which trouble you.”
Gal. 5:12. I replied, that Paul did not mean such cutting off as they
were now doing. He said: “Paul then did not yet have the magistracy on
his side.”
[320] Probably Austria, or the country bordering on the Baltic.--_Tr._