his holy prophets and apostles, and he himself declared and taught
with his own mouth; and confess from this same teaching of the Gospel,
a holy Christian church, which is the communion of the saints, and
congregation of the believers, new creatures, and children of God,
which children are bound together in unity and peace with the bond of
love, and baptized into one Spirit and body, as Paul says; for they
confess one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all,
who is above all, and through all, and in us all. They have the mind
which was in Jesus Christ, and look not at the things which are seen,
but at the things which are not seen, for their conversation is in
heaven; hence they are also the temple of the living God, in which God
dwells with his Holy Spirit, which Spirit assures them; that they are
the children of God, and are justified by faith, and wait for all the
promises of God. These have the forgiveness of sins, and redemption
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Acts 24:14; 1 Cor. 12:13; 2 Cor.
5:17; Eph. 4:5,6; Phil. 2:5; 2 Cor. 4:18; Phil. 3:20; 2 Cor. 6:16; Rom.
8:16; Eph. 1:7.
In the fifth place, I further confess from the holy Scriptures, or word
of God, a baptism, both inward and outward. Inwardly, as Christ says,
with the Holy Ghost and with fire; and outwardly, with water, in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, in token
of all that has taken place within, as Paul says, that it is a burial
of sin, and also a washing of regeneration. If it then be a burial
of sin, and a washing of regeneration, as it also is, it is a vain
baptism which is used on infants, for infants, though they are born of
sinful seed, have never practiced sin, and do not know it, since they
understand neither good nor evil; and if they have never committed nor
known sin, baptism, which is a burial of sin, can not rightly be used
on them. And so they can also not be regenerated, since they are pure
through Christ and still in their first birth; hence, too, baptism does
not belong to them, since it is a washing of regeneration: but I say
that they are cleansed and redeemed through Christ, as Christ himself
says: “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me;
for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Acts 1:5; Matt. 3:11; 28:19;
Romans 6:4; Ps. 51:5; Deut. 1:39; Rev. 1:5; 1 John 1:7; Col. 1:14;
Matt. 19:14.
But when men grow up, and have attained their years, the heart, as
Jeremiah says, is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.
Hence there dwells no good thing in the flesh, but it departs from the
Lord in every respect, since through evil lusts and desires the flesh
is impelled to all wickedness and sin, whereby they often go astray and
sin, because they have little or no right instruction; hence they lose
Christ’s death and merits, under which grace they were when they were
first born. Men must therefore, according to the Scriptures, through
the power of the divine word, be taught to know sin; that sin and all
unrighteousness are sin; and they must be exhorted to repentance and
amendment, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, they should live
soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; and to become
new creatures, and regenerated children of God by faith, for we cannot
see, nor enter into, the kingdom of God, except we be renewed and born
again of water and of the Spirit. Which Spirit in the Scriptures is
called water as well as Spirit, even as God spake by the prophet Joel,
saying: “I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, that is, upon all
generations or nations, namely that have become lowly in spirit and
contrite in heart, and believe in God.” Which faith, as Paul says,
cometh by hearing the word of God. Hence I confess, that men must first
be taught, that they bring forth genuine fruits of repentance, believe
in Christ, and then be baptized upon their faith, as Christ himself
ordained this, and commanded his apostles, saying: “Go ye therefore,
and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you.” And in the sixteenth chapter of
Mark, he says: Go and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not
shall be damned. And the apostles did as they were commanded, as we may
read in the Acts of the Apostles, and in their epistles: they first
taught, and then baptized all the god-fearing with water, in the name
of the Lord, they that hearkened to their words and believed in the
Son of God received baptism, and this for a burial of sin and washing
of regeneration, for a fulfillment of all righteousness and the answer
of a good conscience toward God, for a covenant to live in holiness
and righteousness, and for an entrance into and uniting with the body
of Christ, which is the church of God; for by one Spirit we are all
baptized into one body, as Paul says: “Ye are all the children of God
by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into
Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is
neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all
one in Christ Jesus.” Jer. 17:9; Rom. 7:18; Gal. 5:17; 2 Tim. 3:16; 1
John 3:4; Tit. 2:12; 2 Cor. 5:17; 1 Pet. 1:23; Gal. 3:26; John 3:3,5;
Is. 44:3; Joel 2:28; Isaiah 57:15; Acts 16:34; Rom. 10:17; Acts 2:38;
16:31; Matt. 28:19,20; Mark 16:15,16; Acts 2; 16:14; 2:41; 8:12; Matt.
3:15; 1 Peter 3:21; Luke 1:75; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:26–28.
In the sixth place, I further confess from the word of God, a true
Supper, with bread and wine, by which we are to shew Christ’s
sufferings, and his death, and also to remember the new covenant, or
testament, which he made with his people, and sealed and confirmed with
his blood. Even as Christ himself instituted the same, and observed it
with his apostles, as is written: “That Christ the same night in which
he was betrayed, took bread: and when he had given thanks, he brake it,
and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you: this do
in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when
he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which
is shed for many: this do in remembrance of me.” But all that are to
eat this external bread, and to drink the wine, truly in remembrance
of him, must first be renewed and changed by the word of God, so that
they must be lowly of spirit and contrite in heart, and truly confess
Christ Jesus by faith, that he alone is their Redeemer and Savior; and
they must have love, unity and peace with one another, and must be
sanctified through the Holy Spirit, and assured in their conscience by
faith, that they are the children of God, and heirs, who through grace
shall be partakers of Christ’s great benefits, as, his merits, death
and blood, for his suffering is our rejoicing, and his death is our
life, as Paul says: “That he has reconciled us in the body of his flesh
through death, to present us holy and unblamable and unreprovable;
and made peace through the blood of his cross, by himself.” And hence
they are to examine themselves, as Paul says, and so eat of the bread,
and drink of the cup; for he that eateth and drinketh unworthily,
eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s
body. Hence Paul says: The cup of blessing which we bless, is it
not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break,
is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are
one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices
partakers of the altar? Thus the communion of the body and the blood of
Christ must be in us, and he that so examines himself, and through the
Holy Spirit finds in his conscience, that he is an heir of the great
benefits of Christ, and a member of his body, he may indeed use the
memorials of bread and wine with regard to it, as Christ says: “This do
in remembrance of me,” and Paul says: “As often as ye eat this bread,
and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Matthew
26:26; 1 Cor. 11:23; Heb. 9:12; Luke 22:19; Matt. 11:29; Col. 1:14;
Matt. 1:21; Rom. 8:16,17; Col. 1:20–22; Eph. 2:13; 1 Cor. 11:28,29;
10:16–18; Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 11:26.
In the seventh place, I further confess a true Christian
excommunication, which is an excluding or binding of the disobedient
sinner, and a releasing or loosing of the obedient penitent, even as
Christ wisely instituted and effectually taught the same, and his
apostles thoroughly expounded, used and also taught it, as Christ spake
to the apostle, saying: “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom
of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in
heaven.” And he also says: “If thy hand offend thee, cut it off, and
cast it from thee: it is better to have only one hand, and enter into
life eternal, than having two hands to be cast into everlasting fire.
And the same he also says in regard to the foot and the eye. Matt.
18:18; 16:19; 5:30; 18:8.
But though Christ taught his apostles all this, we do not find it
written, that the ordinance was used in Christ’s time by any disciple,
with regard to those who having transgressed or apostatized, caused
offenses; and this because of the law, which came to an end in the
death of Christ, and because the body was not yet perfect, and the
temple of the Lord not yet complete, since they were yet very ignorant,
and in many matters not fully instructed, as Christ says to them: I
have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into
all truth. Which spirit they must receive, before they could bind or
release any one with the key (which is the word and Spirit of God),
as Christ also indicates with these words, when he breathed on them,
and said: “Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whosesoever sins ye remit, they
are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are
retained.” Not that Christ gave the apostles authority, to forgive or
to retain any one’s sins contrary to his word, and thus to govern the
church according to their will: No; God forbid! They had to act without
respect to persons, even though it had been their right hand--retain
the sins of those who according to the word of God were under the wrath
of God, and proclaim grace and peace to the penitent, who according to
the same word were under the grace of God; and thus Christ appointed
unto them the kingdom as his Father had appointed it unto him. Rom.
10:4; John 16:12,13; 20:22,23; Luke 22:29.
But I repeat it, though Christ had so appointed and taught it to
them, yet, according to my view, they had then neither a command nor
authority to use the same, as already said, before Christ had ascended
up to heaven, having sent them forth, to preach the Gospel in all
the world, to every creature, teaching to observe whatsoever he had
commanded them. They also had to tarry in Jerusalem, until they were
endued with power from on high, and had received the promise of the
Father, which was the Holy Ghost, who was their teacher and power,
whereby they proceeded in this practice. And when the body was perfect,
and the temple of the living God complete, in which God dwelt with
his Spirit, the apostle effectually taught Christ’s institution and
ordinance of excommunication, and also used it, as we may read, how
the apostle delivered Hymeneus and Alexander unto Satan, that they
might learn not to blaspheme. And so he also punished the Corinthian
fornicator, concerning whom he had determined, when they were gathered
together, and his spirit, with the power of Christ, to deliver him
unto Satan, for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit might
be saved. Since the Corinthian church was very slack in regard to
using this excommunication in the case of him that had done that deed,
therefore he reproved them with severe words, as we may read in the
second epistle to the Corinthians, chapters 12 and 13. As he also wrote
to them, that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump, therefore
he says: “Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump.” And
thus Paul used excommunication, and also would have it used, even as
he writes to the Thessalonians, saying: We command you, brethren, in
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from
every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition
which he received of us. For in this epistle he had written to the
Corinthians, not to company with fornicators, and since they did not
observe it, or perhaps not well understand it, he explained it to them
more fully, and said: “Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this
world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for
then must we needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto
you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a
fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard,
or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat.” And thus I confess
that such carnal men, who thus sin against God, are, according to the
ordinance of Christ, with the word of God, as Paul has explained this
thus, to be excommunicated and excluded from the church, and that we
are also not to company with them, as the apostle says: “If any man
obey not our word, signify that man by an epistle, and have no company
with him, that he may be ashamed” or think with himself, that for his
presumptuousness and transgression he is delivered unto Satan (whom
he obediently served according to his will, and also hearkened to for
the sake of sin,) for the destruction of the flesh, which before the
fall lived and desired to live in sin; that he may be ashamed, may
humble himself, repent truly, and thus die unto sin, and the spirit
be saved in the day of our Lord. For as the word of God has power to
excommunicate the presumptuous transgressor, so it has also power to
teach and to avoid the excommunicated person, since excommunication is
ineffectual without avoidance. And as excommunication and avoidance are
thoroughly taught in the Scriptures, I confess both, since also Paul
excommunicated, and also taught, to put away him that doeth evil, and
says: “Keep not company with them; with such (as he there specifies) ye
shall not eat. Even as he also says concerning a man that is a heretic:
When ye have once or twice admonished him, reject him, knowing that he
that is such, is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.
For such cause contention and offenses, and their words eat as doth
a canker; hence the church is to avoid them, lest she be leavened or
corrupted by them. Matt. 28:20; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8; 1 Tim. 1:20; 1
Cor. 5; Gal. 5:9; 2 Thess. 3:6,14; Tit. 3:10,11; Rom. 16:17; 1 Timothy
2:17.
Let the reader be informed that Jacob van den Wege, the writer of the
preceding letter, owing to want of opportunity did not further carry
out or write down the articles of faith, though he was sufficiently
informed in all, and continued therein steadfastly unto death.
ANOTHER LETTER FROM JACOB VAN DEN WEGE, WRITTEN IN HIS BONDS, TO OTHER
PRISONERS.
The unfathomable abundant grace and mercy of God the heavenly Father,
the peace; holiness and merits of our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God,
and the joy, comfort and power of the Holy Ghost. This only, eternal
and almighty God, who alone is holy and good, grant you, my dear and
most affectionately beloved sisters in the Lord, who are now imprisoned
for the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ, this my salutation, yea,
the Lord grant it to you through his great goodness and benevolence;
this I wish you from the depth of my heart, as an affectionate and
cordial greeting. Amen.
Further, after all unfeigned Christian salutation, let my dear sisters
in the Lord, please, be informed, that we three prisoners, who now
are also in bonds, in Ghent, in the count’s castle, for the testimony
and doctrine of our Savior Jesus Christ, are still of good cheer, and
not changed in the least in our purpose to suffer with Christ, and to
strive for the truth. And we are also ready not only to endure poverty,
reproach, imprisonment, and bonds, but also to die for the name of
the Lord, if it be his pleasure; and all this by his great and mighty
power, with which he strengthens us through his great grace; to him be
praise, thanks and glory forever.
From your letter I also understood that it is still well with you four,
on account of which I and my fellow prisoners were much rejoiced, and
I pray God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has chosen us
hereunto from our birth, and through his great mercy and love has given
us his abundant grace, that he would keep and strengthen us unto the
end with his Holy Spirit, that his name may be praised and honored
forever through us all, for the edification of our neighbor, and the
salvation of our souls. O my dearly beloved sisters in the Lord, let us
continue steadfastly, and take good heed, that we do not neglect the
grace of God which he has so faithfully shown us, but well improve it,
for through neglect one may soon lose that for which he has labored so
long, and then it is sometimes very difficult to find it again. Hence
I say, let us take good heed, and hold fast that which we have, that
no one take our crown. For if we continue steadfast in that which we
have, we shall without any doubt be saved through the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Heb. 12:15; Rev. 3:11; Matt. 10:22; Acts 15:11. And to
this end (namely, to be saved) we have already begun; may God grant
us strength, that we may be able to carry it out to his praise and to
the salvation of our souls. For God knows, that on earth we seek no
other riches or honor, than the honor of his name and the salvation of
our souls, for which salvation we now with great patience endure here
so much affliction amidst sorrowing and sighing (all of which rises
from reproach and imprisonment), together with manifold conflicts and
temptations.
But, my most beloved, let us not become despondent in tribulation and
affliction, nor let us think it strange, as though some strange thing
happened unto us, for from the beginning of the world the righteous had
to suffer; but let us rejoice herein that we are partakers of Christ’s
sufferings, well knowing that if we suffer with him, we shall also
reign with him. 1 Pet. 4:12,13; 2 Tim. 2:12. For Paul says, that it
is given unto us, not only to believe on Christ, but also to suffer
for his sake; for we must through much tribulation and affliction
enter into the kingdom of heaven. Philip. 1:29; Acts 14:22. But the
sufferings of this world are not worthy to be compared with the glory
which shall be revealed in us, who look not at the things which are
seen, but at the things which are not seen, for eye hath not seen, nor
ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which
God hath prepared for them who love him and keep his commandments; but
he hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit. Rom. 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:18; 1
Cor. 2:9,10. Hence, my dear sisters, we ought to be comforted by these
promises, and work with a joyful heart in the vineyard of the Lord,
patiently endure the heat of the sun, and not fear what man shall do
unto us, for we know, and are sure through our faith, that if they kill
our body, our Redeemer liveth, and that he shall hereafter raise us up
from the earth, and then we shall in our flesh see God; our eyes shall
behold him and not another. Job 19:25. And Paul says, that we look for
the Savior, Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that he may
fashion it like unto his glorious body. Philip. 3:20,21. Then shall we
be caught up in the air to meet him, to inherit eternal life, and then
shall he fill our hearts with joy, and comfort us, and make us glad
after our tribulation, shall wipe our tears from our eyes, and shall
reward our labor, for sorrow and mourning shall flee away from us, and
everlasting joy shall be upon our heads, 1 Thess. 4:17; Rev. 7:17;
Isaiah 51:11. Yea, all this shall happen to us through his great grace
and if we firmly persevere and take good heed, and abide steadfast
unto the end in that which we have, we shall be saved. Herewith I will
commend you to the Lord, that he will keep you my dear sisters in the
Lord, with the strong power of his Holy Spirit. And take my brief
unfeigned letter in good part, for I had almost not written you at all,
because of my ignorance and simplicity; but through your request I
dared not forbear.
Written with my own hand, on the last day of April. Farewell. Amen. My
fellow prisoners also greet you most cordially with the peace of the
Lord. By me,
JACOB VAN DEN WEGE.
ANOTHER LETTER BY JACOB VAN DEN WEGE.
I Jacob, imprisoned for the name of the Lord our God, grace, peace,
mercy and love from God our heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, his
only Son our Lord, who delivered himself up for our sins, when we were
yet enemies, that he might redeem us from this present evil world, and
purify unto himself a people zealous of all good works. Rom. 5:10;
Gal. 1:4; Tit. 2:14. This I wish my dear sister in the Lord as an
affectionate greeting. Amen.
After salutation, my dearly beloved sister in the Lord, even as we
are both born of one mother according to the flesh, so I hope that
according to the spirit we are also born of one God, for we confess,
and believe in one eternal God, Creator of all things and by faith he
has regenerated us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind
of first fruits of his creatures, as the apostle says: “Whosoever
believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that
loveth him that begat, loveth also him that is begotten of him.”
Therefore, he that loveth God, and is begotten of him, must love
the brethren, for he that loveth not his brother abideth in death,
and whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer; and ye know that no
murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. James 1:18; 1 John 5:1;
3:14, 15. Hence Peter says: “Purify your souls in obeying the truth
through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, being born
again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of
God, which liveth and abideth forever.” 1 Peter 1:22,23. As also Paul
says: “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk
in love as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us,
an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet smelling savor. Eph.
5:1,2. My dear sister, put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and
beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness,
long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if
any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you so also
do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of
perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which
also ye are called in one body, and be ye thankful. Let the word of
Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one
another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in
your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all
in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by
him. Col. 3:12–17.
Hence, my dear sister, constantly walk devoutly in all things, and be
faithful to him who hath called you out of darkness into his light,
from lies into the truth, and from hatred into love; and therefore
are you called, that you should walk in the light, in the truth, and
in love; and by this, says Christ, shall all men know that ye are my
disciples, if ye have love one to another. Yea, my dear sister, the
end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good
conscience, and of faith unfeigned. 1 Peter 2:9.; John 12:35; Eph. 5:8;
John 13:35; 1 Tim. 1:5.
Herewith I commend you to the Lord, and to the comforting word of his
grace. The God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord
Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the
everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his
will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through
Jesus Christ; to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Heb. 13:20,21.
Written on the 4th of July, A. D. 1573. Keep this in remembrance of
me your weak brother in the Lord, and do not forget me and my fellow
prisoners in your prayers; we will do likewise according to our weak
ability.
JACOB VAN DEN WEGE.
THE LAST WORDS WRITTEN BY JACOB VAN DEN WEGE, AFTER HE HAD RECEIVED
WORD THAT HE WAS TO DIE.