because you are the oldest, to exhort you that you should begin to
fear our dear Lord, for you are getting old enough to perceive what is
good or evil; think of Betteken, who is about as old as you are. My
son, from your youth follow that which is good and depart from evil:
do good while you have time, and look at your father, how lovingly he
went before me with kindness and courteousness, always instructing me
with the word of the Lord. O if I had so followed after him, how light
would be my bonds! Hence, my dear son, beware of that which is evil,
that you will not have to lament afterwards: Had I done this or that;
for then, when it is as far as it now is with me, it will be too late.
Hear the instruction of your mother: hate every thing that is loved by
the world and your sensuality, and love God’s commandment, and let the
same instruct you, for it teaches: If any man will come after me, let
him deny himself, that is, forsake his own wisdom, and pray: “Lord,
thy will be done.” If you do this, the anointing of the Holy Ghost
will teach you all that you are to believe. 1 John 2:27. Believe not
what men say, but obey that which the New Testament commands you, and
ask God to teach you his will. Trust not in your understanding, but in
the Lord, and let your counsel abide in him, and ask him to direct you
into his ways. My child, learn how you are to love God the Lord, how
you are to honor your father, and all other commandments which the Lord
requires of you. Whatsoever is not contained therein, believe not, but
whatever is contained therein, obey. Join yourself to those that fear
the Lord, and depart from evil, and through love do all that is good.
O regard not the great multitude, or the ancient custom, but look at
the little flock, which is persecuted for the word of the Lord, for the
good persecute none, but are persecuted. When you have joined them,
beware of all false doctrine, for John says: “Whosoever transgresseth,
and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that
abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the
Son.” 2 John 9. The doctrine of Christ is mercy, peace, purity, faith,
meekness, humbleness, and full obedience to God.
My dear son, yield yourself to that which is good: the Lord will give
you understanding. I give you this as my last adieu to you. My dear
child, heed the Lord’s chastening; for whenever you do evil, he will
chasten you in your mind; desist, then, and call to the Lord for help,
and hate that which is evil, and the Lord will deliver you, and good
will come to you. God the Father, through his beloved Son Jesus Christ,
grant you his Holy Spirit, that he may guide you into all truth. Amen.
This, I, Maeyken Wens, your mother, have written, while I was in prison
for the word of the Lord; the good Father grant you his grace, my son
Adriaen. Write me a letter as to what your heart says, whether you
desire to fear the Lord; this I should like to know. But you must write
it better than the last two letters were written; the one which Maeyken
Wils brought however, was good.
Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God commit
the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful
Creator. 1 Peter 4:19.
THE FOURTH LETTER FROM MAEYKEN WENS, WRITTEN TO HER SON.
O my dear son, though I am taken from you here, strive from your youth
to fear God, and you shall have your mother again up yonder in the New
Jerusalem, where parting will be no more. My dear son, I hope now to go
before you; follow me thus as much as you value your soul, for besides
this there shall be found no other way to salvation. Thus, I will now
commend you to the Lord; may he keep you. I trust the Lord that he will
do it, if you seek him. Love one another all the days of your life;
take Hansken on your arm now and then for me. And if your father should
be taken from you, care for one another. The Lord keep you one and
all. My dear children, kiss one another once for me, for remembrance.
Adieu, my dear children, all of you. My dear son, be not afraid of this
suffering; it is nothing compared to that which shall endure forever.
The Lord takes away all fear; I did not know what to do for joy, when I
was sentenced. Hence cease not, to fear God, because of this temporal
death; I cannot fully thank my God for the great grace which he has
shown me. Adieu once more, my dear son Adriaen; ever be kind, I pray
you, to your afflicted father all the days of your life, and do not
grieve him; this I pray all of you, for what I write to the oldest, I
also mean to say to the youngest. Herewith I will commend you to the
Lord once more. I have written this, after I was sentenced, to die for
the testimony of Jesus Christ, on the fifth day of October, in the year
of our Lord Jesus Christ 1573.
By me, your mother, who gave you birth in much pain, as a memorial to
you. Preserve well this the adieu which your father wrote your mother
when she had been sentenced, and the adieu of your mother.
MAEKEN WENS.
* * * * *
Fear not them which kill the body.
THE FIFTH LETTER FROM MAEYKEN WENS, WRITTEN TO JAN DE METSER, MINISTER.
_Love God above all; he it is who is, and shall be._
The rich grace and peace of God the Father, and the love of Jesus
Christ; may he be your comforter. Though we must now die, we are better
off than you who remain in this vale of tears; however, one must bide
the time with patience till the Lord comes. O my brother in the Lord,
I would so gladly have written you a short letter, but my time has
slipped away, although I have been confined long enough. But I am such
a poor writer; hence you must excuse me, and think, if you were invited
to a table somewhere, would you not certainly be satisfied with that
which was prepared? So you must also be satisfied with my writing, for
I do not have much, and hence I cannot give much. And now I can also
not write much, because I have been sentenced; nevertheless I was so
full of joy, that I should not be able to express it with the mouth,
the Lord be forever praised for the great grace he has shown me, who
has feared so much. O what a strong God we have, compared with what
we see the wicked have. O let us have good courage; we shall devour
our enemies like bread. I go before you to-morrow; the Lord grant you
strength, that you may come to me, as I trust you will. But, my dear
brother in the Lord, always watch, for the Lord will come as a thief
in the night, when we least expect it, for this was my experience; it
is good then, that a man be not sleeping. But, dear Jan, I should have
written you more, but my time of delivery came on speedily, hence my
flesh begins to tremble somewhat; however this is the nature of the
flesh. I will herewith commend you to the Lord, and to the word of his
grace. Farewell, my dear friend Jan. I have written you this the night
I was sentenced, that you might have something from my hand, for old
acquaintance’ sake. Take my simple letter in good part, for I would not
have thought that I could write you so much yet after I was sentenced.
I will now bid you adieu here in this world; but I hope that we shall
see each other up yonder in the New Jerusalem, where parting shall be
no more. However, I hope that before this letter shall have been read,
I shall have entered into rest by the help of the Lord; and I also hope
to be an epistle which shall be read of all men. 2 Cor. 3:2. Adieu,
adieu, dear friend. Greet your dear wife much in my name, and tell her
that if she has seen aught in me which did not edify her, not to follow
me therein; but if she has seen anything that was edifying, to follow
that which is best. This is the good wish of my heart, written to you
on the fifth day of October, 1573. My fellow prisoners also greet you
much.
Written in my bonds, by me your weak sister, as much as I am able,
which is but little.
MAEYKEN WENS.
* * * * *
So persecuted they the prophets.
FIVE PIOUS CHRISTIANS, HANS VAN MUNSTDORP AND JANNEKEN MUNSTDORP HIS
WIFE, TOGETHER WITH MARIKEN, LIJSKEN, AND MAEYKEN, ALL BURNED TOGETHER
AT STAKES, AT ANTWERP, IN THE YEAR 1573.
The awful murderer’s den of the city of Antwerp, though full of stakes,
slain bodies, and the ashes of the saints, was at this time not yet
sated with the many massacres that were perpetrated for the sake of the
true faith on the innocent sheep of Christ. This appeared also in the
case of five pious Christians, namely, Hans van Munstdorp and Janneken
Munstdorp his wife, together with Mariken, Lijsken, and Maeyken. These
were, about the year 1573, while they were gathered to hear the word of
God, apprehended together and confined in the prison at Antwerp.
But when they could in no manner be turned from the steadfastness of
their faith, notwithstanding many terrible threats, disputations with
worldly, learned men, and other means were used against them, it was
determined to put them all to death, and this not in an easy or short
manner, but by fire, till life in them, should be extinct.
This was first put into execution on Hans van Munstdorp, who, about the
month of September of the aforesaid year, was taken out of the fold,
away from the other four, as a sheep for the slaughter, and, according
to the sentence passed, put to death with a huge fire, which severe and
grievous death he steadfastly endured, with a heart full of good cheer.
The reason why the other four persons were not put to death with him,
was chiefly because his wife Janneken Munstdorp was very far advanced
in pregnancy, and was soon to be delivered, which took place shortly
after her dear husband was burnt. She was delivered of a little
daughter, whom she, since she was now also soon to die, named, after
her own name, Janneken, and made great haste to get the child (before
the priests should lay hands on it) to the friends, to whom she
heartily commended it, and also wrote a testament full of excellent
instructions to this little daughter, when she was about a month old,
which testament the friends preserved for her.
When the time of her offering up was at hand, so that she was sentenced
on the 6th of October, to follow her husband by a like death; which
message also the other three women, namely, Mariken, Lijsken, and
Maeyken, received, for which they joyfully and willingly prepared
themselves, longing for the hour of their redemption.
This sentence was executed on them at the time and hour appointed, when
they offered up to the Lord a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable,
for which they shall hereafter be exempt from eternal fire, and
permitted to enter into the blessed enjoyment in the paradise of God.
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall
the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the
midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living
fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
Revelation 7:16,17.
With regard to these sacrificed friends, see a hymn in the Rotterdam
Hymnal, beginning:
_Och vrienden al te samen, hoort,
Hoe wy op Bamis-dagh waren verstoort, etc._
NOTE.--It appears to us from all the circumstances, that one of these
women, who is called Maeyken, bore the surname Wens, and that she is
the same martyress that has been previously noticed, as we have also
stated in that place.
A LETTER WHICH HANS VAN MUNSTDORP WROTE TO HIS WIFE, WHEN THEY WERE
BOTH IN BONDS IN THE PRISON AT ANTWERP, FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS
CHRIST.
An affectionate greeting to you my beloved wife whom I love from the
heart, and greatly cherish above every other creature, and must now
forsake for the truth, for the sake of which we must count all things
loss, and love him above all. I hope, though men separate us here, that
the Lord will again join us together in his eternal kingdom, where no
one will be able to part us, and we shall reign forever in the heavenly
abode. Hence I inform you, my beloved wife, that my mind is still
unwaveringly fixed to adhere to the eternal truth. [I hope,] by the
grace of the Lord, that this is also the purpose of your mind, which
I would be rejoiced to hear. I herewith exhort you my beloved lamb,
with the apostle: As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk
in him, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, and
suffer yourself not to be moved from your purpose through philosophy
or vain deceit of men, whereby they seek to seduce the hearts of the
simple, showing them in fair colors the apple of pleasure, whereby they
are deceived, even as there are some here, as you know. Pierijntgen has
also tasted of the apple, as I understand; hence, my faithful lamb,
take heed and lust not after evil things. 1 Cor. 10:6. And look not
back with Lot’s wife, lest you become like her. Gen. 19:26. Remember
the word of the Lord: “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and
looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62. Hence, my
beloved lamb, always remember, as the prophet says, the crown, which
shall come in the end, and of the vengeance that shall come upon the
ungodly. The prophet says: “Woe to the rebellious children that forsake
the Lord, the fountain of life; woe unto them for they that depart
from him shall be written in the earth.” Is. 30:1; Jer. 17:13. Hence,
my beloved, hearken not to them, for their work shall be found wood,
straw, and stubble in the day of vengeance, and it shall be burned
with fire, as is written. 1 Cor. 3:12,13. Therefore, my beloved lamb,
whom I so affectionately love and cherish as my own soul, persevere
steadfastly, this I pray you, till you are taken away, as I trust you
will do. And do not regard flesh or blood, for it must all pass away.
Though we have here a rejected and vile body, the Lord shall fashion
it like unto his own glorious body, on condition that we adhere to the
truth unto death. Phil. 3:21; Rev. 2:10. Take this in good part. Always
remember the eternal riches. I herewith greet you in the Lord, out of
cordial love, and also your companions; rejoice one another in the
Lord, be glad in the lions’ den, and trust in the God of Daniel.
Herewith adieu and farewell. Bide the time with patience; be patient in
the conflict, and rejoice in hope. Let me know, if you can, whether you
have received it. Always remember me kindly in your fervent prayers.
I hope also not to forget you, whom I would carry in my heart, if it
were possible. This butter, it seems to me came from Grietgen Wevels.
I greet you most cordially therewith. Adieu and farewell, my lamb, my
love; adieu and farewell, to all that fear God; adieu and farewell,
until the marriage of the Lamb in the New Jerusalem. Be valiant and
of good cheer; cast the troubles that assail you upon the Lord, and
he will not forsake you; cleave to him, and you will not fall. Love
God above all; have love and truth; love your salvation, and keep your
promises to the Lord.
NOTE.--Through a certain good friend a very affectionate and
consolatory testament of Janneken Munstdorp, the wife of Hans van
Munstdorp, has been put into our hands, which she wrote in prison at
Antwerp, after the offering up of her husband, when she was in daily
expectation of death, to her dear little daughter--to whom she had
given birth in prison, and who was now only about a month old--for a
perpetual remembrance, farewell, and adieu from this evil world. It
reads as follows:
[TESTAMENT,] WRITTEN TO JANNEKEN MY OWN DEAREST DAUGHTER, WHILE I WAS
(UNWORTHILY) CONFINED FOR THE LORD’S SAKE, IN PRISON, AT ANTWERP, A. D.
1573.
The true love of God and wisdom of the Father strengthen you in virtue,
my dearest child; the Lord of heaven and earth, the God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the Lord in Israel, keep you
in his virtue, and strengthen and confirm your understanding in his
truth. My dear little child, I commend you to the almighty, great and
terrible God, who only is wise, that he will keep you, and let you grow
up in his fear, or that he will take you home in your youth, this is my
heart’s request of the Lord: you who are yet so young, and whom I must
leave here in this wicked, evil, perverse world.
Since, then, the Lord has so ordered and foreordained it, that I must
leave you here, and you are here deprived of father and mother, I will
commend you to the Lord; let him do with you according to his holy
will. He will govern you, and be a Father to you, so that you shall
have no lack here, if you only fear God; for he will be the Father of
the orphans and the Protector of the widows.
Hence, my dear lamb, I who am imprisoned and bound here for the Lord’s
sake, can help you in no other way; I had to leave your father for the
Lord’s sake, and could keep him only a short time. We were permitted
to live together only half a year, after which we were apprehended,
because we sought the salvation of our souls. They took him from me,
not knowing my condition, and I had to remain in imprisonment, and see
him go before me; and it was a great grief to him, that I had to remain
here in prison. And now that I have abided the time, and borne you
under my heart with great sorrow for nine months, and given birth to
you here in prison, in great pain, they have taken you from me. Here I
lie, expecting death every morning, and shall now soon follow your dear
father. And I, your dear mother, write you, my dearest child, something
for a remembrance, that you will thereby remember your dear father and
your dear mother.
Since I am now delivered up to death, and must leave you here alone,
I must through these lines cause you to remember, that when you have
attained your understanding, you endeavor to fear God, and see and
examine why and for whose name we both died; and be not ashamed to
confess us before the world, for you must know that it is not for the
sake of any evil. Hence be not ashamed of us; it is the way which the
prophets and the apostles went, and the narrow way which leads into
eternal life, for there shall no other way be found by which to be
saved.
Hence, my young lamb, for whose sake I still have, and have had, great
sorrow, seek, when you have attained your understanding, this narrow
way, though there is sometimes much danger in it according to the
flesh, as we may see and read, if we diligently examine and read the
Scriptures, that much is said concerning the cross of Christ. And there
are many in this world who are enemies of the cross, who seek to be
free from it among the world, and to escape it. But, my dear child,
if we would with Christ seek and inherit salvation, we must also help
bear his cross; and this is the cross which he would have us bear: to
follow his footsteps, and to help bear his reproach; for Christ himself
says: Ye shall be persecuted, killed, and dispersed for my name’s sake.
Yea, he himself went before us in this way of reproach, and left us an
example, that we should follow his steps; for, for his sake all must be
forsaken, father, mother, sister, brother, husband, child, yea, one’s
own life.
I must now also forsake all this for the Lord’s sake, which the world
is not worthy to suffer; for if we had continued in the world, we would
have had no trouble. For when we were one with the world and practiced
idolatry, and loved all manner of unrighteousness, we could live at
peace with the world; but when we desired to fear God, and to shun such
improper ways, well knowing that this could not please God, wherefore
we sought to shun all this, and turned from idolatry to the worship of
the living God, and sought here in quietness and gentleness to practice
our faith, then they did not leave us in peace; then our blood was
sought; then we had to be a prey to every one, and become a spectacle
to all the world. They seek here to murder and to burn us; we are
placed at posts and stakes, and our flesh is given as food to the worms.
Thus, my dear child, it is now fulfilled in your dear father and
mother. It was indeed prophesied to us beforehand, that this was
awaiting us; but not every one is chosen hereunto, nor expects it;
the Lord has chosen us hereunto. Hence, when you have attained your
understanding, follow this example of your father and mother. And,
my dear child, this is my request of you, since you are still very
little and young; I wrote this when you were but one month old. As I
am soon now to offer up my sacrifice, by the help of the Lord, I leave
you this: That you fulfill my request, always uniting with them that
fear God; and do not regard the pomp and boasting of the world, nor
the great multitude, whose way leads to the abyss of hell, but look at
the little flock of Israelites, who have no freedom anywhere, and must
always flee from one land to the other, as Abraham did: that you may
hereafter obtain your fatherland; for if you seek your salvation, it is
easy to perceive which is the way that leads to life, or the way that
leads into hell. Above all things, seek the kingdom of heaven and his
righteousness; and whatever you need besides shall be added unto you.
Matt. 6:33.
Further, my dear child, I pray you, that wherever you live when you are
grown up, and begin to have understanding, you conduct yourself well
and honestly, so that no one need have cause to complain of you. And
always be faithful, taking good heed not to wrong any one. Learn to
carry your hands always uprightly, and see that you like to work, for
Paul says: “If any will not work, neither shall he eat.” 2 Thess. 3:10.
And Peter says: “He that will love life, and see good days, let him
refrain his tongue from evil.” 1 Pet. 3:10.
Hence, my dear Janneken, do not accustom your mouth to filthy talk,
nor to ugly words that are not proper, nor to lies; for a liar has no
part in the kingdom of heaven; for it is written: “The mouth that lieth
slayeth the soul.” Hence beware of this, and run not in the street as
other bad children do; rather take up a book, and learn to seek there
that which concerns your salvation.
And where you have your home, obey those whose bread you eat. If they
speak evil, do you speak well. And learn always to love to be doing
something; and do not think yourself too good for any thing, nor exalt
yourself, but condescend to the lowly, and always honor the aged
wherever you are.
I leave you here: O that it had pleased the Lord, that I might have
brought you up; I should so gladly have done my best with respect to
it; but it seems that it is not the Lord’s will. And though it had
not come thus, and I had remained with you for a time, the Lord could
still take me from you, and then too you should have to be without me,
even as it has now gone with your father and myself, that we could
live together but so short a time, when we were so well joined, since
the Lord had so well mated us, that we would not have forsaken each
other for the whole world, and yet we had to leave each other for the
Lord’s sake. So I must also leave you here, my dearest lamb; the Lord
that created and made you now takes me from you, it is his holy will.
I must now pass through this narrow way which the prophets and martyrs
of Christ passed through, and many thousands who put off the mortal
clothing, who died here for Christ, and now they wait under the altar
till their number shall be fulfilled, of which number your dear father
is one. And I am now on the point of following him, for I am delivered
up to death, as it appears in the eyes of man; but if it were not the
will of the Lord (though it seems that I am delivered up to death),
he could yet easily deliver me out of their hands and give me back to
you, my child. Even as the Lord returned to Abraham his son Isaac, so
he could still easily do it; he is still the same God that delivered
Daniel out of the lion’s den, and the three young men out of the fiery
furnace; he could still easily deliver me out of the hands of man.