faithfully keeps his promise. Thus, my poor orphan child, always be
resigned; though I and your father are now taken from you; know that
you have a Father in heaven, who will doubtless well provide for you.
And when you are old enough, give diligence to learn to read and write,
since it is very convenient, and most profitable in this distress,
for him that fears God, that you may sometimes read this letter; as
also the other letters, which your father left you; do read them, and
remember us both thereby. Dear Janneken, we have not left you much
of this world’s goods, and I have now not much to give you, but what
I have I give you. However, we leave you a good example to fear God,
which is better than much of the temporal goods of this world. Only
follow us, and you shall have wealth enough; true, you are poor here,
but you shall possess much wealth, if you only fear God and shun sin.
As the apostle says to the Hebrews: “My son despise not thou the
chastening of the Lord; for they that would be without chastisement
are bastards, and not sons or heirs.” Heb. 12:5. Hence, my dear lamb,
cease not, because of the cross, to fear God, for a Christian is not
made meet except by much tribulation and persecution upon this world,
and we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God;
for Paul says: “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution. 2 Tim. 3:12. And Christ says: “He that taketh not his
cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me; for the servant is
not better than his lord, nor the disciple above his master. If they
have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they
call them of his household. Matt. 10:38,24,25. If they have persecuted
the Lord, they will also persecute us; if they have hated him, they
will also hate us; and this they do because they have not known my
Father, nor me, says the almighty Lord. For his kingdom was not of this
world; had his kingdom been of this world, the world would have loved
him; but because his kingdom was not of this world; therefore the world
hated him. So it also is now: since our kingdom is not of this world,
the world will hate us; but it is better for us to be despised here
by the world, than that we should hereafter have to mourn forever.
But they that will not taste the bitter here, can hereafter not expect
eternal life; for we know that Paul says, that all that will live godly
in Christ Jesus shall be persecuted and be a prey to every one.
Thus, my dear child, this way the prophets and apostles and many
thousands of other godfearing persons went before us, for an example
unto us; and Christ himself did not spare himself for us, but delivered
up himself unto death for our sakes--how then should he not give us
all things? Hence, my dearest lamb, seek to follow this way, this I
pray you, as much as you value your salvation; for this is the only
way which leads to eternal life, yea, there is no other way by which
we can be saved than only through Jesus Christ, as Paul says: “Other
foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1
Cor. 3:11); by whose stripes we are healed, and through whose blood we
have been dearly purchased; for we have not been bought with gold or
silver, but through his bitter death, and his precious blood which he
shed for us. And we were as erring sheep in this world, but now are we
redeemed through his precious and dear blood, and he has now called
us to be heirs and first-fruits of Christ. All those that have died
unto sin, and amended their lives, and are thus risen with Christ into
newness of life, these no longer desire to live to themselves, but
their life belongs to the Lord: if they live, they live to the Lord;
if they die, they die unto the Lord; they are so resigned that whether
they live or die, they belong to the Lord. For, my dear lamb, what
shall it avail them that Christ died, who still continue in their sins,
and do not turn from this improper life in which they are still sunk,
as, drunkards, murderers, adulterers, idolaters, liars, backbiters,
or railers, who cannot please God, whose works proceed only from the
devil, all of which the Lord prohibits and says that except they amend
their lives, they shall not inherit the kingdom of God? and it shall
avail them nothing that he died, if they will not repent. They would
sin upon the grace of God, but they say not that he is just; he is
indeed merciful, but he is also just; we may not sin upon his grace.
Though we do our best to fear the Lord, and to renounce ourselves
according to our ability, yea, though we did all that he commands us,
which we are far from doing, we should only do that which is commanded
us; we must yet confess that we are unprofitable servants and have
not merited anything, but are guilty of eternal death. If he were not
merciful, we could not be saved; hence we may not sin upon his grace,
but always strive according to our ability to follow that which he
commands us.
My dear lamb, we can merit nothing, but must through grace inherit
salvation; hence always endeavor to fear God, for the fear of the Lord
is the beginning of wisdom, and he that fears the Lord will do good,
and it will be well with him in this world and in that which is to
come. And always join those that seek to fear the Lord from the heart,
and be not conformed to the world, to do as she does, nor walk in any
improper course of life; for the world shall pass away, and all the
nations that serve her shall perish with her. Nor have fellowship with
the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them; and be
transformed by the renewing of your life, that you may show forth the
virtues in which God has called you.
O my dearest lamb, that you might know the truth when you have attained
your understanding, and that you might follow your dear father and
mother, who went before you; for your dear father demonstrated with
his blood that it is the genuine truth, and I also hope to attest the
same with my blood, though flesh and blood must remain on the posts and
on the stake, well knowing that we shall meet hereafter. Do you also
follow us my dear lamb, that you too may come where we shall be, and
that we may find one another there, where the Lord shall say: “Come,
ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
beginning.”
Then our joy shall not be taken from us. Though they have separated us
here, so that we are taken from you, and must go before you, know that
it was the Lord’s will; if it had been his pleasure, he could easily
have ordered it otherwise.
Hence, my dear child, be content; he knows what he has determined
concerning you, that I must leave you here. Always be honorable and
courteous toward all men, and let your modesty be manifest to all men
when you have attained to your understanding.
I leave you here among my friends; I hope that my father, and my
step-mother, and my brothers, and my sisters will do the best with you
as long as they live. Be subject and obedient to them in every thing,
so far as it is not contrary to God. I leave you what comes from my
mother’s death, namely, thirty guilders and over; I do not know how
much it is, since I have been long imprisoned here, and do not know
what it has all cost. But I hope that Grietge, my dear sister, who has
shown me so much friendship, will do her best to give you what belongs
to you. And as to what may come to you from your father, I do not know,
since I can learn nothing about his parents, because it is so far from
here; if they should inquire after you, my friends may do the best in
the matter.
And now, Janneken, my dear lamb, who are yet very little and young,
I leave you this letter, together with a gold real, which I had with
me in prison, and this I leave you for a perpetual adieu, and for a
testament; that you may remember me by it, as also by this letter.
Read it, when you have understanding, and keep it as long as you live
in remembrance of me and of your father, if peradventure you might
be edified by it. And I herewith bid you adieu, my dear Janneken
Munstdorp, and kiss you heartily, my dear lamb, with a perpetual kiss
of peace. Follow me and your father, and be not ashamed to confess us
before the world, for we were not ashamed to confess our faith before
the world, and this adulterous generation; hence I pray you, that you
be not ashamed to confess our faith, since it is the true evangelical
faith, an other than which shall never be found.
Let it be your glory, that we did not die for any evil doing, and
strive to do likewise, though they should also seek to kill you. And
on no account cease to love God above all, for no one can prevent you
from fearing God. If you follow that which is good, and seek peace,
and ensue it, you shall receive the crown of eternal life; this crown
I wish you and the crucified, bleeding, naked, despised, rejected and
slain Jesus Christ for your bridegroom.
This I wish you for a perpetual testament, and for a perpetual adieu
and farewell my dearest lamb.
Remember thereby your dear father, and me, your dear mother, who have
written this with my own hand, for your edification; and always keep
this gold real with you, with this letter, for a perpetual testament. I
herewith bid you adieu and farewell; I hope to seal this letter with my
blood at the stake.
I herewith commend you to the Lord, and to the comforting word of his
grace, and bid you adieu once more. I hope to wait for you; follow me,
my dearest child.
Once more, adieu, my dearest upon earth; adieu, and nothing more;
adieu, follow me; adieu and farewell.
Written on the 10th of August, A. D. 1573, at Antwerp.
This is the testament which I wrote in prison for my daughter Janneken,
whom I bore and gave birth to here in my bonds.
By me your dearest mother, imprisoned for the Lord’s sake.
JANNEKEN MUNSTDORP.
NOTE.--With this testament we also received a letter which the same
Janneken van Munstdorp wrote to her dear father and mother, who, as it
seems, had not yet come to the true faith; who are by her exhorted to
the best, and to whom she in the meantime commends her little child.
COPY OF A LETTER BY JANNEKEN MUNSTDORP’s OWN HAND, WRITTEN AT ANTWERP
IN PRISON, TO HER FATHER AND MOTHER, ON THE 19TH OF SEPTEMBER, A. D.
1573.
My dear father and my dear mother, I wish you a true understanding,
and a contrite spirit in your hearts, to fear God, for an affectionate
greeting.
After all cordial and proper salutation, I now leave you my dear and
most affectionately beloved father and dear, beloved mother, without
forgetting all my dear brothers and sisters, whom I must now leave for
the Lord’s sake, and I expect not to see your faces any more in this
world, because I am imprisoned and bound here, and this for the Lord’s
sake, and am daily expecting to be sentenced to death.
Hence, my dear father, since the Lord through his great grace has
still given me time to write you a little, I am prompted to inform you
concerning my bodily health; hence I write to you, that I am still
tolerably well according to the flesh, and after the spirit I am still
determined to adhere to the living, almighty, eternal God, and not to
depart from him for any tortures which they may inflict upon me, for it
is written: “Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess
also before my Father which is in heaven.” Hence I know that this God
will deliver me out of all this sorrow, if I only remain faithful to
him, and seek no other God beside him; I therefore hope that he will
help me finish the good work begun by him in me, that his name through
me may be praised.
Hence, my dear father and mother, I would from the heart that it were
also with you according to the spirit, as it is still with me at this
present time; it would be a great joy to me, if you should yet come to
fear the Lord. O that you might yet at the last hour work in the Lord’s
vineyard; though you seem to be free, and are not imprisoned, you are
not certain of a single hour as to how long you will live.
Therefore, my love you also are commanded to watch, for in the last day
you will have no excuse that you can make, that you did not know which
is the narrow way that leads to eternal life, of which Esdras speaks,
on the one side of which there is water, and on the other side fire;
and there are many that know this way, but few that walk it.
Thus, dear father and mother, water and fire are set before us, and
we may choose which we will, life or death. Hence, dear father, we
have here in this life sought the salvation of our souls, that we
may exchange this death for eternal life, this corruptible for the
incorruptible; for the sufferings of this world are not worthy to be
compared with the glory that shall be revealed to us. Though we are
here robbed of all men, and accounted as a sport and spectacle to all
the world, they shall yet have to confess in the last day that they
shed the innocent blood; they shall then see whom they have pierced.
Though we are here accounted poor, we shall yet have much wealth, if we
fear God and shun sin.
Hence, my dear father and mother, though you must now sometimes hear
that I am imprisoned for a base sect, or heretical doctrine, which I
presume is said and has been said,--many things are said about us,
which are not true,--you well know that it is not for any evil, but
that it is only for the sake of our salvation. Though we are despised
here, it is nevertheless the genuine truth, and there shall never any
other be found; I have sought nothing else herein.
If I did not want to be saved, I should seek an easy life as gladly as
others; for he that would fear God must expect all these, tribulation,
suffering, bonds, and imprisonment, and we can nowhere have a free
place; for it is given unto us not only to believe in God, but also
to suffer for his name. Hence, my dear father and mother, though
I must here die for Christ’s sake, and men say all manner of evil
about me, let it not cause you sorrow: for if they have called the
Lord Beelzebub, how much more them that believe in him? Hence be not
surprised, and only deal kindly with my little child, which I bore and
gave birth to in great sorrow here in my bonds, which I love as my own
soul, so that I can not write of it without tears, when I think of my
dear husband, of whom I bore it, and that I must now leave it here.
But the Lord knows why he has so ordered it that I had to leave here a
little orphan child. I commend it to you, and to him who created and
made it; I trust that he will not suffer it to be wronged, though it
is here deprived of father and mother. The Lord well knows how I bore
it, and for whose sake it was; hence, exercise a parental care for it,
my dear father and you dear mother; as long as you live show the love
which you bear to me to my dear child; he that loves the tree, will
also love the branches.
O, oh! that the Lord would take it, what a great joy it would be to
me, since I must die. O that it had been the will of the Lord, that I
could yet have it brought it up, in what great regard I should have
held it for my dear husband’s sake; though I should have suffered want
with it, I should not have parted with it; but the will of the Lord be
done. I am possibly not fit to offer up a sacrifice to the Lord; he has
perhaps some purpose with me, that he still suffers me to be confined
here. I did not think that I would remain in confinement here so long.
Hence, dear father, I was much afraid of long imprisonment, and it has
now come upon me, which greatly grieves me, as I well know that the
expense here is very great, and that I am a great burden to my sister;
for she has great trouble and expense here, though I know that she does
it gladly from the heart. But, my dear father, I know that her ability
is not great, and yet I do not know how to thank her fully for it, nor
have I ever merited from her, what she has shown and given me; for she
has shown her love in time of need--one sometimes has friends indeed,
till he needs them. In time of need one will know his friends. O that
I had been taken away at the first, that you would not have needed to
have any expense on my account. But, my dear father and mother, I hope
that you will not leave me in need; I hope that you will help my sister
in paying for the board, though I wrote you in the letter, that it
should remain, that you should keep it for my child.
My father, you might well think that we did not have much to live on,
since we did not have much when we were married, and our married life
did not last long. Therefore I thought that you should keep that which
was, though it is not much, for my child; and since you wrote that my
sister would care for me, I thought that you were helping me therein,
though my sister has done her best to help me, and I know that it is a
great burden for her. And they have given me much, that I should not
go into the dungeon, which I was willing to do, because it lasts so
long, and the expense here is so great, though one is also not confined
without expense, in the dungeon, in which one also can not see; hence
they do not wish to leave me in want, nor to let me go into the dungeon
because of the money.
Further, dear father, I inform you that I sent letters with Hans van
der Dam, but I have not yet received an answer. If I am taken hence,
make inquiries whether there is still anything left; it would come my
child in good stead. I also wrote my child a testament, to remember me
and its father by it. When it attains to the years of understanding,
and you are still alive, cause it to read the same sometimes, that it
may know why its father and mother died. Further, dear father, I know
nothing special to write you; but if I should write you no more, and
I should soon enter on my journey, write me a letter speedily, how it
is with you and my child; and if you should, hear from Hans, have my
brother Passchier write a letter to send to his father.
Nothing special for this time, but I herewith take leave and farewell
from you my dear father and mother, and from all my dear brothers and
sisters; and for my sake do not forget my dear child; always remember
me by it. Once more adieu; greet my lady very heartily, and tell her I
thank her much for all the favor she has shown me; the Lord will leave
no good deed unrewarded. Herewith farewell; kiss my child for me, and
often visit it. And greet Pleuntjen and Lieven most cordially in my
name, and tell them that I request them to do the best with the child,
for I have the confidence concerning them that they love it for my
sake, for it is a pledge of love, which I love more than all else that
is upon the earth. I hope now soon to follow my husband, if it is the
Lord’s will. O that I might have died with him, to obtain the kingdom
of God together with him. Herewith farewell, my dear father and mother;
I commend you to God.
By me, your dear daughter, imprisoned at Antwerp for the testimony of
Jesus Christ.
JANNEKEN MUNSTDORP.
ANOTHER LETTER FROM JANNEKEN MUNSTDORP, WIFE OF HANS VAN MUNSTDORP, TO
HER SISTER; WRITTEN WHEN SHE WAS CONFINED IN PRISON AT ANTWERP, FOR THE
TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, AND SENTENCED WITH THREE OTHERS TO BE BURNT;
WRITTEN AT ONE O’CLOCK IN THE NIGHT, THE 5TH OF OCTOBER, IN THE YEAR OF
OUR LORD 1573.
The abundant and unspeakable great grace of the Father, and the mercy
of God, and the loving kindness and love of the Son: with the communion
of the Holy Ghost, who through grace has been sent us by the Father,
through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the comfort and joy of
all faithful, true children of God, by whom we are all guided, taught
and instructed; the same keep your understanding, heart and mind in
Christ Jesus, to the praise and glory of the Father, to the salvation
of your soul, and to the edification of all dear brethren and sisters
that fear the Lord and love the truth. The same God, who only is wise,
make you fit hereunto; to whom be glory, honor and power, might and
strength, forever and ever, Amen, and for a perpetual adieu. After
this, my heart’s wish from God, for an adieu, and a perpetual farewell
to you, my very dear brethren in God, and to you, my very dear and
chosen, affectionately beloved sisters, [I would say that] the time
has now come that we must part from one another; I shall now be freed
from all sorrow; sorrowing and sighing shall befall me no more. My dear
friends, adieu, adieu, we must now part here. Though the Lord has so
ordered it with me, I am yet constrained to write you once more for the
last time. True, I have written you adieu, but now it goes to my heart;
sentence has been passed upon me that I must die. I said to them, that
they should take good heed--that our blood should be severely required
at their hands. They said they did not do it, that it was the decree of
the king. I said that this would not save them; but the Lord forgive
you if you do it ignorantly; but I think that you, in part, know well
enough what kind of people we are. They washed their hands from it.
I said: “Pilate did so too.” They said that Pilate was a just judge,
and that we acted contrary to the king’s command. I said that we had
greater reason to obey God, than the king; it is a little matter that
you inflict this temporal death upon us, for we know not how long we
shall live, but we know that we must certainly die sometime; and I said
that they should take good heed with regard to shedding innocent blood.
Thus we four were sentenced, and it will now soon be over with us. My
dear brothers and sisters, the Lord has heard me, that I am permitted
to offer up a sacrifice for his name. I did not think that the Lord did
so love me: I have certainly never merited it of him; but he will make
me fit hereunto through his grace. O what a strong helper in distress
we have, who does not let us be confounded. How short has seemed to me
the time that I have been here, whereas I was previously so afraid of
it; and that he has so faithfully succored me in all my distress, and
now makes me so happy that I know nothing to say of sadness. O, oh! how
strong is our God; who should not want to fear him? of whom will we be
afraid? God is with us; who can be against us? At all events we must
here leave everything behind. I may well say that there was never more
joy in my heart, than I had when I was sentenced. My dear sister, fear
not men who must pass away like grass; for they can do no more than the
Lord permits them. My dear brethren and sisters, be not afraid; if the
Lord had permitted them, they would not have waited with me so long;
but now the Lord permits them. I am well pleased with it, that they
shall remove me out of this evil, wicked world, from the evil that I
might yet have had in it, so that I shall not be moved; for I expect no
joy in this world, because of my dear husband, who went this way before
me, and whom, by the grace of the Lord, I am now to follow, having long
waited for this time. I also go before you now; follow me. This is the
narrow way which the prophets and apostles went, who also had to drink
the cup which we must now drink. We shall now soon have passed through
this wilderness, as soon as we have drunk the bitter waters. Ex. 15:23.
The time of travail is now at hand; weeping and mourning shall then be
over. O what a joy this is in my heart, so that I cannot describe it to
you. O how mightily the Lord works in us poor, weak vessels; for I know
that I have never merited it from the Lord, but am worthy of nothing
but eternal death. If the Lord would enter into judgment with me, I
should in no wise be saved; but now I must expect salvation out of pure
grace, and I doubt not that he will remember my past sins no more, as
the prophet says: When a sinner turns away from his wicked life, and
does righteousness, he will remember his unrighteousness no more. Ezek.
18:21,27.
O my dear and much beloved, chosen sister, whom I greatly love from
the heart, and this out of a godly love, you have shown me so much
friendship, and assisted me in need, that I cannot fully requite you,
since I am now but a poor, weak creature, and about to pay all that I
owe, whether according to the flesh or according to the spirit. Hence,
my dear sister, I cannot reward you, but I thank you very heartily
(writing you still some more) for all that you have ever shown me. O
dear sister, you write me that I should forgive you what you may have
done amiss to me: O my dear sister, you have done nothing amiss to me,
but know that I fall short to you in many things; but I trust that you
will bury it with me, and remember it no more. I know that I fall short
in everything; but Christ died, to pay for that in which we fall short.
Did he not die a bitter death for us, whereas he was without spot or
wrinkle, and no guile was found in his mouth; how should we then not
gladly die for a righteous man? Hence let us not spare ourselves, but
willingly go into death for the name of Christ, and not fear what men
can do to us. Rom. 5:7; Heb. 13:6.
And, my dear brother and sister, be of good cheer; though men put us
to death, it is the will of the Lord. Pray, do not sorrow for me any
more; for I know that you have great sorrow on my account. It is now
all over; I shall soon have conquered my last enemy, and be able to
say with Paul: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course,
I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
righteousness.” 1 Corinthians 15:26; 2 Tim. 4:7,8.
I shall soon be an epistle to you, which may be read of all men. 2 Cor.
3:2. And, my dear sister, though we must part here, know that it is for
something better; we have neither hour nor time. It is so glorious to
die for his name, and Peter says: Rejoice if you suffer and endure for
well-doing; this is acceptable with God. 1 Pet. 4:14; 3:17; 2:20.