fellow-prisoners pray you, and this with bended knees and a sad heart,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (before whom every knee must
bow, and who shall also without respect to persons recompense every
one, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad),
that you will make peace and unity with the Lord; for blessed are
the peacemakers, says Christ; for they shall inherit the kingdom of
heaven; so that the pleasant mountain of the Lord, and the holy city of
Jerusalem, may be found in glorious appearance, with all her pleasant
fountains, from which the waters of the Holy Spirit spring forth
abundantly, into the hearts of the elect and holy citizens and of the
household of God, who are firmly founded upon the foundation of the
prophets and apostles, of which Christ Jesus is the true corner stone.
Herewith, I will bid my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, a final
farewell and Christian adieu, till we meet where parting shall be no
more, which is in the new, heavenly Jerusalem, where the King of kings
shall reign forever with the sceptre of his eternal, imperishable
kingdom. I herewith commend you to the Lord, and to the comforting,
rich word of his grace, by which word we are called in peace, to keep
the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Adhere valiantly to
the truth, and pray the Lord for us, as already written; we hope to
do the same for you, according to our weak ability. I hope that the
Lord will keep us unto the end of our life. O friends, I have such a
heartfelt desire for the day of my redemption, to rest under the altar,
Christ Jesus, with all our dear brethren and sisters that have been put
to death before us for the testimony of Jesus Christ, who did not spare
their lives, but willingly surrendered them for his holy name’s sake.
Thus, my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, hasten too, and betake
your hearts under the bloody banner of Jesus Christ, to help bear his
reproach without the camp of the Lord, and this from pure love without
fear. For he that feareth hath torment; but perfect love casteth
out fear, 1 John 4:18. O friends, where such love is, there love is
stronger than death, and jealousy hard as hell; the coals thereof are
coals of fire, and a flame of the Lord, so that many waters cannot
quench love. Cant. 8:6,7. Hence, let all your things be done in love,
and be steadfast and immovable, and abounding in the work of the Lord,
knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. I hereby humbly
pray you, to take my simple writing in good part, though it has not
been well arranged. For, friends, far be it, that I should think myself
fit to exhort, but I need to be exhorted myself; but I include myself
in everything that I have written here, for it has been done out of
simple, brotherly love, this the Lord knows; and I hope by the grace of
God to confirm it with my death, as seems probable according to what we
hear. The Lord strengthen us in our last extremity with his Spirit, who
is a helper in distress.
Finally, my dear brethren, rejoice, be perfect, be of good comfort, be
of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with
you. 2 Corinthians 13:11. Watch in the faith!
By me, a weak brother, a feeble member of the body of Christ, too
undeserving for all the mercy of God, and unworthy of his grace, to
suffer. O Lord, make me, unworthy one, worthy. Michiel Buyse and
Sijntgen Wens greet you much with the peace of the Lord.
JOOST DE TOLLENAER.
ANOTHER LETTER FROM JOOST DE TOLLENAER, TO HIS MOTHER.
Grace, peace and mercy from God our heavenly Father, through Jesus
Christ his only begotten Son and the Savior of the whole world; for as
by one man death came into the world, so by one man came life into the
world, that all that believe in his name should obtain eternal life.
May he strengthen and confirm you with his Holy Spirit in all your
tribulation and grief which you bear on my account; but be patient, my
dear, beloved, old mother, for your tribulation shall be turned into
eternal joy.
To the same only wise and strong, invincible God be praise, glory,
honor, power and blessing forever and ever.
After all affectionate and Christian greeting to you my dear and in
God beloved mother and sister in the Lord, whom I love from the very
depth of my whole heart, I inform you, that my mind is still unchanged,
hoping by the grace of the Lord to adhere to his holy truth, which I
also have not been ashamed to confess before men, and this upon the
consolation that Christ will also not be ashamed to confess me before
his heavenly Father and his holy angels, which will be an everlasting
consolation of reward for those who shall continue in the faith
steadfast unto the end. To this end may he strengthen and confirm me
and all those that are with me in distress, with his Holy Spirit, so
that he may ever rule in our hearts to the praise and honor of his holy
and most worthy and adorable name. For this I pray day and night in my
weakness; asking also your love, my beloved mother, that you will help
pray the almighty God for us poor prisoners, that we may keep the faith
in fervent love unto the end, to the salvation of our souls, to the
edification of our neighbor, and for a light unto the world.
O my dear, beloved mother, you who have given birth to me in such pain
and anguish, and have moreover brought me up with great carefulness,
with what should I be able to recompense your motherly love? I have
nothing with which I can fully requite it. But since you fear God,
standing in the same faith with me, I have a living hope to the
eternal, almighty God, that he shall give me strength in my faith, to
finish it to his name’s honor, and this I know will be greater joy to
your heart, than if I should bring you many pieces of gold.
Thereto I have good courage, for the Lord is faithful in all his
promises; for he forsakes no one that flees to him for refuge; but
he keeps his chosen as the apple of his eye. O how pleasant it is
to fear the Lord, for him that with a resigned heart puts himself
under obedience to the Lord. Hence let us always, as long as we have
the breath of life in us, walk in the pure love of the truth, as
children that are born of God, for God is love, and he that abides in
love abides in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:7,8. Hence Paul says:
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or
distress, or famine, or nakedness or peril, or sword? As it is written,
For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep
for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors
through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor
things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be
able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord.”
Hence Paul calls love the bond of perfectness.[347] Herewith I will
bid my dear and in God beloved mother, a Christian farewell and final
adieu. Adieu my chosen, beloved mother and sister in the Lord, and be
of good cheer in the Lord and grieve not too much on my account, for
parting must come once; but we expect, in the hope of faith, a heavenly
meeting, where parting shall be no more; there I hope to wait for you
under the altar of Christ. I pray you always to have good intercourse
with my dear wife after my departure; for I shall leave an afflicted
widow. Hence do the best as long as you are together; for, as far as I
understand, it may take an end with us this or the following week. The
Lord grant me strength in my last extremity. Adieu, my dear mother;
with an inward kiss of love and peace. Greet in my name my dear and in
God beloved wife, with the kiss of love and peace; and also J. F. E.
and V. T. with their company, and Stoffel and Margriete S., when it is
convenient. Farewell and a final adieu to all that fear God. I would
like to have it remain secret, that we write letters from here, for
they have troubled and vexed us on account of it. May the Lord open
the eyes of all our enemies, that they may see whom they pierce and
distress.
[347] The original has it, Hence Paul calls the bond of love a
perfectness.--TR.
By me, your beloved son, in all subjection, according to my weak
ability.
JOOST DE TOLLENAER.
A TESTAMENT FROM JOOST DE TOLLENAER, TO HIS DAUGHTER.
If thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for
understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as
for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and
find the knowledge of God. Prov. 2:3–5.
If thou wilt serve God, be in earnest with it, lest thou tempt him.
Eccl. 18:23.
Be not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit, rejoicing in hope,
patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer. Rom. 12:11,12.
Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and
they are they which testify of me. Jn. 5:39. Cursed be he that doeth
the work of the Lord negligently, Jer. 48:10.
I, Joost de Tollenaer, your father, was apprehended in Ghent, and
brought into the Saucelet (the city prison), in the corn market, after
ten o’clock in the night, of the 13th of January, 1589, and this for
the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. The Lord strengthen
me by his Holy Spirit unto the end of my life, and all those that are
in distress, without as well as in bonds.
_Betgen, this is your age, and is for your remembrance._
Betgen de Tollenaer was born on the 14th of August, A. D. 1574. God
strengthen you in virtue according to his will. And if I die for
the name of the Lord, the following letter is written to you for a
testament, and for a remembrance all your life. But if I do not die,
it is for the delight and instruction of your heart, that you should
conduct yourself, to fear the Lord your God.
Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this behooves all men.
By holy faith and love effectual
Man is saved through Jesus Christ.
May the only and merciful, almighty God, who is full of all mercy
and a Father of the afflicted widows and orphans; and a Ruler of all
those that trust in him, cause you, my daughter and child, to grow
up in wisdom and in the knowledge of the truth, so that you may know
and learn to fear the most high God, who created and made heaven and
earth, the sea and all the fountains of water. May the eternal almighty
Father, grant you this through Jesus Christ his only begotten Son, our
Lord and Savior. Amen.
Hear, my dear child Betgen, and understand my word, written to you in
the name of the Lord, and let my speech enter into your heart, and
receive it as a precious treasure of gold, that is, that you are from
your very youth to learn to fear the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, and with all your ability; and walk in all his
ways, and serve the Lord with the whole heart and soul, and keep the
commandments of the Lord your God, so that it may go well with you in
the land; and the Lord will give you his rich grace, and all manner of
spiritual blessings. For the fear of God is an overflowing fountain of
eternal life, which quickens heart and spirit, and creates a longing
and desire to hear the words of God; for they strengthen the inner man
in soul, spirit, and body.
Hence, my dear child, endeavor from your youth to shun and avoid evil;
for it will now be time to perceive and learn to discern what is good
and evil. For he that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it
shall be accounted sin. James 4:17. And the wise man says: That the
Spirit of God does not dwell in a careless soul, nor in a body that is
subject to sin. Wis. 1:4. Therefore learn henceforth to shun sin like
the face of a serpent. Hence be sober, of good conduct and modest, and
avoid all light company, which is carnal and worldly minded; for the
world and all the lust thereof shall perish, but he that doeth the will
of God abideth forever. 1 John 2:17. Hence have your intercourse with
those that fear the Lord, and walk in God’s ways; and you shall grow
up as a daughter of Sarah, which will be acceptable before the Lord.
Hence, my child, if you lack wisdom, you must ask it of God: who giveth
it to all men liberally, and upbraideth not. But he must ask in faith,
nothing doubting, and it shall be given him. James 1:5,6. Hence ask the
Lord your God humbly with bended knees, and this often and constantly.
Going, standing, working, always have the Lord before your eyes,
calling upon him with prayer and supplication, saying: O Lord, my Lord,
direct me in thy ways; give me wisdom that comes from the throne of thy
glory, and cleanse me from all my sins, that I may be worthy to become
a holy temple. Give me grace that I may be meek and humble of heart,
and little in my own eyes, so that thy Holy Spirit may dwell in me, and
that I may grow up in thy holy divine fear; to the eternal salvation of
my soul, and to the praise, glory and honor of thy holy, most worthy,
adorable name. O Lord, strengthen me, miserable one, since I am but
dust and ashes. O Lord, be merciful unto me, and help me forever. Amen.
And if you, my child, thus betake your heart with all humility to the
Lord, and unceasingly cleave to him with prayer and supplication, he
will delight in you, and abundantly give you the fear of God, and the
knowledge of wisdom. For the fear of God is a tree of life, and his
branches flourish forever, and his fruits are righteousness, peace and
joy in the Holy Ghost, and his leaves serve for the healing of the
nations; but none eat of the fruits save those that are born again of
water and of the Spirit; who, through baptism in Christ Jesus, have
buried the old Adam with all his carnal lusts; who renounce the devil,
hell, death, the world and all its false appearance, and henceforth
walk according to the holy will of God the Lord, with all the elect
children of God, whose names are written in the book of eternal life.
Hence fear God from the heart; not as the world does, who profess that
they know God but in works they deny him, being abominable unto God,
and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. Tit. 1:15. But God
has chosen him a peculiar and holy people, zealous of good works, to
do his will. 1 Pet. 2:9; Tit. 2:14. Hence we must above all, as I have
written before, diligently fear the Lord with an humble heart. Perfect
and upright was Job, fearing God, and eschewing evil; for to depart
from evil is understanding. Job 1:1; 28:28. Hence serve the Lord with
fear, and rejoice with trembling. Ps. 2:11. For the fear of the Lord is
the beginning of wisdom; it is a good understanding; and he that doeth
according to it, his praise endureth forever. And then the wise man
also says: The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, pride, and arrogancy,
and the evil way. Prov. 8:13. He that walketh in his uprightness
feareth the Lord; but he that is perverse in his ways, despiseth him,
and falleth in the snares of death. 14:2. For where one suffers in the
fear of God, for the name of the Lord, there are wealth and honor; and
the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and is in the depth
of the heart only with the faithful, and dwells only with the chosen
women, and is found only with the righteous and the faithful. The fear
of the Lord is true religion; it keeps and makes the heart good, and
gives joy and gladness; for he that fears the Lord shall prosper, and
when he needs comfort, he shall be blessed of the Lord. The fear of the
Lord prevents sin; for he that is without fear cannot please God. Eccl.
1.
Hence, my child, when it goes well with you, watch, and continue
steadfast in the fear of the Lord, and be not proud, for a haughty
spirit goes before a fall. Prov. 16:18. Therefore have God always
before your eyes in all your ways, and seek to please him with an
upright heart; and God shall be with you, and have compassion upon
your weakness, and wink at sin when it comes upon you unawares through
ignorance or misapprehension. But presumptuous sinning and obstinacy
are an abomination before the Lord, and he will not leave unpunished
such as thus lightly esteem his words. Therefore take heed to yourself,
that you be not a slave of sin. And give not your mouth to lying; for
the mouth that lieth slayeth the soul. Wis. 1:11. There is more hope
of a thief, than of a man accustomed to lie; for they are every man’s
enemy. A lying child is always hated, and whatever they speak, their
words are not hearkened to, and men hold them in derision. The devil is
a liar from the beginning, and abode not in the truth. Hence all the
ungodly are called children of the devil. When they speak lies, they
do according to the nature of their father the devil, who has always
continued a liar, wherefore he was also cast out of heaven. Hence,
my child, always speak the truth, for the same maketh not ashamed,
whether it be for or against you. Always say just as it is; for though
you have erred in something, yet if you speak the truth, it will be
overlooked more readily, than if you sought to cover it by lying; for
lies ultimately are made manifest and come to light, and then the liar
must with shame hear words of reproach, which is an abomination before
God and men. Hence Paul says: Lie not one to another, but let every one
speak the truth from the heart with his neighbor; for liars shall have
no part in the kingdom of God.
Behold, my dear child Betgen, I have set before you many excellent
and precious treasures, and all for your admonition. I pray you, take
them to heart, and often read them over; so that you may thereby be
instructed in the fear of God. And do not let this my letter (which I
have written with much pains in my prison, with trepidation, fearing
lest some one should suddenly surprise me), to lie there idle as a dead
fable; but lay it to heart, for a child that loves her father will
also love that which comes from her father, and often read it over
with delight, thereby remembering her father’s affectionate favor. For
as a man, that has his delight in a treasure of money, which he has
locked in his strong chest, often goes to contemplate the treasure,
to count it over, and to make calculations with it; so do also you
often look over and peruse this my letter; for it is of more value
than many pieces of gold, for it points you to the fountain of life,
whereby your soul may live for ever, if you will be subject to the
truth. However, my child, you are young yet, and your mind cannot yet
comprehend it all; but I hope the understanding will come yet. Hence
give good attention from your youth, to hear the words of God, and the
Lord will give you wisdom; buy it of the Lord, for he will give it
to you for nothing. Hence lay my words to heart, for they are not my
words, but the holy word of the Lord, which Christ himself has taught
us. Therefore, if you would be saved, keep the Lord’s commandments. For
he that loves Christ, and will be his disciple, the same will continue
in his word; with him he shall keep his supper in the kingdom of God,
his heavenly Father, and he will go before them and serve them, and
dwell with them for ever. But he that will be God’s servant here, must
submit to much temptation; he must also take his cross upon him, and
thus daily follow him; for Christ says: Ye shall weep and lament, but
the world shall rejoice; but be of good cheer: I have overcome the
world. Even as appears now, my child; because I fear God, and according
to my weak ability separate from the world, therefore the world hates
me. And through their wicked hatred and envy they have imprisoned me,
and it may very soon come to pass, that they shall kill me for the name
of Jesus Christ, and for the testimony of his holy word, wherein I also
stand steadfast through the grace of the Lord, to risk for it all that
I have. For I have nothing which I have not received from the Lord;
hence we must willingly surrender it again for his holy name, for what
we possess here in this world is but lent us; hence they are foolish
who set their heart upon temporal things. For he that fears God must
possess all things as though he had them not, for our goods are a prey
to every one. All they that fear God are thrust out of their houses,
and they will spoil and scatter them. By this it is known who are God’s
chosen children: they are tried as gold in the fire.
Therefore, my child, search the holy Scriptures; they shall show
you, that the godfearing must enter into the kingdom of God through
much tribulation and suffering. But the ungodly world is not worthy
to suffer for the name of the Lord, for they do not know the name of
Christ in the spirit. For if they had known him, they would in former
times not have crucified the Lord of glory. Hence, if they hated,
persecuted and envied Christ the Son of God, and said that he had a
devil, how much the more his disciples! But the Lord be thanked, all
their upbraiding, reviling and envying is of no avail, but the word
of God; and Christ says: Blessed are ye, when men speak evil of you
falsely; rejoice and be glad, for your reward shall be great in heaven.
Matt. 5:11,12. Peter says: The Holy Spirit of God resteth upon him.
1 Pet. 4:14. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our
consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 2 Cor. 1:5.
Therefore, my child, though the world upbraid you with it to-day or
to-morrow, you need not be ashamed, for I do not suffer for any crime,
as a thief, or murderer, or as one that seeks other people’s property;
but it is for the confession of my faith in Christ Jesus, namely, that
he is the true Son of God. Hence Peter says, that if one suffers for
well doing, it is acceptable with God. 1 Peter 2:20.
Further, my dear child Betgen, it is my fatherly request of you, if
I am taken away from you, that you may go to your uncle Lowijs, or
to your aunt Tanneken or Jacomijntgen, to live with them; or if they
think it best, they may put you with some good friends, to service.
Hence I pray you, that you will be subject to your elders, not with
eye-service, to please men, but with all courtesy and modesty, in their
absence, as well as in their presence, remembering that you serve not
only men, but God. Eph. 6:6,7. And always be diligent to do what they
command you, and be courteous and friendly; and you will be loved by
them. And always make yourself the least, and they will exalt and
praise you, and do not in anything think too well of yourself, and take
good heed not to argue against your elders, or with those with whom
you are living; for it becomes young people very ill to contradict
or talk back. And, my child, be also just in all your dealings, and
steal nothing from people, for this would be a very shameful thing,
if young girls or boys were discovered in any unrighteousness. Hence
take good heed to keep clean hands, this I pray you, as I hope you
will do. And whatever food or drink you see, take nothing therefrom,
for it would bring you into disfavor. Hence remember all that I your
father have requested of you, and keep it in your heart for a perpetual
remembrance; for with careful love I have written this for a perpetual
memorial, that you might at all times have or keep a good name.
Further, my beloved child, I must tell you yet, always to conduct
yourself honorably with all with whom you live; and be well behaved,
and show that you do not run into any fornication, which is an
abominable, deadly sin before God, and besides exposes a person to the
scorn of all men, and you could not attain to an honorable state. Hence
always take good heed not to talk, joke or play with any young men, or
to have much idle talk with them, lest through the lust of error you
fall into sin. Besides I advise you out of fatherly love, to lay to
heart all that I request of you, which will be an honor to you before
God and all men.
Behold, my child, if I be offered up now, and go the way of all the
earth (for all men are born once to die), be of good cheer and console
yourself in the Lord, and be strong, and attend unto the admonition
of the Lord our God, and lay it to heart, that you walk in his ways
and keep his judgments, testimonies, statutes and commandments, as is
written in the law and prophets. Hence, my child, when you live with
any, if they fear God, they will be bound to admonish and correct you
with the word of the Lord. This shall be a proof to you that they
love you and seek your soul’s salvation, for which you are also to be
thankful; but since you are young yet, you will understand it better
when you have more understanding. Therefore pray the Lord diligently,
to endow you with wisdom and understanding, so that you may grow up as
a green plant in Zion, and as the pleasant rose in Jericho, and as the
precious balsam that grows upon mount Hermon. Eccl. 24:14; Ps. 133:2.