Part 118

Know, that I have wept much, because you were grieved on my account, having heard that I said that I had often spoken to you about moving away from Assuerus, and that you did not do it; be content concerning this, my most beloved in the Lord; if it had not so been the will of the Lord, it would not have happened; the Lord’s will must be done, for the salvation of both our souls, for he will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able. Be of good cheer therefore, my most beloved in the Lord, and rejoice in him as before, praising and thanking him for having chosen us to be imprisoned so long for his name, having been found worthy thereto; he knows for what end he has ordered it so. Though the children of Israel were a long time in the wilderness, yet, had they been obedient to the voice of the Lord, they would have entered the promised land with Joshua and Caleb. Thus also we are here in the wilderness, among these ravening beasts, which daily spread out their nets, to catch us (Ps. 35:8); but the Lord, who is so strong, does not forsake his own, who trust in him; he preserves them from all evil, yea, as the apple of his eye; hence let us be content in him, joyfully and patiently take up our cross, and wait with a firm confidence for the promises which he has given us, not doubting them, for he is faithful that promised; that we may be crowned on mount Sion, and adorned with palms, and may follow the Lamb. I pray you, my beloved in the Lord, be of good cheer in him, together with all dear friends, and pray to the Lord in my behalf. Amen.

A LETTER FROM JEROME SEGERS TO HIS WIFE.

Grace and peace be with you from God the Father, and the mercy and love of the Son, and the power and communion of the Holy Ghost strengthen your faith, heart, mind and understanding in Christ Jesus. Amen. This I wish to my beloved wife, whom I before God and his holy church espoused as my own wife. Even as Abraham took Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, and Tobias, the daughter of his uncle to wife; so did I take you to wife, according to the word and command of God, and not as this wicked, blind world. For this reason I praise and thank the Lord night and day, that he spared us so long, till we became acquainted in part with each other, and had attained unto the knowledge of the truth; on which account they say that we lived in adultery, because we were not married like this idolatrous generation, in an idolatrous, carnal, vain, proud, and gluttonous manner, which is nothing but an abomination in the eyes of God. On this account they slander us, as they did Christ. Matt. 12:24. And though they may tell you to attend to your sewing, this does not prevent us; for Christ has called us all, and commanded us to search the Scriptures, since they testify of him; and Christ also said that Magdalene had chosen the better part, because she searched the Scriptures. Matt. 11:28; John 5:39; Luke 10:42. Moreover, my most beloved, though they ask you where your signs and tongues are, this must not hinder you; for the believers whom Peter and John baptized did not speak with tongues, but it was enough for them, that they believed in Christ. Acts 2:38. And also Stephen, who was full of the Holy Ghost, did not speak with tongues; nor did any of the bishops or teachers who were with Paul, perform signs, and speak with tongues; yet they taught the word of God blamelessly. And Paul says that the Holy Ghost distributes his gifts in the church; one has the gift of healing; another of prophecy; another of speaking with tongues; another the working of miracles; another the gift of exhortation; another of showing mercy; another of firm faith; and all these worketh the Holy Spirit, through whom they mutually assist each other to their own edification, and thus grow into a holy temple; and let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. 1 Cor. 12:7; Eph. 4:16; 2:21; 1 Cor. 7:20. Moreover, it is enough for us, that Christ prayed not only for his disciples, but also for those who should believe on him through their word. John 17:20.

Behold, my beloved wife in the Lord, how gladly the ravening wolves would murder the souls of the simple, with their lies and subtlety, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, in order to bring your soul into eternal death. Hence, beware of them, and hearken not unto them, since they are very crafty; but do as Christ says: My sheep hear my voice; they hear not the voice of strangers; hence no man shall pluck them out of his hand. See, my beloved, how Christ has warned us of this time; let us therefore look well before us, lest the subtle serpent deceive us. And know, that I have also been before the lords once, when I called to you, and that I then spoke in such a manner, that they let me in peace; though the others were arraigned twice after this, yet I was left unmolested. Once I also had a discussion with the priests in regard to the calling,[252] in which I so reproved them with the word of the Lord, that they became so angry that they struck on the table with their fists, and did not know what to say; for they said that Peter was a pope, and that St. Andrew read the first mass. I replied that they could not prove it in truth, and told them they were seducing spirits, and held the doctrine of devils. Then they went away.

[252] Calling or sending of ministers.

Moreover, know, my beloved wife in the Lord, I am sorry that you wept; for, when I heard that you grieved, I prayed the more fervently to the Lord, day and night, for you, and know assuredly, that he will preserve you as the apple of his eye. I constantly praise the Lord, that he has made us both worthy to suffer for his name, for which cause I greatly rejoice. When I read your letter, and learned how it was with you, and that you wished the crucified Christ to me, for a salutation, my heart and my spirit leaped up for joy in my body; so that I could not finish reading the letter, but had to bow my knees before the Lord (Eph. 3:14), and praise and thank him for his strength, consolation and joy, although I was afflicted on account of our brethren and you, because you have to be imprisoned there so long. I have committed you, together with the fruit, into the hands of the Lord, being confident beyond a doubt, that he will give you the same joy which he gives to me, and keep you unto the end. I experience such joy and gladness in his promises, that I never think on these torments, but only on the great promises which he has given to those who remain steadfast unto the end. I have such gladness, consolation and joy as I never had, yea, such joy, that I cannot utter or describe it, yea, that I did not believe that a person could have such joy in prison; for day or night I can scarcely sleep for joy, nor sufficiently thank and praise the Lord; for it seems as though I had not been here a day yet. Sir. 43:30. O that I might break my heart into pieces, and give it to you and our brethren! O that I could help them with my blood; I should so gladly suffer for them!

O my beloved in the Lord, I now experience how mightily, strongly and fatherly he preserves those who trust in him, and seek nothing but his glory; yea, what strength, consolation and joy he gives them; and how ignominiously he permits them to fall, who trust in men, and forsake and deny him; so that they get a torturing conscience, a sorrowful heart, and dreadful horror, yea, look for nothing but eternal damnation and the pain of fire, and expect to hear the terrible words: Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire; for the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. Matt. 25:41; Ps. 34:16. Behold, therefore, my beloved wife in the Lord, let us look unto Jesus the Finisher, how he went before us into death, for our salvation; for, behold, the crown of life is prepared for us; we shall sit with him upon his throne; we shall be clothed in white robes. Herewith I commend you unto the crucified Christ for consolation and joy; that he will keep you, satisfy you with his divine word, feed you with the bread of life and of understanding, and give you to drink the water of wisdom and the unadulterated milk, from the fountain of life. May he keep your soul unto salvation. Amen.

A LETTER FROM LIJSKEN, JEROME’S WIFE.

The grace, peace, joy and love left by Christ to his disciples be unto you. I earnestly beseech him, that he will give us such love and such a steadfast mind, that we may be found fit to receive the beautiful promises which he has given to us, if we continue steadfast unto the end. To this Christ be praise and honor forever and ever. Amen.

I cannot thank or praise the Lord sufficiently for the great grace, the unfathomable mercy, and great love which he has shown us, that we should be his sons and daughters, if we overcome, even as he overcame. 2 Cor. 6:18; Rev. 3:21. O, well may we say that true faith, which works by love, and which will bring us to glory, if we suffer with him is actuated by things not seen. Gal. 5:6; Romans 8:17; Heb. 11:1. Let us consider, dear friends in the Lord, what great love worldly men have towards one another. There are some in prison, I have heard say, who rejoiced when about to go to the rack, because they should then be nearer those whom they loved, though they could not come together in person. Hearken, my beloved brethren and sisters in the Lord, if the world has such love, what love, then, ought we to have, who expect such glorious promises! I also have before me the beautiful example of a bride, how she adorns herself, to please her bridegroom of this world. O, how ought we then to adorn ourselves, to please our bridegroom! O that we might be adorned as were the five wise virgins with oil in their lamps, to meet our bridegroom, that we might also hear the sweet voice: Come, ye blessed, inherit the kingdom of my Father. I pray the Lord day and night, to give us such fervent love, that we may not regard the torments which they may inflict upon us; yea, may say with the prophet David: “I fear nothing of all that men can do unto me.” Ps. 118:6. And this our pain, which is light and temporal, is not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Rom. 8:18.

Since, then, it is the will of the Lord that with Daniel I must remain so long in the den of lions, and await the howling and ravening wolves and lions, and the old serpent, which was from the beginning, and shall be unto the end; therefore, I entreat all my dear brethren and sisters, to remember me in their prayers; I will gladly do the same, according to my ability. O my dear friends, how can I sufficiently thank my heavenly Father, that he has made me poor sheep fit to remain in bonds so long for his name’s sake. I pray the Lord day and night, that this my trial may tend to the salvation of my soul, to the praise of the Lord, and to the edification of my dear brethren and sisters. Amen.

Nicholas op de Suyckeruye brought two priests to me, to instruct me, whom I answered by the grace of the Lord. They told me they were sorry that I had embraced this opinion, which they could not call a faith, but only an opinion, since we observed nothing commanded by the Christian church. I replied to them: “We desire to do or believe nothing but what the church of Christ commands us; but we will have nothing to do with the temple of Baal, or with other temples made with hands, after the doctrines and commandments of men, and not after Christ. With these we will have nothing at all to do; for Stephen says that the Most High dwells not in temples made with hands; but he said that he saw the heavens opened, and Christ sitting on the right hand of his Almighty Father. Acts 7:48,56. And Paul says, that we are the temple of the living God; if we do his will, he will dwell and walk in us. 2 Corinthians 6:16. They said that they were the sent, and those who sit in Moses’ seat. I replied to them, that in that case the woes spoken of in Matt. 23 applied to them. They asked me whether I meant to say that he who taught me these things, was sent of God. I said: “Yes; I assuredly know that he is sent of God.” They then asked me, whether I knew how a teacher ought to be. I answered: “A teacher must be the husband of one wife, blameless, having his children in subjection, no drunkard, winebibber or whoremonger.” 1 Tim. 3:2. They replied: “If we do wrong, it will fall on our own heads; the Lord is merciful.” I then asked, whether they would sin upon the mercy of God, and said it was written that we should not add sin unto sin, and say: “The Lord is merciful.” Sir. 5:5. We said much more; but it would take too long to relate it.

I told them that they were ever learning, and never able to come to a right knowledge of the truth. 2 Tim. 3:7. They then said that Christ said to his apostles: “To you it is given to understand, but to others in parables.” Matt. 13:11. I replied: “They who now rightly understand it, to them it is also given.”

Finally they crossed themselves over and over and said that I should find it out when I should stand before the judgment. That is true, I said: we shall there be appointed judges, to judge this disobedient and adulterous generation. Matt. 19:28. With this they went away. I also told them, that they had come from Satan, to murder my soul.

Once more I wish to my dear husband in the Lord, and to myself, the crucified Christ, as an imperishable joy and love, forever. Amen.

Know, my dear husband in the Lord, when I read that you rejoice so greatly in the Lord, I could not finish reading the letter, but had to pray the Lord, that he would give me the same joy, and keep me unto the end, so that we may offer our sacrifice with joy, to the praise of our Father who is in heaven, and to the edification of all dear brethren and sisters. Herewith I commend you to the Lord, and to the word of his grace. Know, that I thank you very much for the letter you wrote me. The grace of the Lord be with us always.

ANOTHER LETTER FROM LIJSKEN TO HER HUSBAND.

The abundant grace of God be with us both always, and the love of the Son, and his unfathomable mercy, and the joy of the Holy Ghost be with us forever. Amen. To him who has begotten us again from the dead, be praise forever and ever. Amen.

I wish to us both the crucified Christ for the protector and guardian of our souls; may he keep us in all righteousness, holiness and truth unto the end. And he will preserve us as his sons and daughters, yea, as the apple of his eye, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end. Hebrews 3:14. Hence, let us trust in him, and he will never forsake us, but preserve us, as he has preserved his own from the beginning of the world, and will let no temptation come upon us, but such as is common to man. Heb. 13:5; 1 Cor. 10:13.

The Lord is faithful, says Paul; he will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has made us fit to suffer a short, transient affliction for his name, through his beautiful promises, which he has given us and all those who remain steadfast in his doctrine. We may suffer here a little, but we shall be greatly rewarded. Wis. 3:5.

My dear, beloved husband in the Lord, you have partly passed through the trial, and have remained steadfast, eternal praise and glory to the Lord for his great grace! And I beseech the Lord with tears, to make me also fit, to suffer for his name; for all his chosen lambs are appointed thereto, since he has redeemed them from among men, to be the first-fruits unto God. Rev. 14:4. Yea, we know, as Paul says, that if we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him; if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him. 2 Tim. 2:12,11. Hence, let us not despise the chastening of the Lord; for, whom he loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth, as Paul tells us. Heb. 12:5,6. Herewith I commend you to the Lord, and to the word of his grace and glory; with which he will glorify us, if we adhere to it unto the end. The grace of the Lord be with us.

A LETTER FROM JEROME SEGERS TO HIS WIFE.

The grace, joy, and peace from God the Father, and the loving kindness and love of the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the communion and consolation of the Holy Ghost, strengthen, console and confirm and keep us, both in all righteousness and holiness unto the end. To him be praise forever and ever. Amen.

I wish to my chosen wife in the Lord, and to me, eternal joy, and the imperishable and incorruptible life, and may he grant, that we both adhere unchangingly to his divine word and eternal truth, unto the end; which he will also do, since he has promised it to us, if we continue faithful in what he has given us, and are willing to contend for it for his glory, even as he contended for our salvation, and was obedient to his Father unto death. If we also continue thus faithful unto death, we shall receive the crown of life, and inherit eternal life with him, and he will never forsake us; for the Lord will or can do nothing contrary to his word, for his word shall never pass away. Matt. 24:35. And he has so faithfully promised to keep us, if we do not forsake him; so that no one shall pluck us out of his hand; he will keep us as the apple of his eye, yea, as his sons and daughters. For, behold, my beloved, how faithfully he preserved those who faithfully served him; even as Noah was preserved in the ark, as Lot was led out of Sodom, as Jacob was preserved from his brother Esau, who sought to kill him, and as Joseph was preserved from his brothers, the sons of Jacob, Joshua and Caleb from all the heathen, and entered into the promised land, David before Goliath; Susannah before the false witnesses: Daniel from the lions; and many other examples too lengthy to recite. Hereby we may perceive, how faithfully he preserves those who sincerely fear and love him, and how ignominiously they fall who forsake him, as we may see from the beginning of the world, how it perished, on account of its wickedness, and how Lot’s wife was punished. Esau could not find his birthright again, and the whole house of Israel perished in the wilderness. See, my beloved wife, all this the Lord permitted to happen not only for the sake of those who had sinned, but also for our sakes, that we should see, how Christ is with the righteous, and preserves them, and how he forsakes and brings to nought the ungodly; for Paul says: “Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning.” Rom. 15:4.

Hence, let us diligently take heed, that we seek, fear and love the Lord from the bottom of our heart, faithfully serving, and not forsaking him; for Christ says: “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth” (Luke 11:23); even as we daily see how mightily he preserves those who trust in him, and how soon they fall who forsake Christ, and put their trust in man. Therefore, my beloved wife in the Lord, let us trust in the Lord Almighty, constantly look to Jesus, the Captain and finisher of our faith, always keep the crucified Christ before our eyes, faithfully follow him as he went before us, and patiently take up our cross, always remembering the words of Christ, where he says that they shall kill us, and will think that they do him service; and remembering that this is told us beforehand, that when it happens to us, we may not be offended; for the servant is not greater than his lord. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. John 16:3. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness, but unto us, the power of God. 1 Cor. 1:18. Hence, let us always remember the words of Christ: Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven, and before his holy angels. Matt. 10:32,23. Let us firmly trust in him, and he will not forsake us; for he does not forsake his own, but he prayed his heavenly Father, that where he is, he will that we shall be with him. John 17:24.

Hence, let the world call us heretics and Anabaptists and condemn us as much as they please; for Paul says: “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is ever at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things! Now, if God so loved us, when we were yet enemies, how much more shall we be preserved from wrath, seeing we are justified through his blood: for being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope; and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Rom. 8:33,34,32; 5:10,1–5.

My dearly beloved, let us therefore firmly trust the Lord, and patiently wait for his promises, even as the husbandman waits for his fruits; and let us not forsake him, and he will not forsake us. I have committed us both and also the fruit into his hands, to do his divine will with us, that his name may be glorified thereby, and that it may tend to the salvation of our souls, and to the consolation and joy of all that fear the Lord, and I firmly trust him, and doubt not, that he will preserve us as his sons and daughters, yea, as the apple of his eye. Know, that I rejoiced greatly, when I read your letter and that you write, that you pray the Lord with weeping eyes, to make you fit to suffer for his name. My beloved, be not anxious, but pray the Lord with a humble heart, to give us what is best for our souls, which he will doubtless do, and will not tempt us above that we are able. May he keep us in all righteousness, holiness and truth, unto the end.

Know also, my beloved, that they greatly tortured me, to find out the midwives where our sisters lay in child-bed; but the Lord, who kept my lips, was stronger than all their tortures. Eternal praise and glory be to the Lord, who does not forsake his own. They obtained no names from me, save one or two, which they had read to me from a letter, and which I told them, to see what they would say. But they asked me whether I was making sport of them, and tortured me still more, demanding that I should tell them concerning the women, and others, or they would torture me till the next morning, and stretch me a foot longer than I was. They told Gileyn to rack, and his assistant racked vigorously, and Gileyn poured my body full of water. They had me lying stark-naked on the bench, with nothing but the shirt to cover my shame. I was bound to the bench with four cords, so that it seemed to me, as though my head and legs were severed; but they obtained nothing more, praise and glory be to the Lord. When they released me, two or three of them had to lift me from the bench, and dress me; yea, it would not have been possible to endure the pain without the help of the Lord. They told me to consider the matter, and become a good son of the Roman church, and that I should indicate all those whom I knew, or they would deal more severely with me. I replied that I had not erred, and would far rather die than forsake my faith. They then said that they would come again; but they can do no more than the Lord permits them. John 19:11. Eternal praise to the Lord, who has made us fit for this, may he further fit us to become children of his Kingdom. Amen. My beloved wife, I commend you to the Lord and to the word of his grace.