Part 213
I have written this, not to cast you down, but for the reason that you saints of God should rejoice with me in the Holy Ghost, and help me thank the Lord, that he has so faithfully helped me; and that you may know how wonderfully God works in his elect; as also a pious witness of Christ, Karstiaen L., has testified in his letter, and Joris the dyer, who was a witness of the truth with me here; and would not name those that were dead, for he said in himself: “If the devil comes upon the first step, he also comes higher.” O I think one loses his strength, in a measure, thereby; for I thought, though they do not know my master, and though I also know that he is gone, together with my dear, beloved wife, and others, yet they would not be satisfied, they are determined to torture me, and I want to be silent in regard to the one as well as to the other; it will now be made manifest, how the Lord helps those that trust in him. O what a joy is the victory through Christ; now my faith in Christ is tried, my fear of God, and my confidence which I had already before I came into bonds, my love to God and to his holy church, as the gold in the furnace and upon the touch-stone; for other trials can be borne tolerably well, when one has enough and can go where he pleases; but when one, with Job, is touched in his skin (Job 2:4,5), when the skin is lacerated, so that the blood flows, and this is repeated after four days, that touches the quick. O thou daughter of Zion, thou bride of the Lamb, be not dismayed, the Lamb shall gain the victory; be of good courage in the short conflict that is set before you, for all things are promised to him that overcometh; he that continueth faithful unto death shall receive the crown of life, and shall not taste eternal death, or the everlasting torment. I do not know that my torture lasted over two hours in all; but the threatening, the contempt, and the tormenting lasted somewhat longer. My most beloved, is this not a small torment? should one therefore forsake the truth? should one therefore deny the Lord, and burden his conscience by mentioning names? nay, when one is nevertheless frequently subjected to suffering. O no; the Lord himself fights the battle for us; to him alone be praise forever. Amen.
Thus, you beloved and saints of God, who have become partakers of the heavenly calling through Jesus Christ, despond not, nor be afraid of them that kill the body, for they have no power over the soul. I, unworthy one, have espied for you the help of the Lord; hence I bear witness of him, that he is a faithful helper in distress, as is written of him; yea (he says by the prophet), though a mother forget the son of her womb, whom she brought forth, yet will I not forsake nor forget thee. Is. 49:15; Heb. 13:5.
Hence, all you that believe the Lord’s promise, continue steadfastly. O that no one from despondency may keep back from any calling or ministry of the saints, according to ability; for no one may live to himself, or withhold himself; so that the work of the Lord may always be carried on with readiness; and help bear one another’s burdens; if it goes thus, it is a joy, and the work can be carried on without murmuring; and know, whatsoever good thing any one does, the same shall follow him. Eph. 6:8.
Excuse me for writing in general; I hope that the faint-hearted will hereby gain a little courage and confidence through my bonds; yea, I hope, that the afflicted will become more cheerful because such great help is found with the Lord, who is nevertheless not seen, for I testify to you with the apostle: “Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.” 2 Cor. 4:16–18. Now I can write and testify to the same with regard to this, that the suffering is light, because it is short; for when all my tortures were over, I do not know that I felt as much pain afterwards as I once suffered for a time from a little ulcer, of which my dear wife well knows, and that I had to bear and found no promise for bearing it. But if we bear this suffering for the Lord’s sake, all the principal promises are ours; yea, there are no more glorious or greater promises than these, namely: that they who submit to the sufferings of Christ, and through Christ overcome, to them the crown of life is promised; and there is also this testimony in our hearts, that we are not bastards; yea, we shall be honored and crowned by Christ himself. For this holy estate I know that I am not worthy; but the merciful, good God does nevertheless count me worthy to bear this reproach for his name’s sake; praise to him forever. Amen.
Herewith I will conclude this, asking you to excuse my simple letter; and I will commend you all, and particularly my most beloved brother-in-law, and my dearest sister, to the Lord, who is able to finish the good work which he has begun in you, that you may receive a full reward with Jesus Christ our Lord, whether I will go before, and await you there, that we may then live together in eternal joy.
To this end may the good God grant his grace, so that no one, because of this little torment, may forsake the way of eternal life, and thus become like the fearful and faint-hearted servants (Judg. 7:3), who cannot go into battle with Gideon, who do not believe in God, nor can set their seal to it, that God is faithful, almighty, and true. What there is promised to such in the Scriptures is manifest, namely, eternal torment, as to sorcerers and idolaters. Rev. 21:8. What will it avail them to have borne the name of a Christian, if one does not continue steadfast? then we must ignominiously perish, like the ten unbelieving spies. Num. 14:37. What does it avail to have been delivered out of Egypt, if one does not believe; for the unbelieving will all be destroyed? What did it avail Lot’s wife to have gone out of Sodom: for she looked back? Hence, all you beloved saints of God, strive valiantly for the truth unto death. And always have such a mind in you; and the Lord shall fight your battle, and you shall then, if you wait with patience for it, rejoice in the end, even as I do now. For a confirmation of the truth, read the holy Scriptures; there you will find how the Lord fought for Israel, for Daniel, Gideon and Jehoshaphat, and for others; though they had but little people, yet such great numbers were slain, that they could not take away the spoil in three days. 2 Chron. 20:25.
Furthermore, it is necessary and very profitable, to write comforting letters and send them to the miserable, forsaken ones, for they are greatly comforted thereby. Let every one do his diligence in this respect, as much as possible, and put forth your best endeavors herein, and pray the Lord for suitable means, without detriment to any one; likewise also, to visit them; but above all, constantly to pray for them, and to lift up holy hands with Moses, till they have finished the fight, and overcome against their flesh, against the sting of sin, and against the rulers of the darkness of this world, wherein Satan works. Hence let every one lay to heart what the apostle says: “Remember them that are in bonds, as though ye were in bonds. Heb. 13:3. When one member suffers, the other members suffer with it.” 1 Cor. 12:26.
Herewith adieu on this earth to all the godfearing; be of good courage; for courage lost, battle lost. I cordially greet you all in the Lord, but particularly my dearest brother-in-law and his beloved wife I thank you heartily for all your great friendship.
Commenced the last Thursday in February, and finished the first of March. I unworthy servant bear the marks of the Lord above both my hands and on my body; the name of the Lord be praised forever.
By me confined as a prisoner in the Vuylpoort, for the obedience of the gospel, I said to the jailer: Though I could knock the jail into pieces with my fist, I should not want to do it, lest he should get into trouble on my account.
JAN VAN KUYCK.
THE SECOND LETTER FROM JAN WOUTERSS, WRITTEN TO HIS BROTHER AND HIS SISTERS.
The eternal and merciful God grant you, my only brother and my beloved sisters, his grace through Jesus Christ, that you may together get a desire, taste and longing for your salvation, unto the end of your life. O that this would happen, dear Lord, what a joy would it be to us hereafter; which I hope will be so, that our old, venerable beloved father, and our venerable mother and their children, will find one another in life eternal. Amen.
In the first place, I hope in the Lord, that you with me have received a desire, taste and longing for salvation. Hence, I now exhort you a little, that you will increase therein, since the Lord has granted you his grace, and opened your eyes, so that you can discern good from evil.
Thus, my dearest, beloved brother, since you have received this grace, that you know and believe (as I trust you do) that God hates evil and loves righteousness, thank the good and omnipotent God for it, and particularly, that he has delivered us from the hands of Satan through Christ Jesus, and has according to his mercy begotten us again by the word of life, and has helped us in this acceptable time; in which time he has caused his saving grace to shine upon all men; and you, my dear brother, have taken heed to this saving grace, you have received, as I trust, this light, which is Christ Jesus. The Scriptures testify that to them that have received Christ (that is, who believe in him), power is given to become the children of God. John 1:12. Hence suffer yourself constantly to be governed, directed and guided by him, through his Spirit; for these are the true children of God, that are led by his Spirit; they are Christ’s.
Now, my dearest brother, be careful all your life, to guard well this good and most precious treasure: that you may live of it, and ever follow what the saving grace of God (namely, Christ Jesus who is our light), teaches us.
In the first place, the saving grace of God teaches us to deny the ungodliness of this world, and its lusts and desires; as Paul says: And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that is, after the mind of Christ. Tit. 2:11,12; Rom. 12:2. If you do this, you will walk in the light, and not in darkness, wherein the world walks. Beware, my beloved brothers, of the works of darkness, and have no fellowship therewith, but always separate from them, and touch not the unclean thing, namely, all evil; and you shall be a child of God, and remain one, if you abide in Christ unto the end. Eph. 5:11; 2 Corinthians 6:17.
I unworthy one, imprisoned for his name’s sake, affectionately beseech you, always adhere to the word of the Lord, and you shall never fall, and whatsoever you shall ask the Father in his name, that will he give you; though one thereby incurs suffering, we must not faint on that account, for it is made manifest thereby, that the way is narrow, and the gate strait, which leads unto life eternal. But this suffering is transient, and if we suffer with Christ, we shall also be glorified together; for the sufferings which men can inflict upon us, are short and light, and work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for though our outward man perish, which at all events must perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 2 Cor. 4:17,18,16, and when the faith has been kept, and we have overcome, all is sweetened by him who strengthens us, which is Christ; he helps us to triumph; this I experience best now that I am in the trial; to him be praise forever and ever. Amen.
But, my dear brother, think not that something new has happened to me, just as though it had not always been thus.
Read of righteous Abel, and you will understand the word of Christ, that the servant is not better than his lord. Matt. 10:24; John 13:16. Dear brother, the head, which is Christ, suffered himself; the members must follow; and it is a special sign of love, that he sends me this chastening, to prove me, whether I indeed fear, love, and trust him from the heart. In short, I deem it to be for my salvation; his holy will be done to my salvation. Amen.
Hence I now declare to you, my dearest brother, that this is and shall ever remain the only right truth, for which I now suffer for a little while. Thus, my dearest brother, diligently read the word of the Lord with devotion, and meditate well upon it, and always pray the Lord in every concern, with prayer and supplication in the Spirit, with perseverance; for if you live according to the word of the Lord, you shall prosper, and never fall (2 Pet. 1:10), for in the word of the Lord is our light, which is Christ Jesus. Let us follow him, and we shall get to him where he is; by our High Priest Christ Jesus, there I will await you, my dear wife, my daughter, our father, and mother, and sisters, if you all die in the Lord, namely, if you adhere to the truth unto the end, and follow the Lord, as I hope that you with all the saints of God will do, I will go before, and herewith write to all of you in this short time. Adieu; the almighty God grant you all his grace, that you may always have good courage to obtain your salvation through Christ Jesus; and be diligent in love, and be a pattern to one another in every good work unto life eternal.
Thus, my only, dear brother, I have now written you a little, for your remembrance, and to stir up your minds (2 Pet. 3:1), and for your consolation, that you fear not men, but only the almighty God, who is eternal. As for man, his days are as grass: As a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone. Ps. 103:15,16; Is. 40:6. Men are perishable; they cannot harm a hair of our head, unless the Lord permit them. And he will not permit them more than we are able to bear and keep the faith.
O it affords such peace, when one by the help of the Lord has kept his lips. Praise ye, all my friends, our strong and faithful God, who kept my lips in the first torturing. I hope and trust that he who helped me first is able to help me again, for he has promised it to us unworthy creatures (his words are yea in him; he is a faithful helper in distress, as David says): With the Lord help is found, he is our shield, our fortress, and the strength of the poor. But we must also trust him; who was ever confounded, that trusted in the Lord? Hence cease not to seek your salvation, and be not slothful in your business, but be fervent in spirit, patient in tribulation, and continuing instant in prayer. Rom. 12:11,12. But if you feel no fervor in you, pray the Lord for it, and he will give it you, if you only sincerely seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, as I trust you do. But beware of trusting in the world; possess your souls in patience; the Lord can easily in due time give you a godfearing person for a companion; but first diligently pray the Lord, to so order it that you will first unite with the godfearing. Write my brother-in-law a letter some time, and he may be prompted to write you also, and to advise you wherein you may need advice. I thank you for the friendship which you have hitherto shown me.
Written the second day after Matthew, in Lent, on which day I was again suspended twice and once scourged; but, my only brother, the strong God again kept my lips. Hence I pray you, rejoice with me, and praise the Lord, since I have great joy now; and be not dismayed in your mind because my flesh has suffered a little while; for now the good heavenly Father has tried my faith, as gold in the fire, whether I would also trust and fear and love him in the severest conflict. And now that he has found me faithful, from one tribulation to the other, so that through the grace of God I have overcome the rulers of this world (wherein I have greatly rejoiced from the heart), and this by the prayer of the faithful, and the co-operation of the Holy Spirit, henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of eternal life, to receive the same from Christ through grace. Thither I will now go before (and first put off this mortal clothing of the flesh), with the prepared burning lamp; for I have kept, and not denied, the faith, nor love, nor Christ. The faith is the oil, a pure heart and conscience the wick, and fervent love the light.
Do you also daily adorn yourself therewith, to meet Christ our Bridegroom; and take possession of the promised land, that is, the everlasting kingdom of God. But be not afraid on the way because there are many enemies, robbers and wolves in the wilderness, namely, in the world; and be not dismayed on this account, for I have passed through it all by the help of the Lord, and have spied out the country in advance for you and many of the godfearing, so that I can now write you that you need not stay back on account of the peril, and this because the Lord himself conducts our conflict; he fights for us, and he is certainly the strongest: for he said to Abraham; “Fear not; for I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” Gen. 15:1. Was this said to Abraham alone? Paul says, It is written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Rom. 15:4.
Consider former examples, how God fought for Gideon, David, Jehoshaphat, and others; the people [the hostile army] were slain without their having to lift up a hand. O my only dear brother, put your whole trust in the Almighty, for with him help is found, he is a true helper in distress, he does not forsake his own in all their tribulations; so that we may say with the apostle: “If God be for us, who can be against 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?” Romans 8:31,32. If he has manifested such great love towards us, how should he not preserve us in every extremity.
Believe this, that the good God is our debtor; if we unwaveringly continue to walk in his way, and cleave to him, and not forsake him, he will also not forsake us. This is certainly a sure promise; but if we deny him, he also will deny us. 2 Tim. 2:12; Luke 12:9. O how thoughtless, how unwise, yea, how unmerciful toward their poor souls, are they, who, because of this little, short suffering, through fear, forsake the way of life and choose another way according to their own mind, to escape the cross of Christ, and comfort themselves with a vain consolation in the way which they have found according to their own views: whose end is destruction. But, my only dear brother, do not follow these, for they that are such do not believe that God is almighty and true. Hence the Scripture says: Woe unto the faint-hearted! for they believe not; therefore shall they not be defended. Woe unto them that persevere not! how will it go with them when the Lord shall visit them? (Sir. 2:13,14,) yea, their part will be with sorcerers in the lake that shall burn forever. Thus, take courage with Joshua and Caleb; but you must firmly believe in God’s promises, even as you believe that God has created heaven and earth by his word; and you shall then devour all your enemies like bread, and through patience finish your conflict with the help of God, and take the promised land by force, for the violent take it by force. Num. 14:9; Matt. 11:12.
But, dear brother, the apostle testifies, and I unworthy one also, that we wrestle not only against the rulers of the world, but also against the spirits that are under heaven (Eph. 6:12), and as Christ says, that in the latter days many false Christs shall arise. Matt. 24:5,11. This I have also espied for you; for in the time of my faith many false prophets or false Christians have assailed me; now they came with this fair appearance, now with another. But the Lord, who would have all men saved, delivered me from all this and I cleaved to the word of God, as I heard and accepted it in the beginning; and my faith weakened not, though many apostatized who had seemed to be the most valiant. See, thus our faith is tried in many ways, and besides by the daily conflict that never ceases, for it is a lasting conflict; the Spirit wars against the flesh, and the flesh against the Spirit. Gal. 5:17. Herein I find myself troubled the most; my own sinful flesh was my most inveterate enemy, which has cost me many a bitter tear. Satan thereby sought to sift me as wheat; but now falling, now stumbling, I have come thus far through the grace of God; for I always struggled up hard by the grace of the Lord. But what was it, I would so fain have been perfect, but this weak flesh was always in the way; which must now suffer, and I hope to offer it up as a burnt sacrifice.
Thus, my dearest brother, I have explained to you a little what conflict a Christian must wage, namely, against flesh and blood, against false spirits, who have laid their subtle arrows upon the bow, to shoot in secret at the pious. Hence take unto you the armor of God; that you may be able to stand against the subtle assaults of the devil; and be girded with the girdle of truth: above all, take the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; and have your feet shod, so that you may always be well prepared for the gospel of peace; and take the helmet of salvation, the living hope, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; and pray always with all prayer and supplication. Ephesians 6:13–18. Behold, with these weapons of the Spirit we can overcome, and then the crown is promised us. But forget not that Jesus Sirach says: “My son, hast thou sinned? do so no more, but ask God for pardon for thy former sins. Flee from sin as from the face of a serpent; for if thou comest too near it, it will bite thee: the teeth thereof are as the teeth of a lion, slaying the souls of men. All iniquity is as a two-edged sword, the wounds whereof cannot be healed.” Sir. 21:1–3. Paul, too says: Mortify your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. In short, live according to the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the works of the flesh. Col. 3:5; Galatians 5:16. To this end the good God grant his grace, that you may grow up in faith, in love, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that you may become a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, and thus wait for the coming of Christ. Eph. 4:13.
O my dear brother, take care for your salvation; the time here is so short, and eternity is at hand. O heavenly Father, I humbly beseech thee, that thou wilt keep my only brother from all evil, and sanctify him in thy name through Christ Jesus, and ever guide him by the Holy Spirit, that we may rejoice together hereafter. Amen.
Adieu, my only brother on this earth; with Christ I will await you. I wrote the first page just after I had been tortured; hence it is somewhat badly written. Now my hand is a little better, but I still have the marks of the sufferings of Christ; his name be praised forever.
This I have written you in my bonds, the second day of March, A. D. 1572. By me your only brother, unchanged in mind, imprisoned for the testimony of Christ: hence be of good cheer; the faith is kept, I have striven unto blood, in the Vuylpoort at Dortrecht.
THE THIRD LETTER FROM JAN WOUTERSS, TO THE CHURCH OF GOD AT DORTRECHT, WHO WERE SCATTERED EVERYWHERE FOR THE TESTIMONY OF CHRIST.