Part 225
Thus, my very dear wife, despair not, when you are tried by the Lord; for after he has wounded, says Job, he can heal again; for he kills, and makes alive again, he leads into hell, and out again. Job 5:18; Deut. 32:39.
Thus, my very dear wife, cleave firmly to the Lord, and diligently exercise yourself in godliness, and you shall find that godliness is mightier than all things; for wisdom did not forsake the righteous when he was sold, but delivered him from sin; she went down with him into the pit, and left him not in bonds, till she brought him the sceptre of the kingdom, and power against those that oppressed him. Wis. 10:13,14.
Thus, my dear wife, though we are now for a little while in tribulation, let us possess our souls with patience, for God shall exalt us over all those that now do violence to and oppress us, for Christ says in the gospel: “Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep; but rejoice ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.” Luke 6:25,21.
Therefore, O my very dear wife, let us bear the heat of the sun, yet a little longer, and give our back to the smiters; for yet a little while, and he that shall come will come. Is. 50:6; Heb. 10:37. Therefore, O my love, let us willingly help bear his reproach without the camp, and remember that the servant is not better than his Lord; for if they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? Hebrews 13:13; Matt. 10:24,25. Ah, if they have done these things in a green tree, what shall they do to us dry trees? Luke 23:31. Let us therefore lift up the idle hands which hang down, and, according to Isaiah’s writing, confirm the feeble knees, to make straight path’s for our feet, and run, according to Paul’s teaching, with patience the race that is set before us, and let us with Moses have respect unto the recompense of the reward; for it is certainly true what Paul writes: If we suffer with Christ, we shall also rejoice and reign with him. Is. 35:3; Heb. 12:12,13; 11:26; 2 Tim. 2:12. Hence let us not be weary in well doing, for in due time we shall very abundantly and with joy reap the precious seed which we now sow with weeping. Gal. 6:9; Ps. 126:5,6. 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: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Cor. 4:17,18. Thus, my very dear wife, I pray you have the Lord always before your eyes, that you may hereafter reign and triumph with the Lord forever and ever. Amen.
Further, my very dear wife, I commend you to the Lord, and to his word full of all comfort and consolation, asking you to take my letter in good part, and kindly requesting that you will also remember me by writing, for I am often exceedingly desirous to hear from you.
I heard that you tried hard to come to me, but it could not be; however, be of good cheer. I hope that though we cannot meet here, we shall hereafter meet together with the Lord, where parting will be no more.
Thus, I bid you adieu. Do the best for the children, and pray the Lord for me; I will do the same for you according to my ability.
Nothing more, but greet the acquaintances very cordially in my name; Maerten van der Straten, and Beliken van der Straten, his very dear wife, and Hansken, Margriet and Dingentgen also greet you and the acquaintances much; pray the Lord earnestly for us.
Written in my bonds, by me your dear husband and brother in the Lord.
ADRIAN ROGIERS.
ANOTHER LETTER FROM ADRIAN ROGIERS TO HIS WIFE, WRITTEN IN PRISON AT GHENT.
Out of a loving heart an affectionate greeting to you my dearly beloved wife, whom I wedded before God and his glorious church, and whom I also love from the heart, this the Lord knows, who with his eyes that are as a flame of fire penetrates everything. Rev. 1:14. Further, after all proper and Christian salutation, let me, please, inform your love, that I am in tolerably good health according to the flesh, and my mind is still fixed, by the help of the Lord, to hold fast to the faith even to the very end. Furthermore, my dear wife, I trust that you are also well in soul and body, God be praised, and ready to pass the time of your sojourning here, with joy, to the praise of the Lord and the salvation of your soul. The good, eternal and almighty God, who through his gracious goodness gives both wine and milk without price, strengthen and confirm you and us all together by his holy Spirit, that we may serve the Lord in his fear, for there is nothing better than the fear of the Lord, for Sirach says: “Money and riches lift up the heart, but much more the fear of the Lord; for he that feareth the Lord, with him it shall be well at the last.” Sir. 40:26. Therefore, O my dear lamb, cleave firmly to the Lord, and arm yourself; put on the armor of God, that you may be able to withstand all the subtle assaults of the devil, for our adversary, the devil, says Peter, rests not, but walks about us, as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Eph. 6:13; 1 Pet. 5:8. Hence, O my dear sister, stand fast in the faith, pray, and be on the watch; put on the bond of love, and beware of false prophets, for in the last days, as Christ says, many false prophets shall arise, saying: “Lo, here is Christ, and, lo, there is Christ,” but do not go forth. And they shall say: “Behold, he is in the desert, and in the chamber; but believe them not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matt. 24:23. Therefore, O my love, persevere steadfastly, till you are taken hence; for yet a little while, and he that shall come will come. Hence possess your soul with patience, and endure the heat of the sun for a little while, for Christ has promised us tribulation in the world, and God also speaks through the prophet, saying: Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field. John 16:33; Mic. 4:10. In short, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. Matt. 11:12. And Paul also says that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22. For Christ, who is our head, went before us, and had to suffer much reproach for our sake, as the prophet says: He took upon him all our sins, and bore our reproach, and he is dumb as a sheep before her shearers; and when he was reviled, he reviled not again, and when he was threatened, he threatened not again, but committed vengeance to him that judgeth righteously. Is. 53:6,7; 1 Pet. 2:23. Thus we must also, my dear wife, according to the words of Peter, follow the Lord’s footsteps. For Paul says: Being reviled we bless. 1 Cor. 4:12. And Christ also taught us to pray for those that afflict us. Matt. 5:44.
Hence, O my dear lamb, let us in all things show ourselves true members of Christ, and think as Paul says: “If we suffer with Christ, we shall also reign with him.” 2 Tim. 2:12. Let us therefore lay aside all malice, and shun the sin which doth beset us, and follow after holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. 1 Pet. 2:1; Heb. 12:1,14. O let us adorn ourselves with a holy conversation, and let us not be conformed to the world, which shall pass away with its lusts.
Therefore, O my dear lamb, let us watch diligently, as servants that constantly wait for their Lord, that we may through the grace of God be partakers of the glorious reward, with all the elect children of God, forever and ever. Amen.
Further, my dear wife, I do not know much more to write you, but pray you to excuse my little gift, for if Habakkuk had brought something better, you would have fared better. _Hist. of Dest. of Drag. 33, etc._
Furthermore, my dear wife, know that I received what you sent me, for which I thank you sincerely, for it was to me a great consolation. Further, my dear wife, Maerten van der Straten and his dear wife, Beliken van der Straten, greet you much. Margriet van der Sluys, and Dingentgen of Honschoten, and that honorable youth Hansken of Oudenaerde greet you much, and finally we all jointly ask you, earnestly to pray to the Lord for us, that he will make us meet rather to die honorably with Eleazar, than to live with ignominy. Nothing more, but I commend you to the Lord, and to the rich, comforting word of his grace. And do the best for the children in every way; teach them to fear the Lord; though I am confident that you will do this; I can not forbear to write it; but whatever I do is done out of pure love and from a good heart.
Farewell; do the best in the beginning and in the end.
Written for your service, by me your dear husband and brother in the Lord.
ADRIAN ROGIERS.
MAERTEN VAN DER STRATEN, WITH BELIKEN HIS WIFE, A. D. 1572.
At this time yet another pious brother, named Maerten van der Straten born at Kortrijck in Flanders, with his wife, named Beliken van der Straten, fell into the hands of the enemies of the truth, so that after manifold temptations their faith was found much more precious, than perishable gold, which is tried by fire. Hence Maerten van der Straten, and two other brethren and a sister (who are separately mentioned in this book), on the 4th of December, A. D. 1572, in the city of Ghent, steadfastly delivered up their bodies as a sacrifice acceptable unto God, and were together burned in the Friday Market, with balls in their mouths; and Beliken van der Straten was subsequently, in 1573, in Lent, offered up in the same place for the truth; having thus fought a good fight, finished the course, kept the faith, and, notwithstanding the opposition of the tyrants taken the kingdom of God by force.
Concerning these two pious witnesses, a separate book has been printed, containing many excellent letters by Maerten van der Straten, and several hymns, which these persons composed and addressed to each other, and to others in prison. Of these letters we communicate to you several, as follows.
THE FIRST LETTER FROM MAERTEN VAN DER STRATEN TO HIS WIFE.
I Maerten van der Straten, your dear husband and brother in the Lord (both unworthily, however) wish you, my affectionately beloved wife, Beliken van der Straten, who are with me, according to Paul’s writing, in the mouth of the lion (2 Timothy 4:17), and wounded by Babylon’s watchmen (Canticles 5:7), much grace and mercy from God our heavenly Father; and may the love of his Son be multiplied to you, and may the power of the Holy Ghost richly dwell in you, that you may to the praise of the Lord bring forth good and meet fruits, and let your light shine before men, even as a city that is set on a high hill, that you may leave behind you a good name among the heathen, and a good memory in Israel; and the God of our fathers grant you grace, and prosper what you undertake, that Israel may rejoice over you, and that your name may be reckoned among all the saints, and that you may hereafter play the new song before the throne of the Lord, forever and ever. Rev. 14:2,3. This I wish you, my chosen love, with all the strength of my soul, and from a heart full of love.
Out of a fond heart permeated with love, an affectionate greeting to you, O my dearest love, whom I love with all my heart, in accordance with the word of God, that a man shall leave father and mother, and cleave to his wife. For you, O my dear lamb, are flesh of my flesh, and bone of my bones; and no man, says Paul, ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it. Eph. 5:29. Hence I have good reason to love you, as I also do, this the almighty Lord knows, who, according to the words of Jeremiah, tries men’s hearts and reins. Jer. 17:10.
Further, after this my proper and Christian salutation, know, my affectionately beloved wife, that I, according to the words of Sirach, add day to day through much tribulation, as one that lodges in the field, and receives many a storm, hail and rain on his body. But God, who kills and makes alive, will, I hope, preserve me, that I shall with Eleazar prefer an honorable death to an ignominious life.
Furthermore, my dearly beloved, whom I took by the hand with tears of joy, I hope and trust that you are also well in soul and body, ready with Susanna rather to fall into the hands of men, than to sin in the sight of the living God, who, with his eyes, which are like a flame of fire, penetrates all things. Sus. 23; Rev. 1:14. The almighty Lord of lords, who, according to Paul’s writing, is rich in goodness, and abounds with grace and mercy, look upon you and us all with his gracious eyes, and deliver us from this misery; for I, like you, am at this time in great distress, besieged as those of Bethulia (Judith 7); my enemies have turned away the water with which I was formerly wont to refresh my heart, and they have compassed about the fountains where I was accustomed to quench my thirst. But the almighty King is the true fountain, who, as Jeremiah says, with his learned tongue comforts the weary soul, and, according to the words of the prophet, in time of need gives bread, and in thirst water; him, I hope, they shall not intrench or compass about; for he regards neither grated windows nor bolts, neither locks nor doors; and he, I hope, will visit us before long, for he knows that we are most sorely smitten and wounded by Babylon’s watchmen, in a dry and dark land, far and deep in Babylonia, where neither his word nor his beautiful songs of praise are heard. Jer. 31:25; Is. 30:20; Cant. 5:7; Ps. 137:1.
Hence I hope that he will exercise mercy above justice over us, since he sees our tribulation, and knows that I, for my part, am not able to bear it, because my weakness is so great; for among all that fear God there is no one so imperfect as I am. For my miserable weakness is so manifold, that I often bewail it with tears, and I am so despondent that it seems to me that my heart is convulsed, because the Lord does not take away my reproach. Hence I may well say with David: “O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry; for my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. I am counted with them that go down into the pit; I am as a man that hath no strength: free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves (Ps. 88:1–7); for all my persecutors hold counsel against me, utterly to starve my hungry soul, and to deprive my thirsty soul of drink. Hence I may well say with the prophet: My enemies wait for my soul, and they render me evil for good, to bring me into sorrow. Ps. 56:6.
Hence, O my love, my dearest love, I cannot forbear to utter my complaint before you, to ease my sorrowful heart, which is often so disconsolate, yea, so disconsolate, that I might well say with David, in my despondency: O Lord, I am cut off from before thine eyes (Ps. 31:22); yet I trust that he will before long hear the voice of my supplication. Hence I pray you, my dear lamb, let not your ears become weary of hearing my sorrowful complaint, nor let your eyes tire of beholding my afflicted countenance. I hope that the Lord will so order it, that it will not last much longer; hence bear patiently with me for a little while yet, even as you have always done towards me. For when it did not go well with us according to the flesh, you always showed more patience than I, for which I heartily thank you. For your hands were more diligent than mine to maintain the household; and you walked more piously by your faith before God, than I; and your patience is greater even until this present day, than mine. Hence I have good reason to love you more than Paul loved the church at Ephesus, which he yet for three years warned night and day, with anxiety, with watching, and with tears. Acts 20:19,31. O my lamb, my love, my dearest love, I have now, God be praised, also had you for about three years, and have in these our bonds of tribulation had great anxiety day and night for you, and have sighed so many a sigh, and wept so many a tear, which I would not have wept, had I been able to speak to you. But now, my affectionately beloved wife, since God has so ordered it, that I must leave you, and, as it seems, go before, I say thus: Though I am not worthy to exhort you, I yet exhort you in this letter with tears, and beseech you, always to have the Lord before your eyes, and to cleave to him with prayer and fasting. For I know that if God takes me out of the flesh before you, that you will after my departure be severely assailed; and therefore I beseech you, O my only lamb, for the Lord’s sake, that you will watch circumspectly, as did the good and wise virgins, who expected their bridegroom every hour. And I pray you, O my love, my dearest love, if I have found grace before your eyes, remember me, even as the pious, godfearing Judith remembered her husband. Jud. 16:22. O Beliken, Beliken, my dearly beloved, the three years which we have lived together do not seem to me to be three days; hence when I think of the parting, my heart is troubled. Yet I would, if it must be, that the Lord would come speedily. For I have, the Lord knows, so many sore vexations, so that I may well utter my complaint with David, and say: “O Lord, my chastisement is ready every morning” (Ps. 73:14); for he that seeks my soul, as a bird without cause, neither sleeps nor slumbers day nor night, evening nor morning; but I expect with Paul, that God, before long, will deliver me and us all out of the mouth of the lion. 2 Tim. 4:17. Further, my affectionately beloved wife, Beliken van der Straten, whom I love from the heart, let me, please tell your love, that I do not know much more to write at this time, but I commend you to almighty God, and to his comforting word. Moreover, I take leave from you, even as bound Israel, who gave their children the last milk; however, God who made the heavenly hosts, is well able to turn the elephants back again. 3 Macc. 180. His will be done, and not ours. Nothing more. The Lord be with you. Greet them that are with you, from me. Adrian also greets you much.
Written by me, your dear husband and brother in the Lord.
MAERTEN VAN DER STRATEN.
THE SECOND LETTER FROM MAERTEN VAN DER STRATEN TO HIS WIFE.
I Maerten van der Straten, your dearly beloved husband and brother in the Lord, wish you my affectionately beloved wife and sister in the Lord, Beliken van der Straten, much grace and mercy from God our heavenly Father; and may the love of his Son always be multiplied to you, and the power of the Holy Ghost dwell in you richly, that you may thereby lead a chaste conversation among the heathen, and be a light for them that sit in darkness, so that you, according to Isaiah’s writing, may see the King in his beauty (Is. 33:17) and be numbered among the royal host that have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb, our Lord Jesus Christ, who bore our reproach, healed our wounds, and restored for us that which he had not taken away, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God his father; to whom be honor, power, glory, and praise, for ever and ever. Amen. Ps. 69:4; Gal. 1:4.
Cordially written to you, my chosen, dearest love Beliken van der Straten, whom I love from the heart, yea, more than my own life, for you are flesh of my flesh. In short, you are mine and I am yours. Hence I thank the Lord without ceasing, that he has given me you; for I would not have thought that God would have given me such a faithful help-mate, with whom I have found so much love and patience; but God has in every way shown me more mercy than I am worthy, and I hope he will do so yet, when I shall need it most, for he is a gracious God, who, according to Paul’s writing, is rich in goodness, and abounds in mercy. Eph. 2:4.
Further, my dearly beloved, after this my brotherly salutation, let me, please, inform your love, that my mind, God be praised, is fixed by his help, to live and die in the truth. However, my love, I trust that through the grace of the Lord you are also thus minded, by his help to fear his name all the days of your life. The Lord of lords, and God of gods, grant you and us all his grace to this end.