Part 255

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.

Behold, my dear child Betgen, if you fear the Lord with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength and ability, your name shall be written in the book of life, and you shall be marked in your forehead with the name of the living God. You shall also receive a white, shining stone, and upon it a new name written, which no man knows, save he that receives it. You shall also be arrayed in garments of pure, white silk, which is the righteousness of the saints. Moreover, you shall with all the angels of God follow the glorious Lamb of God in great glory, and live forever and ever. Behold, such glorious rewards shall they have; he that overcometh shall inherit all things that God has prepared for his chosen. He shall lead them to the fountain of living waters, and shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Rev. 7:17. Therefore fear God, and always seek to be instructed by the godfearing, and lay the words of the Lord well to heart, and keep them as did Mary the mother of the Lord. And always walk with meekness and humility, for God is pleased with those that are humble and lowly of heart; for God has cast down the proud from their seats, but has exalted the humble thereupon; for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. Luke 1:52; 1 Pet. 5:5.

Therefore humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, and he shall exalt you in due time; for the proud cannot please God. In Proverbs it is written: “These things doth the Lord hate: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.” Prov. 6:17. “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.” 11:2. A proud heart is an abomination unto the Lord, and it shall not remain unpunished. Hence Tobit said to his son: Let not pride rule in your heart, nor in your words; for it is the beginning of all destruction. Out of it proceeds all pride, when man apostatizes from God, and departs with his heart from his Creator; and pride impels to all sin, and he that is infected with it causes many abominations. Hence the Lord always rejected pride, and ultimately cast it down. God cast the proud princes from the throne, and set the humble thereupon; God rooted out the root of the proud nations, and set and planted the humble in their stead.

Hence do not think yourself wise, and do not reward evil for evil to any one, but recompense with good, as Christ teaches, where he says: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy cloak, let him have thy coat also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.” Matt. 5:38–41. Not, dear child, that we like to be smitten, or like to lose our cloak when it is taken away from us, that we should also give the coat, or to go with any one three or four miles against our will; but this is what the Scriptures teach us; and Christ also would herewith teach us, in order that we should rightly understand him, that believers are in no wise permitted to avenge themselves on any man, however great reason they may have, but must commit the matter to God, who judges aright. For when some one smites us, we must rather suffer ourselves to be smitten again, than that we should defend ourselves, or smite back; and when our cloak is taken away, rather also let the coat be taken, than that we should take or get the cloak back by force or by smiting. In short, we must always suffer, but never inflict suffering upon any one, as the law of nature teaches us. Do unto thy neighbor as unto thyself.

Hence we are to wish evil to no one, though in the law of Moses the contrary is written: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.” But Christ takes this away; for that was in the law of revenge, but now we are under grace. Hence we must also show grace, and not punish, as Christ says: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good.” Matt. 5:43–45. Hence, dear child, one may not wish evil to his enemy, much less do him any evil. And do not hate him, neither avenge yourself, but give place to wrath; and be slow to wrath, for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God; but as you would that men should do unto you, so do to them, and you will fulfill the law of Christ. Rom. 12:19; James 1:19,20; Matt. 7:12.

Further, my dear child, you are in duty bound to hold your mother, whom you still have, in love and esteem all the days of your life; for she has had much trouble and care with you, from the time that I have been married to her; hence you are also bound to love her, as your own mother. If you part from her to-day or to-morrow, you must heartily thank her for the motherly love which she has shown you; you ought not to part from her without many tears, for she has been a good mother to you. Therefore, though you should live far away from her, write her a very respectful letter sometime, and if you prosper, you may send her a friendly gift, by which to remember that you hold her in love and esteem; this shall be an honor to you. Hence do the best in all that I command you. And copy or read over frequently my letter, for a perpetual remembrance of your father; and follow it, and all that is good and acceptable before God.