Another Edifying Letter and Exhortation of Joost Verkindert

Grace, mercy and peace from God the heavenly Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood; together with the consolation of the Holy Ghost, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, to comfort all those who are in any tribulation and affliction for His holy name's sake. To Him be praise, honor, glory, dominion, power and majesty, forever and ever. Amen. This we wish you all as a friendly greeting, my beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord. We prisoners for the testimony of our dear Lord Jesus Christ inform you that it is still tolerably well with us according to the flesh; but as for the spirit, we wish it were better, for we are surrounded by such a vile, evil flesh, which always lusts against the will of God and shrinks much from suffering. But we must suffer and fight if we are to overcome. For, dear brothers and sisters, the crown does not lie at the beginning nor in the middle, but at the end; there the conflict lies; then the gold is tried by the fire of affliction, which no one knows better than those who have been tried in it.

It is indeed true what the apostle says: "No chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who are exercised by it." Hebrews 12, verse 11.

Further, my dear friends, brothers and sisters, we ask you by the great love of our Lord Jesus Christ that you all be of the same mind, and let there be no discord among you nor any strife about any matter; but let each one seek to be wise and prudent in what is good, and simple in what is evil, remembering the words of the apostle where he says: "If there is therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tenderness and mercy, fulfill my joy, that you be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each one esteem others better than themselves. Let no one look on his own things, but each one also on the things of others. Indeed, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, though he was rich, became poor for our sakes, that through his poverty he might make us rich, and purify to himself a holy church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, which he has purchased with his own blood, that they should be holy and without blame, and walk in love." Philippians 2, verses 1 to 5; First Corinthians 10, verse 24; Second Corinthians 8, verse 9; Ephesians 5, verses 26 and 27; Acts 20, verse 28; Ephesians 1, verse 4.

This church has now for a time suffered much sorrow; may the complaint ascend to the merciful Father in heaven, concerning the misery and sadness that have come upon Zion. But the God of all grace be praised for His great mercy, which He has yet shown the church at Antwerp, which still continues in good peace and unity (as I think); therefore there is great joy and gladness there according to the spirit, but great distress according to the flesh. For the Lord tries His people with tribulation and distress, as Christ says: "They will put you out of the synagogues; indeed, the time is coming when whoever kills you will think that he is doing God service. And these things they will do to you, because they have not known my Father, nor me." John 16, verses 2 and 3. For if they had known Him, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. First Corinthians 2, verse 8. And though the persecution is not so severe in some places, the Lord can nevertheless try men by other means, by strife, discord, strutting and boasting, reveling and banqueting, in short by carnal works, all of which are not according to our vocation. Not, dear friends, that I would here accuse anyone; but out of brotherly love we exhort everyone; for before God nothing can be hidden, for He will bring to light all that is done in secret. First Corinthians 4, verse 5.

Therefore, my dear friends, let us not deceive the Lord; for His eyes are as a flame of fire, and He is a mighty, powerful and strong God, and He sees everywhere, in secret and openly; hence He may well be feared, for He has not spoken a single word in vain, as He says by the prophet, that the Word which goes forth out of His mouth does not return to Him empty, but accomplishes all that He pleases. Revelation 1, verse 14; Isaiah 55, verse 11.

My affectionately beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord, receive this letter from your poor, weak brother in good part; for it has been written at the request of some brothers, in case you might be comforted and refreshed a little by our simple letter, for we have written these few lines out of heartfelt affection, and because we should exhort one another while it is called today; for we hope soon, by the grace of the Lord, to put off our flesh here. Hebrews 3, verse 13; Second Peter 1, verse 14.

O friends, the way that leads into life is so strait and narrow; but the way that leads into hell is so broad and easy for the flesh. Truly the prophet Isaiah does say that hell has opened wide her mouth, and that both princes and the common people descend into it; indeed, they go to hell like sheep to the slaughter. Isaiah 5, verse 14.

Hence, my dear friends, let us take diligent heed, that we may not have received the grace of God in vain; but let us constantly remember the days of our illumination, and how little we then were in our own eyes, when we humbled ourselves under the mighty hand of God, yielding up ourselves entirely, to serve the Lord in holiness and righteousness acceptable before Him. Hebrews 10, verse 32; First Peter 5, verse 6; Luke 1, verse 75. For we were then all like Saul when he was anointed king, who was of the least of the tribes of Israel and little in his own eyes. But when he became proud, the Lord rejected him. For the Lord said to Samuel: "Go and tell Saul to destroy Amalek from the earth, both man and beast." But Saul followed his own judgment and spared the king, and the best of the oxen, and of the sheep, to sacrifice them to the Lord; by this he transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and was disobedient to His voice, even though the Lord desired obedience and not sacrifice. First Samuel 15.

Behold, dear friends, for what a small matter Saul was rejected; hence let us take good heed, for He is still the same God. This is also the case with part of us, that we take too great liberty in our faith, and as a result we are rejected, and then do not ourselves know where the fault lies. Now a spirit of contention comes upon us, causing the pious to sigh and mourn, so that by this division and schism are worked in the church of God, which mostly happens where Christians have great liberty. How much it is now like it was in the days of Israel; when they were in peace [from without], they waged war against one another, so that many thousands fell, when they fought against the Benjamites. Judges 20. Hence, my dear brothers and sisters, let Christ Jesus be an example to you, who has called us in peace. First Corinthians 7, verse 15. For the fruit of the Spirit is all manner of goodness, righteousness, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Ephesians 5, verse 9. And let us take good heed that we do not become like the church of Laodicea, which was neither cold nor hot, and thought she was rich and increased with goods, and had need of nothing. But the Spirit answered her, saying: "I commend you to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white raiment, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness may not appear; and anoint your eyes with eyesalve, that you may see." Revelation 3, verse 18. Hence, it is daily necessary to exhort one another with the word of the Lord, which is the true mirror and plumbline by which to measure our life and conduct according to our weakness. I say according to our weak ability; for if God should enter into judgment with us, no one could stand before Him. Psalm 143, verse 2. Hence, no man may or can justify himself before God. But we must always remain debtors, remembering that we come short in many things. Matthew 6, verse 12.

Let us therefore take diligent heed, and have our predecessors constantly before our eyes, namely, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and all the prophets, who were strangers and pilgrims on the earth, and sought a country, a city that had foundations, whose builder and maker was God; and who experienced tribulation and affliction, stripes and imprisonments; of whom the world was not worthy. Hebrews 11. And Christ Jesus Himself did not have as much in the world as a place on which to lay His blessed head, for He says: "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head." Matthew 8, verse 20. But He had to flee away everywhere (Matthew 2, verse 13), and He also traveled, with much sighing and mourning, through the wilderness of this world, surrounded by an evil flesh, which has never yet advised me to anything good. Indeed, if I had not fled for refuge to the word of the Lord, I would have been utterly overthrown in the wilderness of this world, for flesh and blood greatly desired to be one with the world, since they always shrank from suffering. But when I with David went into the sanctuary of God, and there beheld the recompense of the world, and how soon they are cut off, and that they were blots, and not children; and also remembered that it is written: "Cursed be the man who trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm; indeed, cursed be their going out and coming in." Psalm 73, verse 17; Deuteronomy 32, verse 5; Jeremiah 17, verse 5; Deuteronomy 28, verse 19. However fine a captain one may choose, in order to prosper in the world, flesh and blood are nevertheless the ultimate object in this; for experience has taught me this; nor am I surprised at it, since men are now of no other material than were the children of Israel. How often did the Lord sigh over them, and what great trouble did He have with them? Hence we may daily take good heed, and be up and doing, that no one may take our crown.

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, do not be troubled that Fra. Ha. Jo. Ta. have gone back to Egypt, which does not surprise me. But let it be an example to you that they were overthrown in the wilderness of this world (First Corinthians 10, verse 5); and take better courage (as I trust you will), and constantly keep before your eyes the pious who were before us; for he who flees out of the conflict does not get the crown, for there is only one victory set forth in the Scriptures by which we are to be crowned. First Corinthians 9, verse 25; Second Timothy 2, verse 5; Revelation 2, verse 10.

O dear brothers and sisters, we now look through quite different eyes as to what salvation depends on than when we were out of bonds; for out of bonds I never could pray to God as I now sometimes do.

Further, my dear brother, I commend to you my wife, whom I love from the heart; desiring and requesting of you that you will exercise Christian care over her, the more so since she desires to remain a widow; for the holy Scripture commands us to visit the widows and orphans in their affliction. James 1, verse 27. Hence, be the more diligent to aid her in everything in which she may need your counsel, in order to gain a livelihood for herself and my children, so that she may not become despondent.

O my dear brothers, this I exhort you with tears, for if the Lord had not taken me from them, I could have provided for them myself according to my weakness; but now the Lord has ordered it otherwise with me, since He knows best what we need, and what is for our best. Hence, I will also leave them for the Lord's sake; for, dear brother R., my wife has been with me, and we ate a parting meal together, and so took our final adieu of each other. Think for yourself how bitter a parting it was, for I know that she also loves me from the heart.

Hence, if the Almighty Lord did not give strength and power, it would not be possible to endure and overcome it; but through Him we can do all things. Philippians 4, verse 13. Hence, I commit my cause now as before to the Lord, declaring that it is not on account of any crime; heaven and earth bear me witness in this, and God, who searches heart and reins, also knows very well my object in this matter.

Furthermore, dear W., if it were possible, and you should be in the city, I would from the heart like to speak with you in person, which (as it seems to me) could very easily be done, by giving a piece of money. But as you live so far away, I fear it cannot well be done, since it is so inconvenient for you; and in such case I hope to be patient in this; for we neither know nor hear when we are to die, nor have any priests assailed us as yet; but a secular man came to see us once and assailed us. Neither have we been spoken to by the authorities since we were tortured the first time; for as we hear, the margrave has had a sore leg. So we do not know whether we shall be tortured any more or not. They would indeed like to find out much from us, but I hope that the Most High will keep our lips; for though one were to tell them something, they are not satisfied with that, but want to know more and more.

Hence, my dear brother and sister in the Lord, we ask you, and all those who inquire after us, to remember those who are in bonds, as bound with them; and those who suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. Hebrews 13, verse 3. And pray the Lord heartily for us; we will also pray for you. Lauwerens, my fellow prisoner, and I greet you all with the peace of the Lord, together with all our acquaintances in the Lord who are over there from here. Let all of you remain likeminded, and the God of peace will be with you; and let there be no strife among you. Romans 12, verse 16; Romans 15, verse 5. Remember me, my dear brother and sister; I hope to await you under the altar, where all tears shall be wiped away from our eyes. With this I will commend you to the crucified Christ Jesus; may He strengthen our hearts and minds, and direct them into all that is acceptable before Him. With this I bid you adieu. Adieu, my beloved brother and sister.