The Second Letter of Ydse Gaukes

We prisoners in the Lord for the testimony of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, of which we are not worthy to boast; grace and peace from our dear Lord Jesus Christ be with our very dear and chosen, beloved brothers and sisters, through the obedience of the Gospel. We wish you, our much beloved, the true penitent faith that works by love. To this end may the power of the Holy Ghost strengthen you. Amen.

After all proper greeting, please know, our much beloved, that we are still in good health according to the flesh, and also according to the spirit, and unchanged in mind and faith; and, moreover, we have a peaceful conscience, and are sure that it is the truth, and that no other shall ever be found, though there are many subtle spirits who seek another way than the way Christ taught, and in which He went before them. Hence, rejoice with us, our much beloved, that our Father has helped us to triumph. Indeed He truly said: "Though a mother forsake her child, yet he will not forsake us." You must confess with us that He has done this; for which we cannot thank Him enough, since we well know that of ourselves we have nothing at all but wickedness, as the apostle says: "I know that in my flesh dwells no good thing." Romans 7, verse 18. Further, my much beloved chosen brothers and sisters, know that the Lord can still order it well. Though we are here in the tyrants' hands, we fare better here than you people think; for the Lord still sends us every day a Habakkuk (History of the Dragon, verse 34), which is my sister, who can still come to us every day, and she does not tire of it either; besides, every third day we have a kind guard, so that many people can speak with us. [n1041-2] Furthermore, dear friends, I cannot conceal from you the joy we have, that they have confined us together in the tower, each in a small cell about eight feet square and made of two thick planks. In this place we are confined; but we see and often speak with one another, which is a great joy to us, and for which we are also envied by the man who used to be my best friend on earth, who said that we were confined too close to one another, and that we strengthened one another still more. Hence the Lord may well say that when an unclean spirit has been cast out, he comes and looks at the house; if he finds it empty and swept, he takes with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself. Matthew 12, verse 43.

Furthermore, my dear friends, do not be proud, and do not trust in yourselves, but commit your cause to the Lord. He who was the strongest and of the best courage when we were first arrested, and with whom to be together was a joy to us, and who moreover remained very valiant in the torture, now lies in the mire as well; so do not trust in yourselves. Further, dear friends, they let us lie here, so that for six weeks no one looked after us, except that the commissary had our sister Trijntgen brought upstairs, to ask her about someone from Ghent whom they did not know; they also inquired after other friends from Ghent, but did not get what they wanted. Then we expected our sentence, since we knew nothing else but that we should offer up our sacrifice. At the last two Franciscans came to me; however, they had not been sent. They unlocked the doors, and asked how it was with me. "As God will," I said. "Yes," they said, "and as you will too." We talked of the Gospel; they asked: "How do you know that it is the Gospel?" I said: "I know this well, for Christ has sealed it with His blood." One of them became angry. I said: "Be still, or wait a little; you treat us worse than Jews; for the Jews are tolerated for tribute, but us you put to death." Then he became angry again and said: "Your rascality puts you to death." "We have done nothing wrong," I said. He wanted to go away, and cried aloud. "Be meek," I said. "Yes," they said, "this is your word: O Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they do." Then he went off. Once there came also two Beguines,* who wanted to say much to my fellow prisoners. I said: [n1041-1] "May one also baptize anything other than men?" "No," they said, "no beasts." I said: "Why then do you baptize bells?" That was customary, they said; "it is an old custom that when there is a bad storm we ring the bells; then it passes away." I said: "Yes, when the worst is over, you begin to ring, and so you think that it helps." Then they said: "It is not good for the people to come to him."

I also cannot hide from you how unmercifully they dealt with our sister: they tied her clothes together in the middle, but completely bared the upper part of her body. Then our sister (who is still a young girl) said: "Never yet was such shame inflicted upon me." "You inflict it upon yourself," they said. Further, my dear brothers and sisters, who shall see this brief letter of ours or hear it read, we inform you all by it that our mind is still valiant and unchanged; that we do not exhort you more is due to our little knowledge, for which I hope you will excuse us. Know, my beloved friends, that we greatly rejoice with exceeding joy, because we received letters from you; for it refreshes our inward man.

Now, my very chosen dear brothers and sisters, we prisoners beseech you most earnestly that you will now take heed to yourselves, and to your walk; for, my much beloved brother and sister, when one comes to be confined like this, only then does he find that the way is narrow and the gate strait that leads to life; indeed, many shall strive for it, but not enter in, because they are not of the right number. Therefore, my dear brother and sister, beloved in God, examine daily the inmost part of your heart when the daily fear comes upon you, and do not hide your sins, lest you sink under them; for you cannot conceal them from the Lord. He has eyes like flames of fire. O my chosen, you can deceive no one but yourselves. We have an example in David, when he sent the man into the battle, and wrote that he should be put in the forefront of the hottest battle, and where there were valiant men opposed to Israel, in order that he might obtain the wife. What did Nathan say to the king? There was a man who had many sheep, and there was a man who had only one sheep; and he who had many sheep took from the man that one sheep, and killed it. Then David himself judged that he [David] was worthy of death; but he went and watered his couch with his tears. Second Samuel 11, verse 14; Psalm 6, verse 6. See, my dear brother and sister, let us always watch and take heed, and if we are overtaken by any evil, let us not be too good to repent, but with David and Manasseh (Second Chronicles 33, verse 12) confess our sins, and we shall find grace before God. O my dear and chosen brother and sister, had this been done in Friesland, and everyone looked into his own heart, it would never have turned out so badly. But when everyone is proud and says: "Show me my guilt;" thinking, I will not yield; what should the people say? Indeed, I will resign my honor and ministry. O friends, had they taken heed, and everyone examined his own heart, and willingly repented, no one would have fallen into such great trouble.

Hence, my beloved, always keep in the obedience of the Gospel, and do not let yourselves be moved by every wind of doctrine, but abide in that before which you have bowed your knees; remember that Paul says: "Though an angel from heaven should come and preach any other gospel, let him be accursed." Galatians 1, verse 8. And beware of the abominable marrying out of the church, which some of you would introduce; and look at Israel, how they had to forsake the heathen wives. Therefore, my dear friends, take diligent heed, as long as it is called today; and let us always diligently build on the temple, with the sword of the Spirit at our side, that we may resist the enemies, lest they take our glory. For we have received a talent, which the Lord shall require again at our hands; and if He finds us faithful, He will make us rulers over many things. Hence, my chosen, let us always take earnest heed, always diligently to keep the pearl of great price which we have found, lest robbers take it from us; for if it is taken from us we are ruined. Hence keep good watch, and consider, dear brothers and sisters, that if a piece of gold were given you not larger than a penny, and it were said to you

"Keep this but three or four years, and there shall come a famine, which shall last a year; and keep this piece so long, and you shall buy for it enough to keep you from want; but if you lose it, you must die of hunger;" how closely would you guard it! Would you not every day, when the time drew near that you would be in need of it, see whether you had not lost it? I think, every hour. See, my chosen, you that have received the faith, to you this money is given, to keep it as long as you live; and if you keep it to the end, you shall receive eternal life for it.

Thus, my much beloved, now that you know that the day is approaching when you must have it, take earnest heed lest you lose it; for if you should lose it on the last day, it could avail you nothing; though one had kept it a hundred years, it could not avail him anything; as the prophet says: "If a man has done good all his life, and walked uprightly, and turned himself to unrighteousness, all the good that he has done before shall avail him nothing." See how the Lord requires obedience of us, as the prophet Samuel said to Saul: "The Lord delights more in obedience than in sacrifices." First Samuel 15, verse 22. And consider also the man of God, how he was punished by the Lord because he had listened to the false prophet, and not done what the Lord had commanded him. First Kings 13, verse 24. Look at Israel: when they had sinned, they had to turn their backs before their enemies. Joshua 7, verse 12. And Christ Himself says: "You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you." John 15, verse 14. Indeed, he that endures to the end shall be saved (Matthew 10, verse 22); for it lies neither in the beginning nor in the middle. Hence, look diligently before you, lest you be deceived; for Christ has truly said that many false prophets shall rise and cry: "Here is Christ, there is Christ." Matthew 24, verses 11 and 5. Therefore, my chosen, beware, lest you be deceived. They went out from us, says the apostle; but if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us. First John 2, verse 19.

Herewith I will commend you to the Lord, and to the rich Word of His grace. Know that our brother Claes still suffers great pain in his limbs, on account of his age; and our sister Lijntgen also has great pain in her shoulders; but Trijntgen and I are not ailing. Now we prisoners greet you very cordially; also all the churches and lovers of the truth in the neighborhood; by name, P. J. and your wife; and I thank you most heartily for your letter. Greet W. in my name, and send it to L. J. in Molqueeren, in Friesland, and also to Jan de P. and to those of Amsterdam; I have also written something for him, which put with it, and see that this also gets to Embden, to my beloved brother and his wife. [n1041-3] My dear brother, and dear sister, do not grieve for us, for your mother and sister are of very good cheer; and tell Machtelken rather to beware of Harmen; he seeks to bring her into the mire; if he can get out, I have heard him say, he will make a good Christian of her. We also greet our scattered fellow believers. Now, my affectionately beloved brothers and sisters, remember us prisoners in your prayers and assemblies, for the earnest prayer of the faithful avails much. We expect from day to day to offer up our sacrifice. And, dear friends, do write us.

Written in great fear and distress, in the prison at Deventer, after having been imprisoned nine weeks.