The Fifth Letter from Jan Wouterss, to his Wife and Daughter

The unfathomable grace and mercy of our heavenly Father, the abundant love of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the cooperation of His Holy Spirit, always be multiplied to you, beloved, my chosen on earth, for comfort on your pilgrimage, for the steadfastness and confirmation of your faith, to the praise of God, and to the salvation of your soul; that you may always be a light in this world, and also build up your dear, only daughter, and your neighbor, in what is good; so that you may always be like fruit-bearing branches, for to this all believers are appointed. If another decreases and grows weary, you keep increasing constantly, and let your increase be seen before God and men, knowing that the good works will follow you; and it will be an ornament to your wedding garment when you appear before the supreme Bridegroom; when the slothful, the sleepers who are awake enough only to seek what perishes, and that far too much, shall stand naked, then you shall be gloriously clothed.

Therefore, my dearest sister above all others, do not grow weary, though you must still walk in this pilgrimage; always trim your lamp and fill it with oil in simplicity, and keep it constantly burning, and so with patience wait for your Comforter and Bridegroom. Then, for a little season of faithfulness, He will bid you a glorious and joyful welcome; for He has opened the way for you and for all believers who are diligent, and add to their faith, virtue; to virtue, knowledge; to knowledge, temperance; to temperance, patience; to patience, godliness; to godliness, brotherly kindness; to brotherly kindness, charity. If these things are in you, and abound, they make it so that you shall be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But he who lacks these things is blind, and cannot see far off, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. So Peter admonishes further: Therefore be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure; for if you do these things (note this), you shall never fall (note this still more): for so an entrance shall be richly supplied to you into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Second Peter 1, verses 5 to 11.

Oh, it is very plain from this how one falls, and how one gets into the way of life; so diligence is a good thing. For David says: "You have commanded us to keep the precepts diligently!" Psalm 119, verse 4. And Paul says: "Do not be slothful in business, but fervent in spirit." Romans 12, verse 11. He writes further: "These things I want you to affirm constantly, so that those who have believed in God may excel in good works." Titus 3, verse 8.

Oh, how well it goes when one heeds this! He also says further: "Oh that it were the will of God, that those whom I have instructed might serve to advance the truth of the Gospel, and become diligent in the works of eternal life." Oh, those who take these divine Scriptures of admonition and warning to heart will not easily grow weary; when others come to a halt, they will go on with a faithful heart, as long as they can draw breath, and they constantly make nothing of what they do, because of the divine nature that is in them, whose love is without measure. That is, when one considers in his heart that Christ, by His great agony of death, made us dead men alive, and delivered us from the power of the devil, and brought us over into the kingdom of Christ; that He has taken and chosen us poor sinners out of so many thousands, and enlightened us. When they shall go into eternal fire, we shall go into everlasting joy, and our vile body shall be like Christ's glory. Oh, who can tell that great joy which shall last forever? Everyone who truly tastes that love and goodness of God does not easily grow weary in doing good; and such a one, Paul also says, shall reap without ceasing. Galatians 6, verse 9. And Christ says: "A good tree brings forth good fruit." Matthew. He also says [n1056-1]

"Those who have done good shall rise to the resurrection of eternal life." John 5, verse 29; Daniel 12, verse 2. Oh my very dear and beloved wife, though I must now leave you, and see you no more, yet by the grace of the Lord I hope to see you in the resurrection, but with a glorious and incorruptible body. Therefore, my dearest lamb, always go on in virtue, as far as you are able, which I trust with all my heart, my dearest, you will do. Hold fast the truth in which you stand through the grace of God; for it is the right truth, and no other will be found; of this I am sure in my heart. So be firmly rooted in it, that you may be able to stand against all storms, and not fall through persecution, or through being robbed of your goods, or of your beloved, nor through false Christs, of whom, alas, there are many abroad, who disturb and deceive many hearts and minds under the appearance of truth, which they adulterate; so that much bitterness has sprung up, and love has grown cold to a very great degree.

Indeed, I fear that it will yet go as Christ says: "When the Son of man comes, will he find believers on the earth?" Luke 18, verse 8. Oh my most beloved wife, I can no longer watch over you with the help of the Lord, nor strive for you; strive now for yourself, with earnest prayer to God. He will not forsake you, though I must leave you. Trust firmly in Him, and always hold unwaveringly to the doctrine of Christ. Fulfill what you have heard and accepted, in the fear of God, and you shall have eternal life; for God is able to perform and to complete the same good work which He has begun in you, without delay.

Finally, be strong in the Lord, through the power of His might, and be well armed against all adversity, and you shall triumph by the help of the Lord. Set your affection on divine things, and overcome what is human. Colossians 3, verse 2. And I ask you as affectionately as I can, be resigned in the Lord, and constantly keep in mind your redemption, and the treasure that surpasses all treasures, which has been given you out of grace; and keep the glorious promises in constant remembrance; and I hope, by the grace of the Lord, that the bitter cup and the bitter water Mara, which you must now also drink for the Gospel's sake, will be sweetened in some measure. For, my dearest, you are certainly well aware that these are our food and our promises, and that ever since we accepted the truth we expected to become a spoil to everyone; for the servant is not better than his lord, and we must enter the kingdom of God through much tribulation. And consider, from Abel to the present time, how the righteous had to suffer. The Scriptures must certainly be fulfilled; for if I were not arrested, and no one else either, how would the number of the martyrs under the altar be fulfilled? For they wait for the fulfillment. So comfort yourself, my dearest, and comfort one another; for I suppose that when one weeps the other weeps too. For I can comfort you with the holy Word of the Lord; and I am all the more assured that I am not a bastard, because the merciful Father has been pleased to chasten me, a poor sinful man, and to receive me, unworthy as I am, as His dear son; His will be done. Therefore pray, and have prayer made for me, that by my death I may praise the name of the Lord, for the building up, the emboldening and the joy of my neighbor, for a light to the world, for the awakening of those who are still in the sleep of sin, and for the salvation of my soul. Amen.

I must also tell you, my dearest on earth, that it is a great relief to me in my bonds that you are not in custody. Oh, neither can I fully thank my God on account of our poor little daughter, who saw her father bound as though he were a murderer; yet the strong and faithful God gave me such grace that I was hardly frightened at all; I only said: "Oh my lords, why do you bind me like this, as though I were a wicked man?" "Oh," they said, "you bring this upon yourself;" so there was much lamenting among them. When he asked me about you, I spoke to the bailiff in a very loud tone, so that you might flee, so greatly was I concerned for you. The Lord be praised, that He chastens me so graciously.

Oh dearest lamb, you were certainly very near, as anyone can imagine, if one leaves the cloak behind and flees without it. Now, dearest, be of good cheer; it is true, you leave still more behind; but if you leave much you shall receive much. And always possess yourself in patience, and by the grace of the Lord you shall overcome everything that comes upon you; for patience is a special gift of God. Patience is the Christian's strength; this I, unworthy as I am, have indeed discovered, and I experience it best in my bonds, which I suffer for Christ's sake. I cannot fully thank His grace for His comfort. I experience how a man feels who is not imprisoned for any evildoing. I experience the Lord's faithfulness, which He has promised to His own. I trusted in His Word, that He would keep it, before I was arrested; for the Lord says: "Though a mother forget the son of her womb, yet I will not forget you." Isaiah 49, verse 15. He is certainly the strength of the poor, and a true helper in time of need.

Oh, I had hoped that I alone should seal it with my blood; but another weak lamb has fallen into the hands of the wolves, and that in a very strange way. One would have thought that she was certainly not in much danger. She came into my master's house, and was held. When my time was fulfilled, I also fell into their hands; I believe that the good God has ordered it so for my salvation; for He knows better than I do what is necessary for me; so His will be done. Oh my dearest, be resigned in the same way, and offer me up, your most beloved, into the will of the Lord, as is our daily prayer; for many times before I had prayed the Lord to give me, and to let come upon us, what is for my salvation. So I see that the Lord wants to take me away from the evil to come, and to bring me into rest; for he who loves the Lord and the church from the heart is seldom without sorrow of heart, but is frequently in travail. But now it seems to me that I too am often like a woman in travail, when I think of your grief and my daughter's, and of the sorrow of my old father and my old mother; then I could indeed weep, but the Lord gives me comfort again by His Holy Spirit; praise to Him forever. Amen.

Further, I cannot keep from thanking you greatly, my dearest, only wife, for having been such a dear, faithful wife to me for more than nine years; the time has passed so quickly that I am amazed. I have had such joy in my heart because of your love that I could never fully thank the Lord for His grace; indeed, I thought that even if the hairs of my head and the grass of the earth were tongues, I could not fully thank His goodness; I would remain His debtor. But however much I loved you, I had to set a limit to it, so that if it should come to what it has now come to, I might overcome the parting.

Again, I loved my daughter rather more than I showed; I dared not set my affection too much on her, so that when I should have to part from her, as the Lord has ordered concerning me, unworthy as I am, the bitter parting might not overcome me. But now that the Lord has called me to this state, I will commit you both, my dearest lambs, to the Lord of lords, and ask His grace to keep you both from the evil, and to bring you into His everlasting kingdom. Amen.

But, alas, I have often regretted, and do still regret, that I, a miserable man, have not lived a more holy and perfect life with you. Do what I would, I always fell far short; so that I did not struggle through all the years of my faith without stumbling or falling. But the rich God, seeing my good intention, lifted me up again according to His mercy, for He is willing to forgive, as I also gladly forgive; and His promise is sure: "If we forgive men their trespasses, he will also forgive us our trespasses." Matthew 6, verse 14. When I felt my own deficiency in this way, it caused me to keep myself in humility, and to bow myself under the mighty hand of God, and it was an admonition to me to be zealous in my calling. While I was in a good resolve, the Lord of lords came, for which eternal praise be to Him; and I often pray Him to forgive those who named me, handed me over, and arrested me; I forgive them all. Oh my beloved wife, I must also heartily ask this of you still, that you likewise forgive those who have sinned against me, and caused your grief; for if you did not forgive, I think you would keep the Lord, your God and mine, from forgiving your debt; so I beg you to forgive it from the heart. And pray for those who afflict you, and you will be a good sister in Christ. Make God your debtor, and He will also forgive your debt; for we need daily forgiveness, because we are frail.

But I am also daily afflicted in this, that in our dear church many poor souls are so scattered, and must wander about in foreign countries; indeed, some of them have nothing to lay hold of, and yet the poor children must be fed. Oh, there is a lack of cheerful givers in this distressing time.

Nothing further in particular for this time; but I commend you now and forever to the Lord, and to the rich Word of His grace, who is so able to keep you from the evil, and to bring you into His everlasting kingdom. Amen. I greet you most affectionately in the Lord with the kiss of love and peace, and this in the heart, as one present with you in spirit. Bid our beloved daughter much good night in my name, and tell her to comfort her mother; and if she is an obedient daughter, and learns diligently to read, and then also to write, and then helps her dear mother to earn a living, I shall love her. Greet warmly in my name, in the Lord, all the God-fearing who ask you about me; tell them, all of them, to be of good cheer, and to hope and trust in the Lord, for His hand is not shortened; this I now realize. Therefore let no one fear mortal man, but much rather the immortal God. I have confessed the faith, not sought my life, freely and openly confessed Christ before this sinful people, as a testimony to them, so that they may have no excuse to make in the day of Christ.

The bailiff asked me whether I would not renounce my faith; they would then give me back my liberty, so that I could earn a living for my wife and child as before: "you are still a young man," he said, "you can raise children yet, and increase the world." I answered that I did not wish to renounce. The bailiff said: "Do you not want to live, then?" "Yes, my lord, but I will not renounce my faith for anything in the world." As he went he said that I was in error; he would prove to me from history that the doctrine which I said was called, in the time of the apostles, the sect of the Nazarenes, is openly contradicted; you must see that our faith has existed for so many centuries, and has been handed down from generation to generation. I said, "I do not look at the years, but at the truth." So we parted.

Do not go around much with my letter, or I may lose my liberty [of writing]; the Lord be praised for it. If anyone feels constrained by love to write a little, send it; put a little color into it, and soil it a little, and it will be noticed the less. Write me how you and my daughter are; send it with color, or some spice, even if it is only fennel seed, or a piece of cake; it will be acceptable to me. Greet your brother and his wife cordially.