The Fourth Letter from Maerten van der Straten, to Anna Servaes

I, Maerten van der Straten, your unworthy friend and brother, wish you, my beloved, dear sister in the Lord, Anna Servaes, much grace and mercy from God our heavenly Father; and may the love of His Son be in you like a burning fire, so that you may become perfect, up to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, keeping your conduct honest among the Gentiles, and bearing good fruit, like a tree planted by the rivers of water, so that you may be numbered among the royal priesthood, the peculiar people, whom God, according to the writings of Moses, carried on eagle's wings; so that you, when the land is again divided to Israel, may possess an inheritance full of joy, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 4, verse 13; First Peter 2, verse 12; Psalm 1, verse 3; First Peter 2, verse 9; Deuteronomy 32, verse 11.

A cordial, fond and affectionate greeting to you, my dear and much beloved sister in the Lord, Anna Servaes, whom I love with a pure love out of a pure heart. Let God be my judge of this, who, according to the word of Jeremiah, tests the hearts and minds of men. Further, after all proper and Christian greeting, let me please inform your love that I and my dear wife are in reasonably good health according to the flesh; and according to the spirit we hope, by God's help, to keep the covenant which we once made with the Lord our God, when we bowed our knees before Him and His glorious majesty. Yes, we also trust that you are well in soul and body, ready to make your journey to Bethel, and to prophesy against Jeroboam and his altar. First Kings 13, verse 1. To this end, may you and we all be strengthened by the only and eternal, almighty God, whose tabernacle is on high, and who lives far above all heavens, in a light which, according to the words of Paul (First Timothy 6, verse 16), no man can approach; so that we may fear and love Him above all. For He is a jealous God, who would dwell alone in man's heart; for to this end we have been delivered out of the hand of our enemies, and from those who hate us, that we should fear and serve Him without fear, in true righteousness and holiness, all the days of our lives, as good and faithful servants, seeking the praise of God, and, with Paul, counting our gain loss for Christ's sake, leading a chaste, honorable life, and setting up a banner for the nations, that we may not make the blind wander out of the way, but that we, according to the words of Peter, through modest and good conduct, may win the unbelieving without the Word; which Christ also teaches us in the Gospel, saying: "Let your light shine before men, that they may behold your good conduct, and glorify God our Father in the day of visitation." Exodus 20, verse 5; Second Corinthians 6, verse 16; Luke 1, verses 74 and 75; Philippians 3, verse 7; Isaiah 11, verse 12; Deuteronomy 27, verse 18; First Peter 3, verses 1 and 2; Matthew 5, verse 16; First Peter 2, verse 12. So then, O my dear and much beloved sister in the Lord, let us with all humility follow the Lord's footsteps, that in every respect we may adorn the doctrine of the Gospel, shining like a bright morning star among this evil and perverse generation; then the King, as David writes, will greatly desire our beauty. Psalm 45, verse 11.

So then, O love, let us each seek to be the foremost in virtue, and wait patiently for the Lord, our Comfort, who alone can help us, as David says: "I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. And he has put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God." Psalm 40, verses 1 to 3. Therefore, O dear lamb, let us thank the Lord, and pray that we may not be caught by our tongue, saying with Jesus Sirach: "O Lord God, Father and Lord of my life, do not let me fall among the slanderers, and perish among them. Oh, that I could bridle my thoughts, and discipline my heart with the word of God, and that I might not spare myself if I erred, so that I would not cause sin, and create great error, and commit much evil, and perish before my enemies, and become their sport." Sirach 23, verses 1 to 3. So then, O dear sister, let us seek God's face day and night with tears, that we may not perish with the wicked under the wrath of God, but that we may remain obedient in Christ to the end of our lives, so that we may be saved in the day of the Lord, which, according to the words of Christ, will come like a thief in the night; in which, according to Peter's writing, the heavens will be dissolved with fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. And if all these things are to come to pass, oh, how we ought to be fit and adorned with good, chaste and holy conduct! For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it now begins with us, and if the righteous will scarcely be written in the book of life, what will the end of the ungodly be? Matthew 24, verses 42 and 43; Second Peter 3, verses 10 to 12; First Peter 4, verses 17 and 18. Oh, well may I sigh and say with Solomon: "O Lord, overlook the multitude of my sins." Wisdom 11, verse 23. So then we may also say with David: "O Lord, do not enter into judgment with us, or you, O Lord, will be justified. And do not repay us according to our deeds, nor reward us according to our works, nor chasten us, O Lord, in your anger, but be merciful to us, O Lord, according to your goodness, which is great." Psalm 143, verse 6; Psalm 6, verses 1 and 2. Therefore, O dear lamb, let us cling to the Lord with prayer and supplication, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, that we may be saved, not through our merits, but through the grace of God, and so live with the Lord in His eternal kingdom.

Further, my dear sister, because of my small gift I do not know much more to write to you, but I commend you to the Lord, and to the rich, comforting Word of His grace. I also ask you to excuse the plain, simple letter which I, your unworthy servant, have written, who am the weakest in Israel, indeed, not worthy to untie the strap of your shoe; yet I still trust in the grace of God.

Furthermore, my dear sister, greet your dear husband, and also the acquaintances, in my name. My dear wife also greets you both, and the acquaintances much. Adriaen, Grietgen, Hansken, and Dingentgen also greet you much; and all of us prisoners together ask you to pray diligently to the Lord for us. Nothing more. Farewell, and do the best in the beginning and in the end.

Written in my bonds, by me, your weak brother and servant, as much as I am able.

MAERTEN VAN DER STRATEN.