Another Letter from Jacob van den Wege, to his Wife

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2, verse 14.

I, Jacob van den Wege, imprisoned for the invincible truth, wish my dear wife, beloved in God and my sister in the Lord, and my three innocent little children; and further all brothers and sisters, and all my dear friends in the Lord, grace, peace, mercy, much true Christian wisdom and prudence, an understanding heart, a steadfast mind in the truth, a strong faith, a living hope, a good, peaceful conscience toward God and man, and a blameless, holy way of life in all humility, meekness, kindness and unity, and all this in the true fear of God bound with the bond of love. This I wish you all from God the heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ His eternal, only, true Son, our Lord, together with the mighty power of the Holy Ghost, as a heartfelt and affectionate greeting. Amen.

After my simple, heartfelt greeting, my beloved wife, and all brothers and sisters, and further all my friends in the Lord, let me please tell you that it is still well with me, and that I am unchanged in the faith and knowledge of God. As I was when I bowed my knees before the Most High, so I am minded still; and I still stand, through the grace of God and the power of Christ which strengthens me, to live or die with Christ in this same faith and truth. The Almighty Lord, who is able in this way to strengthen and confirm the man who is miserable, weak and without strength here in this conflict, to Him be praise, thanks, glory and honor forever and ever, and this for all His great benefits which He has so abundantly shown me. So I trust that it is also very well with you, and for this I rejoiced, and I thank God the Most High for all His great goodness that He has shown you, and all this through His great mercy and love; and I pray the same Almighty Lord and God of grace to bless you all, and to fill you with all knowledge and spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk worthily and fruitfully all the days of your life in holiness and righteousness, and receive the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Let me further, please, tell my dear friends the reason why I have been so slow to write, when you have asked me so many times to write to you. So I tell you that I hardly dare write anything, and this because it is such a dangerous time, so that people sometimes understand and interpret a letter as they please, and not as the writer meant it. I have known this to be so only too well, and it has even happened to me, in my simple writing. Not that I mean that I am above criticism; God forbid! But I say that some people find fault not only with the letters of simple prisoners, but sometimes also with the holy Scripture; and since I also know myself to be far too simple and ignorant to write anything profitable for your exhortation, I have always refused those who asked it of me, and have put it off until now. And were it not for my innocent little children, who today understand neither good nor evil, I would not have written much yet; but they compel me to write now, so that when they come to the years of understanding through the grace of God, and I have then been taken from them, it may then teach them of my faith, and instruct them in righteousness and the knowledge of God, in the fear of the Lord, and in all obedience. And since I must walk the way, and obey the calling in which I am called, and can then not admonish them with my lips, I write and leave them this much for a treasure and a testament; for gold or silver I cannot give them, but such as God has given me, which is little, yet more than I am worthy of. This I leave them for an exhortation, so that they may also know most assuredly and certainly by my own writing in what doctrine and faith I died, and that I did not suffer for any misdeed or wickedness, or heresy, as one who follows his own mind and purpose (though I am called a heretic by this evil generation, who imagine that they are pure, and are yet not washed from their filth; but their railing is no proof, and their slander is untruth); for I know well and am sure that all who follow their own mind and purpose do not keep God's commandments. For the Scriptures teach us that we must be spiritually minded, as Jesus Christ was, that we must be obedient and deny ourselves, indeed, utterly and completely renounce our own will, and bow ourselves under the Word and the mighty hand of God, which Word is like a fire, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces, indeed, like a two-edged sword, which shall judge men in the last day. Romans 8, verse 6; Philippians 2, verse 5; Matthew 16, verse 24; Matthew 6, verse 10; First Peter 5, verse 6; Jeremiah 23, verse 29; Revelation 1, verse 16; John 12, verse 48. So I say that I have submitted myself to obey it with all my power and ability, to let myself be instructed by it, and to believe what the Scriptures say; for I believe all that is written in the law and the prophets, both in the Old and the New Testaments; and I have hope toward God, for which the prophets themselves waited, namely, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust; and in this I exercise myself, always to have a conscience free of offense toward God and toward men (Acts 24, verses 14 to 16). So my faith, which God has given me, is as the Word of God, and like the Scriptures, as here follows briefly

In the first place, I believe and confess one only, eternal, Almighty God the Father, of whom are all things. I confess Him to be a living God, who created and made heaven, earth, the sea, and all that is in them, just as both the Old and New Testaments highly extol and worship Him in His worthiness: as an invisible and immortal God, a God of gods, a Lord above all lords, a great God, mighty and most terrible, who sits upon His throne, a Lord to whom there is none like, for He is higher than the heavens, deeper than hell, longer than the earth, and wider than the sea, as He Himself says by the prophet: "The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool." Jeremiah rightly said: "You great and mighty God, the Lord of hosts is your name; great in counsel, and mighty in work. For behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him." So I also say that a creature cannot comprehend the Creator; but I confess Him to be a holy, true, gracious, merciful, but also a severe, righteous and just God, before whom alone we must tremble and fear, fall down and worship, and love and obey Him; who shall repay everyone according to His works, whether they be good or bad, either salvation or damnation. Mark 12, verse 29; Isaiah 40, verse 28; Genesis 17, verse 1; First Corinthians 8, verse 6; Genesis 1; John 1, verse 18; First Timothy 6, verse 16; Deuteronomy 10, verse 17; Psalm 139, verse 8; Isaiah 66, verse 1; Jeremiah 32, verse 19; First Kings 8, verse 27; Leviticus 19, verse 2; Psalm 7, verse 11; Matthew 4, verse 10; Second Corinthians 5, verse 10.

In the second place, I confess and believe in Jesus Christ, God's only, own, true Son, our Lord, who was with the Father from the beginning and from everlasting, whom the Father has filled with His real presence, and in whom He has expressly set the same forth, as is everywhere fundamentally contained and declared in the Scriptures; so that He is the image of the eternal light, the spotless reflection of the divine glory, and the likeness or image of His being. So that when He was in the form of God, He was glorified as God, indeed, the wisdom and Word of God Himself, in whom alone was life, the firstborn of every creature, invisible, incapable of suffering, and immortal, through whom all things were created and made. He is before all, and all is in Him, so that He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, the first and the last, who is, and who was, and who is to come. Even so do I confess the Son of God in His divinity as the eternal true Son of God, true God with the Father, equal with Him in glory, brightness, power, will, and providence. John 3, verse 16; Romans 8, verse 32; Micah 5, verse 2; Colossians 1, verse 15; Second Corinthians 4, verse 4; Philippians 2, verse 6; John 1, verse 4; Colossians 1, verse 15; Revelation 1, verses 8 and 17; John 17, verse 21.

But when the man Adam had sinned by transgressing the commandment, and through sin, because of God's strict justice, was, with all his descendants, under the sentence of eternal death, God, moved with compassion and fervent love, comforted the miserable, sorrowful Adam and promised man His only Son, or eternal Word, by which all things were made, indeed, Adam himself having first been created after His own likeness. He promised him that he should be redeemed and saved by that same Word. God also made this promise, for consolation, to many ancient fathers, such as patriarchs, prophets and servants of God, by beautiful figures and shadows, of a Redeemer and Savior of the world, especially of those who believe. When the time and all the promises were fulfilled, God sent His Son, born of a woman named Mary, who was engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. This virgin conceived of the Holy Ghost, just as God had foreordained and had spoken by Isaiah, saying "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son." Yes, she conceived of the Holy Ghost, and through the power of the Most High it became flesh in her, that is, man, like us in all things, sin excepted. Namely, He who was previously invisible became visible; He who was immortal became mortal; and He who enjoyed great riches of glory, and was glorified as God, indeed, was Himself true God, left His riches, glory and brightness for a little while, and became like other men, and was found in fashion as a man; so that He was both true God and man, and was put under the law to redeem those who were under the law. Genesis 3; Romans 5, verse 18; Jeremiah 33, verse 14; Deuteronomy 18, verse 15; First Timothy 4, verse 10; Galatians 4, verse 4; Matthew 1, verses 25 and 20; Isaiah 7, verse 14; John 1, verse 14; Hebrews 2, verse 17; Hebrews 5, verse 2; John 17, verse 5; Philippians 2, verses 7 and 8; Galatians 4, verse 5.

So I confess with the apostle that the eternal Word of the Father, in whom alone was the light and the life of men, became flesh, and lived upon the earth, and they beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. Even as John testifies and says: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show to you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested to us;) that which we have seen and heard we declare to you." And their testimony is true. So I confess from these words, and from other Scriptures, that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Indeed, "God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." John 1, verses 4 and 14; First John 1, verses 1 to 3; John 17, verse 3; First John 4, verse 2; Romans 9, verse 5; First Timothy 3, verse 16.

So I believe that the true Messiah did come, whom God had promised to the believing fathers; for Abraham received the true promised seed of Christ, in whom he and all the nations upon earth are blessed. And this beautiful Morning Star rose out of Jacob, and has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Judah received his Shiloh, or Deliverer, and Moses his Prophet. He was born in the city and of the lineage of David, and was called the Son of the Highest; indeed, Israel and Judah saw for themselves their Lord, King, Savior and God, and the arm of the Lord reigned with power. And He taught men, not only as a true messenger, but also as a lover of life and a faithful steward, the Word of His Father, which He Himself had first heard and seen from His Father, and which He proved and confirmed with very many mighty signs, and at last sealed with His precious blood, when He took upon Himself our sin and transgression, and had to restore what He had not taken away; who did no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth. Of Him Isaiah says: "He has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows, and he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." And He died for us a shameful death on the tree of the cross, while we were still enemies. He was buried, and raised again the third day according to the Scriptures, for our justification; and after His resurrection, as an almighty, victorious prince and ruler in heaven and earth, He again taught His apostles to observe all things whatever He had commanded them. He then ascended up on high, and sat down at the right hand of His Father in heaven, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in the one that is to come. And He is our Mediator, Intercessor, Advocate, Mercy seat, Reconciler and High Priest, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people; for in that He Himself has suffered being tempted, He is able to help those who are tempted, and can have compassion on our weakness, and therefore He is also able to save forever those who come to God by Him. John 4, verse 25; Genesis 22, verse 18; Galatians 3, verse 16; Numbers 24, verse 17; Second Corinthians 4, verse 6; Genesis 49, verse 10; Deuteronomy 18, verse 15; Luke 2, verse 4; John 12, verse 49; Hebrews 9; First Peter 2, verse 24; Psalm 69, verse 4; First Peter 2, verse 22; Isaiah 53, verses 4 and 5; Romans 5, verse 10; First Corinthians 15, verse 4; Romans 4, verse 25; Matthew 28, verses 18 and 20; Ephesians 1, verses 20 and 21; Romans 8, verse 34; Hebrews 2, verses 17 and 18; Hebrews 5, verse 2; Hebrews 7, verse 25.

In short, I believe and confess that Jesus Christ was sent by God, and that God testified of Him that He is His Son. Now, he who believes on the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he does not believe the record that God gave of His Son. And this is the record, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; and he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life, but the wrath of God remains on him. But I confess with John that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. This is the first and the last, who was dead, and is alive, and lives now forevermore. Little children, keep yourselves from idols, especially Adamitic creatures that are highly esteemed by the world. Amen. Matthew 3, verse 17; First John 5, verses 10 to 12; John 3, verse 36; First John 5, verses 20 and 21; Revelation 1, verses 11 and 18.

In the third place, I believe in the Holy Ghost, who is an eternal Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, which Spirit I confess to belong to both the Father and the Son, proceeding from the Father through the Son. This Spirit God promised by the prophets to pour out upon all flesh, which promise He effectually fulfilled in the apostles, and in their time; and the same is still poured out, and will be poured out, upon all believing, regenerate children of God, for the consolation of their consciences that sorrow in a godly manner, and to seal them for the day of reconciliation, and to distribute to everyone spiritual gifts, according to His good pleasure. By the same we cry, Abba, Father; for the same Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, even as Paul says, which is the pledge of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory; by which Spirit also the prophets spoke from the beginning of the world, and prophesied in a mystery the treasures of wisdom and the knowledge of God, but now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who has abolished death, and has brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel, for which Paul was appointed a preacher, and apostle, and teacher of the Gentiles, and all this according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith. All these things Paul and all holy men did and spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. I therefore believe and confess the Father as the Creator of all things, through His Son or Word; and Jesus Christ as the Son of God, who redeemed us, and bought us with His precious blood; and the Holy Ghost as a mighty working of the Most High in all truly regenerated and believing children of God. These three I confess to be one only, eternal, almighty, living God, who have one purpose, one counsel, one will, one work together in all eternity. As John writes, there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one. To this only, eternal, almighty, living God, who is incomprehensible, unsearchable and indescribable, alone be praise, honor, wisdom, thanks, glory, power and strength, forever and ever. Amen. John 14, verse 17; Isaiah 44, verse 3; Joel 2, verse 28; Acts 2, verse 3; Ephesians 1, verse 13; Titus 3, verse 5; Galatians 3, verse 26; Second Corinthians 7, verse 9; Ephesians 4, verse 30; Romans 8, verses 15 and 16; Second Corinthians 1, verse 22; Ephesians 1, verse 14; Second Peter 1, verse 21; Second Timothy 1, verses 10 and 11; First Timothy 2, verse 7; Romans 16, verse 25; Genesis 1, verse 1; John 1, verses 3 and 12; Mark 12, verse 29; First John 5, verse 7; Romans 11, verse 33.

In the fourth place, I also believe all that this only God spoke by His holy prophets and apostles, and which He Himself declared and taught with His own mouth; and I confess from this same teaching of the Gospel a holy Christian church, which is the communion of the saints, and the congregation of the believers, new creatures, and children of God, which children are bound together in unity and peace with the bond of love, and baptized into one Spirit and body, as Paul says; for they confess one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all. They have the mind which was in Jesus Christ, and they do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, for their citizenship is in heaven; so they are also the temple of the living God, in which God dwells with His Holy Spirit, which Spirit assures them that they are the children of God, and are justified by faith, and wait for all the promises of God. These have the forgiveness of sins, and redemption through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Acts 24, verse 14; First Corinthians 12, verse 13; Second Corinthians 5, verse 17; Ephesians 4, verses 5 and 6; Philippians 2, verse 5; Second Corinthians 4, verse 18; Philippians 3, verse 20; Second Corinthians 6, verse 16; Romans 8, verse 16; Ephesians 1, verse 7.

In the fifth place, I further confess from the holy Scriptures, or Word of God, a baptism, both inward and outward. Inwardly, as Christ says, with the Holy Ghost and with fire; and outwardly with water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, as a token of all that has taken place within; as Paul says, that it is a burial of sin, and also a washing of regeneration. If then it is a burial of sin, and a washing of regeneration, as it also is, then the baptism which is used on infants is a useless baptism; for infants, though they are born of sinful seed, have never practiced sin, and do not know it, since they understand neither good nor evil; and if they have never committed nor known sin, baptism, which is a burial of sin, cannot rightly be used on them. And so they also cannot be regenerated, since they are pure through Christ and still in their first birth; so baptism does not belong to them either, since it is a washing of regeneration. But I say that they are cleansed and redeemed through Christ, as Christ Himself says: "Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Acts 1, verse 5; Matthew 3, verse 11; Matthew 28, verse 19; Romans 6, verse 4; Psalm 51, verse 5; Deuteronomy 1, verse 39; Revelation 1, verse 5; First John 1, verse 7; Colossians 1, verse 14; Matthew 19, verse 14.

But when men grow up, and have reached their years, the heart, as Jeremiah says, is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. So no good thing dwells in the flesh, but it departs from the Lord in every respect, since through evil lusts and desires the flesh is driven to all wickedness and sin, by which they often go astray and sin, because they have little or no right instruction; so they lose Christ's death and merits, under which grace they were when they were first born. Men must therefore, according to the Scriptures, through the power of the divine Word, be taught to know sin, and that sin and all unrighteousness are sin; and they must be exhorted to repentance and amendment, so that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, they should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world, and become new creatures and regenerated children of God by faith; for we cannot see, nor enter into, the kingdom of God unless we are renewed and born again of water and of the Spirit. Which Spirit in the Scriptures is called water as well as Spirit, even as God spoke by the prophet Joel, saying: "I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh," that is, upon all generations or nations, namely, those that have become lowly in spirit and contrite in heart, and believe in God. Which faith, as Paul says, comes by hearing the word of God. So I confess that men must first be taught, so that they bring forth genuine fruits of repentance, believe in Christ, and then be baptized upon their faith, as Christ Himself ordained this, and commanded His apostles, saying: "Go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you." And in the sixteenth chapter of Mark, he says: "Go and preach the Gospel to every creature." He who believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he who does not believe shall be damned. And the apostles did as they were commanded, as we may read in the Acts of the Apostles, and in their epistles: they first taught, and then baptized all the God fearing with water, in the name of the Lord; those who listened to their words and believed in the Son of God received baptism, and this for a burial of sin and a washing of regeneration, for a fulfillment of all righteousness and the answer of a good conscience toward God, for a covenant to live in holiness and righteousness, and for an entrance into and uniting with the body of Christ, which is the church of God; for by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, as Paul says: "You are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Jeremiah 17, verse 9; Romans 7, verse 18; Galatians 5, verse 17; Second Timothy 3, verse 16; First John 3, verse 4; Titus 2, verse 12; Second Corinthians 5, verse 17; First Peter 1, verse 23; Galatians 3, verse 26; John 3, verses 3 and 5; Isaiah 44, verse 3; Joel 2, verse 28; Isaiah 57, verse 15; Acts 16, verse 34; Romans 10, verse 17; Acts 2, verse 38; Acts 16, verse 31; Matthew 28, verses 19 and 20; Mark 16, verses 15 and 16; Acts 2; Acts 16, verse 14; Acts 2, verse 41; Acts 8, verse 12; Matthew 3, verse 15; First Peter 3, verse 21; Luke 1, verse 75; First Corinthians 12, verse 13; Galatians 3, verses 26 to 28.

In the sixth place, I further confess from the Word of God a true Supper, with bread and wine, by which we are to show Christ's sufferings, and His death, and also to remember the new covenant, or testament, which He made with His people, and sealed and confirmed with His blood. Even as Christ Himself instituted the same, and observed it with His apostles, as is written: "That Christ, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. In the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for many: this do in remembrance of me." But all who are to eat this outward bread, and to drink the wine, truly in remembrance of Him, must first be renewed and changed by the Word of God, so that they must be lowly of spirit and contrite in heart, and truly confess Christ Jesus by faith, that He alone is their Redeemer and Savior; and they must have love, unity and peace with one another, and must be sanctified through the Holy Spirit, and assured in their conscience by faith that they are the children of God, and heirs, who through grace shall be partakers of Christ's great benefits, such as His merits, death and blood; for His suffering is our rejoicing, and His death is our life, as Paul says: "That he has reconciled us in the body of his flesh through death, to present us holy and blameless and beyond reproach; and made peace through the blood of his cross, by himself." And so they are to examine themselves, as Paul says, and so eat of the bread, and drink of the cup; for he who eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. So Paul says: "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body; for we are all partakers of that one bread. Behold Israel after the flesh: are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?" Thus the communion of the body and the blood of Christ must be in us, and he who so examines himself, and through the Holy Spirit finds in his conscience that he is an heir of the great benefits of Christ, and a member of His body, he may indeed use the memorials of bread and wine with regard to it, as Christ says "This do in remembrance of me," and Paul says "As often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death till he come." Matthew 26, verse 26; First Corinthians 11, verse 23; Hebrews 9, verse 12; Luke 22, verse 19; Matthew 11, verse 29; Colossians 1, verse 14; Matthew 1, verse 21; Romans 8, verses 16 and 17; Colossians 1, verses 20 to 22; Ephesians 2, verse 13; First Corinthians 11, verses 28 and 29; First Corinthians 10, verses 16 to 18; Romans 12, verse 5; First Corinthians 11, verse 26.

In the seventh place, I further confess a true Christian excommunication, which is an excluding or binding of the disobedient sinner, and a releasing or loosing of the obedient penitent, even as Christ wisely instituted the same and effectually taught it, and His apostles thoroughly expounded, used and also taught it, as Christ spoke to the apostle, saying: "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." And he also says: "If your hand offends you, cut it off, and cast it from you: it is better to have only one hand, and enter into life eternal, than having two hands to be cast into everlasting fire." And the same he also says in regard to the foot and the eye. Matthew 18, verse 18; Matthew 16, verse 19; Matthew 5, verse 30; Matthew 18, verse 8.

But though Christ taught His apostles all this, we do not find it written that the ordinance was used in Christ's time by any disciple with regard to those who, having transgressed or fallen away, caused offenses; and this because of the law, which came to an end in the death of Christ, and because the body was not yet perfect, and the temple of the Lord not yet complete, since they were still very ignorant, and in many matters not fully instructed, as Christ says to them: "I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth." Which Spirit they had to receive before they could bind or release anyone with the key (which is the Word and Spirit of God), as Christ also indicates with these words, when He breathed on them, and said: "Receive the Holy Ghost: if you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven them; and if you retain anyone's sins, they are retained." Not that Christ gave the apostles authority to forgive or to retain anyone's sins contrary to His Word, and so to govern the church according to their will. No; God forbid! They had to act without respect of persons, even though it had been their right hand, and retain the sins of those who according to the Word of God were under the wrath of God, and proclaim grace and peace to the penitent, who according to the same word were under the grace of God; and so Christ appointed the kingdom to them as His Father had appointed it to Him. [n1100-1] Romans 10, verse 4; John 16, verses 12 and 13; John 20, verses 22 and 23; Luke 22, verse 29.

But I repeat it, though Christ had so appointed it and taught it to them, yet, in my view, they had then neither a command nor authority to use the same, as already said, before Christ had ascended up to heaven, having sent them out to preach the Gospel in all the world, to every creature, teaching them to observe whatever He had commanded them. They also had to wait in Jerusalem until they were clothed with power from on high, and had received the promise of the Father, which was the Holy Ghost, who was their teacher and their power, by which they went forward in this practice. And when the body was perfect, and the temple of the living God complete, in which God dwelt with His Spirit, the apostle effectually taught Christ's institution and ordinance of excommunication, and also used it, as we may read how the apostle delivered Hymeneus and Alexander to Satan, so that they might learn not to blaspheme. And so he also punished the Corinthian fornicator, about whom he had determined, when they were gathered together, and his spirit, with the power of Christ, to deliver him to Satan, for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit might be saved. Since the Corinthian church was very slack in regard to using this excommunication in the case of the man who had done that deed, he reproved them with severe words, as we may read in the second epistle to the Corinthians, chapters 12 and 13. As he also wrote to them that a little leaven leavens the whole lump, therefore he says: "Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump." And so Paul used excommunication, and also would have it used, even as he writes to the Thessalonians, saying: "We command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received from us." For in this epistle he had written to the Corinthians not to keep company with fornicators, and since they did not observe it, or perhaps did not understand it well, he explained it to them more fully, and said: "Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then we would have to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company, if any man who is called a brother is a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one, not even to eat." And so I confess that such carnal men, who thus sin against God, are, according to the ordinance of Christ, with the Word of God, as Paul has explained this, to be excommunicated and excluded from the church, and that we are also not to keep company with them, as the apostle says: "If any man does not obey our word, note that man by a letter, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed" or consider with himself that for his presumption and transgression he is delivered to Satan (whom he obediently served according to his will, and also listened to for the sake of sin), for the destruction of the flesh, which before the fall lived and desired to live in sin; that he may be ashamed, may humble himself, repent truly, and so die to sin, and the spirit be saved in the day of our Lord. For as the Word of God has power to excommunicate the presumptuous transgressor, so it also has power to teach, and to avoid the excommunicated person, since excommunication is ineffectual without avoidance. And as excommunication and avoidance are thoroughly taught in the Scriptures, I confess both, since Paul also excommunicated, and also taught, to put away the one who does evil, and says: "Do not keep company with them; with such [as he there specifies] you shall not eat." Even as he also says concerning a man who is a heretic: "When you have once or twice admonished him, reject him, knowing that he who is such is subverted, and sins, being condemned of himself. For such men cause contention and offenses, and their words eat like a cancer;" so the church is to avoid them, lest she be leavened or corrupted by them. Matthew 28, verse 20; Luke 24, verse 49; Acts 1, verse 8; First Timothy 1, verse 20; First Corinthians 5; Galatians 5, verse 9; Second Thessalonians 3, verses 6 and 14; Titus 3, verses 10 and 11; Romans 16, verse 17; First Timothy 2, verse 17. [n1100-2]

Let the reader be informed that Jacob van den Wege, the writer of the preceding letter, for lack of opportunity did not further carry out or write down the articles of faith, though he was sufficiently informed in them all, and continued in them steadfastly to death.