A Letter Written by Jelis Bernaerts to his Wife

Grace and peace from God the Father, which has come to us through Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord. May He comfort you in all your tribulation by the power of the Holy Spirit, which Spirit is the comforter of all the afflicted, and is sent to us from the Father through Jesus Christ His Son, as the teacher of all believers, and comforter of all the afflicted, who are in godly sorrow, which sorrow works repentance to salvation. Second Corinthians 7, verse 10. This same only, undivided, unchangeable, eternal, almighty, strong God, expressed in three names, namely, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in one Being, as is written. John 5, verse 7: There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one. May He be your Comforter to the end. This I pray from the bottom of my heart, through His dear Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [n824-1]

After all heartfelt and affectionate greeting which I have written you, my dearest and beloved wife, and sister in the Lord, whom I love as my own soul, according to the spirit and the flesh, since you are flesh of my flesh, and I with you, I cannot, perceiving your sorrow, omit or neglect to comfort you always by my writing, as long as I have time. And know, my most beloved, that my parting from you is hard for me; but I console myself with the Word of the Lord, who has said that we must hate and forsake everything: father, mother, wife, children; and that he who does not take up his cross daily cannot be His disciple. Luke 14, verse 26; Matthew 16, verse 24. And when I also consider that the union of the flesh which we have formed together cannot last forever, and since the parting does thus take place according to the will of the Lord, I renounce my own will in this, and submit myself to the will of the Lord. So you also, my most beloved, I beg you, give yourself over to the Lord, for He is your life and your death, as we read in Romans 14, verse 8: Whether we live, we live to the Lord; and whether we die, we die to the Lord; for we are the Lord's. And when I, my dearest, consider the unity in which we still stand, namely, in the spiritual body of Christ, since by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, then I rejoice that you also stand in communion with me, and have become a partaker of the divine nature; indeed, that we have become branches on the vine, which is Christ, sheep of the true Shepherd, children of the promise, born of the free woman, heirs of God's kingdom, with Christ in the kingdom of His Father, since we are born of God through Him, by the incorruptible seed, the word of truth, which He is, since He is the Word of the Father, and the Word became flesh; and through that Word and Spirit we came into this communion, and became flesh of His flesh, and bone of His bone, and are members of His body, namely, of His church, of which He is the Head. And when I consider that we both stand in this, I rejoice; and so may you, my most beloved, this I ask of you; for this union shall endure forever, if we remain faithful to Him with whom we are united in it, and do not commit adultery, and hereafter we shall enjoy all the glorious riches with Him in His Father's kingdom. But know, my dear lamb, that Christ, when He had forsaken the glory of His Father, and came upon earth, had to take it again by much tribulation and suffering; and if He, who is the Head, went before in this way, we, the members, must follow; and as there is but one way, and one door, the members must follow in and through the same; the body cannot enter the house divided. [n824-2] So, my most beloved, if we would be members with the Head, namely, enter with Christ into His Father's house, and enjoy the glorious riches, we must enter by the same way, and accept all that may befall us; for if we would reign with Him, we must suffer with Him.

If we are children, we are also heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8, verses 17 and 18. And Christ says: "Truly, truly, I say to you, that you shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice; and you shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy." A woman when she is in labor has sorrow, because her hour has come; but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembers the anguish no more, for joy that a man is born into the world. John 16, verses 20 and 21. So, my most beloved, take these words of Christ as an example, that it must be this way with us until we have borne Christ.

Therefore, my most beloved, consider well the Scriptures, how He constantly speaks of tribulation and suffering in this present time, always, however, adding comfort, even as He says: "Blessed are you that mourn, for you shall be comforted." Matthew 5, verse 4. Again: "In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16, verse 33. And again: "Fear not, I will not leave you orphans." John 14, verse 18. And even as He speaks through the prophet Isaiah: "Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Indeed, they may forget, yet I will not forget you." Isaiah 49, verse 15.

So, my most beloved, be comforted by these words, and by all the glorious riches of which you have become a partaker through faith; and you need not be astonished that you now weep, since you certainly know well that in this present time nothing is promised us but tribulation, suffering, persecution, and weeping. But it is written: "Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh. Woe to you that laugh now! For you shall weep." Luke 6, verses 21 and 25. So it is better to weep now than afterwards, since the time is coming which will endure forever; and the things which now are must soon perish. Therefore, my most beloved, cast your care upon the Lord, for He cares for you; and be strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, to all patience and longsuffering, with joyfulness, giving thanks to the Father, who has made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, who has delivered us from the power of darkness, through His beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be praise, honor and glory, now and forever. Amen. Colossians 1, verses 11 to 13.

With this I, your faithful husband, commend you, my most beloved wife, to the Lord, and to the word of His grace. Amen. May the Lord strengthen and establish you by His Spirit, that you may keep to the end what you have, and so receive the crown of life, and wait with patience for the time of your redemption. The peace of the Lord be with you, and with all who fear and love the Lord, and keep His commandments.