Third Letter of Lauwerens van der Leyen

The peace of the Lord be with you. Amen. Grace be to you, and peace, from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

A most affectionate greeting with the peace of the Lord to you, my dear brother Nathanael. I, your imprisoned brother Lauwerens, wish you the grace of the Lord as a greeting, and inform you that I am of reasonably good cheer, the Lord be praised; which, I trust, will continue so to the end through the grace of the Lord; indeed, I hope to appear so in the day of the Lord. Know that we are waiting for the redemption of our flesh from day to day. Know further that I send you two hymns composed by Lauwerens de Huyvemaecker in his bonds. My dear brother, let us always hold fast the things we have worked for, so that we receive a full reward (Second John, verse 8); and let us not be moved from our purpose, since we are certain that we have the truth, and that no other will ever be found; of this our conscience assures us. I am heartily sorry that I frittered away my time so long with the wicked and blind world, and did not make better use of it. But though I have not been long in the better way, and am now a prisoner, I hope nevertheless to keep what I have, trusting in the grace of the Lord that He will not forsake me.

Know, dear brother, that I would have written you much more Scripture; but you are yourself taught by God, and know the truth. See that you continue in it; may the Lord preserve you and all friends in it.

With this I commend you to the Lord, and to the word of His grace. We twelve, imprisoned together, greet you all with the peace of the Lord.

Andries Langedul, Sander Hendricks, Anthonis Claes, Hans de Luyckener, Mattheus de Pottebacker, Lauwerens van der Leyen, Lauwerens de Huyvemaecker. The women, Adriaentgen, wife of Jockem; Kalleken, wife of Lauwerens de Peseinaecker; Claeitgen, wife of Jan Been; Catelijntgen, wife of Lauwerens de Huyvemaecker; Maeyken, daughter of Andries Langedul; Grietgen Boriaventuers, old Maeyken, and Maeyken de Korte.