Another Letter from Mr. Jelis Matthijss

To my flesh and blood I wish strength of spirit and a steadfast mind in all her tribulation and severe distress. Amen.

My dear and beloved wife, whom I married before God and His church, since the time of my departure is now at hand, may you all know that my heart and mind are concerned about you. I truly wanted to write you something, but I have so poor an opportunity for it, because things stand this way with us: we are now watched and guarded by eight or ten servants, so that I feel little strength of spirit in me to write anything to you, love, since it has come upon us so unexpectedly, as we had not heard a word. Willeboort, my faithful comrade, had already partly undressed when our host and hostess came upstairs, saying: "Mr. Jelis and Willeboort, come down." When we came down we saw the stadtholder, and the bailiff came too and reproached us with this, at which I had a few words with him. In short, my dearly beloved chosen flesh and blood, I shall now go the way of all the prophets and witnesses of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, and in this I greatly rejoice and am of good cheer at this present time. Indeed, I find such joy and comfort in me that I cannot well describe it to you, and so far I do not feel the least fear; but I am concerned most about you, because of the overwhelming grief that weighs you down. Yet I trust my God and yours, that with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape, through the comfort of the Holy Spirit, by which He will comfort you. First Corinthians 10, verse 13.

O my flesh, my blood, I beg you by the bleeding wounds of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, be patient in your tribulation, so that you are not found as one who would fight against God, but rather say with Mary: "Behold, Lord, let it be to me according to Your will." Luke 1, verse 38. For at the very hour of meeting, the hour of parting was known to the Lord, and He in His fatherly mercy has foreseen and chosen you also to suffer tribulation and pain now for His name's sake. And though, my chosen lamb, I now feel greater joy, because my pilgrimage has come to a close, yet I beg you, be of good cheer in the Lord, and receive it with patience and sorrow. Humble your heart, and endure it. Sirach 2, verse 2. Oh, I know that your grief is very great. Oh, if it were God's will, and I might die for you, indeed even if I were to taste a twofold death for you, I would not shrink from it, since it does not come hard to me. Oh, then I would certainly have the assurance that you would not be deceived by strange lovers (Jeremiah 2, verse 25), nor by the noonday devil, nor by your own flesh; still, I trust from the bottom of my heart that you will follow the footsteps of my faith, that is, that you will hold to the truth to the end. Oh, the reason for my writing, and my last and great request, is that you hold to what God out of great grace has given you. Oh, do not give in or waver because of your great grief, or because of any conflict that may arise which you do not know of yet; but in all your concerns pray with confidence to God the merciful, dear Father. He will not forsake you; I am sure of it. Ephesians 6, verse 18. And though, my dear chosen lamb, we shall now be separated for a little while, we shall meet each other again hereafter in the resurrection of the dead, and shall forever be with the Lord. First Thessalonians 4, verse 17. Oh, then our small sorrow shall be changed into eternal, unspeakable joy, and all tears shall be wiped away from our eyes, and we shall hear the words: "Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world." Isaiah 25, verse 8; Revelation 7, verse 17; Matthew 25, verse 34. O my dear lamb, comfort yourself with these promises, and with the words of the Gospel, where Christ Himself says: "Blessed are those who weep now, for they shall be comforted. But woe to those who laugh now, for they shall weep. For the time shall come when they shall cry out: O you mountains and hills, fall on us, and cover us from the face of the Lord." Matthew 4, verse 5; Luke 6, verse 25; Hosea 10, verse 7. [n887-2]

Oh, then it will be at an end with all our persecutors, executioners and rackers, and with all destroyers; indeed, then the word of the prophet Isaiah shall be fulfilled, where he says: "O you destroyers, do you think that you shall not also be destroyed? And you despisers, do you think that you shall not also be despised? When you have made an end of destroying, an end shall also be made with you." Isaiah 33, verse 1. But for you, my flesh, my blood, and for me, and all the saints, the Sun of righteousness shall arise, and happiness and eternal prosperity shall surround us. O my dear sheep, [flock], how gladly would I comfort you and come to your aid in your tribulation; but it cannot be at this time. But I sincerely ask you, remember the words I spoke to you in times past, and follow them; this I ask of you, and let them be a lasting foundation stone. Further, I warmly urge you, and this for the eternal salvation of your soul, that you live quietly and bring up your child (my own offspring) in the fear of the Lord, as I trust you will. Once more, my dearest, chosen lamb, I urge you from the bottom of my heart, and my inmost soul, remember often what I said to you in times past, and also wrote in part, namely, that you hold all the days of your life to that which you so willingly accepted of your own free will, since it is the true ground, foundation, and way to eternal life. Oh, there shall never be found any other way than this way of the cross; and if it should also be the will of your merciful, dear Father to test you with His fatherly rod of the cross, that is, with bonds or imprisonment, I ask you, for the sake of the eternal salvation of your soul, that you will not fear our enemies. For it is impossible to write or express how God the merciful, dear Father comforts those who have committed themselves entirely to the Lord, so that I would not have thought that I could have such a heart and mind, so that I almost wondered how they could depart from the word of God. But they forgot the comfort of the glory to come, and became heedless, and the oil of righteousness and love failed in their earthen vessels. Matthew 13, verse 43; Matthew 25, verse 3.

So, my faithful, dearest flesh and blood, be warned, that you may not, through laziness and heedlessness, find yourself deceived along with the heedless, foolish virgins. Therefore be watchful in the spirit, and be diligent still from day to day to put off more and more (Ephesians 4, verse 22); for, my dear lamb, it is necessary that you watch, since not all who have gone out of this present spiritual Egypt and Sodom shall enter into the promised land; and this because of the power and craft of the old serpent, who does not rest or pause day or night, but goes around the camp, looking for whom he may find drowsy. Resist him staunchly in the faith; take on yourself a valiant and believing heart. [n887-1]

Furthermore, dearly beloved lamb, it is my request that you shape yourself to all humility, and be little in your own eyes, and do not set your mind on high things, but stoop to people of low position. Romans 12, verse 16. Always be ready and eager to hear the Word of God, and remember the words of Christ: "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Matthew 18, verse 20. My dear lamb, have fervent love for the church of God, and do not forget to share of that which the merciful, dear Father has given you. Remember that mercy glories against judgment, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. James 2, verse 13; Hebrews 13, verse 16. But I know, my beloved lamb, and have confidence in you, that in this you will follow the teaching of our dear Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew 6, verse 1. With this, my dearest, I take my farewell and leave of you, my flesh and blood, on this earth, and commit you into the hands of Almighty God, our Savior, Jesus Christ, who is able to preserve and build up you and your child (Acts 20, verse 32), and to strengthen you in every distress, since He is faithful and will do it, if you, my dear lamb, only continue in His statutes and laws, and do not grow weary in the way of the cross, though it is full of anxiety and hardship for you. Oh, that you, my dear lamb, might take courage and praise and thank your God, that you too are found worthy to suffer for His name. Oh, think of the words of the wise man, where he says: "Having been chastised a little, we shall be greatly rewarded; for God tests his chosen as gold in the furnace." Wisdom 3, verses 5 and 6.

Therefore, my dearly beloved lamb, let the testing of your faith work patience, and let patience have her perfect work (James 1, verses 3 and 4), and remember the words of the wise man: "A patient man is better than a strong man; and he who rules his spirit (mark) than he who takes a city." Proverbs 16, verse 32. Further, the prophet Jeremiah says: "It is good and a great thing to be patient, and that one who is forsaken should wait for help from the Lord." Lamentations 3, verse 36. So possess your souls in patience for a little while yet; this I beg of you from my inmost heart. Luke 21, verse 19. [n887-3]

O my dearly beloved lamb, once more I urge you, acquit yourself valiantly. Oh, if you love me (as you abundantly do), follow the footsteps of my faith; for the time is fulfilled, the days are spent, my years are ended which I lived in this wilderness among many dangers. I have not run or fought uncertainly; so I rejoice in the spirit that God the merciful, dear Father has been with me, so that I have fought the fight and finished my course. From now on there is laid up for me the crown of eternal life which God, the merciful, dear Father, shall give me, and not to me only, but also to all those who love his appearing. First Corinthians 9, verse 26; Second Timothy 4, verses 7 and 8. And I shall now enter into the precious land which I have tasted and seen by faith, and therefore my inner man has a desire for it, so that I am not afraid of my enemies, nor do I shrink back from the Jordan. Though it is most terrible to behold in the eyes of some, we are certain and assured that our faithful God of Israel will be with us, and will make it ready with His strong arm, so that we shall pass through unharmed, and so encourage the young valiant Israelites. In short, to all who want to fear God from the heart we are, through the grace of God, a savor to eternal life; and to those who hate us, a savor of death. Second Corinthians 2, verse 16. Adieu, my flesh, my blood; under the altar I hope to wait for you all. Revelation 6, verse 9. Let my blood be a lasting testament and memorial to you. Farewell, until we meet in eternity. Amen.

Oh, hold valiantly, I ask you, to the way of righteousness; for I testify to you with my blood, before God and His angels, that it is the true road and highway, indeed, the true grace of our God, on which and in which you stand. First Peter 5, verse 12. The grace of God be with you. Amen. The 24th of October, five o'clock in the morning, in the year 1564.