The Second Letter of Wouter Denijs and his Fellow Prisoners

The unfathomable grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with all dear brothers and sisters, and all dear friends who desire to walk in the true and pleasant fear of the Lord; and with the overseers of the true bride of Christ; this we wish as a heartfelt greeting, namely, we brothers and sisters, Jan van Raes, Francais the carpenter, Jan Watier, of Komen, Old Pieter, Wouter Denijs, and Kalleken van den Berge, who are in bonds here at Kortrijck for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Further, dear friends, we tell you about our first examination: we were sharply and severely examined about our brothers, leaders and teachers, as to who they are, where they live, and what their names are.

So we ask you, dear friends, not to inquire lightly about one another's names or places where you live; for when we come into bonds, we have to suffer great distress because of it. But the Lord be praised forever, who has kept our lips until now; however, we are greatly threatened with the torture. We therefore kindly ask you to entreat the Lord diligently for us, and for all our brothers who are in bonds at Ghent, Antwerp, and all other places; that the Lord may strengthen them. And we heartily ask you to look after our wives and children, and to admonish them in the fear of the Lord, as you would want done for yours; and to see that you protect their property as well as you can. And know that it is still our purpose to fight through by the grace of the Lord. Kallaken, and Stijntgen and Jaentgen, her two daughters, are confined together, and greet you much; and as regards their purpose, it is also tolerably well with them. But we ask you, dear friends in the Lord, to search His Word diligently, and to admonish one another while you are out of bonds; for I fear that they will yet greatly scatter the church, since they are still thirsting much for blood, even more than the judge. For as Jannes and Jambres vehemently withstood Moses, so these violently resist the truth. They intend to scatter the whole flock at Meenen. So let everyone keep as quiet as he can, and if you receive any warning, whether spoken or otherwise, heed it; for if I, Wouter Denijs, had heeded it three or four nights, I would perhaps not be imprisoned. But I thank the Lord for His grace. I thought it would cause me far more sorrow; but now I find that the Lord is wonderful and mighty in His deeds, He who does not leave His children comfortless, for which I can never fully praise or thank Him. Pieter heartily asks the church to forgive him; for what he said was spoken out of great consternation, and the man is wonderfully sorry about it, and has wept many a tear because it happened. We kindly ask you to remember us in your prayers, as though imprisoned with us, for we now much need the prayers of the saints. And do not take our letter lightly, for we have good reason to write this, since we are far more ardent in remembering our fellow prisoners than we were before we were in bonds. For you should know how this letter was written, namely, with a little stick cut off of a counter, and with ink made of red earth. Further, dear friends, I heartily ask you to admonish Ariaenken, my wife. Though matters now stand this way with her, I trust in the Lord that she will not remain in subjection to Egypt with her carnal friends, since she has been spoken to. I hope for the best.

No more, but farewell; we commend you to God, and to the Word of His grace.

Written by me, Wouter Denijs, begun on the nineteenth, and finished the twentieth, by the grace of the Lord, to whom be praise and honor forever. Amen.