Another Letter of Jacob the Chandler, Written in Prison

As he had himself been in Friesland, and had heard from the lips of both parties about the difficulty that had arisen among the people of God, and understood that they had sinned on both sides against God and their neighbor, and made themselves blamable, he therefore said much about this matter in this letter, as you, kind reader, may see.

I, Jacob the Chandler, imprisoned for the Lord's sake (Ephesians 3, verse 1; Second Timothy 1, verse 8), wish all the elders and ministers of the churches in Flanders, who oversee the flock of Christ, and L. V. or A. D., wisdom, knowledge and true love from God the heavenly Father, grace, mercy and peace, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and true comfort, strength and power, through the Holy Ghost, to serve and oversee the church rightly, to be with her as a father, and faithfully to help her in every need, to the building up of the church, to the praise of the Lord, and to the salvation of your souls. This I wish you, my dear and beloved brothers, as a friendly greeting, and a cordial adieu.

After all proper and Christian greetings, I ask all my dear brothers to consider my letter in love, just as I testified before the Lord and all the God-fearing, that it has been done by me out of love. For having heard that many who oversee and care for the church seek to be released, in order to travel out of the country, love for the people has moved me to write to you, to warn you that you should rightly think of the poor children whom you would leave behind in great misery; whom you have begotten again through the incorruptible seed, and brought into the true way; indeed, some of them have not yet been fully regenerated, and cannot rightly tell good from evil; and if you go away like this and leave the poor children, they are in great danger of perishing, and straying back into the world. So, dear brothers, consider how little joy it will be for you when you hear this of them; for we would not like to leave our natural children in any need if we could help the matter with a good conscience. Now, you may think within yourselves: "I have served the church a long time; another may now serve." But I say, dear brothers, with David: "Do not be like the horse, or like the mule, which have no understanding, whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, if they will not come to you." Psalm 32, verse 9. For we must not render the service of servants, which is often rendered unwillingly, and who look to one another, for they serve for wages, and do not seek the advantage of the house. But we must render the service of children, which is given from love, for they live for their father, and not for themselves, as Christ did not live for Himself, but for Him who sent Him to be a minister of the kingdom, and conducted Himself among them as one who serves (Matthew 20, verse 28; Luke 22, verse 27); which service was given from love, not for a year or two, but all the days of His life, for He was obedient to death. Philippians 2, verse 8. And He appointed the kingdom to His apostles, as His Father had appointed it to Him, so that those who according to the gift were the greatest in the kingdom had to be their ministers and servants. And the apostles took help, and ordained in the church pastors, teachers, ministers, helps, governments, and the like (Second Timothy 2, verse 2; Titus 1, verse 5; First Corinthians 12, verse 28), and appointed the kingdom to them, as Christ had appointed it to the disciples, namely, to serve the kingdom from love, and to live in it for the Lord and their neighbor, and not for themselves. So the apostle complains of some, saying: "All seek their own, and not the things which are Jesus Christ's." Philippians 2, verse 21. So let all who serve in the kingdom, who are chosen according to the rule and ordinance of the Scriptures to serve the church, give themselves to the church from love, yet, my dear brothers, with this understanding: if for the church's sake you suffer loss in temporal matters, it is her duty to help you. Deuteronomy 12, verse 19; Sirach 7, verse 31; Luke 10, verse 7.

So, my dear brothers, let every one of you take heed to himself; for we certainly believe that the choosing of the church is from God. Let us therefore consider: if the Lord has chosen us to serve Him in this way, we must give ourselves to the Lord, whenever we have good reason for it, in this, that we can satisfy the church, though we may say: "There are others to whom this belongs more properly than to me." This is no reason that counts before the Lord. If anyone might excuse himself in that way, Jonah could easily have found such a reason; but because he refused to go and proclaim to the Ninevites the will of the Lord, he had to go into the belly of the whale; just as I, unworthy one, have seen some in my time who refused too much, but it did not turn out to their good. Likewise, Moses and others sought excuses (Exodus 4, verse 10; Jeremiah 1, verse 6); but it did not help them; the Lord said: Do I not know whom I will send? For He needs no counselors; He well knows what He wants to use us for. Nevertheless the example of Moses is much followed in the churches, and it is regarded as an honorable thing for a man to refuse; yet it does not please the Lord, for He was angry at Moses. But the prophet Isaiah did not do so; he said: "Send me, Lord; and with this the Lord was not displeased." Isaiah 6, verse 8. Elisha, also, asked for a double portion of Elijah's spirit. Elijah said: "You have asked a hard thing; nevertheless, it shall be so for you." Second Kings 2, verses 9 and 10. And in this way Paul says: "If a man desires the office of a bishop, he desires a good work." First Timothy 3, verse 1.

See, dear brothers, so we must follow what is honorable and praiseworthy before the Lord, and think, those who minister well purchase for themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith. Verse 14; Matthew 25, verse 21. As the children of this world, when they can get into the service of some lord, try to serve faithfully, so that they may obtain a higher office; so must we also try to serve the Lord in that to which we are called, that we may obtain power to rule the heathen with a rod of iron. Psalm 2, verse 9; Revelation 2, verse 27. Therefore, my dear brothers, remain together as long as it is possible for you, and you can encourage one another; but when you begin to separate, you make one another weak; so remain faithfully together, and take heed to your ministry. You who care for the poor, exercise diligent care over them, visit them often, and see how they are doing; warn them with a fatherly heart to work (Ephesians 4, verse 28; Second Thessalonians 3, verse 12), and comfort them in their tribulation, for a consoling word helps the afflicted more than the gift. And hold firmly with your heart in love to your ministers of the Word; for you must be one heart with them, and you will be the better able to keep the people in peace; for if the rulers of a country are not at peace among themselves, there cannot well be peace in the land. So also in the churches: if the ministers are at variance with one another, there cannot well be peace among the common brothers. So, dear brothers, remain at peace with one another; and you deacons, be a support to the ministers of the Word, and take their part; for they must blow the trumpet, that the drowsy may awake (Isaiah 62, verse 6; Joel 2, verse 1); and some drowsy people are of such a nature that they do not like to be waked up: so also some who have become drowsy in sin do not like to be waked up. So there is sometimes much talk behind the back of such a man; therefore you and all pious brothers must defend your man, and talk to the backbiters, and warn them, and you will encourage your man. And you, dear brothers, who oversee the church with the Word of the Lord, remain with the church as long as is possible for you; for if you want to go away, you discourage the other ministers, and weigh them down completely, and scatter the flock. So I ask you, for the people's sake, as one who loves them with a pure heart, do not forsake them, but remain with them, and look at those to whom Christ appointed the kingdom, as it had been appointed to Him by His Father, how diligently they exhorted the kingdom, and fed the flock. For they thought it profitable to warn them and to strengthen them, and to stir up their pure minds, as long as they were in the body, so that after their death they might remember the same. Second Peter 1, verse 13. For the apostle had exhorted them for three years day and night with tears. Acts 20, verse 31. And he taught the bishops of Ephesus that they should take heed to themselves, and to the flock. Verse 28. Now you will perhaps say: "We are not bishops." Then I say that they must not all be bishops who exhort the church, or proclaim the Word of the Lord; but every one must be faithful in his ministry. "For there are many kinds of ministries (First Corinthians 12, verse 5); if any have a ministry, let him attend to his ministering; if any teach, let him attend to his teaching; if any exhort, let him attend to his exhortation (Romans 12, verses 7 and 8), and so feed the flock of Christ, not by constraint, but willingly, for the Lord would be served from love, just as He served from love. First Peter 5, verse 2. So the apostle writes: " If I do this thing willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, a dispensation of the Gospel is committed to me." First Corinthians 9, verse 17.

Therefore, dear brothers, receive them gladly, and bring them up with the rational, sincere milk (First Peter 2, verse 2), like a good nurse, who so loves her child whom she nurses, though she has not given birth to it, that she cannot give it up without tears when the father comes and takes it home, even though it is a stranger to her according to the flesh. How much more then shall you love your children, and not forsake them as long as you can remain with them, since you not only nursed them, but may have given birth to a great part of them; and they are your brothers and sisters in the Lord, so that you are the more bound to them in love, to serve and protect them. As a hen protects her chickens under her wings from the birds of prey, so protect them also from evil, wild beasts that cause discord and offenses contrary to the doctrine of Christ; for their word will eat like a canker, and will destroy like the pestilence. Romans 16, verse 17; Second Timothy 2, verse 17. So protect them in this, and separate from such persons; keep the flock in peace as far as is possible for you, and avoid all strife, and do not meddle with it as far as you can keep out of it; for he who meddles with strife not belonging to him is like one who takes a dog by the ears, and by strife many a heart is polluted. Always speak, as much as you can, what tends to peace, and not to division, for that is not the time for it; for a division is very soon made, which can only be healed with great difficulty, and so many a simple soul perishes by it. And in my judgment it is no usage of the Scriptures, in times of decay, to settle differences by excommunication, though this is sometimes done through zeal; but it is good to be always zealously affected in a good thing. Galatians 4, verse 18. For he who transgressed the law of Moses died without mercy under two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 17, verse 6; Hebrews 10, verse 28); for we have this example first in the Old Testament, where they also had an excommunication, to punish the wicked with death. Nevertheless, the Lord was not willing to use the excommunication, nor did He give the prophets any charge that the excommunication should be used, but He called to them, that they should repent and be converted, and He would be merciful to them, and purge them most purely from their dross; for He can do this, dear brothers, without injuring the gold or silver. Isaiah 1, verse 16; Jeremiah 4, verse 14; Joel 2, verse 12; Isaiah 1, verse 25.

In the second place we have this example in the Testament, first in the case of John and the churches in Asia, how sadly they had decayed; yet John did not make use of excommunication with respect to them, nor do we find that the Lord once asked him why he had not done this; but He called them to repentance through John, and if they would not repent, He would remove their candlestick out of its place. Revelation 2 and 3. And whether the apostle insisted as strongly on excommunication, in regard to that one fornicator, in the second epistle to the Corinthians, as he did in the first, every one may consider this; for the apostles always had a godly care for the simple, and sought to prevent division as far as was possible for them; so they tried every means to allay strife, as can clearly be seen in the Acts of the Apostles. For when the Jewish brothers came to trouble the believers among the Gentiles, saying: "Unless you are circumcised according to the law of Moses, you cannot be saved:" so that there was a great uproar among the people, there rose up also at Jerusalem certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying that it was necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses; which was certainly very unwise. Yet the elders and the apostles did not keep charging them with their unwise course, for fear of division, but met the Jewish brothers, to avoid division, and adopted certain articles from the law which were not contrary to the evangelical truth, and determined that those who had been converted from among the Gentiles should not be troubled, and that no burden should be laid upon them, other than that they should abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication. Acts 15; First Corinthians 10, verse 28; First Thessalonians 4, verse 3; Genesis 9, verse 4; Leviticus 7, verse 26. By this the Jews were pacified, for they might easily think that they were right at least in a measure, because some articles from the law were imposed upon the Gentiles. So also in the twenty-first chapter, how they allayed the strife or offense that was between the Jews and Paul. They had heard that Paul taught men to forsake Moses; so the elders advised that Paul should take four men with him, and go into the temple, and purify themselves and shave their heads. This they were not bound by conscience to do, but they did it for the sake of the Jewish brothers, for they [the elders] said: "They will know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing." Then he went to announce to them the completion of the days of purification. Acts 21. For when they were pacified it was easier to persuade them that the law had an end in Christ. Romans 10, verse 4. But they did not determine that Paul should stand still in his ministry till he had pacified them; for this would frequently have had to be done, since there was often talk about him, as can well be seen in the epistle to the Corinthians. But with him it was a very small matter that he should be judged by them, or by man's judgment, for he says: "I do not judge my own self." First Corinthians 4, verse 3. Nor does this tend to peace, but to more strife; for a church cannot be kept in quiet when she has to lose her pastor, because there are persons who talk about him, and do not know what the matter is, nor whether they say it of him justly or unjustly. So the accuser must come before his church, and accuse him there; if they are matters about which they cannot agree together, the church may hear the matter, and if the accused is guilty, she may help punish him; so she will be delivered from his hand, so that he can make no trouble. And so the matter must first be proven, before the church can be helped, and also before punishment can take place. So Paul writes to Timothy: "Do not receive an accusation against an elder, except before two or three witnesses." First Timothy 5, verse 19. For he well knew that there is often much said about them. Therefore, dear brothers, continue steadfast, this I ask you for the sake of God's truth, and do not forsake them, namely, your men, before they are forsaken by the Lord; but always seek to build up one another, that the churches may be supplied, and the flock fed; that Jerusalem may have watchmen upon her walls who do not sleep or hold their peace day and night, but remember the Lord and their flock, and say: "For Zion's sake I will not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until its righteousness goes forth as brightness, and its salvation as a lamp that burns." Isaiah 62, verses 6 and 2.

So, my dear brothers, do the best with the poor sheep, stand by them faithfully, and do not forsake them in this great need, but exhort and comfort them with these words: how our fathers were tried in many ways, and became the friends of God, since they had to overcome through much affliction. Judith 8, verse 25; Deuteronomy 8. Likewise, Isaac, Jacob, the prophets, and all who loved God remained steadfast, as the angel said to Tobit: "Because you pleased God, it was not possible that you should remain without temptation." Tobit 12*; Proverbs 3, verse 12. And if you fall into affliction for their sakes, think of what the apostle writes: Therefore, I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they may also obtain salvation, even as has now fallen to me, unworthy as I am. For if it had not been for the church, I think I would have remained in the country of Cleves; but I can say with David to the Lord: "My times are in Your hand." Psalm 31, verse 15. And it was His will to bring my time to an end, as the facts show. But the apostle says: "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking of the afflictions of Christ, for His body's sake, which is the church." Colossians 1, verse 24; Romans 12, verse 5; Ephesians 1, verse 23. And if you suffer for the church, you have acted according to the love of Christ, and given your life for the brothers and for the sheep. John 10, verse 11; First John 3, verse 16. So, my dear brothers, watch, stand fast in the faith, be courageous like men, and let everything you do be done in love.

Finally, I will address myself briefly to my dear sisters, namely, to your wives, to exhort and entreat them to be patient with their husbands, and not to press them, in order to get them out of the country. [n975-1] But consider the great distress, and have pity and compassion with the people, and think that we must help bear that with which the Lord tries our husbands, and by faith possess our souls in patience. Luke 21, verse 19; Hebrews 10, verse 36. As when God tried Abraham, that he should offer up his son, Sarah had to help bear it, for she would have had to lose her only son, if the Lord had not given him back to Abraham. Yet we cannot see that Sarah resisted Abraham; she obeyed Abraham as her lord, and let him live by his faith in everything in which the Lord tried him, and she herself warned him that he should cast out the bondwoman and her son. Genesis 21, verse 10. So also you, my dear sisters, obey your husbands, and let them live by their faith in everything in which they are tried by the Lord. Genesis 3, verse 16; Ephesians 5, verse 22; Colossians 3, verse 18. And do not discourage them, but rather refresh their mind when you see that they are burdened by the trouble which they have with the people, and remember that you are Sarah's daughters, as long as you do well, and are not "afraid with any amazement." First Peter 3, verse 6. So, dear sisters, be of good cheer, and trust your God; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it. First Corinthians 10, verse 13; Second Peter 2, verse 9. For God knows our strength, that it is nothing, so He cares for us, for He has said, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you." So that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do to me. Psalm 37, verse 25; Joshua 1, verse 5; Hebrews 13, verses 5 and 6; Psalm 118, verse 6. But we must slay and overcome them in the name of the Lord, for they are only dust and ashes, and shall perish as grass; indeed, the moth shall eat them like wool, as Isaiah says; and he further says: "I am he who comforts you; who are you, that you should be afraid of a man who shall die, and of the son of man who shall be made as grass?" Isaiah 40, verse 6; First Peter 1, verse 24; Isaiah 51, verses 8 and 12. For with them there is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord Himself, who will help us, and fight our battles. Second Chronicles 32, verse 8; Jeremiah 17, verse 5; Wisdom 4, verse 28. Although they are now like mad men, who spare no one, but spoil and destroy those who fear the Lord, and exalt themselves very greatly, so that almost every one is afraid of them and trembles before them, yet the Lord shall humble and destroy them when their spoiling and destroying shall have an end. Second Esdras 16, verse 71; Isaiah 14, verse 14. But now, dear sisters, we must be tried as gold in the fire, that our trial may work patience, and that patience may have her perfect work. Zechariah 13, verse 9; Wisdom 3, verse 6. For when we are patient in our tribulation, we overcome and do not grow weary or faint; indeed, though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. Second Corinthians 4, verse 16. And we choose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; and we esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, looking to the recompense of the reward. Hebrews 11, verses 25 and 26.

See, dear sisters, take courage, and go forth with the widow Judith against the proud Holofernes, who had been sent out by King Nabuchodonosor, to bring every country under his power. And he pretended that he was God; yet his servant, Holofernes, was slain by Judith. Judith 2, verse 5; Judith 13, verse 8. So now also the son of perdition, who is called God upon earth, has sent out a proud messenger, and thinks by this to bring everything under his power. But, as I hear, he has been vanquished at Kortrijck, by a poor, simple widow, even as Christ vanquished the scribes and Pilate. So you must also go forth, dear sisters, to overcome him by faith. And take an example also from the woman Jael, who slew Sisera, the adversary and enemy of the house of Israel. She took a hammer, and drove a nail through his head, so that he lay there dead. Judges 4, verse 21. So you must also, my dear sisters, go forth by faith against the enemy and adversary of the house of Israel, who through his children and servants makes so much clamor and ado, namely, the devil or Satan, and must with the hammer of the divine Word drive the nail, Christ Jesus, through his head, and say with the apostle

"Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ." First Corinthians 15, verse 57. And he also says: "Thanks be to God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ." Second Corinthians 2, verse 14.

So, my dear sisters, be always valiant, and patient as well, and exhort your husbands to stay with the flock; and know that whatever good thing anyone does, the same he shall receive from the Lord. Ephesians 6, verse 8.

Therefore, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, since you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. First Corinthians 15, verse 58.

With this I will commend you, my dear and much beloved brothers and sisters, to the great Almighty God, who alone is wise, and ask Him to put into your heart to do what is acceptable before Him. And I ask you to receive in good part my letter, which has been written out of love; and if there are any views in it that are not like your own, bear with them in love, for we stand, I hope, in one faith. For I am not conscious of any change in me; what I, unworthy one, have taught the church and the people, in that I still stand unchanged, the Lord be praised for His grace, who has kept me in it for about eighteen years. Greet all the brothers and sisters that live among you, beloved, very much in my name. With this I will bid you adieu; adieu, my dear brothers with your wives, till we see one another in eternal joy; the Lord grant you His grace, that we may find one another there. Written the 31st of May and the 1st of June, by me, JACOB DE ROORE, in my imprisonment.

Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in doing well, as to a faithful Creator. First Peter 4, verse 19.