MARTYRS
MIRROR
The eternal, abundant and rich grace and mercy of God the heavenly Father, and the pure love, joy and peace of the Son, together with the comfort of the Holy Ghost, who proceeds from both the Father and the Son, to comfort those that are in any tribulation; this I wish you, my dear and God-beloved sister in the Lord, as a friendly greeting, to strengthen you in your great tribulation, in which
you now also are for the Lord's holy name and the Gospel's sake, which Gospel He left us, and sealed it with His precious blood, that He might thereby cleanse and wash us from all our uncleanness, and present us unto Himself holy and blameless, without spot or wrinkle, yea, that He might thereby prepare unto Himself a holy people zealous of good works. Eph. 5:26, 27; Tit. 2:14. To Him be praise, thanks, glory, honor, power, and majesty, forever and ever. Amen.
After all proper greetings, my dear and beloved sister in the Lord, whom I love from the depth of my heart, because of our regeneration, I inform you, that I and your dear husband are still tolerably well according to the flesh; and as regards the spirit, it is still the purpose of us both, to adhere to the eternal truth by the great help of the Lord, without whom we can do nothing, and from whom we must also constantly look for help and comfort. And He, according to His promise, does not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able, but does with the temptation also make a way to escape. I Cor. 10:13. Yea, He is a faithful helper in distress, who never yet forsook His own that continued in His fear, and firmly trusted in His Word; for He gives unto every one that asks Him, and will not that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance, that we should be to the praise of His glory. Matt. 7:7; II Pet. 3:9; Eph. 1:12. Hence,"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth; for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye* also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which-are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience." Cal. 3:1-6. Therefore, let all bitterness, conceitedness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us. Eph. 4:31, 32; 5:1, 2. And Christ says, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye .love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples." John 13:34, 35. And Peter says, "Have fervent charity among yourselves; for charity shall cover the multitude of sins" (I Pet. 4:8); and love is the fulfilling of the law. Rom. 13:8. But we must love God above all, as is written, "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:26. And further, "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matthew 19:37. Thus, we must love Him above all, and for His name forsake everything, and entirely deny ourselves. 16:24. Hence, my dear sister, be content, and do not grieve immoderately on this account; for it is the will of the Lord, and His will must be done. We must part here once. Thus, hasten, that we may all meet together when men shall not be able to part us any more. May the good and almighty Lord full of grace and truth make us fit hereto. Amen.
Farewell, and accept this in good part.
Jan van den Wege, having risen early one morning, and then, about seven o'clock, gone with his cousin to market, was apprehended at the fish market at Ghent in Flanders, by master Klaes (who was wont to ride out with the Dean of Ronse, in order to assist in the apprehension of those called heretics) and two other officers, and taken to the Sausselet (the city prison), where master Klaes asked him concerning his place of residence, which he refused to tell. He was then searched; but they found nothing on his person except a hymn; hence they took their departure from him, leaving him securely locked in prison. Having, after many examinations and vexations, boldly confessed his faith, and refusing to apostatize from it in any wise, he was, on the 7th of November 1570, together with two young maidens, named Janneken van Hulle, and Janneken van Rentegem, sentenced to death for the living word of God. When they were brought forth, almost entirely stripped, the executioner put a gag into each one's mouth to prevent them from speaking. Thus they went along in silence like sheep to the slaughter, and saluted the brethren by nodding to them. A brother was heard to say to them, "Be valiant." And a sister said, "Contend valiantly for the truth." In their sentence it was stated that they had been rebaptized, contrary to the royal decree, also, that they had erred from the true faith, and united with heretics, and that they were therefore sentenced to be burned with fire. The executioner then placed each at a stake, and strangled and burned them. Thus they finished their course, and are now lying under the altar, awaiting the reward of their sufferings.
I wish you, my cordially beloved and chosen sister, whom I love from the very depth of my heart, the unfathomable, abundant, great grace and mercy of the eternal and almighty God, the heavenly Father; and also the great humility and meekness, and the great peace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the only and true Son of the living God; and the great power, consolation and full joy of the Holy
Ghost; this is my eternal and blessed wish and holy salutation and perpetual memorial to you, my dear, chosen sister; and also to all men that fear and love the Lord, and call on Him out of a pure heart. This is ever my blessed wish and holy salutation, to the eternal salvation of your souls, and to the praise of the eternal, supreme, almighty God of heaven and earth; to whose name be praise, thanks, glory and honor, forever and ever. Amen.
O see, my dear and much beloved chosen sister, what more shall I wish you? or what more shall I write you than I have written? But I repeat, and this from abundant, pure and fervent love to God, with the holy, chosen apostle Peter, where he writes to you, and also to us, and to all men, "Purify your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, and see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The sun is risen, and hath withered the grass, and the beauty of it is perished: but the word of the Lord endureth forever. I Pet. 1:22-25.O dear sister, what a good ointment and blessed doctrine this is which Peter has here taught us by the Holy Ghost. O yes, what a precious medicine this is which the Lord has left us by His apostles, by which the soul can be purified and healed. Hence let us open our ears, and unlock our hearts, that we may hear with our ears and understand with our hearts, what the obedience of the truth teaches us. For it is Jesus Christ, the genuine truth, with all the precious medicines of grace and mercy, and the sweet-smelling oil of love, whereby we purify our souls, and by no other.
Hence, O dear sister, let us hear this truth, and obey it; for He proceeded from the Father, yea, came from and was sent by Him, a teacher from heaven, to teach us the way of truth, and the life, which He was Himself; and all that He has heard and seen from His Father, He has taught us, in order to purify our souls, and save them for ever; for He teaches us, saying, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." John 8:42; 1:4; 14:6; 8:38; 3:5.
O dear sister, earnestly pray the Lord for a right understanding of this regeneration, which must be
effected from above, of water and of the Spirit, since otherwise we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. Hence, let us pray with a firm confidence and a strong faith, yea, pray with an unwavering mind to God the Most High, in spirit and in truth; and it shall be given us, as He Himself says, "For every one that asketh receiveth,". says the Lord Jesus Christ. Matt. 7:8. Let us therefore so ask Him that we may receive it, that is, understand the regeneration, and live in accordance therewith, and then remain forever and constantly regenerated unto the end. O yes, so born. from above, that whereas there was nothing before, there is something now; and whereas formerly we knew nothing but lying and cheating, together with presumptuous pride, proud cursing, fighting, swearing, evil speaking, and lived in much pleasure of the flesh, we now speak the truth from the heart, and walk in the truth, as children that are born of the truth; and live in the fear of our God, with an humbled heart, in lowliness, gentleness, and in great joy of the Spirit, and no longer go to dumb idols, to worship or honor them, nor do we go into their Baal's dens, where nothing but the commandments of men are taught, which doctrines destroy men's souls, and with which the devil has destroyed the whole world, for His name is destroyer. Rev. 9:11. O yes, dear sister, whenever we went there, we saw them perform their mass and abominable idolatry, which are but fables and commandments of men, and instituted by the same destroyer, the devil. And when they elevate their abominable idol, every one must fall down before it, and worship and honor it. O what abominable idolatry this is 1 Sentence has long ago been pronounced upon them; for idolaters. says Paul, have no part in..the kingdom of God; but their part, says John, is in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. I Cor. 6:9; Rev. 21:8. Hence, O dear sister, keep away from idols, and touch not the unclean thing, and let us be turned from idolatry to the service of the living God, to serve Him for He alone is to be heard, praised, honored, worshiped, served, and loved, forever. Yes, dear sister, let us thus apprehend the meaning of Christ, that we be truly turned from the power of this -world, where there is nothing but darkness, namely, the night of sin (I Thess..5:7; Rom. 13:12); to the day of grace, where shines in the beautiful Sun of righteousness, Jesus Christ, with all His promises and grace (Mal. 4:2; Rom. 6:14); and from lies to the truth, and from unrighteousness and wickedness to righteousness and good works; and thus demonstrate in power, that we are regenerated in humility of heart and spirit, love one another with brotherly love out of a pure .heart, and have peace with all men, if it be possible; yea, as ye would that men should do to you, so do you also to them: for this is the law and the prophets, says Christ, who is the infallible truth. I Pet. 1:22; Rom. 12:18; Matt. 7:12.
Let us therefore well consider this, that we may not err; for we would indeed be willing that men should show us much favor and mercy, and always live peaceably with us; hence let us also always show much f avor and mercy to all men, and do them many kindnesses, thus showing love to them, and seek to live in peace and love with one another, and with all men. Yes, dear sister, let us so purify our souls as Peter says, "Purify your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, and love one another with a pure heart fervently: being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever." I Pet. 1:22, 23. Oh, yes, dear sister, let us so follow the advice of Peter, that we obey the truth of Christ, and through obedience purify our souls, and be truly born from above, of water and of the Spirit, which must be effected from high heaven, whereby we must be born again, namely, of the water, as Christ says, "He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." (But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive.) John 7:38, 39. And by the words of truth, as Christ Himself says, "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." John 6:63. Oh, yes, dear sister, this is the true water and the true Spirit, whereby we must be born again from above, if we are to see the kingdom of heaven; for Christ gives and sends the Holy Spirit from above down upon everyone whom He sees prepared; and His Word He also brought from above, and hence this regeneration is effected from above. John 15:26; 8:26; 3:3, 7.
Therefore, dear sister, let us take good heed, that we well keep this regeneration, and constantly, all the days of our life, walk before the eyes of the Lord in holiness, as the truly regenerated children of God, who are not born of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, namely, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. Hence, my dear and much beloved sister, if you are truly in this regeneration, which has been effected in you from above, show forth the nature of that of which you are born, so that you have all your conversation in heaven, and are no longer minded toward flesh and blood, nor anything that is visible, as Paul says, but towards that which is invisible. Phil. 3:19, 20. For Paul says, that our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding, and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. II Cor. 4:17, 18. Hence let us remain steadfast, and look at and believe only that which is invisible. For Peter says, "At the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ: whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." I Pet. 1:7-9. Oh, yes,
dear sister, let us do according to the doctrine brought us from above through the Holy Ghost, that we purify our souls, and be born again from above of water and of the Spirit, so that we may see the kingdom of heaven, and forever possess it through the grace of the Lord; and let us always firmly trust and believe in the invisible God, and in the Lord Jesus Christ our Redeemer, and the Saviour of the world, so that our souls may be forever saved. Oh, yes, that we may be with all the elect and regenerated children of God, and with all the saints of the supreme God of heaven and earth, and with the heavenly, great, and beautiful host of the holy angels of God, in unspeakably great glory and joy, and glorious and imperishable brightness; and may forever reign with the Lord of lords and King of kings, in great glory, and in exceedingly great joy, and then, with all the great heavenly, holy hosts, from great joy of heart, forever praise, glorify, honor, and sanctify with great honor, the exalted name of the Lord; for, glory belongs to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good will toward men. Luke 2:14. Herewith, my dear sister, I commend you to the Lord, and to the words of His eternal grace. Amen.
Written out of great, fervent, brotherly love, to you Cijntgen, my dearly beloved chosen sister, as a perpetual and blessed memorial in the Lord, by Hansken, your poor, miserable and weak brother, who is imprisoned at Ghent, in the Sausselet, for the true Word of the Lord. Remember me in your prayers to God, so that through me poor, miserable man, who am weak, the exalted, holy name of the Lord may be honored and praised forever; for it is good to sing praises unto our God. Amen. Ps. 147:1.
The eternal, abundant, unfathomable, great grace and mercy of God the heavenly Father, which came by Jesus Christ, the only and true Son of God; and the great humility and meekness, holiness and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ the Saviour of the world, together with the great power, consolation and full joy of the Holy Ghost; this I wish you from the depth of my heart, and from the inmost of my soul, my dear and much beloved friend Jacob Kesij, and mother Martijntgen; this is my perpetual and blessed wish and holy salutation to you, and to all men that fear and love the Lord, and call on Him out of a pure heart; yea, may the Lord of eternal grace grant you this my blessed wish and holy salutation, and make you wise in that which is good, and simple in that which is evil, so that you may with job be found perfect and upright, fearing God, and eschewing evil. Amen. Rom. 16:19; Job 1:1.
Further, my dear and beloved friends Jacob and Martijntgen, I pray you from the depth of my heart, and by the great and fervent love and mercy of God, and by Jesus Christ the Son of God, and this by His merits, bitter death, bleeding wounds,and His precious blood, which He suffered to be shed on the cross to purchase us, and to redeem us from the bonds of death; yea, I beseech you and say with the apostle Paul, "Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart." II Timothy 2:22. Oh, take heed to it, and follow faith, for without faith it is impossible to please God, and he that believeth not shall be damned, says Jesus Christ our Lord. Heb. 11:6; Mark 16:16. Hence, O dear Jacob and Martijntgen, turn, turn, and follow the true faith, which worketh by love (Galatians 5:6), yea, by the fervent love of God, without which [faith] no one can now or ever please God, as Paul says. Hence take good heed, that you confirm the faith with love, and follow love with all the strength of your heart, the nature of which love consists in meekness and gentleness. Yea, charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth. I Corinthians 13:4. Hence I repeat it, see well to it, that you follow this beautiful fruit of love, and that it may be found with you forever so that you may adorn your faith with true love, and thus please God and be saved. Therefore, O my dear friends, follow faith, love, and also peace with all men. For it is a wisdom that is from above, and is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness* is sown in peace of them that make peace. James 3:17, 18. Hence, make peace, and continue therein, that the peace of the Lord may rule in your hearts (Col. 3:15) , and bring forth the fruit of righteousness to the praise of the Lord, and to the salvation of your souls. Oh, yes, dear Jacob and Martijntgen, do thus according to my request, and the admonition of Paul, and you will not be deceived. Follow all this righteousness which is by faith (Rom. 3:22), with all your heart, and with all your strength and ability; pray, lament, call, and weep in spirit and in truth, to God the heavenly Father, for grace and mercy; yea, trust and hope in Him with all your heart, and with steadfastness, and the Lord, who is full of all goodness (Psalm 118:1), will be gracious unto you according to His great goodness, and unfathomable mercy; for the Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth Him of the evil; for the Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Joel 2:13; 11 Pet. 3:9. Yea, this is His will; for Christ says, "Repent ye, and believe the gospel." Mark 1:15. Hence receive this good doctrine, so that you repent and bring forth genuine fruits of repentance, and thus flee youthful lusts. And love not the world-which liveth in
pleasure, as John says-neither the things that are in the world; for if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. I John 2:15-17. Hence I tell you once more: flee carnal and youthful lusts in this world, that you be not condemned with the world. Gal. 5:16; I Cor. 11:32. Oh, yes, turn from this wicked generation, who live in pleasure, for they are dead while they live, as Paul says. I Tim. 5:6. Therefore, O Jacob and Martijntgen, turn away, turn away from this wicked way of the ungodly, so that you may not with them be punished without mercy by the Lord; for God will rain lightnings,fire and brimstone upon the ungodly, and reward them with a tempest. Rev. 18:4; Gen. 19:24; Exodus 9:24; Ps. 7:12. For the Lord is righteous, and loves righteousness, so that according to His righteousness He cannot let sinners go unpunished; hence flee youthful lusts, but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on God out of a pure heart. Ps. 11:7; II Tim. 2:22. Yes, dear Jacob and Martijntgen, follow this high gift of the Lord, namely, the wisdom that is from above; yea, I say, follow after it, and bring forth genuine fruits of repentance, and it shall be well with you. And always humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, and be no longer high-minded, but fear with great humility of heart and of the spirit, before God the heavenly Father; for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. I Pet. 5:6; Rom. 11:20; I Pet. 5:5. Hence I repeat it: humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time; for whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted, says Jesus Christ our Lord. Luke 14:11. Therefore, O dear Jacob and Martijntgen, follow righteousness, and strive for it with all your power and all the diligence of your heart; and sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto you. John 5:14. And learn henceforth truly to fear the Lord with all your heart; and learn to love Him with all your strength, so that your names may be written in the book of life, and you may thus through God's great grace be forever saved, and may, with all the holy angels in heaven, and with the great heavenly host, with the Lord of lords, in unspeakably great joy, glory and brightness, reign forever in heaven, where the great and holy name of the Lord will be forever praised, glorified and honored; for glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:14.
Herewith, I commend you to the Lord, and to the Word of His grace. Amen. Written by me,
HANSKEN VAN DEN WEGE.
Imprisoned for the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ.
My blessed wish, holy salutation and perpetual memorial to you, Claerken, my dear sister, is, that you may live holy, and die happy, and that you may arise with a holy body, acceptable to the Lord, to the salvation of your soul, and also to the praise and honor of the eternal and almighty God of heaven and earth, to whose name be eternal praise, glory and honor, now and forever. Amen.
O dear and much beloved chosen sister, I wish you from the depth of my heart, and the inmost of my soul, much grace and mercy from God our heavenly Father, who is true and almighty, of whom are all things, and this through Jesus Christ our Lord, the Son of the true and living God, by whom are all things, who is the Saviour of the world, and especially of those that believe; for He is our High Priest, Prince, Reconciler, and Saviour, by His death and precious blood, which He once shed for us; and this with great humility and meekness, in holiness and peace; together with the great power, consolation and full joy of the Holy Ghost. O yes, dear sister, may the Holy Ghost who is the supreme comfort of our afflicted conscience, impel and guide you into all truth. O Claerken, dear sister, strive for this, and purify yourself thereto, that you may be a member in the body of the Lord, and a stone in His temple; and so humble yourself now, that it may be seen and perceived in you, that you now humble your flesh and spirit, so that the Holy Ghost may dwell in you; and that you also show forth the nature of Him that dwells in you, by great gentleness, mercy, love and peace toward all men, not being quarrelsome, not clamorous, not cursing, not puffed up, nor proud, not minded to worship idols, nor to hearken after the commandments of men, and also not greedy of filthy lucre, which has to be left behind. Oh, yes, Claerken, dear sister, flee all these abominations and evil things, and moreover, all that are like them. Oh, yes, shun them, as you would shun snakes and serpents; for if you come too near you will be bitten by them so that no man can heal you. Sir. 21:2. Hence, dear sister, separate from all these abominations, and touch not the unclean thing; but strive to be found excelling in good works, so that you may be fit for the Spirit of God to dwell in you; and may at all times bring forth the fruit of the Spirit; for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth. Eph. 5:9. Yea, strive for the kingdom of heaven, which is righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, (Rom. 14:17). Amen.
And I greet my dear and much beloved chosen mother, who is also my dearest sister in the Lord, very cordially and affectionately; yea, I greet you, O dear mother, with all the strength of my heart, and I wish you always and forever Jesus Christ, the Son of the most high God, that He may, with His great power, by which all things are made, uphold you in the true way, that leads to life eternal, yea,
to the new Jerusalem, where the streets are of pure gold, so that you may enter in there, through His great grace, and thus be forever saved, and live in eternal, great joy and rest, and triumph and reign forever with the Lord of lords, and forever praise, glorify, and honor His great, high and holy name; for glory be to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men. Herewith I commend you forever to the only and almighty Lord, and to the eternal words of His grace. Amen.
Adieu, adieu, dear mother, dear mother, farewell, farewell; O yes, blessed, blessed. Amen, amen.
The unfathomable and abundant great grace and mercy of God our heavenly Father, given and bestowed upon us through Jesus Christ the Son of the true and living God, and Jesus Christ, with all His humility, meekness, and great holiness, yea, the great power, consolation and full joy of the Holy Ghost, this we wish you from the depth of our soul, and with all the strength of our heart, our dear and much beloved chosen sister in the Lord, together with all that fear and love the Lord, and call on Him out of a pure heart. This is our perpetual, blessed wish, yea, holy salutation; may the Lord grant you this our blessed wish and holy salutation, and make you wise in that which is good, and simple in that, which is evil; so that you may be found upright and perfect, fearing God, and eschewing evil. Amen.
Further, dear and much beloved chosen sister in the Lord, we wish you and also us, and all men, the eternal, great and blessed treasure to which Christ compares the kingdom of heaven; which a man found and hid, and for joy over it went and sold all that he had, and bought that field. Yes dear sister in the Lord, let us also be minded as he was that had found the treasure, since the treasure is now also revealed to us, through Jesus Christ the Son of God, let us also hide it, and this with great diligence, with prayer, supplication and fasting in the Spirit to God, for where there is a treasure, the thieves and murderers seek to get it; hence let us take good heed that it be not taken f rom us, and let us go in righteousness and peace, and with great joy and gladness, in the Holy Ghost; for the kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Rom. 14:17. Hence let us thus go on, since to us is revealed the treasure that lies hidden in the field before so many. Let us therefore be diligent, yes, dear sister; let us go on, and with great steadfastness in meekness follow the infallible truth Jesus Christ; for He is the way, the truth, and the life. Hence let us always follow Him, and let us thus go on until the time that we have forsaken and sold everything, and let us then buy the field in which the treasure is hid; for he that does not forsake everything, says Christ, is not worthy of me. For if it were hid in a great, broadfield many would come and seek for it, but only one would find the treasure; so also the good and blessed treasure, Jesus Christ the Son of God, lies hid in the field of the holy Scriptures, and many indeed come and seek for it, but only one finds the same; namely, all the members that are in the body of which Jesus Christ is the head, have found the treasure Jesus Christ, with all His graces and merits; and also eternal life. They now may well greatly rejoice in the Holy Ghost, that they have found the great, beautiful, and holy treasure (Jesus Christ), and say with the prophet, "The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; the Lord is the portion of my inheritance: therefore I will not fear; though my flesh and my heart fail, thou, O Lord, art the strength of my heart, and my portion forever; yea, the Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I hope in him." Ps. 16:6; 5; 73:26; Lam. 3:24.
Therefore my dear and much beloved chosen sister in the Lord, let us go on with a valiant, firm and strong confidence, and with great humility and meekness of heart, and with a great desire after our holy and blessed treasure (Jesus Christ); and .the Lord shall desire our beauty, and when the Lord shall come with His mighty angels, and with the sound of the trumpet, in the clouds, to reward every man according to his works, then shall the elect be gathered together from the four winds of heaven, and they shall, as sheep, be set on His right hand, and the ungodly, as goats, on the left; then shall we hear the sweet and blessed words: Come, ye blessed, inherit the kingdom of my Father, prepared for you from the foundation of the world. II Thess 1:7; Matt. 16:27; 24:30, 31; 25:33, 34. Then we shall enter into the great, beautiful and imperishable glory of the Lord, where we shall be in great glory and unspeakable, great and eternal joy, and thus forever be with the Lord of lords, King of kings, God of gods, and Father of fathers, and praise, thank, glorify, honor and sanctify Him, for Holy, holy, is the holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. Rev. 4:8. But to them on the left hand He shall say: Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for you and the devil; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Hence, O dear and much beloved in the Lord, let us take good heed, that we do not sleep in sin, lest our treasure be taken; for when people sleep, thieves go and rob them. But let us watch and pray and adorn ourselves as the five wise virgins, who had oil in their lamps; so that when the Bridegroom comes, we may enter in to His glorious and imperishable marriage, where the Lord will be praised forever, for it is a good thing to sing praises to our God.
Herewith I commend you to the Lord, and to the rich Word of His grace. Amen. Always remember us in your holy prayers to God, as Paul says, "Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them." ITeb. 13:2. For we also remember you for the best in our prayers, according to our
weak ability, for it is written: All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Matt. 7:12.
Written out of great brotherly love, and sent by us three prisoners for the word and the holy name of the Lord, to you our dear and much beloved sister in the Lord. Amen: