Thus, my dear brethren and sisters, we must with Jeremiah commit our cause to the Lord, and pray for the blindness of our enemies, that the Lord would enlighten them, so that they may see whom they pierce, and how they fight against the Lamb, which shall yet overcome them. Jer. 11:20; John 19:37; Rev. 17:14.
Further, dear brethren and sisters, we pray you in general, that you remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body (Heb. 13:3); also, that we may joyfully put off our flesh here upon earth, to the praise of the Most High, and to the edification of our neighbor, that the name of the Lord may not be blasphemed through us. I, Joost Verkindert, Lauwerens Andriess, and Nelleken Jaspers greet you (who are in like faith with us) with the peace of the Lord, commending you to the crucified Jesus Christ, who may rule in your hearts. To him be praise, glory, dominion, power, and majesty forever and ever. Amen.
Receive our simple letter and exhortation in good part, for it has been written out of true brotherly love; though you are yourselves abundantly taught of God, and we ought rather to be taught and exhorted of you, for we find that we have too many defects and imperfections to exhort others. But, dear friends, we also admonish ourselves hereby, and pray the Lord without ceasing, that we might be found worthy of him, to meet him in the resurrection of the dead. 1 Thess. 4:17.
O friends, watch and pray; for ye know neither the day nor the hour. Matt. 25:13. Farewell.
Written in my bonds, by me,
Joost Verkindert,
Unworthy prisoner in the Lord.
ANOTHER LETTER FROM JOOST VERKINDERT, WRITTEN THE 26TH OF JUNE, FROM PRISON, TO HIS AFOREMENTIONED BROTHER, W.
Grace, joy and peace from God the heavenly Father, and our dear Lord Jesus Christ, who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and the consolation of the Holy Ghost, who is the comforter of them that are in any tribulation and sorrow. To him be praise, honor, glory, dominion, power, and majesty forever and ever. Amen. This I wish you for a friendly and cordial greeting, my very dear and beloved brother W., with your dear wife J.
Know further, that I am still tolerably well, according to the flesh, and as regards the spirit, I hope through God’s great and unspeakable grace to finish this great and severe conflict with the help of the Most High—from whom we must expect help and comfort—to the praise of his holy name, to the edification of our neighbor, and to the salvation of our souls; which salvation cannot be bought or obtained with gold or silver, nor with anything that is in the world, but only by a living and active faith in Jesus Christ. Gal. 5:6. I also received a salutation from you, together with the things that were sent to us, which much exhorted us, and was a great consolation in our tribulation, so that we rejoiced, and praised and thanked God, that there are still such good-hearted brethren, who remember us poor, weak prisoners.
O dear brethren and sisters, always remember us in your prayers, that the Lord may strengthen us, so that we may put off our flesh with joy here upon earth; for it is sometimes much afraid of the gag and of being burnt alive, which is nevertheless very soon over. But when I think of the fire that shall burn and last forever, I thank the Lord, that he has made me worthy to confess his holy name among this evil and perverse generation, the eyes of whose hearts the god of this world has blinded. 2 Cor. 4:4.