Consider former examples, how God fought for Gideon, David, Jehoshaphat, and others; the people [the hostile army] were slain without their having to lift up a hand. O my only dear brother, put your whole trust in the Almighty, for with him help is found, he is a true helper in distress, he does not forsake his own in all their tribulations; so that we may say with the apostle: “If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:31,32. If he has manifested such great love towards us, how should he not preserve us in every extremity.
Believe this, that the good God is our debtor; if we unwaveringly continue to walk in his way, and cleave to him, and not forsake him, he will also not forsake us. This is certainly a sure promise; but if we deny him, he also will deny us. 2 Tim. 2:12; Luke 12:9. O how thoughtless, how unwise, yea, how unmerciful toward their poor souls, are they, who, because of this little, short suffering, through fear, forsake the way of life and choose another way according to their own mind, to escape the cross of Christ, and comfort themselves with a vain consolation in the way which they have found according to their own views: whose end is destruction. But, my only dear brother, do not follow these, for they that are such do not believe that God is almighty and true. Hence the Scripture says: Woe unto the faint-hearted! for they believe not; therefore shall they not be defended. Woe unto them that persevere not! how will it go with them when the Lord shall visit them? (Sir. 2:13,14,) yea, their part will be with sorcerers in the lake that shall burn forever. Thus, take courage with Joshua and Caleb; but you must firmly believe in God’s promises, even as you believe that God has created heaven and earth by his word; and you shall then devour all your enemies like bread, and through patience finish your conflict with the help of God, and take the promised land by force, for the violent take it by force. Num. 14:9; Matt. 11:12.
But, dear brother, the apostle testifies, and I unworthy one also, that we wrestle not only against the rulers of the world, but also against the spirits that are under heaven (Eph. 6:12), and as Christ says, that in the latter days many false Christs shall arise. Matt. 24:5,11. This I have also espied for you; for in the time of my faith many false prophets or false Christians have assailed me; now they came with this fair appearance, now with another. But the Lord, who would have all men saved, delivered me from all this and I cleaved to the word of God, as I heard and accepted it in the beginning; and my faith weakened not, though many apostatized who had seemed to be the most valiant. See, thus our faith is tried in many ways, and besides by the daily conflict that never ceases, for it is a lasting conflict; the Spirit wars against the flesh, and the flesh against the Spirit. Gal. 5:17. Herein I find myself troubled the most; my own sinful flesh was my most inveterate enemy, which has cost me many a bitter tear. Satan thereby sought to sift me as wheat; but now falling, now stumbling, I have come thus far through the grace of God; for I always struggled up hard by the grace of the Lord. But what was it, I would so fain have been perfect, but this weak flesh was always in the way; which must now suffer, and I hope to offer it up as a burnt sacrifice.
Thus, my dearest brother, I have explained to you a little what conflict a Christian must wage, namely, against flesh and blood, against false spirits, who have laid their subtle arrows upon the bow, to shoot in secret at the pious. Hence take unto you the armor of God; that you may be able to stand against the subtle assaults of the devil; and be girded with the girdle of truth: above all, take the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; and have your feet shod, so that you may always be well prepared for the gospel of peace; and take the helmet of salvation, the living hope, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; and pray always with all prayer and supplication. Ephesians 6:13–18. Behold, with these weapons of the Spirit we can overcome, and then the crown is promised us. But forget not that Jesus Sirach says: “My son, hast thou sinned? do so no more, but ask God for pardon for thy former sins. Flee from sin as from the face of a serpent; for if thou comest too near it, it will bite thee: the teeth thereof are as the teeth of a lion, slaying the souls of men. All iniquity is as a two-edged sword, the wounds whereof cannot be healed.” Sir. 21:1–3. Paul, too says: Mortify your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. In short, live according to the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the works of the flesh. Col. 3:5; Galatians 5:16. To this end the good God grant his grace, that you may grow up in faith, in love, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that you may become a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, and thus wait for the coming of Christ. Eph. 4:13.
O my dear brother, take care for your salvation; the time here is so short, and eternity is at hand. O heavenly Father, I humbly beseech thee, that thou wilt keep my only brother from all evil, and sanctify him in thy name through Christ Jesus, and ever guide him by the Holy Spirit, that we may rejoice together hereafter. Amen.
Adieu, my only brother on this earth; with Christ I will await you. I wrote the first page just after I had been tortured; hence it is somewhat badly written. Now my hand is a little better, but I still have the marks of the sufferings of Christ; his name be praised forever.
This I have written you in my bonds, the second day of March, A. D. 1572. By me your only brother, unchanged in mind, imprisoned for the testimony of Christ: hence be of good cheer; the faith is kept, I have striven unto blood, in the Vuylpoort at Dortrecht.
THE THIRD LETTER FROM JAN WOUTERSS, TO THE CHURCH OF GOD AT DORTRECHT, WHO WERE SCATTERED EVERYWHERE FOR THE TESTIMONY OF CHRIST.
To the scattered saints and the others at Dortrecht, grace and peace from God our heavenly Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, and the co-operation of the Holy Spirit, ever be multiplied to you all, for consolation on your pilgrimage, so that you may be patient in your tribulation, that patience may have her perfect work in you, so that you may neither weary nor faint in that which you have accepted for the salvation of your souls, which has come and been brought to us by Christ; therein we are glad, so that we can rejoice in our temporal affliction. Remember Christ’s prophecy, where he says: “Ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice; and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy, which no man shall be able to take from you.” John 16:20,22. O dearest, if we could enter the kingdom of God with ease, how could we speak of the narrow way and the strait gate; but because of the tribulation we can say this, that one must walk in the same, and press through the strait gate, and take the kingdom by force, through much affliction and adversity; which confirms the word that the servant is not better than his lord. If our Head had to take his own kingdom through much suffering and contempt, if they called the master of the house Beelzebub, should they not call them of his household likewise? Luke 24:26; Matt. 10:24,25.
In order to pass through all this, and to continue steadfast unto the end, trust in God, and believe his word, even as you believe that he has created heaven, earth, the sea, and what therein is; and he will help you, and fight the battle for you, so that you will not be confounded. For if God be for us, says the apostle, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? The almighty, good God grant his grace to this end, that you may neither waver in nor doubt God’s promises; and fear shall depart from you, and you will not care what men can do to you, and will possess your souls in patience till the day that shall comfort you. Amen.