Thus I will write you, my dearest, adieu in this evil world, and will commend you to the faithful almighty God, for he alone is able to keep you from the evil, and to bring you into his eternal kingdom.
O holy Father, I, thy weak servant, humbly beseech thee in my bonds, that thou wilt keep my most beloved wife, and my only daughter, and all the godfearing, from the evil, and sanctify them in thy name. O heavenly Father, hear me, unworthy one, through Jesus Christ; that we may all enter into thy eternal joy, and no one remain without. To this end, may the good God grant his grace. Amen.
Adieu, my only daughter; your beloved father shall be crowned a king by our dear Lord. Hence be resigned and be an obedient daughter, and diligently read the holy Scriptures. Live according to them, and we shall meet again and rejoice forever, without end. Amen.
Finished on the fourth day of March, A. D. 1572, by me, your dear husband, imprisoned for the testimony of the Gospel of Christ, to the praise of God. Amen.
Jan van Kuyck.
I salute you cordially in the Lord with the love and peace that shall endure forever.
THE FIFTH LETTER FROM JAN WOUTERSS, TO HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER.
The unfathomable grace and mercy of our heavenly Father, the abundant love of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the co-operation of his Holy Spirit, always be multiplied to you beloved, my chosen on earth, for consolation on your pilgrimage, for the steadfastness and confirmation of your faith, to the praise of God, and to the salvation of your soul; that you may always be a light in this world, and also edify your dear, only daughter, and your neighbor, in that which is good; so that you may always be like unto fruit-bearing branches, for to this are all believers appointed. If another decreases and becomes weary, do you constantly increase, and let your increasing become manifest before God and men, knowing that the good works will follow you; and it will be an ornament to your wedding garment when you shall appear before the supreme Bridegroom; when the slothful, the sleepers—who are sufficiently awake to seek that which is perishable only too much—shall stand naked, then you shall be gloriously appareled.
Therefore, my dearest sister above all men, weary not, though you must still walk in this pilgrimage; always trim and fill your lamp in simplicity with oil, and keep it constantly burning, and thus with patience wait for your Comforter the Bridegroom. Then he shall for a little season of faithfulness bid you a glorious and joyful welcome; for he has opened the way, for you and all believers, who use diligence, and add to their faith, virtue; to virtue, knowledge; to knowledge, temperance; to temperance, patience; to patience, godliness; to godliness, brotherly kindness; to brotherly kindness, charity. If these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Hence Peter further admonishes: Wherefore the rather give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things (mark), ye shall never fall (mark still more): for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Pet. 1:5–11.
O it is very evident from this, how one falls, and how one gets into the way of life; hence, diligence is a good thing. For David says: “Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently!” Psalm 119:4. And Paul says: “Be not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit.” Rom. 12:11. He further writes: These things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God may excel in good works. Tit. 3:8.