THE EIGHTH LETTER FROM JAN WOUTERSS, TO HIS SISTER-IN-LAW, WHO WAS STILL AMONG THE PAPISTS, AND IN THE ROMISH FAITH.
Affectionately written to you, my much beloved sister Neelken, Jacob’s daughter, mother in the convent: I Jan Wouterss van Kuyck, your beloved brother-in-law, imprisoned at Dortrecht, not for any evil, but for the obedience of the gospel of Christ; which is no shame before my supreme Lord, who created us, but a great honor to him, that one for his name’s sake, yea, for well doing, endures contempt and bloody stripes; such are accounted blessed by the holy Scriptures, which blessedness [salvation] Christ has merited by his great sufferings.
And since I sought my salvation in Christ, I have fallen into affliction, but I do therefore not regret it, for salvation is dearer to me than this transitory life, and I will give my life for it, knowing and believing that I shall, according to God’s promises, which will not fail, receive an eternal one, which is better.
Hence, I beseech you most affectionately, grieve not on my account; I thank you very kindly for all the great friendship you have shown me and my dearest wife, and also my only daughter, and which you may have further shown while I have been in bonds.
Henceforth I know of no greater friendship to show you, my beloved sister; than that I must at my end invite you yet to the marriage of the Lamb, which is Christ; yea, heartily entreat you, to prepare yourself for it during this short time. Hence put off the old man with his evil deeds, and put on the new man, which is renewed in the knowledge of God, of him that created him. Put off the old Adam, and put on the new, and walk therein, and you shall henceforth not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Col. 3:9,10; Rom. 12:2.
See, beloved sister, I declare to you with the holy Scriptures, that you cannot come to Christ, the bridegroom, unless you sincerely follow him in his footsteps, in the narrow way which he walked; and I pray you, lay it to heart, for it is of great importance to you. I say and declare unto you, that neither you nor any one (I do not mean infants) can follow Christ, except you first deny yourself and deliver up to him your own understanding, reasons, opinions, and your own life, even as he delivered up his life for us, that all who believe in him, and do not live to themselves, should not perish, but have everlasting life through him. Suffer to be told and have mercy on yourself, and trust not in the learned or that you bear the name of a Christian; to the learned, God’s wisdom is hid, and the name does not make a Christian. But if you would nevertheless trust in the learned, perceive by their fruits what kind of trees they are, as Christ taught, that every tree shall be known by his fruit. Consider how Christ condemns them in the gospel, and how they were enraged against Christ and his apostles, and how they laid hands on them; and though the heathen judges found no cause of death, yet they had to put to death the innocent, if they wished to remain the friends of the scribes and of Cæsar. Thus it is still; think not that it is better now; they fill up the measure of their fathers, that the righteous blood may be found on them. I have worked or labored for my necessities, for my widow, and for my orphan child; they will not work themselves and rather live off that which is other people’s, and cannot bear that another works; hence the Bailiff forbids me to work, on their account. Again, when I was to be tortured the second time, in order that I should betray my neighbor, which I could not do, on account of my conscience, they brought to me the superior, who was to prove to me with the Scriptures that I might do it. The superior said that I might do it, for, said he, “If you are the true people, your fellow brethren will with you receive the martyr’s crown. How can one attain to greater honor: hence you may name them. But since you are not the true people, you ought to name them, for God hates the wicked.” This the superior said to me. O dear, consider in your heart what spirit actuates these learned men, how they expound—the ultimate object is nothing but murder. O dear Lord, forgive them. Thou teachest us better, namely, to love our neighbor as ourselves, yea, to lay down our lives for the brethren. Hence separate from them, you have long been one with them; lest you partake of their sins and abominable plagues.
It is now, out of great love, declared to you beforehand, by your very familiar brother-in-law, before that day comes upon you as a thief in the night; as the warning came in the first world, so it does still. Hence, if you would with Noah and his house be saved and protected, betake yourself under the protection of the true Noah, and observe his commandment, which is life everlasting; he calls you and all men; he knocks; he stretches out his hand to you; refuse him no longer, and do not rely on this, that you are called a Christian, and that God is merciful. Remember with it, that neither the name, nor the water, nor the sponsors make a Christian, but he that doeth righteousness is righteous; they that are led by the Spirit of Christ are his. And remember also, that God is just, as David declares, saying: God is a righteous God, or a righteous judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day. If he turn not, he will whet his sword, he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors. Psalm 7:11–13. Attend well unto every word, for he is a strong archer when he lets fly his arrow, none can evade him. Hence consider his arrows which he let fly at the first world, at Sodom, Gomorrah and others. These accounts have been left us in writing that we should fear the word of the Lord more than the aforesaid learned men; and if we, through fear and love, observe his commandments, then the word, that God is merciful, will avail for us. For his divine nature is such, that his wrath and his mercy proceed together from him, and this on this wise, that if the righteous forsake the way of the Lord, his righteousness shall not be mentioned, but he shall die for the sake of the blasphemy. Ezekiel 18:24.
Again, if the sinner turns away from his evil ways, does that which is good and right, and walks in the way of the Lord, his sins shall be remembered no more, for the Lord has no pleasure in the death of the sinner, but that he turn from his way and live. Ezek. 18:21; 34:11. Hence I beseech you, that you will free yourself from all the ways of the world, of the carefulness, and of the old things, of which your heart may be full; so that the word of God may be planted in you with meekness and you may be found good earth bringing forth fruit abiding unto life eternal. God’s judgment is now declared that every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire. Matthew 7:19. Let therefore the hammer of the divine word break your heart into pieces; remember the words of the prophet: “Rend your hearts, and not your garments: for God is long-suffering and merciful, and of great kindness, who forgiveth sin.” Joel 2:13; Ps. 103:3. Hence, dear sister, remember that the long-suffering and daily kindness invite you to salvation; refuse it no longer, for thereby you would wrong your own self. Therefore amend your life and ways, and believe and obey the gospel and you shall be saved through Christ, for this is the promise, even eternal life. 1 John 2:25. But if you want to continue in the ordinances of men, and to be led thereby as the ox to the slaughter, you will find yourself deceived in the end; for in vain do you observe the commandments of men, which have no promise from the Lord, as I also said to the superior. He said that what God has not forbidden he permits. O is this not a feeble reed in which to trust; but Christ teaches differently, saying: “Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up.” Matt. 15:13. And the apostle says that no other foundation can be laid, than Christ alone. 1 Cor. 3:11: In the second place the apostle has declared all the counsel of God and withheld nothing from us. Acts 20:27.
In the third place, he says: If any preach any other gospel than I have preached, let him be accursed. Gal. 1:8. Yea, though it were an angel from heaven (mark well) yet his doctrine must not be received, if it is anything different. How should we receive for the purpose of honoring God with it, that which has proceeded from men, who are prone to wickedness from the cradle, and drink iniquity like water? Hence, what man institutes is like the labor of the spider; it can be used neither for covering, nor for clothing; but every one that hears and keeps the word of God for his salvation need add nothing to it.
Finally, I declare unto you once more in the name of my Lord: Amend your life and ways, believe the gospel, and flee idolatry. But if you yet think that you do not worship them, it is at least evident, that you serve them, kneel before them, and honor them, which God has forbidden, who requires his true statutes to be kept, and says by the prophet Jeremiah: “Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people.” Jeremiah 7:23. And another prophet: “A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master: if I then be a father, where is mine honor? and if I be a master, where is my fear?” Mal. 1:6. Hence, if God is our Father, we must obey him more than men; if he is our Lord, we must honor him with that which he commands us. Then if we be reproached we will think: The servant is not better than his lord; if they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, why should they not call them of his household so? In short, he that would follow Christ to his marriage feast, must deny himself, take up the cross, and prepare his heart to suffer with Christ, in order afterwards to rejoice with him. And this suffering is short, hence it is light: do not on this account remain behind. The Lord will help me and all the godfearing through, and he will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able to bear, but will help you to triumph, though your enemies be never so many; God is our shield, who can overcome him? Dear beloved sister, it is nothing strange that I suffer; it is a sign that the Lord loves me, and I count it for my salvation. He tries me as gold is tried in the fire; thus he tried many chosen saints of God before my time, as Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Caleb, Joshua, Daniel, John the Baptist who was the holiest of those born of women; Christ himself and his apostles, and others, were tried, as Job; but if we adhere to the Lord in temptation, the crown of eternal life is ready for us.