Written in my bonds, for your best, by me your dear husband.
Adrian Rogiers.
ANOTHER LETTER BY SAID ADRIAN ROGIERS, WRITTEN IN PRISON TO HIS WIFE.
An affectionate loving salutation to you my most dearly beloved wife, whom I wedded before God and his glorious church.
Further, after all proper and Christian salutation, let me please inform your love, that I, the Lord be forever praised, am in tolerably good health according to the flesh, and according to the spirit, God be praised, my mind is still disposed, to leap by my God over a wall. However, I hope and trust that you are also well in soul and body, God be thanked, and unharmed in the faith. The almighty Lord, who only, according to what David writes, doeth wondrous things, may keep and strengthen you and us all, together with his Holy Spirit, that we may live and die to his glory, and be patient in this present tribulation; and when we are tried, let us remember that we are not the only ones, but that God, according to Paul’s writing, scourgeth every son whom he loveth. Heb. 12:6. As it also appeared, that God before our time tried our fathers, as Judith tells, when the city of Bethulia was besieged, and they, because of water famine, wanted to surrender the city after five days (Judith 8:11); whereupon Judith admonished them to patience, saying: “Who are ye that ye set the Lord the time and days when to help? for this tendeth not to obtain mercy, but much rather wrath and disfavor. Let us therefore be sorry for it, and with tears seek the face of the Lord. And ye men and brethren, ye that are the rulers of the people, go to the people and tell them, how God in former times tried our fathers, whether they served him from the heart or not. Even as our father Abraham was tried by many temptations, whereby he remained the friend of God; even as also Isaac, Jacob and Moses, and all who were of the number of God’s beloved, who had to overcome through much affliction,” as Sirach teaches us, saying: My child, if thou wilt be God’s servant, prepare thyself for temptation. Endure and be constant, and depart not away, when the ungodly lure you. For as gold is tried in the fire, so righteousness is tried in the fire of affliction. But ye that fear the Lord, hope the best of him, and your comfort shall not fail. For consider the examples of the ancients, and lay them to heart; for never was any confounded that trusted in the Lord; or who was ever forsaken, that did abide in the fear of God? Sir. 2:1.
Thus, my very dear wife, despair not, when you are tried by the Lord; for after he has wounded, says Job, he can heal again; for he kills, and makes alive again, he leads into hell, and out again. Job 5:18; Deut. 32:39.
Thus, my very dear wife, cleave firmly to the Lord, and diligently exercise yourself in godliness, and you shall find that godliness is mightier than all things; for wisdom did not forsake the righteous when he was sold, but delivered him from sin; she went down with him into the pit, and left him not in bonds, till she brought him the sceptre of the kingdom, and power against those that oppressed him. Wis. 10:13,14.
Thus, my dear wife, though we are now for a little while in tribulation, let us possess our souls with patience, for God shall exalt us over all those that now do violence to and oppress us, for Christ says in the gospel: “Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep; but rejoice ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.” Luke 6:25,21.
Therefore, O my very dear wife, let us bear the heat of the sun, yet a little longer, and give our back to the smiters; for yet a little while, and he that shall come will come. Is. 50:6; Heb. 10:37. Therefore, O my love, let us willingly help bear his reproach without the camp, and remember that the servant is not better than his Lord; for if they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? Hebrews 13:13; Matt. 10:24,25. Ah, if they have done these things in a green tree, what shall they do to us dry trees? Luke 23:31. Let us therefore lift up the idle hands which hang down, and, according to Isaiah’s writing, confirm the feeble knees, to make straight path’s for our feet, and run, according to Paul’s teaching, with patience the race that is set before us, and let us with Moses have respect unto the recompense of the reward; for it is certainly true what Paul writes: If we suffer with Christ, we shall also rejoice and reign with him. Is. 35:3; Heb. 12:12,13; 11:26; 2 Tim. 2:12. Hence let us not be weary in well doing, for in due time we shall very abundantly and with joy reap the precious seed which we now sow with weeping. Gal. 6:9; Ps. 126:5,6. For 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. 2 Cor. 4:17,18. Thus, my very dear wife, I pray you have the Lord always before your eyes, that you may hereafter reign and triumph with the Lord forever and ever. Amen.
Further, my very dear wife, I commend you to the Lord, and to his word full of all comfort and consolation, asking you to take my letter in good part, and kindly requesting that you will also remember me by writing, for I am often exceedingly desirous to hear from you.