Further, my beloved brother, I have learned that my children are at your house, that you are to keep them till my wife comes home, whereby you show me great friendship, that you have done this; and I also pray you, my dear brother, that if you should have a small chamber that you could spare, that my wife might also live with you until the Lord bring about a change with me; and if they should deprive me of my life, I should like it very much, if you would aid her in getting to Bruges, there to make her living, or back to Holland, wherever it should please her to go. For, my beloved brother, women that are thus situated, have need of help and comfort; hence I pray you, do your best in this matter; remember that James says, that true religion is, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. James 1:27. And, my dear brother, though I must now suffer a little for the Lord’s sake, let this not deter you from following the Lord, but let it make you the more zealous to build the house firmly upon the rock, so that when such storms come, it may stand. And neglect not to exhort one another with the gifts that the Lord has given you, so that no one may be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin; also to provoke one another to love and good works, so that should it be to-morrow or the day after, that any of you should come into bonds, you may then be strong through the Lord, and through the power of his might, to resist all those that exalt themselves against the knowledge of Jesus Christ. For Paul makes known how we are to arm ourselves with the armor of God, saying that the loins must be girt about with truth, and the breast protected with righteousness, and the feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; and above all, take the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Eph. 6. Thus, my beloved brother, such weapons are of good service to him that is tried as I am now tried.
Hence, my dear brother, I beg you pray the Lord for me, that I may overcome all; and do also in my place assist my wife and children, this I pray you; and greet N. N., and above all, greet your wife much in my name.
Written on the 17th of January, by me,
Christiaen Rijcen.
ANOTHER LETTER FROM CHRISTIAN RIJCEN, WRITTEN TO HIS WIFE, IN WHICH HE WRITES THAT HE HAS LEARNED THAT NO COMFORT HAD COME FOR HIM FROM THE COURT, THOUGH THE RECORDER HAD COME HOME; WHEREFORE HE CONSOLED HIMSELF IN THE LORD.
Grace, peace and love be unto you from God our heavenly Father, through his Son Jesus Christ. Amen. This, I Christiaen Rijcen, wish you my dear wife, as an affectionate greeting in the Lord.
And after all salutation, I inform you, my very dear wife, that I am still in tolerably good health (praise and glory to the Lord for his grace), as I trust is also the case with you and the children.
I further inform you, that I received your letter, and I thank you for the treasure you sent me. I further also learn that you live in N.’s house, and that he has provided you with wood, of which I am very glad, that you find some comfort there yet. If it should please the Lord, to deliver me out of this again, I hope that we shall repay it to him; but so far I think there is little prospect for me to get out. For I have learned that no advice has come from the Court as yet. Though the recorder has come, there has no comfort come for me with him, except that I thank the Lord, who comforts me in this tribulation. And I hope to approve myself as a minister of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet known before God; as dying, and behold, we live. 2 Cor. 6. Thus, my dear wife, I hope to approve myself in all things as the minister of God; for I often hear evil reports, and sometimes good reports, and so the time passes away; and I think that it may probably be so also with you. Hence, my beloved wife, let us be patient in tribulation, fervent in hope, and continuing instant in prayer; and remember me in your prayers, for I do the same for you. For there passes not much time that I do not think of you and the children. I pray you, do the best with them, and if you have some work, make them labor diligently. Tell them that I command them to this; and when you have some leisure, teach them in the book; this I pray you; so that hereafter, when they shall have lost you and me, they may search, as to what tends to their salvation.
I furthermore also learn from your letter, that you desire me to write your landlord a short letter; which I have done. However, I wrote at the top of the letter, to N. N.; but it does not matter to me who has it; may the fruit of righteousness spring from it. But I hope to write another yet, if the Lord permits me. Nothing more for this time, but be commended to the Lord, and greet all acquaintances in my name.
Written the 27th of February, by me,