Further, my dear child Betgen, it is my fatherly request of you, if I am taken away from you, that you may go to your uncle Lowijs, or to your aunt Tanneken or Jacomijntgen, to live with them; or if they think it best, they may put you with some good friends, to service. Hence I pray you, that you will be subject to your elders, not with eye-service, to please men, but with all courtesy and modesty, in their absence, as well as in their presence, remembering that you serve not only men, but God. Eph. 6:6,7. And always be diligent to do what they command you, and be courteous and friendly; and you will be loved by them. And always make yourself the least, and they will exalt and praise you, and do not in anything think too well of yourself, and take good heed not to argue against your elders, or with those with whom you are living; for it becomes young people very ill to contradict or talk back. And, my child, be also just in all your dealings, and steal nothing from people, for this would be a very shameful thing, if young girls or boys were discovered in any unrighteousness. Hence take good heed to keep clean hands, this I pray you, as I hope you will do. And whatever food or drink you see, take nothing therefrom, for it would bring you into disfavor. Hence remember all that I your father have requested of you, and keep it in your heart for a perpetual remembrance; for with careful love I have written this for a perpetual memorial, that you might at all times have or keep a good name.
Further, my beloved child, I must tell you yet, always to conduct yourself honorably with all with whom you live; and be well behaved, and show that you do not run into any fornication, which is an abominable, deadly sin before God, and besides exposes a person to the scorn of all men, and you could not attain to an honorable state. Hence always take good heed not to talk, joke or play with any young men, or to have much idle talk with them, lest through the lust of error you fall into sin. Besides I advise you out of fatherly love, to lay to heart all that I request of you, which will be an honor to you before God and all men.
Behold, my child, if I be offered up now, and go the way of all the earth (for all men are born once to die), be of good cheer and console yourself in the Lord, and be strong, and attend unto the admonition of the Lord our God, and lay it to heart, that you walk in his ways and keep his judgments, testimonies, statutes and commandments, as is written in the law and prophets. Hence, my child, when you live with any, if they fear God, they will be bound to admonish and correct you with the word of the Lord. This shall be a proof to you that they love you and seek your soul’s salvation, for which you are also to be thankful; but since you are young yet, you will understand it better when you have more understanding. Therefore pray the Lord diligently, to endow you with wisdom and understanding, so that you may grow up as a green plant in Zion, and as the pleasant rose in Jericho, and as the precious balsam that grows upon mount Hermon. Eccl. 24:14; Ps. 133:2.
Behold, my dear child Betgen, if you fear the Lord with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength and ability, your name shall be written in the book of life, and you shall be marked in your forehead with the name of the living God. You shall also receive a white, shining stone, and upon it a new name written, which no man knows, save he that receives it. You shall also be arrayed in garments of pure, white silk, which is the righteousness of the saints. Moreover, you shall with all the angels of God follow the glorious Lamb of God in great glory, and live forever and ever. Behold, such glorious rewards shall they have; he that overcometh shall inherit all things that God has prepared for his chosen. He shall lead them to the fountain of living waters, and shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Rev. 7:17. Therefore fear God, and always seek to be instructed by the godfearing, and lay the words of the Lord well to heart, and keep them as did Mary the mother of the Lord. And always walk with meekness and humility, for God is pleased with those that are humble and lowly of heart; for God has cast down the proud from their seats, but has exalted the humble thereupon; for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. Luke 1:52; 1 Pet. 5:5.
Therefore humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, and he shall exalt you in due time; for the proud cannot please God. In Proverbs it is written: “These things doth the Lord hate: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.” Prov. 6:17. “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.” 11:2. A proud heart is an abomination unto the Lord, and it shall not remain unpunished. Hence Tobit said to his son: Let not pride rule in your heart, nor in your words; for it is the beginning of all destruction. Out of it proceeds all pride, when man apostatizes from God, and departs with his heart from his Creator; and pride impels to all sin, and he that is infected with it causes many abominations. Hence the Lord always rejected pride, and ultimately cast it down. God cast the proud princes from the throne, and set the humble thereupon; God rooted out the root of the proud nations, and set and planted the humble in their stead.
Hence do not think yourself wise, and do not reward evil for evil to any one, but recompense with good, as Christ teaches, where he says: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy cloak, let him have thy coat also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.” Matt. 5:38–41. Not, dear child, that we like to be smitten, or like to lose our cloak when it is taken away from us, that we should also give the coat, or to go with any one three or four miles against our will; but this is what the Scriptures teach us; and Christ also would herewith teach us, in order that we should rightly understand him, that believers are in no wise permitted to avenge themselves on any man, however great reason they may have, but must commit the matter to God, who judges aright. For when some one smites us, we must rather suffer ourselves to be smitten again, than that we should defend ourselves, or smite back; and when our cloak is taken away, rather also let the coat be taken, than that we should take or get the cloak back by force or by smiting. In short, we must always suffer, but never inflict suffering upon any one, as the law of nature teaches us. Do unto thy neighbor as unto thyself.
Hence we are to wish evil to no one, though in the law of Moses the contrary is written: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.” But Christ takes this away; for that was in the law of revenge, but now we are under grace. Hence we must also show grace, and not punish, as Christ says: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good.” Matt. 5:43–45. Hence, dear child, one may not wish evil to his enemy, much less do him any evil. And do not hate him, neither avenge yourself, but give place to wrath; and be slow to wrath, for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God; but as you would that men should do unto you, so do to them, and you will fulfill the law of Christ. Rom. 12:19; James 1:19,20; Matt. 7:12.
Further, my dear child, you are in duty bound to hold your mother, whom you still have, in love and esteem all the days of your life; for she has had much trouble and care with you, from the time that I have been married to her; hence you are also bound to love her, as your own mother. If you part from her to-day or to-morrow, you must heartily thank her for the motherly love which she has shown you; you ought not to part from her without many tears, for she has been a good mother to you. Therefore, though you should live far away from her, write her a very respectful letter sometime, and if you prosper, you may send her a friendly gift, by which to remember that you hold her in love and esteem; this shall be an honor to you. Hence do the best in all that I command you. And copy or read over frequently my letter, for a perpetual remembrance of your father; and follow it, and all that is good and acceptable before God.
Furthermore, my child, yield your heart under the obedience of the truth. And always be desirous to hear the word of God, and seek, when you attain to your understanding, to betake yourself among the church of the living God, and that in this way you may enter into the ark of the covenant; so that you may be a partaker of all the heavenly promises with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and all the prophets and holy apostles of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. Then you shall at the last day (that shall burn as a fiery oven) be delivered. For the ungodly shall be dreadfully tormented; they shall weep and lament forever, for they shall with the dragon, the devil, and all false prophets, be cast into the fiery lake that shall burn with fire and brimstone. Watch therefore in the fear of God, that you be not a partaker of their plagues. For if you to-day or to-morrow attain to your full age, and your hand is able, remember the poor members of Christ, in communicating to the poor with such as the Lord grants you. And whatever you give, give with a willing heart, and not by constraint, but of a ready mind, for God loveth a cheerful giver, says the apostle Paul. 2 Cor. 9:7. In Hebrews we read: “To do good and to communicate forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” Heb. 13:16. And alms cover a multitude of sins. Through fasting, prayer and alms the Gentile, Cornelius, was acceptable to God, and he received the promise of salvation; for as water quenches fire, so alms extinguish sin; and the Lord who holds it will requite it in the time to come, and when he falls he shall find help. “My child,” says Sirach, “let not the poor suffer want, and be not hard toward the needy. Despise not the hungry, and do not grieve the needy in his poverty. Add not more trouble to a sorrowful heart; and defer not to give to him that is in need. Reject not the supplication of the afflicted; neither turn away thy face from a poor man.” Eccl. 3:30,31; 4:1–4.
Therefore assist the poor, so that the Lord may richly bless you. If you lay this to heart, and do according to it, your light shall arise as the bright morning star at the beautiful dawn; hence always do well, and if you love God, keep his commandments. Herewith I will conclude my letter. I have presented to you that which is best from the word of the Lord. Water and fire are set before man, namely, life or death. Eccl. 15:16,17; Deut. 30:19. Hence choose life, that you may forever possess the kingdom of God, with all his chosen saints.