Further, I earnestly pray you, that you will rightly instruct the simple in the faith, concerning all things, and frequently speak of these things in the exhortation, for there is great need of it. They greatly torment those that are imprisoned, when they perceive that they are weak, yea, as much again as them that are sure of their faith. And you that are weak take it well to heart, and be not ashamed to ask questions for the benefit of your souls, until you have a good understanding, before it comes to the test. Take this warning to heart, for it is such a blessed assurance, if one is sure of his faith. For Sirach says: “A man whose heart is established is like a house which is firmly bound and nailed together; it feareth not though a storm arise.” Sir. 22:16. Thus, dear friends, let us also build upon Christ Jesus; this must be the foundation, namely, his word; for Christ himself says: He that heareth my word, and doeth it, I will show whom he is like: He is like a man who proceeded to build his house; but he digged deep, and laid the foundation upon the rock: though floods and rains come against it, it remaineth standing, for it is founded upon the rock. But he that heareth my word, and doeth it not, is like unto a foolish man that buildeth his house upon the sand: when the floods come, or the winds blow, it falleth, and great is the fall of it. Matt. 7:24–27. Observe friends, he says: great is the fall of it. Hence, dear friends, dig deep, which, according to my understanding, means, to examine and take well to heart, so that we may not be found fools; for James admonishes us to be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving our own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso examineth himself in the law of God, and is a doer of the word, and not a hearer only, this man shall be blessed. Jas. 1:22–25, Yea, Christ Jesus says himself: Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. Luke 11:28. John also, admonishes us: Blessed are they that hear the words of the prophets, and keep those things which are written therein.
Behold, dear friends, if we hear his word, and keep it well in our hearts, we are entitled to all these promises of blessedness; for it is the true food of the soul, by which all Christians must be fed, if they are to live; for Christ says that man lives not by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Matt. 4:4. Yea, as the prophet Jeremiah says, in the 15th chapter, verse 16: Lord, thy word sustains me, since I have obtained it; and thy word is the comfort and joy of my heart. Solomon, also, says: Every word of God is pure, and they are a shield unto them that put their trust therein. Prov. 30:5. Therefore, dear friends, let us always put our trust in God’s word; it will not deceive us; for John says: These sayings of God are true; heaven and earth shall pass away, but the words of God shall not pass away. Rev. 19:9. O dear friends, let us heed it well, for it is what will judge us in the last day; for Christ says: I shall not judge you; but the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge you in the last day. John 12:48. O dear friends, if it is that which will judge us, then we must well examine, and constantly prove ourselves, whether our life accords with the word of God; and carefully view ourselves in it as in a mirror, whether there is nothing condemnable in us; and if we find aught in us that is unclean, then let us do according to the counsel of the prophet, who says: “Wash ye, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do well; seek judgment; relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” He says: “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” Is. 1:16–20.
Dear brethren and sisters, let us not be disobedient, nor murmur against God, like Israel, who were rejected for it. 1 Cor. 10:10. If we have heard his voice to-day, let us not harden our hearts, but let us take care that we do not forsake the promise of entering into his rest, and that none of us be found to remain without; for we have been sufficiently admonished and invited, as was also Israel; but the word preached them did not profit them; because they did not firmly believe it. Hebrews 3:7,6; 4:2. But let us have a steadfast faith, like Joshua and Caleb had, who feared neither the great stature of the Canaanites, nor the strength of their cities, though their walls reached up to heaven. Num. 13:30. Mark, their walls were high, and the inhabitants of the land were like giants; they were only grasshoppers in their sight. But Caleb and Joshua trusted in God, and said: God is with us; their defense is taken from them; we shall devour them like bread. Num. 14:9. And by their faith they overcame everything, and entered into the promised land. Joshua 3:17.
Thus, dear friends, also our enemies are great, strong and numerous; but if we have a faith like Caleb and Joshua, so that we do not see our own strength, but go out from ourselves, and rely upon Him with the whole heart, then we shall come off conquerors; for David says: “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. Ps. 37:5. Solomon, too, says: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5,6. Yea, Paul, also, says: “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man will do unto me.” Heb. 13:5,6; Deut. 31:6. Yea, David says: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” Ps. 23:1–4.
O dear friends, where do we find such a God in Babylon? he says: When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through, the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Yea, he says: The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee. Isa. 43:2; 54:10. Brethren and sisters, if we have such a God, who helps thus in time of need, who are we, that we should be afraid of men, and of the children of men that must perish like grass. Isa. 51:12. Yea, Christ himself said: Fear not them that kill the body; but fear him that hath power to cast soul and body into damnation. Matt. 10:28. Behold, friends, though the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 2 Cor. 1:5. Therefore, let us sincerely humble ourselves and keep his commandments, and pray before him with tears, that he will show us mercy according to his pleasure, so that, as we now have to mourn on account of their pride, we may rejoice after this distress, because we do not follow the sins of our fathers, who forsook their God, and went after strange gods, wherefore the Lord delivered them into the hands of their enemies. 1 Pet. 1:6; Deut. 32:16. Therefore, dear brethren who are elders, comfort the people with your words, and admonish them to remember that our fathers were tried in many ways, and had to overcome manifold temptations, in order that they might be proved whether they served God with their hearts. Thus, Isaac, Jacob and Moses remained steadfast, and had to overcome much affliction; but the others, who would not accept affliction, but impatiently murmured against God, were destroyed by the destroyer and by serpents. But let us remember that we are chastised of God, to make us better, and not for our destruction, and that the punishment is far less than our sins. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Hebrews 12:6,8. Hence, dear friends, let us be patient in this tribulation for a little while; for the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:18. But the God of all grace stablish, strengthen and settle us all, this I wish you all for a greeting. 1 Pet. 5:10.
I, Peter, greet you much, and earnestly desire that you would see to my wife; she hopes to do her best, she told me. We ask you to pray for us, that we may finish our course to the praise of God and the salvation of our souls. We also enjoin you, that if Pauwels has not moved, he would better do so; we advise it for the best. We would write more explicitly, but we fear that the letter might fall into wrong hands. I, Pieter Potvliet, greet you much, and give you a testament. Continue steadfast and immovable in the work of the Lord; see that your labor be not in vain. I commend you to God.
By me, Jelis Strings.
THE SECOND LETTER OF JELIS STRINGS.
Grace, mercy and peace from God the heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and in love. May he stablish , strengthen and settle you who have to suffer for a little while for Christ’s sake; and may he grant you, according to the riches of his glory and power, to be strengthened with might in the inner man, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, and you be rooted and grounded in love, so that you may all be bound together with the bond of love, and thus, through the uniting of the Holy Spirit, and obedience to the Lord, according to the Gospel, be built up together harmoniously a holy temple and city of God; this I wish you all who love the Lord, for a cordial greeting, dear brethren and sisters in the Lord.
Further, after all greeting, I hope to write a little again concerning the disputation we had with our adversaries, though it is not very much; for when we were apprehended, we resolved among ourselves, not to dispute, unless we might all come together, which was also observed, so that they should have nothing to lie behind our back, and that if they should hear a word more from one than from another they might not confuse the simple. On account of this they were much incensed, and said that they all depended on me. They often came to dispute; but we would not, unless we might all come together, and in the market place. This angered them much, and they said: “Where was it ever seen that a disputation was held in the market-place? you people want to introduce new doctrines.” Finally, we consented that we would dispute in prison, provided we might all come together; but they would not have it otherwise than each separately, and this we would not do. Thus they came twice or three times, and we had some conversation with them each time, in order that they might not say that we refused to hear them. Our conversation was about the three persons, and the incarnation. The first question he put to me was whether I did not believe that if men believed in Christ Jesus, and henceforth forsook all evil they would be saved. I said: “Yes; all who believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who died for us, and through this faith show obedience to the Gospel, shall be saved.” “Well then,” said they, “if they believe that children may be baptized, they will be saved, according to your own words.” I said: “My lord, it seems to me, that you are like the scribes; they sought to censure Christ by subtlety, and it appears to me that you do the same.” Matt. 22:15. “Yes,” said he; “Christ knew how to answer the scribes, and so will you, if you have the Spirit of Christ.” I said: “If they show obedience to the Gospel, they will not baptize children, nor cause them to be baptized; for it is not instituted or commanded of God, to baptize children; but you people have planted it, and whatever men have planted shall be rooted up of God, and thus it will go with your infant baptism.” Matt. 15:13. He forthwith said that the Anabaptists believe that Christ brought his flesh from heaven. I said that it was a lie; “are you not ashamed (I said) to sit here and lie in this manner in my presence?” He said: “What you believe, I know not; but others believe thus.” I said that it was a lie; “I have never heard,” I said, “of any that held such a faith; yet I have had more intercourse with them than you have; are you not ashamed to sit here and lie thus in my presence?” Then he became very boastful; three or four other priests and the Bailiff were also sitting there, and they said: “Jells, talk decently.” I said: “Then do not lie so.” I spoke loudly, that my comrades should hear it.