No more for the present, except that I commend you to the Lord; may he constantly keep and preserve you in his holy truth. I hope it will soon be over with me; for I desire nothing so much, than that I might please the Lord, and die a blessed death. Amen.
A testament from Maeyken Boosers to her children.
A heartfelt and affectionate greeting to you, my beloved children. Give ear to your mother, who is now in bonds for the truth; for it has pleased God, that all who will live godly must suffer persecution. Hence I am well satisfied and of good cheer, that the servant must follow his lord. His blessed will be done with me; if it had been his pleasure, he would have prevented these bonds. My dear children, it has been so from the beginning, that the righteous must suffer, and that the unrighteous always prevail. But their day shall soon come, that they will lament and cry out in their distress: “Mountains, fall on us, and hills, cover us from the face of the Lord.” Luke 23:30. Alas! when the righteous shall shine forth as the sun, and the ungodly shall go into eternal fire. O beloved children, search the Scriptures, and conform to them, that you may hear the blessed words: Come, ye blessed, inherit the kingdom of my Father. Pray the Lord for wisdom, and learn to fear God, and you will get true understanding. Do not conform to the world, in pride, dancing, running, and idle gossip; but evince by your walk a godly life, adorn yourselves like the holy women, accept the Scriptures and live according to them, that your souls may be saved, and that we may meet hereafter. May the Almighty God, the King of kings, grant you his grace according to the riches of his goodness, to be strengthened in the inner man, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts; and may he guide you into all truth. I pray you, my dear children, be peaceable among yourselves, for this is a fruit of the Spirit. Willingly help one another, without gainsaying, and always remember the poor; communicate willingly of all that you have; make yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; love that which is eternal, and not what is temporal; seek the heavenly, and not the earthly, for all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven; the glory of man perisheth, but the word of the Lord abideth forever. Isa. 40:6. Love not the world, neither the things that are in it, namely, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, which are not of God, but of the world; and the world shall perish, with all that is in it; but he that doeth the will of the Father abideth forever. 1 John 2:15; 1 Cor. 7:31.
My children, do according to the will of the Lord; I, your mother, hope to walk the way before you. Mark wherein and how I go before you, and regard not the honor of the world, but esteem it an honor, to suffer for the name of our God. For he who was King over all was not ashamed to leave his glory, and came into the world, and suffered the most ignominious death for us, and, though he was innocent, was beaten and marred, that there remained not one sound spot on his blessed body. Thus did he love us, thereby leaving us an example that we should follow his steps. He is the light that came into the world, that all who follow him should not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. John 8:12. The Lord grant that that light shine also around you, and that you walk in it. Amen.
Another, short letter from said mother to her children.
My children, I greet you most cordially, and send you back your letters, that you may fulfill the promises you therein made to me. Always be subject to those who instruct you in righteousness, and reprove you when you transgress. Farewell, and herewith adieu to you in this world. My dear children, fear God, and eschew all evil.
Another letter from Maeyken Boosers, to her father and mother.
My most beloved father and mother, I commend myself to you from my inmost heart, praying the Lord that he will comfort you and me with the consolation of the Holy Ghost—the promise of the Lord,—whom he promised to send to his disciples, saying: “I go unto the Father, and shall send you another Comforter, whom the world cannot receive, for it knoweth him not.” John 14:16,17. Hence, my dear father and mother, be of good cheer and await with patience what the Lord wills to do with me. I, too, wait patiently for his comfort. What has passed I esteem not more than a breath of air, and it gives me no trouble, the Lord, in whom I hope, be praised; for he it is who comforts the humble, and puts down the proud from their seats. Luke 1:52. Though there is now tribulation before us, yet we know full well that the day of the Lord will soon come, and that all ungodliness will be brought to nought. And God shall judge them without respect of persons, and reward every one according to his works. Therefore, my dear and much beloved father and mother, worry not on my account; let the Lord finish his work. I hope that he has predestinated me poor unworthy one for an offering acceptable unto him, for I have hoped in his mercy; and that he will not enter into judgment with me, for if he should judge me according to my deserts, I should be worthy of eternal death; but the Lord, I hope, will have mercy upon me.
I further let you know that I was brought before the Dean once more, but neither of us yielded, and as he was leaving he said to me: “If you persist in this belief, you are eternally damned.” I said: “How can you speak so? seeing God shall judge.” “Yes,” said he, “I dare indeed say it, for it will be so.” Then Master Klaes followed me and asked: “Where have you kept yourself so long? I have long sought you.” I replied: “You have me now, sure.” “I have not,” he said; “if you were in our hands, we should keep you longer than these will, I think.” Herewith, my dear father and mother, I will commend you to the Lord; may he preserve you and me unto the end. Grieve not for me, but rejoice that the Lord counts me worthy; for I will cheerfully resign for his sake these my members, which he has given me. Farewell always.
Another letter from Maeyken Boosers to her brethren and sisters.