No more for the present; excuse my letter, for my mind is not in the best condition for writing. Herewith I commend you to God, and to the rich word of his grace. Amen.
By me, Hans Symons, your husband in the Lord, confined in prison at Antwerp.
A LETTER OF HANS SYMONS, WHICH HE WROTE IN PRISON AT ANTWERP, WHERE HE, WITH THREE OTHERS WAS BURNT, ON THE 13TH OF SEPTEMBER, 1567.
Grace and peace be unto you from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforted us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted or comforted, it is all for our good, and for our salvation. 2 Cor. 1:3–6. This I wish you, my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, Vincent, Kaerle, Willem, and Hans Symons, and Tanneken, Vincent’s wife, as a heartfelt greeting in the Lord. And brethren and sisters in general, I write this that you may remember me, what tribulation and distress I suffered in Antwerp for the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ; and because the time has come that I must part from you all. Amen.
Further, my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, and co-workers and followers of the Gospel, whom God has shown great mercy in this world, in that he, out of grace, revealed his will. Hence, dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, I beseech you from the depth of my heart, that you receive not the grace of God in vain, for he says: “I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee.” Therefore, dear brethren, let us not give offense to any one, that our ministry be not blamed; but let us approve ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in necessities and distresses. 2 Cor. 6:1–4. Hence, dear brethren, accept this as a sincere request from me, that you take heed to your calling, wherein you are called to holiness, for he says: “Be ye holy; for I am holy.” 1 Pet. 1:16. And I pray you, that you show love to one another all the days of your life, for Christ says: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:35. If any prosper more than others, let one assist the other, and do not become alienated from one another, lest one be grieved on account of another; but exhort one another with the law of the Lord when ye come together, and always remember the days when you were illuminated—how zealous we all were when we came together, to speak of the great benefits which God has bestowed upon us, in that he has called us from the power of darkness into his marvelous light, which is kindled in our hearts, so that we have surrendered ourselves to serve the Lord all the days of our life, and no more to live to ourselves. Heb. 10:32; 1 Pet. 2:9; Romans 14:7.
O dear brethren and sisters, always write the law of the Lord into your hearts, and keep him ever before your eyes, and serve him faithfully unto the end of your lives; for if there is anything that is not clear, be it ever so small, in which the conscience is troubled, Satan produces, by way of accusation, all he can produce, in order that he may at least lead astray or trouble us; however, he frequently has cause, for we all sin in many things, as James says. Rev. 12:10; Jas. 3:2.
Therefore, dear brethren and sisters, awake, and make straight paths for your feet, that you may always be prepared for the Gospel of peace, which calls us only to peace, for beautiful are the feet of them that fear the Lord. Eph. 5:14; Heb. 12:13; Eph. 6:15; Rom. 10:15. Never separate from the church of the Lord; for it is the body of Christ, and he is the Savior of his body. And though sometimes there are some in it who do not truly follow the Lord, think: Lord, I have no right to sin too, because another sins, since the Lord has no pleasure in the multitude of sin, but that every one turn from his evil way, and he shall live. And I pray you and all the brethren and sisters in the Lord, that they do not think it a small thing to grieve their neighbor, whether by word or deed, or by the putting on of apparel. We can avoid this sometimes, but we will not, caring not that our neighbor is troubled thereby.
O dear brethren, when one is apprehended or put into bonds, or the Lord takes us from this world, it greatly troubles our conscience. And our stay here is so brief; hence prepare well your lamps, that when the bridegroom comes, you will not have to go for oil, for the doors will then be shut. What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what will you give in exchange for your souls? Matt. 16:25. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, but sanctify God in your hearts, and give thanks unto the Father, who has made you meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. Rom. 6:12; 1 Pet. 3:15; Col. 1:12. O dear brethren, how true and certain we daily find it to be, that it is the truth for which we must suffer, of which I am becoming convinced more and more every day, though I never doubted that it was the truth.
O dear brethren and sisters, continue herein unto the end, and you will prosper; and do not suffer yourselves to be deceived through philosophy, or vain deceit, through vain pomp and subtle inventions; for men are soon corrupted from their simplicity which they have in Christ, for it is a great grace which we have received from God, that the truth is revealed to us, which is hid from so many thousands. Col. 2:8; 2 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 1:9. Hence, my dear brethren and sisters, think now of us, how many tortures we have endured, how many sighs we have spent, how much weeping and supplicating to God we have done, with strong crying and tears unto him for help, that you might be able to keep unto the end the faith wherein you stand.
O dear brethren, it is so hard for us, and the cup which we must drink is so bitter. O how am I straightened till the child is born! These woes are so bitter, dear brethren; I speak the truth; it is impossible to make any one believe what pain it is to bring forth a child, except him who has experienced it; however, when it is born, then the pain is remembered no more. Thus it is also with me and my fellow-prisoners; we are now in the throes of travail, many a heart-grief fills us with anguish, and we must cry to God for help. And he comforts us, for he is a God of comfort, who can comfort all troubled hearts, as he also does. But I hope that we shall soon have brought forth; then we shall remember the anguish and distress no more, and all the tears, that now ofttimes course down our cheeks, so that at times we almost, with David, water our bed with our tears, will be wiped away; for he is faithful that promised it us, and will also keep it. We comfort one another much with the Lord’s promises. John 16:21; Isa. 26:17; 2 Corinthians 1:3,4; Ps. 6:6; Is. 25:8; 1 Thess. 5:24.