And now, dear friends, brethren and sisters, I again commend you to God, and to the word of his grace (as the salutation of Paul), which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. Be saluted, strengthened, comforted, and of good cheer in the Lord.
Watch and pray. By me, Hendrick Alewijns, and my fellow prisoners, all of us of good cheer. Farewell. Given in November, A. D. 1568.
Yes, dear friends, before this letter left my hands, two of us were brought before the court; dear Gerrit Jans Duynherder, our pious brother and myself. And behold, we are kept in durance, as sufficiently sentenced, and both of us expect to die very soon now. O Lord! O Lord! into thy hands, O faithful Creator! we commend our soul and spirit. Amen.
O beloved church of God, take care of my three poor, dear little orphans, that are without parents, without possession, or inheritance.
Adieu, my dear children; adieu, all my friends. This is going before you all, and following after my Lord Christ, in his footsteps. Lord, assist thy servants unto the last, unworthy and unprofitable though they be.
THIS IS WHAT HENDRICK ALEWIJNS DELIVERED TO THE LORDS AT THE RACK.
Most worthy officers, justiciaries, and all my lords, who in the name and by the authority of the king are to be my judges and examiners, and are present here, give audience to me, the condemned, Hendrick Alewijns, now ready here for the torture, through your sentence. Behold, I find myself inwardly constrained, and incessantly urged, not to neglect to point out and make known to you all the outrages committed by you on me and those like me, who are innocent of wicked crimes and have not merited legal punishment.
In the first place, let it be clearly, sacredly and Scripturally shown, announced and declared to you, that our, or my matters, are not misdeeds or crimes, but a law of God, matters of faith, and of the spirit; hence they ought to and must be judged spiritually and with the spirit, for a natural man cannot comprehend them; they are foolishness to him. 1 Corinthians 2:14. Consider this freely and thoroughly.
In the second place, a Christian must be charged with articles of faith, and with the Scriptures, without being notorious for rebellious deeds of the flesh, as I am not, God be praised for it, that I am not under the punishment of justice, but entitled to protection and praise from the same. Rom. 13:3. Also, that the man of God who seeks in such simplicity the kingdom, honor and praise of God, is not amenable to your justice in matters of doctrine and worship. Concerning this you have doctrine and examples enough. But one must be subject to the authorities in good works. Tit. 3:1. Justiciary power is given of God only for the punishment of the wicked and the praise of the good, and for the protection of those who do well. The innocent and righteous slay thou not, says God. Ex. 23:7.
In the third place, there is shown to you clearly and with the testimony of the holy Scriptures, and this from love and in the spirit of meekness, the great crime of the tyrants who in this matter of the innocent, sin against God himself, and in his people touch the apple of his eye, yea, fight against God, and kick against his goads: likewise your certain woe, doom and career, in the time to come, when our Lord and righteous Prince shall sit in judgment, and take all your power away from you, as is written in Judith: Woe to the nation that rises up against my kindred; for God will take vengeance on you in the day of judgment; he will put fire and worms in their flesh, that they shall be burned, and feel it forever. Judith 16:17. They shall have no resurrection to eternal life. 2 Macc. 7:14. God will not spare them. 2 Esdr. 15:25. They shall groan and be terrified and amazed at the appearing of the children of God, seeing their glory, and shall say: These are they whom we distressed, oppressed, and deprived them, as being mad, erring spirits, of honor, possessions and life. And further: The wicked troubleth the righteous; he draws out his sword, and bends his bow. But the Lord laugheth at him; for he seeth that his day is coming; he helpeth the poor and needy. He slayeth the righteous; but his sword shall enter into his own heart, and his bow shall be broken in pieces. Ps. 37:12.