Hence, my children, fear the Lord, and depart from evil. For the prophet Jeremiah says: “How good it is for a man, from his youth to take upon him the yoke of the Lord, and for one that is forsaken, to be patient, when he meeteth with adversity.” Lam. 3:27,28. And Sirach says: My child, from thy youth receive instruction, till thine old age, and thou shalt find wisdom (Sir. 6:18); for the wisdom of God teaches, that we are to receive God’s instruction, in order to be taught thereby, how we are to depart from evil. “For wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets, saying: How long, ye little children, will ye love childishness? and how long shall fools desire the things that are hurtful to them? and the unwise hate knowledge?” Prov. 1:20. For this is the nature of children; they love to run and play in the streets, where they learn all kinds of wickedness, and do not like to be chastised for it, and kept in the house. By this they are known as children; for they know not how injurious this is to them; for thereby they become alienated from the knowledge of God, and so grow up in wickedness, that sometimes they can only with great difficulty come to the truth. Therefore wisdom calls the children of Israel little children, because they are sometimes so wicked, that they want to live to themselves, and hate the chastening of the Lord, which is nevertheless administered to them out of love, that they should not be condemned with the world. 1 Corinthians 11:32. Therefore, my dear children, beware of all bad company, that might seduce you to cherish the world; for the world lieth in wickedness, and will perish with its lusts. 1 John 5:19; 2:17. Therefore, my children, love not the world, neither the things that are in it; for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 2:15,16. Hence, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. 1 Pet. 2:11. And Paul says: Flee youthful lusts (2 Tim. 2:22); for youthful lusts have plunged many into ruin, into lasciviousness, whoredom and many improper things. Therefore, my children, beware of whoredom, and all unedifying conduct, in which whoredom has often originated; as dancing and leaping, and the practice of young men and maidens sitting together at the beer table, drinking to intoxication, and speaking improper words, and besides what is done in secret would be too shameful to mention. Tobit 4:12; 1 Thess. 4:3. O my children, beware of such things; for the apostle says: All they that do such things have no part in the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6:10. But when you are grown up, and cannot contain, marry in the fear of God. Pray God to provide you a faithful helpmeet, to walk in the fear of God, with a broken, lowly and humble heart.
My children, do not in any wise let pride rule over you in your words or thoughts, as Tobit admonishes his son (Tob. 4:13); for the Lord rejects such as are proud in their hearts, but he has exalted the humble. Hence David says: “I thank thee, O Lord, that thou hast humbled me; for before I was humbled I went astray.” Ps. 119:67. Therefore, my children, never exalt yourselves in your hearts, but condescend to men of low estate; for pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall; for they become so proud, that they reject the word of the Lord, and live according to the desires of their hearts; therefore the Lord shall also not regard them. Rom. 12:16; Prov. 16:18; Hos. 4:6.
My children, heed the instruction of your father, and forget it not. Refrain your tongue from backbiting, and beware of lying; for the mouth that lieth slayeth the soul. Wis. 1:11. For liars have no part in the new Jerusalem; but their part is in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Rev. 21:8. And the backbiter causes much contention and discord, and also stirs up strife and envy, and separates friends. Prov. 16:28. Hence Solomon says: “Where no wood is there the fire goeth out: so where there is no tale-bearer, the strife ceaseth 26:20. Hence he further writes: Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee; as also Moses writes: Let there be no backbiter or slanderer among you. 4:24; Lev. 19:16. Therefore, my children, beware of backbiting, and wherever you are at home, keep your lips sealed, and tell not out of the house what is done in it; keep still about all in regard to which silence is expedient, then men will love you. Always be faithful to people, and beware of stealing, for it is a great sin; and thieves have no part in the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:10), nor is a thief trusted or loved by any one; but wherever he goes, his hands are watched. Thus, my children, always content yourselves honorably in the fear of God, and beware of all sin and transgression; and do not envy one another, for through envy Cain slew his brother, and the patriarchs sold their brother Joseph; for envy breaks all friendship, causes a man to forget all benefits, and is bent only upon doing harm. The envious man rejoices not when he sees his brother or sister, but turns his face the other way; nor is he grieved at his brother’s misfortune, but is pleased when the latter meets with adversity. Hence James truly says: If ye have bitter envy and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. . . . For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. Jas. 3:14,16. Therefore, my children, do not envy one another, nor any one else; but love one another out of a pure heart, as brothers and sisters ought to; not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother (1 John 3:12); but as Christ left an example, who gave his life for us.
Hence you must also so love one another, not in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth (1 John 3:18); that you may be brothers and sisters, not only according to the flesh, but also according to the faith of the Son of God; for he says: by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another. John 13:35. Hence John writes: “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God: and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love.” 1 John 4:7,8. Hence he would have, that children should love one another with true, unfeigned brotherly love, with a pure heart, as being born not of natural seed, which is corruptible, but of incorruptible seed, namely, by the word of God, which abideth forever. 1 Pet. 1:22,23.
Thus, my dear children, I pray and admonish you, love, and bear with, one another, and let one be subject to the other; the younger shall obey the older, that there may be no contention or discord among you. And you, Katelijntgen and Kopken, are the oldest; when you are grown up, take care of the other children, and help them with the labor of your hands, thus showing mercy to them, that you may be children of your Father which is in heaven; for you will perhaps not have your mother very long, and then you are in duty bound to do the best for one another.
Thus, my children, heed the instruction of your father, and forget it not. Obey your mother: for it is proper that children should obey their parents, as is written in Ecclesiasticus: The Lord will that the parents should be honored by the children 3:2. For this was the first commandment in the law, which had a promise: Honor thy father and mother that thou mayest live long on the earth. Ex. 20:12. And the greatest honor that children can show their parents, is, to obey them: To obey them in everything that is not contrary to the honor of God, but when the honor of God is concerned, parents have no power to rule over them, but are themselves in duty bound to admonish their children, to obey the Lord. For they had to teach the law to their children, when they went to sleep, and when they rose up; in which law it was written, that God must be loved above all. Deut. 6:7. Therefore children are not bound to love their parents more than God, and godfearing parents are not to require this, but are to exhort their children to the same, that they should exercise themselves in the love of God, that is: keep his commandments, and be humble before their God (Mic. 6:8), as I hope, my children, that also your mother will do. Hence obey her in love, and be not disobedient to her; for it is written in the law, that he that cursed, smote or disobeyed his father or mother, had to die, so great a sin it is before the Lord. Ex. 21:15,17.
Therefore, my dear children, though you lose me, do not be froward to your mother, but obey her the more, for the whole care of you will now be committed to her. Hence, my children, never grieve her in your life; for in Ecclesiasticus it is written: He that forsaketh his father is a blasphemer; and he that angereth his mother is cursed of God. 3:16. Therefore, love her, and remember how many pains she suffered on your account, and how she bore you under her heart nine months, and how she will have to undergo much yet, to earn bread for you. Tob. 4:3,4; 2 Macc. 7:27. Hence, dear children, when you are grown up, apply yourselves diligently to labor, that you may help your mother to gain a livelihood. And be not idle; for from slothfulness springs much evil, for it makes thieves of children, and harlots of girls, and thus they finally come to a bad end. Therefore, my dear children, do not desire this, but willingly work and labor with your hands that which is honorable, that you may have to give to him that needeth. Ephesians 4:28. And if your mother take another husband, obey him as your father, and honor him; for he will have to care for you, and instruct and teach you as though you were his own children. Therefore, you, as obedient children, are to receive, and not to despise, his instruction. O my dear children, I, Jacob, your father, have left you this as a testament, that you may remember me the better, and know wherein I stood and why I died, of which you need not be ashamed, since it was for the name of Christ. For it is for the Lord’s sake that I leave you; there is nothing under heaven so dear to me that for it I should be willing to leave you; but for the Lord’s sake every thing must be forsaken, father and mother, wife and children, yea, one’s own life, or we cannot be his disciples. Deut. 33:9. But he that for his sake forsakes all this, shall receive a hundredfold, and hereafter everlasting life. Matthew 19:29. Thus, my dear children, with this confidence I leave you. The Lord grant you his grace, that I may find you in life eternal. I now go before you the way which Christ Jesus and all the saints of God went before us: and I know that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution. 2 Tim. 3:12. And Paul says: Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. Philip. 1:29. For what we suffer; we suffer not for our own sakes, but for the Lord’s sake, because we believe in him, and by faith follow and obey him, which the world will not tolerate, for the prophet says: Truth is fallen in the street; truth languisheth in prison; equity cannot enter; he that would depart from evil, and do good, maketh himself a prey. Is. 59:14,15. As Christ says: “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” John 15:19. Hence James says: The friendship of this world is enmity with God; if you would be the friend of the world, you will be the enemy of God. Jas. 4:4. For my dear children, if you would be the friend of the world, you will have to follow the world in her improprieties and false worship; hence Paul writes: “If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ?” Gal. 1:10. For such love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called his children: therefore the world knoweth us not, neither knoweth it him. 1 John 3:1. Therefore, if they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, it is no wonder that they also call them of his household so; for the servant cannot be above his lord, nor the disciple above his master. Matt. 10:25,24.
Herewith I will commend you, my dear children, and your mother, to the Lord, for whose sake I hope to leave you; who is able to care for you, and to keep you from all evil. The Lord grant you his grace, that you may grow up in the knowledge of God through the Holy Ghost, so that, according to the right judgment of God, you may be found righteous for his kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, to whom be praise and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Written on the second and third days of May, A. D. 1569, in prison at Bruges, where I was confined for the testimony of Jesus, under the house of the Vrye; by me Jacob the Chandler.
This I send my dear children, as a brief testament; I also hope to write them my faith, which may serve to show them upon what faith their father died.