# A Letter From Jacques Mesdagh. · Page 8 of 9 [Previous page: A LETTER FROM JACQUES MESDAGH.](/en/stories/mm-a-letter-from-jacques-mesdagh/part-7/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: A LETTER FROM JACQUES MESDAGH.](/en/stories/mm-a-letter-from-jacques-mesdagh/part-9/) O my dear chosen sister, whom I love so greatly with all my heart, I should not be able to describe to you, I think, with what true, unfeigned godly and brotherly love I love you. O adhere always valiantly to the true, pure truth and doctrine of Christ, as I, through the grace of the Lord, most confidently trust you will do, though I thus write. O my dearest sister, I also trust, through the great grace and mercy of the Lord, to do myself, according to my weak ability, all that I have written you; for it is still my unwavering mind and purpose rather to lay down my life, though it be to-morrow, than to forsake the truth. For I am still willing to resign my life for him who gave it me, if it shall come to this; and, again, if it be his divine will, that I am to remain in iron bonds yet for a long time, I will also gladly suffer it for his holy name; for he suffered so much for us. And I cannot fully thank or praise the Lord for the great grace, mercy, and the benefits which he has shown me in prison; and for patience, that the lying in bonds has so little affected me—it seems to me that you could hardly believe how little it has affected me. I am not conscious, it seems to me, that I was imprisoned, or that it lasted too long, or that I was thus imprisoned; eternal praise, glory and thanks to the Lord, for his abundant grace and mercy. However I have sometimes wished, if it could have been, to be with you, if it had been for the good of my soul, and the Lord had permitted it; and this chiefly because of the love which I have towards you, and you to me. My dear lamb, the Lord be praised, I have never grieved much on account of it, since it was for the name of the Lord, and I know that we must once separate here. Though we should be together here a hundred years yet, the time of separation would nevertheless come, and it is better to die honorably than to transgress the law of God and live in disgrace, as is written in the second book of the Maccabees (6:19). And Christ, also, said: Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospel’s, the same shall preserve it. But whosoever loveth father or mother, or sister, or brother, or wife, or children, more than me, the same is not worthy of me. Luke 17:33; 14:26. Therefore, my dearest, when it comes so far that we are apprehended and put into bonds, everything must be forsaken for the sake of his holy will and name, if we wish to be of his number (Rev. 6:11); for he that does not forsake all that he has cannot be his disciple. Thus, my affectionately and so greatly beloved sister, when we think on and well consider these words, why should we not gladly forsake all that we have for the name of Christ, and why should we be sad, burdened or troubled, when this comes upon us for the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, since Christ himself has foretold it. I cannot fully thank and praise him for his great, unspeakable grace and mercy, which he daily shows me, that my mind and purpose are so gladly, joyfully and tranquilly fixed upon the Lord. It is at present as well with me according to the spirit, as it ever was, I think; praise, glory, honor, and thanks be forever to the eternal, almighty, merciful God, for his great grace and kindness, that he, through his Holy Spirit, so strengthens and comforts me, poor, simple, weak, frail servant, in my mind and purpose; and I pray God, always to strengthen, confirm and comfort me by his Holy Spirit, unto the end, and also all those who fear him, and to give us what is most needful to us all for the salvation of our souls. Herewith I will commend you to the Lord, and take affectionate leave, with the comforting and delightful word of his grace, from you, in regard to this matter, for this time. O my dearest S. J. H., excuse my simple letter and the small talent I have received from the Lord; for I have written it from true, unfeigned, godly and brotherly love, which I bear to you, my dear, chosen sister, of which the Lord is my witness, who knows all hearts, and tries the reins, and before whom all things are naked and open. Jer. 17:10; Acts 15:8. And all that I have here written to you, my dear lamb, I wish also, from the bottom of my heart, as a heartfelt and affectionate greeting, and for a perpetual memorial, to my deeply beloved father and brother, whom I both love so affectionately. Let all of you pray the Lord for me, that I may accomplish and finish what I have begun, to my soul’s salvation, to his praise and honor, and to the edification of my fellow-men. I trust to pray the Lord most diligently for you, according to my weak ability. Greet one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen. 1 Pet. 5:14. ## Original source [Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#Page_692) [Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855) [Previous page: A LETTER FROM JACQUES MESDAGH.](/en/stories/mm-a-letter-from-jacques-mesdagh/part-7/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: A LETTER FROM JACQUES MESDAGH.](/en/stories/mm-a-letter-from-jacques-mesdagh/part-9/) --- Page: https://history.truechristian.church/en/stories/mm-a-letter-from-jacques-mesdagh/part-8/ [Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+A+Letter+From+Jacques+Mesdagh.+%C2%B7+Page+8+of+9&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0AA+Letter+From+Jacques+Mesdagh.+%C2%B7+Page+8+of+9%0A%0APage%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fen%2Fstories%2Fmm-a-letter-from-jacques-mesdagh%2Fpart-8%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-a-letter-from-jacques-mesdagh--b00055-o000000%0A%0ADate+currently+shown%3A+16th+century+%28source+section%29%0A%0A%23%23+Correction+or+addition%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Sources+and+evidence%0APlease+include+book%2Fpage+references%2C+archive+links%2C+or+first-hand+documentation.%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Image+credit+%28if+applicable%29%0ACreator%2C+source%2C+and+permission+or+public-domain+basis.%0A%0A%0A%0ASubmitted+for+review%3B+this+issue+does+not+publish+changes+automatically.)