# A Letter Which Hans Van Munstdorp Wrote To His Wife, When They Were Both In Bonds In The Prison At Antwerp, For The Testimony Of Jesus Christ. [Previous page: FIVE PIOUS CHRISTIANS, HANS VAN MUNSTDORP AND JANNEKEN MUNSTDORP HIS WIFE, TOGETHER WITH MARIKEN, LIJSKEN, AND MAEYKEN, ALL BURNED TOGETHER AT STAKES, AT ANTWERP, IN THE YEAR 1573.](/en/stories/mm-five-pious-christians-hans-van-munstdorp-and-janneken-munstdorp-his-wife-together-with-mariken-lijsken-and-maeyken-all-b/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: [TESTAMENT,] WRITTEN TO JANNEKEN MY OWN DEAREST DAUGHTER, WHILE I WAS (UNWORTHILY) CONFINED FOR THE LORD’S SAKE, IN PRISON, AT ANTWERP, A. D. 1573.](/en/stories/mm-testament-written-to-janneken-my-own-dearest-daughter-while-i-was-unworthily-confined-for-the-lords-sake-in-prison-at-an/) An affectionate greeting to you my beloved wife whom I love from the heart, and greatly cherish above every other creature, and must now forsake for the truth, for the sake of which we must count all things loss, and love him above all. I hope, though men separate us here, that the Lord will again join us together in his eternal kingdom, where no one will be able to part us, and we shall reign forever in the heavenly abode. Hence I inform you, my beloved wife, that my mind is still unwaveringly fixed to adhere to the eternal truth. [I hope,] by the grace of the Lord, that this is also the purpose of your mind, which I would be rejoiced to hear. I herewith exhort you my beloved lamb, with the apostle: As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, and suffer yourself not to be moved from your purpose through philosophy or vain deceit of men, whereby they seek to seduce the hearts of the simple, showing them in fair colors the apple of pleasure, whereby they are deceived, even as there are some here, as you know. Pierijntgen has also tasted of the apple, as I understand; hence, my faithful lamb, take heed and lust not after evil things. 1 Cor. 10:6. And look not back with Lot’s wife, lest you become like her. Gen. 19:26. Remember the word of the Lord: “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62. Hence, my beloved lamb, always remember, as the prophet says, the crown, which shall come in the end, and of the vengeance that shall come upon the ungodly. The prophet says: “Woe to the rebellious children that forsake the Lord, the fountain of life; woe unto them for they that depart from him shall be written in the earth.” Is. 30:1; Jer. 17:13. Hence, my beloved, hearken not to them, for their work shall be found wood, straw, and stubble in the day of vengeance, and it shall be burned with fire, as is written. 1 Cor. 3:12,13. Therefore, my beloved lamb, whom I so affectionately love and cherish as my own soul, persevere steadfastly, this I pray you, till you are taken away, as I trust you will do. And do 935 not regard flesh or blood, for it must all pass away. Though we have here a rejected and vile body, the Lord shall fashion it like unto his own glorious body, on condition that we adhere to the truth unto death. Phil. 3:21; Rev. 2:10. Take this in good part. Always remember the eternal riches. I herewith greet you in the Lord, out of cordial love, and also your companions; rejoice one another in the Lord, be glad in the lions’ den, and trust in the God of Daniel. Herewith adieu and farewell. Bide the time with patience; be patient in the conflict, and rejoice in hope. Let me know, if you can, whether you have received it. Always remember me kindly in your fervent prayers. I hope also not to forget you, whom I would carry in my heart, if it were possible. This butter, it seems to me came from Grietgen Wevels. I greet you most cordially therewith. Adieu and farewell, my lamb, my love; adieu and farewell, to all that fear God; adieu and farewell, until the marriage of the Lamb in the New Jerusalem. Be valiant and of good cheer; cast the troubles that assail you upon the Lord, and he will not forsake you; cleave to him, and you will not fall. Love God above all; have love and truth; love your salvation, and keep your promises to the Lord. Note.—Through a certain good friend a very affectionate and consolatory testament of Janneken Munstdorp, the wife of Hans van Munstdorp, has been put into our hands, which she wrote in prison at Antwerp, after the offering up of her husband, when she was in daily expectation of death, to her dear little daughter—to whom she had given birth in prison, and who was now only about a month old—for a perpetual remembrance, farewell, and adieu from this evil world. It reads as follows: ## Original source [Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#Page_935) [Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855) [Previous page: FIVE PIOUS CHRISTIANS, HANS VAN MUNSTDORP AND JANNEKEN MUNSTDORP HIS WIFE, TOGETHER WITH MARIKEN, LIJSKEN, AND MAEYKEN, ALL BURNED TOGETHER AT STAKES, AT ANTWERP, IN THE YEAR 1573.](/en/stories/mm-five-pious-christians-hans-van-munstdorp-and-janneken-munstdorp-his-wife-together-with-mariken-lijsken-and-maeyken-all-b/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: [TESTAMENT,] WRITTEN TO JANNEKEN MY OWN DEAREST DAUGHTER, WHILE I WAS (UNWORTHILY) CONFINED FOR THE LORD’S SAKE, IN PRISON, AT ANTWERP, A. D. 1573.](/en/stories/mm-testament-written-to-janneken-my-own-dearest-daughter-while-i-was-unworthily-confined-for-the-lords-sake-in-prison-at-an/) --- Page: https://history.truechristian.church/en/stories/mm-a-letter-which-hans-van-munstdorp-wrote-to-his-wife-when-they-were-both-in-bonds-in-the-prison-at-antwerp-for-the-testim/ [Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+A+Letter+Which+Hans+Van+Munstdorp+Wrote+To+His+Wife%2C+When+They+Were+Both+In+Bonds+In+The+Prison+At+Antwerp%2C+For+The+Testimony+Of+Jesus+Christ.&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0AA+Letter+Which+Hans+Van+Munstdorp+Wrote+To+His+Wife%2C+When+They+Were+Both+In+Bonds+In+The+Prison+At+Antwerp%2C+For+The+Testimony+Of+Jesus+Christ.%0A%0APage%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fen%2Fstories%2Fmm-a-letter-which-hans-van-munstdorp-wrote-to-his-wife-when-they-were-both-in-bonds-in-the-prison-at-antwerp-for-the-testim%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-a-letter-which-hans-van-munstdorp-wrote-to-his-wife-when-they-were-both-in-bonds-in-the-prison-at-antwerp-for-the-testim%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.)