A Testament From Joost De Tollenaer, To His Daughter.

Therefore humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, and he shall exalt you in due time; for the proud cannot please God. In Proverbs it is written: “These things doth the Lord hate: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.” Prov. 6:17. “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.” 11:2. A proud heart is an abomination unto the Lord, and it shall not remain unpunished. Hence Tobit said to his son: Let not pride rule in your heart, nor in your words; for it is the beginning of all destruction. Out of it proceeds all pride, when man apostatizes from God, and departs with his heart from his Creator; and pride impels to all sin, and he that is infected with it causes many abominations. Hence the Lord always rejected pride, and ultimately cast it down. God cast the proud princes from the throne, and set the humble thereupon; God rooted out the root of the proud nations, and set and planted the humble in their stead.

Hence do not think yourself wise, and do not reward evil for evil to any one, but recompense with good, as Christ teaches, where he says: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy cloak, let him have thy coat also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.” Matt. 5:38–41. Not, dear child, that we like to be smitten, or like to lose our cloak when it is taken away from us, that we should also give the coat, or to go with any one three or four miles against our 1023 will; but this is what the Scriptures teach us; and Christ also would herewith teach us, in order that we should rightly understand him, that believers are in no wise permitted to avenge themselves on any man, however great reason they may have, but must commit the matter to God, who judges aright. For when some one smites us, we must rather suffer ourselves to be smitten again, than that we should defend ourselves, or smite back; and when our cloak is taken away, rather also let the coat be taken, than that we should take or get the cloak back by force or by smiting. In short, we must always suffer, but never inflict suffering upon any one, as the law of nature teaches us. Do unto thy neighbor as unto thyself.

Hence we are to wish evil to no one, though in the law of Moses the contrary is written: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.” But Christ takes this away; for that was in the law of revenge, but now we are under grace. Hence we must also show grace, and not punish, as Christ says: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good.” Matt. 5:43–45. Hence, dear child, one may not wish evil to his enemy, much less do him any evil. And do not hate him, neither avenge yourself, but give place to wrath; and be slow to wrath, for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God; but as you would that men should do unto you, so do to them, and you will fulfill the law of Christ. Rom. 12:19; James 1:19,20; Matt. 7:12.

Further, my dear child, you are in duty bound to hold your mother, whom you still have, in love and esteem all the days of your life; for she has had much trouble and care with you, from the time that I have been married to her; hence you are also bound to love her, as your own mother. If you part from her to-day or to-morrow, you must heartily thank her for the motherly love which she has shown you; you ought not to part from her without many tears, for she has been a good mother to you. Therefore, though you should live far away from her, write her a very respectful letter sometime, and if you prosper, you may send her a friendly gift, by which to remember that you hold her in love and esteem; this shall be an honor to you. Hence do the best in all that I command you. And copy or read over frequently my letter, for a perpetual remembrance of your father; and follow it, and all that is good and acceptable before God.