# Another Letter From Raphel Van Den Velde Written To His Brethren And Sisters. [Previous page: THE FIRST LETTER FROM RAPHEL VAN DEN VELDE, WRITTEN TO HIS WIFE.](/en/stories/mm-the-first-letter-from-raphel-van-den-velde-written-to-his-wife/part-4/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: ANOTHER LETTER FROM RAPHEL VAN DEN VELDE, WRITTEN TO HIS WIFE.](/en/stories/mm-another-letter-from-raphel-van-den-velde-written-to-his-wife/) I Raphel, wish you my dear B. and C. and K. my dear sister in the Lord, a steadfast mind, constant, immovable in the fear and love of God, that you, by such a constant, strong, firm, and immovable faith, hope, and love to God and your neighbor, may continue in the love of God, and in the patience of Christ, so that you may possess your souls with patience, meekness and long-suffering, in order that you may willingly bear whatsoever is imposed upon you by the Lord; and be not grieved nor faint because of the tribulation, which is very great now. And I thank your love, that you so faithfully exhort and comfort me by your consolatory letter; and I would do the same for you, according to my little ability, which is very little, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. Prov. 27:7. Hence it is my hope and trust of your love, though it is not so consolatory, sweet or affectionate, that it will nevertheless taste quite sweet to your hungry soul. It is therefore my cordial and affectionate salutation and greeting to you all, my much beloved brethren and sisters, that my mind is still well composed and that I am also well content with whatever is at hand (Heb. 13:5), whether it be suffering or dying for the Lord’s holy truth; and I fear not what man shall do unto me, for I am willing rather to be present with the Lord in the eternal rest, than to live longer. 2 Cor. 5:8. For though I were free, as one would desire and wish, I find in myself, that I should many times also be sorrowful, when I well consider how perilous it now is to live in the world, which often heartily grieves me, when I think of you, and of my dear wife, and my child. O it costs me so many a tear, since you are still in much the greatest distress and peril; may the Lord help, comfort, and strengthen you, so that you may overcome in everything, as I hope that you shall; for when the conflict is the severest, then the Lord helps the most, which I may well say, for I have surely proved it, for which I cannot now ever fully thank the Most High. Hence, my heartily beloved friends, faint not because of the tribulation, nor for any affliction, for we must know this, and certainly trust in it, that he will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape; and also that not a hair of our head shall be harmed, unless it be his will. 1 Cor. 10:13; Matthew 10:30. Understand well the expression, unless it be his will. Hence, my dear friends, do not despond nor grieve, nor grow weary in the way of the Lord, but endure willingly; for the Lord beholds all your steps, and all your distress, and your labor which you do with all diligence, to magnify his holy name. Hence receive the chastening of the Lord with a willing heart, for they that are partakers of the Lord’s chastisement, are his children, sons and daughters; but those who will not endure it, are bastards, and a bastard has no part in his father’s possessions. Heb. 12:5. Therefore, my dearest, let us willingly suffer all that comes upon us for his holy name: rather than that we should have to forego his eternal riches. O think how great and glorious he will make us; if we continue steadfast unto the end. For once at all events we must die, and we cannot die more blessedly or honorably, than for the name of our God, who suffered so much for us. I should have written you more, but I hope of your love, that you are all taught of God, much more than I can write you, and I also have not always convenient time to write you. I also trust to God and your love, that you have not begun this good work so far, to let it rest here; but that you will be diligent unto the end, so that you may receive a full reward. 2 John 8. Further, dear B. and S. and K. S., I pray your love, that you will take good heed to yourselves, for this new president proceeds very severely—the Lord change his heart and open his eyes. Rather leave the city, for they will watch their time even if it should be a year after this. They have very many on paper, but who they all are I do not know. They read them all in an undertone, and questioned me in regard to some, but I did not know them by their names. And when Jeronymus my friend was examined, they read aloud: Boudewijn Tijncke, Pouwels Ketel, Gijselbrecht, and others, whom he did not know by name, and at last also they again read inaudibly. ## Original source [Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#Page_977) [Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855) [Previous page: THE FIRST LETTER FROM RAPHEL VAN DEN VELDE, WRITTEN TO HIS WIFE.](/en/stories/mm-the-first-letter-from-raphel-van-den-velde-written-to-his-wife/part-4/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: ANOTHER LETTER FROM RAPHEL VAN DEN VELDE, WRITTEN TO HIS WIFE.](/en/stories/mm-another-letter-from-raphel-van-den-velde-written-to-his-wife/) --- Page: https://history.truechristian.church/en/stories/mm-another-letter-from-raphel-van-den-velde-written-to-his-brethren-and-sisters/ [Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+Another+Letter+From+Raphel+Van+Den+Velde+Written+To+His+Brethren+And+Sisters.&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0AAnother+Letter+From+Raphel+Van+Den+Velde+Written+To+His+Brethren+And+Sisters.%0A%0APage%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fen%2Fstories%2Fmm-another-letter-from-raphel-van-den-velde-written-to-his-brethren-and-sisters%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-another-letter-from-raphel-van-den-velde-written-to-his-brethren-and-sisters%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.)