ANOTHER LETTER FROM RAPHEL VAN DEN VELDE, WRITTEN TO HIS SON.

The same God that blessed Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, bless also you, my dear son, with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, that you may from your youth learn to know, fear and obey the Lord all the days of your life. This is my most special prayer, will and desire from the depths of my heart, which I ask of God, that you may be eternally saved, and the name of the Lord be glorified through you; unto which great and glorious name be praise and glory now and forever. Amen.

See, my dear son Raphelken, since the Lord has so ordered it, that I must be taken from you, though I would most gladly have remained with you, to help you on, and to bring you up in the fear of God, but it was not the Lord’s pleasure, for if it were not for the Lord’s sake, it were impossible for me, thus to leave your mother and my dear son, for I know of no person, nor any treasures so great in the whole world, that for it I should be willing to leave you, but for the sake of Christ Jesus all must be forsaken; for Christ says: If any man forsake not all, father and mother, sister, brother, husband, wife, child, yea, and his own life also, with all that he possesses, he is not worthy of me; and if any man love aught more, he cannot be his disciple; since it is the will of God, that we must part, and I cannot speak with you orally, I would write a little for instruction in the fear of God, as the wise man says: “My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.” Prov. 1:8. Be ever ready to do what is commanded you of God, that is, that you are to learn from your youth to know, fear and obey him; for obedience proceeds from the fear of God, and the fear of God proceeds from the knowledge of God. Hence Solomon writes: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” Proverbs 1:7. For a child that knows his father, that he is so honest and righteous, that he will not have his children to run with other children in the street, fight, quarrel, and speak bad words, or bring home stolen things; children that know their father thus, are afraid to do such things, thinking: If I do this, I shall be beaten. Prov. 13:24. Thus also, my dear son, the Lord is a righteous God, who will not tolerate sin; but he will punish them that commit it; hence we must fear him, and not commit sin. For the fear of God drives out sin, and he that fears God will do good. Prov. 16:6; Sir. 15. As Solomon says: The fear of the Lord is a fountain of wisdom, to depart from the snares of death. Proverbs 14:27. For, my dear son, the wages of sin is death. Rom. 6:23.

Hence, since the fear of God drives out sin, we avoid by it the cause through which we incur death, that is, sin.

Therefore, my dear son, endeavor from your youth to walk in the fear of the Lord, so that you will at no time consent to sin, and not forget the commandments of the Lord your God. But fear the Lord, while he may be feared; for they that fear the Lord walk in the right way. Prov. 14:2. “For the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” Job 28:28.

Hence, my child, fear the Lord and depart from evil; for the prophet Jeremiah says; “How good it is for a man, to take upon him the yoke of the 982 Lord from his youth; and for one that is forsaken, to be patient, when he meeteth with adversity.” Lam. 3:27,28. And Ecclesiasticus says: “My son, gather instruction from thy youth up: so shalt thou find wisdom till thine old age.” Sir. 6:18. And beware of all evil companions, that might seduce you to affiliate with the world; for the world lieth in wickedness, and shall perish with all its lusts. 1 John 5:19; 2:17.

Therefore, my dear child, love not the world, neither the things that are therein; 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 of the world, vs. 15,16. Hence abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. 1 Pet. 2:11; Gal. 5:16. Paul also says: “Flee youthful lusts.” 2 Tim. 2:22. For youthful lusts have plunged many into perdition.