ANOTHER LETTER OR CONFESSION OF JOOS KINDT.

To the praise of the Father.

I Joos Kindt, imprisoned for the testimony in Jesus Christ, entreat and admonish all dear friends, and all dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, with the grace of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, entreating by this grace, that they not only heed or live according to my entreaty or admonition, but that each (as I hope by the help of God) will heed the warning of the Lord, and that each endeavor to amend his sinful life, which I doubt not everyone does who fears the Lord with all his heart; for the Scripture says: “He that feareth the Lord will do good; yea, the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.” Sir. 15:1; 1:14. Since then the fear of God guides us to virtue, let us fear the Lord; for Christ Jesus requires this of us with his blessed lips, when he says: “Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but fear him which after he hath killed, hath power to cast soul and body into eternal damnation.” Matt. 10:28. Therefore I admonish you with these words, and not with them alone, but with the whole sum of the Scriptures, that each will strive to keep them (Luke 12:28); for Christ says: “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” Matt. 7:24–27.

Therefore, let every one strive to give diligence to take heed to himself, and to redeem the perilous time; for Paul says: “Redeem the time, because the days are evil.” Eph. 5:16. Hence, make good use of the time, and exhort one another; for necessity demands it; and let each arm himself well, even as Paul admonishes us: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood.” Eph. 6:12. Paul was right when he taught this. I well experience it now. The Lord be praised, who assists me so faithfully with these weapons, and, even as he promised to give us a mouth to speak, when we should be brought before such, has now opened my mouth, praise to him, so that through the grace of the Lord I valiantly defend myself with the word of my Lord, and have manfully resisted my enemies five times, not only my enemies, but the enemies of the cross of Christ, as you will hear further.