# John Claess, And Lucas Lamberts, An Old Man, Called Grandfather; Together With Several Testaments Written By John Claess, While In Prison At Amsterdam, To His Wife, Children, And Other Friends, In The Year 1544. · Page 2 of 4 [Previous page: JOHN CLAESS, AND LUCAS LAMBERTS, AN OLD MAN, CALLED GRANDFATHER; TOGETHER WITH SEVERAL TESTAMENTS WRITTEN BY JOHN CLAESS, WHILE IN PRISON AT AMSTERDAM, TO HIS WIFE, CHILDREN, AND OTHER FRIENDS, IN THE YEAR 1544.](/en/stories/mm-john-claess-and-lucas-lamberts-an-old-man-called-grandfather-together-with-several-testaments-written-by-john-claess-whi/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: JOHN CLAESS, AND LUCAS LAMBERTS, AN OLD MAN, CALLED GRANDFATHER; TOGETHER WITH SEVERAL TESTAMENTS WRITTEN BY JOHN CLAESS, WHILE IN PRISON AT AMSTERDAM, TO HIS WIFE, CHILDREN, AND OTHER FRIENDS, IN THE YEAR 1544.](/en/stories/mm-john-claess-and-lucas-lamberts-an-old-man-called-grandfather-together-with-several-testaments-written-by-john-claess-whi/part-3/) A testament to his children, and then to his wife. My dear little children, Claes Jans and Gertrude Jans, I leave you this as a testament when you come of age. Hear the instruction from your Father. Hate all that the world and your carnal nature love, and love the commandments of God. 1 John 2:16. Let this instruct you, for it teaches: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself;” that is, let him forego his own wisdom and earnestly pray: “Lord, thy will be done.” Luke 9:23; Prov. 3:5; Matt. 6:10. If you do this, the Holy Spirit will teach you all that you ought to believe. Believe not what men say, but obey the commands of the New Testament, and ask God to teach you his will. Trust not to your understanding, but trust in the Lord, and let all your counsel be in him, and ask him to direct your paths. My children, how you are to love God the Lord, how you must honor and love your mother, and love your neighbor, and fulfill all other commandments required of you by the Lord, the New Testament will teach you. Matt. 22:37,39. Whatever is not contained therein, believe not; but obey everything that is embraced in it. Associate with those who fear the Lord, who depart from evil, and who do every good thing through love. O, look not to the multitude or the old custom, but to the little flock which is persecuted for the word of the Lord; for the good do not persecute, but are persecuted. When you have given yourselves to this, beware of all false doctrine; for John says: “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son.” 2 John 9. The doctrine of Christ is: Love, mercy, peace, chastity, faith, meekness, humility and perfect obedience to God. Gal. 5:22,23. My dear children, surrender yourselves to that which is good, and the Lord will give you understanding in all things. I give you this as my last farewell. Regard the chastening of the Lord; for if you do evil, he will punish you in your souls. Job 5:17. Hence desist, and cry to the Lord for help, and hate that which is evil, and the Lord shall deliver you, and you shall prosper. May God the Father, through his beloved Son Jesus Christ, give you his Holy Spirit, that he may guide you into all truth. Amen. John 16:13. I, John Clæss, your father, have written this while in prison for the word of the Lord. May the good Father grant you his grace. Amen. My dear wife, I request you to bring up my children, in all good instruction, to have my testament read to them, and to bring them up in the Lord, according to your ability, as long as you remain with them. And I desire of you, that you love neither yourself nor your children more than the Lord and his testimony. Luke 14:26. Suffer not your flesh to overcome you. 1 Peter 2:11. If they do not tolerate you in this city, remove into another. Matt. 10:23. But this I earnestly request of you: always keep with the good; for blessed is he that associates with them. He who has always been the helper of the lowly, that is, the good Father, will help you. Luke 1:48. If you cannot stand alone, take a husband that fears the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:2); but whatever you do, forsake not the Lord for a little mess of pottage. Gen. 25:34. May your excuse be never so great, but not for all Amsterdam forsake the Lord. By his grace I will not forsake him for the whole world, and do you also likewise. Matt. 16:26. O let us press our way through by force; I must, through the grace of the Lord, lose my flesh; forsake yours also. Matthew 11:12; 16:25. My dear wife, if we should consider suffering, we would never get out of it; but we must look beyond it to the eternal reward. I joyfully comfort myself in the Lord; do so also. The Lord might have taken me from my bed and you would have had to content yourself; how much more now, for you know not how long you will remain here? Therefore do as the Lord counsels you; be always ready for his appearing, and you shall be able to overcome all things, to those that overcome everlasting rest is promised. Rev. 21:7. A firm faith, a sure hope of the eternal reward, and a burning love to God and our neighbor be with you and me, and us all. Amen. Matt. 21:21; 1 Peter 4:8. ## Original source [Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#Page_452) [Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855) [Previous page: JOHN CLAESS, AND LUCAS LAMBERTS, AN OLD MAN, CALLED GRANDFATHER; TOGETHER WITH SEVERAL TESTAMENTS WRITTEN BY JOHN CLAESS, WHILE IN PRISON AT AMSTERDAM, TO HIS WIFE, CHILDREN, AND OTHER FRIENDS, IN THE YEAR 1544.](/en/stories/mm-john-claess-and-lucas-lamberts-an-old-man-called-grandfather-together-with-several-testaments-written-by-john-claess-whi/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: JOHN CLAESS, AND LUCAS LAMBERTS, AN OLD MAN, CALLED GRANDFATHER; TOGETHER WITH SEVERAL TESTAMENTS WRITTEN BY JOHN CLAESS, WHILE IN PRISON AT AMSTERDAM, TO HIS WIFE, CHILDREN, AND OTHER FRIENDS, IN THE YEAR 1544.](/en/stories/mm-john-claess-and-lucas-lamberts-an-old-man-called-grandfather-together-with-several-testaments-written-by-john-claess-whi/part-3/) --- Page: https://history.truechristian.church/en/stories/mm-john-claess-and-lucas-lamberts-an-old-man-called-grandfather-together-with-several-testaments-written-by-john-claess-whi/part-2/ [Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+John+Claess%2C+And+Lucas+Lamberts%2C+An+Old+Man%2C+Called+Grandfather%3B+Together+With+Several+Testaments+Written+By+John+Claess%2C+While+In+Prison+At+Amsterdam%2C+To+His+Wife%2C+Children%2C+And+Other+Friends%2C+In+The+Year+1544.+%C2%B7+Page+2+of+4&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0AJohn+Claess%2C+And+Lucas+Lamberts%2C+An+Old+Man%2C+Called+Grandfather%3B+Together+With+Several+Testaments+Written+By+John+Claess%2C+While+In+Prison+At+Amsterdam%2C+To+His+Wife%2C+Children%2C+And+Other+Friends%2C+In+The+Year+1544.+%C2%B7+Page+2+of+4%0A%0APage%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fen%2Fstories%2Fmm-john-claess-and-lucas-lamberts-an-old-man-called-grandfather-together-with-several-testaments-written-by-john-claess-whi%2Fpart-2%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-john-claess-and-lucas-lamberts-an-old-man-called-grandfather-together-with-several-testaments-written-by-john-claess-whi--b00017-o000000%0A%0ADate+currently+shown%3A+1544%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.)