LAST LETTER OF JEROME TO HIS WIFE, WRITTEN THE NIGHT WHEN HE WAS SENTENCED; HE WAS PUT TO DEATH ON THE 2d OF SEPTEMBER, A. D. 1551.

Grace and peace from God the Father, the unfathomable mercy of the Son our Lord Jesus Christ, and the loving kindness and communion of the Holy Ghost be unto you, for an everlasting consolation, joy, gladness, and strength in your bonds, tribulation, sufferings, and vexation in your labor, and for strength in your faith, love and tribulation. To him be praise for ever and ever. Amen.

I wish unto you, my dearly beloved, chosen wife in the Lord, the true, genuine, penitent faith, which works by love, and a very firm, immovable, steadfast mind in my and your most holy faith. I further wish you the crucified Christ for a bridegroom, who has chosen you for a daughter, bride and queen. To this King of the Most High, to the everlasting Father and jealous, loving God, I have now commended you, my beloved in the Lord, that he will now be your Comforter and Bridegroom, since he has called and taken me first, with which I am well content, seeing that it was the will of the Lord; eternal praise and glory be to the Lord for his great power which he has manifested in us.

Therefore, my most beloved in the Lord, do not complain, or grieve much, because he has taken me first; for he has done all for our best, that I should be an example unto you, and that you may follow me as valiantly as I, through the grace of the Lord, who has made us both worthy to suffer for his name, shall go before you. O my dear lamb, I humbly entreat you, not to listen to the papists or other sophists, but steadfastly to follow your bridegroom, your immovable bridegroom. Follow his footsteps, and fear not their threats, nor let their tortures terrify you; for they can do no more than the Lord permits them; they cannot hurt a hair of your head without the will of the Father which is in heaven. Matt. 10:30.

Hence, fear not, but continue firmly and steadfastly in the doctrine of Christ, and in the right truth; for the Lord will not forsake you, but will preserve you as the apple of his eye; yea, as his daughter and child, since it is impossible for God’s elect to be deceived; for his sheep hear his voice, and follow him; but they hear not the voice of strangers. Hence, no man shall pluck them out of his hand; for he is their Shepherd and Protector. Hence, fight valiantly, my chosen lamb, for the glory of the Lord, even as he fought so valiantly, for the salvation of our souls. Be therefore of good cheer, even though you have to lie yet a little longer in this den of lions. Your deliverance is nigh; it tarries not, but comes; and when he comes that will come with power, he will receive you as his bride and queen; for it is his pleasure to have his chosen with him, since he delights in beholding them; and the day of the Lord is at hand. Habakkuk 2:3; Ps. 45:14; Isa. 13:6.

Therefore, my dear wife in the Lord, fight valiantly now, and fear not man, but rather say with Susanna, that you would much rather fall into the hands of man, than into the hand of God; for it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Susanna 24; Heb. 10:31. Go to meet the Lord with ardent love as you have done hitherto by the grace of the Lord, who works in you; and fight valiantly, for the crown of life is prepared for you, since to those that overcome all things are promised, and they shall also inherit all things; for Christ says: “Blessed are ye, when all men speak evil of you; for great is your reward in heaven.” Matt. 5:11. He also says: “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The Lord also said that when they have brought us before lords and princes, and tortured and killed us, they shall yet think to have done him service thereby. John 16:2. Therefore, trust firmly in Christ alone, and the Lord will not forsake you, and the crown of life is prepared for you.

Herewith I will commend you to the Lord, and to the word of his grace, and take leave of you, here in this world; for I do not expect to see your face any more; but I hope to see you under the altar of Christ before many days. Therefore, my beloved wife in the Lord, though the world counts us liars, and separates us bodily, yet the merciful Father will soon bring us together again under his altar, together with our brother; for I do not doubt it, but am firmly trusting in him; for I have commended us three into his hands, to do his divine 502 will with us, whereby his name may be most praised and thanked, to the salvation of our souls, and to the consolation and strengthening of all those that fear the Lord, and serve and love his name; this he will also do, I doubt not; for he does not forsake his own who trust in him; hence I go with a glad heart, to offer up my sacrifice to the praise of the Lord. If I could yet have come to you, I would have done so; but Joachim would not have it. But Christ will soon bring us together again under his altar; this men will not be able to prevent. Herewith I bid you adieu, till we meet under the altar. I commend you to the Lord. Big Henry salutes you much in the Lord. See, my dear wife in the Lord, the hour is now come that we must part; and thus I go before, with great joy and gladness, to my and your heavenly Father (John 20:17), and I most humbly entreat you, not to grieve on this account, but to rejoice with me. Rom. 12:15. However, I am sad in one respect, because I leave you among these wolves; but I have commended you and the fruit to the Lord, and know assuredly, that he will preserve you unto the end, and herein I rest content. Be valiant in the Lord.