[Testament,] Written To Janneken My Own Dearest Daughter, While I Was (Unworthily) Confined For The Lord’S Sake, In Prison, At Antwerp, A. D. 1573.

Now, my dear child, if this be not so, I know that he is faithful and faithfully keeps his promise. Thus, my poor orphan child, always be resigned; though I and your father are now taken from you; know that you have a Father in heaven, who will doubtless well provide for you. And when you are old enough, give diligence to learn to read and write, since it is very convenient, and most profitable in this distress, for him that fears God, that you may sometimes read this letter; as also the other letters, which your father left you; do read them, and remember us both thereby. Dear Janneken, we have not left you much of this world’s goods, and I have now not much to give you, but what I have I give you. However, we leave you a good example to fear God, which is better than much of the temporal goods of this world. Only follow us, and you shall have wealth enough; true, you are poor here, but you shall possess much wealth, if you only fear God and shun sin. As the apostle says to the Hebrews: “My son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord; for they that would be without chastisement are bastards, and not sons or heirs.” Heb. 12:5. Hence, my dear lamb, cease not, because of the cross, to fear God, for a Christian is not made meet except by much tribulation and persecution upon this world, and we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God; for Paul says: “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Tim. 3:12. And Christ says: “He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me; for the servant is not better than his lord, nor the disciple above his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household. Matt. 10:38,24,25. If they have persecuted the Lord, they will also persecute us; if they have hated him, they will also hate us; and this they do because they have not known my Father, nor me, says the almighty Lord. For his kingdom was not of this world; had his kingdom been of this world, the world would have loved him; but because his kingdom was not of this world; therefore the world hated him. So it also is now: since our kingdom is not of this world, the world will hate us; but it is better for us to be despised here by 937 the world, than that we should hereafter have to mourn forever. But they that will not taste the bitter here, can hereafter not expect eternal life; for we know that Paul says, that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall be persecuted and be a prey to every one.

Thus, my dear child, this way the prophets and apostles and many thousands of other godfearing persons went before us, for an example unto us; and Christ himself did not spare himself for us, but delivered up himself unto death for our sakes—how then should he not give us all things? Hence, my dearest lamb, seek to follow this way, this I pray you, as much as you value your salvation; for this is the only way which leads to eternal life, yea, there is no other way by which we can be saved than only through Jesus Christ, as Paul says: “Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11); by whose stripes we are healed, and through whose blood we have been dearly purchased; for we have not been bought with gold or silver, but through his bitter death, and his precious blood which he shed for us. And we were as erring sheep in this world, but now are we redeemed through his precious and dear blood, and he has now called us to be heirs and first-fruits of Christ. All those that have died unto sin, and amended their lives, and are thus risen with Christ into newness of life, these no longer desire to live to themselves, but their life belongs to the Lord: if they live, they live to the Lord; if they die, they die unto the Lord; they are so resigned that whether they live or die, they belong to the Lord. For, my dear lamb, what shall it avail them that Christ died, who still continue in their sins, and do not turn from this improper life in which they are still sunk, as, drunkards, murderers, adulterers, idolaters, liars, backbiters, or railers, who cannot please God, whose works proceed only from the devil, all of which the Lord prohibits and says that except they amend their lives, they shall not inherit the kingdom of God? and it shall avail them nothing that he died, if they will not repent. They would sin upon the grace of God, but they say not that he is just; he is indeed merciful, but he is also just; we may not sin upon his grace. Though we do our best to fear the Lord, and to renounce ourselves according to our ability, yea, though we did all that he commands us, which we are far from doing, we should only do that which is commanded us; we must yet confess that we are unprofitable servants and have not merited anything, but are guilty of eternal death. If he were not merciful, we could not be saved; hence we may not sin upon his grace, but always strive according to our ability to follow that which he commands us.