# A Letter By Abraham Picolet, Written To His Sisters.

16th century (source section) · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: A LETTER BY ABRAHAM PICOLET, WRITTEN TO HIS SISTERS.

Century of containing source section; exact event date not assigned

Love God above all, attend to the word of the
Lord, and have your delight therein. Matt. 22:37;
Ps. 1:2.

The abundant great grace and eternal peace of
God our heavenly Father, and the Lord Jesus
Christ, who is the Father of mercies, and the God
of all comfort may he grant you Christian wisdom,
unchanging faith, a steadfast mind, and a true understanding
of the divine word in truth; this I wish
you, my beloved sisters, with all my heart. Amen.
Rom. 1:7; 2 Cor. 1:3; Matt. 24:13.

Know, my sisters, that I, Abraham your brother,
imprisoned for the word of God, let your love know,
that I receive such strength and courage from the
Lord, that I hope not to depart from him; and
since he does not forsake me, I trust by the help
of the Lord, to confess his divine word before the
blind men as long as there is breath in me, for he
helps us remarkably, so that I see and feel it, thanks
to him for the grace which he shows me, poor sinner,
for which I can never sufficiently praise him.
Acts 12:3; Rev. 1:9; Heb. 10:38; 13:5; Matthew
10:31; 2 Cor. 2:14; Ps. 37:39. After all proper
and friendly greetings, know, my sisters, that it rejoiced
me very often, to have heard from you, that
you also trusted to follow the Lord, to adhere to
the eternal truth all the days of your life, and to
serve and fear Christ; for he is the way, the truth
and the life. John 14:6. He that obeys him shall
inherit eternal joy, since he promises eternal joy
to them that love him and keep his commandments;
and his commandments are not grievous, and his
promises are true. 1 John 5:3. Hence, my beloved
sisters, since you know his will, and the great grace
which he has given your love, take heed that you
may keep his commandments according to your
weak ability; for he does not require more than that
you do what you can. O dear lambs, believe the
Gospel, and walk the narrow way, which is but a
foot wide, and which leads to eternal life; for many
shall seek for it, and shall not be able to get there.
Luke 13:24. For not all that cry, Lord, Lord,
shall enter in; but they that do the will of the
Father which is in heaven. Matt. 7:21. My beloved
sisters, strive for the strait gate, namely, eternal
life. Since you hear the voice of the Lord (John
10:27), see that you obey his words, and put off
all concerning the former conversation, namely, the
old Adam (Eph. 4:22), that is, the works of the
curse, all uncleanness, evil desires, pride, presumptuous
conceitedness, lying, cheating, strutting and
boasting, evil speaking, guile, hatred, envy, and
the like. For, dear lambs, this is idolatry, and upon
such come the wrath and anger of God, and they
shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, nor
inherit the same, but everlasting destruction and
eternal damnation are their part (if they do not become
converted), in the lake which burneth with
fire and brimstone, which is the second death;
where there will be only weeping and gnashing of
teeth, and where their worm shall not die, but they
shall be tormented forever and ever. Eph. 5:6;
2 Thess. 1:8,9; Rev. 21:8; Mark 9:46.

O my dear lambs and sisters, depart therefore
from evil, for God shall hold judgment without
mercy upon all unbelieving and disobedient men
who have not obeyed the word of the Lord, but
rejected and contemned it, yea, have persecuted
and killed them that would fear the Lord. For,
my beloved, God spared not the angels that sinned,
but cast them down to hell, and delivered them
into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
and spared not the old world, nor Sodom
and Gomorrah, but turning them into ashes, condemned
them with an overthrow, making them an
ensample unto those that commit ungodliness.
2 Pet. 2:4–6.

Therefore, my beloved sisters, let us not be weary
in well doing, though we must suffer a little for the
name of the Lord. Blessed are ye, and rejoice, says
Christ, if you suffer for righteousness’ sake: for
great is your reward in heaven. Matt. 5:10,12.
For, my beloved sisters, thus did they to the prophets
that were before us. Suffering and affliction in
the flesh are promised to all the godfearing, as the
apostle Paul says: “All that will live godly in
Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy
3:12.

Mark, my beloved, how Christ was treated, who
never had sinned, neither was guile found in his
mouth; how he suffered, and all this for our sakes,
who was the Lord of lords, and the King of kings.
1 Peter 2:22; Rev. 19:16. O dear sisters, consider
him that endured such contradiction of sinners
against himself, who, when he was smitten, did not
threaten, but committed vengeance to God, who
judgeth righteously. Heb. 12:3; John 18:22; 1 Peter
2:23. And he that was rich, for our sakes became
poor; yea, he left his divine habitation, took
upon him the form of a servant, and became obedient
unto death, even the death of the cross, and
was more like a worm, than like a man. 2 Corinthians
8:9; Philip. 2:7,8; Ps. 22:6. Therefore, God
hath given him a name which is above every name,
that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of
them that are in heaven and on earth. Philip. 2:9,10.
The apostle Peter says: “Beloved brethren, forasmuch
then as Christ hath suffered for us, arm yourselves
with the same mind; for hereunto we are
called, that we should follow his steps.” 1 Peter
4:1; 2:21. As also Christ says: If they have called
the master of the house Beelzebub, how much
more shall they call them of his household? If they
have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
Matt. 10:25; John 15:20. Mark, my dear sisters,
whether more comes upon us, than has been promised
us. But all these things will they do unto you
for my name’s sake, says Christ. Matt. 10:22; John
15:21. And further: The time cometh, that whosoever
killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
And these things will they do unto you, because
they have not known the Father, nor me.
John 16:2,3. The Lord also says: But these things
have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye
may remember that I told you of them. v. 4. See,
my dear sisters, thus nothing comes upon us, than
785
what has been promised us, and what Christ himself
had. Hence we must put off all that is a hindrance
to the salvation of our souls, namely, all the lusts of
the flesh, all the works of darkness (1 John 2:16;
Rom. 13:12; Col. 3:8), and follow the crucified
Jesus Christ, our Savior, and obey him; for he that
saith that he knoweth God, and keepeth not his
commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in
him; and he that saith he abideth in him ought
himself also so to walk, even as Christ walked.
1 John 2:4,6. Mark, my sisters, fear the Lord,
take courage in the word of the Lord, search diligently
the Scriptures, and entreat God the Lord,
yea, importune him day and night with prayer
and supplication, and he will grant you to understand
and to do what is necessary for your salvation.
As Christ said, that his Spirit shall teach us,
and we shall be taught of the Lord; for of ourselves
we have nothing but all manner of weakness.

Thus, my sisters, pray the Lord, who says: Ask,
and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened
unto you; seek, and ye shall find; seek the kingdom
of God, and his righteousness, and all that you need
shall be added unto you. Matt. 7:7; 6:33. Seek ye
the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him
while he is near; the Lord is so merciful toward
them who seek to fear him (Is. 55:6; Jonah 4:2),
my sisters, as he says himself: “Come unto me, all
ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of
me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall
find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and
my burden is light” (Matt. 11:28–30); “and his
commandments are not grievous.”

See, my beloved, how the Lord calls us to repentance,
hence follow him; for if one does what he can,
the Lord is satisfied. He can well preserve him that
trusts in him. Repent therefore of your sins which
you committed in your ignorance, before you knew
the Lord (1 Tim. 1:13; 1 Peter 1:14); mourn and
weep to the Lord, and he will have compassion on
you. For the time past of your life may suffice you
to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when you
knew not God, and were very far from him, when
you walked in your lusts, in lasciviousness, in revelings,
banquetings, in strutting and boasting. 1 Peter
4:3. Therefore, my sisters, since the Lord has revealed
his truth to you, see now that you serve him
faithfully, and fear not men, who kill the body; for
after that they have no more power, and all the evil
which they can do us is that they can help us into
rest through the great grace of the Lord. Matthew
10:28; Luke 12:4. Confess Christ before men, and
he will confess you before his Father in heaven, and
say: “Come, ye blessed, inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world.”
Matt. 10:32; 25:34. Hence be renewed in the spirit
of your mind, and put on the new man, which is
created after God. Put away lies, and speak the
truth. Be followers of God, as his chosen children,
and walk in love, in quietness, in kindliness, in gentleness.
Eph. 5:1,2. Flee youthful lusts, and follow
righteousness, love and peace, with all them that
call on the Lord out of a pure heart; for the servants
of the Lord must not be contentious or quarrelsome
but gentle unto all men. 2 Tim. 2:22,24.

Adorn yourselves then, my sisters, with a chaste
conversation. 1 Peter 3:2,3. Be gentle unto all
men. Be subject to your Lord, for he shall most
gloriously reward you. Choose rather to suffer a
little affliction with God’s children, than to enjoy a
little of the pleasures of this world for a season; for
the end of these is eternal perdition. Heb. 11:25.
Let us then help bear the reproach of the Lord; it
will through his great grace be most gloriously rewarded
to us, when he will say: “Well done, thou
good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful
over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many
things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”
Heb. 13:13; Matt. 25:21.

Mark, my dear sisters, how gloriously it shall
then be rewarded to us. Hence make great haste to
fear the Lord; for we live to-day, but do not know
whether we shall live to-morrow. Be therefore
watchful to fear the Lord; take courage; lift up the
hands that hang down, and the feeble knees; and
take diligent heed, for we know not when the Lord
will come. Heb. 12:12; Matt. 24:42. The day of
the Lord draws nigh; it comes as a thief in the
night, when it is not expected. 1 Thess. 5:2. Look
therefore not to men, for there are few that fear the
Lord. Think how many there were when the whole
world perished, and yet there were but eight who
feared the Lord. Also, how many were saved when
Sodom and Gomorrah perished. O think how few
entered into the promised land, only Joshua and
Caleb; the rest all perished because of their wickedness
(even as it still goes with many on account of
their wickedness), and because they would not believe
God’s words, but resisted, vexed and persecuted
the righteous; and if these will also not repent,
they shall all likewise perish, for all those are for an
example to us. Luke 13:3.

Therefore, my dear sisters, take heed that it come
not also thus upon us; for men are punished for sin,
as the prophet says: “Your iniquities have separated
between you and your God.” Is. 59:2. Behold,
thus men are condemned for their wickedness
and unbelief. Mark 16:16.

O my dear sisters, it is true there does some suffering
come upon us for the name of the Lord; but
as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation
also aboundeth by Jesus Christ, and this little
suffering is not worthy to be compared with the
glory which shall be revealed in us. 2 Cor. 1:5;
Rom. 8:18. O dear friends, how delightful it will
be there where the mountains drop with sweet wine,
and are covered with lilies and roses; with all this
joy the Lord will fill his children. 2 Esd. 2:19.
Hence let us fear and love the Lord without wearying;
for he that loves God will do good and hate
evil. Ps. 34:14.

O dear lambs, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man, the
things which God hath prepared for them that love
him and keep his commandments. 1 Cor. 2:9;
1 John 5:3. O consider what great joy there will
then be for them that have loved God and confessed
him in the world. 2 Esd. 2:47. O that this joy
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were rightly considered; I think we would use more
diligence to fear the Lord, and not be afraid of men,
that kill the body. O how many there would be
who would follow the Lord’s steps; for he is not
willing that any should perish, but that they should
repent, and that he might save them. 2 Peter 3:9.
But it is, my dear sisters, as the prophet says: With
seeing eyes they see not, with hearing ears they
hear not, nor do they understand, for their hearts
are hardened, their ears they stop, and their eyes
they cover; lest they should see, or hear, or understand
with their heart. Is. 6:9,10; Matt. 13:14,15;
Acts 7:57.

O mark, my dear lambs, whether it is not so also
now; they love and prefer much rather fighting,
strutting, boasting, banqueting, drinking, and to
commit all kinds of abominations, than to repent,
and that the Lord might save them. These are
cursed children, says the apostle; they forsake the
right way, and what they know naturally, as brute
beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves;
they deceive and are deceived. 2 Peter 2:14,15;
Jude 10; 2 Tim. 3:13.

O dear lambs, turn from all the lusts of the world,
for their damnation slumbereth not. 2 Peter 2:3.
Take heed, now that the Lord has made known his
truth to you, that you obey him, and walk as obedient
children of light, in love and peace. Eph. 1:13;
5:8. Love one another, and always admonish one
another with the word of the Lord. What is there
that surpasses love? (1 Cor. 13) what greater joy
can men have, than to love one another. Always
forbear one another, and accept everything in good
part, and the Lord will also love you. Eph. 4:2.
Be kind to one another. Give diligence to fear the
Lord, and to search his divine word. Importune
him with supplication and prayer, and fear not men,
who to-day are lords, and to-morrow are eaten by
worms. The Lord will not forsake you, as you can
well see in my case, and also in the case of all
those that have feared him with all their heart. The
Lord preserves his own, even as he says: Can a
woman forget her child? though she forget it, yet
will he not forget us. Is. 49:15. Nay, who can
pluck these out of his hand whom his Father has
given him. John 10:28,29.

O dear sisters, adorn yourselves, and put on the
armor. Eph. 6:11. Gird to your side the sword of
the Spirit, which is the word of God; be well shod,
and have on the armor of righteousness; and put
on your head the helmet of salvation, that you may
be able to resist the subtle assaults of the devil, since
he walketh about day and night, as a roaring lion,
seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8. Hence
be followers of God; the Lord will preserve you.

And know, my sisters, that the sixth day of this
month, in the afternoon, I was brought before N.
N. (who I heard, certainly came in the name of the
procurator general, or of his subordinates), and before
the jailer and another man, where they were
drinking wine at the table. As I came before them the
jailer in the presence of them all, said to me: “Abraham,
you must go before the court on Tuesday.”
His wife, who was also present with them that served
at the table, said: “They have three weeks respite.”
The jailer said: “Because the Duke of Alva is coming
here, they must go through.” He did most of
the speaking. I said that I was very well satisfied
with it. He asked me whether I was well satisfied.
I replied: “Yes, if it is the Lord’s will, I am quite
well satisfied.” They asked me, whether I made so
little of that at which Christ so greatly trembled,
and said: “Father, if it be possible, take away this
cup from me.” Mark 14:33,36. They further asked
me, whether I did not wish that I were released,
and if the doors were open, whether I would not go
out. I said, “Yes,” if they opened the doors I
would go out; but as this was not the case now, that
I thanked the Lord for all that he sends upon me. I
also said that he, or they, had no power to release
me without the consent of the Duke of Alva, or the
like. They asked me whether I did not wish to
break out. I replied that if I knew I should bring
him into trouble I would have no desire to be out,
or to break out. They said that it would cost him
his neck. I said that if this was the case I did not
wish to be out. In the further progress of our
conversation they asked whether they should not be
saved, or something similar. I said: “The apostle
John says: He that saith, I know God, and keepeth
not his commandments, is a liar.” 1 John 2:4.
I could not properly finish what I wanted to say, for
they so interrupted me, that I do not know myself
what answer they gave me. I also said that the
apostle says that whoremongers, drunkards, murderers,
liars, proud, revilers, gluttons, and the like
men, shall not inherit the kingdom of God, and that
they have no God. 1 Cor. 6:9,10. They again interrupted
me, for the Lord gave me a mouth to say
so much, that they could not well bear it. They
said that what I said was true enough, if men died
therein; but if they had time yet to call upon the
Lord for forgiveness, then, they thought they should
yet be saved. I replied that it was too dangerous a
thing to depend upon such a calling; for frequently
such entreaters for forgiveness, when they
recover, go into their old ways; and I opined that
they were probably such too. Then they again interrupted
me, and I admonished them, that they
should repent and feel sorry for their sins before
they felt the day of their death approaching. They
asked whether we were all saved. I replied, that
the Lord promises salvation to them that do his
will, and do not deny him, though they have to suffer
much here for his name. Matt. 7:21. Of such
the apostle says: By grace are ye saved. Eph. 2:8.
For though we do all that we can, we are still unprofitable
servants, and must rely upon the grace
of God. Luke 17:10; Acts 15:11.

Here I should have liked to quote some more
scriptures, but they interrupted me too much. I
said that their hope was vain, or something similar,
and this because of their sins, as the prophet says:
“Your iniquities have separated between you and
your God.” Then they became angry, especially
the jailer, and I thought they ought not to get
angry. I further said that it now is as the prophet
says: “He that departeth from evil maketh himself
a prey, and, as Christ says, is hated by all men.
Is. 59:15; Matt. 10:22. They all interrupted me
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again, and finally said that I should be led away.
And there sat a man there, who said to the jailer,
that he would first give me a drink. Then we had
many words again, but I could never quite properly
finish what I wanted to say, though I would have
liked so much to finish it, on account of an honest
man that was there, who reproved the jailer himself,
because he became so angry. Then the jailer
brought me a glass of wine, and I thanked him,
saying: “To your health!” He asked me why I
did not say: “God bless you.” I replied: “We
ought not to take the name of the Lord in vain, as
the drunkards and fornicators do.” This made them
so angry that they had me led away without giving
me the drink. God be thanked and praised for his
great grace that he gives his own all that is necessary
to their salvation. I am told, my sisters, that
they only did this to see whether I would not depart
from the Lord; yet I know that they did not once
urge me to forsake my faith.

Excuse this simple letter. I greatly long for the
day of our deliverance; I was so rejoiced the night
that I heard that we were so near our deliverance,
that for joy, the tears streamed from my eyes. The
Lord be praised for his great grace. We trust to
await our time with patience. They perhaps thought
to frighten me by it; but I rejoice in it, God be
praised, who gives me such strength. O my sisters,
should one not rejoice at the prospect of so
soon being delivered from all sorrow through the
grace of the Lord? O that we were fit for it, what
a great joy this would be for me! Yet I expect it
through the Lord’s great grace, though I am not
worthy of it. O that matters were so far, that the
fiery furnace were prepared. O that it were so far,
that I were standing in the strait gate, where flesh
and blood must be left behind; then it should soon
be over.

O my dear sisters, I am of such good cheer, and
I receive such strength from the Lord, that I can
not express it, praise be to him forever for his great
grace which he shows me. I find it to be true: he
that trusts in the Lord alone has in his sufferings
such joy of heart, that no one can know it, save he
that experiences it.

Farewell; I commend you to God in grace. Pray
God, the Lord for me; I will do the same for you.

Written by me your weak brother,

Abraham Picolet.





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