# Another Letter From Mr. Jelis Matthijss, Which He Wrote To His Wife.

16th century (source section) · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: ANOTHER LETTER FROM MR. JELIS MATTHIJSS, WHICH HE WROTE TO HIS WIFE.

Century of containing source section; exact event date not assigned

I wish unto my flesh and blood, strength of spirit
and a steadfast mind in all her tribulation and severe
distress. Amen.

My dear and beloved wife, whom I wedded before
God and his church, as the time of my departure
is now at hand, may you people know that my
heart and mind are concerned about you, being
indeed desirous of writing you something, but having
so ill an opportunity for it, because it stands
thus with us that we are now watched and guarded
by eight or ten servants, so that I feel little strength
of spirit in me, to write anything to you, love, as it
comes upon us so unexpectedly, since we had not
heard a word. Willeboort, my faithful comrade, had
partly undressed already, when our host and hostess
came upstairs, saying: “Mr. Jelis and Willeboort,
come down.” When we came down, we saw the
stadtholder, and the bailiff also came and upbraided
us with this, whereupon I had a few words with
him. In short, my dearly beloved chosen flesh and
blood, I shall now go the way of all the prophets
and witnesses of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, in
which I greatly rejoice and am of good cheer at the
present time; yea, I find such joy and comfort in
me, that I cannot well describe it to you, and I do
not as yet experience the least fear; but am concerned
most about you, because of the excessive
grief which oppresses you, but I trust to my and
your God, that with the temptation he will also provide
a way of escape, through the consolation
of the Holy Spirit, whereby he will comfort you.
1 Cor. 10:13.

O my flesh, my blood, I beseech you by the
bleeding wounds of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, be
patient in your tribulation, that you be not found as
one who would fight against God, but rather say
with Mary: Behold, Lord, be it unto me according
to thy will. Luke 1:38, For at the very hour of
meeting, the hour of separating was known to the
Lord, and he in his fatherly mercy has foreseen and
chosen you, also to suffer tribulation and pain now
for his name’s sake. And though, my chosen lamb,
I now experience greater joy, because my pilgrimage
has come to a close; yet I beseech you, be of
good cheer in the Lord, and receive it in patience
and sorrow. Humble your heart, and endure it.
Sir. 2:2. O I know that your grief is very great.
O if it were God’s will, and I might die for you, yea
though I were to taste a two-fold death for you, I
should not shrink from it, since it does not come
hard to me. O then I should certainly have the
assurance that you should not be deceived by strange
lovers (Jer. 2:25), nor by the noon-day devil, nor
by your own flesh; however, I trust nevertheless
from the bottom of my heart, that you will follow
the footsteps of my faith, that is, to adhere to the
truth unto the end. O, the reason of my writing and
my last and great request is, that you adhere to what
God, out of great grace has given you. O do not
yield nor waver on account of your great grief, or
because of any conflict that may arise, not known to
you as yet; but in all your concerns pray with confidence
to God the merciful dear Father; he will not
forsake you, I am sure of it. Eph. 6:18. And
though, my dear chosen lamb, we shall now be
separated for a little while, we shall meet each other
again hereafter in the resurrection of the dead, and
shall forever be with the Lord. 1 Thess. 4:17. O
then our small sorrow shall be changed into eternal,
unspeakable joy, and all tears shall be wiped away
from our eyes, and we shall hear the words: “Come,
ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared
from the foundation of the world.” Is. 25:8;
Rev. 7:17; Matt. 25:34. O my dear lamb, comfort
yourself with these promises, and with the words of
the Gospel, where Christ himself says: Blessed are
they that weep now; for they shall be comforted.
But woe unto them that laugh now, for they shall
weep. For the time shall come when they shall cry
out: O ye mountains and hills, fall on us, and cover
us from the face of the Lord. Matt. 4:5; Luke
6:25; Hos. 10:7.

O then it will be at an end with all our persecutors,
executioners, and rackers, and with all destroyers;
yea, then shall be fulfilled the word of the
prophet Isaiah, where he says: O ye destroyers,
think ye that ye shall not also be destroyed? and ye
despisers, think ye that ye shall not also be despised?
650
When ye shall have made an end to destroy
an end shall also be made with you. Is. 33:1. But
unto you, my flesh, my blood, and unto me, and all
saints, shall the Sun of righteousness arise, and happiness
and eternal prosperity shall encompass us.
O my dear sheep, [flock], how gladly would I comfort
you and come to your aid in your tribulation; but
it cannot be at this time. But I sincerely pray you,
remember my words which I spoke to you in times
past, and follow them, this I pray you, and let them
be a perpetual foundation stone. Further, I cordially
entreat you, and this for the eternal salvation
of your soul, that you live in quiet and bring up
your child (my own offspring), in the fear of the
Lord, as I trust you will. Once more, my dearest,
chosen lamb, I entreat you from the bottom of my
heart, and my inmost soul, remember frequently
what I said to you in times past, and also wrote in
some measure, namely, that you adhere all the days
of your life to that which you voluntarily so willingly
accepted, since it is the true ground, foundation,
and way to eternal life. O there shall never be
found another, than this way of the cross, and if it
should be withal the will of your merciful, dear
Father, to prove you with his fatherly rod of the
cross, that is, with bonds or imprisonment, I pray
you for the sake of the eternal salvation of your soul
that you will not fear our enemies; for it is impossible
to write or express, how God the merciful, dear
Father comforts those who have entirely committed
themselves to the Lord; so that I should not have
thought that I could have such a heart and mind,
so that I almost wondered how they could depart
from the word of God; but they forgat the comfort
of the future glory, and became heedless, and the
oil of righteousness and love failed their earthen vessels.
Matt. 13:43; 25:3.

Hence, my faithful, dearest flesh and blood, be
warned, that you may not, through slothfulness and
heedlessness, find yourself deceived with the heedless,
foolish virgins. Therefore be watchful in the
spirit, and give diligence still from day to day, to put
off more and more (Eph. 4:22); for, my dear lamb,
it is necessary that you watch, since not all shall enter
into the promised land, who have gone out of
this present spiritual Egypt and Sodom; and this
because of the power and might of the old serpent,
who does not rest nor pause day or night, but goes
around the camp, seeking whom he may find
drowsy; whom resist stoutly in the faith take
upon yourself a valiant and believing heart.

Furthermore, dearly beloved lamb, it is my request
that you conform to all humility, and be little
in your own eyes, and mind not high things, but
condescend to men of low estate. Rom. 12:16.
Always be ready and anxious to hear the word of
God, and remember the words of Christ: “Where
two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them.” Matt. 18:20. O
my dear lamb, have fervent love for the church of
God, and forget not to communicate of that which
the merciful, dear Father has given you. Remember
that mercy glorieth against judgment, for with
such sacrifices God is well pleased. Jas. 2:13; Hebrews
13:16. But I know, my beloved lamb, and
have confidence in you, that you will herein follow
the teaching of our dear Lord Jesus Christ. Matt.
6:1. Herewith, my dearest, I take farewell and
leave from you, my flesh and blood, on this earth,
and commend you into the hands of Almighty God,
our Savior, Jesus Christ, who is able to preserve
and build up you and your child (Acts 20:32), and
to strengthen you in every distress, even as he is
faithful, and will do it, if you, my dear lamb, only
continue in his statutes and laws, and do not become
weary in the way of the cross, though it be full of
anxiety and hardship for you. O that you, my dear
lamb, could take courage and praise and thank
your God, that you are found worthy also to suffer
for his name. O think of the words of the wise man
where he says: Having been a little chastised, we
shall be greatly rewarded; for God trieth his chosen
as gold in the furnace. Wis. 3:5,6.

Therefore, my dearly beloved lamb, let the trying
of your faith work patience, and let patience have
her perfect work (Jas. 1:3,4), and remember the
words of the wise man: A patient man is better than a
strong man; and he that ruleth his spirit (mark) than
he that taketh a city. Prov. 16:32. Further, the
prophet Jeremiah says: It is good and a great thing,
to be patient, and that one that is forsaken wait for
help of the Lord. Lam. 3:36. Hence possess your
souls in patience for a little while yet, this I beseech
you from my inmost heart. Luke 21:19.

O my dearly beloved lamb, once more I entreat
you, acquit yourself valiantly. O if you love me (as
you abundantly do), follow the footsteps of my faith;
for the time is fulfilled, the days are spent, my years
are ended which I lived in this wilderness amidst
many dangers. I have not run or fought as uncertainly;
hence I rejoice in the spirit, that God the merciful
dear Father has been with me, so that I have
fought the fight, and finished my course. Henceforth
there is laid up for me the crown of eternal life
which God, the merciful, dear Father, shall give me,
and not to me only, but unto all them also that love
his appearing. 1 Cor. 9:26; 2 Tim. 4:7,8. And I
shall now enter into the precious land, which I have
tasted and seen by faith, wherefore my inner man,
has a desire for it, so that I am not afraid of my
enemies, nor shrink back from Jordan, which though
it is most terrible to behold in the eyes of some, we
are certain and assured that our faithful God of Israel
will be with us, and will make it ready with his
strong arm, so that we shall pass through unharmed,
and thus encourage the young valiant Israelites. In
short, to all who want to fear God from the heart we
are, through the grace of God, a savor unto eternal
life; and those who hate us, a savor of death. 2 Corinthians
2:16. Adieu, my flesh, my blood; under
the altar I hope to wait for you all. Rev. 6:9. Let
my blood be a perpetual testament and memorial
unto you. Farewell, until we meet in eternity. Amen.

O keep valiantly, I pray you in the way of righteousness;
for I testify unto you with my blood, before
God and his angels, that it is the true road and
highway, yea, the true grace of our God, on and in
which you stand. 1 Pet. 5:12. The grace of God
be with you. Amen. The 24th of October, five
o’clock A.M., A. D. 1564.

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