# Another Letter Of Tijs Jeuriaenss, Written In Prison To The Friends In Edam, A. D. 1569.

1569 · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: ANOTHER LETTER OF TIJS JEURIAENSS, WRITTEN IN PRISON TO THE FRIENDS IN EDAM, A. D. 1569.

Source heading; not independently verified

My dear brethren and sisters, one with us in our
most holy Christian faith, I wish you the weapons
of light, to fight against the works of darkness; yea,
from the depth of my heart and my inmost soul I
wish you new tidings, glad news, an evangelical
greeting, grace, mercy, peace, long-suffering, love,
comfort, wisdom, and steadfastness; yea, from God
our heavenly Father, all his heavenly treasures and
riches, through Jesus Christ, our Giver and Distributor,
our Prophet; great Apostle, and High
Priest, our Ground, Foundation and Corner-stone
in Sion, our Trumpet, and Horn of salvation in the
house of David and camp of Israel, our Way, Door,
Truth and Life, our Reconciler, Mediator and Advocate,
our Peace, Atonement and Righteousness,
our pashcal Dove and pashcal Lamb, our Sun, Light,
Morning-Star, our delightful Emmanuel, Peace,
Comfort, and Captain of the faith, our Shepherd,
David and Solomon according to the spirit, our
Comforter and Rejoicer, our Joy, Gladness, Might
and Strength, our Fortress, Castle, Wall and
Strength, our Hero, Warrior and Conqueror, who
led captivity captive, deprived death of its might,
power, and strength, that is, him that had the
power of death, brought life and immortality to
light, spoiled principalities and powers, triumphed
over them in himself, broke down the middle wall
of partition, blotted out the handwriting and nailed
it to the cross, fulfilled the promises, satisfied the
law, confirmed the testament with his death, and
sealed it with his blood, and renewed all things, and
put them under his feet, at the mercy seat upon the
ark of God, above the cherubim, in the most holy
place, that is, the head of his church forever.
Amen. Eph. 4:8; Heb. 2:14; Col. 2:15; Eph. 2:14;
Matt. 5:17; Heb. 9:17: Rom. 3:25; Ex. 25:17;
Eph. 1:22.

Since you are often in our hearts, dear and in
God beloved, sanctified brethren and sisters, we
cannot well forbear to visit your love, in spirit,
through love, with our unworthy letters. For
though according to the flesh, we are not present
together, we are nevertheless together in spirit, and
we rejoice in our bonds, afflicted in the flesh, but
joyful and delighted in spirit, when we consider
your love, piety, brotherly love and godliness, the
steadfastness of your faith, the assurance, constancy
and confidence of your mind, your steadfastness and
the obedience of the Gospel, your boldness of Jesus
Christ, and the strengthening of our God through
the power of his Holy Spirit. Hence the word of
God abides in you, and you have overcome the
wicked one, which no one can do except he remain
grounded, rooted and fixed in God through Jesus
Christ, and God, again must dwell, walk and rest in
him through Christ, that is: there must be the word
and the wholesome knowledge of God, and an unconquerable
love, hope and faith; and this in the
power of the Spirit, irrefutable and unconquerable,
in the firm foundation stone in Sion, which is to the
unbelieving, a hard touch-stone of stumbling and
offense. Hence, whosoever shall fall on it shall be
broken and crushed; but on whomsoever it shall
fall, it will grind him to powder, that is, destroy
him. 1 John 2:14; Eph. 3:17; 2 Cor. 6:16; 1 Corinthians
13:13; 1 Pet. 2:6; Matt. 21:44.

Hence our unworthy letter is not especially written
to your love, nor to teach or admonish your
love. O no, you have the anointing of him that is
holy, and hence you are already taught and enlightened
in God, through Jesus Christ, by the
Holy Ghost. 1 John 2:27; John 6:45. Besides,
you have and know the holy Scriptures which can
instruct and exhort you unto godliness. But we
unworthy ones pray and wish day and night for the
holy God and King of eternity, the Father of light
and mercy, to strengthen and confirm through his
unfathomable grace, and by his Holy Spirit, us and
you in the spirit of our minds, according to the
heart, and that Jesus Christ according to the inner
man may dwell in our hearts by faith, that we,
being rooted and grounded, steadfast and immovable
from the hope of the Gospel, may be able to
know and comprehend with all the saints of God,
and with all Christian believers and chosen children
of God, what is the abundance of his power and
might, the riches of his glory, and his unfathomable
grace, yea, the height, depth, breadth and length,
and to know the love of God and Christ, which
passes all knowledge, wisdom and understanding,
that he would herein and hereby fill you with all
the fullness of God. Eph. 4:23; 2:16.

See, my affectionately beloved, sanctified brethren
and sisters, who are partakers of the kind and
nature of our common, most holy, Christian faith,
I say, of the kind and nature of God, through the
regeneration of God, the heavenly Father, by his
incorruptible seed and word, through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ, in heavenly places, in the
illumination and brightness of the heavenly glory,
in newness of spirit, in the mind of Jesus Christ,
by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ unto
obedience in the sanctification of the spirit. 2 Peter
1:4; 1 Pet. 1:2. Hence we have all been made
to drink into one spirit, and are baptized into one
body, and sealed by one Spirit unto the day of our
redemption. 2 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 4:30. Where this
thus exists, there is certainly the nature of the Christian
faith and the nature of God, without which faith
and regeneration cannot be, exist, or be named; but
where this is found and thus exists in full power of
the spirit, as said, there are without doubt the blessing
of God, the dew of the Holy Ghost and of the
heavenly benediction, and the rain of righteousness,
in all manner of fruitfulness, growth and incense in
the knowledge of God and the mind of Jesus Christ.
Ah, there is Abraham’s holy seed of peace, the children
of the promise, not of the flesh, nor of the law,
but of the Spirit, in Isaac sanctified, justified, and
blessed with all spiritual blessings in new and heavenly
places in Jesus Christ. Rom. 9:8; Eph. 1:3.
And therefore they have, and there pertain to them
the adoption, the law, the service of God, the glory,
the testaments, and the promises that were made to
the fathers, which belonged to Israel according to
their birthright, that is, according to the flesh, but
792
who on account of their unbelief were rejected, and
failed in them. Rom. 9:4. But the spiritual Israel
of God, namely, the seed of Abraham, the children
of the promise, have obtained it by their faith, and
have attained to, and been called and elected thereunto
through grace; they have contrary to nature
been grafted into the good olive tree, and have
through grace become partakers of the root and
sap. Rom. 9:8; 11:20–24. And this is now the
great mystery of God, and the unsearchable grace
of Jesus Christ, the mystery of the Holy Ghost,
above the wisdom of the Jews, and the understanding
of the Greeks, as Paul says, and signifies to us.
Eph. 3:3–5.

Yes, my chosen friends, and sanctified of God,
what a great benefit, love and mercy of God our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is this, namely, that
we who were not a people, are now the people of
God; we who had no hope in the covenants of
promise are now by faith in Jesus Christ ingrafted
and partakers and fellow-heirs of his promises.
1 Pet. 2:10; Eph. 2:12. Behold, thus acts and
works the only wise and eternal God, who in, with
and by his wisdom measured and fathomed all
things, and in the twinkling of an eye looked over
and knew them from eternity to eternity; I say,
who through the eyes of his wisdom, in the twinkling
of an eye, looked over and knew all things in
eternity from everlasting to everlasting. O how unsearchable
are his judgments, and his ways past
finding out! For who hath known the mind of the
Lord? or who hath been his counselor? [or who
hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed
unto him again?] For of him, and through him,
and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever.
Amen. Rom. 11:33–36.

This holy, unsearchable and only wise God
wrought all things according to his wisdom, purpose,
and predetermined counsel, first in figures,
promises, types and shadows, unto the bringing in
of a better hope, by the which we draw nigh unto
God. Heb. 7:19. For the figures, shadows and
heavenly types point us to the true substance and
perfect truth itself in Christ Jesus, which especially
the Epistle to the Hebrews tells us, which also so
gloriously speaks of the advent or bringing in of
Jesus Christ, and of his departure and perfection,
as may most satisfactorily be seen in great power
and glory, which is very pleasant and delightful to
read, consider and lay to heart. Heb. 1:6; 5:9.
Happy he who therein has his joy and delight, who
considers it in the depth of his heart, and sincerely
treasures it up.

For since God in his wisdom and foresight has
wrought and ordered all things to man’s profit and
salvation, and in order to signify and show something
else, mark well, the priests in the law were
made priests without an oath, and this because of
weakness and imperfection, and because death did
not suffer them to continue, that is, the law made
nothing perfect, nor could it; with all its services
and sacrifices, bring or give us perfection, salvation,
or righteousness; for they could not make or become
perfect in conscience, who worshiped; for if
there had been a law given which could make perfect,
righteousness would be by the law, and thus
no better means would have been sought or used;
and therefore the law has an end because of imperfection,
and terminates in Christ. Heb. 7; Romans
10:4. For the word of the oath which was since
the law, makes the Son our high priest perfected
for evermore. Heb. 7:28. And he ever liveth to
make intercession for our sins. v. 25. For he has
neither beginning of days, nor end of life. v. 3. He
dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over
him; for in that he died, he died unto sin once
(Rom. 6:9), that is, he became a propitiation and
sacrifice for sins, which is perfect, constant and perpetual.
1 John 2:2. For as the priests had to have
compassion on them that sinned and erred through
ignorance, because they themselves were also compassed
with infirmity; therefore our high priest became
a poor, passive and mortal man, that he might
have compassion on our sins and infirmity, because
he became himself like unto us in all things, and
was tempted like as we are, yet without sin, as may
be seen everywhere in the New Testament. Hebrews
5:2; 4:15.

For since Adam was unclean in his nature, and
with his seed and generation lay in sin and death,
because of transgression, and the law of God required
a pure, undefiled, holy, and blameless sacrifice
for sin and transgression, that is, satisfaction
for transgression and propitiation for sin, in order
to help and save men; therefore the pure, undefiled
and immaculate Word of the heavenly Father, out
of great love and compassion had to come down
here from high heaven, and, according to the promises
of the prophets and the word of the angel, be
conceived of the Holy Ghost in Mary, and, through
the power of the Most High, be born of the holy
virgin, and be holy, innocent, undefiled, and separate
from sinners, if he according to the law was
to be a pure, holy, undefiled, and blameless sacrifice
for sin, if the law was to be fulfilled, the sins
propitiated, the sacrifice made, and our high priest
made perfect as such for evermore by the oath.
And he ever lives to make intercession for our sins;
for such a high priest became us. Rom. 8:34.

Hence this was the greatest joy on earth that has
ever been heard, seen and received: that God came
and was seen and manifested in the flesh. 1 Timothy
3:16. The Lamb of God, which beareth and taketh
away the sins of the world (John 1:29), came upon
earth, in human form and in the likeness of sinful
flesh (Rom. 8:3), taught the kingdom of God
(Mark 1:15), preached the Gospel of his peace and
the word of his reconciliation (Luke 4:18; Ephesians
2:16), and declared life and his grace, the
good gospel news, the trumpet sound, to gather
Israel to Jerusalem out of every land, to keep the
feasts of Easter, Pentecost, and of Tabernacles, one
new moon and Sabbath after another (Ex. 12:16;
Is. 66:23), as the prophet says: Hearken, thou
chosen daughter of Zion, and ye holy inhabitants of
Jerusalem, what joyful sound and shouting is in thy
streets! O what joyful and good news and glad tidings
are in the camp of Israel, to gather the heavenly
manna, which lies there, giving delight and
sweetness. Ex. 16:16; Wis. 16:21. But there had
793
to be a golden pot in which the holy manna of God
was preserved (Ex. 16:33), so there must be a clean
flask and cruse, in which the spiritual waters of eternal
life must be gathered. And he that eats of this
heavenly bread, and drinks of this water of life, shall
live forever, and shall neither hunger nor thirst any
more; for it shall be in him a well of living water
springing up into everlasting life. John 6:51; 4:14.

See now, my dear and in God beloved, sanctified
brethren and sisters, partakers of his promise, [fellow]
citizens [with the saints], and of the household
of God, built upon the foundation of the prophets
and apostles, yea, a habitation of God through
the Spirit, a spiritual house and holy temple, and
lively stones, a royal generation, and an holy priesthood.
Heb. 2:12; Eph. 2:19–22; 1 Pet. 2:5,9.
I say, holy inhabitants of Jerusalem, who have a
free and open fountain for sin and uncleanness
(Zech. 13:1); who completely and entirely place
their hope in the grace of God, which is brought to
you through the gospel sent from heaven, which
things the angels of God desire to look into. 1 Peter
1:13,12. Who ascended up far above all thrones
and heavens, and who is set above all power, might
and dominion, in this and in the world to come.
Eph. 4:10; 1:21. But many neither understand
nor regard this life, nor do they heed this great love
and grace of God, and therefore they are offended
in their heart because of their unbelief, and hardened
through the deceitfulness of sin, and thus a root of
bitterness springs up, by which many are defiled
(Heb. 12:15), as has now been seen and found in
the case of so many; and they are thus greatly embittered
and defiled, that all medicines, yea, the
flowing waters that issue from God’s sanctuary,
which can sweeten and heal everything, cannot heal
or sweeten these pools and marshes, but they are
given to salt, as the prophet says. Ezek. 47:1,11.
How unwholesome and barren is this water, which
cannot be healed or made fruitful by the strength
of the salt from the new cruse, through the power
of the word of the holy prophet. 2 Kings 2:20–22.

Ah, these bitter waters cannot be made sweet by
the pleasant tree (Ex. 15:25); for he that drinks
thereof must die, as John says in his Revelation:
“There fell a great star from heaven, burning as it
were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the
rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; and the
name of the star is called Wormwood: and the
third part of the waters became wormwood; and
many men died of the waters because they were
made bitter. And the fourth angel sounded, and
the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third
part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so
as the third part of them was darkened, and the
day shone not for a third of it, and the night likewise.”
Rev. 8:10–12. And he further says that
the smoke arose out of the pit, as the smoke of a
great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened
by reason of the smoke of the pit. 9:2.

Hence, my very dear and in God beloved holy
brethren and sisters, let us put on the armor of
light, to fight against the works of darkness, that is,
to walk in the Spirit, and we shall not fulfill the
works of the flesh. Rom. 13:12; Gal. 5:16. With
the same meaning also Peter says: “Dearly beloved,
we beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.”
1 Pet. 2:11. Hence we must arm ourselves in
weakness with the mind of Jesus Christ, with the
Holy Ghost, with the word of truth, with the armor
of light, and with the power of God, on the right
hand and on the left (2 Cor. 6:6,7), that is, we
must yield ourselves unto God, and live in God, as
those that are become alive from the dead, and our
members as instruments of righteousness unto God;
then the wicked will not have dominion over us, as
Paul teaches. Rom. 6:13,14. And where this thus
triumphs, works and prevails in the power of the
Spirit, there are not only conflicts, dying unto the
sins of the flesh, and unto the old Adam with his
lusts and desires, but there is also, through the divine
knowledge and the mind of Jesus Christ, together
with an invincible, firm faith, a sure and certain
mind in the word and truth of the Lord: a
conflict against principalities, powers, the rulers of
the darkness of this world, and wicked spirits; and
we also bring all reason, and every high thing and
what exalts itself against the truth into captivity to
the obedience of Christ. Eph. 6:12; 2 Cor. 10:5.
And this, as has been said, through a pure, wholesome,
sure, and steadfast knowledge of God, and a
constant and certain mind, with the invincible shield
of faith, with which all the fiery darts of the wicked
are quenched. Eph. 6:16. And where this thus
takes place and exists, as said above, there is the
armor of light, but not of the flesh; there the power
and armor of God have been put on; there is the
mind of Christ, of the Spirit, but not of the flesh:
there they war in, by and with faith, by which everything
is conquered and put down in mighty power
and in the strength of the Spirit, as has been said, etc.

O my dear friends, regenerated, children of the
resurrection and of life, of light and of the day
(Luke 20:36; 1 Thess. 5:5), children of God, and
brethren and sisters of Jesus Christ, his companions
and anointed members of his body, lively stones
(1 Pet. 2:5), temples of the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians
6:19), kings and priests of God, I say, inhabitants
of Jerusalem, and fellow heirs of his promise,
yea, my sanctified brethren and sisters of our
common, most holy Christian faith, also guests,
strangers and pilgrims with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob, in this world (1 Pet. 2:11; Heb. 11:9), O
what power, operation, nature and evidence have
and pertain to these and like names, yea, what comfort,
joy and gladness lie in them, belong in them,
and would follow from them, that is, an evidence of
obedience (Heb. 11:8), yea, an evidence, that one
seeks the future promised land, firmly believes
God’s promises, despises the earthly, and loves the
heavenly; yea, these names attest and confirm
God’s promises, that is, that no one has a right to,
can have, bear, keep, and, in the power of the
Spirit, maintain and live up these names, except he
have with the patriarchs a firm assurance of faith,
and judge him faithful who has promised it, and
who is also able to keep it. Heb. 11:11. And therefore
they all willingly journeyed as pilgrims, and
through steadfast faith saw the future things, and
794
held fast to them, and thus evinced their names in
power and indeed, for our instruction, comfort, example
and imitation.

Herein rejoice now with us, O you holy brethren
and sisters in the Holy Spirit of truth, in the invincible,
strong knowledge of God, and of the faith
which leads to the hope of everlasting life; my most
beloved, in the mind of Jesus Christ and nature of
God. Yea, my immovable holy brethren and sisters,
as I hope forever, brethren according to the
Spirit, and not the flesh, according to the Gospel,
and not the letter. Yea, I repeat it, my holy brethren
and sisters, regenerated from the dead by the
resurrection of Jesus Christ into heavenly places,
here in the Holy Ghost, and hereafter in perfection.
Then you shall rejoice with joy unspeakable; then
you shall live eternally and be forever happy; then
the fiery lake and the second death shall not be able
to terrify you; then shall your body, soul and spirit
together be saved and forever blessed; then you
shall eternally be filled and anointed with the Holy
Ghost; then you shall be clothed in white raiment,
and crowned and rewarded with the crown of life,
of joy, and of everlasting gladness and pleasure;
then you shall enter into eternal joy and rest, and be
taken and caught up in the air, to meet the Lord,
and ever be with him (1 Thess. 4:17); then you
shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians
15:51,52) and your body and face be glorified
with heavenly glory; there you shall shine
forth as the sun in the kingdom of your Father
(Matt. 13:43), then you shall laugh and rejoice
(Luke 6:21); then you shall forever behold yourselves
as in a mirror, in his face, brightness and
glory, and behold him who thus loved you that he
gave his only begotten Son, who loves you even as
his dear heavenly Father loved and blessed him in
eternity. 1 John 3:1; John 3:16.

Yes, then you shall in perfection, with soul, body,
and spirit, inwardly and outwardly; burn in the fire
of his love, and be forever inflamed in his abounding
grace, sit at his table (Luke 12:37), and eat the
bread of angels, of life and salvation and drink to
the full of the waters of wisdom, life, of eternal salvation,
and of everlasting joy; then shall he rejoice
in himself with his angels and holy hosts, and be
joyful over you with the shouting of his multitude;
then shall you receive, inherit and possess the imperishable
riches that shall endure forever; then
shall you be rich in body, soul and spirit; then shall
you sing, leap, and cry: Holy, holy, holy is the
Lord God, hallelujah (Is. 6:3); then shall a thousand
years be to you as one day (2 Pet. 3:8); then
shall eternity be to you as the twinkling of an eye;
then shall your years and days not grow old or be
fulfilled; then shall you be without beginning of
days and end of life: then you shall pass eternity as a
moment of time; then you shall forever be without
change, which now heart cannot comprehend, nor
tongue or mouth express and fathom. Behold,
this is now to be hung as a bright mirror before the
eyes of our hearts; they are fruits of the promised
land, the sweet word of God, and immortal fruits,
the powers of the world to come.

See hereby, my very dear and most beloved holy
brethren and sisters in the regeneration and resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead into heavenly
places, that is, through the renewing of the spirit of
the mind (Eph. 4:23), through the mind of Jesus
Christ, as firm walls and pillars in the truth of God,
my dear friends, the apple of my eyes, my right
hand and foot, hold fast to, and continue to stand
upon, the firm ground of truth, upon which you are
built and placed, whereunto we are from eternity
foreordained, called and created of God, that is, according
to the likeness of God, and to eternal life,
through Jesus Christ. I commend you all to the
holy, invincible God, the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost, and to his holy word and everlasting peace,
in your holy assemblies, to the praise of his holy
name, and to our salvation. We give and commend
you and all of us again, for an eternal adieu, into
the invincible arms of his power, and into the invincible
hands of his strength; the powers of
heaven and the firmament of faithfulness be our
foundation and strength, to enter through death
into life eternal. We unworthy ones greet your love
out of pure unfeigned, heartfelt, brotherly love, yea
we greet all our brethren and sisters, the regenerated
in the resurrection of Jesus Christ into heavenly
places, the mind of Christ, the new likeness
and brightness of his glory, the undefiled, pure
knowledge of God, that leads to the hope of eternal
life, through firm faith and power, and the communion
of the Holy Ghost forever. Amen.

This we unworthy ones have written you in haste
in our bonds, if haply it should please God, that we
might be worthy of being remembered by you in
your holy prayers, harping and hallelujahs, and
that we with you, and you with us, might forever
rejoice. Greet therefore, in our name, all the saints
of God, and you among yourselves, with pure
hearts, holy and bent knees, uncovered heads,
in the holy name of our God, with the pleasant kiss
of peace, embrace and bless one another cordially
in fervent love. Once more I commend you to the
faith of God’s elect, the health of Jesus Christ, the
knowledge of God that leads to godliness, and to
the hope of eternal life; and remain invincible forever.
The Lord be praised forever. Amen.

Written by me Tijs Jeuriaenss, your weak,
poor and miserable brother, from our bonds, A. D.
1569, the 5th day of February, imprisoned in the
Hague for the testimony of the truth.





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