# The Eighth Letter Of Matthias Servaes, Written From Prison To Aeltgen, His Wife.

16th century (source section) · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: THE EIGHTH LETTER OF MATTHIAS SERVAES, WRITTEN FROM PRISON TO AELTGEN, HIS WIFE.

Century of containing source section; exact event date not assigned

The grace of God be and abide with you and all
fellow believers in Christ that are with you and elsewhere;
together with true peace, friendly love, constant
patience, and steadfast perseverance, to bear
unto the end all that is laid upon us of that which is
still left of the afflictions of Christ. Amen.

Further, my dear wife, whom I from the very beginning
of our coming together (of this I trust the
Lord is my witness), have loved more according to
salvation than according to the flesh, and have
cared for your soul as for my own, and admonished
you to that which we have now come. The Lord
be praised for it forever. For, my dear sister in the
Lord, you well know the grief I felt on account of
the removal, and though some may perhaps have
thought that I took delight in it, it is not so at all;
for since that time I have often wished that, if it be
for my salvation, I might through some means be
relieved from it, whether it be through imprisonment
or by death. But since it pleases the Lord, that
we are here on earth first, through suffering, to be
witnesses of his word and name; as you, in a measure,
have wished more than once, that I might
through suffering be taken home to God, and I have
desired that you might be apprehended with me,
as has now happened; therefore let us also be patient,
and thank the Lord, that he has heard us, and
fulfilled our prayer, and let us not pray otherwise
now than we have hitherto prayed, namely, thus:
“Lord, thy will be done.” Surrender me willingly
into the hand of the Lord, whom I have served; and
be not troubled on my account. But if you should
perhaps think that we289 may meet with much suffering
yet (which, however, is in the hand of the Lord),
think also that if there is much suffering prepared
for us, there is also much more consolation in store
for us, for as the sufferings of Christ abound in us,
so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 2 Corinthians
1:5. I have not time to write more, except
this: Persevere steadfastly till you are taken hence.
Then, and not before, the crown of life is prepared.
This is also written to you, my dear sister Anna, and
all that are with you. The salutation with mine own
hand. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with
you all. Amen.

Greet one another with a holy kiss. Our brethren
salute you all. Remember us, and be of good cheer
for this is the first inheritance promised us here,
which we must also possess, if we are to gain the
eternal, where all tears that now flow from our eyes
will be wiped away, and all sorrow be turned into
everlasting joy; for our affliction, which is but temporal
and light, compared with that which is eternal,
worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory, who look not at the things which
are seen but at the things that are not seen. 2 Corinthians
4:17,18. Hence turn your eyes from all that
is visible. Herewith I commend you all to the grace
of God. Amen.





---

Page: http://history.truechristian.church/stories/mm-the-eighth-letter-of-matthias-servaes-written-from-prison-to-aeltgen-his-wife/

[Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+The+Eighth+Letter+Of+Matthias+Servaes%2C+Written+From+Prison+To+Aeltgen%2C+His+Wife.&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0AThe+Eighth+Letter+Of+Matthias+Servaes%2C+Written+From+Prison+To+Aeltgen%2C+His+Wife.%0A%0APage%3A+http%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fstories%2Fmm-the-eighth-letter-of-matthias-servaes-written-from-prison-to-aeltgen-his-wife%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-the-eighth-letter-of-matthias-servaes-written-from-prison-to-aeltgen-his-wife%0A%0ADate+currently+shown%3A+16th+century+%28source+section%29%0A%0A%23%23+Correction+or+addition%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Sources+and+evidence%0APlease+include+book%2Fpage+references%2C+archive+links%2C+or+first-hand+documentation.%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Image+credit+%28if+applicable%29%0ACreator%2C+source%2C+and+permission+or+public-domain+basis.%0A%0A%0A%0ASubmitted+for+review%3B+this+issue+does+not+publish+changes+automatically.)