# The Second Letter From Joost De Tollenaer.

16th century (source section) · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: THE SECOND LETTER FROM JOOST DE TOLLENAER.

Century of containing source section; exact event date not assigned

I wish you, my heartily beloved brethren and
sisters in the Lord (who as scattered strangers are
dispersed in every country, driven and persecuted
from their lands, cities, houses, and goods, and this
for the testimony of Jesus Christ), grace, peace and
mercy from God our heavenly Father, through
Jesus Christ his only begotten Son our Lord and
Savior, through whom we have become partakers
of the divine promises in his holy name, for he has
cleansed us by the washing of regeneration in his
holy blood, and chosen us from all kindreds of the
earth, for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual
sacrifices, acceptable to God by Christ. May he
strengthen and confirm my dear and in God beloved
brethren and sisters, with his Holy Spirit, in
the inner man, to the praise and glory of the great,
invincible God of heaven and earth, that you may
shine as bright lights among the heathen nations
among whom you dwell as scattered strangers, so
that many thousands may take hold of your skirts,
and say: My dear, we will go up with you; for we
see that the Lord is with you. Zech. 8:23. To this
end may the Lord give you his blessing, to the
praise, glory and honor of his holy, great and adorable
name.

After wishing all Christian salutation to you, my
dear and in God beloved brethren and sisters in the
Lord, and hearing by our last examinations, of the
23d and 28th of March, that the time of our pilgrimage
may very soon be at an end, I felt constrained
by brotherly and simple love, to write you, my dear
friends a little, thereby making known to you joyful
tidings, namely, that, by the grace of the Lord,
I and my fellow-prisoners are of good courage in
soul and body, to adhere to the holy truth as long
as we have the breath of life in us, having committed
body and soul into God’s powerful keeping—for
you welcome news, and for us a happy portion.
May God through grace grant this to us, as servants
unworthy of being partakers of his sufferings.
But I rejoice in the spirit with all my heart, that
God has called me to such grace, of which the
world is not worthy, because of the unbelief of their
hearts.

Further, my dear and affectionately beloved brethren
and sisters in the Lord, it is our cordial request
to all the elect, that fear God from the heart, truly
and fervently, in a holy faith which worketh by love,
that you will bow the knees of your heart before
the almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, to pray for us prisoners, as imprisoned with
them, and for us that suffer adversity, as being
yourselves also in the body; so that we may gloriously
accomplish the end of our faith (which through
the grace of God we confessed before this evil and
wicked generation, who are enemies of the cross
of Christ), and yield our bodies a sacrifice acceptable
unto God through Jesus Christ, to the praise
of his great name, the edification of our neighbor,
and for a light unto the world; this is the prayer
of us all.

Furthermore, dear friends, I find in this my tribulation,
afflictions and bonds and reproach, that happened
to me, unworthy one, for the righteousness
of God, that God is faithful in all his promises; who
does not suffer us to be tempted above that we are
able, but makes with the temptation also a way to
escape. He does not leave his people comfortless;
1016
he will with his Spirit answer for us before kings
and princes, as much as we shall need in that time.
He has said: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake
thee.” Hence, I will rely on the Lord, and not fear
what man shall do unto me. Though they now
break the earthly house of this tabernacle, we know
assuredly, that for the righteous there is a dwelling
prepared in heaven, which is not made with hands,
but is eternal; for which house my soul has a heartfelt
desire. For, friends, there is always a very great
conflict, outwardly and inwardly; for within flesh
and blood manifest their nature, which must be resisted
by faith; outwardly, against the pride of the
world and the false prophets, and lying spirits,
against which we must fight valiantly with the sword
of the Spirit, which is the word of God. O friends,
I have already well proved it; for I have been assailed
by them twelve different times, six times by
the secular authorities, and six times by the false
prophets. The authorities said to me, that I had a
spirit of pride in me and such evil opinions; and
that I therefore would not suffer myself to be moved.
I asked them, whether that was great pride, that I
suffered myself to be spoiled of all my property, of
wife and child, and finally to be a spectacle to all
men; that I shall be burnt at the stake, and thus
my flesh be given for food to the beasts and to the
birds of heaven. They said again: “Yes, you pride
yourself therein.” I said: “No, but we rejoice because
we have become partakers of Christ’s sufferings.”

I warned them, that they should take heed, before
they laid their hands upon those that seek to
practice their faith in peace, that have done injury
to neither you nor yours. They said that we
were rebels and seditious, and seduced many simple
hearts, and drew them to our faith, and that we
were worthy of greater punishment than thieves and
robbers. I said: “We seduce no souls; but your
false prophets seduce many thousands of souls by
their doctrine and false religion, which they practice
under a semblance of holiness.”

They looked at me sternly. Many other things
were said, which I do not deem necessary to write.
And as further regards their asking for my age,
and how long I had been in the faith, and concerning
my deaconship, I have written it in my other
letter, which some of you may have read, as I understand
from a letter which I received yesterday.
The same came very welcome to me; for, friends,
it does so much good, when letters of comfort and
warning arrive, yea, they are more acceptable than
many pieces of gold. For, friends, a line written
by the labor of another, tastes much better than
if one had ten times more with himself.

Further, friends, ten or twelve days afterwards
the authorities sent two learned men, the parish
priest of St. John, and a canon, who also had much
to say and made a very long speech, finally asking
me, why I had departed from the mother, the
Catholic Roman Church. I very briefly said that
I did not regard it as the true, holy church. They
asked: “Why?” I said: “Because there is nothing
else practiced than a false, invented religion.” This
they took very ill, and very many things were said
upon it, very much as it was with our friends in
former times.

And in about ten or twelve days after that, they
came again and brought with them the priest Michielken,
who is an apostate, and has by this time
become a priest. Then the parish priest, whose name
is Sir Jan van Dale, said to me: “Do you know Sir
Michielken?” I said: “Yes.” He said: “Why do
you not also turn from your heresy, as Sir Michielken
has done? If your belief were good, he would
not have departed from it, and returned to the
mother, the holy church.” I said that he had departed
from the holy church of God, to the worship
of idols and to the doctrine of devils. They asked:
“What is idolatry in our church?” I said: “In
the first place, all the images that stand in it, before
which you burn candles, offer sacrifice, and bow
your knees.” They said that the images were the
books for the simple, and the mass and sacrifice
which they performed, were all holy prayers. I
said: “If all were good, as you say, you should
put it into Flemish or into Dutch, so that the simple
might be taught. For this purpose you have the
Gospel book, from which you might teach. But
you are afraid, that the people might learn too
much from it.” In short, we also had very many
words in regard to the sending of preachers, and
of infant baptism; but I deem it unnecessary to write
much about it, for it all goes the same way as is
written in the Offerboeck; for if I were to write all,
I should not be able to put it on seven or eight
sheets of paper; and much of it I have also forgotten,
for it occurred at so many different times.

Finally there came the pensionary Schoockman
with his son, who is clerk of the criminal court.
He ordered that I and Michiel Buyse should come
together, to speak with him. Hence I prayed the
Lord, that he would keep me according to his
promise. Then I went down stairs, and when I and
Michiel got there, we respectfully saluted him, and
he also bade us a good evening. He asked us together,
whether we did not tire of being in prison
so long. Answer. “We must be patient therein.”
“Yes,” said he, “it is your fault, and you inflict it
upon yourselves; if you would suffer yourselves to
be moved, and would depart from your opinion,
all should be well, for it is only vain-glory and a
spirit of pride, that impels you to it.” I told him as
I said before, that this which demands the sacrifice
of body and property was not pride. He strenuously
defended the Roman Empire, and greatly exalted
the church of the priests, that it had been
from the time of the apostles until now. He also
adduced many unscriptural arguments, which are
not worthy of being written. And again, he said:
“Though there are some abuses, it is therefore none
the less the faith. I am well aware, that there are
priests who might live more virtuously; but we must
not look to their works, but hearken after their
words.” Michiel said: “A good tree bears good
fruit, which a bad tree does not.”

In the second place, I said; “My lords, we have
the truth, and I hope by the grace of God, that we
shall adhere to it unto the end.” He also made
many words, saying, that he had come out of compassion
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which he had for us; “and inasmuch,”
said he, “as you will not hearken to the clergy,
I come of my own accord, finding myself constrained
thereto, hoping that you would hearken
to me more.” For (said he, and smote his breast)
if it had not been for him, it would already have
been over with us, but he had prevented it. We
also know, that he has very great influence, with
the Court as well as with the lords of the city, for
in many things in the government of the city, his
wishes, to a great extent, are consulted. Thus he
finally said (smiting his breast once more), that we
should have to die; “for,” said he, “it has been
determined by the lords of the council of Flanders,
by the high council, by the Court, and by His
Highness the Prince of Parma.” Thereupon I joyfully
replied, saying: “The will of the Lord be done
with us; to this end (once to die), are we born.”

“Yes,” said he, “the dying is a small matter,
but that you shall hereafter go into perdition!” for
he had previously damned us many times. Hence,
Michiel answered, that judgment belonged to God.
Then he said: “Perhaps you say that we are
damned.” Thereupon, I said, “We do not condemn
those that are without us; God will judge
them.” But, friends, they are a presumptuous,
proud tribe, and they blaspheme God and his holy
temple without any fear. He further also said: If we
would renounce, he should do his best with His
Highness, though he should have to travel to the
Court himself, which should cost a good deal.
Thus, friends, it seems, according to what we hear,
that though we should forsake the faith, we should
still be in peril of death. And thus he finally left us,
begging us to think of his words. “I hope,” said
he, “that the Holy Spirit will work in them.” But
we had another hope, namely, that God the Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ shall strengthen us by his
Spirit, that we may abide in the truth unto the end
of our life.

Friends, we were with him over two hours. And
we used few words, except now and then, when we
could not pass something by, which required a reply;
for much speaking is of little avail, and they
say that they come to teach us; but we do not want
to be taught by them. This the priests said to me
alone, for we were examined separately, except this
last time.

And about five or six days after, he sent his son
to us once more, asking us, whether we had attended
to and considered this matter. Thereupon
we said that we wanted to adhere to the faith in
Jesus Christ, as we confessed from the first. Hence,
he left us, which was on the 28th of March.

Thus, my affectionately beloved brethren and sisters
in the Lord, we daily expect the day of our
redemption, that we might offer up our sacrifice. I
had almost forgotten to state that the pensionary
had told us: “You may perhaps be taken unawares
some night, when you will least expect it.” Hence,
God knows what they have in mind. They have no
power over us, except the Lord permit them. God
is our strength and power, and the sword of our
conquest. And though we must suffer for his sake,
we must possess our souls with patience, remembering,
that the apostle says (1 Pet. 2:20), that it
is acceptable with God, to suffer for well-doing;
though, dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, the
world does not regard it as acceptable, for (1 Corinthians
1:18) it is written: “That the preaching
of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but
unto us which are saved, it is the power of God,
which power God works by his Spirit, to the comfort
and strengthening of their mind.

Hence, my dear brethren and sisters, watch ye,
stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong,
and let all your things be done with charity, so that
you may grow up and increase, and not depart in
love, in hope, in faith, which is a precious treasure,
that we have received in our earthen vessels through
the Holy Spirit. Keep it diligently with great carefulness,
for part of us have long labored for it, and
through light minded carelessness one is so soon
spoiled of it, and then all labor that has been done
is lost. For if the righteous man shall turn away,
says the Lord, my soul shall have no pleasure in
him. He forsakes the fountain of living waters, and
they that depart from him shall be written in the
earth, neither shall their names be found in the
book of life. Heb. 10:38; Jer. 2:13; 17:13; Philippians
4:3.

Hence, watch in the faith, and let us exercise as
great care for our spiritual treasure which we have
through grace received by faith in Christ Jesus, as
many a man exercises for his perishable treasures,
which thieves and robbers covet, as sometimes appears;
as for instance in my own case, and that of
Michiel my fellow-prisoner; for they have robbed
us of nearly everything. And many are of such
a disposition, that they like to acquire temporal
wealth, not properly considering the words of Paul,
that such fall into temptation and great snares.
1 Tim. 6:9. And covetousness, which Paul calls
idolatry (Eph. 5:5), has a long cloak, so that one
cannot easily get at it. And they gather great treasures
for their children, which is opening a wide door
by which to introduce them into the world. But
the best treasure which can be left to children, is
this: To instruct them from their youth to fear God;
to present to them the word of the Lord, as far as
their understanding can comprehend it, and as the
forefathers taught their children, to fear God, shun
sin, and do good, as we have examples in Abraham,
who commanded his children after him; likewise in
Susanna; also in old Tobit, who taught his son from
his youth to fear God; and also in Sara, the daughter
of Raguel.

Friends, diligently search the Scriptures, which
will sufficiently instruct you. Let us always follow
that which is good, and exhort and provoke one
another to good works, to excel therein. Hence, I
write once more as before; for the axe is now already
laid at the root of the trees, and every tree
which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down
and cast in the fire. Matt. 3:10. And that we be
not like the five foolish virgins; that when the bridegroom
comes we be not sleeping, so that we may
then not have to go and buy the oil to burn in our
lamps. Hence, the faith which worketh by love
shall shine gloriously before the Lord. For not
1018
every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall
enter into the kingdom of God; but he that doeth
the will of my Father which is in heaven. Matthew
7:21.

Hence Christ says: “Blessed are they that hear
the word of God, and keep it.” Luke 11:28.
“Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the
words of this prophecy, and keep those things
which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”
Rev. 1:3. Let us continue in Christ’s word, and
we shall also be his disciples, and remain such forever.
John 8:31.

Further, my affectionately beloved brethren and
sisters in the Lord, we find in all the Scriptures,
that all the holy patriarchs, prophets, and apostles
were moved to teach and exhort us to peace, love
and unity; for the apostle says: “The peace of
God, which passeth all understanding, keep your
hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:7. Peter
says: “Unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see
that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible,
by the word of God, which liveth and
abideth forever.” 1 Pet. 1:22,23. O friends, where
love, peace and unity exist in the church, there is
exceeding wealth. The Psalmist truly says: “How
pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
it is like precious ointment. Ps. 133:1,2. But where
there is discord, there the hearts must grievously
sigh over one another, and eat their bread with
mourning; and thus the feast days (when the bread
of the Lord should be broken in the Lord’s church,
in remembrance of the abundant benefits of the
Lord) are turned into days of mourning, which to
behold causes great sorrow to the simple; as, alas!
is to be lamented with weeping eyes at Harlem and
concerning several other churches that are infected
with such diseases, which is a sorry thing for me
and others with me in our countries to hear. May
the complaint thereof ascend to the Lord in high
heaven.

O that God would grant grace, that they could
bear one another in love, and that the principal ones
would bow themselves under the mighty hand of
God, and deny themselves, for the holy will of the
Lord and for the sake of his church. I should hope
that it would not give them an evil conscience, if
they submitted to it for the sake of peace, and if
every one were little in his own eyes; how well it
should go, and how soon everything should be
peacefully settled! O friends, let us bow the knees
of our hearts before the Lord, that Christian unity
among one another may come upon the spiritual
Israel, so that a triumphant thanksgiving with joy
and gladness in the spirit may be observed in all
the churches. Hence seek peace, and pursue after
it. Heb. 12:14. Consider the word, pursue; for
when a man pursues something, he goes after it
with haste. O friends, it is more than time for you
to make peace and unity, lest haply the Lord punish
in wrath. For no one is assured, that there will
always remain liberty in the country; there will perhaps
be a change in the country there, as there is
in Flanders and Brabant.

Hence, my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord,
I and my fellow-prisoners pray you, and this with
bended knees and a sad heart, in the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ (before whom every knee must
bow, and who shall also without respect to persons
recompense every one, according to that he hath
done, whether it be good or bad), that you will
make peace and unity with the Lord; for blessed
are the peacemakers, says Christ; for they shall inherit
the kingdom of heaven; so that the pleasant
mountain of the Lord, and the holy city of Jerusalem,
may be found in glorious appearance, with all
her pleasant fountains, from which the waters of the
Holy Spirit spring forth abundantly, into the hearts
of the elect and holy citizens and of the household
of God, who are firmly founded upon the foundation
of the prophets and apostles, of which Christ
Jesus is the true corner stone.

Herewith, I will bid my dear brethren and sisters
in the Lord, a final farewell and Christian adieu, till
we meet where parting shall be no more, which is
in the new, heavenly Jerusalem, where the King of
kings shall reign forever with the sceptre of his eternal,
imperishable kingdom. I herewith commend
you to the Lord, and to the comforting, rich word
of his grace, by which word we are called in peace,
to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of
peace. Adhere valiantly to the truth, and pray the
Lord for us, as already written; we hope to do the
same for you, according to our weak ability. I hope
that the Lord will keep us unto the end of our life.
O friends, I have such a heartfelt desire for the day
of my redemption, to rest under the altar, Christ
Jesus, with all our dear brethren and sisters that
have been put to death before us for the testimony
of Jesus Christ, who did not spare their lives, but
willingly surrendered them for his holy name’s sake.

Thus, my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord,
hasten too, and betake your hearts under the bloody
banner of Jesus Christ, to help bear his reproach
without the camp of the Lord, and this from pure
love without fear. For he that feareth hath torment;
but perfect love casteth out fear, 1 John 4:18. O
friends, where such love is, there love is stronger
than death, and jealousy hard as hell; the coals
thereof are coals of fire, and a flame of the Lord, so
that many waters cannot quench love. Cant. 8:6,7.
Hence, let all your things be done in love, and be
steadfast and immovable, and abounding in the
work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not
in vain in the Lord. I hereby humbly pray you, to
take my simple writing in good part, though it has
not been well arranged. For, friends, far be it, that
I should think myself fit to exhort, but I need to be
exhorted myself; but I include myself in everything
that I have written here, for it has been done out of
simple, brotherly love, this the Lord knows; and I
hope by the grace of God to confirm it with my
death, as seems probable according to what we
hear. The Lord strengthen us in our last extremity
with his Spirit, who is a helper in distress.

Finally, my dear brethren, rejoice, be perfect, be
of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and
the God of love and peace shall be with you. 2 Corinthians
13:11. Watch in the faith!

1019

By me, a weak brother, a feeble member of the
body of Christ, too undeserving for all the mercy of
God, and unworthy of his grace, to suffer. O Lord,
make me, unworthy one, worthy. Michiel Buyse
and Sijntgen Wens greet you much with the peace
of the Lord.

Joost de Tollenaer.





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