# The Third Letter Of Jacob The Chandler, To His Children.

16th century (source section) · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: THE THIRD LETTER OF JACOB THE CHANDLER, TO HIS CHILDREN.

Century of containing source section; exact event date not assigned

May the same God that blessed Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob, also bless you my children, with all manner
of spiritual blessings in heavenly places, that
you may from your youth learn to know the Lord,
and fear and obey him all the days of your life. This
is the most special request that I make to God, that
you may be eternally saved, and that the name of
the Lord may be praised through you; unto which
name be praise and glory now and forever. Amen.

My children, hear the instruction of your father,
and forsake not the law of your mother (Prov. 1:8;
4:1); be always ready to do what you are commanded
of God, that is, that you shall from your
youth learn to know, fear and obey him; for obedience
springs from the fear of God, and the fear of
God comes through the knowledge of God.

Hence Solomon writes: The fear of the Lord is
the beginning of knowledge. Prov. 1:7. For a
child that knows his father, that he is so honorable
and just, that he will not have his children run in
the streets with other children, fight, quarrel, use
bad language, bring home stolen things: children
who know their father to be thus, are afraid to do
this, knowing, that if they do this they shall be
beaten. Thus also, my dear children, the Lord is
a just God, who will not tolerate sin, but will punish
them that commit it. Therefore we must fear him,
and not commit sin; for the fear of God driveth
out sin, and he that feareth God will do good.
Prov. 16:6; Sir. 15:1. As Solomon says: “The
fear of the Lord is a fountain of wisdom, to depart
from the snares of death.” Prov. 14:27. For, my
dear children, the wages of sin is death. Romans
6:23. Hence, since the fear of God drives out sin,
through the fear of God, the cause which brings
us into death, that is, sin, is avoided. Therefore,
my children, begin from your youth to walk in the
fear of the Lord, that you may not at any time consent
to sin, and may not forget the commandments
of your Lord and God; but fear the Lord, while
he may be feared. For they that fear the Lord walk
in the right way; for the fear of the Lord is the
beginning of wisdom, and to depart from evil is
understanding. Prov. 14:2; Job 28:28.

Hence, my children, fear the Lord, and depart
from evil. For the prophet Jeremiah says: “How
good it is for a man, from his youth to take upon
him the yoke of the Lord, and for one that is forsaken,
to be patient, when he meeteth with adversity.”
Lam. 3:27,28. And Sirach says: My
child, from thy youth receive instruction, till thine
old age, and thou shalt find wisdom (Sir. 6:18);
for the wisdom of God teaches, that we are to receive
God’s instruction, in order to be taught thereby,
how we are to depart from evil. “For wisdom
crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets,
saying: How long, ye little children, will ye love
childishness? and how long shall fools desire the
things that are hurtful to them? and the unwise
hate knowledge?” Prov. 1:20. For this is the
nature of children; they love to run and play in
the streets, where they learn all kinds of wickedness,
and do not like to be chastised for it, and kept
in the house. By this they are known as children;
for they know not how injurious this is to them;
for thereby they become alienated from the knowledge
of God, and so grow up in wickedness, that
sometimes they can only with great difficulty come
to the truth. Therefore wisdom calls the children
of Israel little children, because they are sometimes
so wicked, that they want to live to themselves, and
hate the chastening of the Lord, which is nevertheless
administered to them out of love, that they
should not be condemned with the world. 1 Corinthians
11:32. Therefore, my dear children, beware
of all bad company, that might seduce you to cherish
the world; for the world lieth in wickedness,
and will perish with its lusts. 1 John 5:19; 2:17.
Therefore, my children, love not the world, neither
the things that are in it; for all that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and
the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the
world. 2:15,16. Hence, abstain from fleshly lusts,
which war against the soul. 1 Pet. 2:11. And Paul
says: Flee youthful lusts (2 Tim. 2:22); for youthful
lusts have plunged many into ruin, into lasciviousness,
whoredom and many improper things.
Therefore, my children, beware of whoredom, and
all unedifying conduct, in which whoredom has
often originated; as dancing and leaping, and the
practice of young men and maidens sitting together
at the beer table, drinking to intoxication, and
speaking improper words, and besides what is done
in secret would be too shameful to mention. Tobit
4:12; 1 Thess. 4:3. O my children, beware of such
things; for the apostle says: All they that do such
things have no part in the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians
6:10. But when you are grown up, and
cannot contain, marry in the fear of God. Pray
God to provide you a faithful helpmeet, to walk in
the fear of God, with a broken, lowly and humble
heart.

My children, do not in any wise let pride rule
over you in your words or thoughts, as Tobit admonishes
his son (Tob. 4:13); for the Lord rejects
such as are proud in their hearts, but he has exalted
the humble. Hence David says: “I thank thee,
O Lord, that thou hast humbled me; for before
I was humbled I went astray.” Ps. 119:67. Therefore,
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my children, never exalt yourselves in your
hearts, but condescend to men of low estate; for
pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit
before a fall; for they become so proud, that they
reject the word of the Lord, and live according to
the desires of their hearts; therefore the Lord shall
also not regard them. Rom. 12:16; Prov. 16:18;
Hos. 4:6.

My children, heed the instruction of your father,
and forget it not. Refrain your tongue from backbiting,
and beware of lying; for the mouth that
lieth slayeth the soul. Wis. 1:11. For liars have
no part in the new Jerusalem; but their part is in
the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone:
which is the second death. Rev. 21:8. And the
backbiter causes much contention and discord, and
also stirs up strife and envy, and separates friends.
Prov. 16:28. Hence Solomon says: “Where no
wood is there the fire goeth out: so where there is
no tale-bearer, the strife ceaseth 26:20. Hence he
further writes: Put away from thee a froward mouth,
and perverse lips put far from thee; as also Moses
writes: Let there be no backbiter or slanderer
among you. 4:24; Lev. 19:16. Therefore, my
children, beware of backbiting, and wherever you
are at home, keep your lips sealed, and tell not out
of the house what is done in it; keep still about all
in regard to which silence is expedient, then men
will love you. Always be faithful to people, and
beware of stealing, for it is a great sin; and thieves
have no part in the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:10),
nor is a thief trusted or loved by any one; but
wherever he goes, his hands are watched. Thus,
my children, always content yourselves honorably
in the fear of God, and beware of all sin and transgression;
and do not envy one another, for through
envy Cain slew his brother, and the patriarchs sold
their brother Joseph; for envy breaks all friendship,
causes a man to forget all benefits, and is bent only
upon doing harm. The envious man rejoices not
when he sees his brother or sister, but turns his face
the other way; nor is he grieved at his brother’s
misfortune, but is pleased when the latter meets with
adversity. Hence James truly says: If ye have
bitter envy and strife in your hearts, glory not, and
lie not against the truth. . . . For where envying
and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
Jas. 3:14,16. Therefore, my children, do not envy
one another, nor any one else; but love one another
out of a pure heart, as brothers and sisters
ought to; not as Cain, who was of that wicked one,
and slew his brother (1 John 3:12); but as Christ
left an example, who gave his life for us.

Hence you must also so love one another, not
in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth
(1 John 3:18); that you may be brothers and sisters,
not only according to the flesh, but also according
to the faith of the Son of God; for he says:
by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples
if ye have love one to another. John 13:35. Hence
John writes: “Beloved, let us love one another:
for love is of God: and every one that loveth is
born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth
not, knoweth not God; for God is love.” 1 John
4:7,8. Hence he would have, that children should
love one another with true, unfeigned brotherly
love, with a pure heart, as being born not of natural
seed, which is corruptible, but of incorruptible seed,
namely, by the word of God, which abideth forever.
1 Pet. 1:22,23.

Thus, my dear children, I pray and admonish
you, love, and bear with, one another, and let one
be subject to the other; the younger shall obey the
older, that there may be no contention or discord
among you. And you, Katelijntgen and Kopken,
are the oldest; when you are grown up, take
care of the other children, and help them with the
labor of your hands, thus showing mercy to them,
that you may be children of your Father which is
in heaven; for you will perhaps not have your
mother very long, and then you are in duty bound
to do the best for one another.

Thus, my children, heed the instruction of your
father, and forget it not. Obey your mother: for it
is proper that children should obey their parents, as
is written in Ecclesiasticus: The Lord will that the
parents should be honored by the children 3:2.
For this was the first commandment in the law,
which had a promise: Honor thy father and mother
that thou mayest live long on the earth. Ex. 20:12.
And the greatest honor that children can show their
parents, is, to obey them: To obey them in everything
that is not contrary to the honor of God, but
when the honor of God is concerned, parents have
no power to rule over them, but are themselves in
duty bound to admonish their children, to obey the
Lord. For they had to teach the law to their children,
when they went to sleep, and when they rose
up; in which law it was written, that God must be
loved above all. Deut. 6:7. Therefore children are
not bound to love their parents more than God,
and godfearing parents are not to require this, but
are to exhort their children to the same, that they
should exercise themselves in the love of God, that
is: keep his commandments, and be humble before
their God (Mic. 6:8), as I hope, my children, that
also your mother will do. Hence obey her in love,
and be not disobedient to her; for it is written in the
law, that he that cursed, smote or disobeyed his
father or mother, had to die, so great a sin it is before
the Lord. Ex. 21:15,17.

Therefore, my dear children, though you lose
me, do not be froward to your mother, but obey
her the more, for the whole care of you will now be
committed to her. Hence, my children, never
grieve her in your life; for in Ecclesiasticus it is written:
He that forsaketh his father is a blasphemer;
and he that angereth his mother is cursed of God.
3:16. Therefore, love her, and remember how
many pains she suffered on your account, and how
she bore you under her heart nine months, and how
she will have to undergo much yet, to earn bread
for you. Tob. 4:3,4; 2 Macc. 7:27. Hence, dear
children, when you are grown up, apply yourselves
diligently to labor, that you may help your mother
to gain a livelihood. And be not idle; for from
slothfulness springs much evil, for it makes thieves
of children, and harlots of girls, and thus they finally
come to a bad end. Therefore, my dear children,
do not desire this, but willingly work and
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labor with your hands that which is honorable, that
you may have to give to him that needeth. Ephesians
4:28. And if your mother take another husband,
obey him as your father, and honor him; for
he will have to care for you, and instruct and teach
you as though you were his own children. Therefore,
you, as obedient children, are to receive, and
not to despise, his instruction. O my dear children,
I, Jacob, your father, have left you this as a testament,
that you may remember me the better, and
know wherein I stood and why I died, of which you
need not be ashamed, since it was for the name of
Christ. For it is for the Lord’s sake that I leave
you; there is nothing under heaven so dear to me
that for it I should be willing to leave you; but for
the Lord’s sake every thing must be forsaken,
father and mother, wife and children, yea, one’s own
life, or we cannot be his disciples. Deut. 33:9. But
he that for his sake forsakes all this, shall receive
a hundredfold, and hereafter everlasting life. Matthew
19:29. Thus, my dear children, with this confidence
I leave you. The Lord grant you his grace,
that I may find you in life eternal. I now go before
you the way which Christ Jesus and all the saints of
God went before us: and I know that all that will
live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution.
2 Tim. 3:12. And Paul says: Unto you it is given
in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him,
but also to suffer for his sake. Philip. 1:29. For
what we suffer; we suffer not for our own sakes, but
for the Lord’s sake, because we believe in him, and
by faith follow and obey him, which the world will
not tolerate, for the prophet says: Truth is fallen in
the street; truth languisheth in prison; equity cannot
enter; he that would depart from evil, and do
good, maketh himself a prey. Is. 59:14,15. As
Christ says: “If ye were of the world, the world
would love his own; but because ye are not of the
world, but I have chosen you out of the world,
therefore the world hateth you.” John 15:19.
Hence James says: The friendship of this world is
enmity with God; if you would be the friend of the
world, you will be the enemy of God. Jas. 4:4. For
my dear children, if you would be the friend of the
world, you will have to follow the world in her improprieties
and false worship; hence Paul writes:
“If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant
of Christ?” Gal. 1:10. For such love the Father
hath bestowed upon us that we should be called his
children: therefore the world knoweth us not, neither
knoweth it him. 1 John 3:1. Therefore, if they
have called the master of the house Beelzebub, it is
no wonder that they also call them of his household
so; for the servant cannot be above his lord, nor the
disciple above his master. Matt. 10:25,24.

Herewith I will commend you, my dear children,
and your mother, to the Lord, for whose sake I
hope to leave you; who is able to care for you, and
to keep you from all evil. The Lord grant you his
grace, that you may grow up in the knowledge of
God through the Holy Ghost, so that, according to
the right judgment of God, you may be found righteous
for his kingdom, through Jesus Christ our
Lord and Savior, to whom be praise and glory forever
and ever. Amen.

Written on the second and third days of May,
A. D. 1569, in prison at Bruges, where I was confined
for the testimony of Jesus, under the house of
the Vrye; by me Jacob the Chandler.

This I send my dear children, as a brief testament;
I also hope to write them my faith, which
may serve to show them upon what faith their father
died.

Alle die lijden na den wille Godts, wilt hierop mercken,

Die bevelen haer Zielen den getrouwen Shepper met goede Wercken.

1 Pet. 4:19.





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