Thieleman J. van Braght · 188 of 210

Old Book of the Martyrs Mirror · Part 126

Greet Vintgen from me with the peace of the Lord, and let me know, how it went with'them all. Greet Jan and Klaerken from me; and K., and tell him to write me something. And also greet in my name all those that fear God, and always associate with the righteous, and you will become more righteous still. Adieu, adieu.

Written in the dark, on the 24th of May, A. D. 1576. Adieu, my wife, adieu, my child.

On Thursday the 24th of May I was brought before the lords once more, and there sat two Jesuits. I was very feeble from the torturing. They began and asked me, why I had suffered myself to be so long seduced, and questioned me concerning my faith. Then I said: "Have I come here to teach you? by no means. Do you confess your faith to me? I am come to be instructed." Then he began to confess his faith, just like children that are learning. "Well, this is my faith," he said. Then I said: "Prove it with the Word of God, and I will also believe it." Then he began from John 3, that the children must be baptized; also from Mark 16 and Matt. 28, where he so entangled himself, that he did not see how he could get out of it; and went from there [he went on] to circumcision, where he likewise knew not what to do. Finally they had to confess that it did not apply to baptism which greatly surprised me. And when they saw that all that they did went backwards, they all began to talk Latin at the same time, and I sat there and looked on. Eamus (let us go), they said, and wanted to go, for it struck eleven and we had come together a little after eight. And when they were determined to go, I said: "I pray you, my lords, write your faith down for me, so that I can consider it." But they would not do it. "If you do not believe our words," said they, "you would not believe our writing."

Oh, thought I, if I could get that, I should have you; I should soon show to you, that your faith is not contained in the Scriptures.

Further, on the 25th of May there came the penitentiary from the bishop, and another, and Friar Pieter de Backer, and they approached me very subtly. They led me upon a very high mountain, and [said that] if I would yield just a little, all should be well. Master Jacob Heyselinck said, "Yes," he should help me, and the matter was in his power; that I should only seemingly recant a little: "`Dear Raphel, how sorry I am; it pierces me to my very heart." Then I said: "O my lords, you say that I should recant a little. This I will gladly do; yea I will recant altogether, if you can show me something better than the Word of God; but not otherwise, or my faith should not rest upon the Word of God, but upon the words of men, and I well know what the prophet says: `Cursed be the man that trusteth in man.' Jer. 17:5. O my lords, that would not be converting; you would have to prove it to me with the holy Scriptures, or we shall not do it." And after many words we parted once more, and I thanked them for their trouble. Sometime afterwards the clerk of the criminal court, the proctor, and Friar Pieter de Backer came and entreated me again. I said I was sorry that they entreated me. They said: "But we shall show it to you very clearly;" and commenced another mystery concerning the incarnation of Christ. And when I began to answer, he put his Testament away. And many other things they said. Then I said: "If it is your pleasure, I shall reply to you upon every thing, one after the other;" and when they heard how I began to answer them, they slipped away and said adieu, and I did the same. And Friar Pieter said: "I shall come again in a day or two." "If you please," said I. "Oh," said he, "how sorry your mother must be." But I said nothing. And in the afternoon they sent me a book, entitled "The Shield. against the Anabaptists," which I should read; and in two or three days the penitentiary should come to see me again.

Here, dear brethren and sisters altogether, you may have heard whether I surer temptation or not, but I write it only very briefly, else it would take much too long to write it. But the Lord be thanked for His great grace, who so faithfully strengthens me and governs my mouth to His praise. Though the outward man perish, this is small loss; the inward man is renewed from day to day, for which eternal praise and thanks be to the Lord, for I may now well say with Pieter van Werwicke

"Noyt meerder vreught in my en was,

Als nu tot desen tijden,

Mijn treuren vergaet my alsoo ras,

Godts woordt doet my verblijden:

Als ick dencke op 't eeuwigh Goedt:

Och dan Krijgh ick sulck eenen moedt."

I cannot tell it (express the joy); yea, I think that if every one of the hairs of my head were a tongue, I could not express it. And that they torment me with examinations, this I deem a recreation, for I get out of my stinking hole every time, into the pure air, and this rejoices my heart.

Herewith I will commend you to the Lord, and to the rich word of His grace. Always endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, and purify your souls before the Lord, if peradventure God be pleased to let you fall into the same trouble; if one is not a good Christian previously, one can hardly become one here, this I well experience, O dear brethren and sisters, I pray you by the love of God and our Lord Jesus Christ, that you will show love to my dearly beloved wife and my dear child, in all love, in unity, in kindness, and in patience. Bear one another in love, this I pray you from the bottom of my heart, and consider in what trouble she now is. Also, you are sorry on my account, for which I thank you, for it is godly sorrow; but she has the greatest reason to be sorrowful. Oh, she has lost so much, and my son too; but I must resign myself herein, for it is the will of the Lord; who will hinder it? Oh, when I think of her and her grief, and of my child, I cannot restrain myself; but I hope that the Lord will help me also in this. I beseech you by the love of God. O brethren, my dear brother, write me once how she is situated, how it is with her tribulation, and with my dear son.

O my dear son, I am taken from you too soon. O dear brethren, do this much for my sake; and for the Lord's sake; you will thereby afford such great comfort to my heart. Oh, it seems to me that I have not heard anything for such a long time, and of my son I do not know that I have had any intelligence; and of our Tanneken. O poor lamb I Adieu my dear brother; adieu my dear sister; adieu to all your little ones.

Adieu, adieu; may God grant grace, that we may rejoice hereafter. Written by me, Raphel, your weak brother in the Lord, with many tears and sighs; not on my own account, as though my mind were ill at rest-God forbid, it was in eleven years never better, the Lord be thanked; but it is my weak nature. If I have written too little or too much in any thing, excuse me, since my mind is much engaged, and my. mind is getting confused from all the troubles. Written the 25th of May, in the year 1576.

RAPHEL VAN DEN VELDE.

ANOTHER LETTER FROM RAPHEL VAN DEN VELDE

WRITTEN TO HIS BRETHREN AND SISTERS

I Raphel, wish you my dear B. and C. and K. my dear sister in the Lord, a steadfast mind, constant, immovable in the fear and love of God, that you, by such a constant, strong, firm, and immovable faith, hope, and love to God and your neighbor, may continue in the love of God, and in the patience of Christ, so that you may possess your souls with patience, meekness and longsuffermg, in order that you may willingly bear whatsoever is imposed upon you by the Lord; and be not grieved nor faint because of the tribulation, which is very great now. And I thank your love, that you so faithfully exhort and comfort me by your consolatory letter; and I would do the same for you, according to my little ability, which is very little, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. Prov. 27:7. Hence it is my hope and trust of your love, though it is not so consolatory, sweet or affectionate, that it will nevertheless taste quite sweet to your hungry soul. It is therefore my cordial and affectionate salutation and greeting to you all, my much beloved brethren and sisters, that my mind is still well composed and that I am also well content with whatever is at hand (Heb. 13:5) , whether it be suffering or dying for the Lord's holy truth; and I fear not what man shall do unto me, for I am willing rather to be present with the Lord in the eternal rest, than to live longer. II Cor. 5:8. For though I were free, as one would desire and wish, I find in myself, that I should many times also be sorrowful, when I well consider how perilous it now is to live in the world, which often heartily grieves me, when I think of you, and of my dear wife, and my child. Oh, it costs me so many a tear, since you are still in much the greatest distress and peril; may the Lord help, comfort, and strengthen you, so that you may overcome in everything, as I hope that you shall; for when the conflict is the severest, then the Lord helps the most, which I may well say, for I have surely proved it, for which I cannot now ever fully thank the Most High.

Hence, my heartily beloved friends, faint not because of the tribulation, nor for any affliction, for we must know this, and certainly trust in it, that He will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape; and also that not a hair of our head shall be harmed, unless it be His will. I Cor. 10:13; Matthew 10:30. Understand well the expression, unless it be His will. Hence, my dear friends, do not despond nor grieve, nor grow weary in the way of the Lord, but endure willingly; for the Lord beholds all your steps, and all your distress, and your labor which you do with all diligence, to magnify His holy name. Hence receive the chastening of the Lord with a' willing heart, for they that are partakers of the Lord's chastisement, are His children, sons and daughters; but those who will not endure it, are bastards, and a bastard has no part in his father's possessions. Heb'. 12:5.

Therefore, MY dearest, let unwillingly suffer all that comes upon us for His holy name; rather than that we should have to forego His eternal riches. Oh, think how great and glorious He will make us; if we continue steadfast unto the end. For once at all events we must die, and we cannot die.more blessedly or honorably, than for the name of our God, who suffered so much for us. I should have written you more, but I hope of your love, that you are all taught of God, much more than I can write you, and I also have not always convenient time to write you. I also trust to God and your love, that you have not begun this good work so far, to let it rest here; but that you will be diligent unto the end, so that you may receive a full reward. II John 8.

Further, dear B. and S. and K. S., I pray your love, that you will take good heed to yourselves, for this new president proceeds very severely the Lord change his heart and open his eyes. Rather leave the city, for they will watch their time even if it should be a year after this. They have very many on paper, but who they all are I do not know. They read them all in an undertone, and questioned me in regard to some, but I did not know them by their names. And when jeronymus my friend was examined, they read aloud: Boudewijn. Tijncke, Pouwels Ketel, Gijselbrecht, and others, whom he did not know by name, and at last also they again read inaudibly. .

ANOTHER LETTER FROM RAPHEL VAN DEN VELDE,

WRITTEN TO HIS WIFE

I Raphel, imprisoned for the truth, wish my dear and in God beloved wife (who next to God is the dearest of all that I know, yea, if I could help you, though it were by dying the death, I should so gladly do it; and my dear, son, I wish you, my love, as you wish me in your letter) a steadfast mind in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, an ardent love of God, and invincible strength from God our heavenly. Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, so that you may overcome all your enemies, and preserve moderation in your tribulation, so that you will not grieve more or further than godly sorrow goes, as I hope that you will also do, and willingly be resigned in all wherein God tries you, that you may thus receive the crown of life at the hand of the Lord. This is my cordial prayer and great petition to God for you my dearest love on earth; the Almighty God.grant His great mercy thereto. Amen. .

After all affectionate salutation and respects to you my dear and iii God beloved wife, let me please inform you, that my mind is unchanged and resigned in God, to serve the Lord, to testify to the truth, and to suffer for His holy and high name all that come upon me in His account; and I do not fear in the least, the Lord be praised and glorified for His grace.

On Monday afternoon, from soon after three till about six o'clock, as I think, I was with three priests, who wanted to tell me so much; but I first made them confess their faith, since they had come to instruct me. Then they began to confess some things of infant baptism, of the incarnation of Christ, and of their host or wafer, that Christ (after the words were pronounced), was present there in flesh and blood, even as He was when they ate the supper: When they were to prove. it with the Scriptures, they were in a strait, for I insisted so firmly, and would not leave a single point before they had proved it to me with all that they could; and when they had proved it all, I 'went and confounded them with their own words, so that at times they blushed and did not know what they had better say, so that it seemed to me, that they finally became afraid to speak any more with me. And now and then they all three talked, and then I sometimes forgot what had been said before. Then I said; "I am not good at disputing; my memory is too poor." Then one of them said: "Yet I think that it is tolerably good;" and he looked at me sharply. Well, my love, we will let it rest here for this time; for if I were to write to you all that has befallen me, I think I should cover six sheets of paper; the Lord be thanked, who always helps His followers. This new president is so bloodthirsty, and severe with us; he has all of us confined separately, one here, and the other there, and we can scarcely leave our cage long enough to attend to the calls of nature; and no one is allowed to come to us. And I have understood that we shall not be confined long, which I would gladly see verified, for the long confinement is too vexatious, always alone; but the Lord be thanked, the, time has not been very irksome yet to either myself or Jeranymus, my brother and fellow prisoner, for it surprises us when we think that we have been confined eight days already. And I hope that the Lord will further comfort us, and not forsake us. Adieu, adieu, till another time. Farewell.

ANOTHER LETTER FROM RAPHEL VAN DEN VELDE,

WRITTEN TO HIS WIFE

I Raphel, your husband, imprisoned for the Lord's sake, wish you my dear wife and sister in the Lord, much grace;,Mercy and peace,, from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the true Father over all kindreds that are in heaven and upon earth; that Ho would grant you, according to the riches of. His; goodness, to be strengthened with might by His holy Spirit in the inner man; and that Christ Jesus may dwell in your heart by faith, and be rooted in through love; and that He may abide with you unto the end of your life, to the salvation of your soul. Eph. 3:14. This I send you, my dear sister in the Lord, as a testament and affectionate adieu.

My dear and in God beloved wife, for A sure token of the love which I have had to you, I could not forbear to send you a letter, for I think that the parting is very near at hand. But: my very dear and beloved wife, it is not a writing of divorcement,* as Israel wrote a writing of divorcement, for the hardness of their hearts; that I should thus leave you, my love. Oh, no! for this leaving is done for the love of God, for the parting must take place for His name's sake. For, my dearest (always next to God), it is He that joined us together, and it is He that parts us again, which I willingly accept from His hand, for my mind has never been in a better condition in this respect, than it is now, the Lord be thanked. And I now commit you, my dearest, and your child, to the Lord, as to a faithful Father; cleave faithfully to Him, this I pray you my dear wife; and He shall, without any doubt, provide for you in soul and body. For Peter says: "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us by his glory and virtue; whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these we might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." II Pet. 1:3, 4. For if we remain entirely faithful to Him, so that we keep ourselves unspotted from the world, He will be a faithful Father unto us, who will provide for us, for it is He that giveth food to all flesh, and the eyes of all wait upon Him, says David, and He gives them their meat in due season. James 1:27; Ps. 136:25; 124:27.

Thus, my dear and beloved wife, I now commit you and your child to the Lord, by faith, to confirm the covenant which we made with the Lord, even as Abraham by faith delivered up his son Isaac to the Lord, and jephtha his daughter, to prove and confirm his promise thereby. Thus I also, out of love, deliver you and my child over to the Lord, hoping and trusting that He will well provide for you, if you remain obedient and faithful to Him.

Herewith I bid you, my dear and in God beloved wife, a final adieu, till we see each other in eternal joy; the Lord grant His grace, that this may come to pass. And I greatly and heartily thank you for your faithful, willing, and obedient service and love shown me in all subjection and kindness towards me; and, my love, I thank you (God shall recompense you for it) for your pious and good conversation and walk with me, whereby my heart was often relieved, comforted and, rejoiced, which truly causes me yet the more to trust in God, and which is also a sure seal in my heart that we have walked

* A play upon words, which obtains only in the original, in which the literal expression used, parting letter, has the twofold meaning of farewell letter and bill of divorcement. Tr.

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unworthily in the love and fear of God before the Lord according to our weak ability; and once more I thank you, my dear wife, for all the kindness and friendship shown me, and heartily entreat you by the great love of God, if I have grieved you in anything, or done amiss to you in any wise by word or deed, that you will readily forgive me; this I pray you in this letter, with many tears. I know nothing against you, my love, but what I gladly forgive you; may the Lord forgive us all our sins.

Further, my dear wife, I cannot forbear to write your love briefly also, though it is done with many tears, to comfort and rejoice your heart, and this by the Word of God, for this rmust now be all our comfort, even as the prophet David says: "O Lord, unless thy law had been my delight, I should then have perished in mine affliction." Ps. 119:92. And as also the prophet Jeremiah says: "Thou knowest, O Lord, that we suffer reproach for thy sake; but. thy word sustains us, since we have received it; and thy word is the joy and comfort of our hearts." Jer. 15:15, 16. Hence, my dear wife, we must have our delight in the word of the Lord, and meditate upon it day and night (Ps. 1:2) , even as a rich man has his delight in his treasure, meditates upon it, and often counts it to rejoice his heart. Hence, David also says, we must meditate upon the law of the Lord with delight, and we shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper, v. 3. Hence I pray you, my dearest, be patient in all wherein you are tried by God, and do not grieve too much, but think that it has been so ordered by the Lord, that we must part now; and console yourself thereby, though it is grievous for you, and goes contrary to our flesh, will and desire, we must nevertheless be patient: and if we suffer willingly, we shall be richly rewarded; but woe to us, if we do not suffer willingly, nor are willing to be patient, though it is hard for the flesh. O my love, it is a little matter to be patient; so long as it goes well with a man that cannot be called patience; but to be patient when it goes ill with one, and then to be able to preserve moderation, this is certainly a great power of faith. Hence, my dearest, I pray you once more, that you would be patient, and thank God with resignation of heart, saying

"Lord, thy will be done;" but, O Lord, strengthen my faith and confidence, that I may never become fainthearted, disconsolate, despairing or doubtful concerning Thy promises, but may trust God, for His promises shall never fail; He is much too faithful that has promised it, and there will never be any failure on His part, for He will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able, but will always with the temptation make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it. Heb. 10:23; I Thess. 5:25; I Corinthians 10:13.

Hence, my love, be patient and endure it willingly, and pray the Almighty God. with whom all things are possible, that He will cause the sorrow and trouble .that have come upon you on account of my bonds, and because we must part, to melt, diminish and vanish away; and that you may henceforth only be concerned as to how you can in all things please the Lord best, and spend the time of your life in the fear of God, and also care for your child; the Lord grant you grace, that this may come so. Cast your entire care upon the Lord, and always hope the best of Him; for we must know that if we forsake much for the name of the Lord, we shall receive much again; and that if we suffer much for His holy name, we shall also rejoice in much, when the Lord shall come in His glory; for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Matt. 19:29; II Cor. 5:10. Therefore, dearest, let us always seek to excel in all good works, and let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap without ceasing. And let not your heart be afraid, or moved, nor become weary in the way of the Lord. Though the waters become bitter, murmur not; and never turn back to Egypt with your heart, as Israel did. When they began to think of the fleshpots which they had left behind, and because the waters were bitter, they wanted to choose themselves captains, and return to Egypt. They said to Moses: "Hast thou therefore brought us into the wilderness, to destroy us here, except thou have rule over us? How finely hast thou brought us into a country that floweth with milk and honey I" Hence the wrath of the Lord arose over them, and He destroyed many of them. Ex. 15:23; 16:3; Num. 11:4; 14:4; 16:13.

Therefore Solomon says: "Beware of murmuring, which avails nothing, for though we had spent all that we have in the world, and the Lord would prove us with poverty, as he did Israel, our anxiety could avail us nothing." Hence we must cast our care on the Lord, who cares for us; for He permitted Israel to suffer hunger, to prove them whether they loved Him or not, and to try whether they should be patient. Hence my dear wife and sister in the Lord, always possess your soul with patience, and you shall overcome with all the pious witnesses of God, and inherit salvation, and say with the prophet Baruch: "O Israel, happy are we; for God has revealed to us his will." Bar. 4:4. Even as Moses says: "O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency!" Deut. 33:29. Therefore, my much beloved sister in the Lord, though we must suffer for His sake, we must nevertheless possess our soul with patience, and remember that the apostle says

"That it is acceptable with God, to suffer for well doing." I Pet. 2:20. Notwithstanding that the world does not deem it acceptable, as Paul says

"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 in them by His Spirit, to the comforting and strengthening of their minds, so that they, by their God, leap over a wall; and, with Caleb and Joshua, devour their enemies as bread; and, with Jael, drive a nail (that is, the enemy of the house of Israel), through Sisera's head, with the hammer of the divine word (Judg. 4:21); and, with David, overcome, with the stone, Christ Jesus, the giant Goliath, that is, the devil and Satan who fights against Israel (I Sam. 17:50); and say with the apostle Paul: "Thanks be unto God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." I Cor. 15:57. And he further says: "Thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ." II Cor. 2:14. They also say with David: "The Lord is my life and strength." Ps. 27:1. As the prophet writes: "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isa. 40:31.

Hence, my much beloved wife and sister in the Lord, the world cannot partake of this comfort, because they do not believe in the Lord and thus deem the word of the cross foolishness, as is written: "We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness." I Cor. 1:23. But they that believe and will be saved regard it as the power and wisdom of God, that they are worthy to suffer shame for the name of the Lord, as did Peter and John, when they had been scourged by the Pharisees. Acts 5:41. Hence Peter writes: "What glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called." I Pet. 2:20, 21. Paul also writes: "Those of old time had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword; they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, affilicted, tormented; of whom the world was not worthy." Heb. 11:36-3$.