Martyrs Mirror 1138ANOTHER LETTER FROM ADRIAN ROGIERS TO HIS WIFE, WRITTEN IN PRISON AT GHENT

Out of a loving heart an affectionate greeting to you my dearly beloved wife; whom I wedded before God and His glorious church, and whom I also love from the heart, this the Lord knows, who with His eyes that are as a flame of fire penetrates everyhing. Rev. 1:14 . Further, after all proper and Christian salutation, let me, please, inform your love, that I am in tolerably good health according to the flesh, and my mind is still fixed, by the help of the Lord, to hold fast to the faith even to the very end. Furthermore, my dear wife, I trust that you are also well in soul and body, God be praised, and ready to pass the time of your sojourning here, with joy, to the praise of the Lord and the salvation of your soul. The good, eternal and Almighty God, who through His gracious goodness gives both wine and milk without price, strengthen and confirm you and us all together by His Holy Spirit, that we may serve the Lord in His fear, for there is nothing better than the fear of the Lord, for Sirach says: "Money and riches lift up the heart, but much more the fear of the Lord; for he that feareth the Lord, with him it shall be well at the last." Sir. 40:26 . Therefore, O my dear lamb, cleave firmly to the Lord, and arm yourself; put on the armor of God, that you may be able to withstand all the subtle assaults of the devil, for our adversary, the devil, says Peter, rests not, but walks about us, as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Eph. 6:13 ; I Pet. 5:8 . Hence, O my dear sister, stand fast in the faith, pray, and be on the watch; put on the bond of love, and beware of false prophets, for in the last days, as Christ says, many false prophets shall arise, saying: "Lo, here is Christ, and, lo, there is Christ," but do not go forth. And they shall say: "Behold, he is in the desert, and in the chamber; but believe them not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matt. 24:23 . Therefore, O my love, persevere steadfastly, till you are taken hence; for yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, Hence possess your soul with patience, and endure the heat of the sun for a little while, for Christ has promised us tribulation in the world, and God also speaks through the prophet, saying: "Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field." John 16:33 ; Mic. 4:10 . In short, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. Matt. 11:12 . And Paul also says that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22 . For Christ, who is our head, went before us, and had to suffer much reproach for our sake, as the prophet says: "He took upon him all our sins, and bore our reproach, and he is dumb as a sheep before her shearers: and when he was reviled, he reviled not again, and when he was threatened, he threatened not again, but committed vengeance to him that judgeth righteously." Isa. 53:6 , 7 ; I Pet. 2:23 . Thus we must also, my dear wife, according to the words of Peter, follow the Lord's footsteps. For Paul says: "Being reviled we bless." I Cor. 4:12 . And Christ also taught us to pray for those that afflict us. Matt. 5:44 .

Hence, O my dear lamb, let us in all things show ourselves true members of Christ, and think as Paul says: "If we suffer with Christ, we shall also reign with him." II Tim. 2:12 . Let us therefore lay aside all malice, and shun the sin which doth beset us, and follow after holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. I Pet. 2:1 ; Heb. 12:1 , 14 . Oh, let us adorn ourselves with a holy conversation, and let us not be conformed to the world, which shall pass away with its lusts.

Therefore, O my dear lamb, let us watch diligently, as servants that constantly wait for their Lord, that we may through the grace of God be partakers of the glorious reward, with all the elect children of God, forever and ever. Amen.

Further, my dear wife, I do not know much more to write you, but pray you to excuse my little gift, for if Habakkuk had brought something better, you would have fared better. Hist. o f Dest. o f Drag. 33, etc.

Furthermore, my dear wife, know that I received what you sent me, for which I thank you sincerely, for it was to me a great consolation. Further, my dear wife, Maerten van der Straten and his dear wife, Beliken van der Straten, greet you much. Margriet van der Sluys, and Dingentgen of Honschoten, and that honorable youth Hansken of Oudenaerde greet you much, and finally we all jointly ask you, earnestly to pray to the Lord for us, that He will make us meet rather to die honorably with Eleazar, than to live with ignominy. Nothing more, but I commend you to the Lord, and to the rich, comforting Word of His grace. And do the best for the children in every way; teach them to fear the Lord; though I am confident that you will do this; I can not forbear to write it; but whatever I do is done out of pure love and from a good heart.

Farewell; do the best in the beginning and in the end.

Written for your service, by me your dear husband and brother in the Lord.

ADRIAN ROGIERS. MAERTEN VAN DER STRATEN,. WITH $ELIKEN HIS WIFE, A. D. 1572

At this time yet another pious brother, named Maerten van der Straten born at Kortrijck in Flanders, with his wife, named Beliken van der Straten, fell into the hands of the enemies of the truth, so that after manifold temptations their faith was found much more precious, than perishable gold, which is tried by fire. Hence Maerten van der Straten, and two other brethren and a sister (who are separately mentioned in this book), on the 4th of December, A. D. 1572, in the city of Ghent, steadfastly delivered up their bodies as a sacrifice acceptable unto God, and were together burned in the Friday Market, with balls in their mouths; and Beliken van der Straten was subsequently, in 1573, in Lent, offered up in the same place for the truth; having thus fought a good fight, finished the course, kept the faith, and, notwithstanding the opposition of the tyrants taken the kingdom of God by force.

Concerning these two pious witnesses a separate book has been printed, containing many excellent letters by Maerten van der Straten, and several hymns, which these persons composed and addressed to each other, and to others in prison. Of these letters we communicate to you several, as follows.