Martyrs Mirror 1256ANOTHER LETTER FROM JOOST DE TOLLENAER, TO HIS MOTHER

Grace, peace and mercy from God our heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ His only begotten Son and the Saviour of the whole world; for as by one man death came into the world, so by one man came life into the world, that all that believe in His name should obtain eternal life. May He strengthen and confirm you with His Holy Spirit in all your tribulation and grief which you bear on my account; but be patient, my dear, beloved, old mother, for your tribulation shall be turned into eternal joy.

To the same only wise and strong, invincible God be praise, glory, honor, power anld'blessing forever and ever.

After all affectionate and Christian greeting to you my dear and in God beloved mother and sister in the Lord, whom I love from the very depth of my whole heart, I inform you, that my mind is still unchanged, hoping by the grace of the Lord to adhere to His holy truth, which I also have not been ashamed to confess before men, and this upon the consolation that Christ will also not be ashamed to confess me before His heavenly Father and His holy angels, which will be an everlasting consolation of reward for those who shall continue in the faith steadfast unto the end. To this end may He strengthen and confirm me and all those that are with me in distress, with His Holy Spirit, so that He may ever rule in our hearts to the praise and honor of His holy and most worthy and adorable name. For this I pray day and night in. my weakness; asking also your love, my beloved mother, that you will help pray the Almighty God for us poor prisoners, that we may keep the faith in fervent love unto the end, to the salvation of our souls, to the edification of our neighbor, and for a fight unto the world.

O my dear, beloved mother, you who have given birth to me in such pain and anguish, and have moreover brought me up with great carefulness, with what should I be able to recompense 'your motherly love? I have nothing with which I can fully requite it. But since you fear God, standing in the same faith with me, I have a living hope to the eternal, Almighty God, that He shall give me strength in my faith, to finish it to His name's honor, and this I know will be greater joy to your heart, than if I should bring you many pieces of gold.

Thereto I have good courage, for the Lord .is faithful in all His promises; for He forsakes no one that flees to Him for refuge; but He keeps His chosen as the apple of His eye. Oh, how pleasant it is to fear the Lord, for him that with a resigned heart puts himself under obedience to the Lord. Hence let us always, as long as we have the breath of life in us, walk in the pure love of the truth, as children that are born of God, for God is love, and he that abides in love abides in God, and God in him. I John 4:7 , 8 . Hence Paul says: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or famine, or nakedness or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from, the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lor."

Hence Paul calls love the bond of perfectness. * Herewith I will bid my dear and in God beloved mother, a Christian farewell and final adieu. Adieu my chosen, beloved mother and sister' in the Lord, and be of good cheer in the Lord and grieve not too much on my account, for parting must come once but we expect, in the hope of faith, a heavenl meeting, where parting shall be no more; there hope to wait for you under the altar of Christ: I pray you always to have good intercourse with my dear wife after my departure; for I shall leave an afflicted widow. Hence do the best as long as you are together; for, as far as I understand, it may take an end with us this or the following week. The Lord grant me strength in my last extremity. Adieu, my dear mother; with an inward kiss of love and peace. Greet in my name my dear and in God beloved wife, with the kiss of love and peace; and

" The original has it, Hence Paul calls the bond of love a perfectness. Tr.

also J. F. E. and V: T. with their company, and Stoffel and Margriete S., when it is convenient. Farewell and a final adieu to all that fear God. I would like to have it remain secret, that we write letters from here, for they have troubled and vexed us on account of it. May the Lord open the eyes of all our enemies, that they may see whom they pierce and distress.

By me, your beloved son, in all subjection, according to my weak ability.

JOOST DE TOLLENAER.