Therefore, my dear wife in the Lord, fight valiantly now, and fear not man, but rather say with Susanna, that you would much rather fall into the hands of man, than into the hand of God; for it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Susanna 24; Heb. 10:31. Go to meet the Lord with ardent love as you have done hitherto by the grace of the Lord, who works in you; and fight valiantly, for the crown of life is prepared for you, since to those that overcome all things are promised, and they shall also inherit all things; for Christ says: “Blessed are ye, when all men speak evil of you; for great is your reward in heaven.” Matt. 5:11. He also says: “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The Lord also said that when they have brought us before lords and princes, and tortured and killed us, they shall yet think to have done him service thereby. John 16:2. Therefore, trust firmly in Christ alone, and the Lord will not forsake you, and the crown of life is prepared for you.
Herewith I will commend you to the Lord, and to the word of his grace, and take leave of you, here in this world; for I do not expect to see your face any more; but I hope to see you under the altar of Christ before many days. Therefore, my beloved wife in the Lord, though the world counts us liars, and separates us bodily, yet the merciful Father will soon bring us together again under his altar, together with our brother; for I do not doubt it, but am firmly trusting in him; for I have commended us three into his hands, to do his divine will with us, whereby his name may be most praised and thanked, to the salvation of our souls, and to the consolation and strengthening of all those that fear the Lord, and serve and love his name; this he will also do, I doubt not; for he does not forsake his own who trust in him; hence I go with a glad heart, to offer up my sacrifice to the praise of the Lord. If I could yet have come to you, I would have done so; but Joachim would not have it. But Christ will soon bring us together again under his altar; this men will not be able to prevent. Herewith I bid you adieu, till we meet under the altar. I commend you to the Lord. Big Henry salutes you much in the Lord. See, my dear wife in the Lord, the hour is now come that we must part; and thus I go before, with great joy and gladness, to my and your heavenly Father (John 20:17), and I most humbly entreat you, not to grieve on this account, but to rejoice with me. Rom. 12:15. However, I am sad in one respect, because I leave you among these wolves; but I have commended you and the fruit to the Lord, and know assuredly, that he will preserve you unto the end, and herein I rest content. Be valiant in the Lord.
HOW LIJSKEN, JEROME’S WIFE, VALIANTLY FOUGHT, AND CONFESSED THE GROUND OF HER FAITH BEFORE ALL THE PEOPLE, REMAINING STEADFAST UNTO THE END; AND HOW THEY BY NIGHT PUT HER INTO A BAG, AND THREW HER INTO THE SCHELDT, SHE THUS SEALING HER FAITH WITH HER DEATH.
Lijsken, our sister, who was in bonds for a long time, fulfilled the time of her sojourning, continuing most perfectly and steadfastly in the word of the Lord unto the end, the Lord be praised forever, and confessed her faith very frankly and unfeignedly, in the court, before the authorities and the common people. In the first place, they questioned her concerning baptism, to which she replied: “I know but one baptism, which Christ and his saints practiced and left us.”