The saving grace of God be multiplied unto you and all the pious, through Jesus Christ; with the power of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
O F., my greatly beloved friend[290] in the Lord, I cannot, out of love to you forbear to inform you how gladly I would fulfill your request, but I lack many things, as for instance, paper and ink, and besides am watched as closely as gold, that I might neither receive nor send off any letters. Hence accept this brief letter in good part, for I have written it for your good. Therefore the heartfelt admonition and request I now address to you is, that you sincerely take heed to your life, and order it so that it is conformable to the word of God, yea, to the example of Jesus Christ, and consider it diligently, as you said in conversation with me. Love God above all, and do not forsake the assembly (Hebrews 10:25), as hitherto; for if you still love aught more than him, you are not worthy of him. Take good heed, my friend in the Lord; for a lip faith is of no avail, as you well know yourself; but it must be a living faith, yea, that works by love, if we are to stand here, and hereafter before God. May God Schadai (Ex. 3:14), work such a faith in you, and in all who heartily desire it. Amen. As regards how it is with me, I cannot write enough, for the Lord grants me great joy in my heart, so that I would desire of God, if it were his will, that I might be led bound through Cologne, and beaten with rods from street to street, so that his name might become manifest; and that my body might be refined on the rack, only to the praise of God, and not to mine; which has also partly occurred. The Lord be praised, Amen; the Lord who sealed my lips, and endued me with strength, which he still daily increases; and who will sustain me unto the end. Amen.
[290] The word used in the original denotes a female friend.--TR.
Herewith I commend you to God. Remember us as we will you. Greet them that are with you, to whom my salutation in the Lord is acceptable.
By me, MATTHIAS SERVAES, of Kottenem.
THE TENTH LETTER OF MATTHIAS SERVAES, WHICH HE WROTE FROM PRISON TO MAR. WEST.
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you and all believers, from God the Father, through Jesus Christ; with the power of the Holy Ghost. Amen. O my well beloved sister in the Lord, M. W., out of great love, which we have mutually felt through the knowledge of God, since we have known each other, I cannot forbear to tell you that I often think of you, and, likewise, of all the pious; for they lie at my heart day and night. I have been informed that you think of me with much sorrow, and that you wished, if it could be, that the Lord had ordered it otherwise, for which I do not pray, nor can I wish it, since I know not how he could have ordered it better for me; for great sorrow was resting upon me, as you also well know, and the good God has thus delivered and relieved me from this load: and not only this, but I am also free from all anxiety. Not that I am weary of laboring; O no, for, if I could have been profitable to the Lord, how gladly I would have served him, and would still gladly serve him; but I deem it better thus, for we must go hence at some time. And I trust that the Lord will fill my place with faithful servants who may be more fully endowed of him than I am. For the Lord knows with what anxiety, fear and solicitude I have served you, and esteemed myself little and unworthy before you and God, yea, so much so that I did hardly dare lift up my eyes in meeting. But by the grace of God I have been what I have been; and his grace, which was bestowed upon me was not wholly in vain among you. 1 Cor. 15:10. I also took up my ministry with many tears, as you know; but now, thanks to the Lord, it is all joy, indeed I cannot express all the joy.