Therefore, my dear and much beloved wife and sister in the Lord, always wait with patience for the Lord your God, as did the wise virgins, who had oil in their vessels; and were ready to go in with their bridegroom, whereunto we all that believe in Christ are called, to sup with him. Rev. 3:20. For, as Christ himself says, Luke 12:37: Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. Matthew 24:46.
Hence, my dear wife and sister in the Lord, always be of good cheer, comfort yourself with the words of the Lord, and be patient and resigned in that which the Lord has ordered concerning you. Though he now comes to visit you with tribulation, suffering or poverty, think that Christ, when he was rich, for our sakes became poor, that through his poverty he might make rich us who were poor. 2 Cor. 8:9. And James, also, says, that God has chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him. James 2:5.
O my dear wife, think of old Tobit; when all his goods had been taken from him, and he had to flee with his wife and his son, he said: “And fear not, my son; true, we are poor, but we shall have much wealth, if we fear the Lord, keep his commandments, shun sin, and do good.” Tobit 1:20; 4:21.
Hence, my much beloved wife and sister in the Lord, Christ also says in the Gospel: “Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast body and soul into hell.” Luke 12:4,5. And in another place: “Fear not, little flock; for it is your father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Verse 32. And the prophet Isaiah also says: “Fear not men, nor the children of men, who must perish like grass; for all flesh is as grass; and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: the grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the word of the Lord abideth forever.” Is. 51:12; 40:6,8.
Further, my dear and greatly beloved wife and sister in the Lord, be pleased to know, that it was a great joy for me to hear that you were of such good cheer in your tribulation, and that you have committed us four to the Lord; wherefore I rejoice, and pray the Lord from the heart, that he would strengthen and stablish you, and give you his divine Spirit for a Comforter and Guide, since now is the time of which Christ said (Matt. 24:24), that many false prophets and false Christs should arise, yea, that even the very elect, if it were possible, should be led into error.
Therefore, my dear and much beloved wife, take good heed, that no robber deceive you by philosophy and vain deceit, after the rudiments of the world; and that you may not have labored in vain, but may receive your reward, so that no man may take your crown. Hence have your conversation always in heaven, from whence we look for our Savior, Christ Jesus our Lord; who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body. Philip. 3:20,21. Herewith I will commend you, my dear and much beloved wife, and both my children, to the Lord, and bid you farewell, until we shall meet hereafter, where men shall part us no more; for the apostle says, that the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the archangel; and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord (1 Thess. 4:16,17): then men shall not part us. O my most beloved wife and sister in the Lord, I herewith bid you adieu, and commend you to the Lord, and to the word of his grace; and may the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, rule in your heart. Adieu, my dear wife, and greet much them that inquire after me, especially my brother, and bid him adieu, adieu. O adieu, my dear and much beloved wife. Jan Koopman and Hansken greet you most heartily, and also bid you adieu. Amen.