Hence, my beloved, help me heartily to entreat the Lord, that he will preserve me through his great goodness and long-suffering as the apple of his eye, that I may not be seduced through philosophy or carnal liberty, nor depart from my God, of which I have a great terror; but that he will comfort and strengthen me in my good purpose, to the praise of his holy name, and to the salvation of my soul.
Herewith I will commend you to the crucified, bleeding Christ Jesus, and to the rich word of his grace; who is faithful in what he has promised. I greet you, my beloved, with the kiss of peace; and Lauwerens and I also greet all our acquaintances very cordially with the peace of the Lord. Amen.
Written in my bonds, by me,
JOOST VERKINDERT, Unworthy prisoner in the Lord.
ANOTHER LETTER OF JOOST VERKINDERT, WRITTEN TO HIS BROTHERS, MICHIEL AND PLEUN, ON THE 7TH OF SEPTEMBER, THE 100TH DAY OF HIS IMPRISONMENT.
May God the Father, and our dear Lord Jesus Christ, give you a heart and mind, to walk in his holy truth all the days of your life, to the salvation of your poor, naked souls, that they may be saved, when the Lord shall visit them at the last day, when we shall all be placed before the judgment seat of Christ, where every one shall receive reward according to his deeds, whether they be good or bad. 2 Cor. 5:10. To God the Father be praise and honor through Jesus Christ; may he give us his Holy Spirit for a Comforter in all our tribulation, in which we now are, for Christ and the gospel’s sake. To the Lord be praise, honor and thanks forever and ever. Amen.
This I wish you, my dear and beloved brothers, Michiel and Pleun, as a heartfelt and friendly greeting, from the inmost of my soul. Be pleased to know, that I am still tolerably well according to the flesh; and as regards the Spirit, my mind is still fixed, to adhere to the eternal truth with the help of the Most High, to whom I must look for comfort and help; for of myself I have not one good thought but only aversion; for the flesh always shrinks from suffering. Nevertheless, my dear brothers, there must be suffering, either here or hereafter, for Christ says, that the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent must take it by force. Matt. 11:12. O dear brothers, I pray you from the heart, that you will take heed to yourselves, to obey the voice of the Lord, so that you may not be found to be of those who had buried their talent in the earth, and of those who want to put a new piece upon an old garment, and of those who put new wine into old bottles. Matt. 25:18; Luke 5:36,37. O my dear brothers, if you do not take heed to yourselves, God will require a strict account of you, for Christ says: All those who will not have me to reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before mine eyes, and cast them into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Luke 19:27; 13:25. And further, Luke 12:47, Christ says: That servant which knew his Lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. O my dear brothers, accept this my warning in good part, for it is done out of pure brotherly love, and this because I so well know, that without Christ and without his word there is no salvation. For I also, for a number of years knew better than I did, the Lord forgive me; and if I could have served the world and the Lord, I would not be in bonds. O dear brothers, flesh and blood did not bring me to this, but the word of the Lord, which is sharper than any two-edged sword. For no man can serve two masters at the same time; he must despise the one, and hold to the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon together. Matt. 6:24. And O, it (the word) also calls to the children of Israel and says: “How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him; if Baal, then follow him.” 1 Kings 18:21. O dear brothers, these and other Scriptures compelled me to renounce my own will, in order to escape the great deluge and punishment that shall come upon those who have not obeyed the Gospel of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. 2 Thess. 1:8,9.