Part 2-093-TO CLAES SCHEPENS

TO CLAES SCHEPENS
The eternal grace and peace from God our heavenly Father, and the kindness and love of His Son, and the fellowship and consolation of the Holy Ghost, be with you my dear brother and sister in the Lord, as an affectionate greeting and perpetual adieu in this time. The Lord grant His grace, that we may hereafter see one another in eternity. Amen.
After much affectionate greeting and loving reverence to you, let me please inform your love, that my mind is still unchangeably fixed, to confess and serve the Lord, according to my weak ability, all the days of my life; and I also have the same good confidence concerning you; which I also partly understand from what you write in your letter, by which I was comforted, when I heard it read. May the Lord always grant you to grow up, and to be strengthened and increased in the same, to His praise, and to the salvation of your souls. Amen.
Further, dear brother and sister in the Lord, I inform you how it goes with me in my bonds, namely, that I am very much resigned, the Lord be thanked for His great grace; the Lord comforts and strengthens me so and makes my bonds so light, that I sometimes scarcely know that I am imprisoned; and He takes away my fear, and rejoices my heart, and gives me new strength. 2 Corinthians 1:5; Isaiah 40:31. And though the false prophets shoot their deadly arrows at me, the Lord so faithfully preserves me, that it does not harm, but rather rejoices me, though they have assailed me very subtly, with many fair words, and I had to resist very many, and to hear from my father, and Lieven de Kroock, and Maeye Moeye, and our cousin Pieter, and Daniel de Keyser. Those who apprehended me were with me on Ash Wednesday, and they led me upon such, a high mountain, and offered me so many fair promises without power, if I had wanted to listen to them; but thanks be to God, who always helps us to triumph: Yea, they said so much to me, that I think it could not be written on four sheets. Lieven de Kroock, said at first, that I had devils in me by the score, and that he saw them sitting on my shoulders: Then said I: “Will you not take down one?”.And it seemed to me, they sought to make me drunk, but I would not drink, though they tormented me greatly to do it; but the Lord gave me strength to resist it. I further inform your love, that my father was with me again today alone, and tormented me greatly; but I told him, that he should be satisfied, since I did in no wise wish to forsake the Lord. And he told me, that you were also spoiled of and driven from your possessions, which greatly grieved me when I heard it. But, my dear brother and sister in the Lord, be of good cheer, and patient in your tribulation and affliction; for we must know, that it is given unto us, not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for His name., Php_1:29. And Christ Himself says: “If any man forsake not all for my name's sake, he cannot be my disciple; and if any man love aught more than me, he is not worthy of me.” Luke 14:26-27.
Hence, my much beloved friends, think of the words of Tobit, when he had also become so poor, for the Lord's sake: “My child, “he says, “true, we are poor; but be of good cheer, we shall have much wealth, if we fear God, do good, and shun sin.” Tob_4:21. For, dear and in God beloved friends, we are children of the saints, and hope for a life which God shall give to those who stand up for Him and continue steadfast in the faith. Therefore do not become weary in the way of the Lord, and do not faint because of the tribulation, but persevere firmly, until you are taken hence. I further understand from your letter, that it is your intention to remove; which I pray you myself to do, since they greatly seek your life, and, ask you much concerning me. And Maeyken Moeye said, that it was your fault, that I was here; but I said: “No.” Furthermore, dear brother and sister, I entreat your love, that you would remember me with a fervent heart in your prayer to God, that I may fight a good fight, and finish my course, to the salvation of my soul; I hope to do the same also for you, and that the Lord will prosper you on your journey, in soul and body. b now bid your love, my dear and in God beloved brother and sister in the Lord, an affectionate and perpetual adieu. The same great, omnipotent, Almighty God, who led Jacob, when he had to flee, guide also you, and bring you into everlasting rest. Amen. Adieu, farewell, farewell, adieu, adieu.
I Raphel van den Velde (the writer of this) also greet your love most heartily with the peace of the Lord.
Love overcomes all things.
Your beloved weak brother.
JERONYMUS SCHEPENS.
LOUWERENS THE SHOEMAKER, A. D. 1576
In the year 1576, at the time of the Spanish Fury (on the 4th of November), there was in confinement at Antwerp a God-fearing, pious brother, named Louwerens the Shoemaker, for no other reason, than that he would not follow the world and all its false inventions and wickedness (in which she lies), but forsook it, and sought with the people of God to lead a godly life, and to follow Christ in the regeneration. He was therefore apprehended and tormented with great and dreadful tortures, by the enemies of the truth, the bloodthirsty papists. They tortured him in such an unchristian-like and tyrannical manner, that his body was completely crippled, for in the Spanish Fury the prisons were opened, and the prisoners ran out, so that the jailer said: “Louwerens, run out too.” He answered: “Whither shall I run? for I am so crippled, that I cannot earn my bread.” And remaining thus in confinement, he was, after the Spanish Fury was over, brought forth, and confirmed the faith of the truth with his death and blood, at said place. Therefore, at the glorious appearing of Christ from heaven, he shall receive the glorious crown, which no man shall ever take from him; and having been thus planted with Christ in the likeness of His death, he shall also forever be a partaker with Him of .the glorious resurrection. Revelation 20:4; Acts 1:11.;J1 Thess. 1:10; 2 Timothy 4:8; John 16:22; Romans 6:5.