The Life and Dying of Mientje Vrijdag (3)

It was a heavy blow for her—so young, and to lose her husband after such a short marriage. She then had a time that she mourned greatly. She was full of sorrow and she grieved deeply. Because of this she lost the sweet communion with God. For several months she could not agree with God’s doings. Her flesh wasted away because of the bodily grief and sorrow. Finally, it pleased the sovereign God in Christ to humble her by Word and Spirit. She could bow and humble herself under God in self-abasement. She was again placed in the freedom, and because of the supplications of her eldest Brother, in His blood the sin of rebellion was washed away, and she might again see and meet the atoning countenance of God the Father. Thereupon it followed that she was able to walk in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. In this manner she was, by renewal, refined and purified.

That rebellion never returned, but she had continual spiritual communion with her husband above, and she longed to again be together without sinful flesh to glorify God. Because of this, she spoke much about her husband. All this gave her a place in God’s Church early in her life. In all of Rijssen, and later in the Netherlands, this widow was highly esteemed because of the work of grace. In her own estimation, she always had the lowest place among God’s people. For her they were the holy ones who sat in the high places. She was a planting of God and a cornerstone in God’s house. She was exercised under much strife, but also in the Word of righteousness. More and more she was led into the Rock, Christ Jesus. The fire of the Spirit burned in her continually. She had much freedom in faith. She also was a deeply led soul in God and the covenant mysteries. She was very clear in the exercises of faith. Her knowledge of faith was also very discerning and practical. She had become deeply knowledgeable in what were legalistic grounds and also in the way of atonement and godliness. She had a great love in searching out God’s Word and was a lover of the God ordained ordinances. It was a joy for her to sit under the truth. Her greatness existed in her humble nothingness, and then, that close uniting in faith with Christ.

She was made to bear fruit unto Him. In that way she walked in faith and love with her God. That walking with Him was a walking in the Spirit. She was an exercised soul in the dying of the works of the flesh through the power of Jesus’ blood that flowed forth out of the use of the merits of the Mediator. That gave her great liberty with a deep humility. In this she was continually warning, arousing, or objecting. She had a deep insight into the fall of Adam and in her heart, but over against that, very clear revelations of the depth of God. She had a clear insight into the breach and decay in the church along with a deep insight into the judgments of God, both Fatherly as well as judiciously. Clearly the Lord showed her the judgments which had come as well as those which were still to come. At such times, she was very serious in her warnings. Through grace her garments were undefiled from her heritage and from barrenness in her life. She saw the seductive, depraved spirit of the times which had departed so far from the God of the forefathers. When she spoke of that and had entered into prayer, she was as a watered garden. She never shook off the judgment of the Church and nation, but was before God’s Spirit so deeply humbled that she bowed under the judgments as a deeply guilty person. No one dared to come against her at such a time, for so much flowed from her that showed she had the knowledge of it. She did not stand above the breach—she did not speak about it in that manner—but out of the breach. She carried the guilt out of her heart before God.

She also had the grace and virtue that she was sound and upright. She never spoke about anyone behind his or her back but spoke compassionately to the face. She could not go through uneven ways, for then she was a rebuking tongue. She spoke with praise and respect of God’s servants and people. She was very sharp in her warnings against backbiting or errors, but also for speaking about more than a person had personally experienced. Her life was edifying. She spoke lowly of herself but loftily of God. In conventicles and in houses of mourning she was edifying with a deep humility.

(To be continued)

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