profitable chastisement is for us, yea, so necessary and profitable
that we can not be children of God unless we are chastened by our
God and heavenly Father, as is clearly declared in these words: “For
what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if he be without
chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not
sons.” With this accord the words of Judith, namely: that Abraham was
tried by many tribulations, and became the friend of God; so also
Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and all that pleased God were found faithful
through many tribulations. Judith 8:26. But those who did not receive
their trial in the fear of the Lord, and showed their impatience and
the evil of their murmurings against the Lord, were destroyed by
the destroyer, and killed by the serpents. 1 Cor. 10:6; Num. 21:6.
Therefore, as gladly as we have God for our Father, so readily must we
receive the chastisement of our heavenly Father; and as unwillingly
as we would be counted bastards by God, so unwillingly must we also
be to be without chastisement and correction, and so willing must we
also be to be tried by tribulation. In short, as much as we love God
and the salvation of our souls, and as much as we fear the punishment
of God, so cheerfully must we receive all sufferings imposed upon us
by God, and remember that Christ says: “He that taketh not his cross,
and followeth after me, cannot be my disciple.” Matt. 10:38; 16:24;
Mark 8:54; Luke 9:23. Also: Whosoever will save his life shall lose
it; but whosoever loses his life in this world, for the Gospel’s sake,
shall save it forever. Where now are the false Christians, who do
not lose their life for Christ’s sake, and still think to keep it in
eternity? Yea, so Saul thought that he could please the Israelites,
and still remain the friend of God; but God rejected him for his
double-mindedness. 1 Sam. 15:26. Thus they may also think to save their
temporal life, and still obtain eternal life; but they shall find
themselves disappointed in their hope. O Lord God, how can men be so
blinded as to so love this transient life, seeing they know neither the
day nor hour when they must die; even as the apostle James says that
this life is but a vapor, which appears for a little time, and then
vanishes away. Jesus Sirach also says that our life, compared with the
days of eternity, is as dust or as a grain of sand to all the sand of
the sea, or as a drop of water unto all the water of the sea. What then
is man! and what is his beauty? or what are his possessions on which he
would rely?
Since then our life is so uncertain and brief, it is a lamentable
matter, that men take so much care for it, and bestow so little thought
upon the eternal life. This is partly owing to false teachers and
deceitful laborers, the adversaries of Christ and his apostles, who
openly teach that Christians are not to suffer any more.
They shall be confounded with their people, who prophesy lies in the
name of the Lord; they shall be punished with Zedekiah and Ahab who
shamefully sin, and seduce the Israel of God, causing them to trust in
vain things. They shall be put to shame with the Egyptian magicians,
who now resist the truth, even as they resisted Moses. They shall be
accursed with Balaam the son of Bosor, who with him forsake the right
way, and go in crooked paths; yea, they shall sink into hell with
Dathan, Korah, and Abiram, who with them caused contention and offense
in the church of God, and despise the godly doctrine of Jesus Christ,
by which they awaken, the wrath of the Almighty God, and treasure up
unto themselves the wrath of God against the day when Christ Jesus
shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming
fire, taking vengeance on them that knew not God, and obeyed not
the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 2:5; Matt. 25:31; 2 Peter
3:4; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–10); who shall suffer pain and everlasting
destruction from the presence of the Lord, when he shall come to be
glorified in his glory, and glorified in all them that believe in him.
Is. 2:10; Wis. 5:2.
Now, who are these unbelievers, who do not believe the Gospel of Jesus
Christ, and shall therefore suffer everlasting pain? They are those
who now do not observe the commandments of Jesus Christ, and will not
suffer for the name of God, or confess the truth according to the
instruction of the Gospel; hence Christ shall also not confess them,
or know them before his Father, and before his angels, with whom he
shall come from heaven, to punish such unfaithful and fearful servants,
and to glorify the faithful and valiant soldiers, who have come out
of great tribulation, and have washed and purified their robes in the
blood of the Lamb. Matt. 10:33; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; 2 Tim. 2:12;
Matthew 25:31; Rev. 7:14. Therefore are they before the throne of God,
and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the
throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither
thirst any more; neither shall the sun lighten them, nor any heat.
For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and
shall lead them unto living fountains of water; and God shall wipe
away all tears from their eyes. Rev. 7:15–17; Is. 49:10. The prophet
Esdras says: “I Esdras saw upon the mount Sion a great people, whom I
could not number, and they all praised the Lord with songs. And in the
midst of them there was a young man of high stature, taller than all
the rest, and upon every one of their heads he set crowns, and was more
exalted; which I marveled at greatly. So I asked the angel, and said,
Sir, What are these? He answered and said unto me, These be they that
have put off the mortal clothing, and put on the immortal, and have
confessed the name of God: now are they crowned, and receive palms.
Then said I unto the angels, What young person is it that crowneth
them, and giveth them palms into their hands? So he answered and said
unto me, It is the Son of God, whom they have confessed in the world.
Then began I greatly to commend them that stood so stiffly for the name
of the Lord.” 2 Esdras 2:42–47; Matt. 16:16; 10:32; Mark 8:29.
O what joy and glory are prepared for all pious Christians! Who now
is so faint hearted and fearful, as to be unwilling to suffer a
little for such joy and glory? It is indeed true, that suffering and
tribulation are hard for the flesh; but we must remember the words of
Paul: “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but
grievous; nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of
righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” Heb. 12:11.
Christ says the same to his apostles: “Verily, verily, I say unto
you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice; and
ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A
woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come:
but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more
the anguish, for joy that a man is born unto the world. And ye now
therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall
rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.” John 16:22–24; Is. 26:17.
Behold, all ye believers, who now suffer tribulation, anguish and
persecution for the truth, for a little season, consider these words,
and take comfort: do not let it terrify or grieve you, and though
tribulation is not pleasing to the flesh, remember that for a little
sorrow you shall receive eternal joy; yea, remember that it is written:
“The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall
no torment touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seem to die;
and their departure is taken for misery, and their going from us to be
utter destruction: but they are in peace. For though they be punished
in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality, and having
been a little chastised they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved
them, and found them worthy for himself. As gold in the furnace hath
he tried them, and received them as a burnt offering. And in the time
of their visitation, they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks
among the stubble. They shall judge the nations and have dominion over
the people, and their lord shall reign forever. They that put their
trust in him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in
love shall abide with him: for grace and mercy is to his saints.” Wis.
3:1–9; Deuteronomy 33:3; Phil. 1:21; Wis. 5:1; 1 Peter 1:7; Matt.
13:43; 1 Cor. 6:2. O what beautiful promises are these for all that
are persecuted for the truth; and how comforting are the promises made
to us by Christ in the Gospel, namely that we are blessed when we
mourn, for we shall be comforted; and that we are blessed when we are
persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for the kingdom of heaven is ours;
in short, that we are blessed when men shall despise and revile us,
and say all manner of evil against us falsely, for Christ Jesus’ sake;
then shall we rejoice and be exceedingly glad: for great is our reward
in heaven. Matt. 5:4,10–12; Luke 6:22; 1 Peter 2:20. Yea, great is our
reward, as Isaiah tells us: “that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath
prepared for them that love him.” Is. 64:4; 1 Cor. 2:9. And the prophet
David says: “O Lord, how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up
for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in
thee before the sons of men!” Ps. 31:19.
But how few now labor for this great glory? It is as represented in the
parable of the Lord, where it is said that the householder prepared a
supper to which he invited many, for all things were ready. But one had
bought a farm, and had to go and see it. Another had bought five yoke
of oxen, which he must needs go to prove. Another had married a wife,
and therefore could not come. But when the householder heard of this,
he was wroth, and said that none of those who would not come should
taste of his supper. Matt. 22:2; Luke 14;16; Revelation 19:7. O, what
severe judgment and sentence is uttered against all those who will
not come, despising the call of the Lord, and loving anything rather
than God; that is, those who for father, mother, brother, sister,
wife, child, wealth, poverty, praise, or reproach, forsake God, and
do not obey his voice; yea, who do not count all earthly things and
excellence, but dung, that they may win Jesus Christ, even as Paul did,
and also the Hebrews of whom the apostle says that they took joyfully
the spoiling of their goods, knowing that they had in heaven a better
and enduring substance. Matthew 10:37; Phil. 3:8; Heb. 10:35. But, O
God, how little do men now regard heavenly things. O, how little do
they think, what difference there will be between the righteous and the
wicked. Yea, there will be such a difference as the Lord has declared
through Isaiah. “Behold, my servants shall eat but ye shall be hungry;
behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty; behold, my
servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed; behold, my servants
shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart,
and shall howl for vexation of spirit.” Is. 65:13,14. Hence Christ
says in the Gospel: “There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth,
when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets,
in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.” Luke 13:28. O
how glad shall the pious Christians then be, who fight valiantly for
the name of Christ, and through him overcome: Yea, how glad, say we,
will they be, when they shall receive the beautiful promise of which
the Spirit of God says: “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of
the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Fear
none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall
cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have
tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give
thee a crown of life. To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of
the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a
new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
And he that overcometh and keepeth my words unto the end, to him will
I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of
iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even
as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He
that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will
not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his
name before my Father, and before his angels. Because thou has kept the
word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation,
which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the
earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that
no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in
the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write
upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which
is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I
will write upon him my new name. As many as I love, I will rebuke and
chasten; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth: be zealous
therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any
man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will
sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to
sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with
my Father in his throne.” Rev. 2:7,10,17,26–28; 3:5,10–12,19–21; Prov
3:12. Yea, my beloved brethren, that they shall shine as the sun in the
kingdom of their Father, and possess all things.
O how sorrowful will the persecutors of the Christians be, when the
righteous God will mete to them with the same measure with which they
measured to the Christians. Where shall murderous Cain then hide
himself, when the sorrowful and innocent blood of righteous Abel shall
cry unto God for vengeance against him? Where shall the Babylonian
whore, who now sits in her pleasure-house and pomp, and has become
drunken with the blood of his saints, and of the martyrs of Christ
Jesus, escape the punishment of God, when the Lord will avenge the
blood of his saints and witnesses, and require it at her hands? Which
shall undoubtedly come to pass, as has been said through the prophet:
“Behold, the innocent and righteous blood crieth unto me, and the souls
of the just complain continually. And therefore, saith the Lord, I will
surely avenge them, and receive unto me all the innocent blood from
among them.” 2 Esd. 15:8,9. Christ says: “Shall not the God avenge his
own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with
them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.” Luke 18:7,8. O
how fearful will the punishment be, with which the Almighty God will
avenge all the blood of his saints! How dearly had tyrannous Pharaoh
to pay for the blood, of the innocent children, which he had shed! Ex.
1:22; 14:28. How severely was Amalek punished, because he had shed
the innocent blood of the Israelites! 1 Sam. 15:33. The bloodthirsty
Jezebel was thrown into the field, so that the dogs licked her blood,
because she had shed innocent blood. 2 Kings 9:33. O Jerusalem, thou
that killest the prophets that are sent to thee, and stonest the
Levites, thou are therefore trodden down by the Gentiles, and art
become a sport unto all nations! Thus shall God punish those who now
shed innocent blood, and it shall come to pass as is written in the
book of Wisdom: “Then shall the righteous man stand in great boldness
before the face of such as have afflicted him, and made no account of
his labors. When they see it, they shall be troubled with terrible
fear, and shall be amazed at the strangeness of his salvation, so far
beyond all that they looked for. And they repenting and groaning for
anguish of spirit shall say within themselves. This was he, whom we had
sometimes in derision, and a proverb of reproach: we fools accounted
his life madness, and his end to be without honor: How is he numbered
among the children of God, and his lot is among the saints! Therefore
have we erred from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness
hath not shined unto us, and the sun of righteousness rose not upon
us. We wearied ourselves in the way of wickedness and destruction: yea,
we have gone through deserts, where they lay no way, but as for the way
of the Lord, we have not known it. What hath pride profited us? or what
good hath riches with our vaunting brought us?” Wis. 5:1–8.
All these things shall they say; who are in hell, having sinned: “For
the hope of the ungodly is like dust that is blown away with the wind;
like a thin froth that is driven away with the storm; like as the smoke
which is dispersed here and there with the tempest, and passeth away as
the remembrance of a guest that tarrieth but a day. But the righteous
live forever more; their reward also is with the Lord, and the care of
them is with the Most High. Therefore shall they receive a glorious
kingdom, and a beautiful crown from the Lord’s hand: for with his right
hand shall he sever them, and with his arm shall he protect them.” Wis.
5:14–16. O unfathomable grace of the Almighty God! O unspeakable love
of the heavenly father, how abounding is thy grace, and how infinite is
thy goodness, that thou hast prepared such glory for thine elect? Who
can thank thee aright for all the benefits which thou hast so richly
shown us, and dost still daily show? Blessed be thy name forever.
Therefore we pray and admonish all pious Christians, all who love their
salvation, to deny themselves, to take up their cross, and to follow
Christ Jesus, and thus to do the will of God, that we may receive the
promise. Let no one be afraid of or terrified by the ungodly tyrants;
but let each do as Matthias taught his sons, saying: “Now, therefore,
my sons, be ye zealous for the law, and give your lives for the
covenant of your fathers. Call to remembrance what acts our fathers
did in their time; so shall ye receive great honor and an everlasting
name. Fear not then the words of a sinful man: for his glory shall be
dung and worms. To-day he shall be lifted up, and to-morrow he shall
not be found, because he is returned into his dust, and his thought is
come to nothing. Wherefore, ye my sons, be valiant, and show yourselves
men in behalf of the law; for by it shall ye obtain glory.” 1 Macc.
2:50,51,62–64.
O ye pious Christians, take these words of God to heart, and arm
yourselves therewith, to do battle for righteousness, even unto death,
and God shall fight for you and subdue your enemies. “And fear not them
who are able to kill the body, and after that, have no more than they
can do; but fear the Almighty God, the righteous Lord and Judge, who
is able to cast soul and body into eternal perdition.” Matt. 10:28;
Luke 12:4,5. Him alone let us fear, and walk in his ways, serving him
in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life; yea, suffering
death for his name, that we may say with Paul: “I have fought a good
fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth
there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord Christ
shall give me.” 2 Tim. 4:7,8. May God, the Father of mercy, and the God
of all comfort, by whom it is given unto us, not only to believe on
him, but also to suffer for his name, strengthen, confirm and establish
us with his holy spirit, that we may not become weary of suffering for
the truth, but continue steadfast unto the end, and rejoice with all
the pious and true saints, when we are reviled and persecuted for the
name of Christ Jesus. This grant us the Almighty Father, through Jesus
Christ his only begotten Son, our Savior, unto whom be glory, majesty,
blessing, the kingdom, and everlasting dominion, Amen.
Be manful, strong, and very courageous, to keep and do all things,
even the words and the law of God. Depart not thesefrom, neither to
the right nor to the left; add not thereto, nor take away therefrom,
that you may act wisely. Whithersoever you go, be not terrified, and
fear not, for the Lord your God is with you, when you pass through the
waters, or into the fire; and though through hypocrisy or dissimulation
you may now evade pain and punishment, you can neither alive nor dead
escape the power of Almighty God. 1 Pet. 3:14; 2 Macc. 6:26.
Therefore let us forsake all that is in this world, for it lieth in
wickedness; and let each take up his cross, and follow Jesus Christ;
for he is nigh unto and with all those who are in distress, and
will deliver them, and bring them to honor, if they are of a broken
heart, and contrite spirit. O what great comfort is it, to have such
a powerful and faithful companion, and what great honor is it, that
he himself will so kindly aid us! But we must know that our Lord
Christ Jesus is our Companion and Helper only at his own proper time,
according to the counsel of the divine will and pleasure, in which he
has ordered everything after one measure and weight; for even as he is
the head of the holy church, and beholds her sufferings, so he has also
appointed the number, measure, and weight, how far he will permit the
wicked to go, how far they shall reach, and not longer nor farther,
even as the Babylonian captivity should continue seventy years. Jer.
29:10. Yea, when the distress is at its height, and men think that God
has utterly forsaken and forgotten them, at this very time the help of
God is nearest them; yea, properly speaking, the Lord comforts before
and in the midst of all affliction, for the Christian has in his heart
the Spirit of God, the fountain of living water, by which he is always
refreshed, comforted, rejoiced, and made glad. John 4:10; 7:37; 2 Cor.
7:7. Yea, the more sufferings increase, the greater the help and aid we
receive; “for God will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are
able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that we
may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13. Behold, in these words
Paul tells us for our great consolation, that God will not suffer us
to be assailed or tempted above that we are able to bear; “for if the
sufferings of Christ abound in us, our consolation also abounds by
Jesus Christ our Lord.” 2 Cor. 1:5.
As a captain makes his soldiers valiant by encouraging words and
promises, how then should not the true and faithful God make us manful
and strong by his divine word of the Gospel, which is the power of
God unto salvation to every one that believeth. Rom. 1:16. Yea, the
righteous God does not stop at mere words, but is present with us with
his Spirit, who, as an earnest, assures our hearts of his divine grace
and help, and strengthens our weakness. Eph. 1:13; Gal. 4:6; Rom.
8:23; 2 Cor. 1:22. For if the devil, by his lying spirit, so animates
men, that they are perfectly willing to commit wickedness, though it
cost their life; why should not the grace of God, by his true Spirit,
make us equally ready unto every good work, in all distresses and
tribulations? This the gracious God also does, not only through his
Spirit, but also through angels, stars, elements, beasts, men, and all
manner of creatures. For instance, Elisha said to his servant: “Fear
not: for they that be with us are more than they that come against us.”
2 Kings 6:16. The Red Sea and Jordan divided, so that the children of
Israel passed through them dry-shod. The sun and the moon stood still
for Joshua at the time when he defeated the five kings. Elijah was
miraculously fed by the ravens. The children of Israel were delivered
by the hand of a woman from their wicked enemies. Judith 14:18. God the
Lord generally comforts men through their fellows: for all the saints
and Christians on earth have fellowship with one another, in adversity
as well as in prosperity; for when one suffers pain and grief, he
suffers it not alone, but Christ and all Christians suffer it with
him. For he says in the Gospel: Ye have fed, clothed, entertained, and
comforted me. And all Christians are one body, one bread, one drink in
the Lord Christ Jesus. Acts 9:4; Matt. 25:35; 1 Cor. 10:17.
Now if Christ Jesus our Lord frequently spent whole nights in prayer,
and also prayed in the garden before his death, we should also pray
without ceasing, especially in our distress, to the Father of lights,
from whom alone is every good and perfect gift, that he may forgive
our sins, for the death of his dear Son, who was delivered for our
offenses, and was raised for our justification. Matt. 14:23; Luke 6:12;
Matt. 26:36; Mark 14:32; Luke 22:41; 1 Thess. 5:17; Jas. 1:17; Rom.
4:25.