Come now, ye earthly-minded and ungodly, and learn here to become heavenly and godly-minded; ye impenitent, learn here to repent, and believe in Jesus Christ. Hither must come also all the self-willed, who, from a prejudiced opinion of their own do not consider the external commandments and ordinances of Christ as necessary, saying that there is not more required than repentance and faith, or a so-called irreproachable civil life. These shall learn here that the external commandments of Christ must be united with the internal, that is, the signs with the things signified; or, to express it clearly: one must be baptized on his faith and repentance; must keep the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of him, etc.; for herein the holy martyrs were to them an example.[14]
[14] As we cannot look at heaven and earth at the same time, nor stand at once upon the mountain and in the valley, even so it is impossible to serve God and the world at the same time. Our Savior says: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind,” Matt. 22:37. Concerning this it should be observed that if we must love God with all our heart, then no love for the world or sinful flesh may remain.
Here the passionate must learn patience and meekness from the most patient and meek, who endured without murmuring the greatest reproach and ignominy, yea, even death. Here the unmannered are taught modesty; the proud, humility; the discontented, contentment; the avaricious, benevolence; the insatiably rich, voluntary poverty; those who live after their lusts, the forsaking of all carnal desires; the irreligious, piety; and the wavering and inconstant, steadfastness unto the end in all these things.
All this can be learned here, not so much by words as by deeds, from those who not only commenced the above virtues, but continued in them unto the end, yea, confirmed them through their death, and sealed them with their blood.