Behold how he fared, and likewise all the pious before and after him; his birth was poor and miserable; immediately he had to flee from Herod, who sought his life; when he suffered, he had not where to rest his head, and the thanks for all his great and glorious benefits were that they called him a deceiver, wine-bibber, Samaritan, and one who had a devil, besides, he had to expect being stoned by them, until they, when the time was fulfilled, condemned him to the most shameful death. And previous to the law, pious Abel had to suffer from his brother Cain, who killed him, out of pure hatred and envy, because his brother’s works were good and acceptable to God, and his own evil and rejected. And all the dear prophets, who practiced and maintained the word of God, had likewise to suffer much, without any respect of persons. Micaiah, who alone was found true among four hundred false prophets, in the days of King Ahab, was beaten by Zedekiah, and afterwards cast into prison. 1 Kings 22:24. Elijah, the only true prophet among the four hundred and fifty false priests of Jezebel (1 Kings 18:19), also had to suffer much; so that Paul may well say (for he had experienced it himself) that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution. 2 Tim. 3:11.
This also all other pious witnesses of Christ experienced, and remained steadfast unto the end; wherefore, according to the Scriptures (James 1:12), the crown is prepared for them, since Christ’s own mouth declares that he that shall endure unto the end, shall be saved; he that overcometh shall inherit all things, shall be clothed in white, and shall eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of paradise. Matt. 24:13; Rev. 21:7; 2:7.
Consider this, my beloved son; meditate night and day, how to die unto the world, and to fulfill the will of Christ. In the first place, and before everything else, beware of all false prophets and hypocrites, which in my time were the priests and monks, and who, I apprehend, will not be lacking in your time, so long as rich emoluments follow them. Do not believe them, for they deceive men, and murder their souls. My son, he that wrote you this, learned it by his own experience and investigation; he drank of this cup himself. Neither live among any sect, of whom there were many in my time already, as Lutherans, Zuinglians, and others, who, though they have a good semblance, yet, in fact, are evil and deadly poison. Look for the little flock, whose entire rule of life agrees with God’s commandments, and whose ordinance or sacrament is in conformity with the command of Christ and the practice of the apostles; this is the true church of Christ, without spot or wrinkle; this church is flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones. These also have teachers according to the teaching of Paul (1 Tim. 3:2), blameless in everything, who have obedient children and believing wives, who are strangers to litigations and processes, to cursing and swearing, to hatred and envy, to lying and cheating, to lasciviousness and adultery. There everything is love, peace, unity and truth, as Paul will teach you, which are the fruits of the Spirit.
My dear son and beloved child, this is my chief and last will, my testament to you, which I desire you to read diligently, to meditate well upon it, and to compare it to the Scriptures, in order to govern your steps in accordance with it. Mark well, my son, what I write: many will appear in the garb of good teachers, saying that they have medicine for your sick soul; but the ones that will profit you, are those who have the truth; adhere to them. Water and fire are set before you: stretch forth your hand unto whether you will, unto death or life. Sirach 15:16. This, my dear son, will at first be very hard for you to hear, since it is contrary to your first birth, which is of the flesh; but you must be born again, and converted, if you would enter into the kingdom of God. You cannot understand this so long as you are carnally-minded, yea, so long as you do not become the fool and enemy of the world. Dearly beloved son, I entreat you again, as I did before, to consider this, and to govern yourself in accordance with it. Out of a faithful father’s heart I have left you this, when about to depart from this world, and to die for the word of the Lord. May the Lord grant you, and all who read this, or hear it read, that they may take it to heart, act according to it, and be eternally saved.