Love your enemies, and pray for those who speak evil of you, and afflict you. Rather suffer wrong, than that you should grieve another; rather suffer affliction than that you should afflict another; rather be reproached, than that you should reproach another; rather be slandered, than that you should slander another; rather be robbed, than that you should rob another; rather be beaten, than that you should beat another, and so forth.
Behold, my most beloved, all this is wrought through brotherly love, and is all comprehended in the second commandment; hence, you must constantly see that you do not seek solely your own profit, but always care for those with whom you have dealings, whether they be young or old.
Further, my dear children, Betgen and Tanneken, my beloved lambs, I admonish you in all these same things, as that you obey the commandments of the Lord, and also obey your uncle and aunt, and your elders, and all who instruct you in virtue. To those whose bread you eat, you must be subject in all that is not contrary to God. Always diligently admonish yourselves to do your work, and you will be loved wherever you live. Be not quarrelsome, or loquacious, or light minded: or proud, or surly of speech, but kind, honorable and quiet, as behooves young girls. Pray the Lord for wisdom, and it shall be given you. Diligently learn to read and write, and take delight therein, and you will become wise. Take pleasure and engage in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Seek for the _only_ joy. Learn to please the Lord from your youth, as did the holy women and virgins, as Judith. Judith 8.
Esther also was a virgin who feared God; she was adorned with humility, was gracious, honorable, kind, and humble of heart; hence she pleased King Ahasuerus above all the other virgins. Esther 2:17. But in her high estate she was not proud; though she shone in royal apparel, she humbled her heart, with fasting and prayer to the Lord, for her brethren, that they might be delivered out of the hands of their enemies; she did not esteem herself better than one of the least of her brethren.
See, my most beloved, when you have attained the years of understanding, see that you adorn yourselves with good works, namely, the works of the Spirit, that is, with all manner of goodness, gentleness, meekness, humility, obedience, long suffering, righteousness, modesty, honorableness, purity, peaceableness, steadfastness, mercifulness, wisdom, diligence in good works, faith, hope and love; to love God above all that is in the world, and to do to your neighbor as you would have men do unto you, on which hang all the law and the prophets. Gal. 5:22,23; Matt. 22:37,40.
Behold, my dear children, this is the adornment of the saints, etc.
O my most beloved, labor for such a wedding garment, so that you may enter in among the number of the children of God to the marriage of the Lamb, where they shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Rev. 19:7; Matthew 13:43.
May the strong hand of the Lord bring you to this; may he lead you as he led Israel out of Egypt, and bring you to the New Jerusalem, that we may see each other with joy in the day of the resurrection.
Herewith I commend you to the Lord, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; may he keep you to the end of your lives. Amen.
My dear children, this I leave you as a memorial or testament. If you put it to good use, you will gather more treasure by it, than if I had left you many riches, which are perishable; for the riches of this world may be lost through fire, war, or misfortune.