O that we might take an example from Esau, who sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. O how little did he esteem his salvation; but afterwards, when he sought it with tears, he was rejected; for he found no place of repentance. Gen. 25:33; 27:38; Heb. 12:17. But, dear sister, let us diligently take heed, that we hold fast that which we have, which has been given us from above of him who is the giver of all good. Rev. 2:25; James 1:5,17. And if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hears us, in whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petition that we desire of him. 1 John 5:14,15. Is this not a gracious Lord? Yes, assuredly, and he is a Lord rich over all them that call upon him; only place your trust firmly upon him, and put your will into God’s will, and all will be well.
Therefore, my dear sister in the Lord, be steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Cor. 15:58. For you shall receive reward by it. Matt. 20:9. If you sow to the Spirit, you shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Gal. 6:8. If we sow in tears, we shall reap with joy; for our shame we shall receive honor, and for confusion we shall rejoice, says the prophet. Is. 61:7. O let us be content then--we shall be such a glorious people; and with patience wait for it, and think of the glorious promise that he has promised us. 1 John 2:25. He also will do it, he will not delay his promise (2 Peter 3:9); only let us continue valiantly, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer, not slothful in our business, but fervent in spirit, a burning love in our hearts (Romans 12:10, etc.), and the Lord through love grounded and rooted in us (Eph. 3:17), so that no one may be able to separate us from the love of God, nothing of all that may come upon us for the name of Jesus Christ, and for his testimony. Romans 8:35. Let therefore no one beguile us of our reward, but let us evince from our faith virtue, and let our moderation be known unto all men. Colossians 2:18; 2 Peter 1:5; Philip. 4:5. The Lord is at hand, be careful for nothing; for it is soon over; our time, dear sister, is so short, if we well consider it. 1 Cor. 7:29. Hence let us pass our short time in the fear of God, and be sober and vigilant; for our adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith. 1 Peter 5:8,9. As James says: resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7. Yes, dear sister, he walks about us very craftily; now with this, now with that, whether outwardly or inwardly with our evil flesh, which is our greatest enemy, with whom we have most to contend; the Spirit against the flesh, the flesh against the Spirit: these are contrary the one to the other, so that we do not the things that we would. Gal. 5:17. But Paul gives us comfort, when he says: Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. v. 16. O that we were as fervent in spirit, as diligent in good works, in seeking eternal life, as we are in seeking earthly treasures, worldly things, which must nevertheless perish and remain here; and that we might love God’s commandments above gold or precious stones; we should be such blessed children, we should continually have less and less conflict. But alas! it is sometimes the case, that greater endeavors are made for these temporal things, than for the abiding riches that are in heaven, which shall nevertheless endure forever. In writing this I do not mean that this is the case with you; for I well perceive that you seek the Lord with all your heart. Hence, my dear sister, let us lay to heart the words of the apostle, who warns us against the tempter; lest we also be deceived by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his devices (2 Cor. 2:11), that is, that he aims to capture God’s children in his net by lies and envy, since he has been the father of lies from the beginning (John 8:44), as he has shown in the case of the first man, as is written in Wisdom: “God created man for eternal life; but through the envy of the devil death came into the world; and they that are of his part do follow him. 2:23,24. Thus he also comes to us with his emissaries, with whom we have a hard conflict, yea, those who went out from us being the most troublesome to us, so that we find that the Scripture is fulfilled, namely, that in the latter days it should be as John says: “Little children it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” 1 John 2:18,19. See, dear sister, thus the apostle warns us; for they are not all Abraham’s children that are of Abraham’s seed. Rom. 9:7.