This church has now for a time suffered much sorrow; may the complaint ascend to the merciful Father in heaven, concerning the misery and sadness that have come upon Zion. But the God of all grace be praised for his great mercy which he has yet shown the church at Antwerp, which continues still in good peace and unity (as I think); wherefore there is great joy and gladness there according to the spirit, but great distress according to the flesh. For the Lord tries his people with tribulation and distress, as Christ says: “They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known my Father, nor me.” John 16:2,3. For if they had known him, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Corinthians 2:8. And though the persecution is not so severe in some places, the Lord can nevertheless try men by other means, by strife, discord, strutting and boasting, reveling and banqueting, in short by carnal works, all of which are not according to our vocation. Not, dear friends, that I would here accuse any one; but out of brotherly love we exhort every one; for before God nothing can be hid, for he will bring to light all that is done in secret. 1 Cor. 4:5.
Therefore, my dear friends, let us not deceive the Lord; for his eyes are as a flame of fire, and he is a mighty, powerful and strong God, and sees everywhere in secret and openly; hence he may well be feared, for he has not spoken a single word in vain, as he says by the prophet, that the word which goeth forth out of his mouth does not return unto him void, but does accomplish all that he pleases. Rev. 1:14; Is. 55:11.
My affectionately beloved brethren and sisters in the Lord, receive this letter from your poor, weak brother in good part; for it has been written at the request of some brethren, if peradventure you might be comforted and refreshed a little by our simple epistle, for we have written these few lines out of cordial affection, and because we should exhort one another while it is called to-day; for we hope soon, by the grace of the Lord, here to put off our flesh. Heb. 3:13; 2 Pet. 1:14.
O friends, the way that leads into life is so strait and narrow; but the way that leads into hell is so broad and easy for the flesh. Truly indeed does the prophet Isaiah say, that hell has opened wide her mouth, and both princes and the common people descend into it, yea, they go to hell like sheep to the slaughter. Is. 5:14.
Hence, my dear friends, let us take diligent heed, that we may not have received the grace of God in vain; but let us constantly remember the days of our illumination, and how little we then were in our own eyes, when we humbled ourselves under the mighty hand of God, yielding up ourselves entirely, to serve the Lord in holiness and righteousness acceptable before him. Heb. 10:32; 1 Pet. 5:6; Luke 1:75. For we were then all like Saul when he was anointed king, who was of the least of the tribes of Israel and little in his own eyes. But when he became proud, the Lord rejected him. For the Lord said to Samuel: “Go and tell Saul to destroy Amalek from the earth, both man and beast.” But Saul followed his own judgment and spared the king, and the best of the oxen, and of the sheep, to sacrifice them to the Lord; whereby he transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and was disobedient to his voice, notwithstanding the Lord desired obedience and not sacrifice, 1 Sam. 15.