Grace, joy and peace from God the heavenly Father, and our dear Lord Jesus Christ, who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood; together with the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, who proceeds from both the Father and the Son, to comfort all them that are in tribulation and sorrow for his holy names’ sake. To him be praise, honor, glory, dominion, power, and majesty, forever and ever. Amen.
This, and other divine virtues I wish you as a friendly greeting, my very dear beloved brother W., and your dear wife I.; informing you, that I am still tolerably well according to the time, for which reason I thank and praise the Lord for his great grace which he shows me, poor, weak and feeble servant; trusting that also you are well. Know further, that I learned in my bonds, that Fra. sent word to Jo. Ca., that he should look to his advantage, and that they would do likewise. Having received this message, Jo. immediately fell sick, insomuch that he was paralyzed in one side, and also lost his mind, so that he took in and received the idol, and, consequently, received the extreme unction, as a good son of the Romish church, and died the 9th of August, for a perpetual warning to us and all the godfearing. Oh! my soul was very sad when I heard it. It is just as Christ says: “Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it.” Luke 17:33. Hence, dear brother and sister, let us take diligent heed, that we have not received the grace of God in vain; for now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. Let us therefore not give offense to any one, but in all things approve ourselves as the ministers of God. 2 Cor. 6:1. Let every one strive to excel in good works; for whatsoever good a man has done, the same shall he receive twofold from the Lord. Hence let us always take heed to and follow the words of Christ, where he says: Fear not them that kill the body; but rather fear him, which after he hath killed hath power also to cast soul and body into hell. Luke 12:4,5. Let us stand in awe of and fear him, I say; for before him ungodliness cannot stand. But few there are that lay it to heart, even as it has also been from the beginning, as in the time of Noah, when there were but eight righteous persons. Again, in the time of Sodom, when there were only three who could stand before the Lord. Likewise the children of Israel, who were God’s peculiar people; the Lord did not spare them, but destroyed them in the wilderness, so that of six hundred thousand only two entered into the promised land, namely Joshua and Caleb. O my dear brother and sister, how many there are falling also in the wilderness of this world, though they were also delivered by the Red Sea, namely, by the blood of Christ. And this need not surprise us, since the Scriptures testify, that the present world was created for many men, but the future for few. For it is indeed just as the angel showed Esdras, namely, a city builded upon a broad field, full of all good things; the entrance thereof was narrow and steep, as if there were a fire on the right hand, and on the left a deep water, so that there was only one narrow path between them both, so small that but one man could go there at once; which city no man could or might receive for an inheritance, except he first pass that strait. 2 Esdras 7:6–9. O my brother, now we are on the narrow way, which is strait indeed, which no one knows better than he that is tried therein; for we are now under the test; the almighty God grant us his grace, that we may not be found to be hay, straw and stubble, but gold, silver and precious stones. 1 Cor. 3:12. O my dear friends, the flesh is indeed afraid; but when we consider and meditate on the beautiful promises which are promised to them that overcome and remain steadfast, they sweeten every pain; for now no chastening for the present, says Paul, seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Heb. 12:11.