Therefore Christ rightly spake: “If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also; for the servant is not greater than his lord, nor the disciple above his master.” John 15:20; Matthew 10:24. For the angel said to Tobit: “Since thou didst please God, thou couldst not remain without temptation.” Tob. 12:13. For it is written: Temptation alone teaches to observe the word. Is. 28:19. Therefore, my dear wife, take these words to heart, and mark them well, namely, how the Lord has visited his own in many ways, and how well he is pleased, when his children show obedience in all things, and willingly receive chastisement, and do not seek to escape from the cross of Christ, but gladly and willingly take his yoke upon them; and who are so minded, that through the great love and firm confidence which they have to Christ Jesus, they will far rather forsake all that they have in the world, father, mother, sister, brother, husband, wife, children, yea, even their own life, with all that they possess, and, moreover, endure and suffer all that comes upon them, tribulation, distress, persecution, sorrow, and affliction. O how gloriously will God receive those who have become so poor for Christ’s sake. O how rich shall he make them; for as they are humbled with him, and for his sake, so shall they be exalted and made glorious with him. As they have confessed him in the world, so shall he also confess them before his Father which is in heaven; and they shall shine forth with him as the sun in the Father’s throne (Matt. 13:43), and shall be clothed in white raiment, because they have overcome through their faith (1 John 5:4), even as John writes: “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” Revelation 7:9–17.
O my dear sister, this is a sure sign that we must here weep first, if the Lord is to wipe away the tears; as Esdras also saw upon the mount Sion a great people, whom he could not number; and they all praised the Lord with songs. And in the midst of them there was a young man of a high stature, taller than all the rest, and upon every one of their heads he set crowns, and was more exalted; at which he marveled greatly. Then he asked the angel and said: “Lord, what are these?” He said: These be they that have put off the mortal clothing, and put on the immortal, and have confessed the name of God: now are they crowned, and receive palms. Then said I unto the angel, What young person is it that crowneth them, and giveth them palms in their hands? Then the angel spake: It is the Son of God, whom they have confessed in the world. Then began I greatly to commend them that stood so stiffly for the name of the Lord. 2 Esd. 2:42–47. Behold, my dear and in God beloved wife and sister in the Lord, here you hear the beautiful promises of the Lord, which he has promised all them that suffer for his holy name, and endure it with patience. Hence Paul has truly written: “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.” 2 Tim. 2:12.