Preface to Second Part

Dort, in the year 1659.

Christian Reader:

In this our address we shall present to you nothing new or uncommon, but what a certain lover of the holy and blessed martyrs communicated to his contemporaries in former times, for general edification, concerning the faith and steadfast death of many of them; except a few passages in the beginning, and also a little further on (which do not properly belong here, and to which we have affixed certain marks to prevent mistakes.) These we have omitted here, and we have added, in brackets [], something of our own, for which we stand ready to give an answer if required.

Having concluded a certain censure concerning those of Horn, the above writer speaks thus of the immovable confidence of the pious confessors of Jesus Christ:

"We are fully confident that all these witnesses were unanimous in regard to the essential articles of faith; they all believed in the one eternal, true God, the Father, and in His only Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. They all had respect to the sacrifice of the unspotted Lamb, in whom the Father had placed the reconciliation of our sins. They committed themselves, indeed, by the covenant of baptism they obligated themselves, to serve this Lord, whom the Father had ordained as their teacher and lawgiver. They waited for the blessed resurrection and glorious recompense promised to all those who, through the grace of the Spirit, in the race of the Christian calling, earnestly and steadfastly run for the prize set before them. And certainly, which is the most important, they showed by their deeds that they had not only a lip faith and a literal knowledge, which is found only in the brains of men, but an effective and true faith, which, dwelling also in the heart and mind, is inspired by love, and through which they, according to the example of the saints, conquered all things."

Proceeding to the sufferings of the martyrs, he says:

"Contemplate the suffering which these pious martyrs endured, and how wonderfully God worked with them; how manfully, constantly and patiently they fought, through the effective and ardent love of God, confirming the truth of what is said in Song of Songs 8, verse 6, namely, that 'Love is strong as death, and jealousy cruel as the grave.' For here you see as in a mirror that neither the longing and love of marriage, nor parental affection and concern, nor the welcome company of close and trusted friends, nor anything which God has put into His creatures for the delight of man, could move or restrain these heroes; but that they, despising all this, and separating from wife, children, relatives and friends, house and property, gave themselves up to severe bonds and imprisonment, to every adversity and hardship, to cruel tortures and martyrdom, undaunted by the threats of the most awful death on the one hand, and unmoved by the many fair promises to forsake the wholesome truth, the love of God, and the blessed hope on the other; so that they could freely say with the holy apostle Paul: 'Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?' Romans 8, verse 35. But they found and showed it to be true that, according to the testimony of the apostle, neither death, nor life, nor things present, nor things to come, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus. Verses 38 and 39. Through this love they overcame all things, and performed glorious deeds beyond the power of man. Weak women showed more than manly strength. Young women and young men in the bloom of youth were enabled, by the help of God, to despise the alluring world with all her fair and great promises; and these young and tender branches, by faith and patience, conquered the mighty of this world; the simple and unlearned confounded the learned doctors, so that these, frequently silenced by the truth, argued with threats of fire and sword, and, though in vain, defended themselves that way, showing in this manner their powerlessness and malice. Christ strikingly fulfilled in them the promise made to His disciples, Matthew 10, verse 19, namely, that He would give them what they should speak in that hour when they should be brought before kings and governors. In sight of scaffolds and wheels, of fire and sword, they fearlessly confessed the truth, so that the judges and inquisitors were sometimes astonished, sometimes confounded, and sometimes enraged and startled. Of this boldness the martyrs themselves boasted in their letters, thanking God; for, knowing their own weakness, they experienced the strength of God in the cross, so that they could take upon themselves with a composed, indeed with a joyful mind, that from which human nature seemed beyond measure to recoil and flee. Indeed, they were filled with such an overflowing and great joy, born in them through the unhindered contemplation of the heavenly glory in faith and hope, that they would have preferred no royal banquet to this parting feast.

They were endowed with such strength that even cruel and inhuman torture could not extort from them the names of their fellow brothers and sisters, so that, filled with divine and brotherly love, they sacrificed their bodies for their fellow believers. The brotherhood in general was so kindled with zeal and love by this, that each one, despising the earthly and looking to the heavenly, prepared his heart for the sufferings to which his brothers and sisters were subjected, and by which he himself was daily threatened. They avoided no danger in sheltering their fellow believers, visiting them in prison, calling boldly to them at the place of execution, and comforting and strengthening them with words of Scripture. The tyrants found themselves deceived in their design; they thought they could make these Christians apostatize; they put them into the assurance of their salvation; they supposed they could destroy and root out those who opposed them, but on the contrary they raised up more opponents; for many of the spectators at this spectacle of killing people who were harmless and of good name and report, indeed, who would rather die than do anything by which they thought they would offend God, were thereby brought to reflection, and so to investigation, and at last to conversion.

Besides these noble examples of love, patience and constancy, we find in their writings many devout lessons, edifying teachings and comforting admonitions, written in dark prisons, hurriedly and carelessly indeed, because of the inconvenience and the poor materials, but sealed with the most glorious mark, their own blood. Then the words have power and weight, when their truth is confirmed and attested by the deed. Seneca, in his letters, censures philosophizing with words and not with life as something shameful. Here you find words which devotion has penned, which the pressure of suffering has forced out of the inmost part of the heart; words which have not been warped or bent by worldly considerations or carnal passions, but which were sincerely and honestly spoken to their friends, at the end of life, as a last will, and confirmed with death. Husbands in tribulation consoled their wives, admonished them to godliness, and urged them on to steadfastness. Parents gave useful instructions to their children, and set before them the changeableness, vanity and perishableness of visible things; they taught, counseled and commanded them to forsake the world and the lusts of it, and to hold fast to God alone and serve Him, the supreme and only good. You perceive here how they were sometimes assaulted with many temptations and enticements, not only of wicked men, but of the devil; how the enemy of souls, bringing them upon the pinnacle of the temple, as it were, showed them the splendor and glory of this world, in order to entice them to worship this; Matthew 4, verses 5 and 8. How he sometimes, with the terror of impending suffering, assailed the soul with fearfulness, and how, by false imaginations, he tried to bring their minds to apostasy, despondency and despair; which these pious heroes, arming themselves with watching and constant prayer to God, valiantly overcame, fighting manfully through all temptations, promises and threats, even to death, and gaining the victory.

Now, just as reading about the pious fathers and meditating on them is very profitable in every case, so these persons stand as instructive and consoling examples for all who are visited with crosses and temptations. Here shining beacons of living faith, of sure hope, and of ardent love show themselves. Here the certainty of God's promises is seen, in fearless and joyful hearts, in the midst of suffering. Matthew 10, verse 19. Here is the steadfastness of the saints, whom Christ crowns with salvation. Matthew 24, verse 13. It is true, by the worldly-minded they are counted as filth and offscouring (First Corinthians 4, verse 13), and their actions are stigmatized as sheer folly and madness; but they comfort themselves in God, and rely on His promises. They have learned that the cross must be taken up in this way, if one would be worthy of Christ. Matthew 10, verse 38. They know that they are strangers and pilgrims in this world, First Peter 2, verse 11, and they remember the words of their Master, who says: "If you were of the world, the world would love his own; but because you are not of the world, therefore the world hates you" (John 15, verse 19). They are confident that if they lose their life here, they will find it again hereafter. Matthew 10, verse 39. They believe that we must confess the name of Christ, if we would have Him confess us before His heavenly Father. Matthew 10, verse 32. They know that their Lord and Master suffered Himself, leaving us an example that we should follow His steps; He was of such a mind that when He was reviled, He did not revile in return, and when He suffered, He did not threaten, but prayed for His enemies. First Peter 2, verses 21 and 23. They hold that if they would reign with Christ, they must suffer with Him here. Second Timothy 2, verse 12. They remember the words of Christ, that the servant is not greater than his master, Matthew 10, verse 24, and that therefore, as Christ suffered, they must arm themselves with the same mind. First Peter 4, verse 1. They know themselves to be defenseless sheep, a prey to the devouring wolves. But they do not fear those who can kill only the body; they fear Him who holds body and soul in His hand. Matthew 10, verse 28. They learned long ago that all who will live godly must suffer persecution. Second Timothy 3, verse 12. Christ foretold them that they would be hated by all men for His name's sake, indeed, that they would be delivered into tribulation, and be killed; and what is still more, that those killing them would think that they were doing God service. Hence they do not think it strange when they are tried by suffering; but they rejoice that they are partakers of the sufferings of Christ, knowing that, when His glory shall be revealed, they will also rejoice with Him. First Peter 4, verses 12 and 13. They glory in tribulation (Romans 5, verse 3), believing that thereby their faith is tried and refined. First Peter 1, verse 7. They experience that patient suffering begets a glad and constant hope, and that the cross, which to those who perish is foolishness, is to them the power of God for salvation (First Corinthians 1, verse 18); and they esteem it as the grace of God, when for conscience they suffer wrongfully. First Peter 2, verse 19. And though they are troubled, persecuted and cast down here, yet they are not in despair, forsaken, or destroyed; but with holy Paul they always carry about in their bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus, so that the life of the Lord Jesus might also be made manifest in their bodies. Second Corinthians 4, verses 8 to 11. They feel, in the abounding of the sufferings of Christ, an abounding consolation through Christ. Second Corinthians 1, verse 5. They believe that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the future glory. Romans 8, verse 18. Hence they arm themselves for tribulation and suffering, as true heroes of their captain, Jesus Christ. They have before them a great brotherhood, who finished their course in this way. Cain could not bear his brother's piety and favor with God, and killed him. Genesis 4, verse 8. Violence and oppression ruled the first world. Genesis 6, verse 13. Pious Lot had to be the sport and lust of the Sodomites. Genesis 19. David had to flee before Saul. The prophet Isaiah lamented already in his time that he who departed from evil had to be everyone's prey and derision. Many holy prophets and men of God had to endure persecution and martyrdom from the wicked, as holy Zacharias, Amos, Micah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and the three young men, Eleazar, the mother with her seven sons, and others, who need not be mentioned, since the time and age of the New Testament furnish abundant material in this respect. John, the forerunner of Jesus, had to offer his neck to the sword, in prison. Matthew 14, verse 10. Our captain of the faith, Jesus Christ, had to enter into His glory through much derision, disgrace and suffering, and ultimately through the most shameful death of the cross. His apostles and disciples, as the chronicles state, followed their Master. Peter and Paul were put to death by Emperor Nero. James, the brother of John, was killed with the sword by Herod. Acts 12, verse 2. Matthew was nailed to the earth, in India. Bartholomew was flayed. Andrew was crucified. Thomas was thrust through with darts. Philip was nailed to a cross, and then stoned to death. Simon Zelotes was scourged and crucified. James, the son of Alpheus, was cast down from the temple, at Jerusalem, and then beaten to death with sticks. Judas Thaddeus was killed, in Persia, by wicked heathen priests. Matthias also obtained the martyr's crown. Mark, the evangelist, was dragged about by a cord around his neck, at Alexandria, until he died. John, the apostle, banished to the island of Patmos, adorned the Gospel with suffering [as is recorded in detail in the first book, first century, in the account of the martyrs]. This was the way of the holy prophets. This is the path which our Savior and His messengers, and afterwards many disciples, trod. Polycarp, the disciple of John, was burned alive at Smyrna. Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, was torn by wild beasts [as is stated in the second century]. Even the Roman bishops, in the first three hundred years, were nearly all martyred, and subjected, with the common Christians, to persecution by the heathen Emperors [these, however, we commit to God]. Under the Emperor Diocletian there was such an awful persecution that it seemed as though the Christian name would be utterly wiped out; so that the first churches at the time of Emperor Constantine were so accustomed to persecution that they deliberately prepared themselves for suffering.

Since, then, the God-fearing who are visited with the cross have so many holy martyrs as predecessors; and since the cross is foretold to them; indeed, since such glorious promises are given to those who suffer, it is a little thing for them, who gladly acknowledge themselves soldiers under the bloody banner of Christ, to be slandered and ridiculed as fools. The Christian reader may here perceive and firmly conclude that the cross is also the ensign of those who serve and follow Jesus Christ, the Captain of the faith; and that, on the contrary, those who afflict others with crosses and sufferings do not belong to this Captain, but are under another leader. For the true Christians have never persecuted the innocent, but were always persecuted themselves; and in the primitive church, even in Constantine's time, when the bishops began to rise a little higher in the world, and were protected by the Emperor, it was considered an abomination to persecute anyone; they, however, suffered persecution themselves. It was then deemed such a detestable thing to put anyone to death or persecute him for heresy, that Bishop Ithacius was excommunicated and separated from the church, because he, through the tyrant Maximus, had brought about the death of Priscilian, the heretic; as the Roman cardinal, Caesar Baronius, describes very plainly in his church history, for the year 385.

He also states further that it is utterly incompatible with the meekness of a pastor. Again, that none of the holy fathers even commended it, that a clergyman should seek to bring a heretic to his death. So that, according to him, Saint Martin would have no fellowship with the aforesaid Ithacius or his adherents, because their hands were stained with the blood of Priscilian. And though, induced by the threats of the tyrant Maximus, Saint Martin pretended to have fellowship with Ithacius for an hour, he nevertheless afterward showed great regret for it, since he felt that as a result of his pretense the gift of healing was partly taken from him.

From this it is clearly evident how falsely they boast of being the successors of Christ and His apostles, and of the primitive church, they who have so abominably stained their hands with the blood of innocent people, people who only confessed and practiced the Gospel according to the full dictates of their conscience; indeed, people concerning whom the tyrants themselves frequently testified that their life was pious; that they would not willingly lie, or speak against their conscience; and that they were not arrested for any misdeeds, but only because they did not obey the mother, the holy church, and the decree of the Emperor. They are so far from being the true and apostolic church, that there is no surer mark of the false and antichristian church than the killing of heretics, or rather, of so-called heretics; for however abominable heresy may be, this is the most abominable of all. For what indeed is more opposed to the peaceable, meek, merciful, forgiving and revengeless character of Christ, than to persecute anyone for his faith? What can we conceive of that fights more against the holy laws and commandments of Christ, which consist chiefly in love, peace, humility, meekness, lowliness, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, and so on. If Christians are called (as they do) to repay hatred with love, evil with good, cursing with blessing; indeed, if they must, according to the doctrine of Christ, pray for those who oppress and persecute them; how, then, is it possible that they can remain Christians and themselves oppress and persecute others who have never laid a straw in their way? Can we believe that any trace, indeed any true knowledge, of the spirit and word of Christ remains where there is such a directly antichristian disposition and action? If, according to Christ, false prophets are to be known and judged by their fruits (Matthew 7, verse 16), there can be nothing by which they may more readily be distinguished than by their persecuting others; for they are witnesses to themselves, as Christ said to the Pharisees, that they are the children of those who killed the true prophets, and who fill up the measure of their fathers. Our Savior compares them to serpents and a generation of vipers, who cannot escape the damnation of hell. Matthew 23, verses 31 to 33. The disciples of Christ, who still held the hope of the establishing of an external and carnal Israel, asked their Lord whether they should, according to the example of Elias, command fire to come down from heaven upon those who did not receive Him. At this Christ earnestly rebuked them, saying: "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of man has not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." Luke 9, verses 54 to 56. But these heretic-killers, who boast of being the vice regents and followers of Christ, indeed doctors of divinity, dare, not only without asking Christ, but even against His express prohibition and example, to whet the sword and stir up the fire, not to murder those who refuse to receive Christ, but those who are ready to adhere to Him and follow Him even to death. By this they clearly show, first, that they are governed and driven by the spirit not of Christ, but of the devil (who was a murderer from the beginning, John 8, verse 44); and, secondly, that they do not come, as Christ and His followers came, to save men's souls, but to destroy them; since they kill not only the bodies of the innocent, thus dishonoring the image which is created after God (Genesis 5, verse 1), and making themselves guilty of the mortal sin of bloodshedding (Genesis 9, verse 6), but, O awful deed! they purposely, and as much as lies in their power, also try to kill their souls, whom, being considered by them to be in a state of damnation, they suddenly cut off from the time of repentance. Matthew 26, verse 52. They would presumptuously teach Christ, who is perfect wisdom; for He thought it good, and commanded His disciples, to let the tares grow until the harvest, lest they should root up the wheat with the tares; but these teach and do the opposite. Weeding contrary to the command of Christ, they root up not only the tares, but, passing by bad, unchaste, extravagant, pompous, avaricious, lying, deceitful, envious, hateful and vindictive men, they also, from the field of the world, root out the purest grain.

They usurp the office of the Most High, and would command and compel the souls who are not under them, but under the scepter of Jesus Christ (Matthew 10, verse 28); indeed, they set themselves not only beside, but above the divine Majesty, demanding that men should obey them rather than God. God has commanded that we should serve Him with all our hearts (Deuteronomy 6, verse 5), but these men forbid men to serve God in this manner, and force them, contrary to the convictions of their consciences, to follow their laws and institutions. Matthew 21, verse 37: Christ constrained the people to conversion by words of admonition, persuasion and reproof, and of those who were offended at His doctrine He only said: "Let them alone: they are blind leaders." Matthew 15, verse 14. But these compel with fire and sword, so that they deliver to the executioner those who embrace the doctrine of Christ according to all their ability, and do not feel themselves free to follow these blind leaders; bringing them into a strait where they cannot, without danger, escape either to the right or to the left; for if they obey these men, they fall into the hands of God; and if they adhere to God, they cannot escape the cruelty of these men.

Now, in order to give a semblance and gloss to their unchristian and ungodly punishments of heretics, they befoul these pious people with the stain of disobedience, and, washing their hands, as it were, of innocent blood, lay the guilt upon the edicts, which, however, were devised, and are daily carried out, through their bloody advice and instigation. But tell me, who has given them power to make edicts against souls and consciences, and thereby to reign in the kingdom of Christ, in which they themselves can be but subjects and servants? Will this excuse them? By no means. The Jews who sought to bring the innocent Jesus to death also said, as these men do: "We have a law, and by our law he ought to die:" John 19, verse 7. They know, or ought to know, that at the tribunal of Christ judgment will be rendered, not according to human edicts, but according to the divine word: "The word that I have spoken," said the Lord, "the same shall judge him in the last day," (John 12, verse 48), and therefore everyone is necessarily bound more to the law of Christ than to their laws and edicts; indeed, an account will have to be given of these edicts at that tribunal, and that by which they wrongfully sentenced the innocent to death will then justly make their own sentence heavier. What will they offer as an excuse, when an account will be demanded of them, why they exercised such bloodthirsty tyranny over souls? why they wrested the scepter out of the hand of Christ, and usurped His seat? why they made themselves masters in that kingdom in which they, as servants, must themselves give an account of their actions? why they, as evil servants, treated and beat their fellow servants so cruelly, though He (Christ) had warned and threatened to cut such men asunder, and to appoint them their portion with the hypocrites, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 24, verses 45 and 51)? why they did not consider that those shall have judgment without mercy who have shown no mercy (James 2, verse 13)? What terror, what anxious remorse and fleeing will it cause when, to convict them of their wickedness, there shall come forth those whom they fettered, chained, beat, killed and martyred, whom they then counted fools and madmen, and whom they now behold in such great glory and esteem with God.

In that day, when all hidden things must come to light, such empty and artificial excuses will not avail. Therefore, now is the time to consider how unchristian it is to persecute Christians; how much deserving of death it is to shed innocent blood; how culpable it is to dishonor the image of God; how perverse and vain it is to fight against spiritual truth with carnal weapons; how unnatural and unreasonable it is to do to another what we would not have done to ourselves, and who of all people would want to be forced in the convictions of his conscience. How presumptuous it is to usurp the seat of God, and to wish to rule over the conscience, when Christ commanded that we render to Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. Matthew 22, verse 21. They should bear in mind that Christ prayed for His persecutors, and learn from it how unbecoming it is that those who would be Christians persecute others who pray for them. Luke 23, verse 34; First Peter 2, verse 19. They should consider how great an evil it is to compel anyone's conscience by the terrors of fire, rope and sword, when Paul so strictly forbids wounding the weak conscience of the brothers. Romans 14, verse 15. They should remember that, since the holy apostle commands no greater punishment for heretics than to shun them, they also need, and indeed may, use no greater. Titus 3, verse 10. Surely, if they would examine themselves well, they would not so readily proceed to condemn, but would let themselves be restrained, since Christ declares that with what measure we measure out, it shall be measured to us again. Matthew 7, verse 2. They would fear, if they knew themselves rightly, that in condemning another they might condemn themselves; since it might easily be the case that before God the judge was as culpable as the one judged.

They further bring forward, in defense of, or rather as an excuse for, the punishments of heretics, these reasons: 1. Thereby to bring and compel them to conversion. 2. That their heresy might not spread itself, and pollute others. 3. To prevent rebellion. As to the first: it is the duty of every Christian to promote the salvation of his neighbor as much as he possibly can. But how is this to be done? By outward compulsion, with fire and sword? Impossible. That touches and affects the body, but not the conscience, which must not be compelled, but led and instructed. The Word of God is the sword with which all error and heresy must be cut down. If the supposed error cannot be conquered by the power of truth, swords will be dull before it. And even if a man, through dread of suffering, renounces his belief with his mouth, he will not do it with his heart; and so, instead of converted Christians, dissembling hypocrites are made. But if a man remains steadfast and is put to death, how can that tend to his conversion, when every means of conversion is taken away? For one of two things is certain: if he is a damnable heretic, he is cast down into hell; but if he is not, a saved Christian is put to death. Choose whichever you please, and an abominable crime is committed. What is it, then, that urges them to promote anyone's conversion in this way? What binds them to it? Who commands it of them? Who advises them to it? Indeed, who gives them permission to do it? And which of the apostles set such an example? Truly, such reasons are only fig leaves and coverings with which they seek to hide their shame and wickedness. They pretend that they aim at the conversion of men, but in fact they seek their own pleasure, honor and lust, in order to exercise undisputed despotism in the kingdom of God. This is so far from promoting anyone's conversion that, on the contrary, all impartial persons conceive an aversion to them; so that even the good (if any good remains, or can be found, in the persecutors) is made suspect, indeed entirely destroyed, since their words, however pleading and flattering they may be, can gain no entrance and no credit, nor do they deserve it. For who would expect to learn anything godly or Christian from those who are pregnant with murder, and whose hands are stained with innocent blood? "Do men gather grapes of thorns?" Matthew 7, verse 16.

As to the second: so far is it from the truth that supposed heresy is checked by tyranny, that it is almost always spread by it. For when hands are laid on people whose life is blameless and pious, and they are imprisoned, tortured and subjected to a painful death, only for the name of Christ, and because, as they openly confess, they dare consent to nothing contrary to their conscience, this produces reflection and attention in all impartial minds, who, on investigating the matter, discover the innocence of the persons accused and persecuted, and so conceive an aversion to such degenerate Christians, who persecute others, and associate themselves with those who so valiantly bear the cross of Christ, as examples abundantly testify; which confirms what an ancient father said: The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. When the tyranny of popery was at its height, apostasy from it was greatest, for martyrdoms are effective sermons, which touch the heart and awaken the slumbering eyes. Nor is this strange; for anyone who has a little knowledge of the Christian religion, and is not utterly blinded by malicious partiality, easily comes to believe that the persecutors must be heretics themselves, since Christ and His disciples never persecuted anyone, but always suffered persecution themselves. They easily see that these cruel men are not the innocent, meek and defenseless sheep to which Christ compares His followers, but much rather ravening wolves, which have crept into the fold of Christ and devour the sheep. John 10, verse 1. The plain and pure truth, confirmed by an innocent life, is the means to overcome error and falsehood. Those who turn from this to carnal weapons betray themselves, and disclose their injustice and impotence; for since they cannot prevail against the truth, they endeavor, by exterminating and crushing the persons, to exterminate and crush the truth as well. From all this it appears how empty an excuse they seize to defend their tyranny, and what frail weapons they use to uphold the delusion. But it is a wholly invented excuse, with which to disguise their purpose, and to dress in a strange garb the ugliness which cruelty presents to every eye, and, through deception, to make it pleasing to one another. They pretend to be zealous for the salvation of the people, but in fact they labor to spread their own kingdom of lies; and if anything rises in opposition to it, they seek to subdue it with the arm of flesh. The Pharisees, in the time of Christ, made the same objection against Christ, namely, that He was perverting the people. Luke 23, verse 2. Their self-love and thirst for political power bred in them a bitter hatred and envy against our Savior, because of which they sought to bring Him to death. This they cover up; about this they are silent. They cry out as though they were filled with a godly zeal: "This fellow perverts the nation;" though they, as well as these men, sought to seduce the people away from Christ, the truth, to their own lies.

As to the accusation of rebellion, this also is not an invention of yesterday or today. He (Christ), said the Pharisees, stirs up the people with His doctrine; whereas they stirred up the people against Christ, who preached nothing but peace, love, humility, meekness, and the like, and whose life and actions were nothing but an overflowing fountain of kindness, benevolence and mercy. So they stained, without a shadow of evidence, with the slander of rebellion, people who lived in all simplicity and integrity, and who openly confessed that they were bound by the law and example of Christ to live without revenge, and to show a forgiving spirit toward everyone, indeed, to love those who hate them, and to do good to their enemies. Anyone who examines the history of the Netherlands and Germany for the last sixty years will find that rebellion, contention and dissension, indeed the estrangement and destruction of countries and cities, have been caused by persecution on account of religious differences; for religious zeal cannot be cut off with the sword, nor consumed by fire. On the contrary, it is plain, and confirmed by present practice, that many and various religious persuasions can live together peaceably and quietly, and that the cities and countries where liberty of conscience is maintained have prospered, and have experienced the special blessing of God. Hence, also, the H. M. Lords States of these countries, seeing the great mistakes of the King of Spain, have never been willing to follow in his steps, but expressly declare, as appears from the records of the Treaty of Peace at Cologne, page 38, [n521-1] "That religion does not concern men, but God, and that the king owed obedience to it as well as the subject." They declare that they have found by experience that force and weapons are of little value for the spreading and the preservation of religion; and that, just as they would not have violence done to their own consciences, so it does not agree well with the law of God for them to do violence to the consciences of others. Again on page 54, it is declared: "That the Christian religion is a great mystery, and that for its promotion God does not use wicked soldiers, nor bows or swords." Again on page 57: "We have learned that the government of souls and consciences concerns God alone; and that He is the true avenger of violated or dishonored religion." And though some, forgetting their own cross, or that of their ancestors, urged a revival of the abolished slavery, their E. E. never lent a willing ear to it, nor allowed themselves to be blind executors of such partial and pernicious counselors, who by this sought to build up and establish their own kingdom rather than the kingdom of Christ. But, through the goodness of God, we still have at the present day authorities under whose protection we can lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty, First Timothy 2, verse 2; can meet and assemble without molestation; preach and hear the Word of God; use the sacraments as instituted by God, and openly practice our divine worship; for which kind privilege all subjects and Christian believers are under great obligation to show all reverent gratitude to their authorities, high as well as low, to obey them faithfully, to pay customs and taxes honestly, and to pray earnestly and constantly to God for the welfare of their persons and their government, so that this favor may descend from us to our children and our descendants. We must also thank the Lord greatly for it, and magnify His name by a holy life, constantly seeking, more and more, to show forth virtue out of our faith, and to shine by good works in this benighted world. We must see well to it that we do not neglect or abuse this time of grace.

Second Corinthians 6, verse 1. For if we use it badly, and take liberty as an occasion to commit sin, it will undoubtedly happen to us as it did to Israel, who, having grown fat and strong, departed from God, and was therefore cast again into distress and misery, until necessity compelled them to seek God. Deuteronomy 32, verse 15. Oh, how many there are, it is to be feared, who with Demas have loved the world again! Second Timothy 4, verse 10. How many there are who, having forsaken their first zeal and love, have become cold and slothful in their devotions!

In former times, in the times of the cross, when men could assemble only at the peril of their lives, our zeal drove us out in the night and at unseasonable hours, into nooks and corners, and into fields and woods. How precious then was one hour that could be spent in stirring up and establishing one another in godliness. How the souls thirsted and hungered then after divine food. How pleasantly the words of godliness tasted then. Men did not ask for ingenious or flowery sermons; hunger devoured all that was set before them. Then treasure for the soul was diligently sought, since bodily possessions could give little comfort. Then heavenly riches were sought above all things, for earthly possessions were altogether insecure. But how is it now? Temporal occupations have the preference throughout; the oxen must first be tried, and the field inspected, before one can come to the heavenly marriage, Luke 14, verses 18 and 19. Simplicity is changed into pomp and ostentation. Possessions have increased, but in the soul there is leanness. Clothes have become costly, but the inward ornament has perished. Love has grown cold and has diminished, but contentions have increased. Do you suppose that God will always look on this with the same long-suffering? Do you think that He will never once use His uplifted rod? He who did not spare Israel when they departed from Him; He who did not pass David by when he sinned through fleshly lust; He who did not spare Solomon when he turned his eyes to strange women, and fell into idolatry with them; will He spare those who, through love of the world and the practice of sin, have departed from Him so greatly? He often delivered Israel from one tyrant to another, that they might learn to know Him, and reform. He chastised them as a father, that they might not serve Him with a divided heart, as in the time of Elijah, but that they might serve Him alone. First Kings 18, verse 21. He delivered Amaziah, the King of Judah, into the hands of his enemies, because he did not serve God with a perfect heart. Second Chronicles 25, verse 2. Now examine your heart: whether it is not divided; whether you do not seek to serve Christ and the world at the same time; how feebly you hear and consider the Word of God, since your thoughts are entangled in earthly vanities; how seldom and how slothfully the works of godliness are practiced; and how busy and zealous you are throughout in amassing money and property, and in feasting yourself on pleasure. It is true, you have cast away the dumb, wooden idols, but examine now whether the idol of riches and avarice is not set up in your heart. Ephesians 5, verse 5; First Timothy 6, verse 10. Plow through the inmost depths of your heart, and see where most of your inclinations and desires tend; whether, easily satisfied here, they pierce the clouds and have their way of life in heaven, or whether, digging with insatiable desire into the earth, you seek to increase your riches and to add house to house, and farm to farm; whether Christ in heaven is your supreme treasure, or whether your treasure is here, against which Christ so earnestly warns His disciples. Matthew 6, verse 19. If you would make a test of this, study your intentions and thoughts attentively in every occurrence; consider how great a love you have for riches; how much confidence you place in them; how greatly troubled you are with a heathenish anxiety about the future; how anxious and despondent you are when bad times and misfortunes threaten, and how securely you live when sailing before the wind; how reluctant and miserable your love for your possessions makes you in the giving of alms; how much contention and how many lawsuits you would rather engage in than give up your right, and suffer loss; how soon joy and sleep forsake you when losses and misfortunes befall you; how much time earthly thoughts take away from your proper devotions; how feeble and spiritless they make your prayers; how deep the abundance of your treasures sinks you into sensuality; how much you are pleased with yourself on this account, and exalt yourself above others; finally, how painfully you part from them, and how sadly you will bid them farewell on your deathbed. Let this serve as a test, I say, and examine yourself, and you will discover at the same time what you love and serve most, and how much or little you have "crucified the flesh with its lusts." Galatians 5, verse 24. For though outward persecutions now and then cease, yet every Christian is called to sufferings and conflicts; each must take up his cross and follow Christ; each must live, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit; each must suffer in the flesh, that he may cease from sin. Matthew 10, verse 38; Romans 8, verse 1; First Peter 4, verse 1. If you then find that the time of freedom [from persecution] has given liberty and room to your lusts, persecute yourself, crucify and put yourself to death, and offer up soul and body to God.

In times of persecution, words and conversations consisted of edifying instruction, and awakenings to godliness, magnifying of the name of God, mutual consolations in suffering, exhortations and incitements to constancy, and recommendations of eternal salvation. Examine for once whether in this time you have not lent your tongue to please frivolous, worldly men with vain and useless talk; whether by it you not only failed to promote godliness, but were also a hindrance and an injury to it; whether you did not defame your neighbor's good name and reputation; and whether your tongue has not by lying and deceit ministered to avarice. In times of the cross, the time was spent in godly exercises, in consoling and edifying one another, in visiting those in prison, and in preparing for suffering by devout meditations. Consider for once on what you have spent the precious time; how much of it has been squandered in sensuality and vanity; how much has been wasted in disputes and quarrels; how much has been lost by needless anxiety and labor; and how little has remained for devotion. No doubt you will find that the absence of the chastening rod has made men impious and without reverence, and that "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" have usurped the place of piety and humility. But the most dangerous of all is that few examine themselves; few sigh over themselves. Without knowing it, many are poor, naked and blind, who with those of Laodicea think that they are rich and have everything in abundance, Revelation 3, verse 17; but it is a wealth with which God is not pleased, and by which the spiritual riches, which consist in faith and love, in a living hope and a good conscience, are diminished. See in the writings of the martyrs how their life was, how their suffering, how their constancy. It was the will of God that the children of Israel should remember the ways of their fathers, and the instruction of wisdom hidden in them; for they are all, ancestry and posterity, taken as one body. Deuteronomy 8, verse 2. Frequently it is said through the prophets: I have brought you out of the land of Egypt; though this had been done to their forefathers. Micah 6, verse 4; Psalm 81, verse 10; Hosea 11, verse 1. Examine your ways, and compare them with theirs, and see whether the love of the world has not blinded your eyes, and led them away from God. Many, when they could not use the world, turned of necessity to God, as their nearest refuge; but as soon as a little breathing time set in, they began to lean toward the world again; the parents became rich, the children luxurious and wanton; the world caressed them, and in the course of time they became respected and lifted up; the reproach of the cross was given up, and the honor of this world stepped into its place. And this, in the first church, was the reason why God permitted a most awful persecution to come in the time of Emperor Diocletian, that His children might be chastised by it, who already began to join in with the common world. Eus., book 8, chapter 1. [n521-2] Hence we must see well to it that we do not incur like guilt, lest there come upon us what came upon theirs; for no one fares worse in such times than he who has not made good use of his time; such a one will then be visited with woe, distress and misery; but to them that love God, all things work together for good; they are purified and tried by the refining fire; hence it is necessary that God at times purge His threshing floor with His fan, that the tares may not get the upper hand, to its own destruction. But we only have to ask His divine goodness to chastise us as a father, and to draw us by His love, moving our hearts and minds toward Him, in order that we may lead a godly and holy life, in all love, peaceableness, kindness, and long-suffering; not easily complaining of or grudging against one another, but bearing one another's infirmities in patience, and bettering each other by good instruction; fleeing and avoiding all offenses, contention and dissension, separations, and schisms, which cause insufferable and damnable discord; striving for peace; and seeking to heal, and restore to unity, quiet and peace, that which is broken and ruined, rent and torn asunder by the subtlety of the devil, and blind ignorance, and scattered into various factions, to the great offense and stumbling block of many. If we do this, we shall cause the blessing and presence of God to be with us. Colossians 3, verse 12; First Peter 4, verse 8; James 5, verse 9.

In the meantime, let us constantly hold fast to God, always pray for an increase of wisdom and divine knowledge, and run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, Hebrews 12, verses 1 and 2; for we have the same conflict which David had in his time, and Job, and all the prophets, and Christ and His apostles, together with all the pious followers in the first church, as also before and in our time. They all had to overcome the world; so do we; they all had to deny themselves; so do we; one crown is to be gained, and the same kingdom is to be inherited. Hebrews 12, verse 28. The times also are just the same; but the different life makes them different; however, all inequality must ultimately merge in the equality of God. In order to make His followers partakers of this equality and unity, Christ prayed that they might be one with Him and the Father. John 17, verse 20. This was also the sole aim of the apostles; to this, as the eternal, supreme treasure, they exhorted everyone; "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and upon the Israel of God. Amen." Galatians 6, verses 15 and 16.

Written out of love, for edification and amendment.