Now, my dearest brother, be careful all your life, to guard well this good and most precious treasure: that you may live of it, and ever follow what the saving grace of God (namely, Christ Jesus who is our light), teaches us.
In the first place, the saving grace of God teaches us to deny the ungodliness of this world, and its lusts and desires; as Paul says: And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that is, after the mind of Christ. Tit. 2:11,12; Rom. 12:2. If you do this, you will walk in the light, and not in darkness, wherein the world walks. Beware, my beloved brothers, of the works of darkness, and have no fellowship therewith, but always separate from them, and touch not the unclean thing, namely, all evil; and you shall be a child of God, and remain one, if you abide in Christ unto the end. Eph. 5:11; 2 Corinthians 6:17.
I unworthy one, imprisoned for his name’s sake, affectionately beseech you, always adhere to the word of the Lord, and you shall never fall, and whatsoever you shall ask the Father in his name, that will he give you; though one thereby incurs suffering, we must not faint on that account, for it is made manifest thereby, that the way is narrow, and the gate strait, which leads unto life eternal. But this suffering is transient, and if we suffer with Christ, we shall also be glorified together; for the sufferings which men can inflict upon us, are short and light, and work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for though our outward man perish, which at all events must perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 2 Cor. 4:17,18,16, and when the faith has been kept, and we have overcome, all is sweetened by him who strengthens us, which is Christ; he helps us to triumph; this I experience best now that I am in the trial; to him be praise forever and ever. Amen.
But, my dear brother, think not that something new has happened to me, just as though it had not always been thus.
Read of righteous Abel, and you will understand the word of Christ, that the servant is not better than his lord. Matt. 10:24; John 13:16. Dear brother, the head, which is Christ, suffered himself; the members must follow; and it is a special sign of love, that he sends me this chastening, to prove me, whether I indeed fear, love, and trust him from the heart. In short, I deem it to be for my salvation; his holy will be done to my salvation. Amen.
Hence I now declare to you, my dearest brother, that this is and shall ever remain the only right truth, for which I now suffer for a little while. Thus, my dearest brother, diligently read the word of the Lord with devotion, and meditate well upon it, and always pray the Lord in every concern, with prayer and supplication in the Spirit, with perseverance; for if you live according to the word of the Lord, you shall prosper, and never fall (2 Pet. 1:10), for in the word of the Lord is our light, which is Christ Jesus. Let us follow him, and we shall get to him where he is; by our High Priest Christ Jesus, there I will await you, my dear wife, my daughter, our father, and mother, and sisters, if you all die in the Lord, namely, if you adhere to the truth unto the end, and follow the Lord, as I hope that you with all the saints of God will do, I will go before, and herewith write to all of you in this short time. Adieu; the almighty God grant you all his grace, that you may always have good courage to obtain your salvation through Christ Jesus; and be diligent in love, and be a pattern to one another in every good work unto life eternal.
Thus, my only, dear brother, I have now written you a little, for your remembrance, and to stir up your minds (2 Pet. 3:1), and for your consolation, that you fear not men, but only the almighty God, who is eternal. As for man, his days are as grass: As a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone. Ps. 103:15,16; Is. 40:6. Men are perishable; they cannot harm a hair of our head, unless the Lord permit them. And he will not permit them more than we are able to bear and keep the faith.
O it affords such peace, when one by the help of the Lord has kept his lips. Praise ye, all my friends, our strong and faithful God, who kept my lips in the first torturing. I hope and trust that he who helped me first is able to help me again, for he has promised it to us unworthy creatures (his words are yea in him; he is a faithful helper in distress, as David says): With the Lord help is found, he is our shield, our fortress, and the strength of the poor. But we must also trust him; who was ever confounded, that trusted in the Lord? Hence cease not to seek your salvation, and be not slothful in your business, but be fervent in spirit, patient in tribulation, and continuing instant in prayer. Rom. 12:11,12. But if you feel no fervor in you, pray the Lord for it, and he will give it you, if you only sincerely seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, as I trust you do. But beware of trusting in the world; possess your souls in patience; the Lord can easily in due time give you a godfearing person for a companion; but first diligently pray the Lord, to so order it that you will first unite with the godfearing. Write my brother-in-law a letter some time, and he may be prompted to write you also, and to advise you wherein you may need advice. I thank you for the friendship which you have hitherto shown me.
Written the second day after Matthew, in Lent, on which day I was again suspended twice and once scourged; but, my only brother, the strong God again kept my lips. Hence I pray you, rejoice with me, and praise the Lord, since I have great joy now; and be not dismayed in your mind because my flesh has suffered a little while; for now the good heavenly Father has tried my faith, as gold in the fire, whether I would also trust and fear and love him in the severest conflict. And now that he has found me faithful, from one tribulation to the other, so that through the grace of God I have overcome the rulers of this world (wherein I have greatly rejoiced from the heart), and this by the prayer of the faithful, and the co-operation of the Holy Spirit, henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of eternal life, to receive the same from Christ through grace. Thither I will now go before (and first put off this mortal clothing of the flesh), with the prepared burning lamp; for I have kept, and not denied, the faith, nor love, nor Christ. The faith is the oil, a pure heart and conscience the wick, and fervent love the light.
Do you also daily adorn yourself therewith, to meet Christ our Bridegroom; and take possession of the promised land, that is, the everlasting kingdom of God. But be not afraid on the way because there are many enemies, robbers and wolves in the wilderness, namely, in the world; and be not dismayed on this account, for I have passed through it all by the help of the Lord, and have spied out the country in advance for you and many of the godfearing, so that I can now write you that you need not stay back on account of the peril, and this because the Lord himself conducts our conflict; he fights for us, and he is certainly the strongest: for he said to Abraham; “Fear not; for I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” Gen. 15:1. Was this said to Abraham alone? Paul says, It is written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Rom. 15:4.