[24] Justus Lipsius says in the preface to his first book of “Steadfastness”: “Few readers will suffice me; one suffices me; none suffices me also: for I have written this for myself.” But this we leave to him, who had written it only for himself.
[25] “Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly” (2 Cor. 22:1), says the apostle Paul, with whose wisdom we should not compare ours in the thousandth part.
[26] It is always easier to criticise a thing than to do it better. Therefore Karel van Mander, at the completion of a great work, adds these words: “Ye stiff-necked critics must first consider that too great a mountain lies between doing and saying, before you accuse a free conscience with your audacious babbling. Many have mouth enough to contemn the work of everybody; but not the hands to make something better. Saying is mere wind; but doing I esteem.” We say the same, and will let the matter rest here.
[27] “Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer” (that is, stone of help), “saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.” 1 Sam. 7:12. Thus say we in reference to our history.
[28] The end of our work must remind us of the end of our life; and what we may yet lack in this, we shall ask of the Lord, “Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.” Ps. 39:4.
[29] Then say we with Job: I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; Job, 19:25–27; and with Paul: we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven. 2 Cor. 5:1,2. This caused John to say: Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Rev. 22:20. The grace of our Lord be with us all.
[30] Not only the word of God, but also experience, confirms the truth of our statement with reference to the two different churches; since daily and universally we may observe people who lead a very modest, devout and godfearing life; and, on the other hand, such whose life is extremely profligate, impious and godless: thus it is also with the root of life, that is, with the matter of faith or of unbelief. How can these be called or recognized by a different name than that of members of the two above mentioned churches?
[31] The religion before the fall of Adam, with which we begin, was of short duration; hence little is said of it in the word of God.
[32] Abel’s offering was by faith. Compare Gen. 4:4 with Heb. 11:4—The sons of God were commanded to render obedience to the Spirit of God; which injunction they did not heed in the days of Noah.
[33] In the matter of faith all the pious, from the beginning, looked to the Messiah; to whom also we, in these last days, must look; for he is the foundation not only of the apostles, but also of the prophets. Eph. 2:20.—Divine worship, humility, righteousness, faithfulness, and many other virtues, have been common in the ancient church as well as now in the last church.