Therefore all hypocritical saints, all wicked hypocrites, who boast of being called Christians, yet will not suffer for the name of Christ, may well be ashamed. Christ may justly say to them: If I be your Lord, why do you not keep my commandments? if I be your Master, why do you not hear and believe my words? Mal. 1:6; Luke 6:46. Well then, let all hypocrites, and falsely prudent, unfaithful servants, and falsely wise disciples of Jesus Christ, depart from their Lord and Master, we nevertheless, through the grace of God, intend to adhere to Christ, and are ready to suffer for his sake, even as he suffered for our sakes. But he suffered as Lord, and we as disciples; hence we servants and disciples must not bear the cross reluctantly seeing our Lord and Master himself bore it.
In the third place, we must follow Jesus, but not as did many Jews, who followed him, because they had eaten of the loaves; which, alas! many false Christians still do, who join the Christian church, not because they truly seek Christ Jesus, not because they love the truth, but that they may be aided and fed by the Christian church (whom they perceive to be the most charitable). But to follow Christ in this manner is nothing but a mockery of God, and Christ will not have such followers, as we may clearly understand from the case of the scribe whom Christ condemned, because he wanted to follow him from covetousness; for the Lord beheld the heart of the scribe, and therefore did not answer him according to his words, but according to his thoughts, saying: “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” Matt. 8:20; Luke 9:58. Just as if Jesus had intended to say: If you will follow me, follow me in the manner in which I go before you. For Christ well knew his intention, namely, that he wanted to follow him for gain, and thought that Christ should give him power to perform wonderful signs and miracles, as he had given to his apostles, by which he might have sought gain. But such designs are not good, and cannot succeed; for the Lord himself was poor (Zech. 9:9), as he declares: If I the Lord and Master am poor, it is evident that my servants are poor, and that my disciples do not seek or desire riches. As though the good Lord had meant to say: He that would follow me, must follow me in the poverty in which I walk before him. But, alas! many people at the present day think that gain is godliness, as Paul says (1 Tim. 6:5), and, under the semblance of the Gospel and the Christian name, seek their own profit. O what perverted men! who will not go in the right way, but follow the way of the traitor and thief Judas, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, when he received the awful punishment of his wickedness, as every one knows. Matt. 27:6; Mark 14:18; John 12:4. O what blinded men, who can not take to heart that Ananias and Sapphira were put to such great shame, and punished, for their equivocation, by which the Almighty Lord God has undoubtedly given us an example, that all hypocritical and double minded men shall be thus put to shame and punished; as we find in Jesus Sirach: Woe unto those that are of a double heart, to those of wicked lips that enter the land by two ways. Therefore the wise man also teaches us, that our hearts should be without any deceit and dissimulation, saying: “Be not obstinate, and distrust not the fear of the Lord . . . and come not unto him with a double heart. Be not a hypocrite in the sight of men, and take good heed what thou speakest. Exalt not thyself, lest thou fall, and bring dishonor upon thy soul, and so God discover thy secrets, and cast thee down in the midst of the congregation, because thou camest not in truth to the fear of the Lord, but thy heart is full of deceit.” Sir. 1:28–30.
O that all hypocrites would earnestly consider the words of Jesus Sirach, and reform, before they be confounded and punished by God, which shall be done to all the double minded, if not now, yet in the day of judgment, when the ungodly shall not stand, nor sinners remain in the congregation of the righteous. Ps. 1:5. Then Christ will bring to light what is now in darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts; yea, he will take the fan into his hand, and purge his floor, and gather the wheat into the garner, but the chaff will he burn up with unquenchable fire. Matt. 3:12; Luke 3:17. Hence, let every one beware of hypocrisy, and let him truly follow Christ Jesus, as is proper, not with the Jews, for the sake of the loaves, nor with the scribe, from covetousness. But, O ye Christians, follow Christ, your Lord and Master with a pure heart, a clean conscience, unfeigned faith, and ardent love, without turning to the right or to the left. But those who follow Christ Jesus differently, are among good Christians what chaff is among the wheat, and their end will be everlasting fire, from which the Almighty Father preserve us through Jesus Christ.
Moreover, we must, from ardent love, follow Jesus Christ even unto the end, and not do as did some of his disciples, who forsook him, and became offended at his words, saying: “This is a hard saying; who can hear it?” John 6:60. O how many are unwilling to hear the divine words of our Lord Jesus Christ, yea, rave, when told that Christ Jesus promises tribulation and suffering to all his servants and disciples. From a stony heart and an embittered mind they say: Must one always suffer? Must one always be persecuted? This is a hard saying; who can hear it? O God, how is the sweet honey changed into gall, and the clear wine into bitter water! Alas! how have they come to loathe that precious, heavenly bread, and how has the eternal medicine, by which every soul must be healed, become a deadly poison to them! And how do men who will not believe the word of God, nor receive the holy doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ, contemn the comforting Gospel, which has been sent us from heaven through the Holy Ghost, and sealed by Christ with his own precious blood; but if a lying prophet comes, a messenger prophesying of temporal peace and happiness, though it never comes to pass, he is heard, while the good Lord Jesus Christ, who has promised us the eternal peace of his heavenly kingdom, can not obtain a hearing; so that it is as Christ said to the Pharisees: “I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.” John 5:43. Yea, many now do as did the rebellious and unbelieving Israelites, who forsook God the Lord, who had delivered them out of Egypt, and desired other gods for leaders and protectors. Num. 14:2; Ex. 32:1; Acts 7:39. Thus also now many Christians forsake Jesus, who has freed them from the power and tyranny of Satan, and delivered them from the jaws of the lions, who devoured them, yea, had hastened with them in the way to eternal damnation, utterly to destroy them.—Then Christ delivered them, and placed them again in the way of eternal salvation. John 1:29. Many now forsake the good Shepherd, who spared not his life for our sakes, but delivered it unto death, because of the great love which he had to us; and trust in men, of whom the prophet says that their assistance availeth not, and they cannot help; for their breath must go forth and return to the earth, and the thoughts of all them that put their trust in men and follow false prophets, who delight in unrighteousness shall perish. Hence all pious Christians must follow no other than Christ Jesus, who, as Peter says, suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps, 1 Peter 2:21. The same is declared also by Paul, with these words: “Let us lay aside all guile and hypocrisy, and the besetting sin, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb. 12:1,2; Mark 16:19. In these words of the apostles we may perceive, that we are to follow Jesus Christ, and look to him as the Captain of the faith, the Bishop and Shepherd of our souls, yea, the good Lord and Master, who has given an example to all his servants and disciples, that they must suffer even as he suffered. Heb. 2:10; John 10:11; 1 Peter 2:25. But, O God, how much Christ had to suffer! he who was Lord of heaven and earth became so poor for our sakes, that he had not where to rest or lay his head: when he was in the form of God, he humbled himself, and took upon him the form of a servant (Phil. 2:6,7; John 13:5), that he might serve us, and gave his life for our redemption; yea, though he was the eternal wisdom of the Father, who upholds all things by the word of his power, he had nevertheless to hear the Pharisees call him a flatterer and deceiver of the people, a sinner, yea, a demoniac and madman, and many other abominable blasphemies, reproaches and mockeries; in short, though he was the only begotten Son of God, the Almighty Father, yet he was counted a malefactor, and had to die the most bitter death, so that Isaiah could well say of him: “He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities.” Is. 53:2–5. Hence he could justly say: “I restored that which I took not away. For, for my friends’ sake I have suffered pain; shame hath covered my face. I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children. And I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. All they that see me, laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” Ps. 69:4,7,8,20,21; 22:7,13–18; Matthew 27:34; Matt. 15:23; John 19:23. Yea, as he says through the prophet: “I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.” Ps. 22:6. Yea, my beloved brethren, God the heavenly Father laid the chastisement of our peace upon him; for by his stripes we are healed. All we went astray, as sheep that have no shepherd; we have turned every one to his own way; but the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all. “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.” 1 Peter 2:24,25; Isaiah 53:5–7; Acts 8:32.
Are you pious Christians? Then consider what Christ Jesus suffered for us poor sinners; the Lord for his servants, the Master for his disciples, the Shepherd for his sheep, yea, God for men. 1 Peter 4:1; John 10:11; Ezek. 34:23. O deep humility of the Master, that he would serve his disciples, and give himself unto death for them! John 13:5. O great grace of the Lord, that he would suffer so much for his servants! O infinite righteousness of the Shepherd, who would give his life for his sheep! John 10:11; 17:9. O unspeakable love of God to us poor mortals, that he would redeem us by his own precious blood! This every Christian should at all times remember, and feel grateful to Jesus Christ for these benefits, not only with words but also with works. But, alas! some have gone so far, that they can indeed talk of Christ, that he suffered and atoned for us, and are desirous also of partaking of the redemption purchased for us with the blood of Christ; but they never once think of suffering with Christ Jesus, though they nevertheless hope to be glorified with him. But it is a faithful saying, says Paul, that if we are dead with Christ, we shall also live with him; if we suffer with him, we shall also rejoice with him forever; if we deny him, he also will deny us. 2 Tim. 2:11,12; Rom. 6:23; Luke 12:9. Let all apostate Christians, who return to the Roman Babylon, from which they had separated, and make friendship with the whore whom they had hated bear this in mind. What shall we say to such unstable persons? How can men who once knew the truth be so blinded as to depart from Christ Jesus their only Savior, and return to the infamous accursed whore of Babylon, the mother of all unrighteousness, and queen of all the children of unbelief and cursing, who has become their comfort and protection, yea, their idol. Woe unto such perverse men, who depart from righteousness, from light to darkness, from life to death, and go from Jesus Christ to antichrist, seeking consolation from Satan, and not in God. Woe unto such fearful ones, who fear those who can kill only the body, more than God, the Almighty Lord, who can cast both body and soul into eternal damnation. Revelation 21:8; Matt. 10:28; Luke 12:4,5. Woe unto such, that they were ever born unless they remarkably amend their ways and go out of Babylon; for the Scripture says not in vain: “Go ye out of the midst of Babylon, my people, and touch not the unclean thing, that ye be not partakers of her plagues, or sins.” Is. 52:11; 2 Cor. 6:17; Revelation 18:4. These are the clear words of the Lord; Who can blot them out? Who can endure the stings of a guilty conscience? Let him begin as he may, he will find it a hard undertaking, and shall not be successful in it. Acts 9:5; 5:5.
Here also no excuse will avail, as is clearly shown in the parable of the wicked servant, who, out of fear, had buried his Lord’s pound into the earth, but was not heard when he wanted to excuse himself to his lord. Matt. 25:26; Luke 19:22. By this wicked servant we understand all the fearful, who are not fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and relish and seek all earthly things more than heavenly things. They may excuse themselves as ever they will, their excuse shall not avail, but eternal damnation will be their recompense; for every tree which does not bring forth good fruit, shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire. There must be fruits; leaves alone will not avail. Matt. 21:19. Christ is our example; he practiced and taught. He taught his disciples to suffer and endure, for he himself suffered and endured; hence Paul teaches us to look unto Christ Jesus, saying: “Consider him (Christ Jesus), ye Christians, that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied, and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.” Heb. 12:3–10; Prov. 3:11; Revelation 3:19.
By these words the apostle indicates to us, how necessary and profitable chastisement is for us, yea, so necessary and profitable that we can not be children of God unless we are chastened by our God and heavenly Father, as is clearly declared in these words: “For what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if he be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons.” With this accord the words of Judith, namely: that Abraham was tried by many tribulations, and became the friend of God; so also Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and all that pleased God were found faithful through many tribulations. Judith 8:26. But those who did not receive their trial in the fear of the Lord, and showed their impatience and the evil of their murmurings against the Lord, were destroyed by the destroyer, and killed by the serpents. 1 Cor. 10:6; Num. 21:6. Therefore, as gladly as we have God for our Father, so readily must we receive the chastisement of our heavenly Father; and as unwillingly as we would be counted bastards by God, so unwillingly must we also be to be without chastisement and correction, and so willing must we also be to be tried by tribulation. In short, as much as we love God and the salvation of our souls, and as much as we fear the punishment of God, so cheerfully must we receive all sufferings imposed upon us by God, and remember that Christ says: “He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, cannot be my disciple.” Matt. 10:38; 16:24; Mark 8:54; Luke 9:23. Also: Whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever loses his life in this world, for the Gospel’s sake, shall save it forever. Where now are the false Christians, who do not lose their life for Christ’s sake, and still think to keep it in eternity? Yea, so Saul thought that he could please the Israelites, and still remain the friend of God; but God rejected him for his double-mindedness. 1 Sam. 15:26. Thus they may also think to save their temporal life, and still obtain eternal life; but they shall find themselves disappointed in their hope. O Lord God, how can men be so blinded as to so love this transient life, seeing they know neither the day nor hour when they must die; even as the apostle James says that this life is but a vapor, which appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. Jesus Sirach also says that our life, compared with the days of eternity, is as dust or as a grain of sand to all the sand of the sea, or as a drop of water unto all the water of the sea. What then is man! and what is his beauty? or what are his possessions on which he would rely?
Since then our life is so uncertain and brief, it is a lamentable matter, that men take so much care for it, and bestow so little thought upon the eternal life. This is partly owing to false teachers and deceitful laborers, the adversaries of Christ and his apostles, who openly teach that Christians are not to suffer any more.
They shall be confounded with their people, who prophesy lies in the name of the Lord; they shall be punished with Zedekiah and Ahab who shamefully sin, and seduce the Israel of God, causing them to trust in vain things. They shall be put to shame with the Egyptian magicians, who now resist the truth, even as they resisted Moses. They shall be accursed with Balaam the son of Bosor, who with him forsake the right way, and go in crooked paths; yea, they shall sink into hell with Dathan, Korah, and Abiram, who with them caused contention and offense in the church of God, and despise the godly doctrine of Jesus Christ, by which they awaken, the wrath of the Almighty God, and treasure up unto themselves the wrath of God against the day when Christ Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that knew not God, and obeyed not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 2:5; Matt. 25:31; 2 Peter 3:4; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–10); who shall suffer pain and everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, when he shall come to be glorified in his glory, and glorified in all them that believe in him. Is. 2:10; Wis. 5:2.
Now, who are these unbelievers, who do not believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and shall therefore suffer everlasting pain? They are those who now do not observe the commandments of Jesus Christ, and will not suffer for the name of God, or confess the truth according to the instruction of the Gospel; hence Christ shall also not confess them, or know them before his Father, and before his angels, with whom he shall come from heaven, to punish such unfaithful and fearful servants, and to glorify the faithful and valiant soldiers, who have come out of great tribulation, and have washed and purified their robes in the blood of the Lamb. Matt. 10:33; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; 2 Tim. 2:12; Matthew 25:31; Rev. 7:14. 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 lighten 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 water; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Rev. 7:15–17; Is. 49:10. The prophet Esdras says: “I Esdras saw upon the mount Sion a great people, whom I could not number, and they all praised the Lord with songs. And in the midst of them there was a young man of high stature, taller than all the rest, and upon every one of their heads he set crowns, and was more exalted; which I marveled at greatly. So I asked the angel, and said, Sir, What are these? He answered and said unto me, 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 angels, What young person is it that crowneth them, and giveth them palms into their hands? So he answered and said unto me, 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 Esdras 2:42–47; Matt. 16:16; 10:32; Mark 8:29.