A Letter Written By Said Walter Of Stoelwijk, Treating Of The Suffering And The Glory Of Christians.

O ye pious Christians, take these words of God to heart, and arm yourselves therewith, to do battle for righteousness, even unto death, and God shall fight for you and subdue your enemies. “And fear not them who are able to kill the body, and after that, have no more than they can do; but fear the Almighty God, the righteous Lord and Judge, who is able to cast soul and body into eternal perdition.” Matt. 10:28; Luke 12:4,5. Him alone let us fear, and walk in his ways, serving him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life; yea, suffering death for his name, that we may say with Paul: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord Christ shall give me.” 2 Tim. 4:7,8. May God, the Father of mercy, and the God of all comfort, by whom it is given unto us, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his name, strengthen, confirm and establish us with his holy spirit, that we may not become weary of suffering for the truth, but continue steadfast unto the end, and rejoice with all the pious and true saints, when we are reviled and persecuted for the name of Christ Jesus. This grant us the Almighty Father, through Jesus Christ his only begotten Son, our Savior, unto whom be glory, majesty, blessing, the kingdom, and everlasting dominion, Amen.

Be manful, strong, and very courageous, to keep and do all things, even the words and the law of God. Depart not thesefrom, neither to the right nor to the left; add not thereto, nor take away therefrom, that you may act wisely. Whithersoever you go, be not terrified, and fear not, for the Lord your God is with you, when you pass through the waters, or into the fire; and though through hypocrisy or dissimulation you may now evade pain and punishment, you can neither alive nor dead escape the power of Almighty God. 1 Pet. 3:14; 2 Macc. 6:26.

Therefore let us forsake all that is in this world, for it lieth in wickedness; and let each take up his cross, and follow Jesus Christ; for he is nigh unto and with all those who are in distress, and will deliver them, and bring them to honor, if they are of a broken heart, and contrite spirit. O what great comfort is it, to have such a powerful and faithful companion, and what great honor is it, that he himself will so kindly aid us! But we must know that our Lord Christ Jesus is our Companion and Helper only at his own proper time, according to the counsel of the divine will and pleasure, in which he has ordered everything after one measure and weight; for even as he is the head of the holy church, and beholds her sufferings, so he has also appointed the number, measure, and weight, how far he will permit the wicked to go, how far they shall reach, and not longer nor farther, even as the Babylonian captivity should continue seventy years. Jer. 29:10. Yea, when the distress is at its height, and men think that God has utterly forsaken and forgotten them, at this very time the help of God is nearest them; yea, properly speaking, the Lord comforts before and in the midst of all affliction, for the Christian has in his heart the Spirit of God, the fountain of living water, by which he is always refreshed, comforted, rejoiced, and made glad. John 4:10; 7:37; 2 Cor. 7:7. Yea, the more sufferings increase, the greater the help and aid we receive; “for God will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that we may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13. Behold, in these words Paul tells us for our great consolation, that God will not suffer us to be assailed or tempted above that we are able to bear; “for if the sufferings of Christ abound in us, our consolation also abounds by Jesus Christ our Lord.” 2 Cor. 1:5.

As a captain makes his soldiers valiant by encouraging words and promises, how then should not the true and faithful God make us manful and strong by his divine word of the Gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. Rom. 1:16. Yea, the righteous God does not stop at mere words, but is present with us with his Spirit, who, as an earnest, assures our hearts of his divine 447 grace and help, and strengthens our weakness. Eph. 1:13; Gal. 4:6; Rom. 8:23; 2 Cor. 1:22. For if the devil, by his lying spirit, so animates men, that they are perfectly willing to commit wickedness, though it cost their life; why should not the grace of God, by his true Spirit, make us equally ready unto every good work, in all distresses and tribulations? This the gracious God also does, not only through his Spirit, but also through angels, stars, elements, beasts, men, and all manner of creatures. For instance, Elisha said to his servant: “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that come against us.” 2 Kings 6:16. The Red Sea and Jordan divided, so that the children of Israel passed through them dry-shod. The sun and the moon stood still for Joshua at the time when he defeated the five kings. Elijah was miraculously fed by the ravens. The children of Israel were delivered by the hand of a woman from their wicked enemies. Judith 14:18. God the Lord generally comforts men through their fellows: for all the saints and Christians on earth have fellowship with one another, in adversity as well as in prosperity; for when one suffers pain and grief, he suffers it not alone, but Christ and all Christians suffer it with him. For he says in the Gospel: Ye have fed, clothed, entertained, and comforted me. And all Christians are one body, one bread, one drink in the Lord Christ Jesus. Acts 9:4; Matt. 25:35; 1 Cor. 10:17.