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

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 443 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.