Another Letter Of Jacob The Chandler, Written In Prison; In Which He Admonishes His Fellow-Ministers, Not To Flee As Hirelings, And To Let Christ’S Sheep Go Astray Through Lack Of Instruction; But Faithfully To Discharge The Office Imposed Upon Them.

See, dear brethren, thus we must follow what is honorable and praiseworthy before the Lord, and think, they that minister well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith, v. 14; Matt. 25:21. As the children of this world, when they can get into the service of any lord, they endeavor to serve faithfully, that they may obtain a higher office; so must we also endeavor to serve the Lord in that wherein we are called, that we may obtain power to rule the heathen with a rod of iron. Ps. 2:9; Rev. 2:27. Therefore, my dear brethren, remain together, as long as it is possible for you, and you can encourage one another; but when you begin to separate, you make one another weak; hence remain faithfully together, and take heed to your ministry. You that care for the poor, exercise diligent care over them, visit them frequently, and see how they do; admonish them with a fatherly heart to labor (Eph. 4:28; 2 Thess. 3:12), and comfort them in their tribulation, for a consoling word helps the afflicted more than the gift. And cleave firmly with your heart in love to your ministers of the word; for you must be one heart with them, and you will be the better able to keep the people in peace; for if the rulers of a country are not at peace among themselves, there cannot well be peace in the land. So also in the churches, if the ministers are at variance with one another, there cannot well be peace among the common brethren. Hence, dear brethren, remain at peace with one another; and you deacons, be a support to the ministers of the word, and take their part; for they must blow the trumpet, that the drowsy may awake (Isa. 62:6; Joel 2:1); and some drowsy people are of such a nature, that they do not like to be waked up: so also some that have become drowsy in sin do not like to be waked up. Hence there is sometimes much talk behind the back of such; therefore you and all pious brethren must defend your man, and talk to the backbiters, and admonish them, and you will encourage your man. And you, dear brethren, who oversee the church with the word of the Lord, remain with the church as long as is possible for you; for if you want to go away, you discourage the other ministers, and weigh them down completely, and scatter the flock. Hence I pray you, for the people’s sake, as one that loves them with a pure heart, do not forsake them, but remain with them, and look at those unto whom Christ appointed the kingdom, as it had been appointed unto him by his Father, how diligently they exhorted the kingdom, and fed the flock. For they deemed it profitable to admonish and to strengthen them, and to stir up their pure minds, as long as they were in the body, that after their decease they might remember the same. 2 Peter 1:13. For the apostle had exhorted them for three years day and night with tears. Acts 20:31. And he taught the bishops of Ephesus, that they should take heed unto themselves, and to the flock, v. 28. Now you will perhaps say: “We are no bishops.” Then I say: They must not all be bishops who exhort the church, or proclaim the word of the Lord; but every one must be faithful in his ministry. For there are manifold ministries (1 Cor. 12:5); if any have a ministry, let him wait on his ministering; if any teach, let him wait on his teaching; if any exhort, let him wait on his exhortation (Romans 12:7,8), and thus feed the flock of Christ, not by constraint, but willingly, for the Lord would be served from love, even as he served from love. 1 Pet. 5:2. Hence the apostle writes: If I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the Gospel is committed unto me. 1 Cor. 9:17.