# Of The Greater Danger There Is At This Time, Than In The Bloody And Distressing Times Of The Martyrs.4 · Page 3 of 4 [Previous page: OF THE GREATER DANGER THERE IS AT THIS TIME, THAN IN THE BLOODY AND DISTRESSING TIMES OF THE MARTYRS.4](/en/stories/mm-of-the-greater-danger-there-is-at-this-time-than-in-the-bloody-and-distressing-times-of-the-martyrs-4/part-2/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: OF THE GREATER DANGER THERE IS AT THIS TIME, THAN IN THE BLOODY AND DISTRESSING TIMES OF THE MARTYRS.4](/en/stories/mm-of-the-greater-danger-there-is-at-this-time-than-in-the-bloody-and-distressing-times-of-the-martyrs-4/part-4/) Here shall obtain what is recorded concerning the end of the luxurious rich man and that of poor Lazarus: that the rich man, when he saw Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom, while he himself was in hell, received this answer to his doleful lamentation: “Son, remember, that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.” Luke 16:25. Appropriate is here also Wis. 5:1,2. Nevertheless, these and similar evil examples are constantly presented to our eyes, and they are the more pernicious and dangerous for the reason that some worldly-minded people pronounce them to be non-essential, unimportant for either good or evil, and therefore, allowable; while it is the same with them as with the fruit from the tree of knowledge, which stood in the midst of Paradise, and was pleasant to the eyes, but deadly in the use, for whoever ate of it, had to die, Gen. 2:17; or with the apples which grow in the land of Sodom, on the border of the dead sea; which possess a beautiful red appearance, but contain, as some have written, only dust and ashes, and are inedible, nay, even deleterious to health. Bijb. Naemb. edition 1632, fol. 881, col. 2, concerning the name Sodom, ex Philippo Melanchthone. Also Bernh. Bredenb. in Tract, super Siddim. Also H. Buntung, Itinerarium sacræ scripturæ, edition 1642, lib. 1, pag. 62, col. 2, etc. O that Satan would show himself, as he really is, and that the world, too, might come forth without disguise or mask; then certainly no one possessing reason would allow himself to be deceived by them. For in Satan nothing would be seen but deadly snares, traps and murdering daggers for the soul, poisoned arrows wherewith to destroy everything good in man, through unbelief, apostasy from God, impenitent obduracy, and despair; which are followed by a train made up of the fears of hell and horrors of damnation. In the world men would perceive nothing but vanity, mingled with much vexation, sorrow, grief and misery, and this in such abundance, that if as many tears could be wept over it, as there is water in all the sea and all the rivers, yet the weight of the true sorrow that springs from them it could not be adequately expressed, for they draw after them not only temporal but also everlasting miseries. But, O how lamentable! all this is hid under a beautiful appearance. Satan appears to be a prince or king, and the world a noble princess or queen. The servants and servant-maids who follow them as pages and maids of honor, appear as cavaliers and ladies, reveling in joy and delight; though, as regards the soul, they are poor and deformed, yea, meaner than beggars, and without the true joy which delights the upright soul in God.[8](/en/stories/mm-footnotes/#Footnote_8) There is, therefore, great danger of being deceived. O, ye upright children of God, be on your guard.[9](/en/stories/mm-footnotes/#Footnote_9) Let your simplicity be coupled with prudence. Your faith as well as your life are the objects aimed at. If Satan gain the mastery over you, your precious faith which has been commended to your keeping as dearly as your soul, is ruined. If ye are overcome by the world, it will soon put an end to your Christian and virtuous life, without which latter the best of faith is of no avail. Care, therefore, my dear friends, equally well for both, for the one is as important as the other. Faith without the corresponding life, or the life without the faith, can, will, and may not avail before God. They are like two witnesses, who must agree, and of whom the one cannot stand or be received without the other. Knowing, then, that we must care for both, there remains nothing for us but to do it; however, this work must certainly not only be begun, but also finished, according to the example of the steadfast martyrs of God; with which finishing, whether it be brought about in a natural or a violent manner, according as liberty or persecution brings about we must comfort ourselves, since it is certain that the crown is not to be found in the beginning or in the middle, but at the end.[10](/en/stories/mm-footnotes/#Footnote_10) But as necessary as it is to finish well, so necessary it is also to begin well, and, having begun, to go on well; for without a good beginning and a good progress it is impossible to attain to a good end. We speak to you, then, most beloved in the Lord, who have begun with us; received the same faith with us; and with us as a token of this have been baptized. Surely, we have made a vow to the Lord, which we cannot recall, as David sings: “Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High.” Ps. 50:14. ## Original source [Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#FNanchor_8) [Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855) [Previous page: OF THE GREATER DANGER THERE IS AT THIS TIME, THAN IN THE BLOODY AND DISTRESSING TIMES OF THE MARTYRS.4](/en/stories/mm-of-the-greater-danger-there-is-at-this-time-than-in-the-bloody-and-distressing-times-of-the-martyrs-4/part-2/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: OF THE GREATER DANGER THERE IS AT THIS TIME, THAN IN THE BLOODY AND DISTRESSING TIMES OF THE MARTYRS.4](/en/stories/mm-of-the-greater-danger-there-is-at-this-time-than-in-the-bloody-and-distressing-times-of-the-martyrs-4/part-4/) --- Page: https://history.truechristian.church/en/stories/mm-of-the-greater-danger-there-is-at-this-time-than-in-the-bloody-and-distressing-times-of-the-martyrs-4/part-3/ [Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+Of+The+Greater+Danger+There+Is+At+This+Time%2C+Than+In+The+Bloody+And+Distressing+Times+Of+The+Martyrs.4+%C2%B7+Page+3+of+4&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0AOf+The+Greater+Danger+There+Is+At+This+Time%2C+Than+In+The+Bloody+And+Distressing+Times+Of+The+Martyrs.4+%C2%B7+Page+3+of+4%0A%0APage%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fen%2Fstories%2Fmm-of-the-greater-danger-there-is-at-this-time-than-in-the-bloody-and-distressing-times-of-the-martyrs-4%2Fpart-3%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-of-the-greater-danger-there-is-at-this-time-than-in-the-bloody-and-distressing-times-of-the-martyrs-4--b00033-o000000%0A%0A%23%23+Correction+or+addition%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Sources+and+evidence%0APlease+include+book%2Fpage+references%2C+archive+links%2C+or+first-hand+documentation.%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Image+credit+%28if+applicable%29%0ACreator%2C+source%2C+and+permission+or+public-domain+basis.%0A%0A%0A%0ASubmitted+for+review%3B+this+issue+does+not+publish+changes+automatically.)