Valerius Schoolmaster Martyred, A. D. 1568.

“I know of nothing that so securely and firmly holds men in the sleep of sin till the Lord comes as a thief in the night, as to call good evil (Isa. 5:20), the Gospel a sect (of which all manner of evil and falsehoods are spoken), and to change the truth into lies. The Christians are called heretics and deceivers; every good work, virtue and righteousness is so misnamed, perverted, painted in such abominable colors, and the worst construction put upon them, so that men are afraid of them, as though they would be led astray by the truth, and of God. The devil, on the other hand does not appear half so ugly as he is represented and I have here described him, but disguised by a beautiful semblance of love, and changed and transformed into an angel of light, as though he were sent of God, and were himself God. 2 Thess. 2:4. Then are his lies called nothing less than Gospel and truth; Babylon is called the church of God; idolaters are styled my lords; lying and cheating are termed prudence and cleverness; fighting is called valor, and murder, simply misfortune; and thus, many like shameful deeds, upon which an honorable construction is put, so that evil is called good. But woe unto such, as Isaiah says. Is. 5:20. Thus, the ministers and children of the devil know how to change, gloss over, name, and construe in the most favorable light into good works virtues, and all manner of righteousnesses, all their evil works, vices, sins, and manifold unrighteousnesses; as, avarice into industry and pride into neatness.

“Who can reprove them therein? And therewith the devil blinds them so artfully and firmly to his will, so that they think themselves to be pious Christians, and are not willing to be reproved by the truth for their sins, but claim to be unblamable children of God; moreover, they say, like Christ’s disciples: “Our Father, etc.” But let every one examine himself, whether he is born of God, because he knows how to palliate his sins; and whether he so sanctifies and adorns the name of God, and does his will, and whether he carries himself before God as an obedient child before his father; otherwise he joins lie upon lie in his prayer, which in that case is a curse and an abomination before God. In short, he that committeth sin is born of the devil, and knoweth not God, John 8:44; 1 John 3:8; and they that are carnally minded cannot please God. Hence, mark whom impenitent sinners call upon as their father. Blind indeed must he be who cannot perceive this, and hardened he that is not willing to repent.

“O dear reader or hearer, if I may pray you, it is my heartfelt desire of you, that you would always consider (and regulate yourself accordingly,) that men shall give an account of every idle word they have spoken; how much more then of their deeds. And every one shall receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad; namely, before the righteous judgment of God, where anger, hatred, envy, yea, not loving in deed and in truth, speaking scornfully or spitefully to one’s brother, Raca, thou fool, or offending him, will be deemed and judged murder, worthy of the council, of judgment, and of hell fire. Matthew 5:22; 1 John 3. In like manner, disobedience will be regarded as witchcraft; to look upon a woman to lust after her, as adultery; and any other evil which is desired with the heart, and consented to with the will (though the power for, and the commission of it be wanting), will be judged and punished as an accomplished evil work. 1 Sam. 15:23; Matt. 5:28. Not to keep his word, will be considered lying and perjury, and a good oath, so called, will be as severely recompensed as a bad oath; for Christ has prohibited all swearing; Matt. 5, as also to hate one’s enemies, and not to love them like one’s friends; and many like things. Now mark how adultery was punished under the law by the judges; for those who committed adultery were stoned to death. Lev. 20:10. And it is daily seen, how witchcraft, homicide or murder are punished by the secular lords with fire or the sword unto death. Mark, how Adam, for one sin, likewise Cain, then the whole world, with the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, and the adjacent cities, with fire and brimstone, 701 Egypt, and afterwards the idolaters in Israel and murmurers against Moses, were punished according to the justice of God, for our example. Of how much sorer punishment then are they worthy who murmur against Christ, change his truth into lies, and do not receive his grace and redemption by faith, unto the amendment of their life, but reject the same, living presumptuously in their sins. Heb. 10:29; Rom. 1:25. God who did not spare the angels who had sinned, will also not spare those who through unbelief are unrighteous and false Christians, but punish them with a sorer punishment than Sodom and Gomorrah, which were turned into ashes and condemned and overthrown for an example unto all them that commit ungodliness, and do not repent. 2 Pet. 2:4,6; Jude 6; Matt. 11:24; 2 Pet. 3.