# Two Letters Written By These Imprisoned Friends, As We Have Found Them In A Small, Old, Printed Book.

16th century (source section) · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: TWO LETTERS WRITTEN BY THESE IMPRISONED FRIENDS, AS WE HAVE FOUND THEM IN A SMALL, OLD, PRINTED BOOK.

Century of containing source section; exact event date not assigned

We poor and despised strangers, who are in persecution
for the testimony of Jesus Christ, wish all
men, of whatever race or office, from God, that the
Lord would grant them a long peace, so that we
may live in peace among one another, in all godliness,
to the praise and glory of the Lord, and the
salvation of the soul.

Since we are by so many persons, both with word
and pen, very unjustly accused and slandered, we
are for this important reason constrained briefly, in
writing, to present the ground of our faith, and thus
make it known as follows:

We are not addressed, and interrogated concerning
our faith, with a meek spirit, as the holy Scriptures
teach; but reproach is heaped upon reproach,
and lie upon lie, to increase and augment our afflictions
and sorrows; and because they also have no
pity for our poor weak women and children. Our
country and kindred, and our property, we had to
leave (partly, because of the great tyranny), and
fled as lambs before wolves, only for the true evangelical
truth of Jesus Christ, and not for any sedition
or heresy, as the Munsterite errors or abominations
were, and as (God forbid!) is reported of
us. We fain would that our whole faith and life
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were written on our forehead, so that every one
might know and see what we believe, and what we
seek and desire here upon earth. There should
nothing be found but a true faith in full accordance
with the gospel of Jesus Christ, and an unblamable
life, seeking to provide bread for our wives and
children, even as God has commanded and as the
Scriptures teach, 1 Thess. 2:9; 2 Thess. 3:8;
Eph. 4:28; 1 Thess. 4:11. O that our persecutors
knew that this is the desire of our hearts, they certainly
could not but have great pity and compassion
upon us poor, despised strangers, if there be any
human pity and compassion in them at all, and they
would, according to the words of the Lord, have
compassion upon us, as the prophet says: “Bring
the poor that are afflicted to thy house.” Is. 58:7.
Moses says: “If a stranger sojourn with thee in your
land, ye shall not vex him; but the stranger that
dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born
among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself.”
Lev. 19:33,34.

Mark well that God commands to love the
stranger as one’s own self. Who is in misery and
dwelling in a strange country, that likes to be despised,
and driven out of it with his fellow-believers,
and suffer great loss besides? Hence Christ says:
“All things whatsoever ye would that men should
do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the
law and the prophets.” Matt. 7:12. O that they
would deal so with us, according to natural equity,
and the evangelical truth (of which our persecutors
so greatly boast), how soon should the persecutors
cease, and the lying and slandering mouths be
stopped. For Christ and his own persecuted no
one, but in his true Gospel taught the contrary, as
he says: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse
you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for
them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
that ye may be the children of your Father which is
in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil
and on the good.” Matt. 5:44,45. This is the
doctrine left by Christ and his apostles, as they
themselves declare, even as Paul says: “Even unto
this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and
are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain
dwelling place; and labor, working with our own
hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted,
we suffer it: being defamed, we entreat: we are
made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring
of all things unto this day.” 1 Cor. 4:11–13.
Paul further says: “All that will live godly in Christ
Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Tim. 3:12.

From all this it is demonstrable, that those who
have the true evangelical doctrine and faith will persecute
no one, but will themselves be persecuted.
If it be said to us, that we are persecuted for our
heretical faith, according to Paul’s teaching, and because
God has commanded to kill the false prophets
(Deut. 13:9), we reply thus: Paul says, that we are
to reject (avoid) a man that is a heretic, after the
first and second admonition. Tit. 3:10. He does
not say: Drive them out of the country and city
without hearing or admonishing them. Besides, one
must also know who are heretics: namely, those
who advance a doctrine that is beside and contrary
to the word of the Lord. But no man can convince
us of this; that is, that our doctrine and faith are
contrary to the doctrine of Jesus Christ and his
holy apostles, as the sequel will show.

In regard to their allegation, that God has commanded,
in his law, to kill false prophets, we reply:
That if we, in this time of the New Testament, were
to kill all which God had commanded to kill in the
Old Testament, we should have to kill not only the
false prophets, but also the adulterers, whoremongers,
and those who take the name of the Lord in
vain and curse, and other like transgressors. Leviticus
20:10; Deut. 22:21; Lev. 24:14. And if they
would wink at these, and allege against us only the
commandment concerning the false prophets, in
order to be rid of us, do at least rightly consider the
word of the Lord, by what sign false prophets shall
be known. For thus does God speak by Moses:
“If a prophet or dreamer say to you: Let us go
after strange gods, which you know not, that
prophet shall die.” Deut. 13. But we do not teach
to go after strange gods, neither have we a heretical
faith which is contrary to the word of Christ. But
we believe in one God, Father Almighty, Creator of
heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only begotten
Son, our Lord, who was conceived of the
Holy Ghost, born of the pure virgin Mary, suffered
under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was
buried; on the third day he rose from the dead, ascended
up to heaven, and is now sitting at the right
hand of God the almighty Father, whence he must
come again, to judge the quick and the dead. We
believe in the Holy Ghost. We believe that Christ
Jesus is true God and man.

Neither do we seek salvation in our works, as is
reported of us; but we believe that we shall be saved
only through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Nor do we boast of being without sin, but confess
ourselves every moment as sinners before our God.
But from presumptuous sins we must refrain, if we
would be saved: as namely, from adultery, fornication,
sorcery, sedition, shedding of blood, cursing
and swearing, lying and cheating, pride and drunkenness,
anger and strife, hatred and envy. These
are the sins of which the Scripture says: “They
which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom
of God.” Gal. 5:21.

That they also say that we will not hear the word
of God, because we do not hear the preachers in
church, to that we reply: That we do not hear the
preachers, to this the word of our God constrains
us, as they are not fit persons to administer such an
office. For Paul teaches Timothy and says: “The
things that thou hast heard of me by many witnesses,
the same commit thou to faithful men, who
shall be able to teach others also.” 2 Tim. 2:2.
For he that would reprove and teach another must
be unblamable himself. But if the preachers were
according to the apostolic doctrine, we would gladly
hear them from the depths of our hearts, and would
also be the first and the last in church.

But if it be said to us, that Jesus Christ says:
“The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that
observe and do; but do not ye after their works”
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(Matt. 23:2,3); we answer: If the preachers are the
scribes and Pharisees, then they are the ones who
have crucified Jesus Christ, and then also will come
upon them all the woes that follow hereafter. But if
they are not the scribes, then are also the preceding
words, that we are to do according to their words,
and not after their works, not spoken of them.
Again, they that sat in Moses’ seat, were from the
tribe of Levi, like Moses, teaching the people of Israel:
All that the priests and Levites teach you, and
as they command you, that shall ye observe, and do
according to it. Deut. 17:10. The prophet says:
“The priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they
should seek the law at his mouth.” Mal. 2:7. Since
Christ did not come to destroy the law or the
prophets, but to fulfill them; therefore he taught his
apostles thus. But that this should be an argument
from the word of Christ (Matt. 23), to hear the
preachers, cannot be; since the preachers are not of
the tribe of Levi, whom Israel had to hear, but from
the Gentiles. Besides, it must be considered, that
when Christ Jesus had fulfilled the law in every respect,
by his bitter death and the shedding of his
sacred blood, he ordained another priesthood that
should teach his holy law, namely, his gospel, when
he said to his disciples: “As my Father hath sent
me, even so send I you.” John 20:21.

These holy messengers of Christ directed us to
hear, not blamable teachers, but such as are unblamable;
who are not given to wine, not self-willed, not
soon angry, no brawler, not covetous, not given to
filthy lucre; but given to hospitality, kind, sober,
just, holy, temperate; holding fast the faithful word.
And let the deacons also first be proved; then let
them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
2 Pet. 3:2; 1 John 4:1; 1 Tim. 3; Tit. 1;
Rom. 2:21; 16:17.

Hence we dare not regard the preachers as the
persons that are to wait on the office of the ministry;
nor dare we hear them, because they, according
to Paul’s teaching, are blamable and unfit
thereto. When it is therefore said of us, that we
will not hear the word of God, great injustice is
done us; for to hear the word of God is the greatest
joy that can come to us upon earth, for it is the
comfort of our hearts.

That they would also accuse us of being disobedient
to the magistracy, because we do not have our
children baptized, to this we reply: “We desire to
obey the magistracy in all things not contrary to the
word of God. That we do not have our children
baptized by the priest, this we omit not from stubbornness
or presumption, but through the fear of
God, because Christ commanded to baptize believers,
and the messengers of Christ did not baptize
infants, who were unable to speak, but reasonable
persons, upon confession of their sins, and of their
faith, as may be read, Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:9; Luke
3:21; John 3:22; Acts 2:28; 9:37; 8:18; 10:48;
16:33; 18:8; 19:5; 22:16. Thus did Christ and the
apostles teach concerning baptism as we may read,
Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16; John 3:23; Rom. 6:3;
Gal. 3:27; Eph. 4:5; Col. 2:12; Tit. 3:5; 1 Peter
3:21; Heb. 6:2. These are the Scriptures that testify
of the baptism of believers. But of baptizing infants
devoid of reason or speech, upon the faith of
the fathers, and exorcising the devil from them, of
this the Scriptures do not say one word. Hence we
dare not consent to such a baptism, because God
has commanded, that one shall neither add to nor
take away from his words. Nor dare we do what
seems right to any one, but only that which he
commands. It is further written: “Add thou not
unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be
found a liar.” Prov. 30:6.

The Scriptures declare in many places, that they
will be most grievously punished by God who forsake
his word, and follow their own opinion, even
as Saul the first King of Israel; Uzzah, who touched
the ark of the Lord; the two sons of Aaron, Nadab
and Abihu, who did that which was not commanded
them, wherefore they were also punished. 1 Samuel
15:24; 2 Sam. 6:6; Lev. 10:2. These are to us
remarkable examples, that we dare use no religious
rites or ceremonies without a command from God.
For Christ says: “Every plant which my heavenly
Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.” Matthew
15:13. And Martin Luther, commenting on
the third chapter of Daniel, writes: “Divine worship
without the word is always idolatry.”

That they say that the children believe themselves
and that God is almighty, so that he can easily give
the children faith, since faith is the gift of God, to
this we reply: That God is almighty, and can easily
give the children faith, and not only faith, but also
speech, and works, whereby faith is also confessed
(for faith is not without confession or good works),
but now does God give the children neither speech
nor works, to say nothing of faith.339 Paul says:
“How shall they believe in him of whom they have
not heard?” Rom. 10:14. It is certainly evident
to every one, that infants can neither hear nor understand,
as also the Scripture openly declares.
And even though the Scriptures did not teach us
this, yet experience teaches us, that they must be
guarded and kept from all sharp and dangerous instruments,
from water and fire, whereby they prove
that there is neither faith nor understanding in
them. And as they are not willing to permit that
infants should receive the sacrament, they thereby
prove themselves, that they do not regard their
speechless children as believers.

That they also claim that their children are filled
with the Holy Ghost in their mother’s womb, as
was John the Baptist; if this be true, how comes it
then that they exorcise the unclean spirits from their
children, when they baptize them; if they have previously
had the Holy Spirit?

That they also adduce the words of Christ: “Suffer
the children to come unto me, for of such is the
kingdom of God,” as a proof for baptizing the children,
we answer: That the kingdom of God is theirs
we heartily admit; but that they are therefore to be
baptized, we do not admit, for the reason that
Christ did not baptize the children that were
brought to him, nor did he command that they
should be baptized; but they are saved through
963grace, without any ceremonies, through the blood
of Christ, even as the children which died without
circumcision in Israel.

That they also assert that we must be born again
of the water and the Spirit, or we cannot enter into
the kingdom of God, and would conclude that children
must be baptized, because water precedes the
Spirit; or they will not be saved: to this we reply, in
the first place: That Christ here does not speak of
children, but to an adult person, that came to him
by night, to whom Jesus said: “Verily, verily I say
unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of
the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that
which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:5,6.
In the second place, Christ speaks of a regeneration
before the water (v. 3), which regeneration cannot
be effected except through faith in Jesus Christ, as
the Scriptures teach. This also Martin Luther
writes,340 that faith is a divine work in us, which
changes and renews us by the power of God, mortifies
the old Adam, makes of us entirely different
beings in heart, mind and every power, and brings
the Holy Ghost with it.

These words do in no respect concern innocent
children, for they do not have the old birth, from the
original sin which condemns them, as some would
prove, because David says: I was begotten of sinful
seed; and in sin did my mother conceive me. This
psalm David made, when he had committed adultery
with Bathsheba, and was reproved by the
prophet Nathan. Then he lamented on account of
the inborn sin from Adam, but it was not accounted
unto his condemnation, because of the promised
seed which had been promised to Adam and Eve,
namely, Christ Jesus, who reconciled Adam’s transgression
and took the original sin upon himself, as
Paul says: “As by the offense of one judgment
came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the
righteousness of one the free gift came upon all
men, unto justification of life.” Rom. 5:18. Thus
also Martin Luther declares, writing on the fifteenth
chapter of John: “That original sin was taken away
through Christ, and that since Christ’s advent it
does no more condemn any one. Since, then,
original sin was taken away through Christ, and
no longer condemns any one, there is also no sin
can condemn infants if they die without baptism:
for the children shall not die for the iniquity of
the father, saith the Lord.” Deuteronomy 24:16;
2 Kings 14:6; 2 Chronicles 25:4; Ezekiel 18:20.
Hence it is a great sin before God, to demand
that the children be baptized for the sake of
original sin, or that they shall not be saved. Those
who demand this, esteem Adam’s sin greater
than the merits of Christ: they also seek salvation
more in the water than in the blood of Christ, which
is openly contradicting the Scriptures, since it is
so clearly declared “that the blood of our Lord Jesus
Christ cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7;
Col. 1:14; 1 Pet. 1:19; Rev. 1:5; Heb. 9:12.

That they also want to argue, that circumcision is
a proof for the validity of infant baptism; this can
not be. Reason, if children were to be baptized as
they were circumcised, only the male children
would have to be baptized, and not the female, for
the female children were not circumcised, but only
the male children. Paul does not apply circumcision
to baptism, but to the circumcision of the heart,
which is a circumcision of the spirit. Rom. 2:29;
Col. 2:11; Philip. 3:3. God commanded Abraham
to use circumcision on the eighth day; this commandment
Israel kept until Christ came, and they
did not change it, whether in little or in much, but
adhered to the eighth day, and did not want to follow
their reason and say: that when children die
before the eighth day without circumcision they are
damned; but they would obey God and his commandments
and would not follow their own wisdom.
In this manner we in the New Testament are also
to use baptism: Namely, at the time Christ commanded
it; that is, on believers, and we are not to
follow our own opinion in the matter of baptism,
that we should use it before the proper time on
speechless and unreasonable children; because God
has not commanded it, and it has not been his will.
Had it been the will of God, that infants should be
baptized, as they were circumcised when they were
eight days old, God would doubtless have commanded
it with an express command, that children
should be baptized, even as well as he commanded
to circumcise the children. Christ would also have
received baptism in his infancy, as well as that he
was circumcised when he was eight days old.
But now this was not the will of God; hence he
did also teach otherwise, and received it himself in
a different manner. For Christ came to John, and
desired that he should baptize him, as he also did.
By this he teaches us, and has shown us by examples,
that they who are to be baptized must have a
desire for baptism.

That the preachers assert that Origenes received
infant baptism from the apostles, this cannot be; for
Origenes lived a hundred years after the time of the
apostles, as history testifies. But it is very surprising
that the learned are trying to prove any thing
by Origenes, since Martin Luther so strenuously
rejects him. They write and say what some Romish
bishops or popes instituted, and proved the same
from the historian Platina. They write thus: “That
Pope Innocent commanded to baptize children as
soon as they were born.” The same is contained in
a book printed at Magdeburg, entitled a “Prayer
Book, new from the holy Scriptures.” Again, Sebastian
Franck’s Chronika, and Adriaen van Bergen
write that Ignius the tenth Pope instituted the
sponsors in baptism. This is the reason why we
cannot see the propriety of infant baptism: because
it is instituted and commanded by men, and the
holy Scripture does not know such a baptism, but
knows only the baptism that is taught upon faith,
as said before.

We are also branded as profaners of the sacrament
and forgetters of God. To this we reply: We
neither profane nor forget the sacrament of our Lord
Jesus Christ, but hold it in great gratitude, and
remember, whenever we observe it, the great love
which Christ showed us on the cross, when he suffered
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his body to be broken, and shed his sacred
blood for our sakes; and thus we show forth the
death of the Lord, as Paul says: “As often as ye
eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the
Lord’s death till he come.” 1 Cor. 11:26. This is
our faith concerning the sacrament. That we do not
receive it from the preachers, and observe it with
their church, is for three reasons.

The first reason is: That the minister or dispenser
must be blameless according to the teaching
of Paul; he must rule well his own house, and have
his children in subjection, and his wife must be faithful
in all things. 1 Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1:6. In the second
place, the church that is to eat of the bread
must be a blameless church (Eph. 5:27), as Paul
says: “For even Christ our passover is sacrificed
for us: therefore let us keep the feast, not with old
leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness;
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity
and truth.” Paul further says: “I wrote unto you
in an epistle not to company with fornicators: yet
not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or
with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters;
for then must ye needs go out of the world. But
now I have written unto you not to keep company,
if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or
covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard,
or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat.”
1 Cor. 5:7–11. Since we openly find such works
in their church, the word of God forbids us to observe
the Lord’s sacrament with them.

The third reason is: because they do not observe
their sacrament according to the practice of Christ
and his apostles, for they took bread, and break it,
and gave it to the people. Matt. 26:26; 1 Corinthians
10:16; 11:23; Acts 2:42; 20:11. But the
priests break no bread, but give unbroken wafers.
The wafers were instituted by Pope Alexander.
Christ commands it to be done in remembrance of
him (1 Cor. 11:24); the priests say that it is to be
done, partly, for the forgiveness of sins. These are
the reasons why we dare not observe it with them,
through the fear of God, for we dare do nothing
but what the word of God teaches us. And we observe
it with a blameless dispenser, in a blameless
church who fear God, with bread and wine, according
to the practice of the Lord and his apostles, in
the houses, as Christ and the apostles did.

This is our faith and confession concerning holy
baptism: that it may be given to none other but
adults that believe, and know themselves what they
are receiving, even as they who eat of the bread of
the Lord must have understanding and faith, and
must examine themselves. Because we thus rightly
observe these two sacraments according to the command
of Christ, hence it partly comes, that the
preachers are so exceedingly hostile to us. It
grieves them, that they should lose their profit.
They know not what evil things they can falsely tell
the authorities and the common people, in order
that they should not tolerate us in any city or country.
They pretend that there are so many thousands
of us in the country, who want to take possession
of countries and cities; whereas no such thoughts
have entered into our hearts, for it is impossible to
take possession of countries and cities without violence
and bloodshed. And if we had such a liberty
as would permit us to commit murder, and to deprive
an other of his property, we would also have
liberty to let our children be baptized by the priests;
then we would not need to allow ourselves to be
driven from our possessions and paternal inheritances,
from our ease into great misery, as a reproach
to all. If we had such a heart as is reported
of us, we would suffer all this in vain, for they who
do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God,
as Paul says. Gal. 5:21. “A lie,” says Sirach, “is
a foul blot in a man, yet it is continually in the
mouth of the untaught. A thief is better than a
man that is accustomed to lie.” Sir. 20:24,25.
For they had also invented this lie against Paul,
that he had made an uproar, and had brought from
the wilderness four thousand secret murderers. Acts
21:38. But with regard to us they have still magnified
the lie, and speak of many thousands as being
of our faith. We have not so easy a faith, that they
flock to us in crowds; only here and there may be a
household, which are very solitary and few, as a
sparrow alone upon the housetop, like the pelican
of the wilderness, an owl of the desert, a lily among
thorns, and the apple tree among the trees of the
wood, which brings forth good fruit (Ps. 102:7,6;
Cant. 2:2,3; Ps. 1:3), as a penitent life, to deny
one’s self, and to hate his own life, otherwise he cannot
be Christ’s disciple. Luke 14:26. They that
are Christ’s, crucify the flesh with the affections and
lusts. Gal. 5:24. He that says he abides in Christ
ought himself also to walk, even as Christ walked.
1 John 2:6. Christ says that there are few that walk
in his way, in the way which leads unto life, and
that find it. It is hid from the scribes and wise of
this world. Base things, and things which are most
despised, hath God chosen, and things which are
not, to them it is given to know the mysteries of the
kingdom of God. Thus Christ and his apostles declare
that there are few who have the true faith, and
know the way. As also the prophet laments: “The
faithful fail from among the children of men.” Psalm
12:1. For iniquity abounds, so that, if it were possible,
the very elect should fall into error, as Christ
himself says: “When the Son of man cometh, shall
he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8. Hence
there will be few believers at Christ’s coming, and
have also been few from the beginning of the world.
As namely, in the time of Noah, only eight believing
souls. In Lot’s time, there were only three believers.
In the time of Israel, there were eight
hundred false prophets against one. Also, four
hundred false prophets, to one [true] prophet.
1 Kings 18.

Thus the perverse have always outnumbered the
righteous. This is our open confession before God
and all men: that the faith and heart of every one
of us is of such a nature, that we do not desire in
any wise to injure our enemies that persecute us, or
to wish them evil; but we desire from the depths of
our hearts, to pray for them, and if they should
need us, we would most heartily serve them according
to our ability, for they know not but that they
are right, and are therein doing God great service.
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John 16:2. Even as they will hereafter have to confess,
as it is written in the fifth chapter of Wisdom;
but it shall then be too late for them. For this reason
the promise of eternal salvation is ours; as
Christ himself said: “Blessed are ye, when men
shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say
all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your
reward in heaven.” Matt. 5:11,12. This promise
have they that are persecuted here. But to those
that persecute here, woe is prophesied, as Christ
says: “Woe unto you, scribes, who kill the prophets;
fill up the measure of your fathers.” The
apostle says: “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and
howl, for your miseries that shall come upon you.
Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are
moth eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and
the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and
shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped
treasure together for the last days. Ye have condemned
and killed the just; and he doth not resist
you.” James 5;1–3,6. If it be replied, that they
do not want to shed our blood, but only order us
out of their cities and countries, we answer: Though
there is no where a place for us, still we must certainly
live some where; hence we must for this reason
go to bloody countries, whence we fled, partly,
because of the great tyranny, where the blood of
the saints is poured out like water. But when that
great day of the Lord will come, when men shall
say: “Ye mountains and hills, fall on us, and hide
us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne,
and from the wrath of the Lamb;” then it shall be
found how guilty they have been of our blood.
For they shall have judgment without mercy, that
have shewed no mercy. For with what measure a
man has meted, it shall be measured to him again.

Hence we request and pray, for the sake of Jesus
Christ, that what we have written be received in
good part, since it has been done out of pure love,
for a warning against the punishment of the Lord,
lest you sin against us; since we are the true strangers
and people of God, who are persecuted for the
true doctrine of Jesus Christ and his holy apostles.
May the eternal and merciful God look with gracious
eyes upon all his afflicted children, who are
hated by so many, and not give to the beasts the
souls of thy turtle doves, for his great and holy
name’s sake. Ps. 74:19.

O Lord, shorten the days, and look upon the reproach
of thy people, which they must suffer every
day for the sake of the holy testimony of the Gospel,
through thy dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.

(End of the first letter.)

As then he that was born after the flesh persecuted
him that was born after the Spirit, even so it
is now. Gal. 4:29.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without
wavering; for he is faithful that promised.
Heb. 10:23.





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