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424 424 A HUMBLE PRAYER TO THE READER. Fifthly, I pray that no person will think that I thus write to retaliate Micron's writ- ing. O, no. I leave wrath to him who is judge of all the world. I have done so to the service of Micron and all the erring, that they may be converted, and give be- coming praise and honor to Christ, the Son of God, Dent. 32: 35; Heb. 10: 39; 1 Pet. 2:3, 23; 3:9. The truth is presented to them, by the grace of God, in such power and clearness that no man can disannul it by virtue of the Scriptures, nor contradict it by virtue of intellect. Therefore it would be well if our opponents would behold it more clearly, that they may, with all the saints, flee from the future judgment, and that they may, in the day of his appear- ance, stand before the throne of his Majes- ty in eternal joy. If they do not, but refuse, remain obdu- rate and partial; if they repay good with evil, and love with hatred; if they seek as- sistance from tlie worldly powers, since they are too weak in the Scriptures, and thus watch for the corruption and misfor- tune of the pious, by falsehood and orna- mented inventions, as has, alas, been the case hitherto, with many, then we must leave them to the Lord, possess our souls in patience, and remember the saying of Christ: " For so persecuted they the proph- ets which were before you," Matt. 5: 12. Lastly, I would faithfully warn all my readers and hearers, both great and small, rich and poor, favorable and unfavorable, as before God, and sincerely pray them in Christ Jesus, to read impartially this our incontrovertible, thorough answer and ex- planation; and rightly to weigh it in the balance of the holy, divine word, and to compare it with the fictitious foundation and doctrine of our opponents, that they, enlightened by the truth, may find the true way to life. Let none believe me; but believe the truth which I have, according to my small talent, placed before you in invincible power and clearness, according to the pure doctrine of the holy apostles, evangelists, prophets, and of Christ himself. In Christ, be warned. Your poor souls are lamentably deceived by the doctrine of our opponents; for it is the smoke from the bottomless pit. Rev. 9: 2, which obscures the bright Sun, Christ Jesus, and the air of his holy word; it is the falsehood of the old serpent; its egg and brood; he that eateth it dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper, Isa. 59: 5; it is the spiritual dung with which Ezekiel had to bake his bread, Ezek. 4: 12. In short, it is the horrible, abomi- nable draught of the golden cup of the Babylonian whore, drunken with the blood of the saints, with which she has made drunk all who dwell in the earth. Rev. 17:4. Their doctrine and confession stand clear and manifest, that the crucified Christ Jesus, was not the true Son of God; for they say he had no Father, and is only called so on account of their fictitious union; they reject the baptism of Christ; they rage and blas- pheme against it, and institute a difli'erent baptism which is neither taught nor com- manded them by the Scriptures. The dif- ference between the oath of Christ and Moses they deny, and say, we are allowed to swear to the truth, that it is a holy thing, &c.. Matt. 5: 34. Let him who is intelli- gent, understand what we have explained in both our book and epistle. John says, "The Word was made flesh," Jn. 1: 14. Paul says, "Gi'eatisthe myster}^ of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory," 1 Tim. 3: IC. Because we sincerely confess this testimony, as also all others v.iiich confess the visible, palpable, crucified Christ to be the Son of God, to be true and just; therefore we must, alas, be called by the world, sectarians and heretics. It is time to beware. Kind read- er take heed. God grant you his grace. Amen. Read attentively and judge impar- tially. Amen. h-<(g3aw*.