praise of the Lord and the salvation of your brethren, as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Peter, and Paul, did in their times, then you would rejoice; praise the Lord; again restore our respect with the people; and henceforth leave off such slanderous language, as has been mentioned; you would reform your life, accept, and advise and aid in the offered discussion, in Christian faith; because we do not propose to have the discussion judged according to human philosophy, wisdom, and ideas, as some do, but according to Christ's own Spirit, word, command, prohibition, ordinance, usage, and example. But, in case you reject and refuse it, and still continue in your bitterness, falsehoods, slanders, upbraiding, backbiting, and disgrace as you have hitherto done, then we poor, miserable souls, must leave it to the Lord, as has been hitherto done; and possess our souls in patience; suffer ourselves to be punished, and console ourselves with this saying, "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. But you must fill the measure of your fathers, and make youselves manifest, that you seek not the sheep, but merely their milk, wool, and fat, Ezek. 34: 3. There are but two ways open, namely, You must either cease your false accusations, and slandering, and enter into a discussion with us, or you must acknowledge that you are not the true teachers, and let go your gospel fame and Christian name.
We would herewith commend you all to the Lord, and desire to say that none should take offense at this; for we have done so for the advancement of the holy word, and I for the defense of our respectability, and I we would reiterate, that we are, at all times, prepared, and willing for the discussion, on the conditions mentioned.
May the merciful Lord grant you all a sincere, pious heart to love the saving truth of Christ, and to walk in accordance therewith, to the praise of God, and to the salvation of your souls. Amen.
DESCRIPTION OF A TRUE PREACHER.
"A bishop, then, must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach." He "must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre. But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; holding fast the faithful word, as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine, both to exhort, and to convince the gainsayers," 1 Tim. 3: 2; Titus 1: 7–9.
By us despised strangers and scattered Christians, for the sake of God's word and its testimony. A. D. 1552.
