The New Living Way Prepared by Christ

the blame for all unrest upon the quiet sheep and lambs, when the priests, like ravenous wolves, incite all the perverting, ruining, and murdering.

§. 12. Because now the King of all kings, and LORD of all lords, JESUS Christ the Savior of the world, can no longer watch the great ruin and scattering of His children; but now wants to take care of His little flock, the poor sheep who have no true shepherds (Ezekiel 34 and Jeremiah 23) Himself, and gather them from all peoples, sects, and religions into the unity of the Spirit and true brotherly love: so that there may be one flock and one shepherd. And to that end He now wants to shake heaven and earth for the last time, so that the greatest changes and revolutions are now beginning in the church as well as in the kingdoms of the world (Hebrews 12:26–27; Haggai 2:7), and the greatest judgments, such as wars, hunger, and pestilence, will now come over the world which lies entirely in the wicked one, for the complete fulfillment of all the prophets; therefore all the godless, who have not wanted to be moved and led to repentance by divine goodness and longsuffering in these last days, will be destroyed from the earth: but the believers and righteous will be preserved under such judgments as living stones of the new temple, and prepared for the unity of the Spirit through the perfection of repentance: so do not miss this last visitation of grace, and let everyone learn to recognize what serves for their true peace.

§. 13. As I now sighed incessantly in my heart that GOD might make me a faithful servant and witness of JESUS, to confess Him before men in words and works: GOD heard my prayer and also fulfilled this word from Luke 12 in my house, and made me, amidst various high assaults of Satan, trials, and temptations, ever more capable through the grace of His Holy Spirit to perform the ministry of the Spirit, and not of the letter. But because it is impossible to preach the Gospel of Christ freely and without cost as long as one stands under the forced laws and ordinances of men; the wise and holy GOD directed all circumstances so wisely that I also became free from them,