True Faith Cannot Lie Dormant

True evangelical faith is of such a nature it cannot lie dormant, but spreads itself out in all kinds of righteousness and fruits of love. It dies to flesh and blood, ?it destroys all lusts and forbidden desires, ?it seeks, serves and fears God in its inmost soul, ?it clothes the naked, ?it feeds the hungry;? it comforts the sorrowful, ?it shelters the destitute, ?it aids and consoles the sad, it does good to those who do it harm,? it serves those that harm it, it prays for those who persecute it, ?it teaches, admonishes and judges us with the Word of the Lord, ?it seeks those who are lost, ?it binds up what is wounded, ?it heals the sick,? it saves what is strong (sound), it becomes all things to all people.? The persecution, suffering and anguish that come to it for the sake of the Lord’s truth have become a glorious joy and comfort to it.

--Menno Simons (1496 – 31 January 1561, Anabaptist leader. Simons was a contemporary of the Protestant Reformers and his followers became known as Mennonites).