AELW 4:6
"The whole world has nothing better, more precious, or nobler than the church, in which the voice of God is heard and God is worshiped with true forms of worship, that is, with faith, invocation, patience, obedience, etc. Yet the church is so hidden from view by the cross, by afflictions, by dishonor, and by contempt that the world concludes that nothing is more detestable and baneful.
Indeed, look at Christ Himself. What is more wretched than He? “We saw Him full of scabs,” says Isaiah (cf. 53:2–3), “so that we turned our faces away from Him.” Yet He is the Son of God, the King of glory, and the salvation of all men. Why, then, is it strange if few are aware of the dignity of marriage and of the miracle of birth? For this is the source of those familiar sayings that a wife is a necessary evil and that she is an irksome blessing. But if we were mindful of the Word, we would judge differently. Now, since we are blinded by original sin, we pay no attention to the Word, and we take into account solely those things which we find offensive.
Therefore let us learn to look at the Word and the will of God; then we shall bear everything calmly, no matter how bitter it is."
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