EDAM, A. D. 1569.
My dear brethren and sisters, one with us in our most holy Christian
faith, I wish you the weapons of light, to fight against the works of
darkness; yea, from the depth of my heart and my inmost soul I wish
you new tidings, glad news, an evangelical greeting, grace, mercy,
peace, long-suffering, love, comfort, wisdom, and steadfastness; yea,
from God our heavenly Father, all his heavenly treasures and riches,
through Jesus Christ, our Giver and Distributor, our Prophet; great
Apostle, and High Priest, our Ground, Foundation and Corner-stone in
Sion, our Trumpet, and Horn of salvation in the house of David and camp
of Israel, our Way, Door, Truth and Life, our Reconciler, Mediator
and Advocate, our Peace, Atonement and Righteousness, our pashcal
Dove and pashcal Lamb, our Sun, Light, Morning-Star, our delightful
Emmanuel, Peace, Comfort, and Captain of the faith, our Shepherd,
David and Solomon according to the spirit, our Comforter and Rejoicer,
our Joy, Gladness, Might and Strength, our Fortress, Castle, Wall and
Strength, our Hero, Warrior and Conqueror, who led captivity captive,
deprived death of its might, power, and strength, that is, him that
had the power of death, brought life and immortality to light, spoiled
principalities and powers, triumphed over them in himself, broke down
the middle wall of partition, blotted out the handwriting and nailed it
to the cross, fulfilled the promises, satisfied the law, confirmed the
testament with his death, and sealed it with his blood, and renewed all
things, and put them under his feet, at the mercy seat upon the ark of
God, above the cherubim, in the most holy place, that is, the head of
his church forever. Amen. Eph. 4:8; Heb. 2:14; Col. 2:15; Eph. 2:14;
Matt. 5:17; Heb. 9:17: Rom. 3:25; Ex. 25:17; Eph. 1:22.
Since you are often in our hearts, dear and in God beloved, sanctified
brethren and sisters, we cannot well forbear to visit your love, in
spirit, through love, with our unworthy letters. For though according
to the flesh, we are not present together, we are nevertheless together
in spirit, and we rejoice in our bonds, afflicted in the flesh, but
joyful and delighted in spirit, when we consider your love, piety,
brotherly love and godliness, the steadfastness of your faith, the
assurance, constancy and confidence of your mind, your steadfastness
and the obedience of the Gospel, your boldness of Jesus Christ, and the
strengthening of our God through the power of his Holy Spirit. Hence
the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one,
which no one can do except he remain grounded, rooted and fixed in
God through Jesus Christ, and God, again must dwell, walk and rest in
him through Christ, that is: there must be the word and the wholesome
knowledge of God, and an unconquerable love, hope and faith; and this
in the power of the Spirit, irrefutable and unconquerable, in the
firm foundation stone in Sion, which is to the unbelieving, a hard
touch-stone of stumbling and offense. Hence, whosoever shall fall on
it shall be broken and crushed; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it
will grind him to powder, that is, destroy him. 1 John 2:14; Eph. 3:17;
2 Cor. 6:16; 1 Corinthians 13:13; 1 Pet. 2:6; Matt. 21:44.
Hence our unworthy letter is not especially written to your love, nor
to teach or admonish your love. O no, you have the anointing of him
that is holy, and hence you are already taught and enlightened in
God, through Jesus Christ, by the Holy Ghost. 1 John 2:27; John 6:45.
Besides, you have and know the holy Scriptures which can instruct and
exhort you unto godliness. But we unworthy ones pray and wish day and
night for the holy God and King of eternity, the Father of light and
mercy, to strengthen and confirm through his unfathomable grace, and by
his Holy Spirit, us and you in the spirit of our minds, according to
the heart, and that Jesus Christ according to the inner man may dwell
in our hearts by faith, that we, being rooted and grounded, steadfast
and immovable from the hope of the Gospel, may be able to know and
comprehend with all the saints of God, and with all Christian believers
and chosen children of God, what is the abundance of his power and
might, the riches of his glory, and his unfathomable grace, yea, the
height, depth, breadth and length, and to know the love of God and
Christ, which passes all knowledge, wisdom and understanding, that he
would herein and hereby fill you with all the fullness of God. Eph.
4:23; 2:16.
See, my affectionately beloved, sanctified brethren and sisters,
who are partakers of the kind and nature of our common, most holy,
Christian faith, I say, of the kind and nature of God, through the
regeneration of God, the heavenly Father, by his incorruptible seed and
word, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, in heavenly places, in
the illumination and brightness of the heavenly glory, in newness of
spirit, in the mind of Jesus Christ, by the sprinkling of the blood
of Jesus Christ unto obedience in the sanctification of the spirit. 2
Peter 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:2. Hence we have all been made to drink into one
spirit, and are baptized into one body, and sealed by one Spirit unto
the day of our redemption. 2 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 4:30. Where this thus
exists, there is certainly the nature of the Christian faith and the
nature of God, without which faith and regeneration cannot be, exist,
or be named; but where this is found and thus exists in full power of
the spirit, as said, there are without doubt the blessing of God, the
dew of the Holy Ghost and of the heavenly benediction, and the rain of
righteousness, in all manner of fruitfulness, growth and incense in the
knowledge of God and the mind of Jesus Christ. Ah, there is Abraham’s
holy seed of peace, the children of the promise, not of the flesh, nor
of the law, but of the Spirit, in Isaac sanctified, justified, and
blessed with all spiritual blessings in new and heavenly places in
Jesus Christ. Rom. 9:8; Eph. 1:3. And therefore they have, and there
pertain to them the adoption, the law, the service of God, the glory,
the testaments, and the promises that were made to the fathers, which
belonged to Israel according to their birthright, that is, according
to the flesh, but who on account of their unbelief were rejected, and
failed in them. Rom. 9:4. But the spiritual Israel of God, namely, the
seed of Abraham, the children of the promise, have obtained it by their
faith, and have attained to, and been called and elected thereunto
through grace; they have contrary to nature been grafted into the good
olive tree, and have through grace become partakers of the root and
sap. Rom. 9:8; 11:20–24. And this is now the great mystery of God, and
the unsearchable grace of Jesus Christ, the mystery of the Holy Ghost,
above the wisdom of the Jews, and the understanding of the Greeks, as
Paul says, and signifies to us. Eph. 3:3–5.
Yes, my chosen friends, and sanctified of God, what a great benefit,
love and mercy of God our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is this, namely,
that we who were not a people, are now the people of God; we who had
no hope in the covenants of promise are now by faith in Jesus Christ
ingrafted and partakers and fellow-heirs of his promises. 1 Pet. 2:10;
Eph. 2:12. Behold, thus acts and works the only wise and eternal God,
who in, with and by his wisdom measured and fathomed all things, and
in the twinkling of an eye looked over and knew them from eternity to
eternity; I say, who through the eyes of his wisdom, in the twinkling
of an eye, looked over and knew all things in eternity from everlasting
to everlasting. O how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways
past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath
been his counselor? [or who hath first given to him, and it shall be
recompensed unto him again?] For of him, and through him, and to him,
are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen. Rom. 11:33–36.
This holy, unsearchable and only wise God wrought all things according
to his wisdom, purpose, and predetermined counsel, first in figures,
promises, types and shadows, unto the bringing in of a better hope, by
the which we draw nigh unto God. Heb. 7:19. For the figures, shadows
and heavenly types point us to the true substance and perfect truth
itself in Christ Jesus, which especially the Epistle to the Hebrews
tells us, which also so gloriously speaks of the advent or bringing
in of Jesus Christ, and of his departure and perfection, as may most
satisfactorily be seen in great power and glory, which is very pleasant
and delightful to read, consider and lay to heart. Heb. 1:6; 5:9. Happy
he who therein has his joy and delight, who considers it in the depth
of his heart, and sincerely treasures it up.
For since God in his wisdom and foresight has wrought and ordered all
things to man’s profit and salvation, and in order to signify and show
something else, mark well, the priests in the law were made priests
without an oath, and this because of weakness and imperfection, and
because death did not suffer them to continue, that is, the law made
nothing perfect, nor could it; with all its services and sacrifices,
bring or give us perfection, salvation, or righteousness; for they
could not make or become perfect in conscience, who worshiped; for if
there had been a law given which could make perfect, righteousness
would be by the law, and thus no better means would have been sought
or used; and therefore the law has an end because of imperfection, and
terminates in Christ. Heb. 7; Romans 10:4. For the word of the oath
which was since the law, makes the Son our high priest perfected for
evermore. Heb. 7:28. And he ever liveth to make intercession for our
sins. v. 25. For he has neither beginning of days, nor end of life.
v. 3. He dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him; for in
that he died, he died unto sin once (Rom. 6:9), that is, he became a
propitiation and sacrifice for sins, which is perfect, constant and
perpetual. 1 John 2:2. For as the priests had to have compassion on
them that sinned and erred through ignorance, because they themselves
were also compassed with infirmity; therefore our high priest became
a poor, passive and mortal man, that he might have compassion on our
sins and infirmity, because he became himself like unto us in all
things, and was tempted like as we are, yet without sin, as may be seen
everywhere in the New Testament. Hebrews 5:2; 4:15.
For since Adam was unclean in his nature, and with his seed and
generation lay in sin and death, because of transgression, and the law
of God required a pure, undefiled, holy, and blameless sacrifice for
sin and transgression, that is, satisfaction for transgression and
propitiation for sin, in order to help and save men; therefore the
pure, undefiled and immaculate Word of the heavenly Father, out of
great love and compassion had to come down here from high heaven, and,
according to the promises of the prophets and the word of the angel, be
conceived of the Holy Ghost in Mary, and, through the power of the Most
High, be born of the holy virgin, and be holy, innocent, undefiled, and
separate from sinners, if he according to the law was to be a pure,
holy, undefiled, and blameless sacrifice for sin, if the law was to
be fulfilled, the sins propitiated, the sacrifice made, and our high
priest made perfect as such for evermore by the oath. And he ever lives
to make intercession for our sins; for such a high priest became us.
Rom. 8:34.
Hence this was the greatest joy on earth that has ever been heard,
seen and received: that God came and was seen and manifested in the
flesh. 1 Timothy 3:16. The Lamb of God, which beareth and taketh away
the sins of the world (John 1:29), came upon earth, in human form and
in the likeness of sinful flesh (Rom. 8:3), taught the kingdom of God
(Mark 1:15), preached the Gospel of his peace and the word of his
reconciliation (Luke 4:18; Ephesians 2:16), and declared life and his
grace, the good gospel news, the trumpet sound, to gather Israel to
Jerusalem out of every land, to keep the feasts of Easter, Pentecost,
and of Tabernacles, one new moon and Sabbath after another (Ex. 12:16;
Is. 66:23), as the prophet says: Hearken, thou chosen daughter of Zion,
and ye holy inhabitants of Jerusalem, what joyful sound and shouting is
in thy streets! O what joyful and good news and glad tidings are in the
camp of Israel, to gather the heavenly manna, which lies there, giving
delight and sweetness. Ex. 16:16; Wis. 16:21. But there had to be a
golden pot in which the holy manna of God was preserved (Ex. 16:33), so
there must be a clean flask and cruse, in which the spiritual waters of
eternal life must be gathered. And he that eats of this heavenly bread,
and drinks of this water of life, shall live forever, and shall neither
hunger nor thirst any more; for it shall be in him a well of living
water springing up into everlasting life. John 6:51; 4:14.
See now, my dear and in God beloved, sanctified brethren and sisters,
partakers of his promise, [fellow] citizens [with the saints], and of
the household of God, built upon the foundation of the prophets and
apostles, yea, a habitation of God through the Spirit, a spiritual
house and holy temple, and lively stones, a royal generation, and an
holy priesthood. Heb. 2:12; Eph. 2:19–22; 1 Pet. 2:5,9. I say, holy
inhabitants of Jerusalem, who have a free and open fountain for sin
and uncleanness (Zech. 13:1); who completely and entirely place their
hope in the grace of God, which is brought to you through the gospel
sent from heaven, which things the angels of God desire to look into.
1 Peter 1:13,12. Who ascended up far above all thrones and heavens,
and who is set above all power, might and dominion, in this and in the
world to come. Eph. 4:10; 1:21. But many neither understand nor regard
this life, nor do they heed this great love and grace of God, and
therefore they are offended in their heart because of their unbelief,
and hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, and thus a root of
bitterness springs up, by which many are defiled (Heb. 12:15), as has
now been seen and found in the case of so many; and they are thus
greatly embittered and defiled, that all medicines, yea, the flowing
waters that issue from God’s sanctuary, which can sweeten and heal
everything, cannot heal or sweeten these pools and marshes, but they
are given to salt, as the prophet says. Ezek. 47:1,11. How unwholesome
and barren is this water, which cannot be healed or made fruitful by
the strength of the salt from the new cruse, through the power of the
word of the holy prophet. 2 Kings 2:20–22.
Ah, these bitter waters cannot be made sweet by the pleasant tree
(Ex. 15:25); for he that drinks thereof must die, as John says in his
Revelation: “There fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were
a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the
fountains of waters; and the name of the star is called Wormwood: and
the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the
waters because they were made bitter. And the fourth angel sounded,
and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the
moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them
was darkened, and the day shone not for a third of it, and the night
likewise.” Rev. 8:10–12. And he further says that the smoke arose out
of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air
were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 9:2.
Hence, my very dear and in God beloved holy brethren and sisters, let
us put on the armor of light, to fight against the works of darkness,
that is, to walk in the Spirit, and we shall not fulfill the works of
the flesh. Rom. 13:12; Gal. 5:16. With the same meaning also Peter
says: “Dearly beloved, we beseech you as strangers and pilgrims,
abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.” 1 Pet.
2:11. Hence we must arm ourselves in weakness with the mind of Jesus
Christ, with the Holy Ghost, with the word of truth, with the armor of
light, and with the power of God, on the right hand and on the left
(2 Cor. 6:6,7), that is, we must yield ourselves unto God, and live
in God, as those that are become alive from the dead, and our members
as instruments of righteousness unto God; then the wicked will not
have dominion over us, as Paul teaches. Rom. 6:13,14. And where this
thus triumphs, works and prevails in the power of the Spirit, there
are not only conflicts, dying unto the sins of the flesh, and unto
the old Adam with his lusts and desires, but there is also, through
the divine knowledge and the mind of Jesus Christ, together with an
invincible, firm faith, a sure and certain mind in the word and truth
of the Lord: a conflict against principalities, powers, the rulers of
the darkness of this world, and wicked spirits; and we also bring all
reason, and every high thing and what exalts itself against the truth
into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Eph. 6:12; 2 Cor. 10:5. And
this, as has been said, through a pure, wholesome, sure, and steadfast
knowledge of God, and a constant and certain mind, with the invincible
shield of faith, with which all the fiery darts of the wicked are
quenched. Eph. 6:16. And where this thus takes place and exists, as
said above, there is the armor of light, but not of the flesh; there
the power and armor of God have been put on; there is the mind of
Christ, of the Spirit, but not of the flesh: there they war in, by and
with faith, by which everything is conquered and put down in mighty
power and in the strength of the Spirit, as has been said, etc.
O my dear friends, regenerated, children of the resurrection and of
life, of light and of the day (Luke 20:36; 1 Thess. 5:5), children
of God, and brethren and sisters of Jesus Christ, his companions and
anointed members of his body, lively stones (1 Pet. 2:5), temples of
the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 6:19), kings and priests of God, I say,
inhabitants of Jerusalem, and fellow heirs of his promise, yea, my
sanctified brethren and sisters of our common, most holy Christian
faith, also guests, strangers and pilgrims with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob, in this world (1 Pet. 2:11; Heb. 11:9), O what power, operation,
nature and evidence have and pertain to these and like names, yea,
what comfort, joy and gladness lie in them, belong in them, and would
follow from them, that is, an evidence of obedience (Heb. 11:8), yea,
an evidence, that one seeks the future promised land, firmly believes
God’s promises, despises the earthly, and loves the heavenly; yea,
these names attest and confirm God’s promises, that is, that no one
has a right to, can have, bear, keep, and, in the power of the Spirit,
maintain and live up these names, except he have with the patriarchs a
firm assurance of faith, and judge him faithful who has promised it,
and who is also able to keep it. Heb. 11:11. And therefore they all
willingly journeyed as pilgrims, and through steadfast faith saw the
future things, and held fast to them, and thus evinced their names in
power and indeed, for our instruction, comfort, example and imitation.
Herein rejoice now with us, O you holy brethren and sisters in the Holy
Spirit of truth, in the invincible, strong knowledge of God, and of the
faith which leads to the hope of everlasting life; my most beloved,
in the mind of Jesus Christ and nature of God. Yea, my immovable holy
brethren and sisters, as I hope forever, brethren according to the
Spirit, and not the flesh, according to the Gospel, and not the letter.
Yea, I repeat it, my holy brethren and sisters, regenerated from the
dead by the resurrection of Jesus Christ into heavenly places, here in
the Holy Ghost, and hereafter in perfection. Then you shall rejoice
with joy unspeakable; then you shall live eternally and be forever
happy; then the fiery lake and the second death shall not be able to
terrify you; then shall your body, soul and spirit together be saved
and forever blessed; then you shall eternally be filled and anointed
with the Holy Ghost; then you shall be clothed in white raiment, and
crowned and rewarded with the crown of life, of joy, and of everlasting
gladness and pleasure; then you shall enter into eternal joy and rest,
and be taken and caught up in the air, to meet the Lord, and ever be
with him (1 Thess. 4:17); then you shall be changed in the twinkling
of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:51,52) and your body and face be glorified
with heavenly glory; there you shall shine forth as the sun in the
kingdom of your Father (Matt. 13:43), then you shall laugh and rejoice
(Luke 6:21); then you shall forever behold yourselves as in a mirror,
in his face, brightness and glory, and behold him who thus loved you
that he gave his only begotten Son, who loves you even as his dear
heavenly Father loved and blessed him in eternity. 1 John 3:1; John
3:16.
Yes, then you shall in perfection, with soul, body, and spirit,
inwardly and outwardly; burn in the fire of his love, and be forever
inflamed in his abounding grace, sit at his table (Luke 12:37), and eat
the bread of angels, of life and salvation and drink to the full of the
waters of wisdom, life, of eternal salvation, and of everlasting joy;
then shall he rejoice in himself with his angels and holy hosts, and
be joyful over you with the shouting of his multitude; then shall you
receive, inherit and possess the imperishable riches that shall endure
forever; then shall you be rich in body, soul and spirit; then shall
you sing, leap, and cry: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, hallelujah
(Is. 6:3); then shall a thousand years be to you as one day (2 Pet.
3:8); then shall eternity be to you as the twinkling of an eye; then
shall your years and days not grow old or be fulfilled; then shall
you be without beginning of days and end of life: then you shall pass
eternity as a moment of time; then you shall forever be without change,
which now heart cannot comprehend, nor tongue or mouth express and
fathom. Behold, this is now to be hung as a bright mirror before the
eyes of our hearts; they are fruits of the promised land, the sweet
word of God, and immortal fruits, the powers of the world to come.
See hereby, my very dear and most beloved holy brethren and sisters in
the regeneration and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead into
heavenly places, that is, through the renewing of the spirit of the
mind (Eph. 4:23), through the mind of Jesus Christ, as firm walls and
pillars in the truth of God, my dear friends, the apple of my eyes,
my right hand and foot, hold fast to, and continue to stand upon, the
firm ground of truth, upon which you are built and placed, whereunto
we are from eternity foreordained, called and created of God, that is,
according to the likeness of God, and to eternal life, through Jesus
Christ. I commend you all to the holy, invincible God, the Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost, and to his holy word and everlasting peace, in your
holy assemblies, to the praise of his holy name, and to our salvation.
We give and commend you and all of us again, for an eternal adieu, into
the invincible arms of his power, and into the invincible hands of his
strength; the powers of heaven and the firmament of faithfulness be
our foundation and strength, to enter through death into life eternal.
We unworthy ones greet your love out of pure unfeigned, heartfelt,
brotherly love, yea we greet all our brethren and sisters, the
regenerated in the resurrection of Jesus Christ into heavenly places,
the mind of Christ, the new likeness and brightness of his glory, the
undefiled, pure knowledge of God, that leads to the hope of eternal
life, through firm faith and power, and the communion of the Holy Ghost
forever. Amen.