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Encouragement for your spiritual journey.
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The Triumph, Peace, and Power of True Christianity part 3, by Pilgram Marpeck The Harlot, The Bride, and The Serpent We speak, as can be seen, of the old, red, Roman harlot (who passed herself off for so long as the bride of Christ, deceiving herself and many with her). This harlot the real bride of Christ—the bride consisting of a new people, married to Christ through his blood and suffering—has thrown out and rejected with all her tricks. But the old serpent is busy. No sooner have the new people of God (the reformed Protestant churches) appeared than the serpent has come up with new decepti
From The Wisdom of Sirach, the Apocrypha He that feareth the Lord will do good, and he that hath the knowledge of the law shall obtain her. And as a mother shall she meet him, and receive him as a wife married of a virgin. With the bread of understanding shall she feed him, and give him the water of wisdom to drink. He shall be stayed upon her, and shall not be moved; and shall rely upon her, and shall not be confounded. She shall exalt him above his neighbours, and in the midst of the congregation shall she open his mouth. He shall find joy and a crown of gladness, and she shall cause him to
From Spiritual Breadcrumbs, by Samuel Froehlich (Matthew 7:15-20) Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. On Matthew 7:15-20.
From The Wisdom of Sirach, the Apocrypha Blessed is the man that hath not slipped with his mouth, and is not pricked with the multitude of sins. Blessed is he whose conscience hath not condemned him, and who is not fallen from his hope in the Lord. Riches are not comely for a miser: and what should an envious man do with money? He that gathereth by defrauding his own soul gathereth for others, that shall spend his goods riotously. He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good? he shall not take pleasure in his goods. There is none worse than he that envieth himself; and this is a recompe
The Triumph, Peace, and Power of True Christianity part 2, by Pilgram Marpeck The original title page, and a warning for dangerous times The Uncovering of the Harlot of Babylon, and the Old and the New Mystery of the Antichrist, as Well as the Triumph, Peace, and Power of True Christians, How They Submit to Authority, How They Carry the Cross without Stirring Up Trouble or Defending Themselves, and How They Carry It with Christ in Patience and Love, Brought to Light for the Praise of God and for the Strength and Inspiration of Those Who Truly Seek Him. Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to Go
From The Wisdom of Sirach, the Apocrypha He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith; and he that hath fellowship with a proud man shall be like unto him. Burden not thyself above thy power while thou livest; and have no fellowship with one that is mightier and richer than thyself: for how agree the kettle and the earthen pot together? for if the one be smitten against the other, it shall be broken. The rich man hath done wrong, and yet he threateneth withal: the poor is wronged, and he must intreat also. If thou be for his profit, he will use thee: but if thou have nothing, he will fors
The Triumph, Peace, and Power of True Christianity part 1, an introduction by Edsel Burdge, Jr. An early Anabaptist tract by Pilgram Marpeck on defencelessness and fidelity to Christ, translated by Peter Hoover. Introduction by Edsel Burdge — Luther, the peasants, and the birth of Anabaptism In 1517, the Saxon monk Martin Luther nailed his ninety-five theses to the Wittenberg church door. Little did he know that his doing so would spark a debate that would rend the fabric of Western Christendom. As the battle lines were drawn, Luther and his followers quickly saw in the Roman Catholic Church t
From The Wisdom of Sirach, the Apocrypha When thou wilt do good know to whom thou doest it; so shalt thou be thanked for thy benefits. Do good to the godly man, and thou shalt find a recompence; and if not from him, yet from the most High. There can no good come to him that is always occupied in evil, nor to him that giveth no alms. Give to the godly man, and help not a sinner. Do well unto him that is lowly, but give not to the ungodly: hold back thy bread, and give it not unto him, lest he overmaster thee thereby: for else thou shalt receive twice as much evil for all the good thou shalt hav
From Meditations on the Epistles of John, by Samuel Froehlich (I John 4:13-19) Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we
A letter to Joseph Kovacs from Louis Hencsey, written shortly before Louis left Hungary to travel to Switzerland to meet Samuel Froehlich and the brethren. In the late 1830’s two Hungarian locksmiths, John Denkel and John Kropacsek, went to Switzerland to further their trade. While in Switzerland they came under the preaching of Samuel Froehlich, were converted, and Denkel was given authority to baptize in Hungary. These two men returned to Hungary and settled down in a shop in Pest. By the guidance of God, Louis Hencsey came to this shop. Under the influence of Denkel, Hencsey became converte
From Meditations on the Epistles of John, by Samuel Froehlich If we are children of God in Christ, we must have a righteousness of life that proves effectual, not only before men but before God Himself, and that may stand steadfast; i.e., not a mere external, human uprightness but an inner and a divine purity of heart and mind. An unconverted person can, it is true, appropriate a human righteousness (according to the law) to himself, so that one can lay nothing against him before men, and this accordingly commands respect in the world. Therefore the Pharisee ranks highest in this; but because
From Meditations on the Past, Present, and Future, by G. M. Mangold. (Revelation 3:14-22) And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I c
From The Wisdom of Sirach, the Apocrypha A wise judge will instruct his people; and the government of a prudent man is well ordered. As the judge of the people is himself, so are his officers; and what manner of man the ruler of the city is, such are all they that dwell therein. An unwise king destroyeth his people; but through the prudence of them which are in authority the city shall be inhabited. The power of the earth is in the hand of the Lord, and in due time he will set over it one that is profitable. In the hand of God is the prosperity of man: and upon the person of the scribe shall h
From Meditations on the Epistles of John, by Samuel Froehlich Concerning our love of our fellow men, the world, which is surely very selfish and partial in its love, reproves the children of God for uncharitableness because they do not regard all men in a like manner, as brethren in Christ, but witness that the world in its sin and unrighteousness is not of God but of the devil and therefore cannot come to God and be saved. Just as God loves His own children (namely as a father) in a way that is different from the way in which He loves the world, so the children of God also make a distinction
From The Wisdom of Sirach, the Apocrypha Wisdom lifteth up the head of him that is of low degree, and maketh him to sit among great men. Commend not a man for his beauty; neither abhor a man for his outward appearance. The bee is little among such as fly; but her fruit is the chief of sweet things. Boast not of thy clothing and raiment, and exalt not thyself in the day of honour: for the works of the Lord are wonderful, and his works among men are hidden. Many kings have sat down upon the ground; and one that was never thought of hath worn the crown. Many mighty men have been greatly disgraced
From Two kinds of obedience, by Michael Sattler Two Kinds of Obedience This early Swiss Brethren essay, attributed to Michael Sattler, was bound together with the Schleitheim Confession and other documents. Michael Sattler (1490 - 1527) was a German monk who left the Roman Catholic Church to become a leader and teacher in the Anabaptist movement. He is most noted for his efforts in producing the Schleitheim Confession of Faith. Due to the Schleitheim Confession and his other labors, he was apprehended, severely tortured, and burned at the stake in 1527. Servile and Filial Obedience Distinguish
From Meditations on the Epistles of John, by Samuel Froehlich I John 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. It is to be noted that John does not say, “And every man that hath this hope in him shall purify himself," but “purifieth himself." It is not an outer command, but an inner impulse of the Spirit of Christ in the children of God, for the very reason that they have the hope of glory as the goal toward which they press, that they may reach it. For every impurity and defilement that makes us unfit for entry into the kingdom must here and now have
From Meditations on the Epistles of John, by Samuel Froehlich With the end in view, our goal and designation now is this: that, in this world, we shall be as was the Son of man Jesus, so that we may be His brothers and sisters, who do the will of the Father. In this respect, there are indeed many who will be saved as members of the body of Christ. Thus Christ is the Firstborn among many brethren who become children of God, but with respect to the inheritance they are but one in Christ, as one body, and whoever is not found in this oneness cannot inherit since the inheritance is dependent upon
From Meditations on the Epistles of John, by Samuel Froehlich From all that has been said, it might seem as if the imitation of Christ had nothing inviting or enjoyable about it, and with respect to the real Christian, from an outward aspect, it is true, he appears to be very lowly in this world, and anyone who considers the visible, finds that there is no advantage to be reaped and hence is frightened away. But the glory of the children of God is within and is hidden until Christ Himself, Who is their life, is revealed, when they also will be revealed in glory with Him (Romans 8; Colossians 3
From The Wisdom of Sirach, the Apocrypha Be not jealous over the wife of thy bosom, and teach her not an evil lesson against thyself. Give not thy soul unto a woman to set her foot upon thy substance. Meet not with an harlot, lest thou fall into her snares. Use not much the company of a woman that is a singer, lest thou be taken with her attempts. Gaze not on a maid, that thou fall not by those things that are precious in her. Give not thy soul unto harlots, that thou lose not thine inheritance. Look not round about thee in the streets of the city, neither wander thou in the solitary place the
From The Wisdom of Sirach, the Apocrypha Strive not with a mighty man, lest thou fall into his hands. Be not at variance with a rich man, lest he overweigh thee: for gold hath destroyed many, and perverted the hearts of kings. Strive not with a man that is full of tongue, and heap not wood upon his fire. Jest not with a rude man, lest thy ancestors be disgraced. Reproach not a man that turneth from sin, but remember that we are all worthy of punishment. Dishonour not a man in his old age: for even some of us wax old. Rejoice not over thy greatest enemy being dead, but remember that we die all.
From The Wisdom of Sirach, the Apocrypha Do no evil, so shall no harm come unto thee. Depart from the unjust, and iniquity shall turn away from thee. My son, sow not upon the furrows of unrighteousness, and thou shalt not reap them sevenfold. Seek not of the Lord preeminence, neither of the king the seat of honour. Justify not thyself before the Lord; and boast not of thy wisdom before the king. Seek not to be judge, being not able to take away iniquity; lest at any time thou fear the person of the mighty, an stumblingblock in the way of thy uprightness. Offend not against the multitude of a c
From The Wisdom of Sirach, the Apocrypha Instead of a friend become not an enemy; for thereby thou shalt inherit an ill name, shame, and reproach: even so shall a sinner that hath a double tongue. Extol not thyself in the counsel of thine own heart; that thy soul be not torn in pieces as a bull straying alone. Thou shalt eat up thy leaves, and lose thy fruit, and leave thyself as a dry tree. A wicked soul shall destroy him that hath it, and shall make him to be laughed to scorn of his enemies. Sweet language will multiply friends: and a fairspeaking tongue will increase kind greetings. Be in p
The Anabaptist Vision part 4, by Harold S. Bender The third element — love and nonresistance — and the heart of the vision The third great element in the Anabaptist vision was the ethic of love and nonresistance as applied to all human relationships. The Brethren understood this to mean complete abandonment of all warfare, strife, and violence, and of the taking of human life.1 Conrad Grebel, the Swiss, said in 1524: True Christians use neither worldly sword nor engage in war, since among them taking human life has ceased entirely, for we are no longer under the Old Covenant. . . . The Gospel
The Anabaptist Vision part 3, by Harold S. Bender The first two elements: discipleship and the church as a brotherhood Having defined genuine Anabaptism in its Reformation setting, we are ready to examine its central teachings. The Anabaptist vision included three major points of emphasis; first, a new conception of the essence of Christianity as discipleship; second, a new conception of the church as a brotherhood; and third, a new ethic of love and nonresistance. We turn now to an exposition of these points. First and fundamental in the Anabaptist vision was the conception of the essence of
