The History of Barlaam and Josaphat

has given you all that you possess, rule, and hold, as well as your being and life. This is Jesus Christ, a Lord of the circle of the earth and of all things that are therein. He is equal in form and equally eternal with God the Father, who created and established heaven and earth with a word. He formed and made man with His own hand and gifted him with immortality. He also set and ordained him as a king over all the things that are in the world and placed him in the beautiful, delightful Paradeyß Paradise as if in a royal court.

Through the hatred and envy of the loathsome Sathan Satan, man was unfortunately deceived and overcome by Wollust lust or pleasure. There he lost all these goods. He who was previously the beloved of God became the most miserable of all through Sünd sin. This misery is to be highly lamented with tears. But He who created and formed us looked again upon the work of His hand with His kind eyes. Though He was God, He became like us for our sake, yet without sin. He did not lose what He was previously from the beginning. He willingly took the Creutz cross upon Himself, overcame and strengthened the enemy who had deceived our first father, and delivered us from his cruel servitude. He reinstated us in our former state and freedom. As we had fallen through disobedience, He raised us up again with His obedience and Barmhertzigkeit mercy and brought us into the former freedom.

But you reject Him who suffered for us and made us worthy of our former honor again. You also despise and dishonor His cross and are entirely given over to the lust of the body. You call the hideous devils "gods," to the great shame and