The Eternal Gospel

adversity, is inclined to pull God and His promises
into doubt / to make Him a liar /
yes, even to despair of Him and
lose heart. No one
knows this / except he who daily
pays heed within himself to the changes of his
heart / according to all external occurrences /
and experiences vividly within himself /
what God’s Word writes externally about it /
Jeremiah 17. Jeremiah 17:9: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Now, to humble
the defiant heart with thunder /
lightning and all threats /
the Law was given / through which the
Spirit of God constantly / as if with a
hammer in His office of punishment Straf-ampt original: 'Straf-ampt' — This refers to the 'office' or function of the Law to convict a person of sin and crush their self-righteousness.
strikes it down / to strike it with
fear.

But to raise up the timid
and despondent heart /
and to lift it into a certain joy /
for this He has ordained the
Gospel of our salvation /
the Word that is certain / Titus 1. Titus 1:2 speaks of the hope of eternal life promised by God, who cannot lie.
Isaiah 40, 35, 61. And there is no more pre-