Preface.

is sealed / Ezekiel 9, Revelation 7 These biblical passages refer to God placing a protective mark or "seal" on the foreheads of the faithful to spare them from divine judgment..
Therefore, let whoever has wandered from this certain foundation of grace original: 'Gnadengrund' through ignorance until now, turn away from unrighteousness / so that he is not consumed like straw in the fire of the Lord on the coming day. 2 Thessalonians 1, 2 Timothy 2, 1 Corinthians 3, Malachi 4. The reasons that moved me to write this are the following: 1. That / because I can no longer serve by preaching / I might nonetheless continue as a soldier of Christ original: 'Soldat Christi.' A common 17th-century metaphor for the believer’s struggle against spiritual evil. in eternal enmity against Satan / causing him damage, pursuing, and distressing him in all sorts of ways through my writings / and thus put my pound and gift original: 'mein Pfund und gabe.' A reference to the Parable of the Talents (or Pounds) in Matthew 25, where servants are expected to invest what their master entrusted to them.—which was lent to me for the improvement of His body The "Body of Christ," meaning the community of the Church.—out to earn interest / thereby becoming ever more a partaker of the Gospel. Matthew 13, chapter 25, 1 Corinthians 9, chapter 14, Romans 1. Also to awaken others to think further on this / and to write about it with greater light / power / spirit and certainty.