God-loving Reader.

A 4

to believe they have faith and the Spirit, being very well-rested and content; therefore they are all swept away into such a deep death-sleep that there is no waking them anymore. What causes this other than Self-love, which has so carried away and completely possessed all People, that they consider themselves Pious and Great solely in all their religious duties that they practice and observe; while rejecting the right and true Religion original: "Godtsdienft"; literally 'God-service', referring here to the outward practice of faith. which consists only in Spirit and Truth. A reference to John 4:24, a common theme in mystical and pietist writing emphasizing internal devotion over external ritual.

10. Indeed, it has come so far that they do nothing else but despise, laugh at, and hate all those who fulfill this Commandment of Love, or seek to live it rightly and as is proper: But what shall we say of this here: it is, after all, only knocking on a deaf man’s door; neither speaking nor shouting helps any longer: for they believe firmly and certainly that all is very well with them, except only that they are not perfect original: "volmaakt"; the author is critiquing the common excuse that human frailty justifies a lack of spiritual effort.; and that no one attains that in this life anyway; and that is the reason why they no longer strive for it.

11. Now with this they wish everything a good They consider their own state good, though it is not.