Preface.

The Christian reader should not feel burdened or annoyed by the length of this Postil a book of sermons or scriptural commentary intended for personal or family devotion, especially because almost the entire foundation of the salvation of our souls is contained within this sermon. Namely, it deals first with faith in the Holy Trinity and the three persons of the single Godhead—an article of faith that has always been most fiercely contested. Afterward, it speaks of rebirth (or the new birth from God) and the difference between the Old and New Person. It explains what the New Person is, and what the "water" mentioned there signifies—from which the New Person is born from above—showing that it is nothing other than the Word of God, Jesus Christ, with his Gospel; 1 Corinthians 4. This is subsequently explained, proven, and demonstrated, along with many other mysteries of the Kingdom of God, as well as a discussion of the entire office of Christ.

But in our times, due to the cooling of hearts and the decline of faith and the love of God, it has unfortunately come to the point that almost everyone wants a short postil or sermon, just so they can (even on Sundays) get away from it quickly and return to their temporal business as if it were a workday. Everything said, taught, written, or presented about God and the Lord Christ—likewise concerning His Kingdom and eternal salvation—seems too long for our Old Adam In Reformation theology, the "Old Adam" refers to the fallen, sinful nature of humanity that resists spiritual things.; yet all manner of useless, long chatter...