# The First Letter Of Jelis Strings. · Page 1 of 3 [Previous page: JELIS STRINGS, WITH PIETER AND JELIS POTVLIET, A. D. 1562.](/en/stories/mm-jelis-strings-with-pieter-and-jelis-potvliet-a-d-1562/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: THE FIRST LETTER OF JELIS STRINGS.](/en/stories/mm-the-first-letter-of-jelis-strings/part-2/) Grace, mercy and peace from God our heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father in truth and in love. May he strengthen and confirm you people, who now have to suffer persecution for a little while, and may he grant you to be strengthened with might in the inner man, and that Jesus Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, and you be rooted and grounded in love, so that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints of God, the height, and depth, and length and breadth of his mercy, and to rightly walk and remain immovable therein unto the end of your life; this we wish you all who love the Lord, for a cordial greeting, dear brethren and sisters in the Lord. Further, after all greetings, be pleased to know that we are tolerably well yet, the Lord be praised forever for his grace. Pray the Lord for us that he will order it according to his will. We are of pretty good courage, the Lord be praised. Further, I earnestly pray you, that you will rightly instruct the simple in the faith, concerning all things, and frequently speak of these things in the exhortation, for there is great need of it. They greatly torment those that are imprisoned, when they perceive that they are weak, yea, as much again as them that are sure of their faith. And you that are weak take it well to heart, and be not ashamed to ask questions for the benefit of your souls, until you have a good understanding, before it comes to the test. Take this warning to heart, for it is such a blessed assurance, if one is sure of his faith. For Sirach says: “A man whose heart is established is like a house which is firmly bound and nailed together; it feareth not though a storm arise.” Sir. 22:16. Thus, dear friends, let us also 632 build upon Christ Jesus; this must be the foundation, namely, his word; for Christ himself says: He that heareth my word, and doeth it, I will show whom he is like: He is like a man who proceeded to build his house; but he digged deep, and laid the foundation upon the rock: though floods and rains come against it, it remaineth standing, for it is founded upon the rock. But he that heareth my word, and doeth it not, is like unto a foolish man that buildeth his house upon the sand: when the floods come, or the winds blow, it falleth, and great is the fall of it. Matt. 7:24–27. Observe friends, he says: great is the fall of it. Hence, dear friends, dig deep, which, according to my understanding, means, to examine and take well to heart, so that we may not be found fools; for James admonishes us to be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving our own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso examineth himself in the law of God, and is a doer of the word, and not a hearer only, this man shall be blessed. Jas. 1:22–25, Yea, Christ Jesus says himself: Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. Luke 11:28. John also, admonishes us: Blessed are they that hear the words of the prophets, and keep those things which are written therein. Behold, dear friends, if we hear his word, and keep it well in our hearts, we are entitled to all these promises of blessedness; for it is the true food of the soul, by which all Christians must be fed, if they are to live; for Christ says that man lives not by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Matt. 4:4. Yea, as the prophet Jeremiah says, in the 15th chapter, verse 16: Lord, thy word sustains me, since I have obtained it; and thy word is the comfort and joy of my heart. Solomon, also, says: Every word of God is pure, and they are a shield unto them that put their trust therein. Prov. 30:5. Therefore, dear friends, let us always put our trust in God’s word; it will not deceive us; for John says: These sayings of God are true; heaven and earth shall pass away, but the words of God shall not pass away. Rev. 19:9. O dear friends, let us heed it well, for it is what will judge us in the last day; for Christ says: I shall not judge you; but the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge you in the last day. John 12:48. O dear friends, if it is that which will judge us, then we must well examine, and constantly prove ourselves, whether our life accords with the word of God; and carefully view ourselves in it as in a mirror, whether there is nothing condemnable in us; and if we find aught in us that is unclean, then let us do according to the counsel of the prophet, who says: “Wash ye, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do well; seek judgment; relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” He says: “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” Is. 1:16–20. ## Original source [Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#Page_632) [Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855) [Previous page: JELIS STRINGS, WITH PIETER AND JELIS POTVLIET, A. D. 1562.](/en/stories/mm-jelis-strings-with-pieter-and-jelis-potvliet-a-d-1562/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: THE FIRST LETTER OF JELIS STRINGS.](/en/stories/mm-the-first-letter-of-jelis-strings/part-2/) --- Page: https://history.truechristian.church/en/stories/mm-the-first-letter-of-jelis-strings/ [Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+The+First+Letter+Of+Jelis+Strings.+%C2%B7+Page+1+of+3&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0AThe+First+Letter+Of+Jelis+Strings.+%C2%B7+Page+1+of+3%0A%0APage%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fen%2Fstories%2Fmm-the-first-letter-of-jelis-strings%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-the-first-letter-of-jelis-strings%0A%0ADate+currently+shown%3A+16th+century+%28source+section%29%0A%0A%23%23+Correction+or+addition%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Sources+and+evidence%0APlease+include+book%2Fpage+references%2C+archive+links%2C+or+first-hand+documentation.%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Image+credit+%28if+applicable%29%0ACreator%2C+source%2C+and+permission+or+public-domain+basis.%0A%0A%0A%0ASubmitted+for+review%3B+this+issue+does+not+publish+changes+automatically.)