← Pia Desideria (Pious Wishes / Heartfelt Desire for God-Pleasing Reform)/Book 1 · Pia Desideria, oder Herzliches Verlangen nach gottgefälliger Besserung der wahren evangelischen Kirche

Chapter 3PiaDesideria.1.3

Christliche Vorschläge zur Besserung der Kirche

Proposals for Church Renewal

The author introduces his humble proposals for the improvement of the Church through divine grace.

In this trust, and in willing submission to others more skilled in the Church's affairs, my thoughts on this matter, offered without presumption, ran as follows.¹ That our entire Church—and the same applies to every part of it—might, among other things (for I am not listing every means here; for example, the establishment of church discipline, which is of the highest importance, but which that dear and zealous theologian Joh.² Saubert of blessed memory³ has treated fully enough in his never-enough-praised little book on discipline; likewise the raising of the young, and the like—be helped in the following way by means of divine grace, and be set once more into a more glorious condition.⁴

The Centrality of the Word

The author argues that the Word of God must be more richly and accessibly taught to the congregation.

1. That people would set their minds on bringing the Word of God more richly among us. We know that by nature we have nothing good in ourselves; but if anything is to be in us, it must be worked in us by God. And for that, the Word is the powerful means: faith must be kindled from the Gospel, while the Law gives the rule for good works and much glorious incentive to pursue them. So, the more richly the Word dwells among us, the more faith and its fruits we will produce. It might seem that the Word of God already dwells among us richly enough, since in various places—including this city—it is preached from the pulpit every day, and quite often elsewhere.⁵ But if we think the matter through carefully, we will find that much more is still needed in this area. I am by no means rejecting the sermons that are preached, where the Christian congregation is instructed from an appointed text and its explanation—since I deliver and perform the same kind myself. But I don't find that this is enough. 1. We know that all Scripture is given by God and is useful for teaching, rebuke, correction, and training in righteousness.^✦ 2⁶ Timothy⁷ 3.⁸ So, if we want to gain all the benefit we need from it, all of Scripture—without exception—should be made known to the congregation. When you add up all the texts that are set before the congregation year after year in one place, it still amounts to only a very small part of the Scripture given to us. The congregation never hears the rest at all, or they only hear it when this or that verse—or some other citation—is pulled from it during sermons, without them ever being able to grasp the full sequence, which nonetheless contains a great deal.⁹ 2.¹⁰ People also have little opportunity to grasp the meaning of Scripture in any way other than according to the texts that are sometimes explained to them—and still less opportunity to practice themselves in it as thoroughly as edification would require, since private reading at home, however excellent and praiseworthy in itself, still cannot be enough for everyone.¹¹ So it still remains to consider whether the church would not be well served if, alongside the usual sermons on the appointed text, people were also led further into Scripture in other ways: 1. Through the diligent reading of Holy Scripture,¹² Scripture itself, and especially of the New¹³ Testament. This is surely no hard thing: that every head of household keep his Bible—or at least the New Testament—at hand, and read something in it daily; or, if he truly has no skill at reading, have others read it to him.¹⁴ How necessary and useful this is for all Christians in every walk of life was shown with great weight and power in the past century by Andreas Hyperius, whose two books on that subject were soon afterward¹⁵ put into German by Nigrinus; but after that little work had become almost unknown, recently the Rev. Dr.¹⁶ Elias Veiel—my most valued former fellow student at Strasbourg and beloved brother in Christ—has made it known to people again through a fresh edition.¹⁷ Next, it would be wise to encourage people to engage in private reading.¹⁸ 2. If it could be introduced that at certain times in the public congregation the biblical books would be read aloud one after another without further explanation—unless one wished to add short summaries—for the building up of all, but especially of those who cannot read at all, or cannot read easily and well, or who also do not own a Bible themselves.¹⁹

The Apostolic Pattern of Fellowship

A proposal to restore apostolic-style gatherings for mutual edification and Scripture study.

3. It might also be helpful—and I offer this for others to consider more fully—to bring back the old apostolic pattern of church gatherings: that alongside our regular sermons, we hold other meetings, in the way Paul describes in 1 Corinthians.²⁰ 14. describes them: not where one person alone steps forward to teach (which remains for other occasions), but where others too who have been gifted with gifts and knowledge may also speak to the point without disorder and quarreling, set out their godly thoughts on the matters put before them, and the rest may weigh what is said.²¹ This could reasonably work as follows: at certain times, various men in the preaching office (in places where that office includes several people), or others from the congregation whom God has given a good measure of knowledge or a desire to grow in it, would meet under the pastor's direction. They would take up Holy Scripture, read from it publicly, and talk together as brothers about the plain meaning of each passage and how it might help us grow in every way. Anyone who didn't quite understand a point could ask questions, and those who were more advanced, along with the preachers, could contribute their own understanding. Everything shared would be examined by the rest—especially by the called teachers—to see if it agreed with the Holy Spirit's meaning in Scripture, so that the whole assembly would be built up.^✦²²²³ Everything would need to be arranged with the right goal of honoring God and fostering spiritual growth, and therefore kept within the bounds that serve those ends. On the other hand, if idle curiosity, a quarrelsome spirit, or a desire for personal honor tried to creep in, it would need to be prevented and carefully cut off—especially by the preachers, who remain in charge of these gatherings.²⁴ We could hope for no small benefit from this. Preachers would get to know their listeners, as well as their listeners' weaknesses or progress in learning godliness; this would build a trust between them that would greatly serve the good of both. Listeners would then have a wonderful opportunity to practice being diligent with the divine Word and to stir themselves up for it; they could modestly share with the preacher the concerns they don't quite have the heart to bring up every time, hear his judgment, and in a short while, both grow themselves and become better equipped to instruct their children and servants in their own household church.²⁵ Without these exercises, sermons—where one person delivers a continuous speech—aren't always grasped correctly or fully, because there's no time to think things through; or, if you do reflect on a point, you end up missing much of what follows. Likewise, private or household reading, where no one is present to help explain the meaning and intent of each passage, cannot adequately clarify everything the reader would like to understand. By contrast, what was lacking in both would be made good by such exercises, without putting heavy labor on either the preaching office or the hearers—yet a fair amount would be done toward fulfilling Paul's exhortation when he says: Col.^✦ 3:16. Let the word of Christ dwell among you richly, in all wisdom.^✦ Teach and admonish one another with psalms, hymns, and lovely spiritual songs.^✦²⁶ These, too, could be used at such gatherings for the praise of God and for encouragement. This much is certain: diligent engagement with the divine Word—which doesn't consist merely in hearing sermons, but also includes reading, meditating, and talking about it (Psalm^✦ 1:2)—^✦ embraces within itself) must be the foremost means of improving anything—whether this happens through practices of this kind or through other arrangements that others more suitably propose.²⁷ For that same Word remains the seed from which everything good among us must grow. And if we stir people to a zeal to be diligent in it and to seek their joy in such a Book of Life, then the spiritual life will be gloriously strengthened among them, and they will become entirely different people.^✦²⁸

The Spiritual Priesthood

The author calls for the revival of the spiritual priesthood of all believers as a means of church reform.

And what did our blessed²⁹ Luther seek more zealously than to encourage people to read Scripture diligently? So much so that he nearly hesitated to let his books go out, so that people might not thereby be made more sluggish toward reading Scripture itself.³⁰ His words run: Vol.³¹ 1. Altenburg edition,³² fol.³³ 6. a.³⁴ I would gladly have seen all my books left behind and sunk into oblivion, and one reason among others is that I shudder at the example, for I can well see what good it has done in the church when people have begun, apart from and alongside Holy³⁵ Scripture, to collect many books and great libraries, especially to snatch up all sorts of Fathers, councils, and teachings without any discrimination. By doing this, not only is precious time and the study of Scripture wasted, but the pure knowledge of God's Word is eventually lost as well. That was also our intention when we began to translate the Bible itself into German: we hoped there would be less writing, and more study and reading of Scripture—for all other writing should also point into and toward Scripture. For neither councils, nor the Fathers, nor we will ever make anything as good, even when it turns out at its highest and best, as Holy³⁶ Scripture, which God Himself has made. Whoever in this age still wants to have my books—by no means let them become a hindrance to him in studying Scripture itself, and³⁷³⁸ And so on.³⁹ and so on.⁴⁰ You can find the same kind of thing elsewhere in him as well.⁴¹ Just as one of the foremost evil devices under the papacy was this—by which papal statecraft secured itself, keeping people in ignorance and so retaining complete power over their consciences—namely, that they kept people from reading Holy Scripture and still keep them from it as far as they can; and just as, by contrast, a large part of the purpose of the precious Reformation was to bring people back to the Word of God, which had lain almost hidden under the bench, and this was also the most powerful means by which God blessed His work: so too this very thing will be the foremost means the Church again needs if it is to come into a better condition—that the disgust for Scripture so many feel, or the negligence in studying it, may be done away with, and heartfelt zeal for it may be awakened instead.⁴²⁴³ Beyond this, our frequently mentioned Doctor Luther would propose yet another means—one carefully coordinated with the previous—which is now to be the second: namely, the establishment and diligent practice of the spiritual priesthood. Anyone who has read Luther's writings carefully will have noticed the earnestness with which that blessed man pressed this spiritual priesthood—by which not only the preacher, but all Christians, have been made priests by their Redeemer, anointed with the Holy Spirit, and set apart for spiritual priestly duties. For indeed, 1 Peter 2:9 does not speak to preachers alone when he says: "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy people, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."^✦ Whoever wants to learn and read our teacher's full view of this, and what the priestly offices are, should read his treatise to the Bohemians on how the ministers of the churches are to be chosen and installed, as found in T. 2. The Altenburg edition,⁴⁴ especially from page⁴⁵ 501 and following.⁴⁶ There he will see how handsomely it is shown that all spiritual offices belong to all Christians together, without distinction—although their regular and public exercise is entrusted to the ministers appointed for that purpose, while in case of need they may also be performed by others. But especially those that do not belong to the public exercises should be practiced continually by everyone at home and in ordinary life. Yes — just as it was a particular trick of the wretched devil that, under the papacy, he brought things to the point where all such spiritual offices were assigned to the clergy alone (who for that reason also arrogantly claimed for themselves alone the name of "the spiritual," which in fact is common to all Christians), and shut the rest of the Christians out of them, as if it were not their place diligently to study the Word of the Lord, much less to instruct, admonish, rebuke, and comfort others alongside themselves, and privately to do what belongs publicly to the church's ministry — as if these were nothing but things that hung solely on the clergy's office. By this they first made the so-called laity lazy about what should rightly concern them as well; from that a terrible ignorance arose, and from that ignorance a wild way of life. Meanwhile the so-called spiritual could do whatever they wanted, since no one was allowed to look into their cards or raise the slightest objection.⁴⁷ Therefore, this monopoly on the spiritual estate—second only to the withholding of Scripture mentioned earlier—is one of the primary ways papal Rome solidified its power over Christians, and it still maintains that power today wherever it has the opportunity.⁴⁸ So nothing could hurt that system more than that Luther, on the contrary, should show how all Christians are called to the spiritual offices (though not to their public administration, for which appointment by the congregation standing in equal right is required), and are not only entitled but — if they want to be Christians at all — bound to take them up.⁴⁹ Namely, that every Christian is not only himself to offer prayer, thanksgiving, good works, alms, and so on for himself and all that is his,⁵⁰ but they are also required to diligently study the Word of the Lord; to teach others—especially their own household—according to the grace given to them; to rebuke, admonish, convert, and build up; to watch over their lives; to pray for all; and to care for their salvation as much as they can. Once this is first shown to people, each one will all the more pay attention to himself and apply himself to what belongs to his own and his neighbor's building up. On the other hand, where such teaching is not known and pressed, this produces complete false security and laziness: no one thinks that such things concern him. Instead each imagines that just as he is called to his office, trade, craft, and the like — to which the pastor is not called and which the pastor does not practice — so on the other hand the pastor is called to the spiritual duties, the handling of the divine Word, praying, studying, teaching, admonishing, comforting, rebuking, and so on.⁵¹⁵² and so on.⁵³ called so exclusively that others would have no reason to concern themselves with any of it—indeed would be meddling in the pastor's office if they had anything to do with it at all—much less that they themselves should also keep careful watch over the pastor, and when he is negligent brotherly admonish him themselves, and together lend him a hand in all of this.⁵⁴ For so far from hindering the preaching office, the proper exercise of this priesthood is rather one of the chief reasons the preaching office cannot carry out and put into practice everything that rightly ought to be done—because without the help of the common priesthood it is too weak, and one man is not enough, among so many as are ordinarily entrusted to one person in the care of souls, to accomplish what is needed for their building up.^✦⁵⁵ But where priests fulfill their office, the preacher—acting as their director and elder brother—finds substantial help in both his public and private duties, and the burden does not become too heavy for him. For this reason it would also be worth thinking further here about how not only such material—which has scarcely been pressed nearly so hard almost since Luther's time—should be made better known to the people (for which purpose Herr Joh.⁵⁶ Vielitz's godly sermons on this subject are very helpful), but also how the matter might be brought into better practice—toward which the earlier proposal of an introductory exercise in reading and understanding Scripture could also do no small amount.⁵⁷ For my part, I’m convinced that if we could just get various people in every congregation to focus on these two points—more diligent handling of God's Word and their priestly duties, and, as in other matters, especially brotherly admonition and correction (which has almost completely died out among us, but which ought to be pursued in earnest, with those who suffer for it protected by the preachers as much as possible)—a great deal would be gained. This would win over more and more people, and eventually, the Church would be noticeably improved.⁵⁸⁵⁹

Love as the Mark of Discipleship

The author emphasizes that Christian life consists in the practice of love rather than mere knowledge.

A third point also belongs here: that people be thoroughly impressed with this, and soon accustomed to believe that knowledge alone is by no means enough in the Christian life, but that it consists rather in practice—and especially that our dear Savior has often charged us with love as the true mark of his disciples, John^✦⁶⁰⁶¹ 14:34.^✦⁶² 35.^✦ chapter⁶³ 15:12.^✦ 1 John.⁶⁴ 3:10.^✦ 18. ch.⁶⁵ 4:7. 8. 11. 12. 13. 21. That’s also why dear John, in his old age (according to Jerome’s testimony in his Epistle to the Galatians,⁶⁶ Book⁶⁷ 3, chapter⁶⁸ 6), almost used to say nothing more to his disciples than, "Little children, love one another"—so much so that his disciples and hearers finally grew weary of always hearing the same thing, and asked him why he always set the same message before them, but got this answer: because it is the Lord's command, and if that is done, it's enough.⁶⁹ The entire life of a believer—the life of someone blessed through faith—and the fulfillment of God's commandments consist in love.^✦ For that reason, if among our Christians we can first awaken an ardent love toward one another, and afterward toward all people (both of which—brotherly love and common love—must follow one upon the other; 2^✦⁷⁰ Pet.^✦ 1:7), and put it into practice, then almost everything we desire is accomplished. For all the commandments consist in this; Rom. 13:9. It would therefore be right not only to tell people about this diligently—to set the excellence of love for the neighbor forcefully before their eyes, and on the other hand, the great danger and harm of the opposing self-love (a subject treated especially by the spiritually gifted Johann Arndt in True Christianity,^✦⁷¹ 4.2).⁷² from the 22nd⁷³ chapter and in the following ones it is beautifully set out), but also to train them in it: that people should get them used to not lightly letting any opportunity slip in which they could do a loving deed for their neighbor—and yet, while doing so, always carefully searching the heart, whether it too was moved by true love, or whether other motives were mixed in. When they have been wronged, they should especially watch themselves then: not only to hold back from all revenge, but even rather to give up whatever rights they might otherwise still have, and the pursuit of those rights, if they feared their heart might deceive them and mix in some hostile affections. Yes, carefully seek opportunity to do good to the enemy—only so that the Adam otherwise inclined to revenge may feel the pain of such taming, and love, by contrast, may be pressed deeper into the heart.⁷⁴⁷⁵ What's more, it can also serve overall growth in the Christian life when those who have now earnestly set themselves to walk in the Lord's ways stand in confidential friendship with their confessor, or else with another wise and enlightened Christian, and continually give that person an account of how they live—where they've had opportunity to practice Christian love, how they've made use of it, or how they've neglected it. This way, they can always receive counsel and instruction after examining where they still fall short and how they should proceed, with the resolve to always follow that advice, unless something were clearly demanded of them against God's will.⁷⁶ And when there is doubt about whether they owe their neighbor a particular act of love or not, they should always prefer to go ahead and do it rather than leave it undone.

Handling Disputes and the Erring

A guide on how to conduct religious disputes with charity and focus on conversion rather than polemic.

To this we add a fourth: We should also note this: we must carefully watch how we handle religious disputes and how we conduct ourselves toward those who are truly unbelieving or hold to a false faith. Our first and foremost effort should be to confirm and strengthen ourselves, our own people, and our brothers in the faith in the truth we have recognized, while at the same time guarding ourselves with great care against every seduction.⁷⁷ But next, we should also remember our duty toward those who err. To these people we owe, first, earnest prayer: that God, who is thoroughly gracious, would also illuminate them with the light by which He has graced us, and lead them to the pure truth; that He would give them every opportunity for that, and prepare their hearts for it; or at least, by finally thwarting the dangerous errors they would otherwise hold, would let that little true knowledge of salvation in Christ they still have remaining be so powerful that they may at last be rescued like a brand from the fire.⁷⁸ And that is the force of the first three petitions: that God would have His name hallowed in them as well, bring His kingdom to them, and let His gracious will be carried out upon them and in them. Second. We must set a good example for them and take the utmost care not to offend them in any way, because otherwise we would give them a poor impression of our true teaching and make their conversion that much harder. Third. It should also be the case that, where God has given us the gifts suited to this work and we hope we have found opportunity to win them, we gladly do our part as well: by a modest yet forceful presentation of the truth we confess, showing how thoroughly that truth is grounded in the simplicity of Christ's teaching; and then also by a remonstrance against their errors that is as powerful as it is seemly, showing how those errors conflict with God's Word and what danger they bring in their wake—yet all of it in such a way that the people we are dealing with can themselves see that we do everything out of heartfelt love for them, without fleshly and improper affections, and that if we were ever carried away into some vehemence, that would happen only out of pure zeal for God's honor.^✦⁷⁹ But we must especially guard against using abusive language or personal insults, which quickly tear down everything we intended to build for good. If we see that by this means we have begun to gain something, then one must pursue what has been begun all the more diligently—perhaps also with others' help. But if one sees that others are so taken with the opinions they have formed that, although one otherwise sees in them a mind that would gladly serve its God, yet for the present they still cannot grasp what is being set before them, then one must exhort such people at least not to blaspheme or speak ill of the truth they have heard from us, to keep thinking the matter through further in the fear of the Lord and with heartfelt prayer, and in the meantime to serve their God zealously according to those practical principles and rules of life that most who still bear the Christian name still hold fairly in common among themselves, and to strive to grow in the truth.^✦⁸⁰ Furthermore, and in general toward all unbelievers or those in error, the fourth should the practice of heartfelt love—we certainly shouldn't give way to them in their unbelief and erroneous faith, or in either practicing or spreading it, but rather oppose it with zeal; yet in other matters that belong to human life, we should show that we regard them as our neighbors (just as the Samaritan is presented by Christ as the Jew's neighbor, Luke⁸¹ 10). is presented); yes, and also, by right of the common creation and of the divine love that extends to all (though not of the new birth), recognize them as brothers, and so also be minded toward them with such a heart as we have the command to love everyone as ourselves.⁸² It is a zeal as carnal as it is harmful to the conversion of such people when one insults or harms an unbeliever or a person in error because of his religion. Yet, a legitimate hatred of the religion should neither cancel nor weaken the love owed to the person.⁸³ And so, if we are to have any hope of uniting most of the religions found among Christians, this may well be the nearest and most God-blessed way: that we not stake everything solely on disputing, among minds now filled with as much fleshly as spiritual zeal—a disposition that makes disputations fruitless. It's true that defending pure truth—and by extension, debating, which is part of that defense—must be maintained in the Church just like any other practice meant for edification. Christ, the Apostles, and their successors serve as our holy example: they also debated, meaning they forcefully refuted errors and protected the truth. On the other hand, anyone who would reject this necessary use of the spiritual sword—the Word of God—when it's used against false teachings, would put the Christian Church in grave danger. But I still hold to the point so well demonstrated by our late⁸⁴ Arndt— True Christianity,⁸⁵ 1.39:⁸⁶ That the purity of teaching and of God's Word is preserved not just through debates and books, but also through true repentance and a holy life. The previous two chapters also point to this realization: anyone who doesn't follow Christ with faith, a holy life, and constant repentance cannot be freed from the blindness of their heart, but must remain in eternal darkness. Such a person also cannot truly know Christ, or have fellowship and a share in him.^✦^✦ And: an unchristian life is a cause of false, seductive teaching, of hardening, and of blinding.^✦⁸⁷ So, I consider this first: that not all disputing is useful or good; in fact, it is sometimes said of it, as our blessed⁸⁸ Luther put it: "For it is not by teaching but by disputing that the truth is lost." "For this is the evil disputations bring: minds are, as it were, profaned, and, occupied with quarrels, they neglect what matters most."⁸⁹ That is: the truth is lost not through teaching, but through much disputing. For this is the evil disputations bring with them: that minds are corrupted by them; and when people are busy with quarreling, they neglect over it what they should chiefly pursue, and what is most important. Ah, how often the disputants themselves are people without the Spirit and without faith, people of fleshly wisdom, though from Scripture (for all knowledge that we take from Scripture by our own natural powers and by mere human diligence, without the light of the Holy Spirit, is fleshly wisdom—or would we have to say that reason is capable of divine wisdom?)⁹⁰ filled with it, to be sure, yet not taught by God?⁹¹ What, then, is there to hope for from people like that? How often does someone bring strange fire into the Lord's sanctuary—that is, a foreign aim, not for God's honor but for their own?⁹² But for that very reason such offerings don't please God; instead, they draw down his curse, and with that kind of disputing, nothing is accomplished. How often is defending one's own position, showing off a subtle mind and sharp wit, and defeating an opponent—however that defeat is won—more of a rule than the actual investigation and preservation of the truth? In that way, the adversary is sometimes so offended that, even if he can't answer, the way he was treated, the fleshly passions he sensed, the insults used against him, and the like—things that only taste of the human—all block any conversion that might have otherwise been hoped for.⁹³ If you carefully examined much of the disputing done so far, you'd soon find one fault after another; it’s worth believing that this is why not everything people wanted was secured by it. For many, disputing has become so repugnant that they’ve even developed an unseemly hatred for it, and now they want to blame the act of disputing itself for what is really the fault of its abuse. But just as not all disputing is praiseworthy and useful, so too is 2.⁹⁴ Right disputing isn't the only way to preserve the truth; it requires other things alongside it. Indeed, where people mean to leave it only at what is, in itself, the sole and complete purpose of disputing—and where that purpose, if best arranged, might be achieved—namely the rescue of true teaching from false opinions and the refutation of those opinions, so that the human understanding recognizes that this doctrinal statement accords with God's Word as it reads, and that those others stand against it (as almost happens with people who scarcely think any further than that they would like to make many people Lutheran, but no longer take care how those same people might also become true, genuine Christians under that confession, and who therefore look on the true confession almost as a faction that only needs to be strengthened, not as an entrance onto the path on which one means to serve God zealously going forward)—there God will not give his blessing to this either, nor always allow it to succeed. Rather, if God's honor is to be rightly advanced, the effort must be directed toward this end: that the opposing party might be converted, and that people would apply the rescued truth in gratitude and holy obedience toward God. Now, such a convictio intellectus, or conviction of the truth, is by no means faith. Faith requires more: there must be a resolve to add whatever helps convert the one in error and to clear away what hinders him. Above all, there must be a desire to apply what we recognize to the further honor of God and to serve him in that light, both in ourselves and in everyone else.⁹⁵ The glorious sayings of Christ apply here.^✦ John 7:17. If anyone wants to do His will—the will of the Father who sent Him—he will know whether this teaching is from God or whether I speak on my own. So our Savior says of no one that he is truly sealed by God in his soul with the divine truth of His teaching unless the will is also there to do the Father's will, and thus not leave it at mere knowing alone.⁹⁶ Again, John 8:31. 32.^✦ If you remain in my word, you are truly my disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. And 14:21. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me; and whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him. It is clear from all this that, whether we are maintaining the truth among ourselves or bringing it to those still in error, mere debate isn't enough; we need the holy love of God. Ah, if we Evangelicals would apply ourselves with the utmost zeal to bring God the fruits of his truth in heartfelt love, and so lead a life worthy of our calling, and show this in open, unfeigned love toward our neighbor—including those of another faith—by practicing the duties already mentioned; and if those still in error would also strive toward the same end (to which we ourselves should point them), so that where they still cannot grasp the truth we confess, they would at least begin, according to the measure of knowledge they still have left from Christian teaching, to serve God zealously in love of God and of their neighbor—then there is no doubt that God would both let us keep growing further in the truth and give us the joy of soon seeing others, whose error we now lament, standing with us in one faith.⁹⁷ For his Word does have the power—unless it is maliciously hindered either by those who preach it or by those among whom it is preached—to convert hearts; and a holy way of life itself also does much toward conversion. This is what Peter teaches us. 1 Peter 3:1.^✦ 2.^✦

The Formation of Godly Teachers

The author advocates for the reform of university education to prioritize holiness over academic vanity.

Since the preacher's office carries the most weight in everything concerning the reform of the church, and because defects in preachers cause such great harm, it is vital that we have people who are, first and foremost, true Christians themselves, and who also possess the divine wisdom to carefully lead others along the way of the Lord. It would contribute a great deal to the reform of the church—it is, in fact, entirely necessary—that we call no one into office unless they are fit for it, and that in every aspect of this calling, we aim solely at the honor of God, setting aside all fleshly motives like seeking favor, friendship, gifts, or other such inappropriate things.^✦ For the faults committed in the work of the calling are not among the least causes of the defects found in the church—though we will not elaborate on them this time. But if such capable people are to be called into the church's service, we must have them—and therefore, we must train them in schools and universities. Ah, may God graciously grant that everything belonging to this is carefully watched over at the universities by the professors of theology, and that they help see to it that not only by the zealous Joh.⁹⁸ Matth.⁹⁹ Meyfart of blessed memory, but also before and after him by so many other godly hearts sorrowfully lamented, and common among the students of nearly every faculty—the unchristian academic life—would be abolished and reformed by forceful means: so that the academies, as would only be right, might truly also be recognized by the outward life of the students as nurseries of the Church in every estate and as workshops of the Holy Spirit, not of the spirit of the world—yes, of the devil of ambition, heavy drinking, and quarrel.¹⁰⁰¹⁰¹ Just as the professors themselves can do a great deal here by their own example—indeed, without such example true reform can scarcely be hoped for—if they present themselves as people who have died to the world, seeking in nothing their own honor, profit, or pleasure, but in everything only the honor of their God and the salvation of those entrusted to them, and arranging all their studies, book-writing, lectures, colleges, disputations, and duties toward that end, so that students would have a living pattern by which to regulate their whole life.^✦¹⁰² We are built in such a way that example accomplishes as much among us as teaching itself—and sometimes even more. Gregory¹⁰³ of Nazianzus says in his epitaph¹⁰⁴ for Basil: Basil's speech was thunder, because his life was lightning.¹⁰⁵ Basil's speech and teaching were, in their power, like thunder, because his life was like lightning. So they should also keep good discipline at their tables and give no room to rowdiness for the sake of profit: at table they should rightly hold edifying conversation among themselves, but unseemly talk should be turned away—especially talk in which God's Word, Scripture sayings, hymn formulas, and other such words are twisted and misused for evil (through which more harm is done than one might think; indeed, godly hearts often receive a lifelong stumbling block in their devotion whenever they come upon such words)—and even firmly rebuked, not listened to with approval.¹⁰⁶ Next, students should rightly and without fail be drilled in this: that a godly life matters no less than their diligence and study—yes, that study without that life is worth nothing. The well-known saying of ancient Justin should always be on our minds:¹⁰⁷ "The matters of our religion don't consist of words, but of deeds." Our religion doesn't stand in words, but in deeds. And he had learned this from St. Paul: that the kingdom of God doesn't consist of words, but of power. 1 Corinthians^✦ 4:20. They should constantly be reminded that where the saying holds in ordinary human life—Qui proficit in literis et deficit in moribus, plus deficit quam proficit: whoever grows in skill and not in good character learns more backward than forward—it holds all the more in spiritual matters, where, because theology is a practical habit, everything must be directed toward the practice of faith and of life.¹⁰⁸ This is why, by contrast, the Christian doctor so deserving of the Strasbourg church, the blessed Dr.¹⁰⁹ Johann Schmidt, my beloved father in Christ, this (little book¹¹⁰ Repud.¹¹¹ Conc.¹¹² 2. p.¹¹³ 37.) He calls it a great and terrible idol—that at colleges and universities, even when people intend to be thoroughly diligent, they miss the mark of the true purpose: that God should be honored. Or, to put it more clearly, that the true, unadulterated Christian religion, the heartfelt practice of godliness, and Christian virtue should be better planted, fostered, and impressed into people's hearts. His remaining words are also worth reading. There at the end, he calls it an abomination of desolation. The theologian Herr Dr., famous primarily for his writings published to rescue the true teaching,¹¹⁴ Abraham Calovius, my especially highly honored patron, draws together (Pædia Theol.¹¹⁵ 1. 2. p. 57.) the reasons why a theology student must commit to a godly life, which can be summarized as follows: 1. Because the Apostle instructs his Timothy in this way.^✦ 2 Timothy 2:24^✦¹¹⁶ 1 Timothy 1:18^✦¹¹⁷ 19 Chapter 3. v. 2. Ch. 4. v. 7. 12. Titus 1. v. 17. 2. The Holy Spirit, the true and only Teacher, does not dwell in a heart that is subject to sins.^✦¹¹⁸ John 16:13. 1 John^✦ 2:27.^✦ The world cannot receive the Spirit of truth.^✦ John 14:17.^✦ 3. A student of theology deals with divine wisdom that isn't fleshly, but spiritual and holy.^✦¹¹⁹ James 3:15. which begins with the fear of the Lord. Psalm 111:9.¹²⁰ Proverbs 1:7. 9. 10. 4. Theology isn't just about having knowledge; it's about the heart's affection and putting it into practice. (As we just heard from Justin.) 5. Blessed is the person (as the ancients said) who turns Scripture into action.^✦ If you know these things, Christ says (John 13:17).^✦ 13:17.^✦ You are blessed if you do them.^✦ So Christ's disciples should search the Scriptures in such a way that they put them into practice and do what they know. 6. By contrast, Wisdom does not enter a malicious soul, and does not dwell in a body subject to sin. Wisdom, chapter 1. v. 4. So anyone who clings to sin cannot become a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. 7. Just as the Levites had to wash themselves before entering the tent of meeting,^✦¹²¹ Mos. 30:18. 1^✦ Kings.^✦ 7:23.^✦ 2 Chronicles 4:2.^✦ So, anyone intending to go in and out of the Lord’s tent should likewise devote themselves to the sanctification and purification of their life.^✦¹²² Oh, if only God would grant that these words stood everywhere before us, and in every lecture hall, and constantly before the eyes of every student in his study—yes, in his heart—then we would soon have a different Church.¹²³ I can't help also setting down here the words of the dear and godly theologian Dr. Joh. Gerhard, Harm. Evang. ch. 176. p. 1333. b. Those who are without the love of Christ, who neglect the pursuit of godliness, do not attain a fuller knowledge of Christ and a more abundant gift of the Holy Spirit; and so, to gain a true, living, practical, and saving knowledge of divine things, reading and searching Scripture is not enough, but the love of Christ must also be added—that is, fleeing sins against conscience, by which a barrier is put in the way of the Holy Spirit, and earnest pursuit of godliness.^✦ Psalm 25:14.^✦ 111:10.^✦ Proverbs 1:7.^✦ 9.^✦¹²⁴ 10. Sirach. 1:16. John. 7:17.^✦ Ephesians. 3:18.^✦ Those who do not have the true love of Christ, and who neglect the practice of godliness, do not attain a fuller knowledge of Christ and a richer gift of the Holy Spirit. And so, to attain a true, living, practical, and saving knowledge of the things of God, it is not enough to read and search the Scriptures; rather, the love of Christ must also come with it—that is, that one guard oneself against sins against conscience, by which a bar is set against the Holy Spirit, and that one earnestly devote oneself to godliness. Certainly, if this foundation were once laid among students of theology—that they simply believed they must already die to the world in their earliest years of study, and live as those who are one day to become examples for the flock—and if they believed that this is not merely an ornament, but a wholly necessary work, without which they may indeed be students of a so-called philosophy of sacred things, but not students of theology, which is learned only in the light of the Holy Spirit, and held to be such: whereas many hold that it does look fine for a student of theology also to live well, but that it is not really so necessary, so long as he only studies diligently and becomes a learned man—even if throughout all that time he lets himself be ruled by the spirit of the world and joins others in every worldly pleasure—that this is no great matter, and there will be time enough once he becomes a preacher and then changes his life; just as if that were always in our power, and as if the love of the world, once firmly stamped in, did not then commonly cling to people for their whole life: that is why this evil opinion does us such great harm.¹²⁵ If, I say, this were presented to theology students at the very beginning of their studies and truly drilled into them, I believe it would bear much fruit throughout their entire time of study—and indeed, for the rest of their lives. For this it would be especially useful if the professors paid attention to the lives of the students entrusted to them as carefully as to their studies, and often spoke with those who need it on that account; and if they also treated those who study splendidly but also carouse, drink, and show off splendidly, who let their ambition stand out in their studies and elsewhere, and in short show that they live according to the world, not according to Christ, in such a way that those students must see they are despised for that reason by their teachers, and that their fine talents and good studies do them no good — rather, people regard them as those who would one day prove all the more harmful the more gifts they have received. On the other hand, that the professors show publicly and privately toward others who, though not equal to the former in studies, nevertheless lead a truly godly life, how dear those students are to them, and that these are far preferred to the others.^✦ Yes, and also that one always prefer these godly students over the others in advancement — or rather promote them alone — and shut the others out of all hope of advancement until they have thoroughly changed, as in fact it ought rightly to be. For it is certain: a person adorned with fewer gifts who nevertheless loves God from the heart will, with his lesser talent and studies, be of more use to the congregation of God than a double-doctor-grade vain worldly fool who, though stuffed full of learning, is not taught by God.^✦^✦¹²⁶ The former’s work is blessed, and he has the Holy Spirit with him; the latter has only a knowledge that is, in reality, fleshly—and with it, he can so easily do more harm than good. It wouldn't be a bad idea if every student from every university had to provide testimonials—not just of their ability and diligence, but of a godly life as well. On the other hand, these testimonials should be issued with great care and never granted to anyone who hasn't truly earned them. These measures might well bring it about that students of theology see how necessary for them is the very thing the fewest of them often think about.¹²⁷ Beyond this, professors should carefully observe, based on their own expertise, which studies are useful and necessary for each student, considering his aptitude, his background, the career he hopes for, and similar factors. For some, of course, theological controversies must be pursued with greater zeal as a professional specialty; the Church always needs to be well-equipped with people who can stand up to the enemies of the truth and not allow every Goliath to mock the host of Israel without fear—we need our own Davids who dare to step forward and face them.¹²⁸ If opportunity should arise for the proposal made by the excellent theologian Dr. Nicolaus Hunnius of blessed memory in his Consultation to be put into practice, this matter would be helped to some degree.¹²⁹ With others it is not nearly so necessary that this be their own chief study; yet they must still equip themselves so that, when the occasion arises, they can silence their adversaries and protect their congregations once and for all from error. We should especially wish that those living in areas with Jewish populations—so they may carry out their office among them—would be more carefully trained in the controversies we have with them. In general, as several excellent theologians have often wished, it is desirable that university disputations be held in German. This would help students learn the necessary terminology, since it becomes difficult for them in their ministry when they want to address a controversy from the pulpit and present it in German to the congregation, something they have never practiced.¹³⁰ On the other hand, alongside those who must study these controversies more deeply, there are others for whom it is enough to thoroughly understand their own position and know just enough of the opposing view to be secured against error and at least show their hearers what is true and what is not; for harder matters, they may rely on the help and counsel of others.¹³¹ In all of this, a beginning student doesn't really understand very well what he needs and what he doesn't—unless he has a faithful guide. But without that, what happens is what the late Dr., who also aims at the right purpose,¹³² Christoph Scheibler of blessed memory, in his preface cited above to the Manual¹³³ of Theology,¹³⁴ Practical,¹³⁵ complains that if some have spent their entire studies on controversies, one of two things must follow: either they will be unskilled preachers, no matter how learned they are in such controversies, or they must study theology all over again in a different way, becoming beginners once more, as daily experience testifies.¹³⁶ But we should pay careful attention to this for everyone, ensuring that moderation is maintained even in controversies—preferably cutting off unnecessary ones rather than cultivating them—so that all of theology might be brought back to apostolic simplicity.¹³⁷ Professors can help a great deal toward that end if they align their own studies and writings accordingly, while also diligently thwarting the idle curiosity of restless minds and consistently showing an aversion to it.¹³⁸ It might also be useful if the simple little books—the German Theology, and then Tauler's writings, from which, next after Scripture, our dear Luther became what he was—were put more into the hands of students, and their use recommended to them.¹³⁹ This is the counsel of Luth.¹⁴⁰ himself, who writes thus of the man of God Tauler (as he calls him elsewhere) in the 23rd Epistle¹⁴¹ to Spalatin: If you have a desire to read the old, pure theology in the German language, you can get the sermons of Johan. Tauler, the Dominican preacher-monk.¹⁴² For I have found theology nowhere, neither in Latin nor in German, purer and more wholesome, or so fully in agreement with the Gospel. And in the 17th Epistle. I ask you once more: do trust me in this matter, and follow me, and buy yourself Tauler's book—something I have urged on you before as well—if only you can get hold of it. You'll find it's easy enough to get then. For that is a book in which you will find such skill in pure, wholesome teaching that, next to it, all skill now is iron and earthly—whether it is in Greek or Latin or Hebrew.¹⁴³ Elsewhere he says: I have found more of the pure divine teaching in it than I have found in all the books of the schoolmen at every university, or than can be found in them. Regarding the German Theology—which he also attributes to Tauler, though it is of a later date, and which I consider a special honor to this city since it was written in our Frankfurt—he gives this judgment:¹⁴⁴ I must praise my old fool, and I say that after the Bible and St. Augustine, no book has come my way from which I have learned more—and still want to learn—about what God, Christ, man, and all things are, than this little book.¹⁴⁵ That is also why such little books have been brought out again by our dear Arndt for the sake of Christian edification, and furnished with a preface. We have more reason to cite this to his credit than to blame him for it—that the dear man, in his True Christianity, often made use of Tauler and praised him. To these two, one should also add Thomas à Kempis's Imitation of Christ. Which, for the common good, the Doctor who also laudably promotes the practice of godliness in his writings—¹⁴⁶ Johann Olearius, my especially highly honored patron, has only a few years ago had newly reprinted, and added an introduction. To this group we might also add, among the ancients, a fine godly writing by an unknown author under the title Religionis Christianae deformationis a pristino decore et desolationis causae quae, et quo pacto Christianus quisque possit ad sui conditoris reformari imaginem et amicitiam—which is printed with the short works of Ephraem the Syrian—and many other similar writings of the ancients.¹⁴⁷ There is no doubt that these little books—for which any lingering remnants of their age's darkness can and should be easily excused, and which won't mislead an intelligent reader—would do far more good among students and give them a taste of true godliness if they were in their hands more often than other writings, which are so frequently stuffed with useless subtleties that only provide the ambition of the old Adam with plenty of convenient fodder. Through such means one would hopefully see fulfilled among many what the aforementioned Chytraeus so heartily longed for: that by believing devoutly, living holy lives, and loving God and neighbor rather than by subtle and clever disputing, we may show ourselves to be Christians and theologians—that people would prove themselves Christians and theologians far more by godly faith, holy living, and love of God and neighbor than by sharp and hair-splitting disputation.¹⁴⁸

Practical Exercises for Students

Specific recommendations for training students in practical theology and self-examination.

But precisely for this reason—that theology is a practical habit rather than just bare knowledge—mere studying isn't enough, and neither is mere lecturing or instructing.¹⁴⁹ So one ought to consider how all kinds of exercises might be arranged in which the mind would also be trained for those things that belong to practice and personal edification, and practiced in them. Therefore I would wish not only that in certain colleges such subjects be diligently treated—especially from the rules of life that we have recorded from our dearest Savior and from his Apostles—and impressed upon the students, but also that they be given guidance in how to undertake godly meditations, how by examining themselves they may know themselves better, how to resist the lusts of the flesh, how to tame their desires, and how to die completely to the world (according to St. Augustine's rule On Christian Doctrine¹⁵⁰ Christ.¹⁵¹ ch.¹⁵² 7. People see only to the extent that they die to this world; but as long as they live for it, they do not see.¹⁵³ People see as much as they die to this world; but insofar as they live to it, they see nothing)—how they might examine their growth in the good, or where they still fall short, and so do themselves what they would one day teach others.¹⁵⁴ For mere study alone simply won't do: our dear Luther held the same view of this. Vol.¹⁵⁵ 2. Jena¹⁵⁶ Lat.¹⁵⁷ f.¹⁵⁸ 57. on the fifth Psalm.¹⁵⁹ Psalm: You become a theologian by living—actually, by dying and being condemned—not by understanding, reading, or speculating. Or as it is given in Tom.¹⁶⁰ 2. Altenb.¹⁶¹ f. 601. a. A true theologian is made not by understanding, reading, or deep speculation, but by living—yes, by dying and by damnation.¹⁶² As for how these exercises should be arranged, I leave that to the judgment of godly and sensible professors themselves. If I were permitted to make a suggestion, I would find it useful for a devout theologian to begin not with a large group, but with those students in whom he already notices a heartfelt desire to be genuine Christians, and with them, take up the New Testament for study.¹⁶³ They should study it without chasing after mere academic learning, focusing only on what serves their edification. Each student should have the opportunity to share his thoughts on every verse and how he can apply it to his own life and the lives of others. Meanwhile, the professor, acting as a director, should confirm what is well observed, but when he sees them straying from the right purpose, he should kindly and clearly show them that purpose from the text and point out how to put specific rules into practice.¹⁶⁴¹⁶⁵ Along with this, such trust and friendship might then be formed among the fellow students that they would not only exhort one another to practice what they heard, but each would examine himself as to where he might so far have failed to keep such rules, and afterward strive as soon as possible to put them into practice; and they would also agree among themselves to watch over one another as to how each was applying himself to this, with the brotherly admonition that belongs to it—yes, even to give account to one another and to their professor of how, in this or that situation, they had conducted themselves according to the rules set before them. Then in such a confidential conference, where every matter that concerns them is examined by God's Word (for they should get used from the start not to judge others presumptuously, or to judge another man's servant), it soon becomes clear how far one has progressed and where help is still most needed.¹⁶⁶ The professor would claim no other mastery over the conscience entrusted to him than this: as one more practiced, he would show them from the Word of our only Master what he holds concerning each case, and as they themselves become more practiced, he would decide everything with them as colleagues.¹⁶⁷ If this were continued for a while with heartfelt and zealous calling upon God, and if especially each one, particularly when he wished to prepare himself for the Lord's¹⁶⁸ Supper, would present the state of his conscience to the whole collegium and always follow its counsel, I would not doubt that splendid progress in godliness would follow in a short time. Then, once it had been properly begun, more and more could be usefully drawn into it, and finally such people could come from among them as would become genuine Christians before they enter the office in which they are to make others so—and thus people who would rather take care to do than to teach. That is the right way of true teachers in the school of our Savior, as my highly valued friend and dearest brother in the Lord, who takes the hurt of Joseph deeply to heart, Herr Gottlieb Spitzel, sets forth with such dear and worthy examples in his Veteri Academia Jesu Christi.¹⁶⁹¹⁷⁰¹⁷¹ His Pius literati hominis secessus, seu a profanae doctrinae vanitate ad sinceram pietatem manuductio is also an exceedingly useful work that can give a great many a start and light toward the aim of making godly theologians, and can rightly be read by all students who are fitting themselves for that right purpose.¹⁷²

Ordering Sermons for Edification

The author calls for sermons to be ordered toward the inner person and the fruits of faith.

Beyond these exercises that serve their own Christian life, it would also be very useful if their teachers created opportunities for them to practice tasks they will eventually handle in their ministry: instructing the untaught, comforting the sick, and similar work. Above all, they should practice preaching in a way that shows them how to structure every part of their sermons for edification. So, I am adding this as the sixth¹⁷³ means by which the Christian Church might be improved—namely, if sermons were structured by everyone so that their true purpose, which is faith and its fruits, would be advanced among the hearers as fully as possible.¹⁷⁴ It is true, of course, that in few places within our religion is there a shortage of sermons being preached. Yet many godly hearts still find a significant lack in many of those sermons. Some preachers spend most of their time trying to appear learned, even when the congregation doesn't understand them. They often drag in foreign languages that perhaps no one in the church knows. Many care more about a polished introduction, neat transitions, an artful and subtle outline, or using the rules of rhetoric to ornament every part, than they do about choosing subjects and, by God's grace, working through them so that the hearer receives real help for life and death.¹⁷⁵ It shouldn't be that way. The pulpit isn't a place to display your skill with pomp; it is a place to preach the Word of the Lord simply yet powerfully. Because this is a divine means of saving people, everything should be ordered toward that purpose. In this, the preacher must adapt to his hearers far more than they adapt to him, since they cannot change themselves to suit him. He should always look more to the simple people, who make up the majority, than to the few learned ones, if any are even present.^✦ Just as the Catechism contains the first rudiments of Christianity, and everyone first learned their faith from it, so that same Catechism should not only be pressed ever more diligently in children's instruction—more according to the understanding than the mere words—and also among the older people wherever they can be present too, and a preacher should not grow weary of it; rather, if the preacher has opportunity, he also does well always to set before the people again in the sermons what they once learned, and not to be ashamed of it himself. I’ll gladly pass over any other points that should be observed in preaching. But I consider this the most important point: since our entire Christianity consists of the inner or new person, whose soul is faith and whose effects are the fruits of life, sermons as a whole should be aimed at that.¹⁷⁶ On one hand, we should present God's precious benefits as they relate to the inner person, so that faith—and the inner person within that faith—may be strengthened more and more. On the other hand, we must emphasize works in such a way that we don't content ourselves with merely pushing people to stop outward vices and practice outward virtues, as if we were only dealing with the outer person—which is something pagan ethics can also do. Instead, we must lay the foundation correctly in the heart, show that whatever doesn't come from this foundation is pure hypocrisy, and therefore train people first to work on these interior things, to awaken in themselves the love of God and neighbor through the proper means, and only then to act from that place. Therefore, one should also diligently urge how all the divine means of the Word and the Sacraments relate to this inner person. It isn't enough for us to hear the Word with our outer ears; we must let it press into the heart so that we hear the Holy Spirit speak there—that is, feel His sealing and the power of the Word with living stirring and comfort. Likewise, it isn't enough to be baptized; our inner person, in which we have put on Christ through baptism, must keep Him on and show that witness in our outer life. It isn't enough to have outwardly received the Holy¹⁷⁷ Communion; our inner person must also be truly nourished through this blessed food. It isn't enough to pray outwardly with the mouth; true and primary prayer takes place in our inner person, and it either pours itself out into words or remains wholly in the soul, yet finds and meets God there. It isn't enough to render God service in the outer temple; our inner person must render God the primary service in His own temple, whether he is in the outer one or not—and whatever else is of that kind.¹⁷⁸ Sermons in general should rightly be directed toward this, because the true power of all Christianity stands in it. If this were done, far more edification would certainly result than what happens among many in the current way. We have a splendid example of this in the present [work] of the late blessed¹⁷⁹ dear and spiritually gifted teacher, the late Herr Johann Arndt's Postil.¹⁸⁰ Just as this excellent teacher and follower of Luther—whom he also takes as his forerunner even in most of those turns of phrase that some have somewhat misunderstood and therefore misinterpreted—directed everything in his other spiritually rich writings to the true core, the inner person, so too this entire Postil, here set once more before the eyes of the Christian Church, aims at that same chief purpose. Therefore, just as his hearers were splendidly built up by it during his lifetime, so also until now many thousands of devout souls have powerfully felt the force of this method and godly work, have humbly thanked God for such precious gifts, and have all the more kept the dear author's memory in blessing. Among other things, the repeated editions of this splendid book have also testified to such usefulness—editions that always sold out and were sought after more and more.¹⁸¹ This shows that this work isn't like so many others—books that die as soon as their author does, or stay welcome only as long as people, hungry for the latest thing, use them for their novelty. But neither the author himself nor this present work, nor his other works, needs my praise. I am not the one through whose testimony his renown might be increased—I who rather count it an honor and a benefit to honor him among his disciples. Yet I am certain that if all our teaching, writings, and sermons were arranged in this way, there would certainly be no need for so many complaints as we must now so often, and rightly, raise.

Editorial Notes and Final Prayer

The author concludes with editorial remarks on the edition and a prayer for the Church's renewal.

But I'd rather leave to each reader's own experience and sense of things whatever I might otherwise have to praise about this work if I were going to, and I confine myself solely to indicating to the Christian reader here what has actually been done in this new edition for practical use. The reader should note the following. I. The previous Merian edition—which this reprint is based on—has been checked against others, reviewed, and corrected of its various errors, and anything missing has been supplied.¹⁸² Therefore, the improvements made in previous editions—such as translating the cited Latin quotations into German and completing the briefly indicated sayings and texts—have been retained here,¹⁸³ just as was mentioned in the Merian preface. II. Because the Passion sermons stood in various places, they have been gathered together, which it is hoped will be more pleasing to the reader. The same has also been done with other sermons found in the Appendix, which have been inserted at their festivals or places where it conveniently fitted. The index of the sermons will show this by comparison with the previous one. III. The printing has been arranged so that, although this edition is fuller, and yet loses nothing in the legibility of the type, it has still been reduced considerably in paper, so that it can be had in a single volume.¹⁸⁴ IV. Thus (something that was promised in the previous Merian edition, but never carried out) not only have the verse numbers also been added to the cited chapters of Scripture, but almost countless passages whose places had not been named, which the late¹⁸⁵ author intended, have been set out and cited, to the great benefit of the reader.¹⁸⁶ V. Because we wished—after this dear man's spiritually rich work on the Psalms had also had his explanation of the Catechism appended to it, whereas his True Christianity, then his Opuscula, the little book of teaching and comfort, the Teaching on Union with Christ, and the Repetitio Apologetica, or Restatement and Defense of the Teaching on True Christianity, had only recently been published together, while his Little Paradise Garden is often met with everywhere—that if anything more from so excellent a man were still to be found that could not be met with in those works, it might be incorporated into this edition, and so all the remaining crumbs would be preserved: after careful investigation, nothing else could be found except a few sermons of homage and Landtag sermons, and then his so-called Informatorium Biblicum, which for that reason (although some consider this latter work not his, but the work of one of his admirers) have also been added here to the rest.¹⁸⁷¹⁸⁸ 6. Because a well-made index for every book is not only a splendid ornament (so that one man reminded his good friend, a distinguished theologian whose books had no indexes, or only poor ones, that they put him in mind of a maiden otherwise finely dressed, yet for whom they had forgotten to set a wreath on her head), but is a special help to the reader, so he can find again what he has read when he needs it and put everything to better use—so also to the present edition three¹⁸⁹ indexes have been added: namely of the sermons, of the passages of Scripture, and then of the memorable subjects—and so what was still lacking in every edition has been supplied in this present one. Since we have taken such great care and spared no expense in this work, I am confident that the Christian reader will be well satisfied with this edition and, by God's grace, will find it a source of great edification. I will add nothing more by way of introduction, preferring, as I mentioned, to let the reader discover for himself the help this book provides. I faithfully urge him: if he ever finds in this or other works by that precious man any phrasing or teachings that seem strange at first, he shouldn't rush to judgment. Instead, he should carefully ponder their true meaning with heartfelt prayer, for I have no doubt he'll find that everything is entirely of the Holy Spirit.¹⁹⁰ Scripture and fully in keeping with the manner of teaching prescribed for us in it, far removed from every false teaching: that it is directed instead toward the genuine upbuilding of true Christianity—not the empty glory of an orthodoxy that consists only in doctrinal propositions, but a Christianity filled with living knowledge—and toward what that aims at, the inner person?¹⁹¹¹⁹² To that end, I cannot recommend highly enough, for any diligent reader of True Christianity or other Arndian books, the Defense of True Christianity by the late Heinrich Varenius, who earned great honor through his labors for true godliness.¹⁹³¹⁹⁴ Heinrich Varenius's Defense of True Christianity (which book I also wish to see newly reissued and made more widely available—or, so as not to give the appearance that the old controversies were being raked up again, I wish that the explanations themselves that belong to its defense and right understanding might be gathered and published by someone sufficiently versed in the matter)—cannot recommend enough for useful use: for in it he would see how much forceful and edifying substance lies in those passages others have misunderstood, once they are properly examined.¹⁹⁵¹⁹⁶ Finally, I call fervently on the utterly good God, the Giver of every good gift: just as He once let much good seed of His word be sown through this faithful servant of His—whom He has long since brought into His joy—and has powerfully blessed many kernels of it till now in godly hearts with no small fruit (for which may eternal thanks be given to Him), so may He still give further blessing to that servant's work, which still lies before our eyes and has also been arranged in this edition for further use: that many hearts who, with devotion and simplicity, will seek their edification on Sundays in these sermons next to Holy Scripture may also find it richly there, and may in turn bring Him the fruits of thanksgiving for it.^✦^✦ Yes—and that many teachers themselves may be refreshed to press the core of Christianity in their sermons with such simplicity and force after this model; and overall, that this may also be a means of some further reform of our Church's miserable condition, so heartily lamented above—all to the honor of the great God Himself, and to the advancement of His kingdom, which aims at that same honor, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Read the original Latin

Jn dieſem vertrauen/ und williger unterwerffung gegen andere der Kirchen beſtens kuͤndigeren/ ſo giengen meine unvorgreiffliche gedancken in dieſer ſach dahin. Daß unſerer geſampten Kirche (eben ſo verhaͤlt ſichs mit jeglichem theil derſelben) unter andern/ (dann ich nicht alle mittel hier anfuͤhre/ zum exempel die aufrichtung der Kirchenzucht/ welche gleichwol von der hoͤchſten wichtigkeit/ aber von dem theuren und eifferigen Theologo Joh. Sauberto Sel. in ſeinem nie gnug geprieſenen ZuchtBuͤchlein zur gnuͤge gehandelt iſt: Jtem die aufferziehung der Jugend und dergleichen) auff folgende weiſe vermittels Goͤttlicher Gnade geholffen/ und ſie in einen wiederumb herꝛlichern ſtand geſetzt werden moͤchte.

1. Daß man dahin bedacht waͤre/ das Wort GOttes reichlicher unter uns zu bringen. Wir wiſſen/ daß wir von natur nichts guts an uns haben/ ſondern ſoll etwas an uns ſeyn/ ſo muß es von GOtt in uns gewůrcket werden/ und darzu iſt das Wort das kraͤfftige mittel/ indem der glaube auß dem Evangelio entzuͤndet werden muß/ das Geſetz aber die regel giebet der guten wercke/ und viel herꝛlichen antrieb denſelben nachzujagen. Je reichlicher alſo das Wort unter uns wohnen wird/ je mehr werden wir glaubens und deſſen fruͤchte zuwegen bringen. Nun ſolte es zwar ſcheinen/ daß das Wort GOtt es reichlich gnug unter uns wohnete/ indem an unterſchiedlichen orten (und zwar auch in hieſiger Statt) taͤglich/ anderswo gleichwol zum oͤfftern/ von der Cātzel gepredigt wird. Wo wir aber der ſache reifflich nachdencken/ werden wir auch in dieſem ſtuͤck vieles finden/ das noch weiter noͤthig ſeye. Jch verwerffe die haltende Predigten durchauß nit/ da auß einem gewiſſen vorgelegten Text und deſſen erklaͤrung die Chriſtliche Gemeinde unterrichtet werde/ als der ich ſelbſt dergleichen vortrage und verrichte. Aber ich finde nicht/ daß dieſes gnug ſey.

1. Wiſſen wir/ daß alle Schrifft von GOtt eingegeben/ ſeye nutz zur lehr/ zur ſtraff/ zur beſſerung/ zur zuͤchtigung in der gerechtigkeit. 2. Tim. 3. Daher auch alle Schrifft ohne außnahm der Gemeinde bekannt ſolte ſeyn/ wollen wir anders allen den noͤthigen nutzen erhalten. Nun wo man endlich alle die Text/ die in vielen jahren nach einander in einem ort der gemeinde vorgetragen werden/ zuſammen nimmet/ ſo wird es noch gar ein geringer theil/ der uns vorgelegten Schrifft ſeyn: Das uͤbrige hoͤret die Gemeinde gar nicht/ oder nur wie ein und andere Spruͤche oder ſonſten allegata darauß in den Predigten angezogen werden/ ohne daß ſie die gantze folge/ darinnen gleichwol ein groſſes ſtecket/ vernehmen koͤnnte. 2.

Haben auch die leute wenig gelegen heit den verſtand der Schrifft anders/ als nach den Texten die ihnen etwa außgelegt werden zu faſſen/ weniger aber ſich recht darinnen ſoviel zu uͤben/ als die erbauung erforderte: Jndem das einige leſen zu hauß/ ſo an ſich ſelbſt herꝛlich und loͤblich/ doch noch nicht bey allen gnug thun mag.

Dahero noch zu gedencken ſtehet/ ob nicht der Kirchen wol gerathen waͤre/ wann nebens den gewoͤhnlichen Predigten uͤber die verordnete Text noch auff andere weiß die leute weiter in die Schrifft gefůhret wuͤrden: 1. Mit fleiſſiger leſung der H. Schrift ſelbſt/ ſonderlich aber deß N. Teſtaments. Das iſt je nicht ſchwer/ daß jeglicher Haußvatter ſeine Bibel oder auffs wenigſte das Neue Teſtament bey handen habe/ und taͤglich etwas in ſolchem leſe/ oder wo er je deß leſens unerfahren/ ihm von andern leſen laſſe. Wie noͤthig und nuͤtzlich ſolches allen Chriſten in allen ſtaͤnden ſeye/ hat ſtattlich und kraͤfftig in dem vergangenen Seculo dargethan Andreas Hyperius, deſſen zwey Buͤcher von ſolcher Materi/ bald darnach G. Nigrinus verdeutſchet/ nachdem aber das Wercklein faſt unbekandt worden/ neulich Herꝛ D. Elias Veyel/ mein wertheſter vor deme geweſener Commilito zu Straßburg und in Chriſto geliebter Bruder/ durch nochmahlige aufflage den leuten wiederum bekannt gemacht.

Nechſtdeme/ daß alſo die leute zu der privat Lection angetrieben wuͤrden/ waͤre rathſam. 2. Wo man es einfuͤhren koͤnnte/ daß zu gewiſſen zeiten in offentlicher Gemeinde die Bibliſche buͤcher nach einander ohne weitere erklaͤrung/ es waͤre dann ſache/ daß man kurtze Summarien darzu thun wolte/ verleſen wuͤrden/ zu aller/ vornemlich aber der jenigē/ erbauung/ welche gar nicht oder nicht bequem und wol leſen koͤnnten/ oder auch die Bibel nicht zu eigen haͤtten.

3. Solte auch (welches zu anderer reifflichem nachdencken ſetze) vielleicht nicht undienlich ſeyn/ wo wir wiederumb die alte Apoſtoliſche art der Kirchen-verſamlungen in den gang braͤchten: Da neben unſeren gewoͤhnlichen Predigten/ auch andere verſamlungen gehalten wuͤrden/ auff die art wie Paulus 1. Corinth. 14. dieſelbe beſchreibet/ wo nicht einer allein aufftrette zu lehren/ (welches zu andernmahlen bleibet) ſondern auch andere/ welche mit gaben und erkanntnuͤß begnadet ſind/ jedoch ohne unordnung und zancken/ mit darzu reden/ und ihre gottſelige gedancken ůber die vorgelegte Materien vortragen/ die uͤbrige aber daruͤber richten moͤchten. Welches etwa nicht unfuͤglich folgender art geſchehe: Wo zu gewiſſen zeiten unterſchiedliche auß dem Predigampt (nehmlich an orten da ſolches auß mehrern beſtehet) oder doch unter dirigi- rung deß Predigers andere mehrere auß der Gemeinde/ welche von GOtt mit ziemlicher erkanntnuͤß begabet/ oder in derſelben zu zunehmen begierig ſind/ zuſammen kaͤmen/ die Heilige Schrifft vor ſich nehmen/ darauß offentlich leſen/ und uͤber jegliche ſtelle derſelben von dem einfaͤltigen verſtand/ und was in jeglichem zu allerhand unſer erbauung dienlich waͤre/ bruͤderlich ſich unterredeten: Wo ſowol jeglichem/ welcher die ſach nicht gnugſam verſtuͤnde/ ſeine Dubia vorzutragen und dero erleuterung zu begehren/ als denen jenigen die nunmehr weiter gekommen/ ſampt den Predigern/ ihren verſtand/ den ſie bey jedem ort haͤtten/ beyzubringen erlaubt; was jeglicher vorgebracht/ wie es der meynung deß Heiligen Geiſtes in der Schrifft gemaͤß ſeye/ von den uͤbrigen/ ſonderlich den beruffenen Lehrern/ examiniret, und die gantze verſamblung erbauet wuͤrde. Es muͤſte aber alles in rechter abſicht auff GOttes Ehr und den geiſtlichen wachsthum/ daher auch in den ſchrancken die derſelben gemaͤß waͤren eingerichtet/ und hingegen/ wo ſich fuͤrwitz/ zanckſucht/ geſuch eigener ehre und was dergleichen iſt/ einſchleichen wolte/ verhuͤtet/ und ſorgfaͤltig/ ſonderlich von denen Predigern/ als die das Directorium darbey behalten/ abgeſchnitten werden. Hierauß waͤre nicht geringer nutzen zu hoffen.

Es lerneten die Prediger ſelbſt ihre Zuhoͤrer/ und deroſelben ſchwachheit oder zunahm in der Lehr der Gottſeligkeit kennen/ auch wuͤrde ein zu beyder beſten viel dienendes vertrauen zwiſchen ihnen geſtifftet; ſodann haͤtten die zuhoͤrer eine ſtattliche gelegenheit/ ihren fleiß ůber das Goͤttliche Wort zu uͤben/ und ſich darzu auffzumuntern/ ihre habende ſcrupel/ umb derer willen ſie nit eben jedesmal den Prediger zu beſprechen das hertz nehmen/ demſelben beſcheidenlich vorzutragen/ und dero entſcheid anzuhoͤren/ und in weniger zeit ſowol vor ſich ſelbſt zu wachſen/ als auch tuͤchtiger zu werden/ in ihrer Hauß-kirche/ Kinder und Geſinde beſſer zu unterrichten. Da in ermangelung dergleichen uͤbungen die Predigten/ wo einer allein in ſtaͤts-flieſſender rede ſeinen vortrag thut/ nicht eben allemahl/ ſo recht und genuͤglich gefaſt werden/ weil keine zeit dazwiſchen iſt/ der ſache nachzudencken/ oder wo man einem nachdencket/ indeſſen ſo viel von der folge entgehet/ (welches aber bey dergleichen unterredung nicht geſchiehet) ſodann die privat- und hauß-Lection/ wo man niemand darbey hat/ der etlicher maſſen den verſtand und abſicht jeglichen orts mit zeigen hilfft/ dem leſenden nicht alles was er gern verſtehen moͤchte zur gnuͤge erlaͤutern kan. Hingegen wuͤrde was an beeden manglete/ durch dergleichen uͤbungen erſetzet/ und weder dem Predig-ampt noch den Zuhoͤrern groſſe arbeit gemacht: Ein ziemliches aber gethan zu erfuͤllung der vermahnung Pauli/ da er ſagt: Col. 3/ 16. Laſſet das Wort Chriſti unter euch reichlich wohnen/ in aller weißheit. Lehret und vermahnet euch ſelbſt/ mit Pſalmen und Lobgeſaͤngen/ und geiſtlichen lieblichen Liedern. Welche auch bey dergleichen verſamblungen zum Lobe GOttes und aufmunterung gebraucht werden moͤchten.

Einmahl iſt gewiß/ daß die fleiſſige handlung deß Goͤttlichen Worts (die nicht nur bloß in anhoͤrung der Predigten beſtehet/ ſondern auch leſen/ betrachten/ darvon unterreden/ Pſalm. 1/ 2. in ſich faſſet) das vornehmſte mittel etwas zu beſſern ſeyn muß/ es geſchehe nun durch dergleichen oder von andern fuͤglicher zeigende anſtalten. Dann daſſelbe bleibet der Saame/ auß deme alles gute bey uns herwachſen muß: Und werden wir die leute zu einem eiffer bringen/ darinnen fleiſſig zu ſeyn/ und in ſolchem Buch deß Lebens ihre freude zu ſuchen/ ſo wird das geiſtliche Leben bey ihnen herꝛlich geſtaͤrcket/ und ſie zu gantz andern leuten werden.

Und was hat doch unſer Sel. Lutherus eifferiger geſucht/ als die leute zu der fleiſſigen leſung der Schrifft anzureitzen. Alſo gar/ daß er auch faſt bedenckens getragen/ ſeine Buͤcher außgehen zu laſſen/ damit nicht dardurch die leute zu leſung der Schrifft ſelbſt traͤger moͤchten gemacht werden. Seine wort lauten: Tom. 1. Altenb. fol. 6.

a. Gern haͤtte ichs geſehen/ daß meine Bůcher alleſampt waͤren dahinden blieben und untergangen/ und iſt unter andern urſachen eine/ daß mir grauet fuͤr dem exempel/ dann ich wol ſehe/ was nutz es in der Kirchen geſchafft iſt/ da man hat auſſer und neben der H. Schrifft angefangen/ viel Buͤcher und groſſe Bibliothecken zu ſamlen/ ſonderlich ohn allen unterſcheid allerley Vaͤtter/ Concilia und Lehre auffzuraffen. Damit nicht allein die edle zeit und ſtudiren in der Schrifft verſaumet/ ſondern auch die reine erkañtnuͤß goͤttlichen worts endlich verlohren iſt. Auch iſt das unſer meynung geweſt/ da wir die Biblia ſelbſt zu verdeutſchen anfiengen/ daß wir hofften/ es ſolte deß ſchreibens weniger/ und deß ſtudirens und leſens in der Schrifft mehr werden: dañ auch alles ander ſchreiben in und zu der ſchrifft weiſen ſoll: dann ſo gut werdens weder Concilia, Vaͤtter noch wir machen/ wañs aufs hoͤheſt und beſte gerathen kan/ als die H. Schrifft/ die GOtt ſelbſt gemacht hat. Wer meine Buͤcher in dieſer zeit ja haben wilder laſſe ſie ihm bey leib nicht ſeyn ein hindernuͤß die Schrifft ſelbſt zu ſtudiren/ u. ſ.

w. Dergleichen auch anderwertlich bey ihm zu finden.

Wie nun eines der vornehmſten boͤſen ſtuͤcke in dem Pabſthum geweſt/ dardurch die Paͤbſtliche Stats ration ſich befeſtiget/ die leute in unwiſſenheit/ und alſo einen voͤlligen gewalt uͤber ihre gewiſſen zu behalten/ daß ſie ſie von leſung der Heiligen Schrifft abgehalten/ und noch nach vermoͤgen abhalten; hingegen wie ein groſſes theil deß zwecks der theuren Reformation geweſen/ die leute zu dem Wort GOttes/ ſo faſt unter die banck verſtecket gelegen/ wiederum zu bringen/ auch ſolches das kraͤfftigſte mittel geweſen/ dadurch GOtt ſein werck geſegnet/ alſo wird auch eben dieſes das vornehmſte mittel ſeyn/ da die Kirche wieder bedarff in beſſern ſtand zu kommen/ daß der eckel der Schrifft/ ſo bey vielen iſt/ oder die nachlaͤſſigkeit in derſelben zu ſtudiren/ abgethan/ und hingegen hertzlicher eiffer zu derſelben erwecket werde.

Neben dem wuͤrde unſer offt-erwehnte D. Lutherus noch ein anders/ zwar mit dem vorigen genau vereinbartes/ mittel vorſchlagen/ welches jetzo das 2. ſeyn ſoll/ die auffrichtung und fleiſſige ůbung deß Geiſtlichen Prieſterthums. Niemand wird ſeyn/ der etwas fleiſſig in Lutheri Schrifften geleſen/ der nicht beobachtet haben ſolte/ mit was ernſt der ſelige Mañ ſolches Geiſtliche Prieſterthum/ da nicht nur der Prediger/ ſondern alle Chriſten von ihrem Erloͤſer zu Prieſtern gemacht/ mit dem Heiligen Geiſt geſalbet/ und zu geiſtlichen prieſterlichen verrichtungen gewiedmet ſind/ getrieben habe. Dann je Petrus 1/ 2/ 9. nicht mit den Predigern allein redet/ wo er ſagt: Jhr aber ſeyd das außerwehlte Geſchlecht/ das Koͤnigliche Prieſterthum/ das heilige Volck/ das Volck deß Eigenthums/ daß ihr verkuͤndigen ſolt die tugend deß/ der euch beruffen hat von der finſternůß zu ſeinem wunderbaren liecht. Wer außfuͤhrlich ſolches unſers Lehrers meynung hiervon/ und was die prieſterliche aͤmpter ſey en/ vernehmen und leſen wil/ der leſe ſeine Schrifft an die Boͤhmen/ wie man die Diener der Kirchen waͤhlen und einſetzen ſoll/ ſo befindlich T. 2.

Altenb. vornehmlich vom Bl. 501. u. folg. da wird er ſehen wie ſtattlich erwieſen ſeye/ daß allen Chriſten ins geſampt ohne unterſcheid alle geiſtliche aͤmpter zu ſtehen/ ob wol deren ordentliche und offentliche verrichtung denen dazu beſtellten Dienern anbefohlen iſt/ unterdeſſen im fall der noht ſie auch von andern verrichtet werden moͤgen: Sonderlich aber diejenige/ welche nit zu den offentlichen verrichtungen gehoͤren/ immerfort zu hauß und in dem gemeinen leben von allen getrieben werden ſollen.

Ja/ gleichwie dieſes eine ſonderbare liſt deß leidigen teuffels geweſen/ daß derſelbe in dem Pabſthum es dahin gebracht/ daß alle ſolche geiſtliche aͤmpter allein der Cleriſey (die ihnen auch daher hochmuͤthiger weiſe allein den namen der geiſtlichen/ ſo allen Chriſten in der that gemein iſt/ zugemeſſen) heimgewieſen/ und die uͤbrige Chriſten darvon außgeſchloſſen hat/ gleich ob gehoͤrte denſelben nicht zu/ in dem Wort deß Herrn fleiſſig zu ſtudiren/ vielweniger andere neben ſich zu unterrichten/ zu vermahnen/ zu ſtraffen/ zu troͤſten/ und das jenige privatim zu thun/ was zu dem Kirchẽdienſt offentlich gehoͤret/ ſondern es waͤren ſolches lauter dinge/ die an ihrem Ampt allein hiengen. Womit ſie erſtlich die ſo genannte Leyen zu dem jenigen/ was ſie billich mit angehen ſolte/ traͤg gemacht/ darauß eine ſchreckliche unwiſſenheit und auß derſelben wildes weſen entſtanden; Hingegen mochten die ſo genandte geiſtliche thun was ſie wolten/ da ihnen niemand in die karte ſehen oder die geringſte einrede thun dorffte. Dahero dieſes angemaſte Monopolium deß geiſtlichen ſtandes/ nechſt oben angedeuteter abhaltung von der Schrifft in dem Pabſtthumb eines der vornehmſten mittel iſt/ damit das Paͤbſtliche Rom ſeine gewalt uͤber die arme Chriſten beſteiffet hat/ und wo es noch platz hat/ bißher erhaͤlt. So konnte demſelben nicht weher geſchehen/ als daß in dem gegentheil von Luthero gezeiget wuͤrde/ wie zu den geiſtlichen aͤmptern/ (obwol nicht deroſelben offentlicher verwaltung/ darzu die verordnung der in gleichem recht ſtehender gemeinde gehoͤret) alle Chriſten beruffen/ und nicht nur befugt/ ſondern wollen ſie anders Chriſten ſeyn/ verbunden ſeyen/ ſich derſelben anzunehmen. Daß nehmlich jeglicher Chriſt nicht nur ſelbſt/ ſich und was an ihm iſt/ gebet/ danckſagung/ gute werck/ allmoſen/ ꝛc. zu opffern/ ſondern in dem Wort deß Herrn emſig zu ſtudiren/ andere/ abſonderlich ſeine haußgenoſſen/ nach der gnade die ihm gegeben iſt/ zu lehren/ zu ſtraffen/ zu ermahnen/ zu bekehren/ zu erbauen/ ihr leben zu beobachten/ vor alle zu beten/ und vor ihre ſeligkeit nach muͤglichkeit zu ſorgen gehalten ſeye. Wo dieſes den leuten erſtlich gewieſen/ ſo wird darmit jeglicher ſo vielmehr acht auff ſich geben/ und deß jenigen ſich befleiſſen/ was zu ſeiner und deß nebenmenſchen erbauung gehoͤrig. Dahingegen dieſes alle ſicherheit und traͤgheit macht/ wo ſolche Lehr nicht bekannt und getrieben wird/ daß niemand gedencket/ daß ihn dergleichen angehe/ ſondern jeglicher bildet ſich ein/ gleich wie er zu ſeinem Ampt/ Handel/ Handwerck und dergleichen beruffen/ darzu der Pfarrer nicht beruffen iſt/ und ſolche nicht treibet/ ſo ſeye hingegen der Pfarrer zu den geiſtlichen verrichtungen/ der handlung deß Goͤttlichen Worts/ beten/ ſtudiren/ lehren/ vermahnen/ troͤſten/ ſtraffen/ und ſ.

f. dermaſſen allein beruffen/ daß andere ſich nichts darumb zu bekuͤmmern haͤtten/ ja wol dem Pfarrer in ſein Ampt griffen/ wo ſie einigerley maſſen damit umbgiengen: geſchweige dann/ daß ſie auch ſelbſt auff den Pfarrer mit achtung geben/ und wo er ſaͤumig iſt ihn ſelbſt bruͤderlich vermahnen/ ins geſampt aber in allem dieſem ihm an die hand gehen ſolten. Dann ſo gar wird durch den ordentlichen gebrauch dieſes Prieſterthums dem Predig-ampt kein eintrag gethan/ daß vielmehr dieſes eine der vornehmſten urſachẽ iſt/ warumb das Predigampt nicht alles das/ was billich ſeyn ſolte/ auß- und zu werck richten kan/ weil es ohne die huͤlffe deß gemeinen Prieſterthums zu ſchwach/ und ein Mann nicht gnug iſt/ bey ſo vielen/ als etwa einem gemeiniglich in ſeiner Seelen ſorg anvertrauet werden/ das jenige außzurichten/ was zu der erbauung noͤthig iſt. Wo aber die Prieſter ihr ampt thun/ da hat der Prediger als ihr Director und aͤlteſter Bruder eine ſtattliche huͤlffe in ſeinem Ampt und deſſen ſo offentlich-als abſonderlichen verrichtungen/ und wird ihm die laſt nicht zu ſchwehr.

Weßwegen hieran auch weiter zu gedencken waͤre/ wie nicht nur ſolche Materi/ die faſt nach Lutheri zeiten nicht ſo vielmehr getrieben worden/ den leuten bekañter gemacht (darzu Herꝛn Joh. Vielitz/ gottſelige Predigten hiervon ſehr dienlich) ſondern auch erwogen wuͤrde/ wie die ſache in beſſere uͤbung gebracht werden moͤchte: wozu auch der vorige vorſchlag einer einfuͤhrenden uͤbung zu leſung und verſtand der Schrifft nicht wenigs thun moͤchte. Meines wenigen orts halte ich mich gantz verſichert/ wo nur in jeglicher Gemeinde unterſchiedliche zu dieſen beyden ſtuͤcken/ fleiſſiger handlung Goͤttlichen Worts und ihrer prieſterlichen Pflichten/ gleichwie in andern ſtuͤcken alſo vornehmlich in der bruͤderlichen vermahnung und beſtraffung (die faſt gantz unter uns verloſchen/ aber billich ernſtlich getrieben/ und von den Predigern die jenige/ ſo deßwegen etwa leyden muͤſſen/ nach vermoͤgen geſchuͤtzet werden ſolten) gebracht werden moͤchten/ ſo wuͤrde ein groſſes gethan und gewonnen ſeyn/ daß nachmahl immer mehr und mehrere gewonnen/ und endlich die Kirche mercklich gebeſſert wuͤrde.

Zu dieſen ſtuͤcken gehoͤret auch 3. daß man den leuten wol einbilde/ und ſie bald dahin gewehne/ zu glauben/ daß es mit dem wiſſen in dem Chriſtenthum durchauß nicht gnug ſeye/ ſondern es vielmehr in der praxi beſtehe: Sonderlich aber unſer lieber Heyland zum oͤfftern uns die Liebe als das rechte kennzeichen ſeiner Juͤnger anbefohlen habe/ Johan. 14/ 34. 35. cap. 15/ 12. 1. Johan.

3/ 10. 18. cap. 4/ 7. 8. 11. 12. 13.

21. Daher auch der liebe Johannes in ſeinem hohen alter (nach dem zeugnuͤß Hieronymi in Epiſt. ad Gal. L. 3. c. 6.) nichts mehr faſt pflegen zu ſagen zu ſeinen Juͤngern/ als Kindlein liebet euch unter einander; ſo gar/ daß ſeine Juͤnger und Zuhoͤrer endlich verdroſſen worden/ immer einerley zu hoͤren/ und ihn gefragt/ warumb er allezeit ihnen einerley vorſpreche/ aber zur antwort bekommen/ weil es der befehl deß HErꝛn iſt/ und ſo der geſchiehet iſts genug.

Freylich beſtehet eines glaubigen und durch den glauben ſeligen menſchen gantzes leben und erfuͤllung der Goͤttlichen Gebotte in der Liebe.

Deß wegen wann wir eine inbruͤnſtige Liebe unter unſern Chriſten erſtlich gegen einander/ nachmal gegen alle menſchen (welche beyde/ bruͤderliche und gemeine Liebe/ muͤſſen auff einander folgen/ 2. Pet. 1/ 7.) erwecken/ und in die übung bringen koͤnnen/ ſo iſt faſt alles was wir verlangen außgerichtet. Dann darinnen beſtehen alle Gebott/ Rom. 13/ 9. Waͤre demnach nicht nur den leuten fleiſſig hiervon zu ſagen/ die vortreflichkeit der liebe deß nechſten/ und hingegen die groſſe gefaͤhrlichkeit und ſchaden der entgegen-ſtehenden eigenen liebe nachtruͤcklich vor augen zu ſtellen (welche Materi ſonderlich von dem geiſtreichen Johann Arndten/ Wahren Chriſtenth. 4/ 2.

von dem 22. Capitel und in den folgenden ſchoͤn außgefuͤhret worden) ſondern auch ſie an deroſelben zu uͤben: daß man ſie gewehne/ nicht leicht eine gelegenheit auß der acht zu laſſen/ worinnen ſie dem nechſten eine liebesthat erweiſen koͤnnten/ und doch in verrichtung derſelben allemahl das hertz fleiſſig zu forſchen/ ob auch daſſelbe auß wahrer liebe gewuͤrcket/ oder andere abſichten darbey gehabt: Wo ſie beleidigt worden/ daß ſie da ſonderlich auf ſich acht geben/ nicht nur allein ſich aller rache zu enthalten/ ſondern gar auch ehe etwan ihres ſonſt noch habenden rechtens/ und der verfolgung deſſelben nachzulaſſen/ da ſie ſorgten/ ihr hertz moͤchte ſie betriegen/ und etwas von feindſeligen affecten mit einmiſchen: Ja/ mit fleiß gelegenheit ſuchen/ dem feinde gutes zu thun/ nur darmit dem ſonſten zur rache geneigten Adam in ſolcher zaͤhmung wehe geſchehe/ hingegen die Liebe tieffer in das hertz getrucket werde.

Darzu/ wie auch ins geſampt zu dem wachsthum in dem Chriſtenthum/ dienlich ſeyn mag/ wo die jenige/ ſo ihnen nunmehr eifferig vorgeſetzt/ in den wegen deß Herrn einher zu gehen/ in vertraulicher freundſchaft ſtehen mit ihrem Beicht-vatter/ oder auch einem andern verſtaͤndigen erleuchteten Chriſten/ und denſelben immer rechenſchafft geben/ wie ſie leben/ wo ſie gelegenheit gehabt/ die Chriſtliche Liebe zu uͤben/ wie ſie ſich derſelben gebrauchet/ oder ſie verabſaͤumet. Umb allemahl von denſelben rath und unterricht zu haben/ nachdem ſie/ woran es noch manglet/ erforſchet/ wie ſie die ſache anzugehen haben: Mit der Reſolution, ſolchem rath allemahl zu folgen/ es waͤre dann ſache/ daß ihnen etwas deutlich wider Goͤttlichen Willen zugemuthet wuͤrde. Wo es auch ſcheinet ein zweiffel zu ſeyn/ ob ſie diß oder jenes ihrem Naͤchſten ſchuldig ſeyen zu lieb zu thun/ oder nicht/ daß ſie allemahl lieber dahin gehen/ es zu thun/ als zu unterlaſſen.

Hierzu haben wir 4. auch dieſes zu ſetzen/ daß wir genau acht auff uns geben ſollen/ wie man wegen der Religions-ſtrittigkeiten/ und gegen die jenige/ welche allerdings un- oder falſch-glaubige ſind/ ſich zu verhalten habe/ nehmlich/ daß wir zum foͤrderiſten dahin uns befleiſſen ſollen/ wie wir uns ſelbſt und die unſerige/ auch uͤbrige glaubens-bruͤder/ in der erkannten wahrheit bekraͤfftigen/ ſtaͤrcken/ und hingegen vor aller verfuͤhrung mit groſſer ſorgfalt verwahren. Hiernechſt aber auch unſerer pflicht gegen die irrende uns erinnern.

Solchen ſind wir nun ſchuldig 1. eifferiges gebet/ daß ſie der grund guͤtige GOtt auch mit dem Liecht/ damit Er uns begnadet habe/ gleichfals erleuchten/ und zu der reinen warheit fuͤhren/ ihnen alle gelegenheit darzu geben/ ihre hertzen darzu bereiten/ oder doch endlich mit hintertreibung der gefaͤhrlich ſonſt habenden irꝛthuͤmer das jenige wenige/ ſo ſie noch von wahrer erkanntnuͤß deß heils in Chriſto uͤbrig haben/ alſo kraͤfftig ſeyn laſſen wolle/ daß ſie noch zuletzt als ein brand auß dem feuer errettet werden moͤgen. Als welches die krafft iſt/ der drey erſten Bitten/ daß GOTT ſeinen Namen auch an ihnen geheiliget/ ſein Reich zu ihnen gebracht/ und ſeinen gnaͤdigen willen/ an und in ihnen vollbracht werden laſſen wolle.

Zum 2. haben wir ihnen mit gutem exempel vorzugehen/ und uns auffs eifferigſte zu huͤten/ daß wir ſie in nichts aͤrgern: als womit wir ſonſten ihnen boͤſe einbildungen von unſer wahren Lehre und daher ihre bekehrung ſchwerer machen.

Zum 3. ſolle es auch ſeyn/ wo uns GOtt die darzu dienliche gaben gegeben/ und wir gelegenheit gefunden zu haben hoffen/ ſie zu gewinnen/ daß wir auch gern das unſerige thun: mit beſcheidener und nachdruͤcklicher vorſtellung unſerer wahrheit die wir bekennen/ zeigende wie ſo gar dieſelbe in der einfalt der Lehr Chriſti gegrůndet ſeye: Sodann auch ſo kraͤfftiger als ſittſamer remonſtration ihrer irꝛthume/ wie dieſelbe wider Goͤttliches Wort ſtreiten/ und was vor gefahr ſolche nach ſich ziehen: Alles aber auff die art/ daß ſolche leute mit denen man handelt ſelbſt ſehen koͤnnen/ daß man alles thue auß hertzlicher Liebe gegen ſie/ ohne fleiſchliche und unziemliche affecten, und wo man je in einiger hefftigkeit uͤbernommen wuͤrde/ daß ſolches allein auß reinem eiffer vor die Goͤttliche Ehre geſchehe. Sonderlich aber hat man ſich vor ſcheltworten und perſonal anzuͤglichkeiten zu huͤten/ welche ſo bald alles/ was man gutes zu bauen gemeynet/ nieder reiſſen. Sehen wir/ daß wir dardurch haben angefangen etwas zu gewinnen/ ſo hat man ſo viel fleiſſiger das angefangene/ etwa auch mit anderer beyhuͤlffe/ fortzuſetzen: Sihet man aber/ das andere von ihren gefaſten meynungen alſo eingenommen/ daß ob man wol ſonſten ein gemuͤht bey ihnen ſihet/ ſo ſeinem GOtt gern dienen wolte/ aber dißmahl noch das vorhaltende nicht begreiffen kan/ ſo hat man ſolche leute dahin zu vermahnen/ daß ſie auffs wenigſte die von uns angehoͤrte warheit nicht laͤſtern noch uͤbel darvon reden/ der ſache in der furcht deß Herrn und mit hertzlichem gebet ferner nachdencken/ und in deſſen ihrem GOTT nach den jenigen practiſchen Principiis und Lebens-regeln/ die die meiſte/ ſo den Chriſtlichen namen tragen/ noch unter ſich ziemlicher maſſen gemein haben/ eifferig dienen und in der wahrheit zu zunehmen trachten ſollen.

Darzu und ins gemein gegen alle unglaubige oder irrende ſolle 4. kommen/ die uͤbung hertzlicher liebe/ daß wir zwar ihnen zu ihrem un- und irꝛglauben oder deſſen ſo uͤbung als fortpflantzung nichts zu willen werden/ vielmehr mit eiffer uns demſelben widerſetzen/ aber in andern dingen/ welche zu menſchlichem leben gehoͤren/ zeigen/ daß wir ſie vor unſere naͤchſten (wie der Samariter als deß Juden naͤchſter von CHriſto/ Luc. 10. vorgeſtellet wird) ja auch auß recht der allgemeinen ſchoͤpffung und gegen alle ſich erſtreckenden Goͤttliche Liebe (obſchon nicht der wiedergeburt) bruͤder erkennen/ und alſo auch mit ſolchem hertzen gegen ſie geſinnet ſeyen/ wie wir den befehl haben/ alle als uns ſelbſt zu lieben. Und iſt dieſes ein ſo fleiſchlicher/ als an bekehrung ſolcher leute ſchaͤdlicher/ eiffer/ da man einigem unglaubigen oder irrenden ſeiner Religion wegen ſchimpff oder leid anthut: Da doch der rechtmaͤſſige haß der Religion/ die der perſon ſchuldige liebe weder auffheben noch ſchwaͤchen ſolle.

Wie dann/ wo wir von der vereinigung der unter den Chriſten befindlichen meiſten Religionen einige hoffnung haben ſolten/ vielleicht dieſes der nechſte und von GOTT geſegneteſte weg ſeyn moͤchte/ daß wirs nicht bloß alles/ bey denen nunmehr mit ſo viel fleiſch- als geiſtlichem eiffer erfuͤlleten gemuͤthern/ welche beſchaffenheit die Diſputationen fruchtloß machet/ auff das diſputiren ſetzeten. Es iſt zwar an dem/ daß die vertheidigung der reinen warheit/ und alſo auch das diſputiren/ ſo ein theil derſelben iſt/ muß in der Kirchen ſo wol erhalten werden/ als andere zu der erbauung verordnete verrichtungen: Und ſtehet uns Chriſtus/ die Apoſtel und dero Nachfolger zum geheiligten Exempel vor augen/ die auch diſputiret/ das iſt die gegentheilige irꝛthume kraͤfftig widerleget/ und die warheit beſchuͤtzet. Hingegen wuͤrde der jenige die Chriſtliche Kirche in die groͤſte gefahr ſtuͤrtzen/ der dieſen nohtwendigen gebrauch deß geiſtlichen Schwerdts/ deß Goͤttlichen Worts/ ſo fern es gegen die irrigen lehren gebraucht werden ſolle/ wegnehmen und verwerffen wolte. Aber Jch bleibe nichts deſtoweniger bey dem von unſerm Sel. Arndten ſtattlich erwieſenen ſatz. Wahren Chriſtenthum. 1/ 39. Daß die lauterkeit der Lehre und deß Goͤttlichen Worts nicht allein mit diſputiren und vielen Buͤchern erhalten werde/ ſondern auch mit wahrer buſſe und heiligem leben.

Zu deſſen erkantnüß auch die vorige zwey Capitel gehoͤrin: Wer Chriſto mit glauben/ heiligem leben und ſtaͤtiger buſſe nicht folget/ der kan von der blindheit ſeines hertzens nicht erloͤſet werden/ ſondern muß in der ewigen finſternuͤß bleiben: Kan auch Chriſtum nicht recht erkennen/ noch gemeinſchafft und theil an ihm haben. Und: das unchriſtliche leben iſt eine urſach falſcher/ verfůhriſcher lehr/ verſtockung und verblendung.

Alſo achte ich 1. daß nicht alles diſputiren nůtzlich und gut/ ſondern es heiſſet zuweilen von einigem/ wie unſer Sel. Lutherus geſprochen: Neque enim docendo ſed diſputando amittitur veritas. Hoc enim malum diſputationes ſecum afferunt, quod animi quaſi profanantur & rixis occupati quæ præcipua ſunt negligunt. Das iſt: Nicht durch lehren/ ſondern durch viel diſputiren wird die warheit verlohren. Dann diß boͤſe bringen die Diſputationes mit ſich/ daß die gemuͤther dardurch verdorben werden/ und wann ſie mit dem gezaͤnck zu thun haben/ verſaumen ſie daruͤber/ was ſie fuͤrnemlich treiben ſolten/ und was das vornehmſte iſt. Ach wie offt ſind die Diſputanten ſelbſt leute ohne geiſt und glauben/ mit fleiſchlicher weißheit/ obwol auß der Schrifft (dann auch alle wiſſenſchafft/ die wir auß eigenen natuͤrlichen kraͤfften/ und bloß menſchlichem fleiß/ ohne das liecht deß Heiligen Geiſtes/ auß der Schrifft faſſen/ iſt eine fleiſchliche weißheit/ oder wir muͤſten ſagen/ daß die vernunft der Goͤttlichen weißheit faͤhig ſeye?) erfuͤllet/ allerdings aber von GOtt nicht gelehrt?

Was iſt dann von ſolchen zu hoffen? Wie offt bringt man frembd feuer in das Heiligthum deß HErꝛn/ das iſt eine frembde abſicht/ nicht auff Gottes ſondern eigene ehre? Daruͤber aber ſolche Opffer GOtt nicht gefallen/ ſondern ſeinen fluch herzu ziehen/ und mit ſolchem diſputi- ren nichts außgerichtet wird. Wie offt iſt die behauptung deſſen/ was man einmahl geſetzet/ der ruhm eines ſubtilen verſtandes und ſcharpff ſinnigkeit und die uͤberwindung deß gegeners/ ſie moͤge geſchehen auff was weiſe ſie wolle/ vielmehr die regel/ nach welcher man gehet/ als die unterſuchung und erhaltung der warheit? Dardurch etwa der widerſacher alſo geaͤrgert wird/ daß ob er wol nicht zu antworten vermag/ die erkannte art/ wie man gegen ihn gegangen/ die geſpuͤrte fleiſchliche affecten, eingenommene ſcheltwort und dergleichen dinge/ ſo nur nach dem menſchen ſchmaͤcken/ alle ſeine ſonſt verhoffte bekehrung hindern. Solte man vieles bißheriges diſputiren recht examiniren/ ſo wuͤrde man bald dieſen bald jenen mangel finden/ und iſt wol zu glauben/ daß auch ſolches die urſach/ daß nicht alles was man verlangt/ dardurch erhalten/ vielen aber damit das diſputiren dermaſſen zuwider worden/ daß ſie gar einen unziemlichen haß dagegen gefaſſet/ und nunmehr dem diſputiren beymeſſen wollen/ was deſſen mißbrauchs ſchuld iſt.

Gleichwie aber nicht alles diſputiren loͤblich und nuͤtzlich/ alſo iſt auch 2. das rechte diſputiren nicht das einige mittel/ der erhaltung der warheit/ ſondern erfordert andere neben ſich. Ja wo man vor hat/ es allein darbey bleiben zu laſſen/ was der einige und voͤllige zweck deß diſputirens an ſich ſelbſt iſt/ und wo es am beſten angeſtellet erhalten werden moͤchte/ nehmlich die rettung der wahren Lehr von den falſchen meynungen/ und dero widerlegung/ daß der menſchliche verſtand erkenne/ dieſer lehrſatz ſeye Goͤttlichem wort wie es laute gemaͤß/ jene entgegen (wie es bey denſelben faſt geſchiehet/ welche etwa kaum weiter gedencken/ als das ſie viele Lutheriſche machen moͤchten/ nicht aber ferner ihnen laſſen angelegen ſeyn/ wie ſie auch bey ſolcher bekanntnuͤß wahre kern-Chriſten wuͤrden/ und daher die wahre bekanntnuͤß gleichſam als eine faction, die nur geſtaͤrckt moͤge werden/ nicht aber als einen eingang zu dem weg/ worauff man GOTT kuͤnfftig eifferig dienen wolle/ anſehen) ſo wil GOtt auch hierzu ſeinen ſegen nicht geben/ noch dieſes allemahl erhalten laſſen werden. Sondern ſoll GOttes Ehre recht befoͤrdert werden/ ſo muß dieſes noch weiter dahin gerichtet werden/ daß der gegentheil dadurch bekehret koͤnnte werden/ und daß man auch die gerettete Wahrheit wolle zu ſchuldiger danckbarkeit und heiligem gehorſam gegen GOTT anwenden. Nun iſt ſolche convictio intellectus oder uͤberzeugung der warheit bey weitem noch nit der glaube/ ſondern zu dieſem gehoͤret ein mehrers/ da alſo der vorſatz ſeyn muß/ ſo wol auch ſolches uͤbrige/ damit der irrende moͤchte bekehret werden/ hinzu zu thun/ als auch was ihn daran hinderte wegzuraͤumen: Vor allem aber die begierde/ nachmahlen in uns und allen andern das jenige/ was wir erkennen werden/ zu weiterer Ehre GOttes anzuwenden/ und ihm in ſolchem Liecht auch zu dienen. Wohin die herꝛliche Spruͤche CHriſti gehoͤren. Joh. 7/ 17.

So jemand wil deß (nemlich deß Vatters der Jhn geſandt hat) willen thun/ der wird innen werden/ ob dieſe Lehre von GOtt ſey/ oder ob ich von mir ſelbſt rede. Alſo/ daß unſer Heyland von keinem andern ſagt/ daß derſelbe recht in ſeiner Seelen Goͤttlich verſiegelt ſeye von der Goͤttlichen Wahrheit ſeiner Lehr/ es ſey dann auch der Wille da/ den Willen deß Vatters zu thun/ und alſo es nicht bey dem einigen wiſſen bleiben zu laſſen. Wiederumb Joh. 8/ 31. 32. So ihr bleiben werdet an meiner rede/ ſo ſeyd ihr meine rechte Juͤnger/ und werdet die wahrheit erkennen/ und die wahrheit wird euch frey machen. Und 14/ 21. Wer meine gebott hat und haͤlt ſie/ der iſts der mich liebet/ wer mich aber liebet/ der wird von meinem Vatter geliebet werden/ und Jch werde ihn lieben/ und mich ihm offenbahren.

Auß welchem allen erhellet/ daß ſo wol bey uns ſelbſt die wahrheit zu erhalten/ als auch den noch irrenden ſie beyzubringen/ daß diſputiren nicht gnug ſeye/ ſondern die heilige Liebe GOttes vonnoͤthen iſt. Ach/ wo wir Evangeliſche uns auff das eifferigſte lieſſen angelegen ſeyn/ GOTT die fruͤchten ſeiner wahrheit in hertzlicher liebe zu bringen/ und alſo einen unſerm beruff wuͤrdigen wandel zu fuͤhren/ und ſolches in kanntlicher ungefaͤrbter liebe gegen unſerm naͤchſten/ auch die irꝛglaubige/ zu erzeigen/ mit uͤbung oben angeregter pflichten: Sodann die noch irrende auch dahin trachteten (darzu wir ſie ſelbſt zu weiſen) daß ſie/ wo ſie noch die von uns bekennende wahrheit nicht begreiffen koͤnnten/ auffs wenigſte anfangen wolten/ GOTT nach dem maß der erkañtnuͤß/ was ſie etwa noch auß der Chriſtlichen Lehr uͤbrig haben/ eifferig zu dienen/ in Liebe GOttes und deß naͤchſten: So iſt kein zweiffel nicht/ daß GOTT nicht wuͤrde ſo wol uns in der warheit immer weiter zunehmen laſſen/ als auch die freude geben/ andere/ deren irꝛthum wir jetzt beklagen/ bald in einem glauben neben uns zu ſehen. Dann ſein Wort hat einmahl die krafft/ wo ſie nicht entweder von denen die ſolches fuͤhren/ oder bey denen es gefuͤhret wird/ boß hafftig gehindert wird/ die hertzen zu bekehren: So thut auch der heilige wandel ſelbſt zu der bekehrung vieles. Welches uns Petrus lehret. 1/ 3/ 1. 2.

Wie aber der Prediger ampt in allen dieſen dingen/ die der Kirchen beſſerung betreffen/ das allermeiſte thun muß/ daher gleichwie die maͤngel an ihnẽ groſſen ſchaden thun/ alſo ſo vielmehr daran gelegen iſt/ daß man ſolche leute habe/ die zum allerfoͤrderiſten ſelbſt wahre Chriſten ſeyen/ und dann die Goͤttliche weißheit haben/ auch andere auff den weg deß Herrn vorſichtig zu fuͤhren; ſo wuͤrde dann ein groſſes zu der Kirchen beſſerung thun/ ja gantz noͤthig ſeyn/ daß man keine andere als ſolche leute die darzu tuͤchtig waͤren beruffete/ und ins geſampt in dem beruffswerck auff nichts anders als die Ehre GOttes (hindangeſetzt aller fleiſchlichen abſichten/ auff gunſt/ freundſchafft/ geſchenck/ und dergleichen unziemliche dinge) einig und allein abzweckte. Wie dann die in dem beruffs-werck begehende fehler eine nicht der geringſten urſachen ſind/ der bey der Kirchen befindlichen maͤngel/ ſo wir aber dißmal nicht außfuͤhren.

Solle man aber dergleichen tuͤchtige Perſonen zu dem Kirchendienſt beruffen/ ſo muß man auch ſolche haben/ und daher in den Schulen und auff Univerſitaͤten erziehen. Ach GOTT gebe gnaͤdiglich/ daß alles hierzu gehoͤriges auff Univerſitaͤten fleiſſig von den Profeſſoribus Theologiæ beobachtet werde/ und ſie darvor ſorgen helffen/ wie daß nicht nur von dem eifferigen Joh. Matth. Meyffarten Seligen/ ſondern auch vor und nach ihm von ſo vielen andern gottſeligen hertzen wehemuͤthig beklagtes und meiſtens bey aller Facultaͤten Studioſis uͤbliche unchriſtliche Academiſche leben mit nachtruͤcklichen mitlen abgeſchafft/ und gebeſſert wuͤrde: daß die Academien/ wie es billich ſeyn ſolte/ auch recht als Pflantzgaͤrten der Kirche in allen Staͤnden und Werckſtaͤtte deß Heiligen Geiſtes/ nicht aber deß welt-geiſtes/ ja ehrgeitz-ſauffbalge-zanck-teuffels zu ſeyn an dem aͤuſſerlichen leben der Studioſorum erkannt moͤchten werden.

Gleich wie nun hier die Herren Profeſſores mit ihrem Exempel ſelbſt ein groſſes thun koͤnnen/ (ja ohne ſolches ſchwerlich die rechte beſſerung zu hoffen) wo ſie ſich darſtellen als ſolche leute/ die der welt abgeſtorben/ in nichts ihre eigene ehre/ gewinn oder wolluſt/ ſondern in allem all ein ihres Gottes ehre und der anvertrauten heil ſuchten/ und nach ſolchem zweck alle ihre Studia, Buͤcherſchreiben/ Lectionen, Collegia, Diſputationen und Verrichtungen einrichteten: damit alſo Studioſi ein lebendiges muſter haͤtten/ nachdem ſie allerdings ihr leben zu reguliren. Weil wir je ſo geartet ſind/ daß Exempel bey uns ſoviel als die Lehre ſelbſt/ zuweilen auch noch mehr außrichten. Greg. Nazianz. ſagt in Epit. Baſil. Oratio Baſilii erat tonitru, quia vita ejus fulgur. Baſilii rede und lehr war (an der krafft) als ein donner/ weil ſein leben als ein blitz war.

Daher ſie auch an ihren tiſchen guter diſeiplin uñ keinem muthwillen wegen deß gewinnes platz zu geben haben: uͤber tiſch ſollen billich erbauliche geſpraͤch von ihnen gehalten/ unziemliche aber/ ſonderlich worinnen Goͤttliches Wort/ Spruͤche/ Geſaͤngfor mulen und andere dergleichen Worte in verkehrtem verſtand zu boͤſem mißbrauchet werden (wordurch mehr boͤſes geſchiehet/ als man dencken moͤchte/ ja offt gott ſeligen gemuͤthern in ihrer andacht auff ihr lebenlang/ ſo offt ſie an ſolche wort kommen/ ein anſtoß geſetzet wird) abgewendet/ auch wol mit ernſt beſtrafft/ nicht aber mit wolgefallen angehoͤret werden.

Nechſtdeme ſo ſolle billich ohn unterlaß den Studioſis eingebildet werden/ daß nicht weniger an gottſeligem leben als ihrem fleiß und ſtudiren gelegen/ ja dieſes ohne jenes nichts wuͤrdig ſeye. Deß alten Juſtini bekannte rede/ ſoll allezeit uns in den gedancken ſeyn. Res noſtræ religionis non in verbis ſed in factis conſiſtunt. Unſere Religion ſtehet nicht in worten ſondern in thaten. Als welches er von S. Paulo gelernet/ das Reich GOttes beſtehe nicht in worten/ ſondern in krafft. 1. Corinth. 4/ 20.

Es waͤre ihnen ſtaͤtig zu remonſtriren/ wo es im menſchlichen leben heiſſe: Qui proficit in literis & deficit in moribus, plus deficit quam proficit, wer an geſchicklichkeit wachſe und nicht an guten ſitten/ der lerne mehr hinder ſich als vor ſich: So gelte es vielmehr in dem geiſtlichen/ wo einmal/ weil Theologia ein habitus practicus iſt/ alles zu der praxi deß glaubens und lebens gerichtet werden muß. Weswegen hingegen der Chriſtliche und umb die Straßburgiſche Kirche ſo wol verdiente Selige D. Johann Schmidt/ mein in Chriſto geliebter Vatter/ dieſes (Libell. Repud. Conc. 2. pag. 37.)

nennt: Ein groſſes und ſchroͤckliches idolum oder goͤtzen/ daß man auff Hohen-Schulen und Univerſitaͤten/ wann man auch gar fleiſſig ſeyn wil/ gar ſehr neben dem rechten zweck hinſchieſſet/ der da ſeye/ daß GOtt geehret werde/ oder etwas deutlicher/ daß die wahre/ unverfaͤlſchte Chriſtliche Religion/ die hertzliche uͤbung der Gottſeligkeit und Chriſtliche tugend deſtobeſſer gepflantzet/ getrieben und in die gemuͤhter eingetruckt werde. Wo auch ſeine ůbrige wort werth ſind geleſen zu werden. Da er es zuletzt einen greuel der verwůſtung nennet.

Der ſeiner vornehmlich zu rettung der wahren Lehr außgegebener Schrifften wegen berühmte Theologus Herꝛ D. Abraham Calovius, mein inſonders hochgeehrter goͤnner/ ziehet (Pædia Theol. 1. 2. pag. 57.) die urſachen kurtz zuſammen/ welcher wegen ein Studioſus Theologiæ ſich eines gottſeligen lebens befleiſſigen muͤſſe; So zu Teutſch alſo lauten moͤgen: 1. Weil der Apoſtel ſeinen Timotheum alſo unterrichtet.

2. Tim. 2/ 24. 1. Tim. 1/ 18. 19. Cap.

3. v. 2. Cap. 4. v. 7. 12.

Tit. 1. verſ. 17. 2. Der Heilige Geiſt der wahre und einige Lehrmeiſter nit wohnet in einem hertzen der ſuͤnden unterthan. Joh. 16, 13.

1. Joh. 2, 27. Die welt kan den Geiſt der Wahrheit nicht empfangen. Johan. 14, 17. 3. Ein Studioſus Theologiæ gehetumb mit der Goͤttlichen Weißheit/ die nicht fleiſchlich/ ſondern geiſtlich und heilig iſt.

Jac. 3, 15. deren anfang iſt die forcht deß HErꝛn. Pſal. 111, 9. Proverb. 1, 7. 9.

10. 4. Die Theologi ſtehet nicht in bloſſer wiſſenſchafft/ ſondern deß hertzens affect und in der uͤbung. (Wie wir erſt auß Juſtino gehoͤret.) 5. Selig iſt (ſprachen die alte) wer die Schrifft in wercke kehret. Wiſſet ihr dieſes/ ſagt Chriſtus/ Johan. 13, 17.

Selig ſeyd ihr ſo ihrs thut. Sollen alſo CHriſti Juͤnger die Schrifft alſo forſchen/ daß ſie ſie zur uͤbung bringen/ und thun was ſie wiſſen. 6. Hingegen kommt die Weißheit nicht in eine boßhafftige Seele/ und wohnet nicht in einem leibe der ſuͤnden unterthan. Weißheit Cap. 1. v. 4.

Wer alſo den ſuͤnden nachhaͤnget/ kan keine Wohnung deß Heiligen Geiſtes werden. 7. Wie die Leviten/ ehe ſie in die Huͤtten deß Stiffts eingiengen/ vorhin ſich waſchen muſten/ 2. Moſ. 30/ 18. 1. Koͤnig. 7/ 23.

2. Chron. 4/ 2. Alſo ſollen ſich auch der heiligung und reinigung deß lebens die jenige befleiſſigen/ die einmahl in der Huͤtte deß HERRN auß-und eingehen wollen. Ach wolte GOTT/ dieſe Wort ſtůnden aller orten vor und in allen Auditoriis, und in jegliches Studioſi ſtudierſtüblein ihm ſtaͤtig vor augen/ ja in ſeinem hertzen/ ſo wuͤrden wir bald eine andere Kirche haben.

Jch kan nicht unterlaſſen/ auch hieher zu ſetzen die Wort deß lieben und gottſeligen Theologi D. Joh. Gerhard Harm. Evang. cap. 176. pag. 1333.

b. Qui dilectione Chriſti deſtituti ſunt, qui negligunt pietatis ſtudium, non aſſequuntur pleniorem Chriſti cognitionem ac abundantiorem Spiritus S. donationem: ac proinde ad veram, vivam, practicam & ſalutarem rerum divinarum notitiam conſequendam nonſufficit ſcripturæ lectio & ſcrutatio, ſed oportet ut etiam accedat Chriſti dilectio, hoc eſt fuga peccatorum contra conſcientiam, quibus Spiritui S. obex ponitur, & ſerium pietatis ſtudium. Pſalm. 25, 14. 111, 10. Prov. 1, 7. 9.

10. Sir. 1, 16. Johan. 7, 17. Epheſ. 3, 18. Die da die wahre Liebe Chriſti nicht haben/ und die uͤbung der gottſeligkeit unterlaſſen/ erlangen nicht die voͤlligere erkanntnuͤß CHriſti/ und reichlichere ſchenckung deß Heiligen Geiſtes: Und daher die wahre/ lebendige/ thaͤtliche und heilſame erkanntnuͤß Goͤttlicher dinge zu erlangen iſt nicht gnug die Schrifft leſen und forſchen/ ſondern es iſt vonnoͤthen/ daß auch die Liebe Chriſti darzu komme/ das iſt/ daß man ſich huͤte vorſuͤnden wider das gewiſſen/ damit dem Heiligen Geiſt ein riegel vorgeſchoben wird/ und ſich der gottſeligkeit ernſtlich befleiſſe.

Gewißlich wo einmahl dieſer grund bey den Studioſis Theologiæ gelegt waͤre/ daß ſie nur glaubten/ ſie muͤßten bereits der welt abſterben/ in ihren erſten ſtudier-jahren/ und ein leben fuͤhren/ als ſolche die dermahl eins Fuͤrbilde der Heerde werden ſollen: Und das ſeye nicht nur eine zierde/ ſondern ein gantz nothwendiges werck/ ohne welches ſie zwar Studioſi einer ſo zu reden Philoſophiæ de rebus ſacris, nicht aber Studioſi Theologiæ, die da in dem Liecht deß Heiligen Geiſtes allein erlernet wird/ ſeyn und gehalten werden: Dahingegen viel darvor halten/ es ſtehe zwar fein an einem Studioſo Theologiæ, daß er auch wol lebe/ aber es ſeye eben nicht ſo noͤhtig/ wo er nur fleiſſig ſtudire und ein gelehrter mann werde/ ob er ſchon in aller ſolcher zeit ſich von dem welt-geiſt regieren laſſe/ und mit andern in aller welt-luſt mitmache/ ſo habe es nicht hoch auff ſich/ und ſeye zeit gnug/ wo er einmahl ein Prediger werde/ und alsdann das leben aͤndere; gerade als waͤre ſolches allemahl in unſerm vermoͤgen/ und hinge nicht die feſt eingetruckte welt-liebe alsdann den leuten gemeiniglich in dem gantzen leben an: Daher ſolche boͤſe meynung uns ſo groſſen ſchaden thut. Wo ſage ich/ dieſes alles erſtlich den Studioſis Theologiæ bey dem anfang ihres Studii Theologici vorgehalten und inculciret würde/ ſo hoffte Jch/ ſolte es nachmahl die gantze zeit ihres Studii ja deß lebens/ viel fruͤchte nach ſich ziehen.

Darzu waͤre ſonderlich dienſam/ daß Herren Profeſſores auff der ihnen anvertrauten Studioſorum leben ſo wol als auff die Studia acht geben/ und denen die es bedoͤrffen deßwegen offt zuſprechen/ auch gegen die jenige/ welche zwar ſtattlich ſtudiren/ aber auch ſtattlich ſchwermen/ ſauffen/ prachtiren/ ihren ehrgeitz in den Studiis und anderem hervor laſſen/ und in ſumma zeigen/ ſie leben nach der welt/ nicht nach CHriſto/ ſich alſo anſtellen/ daß ſie ſehen muͤſſen/ ſie ſeyen deßwegen bey den Præceptoribus veracht/ und helffen ſie ihre ſtattliche Ingenia und gute Studia nichts/ ſondern man ſehe ſie als leute an/ die ſo viel ſchaͤdlicher einmahl ſeyn wuͤrden/ als mehr gaben ſie empfangen: Hingegen/ daß jene gegen andere/ welche ob ſie in Studiis den vorigen nicht gleich ſind/ jedoch ein recht gottſelig leben fuͤhren/ offentlich und abſonderlich zeigen/ wie lieb ſie ihnen ſeyen/ und den andern weit vorgezogen werden. Ja auch/ daß man dieſe allemahl jenen in der befoͤrderung vorziehe/ oder vielmehr ſie allein befoͤrdere/ die andern aber alſo lang von aller hoffnung der befoͤrderung außſchlieſſe/ biß ſie ſich gantz geaͤndert/ wie auch in der that es billich ſo ſeyn ſolle. Dann gewiß iſt/ ein obwol mit wenigern gaben gezierter menſch/ der aber GOTT hertzlich liebet/ wird mit ſeinem geringern Talento und Studiis der Gemeinde GOttes mehr nutzen/ als ein doppel-doctor ‒ maͤſſiger vanitaͤtiſcher welt-narꝛ/ ſo zwar voller kunſt ſteckte/ aber von GOTT nicht gelehrt iſt. Dann jenes arbeit iſt geſegnet/ und er hat den Heiligen Geiſt bey ſich/ dieſer aber allein ein in der that fleiſchliches wiſſen/ damit er ſo leicht mehr ſchaden als nutzen kan.

Es moͤchte auch etwa nicht uͤbel ſeyn/ wo alle Studioſi von jeglicher Univerſitaͤt zeugnuͤſſen mitbringen muͤſten/ nicht aber nur allein der geſchicklichkeit und fleiſſes/ ſondern auch gottſeligen lebens: Hingegen/ daß dann ſolche zeugnuͤſſen mit groſſem bedacht gegeben/ nimmermehr aber einem nicht wolverdienten ertheilet wuͤrden. Dieſe mittel moͤchten wol zu wegen bringen/ daß Studioſi Theologiæ ſehen/ wie noͤhtig ihnen das ſeye/ woran offt die wenigſte gedencken.

Nechſtdeme ſo haͤtten dann die Herren Profeſſores nach ihrer eigenen Dexteritaͤt wol zu beobachten/ welche Studia etwa jeglichem der Studioſorum, nach beſchaffenheit dero Ingenii, Vatterlands/ hoffender Promotion, und dergleichen/ nuͤtzlich und noͤhtig ſind. Wo zwar freylich mit einigen die Controverſiæ mit mehrerm eiffer ex profeſſo getrieben werden ſollen und muͤſſen; maſſen der Kirchen noͤhtig iſt/ daß ſie allezeit auch gnugſam außgeruͤſtet ſeye mit leuten/ die den feinden der wahrheit den kopff bieten/ und nicht zulaſſen/ daß jeglicher Goliath ungeſcheut dem zeug Jſrael hohn ſpreche/ ſondern/ daß man auch einige David habe/ die hervor tretten und denſelben begegnen doͤrffen. Solte ſich gelegenheit finden/ daß der von dem vortrefflichen Theologo D. Nicolao Hunnio Seligen in ſeiner Conſultation gethaner vorſchlag in das werck gerichtet wuͤrde/ ſo waͤre ſolcher ſach etlicher maſſen geholffen. Bey andern bedarff es nicht eben ſo ſehr/ daß dieſes ihr eigenes haupt-ſtudium ſeye/ jedoch muͤſſen ſie ſich gleichwol auch alſo ruͤſten/ daß ſie bey begebender gelegenheit vermoͤgen den Widerſachern das maul zu ſtopffen/ und ihre Gemeinden dermahl eins vor irꝛthum zu verwahren. Wo wir ſonderlich zu wuͤnſchen haben/ daß die jenige/ in dero Vatterland etwa Juͤden wohnen/ umb an ſolchen ihr ampt zu thun/ auch in denen Controverſien, die wir mit denſelben haben fleiſſiger geuͤbet wuͤrden: ins geſampt aber zu verlangen ſtehet/ welches etliche vortreffliche Theologi offt gewuͤnſchet/ daß Diſputationes auff Academien auch in Teutſcher Sprach gehalten wůrden/ damit die Studioſi ſich der hierzu dienſamen terminorũ gebrauchen lerneten/ da ſonſt ihnen in dem ampt ſchwer wird/ wo ſie auff der Cantzel etwas von einer Controvers gedencken/ und die ſache deutſch der Gemeinde vortragen ſollen/ worinnen ſie ſich niemahl geuͤbet haben. Hingegen nebens denen/ welchen die Controverſiæ fleiſſiger zu tractiren ſtehen/ ſind wiederumb andere/ welchen gnug ſeyn wůrde/ wo ſie ihre Theſin gruͤndlich verſtehen/ und von der Antitheſi allein ſo viel wiſſen/ daß ſie vor irꝛthumb geſichert ſeyen/ und ihren Zuhoͤrern einmahl dieſes zeigen koͤnnen/ was wahr oder nicht wahr: Wo es aber auff ſchwerere dinge kommt/ ſich anderer huͤlff und rath bedienen moͤgen.

Jn allem dieſem verſtehet ein angehender Studioſus eben nicht ſo wol/ was ihm noͤthig oder nicht iſt/ er habe dann einen treuen handleiter. Jn ermangelung deſſen aber geſchiehet/ was der auch zu dem rechten zweck abſehende D. Chriſtoph Scheibler Seliger/ in ſeiner oben angezogenen Vorrede/ deß Man. ad Theol. Pract. klaget: Daß/ wo etwa einige die gantze zeit ihrer Studien mit ſtreitſachen zugebracht/ daß dann deren eines folgenmuͤſſe/ daß er entweder ein ungeſchickter Prediger ſeyn můſſe/ wie gelehrt er auch in ſolchen ſtreit-ſachen waͤre/ oder muͤſte von neuem und auff eine andere art erſt Theologiam ſtudiren/ und darinnen ein Incipient werden/ wie ſolches die taͤgliche erfahrung bezeuge.

Bey allen aber insgeſampt waͤre ſorgfaͤltig acht zu geben/ daß auch in den Controverſiis ſelbſt maß gehalten/ die unnoͤtige lieber abzuſchneiden/ als zu excoliren/ gezeiget/ und die gantze Theologia wieder zu der Apoſtoliſchen einfalt gebracht werden moͤchte. Worzu die Profeſſores ſtattlich helffen koͤnnen/ wo ſie theils ſelbſt ihre gantze Studia und Schrifften darnach einrichten/ als auch der luͤſterenden Ingeniorum fuͤrwitz mit fleiß hintertreiben/ und einen widerwillen dargegen fort und fort weiſen. Es moͤchte auch nuͤtzlich ſeyn/ daß die einfaͤltige Buͤchlein/ die Teutſche Theologi, ſodann Tauleri Schrifften/ auß welchen gleichwol/ nechſt der Schrifft/ unſer theure Lutherus worden/ was er geweſen iſt/ in die haͤnde der Studioſorum mehr gebracht/ und dero gebrauch ihnen recommendiret wuͤrde. Jſt der rath Luth. ſelbſt/ welcher alſo ſchreibet von dem mann GOttes Taulero (wie er ihn anderswo nennet) in der 23. Epiſt. an Spalatinum: So du luſt haſt die alte reine Theologiam in Teutſcher Sprach zuleſen/ ſo kanſt du dir die Predigten Johan. Tauleri deß Prediger Moͤnchs ſchaffen.

Dann ich weder in Lateiniſcher noch Teutſcher Sprach die Theologiam reiner und heilſamer gefunden/ die alſo mit dem Evangelio uͤbereinſtimmete. Und in der 17. Epiſt. Jch bitte dich noch einmahl/ glaube mir doch in dem fall/ und folge mir/ und kauffe dir das Buch Tauleri, darzu ich dich auch zuvor vermahnet habe/ wo du es nur bekommen kanſt. Wie du es dann leicht bekommen wirſt. Dann das iſt ein Buch/ darinnen du finden wirſt ſolche kunſt der reinen heylſamen Lehr/ dargegen jetzt alle kunſt eiſern und irꝛdiſch iſt/ es ſey gleich in Griechiſcher oder Lateiniſcher oder Hebraͤiſcher Sprach. Anderswo ſagt er. Jch habe mehr der reinen Goͤttlichen lehr darinnen gefunden/ dann in allen Bůchern der Schul-lehrer auff allen Univerſitaͤten gefunden habe/ oder darinnen gefunden werden mag.

Von der Teutſchen Theologia, ſo er auch Taulero zuſchreibet/ aber juͤnger iſt/ und ſo Jch vor eine ſonderbare Ehre hieſiger Statt achte/ in unſerem Franckfurt geſchrieben ſolle ſeyn) gibt er dieſes urtheil. Jch muß meinen alten narren ruͤhmen/ und ſage/ daß mir nach der Bibel und S. Auguſtino nicht ein Buch fuͤrkommen iſt/ dar auß ich mehr gelernet habe und wil/ was GOTT/ CHriſtus/ Menſch und alle dinge ſeyn/ als eben das Buͤchlein. Daher auch ſolche Buͤchlein von unſerm lieben Arndio der Chriſtlichen erbauung zum beſten auffs neue herauß gegeben/ und mit Vorrede gezieret worden. Wir auch ihm ſolches vielmehr zu lob anzuziehen/ als ihn deß wegen zu ſtraffen haben/ daß der theure Mann in ſeinem Wahren Chriſtenthumb ſich Tauleri offt gebraucht/ und ihn geruͤhmet hat. Zu den beyden iſt auch zu ſetzen Thomæ à Kempis Nachfolgung Chriſti. Welche daher zum gemeinen nutzen/ der die praxin der Gottſeligkeit in ſeinen Schrifften auch loͤblich treibende D. Johann Olearius/ mein inſonders hochgeehrter Goͤnner/ noch erſt vor einigen Jahren auffs neue aufflegen laſſen/ und eine anleitung beygefuͤget. Wohin wir auch ziehen moͤchten unter den alten ein feines gottſeliges Scriptum eines unbekandten Autoris, unter dem Titul Religionis Chriſtianæ deformationis à priſtino decore & deſolationis cauſæ quæ, & quo pacto Chriſtianus quiſque poſſit ad ſui conditoris reformari imaginem & amicitiam, welches zu den opuſculis Ephræmi Syri angetruckt iſt/ und andere dergleichen viele der alten Scripta.

Kein zweiffel iſt/ ſolche Bůchlein/ denen/ was auß der finſternuͤß ihrer zeit ihnen noch anklebet/ leicht zu gut gehalten werden kan und ſoll/ auch daſſelbige einen verſtaͤndigen Leſer nicht irren wird/ würden bey den Studioſis vielmehr gutes außrichten/ und ihnen einen geſchmack der wahren Gottſeligkeit geben/ wo ſie ihnen fleiſſiger in den haͤnden waͤren/ als etwa andere offtmahls mit unnuͤtzen Subtili- taͤten erfuͤllete Scripta, die nur dem ehrgeitz deß alten Adams vieles und bequemliches futter geben. Es wuͤrde verhoffentlich bey vielen durch ſolche mittel erfuͤllet werden/ was mehr-gedachter Chytræus ſo hertzlich verlanget: Ut pie credendo & ſancte vivendo & Deum & proximum diligendo potius, quam ſubtiliter & argute diſputando, nos Chriſtianos & Theologos eſſe oſtendamus: Daß man ſich Chriſten und Theologos zu ſeyn bezeugte/ vielmehr durch gottſelig glauben/ heilig leben/ Gott und den naͤchſten lieben/ als durch ſcharpff und ſpitzfindig diſputiren.

Weilen aber eben der urſachen wegen/ daß die Theologia ein habitus practicus iſt/ und nicht in bloſſer wiſſenſchafft beſtehet/ nicht gnug iſt das bloſſe ſtudiren/ und anderſeits das bloſſe profitiren und informiren. So waͤre dahin zugedencken/ wie allerhand uͤbungen angeſtellet werden moͤchten/ in denen auch das gemuͤht zu den jenigen dingen/ die zu der praxi und eigenen erbauung gehoͤren/ gewehnet und darinn geuͤbet wuͤrde. Dahero nicht allein wuͤnſchete/ daß in gewiſſen Collegiis ſolche Materien fleiſſig/ ſonderlich auß den Lebensregeln/ die wir von unſerm liebſten Heyland und von ſeinen Apoſteln aufgezeichnet haben/ gehandlet/ und den Studioſis eingeſchaͤrpffet: ſondern ihnẽ auch an die hand gegebẽ wuͤrde/ wie ſie gottſelige betrachtungen anſtellen/ wie ſie in pruͤffung ihrer ſelbſt ſich beſſer erkennen/ wie ſie den luͤſten deß fleiſches widerſtreben/ wie ſie ihre begierden zaͤhmen/ der welt allerdings abſterben (nach S. Auguſtini Regel de Doct. Chriſt. cap. 7. in tantum vident homines, in quantum moriuntur huic ſeculo, in quantum autem huic vivunt, non vident. So viel ſehen die Menſchen als ſie dieſer welt abſterben/ ſofern ſie aber derſelben leben/ ſehen ſie nichts/) wie ſie ihren wachsthum in dem guten oder wo es ihnen noch mangele/ forſchen moͤchten/ und alſo das jenige ſelbſt zu thun/ was ſie dermahl eins andere lehren ſolten.

Dann einmahl das bloſſe ſtudiren mags nicht thun: Unſer liebe Lutherus hat alſo darvon gehalten. Tom. 2. Jen. lat. f. 57. uͤber den 5.

Pſalm: Vivendo, imo moriendo & damnando fit Theologus, non intelligendo, legendo aut ſpeculando: Oder wie es gegeben wird Tom. 2. Altenb. f. 601. a. ein rechter Theologus wird nicht durch verſtehen/ oder leſen/ oder tieffſinnen/ ſondern durch leben/ ja durch ſterben und verdamnuͤß.

Wie aber ſolche uͤbungen anzuſtellẽ/ ſetze ich zu gottſeliger und verſtaͤndiger Profeſſorum eignem befinden. Solte ich erlaubnuͤß haben einen vorſchlag zu thun/ ſo wuͤrde ich folgendes vor dienlich achten: Daß ein frommer Theologus die ſache anfangs mit nicht gar vielen/ aber ſolchen unter der zahl ſeiner Auditorum, anfienge/ bey denen er bereits eine hertzliche begierde/ rechtſchaffene Chriſten zu ſeyn/ bemerckte/ und alſo mit ihnen das N. Teſtament vornehme zu tractiren/ daß ſie ohngeſucht einiges/ ſo zu der Erudition gehoͤrt/ allein darauff acht geben/ was zu ihrer erbauung dienſam: Und zwar/ daß ſie ſelbſten die erlaubnuͤß haben/ jeglicher jedesmahl zu ſagen/ was ihm von jeglichem verſicul deuchtet/ und wie er denſelben zu eignem und anderer gebrauch anzuwenden finde/ da der Profeſſor als Director was wol beobachtet/ mehr bekraͤfftigen/ wann er aber von dem rechten zweck ſie abzuweichen ſihet/ denſelben freundlich und klaͤrlich auß dem Text zeigen/ und in was gelegenheit dieſe oder jene Regel in die uͤbung zu bringẽ/ weiſen wuͤrde. Dabey dann ſolche vertraͤulichkeit und freundſchafft unter den Commilitonibus geſtifftet werden moͤchte/ daß ſie nicht nur allein einander zu uͤbung deſſen/ was ſie hoͤreten/ vermahneten/ ſondern jeglicher bey ſich forſcheten/ wo ſie ſolche Regeln bißher moͤchten nicht beobachtet haben/ und nachmal ſo bald trachteten/ ſolche ins werck zu ſetzen/ auch ſich unter einander beredeten/ auff einander zu ſehen/ wie je ein und anderer ſich darzu ſchicken wuͤrde/ mit darzu gehoͤriger bruͤderlicher erinnerung: Ja wol einander ſelbſt und ihrem Profeſſori rechenſchaft zu geben/ wie ſie in dieſer oder jener gelegenheit ſich den vorgegeben Regeln gemaͤß bezeuget: da dann in ſolcher vertraulicher Conferenz, wo jede ſache/ was ſie angehet (dann ſie ſich gleich zu gewehnen/ von andern nicht vermeſſenlich zu urtheilen/ oder einen frembden knecht zurichten) nach Gottes Wort examiniret wird/ ſich bald zeiget/ wie weit man proficiret/ und wo noch vornehmlich zu helffen ſeye. Es wuͤrde aber der Profeſſor keine andere Meiſterſchafft uͤber das ihm anvertrauende gewiſſen arrogiren/ als daß er als ein geuͤbterer ihnen auß unſers einigen Meiſters Wort/ das jenige zeigte/ was er von jeglichem fall halte/ und je mehr und mehr/ als ſie ſelbſt geuͤbet werden/ mit ihnẽ collegialiter von allem ſchloͤſſe. Wo ſolches eine weil mit hertzlicher und eifferiger anruffung Gottes continuiret wuͤrde/ auch ſonderlich jeder/ vornehmlich wo er zu dem H. Abendmahl ſich ſchicken wolte/ den zuſtand ſeines gewiſſens dem geſampten Collegio vorſtellete/ und allemahl deſſen rath folgete/ wolte Jch nicht zweiffeln/ es ſolten in kurtzer zeit herꝛliche Profectus in der Gottſeligkeit folgen: ſo dann wo es einmahl recht angefangen/ immer mehrere mit nutzen darzu gezogen/ und endlich ſolche leute auß ihnen werden koͤnnen/ welche rechtſchaffene Chriſten wuͤrden/ ehe ſie in das Ampt tretten/ da ſie andere darzu machen ſollen/ und alſo die ſich eher befleiſſen zu thun als zu lehren: So die rechte art iſt der wahren Lehrer in der Schul unſers Heylandes/ wie ſolches mein hochwerther Freund und in dem Herrn geliebteſter Bruder/ welcher den ſchaden Joſeph ihm wol inniglich zu hertzen zeucht/ Herꝛ Gottlieb Spitzel/ in ſeiner Veteri Academia Jeſu Chriſti, mit ſo lieben und wuͤrdigen Exemplis vorſtellet. Deſſen pius literati hominis ſeceſſus ſeu à profanæ doctrinæ vanitate ad ſinceram pietatem manuductio, auch ein uͤber allemaſſen nuͤtzliches werck/ ſehr vielen vorſchub und liecht zu dem vorhaben/ gottſelige Theologos zu machen/ geben kan/ auch von denen zu dem rechten zweck ſich ſchickenden Studioſis allen billich geleſen werden kan.

Neben dieſem zu ihrem eigenen Chriſtenthum dienlichen Exercitiis, ſolte auch wol nuͤtzlich ſeyn/ wo ihnen von ihren Præceptoribus gelegenheit gemacht wuͤrde/ zu einigen voruͤbungen der dinge/ damit ſie in ihrem ampt dermahl eins umbzugehen haben werden: Zuweilen einige unwiſſende zu unterrichten krancke zu troͤſten/ und dergleichen; Vornehmlich aber in den Predigten ſich alſo zu uͤben/ daß ihnen bald gezeigt werde/ wie ſie alles in ſolchen Predigten zu der erbauung einzurichten. Wie Jch dann jetzo noch dieſes vor das 6. mittel anhaͤnge/ wodurch der Chriſtlichen Kirchen zu beſſerem ſtand geholffen werden moͤchte/ wo nehmlich die Predigten auch alſo von allen eingerichtet wuͤrden/ daß der zweck deroſelben/ nehmlich glaube und deſſen fruͤchten/ bey den zuhoͤrern beſtmuͤglichſt befoͤrdert werden. Es iſt zwar freylich an dem/ daß wenig Ort unſerer Religion ſeyn werden/ da mangel ſolte ſeyn/ daß nicht gnug Predigten gehalten wuͤrden. Aber viel gottſelige gemuͤther finden gleichwol nicht wenig mangel an vielen Predigten. Jndem es ſolche Prediger gibt/ welche oͤffters ihre meiſte Predigen mit dergleichen dingen zubringen/ damit ſie ſich vor gelehrte leute darſtellen/ obs wol die Zuhoͤrer nicht verſtehen: Da muͤſſen offt viele frembde Sprachen herbey/ da etwa nicht ein einiger in der Kirchen ein wort darvon weiß: Wie manche tragen wol etwa mehr ſorge davor/ daß ja das Exordium ſich recht ſchicke/ und die zuſammenfuͤgung artig; daß die Diſpoſition kunſtreich und etwa verborgen gnug; daß alle Theile recht nach der Redekunſt abgemeſſen und außgeziert ſeyen/ als wie ſie ſolche Materien wehleten und durch GOttes Gnade außfůhreten/ darvon der Zuhoͤrer im leben und ſterben nutzen haben mag. So ſolle es nun nicht ſeyn/ ſondern weil die Cantzel nicht derjenige Ort iſt/ da man ſeine kunſt mit pracht ſehen laſſen/ ſondern das Wort deß Herrn einfaͤltig/ aber gewaltig predigen/ und dieſes das Goͤttliche mittel ſeyn ſolte/ die leute ſelig zu machen/ ſo ſolte billich alles auch nach dieſem zweck gerichtet werden. Und hat ſich darinnen der Prediger vielmehr nach ſeinen zuhoͤrern/ weil ſie nach ihm nicht koͤnnen/ zu richten: Allezeit aber mehr auff die einfaͤltige/ ſo den meiſten theil machen/ als auff etliche wenige gelehrte/ wo ſich dergleichen antreffen laſſen/ zu ſehen.

Gleich wie nun der Catechiſmus die erſte rudimenta deß Chriſtenthums in ſich faſſet/ und alle auß demſelben zu erſt ihren glauben gelernet/ ſo ſolle nicht nur derſelbe/ vielmehr dem verſtand als worten nach/ immer fleiſſiger in Kinder-lehren/ auch wo man die alte darbey haben kan/ ſowol bey denſelben/ getrieben/ und ein Prediger daruͤber nicht muͤde werden: ſondern hat der Prediger gelegenheit/ ſo thut er auch wol in den Predigten das jenige immer den leuten wieder vorzulegen/ was ſie einmahl geleꝛnet/ und ſich ſelbſt deſſen nicht zu ſchaͤmen.

Was ein und andere anmerckungen ſonſten ſind/ die bey den Predigten zu beobachtẽ/ uͤbergehe hier gern. Das vornehmſte aber achte Jch dieſes zu ſeyn/ weil ja unſer gantzes Chriſtenthum beſtehet in dem innern oder neuen menſchen/ deſſen Seele der Glaube und ſeine wuͤrckungen die fruͤchten deß lebens ſind: Daß dann die Predigten insgeſampt dahin gerichtet ſolten werden. Eins theils zwar die theure Wolthaten Gottes/ wie ſie auff den innern menſchen zielen/ alſo vorzutragen/ daß daher der glaube und in demſelben ſolcher innere menſch immer mehr und mehr geſtaͤrcket werde: Anderen theils aber die werck alſo zu treiben/ daß wir bey leibe nicht zu frieden ſeyen/ die leute allein zu unterlaſſung der aͤuſſerlichen laſter und uͤbung der aͤuſſerlichen tugenden zu treiben/ und alſo gleichſam nur mit dem aͤuſſerlichen menſchen es zu thun zu haben/ das die Heydniſche Ethic auch thun kan: Sondern/ daß wir den grund recht in dem hertzen legen; zeigen/ es ſeye lauter heucheley/ was nicht auß dieſem grunde gehet/ und daher die leute gewehnen/ erſtlich an ſolchem innerlichen zu arbeiten/ die Liebe GOttes und deß Naͤchſten bey ſich durch gehoͤrige mittel zu erwecken/ und nachmahl auß ſolchem erſt zu wuͤrcken. Daher auch ſolle man fleiſſig treiben/ wie alle Goͤttliche Mittel deß Worts und Sacramenten/ es mit ſolchem innerlichen Menſchen zu thun haben/ und es ja nicht gnug ſeye/ daß wir das Wort mit dem aͤuſſerlichen ohr hoͤren/ ſondern wie wirs auch in das hertz dringen muͤſſen laſſen/ daß wir daſelbſt den Heiligen Geiſt reden hoͤren/ das iſt/ ſeine verſiegelung und krafft deß Worts mit lebendiger bewegung und troſt fuͤhlen: Alſo/ daß es nicht gnug ſeye/ getaufft ſeyn/ ſondern/ daß unſer innerlicher menſch/ darinnen wir CHriſtum vermittels deſſelben angezogen/ ihn auch muͤſſe anbehalten/ und deſſen zeugnuͤß an dem aͤuſſerlichen leben zeigen: Daß es nicht gnug ſeye/ aͤuſſerlich das Heil. Abendmahl empfangen zu haben/ ſondern/ daß auch unſer innerlicher menſch durch ſolche ſelige Speiſe muͤſſe wahrhafftig genehret werden: Daß es nicht gnug ſeye/ aͤuſſerlich mit dem munde zu beten/ ſondern/ daß das rechte und vornehmſte gebet in unſerm innerlichen menſchen geſchehe/ und ſich entweder in die wort erſt außlaſſe/ oder aber wol gar in der Seele bleibe/ und doch daſelbſt GOTT finde und antreffe: Daß es nicht gnug ſeye/ GOtt ſeinen Dienſt in dem aͤuſſerlichen Tempel zu leiſten/ ſondern/ daß unſer innerliche menſch den vornehmſten dienſt GOtt in ſeinem eigenen Tempel/ er ſeye jetzt in dem aͤuſſerlichen oder nicht/ leiſten muͤſſe; und was dergleichen iſt. Darauff/ weil darinnen die rechte krafft deß gantzen Chriſtenthums ſtehet/ ſind billich ins gemein die Predigten zu richten. Und wuͤrde gewißlich/ wo ſolches geſchehe/ vielmehr erbauung als auff dieſe weiſe bey vielen geſchiehet erfolgen. Ein herꝛliches Exempel deſſen haben wir an gegenwaͤrtiger deß Sel.

theuren und geiſtreichen Lehrers weiland Herꝛn Johann Arndten Poſtill. Gleichwie ſolcher vortrefflicher Lehrer und Nachfolger Lutheri, den er auch ſo gar in denen allermeiſten etwa von einigen uͤbel-verſtandenen/ und daher mißdeuteten/ Redens-arten zum vorgaͤnger hat/ in ſeinen uͤbrigen geiſtreichen Schrifften alles auff den rechten kern den innern menſchen gerichtet/ alſo gehet auch dieſe hiermit auffs neue der Chriſtlichen Kirchen vor augen legende gantze Poſtill auff ſolchen hauptzweck. Dahero gleichwie in ſeinem leben ſeine Zuhoͤrer deſſen herꝛlich erbauet worden/ ſo haben auch bißher die krafft ſolches Methodi und gottſeliger Arbeit/ viel tauſend fromme Seelen kraͤfftig empfunden/ GOTT vor ſolche theure gaben demuͤhtig danck geſagt/ und deß lieben Autoris gedaͤchtnuͤß in dem ſegen deſtomehr erhalten. Es hat ſolchen nutzen dieſes herꝛlichen Buchs unter andern auch bezeuget/ die mehrmahlige aufflage deſſelben/ ſo doch allemahl abgegangen/ und immer mehr und mehr geſucht worden. Darmit gezeiget/ es ſey dieſe Arbeit nicht der jenigen art/ wie ſo viel andere/ die mit ihrem Autore ſo bald ſterben/ oder nicht laͤnger angenehm ſind/ als ſie ihrer neulichkeit wegen von deroſelben begierigen leuten gebraucht werden. Es bedarff aber weder der Autor ſelbſt noch dieſe gegenwaͤrtige/ auch andere ſeine Arbeiten meines ruhms/ und bin Jch der jenige nicht/ durch deſſen zeugnuͤß ſein preiß vermehret werden moͤchte/ der ich mirs vielmehr vor eine ehr und nutzen halte/ unter ſeinen Diſcipulis ihn zu ehren: Jedoch bin Jch gewiß/ wo nach dieſer art alle unſere Lehr/ Schrifften und Predigten eingerichtet wuͤrden/ ſo wuͤrde es gewißlich ſo vieler Klagen nicht bedoͤrffen/ wie wir billich jetzo offters fuͤhren muͤſſen.

Jch uͤberlaſſe aber lieber jedes Leſers eigenem erfahren und fuͤhlen/ was Jch ſonſten/ wo Jch es thun ſolte/ von dieſem Werck zu ruͤhmen haͤtte/ und kehre mich allein darzu/ dem Chriſtlichen Leſer hiermit anzudeuten/ was eigentlich in dieſer neuen Edition, zu nuͤtzlichem gebrauch gethan worden. Darvon derſelbe folgendes zu mercken hat. I. Daß man die vorige Merianiſche Edition, nach deren eigentlich der nachdruck geſchehen/ mit andern conferiret/ deroſelben uͤberſehen und die fehler/ wie ſich dann hin und wieder gefunden/ darauß gebeſſert/ auch was drinn gemanglet erſetzet. Daher hier auch behalten und befindlich/ was in den vorigen Editionen mit vertirung der angezogenen Lateiniſchen allegaten/ ergaͤntzung der kurtz angedeuteten Spruͤche und Texte ꝛc. gebeſſert/ auch in der Merianiſchen Vorrede angedeutet worden. II. Weil die PaſſionsPredigten an unterſchiedlichen orten geſtanden/ als ſind ſie zuſammen geſetzt worden/ ſo man dem Leſer angenehmer zu ſeyn hoffet: Welches auch mit andern in dem Appendice befindlichen Predigten geſchehen/ ſo zu ihren Feſten oder ſtellen/ wo ſichs fuͤglich geſchicket/ eingeruͤckt worden.

Wie das Regiſter der Predigten auß gegenhaltung deß vorigen zeigen wird. III. Jſt der Druck alſo eingerichtet/ daß obwol dieſe Edition reichlicher/ und hingegen an leßlichkeit der Buchſtaben nichts abgehet/ gleichwol in dem Papier es umb ein merckliches/ umb in einem bund zu haben/ eingezogen. IV. So ſind (welches in der vorigen Merianiſchen Edition zwar verſprochẽ/ aber nicht geleiſtet worden) nicht nur denen angezogenen Capiteln der Schrifft auch die verſiculi beygeſetzt/ ſondern faſt unzehlige/ deren ſtelle nicht benennet geweſen/ welche der Sel. Autor gemeynet/ außgetrucket und citiret worden/ zu groſſem behuff deß leſers. V. Weil wir gewuͤnſchet/ nachdem bey der geiſtreichen Arbeit dieſes lieben Manns/ uͤber die Pſalmen/ auch ſeine Catechiſmus-Erklaͤrung angehaͤnget worden: Hingegen ſein Wahres Chriſtenthum/ ſodann ſeine Opuſcula, Lehr- und TroſtBůchlein/ Lehre von der Vereinigung mit Chriſto/ und Repetitio Apologetica, oder Widerholung undVerantwortung der Lehre von dem Wahren Chriſtenthum/ zuſammen/ noch erſt neulich auffgeleget worden: Sein Paradieß-Gaͤrtlein aber aller Orten offt angetroffen wird/ daß dann/ wo noch etwas von ſolchem herꝛlichen Mann befindlich/ ſo ſich in ſolchen Wercken nicht antreffen lieſſe/ dieſem mit einverleibet/ und alſo alle uͤbrige Broſamen erhalten wuͤrden; als hat ſich nach fleiſſiger unterſuchung nichts anders finden wollen/ als einige ſo Huldigung als Landtags-Predigten/ ſodann ſein ſo genanntes Informatorium Biblicum, welche aber auß ſolcher urſach (obwol dieſes letztere von einigen nicht ſeine/ ſondern eines ſeiner Liebhaber arbeit zu ſeyn/ geachtet wird) auch hier den uͤbrigen beygeſetzt worden.

6. Weil bey jeglichem Buch ein wolgemachtes Regiſter nit nur eine herꝛliche zier de (daß jener ſeinen guten Freund/ einen vornehmen Theologum, deſſen Buͤcher mit keinen oder ſchlechten Regiſtern verſehen geweſen/ erinnerte/ ſie gemahneten ihn an eine ſonſt gezierte Jungfrau/ dero aber ein Krantz auffzuſetzen vergeſſen worden) ſondern dem Leſer/ eine ſonderliche huͤlffe iſt/ das geleſene auff den bedoͤrffens fall wieder zu finden/ und alles zu beſſerm nutzen anzuwenden/ alſo ſind auch gegenwaͤrtiger Edition 3. Regiſter/ als nehmlich der Predigten/ der Spruͤche der Schrifft/ und dann der denckwuͤrdigen Materien mit angefuͤget/ und alſo was noch in allen Editionen gemanglet/ an dieſer gegenwaͤrtiger ergaͤntzet worden. Wie nun dieſes alles mit fleiß beobachtet/ und daran keine muͤhe und koſten geſparet worden/ alſo zweiffle Jch nicht/ daß der Chriſtliche Leſer an gegenwaͤrtiger Edition ein ſattſames vergnuͤgen haben/ und ſich in gebrauch derſelben durch GOttes Gnade herꝛlich erbauen werde koͤnnen. Wie Jch dann auch zu deſſelben nachricht mehrers nicht hinzu thun/ ſondern wie obangeregt ſeiner eigenen erfahrung/ was er vor behuff in dieſem Buch dieſes mahl finden werde/ lieber uͤberlaſſen wil.

Darbey Jch ihn aber treulich ermahne/ wo er je zuweilen in dieſem und andern deß theuren Mannes Wercken einiges von Redarten oder Lehren finden ſolte/ welche dem erſten anſehen nach ihm frembd vorkommen moͤchten/ er wolle ſich in dem urtheil nicht uͤbereilen/ ſondern dem rechten verſtand derſelben mit hertzlichem gebet reifflich nachſinnen: Da Jch nicht zweiffele/ er werde ſelbſt finden/ daß alles der H. Schrifft und der darinnen uns vorgeſchriebenen Lehr-art allerdings gemaͤß/ von aller falſchen lehr entfernet: Hingegen zu rechtſchaffener erbauung deß wahren/ nicht in eitelem ruhm der nur in den Lehrſaͤtzen beſtehenden orthodoxiæ, ſondern mit lebendiger erkanntnuͤß erfuͤlleten Chriſtenthums/ und wohin daſſelbe abzwecket/ deß innern menſchen/ gerichtet ſeye? Worzu Jch einem fleiſſigen Leſer/ deß nicht nur Wahren Chriſtenthums/ ſondern auch anderer Arndiſcher Buͤcher/ die deß damit umb die wahre gottſeligkeit wolverdienten Sel. Henrici Varenii rettung deß Wahren Chriſtenthums (welches Buch auch neu wieder auffgelegt und gemeiner zu werden/ oder umb nit das anſehen zu haben/ daß die alte ſtrittigkeiten wieder hervor geſucht wuͤrden/ die erklaͤrungen ſelbſten ſo zu ſeinem ſchutz und rechten verſtand gehoͤren/ von einem der ſachen gnug verſtaͤndigen zuſammen gezogen und publicirt zu werden wuͤnſche) zu nuͤtzlichem gebrauch nicht gnug recommendiren kan: als worinnen er ſehen wuͤrde/ wie viel nachtruͤckliches und erbauliches in denen/ von andern mißverſtandenen ſtellen/ wo ſie recht unterſuchet werden/ ſtecke.

Jch ruffe letzlichen den grund-guͤtigen GOtt und geber alles guten inbruͤnſtig an/ gleichwie er viel guten ſaamen ſeines worts/ durch dieſen ſeinen treuen knecht/ den er nunmehr lang in ſeine freude eingefuͤhret/ weiland außſtreuen laſſen/ auch viele Koͤrnlein davon biß daher in gottſeligen hertzen zu nit geringer frucht kraͤfftig geſegnet hat (darvor ihm ewiger danck geſaget ſeye) alſo wolle Er noch ferner ſegen geben/ zu ſeiner noch vor augen ligender/ und auch in dieſer Edition zu weiterm gebrauch eingerichteten Arbeit; daß viele hertzen/ die mit andacht und einfalt ihre erbauung Sonntags nechſt der heiligen Schrifft in dieſen Predigten ſuchen werden/ ſie auch reichlich darinnen finden/ und Jhme wiederumb darvor ihre fruͤchten deß danckens bringen moͤgen. Ja/ daß auch viele Lehrer ſelbſt angefriſchet werden/ mit ſolcher einfalt und nachtruͤcklichkeit den kern deß Chriſtenthums in ihren Predigten nach dieſem Model zu treiben: Jnsgeſampt aber/ daß dieſes auch ein mittel ſeyn moͤge einiger fernern beſſerung deß oben ſo hertzlich beklagten elenden zuſtandes unſer Kirchen/ alles zu ſein deß groſſen GOttes ſelbſt Ehre/ und welche auf dieſelbe zwecket/ ſeines Reichs befoͤrderung umb JESU CHriſti willen. AMEN.

Scripture echoes

↩2Tim.3.16 — All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.
↩Col.3.16 — Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
↩Col.3.16 — Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
↩Col.3.16 — Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
↩Col.3.16 — Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
↩Ps.1.2 — But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
↩Ps.1.2 — But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
↩Ps.1.2 — But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
↩1Pet.2.9 — But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
↩1Pet.2.5;Rev.1.6 — and you yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house, for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Rev.1.6 — and he made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
↩John.13.34-John.13.35;John.15.12 — A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. John.13.35 — By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John.15.12 — This is my commandment: that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
↩John.13.34 — A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
↩John.13.35 — By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
↩John.15.12 — This is my commandment: that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
↩1John.3.10 — By this the children of God and the children of the devil are revealed: everyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
↩Rom.13.9 — For the commandments — 'You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet' — and every other commandment are summed up in this word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
↩2Pet.1.7 — and in your godliness, brotherly love; and in brotherly love, love.
↩2Pet.1.7 — and in your godliness, brotherly love; and in brotherly love, love.
↩Rom.13.9 — For the commandments — 'You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet' — and every other commandment are summed up in this word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
↩2Cor.11.3 — But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity and purity that are toward Christ.
↩Prov.1.7;Ps.111.10 — The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Ps.111.10 — The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the LORD; good understanding belongs to all who do his works. His praise endures forever.
↩Eph.4.18 — Their minds darkened in understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their hearts.
↩1John.1.3;Heb.3.14 — What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. Heb.3.14 — For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm to the end.
↩Isa.6.9-Isa.6.10;Rom.11.7-Rom.11.8;2Cor.4.4 — And he said, "Go and say to this people: Keep hearing, but do not understand; keep seeing, but do not know." Isa.6.10 — And Make the heart of this people dull; make their ears heavy and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and turn and be healed. Rom.11.7 — What then? What Israel sought, it did not obtain, but the elect obtained it, and the rest were hardened. Rom.11.8 — Just as it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, to this very day." 2Cor.4.4 — In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine on them.
↩John.7.17;John.8.31-John.8.32 — If anyone desires to do his will, he will know about the teaching—whether it is from God or whether I speak on my own. John.8.31 — So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, 'If you remain in my word, you are truly my disciples.' John.8.32 — And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
↩John.8.31-John.8.32 — So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, 'If you remain in my word, you are truly my disciples.' John.8.32 — And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
↩1Pet.3.1 — In the same way, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives,
↩1Pet.3.1-1Pet.3.2 — In the same way, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 1Pet.3.2 — when they observe your pure conduct carried out in reverence
↩Isa.40.3;Matt.3.3;Acts.18.25-Acts.18.26 — A voice calls: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God." Matt.3.3 — For this is the one spoken of through Isaiah the prophet: "A voice of one calling in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight." Acts.18.25 — This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John. Acts.18.26 — He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God more accurately to him.
↩Gal.6.14;Col.3.3 — But may it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Col.3.3 — For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
↩1Cor.4.20 — For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.
↩2Tim.2.24;1Tim.1.18-1Tim.1.19 — And the Lord's servant must not quarrel, but must be gentle toward all, able to teach, patient when wronged. 1Tim.1.18 — I entrust this charge to you, child Timothy, in accordance with the prophecies that previously pointed to you, so that by them you may wage the good warfare, 1Tim.1.19 — holding faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have shipwrecked their faith.
↩2Tim.2.24 — And the Lord's servant must not quarrel, but must be gentle toward all, able to teach, patient when wronged.
↩1Tim.1.18 — I entrust this charge to you, child Timothy, in accordance with the prophecies that previously pointed to you, so that by them you may wage the good warfare,
↩John.16.13 — But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are coming.
↩1John.2.27 — And as for the anointing you received from him, it remains in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, and it is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, remain in him.
↩1John.2.27 — And as for the anointing you received from him, it remains in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, and it is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, remain in him.
↩John.14.17 — the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he abides with you and will be in you.
↩John.14.17 — the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he abides with you and will be in you.
↩Jas.3.15 — This is not the wisdom that comes down from above; it is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
↩John.13.17 — If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
↩John.13.17 — If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
↩John.13.17 — If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
↩John.13.17 — If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
↩Exod.30.18 — You shall make a bronze basin and its bronze base for washing, and you shall place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it.
↩1Kgs.7.23 — And he made the cast metal sea: ten cubits from its brim to its brim, round all around, and five cubits its height; and a line of thirty cubits would encircle it all around.
↩1Kgs.7.23 — And he made the cast metal sea: ten cubits from its brim to its brim, round all around, and five cubits its height; and a line of thirty cubits would encircle it all around.
↩1Kgs.7.23 — And he made the cast metal sea: ten cubits from its brim to its brim, round all around, and five cubits its height; and a line of thirty cubits would encircle it all around.
↩2Chr.4.2;1Kgs.7.23 — And he made the cast metal sea, ten cubits from rim to rim, round all around, five cubits high; and a line of thirty cubits measured around it. 1Kgs.7.23 — And he made the cast metal sea: ten cubits from its brim to its brim, round all around, and five cubits its height; and a line of thirty cubits would encircle it all around.
↩Exod.30.18;1Kgs.7.23;2Chr.4.2 — You shall make a bronze basin and its bronze base for washing, and you shall place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it. 1Kgs.7.23 — And he made the cast metal sea: ten cubits from its brim to its brim, round all around, and five cubits its height; and a line of thirty cubits would encircle it all around. 2Chr.4.2 — And he made the cast metal sea, ten cubits from rim to rim, round all around, five cubits high; and a line of thirty cubits measured around it.
↩Eph.3.18;John.7.17 — rooted and grounded in love, that you may have the power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, John.7.17 — If anyone desires to do his will, he will know about the teaching—whether it is from God or whether I speak on my own.
↩Ps.25.14 — The counsel of the LORD is for those who fear him, and his covenant is to make them know him.
↩Ps.111.10 — The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the LORD; good understanding belongs to all who do his works. His praise endures forever.
↩Prov.1.7 — The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
↩Prov.1.9;Prov.9.10 — For they will be a graceful wreath for your head and pendants for your neck. Prov.9.10 — The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
↩John.7.17 — If anyone desires to do his will, he will know about the teaching—whether it is from God or whether I speak on my own.
↩Eph.3.18 — rooted and grounded in love, that you may have the power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
↩Luke.12.48 — but the one who did not know, yet did what deserved a beating, will be beaten with few blows. And from everyone to whom much was given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much was entrusted, they will ask for even more.
↩Matt.25.14-Matt.25.30;Luke.19.11-Luke.19.27 — For it is like a man going on a journey, who called his own servants and entrusted his property to them. Matt.25.15 — And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his own ability, and he went away immediately. Matt.25.16 — The one who had received the five talents went and traded with them and gained five more. Matt.25.17 — In the same way, the one who had received two talents gained two more. Matt.25.18 — But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug in the ground and hid his master's silver. Matt.25.19 — After a long time the master of those servants comes and settles accounts with them. Matt.25.20 — And the one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, 'Lord, you entrusted five talents to me; see, I have gained five more talents.' Matt.25.21 — His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' Matt.25.22 — The one who had received the two talents also came forward and said, 'Lord, you entrusted two talents to me; see, I have gained two more.' Matt.25.23 — His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' Matt.25.24 — Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward and said, 'Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter seed.' Matt.25.25 — And being afraid, I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours. Matt.25.26 — But his master answered him, 'You wicked and lazy slave! You knew that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter seed. Matt.25.27 — Then you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back what was mine with interest. Matt.25.28 — So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. Matt.25.29 — For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Matt.25.30 — And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Luke.19.11 — As they were hearing these things, he added a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and they supposed that the kingdom of God was about to appear immediately. Luke.19.12 — He said therefore, 'A certain noble man went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself and to return.' Luke.19.13 — And having called ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas and said to them, 'Conduct business until I come.' Luke.19.14 — But his citizens hated him, and they sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to reign over us.' Luke.19.15 — And it came to pass, when he was returned, having received the kingdom, that he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know what they had gained by trading. Luke.19.16 — The first one came, saying, 'Lord, your mina has produced ten more minas.' Luke.19.17 — And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.' Luke.19.18 — And the second came, saying, 'Your mina, Lord, has made five minas.' Luke.19.19 — And to this one also he said, 'And you, be over five cities.' Luke.19.20 — And another servant came, saying, 'Lord, here is your mina, which I kept stored away in a cloth.' Luke.19.21 — for I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man: you take up what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow. Luke.19.22 — He said to him, 'I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant. You knew that I am a harsh man, picking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow. Luke.19.23 — And why did you not put my money on the table, so that when I came I might have collected it with interest? Luke.19.24 — And to those who were standing by he said, 'Take the mina from him and give it to the one who has the ten minas.' Luke.19.25 — And they said to him, 'Lord, he has ten minas.' Luke.19.26 — I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Luke.19.27 — But as for those enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.
↩Isa.54.13;John.6.45 — All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children. John.6.45 — It is written in the prophets, "They will all be taught by God." Everyone who has heard from the Father and has learned comes to me.
↩1Cor.9.19-1Cor.9.22 — For though I am free from all people, I made myself a slave to all, so that I might gain more of them. 1Cor.9.20 — And I became to the Jews as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those under the law as under the law — not being myself under the law — that I might win those under the law. 1Cor.9.21 — To those outside the law I became as one outside the law—though I am not outside God's law but am under Christ's law—so that I might win those outside the law. 1Cor.9.22 — To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some.
↩Jas.1.17 — Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
↩Matt.25.21 — His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'

Notes

1 ↩unvorgreiffliche (unvorgreiflich): period sense of thoughts put forward without claiming to forestall or settle others' better judgment; rendered as 'offered without presumption'.
2 ↩Printed sentence is broken across s2–s4; the main finite verbs of the 'Daß…' clause land in s4. Name continues as 'Sauberto Sel.' in s3.
3 ↩Sauberto Sel.: Latinized dative/ablative of Johann Saubert (Saubertus) plus Sel. = selig, 'of blessed memory' / the late.
4 ↩Goͤttlicher Gnade kept as 'divine grace' per lexeme policy for grace.
5 ↩Normalized 'GOtt es' read as 'Gottes' (of God); 'Cātzel' read as 'Kanzel' (pulpit).
6 ↩Citation fragment with following 'Tim.' and '3.': together '2 Tim. 3', pointing back to the Scripture quote in s2.
7 ↩Abbreviation 'Tim.' for Timothy in the citation '2 Tim. 3'.
8 ↩Chapter number completing the citation '2 Tim. 3' for the quote in s2 (commonly 2 Tim 3:16).
9 ↩'allegata' kept as 'citation(s)': Latin term for supporting quotations introduced in preaching, not free paraphrase of Scripture.
10 ↩Numbered subpoint marker; the content of point 2 continues in the following section.
11 ↩Source print splits 'Gelegenheit' as 'gelegen heit' (line-break/orthography); rendered as 'opportunity'.
12 ↩Fragment: early-modern abbreviation H. (Heilige) is split across s2–s3 by the period after H.
13 ↩Fragment continues H. Schrift and begins N. Testament; sonderlich aber = and especially, though.
14 ↩Haußvatter: head of the household (Hausvater), not merely 'father' in the modern sense.
15 ↩Andreas Hyperius (Gerhard of Ypres, d. 1564); Seculo = century. G. is the start of Georg Nigrinus, continued in s7.
16 ↩G. Nigrinus = Georg Nigrinus, German translator of Hyperius. Herr D. = Herr Doktor (Reverend Doctor), continued in s8.
17 ↩Commilito (Latin): fellow soldier / fellow student. nochmahlige aufflage: a renewed edition or reprint.
18 ↩privat Lection: private reading/lesson of Scripture (lectio), not a classroom lecture.
19 ↩Erbauung rendered as building up (edification in the Pauline/pastoral sense), not modern psychological uplift.
20 ↩Source abbreviation 'Corinth.' expanded as 'Corinthians' for the standard English book name in the continuing citation 1 Cor. 14.
21 ↩'richten' here follows the 1 Cor 14 sense of judging/discerning what is spoken, not judicial condemnation; rendered 'weigh what is said'.
22 ↩'Dubia' kept as 'doubts' (questions needing clarification), not modern psychological doubt.
23 ↩'einfältigen verstand' rendered 'plain sense' (straightforward meaning), not 'simple-minded'.
24 ↩'Directorium' rendered as 'direction' (oversight/chairmanship of the exercise), not a written directory.
25 ↩Hauß-kirche rendered as 'household church' (domestic sphere of piety and instruction), not a public congregational church.
26 ↩geistlichen lieblichen Liedern keeps Luther's 'lieblichen' (lovely/pleasant); traditional English often shortens to 'spiritual songs'.
27 ↩German «es geschehe nun durch dergleichen oder von andern füglicher zeigende Anstalten»: open alternative—either the exercises just discussed, or other arrangements others may more fittingly point out.
28 ↩«Buch deß Lebens» is kept as Book of Life: in context it names Scripture as the life-giving book in which people are to seek their joy (echoing Psalm 1:2), not only the eschatological roll of the saved.
29 ↩Sel. expands the early modern honorific Seliger (our late/blessed), completed by Lutherus in the next sentence.
30 ↩fast bedenckens getragen: nearly had misgivings/scruples about; rendered as nearly hesitated. träger: more lazy/sluggish about the task.
31 ↩Tom. = Tomus (volume). Expanded for modern readability as Vol.; the full citation continues through s8 (Vol. 1, Altenburg ed., folio 6).
32 ↩Altenb. is the standard abbreviation for the Altenburg edition of Luther's works.
33 ↩fol. = folio; left in familiar citation form.
34 ↩Bibliographic page/column marker continuing the citation from the previous section (Altenb. fol. 6. a.); the Luther quotation begins in the next sentence.
35 ↩Sentence breaks mid-phrase at 'der H.' (= Heilige); completed by the next sentence's 'Schrifft' as 'Holy Scripture'.
36 ↩Sentence breaks mid-phrase at 'die H.'; completed by the next sentence as 'Holy Scripture'.
37 ↩Source 'wilder' is almost certainly early-modern line joining of 'will, der' ('wants to, let him…'); rendered accordingly.
38 ↩Terminal 'u.' is the first half of the abbreviation 'u. ſ.' / 'u. ſ. w.' (und so fort / und so weiter), completed across the following sentences.
39 ↩Long-s abbreviation 'ſ.' completing 'u. ſ.' (und so fort); the next section’s 'w.' likely finishes the fuller form 'u. ſ. w.' (und so weiter).
40 ↩Fragment only: the source 'w.' completes the early-modern abbreviation 'u. s. w.' (und so weiter), split across the previous section's closing units and this section's first unit.
41 ↩'bey ihm' points back to Luther in the preceding quotation about his books; Spener is noting that similar counsel appears in other places in Luther's writings.
42 ↩Idiom: put out of sight and neglected ('hidden under the bench'), not merely stored under furniture.
43 ↩Early modern Ekel: aversion/disgust toward Scripture, not medical nausea.
44 ↩"Altenb." is a bibliographic abbreviation for the Altenburg edition of Luther’s works, continuing the citation begun at the end of the previous section ("so befindlich T. 2.").
45 ↩"Bl." = Blatt (leaf/page) in early-modern German book citation.
46 ↩"folg." = folgende (and the following pages).
47 ↩"in die karte sehen" is an idiom for inspecting someone's concealed dealings; rendered as "look into their cards."
48 ↩"besteiffet" read as "befestigt/versteift" (has confirmed/stiffened); if a different correction is preferred, review.
49 ↩Parenthesis preserves Spener's distinction between the spiritual offices common to all Christians and the public administration reserved to those appointed by the congregation.
50 ↩Sentence is incomplete by print-section split; the finite construction "gehalten seye" lands in s6.
51 ↩"Sicherheit" here is spiritual complacency/false security, not safety.
52 ↩Source ends mid-thought with "und s." (and so...); the following section continues the same argument about exclusive pastoral calling.
53 ↩Printed fragment "f." completes the previous section's trailing "und s." as the common abbreviation "u. s. f." / "und so fort" (and so forth).
54 ↩Continues the prior sentence's false assumption that only the pastor is called to the spiritual duties listed there (handling God's Word, prayer, study, teaching, admonishing, comforting, rebuking, and so on).
55 ↩"gemeines Priesterthum" is the Lutheran common/universal priesthood of believers, distinct from the public preaching office (Predigtamt).
56 ↩Early modern 'fast … nicht so vielmehr getrieben' is rendered as 'scarcely … nearly so hard / so much'; 'vielmehr' is treated as 'viel mehr' (much more), not modern adversative 'rather'.
57 ↩'Übung' is rendered as 'practice' for the main clause and as 'exercise' for the proposed introductory training in Scripture reading, matching Spener's dual sense of lived use and formative drill.
58 ↩'prieſterlichen Pflichten' is kept as 'priestly duties' in Spener's common-priesthood frame (lay as well as clerical), not reduced to ordained clergy alone; previous section stresses the gemeines Priesterthum.
59 ↩'beſtraffung' is rendered 'correction' rather than 'punishment,' fitting fraternal church discipline rather than civil penalty.
60 ↩Early modern einbilden here means impress upon / instill in the mind, not the modern sense 'imagine'.
61 ↩praxi is kept as 'practice' (lived Christian doing), opposite wiſſen (knowledge/knowing alone).
62 ↩Citation fragment in early modern form '14/ 34.' after 'Johan.' Likely intended as a Johannine verse reference (love-command context suggests 13:34); left as printed 14:34.
63 ↩Abbreviation cap. = Latin caput / German Kapitel, modernized as 'ch.'
64 ↩With preceding '1.', this forms '1 John'; further 1 John citations continue in the next section.
65 ↩German 'cap.' abbreviates Latin 'caput' (chapter), as elsewhere in Spener's citation style.
66 ↩Expanded abbreviation 'ad Gal.' as Jerome's Epistle/commentary address 'to the Galatians'.
67 ↩Expanded 'L.' as Liber/Book in the Jerome citation sequence L. 3. c. 6.
68 ↩Expanded 'c.' as chapter/caput in the Jerome citation sequence.
69 ↩'Kindlein liebet euch unter einander' is rendered in the familiar Johannine cadence; Spener reports Jerome's anecdote about the aged apostle's single repeated charge.
70 ↩German places both coordinated verbs (erwecken / in die Übung bringen) after the parenthetical citation; English fronts 'awaken' for natural word order and keeps 'put it into practice' with the result clause in s4.
71 ↩Expanded abbreviated title 'Wahren Christenth.' as Arndt's True Christianity; the bibliographic locator continues in s8 and into the next section.
72 ↩Locator fragment after Arndt's True Christianity; likely Book 4, chapter/section 2, with further chapter references continuing in the next section.
73 ↩Bibliographic fragment continuing the prior sentence’s citation of Johann Arndt, True Christianity 4.2: ‘from the 22nd’ (chapter).
74 ↩‘Adam’ is Spener’s term for the old/fallen nature still inclined to revenge, not a bare proper name.
75 ↩Early modern ‘ehe’ here is taken as ‘eher’ (‘rather/sooner’): give up remaining rights rather than risk self-deception in pursuing them.
76 ↩The exception clause preserves Spener's limit on spiritual counsel: obedience stops where advice would clearly contradict the divine will.
77 ↩"un- oder falsch-glaubige" is rendered as "unbelieving or of false faith" to cover both unbelief and heretical/false belief, not merely private doubt.
78 ↩grund gütige GOtt rendered as 'God, who is thoroughly gracious' (fundamentally kind/gracious), not merely 'kind God'.
79 ↩"so kräftiger als sittsamer remonstration": the so…als comparative means "as powerful as it is seemly," not "stronger than modest." "Affecten" is rendered as "affections" (passions/impulses).
80 ↩"das vorhaltende" = what is being set/held before them (from vorhalten), not "the preceding." "in dessen" taken as "in the meantime" (indessen).
81 ↩nichts zu willen werden: refuse to accommodate, gratify, or yield to their unbelief and error—not mere outward kindness withheld.
82 ↩obschon nicht der Wiedergeburt: brotherhood by creation and God's universal love, not by regeneration—Spener distinguishes natural/neighbor kinship from spiritual rebirth.
83 ↩rechtmässige Hass der Religion vs. der Person schuldige Liebe: hatred may rightly target false religion/doctrine, but must not abolish the love due to the person.
84 ↩Sel. expands to seligen: 'our late / blessed' (of blessed memory), introducing Johann Arndt in the next sentence fragment.
85 ↩Wahres Christentum is Johann Arndt's title True Christianity.
86 ↩Printed locator 1/ 39. read as True Christianity, Book 1, chapter 39 (Arndt).
87 ↩verstockung / verblendung: rendered as moral-spiritual hardening and blinding (not mere intellectual error), matching the surrounding argument that life and doctrine corrupt each other.
88 ↩Sel. expands to Seliger (blessed/late), continuing into Luther in the next sentence; kept as 'blessed' for natural English.
89 ↩animi rendered as 'minds'; could also be 'souls' or 'spirits,' but Spener's following German paraphrase uses Gemüther (minds/dispositions).
90 ↩fleischliche weißheit kept as 'fleshly wisdom' (Pauline register: wisdom according to the flesh), not flattened to 'worldly cleverness.'
91 ↩allerdings aber rendered as 'to be sure, yet' to keep both the concessive force of allerdings and the contrast of aber.
92 ↩"fremde Absicht" rendered as "foreign aim": the contrast is between intention directed to God and intention directed to self-glory, parallel to the "strange fire" image.
93 ↩"eingenommene Scheltwort" taken as abusive insults adopted/used in the dispute (not merely "insults received"), which best fits the list of fleshly tactics that scandalize the opponent.
94 ↩The printed section splits mid-enumeration: '2.' is the second numbered point, completed in the next sentence.
95 ↩Kept Spener's Latin phrase convictio intellectus beside its German gloss 'conviction of the truth' (überzeugung der warheit), since the contrast is specifically intellectual assent versus living faith.
96 ↩"recht in seiner Seelen Göttlich versiegelt" rendered as "truly sealed by God in his soul"; Spener's point is experiential/interior confirmation of doctrine, not a technical sacramental seal.
97 ↩irrgläubige: those of another (erring) confession/faith, not simply 'unbelievers'.
98 ↩Sentence breaks mid-name at the printed abbreviation 'Joh.'; the full sense continues through s3–s4 as Johann Matthäus Meyfart of blessed memory.
99 ↩Abbreviation continuing 'Joh. Matth.' from the previous sentence; part of the name Johann Matthäus Meyfart.
100 ↩'Meyffarten Seligen' rendered as 'Meyfart of blessed memory' (the deceased Johann Matthäus Meyfart). The compound 'ehrgeitz-sauffbalge-zanck-teuffels' is rendered as 'the devil of ambition, heavy drinking, and quarrel' to keep the triple vice force without inventing a single English compound.
101 ↩'Pflantzgaerten der Kirche' and 'Werckstaette des Heiligen Geistes' kept as 'nurseries of the Church' and 'workshops of the Holy Spirit' to preserve Spener's formative metaphor.
102 ↩Early modern 'allerdings' here means 'altogether/entirely,' not modern concessive 'admittedly.' 'all ein' is read as 'allein' (only).
103 ↩Citation fragment; reads with s4–s6 as 'Gregory of Nazianzus says in the Epitaph on Basil.'
104 ↩'Epit.' almost certainly abbreviates Epitaphium/Epitaph (Gregory Nazianzen's funeral oration on Basil), not a generic 'epitome.'
105 ↩Latin oratio can mean speech, discourse, or oration; rendered 'speech' to match the following German paraphrase (Rede und Lehr).
106 ↩Normalized source prints “Geſaͤngfor mulen” with a line-break space; rendered as the intended compound Gesängformulen (“hymn formulas” / set liturgical song phrases).
107 ↩"Justin" (alten Justini) is almost certainly Justin Martyr; the Latin maxim that follows was widely attributed to him in early modern Protestant pedagogy.
108 ↩habitus practicus keeps the scholastic sense: theology as a practical disposition ordered to lived practice (praxis), not bare speculation.
109 ↩Selige D. = the late/blessed Dr.; sentence continues through the name and citation that follow, with the finite verb in the next section (nennt).
110 ↩Libell. is the abbreviated title/citation start (libellus); the parenthetical reference continues through s4–s8, and the governing verb appears in the next section.
111 ↩Abbreviated work-title element (Repud.); left unexpanded pending firm bibliographical identification.
112 ↩Likely Conciones (sermons) or similar title element; left as printed abbreviation.
113 ↩pag. rendered as standard page abbreviation p.
114 ↩Herꝛ D. is the period abbreviation Herr D./Dr.; the full name is completed in the next sentence as Abraham Calovius.
115 ↩Gönner here is a courteous dedicatory address: patron/benefactor, not merely 'fan' or 'friend'.
116 ↩Source uses early modern slash verse notation '2/ 24.'; rendered with modern colon verse form '2:24'.
117 ↩Source uses early modern slash verse notation '1/ 18.'; rendered with modern colon verse form '1:18'.
118 ↩Early modern German 'einige' here means 'only/sole' (einig), not English 'some'.
119 ↩Early modern 'gehetumb' = 'geht um (mit)': deals with / is occupied with. 'Studiosus Theologiae' kept as 'student of theology' (not merely a casual learner).
120 ↩Luther-tradition verse numbering for the 'fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom' saying often lands at Psalm 111:10 in English Bibles; the source cites 111, 9.
121 ↩Hütte des Stifts is Luther's term for the tabernacle/tent of meeting; plural surface Hütten is treated as that technical sense, not multiple tents.
122 ↩Hütte deß HERRN: the tabernacle/tent of the LORD, carrying over the Levitical washing image from the previous section; rendered as 'Lord’s tent' to keep the source image concrete rather than flattening it to a generic 'church building'.
123 ↩Auditoriis keeps the academic-lecture sense (university/theological lecture halls), not a modern concert 'auditorium'. Studiosi studierstäblein = the little study room of each student/scholar.
124 ↩Bare '9.' after Prov. 1:7; may mean Prov. 1:9, Prov. 9 (chapter), or Prov. 9:10. Left as printed numeral pending Moses/reference resolution.
125 ↩Philosophiae de rebus sacris is Spener’s ironic label for sacred learning treated as mere academic study of holy subjects, set against true theology learned only in the light of the Holy Spirit.
126 ↩doppel-doctor-mässiger: early modern German for someone of dual-doctorate or doctoral measure/rank; rendered as 'double-doctor-grade' to keep Spener's satire of credentials without archaism.
127 ↩"das ... woran offt die wenigste gedencken" points back to a godly life (gottseliges Leben) as the neglected necessity, not merely academic skill.
128 ↩ex professo: as an intentional professional specialty, not merely in passing.
129 ↩D. Nicolao Hunnio Seligen: Lutheran theologian Nicolaus Hunnius; Seligen = of blessed memory (deceased).
130 ↩Early modern Lutheran polemic context: training pastors for disputations with Jewish neighbors and for vernacular pulpit controversy.
131 ↩Thesis/Antithesis: the doctrinal position held and the opposing position, in scholastic disputation terms.
132 ↩Sentence is a printed fragment continued in s3–s6; 'D.' expands as Doctor and is completed by the name in s3.
133 ↩'deß Man.' is the start of the title Manuale (Manual); completed by the abbreviations in s4–s5 as Manuale ad Theologiam Practicam.
134 ↩Abbreviation 'ad Theol.' for ad Theologiam within the title Manuale ad Theologiam Practicam.
135 ↩Abbreviation 'Pract.' for Practicam, completing Manuale ad Theologiam Practicam (Manual of Practical Theology).
136 ↩'Incipient' kept in sense as beginner/novice in theology, not as the modern English adjective 'incipient'.
137 ↩excoliren (from Latin excolere): to cultivate, elaborate, or refine; here opposed to cutting off unnecessary disputed matters.
138 ↩lüsternden Ingeniorum fürwitz: the meddlesome curiosity of eager/restless talents or minds; fürwitz is idle or presumptuous inquisitiveness.
139 ↩die Teutsche Theologi is the Theologia Germanica (German Theology), the anonymous late-medieval mystical work Luther prized alongside Tauler.
140 ↩Abbreviated citation fragment: Luth. = Luther; continued in the following sentences.
141 ↩Abbreviation Epist. = Epistle / Letter; part of the citation '23rd Epistle to Spalatin.'
142 ↩Prediger Mönch names a friar of the Predigerorden (Order of Preachers), i.e. a Dominican; the verb schaffen ('procure/get') belongs with s7's kanst du dir ... schaffen.
143 ↩kunst here means art/skill/mastery of teaching, not 'art' as fine art; eisern und irdisch contrasts hard, base, this-worldly learning with pure wholesome doctrine.
144 ↩Source has a closing parenthesis without a clear opening mark; the relative clause about Frankfurt is treated as parenthetical.
145 ↩"meinen alten Narren" is Luther's own wording; kept as "my old fool," most naturally read as self-deprecating self-reference in the praise of the book.
146 ↩Printed sentence is incomplete; it continues into the next sentence with the name Johann Olearius.
147 ↩Latin title kept as a proper title. Sense: Of the Christian religion's falling away from its original beauty, the causes of its desolation, and by what means each Christian can be restored to the image and friendship of his Creator.
148 ↩Spener quotes Chytraeus in Latin (Ut pie credendo & sancte vivendo & Deum & proximum diligendo potius, quam subtiliter & argute disputando, nos Christianos & Theologos esse ostendamus) and immediately restates it in German; both layers are rendered here as one continuous English sense.
149 ↩habitus practicus is the scholastic term for a formed practical disposition, not a casual ‘habit’ of mind; profitiren here means public lecturing/professing, not commercial profit.
150 ↩Sentence continues through the truncated citation (s4–s6), the Latin Augustinian lemma (s7), and the German gloss plus further infinitives in s8; citation expanded from ‘de Doct.’ toward De doctrina Christiana.
151 ↩Bibliographic continuation of ‘de Doct. Christ.’ = De doctrina Christiana.
152 ↩Abbreviation for capitulum / chapter in the Augustine citation.
153 ↩Latin lemma attributed to Augustine (De doctrina Christiana); rendered in contemporary English while preserving the proportional antithesis of in tantum / in quantum / autem.
154 ↩Opens with Spener’s German gloss of the Augustine lemma, closes the long parenthesis begun in s3, then resumes the ‘how they…’ chain of desired student formation.
155 ↩Bibliographic abbreviation Tom. (Tomus) = volume in the Luther works citation that follows.
156 ↩Jen. = Jena edition of Luther's works.
157 ↩lat. almost certainly marks the Latin series (opera Latina) of the Jena Luther edition, not 'later' or a language gloss alone.
158 ↩f. = folio (leaf) in the early modern citation style.
159 ↩über den 5. is elliptical; the following section opens with a Luther Psalm quotation, so 'the fifth' is almost certainly Psalm 5. Bracketed expansion is interpretive.
160 ↩Luther’s Latin formula uses the gerunds vivendo, moriendo, damnando: formation comes through lived experience under judgment (Anfechtung), not mere study. “Being condemned / damnation” keeps the forensic force of damnando / Verdamnuß rather than softening it to generic hardship.
161 ↩Abbreviated place/edition name: Altenburg (Altenburger Luther edition).
162 ↩German rendering of the Latin maxim in s1. Tieffsinnen corresponds to speculando (deep reflection/speculation); Verdamnuß keeps the judicial sense of damnando rather than mere “affliction.”
163 ↩Sentence breaks mid-phrase at print line-end "das N."; continues in s3 as "Testament" (= New Testament).
164 ↩Continues s2: "N. Testament" = New Testament.
165 ↩"Erudition" rendered as "mere learning" to contrast scholarly display with edification, not to deny true knowledge.
166 ↩"einen frembden knecht zurichten" echoes Romans 14:4 (judging another man's servant).
167 ↩"unsers einigen Meisters" = our only Master (Christ); keeps the limit on human spiritual authority over conscience.
168 ↩Sentence breaks at "H."; continues in s7 as "Abendmahl" (= Lord's Supper / Holy Communion).
169 ↩Continues s6: "H. Abendmahl" = Lord's Supper.
170 ↩"den schaden Joseph…zu hertzen zeucht" echoes Amos 6:6 (grief for the affliction/hurt of Joseph).
171 ↩"Profectus" kept as "progress"; "Gottseligkeit" as "godliness."
172 ↩Latin book title retained as in the source; sense: "The pious retreat of the learned man, or a guiding hand from the vanity of profane learning to sincere piety."
173 ↩Sentence ends mid-phrase at 'vor das 6.'; sense continues in s3 ('mittel anhänge...').
174 ↩Continues s2: 'dieses vor das 6. mittel anhänge...'
175 ↩Exordium and Disposition kept as 'introduction' and 'outline' for modern clarity; rhetorical showmanship is the target of the critique.
176 ↩"innerer/neuer Mensch" is Pauline (the inner/new man); rendered "inner/new person" for contemporary English while keeping the formation sense.
177 ↩Sentence continues in s5; "Heil." is an abbreviation for Heilige before Abendmahl (Holy Communion), split across the section boundary.
178 ↩"Heil. Abendmahl" rendered as Holy Communion (Lutheran Lord's Supper), preserving sacramental specificity required by lexeme policy.
179 ↩Incomplete at section boundary; next section continues with the late Johann Arndt's Postil ("theuren und geistreichen Lehrers weiland Herrn Johann Arndten Postill"). "Sel." = Seligen.
180 ↩Continues the previous section's incomplete genitive: 'a splendid example of this we have in the present [work] of the blessed…' + this sentence.
181 ↩Early modern book-trade sense of 'abgegangen' rendered as 'sold out' (editions went out of stock), not mere 'passed away'.
182 ↩Merianische Edition: the prior Merian printing used as the base text for this reprint (nachdruck).
183 ↩vertirung read as Verteutschung (German rendering) of the cited Latin allegata; the sentence continues into s6.
184 ↩Early modern 'bund' here means a single bound volume (one book-block), not a political 'league'.
185 ↩Sentence is cut mid-phrase at 'der Sel.' (the late/blessed); the predicate completes in s6.
186 ↩Continues s5: 'which the late author intended...'.
187 ↩Work titles kept close to the German/Latin forms: Wahres Christentum → True Christianity; Paradies-Gärtlein → Little Paradise Garden; Repetitio Apologetica left as a proper title with gloss.
188 ↩'Huldigung- als Landtags-Predigten' rendered as sermons of homage and Landtag (territorial diet/assembly) sermons; 'so ... als' = both ... and.
189 ↩Source reading 'zier de' taken as 'Zierde' (ornament). Sentence continues into s3 with the three indexes.
190 ↩H. is the truncated form Heilige, completed by Schrifft at the start of the next sentence (Holy Scripture).
191 ↩orthodoxiæ kept as 'orthodoxy'; contrast is between creed-only orthodoxy and Christianity filled with lebendiger Erkenntnis (living knowledge/recognition).
192 ↩innern Menschen rendered 'inner person' (Pauline/theological interior self), not psychological 'inner self'.
193 ↩Sel. expanded as 'the late' (selig); could also be heard as 'blessed,' but funerary/honorific 'late' fits a named deceased author.
194 ↩Sentence is incomplete in the print division; the finite verb and remainder follow in s4.
195 ↩Parenthetical oder introduces an alternative publishing path: full reissue vs. a compiled set of the book's own explanatory defenses, to avoid seeming to revive old disputes.
196 ↩nachtrückliches rendered 'forceful' (weighty, emphatic substance); erbauliches as 'edifying'.

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