Philip Jacob Spener, Pia Desideria

…and that was written in 17th century Germany! How true is it now?

I stumbled across this prayer from Johann Arndt, the great lover of God whose influence can be felt in Bach cantatas and the writings of the pietists (although he predates the movement by a hundred years.)

O THOU loving- and tender Father in
heaven, I confess before Thee, in deep
sorrow, how hard and unsympathising
is my heart ; how often I have sinned against
my neighbour by want of compassion and tenderness ;
how often I have felt no true Christian
pity for his trials and sorrows, have neglected to
comfort, help, and visit him, and thus have stood
apart in selfish isolation from my own flesh and
blood. Herein I have not acted like a child of
God, for I have not been merciful as our
Heavenly Father is merciful ; I have not remembered
Christ’s words of blessing, ‘ Blessed
are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy ;’
nor that sentence of the last Day, ‘ Depart from
me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire ; for I was an
hungred and ye gave me no food, naked and ye
clothed me not.’
O Father, forgive this heavy sin, and lay it
not to my charge. Avert from me the punishment
I have justly merited ; and let the tender
compassion of Thy Son make amends for my
hardness and coldness. Give me too a compassionate
heart, quickly moved to grieve for the
woes of others and to active pity for them, even
as our Lord Jesus Christ beheld our poverty and
hasted to help us. Give me grace ever to alleviate
the crosses and difficulties of those around me,
and never to add to them ; teach me to be a consoler
in sorrow, to take thought for the stranger,
the widow, and the orphan ; let my charity show
itself not in words only but in deed and truth.
Teach me to judge, as Thou dost, with forbearance,
with much pity and indulgence ; help me
to avoid all unloving judgment of others, and to
be anxious to moderate the sternness of strict justice
by the tenderness of sympathy. For mercy
rejoiceth against judgment, and Thou, O God,
lovest mercy more than sacrifice. So let me put
on cordial pity, kindness, humility, and patience,
that I may gladly forgive, as Christ hath forgiven
me. Teach me fully to recognise Thy great
mercy towards me, who am so unworthy of all
Thou hast done for me from my mother’s womb ;
for Thy mercy sought me out when I lay
in sin ; it waiteth for me till I come to Thee ; it
embraces me when I come ; it follows me through
all the days of my life, and will at last receive
me into the life eternal. Amen.
J. Arndt, 1555-1626.

From the book Prayers from the collection of Baron Bunsen, London:
Longmans, Green, and CO., 1871.

——-
From True Chrstianity or, the whole economy of God towards man in four books, by John Arndt, translated by Anthony William Boehm in 1712, from a copy printed in 1809

From True Chrstianity or, the whole economy of God towards man in four books, by John Arndt, translated by Anthony William Boehm in 1712, from a copy printed in 1809

This reformed pietist mystic (who was actually opposed to the works of the Moravians), is best known for his hymns. This poem comes from a book called “The Spiritual Lottery” (Frommen Lotterie) translated by E. A. Durand in 1874. Of note, the emerging church’s attempt at new monasticism bears a lot of similarity to the semi-monastic life that Gerhard Tersteegan led — agitation at the structured church is nothing new. This book is well worth checking out, there is value in simple devotion to Christ.

Dober, Martin, b. 1702, Swabia, potter, teacher, Moravian minister in Germany and England, highly gifted in original languages of Scripture and in the cure of souls, d. 1748.

No title to the hymn

1. Jesus, Saviour, I emplore thee,—
   Full of grace and truth Thou art,—
   Where in aught I’ve sinned before Thee
   Pardon unto me impart.
   
2. Have I said I ne’er would leave Thee
   And have I unfaithful been,—
   Ah, see that look; forgive me;
   Bitterly I mourn my sin.

There are several mentions of him in Spangenberg’s The Life of Nicholas Lewis Count Zinzendof. the most notable is the following:

In November, Martin Dober, one of his fellow-labourers, fell dangerously ill. This affected the Count very deeply, for he hoped he might still become an useful labourer in the Lord’s vineyard. Therefore, when everyone despaired of his recover, the Count entreated the Lord to spare him, considering how useful he had been, and how much more so he might still become, adding, that he wished he might himself be taken away fr4om the earth, and Martin Dober retained. (p. 123)

John Wesley mentions receiving a letter from Albinus Theodorus Feder, who recalls these words from Martin Dober:

Martin Dober, when I described my state to him said he “had known very many believers, who if he asked the question, would not have dared to affirm, that they were the children of God. And, he added, It is very common for persons to receive remission of sins, or justification through faith in the blood of Christ, before they receive the full assurance of faith, which God many times withholds till he has tried whether they will work together with him in the use of the first gift. Nor is there any need (continued he, Dober) to incite anyone to seek that assurance by telling him, the faith he has, is nothing. This will be more likely drive him to despair, than to encourage him to press forward. His single business, who has received the first gift, is, credendo credere et in credendo perseverare : (to believe on, and to hold fast that whereunto he hath attained:) to go on doing his Lord’s will, according to the ability God hath already given, cheerfully and faithfully to use what he has received, without solicitude for the rest.” (Original copy dated 1743 – edited only for modernization by me [and removing an incorrect umlaut in the name)

A little note is also found in a book, Historical Sketch of the Church and Missions of the United Brethren, Commonly Called Moravians

He went to Herrnhut in 1724, and four years after was chosen Elder. He followed the occupation of potter; but by close application, and diligent study of the Holy Scriptures in the original languages, acquired so much knowledge of theology, that he acquitted himself with credit in his examination before several universities. Though he had lived from his childhood among puis people, he himself says that he spent his youth, till he was twenty one years of age, in great distress and disquietude of mind. Arrived at Herrnhut, the simple doctrine of free grace, which he now heart from the pulpit, opened his eyes and brought peace to his heart. His resolution was taken, henceforth to relinquish all striving in his own strength, and not to rest until he could believe in Christ, unto the salvation of his soul. Dober was highly esteemed for his talents as a preacher and expounder of the Scriptures. His discourses aimed at the reality of religion, and seldom failed to reach the heart. This made Zinzendorf say: “When Dober opens his lips in the meeting, his words flash like lightning.” For a number of years he testified with great power, the Gospel of the Grace of God; and the peculiar gifts for the execution of the office of an elder, he faithfully exercised until his death in 1748.

I am constantly struck by the short memory of history, what a man to have known! So distant is the teaching of grace in churches—so much fear or fanciness, but never grace!

I believe that my Savior, my King, bears His name with honor and glory.
I believe His eternal divinity.
I believe His real humanity.
I believe that I am one of His household.
I believe that I was lost. I have known my sentence of death. But I believe most certainly that I have been ransomed and absolved.
I believe that I am the just reward of all His labor, of all His pains and sweat.
I believe that He has won and gained me by His own sword and bow.
I believe that I am no longer compelled to sin.
I believe that I will not die.
I believe that I have mastery over the Devil.
I believe that I am redeemed not through word or work, or miracle or arbitrary decree of God, or through a new creation or through any other means than through the punishment of death which the Son of God suffered for me. I believe that I now belong to no one but to Him who has earned me.
I believe that He has the Kingdom over all.
I believe that I live under Him, where I am under His protection, under His peace, under His rule.
I am certain that I have the unalterable right, which all my fellow citizens have, to be as unchangeably holy as they, and that I am as constantly happy as they all are.
But I also believe that I am nothing without Him, and that I live only because He lives. As long as He lives, I will live also.
And I know all this as certainly as I know that my head is on my shoulders.

Translation by C. Daniel Crews, September 2005 (many thanks, original link from the Moravian Archives)

Click below for my thoughts

These discourses are nearly unavailable, either in English translation or in German (I can find a 90 Euro reprint in German, but that’s a little steep for me) so finding this little gem was quite appreciated! I will continue searching for it in hopes of bringing my own translation work to this blog.

Much like the classic trilemma from CS Lewis, Zinzendorf’s statements forces a reader to make a decision about where they stand; Either this is complete nonsense, it is a lie, or I need to take this seriously. We live in a society that says, “you believe what you believe, and I’ll believe what I want to believe,” but Zinzendorf’s words come like lightning, they strike into the heart of the reader. How pale our naked selfishness seems when compared to the glories of the beliefs he lists here!

This, much like Edward’s “Resolutions,” seems to be a fine work for repeat visiting – maybe even daily. Today is a fast-paced world, where the simpleness of God’s reality is sometimes hidden behind the glaring horns and televisions that surround us.

These “I believe” statements are not a polemic on what Christians should believe, but rather reaffirmation of scriptural truths. Time spent in Bible study will give you the proof texts readily enough if you are so inclined to require them,  but my intent has merely been to bring this writing onto your radar. Do with it as you wish.

—heady stuff—
please avoid if this is a turn-off:

The line “I believe that I am no longer compelled to sin” struck me as odd, at first I thought that it would offend a staunch Calvinist, but it turns out that it is actually a point of contention. Knox says “The wicked are not only left by God’s suffering, but are compelled to sin by his power,(1)” however Loraine Boettner describes the situation that allows for Zinzendorf’s position within the framework of “calvinism.*”

Yet while fallen man acts thus uniformly he is never compelled to sin, but does it freely and delights in it. His dispositions and desires are so inclined, and he acts knowingly and willingly from the spontaneous motion of the heart. This natural bias or appetite for that which is evil is characteristic of man’s fallen and corrupt nature, so that, as Job says, he “drinketh iniquity like water,” 15:16.(2)

1) Julius Müller, The Christian Doctrine of Sin, p265
2) Loraine Boettner, The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination, p38

*) I am troubled by the word Calvinism as it carries so much baggage, when I use it it will mean simply the classic Dutch Reformed TULIP from the original intent of the Synod of Dordrecht, which was a response to “Arminianism,” not the full-blown declaration it has often made out to be. It is however a very good statement belief in order to avoid dangerous heresies. You will find a lot of what Zinzendorf believes listed (although not nearly so concisely) in the words of the canons of Dordrecht (or Dodtrecht, or just Dordt), found here. Zinzendorf, as much as my research can find, didn’t seem opposed to reformed teaching as much as he was opposed to their constant schisms over minutiae! You’ll often find Zinzendorf listed with lists of both great calvinists and great arminians -go figure!