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from
PIA DESIDERIA
by Philip Jacob Spener
(Fortress, 1964 (1675)
"During
his last years Spener served as a sponsor at the baptism of Nicholas
Zinzendorf, ... Another link was later forged between Zinzendorf and
John Wesley ... who further developed Spener;s view of Christian
perfection." (p 24- introduction by Theodore G. Tappert)
"When we
observe the political estate and behold those in it who according to
the divine prophecy (Isa 49:23) made in the New Testament, ... how
few there are who remember that God govae them their scepters and
staffs in order that they use their power to advance the kingdom of
God! (p43) ...
"Distressing as
conditions in the political estate are, we preachers in the
ecclesiastical estate cannot deny that our estate is also thoroughly
corrupt. Thus most of the deterioration in the church has its source
in the two higher estates. (p44) ...
"We do not
understand the perfection which we demand of the church in such a
way that not a single hypocrite is any longer to be found in it, for
we know that there is no field of grain in which there are no weeds.
What we mean is that the church should be free of manifest offenses,
that nobody who is afflicted with such failings should be allowed to
remain in the church without fitting reproof and ultimately
exclusion, and that the true members of the church should be richly
filled with many fruits of their faith. Thus the weeds will no
longer cover the grain and make it unsightly, as is unfortunately
often the case now, but the weeks will be covered by the grain and
made inconspicuous. ... Histories of the church testify that the
early Christian church was in such a blessed state that as a rule
Christians could be identified by their godly life ... Justin
records in his apology that some were converted through the
uprightness and justice of the Christians in their dealing with men.
(p81-2)
"Let us remember
that in the last judgment we shall not be asked how learned we were
and whether we displayed our learning before the world; to what
extent we enjoyed the favor of men and knew how to deep it; with
what honors were exalted and how great a reputation in the world we
left behind us; or how many treasures of earthly goods we amassed
for our children and thereby drew a curse upon ourselves. Instead,
we shall be asked how faithfully and with how childlike a heart we
sought to further the kingdom of God; ... with what zeal we opposed
not only error but also wickedness of life; or with what constancy
and cheerfulness we endured the peersecution or adversity thrust
upon us by the manifestly godless world or by false brethren, and
amid such suffering praised our God." (p36-7)
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