whole church. For from this time onward, every where, in cities, villages, and hamlets, people suddenly started up, of all orders and classes, learned and illiterate, males and females; who pretended to be called, by some divine impulse, to eradicate wickedness, to encourage and to propagate neglected piety, to regulate and govern the Church of Christ more wisely; and who showed, partly by oral declarations, partly by their writings, and partly by their institutions, what must be done in order to effect the great object. Nearly all who were animated with this zeal, agreed, that there was no more powerful and salutary means for imbuing the people with a thorough knowledge of divine things, and with the love of holiness, than those private discussions and conventicles, which they understood were first instituted by Spener, and afterwards held at Leipsic. Meetings, therefore, of this kind, but of a different character, some better and others worse regulated, were opened in numerous places. These unusual and unexpected movements gave the more trouble and perplexity to those who had the oversight of the church and the state, because those upright and well meaning persons concerned in these meetings, were joined by many erratic and rash persons; who proclaimed the impending fall of Babylon,-(so they chose to call the Lutheran church ;)—alarmed and agitated the populace, by fictitious visions, and divine impulses; arrogated to themselves the authority of prophets of God, and not only obscured religious subjects, by a gloomy jargon, of I know not whose coinage, but also recalled upon the stage opinions long since condemned; asserted, that the reign of a thousand years, mentioned by St. John, was at hand; and in short, plotted the overthrow of our best institutions; and demanded that the privilege of teaching should be granted indiscriminately to all. Hence the Lutheran church was miserably rent into parties, to the joy of the papists; the most violent contests every where arose; and those who disagreed, more perhaps in terms, and in ex

against this attack Spener defended himself energetically. It is certain, that the court of Dresden, in whose eye the university of Halle was a thorn, looked upon this attack with pleasure. From this time onward,

our divines were divided into the orthodox and the Spenerian. The theologians of Halle joined the party of their teachers; and thence arose a disquietude, which scarcely has a parallel. Schl.]

ternal and indifferent things, than on doctrines of high moment, were arrayed against each other; and finally, in most provinces, severe laws were enacted against those denominated Pietists".

§ 29. These restorers of piety were of two classes. Some proposed to advance the cause, and yet leave in full force both the creed of the church, as contained in our public formulas, and also its discipline and form of government. But others judged, that holiness could not possibly flourish among us, unless both the received doctrines were modified, and the whole internal organization and the customs of our church, were changed. Philip James Spener, who removed from Dresden to Berlin in 1691, is justly considered as standing at the head of the former class. With him agreed, especially the theologians of the new university at Halle; among whom were Augustus Herman Franck, and Paul Antony, who had previously fallen under suspicion at Leipsic. The object of this class no one much censured; nor could a man censure it, unless he wished to appear a bad man: yet many persons, and especially the theological faculty at Wittemberg, were of opinion, that in the prosecution of this object, some principles were adopted, and plans formed, which were injurious to the truth and adverse to the interests of the church. And this belief led them, publicly to accuse of many false and dangerous opinions, first, Spener, in the year 1695, and afterwards his associates and friends, who defended the reputation of this great man. The vestiges of these contests are still so recent, that whoever is disposed, may easily learn with what degree of good faith, modesty, and equity, they were conducted on both sides.

2 For the illustration of these facts, in place of all others, may be consulted, Jo. Geo. Walch, Introduction to the Controversies in our Church, [in German,] vol. ii. and iii. He concisely states the various acts of this tragedy, enumerates the principal disputes, subjoining his own opinion, and every where mentions the authorities. A full and complete history hardly any one man could compose, the transactions were so numerous and various. It is therefore to be wished, that some wise, considerate, and impartial men, well acquainted with human nature and civil affairs,

and well provided with the necessary documents, would undertake the composition of such a history. If certain persons were to collect from the public records and from various private papers, the transactions in particular districts, and then deliver over the whole to an individual, who should arrange, combine, and impart strength to the whole; the business would thus, perhaps, be accomplished in the best manner it can be. Such a history, written with moderation and discretion, would be exceedingly useful, in very many ways.

§ 30. The subject matter of these controversies was manifold, and therefore cannot be reduced to one grand point, or comprehended under one term. Yet if we consider the aims of those from whom they originated, the principal questions may be brought under certain heads. Those who laboured to advance the cause of piety, in the first place, were of opinion that the most strenuous opposers of their object were the very persons whose office it was to promote piety; namely, the teachers and ministers of the church. Hence they would commence with them; and would make it their special care that none might become pastors of the christian congregations who were not properly educated, and also sanctified, or full of divine love. For this purpose; I. They recommended the reformation of the theological schools. They would have the systematic theology of the age, which was confined to certain short and nice questions, and wrapped up in unusual phraseology, to be laid aside; the controversies with other sects to be, indeed not wholly neglected, yet less attended to; and the combination and intermixture of philosophy and human wisdom with the truths of revelation to be wholly abolished. On the contrary, they thought the young men designed for the ministry should be led to read and meditate upon the holy Scriptures; a simple knowledge of the christian religion, derived principally from the sacred volume, should be instilled into them; and that their whole education should be directed more to practical utility and the edification of christians, and not so much for display and personal glory. As some of them, perhaps, disputed on these subjects without using sufficient precision and prudence, a suspicion arose with many that these patrons of piety despised philosophy and other branches of learning altogether; that they rejected all solid knowledge in theology; that they disapproved of zeal in the defence of the truth against its corrupters; and that they made theological learning to consist in a crude and vague power of declaiming about morals and practical duties. And hence arose the contest respecting the value of philosophy and human science in religion, the dignity and utility of what is called systematic theology, the necessity of controversial theology, the value of mystical theology, the best method of instructing the people,

and other similar questions. II. They taught, that equal solicitude should be shown, that the future teachers in the churches might consecrate their hearts to God, and be living examples of piety, as that they might carry away from the universities minds well fraught with useful knowledge. From this opinion, to which all good men readily assented, originated not only certain regulations suited to restrain the passions of studious youth, and to awaken in them holy emotions and resolutions, but likewise that doctrine which produced so much controversy, namely: That no one can teach others to be pious, and guide them to salvation, unless he is himself pious and a friend of God. Many supposed that this doctrine both derogated from the efficacy of God's word, which cannot be frustrated by the imperfections of its ministers, and also led on to the long exploded errors of the Donatists; and especially as it was not stated with equal caution and prudence by all. And here commenced those long and difficult controversies which are not yet terminated: Whether the knowledge of religion, which a wicked man may acquire, can be called theology? Whether a vicious man can have a true knowledge of religion? How far may the ministrations of an irreligious minister be efficacious and salutary? Whether illumination is ever given to a bad man, whose heart is averse from God? and the like. § 31. These restorers of fallen piety, to render the people more obedient to their pious and properly educated teachers, and more resolute in opposing their native depravity, deemed it necessary, I. To suppress, in the public instruction, certain common expressions which the depravity of men leads them not unfrequently to construe in a way to favour their wickedness. Such were the following: that no person can attain, in the present life, that perfection which the law of God demands: that good works are not necessary to salvation: that in the act of justification faith only is concerned, and not also good works. But very many feared, lest, if these barriers were removed, the truth would be corrupted, or at least would be exposed naked and defenceless to its enemies. II. That stricter rules of conduct should be introduced than were generally followed; and that many things which foster the internal diseases of the mind, such as dancing, pantomimes, jocular

discourse, plays, dramatic exhibitions, the reading of ludicrous books, and certain kinds of amusements, should be removed from the class of indifferent things, which are either good or bad, according to the spirit and temper of those who engage in them, and should be classed among sinful and unlawful things. But many thought this morality too rigorous. Hence that old controversy of the schools was revived; whether there are certain actions that are neither good nor evil, but indifferent; or whether every thing men do, is either sinful or holy. And on each of the subjects enumerated, there were frequent and very warm debates, which were not always conducted with precision, temperance, and gravity. III. That, in addition to the public assemblies for religious worship, there should be frequent private meetings for prayer and other religious exercises. But very many judged, and experience confirmed the opinion, that these Colleges of piety, as they were called, were attended with more danger than profit. The minor contests, respecting certain terms or plans, which did not originate from these sources, need not be mentioned. But it is important to add, that the kindness of those who were so earnest to promote piety towards certain persons, who were not perhaps bad men, but whose understandings were not well informed and sound, or who were chargeable with no slight errors; exceedingly displeased many of the opposite party, and afforded them no little ground for suspicion, that they set a lower value upon truth and the theology contained in the symbolical books than upon practical holiness. Among so great a multitude of combatants, and they men of various classes and tempers, it is not strange that there should have been many indiscreet persons, some over-zealous, and others leaning towards the opposite faults to those which they wished to avoid.

$32. The other class of Pietists, or those who laboured to promote piety in a way that would lead to a change in the established doctrines of the Lutheran community, and to a

3 All these controversies were first collected and arranged, though unduly multiplied by Sam. Schelwig, in his Synopsis Controversiarum sub Pietatis Prætextu motarum: first published, Dantzic, 1701, 8vo. But they may be better learned, together with the argu

ments of both parties, from Joachim Lange's Antibarbarus; and from his German work, entitled the Middle Way (Die Mittelstrasse); and also from Val. Ern. Löscher's Timotheus Veterinus, which is extant in two volumes.